causeth a perpetual vicissitude of Days and Nights and so declareth the glory of God 2. It bespeaketh all people at once as a Catholique Preacher of Gods glory vers 4 5. Secondly In the constant course of the Sun that common Servant as his Name importeth vers 4. who with his motion vers 5. enlightneth all things with his Light Foord and pierceth all things with his Heat vers 6. Thus the Heavens declare the glory of God that is they yeeld matter and occasion of glorifying him according to that Psal 145.10 All thy Works praise thee O Lord but thy Saints bless thee Some Philosophers and with them some Rabbins have deemed Maimonides or rather doted that the Heaven was a living Creature and did actually praise and serve God But this conceit is exploded by the wiser sort and that Axiom maintained Formica coelos dignitate superat a Pismire because a living Creature is more excellent than the whole visible Heavens As for the Saints and Servants of God it is truly affirmed by Divines that there is not so much of the glory of God in all his Works of Creation and Providence as in one gracious action that they perform And the Firmament sheweth his handy-work The Expanse or out-spread Firmament It is taken both for the Air Gen. 1.6 and for the Sky Gen. 1.14 the whole Cope of Heaven which sheweth Quà m eleganter ad amussim operetur Deus manibus suis Vatablus how neatly and exactly God worketh with his hands which are attributed to him for our weakness sake Vers 2. Day unto day uttereth speech Some read it one day succeeding another uttereth or Welleth out Sicur fons scaturiens R. Menahem as a Fountain continually and plentifully speech yet without sound by a dumb kind of eloquence eructant by a continual revolution and success of days men are instructed concerning the Power and Providence of God as also concerning his truth and faithfulness for if God hath hitherto kept promise with Nights and Days that one shall succeed the other will he not much more keep promise with his people Jer. 33.20 25. And Night unto Night sheweth knowledge Days and Nights by their perpetual course and order Dei potentiam sapientiam concelebrant there being no less necessity of the Night in its kind than of the Day The knowledge it sheweth us is that man in himself is weak and cannot long hold out hard labour that he is permitted to sleep a while and take his rest that he must abridge himself of some part of his rest to commune with his own heart on his bed and be still that if hee bestir not himself and do up his work quickly the Night of Death cometh when no man can work c. Vers 3. There is no speech nor language where their voyce And yet few hear these Catholique Preachers these Regii Professores these real Postilles of the Divinity as one stileth them who do preach to all people at once Non solum diserte sed exertè at surdis plerumque fabulam they are by the most as little respected as is the Cuckoe in June Vers 4. Their line is gone out through all the earth Or their rule or direction or delineation or Scripture confer Isa 28.13 Quòd in coelis tanquam in volumine omnibus conspicuo descript a sit Dei gloria because that in the Heavens as in an open Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written down the glory of the Creator The like is done also in other less considerable Creatures every of which do after a sort write as well as speak and have a Pen as well as a Tongue The Chaldee word for a Mint signifieth also a Book of Histories because in that one Herb large stories of Gods Wisdom Might and Love are described unto us The same word also that signifieth an ear of Corn signifieth a word because every Field of Corn is a Book of Gods praise every Land a Leaf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Sheaf a Verse every Ear a word every Corn of Wheat a Letter to express the glory of God by Praesentem narrat quaelibet herba Deum Antony the Eremite being asked by a certain Philosopher how he could contemplate high things having no help of Books answered That the whole World was to him instead of a well-furnished Library this he had ready by him at all times and in all places Aug. de doct Christ l. 1. Niceph. l 8 c 40 In vita Bern. and in this he could read when he pleased the great things of God Bernard also saith that the time was when he had no other Masters nisi quercus fagos but the Oaks and Beech-trees In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun That Prince of Planets but servant to the Saints of the most High as his name importeth so sweet a Creature he is that Eudoxus the Philosopher professed that he would be content to be burnt up by the heat of it so he might be admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it A Tabernacle or slitting-tent it is here said to have in the Heavens because it never stayeth in one place but courseth about with incredible swiftness Vers 5. Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber sc after long expectation with a great deal of pomp and gayety such is the Sun-rising when hee first she weth himself above our Horizon Kimchi addeth that as the Bridegroom when he is abroad hasteneth home to his Bride so doth the Sun to his descent anhe'at ad occasum Eccles 1.5 And rejoyceth as a strong man or Champion to run a race readily running and effectually affecting all things with his heat The Persian Angari or Posts the Ostrich the wild Asse the Bustard the Dromedary De ascensmentis in Deum grad 7 the Eagle is nothing so swift as the Sun Bellarmine saith that he runneth in the eighth part of an hour seven thousand miles This dumb Creature gives check to our dulness as Balaams Asse also did to that Prophets madness Vers 6. Hâ—â— going forth is from the end of the heaven i. e. from the East unto the West in which course notwithstanding while he compasseth the circle of Heaven and Earth he visiteth the South and the North and is unweariable And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof i.e. from the benefit of the Suns heat who is ut cor incorpore as the heart in the body saith Aben-Ezra all things feel the quickning heat of the Sun not only the roots of Trees Plants c. but Metals and Minerals in the bowels of the earth Vers 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect Or Doctrin the whole Word of God commonly distinguished into Law and Gospel is perfect immaculate sincere entire compleat It Tully durst say that the Law of the twelve Tables in Rome did exceed all the Libraries of Philosophers both in weight of authority and fruit-fulness
the better relish their deliverance as Sampson did his honey-combe which he found by turning aside to see the lion he had escaped Every man was to consider his own share in the publick safety as the people did at Solomons Coronation and to be particularly thankful This would fortifie his faith feed his hope nourish his joy further his obedience Verse 29. Then Esther the Queen c. See chap. 2.15 Mordecai had written thus before now for more authority-sake and to shew her forwardnesse to further so good a work Esther joyneth with him not for a name or out of an humour of foolish forth-put ting but out of an holy zeal for God and a godly jealousie over her people lest they should hereafter slight or slack this service And indeed the Jewes Chronicle called by them Sedar olam Rabbah telleth us that this letter of Esther was not written Anna sequent conâ—igit quod icriptuâ— est Esth 9.29 Sed. Ol. c. 29. till a yeare after Mordecai's first letter when those dayes of Purim haply began to be neglected and intermitted She might therefore well say as Saint Peter did afterwards This second Epistle beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure mindes by way of remembrance 2 ep 3.1 True grace in the best heart is like unto a dull sea-coalefire which if it be not sometimes righted up will of it self go out though there be fuel enough about it This good Queen was no lesse active in her generation then before had been Miriam Deborah Bathsheba c. and after her were Serena the Empresse Sophia Queen of Bohemia a Hussite Queen Katherine Parre the Doctoresse as her husband merrily called her somtimes and that matchlesse Queen Elizabeth whose Sunny dayes are not to be passed over sleightly saith one without one touch upon that string which so many yeares sounded so sweetly in our eares without one sigh breathed forth in her sacred memory Oh what an happy time of life had that famous light of our Church Mr. William Perkins who was borne in the first yeare of her reign and died in her last yeare And Mordecai the Jew These two joyned together to adde the more force to the Ordinance Wrote with all authority Heb. with all strength viz. of spirit and of speech of affection and expression To confirme the second letter Lest for fear of the friends of such as they had slain the Jewes should be slack in observing this feast of lots Verse 30. And be sent letters to all the Jewes Tremellius readeth it Which letters Mordecai sent to all the Jewes scil as Monitours and Remembrancers To the hundred twenty and seven Provinces Among and above the rest to Judea which was one of that number With words of peace and truth i.e. premising words of prosperity and settlement saith Tremellius or promising them peaceable enjoyment of the true Religion liberty of conscience rightly so called Or praying that they may follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Or he sent letters full of courtesie and truth that is of unfeined courtesie as Vatablus senseth it For there is a cut-throat courtesie such as was that of Joab to Amasa of Judas to our Saviour of Julian the Apostate to Basil when he wrote unto him but not with words of peace and truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 31. To confirme these dayes of Purim That they might by no manner of means be neglected but that renewing their resolutions and their reasons for the same they might remain constant and firme and peremptory in well-doing cleaving to God with full purpose of heart and sitting close unto the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 And as they had decreed for themselves Heb. for thâ—in soules for the soule is the man and the greatest thing in the least compasse is a good minde in a mans body The matters of the fastings and their cry Heb. the words of fasting c. that is the vowes they then uttered when they fasted and cried that if God would hear and help them they would not faile to praise him in all best manner Now therefore sith the vowes of god were upon them they should by keeping these dayes offer unto him thanksgiving Aben-Ezra and pay their vowes unto the most High Some think that the fasting and crying here mentioned referreth to those in Zechary chap. 7.5 in remembrance of the desolation of Jerusalem that as they fasted then so they should feast now God having fulfilled his promise there made of turning their fasting into feasting and added Therefore love the truth and peace chap. 8.19 confer Mordecai's words of peace and truth supra verse 30. Verse 32. And the decree of Esther confirmed c. Dux foemina facti Money was coined in the yeare eighty eight in honour of Queen Elizabeth with that Posie inscribed The like may be here said of Queen Esther yea we may adde that in the Gospel spoken concerning another Where ever this history shall be read in all the world this that she hath done shall be spoken of to her eternal commendation And it was written in the book Tremellius rendreth it thus When therefore the Edict of Esther had confirmed these things it was written in this book Lyra and others thus She requested the wise men of that age that they would reckon this History for holy Writ If it be meant of any other publike record which the Jewes then had it is lost as are likewise some other pieces which never were any part of the holy Scriptures for God by his Providence ever took care and course that no one haire of that sacred head should fall to the ground That unsound conceit of Pellican here is by no meanes to be admitted viz. That this latter part of the chapter from verse 25. to the end came from the pen of some other man not guided by the Spirit of God and that because here is no mention made of praising God at this feast or stirring up one another to trust in him For we know that all Scripture is of divine inspiration and it is to be presumed that those things were done at such solemnities though it be not recorded in each particular CHAP. X. Verse 1. And the King Ahashuerus laid a tribute c AN extraordinary tribute to maintain warre against the Grecians who uniting together were then grown potent and formidable To enable himself therefore the better against them Xerxes gathered money the sinews of warre but lost the affections of his subjects the joynts of peace He became hereby ill beloved of all sorts and far a lesse King by striving to be more then he was And hence haply one letter of his name is lost here for the Masurites tell us Drus in loâ— that in the ancient Copies he is written not Ahashuerus but Ahasres without a Vau. And upon the Isles of the sea Judea was an Isle Isa 20.6 but not
upon poor mens skins and wringing the sponges of poor people into their own purses David compareth them to Canibals Sir Richard Berkley his Sum. Bon. 1â—3 Psal 14.4 to greedy Lions here another saith they are like the fish Polypus that lying in wait for other fishes upon the Rock assimulateth to the Rock and taketh them in his Net which hee hath naturally behind his head and can spread at his pleasure before they find themselves in danger Vers 10. He croucheth or crusheth and humbleth himself Lyon-like Job 38. 40. Scipsum aegrum attritum fingit R. David He can few the Foxes skin to the Lions hide for a need and to compass his design As proud as he is yet in subtlety he can abase himself and with glavering speeches and fawning behaviour indirectly indeavor the overthrow of the innocent and distressed To which purpose he can put himself to pain feign himself sick and in a dying condition as those do that stand for the Popedome counterfeit and pretend humility but all is Hypocrisie That the poor may fall by his strong ones whether teeth or pawes per impia decreta saith R. Obadiah by his wicked decrees by the hands of his Privado's desperate Assassinates saith another Expositor Vers 11. Hee hath said in his heart God hath forgotten that is he knoweth it not regardeth it not To learn is nothing else but to remember said Socrates and what a man hath utterly forgotten it is all one as if he had never known it 2 Pet. 1.9 hee hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sins that is hee was never purged See vers 4. Vers 12. Arise O Lord surge age summe Pater said Mantuan to the Pope stirring him up against the Turks may wee better say to the Almighty God against his peoples enemies O God lift up thine hand lift it up on high that it may fall down the more heavily In the first verse of this Psalm the Prophet complained that God stood a farre off and hid himself in time of trouble Here hee is intreated to arise to come neer to put forth his hand for his peoples help c. Vers 13. Wherefore doth the Wicked contemn God q.d. It is time for thee Lord to arise and bestir thy self for otherwise what will become of thy great name The Saints cannot endure that God should be slighted Hee hath said in his heart Vers 3.4 This sticks in Davids stomack and draws this prayer from him who was now blessedly blown up with an holy zeal for God as was also good Zuinglius when hee said In aliis mansuetus ero in Blasphemiis in Christum non ita In other matters I can be mild and patient but not so in case of Blasphemy against Christ Vers 14. Thou hast seen it For thou art All-eye whatever the wicked conceiteth to the contrary making thee a God of clouts as they say or an Heathen-Idoll which is nothing in the World To requite it with thine hand reponendo in manu tua by taking it in thy hand so some render it sc ut propius intnearis certius consideres dijudices vindices Aben-Ezra-Relinquit in te â—onus saum R. Solomon that thou mayest take a more neer and narrow view of it and duely punish it The poor committeth himself unto thee Heb. leaveth relinquit scipsum currit ad te he relinquisheth himself and runneth unto thee Now whosoever committeth himself and his affaires to God shall bee sure to find him a faithfull Depositarie Thou art the helper of the father lesse The Worlds Refuge as the Grand Signiour is called The poor mans King as James 5. of Scotland In God the Fatherless findeth mercy Hos 14.3 And these Arguments David useth in his prayer not to move God to hear and help but to work upon his own heart thereby and to perswade himself to more Faith Love Obedience Humility Thankfullness whereby wee are the better fitted for mercy When a man in a Ship plucks a Rock it seemeth as if he pluckt the Rock nearer the ship when as indeed the ship is pluck'd nearer the Rock So is it in this case wee seem to perswade God by our Arguments when as indeed the change is not wrought in him but only in our selves our Arguments are curarum nostrarum levamenta fiducia impetrandi augmenta the cure of our cares and props to our faith of obtaining Vers 15. Break thou the arme of the Wicked that arm that hath been lifted up against the godly see Psal 3.8 58.7 Seek out his wickednesse that thou finde none ad alios vel inficiendos vel infestandos Ezech. 23.48 Or leave no sin of his unpunished The Franciscans to prove that Francis the founder of their order was without sin foolishly alledge this Text Queretur peccatum illâ—us non inven etur wherein according to the sense of the Psalmist what do they else but wish that God would trace him quite thorow the course and trade of his iniquities even to the uttermost end of them and punish him accordingly which is done no doubt long since Vers 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever Therefore he will doubtlesse do whatsoever hath been before desired and much more than wee can ask or think Many Kings have been long-lived as was Antaxerxes Mnemon who reigned 62. years Augustus Caesar 56. Q Elizabeth 44 c. but died at length to the great grief of their subjects and servants who are ready to with as once the Romans did concerning Augustus that eithet they had never been or never dyed But God is the King immortall invisible c. The Heathen are perished out of his Land the enemies whether Jews or Gentiles are rid out of his Church for that is Gods Land by a specialty his peculiar Portion Vers 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble The whole life of a good Christian is an holy desire saith Austin And the desires of the Righteous shall be satisfied Prov. 10.24 because they are framed by the Holy Spirit according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 and they have the mind of Christ 1. Cor. 2.16 who knoweth the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8.27 though their desires be not uttered v. 26. Thou wilt prepare their heart In removendis ab illo mundi negotiis saith R. David and by putting them into a praying frame and so fitting them for mercy Where God giveth a praying heart 't is sure that hee will shew a pittying heart If hee prepare the heart hee will also bend his ear like as when wee bid our Children ask us for this or that wee mean to give it them and as when wee open a purse as wide as wee can pull it 't is a sign wee intend to fill it top-full Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear even whilst they are preparing and before they can speak many times Isa 65.24 or whilest they are praying as Dan. 9.20 Act. 4.31 or not long after they
his prime and pride Thou hast covered him with shame Selah Thou hast wrapped him up in the winding-sheet of shame Lord this is true Vers 46. How long Lord c. Here faith prevaileth against flesh and falleth a praying and at length a praising God Vers 47. Remember how short See Psal 39.5 Wherefore hast thou c. As thou mayest seem to have done unlesse they may chearfully serve thee and enjoy thee Vers 48. What man is he that liveth c q. d. Sith dye we must let us live while we may to some good purpose Selah q.d. Mark it and meditate well and oft on this savoury subject Vers 49. Lord where are c. q. d. Thou seemest to have lost them and we would fain find them again for thee Vers 50. Remember Lord Thou seemest to have forgotten us and our sufferings and we would fain remind thee Verse 51. The fool steps of thine anointed Heb. The heels or foot-soles that is his doings and sufferings The Chaldee and others render it tarditates mor as Christi tui the delayes of thy Christ in comming whom therefore they twit us with velut tar digradum vel loripedem claudum and say where is the promised Messiah Vers 52. Blessed be the Lord c. sc For a Christ or for adversity as well as for prosperity and this not formally and slightly but earnestly and with utmost affection Amen and amen PSAL. XC A Prayer of Moses Made by him belike when he saw the carkasses of the people fall so fast in the wildernesse committed to writing for the instruction of those that were left alive but sentenced to death Numb 14. and here fitly placed as an illustration of that which was said in the precedent Psalm Vers 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Selah Vers 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling place In all our troubles and travels thorough this wildernesse and before we have not been houselesse and harbourlesse Maon habitaculum tutum for Thou hast been our dwelling-place our habitacle of refuge as some render it We use to say A mans house is his castle The civile-law saith De domo sua nemo extrahi debet aut in jus vocari quia domus tutissimum cuique resugium atque receptaculum No man ought to be drawn out of his house at the sute of another because his house is his safest refuge and receptacle He that dwelleth in God cannot bee unhoused because God is stronger than all neither can any one take another out of his hands Joh. 10. Here then it is best for us to take up as in our mansion-house and to seek a supply of all our wants in God alone It was a witty saying of that learned Picus Mirandula God created the Earth for beasts to inhabit the Sea for fishes the Air for fouls the Heaven for Angels and stars Man therefore hath not place to dwell and abide in but the Lord alone See Ezek. 11.16.2 Cor. 6.8 9 10. Vers 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth And they were made at the creation not cast up by the Flood as some have held Moses first celebrateth Gods eternity Eccles 7.14 and then setteth forth mans mortality that the one being set over against the other as Solomon speaketh in another case God may be glorified and man comforted which is the main end of the holy Scriptures Rom. 15.4 and far beyond those consolatiunculae ◠Philosophicae Vers 3. Thou turnest man to destruction Ad minutissimum quiddam so Beza rendreth it to a very small businesse to dust and powder Others ad contritionem vel contusionem by turning loose upon him diverse diseases and distresses thou turnest him out of the World Eccles 1.13 And generally thou layest of all and singular sons of men Return ye Your bodies to the earth according to the decree Gen. 3.17 18 19. your souls to God that gave them Eccles 12.7 And here the course of mans life is compared saith One to a race in a Tilt or Turney where we soon run to the end of the race as it were and then return back again Intelligit Moses vit am humanam similem osse gyro saith Another Mans life is compared to a ring or round we walk a short round and then God gathers us in to himself One being asked what Life was made an answer answerless for he presently turned his back and went his way We fetch here but a turn and God saith Return yee Children of men This some make to be an irony as if God should say Live again if yee can Some apply it to the Resurrection others to Mortification and Vivification Vers 4. For a thousand years in thy sight c. q. d. Live men a longer or shorter space Serius aut citius thou endest their days and in comparison of thine Eternity Punctum est quod vivimus puncto minus it is a small space of time that the longest liver hath upon earth 2 Pet. 3.8 Psal 39.5 Non multum sane abest à nihilo Some would hence inferre that the Day of Judgement shall last a thousand years sides sit penes authores When it is passed We judge better of the shortness of time when it is past And as a watch in the night Which is but three hours space for Souldiers divide the Night into four Watches and our life is full of the darkness of errour and terrour Vers 5. Thou carryest them away as with a floud Suddenly violently irresistibly by particular Judgements besides that general necessity of dying once Heb. 9.27 This is set forth by a treble comparison of Flouds Sleep and Flowers here and indeed the vanity and misery of mans life is such as cannot sufficiently be set forth by an similitudes See Vers 9 10. They are like a sleep Or dream the dream of a shadow saith Pindarus the shadow of smoke saith another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are as grass An ordinary comparison Isa 40.6 Jam. 1. Vers 6. In the morning it flourisheth So doth man in his prime and vigour his bones full of marrow his brests of milk In the evening it is cut down So is man by Deaths mortal Sythe which moweth down the Lillies of the Crown as well as the Grass of the Field In the evening grass will cut better and the Mowers can better work at it Vers 7. For we are consumed by thine anger Justly conceived for our sins ver 8. this is a cause of death that Philosophy discovereth not as being blinde and not able to see farre off and therefore cannot prescribe any sufficient remedy against the fear of death such as is here set down vers 12. but such as made Tully complain that the Disease was too hard for the Medicine and such as left men either doubtful Socrates for instance or desperate and devoyd of sense as Petronius in Tacitus Qui in ipsis atriis
forth thine hand Thou shalt interpose thy help betwixt mee and them and save mee harmless as the 〈◊〉 feign their Gods did those whom they favoured Thou shalt strike them with thy left hand and save mee with thy right so Tremellius senseth it Vers 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth mee Hee will not do his business to the halves leave it in the midst but carry it on to a consummation and lay the top-stone of grace this I am well assured of See Phil. 1.6 Only I must pray and do my part having an eye still to Gods everlasting mercy in Christ Forsake not the works of thine own hands Look upon the wounds of thine hands and forsake not the works of thine hands prayed Queen Elizabeth And Luthers usuall prayer was Confirm O God in us that thou hast wrought and perfect the work that thou hast begun in us to thy glory So bee it Though the good work of grace bee begun in us yet wee can neither persevere in that grace nor bring it forth to act without new grace Even as trees though they bee fitted to bear fruit yet without the influence of the heavens they cannot put forth that fitnesse in fruit c. PSAL. CXXXIX A Psalm of David There is not in all the five books of Psalms so notable a one as this saith Aben-Ezra concerning the wayes of God and the workings of conscience It was penned saith the Syriack Interpreter upon occasion of Shimeâ—'s railing upon him for a bloody man and a Belialist 2 Sam. 16. Here therefore hee purgeth himself by an appeal to God and delivereth up his false-accusers to Gods just judgement vers 19. Vers 1 O Lord thou hast searched mee and known mee Even mine heart and reins Jer. 17.10 hast thou searched as with lights Zeph. 1.12 by an exact scrutiny by a soul-searching inquisition whereby thou art come to know mee thorough and thorough Not only Mee naturall as vers 15 16. but also Mee civil and morall as verse 2.3 c. neither stayeth thy knowledge in the porch or lobbies my words and wayes but passeth into the presence yea privy-Chamber for Vers 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising All my postures gestures practices sive sedeam sive sâ—rgam whether I sit stand walk lye thou searchest and knowest all Some search but know not thou dost both thine eyes behold thine eye-lidstry the Children of men Psal 11.4 See the Note there Thou understandest my thought Heb. My familiar thoughts such as I am delighted in voluntatem meam some render it my will others propinquitatem meam my nearness and that afar off even from Heaven being intimo meo mihi intimior not so far from mee as the bark is from the tree the skin from the flesh or the flesh from the bones A far off Eminus à longe pranovisti â—â—tequam moveaâ—ur saith Chrisostom thou knowest my thoughts before I have conceived them my thoughts in Passe from all eternity so great is thy sagacity and perspicacity As a man that knoweth what roots hee hath in his Garden though there bee not a flower appearing yet hee can say when the Spring comes this and this will come up so here God knows our whole frame our Principles c. Vers 3 Thou compassest my path Or Thou wiâ—â—â—â—â—st if there bee any chaff or trash thou wilt make it flye thou art at both ends of all my works and enterprizes both by day and by night Perâ—â—â—â— perâ—â—â— Neither art thou only at my fingers ends but at my tongues end too Vers 4 For there is not a word in my tongue Though not yet uttered or but whispered only Thou knowest it altogether Every tittle of it thou understandest the language of mens hearts Vers 5 Thou hast beset 〈◊〉 behind and 〈◊〉 As a beast that is pursued as an enemy that is begirt and invironed And lest I should think by some means to make escape as David did from Saul and his Host by a providence 1 Sam. 23.27 as Hannibal did from the Romanes by a stratagem Thou 〈…〉 Aâ—by an 〈◊〉 so that I am thy prisoner and cannot stir a foot from thee Vers 6 Such knowledge is too wonderfull for mee I can hardly conceive of this thine omniscience and omnipresence but am ready to measure thee by my self and according to mine own module And indeed for a creature to beleeve the infinite Attributes of God hee is never able to do it thoroughly without supernaturall grace Iâ— iâ— high I cannot attain unto it Sith it far exceedeth the reach of reason and is much above my capacity and understanding I stand at gaze and am agast and that is the nearest that I a poor finite foolish creature can come to so infinite a wisdome It was therefore a good speech of them who being asked what God was answered Si scirem Deus essem If I knew that I should be a God Vers 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Here he argueth Gods omniscience from his omnipresence and this the Heathens also had heard of as appeareth by their Jovis omnia plena and quascuâ—que accesseris oras Sub Jove sempâ—â— eris c. Empedocles could say that God is a circle whose center is every where whose circumference is no where They could tell us that God is the soul of the World and that as the soul is tota in toto tota in qualibet parte so is hee that his eye is in every corner c. to which purpose they so pourtraied their goddess Minerva that which way soever one cast his eye shee alwayes beheld him But these divine notions they might have by tradition from the Patriarches and whether they beleeved themselves in these and the like sayings is much to bee doubted Or whither shall I flee from thy presence Surely no whither they that attempt it do but as the fish which swimmeth to the length of the line with an hook in the mouth Vers 8 If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there That 's thy proper place and there Aristotle in his book of the World ad Alexandâ—â—â— affirmeth that God is only essentialitâ—r actâ— This was to proclaim himself an arrant Atheist for God filleth all places and is comprehended of no place being totally present wheresoever present for wee must not conceive that God is commensurable by the place as if hee were partly here and partly elsewhere but every where all-present Vers 9 If I take the wings of the morning The morning light is diffused in an instant all the whole wâ—lkin over If I could flye never so swiftly from one end of the Heaven to the other saith David I should bee never the near This is a poeticall expression And dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea Or of the West whither the Sun setting is said to hasten and hide himself The Syriack and Arabick have it If I take the wings of the Eagle and dwell c. And of the Eagle