aske what he would asked nothing but that the Church might be disempestered of Arians And when the Emperour being himself an Arian tore his Petition he said he would never aske any thing for himself if he might not prevaile for the Church Theodor. l. c. 32. So I prayed to the God of heaven Darting up an ejaculation a sudden and secret desire to God to order and speed his Petition Begin all with prayer and then expect a blessing Call in the Divine help if it be but by darting out our desires to God Crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas raptim ejaculatas Thus Moses cryed to God yet said nothing Exod. 14.15 Hannah was not heard and yet she prayed Austin reports the custome of the Egyptian Churches to pray frequently and fervently but briefly and by way of ejaculation ne fervor languesceret lest their heat should abate Verse 5. If it please the King Silken words must be given to Kings as the mother of Darius said neither must they be rudely and roughly dealt with as Joab dealt with David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 19.5 who therefore could never well brook him afterward but set another in his place And if thy servant have found favour Pellican observeth here that Nehemiah was a great favourite of this Kings as appeareth in that having so many Nobles he chose him to this Office rather then any of them He therefore pleads it as a pledge of further favour so may we with God as being no small favourites in the beloved One Ephesians 1.5 That thou wouldest send me unto Judah Not only give me leave to go but also send me with a Commission to be Governour This was a bold request but modestly proposed and easily obtained The King is not he that can deny you any thing Jer. 38.5 Love is liberal charity is no churle Verse 6. And the King said unto me He yeelds for the thing only indents for the time as being loth to deny Nehemiah his suit and yet as loth to forgo so faithful a servant Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat Seneca The Queene also sitting by him And assisting his cause likely Some think this was Esther the Queen-mother But the Hebrew word here is Wife Now the Kings of Persia were noted for uxorious For how long c. The departure of a dear friend is so grievous that Death it self is called by that name So it pleased the King to send me As a Governour chap. 5.14 This was the fruit of prayer and therefore so much the sweeter And I set him a time sc Twelve years chap. 5.14 But more probably a shorter time at first Verse 7. Moreover I said unto the King He taketh further boldnesse upon the former encouragement so may we with Almighty God the Sunne of our righteousnes the Sea of our salvation Conclude as she did A company comes God never left bating till Abraham left begging Let letters be given me to the Governours Those nearest neighbours but greatest enemies That they may conveigh me over He committed himself to God and yet petitions the King for a Convoy In all our enterprizes God is so to be trusted as if we had used to means and yet the means is so to be used as if we had no God to trust in Verse 8. Epit Hâ—st Gall c. 114. Keeper of the Kings forrest Heb. Paradise probably so called for the pleasantnesse of it The French Protestants called their Temple or Church at Lyons Paradise Davids delight Psal 27. and 84. Of the palace that appertained to the house Id est To the Temple which is called The house by an excellency as the Scriptures are called the Bible that is the Book as being the onely best Book in comparison whereof all other books in the World are no better then wast paper And for the house that I shall enter into Id est A dwelling house for my self when once the publike is served Junius understands it of a Common-hal or Shire-house wherein he might sit and judge causes brought before him And the King granted me It was but ask and have and so it is betwixt God and his people When there was a speech among some holy men what was the best trade One answered Beggery it is the hardest richest trade Common beggery is indeed the poorest and easiest but prayer he meant A courtier gets more by one sute oft then a tradesman or merchant haply with twenty years labour so doth a faithfull prayer c. According to the good hand He calleth him his God as if he loved or cared more for him then for the rest of the World It is the property of true faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make all its own that it can lay hold upon See the Note on Ezra 7.6 Vers 9. Then I came to the Governours Josephus saith that the next day he took his journey and delivered his letters to Saddeus Governour of Syria Phoenicia and Samaria A strange example saith one to see a Courtier leave that wealth ease and authority that he was in and go dwell so far from Court in an old Torn and decayed City among a rude poor people where he should not live quietly but toyl and drudge like a day-labourer in dread and danger of his life But this is the case of earnest and zealous men in Religion c. Now the King had sent Captains This was more then Nehemiah had desired and as much as he could have done for the greatest Lord in the Land God is likewise usually better to his people than their prayers and when they ask but one talent he Naaman-like will force them to take two Verse 10. When Sanballet the Horonite That is the Moabite Isa 15.5 Jer. 48.3 5.34 His name signifieth saith one a pure Enemy he was come of that spiteful people who were anciently irked because of Israel Num. 22.3 4. or did inwardly fret and vex at them as Exod. 1.12 who yet were allied unto them and did them no hurt in their passage by them yea had done them good by the slaughter of the Amorites their encroaching Neighbours And Tobiah the servant A servant or bond-slave once he had been though now a Toparch a Lieutenant to the King of Persia Now such are most troublesome Prov. 30. ver 22. Asperius nihil est humili cùm surgit in altum A' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. lib. 60. Rer. Rom. Heard it As they might soon do by means of their Wives who were Jewesses And the Jewes to this day are generally found the most nimble and Mercurial wits in the World Every Visier and Basha of State among the Turkes useth to keep a Jew of his private counsel whose malice wit and experience of Christendome with their continual intelligence is thought to advise most of that mischief which the Turk puts in execution against us Blounts Voyâ— P. 114. It grieved them exceedingly Heb. It seemed to them an
wise men teach us as themselves have learned of their religious Ancestors But both continued experience and consent of men teach us that wicked men have terrors within and troubles without Therefore this is to be taken for a truth Therefore also by consequence that is false which thou hast spoken concerning the prosperity of wicked men chap. 12.6 Neither canst thou avoid the charge of wickednesse who dost suffer the punishments of the wicked Now what is all this more then Eliphaz had said in a former discourse so that Job might have cried out Apage coccysmum only there he groundeth his Argument upon a night-vision here upon the testimony and consent of certain wise men commended by their power and justice Some think he meaneth Noah and his pious posterity That which I have seen I will declare Wil t thou not believe in eye-witnesse What can be more sure then sight 1 John 1.1 Surely if we were well read in the Story of our own lives and had laid up our experiences we might have a divinity of our own The 119 Psalm is made up of experiments and David oft telleth us what he had seen and observed Verse 18. Which wise men have told from their fathers Who have carefully and faithfully transmitued it as a doctrinal truth to us their posterity from hand to hand For in Jobs time 't is likely that the Scriptures were not yet written Which or Which things wise men who did in their generations Deum rectè cognoscere câ—lâ—râ— rightly know and worship God which is the highest wisdome saith Lactantiâ—â— Have told Have spoken it so plainly and plentifully as if they had shewed us the things acted before our eyes From their Fathers Who were careful to instil good instructions and heavenly truths into the minds of their children their familiars and families as did Abraham Gen. 18. and others according to Gods own appointment Deut. 6. And have not hid it But communicated it for the good of many Light in diffusive of it self Knowledg is perfected while it is communicated The more you teach and impart to others Bodin theat Nat. p. 9. eo ditior ac doctior fias saith One the richer and skilfuller you become It is not powring out but want of pouring out that dryeth up the streames of grace as of that Oyle 2 King 4.6 See Prov. 11.24 25. Psal 78.2 3 4. Verse 19. Merlin Bold To whom alone the earth was given Noah and his pious posterity as was above noted whom Methodins and other Ancients call Misudi chiliarchas the Lords of the whole word given them by the Possâ—ssor of heaven and earth as Melchisedech first calleth God Gen. 23. Gen. 14. and from him Abraham another Prince of God as those Heathens acknowledged him and heir of the whole world Rom. 4. As for Melchisedec commonly taken to be Sem he was King in Salem and no stranger that is no enemy molested him no not those great spoilers Kedarlaomer and his Complices these never medled with Melchiseaec and his subjects probably out of respect to his wisdome and holinesse for which he was famous no not when marching against the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah they wasted and smot all the neighbour Countries So true of his subjects and territories was that which followeth here And no stranger passed among them viz. in an hostile way in a warlike manner Nah. 1.15 Some read No strangs thing passed among them As not the devouring sword so neither the pestilence that walketh in darknesse nor the destruction that wasteth at noon day Psal 91.6 Such as was the raigne of Ferdinando the third King of Spain for five and thirty yeares space In quibus nee fames nec pestes fuit in regno saith Lâ—piz Gloss in Prolog par 1. wherein there fell out neither Famine not Pestilence Verse 20. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes He tormenteth himself or thrusteth himself through so some read it 1 Tim. 6.10 He takes no more rest then one upon a Rack he hath his hands on his loynes as a woman in travel Jer. 30.6 he smiteth upon his thigh sicut mulierculae in puerperio facere solent saith Luther in his Marginal Note on Jea 31.19 And if he would do so for his sin as he doth for his misery pia esset illa tristitia si dici potest beata miseria as Austin hath it Aug Epist 545. his grief would be godly and his misery a blessing God would pity him as he did his moan-making Ephraim and earnestly remember him still ver 20. But alas the wicked wight the hypocrite in heart as he heaps up wrath so he cryeth not when God bindeth him Job 36.16 Or if he do cry 't is perii and not peccavi I am undone and not I have done amisse Hence God many times turneth loose upon him those three Vultures Care Fear and Grief to feed upon his heart It is seldome seen that God alloweth unto the greatest darlings of the world a perfect contentment In the very pursuit of these outward vanities is much anguish many grievances fears jealousies disgraces interruptions diâ—contentments In the unsanctified enjoyment of them something the wicked shall have to complain of that shal give an unsavoury verdure to their sweetest morsels and make their very felicity miserable witnesse Ahab Human c. But then followeth the sting of conscience that maketh a Cain a Pashur a Richard the third to be a terrour to himself And with this pain some wicked men travel all their dayes here but hereafrer it shall infallibly and inexpressibly torment the souls of them all through all eternity And this with the following illustrations is that Oracle or divine sentence which Eliphaz received from those famous men above mentioned and which he not obscurely applyeth and wresteth against Job whom herehence he would prove a wicked man by his own concessions chap. 3.25 26. and 7.13 14. compared with Devit 26 36. Deuâ— 28.65 for that which Eliphaz had heard from his Ancestors was but the same Law for substance that was afterwards written by Moses And the number of years is hidden to the Oppressour Heb. to the terrible Tyrans who as he hath not a more cruel Executioner then his own conscience so not a more sensible displeasure then to know that he is mortal and yet to be ignorant when his Tyranny must end The number of the years of his Tyranny is uncertain saith the Vulgar translation And from this uncertainty which he knoweth not how to remedy though he run to light a candle at the devil sometimes viz. by consulting with Soothsayers and Sorcerers to know of them how long he shall live and who shall succeed him as Tiberius and other Tyrants did followeth suspicion and fear saith Aquinas upon this Text. Verse 21. A dreadful sound is in his ears Heb. A sound of fear and terrors Not one but many at once so that he is a Magor-missabib factus à corde suo
Historians had their work done to their hands He wrote with the same spirit he fought saith Quintilian Eodem aâ—imo dixit quo bellavit lib. 10. And it came to passe This Book then is a continuation of the former Nehemiah being a third instrument of procuring this peoples good after Zerubbabel and Ezra and deservedly counted and called a Third Founder of that Common-wealth after Joshuah David In the moneth Chisleu In the deep of Winter then it was that Hanani and his brethren undertook their journey into Persia for the good of the Church In the twentieth year Sc. of Artaxerxes Longimanus thirteen yeares after Ezra and his company first came to Jerusalem Ezra 7.8 with Nehem. 2.1 I was in Shushan the palace Id est In the palace of the City Susan this Susan signifieth a Lily and was so called likely for the beauty and delectable site Now it is called Vahdac of the poverty of the place Here was Nehemiah waiting upon his office and promoting the good of his people Nomine tu quiu sis natur â Gratius ac te Gratius hoc Christi gratia praestet Amen Strabo and others say that the Inhabitants of Susia were quiet and perceable and were therefore the better beloved by the Kings of Persia Cyrus being the first that made his chief abode there in Winter especially and that this City was long and in Compasse 15 miles about Verse 2. That Hanani A gracious man according to his Name and zealous for his Countrey which indeed is a mans self and therefore when our Saviour used that proverb Physician heal thy self the sense is heal thy Countrey Luk. 4.23 Out of my brethren Not by race perhaps but surely by grace and place a Jew and that inwardly and therefore entrusted after this by Nehemiah with a great charge Neh 7. ver 2. Came he and certain men of Judah Upon some great suit likely for their Countrey because they took so long and troublesome a journey in the Winter not without that Roman resolution of Pompey in like case Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam Whatever their businesse was these men had better successe then afterwards Philo the Jew and his Colleagues had in their Embassy to Cajus the Emperour who cast them out with contempt and would not hear their apology against Appion of Alexandria their deadly Enemy And I asked them concerning the Jewes The Church was his care neither could he enjoy ought so long as it went ill with Zion He was even sick of the affliction of Joseph and glad he had got any of whom to enquire he asked them not out of an itch after newes but of an earnest desire to know how it fared with Gods poor people that he might cum singulis pectus suum copulare as Cyprian speaketh rejoyce with them that rejoyced and weep with those that wept Rom. 12.15 a sure signe of a sound member Which were left of the captivity One of whom he well knew to be more worth then a rabble of Rebels a World of wicked persons As the Jews use to say of those seventy souls that went down with Jacob into Egypt that they were better worth then all the seventy Nations of the World besides Verse 3. Are in great affliction and reproach The Church is heir of the Crosse saith Luther and it was ever the portion of Gods people to be reproached Ecclesia est hae res crucis as David was by Doeg with devouring words Psal 52. Their breath as fire shall devour you Esay 33.10 The Wall of Jerusalem also is broken down So that theeves and murtherers came in in the Night saith Comestor here and slue many of them And the gates thereof are burnt with fire They were burnt by the Chaldeans and never yet repaired And to keep a continual great watch was too great a charge and trouble Verse 4. And it came to passe when I heard It was not without a special providence that these good men thus met and by mutual conference kindle one another and that thereby God provided a remedy Things fall not out by hap-hazard but by Gods most wise dispose and appointment That I sate down and wept He was even pressed down with the greatnesse of his grief Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor Ovid. whereto he gave vent by his eyes Zeph. 3.17 18. God promises much mercy to such to whom the reproach of the solemn assemblies was a burden Nehemiah cannot stand under it but sits down and weeps And mourned certaine dayes Viz. For three moneths space for so long he was preparing himself to petition the King chap. 2. And fasted and prayed This was a sure course and never miscarried as hath been noted Ezra 9. Before the God of heaven With face turned toward his holy Temple 1 Kings 8.44 48. with heart lifted up to the highest heavens those hills whence should come his help Verse 5. I beseech thee O Lord Annah Jehovah An insinuating preface whereby he seeketh first to get in with God speaking him faire as doth likewise David in a real and heavenly complement Psal 116.16 Obsecro Jehova I beseech O Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant the sonne of thy handmaid break thou my bands So the Church Esay 64.9 Behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people The great and terrible God A great King above all gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 15.11 saith a Greek Father glorious in holinesse fearful in prayses doing wonders saith Moses in one place as in another The Lord our God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible Verè verendus venerandus Deut. 10.17 Thus Nehemiah begins his prayer and counts it a great mercy that he may creep in at a corner and present himself before this most Majestick Monarch of the world with greatest self-abasement That keepeth covenant and mercy That he may at once both tremble before him and trust upon Him he describeth God by his Goodnes as well as by Greatnes and so helpeth his own faith by contemplating Gods faithfulnesse and loving-kindnesse God hath hitherto kept Covenant with heaven and earth with nights and days Jer. 33.20 25. that one shall succeed the other and shall he break with his people No verily Be sure to keep faith in heart or you will pray but poorly And for this learn in the preface to your prayers to propound God to your selves in such notions and under such tearms and titles as may most conduce thereunto pleading the Covenant That love him and observe his Commandments That love to be his servants Esay 56.6 that wait for his Law Isa 42.4 that think upon his Commandments to do them Psal 103.18 Verse 6. Let thine eares now be attentive and thine eyes open Should not God see as well as hear saith a Divine his children should want many things We apprehend not all our wants and so cannot pray for relief
the Septuagint there render it but the name of the wicked shall rot as doth now the name of the Powder-plotters of Bonner Gardiner and other Popish Persecutors Should return upon his own head According to Psal 7.17 and haply not without allusion to those Piaculares Obominales among the Grecians which were certain condemned persons on whose heads they put the publick guilt and then tumbled them into the sea or else to those expiatory sacrifices amongst the Egyptians which were first cursed by them and then cast into the river or sold to the Grecian Merchants in an apish imitation of the Hebrews scape-goat and day of Atonement Vers 26. Wherefore they called these days Purim Thereby to perpetuate the memory of that mercy worthy to be engraven in pillars of marble This was a notable name for it served to in-minde the Jewes of all that God had done for them at this bout As there is edification in the choice of fit Psalmes 1 Cor. 14.26 so in the imposing of fit names upon persons things and times As the Christian Sabbath is to good purpose called the Lords day and those festivities of Easter and Whitsontide were not so fitly called Pasch and Pentecost as the Feast of the Lords Resurrection and of the sending of the Holy Ghost It should certainly be the constant care of us all to set up marks and monuments of Gods great mercies so to preserve the memory of them which else will be moth-eaten Such as were Abrahams Jehovah Iireh Jacobs stone at Bethel Moses his Jehovah Nissi Aarons rod and pot of Manna Heb. 9.4 the twelve stones pitcht up in Jordan the names of Gilgal Ramath-Lehi Aben-Ezer those plates nailed on the Altar Numb 16.40 Hereby God shall be glorified the Churches enemies convinced our faith strengthened our joy in the Lord heightened our posterity helped and Satan prevented who seeketh to obliterate Gods works of wonder or at least to alienate them and translate them upon himself as he endeavoured to do that famous execution of divine justice upon Sennacheribs army Herod l. 2. by setting Herodotus a work to tell the world in print that it was Sethon King of Egypt and Priest of Vulcan who obtained of his god that Sennacheribs army coming against Egypt should be totally routed by reason of an innumerable company of rats sent by Vulcan which gnawed in pieces their bowe-strings quivers bucklers c. and so made way for the Egyptians to vanquish them Herodotus addeth also that in his time there was to be seen the statue of Sennacherib holding a rat in his hand in Vulcans Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and uttering these words Let him that beholdeth me learne to feare God Lo the god of this world hath his trophies erected and shall the God of heaven and earth go without Oh let us who have lived in an age of miracles and seen the out-goings of God for our good more then ever did any Nation offer unto him the ransome of our lives as they did Exod. 21.30 and 30.12 in token that they had and held all in meer courtesie from God Let us leave some seale some pawn of thankfulnesse for deliverance from so many deaths and dangers Otherwise Heathens will rise up and condemn us They after a shipwrack would offer something after a fit of sicknesse consecrate something to their gods after a victory set up trophies of triumph as the Philistines did to their Dagon the Romanes to their Jupiter Capitolinus c. Therefore for all the words of this letter In obedience to Mordecai their godly Magistrate And of that which they had seen concerning this matter And especially of God made visible all along in it yea palpable so that they might feele him and finde him Act. 17.27 though his name be not found in all this book And which had come unto them Scil. by report and hear-say but from such hands as that they were fully satisfied thereof as Hamans lot-casting Esthers supplicating the Kings reading the Chronicles c. Verse 27. The Jewes ordained and took upon them and upon their seed See ver 23. Here we have a repetition of what was before recited and this is usual in holy Scripture as Gen. 2.1 Exod. 15.19 that things of moment may take the deeper impression That of Austin is here to be remembred Verba toties inculcata viva sunt vera sunt plana sunt sana sunt Let Preachers do thus and hearers be content to have it so Nunquam satìs dicitur quod nunquam satìs discitur To write to you the same things to me is not grievous and for you it is safe saith that great Apostle Phil. 3.1 And upon all such as should joyne themselves unto them Those Proselytes chap 8 17. or whatever hang-bies So as it should not faile But stand as a law inviolable And yet that Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus and that never to be forgotten fifth of November are with us almost antiquated little would oue think that God had ever done anything for us either by land or by sea against either fire-works or water-works Vae corpori nostro That they would keep these two dayes Keep them as before by consecrating a rest and feasting before the Lord not by gourmandizing and profane sports nor by running up and down from house to house as whifflers and wassailers Lâ—deâ—cerem Iud. as at this day the Jewes manner is witnesse Antonius Margarita a baptized Jew According to their writing i.e. Mordecai's order by themselves subscribed and ratified Verse 28. And that these dayes should be remembred That the memory of them might be kept a foot in the Church to all perpetuity Nothing is sooner forgotten then a good turn received David found himself faulty this way and therefore sets the thorn to the breast Psal 103.2 Other holy men kept catalogues see one of Gods own making Judg. 10.11 12. They also had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Memorials as is before noted The very Heathens had their triumphal Arches Pillars Trophies Tables Histories Annals Ephemerides c. A soule shame for us to fall short of them and not to wish as Job in another case Iob. 19.23 24. Oh that Gods works of wonder for us were now written Oh that they were printed in a book That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever That famous fifth of November especially Ier. 23.7 This wás written Nov. 5. 1653. which drownes in a manner the memory of all former deliverances as the return out of Babylon did the departure out of Egypt This happy day too too much slighted alas in many places already should never be put out of the English Kalendar whiles the Sun courseth about the earth but be registred for the generation to come that the people which shall be created may praise the Lord Psal 102.8 Every family every Province and every City They should all recognize their late danger and thereby
yet none so profitable as the Sheep who hath Wool for Raiment Skin for Parchment Flesh for Meat Guts for Musick and was therefore in Sacrifice so frequently offered Vers 8. The Fowl of the air These Moses seemeth to have forgot in that discontented speech of his Numb 11.22 but God sent those murmurers such a drift of Quails meat of Kings with their bread of Angels as he could not have imagined or hoped for And the Fish of the Sea Piscis of Pasco Many Islands are maintained and people fed by Fish In Hebrew the same word signifieth a Pond or Fish-pool and a Blessing And surely it is a blessing to any Country that they have plenty and dainty of these good Creatures And whatsoever passeth c. As Whales and other great Fishes which make a smooth path in a calm Sea as a Ship or Boat doth Job 41.23 c. See the Note there Vers 9. O Lord our Lord c. Prius incipit Propheta mirari quam loqui desinit loqui non mirari The Psalmist endeth as he began transported with an extasie of admiration So he begins and ends many of his Psalms with Hallelujah Betwixt God and us the distance is infinite and if it were possible our love and thankfulness should fill up that distance and extend it self to infiniteness saith a grave Divine PSAL. IX VPon Muth-Labbon This was the name of a certain Instrument say some the beginning of a Song say others to the tune whereof this Psalm was to bee sung Montanus and many more hold it to be an Annagramatism and render it For the death of Nabal viz. by a covert intimation and inversion of the Letters So in the Title of Psal 7. Cush Benjemini for Kish the Benjamite This is Parcere nominibus dicere de vitiis Vers 1. I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart This is a gratulatory Psalm wherein David shews his thankfulness Cic. which a very Heathen calleth Maximam imò matrem omnium virtutum reliquaram the Mother of all the rest of the Vertues True thankfulness as one well observeth is here and in the next verse described 1 By the matter of it 2 By the manner First for matter the Psalmist delivereth it in Four parcels Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to come Cipher 1 The acknowledging of God in all 2 A Ciphering and summing up of special Mercies 3 An expression of Spiritual joy in God as well as in his Gifts 4 A dedication of our Songs and selves to his Name Secondly For the manner he presseth 1 Integrity for the subject and object vers 1 2 Sincerity for affection and end vers 2. I will be glad and rejoyce in thee Spiritual cheerfulness is the Mother of Thankfulness Jam. 5.13 Birds when got in the air or on the top of trees and have taken up a stand to their mind sing most sweetly O thou most High God was so first called by Melchisedeck upon a like occasion as here by David Gen. 14.19 20. The Greeks might have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Sun which they worshipped from this Hebrew Helion most High Vers 3. When mine enemies This Tremellius maketh to be the form of praise which the Psalmist professeth that he will sing to God and rendereth it thus That mine enemies returning back are fallen c. And perish at thy presence The victory is of God and to him alone to be ascribed The Romans in their Triumphs presented a Palm to Jupiter The Graecians also thankfully ascribed to Jupiter their deliverance from the Persians wrought by Themistocles and there-hence called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Deliverer Vers 4. For thou hast maintained my right Heb. Thou hast done me judgement Locus hic in signis est saith Polanus this is an excellent place and maketh much to the comfort of Gods poor people that are oppressed by the World ◠the righteous Judge will not fail to right them See Luke 18.7 8. Vers 5. Thou hast rebuked the Heathen c. God first chideth the Churches Enemies by lighter Judgements if these be not improved he destroyeth them Psal 119.21 and because they sought to obscure and extirpate his name from amongst men therefore he puts out their name that is their fame and reputation for ever and yet or for ever and a day as we use to say Ingloria vita recedit they go out in a snuff as did the Primitive and Modern Persecutors of abhorred memory Vers 6. O thou enemy The same whom he called Wicked one in the former verse where the word Wicked is of the singular number q. d. O thou implacable Wretch that wouldst never be reconciled till thou wast ruined which now thou art c. Some read it interrogatively and withall ironically O enemy are destructions come to an end and Cities so wasted that they can never be repaired q. d. So indeed thou hast designed it but art fairly disappointed And the like besel Antiochus Nero Dioclesian Philip the Second of Spain Charls the Ninth of France and other bloudy Persecutors with their devillish thoughts and threats which they could never effect and accomplish Their memorial is perished with them Heb. Of them of them twice for more vehemency The vulgar after the Greek hath it cum sonitu with an humming noyse so that the sound thereof ringeth all the World over R. David rendreth it Memoria eorum periit suntne illi Their memorial is perished have they yet a being any where Vers 7. But the Lord shall endure for ever Vivit Christus regnatque alioqui totus desperassem said that good Dutch Divine upon the view of the Churches enemies i.e. Christ liveth and reigneth for ever setting one foot on the earth and the other on the sea as Lord of both otherwise I should have been altogether hopeless Blessed bee God that he is God was a learned Divines motto Vers 8. And he shall judge the world c. See on vers 4. Vers 9. The Lord also will be a refuge c. Heb. An high tower edita arx wherein men are secured and escape the impressions of an enemy The very Lame and Blinde those most shiftless Creatures when they had gotten the strong Hold of Zion over their heads thought that then they might securely scorn David and his Host 2 Sam. 5.6 7. yet their Hold failed them So did the Tower of Shechem those that ran into it Not so the Almighty his poor oppressed Universal experience sealeth to this truth neither can one instance be given of the contrary Higgaion Selah It is reported of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that living in the Fens and being vext with Gnats Herod Lib. 2. they use to sleep in high Towers whereby those Creatures not being able to soar so high they are delivered from the biting of them So would it be with us when bitten with cares and fears did we but run to God for refuge and rest confident of his help
for to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10 7. Rev. 15.4 Vers 11. The counsell of the Lord of standeth for ever That counsell of his whereby he hath decreed to maintain government amongst men to relieve the oppressed to punish the Wicked to uphold the Church is firm and inviolable Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur saith Gregory There is a councell in Heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counfells upon earth Vers 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord viz. By speciall favour and covenant The preservation of the Church which hath so few friends on earth and so many enemies in earth and hell is justly brought as an evident argument of the divine providence Christ standeth upon mount-Mount-Zion and that mountain shall bee exalted above all mountaines The Church as it is highest in the favour of God so it shall be set above all the World and het enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them the lowest the footstool of Christ The people whom he hath chosen Some read it The people which hath chosen Hims for their inheritance It cometh all to one See Deut. 26.17 18 19. Vers 13. The Lord looketh from Heaven Ita râ—spicit universos quasi singulas it 〈…〉 sâ—lâ—s And this Doctrin of Gods particular providence is fides natinnum quarum Deus est Dominus saith Kimchi taught in the Church only Vers 14. From the place of his habitation he beholdeth And this is a very great condescension sith he humbleth himself to behold things in Heaven Psal 113.6 to look out of himself upon the Saints and Angels how much more upon the inhabitants of the earth Vers 15. Unum paâ—â—ter acaliud Kimchi He fashioneth their hearts alike i. e. Ones as well as anothers The Arabick hath it Format sigillatim he fashioneth them severally one after another and not all soules together as the Origenists and some Jew-doctors held Hee considereth all their works Their hearts are not hid from him sith he made them as is said before much lesse their works These God considereth and therefore men had need consider them and turn their feet to his Testimonies Psal 119.59 Vers 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoast Witnesse Sennacherib Xerxes Bajazet Away then with Creature-confidence it will be the ruine of all that rest in it whether it be in men or means that they trust See Psal 62.9 10. with the Notes A mighty man Or A Giant Goliah for instance As the most skilfull swimmers are often drowned So here Vers 17. Pausan An Horse is a vain thing And yet a warlike creature full of terrour See the Note on Psal 32.9 and so swift in service that the Persians dedicated him to the Sun See Job 41.20 Prov. 21.31 With the Notes Vers 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him Hee looketh upon such with singular delight not without sweet intimations of his singular kindnesse and care of their good Upon them that hope in his mercy Here we have a description of that true Church which God will never forsake sc It is a company of such as truly serve God and boast not of their merits but possessing their soules in hope and silence wait for his mercy Vers 19. To deliver their soul Freedom from troubles He promiseth not but deliverance in due time he assureth them and support in the mean while to keep them alive in famine Vers 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord i. e. Patiently tarrieth the Lords leisure We can both wait and want for a need Vers 21. Our heart shall rejoyce in him We shall be sure of an happy issue and event but yet so as that we pray for it as in the next words Vers 22. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Not that we would have no more mercy than we have trust but we would shew that our trust is bottomed upon thy promises and that we humbly expect the full accomplishment of the same in due time PSAL. XXXIV VErs 1. A Psalm of David An Alphabeticall Psalm which David newly delivered from the Philistines Semper in Ecelesia his Psalmus piis suit commendatissimus Moller who had taken him prisoner and presented him to their King as a speciall prize composed with singular art as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people who may here meet with many excellent lessons and cordiall comforts When he changed his behaviour Heb. gust um hoc est gestum This he did being put to his shifts but not without sin Lib. 3. Od. 11. for he was splendide mendax as Horace saith of Hypermuestra at the best neither can this dissimulation or officious lye of his be excused as some have by distinctions indeavoured it but in vain Before Abimelech Or Achish King of Gath 1 Sam. 21. for he was binominiâ— saith Aben-Ezra or else Abimelech that is Father-King was his title of honour As Augustus would be stiled Pater Patria the Father of his Country R. Solomon saith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philistin-Kings as Pharaoh to the Egyptian Who cast him one For a mad man 1 Sam. 21.15 wherein there was a sweet providence of God who can order our disorders to his own glory and our good like as an Artificer with a crooked tool can make straight work or as an Apothecary of a poysonfull Viper can make a wholesome triacle And he departed Into some parts of Judea where he might repent of his sin first as Peter did when got into a corner and then compile this Psalm of thanksgiving to God who had so graciously delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition not only above but against his desert Vers 1. I will blesse the Lord at all times As not satisfied with any thing I can do herein at any time The Saints have large hearts and could bet eem the Lord a great deal more service than they are able to perform A certain Martyr said at the stake I am sory that I am going to a place where I shall be ever receiving wages and do no more work His praise shall continually be in my mouth For this remarkable mercy especially which I will still be telling of and speaking good of Gods name to as many as I can possibly extend unto This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir Vers 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord This holy gloriation is a Christians duty not to be neglected The Church in the Canticles is much in it and so is St. Paul It sheweth an heart full of joyes unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. And besides God is thereby greatly glorified Jer. 9.23 24. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad Not for my sake only but their own as conceiving good hope of like deliverance But then they
that I break not forth into outward act God will not hear i. e. so hear as to impute it or to account it a sin Pharisaice Vers 19. But verily God hath heard mee As I well perceive by his answer full and enlarged as the cloud that riseth out of the earth in thin and insensible vapours falleth down in great and abundant showers Vers 20. Blessed be God c. This is the conclusion of Davids syllogism in this and the two former verses and herein his Logick is better than Aristotles PSAL. LXVII VErs 1. God be mercifull unto us sc In sending his son and calling his elect both among Jews and Gentiles to the participation of that gift Joh. 4.10 that Benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 And blesse us Specially with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.3 And cause his face to shine upon us Giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 who is the brightnesse or glittering refulgency of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serenâ— suo vulâ—â— nos irrad et Beza Heb. 1.3 the day-spring from on high Luk. 1 78. In this prayer the Psalmist plainly alludeth to that blessing pronounced upon the people by the High-Priest Numb â— and sheweth that all commeth from Christ the true Aaron the High-Priest of the new Covenant Vers 2. That thy way may be known Thy way of worship that way that is called holy the Gospel Act. 19.23 18.25 26. the way of salvation Act. 16.17 Thy saving health That is thy Christ Luk. 1.30 32. Vers 3. Let the people praise thee O God Enlarge the bounds of thy Church and bring in the Hallelujahs of the Gentiles also Let them praise Thee that pronown Thee is emphaticall and exclusive and not their Gods of gold and silver Let them turn to God from Idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thes 1.9 Vers 4. O Let the Nations be glad c. As they cannot but bee upon their sound conversion Act. 8.8 there being no such joy as the joy of faith and that a mans name is written in Heaven Beatus Ludâ—vicus would be called Ludovicus de Pissiaco rather than take greater titles because there he became a Christian For thou shalt judge the people righteously c. Not rigorously keeping thy Church in safety amidst the greatest ruines of the World and collisions of Empires And 〈◊〉 the Nations upon earth Selah Heb. Thou shalt gâ—â—â—ly lead them as 〈◊〉 Shepheard doth his flock or a Father his child Lord hasten it Vers 5. Versus 〈◊〉 See Vers 3. Vers 6. Then shall the earth yeeld her increase Omnia opera â—â—stra eram prospera All shall go well with us and we shall abound with blessings of both â—â—es The Gospel is a cornucopia and they that receive it shall have all that heart can with or need require all creatures shall conspire to make them happy The earth which was cursed for mans sin and hath lain bed-ridden as it were ever since shall put forth her utmost strength for good peoples use God will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the earth c. Hos 2.21 22. when once mens hearts bear fruit to the Lord Mat. 13.19 23. Heb. 6.7 Hierom interpreteth these words of the Virgin Mary bringing forth the child Jesus Others thus Then shall the earth bring forth innumerable servants of God Vers 7. In more Nevochim God shall blesse us God is thrice named here and in the former verse to note the Trinity of persons as Kamban wrote and had therefore his book burnt by the Jews in France And whereas it is thrice here said God shall bless us it importeth that the blessings here meant are more than terrene and bodily blessings PSAL. LXVIII A Psalm or song of David Made at that time when having overcome his enemies he brought arcam in arcem the Ark of God into the Tower of Sion conferre vers 1. with Numb 10.35 Herein also he treateth of the greatest secrets of Christs Kingdome and prophesieth of things to come as Act. 2.30 31. witnesse the Apostle Ephes 4.8 Vers 1. Let God arise He need do no more that his enemies may be scattered though never so close united eâ—iamsi catapbractus incedat Satan as Luther speaketh digitum sunns tantum moveat dissipabuntur hostes Let the Lord but stirre his finger only let him but look unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and they shall be troubled as Exod. 14.24 funduntur fugantur cum primum se exferit Deus as those Philistines 2 Sam. 5. Let them also that hate him flee before him Athanasius telleth us that evill spirits may be put to flight by this Psalm and that Anthony the Hermite fought against the Devill with this verse and worsted him This may be done also as well with other texts of Scripture Golloq Mens Luther encountred the Devill with that sentence Thou hast put all things under his feet Another Dutch Divine with this The Sbn of God came to dissolve the works of the Devil Cramerus A third with those words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head As the rocks repel the boisterous waves câ—nantia frangere frangunt so doth Christ the Rock the stone cut out of the mountains without hands Dan. 2.45 all his Churches enemies Vers 2. As 〈◊〉 is driven away c. Smoak at first sight seemeth formidable but soon vanisheth and the higher it ascendeth the sooner it is dissipated so here Guicciardine saith of Charles the eighth of France that he came into the field like thunder and lightening but went out like a snuff more than a man at fist and lesse than a woman at last Semblably Gods enemies As wax melteth before the fire c. Wax is a more solid substance than smoak but held to the fire it quickly dissolveth The Psalmist both prayeth and prophesieth here that the downfall of the Churches enemies may be praeceps presentissimum sad and suddain as is elegantly set forth by these â—wo similitudes Vers 3. But let the Righteous be glad When he seeth the vengeance Psal 58.10 See the Note there whilst this wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them Prov. 20.26 Let them rejoyce before God Heb. At the presence of God from which the wicked must flee vers 1. See Isa 33.14 Yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Heb. Rejoyce with gladness over-abound exceedingly with joy as St. Paul 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7.4 Joy is the just mans portion which the wicked may not meddle with Hos 9.12 Vers 4. Sing unto God sing praises 〈…〉 not in a custumers 〈…〉 help hereunto was this Psalm 〈…〉 Excell him that rideth upon the Heavens Exalt him so as when a 〈◊〉 is made up unto a great height Beza rendreth it Sternite 〈…〉 Cast upon pave the way for him