aske what he would asked nothing but that the Church might be disempestered of Arians And when the Emperour being himself an Arian tore his Petition he said he would never aske any thing for himself if he might not prevaile for the Church Theodor. l. c. 32. So I prayed to the God of heaven Darting up an ejaculation a sudden and secret desire to God to order and speed his Petition Begin all with prayer and then expect a blessing Call in the Divine help if it be but by darting out our desires to God Crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas raptim ejaculatas Thus Moses cryed to God yet said nothing Exod. 14.15 Hannah was not heard and yet she prayed Austin reports the custome of the Egyptian Churches to pray frequently and fervently but briefly and by way of ejaculation ne fervor languesceret lest their heat should abate Verse 5. If it please the King Silken words must be given to Kings as the mother of Darius said neither must they be rudely and roughly dealt with as Joab dealt with David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 19.5 who therefore could never well brook him afterward but set another in his place And if thy servant have found favour Pellican observeth here that Nehemiah was a great favourite of this Kings as appeareth in that having so many Nobles he chose him to this Office rather then any of them He therefore pleads it as a pledge of further favour so may we with God as being no small favourites in the beloved One Ephesians 1.5 That thou wouldest send me unto Judah Not only give me leave to go but also send me with a Commission to be Governour This was a bold request but modestly proposed and easily obtained The King is not he that can deny you any thing Jer. 38.5 Love is liberal charity is no churle Verse 6. And the King said unto me He yeelds for the thing only indents for the time as being loth to deny Nehemiah his suit and yet as loth to forgo so faithful a servant Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat Seneca The Queene also sitting by him And assisting his cause likely Some think this was Esther the Queen-mother But the Hebrew word here is Wife Now the Kings of Persia were noted for uxorious For how long c. The departure of a dear friend is so grievous that Death it self is called by that name So it pleased the King to send me As a Governour chap. 5.14 This was the fruit of prayer and therefore so much the sweeter And I set him a time sc Twelve years chap. 5.14 But more probably a shorter time at first Verse 7. Moreover I said unto the King He taketh further boldnesse upon the former encouragement so may we with Almighty God the Sunne of our righteousnes the Sea of our salvation Conclude as she did A company comes God never left bating till Abraham left begging Let letters be given me to the Governours Those nearest neighbours but greatest enemies That they may conveigh me over He committed himself to God and yet petitions the King for a Convoy In all our enterprizes God is so to be trusted as if we had used to means and yet the means is so to be used as if we had no God to trust in Verse 8. Epit Hâ—st Gall c. 114. Keeper of the Kings forrest Heb. Paradise probably so called for the pleasantnesse of it The French Protestants called their Temple or Church at Lyons Paradise Davids delight Psal 27. and 84. Of the palace that appertained to the house Id est To the Temple which is called The house by an excellency as the Scriptures are called the Bible that is the Book as being the onely best Book in comparison whereof all other books in the World are no better then wast paper And for the house that I shall enter into Id est A dwelling house for my self when once the publike is served Junius understands it of a Common-hal or Shire-house wherein he might sit and judge causes brought before him And the King granted me It was but ask and have and so it is betwixt God and his people When there was a speech among some holy men what was the best trade One answered Beggery it is the hardest richest trade Common beggery is indeed the poorest and easiest but prayer he meant A courtier gets more by one sute oft then a tradesman or merchant haply with twenty years labour so doth a faithfull prayer c. According to the good hand He calleth him his God as if he loved or cared more for him then for the rest of the World It is the property of true faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make all its own that it can lay hold upon See the Note on Ezra 7.6 Vers 9. Then I came to the Governours Josephus saith that the next day he took his journey and delivered his letters to Saddeus Governour of Syria Phoenicia and Samaria A strange example saith one to see a Courtier leave that wealth ease and authority that he was in and go dwell so far from Court in an old Torn and decayed City among a rude poor people where he should not live quietly but toyl and drudge like a day-labourer in dread and danger of his life But this is the case of earnest and zealous men in Religion c. Now the King had sent Captains This was more then Nehemiah had desired and as much as he could have done for the greatest Lord in the Land God is likewise usually better to his people than their prayers and when they ask but one talent he Naaman-like will force them to take two Verse 10. When Sanballet the Horonite That is the Moabite Isa 15.5 Jer. 48.3 5.34 His name signifieth saith one a pure Enemy he was come of that spiteful people who were anciently irked because of Israel Num. 22.3 4. or did inwardly fret and vex at them as Exod. 1.12 who yet were allied unto them and did them no hurt in their passage by them yea had done them good by the slaughter of the Amorites their encroaching Neighbours And Tobiah the servant A servant or bond-slave once he had been though now a Toparch a Lieutenant to the King of Persia Now such are most troublesome Prov. 30. ver 22. Asperius nihil est humili cùm surgit in altum A' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. lib. 60. Rer. Rom. Heard it As they might soon do by means of their Wives who were Jewesses And the Jewes to this day are generally found the most nimble and Mercurial wits in the World Every Visier and Basha of State among the Turkes useth to keep a Jew of his private counsel whose malice wit and experience of Christendome with their continual intelligence is thought to advise most of that mischief which the Turk puts in execution against us Blounts Voyâ— P. 114. It grieved them exceedingly Heb. It seemed to them an
Vzzah and here Verse 10. He will surely reprove you That 's all the thank you are like to have from God your work in pleading for him so stoutly though it be materially good yet it will never prove so formally and eventually because you so confidently determine of things you understand not but only by a light conjecture You do secretly that is cunningly and deceitfully accept persons that is Gods own person whilst ye wrong me for his sake and under a pretence of doing him right condemn me for a wicked hypocrite whom till thus afflicted you ever counted honest and upright This the righteous Judg who loveth judgment and hateth robbery for a burnt-offering Isai 61.8 will at no hand endure No but he will certainly reprove you arguâ—ndo arguet he will surely and severely blame and punish you Carry it never so cleanly cover in never so closely God who seeth in secret will reprove you openly that is he will chide you smite you curse you for it if Repentance interpose not to take up the matter he will so set it on as no creature shall be able to take it off Men reprove offenders sometimes slighty and overtly deest ignis as Latimer said whereby they do more harm then good for their reproofs are rather soothings then reprovings Personatae reprehensiones frigent such was that of Eli to his sons Junius 1 Sam. 2.23 Such also was that of Jehoshaphat to wicked Ahab Let not the King say so But when God took those same men to do he handled them after another manner 1 Kings 22.8 he gives it them both by words and blowes till both their ears tingled till their hearts aked and quaked within them so fearful a thing it is to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Let all those look to it especially that are in place of judicature Psalm 82.1 2 3. Let them hear causes without prejudicate impiety judiciously examine them without sinister obliquity and sincerely judg them without unjust partiality remembring that Acceptatio personarum est judiciorum pestis accepting of persons is the pest of judgments Verse 11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid Heb. His highnesse his Majesty his surpassing sublimity and transcendent glory shall not this affright you and reine you in from wrong-dealing and warping Who would not fear thee ô King of Nations for to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10.7 And Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence Jer. 5.22 If an earthly King be so dread a Soveraign if the glory of Angels hath so terrified the best Saints on earth that they could hardly out-live such an apparition what shall we think of the great and terrible God as he is called Nehem. 1.5 the first motion of whose anger shall put men into disorder and the brightnesse of his offended Majesty strike their spirits with astonishment It is reported of Augustus the Emperour and likewise of Tamberlane that war-like Scythian that in their eyes sate such a rare Majesty Turk hist 236 415. as a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his own and many in talking with them and often beholding of them have become dumb Now the Lord of glory as farre outshineth any mortal wight as the Sun in his strength doth a clod of clay Jer. 17.17 and this made Job cry out chap. 9.34 Let not his fear terrifie me Be not thou a terror to me ô Lord saith holy Jeremiah and the Lord most high is terrible saith David Psal 47.2 Most high he is and therefore terrible And his dread fall upon you Some read the whole verse thus Shall not this acceptation of him make you afraid seeing his dread will fall upon you q. d. Let the sense of your sinne and the feare of his wrath ready to seize upon you deterre you from passing an unrighteous sentence and from harbouring such low conceits of God Verse 12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes c Mr. Beza readeth the whole verse thus Your speeches are the words of ashes and your stately bulwarks are but bulwarke of clay And thus he paraphraseth For these things which you alledg as matters gathered by long observation and which you thunder out against me as if they were most certain and grounded axiomes are indeed no more sound and substantial then ashes and those your high forts as it were and turrets out of which you assaile me are made but of dirt and mire Others by Your remembrances understand with Mercer quicquid in vobis memorabile est whatsoever it is for the which you are so often remembred and mentioned by others as your wealth dignity power splendor name and fame yea your very life is nothing else but ashes and all shall return to ashes and come to nought according to that of Abraham I am but dust and ashes Genes 18.29 such an infinite distance there is betwixt Gods unconceiveable Highnesse and your extreme meanenesse or rather utter nothingnesse Your bodies to bodies of clay i. e. To images made of clay or earth Or that which is highest in you even your best enjoyments your chiefest eminencies or greatest elevations are like to a lump of clay terrae quam terimus terrae quam gerimus See Job 4.19 with the Note Verse 13. Hold your peace let me alone c. This he had requested of them before verse 5. and now having nipt them on the crown by these rebating arguments he calls upon them again for silence and audience which he now requesteth not but requireth and the rather haply because they began to take him off as fearing lest by his unadvised expressions he should provoke the Lord to lay yet more load upon him Wherefore he addeth And let come on me what will That is At my peril be it take you no thought let all the trouble that may ensue be on my score I will be accountable for it to God who I hope will be more favourable to me then you Interim non sine stomacho hoc dicit saith Mercer This Job speaketh not without some heat yet not as one desperate but rather resolute for he feared no hurt from God Verse 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth q. d. Do ye think ô my friends that I am in a fit of spiritual frenzy and so far out of my wits that tearing as it were my flesh with mine own hands I mean to use any cruelty towards my self Vatab. and willingly to betray mine own life Non sum ita crudelis ut totus perdi velier I am not yet so cruel to my self whatever you may gather by my complaints and out-cryes as utterly to cast away my confidence and all care of my life and soul See 1 Sam. 19.5 To despair in part and for a time may befall a godly man See Mr. Perkins his discourse of spiritual desertion where he remembreth that Luther lay after his conversion three dayes in
Ark of the Covenant hitherto transportative into the place of its rest Psal 132.14 Certain it is that the Saints those living Temples of the Lord are here called upon to lift up their hearts in the use of holy ordinances yea therein to bee abundantly lifted up through faith with a joyfull and assured wel-come of the King of Glory who will thereupon come in to them by the ravishing operation of his love benefits and graces Vers 8. Who is this King of glory The gates are brought in as asking this question saith R. David This is the Angells admiration at the comming in of Christs humanity into Heaven saith Diodate Rather it is the question of the faithfull concerning the person of their King whom they hereby resist not but for their further confirmation desire to bee better informed of Him and his never-enough adored excellencies The Lord strong Jehovah the Essentiator the Eternall God the most mighty and puissant Warriour who if hee do but arise only his enemies are scattered and all that hate him flie before him Psal 68.1 Vers 9. Lift up your heads c. See Vers 7. And learn that in matters of moment wee must be more than ordinary earnest and importunate with our selves and others Vers 10. Who is this King of glory The best are acutè obtusi in the mystery of Christ crucified and must therefore by study and inquiry grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 praying for that Spirit of wisdome and revelation for the acknowledgement of him Ephes 1.17 The Lord of Hoasts Hee who hath all Creatures at his beck and check the Lord of Sabaoth Rom. 9.29 Jam. 5.4 where the word signifying hoasts or armes is used untranslated because well understood both by Jews and Gentiles as is also Hosanna Hallelujah Amen PSAL. XXV A Psalm of David An excellent Psalm the second of those seven called by the Ancients penitentiall and such as may well serve us for a pattern of our daily prayers Beza as wherein David beggeth three things answerable to those two last petitions in the Lords prayer first Pardon of sin secondly Guidance of Gods good Spirit thirdly Defence against his enemies It appeareth that this Psalm was made by David when hee was well in years vers 7. after his sin in the matter of Vriah that great iniquity as hee calleth it vers 11. saith Vatablus and some gather from vers 19. that hee framed this Psalm when Absolom was up in armes against him vers 19. compared with Psal 3.1 See also vers 15. 22. It may seem therefore that when hee came to Mahanaim a Sam. 17.24 27. where God shewed him marvellous loving kindnesse in a strong City Psal 31.21 and where-hence hee was at the peoples request to succour them or to cause them to bee helped viz by his hearty prayers for Gods assistance 2 Sam. 18.3 he composed this Psalm with more than ordinary artifice viz. in order of Alphabet as hee hath done also some few others both for the excellencie of the matter and likewise for help of memory for which cause also St. Matthew summeth up the genealogie of Christ into three fourteenes all helps being but little enough Nazianzen and Sedulius have done the like the former in his holy Alphabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and the latter in his Hymn A Solis ortus cardine Beatus auâ—tor saeculi c. Vers 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul i. e. Praeparo cor meum Ad te orand non ad Idola saith R. Solomon My heart maketh its faithfull addresses to thee and not any other with strength of desire and delight with earnest expectation and hope of relief See Jer. 22.27 Deut. 24.15 Psal 86.5 Cyprian saith that in the primitive times the Minister was wont to prepare the peoples minds to pray Cyp. de orat by prefacing Sursum corda Lift up your hearts The Jews at this day write upon the walls of their Synagogues these words Tephillah belo cavannah ceguph belo neshamah That is Buxtorf abbreviar A prayer without the intention of the affection is like a body without a soul and yet their devotion is a meer out-side saith One a brainlesse head and a soulelesse body Spec. Euâ— Antiquum obtinent Isa 29.13 This people draweth nigh to mee with their lipps but their heart is farre from mee A carnall man can as little lift up his heart in prayer as a moul can flye A David finds it an hard task sith the best heart is lumpish and naturally beareth downward as the poise of a clock as the lead of a net Let us therefore lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset it and pray God to draw us up to himself as the load-stone doth the Iron c. Vers 2. O my God I trust in thee I pray in faith which is as the fire and my prayer as the flame that ariseth out of it Faith is the foundation of prayer and prayer is the fervency of faith Now David knew that the hand of faith never knocketh at the gate of grace in vain Let mee not bee ashamed Shame is the Daughter of disappointment This David deprecateth Quaeque repulsa gravis see Job 6.20 Let not mine enemies triumph over mee By saying that I pray to no purpose as Rabshakeh did Isa 35.6 I say saith Hezekiah I have words of my lipps prayer prayer but alasse what 's that more than empty words an aiery nothing Counsel and strength are for the battel Thus Hee Vers 3. Yea let none that wait on thee bee ashamed Be nosed and twitted with my disappointments as they are sure to be if I be repulsed by thee and worsted by mine enemies all thy praying people shall have it cast in their teeth and laid in their dish Let them bee ashamed which transgresse without cause Let shame bee sent to the right owner even to those that deal disloyally unprovoked on my part And so it was for Achitophel hanged himself Absoâ—om was trussed up by the hand of God and dispatcht by Joab the people that conspired with him partly perished by the sword and partly fled home much ashamed of their enterprize Oh the power of prayer what may not the Saints have for asking Vers 4. Shew mee thy wayes O Lord q. d However other men walk towards mee yet my desire is to keep touch with thee for which purpose I humbly beg thy best direction See Exod. 33.13 Isa 2.3 Teach mee thy paths Assues ac me inure mee to thy paths Sicut parvulus ad ambulandum assuetus saith Kimchi as a little one is taught to find his feet Vers 5. Lead mee in thy Truth and teach mee i. e. Assiduè doce urge David was a great proficient in Gods School and yet he would learn more so sweet is divine knowledge Four times together here prayeth David to bee further instructed See Moses in like
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comliness The Protestants at Lions in France called their publick meeting-place Paradise And the place where thine honour dwelleth i.e. Where thou thy self dwellest or thine Ark which is called Gods glory 1 Sam. 4.21 Psal 78.61 yea Gods self Psal 132.5 and Gods face Psal 105.4 Vers 9. Gather not my soul with sinners I have loved thy House which sinners never delighted in therefore gather not my soul with sinners so the Syriack senseth it Let me not dye the death of Sinners for I never cared for their company so the Rabbines See the Note on vers 5. Let me not share with them in punishment for I could never abide their practice Balaam would dye the death of the righteous but he liked not of their life Euchrites would be Craesus vivens Socrates mortuus Sir Walter Rawleigh would live a Papist there being no Religion like that for Licentious liberty and lasciviousness but dye a Protestant We have some that would gladly dance with the Devil all day and then sup with Christ at night live all their lives long in Dalilaes lap and then go to Abrahams bosome when they dye But this cannot be as David well understood and therefore both eschewed the life of a wicked person and deprecated his death Gather not or take not away c. The righteous is taken away Heb. gathered Isa 57.1 as men gather Flowers and candy them preserve them with such to be gathered David would hold it an happiness but not with sinners with sanguinaries for such are gathered but as house-dust to be cast out of doors Vers 10. In whose hands is mischief Wicked contrivance Here we have the true portracture of a corrupt Courtier such as Sauls were Vers 11. But as for me I will walk Whatever others do their example shall be no rule to me to deviate See my Righteous mans recompence D. 1. Redeem me c. For I am likely to suffer deeply for my singularity Vers 12. My foot standeth in an even place i.e. Mine affections are in an equal tenour A good man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the scales of his minde neither rise up toward the beam through their own lightness or their over-weening opinion of prosperity nor are too much depressed with any load of sorrow but hanging equal and unmoved between both give him liberty in all occurrences to enjoy himself I will bless the Lord For performance of promises chiefly in that great Panegyris Heb. 12. PSAL. XXVII Vers 1. The Lord is my light That is my comfort and direction he that dissolveth all my clouds of serrours within and troubles without To these all hee opposeth Gods All-sufficiency as making for him and as being All in all unto him Light Salvation Strength of Life what not and there-hence his full assurance and such a masculine magnanimity as feareth not the power of men and Devils be they who they will and do what they can Animo magno nihil est magnum When a man can out of this consideration God is my light inthings of the minde and my Salvation in things of the body as Aben-Ezra expoundeth it contemn and reckon all things else as matters of small moment it shews he hath in truth apprehended God and this is true holy magnanimity The Lord is the strength of my life He that keeps life and soul together saith Aben-Ezra as the Spirits do soul and body and therefore Quis potest me interimere saith Kimchi who can do me to death Of whom shall I be afraid Faith fortifieth the heart against distrustful fears which it quelleth and killeth In a fright it runneth to the heart as the bloud doth and releeveth it setting it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Gunshot of Creature-annoyances Expertus loquor for Vers 2. When the wicked even mine enemies came upon me Made impression upon me with utmost violence and open mouth as if they would have devoured me Cannibal-like or as a Lion doth a sheep inhumanissimè ferarumque more saith Junius barbarously and beastly They stumbled and fell Irritis conaitibus corruerunt they utterly lost their design as did those Amalekites who had sacked Ziglah 1 Sam. 30. and Saul often If a man stumble and fall not he gets ground but if after much blundering hee kiss the ground hefalleth with a force Davids enemies did so Corruerunt conciderunt they were irreparably ruined Vers 3. Though an Host should encamp against me See Psal 3.6 with the Note We should propound the worst to our selves the best will bring with it as wee say especially if we finde our faith to be in heart and vigour as here Davids was Though War shouldrise against me War is a complexive evil and is therefore called so by a specialty Isa 45.7 I make peace and create evil that is War Sin Satan and War have all one name saith a learned Divine evil is the best of them the best of sin is deformity of Satan enmity of war misery In this will I be confident In this In what In this one ensuing Petition saith Aben-Ezra or in this that I have said before The Lord is my light and my Salvation in this confident gloriation of mine which is such as an unbeleever is a perfect stranger unto Vers 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord One thing above the rest Every of Gods suppliants hath some one special request that he mainly insisteth on Ut cultu Del libeto legitimouti possit Jun. and King Davids was the liberty of Gods Sanctuary and enjoyment of his publick Ordinances Hoc primus petit hoc postremus omittit This was dearer to him than Wife Children Goods all This Sute he knew to be honest and therefore he began it and being so he is resolved never to give it over but to prosecute it to the utmost and to persevere in prayer which is a great vertue Rom. 12.12 till he had prevailed That will I seek after As Gods constant Remembrancer who loveth to be importuned and as it were jogged by his praying people Herein David shewed himself a true Israelite a Prince of God and as Nazianzen stileth Basil the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of desires flowing from the Spirit He knew well that a faint Suter doth but beg a denial That I may dwell in the House of the Lord i.e. In the place where was the Ark with the Prophets Priests Levites Asaph and his brethren c. with whom David desired to be taken up in the service of God free from Secular cares and delights at times convenient Pyrrhus told Cyneas that when he had finished his Wars once he would then sit still and be merry The Roman Generals when they had once triumphed over their enemies might take their ease and pleasure for ever after But good David resolves to improve his rest when ever God shall grant it him to perpetual piety That I may dwell saith he or sit in the house of Jehovah
must be as I am not only humbled but humble low but lowly Vers 3. O magnify the Lord with mee As not sufficient to do so great a work himself he calleth in the help of others We read of a Monster rather than a man who lying on his death bed not only himself swore as fast and as furiously as hee could but desperately desired the standers by to help him with oaths Boltons Assize-serm and to swear for him I knew the man saith mine Author And should not wee much more call upon others to joyn their forces with ours in magnifying the Lord Birds when they come to a full heap of corn will chirp and call in for their fellows Charity is no churl goodnesse is diffusive And let us exalt his name together And so begin Heaven afore-hand Aben-Ezra glosseth thus Quasi diceret Nos omnes simul ad laudandum Deum sumus imbecilles we are all too weak for this work though we should all do our utmost at it Vers 4. I sought the Lord Even when I was in the enemies hands and playing my pranks as a mad man amongst them I prayed secretly and inwardly I sent up some ejaculations as Nehem. 2.4 and was heard though unworthy And delivered mee out of all my fears Which were not a few 1 Sam. 21.13 besides his inward terrours upon his unwarrantable practices to save his life Sense fights sore against faith when it is upon its own dunghill in a sensible danger I mean to the great disturbance of the conscience afterwards George Marsh afterwards a Martyr in Queen Maryes dayes being examined before the Earl of Derby kept himself close in the Sacrament of the Altar as they called it But afterward thus he writeth to a friend I departed much more troubled in my spirit than before because I had not with more boldnesse confessed Christ but in such sort as mine adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against mee whereat I was much grieved for hitherto I went about as much as in mee lay to rid my self out of their hands if by any means without open denying of Christ and his word that could be done c. Thus He but no rest he had in his mind Act. Monâ— fol. 1419. till hee had better declared himself though to the losse of his life A man had better offend all the World than his own conscience David not without much ado recovered his peace for which he here heartily blesseth God Vers 5. They looked unto him and were lightened They that is my servants and fellow-souldiers who accompanied mee first to Nob 1 Sam. 21.2 4. Mat. 12.3 4. and afterwards to Gath as it is probable these being in the same danger looked likewise unto God by faith hope and prayer and were lightened that is comforted cheared directed yea delivered together with David Or They flowed together viz. to God as Rivers roll to the Sea or malefactors run to the sanctuary Isa 2.2 60.5 And their faces were not ashamed i.e. They were not repulsed disappointed made to hide their heads as Rev. 6.15 16. Vers 6. This peer man cried Meaning himself to whom it seemeth he pointed the finger or laid his hand on his heart when he said This poor man Hic vilis et evium Pastor saith Theoderèt this mean Shepherd not long since but rather This miserable sinner who whilome rashly ran such an hazard and so unworthily deported himself in the presence of King Achish this poor Soul I say cried but silently and secretly as Moses did at the red Sea as Nehemiah did in the presence of the King of Persia And the Lord Who might better be called the poor mans King than was James 4. King of Scotland Heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles And the like he will do for all that in like case being poor in spirit make their humble addresses unto him It is good to communicate unto others our experiences See the like done Psal 116.6 Rom. 8.2 1 Tim. 1.15 Vers 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about c. Not one Guardian-Angel only as some have hence conceited nor Michael the Arch-Angel only that Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ as Augustine expoundeth this Text but an Host of created Angels those ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 For although Christ the Captain of our Salvation needeth not their help for the safe-guard of his people yet for our comfort he maketh use of the holy Angels who meet us still as they did Jacob at Mahanaim where they made a lane for him as the Guard doth for their Prince as the word importeth Gen. 32.1 they minister many blessings to us though invisibly stand at our right hands Luke 1.11 as ready to releeve us as the Devils are to mischief us Sicut hostes sunt in circuitu Kimchi Zech. 3.1 yea they pitch Camp round about us as here Oh the dignity and safety of a Saint in this respect fight in battel-array against our enemies Dan. 10.20 the Heathens speak much of their Castor and Pollux fighting for them and Hâ—siod telleth of thirty thousand demy-gods that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepers of Mankind and convey them at death as they did Lazarus through the enemies Country the air into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. Vers 8. O taste and see c. Viz. with the mouth of your minde and with the eyes of your faith perceive and experiment the goodness of God in chusing and using such Instruments as the Angels and otherwise in the manifold expressions of his love to us wherein if we take not comfort the fault is meerly in our selves we being like him who hath pleasant and nourishing meat but will not make use of it The Saints taste how good the Lord is and thence long after him Optima demonstratio est à sensibus as he that feels Fire hot or as he that tasteth Hony sweet yee need not use arguments to perswade him to beleeve it So here let a man but once taste that the Lord is good and he will thenceforth as a new born Babe desire the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 3. neither will he take any more content in the Worlds tastless fooleries than in the white of an Egge or a dry chip D. 4. dom Gustato spiritu desipit omnis caro saith Gerson All flesh is savourless to him that hath tasted of the Spirit Paul after his Rapture looked with scorn and pity on all the Worlds glittering Poverty His mouth doth not water after homely provisions who hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance O let us get Spiritual senses habitually bitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing saith our Saviour to the Jews q.d. yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge no sound
most modern Interpreters conceive that David doth here ingenuously confesse that he grudged against God considering the greatnesse of his grief and the shortnesse of his life And the measure of my dayes An admalorum qua perfero compensationem sufficiant whether they are likely to be enow to make mee amends for my grievous sufferings This hee seemeth to speak either out of impatiency or curiosity at least That I may know how frail I am How soon-ceasing and short liv'd Quam darabilis sum Tremâ— Vatablus hath it quam mandanus sim how long I am like to be a man of this World this vale of misery and valley of tears Vers 5. Behold thou hast made my dayes as an handbreadth i. e. Four fingers broad which is one of the least Geometricall measures or a span-long as some interpret it Now to spend the span of this transitory life after the wayes of a mans own heart is to bereave himself of a room in that City of Pearl and to perish for ever Or take it for an handbreadth should a man having his lands divided into four parts answerable to those four fingers breadth leave three of them untilled should he not make the best of that little time that he hath that he be not taken with his task undone Themistocles dyed about an hundred and seven years of age and when he was to dye he was grieved upon this ground Now I am to dye faith he when I begin to be wise But Stultus semper incipit vivere saith Seneca and such complaints are bootlesse O live quickly live apace and learn of the Devil at least to be most busy as knowing that our time is short Rev. 12.12 To complain of the miseries of life and to wish for death as David here seemeth to do and as did Job chap. 3.19 6.9 7.15 and Moses Num. 11.11 15. Elias 1 King 19.4 Jeremy chap. 20.14 Jonas 4.3 is a sign of a prevailing temptation and of a spirit fainting under it We must fight against such impatiency and learn to do the like by life as we do by a lease wherein if our time be but short we rip up the grounds eat up the grasse cut down the copses and take all the liberty the lease will afford Mine age is as nothing Heb. My world that is my time of aboad in the World is but a magnum Nibil as one saith of honour Punctumest quod vivimus puncto minus a meer Salve vale a non-entity Verily every man at his best estate When hee is best constituted and underlaid set to live Profecto omnimoda vani tas omnis homo est quantumvis constitutus maxime Tremel Kimchi as one would think firmus fixus setled on his best bottom yet even then he is all over vanity All Adam is all Abel as the originall runs elegantly alluding to those two proper names like as Psal 144.3 4. Adam is Abels mate or man is like to a soon vanishing vapour such as is the breath of ones mouth See Jam. 4.14 a feeble flash a curious picture of Nothing Vers 6. Surely every man walkâ—th in a vain shew Heb. In an image or in a shadow as Job 14. 2. in the shadow of death as some sense it his life is like a picture drawn upon the water saith Theodoret it passeth away as an hasty headlong torrent Verily surely surely it is so Selah you may seal to it Surely they are disquieted in vain Heb. They keep a stirre and trouble the World as did great Alexander who surfetting of his excessive fortunes from the darling of Heaven Two fits of an ague could shake greit Tamerlan to death came to be the disdain of the Earth which hee had so oft disquieted So the Emperour Adrian who troubling himself and others to little good purpose dyed with this saying in his mouth Omnia fui nibil profuit I have tryed all conclusions but go nothing And saith not Salomon as much in his Ecclesia stes Hee heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them i.e. Enjoy them See Eccles 2.18 19. and be moderate Think when you lock up your mony in your chest saith One who shall shortly lock you up in your coffin Think how that this very night thy soul may he required of thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Luk. 12.20 Vers 7. â—eza And now Lord what wait I for q. d. Absit ergo ut de ist is quisquiliis sim anxius Farre be it from mee to trouble my self about these transitory trifles I am bent to depend on thee alone to wait for thy favour and desire it above all earthly felicity to place all my hope on thee alone who being my Lord wilt nor canst not cast off thy poor servant who desireth to fear thy Name Vers 8. Deliver mee from all my transgressions But especially from that of impatiently desiring to dye out of discontent vers 4. The sense of this one sin brought many more to remembrance as a man by looking over his debt-book for one thing meets with more God giveth the penitent generall discharges neither calleth he any to an after-reckoning Make mâ—e not the reproach of the foolish Let not any Wicked one for such are all fooles in Gods dictionary lay this folly in my dish that I so foolishly desired death in a pet Vers 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth Or Better thus I should have been dumb and not have opened my mouth according to my first resolution I should not have reasoned or rather wrangled with thee as vers 4. but have kissed thy rod in an humble submission and have known that the rod of Aaron and pot of Manna must go together Macrobius writeth that the image of Angeronia among the old Romans was placed on the Altar of Volupia with the mouth closed and sealed up to signifie that such as patiently and silently bear their griefs do thereby attain to greatest pleasures Because thou didst it This is indeed a quieting consideration and will notably quell and kill unruly passions Set but God before them when they are tumultuating and all will be soon husht This made Jacob so patient in the rape of his Daughter Dinah Job in the losse of his goods by the Sabaan spoylers David in the barkings of that dead dog Shimâ—i that noble Lord of Plessis in the losse of his only son a Gentleman of marvellous great hopes slain in the wars of the Low-Countries His Mother more impatient dyed of the grief of it But his Father laid his hand on his mouth when Gods hand was on his back and used these very words I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Vers 10. Removethy stroke away from mee Having first prayed off his sin hee would now pray off his pain though it lesse troubled him and for ease he repaireth to Jehovah that healeth as well as woundeth Hos 6.1 nam qui
they were first written And the people which shall be created Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 Isa 51.16 his regenerated people For God planteth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth that be may say to Zion Thou art my people Vers 19. For he hath looked down from the height c. This is no small condescention sith he abaseth himself to look upon things in heaven Psal 113.6 From heaven did the Lord behold the earth That is his poor despised servants that are in themselves no better than the earth they tread on Vers 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner Those prisoners of hope held so long captive in Babylon the cruelty whereof is graphically described Jer. 51.34 Vers 21. To declare the Name of the Lord in Zion This shall bee the business of the converted Gentiles to make up one Catholick Church with the Christian Jews and to bear a part in setting forth Gods worthy prayses See vers 18. Vers 22. When the people are gathered together sc to the Lord Christ For to Shilâ—â— shall be the gathering of the people Gen. 49.10 And the Kingdoms to serve the Lord As they did under Constantine the Great Valentinian Theodosius which three Emperors called themselves Vasalles Christi as Socrates reporteth the Vassals of Christ And the like may be said of other Christian Kings and Princes since who have yeelded professed subjection to the Gospel and cast their Crowns at Christs feet Vers 23. He weaâ—ned my strength in the way This is the complaint of the poor captives yet undelivered In via hoc est in vita quia bic sumus viatores in coelo comprehensores here wee are but on our way to heaven and wee meet with many discouragements He shortned my dayes viz. According to my account For otherwise in respect of God our dayes are numbred Stat sua cuique dies Vers 24. Take me not away in the midst of my dayes Heb. Make me not to ascend Serus in coelum redeam Fain I would live to see those golden dayes of Redemption Abraham desired to see the day of Christ Job 8. Simeon did and then sang out his soul All the Saints after the Captivity looked hard for the consolation of Israel Thy years are throughout all generations And that 's the comfort of thy poor Covenanters who are sure to participate of all thy goods Vers 25. Of old thou hast laid the foundation c. Here is a clear proof of Christs eternity Heb. 1.10 because he was before the creation of the world and shall continue after the consummation thereof vers 26 27. So the Saints a parte pest 1 Job 2.17 The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Vers 26. They shall perish i.e. They shall change form and state being dissolved by the last fire 2 Pet. 3.7 10. But thou shalt endâ—re Heb. Stand and with thee thy Church Mat. 22.32 Yea all of them shall wax old as a garment Which weareth in the wearing so do the visible heavens and the earth what ever some write de constantia naturae Isaiah saith It rotteth as a book that is vener andae rubiginiâ— and wasteth away as smoak chap. 65.17 and 66.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tucetu Arab. At a vesture shalt thou change them The Greek hath roul them confer Isa 34 4. Vers 27. But thou art the same Therefore immutable because Eternall ut nihil tibi possit accedere vel decidere Vers 28. The children of thy servants shall continue By vertue of the Covenant and that union with thee which is the ground of communion If it could be said of Cesar that he held nothing to he his own that he did not communicate to his friends how much more of Christ Propterea bene semper sperandum etiamsi 〈◊〉 ruant the Church is immortal and immutable PSAL. CIII A Psalm of David Which he wrote when carried out of himself as far as heaven saith Beza and therefore calleth not upon his own soul onely but upon all creatures from the highest Angel to the lowest worm to set forth Gods praises Vers 1. Bless the Lord O my soul Agedum animulâ— mi intima mea visera A good mans work lyeth most within doors he is more taken up with his own heart than with all the world besides neither can he ever be along so long as he hath God and his own soul to converse with Davids Harp was not ofâ—ner out of tune than his heart which here he is setting right that he may the better make melody to the Lord. Musick is sweet but the setting of the strings in tune is unpleasing so is it harsh to set out hearts in order which yet must be done and throughly done as here And all that is within me All my faculties and senses The whole soul and body must be set a work in this service the judgement to set a right estimate upon mercies the memory to recognize and retain them Dent. 6 11 12. and 8.14 the Will which is the proper seat of thankfulness the affections love desire joy confidence all must bee actuated that our praises may be cordial vocal vital In peace-offerings God called for the sat and inwards Vers 2. Bless the Lord O my soul David found some dulness and drowsiness hence he so oft puts the thorn to the breast hence he so impeâ—â—ously instigateth his soul as One shere phraseth it And forget not all his benefits Forgetfulness is a grave look to it Eaten bread is soon forgotten with us as it is with children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pinâ—u neither perisheth any thing so soon with many as a good turn Alphonsus King of Arragon professed that hee wondred not so much at his Courtiers ingratitude to him who had raised many of them from mean to great estates which they little remembred as at his own to God Vers 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities David not only taketh upon him with an holy imperiousness laying Gods charge upon his soul to be thankful but intending to shew himself good cause why to be so he worthily beginneth with remission of fin as a complexive mercy and such as comprehendeth all the rest He had a Crown of pure gold set upon his head Psal 21. But here hee blesseth God for a better Crown vers 4. Who crowneth thee with loving kindness c. And how was this Crown set on his head but by forgiving all his iniquities Who healeth all thy diseases Corporal and spiritual Quod saniâ—as in corpore id sanctitas in corde Jehovah Rophe or the Lord the Physician as he is called Exod. 15.26 cureth His people on both fides maketh them whole every whit See Isa 19.22 Mat. 8.17 He bore out diseases Vers 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction From hell saith the Chaldee from a thousand deaths and dangers every day All this Christ our kind kinsman doth for us dying
NOw Heb. And for the former History recorded in the Chronicles is continued by Ezra that ready Scribe and perfect in the Law Chap. 7.6 Yet not so prompt or perfect can I deeme him as that he should by memory restore the Bible that was burnt together with the Temple Irenae Tertuil Clem. Alexi Hieron Aug. Euseb Alsted Chron pag. 267. Acts Mon. by the Babylonians And yet that was the opinion of many Ancients grounded upon some passages in that Apocryphal Esdras We reade also of one Johannes Gatius Ciphaleditanus who out of the vaine confidence of his learning and memory was wont to give out that if the Holy Scripture should be lost out of the world he would not doubt by Gods grace to restore it whole again Of Cranmer indeed a far better man and a profounder Divine it is storied that he had got most of the New Testament by heart And of Beza that being above eighty years of age he could say perfectly without book and Greek Chapter in Saint Pauls Epistles M. Leigh Aâ— not on John 5.39 In the first year Heb. In the one year The Hebrews oft use One for First So do also the Apostles in Greek Matth. 28.1 John 20.1 19.1 Cor. 16.2 Rev. 6.1 One being the first number neither was it without a mystery that Pythagoras bade his Scholars ever to have respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Moses also his saying Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Deut. 6.4 Of Cyrus Heb. Coresh so named by God above an hundred years before he was born See the like Josiah 1 Kiâ— 13.3 Isay 40.28 and so honoured by the Persians as the founder of their Monarchy that they liked the better of all that were Hawk-nosed like unto him The Persian word signifieth a Lord or great Prince as Hen. Stephanus noteth and thence the Greeks have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord and We our word Sir as some will have it Plutarch in Artaxerxes saith that the Persians call the Sunne Cyrus And it may very well be so Peacham for the Hebrews also call the Sunne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheres from its glistering brightnesse King of Persia So he had beene above twenty years before this and done many great exploits but this was the first year of his Empire of his Cosmocratie of the Monarchy translated from the Babylonians to the Persians The greatest Kingdomes have their times and their turnes their rise and their ruine when they shall live by fame onely Persia having oft changed her Masters since Cyrus remaineth a flourishing Kingdome to this day but wholly Mahometan Turk Hist â—ol 5. Which abominable superstition the Turks received from them when in the year 1030. they won that Countrey under their Sultan Tangrolipix Where it is hard to say saith mine Author whether nation lost more the Persians by the losse of so great a Kingdome Blounts Voy. into the Leu. pag. 81. or the Turks by embracing so great a vanity To this day they acknowledge the Persians better Mahometans then themselves which maketh the Turks farre better souldiers upon the Christian then upon the Persian That the Word of the Lord For it was He that spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Luke 1.70 and his word cannot be broken Psal 31.5 John 10.35 for he is the God of Amen asthe Prophet David somewhere calleth him and all his promises are the issue of a most faithful and right Will void of all insincerity and falshood Prov. 8.8 By the mouth of Jeremy That admirable Preacher as Keckerman calleth him that most eminent Prophet as another with whose writings De Rhet. Eccles about this very restauration Daniel consulted and therehence collected that the time was come Dan. 9.2 which put him upon that heavenly prayer for he knew that Gods promises must be put in suit and and it was to him that the Angel afterwards said I came for thy word Dan. 10.14 God will come according to his promise but he will have his peoples prayers lead him This liberty here granted to the Jewes after so long captivity was the fruit of many prayers founded upon the promise Jer. 25.12 and 29.10 Might be fulfilled As indeed it was exactly by the death of Belshazzar slaine by Cyrus who succeeded him Dan. 5.30 In that night was Belshazzar slaine because then exactly the seventy years were ended So for the same reason it is noted Exod. 12.40 41. that at midnight the first-borne of Egypt were slaine because just then the four hundred or four hundred and thirty years foretold were expired So punctual is God in keeping his word It is not here as with men A day breaketh no square c. for he never faileth at his time The Lord stirred up the spirit It was the mighty and immediate work of God in whose hand are the hearts of all both Kings and Captives Lords and Losels to bring this wise and great Prince in the very first entrance into his Monarchy before things were fully settled to dismisse so great and so united a people in respect of their custome and religion and so given to insurrection as was generally held into their owne Countrey with such a faire and full Patent This was the Lords owne work and it was justly marvellous in the eyes of his people who could hardly believe their owne eyes but were for a while like them that dreame Then was their mouth filled with laughter and their tongue with singing c. Psal 126.1 2. Then was the great power and goodnesse of God in stirring up Cyrus to do this acknowledged Then also was the Kings clemency and courtesie no lesse cried up and magnified then was that of Flaminius the Roman General at Athens where for delivering them from servitude he was little lesse then deified Or that of our Queene Elizabeth who for her merciful returning home certaine Italians that were taken prisoners in the eighty eight Invasion was termed Saint Elizabeth by some at Venice Whereof one told the Lord Carleton afterwards Viscount Dorchester being there Embassadour that although he were a Papist yet he would never pray to any other Saint but that Saint Elizabeth That he made Proclamation Heb. He caused a voice to passe sc by his Messengers and Ministers The Posts went out being hastened by the Kings commandment Esth 3.15 even those Angarii The Lord Christ also proclaiming liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Esay 61.1 causeth his Word to run and to be glorified to spread like a Sun-beame as Eusebius saith the Gospel did at first to be carried as on Eagles wings or on Angels wings as it was thorough all Christendome when Luther first sent forth his book De Captivitate Babylonicâ of the Babylonish Captivity And put it also in writing That it might be posted up and every where published Vox audita perit littera scripta manet
Christ hath written for us also the great things of his Law And should they then be counted a strange thing Hos 8.12 See the Notes there His Gospel likewise he hath written to you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God 1 John 5.13 and ponder his Passion especially which is therefore so particularly set downe by four faithful Witnesses Sphinx Philos that men may get it written not on the nailes of their hands as one once did but upon the tables of their hearts there to abides as a perpetual picture Non scripta solùm sed sculpta as He said that we therein beholding as in a glasse the love of our Lord might be changed into the same image till our hearts became a very lump of love to him who loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood and made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Rev. 1.5 6. Ver. 2. The Lord God of heaven hath given me This good language Cyrus might well learn of Daniel who flourished under his reign Dan. 6.28 probably acquainted him with the prophesies that went before of him Isa 44.28 and 45.1 Jaddus the High-Priest did the like many years after to Alexander the Great who not only thereupon spared the Jewes but highly honoured them as Josephus relateth Here then we see this Potentate of the earth giveth unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Psal 29.1 2. acknowledging him the blessed and onely Potentate 1 Tim. 6.16 One that both is in the heavens and also doeth whatsoever he pleaseth both in heaven and in earth Psal 115.3 and 135.6 The God of heaven saith He hath given me all the Kingdomes of the earth This was farre better then that of Alexander the Great whom when Lysippus had pictured looking up to heaven with this Posie Iuppiter asserui terram mihi tu assere coelum c. Alexander was so delighted with it that he proclaimed that none should take his picture but Lysippus Plin. lib. 6. cap. 16. All the Kingdomes of the earth i. e. Many of them so that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mighty Monarch an absolute Emperour But to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sole Lord of the whole world was never yet granted to any though the great Cham of Cataia is reported to cause his Trumpets to be founded every day assoone as he hath dined Heyl. Geog. in token that he giveth leave to other Princes of the earth whom he supposeth to be his vassals to go to dinner And the proud Spaniard who affecteth to be Catholick Monarch was well laughed at by Sir Francis Drake and his company Camd. Elis for his device of a Pegasus flying out of a Globe of the earth set up in the Indies with this Motto totus non sufficit orbis But he affecteth an universal Monarchy and so perhaps did Cyrus which maketh him here speak so largely And he hath charged me Et ipse commisit mihi so Junius rendereth it The word signifieth to visit one either for the better or the worse But according to the Chaldee and Syriack use it signifieth to charge or command as it is here and 2 Chon 36.22 fitly rendered But how knew Cyrus this charge of Almighty God otherwise then by books Like as Daniel who probably shewed him those Prophesies of Esay concerning him understood by Jeremy 25.12 and 29.10 that the seventy years captivity were accomplished and by Ezekiel chap. 31.1 2 3. c. which he had read likely and revolved he was the better able to give a right interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dreame Dan. 4. To build him an house at Jerusalem i. e. To rebuild that which had beene once built by Solomon whence Hegesippus not having the Hebrew tongue will have Hierusalem so named quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomons Temple a stately house indeed and one of the seven wonders of the world For albeit it was but one hundred and twenty foot long and fourty foot broad whereas the Temple at Ephesus was two hundred fourty and five foot long and two hundred and twenty foot broad Yet for costly and choyce materials for curious and exact workmanship for spiritual employment and for mystical signification never was there the like edifice in the world And happy had it beene for Cyrus if laying aside all his warlike expeditions and atchievements he had wholly applyed himself to the building of this holy house and to the study of those things that there he might have learned for his souls health Jerusalem which is in Judah Jerusalem was part of it in Judah and part in the tribe of Benjamin The house here mentioned viz. the Temple stood in Benjamin as was foretold it should by Moses four hundred and fourty years before it was first built by Solomon Deut. 33.12 And of Benjamin he said The beloved of the Lord that is Benjamin his darling shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell betweene his shoulders that is betwixt those two mountains Moriah and Sion wherein the Temple was built Now because Benjamin was the least of all the tribes of Israel and because so much of it as lay within Judah Josh 19.1 9. was comprized under Judah 1 Kings 11.13 therefore is the Temple here said to be in Jerusalem which is in Judah Hereby also this Jerusalem in Judah is distinguished from any other Jerusalem if there were any place in the world so called besides We reade of Pope Sylvester the second who sold his soul to the Devil for the Popedome that saying Masse in a certaine Church in Rome Funcc Chronol Jacob. Reu. pag. 109. called Jerusalem he fell suddenly into a Fever whereof he died the Devil claiming his owne For the bargaine betwixt them was that he should continue Pope till he sang Masse in Jerusalem and now intellexit se à Diabolo amphiboliâ vocis circumventum little dreamt the Pope of any other Jerusalem but this in Judah and this cost him his life Lib. 5. cap. 17. Anno Dom. 1003. Eusebius telleth us that Montanus the Haeresiarch called his Pepuza and Tymium two pelting parishes in Phrygia Jerusalem as if they had beene the only Churches in the world Hist David George p. 3. Hofman the Anabaptist had the like conceit of Strasburg in Germany and Becold of Munster both which places they called the new Jerusalem Ver. 3. Who is there among you of all his people Many there were among them that affirmed deeply of being the people of God who yet tanquam monstra marina passed by this Proclamation with a deaf eare and preferring haram domesticam arae dominicae a swinesty before a Sanuctary chose rather to abide in Babylon and there to dwell amongst plants and hedges 1 Chron. 4.23 making pots for the Kings garden then to go up to Jerusalem So that besides this O yes by the King God was faine to cry Ho Ho
come forth and flee from the Land of the North Deliver thy self O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon Zech. 2.6 7. Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted it shall destroy you even with a sore destruction Mic. 2.10 Look how the Eagle hath much ado to get her young ones out of the nest pricking and beating them with her wings and talons so was it here and neither so could the Lord prevaile with the most of them being as loth to depart as Lot was out of Sodom vel canis ab uncto cerio or a dog from a fat morsel His God be with him And then he needs no better company no greater happinesse for he is sure of a confluence of all comforts of all that heart can wish or need require Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam fecit dulcem Aug. saith an Ancient Thy presence sweeteneth all our occurrences This was therefore a good wish of King Cyrus neither did he therein any disservice to himself for God hath promised to blesse those that blesse any of his Gen. 12.3 and not to let a good wish to such go unrewarded 2 Cor. 13.9 Let him go up and build c. As God had charged him verse 2. so doth he them And it is as if he should have said with that Father Unlesse I stir up your hearts as the Lord hath done mine unlesse I lay Gods charge upon you to set strenuously upon this service of his Bern. Vobis erit damnosum mihi periculosum Timeo itaque damnum vestrum timeo damnationem meam si tacuero If now you go not up upon so great encouragement God will surely bemeet with you He is the God The onely true God John 17.3 none like him Mic. 7.18 The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible Deut. 10.17 Is it not fit therefore that he have a Temple a place of divine worship which the Heathens deny not to their dunghill-deities Which is in Jerusalem That City of the great King where he kept his Court and afforded his special presence not of grace onely in his Ordinances but of glory also sometimes in his holy Temple 2 Chron. 5.14 as in another heaven Ver. 4. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth Heb. Gar-shom A name that Moses gave his eldest sonne borne in his banishment for he said I have beene a stranger in a strange land Exod. 2.22 These poore captives had beene longer so then Moses in Midian and met with more hard measure Psal 137.1 8. But as those who are borne in hell know no other heaven as the Proverb is so fared it not with a few of these loth to be at the paines and run the hazard of a voyage to the holy Land A little with ease is held best Let us who are strangers here haste homeward heaven-ward Some of these poore Jewes had a minde to returne but wanted meanes For these necessitous people the King takes care and course here that they be supplied and set forward on their journey after a godly sort or worthy of God as Saint John phraseth it 3 John 6. who else will require it Let the men of his place Whether Jewes or Proselytes brethren by race grace or place onely Help him wish silver Heb. Give him a lift out of the dust as Jobs friends did him off the dunghill as Joseph did his brethren when he filled their bags 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and returned them their moneys And as all Christians are bound and bid to support or shoar up their weaker brethren 1 Thess 5 14. With silver an with gold These are notable good levers at a dead lift in this present world where money beares the mastery and answereth all things Eccles 10.14 a satisfactory answer it giveth to whatsoever is desired or demanded He that helpeth a man therefore in his necessity with silver and gold is a friend indeed Let a man make God his friend and then saith Eliphaz the Almighty shall be his gold and he shall have plenty of silver Job 22.25 Jacob shall be sure of so much as shall bring him to his journeys end a sufficiency if not a superfluity of all things needful to life and godlinesse And with goods Heb. Recush whence haply our English words Riches and Cash chattels movables gathered substance as the word signifieth which whosoever he was that first called substance was utterly mistaken sith wisdome onely that is godlinesse is durable substance Prov. 8.21 Wealth is but a semblance Proverbs 23.5 1 Corinth 7.31 And he that first called Riches Goods Psal 4.6 was a better husband then Divine But it may be thought the most are such husbands sith the common cry is Who will shew us any good a good booty a good bargaine a good beast c. That one thing necessary that is both Bonum hominis The good of man Micah 6.84 and Totum hominis The whole of man Eccles 12.13 lieth wholly neglected by the most And with beasts Those most serviceable creatures both ad esum ad usum for food and other uses as Sheep Horses Camels Dromedaries swift patient painful Besides the free-will-offering Which the King presumeth all Gods free-hearted people Voluntieres every soul of them Psal 110.3 will be most forward unto See Lev. 5.6 12. and 14.10 21 30. In Psal 1. in so good a work so acceptable a service God straineth upon no man Exod. 25.2 and 35.5 Lex quaerit voluntarios The Law calleth for Volunteires saith Ambrose See Esay 56.6 and 2 Cor. 8.12 and 9.7 and learne to come off roundly and readily in works of Piety and Charity for else all 's lost sith Virtus nolentium nulla est unwilling service is nothing set by That is in Jerusalem This City he so often nameth Psal 137 6. that he may seeme delighted with the very mention of it and to be of the same minde with those pious captives that vowed to preferre Jerusalem that joy of the whole earth before their chief joy to make it ascend above the head of their joy as the Hebrew hath it How then should it chear up our hearts to think of heaven and that we are written among the living in Jerusalem Esay 4.3 fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of heaven Eph. 2.19 Verse 5. Then rose up the chief of the fathers Those who are therefore crowned and chronicled in the next Chapter Those Magnates Magnites that drew on others by their example Those Viri gregis he-goats before the flocks men of publike places and authority active for Reformation who hearkened to that divine call Jer. 50.8 Remove out of the middest of Babylon and go forth out of the land of the Caldeans and be as the he-goats before the flocks These Nobles arose being rowsed and raised by that Noble Spirit of God Psal 51.12 that Kingly spirit the
the like here The Parliament here held Anno 1376 was called The Good Parliament and another not long after Parlamentum benedictum The blessed Parliament God grant us such a one next for at present we are without any but not without cause to cry out This was written May 18. 1653. as those in Jeremy chap. 8.20 22. The harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not helped Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physician there Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health and behold trouble ver 15. Verse 9. And this is the number of them Had they not beene things of great price and use they would not have beene numbered Cant. 6.8 The Queenes and Concubines are numbered how many but not the Virgins that bring not forth fruit to God Men use not to count how many pibbles they have in their yard or piles of grasse in their field as they do how many pence in their purse or sheepe in their fold When the Great God shall count his peoples flittings bottle up their teares as sweet water book up their sighs as memorable matters Psal 56.8 shall we not say of them as the Jewes did of Lazarus when Jesus wept Behold how he loves them When the very hairs of their head are all numbered Matth. 10.30 so that not one of them falleth to the ground without their heavenly Father what store think we setteth He by their persons by their performances I know thy work and thy labour Rev. 2.19 I pitie this people they have beene with me now three dayes and fasting they are and farre from home and faint they may if sent away empty Matth. 15.32 Lo is not this a wonderful condescension that Christ should consider tantus tantillos tales and reckon every circumstance of their service so particularly and punctually that he might give to every man according to his works Oh his Jewels his book of remembrance c. Mal. 3.16 17 See the Notes there Thirty chargers Serving to hold such parts of the Sacrifices as were to be eaten by the Priests and others Nine and twenty knives Sacrificing knives richly hafted Verse 10. Thirty basins of gold These were to hold the sprinkling-water or blood And other vessels Of sundry sorts whereof see 1 Kings 7.50 Verse 11. All the vessels of gold and of silver Those best of mettals and therefore fittest for his use and service who is Good Psal 106.1 Better Psal 108.9 Best Phil. 1. 23. goodnesse it self Matth. 19.17 Whose great purse is the Earth with All that is either on it or in it Psal 24.1 whose great storehouse are the Stars and Planets the Sun especially making these mettals and causing plenty Deut. 28.12 Let us lavish out of the bag and when we have honoured the Lord with the Best of our best cry out with David Of thine owne Lord have we given thee and with Justinian 1. Chron. 29.6 Cedren dedicating a very rich Communion-table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. CHAP. II. Verse 1. Now these are the children of the province THat is of Judaea now a Province though formerly a Princesse now solitary and tributary that was once populous and great among the Nations Lam. 1.1 Medinah the word here rendered Province sometimes signifieth Metropolis aliis jus dicens a place that giveth Lawes to other places and so Judaea in her flourish had beene See chap. 4.20 But now it was otherwise and so it is at this day not onely with Judaea but with other renowned Empires and Kingdomes not a few all which together with most of those Churches and places so much mentioned in Scripture are swallowed up in the greatnesse of the Turkish Empire Shiâ—dler That Medina a City in Arabia where Mahomet lieth buried where his Sepulchre is no lesse visited then is Christs Sepulchre at Jerusalem holdeth this Medina in hard subjection making her children pay for the very heads they weare and so grievously afflicting them that they have cause enough to take up a new Jeremies Elegie over their doleful captivity That went up out of the captivity That listed themselves in Babylon to go up Which if any failed to do as by comparing verse 5. of this chapter with Nehem. 7.10 it appeareth some did it was because either they changed their minds or their lives His life by Crashaw before they came there When that Noble Marquesse Galeacius Caracciolus set forward for Geneva some of his most familiar friends promised and vowed to accompany him thither But divers of them when they came to the borders of Italy turned back again c. and so might many of these ingagers magis amantes mundi delicias quà m Christi divitias graviorem ducentes jacturam regionis quà m religionis Which had beene carried away But had Gods promise that they should returne be built up planted and not rooted out Jer. 24.6 and his command to marry and beget children Jer. 29.6 which should inherit the promises for they are good sure-hold Whom Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon That Metus Orbis flagellum Dei as Attilas King of Hunnes proudly stiled himself that is The Terrour of the world Gualth in Hab. 2. Eucholc and scourge in Gods hand See Esay 10.5 That Ira Dei Orbis Vastitas as Tamerlan loved to be called The wrath of God and ruine of the world Had carried away to Babylon As to his Lions-den Nah. 2.10 but God sent from heaven and saved them with such a mighty salvation as eclipsed that deliverance out of Egypt Jer. 23.7 8. Every one unto his City Appointed him by the present Governours For during their abode in Babylon Judaea lay utterly waste and uninhabited The Land kept her Sabbaths resting from tillage and God by a wonderful providence kept the roome empty till the returne of the Natives Verse 2. That came with Zerubbabel That famous Prince of Judah chap. 1.8 Governour of Judah Hag. 1.1 who was borne in Babylon and accordingly had a Babylonian name His hands laid the foundation of the second Temple his hands also finished Zech. 4.9 whence some conclude that the Lord gave him a life much longer then ordinary His children shall notto bed till their work be done Jeshua This was that Jehoshuah the High Priest the great assistant of Zerubbabel in building the Temple chap. 5.1 Hag. 1.14 These were those faithful Witnesses of God in their generation as before them had beene Moses and Aaron Elijab and Elisha and as after them Paul and Barnabas Luther and Melancthoâ— Oecolampadius and Zuinglius c. Christ sent out his Disciples by two and two for two is better then one and why See Eccles 4.9 10 11 12. Nehemiah Saraiah Reelaiah Mordecai Not that famous Nehemiah nor that renowned Mordecai so much spoken of in the book of Esther but others of the same name Reasons see in Master
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
the great God So they stile him because the Jewes called and counted him so The Lord your God saith Moses is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible c. Deut. 10.17 He is Fortissimus Maximus as Tremellius there renders it yea he is a degree above the superlative Not onely is God great as here greater Job 33.12 Greatest Psal 95.3 but Greatnesse it self Psal 145.3 and to him all other Gods whether Deputed or Reputed are but deastri deunculi diim inorum gentium petty deities poor businesses Verse 9. Who commanded you Chald. Who hath made you a Decree See the Note on verse 3. Verse 10. We asked their names also See verse 4. That were the chief of them For the rude multitude follow as they are led And as in a beast the whole body goeth after the head so do most people after their Rulers and Ringleaders hence that severity of God Num. 25.4 Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sunne Ver. 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven And in that respect higher then all the Kings on the earth Psal 89.27 for all his servants are sons heirs of God and coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 who have held it no small honour to be called his vassals See how bold these 〈◊〉 men beare themselves upon this relation to the God of heaven and earth and how couragiously they stand to their work and stout it out with their adversaries See Prov. 28.1 with the Note These many years ago Five hundred at least Verse 12. But after that our fathers had provoked Sinne is the make-bate that sets heaven and earth at oddes and hurleth confusion over the whole creation Esay 59.2 Num. 11.31 there were more remarkable expressions of Gods anger upon mans sinne in the dead body of a man then of a beast One made uncleane but till the evening the other for seven dayes He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar This is still the property of sinne unpardoned to raise the Posse comitatus all the armies of God against the sinner Verse 13. But in the first year of Cyrus See chap. 1. verse 1. with the Notes Verse 14. The Temple of Babylon For there also was a Temple built for Bel. Faciunt vespae favos simis imitantur homines The Devil will needs be Gods Ape and affecteth to be semblably worshipped Verse 15. Take these vessels go carry them Go thy self in person and see that all things be well carried there This pleased Zerubbabel well it confined him to live in that element where he would live as if one should be confined to Paradise Verse 16. Then came the same Sheshbazzar All this is truly and fairly related as was likewise that of Doeg to Saul against Ahimelech but with no good intent Now to speak the truth not for any love to the truth nor for respect to justice nor for the bettering of the hearer or of the offendor but onely to incense the one and prejudice the other this is plaine slandering And yet it is not finished And all by reason of such ill-conditioned persons as your selves who retarded it Verse 17. Now therefore if it seeme good Verba byssina Whether it be so They supposed it was nothing so and hoped that these Jewes would be found falsaries but it fell out farre otherwise like as Saint Pauls persecutions at Rome fell out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel then else Phil. 1.12 CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Then Darius the King DArius Hystaspes who succeeded Cambyses being chosen by the Princes of the Persians as saith Herodotus Plato commendeth him for a restorer of the Persian Monarchy much defaced under Cambyses Howbeit he discommendeth him for this In Thalia lib 3. de Legib. that he bred not his sonne Xerxes so well as he might have done and further testifieth that to him it might be said O Darius how little care hast thou taken to shun Cyrus his slacknesse for thou hast bred Xerxes every whit as ill as he did Cambyses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the house of the Rolles So called because rolled up together volumes rolled up like the web upon the pinne Verse 2. And there was found at Achmetha Or Ecbatana This was occasioned by the malice of the Jewes adversaries and proved a great furtherance to the finishing of the Temple Sic canes lingunt ulcera Lazari All things work together for good to them that love God Venenum aliquandò pro remedio fuit saith Seneca Rom 8.28 Verse 3. The height thereof threescore cubits Yet was it lesse then Solomons Temple Hag. 2.3 Ezra 3.12 Solomons cubits therefore were longer likely then these here mentioned Verse 4. Out of the Kings house i. e. Out of the royal revenue in those parts chap. 7.20 Herodotus testifieth that Cyrus and Darius who married his daughter Atossa and made him his patterne for imitation were highly honoured among the Persians for their Kingly munificence God hath threatened that the Nation and Kingdome that will not serve the Church shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Esay 60.12 See verse 12. of this chapter Verse 5. And also let the golden and silver vessels This was decreed and this was done accordingly chap. 1.7 8. Let good resolutions be put in execution purpose without performance is like a cloud without raine and not unlike Hercules his club in the Tragedy of a great bulk but stuft with mosse and rubbish Verse 6. Be ye far from thence i. e. Come not at them to hinder them at all Thus though the Churches enemies bandy together and bend all their forces against her yet are they bounded by Almighty God who saith unto them Be ye farre from thence as is the raging sea Jer. 5.22 Surely saith the Psalmist the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath shalt thou restraine Heb. gird that is keep it within compasse as with a girdle The Septuagint render it thus The remnant of wrath shall keep holy-day to thee that is it shall rest from working or acting how restlesse soever it be within Verse 7. Let the work of this house of God alone Meddle not make no disturbance this was doubtlesse an hard task to them for their spirits were irked as Moab Num. 22. 3. and their fingers even itched at these builders They sleep not except they may do mischief Prov. 4.16 Ver. 8. Moreover I make a Decree So did some of the Heathen Emperours for the persecuted Christians Charles the fifth for the Lutherans at the motion of Albertus Archbishop of Ments and Ludovicus Palatine of Rhine and Henry the third of France for the Protestants which yet was but sorrily observed though sworne to It is written by an Italian no stranger to the Court of Rome that their Proverb is Mercatorum est non regum stare juramentis that it is for Merchants and not for Kings to
these fair promisers turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their Fathers they were turned aside like a deceitful bow Psal 78.57 Look how a rotten bow though otherwise fair when an Arrow is drawn to the head and both eye and arrow is leveld to the mark yet it miscarryeth So do the desires purposes and promises that unsound hearts conceive in their afflictions and under just convictions Verse 13. Neither is this work of one day or two No more is repentance that first and continual work of every Christian Nulli reinatus â— isi poenitenti â— Tert. de poâ—n This made Tertullian say that he was born for nothing else but for repentance Surely as in a Ship there is continuall pumping and as in a Beggers coat continual piecing so in the best soul there wants not matter of daily repenting this House must be every day swept this Candle-stick every day scoured Besides some sins are past in time that are not past indeed if we dwell not in the undoing and reversing of them The best of these hereafter mentioned were to begin a new their repentance because they had not considered their marrying of strange Wives For we are many that have transgressed Heb. We have multiplyed to transgresse The comfort is that God will in like sort multiply to pardon if we return unto him that 's the expression Esay 55.7 Verse 14. Let now our Rulers of all the Congregation Our Sanedrim or seventy Seniors See Deut. 17.9 Let there be a matrimonial Consistory erected and matters in question orderly heard and determined Vntil the fierce wrath of God We must not think that he will cease pursuing us till the Traytours head be thrown over the Wall till there be a thorough reformation One Abimelech left alive may be the death of Gideons 70 sons so may one sin favoured be thine utter undoing Verse 15. Onely Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah These two Priests onely of all the company had kept themselves unspotted and so were fit to be employed in the work in hand Hier. Epist Diaconos paucitas honorabiles fecit saith Hierome of his times The paucity of good Deacons hath rendred them honourable And I do not think saith Chrysostome that among the Clergy there are many that shall be saved D. Hall Clerus Britannicus stupor mundi and yet there never wanted amongst us those dehonestamenta Cleri that might give some occasion to black-mouthed Campian to tell the World Ministris eorum nihil vilius Camp Raâ— Many of their Ministers are most base Verse 16. And the children of the captivity did so Appointed such a course should be taken And so it was a plain Plebiscitum and accordingly executed Verse 17. By the first day of the first moneth So that it was not the work of one day or two as ver 13. but of full three moneths and yet they were not slothful in that business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. In the work of repentance take time enough dig deep enough by thorough humiliation lest the fall of the house be great The English are not sick soon enough saith One and they are well too soon This is true of their minds as well as of their bodies Verse 18. And among the sons of the Priests c. What a shame was this and a stain to their cloth These mens white ephods covered foul sinnes whereas they should have been carefull to have kept all clean as that Eleazer was of whom it is storied that he would not do any thing that might seem to be sinful because be would not spot his white head Of the sons of Joshua the son of Jozadak This good High-priest had sons none of the best White Halcyons hatch black young ones Caligula fuit optimi Viri Germanici filius Eli his sons were sons of Belial Samuels were little better and yet it is not likely that he was faulty in that indulgence for which his own mouth had denounced Gods judgements against Eli. When Cesar Borgia Duke of Valence invited his Nobility to a Feast and after Dinner cut off their heads Pope Alexander who was his Father hearing of it smiled and said his Son had served them a Spanish trick When Petro Alingi Farnesis had committed an unspeakable Violence on the person of Cosmus Chaerius Bishop of Fanum and then poysoned him he received no other Chastisement of his Father Pope Paul the third then Haec vitia me non commonstratore didicit he never learned these faults of his Father Good Joshua had better bred his children then thus to break out into an open violation of that Law which they could not but know and should have observed But God will shew that grace is by gift not inheritance and men will shew that though nourture may somewhat amend nature yet it is grace alone that can keep us within the bounds of obedience Verse 19. And they gave their hands Id est They plighted their troth and assured the assent of their hearts 2 Kings 10.15 That they would put away their Wives Though as dear to them haply as was George Carpenters Martyr burnt at Munchen in Bavaria My Wife and Children said he are so dear unto me that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bavaria but for the love of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them Act. Mon. 806. Let us do so by our dilecta delicta our dearest and most delicious sins They offered a Ram of the Flock This shewes that they sinned against knowledge for for a sin of ignorance the oblation was not a Ram but a goat Verse 44. And some of them had Wives by whom they had Children Who yet for all that were put away together with their children ver 3. The Hebrew hath it thus And there were of them Women they had put forth sons or exposed their sons to do as they might or to be disposed of by the Judges as that good Woman who told Bonner Act. Mon. that if he burnt her she hoped he would keep Faith Hope and Charity those were the names of her three daughters No by my troth will not I quoth the Bishop I le meddle with none of them A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Upon the BOOK of Nehemiah CHAP. I. Ver. 1. The words of Nehemiah OR The deeds for he was good at both so a singular comfort to his Country-men according to the notation of his Name Nehemiah Id est The comfort or rest of the Lord. Here-hence also some inferre that Nehemiah himself was the Pen-man of this Book and not Ezra as the vulgar Latine So did Alexan der Severus and M. Aurelius Emperours and many ancients would have it like as Julius Caesar wrote his own acts and by a more modest Name called his book Commentaries and not Histories yet did it so well ut praerepta non praebita facultas scriptoribus videatur said Aulus Hirtius that
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
This was Priest-like and probably hereupon followed that miracle of an Angels descending at their several solemn feasts into the pool of Bethesda which was neer to this Gate and where they washed their sacrifices and healing all diseases John 5.4 Even unto the Tower of Meah Or the Centenary Tower so called for its hundred pinacles haply or because an hundred cubites high Verse 2. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho And are thereby here eternallized for their forwardnesse Claros inter habent nomina clara viros Though they dwelt farthest off yet they were of the first that came to work Jericho was the first City that Joshuah overthrew for their wickednesse and cursed him that should rebuild it Now it is the first that cometh to help forward this City of God So great is the change when God turneth peoples hearts Our Fathers were as barbarous and brutish as the very Scythians their Religion was a mere irreligion and worse till Christ came amongst us Ennead 7 l. 5. and gave us the preheminence For besides that England was the first of all the Provinces that publikely received the Gospel as saith Sabellicus our Constantine hath been reckoned the first Christian Emperour our Lucius the first Christened King and our Henry the eighth the first that brake the neck of the Popes usurped authority As we were the first that submitted to that man of sin so were we of the first that cast him off again although we are penitùs toto divisi orbe Britanni Lucan yet we have been hitherto famous all the World over for our faith and forwardnesse in Gods service though of late we have run retrograde to the reproach of our Nation Diogenes in a great assembly going backward on purpose and seeing every one laughing him to scorn asked them aloud if they were not ashamed so to do sith he went backwards but once when they did so continually Oh let it not be said of us as once of Jerusalem that we are slidden back by a perpetual back-sliding that we hold fast deceit and refuse to return Jer. 8.5 This is to be worse then wicked Jericho c. Builded Zaccur whose memory therefore is blessed when the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 Verse 3. But the fish-gate That stood toward the Sea and let in fishermen as the men of Tyre chap. 13.16 19. Did the sonnes of Hassenaah build Whethe◠this Hassenaah were a man or a City it appeareth not Verse 4. Meshullam the sonne of Berechiah This Meshullam was one of those men of understanding made use of by Ezra chap. 8.16 Verse 5. The Tekoites repaired The common sort of them for the Nobles refused The lesser fishes bite best the poor are gospellized Mat. 11.5 destined to the diadem Jam. 2.5 But their Nobles put not their necks So haughty they were and high-minded they thought it a businesse below their greatnesse Somewhat of that profane Earle of Westmerlands mind who said that he had no need to pray to God for he had tenants enow to pray for him 1 Cor. 1. Not many mighty not many Noble saith the Apostle Well if any The Lion and Eagle were not for Sacrifice as the Lamb and Dove were Yet the old Nobility of Israel were forward with their staves of honour and are therefore famous Numb 21.18 To the work of their Lord Though they knew him to be Lord of Lords who are all his vassals and underlings and by special relation Their Lord so avouched by these his holy-day-servants yet so stiffe-necked were they that they would not stoop to his service but cryed out as the Popish Clergy do Domine nos sumus exempti we may not work we will not contribute Verse 6. Moreover the old gate Famous only for its antiquity like as many old books are monumenta adorandae rubiginis of more antiquity then authority and as that Image at Ephesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was said but falsely to have fallen down from Jupiter so the covetous Priests perswaded the credulous people Acts 19.35 The Rabbines say that this was a gate ever since the time that David took Zion from the Jebusites Quis hoc credat nisi sit pro teste Vetustas Verse 7. Vnto the throne of the Governour i. e. Of the King of Persia's Vice-roy who had there his Throne or Tribunal But to what an height of pride were the Bishops grown that sate in Thrones and from on high despised their fellow-servants this was their ruine God putteth down the mighty from their Throne and exalteth them of low degree Luke 1.52 Verse 8. Of the goldsmiths the sonne of one of the Apothecaries These were ever thriving trades They both had wealth and hearts to part with it upon so good a work Difficile est animos opibus non traders c. Martial Vnto the broad wall Which haply for the thicknesse of it was left undemolished by the Caldeans Verse 9. Ruler of the half-part of Jerusalem Which being part in Judah and part in Benjamin had two General Rulers see verse 12. Verse 10. Even over against his house Thither he was assigned probably because there he would build the stronger for his own security Verse 11. The sonne of Pahath-Moab This man might be a Moabite by stock or descent and an Israelite by Religion like as Jether was by nature an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 but by his faith an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 And the tower of the fornaces That had fornaces or ovens under it like as the library at Bonony hath a victualling-house and a wine-cellar In commendation of which situation Cardinal Bobba conceited that he had very wittily indeed wickedly applied that text Prov. 9.1 2. Wisdome hath builded her house she hath also mingled her wine she hath also furnished her table Verse 12. Shallum the sonne of Aalloesh Some read it the sonne of an Inchanter or Conjurer and tell us that Conjuring was a common thing among the Jews as Acts 13. Elymas and elsewhere the sonnes of Sceva c. But Shallum if ever any such forsook that Science as did afterwards also Cyprian to become a Christian He and his daughters Either finishing what their father now dead had begun or parting with their portions toward the repair of the wall and haply laying their own hands to the Lords work Verse 13. The valley-gate See chap. 2.13 And the inhabitants of Zanoah Together with Hanun their Governour Not Priests and Levites only but the great men in every Countrey yea and the Countrey-people too must work at Gods building Every one must be active in his own sphere not live to himself but help to bear the burthens of Church and Common-wealth toti natum se credere mundo as Cato did Lucan Verse 14. But the dung-gate repaired Malchiah the sonne of Rechab That is of the noble family of the Rechabites A Ruler he was and yet disdaineth not to repair the dung-gate All Gods work is
Verse 11. And our adversaries said But their plot was some way discovered and so prevented Detexit facinus fatuus non implevit saith Tacitus of one in his time So the Gun-powder-traytours betrayed themselves and all came to light though they had digg'd as low as hell to hide their counsels from the Lord. They shall not know neither see But what shall he do who is Omniscient and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All-eye whose providence is like a well-drawn picture that vieweth all that comes into a roome Till we came into the middest among them Either in the night undiscerned or by day but unarmed and not as enemies for the Florentine Secretary though not yet nor of many ages after born into the world yet the good of this world was as great a Master then as afterwards And stay them and cause the work to cease The craft of the Churches adversaries is never but accompanied with cruelty and their cruelty is seldome without craft The Devil lends them his seven heads to plot and his ten hornes to push but in the thing wherein they deale proudly God is above these cruell-crafties Verse 12. And it came to passe that when the Jewes which dwelt by them saw Their brethren from abroad gave the workmen intelligence and this was a very friendly office for praemonitus praemunitus premonition is the best means of prevention It is the property of a brother though at other times not so kinde yet in affliction and extremity to finde nature working in him and to do his best See Prov. 17.17 with the Note They said unto us ten times i. e. often-times Gen. 3.41 Num. 14.22 The Lord knoweth how to deliver his as he did David from Saul Peter from the Jewes Acts 12. Paul from those Conspiratours Acts 23. and this sinful nation oft from the blood-thirsty Papists Masses were said in Rome for the good successe of the Catholike designe the Powder-plot but no prayers in England for our deliverance and yet they were defeated Sorex suo periit indicio and we delivered Admirable mercy From all places whence ye shall returne c. Some read it thus And it came to passe when the Jewes which dwelt beside them came and told us of their practises ten times out of all places whence they came unto us I set in the low places c. And here I cannot tell saith one whether these Intelligencers be worthy more praise or dispraise It was their duty to have come home stood in stormes and help to build Jerusalem But God which turneth our negligence and foolishnesse to the setting forth of his wisdom and goodnesse gave them a good will and boldnesse to further that building as they might Thus God useth the service of all men and creatures to the comfort of his people Verse 13. Therefore I set in the lower places I took them off their work and appointed them to stand upon their guard appointing them their several stations and giving them orders I even set the people after their families Or according to their kindreds for he knew that Nature will move one kinsman to be truer to another in all dangers then a stranger and that one kinsman will open his grief to his friend and take comfort at his hand rather then to him whom he knoweth not Hence Nehemiah in policy sorted his souldiers after this sort With their swords their spears and their bowes These were the ancient weapons of war neither had Death yet learned to cut his way thorough a wood of men but of the mouth of a murthering piece Whether the Emperour Wenceslaus did well or ill in executing Barthold Swarts for inventing Gun-powder Anno Domini 1378. I determine not Verse 14. And I looked and rose up Et vidi surrexi dixi so the original runs He saw the enemy a coming he started up and he made this excellent exhortation which puts me in minde of that which one once said of Julius Caesar Si acta ejus penitus ignorasses per linguam tauen militem esse diceres If you had never known him to have been a souldier yet hear him but speak only and you will conclude him to be one And said unto the Nobles In a short but pithy Oration such as was that of Joab 2 Sam. 10.12 of which Pellican saith Non potuit vox duce dignior cogitari as brave a speech as a man could make Or that of Hunniades about to joyne battel with the Turks see Turk Hist fol. 272. Or lastly that of the Prince of Orange at the battel of Newport where they had the Sea on one side and the Spaniards on the other If said he you will live you must either eate up these Spaniards or drink up this Sea So here Either you must fight lustily or all you have is forfeited assuredly Be not ye afraid of them Away with that cowardly passion which unmans a man rectam tollit de cardine mentem robs him of all power and policy Remember the Lord Whom he that feareth needs fear none else The name of the Lord is a strong tower c. Who is great and terrible For the defence of his people and offence of his enemies The Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.3 Yea he alone is a whole army of men Van and Reare both Esay 52.12 And may better say to his souldiers then Antigonus did to his when they were afraid of the enemies numbers How many do ye reckon me for And fight for your brethren Whether by Race or Religion Your sonnes and your daughters Those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks call them Charissimi as the Latines dearest pledges Your wives and your houses In the last Commandment houses are set first before wives because a house is to be first provided neither will a wise man take a wife before he hath an house Here wives are set before houses because far more precious and a maine part of a mans self Ephes 5.28 House and riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a prudent wife is of the Lord Prov. 19.14 She was on of the first real and royal gifts bestowed by God upon Adam By the way note that if men may fight for their civil right to their houses and lands have they not as good warrant to fight for their Religion especially since they have the Lawes of the Land for it and besides a civil right at least to the outward peaceable profession and practise of it The Athenians themselves though their Religion was no better then superstition Acts 17.22 Yet they bound themselves by a publike and solemne oath to defend it to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of the oath were these I will fight for the Temples and holy rites both alone and with others Verse 15. And it came to passe when the enemies heard This rumour was enough to affray these no lesse now timorous then before temerarious Samaritans Great bragges they made
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
that the best had need hear the Law ne spiritum sessâ—rem excutiant that they might be kept within the bounds of obedience Not the unruly colt onely but the Horse that is broken hath a bit and bridle also Verse 2. And Ezra the Priest brought the Law The Commandement he knew well was a Lamp and the Law a light and reproofs of instruction the way of life Prov. 6.23 The Greeks call the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Cratylo the standing mind of God And if Demosthenes could say of mens Lawes that they were the invention of God If Xenophon could say of the Persian Lawes that they kept the people even from coveting any wickednesse If Cicero durst say of the Roman Lawes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they far excelled and exceeded all the learned Libraries of the Philosophers both in weight and worth How much more may all this and more be said of this perfect Law of God the book whereof was here brought forth by Ezra and read and expounded in the eares of all the people Before the Congregation both of Men and Women Heb. from Man to Woman for souls have no sexes and in Christ there is no difference Gal. 4.28 The Jewes at this day little regard their Women not suffering them to come within their Synagogue And the Turkish Women never go to their Moschees neither is there any heed taken or reckoning made of their Religion at all The Papists say a that Distaffe is fitter for a woman then a Bible And all that could hear with understanding i.e. Children also that were of any grouth Little Pitchers have ears and little children will understand much if well principled Vpon the first day of the seventh moneth A moneth of more solemnities then any other this first day was a double holy-day Levit. 23.24 See Deut. 31.11 Verse 3. And he read therein As a Scribe he wrote the Law and as a Priest he read and expounded it This was Christs own custome Luk. 4.16 and the Jews Acts 13 15 27. and 15.21 and is still to this day One lesson is ever read out of the Law in their publike meetings and another out of the Prophets correspondent to the former in argument The Holy Scripture is called Mikre the Reading ver 9. of this chapter because it ought to be read to all and the Word as if all the use of our ears were to hear this Word From the morning untill mid-day This was a great while five or six houres together they spent in holy duties whereas the most amongst us think long of an hour they sit as it were in the Stocks whiles they are hearing the Word read or preached and come out of the Church when the tedious Sermon runneth somwhat beyond the glasse like prisoners out of a gaol And the eares of all the people were attentive to the Book Heb. Were to the Book of the Law which phrase importeth both their attention and affection to what they heard delivered They drew up the ears of their souls to the ears of their bodies and so one sound pierced both See the like Luk. 19.48 they hung upon Christs Holy lips as loth to lose any part of that precious language The Jews at this day though they give very great outward respect to their Torah or Book of the Law carrying it about their Synagogue at the end of Service in procession and the like yet for any shew of attention or elevation of spirit I could never discern saith one that had been much amongst them but they are as reverent in their Synagogues as Grammar-boyes are at School when their Master is absent Verse 4. And Ezra the Scribe stood upon a Pulpit of wood Heb. A Tower of wood because high and round as ours are The Cappuchines and other Popish preachers are said to have long Pulpits wherein they may walk and act as upon stage in Lent espâ—cially at which time it is the custome of Italy for the same man to preach six dayes in the week upon the Gospel of the dayes and on the Saturday in honour and praise of the Virgin Mary And beside him stood Vattithiah c. For greater authority sake as concurring with Ezra and ready in their turn to perform the work Praedicationis officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit said Gregory long since No preacher is no Minister Verse 5. And Ezra opened the Book Gods Book not Aristotles Ethiks as Melancthon saith he heard some Popish Priests preaching upon Texts thence taken And Câ—rolostadius was eight years Doctour when he first opened the Bible and yet at the taking of his degree he had been pronounced Sufficientissimus For he was above all the people Both in place and office as representing the person of God and bearing his Name unto his People All the people stood up For reverence sake So did Eglon that fat King of Moab when he heard of a message from God Judg. 3.20 Balaam being to utter his parable biddes Balak arise up and hear him Our Saviour stood up to read his Text. Luk. 4.16 Constantine the Great and our King Edward the sixth would not hear a Sermon but standing The modern Jewes shew their reverence to their Law by a like gesture and their adoration is by bowing forward of their bodies for kneeling they use none neither stir they their bonnets in their Synagogues but remain still covered Verse 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord i. e. He called upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised Psal 18.3 He prayed before he read and preached So ought we to do by his example as Lyra well noteth as is commonly done by all our Ministers Luthers usual prayer before Sermon was this Confirm O God in us what thou hast wrought and perfect the work that thou hast begun to thy glory Lord open our eyes that we may see the wonders of thy Law c. Zuinglius began his publike Lectures thus O Almighty Everlasting and Merciful God whose Word is a light to our feet and a Lanthorn to our paths open and illighten our minds that we may piously and holily understand thine oracles and be so transformed thereinto that we may not in any thing displease thy Majesty thorough Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Platonists could say that the light of our minds whereby we learn alâ—things is no other but God himself the same that made all things This made Ezra here blesse the Lord that is say with David Psal 119. ver 12. Blessed be thou O Lord teach us thy Statutes The great God The true Trismegist the Fortissimus Maximus Opt. Max. All whose attributes are in the highest degree yea in a degree beyond any superlative And all the people answered Amen Amen This word is Hebrew but used in all Languages in the close of prayers The doubling of it here importeth their assent and their assurance It is the voyce of one that beleeveth and
is your strength Or your fortification Bernard and place of defence against sin and al the ill fruits of it Lati igitur sitis sed non securis gandeatis in Domino sed caveatis a recidivo A merry heart grounded upon a good conscience doth good like a medicine Prov. 17.22 It is as marrow to the bones as oil to the wheels as a bait by the way to a generous horse as a back of steel to a bended bow c. Surely as true gold strengtheneth the heart that Alchymy-gold doth not so doth spiritual joy much more making a man insuperable under sufferings and unsatisfiable in performance of duties It is such a precious commodity as that no good can match it no evil overmatch it It beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things as St. Paul saith of charity 1 Cor. 13. ver 7. And as a man that hath plenty of good blood and fresh spirits in his body being well-lined within as we say can better endure heat and cold c. then another that hath not so in like sort he that hath his heart full of Heaven his conscience full of comfort is in case to do and suffer much for and from God and men The peace of his conscience will appear in his countenance as Stevens did and as the Martyrs in Severus the Emperour his dayes who being released for a time seemed to come è myrotheca non ergastulo out of a perfumed palace Divinum nescis quid in valtibus ipsis praeferentes Euseb lib. 5. cap. 12. and not out of a stinking prison looking more like Angels of Heaven then men on Earth as in Eusebius relateth The crosse to such is anointed as Bernard hath it and by the joy of the Lord that oil of gladness it is made not only light but sweet not onely tolerable but desireable and delectable Verse 11. So the Levites stilled all the people Made them hold their tongues and forbear their groanes and moanes the expressions of their great grief conceived for their sins making a wayling like the Dragons mourning as the owles and saying Look away from me I will weep bitterly labour not to comfort me c. But these holy Levites did comfort them Mic. 18. Isai 22.4 and quiet them Saying Hold your peace Or S'â— Peace and be still For the day is holy And God loves not the bread of mourners for a sacrifice is like as none might come into the Court of Persia in mourning-weeds Esth 4. ver 4. See ver 9. Neither be ye grieved It seems their hearts were even leavened and sowred with sorrow as Davids was Psal 73.21 Verse 12. And all the people went their way to eat To do all that they were directed to do They had been in the Furnace of mortification and now they were willing to be cast into the mould of Gods Word and to be whatsoever the Lord would have them to be They were only his clay and wax a willing people wayting for his Law And to make great mirth i.e. All kind of honest jollity for the better exciting their hearts to true thankfulnesse Because they had understood the words Not the threatnings only to the refractary but the promises also to the penitent and obedient The Levites had taught them doubtlesse as the truth is in Jesus that God therefore threateneth that he may not punish and desireth to be disarmed Amos. 4.12 that he giveth to do what he commandeth to be done that his mercy is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him to them that keep his Covenant and that think upon his Commandements to do them qui faciunt praecepta etsi non perficiant that are doing at it though they are farre from perfection Psal 103.18 This was very comfortable this put into them that joy of the Lord which was their strength this more cheared them then all their good chear of their peace-offerings Verse 13. And on the second day The next day after they had heard the Law expounded but were not so well satisfied in some points or cases they follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Divine knowledge is as a great Lady that will not easily be acquainted with us but upon further suit Prov. 2.3 4. Were gathered together the chief of the Fathers c. Aeneas Sylvius was wont to say of knowledge Popular men should esteem it as silver Noblemen as gold Princes prize it as pearles The Priests and Levites These Teachers of others took no scorn to learn of Ezra that perfect Scribe The wisest here know but in part because we prophesie but in part 1 Cor. 13. ver 9. that is we are taught but imperfectly and those that should shew us the way are themselves to seek to teach us to run to Ithiel the Arch-prophet as that great Wiseman did Prov. 30.1 The greatest part of those things which we know is the least part of the things which we know not as that Father saith Vnto Ezra the Scribe Who was well instructed to the Kingdome of God and no lesse ready to throw out of his treasury c. Matth. 13.52 It is said of Tacitus that he knew all that he should know of the affaires of the World and that he was primus in Historia Scalig. and that ex ejus ore nil temerè excidit Think the same of Ezra and much more he was an able Teacher of the ablest Teachers a sacred oracle a living library the argutest and accuratest of men after the Prophets as Austin is said to have been after the Apostles in contemplation and disputation Even to understand the words of the Law Which he had the day before expounded and in some passages whereof they had a desire to be better resolved and satisfied No man can possibly speak al at once or deliver the mind of God so clearly and fully but that there may be place left for Cases and Queries Verse 14. And they found written in the Law And therefore in no wise to be neglected sith there God had written for them great things Hos 8.12 Excellent things Prov. 22.20 marvellous things Psal 119.18 There is a mountain of sense hangeth upon every apex or title of it say the Rabbines who do therefore prescribe to their disciples not to write any Letter of it Schiâ—kard but by a Copy not to read it but in a clean place not to touch it but with the right hand not to carry it about him but next his heart c. That the children of Israel should dwell in Boothes See Ezra 3.4 with the Note For this the Law was clear Lev. 23.34 Deut. 16.13 But this they had not so fully observed sc by dwelling in Boothes till now that they were returned from Babylon where they had been lately and for a long time Strangers This to professe and set forth was the intent of that feast and of this rite of it of dwelling in Boothes or Bowers This is
Ezek. 17.4 Wells digged A great commodity in that hot Countrey Vine-yards and Olive-yards A singular help to house-keeping So they did eate and were filled They had enough of every thing and did eate whiles eating was good as they say Queen Elizabeth did seldome eate but of one dish rose ever with an appetite and lived about seventy years King Edward the sixth was wont to call her His sweet sister Temperance And delighted themselves in thy great goodnesse They lived in Gods good land but not by Gods good Lawes the refreshing they found by his best creatures was none other but such as his who warmeth himself and saith Aha I am warme I have seene the fire Isa 44.16 Verse 26. Neverthelesse they were disobedient and rebelled See how full in the mouth these holy Levites were in aggravating their own and their forefathers sinnes which swelled as so many toads in their eyes neither could they ever sufficiently disgrace them This is the property and practise of the true penitentiary They cast thy Law behinde their backs That is they vilipended and undervalued it God drew them by the cords of a man so the cords of kindnesse are called Hos 11.4 because befitting the nature of a man and likeliest to prevaile with rational people but they like men or rather like beasts transgressed the Covenant and as if God had even hired them to be wicked so did they abuse all his benefits to his greatest dishonour being therefore the worse because in reason they ought to have been better And slew thy Prophets which testified against them to turne to thee This was the worst they did to them and that for which they received mercedem mundi the wages of the mad world ever beside it self in point of salvation and falling foul upon such as seek its good This is that sinne that brings ruine without remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Prov. 29.1 for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116. And they wrought great provocations Or Blasphemies see verse 18. Verse 27. Therefore thou deliveredst them Flagitium flagellum sicut acus filum Sinne and punishment are tied together with chains of adamant Who vexed them Heb. Put them to straits so that they had not what shift to make or how to help themselves And in the time of their trouble Vexatio dedit intellectum The time of affliction is the time of supplication When out of the depths Gods people cry unto him they may have any thing Zach. 13.9 speedy audience unmiscarrying returnes of their prayers Thou gavest them Saviours i. e. Deliverers such as the Judges were Judg. 3.9 and such as Flaminius the Roman was to the poor Argives who therefore called him Saviour Saviour and that with such a courage Plut. in Flam ut corvi fortuito supervâ—lantes in stadium deciderent that the birds fell to the earth amazed with that outcry the aire was so dissipated with their acclamations Verse 28. But after they had rest they did evil again As standing pooles breed vermine as sedentary lives are subject to diseases If men be not poured out from vessel to vessel they will soone settle upon their â—ees Because they have no changes therefore they feare not God Psal 55.19 saith David of the wicked and Psal 30. David himself was afflicted delivered and then grew wanton Then troubled again verse 7. cryes againe verse 8.9 God turnes his mourning to joy again whereof if he surfeited not it was well bestowed on him But rarae fumant felicibus arae We are commonly best when worst and Pliny told his friend Plin. Epist that the best way to live well was to be as good in health as we promise to be when we are sick Therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies Who can do us no hurt but by Divine permission though they bandy together and bend all their forces to harme the Church yet are they bounded by God and can do nothing till he leave his people in their hands Had the dominion over them Ruled them with rigour And many times didst thou deliver them Even totiès quotiès for as the eye is not wearied with seeing nor the eare with hearing so neither is God with shewing mercy But as the Sunne shineth after it hath shone and as the spring runneth after it hath run so doth the Lord proceed to do good to his in their necessity and that according to his mercies which never fail Lam. 3.22 Verse 29. And testifiedst against them Toldest them of their sinnes foretoldest them of their dangers didst all that could be done to do them good but nothing would do Yet they dealt proudly See verse 16. And hearkened not Intus existens prohibuit alienum Hear and give eare be not proud Jer. 13.15 But sinned against thy judgements i. e. Thy Statutes though made with so much reason and respect to our good that if God did not command them yet were it every way our best way to practise them Esay 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shouldest go As who should say It is for thy profit that I command thee this or that and not for mine own Which if a man do But that as now he cannot do and therefore not be saved by the Law Rom. 10.5 Our Saviour indeed said to that young justiciary This do and thou shalt live Luke 10.28 But that was all one saith Luther as if Christ had said unto him Vade morere Go upon thy death for do this of thy self and live thereby thou art never able And withdrew the shoulder When called to take up Christs yoke or to beare his crosse See the Note on Zach. 7.11 And hardened their necks To sinewes of iron they added browes of brasse Verse 30. Yet many years didst thou forbear them Heb. Protract over them or draw out thy loving kindnesse toward them to the utmost And testifiedst against them As verse 29. They wanted not for warnings or wooings with Woe unto thee O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made cleane when shall it once be Yet would they not hear But as Sea-monsters or Catadupes or men borne in a mill or as one that is running a race give him never so good counsel he cannot stay to hear it Therefore gavest thou them As uncounselable incorrigible Verse 31. Neverthelesse for thy great mercies sake Mans perversnesse cannot interrupt the course of Gods goodnesse In the middest of judgement he remembreth mercy which beareth the same proportion to his judgement which seven a compleat number hath to an Vnity Thou diddest not utterly consume them God will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Deut. 32.36 and be jealous with a great jealousie when the enemy goes beyond his commission Zach. 1.14 15. For thou art a gracious and merciful God And this is most seene when misery weighs down and nothing but mercy
turneth the scale Verse 32. Now therefore our God the great the mighty It is an high point of heavenly wisdome in the beginning of our petitions to propound God to our selves under such holy notions and fit expressions as wherein we may see an answer to our prayers as here See chap. 1.5 Let not all the trouble Heb. The wearying the lassitude Afflictions are not joyous but grievous to the flesh which doth soone flag and even sink under the burden if not supported by the hand of heaven Seeme little before thee As if we had not yet suffered enough but as if we wanted weight must be made yet heavier by an addition of new afflictions 1 Pet. 1.6 God is apt to think a little enough and spare Esay 40.1 and to take care that the spirit fail not before him that his children swoon not in the whipping Esay 57.16 He knows that every child of affliction hath not the strength to cry out as Luther did Feri Domine feri smite on Lord smite on for I am absolved from my sinnes or as another did I thank thee O Lord for all mine extremity and I beseech thee if thou think good to adde to it an hundred fold more c. That hath come upon us As foul-weather comes afore it is sent for Heb. Hath found us for we sought it not but would gladly have shun'd it Since the times of the Kings of Assyria Who yet were their most favourable enemies and are therefore compared to a golden head in Nebuchadnezzars Image but any servitude is grievous and among the Greeks after that they were delivered from the tyranny of the Macedonians and Spartans the Cryer at the Namaean games was forced to pronounce the word Liberty iterumque iterumque again and again And how earnest are Gods people here in deprecating another captivity He heareth them and for their late seventy years captivity granteth them seven seventies of years Daniels weeks for the enjoyment of their own countrey Verse 33. Howbeit thou art just So Mauricius the Emperour justified God when he saw his wife and children butchered before his eyes by the traytor Phocas and knew that himself should be soone after stewed in his own broth he cryed out just art thou O Lord and just are all thy judgements So did the Noble Du Plessy when he heard of the death of his onely sonne slaine in Holland which so grieved his mother that soone after she died Verse 34. Neither have our Kings our Princes our Priests c. But as there hath beene a general defection so a well deserved desolation wherein we have all justly shared Nor hearkened to thy Commandments And that because they testified against their contrary practises This wicked men cannot away with they hate him that reproveth in the gate as Ahab did Micaiah None but the gracious can say Let the righteous smite me be the reproof never so well tempered No sugar can bereave a pill of its bitternesse Now the eare trieth words as the mouth tasteth meats Job 12.11 And ungodly men as they write of some creatures have fel in aure and must get their eares cured ere they can be in case to hear Gods Commandments and his Testimonies In vita It is said of Gerson that he loved a friendly reprover and of Queen Anne Bullen that she not onely was willing to be admonished Her life by M. Clark but also required her Chaplains freely and plainly to tell her of whatsoever was amisse Scilicet Christus voluit aliquando etiam Reginam in Coelum vehere as Luther once said of Elizabeth Queen of Denmark These Kings and Princes of Israel were none-such Verse 35. For they have not served thee in their Kingdom As David did who held it his highest honour to be the servant of the Lord and as those three famous Christian Emperours Constantine Valentinian Psal 36. Socrat. and Theodosius who stiled themselves The vassailes of Jesus Christ And in thy great goodnesse that thou gavest them In the abundance of all things Deut. 28.47 they should have considered The more wages the more work and that thus to requite the Lord was to come under the censure of a foolish people and unwise Deut. 32.6 yea of idle and evil servants Mat. 25.26 And in the large and fat land But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked fulnesse bred forgetfulnesse saturity security Deut. 32.15 therefore he was worthily pent up and pined in a strange land where he had liberty little enough and prisoners pittance Neither turned they from their wicked works They quarrel not with their faults but with their friends that reprove them they turne not to him from whom they had deeply revolted Their impenitency maketh their sinnes mortal saith Saint John 1 Epist 5.16 immortal saith Saint Paul Rom. 2.5 they die in their sinnes as did those Jewes in the Gospel and perish for ever John 8.21 Verse 36. Behold we are servants this day This is twice here bewailed as a singular unhappinesse They that live under the Turkish slavery feele it so Poor Greece that was once Sol sal gentium terrarum flos fons literarum is now vel Priamo miseranda manus Princesse of Nations Queen of Provinces She was that now thus tributary is Lam. 1.1 Out of Greece and other Countreys that had sometimes received the Faith of Christ the Turkish tyrants draw with them to the warres great multitudes of wretched people whom they call Asape These carry all the baggage these carry wood and water for other souldiers of better account these serve instead of Pioners to cast up trenches and raise bulwarks and when battle is to be given if it be in plain field these have then weapons put into their hands and are thrust into the fore-front of the battle to blunt the enemies swords But if a City be to be besieged these serve as fit matter to fill the ditches with their dead bodies Turk Hist 325. 317. or to make bridges for other souldiers to passe over upon And if they shrink to attempt any thing they are commanded then are they more cruelly used by their Commanders then by their enemies And this the Ottoman Kings count good policy Verse 37. And it yeeldeth much increase unto the Kings As this Land once did unto the King of Locusts When it was stiled the Popes hortus deliciarum out of which he could fetch what money or any thing else he pleased so long as he could hold a pen in his hand In the year 720. Ino King of West-Saxons caused in all his Dominion Act. and Mon. in every house having a chimney a penny to be collected and paid to the Bishop of Rome in the name of Saint Peter and thereof were they called Peter-pence These continued till Henry the eighth's time who in his Protestation against the Pope speaketh thus England is no more a babe there is no man here but now he knowes that they do foolishly that give gold for
therefore called a province Act. 25.1 and is now to the Turk How then could those Jewes in the Gospel say John 8.33 We are Abrahams seed and were never in bondage to any man but that they cared not what they said in abravado Spaniards are said to be impudent braggers and extreamly proud in the lowest ebbe of fortune These Jews were so certainly and so they continue Ver. 4. Certaine of the children of Judah c. Yea and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseth too 1 Chron. 9.3 Where the same is set downe as here but the number is greater And why here only those are reckoned who inhabited Jerusalem by lot but there the Voluntiers also See verse 2. Verse 5. And Maaseiah the Sonne of Baruch See the Note on Ezra 2.3 Ver. 6. Valiant men Heb. Men of ability and activity It comprehendeth all the four Cardinall vertues Vers 7.8 Little Benjamin the smallest of the Tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 9.23 yields more by halfe then Judah Jerusalem stood in both these Tribes Vers 9. Their overseer Or Commissary Vers 11. Ruler of the house of God One of the High-Priests great Deputies See Num. 3.32 1 Chron. 9.11 2 Chron. 19.11 Vers 12 13 14. In all 1192. The totall of Priests and Levites 1476. and of Judah and Benjamin 1396. So that there were more Priests and Levites then of the Lay-people which argues their zeal to be greatest There were also 172. Porters who were all Levites Vers 17. To begin the thanksgiving in prayer To set tunes to Psalmes of praise and to begin those tunes as Precentor chief-chaunter Vers 18.19 See vers 12.13 Vers 20. Were in all the Cities Dispersed abroad to instruct the people and to be as the salt of the Earth to keep it from putrifying Vers 21. Dwelt in Ophel See chap. 3.26 Some will have it to be not a Tower but a Village near to Jerusalem Vers 22. The Over-seer The Vulgar hath it the Bishop Vers 23. The Kings Viz. of Persia Ezra 6.8 9. and 7.2 24. Vers 24. At the Kings hand Was his Plenipotentiary Vers 25. In the villages thereof Heb. In the daughters for villages seem to be so to the greater Cities CHAP. XII Verse 1. Now these are the Priests and the Levites ANCESTOURS to those that dedicated the walls and here registred as for honours sake to themselves so to shew that their successors now imployed in this work were true Priests and Levites of a right descent and alloy That went up with Zerubbabel Together with those that came afterwards with Ezra Ezr. 8.2 3 18 19. Vers 2. Amariah Malluch See the Note on Ezr. 2.3 Verse 8. Which was over the thanksgiving Praefectus Musicus See Chap. 11.17 Vers 9. In their Watches In the order of their functions taking their turns Vers 10. Joiakim begat Eliashib Who proved a very wicked Priest Chap. 13.4 5. and his Sonne Joiada was little better being allied to Sanballat Chap. 13.28 Vers 11. And Jonathan begat Jadduah Who was High-Priest in Alexander the Greats time and meeting him in his formalities prevailed with him to spare the City Jerusalem and to confirme the priviledges thereof as Josephus reporteth Antiq. Jud. Lib. 1â— c. 8. Vers 22. To the reigne of Darius the Persian Viz. Darius Godomannus the last Persian King Vers 23. In the book of the Chronicles Sc. 1 Chron. 9.10 c. Johanan the Son of Eliashib That is Jonathan the Grandchild of Eliashib and the Son of Joiada Vers 27. And at the dedication of the Wall To set down which is the main scope of this whole Chapter Vers 30. Purified themselves and purified the people But first themselves because who so would reforme others must begin with himselfe as Lyra here noteth Vers 34. Judah and Benjamin i. e. Men so called Vers 36. And Ezra before them Before the first company as Nehemiah came after the second verse 3. As the first went round from the West Southward till they came to the East so the second company went from the West Northward till they came to the East where they both met at length in the Temple verse 41. Praising God with all sorts of musick vocall and instrumentall This was a most solemne and sacred procession farre different from those of the Papists The French Historian â—elleth us of their Henry that going in procession together with his Cardinall they had in the middle betwixt them Morionem nugas ineptias agentem a jester to make them sport here was good devotion therewhile The Philosopher told the Fidlers he could be merry without them Epit. Hist Gallic 191. And Aristotle being asked what he thought of musick answered Jovem nec canere neque cytharam pulsare Jupiter neither sings nor plays on an instrument But though God needeth it not careth not for it yet so far as it might excite and further devotion these holy Priests and Levites made use of the musicall instruments of David called musicall instruments of God 1 Chron. 16.42 and Ezra before them as a guide they also sang aloud and so generally rejoyced That their joy was heard even afar off Vers 42.43 This was right Vers 39. And from above the gate of Ephraim Much mention is here made of the severall gates and Towers because God was much seen in helping them so soon to build such and by the sight of them they were much excited to praise the Lord. Vers 43. For God had made them rejoyce with great joy By giving them both matter of joy and hearts to do it aright Crede mihi res severa est verum gaudium saith Seneca true joy is a severe businesse Quid nobis cum fabulis cum risu saith Bernard What have we to do with jesting and pastime c we have meat to eate pleasure to take that the world wots not of we can let out our souls into God the fountain of all good and rejoyce in his Word as one that findeth great spoile wherein the pleasure is as much as the profit Psal 119.162 Verse 44. For Judah rejoyced Heb. For the joy of Judah the oile of spiritual gladnesse had so dilatated their hearts that they were most ready and willing to provide for the sacred Ministers and to pay them that which was appointed as they had also newly covenanted to do For the Priests and the Levites that waited Heb. That stood sc before the Lord and served in their courses These they not onely applauded but liberally maintained Nowadayes Ministers shall have hard work and good words but slight wages Men deale by them as Carriers do by their horses lay heavy burdens upon them and then hang bells about their necks c. CHAP. XIII Verse 1. On that day THat great Fast-day chap. 9.1 2 c. Or after Nehemiah's return from the Court of Persia verse 6. so the most expound it They read in the book of Moses Viz. In Deuteronomy chap. 23.3 called by the Rabbines Sepher tochechoth the book of Rebukes
Edgar ordained that Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday nine of the clock Acts Mon. till Munday morning here in this Land that God might surely have his due The Jewes of Tiberias began the Sabbath sooner then others Those at Tsepphore continued it longer adding de profano ad sacrum Buâ—torf Hence R. Jose wished that his portion might be with those of Tiberias and ended it with those of Tsepphore And some of my servants set I at the gates To keep them carefully and to prevent profanations How the Athenians amerced those that came not to the Assemblies on holy-dayes hurdling up all the streets except them that led to the Ecclesia taking away all their saleable wares c. See Rous his Archaeolog Attic. pag. 103. Verse 20. So the Merchants lodged without Jerusalem They would not easily be said or take an answer so desirous they were of some takings from the Jewes There is nothing in the world that is more pertinacious and that cleaveth closer to a man then a strong lust say it be covetousnesse wantonnesse passionatenesse or any the like intreat it to be gone as Naomi did Ruth threaten it as Abner did Asael or as Nehemiah did these Merchants you prevail nothing till God comes and strikes a parting-blow c. Verse 21. Why lodge ye about the wall His care was also lest God should be dishonoured in the Suburbs A little fire warmes but a little way off when a great one casteth about its heat farre and near He feared also lest those within the walls seeing them might be tempted to wish themselves with them as when Sylla the Roman lay before the walls of Athens the Citizens minds were with him though their bodies were kept from him I will lay hands on you I will lay you fast enough be packing therefore The best way to be rid of sinne is to threaten it punish it by the practice of mortification to handle it roughly We are not debters to the flesh Rom. 8.12 We owe it nothing but stripes nothing but the blue eye Saint Paul gave it 1 Cor. 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 22. And I commanded the Levites He might do it as their Governour How then can Popish Priests exempt themselves from the power of the civil Magistrate and say as those shavelings did to our Henry the second when they lashed him on the bare till the blood followed Domine noli minari nos enim de tali curia sumus quae consuevit imperare regibus Imperatoribus that is Sir spare your threats for we are of that high Court of Rome which is wont to Lord it over Kings and Emperours Might he not have well replyed Ye take too much upon you ye sonnes of Levi or rather ye limbs of Antichrist Come and keep the gates The Temple-gates with Procul hinc procul este profani In Greece the Priest at their solemne sacrifices was wont to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who 's there and the people were to answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are many and those also good men To sanctifie the Sabbath day By severing the precious from the vile and seeing that all things were rightly carried by themselves and the rest Remember me c. See verse 14. And spare me Meritum meum est misericordia Domini Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus Thomas Aquinas lying on his death-bed Bern. and being about to receive the Lords Supper besought the Lord with tears that he would spare him according to his abundant goodnesse and snatching up the Bible he hugg'd it and said Volâ—ter I beleeve all the contents of this blessed Book The like is reported of William Wickam Founder of New-College Oxon and of Charles the fifth Emperour and some other wiser Papists Verse 23. In those dayes saw I Jewes Outwardly at least as the Apostle distinguisheth Rom. 2.28 and that also was then a prerogative Rom. 3.1 and shall appear to be so againe when their long-looked for conversion-day is come Romans 11. That had married wives of Ashdod Outlandish-wives and of another Religion and with these they cohabited as the Hebrew word here importeth Verse 24. And their children spake halfe in the speech of Ashdod They had a mixture of their mothers both speech and spirit the birth followed the belly the Conclusion followed the weaker Proposition And could not speak in the Jewes language Though it were that of their fathers Mothers are most about children and have the greater advantage to perfume them or poyson them But what mad fellowes were those old Britaines or Welsh-men who driven out of their owne Countrey by the Saxons came into little Britaine in France where when they had married wives they are said to have cut out their tongues Heyl. Geog. left they should corrupt the language of their children Hence the Brittish or Welsh language remaineth still in that Countrey Verse 25. And cursed them i. e. I denounced Gods heavy curse and vengeance upon them according to that themselves had wished and entered into chap. 10.30 in case they repented not This is nothing then in favour of our cursing men who are cursed men c. And smote certaine of them So far was his heart enraged with an holy hatred of their sinne that he could not forbear them So when Charles the fifth had heard that Farnesius General of the Popes forces had ravished certaine Ladies he brake out into this speech and was never in all his life observed to be more angry at any thing Si adesset impurus ille Farnesius manu meâ confoderem O if I had here that filthy fellow I would slay him with mine own hand And mads them swear by God So they had done before chap. 10.29 30. But now alasse they were all gone aside they were altogether become filthy they stank above ground Psal 143. He takes therefore another oath of them c. Verse 26. Did not Solomon King of Israel c. Did not he deviate and prevaricate in his old age shamefully turning from the Lord who had appeared unto him twice Did not his strange wives draw him to strange practises insomuch as some have doubted of his salvation and Bellarmine reckoneth him but wrongfully amongst reprobates Yet among many Nations was there no King like him For honour pleasure wisdome and wealth c. the abundance he had of these drew out his spirits and dissolved him See Mark 10.23 25. 1 Tim. 6.9 Isa 39.1 2. Who was beloved of his God His corculum his darling his Jedidiah 2 Sam. 12.25 but he did not reciprocate his heart was dis-joynted and hung loose from the Lord whom he grievously provoked by his sensuality and apostasie And God made him King over all Israel Not by right of inheritance for he was a younger brother but by special designation Yet he defiled that Throne whereunto God had so graciously advanced him this was a great aggravation of his sinne 2
honourable addition to a name among the Persians This is Ahashuerus which reigned from India even unto Aethiopia Viz. Inclusivè ut loquuntur This must needs be Xerxes for he subdued Ethiopia and thereupon made this great feast He was Lord we see of a very great part of the habitable world s is now the great Turk not inferiour in greatnesse and strength to the mightiest Monarchs that ever yet were upon the face of the earth No part of the world is left untouched by him but America onely Turk Hist 132 not more fortunate saith one with her rich mines then in that she is so farre from so great and dangerous an enemy Neverthelesse of all this greatnesse belluine rather then genuine what saith Luther Turcicum imperium quantum quantum est c. The Turkish Empire in its utmost extent is but a crust cast to his dogs by the great house-keeper of the world The inheritance he reserves for his children who though held here to strait allowance yet are far dearer to him then the worlds greatest darlings as the poor captive Jewes were then this great Emperour Those that seek a mysterie in this history tell us that Ahashuerosh typically representeth God the Father soveraigning over all Kingdomes and creatures on earth chusing some to be heires of heaven and purifying them for that purpose Mardochai signifying bitter and contrite setteth forth Christ say they broken for our sinnes and suffering the bitter wrath of God Esther being the same with Alma a pure Virgin secreted and secured from defilement is a lively image of the Church unspotted of the world and provided for by her Mordecai Esay 7.14 The disdainful Vashti taking her name from Shatha to drink is a fit effigies of the world proud and luxurious and therefore excluded heaven Haman signifying a tumultuous and obstreperous person represents the Devil restlesse and rageful but to his own utter ruine c. These are pretty things but not so proper The Popish Commentatours are full of them Over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces Seven more then were in Darius the Mede his time Dan. 6.1 Monarchs will be still adding and although a man were Monarch of the whole world yea had the command of Moone and Stars yet would he still be peeping beyond them for more more Herodotus reckons up sundry satrapies under the King of Persia out of which he received yearly fourteene thousand five hundred and threescore Euboian talents so that this Monarchy is fitely compared in Daniel to the silver breast and armes in Nebuchadnezzars image Verse 2. When the King Ahashuerus sate on the throne Having peace with all men being quiet and secure though this lasted not long for he was shamefully foâ—led by the Grecians against whom he led an Army of two millions of men and forced to flie back againe over Hellespont in a poor fishers-boat which being over-burdened had sunk all if the Persians by the casting away themselves had not saved the life of their King Omnia sunt hominum tenui pondentia file c. Which was in Susan the Palace See Nehem. 1.1 Ptolomy Strabe and Pliny tell us that in this City scituate upon the river Choaspes was that famous Palace of Cyrus which was adorned with marble walls Pâ—ol l. 6 c. 3. Strab. lib. 15. Plin. l. 6. c. 27. Herod l. 5. Athen. l. 12. c. 3 golden pillars and great store of precious stones shining as so many stars from the roofe and sides of it to the dazling of the eyes of the beholders Here it was likely that the Kings of Persia sate to hear causes under a vine of gold set with smaragds as with so many clusters of grapes Verse 3. In the third year of his reigne he made a feast Such a feast as that all other feasts were but hunger to it whether we regard the number of guests the largenesse of preparation or the continuance of time Yet it had an end But so hath not the feast of a good conscience Prov. 15.15 See the Note there Vnto all his Princes and his servants To gratifie them for their former valour and victory and to enflame them to a new expedition viz. against Greece for the conquest whereof he was now addressing himself As also that his glory and wealth appearing herein might make them all the more willing to live in subjection to him so royal and munificent a Prince The power of Persia Or to the army of Persia and Media The Nobles Satrapis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the word Parthemim is made as some think Others derive it of Perath quasi principes Euphrataei Kimchi Arias the Princes that were beyond the river Euphrates Verse 4. When he shewed the riches of his glorious Kingdome Or that he might shew c. There were other ends of this feast as was before noted but this is instanced by the Holy Ghost to set forth the pride and vanity of this great monarch O curas hominum ò quantum est in rebus inanc abusing Gods gifts to his own ambition and priding himself in that wealth which had been gotten by the hard labour of his poor subjects from whom haply his Exactours had received no lesse summes of curses then of coyne And the honour of his excellent majesty Atqui virtute non vanitate acquirenda est gloria Cic de Orat. de offic saith the Oratour glory is to be gotten by vertue and not by these like vanities Hezekiah smarted for his folly in this kinde Nebuchadnezzar much more This great Potentate was shortly after brought low enough Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus Claudian Magna repentè ruunt summa cadunt subitò Many dayes even an hundred and fourscore dayes An hundred fourscore and five dayes saith Joseph Ben Gorion So long lasted the first feast though Lyra will have it that so long they were in preparing but the feasting was not till after these dayes expired and that then both Prince and people were feasted together seven dayes Of the Sybarites indeed we read that when they made great feasts they invited their women a twelve month before that they might come the more richly and luxuriously attired and might be the more sumptuously entertained But the text plainly shewes that Lyra here did delirare misse the meaning for after that the Princes from sundry parts had been half a year in feasting Verse 5. The King made a feast unto all the people This was not amisse so that care were taken that no irregulares gulares were found amongst them for Kings should carry themselves toward their people as kindly as parents do toward their children Arist 8. Eth. Plin. Panegyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 78.70 and shepherds toward their sheep Are they not therefore called patres patriae Fathers of their Countrey and Shepherds of their people David and Cyrus were taken from the sheepfolds to feed men Both unto great and small Pell-mell
wise-men now those only are wise quibus res sapiunt prout sunt 2. They were skilful in the times that is well versed in histories and well furnished with experiences 3. That they knew the Lawes which they had ready and at their fingers ends as we say They knew also judgement that is equity and moderation without which utmost right might be utmost wrong as indeed it proved in the case in hand Memucan not only accuseth the Queen but aggravateth her offence and instead of healing the wound maketh it farre wider This might become a mercenary Oratour but not a grave Counsellour The businesse was this The King was angry and he meant to set him going the Queene was an eye-sore and she must be removed Such slaves are ambitious statists to their own and their Princes lusts but especially when their own plough is driven forward withal Verse 14. And the next unto him was Carshena c. These were his trusty and welbeloved Cousins and Counsèllours primi proximi first in the Kingdome and next unto the King without whom he was to have done no businesse of importance But it is recorded in story that they had no freedome nor liberty of Councel For every one of them had a plate or tile of gold to stand upon in the Councel-house And if he gave counsel that the King thought well of the plate of gold was given him for a reward but if he delivered any thing contrary to the Kings minde flagris caedebatur he was beaten with stripes Keckerm Polit. Lo this was the manner of the Persian Monarchs The seven Princes See Ezra 7.14 Which saw the Kings face That came at pleasure into the presence as they call it It was a piece of the silly glory of these Kings of Persia to secret themselves from their subjects No man might see the King uncalled for on paine of death cùm ejus persona sub specie majestatis occuleretur Lib. 1. hist saith Justin Only these seven might ordinarily take the boldnesse to see his face which lest Haman should do they covered his face And which sate the first in the Kingdome Xenophon telleth us that Cyrus the first Persian Monarch ordained that the Nobles should sit before the King every man according to his degree Cyrop lib. 8. and dignity Aben Ezra upon this text saith the same Verse 15. What shall we do Saith the King who changeth the scene suddenly the banquetting-house into a Councel-chamber the merry-meeting into a most difficult consultation what to do with the Queene and how to repair the Kings honour so much impaired by her Esay 23.9 How easily can the Lord staine the pride of all glory crosse the worlds greatest darlings give an unsavoury verdure to their sweetest morsels and make their very felicity miserable Vnto the Queene Vashti You should determine nothing rashly against her but accept of her lawful excuse hear her plea remember that she is your companion and the wife of your Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A then lib. 13. Mal. 2.14 your fellow and not your footstoole a yoke-fellow standing on even ground with you though drawing on the left side c. This you should do to the Queene Vashti But Plutarch noteth of the Persians that they were none of the kindest husbands but harsh and jealous And Athenaeus saith that the Kings of Persia lord it over their wives as if they were their handmaids According to Law This you should do retaine the decency and gravity of the Law which is never angry with any man Lex non irascitur sed constituit saith Seneca no more must those that administer it The angry man cannot easily keep a meane This Archytas the Tarentine knew and therefore being displeased with his servants for their sloth he flang from them saying Farewell I have nothing to say to you because I am angry at you Because she hath not performed the Commandment c. This was a fault no doubt but not so hainous as was made of it The faults of his wife a man must either tollere or tolerare cure or cover and not go about to kill a fly upon her forehead with a beetle as they say But God had a provident hand in it for the good of his Church Verse 16. And Memucan answered before the King Heb. Mumchan The Junior likely and therefore spake first the rest concurred verse 21. A bold man he was surely whatever else he was that durst deliver his minde so freely of such a businesse and in such a presence c. What if the King and Queen should have grown friends again where had Memucan been If his cause and his conscience had been as good as his courage was great all had been as it ought to be And the Princes Inter pocula de rebus arduis consultabant saith Herodotus concerning the Persian Princes Lib. 1. In the middest of their cups they use to consult of the greatest affairs Here they accuse and uncondemne the Queen heard and unconvicted which was against all Law divine and humane King Henry the eighth though a boysterous man dealt more civily with his first wife Katharine of Spaine when he had a minde to rid his hands of her Her cause was heard before the two Cardinals Wolsey and Campaine ere the Divorce was pronounced and she sent out of the Kingdome Vasthi the Queen hath not done wrong to the King only That she had done wrong or dealt perversely against the King He taketh for granted because the Kings commandment was not obeyed But was that a sufficient reason Was the Kings bare word a Law or rule of right and is not a wife in case of sin commanded by her husband rather to obey God then men Or say she had done wrong must it needs be out of perversenesse might it not be out of fear modesty or for some other civil reason which she might alledge for her self if called to her tryal But here you may see saith one when flattery and malice gives information shadows are made substances and improbabilities necessities so deceitful is flattery malice so unreasonable And yet herein also the Lord is exceeding righteous who meets hereby with other sins of this insolent Queen that whereas no doubt she was an example of pride and vanity more generally to other women then she was likely to be in this point therefore is she hereby found out in her sin and by this unlikely accusation condemned of a true fault But also to all the Princes and to all the people Against the King she had offended by her disobedience against all others by her example And indeed the sins of great ones fly far upon those two wing Scandal and Example they prove both patterns and privileges to their inferiours for the like Howbeit we must necessarily distinguish between scandal given and scandal taken only neither may we judge of a thing by the ill consequences that biassed and disaffected persons can
21. In those dayes Whiles the King is drowning himself in pleasure and dreadeth no danger whiles he was ravishing and deflowring of Virgins and bragging perhaps as Proculus the Emperour did that when he made warre upon the Sâ—â—matians in fifteen dayes he got with childe an hundred Virgins of that Countrey there taken prisoners Whiles this voluptuous Prince was in the glut of his carnal delights in the flagrancy of his sinful lusts his life is sought for and hell gapes for him so slippery places are great ones set in so doth the Lord sauce their greatest prosperity with sudden and unexpected dangers Thus Artilas King of Hunnes was hang'd up in gibbets as it were by Gods own hand in the 〈◊〉 of his Nuptials Thus King Henry of France upon the marriage of his sister to 〈◊〉 King of Spaine was so over joyed that he called himselfe by a new title Tres heureuse Roy the thrice happy King But to confute him in solemnizing that marriage he was slain at Tilt by Mongomery Captain of his guard though against his Will c. Ad â—enerum Cereris sine caede sanguine panci Juvenal Descendunt reges siccâ merce â—yranni While Mor decai sate in the Kings gate See ver 19. Two of the Kings Chamberlaines In trust I have found treason said Queen Elizabeth So before her did David Solomon Rehoboam Joash Amaziah Alexander the great Julius Caesar and who not almost Hence some great Princes have wished never to have meddled with Government as Augustus Adrian foelix si non imperitâsset Pertinax who used to say that he never in all his life committed the like fault as when he accepted the Empire and many times he motioned to leave the same and to return unto his house Dioclesian and Maximian did so for they found that quot servi tot hostes quot custodes tot curnifices they could not be safe from their own servants but Damocles-like they sat at meat with a drawn sword hanging by a twined thread over their necks Hence Dionysius durst not trust his owne daughter to barbe him And Massinissa King of Numidia committed his safe-keeping to a guard of dogs for men he durst not trust Of those which kept the door sc Of the Kings bed-chamber Some render it which kept the housbold-stuffeâ—â— Men they were much intrusted and therefore the more to be abhorred Metuendum est esse sine custode sed multò magis à custode metuendum est Dio Cass said Augustus concerning his guard whom he suspected of treachery All or must of his successours till Constantine died unnatural deaths Let great ones therefore comâ—â—â— themselves to God in well-doing as unto a faithful Creatour Were wroth What the occasion of their discontent was is uncertain The Greek and Chaldee say it was because Mordecai was so promoted Others because Vasâ—ti was deposed and Esther advanced to her Royal state Others say that they affected the Kingdom as the Magi had done not long before Some again that they were not well paid their arrears Sure it is that ambition envy covetousnesse all or some of these stirred them up to this treasonable attempt Whatsoever the Sire was the bastard is anger and rage likely is the mother of treason because as it banisheth reason and so gives way to all unrulinesse so it ends in malice and malice will have blood And sought to lay hands on the King Ahashuerus Kings are fair marks for Traitours to shoot at In which regard Miseratque infelix est etiam Rex Nec quenquam mihi crede facit diadema boatum Most of the Cesars got nothing by their adoption or designation to the Empire Nisi ut citiùs interficerentur but to be slain so much the sooner Treasons there were so many plotted and practised against that incomparable Queen Elizabeth that she said in Parliament Camd. Eliz. Pref. She rather marvelled that she was then mused that she should not be were in not that Gods holy hand had protected her beyond expectation Henry the fourth of France Ibid. was first stabbed in the mouth and after that in the heart by those false Jesuites whom he had admitted into his very bosome and used with marvellous respect But in would not serve his turne to save his life His Countreyman Cominaeus telleth us that if he should write of all the Princes which he knew in his time that in the judgement of men seemed to live in great felicity and yet to those that knew them familiarly lived in a miserable estate that matter alone would require a reasoriable Volume Verse 22. And the thing was known to Mordecai How he came to know it is uncertain Josephas saith that it was revealed to him by one Barnabazus a Jew who was servant to one of the Conspiratours R. Solomon saith that the Eunuches talked of the plot before Mordecai in the language of Tarsus â—â—â—â—ing that he had not understood them and so it came forth Others conceive that 〈◊〉 sollicited him being one of the Keepers of the Kings door also to joyne with them Howsoever it was that he got inkling and intelligence of their bloody purpose God was in it and good men are of his privy counsel The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him Psal 25.11 Their apprehensions of things are deep and their observations right their knowledge rare to boult out mischiefes their experience lead them oâ— to guesse shrewdly at mens purposes by their looks and gestures I wisdome dwell with prudence or subtilty and finde out knowledge of witty inventions Prov. 8.12 Who told it unto Esther the Queen Haply as holding himself a mean man unworthy and unfit to speak to the King Or as fearing lest he should not be believed or should be out-faced by the Traitour or as conceiving that it would be better taken from Esther whom the King so dearly loved and might prove a good meanes to infeoffe her farther into his favour Yea Mâ—rdecâ—i himselfe saith an Interpreter might safely have also a further reach herein namely to try the sincere affection of Esther towards him whether she would make this an occasion to his good and preferment or rather take the glory thereof unto her selfe And Esther certified the King thereof in Mordecais name She doth not conceal the treason or further it as some ambitious Semiramis would have done or adulterous Livia For although she was wont to boast that she ruled her husband Augustus by obeying him yet Pliny and Tacitus tell us that she was over-familiar with Eudemus her Physician And whereas Augustus his last words to her were O Livia remember our marriage and Adieu She did so and 't is thought had â— finger in setting him going And the like iâ— reported of Clytemnestra Olympiaâ— Queen Isabel wife to our Edward the second But holy Esther was none such She as a loyal and faithful wife discovereth to the King the danger he was in and so saveth his life so did Michal
over asking of God till he had received seeking till he had found knocking till the gate of grace was opened His clothes were good enough unlesse his condition were more comfortable Verse 5. Then called Esther for Hatach She snuffeth not at Mordecai's refusal of her courtesie She saith not Let him chuse the next offer shall be worse Rerum suarum satagat si velit valeat c. Solomon reckoneth among those foure things that the earth cannot bear an handmaid advanced to the state and place of a Mistresse Prov. 30. Sen. epist But Esther was none such In her you might have seen magnitudinem cum mansuetudine as Seneca hath it singular humility in height of honours She calleth here for Hatach a faithful servant and perhaps a Jew a Jew inwardly Honesty flowes from piety One of the Kings Chamberlaines Heb. Eunuchs or gelded men such as used to keep their women in Kings Courts The Chaldees call them Rabrebanim that is Grandees The Persians call them Spadones saith Stephanus The Greeks Eunuchs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either because they were Princes Chamberlaines and had the custody of their beds or because they were egregiè cordati homines well-minded men for they generally proved as likewise now they do among the Turks subjects though not of great courage yet of the greatest judgement and fidelity their mindes being set on businesse rather then on pleasure Whom he had appointed to attend upon her Heb. Whom he had set before her in obsequium servitium to be at her beck and obedience probably he was happy in such a service for goodnesse is communicative and of a spreading nature Plutarch saith of the neighbour-villages of Rome in Numa's time that sucking in the aire of that City they breathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnesse and devotion so it might very well be here It was so with Abrahams servants and Solomons and Cornelius's Acts 10.7 Nero complained and no wonder that he could never finde a faithful servant What could they learn from him but villany and cruelty And gave him a commandment to Mordecai i.e. She commanded him to deliver her minde to Mordecai A servant is not to be inquisitive John 15.15 he knoweth not what his Lord doth but executive ready to do what is required of him He is the Masters instrument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wholly his saith Aristotle The hands must take counsel of the head and be stir them To know what it was and why it was Some great matter she well knew it must needs be that put him to those loud laments Wise men cry not till they are sorely hurt Jobs stroak was heavier then his groaning Job 23.2 He was not of those that are ever whining like some mens flesh if their skin be but razed with a pin it presently rankleth and festereth or like rotten boughes if a light weight be but hung on them they presently creak and break Mordecai she knew was none such She therefore sendeth to see what was the matter that she might help him if possible The teares and mones of men in misery are not to be sleighted as if they were nothing to us Who is afflicted 2 Cor 11. Rom. 12. and I burn not saith Paul Weep with those that weep else you adde to their grief as the Priest and Levite did by passing by the wounded man Is it nothing to you O ye that passe by the way Lam. 1.12 Are not ye also in the body Heb. 13.3 that is in the body of flesh and frailty subject to like afflictions And may not your sins procure their sufferings as a veine is opened in the arme to ease the paine of the head Verse 6. So Hatach went forth to Mordecai He was obedient to his Queen-mistriss pleasing her in all things not answering again Tit. 2.10 unlesse it were I will or the like Servus sit monosyllabus Domino Apelles painted a servant with Hindes feet to run on his Masters errands with Asses eares and with his mouth made fast with two locks to signifie that he should be swift to heare slow to speak Vnto the street of the City The Broad-street as the word signifieth there Mordecai kept him Rechob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latitudiue voomth and might not come nearer the Court because a Mourner See verse 2. Tiberius the Emperour counterfeiting grief at the Funeral of Drusus there was a vâ—ile laid betwixt the dead and him because being High-Priest forsooth he might not see any mournful object The Statues of the gods were transported or covered for like cause in those places where any punishment was inflicted But what saith the wise man The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning whereby we must understand any place or object which occasioneth mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Eccles 7.4 Verse 7. And Mordecai told him all that had happened unto him Not by fate or blind fortune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet time and chance happeneth to all Eccles 9.11 and it was by chance to the wounded man that the Priest and the Levite came down that way Luke 10.31 but by the Providence of God which hath an hand in ordering the most casual and fortuitous events to the execution of his righteous counsels neither is there ever a Providence but we shall once see a wonder or a mercy wrapt up in it And of the summe of money See chap. 3.9 Money is the Monarch of this present world Money is to many dearer then their heart-blood yet to gratifie their lusts they lavish silver out of the bag and care not to purchase revenge or sensual delights with misery beggery discredit damnation Verse 8. Also he gave him the copy of the writing That she might see it and rest assured that it was even so and no otherwise and that therefore now or never she must bestir her self for the labouring Church That was given at Shushan Which if ever it were full of judgement and white as a lilie according to the name is now stain'd with blood of innocents if ever righteousnesse did lodge in it yet now murtherers as Esay 1.21 To shew it unto Esther That her eye might affect her heart and her heart set all awork for her people that is her self according to that Physician heale thy selfe Lam. 3. Luke 4. that is thine own Countreymen And to declare it unto her In the cause viz. his refusing to bow to Haman against his conscience whereof it no whit repented him and in the several circumstances laid forth in the liveliest colours for her thorough-information And to charge her that she should go in unto the King Hoc perquam durum est sedita lex scripta est saith the Civilian This Mordecai knew would hardly be done he therefore makes use of his ancient authority and sets it on with greatest earnestnesse So Saint Paul I charge you by the Lord 1 Thes 5.27 And again I
charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ c. 2 Tim. 4.1 So Saint Austin to his hearers Per tremendum Dei judicium vos adjuro I require and charge you by that dreadful day of judgement when that doomes-day book shall be opened c. It is a weaknesse to be hot in a cold matter but it is a wickednesse to be cold in a hot matter He that is earnest in good though he may carry some things indiscreetly yet is he far better then a time-server and a cold friend to the truth like as in falling forward is nothing so much danger as in falling backward Eli was too blame with his Do no more so my sonnes And so was Jehoshaphat with his Let not the King say so And the people in Ahabs time who when they were pressed to expresse whom they were for God or Baal they answered not a word 1 Kings 18.21 And yet how many such cold friends hath the truth now adayes Luke-warm Laodiceans Neuter-passive Christians c When Callidus once declared against Gallus with a faint and languishing voice Oh saith Tully Tu nisi fingeres sic ageres Would'st thou plead on that manner if thou wert in good earnest Mens faint appearing for Gods cause shewes they do but faine their coldnesse probably concludeth they do but counterfeit Mordecai plays the man and chargeth Esther to improve her interest in the King her husband for the Churches deliverance See here how he turneth every stone tradeth every talent leaveth no meanes unused no course unattempted for the Saints safety And this the Spirit of God hath purposely recorded that all may learn to lay out themselvs to the utmost for the publike to be most zealous for the conservation and defence of the Church when it is afflicted and opposed by Persecutours seeing they cannot be saved unlesse she be in safety neither can they have God for their Father unlesse they love and observe this their deare mother Vtinam iterùm autem utinam diligentiùs à cunctis ordinibus haec hodiè considerarentur saith one Cypr. Aut. l. de unit Eccles Oh that these things were duely considered by all sorts now adayes To make supplication unto him Heb. to deprecate displeasure and mischief as 1 Kings 8.28 Zech. 12.10 And to make request before him Ad quaerendum à facie ejus so Pagnine from the Hebrew to seek for good from his face an effectual smile a gracious aspect that they may live in his sight For in the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter raine Prov. 16.15 The ancient Persian Kings were most fond of their wives doing them all the honour possible in Court as Partakers of all their fortunes and carried them and their children into their farthest warres by the presence of so dear pledges the more to encourage their mindes in time of battel Now therefore Esther whom Herodotus also witnesseth to have been Xerxes his best beloved is to try what she can do with him for her people who were haply grown too secure upon Esthers preferment as the French Churches also were upon the Queen of Navarres greatnesse and the promise of peace by that match God therefore shortly after shook them up not by shaking his rod only at them as here at these Jewes but by permitting that bloody Massacre Verse 9. And Hatach came and told Esther He acted the part of a faithful messenger so must Ministers those servants of the Churches declare unto the people all the minde of God Acts 20.27 and not steal Gods word every one from his neighbour Jer. 23.30 not deal deceitfully with it but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God let them speak in Christ and let them speak out not fearing any colours He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully saith God Jer. 23.28 Aarons Bells were all of gold the Trumpets of the Sanctuary were of pure silver they did not as those inverse Trumpets of Furius Fulvius sound a retreat when they should have sounded an alarm No more must Gods Messengers Whatsoever the Lord saith unto me 1 Cor. 11. Heb. 3.5 that will I speak saith Michaiah Paul as he received what he delivered so he delivered whatsoever he received Moses was faithful in all Gods house c. Verse 10. Again Esther spake unto Hatach Having before found him a fit and faithful messenger she further employeth him so those that minister well do purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldnesse in the faith which is in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 3.13 when others shall be laid by as broken vessels whereof there is not left a sheard to take fire from the hearth or to take water withal from the pit as the Prophet hath it Esay 30.14 Verse 11. All the Kings servants His Courtiers and Counsellours who haply were as very slaves to him Turk Hist 1153. as now the greatest Lords of the Court are to the great Turk no man having any power over himself much lesse is he Master of the house wherein he dwelleth or of the land which he tilleth but is in danger of being whipped upon the least displeasure of the Tyrant especially if he be not a natural Turk borne Ibid. 361. And the people of the Kings Provinces do know i.e. All both far and near this shewes that the Law here mentioned was no new Law procured by Haman to prevent Jewish Suppliants as Lyra would have it but long since made and known to all the Kings subjects That whosoever whether man or woman Yea though she be his dearest Consort who should cohabit with him and not be sundred for a season but by consent 1 Cor. 7.5 Shall come unto the King The Persians usually hid their King tanquam aliquod sacrum mysterium as some precious businesse and that for two reasons First for State and Authority lest familiarity with their subjects should breed contempt and make them over-cheap Philip the second King of Spaine was of the same minde and practice For after that he had gotten into his hands the Kingdome of Portugal and therewith the wealth of the Indies inclusit se in Curiale he shut up and immured himself in his Court Val. Max. Christ and was seldome seen of any though never so great a man but upon long suit and as a singular favour This made him to be adored as a demi-god Secondly for security and safety lest if all should be suffered to come that would the King should be assassinated and made away as Eglon was by Ehud Ishbosheth by Baanah and Rechab Gedaliah by Ishmael and many Kings of Israel and Emperours of Rome were by their own servants The Turks at this day suffer no stranger to come into the Presence of their Emperour but first they search him that he have no weapon and so clasping him by the armes Turk Hist under colour of doing him honour dissemblingly they
physick in a fit These friends of Haman deserved to speed as ill as those of Sejanus did who were executed with him because they served his lust and added â—ewel to his flame Let a Gallowes be made of fifty cubits high A cubit was halfe a yard at least In those parts they had trees very tall or they might piece one to another But why so high a Gallowes Daniels hist fol. 19. but for the greater disgrace to Mordecai and terrour to all that should slight the Kings Favourite So Knute the first Danique King of England caused the false Edricks head to be set upon the highest part of the Tower of London And our Gun-powder Traitours were served in like manner Daniels hist f. 19. And to morrow But why so soon sith in case of life Nulla cunctatio satis diuturna esse possit were it not fit that he were tried first Hamans malice will bear no delayes he is in pain till the businesse be dispatched he cannot sleep till he have caused this innocent man to fall Prov. 4.16 though he fall with him as the dragon doth with the Elephant whose blood he sucketh out and perisheth by his falling weight Plin l. 8 c 12 Speak thou unto the King It will be but dictum factum he will lightly say as Zedekiah did to his Princes requiring Jeremiah to the stocks The King is not he that can deny you any thing How much better that Romane Emperour who being to subscribe a warrant for execution of a certain Malefactour cried out Non nisi coactus full sore against my will and another Vtinam literas nescirem I would I could not write my name So when one Jone Butcher was to be burned for her deserts all the Council could not prevail with our Edward the sixth of a long time to set to his hand Act Mon 1177. But these wicked friends of Haman question not the Kings readinesse to gratifie him though they could not but know that Mordecai had once at least saved the Kings life chap. 2. and what could they tell but the King might now remember it Sed Deus quem destruit dementat when God has a minde to undoe a man he first infatuateth him That Mordecai may be hanged thereon And that before Haman door that he may feed his eyes on that sweet spectacle and say as that bloody Prince Charles the ninth of France did when he saw the noble Admirals carcasse hanging and stinking upon the Gallowes Quam suavitèr olet cadaver inimici Ep. hist Gall. 150.151 How sweetly smelleth the dead body of an enemy Then go thou in merrily with the King c. They knew that he could not be heartily merry till then and forced smiles are but as counterfeit complexion the hypocrisie of mirth So Richard the third would not sit down to dinner till the Lord Hastings were beheaded nor Stephen Gardiner till he had the newes brought him that the Bishops were burnt at Oxford Oh that we could be as restlesse Act Mon. f. 16â—2 till the hindrances of our true spiritual joy were removed I mean those stubborn corruptions that will not stoop to the power of grace And the thing pleased Haman As being agreeable to his malicious humour and that which he doubted not to be able to effect Man purposeth but God disposeth And he caused the Gallowes to be made Little thought he for whom Aequnm est ut faber quas fecit compedes ipse gestet So let thine enemies perish O Lord. CHAP. VI. Verse 1. On that night THat very night before Mordecai should have been hang'd on the morrow morning and so early that Esther could not have begged his life would she never so faine God will appeare for his poor people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the nick and opportunity of time 1 Pet. 5.6 He will be seen in the Mount he will come as out of an Engine Could not the King sleep Heb. the Kings sleep fled away and like a shadow it fled away so much the faster as it was more followed Sleep is best solicited by neglect and soonest found when we have forgotten to seek it They are likeliest for it who together with their clothes can put off their cares and say as Lord Burleigh did when he threw off his gown Lie there Lord Treasurer This great Ahashuerus cannot do at present for Crowns also have their cares thistles in their armes and thornes in their sides Lo he that commanded one hundred and twenty seven Provinces cannot command an hours sleep how should he when as sleep is Gods gift Psal 127.2 And it was he that at this time kept him awake for excellent ends and put small thoughts into his heart for great purpose like as he did into our Henry the eighth when the Bishop of Baion the French Ambassadour coming to consult with him about a marriage between the Lady Mary and the Duke of Orleans Life and deaâ— of Card. Woâ— sey 65. cast a scruple into his mind which rendred him restlesse Whether Mary were legitimate c. If it were his surfetting and drunkennesse the day before that hindred Ahashuerus from sleeping â—â—lin habent enim hoc ebrii ut neque dormiant neque vigilent Gods goodnesse appeareth the more in turning his sinne to the good of the Church Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit saith Seneca He can make of a poisonful viper an wholesome treacle and by an Almighty Alchymy draw good out of evil And he commanded to bring the book of records Perhaps some special Notes or Commentaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written for the Kings own use as M. Aurelius had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julius Caesar had his Commentaries written with his own hand and for the help of his own memory Turk hist Tamerlane had the like book wherein he read a great part of the night before the mortal battel between him and Bajazet Of the Chronicles Perhaps besides the former book of remembrances or else the same Librum Commentariorum Chronica as Tremelius rendreth it the book of Commentaries even the Chronicles but the Vulgar and Tygurine make them several books And they were read before the King Perhaps as a Recipe to bring on sleep or at least to deceive the time and yet it may he too for a better purpose viz. to better his knowledge and to rub up his memory that dignity might wait upon desert as it did in Tamerlanes time who kept a catalogue of their names who had best deserved of him Turk hist 227. which he daily perused oftentimes saying that day to be lost wherein he had not done something for them This Ahashuerus had not yet done for Mordecai who therefore haply held with the Poet. Omnia sunt ingrata nihil fecisse benignè est But God was not unrighteous to forget his work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 though men were unthankful â—et us gratia â—ormite Pind. â—er rar
servants likely would ever have thought of doing Mordecai so great honour as Haman prescribed See here as in a mirrour how the Lord by a secret Providence bringeth about and over-ruleth the wiles of men their affaires times counsels words and speeches to the fulfilling of his own Will and Decree and this when they think least of doing Gods Will or serving his Providence Verse 6 So Haman came in Merry and jocund but went out sad and heavy-hearted These hoasts profit pleasure and preferment though they welcom us into our Inne with smiling countenances yet if we watch them not they will cut our throats in our beds It is observed of Edward the third that he had alwayes faire weather at his passage into France â—peed Walsingham and foule upon his return Pharaoh had faire weather till he was in the heart of the red sea The Sun shone-faire upon the earth that morning that Lot came out of Sodom but ere night there was a dismal change He that lives in the height of the worlds blandishments is not far from destruction And the King said unto him What shall be done c. Though the King knew of no difference betwixt Haman and Mordecai saith a grave Interpreter yet he suppresseth Mordecai's name and thus the Lord by his Providence brought it about that even Haman himself should Mr. Jackson to his greater vexation appoint the honours that should be done to Mordecai and that at a time when he was come to desire of the King that he might be hanged and with full assurance that he should have obtained his desire Now Haman thought in his heart Heb. said in his heart the language whereof God very well understood and here uttereth to the perpetual shame of this monstrous Ambitionist To whom would the King delight to do honour more then to my self Ambition as they say of the Crocodile groweth as long as it liveth and self-love like to a good stomack draws to it self what nourishment it liketh and casts off that which offends it It maketh men unreasonable and teacheth them to turne the glasse to see themselves bigger Herod l. 8. others lesser then they are Herodotus reporteth that after the Greeks had got the better of this Xerxes and his Persians and came together to divide the spoile when it was put to the question who of all the Commanders had deserved the best and chief reward none would yield to other but every man thought himself best deserving and second to none Aen. Sylv. In the battel at Belgrade where Mahomet the great Turk was beaten and driven out of the field Capistranus and Hunniades were the Chieftaines there And whereas both of them wrote the relation of that dayes work neither of them so much as once mentioned the other though both of them had done their parts gallantly but each one took the whole praise of it to himselfe Haman though altogether unworthy of the least respect yet holds himself best worthy of the greatest honours and therefore will be sure to be no niggard in advising those ceremonies of honour which he presumes meant to his own person Verse 7. And Haman answered the King After a short pause he had his answer ready but making a bridge of his own shadow he soon fell into the brook Ambition rideth without reines and like those horses Amos 6.11 runneth upon the rocks where first she breaks her hoofes and then her neck It seemeth by that which followeth that Haman aspired to the Kingdome why else did he ask the Crown-royal and the Kings horse c When David would declare Solomon his successour in the Kingdom he set him upon his own mule 1 Kings 1.33 But Haman little thought that those his high hopes should end in a rope So did Hanno's the Carthaginian and Roger Mortimers in King Edward the second his time and the false Edrick in King Knute's dayes and lastly Hadrian de Castâ—llo an Italian Legate made by King Henry the seventh Bishop of Hereford who conspired with Alphonso Petruccio and other sacred Cardinals to murther Pope Leo the tenth induced thereunto by the suggestion of a witch who foretold him that one Hadrian an old man of mean Parentage of great learning and wisdome should succeed in the Papacy Paul Jovius the man Haman-like thought it must needs be himself but another Hadrian Schoolmaster to Charles the fifth proved to be the man and this our Hadrian lost by deprivation all his promotions whatsoever for his life could not be come at for his nefarious attempt For the man whom the King delighteth to honour Heb. In whose honour the King delighteth And what will not delight do whether in good or evil See the Note on Micah 7.18 Verse 8. Let the royal apparel be brought c. This was very glorious and gorgeous Xenoph. l. 8 Plut l. 11. defort Alex. Luc de navig Dion â—rat de 〈◊〉 lib Curt l. 3. 6. as is to be seen in Xenophon Plutarch Lucian Dion Chrysostome and other good Authours The Persian Kings wore on their heads an upright Tiare or Turbant very sumptuous a Diademe also made of white and purple colour On their bodies a rich purple Stole or robe of State reacâ—â— down to the heeles this Curtius calleth pallam Persicam a Persian Pall beset with gold and precious stones great store and the pictures of wilde creatures and soules of the aire Curtius describing Xerxes his royal apparel saith that golden hawkes encountring one another with their beakes adorned his robe made of cloth of gold Besides they wore a rich Cassock called Candy bound to them with a golden girdle breeches also of scarlet reaching to their knees Ep. ad Fabiâ— called therefore by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hierome testifieth And the horse that the King rideth upon The King of Persia did alwayes ride either on horseback or in a charet and had one special horse proper to himself as had also David 1 Kings 1.33 Alexander Julius Caesar c. At this day the better sort in Persia fight buy sell confer and do all on horseback Cortâ—â—r travâ— 63. The difference between the Gentleman and the Peasant is that the Peasant never rides the Gentleman never goes on foot And the Crown-royal that is set upon his head This was monstrous ambition appoint him the Kingdom also might Ahashuerus have said Lyra noteth here that Haman aspired to the Kingdom because none but the King could have the Crown-royal set upon his head wherefore the King also in answering to the things propounded by him saith Take the robe and the horse as thou hast said but of the Crown he maketh no mention Some of the Hebrews by head here understand the horses head Nam apud Persas solebat equus deferre diadema regni the Kings horse was wont to carry the royal Crown Vatablus thinks this sense not unlikely because the Crown is not mentioned verse 11. and this might
and confesse themselves to have been in an errour Hence right or wrong their laws must stand and if any demand a reason Sic vol◠sic jubeo must stop his mouth And Quod ego volo pro Canone sit Let my will be your reason and rule as Constantius said to the Orthodox Bishops refusing to communicate with the Arrians But God who tameth the fiercest creatures had for his poor peoples sake brought Ahashuerus to a better bent so that rather then contract the staine and sting of such barbarous cruelty he will run the hazard of being accounted inconstant and not care though a Retraxit be entred against him as is usually against the Plaintiffe when he cometh into the Court where his plea is and saith he will not proceed In the Kings name an t seale it with the Kings ring He was well perswaded of their fidelity piety and prudence Otherwise it had been too great weaknesse in this Prince who had been so lately abused by Haman to have trusted his whole power in the hands of strangers But natural conscience cannot but stoop to the image of God wheresoever it meeteth therewith and have high thoughts of such as Pharaoh had of Joseph Nebuchadnezzar of those three Worthies Darius of Daniel c. Surely when men see in the Saints that which is above ordinary or beyond their expectation they are afraid of the Name of God which is called upon by them Deut. 28.10 and will entrust them more then any other whatsoever It is a Probleme in Aristotle why man is credited more then other creatures The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he alone reverenceth God therefore you may trust him ◠honesty floweth from piety For the writing which is written in the Kings name c. Therefore you must not take it amisse that I reverse not Hamans letters for I also am under a Law whatever my Predecessour Cambyses held to the contrary neither need you doubt but that what you write in my name and signe with my seal will be authentick and passe for a current countermand feare it not Verse 9. Scu'tet Then were the Kings Scribes called This verse is noted to be the longest in all the Bible It was Robert Stevens the Printer I trow that first distinguished the chapters by verses and this he hath done not so well in some places as were to be wished These Scribes were as ready at Mordecai's call as before they had been at Hamans chap. 3.12 neither cared they much what they wrote so that they might be sure it was the Kings pleasure they should do it As for their Religion it may seem to be the same with that of Gallio the Pro-consul Act 18.17 a meer irreligion their Motto Mihi placet quicquid Regiplacet Whatsoever pleaseth the King shall please me and if their hearts could be ripped up there would be found written therein The god of this present world At that time So soon as the word was out of the Kings mouth delay might have bred danger Habent aulae suum citò citò Courtiers are quick of dispatch as they carefully observe their mollissima fandi tempora so when once they have got a grant they lose no time they know that opportunities are headlong and once lost irrecoverable Hannibal Plutarch when he could have taken Rome would not when he would could not Vincere scis Hannibal victoriâ uti nescis said one to him Mordecai made use of the present the nick of time Esther could tell him by experience that a well chosen season is the greatest advantage of an action which as it is seldome found in haste so it is too often lost in delay It is not for Mordecai to drive off any longer the whole Church was in heavinesse and needed comfort and some might be slain ere notice came to the contrary Ad opem brevis hora ferenda est Orid-Metam l. 4. In the third moneth Two moneths and more the poor Jewes lay under the sentence of death in a forelorn condition God loves to help such as are forsaken of their hopes to help at a dead lift to comfort the abject 2 Cor. 7.6 Though Jacob be a worm yet God will not crush him but cherish him And I will restore health unto thee and I will heal thee of thy wounds saith the Lord because they called thee an out-cast saying This is Zion whom no man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 The seasonablenesse of Gods mercies doth much commend them These poor wretches cried and the Lord heard them and saved them out of all their troubles Psal 34.6 This is the moneth Sivan That is May when all things are in their prime and pride and the earth checkred and entrailed with variety of flowers and God is seen to be Magnus in minimis great in the smallest creatures Then did the Sun of righteousnesse arise to these afflicted exiles with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 Like as the Sun-beams did to the dry and cold earth calling out the herbes and flowers and healing those deformities that Winter had brought upon it On the three and twentieth day thereof The precise time is thus noted not only to set forth the certainty and truth of the history but also to let us see what was the present state of the Church and what is Gods usual dispensation and dealing with his people For two moneths and more they were in a very low and as it might seem a lost condition Now they have eight moneths space of breathing and preparing themselves to their just and lawful defence yet are they not without divers difficulties and discouragements until God had given them a full and final victory over their enemies The Saints prosperity here like checker-work is inter-woven with feares and crosses They must not look for a perpetual serenity till they come to heaven I shall die in my nest said Job I shall never be moved said David How apt are the holiest to be proud and secure to settle upon their lees unlesse God poure them from vessel to vessel This the wise God well knoweth and therefore exerciseth them with interchanges See the circle that he goeth in with his Davids Psal 30.5 to 10. and reckon upon this that if our sorrows be long they are light if sharper the shorter as thunder the more violent the lesse permanent Flebile principium melior fortuna sequetur And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded Had he not been a man of singular parts he had not been fit for such a service It could not otherwise be but that many eyes were upon him and some evil eyes that would more curiously pry into his proceedings then Laban once did into Jacobs stuffe It behooved him therefore to look to his behaviour and to weigh well his words in dictating such a ticklish edict as this to the Kings Secretaries But God who had called him to this high emploiment did likewise gift him for it He was
And the decree was given at Shushan the Palace So had the former decree against the Jewes been chap. 3.15 the Post also hastened as now There is no doubt but many disaffected persons would jeare at this last decree as extorteth from the King by the Queens importunity and would perswade themselves and others that the King was of the same minde as before to have the Jewes rooted out only to give his wife content he had set forth this counter-edict which they would not take notice of Thus those that are ripe for ruine harden their own hearts and hasten their own destruction Verse 15. And Mordecai went out from the Presence of the King Whether he went is not set down It is probable he either went to Hamans house the oversight whereof was committed to him by Esther or that he went to some other parts of the City upon the publick emploiment whereof now he had his hands full and therefore all his faculties were in motion and every motion seemed a well-guided action as one saith well of Queen Elizabeth when she first came to the Crown In royal apparel Suitable to his new condition This he might lawfully do no doubt as did Joseph Daniel Solomon Generally those that are in Kings houses are clothed in softs and go gorgeously There is indeed a blame-worthy excesse herein Zeph. 1.8 Isa Athenaeus 3.18 Alcisthenes his costly cloak prized at one hundred and twenty talents Demetrius King of Macedony his robe of State which none of his Successours would weare propter invidiosam impendii magnificentiam Herâ—ds cloth of silver which by refraction of the Sun-beams upon it gave such a splendour that the foolish people for that and for his speech cried him up for a god Good Mordecai thought never a whit the better of himself for his gay clothing neither did his heart rise with his habit as the boat doth with the water that carrieth it He affecteth not this change but rather accepteth it he endureth it rather then desireth it Sheeps-russet would please him every whit as well as cloth of tissue but that the King will have it so and being now the second man in the Kingdome he must go accordingly lest he should be sleighted as Agesilaus King of Sparta was by the Persians for his over-plain habit Vestis virum facit a man is esteemed as he is arrayed cultúsque concessus atque magnificus comely and costly attire addeth authority as Quintilian long since observed And with a great crown of gold We reade not that Haman had any such It may be the King had bestowed it upon Mordecai as a special favour for having saved his life chap. 2. Sure it is that he gave it him for a better cause then Alexander the Great did his crown of one hundred and eighty pounds provided by him at a great Supper and promised to him that should drink most Mordecai had his temporal Crown upon far better termes and yet looked for a more massie one in heaven 2 Cor. 4.17 even such a weight of glory as that if the body were not by the Power of God upheld it were impossible it should beare it And with a garment of fine linnen Or of silk which was anciently sold for its weight in gold Plin. l. 19. c. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verb. frequentativum as Pliny testifieth This rich glutton is taxed for the too frequent use of it Luke 16.19 It was his every dayes weare as the Greek word importeth And purple This was also much worn by great ones of old Dives was daily clothed with it and was so far from cloaking his pride that he proclaimed it in his cloak This purple colour was made saith Lavater here of the juice or blood of a certain shell-fish Now they say there is no right purple Perhaps when the foure Monarchies ceased purple ceased with them And the City of Susan rejoyced and was glad Time was when they were in perplexity chap. 3.5 now in jollity Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them The joyful Jews there by way of Antiphony answer The Lord hath indeed done great things for us whereof we are glad Psal 126.2 3. Tremelius Lucebat after Aben-Ezra rendreth it And the City of Shushan shone the Lilly was now most lovely and lightsom The word signifieth properly hiâ—â—ivit neighed as an horse which he doeth not but when he is well-pleased The whole City was well a paid but the poor Jewes were over-joyed so that their mouth was filled with laughter and their tongue with singing This is the import of the Metaphor here used Verse 16. The Jews had light and gladnesse Truly the light is sweat and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccl. 11.7 Such as have been long shut up in a dark dungeon as Joseph will surely say so These Jews had for two months more layn buried alive as it were in heavinesse and horrour they walked in the very vale of the shadow of death the darkest side of death death in its most hideous and horrid representations stared them in the face Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago Virg. Their Motto at the best was that of the City of Geneva out of Job Post tenebras spero lucem after darknesse we have some faint hopes of life Job 17. But now it was otherwise with them Light was risen to these righteous and joy to these upright in heart Judaeis fuit lux laetitia or as Tremelius rendreth it illustris laetitia famous gladnesse gaudium gloria unspeakable joy and full of glory as St. Peter phraseth it an exuberancy of spiritual joy and inward comfort fitter to be believed then possible to be discoursed For we may not think that the joy and gladnesse here mentioned was no more then that of profane and carnal people upon the receipt of some special mercy or signal deliverance They rejoyce harlot-like in the gift but not in the Giver they gnabble upon the shell but taste not of the kernel The joy that these Jewes had was the fruit of fasting and prayer according to that of our Saviour Ask that your joy may be full Pray that ye may joy The fountain of it was the light of Gods loving countenance it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Josephus hath it here a salvifical light The matter of it was the happy change of their late lamentable condition and this as a pledge of that light of life eternal See Psal 23.5 6. the end of it was a testification of their hearty thankfulnesse to God for his unconceivable loving kindnesse a breaking forth into those or the like words of the Psalmist Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death Psalme 68.19 20. And gladnesse Habitual joy
enemies as he promiseth to do in many places See Exod. 23.27 Deut. 11.2 5. Jer. 46 c. And as accordingly he did it on the Egyptians Midianites Bapt. Egnat l. 3 Philistines Syrians c. And the like he did for Baldwin King of Jerusalem against the great Calyph for the Hussites against all the force of Germany for the Angrognians against the Popes army that came against them The souldiers told their Captains they were so astonished they could not strike and that the Ministers with their prayers Act. Mon 883. conjured and bewitched them So at the siege of Mountabone whensoever the people of God began to sing a Psalme as they usually did before their sallying forth the enemies coming acquainted with their practice would so quake and tremble Spec. bel sacr 282. crying they come they come as though the wrath of God had been breaking out upon them What was this handful of captives to the whole Persian Empire that they should now become no lesse formidable to them Herodoâ—us then not long after those few Grecians were to this Ahashuerus or Xerxes who having covered the seas with his ships and with a world of men passed over into Greece was afterwards himselfe alone in a small Fisher-boat glad to get back into Asia to save his owne life Verse 3. And all the Rulers of the Provinces helped the Jewes Heb. gave them a lift sc over the brook the brake or whatsoever lay in their way of deliverance This they did out of their respect to the King rather then for any great good will to the Jewes who were generally hated for their Religion and wished out of the world Sit divus modo non sit vivus said that Roman Emperour of his brother whom he maliciously murthered Because the feare of Mordecai fell upon them But much more because God himself over-awed them and dispirited them See the Note on verse 2. How else should he appear to be the God of the spirits of all flesh Exod. 8.11 and that in the thing wherein people deal proudly he is above them How should they come to know themselves to be but men Psal 9.20 and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit c. Isa 31.3 if he did not other whiles make their hearts heartlesse Hos 7.11 their hands feeble Jer. 6.24 Isa 13.7 Ezek. 21.7 their eyes fane Deut. 28.26 their knees knock together as Belshazzars did Dan. 5.6 How else would they ever be brought to bring Presents unto him that ought to be feared Psal 76.7 8. and to say unto him Lord be not thou a terrour to me c. Jer. 17.17 If Mordecai be feared it is because God hath put a Majesty upon him and made him dreadful as Abraham likewise was to Abimelech Gen. 21.22 23. David to Saul 1 Sam. 18.29 the Baptist to Herod our Saviour to the Pharisees Mar. 11.18 Paul and Silas to their Persecutours Acts 16.27 c. And this the Lord still doth that he may dwell upon earth Psal 68.18 scil in his faithful worshippers which wicked men would not suffer if not thus rein'd in and restrain'd And 2ly that praise may wait for him in Zion and unto him may the vow be performed Psal 65.1 Verse 4. For Mordecai was great in the Kings house So great a Favourite as that it was dangerous to displease him and most men coveted his favour It was now in the Court and Kingdome of Persia as it was once at Rome when Sejanus ruled the rost under Tiberius Vt qnisque Sejano intimus ita ad Caesaris amicitiam validus Contra quibus infensus esset meâ—â— sordibus conflictabantur His friends were Caesars friends Tacit. and his enemies were in a very low and lamentable condition And his fame went throughout all the Provinces Auditio ejus the report of him went farre and near Per ora hominum volitabat so the Vulgar Latine He was Claros inter habens nomina clara viros It was every where discoursed that Mordecai was the Kings Darling Kinsman Counsellour that he had saved the Kings life and was therefore promoted to the highest dignity that it were good getting in with him who both could and would reciprocate and remunerate any that should well deserve of him and his people How thankful the Lord Cromwell was to those that had done him any courtesie See Act. and Mon. fol. 1083. How ungrateful Bishop Bonner was to the same Lord Cromwell who had been his great Patron railing at him as the rankest heretick that ever lived c. See in fol. 1087. but this was after his death Leoni mortuo vel mus insultat For this man Mordecai Vir ille insignis though he were but novus homo peregrinis a new-raised man a stranger and one that had brought in a strange alteration of things in the Court and Common-wealth and therefore could not but be much envied and maligned as far as men durst shew themselves against him yet He waxed greater and greater Heb he was going that is growing and greatening See the like Hebraisme Prov. 4.18 Gen. 8.5 For why Difficilimum inter mortales he did gloria invidiam vincere overtop envie and dazzle her eyes with his lustre which saith Sallust is the hardest thing that can be For as the tallest trees are weakest at the tops so doth envy always aim at the highest But maugre malice it self Mordecai was in the number of those few that lived and died with glory gotten by his piety zeal and other vertues neither had his adversaries any thing to complain of him more then his greatnesse Camd. Eliz. fol. 532. as Camden saith of the old Earle of Essex Verse 5. Thus the Jewes smote all their enemies It was the Lords work 1 Sam. â—5 and therefore to do it negligently to keep back their swords from blood had been to incurre that curse Jer. 48.10 as Saul did in sparing Agag Ahab in shewing mercy to Benhadad 1 Kings â—0 4â— whom God had destined to destruction These Jewes as so many Justicers Immedicabile vulnuâ— ense râ—cidendumâ—â—â— were set up by God to do to death these desperate enemies and sith there was no hope of curing to fall to cutting that others might heare and â—eare and do no more so but see and say with the Psalmist Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth With the strokes of the sword and slaughter and destruction Here then we see what punishments they deserve that are enemies to the Church and sooner or later they shall be sure of For as hard weather rotteth not in the aâ—e so neither do the judgements against Persecutors God himself hath against them and will surely have his penniworths of them his hand that is lifted up in threatning Isa 26.11 will not faile to fall down in punishing and the higher it is lifted the heavier it shall fall Subito tollitur qui
diu toleratur They shall fall by the sword they shall be a portion for foxes Psal 63.10 The Spoiler shall be spoiled Esa 33.1 and he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Rev. 13.10 See 2 Thess 1.6 And did what they would unto those that hated them Where it is to be hoped that they furbished the sword of justice with the oyle of mercy that they remembred that of the Philosopher Posse nolle nobile est that in some cases a man must not do all that he may do as there be some again wherein severity ought to cast the scale The Turks severity I can by no means like that will rather cut off two innocent persons then let one guilty man go free Zenecat obs polit Nor that of the Venetians who punish with death such as cozen the State of but one penny if it be proved against them Again care must be taken that justice be not executed whether in a civil or military way with a vindictive minde but all selfish actions carefully strained out Private revenge leaveth a stain upon a man some wayes innocent witnesse Jehu and puts an innocency upon the greatest offendour witnesse Abner Verse 6. And in Shushan the Palace One would wonder that any here should offer to stir against the Jewes so much favoured by the King patronized by Mordecai and well-appointed to withstand them But they were mad with malice against Gods people and ambitious of their own destruction Hamans death still sticks in their stomacks and they resolve to be revenged whatever it stands them in With like stoutnesse of stomack it was that Jezabel painted her face and tired her head when Jehu was come to Jezreel and looking out at a window said Had Zimri peace c. Herein certainly she shewed her great stoutnesse as if she would daunt Jehu and out-brave him in the midst of his pomp and triumph 2 Kings 9.30 31. Divine vengeance suffereth not wicked people to rest and to keep in their malice and mischief but that they must break out and run headlong like wilde beasts into the hunters toile or upon the spears point whereby they perish Verse 7.8 9. And Parshandatha and Dulphon and Vajezatha This Vajezatha was the youngest but most malicious of them all against the Jewes as their Doctours guesse and gather from the little Zain and great Vau found in his name Verse 10 The ten sonnes of Haman Of whom he had so boasted chap. 5.12 and bore himself bold as believing that being so full of children he should leave the rest of his substance to his babes Psal 17.14 These ten likely were ring-leaders to those Hamanists in Shushan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that durst appear in so bad a cause being evil egges of an evil bird Non enim fieri ullo modo potest ut ex me Agrippina vir bonus nascatur said Domitius the father of Nero Dio in Ner. It cannot be that of my self and Agrippina should come any good man Haman brought up his sonnes to bring down his house and was a Parricide to them rather then a Parent His darling Vajezatha he corrected not but cockered no wonder therefore that he proved to be of a gastrill-kinde disquieting his own nest of a viperous brood and therefore though not hanged together with his father and the whole family as the Apocryphal additions of Esther chap. 16.18 tell us but not truly yet slain in this insurrection at Shushan together with the rest of his brethren the good people crying out as once they did at Rome when the sonne of Maximinus the Emperour was put to death Ex pessimo genere ne catulum quidem habendum Let not one whelp be left of so evil a litter But on the spoile laid they not their hand Lest the King should be damnified or themselves justly taxed of covetousnesse and cruelty Give none offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 This is oft repeated in this chapter Non semper omnia quae licent sunt facienda Lavat to their great commendation that although by the Kings grant they might have taken the spoile chap. 8.11 yet they did it not 1. To shew that they were Gods Executioners not thieves and robbers 2. To gratifie the King for his courtesie towards them by leaving the spoile wholly to his Treasury 3. It is not unlikely Fâ—vard saith an Interpreter that Mordecai and Esther had admonished them how ill Saul had sped with his spoiles of the Amalekites and Achan with his wedge of gold which served but to cleave his body and soul asunder and his babylonish garment which proved to be his winding-sheet Verse 11. On that day the number of those that were slain This was done haply by some Malignants that would thereby have incensed the King against the Jewes Or else the King as became a good Shepherd of his people taketh an account of his slain subjects by diligent enquiry made thereinto Whereupon he might have repented him now in cold blood of his grant to Esther and the Jewes those forreigners against his natural subjects who had done nothing but by his command c. But God so ordered it that all this notwithstanding the King was well content with that which was done as supposing that Hamans sonnes and complices would be seeking revenge â—imiâ—iâ— sunt bâ—ni pâ—storiâ— boni regis opeâ—a Cyâ— 5. â—pud Xenoph. and plotting mischief if left alive He therefore goeth merrily into the Queen acquainting her with the number of the slain and giving her leave to ask of him whatever more she desired to be done This was the Lords doing all along Verse 12. And the King said unto Esther the Queen He would needs be the messenger himself as presuming the newes would be most welcome to her whom he desired to gratifie rather out of affection of love then desire of justice else he would never have so little respected the slaughter of his subjects armed by his own command What have they done in the rest of the Kings Provinces This he should have uttered with grief and regret accounting the blood of his subjects dear and precious and not making light of so many mens lives lost by his default But many Kings make as little reckoning of their subjects lives as Charles the ninth did of the Huguenots in the French Massacre or as the grand Seignior doth of his Asapi a kinde of common souldiers borne for most part of Christian Parents and used by him in his wars for no other end but to blunt the swords of his enemies or to abate the first fury and thereby to give the easier victory to his Janizaries and better souldiers Turk hist 317. This the Turkish Tyrants hold for good policy How much better that Romane General who said that he had rather save one Citizen then slay twenty enemies and Edward the Confessour who when
19. This was to walk worthy of the Lord Col. 1.10 This was to make a proportionable return for we are Gods soile and our thanks his crop Verse 21. To establish this among them scil by a law that they should yearly on those two dayes rest and repeat among themselves that signal deliverance propagating the remembrance of it to all posterity Mordecai well knew that eaten bread is soon forgotten that deliverances are usually but nine dayes wonderment that it is easie and ordinary with people to rob God and wrong themselves by their unthankfulnesse which forfeiteth former mercies and forestalleth future he therefore setleth it upon them saith the text statuendo eis ut facerent he exacteth it of them by vertue of his office That they should keep the fourteenth day and the fifteenth day Both dayes nam gaudet produci haec sclennitus as Austin said of the feast of Pentecost such a solemnity should be drawn out to the full length as the silk-worm stretcheth forth her self before she spinneth her finest thread Jehosaphat and his people shewed themselves unsatisfyable in their praises which they presented again and again 2 Chron. 20.26 27. And good Hezekiah when he observed in his subjects such a float of affections at the Passeover and that they were in so good a frame took counsel with them to keep other seven dayes and they kept other seven dayes with gladnesse 2 Chron. 30.21 22 23. See with what a flood of words holy David poureth forth his soul in prayer Psal 145.1 to 8. as if therewith he would even fill up the distance between God and himself Sometimes he seemeth to forget himself in point of praising God for he will like a bird having got a note record it over and over as Psal 136. And in the last Psalme there are but six verses yet twelve Hallelujahs He concludeth Let every thing that hath breath or Let every breath praise the Lord let it be as the smoke of the Tabernacle when peace-offerings were offered Tam Dei meminisse opus est quà m respirare saith Chrysostom we have as much need to remember God as to take breath Verse 22. As the dayes wherein the Jewes rested from their enemies And therefore they in thankfulnesse would consecrate the same as an holy rest unto the Lord calling the fourteenth day Festum sortium minus the lesser festivity of lots and the fifteenth day Festum sortium majus the greater festivity of lots as Drusius telleth us And the moneth They thought the better ever after of the moneth Adar that magnificent moneth wherein was that golden day of their deliverance O dieculam illam c. dexter sanè prae laetitia mihi salit oculus said he Oh that joyful day Oh that the Calendar of my life might be filled with such festivals Which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy As God remembred poor Joseph and turned his fetters into a chaine of gold his rags into robes his stocks into a charet his prison into a Palace his brown bread and water into manchet and wine And as he had turned again the captivity of his people as the streams in the South Psal 146.4 So here he had made a great alteration bringing them from the jawes of death to the joys of a glorious deliverance turning their sadnesse into gladnesse their sighing into singing their musing into musick their teares into triumph luctum in laetitiam saccum in sericum jejunium in epulum manuum retortionem in applausum c. And this is no new thing in the Church Verse 23. And the Jewes undertook to do as they had begun Which yet they could not do unlesse God gave them an heart to do it Holy David understood this and therefore when he found that heat and height of good affections in his people he prayed O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and stablish their heart unto thee 1 Chron. 29.18 And when he had at another time undertook for himself that if God would deliver him from blood-guiltinesse his tongue should sing aloud of Gods righteousnesse he subjoynes by way of correction as if he were sensible that he had promised more then was in his power to perform O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 51.14 15. The Hebrew or rather Chaldee word here rendred Vndertook is of the singular number to shew that every particular Jew undertook for himself and for his posterity to all perpetuity And indeed they keep this feast annually to this day and exceedingly please themselves in the reading of this history counting and calling all such Princes and States as crosse them Hamans and wishing that they may be able one day to be avenged of them as their fathers were of these Persians c. Verse 24. Because Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite c. In detestation of whose wicked plot the Jewes at this day when at this feast of Purim they read the book of Esther in their synagogues as oft as they hear mention of Haman Anton. Meraanta lib. de Jud. cerem they do with their fists and hammers beat upon the benches and boards as if they did knock upon Hamans head Lavater saith the Papists in some countreyes do the like on Good-friday when in the reading of the Gospel mention is made of Iudas the Traitour But as for Faux Digby Piercy Catesby and the rest of that hellish crue of Popish Hamans treacherous Judasses these they have crowned with fresh Encomiasticks and little lesse then sainted Garnet that boutefeau hath his picture set among the rest of Rome's Saints Cornè á Lap. in Apoc. 7.3 Ger. ◠Apol. Cont Jesuet in the Jesuites Church at Rome with this Inscription Voluisse sat est Prodigious impudency And had cast Pur But found to his cost that there is no inchantment against Jacob Ut contereret eos neither any divination against Israel but that according to this time it should be said of Jacob and Israel said by way of wonder at Gods doing on their behalf what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 To consume them Heb. to crush them as a thing crushed to pieces as the lesser beasts are crushed by the Lion or as things are broken with a maule Verse 25. But when Esther came Heb. when she came This was the subject of the Jewes discourse upon those dayes which they spent not in idle chat but in telling one another what great things the Lord had done for them relating all the particulars All honourable mention was then made of Esther and Mordecai neither was Hamans malice instanced without utmost detestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Memoria ejus sicut vinum Libani say the Jewes of those they honour Bud. Pand. Herod l. 2. So true is that of Solomon Prov. 10.7 The memory of the just is blessed or is with praises as
the Septuagint there render it but the name of the wicked shall rot as doth now the name of the Powder-plotters of Bonner Gardiner and other Popish Persecutors Should return upon his own head According to Psal 7.17 and haply not without allusion to those Piaculares Obominales among the Grecians which were certain condemned persons on whose heads they put the publick guilt and then tumbled them into the sea or else to those expiatory sacrifices amongst the Egyptians which were first cursed by them and then cast into the river or sold to the Grecian Merchants in an apish imitation of the Hebrews scape-goat and day of Atonement Vers 26. Wherefore they called these days Purim Thereby to perpetuate the memory of that mercy worthy to be engraven in pillars of marble This was a notable name for it served to in-minde the Jewes of all that God had done for them at this bout As there is edification in the choice of fit Psalmes 1 Cor. 14.26 so in the imposing of fit names upon persons things and times As the Christian Sabbath is to good purpose called the Lords day and those festivities of Easter and Whitsontide were not so fitly called Pasch and Pentecost as the Feast of the Lords Resurrection and of the sending of the Holy Ghost It should certainly be the constant care of us all to set up marks and monuments of Gods great mercies so to preserve the memory of them which else will be moth-eaten Such as were Abrahams Jehovah Iireh Jacobs stone at Bethel Moses his Jehovah Nissi Aarons rod and pot of Manna Heb. 9.4 the twelve stones pitcht up in Jordan the names of Gilgal Ramath-Lehi Aben-Ezer those plates nailed on the Altar Numb 16.40 Hereby God shall be glorified the Churches enemies convinced our faith strengthened our joy in the Lord heightened our posterity helped and Satan prevented who seeketh to obliterate Gods works of wonder or at least to alienate them and translate them upon himself as he endeavoured to do that famous execution of divine justice upon Sennacheribs army Herod l. 2. by setting Herodotus a work to tell the world in print that it was Sethon King of Egypt and Priest of Vulcan who obtained of his god that Sennacheribs army coming against Egypt should be totally routed by reason of an innumerable company of rats sent by Vulcan which gnawed in pieces their bowe-strings quivers bucklers c. and so made way for the Egyptians to vanquish them Herodotus addeth also that in his time there was to be seen the statue of Sennacherib holding a rat in his hand in Vulcans Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and uttering these words Let him that beholdeth me learne to feare God Lo the god of this world hath his trophies erected and shall the God of heaven and earth go without Oh let us who have lived in an age of miracles and seen the out-goings of God for our good more then ever did any Nation offer unto him the ransome of our lives as they did Exod. 21.30 and 30.12 in token that they had and held all in meer courtesie from God Let us leave some seale some pawn of thankfulnesse for deliverance from so many deaths and dangers Otherwise Heathens will rise up and condemn us They after a shipwrack would offer something after a fit of sicknesse consecrate something to their gods after a victory set up trophies of triumph as the Philistines did to their Dagon the Romanes to their Jupiter Capitolinus c. Therefore for all the words of this letter In obedience to Mordecai their godly Magistrate And of that which they had seen concerning this matter And especially of God made visible all along in it yea palpable so that they might feele him and finde him Act. 17.27 though his name be not found in all this book And which had come unto them Scil. by report and hear-say but from such hands as that they were fully satisfied thereof as Hamans lot-casting Esthers supplicating the Kings reading the Chronicles c. Verse 27. The Jewes ordained and took upon them and upon their seed See ver 23. Here we have a repetition of what was before recited and this is usual in holy Scripture as Gen. 2.1 Exod. 15.19 that things of moment may take the deeper impression That of Austin is here to be remembred Verba toties inculcata viva sunt vera sunt plana sunt sana sunt Let Preachers do thus and hearers be content to have it so Nunquam satìs dicitur quod nunquam satìs discitur To write to you the same things to me is not grievous and for you it is safe saith that great Apostle Phil. 3.1 And upon all such as should joyne themselves unto them Those Proselytes chap 8 17. or whatever hang-bies So as it should not faile But stand as a law inviolable And yet that Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus and that never to be forgotten fifth of November are with us almost antiquated little would oue think that God had ever done anything for us either by land or by sea against either fire-works or water-works Vae corpori nostro That they would keep these two dayes Keep them as before by consecrating a rest and feasting before the Lord not by gourmandizing and profane sports nor by running up and down from house to house as whifflers and wassailers Lâ—deâ—cerem Iud. as at this day the Jewes manner is witnesse Antonius Margarita a baptized Jew According to their writing i.e. Mordecai's order by themselves subscribed and ratified Verse 28. And that these dayes should be remembred That the memory of them might be kept a foot in the Church to all perpetuity Nothing is sooner forgotten then a good turn received David found himself faulty this way and therefore sets the thorn to the breast Psal 103.2 Other holy men kept catalogues see one of Gods own making Judg. 10.11 12. They also had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Memorials as is before noted The very Heathens had their triumphal Arches Pillars Trophies Tables Histories Annals Ephemerides c. A soule shame for us to fall short of them and not to wish as Job in another case Iob. 19.23 24. Oh that Gods works of wonder for us were now written Oh that they were printed in a book That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever That famous fifth of November especially Ier. 23.7 This wás written Nov. 5. 1653. which drownes in a manner the memory of all former deliverances as the return out of Babylon did the departure out of Egypt This happy day too too much slighted alas in many places already should never be put out of the English Kalendar whiles the Sun courseth about the earth but be registred for the generation to come that the people which shall be created may praise the Lord Psal 102.8 Every family every Province and every City They should all recognize their late danger and thereby
the better relish their deliverance as Sampson did his honey-combe which he found by turning aside to see the lion he had escaped Every man was to consider his own share in the publick safety as the people did at Solomons Coronation and to be particularly thankful This would fortifie his faith feed his hope nourish his joy further his obedience Verse 29. Then Esther the Queen c. See chap. 2.15 Mordecai had written thus before now for more authority-sake and to shew her forwardnesse to further so good a work Esther joyneth with him not for a name or out of an humour of foolish forth-put ting but out of an holy zeal for God and a godly jealousie over her people lest they should hereafter slight or slack this service And indeed the Jewes Chronicle called by them Sedar olam Rabbah telleth us that this letter of Esther was not written Anna sequent conâ—igit quod icriptuâ— est Esth 9.29 Sed. Ol. c. 29. till a yeare after Mordecai's first letter when those dayes of Purim haply began to be neglected and intermitted She might therefore well say as Saint Peter did afterwards This second Epistle beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure mindes by way of remembrance 2 ep 3.1 True grace in the best heart is like unto a dull sea-coalefire which if it be not sometimes righted up will of it self go out though there be fuel enough about it This good Queen was no lesse active in her generation then before had been Miriam Deborah Bathsheba c. and after her were Serena the Empresse Sophia Queen of Bohemia a Hussite Queen Katherine Parre the Doctoresse as her husband merrily called her somtimes and that matchlesse Queen Elizabeth whose Sunny dayes are not to be passed over sleightly saith one without one touch upon that string which so many yeares sounded so sweetly in our eares without one sigh breathed forth in her sacred memory Oh what an happy time of life had that famous light of our Church Mr. William Perkins who was borne in the first yeare of her reign and died in her last yeare And Mordecai the Jew These two joyned together to adde the more force to the Ordinance Wrote with all authority Heb. with all strength viz. of spirit and of speech of affection and expression To confirme the second letter Lest for fear of the friends of such as they had slain the Jewes should be slack in observing this feast of lots Verse 30. And be sent letters to all the Jewes Tremellius readeth it Which letters Mordecai sent to all the Jewes scil as Monitours and Remembrancers To the hundred twenty and seven Provinces Among and above the rest to Judea which was one of that number With words of peace and truth i.e. premising words of prosperity and settlement saith Tremellius or promising them peaceable enjoyment of the true Religion liberty of conscience rightly so called Or praying that they may follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Or he sent letters full of courtesie and truth that is of unfeined courtesie as Vatablus senseth it For there is a cut-throat courtesie such as was that of Joab to Amasa of Judas to our Saviour of Julian the Apostate to Basil when he wrote unto him but not with words of peace and truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 31. To confirme these dayes of Purim That they might by no manner of means be neglected but that renewing their resolutions and their reasons for the same they might remain constant and firme and peremptory in well-doing cleaving to God with full purpose of heart and sitting close unto the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 And as they had decreed for themselves Heb. for thâ—in soules for the soule is the man and the greatest thing in the least compasse is a good minde in a mans body The matters of the fastings and their cry Heb. the words of fasting c. that is the vowes they then uttered when they fasted and cried that if God would hear and help them they would not faile to praise him in all best manner Now therefore sith the vowes of god were upon them they should by keeping these dayes offer unto him thanksgiving Aben-Ezra and pay their vowes unto the most High Some think that the fasting and crying here mentioned referreth to those in Zechary chap. 7.5 in remembrance of the desolation of Jerusalem that as they fasted then so they should feast now God having fulfilled his promise there made of turning their fasting into feasting and added Therefore love the truth and peace chap. 8.19 confer Mordecai's words of peace and truth supra verse 30. Verse 32. And the decree of Esther confirmed c. Dux foemina facti Money was coined in the yeare eighty eight in honour of Queen Elizabeth with that Posie inscribed The like may be here said of Queen Esther yea we may adde that in the Gospel spoken concerning another Where ever this history shall be read in all the world this that she hath done shall be spoken of to her eternal commendation And it was written in the book Tremellius rendreth it thus When therefore the Edict of Esther had confirmed these things it was written in this book Lyra and others thus She requested the wise men of that age that they would reckon this History for holy Writ If it be meant of any other publike record which the Jewes then had it is lost as are likewise some other pieces which never were any part of the holy Scriptures for God by his Providence ever took care and course that no one haire of that sacred head should fall to the ground That unsound conceit of Pellican here is by no meanes to be admitted viz. That this latter part of the chapter from verse 25. to the end came from the pen of some other man not guided by the Spirit of God and that because here is no mention made of praising God at this feast or stirring up one another to trust in him For we know that all Scripture is of divine inspiration and it is to be presumed that those things were done at such solemnities though it be not recorded in each particular CHAP. X. Verse 1. And the King Ahashuerus laid a tribute c AN extraordinary tribute to maintain warre against the Grecians who uniting together were then grown potent and formidable To enable himself therefore the better against them Xerxes gathered money the sinews of warre but lost the affections of his subjects the joynts of peace He became hereby ill beloved of all sorts and far a lesse King by striving to be more then he was And hence haply one letter of his name is lost here for the Masurites tell us Drus in loâ— that in the ancient Copies he is written not Ahashuerus but Ahasres without a Vau. And upon the Isles of the sea Judea was an Isle Isa 20.6 but not
Lord is pure Psal 19.9 and men do perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And eschewed evil He must needs do so that feareth God the greatest Good sith sin is the greatest evil and stands in full opposition to him Job therefore stands in aw and sinnes not he studiously declines evil as he would do a serpent in his way or poison in his meates And this he did not in a land of uprightnesse where the fear of God was in 〈…〉 profane Esanites in the midst of a crocked and corrupt poâ—â—ration as Noah is the old world Lot in Sodom Joseph in Egypt Eliah 〈…〉 Orient Star shining with fulnesse of heavenly light and fixed in the region of happinesse though seen sometimes in a Well in a puddle in a stinking ditch 〈…〉 him seâ—â—â— Sons This was a main part of his prosperity to have such a numerous issue to build up his house and to â—eir his estate though it proved to be luctâ—osa foecunditas as Hierome said Laeta's was who lived to see her children buried before her Jobs children are spoken of before his wealth because better valued and yet after this fearing God and eschewing evil to shew saith Ferus that he was not like the men of these times who if they have many children will take any evil course to get something for them and think it a sufficient plea against works of piety or charity that they have many children to provide for But such should know that not getting but giving is the way to thrive neither can men better lay up for their children then by laying it out upon the backs and bellies of Gods poor to whom he that giveth shall not lack Prov. 28.27 that 's a bargain of Gods own making this the righteous knowing is merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed Psal 37.26 when the wicked wretches riches perish by evil travel and he bagetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand Eccles 5.14 I read of a graceless son who after his fathers death finding his hoard of mony and evil-gotten wealth cried out O faithful drudge and he soon made a hand of it And three daughters hopeful and towardly not like those of Augustus Caesar whom for the evil courses they took he was wont to term them three mattery impostumes and ulcerous sores wishing that either he had lived a batchelour Tres vomicas tria carcinomata Sueton. Val. Max. Chri. pag. 308. or died childlesse But rather like those of Charles the great who so pleased him that he could not at any time be well without their company nor find in his heart to part with them though it were to be well married Verse 3. His substance also Heb. his Possession or Acquisition Possessio maximè pecuaria Nomen dictum est ab acquirendo Merc. that stock and store which he had gotten and was rightly possessed of consisting very much in cattel great and small for mony was not then in so great request as now when it is become the Monarch and bears the Mastery Regiâ—â— pecuâ—iâ— as he saith In precio precium nunc est saith another We read not of Jobs gold silver tapestry rich furniture saith Origen and other accoustrements now much used and valued but not so of old Heretofore in this Island of ourâ— saith Hollingshead in a good Farmers house 't was rare to find four pieces of pewter and it was accounted a great matter that a Farmer could shew five shillings or a Noble together in silver and if the good man of the house had a mattress or flock bed and a sack of chasse to rest his head on he thought himself as well lodged as the Lord of the town c. Hollingshead further saith that some old men he knew who told of such times in England no longer ago Was seven thousand sheep He had most of that most profitable creature good both ad esum and ad usum therefore also in sacrifices was no creature so frequently offered And three thousand Camels and five hundred she asseâ— sâ— to carry his servants and his baggage to export and import commodities for Net verò terra ferra omnes omnia possunt And five hundred yoake of oxen To plow his ground with for great men were anâ—iently much addicted to husbandry as Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.10 which Socrates called Amaltheae cornâ— the horn of plenty â— and the Romans reckoned that corn was with them never so cheap as when men were fetched from the plough taile Plin. to govern the Common-wealth quasi gaudâ—â—â—t terra 〈◊〉 vomere aratro triumphali But now the case is otherwise as Beza upon this text complaineth that husbandry and 〈…〉 are left for the baâ—est and simplest men and for such as all others might prey upon And this bâ—ingeth into my mind saith he that which once I saw painted in a table where the Noble-man had this posie By my sword I 〈◊〉 you all the Clergyman By my prayers I preserâ—â— you all the Country-man I 〈◊〉 you all Lastly the Lawyer I 〈◊〉 you all Pâ—llican noteth here that Job had no 〈…〉 lived lovingly with his neighbours not warring upon any the horse is a warlike 〈…〉 prepared for the day of battle But Beza noteth that in that 〈◊〉 they 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 to beare burdens and Asses 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 Great store of servants he had about him and himself 〈…〉 according to that of the Greek Poâ—t wherewith Luther was so taken that be translated it in certain rithmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some render it He had very much husbandry others he had great doings in the world the more was his trouble it is not the great cage that maketh the bird sing and abroad the singeth not on the ground but when got in the aire or on the top of trees So is it with the Saints and the greater was his praise that he could handle his thornes and not prick his fingers have so much to do with the world and yet not grow worldly minded Difficile est opibus nonâ—tradere mores Et vom tot Crâ—â—sos viceris esse Numam So that this man was the greatest c. A King some say the first King of Edom but that 's uncertain he might be a private man and yet a very rich man such as was Pythias who was once able to entertain Xerxes and his two millions of men for three dayes and yet died a beggar and was famished He was impoverished by his own folly and prodigality but Job by the immediate hand and good pleasure of God for his trial and for exercise of his patience This commendeth unto us Jobs constancy and magnanimity which is so much the moâ—e wonderful by how much this change was not only not self-acquired but altogether unexpected his sun went down suddenly at high-noon and when he doubted least he was made a mirrour of mis-fortune as if God and men heaven and earth were set against him In him it appeared that morâ—ality
in him to suspect 〈…〉 whilest he intended their good and turned his 〈…〉 That his children were godly is put 〈…〉 whether they had sinned But how then doth it follow And cursed God in their hearts And not blessed God so Calvin rendreth it not done him right So Sanctim and therefore wrong they have not high and honourable conceptions of him answerable to his excellent greatnesse but by base and bald thoughts cast him as it were into a dishonourable mould and not given him the glory due to his Name that holy and reverend Name Psal 111.9 Great and dreadful among the Heathen Mal. 1.14 In the Hebrew it is And blessed God for cursed by an Euphemismus or Antiphrasis as when an harlot is called Kedesha a holy woman by contraries So aurisacra i. e. execranda fames The Hebrews so abhorred blasphemy against God as they would not have the sound of it to be joyned to the Name of God whom they commonly call Baruc-hu the blessed One. So they would not take the name of Leven that prohibited ware into their mouths all the time of the feast of the Passeover Elias Thisâ— So in their common talk they call a Sow dabhar achar an other thing because they were forbidden to eat swines flesh Thus did Job continually Heb. all the dayes that is in the renewed seasons he was not weary of well-doing but stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord alwaies renewing his repentance and faith in Christ figured by those sacrifices for the Ceremonial Law was their Gospel Verse 6. Now there was a day Haply that day wherein Jobs children were feasting their last The Rabbines say the first day of the year and some say the sabbath day But who told them so this is to intrude into things which they have not seen Col. 2.18 and where of there is neither proof nor profit Certain it is that as God hath before all beginnings decreed all things so he hath set and assigned the times or seasons which he hath put in his own power Act. 1.7 when every thing shall come to passe as himself hath appointed Now then saith Beza the time being come which he prefixed for the actual accomplishing of that he had decreed concerning Job he revealed the same to Satan being before altogether ignorant thereof as whom he had appointed to be the chief instrument in executing this his will and purpose The children of God i.e. the Elect Angels called Sons of God here and elsewhere not because they are so by eternal generation as Christ alone nor by adoption and regeneration as the Saints John 1.12 but by Creation as Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3. ult and Resemblance for they are made in Gods image and are like him as his children both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties which are Life and Immortality Blessednesse and Glory wherein we shall one day be their comperes Luke 20.36 Came to present themselves This is spoken in a low language for our better apprehension by allusion to the custome of earthly Princes and their attendants and officers coming to give an account or receive directions The Angels are never absent from God Luke 1.19 but yet employed by him in governing the world Ezek 1. and guarding the Saints Heb. 1.14 This the heathens hammered at for both Plutarch and Proculus the Platonist say that the Angels doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 travel betwixt heaven and earth carrying the commands of God to men and the desires of men to God Jussa divina ferentes ad homines hominem voâ—â— ad deos And Satan came also among them That old man-slayer envying Jobs holinesse and happinesse as much as the good Angels rejoyced in it and promoted it for he was seen of Angels of both sorts would needs make one among those Sons of God not without Gods over ruling power although he regarded not so much Gods authority as wanted an opportunity and license to do mischief In reference to this history George Marsh Martyr in a certain letter of his writeth thus to his friend the servants of God cannot at any time come and stand before God that is lead a godly life and walk innocently but Satan comes also among them that is the daily accuseth findeth fault 〈◊〉 persecuteth and troubleth the godly c. Yet unlesse God do permit him he can do nothing at all not so much as enter into a filthy hog But we are more of price then many hogs before God Acts and Mon. fol. 14 23. Before the Lord Or By or Near the Lord. But can Satan come into the presence of God Mr. Caryl Surely no otherwise saith a grave Divine then a blind man can come into the Sun he cometh into the Sun and the Sun shineth upon him but he sees not the Sun Satan comes so into the presence of God that 〈…〉 of God he is never so in the presence of God as to see God Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan either by forming and creating a voice in the air as Matth. 3.17 Job 12.28 or by an inward word after an unspeakable manner manifesting his wil as he willed to Satan The School men have great disputes about the speech of spirits but this they agree in that the intention of one spirit is as plain an expression of his mind by another spirit when he hath a will that the other should understand it as the voice of one man is to another Whence comest thou This the Lord asketh not as if he were ignorant for he knows all things and that from eternity neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open before his eyes Heb. 4.13 yea in him all things subsist Colâ—â— 1.17 So that there can be no motion of the creature without his privity God therefore thus interrogateth Satan that he might shew himself to be his Judg and that he might exact a confession out of his own mouth Then Satan answered the Lord the word signifieth to speak in witnesse-bearing Exod. 20 16 From going to and fro in the earth He saith not from instigating men to all manner of wickednesse from ranging up and down as a roaring Lion to devour soules from sinning that sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. All this he cunningly dissembleth and saith in effect as once Gehezi did Thy servant was no where or for no hurt to any when as he is never but doing mischief as Pliny saith of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting Is not the hand of Joab in this businesse So is not Satan in all the sins of the wicked and in most of the troubles of the godly Heâ— quà m furit Satan impellis secures homines ad horrenda flagitia c. saith Luther O how doth Satan range and rage that he may glut himself
but a copy of his countenance and meerly for a name And what shall we think of Quinâ—us Fabius Maximus who when he heard that his mother and wife whom he loved dearly were slain by the fall of an house and that his younger son a brave hopefull young man died the same time in Vmbria he never changed his countenance though his friends lamented the losse with many tears but went on with the businesses of the Common-wealth as if no such calamity had befallen him was this patience or stupidity whether Patience is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 so that Aquinas needed not to have questioned Aquin. 2 2. q. 136. whether a man can have patience sine auxilio gratiae without the help of Gods grace A natural man may for sinister ends bite in his paine as Marius did when his leg was cut off by the Chirurgion he may conceale his grief as Mithridates did for a time but all the while he was in a kind of fever Epialis the Physicians call it wherein men be cold without but hot as fire within And the like we may judg of Philip the second King of Spaine who is said to have born the losse of his invincible Armado that had been three years a rigging with much patience giving and commanding to be given all over Spain thanks to God and the Saints that it was no more grievous This was but a fained and a forced patience Camd. Elis 371. it was rather pertinacy then patience it was an obstinate stiffenesse of mind c. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and what was the ground of it he beheld God in all the Lord hath taken away saith he not a word of the Caldean and Sabean plunderers not a tittle against the divel who had employed them and why Job easily discerned Gods arrowes in Satans hand and Gods hand on the arms of those that had robbed him and wronged him hence Taceo Fero Spero was his motto It is the Lord said Eli when threatned with the losse of all I was dumb saith David because it was thy doing So was Jacob for the same reason 1 Sam. 3.18 Psal 39. Gen. 34.5 in the rape of Dinah his only daughter afterwards married to Job say the Jew-Doctors So was Aaron in the untimely end of his untowardly children Lev. 10.3 So was Mauricius the good Emperour when he saw his wife and children slain before his eyes by the traitor Phocas And so was lastly that noble Lord of Plessis who when he had lost his only son a Gentleman of marvellous great hope in the Low-Countries and shortly after his Lady died of that griefe hee took up those words of David See his life I was silent and said no word because thou Lord hadst done it Blessed be the Name of the Lord As well for taking away as for giving This was a rare bird that would thus sing in winter It is easie to swim in a warm bath and every bird can sing in a warm sun-shine but to blesse God heartily when afflicted most heavily this this is the breathing of an excellent spirit In every thing to give thanks ô quam hoc non est omnìum In this theme of blessing God for afflictions also Basil spendeth all his Sermon which he entitleth Giving of thanks in all things Christianorum propria virtus est saith Hierome it is a vertue proper to true Christians Hicr in Eph. 5. heartily and not hollowly to give God thanks for crosses for it proceeds from the joy of faith and some taste of Gods fatherly care of us in our corrections If good things befall thee blesse God and they shall be increased if evill things blesse God and they shall be removed saith Austin of whom also it is reported that he had alwaies in his mouth Deo gratias Thanks be to God for whatsoever befalleth us Si bona dedâ—rit Dâ—us grattas agiâ— augebuntur c. The Prophet Psalm 89.38 to 52. lamentably complaineth of the Churches miseries and yet concludeth Blessed be the Lord for evermore and this he doth not formally and sightly but earnestly and with much affection Lo this is the guise of those that be gracious But how blank think we was the Divel when hoping to heare Job blaspheme God he heareth him blessing Gods Name in this sort The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. blessed be the Name of the Lord The Greek and Latine translations insert here another sentence that is not found in the Hebrew verity viz. even as it pleaseth the Lord so come things to passe Our late Common-prayer-book also hath the same words in the form for Burial of the dead Verse 22. In all this Job sinned not The Greek and Latine versions adde here with his lips but I could rather be of Mercers judgement who referreth the former part of this verse to the mind and the later to the mouth shewing that Job neither thought in his heart nor uttered with his mouth any thing unmeet and unworthy of God insomuch that both within and without he carried away the victory and conquest over Satan Bâ—zâ— and so better deserved to be Sainted then our Henry the sixth of whom the Chronicler writeth thus This King in both estates so demeaned himselfe that he modestly carried the one and moderately under-went the other yea such was his deportment that the inconstancy of his state could not alter the constancy of his minde insomuch that one of his successours Dan. hist contin by Trussel King Henry the seventh laboured for that onely vertue to have him canonized for a Saint and had obtained to have done it had not the charges thereof so farre exceeded mediocrity as to cause him to leave it undone God himself hath here canonized crowned and chronicled holy Job for his many good properties before and here for his humility and patience The triall of his faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire is found to praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1.7 It was a saying of Philostratus that one Jupiter set out by Homer the Poet was worth ten set out by Phydias the carver because the former flew abroad through all the world whereas the other never stirred from his pedistal at Athens so one Job thus renowned by Gods owne pen is farre beyond all that have been memorized in humane histories for their aequanimity and constancy In all this that Job suffered acted and uttered he sinned not scil sinningly he was not transformed into sins image he sinned not by cursing God as Satan hoped and would have had it or charged God foolishly or with folly with any thing insolent insulse unsavory he charged him not in the least to have dealt unwisely or unworthily with him and this is here mentioned as Grace Jam. 1.4 almost to a miracle as Patience having her perfect work and proving
wisely have withstood his Wives motion to blaspheme Hitherto certainly God had helped him It was the uncouth and unkind carriage of his friends concurring with the increase of his bodily paine besides the eclipse of inward comforts that drew from him those passionate expressions chap. 3. Ver. 11. And when Jobs three friends His familiar friends that did eat of his bread as Psal 49.9 that were as his own soul Deut. 13.6 his bosome friends and therefore precious Jewels such as could both keep counsel and give counsel Of such there are but few to be found Friends there is no friend said Socrates Faithfull friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Another are in this age all for the most part gone in pilgrimage and their return is uncertain A Friend is a changeable creature saith a Third all in changeable colours like the Peacock as often changed as moved Job complaineth of these his chief and choice friends that they were miserable Comforters Physicians of no value chap. 16.2 c. Amicitia sit tantùm inter binos eósque bonos such as were Jonathan and David Corporibus geminis spiritus unus erat Heard of all this evil Whether by the ministry of the good or bad Angels or of neither it skilleth not Ill newes is swift of foot saith the Greek Proverb and like ill weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes ere it be sent for The sins and miseries of good people are much talked of and soon bruited abroad The Chaldee Paraphrast here telleth of strange businesses viz. that these three here mentioned besides the report they heard of Jobs calamity were moved to visit him by the wonders that fell out with them at the same time for their trees suddenly withered in their Ort-yards their bread at their table was turned into raw flesh their wine into bloud c. But this may well passe for a Jewish fable The Author of that Paraphrase was R. Joseph Cacus nothing so ancient or authentick as he who paraphraseth upon the historical books but exceeding full of mistakes and seldome cometh he near the right meaning of the Text all along the Hagiographa They came every one from his own place More then these came to such a sight no doubt but these out of a desire and designe to condole with him and comfort him But it fel out far otherwise for they tormented Job well nigh as much as Satan himself though it were of ignorance and unwittingly rather then of ill will or malice fore-thought Their very silence and gesture before ever they spake a word did so torment his mind that at last he cryes out in that bitter manner as chap. 3. like a frantick man which through some grievous sicknesse hath lost his wits Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhitt c. Idumeans all likely and men of much estimation for wisdome Jer. 49.7 Is Wisdom no more in Teman and godlinesse as descended all of Abraham whose care was to catechise his whole Family and to teach them the wayes of God Gen. 18.19 Their following disputations shew as much wherein they admonish him to repent assuring him that he could be no lesse then a grosse sinner and an hypocrite because so grievously afflicted Job answereth their severall speeches tormented in body perplexed in mind but stoutly defending his own innocency and seeming to tax the Lord also like as dogs in a chase bark at their own Masters To this his friends reply sharply from chap. 15. to 22. and he answereth them again with greater boldnesse and courage then before Hereupon they begin a second reply and here Eliphaz and Bildad onely spake The third man fainted and spake no more for that Job was invincible c. till at length Elihu moderateth censuring both parties and God determineth to Jobs conviction and finall commendation For they had made an appointment together to come Not by accident or at adventure as Origen will needs have it against the Text but by solemn agreement it was a pitcht meeting Neither staid they till they were sent for but came as friends to do Job all friendly offices like as in a fright the blood and spirits run to the heart to relieve it A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity Prov. 17.17 See the Note there To mourn with him Heb. To shake the head or other parts of the body in token of commiseration to bewail his condition as Cyprian did the persecuted Saints of his time Cum singulis pectus meum copulo saith he Moeroris pondera luctuosa participo c. Who is offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11.29 And to comfort him This they intended but proved miserable comforters too by reason of the deceitfulnesse of their hearts fitly therefore compared to a broken or a deceitfull bow that carrieth the arrow a clean contrary way So Jonah prayed unto the Lord. chap. 4.2 He thought to have prayed but it proved that he brawled Psal 78.57 The word rendred to comfort signifieth likewise to mourn with the mourning of repentance to teach us here to begin our pity to others to bewail their and our owe sins see the Note there These mens words were as a murthering weapon in Jobs bones pious they were and divine all along but much mis-applied It is said of them that they handled an ill matter well and Job a good cause as ill especially when once he came to be wet through Verse 12. And when they lift up their eyes afarre off Hence some conclude that Job lay abroad as lepers used And knew him not for they had never seen him before but in a splendidous fashion now then to see him in such a pickle that he hà d lost all form and fashion more like a dead beast then a living man this amazed and amused them they might also by this so sad a spectacle be admonished of their own mutable and miserable condition Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possumus esse quod hic est and have the same thoughts as the Psalmist afterwards had Man being in honour abideth not Psal 45.12 he is like the beasts that perish pecoribus morticinis saith Tremellius the beasts that die of the murraine and so become carrion and are good for nothing Job was now no otherwise to be seene then as a stinking carcasse full of sores more like then a living man as he painteth out himself in most lively colours They lifted up their voice and wept Good men are apt to do so saith the Poet faciles motus mens generosa capit we are bound to weep with those that weep and to be both pitifull and courteous 1 Pet. 3. To him that is in misery pity should be shewed from his friend it was so to Job here at first but he forsaketh the fear of the Lord Job 6.14 Jobs friends did so when amazed with the greatnesse of his calamity they therehence concluded him an arrant hypocrite unworthy of any one
There the 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 as do their cruell creditors and hard task-masters There that is in the state of the dead whether by land or sea the 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 the miserable captives â—est such as were those poor Christians shut up so close by Barbâ—rusâ—a the Turkish Generall returning toward Constantinople under hatches among the excrements of nature that all the way as he went Turk hist 750. almost every houre some of them were cast dead over-board Such were many of the Martyrs kept fast shut up â—n â—ollards Tower in the Bishop of London cole-house a dark and ugly prison said Mr. Philpot as any is about London but I thank the Lord I am not alone but have six other faithfull companions who in our darknesse do lightsomely sing Psalms and praises to God for his great goodnesse Acts Mon. 1669 1670. but especially for this that I am so near the apprehension of eternall blisse God forgive me mine unthankfulnesse and unworthinesse of so great glory What pitifull hard usage Gods poor prisoners met with in the late troubles at Oxford especially from which death God graciously delivered me when I was in their hands and in the Western parts pag. 38. see Mr. Râ—nas Sermon called Jâ—b in the West where he compareth the enemies cruelty to that of the American Cannâ—bals who when they take a prisoner seed upon him alive and by degrees to the unutterable aggravation of his horrour and torment They hear not the â—ice of the oppressors Their harsh and hard speeches Jude 15. that were as a murthering weapon in the poor prisoners bones Psal 42.10 Send me back to my frogs and toads again where I may pray for you conversion said one of the Martyrs to his raiâ—â—g adversaries Art thou come thou villain how darest thou look me in the face for shame said Sâ—even Gâ—râ—iner to Dr. Tayloâ— the Martyrâ— who told him his own freely Acts Mon. but fairely for the spirit of grace is 〈…〉 Est autem Saranâ— poctus 〈…〉 saith Luthex the divell and his agents are bitter railers fetching their words as farre as hell to breaâ— the hearts of Gods prisoners Psalm 69.20 But besides that they have their cordiall of a good conscience by them 2 Cor. 1.12 in the grâ—ve they heare not the voice of the oppressor nor the barking of these dead dogs any more Verse 19. The small and the great are there In Calvary are sculls of all sizes say the Hebrewes Stat sun cuique dies It is appointed for all once to die Virg. Aeneid lib. 10. be they great or small low or high Mors sceptra liganibus aequat death makes no difference Kings and captives Lords and losels come then under an equall parity death takes away all distinctions William the Conquerours corps lay unburied three dayes his interment was hindred by one that claimed the ground to be his Daniel King Stephen was interred at Fever sham Monastery but since Speed 498. his body for the gain of the lead wherein it was coffined was cast into the river where at length it rested as did likewise the dead corps of Edward the fifth and his brother smothered in Speed 935. the Tower by Richard the third and cast into a place called the black deeps at the Thames mouth The servant is free from his Master Servant is a name of office he is not his own to dispose of but the masters instrument saith Aristotle and wholly his till he please to manumit him if he do not yet death will and by taking away his life give him his liberty his body resteth from all servile offices for a season howsoever and if with good will hee hath done service as to the Lord and not to men he shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance even a childs part Colos 4.24 Verse 20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery Job hath not done yet though he had said more then enough of this matter but for want of the oyle of joy and gladnesse his doors move not without creaking his lips like rusty hinges open not without murmuring and complaining Good therefore is that counsel given by David Cease from anger and forsake wrath take up in time before it hath wholly leavened and sowred you fret not thy self in any wise to do evill Psal 37.8 Hee shall not chuse but do evil who is sick of the fret David had the sad experience of this when he had carted the Ark and thereupon God had made a breach upon Vzzah David was displeased saith the Text and how untowardly spake hee as if the fault were more in God then in himself though afterwards he came to a sight of his own error 1 Chron. 13.11 with 15.2 And so did Job no doubt when come to himself but here he proceeds to expresse his peevishnesse and impatience yea against God himself though not by name forsan sese cohibens ob bonae mentis reliquias saith Mercer out of his good respect to God which he still retained and calls for a reason why the miserable should be condemned to live since death would be much more welcome to them How apt are men to think there is no reason for that for which they can see no reason Verse 21. Which long for death and it cometh not The bitter in soul long for death those that are in paine or penury are apt to desire to be dispatch'd upon any terms and would freely pardon them they say that would give them their pasport But these for most part consider not the unsupportablenesse of the wrath to come that eternity of extremity in hell that death usually haleth at the heeles of it so that by death whereof they are so desirous they would but leap out of the frying-pan into the fire as Judas did they do as the asse in the fable who desired to die that he might be no more beaten at post mortem factus est tympanum but when he was dead he was made a drum-head of and so was ten times more laid on then ever in his life-time before And dig for it more then for hid treasures Covetousnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all-daring saith an Ancient and men for love of wealth will dig to hell light a candle at the divel as they say With such an eagernesse of desire do some that have little reason for it all things reckoned long and labour after death not to bee rid of sin or to bee with Christ as Phil. 1.23 but to bee freed from misery incumbent or impendent Thus Cato having first read Plato's book of the souls immortality laid violent hands on himselfe that hee might not fall into the hands of the conqueror Thus Adrian the Emperour having lain long sick and could get no help by Physicians but was the worse for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he complained at his death would gladly have slaine himselfe if those about him would have suffered
it It is said that Severianus whom this Emperour injuriously put to death wished of God at Adrianus quamvis mortem obire percupiat tamen non possit that Adrian might desire to die and not be able or find opportunity There is an Epistle of his extant saith the Historian wherein is set forth what a misery it is to desire to die Dio Cass in Adrian and yet to be denied it This was the case of those Popelings Rev. 9.6 And in particular of Roger Bishop of Salisbury in King Stevens time who through long and strait imprisonment was brought to that evil passe â—t vivere notuerit mori nescierit live he would not and yet die he could not This is a very typicall-hell and a fore-taste of eternall torment Verse 22. Which rejoyce exceedingly Joy till they skip again so Broughton rendreth it Strange that any should be so glad of death that last enemy that slaughter-man of nature and harbinger of hell to the ungodly but this the divel hideth from them till he hath them where he would have and whence there is no redemption What was it else that moved Augustus at his death to call for a Plâ—udite or that made Julian the Apostate to die so confidently and many now-adayes that have little reason for it to be so prodigall of their lives and seemingly fond of death Is it not because they are fearfully blinded by the god of this present world who holdeth his black hand before their eyes 2. Cor. 4.4 left they should see the evill consequents of death and be saved which because they do not what do they else but rejoyce exceedingly or with exultation as the word here signifieth in their wofull bondage and goe dancing to hell in their bolts not so much as desiring deliverance A man that is to be hanged next day may dream overnight he shall be set free nay that he shall bee a King and rejoyce therein accordingly but the end of such joy is heavinesse Verse 23. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid i.e. Why is the light of life continued to him who is in a maze or labyrinth of miseries whereof he can see no cause and whereout he can descry no issue no hope at all appeareth of ever either mending or ending Therefore Vale lumen amicum as he in Saint Hierome said sweet light adieu Quin morere ut merita es as shee in the Poet Be thine owne deaths-man Seneca counts it a mercy to a man in misery that he may by laying hands on himself set out his life when he will and this he calls valour and man-hood But we have no so learned Christ neither may we leave our station till called for by our Captaine but must stand to our arms and as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ suffer hardship 2 Tim. 2.4 His word to us is the same as the Kings was to his Sonne the Black-Prince Speed either vanquish or dye and as she in the story said to her son when shee gave him his Target See that thou either bring this back with thee or else be thou brought back dead upon it out of the battel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It troubled Job that he could not see his way and that God had hedged him in viz. with a thorn-hedge of afflictions Lam. 3.7 9. Hos 2.6 so that he could find no way out But what if he could not nor any man alive yet the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 He hath his way in the whirlewind and his judgements are a great deepe Psal 36.6 Sometimes secret they are but ever just Surely it had beene more meete for Job to have said unto God That which I see not teach thou mee c. yea Job 34.31 in the way of thy judgments O Lord have I waited for thee the desire of my soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Isa 26.8 Verse 24. For my sighing cometh before I eat It cometh unsent for as evill weather useth to do and most unseasonably surprizeth me at my repast I mingle my meat with my tears with every bit of bread I have a morsell of sorrowes â— and I mingle my drink with weeping Psal 102.9 though indeed Jobs was not so much a showre of teares as a storm of sighs and a volly of roarings betokening extremity of griefe such as was beyond tears and vented it selfe as the noise of many waters for my roarings saith he are poured out like water I am as hungry as a Lion roaring on his prey and as violent as the Torrents ranging the fields and yet I neither have leisure nor lift to eat my bread as loth to prolong such a troublesome life but that I must or be guilty of self-murther Mr Fox reports of Mr. John Glover that not long after his conversion upon a mistake of the sense of that text Heb. 6.5 6. he was strongly conceited that he had fallen into the unpardonable sinne and must necessarily therefore be damned and in that intolerable grief of mind although he neither had not could have any joy of his meat yet was he compelled to eate against his appetite to the end to deferre the time of his damnation so long as he might Acts Mon. 1552. Now who can tell how neere Jobs case might come to this fith the divell was both Author and Actor in a great part of both these Tragicomedies Verse 25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me Heb. I feared a fear and it came upon me Had Job been wicked this had been no wander Prov. 10.24 Job 15.21 Or had his fear been sinfull it had been lâ—sse pity Prov. 29.25 John 11.48 for why should he by a painfull 〈…〉 suffer before he needed and send for his crosses before they came A good man should 〈◊〉 all and so consequently fearfull in nothing â—â—il 4.6 he should hope the best and beate bravely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Demosthenes whatever God sendeth The Epicunts held that a good man might be cheerfull under whatsoever miseries 1. Ex prateritarum voluptatum recordatione Cic. de finib lib. 2. In consideration of honesty and integrity 2. In consideration of those pleasuâ—es and to 〈◊〉 that formerly he had enjoyed and now cheared up himself with Of neither of these was Job to seek But whereas it might be said unto him Is it fit for thee who hast hitherto been so happy now to take on so heavily because thus and thus afflicted Truly saith he I was never so happy as you took me for because considering how moveable and mutable all outward things are I alwayes feared lest I should out live my prosperity that which now also is unhappily befallen me Sylla had been happy si eundem vincâ—ndi 〈…〉 fâ—cisset saith One that iâ— if he had made an end of conquering and of living together but that he did not In him and many
capitulate with him and not stoop unto him by an humble yieldance especially sithence Deus crudelius urit Quos videt invitos succubuisse sibi Tibul. Eleg 1.8 The way to disarme Gods heavy indignation is to submit to his justice and to implore his mercy Hos 5.14 to fly from his Anger to his Grace Blood-letting is a cure of bleeding and a burne a cure against a burne and running to God is the way to escape him as to close and get in with him that would strike you doth avoid the blow and this is that that I would do were I in thy case saith Eliphaz here Hee doth not vaunt as Olympiodorus mistaketh his meaning but advise Job to humble himself and confesse his sinnes and sue for pardon of sin and release of punishment to kisse the rod and not to bite it to drink of Gods cup willingly and at first when it is full as Mr. Bradford Martyr hath it lest if he linger he drink at length of the dregs with the wicked And unto God the righteous Judge as the word importeth Phocyl who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither â—areth nor feareth any man as it was said of Trajan the Emperour but more truly of God he proceedeth according to truth not according to opinion or appearance and greatly scorneth to look at displeasure revenge or recompence Would I commit my cause Put my case and condition by self-resignation and humble supplication This David did notably 2 Sam. 15.25 26. Psal 142.2 and counsels all to do accordingly Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden or thy request upon the Lord by vertue of this writ or warrant Verse 9. Which doth great things and unsearchable The better to perswade Job to take his counsel he entreth into a large description of Gods attributes his Power Wisedome Aug. Justice Mercy c. all which are clearly seene in his workes of wonder as in a mirrour or as on a theatre These he is ever in doing as the word here signifieth and sheweth himself great in great things and not little in the least dum memora culicis pulicis disponit yea he useth to be greater in smaller things then in bigger The soul is more operative in Ants then in Elephants in Dwarfes then in Giants So he delights to help his people with a little help Dan. 11.34 that through weaker meanes they may see his greater strength to magnifie his power in pardoning their many and mighty sinnes Numb 14.17 18. Micah 7.18 to illustrate his power in their perseverance and wonderfull preservation amidst a world of evils and enemies John 10.29 1 Pet. 1.5 to fulfill his promises seeme they never so improbable or impossible Jer. 32.14 15. to answer prayers that look as if lost and to do for his people exceeding abundantly above all that they can ask or think according to the power that worketh in them Eph. 3.20 All this Eliphaz would have Job to consider that he might not cast away his confidence but seek to God and turn his talk to him as Beza turneth the fore-going words And unsearchable Heb. And no search for they are fathomlesse and past finding out Rom. 11.33 This Eliphaz might say to stop Jobs curiosity and to humble him for his sinne in enquiring too much into the reason of Gods so severe dealing with him chap. 3. In prying too farre or too boldly into the secret workings of God It should suffice us to know that the will of Gods is the rule of right that his judgements are sometimes secret alwaies just that it is extreme folly to reprehend what we cannot comprehend wee may as soone comprehend the sea is a cockleshell as the unsearchable things of God in our narrow and shallow understandings that at the last day all things shall be cleared up and every mouth stopped when exquisite reasons of all Gods proceedings which now seem not so well carried shall be produced and wisedome shall be justified of her children Marvellous things Such as the wisest may well wonder at God is the onely Thaumaturgus the great wonder-worker and these marvels are more ordinary then the most are either at all either aware of or affected with To let passe those wonders of the Creation for which see Psal 136.4 5 6 7. Canst thou tell how the bones grow in her that is with child saith Solomons Eccl. 11.5 Mirificatus sum mirabilibus operis tuis so Montanus rendreth that of David Psal 139.14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy workes c. Galen that great Naturallist Fernel de abd rer caus was much amazed at the motion of the lungs in mans body and would needs offer sacrifices therefore to that God whom he knew not Who can give a naturall reason of the strength of the neather-chap of the heat in the stomack of the colours in the rain-bow of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea or but of this ordinary occurrence that chaffe is so cold that it keepes snow hidden within it from melting and withall so warme that it hasteneth the ripening of Apples Well might Eliphaz say that God doth marvellous things without number Verse 10. Who giveth vain upon the earth This is reckoned and rightly among the marvellous workes of God See chap. 28.26 Jer. 10.13 Amos 5.8 Acts 14.17 Raine is the flux of a moist cloud which being dissolved by little and little by the heat of the Sun lets down 〈◊〉 by drops out of the middle region of the aire this is Gods gift For he 1. 〈◊〉 it Job 28.26 2. Prepareth it Psal 147.8 3. With-holdeth it at his pleasure â—â—opping those bottles that should yeild it Amos 4.7 4. Sendeth 〈…〉 the behoof and benefit of man and 〈◊〉 as also for the demonstration of his Power Wisedome Justice and Goodnesse whereof hee hath not left himself 〈◊〉 by without witnesse Acts 14.17 whiles he weigheth these waters above the firmament by measure so that not one drop falleth in vain or in a wrong place In those hot countries where Rivers were scant raine was highly valued they called it the husband of the earth because the earth can no more hear fruit without it then a woman children without the company of a man The Egyptians were wont in mockery to tell the Grecians that if their God whom they called cloud-gathering Jupiter should forget to give raine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might chance to sterve for it see the reason Deut. 11.8 11 12. Egypt was watered with the soot as a garden by sluces from Nilus not so Canaan He sendeth waters upon the fields irrigat aquis universa saith the vulgar Hee moisteneth all places with waters by the showres which falling upon the ground run hither and thither he divideth the fields as it were into streets and high wayes so Beza paraphraseth Another thus 'T is he himselfe who watereth it as well by those waters which fall from heaven as by those which he hath hidden in its entrailes and whose secret
of this and especially in this book which shewes that we are very apt to forget it A point this is easie to be known but very hard to be believed every man assents to it but few live it and improve it to reformation Mine eyes shâ—ll no more sâ—e good sc in this world for in the world to come hee was confident of the beatificall vision chap. 19.27 Hezekiah hath a like expression when sentenced to die I said in the cutting off of my dayes I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the land of the living that is in this life present Psal 27.13 and 52 5. and 142.5 Isa 53.8 called also the light of the living John 9.4 Psal 56.13 I shill behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world Isa 38.11 And this both sick Job and sick Hezekiah tell the Lord and both of them begin alike with O remember Isa 38.3 God forgetteth not his people and their condition howbeit he requireth and expecteth that they should be his Remembrancers for their own and others good Isa 62.6 7. See the Margin Verse 8. Thâ— eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more In death we shall neither see nor be seen but be soon both out of sight and out of mind too It is storied of Richard the third that he caused the dead corps of his two smothered Nephews to be closed in lead and so put in a coffin full of holes and hooked at the ends with two hookes of iron and so to be cast into a place called the Black-deeps Speed 935. at the Thames mouth whereby they should never rise up nor be any more seen Such a place is the grave till the last day for then the sea shall give up the dead which are in it and death ad he grave shall render up the dead that are in them Rev. 20.13 then shall Adam see all his nephews at once c. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not Thou even lookest me to death like as elsewhere God is said to frown men to destruction Psalm 80.16 and Psalm 104.29 they are not able to endure his flaming eyes sparkling out wrath against them What mad men therefore are they that speak and act against Him who can so easily do them to death If God but set his eyes upon them for evil as he oft threatneth to do Amos 9.4 Job 16.9 they are undone Verse 9. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away A cloud is nothing else but a vapour thickened in the middle Region of the aire by the cold encompassing and driving it together psalm 18.19 vessels they are as thin as the liquor that is in them but some are waterlesse the former are soon emptied and dissolved the later as soon scattered by the wind and vanish away See the Note on verse 7. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more sc to live and converse here with men as ver 10. Or he shall come up no more sc without a miracle as Lazarus and some others long since dead rose againe he cannot return to me said David of his deceased child 2 Sam. 12.23 God could send some from the dead to warn the living but that is not now to be expected as Abraham told the rich man Luk. 16. Those spirits of dead men that so oft appeared in times of Popery requiring their friends to sing Masses and Dirges for them and that drew this verse from Theodorus Gaza sunt aliquid manes lethum non omnia finit were either delusions or else divels in the shape of men That Job doubted of the Resurrection or denied it as Rabbi Solomon and some other both Hebrew and Greek writers conclude from this text is a manifest injury done to this good man and a force offered to the text as appeareth by that which next followeth Verse 10. He shall return no more to his house Either to dispatch businesses or to enjoy comforts he hath utterly done with the affaires of this world Melanchthon telleth of an aunt of his who having buried her husband and sitting sorrowfully by the fires side saw as she thought her husband coming into the roome and talking to her familiarly about the payment of certaine debts and other businesses belonging to the house and when he had thus talked with her a long time he bid her give him her hand she at first refused but was at length perswaded to do it he taking her by the hand so burnt it that it was as black as a coal and so he departed Was not this the divel Neither shall his place know him any more His place of habitation or his place of honour and ruledome these shall no more acknowledge him and welcome him back as they used to do after a journey Death is the conclusion of all worldly comforts and relations Hence wicked people are so loth to depart because there is struck by death an everlasting parting-blow betwixt them and their present comforts without hope of better spes fortuna valete said one great man at his death Cardinall Burbon would not part with his part in Paris for his part in paradise Fie said another rick Cardinall will not death be hired will mony do nothing Never did Adam go more unwillingly out of paradise the Jebusites out of the strong-hold of Zion the unjust steward out of his office or the divels out of the demoniack then gracelesse people do out of their earthly tabernacles because they know they shall return no more and having hopes in this life only they must needs look upon themselves as most miserable Verse 11. Therefore I will not refraine my mouth Heb. I will not prohibite my month sc from speaking I will bite in my grief no longer but sith death the certaine end of all outward troubles is not farre from mee I will by my further complaints presse the Lord to hasten it and not suppresse my sorrowes but give them a vent I will speake in the anguish of my spirit Heb. In the straitnesse or distresse of my spirit which is almost suffocated with grief I will complaine in the bitternesse my soul his greatest troubles were inward and if by godly sorrow for his sinnes he had powred forth his soule in an humble confession as some understand him here he had taken a right course but thus boisterously to break out into complaints savoureth of humane infirmity and sheweth quantae sint hominis vires sibi à Deo derelicti what a poor creature man is when God leaveth him to himself Mercer and subjecteth him to his judgments Verse 12. Am I a sea or a whale Can I bear all troubles as the sea receives all waters and the whale beares all tempests This as is well observed was too bold a speech to God from a creature for when his hand is on our backs our hands should be upon our mouths as Psalm 39.9 I was dumb or as others read it I should
bespeaking us as once hee did Jacob Fear not to go down to Egypt so down to the grave for I will go with thee and will surely bring thee up again Gen. 46.4 Or as he did his labouring Church Isa 26.20 Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast That thou wouldst keep me secret In limbo Patrum say the Papists in parabola ovis capras suas quaerentes Vntil thy wrath be passed For it is such as I can of my self neither avoid nor abide Turn it away therefore or turn it into gentlenesse and kindnesse Psal 6.4 and be friends again Jer. 2.35 Or secret and secure me til the resurrection when all thy wrath will be gone from me That thou wouldst appoint me a set time Heb. set me a statute set down even what time thou pleasest either to send me to bed or to call me up again so that thou wilt but be sure at last to remember me And remember me Job is willing to die out of the world but to die out of Gods memory to be out of sight but not out of mind that God should bury him in the grave but not bury his thoughts of him he could be content to be free among the dead free of that company but not as the slain that lie in the grave whom God remembreth no more Psal 88.5 Job would be remembred for good as Nehemiah prayeth and be dealt with as Moses was whose body once hid in the valley of Moab did afterwards appear glorious in Mount Tabor at the transfiguration Verse 14. If a man dye shall he liâ—e again This he speaketh in way of admiration at that glorious work of the Resurrection See the like question chap. 15.11 Gen. 3.1 and 17.17 So the Apostle Rom. 8.30 31. having spoken of those glorious things predestination vocation justification glorification concludeth in these words What shall we say then We cannot tell what to say to these things so much we are amazed at the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse in them Surely as they have a lovely scarlet blush of Christs blood upon them so they are rayed upon with a beam of divine love to them that are in Christ We read of that godly and learned Scotch-Divine Mr. John Knox that a little before his death he gat up out of his bed and being asked by his friends why being so sick he would offer to rise and not rather take his rest he answered that he had all the last night been taken up in the meditation of the Resurrection and that he would now go up into the pulpit that hee might im part to others the comforts which thereby himself had received And surely if he had been able to have done as he desired I know not what text fitter for his purpose he could have taken then these words of Job If a man die shall he live again He shall without question and those that deny it or doubt of it as the Sadduces of old and some brain-sick people of late they erre not knowing the Scriptures this among the rest which are express for it and the power of God Mat. 22.29 being herein worse then divels which believe it and tremble worse then some heathens who held there would be a resurrection as Zoroastres Theopompus Plato c. worse then Turks who at this day confesse and wait for a resurrection of the body at such a time as the fearful trumpet which they call Soor shal be sounded by Mahomet say they at the commandment of the great God of the judgment All the dayes of mine appointed time or warfare will I wait till my change come i. e. till my death Prov. 31.8 men appointed to die are called in the original children of change or till the resurrection come when we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 our vile bodies shall be changed and conformed to Christs most glorious body the standard Philip. 3.23 in beauty agility impassibility and other Angelical perfections When I awake saith David sc at that general Resurrection I shall be full of thine image Psalm 17.15 I shall be brought from the jawes of death to the joyes of eternal life where are riches without rust pleasures without pain c. Three glimpses of this glorious change were seen 1. In Moses his face 2. In Christs transfiguration 3. In Stevens countenance when he stood before the council Such a change as this is well worth waiting for what would not a man do what would he not suffer with those noble professors Heb. 11. to obtain a better resurrection I would swim through a sea of brimstone saith one that I might come to heaven at last The stone will fall down to come to its own place though it break it self in twenty pieces so we that we may get to our center which is upwards c. Sursum cursum nostrum dirigamus manantem imminentem exterminantem mortem attendamus ne simul cum corporis fractura animae jacturam faciamus Let us wait and wish every one for himself as he once did Mî sine nocte diem vitam sine morte quietem Det sine fine dies vita quiésque Deus Verse 15. Thou shalt call and I will answer thee At the Resurrection of the just thou shalt call me out of the grave by thine All-powerful voice uttered by that Archangel with the trump of God 1 Thes 4.16 1 Cor. 15.52 Psalm 50.3 4. and thou shalt not need to call twice for as I shall not need then to fear as the hypocrites will to shew my face so I will readily answer Here I am Mr. Boroughs yea as that dying Saint did so I will say I come I come I come I will even leap out of the grave to obey thine orders and I doubt not but to draw me out of that dark prison thou wilt lend me that hand of thine whereof I have the honour to be the workmanship Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands I know that thou thy self for the love thou bearest me of thy goodnesse who am thy creature Abbot and on whom thou hast shewn favour and reprinted thine image wilt long after the consummation of my happinesse for then I shall be like unto thee more like then ever for I shall see thee as thou art and appear with thee in glory Col. 3.4 1 John 3.2 being next unto thee Luke 22.30 Yea one with thee John 17.21 and so above the most glorious Angels Heb. 1.14 The King shall greatly desire my beauty Psal 45.11 and rejoyce over me as the bridegrom doth over his bride Isa 62.5 See chap. 10.3 The word here rendred Thou wilt have a desire signifieth Thou wilt desire as men do after silver The Lord seemed to deal by Job as men do by drosse to put him away as wicked Psalm 119.119 neverthelesse he believed that he would look
of the world Rev. 13.8 and to the Jewes the Ceremonial Law was in stead of a Gospel Verse 22. When a few years are come c. Heb. years of number that is years that may easily be counted and cast up The years of the longest liveâ— are but few they may be quickly numbred This ran much in Jobs mind and made him very desirous to be cleared before he dyed that he might not go out of the world in a snuff Then shall I go the way That way of all flesh 1 Kin. 2.2 which Job feareth not to do as knowing whom he had trusted and that death should be unto him the day break of eternal brightnesse Whence I shall not return See chap. 7.9 10. and 10.21 with the Notes CHAP. XVII Verse 1. My breath is corrupt WHich argueth that my inwards are Imposthumated and rotten so that I cannot in likelihood have long to live Oh therefore that I might have a day of hearing and clearing before I dye But Job should have remembered that there will be at the last day a resurrection of names as well as of bodies which he that believeth maketh not haste Howsoever it was not amisse for Job so grievously diseased and now well in years to bethink himself of death and to discourse of these three particulars that speak him a dying man In the old the Palm tree is full of bloomes the map of age is figured on his forehead the Calendars of death appear in the furrowes of his face the mourners are ready to go about the streets and he is going to his long home according to that elegant description Eccles 12. Varro de're rust l. 1. c. 1. He should therefore say with Varro Annus octogesimus wie admonet ut sarcinas colligam c. It is high time for me to pack up and to be gone out of this life Or rather as Simeon Lord now let thou thy servant depart in peace c. My dayes are extinct As a candle Prov. 13.9 Or Cut off as a web so some read it The Original word is found only here The graves are ready for me Heb. The graves for me q.d. I bid adieu to all things else and as the grave gapes for me so do I gape for the grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I would it were even so as Basil said when Valens the Arian Emperor threatned him with death But why doth Job speak of graves in the plural Surely to shew that he was besieged with many deaths or else because the dead are buried as it were first in their grave-cloathes and then in the coffin and then in the Beir or Hearse and lastly in the Sepulcher which every place did as it were proffer to Job and threaten him with death in regard of his many paines and pressures by the scoffs and taunts of his friends For Verse 2. Are there not mockers with me Heb. If there be not mockers with me q.d. despeream Let me be punished or let me be blarned for wishing to argue it out with God so some Jew-Doctors sense it job had before complained of his friends jearing and girding at him chap. 16.20 To be mocked in misery is no small aggravation thereof See what is threatned Prov. 1.26 The Proverb is Oculus fides faâ—a non patiuntur jocot There 's no jesting with a mans eye faith and fame Junius readreth the Text thus For as much as there are no mockings with me I meane honestly and deal plainly and yet mine eye continueth in their provocations neither can I be set right in their opinions so prejudiced they are against me And doth not mine eye continue in their prevocâ—â—miums Heb. Lodg or tarry all night in their provocations or bitternesses Broughton readeth In those mans vexing lodgeth mine eye that is I lodg not so much in roy bed as in the thoughts of my friends unâ—â—â—â—nesse And indeed saith one a man may sleep better upon bare boards then upon hard words Some refer it to the eye of his mind lifted up to God in prayer but yet no sweetnesse coming from him either internally or externally The former is rather to be followed Verse 3. Lay down now put me in a surety with thee This Job speaketh not to Elâ—â—â— as K. Moses Beza and some others would have it but to God himself as chap. 16.7 whom he desireth to lay down or appoint as Exod. 1.11 and put in Christ as a Surety to plead for him See Heb. 7.22 and so Brentius expoundeth it There is one only surety saith he one only Intercessor the Lord Jesus Christ who if he appear not in the eyes of our faith we have none else that can undertake for us to God neither is there any creature which can stand in the judgement of God though he would never so fain be Surety for us Thus he And accordingly our late learned Annotatours reading the words thus Appoint I pray thee my Surety with thee who is he then that will stâ—â—ke upon my hand that is Appoint Christ who is with thee in heaven and hath undertaken to be my Surety appoint him I say to plead my cause and to stand up for me and then no man will dare to contend with me And so it is futable to the Notes on chap. 16.21 and to Rom. 8.33 The Vulgar Latine not altogether from the purpose saith Brentius translates the whole verse thus Put me near thy self and then let whose will contend with me Verse 4. Thou hast hid their heart from understanding that is Thou hast hidden understanding from their heart thou hast left them in the dark destitute of a right judgement whilst they condemn me for wicked because grievously afflicted and thence it is that I do so confidently appeal to thee in Jesus Christ sith my friends are so far mistaken in this controversie If God give not both light and sight if he vouchsafe not to irradiate both Organ and Object the best will be bemisted Every good gift and perfect cometh from above even from the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 It was he that made Reverend Doctor Sibbs as one saith of him Spiritually rational and rationally Spiritual One that seemed to see the insides of Nature and Grace and the world and heaven by those perfect Anatomies he had made of them all Therefore shalt thou not exalt them Therefore thou shalt not give them honour so Broughton rendreth it But that 's not all Liptoti est saith Mercer it is a figure wherein lesse is said and more is meant Thou shalt not only not exalt them but thou shalt also abase and humble them this contestation shall be nothing at all to their commendation in the end It is the found knowledg of the truth according to godlinesse that exalteth a man and makes him to be accounted of and the contrary Howbeit many great and good men have been greatly mistaken in very great controversies and transactions as was Luther Doctor Resolutus sed non in omnibus
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet draw up your inward eaâ—es to your outward that one sound may pierce both Lay aside passion and prejudice Gravis rationis humanae morbus est quòd plerungue soleat ea damnare qua aut non intelligat aut non placuâ—rit Brent suffer a word of information for it is but one word that I have to say c. the Hebrew is singular and promiseth brevity Only this one word Job would that they should heafe double scil by an after deliberate meditation as David did Psal 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard that c. And let this be your consolations Comfort me this way at least that you wil give me the hearing Hither you came as Comforters but by your galling speeches you have grieved and vexed me above measure Now make me some amends and remembring your Office as friends and your design which was to condole with me and to comfort me hear me hardly and this I shall take as kindly as if in tenderest compassion you had drunk to me in a Bowle of Nepenthes or had given me a oup of consolation as Jer 10.7 The Vulgar Latine rendreth it but not well Hear I pray for my speech and repent The Hebrew robe signifieth first to repent and then to comfort 1 Sam. 15.35 Isas 40.1 became the penitent only get sound comfort Verse 3. Suffer me that I may speak Say that it be suffering to you to hear me for now I see you have as they write of some Creatures feb in â—â—re yet put your selves to the pain of hearing me and beat me though I am burdensome to you though my speeches crosse the graine of your spirits See 2 Cor. 11.1 I will promise you to speak nothing worthy of a scoff such as was that of Theophrastâ—â— Let him shun the â—â—â—â—tive man who would not be put into a â—it of a feavee Theoph. Charact 〈◊〉 de garrul Or that of Aristotle before whom when one having made a long and idle discourse concluded it thus I doubt I have been too tedious unto you Sir Philosopher Plut. de garrn lit with my many words In good sooth said Aristotle you have not been tedious to me for I gave no heed to any thing you said And after I have spoken mock on Heb. Mâ—â—â— thou on thou Zophâ—r to whom he turned his speech and very likely his eye also if thou canst find in thy heart to mock at so much reason as I shall alledge in mine owne defence I gainstand thee not He wanted no wit that said If a wise man speak evil of thee or to thee Chrysost endure him if a fool slight him Sile funestam dedisti plagam trouble not thy self at his taunts and thou punishest him sufficiently Verse 4. As for me is my complaint to man Vult dicere saith Lavater Jobs meaning is that he complained not to man but to God himself who well knew his heart and his innocency though men mis-judged him And this being so how could he be otherwise then anxious and solicitous sith if a man be but to speak to an earthly Prince he will be afraid It is said of Charles the Fifth Emperour that he spake more to God then to men Job did so it seemeth and this he alledgeth to the shame of his hard-hearted friends who put him to it in this sort Verse 5. Mark me and be astonied Heb. Look upon me He had said before Hear and hear now Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Mark it I say and stand amazed at it Did you ever find any on this side hell so sore afflicted as I am Is it not because you are not duly affected with my miseries that ye are so regardlesse of my discourse Strange that my sorrowes should be great enough to work astonishment and yet not great enough to deserve attention O mark first what I suffer and then what I speak And this once done lay your hand upon your month Be swift to hear but slow to speak yea spare to speak at all in this case The Greek Proverb admonisheth men either to be silent or to speak something that is better then silence Harpocrates the heathenish god of silence was pictured with his finger laid upon his lips Verse 6. Even when I remember I am afraid Surprized I am with a most formidable amazement when I call to mind and consider how ill by the divine Providence it fareth with me how well with many wicked and how little you pity me or seek by sound reason to settle my mind I am ready to cry out Oh the depth of Gods stupendious dispensations Confer Psal 73. where David delivereth himselfe to like purpose And trembling taketh hold on my flesh Heb. My flesh hath taken hold on trembling Totus horreo Horrour hath taken hold on me Psal 119.53 such as makes my body to shake and shudder So Habak 3.16 With chap. 1.3 13. Job had called upon his friends to mark and be astonished here he propoundeth himselfe to them for an example Quod jussit gessit as Bernard saith of Another See chap. 18.20 Verse 7 Wherefore do the wicked live become old Vivunt veterascunt they are lively and long lived so that they out-last many better then themselves being as sound as Roches and as vivacious as the snail the property whereof is to live a long while even after the head is off and the heart out Of some creatures we use to say that they have nine lives of some wicked men it may be thought so they do evil an hundred times and yet their dayes are prolonged Eccles 9.12 Manasseh raigned longest of any King in Judah Pope John the 22 that Monster and Mortallist lived longest of any Pope and dyed richest God gives wealth health and long life to many wicked Non aliter ac siquis crumenam ingentem auro plenam lutrine injiciat Gasp Eâ—â— saith One No otherwise then as when a man casts a great Purse filled with Gold into a Jakes Now if any shall ask with Job Why all this The Apostle answereth one Question by another Rom. 922. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction What hath any man to say to that And again who knows not that the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse even that day of the Revelation of the righteous judgement Acts 17.31 Rom. 2.5 The Judge of the earth keepeth his petty Sessions now letting the Law passe upon some few reserving the rest till the great Assizes 1 Tim. 5.24 Yea are mighty in power Or Prevaile in wealth which maketh them mighty for money is the Monarch of this present world and carryeth all before it Verse 8. Their seed is established in their sight with them Some understand it of their seed sowne in the fields not blasted or wasted but
Death as did Antiochus Herod Philip 2 of Spain c. Dionysius the Tyrant is said to have envyed a beast whose throat he saw cut because he dyed so soon Julius Caesar wished he might dye speedily saith Suetonius Pliny commendeth sudden death as the chief felicity of life Mâ—rs jucunda cujus nulla pracesses expectatio aut meâ—â—â— That 's a good death to nature which is neither feared nor expected yet that is the best death which hath been longest expected and prepared for Happy is he that after due preparation is passed through the gates of death ere he be aware Happy is he that by the holy use of long sicknesse is taught to see the gates of death afar off and addresseth for a resolute passage The one dyeth like Eliah the other like Elisha both blessedly Verse 14. Therefore they say unto God Depart from us Lest any should think saith Merlin here that Job speaks of such wicked as used a moderation in sinning and as the Historian said of the Emperour rather wanted vice then were vertuous Magis extra vitia quam cuâ—â— virâ—utibâ—m Tacit He describeth their great impiety by a rhetorical imitation expressing the language of their heart which is most base and blasphemous For first they bespeak God as if he were some low-prized scoundrel Apage Be packing thus they reject his acquaintance and would be rid of his company Porro rejiciunt Deum quot quot verbum eâ—us contemnunt saith Brentius here Now they reject God who slight his Word and cast his commands behind them Psal 50.17 Hence it follows by way of explication For we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Lo they prosesse themselves to be of the number of those Qui us liberius peccent libenter ignorant who are wilfully ignorant and like not to retain God in their knowledge Rom. 1.28 or if they professe to know him yet in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Wicked men cannot abide God such is their evil heart of unbelief Heb 3.12 they get as far from him as they can with Cain and not only desire him to depart out of their coasts with those swinish Gergefires but churlishly say unto him as here Avaunt Room for us They will neither have God in their heads Psal 10.4 nor hearts Psal 14.1 nor words Psal 12.4 nor works Tit. 1.16 See this exemplified in those perverse Jewes lying children children that would not hear the Law of the Lord which said to the Seers see not Get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path i.e. out of this tract of truth in dealing so plainly and reproving us so roundly Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease before us let us henceforth hear no more of him Isai 30.10 11. Now for such miscreants as these who can say it is otherwise then righteous that God should regest one day upon them Depart from me ye wicked He loves to retaliate And that they who now say unto him We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes should hear from him I tell you I know you not Luke 13.27 Verse 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him Here the rottenesse of their hearts blistereth out at the lips of these rich wretches these fat Bulls of Basan such as was Pharaoh that sturdy rebel who asked this very question in the Text What or Who is the Almighty He seemeth to rehearse the very words of Pharoah Diod. c Exod. 5.2 and had a large Reply made him by one plague upon another till he was compelled to answer himself The Lord is righteous Forced he was to speak fair whiles held upon the Rack if for nothing else yet that he might get off Such Queryings as this carry greatest contempt in them and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty as if Almighty were but an empty title and that he could do neither good nor evil Zeph. 1.12 that it was to no purpose or profit to serve him that the gaines would not pay for the paines c. And what profit should we have if we pray unto him Hebr. If we meet him viz. by our prayers Jer. 7.16 Am. 4.12 see Mal. 3.14 with the Note Children will not say their prayers unlesse they may have their Breakfast nor hypocrites pray but for some profit They pretend sometimes to meet God but they draw not near with that true heart mentioned Heb. 10.22 in seeking God they meerly seek themselves as Spira said he did In Parabola ovis capras suas quaerunt No penny no Pater Noster And as the Wolfin the Fable having spelled Pater and being bid put together said Agnus so when these pray their hearts are upon their halfe penny Ezek. 33. They follow Christ for the loaves and serve him no longer then he serves their turnes Rarae fumant soelicibus arae Verse 16. Lo their good is not in their hand that is They are not inriched by their own industry Prudence Piety c. but God hath exalted them thus that he may bring them down again with the greater poise So some sense the Text. Others thus Their good is not in their hand that is they are not Masters of them but are mastered by them they are servants to their wealth as the Persian Kings were to their Wives or Concubines Plut. Captivarum suarum caprivi And as those stall-fed beasts in the Gospel the Recusant Guests I mean that had bought Farmes Oxen c or rather were bought of them Difficile est opibus non tradere mâ—res Others make this the sense and I concur with them These wicked rich men buried in a bog of security contemne God as if they had their happinesse in their own hands and were petty-gods within themselves But they are deceived All is in Gods hand who can take away their wealth when he pleaseth These men may fall sooner then whey rose sith they subsist meerly by Gods manutension and he may do with his own as he listeth The counsell of the wicked is far from me I am so far from envying their prosperity that I cannot approve of their course of life for all their wealth I am not of their judgment I like not of their way Oh my soul come not thou into their secret Let their money perish with them said that noble Italian Convert to a Jesuit Caracciolâ—â— who tempted him with a great sum who esteem all the gold in the world worth one dayes society with Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit and cursed be that Religion for ever c. Verse 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out q.d. Diod. I confesse that which you say concerning Gods judgements upon the wicked to be sometimes true in this world yet it is not so continually nor ordinarily but very oft their lamp is extinguished their comforts damped and hopes of better dashed they are all on the sudden left
Matth. 24.45 Not as he in the Emblem who gave straw to the dog and a bone to the Asse The good Word of God is well applyed is profitable to all things as is here hinted scil to help the powerlesse to save the strengthlesse to counsel the ignorant and to set forth things as they are that there may be no manner of mistake but then it must be wisely handled and the help of Gods holy Spirit must be implored verse 4. that it may be a Word of reconciliation a savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 and 5.19 and whatsoever else is said in commendation of it Psal 19.7 8 9 10. Mercer interpreting this verse and the two following Hâ—c de Deo accipio saith he These things I understand concerning God and it is as if Job had said to Bildad O how bravely helpest thou him that is weak and pleadest for him that is forlorn as if God wanted thy patronage and defence No question but thou art a man fit to advise him and to set him in a course that he cannot otherwise hit on This is a good sense also But what meant Brentius to bring in Job blaspheming here as thus Quem juvas impotentem salvas brachium invalidi Cui consulis insipienti c. Whom helpest thou O God the impotent savest thou the arm of the strengthlesse Whom counsellest thou the ignorant c. q.d. Surely thou shouldst do so by promise and it would well become thee to do so by me But alasse thou dost nothing less and hence it is that I still stick in the bryers c. Upon this gloss wee may write as the Canonists do sometimes Palea or Hoc non credo Verse 3. How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom q.d. Thou lookest upon me as a fool and an Atheist but this thou dost with far greater folly for I am not the man thou takest me for but can say as much for God as thy self and more too and if I were such as thou wouldst make of me I might so continue for any help I should have by thy counsel The like hereunto we may say to the Papists and other Seducers who pretend to tender our good to counsel us for the best and to wish our salvation And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is Heb. the Essence or the Reason or the naked truth q.d. What ado hast thou kept to tell me no mere then I knew before wherein thou hast fairly lost thy labour and missed of thy design if ever thou intendest to counsel and comfort me Very wisely hast thou done it I must needs say for thee Verse 4. To whom hast thou uttered words And as thou thinkest words weighty and worthy of all acceptation when in truth there is no such matter Bubbles of words they are and big swolne fancies sed cui bono What tack is there in them and to what good purpose are they Melancthon makes mention of a certain good man Manl. loc com 536. who reading Aristotles Discourse concerning the Rainbow conceited thereupon many strange speculations and wrote to a friend that he had far outdone Aristotle in that matter But coming afterwards to the University and disputing there upon that Subject he was found to be utterly out in those fancies of his which indeed were no better then a sublime dotage And whose spirit came from thee Or Came out of thee Was it by Gods Spirit that thou spakest or thine owne rather For there is a spirit in man but the Inspiration or the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32.8 Job would not have Bildad think and term his discourses to be divine Inspirations or such admirable pieces Scult Ann. pag. 238 rare sayings being but vulgar and ordinary businesses Muncer the arch Anabaptist wrote a Book against Luther wherein he boasteth much of the Spirit and of Prophetical Light accusing Luther for unspiritual and one that savoured nothing but carnal things The Antinomians use to call upon their hearers to mark it may be they shall hear that which they have not heard before whenas the thing they deliver after so promising a preface is either false or what is taught ordinarily by others Some read the words thus Whose Spirit admired thee for the spirit goeth as it were out of it self after those things it admireth The Hebrewes expound it thus Whose Spirit hast thou quickned or confirmed by these thy words Who is the wiser or the better for them Quam animam per hac fecisti What soul hast thou gained to God by thy Doctrine Confer Gen. 12.5 the souls which they had made that is brought to the true fear and service of God Verse 5 Dead things are formed form under the waters Here Jobs tongue like a silver bell begins to found out the great things of God far better then Bildad had done Abbots beginning at the bottom and declaring that nothing is bred or brought forth whether animate or inanimate fish or other things in all the vast and deep Ocean but it is by his decree and power The Septuagint or Vulgar for dead and lifeless things render Giants and understand thereby Whales those huge Sea Monsters formed under the waters And the Inhabitants thereof That is saith One other fishes in general which are in the Seas where those Whales are For there is that Leviathan and there are creeping things that is smaller fishes innumerable And in particular certaine little fishes that are noted alwayes to swimme with the Whales as Guides of their way that they may not unawares coming into muddy places be miered there Aristotle calleth them Muscles Pliny Musticets Verse 6. Hell and destruction are before him Here beginneth a Magnifical and stately description of the Majesty of God and 1. from his Omniscience 2. From his Omnipotence For the first Hell and destruction are before him Not the grave only but the neathermost hell that most abstruse part of the Universe and most remote from heaven Gods Court. Of hel we know nothing save only what the Scripture saith of it in general that there is an hell and that the pains of it are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse c. but God only knoweth who are in hell and who is yet to be hereafter hurled into it It is the Saints happinesse that to them there is no such condemnation Rom. 8.1 that over them this second death hath no power Rev. 20.6 That if hell had already swallowed them up as they sometimes when deserted feel themselves to be in the very suburbs of it it could no better hold them then the whales stomack could do Jonas Luke 22.31 Satan hath desired to have thâ—e scil to hell but that he shall never have for they are the Redeemed of the Lord saved from the wrath to come and may triumphingly sing Death where a thy sting Hell where 's thy victory c. And destruction hath no covering that is Hell the place of destruction the Palace of
hath done them good Josh 24.20 their preservation proveth but a reservation Verse 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty viz. When trouble cometh upon him as in the former verse No this is Christianorum propria virtus a practise that none can skill of but Gods people saith Hierâ—me to rejoyce in tribulation and then to continue instant in prayer Rom. 12.12 for deliverance with some confidence grounded upon former experience Crâ—â— cuiâ—â— is inuncta est saith Bernard Together with the Crosse they have an unction from the Father annointed they are with that Oyle of gladnesse 1 Pet. 2.14 the Spirit of glory and of God which resteth upon â—heâ— and refresheth them amidst all their sorrowes and sufferings and hence their delight in the Almighty yea though he frown and lay upon them as he did upon Jâ—â— with his own bare hand Not so the hypocrite for why he hateth God an his heart as doth every evil-doer Bernard John 3.20 Est 〈◊〉 talium pâ—na Deus utpot◠〈◊〉 est â—t quid talibus am invisuâ— God is light and therefore hated as a punishment to such inanspicate night-birds He is holinesse but the hypocrite filthinesse as his name also importeth How thâ—n can be delight himself in the Almighty What complacency can there be where is such an â—tter contrariety They that love the Lord haâ—e evil Psal 81 2◠〈◊〉 so doth not any hypocrite leave it he may but not loath it Paâ—t with it he may as Jacob did with Benjamin lest otherwise he should starve or as 〈◊〉 with Michael lest he should lose his head but his heart is glued to it still he hath a months mind to be doing if he durst Finally He is without faith and therefore without joy and peace of conscience And as for his Spider-web of hope a little wind bloweth it down The world hath his heart and so the love of the Father cannot be in him 1 John 2.15 He leaneth upon the Lord and saith Is not the Lord amongst us Mic. 3.11 yet is he rootedin the delights of life Like as the Apricock tree leaneth against the wall but is fast rooted in the earth Will he alwayes â—all upon God Heb. Iâ— every time No nor scarce at any time Indeed as beggâ—rs have learned to 〈◊〉 so have some hypocrites to pray Isai 26.16 They have powred forth charm when thy chastening was upon them When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired after God Psal 78.34 But this was only a prayer of the flesh for â—ase and not of the Spirit for grace They spoke God fair as the Divel did Christ only to be rid of him Thus 〈◊〉 when on the rack roâ—â—ed out a consession and called for a Prayer Joaâ— in danger of death hangs on the hornes of the Altar The Captivated Jews fasted and prayed for seventy years to get off their thaines rather then their sins Zech. 7.5 which Daniel therefore reckoned lost labour chap â— 13. But many wiâ—â—â—d men though in prosperity they have some short-wishes such as was that of â—â—laâ—â—s Numb 23.10 wherewith compare that of David Psal 26.9 and see a difference or perhaps are able by strength of wit and one money to pray handsomely yet in adversity they set their mouthes against heaven 〈…〉 Wolves and howle upward they curse their King and their God and look upward saith Isaiah chap. 8.21 they murmure and mutiny as the Israelites in the wilderness they banne and blaspheme as did that Israelitish womans son Lev. 14.11 and Micahs mother Judg. 17.2 A Parrot may be taught to talk like a man Histories tell us of one at Rome that could repeat the whole Creed but let him be but beaten and he returnes to his own natural harsh voice So an hypocrite while all goes well with him may seem very devout at his Orisons but lay thy hand upon him saith Satan to God concerning Job presuming thereby to prove him an hypocrite and he will curse thee to thy face chap. 2.5 But say he be somewhat better conditioned as they call it and for a while pray to God for ease and help yet he will not pray alwayes he will not persevere in prayer follow on to pray wait upon God for an answer and be content to want it if God see good to deny it He cannot draw nigh to God with a true heart such a heart as is well satisfied if God may be glorified though himself be not gratified in full assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 Which is saith Brentius Orationis medulla the marrow of prayer Hence Saint James calleth it the prayer of faith chap. 5.15 Afflictions cause a Saint to seek out Gods Promise the Promise to seek Faith Faith to seek Prayer and prayer to find God to find him at length For he is a God that hideth himself Isai. 45.15 But what saith faith I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him Isai 8.17 See this exemplified in the woman of Canaan who fetcht Christ out of his retiring room by the force of her faith Mark 7.24 and prayed on though denied She would not be said nay or set down either with silence or sad answers but shewed her self a woman of a well knit resolution such as could credere invisibilia sperare dilaia amare Deum se ostendentem contrarium as Luther speaketh Believe things invisible hope for things deferred and love God when he shewes himself most angry and opposite Now this the hypocrite who is an Infidel cannot skil of He is short spirited and cannot hold out in prayer cannot as our Saviour taught by that Parable Luke 18.1 alwayes pray and not faint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shrink back as sluggards do in work or Cowards in War Oratio est res ardua magni laboris saith Luther Prayer is a hard work and a man must tug at it and stick to it as Jacob did who wrestled and raised dust as the Hebrew word signifieth he held fast and hung on yea he held with his hands when his thigh was lamed Let me go saith God bespeaking his own liberty No thou shalt not saith Jacob until thou blesse me Lo such is the generation of them that seek God in sincerity of them that seek thy face this is Jacob Psal 24.6 One thing have 〈◊〉 desired of the Lord and that I will seâ—k after saith David Psal 27.4 If his suit had not been honest he would never have begun it But being so he will never give it over till he hath prevailed he will pray till he faint and then to it again Psal 119.81 82. Rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer Rom. 12.12 So doth not the hypocrite for want of an inward principle If God come not at a call he is out patience and ready to say with that profane Prince 2 Kings 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord and what should I wait
himself how can his wisdom be but as well known unto him His infinite knowledg and understanding is in some sort shadowed out unto us in the words following Verse 24. For he looketh to the ends of the earth He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil all eye so that together and at once he beholdeth all things in the whole course of Nature and under the whole cope of heaven His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men Psal 11.4 Where the former pointeth out Gods knowledg the latter his judgment his critical descant saith One. And surely this All-seeing eye of God saith another Interpreter should keep us within the compasse of obedience as much as any thing sith he who is our Judge is a constant eye-witnesse of our cogitatious communication and whole conversation Cave spectat Cato Take heed Cato seeth you was an old watch-word among the Romans and a retentive from vice How much more should this be among Christians Ne pecces Deus ipse videt Be advised God beholdeth you Think not that he who is invisible cannot see or that because he is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity therefore he cannot see so far as earth for he looketh to the ends and extremities of the earth his eyes run to and fro they are in every place beholding the evil and the good Pro. 15.3 The world is to him as a sea of glasse Rev. 4.6 He seeth through it and every man before him is all window he seeth the very entrals of the soule the heart of the heart All things are naked and open before him saith the Apostle Heb. 4.13 Naked for the outside and open for the inside of them the word signifieth dissected quartered and as it were cleft through the back-bone He searcheth the Raines those seats of Lust and most abstruse parts of the body so wrapt up in fat and flesh as if no eye should come at them And seeth under the whole heaven His providence like a well drawn picture looketh every way and extendeth to every the least and lightest occurrence governing all things wisely and powerfully and ordering the disorders of the world to his own glory Epicures and Atheists would shut him up in heaven as hath been before noted as if he did neither know nor do any thing here below but they will find it otherwise Verse 25 To make the weights for the wind He ordereth wind and water raine and thunder Pondere mensura numero facit omnia therefore wisdom is with him The winds he weigheth in a balance then when they seem to blow where they list piercing through the aire with their violent blasts God sets them their bounds and appoints them their proportion He sends them out as his Postes and makes them pace orderly And he weigheth the waters by measure Both the raine not a drop falls in vain in a wrong place or at randome but by a divine Decree as a witnesse of his Wisdome and Goodnesse Acts 17.14 and the sea and Rivers neither doe the winds blow nor the waters flow without the Lord who is the great Moderatour that measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand c. Isai 40.12 Verse 26. When he made a Decree for the rain And hence it is that it raineth upon one City and not upon another Am. 4.7 See the Note there The rise of rain out of vapours drawn up from the earth by the heat of the Sun and the generation of it in the clouds is no lesse wonderful then the use of it is necessary for the refreshing and fatning of the earth allaying the heat and nourishing the herb and tree c. These showres may seeme to arise and be carried up and downe at randome and without a Law but Job assureth us that God maketh a decree a Statute or a bound for them and that he gives or with holds rain at his pleasure And a way for the lightning of the thunder Or for the lightning and the thunder In both which there is much of God to be seen and heard these being the Harbingers as it were and Officers to make roome for him and to manifest his power which the greatest must acknowledg Psal 29 1 2. and the Saints must take comfort in verse 11. As for those impious wretches that slight these wonderful works of Almighty God speak basely of them as he of whom Mr. Perkins somewhere writeth that hearing it thunder said it was nothing but Tom Tumbrel a hooping his tubs was thereupon killed with a thunder-bolt and those old Italians that used in time of thunder to ring their greatest bells and shoot off their greatest Ordnance c. on purpose to drown the noise of the heavens As they are worse then Pharaoh and Caligula and other heathens who stiled their chief god Altitonans the high-Thunderer so they shall one day see the Lord Christ suddenly coming upon them as lightning and dreadfully thundering out that dismal Discedite Go ye cursed Verse 27 Then did he see it and declare it c. Or Then doth he see it and number it c. scil When he ordereth winds waters and other creatures he hath wisdom ready in numeratâ— as we say as well known and as familiar as men have those things they daily deal in Illa vero verborum congeries faith an Expositour This heap of words Merlin God saw it numbred it prepared it searched it out serveth but to shew how intimate wisdom is with God and how proper to him And lest any should say Hath God then communicated no heavenly wisdom to his creature Yes saith Job but such as is thus circumscribed Verse 28 But unto man he said c. q.d. Let him not curiously pry into Gods secrets Infignis est hic locus Mercer nor rashly censure others as you have done me but out of a reverential fear of God eschew evil and do good for this shall be his wisdom Deut. 4.6 and the contrary Jer. 8.9 See like exts Deut. 29.29 Eccles 12.13 Psal 111.10 Prov. 1.7 and 9.10 with the Notes CHAP. XXIX Verse 1. Moreover Job continued his Parable OR his sentence as Tremellius rendreth it his sententious and elegant oration his aurâ—um flumen orationis Tota oratio gravissimis sententiis verborum luminibus illustris est Merlin golden flood of grave discourse as we may better call it then Tully did Aristotles â—â—lâ—â—cks Here Job describeth graphically his former felicity as in the next Chapter his present misery The promise of Prosperity to Gods people is to be understood with exception of the cross wherewith if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 they are sure to be exercised and they shall take it for a favour too Heb. 12.6 by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report c. 2 Cor. 6.7 8. they must learn to be abased and to abound Vlpian to be full and to
very good against diverse Diseases that issueth out of Rocks whence also it hath its name not unlike that berry which the French call Vva de Spine the Grape of a thorn But this whole verse seemeth to be an Hyperbole not unlike that of Zophar chap. 20.17 and that of Moses Deut. 32.13 Confer Gen. 49.11 and Psal 80.16 importing the very great abundance of all outward comforts and contentments that Job once enjoyed He had the reward of humility and the fear of the Lord even Riches and Honour and Life Prov. 22.4 Dec. D. l. 5. c. 25 Riches he had quantas optare nullus auderet as Austin saith of Constantine the Great more then heart could wish What Honour he had with his Wealth and that is to be chosen before Riches Proverbs 22.1 he setteth forth at large in the following verses And what long life he promised himselfe not without the continuance of both the former see verse 18 19 20 with chap. 42.12 16 17. Verse 7 When I went out to the gate i.e. To the place of Judicature called by Solomon the holy place Eccles 8.11 Because God sitteth in the midst of thoss Gods Psal 82.1 The Ethiopian Judges were wont to keep the chief Seat empty for him It appeareth by this Text Isai 5.7 Vid. Pisc in loc Isai 3.7 Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medela 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. that Job was a Judge or chief Magistrate not like those whom Esay calleth Scabs or Wounds but those whom the same Prophet calleth Healers or Binders up of Wounds and Hosea Shields as Junius translateth Hos 4.8 and another Prophet Heires or Possessours of restraint Judg. 18.7 It appeareth also that he did Justice in his own person so did David Solomon Jehosaphat Augustus Caesar more vigorously then any young man and more prudent then any old man as the Historian saith of him Which whilest Aurelian the Emperor neglected to do he was even bought and sold by his Deputies When I prepared my Seat in the street i.e. My Judgement-seat where he sate Sub dio non attollens inane supercilium sed exhibens utile ministerium Not priding himself but profiting others whilst Justice Justice as Moses speaketh that is pure Justice Deut. 10 20. was duly administred Over this Tribunal might well have beene set that Distich at Zant. Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bonos Verse 8. The young men saw me and hid themselves As awed with my presence and fearing the censure of my gravity Lib 5. cap. 2 Valer. Maximus reporteth the like of Marcus Cato among the Romans as being Vr irigidae innocentiae saith Livy Et virtuti quam similimus as Velleius hath it that is a most strict and very vertuous Magistrate Hence at their Floratia those wanton sports the youth could not play their pranks till he departed they all crying unto him Aut vulium deponas aut discedas either lay down your grave looks or leave the place And the aged arose and stood up Performing that respect to me which was due to them Lev. 19.32 and saluting me as the Athenians did their Phocion by the Title of Bonus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. Or as the Romans did their Trajan by the stile of Optimus the best Ruler that ever they had and all both young and old crying out as once they did at Rome to Severus the Emperour All men do the better in all respects for thy good Government These Acclamations and publick honours though Job sought not yet it could not but be a comfort to him as it was to David that whatsoever he did pleased the people Verse 9 The Princes refrained talking Not only as acknowledging his Authority but as admiring his great Eloquence and hanging upon his lips as the babe doth upon the brest the Bee upon the flower or the little bird upon her Dams bill And laid their hand on their mouth Kissing their hands and adoring me adorare est applicare manuns ad os Or rather as stopping their mouths being ashamed to speak in his presence whom they knew to be far beyond them in wisdome and elocution Now of this honour done Job by all sorts of people Brentius hath this Note Parùm est ingentes camelos possidere c. It is a small matter that Job had many Camels and Flocks of sheep this was a greater blessing of God upon him that he was honoured and observed by all sorts This followeth vertue as the shadow doth the body at the heeles To do worthily in Ephrata is the way to be famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4.11 Verse 10. The Nobles held their peace The Hebrew word for Nobles signifieth such as stand in the presence of great Princes or such as the people eyeth and referreth all things to them These after the example of those forementioned Princes verse 9 Held their peace Heb. Hid their voice Conticuêre omnes intentique ora tenchant Virg. Dr. Hall as ashamed to hear themselves speak before such a Master of speech as Job was of whom it might well be said as once of Dr. Whitaker That never any man saw him without reverence nor heard him without wonder And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth Ex metu loquendi as being afraid before me though themselves were Antecessores vocis as some render the former words eloquent men and able Speakers Demosthenes that great Oratour being to speak before King Philip three several times stood speechlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiliad 7 and thirty several times forgat what he had prepared to speak unto him An awful respect to Jobs dignity and worth caused this extreme silence in these Grandees And besides it may be they were of Plinyes mind who said Non minus interdum Oratoris est tacere quam dicere There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak Eccles 3.7 Verse 11. When the ear heard me then it blessed me That is it praised me and praised God for me as for a common blessing so weighty were my words and so just my sentence not unlike that of the Areopagites in Athens which was so upright that none could ever say That he was unjustly condemned by them but both parties as well those that were cast as they that cast them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were alike contented And when the eye saw me it gave witnesse to me Job though he neither sought it nor was puffed up with it had that Pulchrum monstrari dicier Hic est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The like happiness befel Demosthenes at Athens and Pliny at Rome Verse 12. Because I delivered the poor that cryed Here are set forth the true causes of that great respect that was generally given Job he was a good Justicer such as Jethro describeth Exod. 18.21 He hated much more then did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted Vertue
and from above and from on high By all these expressions Job affecteth himself with the due apprehension of the divine Majesty that he may be wise and beware how he fall into the punishing hands of this living God The Lord your God saith Moses to the people is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible Deut. 10.16 19. c. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts cut off and cast away that filthy foreskin shave your eye-brows as the Leper was to do pull out your right eyes c. So Joshua God saith he is an holy God he is a jealous God be will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins sc unless you will part with them though never so dear or delicious chap. 24.19 Verse 3. Is not destruction to the wicked yes that 's their portion their inheritance and so Job makes answer to his own question proposed in the verse aforegoing The ruine of impure souls is infallible unsupportable unavoidable if God hath aversion from all other sinners he hath hatred and horrour for the unchast such stinking goates shall be set on the left hand and sent to hell where they shall have so much the more of punishment as they had here of sensual and sinful pleasure as sowre sawce to their sweet meats Rev. 18.7 Not to speak of the miseries they meet with here which are not a sew in their souls hardness of heart or horrour of conscience in their bodies soul and lothsome diseases such as will stick to them when their best friends forsake them in their names indeleble reproach and infamy like an iron-mole which nothing can fetch out like the Leprosie which could never be scraped out of the walls in their estates poverty even to a piece of bread Prov. 6.26 Harlots are Poscinummia Crumenimulge suck-purses Luk. 15.14 In their posterity as Jericho was built so is uncleanness plagued bath in the oldest and youngest It goes through the race till it have wasted all Corpus â—pes animâ—n faman vim lumina Scortum Debilitat perdit necat anfert eripit what And a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity Even such as is unusual and extraordinary as upon the Sodomites who going after strange flesh were thrown forth for an example as Juda hath it Verse 7. So those Benjamites Judg. 20. the Trojans the Lacedemonians at Lenctra Zimri and Cozbi Zedekiah and Ahab Jer. 29.22 Elies two sons Heraclius the Emperour Muleasses King of Tunes in Barbary bereft by his own son Amida another Absolom not of his Kingdom only but of his eyes too put out with a burning hoâ—iron those eyes of his that had been full of adultery and could not cease to sin In Hebrew the same word signifieth both an eye and a fountain to shew saith One that from the eye at a fountain floweth both sin and misery Verse 4. Doth he not see my wayes and count c yea sure he doth so and the conscience of Gods Omniscience who would soon take him tripping kept him from this great wickedness So it did Joseph but so it did not David who is therefore said to despise God and his commandement 2 Sam. 12.9 10. to do evil in his sight and this was no smal aggravation of his offence Ne peccar Dum ipsi vider I have seen the lewdness of thy whoredome Jer. 13.27 Even I know and am a witness saith the Lord Jer. 29.23 That should be a powerful retentive from 〈◊〉 Prov. 5.21 And count all my steps Doth not he cipher them up Hebeus 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 rate not my wayes only my counsels and cogitations but my steps also that is all mine outward attempts and actions A most needful and useful consideration 〈◊〉 to keep men within the compass of obedience See this doctrine of Gods singular providence plainly and plentifully set forth Psal 139.1 2 3 4. Verse 5. If I have walked with vanity As they do who disquiet themselves in vain in heaping up riches by evil arts by deceits and covin in bargaining by getting other mens means fraudmently c. The getting of treasures by an evil tongue or any the like indirect course is a vanity tossed so and fro of them that seek death Prov. 21.6 Eventually such do seek death though not intentionally they spin a fair thred to strangle themselves both temporally and eternally Such vain and vile wayes therefore Job carefully declined Furtum á Virg. vocatur inane Aencid 6. for he knew them to be both base and bootless Ephraim fed upon the wind the balances of deceit were in his hand if thereby he filled his purse with coyn yet he had emptiness in his soul Lucrum in arca damnum in conscientia filled he was with aire and that aire was pestilential too his breath and death he drew in together Job would none of that Or if my foot hath hasted to deceit If I have been nimble and active to go beyond and defraud another in any matter 1 Thess 4.6 which what is it else but crimen stellionatus the very sin of cozenage and this not only acted but arted after long trading in it as the words of walking and hasting seem to import Verse 6. Let me be weighed in an even balance Heb. Let him weigh me Examinet me saith Tremellius David with the like confidence Search me O God saith he Psa 139.23 24 and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me any course of sin that is grievous to God or man wherein I have walked or my foot hath hasted Job would not rest in his own hearts applause neither would he be borne down by his friends false charges but puts himself into Gods hands to be weighed and then makes no question but his present sufferings will be found heavier than his former miscarriages in his inter-dealings with men for matter of gain and that there is some other cause though what he knoweth not for which God doth so grievously afflict him See David doing the like Psal 7.4 26.2 That God may know mine integrity i.e. That he may make known mine innocency and upright-heartedness in this particular of commerce with others that I have not dealt deceitfully Otherwise if God should weigh the best that are in a balance they would be found too light if he mark iniquities no man living can be justified Psal 139.3 143.2 If he turn up the Bottom of the Bag all our secret thefts will out and come to reckoning It is an idle conceit of some ignorant folk That God will weigh their good deeds against their bad and they shall well enough set off with him by the one for the other This they have drawn as they have not a few other fopperies from that practise of Popish Priests to perswade people that when men are at point of death St. Michael the Archangel bringeth a pair of balances and putteth in one scale their good works
Doctors did innocent Cranmer of Adultery Heresie and Treason Philpoâ— of Parricide Heresie c. To accuse was easie but how shamefully failed they in the proof These three after they had also interested God himselfe in their rash accusation of Job were forced to give him over Verse 4. Now Elihu had waited till Job hâ—d spoken Yea though his speech was very long yet he heard him out though himself were with child to speak Broughton rendreth it waited to speak with Job he would not thrust in till they had all done their discourses This was his modesty though a man of singular abilities Raram facit virtus cum scientia mixturam To blame then surely was Gregory for thinking so ill and wrighting so harshly of this good young man as if he had been proud and arrogant descanting to that purpose upon his Name Countrey and Kindred Because they were elder than he And therefore ought of right to have the precedency of speech though it appeareth by all that followeth that in this controversie he saw further into it judged righter and rebuked Job with more gravity and wisdom then any of them so that Job was fully convinced and made no reply at all no more than Joâ—ah did when God set him down chap. 4.11 so forcible are right words Verse 5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer And therefore Job looked upon himself as one that had won the day St. Austin professeth this was it that heartened him and made him to triumph in his former Manichisme that he met with feeble opponents and such as his nimble wit was easily able to over-turn And when Carolostadius opposed Luthers Consubstantiation but weakly and insufficiently Zuinglius said he was sorry that so good a cause non satis humerorum haberet wanted shoulders Then his wrath was kindled viz. From their coldness like as Nehem. 3.20 Baruc repaired earnestly se accendit he burst out into heat angry with his own and others sloth So Elihu here when he saw that Jobs eloquence triumphed over their wisdom and that their silence was a loud acknowledgement of their defeat he grew more angry than before and transported with zeal he saith â—o them very briskly Verse 6. I am young and ye are very old Yet was he nothing inferiour to any of them in wit piety Niceph. and learning he had lived long in a little time and was as One saith of Macarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an old-young-man as if he had been an Alban-born qui albo crine nascuntur Caniciem habent auspicium capillarum Solin who come into the world hoar-headed as did Seneca and thence had his name as Cassiodorus thinketh quòd canus quasi senior natus sit Some young men are ripe betime and more ready-headed than their ancients as David was Psal 119.100 and as Solomon was a child-King but very wise contrarily his son and successour Rehoboam entered into the Kingdom at a ripe age yet Solomon was the man and Rehoboam the child Age is no just measure of wisdom There are beard-less sages and gray-headed children Not the Ancient are wise but the wise is Ancient as Elihu will tell us in the next verses Wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion Heb. My knowledge that is the truth so far as I understand it siquid ego ant â—â—pio an t sapio if I have any judgement Thus he delivers himself in modest terms using many prefaces And if hereafter he seem to boast and set up himself above the rest as he doth it is out of his zeal for God whose honour he seeketh and not his own The words here rendred I was afraid and to shew are both Syriack Elihu by his family of Ram or Aram may seem to be that country-man and to have a touch of that dialect as Livy had of his Patavinity Verse 7. I said Dayes should speak This seems to have been a Proverb in those dayes and it ran much in Elihu's mind We use to say That at meetings young men should be Mutes and old men Vowels Of Arsatius who succeeded Chrysostom in the Sea of Constantinople Antonin tit 10. c. 9. it is recorded but nothing to his commendation that at eighty years of age he was as eloquent as a Fish and as nimble as a Frog And multitude of years should teach wisdom Heb. Should make known wisdom sc such as consisteth in the knowledge of God and of his will of our selves and of our duties This is far beyond all that of the Heathen Sages of the Seven wise Men of Greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. of Archimedes of Syracuse who had a name and same saith Plutarch not of humane but of a kind of divine wisdom So had Socrates so had Apollonius of whom Philostratus saith that he was non doctus sed natus sapicus not taught but born a wise man These all were the worlds wizards and what they came to see Rom. Instit l. 3. c. 30. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Lactantius truly telleth us in the name of the whole community of Christians That all the wisdom of a man consisteth in this to know God and worship him aright And that these Seniours should have taught and notified such wisdom Elihu had well hoped but it proved otherwise Verse 8. But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty Or Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration c. Man hath a reasonable soul and a natural judgement whereby he differeth from bruit beasts And not only so but some there are that do animam excolere as Tully and Aristotle they improve their natural abilities by art and so go far beyond others in worth differing from the unlearned as much almost as a man doth from a beast Lo such a spirit there is in some men which yet amounteth not to wisdom without the concurrence of Gods good spirit to sanctifie all as the altar sanctifieth the gold of the altar If this be not attained unto the wiser any man is the vainer he proveth Rom. 1.22 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of those wise even of the choicest and most pickt men amongst them that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.20 And to such we may say as Austin once wrote to a man of great parts Ornari abs te diabolus quarit the Devil desireth to be tricked up by thee And the inspiration of the almighty giveth them understanding He is the wise man when all 's done whom whether old or young the spirit of God who acteth most freely is pleased to imbreath And although Arts and Age be good helps to knowledge yet they must be all taught of God that shall be wise unto salvation and such as these the elder they grow the wiser they are for most part and if young saints they become old angels True it is that God is debter to none neither doth a longer life of it self deserve any thing at Gods
c. and be wise by others woes enjoy their follies and gather with the Bee sweet honey out of those bitter weeds Poena ad pancos metus ad omnes Verse 27. Because they have turned back from him To pursue after lying vanities broken cisterns which whosoever do as they fall into two foul sins at once such as heaven and earth have cause to be astonished at and afraid of Jeremiah 2.12 13. so they are miserable by their own Election Jonah 2. vers 8. And would not consider any of his wayes Wisely consider them as David did Psal 119.168 All Gods lawes were in his sight and all his wayes in Gods sight This was the general cause of their destruction The special followeth Verse 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor c. These they compel by their oppressions to wash the earth with their tears and to importune heaven with their complaints Senault as One phraseth it The wicked do as it were bring up to God the cryes of the poor oppressed and so pull upon themselves inevitable destruction for he is the poor mans Patron and heareth the cry of the afflicted The grand Signior would have the world take notice that such as lament unto him shall be sure to have redress and succour from him Grand Sign Serag 147. Wherefore also he calleth himself Awlâ—m Penawâ—â— The worlds Refuge A title far more fit for the God of heaven than for any earthly Monarch 〈◊〉 Manl. loc 〈◊〉 were he far more gracious than the great Turk from whose courtesie freely offered him Luther blessed himself with a Deus me tutatur à tali benefice Domino God defend me from such a gracious Lord. Verse 29. When he giveth quietnesse who then can make trouble Ipse tranquillabit quis inquietabit This is like that of the Apostle saith Brentius Rom. 8. If God be for us who can be against us Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect c It is he alone who giveth peace both of countrey and of conscience Peace peace Isai 26.3 Pacem omnimodam external internal eternal and then who can disturb or unsettle Surely as Isaac once said to Esau concerning Jacob He is blessed and he shall be blessed so may it be said of such as have made their peace with God Peace shall be upon them and Mercy contra gentes whosoever saith nay to it yea though it be the Devil himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is oft called the Troublesome one who ever since he was cast out of heaven keeps ado on earth and seeks to disquiet all such as by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Rom. 2.7 And when he hideth his face who then can behold him Him Whom God who dare look upon him or toward him for help when he is throughly displeased and looketh irefully Or the party frowned on by God who will smile upon him or shew him any favour and furtherance Here Aben-Ezra giveth a good Note Aversio vultus Dei c. The turning away of Gods pleased countenance is the cause of all Wars and other disasters The Physiologer in Epiphanius telleth of the Bird Charadius that being brought into the room where a man lyeth sick if he look with a steddy and fixed eye upon the sick man he recovereth but if he turn away from him and look another way the disease is to death Apply this to God and it fitteth Whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only All 's a case as they say to God he stands not upon multitudes as men use to do in case of Mutinies or the like to punish the tenth man or so in terrorem for a terrour to the rest This is not Gods way of punishing but as a thousand years are to him but as a day and one day as a thousand years so when he proceeds to execution of Justice whether it be done against a Nation c. All Nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket or dust of a balance Isai 40. And hence he buried a world full of people in one universal grave of waters And the wicked be they never so many shall be turned into hell With whole nations tht forget God Psal 9.17 God seemeth to say Fiat justitia ruat orbis Verse 30. That the hypocrite reign not That he reign no longer Almighty God taketh order by putting these mighties from their seats and exalting them of low degree Luk. 1.52 And why 1. Lest the hypocrite or the impure and impious man reign Such as was Jehu Herod Julian our Richard 3. Pope Sixtus Quintus of whom One saith Spec. Europ that he was the most crouching humble Cardinal that ever was lodg'd in an oven and the most stout proud Pope that ever wore Crown What pride equal to his making Kings kisse his Pantofâ—es What humility pretended greater than his shrieving himself daily on his knees to an ordinary Priest He calleth himself the servant of Gods servants and yet stamps in his Coyn That Nation and Countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out he also suffereth his Parasites to stile him Our Lord God the Pope Is not this a notorious hypocrite and when such a one reigneth and taketh upon him to be Lord of all both in spirituals and temporals may not we conclude that God hideth his face as in the former verse from his people May we not cry out as Basil once did Epist 17. Num Ecclesias suas dereliquit Dominus hath the Lord utterly forsaken his Churches It is doubtless a very great judgement upon a people when an hypocrite or a prophane person is set over them who pretends the publick good to his own designes and self-interests and by his crafty inventions undoes his subjects robbing them of their lawful liberties and enslaving them Some read the words thus Vulg. Speâ— Ab. Ezra He causeth that the hypocrite reigneth for the sins of the people It is threatened as an heavy curse Levit. 26.17 If you still trespasse against me I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious Princes odious to God malignant to the people Such as was Phocas that bloody Tyrant who when he had slain his Master Mauricius and reigned in his stead there was an honest poor man saith Cedrenus who was earnest with God to know a reason why such a thing was suffered to whom it was answered That a worse man could not be found and that the sins of Christians required it We read of Attilus King of Swethland that he made a Dog King of the Danes in revenge of a great many injuries received by them Sr. Rich. Berkley's Sum. Pon. p. 387. Gunno likewise King of the Danes made a Dog King of Norway and appointed Counsellours to do all things under his Title and Name That which these men did spitefully God somtimes doth righteously setting up tyrants for a
Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either do thou kill me or I 'll kill theâ— if I can And what lesse then this upon the matter do those monsters and miscreants amongst us who set their mouthes against heaven when things go crosse with them especially and their tongues walk through the earth Psal 73.9 As Hacket did who lifting up his eyes to heaven and grinning against God blasphemed him and threatned him even when he had the rope about his neck Anno 1591. Now as in the water face answereth to face Cambd. Eliz. fol 403. so doth the face of a man to a man And as there were many Marii in one Caesar so there are many Caligula's and Hackets in the best of us all if God restraine us not from such horrid outrages But Elihu would have us here to know that God is far above our reach neither can we throw this high and lofty one out of his throne utcunque fremamus ferociamus for how should any thing that wee silly Creatures can do reach to God when as we cannot reach up to the visible heavens And behold the clouds which are higher then thou Eminent prae te The clouds are Gods Chariot whereon he rideth and wherein he manifesteth much of his Majesty These Elihu would have Job to contemplate in their height even superiores nubâ—s as Tremellius rendreth it the upper clouds or as others the Starry Heaven Heb. The thin of heavens So Bildad before had called upon him to behold the Moon and the Stars chap. 25.5 And surely the very sight of heaven over us to the which all that we are or can can bring no help or hurt at all should admonish us of our meanesse and make us think most modestly of God whom we are so infinitely below and not dare either to complain of him or to boast us before him c. For this cause it is that Elihu so presseth Job here with this heap of words that he may henceforth know and keep his distance and not so presumptuously call God as it were to reckoning touching expences and receipts Verse 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him What more then shew thy teeth or shoot at a rock where the Arrow rebounds upon thee In the sack of Constantinople the Image of the Crucifix was taken down by the Turks and a Turks Cap put upon the head thereof and so set up and shot at with their arrowes Turk hist 347 and afterwards in great derision carried about in the Camp as it were in Procession with Drums playing before it rayling and spitting at it and calling it the God of the Christians But what was all this to Christ He that sitteth in the heavens extra jactum laughed at them the Lord had them in derision Psal 2.4 Etsi navitès peccas Do wicked sinners when they work hardest against God as the word here signifieth and take greatest paines to go to hell do they I say provoke the Lord to anger Do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces Jer. 7.19 And may we not well say to such as Vlysses his companions said to him when he would needs provoke Polydamas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odys God can easily get him a name in the utter overthrow of a rabble of rebels conspiring against him as at the Flood tower of Babel Sodom Egypt Moab c. who were trodden down under him as straw is trodden down for the dunghil Isai 25.10 And in the next verse The Lord shal spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim that is with greatest facility for violent stroaks rather sink then support a swimmer and he shall bring downe their pride together with the spoiles of their hands And the fortresse of the high fort of their wals shall he bring down lay low and bring to the ground even to the dust Isai 25.11 12. Verse 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him Nothing sith he is self-sufficient and independent He needeth us not neither doth our righteousnesse reach him Psal 16.2 The Pharisees dreamt of an over-doing the Law and making God beholding to them The Papists also those modern Pharisees talk of works of super-erogation and of merit of congruity and merit of condignity But these are mere fictions Chimaera's absurd Doctrines such as Elihu never heard of He that doth righteousness is righteous 1 John 3.7 but he addeth nothing thereby to God let him do his utmost Indeed whoso offereth praise glorifieth God Psal 50.23 so he is pleased to account it and call it but his glory is as himself is eternal infinite immense The Sun would shine in its own brightnesse though all the world were blind and should wilfully wink so here God accepts not our persents but to returne them us back with interest as the raine ascends in thinne vapours but comes downe againe in thick showres Or what receiveth he of thine hand If any thing it is of his own as David thankfully acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 29.14 and besides that our sweetest Incense smelleth strong of the hand that offereth it Verse 8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art Wicked men are many wayes mischievous to others and have much to answer for their other mens sins How many are undone by their murders adulteries robberies false testimonies blasphemies and other rotten speeches to the corrupting of good manners c What hurt is done daily by the Divels factours to mens souls bodies names estates Besides that they betray the land wherein they live into the hands of divine Justice whiles they do wickedly with both hands earnestly Mic. 7.3 That I speak not of the manifold miseries they pull upon themselves And thy righteousnesse may profit the son of man Thy self and others for the Just liveth by his own faith he maketh a living of it and a good one too And as for his Charity it is the mother of all manner of good works whereof others have the benefit Papists and some as silly have shrunk up charity to an hands breadth to giving of Almes But besides that a good man draweth out not only his sheaf but his soul to the hungry 1 Thess 5.14 He also warneth the unruly comforteth the feeble minded supporteth the weak and tradeth all his talents for the good of others He is a common blessing to all that art about him As Plutark said of the neighbour-Villages of Rome in Numa's time That sucking in the aire of that City they breathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse so may it be said of the City of God and her Citizens Verse 9 By reason of the multitude or magnitude of oppressions c. Or Of the oppressed whom they that is whom the Oppressours not worthy to be named as neither is that rich glutton Luke 16. make to cry Job had said chap. 24.12 Men groan out of the City and the soul of the wounded cryeth
Afflicted Declare if thou knowest it all Sith a great part of it is uninhabited and the sea surroundeth it as a girdle Verse 19. Diod. Where is the way where light dwelleth These are Poëtical terms likewise which signifie or mean nothing else but that God alone without any help or work of any man appointed the divers points of Sun-rising and Sun-setting And as for darknesse where is the place thereof i. e. Little canst thou tell what is become of it or where the Sun setteth by the absence whereof cometh darkness The truth is our reason is by original sin so darkened that we understand not these lesser and common matters Those that are more high and hard we learn not but with much labour and long experience As for the Mysteries of God and things pertaining to Salvation we cannot at all attain unto them by humane reason as is to be seen in Nicodemus Job 3. 1. Cor. 2. Verse 20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof That thou shouldest take light and darknesse by the hand as it were and lead them to the place of their abode And that thou shouldest know the paths c. That is Which way to go to bring them out of their retiring-rooms and to reduce them into our Hemisphere Verse 21. Knowest thou it beacuse thou wast then born Beza readeth it thus These things forsooth thou knowest because thou wast then born viz. when I made them and appointed what order and course they should keep and the number of thy dayes is great thou are uery far grown in yeares as having lived ever since the Creation Es a◠nosissimus antiquissimus c. Ironicè omnia Verse 22. Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow i e. Into the clouds where these Meteors whereof before chap. 37. are ingendred and from whence God when he pleases bringeth such great store as if he had them treasured up by him of a long season See the like said of the winds Psal 135.7 Quasi parata haberet horum penuaria Gregory allegorizing these words sheweth that earthly treasures are treasures of Snow We see little children what paines they take to rake and scrape together snow to make a Snow-ball Right so they that scrape together the Treasure of this world have but a snow-ball of it so soone as the Sun shineth and God breatheth upon it and so entreth into it by and by it cometh to nothing Or hast thou seen the treasures of hail Another Metaphor from Officers of the Exchequer or publick Treasury q.d. Hast thou the inspection or administration of these Meteors Verse 23. Which I have reserved against the time of trouble Or Against the time of the enemy to punish him as Exod. 9.24 Josh 10.11 Isai 30.30 By deep Snowes men are sometimes withered and destroyed by violent hail-stones and coales of fire as Psal 18.13 14 15. What an overthrow was procured against the Quades by the prayers of the thundring Legion as they were afterwards called in the dayes of Aurelius the Emperour Ingens grando compluraque fulmina in hostes ceciderunt Dio in vit c. Ant. Phil. Huge hail-stones and many light-bolts fell upon the enemy saith the Heathen Historian Against the day of battle and war When God is pleased to bring forth his upper and lower troops ready prest as the Rabbins phrase it Verse 24. By what way is the light parted scil From the clouds by lightning or from darkness by the Sun-rising Knowest thou that Or the cause of it Nothing lesse Something Phylosophers have to say here but upon no great certainty Which scattereth the East wind upon the earth Eurus est ventus urens exiccans the East wind hath its name in Hebrew from the Sun-rising the Latines call it Ventum subsolanum as that which usually followeth the rising-Sun but whence it cometh and whither it goeth is more then Job or any other can tell Verse 25. Who hath divided or derived a water course for the over-flowing of waters That is the water-clouds for the powring out of raine Velut per canales tubulos as by Pipes and conveyances wheresoever God pleaseth men being amazed at those miracles of Nature Is it not the Lord alone He it is who divideth the Deluge of waters as it were draining them into certain furrowes which would otherwise fall down from heaven all at once and make great spoil here below Or a way for the lightning of thunder Nimbo sonoro saith Tremellius See chap 28.6 with the Note Verse 26. To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is But wild beasts only These also are Gods Creatures and he provideth food for them How much more will he do so for us though small faiths On the wilderness wherein there is no man Repetitio ad varietatem elegantiam as also to shew the certainty of the thing Verse 27. To satisfie the desolate and waste ground The waste and waste ground saith Broughton elegantly and the Hebrew sounds alike And to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth For the use of wild Creatures whereof there are great store in the Desert of Arabia not farre from Job for the which and the rest of his living Creatures this great House-keeper of the world provideth food sutable to their several appetites Verse 28 Hath the rain a father Subandi praeter me faith Vatablus Hath it any father but me Can any of the Heathen Deities give raine Or can the Heavens give showres Art not thou He O Lord our God Therefore we will wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things Jerem. 14.22 Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew Those round orient Pearls that falling from heaven in a clear night do sweetly refresh whatsoever groweth in fields and Meadowes The natural causes hereof and of raine are knowne but we must rise higher to God the first Authour and Father of these and other things before and after mentioned who bringeth them out of his Treasuries and doth wonderfully both make and manage them It is remarkable that Christ saith Hos 14.5 I will be as the dew unto Israel He shall grow as the Lilly c. See the Note on that Text Christ is unto them as a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest Isai 18.4 Making their hearts to be as so many watered gardens Jer. 31.12 Verse 29. Out of whose womb came the ice Indeed of ice and water is said in a sense Mater me genuit eadem mox gignitur ex me But these creatures are not produced by causes which are constant and invariable in Nature as humane generation is but they proceed from Gods pure and simple free-wil And the hoary frost of heaven who hath gendred it Out of the heaven that is Out of the lower Region of the Aire cometh the matter of it but God maketh it Naturalists say that the hoar frost is a vapour congealed by a cold wind in cold places
and Deodate understand it of the Crocodile others of the Sea-Dragon others of the whirl-pool But most of the Whale in creating whereof Creavit Deus vastitates stupores saith One. Lib. 9. cap. 2. Pliny writeth of them when they swim and shew themselves anâ—are insulas putes you would think them to be so many Ilands Another saith they appear like huge mountaines and that when they grow old they are so fat and corpulent that they keep long together in a place so that upon their backs by the dust and filth gathered and condensed grass and shrubs grow as if there were some Ilands there Heidfeld whereat Sea-men attempting to land have cast themselves into no small dangers Olam Some tell us of a Whale that would have covered four Acres of ground his mouth so wide Plin. lib 9. that he could have swallowed a whole Ship Virgil calleth Whales Monsters the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wild Beasts The Majesty and Power of the Creator is much seen in these vast creatures Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the hands of Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wildernesse Here. upon the Jew-Doctors have fabled that God at first made two Leviathans only the one whereof he gave to the Israelites in the wilderness to feast with the other he hath salted up for a feast to be made for the Jewes to be gathered together by the Messias at the end of the world Others have turned all this and a great part of the former chapter into allegories whereof see chap. 40 24. Let us by the ensuing description take notice of 1. Gods Omnipotency who hath made such great wonders whereof the sea hath more store then the earth as they know well who are conversant therein 2 His Justice who by these creatures oft punisheth Offenders Procopius telleth us That in his time a great Whale much infested the coasts of Constantinople and did great mischief for fifty yeers together till at length being taken and brought to land he was found to be thirty cubits long and ten broad 3. His Wisdome in making the Whale so complete in all its parts which all have their several uses all which are here noted and numbred how much more are our members yea our very haires 4. His goodnesse in creating such Sea-monsters for mans use and benefit in many particulars as his flesh for meat his fat for oyl his hide for thongs his teeth for combs his bones for building mounding Bodice making c. In Africa the Whales bones serve commonly for rafters of houses Leviathan he is called of the fast joyning together of his scales and members wherein consisteth his strength and so doth ours in unity Verse 2. Canst thou put a hook into his nose Canst thou ring him like a Swine or rule him like a Bear God can and did Sennacherib that crooked Leviathan Isai 27 1. 37.29 And doth still the Great Turk who desireth to devour Christendom Or bore his jaw through with a thorn Or twig as men do lesser fishes taken with an Angle or Herrings from the fish-market These are facetious and ironical questions that are put to Job in these five first verses hinting to him that although he could not do any of these things yet God could with ease Verse 3. Will he make many supplications unto thee As conquered Captives use to do witnesse Benhadad 1 King 20.32 and Teridates King of Parthians who being brought prisoner to Nero thus bespake him I come unto thee as unto my God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio in Neron and will henceforth worship thee as I do the Sun in heaven I will be whatsoever thou shalt appoint me for thou art my Fate and Fortune c. Will he speak soft words unto thee Verba byssina as unto his Lord and Master An elegant and pleasant Prosopopaeia No his stomack is too great to stoop so low Verse 4 will he make a Covenant with thee And compound where he cannot conquer Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever To be at thy dispose and to do thy drudgery q.d. He scornes the motion Before the fall this and all other Creatures were at mans service Gen. 1.28 2.19 20. But now alass it is otherwise Howbeit to those that are in Christ this part of Gods lost image is in part restored Heb. 2.6 with Psalm 8.4.5 and shall be perfectly Revelat. 2.26 What singular service the Whale did Jonas in shipping him to Land who knows not Verse 5. Wilt thou play with him as with a bird Shall he make thee sport as those poor birds that serve as pastime for little children Or as the foolish Emperor Honorius delighted in his bird Roma so he called it at the losse whereof when the City was taken by the Vandals he grieved more then at all the rest I â—diguum sanè regem aves praeferre viribus saith the Divine Chronologer Wilt thou bind him for thy maidens Shall your daughters tye him with a thred which lengthning or straightning at their discretion shall make his prison either larger on straiter Sena Verse 6. Shall the companions make a Banquet of him The Cetarii Whale-fishers who usually go out in companies It was anciently held impossible and is still perillous to take the Whale and make a banquet of him as the tongue and some other parts of the Whale are good meat Or Make a Banques for him shall they feast those Merchants they meane to sell him to they may get the better price for him Shall they part him among the Merchants Who might sell him out for sundry uses See vers 1. Verse 7. Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons Harpagâ—â—ibus Heb. With thornes scil to pull him to the shore Opianus Albertus Magnus Gesner and others now write how Whales are to be taken and experience proves it to be feisable They are sometimes cast upon the Land by the surging rage or violence of the sea or by the ebbing thereof left in a ford where they cannot swim and so they become a prey to the fishermen with their guns darts c. Verse 8. Lay thy hand upon him Stroke him clap him on the back and see if that way thou canst winne upon him sith by force thou canst not catch and kill him Or draw neer and offer but the least violence to him if thou darest and he will quickly make thee repent it so that thou wilt have little joy either to flatter him or to fight it out with him for he will be the death of thee Verse 9. Behold the hope of him is in vain Heb. Is lying A man may promise himself or others to take the Whale but how or when will he effect it It is a misery to lye languishing at Hopes Hospital and after all to be disappointed to labour all night and take nothing c. Shall not one be cast downe even at the fight of him
As a dutiful and docible Scholar who should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will ask thee questions and hang upon thy holy lips for an answer Verse 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear God hath ordained that as death entred into the world at first by the ear poisoned by that old Man-slayer Genes 3. so life shall enter into the soul by the same door for it is Hear and your soul shall live Isai 55.3 And The dead in sins and trespasses shall hear the voice of the Son of God sounding in his Ordinances and shall live the life of grace here and of glory hereafter John 5.25 This great mercy Job had received and he thankfully acknowledgeth it But behold a greater But now mine eyes hath seen thee Not only in the temple and whirl-wind those clear testimonies of thy presence but by some other special glorious apparition so some think and by a Spirit of Prophecy as the Hebrewes would have it by the inward teaching of thy Spirit howsoever as Vatablus senseth it Et quando Christus Magister quà m citò discitur quod docetur saith Austin When God by his Spirit taketh in hand to teach a man he soon becometh a skilful Scholer Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia saith Ambrose The Spirit is not long in teaching those that commit themselves to his tuition The hypocrite knowes God but by hear-say as a blind man knoweth colours such may say as those in the Psalm Audivimus famam something we have heard and some confused notions we have got concerning God and his will but they are meerly disciplinary but not intuitive id est Per speciem Propriam c. Such as transformes the soul into the same Image it is not that claritas in intellectu quae parit ardorem in affectu That light in the understanding that kindleth the affections Job was such witnesse his next words Verse 6. Wherefore I abhor my self Aspernor illa so Tremellius I utterly dislike those my former base and bald conceits of thee my hard and unsauoury speeches mine impatient and imprudent carriages Horreo quicquid de meo est ut meus sins as Bernard expresseth it Reprobo meipsum so Brentius I do utterly reject my selfe I condemn mine own folly I eat those words of discontent at thy righteous proceedings Dignasanè quae per jugulum redeant Abiicio vitam meam so Mercer and Lavater render it Displiceo mihimetipsi ac pervelim ut aliter dixissem ac fecissem Lavat Jerem. 6.26 and 25.34 Virg. Aeneid lib. 12. I cast away my life and look upon it as lost if thou shouldst take the forfeiture I humbly put my self into the hands of justice yet in hope of mercy I repent in dust and ashes As in an expresse and publick pennance I throw my self here upon the ground I put my mouth in the dust Lam. 3.24 Canitiem iâ—â—mundo perfusam pulvere turpo I sprinkle dust and ashes upon mine head in token that I have deserved to be as far under ground as now I am above ground I repent my presumptuous misbehaviour with as lowly a spirit as ever I sinned with an high Lo this was paenitentiam agere quod est pro malo bonum reponere saith Brentius This was true repentance to change evil for good as piety for blasphemy chastity for fornication charity for envy humility for pride Christ for Satan And Reformation is the best Repentance saith Luther Such as so repent are sure of comfort The word here rendred I repent signifieth also to take comfort as Ezek 32.31 It is repentance unto life Acts 11.18 and such as accompanieth salvation Hebr. 6.9 Neither is it wrought in any man but by a saving sight of Almighty God in his Greatness and Goodness such as may make him at once to tremble and trust as Job did here and Isaiah chap. 6.1 5. Verse 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words to Job And Job those other again to God it soon repented the Lord concerning his servant Pro magno delicto parum supplicii sat is est patri A little punishment is enough to a loving father for a great fault Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith the Lord for alass they have received of my hand double for all their sins Terent. Isai 40.1 2. So it seemed to him who is all bowels and who in all their afflictions is equally afflicted God weeps on his peoples necks tears of compassion they weep at Gods feet tears of compunction Oh beautiful contention The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite Because he was the ancienter man of greatest Authority and he that passed the heaviest censures upon Job doing enough to have driven him into desperation My wrath is kindled against thee Thus God passeth not sentence on Jobs side till he had first angerly repressed and reprehended those three friends of his who had assailed him without all right and reason Let Gods servants hold out faith and patience sooner or later they shall be righted And against thy two friends Bildad and Zophar Who stuck so close to thee and chimed in with thee against a better man then any of you all As for Elihu he is neither commended here nor condemned He spake well for the main but many times took Job at the worst and misconstrued his speeches He is therefore punished as Ambassadors are used to be when they commit undecencies with silence which is the way royal to correct a wrong The other three had great cause to be much troubled and terrified at that short but sharpest speech of God My wrath is kindled against you for Who knoweth the power of Gods wrath saith David It is as the Messenger of death Psalm 90.11 and Harbinger of hell God never said so much to Job in all those long and large speeches he made unto him for he knew that milder words would do and he loveth not to over-do Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox By the way observe That although these three had offended more then Job yet he was afflicted and they escaped free Judgement beginneth at Gods house neither have any out of hell ever suffered more then those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11. For ye have not spoken the thing that was right And yet they seemed to be all for God and to plead his Cause against Job throughout But as in some things they were much mistaken so they had their self-respects and were much byassed in their discourses Hypocrites and Heretikes saith Gregory here seem unto men more righteous but God accepteth them not for all their plausible pleas and specious pretences Luke 16.15 Ye are they said our Saviour to the Pharisees who justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God As my servant Job hath They also were Gods servants but because they had lent
recruit as far as God seeth fit Multadies variâ—squo Labor mutabilis avi Rettulit in melius multos alterna revisens Lusit in solido rursus fortuna locavit Virg. Aen. l. 11 The best way is to hang loose to these things below not trusting in uncertain riches but in the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 who will be our exceeding great reward and give to his Sufferers an hundred fold here and eternal life hereafter Mat. 19.29 Optandâ— nimirùm est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is doubtlesse a lovely losse that is made up with so much gaine Well might Saint Paul say Godlinesse is profitable to all things as having the Promise of both lives 1 Tim. 4 6 Well might Saint Peter call it The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.2 For as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty c. so doth Godlinesse Let a man with Job bear his losses patiently and pray for his enemies that wrong and rob him and he shall be sure to have his own againe and more either in money or moneys worth either in the same or a better thing contented Godlinesse shall be great gaine to him 1 Tim. 6.6 Besides heavens happinesse which shall make a plentiful amends for all The Rabbins would perswade us That God miraculously brought back again to Job the self-same cattle that the Sabaeans and others had taken from him and doubled them Indeed his children say they therefore were not doubled unto him because they perished by their owâ—â—ault and folly as one of his friends also told him But of all this nothing certain can be affirmed and they do better who say That his children being dead in Gods favour perished not but went to heaven they were not lost but laid up so that before God Job had the number of his children doubled for they are ours still whom we have sent to heaven before us and Christ at his coming shall restore them unto us 1 Thessal 4.14 In confidence whereof faithful Abraham calleth his deceased Sarah his dead That I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23.4 and so she is called eight several times in that one Chapter as Paraeus hath observed Verse 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren Then when God had begun to restore him As his adversity had scattered his friends so his prosperity brought them together again This is the worlds usage Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Summer-birds there are not a few Samaritans who would own the Jewes whiles they flourished but otherwise disavow them as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes Rich Job had many friends Prov. 14.20 Qui tamen persistebant amicitia sicut lepus juxta tympanum as the Proverb is All this good Job passeth by and forgetting all unkindnesses magnificently treateth them as Isaac in like case had done Abimelech and his train Gen. 26.30 And did eat bread with him in his house It 's likely they came with their cost to make Job a Feast of comfort such as were usual in those dayes Jer. 16.7 Ezek 24.17 But whether they did or not they were welcome to Job who now never upbraids them with their forsaking of him in his distresse which yet was then a great grief to him but friendly re-embraceth them and courteously entertaineth them This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable spirits in these dayes whose wrath like that of the Athenians is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-lasting and although themselves are mortal yet their hearts are immortal And they bimoaned him They condoled with him and shook their heads as the word signifieth not by way of deriding him as once they had done chap. 16. but of sorrow for their former deserting him and assurance that they would henceforth better stick to him in what estate soever And comforted him over all the evil c. So they should have done long before A friend is made for the day of adversity but better late then never Nunquam sane serò si seriò See here saith Brentius the change of affaires and the right hand of the Most High and learn the fear of God for as he frowneth or favoureth any man so will the world do Every man also gave him a piece of money Or a Lamb to stock him againe Beza rendreth it Some one of his Cattle and paraphraseth thus Yea every one of them gave him either a sheep or an Ox or a Camel and also an Ear-ring of gold partly as a pledge of their good will and friendship renewed toward him and partly in consideration and recompence of that losse which he had before by the will and fore-appointment of God sustained Honoraria obtulerunt saith Junius they brought him these presents as Pledges of their love and observance for so were great men wont to be saluted with some gift Sen. Epist 17. 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Chron. 17.5 And the same custome was among the Persians and Parthians whose Kings might not be met without some token of congratulation and Symbol of Honour And every one an Ear-ring of gold Inaurem auream an Ear-pendant of gold at the Receipt whereof Job might well say as the Poet did Theog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To thee this is a small matter but to me a great Verse 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job According to Bildads Prophecy chap. 8.7 And S. James his useful observation Chap. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy If he afflict any of his it is in very faithfulnesse that he may be true to their souls it is also in great mercy Deut. 8.16 that he may do them good in the latter end and this they themselves also shall both see and say by that time he hath brought both ends together Psal 119.71 Be ye therefore patient stablish your hearts James 5.7 Patient Job had all doubled to him Joseph of a Slave became his Masters Master Valentinian lost his Tribuneship for Christ but was afterwards made Emperor Queen Elizabeth of a prisoner became a great Princesse But if God deny his suffering servants Temporals and give them in Spirituals they have no Cause to complaine One way or other they shall be sure to have it Great is the gain of Godlinesse For he had fourteen thousand sheep c Cattle only are instanced Pecuma à pecâ—de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes posteà opes significant Melancth Dios because therein especially consisted the wealth of that Countrey but other good things also doubtlesse were doubled unto him as his family possessions grounds houses and especially Wisdom to make a good use of all for commonly Stultitiam patiuntur opes and what 's more contemptible then a rich fool a golden beast as Caligula called his father in
Book to be bound up in a little Volume by it self to serve as his Manual and attend him in his running Library for therein he found amulets of comfort more pleasant than the Pools of Heshbon more glorious than the Tower of Lebanon more redolent than the Oyl of Aaron more fructifying than the dew of Hermon as one expresseth it All the latitude of the Holy Scriptures may be reduced to the Psalms saith Austin after Athanasius Luther calleth them Parva Biblia summarium utriusque Testaments a little Bible a Summary of both Testaments The Turks disclaim both the Old and New Testament and yet they swear as solemnly by the Psalms of David as by the Alchoran of Mahomet Anciently they were sung in the Temples and in the Primitive Christian Church happy was that tongue held that could sound out aliquid Davidicum any part of a Psalm of David Nicephorus telleth us that as they travelled and journied they used to solace themselves with Psalms and that thereby there was at a certain time a Jew converted Saint Paul calleth them Spiritual Songs Col. 3.16 both because they were indited by the Holy Spirit and for that they do singularly suit with mens spirits for they are so penned that every man may think they speak De se in re sua of himself and to his particular purpose as Athanasins observeth And lastly because they do after a special manner Spiritualize and sanctifie those that sing them in the right tune which is Sing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord as the Apostle there setteth it and elsewhere hinteth unto us that there is no small edification by the choyce of a fit Psalm 1 Cor. 14.26 Vers 1. Blessed Heb. O the blessedness the heaped up happiness both of this Life and a better fitter to be beleeved than possible to be discoursed The Hebrew comes from a root that signifieth to go right forward scil in the way that is called Holy having Oculum ad metam an eye upon the mark viz. True and real happiness such as all men pretend to but he only attaineth to who is here described Policrat lib. 8. cap. 4. Sylla was by his flatterers surnamed Felix because high and mighty and Metellus likewise Quod bona multa bono modo invenerat because rich by right means But he that first called Riches Bona was a better Husband than Divine and they that seek for a felicity in any thing here below seek for the living among the dead The Philosophers discourses of this subject are but learned dotages David saith more to the point in this short Psalm than any or all of them put together they did but beat the Bush God hath here put the Bird into our hands Is the man Heb. that man with an Article with an Accent and by an excellency as Jer. 5.1 that eminent and eximious man who is rationally Spiritual and Spiritually rational that man in Christ 2 Cor. 12.2 who hath learned Christ and doth live Christ walking as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 and not in the counsel of the ungodly c. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord c. Magnus atque admirabilis vir simodo viri nomine designare illum fas est as Chrysostom saith of Babylas the Martyr that is a great and an admirable man if a man we may call him and not an earthly Angel rather He must indeed bee content to pass to Heaven as a concealed man because the World knoweth him not 1 Joh. 3.1 but those that have senses exercised to discern good and evil may easily know him as he stands here described 1 To depart from evil vers 1. 2 To do good vers 2. Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly or restless the counsel of such should be far from us Job 21.16 22.18 The Jews cast their whole Nation of People into three ranks Reshagnim the word here used that is the profane rabble Tsadichim righteous men and Chasidim good or gracious men see Rom. 5.7 To these two latter are opposite here Sinners and Scorners these last being the worst of wicked persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 20.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 3.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panormit and therefore set last in this gradation as some will have it The Septuagint here render them Pests or Botches and elsewhere incorrigible wicked with a witness proud prevaricating c. Beware of this Sin saith Father Latimer for I never knew but one scorner that repeuted he who is fitten down in this Chair or Pestilence as having tired himself in ways of wickedness and will not bee better advised Prov. 9.7 8. but with Lots Sons in Law jeareth what he should fear wil not easily be raised out of it Vers 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord i.e. in the whole Doctrin of the Holy Scriptures that invariable rule of truth as Irenaeus rightly calleth it He findeth rest no where Nisi in angulo cum libello in a Nook with this Book as Thomas à Kempis was wont to say who also with his own hand wrote out the Bible King Alphonsus read it over fourteen times together with such Commentaries as those times afforded Luther said hee would not live in Paradise without the Word Par. in Epist. ad Ja. Nâ—wer Pastor Heidelb as with it he could live well enough in Hell Magdalen Wife to D. Paraeus after she was married and forty years of age out of love to the Scriptures learnt to read and took such delight in it and especially in the Psalms that she gat them almost all by heart Bâ—za being above fourscore years old could say perfectly by heart any Greek Chap. Act. Mon. in St. Pauls Epistles Cranmer and Ridley had all the New Testament by heart the former had learnt it in his journey to Rome the latter in the Walks of Pembrook-Hall in Cambridge And in his Law doth he meditate day and night Hoc primus repetens opus hoc postremus omittens Hora Having gathered with the Bees the sweet of those heavenly flowers he doth by meditation work his Hony-comb within his Hive and at this work he is perdius pernox till he feel it to become an ingrafted word yea till he hath turned it in succum sanguinem and is after a sort transformed into it 2 Cor. 3.18 The Hebrew word Hagah here signifieth both to speak with the mouth and with the heart to read and to meditate because to read is not to run over a Chapter as a Childe at School but to muse upon the matter and to make some benefit of it It is storied of Pythagoras that he lived in a Cave for a whole year together that being sequestred from the society of men he might the better meditate upon the abstruser parts of Philosophy he used also with a thread to tye the hair of
poor comfort to our Henry 8. to bee told upon his Death-bed That he was now going to the place of Kings Some such there have been as proved nursing Fathers to the Church and propagated the Kingdom of Christ in their Generations Esa 49.33 but what a vain vaunt was that of those bloudy Tyrants in the Primitive times who sounded the Triumph before-hand and thus engraved the Victory upon pillars of Marble Nomine Christianorum deleto qui Remp. evertebant What was all this but a blaze before their last Light went out or like some bulging wall that was swoln immediatly before it fell have any ever yet waxed fierce against Christ and prospered Job 9.4 And the Rulers take counsel together Or have laid their foundation for counsel is to action Syncretismâ—m incunt quasi se fundaâ—t consiliis suis c. saith Aben-Ezra here the same that the foundation is to a building The Chaldee hath it they consociate to rebel before the Lord and to fight against his Annoynted But with what success see Isa 8.9 10. Immanuel will over-match them Vers 3. Let us break their bands asunder c. Here these Rebels are brought in proclaming their treasonable Decrees against Christ and his adherents who seek to promote his Kingdom Resolved they were to run riot as lawless and awless and therefore they slander the sweet Laws of Christs Kingdom as bonds and thick cords those signs of slavery Jer. 27.2 6 7. as burdens and grievances Melch. Adam in vit Bucer So the Popish Clergy of Collen told their good Arch-Bishop Albert who had made use of Bucer and Melancthon to bring things into better order that they had rather live under the Turkish Government than under such a Reformation But what saith our Saviour My yoke is easie and my burthen light No more burthen it is to a regenerate person than the wings are to the Bird. He delighteth in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7. It is not to him now as once bands and cords but as Girdles and Garters which gird up his loyns and expedite his course the better It confineth him to live in that element where he would live as if one should be confined to Paradise where he would be though there were no such Law Vers 4. He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh at them Videt ridet He seeth and smileth he looketh and laugheth at these Giants Hee sitteth in Heaven far above their reach neither doth he much trouble himself about the matter No more should we but trust in him and know that there is a Council in Heaven that will dash the mould of all contrary Counsels upon Earth as the stone cut out of the Mountain did the Four great Monarchies Dan. 2.34 See an instance hereof in latter times Luther that Heroical Reformer was Excommunicated by the Pope proscribed by the Emperour hated and cursed all Christendom over almost yet he prospered and the Work of Christ went on in his hands And when the Elector of Saxony his only Patron was much afraid what would become of him and of the business of Religion Luther out of his Pathmus as he called it where he lay hid writeth him a rousing Letter wherein is read this among many other brave passages Sciat Celsitudo tua nihil dubitet longè alitèr in coelo quà m Noribergae de hoc negotio conclusum est Let your Highness rest well assured of this that things are far otherwise carried and concluded of in Heaven than they are at the Imperial Diet held at Norinberg After this in the year of Grace one thousand five hundred twenty six there conspired against the Gospel and the Professors thereof the Emperour and his Prisoner in Spain the French King the Princes also and Bishops in Germany stirred up by the Pope The French King was set at liberty upon condition to joyn with the Emperour to root out Lutheranism that is true Religion This was the agreement but God brake it for the French King was no sooner come home but he made a League with the Pope and the Venetians against the Emperour The Pope excuseth his falling off from Caesar by a petulant and malapert Epistle Caesar by another Letter â—ays open to the World the Popes perfidy exhorting him to peace and concluding that they had more need to unite their Forces for the extirpation of Lutheran Heresie c. By this means the Church had an happy Halcyon whiles these great ones were out and at it The Lord will have them in derision Adonai that is the sustainer and upholder of all Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 Lords and Losels are all his vassals and underlings as Constantine Theodosius and Valentine those great Emperours called themselves This Name or Stile Christ hath written on his Vesture that all may see it and on his Thigh where hangs his Sword to shew his absolute Dominion his illimited Empire got and held out of the hands of his enemies with his Sword and with his Bow as Gen. 48.22 And when he is said to deride them this is more than to laugh at them as the following effects shew Vers 5. Then shall he speak unto them c. Hep. He shall tell them viz. a peece of his minde to their small comfort As a great Prince sitting on a lofty Throne rateth his Rebels when once he hath brought them before him and pronounceth sentence upon them in fierce wrath See Jer. 52.9 so will the King of Heaven do by his sturdy refractories Whether he will speak unto them by his words or by his rods Job 33.14 19 20 21. and when he will do it he hath reserved in his own power and pleasure Acts 1.7 but sooner or later he will not fail to do it and Poena venit gravior quò magè seravenit And vex them Or trouble them as he did the Babel-builders Pharaoh Sennacherib others Either by horror of Conscience or corporal Plagues one way or other he will have his penny-worths of them as he had of the old and late Persecutors of his people Vers 6. Yet have I set my King Heb. And I have set Heb. I have anointed where the sign of his inauguration or entrance into his Kingdom is put for the possession and injoying thereof David was anointed by Gods appointment Christ was also anhoâ—â—ted and appointed by his Father to the Office and work of a Mediator and is therefore here called his King And is here a sign of indignation stirred Vpon mine holy hill of Zion Davids strong Hold and a Figure of the Church Heb. 12.22 Rev. 14.1 Isa 60.14 as being the Seat of the Kingdom and Sanctuary Out of Zion also went forth the Law and the Word of the Lord out of Jerusalem Isa 2.3 it signifieth a Watch-tower In the Church Christ Angels Ministers common Christians watch against enemies visible and invisible Vers 7. I will declare the decree that irrevocable decree of the
or as a ship tossed in the Sea without an Anchor which presently dasheth on the Rocks or falleth upon the Quick-sands Saul for instance who being in distress and forsaken of God ran first to the Witch and then to the Swords point Save me from all them that persecute me Where the Prince is a Persecutor as in the Primitive times and here in the Marian days many will be very active against Gods people O sancta simplicitas said John Husse Martyr when at the stake he observed a plain Country-fellow busier than the rest in fetching Faggots Vers 2. Lest he tear my Soul like a Lion i. e. put me to a cruel and tormentful death exercising against me both cruelty and also craft by taking me at such a time as there is none to deliver me Vers 3. O Lord my God See on Vers 1. If I have done this i.e. This treachery and treason whereof Saul doth causelesly suspect me and wherewith his pick-thank Partisans unjustly charge me As for Sedition saith Latimer for ought that I know methinks I should not need Christ if I might so say But where malice beareth mastery Serm. 3. before K. Ed. 6. the doing of any thing or of nothing is alike dangerous If there be iniquity in my hands Heb. in the palms of my hands where it may bee concealed If I have secretly acted against my Soveraign Vers 4. If I have rewarded evil c. If I have broke the conditions of our reconciliation or betrayed my trust Yea I have delivered him that c. This was true Christianity to overcome evil with good Matth. 5.44 c. Rom. 12.17 c. O quam hoc non est emnium O how few can skill of this Elisha made the Syrians a Feast who came to make him a Grave David spared Saul and delivered him not without the hazard of his own life Bradford conducted Bourn from the Pulpit at Pauls Cross where hee had cried up Popery at the coming in of Queen Mary safe to his Lodging A certain Gentleman said unto him Ah Bradford Bradford thou savest him that will help to burn thee I give thee his life if it were not for thee I would run him thorow with my sword And it proved as the Gentleman had Prophesied There he sits I mean my Lord of Bath Mr. Bourn said Bradford in his third Examination before Stephen Gardiner which desired me himself for the Passion of Christ I would speak to the people Upon whose words I coming into the Pulpit I had like to have been slain with a Dagger which was hurled at him I think for it touched my sleeve He then prayed me I would not leave him and I promised that as long as I lived I would take hurt before him that day And so went I out of the Pulpit and intreated with the people and at length brought him my self into an house Besides this in the afternoon I preached in Bow Church and there going up into the Pulpit one willed me not to reprove the people For quoth hee you shall never come down alive if you do it And yet in that Sermon I did reprove their Fact and called it Sedition at least twenty times For all which my doing I have received this recompence Prison for a year and half and more and Death now which you my Lord of Bath among the rest go about Acts and Mon. fol. 146◠Let all men bee judge where Conscience is Thus Master Bradford like another David in his own defence Vers 5. Let the enemy persecute my Soul and take it Thus he cleareth himself by an holy imprecation The Spanish Bible hath for Shiggaion Davidis in the Title Purgatio Davidis as the same Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both Sin and Purification from sin Psal 51. taking God to witness of his innocency and good Conscience and wishing evil to himself if it were otherwise This he did from a good cause in a good manner and for a good end And not as many prophane ones do now adays who taxed though never so truly with some evil they have done seek to justifie themselves by appealing to God and calling for his Curse upon them if guilty who therefore striketh such impudent imprecatours immediately as Anne Averies and others See Mr. Clarks Mirrour And tread down my life Heb. My lives so usually called saith an Interpreter for the many faculties and operations that are in life the many years degrees estates thereof And lay mine honour in the dust Selah Let him brand me for a most treacherous ignominious wretch and let me lye buried in a bog of indeleble infamy Vers 6. Arise O Lord in thine anger Here David repeateth and re-inforceth his Suit filling his mouth with Arguments for that purpose such as he well knew would be of avail Lift up thy self c. Wherein they deal proudly be thou above them to controle and over-top them And awake for me Sometimes God seemeth to be asleep we must awake him to forget we must in-mind him to have lost his mercy we must finde it for him Where is thy zeal and thy strength c. Isa 53. To the Judgment that thou hast commanded That is promised viz. that thou wilt command deliverances out of Zion Or which thou hast commanded to men in case of wrong done to releeve the oppressed and wilt no◠thou for me great Judge much more do it Vers 7. So shall the Congregation of the people compass thee about As people love to flock to Assizes or such places of Judicature where Sentence is passed upon Great ones that have offended Or thus then shall the publick sincere Service of God be set up and people shall fly to it as the Doves do to their windows For their sakes therefore return thou on high Seat thy self upon thy Tribunal and do justice q. d. Thou hast seemed to come down from the Bench as it were and to have no care of Judgement but go up once again and declare thy power Reverteid est ostende manum tuam esse altam return that is shew that thou hast an high hand saith R. Solomon Vers 8. The Lord shall judge the people The Aethiopian Judges leave the chief Seat ever empty as acknowledging that God is the chief Judge According to my righteousness viz. In this particular Crime whereof I am accused great is the confidence of a good Conscience toward God Such only can abide by the everlasting burnings Vers 9. O let the wickedness c. Put a stop to their rage and rancour But establish the just The overthrow of the one will be a strengthening to the other as it was betwixt the House of Saul and David 2 Sam. 3.1 But who are just The righteous God trieth the hearts and reins i. e. The thoughts and affections or lusts of people Gogitarlonum cupiditatum Junius and accordingly esteemeth of them for Mens cujusque is est quisque and God judgeth of a man according
to the hidden man of his heart Vers 10. My defence is of God Heb. My Buckler is upon God See the Note on Psal 3.3 Which saveth the upright in heart Of which number I know my self to be one and do therefore look for his Salvation Vers 11. God is angry with the wicked every day Or all day long they are under the arrest of his wrath and liable to the wrath to come Children they are of wrath because of disobedience One rendreth it God troubleth them scil by laying continually some Judgement or other upon them and yet there is no cause to fear as the Heathen did of his Jupiter that he should bee exhausted Si quoties peccent homines c. Vers 12. If he turn not scil Inspius ab impietate suâ—â— saith R. Salomon If the wicked turn not from his wickedness by true and timely repentance He will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow i. e. God will God hath and mark that he whets before he strikes and is bending his Bow setting his Arrows preparing his Instruments of death all which must needs take up some time and so give fair warning to these foul Sinners if they have grace to make use of it See the like Deut. 32.41 42. God first whets his Sword before he devours flesh and first takes hold on Judgment before his Judgement take hold of men But if this bee not observed and improved Patientia Dei quâ— diuturnior 〈◊〉 est minaciâ—r and what shall wicked men plead for themselves when God shall say to them as Reuben once did to his Brethren Gen. 42.22 Did not I warn you saying Sin not Vers 13. He hath also prepared c. The punishment of ungodly persons is here elegantly set forth by Three Similitudes 1 From Warfare 2 From Child-birth vers 14. 3 From Hunting vers 15 16. Well might the Lord say I have used Similitudes by the Ministery of the Prophets Hos 12.10 See the Note there He ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors Heb. Ardemes Importing 〈◊〉 hast to perpetraâ—â— mischief The hot burning Persecutors that are set on work by the great red Dragon Such were Felix of Wartemburg who swore that ere he dyed he would ride up to the Spurs and Fornesius who vowed that he would ride up to the Saddle-skirts in the bloud of the Lutherans The Arch-bishop of Toures made sute for the erection of a Court called Chambre Ardent wherein to condemn the French Protestants to the fire Act. Mon. 1911. But ere he dyed he had fire enough for he was stricked with a Disease called The Fire of God which began at his feet and so ascended upward that he caused one Member after another to be cut off and so he dyed miserably This was Gods burning Arrow against a hot burning Persecutor The like may be said of Dioclesian that bloudy Tyrant who had his house burnt over his head with fire from Heaven Euseb l. 5. wherewith he was so affrighted that he dyed soon after The above-mentioned Count Felix of Wartemburg was the same night that he had so vowed and vaunted Illyric choaked in his own bloud So he rode not but bathed himself not up to the Spurs but Throat not in the Lutherans bloud but in his own before he dyed And the like we read of Charls the ninth of France Vers 14. Behold he travelleth with iniquity Heb. He shall travel or hee continually travelleth he taketh as great pains to go to Hell as a travelling woman doth to be delivered And hath conceived mischief See Job 15.35 with the Note And brought forth falshood Or a Lye that is a disappointment See Isa 26.18 R. Solom The Jews have a Proverb Quicquid genuit mendacium dispellit maledictio Vers 15. He made a Pit and digged it c. This Simile shews that the wicked shall not only be frustrated but undone by their own doing as was Absolom Haman our Powder-Papists Pope Alexander the Sixth and his Son Caesar Borgia Bucholcor who by a mistake of the attendants at Table drank up the impoysoned Wine which they had prepared and set ready for some Princes of Italy whom they had invited and for whose Dominions they thirsted Hic aut Caesar aut nullus saith Pontanus who relateth the History Pentan de prud Herodot Vers 16. His mischief shall return upon his own head As the Thracians Arrows did which they in a rage because it rained upon them unseasonably shot up against Heaven And his violent dealing upon his own pate i.e. abundantly and apparently Divers instances might be given hereof Henry the Third of France was stabbed in the same Chamber where he had helped to contrive the French Massacre His Brother Charls the Ninth had bloud given him to drink for he was worthy Quem sitiit vivens sceleratâ mente cruorâ—m Perfidus hunc moriens Carolus ore vomit John Martin of Briquer as in France vaunted every where Act. Mon. fol. 871. that he would slit the Ministers Nose of Angrâ—gne But he was shortly after assaulted by a Woolf which bit off his Nose so that he dyed thereof mad Dispatch the Knave have done said Sir Ralph Ellerken Governour of Callice to the Executioner of Adam Davilip Martyr for I will not away till I see the Traytors Heart out But shortly after Ibid. 112â— the said Sir Ralph in a Skirmish betwixt the French and us at Bulloin was among others slain and had his Heart ript out by the enemy That was a very remarkable one of Dr. Story who escaping out of Prison in Queen Elizabeths days got to Antwerp and there thinking himself out of the reach of Gods Rod he got Commission under Duke D â— Alva to search all Ships coming thither for English Books But one Parker an English Merchant trading to Antwerp laid his Snare fair Speed 1174. saith our Chronicler to catch this foul Bird causing secret notice to be given to Story that in his Ship werestore of Heretical Books with other intelligences that might stand him in stead The Canonist conceiving that all was cock-sure hasted to the Ship where with looks very bigge upon the poor Mariners each Cabin Chest and corner above-board were searched and some things found to draw him further on so that the Hatches must be opened which seemed to bee unwillingly done and great signs of fear was shewed by their faces This drew on the Doctor to descend into the Hold where now in the Trap the Mouse might well gnaw but could not get out for the Hatches were down and the Sails hoised up which with a merry gale were blown into England where ere long he was arraigned and Condemned of High Treason and accordingly executed at Tiburn as he had well deserved Vers 17. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness i.e. His faithfulness in keeping promise with his people and with my self in particular I will say to his honour as Deut. 32.4 A
Vers 10. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee They can do no otherwise that savingly know Gods sweet Attributes and noble Acts for his people We never trust a man till we know him and bad men are better known than trusted Not so the Lord for where his name is poured out as an oyntment there the Virgins love him fear him rejoyce in him repose upon him Them that seek thee So they do it seriously seasonably constantly Vers 11. Sing praises to the Lord c. This is the guise of godly people to provoke others to praise God as being unsatisfiable in their desires of doing him that service and as deeming that others see him as they do totum totum desiderabilem worthy to bee praised Psal 18.3 highly to be admired vers 1. of this Psalm Vers 12. When he maketh inquisition for bloud for innocent bloud unjustly spilled as he did for the bloud of Abel Gen. 4.10 of Naboth 1 King 9.26 surely I have seen yesterday the bloud of Naboth Murther ever bleeds fresh in the eyes of God of Zechariah the Son of Barachiah 2 Chron. 24.22 those ungrateful Guests who slew those that came to call them And when the King heard it for Bloud cryes aloud he was wroth and destroyed those Murtherers Matth. 22.6 7. These shall have bloud to drink for they are worthy Revel 16.6 God draws Articles of enquiry in this case as strict and as critical as ever the Inquisition of Spain doth the proceedings whereof are with greatest secrecy and severity He forgetteth not the cry of the Humble Heb. of the poor lowly meek afflicted Humility and Meekness are Collactancae twin-sisters as Bernard hath it Vers 13. Have mercy upon me O Lord c. These are the words say some of those humble ones whom God forgetteth not they were Gods remembrancers See Isa 62.6 or it is a prayer of David for further deliverances according to that I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised Psal 18.3 Betwixt praysing and praying he divided his time and drove an holy trade between Heaven and Earth Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death i.e. Ex praesentissimo certissimo interitu from desperate and deadly dangers such as threaten present destruction and shew a man the Grave even gaping for him David was oft at this pass and God delivered Paul from so great a death 2 Cor. 1.10 he commonly reserveth his hand for a dead lift and rescueth those who were even talking of their Graves Vers 14. That I may shew forth all thy praises i.e. All that I can compass or attain unto Alitèr omnes laudes Dei dici non possunt quia plures ignorat home quà m novit saith R. David here for all the praises of God cannot be shewn forth sith those wee know not are more than those we know In the gates of the daughter of Zion These are opposed to the Gates of Death as Aben-Ezra here noteth and betoken the most publick places and best frequented Vers 15. The Heathen are sunk down c. Hoc est initium cantici Sanctorum saith Aben-Ezra This is the beginning of the Saints Song knit to the former verse thus saying The Heathen c. In the Net which they bid c. To Hunters they are compared for cruelty and to Fowlers for craft But see their success they are sunk down in their own pit caught in their own Net Thus it befell Pharaoh Exod. 15.9 10. Jabin and Sicera Judg 4. Sennacherib 2 Chron. 32. Antiochus Epiphanes Maxentius the Tyrant Euseb lib. cap. 9 who fell into the river Tiber from his own false Bridge laid for Constantine The Spanish Armado our Powder-Papists c. See the Note on Psal 7.15 Vers 16. The Lord is known by the judgement c. The Heathen Historian observed that the ruine of Troy served to teach men Herod that God punisheth great sinners with heavie plagues Go up to Shiloh c. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Heb. Palms hollows noting the close conveyance of his wicked plots and practises but for his own mischief Higgaion Selah Ainsworth rendreth it Meditation Selah meaning that this is a matter of deep meditation worthy to be well-minded and spoken or sung with earnest consideration always The word is found only here and Psal 92.3 where also the wonderful works of God are discoursed R. Solomons Note here is Ultimum judicium debet esse continua meditatio The last Judgement should be continually thought upon Vers 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell Heb. into into Hell twice that is into the nethermost Hell the lowest Dungeon of Hell The word Lâ—shâ—â—lah hath a vehement inforcement from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locall as Grammarians call it and importeth that they shall be cast into outer darkness August In tenebras ex tenebris infelicitèr exclusi infelicius excludenâ—â— R. Solomons Note here is They shall be carried away from Hell to Judgement and from Judgement they shall be returned to the deepest Pit of Hell This if men did but beleeve they durst not do as they do as once Cato said to Cesar And all the Nations The wicked be they never so many of them they may not think to escape for their multitudes as amongst Mutineers in an Army the tenth man sometimes is punished the rest go free Vers 18. For the needy shall not always be forgotten Because he that shall come will come and will not tarry The Lord is at hand to help those that are forsaken of their hopes Julian Lining was apprehended by Dale the Promooter in Queen Maries days who said unto him You hope and hope but your hope shall be aslope For though the Queen fail she that you hope for shall never come at it for there is my Lord Cardinals Grace Act. Mon. 1871. and many others between her and it c. But the Cardinal dyed soon after the Queen and according to Father Latimers prayer Elizabeth was crowned and England yet once more looked upon Vers 19. Luther Arise O Lord let not man prevail Prayers are the Churches Weapons her Bombards instrumenta bellica whereby she is terrible as an Army with Banners she prays down her enemies Vers 20. Put them in fear O Lord strike them with a panick terrour as once the Canaanites Philistines 2 Sam. 5. Syrians 2 King 7. Germans in the War against the Hussites c. Some read it Put a Law upon them bridle them bound them as thou hast done the Sea Job 38.11 The Greek and Syriack favour this reading That the Nations may know themselves to be but men And not gods as that proud Prince of Tyrus Ezek. 27. and Antiochus who would needs be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to such an height of pride will Persecutors grow if they prosper and be not taken a link lower as we say Home id est fracti saith R. Obad.
upon poor mens skins and wringing the sponges of poor people into their own purses David compareth them to Canibals Sir Richard Berkley his Sum. Bon. 1â—3 Psal 14.4 to greedy Lions here another saith they are like the fish Polypus that lying in wait for other fishes upon the Rock assimulateth to the Rock and taketh them in his Net which hee hath naturally behind his head and can spread at his pleasure before they find themselves in danger Vers 10. He croucheth or crusheth and humbleth himself Lyon-like Job 38. 40. Scipsum aegrum attritum fingit R. David He can few the Foxes skin to the Lions hide for a need and to compass his design As proud as he is yet in subtlety he can abase himself and with glavering speeches and fawning behaviour indirectly indeavor the overthrow of the innocent and distressed To which purpose he can put himself to pain feign himself sick and in a dying condition as those do that stand for the Popedome counterfeit and pretend humility but all is Hypocrisie That the poor may fall by his strong ones whether teeth or pawes per impia decreta saith R. Obadiah by his wicked decrees by the hands of his Privado's desperate Assassinates saith another Expositor Vers 11. Hee hath said in his heart God hath forgotten that is he knoweth it not regardeth it not To learn is nothing else but to remember said Socrates and what a man hath utterly forgotten it is all one as if he had never known it 2 Pet. 1.9 hee hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sins that is hee was never purged See vers 4. Vers 12. Arise O Lord surge age summe Pater said Mantuan to the Pope stirring him up against the Turks may wee better say to the Almighty God against his peoples enemies O God lift up thine hand lift it up on high that it may fall down the more heavily In the first verse of this Psalm the Prophet complained that God stood a farre off and hid himself in time of trouble Here hee is intreated to arise to come neer to put forth his hand for his peoples help c. Vers 13. Wherefore doth the Wicked contemn God q.d. It is time for thee Lord to arise and bestir thy self for otherwise what will become of thy great name The Saints cannot endure that God should be slighted Hee hath said in his heart Vers 3.4 This sticks in Davids stomack and draws this prayer from him who was now blessedly blown up with an holy zeal for God as was also good Zuinglius when hee said In aliis mansuetus ero in Blasphemiis in Christum non ita In other matters I can be mild and patient but not so in case of Blasphemy against Christ Vers 14. Thou hast seen it For thou art All-eye whatever the wicked conceiteth to the contrary making thee a God of clouts as they say or an Heathen-Idoll which is nothing in the World To requite it with thine hand reponendo in manu tua by taking it in thy hand so some render it sc ut propius intnearis certius consideres dijudices vindices Aben-Ezra-Relinquit in te â—onus saum R. Solomon that thou mayest take a more neer and narrow view of it and duely punish it The poor committeth himself unto thee Heb. leaveth relinquit scipsum currit ad te he relinquisheth himself and runneth unto thee Now whosoever committeth himself and his affaires to God shall bee sure to find him a faithfull Depositarie Thou art the helper of the father lesse The Worlds Refuge as the Grand Signiour is called The poor mans King as James 5. of Scotland In God the Fatherless findeth mercy Hos 14.3 And these Arguments David useth in his prayer not to move God to hear and help but to work upon his own heart thereby and to perswade himself to more Faith Love Obedience Humility Thankfullness whereby wee are the better fitted for mercy When a man in a Ship plucks a Rock it seemeth as if he pluckt the Rock nearer the ship when as indeed the ship is pluck'd nearer the Rock So is it in this case wee seem to perswade God by our Arguments when as indeed the change is not wrought in him but only in our selves our Arguments are curarum nostrarum levamenta fiducia impetrandi augmenta the cure of our cares and props to our faith of obtaining Vers 15. Break thou the arme of the Wicked that arm that hath been lifted up against the godly see Psal 3.8 58.7 Seek out his wickednesse that thou finde none ad alios vel inficiendos vel infestandos Ezech. 23.48 Or leave no sin of his unpunished The Franciscans to prove that Francis the founder of their order was without sin foolishly alledge this Text Queretur peccatum illâ—us non inven etur wherein according to the sense of the Psalmist what do they else but wish that God would trace him quite thorow the course and trade of his iniquities even to the uttermost end of them and punish him accordingly which is done no doubt long since Vers 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever Therefore he will doubtlesse do whatsoever hath been before desired and much more than wee can ask or think Many Kings have been long-lived as was Antaxerxes Mnemon who reigned 62. years Augustus Caesar 56. Q Elizabeth 44 c. but died at length to the great grief of their subjects and servants who are ready to with as once the Romans did concerning Augustus that eithet they had never been or never dyed But God is the King immortall invisible c. The Heathen are perished out of his Land the enemies whether Jews or Gentiles are rid out of his Church for that is Gods Land by a specialty his peculiar Portion Vers 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble The whole life of a good Christian is an holy desire saith Austin And the desires of the Righteous shall be satisfied Prov. 10.24 because they are framed by the Holy Spirit according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 and they have the mind of Christ 1. Cor. 2.16 who knoweth the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8.27 though their desires be not uttered v. 26. Thou wilt prepare their heart In removendis ab illo mundi negotiis saith R. David and by putting them into a praying frame and so fitting them for mercy Where God giveth a praying heart 't is sure that hee will shew a pittying heart If hee prepare the heart hee will also bend his ear like as when wee bid our Children ask us for this or that wee mean to give it them and as when wee open a purse as wide as wee can pull it 't is a sign wee intend to fill it top-full Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear even whilst they are preparing and before they can speak many times Isa 65.24 or whilest they are praying as Dan. 9.20 Act. 4.31 or not long after they
too c. Gregory the Great trembled whensoever he read those words of Abraham to the rich Glutton who thought this life to be his saginary or boares-frank Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16. Yee have lived in pleasure upon earth Jam. 5.5 no fit place for such a purpose God did not turn you out of one Paradise that you should here provide your selves of another earth is a place of banishment and bondage Of the wickeds prosperity here see Job 21.7 8. with the Notes And whose belly thon fillest with thy bid treasures That is with Gold and other precious things digged out of the earth saith Aben-Ezra Opimis rebus saith Junius with abundance of outward blessings and benefits saith another which are called Gods hidden treasures not because they are not seen but because they are not so well perceived and used of the ungodly as were meet or because the reason of their present plenty of all things is hidden from them and yet it appears not but shall bee made manifest that these fatting ware are but fitting for the slaughter They are full of Children which they send forth as a flock Job 21.11 See the Note there Or their Children are full carne porcinâ saith the Arabick here or of wordly wealth and mountaines of mony left them by those faithfull drudges their rich but wretched Parents and progenitours whose only care was to heap up hoards of wealth for their posterity Vers 15. As for mee I neither envy nor covet these mens happinesse but partly have and partly hope for a farre better I will behold thy face in Righteousnesse which none can do but the pure in heart Mat. 5. and those that keep close to God in a constant communion being justified and sanctified persons I shall be satisfied Better than those muck-worms and their Children are When I awake sc Out of the dust of death at the Resurrection With thy likenesse With the visible sign of thy glory in Heaven 1. Job 3.2 PSAL. XVIII TO the chief Musician Some render it Adtriumphandum and well they may for this is old Davids 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant song after so many victories and deliverances and it is twice recorded in Scripture with very little variation See 2 Sam. 22. for the great worth and weightinesse of the matter that wee may the more observe it and bee the better versed in it This here recorded seemeth to bee the Review of it and thence those small additions and alterations that are found here and there but not of any great moment A Psalm of David Who having now gotten some breathing while from his troubles gave not himself to Idlenesse or worldly pleasures as the Romans used to do after that they had once ridden in triumph but calling to mind Gods great mercies towards him composed this sweet Psalmodie to his glory The Servant of the Lord So hee stiled himself before Psal 36. when hee first entred upon the Kingdome and now here again when being to lay it down together with his life hee breatheth out his holy soul to God in this divine ditty Sic ubi fata vocant c. This hee did after that as a faithfull servant of the Lord hee had done all the wills of God Act. 13.22 had served out his full time Verse 36. and dwelt in Gods house to length of dayes Psal 23.6 Who spake unto the Lord the words of this song God lets out his mercies to us for this rent of our praises and is content wee have the benefit of them so hee may have the glory The Hebrews give this Note here Every man for whom there is wrought a miracle of mercy and hee thereupon uttereth a song hath his sins forgiven him This is better yet than that of the Papists who promise pardon of sin to those that shall hear two Masses a day Wee who have received so many mercies should compass God about with songs of deliverances and not only servire Deo sed adulari as Tertullian hath it From the hand of all his enemies Heb From the Palm of other enemies as less considerable but from the hand or clutch-fist of Saul And from the hand of Saul his greatest enemy and of longest continuance So Christ is said to save his people from their sins by a specialty Mat. 1.21 because these do us the most mischief Vers 1. I will love thee O Lord my strength Heb. I will love thee dearly and entirely Ex intimis visceribus from the very heart root from the bottom of my bowels with like intention of affection as a tender-hearted Mother doth her dearest Babe that is her own bowels her self of the second edition Neither did David herein super-erogate for God requireth to be loved with all the heart minde soul strength Modus sig siâ—â— modo Beâ—â— as one that is best worthy good without measure that hath loved us without measure and therefore is without measure by us to be beloved Not that we are bound to love God in quantum est diligibilis so much as he is lovely or love-worthy for so God only can love himself but Nihil supra aequè aut contra Nothing must we love above God or so much as God much less against God we must be able to say affectionately with David Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee And as Bernard Amo te Domine plus quam mea meos me I love thee Lord more than my goods my friends my self A Christian begins with loving God for himself but he ends in loving himself and all other both persons and things in and for God His friend he loveth in the Lord his foes for the Lord but God he loveth absolutely and for himself affecting not only an union with him but even an unity his heart being turned as it were into a very lump of love as was Maries Luke 7.47 Histories tell of a certain Woman that came to Vespasian the Emperour professing that she was in love with him he commanded that a liberal reward should be given her for the same and when his Steward asked him under what Item he should put that gift in his Book of Account Vespasiano adamato said the Emperour Item To her that loved Vespasian God saith the Apostle is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love c. Heb. 6. I love them that love me saith Christ Prov. 8. and his love is not like the Winter Sun which hath light but not heat c. he is the strength of his people their Rock Fortress c. Vers 2. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress c. i.e. He is all in all for my preservation Ten words say the Hebrews he here heapeth up in reference to Ten signal Victories or rather because his thankful heart was so enlarged that hee could never satisfie himself in saying what God had been to
Vers 17. He delivered me from my strong enemy Saul this he oft instanceth rolling it as Suger under his tongue and turning aside often to look upon it as Sampson did to see his dead Lion fetching Hony out of it For they were too strong for me And then Gods help was most seasonable when David found himself over-matcht Vers 18. They prevented me c. They took me on the sudden and unprovided The Children of this World are wiser c. But the Lord was my stay Or my staff whereon I so leaned as that if he had failed me I had been all along Vers 19. He bronght me forth also c. He freed me out of all straights and stated me in a most happy condition He delivered because he delighted in me All was of free grace and favour not of any merit And this he purposely premiseth as a caution to the ensuing profession of his innocency Vers 20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness viz. The righteousness of my Cause and my freedom from such crimes of disloyalty and ambition wherewith mine enemies charged me as if prickt on by my pride I sought the Kingdom As also according to mine honest desire and endeavour in all things else â—o keep a good Conscience voyd of offence toward God and men This though Gods own work and a debt most due to him yet he is pleased graciously to reward Vers 21. For I have kept the ways of the Lord For the main and for the most part though not without some particular stumblings and startings aside against my general resolution and the tendency of mine heart And have not wickedly departed from my God By an utter defection I have not been transformed into Sins Image by projecting sin by falling into it with full consent and by lying under the power of it Non ex superbia sed errore saith R. David here not of presumption have I offended or with an high hand but of infirmity and with reluctancy rising up again by repentance and renewing my Covenant Vers 22. For all his Judgements were before mee Mine obedience in desire and indeavour at least was universall extending to the compass of the whole Law and this is a sure sign of sincerity Hence in the next words Vers 23. I was also upright before him This he had because he kept Gods Commandements as Vers 22. had respect to them all Psal 119.6 both to the Magnalia and minutula legis which he kept as the apple of his eye Prov. 7.2 even all Gods Wills Act. 13.22 and was therefore approved in Christ as Apelles Rom. 16.10 and passed for an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile as Nathaniel Joh. 1.47 And I kept my self from mine iniquity i.e. from my peccatum in delicâ—is my darling sin whereto I am either by Nature or Custom most inclined and addicted From the iniquity of my heart and secret thoughts which no man can charge me with saith Aben-Ezra from that sin of disloyalty R. David which Saul and his Courtiers falsly charge me with Say others Vers 24. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me See on vers 20. Reward and Mercy are joyned together in the Second Commandement and Psal 62.12 it is a mercy in God to reward a man according to his work According to the cleaneness of my hands in his eye sight i.e. which he hath beheld in me Qua illo judice praeditus dum Vatab. though mine enemies were of another judgement Ver. 25 With the mercifull c. Hypothesin hic ad thesin transfert it is as if the should say I and mine enemies are a pattern of thy Truth and Justice that thou wilt do good to those that are good and to them that are upright in their hearts As for such as turn aside unto their crooked paths thou Lord shalt lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.4 5. Vers 26. With the pure c. Cum candido candide agere soles The pure shall have all that heart can with And with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward Or thou wilt wrastle viz. with such cross peices as proudly and perversly erre from thy precepts as it were on purpose to thwart thee or to try Masteries with thee Against such stubborn persons God threatneth not eight degrees which are the highest Notes in Musick and degrees in qualities as the Philosopher distinguisheth them but twenty and eight degrees of wrath Levit. 26.18 21 24 28. Exiget ab â—is rationem minutissimorum saith R. Obad. Gaon upon this Text he will reckon with them for their least offences and not bate them an Ace of their due punishment He will pay them home in their own coyn over-shoot them in their own Bow fill them with their own ways be as cross as they are for the hearts of them yet still in a way of Justice though he break the necks of them in wrastling and send them packing to their place in Hell Ainsworth rendreth it With the froward thou wilt shew thy self wry It is a Similitude taken from Wrastlers and noteth a writhing of ones self against an adversary Compare herewith Deut. 32.5 They are a perverse and crooked Generation the same two words that are here in this Text the latter importeth that they wriggled and writhed after the manner of Wraâ—â—lers that wave up and down and wind the other way when one thinks to have them here or there But all will not serve their turn to save them from punishment God will be sure to meet with them his Word will lay hold on them and their sin shall finde them out Vers 27. For thou wilt save the afflicted people Even the same whom before he had called Merciful or godly upright pure here are the Afflicted and seem by God to be neglected but he will save them assuredly though he bear long with them Luk. 18.7 But will bring down high looks In Samuel it is Thine eyes are upon the haughty that thou maist bring them down 2 Sam. 22.28 q.d. Gods eyes are upon them all the while that he spareth them to watch for a fit season to ruine them Vers 28. For thou wilt light my Candle Or Thou hast lighted my Candle that is thou hast bettered my condition which seemed to be put out in obscurity The wicked mans is Job 18 6. 21.17 Prov. 13.9 The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness He hath and yet still will turn my grief into joy as Hest 8.19 and mean while direct and comfort me in mine Afflictions as a Candle is a great comfort in the dark though it doth not make Day where it comes as the Sun doth Vers 29. For by thee have I run thorow a Troop Though but a little man yet by Gods help heatchieved great matters did great exploits Homo tricubitalis saith a Father concerning Paul Et coelum ascendit so here Some render it Currebam accinctus Bucholc I ran well appointed and they interpret
of matter how much rather is this true of Gods Law saith a Learned Writer Nothing may be added to it without marring of it Prov. 30.6 Note this against Jewish Popish and Turkish Traditions and additions as also against Antiscripturists and Anabaptists who at first rejected all Books but the Bible and after that grew so wise as to be religious enough without that also And last of all they came to blaspheme that blessed Book as a dead Letter and a beggerly Element c. when as the Apostle telleth us that all Scripture is pure precious and profitable for Doctrin for reproof c. that the Man of God may be perfect c. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Here in this and the two following Verses it is easie to observe â— That every of them are in the Hebrew written with ten words 2. That here is a Six-fold commendation of Gods holy Word 1. By the several names thereunto given Law Testimony Statutes c. 2. By the Nature perfect sure right c. 3. By the effects converting the soul making wise the simple c. Converting the Soul This no Doctrin besides can do Plato went thrice to Sicily to convert Dionysius the Tyrant but could not Ambrose saith well of Polemo Integra est Doctrina ac proinde animoâ— redintegrat Jun. De Elia jejunio cap. 12 who of a Drunkard by hearing Xenocrates became a Philosopher Si resipuit à vino fuit semper tamen temulentus sacrilegio if he gave over his Drunkenness yet he continued still drunk with superstition Seneca the Philosopher wrote a Book now lost against superstitions but yet lived and died in them Colebat quod reprehendebat agebat quod arguebat quod culpabat adorabat saith Austin of him he exercised what he condemned and would not leave what he did so utterly dislike But the Word works a transmentation an entire change of the mind and manners a new Creation 2 Cor. 5.17 The testimony of the Lord is sure These words are faithful and true Rev. 22.6 they are all in righteousness neither is there in them any thing perverse or froward Prov. 8.8 Testimonies they are called 1. Because they testifie as a Record to all Ages what the will of the Lord is Joh. 5.39 2. They were given with great contestation and pressing of all men to keep them 3. They will be a witness against all such as do not The Gospel also is called a Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 2 Thes 1.10 Isa 18.20 Making wise the simple That is the humble teachable and such as are not puffed up with a conceit of their own wisdom 1 Cor. 7.18 the very entrance into Gods word giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple or to the perswadable Psal 119.130 It is reasonable milk 1 Pet. 2.2 Vers 8. The statutes of the Lord are right As being the issue of the most righteous will of God Of humane lawes Demosthenes saith that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the invention of the Gods Much better may wee say the like of this law here commended Right it is because it teacheth men the right way to life non flexuosum quale docet care cautio humana Right also because it speaketh right to every mans case and condition de quolibet in re sua affording a salve for every sore a medicine for every malady so that it may better bee called than was that famous library at Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physick for the soul food and Physick both and of the best sort the best of the best Rejoycing the heart This is the proper work of the Gospel the sweet promises whereof hid in the heart and there mingled with faith make it to over-abound exceedingly with joy and to conceive strong consolation the Martyrs of all ages ges for instance And although it bee the Doctrine of the Crosse yet Leâ—ythos babet in malis it hath cordialls of comfort such as the World can neither give nor take away the Gospel is a precious book every leaf drops myrrhe aâ—â— mercy We should therefore prize it much more than Caesar did his Commentaries Major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae for swimming through the waters to escape his enemies hee carried his books in his hand above the waters but lost his robe Now what were his books to Gods The Commandement of the Lord is pure And so differeth from humane lawes which establisheth wickednesse sometimes as those of Lycurgus did some kind of theft adultery c. Humane Doctrines also are mixt with many errours Irenaus justly taxeth Plato for this that hee did lacte gypsum miscere mingle lime with milk stain the pure stream of divine truth with fabulous narrations and fopperies But every word of God is pure Psalm 12.7 18.32 See the Notes Inlightening the eyes Giving both light and sight Act. 26.18 the saving knowledge of God and his will of our selves and of our duties and bringing us out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 When Christ came preaching the people which sate in darknesse saw a great light Mat. 4.16 And wee have a more sure light of prophecie whereunto wee must take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 Whilest the Moon looketh directly upon the Sun she is bright and beautifull but if shee once turn aside and be left to her self she loseth all Her glory and enjoyeth but only a shaddow of light which is her own So whilst men with humility and teachablenesse turn their faces toward Christ revealed in the Gospel and those stars in his right hand the faithfull Ministers to receive illumination and instruction God doth graciously vouchsafe unto them the glorious light of saving knowledge But when they turn their backs upon him and his Oracles and will needs walk by the light of their own tinder-boxes kindling a fire and compassing themselves with sparks Isa 50.11 they are sure to be bewildred and to lye down in sorrow Vers 9. The fear of the Lord is clean That is The Doctrine which teacheth the true fear of God is such as cleanseth the conscience ferreteth out corruption sanctifieth the whole man Joh. 17.17 15.3 Act. 20.32 26.18 Enduring for evor For ever O Lord thy word is establisht in Heaven Psal 119.89 Heaven and Earth shall pass but not one jot or tittle of the law not one hair of that sacred head shall fall to the ground Mat. 5.18 should all the powers on earth make warre against the very paper of the Scriptures they cannot possibly destroy it What God hath written hee hath written and it shall stand inviolable to the Worlds end Antiochus Epiphanes Dioclesian and other Tyrants have attempted to burn up all Bibles but could never effect it Other lawes and Religions are antiquated and altered as all Histories testifie not so this The Judgements of the Lord are true Heb. Truth as comming from a God of Truth and without iniquity just and
that he cannot but cry out Who can understand c. O cleanse c. The most perfect Saints are the most sensible of their imperfections as the more delicate the Senses are the more sharply are they affected with what offends them Rom. 7.14 1 Cor. 15.9 10. Alas for us saith one good man Ipsa lachrymae sunt lachrymabiles we had need to weep over our tears sigh over our sobs mourn over our griefs c. Look how when we have swept a room never so clean saith Spinaeus if the Sun do but come into it at the windows De instit Christian we soon espy abundance of filthy motes mingled with the beams thereof so is it with our hearts when once illightned What a blinde buzzard then was he that said Non habeo Domine quod mihi ignoscas Lord I have nothing for thee to pardon And no wiser was Bellarmine that great Scholar but ill read in his own heart if that be true that is reported of him viz. that when the Priest came to absolve him he could not remember any particular sin to confess till he went back in his thoughts as far as his youth Of Philip the Third King of Spain Val. Max. Christ 263. it is said that he lived so strictly that he never committed any gross Crime or wilful wickedness yet coming to dye he cried out O that I had never reigned O that I had lived a private life in the Wilderness that I might not have now to answer for not doing the good or hindering the evil that I might have done in my government Cleanse thou me from secret faults Secret from my self many of them sins of ignorance and of inadvertency secret from the world more of them heart sins but not secret from the Lord Psal 90.8 Heb. 4.13 These are of daily and hourly incursion involuntary and unavoydable infirmities yet are they sins properly so called and we must be cleansed from them by the Merit and Spirit of Christ they must be repented of in general at least and then there is a pardon of course for them and they do not usually distract and plunge the Conscience Vers 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins Heb. With-draw inhibit for we are naturally prone to the worst of sins even the best of us and to lye buried with the World in a bog of wickedness adding rebellion to sin and doing wickedly with both hands earnestly unless God reign us in and restrain us from such enormities Midrash Tillin in Psal 191. Pray we therefore as here Etiam â superbiis contine servum tuum Davids Murthering Vriah was a sin of this sort The Rabbins here observe how the Propher riseth in his request first for pardon of lesser sins and then for power against greater like as a Begger say they first craves a little water and then a Morsel of bread We should do so Let them not have dominion over me Sin will rebel but it must not reign in our mortal bodies it must not play Rex and bear sway in the soul Pray hard against that in chief Ne iniquit as victrix dominetur that our lusts be not our Lords that vice vanquish us not Then shall I be upright Then when I have gotten both pardoning and prevailing-grace to bee cleansed from infirmities and kept from presumptions and arrogancies which cum temerario ausu fastu fiunt contumaciter I shall bee upright in Gods account and entire in his obedience And I shall bee innocent from the great transgression That sin unto death 1 John 5. 16. that wickednesse with a witnesse for which there remaineth no more sacrifice Heb. 10.26 and unto which a way is paved by sins of presumption with an high hand committed against knowledge and conscience Vers 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations c. Sint ad beneplacitum verba c. Let both my words and thoughts as well as my life and actions bee to favourable acceptation let them be such as may suit with thy law and will Midrash 〈◊〉 lin O Lord my strength Heb. My Rock In Mare velin Marah velin hoc mundo say the Rabbines In the Sea of sorrow and all along the Wildernesse of this World And my Redeemer Or My near-kinsman who is Jesus Christ in whom we may look for all good from God by vertue of the Covenant This David well understood and therefore hee layeth all the weight on this O Lord my strength and my Redeemer PSAL. XX. A Psalm of David Or Concerning David so Kimchi Or for and on the behalf of David so Aben-Ezra David as a Prophet dictated this form of prayer to bee made by the people for himself their King when hee went forth to fight their battels probably against the Ammonites and Syrians or when hee fled from Absolom and was to help them from the City by his prayers 2 Sam. 18.3 as Aben-Ezra thinketh Vers 1. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble Great men though gracious as David have their distresses and must pray for themselves then not trusting to the prayers of others for them as did that prophane Earl of Westmorland Camden who said that hee had no need to pray sith hee had Tenants enough to pray for him The name of the God of Jacob defend thee Heb. set thee in an high place such as Gods name is Prov. 18.10 the righteous run thereto and are safe as in a Tower of brasse or Town of war By the name of God is meant Deus nominatissimus the most renowned God saith Junius and worthy to bee praised as Psal 18.3 And hee is called the God of Jacob here saith Another first because Jacob was once in the like distresse Gen. 32.6 7. secondly because hee prayed to the like purpose Gen. 35.3 thirdly because hee prevailed with God as a Prince and there God spake with us Hos 12.5 fourthly because God of Jacob is the same with God of Israel and so the Covenant is pleaded Vers 2. Send thee help from the Sanctuarie Or From his holy heaven saith Tremellius without which vain is the help of man God is all the Dooer in battels and whencesoever the sword comes it is bathed in Heaven Isa 34.5 whatsoever Ajax Timotheus Atheniensis and other Atheists think to the contrary God will send from Heaven and save mee saith holy David And strengthen thee out of Sion i. e. Out of the Assemblies of the Saints where they are praying hard for thy well-fare See Psal 76.2 3. with the Note Vers 3. Remember all thine offerines Before they went to war they were wont to offer sacrifices as did Saul though by his over-haste therein hee lost his Kingdome 1 Sam. 13.9 From the people of God the Heathens also had learned this course and custome Io Paean is in force Jehovah Peneh that is Lord look upon us The Devil Gods ape had taught the Athenians when they began the battel to use these words
but forsaketh them never as in an eclipse the earth wanteth the light of the Sun but not the influence thereof David could at the same time call God his God thrice over which are words of faith and do plainly evince that this desertion under which hee groaned was neither absolute nor reall but only that hee was in a great distresse and perplexity Plat. in Phaed so that hee did beleeve and yet not beleeve Plato though a Heathen could say that a man may do so See the like Psal 31.22 Jon. 2.4 See the Note there Our Saviour in his deepest distresse on the Crosse when coping and conflicting with the wrath of his heavenly Father who beside the wrath of men and rage of Devills in that three houres darknesse especially fought against him with his own bare hand hee suffered more than can bee imagined took up this patheticall exclamation and as some think repeated this whole Psalm Then it was that hee felt in soul and body the horrour of Gods displeasure against sin for which he had undertaken Then it was that the Deity though never separated from his Humanity no not in death when soul and body were sundred for a season did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Father speaketh suspend for time the influence of its power and lye hid as it were neque vires suas exserebat not putting forth its force as formerly Hilary hath a good Note upon this part of Christs passion Habes conquerentem relictum se esse c. Here thou hast him complaining as forsaken of God this sheweth him to have been a man but withall thou hast him promising paradise to the penitent theef this speaketh him God Why art thou so farre from c. I roar and am not relieved as to ease God will have his people feel what an evill and bitter thing sin is Jer. 2.19 and therefore he holdeth them eftsoones long upon the rack Christ also under the deep sense of our sins for which hee suffered offered up prayers with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death Heb. 5.7 Vers 2. O my God I cry in the day time c. This was a sore temptation that his heartiest prayers were not heard This might have made him jealous of God to have had hard conceits of him and heavy conceits of himself But saith hee in the following verses Thou art holy and thy Name is to bee sanctified though I bee not gratified And moreover Others have called upon thee and have been heard vers 4 5. though I now for mine unworthinesse am denyed For I am a worm and no man Vers 6. Thus it puts him not off that hee is not heard as others but humbles him It drives him not as is usuall with carnall people in like case to shifting courses as a dogg that hath lost his Master will follow after any one for relief A Christian never prevaileth so little by his prayers but that hee will take heart of grace to come again to God Silence or sad answers do not utterly dishearten him Hee ceaseth not wrestling till hee hath wrested the blessing out of Gods hand with Jacob and gotten matter of praise for his prayers granted as David here doth ere he had done the Psalm vers 24 25. Vers 3. But thou art holy And therefore to bee sanctified in righteousnesse Isa 5.16 whatever betide mee or my prayers I also will trust and try thee to the uttermost for thou waitest to bee gracious and being a God of Judgement thou best understandest when and how to dispense and deal forth thy favours to thy suppliants Isa 30.18 And if I ask good things of thee and misse it is because I ask amisse Jam. 4.3 If I bee straitned it is not in thee but in mine own bowels They that have Conduit-water come into their houses if no water come they conclude not the spring to bee dry but the pipes to bee stopped or broken If prayer speed not wee must bee sure the fault is not in God but in our selves were we but ripe for mercy hee is ready to extend it to us and even waits for the purpose O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel i.e. The Sanctuary where thou art continually praised by thine Israel who have the happinesse to receive thine answer to their sutes though I cannot Some render it O sancte sempiterne laudatissime Vers 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee They trusted and trusted and trusted they lengthened out their trust The Hebrew word for Hope or Trust signifieth also a line because thereby the heart is stretcht out as a line to the thing hoped for and hee that beleeveth maketh not haste And thou didst deliver them Never could any instance bee given to the contrary Let the successe of our forefathers confidence and hope unfailable flowing from faith unfeigned confirm our fiduciall dependance upon Gospel-promises Vers 5. They cryed unto thee Having first trusted It is the prayer of faith that does the deed And were not confounded Deo confisi nunquam confusi Vers 6. But I am a worm and no man David saith a learned man in the Arabick tongue signifieth a worm to which hee may here seem to allude I am a worm saith Hee I am dust and ashes saith Abraham less than the lest of thy loving kindnesses saith Jacob. Nos autem quid sumus saith Moses Thus the Saints expresse themselves in a low language as so many broken men Contrarily the wicked speak big words bubbles of words as Peter hath it ampullantur as Pharaoh who said Who is the Lord Nebuchadnezzar Who is that God that can deliver you Dan. 3. who is Lord over us c. Psal 12. Our Lord Christ of whom the greatest part of this Psalm must bee understood emptied and humbled himself to the utmost Phil. 2.7 8. that wee might bee exalted this San of Righteousness went ten degrees back in the Diall of his Father that hee might come unto us with health in his wings c. A Reproach of men Rejectamentum hominis nullificamen populi as Tertullian phraseth it So was Christ Isa 53. so were his Apostle 1. Cor. 4.13 wee are made the sweepings of the World the off-scourings of all things the very dung-cart into which every man casteth his filth to bee carried thorough the dung-port Why then should we think much to be slighted Vers 7. All they that see mee laugh mee to scorn Contemptus populi ludibriis opprebriis declaratur Luk. 22.63 The Apostle speaketh of cruel mockings Heb. 11.36 The Pharisees who were covetous derided him Luk. 16.14 and set his people on the stage as it were for mocking-stocks Heb. 10.23 Now post Carthaginem vinci neminem puduit saith the Historian If Christ David and other precious men were so disgraced and abused by the World what matter is it for us They shoot out the lip they shake the head God is sensible of any the least affront or offence done
death in its most hideous and horrid representations I will not fear for I fear God and have him by the hand I must needs bee Tutus sub umbra leonis safe by his side and under his safe-guard It God be for us who can be against us For thou art with mee Hence my security see a promise answerable to it Joh. 10.28 Christ is not to lose any of his sheep Joh. 17.12 Having therefore this Ark of Gods Covenant in our eyes let us chearfully passe the waters of Jordan to take possession of the promised land Cur timeat hominem homo in sinu Dei positus saith a Father Thy rod and thy staff Hee pursueth the former Allegory Shepheards in driving their flocks have a rod or wand in their hand wherewith they now and then strike them and a staff or sheep-hook on their necks wherewith they catch and rule them Of Christs rods and staves see Zach. 11.7 c. foolish Shepheards have only forcipes mulctram Zach. 11.15 R. Solomon by rod here understandeth afflictions by staff support under them a good use and a good issue They comfort mee Gods rod like Aarons blossometh and like Jonathans it hath hony at the end of it Vers 5. Thou preparest a table before Here hee makes use of another Metaphor from a liberall feast-maker or as some will have it from a most kind Father making provision for his dearly beloved child So did God for David both in regard of temporalls and spiritualls God had given him as hee doth all his people all things richly to injoy all things needfull for life and godlinesse the upper and nether springs the blessings of the right hand and of the lest bona throni bona scabelli as Austin phraseth it Now outward prosperity when it followeth close walking with God is very sweet as the cipher when it followeth the figure addeth to the number though it bee nothing in it self Davids Table was laden with Gods Creatures and did even sweat with variety of them God had let down to him as afterwards hee did to Peter a vessell with all manner of beasts of the earth and foules of the air in it Act. 10.12 This he is very sensible of and thankfull for as a singular favour In the presence of mine enemies i.e. In fight and spite of them hostibus videntibus ringentibus God doth good to his people maugre the malice of earth and of Hell Thou anointest my head with oyle A peece of entertainment common in those times and amongst that people Luk. 7.36 37 38. to shew the greater respect to their guests And although this is not every good mans case in temporall respects yet at the Word and Sacraments God anointeth his guests with the Oyl of gladnesse My cup runneth over Hee had not only a fullnesse of abundance but of redâ—ndancy Those that have this happinesse must carry their cup upright and see that it overflow into their poor Brethrens emptier vesseâ—â—s Vers 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy c. Vtique bonit as beneficentia Or as Tremellius hath it Nihil nisi bonum benignitas Nothing but goodnesse and loving-kindness c. This is his good assurance of Gods favour for the future grounded upon Gods promise whereby hee was well assured that mercy should follow him though hee should bee so foolish as to run from it like as the Sun going down followeth the passenger that goeth Eastward with his beames And I will dwell c. Devoted to his fear I will stick to him in life in death and after death Apprehensions of mercy in God must work resolutions of obedience in us PSAL. XXIV A Psalm of David The Greek addeth Of the first day of the week Because wont to be sung in the Temple on that day which is now the Christian Sabboth in memory of Christs resurrection and ruledome over all which is here celebrated Vers 1. The earth is the Lords and the fullnesse thereof Hee alone is the true Proprietary Job 41.11 Deut. 10.14 and the earth is Marsupium Domini as One saith the Lords great purse the keeping whereof hee hath committed to the sons of men Psal 115.16 like as also hee hath given the heavenly bodies to all peoples Deut. 4.19 every star being Gods storehouse which hee openeth for our profit Deut. 28.12 and out of which hee throweth down riches and plenty into the earth such as the Servants of God gather and the rest scramble for What use the Apostle putteth this point to See 1 Cor. 10.26 28. with the Notes Other uses may well bee made of it as that Kings and Princes bear not themselves as Lords of all the Turk and Pope so stile themselves the great Cham of Tartary every day assoon as hee hath dined causeth they say his trumpets to besounded by that sign giving leave to other Princes of the earth his Vassals as hee conceiteth to go to dinner but the Lords vicarii villici vicegerents and Stewards to whom they must give an account of all Again that Gods dear Children cannot want any thing that is good for them sith they have so rich a Father who seemes to say unto them as Gen. 45.20 Regard not your stuff for all the good of the land is yours To him that overcommeth will I give to inherit all things I have all things Phil. 4.18 2 Cor. 6.10 The world and they that dwel therein This is Gods universall Kingdome by right of Creation vers 2. besides which hee hath a spirituall Kingdome over his elect ut docet nos pulcherrimus hic Psalmus saith Beza who are here described vers 4 5 6. and encouraged to enlarge their desires after their Soveraigne in the exercise of faith and use of means and to give him the best entertainment vers 7 8 9 10. For the Church is Christs Temple and every faithfull soul is a gate thereof to let him in as Rev. 3.20 Vers 2. For hee hath founded it upon the Seas The solid earth hee hath founded upon the liquid waters This Aristotle acknowledgeth to bee a miracle as also that the waters which are naturally above the earth overflow it not but are kept within their shoares as within doors and barres This is the very finger of God and a standing miracle worthy to bee predicated to his praise all the World over Job 38.6 7 8. c. See the Notes there See also Gen. 1.9 with the Note And established it upon the floods Upon the waves and surges of the Sea which but for Gods decree would soon surmount it The dry land is that which is here called Teb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitable world And this is Gods universall Kingdome which because lesse considerable the Prophet speaketh but little of it in comparison as hastening to the spirituall Vers 3. Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord Montem caelestem significat saith Vatablus hee meaneth into Heaven for the Prophets purpose is to shew that although
God made all yet hee will not save all but that there is a select number câ—lled and called out of the many who shall bee everlastingly happy and these are here characterized as they are also Psal 15. wherewith this Psalm hath great affinity and is thought to have been composed at the same time that is saith R. David post ne gotium Ornani Jebusai after the businesse with Araunah the Jebusite when God by fire from Heaven had pointed out the place where the Temple should bee built 1 Chro. 21.26 22.1 And who shall stand in his holy place Stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion Tautologia has est Hebrais perquam familiaris Who is a true Member of the Church militant and shall bee no leste of the Church triumphant Ver. 4. He that hath clean hands The clean in hands that is of innocent and unblamable conversation debet esse purus corde ore opere saith Kimchi Immunis 〈◊〉 tetigâ—◠〈◊〉 Horat. he must not touch that unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 Non magna munera sed immunis manus mensque sincera Deo placent Men must lift up pure hands in prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 or else their incense will stinck of the hand that offereth it Isa 1.13 Those that draw neer to God must not only have their hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience but their bodies also washed with pure water Heb. 10.22 And a pure heart Which while Pilat wanted it nothing profited him to wash his hands in the presence of the people Heaven is an holy place and they that would go thither must cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 The Serpent could scrue himself into Paradise but no unclean creature ever came into Gods Kingdome The Citizens of Heaven must here affect purity of heart aim at it and in some measure attain to it too the old frame of impure motions being dissolved c. Who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity i. e. Ad idâ—la vel opes saith One that is to Idolls or riches Jer. 22.27 but hath lifted it up in the wayes of the Lord as Jehosaphat did 2 Chron. 17. and David Psal 25.1 not heeding or hankering after the Worlds delights or the Devills delusions Some write the word Shau signifying vanity with a little Vau ad indicandum quòd minima vanit as est vitanda c. to shew that hee who would dwell in Gods holy Mountain must carefully avoid the least vanity that is keeping Gods Commandement as the apple of his eye that will bear no jests Prov. 7.2 Some for his Soul read my Soul Hee hath not taken in vain my Soul that is saith R. Obadiah That soul inspired by God which I also have received he taketh not in vain he misemployeth not to iniquity but consecrateth to the service of God whose image and superscription it beareth Nor hath sworn deceitfully Or inured his tongue to any other kind of the language of Hell rotten communication to the dishonouring of God or deceiving of others Perjury is here instanced for the rest as one of the most hainous But Peraldus rekoneth up four and twenty severall sins of the tongue all which every Burgesse of the new Jerusalem is carefull to avoid as the Devills drovill Tom. 1. pag. 264. no way becoming his pure lip Vers 5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord i. e. Omnimodam felicitatem all manner of mercies saith Vatablus hee shall bee as happy as heart can wish for great is the gain of godlinesse See my Righteous mans Recompence And Righteousnesse c. i. e. The fruit and reward of Righteousnesse which the Righteous God will not fail to bestow upon all his even the Crown of Righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 A grave Interpreter hath here observed that there is such a reciprocation between the description of this reward and the persons described Ames that the blessednesse assured to the persons exciteth them to the care of piety and this care of piety bringeth unto them a sure and firm expectation of blessednesse Vers 6. This is the generation of them that seek him These are the true Seekers farre different from those that now-adayes so stile themselves being no better indeed than the Jesuites by-blowes as one wittily calleth them M. Baxstoâ— though they are not yet so wise as to know their own Father These are a generation too but an evil and adulterous one in these last and loosest times of abounding and abetted Errours That seek thy face i. e. Thy favour that desire nothing more than to bee in communion with thee and conformity unto thee O Jacob Or O God of Jacob As the Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 So God is here called Jacob such a neer union there is betwixt him and his people Or this is Jacob. So the true Seekers are fitly called first because Israelites indeed Joh. 1.47 Rom. 9.6 secondly because they see God face to face as Jacob did at Penuel Gen. 32.24 26 29 30. thirdly because they also as hee Adjicitur Selâ— ut often daâ—â—â— quantoperè haec sentent sit considerâ—â— da. do bear away a blessing Hos 12.4 even Righteousnesse from the God of their salvation as in the verse aforegoing Vers 7. Lift up your heades O yee gates c. Here hee calleth unto Hell-gates say the Papists to the Heavens say others to give way to Christs ascension thereinto Vatab Justin pag. 55. Recipite Christum in portis novae Hierosol Cyril as the first fruites and the opener of the way to all his Members And hee doubleth the same speech vers 9. for the joy that hee had in the contemplation thereof bidding them again and again lift up and bee lifted up a phrase or term taken from triumphall arches or great Portico's set up or beautified and adorned for the coming in of great victorious and triumphant Captaines There are at this day to bee seen at Rome the ruines of Constantines triumphall arch erected at that time when hee entred the City triumphing over the Tyrant Maxentius quem vicit signo crucis as Eusebius reporteth making Christ to triumph at Rome after those ten bloody persecutions Viâ—cars with which triumph this Psalm may fitly bee compared saith a learned Interpreter Our late Annotatours tell us of a fashion in ancient times that when they would solemnize the enterance of any Prince or others that had well deserved of the publick they would break down the walls and pull off the gates of the City partly for more free entrance and partly to shew that their City needed no walls nor gates as long as they had such a Guardian and Protector within it It is likely say they that David by these words doth allude to some such custome Or as Calvin and others will have it to the Temple to bee set up by Solomon which hee wisheth were done that so hee might bring in the
manner holily encroaching upon God Exod. 33.12 13 16 18. as if his Motto had been that of Charles the fisth Vlterius More yet For thon art the God of my salvation Perfect therefore that which concerneth mee Thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands Psal 138.8 Thou hast written mee down in thy book of preservation with thine own hand oh read thine own hand-writing and save mee said Queen Elizabeth in her troubles Vers 6. Kemember O Lord thy tender mercies Heb. Thy bowels which thou mayest seem to have lost but I shall find them for thee Where are thy bowels and thy compassions are they restrained If thou hast forgotten them but that cannot be I shall bee thy Remembrancer and read them over unto thee out of the Register of a sanctified memory For they have been ever of old Etiam ad Adamum qui vixit quasi mille annis Ever since Adam and so onward saith R. Solomon and why not then to mee who am one of thine to whom mercy successively belongeth in my generation as it did to mine Ancestors in theirs Vers 7. Remember not the sins of my youth Which though long since committed must not bee remembred without remorse sith for them God often punisheth men in their age Job 13.26 Jer. 3.25 It is not the last sand that emptieth the hour-glasse nor the last blow that throweth down the Oak Sin may sleep a long time like a sleeping debt not called for of many years as Sauls sin in slaying the Gibeonites not punished till forty years after as Joâ—bs killing of Abner slept all Davids dayes c. It is not safe to bee at odds with the Ancient of dayes This David knew and therefore was willing to clear all old scores to get pardon of youthfull lusts lest they should put a sting into his present sufferings And that being thorowly done as hee could expect mercy and direction from God so if any should maliciously upbraid him with his by-gone iniquities hee could answer as Austin did in like case Quae tu reprehendis ego damnavi What thou reprehendest in me I have long since condemned in my self And as Reverend Beza when a spitefull Papist hit him in the teeth with his wanton poems set forth in his youth and long before repented of Hic homo invidet mihi gratiam Christi This fellow said hee envieth mee the grace of Jesus Christ Nor my transgressions Or prevarications In personam Vriae In the matter of Vriak saith R. Obadiah the sins of mine age saith Kimchi all my faults of former and later time saith another David was well in years when hee defiled himself with Bathsheba In many young men the Rose is cankered in the bud And again as the canker soonest entreth into the white Rose so doth corruption easily creep into the white head David prayeth God to forgive him his sins both of former and of latter time and not to forgive them only but to forget them too Remember not the sins c. And as hee fitly joyneth memorie of mercies and forgetfullnesse of sins so hee forgetteth not to subjoyn According to thy mercy remember thou mee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord Do all of free grace not for any motive or merit of mine Lorinus a Jesuite here bringeth in sundry passages as well hee may Psal 6.8 51.3 69.14 86.5.15 106.45 119.156 136.7 Dan. 9.18 Isa 55.7 to prove that all is of mercy and not of merits Vers 8. Good and upright is the Lord i.e. Gracious and righteous ' or faithfull and hence it is that our God is mercifull as Psal 116.5 hence it is as that we poor Creatures are not overwhelmed aut magnitudine peccatoram aut male calamitatum either with the greatnesse of our sins or the multitude of our miseries Therefore will hee teach sinners in the way i.e. Sensible sinners meek and mortified as in the next verse self-judging and self-outed those will hee teach to turn to him and to walk before him in all well-pleasing and this Doctrin of direction must needs bee good because hee is good and certain because he is upright Vers 9. The meek will hee guide in judgement Or the poor viz. in spirit will he make to tread in judgment to foot it aright to walk judiciously to behave themselves wisely as David did 1 Sam. 10.14 so that Saul feared him 1 Sam. 23. 22. Naturall conscience cannot but stoop to the image of God shining in the hearts and lives of the really Religious And the meek will hee teach his way Such as lye at his feet and say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth such as whose hearts are supple and soluble tractable and teachable so as that a little child may lead them Isa 11.6 Austin was such an one En adsuâ— senex Aug. Epist 75. ad Auuil Epis saith he à juvene coepisoopâ— Episcopus tot annorum à collega nondum anniculo paratus sum disceer i.e. I am here an old man ready to learn of a young man my coadjutour in the ministry who hath scarce been one year in the service Vers 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth All the passages and proceedings both ordinantiall and providentiall whereby he cometh and communicateth himself to his people are not only Mercy though that 's very sweet but Truth they come to them in a way of a promise from God as bound to them by covenant this is soul-satisfying indeed this turns all that a man hath to cream when every mercy is a present sent him from Heaven by vertue of a promise Vnto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies i.e. His Law that singular Testimony of his goodnesse towards them called a Covenant because hee bargaineth with us as it were that wee should keep it which because wee can never do he undertaketh to perform his own part and ours too Lex jubet gratia juvat he worketh all our works in us and for us he giveth us to be what he biddeth us to be this is the everlasting Covenant and the fruits of it are sure mercies compassions that fail not Vers 11. For thy names sake O. Lord pardon mine iniquity Never did prisoner at the barre beg more earnestly for his life than David did for pardon of his great offence especially in the matter of Vriah for that lay heaviest Peccatum 〈◊〉 Bathsheba 〈◊〉 jus petii 〈◊〉 hac 〈◊〉 nem 〈◊〉 repeto Could he but get off the guilt of that it were an easie matter for him to glory in tribulations with Paul Rom. 5.3 and to cry out with Luther Feri Domine feri nam à peccatis absolutus sum Smite Lord smite for I am a pardoned sinner and therefore all is in mercy R. David and for good For it is great But that 's nothing to so great a God who delightest in mercy and makest thy power appear in pardoning the many and horrid
sins of thy poor penitents The high Heaven covereth as well tall Mountaines as small molehills The vast Ocean swalloweth up huge Rocks as well as little pibbles St. Paul was for the first table a Blasphemer and for the second table a Persecuter and injurious but I obtained mercy saith Hee and why that the grace of our Lord might appear to bee exceeding abundant even to an over flow 1 Tim. 1.13 14. and that the glory of free grace might be so much the more manifested Rom. 5.20 The more desperate was my disease the greater is the glory of my Physician who hath fully cured mee said Austin once to one who upbraided him with his former loose living Vers 12. What man is hee that feareth the Lord This question implieth first a paucity of such as Hos 14. ult secondly the felicity of such as out of a reverentiall fear of God sue to him for pardon of sin and seek to bee made his servants Vatah. Utitur exclamatione Mol. O quanta est felicitas istius viri O the heaped up happinesse of such a rare man David admireth it here and well hee may for hee hath close communion with God and sweet communication of Christs secrets as followeth Him shall hee teach in the way that hee shall chuse i.e. That the good man shall pitch upon God will direct him in all dealings to make a good choice and will give good successe This is not in a mans own power to do Jer. 10.23 But the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and hee delighteth in his way Psal 37.23 Hee was a pillar of fire and cloud to the Israelites Exod. 14.19 and carefully chose out their way for them not the nearest alway but yet the safest Vers 13. His soul shall dwell at ease Heb. shall lodge in good Conquiescet quemadmodum de nocte quie◠ci solet even then when his body happily is tossing on his sick bed and at great unrest One being asked how hee did answered My body is weak my soul is well Hee shall be freed from the Devill of discontent and have a blessed self-sufficiency such and better than hee had whom Horace describeth Ephod 2. Beatus ille qui procul negotiis c. such as good Jacob had when hee said I have enough my Brother c. Tremel Godlinesse only hath such a contentednesse 1 Tim. 6.6 And his seed shall inherit the earth Gods love dieth not with the Parents but reviveth in their posterity 2 Sam. 7.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocr◠It would bee a great stay of mind to us if God should say of our Children as once David did of Mephibosheth and afterwards of Chimham I will take care of them and see them well provided for Hee doth upon the matter say as much and more to every Beleever Vers 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him It is neither learning nor labour that can give insight into Gods secrets those Arcana imperii Mat. 13.12 the Mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult these things come by revelation rather than discourse of reason and must therefore bee obtained by prayer Those that diligently seek him shall bee of his cabi net counsel shall know his soul-secrets and bee admitted into a gracious familiarity and friendship Joh. 15.15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you And he will shew them his Covenant As having no greater secret to impart to them than by shewing them the Covenant of Grace his good pleasure and purpose of their eternal Salvation to make them know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that they may be filled with all the fulness of God Ephes 3.19 The Jews bragged much of Gods Covenant but here they are given to understand that only such as fear God are Covenanters Acts 13.16 Men of Israel and yee that fear God give audience Vers 15. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord I look him full in the face and confidently expect deliverance This he speaketh saith one in reference to the Army that he had sent out to meet Absolom 2 Sam. 18.1 nothing doubting of getting the day For he shall pluck my feet out of the net Of evil concupiscence saith Aben-Ezra rather of my foes those crafty and cruel Fowlers Vers 16. Turn thee unto me Heb. Face about towards me And have mercy upon me There being no such mercy as to have thy favour This is a voluminous mercy For I am desolate and afflicted As all Creatures flag and hang the head when the Sun is eclipsed Misery is an object of Mercy as it was to the compassionate Samaritan Vers 17. The troubles of my heart are enlarged Whereby my heart is sorely straitned so that I can hardly breath Oh hide not thine ear at my breathing at my cry R. Obad. Cor vix capax tribulationum mearum Vat. Lam. 3.56 En patet in curas area lata meas all afflictions enter into mine heart as by a wide gate Out of my distresses Where with I am pent up and pinched as afterwards Paul was pricked with the messenger of Satan Vers 18. Lóok upon mine affliction and my pain My griefs under which I groan and labour my concupiscence saith Aben-Ezra against which I strive but prevail not And forgive all my Sin Heb. Lift up take away lay them on the true Scape-goat on that Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the World Joh. 1.29 Vers 19. Consider mine enemies for they are many This was to David half a promise and a whole reason that he should be helped sith it was come to an extremity If God but look out of the pillar of Cloud upon the Egyptian Army it is enough for their utter confusion Exod. 14.24 And they hate me with cruel hatred Of their craft he had complained vers 15. now of their cruelty These are never sundred in the Churches enemies as the Asp they say never goeth without his mate See Esai 34.16 Vers 20. O keep my Soul The repetition of the self-same Petition argueth earnestness and is not always battologie Let me not be ashamed rendred scornful and scandalous Vers 21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Integrity of Conscience and uprightness of conversation For I wait on thee viz. For the accomplishment of thy promise That with the upright thou wilt shew thy self upright Psal 18.11 Vers 22. R. David Redeem Israel c. In vita vel post mortem means Either whiles I live or after my death This is every good mans care and prayer None is in case to pray for the Church that hath not first made his own peace with God PSAL. XXVI VErs 1. Judge me O Lord i.e. Judge betwixt me and mine enemies not betwixt me and thee as R.
insidiatores meos such as Saul and Doeg were who looked upon David with an evill eye and watched for his halting It was the wisdome of the Lacedemonians alwaies to send two Ambassadors together which disagreed among themselves Aristoc Polit. lib. 2. cap. 7 that so they might mutually eye one anothers actions The wicked will bee eying and prying into the practises of good people who must therefore watch and pray Vers 12. Deliver mee not over unto the will of mine enemies Heb. Unto the soul for the wicked are carried on against the godly with all their soul as it were For false witnesses Such as whereof Sauls court was full viz. his Aiones Negones who fed his humour by traducing and denigrating innocent David And such as breath out cruelty As Saul breathed out threatning against the Disciples Act. 9. So did Davids spit-fires Vers 13. I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved Saved hee was then by his Faith which drank to him as it were in a cup of Nepenthes and fetcht him again when ready to swoon and sink See Psal 119.92 The word rendred Unlesse here Lule habeâ— puncta stipra infra is as the Masorites note one of the fifteen Scripture-words that were extraordinarily pointed by the men of the great Synagogue The reason whereof given by Kimchi and others as if David doubted of his salvation is not satisfactory nor sound To see the goodnesse of the Lord That is to taste one sense usually put for another the soul also hath her senses and these must bee habitually exercised to discern good and evill Heb. 5. ult In the Land of the living That is here on earth Psal 316.9 Isa 38. â—â— where men live and I my self have not only a portion of life with them but a promise of many good things besides To blame therefore was good David when hee said in his haste All men are lyars Prophets and all who had promised him the Kingdome Psal 116.10 But the best have their passions which they daily outgrow and adde to their faith patience 2 Pet. 1.5 6. And albeit as Calvin here noteth every ones case is not like Davids who had particular promises concerning this life beyond many other faithfull persons yet because according to every mans faith it shall bee unto him let us all likewise trust in God as wee are all hereupon exhorted in the next words Vers 14. Wait on the Lord Expecta expecta See how earnest good David is with himself and others for hee knew mens dullnesse and the difficulty of the duty Religious men find it more easie to bear evill than to wait till the promised good bee enjoyed Heb. 10.36 the spoyling of their goods required patience but this more than ordinary Let our distance from God our dependance upon him and our undone condition without him bee but considered and wee shall bee the willinger to wait yea to want and go without some things that we are but too much set upon Bee of good courage Be confirmed hold fast play the man as the Seventy have it and the Apostle useth the same word 1 Cor. 16.13 and let not the big words of thine enemies make thee to cast away thy confidence which hath so great recompence of reward And hee shall strengthen thy heart Or let thine heart be confirmed chear up hold out faith and patience Wait I say on the Lord i. e. De die in diem expecta wait still do it from one day to another God is a free agent neither is it fit for us to send for him by a Post Many of his promises bear a long date but they are sure and infallible Wait therefore and why See Habakkuk 2.3 with the Note PSAL. XXVIII Vers 1. Unto thee will I cry O Lord my Rock That thou mayest grant mee what I begged so earnestly of thee in the former Psalm especially vers 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after c. For this Psalm is of the same subject with that and seemeth to have been made much about the same time viz. after that David had twice spared Sauls life 1 Sam. 24.4 5 6 c. 26.12 21. Only here he expresseth himself not as if hee had been a private person and in daily danger of his life but as destined and designed to the Kingdome by Almighty God to whom therefore hee prayeth for himself and the people and against their inplacable enemies with so great confidence as that he presently praiseth him for his request obtained vers 6. Bee not silent to mee Cease not as deaf from mee If God seem to be deaf to us wee must cry the louder that having prepared our hearts by such a seeming silence hee may cause his ears to hear Psal 10.17 which he will not fail to do when once wee set up our note and make bitter moan Lest if thou bee silent c. Here are his reasons to help his hope to bee heard God is well pleased that wee argue it out with him in prayer Like them that go down into the Pit Or dirty dungeon that is the grave or as Kimchi lest I bee as the wicked that go down to Hell The Righteous perisheth Isa 57.1 that is the World looks upon them as lost Vers 2. When I lift up my hand An ordinary gesture in prayer expressing faith for they held out their open hands as craving beggars with the Palmes upward 1 King 8.22 and helping fervency whilst hands and heart went up together to God in the heavens Tertul. Lam. 3.40 Preces fundimns colum 〈◊〉 misericordiâ—◠〈◊〉 c. Toward thy holy Onaâ—â—â— Called Debbir because there-hence God spake and gave answer Toward this aâ—ype of Chrift the Word essentiall David lifteth up his hands that it might bee as a Ladder whereby his prayer might get up to Heaven Hered Clio. The Devill also who delighteth to be Gods ape but for mans mischief gave or and câ—at 〈◊〉 and elswhere but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtfull and lying as to Croesus Pyrrbus others But the eternity of Israel cannot lye 1 Sam. 15. every word of God is pure hee is a shield to them that put their trust in him Prov. 30.5 Vers 3. Draw mee not away with the wicked Who seek to draw mee away from my setled purpose of attending upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.35 and are therefore likely to be drawn away by thee to Execution as Malefactors are drawn hanged and quartered there wanteth but a hurdle a horse and a halter said Belknapp to do mee right as Sisera was drawn by God to the River Kishon to be ruined Sen. Judg. 4.7 Ducunt volentem fata nolentem trahunt Which speak peace to their Neighbours but mischief is in their hearts Saul and his Courtiers are here noted Pers Astutam vapido servantes pectore vulpem The Florentine Secretary Machiavell was not born of many years after but the Devill was
as great a Master then as afterwards and David oft complaineth of it Vers 4. Give them according to their deeds God loveth to retaliate and David out of a publick and prophetick spirit not from private revenge or troubled affectious taketh thus upon him to imprecate And according to the wickednesse of their endeavours They were therefore old habituated irreclaimable sinners whom he thus cursed And against such this and such like imprecations are still in force Give them after the works of their hands Because they regard not the works of thine hands Vers 5. Par pari saith Aben-Ezra here Vers 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord that is saith Kimchi the worship of God they care not for but follow the vanities of the World Or the works of God in heaven and earth the consideration whereof is a part of Gods worship Or they regard not the works of the Lord that is the first making nor The operation of his hands that is the present disposing of his Creatures either by way of mercy or judgement whereof these brutish persons make no observation at all Psa 92.5 6 7. Isa 5.12 particularly they neither regard my present affliction Amos 6.6 nor beleeve my future exaltation to the Throne as God hath promised mee but oppose it all they can and would gladly prevent it which yet they cannot but will bee found fighters against God Hee shall destroy them and not build them up Destroy them in this World and not build them up in the World to come say the Rabbines Or as others he shall break them down as men do old rotten ruinous houses Jun. and never more repair or rebuild them Non potest Deus non perdere judicuis suis qui non crudiuntur documentis They that will not be ruled shall bee ruined See 1 Sam. 2.25 Vers 6. Blessed bee the Lord because hee hath beard c. God will one day turn the prayers of his people into praises David Vers 1. had said Bee not silent to mee here Blessed bee God for hee hath answered mee So Jehosaphat had his Bacah soon turned into Berachah 2 Chron. 20.18 19. See Davids Syllogism and mark his Conclusion Psal 66.18 19 20. not according to the rules of Logick but better Vers 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield So that I am furnished and harnessed within and without See Psal 18.2 My heart trusted in him and I am helped Faith substantiateth things not yet seen Heb. 11.1 it altereth the Tenses saith One and putteth the future into the present tense as here My heart greatly rejoyceth c. Inwardly I am glad warmed at heart and outwardly chearfull even unto singing And what will David sing See his Ditty in the next words Vers 8. The Lord is their strength Not mine only as vers 7. but the strength of all and every one of the holy Community of true Christians partakers of Christs unction of his Spirit Vers 9. Save thy people The Church must share in our prayers And blesse thine inheritance Which cannot but be dear to thee Feed them also For they are but ill-favouredly fed by Saul Lift them up Over all their enemies as Psal 27.6 PSAL. XXIX VErs 1. Give unto the Lord Verbo confessione saith Kimchi By word and confession as Josh 7.19 Jer. 13.16 acknowledge him the King immortal invisible c. and your selves his Vassals as did those three best Emperours Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian Cedite colite step back stoop humble and tremble before this dread Soveraign of the World bear an awefull respect to the divine Majesty the High thunderer the great Wonder-worker unlesse you will come short of brute beasts and dumb Creatures O yee Mighty Heb. Yee sons of the Mighty Grandees and Potentates who are readiest to rob God of his glory and being tumour'd up by their worldly wealth and greatnesse to deem or rather dream themselves demy Gods such as may do what they list as not accountable to any mortall The Septuagint render it O yee Sons of Ramms These Bel-weathers should not cast their noses into the air and carry their crest the higher because the shepheard hath bestowed a bell upon them more than upon the rest of the flock Give unto the Lord Give give give This sheweth how unwilling such are usually to give God his right or to suffer a word of exhortation to this purpose Glory and strength By ascribing all to him casting down your Crowns at his feet setting up his sincere service where-ever ye have to do c. Vers 2. Nominatissimam celeberrimam Jun. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Which yet you cannot do for his name is above all praise Psal 148.13 but you must aim at it The Rabbines observe that Gods holy name is mentioned eighteen severall times in this Psalm that great men especially may give him the honour of his name that they may stand in awe and not sin that they may bring presents to Him who ought to be feared and those also the very best of the best sith He is a great King and standeth much upon his seniority Mal. 1.14 Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness Or In his glorious Sanctuary therefore glorious because there they might see Gods face and hear his voice in his ordinances Away therefore with your superstitions and will-worships and bring your gifts to his beautifull Sanctuarie for no where else will he receive them Send a Lamb to this Ruler of the earth Isa 16.1 as an homage-penny Vers 3. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters Thunder is here called and fitly the voice of the Lord being brought as one instance of those many other glorious works of his in nature because it comes from him alone Naturall causes there are assigned of it The ancient Romans said Deus tonat Deus fulgurat for which now Tonat fulgurat but we must not stick in them as Epicurus and his Hoggs would have us The best Philosophy in this behalf is to hear God Almighty by his thunder speaking unto us from Heaven as if hee were present and to see him in his lightenings as if he cast his eyes upon us to behold what we had been doing This voice of the Lord is fitly instanced as an evidence of the divine power and Majesty because it is so dreadfull even to the greatest Atheists as it was to Caius Caligula that potent Emperour Sueton. ready to run into a mouse-hole in a time of thunder The God of glory thundereth And men quake before him as worms at such a time wriggle into the corners of the earth And yet your dive-dappers duck not at this rattle in the air though they do at a farre smaller matter So many tremble not at Gods terrible threats that yet are afraid of a penall statute The Lord is upon many waters viz. When he thundreth De aquis pendulis loquitur saith Vatablus He speaketh of the
waters in the clouds which are many and of great force as appeared in the generall deluge and doth still appear by that infinite inundation of rain that followeth upon the thunder claps Some render it The Lord or the voice of the Lord is above many waters i. e. above the loud roaring of many waters which is even drowned by the thunder Vers 4. The voice of the Lord is powerfull So that it shaketh heaven and earth Heb. 12.26 Validum est vehemens tonitru Vat. Beza Cogitent ergo Principes quantum infra Deum subsidant c. Let those that think themselves some great businesse consider Gods infinite power putting forth it self in thunders and tempests and they will soon bee crest-faln The voice of the Lord is full of Majesty Heb. In Majesty it is magnificall and immutable though some fools have attempted to imitate it as a certain King of Egypt and Caligula the Emperour by certain Engines and devices Vers 5. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars i. e. The thunder and those things that either go before it or follow it as lightenings thunderbolts storm tempest c. breaking and turning up by the roots huge trees The Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon Which are the tallest thickest and most durable of any place in the habitable World What a shame is it then that our hard hearts break not yeeld not though thunder-struck with the dreadfull menaces of Gods mouth Corripimur sed non corrigimur c. A fearfull case Let the tall Cedars see to it Nam per Cedros intellig it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid est eximium in mundo Where is that hammer of the Nations Nebuchadnezzar that terrour of the World Tamerlan c Are they not broken in pieces as a Potters Vessell Vers 6. Hee maketh them also to skip like a Calf Young living Creatures are full of motion God by his thunder and earthquake thereupon for so the Hebrews understand it maketh not only those huge trees the splinters of them to flie up into the air but also the Mountaines whereupon they grow to skip and jump out of their places and aloft from their center Lebanon and Sirion c. Or Hermon two known Mountaines Vers 7. The voice of the Lord divideth Heb. cutteth out the flames of fire i. e. The lightening which the thunder is said to strike or cut out Deut. 3. because it causeth them to shoot and glide it immediately followeth one flash and goeth before another dispersing and darting them hither and thither Vers 8. The voice of the Lord shaketh the Wildernesse i. e. The beasts abiding in the Wildernesses the most savage creatures those that lye in woods and are most fearlesse of men are put to pain by thunder and made to travell with trembling The Lord shaketh the wildernesse of Kadesh Thorough which the Israelites passed into Canaan Num. 13.27 the beasts whereof were cruel Deut. 8.25 32. Animalia quantumvis horrifica Jun. 10. Beza paraphraseth Arabum tesqua succutit it shaketh the Cottages of the Arabians Vers 9. The voice of the Lord maketh the Hindes to calve Which they naturally do not without a great deal of difficulty Job 39.4 5 6. See the Note there And discovereth the Forrests By driving the beasts into their dennes baring the Forrests of their leaves and fruits turning up trees by the roots and so making a clear prospect thorough woods and groves as one phraseth it And in his Temple doth every one speak of his glory Heb. Every one or every whit of it saith Glory Every godly man observing his dreadfull thunder Moller and other his stupendious works saith Glory bee to God on high Some conceive that this Psalm was appointed by David to be sung in the Temple in time of thunder which is not unlikely There are that make God to be the Nominative case to the Verb speaketh and render it thus And in his Temple or Palace doth bee utter all his glory Tremel As if the Psalmist should say Much of his glory God uttereth in his thunder but all in his Temple For whatsoever there he speaketh with his mouth he fulfilleth it with his hand Psal 115.3 119.91 33.9 Isa 44.26 See a like collation of Gods works and word with a praelation of this above those Psal 19 1-7 Psal 111.7 Vers 10. The Lord sitteth upon the flood Hee reigned in that generall deluge in Noahs dayes Gen. 6. 7. and doth still over those horrible inundations that follow upon thunder and strong-tempests ruling that raging Element and governing all by his providence and soveraign power Yea the Lord sitteth King for ever And over all therefore all even the Mightiest should give him glory as Vers 1. Vers 11. The Lord will give strength unto his people To bear up their hearts in time of thunder or other terrible occurrences The Lord will blesse his people with peace Pace omnimoda With peace internall In tempore to nitru Aben Ezra externall eternall for godlinesse hath the promises of both lives of prosperity safety and welfare both of soul and body PSAL. XXX A Psalm and song i.e. An holy hymn first framed in meeter then sung with mens voices At the dedication of the house of David Either when it was new built 2 Sam. 5.11 confer Deut. 20.5 Neb. 12.27 saying as He once Jamq meos dedotibi Princeps jure Penates Tu mibi jus dederas posse vocare meos God so loveth his people that their walls are ever in his sight Ifa 49.16 they should therefore have holinesse to the Lord written upon them Zach. 14. sanctified they should be by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 Or else after he had defiled it by his Adultery with Bathsbeba and Absolom had much more defiled it by his abominable incest and other villanies See 2 Sam. 20.3 Vers I. I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted mee up De puteo peccati canoso saith Kimchi out of the miry pit of fin or out of the ditch of deadly danger say others Therefore I will extol thee that is I will have high and honourable conceptions of thee I will also do mine utmoft both by words and deeds that thou mayest be acknowledged by others to bee as thou art the great and mighty Monarch of the whole World And hast not made my foes to rejoyce over mee Befides all former victories Absolom and Sheba were lately slain Vers 2. I cryed unto thee In some great sicknesse say some that befell him about the time that he built his house of Cedar 2 Sam. 5. that he might not be overjoyed and take a surfeit Or rather when by my sons rifing up against mee I was likely to have lost my state and Kingdome An dt hou hast healed mee That is helped mee as Jon. 2.6 thou hast restored and re-established mee in my Kingdome Kimchi senseth it thus Thou hast delivered my soul from Hell though in this World
rejoyce in the Holy Ghost but take heed we let not fall the watch of the Lord. Crede mibi res sevâ—ra est gaudium verum Beleeve me true joy is a severe matter said Seneca Wee may better say so of Spiritual joy which he never tasted of neither doth any stranger meddle with And if Plato could tell the Musicians Philosophers could tell how to be merry without Musick much more may Gods people Quid nobis cum Fabulis cum risu saith Bernard What have we to do with carnal mirth and jollity c we have Meat to eat and Musick to our Meat that the World knoweth not of let us make us merry with it For praise is comly for the upright For them and for none but them High words are not fit for a fool saith Solomon Laudari ab illaudato to be praised by a praiseless person Seneca is no praise at all That State in story would not approve of good words from an evil mouth no more doth God Psal 50.15 16. Christ would not suffer the Devil to confess him Hypocrisie slurrieth all it toucheth If a man should sing a good Song with his voyce and play a bad one on his Instrument it would make but a black sanctis Such is the praise of the unupright who had better therefore be silent unless themselves were better sith they do not only lose their labour but commit sin Displeasing service is double dishonour and dissembled sanctity double iniquity Vers 2. Praise the Lord with Harp Or Cittern Jubals invention Gen. 4.21 much used by David and others of old under the Jewish Pedagogy as an help to devotion as were also other Musical Instruments here and elsewhere mentioned Now it is otherwise the best melody is to sing Psalms with grace in our hearts and for other Musick when Aristotle was asked what he thought of it he answered Jouem nec canere neque cit haram pulsare that Jupiter regarded it not Vers 3. Sing unto him a new Song sc upon every new emergent occasion God reneweth his Mercies not only every morning but every moment so thould we out praises every breath we draw should praise the Lord Psal 150. ult Doth God give comforts praise him and they shall be continued Doth hee send Crosses praise him and they shall be removed saith a Father but in every thing 〈◊〉 thanks and that not coldly and cursorily but ardently and with utmost affection for which cause this duty is so reiterated here and pressed with such forcible arguments in the following verses as might work upon the very stones almost much more men for whose sakes all this fair Fabrick of the World was erected Play skilfully or lustily with a loud noyfe Make good Musick set all your skill and might a work to magnifie the Lord. It is not an easie matter to praise God aright it must be done Corde ore operâ— with the very best of the best Benefacite canendo cuns jubilatione Vers 4. For the Word of the Lord is right Every Word of God is pure and precious Prov. 30.5 his Commandement holy and just and good Rom. 7.12 but by Word here we are to understand Gods Counsel and Decree concerning the Creation and government of the World which is unquestionably right and agreeable to sound reason and therefore they are too blame that dislike of his doings If any evil befall them the Saints confess Gods righteousness and praise him as Isa 12.1 Psa 10.1 faith Kimchi here And all his works are done in truth 〈◊〉 In faith that is in faithfullnesse without deceit or ficklenesse This is to be understood of the execution of Gods decree all is done well and equitable Vers 5. 〈◊〉 loveth righteousness and judgement q. d. How can he do otherwise than right whose nature is such that he loveth righteousness and judgement that is 〈…〉 〈…〉 Verse 〈…〉 gave them a Being Or by his essentiall Word Solo ipsius 〈◊〉 su nutu which is his Son the second person in Trinity Prov. 8.27 Joh. 1.3 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 And all the hoast of them These are first mentioned because the most glorious of all the works of God so Psal 19.1 By the breath of his mouth By his word and command Or rather by his Holy Spirit the third person in Trinity inseparable from the other two as well in essence as in operation See Gen. 1.1 2. with the Notes It hath been else-where noted that in Thebe a Town of Aegypt they worshiped a God whom they acknowledged to be immortall But how painted they him In the likenesse of a man blowing an egge out of his mouth to signify tha hee made the round World by his Word and by the breath of his mouth as here Vaâ—â—o addeth that in way of thank-fullnesse Plut. de Isidâ— Osicid Var. de re rufâ— l. 2. cap. 1. they dedicated a sheep to him to be offered in Sacrifice This Text was commonly urged by the Ancients for the Trinity of persons in the Godhead which Olymphus an Arrian Bishop denying was struck with three thunderbolts and killed in a Bath Vers 7. Hee gathereth the waters of the Sea together Confining them to their concave to the pit he digged for them Ecce altera misericordia saith kimchi here Behold another mercy without the which the earth would be inhabitable unlesseby fishes only because the waters would cover the earth As an heap This sheweth that the Sea is higher than the Earth Saylers observe that their ships flie faster to the shore than from it whereof what other reason can be given but the height of the waters above the land Hee layeth up the depth in store-houses In his treasuries that is he secretly hideth them and limiteth then to a certain place that they overwhelm not the earth by his Almighty power Jer. 5.22 Job 38.16 See there Vers 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord viz. For these stupendious works of his sufficient to strike an a we into all creatures of the divine Majesty Jer. 5.22 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob Psal 114.7 Vers 9. For he spake and it was done So true is that saying Dei dicere est facere And a great shame it is to men to disobey the great Creatour and not rather to follow the example of the unreasonable and insensible creatures And it stood fast The whole order of nature remaineth as he set it firm fast and unmoveable Vers 10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to noughi i. e. He counter-worketh the Devill and his imps who would overturn and destroy the fair order of nature mingle heaven and earth together as it were and soon marre all God frustrateth the counsells and attempts of such tumultuating boutefeaus and trouble-States and maugre their malice preserveth polities lawes judgements and naturall equity without which mankind could not long subsist Who then would not fear thee O King of Nations
for to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10 7. Rev. 15.4 Vers 11. The counsell of the Lord of standeth for ever That counsell of his whereby he hath decreed to maintain government amongst men to relieve the oppressed to punish the Wicked to uphold the Church is firm and inviolable Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur saith Gregory There is a councell in Heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counfells upon earth Vers 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord viz. By speciall favour and covenant The preservation of the Church which hath so few friends on earth and so many enemies in earth and hell is justly brought as an evident argument of the divine providence Christ standeth upon Mount-Zion and that mountain shall bee exalted above all mountaines The Church as it is highest in the favour of God so it shall be set above all the World and het enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them the lowest the footstool of Christ The people whom he hath chosen Some read it The people which hath chosen Hims for their inheritance It cometh all to one See Deut. 26.17 18 19. Vers 13. The Lord looketh from Heaven Ita râ—spicit universos quasi singulas it 〈…〉 sâ—lâ—s And this Doctrin of Gods particular providence is fides natinnum quarum Deus est Dominus saith Kimchi taught in the Church only Vers 14. From the place of his habitation he beholdeth And this is a very great condescension sith he humbleth himself to behold things in Heaven Psal 113.6 to look out of himself upon the Saints and Angels how much more upon the inhabitants of the earth Vers 15. Unum paâ—â—ter acaliud Kimchi He fashioneth their hearts alike i. e. Ones as well as anothers The Arabick hath it Format sigillatim he fashioneth them severally one after another and not all soules together as the Origenists and some Jew-doctors held Hee considereth all their works Their hearts are not hid from him sith he made them as is said before much lesse their works These God considereth and therefore men had need consider them and turn their feet to his Testimonies Psal 119.59 Vers 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoast Witnesse Sennacherib Xerxes Bajazet Away then with Creature-confidence it will be the ruine of all that rest in it whether it be in men or means that they trust See Psal 62.9 10. with the Notes A mighty man Or A Giant Goliah for instance As the most skilfull swimmers are often drowned So here Vers 17. Pausan An Horse is a vain thing And yet a warlike creature full of terrour See the Note on Psal 32.9 and so swift in service that the Persians dedicated him to the Sun See Job 41.20 Prov. 21.31 With the Notes Vers 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him Hee looketh upon such with singular delight not without sweet intimations of his singular kindnesse and care of their good Upon them that hope in his mercy Here we have a description of that true Church which God will never forsake sc It is a company of such as truly serve God and boast not of their merits but possessing their soules in hope and silence wait for his mercy Vers 19. To deliver their soul Freedom from troubles He promiseth not but deliverance in due time he assureth them and support in the mean while to keep them alive in famine Vers 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord i. e. Patiently tarrieth the Lords leisure We can both wait and want for a need Vers 21. Our heart shall rejoyce in him We shall be sure of an happy issue and event but yet so as that we pray for it as in the next words Vers 22. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Not that we would have no more mercy than we have trust but we would shew that our trust is bottomed upon thy promises and that we humbly expect the full accomplishment of the same in due time PSAL. XXXIV VErs 1. A Psalm of David An Alphabeticall Psalm which David newly delivered from the Philistines Semper in Ecelesia his Psalmus piis suit commendatissimus Moller who had taken him prisoner and presented him to their King as a speciall prize composed with singular art as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people who may here meet with many excellent lessons and cordiall comforts When he changed his behaviour Heb. gust um hoc est gestum This he did being put to his shifts but not without sin Lib. 3. Od. 11. for he was splendide mendax as Horace saith of Hypermuestra at the best neither can this dissimulation or officious lye of his be excused as some have by distinctions indeavoured it but in vain Before Abimelech Or Achish King of Gath 1 Sam. 21. for he was binominiâ— saith Aben-Ezra or else Abimelech that is Father-King was his title of honour As Augustus would be stiled Pater Patria the Father of his Country R. Solomon saith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philistin-Kings as Pharaoh to the Egyptian Who cast him one For a mad man 1 Sam. 21.15 wherein there was a sweet providence of God who can order our disorders to his own glory and our good like as an Artificer with a crooked tool can make straight work or as an Apothecary of a poysonfull Viper can make a wholesome triacle And he departed Into some parts of Judea where he might repent of his sin first as Peter did when got into a corner and then compile this Psalm of thanksgiving to God who had so graciously delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition not only above but against his desert Vers 1. I will blesse the Lord at all times As not satisfied with any thing I can do herein at any time The Saints have large hearts and could bet eem the Lord a great deal more service than they are able to perform A certain Martyr said at the stake I am sory that I am going to a place where I shall be ever receiving wages and do no more work His praise shall continually be in my mouth For this remarkable mercy especially which I will still be telling of and speaking good of Gods name to as many as I can possibly extend unto This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir Vers 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord This holy gloriation is a Christians duty not to be neglected The Church in the Canticles is much in it and so is St. Paul It sheweth an heart full of joyes unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. And besides God is thereby greatly glorified Jer. 9.23 24. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad Not for my sake only but their own as conceiving good hope of like deliverance But then they
is grievously angry with them and will surely and severely punish them and theirs after them To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth And so to crosse them in the thing that they most coveted viz. to renown themselves amongst men God writeth them in the earth in opposition to those whose names are written in Heaven Luk. 10. because they forsook the Lord the fountain of living waters Jer. 17.13 Vers 17. The Righteous cry c. This is often inculcated for our better assurance because we are apt to doubt if delayed See vers 6. Vers 18. The Lord is nigh unto them c. More nigh than the bark is to the Tree for he is with them and in them continually pouring the oyl of his grace into these broken vessells quorum corda pecc at a corum non amplius retinent sed ut vas fractum effundunt faith Aben-Ezra here whose hearts retain not their sins any longer but poure them out as water before the Lord. And saveth such as bee of a contrite spirit Such as are ground to pouder as it were with sense of sin and fear of wrath yet not without good hope of mercy These God delivereth out of their dangers and in fine bringeth them to eternall blessednesse Vers 19. Many are the troubles c. Dei sunt nuntii these are Gods messengers faith Kimchi and they seldome come single See Jam. 1.2 with the Note Sent they are also to the Wicked Psal 32.10 but on another errand and for another end The Righteous per angust a ad augustum per spinas ad rosas per motum ad quietem per procell as ad portum per crucem ad coelum contendunt through many tribulations they enter into Gods Kingdome Not so the Wicked their crosses are but a typicall Hell But the Lord delivereth him out of them all No Country hath more venemous Creatures none more Antidotes than Egypt so godlinesse hath many troubles and as many helps against trouble Vers 20. He keepeth all his bones Which are very many Perhaps saith Aben-Ezra here David had been scourged by the Philistines but his bones were not broken nor were our Saviours Joh. 19.36 Vers 21. Evill shall slay the Wicked For lack of such deliverance as vers 19. malum jugulat au thorem mali Their malice shall prove their mischief The Arabick hath it but not right mors impii pessima Aben-Ezra better senseth it thus One affliction killeth the Wicked when out of many God delivereth the Righteous Vers 22. The Lord redeemeth the soules of his servants Though to themselves and others they may seem helplesse and hopelesse yet they shall not perish in 〈◊〉 fins and for their sins as do the Wicked PSAL. XXXV VErs 1. Plead my cause O Lord We may safely pray the same when oppressed with calumnies and false accusations as now David was by Sauls Sycophants or as others think when he was in great heavinesse and even heart-sick after that Amnon had defiled Tamar and Absolom had slain Amnon his disaffected subjects such as Shimei insulted over him and said it was just upon him for the matter of Uriah and other miscarriages which they wrongfully charged him with See a promise in this case Isa 49.21 Fight against them c. Or devoure them that devoure mee for in Niphal only it signifieth to fight Vers 2. Take hold of shield and buckler Jehovab is a man of war Exod. 15.5 and so he is here stirred up to harness himself Not that he needeth weapons defensive as here or offensive as vers 3. for he can destroy his enemies sole nutu ac flatu with a nod or a blast But this is spoken after the manner of men and for our better apprehension of Gods readinesse to relieve his distressed ones Vers 3. Draw out also the spear viz. That thy contending and appearing for mee may appear to be sufficient and glorious And stop the way Heb. And stop viz. the doores as Gen. 19.6 10. 2 King 6.32 lest the malecontents come in and kill mee Or shut mee up from my persecutors that they find mee not like as afterwards God hid Jeremy and Baruch when sought for to the slaughter Say unto my soul I am thy salvation Facito ut haec animula te sibi test antem audiat c. Inwardly perswade my heart to firm affiance in thee amidst all mine afflictions Vers 4. Let them be confounded and put to shame Here David beginneth his imprecations which yet non maledicens dixit sed vaticinantis more praedixit saith Theodoret he doth not utter as cursing but as prophesying rather If we shall at any time take upon us thus to imprecate as we may in some cases we must see to it first that our cause be good Secondly that we do it not out of private revenge but meerly for the glory of God Thirdly ut ne voculam quidem nisinobis praeunte Dei non carnis spiritu effundamus that we utter not a syllable this way but by the guidance of Gods good Spirit Vers 5. Let them be as chaffe Facti sint à corde su◠fugitivi Let them flye before their own consciences restlesse and uncertain whither to turn themselves And let the Angel of the Lord chase them It may be understood both of the evill Angels and of the good ready at Gods command to do execution upon his enemies Chaffe driven before the wind may rest against a wall but where shall they rest who are chased by an Angel where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear 1 Pet. 4.18 Surely no where Vers 6. Let their way be dark and slippery Heb. Darknesse and slipperinesse If a man have neither light nor firm footing and a feirce enemy at his heeles See Jer. 23 1◠what shift can he make for himself The word rendred slippery is of a double form like that libbi secharchar my heart panteth or beateth about throbbeth Psal 38.10 to increase the signification The soul of a wicked man is as in a sling 1 Sam. 25.29 violently tossed about Vers 7. For without cause have they hid for mee c. The Wicked are so acted and agitated by the Devill their task-master that though they have no cause to work mischief to the Saints yet they must do it the old enmity Gen. 3. still worketh But this rendreth their destruction certiorem celeriorem more sure and more swift Vers 8. Let destruction come upon him at unawars i.e. Upon the whole rabble of them as if they were all but one man Or else he striketh at some chieftain amongst them Let his destruction be as suddain as signal Vers 9. And my soul shall be joyfull in the Lord This was that he aimed at in his foregoing imprecations viz. the glory and praise of God and not his own reaking his teen upon his enemies Vers 10. All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee Not my soul only but my body also shall joyn in this joyfull
acclamation yea my bones shall say c. that is whatsoever strength and vigour is in mee it shall be spent in celebrating thy praises Or although I have nothing left mee but skin and bones so poor am I grown yet I will not be wanting to the work Vers 11. False witnesses did rise up So they did afterward against the Lord Christ and sundry of his faithfull servants as St. Paul Athanasius Enstathius Bishop of Antioch Alsted Chronol Act. Mon. falsely accused of Adultery and deposed about the end of Constantine the great 's reign Cranmer charged with Adultery heresy and treason Philpot with paricide Latimer with sedition whereof he was so innocent that he feared not to say in a Sermon before the King as for sedition for ought that I know methinks I should not need Christ if I may so say They laid to my charge things that I knew not Such as whereof I was not only innocent but ignorant also The Hebrew is They asked mee and so would have by cunningly contrived questions made mee mine own accuser Vers 12. They rewarded mee evill for good To render good for evill is divine good for good is humane evill for evill is brutish but evill for good is devilish To the spoyling of my soul i.e. Intentant caedem Kimchi To the depriving mee of that life which I have so often hazarded to save theirs Or this their devilish dealing with mee erat mihi quasi mors amarum was as bitter as death to mee Vers 13. But as for mee when they were sick i.e. Any way afflicted when they ayled any thing My cloathing was sackcloath I put my self in mourners habit Incedebam atratus to testifie my good affection to ward them I humbled my soul with fasting In die designato in a solemn day set apart for the purpose Kimchi De Elia jejunio cap. 8. as the a with a pathach sheweth Jejunium est humilit as mentis miserationis expensa charit at is illecebra allevamentum infirmitatis alimentum salut is saith Ambrose Fasting is the affliction of the soul the cost of compassion c. And my prayer returned into mine own bosome i. e. Though they had no benefit by it yet my self had 2 Sam. 1.22 for no faithfull prayer is ineffectuall like Jonathans bow it never returneth empty I received the fruit of my prayers for them upon my bosome Vers 14. I behaved my self as though he had been c. My Brother a thousand times This was much to do to an enemy but possibly all this might be before they fell out I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth c. The Mother is usually most dearly-beloved and not without cause as having been ante partum onerosa in partâ— dolorosa post partum laboriosa Kimchi Or as a suckling cryeth in the losse of his Nurse Vers 15. Morbus est sic dictus quia incedere nequit nisi cum dolore quasi claudicando Aben-Ezra Dum illum rideâ— pene factus sum ille Epist 9. lib. 2. But in mine adversity Heb. In my halting when through weaknesse I could not but halt before my best friends as we say Yea the abjects gathered themselves together Claudi congregati sunt secundum claudicationem meam claudicabant ut me deriderent So the Syriack senseth it They halted as I did by way of derision but they should have known first that mocking is catching as we say Tully confesseth that whiles he laughed at one Hircus a very ridiculous man he became as bad almost himself Secondly That such cruell mockings are grievous sins and such as God severely punisheth Some render it the Smiters that is the tongue-smiters as Jer. 18.18 Others the smitten that is the abjects the vile persons the basest can mock as did Tobiah the Servant Neh. 2.19 and those Pests Psal 1.1 And I knew it not Or Such as I knew not took no notice of they were so base See the like Job 30.8 They did tear mee sc With their tongues as doggs tosse and tear carrion with their teeth Scindunt illud quod reparare nequeunt non per poenitentiam saith Kimchi They tear that which they cannot make good again no not by repentance viz. my good name Or. they rent sc their garments as if they had been very sorry for mee as Gen. 37.34 Job 2.12 This they did as Austin speaketh simulatione miseriae non compassione misericordiae out of deep dissimulation Vers 16. With Hypocriticall mockers in feasts Cum sannionibus placentae vâ—lcibi with hypocriticall mockers for a cake or dainties there is an elegancy in the origiginall which sheweth it to be proverbiall and cannot be englished R. Solomon telleth us here that they who delighted in flatteries gave their flatterers cakes baked with honey to make them the more to flatter them Solomon telleth of some that will transgresse for a peece or bread Prov. 28.21 So those parasiticall Prophets Mensarii scurâ—â—â— Ezek. 13.19 Or I am made their table-talk as Hos 7.8 scornfully deriding mee at their feasts and in their cups Vers 17. Lord how long wilt thou look on i.e. carry thy self as a Spectator of my miseries and a tolerator of mine enemies those architects of mine afflictions Rescue my soul from their destructions i. e. Their snares and ambushes whereby they seek to destroy me My darling from the Lions See the Note on Psal 22.20 Vers 18. I will give thee thanks in the great Congregation For examples sake to others for Magnates magnetes Acts 18.8 when Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved many of the Corinthians beleeved also Great men are the Looking-glasses of the Country according to which most men dress themselves many eyes are upon them they had need therefore to be exact for they are sure to be exemplary Vers 19. Neither let them wink with the eye Which is the gesture of a malicious Scoffer Prov. 6.13 10.10 Ne amarulenter Ludificentur me Trem Vers 20. For they speak not peace Which yet God doth to his people Psa 85.9 and that is their comfort I am for peace saith David elsewhere but when I speak of it they are for war Psal 120.7 Against the quiet of the Land i.e. Against my self and such as I am who study to be quiet and to do our own business 1 Thes 4.11 affecting rather quietness from the World than acquaintance with it Vers 21. They opened their mouth As if the very banks of blasphemy had been broken down Our eye bath seen Eye for eyes unless we would say that all the wicked are so conjoyned that they may seem to have but one Eye Heart Head c. and then they say as Hannibal did when he saw a ditch full of mans bloud O formosum spectaculum O gallant fight O rem regiam as Valesus said when he had slain three hundred Protestants Vers 22. This thou hast seen O Lord This answereth to that before vers 21. Our
Man-slayer who lendeth the wicked man his seven Heads to plot and his ten Horns to push And gnasheth upon him with his teeth Saying unto him when he hath laid hold on him Nunc inveni te as Kimchi Paraphraseth Now I have found you and shall be even with you Art thou come thou Villain said Stephen Gardiner to Doctor Taylour Martyr when he first appeared before him Act. and Moâ— How darest thou look me in the face for shame Knowest thou not who I am Thus that proud Prelate gnashing his teeth and boasting great matters with his tongue and he was bravely answered as hath been before related Vers 13 The Lord will laugh at him See Psal 2.4 the righteous also shall have a time to laugh at him Psal 52.6 and mean while comforteth himself with this that God laugheth at him and that therefore himself hath no great cause to cry sith riden do irritos reddit by laughing at them he blasteth all their designs and that with disgrace men love not to be laughed at For he seeth that his day is coming His dismal day his Deaths day which wil also be his Dooms-day that day wherein God hath determined to slay them with their own sword and to save the Righteous as it is in the two next verses But especially that last and great day of the World wherein Dicetur reprobis Ite Venite probis Vers 14. The Wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their how That they may assault the Righteous both cominus nearer hand and eminus at a distance for which purpose they come against him like a walking Armorie with sword how and other instruments of death as resolved to kill and slay We are counted as sheep to the slaughter Rom. 8. Vers 15. Their sword shall enter into their own heart As did Sauls and his armour-bearers 1 Sam. 31. See Psal 7.16 Per quod quis peccat per idem punitur ipse And their bows shall be broken Neither their bowes only but their armes also Vers 17. They shall utterly be disarmed and disabled when once God takes them to do which is commonly when they are at the strongest and most confident Vers 16. A little that the Righteous man hath c. Whereas it was said before The meek shall inherit the earth some man might object that such are commonly poor enough and that 's no small affliction as the Heathens Menander Euripides Alcaeus c. have affirmed and experience assureth it Hereunto is answered that a little that the Righteous man hath is better c. as a box of pearles is more worth than many loads of pibbles And as a bird with a little eye and the advantage of a wing to soar with may see farre wider than an Ox with a greater so the Righteous with a little estate joyned with faith tranquillity and devotion may have more pleasure feel more comfort see more of Gods bounty than one of vast possessions whose heart cannot lift it self above the earth as One well observeth Some render it thus Better is the little of one Righteous man than the plentious Mammon of many Wicked The Bee is as well if not better content with feeding on the dew or sucking from a flower as Behemoth that grazeth on the Mountaines Here the Psalmist speaketh saith Vatablus of the secret blessing of God Quia etsi in diem victitent è caelotamen non secus ac Manna pascuntur for although they have but from hand to mouth yet they are fed from Heaven as it were with Manna Vers 17. For the armes of the wicked shall be broken i.e. His power valour all that wherein they think their strength and help standeth See vers 15. the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh cracks But the Lord upholdeth the Righteous Though seemingly never so weak and wealthlesse Vers 18. The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright In bâ—num novit Psal 1.6 id est prolongat saith Kimchi he knoweth that is he acknowledgeth approveth hath a gracious regard unto their dayes and the events thereof he hath decreed to a minute how long they shall suffer and what happinesse shall succeed their sufferings And their inheritance shall be for ever Here long and hereafter eternal What they want here shall be there made up abundantly Vers 19. They shall not be ashamed c. They shall hold up their heads when others droop neither shall they be without comfort in times of common calamity as Noah was media tranquillus in unda And in the dayes of famin they shall be satisfied God will work wonders rather than they shall want any thing that is good for them as he fed the Israelites in the Wildernesse Eliah by the Ravens Jeremy by a special providence in the siege As Rochel was relieved by an extraordinary shoal of fish cast in upon them by divine providence And as Leiden besiedged by the Duke of Alva and forced for their sustenance to search and scrape dunghills to boil old leather c. was rescued by the turning of the Winds and swelling of the Tide which forced the Duke to raise the siege and be gone Vers 20. But the Wicked shall perish In the midst of their wealth and greatest abundance their mony shall perish with them And the enemies of the Lord These are worse than those Wicked aforementioned saith Theodoret they are such as go on still in their trespasses Psal 68.21 Shall be as the fat of Lambes which in sacrifices was wholly to be burnt and consumed Levit. 3.15 16 17. Into smoak shall they consume away Smoak the higher it ascendeth the sooner it vanisheth Quanto fuerit globus ille grandior tanto vanior saith Austin They shall be consumed in the smoak of Gehenna or Hell saith the Chaldee here Vers 21. The Wicked borroweth and payeth not again Either because he cannot he is so unable or because he cares not he is so unconscionable But in the midst of his wealth he is many times wanting in the fullnesse of his sufficiency Non sunt 〈◊〉 dendo he is in straits and to supply his necessities sticketh long in the Usurers furnace which leaveth him at last neither metall nor matter But the Righteous sheweth mercy and giveth Of that which is his own to which end he hath a great care to pay his debts When Archb. Cranmer discerned the storm which after fell upon him in Queen Maries dayes he took expresse order for the payment of all his debts which when it was done a most joyfull man was hee How hospitable he was and liberall Tremelius testifieth in his Epistle before his comment on Hosea Vers 22. For such as be blessed of him c. See Vers 9. 11. Shall be cut off In hoc seculo futuro saith Kimchi Or this verse may be taken as a reason of the former viz. why are Wicked rich men so necessitated and Righteous men so enabled enlarged God curseth the one but blesseth the other
tibi vulnera fecit Solus Achilleo tellere more potest Ovid. Trist 1. I am consumed by the blow of thine hand Heb. By the conflict or buffettings Oh keep out of his fingers for it is a fearfull thing to fall into them Heb. 10. Caveb is autem sipavebis Vers 11. When thou with rebukes doest correct man for iniquity Or Shouldest thou but correct him according to his iniquity correct him I say or instruct him Kimchi his Note here is Morbi sunt interpretes inter Deum homines increpantes ut Job 33.19 Diseases are Gods chiding messages or reall rebukes Thou makest his beauty Heb. What soever in him is desirable all his prime and pride pulchritudinem praestantiam his beauty and bravery as that of Jonas his gourd To consume away like a moth Heb. To melt away as a moth which is easily crusht betwixt ones fingers Job 4.19 or actively as a moth Quamâ—is 〈◊〉 palam fulmine è 〈◊〉 Vat. caeco morsu doth secretly and suddenly consume the most precious garment so dost thou the Wicked by thy secret curse though themselves or others little observe it Surely every man is vanity Selah See vers 5. Vers 13. Hear my prayer O Lord give ear c. My prayer my cry my tears See how his ardency in prayer grew by degrees and so availed much Jam. 5.16 we must rise in our requests pray cry weep ask seek knock let the Lord see that wee are in good earnest and then we may have any thing Tears have a voice and are very effectuall Oratours For I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner And in that respect subject to many miseries and molestations satanicall and secular till I shall repatriasse get home as Bernard expresseth it and this was the condition of all my godly predecessors who yet found favour with thee and so I hope shall I. Vers 13. O spare mee that I may recover strength Ut refociller reficiar Job maketh the like request chap. 10.20 Some breathing while they would have and a time to recollect themselves before that last great encounter They say in effect Differ habent parvae commoda magna morae Before I go hence and be no more No more seen amongst men It is said Speed 925. that Richard the third caused the dead corps of his two smothered Nephews to be closed in lead and so put in a coffin full of holes and hooked at the ends with two hooks of Iron and so to be cast into a place called the black deeps at the Thames mouth whereby they should never rise up nor be any more seen Joseph is not and Simeon is not Gen. 42.36 The Righteous perish Isa 57.1 when once I go hence saith David here viz. to my long home Eccles 12.5 there will be a Non ego an end of mee as to this World wherefore I beg a little respite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PSAL. XL. Vers 1. I waited patiently for the Lord Heb. In waiting I waited Diutissimè quidem sed optimo successu Est sensus ejusdem cum duobus prioribuâ—â— Kabuenat I prayed and waited I waited and prayed again persevering in prayer and begging audience as Psal 39.12 with which Basil maketh this Psalm to cohere and well he may for it seemeth to be of the same time and argument with the two former R. Obadiah saith that David composed this Psalm after that he was recovered of his Leprosie Psal 38.7 And he inclined unto me i.e. he began at length to shew favour for he waiteth to be gracious and well knoweth that desideria dilatione crescant cito data vilescant nothing is lost by holding his people long in request Vers 2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit è puteo sonitus ut Isa 17 12â— out of a noyse-full pit where there is a continual hurry by the great fall of waters into it He meaneth out of dreadful dangers out of a desperate disease saith R. Obadiah who also by rock here understandeth perfect health Sanitatem in corpore sanctitatem in corde Out of the miry clay E luto Luto saith Kimchi for here are two words used of one and the same sense to shew that as a bemired beast he was in a perishing condition till God puld him out and set him on firm ground And established my goings That I might not relapse into the same or fall into another malady or mischief Vers 3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth i. e. new matter which I shall soon contrive into a new song by the help of his holy Spirit for I cannot breath out a desire after him except he first imbreath me therewith and so put a new song in my mouth Even praise unto our God i.e. Unto Christ saith Junius to whom and of whom the Church singeth saith he in the following verses Many shall see it and fear and trust in the Lord Their eye shall affect their heart both with fear of and faith in the Lord that bringeth greatest things to pass and is fearful in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. Vers 4. Blessed is that man c. See Psal 2.12 And respecteth not the proud Who are set in opposition to Beleevers as they are also Hab. 2.4 Self justitiaries especially and Merit-mongers faith is an humbling grace Nor such as turn aside to lies As do Hereticks and Idolaters These the true beleever out of the greatness of his spirit slighteth how great soever they be Animo magno nihil magnum Vers 5. Many O Lord my God are thy Works which thou hast done Many and great and all for them that trust in thee Who therefore must needs be blessed as vers 4. And thy thoughts which are to us-ward Thoughts of peace and not of evil to give us an expected end Jer. 29.11 They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee No nor yet out of order and yet we must be reckoning and relating them as we are able to God and men by speaking good of his name and at this David was old excellent as we say If I would declare and speak of them By whole-sale we must do it though wee cannot so well by retale particulars also must bee instanced as Moses doth to Jethro Exod. 22. and for that end Catalogues must bee kept See one Judg. 10.11.12 Vers 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire Comparatively to the obedience of faith 1 Sam. 15.22 without which when Hypocrites thought to bribe God by cold Ceremonies they were rejected Christ is the end of the Law to all that beleeve that Lamb of God slain from the beginning of the world is the only Expiatory Sacrifice and the foundation of that fore mentioned blessedness ver 4. Now since Christ suffered the Levitical Sacrifices being abolished we have none to offer but such as are gratulatory to shew our thankfulness for such a Redeemer whose perfect obedience with the fruit of it is here and in the following Verses
the heir of the Crosse as Luther speaketh and is here instructed how to carry her self under it and to get benefit by it Vers 1. We have heard with our ears i.e. We have both heard and heeded it with utmost attention and affection It is not a Pleonasmus but an Emphasis that is here used Our Fathers have told us According to that they were commanded Deut. 6. and elsewhere to whet good things upon their young Children and to propagate the memory of Gods noble acts to all posterity Exod. 12.26 13.14 Josh 4.6 In Ioe 7. See Psal 78.4 6. Hear this saith Basil and blush yee Fathers that neglect to teach your Children They made their mouths as it were Books wherein the noble acts of the Lord might be read to his praise and to the drawing of their Childrens hearts unto him What work thou didst All which they faithfully related and carefully recorded for the use of after-ages Psal 102.18 This shall bee written for the generation to come and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord. Vers 2. How thou didst drive out the Heathen i.e. The Canaanites These God the great Proprietary of all supplanted after that they had for a long time grown there as trees and abounded with all kind of sensual delights till they had filled the Land from one end to the other with their uncleannesse Ezra 9.11 How thou didst afflict or break in peeces the people and cast them out Or cause them the Israelites to spread and propagate So Mollerus readeth it as the Vine sendeth out her branches Vers 3. For they got not the Land in possession by their own sword c. Men are apt to arrogate to themselves and say as Luther hath it Herod lib. Hoc ego feci Sesostris King of Egypt when he had conquered any Country was wont to set up pillars and thereupon to engrave these words This Land I got in possession by mine own power He was afterwards slain by his own servants But thy right hand Quiaper eam praelia opera facta sunt faith Kimchi God is the great Doer in all atchievements And the light of thy countenance i. e. Illustris praesentia tua qua praeivisti praeluxistieâ—s thy gracious presence and conduct Junius Because thou hadst a favour unto them Free grace was the fundamentall cause of all their felicity God loved them because he loved them Deut. 7.7 He chose them of his love and then loved them for his choice Vers 4. Thou art my King O God Heb. Thou art be my King Cr. Thou art the same my King i.e. the same that thou wast to those of old Oh see to thy subjects as ever thou hast done Command deliverances for Jacob A Mandamus from thee will do it He spake the word and it was done Some read it command deliverances O Jacob that is O God of Jacob as Psal 24.6 Vers 5. Through thee will we push down our enemies Corâ—â—-p temus a metaphor from horned creatures as Deut. 33.17 This we shall soon do if thou do but only give the word of command for together with they word goeth forth a power Through thy name Tuo nomine numine auspicio ductu Vers 6. For I will not trust in my bow To trust in men or means is the ready rode to utter ruine Idas one of the Argonautes is brought in by the Poet bragging that he trusted not in the gods but in his own arm and armes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What need we to fear the Turks said Sigismund the young King of Hungary in his pride and jollity who need not at all to fear the falling of the heavens Turk hist 10 which if they should fall yet were we able with our spears and halberds to hold them up for falling upon us He shortly after this received a notable overthrow Carnall confidence endeth in confusion Vers 7. But thou hast saved us Thou hast wrought and fought for us against those that sought to destroy us Thou hast and therefore thou wilt for thou art the same my King vers 4. Vers 8. In God we boast all the day long The Spaniards are said to be great boasters in the very lowest ebbe of fortune A godly man may be and must be so by an holy gloriation he must make his boasts of such a King immortal invisible c. The three Children did so Our God can deliver us c. And praise thy Name Thou alone shalt have the praise of all our prosperity Vers 9. But thou hast cast off and put us to shame Here 's a sudden change and a sad complaint but handsomly brought in the better to insinuate the sooner to prevail for redress Only this it should have been remembred that the Lords hand was not shortned but their iniquities bad separated between them and their God Isa 59.1 Niceph. l. 11. c. 40. 2. That noble General Trajan told Valens the Arrian Emperour that by warring against God hee had abandoned the Victory and sent it to the enemies Vers 10. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy By expectorating our faith and courage and leaving us to a fearful faint-heartedness that flieth at the found of a shaken leaf God strengtheneth or weakneth the arm of either Army Ezek. 30.24 Vers 11. Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat Aliqui occisi dispersialii veunndati gratis Aben-Ezra Some of us are slain others scattered here and there and sold for nought And hast scattered us c. O the many miseries of such a banishment The Poet thus expresseth it Est miserum patria amissa laribusque vagare Mendica timida voce rogare cibos Cumnatisque errare suis conjuge mocsta Et cum matre pia cumque parente sene Tyrteus Vers 12. Thou sellest thy people for nonght Thirty for a penny the Jones were sold by the Romans saith Josephus at the last devastation And dost not increase thy wealth by their price Thou takest thy first Chapman as the Pope gave England in Hen. 8. his time Primo occupaturo to him that could first seize it and hast not made thy best of them but given them away for whom thou wast wont to give great Nations Isa 43.3 All the comfort in this case was that yet they were dear to God as his Sons though sold for slaves to the enesnies as may be seen Isa 50 1. 52.3 Vers 13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours This to a generous spirit is very grievous The Cappadocians were noted for a servile people and Tiberius said of his Romans Ammian 1.2 that they were homines ad servitutem parati The Jews at this day hear ill among all Nations for a nasty and sordid people O Marcomanni O Quadi O Sarmats tandem alios vobis deteriores inveni said that Emperour O Marcomans O Quades O Sarmatians I have at length found a more odious
directeâ—h his speech not to Solomon who never took upon him the name of God as did Sosostris King of Aegypt Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caligula and some other proud Princes but to Christ Heb. 1.8 who is God blessed for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so called by an excellency only as the Angels are Psal 8.9 with Heb 2. not by Office and Title only as Magistrates are godsâ— Ps 82.16 nor Catachrestically and Ironically so called as the Heathen gods nor a diminutive god inferiour to the Father as Arrius held but God by nature every way Co-essential Co-eternal and Co-equal with the Father and the Holy Chost Joh. 1.1 Phil. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.20 Hold this last for it is the Rock Mat. 16.16 it is of the very foundation so that if we beleeve it not there is no heaven to be had 1 Joh. 5.20 As for his Kingly Office here described it belongeth to him as Mediator and what is here spoken of him is to be understood of his whole person for so is he Head of the Church and King of Israel for ever The scepter of thy Kingdom c. Thy government is not with rigour but with righteousness thou camest rightly by it casting out Satan the Usurper Mat. 12.29 Heb. 2.14 and dost most righteously administer it Deut. 4.8 Vers 7. Haec verè heroica est nemesis Thou lovest right eousness and hatest wickedness Salomon did so for a great while may Nero's first five years were such that Trajan was wont to say that none ever attained to the perfection of them but Christ continually neither can hee do otherwise See Matth. 3.10 11 12. Joh. 5.30 Matth. 12.18 19 20. Therefore God thy God hath anoynted i.e. For which purpose God hath anoynted thee his Messiah or Christ Psal 2.2 With the oyl of gladness Quia totus mundus in unctione Christi ejus missione letabitur saith Kimchi so called because the whole World should bee cheared up by the Unction and Mislion of Messiah he received the Spirit without measure that of his fulness we might all receive and grace for grace righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Above thy fellows i.e. Exreliquorum regum numero eximendus above all earthly Potentates Beza the best whereof as David â—o sish had their faults and flaws or rather above thy Saints thy fellow-brethren by grace and Co-heirs of glory they have Plenitudinem V asis but thou Fontis neither only art thou anointed Pre consortibus above thy fellows but Pro consortibus for those thy fellows as some render it Dioscor l. 1. c. 67. l. 3. c. 82 lib l. 12 Lib. 1. Antidot and it is very comfortable Vers 8. All thy garments smell of myrrbe aloes and cassia Things not only of good savour but of great price Myrrbe some take to be Musk Aloes Amber Cassia a kind of Ginnamon which in Galeas time was very rare and hard to bee found except in the store-houses of great Princes And Pliny reporteth that a pound of Cinnamon was worth a thousand Denarii that is an hundred and fifty Crowns of our 〈◊〉 This description then of Christs cloathing doth allegorically set forth the sweetness and pleasure that the Father findeth in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.17 and that we also finde whilst he is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Confer 2 Cor. 2.14 and that out of his Ivory palaces i.e. his heavenly habitation from which he beholdeth us and raineth down righteousness upon us Whereby they have made thee glad i.e. Servi sodales tui thy fellow friends and servants who stand and hear the Bridegroom and rejoyce greatly by reason of his voyce Joh. 3.29 yea make him glad by their ready obedience setting the Crown upon his head and adorning him as it were with all his bravery in the day of his espousals Cant. 3.11 and making him say How fair how pleasant art thou O love for delights Cant. 7.6 Vers 9 Kings daughters were among thine honourable women Thy Ladies of honour attending upon thy royal Consort for after the description of Christ the Bridegroom followeth another of the Queen his Bride and of the royal Nuptials Or Kings daughters are in thy preciousnesses that is in thy comliness that thou hast put upon them Ezek. 16.14 for all the Churches bravery is borrowed and all her Daughters i.e. Members are adorned not with their own proper attire Sed regio mundo ornatu out of the King Christs Wardrobe this is the righteousness of the Saints Rev. 19.8 viz. imputed and imparted Upon thy right band Which is a place of Dignity and Safety As Christ is at the Fathers right hand so the Church is at Christs right hand where as his wife she shineth with her Husbands beams This is very comfortable Did stand the Queen Heb. Augusta the wife adjutorium illi exacts respondens as Gen. 2.18 saith 〈◊〉 that hee was happy in his wife a Lady of excellent vertue who drew evenly with him in all the courses of honour that appertained to her side Daniels hist and seemed a peece so just cut for him as answered him rightly in every joynt Vers 10. Hearken O Daughter and consider incline thine ear The Prophets or rather Christs Counsell to the Church and each Member thereof wholly to deny ungodlinesse and wordly lusts and to live soberly Tit. 3.12 righteously and godly in this present World to leave all and to cleave to Christ This because it is soon said but not so soon done He presseth in many words all to one purpose Hearken see incline thine ear Self-denyall is a most difficult duty and yet so necessary that if it be not done we shall be undone Forget also thine own people c. All evill opinions must be unlearned and all evill practices abandoned and all our love transferred and transfused upon Christ or we cannot be a fit Spouse for him Christs Spouse must as Deut. 21.11 12 13. shave her head pare her nails and bewail her Father and Mother that is her naturall inbred evills and corruptions Vers 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty If thou deny thy self and forgo all others to please him alone he shall set his whole heart upon thee and be ravished with thy love as Prov. 5.19 How could that Persian Ladies Husband do lesse than love her who having been at Cyrus his wedding and asked how she liked the Bridegroom Like him said she I know not how I like him for I looked upon no man there but mine own Husband Aspasia Milesia was very dear to Cyrus because she was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fair and withall Wise Aelian For he is thy Lord And therefore not to be slighted by thee for his great love as many of the Persian Monarchs were Ahashuerosh for instance but reverenced and obeyed as Augustus was by his wife Livia Vers 12. And the
of her Hence the Church is called Jehovali Shannonah the Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 there he hath set him up a Mercy-seat a Throne of Grace and paved his people a new and living way thereunto with the Bloud of his Son so that they may come boldly obtain mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.14 She shall not be moved Or not greatly moved Psal 62.2 in those great commotions abroad the world vers 2 3. This bush may burn but shall not be consumed and that by the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush Deut 33. Exo. 14.23 Begneth have-shugnah Kimchi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 built shee is upon a rock Mat. 16.16 and so is every particular Beleever Mat. 7.25 And if at any time they be in distress God shall help her and that right early Heb. When the morning appeareth that is in the nick of time when help shall be most seasonable and best welcome Mourning lasteth but till morning Psal 30.5 the Church is invincible Vers 6. The Heathen raged Among themselves and against the Church Christ mystical as Psal 2.1 2. with great force and fury Quia ab ascenfore suo Damon◠perur gentur as Bernard giveth the reason because the Devil rideth them and spurreth them on The King doms were moved to remove and root out the Church but that will not be because in the thing wherein they deal proudly God is above them See those three sweet similitudes Zech. 12.2 3 6. He uttered his voyce Thunder-struck the enemies and saved his people by a Miracle of his mercy Psal 18.6 7. The earth melted Centra naturam suam quia est arida saith Aben-Ezra against the nature thereof for it is dry By the earth some understand the enemies who had almost filled the whole Land with their multitudes Vers 7. The Lord of Hosts is with us Even the Lord who commandeth far other Hosts and Armies than the enemy hath any and this they shall see by our Spiritual security The God of Jacob is our refuge Heb. Our high tower such as our enemies cannot come at When he calleth him the God of Jacob hee hath respect to the Promises saith Vatablus Gods Power and Goodness are the Churches Jachin and Boaz. Ver. 8. Come behold the Works of the Lord Venite videte God looks that his Works should bee well observed and especially when he hath wrought any great deliverance for his people Of all things hee cannot abide to bee forgotten What desolations he hath made in the earth How he hath dunged his Vineyard with the dead Carcasses of those wild Boars out of the Forrest that had infested it Those four mighty Monarchies had their times and their turns their rise and their ruine but the Church remains for ever Vers 9. He maketh Warres to cease As the Lord putteth the Sword in Commission bathing it in Heaven so he can quiet it and command it up at his pleasure He did so when Sisera was slain and when Sexnacherib The Church hath her Halcyous He breaketh the bow c. No weapon formed against thee shall prosper Isa 54.17 The Spanish Armada was set forth with infinite labour and expence but soon dispersed and defeated He burneth the Chariots Inquibus instrumenta bellica vel victualia pro militibus circumgestant saith Aben-Ezra i. e. their carriages for ammunition and provisions Vers 10. Be still and know c. q. d. As you must come and see vers 8. so come and hear what the Lord saith to those enemies of yours Cessate scitete Be still St and know Ex vestris saltem malis discite learn by what yee have felr that there is no contending with omnipotency I will be exalted asking you no leave c. Vers 11. The Lord of Hosts c. See vers 7. PSAL. XLVII A Psalm for the Sons of Korah Carmen triumphale saith Mollerus a Panegyrical Oration saith Beza written by David when top-full of most ardent zeal and sung by the Korites in that stately solemnity whereat he brought at length the Lords holy Ark into the City of David which gallant History is lively set forth 2 Sam. 6. 1 Chron. 15. And the use that David doth here make of it viz. concerning Christs Kingdom and the benefits thereby concerneth us as much or rather more than that ancient people The Rabbins with one consent say that this Psalm is to be understood De diebus Christi of the days of the Messiah who was prefigured by the Ark and should be the joy of all Nations Vers 1. O clap your hands all yee people As they used to do at their Kings Coronation 2 King 11.12 shew your joy for and interest in Christ your King by manifesting your righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Other joys are mixt and dear-bought but this is sincere and gratuitous as the Prophet Isaiah setteth forth elegantly chap. 9.3 5 6 7. Shout unto God with the voyce of triumph Heb. Of shrilling gods praises are to be celebrated with all manner of chearfulness and we are to be vexed at the vile dulness of our hearts that are no more affected and enlarged hereunto seeing all causes of joy are found eminently in God and he is so well worthy to be praised Psal 18.3 Jews and Gentiles are here joyntly called upon joyfully to praise their Redeemer Vers 2. For the Lord most high is tirrible Amiable to his own terrible to his rebels This Son if not kissed will be angry Psal 2. This Lamb for a need can shew himself a Lion as he is the Father of Mercies so the God of Recompences c. and being most high hee can easily overtop and subdue the stoutest of his enemies He is a great King over all the earth As having taken possession by his wonderful Ascension of the universal Kingdom given him by his Father and gathered himselfa Church out of all Mankind which he wonderfully ruleth and defendeth against the rage of Earth and of Hell Vers 3. He shall subdue the people under us This was typified in the Government of the Israelites then ascendent in Davids days but fulfilled when Christ rode abroad on his white Horse the Apostles Conquering and to conquor Rev. 6. Quando Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo patuerint as Tertullian hath it Christ subdued the Britans and others whom the victorious Romans could never come at The Chaldee hath it he shall kill the people under us sc with the sword of the Spirit the Word when the Law came sin revived and I dyed Rem 7.9 The Hebrew is He shall speak the people under us that is he shall by the preaching of the Gospel powerfully perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 Tremellius rendreth it Jun. ex Aben-Ezra R. Judah Cogit in caulam populos he gathereth the people into the fold viz. that there may be one Sheep-fold and one Shepherd as Joh. 10.16 Eph. 2.14 And the Nations
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
the Pen-man It seemeth to be of the same time and occasion with Psal 76. Vers 1. Great is the Lord Greater Job 33.12 Greatest of all Psal 95.3 Greatnesse it self Psal 345.3 A degree he is above the superlative And greatly to be praised No mean praises can be meet for so great a Majesty It must be modus sine modo Bern. In the City of our God i. e. Lib. 3. de usu part In the Church for others will not cannot do it to divine acceptation Galen amazed at the wonderfull frame of mans body sang an hymn to the Maker thereof but yet he lived and dyed a Pagan Vers 2. Pulcher surculo Beautifull for situation A beautifull Nymph so R. Solomon Or beautifull for the branch that droppeth balsam saith Moller that is for the Ark there seated Or for the tract and climat as Josh 12.23 situat on the Northside of Jerusalem as Isa 14.13 in a cold drie and clear air as Job 37.22 Sanantur illi qui illic infirms conveniuâ—t saith Kimchi they which come thither weak are made well The joy of the whole earth Not only of the whole Land because thither three times a year the Tribes went up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord Psal 122.4 nor only of the East whereof Jerusalem was held and call'd the Queen Vrbium totius Orient is clarissima saith Pliny see Lam. 1.1 but also of the whole earth Sumen totius orbis as one calleth it and Rabshakeh himself in that more ingenuous than Strato confesseth Judaa to be a Land of Corn and Wine of bread and Vineyards Isa 36.17 Hence it is called the excellency of Jacob Psal 47.4 the goodness of the Lord for Wheat and for Wine and for Oyl and for the young of the flock and of the Herd for all which men should come and sing in the height of Zion Jer. 31.12 but especially for spirituall blessings that their souls might be as watered gardens and they not sorrow any more at all ib. but come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads Isa 35.10 for the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men therehence appearing Tit. 2.11 Isa 2.3 4. If Plutarch could say of Rome in Numa's time that the Neighbour Villages sucking in the air of that City breathed Righteousnesss how much better might the same be said of this City of the great King where God himself was resiant and his sincere service was established Psal 132.13 Vers 3. God is known in her Palaces for a refuge As the City was an ornament to the whole Country so was God to the City as being a common refuge to both and as having his holy Temple there not a professed Sanctuary for impiety as Flâ—â—us â—pitefully stiled it but farre better deserving than Nama's new Temple in Rome did to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrary of Faith and Peace where the true God was truly worshiped and found to be a very present help in trouble the beâ—t bulwark Vers 4. For 〈◊〉 the Kings were assembled The Princes of the Philistines 2 Sam. 5. Or Sennacheribs Princes which were all Kings Isa 10.8 Oecolampadins upon Isa 13.19 saith that there were twenty and two Kingdomes in Assâ—ria these all came with combined forces to lay Jernsaiem desolate but could not effect it They passed by together They could do this City dear to God and secured by him the Athenians boasted that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved of God the Hierâ—sâ—lymitans were surely so no more harm than as if they had been so many wayfaring men that had passed by it with their staves in their hands Vers 5. They saw it and so they marvelled None of them could say as Casar Veni vidi vici but the contrary they no sooner saw this Heaven-guarded City but their hearts mis-gave them and they were ready to say as that Duke of Saxeny did who intending to make war upon the Bishop of Magdeburg and understanding that he made no great preparation for defence of himself and his territories but sought help from Heaven by fasting and prayer Insaniat alius said he God blesse mee from such a madnesse as to meddle with a man who confideth in God and committeth himself wholly to his protection They were troubled and hasted away Heb. they fled with an basty or head-long flight being smitten with a suddain terrour such as was that of the Egyptians when their Charret wheels were taken off of the Poilistines when for haste they left their Gods behind them 2 Sam. 5. of the Syrians 2 King 7. when they left all and ran for their lives of the Assyrians when the Angel had slain an hundred eighty five thousand in their camp c. Vers 6. Fear took hold upon them there By So in the former verse and There in this the shamefull flight of these enemies is lively deciphered and as it were pointed at with the finger So Psal 14.5 There were they in great fear for God is in the Generation of the Righteous And pain as of a Woman in Travel Their grief was no less than their fear and it came upon them Certâ— cito subito suddainly sorely irresistably inevitably Vers 7. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish i. e. Of the Ocean or of the Mediterranean Sea Isa 2.16 23.1 6 10 14. The meaning is like as thou O God with thine East-wind that Euroclydon especially which Pliny calleth Navigantium Pestem the Mariners mischief art wont to dash and drown the tallest ships at thy pleasure so thou both canst and wilt deal by thy Churches enemies To whom therefore this Text should be as those knuckles of a mans hand were to Belshazzer to write them their destiny or as Daniel was to him to read it unto them Vers 8. As we have heard viz. by the relation of our Fore-Fathers Psal 44.1 or rather by the promises contained in the Holy Scriptures which now we see verified and exemplified in our signall deliverances Hierusalems constane protection then is here affevered and assured per comparationem promissionis experientie simul similitèr eam contestantium See the like Job 42.5 with the Note In the City of our God The Church is the City of the living God Heb. 12.22 a City that breedeth men yea Conquerours as Herodotus saith of Ecbatana the Metropolis of the Medes and as Pindarus of another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Herod Clioâ— Nemeis Od. â— God will establish it for ever There shall be a Church till the Worlds end maugre all her enemies Vers 9 We have thought upon thy loving kindnesse Heb. We have silently mused or minded as being amazed or rather amated thereat not able to speak for a while we were so transported when we met in thy Temple for the purpose to praise thee as for thy loving kindnesse towards us so for thy power and Justice exercised on
our enemies Vers 10. According to thy Name O God so is thy praise i. e. It is infinite and inexpressible Psal 148.1 Psal 145.3 Gods Name is exalted above all blessing and praise as those holy Levites acknowledge Noh 9.5 The distance betwixt God and us is infinite and we should labour to fill up that distance if possible with our praises Thy right hand is full of righteousuess i. e. of noble Acts which thou hast done for us according to thy promise Psal 25.10 Vers 11. Let. Mount-Zion rejoyce let the Daughters c. Let the Church Catholick and each particular Member thereof give God the glory of his Justice and see that their joy be spirituall Vers 12. Walk about Sion and tell the Towers thereof q.d. Are they not still the same and as many as they were before the approach of the enemy is any thing diminished or defaced by the late siege or assault Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria He shall not come into this City nor shoot an arrow there c. Isa 37.33 Vers 13. Mark ye well her Bulwarks Not at all impaired The great Turk could never have gotten the Rhodes but by treachery notwithstanding his long and mighty batteries made upon that place day and night How he raged at the last assault of Scodra and blasphemed see Turk hist page four hundred twenty three Geneva Hanc urbem non nisi miraculose stetisse stare per multos â—â—nos res ipsa clamst Anton Fayus is invironed with enemies French Spanish Savoy Pope and barred out from all aid of neighbour Cities and Churches yet is upheld as it were by an immediate hand of Heaven as Beza hath set forth in an elegant Emblem Vers 14. For this God is our God To draw them up to this consideration it was that the Propher so calls upon people to view Sion c. and to take notice that she might well have written upon her gates as that City Hippocrates writeth of had Intacta manet the Daughter of Sion is a Maid still through the prowesse of her Champion Even unto death And after too for this is not to be taken exclusive He will never leave us nor forsake us PSAL. XLIX VErs 1. Hear this all ye people This that is of so great consequence and universall concernment viz. that the Saints should not be frighted nor perplexed at the present prosperity of gracelesse persons but consider that death at utmost shall render them extreamly miserable and at the day of Judgement men shall retutn and discern a manifest difference betwixt the Righteous and the Wicked betwixt him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3. ult Give ear all ye Inhabitants of the World Hear and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken it Jer. 13.15 The Inhabitants of the World Heb. of the transitory World are like men in a Mill through hurry of businesse or as one that is running a race to whom though never so good counsell be given he cannot stay to hear it Of such we use to say that they hear with their harvest-ears harvest it is a time of great pleasure and of great businesse and hence it is that we have so ill a feed-time for the Word Wee had need to wish as Harding once did that wee could cry out against sin as loud as the bells of Oseney yea as those Catholick Preachers whose voice is heard in all speeches and languages Psal 19.3 Vers 2. Both low and high rich and poor together Heb. Both sons of Adam or earthy-man and sons of Ish or noble-man quorum Exmeliore lute finxit pracordia Titan. Diogenes once made a like out-cry at Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hear Oyemen and when a company came about him expecting what he would say to them he looked upon them and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I called for men and not for Varlets Vers 3. My mouth shall speak and wisdome Heb. Wisdomes and understandings and yet the matter of this Psalm was nothing extraordinary for the main of it so that a profane person would have come out with his Quid dignum tanto tulit hic promissor hiatu But good points are not therefore to be â—â—ighted because commonly handled but therefore the better to be heeded and proof to be made by practice what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is that is so much pressed upon as Rom. 12.2 Vers 4. I will incline mine ear to a parable q. d. I desire you to do no more than I will do my self I 〈◊〉 therefore have I spoken I have wrought my Doctrin upon mine own affections first and shalt digge it out of mine own bosome for your benefit It is a Parable I must tell you or a Master-sentence yea it is a Mystery a Riddle as the other word here signifieth I will open my dark sayings The doctrine of Life Eternal and the Judgement to come here more clearly deliy ered than any where else almost in the Old Testament is a mystery Vers 5. Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil All the days of the afflicted are evil Prov. 15.15 But why should either â— or any other afflicted Servant of God be over-muchtroubled as if some strange thing had befaln us or staggered at the better condition of worse men all things considered When the iniquity of my heels Or of my Supplanters mine enemies those naughty men called here iniquity in the abstract who seek to trip up my heels and do surround me with their snares for that purpose See Psal 56.7 Or thus When the iniquity of my heels c. That is as some will have it when my sins come to my remembrance or are chastened upon me Every mans heel hath some iniquity As we shall have some dirt cleaving to our heels whiles we walk in a dirty world so there is some defilement upon all our actions which wee may call the iniquity of ourheels He that is washed saith our Saviour to Peter needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit Joh. 13.10 The comparison seems to be taken from those that wash in Bathes for although their whole bodies are thereby made clean yet going forth they touch the earth with their feet and so are fain to wash again semblably the Saints though bathed in that blessed Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Zech. 13.1 and thereby freed from the stain and reign of sin yet their feet or heels have some filth on them some reliques of corruption do still cleave to them and cause them some sorrow yet ought they not to fear or be dismayed but by the practice of mortification purge themselves daily from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Vers 6. They that trust in their wealth which was never yet true to those that trusted in it And yet it is wondrous hard to have wealth and not in some
measure to trust in it that is to think our selves simply the better and the safer for it as our Saviour sheweth and this Disciples after some wonderment at length understood him so Mark 10.23 24. Hence that strict charge 1 Tim. 6.17 And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches Contrary to Jer. 9.23 This Psalm sets forth the better gloriation of a Beleever in the grace of God and in his blessed condition wherein he is lifted up above the greatest Worldings Vers 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother And therefore all Mony that hath been given for Masses Diriges Trentals c. hath been cast away seeing Christ is the only Redeemer and in the other World Mony beareth no Mastery neither can a man buy off death though hee would give never so much Death will not regard any Ransome neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts as Solomon saith in another case Prov. 6.35 Fye quoth that great Cardinal Beanford will not Death be hired Act. Mon. in H. 6. Will Mony do nothing Wherefore should I dye being so rich If the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it c. Lewis the Eleventh would not hear of death all the time of his last Sickness but when he saw there was no remedy he sent for the Holy Water from Rhemes together with Aarons rod as they called it and other holy Reliques Epit. Hist Gall. Balth. Exner. Val. Max. Christ p. 391. thinking therewith to stop Deaths mouth and to stave him off but it would not be O Miser saith one thereupon hoc assidue times quod semel faciendum est Hoc times quod in tua mann est ne timeas Pietatem assume superstitionem omitte mors tua vita erit quidem beata atque eterna Vers 8. For the redemption of their soul is precious i.e. the price of life is greater than that any man how wealthy soever can compass it Mony is the Monarch of this World but not of the next And it ceaseth for ever i.e. The purchase of a longer life ceaseth there is no such thing beleeve it Job 36.18 19. Deut. 23.22 Zech. 11.12 To blame then were the Agrigentines who did eat build plant c. as though they should live for ever Vers 9. That be should still live for ever As every wicked man would if it might be had for mony for he knoweth no happiness but to Have and to Hold on the tother side the Grave he looketh for no good whereas a godly manholdeth mortality a Mercy as Phil. 1.23 he hath Mortem in desiderio vitam in patientin as Fulgentius saith he desireth to dye and yet is content to live accepting of life rather than affecting it enduring it rather than desiring it And not see corruption Heb. The pit of corruption The Chaldee understandeth it of Hell to the which the wicked mans death is as a trap-door Vers 10. For he seeth that wise men dye likewise the fool This to be a truth etiam muta clamant cadavera the dead Corpses of both do preach and proclaim by a dumb kinde of eloquence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death maketh no difference Pallida mors equo c. It is appointed for all men once to dye It lieth as a mans Lot as the word signifieth Heb. 9.27 and all men can say We are all mortal but alas we say it for most part Magis us◠quam sensu more of custom than feeling for we live as if our lives were rivetted upon Eternity and we should never come to a reckoning Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Ant velut infernus fabula vana foret And the bruitish person perish His life and his hopes ending together But it would be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wise men dye as well as fools good men dye as well as bad yea good men oft before the bad Isa 57.1 Jeroboams best Son dyed before the rest because there was some good found in him And leave their wealth to others Nec aliis solùm sed alienis to meer strangers this Solomon sets forth as a great vanity It was therefore a good speech of a holy man once to a great Lord who had shewed him his stately House and pleasant Gardens You had need make sure of Heaven or else when you dye you will be a very great loser Vers 11. Their inward thought is that their houses c. Some joyn this verse to the former and read the words thus Where as each of them seeth that wise men dye likewise the fool c. yet their inward thought is c. they have a secret fond conceit of their own immortality they would fain beleeve that they shall dwell here for ever The Hebrew runneth thus Their inwards are their houses for ever as if their houses were got within them as the Pharisees goods were Luke 11.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here Internum vel interiora not the thoughts only but the very inmost of the thoughts of wicked Worldlings the most retired thoughts and recesses of their souls are about these earthly things these lye nearest to their hearts as Queen Mary said when she dyed Open me and you shall find Calice at my heart It was a pittiful case that a rotten town lay where Christ should and yet it is ordinary They call their Lands after their own names So to make them famous and to immortalize them at once Thus Cain called his new-built City Enoch after the name of his Son whom he would thereby have to be called Lord Enoch of Enoch This is the ambition still of many that take little care to know that their names are written in Heaven but strive to propagate them as they are able upon Earth Nimrod by his Tower Absolom by his Pillar Alexander by his Alexandria Adrian by his Adrianople c. But the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 and those that depart from God shall be written in the earth Jer. 17.13 c. Vers 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not Howsoever he think to eternalize himself and be grown never so great dye he must whether Lord or Losel and dye like a beast a carrion beast unless he be the better man but only for his pillow and bolster At one end of the Library at Dublin was a Globe at the other a Skeliton to shew that though a man was Lord of all the World yet hee must dye his honour must be laid in the dust The mortal Sythe saith one is master of the royal Scepter and it moweth down the Lillies of the Crown as well as the Grass of the field Perperam accommodatur bic versiculus saith another this verse is not well interpreted of the first man Adam to prove that he sinned the same day wherein he was Created and lodged not one night in Paradise He
shall go to the generation of his fathers i.e. To the grave or albeit he come to the age of his Fathers that is live here very long They shall never see light Either have any sound comfort at death or any part in Gods Kingdom Vers 20. Man that is in honour and understandeth not Versus amabeus See ver 12. there is but little difference Stultitians patiuntur opes The more a man hath of worldly wealth and the less of Spiritual and heavenly understanding therewith the more bestial he is and shall be more miserable Caligula called his Father-in-law Marcus Silanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a golden brute Quid cervo ingentia cornua cum desit animus Vel mihi da clavem vel mihi telle seram PSAL. L. A Psalm of Asaph Who was both a Musick-master 1 Chron. 25.2 and a Psalm-composer 2 Chron. 29.30 The most are of opinion that this Psalm was made by David and committed to Asaph to be sung after that Israel had been afflicted with three years Famine and three days Pestilence and the Angel had appeared to David Jun. and set out the place where the Temple should be built 2 Sam. 21. 24. 1 Chron. 21.18 22.4 Vers 1. R. Nahum ap Nebien The mighty God even the Lord Heb. The God of gods whether they be so deputed as Angels Magistrates or reputed only as Heathen-deities 1 Cor. 8.9 Jehovah or Essentiator is Gods proper Name Some say God is here thrice named to note the Trinity in Vnity Hath spoken sc By the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Henoch the seventh from Adam spoke much like Jude 14. The Rabbines say that this Psalm is De die judecii futuro of the Day of Judgement Others that it is the Lords judging of his Church drawn according to the model of the great and last Judgement whereunto it serveth as a preparation or a warning-peece And called the earth from the rising c. The habitable part of Gods earth the sons of men Prov. 8.31 with Mal. 1.11 These are all called to attest the equity of Gods proceedings against an hypocriticall Nation Children that were corrupters For God hath thus farre instructed all men that He is to be honoured of all with all manner of observance Rom. 1.20 Let this be pressed upon all sorts said Zalencm the Locrian Law-giver in the preface to his Laws 1. That there is a God 2. That this God is to be duely worshiped Vers 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty Heb. The whole Perfection Perfectissim◠pulchritudini◠locus Tre◠or the Universality of beauty because there especially was Gods glory set forth in his holy ordinances and more clearly manifested than in all his handy-work besides See Psal 48.2 God hath shined Like the Sun in his strength sometimes for the comfort of his people as Psal 80.1 sometimes for the terrour of evill-doers as Psal 94.1 and here But evermore God is terrible out of his holy places Psal 68.35 89.7 Vers 3. Our God shall come and shall not keep silence He doth daily come and sit upon the tribunall in his Church by the Ministery of his Servants Mat. 18.17 who must reprove sinners with all authority and shew themselves sons of thunder that they may save some at least with fear snatching them out of the fire Jude 23. as Peter Act. 2.40 and Paul 2 Cor. 5.11 but especially when to work upon the Proconsul Paulus Sergius he set his eyes upon Elymas the sorcerer as if he would have looked thorough him After which lightening followed that terrible thunder crack O thou full of all subtlety and all mischief thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all Righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the streight wayes of the Lord Act. 13.9 10. A fire shall devour before him As he gave his law in fire so in fire shall he require it And it shall bee very tempestuous round about him Not before him only but round about him lest the Wicked should hope to escape by creeping behind him That was a terrible tempest that befell Alexander the great Curtius lib. 8. ex Dioder and his army marching into the Country of Gabaza when by reason of continuall thundering and lightening with hailstones and light-bolts the army was dis-ranked and wandred any way many durst not stirre out of the place c. Tremellius rendreth it wish-wise but in a parenthesis Les our Lord come and let him not be silent The Saints know that they shall bee safe when others shall smoak for it because God is their God Vers 4. Hee shall call to the Heavens from above and to the earth That these dumbCreatures may be as so many speaking evidences against an unworthy people and witnesses of Gods righteous dealings against them See Deut. 32.1 Isa 1.2 Mic. 6.2 The Chaldee thus paraphraseth He will call the high Angels from above and the just of the earth from beneath Vers 5. Gather my Saints together unto mee This seemeth to be spoken to the Angels those active Instruments and executioners of Gods Judgements By Saints here understand professors at large all that live in the bosome of the Church visible and partake of the externall priviledges only such as are in the Vine but bear no fruit Joh. 15.2 have a name to live but are dead Rev. 3. such as whose sanctity consisteth only in covenanting by sacrifice Basil saith that such are called Saints to aggravate their sins as a man that hath an honourable title but hath done wickedly and is therefore the rather to be condemned When one pleaded once with a Judge for his life that he might not be hanged because he was a Gentleman hee told him that therefore he should have the Gallows made higher for him Those that have made a Covenant with mee by Sacrifice But were never brought by mee into the bond of the Covenant for then the rebels would have been purged out from among them as it is Ezek. 20.37 38. Vers 6. And the Heavens shall declare his Righteousnesse Those Catholick Preachers whose voice goeth out aloud to the end of the World Psal 19.4 See vers 4. For God is Judge himself And front him is no appeal every transgression and disobedience from him shall receive a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 even those corruptions that are most inward and lye up in the heart of the Country as it were those pollutions not of flesh only i.e. worldly lusts and grosse evills but of spirit also 2 Cor. 7.1 more spirituall lusts as pride presumption formality self-flattery carnall confidence in externall legall worships the sin principally taxed in this Jewish people here in the next verses Vers 7. Hear O my people and I will speak c. What sweet and winning language is here for a preface Gods proceedings against sinners whom he might confound with his terrours is with meeknesse and much mildnesse Gen. 3.9.11 4.9 Mat.
God is above them Exod. 18.11 Vnto God that performeth all things for mee And in mee Isa 26.12 doth not his work to the halves but is both author and finisher of my faith and other affairs Heb. 12.2 Phil. 1.6 Psal 138.8 Here are the two props of Davids prayer First Gods sufficiency he is the Most High Secondly his efficiency he perfectly accomplisheth all things for mee Vers 3. He shall send from Heaven and save mee Rather than fail I shall have an Angel to rescue mee for although the Lord usually worketh by means yet he can work by miracles and will do it if there be a just occasion howsoever his mercy and his truth he will be sure to send and that 's enough He will be seen in the Mount he will repent for his servants when he seâ—th their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose Vers 4. My soul is among Lions And so is a lively picture of the Church in all ages Would any man take the Churches picture saith Luther then let him paint a silly poor maid sitting in a wood or wilderness compassed about with hungry Lions Wolves Boars and Bears c. Talis est Ecclesia in has vita sicut in historia Danielis pingitur And I lie even among them that are set on fire sc With rage and hellish hatred Others expound it actively of those Ardeliones anlici those Court-Incendiaries who enraged Saul and the Nobles against David as a traitour and Pest See 1 Sam. 24 10. Even the sons of men i. e. Carnall men that being in their pure naturalls have no goodnesse at all in them Whose teeth are spears and arrows Such was Doeg that dead dog and others void of the Spirit which is neque mendax neque mordax Vers 5. Be thou exalted O God above the Heavens That is saith the Chaldee above the Angels And let thy glory be above all the Earth That is above the inhabitants of the earth There are saith Kimchi that think thou either wilt not or else canst not save O let thy power appear for the conviction of all such who now lift up themselves and seem at least to touch the Heaven with one finger Vers 6. They have prepared a net for my steps So that I can hardly keep foot out of snare I dare not lift up one foot till I find sure footing for the other and that 's hard to do See Sauls charge to the Zâ—phites 1 Sam. 23.22 My soul is bowed down I am glad to shrink in my self as fearfull people use to do that I may shun those gins and snares that they have set to maim and mischieve mee They have digged a pit c. They have forced mee into this subterranean cave and behold Saul himself is cast into mine hands in this mine hiding-hole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 7. My heart is fixed O God I am both ready and resolute I doubt not of deliverance and am well prepared to praise God It is fit he should have the fruit of his own planting and that of the best too Otherwise it is no better than the refreshing of him that standeth by a good fire and saith Aha I am warm Vers 8. Awake up my glory He rouseth himself out of his natural drousinesse as Sampson once went forth and shook himself I my self will awake early Or I will awaken the morning as the Cock by his early crowing is said to do Non vigil ales ibi cristati cantibus oris Evocat auroram Ovid. Metam lib. 11. Vers 9. I will praise thee O Lord Among the Nations This was done by Christ calling the Gentiles Psal 18.49 Rom. 15.9 Vers 10. For thy mercy is great c. Gods mercy is ordinarily in the Psalms bounded by his truth that none may either presume him more mercifull than he hath declared himself in his word or else despair of finding mercie gratis according to his promise Vers 11. Be thou exalted c. Versus amaebaeus see vers 5. only that 's in way of prayer this of praise PSAL. LVIII VErs 1. Una ligati ut Gen. 37.7 vel ab â—â—N Mutus quia congregatio ante oratorem eftquasi mutus Aben-Ezra Do yee indeed speak righteousness O Congregation Or O Councell you that are gathered together on a knot under a pretence of doing justice and promoting the publick good by giving faithfull advice to the King Colloquitur Abnerâ— reliquis saith Kimchi David here talketh to Abner and the rest who to please Saul pronounced David a rebel and condemned him absent for an enemy to the State And for as much as there is no greater injury than that which passeth under the name of right he sharply debateth the matter with them whom he knew of old to be very corrupt painting them out in their colours and denouncing Gods heavy judgments against them for their unjust dealings with him The word rendred Congregation is not found elsewhere in that sense It signifieth dumbnesse and is by the Spanish translators rendred O audiencia by Antiphrasis ut lucus quia non lucet Do ye judge uprightly O yee sons of men i.e. O ye carnall profane persons that savour not the things of the Spirit q. d. ye are fit persons to make Counsellors of State Sedes prima vita ima agree not Dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in luto saith Salvian You do much mis-become your places Vers 2. Yea in heart you work wickednesse There the Devill worketh it as in a forge ye are alwaies plotting and plowing mischief and that not so much for fear of Saul or to please him as out of the naughtinesse of your own hearts and all this you know in your consciences to be true Kimchi saith that the word Aph or yea importeth that their hearts were made for a better purpose and therefore their sin was the greater Corruptio optimi pâ—ssima You weigh the violence of your hands in the earth i.e. Your bribes saith Kimchi these ye weigh or poise Manus vesâ—rae â—oncinnant iniquitatem Vul. quasi essent recta as if there were no hurt in them so Demosthenes weighed Harpalus his goblet to the great danger of his Country and his own indeleble infamy The Arabick rendreth it Manus vestra in tenebris immerse sunt your hands are drowned in darknesse you seem to do all according to law and Justice pictured with a pair of balances in her hand when indeed you weigh out wrong for right Trutina justior Prov. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Symb. and do things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by partiality 1 Tim 5.21 by tilting the balance o't'one side Vers 3. The wickedare estranged from the womb q.d. These enemies of mine are old sinners hardened and habituated in wickednesse from the very womb it hath also grown up with them and quite turned away their hearts from God and goodnesse whereunto
knowing it the most that they are able to do They present it therefore to God as that Grecian did his small gift to Augustus saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I had a better thing I could well beteem it thee That I may daily perform my vows Which till they be paid a true-hearted Votary is in pain for he accounteth them due debts to God PSAL. LXII APsalm of David Who being well assured that his prayers in the former Psalm were heard and should be answered breaketh forth into this triumphant profession of his faith Lo here the happy fruit of faithful and fervent prayer Vers 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God Waiting is nothing else but Hope and Trust lengthened and hereof David giveth us an excellent example in his own person Idque tantâ tamque vegetâ cum magnitudine animi cul ipsa quoque sententiae vocâ—s respondent and that with so good a courage set forth in suitable expressions that he who hath this Psalm by heart and hath laid it to his heart cannot but be transformed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 From him cometh my salvation Take it in the full extent not only as it signifieth the privative part of mans happiness but the positive part also and preservation therein Vers 2. He only is my rock c. See Psal 18.2 3. I shall not be greatly moved Non labascam multo lapsu Vatabl. Tehom Nabi bah for the Lord putteth under his hand I shall not be moved greatly or into the great abysse as Aben-Ezra hath it into Hell as other Rabbines sense it I shall not be tempted above that I am able as 1 Cor. 10.13 persecuted I may be but not relinquished cast down but not cast off 2 Cor. 4.9 shaken but for my better settlement at last Vers 3. How long will yee imagine mischief against a man What though I am but a man and in your eyes a mean despicable creature yet know yee that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal 4.3 where David bespeaketh his enemies with like sharpness as here for their malice and madness against him The Hebrew word rendred imagine is found only here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irrnitis the Septuagint and Vulgar Latine render it How long will ye rush against a man Austin Quousque apponitis super hominem sc Onera opprobria how long lay you load of injuries and indignities upon me Yee shall be slain all of you Or Will yee be murthered Will yee run upon the Pikes Are you ambitious of your own ruine As a bowing wall shall yee be Born down by the weight of your own wickedness As a bulging wall standeth not long and as a rotten Hedge if but trod on breaketh under a man so shall yee be suddenly destroyed and with little ado Thus he threatneth his enemies the proudest of them being himself gotten upon the rock that was higher than he Psal 61.2 Vers 4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency Or yet they consult q. d. Notwithstanding all that I can say or that God will do to them they will on in their evil devises and indeavours against me there is no reclaming of them Deus quos destruit dement at They delight in lyes Not only he that maketh a Lye but he that loveth and delighteth in it when made by another shall bee shut out of Heaven Revel 22.15 See Rom. 1. â—lt They bless with their mouthes Heb. With his month that is every one doth so neither is there ever a better of these glavering companions dissembling scrubs Vers 5. My soul wait thou only upon God They trust not God at all that is not alone He that stands with one foot on a Rock and another foot upon a Quick sand will sink and perish as certainly as he that standeth with both feet on a Quick-sand David knew this and therefore calleth earn and earnestly upon his Soul for his business lay most within doors to trust only upon God See vers 1. For my expectation is from him If he will not help me none else shall but it is he that saith Look unto me and be saved for I am God and there is none else Isa 45.22 Vers 6. He only is c. Versus amaebaeus see vers 2. I shall not be moved Before it was I shall not be greatly moved now upon further exercise of his trust it is I shall not be moved Ita in lucta crescit lux fidei sides fit firmior faith is made stronger by trials Vers 7. In God is my salvation and my glory c. By these many Adjuncts and Attributions David helpeth his faith and quelleth the Commotions of his head-strong affections See Psal 18.2 Vers 8. Trust in him at all times As well in the fail of outward comforts as in the abundance of them trust him without a pawn trust in a killing God as Job did Pour out your hearts before him sc In prayer 1 Sam. 1.11 first rent your hearts ut effundatur peccatum saith Kimchi and then your them out as water Larn. 2.19 not as Oyl which sticks to the sides of the Vessel that held it but as water that will out every drop make a plain and full confession of all your sins in prayer lest God say to you of your sins as Samuel did to Jesse of his sons Are these all See the practice hereof in those penitent Israelites 1 Sam. 7.6 and give not over the practice of Mortification till you feel your hearts fall asunder in your bosoms like drops of water If iniquity be harboured there prayer is obstructed and if it do break out it will have the scent and savour of that iniquity upon it God is a refuge for us A safe and sure refuge not as men who are a lye vers 9. and were never true to those that trusted them Vers 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity Man is a depending Creature and like the Vine must have somewhat to lean upon apt he is to leave God and cleave to the Creature to make either Men or Means his refuge David therefore dehorteth from both in this and the next verse shewing that men of what degree soever are in no wise to be confided in The word rendred Vanity denoteth a vain light thing such as is the breath of ones mouth or a bubble on the water Men of high degree are a lye There is no more truth nor assurance in them than in a false tale also they frustrate mens hopes as a barren Fruit-tree Habbak 3.17 They are altogether lighter c. Put all Mankind into one bundle into one balance and vanity into the other and it will weigh them down Vt ascendant ipsi pra vanitate simul Vers 10. Trust not in oppression c. In the fail of Persons some may think that Things may be trusted to as Wealth Wit Power
enemy on the other side to forbid their landing There did we rejoyce in him We who were then in the loyns of our fore-fathers and so shared in their joy See Hos 12.4 with the Note Vers 7. He ruleth by his power As sole Soveraign universal Monarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sesostris King of Aegypt would needs bee stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emperour of the whole World Herod l. 2. he lived about the time of Sampson and perished by the hands of his own houshold-servants His eyes behold the Nations For which purpose they run to and fro through the earth 2 Chron. 16.9 Let not the rebellious c. Heb. The off-faln froward and refractory persons these shall soon be represt and crest-faln Vers 8. O bless our God yee people We must not only publish Gods praises but provoke others also so to do Vers 9. Which holdeth our soul in life Heb. Putteth that is bestoweth life on us preserveth it restoreth it Some think this Psalm was made upon Davids deliverance from the Giant that sought to kill him 2 Sam. 21.16 And suffereth not our feet to be moved David gave back diverse paces say the Hebrews but was seasonably rescued by Abishai who slew the Philistine Vers 10. For thou O God hast proved us Non ut ipse sciat sed ut sâ—ire nâ—sâ— faciat saith Austine God proveth his people not thereby to better his own knowledge of them Joh. 2.25 6.6 21.17 Acts 1.24 but to bring them to a better knowledge of their own both Vices and Graces It is not known what Corn will yeeld till it come to the Flail nor what Grapes till they come to the Press Grace is hid in Nature as sweet water in Rose-leaves the fire of affliction fetcheth it out Thou hast tried us as Silver The wicked also are tried Revel 3.10 but they prove reprobate silver Jer. 6.28.30 or at best as Alchymy gold that will not bear the seventh fire as Job did chap. 23.10 Vers 11. Thou broughtest us into the Net A Metaphor from Hunters or Fowlers Vtitur figuris tanquam in poemate Thou layedst affliction upon our loyns Coâ—rctationem in lumbis wee are not only hampered as in a Net but fettered as with chains as if we had been in the Jaylors or Hangmans hands Vers 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads Subjected us to the villanies and outrages of the basest persons who have used us more like beasts than men We went thorough fire and thorough water That is thorough variety of sharpest afflictions noted out by this Proverbial passage Fire and Water are merciless Elements Aelius Pertinax fortune pila pervulgatè dicebatur quòd variis casibus exercit us fuit It is the true Christians comfort that nothing befalleth him but by a sweet providence and that God goeth along with him into both fire and water Isa 43.2 to see that he take no hurt by either But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place Heb. Moyst that is into the air saith Aben-Ezra opposed to Fire and Water where wee might draw breath and live comfortably In locum irriguum in refrigerium It is but winking said that Martyr at the stake and we shall bee in Heaven immediatly The Arabick hath it Eduxisti nos ad requiem Confer Acts 3.19 Vers 13. I will go into thim house c. I will begin to others in that publick solemn Thanksgiving and not grutch at the cost I will be Vir gregis as the He-Goat before the flocks Jer. 50.8 Vers 14. Which my lips have uttered Heb. Have opened that is which I have uttered diductis labiis with lips wide open Videmus qualiter vota nuncupari soleant saith Vatablus Here we see after what sort vows use to be made when we are under any pressing affliction but when once delivered how heavily many come off in point of paiment And my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Then men will promise any thing for ease and release But what saith the Italian Proverb Sciapato il morbo frandato il Santo when the Disease is cured the Saint is defrauded Horace calleth upon Macaenas who in his Sickness had vowed to build a Temple Reddero victimas Lib. 2. Od. 17 Aedemque votivam memento Nos humilem feriemus agnam Vers 15. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings Heb. Marrow the very best of the best and better I could beteem the Lord if I had it With the Incense of Rams Which being offered infaith and as Figures of that great Sacrifice to come shall be accepted of God for a sweet-smelling savour I will offer Bullocks with Gouts Faciam â—oves this Ecciâ—â— alledgeth but absurdly to prove the Popish unbloudy sacrifice of the Mass as if Christ when he said This do ye in 〈◊〉 of me had meant Thus sacrifice ye Vers 16. Come and hear He had said before Come and see vers 5. He held it a greater honour Prodesse 〈◊〉 praâ—sse All yee that 〈◊〉 God For such only will hear to good purpose others either cannot or care not And I will declare c. Communicate unto you my Soul-secrets and experiments There is no small good to be gotten by such declarations Bilney perceiving Latimer to bee zealous without knowledge came to him in his study and desired him for Gods sake to hear his confession I did so saith Latimer and to say the truth by his confession I learned more than afore in many years Act. Mon. So from that time forward I began to smell the Word of God and forsake the School-Doctors and such fooleries Vers 17. I cryed unto him I prayed fervently and frequently And he was extolled c. My prayers were soon turned into praises which I silently framed within my self even while I was praying Vers 18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart If I have but a â—exths-mind to it as we say If I cast but a leering-look towards it if there be in mee but an irresolution against it how much more then if I allow it and wallow in iâ—â— He who chuseth to hold fast sin doth by his own election forsake mercy Jon. 2.8 neither let such a man think that he shall receive any thing at the hands of God Jam. 1.7 As in a wound a plaster prevaileth not whiles the Iron remaineth within so neither prayer while sin rankleth God will never accept of a good motion from a bad mouth as that State in story would not A man may deliver an excellent speech but because of his stinking breath we may have no pleasure to hear him so in this case Prayer is a pouring out of the heart as hath been already observed If iniquity harbour there prayer is obstructed and if it do break out it will have the scent and savour of that iniquity upon it and thereby displease Kimchi maketh this strange sense quite from the purpose and from the truth If I regard iniquity only in my heart so
that rideth in the desert Comeâ—â— Isai 40.3 4 Mat. 3.1 Mat. 3.3 The Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raise up the way and make it ready as they use to do before Kings that ride in triumph that the King of glory may come into your hearts those deserts indeed By his name Jâ—h the same with Jehovah that proper and incommunicable name of God Some of the Heathens called it Joâ—â— as Dioderus Sicalanâ— Mackâ—â—â—â— c. Holy and reverend is this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentates and it is here and elsewhere given to Christ See it interpreted Rev. 1.4 Vers 5. A Father of the fatherless c. Pupillerum pater 〈◊〉 vindex a title that God much glorieth in and although hee rideth upon the Heavens and is higher than the highest yet so low stoopeth he to our meanness neither will he leave his people orphans or comfortless Jâ—â— c. 18. for God is in his holy habitation Not in Heaven only but in and with his Church on earth the Ark and Mercy-seat were never sundred Vers 6. God setteth the solitary in families i.e. He blesseth them with Issue See Psal 113.9 and so he doth the Church Isa 54. It in these dayes of the Gospel especially He bringeth out those which are bonnd in thâ—ing As he did Peter Act 12. Paul and Silas Act. 16. Some read it thus He bringeth out those which are bound in accomoditates into places where they may live commodiously and chearfully As on the other side The rebellions dwell in a dry land In leâ—â—s torridis arridis exsucis 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 and desert Countries where they are destitute of Gods blessing and his soul-refreshing comforts The Hebrew word signifieth a bleak or white soil such as is all Egypt where the Nile arriveth not viz. a whitish sand bearing no grass but two little weeds of which they make glass Where the river wâ—â—â—reth is a black mould so fruitfull say travailers as they do but throw in the seed and have four rich harvests in lesse than four months Hence Egypt is called The World Graâ—â—â—y Vers 7. O God when thou wentest forth before thy people Here the former benefits of God to his people are recited additis 〈◊〉 coloribus 〈◊〉 potius quam descripta and rather depainted out in lively colours than described Wet must stirre up out selves to thankfullness for what God hath done for our forefathers neither must the memory of his mercies ever grow stale with us Vers 8. The earth shook the Heavens also dropped Velut in sudoviut soluts as if they had been put into a sweat In so terrible a manner was the Law given that Gods sear might fall upon us Exod. 20. As for the Gospel it is than 〈◊〉 of Liberalities vers 9. confirming Gods inheritance when it is weary Even Sinai it self was moved at the prefence of God Some render it a facie Dei hâ—jus Sinaice à facie Dei Dei I srael These two verses are taken our or 〈◊〉 song Jud. 5.4.5 Vers 9. Thou O God didst send a plentifull rain Heb. Thou 〈…〉 rain of liberalities Spiritually this meaneth the Doctrin of the Gospel Deut 3. â— 2 Isa 45.8 Hos 14.6 and the gifts of the Holy Christ bestowed hereby and plentifully Vers 10. Thy Congregation hath dwelt therein 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 sosome render it and interpret it of the flocks and heards whereby of his goodnesse God prepared fot his poor those creatures being profitable both 〈…〉 Deus obrulit occasionem laetandi ovandi triumphandi Vers 11. The Lord gave the word That is the occasion 〈…〉 de victoria saith Vatablus How God provided his people of 〈…〉 Psalmist had told us now of the victory the good news whereof shall 〈◊〉 in every ones mouth like the word in an army with joyfull acclamations and out-cryes Great was the company Heb. army of the forbad published 〈◊〉 Such are thy Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10.15 an office taken now from the Angelâ—â— and given to the Ministers whereâ—â— that Angel turned over 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 information 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word for 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 continuance out 〈…〉 of New England but to shew the weaknesse of the means fisherman and the like that God is pleased to use in this great work Ut imbecillitatem ministrorum Ecclesiae nocet Moller for the greater manifestation of his power in the successe as some conceive Vers 12. Kings of armies did flee apace Heb. Did flee did flee Or shall flee shall flee which one interpreteth of Devils called Principalities and Powers formerly using to give Oracles but after Christs birth ceasing to do so As also of Liciusâ—â— and other tyrants fleeing before Constantine the first Christian Emperour See Rev. 9.11 Antichrist is the King of Locusts and he fleeth daily before the Evangelies Lib. 3. de Pont. Rom. cap. 21. the New-Gospellers as he calleth them Bellarmine complaineth that ever since we held the Pope to be Antichrist non mode non crevit ejus imperium sed semper magiâ—ac magis decrevit his Kingdome hath not only not increased but more and more daily decreased And she that tarried at home divided the spoil That is toto congregatia que non pugnabat saith Kimchi Or the women also those domi porta came forth to pillage These dayes of the Gospel do abound with many godly matrones and holy Virgins And it is easie to observe that the New Testament affordeth more store of good women than the Old Vers 13. Inter Chytropodâ—s Though ye have lyâ—n among the Pots Quasiobruti roti oppleti fuligine tenebris black and sooty as the black guard of an army or as Skullions in a Kitchin who lye sometimes all right like beasts in a chimney-corner or as your Fore-Fathers in Egypt when their shoulders were not yet removed from the burden nor their hands from the pots Psal 81.6 The meaning is though ye have been in a low and loathsome condition yet now ye shall shine and flourish Verba sunt maliorum saith Kimchi these are the words of those women annunciatrices in the eleventh verse Beza maketh them to be the Psalmists words to those women that divided the spoil vers 12. Vixistis adhuc puella c. ye have hitherto dwelt at home and washt pots c. but now being enriched by the spoils yee may come abroad fair and trimme like white Doves with gilt feathers Yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove Ye shall flye swiftly from the storm of cruel persecution saith the Syroack Interpreter yea you shall shine and make a glorious shew ficut nivea columbae per medium aercus inter volitandum aureum quendam splendarem ejaculantur See Isa 54.11 12 13. the Churches bricks made in her bondage shall be turned into Saphires Vers 14. When the Almighty scattered Kings in it i.e. In the wilderness as they passed or in Canaan which they possessed according to vers 1. Or scattered Kings for
nor bestow upon them thy crown of righteousness Vers 28. Let them be blotted out c. Wherein they were never indeed written among those living in Jerusalem Isa 4.3 those first-born whose names are written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 but they accounted themselves of that number and were so esteemed by others This was a mistake and the Psalmist prayeth God to make it appear so No videantur in alhum tuorum velats quibus vgra vita 〈◊〉 destinasâ—i Vers 29. But I am poer and sorrowful The Church is usually so and may sing as here Vaâ—nignant c. but her comfort is 1 That Christ saith unto her as Rev. 2.9 I know thy sorrow and poverty but that is nothing Thou art rich 2 That her poverty is not penal but Medicinal Gods dispensation is sit her for better riches As a wise Physician purgeth a foul body till he bring it almost to skin and bone But why That having made it poor there may bee a spring of better bloud and spirits Vers 30. I will praise the Name of God i. e. aquitum Deum I will thankfully agnize and recognize Gods great goodness to me in this deliverance with mine uttermost zeal and skill Vers 31. This also shall please the Lord better c. True thankfulness is epimum optimum sacrificium those calves of our lips Hos 14.3 Heb. 12 1â— These Calves or Bullocks as in the Text must 1 Have burnt and hoofts bee young and tender the very best of the best 2 They must bee slain our thanks must proceed from a mortified minde 3 They must be sacrifised where is required 1 An Altar our praises must be tendred in the mediation of Christ 2. Fire our hearts must be enflamed with zeal and ardency 3 Our hands must be laid on the head of the Bullock That is we must in all humility confess our unworthiness c. This will surely please the Lord better than an Oxe or Bullock that hath â—erns and hâ—â—ofâ— Vers 32. The humble shall see this and be glad Davids great care was for others confirmation and comfort much more Christs witness that holy prayer of his Joh. 17. Your 〈◊〉 shall live Which before was all 〈◊〉 Pray that yet may joy David did so often Psal 6. c. Vers 33. For the Lord he 〈◊〉 the poor He is the poor mans King the wronged mans refuge Trajan the Emperour is renouned for this Aeli spart that when he was mounted for a battel he alighted again to hear the complaint of a poor Woman that cried unto him for Justice and our Edw. 6. for this that he would appoint certain hours to sit with the Master of the Requests Engl. Elis only to dispatch the Causes of the poor God is much more to be magnified Vers 34. Let the heaven and earth praise him As they do in their kind and have good cause so to do for their resstaâ—ration by Christ Rom. 8.11 Vers 35. 〈…〉 The Church universal And will build the Cities The paâ—â—â—dâ— at Churches That they may dwell there viz. The seed of his servants vers 36. 〈◊〉 after them shall be incorporated into the Church and 〈◊〉 thing to all perpetuity PSAL. LXX A Psalm of David Made likely or rather made use of from Psal 40.14 15 c. when Shaba the Son of Bichri was up in rebellion after Absoloms death 2 Sam. 20.1 c. See Psal 69. title To bring to remembrance Worthy to be remembred and followed as a pattern of prayer Some make this Psalm an Appendix to the former as Psal 43. is to Psal 42. Others make it a part of the next Psalm which is therefore say they without a title Vers 1. Make haste O God to deliver me As a Father â—ans without leggs when his childe is hazarded Vers 2. Let them be ashamed See Psal 40.14 35.26 27. Vers 3. Let them be turned back for a reward Vel ficit per insidias vel supplantationem more Athletarum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them be supplanted defeated That say Aha aha Augustine rendreth it Enge Enge that is Well done and giveth this Note upon it Plus persequitur lingua adulator is quà m manus interfectoris The tongue of a Flatterer may mischief a man more than the hand of a Murtherer The Apostle Heb. 11.37 ranketh their tempting and flattering promises among their bloudy deeds their is sing tongues with their terrifying jaws Vers 4. Let all those that seek thee c. Piorum characteres saith one a godly man caracterized by his search after God his joy in him his love to him his praises of him Let God be magnefied In illo quicquid ego ille non ego saith Augustine Vers 5. But I am poor and needy See Psal 69.29 with the Note PSAL. LXXI VErs 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trusts See Psal 31.1 with the Note It appeareth by vers 9.18 that this Psalm was written by David in his old age when Absolom or Sheba was in rebellion against him though haply for haste and in that fright he could not superscribe it as he did the rest The Greek title viz. of David A Psalm of the Sons of Jonadab and of them that were first captived hath no footing in the Original Hebrew Vers 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness Let my deliverance be the fruit of thy promise and of my prayer and so it will be much the sweeter Vers 3. Thou hast given Commandement sc To thine Angels and all other thy Creatures or thou hast commanded that is thou hast promised Vers 4. One of the hand of the unrighteous That seeketh by fraud to undermine me and by force to overturn me And cruel man Qui totus in fermento jacet soure as leaven sharp as vineger Vers 5. For thou art my hope Helpless I may seem but hopeless I am not Vers 6. Hâ— thee have I been bolden us from the womb As in the Womb I lived upon thee so from the womb The same that breede thus feedeth us that matter that nourisheth the Childe in the Womb striking up into the breasts and by a further concoction becoming white is mode milk for it Thou ar◠〈…〉 me out infamy to other bowels Else I had never been born alive That a childe is bound 〈…〉 saith Galen Sed quomoda fiat admotoritar 〈…〉 calleth it 〈◊〉 supra mirabiloâ— muja mirabila the greatest wonder in the World Surely if a Childe were born but once in an hundred years space we should all then to see so strange a work saith another Vers 7. I am as a wonder 〈◊〉 Or 〈◊〉 the great ones a Monster to the mighty Quia credo 〈…〉 glosseth because I beleeve what I yet see not viz. that this storm shall blow over and I he reâ—â—â—ed in my Throne Vers 8. 〈…〉 Vers 9. Cast me not off in the time of old age For now I have most need of thee The white Rose is soonest cankered so is the white Head soonest corrupted
at the stern and ordereth all human affairs according to the good pleasure of his will He putteth down one and setteth up another As we seen in Saul and David in the four great Monarchies in Bajazâ—t and Tamerlan besides many others Vertue exalteth the meanest when villany tumbleth down the mightiest Agathocles the son of a Potter became King of Sicily Valentinian the son of a Rope-maker became Emperour of Rome Justinus was first a Swineheard then an heardsman Anno. Chr. 518. then a Carpenter a souldier and after all an Emperour If Alexander to shew his greatnesse advanced Abdilominus from a poor Gardiner to be King in Sidon What cannot the Lord do Tamerlan having overcome Bajazet asked him whether ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour who confessed ingenuously he never thought of it To whom Tamerian replyed 〈…〉 that it was no wonder so ungratefull a man should be made a spectacle of misery For you said he being blind of one eye and I lame of a leg was there any worth in us why God should set us over two great Empires of Turks and Tartars to command many more worthy than our selves Vers 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup A cup of affliction whereof all must drink more or lesse The Chaldee calleth it a cup of curse Affliction is in it self a fruit of sin and a peece of the curse Prov. 23.31 32. And the wine is red And so more powerfull and peircing That is an affliction and grievous that God maketh to be so It is full of mixture i. e. Ready prepared as Prov. 9.2 Rev. 14.10 〈◊〉 arcâ—aticuâ— or mingled with spices to make the wine more hot and inebriating And he poureth out of the same The Saints sip of the top only they drink illud solum quod est suavius limpidus the sweeter and clearer part of Gods cup. Excellently Mr. Bradford Martyr in a certain letter of his Drink saith he of Gods cup willingly and at the first when it is fullest peradventure if we linger Act. Mouâ— fol. 1487. we drink at length of the dregs with the wicked if at the beginning we drink not with Gods Children But the dregs thereof The full vialls of divine vengeance All the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them They shall drink them every drop yea though it be eternity to the bottom This shall be worse to them than was that ladle-full of scalding lead poured down the throat of a drâ—nken man by the command of a Turkish Bashaw Vers 9. But I will declare for ever viz. Gods great goodness in mine advancement to the Kingdome and the rest of those wonderful works vers 1. I will sing praises c. This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir Vers 10. All the hornes of the Wicked also will I cut off By promising the due administration of vindictive and remunerative Justice hee seeks to insinuate into the peoples affections who after Ishbosheths death came in to make him King But the horns of the Righteous shall be exalted Dignity shall wait upon desert which shall cause it again to be waited upon by respect Thus it should be in the Courts of all Princes In Cyrus his Court though a man should seek or chuâ—e blindfold he could not misse of a good man saith Xenophon â—yropaed â— 8. PSAL. LXXVI A Psalm or song of Asaph Or for Asaph Either made prophetically by Asaph himself or by some other Psalmist who committed it to Asaphs successours to be plaid and sung The Hebrews say it is made de bello Gogi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Heâ—â—plâ— of the war with Gog and Magog that is the Eastern and Western Antichristâ— The Greeks â—ay 〈…〉 Of 〈◊〉 and his â—ost and 〈◊〉 the maâ—er or the Psalm is such as very well agreeth with that overthrow Conâ—er Psal 46. â—â— 48. Vers 1. In Judah is God known Nobiliâ— est saith 〈…〉 est saith another Interpreter i. e. Better known he is now than eveâ— not by his Word only which is preached in Judah but by his wondrous works this especially of destroying the Assyrians at Lachish in the Tribe of Judah His name is great in Israel Greater now than ever God having made himself a glorious names Isa 63.14 Aegypt rang of this â—laâ—ghter of the Assyrians as Herodotus testifieth so did all other Countries doubtless Vers 2. In Satem also is his Tabernacle i. e. In Jerusalem which was first called Salem Gen. 14.18 Heb. 7.2 Secondly Jebus 1 Chron. 11.4 Josh 15.8 18.28 Thirdly Jerusalem Josh 15.63 2 Sam. 5.6 not quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salomons Temple as Hegefippus would have it and hence likely came the aspiration Hierusalem but from that famous Jehovah Jireh Gen. 22.14 with 2. which Jirâ—h being added to Salem maketh it Jerusalem the vision of peace Here God was pleased to pitch his Tabernacle moveable and mean in respect of Gods greatness 1 King 8.27 Lustrum 〈◊〉 q. d. In Sion desidet ut leo ad praedam pitatus Metapâ— And his dwelling-place in Sion Which therefore he will save and see to as every man doth to the place of his habitation Vers 3. There brake â—e the arrows of the bow There Where Surely in Sion in the holy Assemblies where the Saints were praying there the Arrow Shield Spear c. were broken This made the Queen Mother of Scotland say that she more feared the prayers of John Knox than an Army of thirty thousand fighting Souldiers The King of Sweden as soon as he set foot in Germany fell down to Prayer and what great things did he in a little time Now for the fruit of Prayer cryed those great Gallants at Edge-hil fight and did great exploits The word heâ—â— rendred Arrows signifieth fiery Darts see Eph. 6.16 a burning coal Job 5.7 a light bolt Lâ—â— 2◠〈◊〉 Psal 78.48 the Plague or Carbuncle Deut. 32.24 â—abak 3.5 Strabo saith that Oriâ—es Gyâ—â—eters and Aethiopians shot fiery Arrows so might the Assyrians Confer Psal 120.4 The shield and the sword and the battle Both the Men and the Munition This Herodotus had heard of but mil-relateth the History lib. 2. Vers 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent Or more bright and magnificent Glorious God was before but now more glorious by this late deliverance illuminating his people with his marvellous light Than the mountains of prey Those vast Hosts of Assyrians lying now upon the Mountains round about Jerusalem and plundering the Country at their pleasure Thou Lord art farre more illustrious and admirable than all those Grassatores populâ— ac reges qua 〈◊〉 elati those mountaines of Lions and Leopards Cant. 4.8 the Kingdoms of this World enemies to the Church Vers 5. The stout-hearted are spoiled Heb. have yeelded themselves up for a prey those that escaped the stroke of the Angel fled as fast as they could for
holy duties no less than if we heard the most exquisite Musick There should be continual Musick habitual joy in the Temple of the Holy Ghost Vers 3. Blow up the Trumpet in the new Moon And the like at other solemn Feasts three whereof all in the seventh Month to be kept Beza thinketh to be here plainly and distinctly noted These Feasts were a shadow of things to come but the body is in Christ Col. 2.16 17. Vers 4. For this was a statute The keeping of it therefore is not arbitrary but necessary Aut faciendum aut patiendum And a Law Which was to be kept as the apple of the eye Prov. 7.2 Vers 5. This he ordained in Joseph Put for all Israel as Psal 80.1 though the Chaldee understandeth it of Joseph in person and the next words of his going through the Land of Aegypt to gather Corn in the seven plentiful years and that at his first coming into Aegypt he understood not their Language Where I heard a Language Idolatrous Language say some contrary to the Language of Canaan this God knew not Isa 19.18 that is liked not Or rather a strange forrein Language which is not small grievance Jer. 5.15 Ezek. 2.6 1 Corinth 14.11 to those especially who understand no otherwise than by blows as Beasts do men Sordidissimo ministerio Vers 6. I removed his shoulder from the burden From the woful slavery of Aegyptian Tyrants and Task-masters His hands passed away from the pots Or Baskets wherein was carried earth for brick-clamping and Pot-making c. whereunto they were so close tied that they might not stir a foot from their daily work till God delivered them Some say that the Pyramides were built by them Vers 7. Thou calledst in trouble Their trouble called though themselves had been silent I have seen I have seen the afflictions of my people c. but they cried to the Lord at the red Sea Exod. 14.10 15. and were delivered I answered thee in the secret place of thunder i. e. In the Pillar of Cloud that stood betwixt the two Armies and thundred against the Aegyptians Exod. 14.24 Confer Lam. 3.44 I proved thee at the waters of Meribah When thou hadst but newly foot out of snare and yet there and then thou shewedst thy self O thine ungratefulness c. this hath been thy manner from thy youth Vers 8. Hear O my people c. Notwithstanding thy many and mighty provocations at Meribah and elsewhere I made a covenant with thee at Mount Sinai and gave thee right Judgements and true Laws good Statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13 Vers 9. There shall no strange god This is the first and chief Commandement wherein all the rest are contained saith Luther Vers 10. Open thy mouth wide c. If thou be straitned t is not in me but in thine own bowels he secretly taxeth them for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in prayer their faithlesness and faint-heartedness whereby they do deny as it were their own prayers Ask largely and speed accordingly Vers 11. But my people would not hearken Here beginneth the Second part of the Psalm which is objurgatory and very suitable to the season of the year at that Feast that if it were a fruitful year the Israelites might see and acknowledge Gods goodness therein as if otherwise they might accuse themselves and not the Lord. Perplexis cogitationibus Vat. Israel would none Heb. acquiesced not in mee was not well affected to mee but had hearts full of harlotry Vers 12. So I gave them up I left them as a ship without a rudder as an horse without reigns to go whither they would and do what they would This is a fearfull Judgement Poena rebellionis maxima Hos 4.14 Rom. 1.28 2 Thes 2.11 12. And they walked in their own counsels To their own ruine because they took counsel but not of God and covered with a covering but not of his Spirit that they might adde sin to sin Isa 30.1 Vers 13. O that my people had hearkened unto mee A wish after the manner of men to set forth Gods great desire of our welfare which he here uttereth as it were with a sigh and a groan Vers 14. I should soon have subdued I would have turned the scales and made them as much over-weight to their enemies as they were to them And turned my hand c. God with a turn of his hand can overturn his enemies and relieve his little ones Zach. 13.7 If he but spread forth his hands as a swimmer spreadeth forth his hands to swim he shall bring down the pride of oppressors together Isa 25.11 Vers 15. The haters of the Lord should have submitted Heb. Lyed that is yeelded feigned obedience as Psal 18.44 But their time should have endured for ever i. e. Their strength saith the Chaldee their tranquillity and prosperity say others Theodoret referreth it to the enemies thus The time of their calamity shall endure for ever they shall be eternally miserable Vers 16. With the finest of the wheat Heb. With the fat or marrow of wheat with the choicest of picked nourishment And with honey c. Hyperbole incomparabilis felicitatis faecunditatis See Deut. 32.13 shadowing out the sweetness of the Word and Sacraments PSAL. LXXXII VEers 1. God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty There God is present and president by a particular providence as Lord Paramount and chief Magistrate Ut praeses Synodi Locus â—raesâ—dis est medius locus in caetibus higher than the highest Eccles 5.8 Job 31.14 Ephes 6.9 The Etheopian Judges they say do ever leave the chief seat of Judicature empty for him and Solomon for like reason calleth that seat The holy place Eccles 8.10 There Elohim that is the Judge and Avenger standeth or setteth himself to behold the actions and affections of Judges and to pass a censure upon their sentences Good therefore was the counsel of Jehosaphat to his Judges when to ride circuit 2 Chron. 19.6 Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord your God be upon you take heed and do it c. Judges should sit in as great though not so slavish a fear of offending as Olanes in the history did upon the flayd skin of his Father Silannes nailed by Cambyses on the tribunal or as a Russian Judge Turk hist 728. that feareth the boyling caldron or open battocking or the Turkish Senate when they think the great Turk to stand behind the Arras at the dangerous door He judgeth among the Gods i. e. Among the Magistrates as our Saviour interpreteth it Joh. 10.34 35. who are called gods First By analogie tanquam Deum imitantes saith Theodoret as resembling God by having the power of life and death Secondly By participation tanquam lumina illuminata saith Austin as stars participate
calleth it The heavenly Exchange betwixt God and his people they present dury he conferres mercy Luther saith he would not live in Paradise without the Ordinances as with them he could frame to live in Hell it self And a small village with a godly Pastor and a good people in it is an earthly Paradise saith He. If that Italian Martyr could date his letter From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine prison what may we think of the free use of the ordinances what of Heaven nam facile literatransfertur ad Spiritum Vers 2. My soul longeth As she did who said Give mee Children or else I dye His soul once longed for the waters of the well of Bethlehem but not so earnestly as now to draw waters with joy out of those wells of salvation My heart and my flesh Ut sit sanctitus in corde sanitas in corpore And for obtaining of this whole David cryeth aloud as a child when hungry cryeth every whit of him hands feet face all cry and then the Mother flings by all then she flyes and out-runs her self So here The desires of the Righteous shall be satisfied Prov. 10.24 Vers 3. Yea the sparrow Avis communissima haunteth about houses buildeth about windows and there chirpeth The Heb word ken for a nest hath the first letter bigger than the rest to note Gods providence in teaching birds to build Exclamatio pathetica ex abrupto Trem. And the Swallow a nest for her self c. She hath her name in Hebrew from her liberty to flye boldly and to nestle in mens chimneyes Prov. 26.2 Even thine Altars Or Oh thine Altars so some read it by a passionate exclamation importing strongest desires after them The want of Gods Ordinances should pinch us to the heart Vers 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house viz. Those Meniall-servants of thine the Priests and Levites who have their lodgings near thee and their imployment about thee This is still the happiness of Gods Ministers whose holy function and calling both in the preparation to it and execution of it leadeth them to God and holdeth them with him They will be still praising thee As having hearts full of Heaven and consciences full of comfort There cannot but be musick in the Temple of the holy Ghost Vers 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee i.e. Who is enabled by thee both in body and mind to come from the place of his aboad to the solemn feasts In whose heart are the wayes of them Here the old translation In whose heart are thy wayes is far better i.e. As he bringeth his body to the Ordinances so he hath thy wayes or laws ingraven in his heart Vers 6. Who passing thorough the valley of Baca That is of tears say some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. of Mulberry-trees say others the one are moist the other use to grow in more dry places Betwixt them both they may serve saith One to make up a more compleat emblem of this miserable World made up of woes and wants In hoc exilio saith Bernard in hoc ergastulo in hac peregrinatione in hac valle lachrymarum c. Make it a Well They are as chearfull in their travel to Gods house as if they had plenty of water all the way Finis edulcat media the joy of the Lord is their strength whereby they are carried on an end as they say to their journeys end the joyfull preconceit of appearing before God in Zion allaying their great thirst Vers 7. Pergunt tarmatini Beza They go from strength to strength i.e. Lustily and constantly turma turmae subinde sese adjungente one company comming this way and another that out of their several parishes and so they grow stronger and go more comfortably on together Some render it de doctrina in doctrinam vel de academia in academiam they grow til they come to a perfect knowledge of God Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God And then think their pains though never so great well bestowed though then they saw Gods face but obscurely in the dark glass of the ceremonies Popish pilgrims though used hardly and loose much of their estates yet satisfie themselves in this I have that I came for viz. the sight of a dumb Idol What then should not we then suffer to see God in his ordinances c. Vers 8. O Lord God of Hoasts hear my prayer Satisfie mine earnings pantings and inquietations of mind after the liberty of they Sanctuary verse 2. These very desires he calleth prayers Vers 9. Behold Not only Hear see Psal 34.15 with the Note Look upon the face of thine anointed Christi cujus festina adventum saith Kimchi do me good for Christs sake Vers 10. For a day in thy Courts Every Flower hath its sweetness so hath every holy duty its comfort I had rather be a Door-keeper As the Korites were to whom this Psalm was committed and for whose incouragement this might be spoken A Door-keeper is first in last out so would David be in holy assemblies Tardy hearers would be loath to beg this office out of his hand In the tents of wickedness Tentoriis vexationis Kimchi Vers 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield An universal All-sufficient and satisfactory good proportionate to our necessities The Lord will give grace and glory One would think that were enough yea but then here is more than enough No good thing will he with-hold c. and thence is Davids desire so to be about him Vers 12. O Lord of Hosts c. Conclusio Epiphonematica PSAL. LXXXV VErs 1. Lord thou hast been favourable c. Gods free grace and favour is fitly premised as the Fountain and Mother of all the following Mercies This is that other Book Rev. 20 12. that hath our names in it and our pardon Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob Of old from Aegypt and alate from the Philistines who after Sauls death miserably tyrannized over Israel till David delivered them Some hold that this Psalm was composed at the end of the Babylonish Captivity Others conceive it may be a prayer for the conversion of the Gentiles who are brought in speaking the whole Psalm throughout Vers 2. Thou hast for given the iniquity c. This is worthily mentioned as a main mercy as a chief fruit of Free-grace Thou hast covered all their sin That that filthy thing may be no longer an eye-sore unto thee In the Original there are Six Homoioteleuta which is an elegancy not to be englished Vers 3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath Heb. Thou hast gathered it thou hast recollected it that we might not bear it when Sin is once remitted Wrath is soon removed Thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness c. Here are six Hasts drawing in the next Turn vers 4. God hath and therefore God will is a strong Medium of hope if not a demonstration of Scripture-Logicks See
said as here super leonem aspidem ambulabis c. Vers 14. Ardet me am plexus est me Because he hath set his love upon mee c. Because he cleaveth unto mee and acquiesceth in mee Thus God is brought in speaking toward the close of all for greater assurance Aben-Ezra saith it is the speech of God to his Angels I will set him on high because he hath known my name And hence it is that his heart is so set upon mee They that know Gods name will surely trust in him Psal 9.10 Thy name is as an ointment poured out therefore do the Virgins love thee Cant. 1.3 But unkent unkist as the Northern Proverb hath it men therefore care not for God because they know not his excellencies Vers 15. He shall call upon mee This is an indispensable duty and will be chearfully performed by those that know and love the Lord. I will deliver him c. As he did David Joseph Daniel and others Vers 16. with long life c. he shall have enough of this life present even to a satiety and Heaven in the end The Hebrews call this Psalm Canticum de accidentibus When Beza came first to the reformed Church hee found them singing this Psalm and was greatly encouraged PSAL. XCII A Psalm or song for the Sabbath day The Sabbath in the Hebrew hath its name from resting and is near allied to two other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first whereof signifieth to sit still and second to worship and give praise On this day they met for works of Piety as sacrificing reading and expounding the Scriptures praying singing as here c. and of mercy Matth. 12 2-7 8 11 12. And this Psalm treating of Gods great Works was purposely set for a Canon of sanctifying that day called by the Jews the Queen of dayes in praise whereof before and after meat they daily say certain verses Vers 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord And the Sabbath-day is a good time to do it in for then as Kimchi here noteth men are at leisure and liberty to do it most solemnly the better day the better deed And to siâ—g praises unto thy name The Psalmist common ends it and presently sets upon the doing of it So Psal 122.6 7. he no sooner bids pray for the Peace of Jerusalem but himself prayes Peace be within thy walls c. Vers 2 To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning Every morning that God may have the first fruits of the day but especially on the Sabbath-morning when we awake and rise ad quietem ad delicias animi corporis as Kimchi here hath it The Jews blesse God at the Sabbaths comming in and going out And thy faithfulnesse in the night Breaking our sleep for that purpose yea we must be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 how much more on the Sabbath-day then our whole work must be to be ravished in spirit doing no work but such as whereby we either blesse God or look to receive a blessing from God none but such as wherein we would the Lord should find us at his comming which Lactantius saith will be on the Sabbath-day Vers 3. Upon an instrument of ten strings c. This was part of the Jewish pedagogy and teacheth us to use all lawfull means to inforce our selves to that whereunto we are so dull and backward Vers 4. For thou Lord hast made mee glad c. And I will improve this chearfulnesse to thankfulnesse Jam. 5.13 On the Sabbath we ought solummodo spiritualibus gaudiis repleri to be filled with spiritual joyes only saith the Councill of Paris held Anno 820. I will triumph in the works of thy hands sc The works of Creation Administration but especially of Redemption Vers 5. O Lord how great are thy works Surely so great that I cannot utter then and must therefore thus vent my self by an exclamation Expleri mentem nequeo ardescoque tuendâ— Virgil. And thy thoughts are very deep Here then we must do as those Romans did who when they found a Lake the depth whereof was unknown they dedicated it to Victory Cry O the depth and there rest us Vers 6. A bruitish man knows not A sottish sensualist who hath his soul for salt only to keep his body from putrifying as we say of swine he takes no knowledge of Gods great works but grunts and goes his wayes contenting himself with a naturall use of the Creatures as beasts do Vers 7. When the wicked spring as the grass c. This the fool admireth calling the proud happy c. Mal. 3.15 and not considering that that proud grass shall be mown down and that flourish shall soon perish It is that they shall bee destroyed for ever Not grow again as mown grasse doth Exoriuntur ut exurantur It is but as Hamans banquet before execution Vers 8. But thou Lord art most high c. q.d. Flourish the wicked never so much shoot they up never so high thou art higher and in the thing wherein they deal proudly thou art above them Exod. 18.11 Vers 9. For loe thine enemies c. The Psalmist by this demonstrative particle Loe points to it as it were with the Finger as a thing most evident and undoubted Shall be scattered Disparant se dissiliunt dispart themselves Vers 10. Like the horn of an Unicorn Which is very fair hard and well lifted up See Numb 23.26 I am in good plight I shall be anointed T is well for the present and it will be better hereafter Vers 11. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies Or on mine observers who watch for my halting Vers 12. The Righteous shall flourish like the Palm A tree that groweth not in these cold climats but where it doth is noted for tall constantly green long-lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. sweet firm straight c. Nititur in pondus palma cousurgit in altum Quo magis premitur hoc mage toll it onus Alciat Emblem Though it hath many waights at the top and many snakes at the bottom yet it still faith Nec premor nec perimor Like a Cedar Not like grasse as the wicked do Verse 7. Vers 13. Those that be planted Having taken deep root there Hypocrites are only thrust in as a stake into the earth Mnason was an old Disciple Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before Paul â—om 16.7 and therefore of note among the Apostles for well rooted and fruited In the Courts of our God In Christ and under the ordinances Vers 14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age Quantumvis veteres non veterascent though old yet they shall retain their former vigour and verdure and be like that Persian tree in Theophrastus that at the same time doth bud blossom and bear fruit pullulantes succulentae They shall be fat and flourishing Vividi
vegeti Bucholc not as the Brabanti or Flemmings qui quo magis senescunt eo magis stultescunt saith Erasmus the elder the foolisher nor as Trapezuntius who outlived all his learning but as Moses whose sight failed not his heat abated not as Wine the older the better as the Sun which shineth most amiably toward the descent Vers 15. To shew that c. This is one of their principall fruits to give God 2 testimonial such as good old Moses doth Deut. 32.4 PSAL. XCIII VErs 1. The Lord reigneth i.e. The Lord Christ Kimchi here noteth that all the following Psalms till the hundred and first are de diebus Christi of the dayes of Christ Here wee have his empire and regality asserted first by his works secondly by his word vers 5. See the like Psal 19.1 2. 7 8. c. and that manifestation of himself by his word far preferred Hee is cloathed with Majesty He hath now put off his armes and put on his robes hee will henceforth rule all wisely and righteously The Lord is cloathed with strength For the battel in case his enemies stir to attempt against him Ezra 8.22 The World also is established The earth though it hang like a ball in the air without a basis Ponderibus librata suis yet is unmoveable how much more the Church Vers 2. Thy throne in established of old Christ shall reign utcunque fremant scelerati omnia quantum in se est conturbent rage the wicked never so for he is Jehovah vers 1. the eternal here Firmâ aeternus qui considet arce Vers 3. Hypotyposis The floods have lifted up O Lord Armies of enemies have attempted great matters but thou hast soon queld and quasht them Immota manet may well be the Churches motto Auratonet sonet unda maris fremat orbis orcus Tutamen insertos nos tibi Christe tegis The floods lift up their waves The Word for waves hath its name from dashing or breaking Anaphora the enemies do but beat themselves into foam and froth against Christ the Rock qui instar rupis quae in marâ— vadoso horridi Jovis iratâ— ut ita dicam Neptuni fervidis assultibus undique verberata non cedit aut minuitur sed obtendit assuetum fluctibus laâ—us firmâ duritie tumentis undae impetum sustinet ac frangit Woverius Vers 4. The Lord on high is mightier He overtops Tyrants and persecutors be they never so terrible for noise and number â—â— he but thunder they are husht and glad to wriggle as worms into their holes Vers 5. Thy Testimonies are very sure Thy promises infallible and therefore rage the World never so thou shalt still have an holy Catholick Church such as whose principles practices and aimes are divine and supernaturall such as walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing and inasmuch as they have these rich promises do cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Holinesse becommeth thine house God looks to be served like himself he will be sanctified of all those that draw near unto him in holy duties Levit. 10.3 This the Heathens were not altogether ignorant of and therefore at their sacrifices the Priests cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is here Erasint Praef in Adag whereunto the people that were present answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are many and those good men all Procul hinc procul este profani PSAL. XCIV VErs 1. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth Heb. Jehovah God of revenges so Jer. 51.56 The Lord God of recompences Vengeance is mine saith He I will repay Deut. 32.35 And it is best he should for he returneth a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 whereas men seek oft an unequall revenge as a stab for the lye given and besides in seeking the lives of others Heb. 10.30 they sometimes lose their own Shew thy self Heb. Shine forth appear for thy poor wronged servant David knew the Law and submitted to it he turneth over his enemies to God to bee ordered by him neither did he himself herein any dis-service I seek not mine own glory so mine own revenge saith Christ but there is one that seeketh it God never faileth to do it to be their Champion who strive not for themselves only they must wait his leisure and not preoccupate his executions Vers 2. Lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth Judges as they ascend the Tribunal so when to passe sentence they usually stand up See Isa 33.10 And hereunto the Psalmist alludeth Vers 3. Lord how long shall the wicked how long Bis quia de die in diem gloriantur saith Aben-Ezra Twice he saith it because the wicked boast day after day with such insolency and outrage as if they were above controul Vers 4. Hour long shall they utter Heb. They will bluster or will-out as a fountain they will speak hard things speak milstones throw daggers they will boast themselves talk largely of their good parts and practices all this is expressed by an elegant Asyndeton to shew that they did all this ordinarily and uncessantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euripid. Vers 5. They break in peeces thy people They make potsheards of them And this is the best use they make of thy patience break it off therefore Vers 6. They slay the widdow and the stranger Those sacred persons thy proper clients to such an height of hard-heartednesse are they grown that they pitty not them whom nature and curtesy would shew compassion to Nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequâ—ntur Let us blesse our selves out of the bloody fingers of barbarous and brutish men skilful to destroy Vers 7. Yet they say The Lord shall not see To all other their enormities they added this Lib. 2. c. 7. that they denyed a divine providence and professed prophanenesse Irridendum vero curam agere reruns humanarum illud quicquid est summum saith Pliny delivering the sense of all other Atheists Vers 8. Under stand O ye bruâ—ish Ye that are ringleaders to the rest but no wiser than the reasonlesse creatures yea therefore worse because ye ought to be better Polybius complaineth of mans folly above that of other Creatures in these words Caetera animantes ubi semel offenderint cavent non vulpes aa laqueum lupus ad foveam canis ad fustem temere redibunt Solus home ab aevo ad aevum peccat fere iniisdem Vers 9. He that planted the ear shall he not hear Shall the Author of these senses be senselesse Our God is not as that Jupiter of Creet who was pictured without ears and could not be at leisure to attend upon small matters He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all eye all ear We read of a people called Panotii God only is so to speak properly He that formed the eye shall he not
penned by David for private use but for publick Assemblies to be sung by the Congregation on the Sabbath and such like times It may very well be that they began their morning Sacrifice with this Psalm as the Latine Church also afterwards did their Mattens or Morning Service Let us make a joyful noyse With a clear and loud voyce as of a Trumpet singing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord. Vers 2. Let us come before his presence Heb. Prevent his face be there with the first Let us go speedily I will go also Zech. 8.21 Let praise wait for God in Sion Psal 65.1 Rabbi Gaon Praveniamus ante diem judicii Let us make haste saith he to do it before the Day of Judgement and lest we be taken with our task undone Others let us anticipate his face that is prepare our hearts at home before we come into the publick or let us give thanks for mercies already received that we may make way for more With Psalmes Oratione prorsà vorsâ Vers 3. For the Lord is a great God Understand it of Christ as the Apostle also doth Heb. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 10. Above all Gods Whether reputed so or deputed as Kings Vers 4. In his hand are the deep places Heb Searching that is much searched aster but sound to be unsearchable A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vo'ucris volan in altum R. Solom The strength of the hills Heb. The heights such as will sport a bird to get to the top of them Depths and heights are his Vers 5. The Sea is his c. Canutus confuted his Flatterers who told him that all things in his Dominions were at his beck and check by laying his command on the Sea Hen. Huntingâ—on to come up no higher into his Land but it obeyed him not And his hands formed the dry land Worship him therefore Rev. 4. Vers 6. O come let us worship and fall down With our whole bodies prostrate on the ground Kimchi our hands and feet stretcht out The Jews gesture of adoration at this day is the bowing forward of their bodies for kneeling they use none no more do the Graecians neither stir they their Bonnets in their Synagogues to any man Spec. Eur. but remain still covered The Lord our Maeker Who hath not only created us but advanced us as hee did Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 12.6 Vers 7. The people of his pasture Whom he turns not out into Commons and Fallows but feeds among Lillies Cant. 2.16 And the sheep of his hand His Cades brought up at hand eating of his meat and drinking of his cup and lying in his bosome as Uriahs Ewe-Lamb did 2 Sam. 12.3 To day if ye will hear his voyce i.e. Whiles the day of grace lasteth which is not long 2 Cor. 6.2 Qui paenitenti veniam spofpondit peccanti crastinum non promisit saith Gregory Vers 8. Harden not your hearts by unbeleef and the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.12 13. which gradually obfirmeth the heart against God As in the provocation As your fathers did at Massah and Meribah be not you as good at resisting the Holy Ghost us they were Act. 7.51 Vers 9. When your Fathers tempted mee The times all along the wildernesse Num. 14 2â— though They saw my works Both mercies and judgements Psal 98.8 yet they were refractory and unmalleable Vers 10. Was I grieved Litigavi vel cum taedio pertuli That do erre in their hearts Wandering though not so wide as to misse of Hell They have not known viz. practically and savingly Vers 11. Vnto whom I sware When put past all patience Patientia lasa fit furor If they enter c. This God sweareth cum reticentia to shew how greatly hee was incensed PSAL. XCVI VErs 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song For this new mercy of the Ark now brought into Jerusalem from the house of Obed-Edom I Chron. 16.23 but especially of Christ typified by the Ark who should bee preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the World received up to glory I Tim. 3 16â— Sing unto the Lord all the earth Which they could not do aright till they had heard beleeved and were sealed Ephes 1.13 Unbeleevers can have no true notion of God but as of an enemy and therefore all their verball praises are but a black sanct is suitable to such Saints Vers 2. Sing unto the Lord c. David was at this time full of affection and exultation of Sprit insomuch as Michal mocked him for it 1 Chron. 15.29 and thence this heap of holy expressions to the same purpose Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Shew forth his salvation Evangelize Preach the Gospel of salvation by Christ see Psal 40.10 2 Sam. 18.18 Isa 61.1 where the same word is used Form day to day Other news delights us only at first hearing but the good news of our redemption is sweet from day to day ac si in eodem die redemptio fuisset operata saith Kimchi here as if it were done but to day Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est saith Luther ac si hac horâ fudisset sanguinem Christ is now as fresh unto mee as if he had shed his blood but this very hour Vers 3. Declare his glory Hob. Sâ—pher it up in the particulars that God be no loser by you His wonders among all people There is a world of wonders in the work of mans redemption by Christ and all other mercies meet in this as the lines in the center streams in the fountain Vers 4. For the Lord is great Vere magnus est Christianorum Deus said Calocerius an Heathen he is omni laude major merito mituendus saith David here and elsewhere often Sound out therefore and send abroad his worthy praises the others may hear and fear Vers 5. For all the Gods c. Deunculi deastri Those petty Gods those dunghill-deities of the Heathens are nullities indeed they are Devils and those Idolls were their receptacles and as it were their bodies from whence in some places they gave oracles but were silenced at Christs comming in the flesh to the great amazement of their superstitious worshipers But the Lord made the Heavens With singular artifice Heb. 11.10 Clem. Aleâ— Paid l. 1. c. â—â— using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every engine of wisdome Vers 6. Honour and Majesty are before him These are his Harbingers and they go often coupled as Psal 21.45.111.145 Job 40. c. By the former seemeth to be meant outward port and splendour by the latter inward reverence and respect following thereupon Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary Gods glory shineth more in his Church than in all the World besides Vers 7. Give unto the Lord See Psal 29.1 2. One rendreth it Tribuite ponderose unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onus pondus portate to shew that our praises of God should bee ponderous and substantiall Vers 8. Give
unto the lord the glory c. It was hard for the Heathens to forgo their superstitions Tully resolved he would never do it c. therefore they are here so pressed to it See â—ev 14.6 7. With the Notes there One Expositor geiveth this note here Ternarius numerus est sacer â—b mysterium Triadis ideo enim co scriptura gaudet The Scripture oft presseth or expresieth things thrice over in reference to the mystery of the holy Trinity Bring an offering Reasonable service Geneb Rom. 12.1 spirituall sacrifices acceptable by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Vers 9. O worship the Lord c. Supplicate proni fall flat on your faces See Psal 95.6 In the beauty of holinesse i.e. In his courts as verse 8. or in holy beauty as some render it that is in true faith and with good affections Fear before him Rejoyce before him with trembling Psal 2. Vers 10. Say among the Heathen Proclamate undique praecones c. Make proclamation every where that now the Lord Christ reigneth and that there shall bee a generall Jubilee The World also shall be established There is no true stability but where Christ reigneth he will settle peace and good order which the Devil that turbulent spirit and his agents desire to disturb and to set all on an hurry-comb Vers 11. Let the Heavens rejoyce c. Let there be a general joy for the general renovation by the comming of Christ Rom. 8.22 after which the whole creation groaneth also Basil and others by Heaven Earth c. understand Angels men of all sorts an Islanders seamen fieldmen woodlanders c. Vel est similâ—tudo ad denotandam in mundo pacem saith Kimchi Or it is a similitude to note peace all over the World And surely when Christ came there was an universal aut pax aut paectio saith Florus peace or truce under the government of Augustus Let the Sea roar Heb. Thunder Externo fragore bombo testetur internam animi laetitiam let it testify its joy perstrependo reboando by roaring its utmost Vers 12. Let the field be joyfull c. And so give check to the hardnesse of mans heart not at all affected with those benefit by Christ wherein they are far more concerned than these insensible creatures which yet have lain bed-ridden as it were ever since mans fall and earnestly wait for the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 Vers 13. Before the Lord for he commeth for he commeth Certainly suddainly happily c. for this is the summe of all the good news in the World that Christ commeth and commeth that is saith Basil once to shew the World how they shall be saved and a second time to judge the World for neglecting so great salvation c. PSAL. XCVII VErs 1. The Lord reigneth This is matter of greatest joy to the Righteous Gandeo quod Christus Dominus est alâ—oqui totus desperassem I am glad that Christ is Lord of all for otherwise I should utterly have been out of hope saith Miconâ—us in an Epistle to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies Let the multitude of Isles be glad As more happy herein than any of those called the Fortunate Islands Turk Hist or than Cyprus anciently called Macaria that is The blessed Isle for her abundance of commodities Vers 2. Clouds and darknesse are round about him As once at the delivering of the Law so now in the publishing Gospel he is no lesse terrible having vengeance in store for the disobedient 2 Cor. 10.6 It is a savour of death to unbeleevers Christ came to send fire on the earth Luk. 12.49 Righteousnesse and judgement c. Mercy Christ hath for the penitent judgement for the rebellious who seek to dethrone him Woe to those Gospel-sinners Vers 3. A fire goeth before him For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and not the God of the Jews only as shall well appear at the last day 2 Thes 1.8 See the Note on verse 2. Vers 4. His Lightenings enlightened the World His Apostles those fulmina Ecclesinstica shall spread Gospel-light and amaze people the Lord working with them and confirming their word with signes following Mar. 16.20 Vers 5. The hills melted like wax Nothing shall be so stout and steady as to be able to stand before them Before the Lord Adon Dominator The Maker and Master of all the rightfull Proprietary and Paramount The Latine translation hath it All the earth is before the face of the Lord. Vers 6. The Heavens declare his Righteousnesse As so many Catholick Preachers Psal 19.1 50.4.6 By Heavens some understand Angels concurring with men to glorifie God Others the heavenly bodies pleading Gods cause against Atheists and Idolaters They that worshipped the Sun were Atheists by night and they that worshipped the Moon were Atheists by day as Cyrill wittily Vers 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images Those Instruments of Idolatry and lurking-places of Devils diabolicae inspirationis instineâ—us participes Such and their Servants we may lawfully pray against That boast themselves of Idols As did that Idolatrous Micah Judg. 17. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. Julian called therefore Idolian the Papists at this day See D. Rainolds de Idololatria Romana Worship him all ye Gods i. e. All ye Angels saith the Greek and Arabick and the Apostle saith the same Hob. 1.6 proving Christ to be God-man This Psalm saith Beza is highly to be prized of all Christs as containing a most divine Epitome of all Gospel-mysteries Vers 8. Sion heard and was glad Heard what the downfull of the Devills Kingdom and the erecting of Christs scepter this was good news to the Church and her Children Bern was the first Town that after the Reformation burnt their images Zurich followed on an Ashwensday which they observe and celebrate every year to this day with all mirth playes and pastimes Act. Mon. as an Ashwednesday of Gods own making Vers 9. For thou Lord art high above all the earth Declared now to be so with power as Rom. 1.4 and the World convinced of singularr sottishnesse in fancying other divinities Thou art exalted far above all gods Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come Ephes 1.21 Here then we have the superexaltation of Christs person and the Apostle manifestly alludeth to it Ephesians 4.10 Phil. 2.9 Vers 10. Ye that love the Lord As having tasted of Christs sweetnesse being justified by his merit and sanctified by his Spirit 1 Pet. 2.4 1 Cor. 6.11 carried after him with strength of Desire Psal 42.1 and Delight Psal 73.25 Such as these only are Christs true subjects others will pretend to him but they are but Hangbies unlesse the love of Christ constrain them to hate evill to hate it as Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.9 Sin seemeth to have its
name of Sana to hate the word here used because it is most of all to be hated as the greatest evil as that which setteth us furthest from God the greatest good This none can do but those that love the Lord Christ in sincerity for all hatred comes from love A naturall man may be angry with his sin as a man is sometimes with his wife or friend for some present vexation but hate it hee cannot yea he may leave it for the ill consequents of sin but not loathe it If he did he would loathe all as well as any for hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing saith Aristole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhetor. lib. 2â— Vers 11. Light is sown for the Righteous The Righteous is haeres cruc â—â— the Heir of the Crosse and many are his troubles A Child of light may walk in darknesse and have no light Isa 50.10 yet Christ will not leave him comfortlesse Joh. 14. Light is sown for him 't is yet seeding-time and that is usually wet and dropping and the seed must have a time to lye and then to grow ere a crop can be expected there must be also weeding and clodding c. behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it By ye also patient stablish your hearts c. Jam. 5.7 8. We look not to sow and reap in a day as He saith of the Hyperborean people far North that they sow shortly after the Sun-rising with them and reap before the Sun-ser so because the whole half year is one continuall day with them Heresbach dâ— rerust Deliverance will come in Gods good time and as before the morning-light is the thickest darknesse as the seed that lyeth longest under ground commeth up at length with greatest increase so here Semen modicum sed me ssis faecunda saith Aben-Ezra on the Text. And gladnesse for the upright This clause expoundeth the former Vers 12. Rejoyce in the Lord See Psal 32. ult with the Note At the remembrance of his holinesse That is of himself for whatsoever is in God is God as also of his works and benefits whereby he giveth you so good occasion to remember him PSAL. XCVIII A Psalm The Greek addeth of David A man might think it were rather of John Baptist pointing out Christ and his Kingdom as it already come with the great good thereby accrewing to the Saints Vers 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song See Psal 96.1 and observe how the compiler of the Psalms hath hereabout set together sundry Psalms of the same subject His right hand and his holy arm His is emphatical and exclusive q.d. Christ alone hath done the deed he is our sole Saviour Isa 59.16 63.5 In the justification of a sinner Christ and faith are alone saith Luther Tanquam sponsus sponsa in thalamo As Wax and Water cannot meet together so neither can Christ and any thing else in this work Away then with that devillish Doctrin of the Saints Merits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot in Meteor Quibuscunque tandem pigmentis illita obtrudatur If any commend or go after any other way to Salvation besides Christ hee doth according to the Greek Proverb draw mischiefs to himself as the Wind Caecius doth Clouds Vers 2. The Lord hath made known his salvation His way of saving his people by his Som Christ Mat. 1.21 this Mystery so long kept secret is now made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom 16.25 26. His Righteousness Made ours by imputation this the Jews to this day deride and the Papists call it putative in a jeer Vers 3. He hath remembred his mercy and his truth His Mercy moving him to promise and his Truth binding him to perform 2 Sam. 7.18 21. and hence all our happiness Vers 4. Make a joyful noyse Bless God for a Christ The Argives when delivered by the Romans from the tyranny of the Macedonians and Spartans Quae gaudia quae vociferationes fuerunt quid florum in Consulem profuderunt what great joys expressed they what loud out-crys made they the very Birds that flew over them fell to the ground Plut. in Flamin assonied with their noyses They Cryer at the Nemean Games was forced to pronounce the word Liberty Iterumque iterumque again and again Vers 5. Sing unto the Lord with the Harp Tum cithararum tum vocum mutuis vicibus do your utmost in the superlativest manner you can devise Vers 6. Make a joyful noyse By the repeating and inculcating of this exhortation is intimated our dulness and backwardness to a business of this nature the necessity of the duty and the excellency of the mercy that can never be sufficiently celebrated Vers 7 8 9. See the Notes on Psal 96.11 12 13. PSAL. XCIX VErs 1. The Lord reigneth Even the Lord Christ as Psal 97.1 Let the people tremble Let them serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling by the people some understand the Jews and by the Earth all other Nations let there bee a general subjection yeelded to the Scepter of his Kingdom Vers 2. The Lord is great in Zion In his Church he giveth many great testimonies of his power and presence and is therefore magnified by his people And he is high above all people In the things wherein they deal proudly he is above them Exod. 18.11 Vers 3. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name Nomen illud Majestativum Some hereby understand the name Jehovah of which Josh 7. What wilt thou do to thy great Name And Jer. 44. I have sworn by my great Name But Gods Name is usually put for Gods self For it is Holy And therefore to be sanctified in righteousness Isa 5.16 Vers 4. The Kings strength also loveth judgement i.e. abest à Tyrannide God abuseth not his Kingly power to Tyranny but Joyneth it with his Justice and Uprightnese Regiment without Righteousness is but robbery with authority The Ara bick hath it Magnificentia Regis est ut diligat aequitatem Vers 5. Exalt the Lord our God Have high apprehensions of him and answerable expressions Set him up and set him forth to the utmost And worship at his footstool i.e. At his Temple saith the Chaldee At the Ark of the Covenant say the Rabbins Austin interpreteth it of Christs humanity which although of it self it is not to be adored because it is a creature yet as it is received into unity of person with the Divinity and hath a Partner-agency with the God-head according to its measure in the works of Redemption and Mediation 1 Tim. 2.5 it is to be worshipped But how hard driven was that second Synod of Niâ—e when they abused this Text among many others to prove the worshipping of Images and Pictures Vers 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests or chief Officers as 1 Chron. 18.17 Moses was if not a Priest yet a continual Intercessor for the people
will do in the 〈◊〉 of mine heart for that a man is in truth that hee is at home Follow hypocrites home to their houses and there you shall see what they are Look upon Stage-players and you may see them act the parts of Kings and honest men but follow them to their tyring-houses and there they are but base Varlets Vers 3. I will set no wicked thing Heb. thing of Belial before mine eyes that is in my thoughts saith Kimchi for the thinking-faculty is in the fore-part of the brain as are also the eyes I will not gaze upon forbidden objects nor venture upon a temptation to or an occasion of sin I will also be wise and wary in the choice of my servants and under-officers Theodosius his Court was virtutuâ—â— officina non vitiorâ—m sentina saith One. And Archbishop Granniers house was Schola vet palaestra pietaâ—â—â— literarum Pare us Tremellius saith another See above on the title of this Psalm I hate the work of them that turn aside Of treacherous men and Apostates Euseb such as Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constamine the Great sound by proof made some of his Counsellors and Courtiers to be and therefore turned them off saying He cannot be faithful to me who is unfaithful to God Pietate sublata fides to llitur It shall not cleave to mee I le none of them neither shall any such wickedness hang at my heels to hinder my progress in piety and good government Vers 4. A froward heart shall depart from me i.e. say some I will endeavour to put off the old man with the lusts thereof Eph. 4 22. the old crooked frame shall be dissolved and a better erected I will not know evil that is regard or allow it Psal 1.6 Others understand the Text of rotten-hearted and wicked Counsellors whom David would abhor and abandon Vers 5. Whos 's privily slandereth his neighbour Heb. Him that in secret tongue-smiteth his fellow-friend will I suppress This David purposed to do but this hee did not so throughly in the case of poor Mepbibesâ—eth belyed by false Zita his resolution was Maledices maleficot à se depellere to drive away from him sycophants back-byters Sorices tineas palatii appellabat Constan Mag. flatteres but there is a great sympathy betwixt Princes and such Pests those Harpyeâ— and gaping Crows of Courts as one calleth them David promiseth fair to purge and disempester his house and Court of such and to cut them off secundum leges regni according to the Laws of the Kingdome as Aben-Ezra glosseth Him that bath ax bigh look Pride will sit and shew it self in the eyes assoon as any where A man is seen what he is in oculis in poculis in loculis say the Rabbins See Prov. 6.17 And a proud heart Heb. a wide or broad heart that thinketh great things of himself and seeketh great things for himself I will not suffer Heb. I will not sc away with or endure at any hand The Greeks Leguntocal pro ucal and after them others read I will not eat with them and by large of heart they understand belly-gods men of large appetites such as were the two sons of Eli Belialists and Hellicones Vers 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land i.e. Let them live where they will I will hearken them out and find them out The Rabbins say that here David repenteth him of taking into his service and tuition those indebted and discontented persons men of broken fortunes and loose manners 1 Sam. 22.1 2. and resolveth to be better advised in the chusing and using of his retinue when he cometh to the Kingdom that his Court might be like that of Cyrus whereof Xenophon saith Cyrop l. 8 that though a man should seek or chuse blindfold he could not miss of a good man Zonaras mainly commendeth Valentinian the first and Les Armenius Emperours for their good choice of both Civil and Military Officers He condemneth as much Macyinus for the contrary He shall serve me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be of honourable imployment about me as Joseph was to Pharaoh Cromwel to Hen. 8. his Vicar General Vers 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house If I may know him to bee such an one I shall soon cashiere him and serve him as Philip of Macedon afterwards did two of his evil servants the one whereof he compelled to run out of his Country and the other to drive him David was not guarded and surrounded as many Princes are now adayes Magâ—â—â—â—gmine Aiâ—â—â—â— Negoâ—â—m Ganâ—oâ—â—m Palpenum Gnathenum Balatrenum He that telleth lyes shall not tâ—rry in my sight Liars are frequent in Courts as in Sauls and do much mischief The good Emperor Aurelius was much abused by them Lewis the eleventh of France complained that he had plenty of all things but of only one And being asked of what Oâ— truth quoth he Augustus took on exceedingly when Vaâ—â— was slain in battel and gave this for a reason Quòd non esset à quo verum oudireâ— because he had not now a friend from whom he could hear the truth of things Vers 8. Indefinenter regnum regiam Ecclesiamque purgabo â— malo Trem. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land All without partiality and betiâ—â—s in Matutinis without delay making it my mornings work to do justice for then was judgement executed Jer. 21.12 Or I will do it daily and as duly as the house is swept See Lam. 3.23 That I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of God All the notorious Deboysheers from the Church that I may weed out those wicked ones those Trouble-towns those Desperâ—does the botches of humane society And here David describeth the utmost and chief end of Civil Government that which the Philosophers never dreamed of viz. That God may be purely and sincerely served in his City that is in his Church PSAL. CII A Prayer of the afflicted Or for the afflicted made by Daniel or some other Prophet not long before the return out of Babylon where they suffered much but prayed little as Daniel confesseth Chap. 9.13 Here therefore they are taught to take unto them words and say Hear my prayer O Lord c. In greatest afflictions there is place left for prayer Psal 103.1 and something God will yeeld to it when most bitterly bent against a people Mat. 24.20 21. When he is overwhelmed Pressed out of measure above strength 2 Cor. 1.8 ad deliquium animae till heart faint and faith seem to fail bowing down through weight of grief at si pars una corporis alia esset operta for so the word here used signifieth saith Kimchi as if one part of the body were overcovered with another Estque pulchra collatis in verbiâ— gnataph shaphac quae naturam fidei deping unt saith Mollerus Faith may bee under a cloud for a season but it will recover
virtually as ost as we offend WhO crowneth thee with loving kindness c. Incircleth and surroundeth thee with benefits so that which way soever thou turnest thee thou canst not look beside a blessing See the Note on vers 3. Vers 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth Heb. Thy jaws so that thou art top full eating as long as eating is good God alloweth thee an honest affluence of outward comfortsâ— Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Psal 81.10 So that thy youth is â—eâ—â—ed like the Eagles The Eagle is of all birds the most vegetous and vivacious renewing her youth and health they say at every ten years end by casting her old feathers and getting new till she be an hundred years old Aquisae senectus Proverâ—â— Augustins observeth that when her bill is overgrown that she cannot take in her meat she beateth it against a rock and so exâ—â—it 〈◊〉 roâ—â—â—i she striketh off the combersome part of her bill and thereby recovereth her eating That which hindreth our renovation saith he the Rock Christ taketh away c. See Isa 40.31 Vers 6. The Lord 〈◊〉 c. The words are both plural to shew that God will execute omnimodam justitiam judicium all and all manner of justice and judgement relieving the oppressed and punishing the oppressor to the sull Vers 7. He made known his wayes unto Moses Even right Judgements true Laws good Statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13 14. The Rabbins by wayes here understand Gods Attributes and Properties Middoth they call them those thirteen proclaimed Exod. 34. after that Moses had prayed Exod. 33. Shew me thy wayes and the next words favour this interpretation Vers 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious These are Moses his very expressions Exod. 34.7 Theodoret calleth him worthily The great Ocean of Divinity c. His acts to the children His miracles in Egypt and all along the wilderness where they sed upon Sacraments Vers 9. He will not always chide His still revenges are terrible Gen. 6.3 with 1 Pet. 3.19 but God being appeased towards the penitent people will not shew his anger so much as in words Isa 57.16 Neither will be keep his anger for ever Much less must we Levit. 19.18 Eph. 4.26 though against his enemies God is expresly said to keep it Nab. 1.2 Vers 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins Heb. Our errors our involuntary and unavoidable infirmities According to our iniquities Heb. perversly committed for of these evils also the Saints are not free but God beaâ—eth with more than small faults especially if not scandalous Vers 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth How high the third heaven is cannot be conjectured But for the middlemost heaven wherein the Sun Moon and Stars are placed how exceeding high it is may be guessed and gathered in that the Stars whereof those of the first magnitude are said to be every one above a hundred and seven times as big again as the whole earth do yet seem to us but as so many sparks or spangles See Prov. 25.3 Eph. 4.10 So great is his mercy The heavens are exceeding high above the earth but Gods mercy to his is above the heavens Psal 108.4 The original word Gabbar here used is the same with that Gen. 7.20 used for the prevailing of the waters above the mountains Vers 12. As far as the East c. And these we know to be so far asunder that they shall never come together The space also and distance of these two is the greatest that can be imagined Deut. 4.32 Psal 113.3 Isa 45.6 So far hath be removed out transgressions The guilt of them whereby a man stands charged with the fault and is obliged to the punishment due thereunto See Isa 43.25 and 38.17 Mic. 7.19 Ezeck 33.16 Peccata non redeunt Discharges in Justification are not repealed called in again Vers 13. Like as a Father pitieth There is an ocean of love in a fathers heart See Luke 15.20 Gen. 33.2 13 14. and Chap. 4.3 how hardly and with what caution Jacob parted with Benjamin Sozomen maketh mention of a certain Merchant who offering himself to be put to death for his two sons who were sentenced to dye Lib. 7. cap. 24. and it being granted that one of the two whom he should chuse should be upon that condition delivered the miserable Father aequali utriusque amore victus equally affected to them both could not yeeld that either of them should dye but remained hovering about both till both were put to death So the Lord pitieth c. So and ten thousand times more than so For he is the Father of all mercies Parentela and the Father of all the Father-beeds in heaven and earth Eph. 3.15 Vers 14. For he knoweth our frame Our evil concupiscence saith the Chaldee Figulinam fragilem constitutionem nostram saith Junius that we are nothing better than a compound of dire and sin He remembreth thâ—â— we are dust Our bodies are for our souls are of a spiritual nature divinae particula aurae and sooner or later to be turned to dust again Vers 15. As for man his dayes are at grass The frailty of mans life intimated in the former verse is here lively painted out under the similitude of grass as likewise in many other Scriptures See Psal 37.2 and 90.5.6 c. As a slower of the field so be flourisheth Take him in all his gaâ—ety his beauty and his bravery he is but as a flower and that not of the garden which hath more shelter and better ordering but of the field and so more subject to heat weather pâ—lling 〈◊〉 or treading down Isa 40.6 7 8. Vers 16. For the wind passeth over it and it is gone Heb. It is not that is it neither continues any longer in being nor returns any more into being So here Job 14.7 8 9 10 11 12. And the place thereof shall know it no more Though whilst it stood and flourished the place of is seemed as it were to know nothing but it the glory and beauty of it drew all eyes to it c. Think the same of men in their flourish soon forgotten as dead men out of mind Psal 31.12 Vers 17. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting God is from all eternity and unto all eternity kind to all that fear him in what age of the world soever they live And his righteousness unto childrens children That is his kindness or bounty for so the word Tsedacâ—ah should be taken according to Psal 112.3 9. 2 Cor. 9.9 Vers 18. To such as keep his Covenant For else they shall know Gods breach of promise as it is Numb 14.3 4. Neither shall it benefit them to have been born of godly parents And to those that remember his Commandements That resolve to do them though in many things they fail Qui faciunt praetepta etiamsâ— non perficiant that wish well to that which they can never compass Psal
men and other earthly creatures might have that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pindarâ—â— â—iseth it for the satisfying of their thirst and for other necessary uses This is Davids Philosophy and his son Solomon saith the same Eccles 1.7 Though Aristotle assign another cause of the perennity of the fountains and rivers Vers 11. They give drink to every beast A great mercy as we have lately found in these late dry years 1653 1654. wherein God hath given us to know the worth of water by the want of it Bona sunt à tergo formosissima The wild-asses Those hottest creatures Job 39.8 9 10 11. Vers 12. By them shall the souls of the heaven Assuetae ripis volueres fluminis alveâ— Virg. Which sing among the branches Most melodiously many of them therefore it is reckoned at a judgement to lose them Jer. 4.25 and 9 10. Vers 13. He watereth the hils from his chambers That is from his clouds he giveth water to hills and high places where Wells and Rivers are not The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works i.e. With the rain of thy clouds dropping fatness Vers 14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattel Hee caused it to grow at first before cattel were created Gen. 1.11 12. And so he doth still as the first cause by rain and dew from heaven as the second cause And herb for the service of man Ad esum ad usum for food physick c. Gen. 1.29 Green herbs it seemeth was a great dish with the Ancients which therefore they called Holus ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristippus told his Fellow-Philosopher who fed upon them If you can please Dionysius you need not eat green herbs He presently replied If you can eat green herbs you need not please Dionysius and be his Parasite That he may bring forth food out of the earth Alma parens Tellus Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat c. Job 6.37 Vers 15. And wine that maketh glad That hee may the more cheerfully serve his Maker his heart being listed up as Jehosaphats was in the wayes of obedience Judg. 9 13. Prov. 31.6 7. And oyl to make his face to shine The word signifieth Oyntments of all sorts whereof see Pliny lib. 12. and 13. These man might want and subsist But God is bountifull And bread which strengtheneth c. In nature Animantis cujusque vita est fuga were it not for the repair of nutrition the natural life would be extinguished The Latines call bread Panis of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be cause it is the chief nourishment Vers 16. The trees of the Lord are full of sap Heb. are satisfied viz. with moisture sucked by their roots out of the earth plentifully watered whereby they are nourished grow mightily and serve man for meat drink medicine c. The Cedars of Lebanon These are instanced as tallest and most durable Gods Temple at Jerusalem was built of them and so was the Dâ—vils temple at Ephesus for he will needs be Gods Ape Vers 17. Where the birds make their nests Each according to their natural instinct with wonderful art As for the Stork That Pietaticultriâ— as Petronius calleth her and her name in Hebrew soundeth as much because she nourisheth and cherisheth the old ones whereof she came whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genetricum senectam invicem educant Plin. Ciconiis pietas eximia inest Solin Vers 18. The high hills are a refuge These wild but weak creatures are so wise as to secure themselves from violence when pursued they run to their refuges and should not we to God for the securing of our comforts and safe-guarding of our persons Vers 19. He appointed the Moon for seasons Most Nations reckoned the year by the Moon rather than by the Sun The Sun knoweth his going down As if he were a living and intelligent creature so justly doth he observe the Law laid upon him by God and runs through his work See Job 38.12 Vers 20. Thou makest darkness Which though it be dreadful yet is it useful and in the vicissitude of light and darkness much of Gods wisdome and goodness in to bee seen We must see that we turn not the day into night nor night into day without some very special and urgent occasion Vers 21. The young Lions roar Rousing themselves out of their dens by night and then usually seizing upon what prey God sendeth them in for they are at his and not at their own finding And seek Like as the young Ravens cry to him Psal 147. implication only See Joel 1.18 20. Vers 22. They gather themselves together viz. into their dens and lurking holes smitten with fear of light and of men A sweet providence but little considered Vers 23. Man goeth forth unto his work His honest imployment in his particular place and calling whe the manual or mental eating his bread in the sweat either of his brow or of his brain Vntil the evening That time of rest and refreshment The Lord Burleigh William Cecil when he put off his gown at night used to say Ly there Lord Treasurer and bidding adieu to all state affairs disposed himself to his quiet rest Vers 24. O Lord how manifold c. q. d. They are so many and so great that I cannot recount or reckon them up but am even swallowed up of wonderment All that I can say is that they are Magna mirifica In mans body only there are miracles enough betwixt head and foot to fill a volume The earth is full It is Gods great purse Psal 24.1 Vers 25. So is this great and wide sea Latum manibus id est siâ—â—bus yet not so great and wide as mans heart wherein is not only that Leviathan some special foul lusts but creeping things innumerable crawling bugs and baggage vermine Wherein are things creeping innumerable Far more and of more kinds than there are on earth Vers 26. There go the ships The use whereof was first shewed by God in Noahs Ark whence afterwards Audex Iapeti genus Japhets off-spring sailed and replenished the Islands There is that Leviathan Whereof see Job 41. with Notes Vers 27. These wait all upon thee The great House-keeper of the world who carvest them out their meet measures of meat and at fit seasons Of thee they have it Per causarum concatenationem Vers 28. That thou givest them they gather Neither have they the least morsel of meat but what thou castest them by thy providence Turcicum imperium quantum quantum est nibil est nisi panis mica quam dives pater-familias projicit canibus saith Luther Thou openest thy hand By opening the bosome of the earth thou richly providest for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 29. Thou hidest thy face i. e. Thou withdrewest thy favour thy concurrence thine influence they are troubled or terrified a cold sweat sitteth upon their limbs animam agunt they shortly expire
for in God we live move and have our being Act. 17. A frown of Augustus Cesar Camden proved to be the death of Cornelius Gallus Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellor of England dyed Sept. 20.1591 of a flux of his urine and grief of mind conceived upon some angry words given him by Q. Elizabeth Thou takest away their breath Heb. Thou gatherest it callest for it again viz. their vital vigour Vers 30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit Virtutem vivificam They are created Others of the same kind are and so the face of the earth is renued whiles another generation springeth up This is matter of praise to their maker Vers 31. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever Or Let glory be to the Lord for ever so For his great works of Creation and Conservation The Lord shall rejoyce in his words As he did at the Creation when he saw all to bee good and very good so still is doth God good as it were to see the poor creatures feed and men to give him the honour of all Vers 32. He looketh an the earth and it trembleth This must be considered that God may be as well feared as loved and praised He toucheth the hills and they smoak It s therefore ill falling into his hands who can do such terrible things with his looks and touches Vers 33. I will sing unto the Lord Though others be slack to do God this right to help him to his own to give him the glory due to his Name yet I will do it and do it constantly so long as I have a breath to draw Vers 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet Or Let it be sweet unto him let him kindly accept it though it be mean and worthless through Christs odours powred thereinto I will be glad in the Lord Withdrawing my heart from other vile and vain delights or at least vexed at mine own dulness for being no more affected with such inexplicable ravishments Vers 35. Let the sinners be consumed c. Such sinners against their own souls as when they know God or might know him by his wonderful works glorifie him not as God neither are thankful Rom 1.21 but pollute and abuse his good creatures to his dishonor fighting against him with those lives that he hath given them Bless the Lord O my soul The worse others are the better be thou kindling thy self from their coldness c. PSAL. CV VErs 1. O give thanks unto Lord Some tell us that this and the two following Psalms were the great Hallelujah sung as solemn times in their assemblies But others say better that the great Hallelujah as the Hebrews called it began at Psal 113. and held on till Psal 119. which they at the Passover began to sing after that cup of wine they called Poculum bymni sen laudationis Call upon his Name Call upon the Lord whe is worthy to be praysed Psal 18.3 See the Note there Our life must be divided betwixt praises and prayers Vers 2. Sing unto him sing Both with mouth and with musical instruments Talk ye Or meditate ye Let your heart indite a good matter and your tongue be as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 Vers 3. Glory ye in his holy Name Of his power and goodness See 1 Cor. 1.31 Alsted with Jer. 9.23 Non est gloriosier populus sub caelo quam Judaicus saith One there iâ— not a more vain-glorious people under heaven than the Jews But we are the circumcision which worship in spirit and glory in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Philip. 3.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce c. All others are forbidden to rejoyce Hos 9.1 and bidden to weep and howl Jam. 5.1 Vers 4. Seek the Lord and his strength That is his Ark at the remove where of to Jerusalem this Psalm was sung 1 Chron. 16.7 8. c. Called it is Gods strength and Gods face here yea even God himself Psal 132.5 It s as if he should say Frequent holy Assemblies as ever you desire to draw nigh to God and to have your faith in him confirmed Vers 5. Remember the marvellous works c. Deeply and diligently ponder both the works and words of God comparing the one with the other that ye may the better conceive of both Vers 6. O yee seed of Abraham c. Do thus or else your pedigree will profit you no more than it did Dives in the flames that Abraham called him Son An empty title yeeldeth but an empty comfort Vers 7. For he is the Lord Jehovah the Essentiator the promise-keeper therefore praise him He is also in Covenant with us and will we not do him this right His judgement are in all the earth His executions upon the Egyptians and Philistims are far and near notified and discoursed Vers 8. He hath remembred his Covenant I Chron. 16.15 it is Bee ye mindful alwayes of his Covenant God ever remembreth though we many times forget it and out selves The word which be commanded The conditions of the Covenant Vers 9. which Covenant be made with Abraham c. Whom hee found an Idolater Josh 24.2 he justified the ungodly Rom. 4.5 And his Oath That by two immutable things c. Heb. 6. Vers 10. And confirmed the same c. So God sealeth and sweareth to us again and again in every Sacrament that all doubts of his love may be taken away and out hearts lifted up as Jebosaphats 2 Chron. 17.6 in the way of the Lord. Vers 11. Vnto thee will I give the land of Canaan That pleasantest of all lands Eâ—â—k 20.6 a type and pledge of heaven to the faithful Vers 12. When they were but a few men in member Seventy souls at their going down into Egypt which yet say the Hebrews truly were more worth than the Seventy Nations of the whole world besides Howbâ—â—t God chose them not for their worth or number but loved them meerly because he loved them Deut. 7.7,8 Vers 13. When they went from one Nation to another There were seven several Nations in that Land wherein they sojourned flitting from place to place and having no setled habitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.11 From one Kingdome Forced by Famine or other necessity See Gen 10.12 and 20.1 2 c. and 26.1 c. Vers 14. He suffered no man c. So as utterly to oppress them for otherwise they had their ill usages such as was the taking away of Sarah casting out of Isaac the rape of Dinah c. Strangers meet many times with hard measure Yea be reproved Kings Gen. 12.17 and 20.3 Kings and Queens must not think themselves to good to nurse Gods little ones yea to do them homage licking up the dust under their feet Isa 49.23 Vers 15. Touch not mine anointed c. This God speaketh not of Kings but to Kings concerning his people who have an unction from the Father being sanctified and set apart for his
might see that he was Lord of all the four Elements Vers 33. He smote their Vines else and their Figtrees Of the fruitfulness of these trees in Egypt strange things are reported by Solinus and others but this extraordinary hail mingled with fire marred them in the Spring when they promised great store of fruit trusis botris baccis And brake the trees Yea brained men and beasts that were abroad as Moses addeth Vers 34. He spake and the Locusts came These are called Gods great army and their terrible invasion is graphically described Joel 3 4 5 c. Vers 35. And did eat up all the herbs All that the fiery hail had not blasted and beaten down And devoured the fruit of their ground But not yet the fruit of their bodies that plague was reserved to the last to shew Gods long-suffering and loathness to destroy men Vers 36. He smote also all the first-born This he did last of all the next spring after the first plague inflicted non nisi câ—actus as that Emperor once said when he subscribed a writ for execution of a certain Malefactor The chief of all their strength Et ubi non erat primogenitus moritur epitropus say the Hebrews where was not a first-born there the steward died so that there was no house in Egypt without a dead corps as there are few amongst us without many dead souls Vers 37. He brought them forth also with silver and gold Which they had dearly earned in Egypt but could not get till God the right owner of all set them in a course Exod. 12.35 36. dispencing with his own Law There was not one feeble persen but all able and fit for their journey Viatico firma valetudine instructi Vers 38. Egypt was glad when they departed For they said we are all dead men Exod. 12.33 The Devil for like cause spake Christ fair to be rid of him Mar. 1. For the fear of them fell upon them God can make the very name and countenance of his servants fearful to their oppressors Vers 39. He spread a cloud It must needs be a very large one that could cover such an army from the extraordinary heats there For the Deserts of Arabia are extreme hot both by reason of the climate and also of the sands reflecting the Sun-beams So still upon all the glory the Church shall be a covering Isa 4.5 And fire to give light c. A fiery pillar against the error terror and danger of the darkness See Neb. 9.19 Vers 40. The people asked Not as suppliants but as male-contents and therefore had what they asked with a vengeance And satisfied them with the bread of heaven Never was any Pâ—ince in his greatest state so served as these miscreants were and yet we fare better than they in Gods holy Ordinances Vers 41. He opened the rock Set it abroach giving them pluviam â—scatilem petram aquatilem as Tertul. hath it De patient They ran in the dry places Per deserta Sinis Tzinis saith Junius See 1 Cor. 10.4 Vers 42. For be remembred his holy promise Holy that is firm and inviolable Heb. The word of his holiness that is his sacred and gracious ingagement whereby he had made himself a voluntary debtor to Abrahams posterity And Abraham his servant To whom he had passed his promise four hundred and thirty years before Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Vers 43. And be brought forth his people with joy According to his promise made to Abraham and according to the time they were afflicted so were they comforted Psal â—0 15 Vers 44. And gave them the lands of the heathen God doth not his work to the halves he will perfect that which concerneth us Psal 138.8 and preserve all his unto his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 And inherited the labour of the people Their Cities Towns Villages Fields Vineyards all done to the hand of the Israelites We shall also enter into our Masters joy Mansions made ready for us c. Vers 45. That they might observe his Statutes Here the Psalmist sheweth the final cause of all the service of God what should be the result his praise Praise yee the Lord Loquitur ad prudentes saith Aben-Ezra This he speaketh to those that are wise For high words become not a fool saith Solomon PSAL. CVI. VErs 1. Praise yee the Lord Though scattered among the heathen and in a sorrowful condition vers 47. In prosperity praise the Lord saith Austin and it shall increase upon thee In adversity praise him and is shall be better with thee O give thanks unto the Lord c. This verse was say some the foot or tenor of the Song in many sacred hymns For his mercy indureth for ever Even to those also that have sinned against his goodness Vers 2. Who can utter c. i.e. To the just worth of them None can they are fitter to be admired than possible to be uttered It is enough that we do what we can toward the work God accepteth according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8. he taketh it for no small praise when we thus acknowledge him to be above all praise Who can shew forth all his praise Surely none canâ— David saith he will Psal 9.1 Quis fando exptâ—mat but soon found his utter inability for according to thy Name O Lord so is thy praise faith he in another Psalm The best way is as here in the insuing verses to submit to Gods justice and to implore his mercy and to study integrity vers 3 4 5.6 Vers 3. Blessed are they that keep judgement c. That are of right principles and upright practices this is real and substantial praising of God Thankâ—-doing is the proof of Thanks-giving and the good life of the thankful is the life of thankfulness Those that say God a thank only and no more are not only contumelious but injurious And be that doth righteousness So preaching forth the vertues or praises of God who hath called him into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Jun. and composing his whole course velut spectatum aliquod simulachâ—um documentum laudiâ— ejus constans atque perpetuum Vers 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour c. The Psalmist would have favour and special favour mercies and sure mercies proper to Go is peculiar and with these he would be remembred grace he would find such as might help in time of need Heb. 4.16 God remembred Noah Gen 8.3 Your heavenly Father knoweth that hee have need of these things Mat. 6. Though our Ark be driven in a tempestuous sea yet it shall neither sink nor split while we sail in the thoughts of God O visit me with thy salvation A gracious spirit will not be satisfied with low things common mercies Vers 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen Vt videam in bonum that I may see it and partake of it have
whom an Ancient therefore called Idolian Which were a snare unto them Or a tuine as some render it they were first drawn in and then undone by them Vers 37. Yea they sacrificed their sons c. The Devils are here called Shedim Destroyers in opposition to 〈◊〉 the Almighty and worthily for they make it their work to waste and spoyl people of their dearest children as here of their precious fools with the blood where of they do daily glut themselves Vers 38. And shed innocent blood c. This was futor 〈◊〉 but what may not the Devil do with is drudges when Gods word cannot obtain the smallest things of 〈◊〉 Whom they sacrificed unto the Idols of Canaan Prompted thereunto by that old man-slayer This was practised by Manissâ—◠〈◊〉 and others not a sew Jer. 7.19 Ezek. 16. Haec 〈◊〉 frequent 〈…〉 And the land was polluted with blood 〈…〉 See Ezra 9.11 As an hypocrite is a fair 〈…〉 Vers 39. Thus they were 〈◊〉 Great sins do greatly pollute neither are men by any thing more disadvantaged than by doating upon their own deviâ—â—s And went a whoring They followed it earnestly and with delight Vers 40. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindâ—ed Sin doth as naturally draw and suck judgements to it as the Loadstoâ— doth iron or Turpentine fire Insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance This was the greatest of all miseries and a peece of hell Vers 41. And hee gave them into the hand of the beaten That they might suffer by them with whom they had sinned and with whom by compliance they hoped to have ingratiated Vers 42. And they were brought into subjection Heb. They were bowed down or humbled who would not humble themselves under the mighty hand of God that he might exalt them Vers 43. Many times did be deliver them And as many times told them Servati est is ut mibi servatis I have therefore saved you that ye might serve me the better V Sed surdo fabulam but they would not hearken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theogn Vers 44. Nevertheless be regarded their affliction See for proof hereof the whole book of Judges and take notice of Gods Philanthropie who heareth mens afflictions as he did Hegars Gen. 16.11 and is oft found of them that seek him not Isa 65 1. See 2 King 14.26 27. When he heard their cry Heb. Their shril out-cry not for joy as the word is mostly takâ—â— but for grief Vers 45. And he remembred for them his Covenant Which could not bee vacated or abolished by the wickedness of men but stood firm and inviolable in as much as God is faithful and merciful And repented That is changed his severity into clemency Gods repentance is not a change of his will but of his work Mutatio rei non Dei. Vers 46. And he made them also to be pitied God can soon turn the hearts of Tyrants and make them of Lions Lambs c. Vers 47. Save us O Lord our God This is the main request of the Psalm and the chief thing intended for for this cause prefaced the Prophet as verse 1.2 c. and reckoned up the peoples sins and Gods deliverances that he might bring in this Save us as thou ever hast done To give thanks unto thy holy Name Good ends propounded in prayer is a special means of speeding Hypocrites do all in themselves so do not the Saints Hos 14.8 and all for themselves as Zach. 7.5 Hos 10.1 which is not the Saints practice Cant. 5.1 they have good aims in their good actions Vers 38. Blessed be the Lord viz. For our return out of captivity which we foresee beleeve and give thanks for aforehand Praise ye the Lord Thus they speak one to another by way of excitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Justin Martyr rendreth it PSAL. CVII VErs 1. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good He is good and doth good Psal 119.68 not to his Israel only as is set forth in the two foregoing Psalms but to all mankind which is Divini ingenii cura as One saith whatever Atheists and Epicures say to the contrary denying a divine providence witness that profane Distitch of theirs Nempe nibil positum est sers incerta vagutar Fortque refertque vices habent mortalia casunt For his mercy endureth for ever Notwithstanding mens many and mighty provocations Vers 2. Let the Redeemed of the Lord Four sorts of whom are afterwards inffanced 1 Exiles 2 Prisoners 3 Sick persons 4 Sea-men These and the like must praise him in to special manner for their deliverance From the hand of the emmy Or of distress Vers 3. And gathered them cut of the lands He beginneth with wayfaring men and exiles because according to Tyrâ—aens Non exul cure dicitur esse Deo And from the South Heb. From the Sea that is as the Chaldee expoundeth it from the Southern Sea called the Red Sea Vers 4. They wandred in the wilderness c. This is a sad case Mendicum paâ—ria amissa laribusque vagari 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet this is the case of all Gods Redeemed ones whiles they are here Heb. 11. I Pet. 2.12 Per varies casus per tot discrimina rerum Tendimus in patriam veram vitamque perennem Vers 5. Hungry and thirsty c. The Lords exiles meet many times with the like exigents in the wilderness of this wicked world but let them be content and say We are well for the present and it will be better with us hereafter Exul erat Christus comites nes exulis bujus Esse decet cujut nos quoque membra sumus Meloncthon Vers 6. Then they cryed unto the Lord Though under a wrong name it may be as of Jupiter Mercury c. and in an uncertain way as Heâ—â—ba did with her O Jupiter quicquid es sine coelum boc sine mens que vebitur in coele c. And as those Mariners in Jonah 1.5 who cryed Every man to his god and left they might all mistake the true God they awaken Jonah to call upon his God And be delivered them out of their distresses Out of his general goodness and compassion to the poor creature Like as he heareth the young Ravens that cry unto him no otherwise than by implication only and out of meet necessity God is the Saviour of all men but especially of these that beleeve Vers 7. And he led them forth by the right way Better than that Dee Vibilia among the Romans of whom they fancied that she set them right when out of the way at any time or Minerva among the Athenians who they said turned all their evil counsels to the best unto them That they might go to a City of habitation Grow to a state of settlement to Jerusalem saith the Chaldee to that City which hath a foundation may we say whose Maker and Founder is God Heb. 11.10 Vers 8. O that men would praise the Lord
c. Heb. That they would confess it to the Lord both in secret and in society This is all the rent that God requireth he is content that we have the comfort of his blessings so he may have the honour of them This was all the fee Christ looked for for his cures Go and tell what God hath done for thee Words seem to be a poor and slight recompence but Christ saith Nazianzen calleth himself the Word Vers 9. For he satisfieth the longing soul c. This is a recaâ—iâ—ulation of the first part vers 5 6 7. and setteth forth the reason why the Redeemed should praise God out of the sweet experience they have had of his wonderful providence and goodness toward them And filleth the hungry soul with good things This flower the blessed Virgin picketh out of Davids garden among many others out of other parts of holy Scripture wherein it appeateth she was singularly well versed and puts it into her Posie Luke 1.53 Vers 10. Such as sit in darkness c. Here come in the second fort of Gods redeemed or rescued Ones viz. captives and prisoners whose dark and doleful condition is in this verse described And in the shadow of death In dark caves and horrid prisons where there is Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago Such was Josephs first prison Jeremies miry dungeon Lollards Tower the Bishop of Londons Cole-house c. Being bound in affliction and irâ—â— Or in poverty and ivâ—n as Manasseb was Many are the miseries that poor prisoners undergo Good 〈◊〉 had the experience of it and Zegedians and the Mattyâ—â— and divers of Gods dear servants in the late waâ—â— hâ—tâ— A certain-pious Prince discoursing of the dangers that were to bâ—e then expected for the profession of Religion said Nibisse magâ—s metuere quâ—m diururnos carceres that he feared nothing so much as perpetual imprisonment Vers 11. Because they rebelled against the words of God Sin is at the bottome of all mens miseries as the procreant cause thereof For God afflicteth not willingly nor grieveth the children of men Lam. 3.35 but they rebel against his words written in the Scriptures or at least in their hearts and so he is concerned in point of honour to subdue them And contemned the counsel A foul fault See Luke 7.30 Verse 12. Therefore he brought down their heart That proud peece of flesh Quod erat elatum verba Dei contempsit saith Kimchi which had stouted it out with God and thought to have carried it away with a strong hand as Manosseh that sturdy Rebel till God had hampered him and laid him in cold irons Vers 13. Then they cryed unto the Lord See vers 6. And be saved them c. This is comfort to the greatest finners if they can but find a praying heart God will find a pitying heart and rebels shall be received with all sweetness if at length they return though brought in by the cross Vers 14. He brought them out of darkness He sent his Mandamus as Psal 44.4 and that did the deed as Act. 5.19 and 12.7 Vers 15. Oh that men c. See vers 8. Vers 16. For he hath broken the gates of brass If Sampson could do so how much more the Almighty whom nothing can withstand Nature may be stopped in her course as when the fire burnt not Men may not be able to do as they would Angels good or bad may be hindred because in them there is an essence and an executive power between which God can step at his pleasure and interpose his Veto But who or what shall hinder the most High Vers 17. Foâ—ls because of their transgression Propter viam defectionis suae by means of their defection their departing away from the living God through an evil heart of unbeleef Heb. 3.12 And because of their iniquities The flood-gates whereof are set open as it were by that their defection from God For now what should hinder Are afflicted Heb. Do afflict themselves procure their own ruthe if not ruine and so prove sinners against their own souls as those Num 16. Vers 18. Their soul abborreth That is theirâ—st mach loatheth it as unsavoury though it be never so dainty An appetite to our meat is an unconceivable mercy and as we say A sign of health And they draw neer to the gates of death Jam ipsum mortis limen pulsant as till then little sense of sin or fear of the wrath to come See Job 33.19 20 21 22 23. with the Notes Vers 19. Then they cry c. Quando medicus medicine non prosunt saith Kimchi when Physicians have done their utmost See vers 6. Vers 20. He sent his word and bealed them He commanded deliverance and it was done unless there be an allusion to the essential Word who was afterwards to take flesh and to heal the diseased And delivered them from their destructions Heb. From their corrupting-pits or graves which do now even gape for them And he calleth them theirs quia per peccatum faderunt eas saith Kimchi because by their sin themselves have digged them Vers 21. Oh that men c. See vers 8. And for his wonderful works Men are misericordiis miraculis obsesse and it were no hard matter to find a miracle in most of our mercies Vers 22. And let them sacrifice c. If they have escaped sickness let them offer a Passeover and if they have recovered a Thank-offering Heathens in this case praised their Esculapius Papists their Sebastian Valentine Apollonia c. Earâ— of wax they offer to the Saint who as they suppose cureth the ears eyes of wax to the Saint that cureth the eyes c. But it is Jehovah only who healeth us And declare his Works c. Memorize and magnifie them Vers 23. They that go down is the Sea in ships Here we have a fourth specimen or instance of Gods gracious and wise dispensations towards men in their trading or traffiquing by Sea These are said to go down to Sea because the banks are above it but the water is naturally higher then the land and therefore Saylers observe that their ships flye faster to the shore than from it But what a bold man saith the Poet was he that fiâ—st put forth to Sea Illi robur et triplex Circa pectus erat qui fragilem truci Commisit pelage ralem Primus Hec timuit praetipitem Africum c. Harat. Od lib. â— 3 That do business in great waters Merchants and Matriners who fish and find Almug or Coral saith Kimcht who do export and import commodities of all sorts Vers 24. These see the works of the Lord c. In Sea-monsters as Whales and Whirlepools and sudden change of weather and the like not a few Ebbs and Flows Pearls Islands c. These are just wonders and may fully convince the veriest Atheist that is Vers 25. For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind c. Of this Seneca
to provoke him to wrath A heavy curse indeed Vers 16. Because that he remembred not to show mercy Here the Prophet beginneth to shew why he useth such doleful imprecations against his enemies viz. not out of a spirit of revenge or a false zeal but as truly seeking Gods glory and his Churches safety which could not other wise be procured unless these merciless men were devoted to destruction He remembred not that is de industria oblitus est omisit he forgot and neglected it for the nonce Vers 17. At he loved cursing c. The back-slider in heart shall he filled with his own Wayes Prov. 14.14 Cursing men are cursed men as were easie to instance in sundry as Hacket hanged in Q. Elizabeths Reign and Sir Jervase Ellowaies Lieutenant of the Tower in K. James his dayes according to their own wishes See Mr. Clarks Mirror p. 210 c. The Jews are still great cursers of Christians they shut up their daily prayers with Maledic Domine Nazaraek and how it cometh home to them who knoweth not even wrath to the utmost I Thess 2.16 Vers 18. As he cloathed himself with cursing as with his garment Ut vestis commensâ—rata corpori as the inner garment that sticks closest to the body and is not done off but with much ado as he hath wrapped and trussed up himself in cursing So let in come into his bowels like water Let him have his belly full of it and his bones full too And like ey Which easily soaketh through See Nam 5.22 Vers 19. Let it be unto him as a garment Not as an inner but outer garment also Actio merces that men may see and say This it an accursed person the visible vengeance of God pursueth him Vers 20. Let this be the reward Opus vel Oper a precium The same Hebrew word signifieth Work and Wages Job 7.2 Isa 49.4 persecutors shall be sure of their payment Vers 21. But do thou for me Fas mecum sis mibi à latere stick to me act on my behalf and for my behoof Vers 22. For I am poor and needy As a Lazar sheweth his ulcers to move pity so doth David his indigency and aylements And my heart is wounden I have mine inward troubles also or I am cordicisus vulneratus almost dead animam age Vers 23. I am gone like the shadow Abii perii evenui I vanish as the long shadows do so soon as the Sun setteth As the Locust Leapeth from hedge to hedge so do I from place to place being tossed from post to pillar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Cor. 4. Vers 24. My knees are weak through fasting Either for lack of meat or stomach to it genua laâ—am my knees buckle under me the strong men bow themselves Eccles 12.3 My flesh faileth of fatness I am lean and low brought Christ might well cry out My â—â—aâ—â—ess my leanness so busie he was for his Father and so worn out that they judged him well nigh fifty when he was not much above thirty Job 8.57 Vers 25. I become also a reproach In respect of my leanness They shaked their beads This is threatned as a curse Deut. 28. but may befall the best as it did our Saviour Psal 22. Mat. 27. Vers 26. Help me O Lord Prayer like those arrows of deliverance must be multiplied as out trouble is lengthned and lyeth on Vers 27. That they may know That I am delivered meerly by thy presence and power It is the ingenuity of the Saints in all their desired or expected mercies to study Gods ends more than their own Vers 28. Let them curse but bless thou Yea the rather as a Sam. 16.12 and I wot well that those whom thou blessest shall be blessed as Isaac once said of his son Jacob Gen. 27.33 When they arise To plead their own cause cousa extidant Vers 29. As with a mantle Sicut diploide saith the Vulgar as with a doublet q.d. Let them be double ashamed for which purpose also he here doubleth his prayer Vers 30. I will greatly praise the Lord Diligenter impense Gods blessings are binders and great deliverances call for suitable praises the neglect hereof is crimen stellionatus cousenage Vers 31. For he shall stand at the right hand As a saithful and powerful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Champion and not as Satan standeth at the persecutors right hand vers 6. From those that condemn him Heb. From the judges of his soul sc Saul and his Courtiers who judged him worthy of death PSAL. CX A Psalm of David Concerning Christ saith R. Obadiah and so say Christ himself Mat. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost and his Apostles I Cor. 15. Heb. 7. 10. though some Rabbines maliciously say otherwise as R. Joseph caâ—us qui bic caeâ—liâ— to say the best of him and other Jew Doctors who stagger here in their expositions as drunkards Vers 1. The Lord said unto my Lord In this one verse we have a description of Christs person his ware and his victory so that we may say of it and so indeed of the whole Psalm which is an Epitome of the Gospel as Tully did of Bruâ—as his Laconical Epistle Quà m multa quà m pancis How much in a little See the Note on Mat. 22.44 Sit thou at my right hand Sit thou with me in my Thronâ— having power over all things in heaven and earth Matth. 28. Christ as man received what as God hee had before Vntil I make thine enemies thy footseel Foes Christ hath ever had and shall have to the worlds end but then they shall be all in a place fittest for them viz. under Christs feet even those who now seâ— up their Crests face the heavens and say unto the King Aposâ—â—â—t◠〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 with him Vers 2. The Lord shall send the Roâ—of thy strength That is the Gospel that Scepter of Christs Kingdome that power of God to salvation unto as many as beleeve mighty through God to work 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.5 Act. 20.31 even the preaching of Christs cross Out of Sin For salvation in of the 〈◊〉 Job 4. 〈◊〉 lem till c. Act. 1. Rule thou it the midst of thinâ— enemies Among Jews Pagans Turks Papagaâ—s those that will not bend let them break those that will not stoop to thy Government let them feel thy power Psal 45.5 Vers 3. Thy people shall be willing All Christs subjects are Volunteers free-hearted In Psal 1. like those Isles that wait for Gods Law Isa 42.8 Zech. 8.11 They love to be his servants Isa 56.6 Lex voluntaries quaerit saith Ambrose In the day of thy power Copiarum tuarum of thine Army or of thy Militia when thou shalt lead on thy Church Militant and be in the head of them conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Some understand it of the Christian Sabbath day In the beauties of holiness i.e. In Church assemblies in the beauty of holy Ordinances at the
administration whereof Christs Birth-dew that is the influence of his Spitis and his presence in those Ordinances is from the womb of the morning i.e. is of that generating and enlivening vertue that the dew of the teeming morning is to the seeds and plants of the earth An apt similitude both to express the multitude of Christâ— converts and the manner of their heavenly generation See Mac. 5.7 with the Note Vers 4. The Lord hath sworn c. Christs Priestly Office as well as his Kingly is here described whereof how many and how great mysteries there are see Heb. 7. with the Notes The Church is collected and conserved not onely by Christs Kingly power but also by his Priestly mediation Thou art a Priest 1. To expiate 2. To intercede After the order of Melchisedeck Who whether he were Shem or some other is not easie to determine Melchisedeck was a King and a Priest Christ was more a Priest a Prophet and a King These Offices have met double in some others as Melchisedech was King and Priest Samuel a Priest and a Prophet David a King and a Prophet but never met all three in any but in Christ alone Vers 5. The Lord at thy right hand Before Christ was at the Fathers right hand here the Father at his this is to shew the equality of the Father and the Son falsh Hierom. Athanasius by Lord here understandeth the Holy Ghost Others by thy right hand will have the Church to be meant who is promised protection and victory The Lord Christ shall slay her enemies in battel vers 5. compel them to flye and turn their backs vers 6. pursue them flying vers 7. as Judg. 7.5 c. Vers 6. He shall judge among the heathen Do execution upon his enemies as vers 1. whether Kings or Caitives He shall fill the places The ditches of their own camps He shall wound the heads Heb. Head cruontabit caput whereby some understand the Roman Empire with its Image Antichrist with his adherents who are called Heathens Rev. 11.2 Others Turks and Saracens reading the next words Over the land of Rabbab the chief City of the Ammonites who were likewise Arabians and so they make it an allusion to Davids victories over the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10. 12. Vers 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way i. e. Of the wrath of the Almighty Viver paupâ—rem vitem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—st Aeâ—umnas omnes dutisâ— mae militiae perferet Beâ— pointing to Christs state of humiliation as in the next words to his exaltation Or he shall content himself with a low condition here such as was that of Eliâ—â— when he drank of the brook I King 17. Or in the eager pursuit of his enemies he shall drink hastily of the water next at hand i.e. as Gideon and his Souldiers did Therefore shall be lift up the hand Maugre the heads of his enemies he shall rise again reign and triumph and so shall all his members after that through many â—â—ibulations they have entred into the Kingdom of heaven Christs and their 〈◊〉 but a drinking of the brook not a spring of water for perpetuity they are 〈◊〉 a dark entry into out Fathers house a dirty lane to a stately Pallace shut but your eyes as that Martyr at the stake said and there will be a change immediately Look how the Disciples after they had taken Christ into the ship were presently at shore after a Tempest So the Saints have no sooner taken death into their besomes but they are landed presently at the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 at the Kingdome of heaven PSAL. CXI Vers 1. 〈◊〉 ye the Lord At the 〈◊〉 especially for this and the other Hallelujatical Psalms that follow called by the Jews the Great Hallelujah were sung as that and other solemn 〈◊〉 in praise of God for his manifold mercies I will praise the Lord Musica hujuâ— Psalmi insignis est siquis com consequi potuit The great are used in the composure of this and some other Psalms after the order of the Hebrew Alphabet serveth both to set forth their excellency and for the help of memory Vers 2. The works the Lord aye great Magnalia no small things are done by so great a hand Grandior solet esse Deus in parvulis quam in magnis in formic is major anima quam in Elephantis in nanis quam in gigantibus Sought out of all them q.d. Great though they be yet are they seriously sought into and found out by those that delight therein and the deeper they dive into them the sweeter they find them Basil diligently described many creatures and so did Ambrose after him Pliny who was himself a very great searcher in Natures secrets telleth of one who spent eight and fifty years in learning out the nature of the Bee Et non duns assecutus sit omnies and yet could not attain to all Our Anatomists find still new wonders in the body of a man c. God hath shewed singular skill in his works that men might admire him But woe to such as regard not his handy-work Isa 5.12 Vers 3. His work is honourable Heb. Honour and glory they all come tipt and gilt with a glory upon them à centro ad coelum This the bruitish man knoweth not Psal 92.6 His righteousness endureth for ever His judgements are sometimes secret but alwayes just Vers 4. He hath made his wonderful c. Memorabilia reddedit mirabilia sua clemens misericors Jehova Vers 5. He bath given meat Heb. a prey Escam demensam as he did Manna to the Israelites to each an Homer so to all his he giveth food convenient for them Prov. 30.8 Cibum petum quae sunt divitiae Christianorum Hieron He will ever be mindful of his Covenant To pass by his peoples sins and to supply all their necessities All his pathes to such are not mercy onely but truth Psal 25. Vers 6. He hath shewed his people c. To them it is given to see but not to others who are delivered up to a judiciary blindness Call unto me and I will answer theâ— and shew thee great and hidden things which thou knowest not Jer. 33.3 That he may give them c. Yea power over all Nationâ— Rev. 2. Vers 7. The works of his hands They speak him a true and just God Chrysostome taketh truth here for mercy and noteth that God usually mixeth mercy with justice yet sometimes he sendeth an evil an onely evil Ez. k. 7. All his commandements That is his promises added to his commandements or they are so called because firm and sure as the commandements of an Emperor Vers 8. They stand fast for ever and ever The promises are infallible good sure hold not yea and nay but Yea and Amen And are done i.e. Ordained made and ratified Vers 9. He sent redemption to his people Once out of Egypt ever out of Satans thraldome He hath commanded his Covenant for ever Sic cum
meeting with many molestations satanical and secular and left sometimes to themselves by God as was good Hezekiah for their tryal and exercise The Sea is not so calm in summer but hath its commotions the mountain so firm but may bee moved with an Earth-quake Doggs in a chafe bark sometimes at their own masters So do men in their passions let fly at their best friends When the taste is vitiated it mistastes When there is a suffusion in the eye as in case of the jawndise it apprehends colours like it self So here Abraham felt the motion of trepidation meek Moses was over-angry at Meribah so was Job Jonas Jeremy c. Ira comes of Ire say Grammarians because an angry man goes out of himself off from his reason and when pacified hee is said redire ad se to return to himself All men are Lyars Prophets and all Samuel hath deluded mee I doubt in promising mee the Kingdome which I shall never come to see 1 Sam. 27.1 Some make the meaning to bee thus what can I hope for seeing every man betrayeth mee and that I can trust no body The truth is that every man is a lyar either by imposture and so in purpose or by impotency and so in the event deceiving those that rely on him Psal 62.9 Vers 12. What shall I render unto the Lord This hee speaketh as one in an extasy Amor Dei est ecstaticus or in a deep demurre what to do best for so good a God Such self-deliberations are very usefull and acceptable and thereunto are requisite 1 Recognition of Gods favours 2 Estimation 3 Retribution as here Vers 13. I will take the cup of salvation Caliceâ— salutâ—â— vel omnis salutis Vatab. Trem. as in the drink-offerings or as at the feast after the peace-offerings see 1 Chron. 16.3 wherein the feast-maker was wont to take a festival great cup and in lifting it up to declare the occasion of that feast and then in testimony of thankfulness to drink thereof to the guests that they in order might pledge him This was called a cup of salvation or a health-cup but not in the Drunkards sense Vatab To this the Apostle seemeth to allude 1 Cor. 10.17 when hee calleth the sacramentall cup the cup of blessing Heirom rendreth it calicum Jesu accipium And call upon the name of the Lord Pray unto him and so praise him Or I will proclaim and preach his praises as 1 Pet. 2. â— Vers 14. I will pay my vows This word pay importeth that vows lawfully made are due debt and debt till paid is a disquieting thing to an honest mind Rom. 13.8 The Saints in distresse especially used to make their Prayers with vows Hence prayer is in Greek called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a service with vows Mr. Philpot Martyr â—cts Men. first comming into Smithfield to suffer kneeled down and said I will pay my vows in thee O Smithfield Vers 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord Rara chara God doth not often suffer his Saints to bee slain Psal 37.32 33. Or if hee do hee will make inquisition for every drop of that precious blood Psal 9.12 See Psal 72.14 with the Note This David delivereth here as a truth that hee had experimented Vers 16. O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Euge O Jehovah c. by a real and an heavenly complement thus hee insinuateth and therefore promiseth praise to God vers 17. and safety to himself according to that Psal 119.94 I am thine save me And the Son of thine handmaid That is of Ruth say the Rabbines or rather of his immediate mother Quia religiosiâ—r patre Geneâ—r a good woman and haply better than his Father as Monoahs wife had a stronger faith than himself and Priscilla is named before her husband Aquila And the Son of they handmaid Not born abroad and bought or brought into thy family but tuus quasi vernaculus et a ventre ad serviendum dispositus born and bred up to thy service of a child little Thou hast loosed my bonds Of affliction of corruption and made me Christs freeman brought me into the glorious liberty of thine own Children Vers 17. I will offer to thee c. I will perform to thee not ceremonial service only but Moral and spiritual such as thou shall accept through Christ Col. 3.17 And wil call c. see vers 13. Vers 18. I will pay See vers 14. Now Vows were to bee paid without either diminution or delays Deut. 23.21 23. And herein Jacob who is by the Hebrews called Votorum Pater the Father of vows was too short for it was long ere hee went up to Bethel In the presence of all his people For good example sake This also was Prince-like Ezek. 46.10 the Kings seat in the Sanctuary was open that all might see him there 2 King 11.14 and 23.3 Vers 19. In the Courts of the Lords house In coetu sacro in the great Congregation Psal 22.25 and 66.13 where there is a more powerful lively and effectual working of the Spirit Psal 89.7 Heb. 4.1 1 Cor. 14.24 PSAL. CXVII VErs 1. O praise the Lord all yee Nations viz. For Christ that gift Joh. 4 10. that benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 that desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 that good tidings of great joy to all people Luk. 2.10 who are by him received into the glory of God Kimchi Rom. 15.7 11. where the Apostle thus applyeth this Scripture and the Jew-Doctors confesse that this short and sweet Psalm is to bee understood de beneficiis Messiae of Christ and his benefits Praise him all yee people Laudationibus commendate eum so Tremel rendreth it praise him with a force and as it were with a violence with all your might ye cannot possibly over-do Vers 2. For his merciful kindnesse is great Invaluit hath prevailed over us breaking through all obstacles and impediments whether within us or without us eating its way through all rocks and remoraes and though wee would put it back yet it will overcome us his grace is irresistible neither can it ever bee taken away And the truth of the Lord As his mercy alone moved him to make promise so his Truth bindeth him to perform the same See 2 Sam. 7.18 21. The word of promise bindeth God and therefore it may seem to bee stronger than God If his merciful kindnesse prevail over us as vers 1. his truth prevaileth over him The Jew doctors observe that the word Emeth here used for truth consisteth of Aleph the first letter of the Alphabet Midrach â—illine Mâ—â— the middlemost letter thereof and Tan the last to shew that as God is Alpha and Omega so the truth of God is the All in all of our comfort Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ this is the sum of all the good news in the World PSAL. CXVIII VErs 1. O give thanks c. See Psal 106.1 Vers 2. Let Israel now say All
the Israel of God for only such are fit to praise God excellent words become not a fool the Lepers lips are to bee covered Vers 3. Let the house of Aaron now say Ministers are Chieftains Heb. 13.7 17. and should be as the chief Chanters in Gods praises Vers 4. Let them now that fear the Lord say See Psal 115.11 and observe that the Psalmist beateth upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as doth also the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. â— Now now now saith he because for ought we know t is now or never to day or not at all the dead praise thee not Psal 6.6 That his mercy c. This is the fourth time in four verses as Psal 136. in every one of those twenty six verses like as a Bird that having gotten a Note recordeth it over and over Vers 5 I called upon the Lord in distress Heb. out of distress q. d. I celebrate not God mercy of course but out of experience The Lord answered me Heb. Jah answered me with a large râ—â—â—â—th See Psa 4.2 Vers 6. I will not fear c. See Psal 36.4 11. Vers 7. The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Not only as one of my helpers but instead of all and more than all How many reckon yee me at said that General to his Souldiers who were afraid of their enemies numbers Cui adhaereo praest He whom I take part with must needs prevail Vers 8. It is better to trust in the Lord c. Luther on this text calleth it Artem artium mirificam ac suam artem non fidere hominibus that is the Art of Arts and that which he had well studied not to put confidence in man as for trust in God he calleth it Sacrificium omnium gratissimum suavissimum cultum omnium pulcherrimum the most pleasant and sweetest of all Sacrifices the best of all services we perform to God Than to put confidence in man Quia mutatur aut fortuna aut voluntas aut vita saith Genebrard because either men may dye or their affections may dye or their wealth decay Vers 9. Than to put confidence in Princes In ingenuis Great mens words saith one are like dead mens shooes he may go bare-foot that waiteth for them Surely men of high degree are a lye Psal 62.9 Vers 10. All Nations compassed me about This is still the condition of Christs Church in this evil world to be hated of all and set against with utmost might and malice Haud perinde crimine incendii quam odio humani generis convicti sunt saith Tacitus of those Christians at Rome put to cruel deaths by Nero who having for his pleasure fired the City fathered it upon them as people hated of all men But in the name of the Lord i.e. by faith in Gods power and promises Wee might also do great exploits against our Spiritual enemies did we but set upon them with Gods arms and with his armour did we but observe the Apostles rule Whatsoever yee do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus c. Col. 3.17 Vers 11. They compassed me about yea c. They thought to make sure work of me indeed as Saul and his men when they hemmed him in at Mâ—on 1 Sam. 23.26 as the Churches enemies when they had gotten her as a Bird into the sâ—aâ—â— of the Fowler Psal 124.7 as when the adversaries said They shall not know neither see till we come in the middâ—st among them and stay them Neâ— 4.11 But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them Eâ—â—rvaâ—â— â—â—eidâ—â— The word signifieth Non 〈◊〉 dormiâ—uti â—â—â—iâ—gâ—râ— victâ—riâ—â— sed â—â—rtami prâ—lâ—aâ—â—i Moller Plat. in Syl. that hee foiled not his foes without pains and peril Towns were said to come into Thâ—â—thâ—us his toyls whiles he slept but that was but a fiction of those that 〈◊〉 him Vers 12. They â—â—â—possed me about like Bees Like so many swarms of Bees which being angred Venâ—â—â—m Morsibus inspirant spicula caca relinqnunt Affixa venis animasque in 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—â—t Virgil. Bees to be revenged lose their stings Aristâ—t and therewith their lives or at least they become drones ever after Wicked men are no less spiteful they care not to undoe themselves so they may wrong the Saints yea they are not unlike the Scorpion of which Pliny saith that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting They are quenched or kindled aâ— the fire of thorns Which is quickly kindled and as quickly quenched Ex spinis non â—â—un exbones 〈◊〉 leaving no coals behind it See Eccles 7.6 The enemies of the Church may make a blaze but they are but a blast Vers 13. Thou hast thrust sore at me Thou O Saul or thou Ishbibenob 2 Sam. 21.16 or thou O Satan setting such a work But the Lord helped mee Hee sent from heaven and saved mee hee came in the nick of time as it were out of an Engine Vers 14. The Lord is my strength and song i.e. The matter of my song and mean of my joy Trust in God shall once triumph Vers 15. The voice of rejoycing c. q.d. Though themselves are but travellers and their habitations tabernacles or tents yet are they not without the joy of their salvation which is unspeakable and full of glory so that they go merrily on their way feeding on this hony-comb as once Sampson and Gods Statutes are their songs in the house of their Pilgrimage Psal 119.54 The right hand of the Lord c. This and that which followeth is the righteous mans ditty which hee singeth uncessantly See on vers 4. Vers Haec est vox Epiniâ—il 16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted By right hand here some understand the humanity of Christ Gods hand and our handle whereby wee come to take hold of God The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly Thrice hee celebrateth Gods right hand to set forth his earnest desire to say the utmost or in reference to the sacred Trinity as some will have it Vers 17 I shall not dye but live This hee was well assured of by Faith as was also the Church in Habbakkuk chap. 1.12 Art not thou from everlasting O Lord my God mine boly One wee shall not dye Learned Keckerman lying on his death bed and desirous if it had so pleased God to have lived a while longer for the finishing of those excellent peeces hee had in hand made use of these words of the Psalmist I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord hee was then upon his system of naturall Philosophy but God had otherwise appointed it and hee submitted Vers 18. The Lord hath chastened mee sore Corripuit me seria severa castigatione and yet David was his darling But hee hath not given mee ever to death It might have been worse may the afflicted Saint say and it will yet bee better
the precious from the vile and make men the same within as without Vers 120 My flesh trembleth Horripilatur Job 4.15 In the Saints is a mixture of contrary passions fear and great joy as was in those holy women Mat. 28.8 and the one makes way for the other Vers 121 I have done Judgement and Justice I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Act. 23.1 my cause is right and my carriage righteous But Innocency is no target against detraction and deadly practice therefore Leave mee not to mine oppressours Or traducers for they will soon exceed their commission Zach. 1.15 Vers 122 Bee surety for thy servant for good Obi vadimonium appear for mee and non-suit all accusations against mee Or undertake for mee that I shall keep thy lawes as I have said and sworne to do Sis fide jussor meus Some observe that this is the only verse throughout the whole Psalm wherein the word is not mentioned under the name of Law Judgements Statutes or the like tearms And they make this Note upon it where the Law faileth there Christ is a surety of a better Testament There are that render the words thus Dulcify or delight thy servant in good Oblects servum tuâ—m â—uscul that is make him joyfull and comfortable in the pursuit and practice of that which is good Vers 123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation Not my bodily eyes only but the eyes of my faith See vers 81.82 And for the word of thy Righteousness That is for thy faithfull promises which many times bear a long date Vers 124. Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy i.e. Shew mee so much mercy as to teach mee thy Statutes Cathedram in caelis habet qui corda dâ—cet Divine learning is of Gods free favour If common skill then this much more commeth forth from the Lord of Hâ—asts who is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28.19 Vers 125 I am thy servant give mee understanding I have voluntarily hired my self unto thee chosen the things that please thee and take hold of the Covenant loving to bee thy servant Isa 56.4 6. Now this is all the wages I crave of thee Give mee understanding c. This David speaketh saith one in a reall and heavenly complement with his Maker That I may know thy Testimonies Work done in the dark must bee undone again David therefore would fully know his Masters mind that he might acceptably do it Vers 126 It is time for thee Lord to work For else what will become of thy great name and of thy poor people This the Psalmist speaketh not as prescribing God a time but as in minding him of his own glory and of his peoples necessity For they have made void thy Law They would if they could as out Antinomians dogmaticall and practicall our aweless lawless Belialists untameable untractable Vers 127 Therefore I love thy Commandements I like them the better because they sleight them and prize that way the more that they persecute I kindle my self from their coldness and whilst they greedily grasp after gold and fine gold I lay hold upon eternall life 1 Tim. 6.10 11 12. Vers 128 Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to â—ee right Therefore from the same ground again as before by an holy Antipâ—ristasis I esteem c Rectiâ—icavi I have declared them to bee right in every part and point against those that wrangle and wrâ—st them to a wrong sense I esteem every parcell of Truth precious and arm an utter enemy to every Hetoâ—odoxie The many All 's in this verse used not unlike that in 〈◊〉 chap. â—4 30 sheweth the integrity and â—â—â—â—ersality of his obedience All is 〈◊〉 word but of large extent I hate every false way Whether in point of opinion or practice all sinfull deviations and prevarications Hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing Rhet. lib. 2. saith Aristotle Vers 129 Thy Testimonies are wonderfull As comprehending high and hidden mysteries such as are far above the reach of humane reason such as the very Angels admire and adore A man must have more than common faith to subject his reason to them But all men are Socinians by nature they will beleeve Gods word no further than they can see reason which while men make the rule of their faith as did the wise Grecians the rationall Romans they stumble at the preaching of the Cross as foolishness and dis-beleeve the riches of Christ which are unsearchable Therefore doth my soul keep them Though I cannot comprehend them yet I am comprehended by them and though I cannoâ— do them as I would yet I am doing at them as I can I admire what I cannot attain to Vers 130 The entrance of they Words giveth light So soon as men are over the threshold of thy house sese lux quaedam inâ—uâ—rrabilis conspiciendam offert a marvellous light shineth about themâ— So little cause is there that any should accuse Gods word of darknesse and hardnesse or give way to negligence and carelesness of the Scriptures because they are wonderfull Lex Lux the Law is a Light Prov. 6.23 and the Gospel a great Light Mat. 4.16 See 2 Pet. 1.19 It giveth under standing to the simple And maketh them subtle Prov. 1.4 so they bee but docible The very first rudâ—ments of religion make wise the rude so they bee not refractary Vers 131 I opened my mouth and panted Heb. And Sâ—â—ped in the air as one that laboureth for life Oh the sighs and the groans that I uncessantly breathed forth As one that â—unneth himself out of breath Sitio propter lâ—gem sicut dâ—acones proptet pluviam Job 29. out of zeal to thy law Oh the strong affections kindled on the harth of my heart for I longed for thy Commandements The Septuagint render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a most vehement desire impatient of delays Vers 132 Look thou upon mee c. Face about towards mee and give mee a glimpse at least of thy grace for full fruition I expect not in this present life Brevis hora parva mora As thou usest to do unto those c. Common mercies satisfie not a Saint hee must have peculiar favours spirituall blessings in heavenly things even the sure mercies of David Hee pleads for a childs part Vers 133 Order my steps in thy word Let mee walk as in a â—â—ame walk by rule exactly accurately Ephes 5.15 Here hee prayeth that hee may keep the affirmative Precepts saith Aben. Ezra as in the next words the negative And let not any iniquity have dominion over mee Let it not reigne though it doth rebell let it bee like those beasts in Daniel whose dominion was taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time chap. 7.12 Vers 134 Deliver mee from the oppression of man Homo hominâ— lupus David besides his corruptions within met with oppressions and persecutions
body is sick my soul is well Vers 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going one c. Thou shalt have his safe 〈◊〉 publick faith for thy defence in 〈◊〉 enterprizes 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 together with good success in all thine affairs and actions Prov. 3.6 PSAL. CXXII VErs 1 I was glad when they 〈…〉 The flourish is the chief joy of the good Christian Hence the Evangelicall among the Protestant party Gregory Nazianzon writeth that his Father being an Heathen and often besought by his wife to become a Christian had this verse suggested unto him in a dream and was much wrought upon thereby 〈…〉 Dutch Martyr in Luâ—â—â—ing hearing the sentence of his condemnation to the fire Act. Mon. fol. 807. 〈◊〉 Psalm c. Let us go into the house of the Lord I will go also as Zech. 8.21 said holy David who was much a cheered at his peoples forwardnesse in Gods service and became their Captain Vers 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates Where the Ark whilâ—om transportative was now fixed this was their great joy so should it bee ours that the true religion is now setled amongst us and that wee are at a certainty Respons ad Staphyl Time was when good Melancthon groaned out Quâ—s fugiamus habemus quâ—s sequamur non intelligimus Wee know whom wee should flye viz. the Papists but whom to follow wee yet know not Vers 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City c. None such for uniformity of buildings or unanimity of Citizens There is no such â—â—â—nesse in all the World as amongst true Christians and this the very Heathens observed and commended As the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned by loops so were they by love And as they stones of they Temple were so close cemented together that they seemed to bee all but one stone so was it among the primitive Saints Vers 4. Whither the Tribes go up Thrice a year all the Males appeared before the Lord in Sion the females also as many 〈◊〉 would as 〈◊〉 the Virgin Mary c. but they were not bound At which times there was such a generall meeting as no City could shew the like a type of that great Panegyriâ— Heb. 12.22 23. Unto the Testimony of Israel The Ark was so called in regard of the Tables of the Covenant kept therein as two letters of contract betwixt God and men saith Aâ—en-Ezra Exod. 25.16 those two tables are called the Testimony Vers 5. For there are 〈…〉 These are the two chief praises of any place 1 The exercise or Gods sincere service 2 The administration and execution of publick justice Vers 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Peace is a voluminous mercy and must therefore be prayed for peace both of conscience and of Country It is well with Bees when they make a noise in the Haâ—â— but with men when they are at quiet in Church and state Among the Persianâ— her that offered Sacrifice prayed not only for himself but for all his Country men and especially for the King Herodot lib. 1 They shall 〈◊〉 that love 〈◊〉 And out of love pitty and pâ—ay for thee Vers 7. Peace bee wit◠〈…〉 had no sooner admonished others of their duty but himself 〈…〉 Vers 8. For my Brethren and companions sakes David was not all for himself as the maâ—â—â—â— is in thâ—s◠〈…〉 spirit hee did 〈…〉 Vers 〈…〉 Where Davids heart was and wherein 〈…〉 unto him was Gods 〈…〉 â—ee into likeness of 〈◊〉 heavenly 〈◊〉 〈…〉 PSAL. CXXIII VNto thee life I up mine eyes Praying by them rather than by words mine afflictions having swoln my heart too bigge for my mouth See the 〈…〉 Psal 121.1 Vers 2. Behold as the eyes of servants For direction defence maintenance mercy in time of correction help when the service is over-hard c. so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God viz. for direction and benediction Vers 3. Have mercy upon me O Lord have mercy This is preceâ— fundere calum tundere misericerdiem exterquert as Tertulliâ—n hath it to wring mercy out of Gods holy hands by out utmost importunity For we are exceedingly filled with contempt We are made the very scâ—â— and scorn of our proud imperious enemies This the nature of man is very impatient of and can hardly brook for there is none so mean but holdeth himself worthy of some regard and a reproachful scorn sheweth an utter dis-respect which issueth from the very superfluity of malice Vers 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those that are at ease And there-hence insolent and unsufferable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulness breedeth forgetfulness yea it maketh men scornful and wrongful to others PSAL. CXXIV VErs 1. If it had not been the Lord c. God may farre better say than our Hen. 8 Cui adhareâ— praest He whose part I take is sure to prevail But Christ hath ever been the Churches Champion and hence she is insuperable The Captain of the Lords Hâ—asts is Captain of our salvation Josh 5.14 Heb. 2.10 Vers 2. When men rose Monsters rather but such as think themselves the only men alive and us the only slaves and Zanies Vers 3. Then had they swallowed in up quick As the great Fish do the little ones as hungry Lions Gualth praef in Marc. R. Obad. Gaon in Psal 124. or Wolves raven up their prey Ptâ—lâ—mam Lathurus King of Aegypt slew thirty thousand Jews and compelled the living to seed upon the dead Adrian the Emperour made a Decree that hee who had not slain a Jew should himself be slain When their wrath was kindled against us Heb. in the flagrancies or 〈◊〉 of their anger Vers 4. Then the waters 〈…〉 us At once the red Sea did the Aegyptians or as the general deluge did the old world The stream 〈…〉 Neither could we have withstood it by any Art or industry Vers 5. Then the proud waters c. The same again to note the greatness both of the danger and of the deliverance And it may teach us not lightly to pass over Gods great blessings but to make the most of them Vers 6. Blessed be the Lord c. 〈…〉 thanks be to God was much in Austins mouth and should be 〈…〉 deliverance How was God blessed 〈…〉 As a prey to the 〈◊〉 Who meant to have made 〈…〉 and had already devoured us in their hopes but God 〈◊〉 them Vers 7. Our soul is 〈◊〉 c. 〈…〉 God 's opportunity See 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 c. God 〈…〉 net is broken Vers 8. 〈…〉 〈…〉 of infinite might and mercy and say as those good souls at Ebon-ezra Hitherto God hath helped us he hath and therefore he will c. PSAL. CXXV VErs 1 They that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Zion Great is the stability of a beleevers felicity Winds and storms move not a Mountain an Earthquake may but not easily remove it That mysticall Mount Sion the Church immota manet is unmoveable so is every
member thereof for the main of his happiness Vers 2 As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem That is lay some as the Angels but wee take it literally Jerusalem was surrounded with many high Mountains which were a great safeguard to it yet did not alwayes defend it as the Lord doth his by being a wall of fire round about them Zech. 2.5 Vers 3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest Fall upon the lot of the Righteous it may notwithstanding that former promise of Gods protection but hee will take care they bee not tempted above that they are able 1 Cor. 10. hee sets the time and appoints the measure Psal 30.5 Rev. 2.10 Lest the Righteous c. Overcome by impatiency or drawn aside by the World 's either Allurements or Affrightments should yeeld and comply or seek to help themselves out of trouble by sinister practice God saith Chryâ—ostom doth like a Lutanist who will not let the strings of his Lute bee too slack lest it marre the musick nor suffer them to bee too hard stretcht or scrued up lest they break Vers 4 Do good O Lord unto those that be good But afflicted by those men of thy hand Psal 17.14 who are the rod in thine hand Isa 10.5 Do good in thy good pleâ—sure for nothing can bee claimed by the very best to such according to thy promise vers 3. which here I put in sute for them Let the Lord bee with the good 2 Chron. 19 11. And to them that are upright in their hearts For such only are good indeed and approved in Christ as was Appelles Rom. 16 and Nathaniel Joh. 1. notwithstanding their infirmities Hypocrisy imbaseth the purest metal turneth gold into rusty Iron sincerity doth the contrary by a divine kind of Alchymy Vers 5 As for such as turn aside by their crooked wayes In lubricitates vel tortuositates such as pretend piety to their wordly and wicked designes and dealings dissemblers warpers versuti vafri who would couzen God of Heaven if they could tell how The Lord shall lead them forth Quantumvis reluctantes as cattel led to the slaughter or malefactors to execution Transfug as arboribus suspendunt they hand up fugitives saith Tacitus concerning the Germans there is martiall law for such Heb. 10.38 39. as there is for skellums amongst us With the workers of iniquity They shall to Hell with the rest of the wicked crue notwithstanding their professions and pretences of piety whereunto they are perfect strangers Hypocrites are the free-holders of Hell and other evill persons are as it were Tenants to them shall have their part with them Mat. 24.51 But peace shall bee upon Israel Peace shall bee upon them and mercy Gal. 6.16 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lyes neither shall a deceitfull Tongue bee found in their mouth for they shall feed and lye down and none shall make them afraid Zeph. 3.12 PSAL. CXXVI VErs 1 When the Lord turned again viz From Babylon and therefore that which some translations have in the title A Psalm of David which is not in the Hebrew would bee left out for it seemeth to have been penned by Ezra or some Prophet of his time Wee were like them that dream Tanta fuit liberationis 〈◊〉 abilitas so admirable was the deliverace that wee could hardly beleeve it as fearing the certainty and yet hoping the truth Such a passion was upon Peter when enlarged by the Angel Act. 12. upon the Grecians when set free by Flaminius the Roman Generall Majus gaudium fuit saith the Historian quam quod universum homines caperent c. their joy was too big for their hearts they scarce beleeved their own ears when the Cryer proclaimed their liberty Lib. 33. Cyp. Epist lib. 1. Aug. Confes lib. 6. cap. 12. Gosr in vit Bernard but bad him say over that sweet word Liberty again they also looked upon one another with wonderment velut somnii vanam speciem saith Livy And such an ecstasy is the new convert in as was Cyprian Austin Bernard witnesse their own writings Vers 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter Wee laughed amain and shrilled or shouted aloud when wee found that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato speaketh not a dream but a done thing which before wee held optabile potius quam opinabile incredible altogether Then said they among the Heathen They who were wont to jear us Psal 137.3 God can soon alter the case of his afflicted people See Esth 8.17 with the Note The Lord hath done great things for them Magnifica So Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum the God of the Christians is a great God indeed said Calocerius an Heathen observing his works done for his people Vers 3 The Lord hath done great things q. d. T is a shame then for us not to say so much more and by an holy avarice to take the praises out of their mouths who are no sharers in it but spectators only Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so speaking good of his name Vers 4 Turn again our captivity O Lord Perfect what thou hast so happily begun for us As the streams in the South i.e. Miraculously say some as if thou shouldest cause rivers to run in dry and desert places Or comfortably as if thou shouldest refresh such hot parts with plenty of water Or suddenly The South is a dry Country where are few springs but oft land-floods caused by the showers of Heaven The Jews at this day pray for a speedy rebuilding of their Temple They cry altogether Templum tuum brevi valde cito valde cito in diebus nostris citissime nunc aedifica Templum tuum brevi Buxâ— de Synâ—g Jud. cap. 13. that is build thy Temple quickly very quickly in our dayes c. should not wee bee as earnest for the mysticall Temple c Vers 5 They that sow in tears Whether Ministers as some restrain the sense who serve the Lord with many â—ears and temptations Act. 20.19 but see little fruit Or others who sow in the tears of affliction and compunction for sin the cause thereof his faecunda sine dubio messis indulgentiae orietur saith Arnobius these shall certainly teap in joy pardon of sin Isa 1.16 power against it these troubled waters cure the soul as the tears of Vine-branches cure the leprosie increase of grace the Lilly is sown in her own tears saith Pliny so is grace the Olive is most fruitfull when it most distilleth so here These April-showres bring on May-flowers and make the heart to bee like a watered Garden Besides an access of glory for they that weep with men shall laugh with Angels their tears shall be turned into triumphs their sadnesse into gladnesse their sighing into singing their musing into musick c. See Mat. 5.4 This the Protomartyr foresaw and therefore Ibat ovans animis spe sua damna levabat â—embus de St. Stephano Vers 6 Hee
that goeth forth and weepeth c. Heb. Hee that going goeth c. which Luther interpreteth of temptations continued and mutually succeeding one another taking their turns upon a poor soul And weepeth Going and weeping and asking the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward Jer. 50.4 5. Some faces appear most orientally beautifull when most instampt with sorrow Bearing precious seed Such as are hope and faith in the truth of Gods promises Some render it seed of acquisition Camâ—strum Leo â—udâ— Bucer such as the poor seeds-man hath got prece precio by praying and paying dear for it Some bearing a Seed-basket or seedlop Shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing Only hee must have patience Jam. 5.7 Bringing his sheaves with him Or Act. Mon. after some their handfulls even gripes of gladnesâ— as Philpet the Martyr rendreth it Then shall Abraham the good Mower saith Another bind us up into sheaves as pure corn and fill his bosom full with us carrying us into the Lords barn to make a joyfull Harvest in Heaven PSAL. CXXVII A Song of degrees for Solomon As Psal 72.1 Penned by David not long before his death and left his Son Solomon to teach him that nothing can be gotten or kept no not Children be gotten but by Gods blessing This last was a fit lesson for Solomon who by so many wives and Concubines left but one only son that wee read of and him none of the wisest Some render it A Song of degrees of Solomon Lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 1. making him the penman of it yea Origen from this inscription entitleth Solomon to all the Songs of degrees but that 's not likely Vers 1 Except the Lord build the house Not the Fabrick only but the family and the Government thereof there is no good to bee done if God set not to his Fâ—at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. and say Let it bee done if hee blast or not bless mens indeavours and policies they are all but arena sine calce sand without lime they will not hang together but like untempered Morter fall asunder There is a curse upon such as Idolize themselves and kiss their own hands though they bee industrious Johoakiâ— for instances Jer. 22. Except the Lord keep the City the watchman Whether civill or military frustra nititur qui Deo non innititur Politicians stand on their own heads like Children and shake their heeles against Heaven but all in vain Souldiers some of them are ready to say with Ajax I acknowledge no God but my sword c. Such shall bee surely befooled and confuted and Gods blessing declared to bee all in all Vers 2 It is vain for you to rise up early Diâ—â—culantes surgere tardantes sedere to toil and moil in the World It were to bee wished that this Nisi nisi frustrà frustrà were ever sounding in the ears of worldings who will needs act upon their own principles God is not in all their thoughts To eat the bread of sorrows i.e. Hardly gotten or that men can scarce beteem themselves they are so miserable and parsimonious or bread eaten with carefullnesse as Ezek. 12.19 certainly men may sooner by their care adde a furlong to their sorrow than a cubit to their comfort For so hee giveth his beloved sleep Dilecto suo to each of his beloved ones not without an allusion to Solomons other name Jedidâ—ah Gods darling To these hee giveth sleep extraordinary quiet refreshing sleep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Aleph quiescent which is not usuall that is hee giveth wealth without labour as to others labour without wealth saith Kimchi the world comes tumbling in upon them as wee say they have it quasi per somnium as Towns were said to come into Timothâ—us his toiles whiles he slept without anxiety they break not their sleep for the matter Plut. Omnia necessaria benignissime Dominus quasi per jocum largitur Beza but live by faith and make a good living of it too Vers 3 Loâ— children are an heritage of the Lord This Solomon could not but be sensible of See the title of this Psalm especially if by children are meant good children as Prov. 18.22 by a Wife is meant a good wife And here the poor man that hath no inheritance otherwise hath one from the Lord for such are oft full of children neither may hee wish as one gracelesse man did that God would keep such his blessings to himself for hee had too many of them Is his reward That is his free gift and God will be their exceeding great reward if by their Parents prayer and good education they prove towardly as the Lords heritage and as arrows in the hand c. Vers 4 As Arrows are in the hand of a mighty man Heb. Of a Gyant who sheâ—teth them with a courage and is cunning at it As clean and well-kept arrows 〈◊〉 similitude importeth that Children must have more in them than nature for arrows are not atrrows by growth but by art so they must bee such Children the knottiness of whose nature is refined and reformed and made smooth by grace and then they are cared for As if they prove otherwise they are a singular heart break to their poor Parents who are seen to sit under Elias his Juniper wishing for deaâ—h and saying with Moses Numb 11.14 15. I am not able to bear all this sore affliction because it is too heavy for mee And if thou deal thus with mee kill mee I pray thee out of hand if I have found favour in thy light and let mee not see my wâ—e chedness So are children of the youth Or young sons or â—â—ds springlings striplings vegetous and vigorous able to bee a guard to their aged Parents against the children of violence who seek to press in upon them at the door as the Sodomites dealt by righteous Lot see verse 5. besides the service they may do to the Commonwealth as did the Horatii and Curatii by their impetus hâ—roici valour and vertue Vers 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver That is his house full of them so they bee good children for else to bee childless is a mercy it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blessed misery saith Euripedes and Aristotle concludeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no blessing unless it bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to have a numerous issue unless they bee vertuous They shall not bee ashamed Neither Father nor Children se enim illi mutuo muniunt ac firmant they help each other But they shall speak with their enemies Periment saith Tremellius they shall foil them and non-sute them PSAL. CXXVIII VErs 1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord This Psalm is fitly subjoyned to the former and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of wedding-sermon written for the instruction and comfort of married couples and shewing that Conjugium humanae est divina Academia
very cold and for the other four it was Winter Vers 8 Neither do they which go by say c. As they use to do to harvest men Ruth 2. 3 Joh. Christianity is no enemy to curtesie yet in some cases saith not God speed PSAL. CXXX VErs 1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee i. e. Ex portis ipsis desperationis from the very bosom and bottom of despair caused through deepest sense of sin and fear of wrath One deep calleth to another the depth of misery to the depth of mercy Basill and Beza interpret it Ex intimis cordis penetralibus from the bottom of my heart with all earnestness and humility Hee that is in the low pits and caves of the earth seeth the stars in the firmament so hee who is most low and lowly seeth most of God and is in best case to call upon him As spices smell best when beaten and as frankincense maximè fragrat cum flagrat is most odoriferous when cast into the fire so do Gods afflicted pray best when at the greatest under Isa 19.22 26.16 27.6 Luther when hee was buffeted by the Devill at Coburgh and in great affliction Joh. Manâ— loc com 43. said to those about him Venite in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus come let us sing that Psalm Out of the depths c. in derision of the Devill And surely this Psalm is a treasury of great comfort to all in distress reckoned therefore of old amongst the seven Penitentiâ—â— and is therefore sacrilegiously by the Papists taken away from the living and applyed only to the dead for no other reason I think saith Beza but because it beginneth with Out of the Depths have I cryed a poor ground for Purgatory or for praying for the souls that are there as Bellarmine makes it Vers 2 Lord hear my voice Precum exauditie identidem est precanda Audience must be begged again and again and if hee once prepare our heart t is sure that hee will cause his ear to hear Psal 10.17 as when wee bid our Children ask this or that of us it is because wee mean to give it them Vers 3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities This and the next verse contains saith one the summe of all the Scriptures Twice hee here nameth the Lord as desirous to take hold of him with both his hands Extremity of Justice hee depreâ—â—â—h hee would not bee dealt with in rigour and rage Extrema fateor commeritus sum Deus Quid enim aliud dixers It is confessed I have deserved the extremity of thy fury but yet let mee talk with thee as Jer. 12.1 or reason the case O Lord who shall stand Stand in Judgement as Psal 1.5 and not fall under the weight of thy just wrath which burneth as low as Hell it self How can any one escape the damnation of Hell which is the just hire of the least sin Rom. 6.23 and the best mans life is fuller of sins than the Firmament is oâ— stars or the furnace of sparks Hence that of an Ancient Vâ— homiuâ—â— vitâ— quantumvis laudabili si reâ—â— miscericordiâ— judicetur Woe to the best man alive should hee bee strictly dealt withall Surely if his faults were but written in his forehead it would make him pull 〈◊〉 hat over his eyes Vers 4 But there is forgiveness with thee This holds head above water that we have to do with a forgiving God Neb. 9.31 none like him for that Mic. 7.18 For hee doth it naturally Exod. 34.6 abundantly Isa 55.7 constantly as here there is still is forgiveness and propitiation with God so Job 1.27 the Lamb of God doth take away the sins of the World t is a perpetuall act and should be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts That thou mayest bee feared i. e. Sought unto and served It is a speech like that Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come If there were not forgiveness with God no man would worship him from his heart but flye from his as from a Tyrant But a promise of pardon from a faithfull God maketh men to put themselves into the hands of justice in hope of mercy Mr. Perkins expoundeth the words thus In mercy thou pardonest the sins of some that thou mightest have some on earth to worship thee Vers 5 I wait for the Lord I wait and wait viz. for deliverance out of misery vers 1. being assured of pardoning mercy Feri Domine feri à peccatis enim absolutâ—◠〈◊〉 said Luther strike Lord while thou wilt so long as my sins are forgiveâ— I can bee of good comfort I can wait or want for a need And 〈…〉 viz. Of promise that ground of hope unfailable Rom. 5.5 of 〈◊〉 unfeigâ—â—ed 1 Tim. 1.5 Vers 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord Or Watcheth for the Lord Heb My soul to the Lord an eclipticall concise speech importing strong affection as doth also the following reduplication Prae custodibus ad mane prae custodibus ad manâ— I say more than they Or More than they that watch for the morning wait for the morning wherein they may sleep which by night they might not do Vers 7 Let Israel hope in the Lord Hope and yet fear as vers 4. with a filiall fear fear and yet hope Plenteous Redemption Are our sins great with God there is mercy matchless mercy Are our sins many with God is plenteous redemption multa redemptiâ— hee will multiply pardons as wee multiply sins Isa 55.7 Vers 8 And hee shall redeem Israel By the value and vertue of Christs death by his merit and spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 PSAL. CXXXI VErs 1 Lord my heart is not haughty Though anointed and appointed by thee to the Kingdome yet I have not ambitiously aspired unto it by seeking Souls death as his pick thanks perswaded him nor do I now being possessed of it proudly domineer as is the manner of most Potentates and tyrannize over my poor subjects but with all modesty and humility not minding high things I do condescend to them of low estate Rom. 12.16 Now Bucholc in alto positum non altum sapere difficile est omnino inusitatum sed quanto inusitatius tanto gloriosius It is both hard and happy not to bee puffed up with prosperity and preferment Vespasian is said to have been the only one that was made better by being made Emperour Nor mine eyes lofty Pride sitteth and sheweth it self in the eyes as soon as in any part Ut speculum oculus est artis ita oculus est naturae speculum Neither do I exercise my self in great matters Heb. I walk not manes intra metas I keep within my circle within the compass of my calling not troubling my self and others by my ambitious projects and practices as Cleâ—n did Alchibiades Cesar Borgia and others Ambitionists Or in things too high for mee Heb. Wonderfull high and hidden things that pass nay
Sanctuary-men continens pro contento Hearts and hands must both up to Heaven Lam. 3.41 and God bee glorified both with spirits and bodies which are the Lords 1 Cor. 6.20 And bless the Lord Like so many earth'y Angels and as if yee were in Heaven already say Vers 3 The Lord that made Heaven and Earth And therefore hath the blessings of both lives in his hand to bestow See Num. 6.24 Bless thee out of Zion They are blessings indeed that come out of Zion choice peculiar blessings even above any that come out of Heaven and Earth Compare Psal 128.5 and the promise Exod. 20.24 In all places where I put the memory or my name I will come unto thee and bless thee PSAL. CXXXV VErs 1 Praise yee the Lord praise yee Praise praise praise When duties are thus inculcated it noteth the necessity and excellency thereof together with our dulness and backwardness thereunto O yee Servants of the Lord See Psal 134.1 Vers 2 Yee that stand in the house See Psal 134.1 In the Courts Where the people also had a place 2 Chron. 4.9 and are required to bear a part in this heavenly Halleluiah Vers 3 Praise the Lord for the Lord is good scil Originally transcendently effectively hee is good and doth good Psal 119.68 and is therefore to bee praised with mind mouth and practice For it is pleasant An angelicall exercise and to the spirituall-minded man very delicious To others indeed who have no true notion of God but as of an enemy it is but as musick at funerals or as the trumpet before a Judge no comfort to the mourning wife or guilty prisoner Vers 4 For the Lord hath chosen God 's distinguishing grace should make his elect lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull heart to him And Israel for his peculiar treasure Such as hee maketh more reckoning of than of all the World besides The Hebrew world here rendred peculiar treasure seemeth to signifie a Jewell made up of three precious stones in form of a triangle Segullâ—h 〈◊〉 dici Sâ—gol 〈…〉 The Saints are Gods Jewels Mal. 3.17 his ornament yea the beauty of his ornament and that set in Majesty Ezek. 7.20 his royall Diadem Isa 62.3 Vers 5 For I know that the Lord is great As well as good vers 3. This I beleeve and know Job 6.69 saith the Psalmist and do therefore make it my practice to praise him And that our Lord is above all Gods Whether they bee so deputed as Magistrates or reputed as Idols Vers 6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased This the Heathens did never seriously affirm of any their dunghill deities sure it is that none of them could say I know it to bee so De diis utrum sint non ausim affirmare said one of their wise men Vers 7 Hee causeth the Vapours Not Jupiter but Jehovah See Jer. 10.13 Hee is the right Nubâ—coga Maker of the Metcors whether fiery aiery or watery Job 26.8 9 28.26 27 37.11 15 16. 38.9 See the Notes there Hee maketh lightenings for the Rain Or With the Rain which is very strange viz. that fire and water should mingle and hard stones come cut of the midst of thin vapours Hee bringeth the winde out of his treasuries Or Coffers store-houses where hee holdeth them close prisoners during his pleasure This the Philosopher knew not and thence it is that they are of so diverse opinions about the winds See Job 36.27 28 c. Job 37. throughout Vers 8 Who smote the first-born of Egypt And thereby roused up that sturdy rebell Pharaoh who began now to open his eyes as they say the blind mole doth when the pangs of death are upon him and to stretch out himself as the crooked Serpent doth when deadly wounded Vers 9 Who sent tokens and wonders Vocall wonders Exod. 4.8 to bee as so many warning-peeces Vers 10 Who smote great Nations Who by their great sins had greatly polluted their land and filled it with fiâ—th from one end to another Ezra 9.11 And slow mighty Kings Heb. Bony big mastiff fellows quasi â—ssâ—tâ—s five 〈◊〉 as the word signifieth Vers 11 Sihon King of Amorites A Giant like Cyclops And Og King of Bashan Of whom the Jews fable that being one of the 〈◊〉 Giants hee escaped the flood by riding affride upon the Ark. Vers 12 And gave their lands for an heritage Which hee might well do as being the true Proprietary and Paramount Vers 13 Thy Name O Lord c. Else O nos ingratos Vers 14 For the Lord will judge his people Judicabit id est vindicabit hee will preserve them and provide for their wel-fare And hee will repent himself This is mutatio rei non Dei effectus non affectus Some render it Hee will bee propitious Others hee will take comfort in his Servants See Judges 10.16 Vers 15 16. The Idols of the Heathen See Psal 115.4 5 6 c. Vers 17 Neither is there any breath in their mouths If they uttered Oracles it was the Devil in them and by them As for those statues of Daedalus which are said to have moved Aristot Diod. Sic. Plato spoken and run away if they were not tyed to a place c. it is either a fiction or else to be attributed to causes externall and artificiall as quick-silver c. Vers 18 They that make them c. See Psal 115.8 Vers 19 Bless the Lord And not an Idoll Isa 66.3 as the Philistines did their Dagon and as Papists still do their hee-Saints and shee-Saints Vers 20 Yee that fear the Lord Yee devout Proselytes Vers 21 Blessed bee the Lord out of Sion There-hence hee blesseth Psal 134.3 and there hee is to bee blessed Which dwelleth at Jerusalem That was the seat of his royall resiance per inhabitationis gratiam saith Austin by the presence of his grace who by his essence and power is every where Enter praesenter Deus hic et ubique potenter PSAL. CXXXVI VErs 1 O give thanks unto the Lord This Psalm is by the Jews called Hillel gadel the great Gratulatory See Psal 106.1.107.1.118.1 For his mercy endureth for ever His Covenant-mercy that precious Church-priviledge this is perpetuall to his people and should perpetually shine as a picture in our hearts For which purpose this Psalm was appointed to bee daily sung in the old Church by the Levites 1 Chron. 16.41 Vers 2 For his mercy endureth for ever This is the foot or burthen of the whole song neither is it any idle repetition but a notable expression of the Saints unsatisfiableness in praising God for his never-failing mercy These heavenly birds having got a note record it over and over In the last Psalm there are but six verses yet twelve Hallelujahs Vers 3 O Give thanks to the Lord of Lords That is to God the Son saith Hierâ—â— as by God of Gods saith hee in the former verse is meant God the Father who because they are no more but one God
sing in a strange Land Quid nobis cum fabulis cum risu saith Bernard in hoc exilio in hoc ergastulo in hac valle lachrymarum Let us cast away carnall mirth and groan earnestly to bee cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 Vers 5 Iâ— I forget thee O Jerusalem As I might seem to do should I herein gratifie these Idolaters or otherwise obey them rather than God The Jews at this day when they build an house they are say the Rabbines to leave one part of it unfinished and lying rude in remembrance that Jerusalem and the Temple are at present desolate At least they use to leave about a yard square of the house unplaistered on which they write Leo Modena of the riâ—es of the Jews in great letters this of the Psalmist If I forget Jerusalem c. or else these words Zecher lechorban that is The memory of the desolation Let my right hand forget Fiat abalienata atque emortua Let it bee paralyticall and useless unfit to touch the harp Vers 6 If I do not remember thee Hi gemitus Sanctorum sunt gemitus Spiritus sancti these are the very sighs unutterable that precede joys unspeakable and full of glory Either our beds are soft or our hearts hard that can rest when the Church is at unrest that feel not our Brethrens hard cords through our soft beds If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Heb. If I cause it not to ascend above the head of my joy Christ in his Ordinances must bee our chiefest comfort overtopping all other and devouring all discontents whatsoever Vers 7 Remember O Lord the Children of Edom Those unbrotherly bitter enemies The Jews call Romists Edomites Rase it rase it Discooperite discooperite Diruite ex imis subvertite fundamentis Buchanan Darius hearing that Sardis was sacked and burnt by the Athenians commanded one of his servants to say to him thrice alwayes at supper Sir remember the Athenians to punish them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod Tâ—rp Vers 8 That art to bee destroyed Spoliatrix saith the Syriack Isa 33.1 Happy shall hee bee i. e. Well rewarded with wealth and good wishes Vers 9 That taketh and dasheth thy little ones So at the destruction of Troy Sed palam raptis heu nefas heu Nescios fari puerâ—s Achivis Ureret flammis etiam latentes Mâ—tris in alve Horat. l. 4. Od. 6. PSAL. CXXXVIII VErs 1 I will praise thee with my whole heart Which no Hypocrite can do though hee may pray in distress from the bottom of his heart A gratefull manis a gracious man viz. if hee come with a true heart as the Apostle hath it Heb. 10.22 Aben-Ezra Before the Gods will I sing praise unto thee That is before Angels who are present in holy assemblies 1 Cor. 11.10 as was represented by those Cherubines pictured in the Temple as also before Princes and Potentates see vers 4. Kimchi Vers 2 I will worship toward thy holy Temple Wheresoever I am the face of my soul shall turn like the needle of a Diall by sacred instinct Abbot towards thee in the Ark of thy presence in the son of thy love For thy loving kindness and for thy truth For thy grace and truth which come by Jesus Christ the Ark and Mercy-seat were never sundred Gods loving kindness in Christ moved him to promise his truth binds him to perform and hence our happiness For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Or Thou hast magnified thy name in all thy Words Or Thou hast magnified above all things thy Name by thy Word that is Thou hast got thee a very great name by fulfilling thy promises and by setting on thy Word with power Vers 3 In the day when I cryed c. This hee worthily celebrateth as a singular favour a badge of grace Psal 66.18 and pledge of glory Act. 2.21 And strengthenedst mee with strength in my soul With strength in the inward man Ephes 3.16 20. with spirituall mettal with supporting grace keeping head above water My body is weak my soul is well said that dying Saint I am as full of comfort as heart can hold said a certain Martyr The Apostle speaketh of the new supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 the joy of the Lord is strengthening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neh. 8.10 Vers 4 All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee Such of them as shall read these Psalms of my composing or otherwise shall hear of thy gracious dealing with mee according to thy promise Such also as shall hereafter bee converted to the faith for though Not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 yet some are and these shine in the Church like stars of the first magnitude Vers 5 Yea they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord As having tasted the excellencie of the comforts of godliness far surpassing those of the Crown and Scepter and felt the power of Gods Word subduing them to the obedience of faith whereby they come to rule with God to bee faithfull with his Saints and to sing their songs Vers 6 Though the Lord bee high c. Even the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity Isa 57.15 See on Psal 113.6 7. Yet hath hee respect unto the lowly This maketh that Ancient cry out Videte magnum miraculum See here a great miracle God is on high thou liftest thy self up Aug. de Temp. and he flieth from thee thou bowest thy self down and hee descendeth unto thee Low things hee looketh close upon that he may raise them higher lofty things he knoweth a far off that he may crush them down lower The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood a loof of yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican The Lord Christ is a door to Heaven Aug. in Johaâ— but a low door hee who will enter in thereby humiliet se oportet ut sano capite intrare contingat saith Austin hee must needs stoop to save his head-peece But the proud hee knoweth a far off As not vouchsafing to come anear such loathsome lepers For pride is like a great swelling in the body apt to putrifie break and run with loathsome and foul matter Hence God stands off from such as odious and abominable hee cannot abide the sight of them Superbâ—s à calo longè propellit as the Chaldee here paraphraseth he driveth the proud far enough off from Heaven yea hee thrusteth them into Hell to their Father Lucifer that King of all the children of pride as Leviathan is called Job 41.34 Vers 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble Even in the vale of the shadow of death so that I seem little different from a dead man Thou wilt revive mee That is restore mee from so great a death as 2 Cor. â— 10 Thou shalt stretch
i. e. O Christ the King of Kings whose Vasall I profess my self as did afterwards also those three most Christian Emperours Constantine Valentinian and Theodosius Vers 2. Every day will I bless thee No day shall pass mee without a morning and evening sacrifice besides what is more upon all emergent occasions The Jews have above an hindred Benedictions which they are tyed to say over every day and one among the rest for the benefit of Evacuation it I were a Nightingall saith Epictetus a Heathen I would do as a Nightingall In Encher but since I am a man what shall I do I will praise my Maker and never cease to do it I exhort also all men to do the like Vers 3 Great is the Lord See his greatness set forth by Moses Deut. 10.17 And greatly to bee praised viz. According to his excellent greatnesse Psal 150.2 which yet cannot bee And his greatness is unsearchable Tantum recedit quantam capitur saith Nazianzen Hee is above all name all notion all parallel in nature we can see but his back-parts and live wee need see no more that wee may live Vers 4 One Generation shall praise thy works to another God 's praises are many and mans life short and one Generation succeedeth another let them relate Gods wonderfull works one to another and so perpetuate his praises to all posterity Vers 5 I will speak of the glorious honour Or I will meditate of the glory of the honour of thy magnificence I will discourse of those high and honourable conceptions that I have of thee which yet words how wide soever are too weak to utter such is thy transcendent excellencie and surpassing glory And of thy wondrous works Wherein thou art in some sort to bee seen as the beams of the Sun are made visible by reflection and letters being refracted and broken in a pair of spectacles are made legible to a dim eye Vers 6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts Those that will not talk of thy bounty shall bee made to say O the severity of God! Vers 7 They shall abundantly utter Eruct abunt as a fountain casteth out waters plentifully and constantly so shall those that are like-minded to mee abundantly and artificially even with songs set forth thy goodness and faithfulness saying and singing Vers Beza 8 The Lord is gracious c. See Psal 86.5 15. 103.8 Slow to anger and of great mercy De quo penc possiâ— ambâ—gi sit ne ad irascendum tardâ—or an ad parcendum promptior Vers 9 The Lord is good to all And of this hee hath not left himself without witness Act. 14.17 And his tender mercies are over all his works Holding the whole Creation together which else by reason of the curse for mans sin hurling confusion over the World would long since have been shattered and dissipated Vers 10 All thy works shall praise thee i. e. Minister matter of thy praise And thy Saints shall bless thee viz. Upon that account If it were not for a few Saints on earth God should lose his glory here in great part Vers 11 They shall speak of the glory That Kingdome of the Saints of the most high which is far beyond the Grandeur and splendour of all the four great Monarchies as is to bee seen Dan. 7.27 Vers 12 To make known to the sons of men This is the end why the Church is collected and the Gospell preached God aimeth at his own glory in all as well hee may sith hee hath none higher than himself to whom to have respect Vers 13 Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome It cannot bee over-turned that 's comfortable to all Christs subjects as other flourishing Kingdomes are which have their times and their turns their rise and their ruine Alexanders Kingdome continued but twelve years only and fell with him so did Tamberlains greatness Vers 14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall None of his subjects can fall below his helping-hand his sweet supportance And raiseth up all those that are bowed down Either with the burden of sin or misery in any kind Camden Alphonsus King of Arragon is famous for helping with his own hand one of his subjects out of a ditch Of Queen Elizabeth it is recorded to her eternall praise that shee hated no less than did Mithridates such as sought to crush vertue forsaken of fortune Christ bruiseth not the broken reed but upholdeth it hee quencheth not the smoking wick but cherisheth it Vers 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee Heb. Look up with hope to this great house-keeper of the World The Elephant is said to turn up the first sprig towards Heaven when hee comes to feed The young Ravens cry to God for food Psal 147. at least by implication Their men Suitable to their severall appetites Vers 16 Thou openest thy hand With Kingly munificence And satisfiest the desire Or Of thy good pleasure thou satiatest Vers 17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes This wee must hold for an undoubted truth though wee see not alwayes the reason of his proceedings Sinfull men dare to reprehend oft-times what they do not comprehend Vers 18. The Lord is nigh unto all those c. Hee is ever at hand to hear and help his faithfull suters and suppliants these have the royalty of his ear free access sure success To all that call upon him in truth That draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith having their hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and their bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10.22 Vers 19 Hee will fulfill the desire c Or The will the pleasure Beneplacitum Hence that bold request of Luther Fiat voluntas mea Let my will bee done But then hee addeth Mea Domine quiatua my will because thine and no otherwise They that do the will of God shall have their own will of God See 1 Joh. 3.22 The King can deny you nothing Vers 20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him See Psal 91.14 15 16. with the Notes But all the wicked That love not God but their base lusts Vers 21 My mouth shall speak c. This he had oft before promised but ingageth again that hee may not start back And let all flesh But especially men good men for high words beseem not a fool But it well becommeth the Saints to bee thankfull Tertull. nec servire Deo solum sed adulari as an Ancient speaketh PSAL. CXLVI VErs 1 Praise the Lord O my soul See Psal 103.1 Vers 2 While I live I will praise the Lord George Carpenter the Bavarian Martyr being desired by some godly brethren that when hee was burning in the fire hee would give them some sign of his constancy answered Let this bee a sure sign unto you of my faith and perseverance in the truth quod usque dum os aperire aut certe hiscere licebit that so long as I am able to
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.
so maketh it very fruitfull say Philosophers In which respects the Rabbines say that one day of Snow doth more good than five of Rain Hee scattereth the houre frost like 〈◊〉 When blown about by the winde It heateth also and dryeth as ashes the cold and moist earth nippeth the buds of trees c. â—mis monet â—em subesse â—â—m foveaâ— Vnde 〈◊〉 dicitur a 〈◊〉 saith 〈…〉 Vers 17 Hee casteth out his Ice like morsels Or Shivers of bread It is a 〈◊〉 saying of One from this text The lee is bread the Rain is drink the Snow is wool the Frost a Fire to the earth causing it inwardly to glow with heat teaching us what to do for Gods poor 〈…〉 Who can 〈◊〉 it when and where it is extreme especially as in Russia Freesland c. Vers 18. Hee sendeth out his word and melteth them See vers 13. Of the force of Gods word of command are given all the former instances Hee can as easily melt the hardest heart by his word made effectual to such a purpose by his holy Spirit If that wind do but blow the waters of penitent tears will soon flow as in Josiah 2 Chron. 34.27 See Zech. 12.10 Vers 19 Hee sheweth his word unto Jacob The Jews were Gods library keepers and unto them as a speciall favour were committed those lively and life giving oracles Rom. 3.2 there is a chiefly set upon it like as Luk. 12.48 to know the Masters will is the great talent of all other there is a much in that His Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel Even right Judgements true 〈◊〉 good Statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13 See Rom. 9.4 5. Prospers conceit was that Judaei were so called because they received jus Dei the Law of God Vers 20 He hath not dealt so with any Nation He had not then but now blessed be God hee hath dealt so with many Nations in these last happy days of Reformation especially wherein the knowledge of Gods holy Word covereth the earth as the waters cover the Sea and of England it may bee said as once of the Rhodos somper in Sole situ est Rhodos that it hath the Sun ever shining upon it This wee should prize as a precious treasure and praise the Lord for it â—orde ore operâ— And as for his Judgements they have not known them And therefore lye in deadly darkness wherein though they wander wofully yet not so wide as to miss of hell PSAL. CXLVIII VErs 1 Praise the Lord And again Praise yee the Lord and so often in this and the rest of the Halelujaticall Psalms In praising God the Saints are unsatifiable and would bee infinite as his perfections are infinite so that they make a circle as one phraseth it the beginning middle and end whereof is Halelujah From the Heavens praise him in the heights Or high places As God in framing the World began above and wrought downward So doth the Psalmist in this his exhortation to all creatures to praise the Lord. Vers 2 Praise him all his Angells Whose proper office it is to adore and praise God Job 38.7 Isa 6.3 Heb. 1.6 which also they do constantly and compleatly as those that both perfectly know him and love him Jacob saw them 1 Ascending to contemplate and praise the Lord and minister to him Luk. 2.13 Dan. 7.10 Mat. 18.10 Psal 103.20 2 Descending to execute Gods will upon men for mercy to some and for Judgement to others which tendeth much to his praise And David by calling upon these heavenly courtiers provoketh and pricketh on himself to praise God Praise yee him all his Hoasts i e. His Creatures those above especially which are as his cavalry called his Hoasts for their 1 Number 2 Order 3 Obedience Verse 3. Praise yee him Sun and Moon These do after a sort declare the glory of God Psal 19.1 2. Habak 3.3 not with mind and affection as if they were understanding creatures as Plato held but by their light influences admirable motions and obedience whereby quasi mutis vocibus by a dumb kind of eloquence In Epimeniâ— saith Nazianzen they give praise to God and bid check to us for our dulness and disorders Praise him all yee stars of light A light then they have of their own besides what they borrow of the Sun which they with-hold at Gods appointment Isa 13.10 and influences they have which cannot bee restrained or resisted Job 38.31 32. Vers 4 Praise him yee Heavens of Heavens Whereby hee meaneth not the lowest Heavens the air whereon wee breath and wherein birds flye clouds swim c. as some would have it but the highest Heaven called by St. Paul the third Heaven the habitation of the crowned Saints and glorious Angels called by Philosopher calâ—â—â— Empyreum and hereby the Psalmist the Heavens of Heavens as King of Kings song of songs c. by an excestency See Deut. 10.14 And the waters that â—ee above the Heavens i. e. Above the air and that do distinguish betwixt the Air and the Sky as the 〈…〉 doth betwixt the Sky and the highest Heavens Superius supensae aquarum forniâ— Vers 5 For hee commanded and they were 〈◊〉 His 〈◊〉 only made all this is celebrated by that heavenly quite Rev. 4.11 Vers 6 Hee hath also established them for ever viz. The course and appointed motions of the Heavens which hee hath setled by a Covenant and hath not falsified with them Jer. 33.25 much less will hee with his faithfull people Vers 7 Praise the Lord from the earth The Psalmist proceedeth to factour for God among the inferiour creatures beginning with the lowest in the waters beneath as the Dragons oâ— great whales and then comming to Rain and Snow c. which are made out of the waters above Yee Dragons and all deeps Of Sea-Dragons See Aelian lib. 4. Animal cap. 12. they live partly in the Sea and partly on the land as do Crocodiles These also yeeld matter of Gods praise Vers 8 Fire and Hail Snow and Vapour This latter is the matter of those former meteors which hee purposely mingleth with those forementioned miracles of land and waters the more to set forth the power of God because these seem to have no setledness of subsistence and yet in them hee is made visible Stormy winds fulfilling his word The winds blow not at randome but by a divine decree and God hath ordered that whether North or South blow they shall blow good to his people Cant. 4.16 Hee saith to all his Creatures as David did to his Captains concerning Absolom Handle them gently for my sake Vers 9 Mountains and all hills These praise God by their form hugeness fruits prospects c. Fruitful trees These by the variety of their natures and fruits do notably set forth the wisdome power and goodness of the Almighty whilst they spend themselves and the principall part of their sap and moisture in bringing forth some pleasant berry or the like for the use of
word of comfort And they rent every one his mantle His stately mantle his robe of state such as men of great honour used to weare Stolam regiam Some Hebrewes and Jesuites will have these three friends of Job to have been Kings such I believe they were as the three Kings of Collen so the Papists call those wise men Matth. 1.2 be they what they will they rent every man his mantle in token of greatest sorrow at their friends calamity a ceremony not unusual among other Nations then those of the East Suetonius telleth us that Julius Caesar when he had passed his Army th River Rebican In vita C. Jul Caesar and was marching toward Rome he made a speech to his Souldiers weeping and rending his garment that thereby he might testifie to them what a grief it was to him to fight against his Country which he would never have done had there not been a necessity And sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven They so threw it up into the air that it might fall upon their heads to import 1. That all things were full of sorrowful confusion as here earth and air were mingled 2. That themselves and all mortals were but dust Gen. 18. a little dirt neatly made up and to dust they should return Gen. 3 little deserving in the mean while to tread upon the earth or to be above ground Josh 7.6 See chap. 1.16 Verse 13. So they sat down with him upon the ground Though his sent and loathsomeness were intolerable yet they bare him company this was love and sympathy thus to sit by him on the ground then when every one loathed him and would not lend him a hand to help to scrape him Seven dayes and seven nights Not all this time but the most part of it without giving almost any regard to their ordinary rest and necessary sustenance Origen saith they were sustained and preserved all that while without sleep and meat by a miracle Others holding it a thing impossible have therefore judged this whole book to be a parable only And none spake a word unto him So great was their grief Curae leves lâ—quuntur ingentes stupent Calvin thinks they were too blame to be so long silent Belike they were loth to be troublesome and waited a fit opportunity looking that he should speak first and harbouring hard conceits of him For they saw that his grief was very great His paine was extreme and therefore no time to talk with him Besides though they came prepared yet altering their opinions of him they doubted how and what to speak till at length they became Satans advocates CHAP. III. Verse 1. After this AFter so long silence of his friends and to provoke them to speak who haply waited for some words from him first as knowing him wise and well-spoken Or After this After that Jobs pains were somewhat allayed so that he could breath recollect himself and utter his mind for some troubles are above speech Psal 77.4 they will hardly suffer a man to take breath Job 9.18 see Esth 4.14 with the Note or to hear any thing though never so wholesome or comfortable Exod. 6.9 Job opened his mouth But better he had kept it closed still either be silent saith the Greek Proverb or else say something that is better then silence But it may befall the best lest to themselves to speak unadvisedly with their lips as meek Moses did at the waters of Meribah for which sin of his some Jewes say that he was damned because we read not of his repentance And a like wretched censure they passe upon holy Job for his cursing his day here saying that although in words he cursed the creature only Confuted by Lyra and Hugocard in Josh 1 2. yet interpretatively and indeed he cursed the Creator like as he that spitteth upon a Kings picture or robe royal doth the same to the King himself But why do they not then say the same of Jeremy and pronounce him a Reprobate for cursing his birth day too chap. 20.14 R. Levi answereth because it appeareth to be otherwise by Jeremies whole prophesie besides And may we not say the like for Job if we wisely weigh his words in their right sense and the end which the Lord made Jam. 5.11 propounding him for a pattern of patience not of impatience whereof nothing is said against him though he had his out-bursts as here and must have his allowance as good gold hath when it comes to the scale that so he may passe If he had blasphemed God or denied his providence ascribing all events to the conjunction of the stars at a mans birth as the Talmudists falsely gather from this Chapter Satan had had his design upon him and God would never have justified him and preferred him before his friends as he did chap. 42. True it is that chap. 38.2 when he had spoken his mind over-freely and indeed sinfully as there is not a man upon earth that liveth and sinneth not as if the Lord had dealt unkindly if not unequally with him God in the end steppeth forth as it were from behind the hangings over-hearing him and taking him up Who is this saith he there that talketh thus how now After which Job was not only husht chap. 40.4 5. but humbled chap. 42.6 And truly it should be considered say both Ambrose and Chrysostome in Jobs defence that though patient in the two former Chapters yet now he begins to be wet to the skin yea the drops of Gods wrath began to soake into his soul the divel also set upon him with all violence as some conceive from the next verse Job answered and said so to some dispute with the divel Now therefore that he thus falleth a roaring and a cursing his day it is saith Chrysostome as a sick man who being under the Physicians hands of whom he is well perswaded useth all patience towards him but being in extremity of paine layes about him and strikes at the standers by c. Exemplo Jobi liquet saith another good Writer By this example of Job it appeareth that in extreme trials of the best it oft falleth out that paine and grief speaketh rather then the man himself and that in the sieve of temptations upon a more violent sifting Bucholc the holes being worn or widened not the offall onely but some grains of good wheat that is of faith do slip through which yet the right hand of a gracious God is wont to gather and to lay up in the granary of his grace Job cannot altogether be excused saith Ferus upon this chapter neither is he said as before not to have sinned in these following expressions Rather it is to be held that the Lord who before stood by him now for a time left him to try what is in man even the best man living if he be not strengthened by God continually David was most couragious when he went against Goliah but fearfull when Saul pursued
only it is added Vers 4 To him who alone doth great wonders Wondrous things the Creature may do but not wonders mira sed non miracula God alone is the great Thâ—umaâ—â—rgus that is wonder-worker Vers 5 To him that by wisdome c. Singulari ingenio summa industria yet without tool or toil See Heb. 11.10 with the Note Vers 6 To him that stretched out the earth c. A perpetuall mercy in all earthly Creatures as is elsewhere set forth Gen. 1.9 Psal 24.2 Vers 7 To him that made great lights Without which wee should have no more comfort of the air wee breath on than the Egyptians had in that three-dayes darkness Now the Sun and Moon are called great Luminaries not great stars or bodies for the Sun is less than some stars and the Moon is least of all first for the excellency of light which these two do more abundantly impart to the earth and secondly for the effects they work the Sun by his access making all green and flourishing and the contrary by his recess the Moon by his various aspect causing humors and marrows to increase or decrease c. Vers 8 The Sun to 〈…〉 the day Heb. For the rulings by day 〈◊〉 by his light 〈…〉 bodies 〈…〉 ruledomes and therefore in no wise to have been worshipped Vers 9 The Moon and stars to rule by night For by day they all veil to the Sun from whom also they borrow much of their light The Moon hath her name in Hebrew from moisture as refreshing the earth with her cool influences and thrusting forth precious things therein Deut. 33.14 Vers 10 To him that smote Egypt See Psal 135.8 Vers 11 And brought out Israel viz. By that last plague for the former would not do God will have the better of his enemies for the good of his people for it is not fit that hee should lay down the bucklers first Vers 12 And with a stretcht-out arm A metaphor from souldiers exercising their arms with utmost might and sleight Vers 13 To him which divided the red Sea Into twelve severall parts say the Jews for the twelve Tribes to pass thorow Vers 14 And made Israel to pass c. It is many times hail with the Saints when ill with the wicked Abraham from the hill seeth Sodom on fire Vers 15 But overthrew Pharaoh Praecipitavit pitcht him in headlong having before paved a way for him Subito tollitur qui diu toleratur Vers 16 To him which led his people As an horse that they should not stumble Isa 63.13 as a Shepheard his sheep providing for them so as never was any Prince so served in his greatest pomp Vers 17 To him which smote great Kings Great as those times accounted them when every small City almost had her King Canaan had thirty and more of them Great also in regard of their stature and strength for they were of the Giants race Deut. 3. Amos 2. Vers 18 And slew famous Kings Magnificos sumptâ—osos fastuosos arrogantes Vers 19 20. â—ee Psal 135.11 Sihons Country was afterwards called Decapolis and the Metropolis of it Scythopolis Joseph de bel l. 3. c. 2. Vers 21 22. And gave See Psal 135.12 Josh 12.7 hee paid them well for their pains after that hee had made use of their sword and service against those sinners against their own souls Vers 23. Who remembred us in our low estate Still God helpeth those who are forsaken of their hopes vindictae gladium miserationis oleo emollit as Nicephorus saith Vers 24 And hath redeemed us Or Broken us off pulled us away as by violence for they would never else have loosed us This is priori major misericordia a greater mercy than the former saith Kimchi to redeem is more than to preserve Vers 25 Who giveth food to all flesh Food agreeable to their severall appetites and temperaments suitable and seasonable Vers 26 O give thanks unto the God of Heaven His mercy in providing Heaven for his people is more than all the rest PSAL. CXXXVII VErs 1 By the rivers of Babylon Tigrâ—s Euphrates for the land of Shinar where Babel was founded and afterwards Babylon built was as most Geographers think a part of the Garden of Eden fruitfull beyond credulity but to the poor captives all this was no comfort when they remembred the desolations of their Country and the loss of their former liberty The bird of Paradise they say once taken and encaged groaneth uncessantly till shee dye There wee sat down yea wee wepâ— Hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence because hee hath born it upon him saith Jeremy of the Mourner Lam. 3.28 who is much in meditation so were these bewailing bitterly their sin and misery with their bowels sounding as an harp Isa 16.1 where if one string bee touched all the rest sound When wee remembred Zion The former solemnities the present desolations Vers 2 Wee hanged out harps Harps wee had and knew how to handle them the Jews were famous Artists noted for their skill specially in Poetry Musick and Mathematicks but wee had little mind to it as now the case stood with us Hoâ—â—â— lib. 3. Od. 26. our Country lying desolate our selves could not bee but disconsolate Barbiton his paries habeâ—it Vers 3 For there they required of us a song scil In disdain and derision of our Religion q.d. Will yee sing no more holy songs in honour of your God hath hee utterly cast away all care of your wel-fare and you the like of his service Have you never a black Sanctis to sing us or cannot you sing care away c where are your wonted ditties â—eza the words of a song Ehodum bellos nobis illos vestrâ— Sionis modules cantillate And they that wasted us Cumulatores nostri vel Concumulatores nostri vel homines ejulatuum nostrorum they that made us howl singing as Isa 52.5 Or In suspensionibus nostris â—socr after that wee had hanged up our harps as vers 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sing us one of the songs of Zion Wherewith yee were wont to praise God So Baltasar abused the bowls of the Sanctuary So the bloody-Persecutors at Orleance as they murthered the Protestants required them to sing Judge and revenge my cause O Lord and have mercy on us Lord c. Vers 4 Shall wee sing the Lords song c No for that were to prophane holy things and as Nazianzen speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And besides they had as much mind to bee merry then and thus as Sampson had to play before the Philistines Musick in mourning is not more unseasonable than unsavoury When our Edward the third had the King of Scots and the French King both prisoners together here in England hee held royall justs and feasted them sumptuously After supper perceiving the French King to bee sad and pensive hee desired him to bee merry as others were To whom the French King answered as here How shall wee