13. thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid servant l This clause is added not as if children or servants were not immediately obliged by this command or were excused by God for the breach of this â—…aw at their masters commands which were to obey God rather than men contrary to St. Peters command and practice Act. 5. 29. and which were to limit the foregoing word thou and the law of the Sabbath onely to those that have children and servants which is an idle senceless and absurd as well as profane opinion but to restrain hard-hearted and covetous or ungodly persons that they should neither command nor suffer their children or servants to profane the fabbath so far as they can hinder it Which how far it concerns thousands of governours of families at this day they shall do well seriously and in time to consider nor thy cattle m Partly to teach us to exercise merâ—… towards the brâ—…te creatures compare Deut. 5. 14. partly because the use of cattel must have drawn along with it the attendance or employment of men and partly that by observing the rest of the cattel they might be more minded and quickened to the observation of this sacred rest nor thy stranger n i. e. The Gentile that sojourneth with thee lest their example should provoke the Israelites to imitate them and lest the Gentiles should have opportunity of gaining at that time when and by that thing whereby the Israelites were losers even by the religious observation of the Sabbath that is within thy gates o i. e. that dwells within thy cities which have walls and gates or within thy villages or territories So the word gates is oft taken as Gen. 22. 17. and 24. 60. and 2 Sam. 10. 8. compared with 1 Chron. 19. 9. 11 For * Gen. 2. 2â—… in six dayes p And neither in more nor less time as he could have done the LORD made heaven and earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested q i. e. Ceased from his creating works otherwise he worketh still Ioh. 5. 17. by his providence and grace and neither is idle nor weary Isa. 40. 28. but this rest is ascribed to him for our admonition and imitation the seventh day wherefore the LORD blessed r i. e. Made it a day of blessing as well of receiving blessings and praises from men as of conferring his blessings and favours upon those that religiously observe it The day is said to be blessed when men are blessed by it and in it by a common Metonymy as a mans field Gen. 27. 27. and basket and store Deut. 28. 5. and the work of his hands Iob 1. 10. are said to be blessed when a man is blessed in them the Sabbath day s It is remarkable the blessing and sanctification are not appropriated to the seventh day but to the sabbath day whether it should be the seventh day as to the Iews it then was or the first day as to us Christians now it is which change seems hereby to be insinuated and hallowed it t i. e. Separated it from the rest of the days and from all common employments and consecrated it to his own holy service and mans holy use 12 * Levit. 19. 3. Deut. 5. 16. Eph. 6. 2. Honour u Which word doth not onely note the reverence love and obedience we owe them but also support and maintenance as appears from Mat. 15. 4 5 6. and from the like signification of that word 1 Tim. 5. 3 17. which is so natural and necessary a duty that the Iews say a man is bound even to beg or to work with his hands that he may relieve his parents thy father and thy mother x The father is put first here and the mother Lev. 19. 3. to shew that we owe this duty promiscuously and indifferently to both of them Compare Exod. 21. 15 17. Deut. 21. 18. and 27. 16. Prov. 20. 20. and 30. 17. And because these laws are brief and yet comprehensive under these are contained all our Superiours and Governours that thy dayes may be long y Heb. that they i. e. thy Parents may prolong thy days or the days of thy life to wit instrumentally by their prayers made to God for thee and by their blessing in my name conferred upon thee though the active verb is commonly taken impersonally as Iob 7. 3. Prov. 9. 11. Luk. 12. 10. and so it may be here they prolong for be prolonged upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee 13 * Rom. 13. 9 Thou shalt not kill z To wit any man or woman without authority and without just cause which exception must necessarily be understood because many other Scriptures command the Magistrate to kill great offenders And this prohibition being delivered by God who made and searcheth and commands mens hearts must be extended not onely to the external act of killing but to all motions of the heart or tongue which tend that way as anger hatred envy malice strife blows and the challenges of Duellists which is clearly manifest by comparing this with other Scriptures as Mat. 5. 21. 1 Ioh. 3. 15. c. And here as in the rest is commanded the contrary duty of preserving the lives of our neighbours as much as lies in our power 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery a Here is mentioned one kind of uncleanness as being eminently sinful and unjust and pernicious to humane society But under this are comprehended and forbidden all other kinds of filthiness as beastiality Sodomy whoredom fornication c. and all means occasions and appearances of them as it â—…ears 1. from other Scriptures that forbid those things which â—…her belong to this command or to none of the ten which is very improbable 2. from the large extent of the other commands noted before 3. from our saviours explication Mat. 5. 27. And contrariwise all chastity and sobriety in thoughts affections words habits and gestures is here prescribed See 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. Heb. 13. 4. 15 Thou shalt not steal b i. e. Either by deceit or violence or without his knowledg and consent take away another mans goods Eph. 4. 28. but on the contrary shalt preserve and increase them as need requires and occasion is offered 16 * Deut. 19. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness c Heb. not answer viz. when thou art asked in judgment Lev. 5. 1. 19. 16. or not speak a false testimony or as a false witness Which doth not onely forbid perjury in judgment but also all unjust censure slander backbiting scorning false accusation and the like and also requires a just and candid judgment of him and of his words and actions speaking well of him as far as truth and justice will permit and defending his good name against the calumnies and detractions of others against thy neighbour d No nor
principally ordained for their need and for their good even to seek and obtain the pardon of their sins Or 2. Of all their Sabbaths and consequently of this The Jews are supposed to begin every day and consequently their Sabbaths at the evening in remembrance of the creation Gen. 1. 5. as Christians generally begin their days and Sabbaths with the morning in memory of Christs Resurrection 33 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 34 Speak unto the children of Israel saying * Num. 29. 12. The fifteenth day of the seventh moneth shall be the feast of tabernacles q i. e. Of Tents or Booths or Arbours This feast was appointed principally to remind them of that time when they had no other dwellings in the Wilderness as it is expressed ver 43. and to stir them up to bless God aswell for the gracious conduct and protection then afforded them as for their more commodioâ—… and secure habitations now given them and secondarily to excite them to gratitude for all the fruits of the year newly ended which were now compleatly brought in as may be gathered from â—… 39. Eâ—…od 23. 16. Deut. 16. 13 14. See â—…n insâ—…nce of this fâ—…st 〈◊〉 8. 1â—… for seven dayes unto the LORD 35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 36 Seven dayes ye shall offer an offering r A several offering each day which is particularly described Numb 29. 13 c. made by fire unto the LORD * Ioh. 7. 37. 2 chron 7. 9. on the eighth day s Which though it was not one of the days of this feast strictly taken nor is it here affirmed to be so but on the contrary is expresly said to consist of seven days ver 34 39. nor did they dwell longer in Tabernacles yet in a larger sence it belonged to this feast and is called the great day of the feast Ioâ—… 7. 37. And so indeed it was as for other reasons so because by their removal from their Tabernacles into more fixed and comfortable habitations it represented that happy time wherein their 40 years tedious march in the wilderness was ended with their introduction into and settlement in the land of Canaan which it was most fit and just they should acknowledge with such a solemn day of thanksgiving as this was shall be an holy convocation unto you and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD it is a †Heb. day of restraint solemn assembly t Heb. a day of conclusion because it was the end of the feast Ioh. 7 37. or of restraint because they were restrained from servile work and obliged to attendance upon Gods worship or of detention because they were yet detained before the Lord and kept together for his service and not suffered to return to their tents till this was over and ye shall do no servile work therein 37 These are the feasts of the LORD which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD a burnt-offering and a meat-offering a sacrifice u i. e. Another sacrifice to wit for a sin-offering as we shall find it Numb 29. 16 19 22 c. called by the general name a sacrifice because it was designed for that which was the principal end of all sacrifices to wit for the expiation of sin and drink-offerings every thing upon his day 38 Beside the sabbaths x i. e. The offerings of the weekly sabbaths by a Metonymy as the day is sometimes put for the actions done in it as Prov. 27. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 13. God will not have any sabbath sacrifice diminished because of the addition of others proper to any other feast And it is here to be noted that though other festival days are sometimes called sabbaths as here ver 39. yet these are here called the sabbaths of the Lord in way of contradistinction to other days of rest to shew that this was more eminently such than other feast-days which also sufficiently appears from the fourth Commandement of the LORD and beside your gifts y Which being here distinguished from free-will-offerings made to the Lord may seem to note what they freely gave to the Priests over and above their first-fruits and tithes or other things which they were enjoyned to give and beside all your vows and beside all your free-will-offerings which ye give unto the LORD 39 Also z Or rather surely as this particle is oft used For this is no addition of a new but onely a repetition of the former injunction with a more particular explication both of the manner and reason of the feast in the fifteenth day of the seventh moneth when ye have gathered in the fruit a Not the corn which was gathered long before but of their trees as vines olives and other fruit-trees which compleated the harvest whence this is called the feast of in-gathering Exod. 23. 16. of the land ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven dayes On the first day shall be a sabbath and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath 40 And ye shall take you on the first day the †Heb fruit boughs b Heb. the fruit i. e. fruit-bearing boughs or branches with the fruit on them as the word fruit seems to be taken 2 King 19. 30. Ezek. 19. 12. of goodly trees c To wit the olive myrtle and pine as they are mentioned Nehem. 8. 15 16. which were most plentiful there and which would best preserve their greenness or freshness branches of palm-trees and the boughs of thick trees d Fit for shade and shelter and willows of the brook e Which might do well to mix with the other and in some sort to bind them together And as they made their booths of these materials as is apparent from Nehem. 8. so it seems they did also carry some of these boughs in their hands as is affirmed by Iewish and other antient writers and ye shall rejoyce f Which joy they testified by feasting thanksgiving c. before the LORD your God seven dayes 41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven dayes in the year it shall be a statute for ever in your generations ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month 42 Ye shall dwell in booths g Which were erected in their cities or towns either in their streets or gardens or the tops of their houses Nehem. 8. 16. which were made flat and therefore were proper and fit for that use seven dayes all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths 43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD CHAP. XXIV 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Command
and from the Nature of the Thing for this really was the last Time and State of the Church in the World the Jewish Pedagogy was to be abolished but Christs Institutions were to continue to the end of the World that the mountain of the LORDS house d The Temple of the Lord which is upon Mount Moriah which yet is not to be understood literally of that Material Temple but mystically of the Church of God as appears from the next following Words which will not admit of a literal Interpretation and from the flowing of all Nations to it which was not to that Temple nor indeed was fulfilled till that Temple was destroyed and from the frequent use of this Metaphor the Temple or the House of the Lord concerning the Christian Church both in the Old and the New Testament shall be ‖ Or prepared established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills e Shall be placed and setled in a most conspicuous and glorious manner being advanced above all other Churches and Kingdoms in the World and all nations f Those Gentiles whom you now despise and judge to be abhorred and quite forsaken by God shall flow g Shall come in great abundance and with great eagerness like a River as the Word signifies unto it 3 And many people shall go h Shall not onely have some weak desires of going but shall be ready to take pains and shall actually go and say i Such shall be their Zeal that they shall not onely go themselves but shall perswade and press others to go with them * Jer. 31. 6. 50. 5. Zech. 8. 21. Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths k They shew the truth of their Conversion by their hearty desire to be instructed in the way or method of worshipping and serving God acceptably and by their firm purpose of practising the Instructions given to them for l This last Clause contains the Reason why the People should be so forward to go and to invite others to go with them and they may be the Words either of the People continuing their Speech or of the Prophet now returning to speak in his own name out of Zion shall go forth the law m The New Law the Doctrine of the Gospel which is frequently called a Law because it hath the Nature and Power of a Law obliging us no less to the Belief and Practice of it than the Old Law did and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem n For the Accomplishment of this Promise see Luk. 24. 47. Act. 1. 8. Rom. 10. 18. 4 And he shall judge among the nations o Christ shall set up and use his Authority among and over all Nations not onely giving Laws to them as other Rulers do but doing that which no other Powers can do convincing their minds and Consciences conquering and changing their Hearts and ordering their Lives and shall rebuke p Either verbally by his Word and Spirit reproving or convincing the World of Sin or really by his Judgments upon his implacable Enemies which obstruct the Propagation of the Gospel many people and * Psal. 46. 9. Hos. 2. 18. Zech. 9. 10. they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into ‖ Or Sithes pruning-hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more q He shall root out those great Animosities and Hostilities which were between the Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2. 13 c. and between several Nations subduing Mens Pride and Passions and Lusts which are the Causes of all Wars and Contentions and working Humility and Meekness and Self-denial and true and fervent Love to all Men from whence Peace necessarily follows This was the Design of the Gospel in all and the Effect of it in those that rightly received it And that War and Dissension which was occasioned by the Preaching of the Gospel as was foretold Mat. 10. 21 22. it was wholly accidental by reason of Mens corrupt Interests and Lusts which the Gospel opposed and it was not amongst those who received the Gospel in the love of it but between them and those who were either open Enemies or false Friends to them and to the Gospel But if this Place â—…e understood of an external and general Peace which was to be in the World in the Days of the Messias this also may in due time be verified when all Israel shall be saved and the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in and both Jews and Gentiles shall be united together into one Fold under Christ their great Shepherd all which is prophecied and promised Ioh. 10. 16. Rom. 11. and elsewhere For it is not necessary that all the Prophecies concerning the Kingdom of the Messias should be accomplished in an instant or at the beginning of it but it is sufficient if they be fulfilled before the end of it And some of them do manifestly belong to the last days of that Kingdom And therefore there is no truth nor weight in that Argument which the Jews bring from this Place against our Messias because of those Wars that have hitherto been and still are amongst Christians for this doth not prove that these Wars shall never cease or that there shall not be such a Peace in the World as they understand before the end of Christs Kingdom 5 O house of Jacob come ye r Seeing the Gentiles are thus ready and resolved to go to the Lords House let this oblige and provoke you O ye Israelites to go with them or before them Whereby he secretly intimates their backwardness and that when the Gentiles did come into the Church they would apostatize from it and let us walk * Chap. 10. 17. in the light of the LORD s Take heed that you do not reject that Light which is so clear that even the blind Gentiles will discern it 6 Therefore t For the following Reasons Or But as this Particle is oft used But why do I perswade the Israelites to receive the Light of the Gospel My labour is in vain I foresee they will refuse it and God for their many and great Sins will give them up to Apostacy and Infidelity thou hast forsaken u Wilt certainly forsake and reject thy people the house of Jacob x The Body of that Nation because they be replenished ‖ Or more than the east from the east y Their Land is full of the impious and superstitious and idolatrous Manners of the Eastern Nations the Syrians and Chaldaeans and * Deut. 18. 14. are soothsayers z These undertook to discover secret things and to foretel future contingent things by the superstitious Observation of the Stars or Clouds or
the quarters of the World see the Latin Synopsis and the English Annot. large discourses of these particular places to all Nations that had never before heard of God or his true Worship that have not heard my fame neither have seen my glory and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles r And they shall every where preach the Gospel and set up my Gospel-Ordinances and Institutions This was eminently made good upon the Apostles leaving the Jews and turning to the Gentiles Act. 13 46. and more fully after the destruction of Ierusalem when the Believers among the Jews as well as the Apostles went about publishing the Gospel to all People which was the declaring of the Lords glory n By sign here some understand an Ensign as the word signifies Psal. 74. 4. which is a military sign to gather people together by this may be understood Christ Luk. 2. 34. See Isa. 11. 10. or as others the ministry of the Word attended with miracles often called signs these were set up amongst the Jews first then among the Gentiles Others but less probably understand by sign a mark of distinction like that mentioned Ezek. 9. 4. so as saith he some shall escape and not be destroyed and for those that shall escape I will send them to 20 And they shall bring all your brethren s Those who are the Children of Abraham not considered as the Father of the Jewish Nation onely but considered as the Father of many Nations and as the Father of the Faithful or who are the Children of God being believers and receiving Christ and so are your Brethren how contemptible soever you judge them shall be brought out of all Nations for an offering to the Lord God will have no more offerings of Bullocks and Rams or Lambs but of Men and Women reasonable services Rom. 12. 1. he will have an offering up of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 16. for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses and ‖ Or câ—…hes in litters and upon mules and upon swift beasts t And because the Gentiles are many of them far off from Ierusalem and as yet further off from God Eph. 2. 17. God will find out fit means for this end as Horses and Litters and Mules and swift Beasts are to bring Meâ—… and Women long Journeys to my holy mountain Jerusalem saith the LORD u And they shall be brought into the Church which began at Ierusalem and this you may be assured of for the Lord hath said it who cannot ly nor repent as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel unto the house of the LORD x And they shall come with as much joy and gladness with as much sincerity and holiness as the Godly Jews use and exercise when they bring their offerings in clean vessels 21 And * Ex. 29. 6. Ch. 61. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 6. I will take of them for priests and for Levites y Leâ—…t the Jews being assured that the Tribe of Levi which God anciently chose to minister before him was among them should say Alas if the Gentiles should be brought in where would they have Priests or Levites God here by his Prophet tells them he would provide Priests he would take of them of these converted Heathens for Priests and Levites that is for Gospel-Ministers to teach and to instruct People which was the Priests work of old Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 17. 7 9. Mal. 2. 6. for they are mightily mistaken that think the Priests amongst the Jews had nothing to do but to sacrifice and burn incense which work is ceased saith the Prophet God will find amongst the converted Gentiles those who though they be not of the Tribe of Levi or House of Aaron yet shall they do the true work of Priests and Levites saith the LORD 22 For as * Ch. 65. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. the new heavens and the new earth z The new state of the Church to be raised up under the Messias which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remain a As I intend that shall abide so there shall be a daily succession of true Believers for the upholding of it for if Believers could fail from the Earth the Church made up of them onely as the true Members of it must fail also This whole verse is onely a promise of the perpetuity of the Gospel Church and the not failing of the additions to it of such as shall be saved till the World shall have an end 23 And it shall come to pass that from †from new moon to his new moon and from sabbath to his sabbath Zech. 14. 16. new moon to another and from one sabbath to another b In the Gospel-Church there shall be as constant and settled a course of Worship though of another nature as ever was in the Jewish Church Christians are not bound to keep the Jewish Sabbaths or New-moons Gal. 4. 10 11. Col. 2. 16. But New Testament Worship is often expressed by Old Testament Phrases The Jews were onely obliged to appear Three times in a year at Ierusalem but saith the Prophet the Gospel-Church shall worship God from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the LORD 24 And they shall go forth c Either the Gentiles or the sincerer part of the Jews shall go forth from their places or from Ierusalem or go out of their graves at the last day and look upon the carkasses of the men that have sinned against me d And look upon the vengeance I have taken upon these vile Idolaters and Formalists for their satisfaction Psal. 58. 10. they shall see none of them alive but they shall see their carâ—…asses for their * Mar. 9. 44 46 48. worm shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched e For the worms that feed on their slain carcasses shall not suddenly dye and the Enemies fire burning up their Habiâ—…ions shall not go out till they be wholly consumed and after this Life and at the day of Judgment they shall go into eternal torments See Mar. 9. 44 46 48. where they will feel a worm of Conscience that shall never die and a fiery Wrath of God upon their Souls and Bodies that shall never go out and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh THis first Volume of the Annotations being now finish'd and the Learned Divines that have undertaken to perfect the said work upon the whole Bible having made considerable progress in the same there are now Proposals made for the second Volume which are to be had gratis at the Shops of T. Parkhurst D. Newman I. Robinson B. Aylmer T. Cockerill and B. Alsop FINIS
the less sort of Birds as appears from Gen. 15. 9 10. Levit. 14. 4. Psal. 104. 17. of every †Heb. wing sort c Heb. Of every kind of Wing whether Feathered as it is in most Birds or skinny and grisly as in Bats 15. And they went in d See on ver 9. unto Noah into the Ark two and two of all Flesh wherein is the breath of Life e i. e. All living Creatures 16. And they that went in went in Male and Female of all Flesh as God had commanded him And the LORD shut him in f Or shut the door after him or upon him or for him i. e. his good and safety against the fury either of the Waters or of the people This God did in some extraordinary manner 17. And the Flood g Or that Flood of Waters which was poured down in that shower mentioned ver 12. otherwise the Flood was one hundred and fifty days upon the Earth ver 24. was forty days upon the Earth And the Waters encreased i By the accession of more Waters from above and beneath and bare up the Ark and it was lift up above the Earth 18. And the Waters prevailed and were encreased greatly upon the Earth k Overthrowing Men and Houses and Trees where possibly they did or thought to secure themselves and the Ark went upon the face of the Waters 19. And the Waters prevailed exceedingly upon the Earth and all the high Hills that were under the whole Heaven were covered m Profane Wiâ—…s pretend this to be impossible because of the vast height of divers Mountains But 1. This cannot be thought impossible by any man that believeth a God to whom it was as easie to bring forth a sufficiency of water for this end as to speak a word And if we acknowledge a miracle of the Divine Power and Providence here it is no more than even Heathens have confessed in other cases 2. Peradventure this Flood might not be simply universal over the whole Earth but only over all the habitable World where either Men or Beasts lived which was as much as either the meritorious cause of the Flood mens sins oâ—… the end of it the destruction of all Men and Beasts required And the or that whole Heaven may be understood of that which was over all the habitable parts of it And whereas our modern Heathens that mis-cal themselves Christians laugh at the History of this Flood upon this and the like occasions as if it were an idle Romance they may please to note that their Predecessors the antient and wiser Heathens have diverse of them acknowledged the Truth of it though they also mixed it with their Fables which was neither strange nor unusual for them to do Lactantius appeals to the Heathens of his age concerning it Nay there is not onely mention of the Flood in general but also of the Dove sent out of the Ark in Plutarch and Berosus and Abydenus And the memory of this general Flood is preserved to this day among the poor ignorant Indians who asked the Christians who invaded their Land whether they ever heard of such a thing and whether another Flood was to be expected And the Chinese Writers relate that but one person whom they call Pumcuâ—…s with his Family were saved in the Flood and all the rest perished 20. Fifteen Cubits upwards did the Waters prevail n Which was sufficient for the destruction of the highest men or other Creatures though placed upon the highest Mountains and the Mountains were covered 21. And all Flesh died that moved o i. e. Lived for motion is a sign of Life upon the Earth both of Fowl and of Cattle and of Beast and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth and every man 22. All in whose nostrils was †Heb. the breath of the spirit of Life 2 Sam. 22. 16. the breath of Life p Of which phrase see the note on Gen. 2. 7. of all that was in the dry Land died q Whether Men or Beasts c. all that breathed the same Air with Man all that lived in the same Element which man by his sins had infected whereby the Fishes are excepted as living in another Element 23. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground both Man and Cattle and the creeping things and the Fowl of the Heaven and they were destroyed from the Earth r This is so often repeated that it may be more deeply ingrafted into the dull minds and hard hearts of men to teach men that they ought again and again to consider this dreadful instance of Gods justice against sin and incorrigible sinners And * 2 Per. 2. â—… Noah only remained alive and they that were with him in the Ark. 24. And the Waters prevailed s i. e. Either grew higher and higher or rather continued to prevail and did not decrease upon the Earth an hundred and fifty days t In all whereof one part was the forty days mentioned ver 17. as appears from chap. 8. 4. CHAP. VIII 1. AND God remembred Noah a i. e He shewed by his actions that he minded and cared for him Or pitied and succoured him God is said to remember his people when after some delays or suspensions of his favour he returns and shews kindness to them as Gen. 19. 29. and 30. 22. Exod. 32. 13. Iob 14. 13. Psal. 132. 1. and every †Heb. Beast living thing b As God punished the Beasts for mans sin so now he favours them for mans sake and all the Cattle that was with him in the Ark And God made a Wind c A drying and burning Wind like that of Exod. 14. 21. which had a natural power to dry up the Waters but that was heightned by the assistance of an higher and miraculous operation of God to pass over the Earth and the Waters asswaged 2. The Fountains also of the deep and the windows of Heaven were stopped and the Rain from Heaven was restrained 3. And the Waters returned from off the Earth †Heb. in going and returning continually And after the end of the hundred and fifty days the Waters were abated 4. And the Ark rested in the seventh moneth d From the beginning not of the Flood but of the year as appears by comparing ch 7. 11. and ch 8. 13 14. on the seventeenth day of the moneth upon the Mountains of Ararat e i. e. Upon one of the Mountains of Ararat by a frequent Enallage of the number as Iud. 12. 7. Matth. 21. 5. And by Ararat is here commonly and rightly understood Armenia as appears both by comparing Isa. 37. 38. Ier. 51. 27. and by the Testimony of antient Writers produced by Iosephus and others to this purpose and by the great height of those Mountains and by its nearness to the place where the first men lived this
and full of Corn shall when they are shaken with the Wind make a noise not unlike that which the tops of the Trees of 〈◊〉 sometimes make upon the like occasion Which Expressions as well as many others of the like Nature in the Prophets being applied to Christ are to be understood in a spiritual Sence of the great and happy Success of the Preaching of the Gospel and they of the city n The Citizens of Ierusalem which are here Synedochically put for the Subjects of this Kingdom shall flourish like grass of the earth o Shall both encrease in number that there may be mouths to receive the Meat provided and enjoy great Prosperity and Happiness 17 His Name p The Honour and Renown of his eminent Wisdom and Justice and Goodness Which agrees but very obscurely and imperfectly to Solomon who sâ—…ained the Glory of his Reign by his prodigious Luxury and Oppression and Apostacy from God into which he â—…ell in the latter part of his days †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall endure for ever †〈…〉 his Name shall be continued q Or shall be Propagated or Transmitted to his Chilâ—… Which suits much better to Christ from whom we are called Christians than to Solomon as long as the Sun r Heb. 〈◊〉 the Sâ—… Either 1. Publickly and in the Face of the Sun Or. 2. Perpetually as a constant and inseparable Companion of the Sun as long as the Sun it self shall continue See before on v. 5. and * Gen. 12 3. 22. 1â—… men shall be blessed in him s Either 1. As a Pattern of Blessedness When any man shall with well to a King he shall say The Lord make thee like Solomon See on Gen. 22. 18. Or rather 2. As the Cause of it by and through his Merits and Mediation all nations shall call him blessed 18 Blessed be the LORD God the God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things t Who hath given to his People such a Glorious and excellent King and Governour and such wonderful Blessings as they do and shall enjoy under his Government 19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory u Heb. The whole Earth shall be filled with his Glory For this may be either a Prayer for or a Prophecy of the spreading of the true Religion in the Gentile-World Which evidently relates to Christ and his Kingdom Amen and amen 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended x This Psalm is called the last of David's Psalms which are called Prayers because they consist very much of Prayers Either 1. The last of that part or Book of the Psalms which reacheth from the beginning of the Psalms hitherto whereof the far greatest number were Composed by David and all of them digested into this Order the rest of which follow being Collected by some other holy Man or Men of God after David's Death and Composed part by David and part by other Prophets Or rather 2. The last Psalm which David Composed For this was done but a little before his Death of which see the first Note on this Psalm PSAL. LXXIII The ARGUMENT The Subject of this Psalm is the same with Psal. 37. concerning the promiscuous Carriage of God's Providence towards good and bad Men. ‖ Or a Psalm for Asaph A Psalm of Asaph a Or for Asaph the famous Musician to whom divers of David's Psalms were Committed as Psal. 50. 1. c. But because Asaph was not onely a skilful Musician but also was Divinely inspired and the Author of some Psalms as is manifest from 2 Chron. 29. 30. and the style of this Psalm may seem to be something differing from that of David it may be thought not improbable that Asaph was the Author or Pen-man of it 1. â—… TRuly b Or 〈◊〉 The beginning is abrupt and sufficiently â—…tes that he had a great conflict within himself about this Matter and that many doubts and Objections were raised in his mind concerning it But at last he breaks forth like the Sun out of a Cloud and having by God's Grace silenced and Conquered his scruples he lays down this following Conclusion God is good to Israel c Though he may sometimes seem negligent of and harsh and severe to his People yet if all things be considered it is most certain and another day will be made manifest that God is Really and Superlatively good i. e. Most kind and bountiful and a true Friend to them and that they are most happy in him and have no Reason to Envy sinners their present and seeming Felicity even to ‖ Or 〈◊〉 such as are †Heb. clean of 〈◊〉 of a clean heart d To all true Israelites who love God with their whole Heart and serve him in Spirit and Truth and uprightness See Iob. 4. 43. Rom. 2. 28 29. So this Clause limits the former and takes off a great part of the force of the Objection even all that concerns the Calamities which befel the profane or False-hearted Israelites which were vastly the greatest number of that People 2 But as for me e Yet I must acknowledge this with grief and shame concerning my self notwithstanding all my Knowledge of this Truth and my own Experience and Observation of God's gracious dealings with me and other good Men. my feet were almost gone f My Faith in God's Promises and Providence was almost overthrown by the force of this Temptation and I was almost ready to repent of my Piety v. 13. and to follow the example of ungodly Men. my steps had well nigh slipt g Heb. Were almost poured forth like Water upon the ground which is unstable and Runs hither and thither with great disorder and uncertainty till it be irrecoverably lost So was I almost Transported by my own unruly Passionâ—… into unworthy Thoughts of God and a sinful Course of Life 3 * 〈◊〉 21. 7. Psal. 37. 1. Jer. 12. 1. For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked h I grudged and murmured at it and had a secret Desire to partake of their Delicates 4 For there are no bands in their death i They are not dragged to Death neither by the Hand and Sentence of the Magistrate which yet they deserve nor by any lingring and grievous Torments of Mind or Body which is the Case of many good Men but they enjoy a sweet and quiet Death dropping into the Grave like ripe Fruit from the Tree without any Violence used to them Compare Iob 5. 26. and 21. 13. but their strength is †Heb. Fat firm k Heb. and their strength is fat i. e. Sound and good the best of any thing being called Fat in Scripture as Gen. 41. 2. Dâ—…n 1. 15. And in their Life-time they have great Ease and Health and Content till they expire like a
unrighteous decrees which they have made in form of Laws Or by false pretences of law Or against law against all right and the laws both of God and men 21 They gather themselves together against the soul f Against the life as the soul commonly signifies and as the next clause explains it They are not satisfied with the spoil of their estates but do also thirst after their lives of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood g They shed the blood of those innocent persons whom they have wickedly condemned Innocent blood is here put for the blood or life of an innocent person as it is also 1 Sam. 19. 5. Mat. 27. 4. 22 But the LORD is my defence and my God is the rock of my refuge 23 And * Psal 7. 16. he shall bring upon them their own iniquity h i. e. The fruit and punishment of their sins and shall cut them off in their own wickedness i Either in the midst of their sins Or by their own wicked devices the mischief whereof he will cause to fall upon their own heads yea the LORD our God k The God of Iacob of whom they said that he did not see nor regard them but now they find the contrary proved to their cost shall cut them off PSAL. XCV The Author of this Psalm was David as is affirmed Heb. 4. 7. and although the Psalm be delivered in general terms as an invitation to mankind to yield unto the true God that praise and worship and obedience which he requireth and deserveth yet it hath a special reference to the days of the Messiah of which Christians have no great reason to doubt seeing it is so understood by the Hebrew Doctors themselves as also by the Apostle Heb. 3. 7 c. and especially Heb. 4. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. where he not onely expounds it of those times but proves that it cannot be meant of the former times and state of the Church 1 O Come let us a He speaks to the Israelites whose backwardness to this work in the times of the Gospel was foreseen by the spirit of God which dictated this Psalm sing unto the LORD let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation 2 Let us †Heb. 〈◊〉 his face Isai. 3â—… 33. come before his presence b Which he will then afford us in a singular manner in his Son the Messiah in and by whom he will be visibly present with the Sons of men with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms 3 For * Psal. â—…6 4. 135. 5. the LORD is a great God and a great King above * Psal. 86. 8. all gods c Above all that are accounted and called Gods Angels and Earthly Potentates and especially the false gods of the Heathens which upon Christs coming into the World were struck dumb and could no more deliver their Oracles as Platarch and other Heathens observed with admiration nor deceive the World but were forced to give place to the true God and to the knowledge and worship of him alone which was propagated among all Nations by the Gospel 4 †Heb. in 〈◊〉 In his hand d Under his Government are the deep places e Those parts which are far out of mens sight and reach and much more those that are at mens disposal of the earth ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 of the hills 〈◊〉 his the strength of the hills f The strongest or highest Mountains are under his feet and at his disposal The fence of the Verse is All the parts of the Earth whether high or low are subject to his power and providence and therefore it is not strange if all the Nations of the Earth be brought to the acknowledgment of him and if the Gentiles receive his Gospel is his also 5 †Heb. whos 's the sea is The sea is his and he made it and his hands formed the dry lands 6 O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel g By which expressions he teacheth that even in Gospel times God is to be glorified and worshipped as well with the members of our bodies as with the faculties of our Souls before the LORD our maker 7 For he is our God h In a peculiar manner and therefore it will be most unreasonable and abominable for us to forsake him when the Gentiles submit to his law and * Psal. â—…9 1â—… 80. 1. 10â—… 3. we are the people of his pasture i Whom he feedeth and keepeth in his own proper Pasture or in the land which he hath appropriated to himself and the sheep of his hand k Which are under his special care and conduct or government which is oft expressed by the hand as Numb 4. 28. and 31. 49. Judg. 9. 29. * Heb. 3. 7. 4. 7. to day l i. e. Forthwith or presently as this word is used Deut. 4. 4 8. and 27. 9. Ios. 22. 16 18 c. Or this day in this solemn day of grace or of the Gospel which the Psalmist speaks of as present according to the manner of the Prophets And this word though belonging to the following clause as appears from Heb. 3. 7. may seem to be thus placed to shew that it had some respect to the foregoing words also For the sence of the place may be this We Jews are or shall be the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand God will still own us for his people this day i. e. in the days of the Messiah if this day or in that time we shall hear his voice Otherwise God will reject us and receive the Gentiles in our stead if ye will hear his voice m If you will hearken to his call and obey his further commands Which may be added as a necessary caution and admonition to the Israelites that they might understand and consider that Gods presence and favour was not absolutely necessarily and everlastingly fixed to them as they were very apt to believe but was suspended upon the condition of their continued obedience which if they violated they should be rejected and the Gentiles performing it should be received to his mercy And this clause may be connected either 1. with the former words as the condition of their interest in God as their God as was now said Or 2. with the following Verse If you are willing to hearken to Gods call delivered by his Son take the following counsel 8 Harden not your hearts n By wilful disobedience and obstinate unbelief rebelling against the light and resisting the Holy Ghost and his clear discoveries of the truth of the Gospel * Exod. 17. 2 7. Numb 14. 2â—… 20. 13. Deut. 6. 16. as in the †Heb. conâ—… tion provocation o As you did in that hold and wicked contest with God in the Wilderness Or As in Meribah which was the
they were most beautiful and glorious So these two last clauses answer to the two first and that in the same order in which they lie 6 Look not upon me a With wonder and disdain because of my blackness as it follows because I am black because the sun hath looked upon me b My blackness is not essential and inseparable but chiefly caused by the scorching beams of the Sun i. e. of â—…ore Persecutions and Tribulations which by Gods permission have befaln me which are represented by the Sun Mat. 13. 6 21. my mothers children c False Brethren who pretend that the Church is their Mother when their Actions demonstrate that God the Husband of the Church is not their Father hypocritical Professours who are and eâ—…er were the keenest Enemies to the true Church and People of God Isa. 66. 5. Gal. 4. 29. false Teachers and their followers who by their corrupt Doctrines and Divisions and Contentions which they raise bring great mischief to the Church See 2 Cor. 11. 26. Gal. 2. 4. were angry with me d Or fought against me as the ancients render it and so marred my Beauty they made me the keeper of vineyards e i. e. Of their vineyards for to these she opposeth her own in the next clause Having prevailed against me they used me like a slave putting me upon the most dishonourable and troublesom services such as the keeping of the Vineyards was esteemed 2 Kin. 25. 12. Isa. 61. 5. Mat. 20. 17. but mine own vineyard have I not kept f They gave me such a full and constant employment in their drudging work about their Vineyards that they left me no time to mind mine own they hindred me from doing my own duty and from minding my own concerns And therefore it is no wonder if in this posture and condition I be uncomely and scorched by the Sun But because Churches or Societies of Professors of Religion whether good or bad are oft called Vineyards as Deut. 32. 32. Psal. 80. 8. Isa. 5. 1 2 7. this and the foregoing clause may be thus understood that they endeavoured to seduce and corrupt the Church with false Doctrines and Superstitious or Idolatrous Worship and to oblige her to countenance and maintain them and thereby disturbed and hindred her from her proper work which was the propagation and advancement of the true Doctrine and Worship in particular Assemblies and Persons belonging or to be brought in to her 7 Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth g Notwithstanding all these Discouragements and Afflictions which I suffer for thy sake and for my Love to thee Being reproached and persecuted by others I flee to thee O my only Refuge and Joy and I beg direction and help from thee where thou feedest h Understand thy flock as Gen. 29. 7. 37. 16. Seeing false Teachers and Churches bear thy Name Mark 13. 21 22. and thy true Church sometimes lies hid Rev. 12. 14. discover to me which is thy true Church and which are those Assemblies and People where thou art present and where thine Ordinances are dispensed in purity and power and where thou dost and wiltst command the blessing even Life for evermore as it is expressed Psal. 133. 3. that I may join my self to them This is the request of particular Believers For it must be minded as that which will be useful to explain many difficulties in this Book that the Church in this Book is somtimes considered and speaketh or is spoken of as one entire Body and somtimes with respect unto and in the name of her particular Members and that promiscuously and in which of these capacities each place is to be understood is left to the prudent and diligent Reader to gather out of the words and Context where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon i In the heat of the day when the Shepherds in those hot Countries used to carry their flocks into shadowy places Whereby he means the time of hot persecution when it is hard to find and discover the true Church partly because she is deformed by it and partly because she is obscured and driven into the Wilderness as is said Rev. 12. 14. for why should I be ‖ Or as one that is 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 15. 30. as one k i. e. Be really one the particle as being here a note of truth as it is in many other places Why wiltst thou by withdrawing thy self from me and denying thy direction to me suffer me or give occasion to me to be such a one that turneth aside l Or a wanderer or vagaboad like a neglected and forlorn Creature exposed both to censure and danger from both which it belongs to thee my Husband to protect and save me by m Or about or towards as this particle is elsewhere used the flocks of thy companions n The assemblies of corrupt and false Teachers and Worshippers by which I am like to be ensnared if thou dost forsake me These he calls Christs Companions partly because they profess the name of Christ and their conâ—…unction with him in Gods Worship and partly because they set themselves up in Christs stead and usurp his Power in delivering and imposing their own Laws and Doctrines upon mens Consciences and behave themselves like his equals or companions not as becometh his Subjects 8 If thou know not n To wit where I feed my Sheep For this is Christs answer to his Spouse or People * Ch. 5. 9. 〈◊〉 1. O thou fairest among women o Though thou art black in thine own and others Eyes yet thou art very beautiful and amiable to me as being washed white in my Blood and beautified with my Gifts and Graces go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock p Observe and follow the paths which my Sheep have trodden before thee of my faithful Servants Abraham and others whose Examples are propounded for our Imitation Rom. 4. 12. Heb. 6. 12. For the church in all Ages is one and the same and there is but one way for the substance in which all the Saints from the beginning to the end of the World do walk Christ being yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. and feed thy kids q Take care for the feeding or teaching of all and especially of young and weak Christians who do and shall associate themselves to thee whom the Holy Ghost calls Lambs Joh. 21. 15 16. as here Kids For although grown and wanton Goats are commonly used in Scripture in a bad sense yet the Kids of the Goats do somtimes note Believers as Isa. 11. 6. and Kids were among those Sacrifices which represented Christ Heb. 9. 12 13 14. beside the shepherds tents r Under the conduct and according to the instruction of my faithful Shepherds or Pastors first and chiefly those who have