2. That it is 'upon Sigionoth,* a little may be spoken,
VOI-. XV. H
98 A MEMORIAL OF THE DELIVERANCE
The word is once in another place (and no more) used in the title of a song, and that is Psal. vii. * Shiggaion of David:' and it is variously rendered. It seems to be taken from the word nJli/ 'erravit/ to err, or wander variously; Prov. v. 20. The word is used for delight, to stray with delight. ' In her love nj'ii'n thou shalt err with delight,' we have translated it, *be ravished,' noting affections out of order. The word then holds out a delightful wandering and variety : and this lite- rally, because those two songs, Psal. vii. and Hab. iii. are not tied to any one certain kind of metre, but have various verses for the more delight: which, though it be not proper to them alone, yet in them the Holy Ghost would have it especially noted.
But now surely the kernel of this shell is sweeter than so. Is not this written also for their instruction who have no skill in Hebrew songs ? The true reason of their metre is lost to the most learned. Are not then God's variable dis- pensations towards his held out under these variable tunes, not all fitted to one string? not all alike pleasant and easy? Are not the several tunes of mercy and judgment in these songs ? Is not here affliction and deliverance, desertion and recovery, darkness and light in this variously ? Doubtless it is so. ,
III. Observation. God often calls his people unto songs upon Sigionoth.
•^ He keeps them under various dispensations, that so drawing out all their affections, their hearts may make the sweeter melody unto him. They shall not have all honey, nor all gall: all judgment, lest they be broken, nor all mercy, lest they be proud. * Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God, thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions;' Psal. xcix. 8. Here is a song upon Sigionoth : they are heard in their prayers, and forgiven ; there is the sweetest of mercies : ven- geance is taken of their inventions, there's a tune of judg- ment. ' By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou an- swer us, O God of our salvation ; Psal. Ixv. 5. is a song of the same tune. To be answered in righteousness, what sweeter mercy in the world? Nothing more refreshes the panting soul, than an answer of its desires : but to have this
' Graviter in eurvi tleceruiiur, cui etiaiu ipsa connectio denegatur. Prosp. Sent.
OF ESSEX COUNTY AND COMMITTKE. 99
answer by terrible things, that string strikes a humbling, a mournful note. Israel hears of deliverance by Moses,** and at the same time have their bondage doubled by Pharaoh : there's a song upon Sigionoth. Is it not so in our days? pre- cious mercies, and dreadful judgments jointly poured out upon the land. We are clothed by our Father, like Joseph by his, in a party-coloured coat; Gen. xxxvii. 3. here a piece of unexpected deliverance, and there a piece of de- served correction; at the same hour we may rejoice at the conquest of our enemies, and mourn at the close of our har- vest. Victories for his own name's sake, and showers for our sins' sake ; both from the same hand, at the same time. The cry of every soul, is like the cry of the multitude of old and young at the laying the foundation of the second tem- ple : many shouted aloud for joy, and many wept with a loud voice, so that it was a mixed noise, and the several noises could not be distinguished; Ezra iii, 12, 13. A mixed cry is in our spirits, and we know not which is loudest in the day of our visitation. I could instance in sundry parti- culars, but that every one's observation will save me that easy labour. And this the Lord doth,
1 . To fill* all our sails towards himself at once; to exer- cise all our affections. I have heard, that a full wind be- hind the ship drives her not so fast forward as a side wind, that seems almost so much against her, as with her : and the reason they say is, because a full wind fills but some of her sails, which keep it from the rest that they are empty ; when a side wind fills all her sails, and sets her speedily forward. Which way ever we go in this world, our affections are our sails ; and according as they are spread and filled, so we pass on, swifter and slower, whether we are steering. Now if the Lord should give us a full wind, and continual gale of mercies, it would fill but some of our sails, some of our affections, joy, delight, and the like: but when he comes with a side wind, a dispensation that seems almost as much against us as for us, then he fills all our sails, takes up all our affections, making his works wide and broad enough to entertain them every one ; then are we carried freely and
'' Duplicantur lateres quando venit Moses. * Nainque bonos non blanda inflant, non aspera frangunt, Sed fidei invictse gaudia vera juvant. Pros}'. Epig. in sent. August,