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
It is in mercy and in measure that God chastiseth his Children It is his care that the Spirit fail not before him nor the soules which hee hath made Isa 57.16 If his Child swounds in the whipping God le ts fall the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it again Vers 19 Open to mee the gates of Righteousnesse So the gates of the Sanctuary are called because holinesse becommeth Gods house for ever to keep out the prophane Porters were appointed See 2 Chron 23.19 and such were the Ostiarii in the primitive Church their word was Canes for as Dogs out of doces See Reve. 22.15 Prosper Vers 20 This gate of the Lord Some make the former verse the request of the people and this to bee Gods answer thereunto Others make that to bee Davids speech to the 〈◊〉 and this their answer q.d. This beautifull gate is fit to bee opened to the Lord alone if others enter they must bee righteous ones only and that to praise him 〈◊〉 which the Righteous shall 〈◊〉 scil With Gods good leave and liking Others may haply thrust into the Church but then God will say Friend how camest thou in hither who required these things at your hands who sent for you O Generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the wrath to come The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when hee bringeth it with a wicked mind Prov. 21.27 Vers 21 I will praise thee for thou hast heard mee Luther rendreth it because thou hast humbled and afflicted mee but withall thou art become my salvation Vers 22 the stone which the builders refused David and the son of David were by those who seemed to bee somewhat laid aside and sleighted as abjects and refuse ones but wisdome was ever justified of her Children Is become the head-stone of the corner Lap is dratonus sive frontatus whereby the Church is supported as the sides and weight of a building are by a Principall binding corner-stone against all blasts Vers 23 This is the Lords doing That David should ever come to the Kingdome that Christ should so bee raised from the lowest ebbe of humiliation to the highest tide of exaltation this is a wonder of wonders a matchlesse miracle And it is marvellous in our eyes As all Gods works are to those that have spirituall senses habitually exercised but especially the great work of mans Redemption by Christ Vers 24 This is the day which the Lord hath made The Queen of dayes as the Jews call the Sabbath Arnobâ—us interpreteth this text of the Christian Sabbath others of the day of salvation by Christ exalted to bee the head-corner-stone in opposition to that dismall day of mans fall Wee will rejoyce Or Let us rejoyce Dull wee are and heavy to spirituall joy and are therefore excited thereto Vers 25 Save now I beseech thee Hosanna as Mat. 21.9 an usuall acclamation of the people to their new Kings Send now prosperity God will send it but his people must pray for it I came for thy prayers Dan. 10. Vers 26 Blessed bee hee that commeth Blessed bee Christ Scultet Annal. Vivat Christus ejusque insignia said John Clark of Melda when for declaring against the Popes indulgences hee was burnt in the forehead with a hot Iron Wee have blessed you out of the house of the Lord Thus say the Priests to the people Ministers must blesse those that bless Christ saying Grace bee with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Ephes 6.24 as if any do not let him bee Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Vers 27 God is the Lord who hath shewed us light By giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 hee hath brought us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Binde the Sacrifice with cords Make them fast there till the Priests shall have time to offer them Spare for no cost in shewing your thankfullness for Christ and his benefits Some render it Obligate solennitates in frondosis Austin hath it in confrequent at ionibus Vers 28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee The people are taught to say thus and the Greek Arabick and Latine translations repeat here vers 21. I will praise thee for thou hast heard mee and art become my salvation People can never be sufficiently thankfull for their salvation by Christ It is their duty and should be their desire Vers 29 O give thanks unto the Lord c. Repetit proaeâ—iâ—â— pro Epiloge See vers 1. PSAL. CXIX VErs 1 Blessed are the undefiled Pindarus and other Poets had their Ogdaades or Octonaries Lib. 4. Biblioâ—â— This Alphabeticall Poem as Sixtus 8 〈◊〉 calleth it is Davids doubtlesse though it hath no title to shew to much written in the dayes of his banishment under Saul and far more worthy to bee written in letters of gold than Pindâ—â—â— seventh Ode which that prophane fellow Politian preferred before any Psalm of David the sweet finger of Israel How much better his Coâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Jacobus Furnius who translated this Psalm into Greek and Latine verses 〈◊〉 many Octonaries and beginning each verse thereof with the same letter after the manner of the Hebrew composure which is very artificiall both for the excellency of the matter and for the help of memory The Jews are said to teach it their little ones the first thing they learn wherein they take a very right course both in regard of the heavenly matter and plain stile fitted for all capacities David in his troubles especially was a man much in meditation of Gods word and here hee giveth us in his thoughts of it When a book is set forth verses of commendation are oft prefixed David seemeth to set this divine Psalm as a Poem of commendation afore the Book of God mentioning it in every verse unlesse it bee one only verse 122. under the name of Testimonies Laws Statutes Word Judgements Precepts c. Who walk in the Law of the Lord Who walk towards Heaven in Heavens way avoiding the corruptions that are in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Vers 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies Angels do so and are blessed Rev. 22.9 And that seek him Sincere ac sollicitè That seek not his omnipresence what need they but his gracious presence Vers 3 They also do no iniquity i.e. No wilfull wickednesse as do those workers of iniquity whose whole trade it is and whose whole life is nothing else but one continued web of wickednesse spun out and made up by the hands of the Devill and the flesh an evil spinner and a worse weaver They walk in his wayes Without cessation or cespitation Vers 4 Thou hast commanded us c. These are verba vivenda non legenda words to bee lived and not read only as one well saith of this whole Psalm neither is it enough that wee understand or ponder
venire Venus tristis abire solet Into the second house of the women That having made sale of her honesty she might converse with such as had likewise left their honesties behind them companions in evil and miserable comforters with whom they might make up their measure and God power on his She came in unto the King no more But must burn in lust without means of allayment being scalded as it were in her own grease frying within and freezing without Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Cyril saith in a like case We do but rake a dughill in a discourse of this nature Merlin Let us therefore stay here no longer as an Interpreter hath it in setting forth the filthinesse of this Heathen Prince who yet hath too many amongst us that imitate his uncleannesse and intemperance Verse 15. Now when the turne of Esther c. Then and not till then So when Joseph was sufficiently humbled Psal 105.20 the King sent and loosed him the Ruler of the people let him go free When David was become weaned from the world as a child from the breasts when his heart was not haughty nor his eyes lofty c. then was he advanced to the Kingdome Psal 131.1 He that beleeveth maketh not haste Gods time is best and as he seldome cometh at our time so he never faileth at his own The daughter of Abihail The seed of the righteous and so an heiresse of that precious promise His seed shall be mighty upon earth Psal 111. She was also a daughter of Israel and therefore Gods first-born higher then the Kings of the earth Psalme 84.27 Who had taken her for his daughter This good work was so well pleasing to God that it is once again recited and honourably mentioned What shall the Lord Christ then do at the last day for his people who are full of mercy and good fruits If now he doth not onely make mention of us but mediation for us at the throne of glory surely then he will much more make our faith which worketh by love to be found unto praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1.7 She required nothing As other maids had done to set out their beauty but contenting her self with her native comelinesse and that wisdome that made her face to shine she humbly taketh what Hegai directed her to and wholly resteth upon the Divine providence And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all By her comely countenance and gracious deportment Plutarch speaks of a Spartan woman that when her neighbours were shewing their apparel and jewels she brought out her children vertuous and well taught saying These are my ornaments and accoustrements Esther did the like by her vertues which drew all hearts unto her like as fair flowers in the spring do the passengers eyes She had decked her self with the white of simplicity with the red of modesty with the silke of piety with the sattin of sanctity with the purple of chastity as Tertullian expresseth it taliter pigmentatae Deum habebitis amatorem saith he and being thus adorned and beautified Tertâ—de cult scem women shall have God himself to be their suitor and all godly men their admirers Whereas on the otherside Nequaquam ornata est benè quae morata est malè Pulchrum ornatum turpes mores pejùs coeno collinunt Plaut M stell Act. 1. Scen. 3. Verse 16. So Esther was taken unto King Ahashuerus And so that sweet Promise was fulfilled and exemplified in her Though ye have lien among the pots yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold Psal 68.13 God raised up this poor Orphane this despicable exile out of the dust and lifted this needy one out of the dunghil that he may set her with Princes even with the Princes of the people Psal 113.7 8. Thus he raised Moses and Joseph David and Daniel c. Into his House-royal A place of rest and honour Thus Flebile principium melior fortâ—na secuta est In the tenth moneth Not in the twelfth moneth as Josephus hath it falsely and yet the Papists tell us that the common people may well want the historical part of the Bible and for it read Josephus his Jewish Antiquities Barclai In the seventh yeare of his reigne Foure or five yeares before Hamans advancement this was a sweet Providence that God should set up one to be a deliverer to his Church so long before the danger grew on So Joseph was sent down to Egypt before Moses was skilled in all the learning of the Egyptians and afterwards sent to Midian that he might be fitted to be King in Jeshurun c. Oh how unsearchable are Gods judgements and his ways past finding out Oh the depth c Latimers three last Petitions were granted Verse 17. And the King loved Esther This was the Lords own work who regarded the low estate of his Handmaid and framed the Kings heart to affect her Luke 1.48 Let all such maids as desire loving husbands and all such wives as would have their husbands loyal and loving to them get Gods favour and adorne themselves with humility and modesty as Esther did Let Christian husbands also learn for shame of this barbarian to love their wives above all women with a conjugal chaste and fast affection not lusting and hankering after strange flesh 'T is remarkable that after Solomon had said Rejoyce in the wife of thy youth be thou ravisht always with her love he subjoyneth And why wilt thou my sonne be ravisht with a strange woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger Prov. 5.19 20. She obtained grace and favour in his sight Surely as meat pleaseth better in a clean dish so vertue in comely persons in more amiable saith Hugo Beauty of it self is a greater commendation saith Aristotle then all letters testimonial So that he set the royal Crown upon her head For Queens also had their Crownes and did shine with the beams of their husbands saying as once those Romane Ladies Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia wheresoever thou art King I also am Queen Severus here saith that the King clothed Esther with a purple robe to shew that he shared the Kingdome with her but the text holdeth forth no such matter Indeed he made her Queen in stead of Vasthi he made also a great wedding feast and gave a release to the Provinces and gifts to his Grandees as it followeth Verse 18. Then the King made a great feast Feasts are never more in season then at the recovery of the lost rib See the note on Gen. 29.22 Vnto all his Princes and his servants So did Mauritius the Emperour of Greece Niceph. l. 18. c. 8. when he married Constantina and Henry the third Emperour of Germany when he married Agnes daughter to the Prince of Pictavia at Ingelheim Whither when a great sort of Players Fidlers Jesters and Juglers resorted Funcc â—d annum 1044.
had learned to preferre opportunity before time There might be some by at this first banquet whose company she liked not or she might not yet have so clear an answer in her own heart to her former prayers and therefore desireth some farther time that night to seek God whatever the reason of not putting it off till dext day was Gods holy hand was in it that Mordecai might bâ— first so greatly honoured and Hamans high Gallowes prepared Illum utiquie magiâ—â—eoâ—rum Râ—geâ— autem magis benevoliâ—â— magisque fecit attentuâ— saith Rupertus Hereby she made Haman more secure and the King more kinde and attent Verse 9. Then went Haman that day forth joyful Saeculi laetitia est impunita nequitia saith an Ancient He looked upon himself now as no lesse favoured of the Queen then of the King and was puffed up with this new honour as a bubble is with a childes blast in a walnut-shell with a little sope but it shortly after falls down again into his eyes and vexeth him And with a glad heart But he rejoyced as many more do in a thing of nought Am. 6.13 And the end of this his mirth was heavinesse Prov. 14.13 It was risus Sardonius like that of those who being stung with the Tarantula a viper in Italy die laughing and capering Or as the Dolphin that sporteth most before a storme Or as the little fishes that swimming merrily down the silver stream of Jordan fall shortly after into the dead sea Haman doubtlesse held himself now the happiest man alive as having the royalty not of the Kings care only but of the Queens too as he foolishly fancied Ps 10.3 5 6. This wicked on boasted of his hearts desire and as for all his enemies he puffed at them He said in his heart I shall not be moved I shall never be in adversity Herodotus saith of Apryes King of Egypt Pharaoh-Hophrah Jeremy calleth him chapâ— 44. that he conceited and bragged that his Kingdome was better setled to him then that any Herod l 2. either God or man could remove him yet was he afterwards taken and hang'd by his own subjects Ael var. hist l. 2. Aelian tells us that Dionysius the Tyrant thought it impossible that he should have been cast out of Sicily but it proved otherwise How suddenly were Alexâ—nder the great Conquerour and Julius Caesar the perpetual Dictator cut off Ps 118.12 and quenched as the fire of thornes Sic transit gloria mundi The worlds greatest darlings are in no better condition then the Bull that goes to be sacrificed with garlands on his head and musick before him but suddenly fells the stroke of the murthering axe But when Haman saw Mordecai in the Kings gate There he sat and would not stir an inch for Hamans greatnesse as resolute he remained not withstanding the bloody Edict now published as was Rawlins White the Martyr in Queen Maries dayes The Bishop of Landaffe pretended to pray for his Conversion after which he said Now Rawlins how is it with thee Wilt thou revoke thine opinions or no Surely said he my Lord Rawlins you left me and Rawlins you finde me and Rawlins by Gods grace I will continue Act Mon. 1415. Ibid. 1430. The heavens shall assoon fall said another as I will recant This the mad world stiles stiffenesse self-willednesse fool-hardinesse c. as was before noted but the Saints do it out of Christian courage an invincible saith and zeale for Gods cause and Kingdome That he stood not up nor moved for him No not he ne minimo quidem obsequiolo he neither moved nor muted For he looked upon him first as a vile person and therefore fit to be slighted Pal. 15.4 Next as an utter enemy to God and his people a sworn sword-man to the devil Lastly Mordecai herein shewed himself constant to his principles and to his former practice which a good man may not easily alter left all be questioned Besides should he but have any whit yielded Haman would have been thereby hardened and his pride heightened He therefore very honestly persisteth in his purpose and giveth that wretch lesse respect then ever He was full of indignation against Mordecai Full as heart could hold of hot wrath so that he gloweth like a fire-coal Et ferè crepat medius So unsatisfiable is ambition so restlesse and so vindictive Verso 10. Neverthelesse Haman refrained himselfe Much ado he had to forbeare mischieving him he was faine to force himself thereunto as the word signifieth for his fingers even itched to be having him by the eares or to be bathing in his blood This he did not haply because he durst not because Mordecai was the Kings servant his door-Keeper as 't is thought and so went under his protection It would therefore have reflected upon the King himself if he should lay violent hands on him Most sure it is that God held his hands and preserved Mordecai for further good to his Church Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints neither will he send them to bed till they have done their work And when he came home he sent and called for his friends This had been a wise mans part if he had done it for any good purpose But as he was in an ill case to consult as being full of rage so he minded nothing but revenge and therefore advised with none but such as would say with him and thereby hasten his downfal And zeresh his wife Vt consiliariorum primam praecipuam That she was wife above her sexe See chap. 6.13 But had she been as wife as Pilates wife was She would not have given here such pestilent counsel but have warned her husband of medling with just men Have these workers of iniquity no knowledge that they eate up Gods people as they eat bread that they make account to make but a breakfast of them Psal 14.4 Verse 11. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches Favourites observing their mollissima fandi tempora get many times much wealth under Princes as did Sejanus under Tiberius Seneca under Nero that rich and wretched Cardinal Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester and Chancellour of England in the reigne of Henry the sixth Cardinal Woolsey under Henry the eight That Haman had well-feathered his nest appears by his large offer to the King of ten thousand talents of silver c. Now riches render a man glorious in the worlds eye hence they go coupled together Prov. 3.16 and 8.18 Hence that of Labans grumbling sonnes Gen. 31.1 Quicquid non acquiritur damnum est Sen. Jacob hath taken away all that was our fathers nay not all but as avarice made Sejanus think all which he acquired not to be lost so did these losels and of that which was of our fathers hath be gotten all this glory But what were all this glory of his riches if for want of children Haman should leave it to those Quos vel
remarkable their notes are here called their tokens By those that go by the way others understand Abraham the Hebrew so he is called Gen. 14.13 that is that Trans-Euphrataean Or He that passed over the River Euphrates when he passed by the way from Chaldea to Canaan and his Progeny Isaac and Jacob who were passengers and pilgrims and could tell by experience that men greatly afflicted may be yet favoured of God and in due time delivered Abraham had ten sore trials and yet the friend of God Isaak besides many other sharp afflictions all along his pilgrimage was blind for above twenty years before his death Few and evil were the dayes of the years of Jacob his whole life almost one continuate affliction and yet it was Jacob have I loved Of all this Job likely was not ignorant and why should his friends And do ye not know their tokens Or Their tokens you shall not be estranged from Broughton thus So ye would not make their signes strange There will be so much evidence of truth in what they say that you will not be able to gainsay it Verse 30. That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction Here 's the Passengers verdict viz that wicked men shal scape scot-free and flourish for a season neverthelesse their preservation is but a reservation as Pharaoh Sennacherib and others have found it and if they flourish for the present it is that they may be destroyed for ever Psal 92.7 Others read this verse more suitably to the next thus That at the day of destruction the wicked is kept back and they are carried out in the day of wrath that is they are oft spared whey the testimonies of Gods wrath are rife against others Verse 31. Who shall declare his way to his face c Who shall be so bold as to deal plainly with this rich wretch and tell him his own Divitibus ideo deest amicus quâ—a nihildeest Great men have many flatterers and not a few mutterers against them but very few that will faithfully shew them their sin and forewarn them of their danger lest they meet with the same hard measure that the Hares in the Fable did who taking upon them to reprove the Lion were torn in pieces by him for the same Truth breedeth hatred and although she be a good Mistresse yet they that follow her too close at heels may hap to have their teeth-struck out But truth downright truth must be spoken however it be taken Elias dealt roundly and impartially with wicked Aâ—ab Jeremy with â—â—siah â—s sons and successours the Baptist with Herod Christ with the Elders and Pharisees that noble General Traâ—an with Valens the Arian Emperour telling him That by his persecuting the Orthodox he had lost the day abandoning the Victory and sending it away to the enemy And who shall repay him what he hath done q.d. Men dare not for who will take a Lion by the beard or a Bear by the tooth God will not punish him here therefore he must needs scape unpunished This is by Gregory fitly referred to Antichrist who may not be admonished and wil not be punished but thinks to bear out his most malapâ—rt misdemeanour because it is facinus majoris abolle the fact of a great one Verse 32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave He that was erst so stern and terrible shal shortly be laid low enough and then leâ—ni mortuo vel mus insultabiâ— Though he were such a son of Belial that none could speak to him as Nabal was 1 Sam. 25.17 yet death will speak with him and confute this proud haughty Scorner that dealeth in proud wrath Hist of World When death comes saith Sir Walter Raleigh which hates and destroyes men that 's believed and obeyed But God that loveth and maketh men he is not regarded O mighty death O eloquent death whom none could advise thou art able to prevail with And shall remain in the Tomb Heb. He shall watch over the heap super tuâ—â—lum oâ—mul◠〈◊〉 in area constructo similem as a Watch-man there he is fixed and keeps this place Lavat Or He shall be watched in the Tomb. Verse 33. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him Here he saith the same as before but more poetically and is variously rendred The Vulgar alluding to an old Poeticall Fable readeth it thus He shall he sweet to the sand of Cocytus which is fained to be one of the Rivers of Hell or an infernal Lake so called from the moan there made by damned Ghosts who should be glad of his arrival there Hell from be â—â—ath as â—â—â—ured for him to meet him at his coming as 't is said of the Assyrian Tyrant Isai 14.9 Others better expound it thus He shall taste so much bitterness whiles he treads upon the clods of the earth that the clods under the earth shall be reckoned sweet unto him And Oh how well pleased would he be if he might forever lye hidden there and never rise up again to come to judgement Caten Grac. And as it is with one wicked man departed so it is with all other whether they dyed before or shall dye after Verse 34. How then comfort ye me in vain Sith ye apply nothing rightly to me nor affirm nothing rightly of me but instead of comforting me which you came for ye trouble me And such are all those consolatiunculae creaturulae as Luther finely phraseth it petty-creature-comforts waterish and empty businesses an unsubstantial sustance as one saith of the bulrush Seeing in your answers remaineth false-hood Or Provarication or double-dealing fowle mistakes and little lesse then malice CHAP. XXII Verse 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said ABruptly without any Preface he sets upon Job as doth likewise Bildad chap 25. acting the part of a spiteful Caviller rather then of an ingenuous Accuser reckoning and ranking just Job among the wicked not covertly as before but overtly and expresly and then thinking to salve all by an exhortation to repentance backed with a faire promise of a full restauration Pulcherrima paâ—anesis sed quid ad Johum saith Brentius A very good exhortation but ill applyed We shall do well to take notice what a dangerous thing it is to give way to unruly passions which like heavy bodies down steep hills once in motion move themselves and know no ground but the bottom Verse 2 Can a man be profitable unto God No neither doth Job say he can but the contrary chap. 21.22 Howbeit the God of glory as he is called Act. 7.2 although his glory is as himself infinite and eternal and therefore not capable of our addition or detraction the Sun would shine though all the would were blind yet to try how we prize his glory and what we will do for him he hath declared that he accounteth himself made glorious by us when we get so far as to conceive of him above all creatures As he that is wise may be
King Abaddon so the Divel is called Rev. 9.11 and so hell is called in this Text because thereinto are thrust all that are destined to destruction all the brats of fathomlesse perdition such as was Judas the Traytor who went to his place and all wicked ones who shall surely be turned into hel with all those that forget God Psal 9 17. This place is not covered saith Ferus here but open to God for whomsoever he will cast thereinto Verse 7. He stretcheth out he North ever the empty place Heb. Over Tohâ— Aristotle saith that beyond the moveable heavens there is neither body nor time nor place De calâ— text 99 nor vacuum But on this side of the heaven there are bodies time place and as it may seem to some an empty place for so the Air is here called over which and not over any solid matter for a foundation God hath spread and stretched forth the heavens which are here called the North because they are moved about the North-Pole and besides the North is held the upper part of the world according to that of Virgil Mundus ut ad Scythiam Riphaeasque arduus arces Consurgit premitur Libya dovexus ad anstres Hènce it is here put for the whole heaven which held up by the Word of Gods power without any other props leaneth upon the liquid Aire the Aire upon the earth and the earth upon nothing And hangeth the earth upon nothing Terra pilae fimilis nullo fulcimine nixa Aere sublato tam grave pendet onus Ovid. 6. Fastor The earth hangs in the midst of heaven like Architas or Archimedes his Pigeon equally poised with his own weight Of this great wonder This is the very finger of God Aristotle himself admireth it De Cal. l. 2. c. 13 the Philosophers after much study can give no good reason because ignorant of this that God hath appoined it so to be even from the first Creation Psal 104.5 Heb. 1.2 The Poets fable that Atlas beareth up heaven with his shoulders but we confesse the true Atlas viz. the Lord our God who by his Word alone beareth up heaven and earth And it is here fitly alledged as an Argument of his Almightinesse The greatness of this work of God appeareth hereby saith Merlin that men cannot spread aloft the thinnest curtaine absque fulcris without some solid thing to uphold it Verse 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds Heb. Clouds which yet have their name from thicknesse because they arise from Aire condensed In these God bottleth up the rain and there keepeth it in by main strength as the word signifieth though those vessels are as thin and thinner then the liquor that is contained in them This duly weighed were enough to convince an Atheist especially if he consider how The cloud is not rent under them And so causeth a cataclysme to drown the earth as sometimes at sea especially great hurt is done this way among ships by a spout as Mariners call it the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Dutch Ein Wolckenbruch or Heavenbreach viz. when clouds cleave asunder and discharge themselves all at once for a great mischief to mankind Now that God thus binds up these heavy vapours and keeps them in the clouds as a strong man in a Cobweb till brought by the winds whithersoever he pleaseth to appoint them they drop upon the earth buy little and little to make it fruitful this is a wonderful work of God and should bring us to the knowledge of his Power Wisdom and Goodnesse Rom. 1.19 20. see Job 38.37 Jer. 5.22 Verse 9 He holdeth back the face of his Throne i.e. Of heaven Isai 66.1 which he eftsoons overcloudeth and muffleth up or masketh with a vail mystically by the Face of his Throne we may understand the knowledg of his glory for this is held from us so in this world that we cannot perfectly know him as he is but must content our selves with a learned ignorance 1. Joh. 3.3 Here darkness is and will be under his feet Psal 18.9 And spreadeth his cloud upon it It is fitly called his cloud because 1. It is his handy-work Psal 18.11 Gen. 9.14 Job 28.26 27. and 37.15 16. and 38.9 Psa 104.5 His Sun draweth up those vapours which being thickned in the middle Region of the aire by the cold encompassing and driving them together become a cloud 2 He used it of old as a sign of his glorious Power and gracious presence with his people Exod. 13.21 and 16.10 2 Chron. 5.13 14. And as a figure of Christs guiding and protecting his Church through the wildernesse of this world Isai 4.5 6. 3. He still rideth in state upon the clouds Isai 19.1 Christ was by a cloud coached up to heaven Act. 1.9 and shall come in like manner Apoc. 1.7 and 10.1 We also shall then be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thessal 4.17 O mora Christe veni Verse 10. Trem. He hath compassed the waters with bounds Decreto circinavit superficiem aquarum He hath as it were with a pair of Compasses drawne a circle about the sea that it may not passe to drown the earth Confer chap. 38.8 10 11. Psal 33.7 and 89.10 and 104 9. Prov. 8.29 So he drew a circle round about the earth Prov. 8.27 doing all with infinite Wisdome Pondere mensura numero c. He founded the earth not upon solid Rocks but fluid waters And that it floteth not upon them nor is shaken with them as oft as there is a tempest in the Ocean that begirteth it neither yet is overflowed by them this is the wonderful-work of God Aristotle in his Book De Mirabilâ—bus admireth it and acknowledgeth Gods providence which elsewhere he denyeth Terminum aquis prescripsit saith Job here And this either he had from Moses Gen. 1.10 or if he lived before Moses as it is most likely he did he had it as he had many other things by tradition from the Fathers Saylers tell us that as they draw nigh to the shore when they enter into a haven they run as it were down hill And yet men are said to go down not up to the sea in ships Psal 107.23 See a reason hereof in this Text and Psal 104.96 An vero non stupendum est saith Lavater But is it not a wonderful thing that so fierce an Element so huge a masse of waters tossed by the winds should be bounded and bridled by sands confined and kept within their prescribed place and shore Especially if the water be as some affirm ten times bigger then the earth the air then the water the fire then the air Vntil the day and night come to an end Heb. Until the consummation of light with darknesse that is till time shall be no more till the end of the world when all things shal be let loose to devastation and the sea
Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either do thou kill me or I 'll kill theâ— if I can And what lesse then this upon the matter do those monsters and miscreants amongst us who set their mouthes against heaven when things go crosse with them especially and their tongues walk through the earth Psal 73.9 As Hacket did who lifting up his eyes to heaven and grinning against God blasphemed him and threatned him even when he had the rope about his neck Anno 1591. Now as in the water face answereth to face Cambd. Eliz. fol 403. so doth the face of a man to a man And as there were many Marii in one Caesar so there are many Caligula's and Hackets in the best of us all if God restraine us not from such horrid outrages But Elihu would have us here to know that God is far above our reach neither can we throw this high and lofty one out of his throne utcunque fremamus ferociamus for how should any thing that wee silly Creatures can do reach to God when as we cannot reach up to the visible heavens And behold the clouds which are higher then thou Eminent prae te The clouds are Gods Chariot whereon he rideth and wherein he manifesteth much of his Majesty These Elihu would have Job to contemplate in their height even superiores nubâ—s as Tremellius rendreth it the upper clouds or as others the Starry Heaven Heb. The thin of heavens So Bildad before had called upon him to behold the Moon and the Stars chap. 25.5 And surely the very sight of heaven over us to the which all that we are or can can bring no help or hurt at all should admonish us of our meanesse and make us think most modestly of God whom we are so infinitely below and not dare either to complain of him or to boast us before him c. For this cause it is that Elihu so presseth Job here with this heap of words that he may henceforth know and keep his distance and not so presumptuously call God as it were to reckoning touching expences and receipts Verse 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him What more then shew thy teeth or shoot at a rock where the Arrow rebounds upon thee In the sack of Constantinople the Image of the Crucifix was taken down by the Turks and a Turks Cap put upon the head thereof and so set up and shot at with their arrowes Turk hist 347 and afterwards in great derision carried about in the Camp as it were in Procession with Drums playing before it rayling and spitting at it and calling it the God of the Christians But what was all this to Christ He that sitteth in the heavens extra jactum laughed at them the Lord had them in derision Psal 2.4 Etsi navitès peccas Do wicked sinners when they work hardest against God as the word here signifieth and take greatest paines to go to hell do they I say provoke the Lord to anger Do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces Jer. 7.19 And may we not well say to such as Vlysses his companions said to him when he would needs provoke Polydamas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odys God can easily get him a name in the utter overthrow of a rabble of rebels conspiring against him as at the Flood tower of Babel Sodom Egypt Moab c. who were trodden down under him as straw is trodden down for the dunghil Isai 25.10 And in the next verse The Lord shal spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim that is with greatest facility for violent stroaks rather sink then support a swimmer and he shall bring downe their pride together with the spoiles of their hands And the fortresse of the high fort of their wals shall he bring down lay low and bring to the ground even to the dust Isai 25.11 12. Verse 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him Nothing sith he is self-sufficient and independent He needeth us not neither doth our righteousnesse reach him Psal 16.2 The Pharisees dreamt of an over-doing the Law and making God beholding to them The Papists also those modern Pharisees talk of works of super-erogation and of merit of congruity and merit of condignity But these are mere fictions Chimaera's absurd Doctrines such as Elihu never heard of He that doth righteousness is righteous 1 John 3.7 but he addeth nothing thereby to God let him do his utmost Indeed whoso offereth praise glorifieth God Psal 50.23 so he is pleased to account it and call it but his glory is as himself is eternal infinite immense The Sun would shine in its own brightnesse though all the world were blind and should wilfully wink so here God accepts not our persents but to returne them us back with interest as the raine ascends in thinne vapours but comes downe againe in thick showres Or what receiveth he of thine hand If any thing it is of his own as David thankfully acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 29.14 and besides that our sweetest Incense smelleth strong of the hand that offereth it Verse 8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art Wicked men are many wayes mischievous to others and have much to answer for their other mens sins How many are undone by their murders adulteries robberies false testimonies blasphemies and other rotten speeches to the corrupting of good manners c What hurt is done daily by the Divels factours to mens souls bodies names estates Besides that they betray the land wherein they live into the hands of divine Justice whiles they do wickedly with both hands earnestly Mic. 7.3 That I speak not of the manifold miseries they pull upon themselves And thy righteousnesse may profit the son of man Thy self and others for the Just liveth by his own faith he maketh a living of it and a good one too And as for his Charity it is the mother of all manner of good works whereof others have the benefit Papists and some as silly have shrunk up charity to an hands breadth to giving of Almes But besides that a good man draweth out not only his sheaf but his soul to the hungry 1 Thess 5.14 He also warneth the unruly comforteth the feeble minded supporteth the weak and tradeth all his talents for the good of others He is a common blessing to all that art about him As Plutark said of the neighbour-Villages of Rome in Numa's time That sucking in the aire of that City they breathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse so may it be said of the City of God and her Citizens Verse 9 By reason of the multitude or magnitude of oppressions c. Or Of the oppressed whom they that is whom the Oppressours not worthy to be named as neither is that rich glutton Luke 16. make to cry Job had said chap. 24.12 Men groan out of the City and the soul of the wounded cryeth
bee unto them when I depart from them I did cast them out c. Evacuabameos I dealt by them as men do by the sweepings of the house or noysome excrements God sometimes dungeth his Vineyard with the dead bodies of his enemies Vers 43. Thou hast delivered mee from the strivings of the people viz. In the rebellions under Absolom and Sheba the son of Bichri These like bubbles which Children blow up into the air were soon blown out and fell into the eyes of those who with the blasts of disloyalty and ambition held up the same Thou hast made mee head of the Heathen Philistines Syrians Anamonites c. This is most true of Christ Head of his Church which consisteth of all Nations and most of these were unknown unto him as man and by hearing of him they were brought to submit unto him when the Apostles came and preached him amongst them Hence it followeth Vers 44. Assoon as they hear of mee Heb. at the hearing of the ear that is by the preaching of the Gospell they shall bee brought to yeeld the obedience of faith The strangers shall submit Heb. Subjectio sucosa Hypocâ—itica Falsly deny or dissemble with mee their submission is forced and feigned they dare do no lesse they receive my yoke but their hearts I have not Christ hath many such false-hearted subjects fawning and faining profligate professors carnal Gospellers Vers 45. The strangers shall fade away As do the dry leaves of Trees their vigour and confidence shall perish in a moment And bee afraid out of their close places Whence they shall come creeping to mee their conqueror to seek favour And this may very fitly also be applied to Christ and his subjects who must bee driven unto him out of their close places or starting holes of self-confidences self-conceitednesse c. by the spirit of bondage before they will unfeignedly submit to Christs Government Vers 46. The Lord liveth Or Vivat Dominus Let the Lord live It is spoken saith Calvin after the manner of men who use such kind of acclamations to the Kings whom they love and honour The Wicked could wish God extinct that so they might never come to an account before him but the Saints cry out Let the Lord live let Christ reign c. Blessed bee God that Hoe is God was a learned mans motto Luthers was Vivit sc Christus Si non viveret vellem me non unam horam vivere c. Christ is alive otherwise I would not wish to live an hour Another good man saith Miconius Christ liveth and raigneth alioque totus totus desperassem otherwise I should be utterly out of hope Let the God of my salvation bee exalted Triumphali elogio ab omnibus celebratur let him bee set up in all hearts and houses Vers 47. It is God that avengeth mee Heb. that giveth vengeances for mee whence also hee is called the God of vengeances Psal 94.1 and the God of recompences Jer. 51.56 And subdueth the people under me It is the great work of God to perswade the hearts of so many millions to obey one man Vers 48. He delivereth me from mine enemies This David hath never done with but goeth over it again and again as desirous to do the Lord all the right that might be From the violent man That is from Saul saith R. David and him he mentioneth last Quia erat principium omnis Davidicae gloriae because the fall of his house was the rise of all Davids glory The Chaldee hath it From Gog and his Armies Vers 49. Therefore I will give thanks c. See how the Psalmist in these three last Verses endeth as he began Among the Heathen This the Apostle applieth to Christ and his people as a Prophecy of his Kingdom and of the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15.9 I that is Christ but yet in the person of his faithful and especially his Ministers will praise thee or confess unto thee c. And sing praises unto thy name Which to have done absurdum fuisset apud surdoâ— would have been absurd had not those Heathens had their ears opened Vers 50. Great deliverance giveth be to his King In Samuel it is He is the tower of Salvation for his King This Tower is Messias say the Jew-Doctors Quiest turris salutis O that those poor Creatures would once run to that strong tower and be safe To David and to his seed for evermore That is to Christ who was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.3 Act. 13.23 and to all faithful Christians who are called Christs Seed Isa 53.10 and Psal 72.17 Filiabitur nomine ejus the Name of Christ shall endure for ever it shall be begotten as one Generation is begotten of another there shall be a succession of it to the Worlds end PSAL. XIX THe Heavens declare the glory of God The World saith Clemens Alexandrinus is Dei Scriptura the first Bible that God made for the institution of man The Heavens here instanced as a chief part of that Mundi totius machina are compared to a Scroul that is written Rev. 6.14 As in a Horn-book which little ones carry there be Letters in a paper within which appear through the same so under the blew saphire of the Firmament is spread a sheet of royal Paper written all over with the Wisdom and Power of God This Book was imprinted saith one at the New Jerusalem by the Finger of Jehovah and is not to be sold but to beseen at the sign of Glory of every one that lifts up his eyes to Heaven where he may plainly perceive Deum esse mentem Architectricem intelligentem sapientem potentem c. This lesson is fairly lined out unto us in the brows of the Firmament which therefore we are bidden to behold and discern sith therein God hath made himself visible yea legible even his eternal Power and God-head so that men are left without excuse Rom. 1.20 But because this Book of Nature with its three great Leaves Heaven Earth and Sea though never so diligently read over cannot bring a man to the saving knowledge of God in Christ nor make him perfect throughly furnished unto all good works behold another and better Book even that of the Holy Scriptures set forth vers 7 8. c. of this Psalm that like as where the Philosopher endeth the Physician beginneth so where Nature faileth us Scripture may inform and comfort us In this excellent Psalm then we have the sum of all true Divinity saith Reverend Beza the end whereof is to give us that knowledge of God and of his holy Worship whereby we may be made partakers of eternal life Here then in the six first Verses the Prophet sheweth that God manifesteth his glory to Mankind by his Works and first by the Work of Creation vers 1. Next of Government vers 2 3 c. and that 1. In the revolution of the starry Sky which revolution first
is like the beasts that perish Fecoribus morticiuis saith Junius the Beasts that dye of the Murren and so become Carrion and are good for nothing Vers 13. This their way is their folly This their fond conceit of an immortality is an egregious folly fully confuted by every days experience for the longest liver dieds at last as did beside the Antediluvian Patriarches Jounnes de Temporibus Armour-bearer to Charls the Great who dyed Anno Dom. Asteds Chronol 475. Naucler Purchas Pilâ—â— p. 481. 1139 aged three hundred sixty one years So the old man of Bengala in the East-Indies who was three hundred thirty five years old when he came to the Portugals from whom for his miraculous age he received a yearly stipend till he dyed He that lived in our days till one hundred and fifty years or thereabouts yeelded at length to Nature and yet men doat and dream still of an immortality The first doom that ever was denounced was Death Thou shalt surely dye and the first doubt that ever was made was concerning Death ye shall not surely dye ever since which time there is something of the spawn of that old Serpent left in our natures prompting us to doubt of that whereof there is the greatest certainty and although every man granteth that he shall dye yet there is scarse any man that futureth not his death and thinketh that he may live yet and yet and so long this is folly in an high degree and we should be sensible of it labouring to become neither fond of Life nor afraid of Death Yet their posterity approve their sayings Selah Heb. Delight in their mouth are as wise as their Ancestors tread in their tract take up their inward thoughts ver 11. observe the same lying vanities and so forsake their own Mercies Jon. 2.8 Selah q.d. O wonderful for see the issue of their folly Vers 14. Like sheep they are laid in the Grave These fatlings of the World these brainless yonkers that will not be warned by other mens harms but walk on in the same dark and dangerous ways whatever cometh of it these chop into the grave as a man that walketh in the Snow may do suddenly into a Marl-pit and there be smothered or rather are there pent up as Sheep are thrust up in a stall or stable to be slaughtered there and in Hell their souls they lye as Grapes in a Wine-press pickled Herring in a Barrel Stones in a Lime-furnace Tiles in a Brick-kiln c. Tanquam pecudes like sheep saith the Psalmist here and Junius his Note is Morticinas puta in cloacis exquiliis vel puticulis project as 3 like sheep that dying of the Murrain are thereupon cast into Ditches Jakes Boggs Death shall feed on them They shall be meat for Worms yea they shall be killed with death Rev. 2.23 which is worse than all the rest sin as an heavy grave-stone presseth them to death c. And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning i.e. at the Resurrection when the Saints shall share with Christ in his Kingdom when the wicked shall be his foot-stool and shall judge the World yea the Angels Others by morning understand suddenly or seasonably as Psal 46.5 And their beauty shall consume in the Grave All their pomp and bravery wherein they came abroad whiles alive as Agrippa and Bernice came to the Tribunal with a great deal of phancy Acts 25.23 and with which they affect to be buried in state Sic transit gloria mundi 1 Cor. 7.31 From their dwelling Whence they are carried to the Grave that dark house of all living Job 30.23 Some render the text thus Infernus habitaculum ipsis Hell shall be their habitation Tremellius thus Et formam corum consumat infernus receptam exhabit aculo ejus and Hell consume their shape that is their bodies now re-united to their souls received out of its House that is out of the Grave Vers 15. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave Heb. From the hand of Hell q.d. I am and shall be in far better condition both in life at death Spe bona Doâ—ab indoctis diâ—forunt disisâ— Chilo and after death than any of the Worlds darlings why then should I fear as vers 51. why should I envie their seeming happiness which will have so sad a Catastrophe as vers 14 I shall have heaven and that is more worth than all For he shall receive me Selah A notable Text indeed and well worthy of a Selah a clear testimony for the immortality of the soul and for a better life after this as is well observed He sunt parabola hac sunt anigmasa saith a good Interpreter These are those Parables and these are those dark sayings mentioned vers 4. riddles to the wicked but cordials to the faithful Vers 16. Be not thou afraid David was comforted and so he would have others to be for as it was said of a certain Bishop of Lincoln that he held nothing his own but what he had bestowed upon others Hoc babeo quodcunque dedi so the Saints think their comforts nothing so comfortable unless others may share in them and fare the better by them When the glory of his house is increased viz. By a numerous Off-spring stately building gay furniture great rents and revenues for as they say of the metal they make glass of it is nearest melting when it shineth brightest so are the wicked nearest destruction when at greatest lustre Vers 17. For when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away Nothing but a Shrowd as that great Emperour caused to be proclamed at his Funeral He was a fool that on his Death-bed clapt a peece of Gold into his mouth and said Some wiser than some I will take this with me See Job 1.21 1 Tim. 6.7 with the Notes there His glory shall not descend after him No nor be able to breath one cold blast up-on him when he is burning in Hell O that wicked rich men would think of this before the cold Grave hold their bodies and hot Hell hold their souls Vers 18. Though whilst be lived he blessed his soul As that rich fool did Luk. 12. and that King of France who puffed up with the Marriage of his Sister to the King of Spain called himself by a new title Tres-bureuse Roy the thrice happy King but was soon after accidentally slain by the Captain of his Guard running at Tilt with him at the solemnizing of that same Marriage in the very beginning of his supposed happiness And men will praise thee when thou doest well to thy self Feathering thine own Nest and pampering thine own Carcass thou shalt bee sure of Parasites and Trencher-flies who will highly commend thee though against their own Consciences Rom. 1. ult The world generally admireth the happiness of such as live at full and ask what should such a one ayl The Irish ask what they meant to dye Vers 19. He
shall go to the generation of his fathers i.e. To the grave or albeit he come to the age of his Fathers that is live here very long They shall never see light Either have any sound comfort at death or any part in Gods Kingdom Vers 20. Man that is in honour and understandeth not Versus amabeus See ver 12. there is but little difference Stultitians patiuntur opes The more a man hath of worldly wealth and the less of Spiritual and heavenly understanding therewith the more bestial he is and shall be more miserable Caligula called his Father-in-law Marcus Silanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a golden brute Quid cervo ingentia cornua cum desit animus Vel mihi da clavem vel mihi telle seram PSAL. L. A Psalm of Asaph Who was both a Musick-master 1 Chron. 25.2 and a Psalm-composer 2 Chron. 29.30 The most are of opinion that this Psalm was made by David and committed to Asaph to be sung after that Israel had been afflicted with three years Famine and three days Pestilence and the Angel had appeared to David Jun. and set out the place where the Temple should be built 2 Sam. 21. 24. 1 Chron. 21.18 22.4 Vers 1. R. Nahum ap Nebien The mighty God even the Lord Heb. The God of gods whether they be so deputed as Angels Magistrates or reputed only as Heathen-deities 1 Cor. 8.9 Jehovah or Essentiator is Gods proper Name Some say God is here thrice named to note the Trinity in Vnity Hath spoken sc By the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Henoch the seventh from Adam spoke much like Jude 14. The Rabbines say that this Psalm is De die judecii futuro of the Day of Judgement Others that it is the Lords judging of his Church drawn according to the model of the great and last Judgement whereunto it serveth as a preparation or a warning-peece And called the earth from the rising c. The habitable part of Gods earth the sons of men Prov. 8.31 with Mal. 1.11 These are all called to attest the equity of Gods proceedings against an hypocriticall Nation Children that were corrupters For God hath thus farre instructed all men that He is to be honoured of all with all manner of observance Rom. 1.20 Let this be pressed upon all sorts said Zalencm the Locrian Law-giver in the preface to his Laws 1. That there is a God 2. That this God is to be duely worshiped Vers 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty Heb. The whole Perfection Perfectissim◠pulchritudini◠locus Tre◠or the Universality of beauty because there especially was Gods glory set forth in his holy ordinances and more clearly manifested than in all his handy-work besides See Psal 48.2 God hath shined Like the Sun in his strength sometimes for the comfort of his people as Psal 80.1 sometimes for the terrour of evill-doers as Psal 94.1 and here But evermore God is terrible out of his holy places Psal 68.35 89.7 Vers 3. Our God shall come and shall not keep silence He doth daily come and sit upon the tribunall in his Church by the Ministery of his Servants Mat. 18.17 who must reprove sinners with all authority and shew themselves sons of thunder that they may save some at least with fear snatching them out of the fire Jude 23. as Peter Act. 2.40 and Paul 2 Cor. 5.11 but especially when to work upon the Proconsul Paulus Sergius he set his eyes upon Elymas the sorcerer as if he would have looked thorough him After which lightening followed that terrible thunder crack O thou full of all subtlety and all mischief thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all Righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the streight wayes of the Lord Act. 13.9 10. A fire shall devour before him As he gave his law in fire so in fire shall he require it And it shall bee very tempestuous round about him Not before him only but round about him lest the Wicked should hope to escape by creeping behind him That was a terrible tempest that befell Alexander the great Curtius lib. 8. ex Dioder and his army marching into the Country of Gabaza when by reason of continuall thundering and lightening with hailstones and light-bolts the army was dis-ranked and wandred any way many durst not stirre out of the place c. Tremellius rendreth it wish-wise but in a parenthesis Les our Lord come and let him not be silent The Saints know that they shall bee safe when others shall smoak for it because God is their God Vers 4. Hee shall call to the Heavens from above and to the earth That these dumbCreatures may be as so many speaking evidences against an unworthy people and witnesses of Gods righteous dealings against them See Deut. 32.1 Isa 1.2 Mic. 6.2 The Chaldee thus paraphraseth He will call the high Angels from above and the just of the earth from beneath Vers 5. Gather my Saints together unto mee This seemeth to be spoken to the Angels those active Instruments and executioners of Gods Judgements By Saints here understand professors at large all that live in the bosome of the Church visible and partake of the externall priviledges only such as are in the Vine but bear no fruit Joh. 15.2 have a name to live but are dead Rev. 3. such as whose sanctity consisteth only in covenanting by sacrifice Basil saith that such are called Saints to aggravate their sins as a man that hath an honourable title but hath done wickedly and is therefore the rather to be condemned When one pleaded once with a Judge for his life that he might not be hanged because he was a Gentleman hee told him that therefore he should have the Gallows made higher for him Those that have made a Covenant with mee by Sacrifice But were never brought by mee into the bond of the Covenant for then the rebels would have been purged out from among them as it is Ezek. 20.37 38. Vers 6. And the Heavens shall declare his Righteousnesse Those Catholick Preachers whose voice goeth out aloud to the end of the World Psal 19.4 See vers 4. For God is Judge himself And front him is no appeal every transgression and disobedience from him shall receive a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 even those corruptions that are most inward and lye up in the heart of the Country as it were those pollutions not of flesh only i.e. worldly lusts and grosse evills but of spirit also 2 Cor. 7.1 more spirituall lusts as pride presumption formality self-flattery carnall confidence in externall legall worships the sin principally taxed in this Jewish people here in the next verses Vers 7. Hear O my people and I will speak c. What sweet and winning language is here for a preface Gods proceedings against sinners whom he might confound with his terrours is with meeknesse and much mildnesse Gen. 3.9.11 4.9 Mat.
said our Hen. 7. should delight in War or take every occasion that is offered the World should never bee quiet but wearied with continual Wars Vers 31. Princes shall come out of Aegypt The Gentiles shall one day be called and caused Drum veruns cognoscere colere even Aegypt that Arch-enemy of the Church and Aethiopia the Off-spring of cursed Cham. And Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God Heb. Shall make her hands to run whereby is noted her speediness in giving or in receiving the Gospel Manibus pedibusque 〈◊〉 omnia faciat It is likely that that good Eunuch Acts 8. Terent. preached the Christian verity which himself had imbraced for goodness is diffusive and Birds when they come to a full heap of Corn will chirp Hist Aethiâ— cap. 137. and call in for their fellow The Habassines are still a kinde of Christians the Nubians have forsaken the Furtherance delivered and embraced instead of it partly Mahumetanism and partly Idolatry through lack of Ministers as Alvarro reporteth Vers 32. Sing unto God ye Kingdoms No such joy as that of the converted Isa 35.10 the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Song and everlasting joy upon their heads c. Bernard for a certain time after his Conversion remained as it were deprived of his senses by the excessive consolations hee had from God The like befell Cyprian Austin and others Vers 33. To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens i.e. the highest heaven Deut. 10.14 Which were of old And do still remain in the same state Lo he doth send out his voyce i.e. Thundreth as Psal 29. whensoever therefore we hear it thunder Sciamus Deum ipsum laqui hoc est sensibilem reddi Vers 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Altitonans Ascribe ye strength unto God The High thunderer acknowledge your own nothingness submit to his government His excellency is over Israel and his strength c. i.e. His glory shineth no less in Israel than the Thunder roareth in the Clouds Vers 35. O God thou art terrible out of thine holy places So the Sanctuary is called because divided into three parts and here hence God was terrible in his manifestations to his people and in his operations to his enemies See Psalm 67 2 3. Blessed be God Hereupon saith one God was called in Israel Baruc-hu the Blessed as Mark 14.61 with Mat. 26.63 See Luke 1.68 PSAL. LXIX A Psalm of David Quando rebellabat Sheba saith the Syriack made upon occasion of Sheba's rebellion presently after Absoloms Hence he cries out as one almost over-whelmed Vers 1. Save mee O God Thou who delightest to save such as are forsaken of their hopes The Fathers generally take this Psalm to be prophetical touching the passions of Christ and his praying then to the Father David had his troubles which gave occasion to the penning of this Psalm but those were all but as a picture and prelude of Christs farre greater sorrows Spiritus autem sanctus manifestè se prodit in hoc Psalmo For the waters are come in unto my soul Ever after Noahs flood that dismal destruction great and grievous afflictions were set forth by the rushing in of waters and overwhelming therewith Gods wrath was poured upon Christ as a mighty torrent of waters and therefore this expression applied to him hath a special Emphasis his soul was heavy even to the death Fluctus fluctum trudebat One deep called upon another c. O the soul of sufferings which his soul then suffered Vers 2. I sink in deep mire Heb. In the mire of depth or gulf as Babylon was afterwards called Isa 44.27 Here he stuck and under water and so must perish if he had not present help Vers 3. I am weary of my crying As a drowning man whiles he can be heard cryeth for help My throat is dryed Or parched raucitate laborant fancâ—â— Mine eyes fail With much weeping and long looking This is a peece of the curse Levit. 26.16 Christ became a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Vers 4. They that hate mee without a cause c. Christ besides his inward fears and griefs caused by the sense of his Fathers wrath for our sins was set against and assaulted both by men and Devils in that three hours darkness especially with utmost might and malice Then I restered that which I took not away Quod non rapâ—i reddebam Dâ—â—â—â— was dealt with as a felon or false-dealer Christ also was crucified for saying that he was the Son of God Job 19.7 though he held it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2.6 The Martyrs likewise were loaden with many 〈◊〉 and false criminations that they might seem to suffer not as Martyrs but as Malefactours Vers 5. O God thou knowest my foolishnese 〈…〉 Thou knowest mine innocency and how true I am of 〈◊〉 fâ—â—ly and those foul faults wherewith they falsely 〈◊〉 Vers 6. Let not them be ashamed for my sake Give mee not up to passions of dishonour to opprobrious practices whereby religion might be reproached or good people reviled and abused much lesse staggered and set at a stand by my sufferings Vers 7. Because for thy sake I have born repreach Whatever mine enemies pretend they strike at thee Lord through my sides and for thy sake alone it is that I am so bespattled that I am even ashamed to look any one in the face The most innocent may upon the fulnesse of an aspersion be put out of countenance Vers 8. I am become a stranger to my Brethren No otherwise than as if I were a Maâ—zer so the Hebrews call a Bastard that is a strange blet to the family Christ came to his own but they received him not yea his own brethren beleeved not on him Job 7. This when the Turks read in our Gospel they wonder and the Jews therefore slander his miracles for not so manifest as we conceive Vers 9. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten mee up Non amat qui non zelat Davids love to God much lesse the Lord Christs would not suffer him to bear with Gods dishonour and the contempt of his ordinances And this was it that procured him so much ill will and such a generall alienation from nearest friends and allyes And the reproaches of them that reproached thee Wicked men eftsoons set their mouths against Heaven and fall soul upon God himself This David and the son of David could not endure nec aliter amare didicit as Basit once answered those that blamed him for appearing so farre for his friend Chrysoft libâ— 2. d sacerdotâ— to his own great danger Vers 10. When I went and chastened my soul with fasting That I might thereby beat down my body and tame that rebel flesh of mine That was to my reproach They said I did it in hypocrisie and design So they dealt by the Baptist that crucifix of mortification Luk. 7.33 Vers 11. I made sack-cloath also
penned by David for private use but for publick Assemblies to be sung by the Congregation on the Sabbath and such like times It may very well be that they began their morning Sacrifice with this Psalm as the Latine Church also afterwards did their Mattens or Morning Service Let us make a joyful noyse With a clear and loud voyce as of a Trumpet singing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord. Vers 2. Let us come before his presence Heb. Prevent his face be there with the first Let us go speedily I will go also Zech. 8.21 Let praise wait for God in Sion Psal 65.1 Rabbi Gaon Praveniamus ante diem judicii Let us make haste saith he to do it before the Day of Judgement and lest we be taken with our task undone Others let us anticipate his face that is prepare our hearts at home before we come into the publick or let us give thanks for mercies already received that we may make way for more With Psalmes Oratione prorsà vorsâ Vers 3. For the Lord is a great God Understand it of Christ as the Apostle also doth Heb. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 10. Above all Gods Whether reputed so or deputed as Kings Vers 4. In his hand are the deep places Heb Searching that is much searched aster but sound to be unsearchable A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vo'ucris volan in altum R. Solom The strength of the hills Heb. The heights such as will sport a bird to get to the top of them Depths and heights are his Vers 5. The Sea is his c. Canutus confuted his Flatterers who told him that all things in his Dominions were at his beck and check by laying his command on the Sea Hen. Huntingâ—on to come up no higher into his Land but it obeyed him not And his hands formed the dry land Worship him therefore Rev. 4. Vers 6. O come let us worship and fall down With our whole bodies prostrate on the ground Kimchi our hands and feet stretcht out The Jews gesture of adoration at this day is the bowing forward of their bodies for kneeling they use none no more do the Graecians neither stir they their Bonnets in their Synagogues to any man Spec. Eur. but remain still covered The Lord our Maeker Who hath not only created us but advanced us as hee did Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 12.6 Vers 7. The people of his pasture Whom he turns not out into Commons and Fallows but feeds among Lillies Cant. 2.16 And the sheep of his hand His Cades brought up at hand eating of his meat and drinking of his cup and lying in his bosome as Uriahs Ewe-Lamb did 2 Sam. 12.3 To day if ye will hear his voyce i.e. Whiles the day of grace lasteth which is not long 2 Cor. 6.2 Qui paenitenti veniam spofpondit peccanti crastinum non promisit saith Gregory Vers 8. Harden not your hearts by unbeleef and the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.12 13. which gradually obfirmeth the heart against God As in the provocation As your fathers did at Massah and Meribah be not you as good at resisting the Holy Ghost us they were Act. 7.51 Vers 9. When your Fathers tempted mee The times all along the wildernesse Num. 14 2â— though They saw my works Both mercies and judgements Psal 98.8 yet they were refractory and unmalleable Vers 10. Was I grieved Litigavi vel cum taedio pertuli That do erre in their hearts Wandering though not so wide as to misse of Hell They have not known viz. practically and savingly Vers 11. Vnto whom I sware When put past all patience Patientia lasa fit furor If they enter c. This God sweareth cum reticentia to shew how greatly hee was incensed PSAL. XCVI VErs 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song For this new mercy of the Ark now brought into Jerusalem from the house of Obed-Edom I Chron. 16.23 but especially of Christ typified by the Ark who should bee preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the World received up to glory I Tim. 3 16â— Sing unto the Lord all the earth Which they could not do aright till they had heard beleeved and were sealed Ephes 1.13 Unbeleevers can have no true notion of God but as of an enemy and therefore all their verball praises are but a black sanct is suitable to such Saints Vers 2. Sing unto the Lord c. David was at this time full of affection and exultation of Sprit insomuch as Michal mocked him for it 1 Chron. 15.29 and thence this heap of holy expressions to the same purpose Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Shew forth his salvation Evangelize Preach the Gospel of salvation by Christ see Psal 40.10 2 Sam. 18.18 Isa 61.1 where the same word is used Form day to day Other news delights us only at first hearing but the good news of our redemption is sweet from day to day ac si in eodem die redemptio fuisset operata saith Kimchi here as if it were done but to day Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est saith Luther ac si hac horâ fudisset sanguinem Christ is now as fresh unto mee as if he had shed his blood but this very hour Vers 3. Declare his glory Hob. Sâ—pher it up in the particulars that God be no loser by you His wonders among all people There is a world of wonders in the work of mans redemption by Christ and all other mercies meet in this as the lines in the center streams in the fountain Vers 4. For the Lord is great Vere magnus est Christianorum Deus said Calocerius an Heathen he is omni laude major merito mituendus saith David here and elsewhere often Sound out therefore and send abroad his worthy praises the others may hear and fear Vers 5. For all the Gods c. Deunculi deastri Those petty Gods those dunghill-deities of the Heathens are nullities indeed they are Devils and those Idolls were their receptacles and as it were their bodies from whence in some places they gave oracles but were silenced at Christs comming in the flesh to the great amazement of their superstitious worshipers But the Lord made the Heavens With singular artifice Heb. 11.10 Clem. Aleâ— Paid l. 1. c. â—â— using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every engine of wisdome Vers 6. Honour and Majesty are before him These are his Harbingers and they go often coupled as Psal 21.45.111.145 Job 40. c. By the former seemeth to be meant outward port and splendour by the latter inward reverence and respect following thereupon Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary Gods glory shineth more in his Church than in all the World besides Vers 7. Give unto the Lord See Psal 29.1 2. One rendreth it Tribuite ponderose unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onus pondus portate to shew that our praises of God should bee ponderous and substantiall Vers 8. Give
of the Rock Golden words they are indeed that here follow Clarks Lives and well worthy to be written in Lotten of God In the Life of Ziscn that Warlike Babeâ—â—ian it is recorded that in the famous Monastery called the Kings Court a mile from Pragus in the walls there of the whole Bible was most exquisitely engraven in Letteâ—s of Gold For ever To last longer then the would lasteth Those bloody Tyrants of the Primitive times made account they had made sure work in rooting out true Religion when they sounded the triumph before hand and engraved the victory upon Pillars of Marble in these bubbles of words Nomine Christianorum deloâ—o qui Râ—â—s ovâ—rebant c But Christ shall reigne and the Church shall stand upon his right hand as a Queen in gold of Ophir Psal 45 9 When all earthly greatnesse shall lye in the dust Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Psal 45.6 and there shall be a new succession of Saints to all perpetuity Psal 72 17. His name shall endure for ever His name shall be continued Heb. childed as long as the Son as long as the world as long as the Word of our God which according to Jobs wish here shall stand for ever Isai 40.8 But what meaneth the Vulgar translation here by this insignificant word Celte And why should Hugo feek to salve the matter Celte vox est nihili Merc. by reiling us that Celtes is a Tool wherewith Letters or Pictures are cut in the flint Whereupon Vide quaeso mi Lector saith Brentius See I pray thee good Reader how only they interpres Scripture that want Learning for neither is Celte such a Tool nor can it be Celte for centa sith the Hebrew word Lâ—guad doth not signifie Surely but For ever Verse 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth Clarissima fidei confessio saith Brentius A most famous Confession of his faith Breves longe â—â—taque aurea est hac Apologia saith Another This is Jobs short and yet long Apology bat golden all oven and such as hath fulness of matter in fewnesse of words Calvin and Mercar viri alioqui judioiosissimi are mistaken here when following the Raâ—hins they interpret this text of a temporal restauration of Job to such an estate of honour and riches as he had enjoyed in the former part of his life this they call Jobs Resurrection and Redemption c. But his thoughes soared higher then so I know faith he it is as if he should say you take your selves to he the only knowing men and as for me Bilded hath set me among such as know not God Chop 18.21 But hereby I know that I know him 1 John 2.3 Because I know him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ John 17.3 Net only as a Redeemer but as my Rodeemer by a particular application of him to my self which is the very pith and form of faith This great Mystery of godlinesse I know what ever else I am ignorant of and I know it savingly because I am secure of my interest in Christ my Kinsman and Redeemer and therefore I am no hypocrite or wicked man as you would make me Were it not for this word of possession Mine the worst man alive â—ay the divel might say at Job here doth yea repeat al the Articles of the Creed to as good purpose as he but that which tormenteth the divel is he can say My to never a one of them I know saith Job when condemned for an hypocrite that Christ is my Redeemes and that this my Redeemer liveth for over and is for ever mine So Doctor Taylor Martyr when condemned for an Heretick subsribed his last Will and Testament Acts Mon. in these words Row hand Taylor departing hence in a sare hope without all 〈◊〉 of a glorious Resurrection I thank God my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ my certains Saviour And that he shall stand As keeping the field when all his foes shall be his footstool Psal 1 10.1 So he standeth Rev. 10.2 setting his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth maugre all Hereticks and Anti-christs that therehence arise as Lord Paramount of both At the latter day Or last of all Theodesius rendreth it Novissimè a general judgment of quick and dead at the last day was in Jobs time and after wards by Zoroaster and other Heathens as Lucretius Theopompus Plato Cicero Ovid c believed and foretold But in processe of time this true and pure Doctrine was darkned amongst them and when once it was extinct Superstitions and other vaine fopperies over grew the greatest part of the world The ancient tradition was that the latter age of the world should be so filthy all over that as it could not bee washed with water as once so it should he wasted with fire 2 Pet. 3.10 Vpon the earth Or Over the earth to wit in the aire For there it is probable Christ will sit in the clouds of the aire neer unto the earth whether the Elect shal be caught up to meet the Lord and so shal they ever be with the Lord 1 The. 4.17 There the divels shall be subdued and sentenced where they have ruled and plaid Rex Eph. 2.2 see Mat. 24.30 some read it And this pointing to his body shall stand up at the last day upon the earth Verse 26. And thought after my skin wormes destroy this body Here he pointeth again as doth likewise David when Psal 34.6 he saith This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him c. So the ancient Believers when they came to that Article in the Creed I believe the Resurrection of the flesh were wont to add Etiam bujus carnis even of this flesh pointing to some naked part of their body or else alluding to that of the Apostle This mortal must put on c. Wormes destroy this body Heb. They destroy this he saith not this body quod oh deformitatem summam non licerit corpus dicere faith Vatablus So worn it was and wasted with sores and sicknesses that it could scarce be called a body And yet it was not at the worst neither for in the grave it should be worm-eaten and something more Serm. 48. ad frat in erem Mihi exper to credite saith Austin Believe me who have tryed it open dead mens Sepulchers and upon their heads ye shall find toads crawling begotten of their brains on their loynes serpents begotten of their Rains in their bellies wormes begotten of their bowels c. Yet in my flesh Hebr. Out of my flesh as out of a casement I shall see God I shall see Christ Christum in corpore Austins wish the humane and glorified body of Christ who is god blessed for ever as also the mystical body of his Church perfectly united unto him 1 John 3.2 To this sense some render the Text thus I shal see God in my flesh that is I shall see Christ sitting in glory
cloathed with flesh or in the likenesse of man And here do but think with thy self though it far passe the reach of any mortal thought faith One what an infinite inexplicable happinesse it will be to look for ever upon the glorious body of Jesus Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty and to consider that even every vein of that blessed body bled to bring thee to heaven And that it being with such excesse of glory hypostatically united to the second Person in Trinity hath honoured and advanced thy Nature in that respect far above the brightest Cherub The whole verse may be read thus And after I shall awake though this body shall be destroyed yet out of my flesh shall I see God And being thus read it is a plainer and fuller confession of the Resurrection saith an Interpreter It is common is Scripture to compare death to sleep and Resurrection to awaking Dan. 12.2 Psal 17.15 The bodies of the Saints are laid in the grave as in a bed of Roses to ripen and mellow against the Resurrection and they write upon their graves as One did once Resurgam I shall surely rise again Moses his body hid in the valley of Moab appeared afterwaths glorious in Mount Tabor D. King This is matter of joy and triumph as it was here to Job and to those good souls who were to lose all Dan 12.2 and those Heb. 11.35 considering that God by rotting would refine their bodies and in due time raise them conformabley to Christs most glorious body the standard The forethought of this cheared up Davids good heart Psalm 16 9. and those in Isaiah chap. 26.19 and the good people in our Saviours time Beauchama John 11.24 I know saith Martha concerning her brother Lazarus that be shall rise again at the Resurrection at the Consolation saith the Syriack Interpreter Resurrection and Consolation then were termes equivalent Hence that great Apostle 2 Cor. 4.17 For this cause we faint not saith he For what cause Because we believe that be which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus and shall present us with you And the same Apostle maketh this Doctrine of the Resurrection the Canon of Consolation 1 Thes 4.13 14. c. to the end Verse 27. Whom I shall see for my self He speaketh confidently as one full assured of a Resurrection which if it should not be how should there be a remuneration of the body Say not We cannot see how t is possible See we not a yearly Resurrection of grasse grain herbs flowers fruits every Spring tide Know we not that men can of ashes make glasses that a Chymist can of several metals mixt to get her Lavâ— in Job 14.12 extract the one from the other and reduce every metal to its own species or king Etiam animalula quaedam typi Resurrectiones sunt saith Lavater Some little living creatures are Types of the Resurrection He instanceth in Dormise which sleep all wintes and revive in the spring in Silk wormes which dying leave nothing behind them but a certain excrement which being born about in the bosomes of women takes heat and reviveth Wherefore if Nature do such things shall it be held havd for the God of Nature to raise the dead The keeping green of Noah Olive tree in the time of the flood the blossoming of Aarons dry Rod the flesh and sinewes coming to Ezekiels dry bones what were these but lively emblemes of the Resurrection And mine eyes shall behold and not anothers Here he maintaineth the identity of his flesh and body in the Resurrection an identity I say not specifical only but numerical or individual The self saâ—â— particular body which fell shall rise Tert de Resurrect lib. 2. This was denyed of old by the Marcionists Basilidians and Valentinians those Simi-Sadduces as Tertullian termeth them and after them Entuchius Bishop of Constantinople who as Gregory saith taught that men rising again should have ayery bodies and not fleshly yea more subtile then the Aire abusing that place of the Apostle It is â—â—wen a natural body it is raised again a spiritual body c. but his book was burnt as Heretical A spiritual body it is called for its great strength and activity wherewith it shalt be endowed and where by it is enabled to bear a weight of glory as also for that it shall have no need of food sleep or other natural helps but we shall be as the Angels of God Matth. 22 30. yet still the same men that now we are Let no man say with Nicodemus How can this be There is no difficulty to Omnipotency Phil. 3. 〈◊〉 Besides there is a substance still preserved even when the body is turned to dust and this shall be raised 〈◊〉 and reunited to the soul He that made man at first of nothing can easily remake him of something And what though his dust be scattered hither and thither and mixt with that of others The skilful Gardener having sundry sorst of seeds mixt together can soon sever them and shall not he who hath the whole earth in his fist discern the dust of his Saints one from another Little balls or pickles or Quick-silver being scattered on the ground mix not themselves with any of another kind But if any man gather them they run together into one of their own accord So it is here greg Nyssen saith a Father Though my raines be consumed within me Though from my skin outward to my raines inward all be wasted yet all shall be raised and restored The Vulgar rendreth these words thus This hope is laid up in my bosome and is by Burgensis expoundod thus This is the only thing that I do most earnestly wish and wait for viz. to see Christ in the flesh at the last day the raynes are the sent of strong desires Verse 28. But ye should say Why persecute we him This ye shall one day surely say Then shall ye return and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked c. Nam â—lim dicitiâ— cur cum persequebamâ—r Tigur Mal. 3.18 Then shall it repent you it should do so now that ye have rated and reviled me for an by poerite viz. when God hath cleared mine integrity as he did chap. 42. or at the last day howsoever what time there shall be a Resurtection of names as well as of bodies Would ye but say so now it would be some satisfaction Queâ— panites precasse poene est innâ—cons You have heard by the confession I have made I am no miscreant no misbeliever but that I do hold fast the faithful Word The root of the mentor is in me Or the root of the Word the engrafied word of God that is able to save my soul hath taken deep root in me Jâ—n 1.21 I hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 this is the Cabinet that the Jewel hept therein And with what face can ye censure such an one for