SELVES JOYFUL by your most public gratulations and thanksgivings UNTO THE LORD every where ALL YE LANDS and nations, SING with your voices, REJOICE in your hearts, AND GIVE THANKS with your lips. 6. Yea, call in all kinds of music to your assistance, PRAISE THE LORD with stringed instruments, playing UPON THE HARP, and that vocal music be not wanting, SING TO THE HARP and complete the harmony WITH A PSALM OF THANKSGIVING and praise. 7. And that the choir may still be fuller, bring in windinstruments, praising the Lord WITH TRUMPETS ALSO AND SHAWMS, the shrillest and rarest music: O SHEW YOURSELVES to be JOYFUL and full of delight, when you come BEFORE THE LORD who is THE KING of heaven and earth. 8. There is no part of the world which is not partaker of his mercy, and therefore all, if they had tongues, should join in this song; however, LET THE SEA with its waves roar and MAKE A NOISE to be the bassus, and let ALL the fish THAT THEREIN IS contained, THE ROUND compass of the habitable WORLD AND THEY THAT DWELL THEREIN, all bear their several parts. 9. LET THE rivers and FLOODS keep time and CLAP THEIR HANDS in applause of their Creator. LET THE HILLS and mountains dance and BE JOYFUL TOGETHER in this grand triumph BEFORE THE LORD; and there is reason for this universal joy, not only for what is past, but because these judgments are forerunners of the great day, FOR by these you may see HE COMETH shortly TO JUDGE THE EARTH, and to right all that are wronged. 10. And when he doth come, WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL HE try and JUDGE even THE heathen WORLD, who only had the light of nature, and the people of his own pasture, even his church, he shall judge WITH EQUITY also, for there is no respect of persons with God. Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was in the beginning, &c. SECTION XVI. OF THE LAST HYMN BUT ONE, OR NUNC DIMITTIS. §. I. THIS Canticle being also recorded in the holy Gospel, indited by the Spirit, and occasioned by the manifestation of Jesus, is very properly adopted into the offices of the Christian church, and is used at this day by the Greeks as well as the Latins, and by the reformed as well as the Romanists; so that its general approbation might sufficiently vindicate our use of it; but a more particular illustration will still more conduce to express the prudence of this choice. The Analysis of the Nunc dimittis. A Practical Discourse on the Nunc dimittis, the first Hymn after the Second Lesson. §. III. LORD, NOW LETTEST THOU THY SERVANT DEPART IN PEACE ACCORDING TO THY WORD. FOR MINE EYES, &c. to the end.] The author of this short and comprehensive hymn was a man eminent for his exact justice, vigorous devotion, lively faith, and extraordinary inspiration, as the holy text assures us, and it is probable he was a considerable person; very likely it was he whom the Jews call Simeon the Just, who lived at this time, (and was the son of the most famous rabbi Hillela,) who opposed the received opinion of the tema Vid. Scultet. Exerc. Evang. lib. 1. cap. 61. and Lightfoot's Harmony on this place. 126 poral kingdom of the Messiah; for it is certain our Simeon did so, or he had never thus rejoiced over a Messiah, presented by so mean parents in swaddlingclothes at the gates of the temple. It was not the object that appeared to his eyes, but the illumination of the Spirit, and the prospect of his faith, that elevated his affections. Wherefore we need not pretend to dismiss this holy song, by alleging it was an extraordinary occasion; for the writings of the apostles, which are daily read among us, do as clearly represent the Saviour 127 of the world to the eye of our faith, and set him before us as evidently in the house of God, as any bodily sight could do to Simeon; and if our minds be enlightened, and our faith firm as his, we have the same occasion, and ought to rehearse it with the same devotion. The mercy is made sufficiently plain to us, and if we were but as apprehensive of the advantages it brings to us and all men, as he was, I know not why we should wish to live any longer, than till we have obtained hopes of a share in it. We say, we have houses to build, families to propagate, and designs to complete, and all before we are willing to die; that is, we desire something besides, nay (perhaps) more than an interest in Jesus; and therefore we dare not join in this noble wish. But Simeon was dead to the world before, and had been impatient of a longer stay, but only for the promise to have a sight of Jesus in the flesh. And when this long wished for happiness was come to pass, his expectations are answered, and all his desires fulfilled. He values nothing here, but humbly craves his dismission. His holy soul that came from God, can find no rest on the waters of this world, and therefore desires to return with an olive-branch of peace to its dear Lord", where it was sure of rest and » Τί γὰρ καὶ ἀδικούμεθα, ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς, θανάτῳ ἀπολυόμενοι πρὸς joy among its best friends. He now desires leave to depart from the flesh, which he had long esteemed his prison, wherein he was confined by his infirmities, and shut up from beholding the glories of God, which he now longs to see more than ever, by this last experience of his truth and mercy; and, knowing that death would set him free, his desires and joy begin to swell too big to be confined in the walls of flesh, and now he is even straitened till he be let loose into the regions of glory, to praise him face to face: and yet his ecstasies transport him not beyond the measures of obedience and humility; for he first asks his Master's leave, nor will he go till he have commission: only he intimates he had stripped himself of all worldly desires, and had his inner coat, his flesh, in his hands ready to lay it down and run, whenever the watchwordd was given. His hopes and desires to see his Saviour had alone made his life acceptable, and the fulfilling of them makes even death most welcome to him, because he knew that Jesus came to disarm death, and (by satisfying for sin) to deprive it of that sting which made it terrible to all men. All the sin-offerings of the law were but weak armour to encounter death, nor could they so fully purge or appease the conscience, as that it should not accuse in the fatal hour; but the perfect sacrifice of the death of Jesus doth so fully avert God's wrath, that all that believe in him can triumph over death, meet it with courage, and embrace it with peace, as the end of their fears, and the entrance into their felicitye. How can he fear death that hath Tov Kúpov; Clem. Alex. Strom. c ̓Απολύεσθαι τὸν ἀποθνήσκοντα, καὶ τὴν τελεύτην ἀπόλυσιν καλοῦσι, τοῦτο γὰρ δέμας ὀνομάζουσι. The mistius ap. Stob. ὁ Ἐὰν δὲ σεμήνῃ ἀνακλήτικον πείθεσθαι δεῖ τῷ σημαίνοντι ὡς τῷ στρατηγῷ. Arrian. e 1 Cor. xv. 55. Non est timendum quod liberat nos ab omni timendo. And his sins forgiven? or how can he doubt God's mercy that beholds his Son with faith and love? or how can he question the truth of God's promises, that embraces Jesus, the greatest of all, in his arms? He that knows God's power, is persuaded of his love, and convinced of his truth, can die in peace, and lie down with joy in the assurance of a blessed resurrection. And this we may do also; it was only their privilege who lived then to see Jesus bodily; but whoever looked on him then so as to dare to die, must behold him by faith. thus we may see Christ, not only with Simeon presented in the temple, but with St. Stephen standing at the right hand of God; not only in his rising, but his full glory. Why then are we so fixed to this world? so desirous to stay, so loath to depart, so sad when God calls? O let us look on this our Redeemer so steadfastly, and embrace him so lovingly in our hearts, that it may appear he is dearer to us than our very lives; let us love him so entirely, that nothing may satisfy us without him; and trust so fully in his merits and mercies, that we may live cheerfully and die peaceably. Let us say with this devout old man, Lord, I do now so clearly perceive thy purposes of mercy, so confidently believe thy promises of forgiveness, and so firmly rely on the hopes of glory, that I resolve to be ever thy servant: I desire to stay no longer in this world than to get assurances for a better: earth's vanities do not make me wish to live, nor death's terrors afraid to die. If thou callest me this day, Lord, I come: I can live with patience, or die in peace; for I see him that will preserve me in life or death, and gives me hopes that whether I live or die, I am the Lord's. I was not with Simeon in the temple to behold my 128 Saviour with my bodily eyes; but I have had thy salvation as clearly manifested in this thy holy word, as if |