Gentiles to receive thee as the true Messiah and Saviour of the World and the Holy One of Israel and he shall choose thee d And although thou shalt be rejected by thine own People and refused by their Builders or Rulers as was Prophesied Psal. 118. 22. and for a time and in some respects forsaken by God himself Mat. 27. 46. yet God will return to thee and chuse thee again and manifest unto the World that thou and thou onely art the Person whom God hath chosen to be the Redeemer of mankind and whom in spight of all opposition he will make the head-stone of the Corner For the Phrase see on Isa. 48. 10. But these words are well rendred by others who will chuse or hath chosen thee the conjunction and being put for the pronoun relative as Isa. 44. 14. and in many other places as hath been observed before 8. Thus saith the LORD e God the Father unto Christ. * 2 Cor. 6. 2. in an acceptable time f Heb. In a time of good will in that time when I shall have and in a special manner manifest my good will to the Sons of men in the day of my Grace and of mans Salvation as this Phrase is explained in the next clause in the time of the Gospel which is in the time of Gods good Will towards men as the Host of Heaven declared at the Birth of Christ Luk. 2. 14. In the dayes of thy flesh when thou didst offer up Prayers and Suplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save thee from death as we read Heb. 5. 7. which text is a good comment upon this place have I heard thee g Though not so as to deliver thee from death and from the sence of my wrath yet so as to keep thee from sinking under these burdens and so as thou shouldest not be holden under the Pains or Power of Death Act. 2. 24 and so as to Crown thee with Glory and Honoâ—…r and a blessed success of all thy labours and sufferings and in a day of salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee i Upon earth till thy work be finished and unto that eternal Kingdom and Glory which is prepared for thee and give thee for a covenant k To be the Mediator and Surety of that Covenant which is made between me and them as Christ is called Heb. 7. 22. and 8. 6. to renew and confirm the Covenant which the Messiah is said to do Dan. 9. 27. by his own blood by which God and men are reconciled and united one to the other And therefore he may well be called the Covenant by a known Metonymy which is very usual in such cases as upon the same account Circumcision the sign of the Covenant is called Gods Covenant Gen. 17. 10. and the Paschal Lamb is called the Passover Exod. 12. 11. and the Sacramental Cup is called the New Testament Luk. 22. 20. and the Communion of the Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. of the people l Indefinitely of all my People not onely Iews but also the Gentiles as may be gathered from the context and by comparing this place with Isa. 42. 6. Where the same Phrase is used From both which places it is most manifest that the Messiah is designed and not Isaiah to whom this and divers other Phrases here used cannot be ascribed without great force ‖ Or raise uâ—… to establish the earth m To compose and settle the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof by making peace between God and men and between Iews and Gentiles and by establishing Truth and Righteousness and Holiness upon Earth and by subduing those Lusts and Passions which are the great disturbers of Humane Society which was the design of God in sending and of Christ in coming into the World to cause to inherit the desolate heritages n That desolate Places may be repaired and repossessed That Christ may possess the Heathen according to Psal. 2. 8. who were in a spiritual sence in a most desolate and forlorn condition h In the time of grace and of the Gospel which I have appointed for the working out of mans Salvation by thee 9. That thou mayest say o To wit with power and effect as when God said Let there be Light c. * Chap. 42. 7. to the prisoners p To the Gentiles who are fast bound by the cords of their sins and taken Captive by the Devil at his will as this same Phrase is understood Isa. 42. 7. Go forth q Come forth to the light receive Divine illumination and consolation to them that are in darkness Shew your selves they shall feed in the wayes and their pastures shall be in all high places r They shall have abundant provision in all places yea even in those which commonly are barren and unfruitful and such are both common roads and high grounds 10. They shall not * Rev. 7. 1â—… hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat nor Sun smite them s They shall be supplied with all good and necessary things and kept from all evil occurrents for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them t God who hath magnified his mercy to them will conduct them with safety and comfort even by the springs of water shall he guide them 11. And I will make all my Mountains a way and my high wayes shall be exalted u I will remove all hinderances and prepare the way for them by levelling high grounds and raising low grounds of which see on Isa. 40. 3 4. 12. Behold these shall come from farr x My People shall be called and gathered even from the most remote parts of the earth He speaks here and in many other places of the Conversion of the Gentiles with allusion to that work of gathering and bringing back the Iews from all parts where they were dispersed into their own Land and loe these from the North and from the West y From the several parts of the world which are here synecdochically expressed as they are in many other places and these from the land of Sinim z Either of the Sinites as they are called Gen. 1â—… 17. who dwelt about the Wilderness of Sin which was Southward from Iudea Or of Sin a famous City of Egypt called the strength of Egypt which may be synecdochically put for all Egypt and that for all southern parts And so he here mentions the several quarters of the World where the generality of the Iews were dispersed the North which is every where named as the chief place of their banishment and dispersion as Ier. 16. 15. and 31. 8. and elsewhere the West the western Countries and Islands and the South 13. Sing O Heavens and be joyful O Earth and break forth into singing O Mountains for the Lord hath comforted his People a God hath now sent that
the same phrase Gen. 48. 15. 1 King 8. 25. Psal. 116. 9. and be thou ‖ Or upright or sincere perfect c i. e. sincere universal and constant in thy belief of my promises and obedience to my commands See Gen. 6. 9. 2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee d I am come to renew establish and enlarge that covenant which I formerly made with thee and will multiply thee exceedingly 3. And Abram fell on his face e Partly in self-abasement and an humble sense of his own undeservedness of such favours and partly in reverence and worship to God and a thankful acknowledgment of his marvellous kindess Compare Levit. 9. 24. Ezek. 43. 3. and God talked with him saying 4. As for me behold my covenant is with thee and thou shalt be a father of †Heb. multitude of Nations many nations f Both literally or after the Flesh of the Israelites Ismaelites Edomites c. and spiritually of all Believers of all Nations to whom Abram hath in some sort the place of a Father Rom. 4. 12 17. Not only as he was the great example and teacher of that faith by which they are all saved as the instructers of others are called their Fathers both in Scripture as Gen. 4. 20 21. and in profane Authors but as he was made by God the head of the Covenant by or through whom the Covenant-right was conveyed to all his natural seed and afterwards to the spiritual seed all Gentile-Believers 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham g i. e. The Father of a multitude Ham in the Hebrew being put for Hamon which signifies a multitude by a figure called Apocope which is usual in proper names * Rom. 4. 17 for a father of many nations have I made thee 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful and †Heb. I will make thee Nations I will make * Chap. 35. 11 nations of thee and Kings shall come out of thee h So did the Kings of Israel and Iudah of Edom of the Saracens and the Messias who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee i i. e. Whatsoever I am or have all that shall be thine and shall be employed for thy protection consolation and Salvation This phrase contains in it the confluence of all blessings Temporal Spiritual and Eternal See Levit. 26. 12. Psal. 33. 12. and 144. 15. Ier. 31. 33. and to thy seed after thee 8 And * Chap. 12. 7. I will give unto thee and to thy seed †Unto thee not in thy own person but in thy Seed See Gen. 13. 15 17. after thee the land †Heb. of thy sojournings wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession k Upon condition of their obedience to God as is oft expressed Wherein seeing they so notoriously failed it is no wonder if they possessed it but a little while as the Prophet complains Isa. 63. 18. and I will be their God 9 And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou l The agreement is mutual My part was expressed before now follows thy part and the condition to which my promise and blessing is annexed and thy Seed after thee in their Generations 10 This is my covenant m Circumcision is here called the Covenant by an usual Metonymy because it is the condition sign and seal of the Covenant the pledge of Gods promise and mans duty And upon the same grounds the cup i. e. the Wine is called the New Testament in Christs blood Luke 22. 20. Or which is all one Christs Blood in the New Testament Matth. 26. 28. which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee every * Acts 7. 8. man-child n It is evident that Women as well as Men were comprehended in this Covenant from Gen. 34. 14. Exod. 12. 3 4. Ioel 2. 15 16. Yet Circumcision is given only to the Males partly because it could not at least not conveniently be administred to Females partly because man is the principal cause of the propagation of Children and consequently of the propagation of that original corruption which cleaves to them partly to signifie that all persons begotten by man should be polluted by sin though not all conceived by a Woman as Christ was And partly because Man is the Head of the Woman and of the Family upon whom all their concerns are devolved and from whom the distinction of Families and People comes among you shall be circumcised 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin o i. e. By an usual Hypallage the fore-skin of your flesh And the word Flesh is here put for the Genital part as it is Levit. 15. 2 19. Ezek 16. 26. and 23 20. and elsewhere This part God singled out for this Ordinance because it is and was a great instrument both in the commission of actual sins and in the propagation of original sin and therefore it was very proper to apply to it the seal of Gods gracious Covenant for the remission of sins past and the extirpation of sin for the future and it shall be a * Act. 7. 8. Rom. 4. 11. token of the covenant p i. e. A sign evidence and assurance both of the blessing promised by that God who appointed this Ordinance and of mans obligation to the duties required which is signifyed by his acceptance of and submission to this Ordinance And here we have the nature and definition of a Sacrament viz. that it is a figure or token of Gods Covenant betwixt me and you 12 And †Heb. a son of eight days he that is eight days old q Not before that time because of the Childs weakness and imperfection and impurity too Exod. 22. 30. Levit. 12. 3. for which reason also Beasts were not to be offered to God before the eigth day Exodus 22. 30. * Levit. 12. 3. Luke 2. 21. John 7. 22. shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations r Successively until the Messias come who shall circumcise your hearts and change this Ordinance for another he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger s These were of two sorts 1. Children who being entirely his possession and having not understanding to discern nor will to chuse or refuse were to be circumcised 2. Grown persons who were not to be compelled to be circumcised but if they refused it were not to be permitted to dwell in his Family lest they should infect others but were to be sold to strangers as the Hebrew Doctors teach But as for Abrahams Servants here they were
proper name of the place where that happened and which also was called Massah as is evident from Exod. 17. 7. and Deut. 33. 8. and as in the day of temptation p In the day in which you tempted me Or as in the day of Massah i. e. when you were at Massah in the wilderness 9 When q Or In which place Which may belong either to Meribah and Massah or to the Wilderness last mentioned Or Surely as this word is oft used in Scripture as hath been observed once and again your fathers tempted me proved me and saw r Or Although or After that they saw or had seen Which is added as a just and great aggravation of their unbelief after such a sensible and evident experience of Gods power and goodness to them my works s Both my works of mercy which gave them abundant cause to trust me and my works of justice for which they had reason to fear and please me Heb. my work to wit that great and stupendous work of bringing my people out of Egypt with a strong hand and of conducting them safely through the Red Sea into the Wilderness and of destroying the Egyptians For not many more of Gods great works were done before they came to Meribah 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation s Or rather with that generation which then lived who were your Ancestors and said It is a people that do err in their hearts t They do not onely sin through infirmity and the violence and surprizal of temptations but their hearts are unsincere and inconstant and given to backsliding and therefore there is no hopes of their amendment Compare Psal. 78. 8. and they have not known u Or they do not know to wit with a practical and useful knowledge as that word commonly notes in Scripture They did not rightly understand nor duly consider nor seriously lay to heart They remain ignorant after all my teachings and discoveries of my self to them my ways x Either 1. my laws or statutes which are frequently called Gods ways Or rather 2. my works as it is expressed v. 9. which also are commonly so called They did not know nor consider and remember those great things which I had wrought for them and among them 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath y Being full of just wrath against them I passed an irreversible sentence and confirmed it by an Oath of which we read Numb 14. †〈◊〉 if they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 that they should not enter into my rest z Into the promised land which is called the rest Deut. 12. 9. See also 1 Chron. 23 25. Psal. 132. 14. And this History the Psalmist propounds to the men of his Age not as a matter of meer speculation but as an instruction for all after Ages and particularly for those Israelites who should live in the times of the Messias that they should take heed of falling after the same example of unbelief as the Apostle insers from this place Heb. 4. 11. PSAL. XCVI This Psalm was composed by David upon occasion or at the time of the bringing of the Ark of God into the Tabernacle which David had prepared for it in Zion as may be gathered by comparing it with 1 Chron. 16. 7. 23 24 c. where almost the whole Psalm is to be found But as the Ark was an evident type of the Messiah which David very well knew as hath been oft noted before so Davids thoughts or at least the design of Gods spirit which indited this Psalm was extended beyond and above it even to the times of the Messiah and to his glorious and universal Kingdom in which not the Jews onely but the Heathen Nations also should worship the true God and kiss his Son the Messiah 1 O * â—… Chron. 16. â—… 〈◊〉 33. 3. Sing unto the LORD a new Song a Upon this new and great occasion not the removal of the Ark wherein there was nothing new but an inconsiderable circumstance of place and that not yet fixed but the coming of the Messiah and the confirming of the New Covenant by his blood and the calling of the Gentiles sing unto the LORD all the earth b All the Nations of the Earth who shall then partake of those great blessings and priviledges which are now peculiar to Israel 2 Sing unto the LORD bless his name shew forth his salvation c That great work of the redemption and salvation of the World by the Messias from day to day 3 Declare his glory among the heathen his wonders among all people d You who shall be called out of all the Heathen Nations to the knowledge of God and Christ publish this glorious and wonderful work amongst all the Heathen Nations to whom you belong or may come 4 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised * Psal 95 3. he is to be feared above all gods e The gods of the nations as the next Verse expounds it 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols f Or nothings as they are called 1 Cor. 8. 4. and 10. 19. or vain things as the word signifies and is translated by others The sence is Though they have usurped the name and place of the Divine Majesty yet they have nothing of his nature or power in them but the LORD made the heavens 6 Honour and majesty are before him g i. e. In his presence like beams shot out from his face who is the Sun of righteousness There is an unconceivable glory and majesty in his countenance and in the place of his presence strength and beauty are in his sanctuary h Or in his holy place where he records his name and affords his presence There are the manifestations of Gods power and grace or goodness and all his perfections 7 Give unto the LORD O ye kindreds of the people i Or O ye families of the people of the World And the word families may be understood either 1. strictly and properly and so it may be intimated that this great blessing of salvation by Christ should not be imparted to whole Nations but onely to some persons taken out of every people and nation as it is expressed Revel 5. 9. or 2. more largely for nations as it is taken Gen. 12. 3. Ier. 25. 9. Zech. 14. 18. and so it may be implied that not onely some few of the Heathen people should be brought to the acknowledgment and worship of the true God as was usual in the times of the Old Testament but that whole Nations should come in to the Church of God together give unto the LORD k Ascribe to him or acknowledge to be in him glory and strength 8 * Psal. 29. â—… 2. Give unto the LORD the glory †Heb. of his name due unto his name bring an offering and come into his courts l Into
of the sharp and dreadful pains which he suffered not onely from men but from God too and from the fire of his sore displeasure against sinners whose place and person Christ sustained in his sufferings and unleavened bread y Partly as a Monument of their speedy departure out of Egypt which gave them not time to leaven their bread ver 34. which is the reason alledged for it Deut. 16. 3. partly to teach us how men should be qualified that come to the Sacrament they should be purged from error and pride and malice and hypocrisie which are called and compared to leaven Mat. 16. 6 11. Luk. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. and partly to signifie the singular purity of Christ from all kinds of spiritual leaven and with bitter herbs z Both to remind them of their hard service and bitter usage in Egypt Exod. 1. 14. from which God delivered them Deut. 16. 3. and to prefigure the further crosses and troubles which they were to expect between their going out of Egypt and coming to Canaan Or with bitternesses i. e. with great bitterness or with grief of heart that together with faith in God and in Christ and hope and joy for their approaching deliverance they might exercise bitter and hearty repentance for their Idolatries and other sinful practises whereof they were guilty in Egypt And this instructs us as well as them of the absolute necessity of true and bitter repentance in all those that would profitably â—…eed upon Christ our passeover they shall eat it 9 Eat not of it raw a i. e. Not throughly roasted for such we also say is raw and so the Hebrew word na is understood by the Iewish and other Doctours It signified that Christ should suffer as well as save to the uttermost all that was due for our sins nor sodden at all with water but rost with fire his head with his legs and with the purtenance b Heb. the inwards which were to be taken and washed and then to be rosted together with the rest Some do here except the fat and caul and kidneys which were reserved by God for himself 2 Chron. 3â—… 12 14. But that exception was not made till after this time and it seems not certain that that exception extended to the Paschal lamb These and the head and legs are here mentioned not to exclude other parts but because they are not commonly roasted but God would have the whole lamb roasted and eaten to signifie that we must have either nothing of Christ or the whole Christ and all his benefits his spirit to sanctifie and rule us as well as his blood to save us thereof 10 * chap. 23. 18. and 34. 25. And ye shall let nothing of it remain untill the morning and that which remaineth of ‖ Which either was not usually eaten or was more than all of you could conveniently eat it untill the morning ye shall burn with fire c To prevent either 1. the superstitious use of the relicks of that lamb by the Israelites who thereby had received a greater benefit than they did afterwards by the brasen serpent which upon that account they worshipped or 2. the profane abuse of that which had been consecrated to Gods service Compare Exod. 29 34. 11 And thus shall ye eat it d To wit for this time because their circumstances required it that they being suddenly to take a great journey might be in a travellers habit But that these and some other circumstances now enjoyned and used were only temporary and not perpetual nor obligatory sufficiently appears from the practise not onely of the Iews in following ages but also of Christ and of his Apostles And in like manner there are some institutions in the New-Testament which did onely oblige that age and not all that follow them as Act. 15. 28 29. with your loins girded e Like Travellers and persons undertaking some difficult service for such used to gird up their garments which in those parts were long and troublesome See 2 King 4. 29. and 9. 1. Luk. 12. 35. your shoes on your feet f A badge 1. of their readiness for their journey Isa. 5. 27. Act. 12. 8. 2. Of their freedome for slaves such as the Israelites now were in Egypt used to go barefooted 3. Of joy as on the contrary going barefoot was a badge of mourning 2 Sam. 15. 30. and your staff in your hand g Like persons upon the point of departing which was a very comfortable circumstance and ye shall eat it in haste h For so the word signifies Deut. 16. 3. Isa. 52. 12. it is the LORDS Passeover i This lamb or your eating of it is the Lords Passeover i. e. it is a sign of Gods passing over you and your houses when he comes to destroy the Egyptians on every side of you ver 13. 23. It is a Metonymy usual in Sacramental speeches as Gen. 17. 10. Mat. 26. 26 27 28. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt both man and beast and * Num. 33. 4. against all the ‖ Or Princes gods of Egypt I will execute judgment k Either 1. by exposing them to shame and contempt as vain and impotent Gods that could not save their worshippers But that appeared before Or 2. by destroying those beasts which they worshipped and it is not unlikely but those particular beasts which were their chief Idols as Apâ—…s Mnevis c. were first-born and therefore perished in this plague Or 3. by overthrowing their Idols as he afterwards did Dagon And so some Hebrew writers tell us that this very night all their Idols were broken and thrown down And there are some foot-steps hereof even in heathen Authors Of whom some tell us that most of the Temples of Egypt at one time fell down by an earth-quake and others affirm that the Egyptian Gods for fear of one Typho by whom it is apparent they meant Moses did hide themselves for a season c. I am the LORD 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token l Both to you as he now said a sign and a pledge to confirm your faith in the expectation of the promised deliverance and to the Angel that he may know and pass over your houses as the following words intimate See on ver 7. upon the houses where you are and when I see the blood m This is spoken of God after the manner of men the sence is If I find that you keep the condition which I require you may expect the priviledge which I have promised you otherwise not I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you †Heb. for a destruction to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial n Or Monument both of this
our first Parents had utterly lost and 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 price of his own blood and hath revenged the Death of Mankind upon the great Contriver of it the Devil by destroying him and his kingdom and hath taken a course to preserve our Name and Honour and Persons to Eternity And if the places where God is called Goel in the Old Testament be examined it will be found that either all or most of them may be and some of them must be understood of God the Son or oâ—… Christ as Gen. 48. 16. Isa. 59. 20. See also Psalm 74. 2. Isa. 41. 14. 44. 6. 49. 7 52. 3. 63. 16. 3. Because Iob was so far from such a firm Confidence as he here professeth that he had not the least degree of hope of any such glorious temporal restauration as his Friends promised to him as we have oft seen and observed in the former Discourses as Chap. 16. 22. 17. 12 13 c. And therefore that hope which every righteous man hath in his death Prov. 14. 32. and which Iob oft professeth that he had must necessarily be fixed upon his happiness in the future life 4. Because some of the following expressions cannot without wresting and violence be applied to a Metaphorical Resurrection as we shall see in the Sequel 5. Because this is a more lofty and spiritual strain than any in Iob's former Discourses and quite contrary to them And as they generally â—…avour of Dejection and Diffidence and do either declare or encrease his Grief so this puts him into another and much better temper And therefore it is well observed that after this time and these expressions we meet not with any such impatient or despairing passages as we had before which shews that they had inspired him with new life and comfort 6. Because this well agrees with other passages in this Book wherein Iob declareth that although he had no hope as to this life and the comforts thereof yet he had an hope beyond death which made him prosess Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me yet will I trust in him Iob 13. â—… 5. Trust in him For what Suâ—… for comfort and happiness Where Not in this life for that he supposeth to be lost therefore it must be in the next life And this was one reason why he so vehemently desired Death because he knew it would bring him unto God and unto true Felicity And this his hope and confidence in God and in his Favour to him Iob. opposeth to those â—…oul and false aspersâ—…ons which his Friâ—… had cast upon him as iâ—… he had forsaken God and cast off all â—…ear of him and hope in him Object 1. If this place had spoken of the Resurrection of the Body some of the Hebrew Writer or Commentators upon this Place who did believe that Doctrine would have understood it so and have urged it against the Sadduces which they did not Answ. 1. All the Jewish Writers which are now extant lived and wrote â—…ce Christ's time when the Doctors of that People were very ignorant of many great Truths and of the plain meaning of many Scriptures and very corrupt in their Principles as well as in their Practises 2. There was a manifest Reason why they could not understand this Text thus because they believed that Iob in his Agonies did deny God's Providence and consequently the Resurrection and the future Judgment which though it was a most uncharitable and false Opinion yet forced them to interpret this Text another way Obj. 2. How is it credible that Iob in those ancient times and in that dark stare of the Church should know these great Mysteries of Christ's Incarnation and of the Resurrection and Life to come Answ. 1. The mystery of Christ's Incarnation was revealed to 〈◊〉 by that first and famous Promise that the seed of the woman should break the Serpent's head Gen. 3. 15. which being the onely Foundation of all his Hopes for the recovery and salvation of himself and of all his Posterity he would doubtless carefully and 〈◊〉 teach and explain it as need required to those that descended from him 2. That the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets were generally acquainted with these Doctrines is undeniably evident from Heb. 11. and 1 Pet. 1. â—… 10. 11 12. 3 Particularly Abraham from whom Iob is supposed to have dâ—…ded had the Promise made to him that Christ should come out of his Loins Gen. 12. â—… and is said to have seen Christs day and 〈◊〉 to see it John 8. 56. and had his hopes and desires fixed upon a divine and heavenly City and Country Heb. â—…1 10 16. And as 〈◊〉 liveth m knâ—…w and believed these things himself so it is manifest that he â—…aught them to his Children and Servants Gen. 18. 1â—… aâ—…d to his Kiâ—…red and others as he had occasâ—…on And therefore it cannot seem strange that Iob professeth his Faith and hope in these things 〈◊〉 I am a dying man and my hopes are dying but he liveth and that for ever and therefore though i die 〈◊〉 both caâ—… and will make me to live again in due time â—…ugh not in this World yet in the other which is much better and though I am now highly censured and condemned by my Friend and others as a great Dissembler and a secret Sinner whom God's haâ—…d hath found out yet there is a day coming wherein 〈◊〉 Caâ—…se shall be pleaded and my Name and Honour vindicated from all these Reproaches and my Integrity brought to light and that he shall stand n I am falling and dying but he shall stand firm and unmoâ—…able and victorious in full power and authority all which this word stand signifies and therefore he is able to make me to stand in Judgment and to maintain my Cause against all Opposers Or 〈◊〉 â—…all arise as this Verb most commonly signifies i. e. Either 1. he shall exist or be born as this word is oft used as Num. 32. 14 Deut 29. 22. Iudg. 2. 10. 1 Kings 3 12. Matth. 11. 11. And it notes Christ's Incarnation that although as he was God he was now and from all Eternity in being yet he should in due time be made man and be born of a woman Or 2. he shall arise out of the dust which had been more probable if it had been in the Text from or out of as now it is upon the earth or dust for Christ's Resurrection from the dead might be fiâ—…ly mentioned here as the Cause of Iob's Resurrection which followeth ‖ Or at last at the latter day o Either 1. in the days of the Messiah or of the Gospel which are oft called the letter or last days or times as Isa. 2. 2 〈◊〉 â—… 5. 〈◊〉 2. 28. Compared with Acts 2. 17. 1 Tim. 4. 1. and 2 〈◊〉 3. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 1. Or rather 2. at the day of the general Resurrection and Judgment which as those holy Patriarchs well knew and firmly believed was to be at
most frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testament Though the first may seem to be Principallyâ—… if not only Intended because he speaks of his past sins which could be cleansed no other way but by Remission from secret faults g i. e. From the guilt of such sins as were secret Either 1. From others such as none knows 〈◊〉 God and my own Conscience Or 2. From my self such as I never observed â—…or did not discern the evil of Pardon my unknown sins of which I never repented particularly as I should have done 13. Keep back h Or restrain or withdraw Which word is emphatical and signifies Mans natural and great proneness even to the worst of sins and the necessity of God's grace as a Bridle to keep men from rushing upon them Having begged Pardon for his former Errors he now begs grace to keep him from Relapses for the time to come thy servant also from presumptuous sins h Or restrain or withdraw Which word is emphatical and signifies Mans natural and great proneness even to the worst of sins and the necessity of God's grace as a Bridle to keep men from rushing upon them Having begged Pardon for his former Errors he now begs grace to keep him from Relapses for the time to come * Psal. 119. 133. Rom. 6. 12. 14. let them not have dominion over mâ—… i From known and evident sins such as are committed against knowledge and Delâ—…eration with design and resolution and Eagerness with resistance against the Cheeks of Conscience and the Motions of Gods Spirit and with Contempt both of God's commands and Judgments and so with Pride and insâ—…lency which this word signifies See Exod. 21. 14. And such a sin was that of David's in the Matter of uriah to which he seems to have an Eye and prayeth to be kept from such Miscarriages then shall I be upright k That will be an Evidence of my Sincerity and I shall have this Comfort that although I am not absolutely Perfect but incompassed with many Infirmities yet I am an upright Person and such as thou wilst accept and I shall be innocent l Thou wilst hold me for Innocent Or I hall be cleansed or kept pare as this Word primarily signifies from ‖ Or much the great transgression m i. e. From the guilt of such Presumptuous sins which are indeed very great Transgressions and such as if accompanied with Obstinacy and Impenitency thou wilst not Pardon But as for other sins of ignorance or infirmity thou wilst graciously remit them for thy Covenants sake made with me in and through thy Christ. Oth. From much Transgression or from innumerable sins which usually follow the Commission of one Presumptuous sin as David found by his own sad Experience i If I be at any time tempted to any suâ—… sins Lord let them not prevail over me and if I do fall into them let me speedily rise again and not willingly give up my self to the Custoâ—…ary practice of them 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart n Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful Actions he now prays that God would govern and sanctify his Words and Thoughts wherein he had many ways offended as he here implies and oft in this Book confesseth and bewaileth And this he the rather doth because this Caution was very necessary to preserve him from Presumptuous sins which have their first rise in the Thoughts and thence proceed to Words and Expressions before they break forth into Actions be acceptable in thy sight o i. e. Be really good and Holy and so well-pleasing to thee O LORD †Heb. my Rock my strength p O thou who hast hitherto strengthened me both against my temporal and spiritual Enemies and whose gracious and powerful Assistance is absolutely necessary to keep me from my own corrupt Inclinations and from all Temptations to sinful Thoughts and Worâ—…s and Actions and my redeemer q This Expression seems to be added emphatically and with special respect to Christ who was certainly much in David's Eyes â—…o whom alone this word Goel can here Properly belong as may appear by my Notes on Iob. 19. 25. to which I refer the Reader and by whose Blood and Spirit alone David could and did expect the Blessings and Graces for which he here prayeth c. PSAL. XX. The ARGUMENT This Psalm contains a Prayer to be used by the People both now on the behalf of King David when he was undertaking some great Expedition going forth as is supposed against the Ammonites and Syrians 2 Sam. 10. or some other potent Enemies and hereafter in like Cases To the chief musician a Psalm of David 1. THe LORD hear thee in the day of trouble a In this time of War and Danger the Name of the God of Iacob b i. e God himself For Names are oft put for Persons as Numb 26. 53. Aâ—… 1. 15. and 4. 12. and the Name of God for God as Deut. 28. 58. Neâ—… 9. 5. Psal. 44. 98. 20. Prov. 18. 10. and oft elsewhere He calls him the God of Iacob or Israel partly to distinguish him from false God's and partly as an Argument to enforce the Prayer because God had made a League or Covenant with Iacob and his Posterity who are called by the Name of Iacob Psal. 147. 19 20. Isa. 44. 2. and whose cause David was now pleading against their Enemies †Heb. â—…t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 defend thee 2. Send †Heb. thy help thee help from the sanctuary c Either 1. From Heaven as it is expressed v. 6. Or rather 2. From the Tabernacle in Sion as it is explained in the next Words where the Ark then was towards which the Israelites directed their Prayers and from which God heard and answered them and †Heb. support thee strengthen thee out of Zion 3. Remember d To wit with acceptance as it follows all thy offerings e Offered either by thâ—…e at thy entrance upon this Expedition Or by us thy People on thy behalf or by thine appointment and †Heb. turn to Ashes Or makâ—… fat accept f Heb. turn to Ashes by fire sent from Heaven in token of his acceptance as was usual of which see Levit. 9. 24. 1 Kings 18. 38. thy burnt-sacrifice Sâ—…lah 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart g i. e. That good success which thy Heart desires and fulfil all thy counsels h Thy present design for God and for his and thy People 5. We will rejoyce i Hereby they shew their Confidence in God and their assurance of the Victory in thy salvation and * 〈◊〉 17. 15. 〈◊〉 â—…4 in the Name of our God k i. e. To the Honour of God as the Conqueror we will set up our banners l In way of Triumph which among other
Judgment seat God hath shined e. 3. Our God f These Words are used here as they are also Heb. 12. 29. emphatically The Prophet speaks this in the Person of the Israelites and Worshippers of God whereof he was one and thereby takes off their â—…ond Pretence as if because God was their God in Covenant with them and nearly related to them by Abraham his Friend for ever he would bear with their Miscarriages and would not deal so severely with them as some fancied which also was their Conceit Ier. 7. 4. c. Mat. 3. 9 10. No saith he though he be our God yet he will come to execute Judgment upon us shall come g Either 1. From Heaven his dwelling place to Zion to sit in Judgment there Or 2. Out of Zion to some other place as was said on v. 2. and shall not keep silence h So the Sence is he will no longer forbear or Connive at the Hypocrisie and Profaneness of the Professors of the true Religion but will now speak to them in his Wrath and will effectually reprove and Chastite them But because the Psalmist is not now describing what God did or would say against them which he doth below v. 7. c. but as yet continues in his Description of the Preparation or coming of the Judge to his Throne it seems more Proper to translate the Words as some do he will not cease for this Verb signifies not onely a Cestation from Speech but from Motion or Action as it doth 2 Sam. 19 11. Psal 83. 1. Isa. 42. 14 15. i. e. Not neglect or delay to come So here is the same thing expressed both Affirmatively and Negatively as is frequent in Scripture whereof divers instances have been formerly given for the greater assurance of the Truth of the thing * Psal. 97. â—… a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him i This is a farther Description of that terrible Majesty wherewith God clothed himself when he came to his Tribunal in token of that just severity which he would use in his Proceedings with them He alludes to the manner of Gods appearance at Sinai Exod. 19. and intimates to them that although Zion was a place of Grace and Blessing to all true Israelites yet God would be as dreadful there to the Hypocrites among them as ever he was at Sinai See Isa. 33. 14. 4. He shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth k Either to the places themselves and so it is a Figure called Prosopopaeia Or to the Inhabitants of them all Angels and Men whom he calls in for Witnesses and Judges of the Equity of his present Proceedings Comp Deut. 4. 26. and 31. 28. and 32. 1. that he may judge his people l To wit in their Presence and Hearing 5. Gather m O ye Angels summon and fetch them to my Tribunal Which is poetically spoken not as if they were actually to do so but onely to continue the Metaphor and Representation of the Judgment here mentioned my Saints n The Delinquents the 〈◊〉 whom he calls Saints Partly because they were all by Profession an holy People as they are called Deut. 14. 2. Partly by an frony intimating how unworthy they were of that Name and Partly as an Argument or Evidence against them because God had chosen and separated them from all the Nations of the Earth to be an Holy and peculiar People to himself and they also had solemnly and frequently Consecrated and devoted themselves to God and to his faithful Service all which did greatly aggravate their present Apostacy together unto me those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice o i. e. Which have entred into Covenant with me and have ratified that Covenâ—…nt with me by Sacrifice not onely in their Parents Exod. 24 4. c. but also in their own Persons from time to time even as oft as they offer Sacrifices to me This Clause seems to be added here to acquaint them with the proper Nature use and end of Sacrifices which were principally appointed to be Signs and Seals of the Covenant made between God and his People and Consequently to Convince them of their great mistake and Wickedness in trusting to their outward Sacrifices when they neglect the very Life and Soul of them which was the keeping of their Covenant with God and withal to diminish that overweening Conceit which they had of Sacrifices and to prepare the way for the abolition of them as being onely necessary to confirm the Covenant which being once for all confirmed by the Blood of Christ they might without any inconvenience be laid aside and abrogated 6. And * Psal. 97. 6. the heavens shall declare his righteousness p Which they were called to Witness v. 4. So was the Earth also But here he mentions the Heavens onely as I humbly conceive because they were the most impartial and Considerable Witness in the Case for men upon Earth might be false Witnesses either through Ignorance and Mistake or through Prejudice and Partiality and Passion But the Angels understand things more thoroughly and certainly and are so exactly pure and sinless that they neither can nor will tell a lye for God and therefore their Testimony is more valuable Or the meaning is that God would Convince the People of his Righteousness and of their own Wickedness by terrible Thunders and Lightnings and Storms or other dreadful Signs wrought by him in the Heaven or the Air by which he did Convince his People in two like Cases Deut. 5. 22 23. c. 1 Sam. 12. 17 18 19. for God is judg himself Selah q In his own Person or immediately God will not now reprove them or contend with them by his Priests or Prophets with whom they may easily strive as they used to do but he will do it in an immediate and extraordinary manner from Heaven and therefore they shall be forced to acknowledge his Righteousness and their own unrighteousness as they must needs do when the Contest is between them and that God who is the great Judge of the World and cannot possibly do any unrighteous thing Iob 34. 13. Rom. 3. 6. who exactly knows all their Hearts and Works and cannot be deceived nor Contradicted 7. * Psal. 81. 8. Hear O my people and I will speak r Having brought in God as coming to Judgment with them he now gives an Account of the Process and of the Sentence of the Judge whose Words are contained in this and the following Verses O Israel and I will testifie against thee s I will plead with thee and declare my Charge or Inditement against thee I am God even thy God t Not onely in general as thou art my Creature but in a special manner by many singular Favours and Obligations and by that solemn Covenant made at Sinai whereby I avouched thee to
meant by the Sons of Aliens which should be ready to discharge all Offices for the advanâ—…age of the Church feeding the Flocks viz. the Churches of Christ wiâ—…h the Word of God and should manage the whole work of God's Spiritual Husbandry therein see 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 8 9. Or by Strangers may be meant Members of the Church onely by an outward Profession even they shall be some way serviceable to her in ordinary and inferiour matters The Earth shall help the Woman Rev. 12. 16. 6 But ye shall be named the priests q For your part ye emphatically shall be as Priests Either 1. For 〈◊〉 as the Priests of old were plentifully provided for without their labour so shall you by the labour of Strangers Or 2. For Countenance you shall be every whereas greatly valued as the Priests were wont to be you shall be esteemed as Princes for so the word is often used the word Priest being applied not onely to the Sacred Function but to one that was of great note among the People and was supplied with all necessaries from others without any labour of his own Thus David's Sons were called Priests or Princes Or rather 3. For Priviledge the whole body of them shall now be as peculiar and as near to God as the Priests were formerly and shall be a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. This is most certainly true of all the faithful under the Gospel hence they have also their Spiritual Sacrifices Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 15 16. 1 Pet. 2. 5. * 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. of the LORD men shall call you the ministers of God * Chap. 60. 6 16. ye shall eat r It relates to the Riches of the Gentiles which did consist most in Flocks and Herds Or what you eat shall be purchased by the Riches of the Gentiles the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall ye boast s You shall exalt your selves or be renowned by others The LXX render it you shall be wonderful or to admiration or grow high by the access of that glory which they shall bring unto you viz. in Riches Parts Learning Chap. 60. 5 11. your selves 7. For your shame ye shall have double t See on Chap. 40. 2. Supple honour though you have been little accompted of among your Enemies yet now you shall be greatly in their esteem Zech. 9. 12. you shall have double damages and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion u viz. of honour that God will give them the same thing with the former or in their Inheritance which God shall restore to them and that either 1. For worth and value through God's blessing upon it Or 2. For room and space and that possibly by reason of the few that will return to inhabit there viz. onely a tenth part Chap. 6. 13. Or that which he shall give them out of their Enemies Land therefore x Or rather Because being rendred as a reason of their rejoycing because of the doubling of their portion in which sense it is taken Chap. 16. 14. in their Land they shall possess the double everlasting y Of long continuance here and everlasting hereafter or to be perpetually remembred on their Anniversary Festivals though this had its accomplishment in their return from Babylon yet was it most signally made good in that great change for the better which they should find in the Gospel-state in the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom and encrease of his People with whom they should ever rejoyce together joy shall be unto them 8 For I the LORD love judgment z q. d. They have suffered a great deal of hardship under their Enemies and I will do them Right for I love Justice in my self and in them that practise it Or he gives a reason why he will recompense those Strangers that did so freely minister to his People * Chap. 1. 13. I hate robbery a All things gotten by injustice though it be for Sacrifice As God will not accept of that which cost nothing so much less of that which is the Effect of Rapin and Oppression a foundation whereon most of our Abbies and Monasteries were built viz. to expiate some great Crimes And thus by making God a Receiver they did interpretatively make him a Confederate for burnt-offerings and I will ‖ Or recompense Heb. give Ezek. 7. 3. direct their work in truth b Either I will lead and guide them so that they shall do all things in sincerity they shall do good works and to good Ends they shall now love Truth and walk in Truth and serve him in Spirit and Truth Or I will reward them or I will make their work stable and firm Truth notes stability see the Notes on Chap. 16. 5. work being here put metonymically for the reward of work proportionably to their work and I will make an everlasting covenant c q. d. Though you have broken Covenant with me and I have seemed to forsake you in giving you up to Captivity yet I will renew my ancient Covenant made with your Fathers confirmed with the blood of Christ and it shall be everlasting never to be abrogated viz. it shall be continued in the Gentiles that shall come in your rooms that for breach of Covenant were broken off with them 9 And their seed shall be among the Gentiles d i. e. Eminently a promise of the encrease of the Church such shall be their prosperity and multiplying that they shall be known abroad by their great encrease or else the meaning is the Church shall have a seed of the Gentiles the borders of the Church shall be enlarged whereas it hath been confined as it were to one corner of the world now it shall remain in one Nation alone no more but shall fill all the Nations of the Earth and their off-spring among the People all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed e They shall be known to be the seed of Abraham partly by their holy conversation and partly by their exceeding blessings it being the seed that the Lord had so often promised to bless There shall be such visible Characters of God's love to them of God's grace in them 10 I will greatly rejoyce f This by a Prosopopoeia is spoken in the Person of the Church wherein she doth thankfully acknowledge God's kindness to her in the forementioned promises expressed here in the greatness of her affection with reference both to her present deliverance from Babylon and to the happiness of her Gospel state in the LORD g Or because of the Lord or of the goodness of the Lord towards me an usual form of gratulation 1. Sam. 2. 1. and Hab. 3. 18. and Luk. 1. 47. or thus I will not rejoice so much in my deliverance as in the Lord. my soul shall be joyful in
or Error and in their Effect as guiding and directing men in the right and ready way to eternal Happiness Which also reflects upon that knowledge of Divine things which men have by the light of Nature and works of God or by the Doctrines of the Philosophers or others that wanted or neglected the light of God's word wherein there is a great deal of darkness and uncertainty and Error and Danger rejoycing the heart m Partly by that clear and certain knowledge of Divine things which it gives for knowledge is pleasant to the Soul Prov. 2. 10. and partly by the discoveries of God's Love and Grace to sinful men in Offers and Promises of Mercy therein contained the commandement of the LORD n i. e. All his Commands is * Psal. 119. 140. pure o Without the least mixture of Error or injustice or Deceit Which cannot be said of humane Laws enlightning the eyes p To wit of the Mind with an evident and compleat manifestation of God's Will and Man's Duty both which the works of Nature and all the Writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly 9. The fear of the LORD q By which he understands not the Grace of God's fear as this Phrase is commonly taken nor the whole Worship of God as it is taken Psal. 34. 9. 11. Mat. 1â—… 9. but the Law and Word of God which is the only thing that is hâ—…re commended and which is meant by all the other parallel Titles of his Testimony and Statutes and Commandements and Iudgments and consequently by this of his â—…ear which is as it were hemmed in within them And this may well be so called by an usual Metonymy because it is both the Object and the Rule and the Cause of this Grace of holy Fear as God himself is called Fear for the like reason Gen. 31. 53. and in the Hebrew Psal. 76. 11. is clean r i. e. Sincere not adulterated with any mixture of Vanity or Falshood or Vice not requiring noâ—… allowing any uncleanness or wickedness as the Religion of the Gentiles did enduring for ever s Constant and unchangeable the same for Substance in all the Ages of the Church and the World Which is most true both of the moral Law and of the Doctrine of God's Grace and Mercy to sinful and miserable man which two are the Principal partâ—… of that Law of which he here speaks as is Evident from the whole Context For as the difference between the Old and the New Testament that lyes only in Circumstantial and Ceremonial or Ritual things which are not here intended and that Alteration also was foretolâ—… in the Old Testament and consequently the accomplishment of it did not destroy but confirm the certainty and constancy of God's word This also is opposed to humane Laws wherein there are and ought to be manifold Changes according to the difference of Times and People and Circumstances the judgments of the LORD t i. e. God's Laws frequently called his Iudgments because they are the Declarations of his righteous Will and as it were his legal oâ—… judicial Sentence by which he expects that men should govern themselves and by which he will judge them at the last day are †Heb. truste true and righteous altogether u. 10. More to â—…e desired are they than gold * Psal. 1â—…9 12. 127 Prov. 8. 11. 19. yea than much fine gold x Than Gold of the best quality and in the greatest quantity * Psal. 119. 103. sweeter also than honey y Which was most sweet in those Eastern Countries and †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the honey comb z Than that Honey which the Bees have most diligently wrought in their Combs and which freely flows from them which is sweeter than the rest 11. Moreover by them is thy servant a I thy servant though a King and a Prophet and of some Repute for Wisdom and Knowledge yet I am daily taught by them Or 〈◊〉 as Dan. 12. 3. or clearly admonished as this word signifies 〈◊〉 18. 20. 2 Kings 6. 10. Eccles. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 3. 17 c. and 33. 3. 9. It is a faithful and excellent Monitor to shew me my Duty in all Conditions and to preserve me from falling into sin and danger and Mischief warned and in keeping of them b To those that make it their great Design and care to conform their whole Lives to them For he speaks not of a Legal and perfect keeping of them which no man attaineth to in this Life 〈◊〉 7. 20. Gâ—…l 3. 10 11 12. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. but of doing it in an Evangelâ—…al Sence with the allowances which God through Christ makes for Humane infirmities there is great reward c In this Life and especially in the next 12. * Psal. 40. 12. Who can understand d This may be here added Either 1. As a further Proof of the Excellency and necessity of God's Law because mens Errors are so many and hard to be discovered and prevented that they indispensably need such a Friend and Counsellor as the Law is to give them the true knowledge of themselves and of their sins Or 2. As a just and sorrowful Censure of himself upon the Consideration of the exact Purity of God's Law and the Comparing of his Life with it Thy Law O Lord is Holy and just and Good But I am a poor sinful Wreâ—…ch falling infinitely short of it and Condemned by it Or 3. As a signification of the insufficiency of God's Law strictly so called for the healing and saving of mens Souls and of the necessity of further supplies of the Gospel and grace of God whereby the eyes of their Minds may be enlightned to see that light which shines in God's Law and their Hearts may be renewed to yield universal Obedience to it for which therefore he prays in the following words And withal he implies that he did not expect that reward which he last mentioned as a just Recompence to his Obedience which he confesseth to need a Pardon more than to deserve a reward but only as an effect of God's grace and goodness his Errors e Either 1. His sins of ignorance of which this word is used Levit. 4. 2 22 27. 〈◊〉 5. 6. Or rather 2. His sins in general â—…â—…ich afterwards he divides into secret and presumptuous sins Or all deviations from God's Law which are thus called 1 Saâ—… 26. 21. Psal. 119. 67 118. Heb. 9. 7. Iam. 5. 20. The Sence is I cannot comprehend the numbers or the several kinds or all the Hainous Aggravations of my sins cleanse thou me f Both by justification or the Pardon of my sins through the Blood of thy Son which is to be shed for me and by Sanctification through thy holy Spirit co-working in and with thy Word to the further Renovation of my Heart and Life For these are the two ways of câ—…eansing Sinners
consentedest with him t Or as many render it then thou didst run with him thou didst readily and greedily associate thy self with him in his unrighteous Courses Thou didst yield to his Motions and that with great Complacency and Diligence and †〈…〉 hast been partaker with adulterers u By joyning with them in their lewd and filthy Practices 19. Thou givest x Heb. thou sendest forth to wit free for the Word is used of Mens dismissing their Wives or their Servants whom they left to their Freedom Thou hast an unbridled Tongue and castest off all restraints of God's law and of thy own Conscience and givest thy Tongue Liberty to speak what thou pleasest though it be offensive and dishonourable to God and injurious to thy Neighbour or to thy own Soul Which is justly produced as an Evidence of their Hypocrisie thy mouth to evil y Either to sinful or Mischievous Speeches and thy tongue frameth deceit z i. e. Uttereth Lyes or fair Words wherewith to Circumvent those who deal with them 20. Thou sittest and speakest a Thou dost not onely speak evil in a sudden Passion or upon some great Provocation but this is thy Constant and deliberate Practise and Business which thou dost pursue with great Facilty and Complacency all which this Phrase implies against thy brother b Strictly so called as the next Clause explains it Which is a great Aggravation of the sin and a Proof of his inveterate and obstinate Wickedness thou sâ—…anderest c Takest away his good Name which is better than all Riches yea than Life it self Which is contrary to my express and oft repeated Commands thine own mothers son 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence d I did not express my Displeasure against thee in such grievous Judgments as thou didst deserve Or I was deaf I carried my self like one that did not hear thy sinful Speeches nor see or take any notice of thy wicked Actions thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self †Thou didst Misconstrue and abuse this my Patience and long suffering as if it had proceeded from my Ignorance or Regardlessness or Approbation of thy evil Courses which I seemed by my Connivence to justifie or allow and thereupon didst grow more audacious and impudent in sin See Eccles. 11 9. Isa. 26. 10. Rom. 2. 4 5. but I will reprove thee e Not with Verbal but real Reproofs i. e. By severe Punishments as this Word is used Iob 13. 10. Psal. 6. 1. and 38. 1. and 39. 71. and oft elsewhere I will quickly undeceive and Convince thee of the contrary to thy cost and set them in order before thine eyes f I will bring to thy Remembrance and lay upon thy Conscience all thy sins in full number and in their Order with all their Circumstances and thou shalt then see and know that I diligently observed and hated them all and that none of them shall go unpunished 22. Now consider this ye that forget God g Ye Hypocritical and ungodly Israelites who have forgotten as Moses foretold you would do Deut. 32. 18. the God that formed you and made you his People and forgotten his Mercies and Judgments by which you should have been instructed and the Covenant which you made with him and by which you stand obliged to him lest I â—…ear you in pieces h Lâ—…st my Patience be turned into Fury and I proceed to take 〈◊〉 on you and there be none to deliver i Or for as the Hebrew Particle is oft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 that can or will deliver you None can 〈◊〉 you from the Power of mine Anger 23. Who so * Psal. 69. 30. 31. offereth praise k Or Thanksgiving as this Word is rendred v. 14. Sâ—…e the note there glorifieth me l He and he onely gives me the Hoâ—…our that I require and prize and not he who loads my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multitude of Sacrifices whereby you 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 â—…ceit that you please and glorifie me 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 time you live in the gross 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 important â—…ties of Piety and Justice and Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatly dishonour me and my Worship and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infamous Lives and to him †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ordereth his 〈◊〉 â—…right m Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pronoun is frequently understood the 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Life i. e. That Lives orderâ—… and according 〈◊〉 for Sinners are said to walk 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 3. â—… â—… 11. 〈◊〉 by Chance as it is in the Hebrew Text 〈◊〉 20 21. 23. whâ—…ch is opposed to Order and the Scripture owns no 〈◊〉 but what God prescribes or approves and therefore this 〈◊〉 aright is justly added in our Translation will I shew n Heb. I will 〈◊〉 him to see i. e. To enjoy as that Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have shewed again and again the salvation of God o i. e. Mâ—… Salvation that true and everlasting Happiness which I have prepared for all my faithful Friends and Servants and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onâ—…ly So false is that Position of 〈◊〉 of the Jewâ—…th 〈◊〉 that every Israelite 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PSAL. LI. To the chief musician a To be sung by him and other sacred Musicians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Temple through all Ages that his Repentance 〈◊〉 as manifest and publick as his Crime and Scandâ—…l was a Psalm of David * 2 〈◊〉 12. 1. â—… 11. 2. when Nathan the prophet came unto him After his Conscience was awakened by Nathan's Words 2 〈◊〉 12. and Nathan was gone David falls very seriouâ—…ly upon the Practice of sincere Repentance and digested his Meditations into this Psalm after he * 2 Sam. 11. 2. 4. had gone into 〈◊〉 1. HAve mercy upon me c Pity and Help and Answer me in the Desires I am now spreading before thee O God according to thy loving kindness d I pretend to no merit but humbly implore thy free Grace and Mercy according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies e Thy mercies are infinite and therefore sufficient for my Relief and such indeed do I need Either 1. Out of my Conscience and Soul where it hath leâ—…t a stain and filthy Character Out of thy Book of Remembrance and Accounts in which all mens sins are written and out of which all men shall be judged hereafter Revel 20. 12. Which is spoken of God after the manner of men See of this Phrase Isa. 43. 25. and 44. 22. blot out f my transgressions 2. Wash me throughly g Heb. Multiply to wash me By which Phrase he implies the greatness of his guilt and the insufficiency of all legal Washings and the absolute necessity of some other and better thing to wash him even of Gods Grace and the Blood of Christ which as Abraham saw by Faith Ioh. 8. 5â—… so did David
as is sufficiently evident allowing for the darkness of the Dispensation and Expressions of the Old Testament from divers passages of the Psalms of which I have spoken in their Proper places and his earnest and passionate desire of Pardon which he desires above all other things Wherein he sheweth himself to be a true Penitent because his chief Care and desire was to obtain God's Favour and the forgiveness of his sins and not the Prevention of those external â—…ore Judgments which God by Nathan threatned to bring upon him and his House 2 Sam. 12. 10 11. about which here is not one Word in this Psalm whereas the Cares and Desires of Hypocrites chiefly are bent towards Worldly things as we see in Cain Gen. 4. 13 16 17. and Saâ—…l 1 Sam. 15. 30. and others 〈◊〉 7. 14. from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin 3. For I acknowledge h With Grief and Shame and abhorrency of my self and of my sins which hitherto I have dissembled and covered And being thus truly Penitent I hope and beg that I may find Mercy with thee my transgressions i For it was not a single but a Complicated Wickedness Adultery Murder Injustice Perfidiousness and frequent Repetition of and long and stupid Continuance in aâ—…ominable Repetition of and that with publick Scandal and my sin is ever before me k That which I had cast chind my Back is now Constantly in my view and fixed in my Thoughts and Memory 4. Against thee thee onely l Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely because he had unquestionably sinned against 〈◊〉 and Uriah and mâ—…ny others who were either injured by it or scandalized at it but Comparatively So the Sence is this though I have sinned against my own Body and Conscience and against others yet nothing is more grievous and Terrible to me than to consider that I have sinned against thee Partly upon a general Account because this is the chief Malignity and sinfulness of sin that it offends and injures the Glorious and Blessed God and Partly upon particular Reasons Because I set thee at Defiance and having used all wicked Arts to conceal my sin from Men and being free from Fear of punishment from them I went on boldly in sin casting off all Reverence to thy Holy and Omniscient Majesty and all dread of thy Judgments and because I sinned against thee to whom I had such numerous and peculiar and eminent Obligations as thy Prophet Nathan truly â—…suggested to me 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. have I sinned and done this evil in thy fight m With gâ—…oss Contempt of God whom I well knew to be a Spectator of my most secret Actions * Rom 3. 4. that thou mightest be justified n The Particle that is not taken Causally or Intentionally as if this was David's Design but Eventually as it is Exod. 11. 9. Psal. 30. 12. Hâ—…s 8. 4. This will be the Fruit or Consequent of my sin that whatsoever severities thou shalt use towards me and mine it will be no blemish to thy Benignity or Righteousness or Fidelity but the blame of all will rest upon my Head as I desire it may and thy justice will be Glorified by all Men. when thou speakest o Heb. In thy Words i. e. In all thy Threatnings denounced against me by Nathan and in any further Sentence which thou shalt see fit to pass upon me and be clear when thou judgest p When thou dost pleaâ—… or contend with me or execute thy Sentence or Judgment upon me Or when thou art â—…udged as it is rendred Rom. 3. 4. for the Word may be taken Passively as well as Actively When any man shall presume to Cenâ—…ure thee as not keeping thy Covenant and Mercy promised to David 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity q This Verse is both by Iewish and Christian by Antient and Latter Interpreters generally and most truly understood of Original sin Which he here mentions as an Aggravation of his Crime and the Sence of the place is this Nor is this the onely sin which I have Reason to acknowledge and bewail before thee for this filthy stream leads me to a corrupt Fountain and upon a serious Review of my Heart and Life I find that I am guilty of innumerable other sins and that this Haâ—…nous Crime though drawn forth by external Temptations yet was indeed the proper Fruit of my own filthy and vile Nature which without the restraints of thy Providence or Grace ever was and still is like to be inclinable and ready to commit these and ten Thousand other sins as Occasion offers it self For which Contrariety of my very Nature to thine thou mayst justly loath and Condemn me and for which I humbly beg thy Pardon and Grace and in sin did my mother †Heb. Warm me conceive me r Heb. Warm oâ—… Cheriâ—…h me in the Womb before I was shapen or formed there 6. Behold thou desirest s Or delightest in Or requirest Heb. willest truth t Either 1. Sincerity in Confessing my sins which therefore I have now acknowledged though hitherto I have Practised much Falshood and Dissimulation in indeavouring to conceal them from Men. Or rather 2. Integrity or uprightness of Heart which seems to be here opposed to that Iniquity mentioned in the last Verle in which he was and all Men are framed and Born And this may seem to be added Partly as a Proof or Aggravation of the sinfulness of Original Corruption because it is contrary to the holy Nature and Will of God which requireth not onely unblameableness in mens Actions but also Universal innocency and Rectitude of their Minds and Hearts and Partly as an Aggravation of his actual sin wherein he had used such gross Deceit and Treachery in †Heb. the Reins the inward parts and in the hidden part u i. e. In the Heart called the hidden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3. 4. and the 〈◊〉 Part Rom. 2. 16. which in the former Branch he called the Reins or inward Parts thou shalt make me to know x So declares his Hope that God would Pardon and cure his â—…olly which he had discovered and make him Wiser for the Future But this seems not to suit well with the Context which runs wholly in another strain The word therefore is and may be rendred otherwise Thou hast made me to know So this is another Aggravation of his sin that it was Committed against that Wisdom and Knowledge which God had not onely revealed to him outwardly in his Word but also inwardly by his Spirit writing it in his Heart according to his Promise Ier. 31. 33. Or thus do thou make me to know the future Verb being here taken Imperatively and as a Prayer as the following Futures are here Translated v. 7 8. Having now said for the Aggravation of his sin that God did desire or require Truth in tâ—…e inward Parts He takes