man who is thereby ingaged to bless God Vers 10. Beasts i. e. Wild-beasts that are fullest of life and there-hence have their name in the Hebrew tongue And all Cattel Domestick and tame beasts even to the Elephant which is said to turn up the first sprig towards Heaven in token of thankfulness by a naturall instinct when hee comes to feed Creeping things Whether in earth or Sea all these are summoned in by the Psalmist to pay their tribute of praise and to do their homage to the most high Vers 11 King of the earth These are doubly-bound to God as Queen Elizabeth wrot to the French King first as they are men and next as they are so great men Leunclau Annal Turc But this is little considered Tamerlan having overcome Bajazet asked him whether ever hee had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour who confessed ingenuously hee never thought of it Princes and all Judges of the earth These are thrice called upon because hardly perswaded to pay God his rent as holding themselves too high to do him homage Vers 12 Both young men and maids Souls have no sexes let the choice youths and the compt lasses quâ— totâ— occupantur in sese ornandis saith Kimchi who are much taken up in tricking and trimming themselves leave that folly and give glory to God Vers 13 Let them praise the Name of the Lord Joyn in this harmony of Halelujah His glory is above Being deeper than Earth higher than Heaven Vers 14 Hee also exalteth the horn i. e. Hee graceth them singularly A people near unto him And in that respect happy above all people on the earth Deut. 4.7 33.29 because in Covenant with him and near-allied to him as the word here importeth PSAL. CXLIX VErs 1 Praise yee the Lord See Psal 148.1 Sing unto the Lord a new song A new-testament-new-Testament-song of a new argument and for new benefits by the comming of Christ whereof this Psalm is propheticall Old things are past all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.16 new Commandements new promises new sacraments new grace new praises new priviledges For the Congregation of the 〈◊〉 His 〈◊〉 whose joyne praises must come before him as the found of many waters this is Heaven upon Earth Vers 2 Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him And new made him Ephes 2.10 and thereby highly advanced him as 1 Sam. 12.6 The Hebrew hath it In his makers to shew the Trinity of persons concurring in the work both of creation and regeneration So Gen. 1 2â— Job 35 1â— Isa 54.5 Eccles 12.1 See Psal 100.3 Bee joyfull in their King i. e. In Christ whose Kingdome is such as should swallow up all discontents and make us everlastingly merry Mic. 4.9 Iâ— Seneca could say to his friend Polybius Fas non est salvo Caesare de fortuna tua queri 〈…〉 salvi tibi sunt tui c. It is not fit for thee to complain of thine hard fortune so long as Cesar is alive and well how much more may it bee said so to Christians so long as Christ is alive and reigneth Vers 3 Let them praise his name in the daunce Or with the pipe tibi is tympanis omni musices organicae genere by all lawfull means possible Vers 4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people Psal 35.27 when they are under the Cross especially and thereby meekened This the very Heathen saw Lib. de provid 2 and could say Spectant Diâ— magnos viros cum calamitate aliqua â—ollâ—ctantes Eâ—ce sâ—â—ctaculom ad quod respiciat operi suo intentus Deus saith Seneca of Caâ—â— and other gallant Roman spirits How much more may wee say the like of Gods-looking with singular delight on Abraham Jehova â—ireâ— the Lord seeth Gen. 22.14 Job Stephen Laurence and other faithfull Martyrs suffering couragiously for his truth and â—ealing it with their blood He will beautifie or glorifie the meek with salvation i. e. Not only deliver them Mr. Bolton but dignifie them in the eyes of all Psal 91.15 I will deliver him and glorifie him â—radford and such wee shall look upon likely saith a grave Author with thoughts of extraordinary love and sweetness in the next World through all eternity as Bonner and such with execrable and everlasting detestation Vers 5 Let the Saints bee joyfull in glory i. e. In their glorious estate by Christ notwithstanding their present poverty Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce or gloâ—y in that hee is exalted Jam. 1.9 Let them sing aloud upon their beds How hard soever Act Moâ—â— as Philpot and his fellow-sufferers did when they roused in the straw Jacob had never more sweet intercourse with God than when his head lay upon the hard stone at Bethel Some by beds here understand the Temples and Schools Confer Isa 57. Others render it 〈◊〉 de cubilibus suis They shall sing aloud for their beds that is for their sweet and solid tranquillity Vers 6 Let the high praises or the exaltations of God bee in their mouth Heb. In their throat So Isa 58.1 cry aloud Heb. cry in the throat set up thy note Sic clames ut Stentora vincas And a two-edged sword in their hand Such an invincible power shall the Saints have as whereby they shall subdue all their enemies corporall and spirituall See Heb. 14.12 Rev. 1.16 19.15 there was more than metall and form in Goliahs sword delivered by the Priest to David whose arm was not so much strengthened by it as his faith so is every good Christians by that two-edged sword of the Spirit he may well write upon it as that renouned Talbot in the reign of Henry the sixth did upon his sword Speed in blunt and boisterous language Sum Talbotti this was ingraven upon the one side of the blade and upon the other pro vincere inimicâ—s 〈◊〉 See a Cor. 10.4 5. Vers 7 To execute vengeance upon the Heathen viz. Upon a just calling and not for private revenge yea that souldier can never answer it to God that strikes not more as a Justicer than as an enemy bee his cause never so good But that 's the most noble vengeance that is executed upon mens lusts whilst they thrust the sword of the Spirit into the throats of them and let out their life-blood That 's a good sense that some give of these words viz. that the Saints when they go forth to battel should go with holy songs in their mouths as well as with swords in their hands See Judg. 7.19 20 c. Ussier Brit. â—cles â—mord 2 Chron. 20.21 c. the victoria Hallelujatica was got on this manner here in Britaine under the conduct of Germanus against a mighty army of Pelagian Picte and Saxons This was the course and custome of the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 against their Popish persecutors and the like wee read of the other French Protestants at the siedge of 〈◊〉 that I mention not those gallant
under our feet Hence the Jews to this day dream as did also the Disciples sowred with their leaven of an earthly Kingdom wherein the Messiah at his coming shall subdue the Nations and distribute their Provinces and wealth among his Jews But Christs Kingdom is of another nature and the Nations are already subdued to the Church which remaineth one and the same although the Jews be as branches broken off and others set in their place Rom. 11.24 Besides by the Nations under the Jews feet is meant say some that the Gentiles should be Scholars and the Jews School-masters as it were unto them for so fitting under the feet or at the feet signifieth in Scripture Acts 22.3 Luke 10.39 2 King 2.5 The teacher was called Joshebh or Sitter the Scholar Mithabbek or one that lieth along in the dust in token of his humble subjection And in this sense Seneca some where saith that the basest of people meaning the Jews gave Laws unto all the world Vers 4. He shall chuse our inheritance for us Or He hath chosen Of his free grace he espied out the Land of Canaan for his people Israel flowing with Milk and Honey and such as was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 and as much yea much more hath he done for the whole Israel of God both of Jews and Gentiles by electing them to an inheritance immortal undefiled reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 The excellency or high-glory of Jacob whom he loved i.e. All those high and honourable Priviledges wherein Jacob once and now all the faithful may wellglory and rejoyce See Rom. 9.4.5 having as great both abundance and assurance of Gods grace and goodness as Jacob ever had Vers 5. God is gone up with a shout The Ark is here called God as also Psa 132.5 and the face of God Ps 105.4 because from the Ark in the midst of the Cherubims God spake to his people and they by looking towards it had a sure symbol of the Divine presence The bringing of it up with pomp and solemnity into Mount Zion was a type of Christs wonderful ascension into Heaven triumphing over all his and our enemies Col. 2.15 Eph. 4.8 and joyfully entertained by Saints and Angels in Heaven The Jews ever apt to work themselves as one saith of them into the foolsparadise of a sublime dotage understand this passage of the future reduction of the Ark into the Sanctuary where it was once and for the which they most earnestly pray still as Buxtorf writeth With the sound of a trumpet Concrepantibus tubis and in like sort he shall return De Syuags Jud. c. 13 Acts 1.11 with 1 Ths 4.16 Vers 6. Sing praises to God sing praises Do it with all alacrity and assiduity being of that Martyrs mind who said Should I do nothing else all the days of my life yea as long as the days of Heaven shall last but kneel upon my knees and repeat over Davids Psalms to the glory and praise of God yet should I fall infinitely short of what is my duty to do Vers 7. For God is King of all the earth q. d. Our King said I it is too little he is King of all the earth A title vainly taken by some proud Princes as Sesostris King of Aegypt who would needs be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of the whole world So a Decree went out from Augustus Casar that all the World should be taxed Luk. 2.1 The great Turk Amurath the third stiled himself Turk Hist 91 God of the earth Governour of the whole world c. but these were but bubbles of words as Saint Peter hath it God is the sole Monarch of the whole Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sing yee praises with understanding Non bacchantium more but prudently and with a well composed minde saith Vatablus Psalmo Didascalico saith Tremellim with such a Psalm or Song as whereby yee may rightly inform one another concerning his Kingdom and your own duty Heb. Sing yee Maschil that is Quotquot sapientes inrelligentes petitiestis psallend one of the Psalms that bear that title as some sense it or every one of you that hath skill in Songs as others Vers 8. God reigneth over the Heathen This is his universal Kingdom whereof before vers 7. and yet never can too much be said of it God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness He is in a special manner King of his Church as Ahasuerosh was of his Hester called his throne Exod. 87.16 because the hand upon the throne of the Lord that is Amalechs hand upon the Church as some interpret it His throne of glory Jer. 4.21 and here the shrone of his holiness because Christ who is called God so many times in this Psalm loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanseir and so present it to himself a glorious Church Eph. 5.25 26 27. Vers 9. The Princes of the people are gathered together Or the voluntary of the people The great ones disdain not to meet with the meanest at the publick Assemblies for performance of holy duties but thither they fly one with another as the Doves do to their windows Isa 63.8 glorying in this that they are Christs Vassals as did Constantine Valentinian and Theodasius Socrates those three great Emperours casting their Crowns at his feet and willing to come under the common yoke of his obedience with the rest of the people of the God of Abraham the common sort of Christians For the Shields of the earth be long to God That is those Princes and Magistrates also Hos 4.18 Psal 89.18 belong to the covenant of election a though not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 and it was grown to a Proverb â—mnium bonorum Principum imagines in 〈◊〉 annulo scâ—lpi posse The Spanish Fryer was wont to say there were but few Princes in Hell and why because there were but few in all If such shall shew themselves shields to their people to protect them from wrong and not sharks rather to peel them and pillage them God will own and honour such Others thus the shields of the Earth belong to the Lord that is the Militia of the World is his he hath and can quickly raise the Posse comitatus of all Countries He is greatly exalted How should he be otherwise who hath sogreat a command and useth it for the defence of his people Especially if the Grandees of the earth become Religious and draw on others by their example and liberality Magnates Magnetes PSAL. XLVIII A Psalm a song for the sons of Korah When and by whom compiled we certainly know not If by David probably it was upon occasion of the Philistines comming up to seek him but were sent away back with shame and losse 2 Sam. 5.7 9. If upon the slaughter of Sennscheribs army by an Angel Isaiah or some other Prophet of those times as there were many might be
planted turned it into the same nature with it self as copres which will turn milk into ink or leaven which turneth a very Passeover into pollution See Mich. 1.5 with the Note Verse 12. Now therefore give not your daughters unlesse ye have a mind to pitch them into hell-mouth See ver 2. with the Note Nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever For they were devoted by God to utter destruction and therefore Israel might have no intercourse with them The Jewes at this day count and call us Canaanites Edomites c. and hold it an almesdeed to knock us on the head The best among the Gentiles say they is worthy cui caput conteratur tanquam Serpenti to be killed up as a Serpent Tacitus long since observed of them that as they were very kind to their own so to all others they bare a deadly hatred Thrice a day in their prayers Buxtorf Synag Jud. cop 5. they curse us Christians and in Polony where they have a toleration they print base and blasphemous things against Christ and Religion That ye may be strong viz. by my presence amongst you and providence over you for cui adhaereo prae est as Q. Elizabeth could write how much more may God Almighty He whom I favour is sure to prevail And cat the good of the Land The best of the best the finest Wheat the choyfest fruit and those a pledge and fore-taft of the happiness of Heaven where there is nec fames nec fastidium as one saith neither lack nor loathing neither measure nor mixture but sweetest varieties felicities eternities And leave it for an inheritance personal goodnesse is profitable to posterity the righteous shall leave inheritance to his childrens children Prov. 13.22 God never casteth out his good tenants nor leaveth his servants unprovided for See Psal 103.17 and 112.1 2. Verse 13. And after all that is come upon us Affliction like foul wheather cometh before it is sent for yet not but of Gods sending and then it is ever either probational as Jobs or Cautional as Pauls prick in the flesh or penal for chastisement of some way of wickednesse as here For our evil deeds These he thanketh as well he might for all their sufferings sin is the mother of misery and hales hell at the heeles of it Seeing that thou our God Our God still and this is the sixth time that he hath so stiled Him in this holy prayer besides three times My God These are speeches of faith and refer to the Covenant that pabulum fidei food of faith When ye stand and pray beleeve when ye humble and tremble before God keep up your faith still Nihil retinet qui fidem amisit lose that and lose all Seneca Take away the iniquity of they servant saith David 2 Sam. 24.10 'T is as if he should say I am thy servant Lord still though an unworthy one And to prove himself so he addeth For I have done very foolishly I confesse it Lord that thon mayest cover it Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit This he beleeves and speeds when Judas confessing but withal despairing misseth of mercy Hast punisht us lesse then our iniquities deserve Heb. Hast withheld beneath our iniquities The just hire of the least sin is death in the largest sense Rom. 6.23 What then might God do to us for our many and mighty sins or rather what might he not do and that most justly How great is his mercy which maketh him say Jerusalem hath received at Gods hand double for all her sins Isai 40.1 2. Too much saith God there too little saith Ezra here and yet how sweetly and beautifully doth this kind of contradiction become both And hast given us such deliverance as this A fruit of free mercy and calls hard for duty Gods blessings are binders and every new deliverance calls for new obedience Servaeti sumus ut serviamus Verse 14. Should we again break thy Commandements There is so much unthankfulnesse and disingenuity in such an entertainment of mercy that holy Ezra here thinkes that Heaven and Earth would be ashamed of it And joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations Especially when we may hear God himself screeching out as it were those words of his Oh do not this abominable thing Save your selves from this untoward generation c Wouldst thou not be angry with us Id est Chide us smite us and so set it on as no creature should be able to take it off Sin may move God when we ask bread and fish to feed us to answer us with a stone to bruise us or a Serpent to bite us Shun it therefore as a Serpent in your way or as poyson in your meats Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way c. Psal 2.12 So that there should be no remnant So that our late preservation should prove but a reservation to further mischief as was Sodoms Senacheribs Pharaohs Verse 15. O Lord God of Israel So called because he is their portion they His Deut. 32.9 He had avouched them for his and they him interchangeably Deut. 26.17 18. Seneca could say that the basest people meaning the Jewes gave Lawes unto all the World that is had the true God Creatour of all for their God Thou art righteous In all thy judgments inflicted upon us or thou art faithful and true in thy promises but we have forfeited thy favour and deserved destruction Behold we are before thee in our trespasses Or guiltinesses which is that iniquity of sin as David calleth it Psal 32.5 whereby the sinner is bound over to condigne punishment For we cannot stand before thee But must needs causâ cadere being self condemned and such as must needs subscribe to thy perfect justice in our own utter destruction CHAP. X. Verse 1. Now when Ezra had prayed HAD presented himself as a Suppliant and opened his cause to God the Judge appealing to him that he might determine And when he had confessed And begged pardon deprecating the divine displeasure Hithpallel as the word signifieth Weeping Of this we read not in the former chapter but of other effects of his passion as renting his garments tearing off the hair of his head and beard c. His sorrow at first might be above tears which afterwards came gushing out amain as the blood doth out of a Wound but not till it hath first run back to the heart to bear the newes to it as I may so say It is said of Athanasius that by his tears as by the bleeding of a chast vine he cured the Leprosy of that tainted age May we not say the same of this good man And casting himself down before the house of God Where all might see him that their eyes might affect their hearts and contribute some tears of compunction and compassion toward the filling of Gods bottle as they had done sins toward the filling of his bag Of Men Women and
earth with his tears Also the hundreth part of the money That is all that they had received for interest whether money or else It appeareth by this text that they took twelve in the hundred for so much the hundreth part monethly amounteth to as at this day in Italy and elsewhere the Jewes are permitted to straine up their usury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Christian for among themselves they now use it not which causeth many of those Pseudo-Christians to use those Jews under-hand Sands his Survey in improving their unlawful rents to the utmost proportion Verse 12. Then said they We will restore them This was well said and Nehemiah took course it should be as well done ne dicta factis erubescerent as Tertullian phraseth it that their saying and doing might be alike We will require nothing of them But be of those that lend looking for nothing againe Luke 6. no not the principal So will we do as thou hast said Denying our selves and all worldly lusts that we may get and keep a good conscience that most precious Jewel that ever the heart of man was acquainted with Then I called the Priests As fittest to tender so solemne an oath and to bear witnesse in a case of that nature And took an oath of them That is of them that had promised restitution that they might not start back nor repent them of their good resolutions Our hearts are deceitful and must be by all good means held up to duty Quo teneas vultus mutantem Protea nodo else they will slip collar as those slippery Jewes Jer. 34.10 11. retracted and repealed their vow It was therfore well and wisely done of Nehemiah to bind them thus to the good abearance as Asa and Josiah had done before him An oath is an hedge which a man may not break which yet that great Heteroclite of Rome maketh a sport of For when the Cardinals meet to chuse a new Pope they make him swear to certain Articles And Sleydan saith that no sooner is he chosen but he breaks them all and checks their insolencies as if they went about to limit his power to whom all power is given in heaven and earth Is not this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse monster Saint Paul speaketh of 2 Thes 2.8 Verse 13. Also I shook my lap By this rite running into their senses this holy man runs with terrours into the eyes and hearts of all that should perfidiously forswear themselves by a direful denunciation of divine vengeance In all lawful oaths there is an imprecation though it be not alwayes exprest Gen. 14.23 Heb. 3. So God cast out every man from his house See Zech. 5.4 5. with the Note And from his labour i. e. From his layings-up the fruit of his labour his lands and estate got by a diligent hand The Hebrew word signifieth labour even to lassitude and fainting And all the Congregation said Amen In token of hearty assent and assurance And praised the Lord There was a general joy and many an humble chearful and thankful heart lifted up to God for sinne so redressed and poor people relieved And the people did according to this promise This was real thankfulnesse It is not the fumbling out of a few good words as God I thank thee praised be God c. that will passe Thanksdoing is the proof of Thanksgiving and the good life of the thankful is the life of thankfulnesse Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the Most High Psal 50.14 Verse 14. From the time that I was appointed to be their governour He was not ambitious of the office nor usurped it but was commanded to it as the word signifieth by the King of Persia and clearly called to it by God Almighty Otherwise he could have shrouded himself in willing secrecy as good corn lieth in the bottome of the heap and as good balsam sinketh to the bottome of the vessel I and my brethren have not eaten the bread c. Rulers as they are nursing-fathers to the people Isa 49.23 so by them they are to be nourished and their state maintained See 1 Kings 4.7 It is also observed that although our Saviour Christ wrought many miracles yet he never wrought any about honour or money but that about tribute rather then that should go undischarged he commanded a fish to pay it Hence also he saith not Date Matth. 22. Rom. 13.6 but Reddite Give but Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars And Saint Paul saith ye pay tribute as being a due debt Neverthelesse in this great necessity Nehemiah le ts go his own right and leaveth it to others like as the Eagle is said Tostat ex Plin. when she seeketh her prey to leave a good part thereof to the birds that follow her for the same end Verse 15. But the former Governours Those that had been betwixt Zorobabel and Nehemiah Ezra was no Governour These had been strict in exacting their five pounds a day or for the head of every family so much besides bread for necessity and wine for delight Not so Nehemiah he would not use his power to over-burden those poore whom these Usurers oppressed This he here instanceth for their further conviction Yea even their servants bear rule over the people Exacting what they please of them this their masters should have seene to and not suffered for the servants sinne is the masters reproach When Charles the fifth resolved to lay down the Empire some of his Courtiers and Counsellours advised him to retaine still the name and authority of Emperour and to govern the Kingdome by his under-officers His answer to them was Ah me praesente ita res administratis c. Alas now that I am amongst you things are so ill carried that ye are complained of by all what then would you do if I should not have an eye upon you Val. Max. Christ p. 197. and how would you domineere like so many Sultans the word here used and follow the administration of Justice as a trade only with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gaine But so did not I because of the fear of God The best retentive from sinne certainly a spur to good a curb from evil Hence David calleth it a cleane feare Psal 19.9 and the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil saith Solomon And Aristotle hath this Probleme Why are men credited more then other creatures The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because man alone holdeth and feareth God therefore you may trust him But where this fear is not no good is to be expected but the contrary Gen. 20.11 See the Note on verse 9. Verse 16. Yea also I continued in the work He meaneth saith Lyra that he wrought with his own hands to draw on others the more when they should see their Governour himself so intent to the work He was constant at it and held out till all was
morning to see that sad sight and the murtherer among the rest came that he might be the lesse suspected The dog no sooner saw this souldier Amb. in Hexâ—em but he ran fiercely at him and would never give over barking and baiting at him till he saw him apprehended and carried to prison where he confessed the fact and was for the some deservedly executed Verse 24. And thou shalt know Thine owne eyes shall see it and thine experience seale to it thou shalt be well assured of it this is a sweete mercy it is the sweet-meates of the feast of a good conscience saith Latimer to know that all shall go well with us here and that our names are written in the book of life to be able to conclude from temporal blessings to eternal as David doth Psal 23.5 6. to have not only sustentation but suavities spiritual as one speaketh That thy Tabernacle shall be in peace i.e. thy house houshold and houshold-stuffe shall be in safety and all shall be as well with thee as heart can wish Or thy Tabernacle shall be peace Thou shalt bee free from domestical dissensions It is a sign of a Christian-family if the son of peace be there and peace rest in it Luke 10.6 This turneth water to wine and the contrary where envying and strife is there is confusion or unquietnesse and every evil work Jam. 3.16 such a tabernacle is more like to a kennel of hounds then a family of Christians And thou shalt visit thy habitation As a busie bishop within thine own diocesse thou shalt carefully enquire into the state of thy family and take an account of all that are under thy roofe that God be sincerely served there and all things well husbanded Prov. 27.26 27. And shalt not sinne viz. by too much indulgence to children and servants Elies sin who brought up his children to bring down his house Or thou shalt not bee found guilty sc of thy families faults imputed unto thee or thou shalt not miss so of thy desire and expectation but all shall go as well within doores as heart can wish Verse 25. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great Thou shalt live to see thy children whereof thou art now bereft not only restored but increased Children are the seed parents are but the husk as it were to have these multiplied is no small mercy Psalm 128.3 especially when the wife is as the vine and the children like olive-plants two of the best fruits the on for sweetnesse the other for fatnesse Judg. 9.13 when they prove to be as arrowes of a strong man such as whose naturall knottinesse is reformed and smoothed by grace such as for the workmanship of grace and holinesse in their hearts and lives are become like the graving of a Kings palace Psalm 144.12 What can better preserve Jacob Job from confusion or his face from waxing pale than if he might see his children the work of Gods hands framed and fitted by the word in regeneration and the duties of new obedience this would make religious parents of sanctifie Gods name even to sanctifie the Holy One and with singular encouragement from the God of Israel Isa 29.22 23. And thine off-spring as the grasse of the earth Thy Nephewes shall be not onely numerous but innumerable they shall also flourish as grasse in its prime Verse 26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age In a good old age or as the Hebrew hath it Gen. 25.8 with a good hoare head in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thou hast even a satiety of life and art as willing to die as ever thou wast to dine or to rise from table after a full meale The Hebrewes made a feast when they were past 60 yeares of age and some of them observe that the numerall letters of Chelaâ—h thâ—word here used make up threescore but that 's not a full old-age rather it is the beginning of it Thou shalt aye in lusty old age so Broughton rendreth it old and yet healthy and comfortable as was Moses Deut 34.7 And Mr. Dod that Moses of our times Of Mr. Samuel Crook likewise it is recorded that when he saw no more ability for labours In his life by W.G. he desired to die in a satiety and fulnesse of life not as a meat loathed as many times naturall men do but as a dish though well liked that he had fed his full of sew men having ever run so long a race without cessation or aespitatâ—â—â— so constantly so unweariably so unblameably Lo such an hoary head was a crown of glory as being found in the way of righteousnesse Prov. 16.31 But so are not all that yet are long-lived A sinner may do evill an hundred times and yet have his dayes prolonged Bccles 8.12 Manasseh had the longest reigne of any King of Judah 〈◊〉 Joâ— 22 held the mortality of the soule and was otherwise erroneous and vitious yet he lived longest of any Pope and died richest Anno Dom. 13.35 howbeit he died tempore non suo too soone for himself Eccles 7.17 He went not to his grave in a good old age ripe and ready As a shock of corn cometh in in his season As corn when ripe is reaped shockt up and carried into the barn for the masters use Dei frumentum ego sum I am Gods bread-corn said that ancient Martyr Verse 27. Lo this we have searched it so it is Wee are sure that all this is true and may be trusted to for we have tryed it wee have it not by tradition neither take we it up upon trust from others but we believe and know as Peter spake Job 6 69 we believe and therefore speak it as Paul after David 2 Cor. 4.13 Psal 116.10 Thou majest write upon this whole chapter as those Ancients did upon their Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God God or as John the Divine did upon his Revelation These sayings are faithful and true Rev. 22.6 Vera tanquam â—x tripode as true as Gospel as we say Those that take upon them to teach others should goe upon sure ground and be masters of what they teach how else will they teach with authority those also that come to heare must strive to find out that which St. Luke calleth the certainty of things Luke 1.4 and not be led by conjectural suppositions or the Tenents of their teachers but be fully perswaded verse 1. Heare it With utmost attention of body intention of mind retention of memory and practice also all is lost And know thou it for thy good Make thy best use of this our diligence and experience so freely and friendly communicated unto thee Let not all this that hath beene spoken be spilt upon thee but prove every whit as profitable to thee as I conceive it seasonable for thee Some knowing men are not a button the better for all they know The divels are full of objective knowledge but they get no good by it no more
shall overflow the Land again as that then it shall some would gather from this Text. Verse 11. The Pillars of heaven tremble i.e. the Angels say some who tremble out of conscience of their own comparative imperfections The best of Saints on earth say others according to Gal. 2.9 Rev. 3.12 Prov. 9.1 2. who tremble at Gods Word Isai 66.2 and have many concussions by afflictions But better understand the Firmament of heaven Hag. 26 7. Matth. 24.29 The Powers of heaven shall be shaken they shall quake with the loud check of his Thunder claps Or the high and mighty mountaines whereon the heavens seeme to rest as on so many pillars shaken by Earth-quakes and sometimes with great astonishment removed out of their places And are astonished at his reproof As all the beasts of the field are at the roaring of the Lion Lavat Vt quis a gravi magnae potâ—statâ— vire objurgatus iremit â—â—hementer solicitus est as a slave chidden by a Prince trembleth and is aghast Verse 12. He divideth the sea with his power i.e. With his strong winds causing tempests see the like Isai 51.15 so that it lyeth as it were in ridges the top of one wave far from another Jer. 31.35 That was a strange thing that is reported to have fallen out at London the last week On Munday Aug. 14 1654. Sever. Proceed of State affirm p. 4033. by reason of the great winds the Tide was so low in the Thames that boyes waded over it from the one side to the other the old Watermen affirming they never saw it so before And by his understanding he smiteth through the proud Heb. Pride or Rahab which is oft put for Egypt as Psal 87.4 and 89.10 Isai 51.9 whence some would have Pharaoh meant others the Divel others the Whale dashing against a Rock or driven to shore where he is taken others the proud waves of the sea He hath the sea in as great awe as a Giant hath a Pigmee as chap 38.11 disabled by God to stir more as a man mortally wounded is to fight longer An instance hereof we have in the history of Jonas and another in the Gospel Mat. 8. and 14. As God is powerful enough to raise stormes so he is wise enough to lay them again Psal 107.25 29. Verse 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens Spiritu ejus coeli sunt ipsa pulâ—â—â—cudo By his Spirit the heavens are beauty it self so Vatablus rendreth it That Three â—â— One and One in Three wrought in the Creation see Psal 33.6 Adoravit decoravit pulchrcfecit Hins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of his mouth Here Jehovah his Word and his Spirit are noted to be the Maker of the world so Gen. 1. The Heathens had some blind notions hereof as appeareth by Plutark who reporteth that in Thebe a Town of Egypt they worshipped a God whom they acknowledged to be immortal but how painted they him Plut. de Ifid Ofirid Var. dere rust lib. 2. c. 1. In the likenesse of a man blowing an egg out of his mouth to signifie that he made the round world by the Spirit of his mouth Upon the heavens especially God hath bestowed a great deal of skill and workmanship as appeareth Heb. 11 10. and Psal 8.3 where heaven is called The work of Gods fingers a curious divine work a Metaphor from them that make Tapestry Garnished it is with Stars as a Palace is with stately Pictures besides the inward beauty which is unconceivable There is something of a Saphir in the Hebrew word here rendred Garnished and Revel 21. search is made through all the bowels of the earth to find out all the precious Treasures that could be had Gold Pearles and precious Stones of all sorts and what can these serve to only to shadow out the glory of the walls of the new Jerusalem and the gates and to pave the streets of the City See also Isai 54.11 12. His hand 〈◊〉 formed the crooked Serpent Enixe est peperit hath â—â—oughâ— forth as by birth hath formed the most deformed and dreadâ—â—â— Creature in the earth Or those flaming Dragons flying in the Aire Meteors â— mean Or the Constellation in heaven called the Dragon betwixt the two Beares and not far from the North-Pole Est hos sane maximum maxime conspicuum in coelo fidus c. Or lastly those Sea-Dragons the Whales which Mercer thinketh most likely to be here meant and compareth Isai 27.1 Psal 104.26 Job 40.20 Neither need we wonder saith he that the beginning of the verse is of heaven and the end of the sea for Job would shew and set forth two admirable works of God in two extremes of the world viz. in heaven above and in the waters under the earth his Power and Wisdome shineth every where in the Creatures neither can a 〈◊〉 easily sook besides a miracle Job therefore insisteth not long upon particulars but as one lost in the labyrinth of Admiration at so great things he 〈◊〉 shuts up Verse 14. Lo these are parts of his wayes Or rather Particles of his Works Extrema sunt viarum ejus so the Tiguâ—â—es translate it these are the ends extremities or utmost parts of them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul calleth it that which may be known of God par 〈◊〉 treaturaruâ— Rom. 1.19 20 as the Sun may bee seen in the water after a soft but in roâ—â— as the Schooles speak in the Cirele where in it runs we are not able to behold him so something of God may be seen in his Works in his Word his back parts we may see and live as Moses Exod. 33. Quam exigultatem Piscat Parvaâ—â— stillam Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a. Sept. Paucuâ—â— de pâ—nco pusillum parum admilum Merc. His truth in the Temple as 〈…〉 But how little a portion is heard of him Heb. What a 〈◊〉 or shâ—â— of a word or thing is heard of him As when one heareth the latter end only of a 〈◊〉 that which the eccho resoundeth and no more it is 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 cannot know we are as narrow mouthed vessels Ye are not able to 〈◊〉 what I have to say to you saith Christ to his Apostles John 16.12 And to the people hâ— spâ—ke as they were able to hear Mark 4.33 and not as he was able to have spoken Lequimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus saith Gratian the Emperor We speak of God Iâ— Epist ad Ambros not so much as we should but so much as we can We prophecy but in part and what wonder sith we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. In humane things the wisest men have professed that the greatest part of what they knew was the least of that they knew not how much more in things divine By no expressions do we so fully set
contributing something to the weal-publick as Bees bring their honey to the common hive This those that will not do are worthily cast-out and made to dwell in the clifts c. In the time of Cato Censorius when any one would be a Citizen of Rome they took his hand betwixt theirs and if it felt smooth and soft they presently as an idle vagabond gave him his Miâ—timus but if hard and knotty they forth with admitted him to dwell in their City And if a malefactor were apprehended whose hands were labouring hands his punishment should be mitigated though his Crime were grievous as if otherwise a severe punishment was inflicted for a light offence Verse 7. Among the bushes they brayed Through grief and discontent at their low condition and many miseries which yet they would rather bootlesly bewayle than take a right course to remedy They lust and have not they kill themselves through idleness and desire to have if it would come without labour but cannot obtain Jam. 4.2 And hence they bray like the wild-Ass when empty and roar as the Lion when hunger-bit Vnder the Nettlès were gathered together Or they were pricked whealed as we call it Vrtiâ—a ab urendo they were nettle-stung whilest they got under those weeds for shelter and warmth All this Job relateth of those that derided him not to be even with them or out of a desire to disparage them but to aggravate the indignity of his misusage and to comfort himself as Seneca in like case did Malè de me loquuntur sed mate They speak evil of me But who are they base persons and wicked above measure and oh how easie a thing it is to wagge a wicked tongue especially when the devil hath the doing of it as he hath in this kind of men Lavat qui revera as aperiunt atabolum loqui sinunt whose mouth the Devil borroweth to vent the language of hell by Verse 8. They were children of fools yea children of base men Homines flagitiosissimi etiam homines ignominiosissimi afflictissimi erant extorres so Tremellius translateth Naught all over they were and nought esteemed what wonder therefore if heavily afflicted and relegated Their poverty was self-procured and therefore unpitied they had brought themselves into the briars and also in their fathers iniquities they were pining away with them Levit. 26.39 Evil eggs they were of evil birds â—ihili homuncimes ingloris as the Tigurines translate fellows of no fashion and as little account terrae filii earth-sprung Mushromes men in whom all true wisdom was faded and decayed sapless persons Nabals Nebulones They were viler then the earth Terrâ quam ferimus terrâ etiam quam terimus Or they were smitten out of the earth driven out of the land sc by me when I was in power but now these vile varlets shew themselves again and trample upon me with the feet of pride and petulancy Leoni mortuo vel mus insultat Verse 9. And now I am their song They compose Comedies out of my Tragedies and make themselves merry in my misery they not only make Balads and Sonnets of my sufferings but also play them upon their Instruments as the Hebrew word importeth Yea I am their by-word Sermonis argumentum the matter of their Discourse I am all their talk De me confabulantur contemptim loquuntur Disc neither have they any thing else whereof to chat and babble but only of me yea to make my disgraces to passe into a Proverb they call all miserable men by my name The Ale-stakes served David in like sort the Drunkards upon their Ale-bench tossed his name as Dogs do carrion making him their ballad and their by-word Psal 69.12 The whole Church complaineth of the like contempt Psal 79.4 Lam. 3.14 63. Ezek. 33.32 Thus when the invincible Armada as they called it was coming for England Don Bernardino Mendoza the Spanish Embassadour in France Cambd. Eliz. solaced himself with a vain and false Poem or Song of Englands miseries which as a tryumph before the victory he absurdly printed The Gunpowder-Traytors also did the like in their sevenfold Psalmodie as they called it that divellish ditty which secretly the Papists passed from hand to hand with Tunes set to be sung or plaid Spec. Bell. Sacr. The matter consisted of railing upon King Edward 6 Q. Elizabeth K. James and others of Petition Imprecation Prophesie and praise Verse 10. They abhor me they flee far from me As if I were a Leper or a Bugbear or that my breath were infectious like that maid spoken of by Avicen who feeding upon poyson was her self healthy yet infected others with her venemous breath Job was wont to be honoured now he is as much abhorred People were used to hang upon his lips for learned counsel but they stand aloof off and keep at a distance They looked upon that face of his as the face of an Angel which now with utmost despight and detestation they spit upon and spare not At vertutes evertere non possunt as Demetrius Phalereus said when the Athenians threw down the many Statues they had once erected in honour of him But they cannot throw down my vertues and valiant acts whereby I deserved those Statues Job was not without his cordial in this sad and sudden change of his condition For first the Bird in his own bosom sang sweetly still as birds in the Spring tune most melodiously when it raines most sadly And secondly What if these miscreants prate against Job with malicious words as Diotrephes did against Demetrius 3 John 10. Yet it is enough for Job or Demetrius that they have a good report of all men that is of all good men who indeed are the only men as a good name only is a name Eccles 7.1 and a good wife only a wife Prov. 18.22 to be reckoned on and of the truth it self that 's more ver 12. And spare not to spit in my face In signum videlicet maximi contemptus indignationes Junius In token of greatest contempt and indignation as Numb 12.14 Isai 50.6 Deut. 25.9 The face is the table of beauty or comelinesse and when it is spit upon it is made the seat of shame Their words were likely such as the English Barons here said of the Popes that excommunicated them Fye on such rascal ribaulds c. Marcidi ribauldi Mat. Paris Our Lord Christ also was spit upon in like manner that he might cleanse our faces from the filth of sin and make them shine with his beames 1 Job 3.2 Verse 11. Because he hath loosed my cord i.e. God hath taken away mine Authority whereby I heretofore kept them in order and made them more obsequious so that now like head-strong horses having gotten the bit between their teeth they run whithersoever they list and rise up against their Rider It is God who casteth contempt upon Princes Psal 107.40 Job 12.21 as he did upon Solomon in his
the Greeks for like cause call it is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part the eye which is kept most diligently and strongly guarded by Nature with tunicles David therefore fitly prayeth to be so kept Hide me under the shadow of thy wings Another excellent similitude taken from Fowls which either cover their Young with their wings from the scorching heat of the Sun beams as doth the Eagle or keep them thereby from the cold or from the Kite as Hens do Gods love to and care of his poor people is hereby shadowed out as it was likewise by the out-spread wings of the Cherubins in the Sanctuary See Ruth 2.12 Deut. 32.10 Zach. 2.8 Psal 36.8 57.2 Matth. 23.37 Vers 9. From the wicked that oppress me Heb. That waste me i.e. that cast me out into banishment despoyled of all This hard usage of his enemies drove David into Gods blessed Bosom as Children misused abroad run home to their Parents From my deadly enemies Heb. My enemies against the soul i. e. the Life at least if not the soul which they would gladly destroy Some malice is so mischeivous that it would ruine Body and Soul together as that Monster of Millain the enemies of John Husse and Hierom of Prague whose bodies they delivered to the fire and their Souls to the Devil David elsewhere complaineth of his enemies that they did Satanically hate him Psal 55 4. Beware of men saith our Saviour Mat. 10. for one man is a Devil to another Vers 10. They are inclosed in their own fat See Job 15.27 with the Note They abound in all delights Adipem suum obesant Trem. and therefore spare not to speak proudly They have closed up their eyes in their fulsome fat ut non videant nec timeant te saith R. Solomon that they can neither see nor fear thee With their mouth they speak proudly Heb. in pride that is Palam plenis buccis openly and with full mouth they contemn God and men they belch out Blasphemies and do what they please Vers 11. They have now compassed us in our steps i.e. Me and my company so that we cannot stir any whither but we are in danger of them In all thy ways acknowledge God and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3.6 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him c. Psal 37.5 Keep within Gods Precincts and thou shalt be under his protection He took order that a Bird should be safe upon her own Nest They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth i.e. Hoc unum spectant ut ruamus Junius They are earnestly bent and firmly resolved upon our ruine as one that fixeth his eyes upon another to mark him or to know him again or as Bulls ready to run at one set their eyes downward Vers 12. Like as a Lion that is greedy c. Cruelty and Craft are conjoyned in the Churches enemies as the Aspe never wandreth alone they say without his companion David here pointeth out some one special enemy Saul likely who should have been a Shepherd but proved a Lion As a young Lion lurking Therefore as we tender our safety keep close to God out of whose hands none can take us no not the roaring Lion of Hell Vers 13. Arise O Lord disappoint him Anticipa faciem ejus that is that raging and ravening Lion step between me and him and stop his fury defeat his purpose and disable his power Which is thy Sword As Assyria is called the Rod of his Wrath. Attilas stiled himself Orbis flagellum the wrath of God and the scourge of the World Turk Hist So Tamerlan was commonly called The Wrath of God and Terrour of the world Some render it by thy Sword i.e. or thy might and power See Job 40.41 or by thy Word execute thy judgement Vers 14. From men which are thy hand This saith one is Davids Letany From those men c. good Lord deliver me Gods hand they are called as before Gods Sword Titus Son of Vespasian being extolled for destroying Jerusalem said I have only lent God my hand but he hath done the work From men of the World Heb. A mortuis i. e. impiis qui sunt mortui in vits eorum R. Gion From Mortals of this transitory world qui sunt mundani mundum spirant sapiunt the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea as opposed to the Citizens of the New Jerusalem Rev. 12.12 such as having incarnated their souls as that Father speaketh are of the earth speak of the earth and the earth heareth them Job 3.31 mind earthly things only as if they were born for no other purpose Terrigene fratres animam habentes triticeam as those Stall-fed beasts in the Gospel Which have their portion in this life And they love to have it so saying with the Prodigal Give me the Portion that belongeth to me They crave it and they have it but with a vengeance Munera magna quidens misit sed misit in hamo As the Israelites had Quails to choke them and afterwards a King to vex them a table to be a snare to them c. By the way observe that wicked men have a right to earthly things a man must needs have some right to his portion what Ananias had was his own whilst be had it Acts 5. and it is a rigour to say they are Usurpers As when the King gives a Traitor his life hee gives him meat and drink that may maintain his life So is it here neither shall wicked men be called to account at the last day for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession As for the Saints who are heirs of the world with faithful Abraham and have a double portion even all the blessings of Heaven and of Earth conferred upon them though here they be held to strait allowance let them live upon reversions and consider that they have right to all and shall one day have rule of all Rev. 3. Mendicato pane hic vivamus annon hoc pulchrè sarcitur c. What though we here were to live upon Alms saith Luther is there not a good amends made us in that here we have Christ the bread of life in his Ordinances and shall hereafter have the full fruition of him in Heaven The whole Turkish Empire is nothing else but a crust cast by our Father to his Doggs and it is all they are likely to have let them make them merry with it Wilt not thou saith another bee content unless God let down the vessel to thee as to Peter with all manner of Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air Acts 10.12 Must you needs have first and second course Difficile est ut praesentibus bonis quis fruatur futuris ut hic ventrem illic mentem reficiat ut de deliciâ—s ad delicias transeat ut in coelo in terra gloriosus appareat saith Hierom It is a very hard thing to have Earth and Heaven
sing in a strange Land Quid nobis cum fabulis cum risu saith Bernard in hoc exilio in hoc ergastulo in hac valle lachrymarum Let us cast away carnall mirth and groan earnestly to bee cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 Vers 5 Iâ— I forget thee O Jerusalem As I might seem to do should I herein gratifie these Idolaters or otherwise obey them rather than God The Jews at this day when they build an house they are say the Rabbines to leave one part of it unfinished and lying rude in remembrance that Jerusalem and the Temple are at present desolate At least they use to leave about a yard square of the house unplaistered on which they write Leo Modena of the riâ—es of the Jews in great letters this of the Psalmist If I forget Jerusalem c. or else these words Zecher lechorban that is The memory of the desolation Let my right hand forget Fiat abalienata atque emortua Let it bee paralyticall and useless unfit to touch the harp Vers 6 If I do not remember thee Hi gemitus Sanctorum sunt gemitus Spiritus sancti these are the very sighs unutterable that precede joys unspeakable and full of glory Either our beds are soft or our hearts hard that can rest when the Church is at unrest that feel not our Brethrens hard cords through our soft beds If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Heb. If I cause it not to ascend above the head of my joy Christ in his Ordinances must bee our chiefest comfort overtopping all other and devouring all discontents whatsoever Vers 7 Remember O Lord the Children of Edom Those unbrotherly bitter enemies The Jews call Romists Edomites Rase it rase it Discooperite discooperite Diruite ex imis subvertite fundamentis Buchanan Darius hearing that Sardis was sacked and burnt by the Athenians commanded one of his servants to say to him thrice alwayes at supper Sir remember the Athenians to punish them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod Tâ—rp Vers 8 That art to bee destroyed Spoliatrix saith the Syriack Isa 33.1 Happy shall hee bee i. e. Well rewarded with wealth and good wishes Vers 9 That taketh and dasheth thy little ones So at the destruction of Troy Sed palam raptis heu nefas heu Nescios fari puerâ—s Achivis Ureret flammis etiam latentes Mâ—tris in alve Horat. l. 4. Od. 6. PSAL. CXXXVIII VErs 1 I will praise thee with my whole heart Which no Hypocrite can do though hee may pray in distress from the bottom of his heart A gratefull manis a gracious man viz. if hee come with a true heart as the Apostle hath it Heb. 10.22 Aben-Ezra Before the Gods will I sing praise unto thee That is before Angels who are present in holy assemblies 1 Cor. 11.10 as was represented by those Cherubines pictured in the Temple as also before Princes and Potentates see vers 4. Kimchi Vers 2 I will worship toward thy holy Temple Wheresoever I am the face of my soul shall turn like the needle of a Diall by sacred instinct Abbot towards thee in the Ark of thy presence in the son of thy love For thy loving kindness and for thy truth For thy grace and truth which come by Jesus Christ the Ark and Mercy-seat were never sundred Gods loving kindness in Christ moved him to promise his truth binds him to perform and hence our happiness For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Or Thou hast magnified thy name in all thy Words Or Thou hast magnified above all things thy Name by thy Word that is Thou hast got thee a very great name by fulfilling thy promises and by setting on thy Word with power Vers 3 In the day when I cryed c. This hee worthily celebrateth as a singular favour a badge of grace Psal 66.18 and pledge of glory Act. 2.21 And strengthenedst mee with strength in my soul With strength in the inward man Ephes 3.16 20. with spirituall mettal with supporting grace keeping head above water My body is weak my soul is well said that dying Saint I am as full of comfort as heart can hold said a certain Martyr The Apostle speaketh of the new supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 the joy of the Lord is strengthening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neh. 8.10 Vers 4 All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee Such of them as shall read these Psalms of my composing or otherwise shall hear of thy gracious dealing with mee according to thy promise Such also as shall hereafter bee converted to the faith for though Not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 yet some are and these shine in the Church like stars of the first magnitude Vers 5 Yea they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord As having tasted the excellencie of the comforts of godliness far surpassing those of the Crown and Scepter and felt the power of Gods Word subduing them to the obedience of faith whereby they come to rule with God to bee faithfull with his Saints and to sing their songs Vers 6 Though the Lord bee high c. Even the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity Isa 57.15 See on Psal 113.6 7. Yet hath hee respect unto the lowly This maketh that Ancient cry out Videte magnum miraculum See here a great miracle God is on high thou liftest thy self up Aug. de Temp. and he flieth from thee thou bowest thy self down and hee descendeth unto thee Low things hee looketh close upon that he may raise them higher lofty things he knoweth a far off that he may crush them down lower The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood a loof of yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican The Lord Christ is a door to Heaven Aug. in Johaâ— but a low door hee who will enter in thereby humiliet se oportet ut sano capite intrare contingat saith Austin hee must needs stoop to save his head-peece But the proud hee knoweth a far off As not vouchsafing to come anear such loathsome lepers For pride is like a great swelling in the body apt to putrifie break and run with loathsome and foul matter Hence God stands off from such as odious and abominable hee cannot abide the sight of them Superbâ—s à calo longè propellit as the Chaldee here paraphraseth he driveth the proud far enough off from Heaven yea hee thrusteth them into Hell to their Father Lucifer that King of all the children of pride as Leviathan is called Job 41.34 Vers 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble Even in the vale of the shadow of death so that I seem little different from a dead man Thou wilt revive mee That is restore mee from so great a death as 2 Cor. â— 10 Thou shalt stretch