Isaac Gen. 24.63 of Iacob Gen. 32.24 of Christ Mark 1. of Peter Acts 10.9 to talk with God and with themselves But usually to sit solitary is a misery Lam. 1.1 for Satan is readiest to assault when none is by to assist neither is there a greater tye to constancy then the society of Saints This the Heathen Persecutors perceived and therefore banished and confined the Christian Confessors to Iles and Mines where they could not come together for mutuall edification and comfort There is a Woe to him that is alone and good reason shewed for it by Solomon Eccles 4.9 10 11 12. Let no man stye up himself or affect solitarinesse but make conscience of fellowship in the Gospel as the Philippians did from the first day of their conversion to Christ Phil 1.5 accounting that Communion of Saints is a point of practice as well as an Article of belief And no joyfull voyce come therein That is saith One No pleasing stilnesse as in other nights there is to invite the melody of Musick Or let there be no merry-meetings feastings and jollities as was usuall in the night-season Let not so much as the voyce of the Cock be heard that night so the Chaldee here paraphraseth but the dolefull ditties of Screech-owles and other inauspicate creatures Let no traveller that is then benighted solace himself with sweet songs or Musicians play from house to house as City-waits do Verse 8. Non tam cute quà m corde Ae hiopici Let them curse it that curse the day As those atri tetri Atlantes before spoken of curse the rising-Sun for scorching them as despairing persons and malefactors led to execution use to curse the time that ever they were born The help of all such Job here calleth in against the harmlesse night he banneth with so much bitternesse Rob. Bolton his Assize Serm. 227. Like as that desperate wretch mentioned by Mr. Bolton who being upon his death-bed albeit he swore as fast and as furiously as he could yet desired he the standers by to help him with oathes and to swear for him Tremellius here thinks that Job calls to the starres and winds to help him curse See his translation of the Text and his Notes thereon Who are ready to raise up their mourning Whether they be those mercenary mourners mentioned elsewhere Jer. 9.17 18 20. which for hire are wont at Funerals with dolefull execrations to lament the day of their Benefactors death crying out Oh the day alas for the day 2 Chro. 35.25 Amos 5.16 oh that ever such a day came See Ezek. 30.2 Or else those that really mourn for their deceased friends and yearly as oft as the day returneth they renew their mourning These are called upon by Job totos saccoâ—deplere to pour out their utmost lamentations and execrations upon this his night Concerning the word Leviathan here rendred mourning whether it be taken for the Sea-Dragon or the Divel and what it is to raise him up and why they cursed him that are ready to do so with a prepared and meditated active readinesse if I should go about to shew the Reader Lcc. Com. 478. with the severall opinions of Interpreters I should not onely tire him out but also danger doing as that Vicar of Ausborough did mentioned by Iohannes Manlius This Doctor of Divinity for so he was having read at Tubinga certain Lectures upon Job at the end of his last Lecture said that both Iob and himself were very glad to be rid of one another For as he understood little or nothing of Iobs meaning so Iob seemed to him to be more tormented with his enarrations then ever he had been with all his own ulcers Let them that have a mind consult the Commentators here Verse 9. Let the starres of the twilight thereof be dark If the starres of its twilight be dark how great is that darknesse Iob would not have this night to have light of starres or hope of day-dawn hope of better or place of worse And this part of the curse he reserveth to the last place as worse then any of the former Semblably that judgment of Pining away in their iniquity is the last that God denounceth Lev. 26.39 after those other dismal ones there to befall the disobedient And that Rev. 22.11 Let him that is filthy be filthy still is the last but not the least of those that befall in this life threatned in all the New Testament Let it look for light but have none Heb. but none Losse of expectation is a great losse Esau found it so and the mother of Sisera Iudg. 5.28 and those shall once that come knocking and bouncing at heaven gates with Lord Lord open unto us and shall hear Depart ye The hopes of the wicked fail them when at highest whereas the Saints find that comfort in extremity which they durst not expect their light shall rise in obscurity Esay 58.10 it shall shine more and more unto the perfect day Prov 4.18 Let it noâ— see the dawning of the day Heb. The eye-lids of the morning that is the first breakin gs of light the morning rayes or beams peeping abroad These this night must never see Heaven is a nightlesse day Hell a daylesse night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire there is but without light it burneth but shineth not to those Reprobates who are in tenebras ex tenâ—bris infeliciter exclusi infeliciùs excludendi thrust into outer darknesse a darknesse beyond a darknesse as the dungeon is beyond the prison Matth. 8.12 Verse 10. Because it shut not up the doors of my mothers womb Lest his curse should seem causelesse and he mad without reason he telleth you here why he thus powred out his passion and complaineth so heavily against the day of his birth and night of his conception which yet were harmlesse and had not deserved to be thus charged cursed Because it shut not up c. But how could the night do that Is it not of God alone to shut or open the womb Gen 20.18 and 29.31 And was it not he that took David thence Psal 18.23 This Job could tell well enough at another time but now he is quite out of all reason beating himself with his passions as the Lion doth with his own tail yea like some sullen bird in a cage he could almost find in his heart to beat himself to death We use to say Res est ingeniosa dolor Grief is an ingenious thing yet it maketh a man foolish the excesse of it as it did Job here yea it maketh a wise man mad as Solomon saith of Oppression Eccles 7.7 and we see it exemplified in Job especially if the words be thus read as they may Because he that is God shut not up the doors c. Nor â—id sorrow from mine eyes In Scripture to see good or evill is to feel it Psal 34.12 Jer. 17.6 Isa 65.16 Job 33.17 He meaneth that he had mist those evils which now
the Greeks for like cause call it is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part the eye which is kept most diligently and strongly guarded by Nature with tunicles David therefore fitly prayeth to be so kept Hide me under the shadow of thy wings Another excellent similitude taken from Fowls which either cover their Young with their wings from the scorching heat of the Sun beams as doth the Eagle or keep them thereby from the cold or from the Kite as Hens do Gods love to and care of his poor people is hereby shadowed out as it was likewise by the out-spread wings of the Cherubins in the Sanctuary See Ruth 2.12 Deut. 32.10 Zach. 2.8 Psal 36.8 57.2 Matth. 23.37 Vers 9. From the wicked that oppress me Heb. That waste me i.e. that cast me out into banishment despoyled of all This hard usage of his enemies drove David into Gods blessed Bosom as Children misused abroad run home to their Parents From my deadly enemies Heb. My enemies against the soul i. e. the Life at least if not the soul which they would gladly destroy Some malice is so mischeivous that it would ruine Body and Soul together as that Monster of Millain the enemies of John Husse and Hierom of Prague whose bodies they delivered to the fire and their Souls to the Devil David elsewhere complaineth of his enemies that they did Satanically hate him Psal 55 4. Beware of men saith our Saviour Mat. 10. for one man is a Devil to another Vers 10. They are inclosed in their own fat See Job 15.27 with the Note They abound in all delights Adipem suum obesant Trem. and therefore spare not to speak proudly They have closed up their eyes in their fulsome fat ut non videant nec timeant te saith R. Solomon that they can neither see nor fear thee With their mouth they speak proudly Heb. in pride that is Palam plenis buccis openly and with full mouth they contemn God and men they belch out Blasphemies and do what they please Vers 11. They have now compassed us in our steps i.e. Me and my company so that we cannot stir any whither but we are in danger of them In all thy ways acknowledge God and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3.6 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him c. Psal 37.5 Keep within Gods Precincts and thou shalt be under his protection He took order that a Bird should be safe upon her own Nest They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth i.e. Hoc unum spectant ut ruamus Junius They are earnestly bent and firmly resolved upon our ruine as one that fixeth his eyes upon another to mark him or to know him again or as Bulls ready to run at one set their eyes downward Vers 12. Like as a Lion that is greedy c. Cruelty and Craft are conjoyned in the Churches enemies as the Aspe never wandreth alone they say without his companion David here pointeth out some one special enemy Saul likely who should have been a Shepherd but proved a Lion As a young Lion lurking Therefore as we tender our safety keep close to God out of whose hands none can take us no not the roaring Lion of Hell Vers 13. Arise O Lord disappoint him Anticipa faciem ejus that is that raging and ravening Lion step between me and him and stop his fury defeat his purpose and disable his power Which is thy Sword As Assyria is called the Rod of his Wrath. Attilas stiled himself Orbis flagellum the wrath of God and the scourge of the World Turk Hist So Tamerlan was commonly called The Wrath of God and Terrour of the world Some render it by thy Sword i.e. or thy might and power See Job 40.41 or by thy Word execute thy judgement Vers 14. From men which are thy hand This saith one is Davids Letany From those men c. good Lord deliver me Gods hand they are called as before Gods Sword Titus Son of Vespasian being extolled for destroying Jerusalem said I have only lent God my hand but he hath done the work From men of the World Heb. A mortuis i. e. impiis qui sunt mortui in vits eorum R. Gion From Mortals of this transitory world qui sunt mundani mundum spirant sapiunt the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea as opposed to the Citizens of the New Jerusalem Rev. 12.12 such as having incarnated their souls as that Father speaketh are of the earth speak of the earth and the earth heareth them Job 3.31 mind earthly things only as if they were born for no other purpose Terrigene fratres animam habentes triticeam as those Stall-fed beasts in the Gospel Which have their portion in this life And they love to have it so saying with the Prodigal Give me the Portion that belongeth to me They crave it and they have it but with a vengeance Munera magna quidens misit sed misit in hamo As the Israelites had Quails to choke them and afterwards a King to vex them a table to be a snare to them c. By the way observe that wicked men have a right to earthly things a man must needs have some right to his portion what Ananias had was his own whilst be had it Acts 5. and it is a rigour to say they are Usurpers As when the King gives a Traitor his life hee gives him meat and drink that may maintain his life So is it here neither shall wicked men be called to account at the last day for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession As for the Saints who are heirs of the world with faithful Abraham and have a double portion even all the blessings of Heaven and of Earth conferred upon them though here they be held to strait allowance let them live upon reversions and consider that they have right to all and shall one day have rule of all Rev. 3. Mendicato pane hic vivamus annon hoc pulchrè sarcitur c. What though we here were to live upon Alms saith Luther is there not a good amends made us in that here we have Christ the bread of life in his Ordinances and shall hereafter have the full fruition of him in Heaven The whole Turkish Empire is nothing else but a crust cast by our Father to his Doggs and it is all they are likely to have let them make them merry with it Wilt not thou saith another bee content unless God let down the vessel to thee as to Peter with all manner of Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air Acts 10.12 Must you needs have first and second course Difficile est ut praesentibus bonis quis fruatur futuris ut hic ventrem illic mentem reficiat ut de deliciâ—s ad delicias transeat ut in coelo in terra gloriosus appareat saith Hierom It is a very hard thing to have Earth and Heaven
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Upon the BOOKS of Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job and Psalms WHEREIN The TEXT is Explained some Controversies are Discussed sundry Cases of Conscience are Cleared and many Remarkable Matters hinted that had by former Interpreters been pretermitted In all which divers other Texts of Scripture which occasionally occurre are fully Opened and the whole so intermixed with pertinent Histories as will yield both pleasure and profit to the Judicious Reader By JOHN TRAPP M. A. once of Christ-church in Oxford now Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Gloucestershire LUKE 24.44 45. And he said unto them These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scripture LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Thomas Newberry at the three Golden Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange and Joseph Barber at the Holy Lamb in the New Rents in St. Pauls Church-yard 1657. To the Worshipful his much Honoured Friend EDWARD LEIGH of RVSHIL-HALL in Stafford-shire Esquire Master of ARTS of both UNIVERSITIES HONOURED SIR BEsides the much help I confesse and not now the first time * See my Notes on the New Test passim to have had from your learned Lucubrations already extant those many real Courtesies lately done me a meer stranger in mine eldest sonne whom you have freely beneficed and fairely encouraged call hard upon me for a grateful acknowledgement And forasmuch as like another Nicias you are known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Stobaeus Serm. 117. as that renowned Richard de Bury Extatico quodam librorum amore potentèr abreptus so that you may well say Hiâ—fuit episc Dunelmenfis An. Dom 1333. as that Emperour once did of himself Quidam equis hi avibus nonulli feris delectantur Ego vero inde usque à pueritiá librorum cupiditate arsi Julian ep ad Ecdicium I cannot bethink me of a fitter Patron then your worthy self nor yet of a better Present then this of a Book beseeching you to own it and honour it with your kinde acceptance as a token of my true respects and a testimony of my cordial thankfulnesse I need not here for an Apologie tell you Sir what Seneca saith There 's no Book so bad but some Commodity may be gotten by it Let it be for me a praise proper to Hippocrates that in his Aphorismes there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Scaliger say of Virgil and Lipsius as much of Tacitus Ecujus ore nil tenierè excidit Aristotles Rhetorick saith one is sufficient to make both a Scholar and an honest man His Politicks Tully calleth Aureum flumen or ationis for the purity of the stile and preciousnesse of the matter Averroes admireth and extolleth him above measure in whatsoever he hath written And yet others no lesse judicious deem that his deep Theoremes of Philosophy as they make men learned so seldom better and oftentimes worse meer Atheists Sure it is that compared with the holy Scriptures they are but straminea candela a rush-candle that yieldeth but a small light and is quickly out To the Law therefore and to the Testimony saith that Evangelical Prophet that is to the Old Testament and the New as some sense it If any speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them As if any either by speaking or writing bring the least light to these sacred Oracles Quae latent lucent They are not to be defrauded of their due commendation This you have done worthy Sir in all your Theological Treatises which are auro contra non cari Your elaborate Annotations on the New Testament especially On the Old Testament also we hope to see you shortly and are so far from censuring you for thrusting your Sickle into our Harvest that we all highly accept and applaud your learned Labours heartily wishing you length of days and help from Heaven for the compleating of so good a work Bern. Deus praecepit nobis ut discamus non argutias Platonis nec versutias Aristotelis sed doctrinam Filii Dei Hereunto therefore we do humbly crave and call for your utmost furtherance which shall be nothing at all to your hinderance at the last for beside the reward of eternal life assured you by Christ our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodin Theat Nat. p. 9. Scientiarum ea vis est ac natura ut quo plus doceas ac alteri de tuo largiare eò ditior ac doctior fias there is no losse in laying out your talent Your much desired Commentaries now in the Presse as is reported and which you are yet further preparing for the publike will be most welcom to the world and I wish they may take as well as did Aretius his Examen Theologicum printed twelve times in three yeares As for these or any other of mine let them veil and strike sale to yours whereever they meet them and let me be ever reckoned among many others Welford Sept. 8. 1656. SIR An Admirer of your indefatigable industry and rare abilities JOHN TRAPP Viro Ornatissimo Affini amantissimo doctissimóque D' JOHANNI TRAPPO NImirum solvenda fides At quomodo carmen Panxerit exaret cui vena Musula muta est Qui Consorte tori quâ non praestantior unquam Et quâ ter fueram quatuor per lustra beatus Ereptâ Niobes possim nunc esse maritus Expectes ut laeta canam Lapidescere coepi Proh dolor infelix At felicissimus idem Quòd sic Vxori Monumentum fio sepultae Vt praestem promissa tamen quae debita dicunt Et solvi par esse ciens in carmina Musam Exigis An Lapis emittat charissime vocem Imò ais hoc usu venit ut Monumenta loquantur Vicisti experiar Doleot antum esse dolorem Vt calamum impediat cupientem promere laudes Et meritis se implere tuis Tu voce disertâ Me prope confectum reficis prohibésque sepulcro Tu mea damna doles tanquam propria defles Méque mihi ereptae quaete sic jure colebat Dum recolis raros mores solaris abundè Sic facis Scriptis O quae mihi Pharmaca praebent Quae priùs edideras queis Sacra Oracula pandis Et quibus ut grandi Thesauro Ecclesia gaudet Dicere sunt ea visa Hinc lucem Pocula Sacra Hinc pete qui impensè luges mentemque serena Ecce profundemus solatia summa jacenti Haec quaque quae celeri video jam subdita Prelo Vt mihi praevideo pariter Medicamina cunctis Sic Symmystis gratissima credo futura Altera jam Pentas facilem se praebet offert Quas modò condiderat dias ditissima gazas Gestat Ornamenta quibus non anteà fulsit Cultior
with his meat the Centurion with his money to build those Synagogues that wicked Antiochus had thrown down and these in the Text with their most precious things to reedifie that Temple that Nebuchadnezzar had burnt Besides all that was willingly offered A free-will offering then there was as verse 4. brought in by Gods willing people Psal 110.3 that wait for Gods Law as Esay 42.8 and hold with that Ancient that it is nimis angusta innocentia ad legem bonum esse to do no more service to God then needs must to get so much grace onely as will keep life and soul together that is soul and hell asunder this they judge to be a low and unworthy straine of some good people David voweth free-will-offerings often Psal 5.6 1 Chr. 29 8 9. and could beteeme God a great deale more love and service then he is able to performe to him Those good souls Zach. 8.21 call upon themselves and one another 1 Sam. 1.4.21 Luke 2.41 42 to be continually going before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I saith each for himself will go also Hannah went up with her husband every year to the Feast so did the Virgin Mary to the Passeover with her Sonne Jesus yet none were expressely commanded so to do but males and those also nothing under twenty years of age as fit to be numbered Exod. 30.14 So those amongst us that hear week-day-Sermons as Mary did Luke 10.42 and many other good people in our Saviours dayes Luke 19.47 48. and 21.37 38. Hereby we shall shew our love and do a service highly accepted in heaven Verse 7. Also Cyrus the King brought forth the vessels For example to others jussit gessit he did himself what he commanded to be done and so became a living Law a walking Statute So Justinian would not put the vessels of the Temple taken by Titus and recovered from Gensericus into the publike treasury but restored them Which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth With profane and sacrilegious hands some of these sacred vessels and utensils of the Temple he had cut in pieces 2 Kings 24.13 and others he carried away 2 Chron. 36.7 whole and entire This he did out of covetousnesse that auri sacra fames and in scorne of all religion rather then hatred of the Jewish superstition or to avenge the quarrel of Gods Covenant like as for the same reason his successour Cambyses destroyed the Egyptian Idols Virg. Isa 10. And had put them There was a sweet providence in that to the end that being there reserved they might in due time be restored as here they are to the house of God at Jerusalem And although that was a most unfit place to keep them in for what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols and Belshazzar most profanely abused them 2 Cor. 6.16 Dan. 5.2 in that drunken feast of his hence he is called the festival King Ezek. 21.5 6. yet being sanctified againe and dedicated to the true and first owner the God of Israel they might lawfull be made use of Not only things indifferent abused may yet be used in the service of God as those six water-pots were by our Saviour John 2. though they had beene superstitiously abused for private purification but also Idolatrous things and places As Gideon took the Bullock appointed for Baal and the Grove and offered the Bullock with that wood in sacrifice to the Lord Judg. 6.26 The like the Bethshemites did by the Philistines Cart and Kine The Mount of Olives was shamefully abused to idolatry by Solomon and others so that it was called The Mount of corruption 2 Kings 23.13 and yet was it our Saviours usual Oratory or place of Prayer In the house of his Gods Bel and Nebo Esay 46.1 These were Babylons chief gods The Original of Bel is said to be this Ninus having made an Image of his father Belus all that came to see it were pardoned for all their offences whence in time that Image came to be worshipped and then afterwards a multitude more Insomuch as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hef that in Hesiods time the number of Heathenish gods was grown to thirty thousand And in China at this day some tell us that there are no fewer then an hundred thousand Idols O curas hominum O quantum est in rebus inane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Gods these Mawmets are called here not because they were so for there is one God onely said Pythagoras and other Heathens but because Nebuchadnezzar falsely held them so Like as elsewhere the gods of Damascus are said to have smitten Ahaz who therefore sacrificed to them 2 Chron. 20.23 not as if those Idols were any thing in the world or could do any thing at all to him Jer. 10.5 1 Cor. 8.4 but onely that he conceited so and that the devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius truly saith abused his credulity Ver. 8. Even those did Cyrus King of Persia so stiled because though he was Monarch of many Countries yet Persia was his hereditary Kingdom and Persepolis the place of his residence which great City was afterwards burnt by Alexander the Great at the motion and by the request of a base harlot By the hand of Mithridath the treasurer Heb. Gizbar Inde Gaspar saith one Mithridates King of Pontus was famous in after-ages or rather infamous for his craft in saving himself Val. Max. and his cruelty to the Roman Merchants trading thorow his territories killing fourscore thousand of them with one letter And numbred them unto Shezbazzar Joy in tribulation this is the signification of the word A fit name for a Prince Neminen à se dimisit tristem Sucton who should be Decliciae orbis as Titus the Emperour of whom it is said that he never sent away any suitor sad or discontented and remembring on a day that he had not done any poor man good he cried out to his friends Hodie non regnavimus Amici diem perdidi accounting that day lost wherein he had not shewed some man courtesie Such a gracious Prince was Job chap. 29.12 I delivered the poore that cried saith He Grand Sign Seâ—ag 148. and the fatherlesse and him that had none to help him The great Turk stileth himself The worlds refuge professing that all that lament unto him shall have redresse and succour James the fifth of Scotland was called The poor mans King for his readinesse to right and relieve the afflicted Zerubbabel however he came by this name Shesbazzar for that he was the man I take for granted Ezra 5.16 with chap. 3.8 Zech. 4.9 though Junius think otherwise he deserved it doubtlesse and of him it might well be said Vopisous as the Historian doth of Probus the Emperour Si probi nomen non haberet habere cognomen posset Speed 723. pity he had beene called any thing but Probus so honest a Prince he was think
ability this gift was as great in Gods account See Luke 21.1 2. The widows mite was beyond the rich mans magnificence because it came out of a richer minde Verse 70. And some of the people For not halfe of them as may be probably thought returned but condemned the rest of rashnesse and weaknesse to their no small prejudice CHAP. III. Verse 1. And when the seventh moneth was come HEb And the seventh moneth approached a moneth of many festivities Levit. 23.24 27 34. 1 Kings 8.2 and so to the good a foretaste of eternal life where it shall be holiday every day where they have no rest and yet no unrest praising the God of heaven for heavens happinesse Psal 136. the same that these good souls sang together Rev. 4. verse 11. of this Chapter God is praised five and twenty times for his mercies but the conclusion is O give thanks unto the God of heaven c. Christ hath cast up such a causway to it that we may well travel thither from all coasts as these Jewes did to Jerusalem from all their Cities As one man to Jerusalem There to serve the Lord with one shoulder Zeph. 3.9 neither counted they it any trouble to travel thither though they were scarce yet warme in their nests as we say Then stood up Joshua Ministers of all others should be most forward and forth-putting ready prest and prepared to every good work as patterns to the people who are led more by their eyes then by their ears c. And Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel These two ever went hand in hand and hence the work so prospered in their hand It must needs be so said Queene Elizabeth once to the Suffolk-gentlemen who came to meet her with their Ministers by their sides where the Word and the Sword go together And builded the Altar of the God of Israel Which therefore in their father Jacobs sense Gen. 33.20 they might safely have called El Elohe-Israel that is God the God of Israel putting the signe for the thing signified Thus also the Arke is called Gods face Psal 105.4 Yea even God himself Psal 132.5 As it is written in the Law of Moses This was the rule they wrought by God requireth to have a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 such as whereof we can render a reason out of his Word he hateth a Samaritan service John 4.22 and will not endure Popish Will-worship Who required those things at their hands their Altars Crucifixes Penances Pilgrimages c. The whole number of the Beast is but the number of a man Rev. 13.18 Men will have it so and this is the summe of all Popish religion All their superstructions are humane inventions Moses the man of God The Prophet the Law-giver a man of much communion with God above any other Num. 12.8 One calleth him heavens Chancellour Verse 3. And they set the Altar upon his bases Upon the old foundation in the Priests Courts being glad of any place where to worship God joyntly and publikely for Temple as yet there was none Our worship-scorners are rightly stiled by one The last brood of Beelzebub For fear was upon them Though that was a lewd speech of the Poet Statius Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor It was timorousnesse that first made men religious yet there 's no question but fear of danger driveth men to God as it did these here Their malignant neighbours bandying and bending their forces against them make them hasten up an Altar that they might get God on their side and run to him reconciled what ever evil should befall them Be not thou a terrour to me Lord saith holy Jeremy chap. 17.17 and then I fear no creature Let us sing the 46. Psalme said Luther once in a great strait and then let the Devil do his worst What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal 56.3 Some read the text thus Though fear was upon them yet that hindered not their setting up Gods Altar but they brake through all discouragements and did their duty It is well observed that the very light of Nature taught Heathens that the services they performed to their gods with peril and hazard to themselves were best accepted Caius Fabius ventured thorough the enemies camp to offer a solemne anniversary sacrifice and returned in safety satis sperans saith the Historian propitios fore Deos quorum cultum ne mortis quidem metu prohibitus intermisisset trusting that in such a case his gods would secure him When Numa the second King of the Romanes heard as he was sacrificing that the enemies were coming he made this answer At ego rem divinam facio If God be for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. who shall be against us And they offered burnt-offerings thereon That their sinnes might be expiated and their persons protected The Ceremonial Law was Christ in figure it was their Gospel Verse 4. They kept also the feast of Tabernacles Or boothes built of boughs or branches of thick trees Nehem. 8.15 in a grateful memorial of Gods gracious preservation of them in the Wildernesse where they dwelt in tents or tabernacles It signified also the Prophet Zachary being interpreter chap. 14.16 17 18 19. that the remembrance of our redemption by Christ should be perpetuated with all spiritual gladnesse By number according to the custome There is an elegancie in the Original the Book of God hath many such as I have elsewhere noted As the duty of every day required Heb. The matter of the day in his day Here we are all travellers having no certaine habitation Heb. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.11 Let us account duty a debt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be daily doing at it Let us keep holy day keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.8 Let us be in the feare of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 Verse 5. And afterward offered Finding a flote of holy affections in their hearts they passed from one good exercise to another and were indefatigable in the Lords work David finding such an heat and height in his people prayes God to keep it ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts which he knew well to be fickle and false 1 Chron. 29.18 Both of the new-moones Kept in thankfulnesse to God for their time renewed upon them from moneth to moneth and his mercies every morning and moment And of all the set-feasts of the Lord that were consecrated By an holy resting both from corporall labour and from spirituall idlenesse A free will offering See the note on Chap. 1.4 Ver. 6. From the first day of the seventh moneth Which was the feast of blowing of trumpets signifying the just mans joyfulnesse and serving to put life and spirit into them Began they to offer And so held on for this moneth had as many feasts in it as were celebrated in all the yeare besides So as the Sabbath was the Queen of dayes Regina dierum so was
keep to their oaths Verse 9. Of the God of heaven Heathens have this notion by nature that God is the God of heaven and that there He is as in his place howbeit we must not conceive that God is commensurable by any place sith he filleth all places and is every where all-present totally present wheresoever present but in heaven is his glory most manifested and on earth is he alone to be worshipped Verse 10. That they may pray for the life of the King For God at his pleasure cutteth off the spirits of Princes Psal 76.12 he crops them off with ease as one would do a flower slips them off as one would do a bunch of grapes as he dealt by Alexander the Great Attilas that Terrour of the world and King Henry the second of France who upon the marriage of his sister to the King of Spaine was so puffed up that he called himself by a new title Tres-heureuse Roy the thrice-happy King But to confute him in solemnizing that marriage he was slaine at Tilt by the Captaine of his guard though against his will but not without Gods determinate counsel in the very beginning of his supposed happinesse Prov. 3â— Death is the onely King against whom there is no rising up The mortall sythe is master of the royal Scepter saith one and it moweth downe the Lilies of the Crowne as well as the grasse of the field pray therefore for the life of the King saith this King here let the Priests shout and say Let the King live for ever Nehem. 2.3 〈◊〉 And of his sonnes Some of whom had soone died say some He therefore calleth for prayers for the preservation of the rest Verse 11. Let timber be pulled downe from his house 1. Let his house be pulled down for a penalty The Popish Councel of Tholouse called together against the Albigenses those ancient Protestants made this cruel constitution We decree that that house wherein is found an Heretick be pulled down to the ground 2. Let that timber be set up for a gibbet and let him be hanged thereon Chald. destroyed Compare that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man destroy the Temple of God which Temple ye are him shall God destroy and let those look to it who turne it into a den of theeves into a brothel-house slaughter-house pest-house of noysome lusts qui podicem ex ore faciunt by their unsavory speeches and moile themselves worse then by tumbling in a jakes Verse 12. And the God that hath caused his name i. e. his Word and true worship Acts 9.15 Psal 138.2 Mic. 4.5 1 Kings 5.3 5. Destroy all Kings and people A dreadful curse and such as God saith Amen to Let all persecutors and Church-robbers look to themselves Gods hand hath ever beene very heavie upon such and their posterity See Prov. 20.25 with the Note Let it be done with speed It hath beene too much retarded and delayed already Let it now be expedited David made haste and delayed not to keep Gods Commandments Psal 119.60 And Austin crieth out Nimis serò te amavi Domine It was a great burden to his good soul that he began no sooner to love God He resolveth therefore to redeeme time and to redouble his diligence not leaving till his soul was turned into a lump of love Morus novissimè omnium germinat tamen parit inter primas The Mulberry-tree buds last but fruits with the first Verse 13. So they did speedily This they did because they durst do no otherwise their obedience was wrung out of them as verjuice is out of a crab or as distilled water is forced out by the heat of the fire Thus some performe duties and yet hate them part with sins and yet love them Shew the malefactour the rack and he will say or do any thing This is to feare God for his Lions as those Mongrels did 2 Kings 17.33 34. tâ—â—â—re-sâ—rvili non â—micali Beda which yet may addere alas left they fall under the lash the correction of the Law for refusing the direction thereof Verse 14. And Artaxerxes This is Xerxes called also Ahashuerosh husband of Esther or as some think Artaxerxes Longimanus the sonne of Xerxes by Esther by whom the Temple finished before might be much beautified and haply enlarged also Verse 15. And this house was finished About fifteene years after that the foundation had beene laid or twenty at most The Jewes therefore either were out in their account John 2.20 Fourty and six years was this Temple in building or else they meant it of Herods Temple which was long in building and beautifying whereby he sought to ingratiate with the Jewes which yet he could never do Verse 16. Kept the dedication with joy So they did at the dedication of the first Temple 2 Chron. 7.10 God had required all his worships to be celebrated with joy Deut. 12.7 and made it a condition of an acceptable service Deut. 26.14 Sacrifices offered with mourning were abomination Hos 9.4 yea accursed by God Deut. 28.47 What a general joy was there at Samaria when Christ was first preached and beleeved on amongst them Acts 8.8 when they first became Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 a Temple for God to dwell in and walk in 2 Cor. 6.16 The like was at Bern at Geneva at Zurick when the reformed Religion was first received amongst them They caused for joy thereof the day and yeare to be engraven in a pillar in letters of gold for a perpetual memory to all posterity Like as at Heidelberg Anno 1617. in the Calends of November Acts Mon. Vita Parci operib praefix they kept for three dayes space an Evangelical Jubile for joy of the Reformation begun by Luther an hundred years before Verse 17. An hundred bullocks c. This little in comparison of what was done at Solomons dedication 1 Kings 8.63 was highly accepted in heaven as was likewise Noahs sacrifice which yet could not be great because that after a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 which saith Aristotle is not to be measured by the worth of the gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. st Ethic. lib. 4. but by the will of the Giver See the Note on chap. 2.6 Twelve he-goates A fit creature for a sin-offering because nasty unruly c. According to the number of the tribes of Israel All whom wheresoever dispersed they remember in their prayers as we should likewise do all the Israel of God in all places Verse 18. For the service of God According to that Exod. 12.25 Ye shall keep this service where the same word is used that elsewhere serveth to set forth their servile service Gnabhodah their bondage in Egypt God lets them know that they must serve still though another Master and after another manner So Christ calleth upon his to take his yoke upon them Free though
eager his delights ravishing his hopes longing so his hatred is deadly his anger fierce his grief deep his fear terrible c. Zeal is an extreme heat of all the affections Rom. 12.11 boyling-hot hissing-hot as the Greek importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 4. Then were assembled unto me It was soon noysed and noticed among the godly party how exceedingly Ezra was troubled they therefore trouble themselves as our Saviour is said to have done John 11.33 and as Paul felt twinges when others were hurt Who is offended saith he and I burn not Sheep when frighted will get together 2 Cor. 11.29 Swine when lugged will grunt together What should Saints do in case of National sins or judgments but assemble and tremble together as here but vow and perform Reformation to the Lord their God as in the next chapter Every one that trembled at the words At the judgements of God whilest they yet hang in the threatnings To such looketh the Lord with speciall intimations of his love Isa 66.2 When as those that tremble not in hearing shall be crushed to pieces in feeling said Mr. Bradford the Martyr That had been carried away But had not learned by the thing that they had suffered were as bad as before if not worse having lost the fruit of their afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is fearful a sad signe of an incorrigible castaway Jer. 6.30 Vntill the Evening-sacrifice This time of the day good people usually took to pray at that together with the sacrifice their prayers might come up for a memorial before God in those pillars of smoke Cant. 3.6 Act. 10.4 See Luk. 1.10 Act. 3.11 Verse 5. I rose up from my heavinesse In affliction sc of spirit wherewith his heart was leavened and sowred as Davids was Psal 73.21 Imbittered as Peters Matth. 26. ult powred out upon him as Jobs chap. 30.16 He did really afflict himself with voluntary sorrowes for the transgressions of his people And having rent c. See ver 3. I fel upon knees This gesture did both evidence encrease the ardency of his affection And spread out my hands With the palmes open toward Heaven in an having craving way as Beggers This was the Jewish manner of praying and it was very becoming Verse 6. And said O my God This was a prayer of faith and founded upon the Covenant that bee-hive of Heavenly honey as One well calleth it I am ashamed and blush Sin is a blushful thing and hales shame at the heeles of it Illum ego periisse dico cui periit pudor Sallust Rev. 3.17 Therefore when a man hath committed a sin he blusheth the blood as it were would cover the sin But he is past grace that is past shame and can blush no more then a sackbut For our iniquities He maketh himself a party because he was one of the same Community with them that had done that evil He also knew himself to have an hand if not upon the great cart-ropes set upon the lesser cords that might draw down divine vengeance upon the Land Hence he includeth himself after the example of Daniel chap. 9.5 Are increased over our heads As an overwhelming flood Psal 38.4 That threateneth to go over our soules too Psal 124.4 and to sink them in the bottomlesse lake that lowermost part of hel imported by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locale as Hebricians Note Psal 9.17 And our trespasse is growen up unto the Heavens So great is our guilt that it is gotten as high as Heaven that is as high as may be For beyond the moveable Heavens Aristotle Natures best Secretary saith there is neither body nor time nor place nor vacuum De Coelo Text. 99. See Revel 18.5 with the Note Mans sinne defileth even the very visible Heavens which must therefore be purged with the fire of the last day Yea it pierceth into the Heavens of Heavens maketh a loud out-cry in gods eares for vengeance Gen. 4.10 18.20 Verse 7. Since the dayes of our Fathers Confession with aggravation is that happy Spunge that wipeth out all the blottes and blurres of our lives for if we confesse our sinnes and therein lay load enough upon our selves as Ezra here Daniel doth c. 9.5 mark how ful in the mouth these good men are out of the abundant hatred of sin in their hearts God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins c. 1 John 1.9 But in confession we must not extenuate or excuse every sin must swel as a toad in our eyes and we must spet it out of our mouthes with utmost indignation shewing the Lord the iniquity of our sin the filthinesse of our leudnesse the abomination of our provocations Rom. 7.13 Thus if we weigh our sinnes in a true balance and put in so many weights as to bring to a just humiliation to a godly sorrow then it will prove a right Apology the same that the Apostle maketh a fruit and sign of sound repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 Chennit Exam. quae magis deprecatione constat quà m depulsione criminum such an Apology as consisteth rather in deprecating then defending We havebeen in a great trespasse unto this day And so there hath bin a concatenation a continued series of our sinnes from one generation to another We are a race of Rebels a seed of serpents c. And for our inquities have we our Kings and our Priests Our National sinnes have produced National plagues which yet we have not improved to a publike or personall reformation Many hands have drawn the cable with greatest violence the leprosy hath over-run the whole body there is as Physicians say of some diseases corruptio totius substantiae a general defection a conjuncture of all persons in all sins and miseries which like cloudes cluster together and no clearing up by repentance And to confusion of face So that we are a scorn to our Enemies and a terrour to our selves in a low and lamentable condition Verse 8. And now for a little space Heb. point or moment of time God let loose his hand for a while and gave them some little liberty to make them instances of his mercy who had been objects of his wrath but nothing would mend them and make them better And to give us a nail that is some settlement some subject of hope and support of faith He seemeth to allude to such nailes as wherewith they fastened their tents to the ground Jael drove one of those Tent-nails thorough Sisera's Temples and laid him safe enough or else to those nailes that driven into pales do fasten them to their nailes That our God may lighten our eyes Id est Chear up our hearts and so clear up our eye-sight which when the spirit is dejected grows dim for want of spirits Profectò oculis animus inhabitat saith Pliny Truly so it is that the heart dwelleth in the eye there it sitteth and sheweth it self pleased or displeased with whatsoever
Historians had their work done to their hands He wrote with the same spirit he fought saith Quintilian Eodem aâ—imo dixit quo bellavit lib. 10. And it came to passe This Book then is a continuation of the former Nehemiah being a third instrument of procuring this peoples good after Zerubbabel and Ezra and deservedly counted and called a Third Founder of that Common-wealth after Joshuah David In the moneth Chisleu In the deep of Winter then it was that Hanani and his brethren undertook their journey into Persia for the good of the Church In the twentieth year Sc. of Artaxerxes Longimanus thirteen yeares after Ezra and his company first came to Jerusalem Ezra 7.8 with Nehem. 2.1 I was in Shushan the palace Id est In the palace of the City Susan this Susan signifieth a Lily and was so called likely for the beauty and delectable site Now it is called Vahdac of the poverty of the place Here was Nehemiah waiting upon his office and promoting the good of his people Nomine tu quiu sis natur â Gratius ac te Gratius hoc Christi gratia praestet Amen Strabo and others say that the Inhabitants of Susia were quiet and perceable and were therefore the better beloved by the Kings of Persia Cyrus being the first that made his chief abode there in Winter especially and that this City was long and in Compasse 15 miles about Verse 2. That Hanani A gracious man according to his Name and zealous for his Countrey which indeed is a mans self and therefore when our Saviour used that proverb Physician heal thy self the sense is heal thy Countrey Luk. 4.23 Out of my brethren Not by race perhaps but surely by grace and place a Jew and that inwardly and therefore entrusted after this by Nehemiah with a great charge Neh 7. ver 2. Came he and certain men of Judah Upon some great suit likely for their Countrey because they took so long and troublesome a journey in the Winter not without that Roman resolution of Pompey in like case Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam Whatever their businesse was these men had better successe then afterwards Philo the Jew and his Colleagues had in their Embassy to Cajus the Emperour who cast them out with contempt and would not hear their apology against Appion of Alexandria their deadly Enemy And I asked them concerning the Jewes The Church was his care neither could he enjoy ought so long as it went ill with Zion He was even sick of the affliction of Joseph and glad he had got any of whom to enquire he asked them not out of an itch after newes but of an earnest desire to know how it fared with Gods poor people that he might cum singulis pectus suum copulare as Cyprian speaketh rejoyce with them that rejoyced and weep with those that wept Rom. 12.15 a sure signe of a sound member Which were left of the captivity One of whom he well knew to be more worth then a rabble of Rebels a World of wicked persons As the Jews use to say of those seventy souls that went down with Jacob into Egypt that they were better worth then all the seventy Nations of the World besides Verse 3. Are in great affliction and reproach The Church is heir of the Crosse saith Luther and it was ever the portion of Gods people to be reproached Ecclesia est hae res crucis as David was by Doeg with devouring words Psal 52. Their breath as fire shall devour you Esay 33.10 The Wall of Jerusalem also is broken down So that theeves and murtherers came in in the Night saith Comestor here and slue many of them And the gates thereof are burnt with fire They were burnt by the Chaldeans and never yet repaired And to keep a continual great watch was too great a charge and trouble Verse 4. And it came to passe when I heard It was not without a special providence that these good men thus met and by mutual conference kindle one another and that thereby God provided a remedy Things fall not out by hap-hazard but by Gods most wise dispose and appointment That I sate down and wept He was even pressed down with the greatnesse of his grief Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor Ovid. whereto he gave vent by his eyes Zeph. 3.17 18. God promises much mercy to such to whom the reproach of the solemn assemblies was a burden Nehemiah cannot stand under it but sits down and weeps And mourned certaine dayes Viz. For three moneths space for so long he was preparing himself to petition the King chap. 2. And fasted and prayed This was a sure course and never miscarried as hath been noted Ezra 9. Before the God of heaven With face turned toward his holy Temple 1 Kings 8.44 48. with heart lifted up to the highest heavens those hills whence should come his help Verse 5. I beseech thee O Lord Annah Jehovah An insinuating preface whereby he seeketh first to get in with God speaking him faire as doth likewise David in a real and heavenly complement Psal 116.16 Obsecro Jehova I beseech O Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant the sonne of thy handmaid break thou my bands So the Church Esay 64.9 Behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people The great and terrible God A great King above all gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 15.11 saith a Greek Father glorious in holinesse fearful in prayses doing wonders saith Moses in one place as in another The Lord our God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible Verè verendus venerandus Deut. 10.17 Thus Nehemiah begins his prayer and counts it a great mercy that he may creep in at a corner and present himself before this most Majestick Monarch of the world with greatest self-abasement That keepeth covenant and mercy That he may at once both tremble before him and trust upon Him he describeth God by his Goodnes as well as by Greatnes and so helpeth his own faith by contemplating Gods faithfulnesse and loving-kindnesse God hath hitherto kept Covenant with heaven and earth with nights and days Jer. 33.20 25. that one shall succeed the other and shall he break with his people No verily Be sure to keep faith in heart or you will pray but poorly And for this learn in the preface to your prayers to propound God to your selves in such notions and under such tearms and titles as may most conduce thereunto pleading the Covenant That love him and observe his Commandments That love to be his servants Esay 56.6 that wait for his Law Isa 42.4 that think upon his Commandments to do them Psal 103.18 Verse 6. Let thine eares now be attentive and thine eyes open Should not God see as well as hear saith a Divine his children should want many things We apprehend not all our wants and so cannot pray for relief
was their sixth moneth answering most what Beda to our August This saith one answered both unto the six dayes of Gods working to make the World after which a rest followed and to the everlasting rest in Heaven after six ages of the World spent in toil and labour In fifty and two dayes A very short time for the dispatch of so great a work But nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia God was much seen herein and the Enemies courage much quailed Verse 16. But what meant Josephus to say that the wall was in building two yeares and three moneths It appeareth hereby and by many other passages in his Jewish antiquities that he had not much read or at least minded the holy Scriptures Of this short time spent in building the Wall Daniel seemeth to prophecie saith an Interpreter when he saith Dan. 9.25 that it should be built again in angustiis temporum in the straits of time neither held we so much strange at it sith the hands at it were many and those were motitantes nimble and chearful and the Princes were present to prick them on and they repaired onely and built upon the old foundation And lastly the very Enemies were convinced that the work was wrought of God ver 16. what marvel therefore that it went so on end Verse 16. When all our Enemies heard thereof So famous a matter could not be concealed from them who listened with the lest care and readily received these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks call galling reports Saw these things For they ran to the sight of it as to a miracle they looked also upon it with an evil and envious eye like as the Papists do upon the Reformation They were much cast down in their own eyes They were crest-faln and dejected from the high-tops of their proud hopes and designes See what biles and ulcers the Antichristian rout are vexed with and how they are scorched with the Sun-shine of the Gospel Rev. 16.2 11. What mone Babels Merchants make to see her ruine and the rise of the new Jerusalem chap. 18. ver 11. Envy is vitium Diabolicum the Devils disease saith Austin and those that are troubled with it In Psal 139. can never want wo. For they perceived that this work was wrought of God with such incredible swiftnesse was it carried on and accomplished that they could not but say among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them God is with them of a truth Verse 17. Moreover in those dayes the Nobles of Judah Heb. The White ones either because they went in white garments as Joseph Mordecai c. or because they were illustrious and famous for wisedome and vertue But in these Nobles of Judah was nomen inane crimen immane Here was sedes primà vita ima dignitas in indigno hoc est ornamentum in luto white garments they might have but withal sooty souls and black manners Sent many Letters unto Tobiah Heb. Multiplyed their Letters or Packets walking to Tobiah with whom thereby they held correspondency as at this day they do with the Turkish Visiers and Basha's of state giving them continual intelligence of the affairs of Christendom and advising most of that mischief which the Turk puts in execution against us Verse 18. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him Besides that intercourse of Letters afore-mentioned Tobiah had his pensioners among the Jews who were his sworn servants and had taken oath or as the Hebrew hath it they were Lords of an oath to him In the year 1583. Girald Earle of Desmond's men had barbarously vowed to forswear God before they would forsake him Camb. Elisab Fol. 258. I know not what these Jews had sworn to Tobiah to be true to him likely and to prosecute his designes but those of them at this day living are great Swearers they were so in St. James his time chap. 9.12 but they keep no oath unlesse they swear upon their own Torah or Book of the Law Weemse brought out of their Synagogues Because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah One of those corrupt Nobles ver 17. and Meshullam was another who also helped to build the Wall chap. 3.4 and seemed forward but now shewes himself in his colours Thou mayest be the Fore-horse in the teem saith One a Ring-leader of good exercises as Joash 2 Chron. 24.4 5 6. Thou mayest flock after zealous Preachers as those did after John Baptist Matth. 3. Yea stand out in persecution and not shrink in the wetting as the thorny ground did not and yet be no better than a very painted hypocrite Verse 19. Also they reported his good deeds before me Heb. His goodnesses as if he had been another Phocion who was surnamed the good But this was but in their opinion onely who had little enough goodnesse and skill to judge of it Or if there were any good in him yet Sunt bona mista malis and of him might be said as once of Sfortza Duke of Millain Folieta Galeazo that he was a very Monster made up and compact of Vertue and Vice CHAP. VII Verse 1. When the Wall was built FOR better defence of the City Moenia à munienda urbe dicuntur And I had set up the doors We may not take this expression for a vain-glorious haec ego feci such as was that of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 boasting as if he and not Ninus had built Babel when he enlarged it onely and built the Palace Or that of Augustus Vrbem ego lateritiam inveni marmoream reliqui We read of one Lampadius a Noble man in Rome Am. Marcellini who per omnia Civitatis membra through all parts of the City where other great men had bestowed cost in building he would set up his own Name not as a Repairer of the work neither but as the chief builder Trajan the Emperour also is said to have been sick of this disease and was therefore called by way of jeare Wallweed But good Nehemiah was none such he was humiliter sublimis sublimiter humilis Herba paâ—ietina as Cyprian phraseth it that is humbly lofty and loftily humble humble in heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet high in worth and works as Nazianzen saith of Athanasius And the Levites were appointed Viz. to their several services in the Temple as David had distributed them after that they had been otherwise imployed about the building Verse 2. That I gave my brother Hanani Of whom see chap. 1.2 Ezra 10. ver 20. And Hananiah the Ruler of the palace The second person next to the Governour commanding in his Name within his Court. Charge over Jerusalem Thus he that is faithful in a little shall be made Master of much Matth. 25.31 For he was a faithful man Heb. A man of Truth Faithfulnesse or Firmenesse a sure man and such as one might safely confide in And feared God No wonder therefore though faithful to
the Pulpit doore Oecolamp and be fully of his minde who said I would not be found speaking or doing ought that I thought Christ would not approve of if he were corporally present And read in the book Giving the sense of that they read and applying it close to mens consciences This was preaching indeed for as every sound is not musick so neither is every Pulpit-discourse Preaching Cura Pastoralis est ars artium scientia scientiarum saith one It is a matter of great skill to divide the word aright See chap. 8.8 One fourth part of the day i. e. for three hours from nine a clock to twelve This warranteth our preaching Fast-Sermons though prayer be the chief businesse of such a day See Jer. 36.6 7. And another fourth part Sc. From twelve to three thus besides the ordinary morning and evening sacrifices they divided the day betwixt Preaching and Prayer as those did Acts 6.4 And as the Priests of old taught Jacob Gods judgements and put incense before the Lord Deut. 33.10 The Jewes at this day boast that they divide the day even the working-day into three parts the first ad Tephillah they spend in Prayer the second ad Torah in reading the Law the third ad Malachah in their worldly businesse But you are not bound herein to beleeve them They confessed Not without supplication for pardon and power to do better And worshipped the Lord their God Inwardly and outwardly giving him his due glory and resting upon him by a lively faith in the gracious promises being fully perswaded of this that together with the forgivenesse of sinne they should have those particular blessings which they sued for so farre as might stand with Gods glory and the good of their souls Verse 4. Then stood up Each of these eight in his turn or each in his own proper place the people being for more conveniency-sake divided into eight several Congregations And cried with a loud voyce Verbis non modò disertis sed exsertis that God might hear which yet he can do very well without any audible voice Exod. 14.15 1 Kings 22.32 and all the people might hear and joyn in prayer Vnto the Lord their God As being in Covenant with them This shewes their faith as the former their fervencie Faith is the foundation of Prayer and Prayer is the fervencie of Faith Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.2 Then the Levites Jeshua c. said stand up Gird your selves and serve the Lord as Luke 17.8 Be instant or stand close to the work set sides and shoulders to it Rouse up your selves Neand. Chron pag. 74. and wrestle with God Hoc agite said the Romane Priest to the people at their sacrifices And Sacerdos parat fratrum mentes dicendo Sursum corda saith Cyprian In the Primitive times the Ministers prepared the people to serve God by saying Lift up your hearts De oratione And blesse the Lord your God for ever Give him immortal thanks all possible praise amore more ore glorifie him doingly 1 Cor. 10.30 31. Ephes 1.11 12. Think of the multitude seasonablenesse suitablenesse constancy c. of Gods favours and then give him the glory due unto his Name which yet we can never do because his Name is exalted above all blessing and praise as it followeth here so that if we should do nothing else all our dayes yea as long as the dayes of heaven shall last said that Martyr but kneele upon our knees and sing over Davids Psalmes to Gods praise yet should we fall farre short fo what we owe to the Lord who is most worthy to be praised And blessed be thy glorious name These holy Levites having called upon the people to blesse God break forth into the performance of this Divine duty themselves So Saint Paul often exhorting the Saints to pray falls a praying for them Which is exalted above all blessing and praise So that when we have done our utmost herein we can never over-do David is oft so transported that he seemes to forget himself as a bird that hath got note records it over and over as Psal 136. for his mercie endureth for ever And Psal 150. in six verses are twelve Halleluiahs Praise him saith He Verse 2. according to his excellent greatnesse for great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Psal 145.3 and verse 6. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord Or Let every breath praise the Lord. As oft as we breath we are to breath out the praises of God and to make our breath like the perfumed smoke of the Tabernacle Verse 6. Thou even thou art Lord alone Jehovah is Gods incommunicable name that holy and reverend Name of his which Jewes pronounce not we too oft profane at least by not considering the import of it which is enough to answer all our doubts and to fill us with strong consolation had we but skill to spell all the letters in it Thou hast made heaven With great skill and artifice thou hast made it three stories high 2 Cor. 12.2 Heb. 11.10 The heaven of heavens Called the highest Luke 2.14 and the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 Of this heaven no natural knowledge can be had nor any help by humane arts Geometry Opticks c. for it is neither aspectable nor movable With all their host i. e. Their furniture Angels those heavenly Courtiers Sunne Moone and Starres c. which are all Gods servants Psal 119.91 and do in their way worship Him The earth and all things that are therein God may be read in the great book of Nature which hath three leaves Heaven Earth and Sea Heaven is all that 's above earth Earth is an element of cold and dry nature thick solid heavie placed in the middest of the world as the foundation thereof and therefore unmovable though round and in that respect naturally apt for motion and though founded not upon solid rocks but fluid waters This Aristotle himself wondred at Lib. 2. de Coelo cap. 13. And all things that are thereon Either therein as metals and minerals or thereon as men beasts creeping things c. The Seas and all that are therein As There is that Leviathan and creeping things innumerable Gods handy-work all of them And thou preservest them all Givest them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.25 life and breath motion and maintenance thou upholdest the whole creation by the word of thy power Heb. 1.3 and all things subsist by thy manutension God doth not cast off the care of his works that he hath made as doth the Carpenter or Shipwright but being perpetually present with them ruleth disposeth and ordereth all by a certaine counsel to his own ends and at length to his own glory And the host of heaven worshippeth thee Angels and Saints especially who the more they know of God the more they love him and honour him making their addresses to him with greatest self-abasement considering their
solid and substantial Crede mihi res severa est gandium verum Beleeve me saith Seneca true joy is a severe and solid businesse that few men are acquainted with It is indeed the just mans jewel such as the stranger may not meddle with Prov. 14.13 he is flatly forbidden it Hos 9.1 The wicked mans joy is of another alloy then that of the righteous The light of a candle is fed with stinking tallow but the light of the Sun hath influence from heaven to feed it and therefore is not so soon blown out Like as together with Manna there fell a dew so together with temporal mercies and deliverances there is a secret influence of God to a spiritual heart as there was to these good Jewes and thence their so well rooted gladnesse It was such as did not only wet the mouth but warm the heart smooth the brow but fill the breast it was more inward as the windowes of Solomons Temple were wider within then without Whereas on the contrary the wickeds joy is but in the face only and not in the heart 2 Cor. 5.12 it is but the hypocrisie of mirth like a little counterfeit complexion It is but a cold armful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lycophron said of an ill wife or as Lâ—mâ—ch's second wives name was Zillah that is the shadow of a wife so is this the shadow of gladnesse the substance is wanting And hâ—nour Heb. weight account esteem The poor Jewes formerly slighted were now highly honoured chari rari as Esa 43.4 bright and glorious as the word signifieth Job 31.26 precious and ponderous so that their name was much set by as 1 Sam. 18.30 This was the Lords own work for it is he that gives credit and fashioneth mens opinions he besides wisdom gave Solomon honour Verse 17. And in every Province and in every City Not at Shushan only where it began but thoroughout the whole Empire there was a general joy among the Jewes For albeit the worst was not yet past with them but the thirteenth of Adar is meant still by Hamans abettours to be a bloody day and this the Jewes knew well enough and therefore prepared for the encounter so that they could not be without their feares and anxieties yet the joy of the Lord was their strength Their hopes and prayers were like those of David Psal 138.8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth us thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the worke of thine own hands The Jewes had joy and gladnesse Gaudium in re gaudium in spe gandium de possessione gaudium de promissione Bern. gaudium de praesenti exhibitione gaudium de futura expectatione The Persians might revel but the Jewes only rejoyced See the Note on ver 16. A feast and a good day Convivium hilaria a compotation and a merry meeting such as the Saints have here in their foretasts of eternal life those sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience so Mr. Latimer called the assurance of heaven which they have here before they come to that ful feast above This feast and good day here mentioned was but a preparation unto that in the following chapter when the warfare was accomplished and all feares removed and God said Comfort ye comfort ye my people c. And many of the people of the Land became Jewes That is they were proselyted professing the Jewish Religion and siding with them some in sincerity doubtlesse and some out of sinisterity and for self-respects because they saw the King favoured them the Queen and Mordecai were altogether of them and for them c. Mobile sic sequitur fortunae lumina vulgus Ovid. Trist l. â— So that mixed multitude Exod. 12.38 moved with miracles removed out of Egypt with the Israelites took hold of the skirts of these Jewes and said We will go with you Zech. 8.23 So in Davids dayes whilest he dealt prudently and prospered so that he became the head of the heathen a people whom he had not known offered him their service and strangers feinedly submitted themselves unto him Psal 18.43 44. The like they did in Solomons dayes as Josephus relateth as also that the people then were very careful how they received such Prosperity-Proselytes So many strangers followed the captives returning out of Babylon under the conduct of Zorobabel and many heathens joyned themselves to the Christian Congregations under Constantine the first Christian Emperour The Hunnes well-beaten by the Christians concluded that their God was the true God and received the Gospel Thus whether it be in pretence or in truth as Saint Paul hath it that people come in God is glorified and his Church amplified and the Saints therein do rejoyce yea and will rejoyce Phil. 1.18 For the feare of the Jews fell upon them So that either for love or feare they conformed to the Jewish way of worship or at least they forbare to attempt against them whom now they looked upon as Heavens darlings Whether Ahashuerus himself were drawn by the faith and piety of Esther and Mordecai to embrace the true Religion is not expressed It is hard for Princes drowned in delights to deny themselves and to yield the obedience of faith The poor receive the Gospel Mat. 11.5 the lesser fishes bite soonest the Lamb and the Dove were offered up in sacrifice not the Lion and the Eagle Not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 That this King was not converted we have ground to believe when as after this we read that in his expedition into Greece he was angry with mountaines windes rivers elements no otherwise then as if they had been men causing the sea to be beaten with three hundred stripes for battering his bridge of boats and casting a paire of fetters into it to make it know to whom it was subject Let him be what he will God made use of him for the good of his people and so over-awed the malignant Persians that they had very many of them no minde to meddle CHAP. IX Verse 1. Now in the twelfth moneth c. TThat lucky time as Haman had deemed it but was deluded by the devil the Authour of all such Arts and lots of divination Buchole to foretel future arbitrary events qui etsi semel videatur verax millies est mendax semper fallax who if he sometimes hit upon the truth yet usually cozeneth those that trust to him Thus he served Balaam the Sorcerer slain by the sword of Israel Craesus taken prisoner by Cyrus Ahab slain at Ramoth-Gilead Julian the Apostate going against the Persians Walter Earle of Athol who murthered his Master James the first King of Scots in hope to attain to the Crown Crowned indeed he was but not as his witches and sorcerers had ambiguously insinuated with the Crown of that Realme Hector Boetâ— but with a crown of red hot iron clap't upon his head being one of the tortures wherewith he ended
at once his wicked dayes and desires The Pope to honour and encourage the Leaguers in France sent them consecrated pictures and medals promising them thereby good successe against the Huguenots but God confuted and defeated them all as he did likewise Tyrone in Ireland to whom Cárlt Rem among other trinkets the Pope had sent a Plume of Phoenix feathers a meer collusion When the Kings commandment and decree drew near c. Both that for the Jewes and the other against them This latter was not reversed though the former were published The King it seemeth greatly cared not for the lives of his subjects sith he would not so much as privately hint to them to be quiet and to let the Jewes alone Such an intimation as this might have saved the lives of seventy five thousand of them But God had an holy hand in it for the just punishment of those blood-thirsty Persians confident in the good successe of their sorceries having made hell their refuge but it failed them In thi day that the enemies of the Jewes hoped c. But their hope ran astope as they say their lucky day deceived them Wicked mens hope when they most need it will be as the giving up of the ghost and that 's but cold comfort Job 11. ult and as the spiders web Job 18.13 14. who gets to the top of the window as high as she can and then when she falls she falls to the bottom for nothing stayes her From such high hopes fell our English Papists first Act. Mon. fol. 1871 when Queen Mary died You hope and hope said Dale the Promoter to Julian Lining whom he had apprehended but your hope shall end in a rope for though the Queen faile she that you hope for shall never come at it for there is my Lord Cardinals grace and many more between her and it Secondly at Queen Elizabeths death that long-look'd-for day as they called it triumphing before the victory and selling the hide before they had taken the beast This they had done before in eighty eight when in assurance of victory they had stiled their forces the Invincible Armado and also afterwards at the Powder-plot when they had presumptuously disposed of the chief offices holds and revenues of the land like as before the Pharsalian field was fought the Pompeians were in such miserable security that some of them contended for the Priesthood which was Caesars office Heyl. Geoâ— 407. others disposed of the Consulships and Offices in Rome So at the batteâ— of Aginâ—court in France where our Henry the fifth won the day the French were so confident of a victory that they sent to King Henry Speed 745. to know what ransome he would give A presumptuous confidence goes commonly bleeding home when an humble fear returnes in triumph Though it was turned to the contrary By a sweet and gracious Providence of God whose glory it is to help at a pinch to alter the Scene all on the sudden to begin where we have given over and to cause a strange turne of things according to that of the Psalmist God shall send from heaven and save me when it might seem to some that salvation it self could not save me he shall send forth his mercy and his truth Psal 57.3 and then what should hinder the Churches happinesse That the Jewes had rule over them that hated them They dominered over their enemies as so many Sultans So true is that of the Preacher Man knoweth not his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Eccl. 9.12 Security is the certain usher of destruction and God delighteth by turning the scale to retaliate as he did upon the Egyptians at the red sea the Philistines at Mizpeh these Hamanists and our powder-Papists See Psal 7.16 Verse 2. The Jewes gathered themselves together They were laeti in Domino sed non securi as Bernard hath it They had prayed but yet provided for the thirteenth of Adar which by many was meant still to be a bloody day notwithstanding the knowen favour of the King and the patronage of Mordecai The Hamanists would joyn together to perform that sentence whereof the Authour repented and had rued it That old enmity Gen. 3.15 will never out of the Serpents seed the Jewes therefore well and wisely get together and unite their forces that they may make a powerful resistance They are noted by Tacitus to be a nation at great unity amongst themselves and to hate all others On of the main scandals they do at this day take from Christians is their dissension Camer med histor cent 2. c. 23. that mother of dissolution as Nazianzen calleth it The Turks pray to God to keep us still at variance and say that their fingers shall sooner be all of one length then we be of one minde What a shame 's this If nothing else will yet our common misery and the hatred of our enemies should unite us as it did these exiles and it was foretold by Jeremy chap. 50.4 that Judah and Israel that could not agree at other times yet when they should be both in a weeping condition they should better agree So did Basil and Eusebius against the Arrians Ridley and Hooper against the Papists c. And it is high time for us now to set aside our private emulatâ—ons and exceptions as the creatures in the Ark laid by their Antipathies within because of the common danger of an inundation without To lay hand on such as sought their hurt To repel force with force to kill and spoil those that sought to do so to them This nature prompted them to as was forenoted and they had also the Kings warrant for it and they kept themselves within compasse thereof by not medling with any but only those that molested them See chap. 8.11 And no man could withstand them Tantum potest bona causa bonis usa consiliis mediis saith an Interpreter here A good cause a good conscience and a good courage what cannot these three do where they meet How should any stand before those who are Deo armati Eph. 610. strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Pilates wife could warne him of medling with such and Hamans wife could tell him that a Jew might fall before a Persian and get up again and prevaile But if a Persian or whosoever of the Gentiles begin to fall before a Jew he can neither stand nor rise chap. 6.13 There is an invisible hand af Omnipotency that striketh in for his owne and confounds their opposites For the fear of them fell upon all the people This was the work not of some Pan Deus Arcadiae as the Heathens fancied but of God the sole giver of victory who when he pleaseth affrighteth the Churches
their lives Not one whereof was lost in this hot encounter in this sharp revenge they took off their avowed enemies This was even a miracle of Gods mercy Who would not feare thee O King of Nations c. And had rest from their enemies Or That they might have rest from their enemies who would not otherwise be quieted but by the letting out of their life-blood but would make an assault upon the harmelsse Jewes though it were to die for it so that upon the matter they were their own deathsmen besides the wilful losse of their immortal soules which our Saviour sheweth Mat 16.26 to be a losse 1. Incomparable 2. Irreparable And slew of their foes seventy and five thousand Neither was it any dishonour to them to be God Almighties slaughtermen Even the good Angels are Executioners of Gods righteous judgements as they were at Sodom in Sennacheribs army and oft in the Revelation There cannot be a better or more noble act then to do justice upon obstinate Malefactours But they laid not their hands on the prey They would not once foule their fingers therewith No godly man in Scripture is taxed for covetousnesse that sordid sin See the Note on verse 10. Verse 17. On the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar On this day they stood for their lives that they might rest from their enemies And accordingly On the fourteenth day of the same rested they i. e. the very next day after their deliverance they would not defer it a day longer but kept an holy rest with Psalmes and sacrifices of praise those calves of their lips the very next day whiles the deliverance was yet fresh and of recent remembrance This they knew well that God expected Deut. 23.21 and that he construeth delayes for denials Hag. 1.2 4. he gave order that no part of the thank-offering should be kept unspent till the third day to teach us to present our praises when benefits are newly received which else would soon wax stale and putrifie as fish I will pay my vowes now now saith David Psal 116.18 Hezekiah wrote his Song the third day after his recovery Queen Elizabeth when exalted from a prisoner to a Princesse and from misery to Majesty before she would suffer her self to be mounted in her charet to passe from the Tower to Westminster Englands Eliz. she very devoutly lifted up her hands and eyes to heaven and gave God humble thanks for that remarkable change and turn of things And made it a day of feasting and gladnesse Exhilarating and chearing up their good hearts that had long layen low with a more liberal use of the creatures that they might the better preach his praises and speak good of his name and that sith they could not offer up unto him other sacrifices prescribed in the Law because they were far from the Temple they might not be wanting with their sacrifice of thanksgiving which God preferreth before an oxe that hath hornes and hoofs saith the Psalmist Words may seem to be but a poor and slight recompence but Christ saith Nazianzen calleth himself the Word and this was all the fee that he looks for for his cures Go and tell what God hath done for thee With these calves of our lips let us cover Gods Altar and we shall finde that although he will neither eat the flesh of bulls nor drink the blood of goats yet if we offer unto God thanksgiving and pay our vowes unto the most High Psal 50.13 14. it will be look't upon as our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 Verse 18. On the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth What they could not do on one day they did it on another Men must be sedulous and strenuous in Gods work doing it with all their might and redeeming time for that purpose Eccl. 9.10 On both these dayes they destroyed their enemies They did their work thoroughly Let us do so in slaying our spiritual enemies not sparing any Agag not reserving this Zoar or that Rimmon but dealing by the whole body of sinne as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Amos 2.1 burn the bones of it to lime destroy it not to the halves as Saul but hew it in pieces before the Lord as Samuel As Joshua destroyed all the Canaanites he could lay hold on As Asa spared not his own mother as Solomon drew Joab from the Altar to the slaughter and put to death Adoniah the darling so must we deale by our corruptions ferretting and fetching them out of their lurking holes as these Jewes did their enemies on the fourteenth day that had escaped the day before Sith we must either kill them up all or be killed by them for as that one bastard Abimelech slew all Gideons sonnes upon one stone so one lust left unmortified will undo the soul And as one sinner so one sin may destroy much good Eccl. 9.18 And on the fifteenth day of the moneth they rested So shall the Saints do after death which will be the accomplishment of mortification for he that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 and filled with joy Isa 35.10 The ransomed of the Lord shall then return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Verse 19. Therefore the Jewes of the villages c. Pagani This is expounded in the next words that dwelt in the unwalled townes Such as is the Hague in Holland that hath two thousand housholds in it and chuseth rather to be counted the principal village of Europe then a lesser City Made the fourteenth day c. See verse 17. while the Jewes in Shushan were destroying the remainder of their enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Mac. 15.36 This day was afterwards called Mordecai's Holiday And of sending portions one to another See Nehem. 8.10 To the rich they sent in courtesie to the poor in charity and both these to testifie their thankfulnesse to God for their lives liberties and estates so lately and graciously restored unto them Verse 20. And Mordecai wrote these things He wrote with authority as a Magistrate say some that the Jewes should keep these dayes with greatest solemnitie He wrote the relation of these things before-mentioned say others as the ground of this annual festivitie Or else it may be meant more generally that Mordecai was the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost in writing this whole book of Esther as was before hinted And sent letters unto all the Jewes both night and farre Propinquis longinquis that they might all agree together about the time and manner of praising God and so sing the great Hallelujah See 2 Cor. 1.11 2 Chron. 20.26 27 28. Psal 124.1 2. and 126.1 Psal 136. penned for a recorded publike forme to praise God among the multitude Psal 109.20 and in the great Congregation Psal 22.22 25. David would go into the presses of people and there praise the Lord Psal 116.18
him Eliah was most zealous for the Lord of Hosts when he slew 450 of Baals Priests Tantus tamen fulminator ad Jezabelis minas trepidat suctus seipso imbecillior saith one and yet this valiant Prophet flieth at the threats of Jezabel and heareth from heaven Bucholc What dost thou here Elias So Jeremy Peter Father Latiemr Pray for me saith he I say pray for me for I am sometimes so fearfull that I would creep into a Mouse-hole sometimes God doth visit me again with his comforts so he cometh and goeth to teach me to feel and know mine infirmity Thus he writeth to B. Ridley Acts and Mon. 1565. with whom he afterwards suffered at the same stake His last words were Fidelis est Deus c. God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able c. This was also Jobs comfort when himself doubtlesse for at this time it was Ego non sum Ego with him and God considered it for he knoweth our mould he remembreth we are but dust And cursed 〈◊〉 day Diom non Deum his day and not his God as the divell would have had it It was too much howsoever of that and Job should have opened his mouth to better purpose In the Revelation whensoever heaven opened some memorable matter followed when wisedome openeth his mouth she speaketh excellent things Prov. 8.6 When Asaph opened his mouth he spake parables Psal 78.2 When our Saviour did so he delivered that famous Sermon in the Mount Matth. 5.2 But Job alas in the extreme paine of his body and anguish of his soul openeth his mouth and curseth bitterly curseth his day in a most emphaticall manner and in most exquisite terms wishing all the evill to it that it was any way capable of Now the day that he here curseth is either the day wherein he suffered such a world of evils as Obad. 12. Isa 2.12 Or rather the day which gave occasion to his sufferings his birth-day as verse 3 Jeremy did the like by a like infirmity chap. 20 14 and some others but never hath any yet been heard to curse the day of his new-birth nor ever shall as whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust and besides an entrance ministred unto us further and further into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 11. There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multiplied happinesse in holinesse Verse 2. And Job spake and said Heb. answered and said Answered whom answered he The Jew-Doctors say he answered his friends who having hitherto said nothing to him and heard as little from him at length rupere silentia 〈◊〉 and asked him what he ailed others more probably conceive that Job answered here to some dispute in his own mind or rather with the divel Some take this verse for a transition only Others make it a preparation for Jobs future discourse to move expectation and win attention The discourse indeed is all along to chap. 42.7 Poeticall and very accurate made up in Hexameters as Hierome holdeth not by Job and his friends at the first uttering but afterwards by Job at better leisure or as some think Sic Jonas orationem suaÌ„ in ventre balanahabitum David plâ—rosque Psalmos c. by Moses whilest a shepherd in Midian for the comfort of his poore Country-men in Egypt Mercer saith that his predecessor Vatablus as he and heard had found out a way of scanning these Hexameters to others unknown and to all the more obscure because the verse causeth a cloud The first Hexameter that ever was made in Greek is said to be this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anno Mundi 2580 Prima vates Phemoâ—oi Aâ—â—ed Chronol 468. Birds bring your plumes and Bees your wax at once Verse 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born He curseth his birth-day which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of a mans Nativity they call the begetting of his misery because he is non pâ—iùs natus quam dumnatus no sooner born but damned to the Mines of misery Job 14.1 Crying he comes into the world Aug. and before he speaketh he prophesieth and saith in effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Nasci pena labor vita necesse mori O that I had ne'r been born Wo worth th day That brought me forth and made me not away This whole life is orespread with sins and miseries as with a filthy morphew or as Job was with his leprosie the anguish whereof together with his inward troubles so grieved and galled him that he not onely cryeth but which is naturall for a man to do but giving the rains wholly to his grief he roareth and rageth beyond all reason and had not the spirit held him back he would surely have run headlong into blasphemy and desperation which was Satans designe But in the Saints as the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and sometimes getting the upper ground as it were bears it down as here in Job at this present so the Spirit again lusteth against the flesh and a great bustle there is in the good soul as when two opposite things meet together cold salt-peter and hot brimstome there is a great noise and as when Paul came to Ephejus there was no small stirre about that way Acts 19.23 c. Gal. 5.17 so that ye cannot do the things that ye would saith the Apostle As Job cannot do and say the good that he would because of the flesh so neither could he do or say the evil that he would because of the spirit he curseth indeed his day but not his wise nor friends much lesse his God as those male contents did Isa 8.21 Nay so soon as God came into his mind verse 20. the flesh was thereby though not altogether quailed and quelled yet so farre daunted and damped that it kept it self within the compasse of weeping and wailing and God himself though he find fault with Jobs speeches for unadvised and sometimes ranging beyond the precincts of godlinesse yet acquitting him from all grosse sin he crowneth him with the garland of a famous vict0ory as Mr. Beza here well observeth Most wisely therefore and fitly doth Saint James warn us that in thinking upon Job we regard not so much what was done while the combate lasted as what end the Lord make Jam. 5.11 The Saints doe never more prevaile and triumph then when it seemeth otherwise See Rev. 13.7 with chap. 12.11 they gather strength by opposition and conquer in being conquered Senâ—â— Rom. 8.37 They repent of their our hursts as Job did chap. 42. And Quâ—◠〈…〉 he is little lesse then innocent who is afterwards penitent Ambr. in Psal Yea it is almost mere to repent of a fault saith a Father then to have been free
from the fault And the night He would be sure so â—it the time whether it were day or night He that is 〈◊〉 out of Gods way knoweâ— not where he shall stop or when he 〈◊〉 step back Take heed therefore to they wayes that thou sin not with thy tongue Psal 39.1 Jam. 3. that unruly member Hanc frâ—nis hanc â—â— compesce catenis When Gods hand is on thy back let thy hand be on thy mouth keep it as with a bridle or muzzle Psal 39.1 Passionate speeches teâ—iter volant non â—â—viter violant The best that come of them is repentance Job when he was once out could keepe no mean but what he had said against day and night he amplifieth by the parts and first for the Day ver 4.5 and then for the Night 6 7 8. c. Verse 4. Let that day be darknesse thick darknesse as that once was in Egypt Exod. 10.23 A day of trouble and distresse a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse Zeph. 1.15 Let it be a dreadfull and a dismall day let sorrow and sadnesse overshadow it let mourning and tears overwhelme it let it be as when the Sun hideth his head in a mantle of black and is eclipsed at which time all creatures here below flag and hang the head In the gloomiest day there is light enough to make it day and distinguish it from night though the Sun shine not But Job would have no light to appear on his birth-day Thus be throweth out words without wisedome and as Hinds by calving so he by talking casteth out his sorrows Job 39.3 Let not God regard itâ— or require it let it passe as not worth looking after let him not take care of it or powre downe any speciall blessing upon it as he doth upon his people every day but especially upon the Sabbath-day Gods market day called by the Jewes desiderium dierum the desire of dayes and by the Primitive Christians Dies Lucis the Day of Light Neither let the light shine upon it And what is the air without light that first ornament of the visible world so what are all creature-comforts unlesse God shine through them What a wo-case is that poor soul in that walketh in darknesse and hath none of his light Isa 50.10 how lamentable is such an one deserted â—eâ—ghted how doth he find himself in the very suburbs of hell it self where the paine of losse is greater then the paine of sense 2 Thes 1.9 and to note thus much Iob here after he had said Let that day be darknesse addeth as a greater evil Let not the light shine upon it Verse 5. Let darknesse and the shadow of death stain it Let it be â—â—es luctuosus â—ethalis such a deadly dark day that each man may think it his last day fatall and feral Let there not be dimnesse only such as appeareth through a painted glasse died with some obscure colour but horrid and hideous darknesse such as was that at our Saviours passion when the Sun was totally â—â—â—â—ed and a great Philosopher thereupon cried out either the God of Nature suffers or the world is at an end To darknesse Iob here emphatically addeth the shadow of death The shadow is the dark part of the thing so that the shadow of death is the darkest side of death death in its blackest representation Now let these stain it saith he or challenge it or espouse it In nocte funestatur mund◠〈…〉 saith Tertullian elegantly Let a cloud dwell upon it Crescâ—t 〈…〉 Auxesin oratio Iob heapes up words like in sound and not unlike in sense Grief had made him eloquent as hoping thereby to ease himself Let a cloud dwell upon it a fixed cloud not such an one as continually hangeth over the Island of St. Thomas on the back side of Africa Abboâ—s Gâ—â—g 251. wherewith the whole Island is watered nor such aâ—dloud of grace as God promiseth to create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies that upon all his glory may be a defence Isa 4.5 But such as St. Paul and his company were under before the shipwrack Act. 27. when neither Sunne nor starre appeared for many dayes together the heavens being wholly muffled c. Let the blacknesse of the any terrifie it or Let the â—eat of the day terrifie it as it befalleth those that live under the torrid Zone where nothing prospereth The Atlantes a certain people are said to curse the rising Sun it doth so torture them with extreme heat When the dog star ariseth those are in ill case who dwell in hot Countries towards the East they are troubled and terrified Some take the word Chimrine here rendred blacknesse for those 〈◊〉 mentioned by the Prophets those Chimney-Chaplains of the Heathen idols and so render it thus Let the Priests of the day terrifie it that is Let those who used to observe and distinguish dayes note it for a terrible day otherâ— understand it of the noon-day divels that should vex people on that day with hellish heâ—â—â—â— and fures the â—â—lgar Latine hath it thus Let Hinc forsan tenebra Cimmeria as it were the bâ—ternesseâ— of the day terrifie it and to the 〈…〉 the Chaldee Paraphrast Iob still riseth in his discourse making use of many poeticall figures and tragicall phrases pickt out for the purpose Verse 6. As for that night let darknesse seize upon it Having spent his spleene upon the day he now vents himself upon the night according to that division verse 3. As for that night of mine unhappy conception or birth let tenebrosus turbo as the Vulgar here hath it Caligo perpetua inufitata Mercer a dark tempest or a tempestuous darknesse grasp it or invade it let it be as dark as pitch by a darknesse superadded to its naturall darknesse Let it not be joyned unto the dayes of the yeare Let nature quite disclaime it and disjoint it from the day following let it not be reckoned as any part of time that measure of all our motions Some render it Ne gaudeat inter dies Let it not rejoyce it self among the dayes of the year as one of them The night hath glory by union with the day this he wisheth taken from it Disunion and division is a curse and the number of two hath been accounted accursed because it was the first that departed from unity And let it not come into the number of months Drus. Deleatur è calendario let it be razed out of the Calendar and not have any place in the computation of time The Hebrewes call the Moon and a Month by the same Name because the Moone is renewed every month Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mensis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luna Verse 7. Lo let that night be solitary And so consequently sorrowfull for alonenesse is comfortlesse optimum solatium sodalitium There is a desirable solitarinesse such as was that of
the word properly signifieth branches or bought of trees which are many thick intertwined and crossing one another In the multitude of my perplexed thoughts within me saith David thy comforts have refreshed my soule Psalm 94.19 The same word is rendred vain thoughts or wavering cogitations Psal 119.113 Such as Davids soule hated Carnall hearts are exchanges and shops of vaine thoughts stewes of uncleane thoughts slaughter-houses of cruell and bloudy thoughts a very forge and mint of false politick undermining thoughts but Eliphaz his thoughts were better busied his top-thoughts those uppermost branches of his soul were concerning God and the things of his kingdome when other men became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned he had visions of God In the night-season when dead sleep fell upon others he slept but his heart waked and was free to receive revelations and to contemplate of them or perhaps he was broad awake at that time of night that he might the better converse with God and his own soule Abraham had many such sweet visions Isaac walked out into the fields for the purpose Jacob met with God in this manner both at Bethel and at Penuel Daniel had visions both of the day and of the night so had Paul and other Apostles The Monkes make long relations of revelations and apparitions that they have had So do the Enthusiasts and high-attainers but we are not bound to believe them Matthew Paris reporteth of Gilbert Foliot Bishop of London Anno Dom. 1161. that one night musing of the difference betwixt the King and Becket Arch-bishop of Canterbury he heard a terrible voice saying O Gilberte Foliot dum revolvis tot tot Deus tuus est Ascarot he taking it to be the divel answered boldly Mentiris daemon Deus meus est Deus Sabbaoth Aeneas in Virgil is said to have his visions and conferences with his deceased friends Satan loves to imitate God in what he can that he may deceive with better successe but we have a most sure word of prophesie and yet a more glorious light of the Gospel Heb. 1.2 The promised day-star being risen in our hearts 1 Pet. 1.19 Verse 14. Fear came on me and trembling Feare in the inward man and trembling in the outward And this is Gods method still the more he draweth nigh to any man the more doth rottennesse enter into his bones and he is horribly afraid of Gods judgments with David he trembleth at his word with Josiah that it may be the more efficacious in his soul Let us have grace saith the Apostle whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear For even our God also and not the God of the Jewes only is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil Our King will be served like himself served in state and although he alloweth us an humble familiarity yet he expecteth our reverentiall fear acquainted he will be with us in our walks of obedience but yet he takes state upon him in his ordinances and will be trembled at in the addresses we make unto his Majesty he looks we should bring with us a legall faith and a legall repentance as well as an Evangelicall and that wee should work out our salvation with feare and trembling Philip. 2.12 Terrours and humiliations prepare and posture the heart for revelations never is it right till a man lie low at Gods feet putting his mouth in the dust and crying out Isa 28. Speak Lord for thy servant heareth there shall be only fear to make them understand the hearing fear met Eliphaz and made way for the heavenly vision Which made all my bones to shake Heb. the multitude of my bones or the number of my bones how many soever they be and they are as many say the Hebrewes as there are affirmative precepts in the Law These pillars of my body shook sore and threatned a downfall Gelidusque per ima cucurrit Ossa tremor Aeneid 2 Verse 15. Then a spirit passed before my face Some render it a wind as a messenger or fore-runner of God near at hand as 1 Kings 19.11 But better a good Angel in some bodily shape Psal 104.4 Luke 24.37 for else how could he be seen of Eliphaz gliding rather then going as a ship upon the face of the waters The hair of my flesh stood up Horripilatus sum In a fright the heart falleth down the haire standeth up the blood hastening to the heart to relieve it as soldiers do to the castle when all is likely to be lost Dirigui steteruntque comae Verse 16. It stood still As now ready to speak an ambulatory voice is hardly heard The Heavens indeed are walking preachers but then they utter but these three words Lib. 2. de Arca cap. 3. saith Hugo in all Languages Accipe Redde Fuge that is Receive mercies Return duties Fly offences and their just punishments But I could not discern the form thereof Heb. The aspect or countenance Hee was so frighted that his eye could not do its office distinctly to discern the thing that was just before it It is naturall to a man to fear at the sight of an Angel what then will wicked men do at the last day when the Son of man shall bring all his Angels not leaving one behind him in heaven Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men and oh that we could perswade them An image was before mine eyes But I could not tell what to make of it It is not the will of God that man should represent him by an image The Jewes after the captivity Deut. 4.15 16 were so farre from idolatry that they would not admit a Carver or Painter into their City The Turks will not endure any image no not upon their coines because of the second Commandment Varro saith he that first brought in Imagery and that is thought to be Ninus King of Babylon superstitionem auxit metum dempsit increased superstition and tooke away feare The wiser heathers held that God was too subtle for sinew or fight to seize upon and the Greeke Painters when they would draw the image of their Jupiter in a Table they were still mending it but never ending it saying that herein they shewed him to be a god for that they might begin to paint but could not perfect him There was silence and I heard a voice It was fit there should be silence and sedatenesse of spirit when a divine voice was to be heard Let all the earth keepe silence before God Hab. 2.20 When the seventh seale was opened there was half an houres silence in heaven Rev. 8.1 What a noise is there in many mens hearts even whiles they are hearing what the Lord God speaketh unto them what bargaining lawing projecting running into another world as men in dreams do so that they can tell no more what the preacher said then the man in the moon can Silence is a good preparative
man a blessed man this the world wondreth at and can as little conceive of or consent to as the Philistines could of Sampsons riddle of meat out of the cater c. How can these things be say they It will never be saith Sense it can never be saith Reason it both can bee and will bee saith Faith the property whereof is to gather one contrary out of another life out of death happinesse out of misery assurance of deliverance out of deepest distresses and to believe God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible What if the afflicted man be Enosh that 's the word here a sorry sickly miserable man so the world esteemeth him yet Blessed is the man there he is called Geber the gallant man whom thou 〈…〉 O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Psal 94.12 Oh the happinesses the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present and future happinesse of the man whom God correcteth and withall instructeth chastening him with pain upon his bed and withall opening his cares to counsel and sealing his instructions Job 33.16 19 disputing him out of his evil practises with a rod in his hand Therefore despise not than the chastening of the Almighty Fret not faint not be not so impatient as to think that either thy crosses come not from God or not in mercy or that he is not All-sufficient to beare thee up under them or to help thee out of them Set not light by his love-tokens this is one of those two extremes Solomon warnes us of Prov. 3.11 neither despise afflictions nor despond under them See my Treatise called Gods love-tokens and the afflicted mans lessons page 37 38 39. c. Loath we are to take up the crosse and when called to carry it we shrink in the shoulder no chastening seemeth joyous but grievous as averse the best may be to it Psal 75.8 as a sick man is to those physicall slibber-sawees he had as lieve die almost as take them down How then alass will wicked men doe to drink off that cup of Gods wrath that hath eternity to the bottome Let the saints be content and say Ferre minora voto ne gravior a feram It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed Lâ—in 3.22 that wee are set safe from the wrath to come what-ever here betideth us It is the chastening of the Almighty who could as easily crush us as correct us See Isai 13.6 Jeal 1.15 Verse 18. For he maketh fore and bindeth up As a Surgeon maketh an incision to let out the impost humed matter and then heals up the wound againe God hath a salve for every sore a medicine for every malady he is both a Father and a physician hee 〈◊〉 us not unlesse aâ—ed be 1 Pes. 1.6 Wee are judged of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world Would wee that God should let us alone to perish in our 〈…〉 Ephraim Hos 4.14 and not meddle with us 〈…〉 they are set 〈◊〉 up our fores before they 〈…〉 mercy more cruel then any cruelty as a Father calls it And yea most 〈…〉 of by Luther who being in his 〈…〉 to take in good part his present pain as a token of Gods love answered Ah quam velim alios amare non me If this be his love I could wish he would love others and not me Luth. in Gen. He woundeth This is more then to make sore or sick like as Heb. 12.6 Scourging is worse then Chastening God sometimes makes bloody wales upon the backs of his best children he wounds them with the wound of an enemy Psal 68.21 110.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cruentavit and leaves them all gore blood as the word here used importeth And his hands make whole He hath as a Chirurgion should have a Ladies hand soft and tender a fathers heart relenting over his pained Ephraims Hos Lam. 3.33 11.8 Hee afflicteth not willingly or from the heart it goeth as much against the heart with him as against the hair with us and evermore Dejicit us relevet promit ut solatia prastet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus Verse 19. He shall de liver thee Heb. Snatch thee away or pull thee out as a brand out of the fire or as a prey out of the teeth of a wilde beast Thus God snatcht Lot out of Sodom David out of many waters Paul out of the mouth of the Lion Jonah out of the belly of hell c. As birds flying so will I defend Jerusalem Isa 31.5 A metaphor from the Eagle and other birds which when they flie highest set a watchfull eye upon the nest to rescue their young ones in case of danger In six troubles Or straits such as enemies or other evils put men to Israel at the red sea for instance where they were sorely distressed encircled with troubles neither was there any way of escape unlesse they could have gone up to heaven which because they could not heaven came down to them and delivered them Yea in seven A certaine number for an uncertain boundlesse deliverances will God grant to his people even as oft as they shall need deliverance enemies oft plow upon their backs and God as often cuts their traces Psal 129.3 4. As Catâ— was two and thirty times accused and two and thirty times cleared and absolved so shall it be with the Saints and this not only at the end of the world as Gregory and others interpret this text as if by six and seven allusion were made to Gods creating the world in six dayes and resting on the seventh and so must his servants labour here under afflictions and rest in heaven but in this life present where many are the troubles of the righteous millions some render it but the Lord delivereth them out of all Psal 34.19 Yea in them all as this text hath it by his supporting grace and those divine comforts which as blown bladders beare them aloft all waters There shall no evill touch thee so tactu qualitativo with a deadly touch God chargeth afflictions as David did his Captaines concerning Absolom Handle the young man gently for my sake Touch not mine annointed c. Either touch them not at all or not to hurt them Troubles may touch the Saints but evils must not 1 Cor. 10.14 Verse 20. In famine be shall redeeme thee from death They that be slaine with the sword are better then they that be slaine with hunger Lamen 4.9 Famine therefore is here set as the first and greatest of the six ensuing evils the sorest of Gods judgments Ezek. 6.11 Jer. 24.10 The certaine harbinger of death as here From this so great a death God delivered Abraham Gen 12. Isaak Gen. 26. Jacob and his family Gen. 47. The poor widow 1 Kings 17. The Israelites in the wildernesse by quailes the Rochellers by a miraculous shoale of shel-fish cast up into their town in a strait
as was noted before on verse 5. But he is said to remember us when he relieveth us Psalm 136.23 and 9.18 1 Sam. 1.19 That thou hast made me c. viz. in those Protoplasts my first parents formed out of the ground Gen. 2.7 whence the Heathen Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arian in Epict. that man is nothing else but a piece of clay weakly made up or thou hast wrought me like clay sc in the womb where thou hast framed and formed my body as the potter worketh his clay well-tempered into an earthen vessel Here then Job in-minds the Lord by the matter whereof he was made of the frailty vility and impurity of his nature Lutum enim conspurcat omnia sic caro to move him to a mitigation of his misery See Psal 103.14 and 78.39 Wilt thou bring me into the dust again viz. By those grievous torments Or And that thou wilt bring me into dust againe for so thou hast said to dust shalt thou return Gen. 3.19 And it is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 Oh therefore that I might have some small rest and respite before I go hence and be no more seen Psal 39.12 13. Verse 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk Or melted me that is made me of some such thing as liquid and white milke Generationem hominis describit Man is a very mean thing in his first conception modestly here set forth by the making of cheeses Vatab. Vnde superbit homo cujus conceptâ—o turpis Nasci poena labor vitâ— necesse morâ— Concerning mans formation in the womb see the Naturallists and Lactantius de Opificio Dei cap. 12. but especially Psalm 139. where and in this text there is enough spoken to satisfie us about this great natural mystery saith Mercer that is a good Moral that one maketh of it God strains out the motes of corruption from a godly-man while his heart is poured out like milk with grief and fear whereby the iniquity of Jacob is purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne Isa 27.9 And crudled me like cheese Siccastissimo ore elegantibus metaphoris saith an Interpreter Bodin theat natur 434. Arist de gen anim cap. 20. i. e. Thus in a most modest manner and with elegant metaphors doth Job as a great Philosopher set out mans conception in the womb Aristotle whose manner is obscurioribus obscura implicare as Bodin observeth hath some such expression as this but nothing so clear and full Verse 11. Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh Out of that soft and liquid substance the slime of my parents loins grossed first into a rude fleshy masse and consolidated Thou hast made not only a thin skin and firm flesh but also hard bones and knitting nerves and all this for a garment or guardment to those more noble inward parts the brain heart liver c. which Job here accounts to be the man when he saith Thou hast clothed me that is my vital parts with the upper garment of skin and with the under-garment of flesh all which and the rest of the parts both similar and organical are in their original but the same matter which God hath thus diversified and all by the book Psalm 139.16 Had he left out any member in his common-place-book thou hadst wanted it saith one And hast fenced me with bones and sinews Bones are the pillars of the body giving it stability straightnesse and forme The Rabbines say there are as many of them in mans body as there are affirmative precepts in the law that all his bones may say Lord who is like unto thee c Psal 35.10 By the sinews are the bones knit together that upon them man may move from place to place as he pleaseth Sense also and Motion is by these in their wonderful and inexplicable conjugations conveyed to the rest of the parts It is God alone that knoweth how the bones think the same of the sinews arteries veins gristles flesh and blood c. do grow in the wombe of her that is with child Eccles 11.5 The Anatomists find out every day almost new wonders and an Ancient stileth Man the miracle of miracles Besides what is seen Mr. Caryl God hath pack many rarieties mysteries yea miracles together in mans chest And surely saith one if all the Angels in heaven had studied to this day they could not have cast man into a more curious mould or have given a fairer or more 〈◊〉 edition of him Verse 12. Thou hast granted me life i. e. Into my body thus formed and organized thou hast infused a soul Vatab. that principle of life quickned me in the womb and brought me alive out of it which because it is a miracle of mercy therefore 〈◊〉 addeth favour thou hast granted me Heb. thou hast wrought with me life and favâ—â—â— Thou hast dealt life and goodnesse unto me that is thou hast given me life accompanied with thy goodnesse and blessings so Beza senseth it Some understand it of the reasonable soul others of the beauty of the body according to Isa 40 6. And thy visitation hath preserved my Spirit i. e. Thy good providence hath safe guarded me from innumerable deaths and dangers Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus children are apt to run into mischief and those of riper years are subject to a thousand disasters and evil-occurrences Gods special care is exercised over his as is sweetly expressed Psalm 121. and Psalm 23. Davids pastoral and Psalm 3. where David doubteth not of safety though asleep and in the midst of enemies because God sustained him when as Samson and Ishbosheth a sleep in the midst of friends were circumvented because deserted by him oh pray pray that the Lord Jesus Christ would be ever with our spirits visit him in duty that he may visit us in mercy Verse 13. And those things hast thou hid in thine heart Legendum hoc cum stomachâ— saith Mercer And hast thou indeed hid these things in thine heart What things meaneth Job his afflictions which God was long before preparing for him and now took his time to lay load upon him to be revenged on him at unawares and at greatest advantage If this be the fense of Jobs words as some would conclude from the next verses he was mightily mistaken and this was atrox querimonia a grievous complaint and unworthy of God who lieth not at the catch nor pretendeth fair when he intendeth otherwise A Cain may do so to Abel Esau to Jacob Absolom to Amnâ—n Joab to Amasa c. The Creator needs not daub or prevaricate thus with his creatures if Job thought he did with him Job was utterly out though for confirmation he adde I know that this is with thee I am sure that thou hast dealt thus closely and covertly with me and that thy plagues have surprized me O these still revenges Merlin and others understand by those thing hid
here to trees which are said to turn themselves and their roots after a sort to take in the smel of the water and thereby refreshed to bud and bring forth boughs like a plant This is check to those that live under the droppings of the ordinances and yet are like the Cypress-treâ— which the more it is watered proves the lesse fruitful and being once out down it never springs again whence the Romans who believed not a resurrection were wont to place a Cypresse-tree at the threshold of the house of death as Pliny and Serâ—iâ—s tell us Serv. in Virg. l. 4. Plin. lib. 16. cap. 32. Verse 10. But man dieth and wasteth away Heb. strong and lusty man Homo quantumvis rooustus Vat. dieth and wasteth away or is cut off sc worse then a tree for he growes no more or is discomfited vanquished as Exod. 17.13 and 32.18 sc by death and so carried clean out of this world Yea man giveth up the ghost Homo vulgaris plebeius All of all sorts must die whether noble or ignoble as Rabbi Abraham here observeth Job is very much in this discourse about death and surely as Nazianzen wisheth of hell so could I of death Vtinam ubique de morte dissereretur oh that it were more in mens minds and mouths then it is And where is he q. d. No where above ground or if he be putrefit teterrimè olet he putrifies and stinks filthily and as his life is taken away so is his glory yea being once out of sight he growes by little and little out of mind too little thought of less spoken of many times not so much as his name mentioned or remembred in the next generation Eccles 1.11 There is no remembrance of former things or men neither shall there be any remembrance c. So Eccles 2.16 and 8.10 and 9.5 Hence the state of the dead is called the land of forgetfulnesse Psalm 88.12 And Psalm 31.12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind Heathens also say the same Hor. lib. 4. Carm. 7. Cum somel occideris de te splendida Minos Fecerit arbitria Non Torquate genus non te facundia non te Restituet pietas Verse 11. As the water fall from the sea He sets forth the same truth by an elegant similitude drawn from the drying up of waters Look how these after some exundation of the sea or some great river are separated and left upon the reflux thereof behind the rest upon the land which cannot return for then they must ascend which is impossible to nature nor continue but do utterly dry up Sanctius Abbot and evaporate So c. verse 12. Others read it thus As when the waters from the feafail the flood decaieth and dryeth up so when mans life is taken away it returns no more while this world lasteth God hath made in the bowels of the earth certain secret wayes passages and veins through which water conveigheth it self from the sea to all parts and hath its saltnesse taken away in the passage Thence are our springs and from them our rivers but in hot countryes and dry seasons springs are dry and rivers want water exceedingly as at this time they do March 7. 1653. So when natural moisture decayeth in man he faileth and dieth the radical humor that supplement and oyl of life is dried up and can be no more renewed till the last day when yet it shall not be restored to the same state and moisture but instead of natural rise spiritual 1 Cor. 15. Verse 12. So man lieth down sc in the dust of death or in the bed of the grave his dormitory till the last day Vt somnus mortis sic lectus imago sepulchri And riseth not scil To live again among men so Psalm 78. Man is compared to a wind which when it is past returneth not again If it be objected that we read of three in the old Testament and five in the new raised from death to life besides those many that arose and came out of the graves after Christs resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many Matth. 27.52 53. It is answered 1. These few raised by Gods extraordinary power do not infringe the truth of what the Scripture here and elsewhere affirmeth of all mankind according to the ordinary course of nature 2. Even those men also afterwards died again and vanished no more to return or appear again in this world Till the heavens be no more i. e. Never say some interpreters to wit vi suâ by his own strength and to a better condition in the land of the living so the word until is used 2 Sam. 6.13 Matth. 5.26 and 1.25 ut piè credimus How sound and clear Job was in the point of the Resurrection we shall see chap. 19. and because he falls upon it in the words next following here some understand these words thus They shall not rise till the general resurrections when these heavens shall be changed and renewed Psalm 102.25 26. Isaiah 65.17 2 Peter 3.7.10 11. Rev. 21.1 They shall not awake Out of the sleep of death nor be raised viz. by the sound of the last trump till the last day But raised they shall be and sleep no more viz. when the heavens shall be no more And till that time the bodies of the Saints are laid in the grave as in a bed of down or of spices to mellow and ripen this is matter of joy and triumph Isa 26.19 Dan. 12.2 when they were to lose all so Heb. 11.35 The wicked also sleep in the grave Dan. 12.2 but shall awake to everlasting shame and contempt ib. their sick sleep shall have a woful waking for they shall be raised by vertue of Christs judiciary power and by the curse of the law to look upon him whom they have pierced and to hear from him that dreadful discedite Depart ye cursed c. Verse 13. O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave As in a sweet and safe repository sanctuary Sepulchrum est quasi scrinium vel capsa in quam reponitur corpus my soul mean-while living and raigning with thee in heaven expecting a glorious Resurrection and saying How long Lord Holy and True The fable or fancy of Psychopannychia hath been long since hissed out though lately revived by some Libertines that last brood of Beelzebub our Mortalists especially who say that the body and soul die together But what saith the Apostle Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Now that Job thus woos death and petitions for the grave it is manifest that he saw some good in it and that he promised himself by it Malorum ademptionem bonorum adeptionem freedom from evil and fulnesse of good we should learn to familiarize death to our selves and put the grave under the fairest and easiest apprehensions think we hear God
fugitivus Tertul. as Cain that Caitiff and those Hivites with their hornets of a clamorous conscience worse to them then if their bodies had been tormented with stings or torn with stripes Exod. 23.28 What a sound of terrour in their ears frighted those Syrians 2 Kings 7.6 And those Persians and Saracenâ— overcome by Theodosius Panice terrore incusso saith the Historian afraid of their own shadowes they desperately cast themselves into the River Euphrates and there perished above an hundred thousand of them Auno Dom. 394. Fusic The wicked flyeth when none pursueth Prov. 28.1 The sound of a shaken leaf chaseth him Lev. 26.36 when the righteous is bold as a Lion and not dismayed at evil tidings Psal 112.7 His heart is balanced with the fear of God and thence it is that he floateth steddily blow what wind it will he sailes to the Port stormes and tempests do but beat him into it In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him Heb. In peace when he shal say Peace and safety 1 Thes 5.3 When he is at the highest he shall be destroyed Dan. 4.30 31. In the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straits Job 20.22 his short Spring shall have an eternal Winter Psal 92.7 Vltimus sanitat is gradut est morbo proximus say Physicians the utmost degree of health is nearest to sickness so the wicked when nearest misery have greatest prosperity Verse 22. He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness He despondeth and despaireth of a better condition sighing out that doalful ditty Desperat qui summus est diffidentiae greadus Jun. Spes fortuna valete he looks for no further light and delight of former comforts he knowes that they that go down into the dark pit cannot hope for Gods truth Isas 38.18 There being left them neither hope of better nor place of worse And he is waited for of the sword Or looked upon by the sword which waiteth as it were an opportunity to slay him Circumspectans undique gladium so the Vulgar He looketh this way and that way as fearing the Murderer his guilt representing to him on all sides nothing but naked swords he believeth that they will assassine him in his bed This was the case of Saul who suspected his best servants of Dionysius the Tyrant who durst not trust his own daughter with his throat Of Alexander Pheraeus who would not go to bed to his wife Thebe whom he loved Tul. Offic. lib. 2. till he had first searched the room and her pocket for edge-tools Dan. Hist 249. Of Richard the third who after the death of his two innocent Nephewes had fearful dreames and apprehensions insomuch that he did often leap out of his bed in the dark and catching his sword which alway naked stuck by his side he did go distractedly about the Chamber every where seeking to find out the cause of his own occasioned disquiet saith the Chronologer Tiberius felt the remorse of conscience so violent Tacit. that he protested to the Senate that he suffered death daily through fear of death whereupon the Historian maketh this profitable Observation Tandem faâ—inora fâ—agitia in supplicium vertuntur Heinous sins will at length have heavy punishments Verse 23. He wandreth abroad for bread saying Where is it He is hard put to it for necessaries and would be glad of a piece of bread as 1 Sam. 25.36 Herodot This was the case of Pythias once so rich that he entertained a million of men even Xerxâ—s his whole huge Hoste for three dayes space at his own proper charge but afterwards so poor that he dyed through hunger And the like befell Gillimer King of Vandales of whom it is storied that being overcome and beleagured by Bellisarius he sent to him for a Sponge to dry his tears a Cittern to ease his grief and a piece of bread to save his life Bellisarius himself was afterwards glad to beg his bread And Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany after ten years Raign was desposed and driven to the like exigent whereupon he is said to have made use of those words of Job chap. 19.21 Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me And there is no doubt but Eliphaz glanceth at Job in all these expressions as if he were the man whom he here describeth with much Eloquence but small charity He knoweth that the day of darknesse is ready at his hand His conscience telleth him that he is not yet at worst he knowes in himself say the Septuagint that further evil shall be upon him that his misery is inevitable and at next door by and this knowledg being ful of feare is also full of torment it is even hell afore hand and above ground Verse 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid Or Scare him not only out of his comforts Mentis inops moritur Epist Hist Gal. Plut. but out of his wits and senses too as it did Charles the great Cardinal of Lorrain See Deut. 28.34 Tullus Hostilius the third King of Romans deriding the Religion of his Predecessour Numa as that which did emasculate mens minds was afterwards so terrified that he set up and worshipped two new gods viz Pavorem Pallorem Trouble and anguish which he had perpetually present with him as Lactantius reporteth What a pitiful agony Vitellius the Emperor was in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Vespasians Army marched toward Rome is notably set forth by Dio in his life Not long after that at the sack of Jerusalem some Jewes killed themselves left they should fall into the hands of Vespasians souldiers Hic rego non furor est ne moriare mori They shall prevail against him Or begirt him as a King is inviron'd in peace by his Guard in War by his Army Or They shall destroy him as a King ready to the battle doth his enemies forces which he routeth and ruineth Fear hath a deadly force upon feeble spirits neither is it nay wonder that they ring their bells backward when things begin once to be on fire Verse 25. For he stretcheth out his hand against God Worthy therefore to have a dead Palsie transfused into it or dryed up as Jeroboams was when but stretched out against a Prophet and as Valens the Emperors hand was made unable to hold a pen when he would have subscribed a Warrant for the banishing of Basit Such a Giant-like generation there are to this day among men as face the heavens cast down the gantlet against God Erecto collo valido impetu arrogantiâ incurvi cervicâ saith Brentius upon the Text with stiff necks full force and insufferable insolence as it were on purpose to crosse the Almighty and to wrestle a fall with him they sin with an high hand Levit. 26.21 Numb 15.30 and do as wickedly as they can Jer. 3.5 yea with both hands earnestly Mich 7.3 Persecuting his
people who are unto him as the apple of his eye Act. 7.51 and resisting the Holy Ghost alwayes Surely he would even destroy God if he could for he hateth him Rom. 1.30 With an hellish hatred as the word there signifieth such as striketh at Gods very essence Psal 10.41 confer 1 Joh. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And strengthneth himself against the Almighty Sed vana sine viribus ire To his sinewes of iron he hath added browes of brasse Isai 48.4 To his natural crosnesse habitual hardnesse and hardinesse so that now like a stout Warrior he bends all his strength against the Almighty but with no better successe then to be broken in pieces Isai 8.9 with his it on Mace Psal 2.9 Sennacherib for instance See the Note above on chap. 9.4 Verse 26. He runneth upon him even on his neck Vulgar He runneth upon him God with an erected-neck such is his audaciousnesse and impudence daring to do any heinous wickednesse and not fearing to run against the strongest part of Gods Armour though able to grind him to powder Sin hath woaded such an impudency in his face that he dare with a full forehead encounter God even upon the points of his Justice and righteous Judgments wherein he is the ablest to give us the shock c. Thus some sense the Text. Others of good note also refer the word runneth to God and render it thus God runneth upon him even upon the neck c. He breaking his shields how many and how thick soever they be drags him by the neck as a miserable vanquished wretch and layes upon him exquisite and high punishments according to that chap. 31.3 Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity Vpon the thick bosses of his buckler Wherewith the Belialist this Champion for hell thinks himself best armed and secured against the dint of the divine displeasure Bucklers besides other bosses for ornament had one great bosse in the middle with a sharp pike in it for use to pierce and wound the Adversary Now God runs upon this also and is no whit hindred thereby from punishing the refractories these high attempters these monstrous men of condition that so fiercely and so fearlesly lift up their hands against heaven as if they would pull God out of his throne and throw the house yea the world out at the window Surely as Pride resisteth God in a special manner so doth God in a special manner resist it 1 Pet. 5.5 The reason whereof is given by Boetius All other vices saith he flye from God only Pride flyes at him stands out and makes head against him Verse 27. Because he covereth his face with his fatnesse This is given in as one chief cause of his insolency he is a belly-god he maketh plaits upon the panch so Broughron rendreth it He hath larded his guts so Calvin He maketh it his businesse to pamper his body his heart also is fat as grease Psal 119.70 Benè curavit cutem suam in hoc munde Vat. He is waxen fat that is prosperity-proud and kicketh Dent. 32.15 Pride and fulnesse of bread were Sodoms twin-sins Ezek. 16.49 When people are Provender-prick'd as we call it they easily turn the grace of God into lasciviousnesse Jude 4. and that fulnesse breeds forgetfulnesse as the fed Hawk soon forgets his Master and the Moon at fullest gets furthest off the Sun Sensuallists who love feast Judg. 14.10 are void of the Spirit Jude 19. A full belly maketh a fowle heart The rankest weeds grow out of the fattest soil and those that make their gut a gulph well they may have collops in their flanks but they have leannesse in their soules indeed they have as Swine their soules for salt onely to keep their bodies from putrefying And maketh collops of fat on his flanks Heb And maketh mouths that is wrinkles upon his flanks He is active about it and makes it his businesse to make provision for the flesh Rom. 13. ult He labours for the meat that perisheth Joh 16.27 He lives to eat and laughs himself fat till his heart now hardned by the deceit fulness of his sin becomes as insensible as Dionysius the Heracleot who felt not when men thrust needles into his fat belly or those Beares in Pliny that could not be stirred with the sharpest prickles Verse 28. And he dwelleth in desolate Cities Such as had been before desolated but are now by him re-edified to get him a name and renown amongst men Ad numinis contemptum hominum terrorem Merlin and to make himself formidable as those do who build themselves strong holds upon high Rocks as if they would wage war against heaven Peradventure saith Deodate here he meaneth those Kings of violent Empires who repaired or built great Cities after the Deluge as Nimrod Ashur and others Gen. 10.8 Job 3.14 Isai 23.13 and raised themselves upon other mens ruines Eliphaz his scope is to shew that a man that hath great power amongst men begins to think himself strong enough for God also And in houses where no man inhabiteth For he hath driven away the Inhabitants through his oppressions This is that crying sin of Depopulatours who build themselves desolate places Job 3.14 And Enclosers who betray Townes as Rome did Carthage with a distinction We will save the City but destroy the Town This hath been noted as a great fault in our Nation and therefore Goropius thinks the English were called Angli because they were good Anglers and had skill to lay diverse baites when they fished for others mens livings But that 's his mistake though perhaps wilful for we were so called from the old Angli who came in with the Saxons and were subdued by the Normans whose Duke William the Conqueror paid dear for his depopulations at New Forrest wherein six and thirty Parish Churches had been demolished and the Inhabitants removed to make room for beasts or dogs game Diverse of his sons and Nephews came there to untimely ends so dangerous it is for men to prove Abaddons or Destroyers Which are ready to become heapes Heaps of stones the strongest structures in the world are subject to ruine Make sure of heaven which the Philosopher fondly dreamt to be made of stone arch-work and would one day come to raine But whatever becometh of the visible heavens which shall be purged by the fire of the last day upon the invisible we may well write as Hyppocrates telleth us it was engraven on the gates of a certain City Intacta manet it remaineth untouched And as the Venetians boast of their City that she is still a Virgin because from the first founding thereof which is 1200 years since or neer upon it never came into the hands of a forraine enemy Verse 29. he shall not be rich neither shall his substance c. If he be rich it is for a mischief neither is it likely long to continue with him for God
my skin at to my flesh so it may be read that is as once it did in my flesh Ossa sub incurim apparent areda lumbis when I was well lined within Now alas I lie under a miserable Marasmus and should therefore be pitied as being a just object of your commiseration And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth Escaped I am and come off as out of an hot skirmish with my life and very little else All I have lest me whole is the skin of my teeth that is of my gums into which my teeth are engraffed the rest of my body is all over of a scab The vulgar rendreth it My lips only about my teeth are lest me untoucht And Junius gives this gloss Job had nothing lest him but the instrument of speech These say some the Devil purposely meddled not with as hoping that therewith he would curse God Cruse him he might with his heart onely but this would have pleased the Devil nothing so well as to hear him do it with his tongue this is the conceit of some of the Jew-Doctors Hoc fecisse Satanam volunt ut voluntatem captret Merc. But it is better to ascribe this escape to the good providence of God than to the mailce of the Devil Verse 21. Have pity upon me have pity upon me c. To him that is afflicted pity should he shewed from his friend and to do otherwise is to forsake the fear of the Almighty chap. 6.14 See the Note there There was little either fear of God or mercy to men in that barbarous Bishop of Spire who denied to Hen. 4. Emperour of Germany deposed after ten years reign and hardly bestead a poor Clerkship there in a Monastery of his own foundation which caused the miserable Emperour to break out into these words of Job Have pity upon me have pity upon me ô my friend for the hand of God hath touched me The Papists tell us That the souls in Purgatory cry out to their friends on earth for help on this manner and in these terms But this is as very a Fiction as purgatory it self is the Popes invention who must needs be extreme pitilesse to suffer so many souls to lye m so great torments when as hee hath power to fetch them out at his pleasure Verse 23 Why do ye persecute â—e as God Is this that pitying of me thus to presse me with reproaches and therein to think you gratifie God and do him good service Know ye not that to persecute him whom he hath smitten is greatest cruelty and to talk to the grief of those whom he hath wounded is to heap up guilt and thereby wrath Psal 69.26 27. When a Dear is shot the rest of the Herd push him out of the company When a tree falleth every passenger is ready to be pulling at it But Gods people should love as Brethren be pitiful be courteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet 3.8 and of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire Jude 22 23. Thus it should be but as of old in Egypt one Hebrew smote another blowes enough were not deaâ— by the common adversary but their own must adde to the violence Still Satan is thus busie and Christians are thus malicious that as if they wanted Persecutours they persecute one another and if as here they can but do as God that is for God as they misperswade themselves to vindicate his Justice and to promote his glory then they rage and are confident as these friends of Job in whom neverthelesse it was rather error amoris then amor erroris an errour of love then any love of error And art not satisfied with my flesh Which is pined a way with paine and grief This contents you not Est detractoris periphrasis Mercer Non minue enim calumniatores homines devorant quam Scytha Brent in loc but you must break my bones also and suck my blood by your contumelies and calumnies Brâ—ntius and others apply this Tert to slanderers and back-biters whom they compare to Cannibals It is reported of Wolves that when they have once fed upon mans flesh they desist not but desire mort of it Job looketh upon his friends as such man-eaters wherein his sorrow transported him too far and whiles he was moving them to compassion he shewes himselfe over passionate Verse 23. Oh that my words were now written This reiterated wish Job setteth as a Preamble to that ensuing memorable testimony of the Resurrection as a matter most weighty and worthy the consideration of all ages which therefore he wisheth recorded in some publick Instrument no alseternity And god said Amen to it For not only this precious passage but the whole Book of Job so full of divine instruction preparatory to the lost day was committed to waiting either by Meses or some other Prophets of that age or else by Job himself after his restauration and put among the Canonical Books of Scripture concerning which David saith For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in heavean Psal 219 89. And Christ Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle c. Matth. 5. Not one hair of that sacred head can fall to the earth Aug. Confess l. 5. c. 8. Thus God hath answered Job ad cardinâ—â—â— desiderii as a Father speaketh leating it be to him even as he would Oh that they were printed Or drawn out that is written saith One in great and Capital Letters that every man might read them Hab. 22. for there was no Printing in those dayes that we know of The Chinoâ—s indeed tell us that they had the Art of Printing long before But in Europe it was not heard of till the year One thousand four hundred and forty It begun to be practiced at Harlem in the Low Countries by Lawrence Jans say some by John Gertudeâ—â—erg say others and was perfected at Meniz where Tulliet Offices the first Book that ever was printed is still kept for a Monument In a Book that it might be preserved and laid up for the use of posterity in some Kiriah-sepher or City of Books Let them that are able be apt and active in setting forth Books for the benefit of others Horat. sith Paulum sepultae dist at inertiae Celata virtu He that buried his talent gave an heavy account to the Master and was therefore called evil because idle servant Matth. 25. Verse 24. That they were graven with an iron pen c. That my words were not only Soriptased sculota written but graven in a Rock as the Lawes of divers Nations were cut in Brasse or Marble and as Monuments and Epitaphs are graven on Tombs for remembrance of those that are dead And Lead Plumbo per sulces infuso saith Junius the curs of the Letters in Marble being filled with Lead that they might be the more legible and durable In the Rock In Marble cut out
unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth He raiseth up the poor out of the dust 2 Chron 16.9 c. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong Rom. 1.18 c. His wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Job had frequently acknowledged and celebrated the power and providence of God his judgements upon the wicked his fatherly chastisements upon himself deeply detesting all such thoughts and speeches as he is here wrongfully made the Author of And behold the height of the Stars Heb. The head of the stars those that are the very highest and at the top of the visible heaven the eighth heaven beyond which some of the Ancients acknowledged not any other Aristotle saith That beyond the aspectable and moveable heavens Decoel Text. 99. there is neither body nor time nor place nor vacuum But the scripture teacheth us That there is beyond the Stars how high set soever a third heaven a heaven of heavens the Throne of God and habitation of the Blessed The starry sky is but as the brick-wall encompassing this lofty Palace the glorious and glittering rough-cast thereof How high they are Vt vix â—ò noster possit aspectus pertingere so high that our eyes can hardly reach them Mercer It is a wonder that we can look up to so admirable a height and that the very eye is not tyred in the way Now God is far far above the stars omnium supremus altissimorum altissâ—mus The high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity Propterea quod tantum Chaos sit inâ—er nos et Deâ—â—â— Vat. Isa 57.17 dwelleth in light inaccessible 1 Tim. 6.16 such as whereof no natural knowledge can be had nor any help by humane Arts Geometry Opticks c. How then can he see from such a distance what is here done on earth saith the Atheist who thinks to hide himself from God because he hath hidden God from himself Hear him else in the next verse See also Ezek. 8.12 and 9.9 Verse 13. And thou sayest How doth God know A bruitish question Psal 94.7 8. and never of Jobs making There are a fort of such miscreants as believe nothing but what they see with their bodily eyes and indeed for a finite creature to believe the infinite Attributes of God he is not able to do it throughly without supernatural grace which therefore must be begged of God Jam. 1.5 that he would give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of our understanding being enlightened c. Ephes 1.17 18. For want whereof the wicked blinded with sin ask such senseless and blasphemous questions as this in the text and those like this Psal 10.11 Zeph. 1.12 See the Note there Plin. 1.2 c. 7. It is a ridiculous thing saith Pliny to think that the highest Majesty taketh care of humane affaires a service doubtless far below him and unworthy of his greatness Can he judge through the dark cloud Can he discern through such a dark medium Sicut pueri vultum obvelant putantes sese tum non conspici Lavat Men cannot see God and therefore some fools are apt to think that neither can he see them But that Job was far from any such thought see chap. 21.16.22 To blame therefore was Eliphaz to charge him with such a wickedness and all because he had said that in this life bad men oft prosper and better men suffer which yet is verum tanquam ex tripode very true and not at all derogatory to the divine providence Verse 14. Thick clouds are a covering to him He lyeth close hid among the clouds and seeth nothing But be the clouds never so thick Christ's eyes are a flaming fire Rev. 1.14 And the School of Nature teacheth That the fiery eye needeth no outward light but seech extra-mittendo by sending out a ray c. He will freely blot out the sins of his people as a cloud and their transgressions as a thick cloud Esa 44.22 43.25 but the clouds cannot hinder him from sight of their sins for he is All-eye and darkness and light are both alike to him Psal 139.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A cloud may come between the body of the Sun and us and the whole Hemisphere may be masked and over-cast as we call it but nothing can keep God from eying and ordering all things And he walke h in the circuit of heaven Where it seemeth thou thinkest he only manageth matters and beareth rule and not below So indeed the Peripateticks thought and taught Agreeably whereunto Lysippus made Alexanders picture looking up to heaven with this Posie Juppiter asserui terram mihi tu assere coelum With which picture Alexander was so delighted Plin. l. 6. c. 16. that he proclaimed that none should take his picture but Lysippus Augustus also heard with delight Divisum imperium cum Jove Caesar habet Virgil. vita And the Great Turk vexed at his great loss in the last Assault of Scodra most horribly blasphemed against God saying Turk Hist fol 423. That it were enough for him to have care of heavenly things and not to cross him in his worldly actions The Atheist here taketh it for granted That God hath enough to do to walk from place to place in Heaven as Princes do in their Progress and to order those heavenly bodies how they shall affect these lower bodies by their light heat and influence c. Fain they would confine him to that circuit or circle the heavens are supposed to be sphaerical and circular that he might meddle no further Fain they would perswade themselves and others That God hath cast off the care of earthly business and committed all to Fate and Fortune that many might live far more comfortable if they were less consciencious that it dothing concerneth God whether men do or not do this or that c. Such dust-heapâ—s as these may be easily found in every corner for all places are full of them and so is hell too As for Job the Counsel of these wicked ones was far from him chap. 21.16 he was the worse to think of them whatever Eliphaz by mistake of his meaning at the least thought of him Verse 15. Hast thou marked the old way Heb. The way of old Broughton rendreth it the way of the old world of those ungodly ones before the Flood Hereby it appeareth say our Learned Annotatours that Job lived before the deliverance out of Egypt because he mentioneth the Creation and the Flood but not that deliverance which had he knowne it would have affoâ—ded him an excellent Argument to prove that godly men might be in great afflict on as the Israelites were in Egypt and his friends a plausible argument that God useth to destroy wicked men for their sin as
Verse 19 The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it Of the Topaz see Plin. lib. 36. cap 8. It seemeth to have the lustre of Gold and purity of Chrystal and those agreeable mixtures of colours which make the purple of Kings The operations of this Stone are many and rare as Rueus sets them forth Lib. 2. cap. 9 Neither shall it be valued with pure gold Plato saith as much of moral wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No Gold or Gem so glistereth And elsewhere he saith that if moral vertue could be beheld with mortal eyes mirificos sui amores excitaret it would wonderfully enamour men Aurelius the Emperour would say That he would not leave the knowledg he might learn in one houre for all the gold that he possessed Alphonsus King of Arragon professed That he would rather chuse to lose his Jewels then his Books his Kingdomes whereof he had many quam literas quas permodicas scire dicebat Val. Max. Christian 118 237 then that little Learning he had attained unto Many have been so taken with the study of the Mathematicks that they could have lived and dyed in it Vae igitur stupari nostro Leo Digges Wo then to the world because of wisdome This incomparable Wisdome of God in a mystery as the Apostle calleth it Haec quia prâ— vili sub pedibusque jacet Ovid Money is most mens study not without an horrible neglect of pietie which yet is the principal thing Prov. 3. and profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 as that which hath the promise of both lives ibid. Now the Promises are exceeding great and precious things 2 Pet. 1.4 even the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 Such gold as cannot be too deer bought Matth. 13.44.46 nor too far fet no though so far as the Queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdome of Solomon and could have been content to have changed her throne for his footstool Sure it is she was no niggard but parted with abundance of precious things and sweet odours for that wisdome which she held and worthily far more sweet and precious then all her annual entradoes Sure it is that if the mountaines were Pearle the huge Rocks Rubies and the whole Globe a shining Chrysolite yet all this were nothing to the worth of the wisdome here commended How greatly bound then are Gods people to blesse his Name for communicating unto us this unvaluable treasure by his Word and Spirit 1 Cor. 2. Hath he not written for us excellent things in counsels and knowledge Prov. 22.20 hath he not made his Son that essential wisdome of his to become unto us Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Should some earthly Prince give us a rich Ring off his finger wherein there were a Chrysolite a Saphire a Topaz or some other precious Stone how highly would we honour him and what would we not be ready to do or suffer for him And shall we not much more do so for God rich in mercy plenteous in goodnesse abundant in kindnesse and in truth who giveth us all things richly to enjoy O pray for that blessed sight Ephes 1.18 and 3.18 and reckon one grain of grace more worth then all the gold of Ophir one remnant of faith beyond all the gorgeous and gay attire in the world Verse 20. Whence then cometh wisdome c See the Note on verse 12. q. d. No where surely is she to be found but with God the fountain of wisdome vers 23. To seek her elsewhere is but laborious losse of time witnesse the Philosophers anxious but bootlesse disquisitions after the Summum Bonum the true blessedness of chief good about which there were eight several opinions and yet all out Verse 21. Maxima pars eorum quaescimus est 〈◊〉 pars corâ—m quae nescimus Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living As hath beene before set forth verse 13. They that see most into it see but in part and must needs say that the greatest part of their knowledg is the least part of their ignorance Something they know of his revealed will but nothing at all of his secret Whereunto we may add that there are many occult qualities in nature the reason whereof the wisest men undertand not And kept close from the fowles of the Aire Which yet fly very high and seem to touch the clouds of heaven as the Eagle which delighteth in high-flying Some wil have the Angels elsewhere set forth as winged creatures to be here meant who although they stand alwayes in Gods presence and see much of his Majesty yet not at all nothing neer Isai 6. they cover their faces with their wings as with a double scarf as not not able to behold his glory and make their addresses unto him with greatest self-abasements Verse 22. Destruction and death say c That is the dead in the grave and damned in hell Junius as some glosse it Others man in his corrupt estate though a child of death yet capable of salvation and the wisedome of God hath found out a way to save him by his Son letting in life by the car according to that Hear and your souls shall live The dead in sins and trespasses shall hear the voice of the Son of God in the preaching of the Word and shal live Vatabl. Isaiah 55.3 the life of grace here and of glory hereafter John 5.25 These have heard of Gods wisdome in his various dealings with the sons of men and that with their ears both with the gristles that grow on their heads and with the inward ears of their minds so that one sound hath pierced both but yet the one half hath not been told them they can truly say as the Queen of Shâ—ba said to Solomon Thou hast added Wisdome and goodnesse to the fame 1 Kings 10.7 And as David in the person of Christ Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life whereby is hinted that Christ himself as man did not so fully understand in the daies of his flesh the unconceivable joies of heaven as he did afterwards when his whole person was glorified with the glory which as God he had with the Father before the world was John 17.5 Verse 23 God understandeth the way thereof The only wise God who alone knowes her price knowes her retreat Haec sunt inferni mortis verba saith Brentius These are the words of hell and of death But we may better take them as spoken by Job himself which yet are to be understood not as if Job thought that there was any place out of God where his wisdome might be sought or any way out of himself to go to it But these things are spoken after the manner of men saith Merlin for wisedome is in God yea God is wisdome it self For the wisdome of God is nothing else but the most wise God sith whatsoever is in God is God Therefore seeing he is well known to
under our feet Hence the Jews to this day dream as did also the Disciples sowred with their leaven of an earthly Kingdom wherein the Messiah at his coming shall subdue the Nations and distribute their Provinces and wealth among his Jews But Christs Kingdom is of another nature and the Nations are already subdued to the Church which remaineth one and the same although the Jews be as branches broken off and others set in their place Rom. 11.24 Besides by the Nations under the Jews feet is meant say some that the Gentiles should be Scholars and the Jews School-masters as it were unto them for so fitting under the feet or at the feet signifieth in Scripture Acts 22.3 Luke 10.39 2 King 2.5 The teacher was called Joshebh or Sitter the Scholar Mithabbek or one that lieth along in the dust in token of his humble subjection And in this sense Seneca some where saith that the basest of people meaning the Jews gave Laws unto all the world Vers 4. He shall chuse our inheritance for us Or He hath chosen Of his free grace he espied out the Land of Canaan for his people Israel flowing with Milk and Honey and such as was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 and as much yea much more hath he done for the whole Israel of God both of Jews and Gentiles by electing them to an inheritance immortal undefiled reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 The excellency or high-glory of Jacob whom he loved i.e. All those high and honourable Priviledges wherein Jacob once and now all the faithful may wellglory and rejoyce See Rom. 9.4.5 having as great both abundance and assurance of Gods grace and goodness as Jacob ever had Vers 5. God is gone up with a shout The Ark is here called God as also Psa 132.5 and the face of God Ps 105.4 because from the Ark in the midst of the Cherubims God spake to his people and they by looking towards it had a sure symbol of the Divine presence The bringing of it up with pomp and solemnity into Mount Zion was a type of Christs wonderful ascension into Heaven triumphing over all his and our enemies Col. 2.15 Eph. 4.8 and joyfully entertained by Saints and Angels in Heaven The Jews ever apt to work themselves as one saith of them into the foolsparadise of a sublime dotage understand this passage of the future reduction of the Ark into the Sanctuary where it was once and for the which they most earnestly pray still as Buxtorf writeth With the sound of a trumpet Concrepantibus tubis and in like sort he shall return De Syuags Jud. c. 13 Acts 1.11 with 1 Ths 4.16 Vers 6. Sing praises to God sing praises Do it with all alacrity and assiduity being of that Martyrs mind who said Should I do nothing else all the days of my life yea as long as the days of Heaven shall last but kneel upon my knees and repeat over Davids Psalms to the glory and praise of God yet should I fall infinitely short of what is my duty to do Vers 7. For God is King of all the earth q. d. Our King said I it is too little he is King of all the earth A title vainly taken by some proud Princes as Sesostris King of Aegypt who would needs be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of the whole world So a Decree went out from Augustus Casar that all the World should be taxed Luk. 2.1 The great Turk Amurath the third stiled himself Turk Hist 91 God of the earth Governour of the whole world c. but these were but bubbles of words as Saint Peter hath it God is the sole Monarch of the whole Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sing yee praises with understanding Non bacchantium more but prudently and with a well composed minde saith Vatablus Psalmo Didascalico saith Tremellim with such a Psalm or Song as whereby yee may rightly inform one another concerning his Kingdom and your own duty Heb. Sing yee Maschil that is Quotquot sapientes inrelligentes petitiestis psallend one of the Psalms that bear that title as some sense it or every one of you that hath skill in Songs as others Vers 8. God reigneth over the Heathen This is his universal Kingdom whereof before vers 7. and yet never can too much be said of it God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness He is in a special manner King of his Church as Ahasuerosh was of his Hester called his throne Exod. 87.16 because the hand upon the throne of the Lord that is Amalechs hand upon the Church as some interpret it His throne of glory Jer. 4.21 and here the shrone of his holiness because Christ who is called God so many times in this Psalm loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanseir and so present it to himself a glorious Church Eph. 5.25 26 27. Vers 9. The Princes of the people are gathered together Or the voluntary of the people The great ones disdain not to meet with the meanest at the publick Assemblies for performance of holy duties but thither they fly one with another as the Doves do to their windows Isa 63.8 glorying in this that they are Christs Vassals as did Constantine Valentinian and Theodasius Socrates those three great Emperours casting their Crowns at his feet and willing to come under the common yoke of his obedience with the rest of the people of the God of Abraham the common sort of Christians For the Shields of the earth be long to God That is those Princes and Magistrates also Hos 4.18 Psal 89.18 belong to the covenant of election a though not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 and it was grown to a Proverb â—mnium bonorum Principum imagines in 〈◊〉 annulo scâ—lpi posse The Spanish Fryer was wont to say there were but few Princes in Hell and why because there were but few in all If such shall shew themselves shields to their people to protect them from wrong and not sharks rather to peel them and pillage them God will own and honour such Others thus the shields of the Earth belong to the Lord that is the Militia of the World is his he hath and can quickly raise the Posse comitatus of all Countries He is greatly exalted How should he be otherwise who hath sogreat a command and useth it for the defence of his people Especially if the Grandees of the earth become Religious and draw on others by their example and liberality Magnates Magnetes PSAL. XLVIII A Psalm a song for the sons of Korah When and by whom compiled we certainly know not If by David probably it was upon occasion of the Philistines comming up to seek him but were sent away back with shame and losse 2 Sam. 5.7 9. If upon the slaughter of Sennscheribs army by an Angel Isaiah or some other Prophet of those times as there were many might be
14. For all the day long have I been plagued Gods best beloved are most afflicted neither have any out of hell ever suffered more than the heirs of heaven See my treatise called Gods love-tokens And chastened every morning Singulis matutinis I am no sooner awake than some new misery seizeth mee quasi egisset excubias as if it had laid wait for mee Vers 15. If I say I will speak thus If I should give way to such a wicked thought c. Here the Spirit beginneth to get the upper hand to gain the wind and the hill of the flesh The Spirit would alwaies get the better of the flesh were it upon equal tearms But when the Flesh shall get the hill as it were of temptation and shall have wind to drive the smoak upon the face and eyes of the Combatant that is to blind him upon such a disadvantage he may seem to be overcome Behold I shall offend against the generation c. As if they were no children because so sharply chastened whereas the Saints are unto God as the apple of his eye that little man in the eye as the word signifieth The eye is a tender part yet when dim and dusky we apply sharp powders or waters to it to eat out the web pearl or blindness and yet love it never the lesse No more doth God his Children though he apply corrosives or causticks to their flesh if need require Vers 16. When I thought to know this it was too painfull for mee Heb. It was labour in mine eyes labour in vain I could do no good on 't sed labyrinthis Maeandris inextricabilibus implicabar I did but tread a Maze for Gods Judgements are unsearchable and his wayes of providence are past finding out they are farre above the reach of human reason Vers 17. Untill I went into the Sanctuary of God And there consulted with the Scriptures heard the lectures of the law prayed went thorough all the exercises of Gods School Then understood I their end To be such as God pronounceth of them in the Scriptures and as the effect and common experience sometimes declareth For some wicked God punisheth here In Psal 36. lest his providence but not all lest his patience and promise of Judgement should be called into question saith Austin Vers 18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places Where they can have no more certainty than if they went upon the smoothest Ice or walked upon a mine of gun-powder The Turks seeing so few of their Visiers to dye in their beds have taken up this proverb Hee that is even in the greatest office is but a statue of glass Thou castedst them down into destruction Improbos ex magna prosperitate tanquam ex Tarpeia rupe in barathrum perditionis praecipitasti Haman for instance Vers 19. How are they brought into desolation c Such as the Psalmist expresseth by an exclamation caused by an admiration at Gods dreadfull Judgements which his faith beheld as present and unavoidable and such as astonied the beholders See it in the literall and mysticall Babylon Jer. 51.37 41. Rev. 18.10 17. They are utterly consumed with terrours Heb. They are ended they are consumed with troublesome frights especially when from their death-beds they behold that three-fold terrible spectacle Death Judgement Hell and all to be passed thorough by their poor souls Vers 20. As a dream when one awaketh Such is the wicked mans pomp and bravery now what are dreams but pleasant follies and delusions the empty bubbles of the mind Children and tales of fancy idle and fruitless notions meer bawbles Sic Mycillus apud Lucian See Isa 29.7 8. The Fisher-man in Theocritus dreamt that he was some demy-god but when he awaked all his golden hopes vanished The Chaldee explaineth it As the dream of a drunken man who sleeping on the steep of a rock may think himself a King and starting for joy may soon break his neck at the bottom So O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image That is that whereof they dreamt and whereon they do still doat viz. their worldly pomp and pride which is nothing else but magnum nihil a glorious phancy a non-entity Some read it thus When thou shalt raise up the dead thou shalt despise their image that is their souls they shall rise to everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12.2 Vers 21. Thus my heart was grieved Heb. Leavened and soured sc with the greatnesse of godly sorrow quasi aceto acri perfundebatur it was steeped as it were in Vineger So Peter wept bitterly waters of Marah flowed from his eyes And I was pricked in my reins Pricked at heart as those Act. 2. put to as much pain as those that have the stone in the kidneyes exceedingly grieved for my mis-construing and mis-censuring of Gods wayes and people Vers 22. So foolish was I and ignorant By this be-fooling and be-beasting himself hee retracteth and bewaileth his former fluctuation and folly vers 2 3. This is the proper fruit of his godly sorrow verse 21. I was as a beast before thee Heb. Behemoth as a great beast or as many beasts in one Thus he aggravateth and layeth load upon his sin and so must we Vers 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee Or yet I was always with thee sc when at worst Infirmities discard us not The Marriage knot is not dissolved by every falling out not the League betwixt Princes broken by the wrongs done by Pirates Thou hast holden me by my right hand That I should not utterly fall from thee there was still a supporting grace Quando 〈◊〉 mens vacilâ—â—baâ— Aben-Ezra Vers 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel We had his repentance vers 21 22. his faith 23. and here we have 〈◊〉 hope of safety here and salvation hereafter And afterwards receive me As thou didst holy Henoch Vers 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee I would I were in heaven with thee so Aben-Ezra rendreth it and to the same sense Beza paraphraseth Apage terra quod utinam Deus in calo jam tecum essem quid enim est in terra quod me vel tantillum vetineat Vers 26. My flesh faileth and my heart faileth Some think that the Psalmist through egression of affection unto God having spent and exhaled his spirits fell into a swoon out of which he recovered again by the joy of the Lord which was his strength even the rock of his heart The Greek saith The God of my heart Vers 27. For loe they that are farre from thee shall perish How can they do otherwise when as Salvation is farre from them Psal 119.155 And upon this ground it is that I do so earnestly desire to be with thee sith Thou hast destroyed or shut up from punishment all them that go a whoring from thee Having their hearts full of Harlotry as appeareth by their courting the Creature Vers 28. But it is good for me to draw nigh
the Chaldee and 〈◊〉 have it Nor the son of wickednesse Heb. Of injurious-evill one that is set upon misâ—â—â— as 〈◊〉 said this people 〈…〉 Exod. 32.22 Vers 23. And I will beat down his fees c. Victory 〈…〉 Lord He may 〈…〉 Monarch 〈…〉 I take part with is sure to prevail That hare him That secretly malign him though they can do mischief Vers 24. But my faithfulness and my 〈◊〉 My power without 〈◊〉 according to promise and my peace 〈◊〉 him that passeth all understanding shall guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus Phil. â— 7 Shal his horn be exalted He shall be 〈◊〉 and eximious Vers 25. 〈…〉 He shall be a Vice-god Dan. 12.7 Rov 10. 〈…〉 gave the Persians earth and water in token of subjection to Darius their King Her in Erat Christ is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a title anciently usurped by Sâ—sâ—trâ—â— King of Aegypt Qui Pharios currus regum cervicibus egit Vers 26. He shall cry unto mee Thou art my Father This was a royalty above all the rest Job 1.12 1. Job 3.1 and applyed to Christ the only-begotten son of God it sets him above all the Angels Heb. 1. My God This is the Bee-hive of heavenly honey Vers 27. also I will make him my 〈…〉 Christ is the first-born of every Creature and in all things hath the â—pâ—â—â—â—ence David also shall be the highest Prince on earth blessed and accepted far beyond any of them 〈…〉 â—ilecte Dee c. Vers 28. My 〈◊〉 I will keep for 〈◊〉 It shall be ready at all times for his relief even the 〈…〉 of David neither will I utterly take it from him as I did from Saul And my Covenant shall stand fast with him Faster than the mountains Isa 54.10 firmer than the courses of Sun and Moon day and night Jer. 31.35 36. 33.20 21. Vers 29 His seed also c. This is chiefly mean of christ and his Kingdome And his 〈◊〉 as the dayes of Heaven i.e. As the Kingdome of Heaven eternall for the aspectible Heaveâ—â— conâ—â—â—ptible Vers 30. If his children forsake my law c. If they fall into sins of commission If they shoot beyond the 〈◊〉 And walk not in my Judgements If they fall into sins of omission and shoot short Where note that every 〈◊〉 and dis-obedience that is every commission and omission receiveth a just recompence of reward Heb 2.2 Vers 31. If they break my 〈◊〉 Heb. If they 〈◊〉 or make void q.d. bee their sins never so hâ—inous I will forgive them though I take vengeance temporal of â—eir â—â—â—â—ions Psal 99.8 〈…〉 of God not-sacrificing in a sin Mal. 3.18 Eccles 9.2 See vers 30. Vers 32. Thus will I viâ—â—â— their 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Saints 〈…〉 with the râ—d of 〈…〉 Vers 33. 〈…〉 Nor suffer 〈…〉 with him Vers 34. My Covenant I will not break Heb. I will not propham my Covenant though they have prophaned my statutes vers 31. Nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips But will pardon their failings and cause them to keep my Commandements Vers 35. Once have I sworn by mine Holinesse Which is as deep an oath as I know how to take for my holinesse is my self who am most holy and the fountain of all holiness By this I have sworn once that is once for all immobiliter immutabiliter Vers 36. His seed shall endure for ever Christ shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands Isa 53.10 filiabitur nomine ejus Psal 72.17 See there Vers 27. It shall be established for ever as the Moon If his sons be good they shall shine as the Sun in his strength saith Kimchi as if they be not yet they shall be as the Moon that shineth though for a time obscured or eclipsed A fit resemblance saith another Expositor of the throne of Church of Christ Ainsw which hath not alwaies one face or appearance in the World though it be perpetuall The Papists would have this Moon alwaies in the full and if she shew put little light to us they will not yeeld she is the Moon And yet except in the Eclipse Astronomers demonstrate that the Moon hath at all times as much light as she hath in the full but oftentimes a great part of the bright side is turned to Heaven and a lesser part to the earth And so the Church is ever conspicuous to Gods eye though it appear not alwaies so to us And as a faithfull witness in Heaven As oft then as we see the Sun and Moon in Heaven let us think of the constancy of Gods Covenant and the perpetuity of Christs Kingdome By this faithfull witnesse some understand the Rainbow Gen. 9.13 c. Vers 38. But thou hast cast off and abhorred So it seemed to the Psalmist through infirmity of the flesh though his faith did ubique micare appear ever and anon amidst his complaints and so the enemies reported and insulted Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed sc Out of love displeased And here as likewise in the verses following omnia sunt Asyndeta ad vehementiam Vers 39. Thou hast made void the Covenant This passage a certain Spanish Rabbi stumbled at as hath been noted on the title of this Psalm but without cause for all these things are spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to opinion and not according to the truth of things And therefore Kimchi saith well here Many wonder at this Psalmist and I do as much wonder at their wondring c. Thou hast prophaned his Crown By rendring his regal dignity contemptible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek rendreth it his Sanctuary Vers 40. Thou hast broken down all his hedges Or walls The walls of Sparta were their Militia of England are their ships of all lands their Laws Eccles 10.8 Thou hast brought his strong-holds to ruine Or to consternation and deadly fright Siqua manet gelidâ formidine concutis arcem Buchanan Vers 41. All that pass by the way spoil him They rob and rifle him such havock was made by Shishak and is still by the Churches enemies Heb. 10.34 He is a reproach to his neighbours Who now look upon him as a King of Clouts and ask where is his invincible Majesty Vers 42. Thou hast set up Thou seemest to be on their side Thou hast made all his enemies To revell in his ruines Vers 43. Thou hast turned the edge Disarmed and disabled him And hast not made him c. but turned his courage into cowardise Vers 44. Thou hast made his glory to cease Heb. his brightnesse the splendent glory and dignity of the Kingdome Some understand it of the Priesthood and the following words of the Kingdome Vers 45. The dayes of his youth hast thou shortened Thou hast nipped him in the bud snatcht him away by an untimely end as a young man is sometimes in
mortis delicias quaesivit solaced himself with singing such light Sonnets as this Vovamus mea Lesbia atque omemus Rumoresque senum severiorum Omnes unius aestimemus assis And by thy wrath are we troubled Consternati sumus Symmachus Aquila transtulerant acceleravimus Death stings us and sticks us the motion and mention of it is terrible to us through sense of sin and fear of wrath Heb. 2.15 Vers 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee As a Judge doth the misdeeds of a Malefactor together with the proofs and evidences Our secret sins Which we either never took notice of or had utterly forgotten the sins of our youth some render it but not so well those sins which we had hoped to have secreted such was our hypocrisie In the light of thy countenance This light thou hast made use of for the discovery of our inmost evils those that lye most up in the heart of the Country as it were as the murmurings and misbeleef of our hearts c. these thy pure eyes more clear and radiant than the Sun it self have plainly discerned Nature teacheth us that the fiery eye needeth no outward light but seeth extramittendo by sending out a ray c. Vers 9. For all our days are passed away Heb. Do turn away the face See vers 3. We spend our years as a tale that is told The grace whereof is brevity q. d. dicto citins Some render it as a thought that ariseth and passeth To this sence the Greek Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chaldee hath it Ut flatus oris in Hyeme as the breath of ones mouth in Winter See Jam. 4.14 Vers 10. The days of our years are threescore c. So Solon in Laertius saith the term of mans life is seventy years this few exceed and fewer attain to To the same sense speaketh Macrobius also Lib. 1. Som. cap. 6 saying Septies deni anni à Physicis creditur meta vivendi hoc vitae humanae perfectum spacium terminatur c. The Fathers lived longer but as mens wickedness increased so their days decreased and now their lives are daily shortned the Generations dispatcht away that the World may the sooner come to an end If Moses and Aaron of old and Johannes de temporibus and some few others of latter time live longer even to an hundred or more these are singular examples and it is of the generality that the Psalmist here speaketh And if by reason of strength D. Maior c. One readeth it thus And if by fortitude fourscore years even their latitude is labour and sorrow that is this inlarging of the time bringeth nothing but labour and misery because now the body is diseased c. For it is soon cut off As a Web or as Grass And we flee away As a Bird upon the wing or as an hour of the day Qui nescit quo vita modo volat audiat horas Quam sit vita fugax nos docet iste sonus I am not eternity said Epictetus but a man that is a small part of the whole as the hour is of the day Enchirid. I must therefore come and go away as the hour doth Vers 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger None doth sith it is such as no man can either avoyd or abide and such is mens stupidity that few will beleeve tiâ—l they feel it no though their lives be so short and uncertain Even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Ira tua non est minor timore nostro let a man fear thee never so much he is sure to feel thee much more if once he fall into thy fingers Vers 12. So teach us to number our days The Philosopher affirms that man is therefore the wisest of Creatures Bâ—uâ—a non numerant because he alone can number But in this Divine Arithmetick of numbring our days to the which all other is not to be compared no though we could as Archimedes boasted number the Stars of Heaven or the Sands by the Sea shore God himself must be our Teacher or wee shall never do it to purpose R. Solomon observeth that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred So here if taken as numeral letters maketh Seventy and they yeers of our life are seventy out of which say other Rabbines if we deduct the time of Childe-hood and Youth which is vanity the time of sleep repose repast and recreation which is more than the one half and the time of affliction and grief which we enjoy not what a poor pittance will life be reduced unto That we may apply our hearts Heb. That we may cause them to come for naturally they hang off and make strange Vnto Wisdom To the true fear of God and mortification of sin which is the sling of death and makes it a trap-door to hell This is hard to do but must bee done or men are undone for ever To live with dying thoughts is the way to dye with living comforts Vers 13. Let it repent thee Or comfort thou thy servants Vers 14. O satisfie us early As thou didst our Fathers with Manna Vers 15. Make us glad according Let us have a proportion at least Vers 16. Let thy work appear Thy proper work which is to shew mercy for to do Justice is thy work thy strange work Isa 28.21 And thy glory unto their children That they at least may enter into the Land of Canaan according to Numb 14.31 Vers 17. And let the beauty of the Lord c. i.e. The bounty the Italian rendreth it La Giocondita jucunditas Domini sit innos And establish thou the work c. Thus we had all need to pray for Nullius est felix conatus et utilis unquam Consiliam si non detque juvetque Deus PSAL. XCI VErs 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place c. The safety of a Saint is in this whole Psalm Quo nihil neque solidius neque splendidius dici potest set forth to the life Verbis vivis animatis sententiis spiritus fâ—rvore flagrantissimis Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Under the pleasant and assured defence of God he shall lodge under the shadow of Shaddai and there sing away care and fear Vers 2. I will say of the Lord I dare say it is so as I have said said the Psalmist whom the Jews make to be Moses and I will presently make proof of it in my self Non verbis solum praedicans sed exemplis Some conceive that the Beleever having heard the former Proposition vers 1. is here brought in professing his faith and saying to the Psalmist Behold I dwell in the secret place of the most High and shall I abide under the shadow of the Almighty The Answer follows Vers 3. surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler i. e. Of the Devil and his Emissaries 2 Tim. 2.26 who by force and fraud seek to
Manl. lecâ— com 78. that for three choice books hee gave thirty thousand silverlings or florens Now what were all his books to the Bible To blame then was that Anabaptist who said in Melancthous hearing that hee would not give two pence for all the Bibles in the World Vers 73 Thy hands have made and fashioned mee Plasmaverunt which Bazil interpreteth of the body curiously wrought by God Psal 139. as Made Formaverunt Firmaverunt of the soul q. d. Thou art my Maker I would thou shouldest bee my Master A body hast thou fitted mee Heb. 10.5 a reasonable soul also hast thou given mee capable of salvation I am an understanding creature still neither have I lost my passive capacity of thy renewing grace Give mee understanding And thereunto adde sincere affection v. 80. that these may run parallel in my heart and mutually transâ—â—se life and vigour into one another Vers 74 They that fear thee will bee glad c. As hoping that they shall also in like sort bee delivered and advanced Because I have hoped in thy word And have not been disappointed The Vulgar rendreth it super speravi I have over-hoped and Aben-Ezra glosseth I have hoped in all thy decree even that of afflicting mee as in the next verse Vers 75 I know O Lord that thy Judgements are right That is that I suffer deservedly To thee O Lord belongeth Righteousness c. Dan. 9. And thâ— thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted mee That thou mayest be true to my soul and not suffer mee to run on to my utter ruine Or in faithfullnesse that is in measure as 1 Cor. 10.13 Vers 76 Let I pray thee thy mercifull kindnesse That I faint not neither sink under the heaviest burden of these light afflictions According to thy word to thy servant To thy servants in generall and therefore I trust to mee who am bold to thrust in among the rest and to put my name in the Writ Vers 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto mee c. Hee repeateth the same thing in other words and re-enforceth his request showing that hee could not live without divine comforts For thy Law is my delight Thou hast my heart and good will which sheweth that I am thy workmanship in a spirituall sense also Ephes 2.10 Oh look upon the wounds of thine hands and forget not the work of thine hands as Queen Elizabeth prayed Vers 78 Let the proud bee ashamed Theodoret thinks that David here prayeth not against but for his enemies quandoquidem confusio ignominia salutem procreat But that 's not likely For they dealt perversely with mee Writhing my words and deeds to a wrong sense Or they would pervert mee But I will meditate in thy Precepts Or I will speak of them and so stop their mouths and save my self from them Vers 79 Let those that fear thee These are fitly opposed to those proud ones as Mal. 3.13.16 Turn unto mee From whom they have shrunk in mine affliction And those that have known thy Testimonies Deum cognoscere colere to know and serve God is the whole duty of a man saith Lactantius Vers 80 Let my heart bee sound For the main though I have many failings Pray wee against Hypocrisie That I bee not ashamed As all dissemblers once shall bee Vers 81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation Saying as those good souls Jer. 8.20 The Harvest is past the Summer isended and wee are not saved Physitians let their patients blood sometimes etium ad 〈◊〉 deliquiâ—m till they swoon again Howbeit they have a care still to maintain nature so doth God the fainting spirits of his people by cordialls Isa 57.16 But I hope in thy Word Vivere spâ— vidi qui moritur◠〈◊〉 Vers 82 Mine eyes said God sometimes deferreth to help till meâ—â—have left looking Luk. 18.8 when the son of man commeth shall hee find faith hardly This hee doth to commend his favours to us and to set a price on them Saying When wilt thou comfort mee This is a Prosâ—popaia as if Davids eyes said thus whilst they earnestly expected comfort Vers 83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke Shrivelled wrinkled withered dryed up My body by long suffering is but a bag of bones and that black and sooty confer Psal 32.3 102.3 My soul in danger of being bereft of all spirituall moisture Yet dâ— I not forget thy Statutes Nay I do the rather remember them and fetch relief from them Vers 84 How many are the dayes of thy Servant i.e. Mine evil dayes Prov. 15.15 All the dayes of the afflicted are evill See Psal 37.12 and these soon seem many to us When wilt thou execute Judgement c. This is the voice of those Martyrs Rev. 6. who are thereupon willed to have patience till the number of their Brethren is fulfilled Vers 85 The proud have digged pits for mee The pride cruelty and craftiness of wicked Persecutors are fore-tokens of their utter destruction The Greek rendreth it they have told mee tales Prov. 16.27 An ungodly man diggeth up evill Which are not after thy Law Neither they nor their pits But what care they for thee or thy law and shall they thus escape by iniquity Psal 56.7 Vers 86. All thy Commandements are faithfull Heb. Faithfullness that is they are true sure equall infallible They have persecuted mee wrongfully For asserting thy truths and adhering thereunto Help thou mee The more eagerly men molest us the more earnestly should wee implore the divine help Vers 87 They had almost consumed mee upon earth In Heaven I shall bee out of their reach But this is their hour and the power of darknesse Luk. 22.53 But I forsook not thy Precepts No trouble must pull us from the love of the truth You may pull my tongue out of my head but not my faith out of my heart said that Martyr The Saints chuse affliction father than sin Vers 88 Quicken mee after thy loving kindnesse David under long affliction had his damps and dulnesses as the best faith if long tryed will flag and hang the wing Hee therefore rouseth up himself and wrestleth with God for quickening grace which hee promiseth to improve and not to receive the grace of God in vain so shall I keep the Testimony of thy mouth Vers 89 For ever O Lord thy word It is eternall and perpetuall neither can it bee vacated or abolished by the injurie of time or indeavours of tyrants The Bible was imprinted at the new Jerusalem by the finger of Jehovah and shall outlive the dayes of Heaven run parallel with the life of God with the line of eternity The Saints also and Angels in Heaven live by the same law as wee do here and we pray to bee conformed unto them Vers 90 Thy faithfullnesse is unto all generations Hee singleth out Gods word of promise and sheweth it to bee immutable and unmoveable as the earth is in the middle of Heaven by the word of Gods power See
Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 And lastly sanctifying the offering up both of our selves and of our services to God as the Altar sanctifieth the gift Rom. 15.16 Cyrill gathereth from this Text that the good Spirit is God Per viam planam aequam because none is good but God Into the land of uprightness Or On â—even ground as Isa 26.7 10. Psal 26.12 〈◊〉 the right land i. e. Heaven Vers 11 Quicken mee O Lord Who am no better than a living carcass a walking sepulcher of my self Bring my soul out of trouble I can bring it in but thou only canst bring it out Vers 12 Cut off mine enemies Because not so much mine as thine and those also implacable and irrecoverable Elsewhere hee saith Slay them not lest my people forget See the Note there For I am thy Servant See Psal 116.16 with the Note PSAL. CXLIV A Psalm of David The Greek addeth Against Goliah And the Chaldee for the hurtfull sword vers 10. hath Goliahs sword Blessed bee the Lord my strength See Psal 18.1 and observe how this Psalm suiteth with that Which teacheth my hands Used to the hook and harp and not to the sword and spear but God hath apted and abled them to feats of armes and war-like exploits It is God that giveth skill and success saith Solomon Prov. 8. wisdome and ability saith Daniel chap. 2. And as in the spirituall warfare so here our weapons are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 who promiseth that no weapon formed against his people shall prosper Isa 54.17 Vers Genebr 2 My goodness and my fortress See Psal 18.2 with the Notes His epithet is elogiis eblanditur Deum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd saith an Interpreter Who subdueth my people under mee This is the work of God and not of King-craft to make men good subjects who are naturally discontented at the present government bee it never so good and apt to rebell Vers 3 Lord what is man What am I that thou shouldest do all this for mee or what is the strongest man alive when such a Giant as Goliah so suddenly and easily is slain by mee That thou makest account of him Tantus tantillos tales saith a Father Vers 4 Man is like to vanity See Psal 39.6 62.9 Adam Abelo compar est Adam is Abels mate His dayes are as a shadow Which is a meer privation and hath no subsistence at all Vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 Bow thy Heavens O Lord Come to my help suddainly and seasonably as it were out of an Engine Touch the Mountains These high and haughty enemies of mine do thou but lightly routh them and it shall suffice they shall soon burn and bee turned into smoke as the mountains that are thunder-struck Vers 6 Cast forth lightening and scatter them All this was done according to Davids desire Psal 18.13 14. God sometimes answereth his suitors ad cardinem desâ—dâ—riâ— and saith unto them Bee it unto you even as yee will This is a wonderfull condescension Vers 7 Sâ—â—d thine hand from above Heb. Hands both hands all thy whole power for I need it Vers 8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity They keep touch no further than will serve their own turns And 〈…〉 No though they give their hands upon it that they will keep 〈◊〉 Multis annis 〈◊〉 traâ—saâ—â—is Nulla fides est in pactis Vers 9 I will sing a new song Upon the receipt of any new mercy like as in a lottery at every new prize drawn the trumpet soundeth Vers 10 It is hee that giveth salvation or victory to kings Ferdinand Balth. Exâ—â—â— Val. Max. Christian p. 516. King of Arragon sending his son against the Florentines thus bespake him Victoria mihi crede non hominum disciâ—â—â—â—is aut industria camparatus sed Dei O. M. 〈…〉 arbitrio Deâ—â— igitur inprimis cole in cum confide a qua tum victorias 〈…〉 quaeque provenire dubiâ— procul est c. Beleeve mee son victories are not gotten by art or industry but given of God Who delivereth David his servant All Kings are Gods servants for the common good of mankinde saith Plutarch but David by a specialty Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the hurtfull sword Of Goliah saith the Chaldee and of all his other enemies for as it was said of Queen Elizabeth hee swam to the Crown thorough a Sea of sorrows and might rather marvell that hee was than muse that hee should not bee were it not that Gods holy hand had protected him beyond expectation Vers 11 Rid mee and deliver mee Hee repeateth his former petition vers 7.8 for an utter riddance of those ill members that stood in the way of Israels welfare and broke off Davids new song or Psalmody vers 9. Vers 12 That our sons may bee as plants c. As young plants fair and flourishing That our Daughters may bee as corner stones c. Tall and trim comely of person and costly-arrayed resembling the polished-pillars at Palace-gates Tremellius rendreth the last words of this verse 〈◊〉 structura Templi may bee the building of the Temple that is may bee such living stones as may bee used to the building and polishing of Gods Church that wee may altogether grow up to an holy Temple in the Lord Ephes 2.21 4 12 13. For indeed what can better preserve Jacob from confusion or his face from waxing pale than to see his Children the work of Gods hands framed and fitted for Gods building This maketh religious parents to â—anctifie Gods name as here even to sanctifie the holy one and with singular incouragement from the God of Israel Isa 29.22 23. Vers 13 That our garners Heb. Our coâ—â—ers i. e. that every corner of our houses may bee filled with precious and pleasant riches That our sheep Faetosae multiparae mille cuplantes myriadificantes Vers 14 Nor going out viz. To incounter the enemy or to bee led into captivity No complaining No out cries but Harvest-homes Vers 15 Happy is the people That hath such a confluence of outward comforts In Hezekiahs dayes only it was so say the Rabbines peace plenty and posterity The Syriack rendreth it question-wise Is not the people happy that is in such a case No not except they have God to boot as if they have they are happy howsoever Deut. 33.29 â—â— vita carnis anima est ita beatitude hominis Deus saith Austin PSAL. CXLVI DAvids Psalm of praise Heb. Davids praise or hymn well worthy saith learned Beza to bee made use of by all men for a rule and pattern of praising God Perfectum illiâ—s rationalis culms exemplum Beza Kimchi R. Arama It is one of those Psalms that are artificially made up after the order of the Alphabet and so highly prized by the Rabbines that they doubt not to promise Heaven to him who shall thrice every day pray over this Psalm corde ore opere Vers 1 I will extoll thee O God my King
hold open my mouth or to whisper I will never cease to praise God and to profess his truth Id quod fecit Sculter Annaâ— dee 2. p. 110â— saith mine Author that which also hee did and so did many other Martyrs besides While I have my being Either in this world or in the next for then also and much more I shall praise God Vers 3 Put not your trust in Princes But in God alone this being a principall peece of his praise it is a kind of setting the Crown on his head See Judg. 9.15 The word rendred Princes signifieth liberall bountifull ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Princes would bee accounted but there 's no trusting to them without God or against him Nor in the son of man The arm of flesh See Psa 118.8 9. In whom there is no help For themselves saith Aben-Ezra much less for others Vers 4 His breath goeth forth It is but in his nostrills at best every moment ready to puff out cease from him therefore Isa 2. Man say the Rabbines Naz. is but a bladder full of air which can stand on no ground but prickt with a pin it shriveleth to nothing Man saith a Father is nothing else but Soul and Soil breath and body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other no solidity in either He returneth to his earth Of which he was made and to which hee is condemned Gen 3. and upon which hee hath too much set his affections being totus terreus and so the sooner forfeiteth all It was therefore good counsell that One once gave to a great man who had shewed him his stately house and pleasant Gardens You had need make sure of Heaven my Lord or else when you dye you will bee a very great loser But this few Princes think of which made the Spanish Frier say there were but few Princes in Hell for why there were but few in all In that very day his thoughts perish His golden thoughts his white-shining thoughts irritae diffluunt come to just nothing Princes may haply have in their heads whole Common-wealths and the affairs of many Kingdomes as Alexander had and Tamberlan who dyed of an ague in the midst of his great preparations for the conquest of the Greek Empire Or his thoughts ad 〈◊〉 benefaâ—iendâ—s as Aben-Ezra expoundeth it of doing thee and others good these fall to the ground with him Great mens words are like dead mens shooes saith one hee may go barefoot that waiteth for them Wherefore Vers 5 Happy is hee that hath the God of Jacob for his help Sith hee is the King immortall all-powerfull as vers 6. and no less willing sith hee is a God in Covenant Whose hope is in the Lord his God This is a well-grounded hope indeed and such as will not drag after a man The Leper beleeved Christs power Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee clean Martha beleeved his will to raile her dead Brother but doubted of his power sith hee had now been four dayes in the grave Hee that is confident of both is upon sure-ground and happy indeed Vers 6 Which made Heaven and Earth c. And therefore can help doubtless Which keepeth truth for ever And therefore will sith hee will not suffer his faithfulness to fail not alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Psal 89. And this forever is opposed to that mortality and mutability of earthly Princes Vers 4. Vers 7 Which executeth Judgement Vindicat violatos This should draw custome and company about him as all that were in distress fled to David and hee became their Captain Which giveth food to the hungry As hee did to Eliah by the Ravens to Hunniades by his Shepheard with whom hee supt on course fare and found it sweet to the Town of Rochel by a shole of fish extraordinarily cast up into it by the tide when they were straitly besiedged and distressed The Lord looseth the prisoners As hee did Peter Act. 12. and still hee knoweth how to deliver his saith the same Peter who could speak it by good experience 2 Pet. 2.9 Vers 8 The Lord openeth the eyes Both of body and mind as in the Gospell As for those miracles which Facitus and Suctonius attribute to Vespasian as that he made a blind man see with spittle healed another that was lame and another that had a drye hand by treading upon it they are the miracles of Christ which those prophane Authors would cast upon their Emperour Tacitus writeth that the blind man said to Vespasian that the god Serapis sent him to him Now the Paynims did think that the Christians did worship Serapis as appeareth by the Epistle of Adrian the Emperour to Severianus the Consul that in the Town of Alexandria they that worshipped Serapis were Christians c. The Lord raiseth c. As hee did that Daughter of Abraham in the Gospel whom Satan had bound and bowed down twelve years Luk. 13.16 and as hee doth still Isa 61.1 The Lord loveth the Righteous And this is more than all the rest God dispenseth outward blessings but not alwayes in love Vers 9 The Lord preserveth These all are his clients because neglected by the World as yeelding no profit Hee turneth upside down As one doth a dish that is washed and wiped 2 King 21.13 Vers 10 The Lord shall reign for ever Non sibi sed in salutem nostram for our sakes hee reigneth that hee may execute Judgement give food loose prisoners open eyes c. Supplices idem tiâ—idosque terrâ Erigit vâ—ltus honâ—râ— donat Therefore trust in him and Him alone and that way praise him PSAL. CXLVII VErs 1 It is good to fing praises For 1 Hereby wee glorifie God Psal â—â— 23 and so do him right for hee is the proper object of praises worthy only to bee praised Psal 18.3.2 Hereby wee do good to our selves secure former favours which else wee forfeit and procure further blessings which else wee forestall Hereby also were make things good in themselves to become good to us For it is pleasant A very foretaste of eternall life hence so many of Davids Psalms are eucharisticall And praise is comely No fairer sight than to see Gods Altar covered with the calves of our lips and our selves in our Priestly robes giving thanks to his name Heb. 13.15 professing our no-deserts and whole-dependence upon him As on the contrary an unthankfull man is an ugly il-favoured Spectacle Vers 2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem Hee is the only Architect of his Church Hee layeth the foundation of it in election saith a good Expositour and buildeth it progressively by faith and sanctification and finisheth his work of grace and his peoples happiness in glorification Hee gathereth together the out-casts of Israel Hee will surely bring home his banished yea because they called thee an out-cast saying This is Zion whom no man seeketh after therefore I will restore health unto thee c.
otherwise Nehemiah will never do it to dye for it And now is there that being as I am So greatly beloved of God Dan. 9.23 so highly favoured of the King chap. 2.2 4. so protected hitherto so prospered so entrusted with the government and safety of this people more dear to me then my very life Would go into the Temple As a Malefactour to take Sanctuary there or as a Coward to save mine own life with the losse of the lives of many of the precious sonnes of life Zion I will not go in The Heavens shall sooner fall then I will forsake the Truth Will. Flower Act. Mon. 1430. In Epist said that Martyr Omnia de me praesumas praeter fugam palinodiam said Luther to Staupicius I le rather dye then flye burn them turn Latimer was wondrous bold and stout in his dealing with Henry the eighth both before and after he was a Bishop So were Athanasius Ambrose Basil the primitive Confessours This courage in Christians the Heathen persecutours called Obstinacy and not faith Sed pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur saith Tertullian in his Apology For this obstinacy of faith we gladly dye neither can we dye otherwise for the love of Christ constraineth us Life in Gods displeasure is worse then death as death in his true favour is true life as Bradford told Gardiner Verse 12. And so I perceived that God had not sent him By my spiritual sagacity I smelt him out as having mine inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Doth not the eare try words as the mouth tasteth meat Job 12.11 What though we have not received the Spirit of the World we cannot cog and comply as they can yet we have received a better thing the Spirit of God the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 16. But that he pronounced this prophecy against me To make my righteous soul sad with his â—yes Ezek. 13.22 and to bring me to disgrace and danger Luther was wont to advise Preachers to see that these three Dogs did not follow them into the pulpit Pride Covetousnesse and Envy For Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him A mere mercenary he was then and had Linguam Vaenalem he could call good evil and evil good justify the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isa 5.20 Such false prophets were Dr Shaw and Frier Pinket in Rich. the thirds time who made use of them as his Factours to obtrude bastardy on his brother King Edward the fourth and so to disable his children for the Crown that he might settle it upon his own head Dan. Hist What became of Pinket I know not but Shaw as ashamed of his Sermon at Pauls crosse disconsolately departed and never after that was publikely seen Like unto these were Bishop Bourn and Cardinal Pool in Q. Maries dayes The Cardinal hired with the Archbishoprick of Canterbury took for his Text Esay 66.8 and applyed it to England as then happily reduced to the Popes obedience Bourn for the Bishoprick of Bâ—th preached such staffe at Pauls-cross that the people were ready to tear him in pieces They flang a Dagger at him in the Pulpit Phlugius Melch. Adam and Sidonius Authours of the Popish Book published in Germany by the name of Interim Chrisma oleum pontificium defendebant ut ipsi discederent unctiores defended Chrisme and extreme unction as being liquoured in the fists and promoted to fat Bishoprickes But a Minister as he should have nothing to lose so he should have as little to get he should be above all price or sale Nec prece nec pretio should be his Motto Verse 13. Therefore was he hired that I should be afraid But they were much mistaken in their aimes this matter was not malleable Nehemiah was a man of another spirit of a Caleb-like spirit he was fide armatus Deo armatus and therefore undaunted he was full of Spiritual mettle for he knew whom he had trusted And do so and sin Nehemiah feared nothing but sin and the fruit thereof shame and reproach so great was his spirit so right set were both his judgment and affections But if any thing would have drawn him aside from the straight wayes of the Lord base fear was the likeliest as we see in David at Gath and Peter in the High-priests hall See Zeph. 3.13 with the Note Pessimus in dubiis Augur Timer And that they might have matter for an evil report This wicked men watch for as a Dog doth for a bone and if they get but the least hint oh how happy do they hold themselves what wide mouthes do they open c It is our part therefore by a Nehemiah-like conversation to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who like Black-moores despise beauty like Dogs bark at the shining of the Moon Of Luther it was said by Erasmus Nec hostes reperiant quod calumnientur Of B. Hooper it is said that his life was so good that no kind of slander although diverse went about to reprove it could fasten any fault upon him Act. Mon. 1366. The like is reported of Bradford and Bucer We should so carry our selves ut nemo de nobis malè loqui absque mendacio possit as Hierom hath it that none might speak evil of us without a manifest lye Verse 14. My God think upon Tobiah and Sanballat Heb. Remember to be revenged on them q.d. I cannot deal with them but do thou do it He doth himself no disservice saith one who when no Law will relieve him maketh God his Chancellour It is a fearful thing to be put over into his punishing hands by the Saints as Joab and Shimei were unto Solomons hands by dying David If men in their best estate are so weak that they are crushed before the moth how shall they stand before this great God According to these their works Qualia quisque facit talia quisque luat Let them drink as they have brewed And on the Prophetesse Noadiah Who joyned with Shemaiah in this dissimulation and was of his counsel Omne malum ex gynaecio False Prophets and Seducers are seldome without their Women Simon Magus had his Helena Carpocrates his Marcellina Apelles his Philumena Montanus his Priscilla and Maximilla c. And the rest of the Prophets Improperly so called but so they pretended to be and here they had conspired a great sort of them to do evil That would have put me in fear By their concurrent prophesies purposely to disgrace and endanger me Suffragia non sunt numeranda sed expendenda Multitude and antiquity are but ciphers in Divinity Verse 15. So the Wall was finished Though with much ado and maugre the malice of all forrein and intestine Enemies So shall the work of grace in mens hearts it is perfected there by opposition and growes gradually but constantly and infallibly In the twenty and fifth day of the moneth Elul Which