Psalms 49

So that hence I conclude Adam fell the very day of his creation, because he had not yet tasted the Tree of Life, that tree that was most in his eye, and had such delicious fruit growing upon it. 3 Argument from (Psalm 49:12). Man being in honor, abides not. The Rabbins read it t…

This condition was Adam in when God entered into covenant with him. But this did not long continue; man being in honor abides not (Psalm 49, last verse), lodged not for a night; his teeth watered at the apple, and ever since it has made our eyes water. 3. Learn from Adam's fall,…

5. Sin is a debasing thing, it degrades us of our honor (Daniel 11:25). In those days shall stand up a vile person; this was spoken of Antiochus Epiphanes who was a king, and his name signifies illustrious, but sin had made him vile; sin blots a man's name, nothing so turns a ma…

Why are you afraid, O saint, that this sickness may be your death — as long as you know that the death of Christ is the death of death? Indeed, if you were to die in your sins — as John 8:21 — if death as a king reigned over you — Romans 5:14 — if it could feed upon you as the l…

Therefore we say that his sufferings were a condign and proportionable satisfaction to justice for those whose debt he paid; by this, justice is completely and gloriously satisfied. Secondly, we said that it was fitting that he should pay all that he paid, and so it is, if we co…

All the preaching that you hear daily if it be not now laid to heart, it shall be most terrible and dreadful to you one day; and the peace that you now have shall end in red war and great bitterness. 3. It reproves folks' exceeding great unwatchfulness and their trusting to thei…

The most powerful wicked man cannot prevail over it, nor is he able to resist and withstand it; those who conquer most of the world are constrained at length to be content with some few feet of ground, and their bodies are turned into dust. Job in the third chapter of his book s…

When Christ, the Father, heaven, are tied to the furthest end of all our actions, we are above ourselves. But we differ little in our aims from beasts, when the intention rises no higher than this side of clay and time (Psalm 49:11). That our houses may continue (Isaiah 5:8).

David speaks in the name of Christ (Psalm 22:29), it is the speech of our Savior, or of David in his name, No man can keep alive his own soul. It is beyond the power of the creature to keep alive his own soul, no not so much as natural life (Psalm 49:7-9). No man can give a rans…

But the devil's way is to lift them up to the clouds, that he may bring them down to the lowest pit of destruction. Adam in conceit must be like God, that indeed he may be like the beasts that perish (Psalm 49:20): Man that is in honor, and understands not, is like the beasts th…

Either he gives not what he promised, as he promised our first parents to be as gods (Genesis 3:5): "You shall be as gods." And what ensued (Psalm 49:12): man that is in honor and understands not is like the beasts that perish, degraded to the beasts, as the brutish and bestial…

This is an amplification of the former doctrine: for in this verse he shows, that even princes shall be so wholly plucked up and rooted out, that not one glimpse of their glory shall ever be discerned; even as if it had never been at all. While they are in honor (Psalm 49), a ma…

Now as if he had had the thing before his eyes, he uses a particle demonstrative, Behold, or lo, they shall wax old as does a garment, the moth shall consume them. The Psalmist uses the like similitude, when he compares the men of this world with the children of God, (Psalm 49).…

If the fear of God is extinguished by the dread of men, is it not evident that we pay greater deference to them than to God himself? Hence it follows, that when we have abandoned the heavenly and eternal life, we reserve nothing more for ourselves than to be like the beasts that…

To find the life means here to possess it, or to have it in safe keeping. Those who are excessively desirous of an earthly life, take pains to guard themselves against every kind of danger, and flatter themselves with unfounded confidence, as if they were looking well to themsel…

These, like the old logs and small spray, are preparing for the fire of Hell, where they must burn together. Of such Children, that Scripture, Psalm 49:19 will one day be verified, except they repent, They shall go to the generation of their fathers, where they shall not see lig…

The Lord is my Shepherd and feeder. And by a metaphor it is translated, for a friend: because friends do usually feed together, eat and converse together; So David describes a friend (Psalm 49:9). My familiar friend that did eat of my bread.

Draw therefore back, good brethren and sisters your straying steps and turn them in the ways of the LORD, yielding you rather to him and his word: for you have more assurance to be heard when you call to him, if you so do, than you have of following man's voice. David says (Psal…

2. The day of his glorious appearing, commonly called the great day; and in a singular way called here the day, because it has no night of interruption following thereupon, and because it goes as far beyond what believers possess now, as day exceeds the night. Therefore it is ca…

Therefore the bride is called from it, and commanded to look over it, even at its height, and to leave it to the men of the world, whose portion properly these heights and excellencies are, for they have not another to enjoy or look after. By lions and leopards, we understand co…

In Scripture, and by analogy, they are made use of to signify these two. 1. A man's way in the series of his carriage and deportment, as ordinarily his life is called a walk: so, (Ecclesiastes 5:1) Take heed to your feet, that is, to your carriage; hence the iniquities of the he…

2. The part commended is, the feet, by which a believer's walk and conversation, as grace shines in it, is understood, as we may see frequently (Psalm 119:59, 101, 105). So likewise shedding of blood, or other defiling sins, such as leave soul prints upon a man's conversation be…

The serious meditation of this would, 1. Keep us from being so deceived by the world. We are ready to set up our rest here (Psalm 49:11): Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever. We are apt to think that our mountain stands strong.

Assure yourselves (Christians) there is a day of recompenses for the controversy of Zion coming (Isaiah 34:8), and it is at hand; behold the judge stands before the door (James 5:9). Then vice and wickedness which now appear so daring, so threatening, will be effectually and irr…

And therefore do not think it much that I press this argument, because it is ordinary: all that perish, perish because they set their hearts upon that which is for a season: and therefore though the knowledge of this in some general notion be ordinary, yet the truth is, to know…

If the Wisdom of God do thus triumph and glorifie itself in the Distresses of the Saints, then why should I fear in the day of evil! Psalm 49:4. Why does my heart faint at the foresight and apprehension of approaching trouble? Fear none of those things that you shalt suffer, O m…

After this they inquire, as Micah 6:6-7: will any manner of sacrifices — though appointed of God, as burnt offerings and calves of a year old; though very costly, thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oil; though dreadful and against nature, as giving one's children t…

Many great and powerful persons in these days that overtopped Noah (no doubt) in outward respects, as in their stature, the proud giants, and they begot children, mighty men of old, men of renown, as the text has it: and yet as themselves perished in the flood, their names are d…

So though now Gods People are low and despised, and the Wicked Insult over them, yet when the Critical-day comes, there shall be a final Separation made between the Righteous and the Wicked: the one shall be Dignified, the other Damned, Matthew 25:46. Be encouraged therefore, O…

Many times we are doctrinally right in point of blessedness; but not practically: we content ourselves with the mere notion, but are not brought under the power of these truths; that is the work of the Spirit. It is easy to prove that it is the beast's happiness to enjoy pleasur…

Again, if cripples mock us for going upright, let us pity them. The judgment of wicked men is depraved, not to be stood upon; and this contempt one day will be cast upon themselves (Psalm 49:14). The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.

The wicked shall be reckoned with, called to an account by Christ (Jude 14:15): The Lord comes with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed, and of a…

All their business and bustle is to have their wills and pleasure for a little while, as if they had neither hopes nor fears of any greater things hereafter. (Psalm 49:20) Man that is in honor, and void of understanding, is as the beast that perishes, because he merely inclines…

The first birth gave us the natural faculty, the second the grace, or those divine qualities which were lost by Adam's sin: better never been born, unless born again; better be a beast than a man, if the Lord give us not the knowledge of himself in Christ. The beasts when they d…

1 Sinful man is like the beast in ignorance and stupidity (Psalm 73:22). So foolish was I and ignorant, as a beast before you (Psalm 49:20). Man (though a man in honor) that understands not, is like the beast that perishes, of no more value nor honor, though he sit at the upper…

The proud helpers do stoop under him (Job 9:13) — the helpers of pride, so it is; man is apt to be very proud, and has helpers of pride; and it is observable, that the word we read, pride, signifies strength also, to denote that man is very apt to be proud of his strength; but a…

None can put our sins to death, but he that died for our sins. Do not think to compound with God; if all the riches of the world were yours to give, and you would give them all, it must cost more than so to have your soul justified and saved (Psalm 49:9). If all the men of the w…

Instruction. We may here see, how great and [illegible] a work it is, to obtain the least spiritual good that appertains to the everlasting welfare of our souls, were it but the guilt of the least sin that should be removed, were it but the power of the least [illegible] that sh…

Sin has not only taken off our cloth of gold, but has put upon us filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3). God made us after his likeness (Genesis 1:26), but sin has made us like the beasts that perish (Psalm 49, last verse). We are all become brutish in our affections.

I have lain in wait for my own blood, I have twisted the cord of my own damnation. While he lived, he blessed himself; oh how happy am I, how does providence smile upon me! (Psalm 49:18). Though while he lived he blessed his soul, yet when this sentence is passed, he is the firs…

Usually here, all the land goes to the heir, the younger are put off with small portions: In heaven, all the saints are heirs; the youngest believer is an heir, and God has land enough to give to all his heirs: All the angels and archangels have their portion paid out; yet a bel…

We may hence learn, such come nearest to the nature of these pure and heavenly Spirits, who have eyes within to see what they are, and their blackness of face and feet, when they compare themselves either with the Holy God, or his Holy Law. 2. The carnal man is a beast (Psalm 49…

And this is so much the more dangerous, that the prejudice and blindness of self-love, does more strongly persuade self-godliness than any godliness of the world, and begets a more strongly rooted and fixed habit of believing self-godliness, than Ministers the godliest of them,…

May not this make us ashamed to think that many of our sins are committed [illegible][illegible] with the old Serpent. 6. Sin like Cyrcies inchanting cup, turns men into beasts, and is not that matter of shame? (Psalms 49:12). Sinners are compared to Foxes, (Luke 13:32).

The exigencies of the outward man they may supply; but the greatest abundance of them can never quiet a troubled conscience, nor appease an angry God, nor remove the condemning guilt of the least sin. No, the redemption of the soul is precious — more precious than to be purchase…

When men rise in a morning, they begin to foretell with much pleasure, what carnal pleasures they have the promise of that day or week, as to go to such company, and there be merry; to go such a pleasant journey, enjoy satisfaction in such a lust, hear such news, etc. And thus a…

First, from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:10). Notable is that speech of David (Psalm 49:5): Why should I fear in the day of evil, when the iniquity of my heels follow me? Why should he not fear, when his sins follow him, and are ready to triumph over him?

And therefore this should reach all those upon whom the Lord has bestowed a greater portion of this opinionative felicity, I mean, of money, honor, reputation, or the like. First, not to trust in uncertain riches, not to rely upon a foundation of their own laying for matter of s…

The third work of this commandment is to call upon the name of God in all tribulations, for by this God judges his name to be hallowed, magnified, and worshipped, if we name him and call upon him in persecution and necessity. And to be short, this is the very cause why he does n…