mighty work of wise disposal and contrivance for the preservation of mankind and though once for the sins of the old World these waters were appointed to break out and so overwhelmed the whole earth yet God hath firmly promised that they shall never do so again 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place Paraphrase 3. But though all the whole Universe be his and he effectually present in every tâ—â— smallest corner thereof yet in a more peculiar manner will he exhibit himself in Mount Sion at the placing the Ark of the Covenant in it that image of heaven it self the special place of his residence built on purpose for the adoring and worshipping and performing service to him And as to heaven so to this every one promiscuously is not meet to be admitted nor can expect to partake of his blessing auspicious presence there 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully Paraphrase 4. But only such as keep close to the commands of God that preserve their minds as well as their bodies their inward thoughts and consents as well as their external actions from all forbidden unlawful objects that never make use of perjurious deceitful means for the inriching themselves or depriving others but serve and worship God uprightly 5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation Paraphrase 5. Such and none but such shall be accepted and rewarded by God at their approach to his Sanctuary when they pray unto him and when they most want and depend upon his mercy Though God in Christ be a Saviour to all sincere worshippers and servants of his none 't is sure but such shall have part in this salvation 6. This is the generation of them that seek him seek thy face O Jacob. Selah Paraphrase 6. These indeed are the men that may properly be said to pray to and worship God these are the true Israelites that are meet to appear before the God of Israel whose peculiar presence is exhibited in the Ark of his Covenant or that associate themselves and joyn with thee O Jacob in the worship of the one true God 7. Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in Paraphrase 7. For the admission of this Ark of the Lord to a place where it may long continue the gates of the Fort of Sion are now to be set wide open those strong invincible gates as for the cheerful hospitable reception and entertainment of that great King whose Palace it is 8. Who is the King of glory the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Paraphrase 8. And if any aske what King this is the answer is ready That powerful omnipotent Lord that hath wrought all Davids victories for him 9. Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift them up ye everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in Paraphrase 9.10 And let this be a solemnity to all Israel as for the most glorious and welcome news the placing the Ark of Gods Covenant in the Royal City and so securing to us the presence of God himself the God of all victory in war to whom we may daily assemble and make our addresses with confidence to be accepted and heard and so be for ever happy and joyful in his presence This primarily belonging to the bringing the Ark into Sion doth also literally belong to the ascension of Christ our Saviour into the highest heavens and so the antient Fathers frequently apply it 10. Who is the King of glory the Lord of hosts he is the King of glory Selah Annotations on Psal XXIV V. 4. Lift up his soul That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take to lift up which is used in very many senses according to the matter to which it belongs doth sometimes signifie to swear by there is no question Thus 't is in the third Commandment and generally when it is the taking Gods name for Gods name being God himself the taking of that is the swearing by God see note on Psal 16. e. And though applied to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul it frequently in the Psalmist signifies somewhat else lifting it up in devotion as it were a sacrifice to God yet the consequents here belonging evidently to perjury and among the forms of swearing that by the soul or life being one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am. 6.8 God hath sworn by his life or soul therefore it is here most probable to be taken in that sense especially having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vain joyned with it which again makes it more parallel to that in the third Commandment where by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour Mat. 5. perjury is denoted The only remaining difficulty is how the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred my soul or his own soul The points direct to render it my soul and so the Interlinear reads animam meam my soul or life as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making God the speaker of this verse and then it is God's life or soul But the the text writing ו not ×™ and the context according with it the punctation must in reason give place and accordingly all the antient interpreters appear to have read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soul by that meaning his own soul or the soul of the swearer And thus it may probably be And yet it is as probable also that the Lord being formerly more than once mentioned in this Psalm the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soul or life may be the life of God by whom oaths are wont to be conceived and are then an acknowledgment of Gods vindicative power which if it be invoked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a vain i. e. a false thing is a huge degree of profaneness and so may here fitly be set to signifie those that are not meet to be admitted into Gods holy place where he is to be honoured and worshipt V. 5. Righteousness That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness is oft taken for mercy is frequently observed see note on Mat. 1. g. and Mat. 6. a. and so 't is most probably to be taken here being explicative of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessing going before as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the two words for blessing benefaction and benediction are frequently used for works of mercy and thus the LXXII read it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine Arabick and Aethiopick in like manner mercy from God his Saviour V. 6. O Jacob What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jacob is set to signifie here is uncertain The LXXII leaving out the affix of the former word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy face and reading it only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Joseph and Benjamin to bless the people on the one and Reuben Gad Dan Asher Zabulon and Napthali on the other to curse six on one side and six on to'ther And being thus found so long before and so long after this time 't is the less to be doubted but it was practised now at the bringing of the Ark to Sion To which purpose 't is farther to be observed from Psal 48. written for the removal of the Arke and beginning with the solemn form Let God arise c. prescribed in the law for that occasion Num. 10.36 that the manner of this Procession is thus described v. 24. They see thy goings O God the goings of my God and King in the Sanctuary The singers went before the players on Instruments followed after amongst them were the Damsels playing upon the timbrels One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 company or chorus of vocall Musick went before the Ark the other of Instrumental of all kinds followed it Whereon it follows Bless ye the Lord in the Congregations in the plural these two companies And then it cannot be improbable that as Neh. 12.40 So stood the two companies in the house of the Lord so here at the entry of the Ark into Sion these two chori should be drawn up at the gates on each side of it and so stand and the first be supposed to begin with the three first verses of this Psalm The earth is the Lords c. Who shall ascend c. to which the other answered in the three following He that hath clean hands c. Then the first resuming their turn in the seventh verse Lift up your heads c. the other answered in part of the eighth Who is the King of glory then the former answering The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel The other resumes again Lift up your heads c. And then the first asking the question Who is c. the second concludes The Lord of hosts he is the King of Glory The Twenty Fifth PSALM A Psalm of David Paraphrase The Twenty Fifth Psalm composed by David in some time of distress is a divine mixture of Prayer for pardon of sin and deliverance from evil and also of meditation of Gods gracious dealings with his servants 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Paraphrase 1. O Lord I have none but thee to whom to address my prayers in times of distress to thee therefore I come with the tribute of an humble heart the offering of a devout soul be thou pleased to accept it from me 2. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me Paraphrase 2. In thee O my gracious God do I repose all my confidence O let me not be left destitute or forsaken by thee let not my adversaries have occasion to rejoyce and deride me as one that have been disappointed or frustrated in my dependences on thee 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed let them be ashamed that transgress without cause Paraphrase 3. Yea let all those that rely and depend on thee be constantly owned by thee let not any man that hath reposed his whole trust in thee find himself disappointed Let that be the fate of treacherous perfidious persons those that rely on their own ungodly policies let them miscarry and be disappointed of their hopes and so appear ridiculous among men The only way that may most probably work reformation in them Psal 83.16 4. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths Paraphrase 4. O Lord be thou pleased by thy special grace to direct me in the performance of all that may be acceptable in thy sight 5. Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day Paraphrase 5. Preserve me from all straying and wandring out of the right way On thee I depend for this and every minute look up to thee for the directions and support of thy good spirit 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness for they have been ever of old Paraphrase 6. Lord thou hast allwayes abounded to thy servants in compassion and bounty relieved the distrest and plentifully supplyed all wants to those that have addrest their prayers to thee Be thou pleased at this time thus in mercy to deal with me 7. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions According to thy mercy remember me for thy goodness sake O Lord. Paraphrase 7. Lord the sins of my younger dayes are many the breaches innumerable wherewith I have ignorantly or foolishly for want of knowledge or consideration offended against thee Lay them not I beseech thee to my charge but of thine own free mercy and compassion to a wretched sinner be thou pleased to be reconciled to me O Lord. 8. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way Paraphrase 8. It is an act of the great purity and justice and rectitude of God to direct and assist toward the wayes of virtue all those that are by error and weakness fallen away and departed from it and timely to reduce them to good life 9. The meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way Paraphrase 9. Those that are truly humbled before him for their sins and failings and de voutly address to him for pardon and grace he will never fall to allow them his assistance and direction in the wayes of virtue 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies Paraphrase 10. God will never fail either in mercy or fidelity any man that walks diligently and industriously in obedience to him The pardon and the grace that he hath promised to such the pardon of all their frailties and the donation of sufficient strength to support their weakness shall never fall to be performed to them that remain thus faithful to him 11. For thy names sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great Paraphrase 11. I have many wayes greatly sinned against thee and have no ground of hope for mercy but only from thy free abundant pardon which I know exceedeth my sins and for which I am the more abundantly qualified by how much my state is more sadly miserable without the interposition of this mercy On that only account therefore of thy free pardon to the greatest so they be truly penitent sinners I beseech thee to be reconciled unto me who unfeignedly repent and return to thee 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord Him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse Paraphrase 12. Where the fear of God is planted truly in the heart there God will not fall of his directions and illuminations but will certainly afford him knowledge what will be acceptable in his fight 13. His soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit
〈◊〉 the face for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jacob read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the God of Jacob and so the Latine and Arabick and Aethiopick but the Syriack thy face O God of Jacob as our English doth making an unusual Ellipsis which they supply with O God of But it may be more probable that Jacob is here set as oft it is for the children or posterity of Jacob as Israel the other name of Jacob is we know very frequently used for the men or children of Israel the Israelites so the Jewish Arab here of the family or posterity of Jacob and then two rendrings the words will be capable of For Jacob i. e. the children of Jacob will be a fit appellation for those that are diligent seekers of God truly pious men and so may be joyned with them by apposition or as the substantive to which that participle is to be annext in construction though it be placed before it so the Jewish Arab which seek the light of thy countenance of the family c. And to this the Chaldee may seem to have lookt who without any paraphrase to illustrate it or supply any Ellipsis set it just as the Hebrew do only in stead of thy face they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sight of his face To this sense the learned Castellio reads it thus expresly Jacobaeorum qui sunt ejus praesentiae cupidi the Jacobaeans or Israelites which are desirous of his presence which love and earnestly desire and frequent the assemblies where God hath promised to exhibit himself to those that worthily approach him But there is also a second possible and not improbable rendring to be fetcht from the importance of the phrase seeking the face which is no more than joyning themselves to another So Prov. 7.15 Therefore came I out to meet thee diligently to feek thy face c. 'T is the speech of the whore to the lover and signifies no more then to get into his society to joyn her self to him Now the sons of Jacob being the only people that had the knowledge of God and that were owned by him and that should have liberty to enter into the Temple the holy hill the representation of heaven and this priviledge being communicable to Proselytes that should come and seek and joyn themselves to them and the Prophets oft foretelling that thus the Nations should flow in to them which was most eminently fulfilled in the Gentiles receiving the faith and so becoming the spiritual seed of Abraham and Jacob the true Israelites therefore this may very fitly be the rendring of the words that seek thy face O Jacob that come in and are proselytes to Israel joyn themselves to them in the worship and landing of God and undertaking of his obedience the seeking of Jacobs face in this sense being all one with being proselytes to their Jewish Religion as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming to God Heb. 11.6 the periphrasis of a proselyte to Christ is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeking him diligently in the latter part of that verse This interpretation will be yet more commodious if we suppose see note d. this Psalm sung by way of antiphona one chorus answering to'ther For then they to whom the answer is given may fitly be meant by the other in that phrase thy face O Jacob as those that represented the whole people and praised God in their name V. 7. Lift up your heads Where the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift up O gates your heads the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be construed Ye Princes lift up your gates so the Latine render it attollite portas principes vestras and so the Arabick and Aethiopick and so Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye Rulers lift up your gates But that rendring can have no accord with the Hebrew which joynes the affixe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yours to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heads not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gates 'T is therefore more probable that the LXXII set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Princes to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your heads so inverting the Syntaxis your heads or Princes lift up the gates for ye gates lift up your heads But this is a misrendring of theirs and the Chaldee and Syriack read ye gates lift up your heads what that is may next be considered The gates are specified by the Chaldee to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gates of the house of the Sanctuary i. e. of Sion whither the Arke was to enter and to be placed there The Arke we know is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory 1 Sam 4.22 The glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken And God having promised to be present there he is as in other so peculiarly in that respect here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of glory and he to come in when the Ark enters Now there be some hanging gates the letting down of which is the shutting of them and the lifting them up the opening of them Such are those which we call Portcullis of use for fortified places such as Sion was the strong hold of Sion 2 Sam. 5.7 and so the gates of Sion lifting up their heads is their being opened for the Ark to come into it And this we know was done with solemnity 2 Sam. 6.12 with gladness saith the text and this Psalm was either made for that solemnity or else for the commemorating of it That these gates in the next words are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal gates the reason may be taken from the durableness of the matter whereof they were made as strong holds have iron-gates or the like In this place it is not amiss to add of this Psalm that being designed for so solemn an occasion as that of the bringing the Arke into Sion or the commemorating thereof it was probably sung by way of Antiphona or response or alternation Thus it seems to be practiced at the Encania or dedication of the wall Nehem. 12. the solemnity whereof was performed by drawing up the whole train of Attendants into two companies or Processions Then saith Nehemiah v. 31. I appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two great companies or chori 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and processions saith the interlinear we render it from the vulgar laudantiâ—m of them that gave thanks whereof one went on the right hand and v. 38. the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of the Lord v. 40. This same usage on solemn occasions to divide into two chores though without respect to alternations appeareth also more antiently before this of bringing the Ark to Sion from the performances on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Deut. 27.12 where the quires were after this manner divided Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and
I have nothing else to complain of in my present distresses 5. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me up upon a rock Paraphrase 5. Were I but returned to the Sanctuary I should look upon it and make use of it as of a refuge of perfect safety to which in any difficulty I might confidently resort and be secured by God as in a tower or fortress 6. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy I will sing yea I will sing praises unto the Lord. Paraphrase 6. And as now it is though I am at present withheld from that felicity yet have I confidence that my prayers shall be heard that I shall be delivered from mine enemies power and exalted above them all and afforded all matter of joy and Sacrifices when I do come to Sion and abundant thanksgivings unto God 7. Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice have mercy also upon me and answer me Paraphrase 7. And therefore with this confidence I now offer up my Prayers to thee O Lord for mercy and compassion and gracious returns to all my wants 8. When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Paraphrase 8. Whatsoever supply I lack my heart directs me whither to apply my self by resounding in my ears those gracious words of thine seek ye my face calling all that want any thing to ask it of thee To thee therefore I make my address with thine own words of invitation in my mouth Thy face O Lord will I seek making all my application to thee and to none other 9. Hide not thy face far from me put not thy servant away in anger thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation Paraphrase 9. Lord vouchsafe me thy wonted presence and favourable aspect withdraw all expressions of thy displeasure Thy former continued reliefs have ingaged me to hope for deliverance from none but thee O do not thou leave me for then I shall be utterly destitute 10. When my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up Paraphrase 10. It is one of thy wonderful works of mercy to provide for those whose parents have exposed and left them helpless the young Ravens Psalm 147.9 And the like I trust thou wilt do for me though all hmane aids should utterly fail me 11. Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain way because of mine enemies Paraphrase 11. Lord do thou instruct and direct me what course I shall take that mine enemies may have no advantage against me but that I may escape safe out of their hands 12. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies for false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breath out cruelty Paraphrase 12. Permit me not to fall into their power for as they have begun with slander and calumny so will they end if thou do not divert or with-hold them in injustice and rapine 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Paraphrase 13. Had I not had a full confidence that I should by Gods great mercy be supported in my distress and restored to those injoyments of rest and peace which God had faithfully promised me Here the Psalmist abruptly but elegantly breaks off the speech 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Paraphrase 14. O my soul do thou patiently expect Gods leasure be not discouraged with thy present evils but arm thy self with constancy and fortitude and never doubt of Gods seasonable reliefs Annotations on Psalm XXVII V. 2. Stumbled Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in the Praeter tense yet 't is usual in the Prophetick writings that these should be taken in the future tense when the context inclines that way And so here it doth being a profession of his confidence in God that he will deliver him out of his present distresses as both the antecedents v. 1. and consequents v. 3. make evident And accordingly it is most probable that here thus it should be v. 2. and so the Jewish Arab reads they shall stumble and fall and so the learned Castellio renders it si invadant offensuri sunt atque casuri If they invade me they shall stumble and fall Though it be also possible that it may reflect upon his past experiences of Gods mercies as pledges of his future and then it may retain the praeter tense And therefore I deemed it safest to take that in also in the Paraphrase V. 6. Joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifices of jubilation are those of the solemn feasts attended not only with the harmony and Musick of the Levites but the Hosannahs and acclamations of the people Hence Jeremy compares the military clamours of the victorious Chaldeans in the Temple to those that were formerly made there in the day of a solemn feast Lam. 2.7 They have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in a day of a solemn feast And this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joyful sound which they that hear are by David pronounced blessed Psal 89.15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound V. 8. My heart For the meaning of this v. 8. little help will be had from the antient Interpreters The Syriack leave out a part of it unrendred and have only thus much My heart saith unto thee and my face shall seek thy countenance The LXXII and after them the Latine Arabick and Aethiopick in stead of Seek ye my face read I have sought thy face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My heart said to thee I have sought thy face thy face Lord will I seek and other copies with some change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. My heart hath said to thee I will seek the Lord my face hath sought thee thy face Lord will I seek But the Chaldee keeps close to the Hebrew only for seek ye reads in the singular seek thou The full meaning of it will easily be gathered by reflecting on Gods mercy and kindness unto men ready to defend them if they will but call to him for his help This is conteined in this supposed speech or command of Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek ye my face thereby inviting all to address their prayers to him This gracious speech of Gods David here meditates upon and on it founds his confidence and in his addresses to Heaven first minds God of this his command or invitation or incouragement to all to seek to him that is the meaning of My soul said to thee seek ye my face laying a
10 15 34 2 17 3 50 2 Fine gold 19 10 64 2 Finest wheat 81 16 234 2 Fire brimstone 11 6 37 2 Firmament 19 1 61 1 Firmament of his power 150 1 406 1 Firr-trees 104 17 295 2 Flattereth 36 2 110 1 Flee away 55 6 162 1 90 10 261 1 the Floud 29 10 90 2 Fly apace 68 12 193 1 divers sorts of Flies 78 45 225 2 Follow it 94 1â— 27â— â— their Folly 49 13 146 2 not turn to Folly 85 8 246 1 Fools 107 17 312 2 Footsteps 58 10 171 2 89 51 256 2 139 5 383 1 For 102 9 287 1 118 12 337 1 For I shall 10 6 33 1 For so 127 2 366 2 For ever 37 28 114 2 66 7 187 2 For ever O Lord 119 89 354 2 For evermore 18 50 60 1 Forget her cunning 137 5 379 1 Forgiven the iniquity 85 2 246 1 Former 89 49 256 1 Forsake 138 8 381 2 Foundation 87 1 247 1 Foundations 11 3 37 1 portion for Foxes 63 10 181 2 Free 88 5 250 1 Freely sacrifice 54 6 160 1 Fret 37 7 114 1 From the Lord 121 2 360 1 Frost 78 47 225 2 a Froward heart 101 4 284 2 Fruitfull vine 128 3 367 1 Full of children 17 14 53 1 right hand Full of righteousness 48 10 142 2 Fulness 89 11 254 2 Furrows 65 10 185 1 Further not 140 8 387 1 G Gate 69 12 197 1 127 5 366 2 ye Gates 24 7 77 2 Gather 39 6 120 2 56 6 166 2 Gathered together for war 140 2 386 1 Gebal 83 7 237 2 Gentleness 18 35 59 1 Gilead 60 7 176 2 Gittith 8 Tit. 26 1 Given to thee 120 3 358 1 make his praise Glorious 66 2 186 1 Glory 16 9 47 2 30 12 95 2 106 20 307 1 my Glory into 4 2 16 1 with Glory 73 24 208 2 Glory ye 105 3 300 1 God 56 4 164 2 my God 22 2 71 2 meat from God 104 21 295 2 Gods 82 1 235 1 86 8 245 2 97 7 277 1 138 1 380 1 Godly 4 3 16 1 Go in 71 16 199 2 Going out and coming in 121 8 360 2 fine Gold 19 10 64 2 Good 69 18 197 1 104 28 296 2 Good judgment 119 66 353 2 a Good matter 45 1 135 1 Goodness 16 2 45 2 my Goodness 16 2 45 2 Govern 67 4 187 1 as Grass 90 5 259 2 Grave 49 14 146 2 Graves mouth 141 7 389 2 Great 117 2 334 2 Grievous 10 5 33 1 Groweth up 90 5 260 1 128 3 367 1 Grudge 59 15 174 2 Guide thee 32 8 99 1 H Habitation of thy house 26 8 83 2 Habitation of thy throne 89 14 255 1 97 2 277 1 Hagarenes 83 6 237 2 Half their days 55 23 164 2 thy Hand 17 14 52 2 lift up thy Hand 106 26 308 1 thy right Hand 17 7 51 2 110 5 322 2 my soul is in my Hand 119 109 355 2 found their Hands 76 5 216 1 Hand breadth 39 5 120 1 Handfull 72 16 202 1 Happy 146 5 399 1 Harps 43 4 130 2 my Haste 31 22 96 2 soul Hateth 11 5 37 2 as an Heap 33 7 91 2 on Heaps 79 1 228 1 Heapeth up 39 6 120 1 hast Heard me 22 21 74 1 Heard of it at Ephrata 132 6 372 2 Hear me 4 1 16 1 Hear us 20 9 66 1 Hearkning 103 20 290 2 my Heart 27 8 85 1 in the Heart 45 5 135 2 Hearts 84 5 241 1 say in their Hearts 35 25 108 2 Heathens 10 16 35 2 the Heavens 57 10 168 2 68 4 192 1 96 11 276 1 113 5 328 1 Heavens of Heavens 148 4 403 1 by taking Heed 119 9 350 2 iniquity of my Heels 49 5 145 2 Hell 16 10 48 1 Heman the Ezrahite 88 Tit. 249 1 Hermon 89 12 255 1 dew of Hermon 133 3 347 1 Hermonites 42 6 128 1 Hid treasure 17 14 53 1 Hidden ones 83 3 237 1 to Hide me 143 9 392 1 High hill 68 15 193 2 low and High 49 2 145 1 High places 18 33 58 2 to the Hills 121 2 360 1 maketh the Hinds to calve 29 9 90 2 Hold up my goings 17 5 51 1 have Holpen 83 8 237 2 Holy 145 17 397 1 for I am Holy 86 2 245 1 beauties of Holiness 110 3 321 2 Honourable woman 45 9 136 2 Horn of David 132 17 373 2 mine Horn shalt thou exalt 92 10 267 2 Horns of the Altar 118 27 338 2 Horrible pit 40 2 127 1 keep House 113 9 328 2 Houses 83 12 238 1 to his own Hurt 15 4 44 1 I O Jacob 24 6 77 1 Jah 68 4 192 1 Idols 96 5 274 1 115 4 331 1 Jehovah 83 18 239 2 If ye will 95 7 272 1 Image 73 20 208 2 Imagine mischief 62 3 179 1 substance yet Imperfect 139 16 384 2 Inclosed 17 10 51 2 22 16 73 2 Inditing 45 1 135 1 my Infirmity 77 10 219 2 Inhabitest 22 4 72 1 Inheritance 78 55 226 2 Iniquity 18 23 58 1 31 10 96 1 former Iniquities 79 8 228 1 Inlarge my heart 119 32 352 1 Instructed 2 10 10 1 16 7 47 1 Instrument of ten strings 33 2 91 1 Integrity 25 21 81 2 Intended evil 21 11 68 1 Inward parts 51 6 157 2 exceeding Joy 43 4 130 1 sacrifices of Joy 27 6 85 1 be Joyfull 98 8 279 2 Joyfull sound 89 15 255 1 out of Joynt 22 14 73 1 laid in Irons 105 18 300 2 Ishmaelites 83 6 237 2 Issues from death 68 20 134 1 Judge 75 7 214 2 135 14 376 1 their Judges 141 6 389 1 when thou Judgest 51 4 153 1 executed Judgment 106 30 308 1 good Judgment 119 66 353 2 thrones of Judgment 122 5 361 2 coles of Juniper 120 4 358 2 Justice 89 14 255 1 doe Justice 82 3 235 2 K Kadesh 29 8 90 1 Keep 119 1 350 1 shalt keep them 12 7 39 1 Kiss the son 2 12 11 1 I Know it not 35 15 108 1 Knewest my path 142 3 390 1 let him be Known 79 10 228 2 L to Labour 144 14 394 1 Lamp 132 17 373 2 Law-giver 60 7 177 1 Leanness 106 15 306 2 Leannoth 88 Tit. 249 1 Leap 68 16 194 1 Leaped 18 29 58 1 Leave not 141 8 389 2 Lebanon 29 6 89 2 Lest if thou 28 1 87 1 Let me not wander 119 10 351 1 Let the words 19 14 64 2 Let them 35 4 107 1 Leviathan 74 14 211 2 104 26 296 1 their Life 78 50 226 1 in this Life 17 14 53 1 Lift up 4 6 17 2 102 10 287 2 Lift up thy feet 74 3 210 1 Lift up your heads 24 7 77 2 my hands will I Lift up 119 48 353 1 Lift up his soul 24 4 77 1 Lifted up his hand 106 26 308 1 Light 97 11 278 2 the Light 74 16 212 2 Light
〈◊〉 she sits in the gates of magistrates and then adding the verb sits to supply a seeming Ellipsis In this place the Translatour of the Syriack seems to think that they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 city and so have translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ore suo clamitat cries with her mouth but by a gross mistake the Syriack being exactly the same with the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely the ד wanting as that is the literal rendring of the Hebrew in the mouth of the city according to the poetical style of this Book which resembling a city to a man speaks familiarly of the hand and the mouth the hand of the door noting the side the mouth of the city the entrance into it as v. 2. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or head of the high places is the top of them V. 5. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand with the heart they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set to your heart which the Larin render well by animadvertite mark or mind V. 7. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedness is an abomination to my lips they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying lips are abominated before me probably reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lips for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my lips and so joyning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it lips of wickedness for wicked or lying lips Herein the Syriack agrees with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and lying lips are an abomination before me but the Chaldee accord with our Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and my lips detest wickedness and so the Latin also V. 13. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mouth of perverseness they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perverted distorted ways of the wicked by way of paraphrase V. 18. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 durable riches they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possession of many things But this most probably by a mistake of the Scribe for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old gray or ancient possession i. e. that wich continues long with the possessours so the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the verb signifying to grow old imports and so Symmachus reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient life in the notion wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life signifies wealth possessions of this life and so Theodotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient i. e. durable substance V. 21. In the end they have this addition over and above the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if I shall have shewed you the things that are done every day I will remember to recount the things done from eternity This was designed to make a transition to that which follows of the eternal Wisedom of God before the creation of the world and being first noted in the margin seemeth from thence to have crept into the Text. V. 31. For rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth speaking still in the person of Wisedom and my delights c. they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he rejoyced having finished the world in reference to God's resting the seventh day after the six days creation and rejoycing on it as on a festivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he rejoyced in the sons of men V. 35. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 favour they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will in the notion wherein that word is among the Hellenists frequently used for delight or good pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he delights in thee see Note on Col. 2. g. CHAP. IX 1. WIsedom hath builded her a house she hath hewen out her seven pillars 2. She hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her wine she hath also furnished her table 3. She hath sent forth her maidens she crieth upon the highest places of the city 4. Whoso is simple let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him 5. Come eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled 6. Forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding Paraphrase 1 2 3 4 5 6. This eternal son and word and wisedom of God so begotten by as to be co-eternal and co-eval with the Father set down in the former chapter as the great Artificer of the world and Counsellour both in the framing and managing of it was by the eternal decree of God before the creation of the world designed and soon after Adam's fall promised that in the fulness of time he should prepare him a place of residence in the Virgin 's Womb be incarnate in our humane Nature pitch his Tabernacle in our flesh Joh. 1.14 and so abide and continue in it as in an house firmly and fitly built on pillars as the manner of ancient building was and the number of those pillars is here specified to be seven thereby perhaps denoting the seven graces of the spirit of God with all which in all abundance he should be replenish'd perhaps no more than the perfectness of his humane nature that was thus framed the number of seven being the perfect number perhaps the Church which was to have to him the relation of inferiour members to an head and so of this complete number of pillars to an house And having taken up this place of residence and so conversing familiarly with men he was to make provision for the entertainment of the whole world inviting all both Jews and Gentiles but especially the humble contrite hearts the weak and foolish things of this world to confound the mighty to a magnificent spiritual feast sending out Apostles see Matt. 21.4 into all quarters to proclaim this invitation made to all and to doe it in the Synagogues of the Jews and every where in places of greatest concourse so as might be to the greatest advantage to its coming to the ears of all For this feast of his it was necessary some Victims should be slain some drink-offerings prepared such was his own death saith S. Cyprian Ep. lxxiii such the blood-shedding the piety and patience of the primitive Martyrs saith S. Augustin in which this festival entertainment this copious coming into the Church was founded And the form of this invitation should be an earnest exhortation to faith and repentance as that denotes an uniform reformation and change of the mind and actions and to all that would humbly and obediently come in to this call of his the promise of a free and hospitable reception pardon of all that was past and sufficient if not abundant degrees of grace for the future to enable them for the service of God here and acceptation and reward to be received from his mercy to all eternity As a Symbol and pledge of this he should institute and ordein the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper so called as a festival by him provided for all that obey his call the elements whereof were to be bread and wine in correspondence with the Priesthood of
Christ and so Non hunc sed Barabbam a Barabbas is still the Choice and the Christ the reprobate still which brings me to the third particular the Choice it self not only preferring one before t'other but 1. absolutely rejecting of one and then 2. ad evitandum vacuum to fill up the vacuity pitching upon t'other non sed not this but c. And 1. absolutely not this a downright reiterated nolumus hunc most vehement dislikes to Christ assoon as ever he is mention'd the Jews had particular quarrels to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were many times scandaliz'd at him but not they only but it seems we Gentiles too the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit whether the graces or the promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he receives them not not only that he cannot attain to them for that is said in the latter words neither can he know them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he receives them not will not accept them when they are offer'd for they are foolishness to him not worth taking up in the streets he cannot stoop to such trifles and in another place the same Apostle saith it of Christ crucified To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness the things of the spirit are foolishness and the Christ foolishness too we not only not chuse him when any other comes in competition with him but not take him when none An antipathy to Christ as Christ an absolute aversation rejection of such merchandise though there were no price to be paid for them This is a Mystery of hell let us view it a while and to that end consider Christ in the two main parts of him in which he shines most illustrious towards us His graces and his promises the diet all the year long for his servants and the wages at the end of his service the viaticum he affords in the voyage and the reward in the haven For the former of these for grace the Bridegrooms feast Luke 14. which so many were bid to see there what difficulty there is to bring men to it not one comes on the first invitation though it seems all were really expected and the entertainment provided when all is ready the servants are again sent out to tell them they are staid for and the issue is they all with one consent began to make excuses the feast was ready grace ready to be spoyl'd for want of guests and yet neither civility nor pity nor common gratitude can work upon them or extort the acceptance of such a donative The Field the Oxen the Wife are like the Barabbas here not the reasons but excuses of their contempt pretences only and opportunities of getting off more cleanly more handsomely from Christ and if you mark it so it is There 's nothing that we have learned so perfect from Adam as that art of excuses and withall nothing that we so vehemently desire to be excused from as the power of grace when it makes toward our souls when by the preaching of the word powerfully applied with an Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and O consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish when by â—â—e message of that Angel come up close to us the Holy Ghost begins to overshadow and beget Christ in us that procreative light of Heaven darting its beams and those attended with some conceptions of holiness in a carnal breast O how uneasie we are how incumbred till we can get rid of this burthen like so many Harlots that live by the trade of not-conceiving or when that will not be done force an abortion if it be possible we must be excused from that austerity we are impatient of being so attenuated and spiritualiz'd wreckt though it be but from our lees the last flash of the candle pangs of the expiring soul are time enough for this bearing fruit unto God Lord make us chast make us sober make us humble then let me die the death of the righteous and my last end be like his let me have a shower of sanctity a Clinicks baptism some good wholsome wishes or ejaculations to bathe me before my last journy an Elias's fiery Chariot of zeal then to hurry me to Heaven sed noli mâ—dò Lord none of this purity yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eunapius the danger of being all soul all holiness all heavenly mindedness so early is a sad frightfull thing for a young Courtier a young Souldier a young Academick for any that are under the age or not come to the infirmities of the Clinicâ— in the Primitive Church those that would not be Baptiz'd till they were ready to die and so were literally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptiz'd for dead then and not till then desired to be baptized Holiness is a dull melancholy thing fit only for a hypocondriack to be entertain'd with Thus when the crest-faln Israelites were to be redeemed from an Aegypt to a Canaan they cry out upon Moses and Aaron Exod. 5. chide with their Saviours abomine their Deliverers thus the harrast degenerous emasculate slave is offended with a Jubilee a manumission servitude is his sensuality he will not go out free brings his ear to his Master and desires to be bored thorow it that he may be a slave for ever Once more thus the man possess'd with no less than a legion of Devils casting him sometime into the fire sometime into the water tearing him till he foameth again is passionately faln in love with that legion hath not the patience to be rid of these Devils when Christ comes to cast them out he is most out of charity with that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what have I to do with thee not thou Devil that hast tormented me all this while but thou Jesus the eternal Son or thou piety the pretious grace of God art thou come to torment i. e. to sanctifie or dispossess me before my time torment me by delivering me from the Tormentor disease by curing poyson me by thy balm or balsome wound me by thy mollifying plaisters condemn me to Hell by bringing me into a sight of Heaven thus when the Beloved comes and knocks at the door of the espoused soul Open to me my sister my love and there waits without doors most unseasonably and beyond all patience till his head be fill'd with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night all the answer that is to be had is no more but this I have put off my coat how can I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them I have put off righteousness like a garment denudated my self of all that looks like holiness and all the wooings of the true-beloved cannot give me patience to put it on again I have wash'd my feet in mâ—e or ink douz'd my carnal affections in all the vileness of the world and how
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the venerable and the pure but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovely and commendable Phil. 4. Embraced by men of quality upon the same motives on which now all the contrary vices are taken up in adoration to that great Idol Civility and Reputation Vertue was then the more splendid title the more courtly name And 't is none of the meanest sins and plagues provocations and vengeances of this Kingdom that the measure of honour and gallantry among us is taken from fools and mad-men and by that means shame so prodigiously transplanted The chast man is the only leper to be separated and thrust out from the Camp Modesty the only scandalous thing the three degrees of the new-fashion'd Excommunication are denounced and executed like the Athenian Ostracism upon the several gradations of that vertue The purity of the body the Tongue the Eye have a kind of Nidui Cherem and Scamatha proportioned to them no man is civil enough for ordinary converse till he hath renounced such pusillanimous innocencies and brought forth fruits worthy of that repentance a whole Knight errantry in that sin confession with the mouth glorying of their masculine enterprizes enough to fill a Romance and even martyrdom it self and many sad encounters and real hellish sufferings in that service and all this penance of the least to expiate the crime of bashfulness to reconcile the modest Puny to make him fit for society with men I remember a conceit of Herodotus when the Greeks besieged Troy he believes Helena was in Aegypt because otherwise had she been in the City they would certainly have deliver'd her up and saved themselves so strange did it seem to him and irrational that men should chuse rather to die than part with a lust And yet to the shame of us Christians when Gods judgments make such direful approaches to us on this great quarrel for our vile and reproachful lusts when a black grim cloud â—ngs just over our heads gather'd from the vapours which this one dung-hill hath exhaled as Rome they say and others as well as that is enabled to oppress Countries by the pensions it receives from them when the voice is come flashing out of that cloud and the business driven to a close issue repent or perish irreversibly the kingdom used by God at this time as Antiochus of old by the Roman Ambassadors put into a circle as it were and not suffered to come out till we shall give our answer we desert and renounce estates and lives honours and souls and all rather than retrench or abate ought of this accursed superfluity And to this unsavoury humour and custom of the world one Use may be brought home from St. Pauls Sermon though taken in cypher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of continence I beseech you save me the pains resume and enlarge it to your selves 3. For judgment to come 1. That there is such a thing 2. That it descends to such mean particulars as justice and continence I cannot but in passing be your Remembrancer 1. That there is such a thing Injustice and incontinence are two main supplanters of all belief of the judgment to come when a man hath once set up that infamous trade of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. of resolving to be rich in spight of all those objections and stops and encumbrances of honesty and direct dealing when he is come to a contemning that pedantry of justice of observation of Oaths that shall interpose so uncivilly to resist his thrift and advancement in the world believe it the minae vatum the news of the judgment to come in the Preachers mouth will be under an heavy suspicion of fraud and cheat and in fine pass but for fictions and mormo's too weak to outlook a brave glittering temptation the Taxes on the Ecclesiasticks in Florence which no body else dare collect for fear of the Popes thunderbolts the Jews will exact undauntedly Now the covetous worldling is that Jew whose soul being gone down into the bowels of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Diodorus his phrase to an eternal drudgery in the gold-mineral is out of the reach of sounds from Heaven out of the awe or noise of thunderbolts The Mammonist is in your danger at your mercy to turn Atheist whensoever you bid him whensoever the lure of Gold shall be at leisure to tempt him ready to renounce all hope all fear of another world whensoever your goods are so put within his reach that an easie perjury will bring them into his Inventory And for the lusts of the flesh 't was Aristotles observation that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they debauch and corrupt our principles they send up more heathen fumes into the brain than any other distemper can do Saint Cyril tells us of some Idolaters that would have only a day-God because the night was a time for revelling and to have a God then would destroy their game and therefore they pitcht upon the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might be Atheists all night and then they take it out to purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Basil saith of the Gluttons fasts revenging themselves on their Day-devotions by their Night-revels never acknowledge a God when a lust is to be lost by it and Athenagoras hath given it for a rule that the denying of the Resurrection the resolved concluding the world with this life and believing nothing of another is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only beloved doctrine of the voluptuous He that hath once transformed himself into that swine hath his Optick Nerves so chang'd in his forehead that as Plut. observes of that creature he never sees Heaven again till he be laid on his back And I fear the race of such heathen swine is likely within a while to prove the prime staple commodity of the land We are fallen into peevish times wherein all Gods methods are quite perverted the powerfull'st means that were ever afforded for the casting such Devils out of a Kingdom are debauch'd into matter of improvement and heightning of the humour and even dethroning God if he will not comply with it the very Angels that came to Sodom to visit for villany are once more assaulted and violated by our lusts I mean those judgments from Heaven upon a vitious Generation that would have inspired a Colony of Scythians with some piety by a strange kind of Antiperistasis or contrary working have made men more profane and godless than ever they were before the storm so close over our heads that in other Kingdoms they say sets them a ringing bells shooting guns lifting up voices to break and dissolve the cloud that threatens them hath set us upon the same design by oaths and blasphemies and those accursed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shouts of our Souldiers have broke the cloud indeed brought down not the Dove flying over our heads as Historians tell us a shout in an
difficulties about it please you to take it in these few Propositions 1. That the Crucifixion of Christ was a Sacrifice truly propitiatory and satisfactory for the sins of the whole world and there 's nothing further from this Text or our present Explication of it than to derogate from the legality the amplitude extent or precious value of this sacrifice Yea and 2. that Christ himself thus willingly offering delivering up himself for us may in this be said a Priest or to have exercised in his death a grand act of Priesthood But then 3. this is an act of Aaronical Priesthood which Christ was never to exercise again having done it once Heb. 7.27 and so far distant from his eternal Priesthood Or to speak more clearly an act of Christ this as of a second Adam a common person order'd by the wisdom of God to bear the chastisement of our peace the Scape-goat to carry all our sins on his head into the wilderness into a land not inhabited Deut. 16.22 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Creed to which he went and so though it were typified by all the sacrifices of the Priests and though in it that whole body of rites were determin'd no more Aaronical Priests seasonable after this one sacrifice yet still this is no part of the eternal regal Melchisedech-priesthood that of powerful intercession that of blessing us in the Text for though the death of Christ tend mightily toward the blessing of us though there were a wonderful act of intercession on the Cross Father forgive them yet that powerful intercession that for grace to make us capable of mercy that blessing in this Text the power of conferring what he prays for this 't was to which the resurrection instal'd him 4. If all this will not satisfie why then one way of clearing this truth farther I shall be able to allow you that the death of Christ consider'd as a sacrifice may under that notion pass not for an act of a Priest in facto esse but for a ceremony of his inauguration in fieri thus in the 8. of Levit. at the consecrating of Aaron and his sons you shall find sacrifices used the Ram the Ram of consecration ver 22. and apportion'd to that this Lamb of God that by dying taketh away the sins of the world may pass for a Lamb of consecration the true critical importance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.10 that the Captain of our salvation was to be consecrated by sufferings This death of his that looks so like an act of Aaronical-Priesthood is the preparative rite of consecrating him to that great eternal Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech and this preparative most absolutely necessary both in respect of Christ and us of Christ who was to drink of the brook of the way before his head should be lifted up humbled to death c. Phil. 2. wherefore God hath also highly exalted him for that suffering crown'd him Yea and in respect of us too Heb. 2.9 who were to be ransom'd by his death before we could be bless'd by his resurrection deliver'd from the captivity of Hell before capable of that grace which must help us to heaven which seems to me to be the descant of that plain song Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren i. e. as the 18. verse explains it to suffer being tempted to undergo the infirmities and mortality of our flesh that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest c. his infirmities and effusion of his blood are not this Priesthood of it self but the qualifying of the second person in the Trinity to become a high Priest and that a merciful and faithful one merciful to pardon slips and faithful to uphold from falling and so a Priest such as it is most for our interest to have And so once more the dream is out that Artemidorus mentions of one he dream'd he was crucified and the consequent was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was taken up to be a Priest of Diospolis And by the way let me tell my Clergy Brethren if that shall prove the consequent of our Priesthood which was the presage of Christs the pains the contumelies yea and death of that Cross what is this but a blessed lot that hath brought us so near our Christ and a means to consecrate us too to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Kings and Priests for ever in Heaven I have thus far labour'd to clear this doctrine calculated the time of Christs enstalment to his eternal Priesthood and found it exactly the same with the aera here in this Text not till after the resurrection to which I shall only add one final grand proof of all which will sum up all that hath been hitherto said That parting speech of Christs Mat. ult All power is given unto me both in heaven and earth that you know was after the resurrection and so from thence that power was dated and that commission of blessing that here we speak of The act of his eternal Priesthood is his intercession that his powerful intercession that his giving of that grace which he interceeds for that the blessing in this Text and so the commission of blessing was given him not till after the resurrection And believe it though it look all this while like a rough sapless speculation there is yet somewhat in it that may prove very useful and ordinable to practice a hint if not a means of removing one of the harmful'st scandals and impediments of good life that is to be met with We are Christians all and by that claim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on rank and on march toward eternal life and yet many of us live like so many Mahometans or China-infidels quite out of all form of obedience to the commands of Christ we do not reverence him so much as to pretend toward serving him not advance so far as but to be hypocrites in that matter live in all the sensuality and vileness in the world and yet live confidently resolve we have done what is required of us by Christ can justifie our state for such as God is pleased with And if we be called to account the anchor of all this unreasonable false hope of ours is most constantly this that Christ our Priest hath propitiated for us we fly to our City of refuge till our Priest be dead and then we are quit by proclamation out of the reach of the avenger of blood 'T is the death of Christ we depend on to do all our task for us his priestly not regal office we are resolved to be beholding to In that we have Christ the Sacrificer Christ the Reconciler Christ the Satisfier and these are Christs enough to keep us safe without the aid of Christ the King that Judaical unedifying notion of a reigning Messias and then quis separabit what sin what devils what legion what act what habit what
commemorate the mercies of God most chearfully we could not think it a season to make use of them and therefore hanged them on the trees in a neglected forlorn manner 3. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song and they that wasted us required of us mirth saying Sing us one of the songs of Zion Paraphrase 3. Then they that had carried us up their captive slaves would needs have us reciâ— some of those joyous hymns which we were wont to sing in our solemn festivals at the Temple 4. How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land Paraphrase 4. But our Levites gave answer presently that it was not fit for them â—o sing those festival hymns that belonged to the praises of the God of Israel at a time of publick mourning and withall in a â—and and among a people that acknowledged him not for God or indeed any where but in the Temple the place of his solemn festival worship 5. If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning Paraphrase 5. 'T is not possible for us so to put off the memory of our sufferings so to devest our selves of our great concernments and interests in the welfare of Jerusalem which now is despoiled of her inhabitants or to put off the sorrow conceived for the loss of those joyfull advantages of God's publick worship which there we injoyed should we convert such days of mourning as these into seasons of joy 't were not fit we should ever more use those sacred instruments set apart for the praising and glorifying of God 6. If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Paraphrase 6. Not fit we should ever be permitted to sing any joyfull hymn again if we can think fit to apply it to such purposes as these of pleasing or gratifying our oppressours or indeed ever sing again till we can celebrate our return to our countrey and temple by our singing 7. Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Paraphrase 7. It is more seasonable for us to recount that sad time when our captivation befell us when our unkind neighbours the Edumaeans were so forward to joyn their hands with our enemies to demolish our city and temple utterly see Ezec. 25.12 But for this their malice the time will come when they shall pay full dear see Jer. 49.8 8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us 9. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones Paraphrase 8 9. But alas this is not like to be their lot alone but in the first place the Babylonians themselves they which had laid our city waste are sure to be sadly repayed All their injuries and cruelties to us will be visited on the universality of them even to their infant children the youngest of them shall be dasht to the ground and all their people within a while signally destroyed Annotations on Psal CXXXVII V. 3. Wasted us The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take or lift or carry up and from thence the noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an heap from that notion of elevating or raising and from thence it is conceived by some learned men that the verb here signifies laying waste demolishing and so turning cities into heaps but without any example of such signification Others would have it a participle and so to signifie their harps lifted or hanged up v. 2. But the ancient Interpreters all accord in a facile interpretation and that which agrees with the ordinary use of the word for taking or carrying up as that is appliable to deportation or carrying up of captives from their own to another countrey The Chaldee reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that carried us away from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spoil or prey on and carry away so that word is used Ezec. 26.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we reade they shall make a prey of but the Chaldee there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they shall carry them away but the LXXII more expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that led or carried us away and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they that subdued us so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subdued Psal 47.3 or as the Syriack use is carried us away And so the Latin qui abduxerunt nos they that carried us away and the Arabick they that snatched us or forcibly carried us thither And thus it agrees well with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that took us captive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that captivated us so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in the beginning of the verse The Jewish Arab read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that hanged us up as Buxtorf in his Hebrew Concordance Suspensores nostri Abu Walid mislikes that it should be from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heap and would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be radical but the Root to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the meaning to be and or when or seeing our mournfull cry is to them joy or rejoycing Aben Ezra seems to dislike this cited from Moses Hace and proposes two other conjectures as 1. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might in Hebrew signifie to destroy or pull down 2. which he saith is the opinion of some that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by change of letters they that spoiled us V. 5. Forget her cunning In the Hebrew there is no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let my right hand forget which the Chaldee render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let me forget my right hand and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. let my right hand forget me but the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let my right hand be forgotten And thus it may well be to express the great and fresh memory and care he hath of Jerusalem that that shall certainly be the last thing which the Psalmist or the Levites in the Psalm will forget But the conjunction here between the right hand and the tongue v. 6. as the two instruments of Musick the one to play as the other to sing do rather incline it to be interpreted by supply of an Ellipsis let my right hand forget i. e. forget to play as my tongue to sing v. 6. V. 6. Above my chief joy The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 head is frequently used for the beginning of any thing and not onely for the principal part of it Gen. 2.10 four 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heads are four beginnings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXXII of rivers So here the
Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning and so the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of my mirth And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will lift up or advance Jerusalem in the beginning of my mirth is to make that the prime or chief ingredient in their rejoycing the principal subject of their hymns V. 8. Art to be destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lay waste or destroy in Paül instead of Poel which is frequent may be rendred vastatrix destroyer So the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waster or spoiler and so the Syriack in the same word Onely the LXXII reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it signifies miserable so it signifies vile and wicked also and so even the Hebrew if taken in the passive will be but answerable to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perditus wretched wicked and so fit to be destroyed The Jewish Arab reads O thou spoiled and so 't is agreeable to the custom of the Eastern people by way of omen or presage to put with the name of a city an Epithet of Preserved or guarded if they wish well to it and so 't is proportionable it should be in the contrary signification if they wish ill to it to speak of that as done which they wish to be done The Hundred and Thirty Eighth PSALM A Psalm of David The hundred Thirty eighth is a Psalm of Thanksgiving to God for his mercies his gracious audiences afforded to the prayers of his lowly servants his powerfull deliverances of them most admirable in the sight of their heathen enemies And being first composed by David is said by the LXXII to have been made use of by Haggee and Zachary at the re building of the Temple 1. I Will praise thee with my whole heart before the Gods will I sing praise unto thee 2. I will worship toward thy holy Temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name Paraphrase 1 2. Blessed Lord thou hast been exceeding gracious to thy servants and never failed to answer them that rely on thee thy mercies and fidelity are much spoken of thou art known by this title of mercifull and gracious and one that never fails to perform his part of the Covenant with any But thou hast infinitely exceeded all that is or can be either said or believed of thee thou hast made us admirable divine promises that especially of giving us thy Son and in him all things and wilt certainâ—y perform them all to the utmost importance of them And now what return shall we make unto thee for all this having nothing else we must in all equity pay thee the humblest acknowledgments of our very souls and in thy publick assembly in the presence of the holy Angels the witnesses of our performances and assistants and partners of our praises bless and laud and magnifie thy glorious name for all thine abundant mercy toward us 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Paraphrase 3. Whensoever I have addrest by prayer to thee thou hast never failed to answer me and relieve me which together with thine own free promise gives me full confidence to beg and crave thy grace to strengthen and support my soul against whatsoever danger and to rest secure in thee that thou wilt grant it me 4. All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord when they hear the words of thy mouth 5. Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord. Paraphrase 4 5. These magnificent promises of thine v. 2. shall be proclaimed and made known thy Gospel preached to all the world and thereby the greatest potentates on earth they and their kingdoms with them shall at length be brought in to worship and serve and glorifie thee and in so doing never give over singing and praising and magnifying thy great and gracious and glorious works of mercy those wonderfull dispensations of thine in the gift of thy Son and that gracious divine Law given us by him 6. Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off Paraphrase 6. The sum whereof is this that as the supreme God of heaven hath humbled himself to this earth and flesh of ours so he will favourably behold and deal with all lowly humbled penitent sinners but proceed most severely with all proud obdurate impenitents 7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me 8. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands Paraphrase 7 8. And as for spiritual so for temporal mercies God will not fail to perform them also to his faithfull servants whatever their distresses be he will relieve or support them repel and subdue and repress their enemies and secure them by his immediate divine interposition if humane means do fail what they are not able and what indeed belongs not to them to doe for themselves he will most certainly perform in their stead having begun a work of mercy he will not leave it imperfect he will certainly go through with it Thus doth God abound in mercies of all sorts to all his humble faithfull servants Lord be thou thus graciously pleased to deal with me and with all thy poor helpless creatures which being made by thee have none other to fly to but they self Annotations on Psal CXXXVIII V. 1. Gods Of the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first for Angels then for Magistrates Judges Kings somewhat hath been said Note on Psal 82. b. Now to which of these it shall be applied in this place is not agreed among the ancient Interpreters The Chaldee reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings the Jewish Arab the Nobles but the LXXII and the Arabick and Aethiopick and Latin follow them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels And considering that in the next words v. 2. he mentions worshipping toward the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not temple if it were as the title directs composed by David but palace of holiness i. e. the Sanctuary where the Cherubims of glory representations of Angels shadowed the mercy-seat Heb. 9.5 and that in that house of God and house of prayer the Angels were present according to that of Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou singest and chantest with the angels and on this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will strive to sing with the Angels contending with them in this holy strife and emulation who shall praise him loudest joyning in quire with the supernal powers 't is not improbable that this should be