but a poor weak creature which thou canst crush with the least touch of thy finger without these violent and unsupportable pains and miseries and that I have not been so fierce and boisterous in my carriage as to need or deserve these extraordinary calamities that thou settest a watch over me l That thou shouldest guard and restrain me with such heavy and unexampled miseries lest I should break into rebellion against thee or into cruelty towards men 13. * Ch. 9. 27 28. When I say my Bed shall comfort me my Couch shall ease my complaint m By giving me sweet and quiet sleep which may take off the sense of my torments for that while 14. Then thou scarest me with dreams n With sad and dreadful dreams arising either from that melancholy humour which is now so fixed in me and predominant over me or from the Devils malice who by thy permission disturbs me in this manner So that I am afraid to go to sleep and my remedy proves as bad as my disease and terrifiest me through visions o The same thing with dreams for there were not only day-visions which were offered to mens sight when they were awake but also night-visions which were presented to mens Fancy in their sleep and dreams See Gen. 28. 12. 41. 1 2. Dan. 2. 1 31. 4 5 10. 15. So that my Soul chooseth p Not simply and in it self but comparatively rather than such a wretched life strangling q The most violent so it be but a certain and sudden death and death rather †Heb. than my 〈◊〉 than my life r Heb. than my bones i. e. than my body formerly the Soul 's dear and desired companion or than to be in the body which commonly consists of skin and flesh and bones but in Iob was in a manner nothing but a bundle of bones for his skin was every where broken and his flesh was quite consumed as he oft complains and his bones also were not free from pain and torment for as Satan's Commission reached to Iob's bones Iob 2. 5. so doubtless his Malice and wicked Design would engage him to execute it to the utmost 16 * Ch. 10. 1. I loath it s To wit my life last mentioned I would not live alway t In this World if I might no not in prosperity for even such a life is but vanity much less in this extremity of misery Or Let me not live for ever lingring in this miserable manner as if thou wouldest not suffer me to die but hadst a design to perpetuate my torments Or let me not live out mine age or the full time of my life which by the course of nature I might do for so the Hebrew word Olam is oft used but cut me off and that speedily * Ch. 10. 20. 14. â—… Psal. 39. 13. let me alone u i. e. Withdraw thy hand from me either 1. thy supporting hand which preserves my life and suffer me to die Or rather 2. thy correcting hand as this same phrase is used v. 19. for my days are vanity x Either 1. my life is in it self and in its best estate a most vain unsatisfying uncertain thing do not add this evil to it to make it miserable Or 2. My life is a vain decaying and perishing thing it will of it self quickly vanish and depart and doth not need to be forced from me by such exquisite torments 17 * Psal 8. 4. 144. 3. Heb. 26. What is man that thou should'st magnifie him y What is there in that poor mean contemptible Creature called Man miserable man as this word signifies which can induce or incline thee to take any notice of him to shew him such respect or to make such account of him Man is not worthy of thy Favour and he is below thy Anger It is too great a condescention to thee and too great an honour for man that thou wiltst contend with him and draw forth all thy forces against him as if he were a fit match for thee whereas men use to neglect and slight mean Adversaries and will not do them the honour to fight with them Comp. 1 Sam. 24. 14. Therefore do not O Lord thus dishonour thy self nor magnifie me I acknowledge that even thy corrections are mercies and honours but Lord let me be no more so honoured and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him z i. e. Have any regard to him so far as to afflict him which though it be grievous in it self especially when it is aggravated as mine is yet unto thy people it is a great mercy and blessing as being highly necessary and useful to humble them and purge them from sin and prepare them for glory as on the contrary those wicked men whom thou doest despise and hate and design to destroy thou doest forbear to punish or afflict them 18. And that thou shouldest visit him a To wit punish or chasten him as the Word is oft used as visiting is oft used as Exod. 20. 5. and 32. 34. and 34. 7. every morning b i. e. Every day But he mentions the morning either because that is the beginning of the day and so is put synecdochically for the whole day as the evening v. 4. is put for the whole night Or he speaks of God after the manner of men who rest and sleep in the night but in the morning rise and go about their business and visit or inspect those persons and things which they have a respect for or care of and try him c i. e. Afflict him which is oft called trying because it doth indeed try a man's faith and patience and perseverance But this and the former Verse may possibly be otherwise understood not of afflictions but of mercies Having declared his loathing of life and his passionate desire of death and urged it with this consideration that the days of his life were meer vanity he now pursues it with this expostulation What is man that vain foolish Creature that thou shouldst magnifie or regard or visit him to wit with thy mercy and blessings of which those words are commonly used i. e. that thou shouldst so far honour and regard him as by thy visitation to preserve his Spirit or hold his Soul in life and try him which God doth not only by afflictions but also by prosperity and outward blessings which commonly detect a mans hypocrisie and discover that corruption which before lay hid in his heart Therefore O Lord do not thus magnifie and visit me with thy mercy but take away my life every moment 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me d How long will it be ere thou withdraw thy afflicting hand from me e i. e. for a little time or that I may have a breathing time A proverbial expression like that Spanish Proverb I 〈◊〉 not time or liberty to spit out my spittle Or
to Hope Rom. 8. 20. and to wait and Cry to God Psal. 145. 15. and 147. 9. when I was upon my mothers breasts x i. e. When I was a sucking Child Which may be properly understood 10. * Psal. 71. 6. I was cast upon thee y I was like one forsaken by his Parents and cast wholly upon thy Providence I had no Father upon Earth and my Mother was poor and helpless from the Womb thou art my God from my Mothers belly 11. Be not far from me z To wit as to affection and succour for trouble is near a At hand and ready to swallow me up And therefore if thou dost not speedily deliver me it will be too late Which is an Argument that David oft useth as Psal. 6. 5. and 88. 11. c. for there is †Heb. nâ—…t a 〈◊〉 none to help b Thy help therefore will be the more seasonable because it is most necessary and thou wilâ—…st have the more of Glory by it because it will appear that it is thy work alone 12. Nany bulls c Wicked and violent and potent Enemies for such are so called Ezek. 39. 18. Aâ—…os 4. 1. have compassed me strong bulls of Bashan d i. e. Fat and Lusty as the Cattel there bred were Deut. 3. 13. and 32. 14. and therefore fierce and furious have beset me round 13. They †Heb. 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 against me gaped upon me with their mouths e Partly to affright me and principally to tear and devour me as the following Metaphor explains it Otherwise it might be understood of their Crying out with loud and earnest Voyces that he might be Condemned and put to Death as a ravening and a roaring lyon 14. I am poured out like waters f My Heart saileth my Spirits are spent and gone like water which once spilt can never be recovered my very flesh is melted within me and I am become as weak as Water See the like Phrase Ios. 7 5. and Compare â—… Sam. 14. 14. Iob. 14. 11 and all my bones are ‖ Or 〈◊〉 out of joynt g I am as weak and unable to move or help my self and withal as full of Torment as if I were upon a Rack and all my bones were disjoynted Or all my bones are separated one from another as they were in some sort in Christ by the stretching of his Body upon the Cross. my heart h The seat of Life and fountain which supplies Spirits and Vigour to the whole Body is like wax i Melted as it follows through fear and overwhelming grief Comp. Psal. 68. 2. and 97. 5. it is melted in the midst of my bowels 15. My strength is dryed like a potsherd k I have in a manner no more Radical moisture left in me than is in a dry potsheard and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws l Through that excessive thirst and drought See Ioh. 19. 20. and thou hast brought me into the dust of death m Partly by thy Providence delivering me into the power of mine Enemies and partly by thy Terrors in my Mind and Soul 16. For dogs n So he calls his Enemies for their vileness and filthyness for their insatiable Greediness and implacable sury and fierceness against him have compassed me the assembly of the wicked o He explains who he means by Dogs even wicked men who are oft so called not some few of them singly but the whole Company or Congregation of them whereby may be noted either their great Numbers or their consulting and conspiring together as it were in a lawful assembly Which was most litterally and eminently fulfilled in Christ. have inclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet p These words cannot with any probability be applied to David nor to the attempts of his Enemies upon him for their design was not to Torment his Hands or Feet but to take aâ—…ay his Life And if it be pretended that it is to be understood of him in a Metaphorical Sence it must be Considered that it is so uncouth and unusual a Metaphor that those who are of this Mind cannot produce any one example of this Metaphor either in Scripture or in other Authors nor are they able to make any tolerable Sence oâ—… it but are forced to wrest and strain the Words But what need is there of such forâ—…ed Metaphors when this was most properly and literally verâ—…fied in Christ whose Hands and Feet were really pierced and nailed to the Cross according to the manner of the Roman Crucifixions to whom therefore this is applied in the New Testament See Mat. 27. 35. Mark 15. 24. Luk. 23. 33. Ioh. 19. 18. 23. 27. 17. I may tell all my bones q Partly through my Leanness caused by excessive grief which is much more Credible of Christ than of David and partly by my being stretched out upon the Cross. * Maâ—… 15. 〈◊〉 Joh. 19. 37. they look and stare upon me r To wit with Delight and Complacency in my Calamities as this Phrase is used Psal. 35. 21. and 37. 34. and 54 7. and 59. 10. Obad. v. 12. Comp. Luk. 23. 35. 18. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture s This also cannot be applied to David without an uncouth and strained Metaphor but was literally fulfilled in Christ Mat. 27. 3â—… Ioh. 19. 24. 19. But be not thou far from me O LORD O my strength hast thee to help me 20. Deliver my soul from the sword t i. e. From the rage and violence of mine Enemies †Heb. from the hand as the next Clause explains it and as the Sword is oft taken in Scripture See Ier. 25. 16. 27. 29. Ezek. 38. 21. †Heb. my only one * Psal. 35. 17. my darling from the power x Heb. the hand Which is oft put for Power and in that Sence is ascribed to a Flame Isa. 47. 14. and to Evil Hab. 2. 9. of the dog u Heb. My one or only One to wit his Soul as he now said which he so calls either because it was very dear to him Or rather because it was left alone and destitute of Friends and Helpers for so this word is used Psal. 25. 16. and 35. 17. 21. Save me from the lyons y Either the Devil that raging and roaring Lyon who did many ways assault and annoy him Or on his Lyon-like Enemies mouth for thou hast heard me z i. e. Answered and delivered me from the horns of the unicorns a A strong and fierce and untameable Wild beast though the learned are not agreed about the kind of it See of it Deut. 33. 17. Iob 39. 9 10 Psal. 92. 10. Isa. 34. 7. and my Latin Synopsis on Numb 23. 22. For it is not worth while to trouble the unlearned Reader with such Disputes 22. * Heb. 2. 12. I will declare b
and all other means of redeeming his Brother which he hath not when he himself is dangerously or desperately sick nor give to God n The onely Lord of Life and the Judge who hath passed upon him the Sentence of Death a ransom for him 8. For * Job 36. 18 19. the redemption of their soul o i. e. Of their Life as Soul is commonly used is precious p i. e. Rare as the Word is used 1 Sam. 3. 1. Dan. 2. 11. hard to be obtained But he doth not call it simply impossible because Christ hath purchased this Priviledge for his true Disciples that in some Sence they shall not see Death Iob. 8. 51. and it ceaseth for ever q i. e. It is never to be accomplished to wit by any meeâ—… Man for himself or for his Brother 9. That he should still live for ever and * Psal. 89. 48. not see corruption r Or the Pit or the Grave i. e. Not die as that Phrase is oft used as hath been noted before 10. For he seeth s An impersonal Expression Every man sees and knows it it is visible and evident both from Reason and from universal Experience that * Eccle. 2. 16. wise men die likewise the fool and the brutish person perish t All men die without any Difference between Wise and Fools good and bad and leave their wealth to others u He saith not to Sons or Kindred but indefinitely to others because he is wholly uncertain to whom he shall leave them to Friends or Strangers or Enemies which he mentions as a great Vanity in Riches They neither can save them from Death nor will accompany him in and after Death and after his Death will be disposed he knows not how nor to whom 11. Their inward thought is x Though they are ashamed to express it yet it is their secret Opinion and Hope and Wish that their houses y Either 1. Their posterity oft called mens Houses as 2 Sam. 7. 11. c. Psal. 113. 9. and 115. 12. Or 2. Their Mansion-Houses as it is explained in the next Clause which also serve for this purpose to preserve a Mans name for ever shall continue for ever z Not to them in their own Persons but to them and theirs in succeeding Generations as it follows and their dwelling places †Heb. to Generation and Generation to all generations they call their lands after their own names a Fondly dreaming by this means to immortalize their Names and Memories 12. Nevertheless b Notwithstanding all these fine Fancies and Devices * Psal. 82. 7. man being in honour c Living in all the Splendour and Glory above mentioned abideth not d The Hebrew word Properly signifies to lodge for a Night as Gen. 32. 21. Iudg. 19. 10. and thence to abide for a long or Considerable time as Psal. 25. 13. and 55. 7. Prov. 15. 31. All his Dreams of perpetuating his Name and Estate shall vanish and be Confuted by Experience he is like the beasts that perish e i. e. That are utterly lost and Exstinct So he is in reference to all his Wealth and Honour of which he here speaks 13. This their way f i. e. Their Counsel and Contrivance to immortalize themselves is their folly g Though to themselves and some others it seem to be Wisdom yet in Truth it is apparent folly and madness For they neither obtain that immortal Name which they seek and hope for Nor if they do doth it yield them any Comfort or Benefit yet their posterity †Heb. 〈◊〉 in their 〈◊〉 approve their sayings h Heb. their Mouth i. e. Their Counsels and Suggestions which they gave them concerning these Matters The Mouth is oft put for the Words which come out of it as Numb 35. 30. Iob. 7. 11. Selah 14. Like sheep i Which for a season are fed in large and sweet Pastures but at the owners Pleasure are put together in close and Comfortless solds and led away to the Slaughters not knowing nor considering whither they are going they are laid in †Heb. Hell the grave k Or in Hell For the Hebrew word signifie both death shall feed on them l The first Death shall Consume their Bodies in the Grave and the second Death shall devour their Souls and the * Dan. 7. 22. Mal. 4. 3. Luk. 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 2. Rev. 2. 26. 20. 4. upright m Good men whom here they oppressed and abused at their Pleasure shall have dominion over them in the morning n Either 1. Suddendly or within a very little time as this Phrase is oft used as Psal. 30. 5. and 46. 5. and 101. 8. and 143. 8. c. Or 2. In the day of general Judgment and the Resurrection of the Dead For Death being called the night Ioh. 9. 4. and sleep in many places that day is fitly Compared to the Morning when men awake out of sleep and enter upon that everlasting day But whether this or the former be the true meaning of the Phrase it is sufficiently evident the thing here spoken of is not done in this Life but in the next For 1. This Proposition and Priviledge being general and common to all upright Persons is not verified here it being the lot of many good men to be oppressed and killed by the â—…icked as is manifest both from Scripture as Psal. 44. 22. Eccles. 8. 14. and 9. 2. and from the Experience of all Ages of the Church 2. This Dominion of the just over the wicked happens after the wicked are laid in their Grave as is here expressed and Consequently supposeth their future Life and Resurrection for when one Person rules over another both are supposed to exist or have a being Nor is there any Argument against this Sence but from a vain and absurd Conceit which some men have entertained that the Saints in the Old Testament had no firm belief nor Expectation of the Recompences of the Life to come Which is against evident Reason and against many clear places of the Old Testament that cannot without force be wrested to any other Sence and against the express Testimony of the New Testament concerning them Heb. 11. and in many other places and their ‖ Or Strength beauty o Or their Form or Figure or Image all which come to one and seems to intimate that all their Glory and Felicity which they had in this Life was rather imaginary than Real and indeed but a shadow as it is called Eccles. 6. 12. and 8. 13. shall consume p Heb. is to Consume or to be Consumed i. e. Shall be consumed the infinitive Verb being here put for the Future as it is Psal. 32. 8. Zeth 3. 4. and 12. 10. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Grace being an habitation to every one of them in the grave from their dwelling
it is very Proper to this place and usual in other places of Scripture to invite the Gentile World to the Contemplation and Celebration of God's Works to and for his People See Deut. 32. 43. 1 Chron. 16. 23 24. 2 Sing forth the honour of his name make his praise glorious b i. e. Praise him in an extraordinary and Eminent degree so as he may have much Glory from you 3 Say unto God How terrible art thou in thy works c To wit to thine Enemies as it follows through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies ‖ Or yield seigned Obedience †Heb. Lye submit themselves unto thee d Heb. Lye unto thee i. e. Profess subjection to thee not sincerely and freely but by Constraint and out of a servile Fear 4 All the earth shall worship thee and shall sing unto thee e Many People of divers Nations shall be so affected with thy stupendious Works that they shall Worship and Praise thee for them and all People should do so and shall have just cause to do so and the time will come when all Nations will actually do so to wit in the days of the Messias they shall sing to thy Name Selah 5 * Psal. 46. 8. Come and see f Consider them wisely and seriously for God's Glory and for your own good the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the Children of men g To all his Enemies whom he calls the Children of Men Partly in way of Contempt to shew how unable they are Either to avoid or resist the great God and Partly in opposition to his own People who are frequently called the Children of God 6 * Exod. 14. 21. He turned the sea into dry land * Josh. 3. 17. they went through the flood h Or River to wit Iordan on foot there did we i i. e. Our Nation or our Ancestors in whose Loyns we then were and the Benefit of which Antient Deliverance we at this day enjoy See the like Expressions Psal. 81. 5. Hose 12. 4. The whole People of Israel are oft Considered as one Body continued through all succeeding Generations United in the Bound of the same Covenant and Worship and in the Possession of the same Promises and Priviledges and Blessings and Acted by one and the same Spirit and therefore several and contrary things may reasonably be ascribed to them in regard of their several Parts and Ages and what was done in one Age may be imputed to another by Vertue of their strict Conjunction with the same Body rejoyce in him 7 He ruleth by his power for ever i The same Power which God had and put forth for his People in Antient time he still hath in as great Vigour as ever and is not at all weakened by Age and is as able and ready to Act for them now as ever he was which he hath shewed by this Late and Glorious instance * Psal. 11. 4 his eyes behold the nations k He sees all their secret and subtil Devices and can and will defeat them when he sees fit let not the rebellious exalt themselves l Lift up their Hands against God or against his People Or the Rebellions i. e. Those People which Rebel against this Almighty God and his Laws shall not exalt themselves as they Vainly hope and Design to do but shall be brought down and destroyed as is hereby implyed Selah 8 O bless our God ye people m Of other Nations that have served or yet do serve other Gods and make the voyce of his praise to be heard 9. Which †Heb. 〈◊〉 holdeth our soul in life n Who by a Succession of Miracles of Mercy hath kept us alive in the midst of a thousand Deaths to which we were exposed and hath restored us to Life when we were like Dead men and dry Bones scattered at the Mouth of the Grave and suffereth not our feet to be moved o To wit so as to fall into Mischief and utter Ruin as our Enemies designed 10 For p Or Yet or Nevertheless Though thou hast hitherto helped us and now delivered us yet for a season thou hast sorely afflicted us * Psal. 17. 3. thou O God hast proved us thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed q i. e. Severely as if it were in a burning Furnace and with a Design to try our sincerity and to purge out the Dross or the wicked from among us 11 Thou broughtest us into the net r Which our Enemies laid for us and which could never have taken or held us but by the Permission and Disposal of thy Providence which gave us into their hands thou laidst affliction upon our loyns 12 Thou hast caused men s Weak and Mortal and miserable Men as the Word signifies no better nor stronger then we if thou hadst not given them Power over us to ride over our heads t To Ride upon our Shoulders By thy Permission they have used us like Slaves yea like Beasts to carry their Persons or Burdens Compare Isa. 51. 23. we went through fire and through water u i. e. Through various and dangerous Tryals and Calamities See Psal. 32. 6. and 69. 2. Ezek. 15. 7. and 30. 8. but thou broughtest us out into a †Heb. Moist 〈◊〉 68. 6. wealthy place x Heb. Into a moist or Well-watered place such as Canaan was both in a Proper Sence and figuratively as being replenished with Divine Graces and Blessings 13 I will goy into thy house with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my vows 14 Which my lips have †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble 15 I will †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fatlings with the incense of rams z With the fat of Rams which in these Peace-offerings was burnt upon the Altar and so vanished into Smoke like Incense and which is no less pleasing to God than Incense I will offer bullocks with goats Selah y Hitherto he spoke in the plural Number but now he begins to speak in the singular Number but still the Speech is continued of the same Person or Persons onely sometimes the whole Body speaks and sometimes one Man speaks in the Name of all the rest 16 Come and hear all ye that fear God a Whether Israelites or Gentiles proselyted to them Let every Israelite take notice of what God hath done for the Nation in general and let the Gentiles observe God's goodness to the Children of Israel and I will declare what he hath done for my soul b Which he hath held in Life as he said v. 9 in the greatest dangers of Death 17 I cryed unto him with my mouth c With a loud Voyce and great Fervency Or it is a Pleonasme as Psal. 44. 1. We have heard with our Ears and
he was perfectly innocent it pleased God for other just and wise Reasons to punish him he hath put him to grief p God was the principal cause of all his sorrows and sufferings although mens sins were the deserving cause ‖ Or when his soul shall make an offering †If thou shalt make his soul sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 24. when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin q When thou O God shalt make or have made thy Son a Sacrifice by giving him up to death for the attonement of mens sins His Soul is here put for his Life or for himself or his whole humane nature which was sacrificed his Soul being tormented with the sense of Gods Wrath and his Body crucified and Soul and Body separated by Death Or the words may be rendred When his soul shall make or have made itself an offering for sin whereby it may be implied that he did not lay down his Life by force but willingly he shall see his seed r His death shall be glorious to himself and highly beneficial to others for he shall have a numerous issue of Believers reconciled to God and saved by his death he shall prolong his days s He shall be raised to immortal Life and shall live and reign with God for ever he shall die no more Rom. 6. 9. and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1. 33. and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand t Gods gracious decree for the redemption and Salvation of Mankind shall be effectually carried on by his Ministry and Mediation 11 He shall see u He shall receive or enjoy as this word commonly signifies of the travel of his soul x The comfortable and blessed fruit of all his hard labours and grievous sufferings and shall be satisfied y He shall esteem his own and his Fathers Glory and the Salvation of his People an abundant recompence for all his Sufferings by his knowledg z Either 1. Actively by that knowledg of Gods Will and of the way of Salvation which is in him in its highest perfection and which by him is revealed unto men and by his Spirit is imprinted in the Minds and Hearts of his People so as to produce Faith and Obedience in them Or 2. Passively by the knowledg of him as my fear and thy fear are put for the fear of me and of thee Psal. 5. 7. Ier. 32. 40. Knowledg being here as it is most frequently in Scripture taken practically for that kind of Knowledge which worketh Faith and Love and Obedience to him So the sense is the same in both cases shall * Ch. 42. 1. 49. 3. my righteous servant a Which title is here given to Christ partly to vindicate him from those false imputations of wickedness which were fastened upon him by his Adversaries and which found the more belief because of his most grievous and unexampled Sufferings both from God and Men and partly to shew his fitness for this great work of justifying sinners because he was exactly holy and harmless and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. and fulfilled all righteousness according to his duty Mat. 3. 15. and therefore his person and performance must needs be acceptable to God and effectual for the justification of his People which was the great design of his coming into the World justifie b Acquit them from the guilt of their sins and all the dreadful consequences thereof For Iustification is here opposed to condemnation as appears from the following clause and from many other passages in this Chapter and as it is used in all places of Scripture one or two at most excepted where it is mentioned And Christ is said to justifie sinners meritoriously because he purchaseth and procureth it for us as God the Father is commonly said to do it authoritatively because he accepted the price paid by Christ for it and the pronunciation of the sentence of Absolution is referred to him in the Gospel Dispensation many c Which word is seasonably added partly by way of Restriction to shew that Christ will not justifie all but only such as believe in him and obey him and partly by way of Amplification to declare that this blessed priviledge shall not now be as hitherto it had in a manner been confined to Iudoea and the Jews but shall be conferred upon an innumerable company of all the Nations of the World for he shall bear their iniquities d For he shall satisfie the Justice and Law of God for them by bearing the punishments due to their sins and therefore by the principles of Reason and Justice they must be justified or acquitted otherwise the same debt should be twice required and paid 12 Therefore will I e God the Father the spectator and Judge of the Action or Combat divide him f Give him his share Or impart or give to him for this word is oft used without respect to any distribution or division as Deut. 4. 19. 29. 26. and elsewhere a portion g Which is very commodiously supplied out of the next clause where a word which answers to it the spoil is expressed with the great h Or among the great such as the great and mighty Potentates of the World use to have after a sharp Combat and a glorious Victory Though he be a very mean and obscure person as to his extraction and outward condition in the World yet he shall attain to as great a pitch of the Glory as the greatest Monarchs enjoy and he shall divide the spoil with the strong i The same thing is repeated in other words after the manner of prophetical Writers The sense of both clauses is That God will give him and he shall receive great and happy success in his glorious undertaking he shall conquer all his Enemies and lead Captivity Captive as is said Eph. 4. 8. and set up his universal and everlasting Kingdom in the World because he hath poured out his soul unto death k Because he willingly laid down his Life in Obedience to Gods Command Ioh. 10. 17 18. and in order to the Redemption of Mankind Death is here called a pouring out of the Soul or Life either because the Soul or Life which in living men is contained in the body is turned out of the Body by Death or to signifie the manner of Christs Death that it should be with the shedding of his Blood in which the Life of Man consists Levit. 17. 11 14. and he * Mar. 15. 28. Luk. 22. 37. was numbred with the transgressors l He was willing for Gods Glory and for Mans Good to be reproached and punished like a Malefactor in the same manner and place and betwixt two of them as is noted with reference to this place Mark 15. 27 28. and he bare the sin of many m Which was said v. 11.
or other service and creeping thing e To wit of the Earth of a differing kind from those creeping things of the Water v. 20. and the Beast f i. e. The wild Beast as the Hebrew word commonly signifies and as appears further because they are distinguished from the tame Beasts here called Cattle of the Earth after his kind And it was so 25. And God made the Beast of the Earth after his kind and Cattle after their kind and every thing that creepeth upon the Earth after his kind And God saw that it was good 26. ¶ And God said g Having prepared all things necessary for mans use and comfort * Chap. 5. 1. 8 9. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 7. Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. Let us make man h The plurals us and our afford an evident proof of a plurality of persons in the Godhead It is plain from many other Texts as well as from the Nature and Reason of the thing that God alone is mans Creator the Angels rejoiced at the work of Creation but only God wrought it Iob 38. 4 5 6 7. And it is no less plain from this Text and from divers other places that man had more Creators than one Person See Iob 35. 10. Iohn 1. 2 3. c. Heb. 1. 3. And as other Texts assure us that mere is but one God so this shews that there are more persons in the Godhead nor can that seeming contradiction of one and more being in the Godhead be otherwise reconciled than by acknowledging a plurality of persons in the Unity of Essence It is pretended that God 〈◊〉 speaks after the manner of Princes in the plural number who 〈◊〉 to say We Will and Require or It is our Pleasure But this is only the invention and practice of latter times and no way agreeable to the simplicity either of the first ages of the World or of the Hebrew Style The Kings of Israel used to speak of themselves in the singular number 2 Sam. 3. 28. 1 Chron. 21. 17. 29. 14. 2 Chron. 2. 6. And so did the Eastern Monarchs too yea even in their Decrees and Orders which now run in the plural number as Ezra 6. 8. I Darius make a Dicree Ezra 7. 21. I even I Artaxerxes the King do make a Decree Nor do I remember one example in Scripture to the contrary It is therefore a rash and presumptuous attempt without any warrant to thrust the usages of modern stile into the Sacred Scripture Besides the Lord doth generally speak of himself in the singular number some few places excepted wherein the plural number is used for the signification of this mystery Moreover this device is utterly overthrown by comparing this Text with Gen. 3. 22. The Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us Therefore there are more persons than one in the Godhead How many they are other Texts plainly inform us as we shall see in their proper places And whereas he saith not now as he did before Let the Earth or Waters bring forth but Let us make this change of the phrase and manner of expression shews that man was as the last so the most perfect and the chief of the ways and works of God in this lower World in our Image after our likeness i Image and likeness are two words noting the same thing even exact likeness For both of them are used of Adam Gen. 5. 3. He legat a Son in his own likeness after his Image and they are separately and indifferently used in the same sence man being said to be made in the likeness of God Gen. 5. 1. and in the Image of God Gen. 9. 6. Quest. Wherein doth the Image of God in Man consist Answ. 1. It is in the whole Man both in the Blessedness of his estate and in his Dominion over the rest of the Creatures 2. It shines forth even in the Body in the Majesty of mans countenance and height of his stature which is set towards Heaven when other Creatures by their down looks shew the lowness and meanness of their Nature as even Heathens have observed 3. It principally consists and most eminently appears in mans Soul 1. In its Nature and Substance as it is like God Spiritual Invisible Immortal c. 2. In its Powers and Faculties Reason or Understanding and freedom in its choice and actions 3. In the singular endowments wherewith God hath adorned it as Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness in which St. Paul chiefly placeth this Image Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. and * Psal. 8. 6. let them k The Male and Female both comprehended in the word Man as is expressed v. 27. Together with their Posterity have dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Air and over the Cattle l By which he understands either 1. Both tame and wild Beasts the same word being used here in a differing sence from what it hath v. 25. as is frequent in Scripture Or 2. Tame Beasts which are particularly mentioned because they are more under mans dominion than the wild Beasts and more fitted for mans use and benefit though the other be not excluded but comprehended under the former as the more famous kind as is usual in Scriptures and other Authors and over all the Earth m Over all other Creatures and Productions of the Earth and over the Earth it self to manage it as they see fit for their own comfort and advantage and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth 27. So God Created man in his own Image in the Image of God Created he him * Mal 2. 15. Matth. 19. 4. Mar. 10. 5. Male and Female Created he them n Not both together as some of the Jews have Fabled but successively the Woman after and out of the Man as is more particularly related Gen. 2. 21. c. which is here mentioned by anticipation Albeit the Woman also seems to have been made upon the sixth day as is here related and as the following blessings sheweth which is common to both of them though the particular History of it is brought in afterwards chap. 2. by way of recapitulation or repetition 28. And God blessed them o Having blessed them with excellent natures and heavenly Gifts and Graces he further blesseth them with a special and temporal blessing expressed in the following words and God said unto them * Chap. 9. 1. Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth p With inhabitants to be begotten by you Quest. Whether this be a command obliging all men to Marriage and Procreation So the Hebrew Doctors think It may be thus resolved 1. It is a command obliging all men so far as not to suffer the extinction of mankind Thus it did absolutely bind Adam and Eve as also Noah and his Sons and their Wives after the Flood 2. It doth not oblige every particular person to Marry
Gods Almighty power and word 6. ‖ Or a mist which went up from c. But there went up n To wit from time to time by Gods appointment a mist o Or Vapour or Cloud which going up into the Air was turned into â—…ain and fell down again to the Earth from whence it arose from the Earth and watered the whole face of the ground p Whereby the Earth was softned and disposed both to the nourishment of those Plants or Trees that were Created and to the production of new Plants in a natural and ordinary way But these words may be otherwise understood the Copulative and here rendred but being put for the Disjunctive or as it is Exod. 21. 15 17. Iob 6. 22. and 8. 3. and in other places Or the Negative particle not may be understood out of the foregoing clause as it is usual in the Hebrew Language as Psal. 1. 5. and 9. 17. and 44. 19. and 50. 8. and Isa. 28. 27 28. And so these words may be joyned with the foregoing and both Translated in this manner There was no Rain nor a Man to Till the ground or or nor for both come to one thing so much as a mist which went up from the Earth and watered as afterwards was usual and natural the whole face of the ground 7. And the LORD God formed man †Heb. dust of the ground of the * 1 Cor. 15. 47. dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils q And by that door into the Head and whole man This is an emphatical phrase sufficiently implying that the Soul of Man was of a quite differing Nature and higher extraction and original than the Souls of Beasts which together with their Bodies are said to be brought forth by the Earth Genesis 1. 24. the breath of Life r Heb. Of Lives Either to shew the continuance of this breath or soul both in this Life and in the Life to come or to note the various degrees or kinds of Life which this one breath worketh in us the Life of Plants in growth and nourishment the Life of Beasts in sense and motion and the Life of a Man in Reason and Understanding and * 1 Cor. 15. 45. Man s Who before this was but a dull lump of Clay or a comely Statue became a living Soul t i. e. A living Man The Soul being oft put for the whole Man as Gen. 12. 5. 13. and 46. 15 18. 1 Pet. 3. 20. c. 8. And the LORD God Planted u Or had planted viz. on the third day when he made the Plants and Trees to grow out of the ground a Garden x A place of the choicest Plants and Fruits most beautiful and pleasant East-ward y From the place where Moses writ and the Israelites afterwards dwelt in Eden z Eden here is the name of a place not that Eden near Damascus in Syria of which see Amos 1. 5. but another Eden in Mesopotamia or Chaldea of which see Gen. 4. 16. 2 King 19. 12. Esa. 37. 12. Ezek. 27. 23. There are many and tedious disputes about the place of this Paradise of which he that listeth may see my Latin Synopsis It may suffice to know that which is evident that it was in or near to Mesopotamia in the confluence of Euphrates and Tigris And there he put the man whom he had formed a To wit in another place 9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every Tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for Food the Tree of Life b So called either symbolically and sacramentally because it was a sign and seal of that Life which man had received from God and of his continual enjoyment of it upon condition of his Obedience Or effectively because God had planted in it a singular vertue for the support of Nature prolongation of Life and the prevention of all Diseases Infirmities and decays through age also in the midst of the Garden * Or within the Garden as Tyrus is said to be in the midst of the Seas Ezek. 28. 2. Though it was but just within it and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil c So called with respect either 1. To God who thereby would prove and make known mans Good or Evil his Obedience and Happiness or his Rebellion and Misery Or rather 2. To Man who by the use of it would know to his cost how great and good things he did enjoy and might have kept by his Obedience and how evil and bitter the fruits of his disobedience were to himself and all his posterity So it seems to be an ironical denomination you thirsted after more knowledge which also the Devil promised you and you have got what you desired more Knowledge even dear bought experience 10. And a River d Or Rivers by a common Enallage went out of Eden e The Country in which Paradise was where those Rivers either arose from one spring or met together in one channel to water the Garden and from thence ‖ i. e. From the Garden it was parted and became into four heads f It was divided into four principal Rivers Concerning which there are now many disputes But it is no wonder if the rise and scituation of these Rivers be not now certainly known because of the great changes which in so long time might happen in this as well as in other Rivers partly by Earth-quakes and principally by the general Deluge And yet Euphrates and Tigris the chief of these Rivers whereof the other two are branches are discovered by some learned men to have one and the same original or spring and that in a most pleasant part of Armenia where they conceive Paradise was See my Latin Synopsis 11. The name of the first is Pison g An eminent branch of the River Tigris probably that called by others Pasi-tigris or Piso-tigris that is it which compasseth h i. e. With many windings and turnings passed thorough as this word is used Ios. 15. 3. Mat. 23. 15. the whole Land of Havilah i Either that which is in those parts of Arabia which is towards Mesopotamia so called from Havilah the issue of Cham Gen. 10. 7. Or that which is nigh Persia and in the borders of India so called from another Havilah of the Posterity of Sem Gen. 10. 29. To either of these the following description agrees well where there is Gold 12. And the Gold of that Land is * 2 Chron. 3. 5. good k i. e. Better than ordinary there is Bdellium l Which signifies either a pretious gumme of which see Numb 11. 70. or Gems and Pearls Once for all observe that many of the Hebrew words or names of Stones Trees Birds and Beasts are even to the Hebrew Doctors and others both antient and modern Interpreters of uncertain signification and that without
his slave to be abused despised or trampled under his feet but to be kindly treated and used like a companion with moderation respect and affection Qu. How could a Rib be taken from Adam but it must be either superfluous in Adam while it was in him or defective afterwards both which reflect upon the Creator Answ. 1. It was no superfluity but a conveniency if Adam had at first one Rib extraordinary put into him for this purpose 2. If Adam lost a Rib upon so glorious an occasion it was but a scar or badge of honour and no disparagement either to him or to his Creator 3. Either God created him a new Rib or hardned the Flesh to the Nature and use of a Rib and so there was no defect in him and closed up the Flesh i Together with another Bone or Rib. in stead thereof k i. e. Of that Rib and Flesh which he took away from him which was easie for God to do 22. And the Rib which the LORD God had taken from Man †Heb builded made he a Woman and brought her l From some place at a little distance whether he first carryed her that for the decency of the action he might bring her thence unto the Man m A Bride to a Bridegroom to be married to him the great God being pleased to act the part of a Father to give his Daughter and workmanship to him thereby both teaching Parents their duty of providing Marriages for their Children and Children their duty of expecting their Parents consent in Marriage 23. And Adam said n Qu. How knew he this Answ. Either 1. By his own observation For though it be said that he was asleep till the Rib was taken out and restored yet he might awake as soon as ever that was done the reason of his sleep ceasing and so might see the making of the Woman Or. 2. By the Revelation of God who put these words into Adams mouth to whom therefore these words of Adam are ascribed Matth. 19. 5. this is now o Or For this time the Woman is made of my Bones c. but for the time to come the Woman as well as the man shall be produced another way to wit by Generation Bone of my Bones and Flesh of my Flesh p Made of my Rib and Flesh i. e. God hath provided me a meet help and Wife not out of the brute Creatures but nearer hand a part of my own Body and of the same nature with my self She shall be called Woman because she was * 2 Cor. 11. 8. taken out of man 24. * Matth. 19. 5. Mar. 10. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 16. Eph. 5. 31. Therefore q These are the words of Moses by divine instinct or his inference from Adam's words shall a man leave his Father and his Mother r In regard of Habitation and society but not as to natural duty and affection and shall cleave unto his Wife s In Coniâ—…gal relation and highest affection even above what they owe to their Parents And they t Or they two as it is in the Samaritan Syriack and Arabick translations and Matthew 19. 5. shall u i. e. Shall be esteemed by themselves and others to be as intirely and inseparably united and shall have as intimate and universal communion as if they were be one Flesh x i. e. One Person one Soul one Body And this first institution shews the sinfulness of Divorces and Polygamy however God might upon a particular reason for a time dispence with his own institution or to remit the punishment due to the violaters of it 25. And they were both naked the Man and his Wife and were not ashamed y To wit of their nakedness as having no guilt nor cause of shame no filthy or evil inclinations in their Bodies no sinful Concupiscence or impure motions in their Souls but spotless innocency and perfection which must needs exclude shame CHAP. III. 1. NOw the Serpent a Or Rather this or that Serpent For here is an emphatical article of which more by and by was more subtile than any Beast of the Field b The Serpents eminent subtilty is noted both in sacred Scripture Gen. 49. 17. Psal. 58. 5. Mark 10. 16. 2 Cor. 11. 3. and by Heathen Authors whereof these instances are given that when it is assaulted it secures its head that it stops its ear at the charmers voice and the like If it be yet said that some beasts are more subtle and therefore this is not true it may be replied 1. It is no wonder if the Serpent for its instrumentality in mans sin hath lost the greatest part of its original subtlety even as mans sin was punished with a great decay both of the natural endowments of his Mind Wisdom and Knowledge and of the beauty and glory of his Body the instrument of his sin But this Text may and seems to be understood not of the whole kind of Serpents but of this individual or particular Serpent for it is in the Hebrew Haunachaâ—…h that Serpent or this Serpent to signifie that this was not only an ordinary Serpent but was acted and assisted by the Devil who is therefore called that old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. And this seems most probable partly from the following discourse which is added as a proof of that which is here said concerning the Serpents subtlety and that sâ—…rely was not the discourse of a Beast but of a Devil and partly from 2 Cor. 11. 3. which hath a manifest reference to this place where the Apostle affirmeth that the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety not surely through that subtlety which is common to all Serpents but through that subtilty which was peculiar to this as it was possessed and acted by the Devil There seems indeed to be an all â—…sion here to the natural subtilty of all Serpents and the sense of the sacred Penman may seem to be this as if he said the Serpent indeed in it self is a subtil Creature and thought to be more subtil than any Beast of the Field but howsoever this be in other Serpents â—…t is certain that this Serpent was more subtil than any Beast of the Field as will appear by the following words If it be said the particle this or that is relative to something going before whereas there is not a word about it in the foregoing words it may be replyed that relative particles are often put without any antecedents and the antecedents are left to be gathered not onely out of the foregoing but sometimes also out of the following passages as is apparent from Exod. 14. 29. Numb 7. 89. and 24. 17. Psal. 87. 1. and 105. 19. and 114. 2. Prov. 7. 8. and 14. 26. So here that Serpent that of which I am now to speak whose discourse with the Woman here followeth which the LORD God had made and he said c Quest. How the
a matter And very grievous to her because Womens Affections use to be vehement and it is irksome to them to have them restrained or denied shall be ‖ Or subject to thy Husband to thy Husband and he shall rule * 1 Cor. 14. 34. over thee n Seeing for want of thy Husbands rule and conduct thou wast seduced by the Serpent and didst abuse that power I gave thee together with thy Husband to draw him to sin thou shalt now be brought down to a lower degree for he shall rule thee not with that sweet and gentle hand which he formerly used as a guide and Counsellour onely but by an higher and harder hand as a Lord and Governour to whom I have now given a greater Power and Authority over thee than he had before which through thy pride and corruption will be far more uneasie to thee than his former Empire was and who will usurp a further power than I have given him and will by my permission for thy punishment rule thee many times with Rigour Tyranny and Cruelty which thou wilt groan under but shalt not be able to deliver thy self from it See 1 Cor. 14. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. 1 Pet. 3. 6. 17. And unto Adam he said because thou hast hearkned unto the voice of thy Wife o i. e. Obeyed the word and counsel contrary to my expresse command and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it * Isa. 24. 5 6. Rom. 8. 20. cursed is the ground p Which shall now yield both fewer and worse fruits and those too with more trouble of mens minds and labour of their bodies for thy sake q i. e. Because of thy sin or to thy use or as far as concerns thee in sorrow r Or with toil or grief shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life 18. Thorns also and Thistles a And other unuseful and hurtful Plants Synecdochically contained under these shall it †Heb cause to bud bring forth b Of its own accord to thee c Not to thy benefit but to thy grief and punishment And thou shalt * Psal. 104. 14. eat the Herb of the Field d In stead of those generous and delicious Fruits of Paradise which because thou didst dispise thou shalt no more tast of See Gen. 1. 29. 19. In the sweat of thy face f i. e. Of thy Body He mentions the Face because there the sweat appears first and most Or with labour of Body or Brain Eccles. 1. 13. and vexation of mind shalt thou eat Bread g i. e. Get thy food and livelihood Bread being put for all nourishment as Gen. 18. 5. and 28. 20. till thou return unto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art i As to the constitution and original of thy Body See Gen. 18. 27. Iob 1. 21. Psal. 103. 14. and unto dust shalt thou return k Though upon thy obedience I would have preserved thy Body no less than thy Soul from all mortality yet now having sinned thou shalt return unto dust in thy Body whilst the immortal Spirit shall return unto God who gave it Eccles. 12. 7. Thus thy end shall be as base as thy beginning 20. And Adam called his Wives name †Heb. Chavâ—… Eve m Which signifies either Living or the giver or preserver of Life because she was the Mother of all living n Though for her sin justly sentenced to a present death yet by Gods infinite Mercy and by vertue of the promised Seed was both continued in Life her self and was made the Mother of all living Men and Women that should be after her upon the Earth who though in and with their Mother they were condemned to speedy Death yet shall be brought forth into the state and Land of the Living and into the hopes of a blessed and eternal Life by the Redeemer whose Mother or progenitor she was 21. Unto Adam also and to his Wife did the LORD God p Either by his own word or by the Ministry of Angels make coats of skins q Of Beasts slain either for Sacrifice to God or for the use of man their Lord and owner and clothed them r Which he did partly to defend them from excessive heats and colds or other injuries of the Air to which they were now exposed Partly to mind them of their sin which made their nakedness which before was Innocent and Honourable now to be an occasion of sin and shame and therefore to need covering And partly to shew his care even of fallen man and to encourage his hopes of Gods mercy through the blessed Seed and thereby to invite him to Repentance 22. And the LORD God said s Either within himself or to the other persons of the Godhead Behold the Man is become t i. e. Adam and Eve both are become such according to the Devils promise and their own expectation This is an Holy Irony or Sarcasm like those 1 King 18. 27. Eccles. 11. 9. q. d. Behold O all ye Angels and all the future Generations of men how the first man hath over-reached and conquered us and got the Divinity which he affected and how happy he hath made himself by his Rebellion But this bitter scorn God uttereth not to insult over mans misery but to convince him of his sin folly danger and calamity and to oblige him both to a diligent seeking after and a greedy embracing the remedy of the promised Seed which God offered him and to a greater watchfulness over himself and respect to all Gods commands for the time to come as one of us u i. e. As one of the Divine Persons of infinite Wisdom and Capacity Here is an evident proof of a plurality of persons in the Godhead compare Gen. 1. 26. and 11. 7. If it be said God speaks this of himself and the Angels besides that as yet not one word hath been spoken concerning the Angels it is an absurd and unreasonable conceit that the great God should level himself with the Angels and give them a kind of equality with himself as this expression intimates to know Good and Evil x To know all things both good and evil and now lest he put forth his hand y The speech is defective and to be supplyed thus or some such way But now care must be taken or man must be banished hence lest he c. and take also a i. e. As he did take of the Tree of knowledge of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever b i. e. And thereby prophane that Sacrament of Eternal Life and fondly perswade himself that he shall live for ever This is another scoffe or irony whereby God upbraideth mans presumption and those vain hopes wherewith he did still feed himself 23. Therefore d For
Be it so that I have slain a man and that a young man why do you concern your selves in it It is to my own wounding and hurt not to yours I must suffer for it not you Some take this to be a sorrowful confession of his bloody crime q. d. I have murdered a man to my wounding c. i. e. to my utter ruine or to the wounding and grief of my Heart and Conscience But this seems not to agree either with the quality of Cains Family or with the temper of Lamechs Person or with the scope of the Holy Ghost in this place which is to describe not the vertues but the crimes of that wicked race According to the Marginal Translation the sense may be this fear not for me for if any man though in his youth and strength should assault me and give me the first wound he should pay dearly for it and though I were wounded and weakned the remainders of my strength would be sufficient to give him his deaths wound The words also may be otherwise rendred the particle chi being taken interrogatively as it is Isa. 29. 6. and 36. 19. and elsewhere Have I slain a man to my wounding and or or a young man to my hurt i. e. that thereby I should deserve such a mortal wound or hurt to be inflicted upon me by way of retaliation You have therefore no cause of fear either for my sake or for your own 24. If Cain shall be avenged o If the slaughter of Cain shall be punished in him that shall kill him whosoever he be seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold p i. e. My death shall be much more certainly and severely revenged by God upon any man that shall murder me These words may be either 1. A profane scoffe q. d. Since Cain my Father and pattern in murther was so far from being punished by the hand of God that he had a special protection from him that no man should dare to touch him I whose murther is not so hainous as his was shall not fare worse than he and therefore have no reason to fear either God or Men. Or 2. An argument or ground of his security q. d. I am not onely secured by my own puissance but by God's Providence which certainly will be more watchful over me who have not committed any such horrid crime than over him that killed his own innocent Brother 25. And Adam knew his Wife again and she bare a Son and called his name †Heb. Sheth Seth q She gave the name but not without Adams consent Gen. 5. 3. For God said she r By divine inspiration hath appointed me another seed s Note that the word Seed is used of one single person here and Gen. 21. 13. and 38. 8. Which confirms the Apostles argument Gal. 3. 16. in stead of Abel t To succeed his Father Adam as Abel should have done in the Priesthood and Administration and care of Holy things in the Church of God whom Cain slew 26. And to Seth to him also there was born a Son and he called his name †Heb. Enosh Enos u Which properly signifies a miserable man to note the great wickedness and wretchedness of that Generation which the Hebrew Writers generally observe then began men ‖ Or to call themselves by the name of the Lord. to call upon the Name of the LORD x To pray unto God to Worship God in a more publick and solemn manner Praying being here put for the whole Worship of God as Gen. 12. 8. and 26. 25. and in many other places According to the marginal version the sense is this Then when the World was universally corrupt and had forsaken God and his service good men grew more valiant and zealous for God and did more publickly and avowedly own God and began to distinguish and separate themselves from the ungodly World and to call themselves and one another by the Name of God i. e. the Sons Servants or Worshippers of God as they are expresly called and that as it seems upon this occasion Gen. 6. 2. And in this sense this phrase is elsewhere taken as Isa. 43. 7. and 44. 5. and 65. 1. Some render the place thus Then began Men to profane the name i. e. the Worship of the Lord by Idolatry or Superstition But this seems neither to agree with the Hebrew phrase nor to suit with this place where he speaks of the posterity of Seth who were the Holy Seed and only Church of God then in the World CHAP. V. 1. THis is the * 1 Chron. 1. 1. book a i. e. The List or Catalogue as this word is taken Nehem. 7. 5. Matth. 1. 1. as it is also put for any short writing as for a bill of Divorce as Deut. 24. 1 2. of the Generations of Adam b i. e. His posterity begotten by him the word being passively used But he doth not here give a compleat list of all Adams Children but only of his godly Seed which preserved true Religion and the Worship of God from Adam to the Flood and from whose Loins Christ came Luke 3. In the day that God Created Man c This is here repeated to note the different way of the production of Adam and of his posterity his was by creation from God theirs by Generation from their Parents in the likeness of God made he him d See Gen. 26. 27. 2. Male and Female created he them e See Gen. 1. 26. Math. 19. 4. Mark 10. 6. and blessed them f With power to propagate their kind and with other blessings See Gen. 1. 28. and called their Name Adam g Which name is given both to every man as Gen. 9. 6. Psal. 49. 20. and to the first man as Gen. 2. 23. and to the whole kind both the Man and the Woman who are called by one name to shew their intimate Union and Communion in all things in the day when they were created 3. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years h After he was created in which time he begat other Sons and Daughters as appears from what was said before and begat a Son in his own likeness after his image i Either 1. In regard of the natural frame of his Body and Soul But this was so evident of it self that the mention of it had been frivolous Nor is there any reason why that should be said of Seth rather thâ—…n of Cain or Abel Or 2. In regard of his corruption q. d. a weak sinful mortal man like himself For Adams image is here plainly opposed to the likeness of God wherein Adam is said to be created ver 1. And this is fitly said of Seth to signifie that although he was a worthy and good man and Adam excepted the most eminent person of the whole Church of God yet he no less than wicked Cain was begotten and born in sin
Which was an inferior kind of Wife taken according to the common practise of those times subject to the Authority of the principal Wife and whose Children had no right of inheritance but were endowed with gifts See Gen. 21. 14. and 25. 6. whose name was Reumah she bare also Tebah and Gaham and Thahash and Maachah m A name common both to Man as 2 Sam. 10. 6. and Woman as 1 King 15. 13. CHAP. XXIII 1. AND Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old these were the years of the life of Sarah a This is the peculiar honour of Sarah the Mother of the faithful 1 Pet. 3. 6. to have the years of her life numbred in Scripture 2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba b Or The City of Arba so called probably from a giant or great man called Arba who lived and ruled in those parts See Ios. 14. 15. and 15. 13. the same is Hebron c It is objected against this Scripture that this City was not called Hebron till Ioshua's time Ios. 14. 15. but this is a mistake Ioshua doth not say so but onely that the name of Hebron before or in old time as this very particle is rendred Deut. 2. 20. and elsewhere So the sense is The most antient name of it was Kiriath-Arba Nor doth Ioshua there give any account or reason of this change of the name at that time or upon that occasion as the sacred Writers use to do in such cases but rather supposeth that Hebron was the name of it before he came thither and how long before that time he doth not express in the land of Canaan and Abraham came ‖ Into Sarah's Tent. See Gen 18. 6 9. to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her d According to the laudable custom of all ages and nations to manifest their sense of Gods hand upon them and of their own loss See Gen. 50. 3. Deut. 34. 8. c. 3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead e To shew his moderation in sorrow and to take care for her burial according to his duty and spake unto the sons of Heth saying 4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you give me a possession of a burying-place f The priviledge of burial hath been always sought and priz'd by all Nations whom nature and humanity teacheth to preserve the bodies of men which have been the Temples of reasonable and immortal souls from contempt and violation so especially by Christians as a Testimony and Pledge of their future Resurrection See Numb 33. 4. Deut. 21. 23. Iob 5. 26. For which cause Abraham desires a distinct burying place separated from the Pagan people with you g In Canaan There he and after him other Patriarchs earnestly desired to be buried upon this account that it might confirm their own and their Childrens Faith in Gods Promise and animate their Children in due time to take possession of the Land See Gen. 25. 9. and 47. 29 30. and 50. 13 25. Exod. 13. 19. Heb. 11. 22. that I may bury my dead out of my sight h So she that before was the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24. 16. is now being dead become their torment 5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham saying unto him 6 Hear us my LORD i Here is a conjunction of the plural and singular number because though but one person spake yet he spake in the name of the whole community thou art †Heb. a prince of God a mighty prince k Heb. A Prince of God Great and excellent persons or things are oft expressed by adding the name of God See Gen. 13. 10. Or by Prince of God they understand a Prince favoured and beloved of God amongst us in the choice of our sepulchres l For each Family had a distinct Sepulchre bury thy dead none of us shall with-hold from thee his sepulchre but that thou mayest bury thy dead 7 And Abraham stood up and bowed himself m i. e. Shewed a civil respect to them in testimony of his thankfulness Religion allows and requires civility and those gestures which express it to the people of the Land n To the Governours of the people who managed all publick affairs in the peoples name and stead and for their good even to the children of Heth o So called from Heth the Son of Canaan Gen. 10. 15. 8 And he communed with them saying if it be your mind p Heb. If it be with i. e. agreeable to your soul that is your will or good pleasure For so the Soul is sometimes taken as Deut. 23. 24. Psal. 27. 12. and 41. 2. that I should bury my dead out of my sight hear me and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar 9 That he may give me the cave of ‖ Or double cave Machpelah q Which seems to be the proper name of the place ver 17 19. so called from its duplicity because the cave was double either one for Men and another for Women Or the one served onely for an entrance into the other which was the burying place which he hath which is in the end of his field for †Heb. full money as much money as it is worth r Heb. For full money 1 Chron. 21. 22 24. i. e. for money of full weight answerable to its worth he shall give it me for a possession of a burying-place amongst you 10 And Ephron dwelt s Heb. Did sit to wit at that time as one of the chief oâ—… rulers of the People 〈◊〉 so the word sitting is oft used as we shall see hereafter amongst the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the * Heb. â—…rs audience of the children of Heth even of all that went in at the gates of his City t Either where he was born or at least where he lived saying 11 Nay my Lord hear me the Field give I thee and the cave that is therein I give it thee in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee bury thy dead 12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land 13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land saying But if thou wilt give it u It is a short speech and something must be supplyed Either if thou wilt give or resign it to me Or if thou be the Man of whom I speak For though Abraham knew his name he might not know him by face nor that he was then present I pray thee hear me I will give thee money for the Field x He prudently chose rather to buy it then to receive it as a gift partly because it would be the surer to him and his ver 17 20. and partly because he would not have too great obligations to his Pagan Neighbours take it of me and I will bury my dead
f Either by putting on new garments as 2 Sam. 12. 20. or by washing the old ones as Exod. 19. 10. Levit. 15. 13. And these as well as other ceremonial institutions and practices were professions of their Repentance which consists in putting off the old man and putting on the new Eph. 4. 22. 3 And let us arise and go up to Beth-el and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distress g He takes Gods gracious promise and the comfortable hope aâ—… assurance of Gods favour to him and care of him impressed by God upon his mind and heart for an answer to his prayers though he had then seen no success nor accomplishment of Gods word to him and was with me in the way which I went 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand and all their ear-rings which were in their ears h Either because they had been abused to idolatry and superstition at Sichem or elsewhere and therefore were to be destroyed according to Gods command now signified to Iacob and afterwards delivered to his posterity Deut. 7. 5. and 12. 3. or for fear they should be so abused For the Scripture seems to insinuate and other writers expresly affirm that divers heathen people did wear ear-rings for the honour of their idols and with the representations or ensigns of their idols engraven upon them See Iudg. 8. 24. and Jacob hid them i After he had melted or broken them which seems probable from parallel instances as Exod. 32. 20. 2 King 18. 4. under the * Jos. 24. 26. Judg. 9. 6. Oak k Under a certain oak though not known to his family which it was He chose that place either as most proper to put monuments of Idolatry under those trees which were so much and so generally abused to Idolatry as oaks especially were Isa. 1. 29. or as the safest place where they were likely to remain longest hid because the heathen had a veneration for Oaks and therefore would not cut them down nor dig them up nor do any thing which had a tendency that way which was by Shechem 5 And they journeyed and * Exod. 15. 16. and 34. 24. Deut. 11. 25. Jos. 5. 1. the terror of God l i. e. A great terrour sent from God as Exod. 23. 27. Ios. 2. 9 11. 2 Chron. 14. 14. and 17. 10. So we read of a sleep of God 1 Sam. 26. 12. Nothing less could have secured Iacob considering the great number power and rage of his enemies was upon the cities that were round about them and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan m Properly so called or where the Canaanites properly so called dwelt Thus it is distinguished from another Luz Iudg. 1. 26. that is Beth-el he and all the people that were with him 7 And he built there an Altar and * chap. 28. 19. called the place ‖ That is the God of Bethel El-beth-el n i. e. He confirmed the name which he had formerly given to the place because there God appeared unto him when he fled from the face of his brother 8 But Deborah Rebekahs nurse o Who came with Rebekah into Canaan Gen. 24. 59. and probably tarried with her whilest she lived and after her death as it seems and upon Iacobs desire after his return from Haran came into his family where being a person of great prudence and piety her presence and advice was very useful in his numerous and divided family died and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak and the name of it was called ‖ That is the oak of weeping Allon-bachuth p From the great lamentation which they made there for the loss of a person of such singular worth 9 And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Padan-Aram and blessed him 10 And God said unto him Thy name is Jacob thy name shall not be called any more Jacob * chap. 32. 28. but Israel shall be thy name q I do not repent of the change which I made of thy name but I do again confirm it and as then thou didst prevail over thy brother Esau so now thou shalt prevail over those of whom thou art afraid and he called his name Israel 11 And God said unto him * chap. 17. 1. I am God Almighty be fruitful and multiply * chap. 17. 5 6 16. a Nation and a company of nations r Tribes for number and power equal to so many nations shall be of thee and Kings shall come out of thy Ioyns s i. e. Shall be begotten by thee as this phrase is taken also in Gen. 46. 26. 1 King 8. 19. Act. 2. 30. 12 And the land * chap. 12. 7. and 26. 3. which I gave Abraham and Isaac to thee will I give it and to thy seed after thee will I give this land 13 And God went up from him t Either locally and visibly to wit in that humane shape in which he appeared to him or by withdrawing the signes of his special presence as Gen. 17. 22. Iudg. 13 20. as on the contrary God is said to come down not by change of place but by some signal manifestation of his presence and favour as Exod. 3. 8. Numb 11. 17. in the place where he talked with him 14 And Jacob set up a pillar u Either he repaired the old pillar set up by him Gen. 28. 18. which was ruined by the injury of time or by the neighbouring Idolaters or rather erected a new one more stable and durable than he could do in that time as a monument or witness of Gods manifold favours and of his own gratitude in the place where he talked with him even a pillar of stone and he powred a drink-offering x Of wine as may be gathered by comparing Exod. 29. 40. Numb 28. 14. thereon and he poured oyl thereon 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him * chap. 28. 19. Beth-el 16 And they journeyed from Bethel and there was but * Heb. a little piece of ground a little way to come to Ephrath and Rachel travailed and she had hard labour 17 And it came to pass when she was in hard labour that the midwife said unto her Fear not thou shalt have this son also 18 And it came to pass as her soul was in departing y Or in going out namely out of the body as Psal. 146. 4. which is an argument of the souls immortality especially if compared with Eccles. 12. 7. From which places said together we learn the two termes of the journey whence it goes and whither it goes for she died that she called his name ‖ That is the son of my sorrow Ben-oni but his father called him
* Eccles. 38. 5. tree which when he had cast into the waters the waters were made sweet b Not so much by any vertue in that tree as by the power of God who used this rather as a sign to the Israelites than as an instrument to himself in this work there he made for them a statute and an ordinance c God or Moses in Gods name and by his order constituted and published to them a statute Which seems to be understood not of any particular Statute or Law as that concerning the Sabbath or their duty to their Parents or the like for the specifying of their duties is reserved to another time and place but of a general Law or Rule formerly given and now solemnly renewed by Moses at Gods command like that given to Abraham their Father Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be perfect God having thus far performed his part of that Covenant made with Abraham and his seed to bring them out of Egypt towards Canaan tells them that he expects and requires of them their observance of the condition of that covenant and gives them this indefinite and universal Law or Precept that they should obey and fulfill all the commands which God had already laid upon them or their Parents and which he should hereafter reveal to them This sense may be gathered out of the following verse wherein he explains what he meant by this Statute even all Gods Statutes or Commandements which if they would keep he engageth himself to preserve and deliver them So it is onely a change of the number the singular Statute being put for the plural Statutes which is a figure very frequently used both in Scripture and in other Authors God having now eased them of the hard and iron yoke of the Egyptians puts his sweet and easie yoke upon them and having undertaken to be their King and Protector and Captain he claims their subjection to himself and to his Laws or Statutes and there * chap. 16. 4. he proved them * Or tryed them i. e. the Israelites There he tried both their Faith by the difficulty now mentioned viz. their want of water and their future obedience by this general command which he is about to branch forth into divers particulars 26 And said if thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God and wilt do that which is right in his sight and wilt give ear to his Commandements and keep all his Statutes * Deut. 7. 15. I will put none of these diseases upon thee d Nor other evils or plagues But on the contrary I will bless thee with all manner of blessings Under one branch or part of the blessings of Gods covenant he includes all the rest by a very common Synecdoche which I have brought upon the Egyptians for I am the LORD * that healeth thee e Or Thy Physitian for all thy maladies both of Soul and Body chap. 23. 25. Psal. 103. 3. 〈◊〉 3. 27 * Numb 33. 9. And they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and threescore and ten palm-trees f Which were both pleasant for their shade and refreshing for their sweet fruit Thus the Israelites are obliged and encouraged to the obedience commanded by being put into better circumstances than they were under in their last station and they encamped there by the waters CHAP. XVI 1 AND they took their journey from Elim and all the congregation of the children of Israel came a Though not immediately for there is another stage of theirs by the Red-sea mentioned Numb 33. 10. in which chapter Moses designed exactly to set down all their stations but omitted here because nothing remarkable happened in it and Moses in this place designed to record onely the memorable passages unto the wilderness of Sin b A great Wilderness between the Red-sea and Mount Sinai but differing from that Sin mentioned Numb 20. 1. which is between Elim and Sinai on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt 2 And the whole Congregation of the children of Israel murmured c For want of meat as appears from the following verse their provisions brought out of Egypt being now spent against Moses and Aaron in the Wilderness 3 And the children of Israel said unto them Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD d By any of those Plagues wherewith God destroyed the Egyptians in the land of Egypt * Numb 11. 4 5. when we sate by the flesh-pots and when we did eat bread to the full e Which is not probable but they amplifie their former mercies that they might aggravate their present calamity as the manner of impatient and ungoldly men is for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger f Quest. What danger was there of dying with hunger seeing they had their flocks and their herds which they brought out of Egypt Answ. 1. There was no great danger of it but they use aggravating expressions as discontented persons use to do 2. Their flocks and herds were not so numerous as to suffice them for above a months provision if they had all been slain and eaten as it is implyed Numb 11. 21 22. So there was some danger of it though neither immediate nor great 3. They were it seems resolved to spare these partly for increase and for their future subsistence and partly for sacrifice as not knowing how many of them they should be required to offer See Exod. 10. 26. 4 Then said the LORD unto Moses Behold I will rain * Psal. â—…8 24 25. and 105. 40. Joh 6. 31 32. 1 Cor. 10. 3. bread g i. e. Manna which shall serve them instead of bread Numb 11. 8. and was a more delicate and pleasant kind of bread called therefore The bread of Angels Psal. 78. 24 25. from heaven ‖ The air oft called Heaven in which Manna iâ—… produced for you and the people shall go out and gather †Heb. the portion of a day in his day Prov. 30. 8. Matth. 6. 11. a certain rate every day h Heb. The thing i. e. the provision of a day in his day i. e. every day as much as was sufficient for a mans sustenance that day that I may * chap. 15. 25. Deut. 8. 2 16. prove them i Either 1. whether by my giving them such miraculous and excellent provision they will be won to love and obey me Or 2. Whether by raining it down upon them for several days together they will learn to trust me for the following days and therefore gather no more than that day required whether they will walk in my Law or no. 5 And it shall come to pass that on the sixth day they shall prepare k Lay up grind bake or seethe See ver 23. and Numb 11. 8.
weighty causes which the inferiour Judges cannot determine as it is explained ver 22. where they need and seek direction from God there thou shalt be as a mediatour between God and them to bring their matters to God as it here follows and to receive directions and commands from him See Numb 15. 33 34. and 27. 5 6. that thou mayst bring the causes unto God 20 And thou shalt teach them Ordinances and Laws u Thou alone shalt deliver and explain Gods laws to them which they may apply to their particular causes and occasions and so end their differences among themselves without giving thee any trouble and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people * Deut. 1. 16. and 16. 18. â—… Chro. 19. 7 9. able men x Heb. men of might not for strength of body but for greatness resolution courage and constancy of mind which is the best preservative against partiality and corruption in judgement to which men of little minds or narrow souls are easily swayed by fears or hopes or gifts such as fear God y Which will restrain them from all injustice even when they have ability and opportunity to do wrong so cunningly or powerfully that they may escape the observation and censure of men men of truth z Or of faith or faithful such as love the truth and diligently labour to find it out in all causes and then pass a true and righteous sentence not at all respecting persons but onely the truth and right of their causes such as hate lies and slanders and will severely rebuke and punish them hating covetousness a This though included in the former is particularly expressed because gifts and bribes are the great corrupters of Judges and judgments and place such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 22 And let them judge the people at all seasons and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee but every small matter they shall judge so shall it be easier for thy self and they shall bear the burthen with thee 23 If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so b If God approve of the course which I suggest to whose wisdom I submit my opinion For Iethro might well think that Moses neither would nor might make so great an alteration in the government without consulting God about it and expecting his answer Others render the place thus both God will give thee his commands i. e. thou wilst have leisure to ask and take his counsel in all emergencies which now thou hast not and thou wilst be able to endure then thou shalt be able to endure and all this people shall also go to their place c To their several habitations which are called mens places Iudg. 7. 7. and 9. 55. and 19. 28 29. where their calling and business lies from which they are now diverted and detained by fruitless and wearisome attendances in peace d Orderly and quietly having their minds much eased by this course and their contentions soon ended 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law e This is one evidence of that meekness for which Moses is justly magnified that he disdained not to receive advice from one so much his inferiour in Wisdom and Learning and knowledge of the things of God And God would have this wise Counsel to come from Iethro not from Moses himself to shew how variously he distributes his gifts and to teach all men not to think too highly of themselves nor to despise the counsels even of their inferiours and did all that he had said f Not immediately but after he had received Gods approbation Numb 11. 16. and the peoples consent Deut. 1. 14. 25 And Moses chose g Not solely but together with the people as appears from Deut. 1. 13. able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 26 And they judged the people at all seasons the hard causes they brought unto Moses but every small matter they judged themselves 27 And Moses let his father in law depart h i. e. Dismissed him honourably See Numb 10. 29. and he went his way into his own land CHAP. XIX 1 IN the third month a Heb. Third new moon called Sivan including the latter part of May and the former part of Iune when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt the same day b Heb. in that day to wit when the moneth or new-moon began and when they departed from Rephidim to note that there was no Station between these two This is set down thus accurately because it gives an account of the original of the feast of Pentecost because the giving of the Law which was 3 or 4 days after this time was 50 days after the Passeover whereof 46 or 47 were past at their first coming to Sinai reckoning from the 15th day of the first moneth when they came out of Egypt to this time * Num. 33. 15. came they into the wilderness of Sinai 2 For they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the desert of Sinai c i. e. To that part of the desert which adjoyned to mount Sinai as Rephidim from whence they came was in that part of the wilderness adjoyning to Horeb which was another part of the same mountain See Exod. 17. 6. So they seem to have fetched a large compass and to have come from one side of the mountain to the other and had pitched in the wilderness and there Israel camped before the mount 3 And * Act. 7. 38. Moses went up to God d Into the mount of God to the place where God had now fixed his cloudy pillar and where he was about to manifest himself in a glorious manner So it is an anticipation and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain saying Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel 4 * Deut. 29. 2. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings e i. e. safely out of the reach of danger and strongly against all opposition Compare Deut. 32. 11. Isa. 63. 9. Rev. 12. 14. and brought you unto my self f Into my presence and favour and fellowship to be my peculiar people to serve and worship me as your onely Lord and King 5 Now * Deut. 5. 2. therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed g Heb. obeying ye will obey i. e. if ye will obey me sincerely diligently and constantly and keep my Covenant then * Deut. 4. 20. 7. 6. anâ—… 14. 2. 26. 〈◊〉 3â—… 8 9. Psaâ—… 135. 4. Canâ—…
Lord by whose power and goodness the trees bring forth fruit to perfection 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof that it may yield unto you the increase thereof q That God may be pleased to give his blessing which alone can make them fruitful I am the LORD your God 26 * chap. 17. 10. c. Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood r i. e. Any flesh out of which the blood is not first poured See 1 Sam. 14. 32. The Jews write that the Egyptians and other Nations when they offered sacrifices to the Devils did eat part of the sacrifices beside the blood which was kept in basins for that end which also they believed to be as it were the special food of the Devils neither shall ye use inchantment nor observe times s To wit superstitiously by the observation of the clouds or stars or otherwise by esteeming some days lucky others unlucky See Deut. 18. 10 11. Esth. 3. 7. 27 * chap. 21. 5. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads t i. e. Your Temples Ye shall not cut off the hair of your heads round about your Temples This the Gentiles did either for the worship of the Devils or Idols to whom young men used to consecrate their hair being cut off from their heads as Homer Plutarch and many others write or in funerals or immoderate mournings as appears from Isa. 15. 2. Ier. 48. 37. And the like is to be thought concerning the beard or the hair in the corner i. e. corners of the beard The reason then of this prohibition is because God would not have his people agree with Idolaters neither in their Idolatries nor in their excessive sorrowing no nor so much as in the appearances and outward significations or expressions thereof neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard 28 Ye shall not * Deut. 14. 1. make any cutting in your flesh u Which the Gentiles commonly did both in the worship of their Idols and in their solemn mournings Ier. 16. 6. for the dead x Heb. for a soul i. e. either 1 improperly for a dead body as that word is sometimes used as Lev. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 6. 6â—… or 2. properly for the soul ye shall not cut your flesh or your bodies for your souls or upon pretence of doing your souls any good either in way of mortification or in the worship of God as they did 1 King 18. 28. in like manner as others were willing to give to God the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul Mic. 6. 7. nor print any mark upon you I am the LORD 29 Do not †Heb 〈◊〉 prostitute thy daughter to cause her to be a whore y As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their Idols to whom diverse women were consecrated and publickly prostituted lest the land fall to whoredom and the land become full of wickedness 30 * chap. 26. 2. Ye shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary z Not presuming to approach it with irreverence or with any kind of uncleanness upon you I am the LORD 31 * Isa. 8. 19. Acts 16. 16. Regard not them that have familiar spirits a That have entred into covenant with the Devil by whose help they foretell many things to come and acquaint men with secret things See Lev 20. 27. Deut. 18. 11. 1 Sam. 28. 3 7 9. 2 King 21. 6. neither seek after wizards b Another name expressing the same thing for substance to wit persons in league with the Devil with some difference onely in the manner of their operation I am the LORD your God 32 Thou shalt rise up c To do them reverence when they pass by for which end they were obliged as the Iews say presently to sit down again when they were past that it might be manifest they arose out of respect to them before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God d A reason of the former precept both because old men in some respect do most resemble God who is stiled the ancient of days Dan. 7. 9 22. and because this respect is due to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for themselves who may be unworthy or contemptible yet for Gods sake who requires this reverence and whose singular 〈◊〉 old age is I am the LORD 33 And * Exod. 22. 21. and 23. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sojourn with thee in your land ye 〈◊〉 not ‖ Or oppress vex him e Either with opprobrious expressions or grievous exactions 34 * Exod. 12. 49. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born amongst you f Either 1 as to the matters of common right as it here follows so it reacheth to all strangers Or 2. as to Church-priviledges so it concerns onely those who were proselytes of righteousness and * Deut. 10. 19. thou shalt love him as thy self for ye were strangers g And therefore are sensible of the fears distresses and miseries of such which call for your pity and you ought to do to them as you would that others should do to you when you were such in the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment in mete-yard h In the measuring of lands or any dry and continued things as cloth ribband c. in weight or in measure i In the measuring of liquid or such dry things as are not continued or contiguous as of corn or wine c. Or the former may note greater the latter less measures 36 * Deut. 2â—… 1â—… Prov. 11. 1. and 16. 11. and 2â—… 1â—… Just balances just †Heb. 〈◊〉 weights a just ephah and a just hin i These two measures are named as most common the former for dry the latter for moist things but under them he manifestly comprehends all other measures shall ye have I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt 37 Therefore k Because my blessings and deliverances are not indulgences to sin but greater obligations to all duties to God and men So that if religion and righteousness were utterly lost in the world they ought in all reason to be found among you as my peculiar people and freed men shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments and do them I am the LORD CHAP. XX. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 * chap. 18. 21. Again thou shalt say to the children of Israel a Here follow the punishments of the crimes forbidden in the former chapters * Deut. 18. 10. 2 Kin. 17. 17. and 23. 10. Jer. 32. 35. Whosoever he be of the children of Israel or of the strangers b Not onely such as were Proselytes but all others these being gross
the ark set forward that Moses said * Psal. 68. 1 2. Rise up LORD and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee 36 And when it rested he said Return ‖ Or give rest i. e. a safe and quiet place free from enemies and dangers O LORD unto the †Heb. ten thousand thousands many thousands of Israel CHAP. XI 1 AND when the people ‖ Or were as it were complainers complained a Or murmured the occasion whereof seems to be their last three dayes journey in a vast howling wilderness without any benefit and thereupon the remembrance of their long abode in the wilderness and the prospect and fear of many other tedious and fruitless and dangerous journeys whereby they were like to be long delayed from coming to that rest that land of milk and honey which God had promised them and which they thirsted after †Heb. it was evil in the â—…ars of c. it displeased the LORD and the LORD heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the LORD b i. e. A fire sent from God in an extraordinary manner possibly from the pillar of cloud and fire or from heaven as 2 King 1. 12. burnt * Psal. 78. 21. among them and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp c Either because the sin began there among the mixt multitude who probably had their place there or amongst those who were feeble and weary with their last journey and therefore hindmost in the march or in mercy to the people whom he would rather awaken to repentance than utterly destroy and therefore he sent it into the skirts not the heart and midst of the camp 2 And the people d The murmurers being penitent or others for fear cryed unto Moses e Whom they knew to be very prevalent with God and when Moses prayed unto the LORD the fire †Heb. sâ—…k was quenched 3 And he called the name of the place ‖ Taberah That is a â—…ing f From this fire as it was called Kibroth-hattaavah from another occasion ver 34 35. and Numb 33. 16. As it is no new thing in Scripture for persons and places to have two names Both these names were imposed as monuments of the peoples sin and of Gods just judgment See Deut. 9. 7 22 24. because the fire of the LORD burnt among them 4 And the * mixt multitude g Consisting of Egyptians or other people which being affected with Gods miraculous works in Egypt and thereupon believing the promise of God to carry them to a land of milk and honey for their own advantage joyned themselves to the Israelites Exod. 12. 38. and now finding themselves sadly disappointed they discover their evil minds that was among Exod. 12. 38. them †Heb. lusted a lust fell a lusting and the children of Israel h Whose special relation and obligation to God should have restrained them from such carriages also †Heb. returned and wept wept again i This word relates either to their former murmuring upon this occasion a twelve-moneth before Exod. 16. 2. or rather to their complaining mentioned ver 1. to note the aggravation of their sin that having just now sinned in the same kind and sorely smarted for their sin and being but newly delivered from their fears and dangers caused thereby they forthwith return to their vomit and murmur again and that more passionately than before expressing themselves in tears and bitter words and said * 1 Cor. 10. 6. Psal. 78. 18. and 106. 14. Who shall give us flesh k This word is here taken generally so as to include fish as the next words shew and as it is used 1 Cor. 15. 39. They had indeed flesh and cattel which they brought with them out of Egypt but these were reserved for breed to be carried into Canaan and were so few that they would scarce have served them for a moneth as may be gathered from Numb 11. 20 21 22. to eat 5 * Exod. 16. â—… We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely l Either without price for fish was very plentiful and fishing was there free or with a very small price for nothing is sometimes put for a little as Ioh. 18. 20. Act. 27. 33. and none for few as Ier. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 8. And this is the more probable because the Egyptians might not tast of fish nor of the leeks and onions which they worshipped for Gods and therefore the Israelites who speak these words might have them there upon cheaper termes the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlick 6 But now our soul m Either 1. our life as the soul signifies Gen. 9. 5. Psal. 33. 19. Iob 36. 14. or 2. our body which is oft signified by the soul as Psal. 16. 10. and 35. 12. and 105 18. So Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 5. 2. is dried away n Is withered and pines away which possibly might be true through envy and discontent and inordinate appetite as 2 Sam. 13. 4. Prov. 14. 30. there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes o Heb. Our eyes see or look to nothing but this Manna They speak as it the Manna were onely usefull to please their eyes with its fine colour and shape but not to satisfy their appetites or sustain their natures 7 And * Exod. 16. 14 31. the manna was as coriander-seed p Not for colour for that is black but for shape and figure and the †Heb. eye of it as the eye of colour thereof as the colour of bdellium q Which is either 1. the gum of a tree of a white and bright colour or rather 2. a gem or precious stone as the Hebrew doctours take it and particularly a peaâ—…l as some render it wherewith the Manna doth manifestly agree both in its colour which is white Exod. 16. 14. and in its figure which is round See more on Gen. 2. 12. 8 And the people went about and gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in a mortar and baked it in pans and made cakes of it and the tast of it was as the tast of fresh oyl r Or of the most excellent oyl or of the flour of orl or as others of cakes or past made with the best oyl the word cakes being easily supplied out of the foregoing member of the verse or which is not much differing like wasers made with honey as it is said Exod. 16. 31. The nature and use of Manna is here thus particularly described to shew the greatness of their sin in despising such excellent food as this was 9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night the manna fell upon it s And then the dew fell again upon it and covered
it as we see Exod. 16. 13 14. â—…o the Manna lay hid as it were between two beds of dew Hence the phrase of hidden Manna Rev. 2. 17. 10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families every man in the door of his tent t To note that they were not ashamed of their sin and * Psal. the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly Moses also was displeased u Partly for their great unthankfulness partly foreseeing the dreadful judgments coming upon them and partly for his own burden expressed in the following verses 11 And Moses said unto the LORD Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight x Why didst thou not hear my prayer when I desired thou wouldest excuse me and commit the care and government of this unruly people to some other person See Exod. 3. 11. and 4. 10. that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me 12 Have I conceived all this people have I ‖ Or born them So Gr. begotten them y Are they my children that I should be obliged to provide food and all things for their necessity and desire that thou shouldest say unto me Carry them in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking-child z Which expression shews the tender care and affection that governours by the command of God ought to have towards their people unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people for they weep unto me saying Give us flesh that me may eat 14 I am not able to bear all this people a i. e. The burden of providing for and satisfying of them alone b Obj. How was he alone when there were others added to help him Exod. 18. 21 24 Ans. Those were onely assistant to him in civil causes and smaller matters but the harder and greater affairs such as this unquestionably was were brought to Moses and determined by him alone Exod. 18. 22. because it is too heavy for me 15 And if thou deal thus with me * See 1 King 19. 4. Jon. 4. 3. kill me I pray thee out of hand if I have found favour in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness c Heb. my evil i. e. my intolerable anguish and torment arising from the insuperable difficulty of my office and work of ruling this people and from the dread of their utter extirpation which they will bring upon themselves and the dishonour which thence will accrue to God and to religion as if not I onely but God also were an impostour Seeing is here put for feeling as to see death Psal. 89. 48. Luk. 2. 26. is to suffer it and to see the salvation of God Psal. 50. 23. 91. 16. is to enjoy it 16 And the LORD said unto Moses Gather unto me * See Exod. 4. 29. seventy men of the elders of Israel d Of whom see Exod. 3. 16. and 5. 6. Levit. 4. 15. Deut. 16. 18. whom thou knowest to be the elders e Whom thou by experience discernest to be Elders not onely in years and name and place but also in wisdom and gravity and authority with the people of the people and officers over them and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation that they may stand there with thee 17 And I will come down f Not by local motion but by my powerful presence and operation See Gen. 11. 5. and Exod. 34. 5. and talk with thee there and I * Neh. 9. 20. will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them g i. e. I will give the same spirit to them which I have given to thee But as the spirit was not conveyed to them from or through Moses but immediately from God so the spirit or its gifts were not by this means impaired in Moses The spirit is here put for the gifts of the spirit as it is Num. 27. 18. Ioel 2. 28. Ioâ—… 7. 39. Act. 19. 2 6. 1 Cor. 14. 12 32. and particularly for the spirit of prophesy v. 25. whereby they were enabled as Moses had been and still was to discern hidden and future things and resolve doubtful and difficult cases which made them fit for government It is observable that God would not and therefore men should not call any persons to any office for which they were not sufficiently fit and qualified and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee that thou bear it not thy self alone 18 And say thou unto the people Sanctifie your selves h i. e. Prepare your selves either to receive the miraculous blessings of God the flesh you desire or rather prepare to meet thy God O Israel in the way of his judgments and to receive the punishment which God will inflict upon you for it is evident from ver 20. that God answered them with a curse in stead of a blessing Prepare your selves by true repentance that you may either obtain some mitigation of the plague or whilest your bodies are destroyed by the flesh you desire and eat ver 33 34. your souls may be saved from the wrath of God Sanctifying is oft used for preparing as Ier. 6. 4. and 12. 3. and 51. 28. against to morrow and ye shall eat flesh for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD i Not secretly in your closets but openly and impudently in the doors of your tents ver 10. calling heaven and earth to witness your cries and complaints saying Who shall give us flesh to eat for it was well with us in Egypt therefore the LORD will give you flesh and ye shall eat 19 Ye shall not eat one day nor two dayes nor five dayes neither ten dayes nor twenty dayes 20 But even a †Heb. 〈◊〉 dayes whole month untill it come out at your nostrils k Which meat loathed and violently vomited up frequently doth and it be loathsome unto you l Being glutted with the abundance of it Thus God destroyes them by granting their desires and turnes even their blessings into curses whilest he deals much more favourably with Moses though he also fell into the same sin with the people i. e. impatience and murmuring But God will make a great difference between persons and persons and between Moses his sins of infirmity and the peoples presumptuous and oft repeated provocations because ye have despised the LORD m i. e. You have lightly esteemed his bounty and manifold blessings in Manna and other things and have preserred the leeks onions c. of Egypt before them all you have sleighted and distrusted his promises and providence after so long and large experience of it which is among you n Who is present and resident with you to observe all your carriages and to punish your offences This is added as a great aggravation of
is dead and purifieth not himself b To wit if this transgression be done presumptuously for if it was done ignorantly he was onely to offer sacrifice Levit. 5. 3 6 17. defileth the tabernacle of the LORD c By approaching to it in his uncleanness for Holy things or places were ceremonially defiled with the touch of any unclean person or thing See Levit. 15. 31. and 16. 16. Hagg. 2. 13. and that soul shall be cut off from Israel because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him he shall be unclean his uncleanness is yet upon him d He continues in his guilt and filth not now to be washed away by this water but to be punished by cutting off 14 This is the law when a man dieth in a tent all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be unclean seven days 15 And every * chap. 31. 20. open vessel e Because it receives the air of the tent by which it is ceremonially polluted Compare Levit. 11. 32 33. which hath no covering bound upon it is unclean 16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword f Or by any other violent way in the open fields or a dead body or a bone of a man or a grave shall be unclean seven dayes 17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the †Heb. dust ashes of †Heb. the burning the burnt heifer of purification for sin and †Heb. living water shall be given running water g i. e. Waters flowing from a spring or River which are the purest These manifestly signifie Gods Spirit which is oft compared to water Ioh. 7. 38 39. and by which alone true purification is obtained shall be put thereto in a vessel h Where they were to be mixed and then the water was to be strained out and kept for this use 18 And a clean person i To wit a Priest for to such the work of cleansing was appropriated See Levit. 13. shall take hysop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all the vessels k Even those who were in part purified by the fire See Numb 31. 23. and upon the persons that were there and upon him that touched a bone or one slain or one dead or a grave 19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day and on the seventh day he shall purifie himself and wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and shall be clean at even 20 But the man that shall be unclean and shall not purifie himself k i. e. Shall contemptuously refuse to submit to this way of purification that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him he is unclean 21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes l Because he is unclean as it here follows It is strange that the same water should cleanse one person and defile another but God would have it so partly to teach us that it did not cleanse by any vertue in it or in the work done but onely by vertue of Gods appointment partly to mind the Jews of the imperfection of their Priesthood and their ritual purifications and expiations and consequently of the necessity of a better Priest and sacrifice and way of purifying which these outward Rites did point at and partly to shew that the efficacy of Gods ordinances doth not depend upon the person or quality of his Ministers because the same person who was polluted himself could and did cleanse others and he that toucheth the water of separation m Either by sprinkling of it or by being sprinkled with it for even he that was cleansed by it was not fully cleansed as soon as he was sprinkled but onely at the even of that day as is said here and above ver 19. shall be unclean until even 22 And whatsoever the unclean person n Not he who is so onely by touching the water of separation ver 21. but he who is so by the greater sort of uncleanness which lasted seven days of which ver 11 16. and which was not removed without the use of this water of purification as is manifest from the context and other places of Scripture and from the nature of the thing For the lesser sort of uncleanness mentioned in the foregoing verse lasted onely till even and was cleansed by the sole washing of his clothes and flesh in water ver 7. without any use of this water of purification which if it had been necessary must have been used on the third and on the seventh day according to the rule ver 12 19. and so the uncleanness of one day had been made an uncleanness of seven days which is a contradiction Besides it is unreasonable that he who immediately touched the defiling thing should be no more and longer unclean than he who touched that person onely and it is contrary to other rules in like cases as Levit. 15. where the Man or Woman having an issue are thereby made unclean for seven days ver 13 28. but he who toucheth them is made unclean onely till even ver 7 27. And therefore this cannot be meant of him who was unclean by touching this water who himself was unclean onely till even ver 21. as also he who toucheth him is in this place toucheth shall be unclean and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean o To signifie to us the very infectious nature of sin and of sinfull company until even p Because as his defilement was less so it was fit the duration of it should be shorter CHAP. XX. 1 THen a To wit after many other stations and long journeys here omitted but particularly described Numb 33. came the children of Israel even the whole congregation into the desert of Zin b A place near the land of Edom distinct and distant from that Sin Exod. 15. 1. in the first moneth c To wit of the fortieth year as is evident because the next station to this was in mount Hor where Aaron died ver 22 23 c. who died in the fifth moneth of the fortieth year Numb 33. 38. Moses doth not give us an exact journal of all their occurrences in the wilderness but onely of those which were most remarkable and especially of those which happened in the first and second and in the fortieth year and the people abode in Kadesh d Whether the same place called Kadeh-barnea where they were long 〈◊〉 Numb 13. 26. and to which they now return after 38 years tedious travels and wandrings in the desert Deut. 2. 14. or another place more southerly it is not material and Miriam died there
is mentioned here as the reason why David put himself and his people to so great trouble and charge because it was to fetch up the choicest Treasure which they had and so the benefit would abundantly recompence the inconvenience that dwelleth between the cherubims 3 And they ‡ Heb. made to ride set the ark of God * See 1 Sam. 6. 7. upon a new cart f Being taught and encouraged to do so by the Example of the Philistines who did so without any token of Gods displeasure upon them for so doing But they did not sufficiently consider that God might wink at the Philistines because they were ignorant of God's Laws and yet be angry with them for the same thing because they knew or might and should have known the Law of God which commanded the Priests to bear it upon their shoulders Numb 4. 14 15. and 7. 9. But their present transports of Joy at the happy Change of their Affairs and their greedy desire of having the Ark removed made them hasty and inconsiderate and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in ‖ Or the hill Gibeah g Or on the hill as 1 Sam. 7. 1. and Uzzah and ‖ Or his brother So Gr. Ahio the sons of Abinadab h For Abinadab himself seems now to have been dead or at least detained at home through infirmity or indispensable occasions drave the new cart 4 And they brought it out of * 1 Sam. 7. 1. the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah ‡ Heb. with accompanying the ark of God and Ahio went before the ark i To lead the Oxen that drew it 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir-wood even on harps and on psalteries and on timbrels and on cornets and on cymbals 6 ¶ And * 1 Chron. 13. 9. when they came to Nachons k Otherwise called Chidon 1 Chron. 13. 9. threshing floor Uzzah * See Num. 4. 15. put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it for the oxen ‖ Or stumbled or threw it down 2 King 9. 33. shook it l For they stumbled 1 Chron. 13. 9. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah and God smote him m With some deadly Disease or Stroke as it follows there for his ‖ Or rashness errour n Either 1. For his touching the Ark when he was no Levite as Iosephus reports nor indeed was Kiriath-jearim a Levitical City or that being but a Levite he touched the bare Ark which onely the Priests might do Numb 4. 15. and 18. 3. And though the Ark was ordinarily covered yet it is not impossible but the covering might be either loose and so blown aside by the Wind or worn out and so he might touch the Ark it self Or 2. Because he put the Ark into a Cart and thereby exposed it to the danger of falling which would have been a great discouragement to the Israelites and a reproach to the Ark. And though Ahio also might have an hand in putting it into the Cart yet Uzzah onely is smitten either because he was the Elder Brother and the person to whose care the Ark was more especially committed or because he was the chief Author of this counsel of putting it into a Cart or because he added a new fault of touching the Ark and that out of distrust of God's care over it and there he died o This may seem very severe considering that his Intention was pious and his Transgression not great But besides that Men are very improper Judges of the Actions of God and that Gods Judgements are always just though sometimes obscure there are many things to be said of this and such like cases 1. That it is fit and reasonable that God should make some persons Examples of his just and high Displeasure against Sins seemingly small partly for the demonstration of his own exact and impartial Holiness partly for the Establishment of Discipline for which very reason even Earthly Princes have oft-times Inflicted great Punishments for small Offences and for the greater Terrour and Caution of Mankind who are very prone to have slight thoughts of Sin and to give way to small Sins and thereby to be led on to greater all which is or may be prevented by such instances of Severity and consequently there is more of God's Mercy than of his Justice in such Actions because the Justice is consined to one particular person but the Mercy and benefit of it publick and common to Mankind of that and all future Ages 2. That God is justly most severe in those things which immediately concern his Worship and Service and against those persons who have the nearest Relation to him and the greatest opportunities of Knowing and the highest obligations of careful Practising those Duties which they neglect See Levit. 10. 3. 3. That this Punishment possibly was not so great as it may seem to be for as for his Body the Disease though dangerous might not be exceedingly painful and for his Soul the stroke probably was not so sudden 〈◊〉 not to give him space of Repentance by the ark of God 8 And David was displeased p Or grieved both for the sin which he acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 15. 2 13. and for Gods heavy Judgment whereby their hopes were dashed and their joys interrupted and a good subject struck dead for the circumstantial error of a Pious mind which he might possibly think harsh and very severe and therefore be displeased or offended at this sharp Providence because the LORD had ‡ Heb. had broken made a breach uppon Uzzah And he called the name of the place ‖ That is the breach of Uzzah Perez Uzzah to this day 9 And David was afraid of the LORD q Either that God was displeased with him for removing the Ark and bringing it to his City or lest God should proceed further in the way of his Judgments upon him and his people or lest the Ark being brought to his House might be the occasion of inconveniencies and great calamities for some neglects or errors which they might easily and frequently commit that day and said How shall the ark of the LORD come unto me r How may I presume or how shall I dare do it when God hath shewed his displeasure for my attempting it I will therefore wait further upon God for his direction in the case and at present forbear But why did not David consult God presently by the Urim as he used to do This therefore seems to have been his infirmity and neglect 10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom s Which doubtless was done by the consent and desire of the owner of it who for the enjoyment
5. 17. which probably is said with respect to his fear and discontent manifested here and ver 4. And lest he should be exalted above measure which was also Paul's case 2 Cor. 12. 7. for his eminent Gifts and Graces and miraculous Works God saw fit to withdraw his Grace and to leave him to himself that he might be sensible of his own impotency and sinfulness and might not dare to take any part of Gods honour to himself and came to Beersheba which belonged to Judah f Either First To the Tribe of Iudah according to the first division for Simeon's part in which Beersheba was was afterwards taken out of it Or Secondly to the Kingdom of Iudah and left his servant there g Partly that he might abide there in safety and partly that he should wait there till his return partly because he would not expose him to those perils and hardships which he expected and partly because he desired solitude that he might more freely converse with God 4 ¶ But he himself went a days journey into the wilderness h The vast Wilderness of Arabia He durst not stay in Iudah though good Iehoshaphat Reigned there because he was Allied to Ahab and was a Man of an easie temper whom Ahab might circumvent and either by force or art seize upon Elijah and came and sat down under a juniper-tree and he * Jona 43 â—… requested ‡ Heb. for his life for himself i Heb. for his life or his soul that it might be taken away from his Body Or with his soul as it is Isa. 26. 9. i. e. He desired it heartily or fervently Which he did not onely for his own sake that he might be freed from his great fears and troubles but especially from his zeal for Gods Glory which he saw was and would be dreadfully eclipsed by the relapse of the Israelites into Idolatry and by Elijah's Death if it should be procured by the hands of Iezabel or of the worshippers of Baal and therefore he wished to die in peace and by the hand of God that he might die and said It is enough k I have lived long enough for thy Service and am not like to do thee any more Service neither my words nor works are like to do any good upon these unstable and incorrigible people now O LORD take away my life for I am not better than my fathers l That I should continue in Life when other Prophets who have gone before me have lost their Lives by Iezabel or other persecutors 5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree behold then an angel touched him and said unto him Arise and eat 6 And he looked and behold there was a cake baken on the coals and a cruse of water at his ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 head and he did eat and drink and laid him down again 7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time and touched him and said Arise and eat because the journey is too great for thee m i. e. Above thy strength now especially when thou art faint and weary and fasting 8 And he arose and did eat and drink and went in the strength of that meat n God giving that Food a far greater and more durable vertue than ordinary * See Deut. 9. 9 18. Matth. 4. 2. forty days and forty nights unto * Exod. 3. 1. Horeb o He wandred hither and thither for 40 days till at last he came to Horeb which in the direct Road was not above 3 or 4 days Journey the mount of God 9 ¶ And he came thither unto a cave and lodged there and behold the word of the LORD came to him and he said unto him What dost thou here p A tacit reproof This is not thy proper place nor the station in which I set thee which was in Israel to turn that backsliding people to which end I gave thee my help and would have proceeded to assist thee further if thou hadst continued there Nor did I give thee those excellent Gifts to lie idle in this Wilderness but to employ them for thy peoâ—…s good whom now thou hast deserted and art come hither not by my Command but through thy own fear and cowardise Elijah 10 And he said I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts q I have not been wholly wanting to my vocation but have executed my office with zeal for Gods Honour and Service and with the hazard of my own Life and am fled hither not being able to endure to see the dishonour done to thy Name by their obstinate Idolatry and Wickedness for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant thrown down thine altars r Those which were erected for thy Worship in high-places which they did not destroy because they were to be abolished by thy Command Deut. 12. but out of meeâ—… contempt and opposition against thee and therefore they suffered the Altars of Baal to stand and slain thy prophets with the sword and * Rom. 11. 3. Chap 18. 22. I even I onely am left s To wit of all thy Prophets I mean which do boldly and publickly Plead thy Cause for the rest of thy Prophets who are not slain hide themselves and dare not appear to do thee any Service and they seek my life to take it away t I despair of doing them any good for instead of receiving my Testimony they hunt for my Life 11 And he said Go forth and stand upon the mount before the LORD And behold the LORD passed by u Either First By his Harbengers for as it follows the Lord was not yet there Or Secondly Himself And so this is a brief and general description of the thing after which the manner of it is particularly explained and a * â—…uk 1. 4. and 37. 9. great and strong wind rent the mountains and brake in pieces the rocks x Whereby he both prepares Elijah to receive this discovery of God with greatest humility reverence and Godly fear and signifies his Almighty and Irresistible Power to break the hardest hearts of the Israelites and to bear down all opposition that was or should be made against him in the discharge of his office before the LORD but the LORD was not in the wind y The Lord did not vouchsafe his Special and Gracious Presence to Elijah in that Wind where he confidently expected him which possibly was Either First To qualify the excessive fervour and passion of Elijah which mixed it self with his zeal for God and to make him more mild in his Censures and more meek and patient in waiting for the Conversion of Israel wherein he might sooner expect Gods Presence and Blessed Success than in the Storm of Anger or Impatience Or Secondly To teach him not to wonder if God did not accompany his terrible Administration at Mount Carmel with the Presence of his Grace
9. and to be turned into darkness Joel 2. 31. Or Secondly The Sun it self went back and the Shadow with it This may seem most probable First By comparing this with Ios. 10. 13. where the Sun it self stood still Secondly Because it is said the sun it self returned Isa. 38. 8. for which he here mentions the shadow onely because the Miracle was not so easily discovered in the Sun as in the Shadow of a Dial. And though the sun may be elsewhere taken improperly yet where the improper signification is unnecessary the proper is and ought to be preferred before it Thirdly Because this Miracle was noted by the Babylonians who having understood that it was done for Hezekiah his sake sent to enquire into the truth and manner of it 2 Chron. 32. 31. Obj. If this had been done the Heathen Historians and Astronomers would have taken notice of it which we do not find that they did Ans. So it is most probable they did although those Books be not now extant which is not strange this being confessed and bewailed that so very few of the first and Ancient Writers are now left Herodotus himself the first and Father of the ancient Historians being long after this time And yet it is observed that there are some intimations of these things left though mixed with fables as many true Histories were as what the Poets fabled of Iupiter's making the Night twice as long as it should have been that he might enjoy Alâ—…mena longer Whether the Sun or Shadow went backward suddenly or leisurely and in the same time in which it had gone down is a question of no great moment the Miracle being evident either way by which it had gone down in the ‡ Heb. degrees dial of Ahaz u Which Ahaz had made in the Kings Palace This Dial he mentions because the truth of the Miracle might be best and soonest discovered there this Dial possibly being visible out of the Kings Chamber or at least beingnear to it and the Degrees be ing most distinct and conspicuous in this Dial but the same thing was discerned by all other Dials 12 ¶ * Isa. 39. â—… At that time Berodach baladan x Called Berodach-baladan Isa. 39. 1. whose name Iosephus found in that famous Chaldaean Historian Berosus He seems to have been the King of Assyria's Vice-Roy in Babylon and upon that terrible slaughter of 185 thousand in the Assyrian Host and the death of Sennacherib and the differences among his Sons to have usurped an absolute Sovereignty over Babylon and either himself or his Son destroyed the Assyrian Monarchy and translated the Empire to Babylon the son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah y Partly for the reasons mentioned 2 Chron. 32. 31. and partly to assure himself of the Friendship and assistance of Hezekiah against the Assyrians their common and as yet powerful Enemy for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick 13 And Hezekiah hearkned unto them z i. e. Granted their desires of a League and Amity with them and shewed them all the house of his ‖ Or 〈◊〉 precious things the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious ointment and all the house of his ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 armour and all that was found in his treasures a For though his Countrey had lately been harassed by the Assyrians yet he had reserved all his Treasures and precious things which he and his Fathers had gathered in Ierusalem Besides he had considerable spoils out of the Assyrian Camp Also he had many Presents sent to him 2 Chr. 32. 23. which doubtless were things of considerable worth there was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah shewed them not b Which he did through vain ostentation and pride of heart 2 Chron. 32. 25 26. being lifted up by the great Honour which God had done him in working such Glorious Miracles for his sake and by the great Respects and Presents rendred to him from divers Princes and People and now by this great Babylonian Monarch So hard a matter is it even for a good man to be high and humble 14 ¶ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah and said unto him What said these men and from whence came they unto thee And Hezekiah said They are come from a far countrey c A vain-glorious expression intimating the great honour which he had from all parts both far and near even from Babylon d That great and potent Monarchy which he speaks to magnify his own honour and happiness 15 And he said What have they seen in thine house e He asketh not that he was ignorant of it but that from his Answer he might take the occasion of delivering Gods message to him and Hezekiah answered All the things that are in mine house have they seen there is nothing among my treasure that I have not shewed them 16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah Hear the word of the LORD 17 Behold the days come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day * Chap. 24. 13. 〈◊〉 25. 13. 〈◊〉 27. 22. shall be carried into Babylon f This Judgment is denounced against him for his pride which God exceedingly abhors and for his ingratitude whereby he took that honour to himself which he should have given intirely to God and abused Gods Gifts and Favours to the gratification of his own Lusts Of both which see 2 Chron. 32. 25 26. and for his Carnal confidence in that League which he had now made with the King of Babylon by which it is probable he thought his Mountain to be so strong that it could not be removed nothing shall be left saith the LORD 18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget g i. e. Of thy Grand-Children who are oft called sons shall they take away and they shall be eunuchs in the palaâ—… of the king of Babylon h They shall be Servants to that Heathen Monarch whereby both their Bodies will be subject to Slavery and the Lusts of their Lords and their Souls exposed to the peril of Idolatry and all sorts of Wickedness which must needs be very grievous to so good a Man as Hezekiah and was indeed a very sore Judgment Whereby God would teach the World the great evil of sin yea even of those sins which are generally esteemed but small and venial for such were those sins of Hezekiah noted upon v. 17. 19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah Good is the word of the LORD i I heartily submit to this sentence as being both just because deserved and procured by mine and my Peoples sins and merciful because the punishment is less than I have deseved which thou hast spoken And he said ‖ Or Shall 〈◊〉 not be 〈◊〉 â—…nd 〈◊〉 c. Is
words to know what not onely their own Tribe but all Israel ought to do 2. By the great Authority and Command which they had over all their Brethren upon this account as it here follows 3. Because this is so considerable a Circumstance in all Humane and especially in publick Affairs that the Success or Disappointment of them depends very much upon the right or wrong Timing of them and therefore this is a very fit expression to signifie their great Prudence And particularly they shewed this point of their Wisdom at this time for as they had adhered to Saul whilest he lived as knowing the time was not yet come for David to take Possession of the Kingdom and as they could not joyn themselves to David whilst Abner lived and was potent and had the Command of the other Tribes wherewith they were encompassed so as soon as he was dead and they had opportunity to declare themselves they owned David for their King 4. By the like use of this Phrase Esth. 1. 13. to know what Israel ought to do the heads of them were two hundred and all their brethren were at their commandment 33 Of Zebulun such as went forth to battel ‖ Or 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expert in war with all instruments of war fifty thousand q For this Tribe being next to that of Issachar which was generally well-affected to David were probably very much swayed by their Opinion and Advice which could keep rank r Or which were disposed or prepared or ordered for battel or to fight for David if occasion so required they were †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 batâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of double heart s Heb. without an heart and an heart which may relate either 1. to the whole Body of them they were all of one heart and one mind towards David not some for him and others secretly against him but all with one soul and one consent adhered to him Or 2. To the same particular persons they were each of them sincerely Loyal to David and did not dissemble with David pretending to be for him whilst in their hearts they favoured Sauls Family which possibly some of those who came to Hebron did Or this is particularly noted of this Tribe because they lay under some suspicion in this matter as also some of the other Tribes did and therefore the like testimony is given to all of them v. 38. 34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand 35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred 36 And of Asher such as went forth to battel ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expert in war forty thousand 37 And on the other side of Jordan of the Reubenite and the Gadite and of the half-tribe of Manasseh with all manner of instruments of war for the battel an hundred and twenty thousand 38 All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart t To wit after the death of Abner and Ishbosheth to make David King 39 And there they were with David three days eating and drinking for their brethren had prepared for them 40 Moreover they that were nigh them u That lived not far from Hebron the place where they now were even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali x This is added by way of amplification and explication to shew that he did not understand this of those Israelites onely who lived in the Neighbourhood of Hebron but of those that lived at some distance yet were nearer to Hebron than some of the other Tribes here named brought bread on asses and on camels and on mules and on oxen y Which though not commonly used in this manner nor fit for such Purposes now they so used because the quantity of Provisions which they brought was very great as the Numbers of the People at Hebron were and Horses they had few in Israel and most of their Asses and Camels and Mules here mentioned probably were used to carry divers Men or Women and Children to this great and publick and happy Solemnity and ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 meat meal cakes of figs and bunches of raisins and wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly for there was joy in Israel z Partly because their Civil Wars were wholly ended and they were all united under one King and partly because they had now a King of Eminent Valour and Piety and Felicity and therefore expected to be saved from all their Enemies and Calamities as they were CHAP. XIII 1 A And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader a Or Governour or Elder of the People 2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel b i. e. Unto all the People then assembled with him at 〈◊〉 This Story is mentioned in another place in 2 Sam. 5. 6. even after the taking of Ierusalem and the two first Fights with the Philistins whereas here it is placed before the latter and there is no mention here of the former The matter may be thus conceived There being now a great and general concourse of all Israel and David being now Established in his Throne with universal consent and applause he begins with God and his first Thoughts and Cares are about Religion and the Ark then the great Instrument and Ornament of it and takes the Opportunity of this Assembly to desire their Advice and Concurrence with him in it that the Ark might be brought either to Hebron which then was the Royal City or to Ierusalem which as probably he told them he was resolved to besiege and doubted not by Gods Help to take After this was proposed by the King and accepted by the People this great Assembly was dismissed onely some of them David reserved to go with him against Ierusalem which accordingly he did and succeeded in his Enterprize as is related 1 Sam. 5. But before this Resolution could be executed the Philistins came and fought twice with David as is related 1 Sam. 5. 17 c. and here ch 14. 8 c. And after they were repulsed with great loss and shame David sets upon the Execution of that which before he had resolved and in order to it calls another General Assembly of the People Iâ—… it seem good unto you and that it be of the LORD our God c i. e. If this Translation of the Ark be pleasing to God which I purpose to enquire by the Urim after the manner and to act accordingly †Heb. let us break forth and sâ—…nd let us send abroad d Heb. let us break out and send i. e. let us send Messengers speedily and universally to the several Tribes We are now in some sort pent up in a Corner of
many of Ephraim and Manasseh Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written z They had so eager a Desire to partake of this Ordinance that rather than neglect it they would venture upon it with some Ceremonial Uncleanness upon them but Hezekiah prayed for them saying †〈…〉 The good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to seek God the LORD God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary a i. e. With that Ceremonial Purification which was required of them that came into Gods Sanctuary So he calls it to distinguish from that Moral and Internal Purity which they are here acknowledged to have 20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people b From their Uncleanness which it self was a Spiritual Disease and which probably produced a Disease or Distemper or Trouble in their Minds and Consciences which also had formerly brought and might justly now bring even outward Diseases upon the Body or at least Guilt which is a Disease upon the Soul From all which the Lord was pleased now to heal them by pardoning this their Sin and accepting them and their Services as if they had been clean Which it is likely God was pleased to manifest by some outward Sign possibly by fire from Heaven consuming the Sacrifices which was the usual Token of Gods Approbation as hath been formerly noted more than once 21 And the children of Israel that were †Heb. found present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day singing with †loud instruments unto the LORD 22 And Hezekiah spake †Heb. instruments of strength comfortably unto all the Levites c Encouraged them to a chearful and diligent Attendance upon their Holy Ministrations by the Promise of his Favour and utmost Care for them which he faithfully performed ch 31. 4 c. that taught the good knowledge of †Heb. to the heart of all c. the LORD d Who by their Office were to instruct and build up the People in the Knowledge and Fear of God which is mentioned as the Cause of his Respect and Kindness to them which was for their works sake as it is said 1 Thes. 5. 13. and they did eat throughout the feast seven days offering peace-offerings and making confession e Either 1. Confessing their Sins which Work was to accompany many of their Sacrifices of which see Levit. 5. 5. 16. 21. Or rather 2. Confessing Gods Goodness or praising of God which oft goes under this Name as 1 Chron. 16. 8 24. which also seems to be more proper work for this Season of Joy unto the LORD God of their fathers 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep * See 1 Kin. 8. 65. other seven days and they kept other seven days with gladness f Not in the same manner as they had done the former with offering new Paschal Lambs and eating onely Unleavened Bread of which there is not the least intimation in the Text but onely in the solemn Worship of God by Sacrifices and Prayers and Praises and publick Instruction of that great Congregation in the Good Knowledge of the Lord which was so dear to Hezekiah v. 22. and at this time most seasonable and necessary for the People after so long and dismal a Night of Ignorance Superstition and Idolatry as both Israel and Judah had been involved in 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah †Heb. lifted up or offered did give to the congregation g First to God to whom the parts appointed were offered in way of Thanksgiving and then to the People who feasted upon the Relicks as the Offerer used to do in Peace-offerings and Hâ—…zekiah who was the Offerer gave away his Right in the Remains of the Sacrifices to the People a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep h Which Generosity is the more considerable because it was in the Beginning of his Reign when he found the Royal Exchequer exhausted and empty and when he had been at great Expence about the Cleansing and refitting of the Temple and making Preparations for this great Feast and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep and a great number of priests sanctified themselves i Having now both more Time and further Need of sanctifying themselves to offer these Numerous Sacrifices 25 And all the congregation of Judah with the priests and the Levites and all the congregation that came out of Israel and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Judah rejoyced 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem 27 Then the priests the Levites k Those of the Levites who were Priests also for to them onely this Work belonged 1 Chron. 23. 13. Or the Priests and the Levites For as the Levites did some other part of the Priests Work at this time it is not strange if they did this also Or the Priests might bless by solemn pronunciation of the Blessing and the Levites by their Acclamations or with their Musical Instruments arose and * Numb 6. 23. blessed the people l Either commended them for their great Zeal and Diligence in Gods Service Or rather solemnly prayed to God to bless them and their Prayer was not in vain as the following words shew and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to †Heb. the habitation of his holiness his holy dwelling place even unto heaven CHAP. XXXI 1 NOw when all this was finished all Israel that were †Heb. found present went out to the cities of Judah and * 2 Kin. â—… 〈◊〉 brake the †Heb. 〈◊〉 images in pieces and cut down the groves and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manasseh †Heb. until to make an end until they had utterly destroyed them all Then all the children of Israel returned every man to his possession into their own cities a Either 1. In those Cities belonging to Ephraim and Manasseh which the Kings of Judah had formerly taken from the Kings of Israel Or 2. In the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh For although these were a part of Hoshea's Kingdom yet Hezekiah presumed to do this partly by vertue of the Law of God to which both Israel and Judah owed Subjection which commanded the extirpation of these things out of the whole Land of Canaan Partly by the special Impulse and Direction of Gods Spirit which sometimes did put persons upon Heroical and Extraordinary Actions not to be drawn into Imitation And partly because he knew that Hoshea
Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned p His Zeal for Gods Glory and his true Love to his Children made him jealous for which he had cause enough from the Corruption of Mans Nature the Frailty and Folly of Youth the many Temptations which attend upon Feasting and Jollity and the easiness of sliding from lawful to forbidden Delights and †1 King 21. 10. 13. cursed God q Not in the grossest manner and highest degree which it is not probable either that they should do now especially when they had no provocation to do it as being surrounded with blessings and Comforts which they were actually enjoying and not yet exercised with any affliction or that Iob should suspect it concerning them but despised and dishonoured God for both Hebrew and Greek words signifie cursing are somtimes used to note only reviling or detracting or speaking evil or setting light by a Person Thus what is called cursing ones Father or Mother Ex. 21. 17. is elsewhere called setting light by them as Deut. 27. 16. Ezek. 22 7. See also 2 Pet. 2. 11. Iud. 8. and many other places in their Hearts r By sleight and low Thoughts of God by neglecting or forgetting to give God the Praise and Glory of the Mercies which by his favour they enjoyed by taking more hearty delight in their Feasts and Jollity than in the Service and fruition of God For these and such like Distempers of Heart are most usual in times of Prosperity and Jollity as appears by common Experience and by the many Divine Cautions we have against them as Deut. 6. 11. Hos. 2. 8. and elsewhere And these miscarriages though inward and secret Iob calls by such an hard name as usually signifies cursing by way of Aggravation of their sin which peradventure they were too apt to sleight as a small and trivial miscarriage Thus did Job ‖ Heb. all the day continually s i. e. It was his constant course at the end of every feasting time 6. Now there was a day t i. e. A certain time appointed by God when †Gr. Angels of God the Sons of God u i. e. The holy Angels so called Iob 38. 7. Dan. 3. 25 28. because of their Creation by God as Adam also was Luk. 3. 38. and for their great resemblance of him in Power and Dignity and Holiness and for their filial affection and Obedience to him came to present themselves before the Lord x i. e. Before his Throne to receive his Commands and to give him an account of their Negotiations Compare 1 Kin. 22. 19. Zech. 4. 14. Luk. 1. 19. But you must not think that these things were really done and that Satan was mixed with the holy Angels or admitted into the presence of God in Heaven to maintain such discourses as this with the blessed God or that he had formal Commission and leave to do what follows but it is only a parabolical Representation of that great truth that God by his wise and holy Providence doth govern all the Actions of Men and Devils to his own ends It being usual with the great God to condescend to our shallow capacities and to express himself as the Iews phrase it In the language of the Sons of Men i. e. In such manner as men use to speak and may understand and * Heb. the Adversary Satan came also ‖ Heb. in the midst of them among them y Being forced to come and give up his account 7. And the LORD said unto Satan Whence comest thou z God being here represented as Judge rightly begins with an enquiry as the ground of his further proceedings as he did Gen. 3. 9. and 4. 9. Then Satan answered the LORD and said From †1 Pet. 5. 8. going to and fro in the Earth a Where by thy permission I range about observing with great diligence all the Dispositions and Actions of Men and working in them and among them as far as I have Liberty and Opportunity and from walking up and down in it 8. And the LORD said unto Satan †Heb. Hast thou set thy heart on Hast thou considered my Servant Job b Hast thou taken notice of him and his Spirit and Carriage and what hast thou to say against him that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil 9. Then Satan answered the LORD and said Doth Job fear God for nought c i. e. Sincerely and freely and out of pure Love and Respect to thee No. It is policy not Piety that makes him good he doth not serve thee but serveth himself of thee and is a meer mercenary serving thee for his own ends 10. Hast thou not made an Hedge about him d i. e. Defended him by thy special Care and Providence from all harms and Inconveniences which is able to oblige and win persons of the worst tempers and about his House e His Children and Servants and about all that he hath on every side thou hast blessed the work of his Hands and his †Or Cattle Substance is ‖ Heb. broken forth Gen. 28. 14. increased in the Land 11. But put forth thine hand f To wit in way of Justice and severity as that Phrase is used Isa. 5. 25. Ezek. 25. 7 13 16. now and touch g i. e. Afflict or destroy as this word is used Gen. 26. 11. Ruth 2. 9. Psal. 105. 15. Zech. 2. 8. all that he hath * Heb. if he bless thee not to thy face and he will curse thee to thy face h He who is now so forward to serve and bless thee will then openly and boldly blaspheme thy Name and reproach thy Providence as unjust and unmerciful to him 12. And the LORD said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy †Heb. Hand power i I give thee full Power and Liberty to deal with his Wife Children Servants and all his Estate whatsoever thy Wit or Malice shall prompt thee to do only upon himself k His Person Body or Soul put not forth thine Hand So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD l i. e. From that place where God was represented as specially present being forward and greedy to do the mischief which he had permission to do 13. And there was a day when his Sons and Daughters were Eating and Drinking Wine in their eldest Brothers House 14. And there came a Messenger unto Job and said The Oxen were plowing and the Asses feeding beside them m i. e. Beside the Oxen therefore both were taken away together 15. And †Heb. 〈◊〉 the Sabeans n A People of Arabia who led a wandring Life and lived by Robbery and spoiling of others as Strabo and other Heathen Writers note fell upon them and took them away yea they have slain the Servants
punish another without cause or more than he deserves and therefore if God do so with thee as thy words imply he is less just than a man which is blasphemous and absurd to imagine shall a man r A great and mighty man as this word signifies a man eminent for Wisdom or Justice or Power or any other perfections such as thou art thought by thy self or others to be who therefore might expect more favour than a poor miserable and contemptible man which the word enosch used in the former Branch signifies So he anticipates this Objection which Iob might make be more pure than his Maker s An unanswerable Argument against Iob He made thee and that for himself and his own Glory and therefore hath an unquestionable right to deal with thee and dispose of thee the work of his Hands as he sees fit Wo to him that striveth with his maker Isa. 45. 9. Besides he made man just and pure if any man have any thing of Justice or Purity in him it is derived from God the undoubted and only Fountain of it and therefore it must necessarily be in God in a far more eminent degree 18. Behold t This deserves thy serious consideration These and the following words seem to be the words of Eliphaz explaining the former Vision and applying it to Iob's Case and enforcing it by further Arguments he * Chap. 15. 15. and 25. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 4. put no trust in his Servants u i. e. In his Angels as appears both by the next words of this Verse where they are called by way of Explication and Restriction his Angels and by the next Verse where men are opposed to them They are called his Servants by way of Eminency that general name being here appropriated to the chief of the kind as is very usual in all Authors in like cases and withal to intimate that Soveraign Dominion which the great God hath over the glorious Angels and much more over men by vertue whereof he hath an unquestionable Authority to treat them according to his good Pleasure And these God is said to put no trust in because he could not be confident that they if left to themselves and destitute of the succours of his Power and Grace would continue to be loyal and faithful and serviceable to him and would not revolt from him as some of their Brethren had done And for this cause God was pleased after some time of Trial to give some special and further Grace either by Christ or otherwise whereby they should be infallibly confirmed in the State of Grace Felicity ‖ Or not in his Angels in whom he put light and his Angels he charged with Folly x Or with Vanity i. e. He discerned Folly and Vanity in the Angelical Natures when he had first made them which although he saw and pronounced them no less than the visible Creatures Gen. 1 to be very good in themselves free from the least degree or tincture of sin yet comparing them with himself and considering them in themselves alone he saw something of Folly and Vanity in their very Natures because they were Creatures and therefore Subject to manifold changes and among others to fall from God or into sin as it appeared by the sad experience of some of them Seeing therefore the Angels which so far exceed Mankind in Wisdom and Strength and Purity and Justice and all other perfections do fall incomparably short of God in these things it is most absurd as well as impious to think that Man is more just or pure than God as was said v. 17. and as thou O Iob seemest to surmise Others Nor Heb. And not the negative Particle being repeated out of the former Branch of the Verse as it is Psal. 9. 18. Prov. 17. 26. and elsewhere in his Angels in whom both which particles are frequently understood as hath been proved before he put Light or splendor to wit singular Wisdom and Purity beyond what he put in Man 19. How much less y Understand doth he put trust in them c. Or How much more understand doth he charge folly on them c. Either of these supplements are natural and easie being fetched out of the former Verse and necessary to make the sense compleat The sense is what strange presumption then is it for a foolish and mortal man to pretend to an higher Priviledge than the Angels do to make himself more just than God or to exalt himself above or against God as thou dost on them z i. e. On men as it follows who thought they have immortal Spirits yet those Spirits dwell in mortal Bodies which are great Debasements and Clogs and Encumbrances and Snares to them and which are here called Houses because they are the Receptacles of the Soul and the places of its settled and continual abode and Houses of Clay and Earthly Houses 2 Cor. 5. 1. partly because they were made of Clay or Earth Gen. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 47. and partly to note their great frailty and mutability whereas the Angels are free Spirits unconfined to such Carkasses and dwell in celestial and glorious and everlasting Mansions that dwell in * 2 Cor. 5. 1. Houses of Clay a whose Foundation is in the dust b Whose very Foundation no less than the rest of the Building is in the dust who as they dwell in Dust and Clay so they had their Foundation or Original from it and they must return to it Eccles. 12. 7. And as to their Bodies lie down and sleep in it Dan. 12. 2. as in his long home Eccles. 12. 5. and the only continuing City which he hath in this World which are crushed c Heb. they crush them i. e. they are or will be crushed The Active Verb used Impersonally as it is Ch. 7. 3. and 34. 20. Prov. 6. 30. Luk. 12. 20. before the Moth d i. e. Sooner than a Moth is crushed which is easily done by a Gentle touch of the Fingers An Hyperbolical Expression So the Hebrew word liphne commonly signifying place doth here note time as it is used Gen. 27. 7. and 29. 26. and 36. 31. Or at the face or appearance of a Moth. No Creature is so weak and contemptible but one time or other it may have the Body of Man in its power as the Worms the Moths Cousin-Germans have in the Grave But he instanceth in a Moth rather than a Worm because it is the weaker of the two and because it better agrees with the similitude of an House in which Moths commonly are more frequent and powerful and mischievous than Worms How then canst thou think O Iob to contend with thy Maker that must become a Prey to such small and impotent Creatures 20. They are †Heb. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 destroyed from Morning to Evening e Either 1. Speedily between Morning and Evening like the Grass they flourish in the Morning
me off and nor suffer me to live any longer which will seem to me a cruel kind of patience towards me for I have not concealed the words of the holy One a i. e. Of God who is frequently called the Holy One in Scripture as Isa. 40. 25 57. 15. Hab. 3. 3. and is so in a most eminent and peculiar manner The sense is Therefore I do not fear death but desire it and that not only to be freed from my present troubles but also and especially to put me into the possession of the happiness of the next life of which I am assured becauses I have in good measure performed the conditions of that Covenant upon which he hath promised it for as for The words of God i. e. That light of sacred Truths Precepts which he hath been pleased to impart to me I have not concealed them neither from my self by shutting mine eyes against them or suffering my prejudices or passions or worldly Interests to blind my mind lest I should see them as you think I have done nor from others but as I my self have stedfastly believed them and not wilfully and wickedly departed from them so I have endeavoured to teach and commend them to others and have not been ashamed nor afraid boldly to profess and preach the true Religion in the midst of the Heathens who are round about me And therefore I know that if God doth cut me off it will be in mercy and I shall be a gainer by it Some translate and distinguish the Verse thus Yet this is my comfort though or when I scorch with pain and he i. e. God doth not spare me but afflicts me most severely that I have not concealed the words of God but have professed and practised them 11. What is my strength that I should hope b My strength is so small and spent that although I may linger a while in my torments yet I cannot live long and therefore it is vain and absurd for me to hope for such a restitution of my strength and prosperity as thou hast promised to me Ch. 5. 22. c. And therefore I justly pray that God would take away my life and what is mine end c Either 1. What is the end or period of my miseries When may I expect it I see no end of them I know not how long I may pine and linger in them Therefore Lord take me speedily away Or 2. What is the end of my life Or What is death to me It is not terrible but comfortable as he said v. 10. I need not those vain consolations which thou givest me of being kept from death v. 20. or having life continued and health restored Death is not the matter of my fear but of my desire that I should prolong my †Heb. 〈◊〉 life d To wit by my seeking to God for it as thou advisest me Ch 5. 8. Why should I desire or indeavour the prolonging of my life Or that I should lengthâ—… out my desire to wit of life and those comforts of life which thou hast propounded to me I desire not to live longer though in the greatest splendour and prosperity but to be dissolved and to be with my God and Redeemer Ch. 19. 25. The Hebrew word nephesh here rendred soul or life oft signifies desire as Gen. 23. 8. Deut. 23. 24. Prov. 23. 2. Eccles. 6. 9. 12. Is my strength the strength of stones Or is my flesh †Heb. 〈◊〉 of brass e I am not made of stone or brass but of flesh and blood as others are and therefore I am utterly unable to endure these miseries longer and can neither hope for nor desire any continuance of my life or restauration of my farmer happiness but onely wish for that death which is the common refuge of all miserable persons as I said Ch. 3. 17. 18. 13. Is not my help in me f Though I have no strength in my body or outward man yet I have some help and support within me or in my inward man even the conscience of my own innocency and piety notwithstanding all your bitter accusations and censures as if I had no integrity Ch. 4. 6. and is wisdom driven quite from me g If I have no strength in my body have I therefore no wisdom or judgment left in my Soul Am I therefore unable to judge of the vanity of thy discourse and of the truth of my own case Have I not common sence and discretion do not I know my own condition the nature and degree of my sufferings better than thou doest Am not I a better judge whether I have integrity or no than thou art But this verse is rendred otherwise and that very agreeably to the Hebrew words What if I have no help in me i. e. If I cannot help my self if my outward condition be helpless and hopeless as I confess it is is wisdom driven quite from me Have I therefore lost my understanding and common reason Cannot I judge whether it is more desirable for me to live or to die whether I am an hypocrite or no whether your words have truth and weight in them or no whether you take the right method in dealing with me whether you deal mercifully and sincerely with me or no. Yet again because the construction and sense of these words is judged very difficult this verse may be joyned with the following and rendred thus What if there be no help in me or if I be not able to bear my miseries and if counsel be driven from me so that I know not what to do or how to help or ease my self Or and subsistence or power of subsisting be driven or taken away from me so that I can neither help my self out of my troubles nor subsist under them yet to the afflicted pity should be shewed c. 14. †Heb. to 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 To him that is afflicted h Heb. To him that is melted or dissolved with afflictions or in the furnace of afflictions that is in extream miseries for such persons are said to be melted as Psal. 22. 14. 107. 26. 119. 28. Nah. 2. 10. pity should be shewed from his friend i His friend such as thou O Eliphaz pretendest to be to me should shew kindness benignity and compassion in his judgment of him and carriage towards him and not pass such unmerciful and heavy censures upon him nor load him with reproaches but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty k But thou hast no love or pity for thy neighbour and friend Which is a plain evidence that thou art guilty of that which thou didst charge me with even of the want of the fear of God for didst thou truly fear God thou couldest not and durst not be so unmerciful to thy brother both because God hath severely forbidden condemned that disposition carriage because God is able to punish thee for it
am wholly thy Creature and Workmanship made by thee and for thee yet thou dost destroy me s Or swallow me up to wit without cause or any eminent provocation of mine as if thou didst delight in doing and undoing in making and then destroying thy Creatures which doth not become thy Wisdom or Goodness 9. Remember I beseech thee that * Gen. 2â—… 3. 19. thou hast ‖ Or 〈◊〉 made me as the clay t i. e. Of the Clay the Note of similitude here expressing the truth of things as it doth Iohn 1. 14. and elsewhere as hath been before observed Or as a Potter maketh a Vessel of the Clay and so this may note both the frailty of man's Nature which of it self decaies and perisheth and doth not need such violent shocks and storms to overthrow it and the Excellency of the Divine Artifice commended from the meanness of the Materials out of which it was made which is an Argument why God should not destroy it and wilt thou bring me into dust again u Wiltst thou now causleslâ—… and violently destroy thy own Work But the words are and may be read without an Interrogation And thou wilt bring me into duâ—…l again out of which I was made I must die by the course of Nature and by the sentence of thy Law and therefore whilest I do live give me some ease and comfort 10. * Ps. 139. 14. 15 16. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and crudled me like cheese x Thus he modestly and accurately describes God's admirable Work in making Man out of a small and liquid and as it were Milky substance by degrees congealed and condensed into that exquisite Frame of Man's Body 11. Thou hast clothed me y i. e. Covered my inward and more noble parts which as Philosophers and Physicians observe are first formed So he proceeds in describing Man's Formation gradually with skin and flesh and hast †Heb. 〈◊〉 fenced me with bones and sinews z Which are the stay and strength of the Body and some of them as the Skull and Ribs enclose and defend its vital and most noble parts 12. Thou hast granted me life a Thou didst not onely give me a curious Body but also a living and a reasonable Soul Thou didst at first give me life and then maintain it in me both when I was in the Womb which is a marvellous Work of God and afterward when I was unable to do any thing to preserve my own life and favour b Or benignity or borâ—…ty or mercy or kindness which is here as ost elsewhere put for its fruits or effects Thou didst not give a meer Life but many other Favours necessary or convenient or belonging to it such as Nourishment by the Breast Education Knowledge and Instruction c. and thy visitation c i. e. The Care of thy Providence watching over me for my good and visiting me in mercy as God's visiting is understood Exod. 4. 31. Luke 1. 78. though elsewhere it is an Act of Punishment hath preserved my spirit d i. e. My Soul or Life which is liable to manifold Casualties and Dangers if God did not watch over us and guard us every day and moment Thou hast hitherto done great things for me given me Life and the Blessings of Life and daily Preservations and Deliverances And wiltst thou now undo all that thou hast done And shall I who have been such an eminent Monument of thy Mercy now be made a Spectacle of thy Vengeance and that without cause 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart e This place may be understood either 1. of Iob's present Afflictions So the sense is this Yet in the midst of all those Manifestations of thy Grace and kindness to me thou didst retain a secret purpose of changing thy course and carriage towards me and of bringing these dreadful Calamities upon me Or rather 2. of his former Mercies these things to wit last mentioned thou hast hid them in thy heart i. e. thou dost exactly remember them as this phrase is used Psalm 119. 11. Luke 2. 51. So the Argument is this Let the remembrance of thy former great Favours vouchsased to me move thee to give me further Blessings and a speedy Deliverance For this is usual both with God and Men to choose aâ—…d delight to do more good to those to whom they have done much good already which is the ground of that known passage Mat. 13. 12. To him that hath shall be given I know that this is * 〈◊〉 59. 〈◊〉 with thee f i. e. In thy mind and heart thou hast not forgot it So the same thing is here repeated in other words 14. If I sin g If I commit the least sin as who is there that liveth and sinneth not then thou markest me h Thou doest not wink at or pass by my sins as thou usually doest other mens but doest severely and diligently observe them all that thou mayest punish them Compare Chap. 14. 16. 31. 4. and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity i I perceive thou art resolved to punish me with rigour and that thou wiltst not pardon and pity and help me Words of great impatience and distrust 15. If I be wicked k i. e. An ungodly Hypocrite as my Friends esteem me wo unto me l Then I am truly and extremely and must be eternally miserable and if I be righteous m i. e. An upright and good man So whether good or bad all comes to one I have no relief yet will I not lift up my head n Or yet caâ—… I not c. The Future Tense being used potentially Yet I have no comfort nor confidence or hopes of any good Lifting up â—…he head or face is oft mentioned as a sign of comfort and confidence as Psalm 3. 3. Luke 21. 28. As on the contrary Grief and Shame are described by its dejection or casting down I am full of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confusion o Or 〈◊〉 from my Friends and from others Chap. 30. 1 c. and from God too who â—…asts me off and makes me contemptible I have abundance of shame in the disappointment of all my hopes and the continuance and aggravation of my misery notwithstanding all my prayers to God to remove or mitigate it And I am confounded within my self not knowing what to say or do Let my extremity move thee to pity and help me therefore see thou mine affliction 16. For it encreaseth thou * 〈◊〉 3â—… 13. 〈◊〉 huntest me as a fierce lion p Which hunteth after his prey with great eagerness and when he overtakes it falls upon it with great fury and again thou shewest thy self marvellous upon me q Heb. And thou returnest and shewest thy self marvellous upon or in or against me The â—…ion tears its prey speedily and so ends its torments but
doth now breath out words of Hope such Ebbings and Flowings being usual both with Iob elsewhere as Ch. 13. 15 16. and with David frequently in the Psalms and with others of God's People 16. * Psa. 139. 2 3. Chap. 13. 27. Prov. 5. 21. Jer. 32. 19. For now p So this is a reason of his desire of Death v. 13. Or rather But now for this seems to be added by way of opposition I believe thou wiltst pitty and help me but for the present it is far otherwise with me thou numbrest my steps q Thou makest a strict enquiry into all my Actions that thou maist find out all mine Errours and punish them Compare Iob 13. 27. 31. 4. 34. 21. Psal. 56. 6. dost thou not watch over my sin r i. e. Dost thou not watch for my Haltings or Miscarriages as if thou wast glad of an occasion to punish me Or thou dost not delay the punishment of my sin For the same Hebrew word signifies both sin and its punishments 17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag s As Writings or other choice things that they may be safely kept and all of them brought forth upon occasion and not one of them forgotten or lost Compare Deut. 32. 34. Iob 37. 7. Hos. 13. 12. and thou sewest up mine iniquity t i. e. Thou keepest all my sins in thy memory and fastenest the guilt of them upon my Conscience Or thou addest to my sin one sin to another the follies of my youth Iob 13. 26. to those of my riper Years Or thou addest to my punishment i. e. thou punishest me more than mine Iniquities deserve all things considered For this sinful thought seems somtimes to have risen in Iob's Mind as may be gathered from divers parts of this Book which therefore Zophar decries and disproves Iob. 11. 6. 18. And surely as the Mountain falling †Heb. sadâ—… cometh to nought u As when a great Mountain falls either by an Earthquake or Inundation of Waters or from any other cause it moulders away like a fading Leaf as the Hebrew word signifies and never recovers its former height and stability and as the Rock when by the violence of Winds or Earthquake c. it is removed out of its place and thrown down is never readvanced And as the waters by continual droppings or violent and frequent assaults wear away or break the stones to pieces so as they can never be made whole again And as thou washest away to wit by a great and violent Inundation which thou sendest the things which grow out of the dust of the Earth to wit Herbs Fruits Plants which once washed away are irrecoverably lost and or so as this particle is oft used i. e. in like manner to wit irrecoverably thou destroyest the hope of man i. e. So when man dies all hope of living again in this World is utterly lost And this seems to be the plain meaning of these two Verses And as before he declared the hopelesness of mans restauration from death to this animal life by way of opposition to such things as did rise in a manner from death to life v. 7 c. so now he declares it by way of similitude or resemblance to such things as being once lost and gone are past all hopes of recovery and the Rock is removed out of his place 19. The Waters wear the Stones thou †Heb. overflowest washest away the things which grow out of the Dust of the Earth and thou destroyest the hope of Man 20. Thou prevailest for ever against him x When once thou takest away this life it is gone for ever For he speaks not here of man's future and eternal life in another World and he passeth y i. e. He dieth or is about to die Man's death is oft called a passage or a going to intimate that it is not an annihilation but only a translation of him into another place and state thou changest his Countenance z Either 1 his Visage which by death and its Harbingers is quite transformed in colour and shape as we see by daily experience Or 2. the face and state of his Affairs as to worldly riches and pleasures and honours all which he leaves behind him and sendest him away a To his long home by death 21. His sons come to honour and he knoweth it not b Either 1. is ignorant of all such events Or 2. is not concerned nor affected with them A dead or dying man minds not these things and they are brought low but he perceiveth it not of them 22. But his flesh upon him shall have pain and his soul within him shall mourn c This is mans condition he is miserable â—…oth when he dies because he dies without hope of returning to life as he had discoursed before and as he now adds whilest he lives whilest his flesh is upon him and his soul within him whilest the soul is clothed with or united to the body he feels sharp pain in his body and bitter grief in his soul Seeing therefore the state of man upon earth is so vain and unhappy every way Lord give me some comfort to sweeten my life or take away my life from me CHAP. XV. THen answered Eliphaz the Temanite and said 2. Should a wise man a Such as thou seemest and pretendest to be utter †Heb. knowledge of wind vain knowledge b i. e. Empty words without any sense or solidity in them and fill his belly c i. e. Satisfie his own Mind and Conscience which being secret is compared to the Inwards of the Belly as Chap. 32. 19. Prov. 20. 27. 22. 18. with the east-wind d i. e. With Discourses which are not only flashy and unprofitable and without any weight but also boisterous and pernicious both to himself and others as the East-wind was in those parts Gen. 41. 6. Exod. 10. 13. Hos. 12. 1. 3. Should he reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches wherewith he can do no good e Either to himself or others but much hurt which is implied by the contrary as is usual 4. Yea †Heb. thou makest void thou castest off fear f Heb. Thou makest void fear i. e. the fear of God as the word is oft used for the word of God or Piety and Religion which oft cometh under the name of fear This may be understood either 1. of Iob himself that he cast off all Reverence to God by uttering such bold and reproachful expressions concerning God and his Providence Or 2. with respect to others that by his insolent and unworthy speeches of and carriage towards God and by those false and pernicious principles which he had laid down as that God dealt with men in way of absolute Soveraignty not of Justice and that he made no difference between good and bad in the course of his Providence but did equally
sowed together not upon my other garments but next to my skin as was done in great Calamities as 2 Kings 6. 30. So far am I from stretching out my hands against God whereof I am accused Chap. 15. 25. that I have humbled my self deeply unâ—…er his hand and defiled my horn in the dust q I have willingly parted with all my Wealth and Power and Glory as the horn oft signifies in Scripture as Psâ—…lm 75 5. 132. 17 Luke 1. 69. and been contented to lie in the dust and to endure the contempt which God hath brought upon me 16 My face is foul with weeping and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death r i. e. A gross and terrible darkness My sight is very dim and dark as is usual in case of fore Diseases or excessive grief and weeping Lamâ—…nt 2 11. and especially in the approach of death Compare Psalm 6. 7. 38. 10. Lament 5. 17. 17. Not for any injustice in mine hands s And all this is not come upon me for any injurious dealing with others by oppression or deceit or bribery wherewith I am implicitely charged Chap. 15 16 20 34. but for other reasons known to God onely for I cannot discover them also my prayer is pure t I do not cast off God's fear and service as I am accused to do Châ—…p 15. 4. I do still pray and worship God and my Prayer is accompanied with a sincere Heart and â—…defiled Conscience See Psalm 109 7. Prov. 28. 9. 1 Tim. 2. 8. So that I have lived inâ—…ffensively towards God and towards men And therefore your Assertion is both uncharitable and false that eminent Afflictions are peculiar to ungodly men 18. O earth cover not thou my bloud u So called not actively to wit his own blood but passively or obâ—…ctively i. e the blood of others shed by him and lying upon his Conscience The Earth is said to cover that blood which lies undiscovered and unrevenged Of which see on Gen. 4. 10 11. Isa. 26 21. But saith Iob. if I be guilty of destroying any one man by Murder or Oppression as I am traduced O Lord let the Earth disclose it let it be brought to light that I may suffer condign punishment for it and let my cry x Either 1. passively to wit the cries and groans which I have forced from others by my Oppressions Let those Cries have no place to hide them Or rather 2. actively the Cry of my Complaints to men or Prayers to God let them find no place in the Ears or Hearts of God or men if this be true Or no place i. e. no regard or no power or success in which sense God's Word is said not to have place in evil men Iohn 8. 37. And Esaâ—… not to find place of repentance Heb. 12. 17. i. e. All his Intreaties and Tears could not prevail with his Father to repent of and retract the Blessing given from him to Iacob have no place 19. Also now behold my Witness is in Heaven y Besides the Witness of Men and of my own Conscience God is Witness of my Integrity and my Record †Heb. in the high places is on high 20. My Friends z Who should defend me from the Scorns and Injuries of others †scorn me a So this word is used Psal. 119. 51. Prov. 3. 34. 19. 28. but mine Eye Heb. are my â—…orners poureth out tears unto God b I pour forth my Prayers and Tears to God that he would judge me according to my Innocency and plead my righteous cause against you 21. * Ch. 31. 35. Eccl. 6. 10. Isa. 45. 9. Rom. 9. 20. O that one might plead for a man * with God c O that either I or some faithful Advocate might be admitted to plead my Cause either with God or rather with you before God's Tribunal God being Witness and Judge between us But this Verse is and that very agreeably to the Hebrew Text otherwise translated and Interpreted either 1. With respect to Christ And he i. e. God last mentioned to wit God the Son Christ Jesus will plead for a man i. e. for me against whom you plead He modestly speaketh of himself in the third Person as is usual with God to wit with God the Father and the Son of man as Christ is oft called will plead for his Friend or Companion or Neighbour i. e. For a man whom he hath taken into that Relation to himself It is plain that the mystery of Mans Redemption by Christ was known to the ancient Patriarchs as hath been oft noted before and to Iob among others Ch. 19. 25. Or 2. as the matter for which he prayed and cried to God That so the Hebrew Vau is frequently used he i. e. God would plead or judge or give sentence for a man i. e. for me or in my cause with God i. e. with himself the Noun being put for the Pronoun as Gen. 2. 20. 4. 15. Lev. 14. 15 16. and elsewhere or at his own Tribunal to which I have appealed as a man pleadeth for his Friend or Neighbour with or before an earthly Judge and Tribunal This seems most agreeable to the scope of the place which was to maintain his own Integrity against his Friends before God as a man pleadeth for his ‖ Or friend Neighbour 22. When †Heb. years of number a few years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not return d i. e. To the state and place of the dead whence men do not and cannot return to this Life The meaning is my death hastens and therefore I earnestly desire that the cause depending before God between me and my Friends may be searched out and determined that if I be guilty of these things whereof they accuse me I may bear the shame and blame of it before all men and if I be innocent that I may live to see my own Integrity and the credit of Religion which suffers upon this occasion vindicated that so I may die in peace with God and may leave the favour of a good name behind me CHAP. XVII 1. MY ‖ Breath is corrupt a i. e. It stinks as it doth in dying persons Or my Spirit is corrupted or spent or lost i. e. My vital Spirits and natural Powers are wasted my Soul is ready to leave the Body my days are extinct b The lamp of my Life is wasted and upon the point of going out and that in a Snuff Or my Spirit is spent the Graves c i. e. The Grave the plural number being put for the singular as Sepulchres 2 Chron. 21. 20. Cities Judg. 12. 7. Asses Zech. 9. 9. are put for one of each of these are ready for me d Open their mouths as ready to receive me The sense and scope of this Verse is the same with the former 2. Are there not Mockers with
my heart loose to covet and seek after forbidden things which mine eyes have seen which may design either 1. the lust of uncleanness But of that he had spoken v. 1. and reneweth the discourse v. 9. Or rather 2. the lust of Covetousness which is called the lust of the eyes 1 John 2. 16. partly because it is oft caused by sight as Ios. 7. 21. and partly because oft-times all the satisfaction it gives is to please the sight Eccles. 5. 11. And this sin is most legible in the following punishment v. 8. where his loss answers to this evil gain The Phrase notes the common method and progress of sin which is to enter by the eye to the heart Gen. 3. 6. Num. 15. 39. Eccles. 2. 10. 11. 9. and if any blot r Or blemish to wit any unjust gain If I have in my hands or possession any Goods gotten from others by fraud or violence which would be a great scandal and a blot to my reputation hath cleaved to mine hands 8. Then let me sow and let another eat s Let strangers enjoy the fruit of my labours according to God's Curse Levit 26. 16. Deut. 28. 30. yea let my off-spring t As this word is used Iob 5. 25. 27. 14. Or rather my encrease or growths or sprowts i. e. all my Plants and Fruits and improvements For 1. so the word properly signifies 2 So this latter Branch of the Verse explains the former as is most frequent in this and some other Books of Scripture 3. He had not now any Children to be rooted out be rooted out 9. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman u To wit by a strange Woman or rather by my Neighbours Wife as the next words limit it for of a Maid he spoke before v. 1. and this cannot be meant of his own Wife He saith by a woman i. e. either by gazing upon her Beauty so as to be enamoured with it and to lust after her or by her perswasions or allurements Or concerning a woman i. e. concerning impure conversation with a forbidden woman The Phrase is very emphatical taking from himself and others the vain excuses wherewith men use to palliate their sins by pretending that they did not design the wickedness but were meerly drawn in and seduced by the strong inticements and provocations of others All which Iob supposeth and yet nevertheless owns the great guilt of such practises even in that case as well knowing that temptation to sin is no justification of it or if I have laid weight at my neighbours door x Watching for a fit opportunity to defile his Wife Compare Prov. 7 8 9. 10. Then let my wife grind unto another y Either 1. let her be taken captive and made a slave to grind in other mens Mills which was a sore and vile servitude Exod. 11. 5. Iudg. 16. 21. Isa. 47. 2. Mat. 24. 41. Or rather 2. let her be defiled by another man as the next words expound it and as the Hebrews understand it and as this very Phrase is used by very ancient both Greek and Latine Authors Of which see my Latine Synopsis on this place And this is to be cautiously understood not as if Iob desired or would permit a requital in the same kind but onely that if in that case God should give up his Wife to such a wickedness he should acknowledge his justice in it and though with abhorrency of the sin accept of that punishment of it and let others bow down upon her z Another modest expression of a filthy action whereby the Holy Ghost gives us a Pattern and a Precept to avoid not only unclean actions but also all immodest expressions 11. For this a To wit Adultery whether committed by choice and design or by the sollicitation of the Woman v. 9. is an heinous crime yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges b Heb an iniquity of the judges i. e. which belongs to them to take cognizance of and to punish and that with death and that not only by the â—…aw of Moses Deut. 22. 22. but even by the Law of Nature as appears from the known Laws and Customs of Heathen Nations in that case See also Gen. 38. 24. This is opposed to those secret and lesser sins which are only known to and punished by God 12. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction c For this sin would be as a secret but consuming fire wasting my estate and Reputation and Body and Soul too provoking God and enraging the Husband and bringing down some extraordinary Vengeance upon me And therefore the fear of God kept me from this and such like wickedness and would root out all mine encrease d i. e. All my Estate Compare Prov. 6. 27. 13. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant e If I used my power over him to overthrow him or his just rights And seeing it is known that I was so just and kind to them over whom I had such unlimited power it is not probable that I should be guilty of such cruelty to others as you impute to me or of my maid-servant when they contended with me f Either for imposing heavier burdens than they could bear or for not providing for them those supports which their nature and necessity required or for any other plausible cause I heard them patiently and indifferently and did them right even against my self if by any mis-information or passion I had done them any Injury 14. What then shall I do when * Psal. 44 21. God riseth up g To wit to plead the Cause of the Oppressed against the Oppressor and to execute judgment as this Phrase is used Psalm 68 1. Zach. 2. 13. and elsewhere I used my Servant like one who was also my self a Servant and had a Master in Heaven Col. 4. 1. to whom I was to give an account of my carriage to my Servant and to all men and when he visiteth h i. e. When he shall call me to his Tribunal and severely examine all my actions and particularly the Cause between me and my servant what shall I answer him i What Apology shall I make for my self 15. * Chap. 34. 19. Prov. 14. 31. 22. 2. Mal. 2. 10. Did not he that made me in the womb make him k I considered that he was though my Servant yet my Fellow-creature made by the same God and therefore one of God's Subjects whom I could not abuse without the injury of his supream Lord. and ‖ Or did he not fashion us in one womb did not one fashion us in the womb l Heb. Did he not form us in one womb Not in one individual Womb but in a Womb of the same kind in an humane Womb with a Body and Soul of the same nature and quality a reasonable and immortal Creature and made after
8. Lead me y Direct my heart and counsels and affairs and all the course and actions of my Life O LORD in thy righteousness z In thy righteous Laws which sometimes are called righteousness as Psal. 119. 172. Mat. 3. 15. Or for or because of or according to thy righteousness which is a Phrase and Argument frequently used in this book of Psalâ—…s because of †〈…〉 mine enemies a Either 1. That I may give them no occasion of slandering me or Religion for my sake Or rather 2. Because they are most malicious and mischievous and withal cunning and treacherous as he describes them in the next Verse which he uâ—…eth as an Argument to enforce this Petition and they lay Snâ—…res for me and if thou dost not assist me will be too hard for me and will triumph over me which will reflect dishonour upon thee also * 〈◊〉 25. 4. and â—…6 11. make thy way b i e The way wherein thou wouldest have me to walk or the course which thou wouldest have me to take son God's Precepts or Counsels are most commonly called his way straight c Or plain or smooth that I may clearly discern it and readily walk in it without mistake or lett or stumbling or offence This was a needful request because many good men are oft at a loss what their Duty is in several Circumstances And God granted this request to David as in many other things so in this that he should not cut off Saul when he had opportunity and instigation to do it 1. Sam. 24 and 26. but that he should wait till God took him away before my face d To my view and for my walk For men walk forward not backward 9. For there is no ‖ Or 〈◊〉 faithfulness †〈…〉 in their mouth their inward part is †Heb. wickâ—…nesses very wickedness e They speak one thing and mean another and under a pretence of kindness they seek my Destruction which makes it difficult for me to know how I should carry my self to them wherein therefore I have begged thy direction * Rom. 3. 13. their throat f Either 1. Metonymically Their speech coming out of their Throat tho smooth and subtil yet is most pernicious Or 2. Properly Their Throat and Mouth are wide opened ready to devour all that come within their reach A Metaphor from wild Beasts gaping for the Prey is an open sepulchre they flatter with their tongue g They make shew of piety and friendship that they may more easily deceive and destroy me 10. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 Destroy thou them h Heb. hold thâ—… guilty i. e. Condemn and punish them Or make them to offend to wit in their Counsels as it follows so as they may either be given up to bad and foolish Counsels or fail in the execution of their wise or crafty Counsels Or make them desolate as the word is used Ezek. 6. 6. Ioel. 1. 18. O God let them fall ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 counsels by their own counsels i i. e. Make their Counsels not only unsuccesful against me but also destructive to themselves Or from their c. i. e. Let them fall short of their aims and designs Or because of their Counsels which are ungodly and unjust and so deserve destruction cast them out k Out of thy Land and from among thy People whom they either infect or molest by their wicked courses in l Or for or because of as before the multitude of their transgressions for they have rebelled against thee m Against thy Authority and declared Will concerning my advancement to the throne which divers Israelites opposed against their own Consciences See 2. Sam. 3. 8 9 10. 11. But let all those that put their trust in thee n That dare rely upon thy word and promise when all humane hopes and refuges fail which was oft the case of David and his followers rejoyce o Let them have cause of great joy from thy love and care of them and because thou defendest them as it follows let them ever shout for joy because †〈…〉 thou defendest them let them also that love thy name p i. e. Thy Majesty thy Word and Worship and Glory all which is called God's name in Scripture David doth not confine his Prayer to his Party but prays for all good men though by their own mistakes or other mens artifices some of them might now be in a sâ—…ate of opposition against him be joyful in thee 12. For thou LORD wilt bless q i. e. Thou art resolved and hast engaged thy self by promise and covenant to bless them And therefore my Prayer for them is agreeable to thy will the righteous with favour r With thy Love and gracious Providence wilt thou †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compass him as with a shield s i. e. Keep him safe on every side PSAL. VI. To the chief musician on Neginoth a Of which see on Psal. 4. 1. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eighth upon Sheminith b Or upon the eighth It is thought to be the shrillest or loftiest Note as Alomoth is the lowest of which see 1. Chron. 15. 20 21. and as some add Muth-labben Psal. 9. the mean But all this is only conjecture and the Iews themselves have no certain knowledg of their own ancient Musick and of the signification of the Terms belonging to it a Psalm of David c The occasion of the Psalm seems plainly to have been some grievous Distress or Disease of the Body then upon him accompanied also with great trouble of Conscience for his Sins whereby he had brought it upon himself 1. O * Psal. 38. LORD rebuke me not d i. e. Do not chasten or correct me as the next Clause explains it and as this word is frequently used as Iob 22. 4. Psal. 50. 21. Isa. 37. 4. Revel 3. 19. in thine anger e With rigour or severity as my Sins deserve but with gentleness and moderation Ier. 10. 24. and 46. 28. or so as it may not be the effect of thy strict Justice or Anger but of thy Mercy and Faithfulness neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure f The same thing repeated after the manner 2. Have mercy upon me g I plead not my merit but thy free Mercy O LORD for I am weak h Or I languish my Body pines away and my Spirit fails through my excessive pains or troubles O LORD heal me i i. e. The distempers of my Soul and Body of both which this word is used Psal. 41. 4. and 107. 18 20. for my bones are vexed k My torment is so deep and so general that it reacheth and is very grievous even to my Bones tho they are inward and might seem to be out of the reach of it and also strong and senseless and therefore
I have set the LORD always before me c i. e. I have always presented him to my mind as my Rule and Scope as my Witness and Judge as my Patron and Protector in the discharge of my Office and in all my Actions Hitherto David seems to have spoken in his own Person and with special respect to himself but now he seems to have been transported by an higher Inspiration of the Spirit of Prophecy and to be carried above himself and to have an Eye to the man Christ Jesus who is and was the end of the Law and the great Scope of all the Prophets and to speak of himself only as a Type of Christ and with more special respect unto Christ in whom this and the following Verses were much more truly and fully accomplished than in himself Christ as man did always set his Fathers will and Glory before him as he himself oft declareth especially in St. Iohn's Gospel because * he is at my right hand d To wit to strengthen me for the right hand is the chief seat of a Man's strength and Instrument of Action to Protect assist and Comfort me as this Phrase signifies Psal. 109. 31. and 110. 5. And this assistance of God was necessary to Christ as man I shall 〈◊〉 2. 25 〈◊〉 73. 23. â—… â—…1 5. not be moved e Or removed either from the discharge of my Duty or from the attainment of that Glory and Happiness which is prepared for me Though the Archers shoot grievously at me and both men and Devils seek my Destruction and God sets himself against me as an Enemy withdrawing his favour from me and filling me with deadly sorrows through the Sence of his anger yet I do not despair but am assured that God will deliver me out of all my Distresses 9. Therefore f Upon this ground and Confidence my heart g The proper seat of joy and of all the Affections is glad and my glory h Either 1. my soul which is indeed the Glory of a man Or rather 2. my Tongue which also is a mans Glory and Priviledge above all other living Creatures and the Instrument of glorifying both God and man and which is oft called a mans Glory as Gen. 49. 6. Psal. 30. 12. and 57. 8. and 108. 1. and 149. 5. And so this very Word is translated Act. 2. 26. And thus the distinction between Heart and Glory and Flesh is more certain and evident rejoyceth i Or exsulteth i. e. Declares or expresseth my inward joy For this Verb signifies not so much internal joy as the outward and visible Demonstrations of it in Words or Gestures and Carriages my flesh also shall †〈…〉 rest k i. e. My body shall quietly and 〈◊〉 rest in the Grave to which I am hastening in hope l i. e. In confident assurance of it's Incorruption there and of it's Resurrection to a blessed and immortal Life as it is explained v. 10 11. The flesh or body is in it self but a dead and senceless lump of Clay yet Hope is here ascribed to it figuratively as it is to the brute Creatures Rom. 8. 19. because there is Matter and Foundation for such hope if it were capable of it the good promised and expected being certainly future 10. * 〈◊〉 2. 31. 13. 35. For thou will not leave my soul m i. e. My Person as this word is every where used by a Syneâ—…doche of the part and then the Person by another Synecdoche of the whole is put for the Body The soul is oft put for the Body either for the living Body as Psal. 35. 13. and 105. 18. or for the Carkass or dead Body as it is taken Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 5. 2. and 6. 6. 9. 11. and 9 10. and 19. 11. 13. And so it is interpreted in this very place as it is produced Act. 2. 29 c. and 13. 36 37. in hell n i. e. In the Grave or state of the Dead as appears 1. From the Hebrew word Scheol which is very frequently so understood as is undeniably evident from Gen. 42. 38. Numb 16. 30. Iob 14. 13. Comp. with 17. 13. Psal. 18. 5. and 30. 3. and 141. 7. Eccles. 9 10. Ezek. 32. 21 27. Ionab 2 2. and many other places 2. From the following clause of this Verse 3. From Act. 2. and 13. where it is so expounded and applied neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One o i. e. Me thy holy Son whom thou hast sanctified and sent into the World It is peculiar to Christ to be called the holy one of God Mark 1. 24. Luk. 4. 34. to see corruption p Or Rottenness i. e. To be corrupted or putrified in the Grave as the Bodies of others are Seeing is oft put for perceiving by experience In which 〈◊〉 men are said to see good Psal. 34. 13. and to 〈◊〉 Death or the Grave Psal. 89. 48 Luk. 2. 26. Ioâ—… 8. 51. and to see sleep Eccles. 8. 16. And the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 though sometimes by a Metonymy it signifies the Pit or place of Corruption yet properly and generally it signifies Corruption or Perdition as Iob 17. 14. and 33. 18. 30. Psal. 35. 7. and 55. â—…3 Ionâ—… 2. 6. and is so rendred by the seventy Jewish Interpreters Psal. 107. 20. Prov. 28. 10. Ier. 13 14 and 15. 3 Lament 4. 20. Ezek. 19. 4. and 21. 31. And so it must be understood here although some of the Jews to avoid the force of this Argument render it the Pit But in that Sence it is not true for whether it be meant of David as they say or of Christ it is confessed that both of them did see the Pit i. e. Were laid in the Grave And therefore it must necessarily be taken in the other Sence now mentioned and so it is properly and literally true in Christ alone although it may in a lower and Metaphorical Sence be applied to David who had a just and well grounded Confidence that although God might bring him into great Dangers and Distresses which are called the sorrows of Death and the pains of Hell Psal. 116. 3. yet God would not leave him to Perish in or by them 11. Thou wilt shew me q i. e. Give me an exact and experimental knowledge of it for my own Comfort and the benefit of my People the path of life r i. e. The way that leadeth to Life not to a temporal and mortal Life here for he is supposed to be dead and buried v. 10. But to an endless and immortal and blessed Life after death in the presence of God as it followeth the way to which is by the Resurrection of the Body So the Sence is Thou wilst raise me from the Grave and Conduct me to the place and state of everlasting Felicity * Psal. 21. 6 in thy presence s Heb With or before my Face i. e. In that heavenly
which they declare their Author no less than if they used many Words or long Discourses to that purpose or no less than men disover their Minds by their Words See more concerning this Verse upon Rom 10. 18. where it is applied to the Preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles in the several parts of the World to the end of the world in them hath he set a tabernacle p Which is a moveable Habitation and therefore fitly applied to the Sun which is here described to be in constant and perpetual Motion v. 5 6. for the sun q Which being the most Illustrious and useful of all the Heavenly Bodies is here particularly mentioned 5. Which is as a bridegroom r Gloriously adorned with Lights as with a beautiful Garment and smiling upon the lower World with a pleasant Countenance coming out of his chamber s In which he is Poetically supposed to have rested all Night and thence to break forth as it were on a sudden as both Sacred and profane Poets represent the Matter and * Eccles. 1. 5. rejoyceth as a strong man t Who being Conscious and Confident of his own strength and promising to himself Victory and the Glory which attends it sets upon his work with great Pleasure to run a race 6. His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it u His Course is constant from East to West and thence to the East again and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof x There is no part of the Earth which doth not one time or other feel the Comfort and Benefit of it's Light and Heat 7. The ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law of the LORD y i. e. The Doctrine delivered by God to his Church whether by Moses or by other Prophets and holyâ—…men of God after him for the Title of Law is given not only to the Ten Commandements or the moral Law as it is Rom. 2. 23 25 27 31. but also to the whole Word of God as Psal. 1. 2. and 119. 70 c. Ier. 8. 8. Mal. 2. 6. to the Psalms as Ioh. 10. 34. and 15. 25. Comp. with Psal. 82. 6. and 35. 19. and to the Writings of the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 21. Comp. with Isa. 28. 11. yea even to the Gospel it self as Isa. 2. 3. and 42 4. and 51. 4. 7. Rom. 3. 27. Gal. 2. 21. And in this general Sence it must be here understood because the Effects here following do not flow from one but from all the Parts of it Precepts and Counsels and Threatnings and Promises and God's gracious Covenant made with man therein revealed Having discoursed hitherto of the Glory of God's shining forth in and Demonstrated by the visible Heavens and the Heavenly Bodies he now proceeds to another Demonstration of God's Glory which he Compares with and prefers before the former Which he doth partly to prevent that Excessive admiration of the splendour and beauty of the Sun and Stars by the Contemplation whereof the Hearkens were brought to adore them an Error which the Israelites were not free from the Danger of Deut. 4. 19. partly to make the Israelites sensible of their singular Obligations to God who besides that common Light and Influence of the Heavenly Bodies had given them a peculiar and a more necessary and beneficial Light and partly to awaken and provoke the Gentiles into whose hands these Psalms might come to the study and love of God's Law by representing those excellent Advantages which they no less than the Iews might obtain by it is perfect z Without fault or defect fully and compleatly discovering both the Nature and Will of God and the whole Duty and business of man whom and how he is to Worship and Serve what he is to believe and Practise and whatsoever is necessary to his present and eternal Happiness Wherein there seems to be a secret Reflection upon the former and natural discovery of God by his works of Creation as that which is defective and insufficient for the great and Glorious ends here following which although it did declare so much of God's being and Nature as left all men without excuse Rom. 1. 20. yet did not fully nor clearly manifest the Mind and Will of God nor direct and bring men to eternal Salvation ‖ 〈◊〉 â—…oring 〈◊〉 4 15. 〈◊〉 converting a To wit from the Errors of Mind and Conversation in which men without this Light do generally wander and Perish unto God from whom all men are naturally revoâ—…ted Or 〈◊〉 â—…r 〈◊〉 as this Word is used Ruth 4. 15. 〈◊〉 2â—… â—… 〈◊〉 1. 1â—… 16. Heb. restoring or bringing back the 〈◊〉 which was drooping and even going out of the Body through grievous 〈◊〉 of the outward Man and Terrors of the Mind and Conâ—…ience the soul the testimony of the LORD f i. e. His law so called because it is a Witness between God and Man what God requires of Man and what upon the performance of that Condition he will do for Man is * Psal. 1â—…9 14â—… sure g Heb. faithful or true which is most Excellent and Proper and necessary in a Witness It will not mis-lead or deceive any man that trusteth to it or followeth it But will certainly and infallibly bring him to Happiness making wise h Unto Salvation as is expressed 2 Tim. 3. 15. Which is the only true Wisdom the simple i This is added Either 1. By way of Commendation or as a qualification of the Person whom God's word will make wise he must be humble and foolish and little in â—…is own Eyeâ—… and willing to be taught See Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 2â—… 〈◊〉 For God resisteth the proud and scornful and will not give this Wisdom to them or rather 2. By way of Contempt which seems most agreeable both to the use of the Words Prov. 1. 4. and 9. 6. and 14. 15. and 2â—… 3. and to the Scope of the place which is to set forth the Excellency and Eâ—…ficacy of God's Law in the general without any Restriction to this or that sort of Men. So it may note the weak and foolish even Persons of the lowest Capacities and such are apt to mistake and are easily â—…educed as the Word implies And yet these if they will hearken to the Instructions of God's word shall become Wise when those who proâ—…ss themselves Wise shall by leaning to their own understanding and despising or neglecting the Directions of God's word become and prove themselves to be â—…ools Rom. 1. 22. But this is not spoken exclusively as if no men of better Abilities were thus made Wise but by way of Amplification to shew the Usefulness of God's Word to men of all sorts and sizes 8. The statutes k Another word signifying the same thing with Law and Testimonies of the LORD are right l Both in themselves as being free from Crookedness
i. e Publish or celebrate it when thou hast delivered me thou shalt have the Glory of it as now thy Honour is eclipsed by my Calamities thy name c i. e. That power and faithfulness and goodness and those Perfections which thou hast manifested on my behalf unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation e Not only privately but even in the publick Congregation will I praise thee d The same whom he calls the Congregation in the next Clause and the seed of Iacob and Israel in the next Verse Which also doth not so fitly agree to David who never to my remembrance gives this Title to any but such as were near a-kin to him as it doth to Christ who extendeth this name to all his Disciples and Believers Mat. 12. 48 49. and 25. 40 and 28. 10. and to whom this very Text is applied Heb. 2. 11 12. 23. Ye that fear the LORD praise him f Partly for my sake and chiefly for your own benefit received by my Deliverance all ye the seed of Jacob glorify him and fear him all ye seed of Israel g The two universal Particles seem to intimate that he speaks not only of the Carnal but also of the spiritual Seed which also is more than probable by Comparing this with v. 27 28. 24. For he hath not despised h I was despised by the People v. 6. but not by God nor abhorred i i. e. He did not turn away his Face from it as men do from things which they abhor but looked upon it with Compassion the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him k To wit for ever for he did so for a time But now saith he he hath lift up upon me the Light of his Countenance but * Heb. 5. 7. when he cryed unto him he heard 25. * Psal. 35. 18. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation l Either in the general assemblies of the Israelites at their solemn Feasts Or in the universal Church made up of Iews and Gentiles as the following Verses explain it * Psal. 50. 14. I will pay my vows m i. e. Those Praises and Services which in my distress I vowed to return unto thee when thou didst deliver me before them that fear him 26. The meek n i. e. Faithful or Godly Persons who are frequently called meek ones as Psal. 25. 9. and 76. 9. and 149. 4. Isa. 11. 4. and 61. 1. Zeph. 2. 3. because the grace of God doth soften and sweeten the Hearts of Sinners and subdues their Pride and passion and Rebellion against God and their fierceness towards men Or the Power as this word is oft rendred which seems well to suit this place Partly because these are opposed to the faâ—… ones upon Earth v. 29. Partly because the following Eating and Satisfaction may seem most proper and acceptable to such as were in want Partly because here is an allusion to the legal Feasts made of the remainders of the Sacrifices in which the poor had a share and Partly because this well agrees to the time of Christ's coming when the Body of the Jewish Nation were a poor and afflicted people and the Poor especially did receive the Gospel Mat. 11. 5. shall eat and be satisfied o Which is mentioned as a great Blessing Ioâ—…l 2. 26. as it is threatned as a grievous Curse that men should Eat and not be satisfied Levit. 26. 26. Mich. 6. 14. But because it was Comparatively a poor and mean thing to have ones Belly filled and satisfied with that food which perisheth and passeth away presently after it is received this magnificent promise is doubtless to be understood spiritually of those spiritual Blessings that Grace and Peace and Comfort and full Satisfaction which all believing and pious Souls have in the Sence of God's Love and the pardon of their Sins and in the influences of God's Spirit into their Souls they shall praise the LORD that seek him p That seek his Favour Or that enquire after him and Labour to know and discern him Wherein possibly the Spirit of God may intimate to us the necessity of seeking and the Difficulty of finding or discovering God when he shall appear in the Flesh and in the form of a Servant which was likely to hide him from the Eyes of the Carnal and Careless Jews and not to be discerned but by those that were studious and inquisitive concerning the mind of God revealed in the Scriptures concerning that matter * Psal. 69. 32. your q i. e. Their For he speaks of the same Persons still though there be a change from the third to the second Person as is usual in those poetical and prophetical Books of Scripture heart shall live r i. e. Shall be greatly Refreshed and Comforted Life being oft put for an Happy and Comfortable Life as 1 Kings 1. 25. Psal. 34. 12. in which respect Iacobs Heart or Spirit is said to have revived Gen. 45. 27. as on the contrary Nabals Heart was said to have died within him 1 Sam. 25. 37. when it was oppressed with great sadness for ever s Your Comfort shall not be short and Transitory as worldly Comforts are but everlasting 27. * Psal. 2. 8. 72. 11. 86. 9. All the ends of the world t i. e. All Nations from one end of the World to the other So this is an evident Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge of God and Christ by the Gospel and Consequently a clear Proof that this Psalm doth directly and immediately speak of Christ to whom alone and not to David this and divers other passages of it do manifestly belong shall remember u It is not particularly expressed what they should remember because there were several things that should and would be remembred by them which were likely to occasion their turning to the Lord. They shall remember their former and manifold Wickedness with Grief and Shame and Fear and particularly their sin and folly in worshipping dead and impotent Idols that never did nor could do them either good or hurt They shall remember that God who did make lively Impressions upon their Minds which yet they had in great measure blotted out and forgotten but now by the preaching of the Gospel they shall be revived They shall remember their great and manifold Obligations to God which they had quite forgotten his Patience and Goodness in sparing them so long in the midst of all their Impâ—…eties and in revealing his Gospel to them and giving his Son for them They shall remember the gracious Words and glorious Works of Christ and what he did and suffered for them which possibly divers of them had been Eye-and-Ear witnesses of in Iudea although with the unbelieving Iews they despised and misconstrued them and others had heard the fame and tydings of
Gospel-Covenant their Children were admitted with them shall serve him it shall be accounted to the LORD for a generation h That believing seed shall be Reputed both by God and Men The Generation Or Children or People of the Lord at the 〈◊〉 formerly were â—…ut upon the Iews Contempt of Christ and the Gospel the Gentiles shall come in their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 their Titles and Priviledges Compare this place with Psal. 87. 5. 31. They i shall come k To wit from Iudea and Ierusalem from whence the Gospel was first to go forth to the Gentile World to the several parts whereof the Apostles went upon this Errand and shall declare his righteousness l God's Righteousness Either 1. His wonderful grace and mercy to mankind in giving them Christ and the Gospel for Righteousness is 〈◊〉 put for Mercy or Kindness as hath been noted again and again Or 2. That Righteousness which God hath appointed for the justification of Sinners called the Righteousness of 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 21. 22 Philip. 3. 9. which the Iews were ignorant of and would not submit to Rom. 10. 3. but the 〈◊〉 joyfully embraced or 3. His truth or faithfulness which is very frequently and fiâ—…ly called Righteousness in the performance of those exceeding great and precious Promises made and recorded in the Olâ—… Testâ—…ment and especially those two concerning the sending of the Messiâ—…s and concerning the calling of the Gentiles unto a people that shall be born m Either 1. Spiritually i. e. Born again for Regeneration is oft called a Birth as Psal. 87. 4 5. Ioh. 1. 13. 1 Pâ—…t 1. 23. and a Creation Psal. 102. 18. Or rather 2 Naturally i. e. Unto succeeding Generations Whereby David gives us a Key to understand this Psalm and â—…cheth us that he speaks not here of himself or of the Occurrences of his times but of things which were to be done in after-Ages even of the spreading of the Gospel among the Gentiles in the time of the New Testament that he hath done this n i. e. They shall declare that this is the work of God and not of Man and carried on by his only power in the World against all the Wit and force of Men. Or rather because this being added as a Proof or Demonstration of that Righteousness of God now mentioned He i. e. the Lord plainly understood here and expressed in the foregoing Verse hath 〈◊〉 oâ—… wrought it to wit his Righteousness i. e. He hath executed with his Hand what he spake with his Mouth he hath demonstrated the truth of his Promises by his Actions and by the Accomplishment of them 1. Either the Converts and Worshippers v. 27. 29. Or their seed last mentioned v. 30. Or this may be indefinitely spoken as such Verbs are oft used they shall come i. e. Some or other shall come and do the Work here mentioned to wiâ—… the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel PSAL. XXIII The ARGUMENT The matter of this Psalm gives us some general Discovery of the time of it's writing which was when David was delivered out of his Distresses and quietly settled in his Kingdom A Psalm of David 1. THe LORD is * 〈◊〉 40. 11 Jer 23 4 Eze 34. 23. Joh. 10. 11. 1 Pâ—…t 2. 25 Rev. 7. 17. my shepherd a He hath shewed himself to be so by his gracious Providences towards me and for me and he hath taken upon him that Office and Relation to me by his enâ—…ing into Covenant with me Whereby he hath engaged himself to rule and feed and preserve and heal me and do all which Shepherds do or are oblig'd to do to their Flocks which David very well understood and had doubtless carefully performed his Duty to his Sheep and therefore he strengthens this Faith by his Consideration that God was his Shepherd and God was a much better Shepherd than he or any man could be so he might Confidently expect more than ordinary Benefits from his Conduct I shall noâ—… want b To wit any thing which is really necessary for me either for this Life or for the next But foolish man may think many things to be necessary for him which the all-wise God knoweth to be not only unnecessary but hurtful and therefore mercifully denies what men ignorantly desire to their hurt 2. He maketh me to lye down c To rest and repose my self at Noon as the manner was in those hot Countries See Cant. 1. 7. Isa. 13. 20. Ezek. 34. 15. in †Heb 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 green pastures d Where there is both delight and plenty of Provisions he leadeth me e Left I should wander and perish Heb. He leadeth me sweetly and 〈◊〉 accommodating himself to mine Infiâ—…mities as Shepherds do to their Sheep Gen. 33. 13. Isa. 40. 11. and 49. 10. beside f Or to the Particle al being oft put for el as Gen. 1. 30. and 16. 7. the †Heb. waâ—…er of quietness still waters g Quiet and gentle Waters either put into Watering-Troughs or Running in small and shallow Channels Which are opposed to great Rivers which both affright the Sheep with their noise and expose them to the Danger of being carried away by their swift and violent Streams whilst they are drinking aâ—… them 3. * Psal. 5. 8. 19. 8. 31. 3. He restoreth h Heb. He bringeth it back Either 1. From its Errors or Wandring Or 2. Into the Body out of which it was even departing and fainting away He reviveth or Comforteth me Comp. Ruth 4. 15. 1 Sam. 30. 12. Lament 1. 11. my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness i In streight and plain and safe Paths where the Sheep is neither hurt nor wearied nor in Danger of wandering By his Word he directs me to the right ways of Truth and Holiness and Righteousness and by his Spirit he inclines and inables me to chuse them and to continue to walk in them for his names sake k Not for any worth in me but meerly for the Demonstration and Glory of his Justice and Faithfulness and Goodness 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death l Through a dark and dismal Valley full of Terrors and Dangers as this Phrase signifies Iob. 24. 17. Psal. 44. 19. and 107. 10. 14. Ier. 2. 6. * Psal. 3. 6 118. 6. I will fear no evil m I will not give way to my Fears but Confidently rely upon God for thou arâ—… with me thy rod and thy staff n Two words noting the same thing and both designing God's pastoral Care over him expressed by the sign and Instrument of it they comfort me o The Consideration thereof supports me under all my Fears and Distresses 5. Thou preparest a table p i. e. Thou furnishest me with plenty and Variety of Provisions and Comforts before me in the presence of mine enemies p They
so the Words may be â—…endred The Lord did sit upon Or at the Flood in Noah's time When it is probable those Vehement Rains were accompanied with terrible Thunders And so having spoken of the Manifestation of God's power in Storms and Tempests in general he takes an occasion to run back to that Ancient and most dreadful Example of that kind in which the Divine power was most Eminently seen And having mentioned that instance he Adds that as God shewed himself to be the King and the Judge of the World at that time so he doth still sit and will sit as King for ever sending such Tempests when it pleaseth him And therefore his people have great Reason to Worship and serve him yea * Psal 10 16 the LORD sitteth King for ever 11. The LORD will give strength y To support and preserve them in the most dreadful Tempests and Consequently in all other Dangers and against all their Enemies unto his people the LORD will bless his people with peace z Though now he sees fit to exercise them with some Troubles PSAL. XXX A Psalm and song a Or a Psalm of Song i. e. Either 1. A Psalm to be sung with the Voyce to an Instrument Or 2. A Psalm of joy and praise for so this is And this Hebrew word Schir may be here taken not simply for a Song but for a joyful Song as it is Gen. 31. 27. Exod. 15. 1. Psal. 33 3. and 42. 8. Prov. 25. 20. Isa. 30. 29. Amos. 8. 3. 10. at the dedication of the house of David b Either 1. At the Dedication of the Temple called the House Or that House Eminently and Emphatically So the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Hebrew Doctors understand it And then the last Words of David are to be joyned with the first a Psalm and Song But this seems not probable because the Temple was not built by David nor in his days Although he might prescribe a Psalm to be used afterwards upon that occasion Or 2. At the Dedication of David's House which was built 2 Sam. 5. 11. and doubtless was Dedicated as God had commanded See Deut. 20. 5. Nehem. 12. 27. Or 3. At the second Dedication of David's House after it had been polluted by Absolom and his Concubines But there is no Law of God for any Re-Dedication of Houses in such Cases nor any Evidence that David did so And indeed it seems strange if this Psalm was made upon this occasion Or upon any of these Dedications here mentioned that there should not be one Line in it suitable to that occasion Others therefore make these Words the Dedication of the House not to note the Matter of this Psalm or Song but Either 1. The name of the Tune to which this Song was sung which was the same that David used at the Dedication of his House and so this gives us a Reason why the word Song is added to that of Psalm and why this Psalm was called the Song of the Dedication Or 2. The time when it was sung which was at the Dedication of David's House For such Dedications were performed in a very Solemn manner with divers Rites and Prayers and Praises to God as the Nature of that Business required And it seems probable from the Matter of this Psalm Compared with the Title that David had about this time been delivered from some Eminent distresses and particularly from some dangerous sickness For which he here gives thanks to God taking Advantage of this publick and Solemn occasion 1. I Will extol thee O LORD for thou hast lifted me up c Or drawn up to wit out of the deep Pit or Waters to which great Dangers and Afflictions are frequently Compared and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me d Which they both desired and Confidently expected an occasion to do 2. O LORD my God I cryed unto thee and thou hast healed me e i. e. Delivered me from the Fears and Troubles of my Mind which are oft compared to Diseases and from very dangerous Distempers of my Body 3. O LORD * Psal. 71. 20. 86. 13. thou hast brought up my soul from †Heb. Hâ—…ll so Gr. the grave f My deliverance is a kind of Resurrection from the Grave upon the very brink whereof I was thou hast kept me alive g This he adds to explain the former Phrase which was Ambiguous that I should not go down to the pit h i. e. into the Grave which is oft called the Pit as Psal. 28. 1. and 69. 15. and 88. 4. Isa. 38. 17. 4. Sing unto the LORD O ye saints of his and * Psal. 97. 12. give thanks ‖ Or to the Memorial at the remembrance of his holiness i Or at the mention c. When you call to mind or when others Celebrate as I do this day the Holiness of God's Nature which he Demonstrates by his Works by his Faithfulness Care and Kindness towards his holy Ones 5. For †Heb. there is but a moment in his Anger * Isa. 26. 20. 54. 7 8. 2 Cor. 4. 17. his anger endureth but a moment k Commonly the Afflictions which he sends upon his People are short and last but for a few moments of their Lives in his favour is life l Or Life i. e. Our whole Life is in his Favour i. e. He heapeth his Favours upon them for the greatest part of their present Lives and in the next Life which endures for ever of which the Chaldeâ—… Paraphrast expounds this place And indeed without the Consideration of eternal Life the difference between the duration of the Afflictions and of the Happiness of God's people were neither so Evident nor Considerable as David here makes it Life is oft put for along and Happy time as Psal. 34. 12. and 133. 3. Prov. 3. 2. and for an Eternal and immortal Duration 2 Tim. 1. 10. Iam. 1. 12. And in Civil Affairs Estates for Life are opposed to those that are but for a short time weeping may endure †Heb. in the Evening for a night but †Heb. singing joy cometh in the morning m i. e. It comes speedily and in due season 6. And * Job 29 18. in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved n I thought my self past all Danger of further Changes forgetting my own Frailty and the uncertainty of all Worldly things 7. LORD by thy favour thou hast †Heb. settled strength for my Mountain made my * Psal. 46. 4 5. 48. 1 2 3. 87 5. mountain to stand strong o Thou hast so firmly settled me in my Kingdom which he calls his Mountain Partly because Kingdoms are usually called Mountains in Prophetical writings as Psal. 46. 3 4. Isa 2. 2. Ier. 51. 25. Dan. 2. 34 35. 44 45 and Partly with respect to Mount Sion where he built his Royal
the seat of the Affections and Fountains of support and Nourishment to the whole Body Thus the whole Man both Soul and Body inside and outside are Consumed 10. For my life t i. e. The time of my Life as the next Clause explains it is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine iniquity u Either through my deep and just Sence of my sins which have provoked God to Afflict me in this manner Or for the punishment of mine iniquity as this Word is frequently used and my bones x In which my chief strength lyes are consumed y The juice and Marrow of them being almost dryed up with excessive Grief 11. I was a reproach z i. e. The matter of their Reproaches and Scorns This said they is David anointed to be King of Israel a goodly Monarch indeed forsaken by God and Men and in a perishing and desperate Condition He pretends great Piety to God and Loyalty to Saul but in Truth he is a great Impostour and a Traitor and Rebel to his King among all mine enemies but * 〈◊〉 19 13 〈◊〉 38. 11. 〈◊〉 â—… 18. especially among my neighbours a Which aggravates their sin and his Misery Partly because they were obliged by the Laws of Neighbourhood to perform all friendly Offices to him and Partly because they were daily Witnesses of his Integrity and therefore sinned against their own Knowledge and a fear b Or a Terror They were afraid to give me any Countenance or Assistance or to be seen in my Company being warned by Abimelech's punishment for it 1 Sam. 22. to mine acquaintance they that did see me without fled from me c Either loathing me as a Monster of men and an unlucky Spectacle and such a Villain as mine Enemies represented me and they believed me to be Or to prevent their own Danger and Ruine which might be occasioned by it 12. I am forgotten d Whatsoever good Service I have done to the King or Kingdom or to any particular Persons Neighbours Friends or others which sometimes they have acknowledged and highly Commended is now quite forgotten by all of them Or at least they carry themselves to me as if it were so as a dead man e Whose Name and Memory is quite lost within a few days See Psal. 88. 12. Eccles. 9. 5. out of mind I am like a †Heb. a Vessel 〈◊〉 perisheth broken vessel f Made of Earth which is irreparable and useless and therefore despised by all 13. For I have heard g Partly with my own Ears and Partly by the Information of others the slander of many h Who reproach and defame me as a Turbulent and seditious Person an Enemy to the publick Peace a Conspirator against the Kings Life or Dignity * Jer. 6. 25. 20. 3. Lam. 2. 2â—… fear i i. e. Just cause of Fear even of the loss of my Life as appears from the next Clause was on every side while they took counsel together against me they devised to take away k To wit unjustly and violently as this Word is used Gen. 34. 2. and 24. 11. my life 14. But I trusted in thee O LORD I said Thou art my God l. g Mine by paternal Relation and Care and Affection and by thy Promise or Covenant made with me 15. My times m Either 1. The time of my Life how long I shall Live Or 2. My Opportunties or sit seasons for working out my Deliverance Or rather 3. All the Affairs and Events of my Life for time is oft put for things done or Accidents happening in time as 1 Chron. 29. 30. Iob 11. 17. Psal. 37. 18. Eccles. 9. 11. Dan. 2. 21. Act. 17. 26. are in thy hand n i. e Are wholly in thy Power to dispose and Order as thou secst fit and not at all in mine Enemies Power who can do nothing against me unless it be given them from above deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me 16. * Psal 4. 6. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant o Manifest thy Love and Favour to me by answering my Prayers and saving me from all mine Enemies save me for thy mercies sake 17. * Psal. 25 2. Let me not be ashamed O LORD for I have called upon thee p And therefore thy Honour will be Eclipsed in my Disappointment as if thou didst not hear Prayers nor keep Promise nor make any Difference between good and bad Men. let the wicked be ashamed q Frustrated in their wicked Designs and Carnal Confidences and ‖ Or let them be cut off for the Grave let * 1 Sam. 2. 9. them be silent in the †Heb. Hâ—…ll grave r Seeing they are implacable in their Malice and Rage against innocent and good Men do thou cut them off by thy just Judgment and since either the Righteous or the wicked must be cut off let Destruction fall upon them who most deserve it 18. * Psal. 12. â—… Let the lying lips s Slanderous Tongues be put to silence t Either by thy Vindication and discovery of my Integrity Or by some Eminent judgment which may either Convince them or cut them off which speak †Heb. a hard thing grievous things u Heb. hard Words or Things the singular Number being put for the plural Of this Expression See 1 Sam. 2. 3. Psal. 60. 3 and 94. 4 Iude v. 15. He means such as were grievous and hard to be Born as bitter Calumnies Cruel Mockings Terrible Threatnings and the like proudly and contemptuously x With great Arrogancy and Confidence of success and Contempt of me and mine whom they look upon as few in number and impotent and Fugitives and such whom they can blow away with a Breath against the righteous y Against us whom thou knowest to be Righteous notwithstanding all their false Accusations and therefore for thy Love to Righteousness save us and silence our unjust Enemies 19. * Isa. 64. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9. O how great is thy goodness z No words can express the greatness of thy Love and Blessings which thou hast laid up a Or hidden to wit with thy self or in thy own Breast The word is very Emphatical and removes an Objection of ungodly Men taken from the present Calamities of good Men. His Favour it is true is not always manifested to or for them but it is laid up for them in his Treasure whence it shall be drawn forth when they need it and he sees it fit for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought b Or hast Prepared as Exod. 15. 17. Or wilst work the past time being put for the Future to note the certainty of it as is Common in the Prophetical writings for them that trust in thee before the sons
also was of great and good use both to glorifie Gods Justice and to warn and reform other sinners by the Terror of their Example 3. That they may be taken only for predictions as hath been observed before upon the like Occasion and put to shame that seek after my soul let them * Jâ—…r 46. 5. be turned back g Either 1. Stopped or hindred in the Execution of their wicked Design Or rather 2. which is more sutable to the Context discomfited and put to flight as this Phrase is frequently used as Psal. 9. 3. and 70. 2. and 78. 9. Isa. 42. 17. Ier. 46. 5. 21. and brought to confusion that devise my hurt 5. * Job 21. 18. Psal. 1. 4. Isa. 29. 5. Hos. 13. 3. Let them be as chaff before the wind h i. e. Dispersed and Chased from place to place finding Rest and Safety no where and let the angel of the LORD i Whom God useâ—…h to defend his people and to destroy their Enemies chase them 6. Let their way k By which they flee being Chased as was now said be †Heb. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 * Psal. 73. 18. Jer. 23. 12. dark and slippery l So as they can neither discern the right path nor be able to stand in it and much less to run away especially from so swift a Persecutor as an Angel Whereby they must unavoidably fall into their Enemies hands and be destroyed and let the angel of the LORD persecute them 7. For without cause m Out of meer Malice without any injury or provocation on my part and without any necessity on their parts They are no Common but the worst of Enemies and therefore I may justly pray against them as I do have they hid for me their net in a pit which without cause they digged for my soul n These Expressions aggravate their sins and signifie that their Persecution of him was not the effect of a sudden Passion but of a deep and habitual Hatred and Malice and of an Evil design carried on in a constant and continued Course with Deliberation and Cunning and Deceit and that against his Soul or Life for nothing less would satiâ—…fie them 8. Let destruction come upon him o i. e. Upon each of thine and mine implacable Enemies of whom he hath hitherto spoken †Heb. which 〈◊〉 knoweth 〈◊〉 of at unawares and * Psal. 7. 1â—… 16. 57. â—… Prov. 5. 22. let his net that he hath hid catch himself into that very destruction let him fall 9. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD p In and for his Glory and Service which shall be advanced by this means and for his Favour to me otherwise I am far from rejoycing in their Calamities it shall rejoyce in his salvation 10. All my bones q i. e. My whole Body by a Synecdoche as Psal. 34. 20. as well as my Soul mentioned v. 9. I will glorifie thee both with my Soul and with my Body shall say r Speech is ascribed to the Bones figuratively as elsewhere they are said to Fear and to Rejoyce Psal. 6. 2. and 51. 8. and as the Loins are said to Bless Iob 31. 20. If they could speak they would express thy Praises because having been dryed up with Sorrow they are now refreshed by thy Mercy LORD who is like unto thee which deliverest the poor that is too strong for him yea the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him 11. False †Heb. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 witnesses did rise up †Heb. 〈◊〉 â—…ed me they laid to my charge things that I knew not s They accused me to Saul of Treachery and Designs against his Crown and Life and other Crimes whereof I was wholly innocent and ignorant 12. * Psal. 38. â—…0 109. 5. They rewarded me evil for good t For the good Offices which I did to divers of them when I haâ—… Favour and Power in Saul's Court and Camp to the †Heb. dâ—…priving spoiling of my soul u i. e. To the stripping of my Person of all my Comforts and Hopes and of my Life it self 13. But as for me * 〈◊〉 30. 25. when they were sick x Or in any other great Misery my clothing was saccloth y Which was the Habit of Mourners Gen. 37. 34. Mat. 11. 21. Revel 11. 3. I ‖ Or â—…licted humbled my soul z Heb. I afflicted my Soul of which Phrase see Levit. 16. 29 31. and 23. 27. 32. c. Partly with Fasting and Partly with Compassion and â—…ervent Prayers for them with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosom a According to this Translation the Sence may be this And or But Or Although my Fastings and Prayers did them no good neither abated their Malice nor prevailed with God for them so far as I desired but returned to me without success like a Gift sent to an uncivil Person who disdainfully rejects it and returns it to the Giver But 1. This is not true that his Prayers returned empty to him and did them no good for they prevailed with God for their Recovery as appears by the following Verses 2. This doth not seem to suit well with the Context for both in the foregoing and following Words he is only describing what he did for them and not what the Effects of it were which he describes in the succeeding Verses Others therefore render the Words otherwise Either 1. Thus And my Prayer in my Bosom returned i. e I did daily and frequently repeat my Prayers for them and that not onely in publick when I joyned with others in a Fast-day appointed for them which might be done in Policy or for Ostentation but also in secret between God and my own Soul and that with a sincere and hearty Affection For what is done secretly and affectionately is said to be done in the Bosom Numb 11. 12. Psal. 89. 50. Prov. 21. 14. although indeed there is in those places another Proposition which may possibly alter the Case Or 2. Which seems the truest Sence and as for my Prayer to wit which I joyned with my Fasting on their behalf let it return nothing being more frequent than for Future Verbs to be put Imperatively into my own Bosom i. e. If any shall think or say that my Fasting for them was but Counterfeit or Politick and that I did not pray for them but rather against them as I do in this Psalm and that under all this shew I secretly wished their Death or Destruction my earnest desire is that the All-seeing and Heart-searching God would grant unto me when I come into their Circumstances the same things which I begged for them whether Good or Evil. And this Sence agrees with the Common use of this Phrase in Scripture where whatsoever is repay'd to any Man is said to be render'd into his Bosom as Psal. 79. 12. Isa. 65.
The Occasion of this Psalm was manifesty some sore Disease or Affliction which God had inflicted upon David and which gave his Enemies Opportunity to discover their Hatred and Malice against him To the chief musician A Psalm of David 1. BLessed is he that considereth a Or That carries himself wisely and prudently with or towards him not rashly and foolishly Censures and Condemn-him as my pretended Friends dealt with me v. 8. nor insulteth over him which is a foolish as well as wicked thing but considereth that it may be his own Case and therefore pitieth and helpeth him which is the likeliest way to obtain the like Pity for himself in his Trouble ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor b Or rather The Weak or Sick or languishing Person as may be gathered by Comparing this with v. 3. where the Mercy which he is supposed to have afforded to him is returned upon himself and with v. 8 the LORD will deliver him c Either 1. The poor afflicted man Though his Enemies conclude his Case to be desperate v. 8. God will Consute them and deliver him Or 2. The Considerer of the Poor of whom also this same Pronoun Him is Confessedly meant v. 2 3. And so it is a Promise of Recompence the wise and merciful Man shall find Mercy †〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 Evil. in time of trouble 2. The LORD will preserve and keep him alive d Heb. quicken him i. e. revive and restore him Either he will preserve him from Trouble Or if God see Trouble necessary or fit for him and therefore suffer him to fall into it he will raise him out of it and he shall be blessed upon the earth and ‖ 〈…〉 thou wilt not deliver him into the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psa. 〈◊〉 will of his enemies e i. e. To Destruction which they earnestly desire and indeavour to procure 3. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make all his bed f Either 1. Change or overturn his Bed of sickness which is done when a man is restored to Health Or rather 2. Give him Ease and Comfort which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir their whole Bed to make it soft and easie for him For the Words foregoing and following these suppose him to be and continue in a State of sickness Thus the Lord elsewhere Compares himself to a Servant waiting upon his People at Table Luk. 12. 37. as here to one that makes their Bed Metaphors implying strange Condescension in his sickness 4. I said LORD be merciful unto me heal my soul g i. e. Either 1. My self to wit my Body So it is a double Synecdoche And the soul is so taken Psal. 16. 10. Or 2. My Soul properly so called which is said to be healed when it is pardoned and purged as 2 Chron. 30. 20. Isa. 53. 5. Comp. with 1 Pet. 2. 24. Mat. 13. 15. Comp. with Mark 4. 12. Iam. 5. 16. So he strikes at the Root of his Misery and prays for the Removal of the sin of his Soul as the Cause of the Disease of his Body for I have sinned against thee h This may be added Either 1. As a Reason or Motive to God grant this Request for I have sinned and therefore thy Grace in healing me will be more glorious and admirable Or for I acknowledge that I have sinned for the Act is oft put for the Declaration of it as Exod. 33. 13. Psal. 51. 5. Or 2. As a Reason moving him thus to pray I said Lord be merciful unto me heal my Soul and great Reason I had to say so for I have sinned against thee 5. Mine enemies speak evil of me i Vent their ill Wishes against me in the following Words When shall he die and his name perish 6. And if he come to see me k To visit me in my sickness according to the Custome he speaketh vanity l Or falshood pretending Sympathy with me and friendship to me whilst they Plot mischief in their Hearts against me his heart gathereth iniquity to it self m Even when he is with me and pretends hearty affection to me his Heart cannot forbear its Customary Practice of meditating and deviâ—…ing Mischief against me for which he watcheth and seeketh for all Occasions from my Speeches or Carriage or the Circumstance of my Condition which he observes when he goeth abroad he telleth it n Partly to delight his Companions and Paâ—…tly to encourage them to and direct them in their malicious Designs against me 7. All that hate me whisper together against me o i. e. Secretly defame me and closely Plot against me against me do they devise †Heb. â—…vil to 〈◊〉 my hurt 8. †Heb. a thing of Bâ—…lial An evil disease p Heb. A word or thing of Bâ—…lial i. e. Either 1. Some wicked Calumny which they had raised and which stuck close to him Or 2. His great Wickedness whereof this is a sign Or rather 3. This sore Disease or Mischief Either sent upon him in way of Vengeance for his horrid Crimes Or such as God useth to inflict upon the Sons of Bâ—…lial to shew that he is in Truth such an one whatsoever he pretends to the contrary say they cleaveth fast unto him and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more q Seeing God hath begun to punish him he will make an end of him 9. * Job 19. 19. Jer. 20. 10. Yea †Heb. the man of â—…y Peace mine own familiar friend r He means either Aâ—…hitophel or some other perfidioâ—…s Counsellor or Courtier who was a Type of Iodas to whom therefore it is applied Ioh. 13. 18. as David was a Type of Christ in being thus betrayed So these Words were literally fulfilled in David and yet the Holy Ghost which dictated them looked further in them even to Christ and Iodas in whom they received a further and fuller Accomplishment â—… A Phrase implying Injury joyned with Insolency and Contempt taken from an unâ—…uly Horse which Kicks at him that owns and feeds him in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath †Heb. magnified lift up his heel r He means either Aâ—…hitophel or some other perfidioâ—…s Counsellor or Courtier who was a Type of Iodas to whom therefore it is applied Ioh. 13. 18. as David was a Type of Christ in being thus betrayed So these Words were literally fulfilled in David and yet the Holy Ghost which dictated them looked further in them even to Christ and Iodas in whom they received a further and fuller Accomplishment â—… A Phrase implying Injury joyned with Insolency and Contempt taken from an unâ—…uly Horse which Kicks at him that owns and feeds him against me 10. But thou O LORD be merciful unto me s They Censure me grievously and conclude my Case to be desperate but Lord
or Persons or rather Bodies as it is explained in the next Clause and as the soul is oft taken by a Synecdoche as Numb 11. 6. Psal. 16. 10 and 106. 15. c. is bowed down to the dust t Either to the ground where we lye prostrate at our Enemies feet Or to the Grave our belly cleaveth unto the earth u We are not onely thrown down to the Earth but we lye there like dead Carkasses fixed to it without any Ability or Hope of rising again 26. Arise †Heb. a Hâ—…lp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our help and redeem us for thy mercies sake x We mentioned our sincerity and Constancy in thy Worship onely as an Argument to move thee to Pity and not as a ground of our Trust and Confidence or as if we merited Deliverance by it but that we expect and implore onely upon the account of thine own free and Rich Mercy PSAL. LXV THE ARGUMENT The subject matter of this Psalm is by the Consent both of Iewish and Christian Amient and Modern Interpreters agreed to be the Messias and his Marriage with the Church of God Of which it Treats Either 1. Remotely under the Type of Solomon and his Marriage with Pharaoh's Daughter of which it is to be Primarily and Literally understood and then mediately and ultimately of Christ Or rather 2. Immediately and directly although the Words be so ordered that they carry a manifest Allusion either to that or some other royal Marriage Which seems more then probable from the following Arguments 1. From the great Congruity of the Matter and Style of this Psalm with that of the Book of Canticles whereof this seems to be a kind of Abridgement 2. From the Magnificent preface v. 1. which seems too sublime and spiritual for such Carnal and Earthly Matters 3. And especially from the Matter of the Psalm For here are many things which do not agree to Solomon such as the Warlike posture and exploits v. 3 4 5. and the Title of God v. 6. which is appropriated to Christ and affirmed to be incommunicable to any meer Creature Heb. 1. 8. Compare with v. 5. and that numerous Posterity and the Amplitude of their Dominion v. 16. and divers other Passages as we shall see in the Progress To the chief musician upon Shoshannim a Which Title is also prefixed to Psal. 69. and with some small Addition Psal. 8. and with a little Variation Psal. 60. It seems to be the Name of a Song or Tune or Instrument of Musick It properly signifies Lillies or Roses which some apply to the subject of the Psalm because those Flowers were used in Garlands or otherwise in nuptial Solemnities and because Christ calls himself the Lilly and the Rose Cant. 2. 1. for the sons of Korah ‖ Oâ—… of 〈◊〉 Maschil A song of loves b To wit of Christ and his Church Or of the beloved Ones to wit the Virgins who waited upon the Bride as some men did upon the Bridegroom who thence were called his Friends Ioâ—… 3. 29. In whose Name and Person this Psalm may seem to be uttered 1. MY heart c I am about to utter not vain or rash or foolish or false Words but such as proceed from my very Heart and most serious Thoughts and cordial Affections †Heb. Bâ—…yleth 〈◊〉 Babbleth up Or will speak is enditing d Heb. Boyleth or bubbleth up like water in a Pot over the Fire This Phrase notes that the workings of his Heart in this Maâ—…ter were frequent and abundant Fervent and Vehement free and Chearâ—…ul and withal kindled by Gods grace and by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost a good matter e Either 1 Pleasant or Delightful and fit for the Nuptial solemnity here expressed As a Feast-day is sometimes called a Good day Or 2. Excellent as this Word is oft used as Numb 24. 5. Deut. 8. 12. Or Holy and Spiritual as it is most commonly used This is no Vain or Carnal or wanton Love-Song but Sublime and Heavenly and full of Majesty as is manifest from the Body of this Psalm I speak of the things which I have made f Which I by divine Inspiration have Composed touching the king g Or rather to the King for to him he addresseth his Speech in the following Verses and this Hebrew prefix Lâ—…d generally signifies to though sometimes it be rendred oâ—… or Concâ—…rning my tongue is the pen h Or as the Pâ—…n Whereby he intimates that he was onelâ—… the Pen or Instrument in uttering this Song and that it had another and an higher Original to wit the Spirit of God by whose hand this Pen was guided and managed of a ready writer i Whereby he understands Either 1. Gods Spirit who writ or spoke this by the Pen or mouth of the Psalmist Or 2. Himself whom he so calls not out of vain Ostentation or Self-Commendation but to teach us that this Song was not the effect of his own deep and serious study but did freely flow into him by divine Inspiration and did as freely and readily flow from him 2. Thou art fairer k Or more Beautiful i. e. Lovely and amiable He speaks not here so much of his outward Beauty which though it be an Ornament both to a Bridegroom and to a King yet is not very Considerable in Either nor is much admiâ—…ed or applauded by Wise men as of the inward and glorious Endowments of his Mind or Soul such as Wisdom and Righteousness and Meekness c. as the particulars of this Beauty are declared v. 4. 7. than the children of men l Than all other Men. Which is most true of Christ but not of Solomon whom many have excelled if not in Wisdom yet in Holiness and Righteousness which is thâ—… chief part of this Beauty and most celebrated in this Psalm grace is poured into thy lips m God hath plentifully poured into thy Mind and Tongue the gift of speaking with admirable Grace i. e. Most wisely and Eloquently and therefore most acceptably so as to find Grace with and work Grace in thy Hearers This was in the same sort true of Solomon but far more Eminently and Effectually in Christ of which see Isa. 50. 4. Luk. 4 22. Ioh. 7. 46. The former Clause noted his inward Perfections and this signifies his Ability and Readiness to Communicate them to others therefore n Which notes not the Meriâ—…orious cause for that Beauty and Grace now mentioned are declared to be the â—…ree gifts of God and were the Effects and not the Causes of Gods blessing him but rather the final Cause or the end for which God endowed him with those excellent Qualifications and so the Sense of the place is because God hath so Eminently adorned and qualified thee for Rule therefore he hath trusted and Blessed thee with an everlasting Kingdom Or because as this Particle is used Gen. 38. 26. Psal. 42. 6. and elsewhere
affected with thy Reproaches as with raine own This whole Verse though truly belonging to David yet was also directed by him or at least by the Spirit of God in him to an higher use to represent the Disposition and Condition of Christ in whom this was more truly and fully accomplished then in David to whom therefore it is applied in the New Testament the first part of it Ioh. 2. 17. and the Latter Rom. 15. 3. 10 †Heb. and â—… 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When I wept r For their Impiety and Reproaches which they cast upon God and Godliness and chastened s Which word is here understood out of Psal. 35. 13. as it is also in 2 〈◊〉 10. 11. 14. out of i Kings 12. 11. where it is expressed my soul t Either my Body Or my self the Soul being oft used both ways with fasting that was to my reproach u They derided me for my Piety and Devotiâ—…n and for my Faith in God's Promises and Hopes of assistance from him 11 I made sackcloth also my garment x Wearing it next to my Skin in Token of my Humiliation and hearty Sorrow as the manner then was in days of Fasting and I became a proverb to them y They used my Name proverbiâ—…lly of any Person whom they thought Vainly and Foolishly Religious 12 They that sit in the gate z Either 1. Vain and Idle Persons that spend their time in the Gates and Markets in which there used to be a Confluence of People Or rather 2. The Judges and Magistrates who used to sit which was their posture Exod. 18. 14. Prov. 20. 8. c. in the Gates of Cities the usual places of Judicature For David oft Complains of his hard usage from these Men as Psal. 58. 1 2. and 119. 23. and elsewhere which was the more grievous because these who were obliged by their Office to protect and Right him did joyn with others in Reproaching and oppressing him speak against me and * Psal. 35. 15. 〈◊〉 I was the song of the †Heb. drinkers 〈◊〉 Drink drunkards a Of the seum of the People of all lewd and debaâ—…ched Persons Thus both high and low Conspired against him 13 But as for me my prayer is unto thee b But whilst they scoff I will pray and not be driven from God and from my Prayers and other Duties by all their Reproaches or other Discouragements O LORD * 〈◊〉 49. 8. 〈◊〉 6. 2. in an acceptable time O God in the multitude of thy mercy hear me in the truth of thy salvation c Heb. In a time of Acceptation or Grace Or thy Good will or good Pleasure These words may be joyned Either 1. With the following Words by way of Limitation Hear me in thy accepted time i. e. I do not limit thee to a Day or time but when thou seest fit hear and help me Or rather 2. With the foregoing as an Argument to enforce his Prayer I pray in a time of Grace or Acceptation I seek thee when thou mayst be found as Psal. 32. 6. Isa. 55. 6. in a good Day as they said 1 Sam. 25. 8. in the day of Grace and Mercy in a time of great Trouble which is the Proper season for Prayer Psal. 50. 15. and whilst I have thee engaged to me by Promises which thy Honour and Truth oblige thee to perform I come not too late and therefore do thou hear me c Or for or according to thy saving Truth or Faithfulness whereby thou art obliged to grant unto me that Salvation which thou hast graciously Promised 14 Deliver me out of the mire and let me not sink let me be delivered from them that hate me d Whereby he explains his meaning in these Metaphors of Mire and Waters and Deep and Pit and out of the deep waters 15 Let not the water-stood overflow me neither let the deep swallow me up and let not * 〈◊〉 55. 23. the pit shut her mouth upon me 16 Hear me O LORD for thy loving kindness is good e i. e. Is Eminently and unspeakably good the Positive degree being put for the Superlative as it is Luk. 1. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 23. c. It is most ready to Communicate it self to indigent and miserable Creatures turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies 17 And hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble †Heb. make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me hear me speedily 18 Draw nigh unto my soul f To support and relieve it O thou who seemest to be departed far away from me and redeem it deliver me because of mine enemies g Partly because they Persecute it and greedily seek to destroy it and Partly because they are thine as well as mine Enemies and if they succeed will Triumph not onely over me but in some sort over thee and over Religion 19 Thou hast known * Psal. 22. 6 7. 〈◊〉 53. 3. Heb. 12. 2. my reproach and my shame and my dishonour h Thou â—…eest how much of it I suffer and that for thy sake as he said v. 7. mine adversaries are all before thee i Thou knowest them thoroughly and all their Injurious and wicked Devices and implacable Malice against me and all their Impiety and Contempt of thee for which they deserve to be utterly and speedily destroyed 20 Reproach hath broken my heart k For Reproach is most grievous to the most generous and noble Souls and besides this was the highest degree and the worst kind of Reproach being cast upon him for God's sake and upon God also for his sake and I am full of heaviness and I looked for some †Heb. to 〈◊〉 with me to take pity but there was none l i. e. Few or none as that Word is frequently used both in sacred and proâ—…ane Writers For whether you understand it of David or of Christ there were some who pitied both of them and for comforters but I found none 21 They gave me also gall m Or Poison Or bitter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 4. See Deut. 29. 18. Iâ—…r 9. 15. 〈◊〉 3. 19. In stead of giving me that Pity and Comfort which my Condition required they barbarously added to my Afflictions for my meat * Maâ—… 27. 34. 48. Maâ—… 15. 36. Joh. 19. 29. and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink n These things were Metaphorically fulfilled in David but Properly and Literally in Christ the Description of whose sufferings was principally intended here by the Holy Ghost who therefore directed Davids Pen to these Words and possibly informed him that this should be accomplished in Christ. Which may not seem improbable to him that Considers the following Imprâ—…cations which are so many and so severe that they may seem to exceed the bounds of Justice and Charity if they be applied to David's Enemies as
a Recompence for their Injuries done to him whereas they most deservedly and fitly belong to the Enemies and Murderers of Christ. 22 * Rom. 11. 9 10. Let o These and the following Words which are expressed in the form of Imprecations are thought by divers to be onely Predictions and that the Imperatives are put for the Futures as sometimes they are And accordingly they translate the Words thus Their Table shall become a Sâ—…are c. But if they be Imprecations here was sufficient Cause for them And besides it is apparent that they were not the Dictates of humane Passion but of Divine inspiration and proceeded from a just Zeal for God's Glory as hath been observed before their table p i. e. Their Food and all their Provisions for Nâ—…cessity or Delight Either For Body or Soul for the Curses here following are Spiritual and Eternal as well as Temporal And so this may Comprehend their Sacrifices and other legal Ordinances and the Word of God all which became to the Iâ—…ws through their own default a great occasion of stumbling at Christ. And this Punishment in their 〈◊〉 exactly Answers to their sin in giving Christ Gall for his Meat v. 21. become a snare before them q Heb. Before them i. e. Their Table or Meat which is set before them which is the usual Expression in this Case as Gen. 1â—… 8. 2 Kings 6. 22. become a Snare i. e. The occasion or Instrument of their Destruction It is a Metaphor taken from Birds or Fishes that are Commonly 〈◊〉 and taken with their â—…aits and that which should have been for their welfare let it become a trap r Heb. And as for their great Peace which the plural Number seems to import all that Tranquility and Prosperity which they do or may enjoy let it be a Trap. Or And their Peace-offerings which Sacrifices may be here mentioned because the offerers did partake of them and Feast upon them and so this agrees with the Table expressed in the former Clause a Trap. And so they were to the unbelieving Iews whose false Conceit of the Everlastingness of the Mosaâ—…cal Dispensation was one Cause of their Rejection of Christ. Or thus And for Recompences i. e. An abundant Compensation of all their Injuries and for a Trap. For thus it is rendred by divers both Antient and Modern Interpreters and which iâ—… more Considerable by the Apostle Rom. 11. 9. 23 Let their eyes s Not the Eyes of their Bodies for so this was not accomplished in David's nor in Christ's Enemies but of their Minds that they may not discern God's Truth not their own Duty nor the way of Peace and Salvation Punish them in their own kind As they that shut their Eyes and would not see so do thou Judicially blind them This was threatned and inflicted upon the Iews Isa. 6. 10. Ioh. 12. 39 40. be darkned that they see not and make their loins continually to shake t This also belongs to the Loyns of their Minds or Souls of which we Read Luk. 12. 35. 1 Pet. 1. 13. The Loyns of the Body are the Seat of strength and the great Instrument of bodily Motions and Actions Which being applied to the Mind the Sence may be Either 1. Take away their Courage and Alaâ—…rity and give them up to Puâ—…illanimity and Terror and Despair Or rather 2. Take away their Strength and Ability for spiritual Actions In the former Branch he wisheth that they may not â—…e able to see or chuse their way and here that they may not be able to Walk in it nor to execute the good Counsels which others may give them As on the other side when God giâ—…s Men strength they are able not onely to Walk out to 〈◊〉 in the ways of God Psal. 119. 32. Cant. 1. 4. Iâ—… 40. 31. 24 Pour out thine indignation upon them u In such other ways and Judgments as thou shalt think â—…it and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them 25 * Act. 1. 20. Let †Heb. their Palace their habitation x Heb. their Palace as this Word signifies Gen. 25. 16. Numb 31. 10. Cant. 8. 9. Either their Temple in which they place their Glory and Safety Or rather 2. And more generally their strongest and most Magnificent Buildings and Houses in which they dwelt as it follows in the next Clause which explains this be desolate and †Heb. 〈◊〉 there not be a dweller let none y Either 1. None of their Posterity Destroy them both Root and Branch Or 2. None at all Let the places be accounted Execrable and Dreadful dwell in their tents 26 For they persecute * â—…sa 53. 4. him whom thou hast smitten z Which is an Act of barbarous Cruelty and inhumane Malice and they talk a Reproaching them with and insulting and Triumphing in their Calamities to the grief of †Heb thy wounded those whom thou hast wounded 27 Add ‖ Or Punishment of iniquity iniquity to their iniquity b Give them up to their own vain Minds and vile Lusts and to a Reprobate Sence and take off all the Restraints of thy Grace and Providence and expose them to the Temptations of the World and of the Devil that so they may grow worse and worse and at last may fill up the Measure of their sins as is said Mat. 23. 32. Compare Rom. 1. 28 29. Or Add Punishment to their Punishment as this Word is oft taken Send one Judgment upon them after another without ceasing and let them not come into thy righteousness c Let them never partake of thy Righteousness i. e. Either 1. Of thy Faithfulness in making good thy Promises to them Or 2. Of thy Mercy and Goodness Or rather 3. Of thy Righteousness Properly so called of that everlasting Righteousness which the Messiah shall bring into the World Dan. 9. 24. which is called the Righteousness of God Rom. 1 17. Phil. 3. 9. c. Which is said to be witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3. 21. by and for which God doth justifie or Pardon sinners and accept them in Christ as Righteous Persons For this was the Righteousness which the Iews Rejected to their own Ruin Rom. 10. 3. according to this Prediction Thus as the first Branch of the Verse maketh or supposeth them Guilty of many Sins so this excludes them from the onely Remedy the Remission of their sins And that justifying rather then sanctifying Righteousness is here meant seems most Probable from the Phrase which seems to be a judicial Phrase as we Read of Coming or Entring into Iudgment Iob 22. 4. and 34. 23. and into Condemnation Iob. 5. 24. opposite unto which is this Phrase of Coming into Iustification Or which is one into thy Righteousness 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living d Or Of Life Either 1. Of this Life Out of the number of Living
unrighteous decrees which they have made in form of Laws Or by false pretences of law Or against law against all right and the laws both of God and men 21 They gather themselves together against the soul f Against the life as the soul commonly signifies and as the next clause explains it They are not satisfied with the spoil of their estates but do also thirst after their lives of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood g They shed the blood of those innocent persons whom they have wickedly condemned Innocent blood is here put for the blood or life of an innocent person as it is also 1 Sam. 19. 5. Mat. 27. 4. 22 But the LORD is my defence and my God is the rock of my refuge 23 And * Psal 7. 16. he shall bring upon them their own iniquity h i. e. The fruit and punishment of their sins and shall cut them off in their own wickedness i Either in the midst of their sins Or by their own wicked devices the mischief whereof he will cause to fall upon their own heads yea the LORD our God k The God of Iacob of whom they said that he did not see nor regard them but now they find the contrary proved to their cost shall cut them off PSAL. XCV The Author of this Psalm was David as is affirmed Heb. 4. 7. and although the Psalm be delivered in general terms as an invitation to mankind to yield unto the true God that praise and worship and obedience which he requireth and deserveth yet it hath a special reference to the days of the Messiah of which Christians have no great reason to doubt seeing it is so understood by the Hebrew Doctors themselves as also by the Apostle Heb. 3. 7 c. and especially Heb. 4. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. where he not onely expounds it of those times but proves that it cannot be meant of the former times and state of the Church 1 O Come let us a He speaks to the Israelites whose backwardness to this work in the times of the Gospel was foreseen by the spirit of God which dictated this Psalm sing unto the LORD let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation 2 Let us †Heb. 〈◊〉 his face Isai. 3â—… 33. come before his presence b Which he will then afford us in a singular manner in his Son the Messiah in and by whom he will be visibly present with the Sons of men with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms 3 For * Psal. â—…6 4. 135. 5. the LORD is a great God and a great King above * Psal. 86. 8. all gods c Above all that are accounted and called Gods Angels and Earthly Potentates and especially the false gods of the Heathens which upon Christs coming into the World were struck dumb and could no more deliver their Oracles as Platarch and other Heathens observed with admiration nor deceive the World but were forced to give place to the true God and to the knowledge and worship of him alone which was propagated among all Nations by the Gospel 4 †Heb. in 〈◊〉 In his hand d Under his Government are the deep places e Those parts which are far out of mens sight and reach and much more those that are at mens disposal of the earth ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 of the hills 〈◊〉 his the strength of the hills f The strongest or highest Mountains are under his feet and at his disposal The fence of the Verse is All the parts of the Earth whether high or low are subject to his power and providence and therefore it is not strange if all the Nations of the Earth be brought to the acknowledgment of him and if the Gentiles receive his Gospel is his also 5 †Heb. whos 's the sea is The sea is his and he made it and his hands formed the dry lands 6 O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel g By which expressions he teacheth that even in Gospel times God is to be glorified and worshipped as well with the members of our bodies as with the faculties of our Souls before the LORD our maker 7 For he is our God h In a peculiar manner and therefore it will be most unreasonable and abominable for us to forsake him when the Gentiles submit to his law and * Psal. â—…9 1â—… 80. 1. 10â—… 3. we are the people of his pasture i Whom he feedeth and keepeth in his own proper Pasture or in the land which he hath appropriated to himself and the sheep of his hand k Which are under his special care and conduct or government which is oft expressed by the hand as Numb 4. 28. and 31. 49. Judg. 9. 29. * Heb. 3. 7. 4. 7. to day l i. e. Forthwith or presently as this word is used Deut. 4. 4 8. and 27. 9. Ios. 22. 16 18 c. Or this day in this solemn day of grace or of the Gospel which the Psalmist speaks of as present according to the manner of the Prophets And this word though belonging to the following clause as appears from Heb. 3. 7. may seem to be thus placed to shew that it had some respect to the foregoing words also For the sence of the place may be this We Jews are or shall be the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand God will still own us for his people this day i. e. in the days of the Messiah if this day or in that time we shall hear his voice Otherwise God will reject us and receive the Gentiles in our stead if ye will hear his voice m If you will hearken to his call and obey his further commands Which may be added as a necessary caution and admonition to the Israelites that they might understand and consider that Gods presence and favour was not absolutely necessarily and everlastingly fixed to them as they were very apt to believe but was suspended upon the condition of their continued obedience which if they violated they should be rejected and the Gentiles performing it should be received to his mercy And this clause may be connected either 1. with the former words as the condition of their interest in God as their God as was now said Or 2. with the following Verse If you are willing to hearken to Gods call delivered by his Son take the following counsel 8 Harden not your hearts n By wilful disobedience and obstinate unbelief rebelling against the light and resisting the Holy Ghost and his clear discoveries of the truth of the Gospel * Exod. 17. 2 7. Numb 14. 2â—… 20. 13. Deut. 6. 16. as in the †Heb. conâ—… tion provocation o As you did in that hold and wicked contest with God in the Wilderness Or As in Meribah which was the
Gods strength Psal. 63. 3. and 78. 61. and the ark of his strength Psal. 132. 8. seek his face e i. e. His gracious presence in his Sanctuary and the blessed fruits of it See on Psal. 27. 8. evermore 5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done his wonders and the judgments of his mouth f Either 1. the laws delivered from his mouth Or rather 2. the Plagues or punishments as this same word is used here v. 7. and every where which he brought upon Egypt by his meer word or command as is oft noted in the History of them in Exodus 6 O ye seed of Abraham his servants ye children of Jacob g To whom he restrains the former more general expression because these were the onely branch of Abrahams Seed to whom the following Covenant and Blessings belong his †Heb. 〈◊〉 ones chosen 7 He is the LORD our God his judgments are in all the earth h Either 1. the fame of his judgments upon the Egyptians is spread over the face of the earth Or 2. God executes his Judgments upon all Nations and people Which may be here noted as a foil to magnifie God's Grace to them who were the Monuments of his mercy when all the World besides them fell under his just severity 8 He hath remembred i Practically so as to perform it as that word is frequently used in Scripture his covenant for ever the word k The word of promise or the Covenant as is explained both in the foregoing and following words And so the word is taken Iudg. 13. 12. Luke 1. 38. which he commanded l i. e. Established or ordained or appointed as this word is oft taken as Psal. 68. 28. 71. 3. 133. 3. Isai. 13. 3. 23 11. to a thousand generations m To all generations a certain number being put for an uncertain He seems to allude to that passage Exod. 20. 6. 9 Which covenant he made with Abraham * Gen. 17. 2. 22. 16 c. 26. 3. 28. 13. 35. 11. Luke 1. 73. Heb. 6. 17. and his oath n Wherewith he ratified the Covenant with Isaac Gen. 26. 3. unto Isaac 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for †Heb. a statute a law o Either that it might be as firm and irrevocable as a Law or that it might have the use and force of a Law towards God because God did hereby put himself under an obligation of making it good in regard of his own truth and righteousness and to Israel for an everlasting covenant 11 Saying * Gen. 13. 15. 15. 18. Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan †Heb. the cord the lot p The portion assigned to you by lot and the designation of Divine Providence See on Deut. 32. 9. Psal. 16. 6. of your inheritance 12 * Gen. 34. 30. Deut. 26. 5. When they were †Heb. men of number but a few men in number q Heb. Men of number i. e. few who could easily be numbred very few as the next words explain it yea very few and strangers in it 13 When they went from one nation to another r Both in Canaan where there were seven Nations Deut. 7. 1. and in Egypt c. from one kingdom to another people 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved s Both verbally and really by his judgments See Gen. 12. 17. and 20. 3. kings for their sakes 15 Saying Touch not t Hurt not as this word is used of these very persons Gen. 26. 11 29. and elsewhere mine anointed u My Prophets as the next words explain it to wit Abraham and Isaac and Iacob as is evident who are called Gods anointed because they were eminently blessed of God and consecrated to be his peculiar people and to be Kings and Priests in their Families and replenished with the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost in respect whereof many persons are said to be anointed in Scripture who never had any material Oyl applied to them as Psal. 45. 8. Isa. 61. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 21. And they are called Prophets because God did familiarly converse with them and revealed his mind and will to them and by them to others and because they were instructers or teachers of others in the true Religion See Gen. 18. 19. and 20. 7. and do my prophets no harm 16. Moreover †〈◊〉 41. 54. he called for x i. e. He effectually procured as this word is used 2 Kings 8. 1. Isai. 47. 1 5. 56. 7. Rom. 4. 17. a famine upon the land he brake the whole ‖ 〈◊〉 3. 1. staff of bread y i. e. Bread which is the staff or support of our animal Lives See Levit. 26. 26. Psal. 104. 15. Ezek. 4. 16. 17. * 〈◊〉 45. 5. 〈◊〉 â—…0 He sent z By the direction of his secret Providence a man before them †〈◊〉 37. 28. even Joseph who was sold for a servant 18. ‖ 〈◊〉 39. 20. Whose feet they hurt with fetters †〈◊〉 his soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iron he was laid in iron a Heb. his soul came into iron Which seems to be added emphatically to aggravate his imprisonment and to shew how grievous it was to his very soul which must needs sympathize with his body and moreover was greatly vexed to consider both the great injury which was done to him and yet the soul and publick scandal which lay upon him 19. Until the time b Till which time his eminent Prudence and Innocency and Piety gave him no relief that his word c Either 1. Iosephs word or his Prophecie concerning the chief Butler and Baker which is said to come when it was fulfilled as that word is used Iudg. 13. 12 17. Ezek. 24. 24. and elsewhere But the event confutes this for Ioseph was not delivered at that time but two years after it Gen. 41. 1. Or rather 2. the word of the Lord as it follows the Pronoun Relative being here put before the Substantive to which it belongs as it is also Exod. 2. 6. Iob 33. 20. Prov. 5. 22. 14. 13. He seems to speak of that word or revelation which came first to Pharaoh in a Dream Gen. 41. 1 2 c. and then to Ioseph concerning the interpretation of it v. 15 16. For the word of the Lord is said to come not only when it comes to pass but also and most commonly when it is first revealed as Ier. 7. 1. 11. 1. 18. 1. and God is said to come when he doth reveal it as Gen. 20. 3. 31. 24. came the word of the Lord tried him d Either 1. tried his sincerity and constancy But that was not done by Gods word but by his rod. Or rather 2. discovered him to wit unto Pharaoh and his Courtiers how innocent and holy and knowing
All my postures and motions my actions and my cessations from action thou understandest my thought c All my secret counsels and designs afar off d Before they are perfectly formed in my mind Thou knowest what my thoughts will be iâ—… such and such circumstances long before I know it yea from all eternity 3 Thou ‖ Or winâ—…owest compassest my path e Thou watchest me on every side and therefore discernest every step which I take It is a Metaphor either from huntsmen watching all the motions and lurking places of wild beasts that they may catch them or from Souldiers beâ—…ieging their enemies in a City and setting watches round about them and my lying down f Me when I lye down in my bed where men oft contrive what they execute in the day time and art acquainted with all my ways 4 For there is not a word in my tongue but lo O LORD thou knowest it altogether g Thou knowest what I speak and with what design and disposition of mind Or rather as others render it and which is more admirable When there is not a word c. Thou knowest what I intend to speak either in prayer to thee or in conversation with men when I have not yet uttered one word of it 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before h With thine all-seeing and all-disposing Providence and laid thine hand upon me i Thou keepest me as it were with a strong hand in thy sight and under thy power 6 * Psal. 131. 1. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it k I am so far from equalling thy knowledge that I cannot apprehend it in what manner thou dost so perfectly know all things even such as are most secret and have yet no being and seem to depend upon many casualties and uncertainties 7 * Jer. 23. 24. Whither shall I go from thy spirit l Either 1. from the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Trinity or 2. from thee who art a Spirit and therefore canst penetrate into the most secret parts or 3. from thy mind or understanding of which he is here speaking as this word seems to be taken Isa. 40. 13. compared with Rom. 11. 34. for what there is called the Spirit of the Lord is here called the mind of the Lord. And as the Spirit of God is oft used in Scripture for its gifts and graces so the Spirit of God in this place may be put for that knowledge which is an Attribute or action of God or whither shall I flee from †Heb. thy â—…ace So Gâ—… thy presence m A man can go to no place which is out of thy sight 8 * Am. 9. 2 3 4. If I ascend up into heaven thou art there if * Prov. 15. 11. I make my bed in hell n If I should or could repose and hide my self in the grave or in the lowest parts of the earth which are at the farthest distance from Heaven behold thou art there 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea o If I should flee as swiftly from thy presence as the morning light doth which in an instant scatâ—…ereth it self from East to West for the Sea being the Western border of â—…anaan is oft put for the West in Scripture And wings are Poetically ascribed to the morning or morning light here as they are elsewhere to the Sun as Mal. 4. 2. and to the winds as Psal. 18. 11. 104. 3. and to other things of eminent swiftness 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me p I could neither go thither without thy conduct nor subsist there without thy powerful support and much less could I go out of thy sight for a man may see many things which are out of his power 11 If I say Surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light q Shall be as clear and manifest to God as the light it self about me 12 Yea * Job 26. 6. 34. 22. Heb. 4. 1â—… the darkness †Heb. darkneth not hideth not from thee but the night shineth r Or enlightneth as this word is used Psal. 19. 9. Prov. 29. 13 c. discovereth me and all mine actions as the day †Heb. as is 〈◊〉 darkness so is the light the darkness and the light are both alike to thee s This is repeated so oft to reprove and confute the ridiculous conceits of many ungodly men who flatter themselves with hopes of secrecy and impunity for those sins which they commit in the dark See Isa. 29. 15. 13 For thou hast possessed t Or thou dost possess thou dwellest in them thou art the Owner and Governor of them and therefore must needs know them Or thou hast formed as some of the Ancients and others render it my reins u The most inward and hidden part of the body supposed also to be the seat of mens lusts and passions thou hast covered me x Either 1. with that covering called the after-birth wherein the infant is wrapped and preserved in the womb by the wonderful care of Divine providence Or 2. with skin and flesh as it is expressed Iob 10. 11. in my mothers womb 14 I will praise thee for †Heb. by 〈◊〉 things I aâ—… become 〈◊〉 I am fearfully and wonderfully made y Thy infinite wisdom and power manifested in the rare and curious structure of mans body doth fill me with wonder and astonishment and with the dread of thy Majesty marvellous are thy works z Both in the lesser world man and in the greater and that my soul knoweth †Heb. greatly right well a I am well assured both by thy word and by the contemplation and study of thy works to which I have much addicted my self that they are wonderful although I do not so accurately understand all the particulars of them as I would do 15 * Job 10. 8 10. Eccl. 11. 5. My ‖ Or strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substance b Or My bone as the LXX and others render the word And bone may be here taken collectively for bones as is usual in such words or for the whole fabrick of the bones And the bones may be very fitly mentioned here because they are inward and invisible as being covered with skin and flesh and sinews Or the bones may be put Synecdochically for the whole body as being the most substantial part of it as they are Psal. 35. 10. was not hid from thee when I was made in secret c In the dark vault of my mothers womb and curiously wrought d Heb. embroidered exquisitely composed of bones and muscles and sinews and veins and arteries and other parts all framed with such wonderful skill that even Heathens upon the contemplation of
Philosophers have oft observed Others render it good success Which seems not to suit well with the following words in the sight of God i Grace or favour with God and that understanding which is good in God's sight i. e. truly and really as a truly good Man is called good before God in the Hebrew Eccls. 7. 26. and man 5. Trust in the LORD k Wholly and securely rely upon God's Promises and Providence for help and relief in all thine affairs and dangers with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding l Think not to accomplish thy designs by the strength of thine own Wit without God's Blessing Under this one kind of camal confidence which is most frequent and most plausible he understands and forbids all other considences in bodily strength wealth friends c. 6. * 1 Chr. 28. 9. In all thy ways m Designs and undertakings for the things of this Life or of the next acknowledge him n Heb. know him to wit practically or own him his Wisdom in following his counsels his power and goodness in expecting success from him his Soveraignty in managing all thy Affairs so as to please and glorify him and he shall direct thy paths o Assust and bless all thine endeavours and keep thee from the paths of sin and destruction 7. * Rom. 12. 16. Be not wise in thine own eyes p Be not puffed up with a vain conceit of thine own Wisdom as if that were sufficient for the conduct of all thine affairs without direction or assistance from God or without the advice of others fear the LORD q This he adds because the reverence and dread of the Divine Majesty will make a man when he compareth himself with God little and vile in his own eyes Reverence God's Wisdom and thou wilt despise thine own and depart from evil 8. It shall be †Heb. medicine health to thy navel r i. e. To thy Body which is signified by the Navel which is a noble and useful part of the Body by which the Infant receives nourishment in the Womb and which is the ligament or bond by which the bowels a principal part of the Body are united together and preserved and †Heb. watering or moistning marrow s Which is the nourishment and strength of the bones and a great preserver and prolonger of life as the decay of it is a chief cause of the weakness and driness and decay of the Body The sense of the Verse is This Wisdom or fear of God is not onely useful to the Salvation of the Soul but also to the health and welfare of the Body both as it prevents those Diseases and Distempers which are oft procured by sinful Lusts and Passions and as it giveth us an Interest in all God's promises and putteth us under the care of his special Providence to thy bones 9. * Exod. 23. 19 34. 26. Deut. 26. 2. c. Mal. 3. 10. c. Luk. 14. 13. Honour the LORD with thy substance t Or with thy Riches Lay out thy Estate not onely to please and advance thy Self or Family but also to glorify God which is done by the payment of all those offerings and dues which God hath required by giving according to thy Abilities whatsoever is necessary for the support and advancement of God's Worship and Service in the World by free and liberal Contributions to those whom God hath made his Deputies and as I may say the Receivers of his Rents to wit faithful Ministers and good Christians and all others who need and require thy help The performance of these Duties is here called an honouring of God partly because that word is sometimes used for giving of gifts as 1 Tim. 5. 17. and elsewhere and partly because it is a Testimony of our respects to God of our obedience to him as our Soveraign Lord and that in hard and costly Duties of our thankfulness to him as our chief Benefactor and the Donor of all that we have and of our belief of his Promises made to the faithful practices of this duty which if they were believed the most covetous Persons would be the most charitable and with the first-fruits u Or with the chief or best or first which answers to the first-fruits under the Law of all thine increase 10. * Deut. 28. 8. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty x This is not the way to diminish thy estate as covetous and profane Persons alledge but rather to increase it and thy presses shall burst out y Shall be so filled that they would burst out if not carefully prevented with new wine 11. * Job 5. 17. Psa. 94. 12. 13. Heb. 12. 5. Rev. 3. 19. My son despise not z Either 1. by making light of it or not being duly affected with it and so this is one extream opposed to the other in the next clause Or rather 2. by accounting it an unnecessary and useless and troublesome thing but rather esteem it as a priviledg and favour from God and a benefit to thy self for such Negatives do oft imply the contrary Affirmatives by a common figure called Meiosis as Prov. 17. 21. and oft elsewhere And this sense seems to agree better both with the following Clause which repeats the same thing with some aggravation after the manner and with the reason used to enforce this and the following command v. 12. which concerns not such as are insensible but rather such as had too deep a sense of the evil of affliction the chastning of the LORD neither be weary of his correction a Neither esteem it tedious and intollerable but endure it with patience and chearfulness 12. For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth b Afflictions are not infelicities but benefits and comforts because they are Testimonies of God's love which is infinitely more desirable than any evil can be terrible They shew God's purpose and desire and care to purge us from our sins and to make us fit for his Presence and Kingdom This and the former Verse seem to be here inserted in the midst of his commendations of Wisdom to remove an objection against the excellency and happiness of wise or pious men taken from those many Calamities to which such Persons are frequently exposed the reason of which Providence he here giveth * Deut. 8. 5. even as a Father the son in whom he delighteth 13. Happy is the man c Notwithstanding all his afflictions that findeth d Which supposeth his diligent searching for it expressed Chap. 2. 4. wisdom and †〈…〉 the man that getteth e Heb. that draweth out Which expression implies two things 1. that Man hath it not naturally in himself but must have it from another even from God and his word 2. that men should labour for it as those do that dig and draw forth Metals out of
thy mind fixed upon that way which leads to it and neither look nor turn aside to the right hand nor to the left as it follows v. 27. and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee 26. Ponder the path of thy feet o Consider thine actions before thou doest them and see that they agree with the Rule and ‖ Or all thy 〈◊〉 shall be â—…red aright let all thy ways be established p Let thine Actions be uniformly and constantly good in spight of all temptations to the contrary Or Let thy ways be directed or disposed aright as this Hebrew word signifies Or thy ways shall be established So this is a promise to confirm the foregoing Precept If thou doest ponder them thou mayest expect God's blessing and good success in them 27 * Deut. 5. 32. â—… 28. 14. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left q Fly all extreams and neither add to God's commands nor take from them remove thy foot from evil CHAP. V. 1. MY son attend unto my wisdom and bow thine ear to my understanding 2. That thou maist regard a Or keep i. e. hold fast as it is in the next clause discretion b Spiritual Wisdom for the conduct of thy Life as this word is used Prov. 1. 4. and elsewhere in this Book and that thy lips may keep knowledge c That by wise and pious discourses thou maist preserve and improve thy Wisdom for thine own and others good 3. * Chap. 2. 16. 6. 24. For d It concerns thee to get and to use discretion that thou maist be able to resist and repel those manifold Temptations to which thou art exposed the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony-comb e Her words and discourses are sweet and charming and prevalent and her †Heb. palate oil mouth is smoother than 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood f Her design and the effect of that lewdness to which she enticeth men is the sinners destruction sharp as a two-edged Sword 5. * Chap. 7. 27. Her feet g Her course or manner of Life go down to death her steps take hold on hell 6. Lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life h To prevent thy serious consideration of the way and manner of rescuing thy self from this deadly course of Life her ways are moveable i Various and changeable She transforms her self into several shapes to accommodate her self to the humours of her Lovers and hath a Thousand Arts and Deceits to enshare them and hold them fast that thou canst not know them k Thou canst not discover all her subtil practices and much less deliver thy self from them 7. Hear me now therefore O ye Children and depart not from the words of my mouth 8. * Chap. 7. 7 8 c. Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her House l Lest thine eyes affect thine Heart and her allurements prevail over thee 9. Lest thou give thine honour m Thy Dignity and Reputation the strength and vigour of thy Body and Mind which is an honour to a man and which are commonly wasted by Adulterous practices unto others n Unto Whores and their Husbands and Children and Friends and thy years o The flower of thine age thy youthful years unto the cruel p To the Harlot who though she pretends ardent Love and kindness to thee yet in truth is one of the most cruel Creatures in the World wasting thy Estate and Body without the least pity and then casting thee off with scorn and contempt and when her Interest requires it taking away thy very life of which there are enumerable examples and damning thy Soul for ever 10. Lest strangers q Not onely the strange women themselves but Bawds Panders and other Adulterers who are in league with them be filled with †Heb. thy strength thy wealth and thy labours r Wealth gotten by thy labours be in the house of a stranger 11. And thou mourn at the last s Bitterly bewail thy own madness and misery when it is too late when thy flesh and thy body t Thy Flesh even thy Body the particle and being put expositively are consumed u By those manifold diseases which filthy and inordinate Lusts bring upon the Body of which Physicians give a very large and sad Catalogue and the Bodies of many Adulterers give full 12. And say how have I hated instruction x Oh what a mad beast have I been to hate and sleight the fair warnings which were given me and against mine own knowledg to run headlong into this pit of destruction Which are not the words of a true penitent mourning for and turning from his sin but only of a man who is grieved for the sad effects of his delightful Lusts and tormented with the horrour of his own guilty Conscience and my heart despised reproof y I did with my whole Heart abhor all admonitions 13. And have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers z Of my Parents and Friends and Ministers who faithfully and seasonably informed me of those mischiefs and miseries which now I feel nor enclined mine ear to them that instructed me 14. I was almost in all evil a Oh what a miserable man am I There is scarce any misery in respect of Estate or Body or Soul into which I am not already plunged The words also are and may well be rendred thus In a moment I am come into all evil In how little a time and for what short and momentany pleasures am I now come into extream and remediless misery I who designed and expected to enjoy my Lusts with secrecy and impunity am now made a publick example and shameful spectacle to all men and that in the Congregation of Israel where I was taught better things and where such Actions are most infamous and hateful in the midst of the congregation and Assembly b. 15. Drink Waters out of thine own cistern and running waters out of thine own well c This Metaphor contained here and v. 16 17 18. is to be understood either 1. of the free and lawful use of a mans estate both for his own comfort and for the good of others Or rather 2. of the honest use of Matrimony as the proper Remedy against these filthy practices This best suits with the whole context both foregoing and following and thus it is explained in the end of v. 18. So the sense is Content thy self with those delights which God alloweth thee with the sober use of the Marriage-Bed Why shouldst thou ramble hither and thither trespassing against God and men to steal their Waters which thou mightst freely take out of thine own Cistern or Well The ground of the Metaphor is this that waters were scarce and precious in those Countries and therefore men used to
shall talk with thee q It shall give thee Counsel and comfort 23. * Psal. 19. 8. 119. 105. For the commandment is a ‖ Or candle lamp r It enlightens thy dark mind and clearly discovers to thee the plain and right way and the law is light and reproofs of instruction s Wife and instructive Reproofs or Admonitions are the way to life t Both to preserve and prolong this Life and to procure eternal Life to those that obey them 24. * Chap. 2. 16. 5. 3. 7. 5. To keep thee from the evil woman u Which is mentioned as a great commendation of Gods word because neither worldly Discretion nor civil Education nor moral Precepts nor any other considerations are sufficient Preservatives against this last as is manifest from daily experience from the flattery ‖ Or of the 〈◊〉 tongue of the tongue of a strange woman 25. * Mat. 5. 28. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart x Do not give way to nor delight thy self with unchaste thoughts or affections Compare Mat. 5. 28. neither let her take thee with her eye-lids y Either with her Beauty which consists much in the Eyes or rather with her amorous and wanton glances 26. For * Chap. 29. 3. by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread z To extream Poverty so as to want and be forced to beg his bread and ‖ Heb. the woâ—… of a man or a mans wife the adulteress will hunt for the precious life a To take away a mans life either by consuming his body and spirits and so shorming his days or more directly and strictly when she hath any great provocation to it or any prospect of considerable advantage by it Or for the pretious Soul which she corrupteth and destroyeth But I prefer the former sense 27. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his cloths not be burnt b The question implies a denial he cannot escape burning No more can he who burns in Lust avoid Destruction 28. Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burnt 29. So he that goeth in to his neighbours wife c That lieth with her as this Phrase signifies Gen. 19. 31. 29. 21 23 c. whosoever toucheth her d i. e. Hath carnal knowledge of her as this word is used Gen. 20. 6. 1 Cor. 7. 1. and in Terence and other Writers shall ‖ Or not be acquitted not be innocent e Shall be punished as a Malefactor either by God or Man 30. Men do not ‖ Or slight despise f i. e. Abhor or reproach him but rather pity and pardon him who is urged by meer necessity to these practices a thief if he steal to satisfie his Soul when he is hungry 31. But if he be found he shall restore seven-fold g Qu. How doth this agree with Gods Law which required onely that he should restore double or at most four-fold or five-fold Exod. 22. 1. 4. Ans. 1. The number of Seven may be here put indefinitely for many times as it is Gen. 4. 24. Levit. 26. 28. and in many other places 2. Some think that as Thefts were multiplied so the punishment of it was increased in Solomon's time or at least that it was the practice of some Nations to require this sevenfold restitution 3. He speaks not of that restitution which the Law required but of that which either the wronged Person being potent might force the Thief to make or which the Thief would willingly give rather than be exposed to publick shame as appears by the following Clause wherein he adds to this seven-fold restitution all his substance which no Law of God or Man required he shall give all the substance of his house 32. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh †Heb. 〈◊〉 understanding h Is a brutish and silly Man who madly rusheth upon these filthy courses without any sense or consideration of the horrid shame and certain destruction which attends upon them he that doth it destroyeth his own soul i Or life is guilty of self-murder and of Soul-murder 33. A wound k Civil or corporal punishment from tho Magistrate or rather from the Womans Husband as it follows and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away l Although it be forgiven by God yet the reproach and scandal of it remains 34. For jealousie is the rage of a man m It enflames a Man with rage and fury against the Adulterer therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance n When he hath an opportunity to avenge himself upon the delinquent 35. †Heb. he will not accept the face of any ransom He will not regard any ransom neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts o He will accept of no other recompence for the injury beneath thy life CHAP. VII 1. MY Son keep my words and * Ch. 2. 1. lay up my commandments with thee 2. * Lev. 18. 5. Ch. 4. 4. Keep my commandments and live a i. e. Thou shalt live A promise in the form of a command as Prov. 3. 25. and my law as the apple of thine eye b With all possible care and diligence as men guard that part from all dangers yea even from the least mote The Eye is a most noble and necessary and therefore highly esteemed and beloved â—…art of the Body and the Apple thereof is the most honourable and beautiful and useful part of that part and it is a most tender part easily hurt or destroyed and therefore needs to to be diligently watched 3. * Deut. 6. 8. 11. 18. Ch. 3. 3. 6. 21. Bind them upon thy fingers c As a Ring which is put upon them and is continually in a Man's Eye Constantly remember them and meditate upon them write them upon the table of thine heart d Fix them in thy mind and affection See on Prov. 3. 3. 4. Say unto wisdom Thou art my sister and call understanding thy kinswoman e When other foolish young men seek wanton Mistresses whom they frequently call Sisters or Kinswomen let wisdom be thy Mistress acquaint and delight thy self with her and let her have the command of thy Heart and the conduct of thy life 5. * Ch 2. 16. 5. 3. That they may keep thee from the strange woman f This priviledge Solomon doth so oft inculcate either because he found in himself the great power and besotting nature of lustful inclinations or because he observed these Vices to abound more in his time in which Peace and Prosperity made way for Luxury and Uncleanness from the stranger which ‖ Or maketh smooth her words flattereth with her words 6. For at the window of my house I looked
of which we have seen some and may afterward see more instances strong men retain riches 17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul p i. e. To himself because his liberality shall turn to his own infinite advantage both in this life and in the next but he that is cruel q Hard-hearted and uncharitable to others troubleth his own flesh r Either 1. his own Children or Kindred who are commonly expressed by this very word for whose sakes he is thus covetous and uncharitable that he may hoard it up for them but they faith the wise Man shall have nothing but trouble and vexation and God's curse with it Or 2. himself denominated here from his flesh or Body as in the former Branch from his Soul But he may seem to mention his flesh rather than his Soul to intimate that the mischiefs of his covetousness shall not onely fall upon his Soul which he despiseth but upon his Flesh or outward Man which is the onely thing that he feareth 18. The wicked worketh a deceitful work s A work which will deceive his expectation of that good for which he worketh but to him that soweth t That worketh it with constancy and diligence and hope of recompence as they do who sow in Seed-time righteousness u Good works acts of Piety towards God and Charity to men shall be a sure reward 19. As righteousness tendeth to life so he that pursueth evil x Who are not over-taken by sin as a good Man may be Gal. 6. 1. but studiously design it and follow after the occasions of it earnestly and greedily and industriously pursueth it to his own death 20. They that are of a froward heart y Hypocrites as appears from the opposition of these to the upright in the next Clause whose Hearts are false to God and contrary to their own professions are abomination to the LORD z Though by their cunning Artifices they may deceive men and gain their good opinion and favour yet God sees their naughty Hearts and haâ—…eth them but such as are upright in their way a In the course of their lives and actions By which changing of the Phrase from Heart in the first Clause to way here he intimates that the sincerity and hypocrisie of mens hearts are discovered and to be judged by their conversations are his delight 21. * Ch. 16. 5. Though hand joyn in hand b Though they are fortified against God's judgments by a numerous Issue and Kindred and Friends and by mutual strong combinations or conâ—…ederacies the wicked shall not be unpunished c They shall be punished even in their own Persons as well as in their Posterity They shall not be able either totally to prevent God's judgment or to delay it from coming in their days but the seed of the righteous d Not onely their Persons but their Children shall be delivered e Without any such Auxiliaries by God's special Providence 22. As a jewel of gold in a swines snout f Which would not adorn the Swine but onely be disparaged it self It was the custom of some of the Iews to wear Jewels upon their Noses and some of their Neighbours wore them in their Noses so is a fair woman which †Heb. deparâ—… 〈◊〉 is without discretion g Which disgraceth the beauty of her Body by a foolish and filthy Soul 23. The desire h Either 1 properly so called So the sense is His desires are generally and constantly to do good to men as wicked mens designs are to do hurt and to execute wrath and hatred against them Or rather 2. the object or event or effect of their desire as appears from the next Clause where expectation is clearly put for the object or event of it And the sense of the Proverb seems to be this The desires and expectations of the Righteous shall end in their good and happiness but the desires and expectations of wicked men shall be sadly disappointed and end in the wrath of God and their utter ruine of the righteous is onely good but the expectation of the wicked is wrath 24. There is that scattereth i That giveth liberally of his Goods to the Poor for so this Hebrew word is used Psal. 112. 9. He hath dispersed which is explained in the following words he hath given to the Poor and yet increaseth k Through God's secret Blessing upon his Estate and there is that witholdeth more than is meet l Heb. from what is right or just i. e. what by the Law of God and the Rules of general Justice he is obliged to give of which see Prov. 3. 27. but it tendeth to poverty m By God's Providence secretly blasting his Estate either in his own or his Childrens hands as it very frequently befals covetous Wretches 25. * 2 Cor. 9. 8 9 10. †Heb. the soul of blessing The liberal soul n Heb. the Soul of Blessing that man who is a Blessing to others who blesseth them i. e. doth good to them as Blessing is oft used for a gift as Gen. 33. 11. 1 Sam. 25. 27. 2 Cor. 9. 5. shall be made fat o Shall be greatly enriched both with Temporal and Spiritual blessings and he that watereth shall be watered also himself p Possibly it is a Metaphor from a Fountain which when it poureth forth its waters is instantly filled again whereas if it be stopped it groweth empty and the Water seeketh another course Others render it he shall be a Rain i. e. he shall receive such liberal supplies from God that he shall be able to pour forth showers of good things upon others 26. * He that with-holdeth corn q In a time of scarcity when others need and desire it the people shall Amos 8. 5 6. curse him but blessing r The blessing of God which the People shall heartily beg for him shall be upon the head of him that â—…elleth it s Upon reasonable terms 27. He that diligently seeketh t Which is opposed to those who content themselves with lazy desires or cold and careless endeavours * Ch. 14. 22. good procureth favour x With God and men * Ps. 7. 15 16. 9. 15 16. 10. 2. 57. 6. but he that seeketh mischief y To do any mischief or injury to others it shall come unto him z It shall be requiâ—…ed either by mens malice and revenge or by God's just judgment u To do good to all men as he hath opportunity 28. * Job 31. 24. He that trusteth in his riches a As his chief portion and felicity and ground of safety shall fall b As a withered Leaf by comparing this Clause with the latter but * Ps. 1. 3. 92. 12 c. Jer 17. 8. the righteous c Who maketh God alone and
the Passover when it giveth his colour in the cup when * Cant. 7. 9. it moveth it self aright h When it sparkleth and frisketh and seems to smile upon a Man 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like ‖ Or a Cockatrice an adder i It hurts the Body in many respects impairs the vigor of the Mind wastes the Estate and Reputation wounds the Conscience and without Repentance will destroy the Soul 33 Thine eyes shall behold k With evil intent or lustfully which is the effect of drinking much Wine as is noted in Scripture Gen. 19. 31 35. Hos. 4. 18. and other Authors strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things l Thine Heart which when thou hadst the use of thy wit concealed will then discover its wickedness by filthy and perverse speeches 34 Yea thou shalt be as he that lieth down m To sleep of which that word is frequently used †Heb. in the heart of the Sea in the midst of the sea n In a Ship in the midst of the Sea This Phrase notes the temper and condition of the Drunkard the giddiness of his Brain the unquietness of his Mind and especially his extream danger joyned with great security or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast o The worst part of the Ship both for its perpetual tossings and for the hazard of him that sleeps in it 35 They have stricken me p I cannot deny that I exposed my self by my Drunkenness to manifold abuses and injuries shalt thou say and I was not sick q I was not then sensible of it neither do I now find any great hurt by it it was but the effect of a present frolick at which I have no cause to be much troubled they have beaten me and †Heb. I knew it not I felt it not when I shall awake I will seek it yet again r At present I find some inconvenience and my condition requires sleep to settle my self and when I am composed and refreshed I purpose to return to my former course But that which Solomon here expresseth seems rather to be the Language of their Hearts or Lives than of their actions Compare Prov. 1. 11. CHAP. XXIV 1 BE not thou * Ps. 37. 1. c. 73. 3. Ch. 3. 31. 23. 17. Vers. 19. envious against evil men neither desire to be with them a Their Company or manner of life 2 * Ps. 10. 7. For their heart studieth destruction b How they may oppress and destroy others which yet at last falls upon their own heads and their lips talk of mischief 3 Through wisdom is an house built and by understanding it is established c There is no need that thou shouldst raise thy Self and Family by ruining others as the manner of wicked men is which thou maist more easily and effectually do by Wisdom and the fear of God 4 And by knowledge d Which in Scripture Phrase includes the love and practice of that which we know shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches 5 * Ch. 21. 22. Eccles. 9. 16. A wise man †Heb. is in strength is strong e Is couragious and resolute and able by Wisdom to do greater things than others can accomplish by their own strength yea a man of knowledg †Heb. strengtheneth might increaseth strength 6 * Ch. 11. 14. 15. 22. 20. 18. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war f War is better managed by Wisdom than by strength So this proves what he said in the last Verse and in multitude of counsellors there is safety 7 Wisdom is too high g Either 1. really it is above his reach or capacity Or 2. in his opinion he judgeth it too hard for him he despairs of attaining it he pretends the impossibility of it because he will not put himself to the charge or trouble of getting it as on the contrary Wisdom is said to be easie to him that understandeth Prov. 14. 6. because he seriously giveth his mind to it and therefore easily and certainly attains to it for a fool h For a wilful Fool or a wicked Man whose lusts enfeeble and darken his Mind and make it uncapable of Wisdom he openeth not his mouth in the gate i Either 1. he can say nothing for himself when he is accused before the Magistrate for which he gives frequent occasion Or 2. he knows not how to speak acceptably and profitably in the publick Assembly among wise men 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person k Heb. a Master of mischief The sense is Though he cover his wicked devices with fair pretences and would be better esteemed yet he shall be noted and branded with that infamy which is due to him 9. The thought of foolishness is sin l The very inward thought or contrivance of evil of which he spake v. 8. even before it break forth into action is a sin in God's sight and it is hateful to God Or foolishness is put for foolish or wicked men by comparing this with the next clause where the scorner is opposed to it So the sense is All the Thoughts of wicked men are onely evil and that continually as is said of man in his corrupt estate Gen. 6. 5. and therefore abominable to God †Or but. and the scorner m He who not onely deviseth and practiseth wickedness but obstinately persists in it and rejects all admonitions against it is an abomination to men n Is abominable not onely to God as all sinners are but to all sober men 10 If thou faint o If thou art impatient and unable to bear sufferings if thy resolution flag and thou givest way to despondency or dejection of Mind in the day of adversity thy strength is †Heb. â—…row small p Heb. is narrow it lives in a little compass it is as strait as thy condition is for there is an Elegant allusion in the Hebrew words The sense is This is a sign that thou hast but little Christian strength or courage for that is best known by adversity 11 * Ps. 82. 4. If thou forbear to deliver them q When it is in thy power to do it lawfully that are drawn unto death r To wit unjustly or by the violence of lawless men and those that are ready to be slain s That are in present danger of Death or Destruction 12 If thou sayest Behold we knew ‖ Or him it not t I was ignorant either of his innocency or of his extream danger or of my power to relieve him doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it u That this is onely a frivolous excuse and that the true reason of thy neglect was thy want of true love
is there to the owners thereof q What benefit hath he above others who feed upon his Provisions and enjoy the same comforts which he doth without his fears and cares and troubles about them saving the beholding of them with their eyes r Either 1. with a reflection upon his Propriety in them Or 2. with unlimited freedom He can go and look upon his Bags or Chests of Silver as long and as oft as he pleaseth whereas other men are seldom admitted to that prospect and see onely some few of the fruits or purchases of it 12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet s Because he is free from those cares and fears wherewith the minds of rich men are oft distracted and their sleep disturbed whether he eat little t Then his weariness disposeth him to sleep or much u In which case his healthful Constitution and laborious course of life prevents those crudities and indigestions which oft-times break the sleep of rich men but the †Heb. saturity or fulness abundance x Heb. the fulness either 1. of his Diet which commonly discomposeth their stomachs and hinders their rest Or 2. of Wealth which is commonly attended with many perplexing cares which disquiet men both by Day and by Night The Hebrew word is used in Scripture both ways and possibly it is thus generally expressed to include both significations of the rich will not suffer him to sleep 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt y Because they frequently are the instruments and occasions both of their present and eternal destruction as they feed their Pride or Luxury or other hurtful Lusts which wast the Body and shorten the Life and damn the Soul and as they are great â—…mptations to Tyrants or Thieves yea sometimes to Relations or Servants or others to take away their lives that they may get their Riches 14 But z Or For or Or or Moreover For this Particle is so rendred by divers others both here and in other places of Scripture those riches perish a If they be kept it is to the owners hurt and if not they are lost to his grief by evil travel b By some wicked practices either his own or of other men or by some secret Hand of God cursing all his Enterprizes and he begetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand c Either 1. In the Fathers power to leave to his Son for whose sake he underwent all those hard labours which is a great aggravation of his grief and misery Or 2. in the Sons possession after his Fathers death 15 * Job 1. 21. Ps. 49. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 7. As he came forth of his mothers womb naked shall he return to go d Into the womb or belly of the Earth the common Mother of all Mankind See the Notes on Iob 1. 21. Eccles. 12. 7. And return to go is put for return and go and going is here put for dying as Iob 16. 22. Psal. 39. 13. as he came and shall take nothing of his labour which he may carry away in his hand c. e This is another vanity If his Estate be neither lost nor kept to his hurt but enjoyed by him with safety and comfort all his days yet when he dies he must leave it behind him and cannot carry one handful of it with him into another World 16 And this also f Which I have last mentioned and shall now repeat is a sore evil that in all points as he came so shall he go and * Ch. 1. 3. what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind g For Riches which are empty and unsatisfying uncertain and transitory fleeing away swiftly and strongly Prov. 23. 5. which no Man can hold or stay in its course all which are the properties of the Wind. Compare Prov. 11. 29. Hos. 12. 1. 17 All his days h To wit of his life also he eateth in darkness i He hath no comfort in his Estate but even when he Eats when other men relax their Minds and use freedom and chearfulness he doth it with anxiety and discontent as grudging even aâ—… his own necessary expences and tormenting himself with cares about getting and disposing and keeping his Estate and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness k When he falls sick and presageth or feareth his Death he is filled with rage because he is cut off before he hath accomplished his designs and because he must leave that Wealth and World in which all his hopes and happiness lies and must go to give up a doleful account to his Judge of all his actions and acquisitions 18 Behold that which I have seen l i. e. Learned by study and experience * Ch. 2. 24. 3. 12 13 22. 9. 7. 11. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 17. †Heb. there is a good which is comely c. it is good and comely m Good or comfortable to Man's self and Comely or Amiable in the Eyes of other men as penuriousness is base and dishonourable for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun †Heb. the number of the days all the days of his life which God giveth him * Ch. 2. 10. 3. 22. for it is his portion n To wit of worldly goods for he hath another and a better portion in Heaven This liberty is given to him by God and this is the best advantage as to this life which he can make of them 19 * Ch. 6. 2. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power o Heb. hath given him the dominion who is the Lord and Master of his Estate not a Slave to it Of this and the former Verse see the Notes on Eccles 2. 24. 3. 12 13. to eat thereof and to take his portion p To his own use to use what God hath given him and to rejoice in his labour this is the gift of God 20 ‖ Or though he give not much yet he remembreth c. For he shall not much remember q So as to disquiet or vex himself therewith the days r Either 1. the troubles days being here put for evil or sad days by an usual Synecdoche as Iob 18. 20. Psal. 137. 7. Obad. v. 12. Mic. 7. 4. Or â—… the time in general which is irksom and tedious to men oppressed with discontent or misery who usually reckon every Hour or Minute that passeth and have their Minds and Thoughts constantly fixed upon the vanity and uncertainty of this life upon the afflictions which they have already endured and may further expect whereas to men of contented and chearful minds the time is short and sweet and passeth
Truth of what I say of hosts †Heb. If not c. Of a truth many houses shall be desolate y The Houses which you have so greedily coveted shall cast you out and become desolate even great and fair without inhabitant 10 Yea ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath z To wit of Wine The Bath contained about eight Gallons Thus an Acre did not yield one Gallon and the seed of an omer shall yield an ephah a Which was of the same Quantity with the Bath onely the Bath was the Measure of Liquid things the Ephah of Dry things and an Ephah was the tenth part of an Homer Ezek. 45. 11. So in stead of that great Increase which that fruitful Land commonly yielded they should lose nine parts of their Seed Thus a fruitful Land was made barren for their Wickedness according to God's threatning Psal. 107. 34. and they had as little comfort in their Lands as in their Houses which were the two kinds of their Purchases v. 8. 11 * Prov. 23. 29 30. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning b Which was unusual and scandalous in that case Eccles. 10. 16. Act. 2. 15. They made Drinking their daily Trade and Business that they may follow strong drink that continue until night c Thereby wasting both precious Time and God's good Creatures and the Health of their Bodies as well as of their Souls till wine ‖ Or pursue theâ—… enflame them d He useth this Word partly to shew their â—…olly and Misery because the Wine was so far from quenching and satisfying their Appetites that it did indeed inflame and increase them and partly to prevent the vain Excuse of them who thought themselves innocent because they did not drink to Drunkenness although they cast themselves into an intemperate Heat through their Excess 12 And * Amos 6. 5 6. the harp and the viol the tabret and the pipe and wine are in their feasts e They give up themselves wholly to Luxury and that in a very unseasonable time as it follows but * Job 34. 27. Pâ—…al 28. 5. they regard not the work of the LORD f What God hath lately done and is yet doing and about to do among them his grievous Judgments partly inflicted and partly threatned which required another Course of Life even to give themselves to Fasting and Prayer and Reformation that so they might remove the incumbent and prevent the approching Calamities neither consider the operation of his hands 13 * Hos. 4. 6. Therefore my people are gone into captivity g Either 1. are actually gone which was true of the Ten Tribes in Hezekiab's Reign 2 Kings 18. 9. under whom this Prophecy might be uttered or 2. shall certainly and shortly go as the Two Tribes afterward did because they have no knowledge h No serious consideration of God's Works and of their own Duty and Danger and †Heb. their glory are men of famine their honourable men i Who thought themselves quite out of reach of Famine are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst 14 Therefore hell k Or the grave as this Word most commonly signifies hath enlarged †Heb. her soul. her self and opened her mouth without measure l To receive those vast Numbers which shall die by this Famine or otherwise as is here implied and their glory m Their Honourable men as they were called v. 13. being distinguished both here and there from the multitude and their multitude and their pomp n All their Glory shall die with them and he that rejoyceth o That spendeth all his days in Mirth and Jollity and casteth away all Cares and Fears shall descend into it 15 And * Chap. 2. 9 11 17. the mean man shall be brought down and the mighty man shall be humbled p All of them both high and low shall be brought to destruction and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled 16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment q By the execution of this just Judgment upon his incorrigible Enemies and ‖ Or the holy God †Heb. the God the holy God that is holy shall be sanctified r Shall appear to be an holy God in righteousness s By his righteous Judgments 17 Then t When God shall have finished that Work of Judgment upon the Ungodly he will extend Mercy to a Remainder This is very usual in this Prophet in the midst of his Threatâ—… to insert something for the support of Believers shall the lambs u 〈◊〉 poor and harmless People who shall be left in the Land when the Rich are carried into Captivity as it fell out 2 Kings 25. 12. feed after their manner x Or by their fold as this Word is manifestly used Mic. 2. 12. the onely place of Scripture except this in which this Word is found and the waste places y The Lands left by their Owners who were either slain or carried into Captivity of the fat ones z Of the Rich and Great men so called Psal. 22. 29. 78. 31. Isa. 10. 16. shall strangers a The poor Israelites who were left to be vine-dressers and husbandmen 2 Kings 25. 12. who are called strangers because they were so in reference to that Land not being the proper Owners of it nor related to them as the Israelites of other Tribes are called strangers in opposition to the Levites as Numb 1. 51. and elsewhere yea and the Levites are so called in opposition to the Seed of Aaron Numb 16. 40. eat 18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity b That are not onely drawn to sin by the Allurements of the World or by the Perswasions of wicked men being surprised and overtaken by Sin as sometimes good men are Gal. 6. 1. but are active and industrious in drawing Sin to themselves or themselves to Sin that greedily and steadily pursue Sin and the Occasions of it and are not at rest till they have overtaken it that sin wilfully and resolvedly and industriously with cords of vanity c Or with cords of lying as the last Word frequently signifies i. e. with vain and deceitful Arguments and Pretences whereby Sinners generally draw themselves to Sin among which one follows in the next Verse to wit the Impunity which they promise to themselves Or these Cords may note the Means which they use to accomplish that Iniquity which they have devised and sin as it were with a cart-rope d With all their might as Beasts commonly do that draw Carts with Ropes 19 * Jer. 17. 15 Amos 5. 18. 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. That say Let him e To wit God in whose Name thou and other Prophets are always reproving and threatning us make speed and hasten his work that we may see it f He onely
he sees fit and necessary for them * 2 Kin. 19. 31. upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will †Heb. visit upon punish m Heb. visit to wit in wrath as before on v. 3. the fruit †Heb. of the greatness of the heart of the stout heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his high looks n His insolent Words and Carriages proceeding from intolerable Pride of Heart 13 For he saith o Not onely within himself but before his Courtiers and others By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdom p I owe all my Successes to my own Power and Valour and wise Conduct and to no other God or Man for I am prudent and I have removed the bounds q I have invaded their Lands and added them to my own Dominions as this Phrase is used Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10. of the people and have robbed their treasures r Heb. their prepared things their Gold and Silver and other precious things which they had long been preparing and laying in store and I have put down s Deprived of their former Glory and Power the inhabitants ‖ Or like many people like a valiant man 14 And my hand hath found as a nest t As one findeth young Birds in a Nest the nest being put for the Birds in it as Deut. 32. 11. No less easily do I both find and take them the riches of the people and as one gathereth eggs that are left u Which the Dam hath left in her Nest. This is more easie than the former for the young Birds might possibly make some faint resistance or flutter away but the Eggs could do neither have I gathered all the earth x All the Riches of the Earth or World An Hyperbole not unusual in the Mouths of such Persons upon such Occasions and there was none that moved the Wing or opened the mouth or peeped y As Birds do which when they see and cannot hinder the robbing of their Nests express their Grief and Anger by hovering about them and by mournful Cries 15 Shall the ax boast it self against him that heweth therewith z How absurd and unreasonable a thing is it for thee who art but an Instrument in God's hand and canst do nothing without his leave and help to blaspheme thy Lord and Master who hath as great a power over thee to manage thee as he pleaseth as a Man hath over the Ax wherewith he heweth or shall the saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it ‖ Or as if a rod should shake them that lift it up as if the rod should shake it self against them that lift it up a Or as it is rendred in the Margin and by other Interpreters as if a rod should shake i. e. shall pretend to shake or should boast that it would or could shake which may easily be understood out of the foregoing words them that lift it up or as if the staff should lift up ‖ Or that which is not wood it self as if it were no wood b As if a Staff should forget that it was Wood and should pretend or attempt to lift up it self either without or against the man that moveth it Which is absurd in the very supposition of it and were much more unreasonable in the practice Nor are thy Boasts less ridiculous 16 Therefore shall the Lord the Lord of hosts c The Sovereign Lord and General of thine and all other Armies send among his †Heb. fatnesses fat ones leanness d Strip him and all his great Princes and Commanders of all their Wealth and Might and Glory and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire e He will destroy his numerous and victorious Army and that suddenly and irrecoverably as the Fire doth those combustible things which are cast into it Which was fulfilled 2 Kings 19. 25. 17 And the light of Israel f That God who is and will be a comfortable Light to his People shall be for a fire g To the Assyrians who shall have Heat without Light as it is in Hell and his holy One for a flame and it shall burn and devour his thorns and briers h His vast Army which is no more able to resist God than dry Thorns and Briers are to oppose the Fire which is kindled among them in one day 18 And shall consume the glory of his forest i Of his great Army which may not unfitly be compared to a Forest either for the multitude of their Spears which when lifted up together resemble the Trees of a Wood or Forest or for the numbers of Men which stood as thick as Trees do in a Forest. and of his fruitful field k Of his Soldiers which stood as thick as Ears of Corn do in a fruitful Field Heb. of his Carmel Wherein it is not improbably conjectured by our late most Learned Mr. Gataker that there is an Allusion to that Brag of the Assyrian who threatens that he would go up to the sides of Israels Lebanon and to the forest of his Carmel and there cut down the tall cedars thereof Which though it was not uttered by the Assyrian till some years after this time yet was exactly foreknown to God who understandeth mens thoughts and much more their Words afar off Psal. 139. 2 3 4. and therefore might direct the Prophet to use the same Words and to turn them against himself Whereas thou threatnest to destroy Israel's Carmel I will destroy thy Carmel †Heb. from the soul and even to the flesh Job 14. 22. both soul and body l i. e. Totally both inwardly and outwardly both Strength and Lise Heb. from the soul even to the flesh Which may possibly signifie the manner of their Death which should be by a sudden Stroke of the destroying Angel upon their inward and vital Parts which was speedily followed by the consumption of their Flesh. See Isa. 37. 35 36. and they shall be m The State of that King and of his great and valiant Army shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth n Like that of an Army when their Standard-bearer either is slain or rather flees away which strikes a Panick Terrour into the whole Army and puts them to flight 19 And the rest of the trees of his forest o The Remainders of that mighty Host. shall be †Heb. number Job 16. 22. few that a child may write them p That they may be easily numbred by the meanest Accomptant A Child may be their Mustermaster 20 And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob q Such Ieus as shall be preserved from that sweeping Assyrian Scourge by which great numbers both of Israel and Iudah were destroyed
and it shall be unto me as Ariel f The Sense is Either 1. I will treat Her like a strong and fierce Lion which the People among whom it is indeavour by Nets or Pits and all other ways to take and to destroy Or. 2. I will make Ariel the City like Ariel the Altar filling it with Sacrifices even with Men whom I will Slay in my Anger which Act of God's is called his Sacrifice Ezek. 39. 17 19. 3. And I will camp against thee ‖ Or with an army round about and will lay siege against thee g By those Enemies whom I will assist and enable to Destroy thee This was fulfilled Either 1. by Sennacherib as some Learned Men think But what is here affirmed of these Enemies is expresly denied concerning Sennacherib Isa. 37. 33. or rather 2. by the Chaldeans 2 Kings 25. 1. c. ‖ Or with a setled camp or leaguer with a mount and I will raise forts against thee 4. And thou shalt be brought down and shalt speak out of the ground and thy speech shall be low out of the dust h Thou who now speakest so loftily and scornfully against the Lord's Prophets and others shalt be humbled and confounded afraid ashamed to speak aloud shalt in a submiss manner and with a low Voice beg the favour of thine Enemies and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit out of the ground z Who that they might possess the People with a kind of Reverence and Horror used to speak and deliver their Answers with a low Voice either out of their Bellies or from some dark Cave under the ground and thy speech shall †Heb. peep or chirp Chap. 8 19. whisper out of the dust 5. Moreover the multitude of thy strangers a Either 1. of the Strangers that Encamp and Fight against thee Or 2. of the Egyptians and other Strangers whom thou hast hired to assist thee as indeed they did when the Chaldeans came against them This Exposition seems to agree best as with the phrase thy strangers so with the scope of the place and with the whole Context especially the foregoing Verses which plainly shews that this is not a Promise to Ierusalem but a Threatning against it shall be like small dust b Quickly blown away with the least Wind by comparing this with the following Clause and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be * Job 21. 18. Chap. 17. 13. as chaff that passeth away yea it shall be c This dissipation and destruction of thy Strangers and terrible Ones shall come to pass at * Chap. 30. 13. an instant suddenly b Of thy great Commanders and stoutest Souldiers 6. Thou d Thou O Ariel or Ierusalem of or to whom this whole Context manifestly speaks shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise with storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire e With dreadful Judgments which are frequently expressed in the Prophets by these and such like Metaphors 7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel even all that fight against her and her munition and that distress her shall be as a dream of a night vision f Wherein it shall be so is explained in the next Verse 8. It shall even be as when a hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty g His appetite or desire as the soul is taken Psal. 41. 4. and 78. 18. and elsewhere is unsatisfied Or his stomack or body as the soul is used Psal. 16. 10. is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his soul hath appetite so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against mount Zion h No less unsatisfied and insatiable shall the Enemies of the Iews be with all the Cruelties which they have committed against you and they shall be alwayes thirsting after more of your Blood as if they had never tasted any of it 9. Stay your selves and wonder i Pause upon it and you will see cause to wonder at the stupidity of this People of which he is now about to speak He directeth his Speech either to the Religious part of the People or to those particular persons who heard him when he delivered this Prophecy ‖ Or take your pleasure and riot cry ye out and cry k Cry out again and again either in way of Supplication for them or rather through Astonishment and Horror Or They take pleasure or sport themselves as this word most commonly signifies and riot In the midst of all these Threatnings and Dangers they are secure and give up themselves to sensuality which is matter of just wonder they are drunken but not with wine l But either 1. With drinking the Cup of God's fury wherewith they are said to be made drunk Isa. 51. 17 20. And then they are drunk is put for they shall be drunk after the manner of the Prophets Or 2. With the spirit of giddiness or stupidity which makes them like drunken Men insensible of their Danger and not knowing what to do they stagger but not with strong drink 10. For * Rom. 11. 8. the LORD hath poured out upon you m Which Phrase notes the plenty and vehemency of this Judgment the spirit of dead sleep n Hardness of heart and insensibleness of your Danger and Misery which God is said to send because He denies or withdraws His Light and Grace which alone can cure those Maladies and hath closed your eyes the prophets and your †Heb. heads rulers the seers o Your Magistrates and Ministers whose blindness or stupidity is a great Curse and Plague to the people Or the Prophets even the chief for the head is oft put for the chief of persons or things as Exod. 30. 23. 1 Chron. 12. 18. and elsewhere of your seers hath he covered p With the veil of ignorance and stupidity or as to their Eyes which is understood out of the former Clause And this last Clause is and may be rendred thus The Eyes which may be repeated out of the foregoing Clause of your Prophets and of or even of your principal seers or and of your most intelligent rulers hath he covered 11. And the vision of all q Of all your Prophets whether the true of false Ones is become unto you as the words of a ‖ Or letter book that is sealed r In which no Man can read whilst it is scaled up as books then sometimes were 1 Kings 21. 8. Esth. 3. 12 13. being made in the form of Rolls which was convenient for that purpose which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed 12. And
for relief but in vain O LORD I am oppressed x By my Disease which like a Serjeant hath seized upon me and is haling me to the Prison of the Grave ‖ Or ease me undertake for me y Stop the Execution and rescue me out of his hands 15. What shall I say z I want words sufficient to express my deep Sense of God's dealings with me He did foretel it by his Word and effect it by his Hand This Clause and Verse is Either 1. a Continuance of his Complaint hitherto described God hath passed this Sentence upon me and hath also put it in Execution and to Him I must submit my self Or 2. he hath both spoken unto me and himself have done it a Transition or entrance into the Thanksgiving which is undoubtedly contained in the following Verses So the Sence is God hath sent a gracious Message to me by his Prophet concerning the prolongation of my Life and he I doubt not will make good his Word therein And this Sence seems the more probable 1. Because here is mention of his years to come whereas in his sickness he expected not to live to the end of a day 2. Because the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Seventy and Syriack and Arabick Interpreters expound it so in their Versions 3. Because this suits best with the context and coherence of this Verse both with the former and with the following Verse For as he endeth the foregoing Verse with a Prayer to God for longer Life so in this Verse he relates God's gracious Answer to his Prayer And if this Verse be thus understood the next Verse hath a very convenient Connexion with this whereas it seems to be very abrupt and incoherent if the Thanksgiving begin there I shall go softly b I shall walk in the course of my Life Either 1. humbly with all humble thankfulness to God for conferring so great a Favour upon so unworthy a Person Or 2. easily and peaceably with leasure not like one affrighted or running away from his Enemy Or 3. by slow and gentle paces as Men commonly spin out their Days by degrees unto a just length which is not unfitly opposed to his former state and time of Sickness wherein his days were swifter than a weavers shuttle and than a post as Iob complained upon the same occasion Iob 7. 6. 9. 25. and were cut off like a weavers Web as he complained ver 12. all my years in the bitterness of my soul c Arising from the remembrance of that desperate Condition from which God had delivered me For great dangers though past are oft-times very terrible to those that seriously reflect upon them But the Words may be rendred upon or after as this particle is rendred Isa. 18. 4. the bitterness of my soul after the deliverance from this bitter and dangerous Disease Which may be compared with ver 17. where he saith For or after peace I had great bitterness as here he presageth and assureth himself of the contrary That he should have Peace after his great bitterness The Chaldee Paraphrast renders the Words Because of my deliverance from bitterness of Soul bitterness being put for deliverance from bitterness as five is put for lack of five as we render it Gen. 18. 28. and fat for want of fat Psal. 109. 24. and fruits for want of fruits Lam. 4. 9. And other such like Defects there are in the Hebrew which is a very concise Language 16 O Lord by these things d By vertue of thy gracious Word or Promise and powerful Work by thy Promises and thy performances of them mentioned in the foregoing Verse This place may be explained by comparing it with Deut. 8. 3. Man doth not live by bread but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. The Sence is Not I onely but all Men do receive and recover and hold their Lives by thy Favour and the Word of thy Power And therefore it is not strange That one Word of God hath brought me back from the very jaws of Death men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit e And as it is with other Men so hath it been with me in a special manner for In these above all other things is the life of my Spirit or Soul i. e. either the comfort which is sometimes called Life of my Spirit or rather That Life which is in my Body from my Spirit or Soul united to it so ‖ Or hast recovered me and made me forer c. wilt thou recover me and make me to live f Or and or for thou hast recovered me c. to wit by these Things 17. Behold ‖ Or on my peace came great bitterness for peace I had great bitterness g My Health and Prosperity was quickly changed into bitter Sickness and Affliction Or as others render it My great bitterness was untâ—… peace was turned into Prosperity or became the occasion of my safety and further advantages For that drove me to my prayers and my prayers prevailed with God for a gracious Answer and the prolonging of my Life but †Heb abou hast loved my soul from the pit thou hast in love to my soul h In kindness to me the soul being oft put for the Man This is an emphatical Circumstance For sometimes God prolongs mens dayes in anger and in order to their greater misery delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back i Thou hast forgiven those sins which brought this evil upon me and upon that account hast removed the punishment of them which sheweth that thou didst this in love to me The phrase is borrowed from the custome of men who when they would accurately see and observe any thing set it before their faces and when they desire and resolve not to look upon any thing turn their backs upon it or cast it behind them 18 For k In this and the following verse he declares Gods design in delivering him that he might praise him in his Church which if he had died he could not have done the †Heb. Hell * Psal. 115. 17. grave cannot praise thee e death cannot celebrate thee they that go down into the pit connot hope for thy truth m They cannot expect nor receive the accomplishment of thy promised goodness in the Land of the Living l The dead are not capable of glorifying thy Name among men upon Earth which I desire and determine to do See the like expressions Psal. 6. 5. and 30. 9. and 88 10. c. The Grave is put for the persons lodged in it by a Metonymy 19 The Living the living he shall praise thee n They are especially obliged to it and they onely have this priviledge as I do this day the father to the children shall make known thy truth o They shall not
i. e. I falsly thought my self to be alive See also Phil. 3. 9. Or 2. They really delight for this is evident that there are many men who take some pleasure in the knowledge of Gods Will and Word and yet do not conform their Lives to it as a nation that did righteousness e As if they were a righteous and godly People and forsook not the †Heb. judgment Jer. 5. 4. 8. 7. ordinance of their God f As if they were not guilty of any Apostacy from God or neglect of or disobedience to Gods precepts they ask of me the ordinances of justice g As if they desired and resolved to observe them they take delight h Of which see the second note upon this verse in approaching to God i In coming to my Temple to hear my Word and to offer Sacrifices 3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not k They complain of hard usage from God that although they prayed and fasted and kept the rest of Gods ordinances all which are synecdochically comprehended under the title of fasting all their labor was lost and God neither regarded nor delivered them wherefore have we afflicted our soul l Defrauded and pinched our Appetites with fasting of which this Phrase is used Lev. 16. 29. 23. 27 29. and thou takest no knowledg Behold in the day of your fast m In those solemn days of fasting which I have appointed or in those times when I have called you by the course of my Providence and counsels of my Prophets unto fasting and weeping and mourning c. Isa. 22. 12. ye find pleasure n Either 1. You indulge your selves in sensuality as they did Isa. 22. 13. But this doth not agree with that afflicting of their Souls which they now professed and which God acknowledgeth v. 5. Or rather 2. You pursue and satisfie your own Lusts though you abstain from bodily food you do not mortifie your own sinful concupiscences and when you are restrained from outward Acts yet even then your Thoughts and Affections are set upon and working toward those things which gratifie your fleshly Inclinations and worldly Interests and exact all your ‖ Or things wherewith ye grieve others †Heb. grief labours o Your money got by your labour and lent to others either for their need or your own advantage for Labour is oft put for Wealth as Deut. 28. 33. Isa. 45. 14 c. Heb. your griefs not passively those things which are grievous to you but actively such as are very grievous and burdensom to others either hard Service above the strength of your Servants or beyond the time limited by God for their Service of which see an Instance Ier. 34. 13 14 15 16. or debts which you require either with usury or at least with rigour and cruelty when either the general Law of Charity or Gods particular and positive Law commanded the release or at least the forbearance of them of which see an instance Nehem. 5. 1 2 c. 4 Behold ye fast for strife and debate p Your fasting days wherein you ought in a special manner to implore the Mercy of God and to shew compassion to Men you imploy in a great measure in injuring or quarreling with your Brethren your Servants or Debtors or in contriving mischief against them as if the design of your fasting and praying to God were only to obtain a licence to oppress Men. Compare Mat. 23. 14. and to smite with the fist of wickedness q Or with a wicked fist a Genitive of the Adjunct To deal rigorously and injuriously with your Servants or Debtors which Servants it may be had sold themselves to the year of Redemption Exod. 21. 2. Lev. 25. 39 40 50. You handle them with an hard hand the word is used for fist Exod. 21. 18. the LXX add the humble poor or inferiour person and that not only their Debtors with a summum jus exact rigour which seems elsewhere to be expressed by grinding the face ch 3. 15. and in that Parable by taking by the Throat Mat. 18. 28. but also their Servants out of meer Will and Pleasure and in contempt of them treating them opprobriously as Christ was handled in contempt and scorn Mat. 26. 67 68. Ioh. 18. 22. ‖ Or ye fast not as this day ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your voice r Either 1. In strife and Debate in which Mens Passions shew themselves by loud clamours Or 2. So as to cause the cry of the oppressed by reason of your injuries of what kind soever to enter into the Ears of God which is a crying sin whether it proceed from unmercifulness Exod. 22. 25 26 27. which sometimes encreaseth to rage 2 Chr. 28. 9. or from injustice ch 5. 7. or from fraud and deceit Iaâ—… 5. 4. The Scripture doth frequently express whatever sin is against Charity in special as also general complex sins by crying Gen. 18. 20 21. Ion. 1. 2. Or 3. By way of Ostentation to note their Hypocrisie they love to be taken notice of by others Mat. 6. 2 5 16. or their Folly supposing that they shall be heard for their much speaking upon which account Baals Priests are mocked by Eâ—…ijah 1 Kin. 18. 27 28. 4. Voice here relates principally to their Prayer it is a Synecdoche of the kind so the sense is this is not the way to have your Prayers heard if you desire that you must fast in another manner and abstain from all kind of oppression And this seems best to suit the Context which is to shew what kind of fast the Lord reproves and what he approves in the following verses to be heard on high 5 Is it * Zech. 7. 5. such a fast that I have chosen s Approve of accept or delight in by a Metonymy because we delight in what we freely chuse * Lev. 16. 2â—… ‖ Or to afflict his soul for a day a day t Or to afflict his Soul for a day It is an Hypallage and so it may be understood either for a man to take a certain time to afflict his Soul in and that either from even to even Lev. 23. 32. or from morning to evening Iudg. 20. 26. 2 Sam. 3. 35. or else to afflict his Soul for a little time for a man to afflict u Or keep himself low or chassiâ—…e the Body for want of Food viz. outwardly without any inward sorrow or compunction for sin working a true Humiliation in the sight of God his soul x Put here Synecdochically for the Body or Person as is usual in Scripture Gen. 46. 18 22 25. Lev. 2. 2 4. 7. 20 21 27. 22. 11. is it to bow down his head as a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him z The Jews to express their sorrow made use of Sackcloth and Ashes two