may signifie his immoderate drought These foure are the speciall effectes of the torment which now he suffered now followeth one generall effect vz. that he was brought into the dust of death that is vnto the graue verse 1.5 but this effect is solitarily here attributed vnto the Lord and remoted from the former causes for the prophet by Apostrophe turneth his speech vnto the Lord saying Thou hast brought me c. This is the affliction which immediately seazed vpon his soule yet by simpathy also vpon the bodie by these effects Now the affliction which entred vpō his bodie priuately and by compassion vpon his soule follow where cōsider also the causes practise thereof The causes are the wicked Iewes and Gentiles which cōspired and procured his death who are called dogs according to the custome of the scripture and expounded to be the wicked v. 16. The parts of this affliction are fiue First the wicked inclose him that is whippe him spitte vpon him smite him with fist and rod crowne him with thornes and such like mentioned in the gospell for here the signe is put for the thing signified it being the custome of the people to slocke about the person vpon whome execution is done verse 16. Secondly they pierced or digged his hands and feet when they nayled him to the crosse which insinuateth the great woundes that were mad in his hands and feet as if they had beene digged with the talentes or paues of a lyon as the old translatour hath it frō the corrupt hebrue word v. 16. Thirdly they wrack him disioynt all his boanes so as they may be nombred and discerned seuerally each from other as is customable to thē that are wracked here is signum pro signato v. 17. Fourthly they behold and looke vpon him without pity and compassiō yea they mock and scoffe at him with taunting bitter sloutes and reuiling speech here is lesse spokē and men signified signum pro signato v. 17. Lastly they take from him his garmentes and strip him naked a vild indignity now his garments appertayned as it is in vse with vs to the tormentors who were the souldiers they therefore first deuide his vnder garments and euery one taketh his part but his vpper garment beeing without seame is not deuided or cut in pieces but for it they cast loues to whome it shall appertaine and falling to one the other lost their partes v. 18. This is the affliction that immediately seazed vpon his body but compassiuely also vpon his soule Thus the reason cōfirming the prophetes desire is handled Now followeth the prophets desire which is handled also v. 19.20.21 wherein cōsider foure particulars First the persō to whome he offereth this his desire which is the Lord whome he intituleth his strength because he ministred vnto him strength to beare all that was laid vpon him Second the thing he prayeth for exprest in diuers phraeses be not farre of hasten to helpe deliuer saue answer Third the person for whome he prayeth exprest thus me my soule my desolate one Fourth the euill frō which he desireth deliuerance exprest diuersly from the sword from the power of the dogge frō the lyons mouth from the hornes of the vnicornes Thus the prophets desire or request is handled and so the supplication The gratulation or thanksgiuing which is the second part of the prayer followeth This thankfulnes is 1. promised 2. prophesied It is promised to the 26. verse This promise of thankfullnes is propounded and then repeated and concluded It is propoūded handled to the 25. verse and that in the parts or signes or declarations of thankefulnes which are three 1 Signe of thankefullnes is Confession which is a declaring of Gods name or attributes as his mercy and iustice c. to the members of the Church which are Christs brethren according to the flesh Heb. 2.12 2 Signe of thankefullnes is a commendation of the excellencie of these attributes to the honour and praise of God that in the open assembly 3 Signe of thankefullnes is the Inciting and prouoking of them that feare God the seed of Iacob and Israel to praise and magnifie feare the Lord to be a meanes to bring others to god also These three parts or signes of thankefullnesse are amplified by a reason enforcing the performance of the promise made before which reason is taken â paribus is set downe Negatiuely and Affirmatiuely Negatiuely in 3. phrases he hath not 1. despised 2. abhorred 3. hid his face from the praier of the poore ergo thankefulnesse must be performed Affirmatiuely he heard when the poore and humbled in spirit praied and therefore thankefulnesse must be performed Thus the promises of thankfulnesse is propounded handled It is also repeated vers 25. and that in two parts thereof before handled v. 22. The one part of thankefulnes praise and commendation of God is further enlarged by the circumstance of the place the great congregation The other part of thankefulnesse Confession is exprest in a newe phrase paying of the vowes which were voluntarie sacrifices Thus thankefulnesse is promised Thankefulnes also is prophesied to the ende of the Psalme which shall be performed by the subiects of Christs kingdome who are in the sequele of the psalme described and distributed into their seuerall kinds First they are described by 6. arguments in the 26. verse 1 Adiunct the poore that is such as are poore in spirit Mat. 5.3 2 Is an effect shal eate that is beleeue in Iesus Christ Ioh. 6.35 3 Adiunct shall be satisfied that is shall haue peace ioy spirituall Mat. 5.6 Ioh. 7.38 Is an effect shall seeke after the Lord that is shall carefully vse the meanes of saluation whereby God is sought and found Mat. 7.7 5 An effect shall praise the Lord by a godly life and with heart and voice singing Psalmes of praise Math 5.16 Coloss 3.16 6 An adiunct your heart shall liue for euer which is life euerlasting the reward of all the former Iohn 4.14 Thus the persōs of whome thankfullnes is prophesied are described Furthermore the person of whome thankfullnes is prophesyed namely the members of Christ and Subiects of his kingdome are distributed into their severall sorts and kindes thus Persons prophesied to be thankefull are Parents and progenitors Children and posteritie Perents so consequently children are distinguished by two adiuncts 1 Is their nation they shal be Gentiles and not onely Iewes 2 Is their condition they shall be of the poorer sort as well as of the rich The Gentiles are described both by the parts and cause of their thankefulnesse the parts of the thankefulnesse of the Gentiles are three v. 27. 1 They shall remember themselues and take notice of their sinnefull and accursed estate and so humble themselues 2 They shall turne vnto the Lord forsaking their idols and other sinnes 3 They shall worship the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse The cause of the Gentiles thankefulnesse is exprest v. 28. where
sacrifice into ashes which was a tipe of this fire which thus dryed and scorched our Sauiour Christ and melted his heart as waxe melteth at the sunne How came it to passe that Christs tongue claue to his Iawes My tongue cleaueth to my Iawes was it immoderate drought that caused it but then it should haue bene said to the palate but the prophet saith to the lawes according to the latine phrase vox faucibus haeret Christ was not able to speake but his words were halfe words words sounding a farre of faintly his tongue faultred as it were in speaking it may be that Christ was drie but that drought signified in the Gospell when they gaue him viniger mingled with gal should haue beene mentioned in the 16. verse in due place when he suffered vpon the crosse and not here where the effects of an other torture are repeated namely of that which imediately affected his soule as hath beene said surely in all likelihood of reason some extraordinary tortures are here implyed which produce so strang effects and make such deepe impressions in al the faculties of the soule animall vitall naturall reareasonable whereby the parts of the body seruiceable to the soule for the execution of her faculties are forsaken The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs carefully to auoid sinne which wrought such strange affectes in Christ satisfying for sinne beeing god also alas how shall wee vild wretches be able another day if it fall to our Lott for our sinnes to sustaine the least hellish torment it is no maruaile though the rich glutton in hel crie out of his tong though Baltashars knees knocke to gether though Iudas hanged himselfe and Cayn blasphemed and Saull fell vpon his sword seeing there are such intollerable effectes followe the warth of God euen in the sonne of God himselfe as are here mentioned Thou hast brought me into the dust of death Here the prophet turneth his speech vnto the Lord whereas before he had made a narration of the might mallice and mischeefe of his enemies how they had afflicted him by terour and temptation and how straungelie this affliction tortured him that it caused the faculties of the soule to intermit there functions in there proper parts of the bodie now he maketh an apostrophe as it were vnto the Lord and telleth him that it was he that had brought him to his death for though his estate nowe was in all likelihood of reason irrecouerable and remedilesse beeing spilt like water vpon the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe yet all this sorrowe did not kill him but he changeth his speech and saith thou hast brought me into the dust of death whēce two things may be obserued the one is that God had a stroak in the death of Christ not onely by permitting the Iewes to kill him which shall be handled afterward in the 16. and 17. verses but by pouring his wrath vpon him which hastened his death the sooner in so much as the historie in the gospell saith he was dead sooner then the theeues who died the same death with him as is likely which hastie death of Christs was caused no doubt by some inwarde cause which was Gods wrath that had wrought the former strange effectes in Christ that it may be properly said that God killed Christ rather then the Iewes though the Iewes also tortured his bodie so as that in time he should haue died The other thing that we note here is that all the might malice and mischeife of the deuills and the Iewes which was exprest in the torturing and tormenting of Christ could not haue killed Christ except God had killed him For Christ beeing God could if it had pleased him and if the decree of god had not beene otherwise haue retained his spirit cured his wound or destroyed his enemies that they should not haue beene able to wound him in regard whereof hee saith Ioh. 10.18 that he had power to lay downe his life and to take it vp againe and that his life was not wrested out of his hand but seeing God had decreed it otherwise therefore Christ must needes die and yet the principall crucifier of Christ that I may so speake generally was God himselfe who besides that he vsed the Iewes and the Deuills as his instruments to murder Christ yet he retayneth in his owne handes one soueraigne torture the most fearefull wrath of God to bee inflicted vpon Christ our surety in regard whereof the propet saith of Christ thou hast brought me into the dust of death Summarily to ende the torments which immediatly tortured Christs soule wee may here obserue that Christ was thus afflicted as is rehearsed alreadie both willingly and necessarily willingly in that he suffered the Deuills thus to assault him with terour and temptation necessarily in that God had a hand in killing him and bringing him to the graue which is deaths dust and indeed Christ did willingly and yet necessarily suffer all that hee suffered hence then two consequents followe immediately 1 Christ infinite loue that was content and willing to suffer such hardship for vs wretched caitifes and. 2 That no lesse then that which Christ suffered was sufficient for our redemption reconcilation to God seeing that he suffered all that he suffered necessarily for if it bee supposed that the least suffering of Christ had beene enough to haue appeased God towards vs then it is superfluous and vnnecessary that Christ should come into the dust of death should haue such straung effectes in his bodie before his death should be subiect to the terour and temptations of the deuil to the woundes and stripes of the Iewes but because it was necessary that Christ should suffer all these things and so enter into his glorie therefore the least suffering of Christ was not sufficient This also might call into question the lawe of God to his beloued sonne in that hee would bring him to the dust of death if it were not necessary and if it were necessarie that Christ should die that by Gods owne hand rather and more then by the Iewes woundes and the Deuills worke as is here noted I would knowe what that hand of God was if it was not the wrath of God working the former straung effectes in Christs bodie and if Christ must of necessity die why must he not of necessitie suffer Gods wrath properly shall we say Gods loue would not suffer that But Gods Iustice did require it and Gods loue would suffer him to die but necessitie vrged a despensation What necessity I pray you euen this perhaps that if Gods wrath had seazed vpon Christ hee would haue bene forsaken of God why he was forsaken of God Psal 22.1 all comfort was secluded from him and yet all grace was present with him but it was impossible that Christ should suffer gods wrath wherefore impossible because he was God therefore also it was impossible that he should die but possibility
admitted his death and why not Gods wrath for neither the Godhead died nor suffered Gods wrath but the manhood only and the hypostaticall vnion was neuer dissolued there is no daunger of fearing any absurdity to ensue vpon the suffering of Gods wrath rather then vpon the suffering of death for despaire want of faith loue c. are not to be feared The affliction that immediately seazed vpon Christs bodie V. 16.17 18. 16. For dogges haue compassed me and the assembly of the wicked haue inclosed me they pearced my hands and my feet 17 I may tell all my bones yet they behold and looke vpon me 18 They part my garments among them and cast lottes vpon my vesture c. These words containe that affliction which directly and immediately was inflicted vpon Christs bodie which no doubt pierced the sensitiue part of the soule which was inherent in the parts of the bodie wounded for we see woundes in the parts of the bodie are sensible and so very grieuous the reason is for that the obiect and the instrument of sense are ioined togither without a medium whereas there ought to be a competent distance and a cōuenient medium which is called Cuticula Here in the first place the persons inflicting these bodily torments vpon Christ are to be considered who are called dogges whereas the deuils in the former part of Christs torments were compared to Buls and Lyons the comparison hath in it excellent conueniencie proportion for as it is an easier matter to encounter a dog then a mightie madde Bull a lyon so the conflict which Christ had with the wicked which were but a company of curre dogges was nothing in comparison of the combate he had with the deuill and his angels whose malice might and mischeife against Christ surpassed the villanie of the Iewes as farre as the lyon rampeth and roareth more cruelly then the dogge barketh and yet Christ suffered more then that also which was the cōplemēt of al misery The wicked in the Scripture are compared to dogges in respect of two properties which dogges haue wherein wicked men are answerable to them the one is churlishnes the other is filthines for the dogge will snarle at him that beateth him for his fault yea though he be his master Mat. 7.6 and he will also turne againe and eate the carrion which he hath vomited 2. Pet. 2.22 which noteth out vnto vs two sorts of wicked men one is open persecutors that reuile and persecute them that smite them with holesom reproofes when they are faultie another is temporizing hypocrites that hauing made a shewe of godlinesse as if they had vomited sinne out of their soules yet at length returne again take vp their former sinnes which only for a time in hypocrisie they forsooke Further this place warranteth and innumerable more that the assemble of wicked men that are temporizers or persecutors may lawefully be called dogges or a kennell of hounds men now a daies that serue times and persecute the church take it in dudgin as we say that they shuld be called dogs or swine or lyons or beares c. yet they haue all the properties of these brutish creatures as if bruite beastes were metamorphized chāged into men as the heathen haue allegorized of such persons I would demād this question whether is worse to be a dog or to be called a dog may not a man call a dog a dogge Wherfore if such mē be dogs I knowe no reason but they may be so called especially the h. ghost going before whose example is our instruction in the same case either therefore lett such men cease to bee dogges or if they still continue dogges let them be called dogges Againe some take the prick whē they are not prickt at all in the ministers intentiō-althogh they are prickt in the Lords disposition for sometime the minister intendeth in his ministerie that which neuer pearceth sometime God causeth that to pearce in his ministerie that which hee neuer intendeth yet it may be knowne that Pauls planting and Apollos watring is nothing except God giue increase There are men called by the names of beasts as lyon fox hart hare hound or so forth and these men are some good some bad as our owne experience may informe vs well enough nowe sometime it falleth out that the minister in his ministerie is occasioned by the scripture to vnfold the euill properties of wicked men in regard whereof they are cōpared to beasts as the lyons properties are prid and crueltie the foxes craft and subteltie the hearts fearefullnes c. and it may fall out that some wicked man called lyon hath the lions prid and cruelty some wicked man called fox hath the foxes craft and subteltie c. now if these men take themselues either named or aymed at in the ministerie where as it may be the minister neuer dreameth thereof or if the minister intend such a thing whence should a man say this proceedeth without doubt either grosse folly or an accusing conscience or meere mallice or brutish ignorāce bring mē into these surmises howsoeuer it be gods word it is a sharpe two edged sword the minister by gods prouidēce which to him perhaps is chance medley sometime shal woūd him whome he neuer aimed at or harden him whome he neuer thought of for the word of God is both a sauour of life of death to seueral sorts of persons These are the persōs that afflicted Christ let vs further consider what afflictions befel him they crucifie him mock him they strip him naked and dispoile him of his garments all which are so many sufferings of Christ for our good he was crucified suffered the most accursed death of the crosse to deliuer vs frō the curse of the law Gal. 3.13 he was mockt to make vs honourable he was robbed to make vs rich was stript naked to couer our nakednes al these benefits we haue frō all Christs sufferings though not each of them seuerally frō the like suffering in Christ howsoeuer allegorically thus applied They pierced my hands and my feet I may tell all my bones But one thing especially is here to be considered concerning the crucifying of Christ in what sense Christ beeing vpon the tree there put to death was accursed for expositiō wherof we are to know that to die vpon a tree is not a thing indeede accursed either in nature or ciuill constitutiō or of it selfe Nature doth not teach vs that to hang vpon a tree is a thing accursed more thē to be thrust through with a sword or to be prest to death or to be burnt or so forth Againe no positiue or ciuill lawes of any nation vnder heauen haue accursed those persons that haue beene hanged vpon a tree vntill their bodies haue died indeed the death is something more base and vilde then some other kind of death is in reputation among some persons whence in our
lyon thy wrath and the curse of the lawe nowe father I doe not desire that I may not incounter with them but that I may not be ouercome by them saue me from the dominion of death thy wrath from the power of the dogge frō the lyons mouth from the hornes of the vnicornes lette the Iewes the dogges crucifie and kill mee let the Deuill and his angels the lyō the vnicornes tempt and terrifie me let thy wrath and the curse of the lawe the sword seeing it must needes torture me but yet father saue me by me thy whole Church from perishing vnder thy wrath Yea father if I nowe haue sustained thy wrath long enough and often enough as that is hidden from me as is the day of iudgement release me from it but if it must needes still rest vpon me I am content to beare it still patiently and that for the full and perfect redemption of thy Church From these wordes paraphrastically thus expounded may arise a doubt V. 20. Deliuer my soule from the sword why Gods wrath is called a sword or howe that exposition is iustifiable for satisfying wherof we must cōsider the place Zachar. 3.7 Arise o sword and smite the sheapheard which place is applyed by the Euangelist Math. 26.31 to the death of Christ also consider the phrase the prophet prayeth that his soule may be deliuered from the sword his soule doth not signifie his life but his very soule indeede the fountaine of life for Christ did not pray against death that he might not tast it but that his soule might not be swallowed vp of death therefore this must needes be the meaning of the place let not thy wrath ouerwhelme my soule for we cannot say properly let not death ouerwhelme my soule but let not death ouerwhelme my bodie The soule dieth not but the bodie onely Summarily then to end this is not the meaning of the wordes deliuer my life from death Supra probutum Nor this deliuer my soule from death for the soule cannot die it is immortall Nor this deliuer my bodie frō the graue for it is absurd and impertinent to this place Therefore this is the meaning deliuer my soule from thy wrath my soule from the sword but the sword did smit the shepheard ergo Gods wrath did torture his soule Desolate soule The meaning of this Epithet desolate is exprest v. 1. for Christs soule was desolate because God had nowe forsaken him and neither himselfe man or angell or any creature did comfort him but all had forsaken him .. v. 11. My strength Although Christ was desolate of all comfort yet he had strength and grace sufficient to beare whatsoeuer was inflicted vpon him by God as our suretie And therefore neuerthelesse he intitleth god his strength though he complaineth that God had forsaken him and did not heare when he roared vers 1. The promise of Thankefulnesse and first of Christs Prophecie Ver. 22 23 24 25. 22 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee saying 23 Praise the Lord ye that feare him magnifie ye him all the seed of Iacob and feare yee him all the seed of Israel 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poore nether hath he hid his face from him but when he called vnto him he heard 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregatione my vowes will I performe before them that feare him The Prophet hauing before set down the sacrifice and intercession of Christ both in the torments which he sustained partly in his soule directly and properly from the deuill and from God himselfe partly in his body frō the Iews that murthered him as also in the vehement praier which he made partly for himselfe and partly for vs seeing the fruite thereof wholly redoundeth vnto vs now he proceedeth to the prophecy kingdome of Christ and first the prophetical office of Christ is exprest in these foure verses Vers 22. I wil declare thy name vnto my brethren The principall worke of Christs prophecy is to declare Gods name that is his excellent attributes and his whole wil vnto his brethrē the Iews and so to the whole Church for so this place is brought Heb. 2.12 to prooue the humanitie of Christ whence we consider that Christ is designed by God the father for the onely Prophet Doctour and teacher of the Church he is the great Bishop of our soules God hath commanded vs to heare him and he is the onely law-giuer that is able to saue and destroy which is thus to be vnderstood that he alone hath reuealed his fathers will to the Church by the ministerie of the prophets in the old Testament by his own the Apostles ministerie in the new testament who spake as the H. ghost directed thē for Christ Iesus hath in his brest hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge who is therefore called the wisdome of God and therefore we are not to adde to or detract any thing from the writtē word of god or to alter any whitte thereof which whosoeuer presumeth to doe derogateth from the propheticall office of Christ the scriptures indeede may be expounded but they must not be altered augmented or diminished Hence also followeth it by due proportion that the ministers and Pastors of the Church who stand vp in Christs stead he being ascended vp on high and hauing giuen gifts vnto men are to open and publish Gods will sufficiētly reuealed by Christ in the Prophets and Apostles writings to the people of God for their conuersion saluation Finally also by like analogie Christians must without feare or shame confesse and professe the truth of Gods word not onely before the friends of the Church those specially ouer whome they haue charge but also before the enemies of the Church being called and vrged thereunto This is the principal work of Christs prophecie to teach the Church nowe the effects thereof follow which are the praise of God the conuersion of mens soules which are subordinate each to other for by the conuersion of mens soules God is glorified The first effect of Christs propheticall office V. 25. Let the seed of Iacob Israel feare praise and magnifie god and so of the ministery of the prophets Apostles and Pastors of the church is the conuersion of mens soules otherwise called the gathering togither of the Saints the edification of the bodie of Christ The second effect of the Prophecie of Christ V. 22. In the middes of the congregation I will praise thee so of the ministerie is the praise of God for therefore must ministers preach teach that God may be glorified in the conuersiō of mēs soules thus Christ saith I honour my father and again I haue glorified thee on the earth Where the ministers Pastors and teachers of the Church are to learne in their functions to ayme at these endes