Doctors did innocent Cranmer of Adultery Heresie and Treason Philpoâ— of Parricide Heresie c. To accuse was easie but how shamefully failed they in the proof These three after they had also interested God himselfe in their rash accusation of Job were forced to give him over Verse 4. Now Elihu had waited till Job hâ—d spoken Yea though his speech was very long yet he heard him out though himself were with child to speak Broughton rendreth it waited to speak with Job he would not thrust in till they had all done their discourses This was his modesty though a man of singular abilities Raram facit virtus cum scientia mixturam To blame then surely was Gregory for thinking so ill and wrighting so harshly of this good young man as if he had been proud and arrogant descanting to that purpose upon his Name Countrey and Kindred Because they were elder than he And therefore ought of right to have the precedency of speech though it appeareth by all that followeth that in this controversie he saw further into it judged righter and rebuked Job with more gravity and wisdom then any of them so that Job was fully convinced and made no reply at all no more than Joâ—ah did when God set him down chap. 4.11 so forcible are right words Verse 5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer And therefore Job looked upon himself as one that had won the day St. Austin professeth this was it that heartened him and made him to triumph in his former Manichisme that he met with feeble opponents and such as his nimble wit was easily able to over-turn And when Carolostadius opposed Luthers Consubstantiation but weakly and insufficiently Zuinglius said he was sorry that so good a cause non satis humerorum haberet wanted shoulders Then his wrath was kindled viz. From their coldness like as Nehem. 3.20 Baruc repaired earnestly se accendit he burst out into heat angry with his own and others sloth So Elihu here when he saw that Jobs eloquence triumphed over their wisdom and that their silence was a loud acknowledgement of their defeat he grew more angry than before and transported with zeal he saith â—o them very briskly Verse 6. I am young and ye are very old Yet was he nothing inferiour to any of them in wit piety Niceph. and learning he had lived long in a little time and was as One saith of Macarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an old-young-man as if he had been an Alban-born qui albo crine nascuntur Caniciem habent auspicium capillarum Solin who come into the world hoar-headed as did Seneca and thence had his name as Cassiodorus thinketh quòd canus quasi senior natus sit Some young men are ripe betime and more ready-headed than their ancients as David was Psal 119.100 and as Solomon was a child-King but very wise contrarily his son and successour Rehoboam entered into the Kingdom at a ripe age yet Solomon was the man and Rehoboam the child Age is no just measure of wisdom There are beard-less sages and gray-headed children Not the Ancient are wise but the wise is Ancient as Elihu will tell us in the next verses Wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion Heb. My knowledge that is the truth so far as I understand it siquid ego ant â—â—pio an t sapio if I have any judgement Thus he delivers himself in modest terms using many prefaces And if hereafter he seem to boast and set up himself above the rest as he doth it is out of his zeal for God whose honour he seeketh and not his own The words here rendred I was afraid and to shew are both Syriack Elihu by his family of Ram or Aram may seem to be that country-man and to have a touch of that dialect as Livy had of his Patavinity Verse 7. I said Dayes should speak This seems to have been a Proverb in those dayes and it ran much in Elihu's mind We use to say That at meetings young men should be Mutes and old men Vowels Of Arsatius who succeeded Chrysostom in the Sea of Constantinople Antonin tit 10. c. 9. it is recorded but nothing to his commendation that at eighty years of age he was as eloquent as a Fish and as nimble as a Frog And multitude of years should teach wisdom Heb. Should make known wisdom sc such as consisteth in the knowledge of God and of his will of our selves and of our duties This is far beyond all that of the Heathen Sages of the Seven wise Men of Greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. of Archimedes of Syracuse who had a name and same saith Plutarch not of humane but of a kind of divine wisdom So had Socrates so had Apollonius of whom Philostratus saith that he was non doctus sed natus sapicus not taught but born a wise man These all were the worlds wizards and what they came to see Rom. Instit l. 3. c. 30. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Lactantius truly telleth us in the name of the whole community of Christians That all the wisdom of a man consisteth in this to know God and worship him aright And that these Seniours should have taught and notified such wisdom Elihu had well hoped but it proved otherwise Verse 8. But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty Or Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration c. Man hath a reasonable soul and a natural judgement whereby he differeth from bruit beasts And not only so but some there are that do animam excolere as Tully and Aristotle they improve their natural abilities by art and so go far beyond others in worth differing from the unlearned as much almost as a man doth from a beast Lo such a spirit there is in some men which yet amounteth not to wisdom without the concurrence of Gods good spirit to sanctifie all as the altar sanctifieth the gold of the altar If this be not attained unto the wiser any man is the vainer he proveth Rom. 1.22 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of those wise even of the choicest and most pickt men amongst them that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.20 And to such we may say as Austin once wrote to a man of great parts Ornari abs te diabolus quarit the Devil desireth to be tricked up by thee And the inspiration of the almighty giveth them understanding He is the wise man when all 's done whom whether old or young the spirit of God who acteth most freely is pleased to imbreath And although Arts and Age be good helps to knowledge yet they must be all taught of God that shall be wise unto salvation and such as these the elder they grow the wiser they are for most part and if young saints they become old angels True it is that God is debter to none neither doth a longer life of it self deserve any thing at Gods
and prayer we can seek of God direction and protection as here we shall speed of both And for our little ones These should be a main part of our care to lay up prayers for them to commend them to Gods safe-keeping forasmuch as puerilitas est periculorum pelagus Little ones are liable to a thousand deaths and dangers And for all our substance Our stock and our store all the goods that we have got and gathered together Our English word Riches answereth to the Hebrew Recush Vers 22. For I was ashamed Heb I blusht and was abasht I knew not how to put on the face to do it neither could I bring my mind to crave a convoy though it might have been of great use to us lest the name of God should thereby be dishonoured and his excellencies questioned It is the ingenuity of Saints to study Gods ends more then their own and to be far more troubled when any thing crosseth him then when themselves are crossed or disappointed Propter te Domine propter te is the good mans Motto Choice and excellent spirits are all for God whatever becometh of themselves Vers 22. Because we had spoken to the King saying They had spoken good of Gods Name and amply set forth his power providence goodnesse and other Attributes being no whit ashamed so to do before Kings as Psal 119.46 so did Chrysostome Basil Latimer Lambert John Colet Dean of Pauls and Founder of the Free-school there He for the bold and faithful discharge of his duty in a Sermon before Hen. the eighth at the siege of Tournay was called to his trial by the Kings Counsellours but the issue proved happy for he gave so great content to the King M. Clark in his Life that he taking a cup of Wine said Deane I drink to you let every one take whom he will for his Confessour you shall be my Doctour Holy Ezra found no lesse favour with this might Monarch whom he had well informed in the manifold excellencies of God as appeareth by this and sundry other preceding passages The hand of our God is upon all them c. To hide them in the hollow of it till the indignation be overpast to hold them by their right hand and so to guide them by his Counsel that he may afterwards take them to his glory Psal 73.23 24. But his power and his wrath Id est His powerful wrath his anger armed with power for vanae sine viribus irae Psal 90.11 Jam. 4 10. But who knoweth the power of thine anger saith Moses even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Let him fear thee never so much he is sure to feel thee more if once he fall into thy fingers into that mighty hand of thine as St. James stileth it before which ten thousand Kings cannot stand Let God-forsakers therefore do as those Elders of Israel did 2 Kings 10.3 4 5. Is against all them that forsake him Such are all they 1. That forsake not their sins Job 20.17 Isa 55.7 2. That know not God Isa 1.3 4. Eph. 4.18 3. That trust to idols or creature-comforts arm of flesh 1 Kings 9.9 Josh 24.20 Jer. 2.13 4. Church-forsakers and Apostates Heb. 10.25 38. God hath against all these and will consume them after that he hath done them good Josh 24.20 Psal 73.27 1 Chron. 28.9 Jon. 2.8 Jer. 17.13 Deut. 31.16 2 Chron. 12.5 and 15.2 and 24.20 Verse 23. So we fasted They put their holy resolution into execution purpose without practise is like Rachel beautiful but barren And besought our God for this And they had it 2 Sam. 1.22 Verse 31. For fasting and prayer are like Jonathans bow and Sauls sword that never turned back or returned empty God is a liberal Rewarder of all such as in this sort diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 2 Chron. 15.2 He will turn their fasting into feasting their prayers into praises Ezek 36.37 Zech. 8.19 They shall have out their prayers either in mony or monies-worth either in the very thing they desired or at least strength to stay themselves upon God with good assurance that his grace shall be sufficient for them and that he will be their shield and their exceeding great reward Verse 24. Then I separated twelve I singled them and set them apart for this great trust vide cui fidas Sherebiah Hoshabiah Heb. With Sherebiah Hoshabiah men of known integrity Vers 18.19 and ten of their brethren with them four and twenty in all a complete company of faithful Trustees Verse 25. And weighed unto them Heb. I scaled it out unto them Cyrus taled it out to Zerubbabel Chap. 1.8 9 c. And his Lords Called Mighty Princes Chap. 7.28 see Isa 10.8 And all Israel there present Heb. There found at that time or that had found in their purses found in their hearts Verse 26. Six hundred and fifty talents of silver That is 243750 pounds sterling An hundred talents That is 37500 pounds sterling Verse 27. Of a thousand drammes 312 pounds and 10 shillings The Hebrew or rather Chaldee word here rendred a Dramme seemes to be taken from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And two vessels of fine Copper Ex orichalco praestante Of some choyce mixt mettle Auro contrâ non caro Verse 28. Ye are holy to the Lord Heb. Ye are holinesse unto the Lord and must sanctifie the holy God in righteousness Esa 5.16 The vessels are holy also Id est set apart to sacred uses and therefore to be kept carefully used respectively The Turks spare and keep better then ordinary Grand Sign Serag those very Asses of theirs that have been used for carriage to Mecha where their Mahomet lyeth buried Neither will they put paper to any base use because that both the Name of God and the Mahometan Law are written upon the like Verse 29. Watch ye with utmost care and solicitude as the word signifieth How much more should we watch and trebble watch as Luk. 12.37 38 43. to keep our vessels bodies in sanctification and honour Not in the lust of concupiscence c especially since Aug. Adversus majora vigilantibus quaedam in cautis minutiora surrepant and Satan worketh strongest on the fancy when the soul is sleepy or a little drowsy Watch ye therefore and keep This lesson had need to be often rung in our ears Verse 30. So took the Priests and the Levites The great charge committed to them and laid upon them did not weaken but waken their heroik spirits Tu non crede malis sed contrà audentior ito Verse 31. And of such as lay in wait by the way Enemies they had not a few when was it otherwise but some that purposely way-laid them M Clarks Lives but were defeated by a gracious providence So were the Manichees who lay in wait for Austin and those that pursued Jewel about the beginning of Q. Maries Raign as he was going from Oxford to London Both
these had been caught and made a prey to their Enemies but that they lost their way What saith the Prophet As Birds flying so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem like as when the young are in danger of the kite the Bird flies to save them defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it Verse 32. And abode there three dayes For necessary refreshment after so long a journey The body is the souls servant and must therefore be kindly and fairely dealt with Corpus sive corpor quasi cordis por id est paer sive famulus ut sit par negotio that it may be neither above not below its businesse but even with it meet for it Verse 33. Now on the fourth day Viz. of their fifth moneth After a short repose they set close to work To recreations God allowes men to stoop for their bodyes sake as the Eagle to the prey or as Gideons Souldiers to soop their handfull not to swill their belly full Verse 34. By number and by weight c. In reference to this Text Let thy confession be full saith a reverend man bring out thy sins as those in Ezra did the vessels of the Temple by number and by weight 1. By Number Lev. 16.21 Aaron was to confesse over the scape goat all the iniquities of the children of Israel 2. By weight he was to confesse all their trangressions in all their sins that is laying open how many transgressions were wrapped up in their several sins and their circumstances Verse 35. Also the children of those that had been In token of presenting their bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God their Deliverer Rom. 12.1 Let us that are freed from sins slavery become the servants of righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 and being delivered from the hands of our Enemies serve God without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives Luk. 1.74.75 Verse 36. And they furthered the people Heb. They gave them a lift lent them an helping hand not out of love to the work but for fear of the King and in pursuance of his commands and commissions Thus the Devil and his impes sometimes do Gods will though with an ill will Psal 119.91 They continue this day according to thine Ordinances for all are thy servants How much better were it to work from a right principle not by constraint but willingly not for fear of wrath but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 51 to love to be Gods servants taking hold of his Covenant Isai 56.6 and saying to him as the people did to Joshua Chap. 1.16 or as the Rulers and Elders to Jehu 2 Kings 10.5 We are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us CHAP. IX Verse 1. Now when these things were done HEre are post maxima gaudia luctus Heavens joyes are without measure or mixture But this present life is overspred with sins and miseries as with a filthy morphew Of good Ezra we may say as Pliny doth of Metellus Metellus infelix dici non debet felix non potest Lib. 7. c. 47. Unhappy we may not call him happy we cannot witnesse the dolefull discourse of this Chapter The Princes came unto me The better sort of them that were sensible of the abuses crept in and desired a Reformation For some of the Princes also and Rulers had their hands elbow-deep in the wickednesse complained of Verse 2. The people of Israel The Many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common sort that shallow-braind but many-headed Beast that loves to follow the herd and do as the most do though thereby they be utterly undone for ever And the Priests and the Levites This was much for these knew the Law and made their boast of it Rom. 2.18.23 They could not be ignorant of the unlawfulnesse of this mixing themselves in marriage with Heathens not proselyted Now sins against knowledge and conscience are of a double dye of a crymson colour and make a great breach a deep gash in a mans spirit Esay 59.11 12. What was it that brought such roarings and troubles on them and that when salvation was looked for Our iniquities testify to our faces and we know them Have not separated themselves The separation of the Saints from the wicked is a wonderful separation Exod. 33.16 such as was that of light from darknesse in the creation God hath brought them out of darknesse into his marvellous light Why then should they be unequally yoked together with unbeleevers what communion hath light with darknesse c 2 Cor. 6.14 1 Pet. 2. Doing according to their abominations How should they chuse but do so when so matched and married what 's the reason the Pope will not dispense in Spain or Italy if a Papist marry a Protestant yet here they will but in hope thereby to draw more to them The brown bread in the Oven will be sure to fleece from the white not that from it So in married couples seldome is the worse bettered by the good but the contrary See Nehem. 13.26 Verse 2. For they have taken of their daughters Taken them for wives which was fllatly forbidden Deut. 7.3 and a reason given ver 4. from the evil effect of such unblest marriages This abuse Malachi complaineth of chap. 2.11 13. whom some make to be the same man with Ezra For themselves and for their sons Whom they herein helped to a cold arm-ful as Lycophron calleth a bad wife or rather to an unnatural heat worse then that of a quartan ague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as said Simonides as bad as that of an evil spirit said another Heathen So that the holy seed Id est The children of Israel who were all federally holy at least Deut. 7.6 as are also all the children of Christian Parents 1 Cor. 7.14 Hath been chief in this trespasse Which they think audaciously to bear out with their big looks to obtrude and justify to the World this most malapert misdemeanour because it is facinus majoris abollae the fact of a great one Verse 3. Juvenal I rent my garments and my mantle In token of his deep and down-right humiliation indignation detestation of their dealings herein And pluckt â—ff the hair of my head and of my beard To shew how passionately grieved and offended he was The raging Turk did the like at the last assault of Scodra being extremely vexed at the dishonour and losse he had received there But what followed In his choler and frantick rage Turk Hist he most horribly blasphemed God whereas holy Ezra though he sat astonied till the Evening sacrifice yet then he poureth forth his soul in an heavenly prayer verse 5 6. And sate down astonied As one that hath neither life nor soul as we say that can neither say nor do for himself being wondrously amazed astonished or desolate as David had been Psal 143.4 The true Zealot as his love is fervent his desires
evil a great evil It displeased them sore and vexed them at the very heart such was their spleen and spite Envy is a deadly mischief and because it cannot feed upon other mens hearts it feedeth upon its own drinking up the most part of its own venome The envious man is not like the mayd in Avicen who feeding upon poison was her self healthy yet infected others with her venemous breath But like the Serpent Porphyrius which is full of poyson but wanting teeth hurteth none but himself or as the hill Aetna c. That there was come a man to seek the welfare c. This they looked upon with an evil eye and were vexed Invidiâ Siculi c. Who can stand before envy Prov 27.4 It espieth with great grief the smallest things the good mandoth or hath and is therefore absolutely the best thing to clear the eye-sight said Actius Sincerus a Noble-man to King Frederike Verse 11. So I came to Jerusalem Thither God brought him as on Eagles wings maugre the malice of his Enemies The Jewes had great reason to rejoyce and to welcome him with great solemnity which yet they did not for ought we read but that hetaketh not for any discouragement his reward was with God He was of another spirit then his Countrey-men who were all for their own ends and interests and little cared for the publike And was there three dayes Resting his body Quod caret alterna requie c. See the Note on Ezra 8.32 But casting about in his mind how best to effect that he came for Ovid. and to perswade with others to joyn with him And now he found that he was come from the Court to the Cart from a pleasant life to a careful and cumbersome Verse 12. And I arose in the night His cares would not suffer him to sleep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but up he gets and about the Walles taking the Night Homer as fittest for secrecy and safety I and some few men with me He went not alone lest he should fall into some danger of life Vae soli Not yet with many lest he should make a disturbance and bewray his counsel Be wise as Serpents Matth. 10. Neither told I any man what God had put into my heart That the thing was of God he nothing doubted hence his fervour in following it he knew there was a curse to those that do the Lords work negligently That he might not be defeated of his purpose he telles no man He that would have his counsel kept let him keep it to himself Hardly shall a man meet with such a Counsel-keeper as he was who being upbrayded with his stinking breath answered that he had kept his friends secrets committed to him so long in his breast that there they rotted and thence was the unsavourinesse of his breath Si sapis arcano vina reconde cado Qui sapit arcano gaudeat ipse sinu Neither was there any beast For the avoyding of noyse Verse 13. By the gate of the valley By which men went into the Valley of Jehoshaphat Joel 3.2 12. The Septuagint call it Portam Galilae the gate of dead mens sculles because that way they went out to Golgotha Even before the Dragon-well So called either because some venemous Serpent had been found there or because the waters ran out of the mouth of a brasen Serpent or because they ran creepingly softly as the waters of Siloe Isa 8.6 And to the Dung-port Where was their common dunghil a Voyder to the City near whereunto ran the Brook Cedron or the Town-ditch And viewed the Walls of Jerusalem Junius rendreth it Vbi effringebam de muris Where I brake off a piece of the Wall sc that I might try the soundnesse or unsoundnesse of that which remaineth of it that I might know whether it needed to be all pulled down or whether it might be built upon Our Translatours read it sober not shober and thence the different interpretation Which were broken down Asher hem perutsim Hem with an open Mem which is not usual to set forth as some think the rupture and opennesse of the Walles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much bewailed by this good man in this chapter Verse 14. Then I went to the Gate of the Fountain Or Well-gate where was great plenty of Water-ponds Watering-places c. Junius saith it was that whereby men went out to the pool of Siloah and Rogel And to the Kings-pool The Water-course made or repayred at least by King Hezekiah 2 King 20.20 But there was no place for the beast c. There was so much rubbish and such ruines This was the fruit of sin which makes of a City an heap as the Prophet speakes and hurleth such confusion over the World that had not Christ our true Nehemiah undertaken the shattered condition thereof to uphold it it had surely fallen about Adams ears Verse 15. Then went I up in the night Sc. by Moon-light for the Moon is Mistresse of the Night Psal 136.9 by the brightnesse she â—orroweth from the body of the Sun which the Moon receiveth and reflecteth like a looking-glasse And viewed the Wall That which was left of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Scaligers Epitaph is Scaligeri quod reliquum est Scaligers reliques And entred by the Gate of the Valley Where he first went out so he walked the round not earing to observe that Rule of Pythagoras Eâdem viâ quâ progress us fueris ne regrediare Go not back the same way thou camest forth Verse 16. And the Rulers knew not whither I went Taciturnity in some cases is a vertue and every thing is beautifull in its season There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak Eccles 3.7 And he is a truly wise man that can discern his season for both Discamiu priùs non loqui saith Hierome Let us first learn not to speak that we may afterwards open our mouths and minds with discretion Silence is by Solomon first set before speaking and first takes its time and turn as it did here in Nehemiah the prudent See the Note on ver 12. The word here rendred Rulers is rather Chaldee then Hebrew Nor to the Nobles Heb. White ones Among the Jewes great men affected to go in white as among the Romans in purple or scarlet Hence Pilates Souldiers clad Christ in purple Herods in white Luk. 23.11 Mat. 27.28 Nor to the rest c. So as to ask their advise Verse 17. Then said I unto them Then when I saw it a fit season to say it It is an excellent skill to time a word Isa 50.4 To circumstantiate it aright Prov. 25.11 That it may run as upon wheels Nehemiah's words do so notably Verba priùs ad limam revocata quà m ad linguam words well weighed ere uttered Nescit poenitenda loqui qui proferenda priùs suo tradidit examini He cannot but speak wisely who speaketh
otherwise Nehemiah will never do it to dye for it And now is there that being as I am So greatly beloved of God Dan. 9.23 so highly favoured of the King chap. 2.2 4. so protected hitherto so prospered so entrusted with the government and safety of this people more dear to me then my very life Would go into the Temple As a Malefactour to take Sanctuary there or as a Coward to save mine own life with the losse of the lives of many of the precious sonnes of life Zion I will not go in The Heavens shall sooner fall then I will forsake the Truth Will. Flower Act. Mon. 1430. In Epist said that Martyr Omnia de me praesumas praeter fugam palinodiam said Luther to Staupicius I le rather dye then flye burn them turn Latimer was wondrous bold and stout in his dealing with Henry the eighth both before and after he was a Bishop So were Athanasius Ambrose Basil the primitive Confessours This courage in Christians the Heathen persecutours called Obstinacy and not faith Sed pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur saith Tertullian in his Apology For this obstinacy of faith we gladly dye neither can we dye otherwise for the love of Christ constraineth us Life in Gods displeasure is worse then death as death in his true favour is true life as Bradford told Gardiner Verse 12. And so I perceived that God had not sent him By my spiritual sagacity I smelt him out as having mine inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Doth not the eare try words as the mouth tasteth meat Job 12.11 What though we have not received the Spirit of the World we cannot cog and comply as they can yet we have received a better thing the Spirit of God the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 16. But that he pronounced this prophecy against me To make my righteous soul sad with his â—yes Ezek. 13.22 and to bring me to disgrace and danger Luther was wont to advise Preachers to see that these three Dogs did not follow them into the pulpit Pride Covetousnesse and Envy For Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him A mere mercenary he was then and had Linguam Vaenalem he could call good evil and evil good justify the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isa 5.20 Such false prophets were Dr Shaw and Frier Pinket in Rich. the thirds time who made use of them as his Factours to obtrude bastardy on his brother King Edward the fourth and so to disable his children for the Crown that he might settle it upon his own head Dan. Hist What became of Pinket I know not but Shaw as ashamed of his Sermon at Pauls crosse disconsolately departed and never after that was publikely seen Like unto these were Bishop Bourn and Cardinal Pool in Q. Maries dayes The Cardinal hired with the Archbishoprick of Canterbury took for his Text Esay 66.8 and applyed it to England as then happily reduced to the Popes obedience Bourn for the Bishoprick of Bâ—th preached such staffe at Pauls-cross that the people were ready to tear him in pieces They flang a Dagger at him in the Pulpit Phlugius Melch. Adam and Sidonius Authours of the Popish Book published in Germany by the name of Interim Chrisma oleum pontificium defendebant ut ipsi discederent unctiores defended Chrisme and extreme unction as being liquoured in the fists and promoted to fat Bishoprickes But a Minister as he should have nothing to lose so he should have as little to get he should be above all price or sale Nec prece nec pretio should be his Motto Verse 13. Therefore was he hired that I should be afraid But they were much mistaken in their aimes this matter was not malleable Nehemiah was a man of another spirit of a Caleb-like spirit he was fide armatus Deo armatus and therefore undaunted he was full of Spiritual mettle for he knew whom he had trusted And do so and sin Nehemiah feared nothing but sin and the fruit thereof shame and reproach so great was his spirit so right set were both his judgment and affections But if any thing would have drawn him aside from the straight wayes of the Lord base fear was the likeliest as we see in David at Gath and Peter in the High-priests hall See Zeph. 3.13 with the Note Pessimus in dubiis Augur Timer And that they might have matter for an evil report This wicked men watch for as a Dog doth for a bone and if they get but the least hint oh how happy do they hold themselves what wide mouthes do they open c It is our part therefore by a Nehemiah-like conversation to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who like Black-moores despise beauty like Dogs bark at the shining of the Moon Of Luther it was said by Erasmus Nec hostes reperiant quod calumnientur Of B. Hooper it is said that his life was so good that no kind of slander although diverse went about to reprove it could fasten any fault upon him Act. Mon. 1366. The like is reported of Bradford and Bucer We should so carry our selves ut nemo de nobis malè loqui absque mendacio possit as Hierom hath it that none might speak evil of us without a manifest lye Verse 14. My God think upon Tobiah and Sanballat Heb. Remember to be revenged on them q.d. I cannot deal with them but do thou do it He doth himself no disservice saith one who when no Law will relieve him maketh God his Chancellour It is a fearful thing to be put over into his punishing hands by the Saints as Joab and Shimei were unto Solomons hands by dying David If men in their best estate are so weak that they are crushed before the moth how shall they stand before this great God According to these their works Qualia quisque facit talia quisque luat Let them drink as they have brewed And on the Prophetesse Noadiah Who joyned with Shemaiah in this dissimulation and was of his counsel Omne malum ex gynaecio False Prophets and Seducers are seldome without their Women Simon Magus had his Helena Carpocrates his Marcellina Apelles his Philumena Montanus his Priscilla and Maximilla c. And the rest of the Prophets Improperly so called but so they pretended to be and here they had conspired a great sort of them to do evil That would have put me in fear By their concurrent prophesies purposely to disgrace and endanger me Suffragia non sunt numeranda sed expendenda Multitude and antiquity are but ciphers in Divinity Verse 15. So the Wall was finished Though with much ado and maugre the malice of all forrein and intestine Enemies So shall the work of grace in mens hearts it is perfected there by opposition and growes gradually but constantly and infallibly In the twenty and fifth day of the moneth Elul Which
that the best had need hear the Law ne spiritum sessâ—rem excutiant that they might be kept within the bounds of obedience Not the unruly colt onely but the Horse that is broken hath a bit and bridle also Verse 2. And Ezra the Priest brought the Law The Commandement he knew well was a Lamp and the Law a light and reproofs of instruction the way of life Prov. 6.23 The Greeks call the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Cratylo the standing mind of God And if Demosthenes could say of mens Lawes that they were the invention of God If Xenophon could say of the Persian Lawes that they kept the people even from coveting any wickednesse If Cicero durst say of the Roman Lawes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they far excelled and exceeded all the learned Libraries of the Philosophers both in weight and worth How much more may all this and more be said of this perfect Law of God the book whereof was here brought forth by Ezra and read and expounded in the eares of all the people Before the Congregation both of Men and Women Heb. from Man to Woman for souls have no sexes and in Christ there is no difference Gal. 4.28 The Jewes at this day little regard their Women not suffering them to come within their Synagogue And the Turkish Women never go to their Moschees neither is there any heed taken or reckoning made of their Religion at all The Papists say a that Distaffe is fitter for a woman then a Bible And all that could hear with understanding i.e. Children also that were of any grouth Little Pitchers have ears and little children will understand much if well principled Vpon the first day of the seventh moneth A moneth of more solemnities then any other this first day was a double holy-day Levit. 23.24 See Deut. 31.11 Verse 3. And he read therein As a Scribe he wrote the Law and as a Priest he read and expounded it This was Christs own custome Luk. 4.16 and the Jews Acts 13 15 27. and 15.21 and is still to this day One lesson is ever read out of the Law in their publike meetings and another out of the Prophets correspondent to the former in argument The Holy Scripture is called Mikre the Reading ver 9. of this chapter because it ought to be read to all and the Word as if all the use of our ears were to hear this Word From the morning untill mid-day This was a great while five or six houres together they spent in holy duties whereas the most amongst us think long of an hour they sit as it were in the Stocks whiles they are hearing the Word read or preached and come out of the Church when the tedious Sermon runneth somwhat beyond the glasse like prisoners out of a gaol And the eares of all the people were attentive to the Book Heb. Were to the Book of the Law which phrase importeth both their attention and affection to what they heard delivered They drew up the ears of their souls to the ears of their bodies and so one sound pierced both See the like Luk. 19.48 they hung upon Christs Holy lips as loth to lose any part of that precious language The Jews at this day though they give very great outward respect to their Torah or Book of the Law carrying it about their Synagogue at the end of Service in procession and the like yet for any shew of attention or elevation of spirit I could never discern saith one that had been much amongst them but they are as reverent in their Synagogues as Grammar-boyes are at School when their Master is absent Verse 4. And Ezra the Scribe stood upon a Pulpit of wood Heb. A Tower of wood because high and round as ours are The Cappuchines and other Popish preachers are said to have long Pulpits wherein they may walk and act as upon stage in Lent espâ—cially at which time it is the custome of Italy for the same man to preach six dayes in the week upon the Gospel of the dayes and on the Saturday in honour and praise of the Virgin Mary And beside him stood Vattithiah c. For greater authority sake as concurring with Ezra and ready in their turn to perform the work Praedicationis officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit said Gregory long since No preacher is no Minister Verse 5. And Ezra opened the Book Gods Book not Aristotles Ethiks as Melancthon saith he heard some Popish Priests preaching upon Texts thence taken And Câ—rolostadius was eight years Doctour when he first opened the Bible and yet at the taking of his degree he had been pronounced Sufficientissimus For he was above all the people Both in place and office as representing the person of God and bearing his Name unto his People All the people stood up For reverence sake So did Eglon that fat King of Moab when he heard of a message from God Judg. 3.20 Balaam being to utter his parable biddes Balak arise up and hear him Our Saviour stood up to read his Text. Luk. 4.16 Constantine the Great and our King Edward the sixth would not hear a Sermon but standing The modern Jewes shew their reverence to their Law by a like gesture and their adoration is by bowing forward of their bodies for kneeling they use none neither stir they their bonnets in their Synagogues but remain still covered Verse 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord i. e. He called upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised Psal 18.3 He prayed before he read and preached So ought we to do by his example as Lyra well noteth as is commonly done by all our Ministers Luthers usual prayer before Sermon was this Confirm O God in us what thou hast wrought and perfect the work that thou hast begun to thy glory Lord open our eyes that we may see the wonders of thy Law c. Zuinglius began his publike Lectures thus O Almighty Everlasting and Merciful God whose Word is a light to our feet and a Lanthorn to our paths open and illighten our minds that we may piously and holily understand thine oracles and be so transformed thereinto that we may not in any thing displease thy Majesty thorough Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Platonists could say that the light of our minds whereby we learn alâ—things is no other but God himself the same that made all things This made Ezra here blesse the Lord that is say with David Psal 119. ver 12. Blessed be thou O Lord teach us thy Statutes The great God The true Trismegist the Fortissimus Maximus Opt. Max. All whose attributes are in the highest degree yea in a degree beyond any superlative And all the people answered Amen Amen This word is Hebrew but used in all Languages in the close of prayers The doubling of it here importeth their assent and their assurance It is the voyce of one that beleeveth and
expecteth that he shall have his prayers granted The Septuagint render it so be it or so it is The Apostle reckoneth it for a great losse when people either say not Amen to publike prayers or not heartily and affectionately as here 1 Cor. 14.16 Else When thou shalt blesse with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen The Turks also when their Priest hath said his Letany such as it is make answer in manner of a shout Homin that is Amen With lifting up their hands And withall their hearts unto God in the Heavens Lam. 3.41 This Nazianzen judgeth to be optimum opus manuum the best work of the hands sc in Coelos eas extendere ad precesque expandere to stretch them towards Heaven and to hold them out in prayer This way David ennobled his tongue therefore called his glory and so men may their hands And they bowed their heads In token of the lowlinesse of their hearts These outward gestures as they issue from the fervency of a good heart so they reflect upon the affections and do further inflame them Onely note that these bodily exercises are not alwayes or absolutely necessary in Divine worship God looks chiefly at the heart and hateth all outside-service and heartlesse devotion Isa 1. and 66.3 and such as is that of the Jews at this day Their holinesse saith One is the outward work it self being a brainlesse head and soul-lesse body And the like may be said of the Papist and of the common Protestant whose body is prostrate but his soul bolt-upright within him Verse 7. Also Jeshua and Bani c. caused the people to understand the Law As the audience was great so great was the company of Preachers Psal 68.11 The people were too many to be taught by one therefore they made sundry Companies and Congregations and had several Teachers as had likewise those primitive Christians Act. 1. and 3. when once they grew numerous And the people stood in their places Heb. And the people upon their stand They kept their stations according to their divisions not shuffling or shifting from Preacher to Preacher but abiding and attending with utmost intention and retention Verse 8. Explanatè Junius So they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly Expositè clarè vel cum expositione They read aloud and so treatably and plainely that all might know what they read Some stumble over the chapter so fast that few are the better And gave the sense Viz. by comparing place with place and interpreting one Scripture by another See the like done by St. Paul at Damascus Act. 9.22 he layd one Text to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Artificers do the several pieces of their work that they may perfectly agree the one with the other Causing the people to understand the reading Dabant intelligentiam per scripturam ipsam so Tremellius rendreth it Of the Law it may be said Et latet lâ—cet The Prophets are as so many expositours and explainers thereof they do excellently unfold and draw out that arras which was folded together before they give us Moses unveiled Search the Scriptures therefore and compare them Parallel texts like glasses set one against another do cast a mutual light like the Sun the Scriptures shew other things and themselves too Verse 9. Mr. Clarks Lives Part. 2. pag. 31. And Nehemiah which is the Tirshata Or Governour See Ezra 2.63 He had Jovianus the Emperours wished happinesse which was that he might govern wise men and that wise men might govern him And Ezra the Priest and Scribe See ver 3. And the Levites that taught the people That numerus nominum id est hominum mentioned ver 7. Men most happy in such melting hearers We now-adayes prevail as little as Bede did when he preached to an heap of stones This day is holy unto the Lord your God Your mourning therefore now is as much out of season as Sampson's Wives weeping was at her wedding All Gods worships were to be celebrated with joy Deut. 12.7 and sacrifices offered in mourning were abomination Hos 9.4 See Mal. 2.13 with the Note Mourn not nor weep Sc. Under sense of sin and fear of wrath This they were called to at another time Esay 22.12 Jam. 4 9 10. but every thing is beautiful in its season Eccles 3.3 For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law For like cause as Josiah did 2 King 22.11 19. His tender heart was troubled and terrified by the menaces of Gods mouth uttered against his and the peoples sins Hence some inferre that it was the Decalogue together with the malediction that was now read and applied and that made them weep so fast Get thee Gods Law saith holy Bradford as a glasse to look in so shall you see your face foul-arrayed and so shameful mangy pockey and scabbed that you cannot but be sorry at the contemplation thereof especially if you look to the tag tied to Gods Law which is such Serm. of Rep. pag. 20.26 27. as cannot but make us cast our currish tayles betwixt our legges if we beleeve it But oh faithlesse hard hearts O Jezebels guests rocked and laid asleep in her bed c. Verse 10. Then he said unto them Go your way A friendly dismission We must so reproove or admonish others as that we ever preserve in them an opinion of our good will unto them for this is that sugar that sweetneth all such tarter pilles Go your way eat c One being asked whether a good man might not feed upon sweet and delicate meat eat the fat and drink the sweet even the choysest Wines and chiefest viands answered Yes except God made bees onely for fools God freely permitteth to his best children the use of his best creatures even to an honest affluence on Thanksgiving-dayes especially provided that they feed with fear and keep within the bounds of sobriety And send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared That is to the poore the fatherlesse and the widdowes Deut. 16.14 Who have not their set meales nor certain dishes but as hard fare for their holy-day chear as Christs Disciples had once for their Sabbath-dayes dinner Matth. 12.1 For this day is holy unto the Lord An holy convocation Lev. 23.24 a day of blowing Trumpets a feast-day See Zach. 8.19 with the Note A more liberal use of the creature dilateth and exhilarateth the heart and so disposeth it to thankfulnesse Jam. 5.13 Psal 92.2 3. Eat that thy soul may blesse me Gen. 27.19 The idolatrous Israëlites sat down to eat and drink and then rose up to play Gods people should much more rejoyce in the Lord when refreshed by the creatures speaking good of his Name and serving him with cheerfulnesse in the abundance of all things Deut. 28.47 Neither be ye sorry No not for your sins now least it prove a sinful sorrow See ver 9. For the joy of the Lord
him though Darius laboured till the going down of the Sun to deliver him but could not Dan. 6.14 and as Steven Gardiner and his Complices attempted to do by Queen Katherine Parre had not her husband Henry the eighth rated them away and graciously rescued her out of their bloody fingers That durst presume in his heart to do so Heb. Whose heart hath filled him to do so Cujus cor persuasit ipsi so Vatablus Whose heart hath perswaded him thus to do The devil had filled Hamans heart sitting a brood thereon and hatching there this horrid plot Acts 5.3 But to do the devil right Haman had suffered the Sun nay many Suns to go down upon his wrath and thereby given place to the devil Eph. 4.26 27. Nemo sibi de suo palpet saith an Ancient quisque sibi Satan est Let no man deceive his own heart each man is a Satan to himself and though men blesse themselves from having to do with the devil and spet at his very name yet they fetch not up their spettle low enough they spet him out of their mouthes but not out of their hearts as being filled with all unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse full of envy murder debate deceit malignity Rom 1.29 Hamans heart thus stuffed might well have said to him at the Gallows as the heart of Apollodorus the Tyrant seemed to say to him who dreamed one night that he was fleaed by the Scythians and boiled in a Cauldron and that his heart spake to him out of the kettle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is I that have drawn thee to all this Those in hell cry so surely Verse 6. And Esther said Now she found her time to strike whiles the iron was hot she therefore layeth hold upon the opportunity that God had even thrust into her hand and laying aside all base feare pointeth out the enemy present and painteth him out in his proper colours A well-chosen season saith one is the greatest advantage of any action which as it is seldome found in haste so it is too often lost in delay Aug. It is not for Queen Esther now to drive off any longer The negligent spirit cries Cras Domine To morrow thou shalt pray for me said Pharaoh to Moses Fooles are ever futuring semper victuri as Seneca hath it but a wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgement Eccles 8.5 The men of Issachar in Davids dayes were in great account because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do and when to do it 1 Chron. 12.32 The adversary Heb. The man adversary the Lycanthropos the man of might that distresseth us angustiator that is our calamity as the people of Rome once by an elegant solecisme cried out Calamitas nostra Magnus est meaning it of Pompey sir-named Magnus And enemy That is the utter enemy that sworn Swordman of Satan the old manslayer from whom Haman hath drawn this ancient enmity Genesis 3.15 Is this wicked Haman Pessimus iste this homo hominum quantum est pessimus homo post homines natos nequissimus as wicked a man as goes on two legges a Merum scelus a man made up of mischief Bipedum nâ— quissimus a very breathing devil Cicero telleth of one Tubulus who was Praetor a little before his time so wicked a wretch Vt ejus nomen non hominis sed vitü esse viderâ—tur that his name seemed to be not the name of a man but of vice it self And Josephus saith of Antipater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his life was a very mystery of iniquity Think the same of Haman so portentously so peerlesly wicked and malicious that Esther can finde no word bad enough for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse it be Harang that naughtiest of all naughts as Saint Paul could call sin no worse then by its own name sinful sin exceeding sinful Rom. 7.13 Tiberius was rightly characterized by his Tutour Theodorus Gadareus dirt kned with blood Haman was such another if not worse and now he heares of it for never till now did the man adversary heare his true title Before some had stiled him Noble others Great some magnificent and some perhaps vertuous only Esther gives him his own wicked Haman Ill-deserving greatnesse doth in vain promise to it self a perpetuity of applause There will be those that will deal plainly and call a spade a spade Thus Jeremy dealt with Jehoiakim and Ezekiel with Zedekiah whom he calleth naught and polluted Go tell that fox saith our Saviour concerning Herod and God shall smite thee thou whited wall saith Paul to Ananias But what a courage had Esther to speak thus to the King and of his Favourite and before his face This was the work of her faith and the fruit of her prayer The Haman was afraid before the King and the Queen He was amazed and amated troubled and terrified Obstupuit steterúntque comae vox faucibus haesit Virg. In the fulnesse of his sufficiency he fell into straits Job 29.22 So that being convinced in his own conscience that the Queens accusation was very true and that the King knew it to be so he had nothing to say for himself he was even gagg'd as it were or muzled as Mat 22.12 according to that of David Psal 63.11 the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped And again Psal 12.3 The Lord shall cut off lying lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things Here we see how suddenly wicked ones may be cast down upon the discovery of their wickednesse in the height of their pride in the ruffe of their jollity as was Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Herod Haman Surely as thunder commonly is heard when the skie seemeth most clear so this man saw himself enveloped in a storme in one of the fairest dayes that ever befell him Verse 7. And the King arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath As not able to abide the sight of such a caitiffe he flings away in a chafe This wrath of the King was to Haman a messenger of death and so he apprehended it as appears by that which followeth Ashamed the King was and vexed that his favour and power had been so much abused to the hazarding of the Queens life and the taking away the lives of so many innocents It troubled him also to consider how he had lost his love upon so unworthy a wretch and trusted him with his secrets whom now he findeth treacherous and all for his own ends This King should first have fallen out with himself for his rashnesse and then have said as Alphonsus that renowned King did in a speech to the Popes Ambassadour he professed that he did not so much wonder at his Courtiers ingratitude to him who had raised sundry of them from mean to great estates as at his own to God This one consideration would have cooled him better then the repeating of the Greek Alphabet or his
his countrey Far be it from me to out-live Troy Curtius telleth us that Alexander the great when he was extreme thirsty and had water offered him he would not receive it Curt. 17. but put it by with this brave speech Nec solus bibere sustineo nec tam exiguum dividere omnibus possum There is not enough for all my souldiers to share with me and to drink it alone I cannot finde in my heart I will never do it Compare herewith this speech of Esther and you shall finde it far the better as being full of those precious graces whereunto Alexander was a perfect stranger humility prudence faith zeal toward God and ardent love toward his people Oh how great is the number of those now adayes saith Lavater here qui ne micam Spiritus Estherae habent who have not the least parcel of Esthers spirit but are all for themselves and for their own interests Or how can I endure to see Heb quomodo potero videbo How can I and shall I see how should I do otherwise then sink at the sight as she did in the Romane history when her sonne was butchered and as the Virgin Mary felt a sword at her heart when she beheld Christ crucified Luke 2.35 Melancthon said that good Oecolampadius died of grief for the Churches calamities Nehemiah was heart-sick for the breaches of Joseph chap. 2.3 with Amos 6.6 Moses wished himself expunged and Paul accursed rather then it should go ill with Gods people Verse 7. Then the King Ahashuerus said unto Esther c. Here Hamans letters of Mart are reversed by Ahashuerus whose answer to Esther is full of gentlenesse and sweetnesse but yet such as discovereth a minde perplexed and cast into straits as Princes eft-soones are by the subtilties and malice of wicked counsellours Dan. 6.15 so that they cannot do as they would unlesse they will bring all into a combustion though usually where the word of a King is there is power Eccles 8.4 and the old Lord Treasurer Burleigh was wont to say that he knew not what an Act of Parliament could not do in England and King James in his speech in the Starre-chamber Anno 1616. said as much Behold I have given Esther the house of Haman i. e. I have done somewhat toward the performance of my Promise made to Esther chap. 7.2 and more I am willing to do only I must observe good order and do things with discretion Behold I give you potestatem plenariam omnimodam all the power I have that therewith you may help your selves only my former decree I cannot reverse but I shall stirre up great garboiles in the Kingdome Josephus indeed telleth us that Ahashuerus did retract the Edict procured by Haman and further gave power to the Jewes that if any withstood the Kings will herein they should kill them c. But we are not bound to believe him in all things as neither Herodotus Livy nor any of the Historians the Sacred always excepted for Vopiscus In vita Aure â—â—iani who was one of them confesseth nominem historicorum non aliquid esse mentitum that there is none of them that hath not taken liberty to lie more or lesse and it is manifest that Josephus his manner is to recite what he thinks likely to have been done and what is fit to be written of such a businesse Baronius annales facit non scribit saith one think the same of Josephus he rather maketh an history sometimes then writeth it And therefore that is but a sorry excuse that the Papists make for their sacrilegious forbidding the people to reade the Scriptures when they refer them to Josephus as having the History of the Bible more largely and plainly described Joh. Barclai M. Paraenesi Because he laid his hands upon the Jewes He did it because he designed it Like as Balak also arose and fought with Israel Josh 24.9 and yet the story saith nothing so But that is in Scripture said to be done that is intended or attempted And this the Heathen also saw by the dimme light of nature Hence that of Seneca Fecit quisque quantum voluit And another saith Quae quia non licuit non facit illa facit Polybius attributeth the death of Antiochus to his sacriledge only in his purpose and will This Josephus thinks could not be scil that a man having a purpose only to sinne should be punished by God for it Hence he derideth Polybius for the forecited censure but he had no cause so to do for the Heathens herein exceeded the Pharisees who helâ— thought free and Josephus was sowred with their leaven Verse 8 Write ye also for the Jews Here was one Syngram or authoritative writing crossing another What could the people think of this but that crownes have their cares and it were a wonder if great persons in the multitude of their distractions should not let fall some incongruities We must not think saith Lavater here if Princes or States command things different one from another that it proceedeth from lightnesse of minde but that they make Lawes and set forth Edicts according to the state and necessity of the times and as the publick good requireth In the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reign here when mens mindes differed concerning Religion and Reformation could not safely be wrought at once it was by one and the same Proclamation commanded that no man should speak unreverently of the Sacrament of the Altar Camd. Eliz. p. 9. Ib. 17 20 and both kindes were permitted in the administration Religion was changed without commotion by degrees after that the Romish superstition had stood a whole moneth and more after the death of Queen Mary as afore The sacrifice of the Masse was not abolished till half a yeare after nor images cast out of Churches till two moneths after that Here then let St. James his counsel take place Be swift to hear slow to speak to speak evil of Governours when they answer not our expectations but seem to command contradictories There are certain Arcana imperii secrets of State that most men understand not and must therefore dedicate them to victory as the Romanes did that lake the depth whereof they could not fathom nor finde out Besides we must know that there will be faults so long as there be men and faults will slip betwixt the best mens fingers as Bishop Jewel was wont to say And as we endure with patience a barren yeare if it happen and unseasonable weather so must we tolerate the imperfections of Rulers and quietly expect either reformation or alteration As it liketh you Having been so lately deceived in Haman and by him miscarried to the ratifying of that bloody Edict he will no more trust his own judgement but referres the managing of the Jewes deliverance which now he greatly desired to their prudence discretion and faithfulnesse Few Kings would have yielded to have retracted lest they should thereby seem light and inconstant
of the sea for it was part of the Continent because mediâ inseperabilis undâ separated from other Countreyes and encircled with Gods powerful Protection It was say some Herod l. 3. by Mordecai's meanes exempted from this great taxation Herodotus saith that a Countrey near unto Arabia was exempted He meaneth Judea saith Junius though he name it not It may be so And it may be saith an Interpreter that this is here inserted as being intended only of the reimposing of the tribute whereof there was granted a release at Esthers marriage chap. 2.18 yet it may be also added to shew how God punished the Nations for their late greedy gaping after the lives and estates of Gods people Verse 2. And all the Acts of his Power and his might Lyra and Rikelius observe that Ahashuerus had all this power and might given him by God as a recompence of his courtesie to the Jewes and justice done upon their enemies No man serveth God for nought He is a liberal Pay-master Mal. 1.10 See the Note there And the declaration of the greatnesse of Mordecai Heb. the Exposition Many make large Commentaries upon their own greatnesse which a right Exposition would shew to be rather belluine then genuine Great men are not alwayes wise saith Elihu Job 32.9 But Mordecai was a great wise man every way accomplish't one of Gods Rabbines as Daniel calls them fit to serve any Prince in the world There is a spirit in man a rational soule in an ordinary man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32.8 Whereunto the King advanced him Heb. wherewith the King greatned him wherein he shewed himself a wise and Politick Prince as did likewise Pharaoh in advancing Joseph Darius Daniel Constantius Chlorus Christian Officers our Henry the eighth the Lord Cromwell whom he made his Vicar-General Jovianus the Emperour was wont to wish that he might govern wise men and that wise men might govern him Justin Martyr praiseth this sentence of divine Plato Common-wealths will then be happy when either Philosophers reigne or Kings study Philosophy Justin Apol Jethro's Justitiary must be a wise man fearing God c. Exod. 18. and that famous maxime of Constantius Chlorus recorded by Eusebius is very memorable He cannot be faithful to me that is unfaithful to God Religion being the foundation of all true fidelity and loyalty to King and Countrey Are they not written in the book of the Chronicles These Chronicles of Media and Persia if they were now to be had as they are not would far better acquaint us with the history of those times then the fragments of them collected by Herodotus Diodorus Arrianus Jeâ—stin and Curtius But better books then these Chronicles are now wanting to the world as the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Iudah the Book of the warres of the Lord the book of Jasher Origens Octapla the losse which work saith a learned man deplorare possumus compensare non possumus bewaile we may but make up we cannot Chrysostome upon Matthew when promotions were offered Thomas Aquinas his usual answer was Chrysostomi Commentarium in Matthaeum wallem I had rather have Chrysostomes Commentary upon Matthew and many other precious pieces which learned men would gladly buy at as deare a rate as Plato did those three bookes that cost him thirty thousand Florens That we have the holy Scriptures so perfect and entire preserved safe from the injuries of time and rage of tyrants who sought to burne them up and abolish them is a sweet and singular Providence and must be so acknowledged Verse 3. For Mordecai the Jew was next unto King Ahashuerus Proximus à primo the Kings second as 2 Chron. 28.11 having the next chief seat to him as Josephus expoundeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and set over all the Princes of that Monarchy so that he might well cry out with that noble General Iphicrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what mean beginnings to how great an estate and dignity am I raised How long he held it is not recorded all the dayes of his life it is likely for the good and comfort of the Church though not without the envy of many of the Courtiers which he overcame more by patience then pertinacy And great among the Jewes A kinde of King in Jeshurun as Moses as great among them as if he had been their proper King There is mention made of one Mordecai Ezra 2.2 who was of the first that went up with Zorobabel Aben-Ezra saith that this Mordecai was he and that when he saw that the building of the City and Temple went not on as was to be wished he returned again out of Judea to Shushan and lived about the Kings Court being not known to be a Jew till Haman was in his greatnesse soon after which himself became much greater then Haman And accepted of the multitude of his brethren He was their Corculum as Scipio their darling Orbis deliciae Melancth Chron. as Titus Mundi Mirabilia as otho the third Emperour of Germany was called Of Mordecai it might be sung as Cardanus did of our Edward the sixth Deliciae saecli gloria gentis erat Seeking the wealth of his people Farre more then his own private profit glory and dignity labouring their good both of soule and body by all meanes possible that they might have Gaius's prosperity and be as happy as heart could wish And speaking peace He was gentle and courteous to all not like Polyphemus who was Nec visu facilis nec dictu affabilis ulli Now affability and courtesie in high degree easily draweth mens mindes as faire flowers in the Spring do Passengers eyes Queen Elizabeth for instance of whom before Moreover he spoke good of them and for them to the King and promoted their prosperity to the utmost To all his seed i. e. to all his Countreymen as if they had been his own children And here that sweet Promise of God made to the good figges was fulfiled Jeremy had perswaded Jehoiakim and many others with him to yield themselves up into the hands of the King of Assyria assuring them that so doing they should fare farre better then those that stood out They did so and Mordecai among the rest as some will have it and now see how well they speed see the faithfulnesse of God in fulfilling his Promises the reward of the righteous the triumph of trust Again to all his seed That is posteris suis so some sense it he spoke peace to all his seed â—olocutâ—s est â—speritatem â—du Judaeoâ—â— posterita Merlin that is prosperity to all the Jewes posterity providing for their future happinesse also and taking course that after his death too the welfare of the Church might be continued This was dying Davids care 1 Chronicles 28.1 2 c. and Pauls Acts 20.29 and Peters 2 epist 1.15 and Ambroses of whom Theodosius speaking said Dilexi virum I could not but love the
in him to suspect 〈…〉 whilest he intended their good and turned his 〈…〉 That his children were godly is put 〈…〉 whether they had sinned But how then doth it follow And cursed God in their hearts And not blessed God so Calvin rendreth it not done him right So Sanctim and therefore wrong they have not high and honourable conceptions of him answerable to his excellent greatnesse but by base and bald thoughts cast him as it were into a dishonourable mould and not given him the glory due to his Name that holy and reverend Name Psal 111.9 Great and dreadful among the Heathen Mal. 1.14 In the Hebrew it is And blessed God for cursed by an Euphemismus or Antiphrasis as when an harlot is called Kedesha a holy woman by contraries So aurisacra i. e. execranda fames The Hebrews so abhorred blasphemy against God as they would not have the sound of it to be joyned to the Name of God whom they commonly call Baruc-hu the blessed One. So they would not take the name of Leven that prohibited ware into their mouths all the time of the feast of the Passeover Elias Thisâ— So in their common talk they call a Sow dabhar achar an other thing because they were forbidden to eat swines flesh Thus did Job continually Heb. all the dayes that is in the renewed seasons he was not weary of well-doing but stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord alwaies renewing his repentance and faith in Christ figured by those sacrifices for the Ceremonial Law was their Gospel Verse 6. Now there was a day Haply that day wherein Jobs children were feasting their last The Rabbines say the first day of the year and some say the sabbath day But who told them so this is to intrude into things which they have not seen Col. 2.18 and where of there is neither proof nor profit Certain it is that as God hath before all beginnings decreed all things so he hath set and assigned the times or seasons which he hath put in his own power Act. 1.7 when every thing shall come to passe as himself hath appointed Now then saith Beza the time being come which he prefixed for the actual accomplishing of that he had decreed concerning Job he revealed the same to Satan being before altogether ignorant thereof as whom he had appointed to be the chief instrument in executing this his will and purpose The children of God i.e. the Elect Angels called Sons of God here and elsewhere not because they are so by eternal generation as Christ alone nor by adoption and regeneration as the Saints John 1.12 but by Creation as Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3. ult and Resemblance for they are made in Gods image and are like him as his children both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties which are Life and Immortality Blessednesse and Glory wherein we shall one day be their comperes Luke 20.36 Came to present themselves This is spoken in a low language for our better apprehension by allusion to the custome of earthly Princes and their attendants and officers coming to give an account or receive directions The Angels are never absent from God Luke 1.19 but yet employed by him in governing the world Ezek 1. and guarding the Saints Heb. 1.14 This the heathens hammered at for both Plutarch and Proculus the Platonist say that the Angels doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 travel betwixt heaven and earth carrying the commands of God to men and the desires of men to God Jussa divina ferentes ad homines hominem voâ—â— ad deos And Satan came also among them That old man-slayer envying Jobs holinesse and happinesse as much as the good Angels rejoyced in it and promoted it for he was seen of Angels of both sorts would needs make one among those Sons of God not without Gods over ruling power although he regarded not so much Gods authority as wanted an opportunity and license to do mischief In reference to this history George Marsh Martyr in a certain letter of his writeth thus to his friend the servants of God cannot at any time come and stand before God that is lead a godly life and walk innocently but Satan comes also among them that is the daily accuseth findeth fault 〈◊〉 persecuteth and troubleth the godly c. Yet unlesse God do permit him he can do nothing at all not so much as enter into a filthy hog But we are more of price then many hogs before God Acts and Mon. fol. 14 23. Before the Lord Or By or Near the Lord. But can Satan come into the presence of God Mr. Caryl Surely no otherwise saith a grave Divine then a blind man can come into the Sun he cometh into the Sun and the Sun shineth upon him but he sees not the Sun Satan comes so into the presence of God that 〈…〉 of God he is never so in the presence of God as to see God Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan either by forming and creating a voice in the air as Matth. 3.17 Job 12.28 or by an inward word after an unspeakable manner manifesting his wil as he willed to Satan The School men have great disputes about the speech of spirits but this they agree in that the intention of one spirit is as plain an expression of his mind by another spirit when he hath a will that the other should understand it as the voice of one man is to another Whence comest thou This the Lord asketh not as if he were ignorant for he knows all things and that from eternity neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open before his eyes Heb. 4.13 yea in him all things subsist Colâ—â— 1.17 So that there can be no motion of the creature without his privity God therefore thus interrogateth Satan that he might shew himself to be his Judg and that he might exact a confession out of his own mouth Then Satan answered the Lord the word signifieth to speak in witnesse-bearing Exod. 20 16 From going to and fro in the earth He saith not from instigating men to all manner of wickednesse from ranging up and down as a roaring Lion to devour soules from sinning that sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. All this he cunningly dissembleth and saith in effect as once Gehezi did Thy servant was no where or for no hurt to any when as he is never but doing mischief as Pliny saith of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting Is not the hand of Joab in this businesse So is not Satan in all the sins of the wicked and in most of the troubles of the godly Heâ— quà m furit Satan impellis secures homines ad horrenda flagitia c. saith Luther O how doth Satan range and rage that he may glut himself
of the quick-springs without ever fading or withering psalm 1.3 Jer. 17.8 That is to say he shall have a lively root of faith continually nourished by Gods grace under his safe-guard and favour he shall be strong in all assayes abundant in good works and all manner of blessings Vterque sensus egregius est saith Mercer this also is a good sense but the former I conceive to be the better and more agreeable to the letter of the text Verse 17. His roots are wrapped about the heap c. i. e. they are deeply intrenched and strongly incorporated into the ground wreathed in with the heap as thorns about a hedge The hypocrite seemeth to be notably well rooted not in the world only but in the Church too which we may compare as Plato doth man Intricantuâ— whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heavenly plant to a tree inverted with the root above and the branches below Our Saviour speaketh of branches in him seemingly so that bear not fruit John 15.2 These are hypocrites who think themselves to be rooted in Christ and others also think no lesse of them but it proves otherwise for they are fruitlesse as a poll fixed in the earth but not rooted there as a rotten leg cleaves to the body but is no part of it or as wens and ulcers which are taken away without any losse to it How farre an hypocrite may go see the parable of the stony and thorny grounds Matth. 13. See also Heb. 6.4 5. and 16.29 2 Pet. 2.20 21. He may come as far as Kadesh-barnea within eleven dayes journy of the heavenly Canaan and yet fall short of it he may seem to be stedfast and unmoveable as a tree whose roots are wrapped about a rock He seeth the place of stones Mr. Brougthton rendreth it He platteth about the house of stone Others He looketh into the house of stone he looks in at the windowes and so hindreth the light annoying the masters house both below and above who therefore resolves to have him down as it followeth Verse 18. If he destroy him from his place If he stub up this green tree no better surely then the Cyparit of which Pliny writeth that it beareth fruit to no purpose Plin. lib. 10. small berries bitter leaves that it yeilds an ill smell and no pleasant shade or as the box-tree green indeed all the year about but of an offensive smell no fruit and such a seed as all living creatures hate Now if he that is Almighty God destroy him that is the hypocrite as he will do questionlesse totally and speedily swallowing him up what then Then it shall deny him saying I have not seen thee Heb. It shall tell a lie of him c. the place as ashamed to own him shall feign and say We have not seen him we know not what is become of him So Psalm 37.35 26. As they have denyed the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 So they shall one day be denied by the places they have bought or builded by the people that once clawed them and cryed them up Verse 19. Behold this is the joy of his way q.d. A goodly joy sure the hypocrites joy is but the hypocrisie of joy a little counterfeit complexion like a slight dash of rain a handful of brush wood or sear thorn under the pot Eccles 7.6 or as weeds that grow on the top of the water floating aloft but touch not the bottome Vt canes solent quando peregre adveaienti Domino adulantur Though it be an exulting joy as the word signifieth a leaping joy such as is that of dogs leaping upon their masters returning home after a journey yet it is not lasting it goes out as snuffe or as a blazing star or at best as the fire of thornes Psalm 118.12 Naz. Yea though for the time it hath been so great that if it had continued but a while it would have overwhelmed them so that their spirits would have expired as some Apostates have professed they have thought themselves in heaven sometimes and have rejoyced accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And out of the earth shall others grow Alii qui alieni erunt ab eo Others who had no relation to him shall succeed him Drus enjoy his estate and eat the sweet of all his labours chap. 27.16 17. Eccles 2.18 and 4.8 Prov. 12.3 A man shall not be established by wickednesse but the root of the righteous shall not be moved See another sense of this and the three foregoing verses verse 16. Verse 20. Behold God will not cast away a perfect man Epilogus sermonis Bildad This is the Epilogue or close of Bildads speech to Job and it hath been the tartnesse of a threatning mixed with the sweetnesse of the promise sowre and sweet we say make the best sawce The strong God will not use or rather abuse his power to the rejecting or reprobating as the Septuagint render it of an upright person but will help him by taking him by the hand as it followeth in the next clause and taking it ill if others do not so too Mercer Isa 51.18 He will never leave them or if sometimes he seem to leave them yet he will not forsake them Heb. 13.5 forsake them he may in regard of vision but not of union desert them for a time as he did Christ himself but not dis-inherite them When they be in the land of their enemies and so may seem quite cast away I will not cast them away neither will I abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them for I am the Lord their God Lev. 26.44 Lo this is the portion of a perfect man As for hypocrites who are semiperfectae virtutis homines as Philo calleth them cakes half-baked Hos 7.8 Christians almost but not altogether Acts 26.29 My God will cast them away because they did not hearken unto him Hos 9.15 Neither will he help the evil doers Heb. He will not lay hold upon the hand viz. to help them or he will not take by the hand the evil-doers that make a trade of sin Non porriget manum malignis Vulg. he will have no communion or commerce with such he will not strike hands or joyn hands with them but wash his hands of them for ever shake them off with a Discedite Depart ye be packing so should we See Dâ—vids both practice Psal 26.4 5 and prayer verse 9. Gather not my soul with sinners c. It was once the prayer of a good Gentlewoman when she was to die being in much trouble of conscience O Lord let me not go to hell where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I never loved their company here Verse 21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing c. Here he applies the promise of the divine help to Job and that which is here spoken debent reliquâ— fideles ad se transferre saith Lavater every true believer must
forth that he will not once offer to contend with God he here humbly begs of God no further to contend with him but to grant a truce at least-wise during the treaty and either to take away or howsoever to mitigate his sorrows and sores See the like chap. 15.20 21. And let not his fear terrifie me i. e. His formidablenesse see chap. 7.14 let it not scare me or put me as it were beside my wits Psalm 88.15 Ne me transversum agaâ— Sept. Verse 35. Then would I speak and not fear him I would come boldly to the throne of grace and freely pour out my soul into his bosome If he meant that he would maintain his own cause against Gods proceedings as some understand it grounding upon chap. 33.6 7. he was questionless in a very great error and the flesh had got the hill of the Spirit But it is not so with me So how so as you imagine Vatab. Non sum talis qualem me esse putatis I am no such one as you take me for viz. an hypocrite I am not so self-guilty say the Septuagint or thus It is not so with me that is I do not find God answering my suit for I am still scourged and frighted so that I scarce know what I say CHAP. X. Verse 1. My soul is weary of my life BEcause it is a lifelesse life Mortis habet vires a death more like Life is sweet and every creature maketh much of it from the highest Angel in heaven to the lowest worm on earth The Scripture setteth it forth as a sweet mercy Gen. 45.28 Lam. 3.39 Esth. 7.3 Jer. 39.18 and 45.5 But God can so imbitter it with outward and inward troubles that it shall become a burthen I am weary of my life saith good Rebecca Gen. 27.46 and what good shall my life do me David forced to be in bad company cryes Oh that I had the wings of a dove c. Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshech c. Elias fleeing from Jezabel requested for himself that he might dye saying It is enough Lord take away my life for I am not better then my fathers 1 Kings 19.4 No Heb. 1â— but God had provided some better thing for him as the Apostle speaketh in another case for he was shortly after translated and taken out of the reach both of Jezabel whom he feared and of death which he desired Sed multi magni viri sub Eliae junipero sedent saith one Many good men sit under Eliâ—s his juniper wishing to be out of the world if God were so pleased that they might rest from their labours and be rid of their many burdens and bondages as in the mean while they rather endure life then desire it as holding it little better then hell were it not for the hopes they have of heaven hereafter I will leave my complaint upon my self Liberty I will take to complain whatever come of it I will lay the reins in the neck and let my passions have their full swinge at my peril See the like chap. 13.3 Verùm Job hac in re nimius saith Mercer but Job was too blame in doing and saying thus and it is to be attributed to the infirmity of his flesh wherewith although the spirit do notably combat yet the flesh seemeth sometimes and in some sort to get the better Nimis augusta res est â—â—spaim errare saith one Barclai Euphorm Triste mortalitatis privilegium est licere aliquando peccare saith another The snow-like swan hath black legs and in many things we offend all Gold is not to be refused because it wanteth some grains and hath a crack c. I will speak in the bitternesse of my soul And so seek to ease my grief by giving a vent unto it But it is evident that such out-bursts and overflowings of the gall and spleen come from a fulnesse of bad humours Verse 2. I will say unto God Do not condemn me You may say so as an humble suppliant but not as holding your self innocent and therefore harshly dealt with The Hebrew is Do not make me wicked rather do good ô Lord to those that be good and to them that are upright in their hearts but lead me not forthwith the workers of iniquity as a melefactor is led forth to execution Psal 125.5 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me i. e. Quare sic me affligas saith Vatablus why thou thus afflictest me whether for sin or for triall and this Job desired to know not to satisfie his curiosity but his conscience as one well observeth and that the world might be satisfied the rash judgment of his friends confuted and answered by a determination from heaven Verse 3. 〈◊〉 it good unto thee that thou shouldst oppresse It is the guise of wicked judges to take this counsel to follow this course whom thou being a most just and righteous judge Beza canst not confirm or encourage by thine own example as it were by a light shining from above Thus Job rhetoricateth his complaints are high yet ever with an allay or mixture of modesty That thou shouldst despise the work of thine hands i. e. Me thy poor creature wilt thou do and undo make a man and unmake him again for thy minds sake Builders use not to ruin what they have built Artificers love and plead for their own handy-work Fathers foster their children with all tendernesse Some Authors dote upon their own doings as Laurentius Valla did upon his Logick as if there had been none such calling it in a bravado Logâ—câ—m Laurentinam and as Caâ—pian the Jesuite did upon his ten leaden reasons which he deemed and boasted to be unanswerable Heliodâ—rus would rather be unbishopped then yeild that his Ethiopick history a toilesome toy but the brat of his brain should be abolished The Saints are Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 Handy-work Ephes 2.18 Children Job 1.12 Epistle known and read of all men 2 Cor. 3.2 3. This if we plead when sorely afflicted as the Church did Isa 64.8 And David Psalm 138.8 and Job here we may have any thing See that notable text Isaiah 45.11 And that other Isai 59.16 And shine upon the counsel of the wicked That is favour and further their designs God makes his Sun to shine upon such but himself never shineth upon them he may be angry enough with men though they outwardly prosper yea to prosper in sin is a most heavy judgment See Zacâ— 1.15 with the note there Verse 4. Hast thou eyes of flesh Which see but the surface of things and not that neither in the dark Hast thou not fiery eyes Rev. 1.14 that need no outward light but see by sending out a ray and pierce the inward parts also Hast thou not made the eye yea the optick vertue in the eye which seeth all and is seen of none If the Sun be the eye of the world God is much more the Greeks give him his name from seeing 〈◊〉
Vzzah and here Verse 10. He will surely reprove you That 's all the thank you are like to have from God your work in pleading for him so stoutly though it be materially good yet it will never prove so formally and eventually because you so confidently determine of things you understand not but only by a light conjecture You do secretly that is cunningly and deceitfully accept persons that is Gods own person whilst ye wrong me for his sake and under a pretence of doing him right condemn me for a wicked hypocrite whom till thus afflicted you ever counted honest and upright This the righteous Judg who loveth judgment and hateth robbery for a burnt-offering Isai 61.8 will at no hand endure No but he will certainly reprove you arguâ—ndo arguet he will surely and severely blame and punish you Carry it never so cleanly cover in never so closely God who seeth in secret will reprove you openly that is he will chide you smite you curse you for it if Repentance interpose not to take up the matter he will so set it on as no creature shall be able to take it off Men reprove offenders sometimes slighty and overtly deest ignis as Latimer said whereby they do more harm then good for their reproofs are rather soothings then reprovings Personatae reprehensiones frigent such was that of Eli to his sons Junius 1 Sam. 2.23 Such also was that of Jehoshaphat to wicked Ahab Let not the King say so But when God took those same men to do he handled them after another manner 1 Kings 22.8 he gives it them both by words and blowes till both their ears tingled till their hearts aked and quaked within them so fearful a thing it is to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Let all those look to it especially that are in place of judicature Psalm 82.1 2 3. Let them hear causes without prejudicate impiety judiciously examine them without sinister obliquity and sincerely judg them without unjust partiality remembring that Acceptatio personarum est judiciorum pestis accepting of persons is the pest of judgments Verse 11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid Heb. His highnesse his Majesty his surpassing sublimity and transcendent glory shall not this affright you and reine you in from wrong-dealing and warping Who would not fear thee ô King of Nations for to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10.7 And Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence Jer. 5.22 If an earthly King be so dread a Soveraign if the glory of Angels hath so terrified the best Saints on earth that they could hardly out-live such an apparition what shall we think of the great and terrible God as he is called Nehem. 1.5 the first motion of whose anger shall put men into disorder and the brightnesse of his offended Majesty strike their spirits with astonishment It is reported of Augustus the Emperour and likewise of Tamberlane that war-like Scythian that in their eyes sate such a rare Majesty Turk hist 236 415. as a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his own and many in talking with them and often beholding of them have become dumb Now the Lord of glory as farre outshineth any mortal wight as the Sun in his strength doth a clod of clay Jer. 17.17 and this made Job cry out chap. 9.34 Let not his fear terrifie me Be not thou a terror to me ô Lord saith holy Jeremiah and the Lord most high is terrible saith David Psal 47.2 Most high he is and therefore terrible And his dread fall upon you Some read the whole verse thus Shall not this acceptation of him make you afraid seeing his dread will fall upon you q. d. Let the sense of your sinne and the feare of his wrath ready to seize upon you deterre you from passing an unrighteous sentence and from harbouring such low conceits of God Verse 12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes c Mr. Beza readeth the whole verse thus Your speeches are the words of ashes and your stately bulwarks are but bulwarke of clay And thus he paraphraseth For these things which you alledg as matters gathered by long observation and which you thunder out against me as if they were most certain and grounded axiomes are indeed no more sound and substantial then ashes and those your high forts as it were and turrets out of which you assaile me are made but of dirt and mire Others by Your remembrances understand with Mercer quicquid in vobis memorabile est whatsoever it is for the which you are so often remembred and mentioned by others as your wealth dignity power splendor name and fame yea your very life is nothing else but ashes and all shall return to ashes and come to nought according to that of Abraham I am but dust and ashes Genes 18.29 such an infinite distance there is betwixt Gods unconceiveable Highnesse and your extreme meanenesse or rather utter nothingnesse Your bodies to bodies of clay i. e. To images made of clay or earth Or that which is highest in you even your best enjoyments your chiefest eminencies or greatest elevations are like to a lump of clay terrae quam terimus terrae quam gerimus See Job 4.19 with the Note Verse 13. Hold your peace let me alone c. This he had requested of them before verse 5. and now having nipt them on the crown by these rebating arguments he calls upon them again for silence and audience which he now requesteth not but requireth and the rather haply because they began to take him off as fearing lest by his unadvised expressions he should provoke the Lord to lay yet more load upon him Wherefore he addeth And let come on me what will That is At my peril be it take you no thought let all the trouble that may ensue be on my score I will be accountable for it to God who I hope will be more favourable to me then you Interim non sine stomacho hoc dicit saith Mercer This Job speaketh not without some heat yet not as one desperate but rather resolute for he feared no hurt from God Verse 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth q. d. Do ye think ô my friends that I am in a fit of spiritual frenzy and so far out of my wits that tearing as it were my flesh with mine own hands I mean to use any cruelty towards my self Vatab. and willingly to betray mine own life Non sum ita crudelis ut totus perdi velier I am not yet so cruel to my self whatever you may gather by my complaints and out-cryes as utterly to cast away my confidence and all care of my life and soul See 1 Sam. 19.5 To despair in part and for a time may befall a godly man See Mr. Perkins his discourse of spiritual desertion where he remembreth that Luther lay after his conversion three dayes in
upon him as silver and although he now crushed him together and brake him to pieces as the silver-smith doth an old piece of plate which he means to melt yet that he would in the grave as in a furnace refine him and at the Resurrection bring him out of a new fashion Lo this is the right Logick of faith to make conclusions of life in death and of light in darknesse to gather one contrary out of another Verse 16. For now thou numbrest my steps Or But now thou numbrest c. thou keepest an exact account of every sin of mine of every step that I have trod awry yea though it be but some wry motion of my mind as the Septuagint here translate so curious art thou and critical in thine observations of mine out-strayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See chap. 10.14 But is this Job that speaketh or some other How confident was he 〈◊〉 while and comfortable in the hope of a glorious resurrection but now down again upon all four as we say and like an aguish man in a great fit of impatiency which holdeth him to the end of the chapter But for this who knoweth not that every new man is two men that in the Saints the flesh is ever lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that in the Shulamite is as it were the company of two armies maintaining a continual contest Cant. 0.13 â—said I am cast out of they sight yet I will look againe toward thine holy Temple Jon. 2.4 See the Note there Dost thou not watch over my sin This is the same with the former but without a figure The Rabbines have a saying that there is not any doubt in the law but may be resolved by the context the Scripture is its owne best Interpreter Verse 17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag As the writings or informations of a processe which is ready to be sentenced Deut. 32.34 Hos 13.12 Thou hast as it were sealed up and made sure work with all my sins saith Job to have them forth-coming for the increase of my punishment Look how the Clark of Assizes saith one seals up the indictments of men and at the Assizes brings his bag and takes them out to read the same against them so God dealt with Job in his conceit at least The truth is God had not sealed his transgressions in a bag but had cast them behind his back a bag God hath for mens sins and a bottle he hath for their tears Psalm 56.8 Now Job was one of those penitents that helped to fill Gods bottle and therefore he saw at length though now he were benighted all his sins bag and all thrown into the sea and sinking as a waighty milstone in those mighty waters of free-grace and undeserved mercy And thou sowest up mine iniquity Adsuèsne aliquid iniquitati meae so the Tigurines translate i. e. Wilt thou sew or adde any thing to mine iniquity wilt thou tye to it that tag as a Martyr phraseth it of the Lawes malediction conjoyning the punishment to the sin Adsuere ad iniquitatem est poenas poenis continenter adjungere Merl. Some make this an explication of the former q. d. the bag is not only sealed but for more surety sewed too and that purposely for a purchase of punishment as some sense it Verse 18. And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought q. d. If thou Lord proceed to deal thus rigidly with me viz. to number or cipher up my steps to watch over my sins to seal them up in a bag c. and all this in fierce wrath that thou mayest lay load upon me what mountain what rock what other creature is ever able to abide it chap. 6.12 chap. 7.12 Job had said before Is my strength the strength of stones Am I a sea or a whale Were I these or any the like robustuous creatures yet could not I expect to stand before the displeased Omnipotency who takest the hills like tennis-balls and crackest the rocks like a Nut-shell See Hab. 1.4 5 6. with the Notes And the rock is removed out of his place As in earth-quakes it sometimes falleth out See on chap. 9.5 or by reason of the sea underlaking it decayeth in time and waxeth old as the Hebrew word signifieth Verse 19. The waters weare the stones Gutta cavat lapidem c. the weakest things wear out the hardest by often falling upon them or continual running over them so doth Gods wrath though let out in minnums secretly but surely consume Hos 5.12 I will be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottennesse or that little worm teredo that eats into the heart of wood and rots it Thus he plagued the Egyptians by lice and flies There may be much poison in little drops Thou washest away the things that grow out of the earth Or Thou ever-flowest as once in the general deluge when the face of the earth was grown so foul that God was forc'd to wash it with a flood and frequently since we see that after great rains there are huge floods that marre whole meadows and corne fields not only discolouring but drowning all their beauty and plenty This is the fourth comparison used in this and the former verse where a man would wonder saith an Interpreter Olymp. audire Jobum in medus â—rumuis philosophantem to hear Job in the midst of his miseries making use of his philosophy and travelling thus in his thoughts for illustrations of his own case over mountains and rocks c. Thou destroyest the hope of man viz. In destroying the things above-mentioned or so thou destroyest c. though some reserve the raddition to the next verâ—â— so Thou prevailest against him c. i.e. So thou never ceasest with thy might to cast down sorry men till such time as they changing countenance and departing with an heavy and sorrowful heart thou violently throwest them out their lives and hope ending together if they have been wicked as if godly yet their vain and groundlesse hopes of prosperity and plenty c. come to nothing though over the red sea yet Gods people may be made to tack about two and forty times in the wildernesse Verse 20. Thou prevailest for ever against him This and the rest of the words to the end of the Chapter some make to be the Application of the Similitudes Others an Amplification only of what he had said Thou destroyest the hope of man Thou must needs when thou overmatchest and over-masterest him and art never worsted Exod. 15.3 the Lord is called A Man of War the Chaldee there hath it The Lord and Victor of Wars And the word here rendred Ever cometh from a root that signifieth to finish conquer and triumph And he passeth scil Out of the world by a violent or untimely death Violenâ—â— mortâ— aut certe immaturà Merlin with as ill a will many times as the unjust Steward did out
them or they to him and this they misconstrue as done in contempt See Psal 35.19 Or that he was plotting some mischief Prov. 10.10 and 16.30 or pretending to some extraordinary devotion and therefore shutting his eyes that he might be the more reserved to God The Vulgar hath it Why doth thine heart life thee up and as if thou wert thinking of some great things why are thine eyes so set It is for no goodnesse sure Verse 13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God A fowle fault surely but meerly for want of a faire Interpretation It is as if Eliphaz should have said Thy spirit was right when thou bravely barest up under the afflicting hand of God chap. 1. but because patience hath not had her perfect work as appeareth by thine angry expostulations Quid tumet contra Deum Spiritus tuus thy contesting with God and chatting against him and his proceedings therefore I conclude that thou art not perfect and â—utire all is not right Why doth thy spirit swell against God so the Vulgar rendreth it Behold his soul which is listed up is not upright in him that 's certain Hab. 2.4 And lettest such words go dâ—t of thy mouth Contumelious and blasphemous words not fit to he named Bona verba quaeso Eliphaz True it is Job had spoken some things more freely then was fitting and not without a tincture of bitternesse But charity would have made the best of those speeches which you thus odiously aggravate against him and have taught you to use the same equity toward others that you would have others use towards your self That faith and so that love is easily wrought which teacheth men to believe and think well of themselves and worse of others We will make a good exposition if we have but a good disposition Verse 14. What is man that he should be clean Eliphaz hath now done chiding it is but time he should and falls to reasoning wherein neverthelesse he sheweth himself an empty and troublesome Disputer urging again the same Arguments as before chap. 14.17 18 19. and not resting satisfied in a sufficient answer Did Job ever assert himself clean Said he not the clean contrary in many places see chap. 14.4 Only as washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of his God 1 Cor. 6.11 he discoursed of his integrity and righteousnesse not denying himself otherwise tainted with Original sin and guilty of actual which he begged pardon for according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace And therefore Eliphaz might have spared these words and better bestowed his pains in comforting Job and exhorting him to patience The Jesuites have at this day a device in handling Texts of Scripture by their nice distinctions to perplex and obscure the clearest places and for those that are doubtful not at all to distinguish or illustrate them Again in points of controversie they make a great putther about that which we deny not but say little or nothing to the maine businesse Hac que desperant renitescere posse relinquunt Verse 15 Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints Here he proceedeth to prove that which Job never denyed and Bildad also hath the same chap. 25. Lege ejus verba nam non malè huc quadrant saith Lavater Lay his words to these and they will lend light to each other See also the Notes on chap. 4.18 There they are called his servants here his Saints or holy ones these were the old Patriarks say the Septuagint with whom God at sometimes was angry and although he was a God that for gave them yet took he vengeance of their inventions Psal 99.8 Others understand it of the Saints in heaven or the holy Angels And the heavens are not clean in his sight Nor they of heaven be clean in his eyes so Broughton rendreth it The Angels are called angels of heaven Marth 24.36 and Gal. 1.8 Because made with and in the highest heavens and appointed there to inhabite Howbeit in the Apostate Angels and in heaven Gods holy and pure eyes found uncleannesse and delivered them therefore into chaines of darknesse 2 Pet. 2.4 Again to be clean in Gods sight is another manner of matter then to be simply clean like as to be just is one thing and to be just before God another Luke 1.6 Sordat in conspectâ— judicis quodfulget in conceptu operantis Some understand the Text of the visible heavens the purest of all inanimate creatures and therefore Chrysostom speaking of those praying Saints that prayed Peter out of prison Act. 12. saith that they were ipso coelo puriâ—res afflictione facti more pure then the heavens yet are they not pure in the sight of God but have their spots which we count their beauty spoâ—â— Verse 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man And therefore abominable because filthy or stinking and noisome as putrified meat is to the nose and palate Now this is every mans case by nature Psal 14.3 there being never a barrel better herring but all in a pickle though few believe it Kaâ—ol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov Psal 49. ult Tremel Circumcision of old taught them that that which was begotten by that part deserved in like sort as abominable and accursed to be cut off and thrown away by God And what else doth Baptism still teach us See Col. 2.11 12 13. 1 Pet. 3.21 David compareth man to the beasts that perish pecoribus morticiâ—â— to beasts that dye of the Murrain and so become carrion and are good for nothing He lyeth notting in the graves of sin wrapt up in the winding sheet of hardnesse of heart and as a carcass crawleth with worms swarming with noisome lusts such as Gods soul abhorreth This is his nature and for his life He drinketh iniquity like water He is as it were altogether steeped and soaked in sin he sucks it in with delight as an Ox doth water or a drunkard Wine who had as liefe you take away his life as his Liquor and could find in his heart to be drowned in a Butt of Malmsey as George Duke of Clarence was in the Tower of London and as some say by his own Election Sure it is that a draught of sin is the only Merry-go-down to a carnal man he drinks it frequently and abundantly even till he swelleth therewith One observeth here that Eliphaz saith not Man eateth but drinketh iniquity because to eat a man must chew and this taketh up some time and leaveth a liberty to spit out what he liketh not but drink goeth down without delay and we usually drink oftner then we eat So here Verse 17. I will shew thee hear me Here Eliphaz useth a short but a lofty preface calling hard for attention and raising in Job an expectation of no mean matters But Quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu Horat. This is his Argument That is to be held for true which experience evinceth and
to another as the aire conveyeth light or water heat His comforts are either rational fetch'd from grounds which faith ministreth or real from the presence of any thing that comforteth as the sight and discourse of a friend And herein how forcible are right words chap. 6. 25. They are of force we see here both to strengthen the feeble minded and to abate the strength of their sorrowes to asswage the most swelling floods thereof And thus one man may be an Angel nay a God to another Now whereas some might say You that are so good at comforting others and promise so fair Why are you not comfortable Job answereth in the next verse that this was their fault who had unkindly kept him off from receiving any comfort Verse 6. though I speak my grief is not assâ—agest Heb. If I speak scil to bewail my misery or to maintain mine innocency ye say ' â—is good enough for me and how can I be but wicked who am so punished As If I forbear what am I eased Heb. What goeth from me q.d. Ye conclude me guilty because silent as if I had nothing to say for my self Some make the words to refer to God as if Job had said Whether I speak or whether I forbear God doth not come in to my help I find no comfort from him c. and by the next verse it should seem that this is the right sense Verse 7. But now be hath made me weary i.e. God whom he acknowledgeth the Author of his afflictions but he should better have born up under them Quis cum fatigevis Dolor vel Dem ipse Lavat then to faint and fret even unto madnesse as the Septuagint here translates Job was now not only wet to the skin but his soul came into iron as Josephs once Psal 105.18 Like Ezekiels book chap. 2. he was written quite through with woes and lamentations And he might say with heman Psal 88.15 While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted The grief which he here describeth Major erat quà m ut verbis comprehendi gravior quà m ut ferri molestior quam ut credi passes saith Brentius i.e. In locum Was greater then could be uttered heavier then could be born more troublesome then can be believed He therefore sets it out as well as he can and amplifies it by figures and Hyperbolies to move God and his friends to pity him and to shew that he complained not without cause Thou hast made desolate all my company Heb. Thou hast wonderfully desolated or wasted all my company that is all my joynts and members so the Vulgar translateth it but they do better that understand it of Jobs family and familiar friends In nibilum redacti sunt omnes artus mei who were either destroyed or stood amazed at his so great affliction and yeelded him little comfort Ne te autem turbet enallage persona faith Mercer here the change of person need not trouble us only the troubledness and unevennesse of Jobs speech sheweth that his spirit was troubled and unsettled We meet with the like oft in the Psalms Verse 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me viz. that I am an afflicted man but yet not a wicked man such as Eliphaz had described by his pingis aqualiculus those collops in his flank chap. 15.27 Persius Thou bast made me all wrinkled so Broughton rendreth it or Thou hast wrinkled me The Hebrew word is found in Job only but in the Rabbins more frequently Grief had made surrowes in Jobs face and his tears had often filled them And my leannesse rising up in me scil By the continuance of my sores and sorrowes which have made my body a very bag of bones and cause me to cry out My leannesse my leannesse wo unto me Isai 24.16 My flesh through my grievous anguish being fallen from my bones which rise up in a ghastly manner Beareth witnesse to my face scil That I am one of Gods Plagipatidae poor Afflicted But what of that Scourgeth he not every Son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.7 Others render it Iumâ— face where my leannesse sitteth and is most conspicuous like as it is said of our Saviour That with fasting and paines taking he had so wanzed and macerated himself that at little past thirty he was looked upon as one toward fifty Mr. Clark in his life John 8.57 And as Mr. John Fox the Martyrologue by his excessive paines in compiling the Acts and Monuments of the Church in the space of eleven years grew thereby so lean and withered that his friends hardly knew him to be the same man Verse 9. he reareth me in his wrath c. Who did all this to Job The devil say some his Disease say others that was a most uncharitable censure passed by Luther upon Occolampadius Lib. de Missa prin Anno Dom. 1533. that he died suddenly ignitis Satanae telis confessus slain by Satans fiery darts because he died of a Carbuncle But Job surely meaneth it of God upon whom his heart was still though he speak here somewhat unhappily of him out of the sense of the flesh and greatness of his grief Who hateth me Heb. He Satanically hateth me What strange language is this from him who elsewhere calleth God his Salvation his Redeemer chap. 13.15 16 18. and 19.25 and will by and by call him his witnesse in heaven to whom his eye powreth out tears vers 19 20 How shall we reconcile these so contrary passions and passages otherwise then by saying that every good man is two men c neither can it possibly be expressed how deeply sensible the Saints are of Gods displeasure when they are more then ordinarily afflicted by him and especially when he seemeth to fight against them with his own hand Hereby saith Ferus we may easily see in what a perplexed estate wicked Reprobates shall be at the last day when God shall declare himself to be such an enemy to them indeed for so much as one of his Elect and a most rare man but conceiving him to be against him because hee had no present sense of his favour was thus extremely troubled He gnasheth upon me with his teeth as extremely angry Act. 7.54 and by sharpning his teeth threatning destruction Psal 37.12 Mine enemy sharpneth his eyes upon me which cast forth as it were sparkles of fire An elegant Hypotyposis or description of his sad condition to the life Vt non tam gestares quam nunc geri videatur saith Brentius as if we saw it even acted before our faces Brent in loc Verse 19. they have gaped upon me with their mouth They who Non solum Dens nec solum amici mei sed tota rerum machinae mihi adversaâ—ur Not God only nor these friends of mine but all the creatures are up in armes against me and threaten to devour me at one morsel They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully i.e. They have
open a way to his hard heart by his glistering sword which accordingly befel him Terrors are upon him Heb. the terrible upon him which some interpret of Divels hell-hags The Vulgar rendreth it Then horrible outs shall come upon him The word is used for Gyants Deut. 2.10 The Emins shall fall upon him that is men of fierce and cruel spirits But better take it for terrors as we render it and so the sense is That the wicked when he sees he must needsly dye is surprized with greatest anxieties and perplexities of spirit as beholding that threefold dreadful spectacle Death Judgement Hell and all to be passed through by his poor soul Verse 26. All darknesse shall be bid in his secret place That is saith Diodate wheresoever he shall think to find a place of safeguard there shall he meet with some horrible mischance Men that are proscribed and sought for to death usually hide themselves as divers Jewes did in Privies at the last destruction of Jerusalem and were thence drawn out to the slaughter The Duke of Buckingham in Richard 3 his time was betrayed by his servant Bannister Appianus telleth of a Roman hid by his wife De Bell. Civ Rom. and then discovered by his wise to the Murtherer to whom she soon after also was married Others render and sense the words thus The wicked shall come into darknesse propter abscondita for his secret sins And others thus R. Sel. All darknesse is laid up for his hid treasures that is God or men have taken order that hee shall lose his riches as well as his life though he hide them never so secretly A fire not blowne shal consume him i. e. say some calamities whose causes shall be unknowne and shall proceed immediately from God See Isai 30.33 Many of the Greeks interpret this Text of Hell with its unquenchable fire Matth. 3.12 which being created by God and kindled by its breath that is by his Word it burneth everlastingly Albeit God many times punisheth wicked men here with fire from heaven as he did Sodom Nadab and Abihu those Captiances of fifties with their companies 2 King 1. Tremellius rendreth it thus A fire consumeth him non accensum flatu I say Him not kindled by blowing but burning of his own accord Vt stipule aut stupae Ut cremium aut arefactum liguum as stubble fully dryed or hurds or sear wood See Nab 1.10 with the Note It shall go ill with him that is left His posterity shall never prosper but be rooted out Eliphaz and Bildad had said the same thing and all to pay poor Job whose family was now ruined It shall surely go ill with him or He shall be wringed saith Broughton alluding belike to the sound as well as the sense of the Hebrew word Verse 27. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity Job had called heaven and earth to record of his innocency chap 16.17 18. This is not to do now saith Zophar for all creatures have conspired thy ruine and contributed thereunto Wind Fire Sabeans c. so that he that hath but half an eye may see thee to be a wicked person Such as are wicked indeed not only secundum dici as Job but secundum esse as Ahab cannot look to heaven above or to earth beneath without horrour to think even these if other witnesses faile shall bring to light their secret sinnes and come to give testimony against them before the great Iudge at the last day And the earth shall arise up against him Night will convert it self into Noon against the evil-doers and silence prove a speaking evidence Earth cryed Cain guilty the Stars in their courses fought against Sisera as a Traytor and Rebel to the highest Majesty Yea Servi ut taceant jumenta loquentur the Asse hath a verdict to passe upon Balaam A Bird of the Aire shall carry the voice that but whispereth Treason Eccles 10.20 Yea if nothing else will reveal iniquity it will reveal it selfe It will prove like the Oyntment of the right hand of which Salomon saith that it wrayeth it self Prov. 27.16 Verse 28. The increase of his house shall depart All his posterity shall be destroyed and so shall his prosperity too even all at once with a sudden ebb in the day that God visiteth him with his wrath and righteous judgements All the wicked mans wealth and revenue shall be wretchedly wasted and embezelled by one meanes or other And his goods shall flow away As waters The Apostle saith The fashion of the world passeth away viz. as a hasty headlong torrent or as a Picture drawn upon the ice Thou carriest them away both persons and things as with a flood Psal 90.5 Verse 29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God A portion God alloweth the wicked in this life Psal 17.14 As a King when he reprieveth a Traytor alloweth him a subsistence prisoners pitance at least Yes the worst of men divide the wealth and honors of the world between them for a time Nebuchadnezzar had Tyrâ—s as pay for his paines in Egypt And the whole Turkish Empire is nothing else but a crust cast to his dogs by the great house keeper of the world saith Luther But besides this God hath provided a far other portion for them saith One and that by way of inheritance never to be parted from them viz. all the forementioned miseries and many more all torments here and tortures in hell This is the inheritance Quam nunquam deserere non magis quam seipsos pottrunt which will stick to them as close as the skin to the flesh or the flesh to the bones it falls to them as the inheritance doth to the heir chap. 27.13 and 31.2 or as the mess of meat doth to the invited Guest Misery is the heritage of the wicked as they are children of disobedience and their wages as they are workers of iniquity their present prosperity also is a piece of their punishment Isai 1.5 Prov. 1.32 The words of Zophar are ended Let others reply as they please but he hath done Prastat herbam dare quam turpiter pugnare No surer sign of an evil cause then a powerlesse pertinacy CHAP. XXI Verse 1. But Job answered and said Disproving and refuting that Proposition of theirs concerning the infelicity of the ungodly by Reason by Experience and by Divine Authority All which evince and evidence that neither is prosperity a proof of mens innocence nor adversity a mark of their wickednesse as Zophar and his fellowes would have it And that they might not any more interrupt him nor think him too rough he useth a gentle Preface craving attention and pressing them thereunto by many Arguments in the six first verses Verse 2. Hear diligently my speech Heb. In hearing hear The Greek hath it Hear hear that is hear me out have so much patience with me as not to interrupt me any more yea hear with understanding Let your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Death as did Antiochus Herod Philip 2 of Spain c. Dionysius the Tyrant is said to have envyed a beast whose throat he saw cut because he dyed so soon Julius Caesar wished he might dye speedily saith Suetonius Pliny commendeth sudden death as the chief felicity of life Mâ—rs jucunda cujus nulla pracesses expectatio aut meâ—â—â— That 's a good death to nature which is neither feared nor expected yet that is the best death which hath been longest expected and prepared for Happy is he that after due preparation is passed through the gates of death ere he be aware Happy is he that by the holy use of long sicknesse is taught to see the gates of death afar off and addresseth for a resolute passage The one dyeth like Eliah the other like Elisha both blessedly Verse 14. Therefore they say unto God Depart from us Lest any should think saith Merlin here that Job speaks of such wicked as used a moderation in sinning and as the Historian said of the Emperour rather wanted vice then were vertuous Magis extra vitia quam cuâ—â— virâ—utibâ—m Tacit He describeth their great impiety by a rhetorical imitation expressing the language of their heart which is most base and blasphemous For first they bespeak God as if he were some low-prized scoundrel Apage Be packing thus they reject his acquaintance and would be rid of his company Porro rejiciunt Deum quot quot verbum eâ—us contemnunt saith Brentius here Now they reject God who slight his Word and cast his commands behind them Psal 50.17 Hence it follows by way of explication For we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Lo they prosesse themselves to be of the number of those Qui us liberius peccent libenter ignorant who are wilfully ignorant and like not to retain God in their knowledge Rom. 1.28 or if they professe to know him yet in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Wicked men cannot abide God such is their evil heart of unbelief Heb 3.12 they get as far from him as they can with Cain and not only desire him to depart out of their coasts with those swinish Gergefires but churlishly say unto him as here Avaunt Room for us They will neither have God in their heads Psal 10.4 nor hearts Psal 14.1 nor words Psal 12.4 nor works Tit. 1.16 See this exemplified in those perverse Jewes lying children children that would not hear the Law of the Lord which said to the Seers see not Get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path i.e. out of this tract of truth in dealing so plainly and reproving us so roundly Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease before us let us henceforth hear no more of him Isai 30.10 11. Now for such miscreants as these who can say it is otherwise then righteous that God should regest one day upon them Depart from me ye wicked He loves to retaliate And that they who now say unto him We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes should hear from him I tell you I know you not Luke 13.27 Verse 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him Here the rottenesse of their hearts blistereth out at the lips of these rich wretches these fat Bulls of Basan such as was Pharaoh that sturdy rebel who asked this very question in the Text What or Who is the Almighty He seemeth to rehearse the very words of Pharoah Diod. c Exod. 5.2 and had a large Reply made him by one plague upon another till he was compelled to answer himself The Lord is righteous Forced he was to speak fair whiles held upon the Rack if for nothing else yet that he might get off Such Queryings as this carry greatest contempt in them and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty as if Almighty were but an empty title and that he could do neither good nor evil Zeph. 1.12 that it was to no purpose or profit to serve him that the gaines would not pay for the paines c. And what profit should we have if we pray unto him Hebr. If we meet him viz. by our prayers Jer. 7.16 Am. 4.12 see Mal. 3.14 with the Note Children will not say their prayers unlesse they may have their Breakfast nor hypocrites pray but for some profit They pretend sometimes to meet God but they draw not near with that true heart mentioned Heb. 10.22 in seeking God they meerly seek themselves as Spira said he did In Parabola ovis capras suas quaerunt No penny no Pater Noster And as the Wolfin the Fable having spelled Pater and being bid put together said Agnus so when these pray their hearts are upon their halfe penny Ezek. 33. They follow Christ for the loaves and serve him no longer then he serves their turnes Rarae fumant soelicibus arae Verse 16. Lo their good is not in their hand that is They are not inriched by their own industry Prudence Piety c. but God hath exalted them thus that he may bring them down again with the greater poise So some sense the Text. Others thus Their good is not in their hand that is they are not Masters of them but are mastered by them they are servants to their wealth as the Persian Kings were to their Wives or Concubines Plut. Captivarum suarum caprivi And as those stall-fed beasts in the Gospel the Recusant Guests I mean that had bought Farmes Oxen c or rather were bought of them Difficile est opibus non tradere mâ—res Others make this the sense and I concur with them These wicked rich men buried in a bog of security contemne God as if they had their happinesse in their own hands and were petty-gods within themselves But they are deceived All is in Gods hand who can take away their wealth when he pleaseth These men may fall sooner then whey rose sith they subsist meerly by Gods manutension and he may do with his own as he listeth The counsell of the wicked is far from me I am so far from envying their prosperity that I cannot approve of their course of life for all their wealth I am not of their judgment I like not of their way Oh my soul come not thou into their secret Let their money perish with them said that noble Italian Convert to a Jesuit Caracciolâ—â— who tempted him with a great sum who esteem all the gold in the world worth one dayes society with Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit and cursed be that Religion for ever c. Verse 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out q.d. Diod. I confesse that which you say concerning Gods judgements upon the wicked to be sometimes true in this world yet it is not so continually nor ordinarily but very oft their lamp is extinguished their comforts damped and hopes of better dashed they are all on the sudden left
in changeable colours as often changed as moved Gods name is I am Exod. 3.14 And if Pilate could say What I have written I have written nothing shall be altered how much more may the Lord who is the same yesterday to day and for ever His Decrees are immutable his power irresistible Some think that Job complaineth here of Gods absolute power and little lesse then tyrannical exercised against him an innocent person If so Job was surely much to blame sith Gods absolute power is never sundred from his Justice and it must be taken for an undoubted truth that his judgments are sometimes secret but alwayes just And what his soul desireth even that he doth Id est Cupit ac facit statim ejus voluntas est executio that is He desireth and doth it forthwith his will is present execution It is his pleasure to lay load of afflictions upon me but wherefore it is I know not But Job should have known that as God is a most free Agent so his wil is not only recta but regula neither may any man here presume to reprehend what he cannot comprehend Verse 14. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me He hath performed all my necessaries so Vatablus rendreth it 't is the same word that was used for appointed or necessary food ver 12. Voluntas Dei necessitas rei God hath decreed thus to deal with me and therein I must rest satisfied And many such things are with him I know not but that there may be many more sufferings yet decreed to come upon me in his secret counsel Fiat voluntâ—â— Domini Godly people though they know not many times what the Lord will do and how he wil deal with them yet they always know that he is a merciful father to them and wil order all for the best This should content them and keep them from chatting against God and from nourishing hard conceits of him or heavy conceits of themselves as if wicked because afflicted Verse 15. Therefore am I troubled at his presence At the consideration of his formidable Power and Majesty I am troubled and terrified troubled at my present calamities and afraid of fiercer This verse then seemeth to be a correction of that wish of his above verse 3. and not unlike that ch 13.21 Withdraw thine hand far from me and let not thine dread make me afraid Then call then and I will answer c. When I consider I am afraid of him I have alwayes imagined that as it were weakness to fear a man so it were madness not to be afraid of God Let me be accounted timorous rather then temerarious Verse 16 For God maketh my heart soft Methinks I feel it fall asunder in my bosome like drops of water and dissolved with manifold afflictions so that I am hardly able to hear up any longer I am almost done as we use to speak and my heart faileth me How should it do otherwise when God with-draweth from his the supplies of his Spirit Phil 1.19 that Spirit of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 Dr. Preston Acts 20.22 saith that great Apostle And now behold I go bound in the Spirit up to Jerusalem c. Whereupon One gives this good Note The Spirit hemmeth us about comprehendeth and keepeth us When a man 's own strength would fall loose this supernatural strength stayeth and strengtheneth it Hence that of David Psal 138.3 In the day when I cryed unto thee thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul So Psal 27.14 Be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart which else will melt as did the hearts of the men of Jericho Josh 2.11 like metal melted with fire or like ice thawed into water and spilt upon the ground which cannot be taken up again And this is the soft heart Job here complaineth of God had dispirited him and The Almighty troubleth him sc With the thoughts of his Almightinesse See Psal 39.11 Tot malis ingruentibus Jun. and with so many miseries growing upon him Now it is not amisse for Gods people thus to be melted and troubled otherwhiles for by this meanes shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Isai 37.9 Verse 17. Because I was not cut off before the darknesse i.e. The afflictions that now are upon me It is a mercy to some to dye betime as Josiah and those righteous ones Isai 57.1 who were taken away from the evil to come when Gods glory was to passe by he put Moses into the hole of the rock so he sometimes doth his servants till the glory of his Justice hath passed upon others Neither hath he covered the darkness from my face i.e. He hath neither prevented my troubles by death as I wished he would have done chap. 3. Nor yet will he put an end to them by the same means for Mors erumnaruns requies Chancers Motto Death is a rest from trouble To the tossed soul it is as Mount Ararat was to Noah where the Ark rested as Michal was to David a means to shift him out of the way when Saul sent to slay him or as the fall of the house was to Samson an end of all his sorrowes and servitude CHAP. XXIV Verse 1. Why seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty HEB. Why are not times hidden from the Almighty q.d. Who could think any otherwise that had not been at the Sanctuary Ps 73.17 and there heard Wo to the wicked it shall go ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be sooner or later given unto him Isai 3.11 The Jew-Doctors conclude but falsly from this Text that Job denyed the Divine Providence And the Vulgar Latine to salve the matter and save Job from the imputation of Epicurisme takes the boldnesse to leave out the Interrogative Why and rendreth it thus The times are not hidden from the Almighty lest by making it a question Job should affirm that times and events are hidden from God or at least should wish and desire that they were so Vatablus thinketh that Job here putteth on the person of one that denyeth Gods Providence or at least doubteth of it as if he should say Ye my friends say that nothing is hidden from God and I now demand of you how the times and those things which are done in time can be otherwise then hid from him when as we see wicked men so to take their swinge in sin and yet for ought we see to escape unpunished It should seem by his winking at wicked practises that he takes no care how things are carried in this present world Brent as certainly he would do were he diligens mundi Oeconomus an t rerum humanarum conscius This indeed might stagger a David or a Jeremy in a passion as Psal 73.2 c. Jer. 12.1 and make a Diagoras or an Averroes turn Atheist But Job was better instructed in
see and worship the Maker of them which because the blind Ethnicks did not they were damned Rom. 1.19 Oh the what will become of us who see much more of God by so clear a light in that moltenooking-glass Job 37.18 Or the Moon walking in brightness Heb. Bright or precious that is illightened with the precious light of the Sun as when she is at Full and shineth like the finest Gold and was therefore idolized by the Heathens under the names of Phebe Diana c. Of this Idolatry Job here purgeth himself as he had done before of that other of Covetousness Verse 27. And my heart hath been secretly â—ticed sc By the Devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Synesius a great promoter of Idolatry and probably had tempted good Job to this sin also but was bravely repulsed If I have done this secretly saith he that is contrary to my open profession of sincere Religion See Deut. 27.10 Or my mouth hath kissed my hand An action of Idolaters who kissed their Idols that were present 1 King 19.18 Hos 13.2 as the Papists now do their Mawmets even to the wearing of hardest marble and to those which were further from them they held out their hand and afterwards did put it to their mouth as an acknowledgement that they had their life and breath from them saith Dâ—â—date as a signe of subjection saith Piscator from Gen. 41.40 Psal 2.12 Kiss the Sun sc Plut. in Caton Uticens with a kiss of homage such as wherewith Samuel kissed Saul 1 Sam. 10.1 And Plutarch saith that not to all but to some special Commanders in chief and Captains General it was granted among the Romans That the hand should be kissed before them by way of honour and this was called In Cantic â—erm 4. adorare quasi applicare manum ados That saying of Bernard is worthy the inserting Qui in se non in Domino gloriatur manum suam ofculatur He that glories in himself and not in the Lord kisseth his own hand and is interpretativè an Idolater Verse 28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge No less than Adultery but rather more This also is iniquitas judiciaria a God-provoking Land-desolating sin a wickedness with a witness a capital crime see verse 11. and take notice how these soule sins swell in Jobs eyes as so many toads and how full in the mouth he is in speaking of them For I should have denyed the God that is above Far above any of these deastri gentium even the most high God Gen. 14.18.22 I should rob the Master to give to the servant ascribe that to the creature which is due only to the Creator this he will by no meanes endure For be the gods of the Heathens good-fellows saith One the true God is a jealous God and will not share his Glory with another Verse 29. If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me If I rejoyced at his ruine or fed my thoughts with his fall Flesh and blood would have taught him so to do there being nothing more natural to us than revenge as we see in little ones Heathens commended it for manhood and held it out as sweeter than life it self At vindict a bonum vitâ jucundius ipsâ Arist Rhet. c. 1. lib. 9. Howbeit some Heathens professed against it as Seneca Immans verbum est ultio saith he Revenge is unmanly both word and thing And Qui ulciscitur excusatius pecat he that avengeth himself sinneth though he hath some colour for his sin Socrates is famous for forgiving of injuries and Julius Caesar when he had Pompey's head presented to him Non mihi places vindicta sed victoria wept and said I sought not revenge but victory Both Law and Gospel forbids revenge and Job who lived before both obeyed both as here appeareth Enemies he had but he hated them not That of Solomon was his practise Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when be stumbleth c. Prov. 24.17 18. See the Note there Or lift up my self when evil found him Sin will find men out sooner or later Nomesis semper à tergo and they called her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because unavoidable Men may shuffle from side to side as Balaams Ass did but there 's no escaping this punishing Angel God will pursue wicked men to destroy them till such time as they throw the Traytors head over the wall Now good Job had put over his enemies to God that he might order them which also he did and therein did himself no disservice But how did Job deport himself toward them in this case Did he lift up himself and insult Did he bestir himself as Broughton here elegantly translateth and was he well apaid Nothing less Verse 30. Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin Heb. My palat which is one of the nine instruments of speech I have not so much as broken out into any passionate word against him but when I was raging ripe I refrained and forbore boisterous and blustering expressions whereby some would have vented their choler in such a case Nothing is more easie and ordinary than to curse an enemy by prayer at least to turn him over to God to be punished as David did Nabal and it was soon done But Job out of private revenge durst not do this whatever David did out of a zeal of Gods glory which wicked men sought to deface By wishing a Curse to his Soul Heb. By asking his life by a Curse Job knew that cursing men are cursed men Psal 109.18 If the Prophets cursed their enemies at any time as Elisha did the Children at Bethel and David oft in the Psalmes it was not livore vindictae sed zelo justitiae not out of a vindictive spirit Gâ—rram but by the instinct of Gods holy spirit and out of zeal for Gods glory Our rule is Bless them that persecute you bless and curse not Rom. 12.14 Render not evil for evil or rayling for rayling but contrariwise bless knowing that we are thereunto called that we should inherit a blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 Epiphanius and Chrysostom falling out about Origens writings wished a curse to one another and it fell out accordingly the one died ere he came home and the other was unbishoped Verse 31. If the men of my tabernacle said not Contubernales sive domestici those of my family and familiarity A man is to take heed of the iniquity of his heels that is of his followers and attendants at the heels as some sense that text Psal 49. 5. for these will be apt enough to put a man upon courses of revenge as they dealt by David 1 Sam. 24.4 and 26.8 2 Sam. 16.9 and by the son of David Luke 9.54 And thus Isidor Cajetan and others interprete these words as if they were added to the former vers 29 30. further to commend Jobs love to those that hated
the Papists falsely infer from Matth 5.22 dispossessing a man of his wit and reason and disfiguring his body with fierinesse of the face swelling of the veines stammering of the tongue gnashing of the teeth and many other impotent and unmanly behaviours Hence angry men were counselled in the hear of their fit to look themselves in a glasse where they may see themselves swolne like a toad glowing like a divel c. But Elihues anger was not of this kind A fire it was but the 〈◊〉 of God as holy Zeal is called Cant. 8.6 a most vehement flame as it is there rendred kindled upon the hearth of his heart by the spirit of judgement and of burning Isai 4.4 and such as many waters could not quench for this zeal is the extreme heat of all the affections and the coales thereof are coales of fire Cant. 8.6 only we must see that it burn clear and quick without all smoak of sin wherein though Elihu somewhat faulted yet because he was right for the main all was well taken We are apt to mingle sin with our best actions and so to plow with an Oxe and an Asse But God considers whereof we are made and graciously layes the finger of mercy on the scars of our sinnes as that Limner in the Story Of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite Descended he was of good parents Fortes creantur fortibus bonis who gave him a good name signifying He is my God or My God is Jehovah to inmind him of his duty whereunto we have need of all helps that may be His fathers name Barachel signifyeth One whom God hath blessed He had blessed him indeed in so good a son as could not but make him a glad father Prov. 10.1 The Buzite he is called either from his Progenitor Buz the son of Nahor who was the brother of Abraham and had by Milcah Huz his first-born of whom some think Job came and Buz his brother Gen. 22. 21. Tradit in Gen. Or else from his country the City of Buz a City of Idumea Jer. 25.23 Hierom will have this Elihu to be the same with Balaam who whiles young was a Prophet of God and dealt thus divinely with Job but afterwards being corrupted by Balac he became the Divels Spelman This I look upon as a Jewish tradition not much to be credited His pedigree is here more fully described Vt certitudo hâ—st ria ostenderetur saith Mercer That we might not doubt of the truth and certainty of the history so circumstanced as also because Elihu did better then the rest of Jobs friends who proved no better then Satans instruments How he came to make one amongst them we know not It is conceived that hearing of the going of the other three by consent to visit Job he also went to hear their conferences not doubting but that he should thereby very much benefit his understanding But failing in some sort of his expectation and finding both parties out in their discourses he steps forth and takes the boldnesse to interpose as an Arbiter or Moderator blaming both sides and beginning in the six following Chapters that determination of the difference betwixt them which God himself will afterwards finish Mean-while it is well observed by learned Beza Beza â—rafaâ—â— this chap. that Elihu in blaming Job as there was cause doth for the most part interpret Jobs words far otherwise then he meant them and moreover that even in finding fault with those things that were justly to be found fault withal he kept not alwayes that moderation that was meet which is evident to godly men and especially such as are of a more earnest nature and disposition so hard a thing is it even when we do well not to offend on the one side or on the other But if we consider how far Job being thereto driven by the importunity of his Accusers and his most intolerable calamity did range out of the right way and how we are all given even to the uttermost to defend and maintain our credit and estimation especially when we are therein touched by those men who ought least of all others to have done the same We shall confesse that it was very requisite and necessary for Job rather to be censured in this sharp manner as he was then after any milder sort to the end he might the better acknowledg and humble himself before God as alwayes he had done till through the slanderous speeches of his friends he was drawn into these altercations Of the kindred of Ram â— E familia Syra so Tremellius as if Ram were put for Aram. The Chaldee saith it is put for Abraham who was first called Râ—m secondly Abram thirdly Abraham But Elihu was of the family of Nâ—hor rather then of Abraham and Ram seemeth to have been some famous man of that family Because he justified himself rather then God This he did not directly totidem verbis but by consequence and Elihu was kindled at it It is a blessed thing to have a stomack for God and to be blown up in his Cause as was Moses Exod. 22. Eliah with his Zelando zelavi Phinehas David Christ Job 3.17 the Angel of Ephesus Rev 22. To be all on a light fire with love to God and indignation against all that do him any dishonour by word or deed Jâ—b had uttered some discontented speeches against God which reflected upon his Justice and Goodnesse he had also despaired of a restauration and most earnestly wished for death c. and thereby seemed to justifie himselfe rather then God this good Elihu could not brook Verse 3. Aâ—so against his three friends was his wrath kindled True zeal is of a most masculine dis-ingaged couragious nature like fire it catcheth on every side and is impartial Elihu was a man made â—ll of fire walking among stubâ—le as Châ—ysosâ—om saith of Peter And surely he that is not angry against sin whether in himself or others it is because either he knowes it not or hates it not as he ought He also kept within the bounds of modesty and moderation and expressed himselfe without bitternesse We read of Idacius that he would needs be doing with Sâ—lvianus and Instantius both Priscillianists Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 17 1. But by his passionate and intemperate language he not only not converted them but made them worse Because they had found no answer They were gravelled and non-plust Act. Mon. as the Popish Doctors were oft by the Martyrs Philpot Ridley c. yea by those of the weaker sort as Anne Askew Alice Driver c. Speed 11 45. ex Grafton Hollinsâ—cad c. The Prolocutor in Convocation Anno 1553 confessed that those dejected Ministers afterwards Martyrs had the Word on their side but the Prelates in place the possession of the sword and that was their best answer to the others Arguments And yet had condemned Job condemned him for a wicked man as the word signifieth So the Popish
up in the mind of him that would faine utter them to new wine not yet throughly purged the soul to bottles silence to the stopple which keeps in the wine grief hereupon to the breaking of those bottles speech to the opening of them by taking away the stopple of silence And although in this Discourse Elihu may seem to lay on more words then the matter requireth yet he doth not for he saith no more then the Psalmist doth Psal 45.1 and Jeremiah chap. 6.11 and the Apostles Act. 4.20 We cannot but speak c. And whereas Gregory saith that all this came from pride in Elihu Chrysostom praiseth him rather and therein he is in the right for his zeal which will have a vent or the heart will cleave as the waters undermine when they cannot overflow As for that which is urged against Elihu that God saith of him as of a Reprobate and one whom he knew not Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledg ch 38.2 It is plain that God speaketh there not of Elihu but of Job and so Job understood and applyed it chap. 42.2 And that God speaketh not of Jobs sacrificing for him as for the other three makes more for his praise then else and shewes that he had spoken of God the thing that was right which they had not done chap. 42.7 Verse 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed Heb. That I may breath This many Martyrs did though to the losse of their precious lives as those that came to the Tribunals and cryed out Christiani sumus We are Christians hang us burn us stone us c. Modo Jesum nostrum nanciscamur so that we may get our Jesus And when they were told that they were put to death Non pro fide sed pro obstinatione not for their Religion but for their obstinacy Tertullian answered Pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur For this Religious obstinacy we gladly dye As for those that made not a good confession but either denied or dissembled their Religion for politick respects what a deal of unrest found they in their consciences till they had better declared themselves or revoked their recantations as Bilney Bainhum Benbridg Abbes Sharp besides Origen and all those of old Let a man speak boldly and freely in a good Cause when called to it and he shall be refreshed for as every flower hath its sweet smell so hath every good word and work its comfort I will open my lips and answer Viz. Freely and fully as Eph. 6.19 with great a lacrity of spirit and vehemency of speech Some kind of answer a man may make though he open not his lips as he did who being asked what mans life was presently turned his back and went his way Theadoret also upon Matth. 5.2 observeth that our Saviour taught sometimes when yet he opened not his mouth viz. by holy life and wondrous works Verse 21. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person q.d. This leave you must give me or at least wise I must take it sith my life lyeth upon it to be impartial and plain-dealing laying the blame where it lights and sparing the paines of pleasing and Parasitical Poems of oratorical and rhetorical insinuations Nihil loquar ad gratiam c. I shall know no man after the flesh in this businesse nor look on any face If Job found this fault with his other three friends chap. 13.7 he shall have no cause so to do with me but as a right Moderatour I will hear Arguments speak and not persons I will shut out my friend or my seniour and speak the truth in love Diem hominis non desideravi saith Jeremy chap. 17. And if I yet please men I am no more the servant of Christ Gal. 1.10 See the Note there Neither let me give flattering Titles Praenomen aut cognomen those that seeme to be somewhat whatsoever they be it shall make no matter to me God accepteth no mans person Gal. 2.6 I shall call a spade a spade tell every one their owne without circumlocution and not sooth or smooth up any man though never so great in his sinful practices Semper Augustus In vâ—â—a Alpâ—on is a Title still given to the Germane Emperours But Sigismund once Emperour when a fellow flattered him above measure and extolled him to the Skies gave the Flatterer a good box on the eare and when he asked Why swiâ—â— you me He answered Why clawest thou me Verse 22. For I know not to give c. I have as little Art in it 't is out of my road as heart to it For In so doing my Maker should take me away i.e. Kill me and send me packing to Hell He would soon snatch me away he would burn me as some render it so dangerous is the sinne of flattery A Preacher called Constantine the Great Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 4. Blessed to his face but he went away with a check What will God say to such think we CHAP. XXXIII Verse 1. Wherefore Job I pray thee hear my speeches PLain Job for flattering Titles Elihu would give one chap. 32.22 only in prefacing to his Discourses he is very large witnesse the whole former chapter which may well stand for a common exordium to all the five following and the seven first verses of this wherein he both calleth upon Job for audience and useth Arguments for that purpose An Orator he sheweth himself all along for in his Introduction he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 milder affections which suit best to insinuate and toward the conclusion he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pathetical expressions that may leave an impression in his Hearers And hearken to all my words And not to some of them only picking and chusing what pleaseth you and turning a deaf eare to the rest as he in Tacitus did who said Tulingua ego aureum dominus You may say what you please but I will hear no more then I like and lift This is an evil ear and must be healed as the Orator told his Country-men ere any good can be done The good soul lyeth low at Gods feet and saith Speak Lord for thy servant heareth All that the Lord our God shall speak unto us that will we hear and do Deut. 5.27 Now therefore we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10.33 It is sign of an honest heart to take the Precepts together with the Promises and to tremble at the threatnings as well as to reach after the comforts of Gods holy Word which last every hypocrite will be catching at as children do at Sweet-meats passing by the better provision Verse 〈◊〉 Behold now I have opened my mouth I have taken upon me to be a Speaker an Arbitratour in this Controversie which is usually a thanklesse Office for he who interposeth in businesses of this nature if he had two friends before is likely enough to lose
out yet God layeth noâ— folly to them He punisheth not the wrong-dealers according to their deserts as Elihu interprets Job and here refuteth him as one that accused God of injustice because he heareth not the cryes of the oppressed But this is meerly their own fault faith Elihu because they cry not to God with truth and devotion They ask and miss because they ask amiss For God never faileth to be with his afflicted Psal 91. to preserve the simple as David found by experience Psal 116. to hear those that call upon him in truth Psal 145. c. he requireth nothing of them but lawful petitions and honest hearts and then they are sure to have out their prayers either in money or moneys worth either the same thing they ask or a better They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty Magnatum Such as was Pompey of whom the Romans cryed out Nostrâ miseria 〈◊〉 â—o Magnus We rue by thy greatnesse and are ruined The greater any man is unlesse gratious also the more he thinks he may oppress the meaner sort They eate up my people Videri possuâ—â— magnates nonâ— alio loco habeâ— tenuas quam minutos piscicâ— los quos confeâ—tim pleno oâ— pro deliciis esâ— tent Merl. as they eate bread Psal 14. as so many Canibals and as the bigger fishes devour the lesser they lay load upon them without mercy or measure they beat them with a strong arm and make them cry aloud filling the air with their complaints as nature teacheth even bruit beasts to do when they are hurt It was not patience but pertinacy an obstinate stiffeness of mind that made some Heathens as Mithridates Marius Epicurus c. forbear crying when grievously tormented Verse 10. But none saith Where is God my maker Heb. My makers to note the Trinity say some others think that he speaks of God in the plural number only for honours sake They call not upon God as their Creator they praise him not as their Preserver and Benefactor saith Elihu in this and the next verse but express a gâ—eat deal of pride and vanity verse 12 13. and thence it is that their prayers are unanswered and themselves unrelieved The oppressed should not only make moan and fill the air vagis clamoribus with bruitish out-cryes the fruit of the flesh for ease rather than of the spirit for grace but beg help of God by faithful prayer Qui nos fecit idem ille est quâ— nos fovet coâ—â—servat ae sustentat c. Brent Englands Elizabeth and say Where is God my maker as Elisha once said Where is the Lord God of Eliah Did he not make me and will he not maintain me built he not the earthly house of this tottering Tabernacle and is not he bound to repairs will he cast off the care of his own handywork Is he not my Master as well as my Maker and shall other Lords besides him have Dominion over me and do with me at their pleasure Lord look upon the wounds of thy hands said Q Eliz. whiles she was a Prisoner at Woodstock and had like to have been burnt in her bed one night and despise not the work of thine hands Thou hast written me down in thy book of Preservation with thine own hand Oh read thine own hand-writing and save me c. Who giveth songs in the night As the oppressed pray not and therefore are not eased they are deservedly miserable that might but will not make themselves happy by asking so they praise not God for former deliverances by day and night conferred upon them Thou hast compassed me about saith David with songs of deliverance Psal 32.7 that is Thou hast given me plentiful matter of praising thy name So here Qui dat Psalmorum argumentum de nâ—cte as Tremellius translateth it who giveth cause to praise him with Psalms by night as David did Psal 119.62 and as Paul and Silas Act. 16.25 and as Mr. Philpot and his fellows did in the Bishop of London's Coal-house In the night-season it is Act. and Mon. that God giveth his beloved sleep and keepeth them and theirs then in safety Or if he hold them waking he filleth them with many sweet meditations their reines at that time especially instructing them Psal 16.7 shineth upon them by his Moon and Stars which praise God in their courses and twinkle as it were at us to do the like and inmindeth them by the melody made by the Nightingale which singeth for fifteen nights and dayes together without intermission Plin. l 10. c. 29â— Luscinia diciuâ— quia ante lucepâ— canit Nec quantum lusciniae dormiunt Proverb In Enâ—hir if Pliny may be believed putting a thorn to her brest to keep her waking for that purpose Hereupon Epictetus hath this savoury saying Si luscinia essem facerem quod luscinia Cum antem homo rationalis sim quiâ— faciam Laudabo Deum nec cessabo unquam Vos verò ut idem faciatis hortor that is if I were a Nightingale I would do as the Nightingale doth But since I am a man endued with reason sith God hath taught me more than the fowles of heaven as Elihu hath it in the next verse what shall I do I will uncessantly praise God and I exhort you to do the like But this is not done saith Elihu here or very slenderly and hence it is that men complain of their many and mighty oppressions without remedy from God who seeth that his favours and benefits would be even lost and spilt upon them according to that of the Philosopher Ingratâ— quicquid donatur deperditur All is cast away that is conferred upon an ungrateful person Verse 11. Who teacheth us more then the beasts of the earth This many wretched people never consider and are therefore heavily but worthily vexed by oppressours ut vexatio det intellectum that smart may make wit and that they may not bellow as beasts do when they feel pain but flie to God by well-prepared prayer not so much for ease as for the use of what they suffer Now blessed is the man whom God chasteneth and withal teacheth him out of his Law that he may give him rest from the dayes of adversity Psal 94.12 13. Hereunto not only Reason is required the Mercy here mentioned and celebrated but Religion also which is the true Philosophers stone that makes golden afflictions 1 Pet. 1.7 and as Moses his hand turneth a Serpent into a Rod. The truth is Religion is the highest reason neither is any thing more irrational than irreligion 2 Thess 3.2 and this also God alone teacheth For Cathedram habet in coelo qui corda docet saith Austin And again Quando Christus Magister quà m citò discitur quod docetur It is God above who teacheth the heart and this if he once undertake it is soon dispatcht All this if sinful men would well weight and be thankful for as they ought God would surely help
before him But this cruelty was nothing to that of soul-murder whereof many parents by their negligence at least are deeply guilty they bring forth children to that old Man-slayer Struthionis astorgia declaratur e causis duabus vacuitate metus vacuitate intellectus and so their labour in bearing and breeding children is in vain and worse without fear for they will not be better advised nor affected Verse 17. Because God hath deprived her of wisdom That is of such fore-cast to provide for her young ones by a natural instinct as other fowles and beasts have Gods mercy to men appeareth 1. in giving us wisdome beyond them Job 35.11 2. In giving us power over them Psal 8. And 3. In learning us so much by them in those many Scripture-comparisons Prov. 7.23 and 26.2 and 27.8 Matth. 8.26 that's a sweet place Isai 31.5 As birds flying scil to save their young so wil the Lord defend Jerusalem defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it The Fowles of the Aire are and may be unto us examples and Monitours of many vertues to be embraced and vices to be eschued In the Ostrich for instance we may see that strength and bignesse of body is not alwayes accompanyed with wisdom and understanding that it is God who either giveth or denyeth wisdome to his Creatures that natural affection is of him that he gives not all things to one man but diversly distributeth his gifts The Ostrich hath wings but not to flye with c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non omnia possumus omnes Verse 18. What time she lifteth up her self on high c. That is when she runneth away from the hunter which she doth with singular swiftness she lifteth up her self on high not from the earth as other birds for that she cannot do but on the earth with wings stretcht out like sailes and her whole body bolt upright scarce touching the earth at all with her feet but quickning her own pace with sharp spurs which they say she hath in the pinnion of each wing so pricking her self on that she may run the faster to teach us what we should do in the race of Religion and when pursued by Satan how to hasten to Christ She scorneth the horse and his rider That is she easily out-runs them being as swift as a bird that flyeth They say the Arabians are wont to try their horses swiftness by trying to overtake them Verse 19. Hast thou given the horse strength Having mentioned the horse he comes next to shew his nature and here we have a most elegant description of a generous horse such as Dubartas maketh Cain to manage and as the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fremebundum Virg. Georg. Quod siqua sonum procul armadeà êre Stare loco nescit micat auribus tremit artus Collectumque premens velvit sub naribus ignem In this Creature therefore we have a clear instance of the wonderful Power and Wisdome of God If the hoase be so strong and warlike what is the Almighty that man of war Exod. 15.3 and Victor in Battle as the Chaldee there calleth him This is one way whereby we may conceive of God scil per viam eminemiae for if there be such and such excellence in the Creature what is there in the Creator sith all that is in us is but a spark of his flame a drop of his Ocean How then wilt thou O Job dare to contend with him who art not able to stand before this Creature of his Wonderful things are reported concerning Bucephalus and the horse of Julius Caesar of Nicomâ—des King of Bithynia of the Sibarites War-horses Qui ad symphonia cantum saltatione quadam movebantur Pausan The Persians dedicated an horse to the Sun so did the Idolatrous Israelites 2 Kings 23.11 as the swiftest Creature to the swiftest God Very serviceable he is for drawing and carrying but especially in battle whereof only here De equis militaribus cataphractis of War-horses the use whereof appeareth to be very ancient even in Jobs dayes The Israelites made little or no use of them in the Conquest of Canaan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. in Numa but their enemies there did and Pharaoh before them Exod. 14. Let it be held that a horse is a vaine thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength Psal 33.17 The Jewes are sharply reproved and heavily threatned for trusting to the horses of Egypt Isai 31.1 Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder That is with neighing and snorting answerable to his strength and which soundeth terribly from within his neck till his very eyes sparkle as if he did both thunder and lighten The Apostles and other Ministers of God are called Christs White horses Rev. 6.1 2. upon which he rideth about the world conquering and to conquer Horses for their courage and constancy and white for their purity of Doctrine Discipline and Conversation They thunder in their Doctrine and lighten in their lives as Nazianzen saith Basil did to the subduing of souls to the obedience of faith Verse 20. Canst thou make him afraid as a Grashopper Which soon flincheth and flyeth with the least noise But the horse is more like that formidable Army of Locusts described Joel 2. that bare down all before them and shook all places where ever they came The glory of his nostrils is terrible Heb. Terrors His snorting and sneezing strikes terror into people The more wonderful is Gods goodnesse in subduing to weak man so lusty a creature to be ridden and ruled at his pleasure He trains him to the great saddle and teacheth him to obey his hand and spur to bound in the aire to observe his measures to shew that docility dexterity and vigour which none but God hath given him and be every way so serviceable and useful both in War and Peace Joannes Bodin hath observed That whereas Lions Wolves Theas Nat. 405 and other ravenous creatures have a gall and choler whereby they are easily stirred up to anger and revenge not so horses asses camels elephants and other creatures made for mans help these have neither gall nor hornes wherein appeareth summa Opificis sapientia the great wisdome and goodnesse of the Creator Verse 21. He paweth in the valley Cavatque Tellurem solido graviter sonat ungula cornu Virg. Georg. l. 3 Such is the impatiency of his spirit that he champs his bit and stamps with his feet Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula Campum Virg. he pricks up his eares and growes white with foame and can hardly be held in till the enemy come but would fain be in the battle whither when he comes he runs upon the Pikes and undauntedly casts himself and his rider among the enemies squadrons Quod summè mirum est saith Mercer which is a wonderful thing indeed and it is no less wonderfully set
As a dutiful and docible Scholar who should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will ask thee questions and hang upon thy holy lips for an answer Verse 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear God hath ordained that as death entred into the world at first by the ear poisoned by that old Man-slayer Genes 3. so life shall enter into the soul by the same door for it is Hear and your soul shall live Isai 55.3 And The dead in sins and trespasses shall hear the voice of the Son of God sounding in his Ordinances and shall live the life of grace here and of glory hereafter John 5.25 This great mercy Job had received and he thankfully acknowledgeth it But behold a greater But now mine eyes hath seen thee Not only in the temple and whirl-wind those clear testimonies of thy presence but by some other special glorious apparition so some think and by a Spirit of Prophecy as the Hebrewes would have it by the inward teaching of thy Spirit howsoever as Vatablus senseth it Et quando Christus Magister quà m citò discitur quod docetur saith Austin When God by his Spirit taketh in hand to teach a man he soon becometh a skilful Scholer Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia saith Ambrose The Spirit is not long in teaching those that commit themselves to his tuition The hypocrite knowes God but by hear-say as a blind man knoweth colours such may say as those in the Psalm Audivimus famam something we have heard and some confused notions we have got concerning God and his will but they are meerly disciplinary but not intuitive id est Per speciem Propriam c. Such as transformes the soul into the same Image it is not that claritas in intellectu quae parit ardorem in affectu That light in the understanding that kindleth the affections Job was such witnesse his next words Verse 6. Wherefore I abhor my self Aspernor illa so Tremellius I utterly dislike those my former base and bald conceits of thee my hard and unsauoury speeches mine impatient and imprudent carriages Horreo quicquid de meo est ut meus sins as Bernard expresseth it Reprobo meipsum so Brentius I do utterly reject my selfe I condemn mine own folly I eat those words of discontent at thy righteous proceedings Dignasanè quae per jugulum redeant Abiicio vitam meam so Mercer and Lavater render it Displiceo mihimetipsi ac pervelim ut aliter dixissem ac fecissem Lavat Jerem. 6.26 and 25.34 Virg. Aeneid lib. 12. I cast away my life and look upon it as lost if thou shouldst take the forfeiture I humbly put my self into the hands of justice yet in hope of mercy I repent in dust and ashes As in an expresse and publick pennance I throw my self here upon the ground I put my mouth in the dust Lam. 3.24 Canitiem iâ—â—mundo perfusam pulvere turpo I sprinkle dust and ashes upon mine head in token that I have deserved to be as far under ground as now I am above ground I repent my presumptuous misbehaviour with as lowly a spirit as ever I sinned with an high Lo this was paenitentiam agere quod est pro malo bonum reponere saith Brentius This was true repentance to change evil for good as piety for blasphemy chastity for fornication charity for envy humility for pride Christ for Satan And Reformation is the best Repentance saith Luther Such as so repent are sure of comfort The word here rendred I repent signifieth also to take comfort as Ezek 32.31 It is repentance unto life Acts 11.18 and such as accompanieth salvation Hebr. 6.9 Neither is it wrought in any man but by a saving sight of Almighty God in his Greatness and Goodness such as may make him at once to tremble and trust as Job did here and Isaiah chap. 6.1 5. Verse 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words to Job And Job those other again to God it soon repented the Lord concerning his servant Pro magno delicto parum supplicii sat is est patri A little punishment is enough to a loving father for a great fault Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith the Lord for alass they have received of my hand double for all their sins Terent. Isai 40.1 2. So it seemed to him who is all bowels and who in all their afflictions is equally afflicted God weeps on his peoples necks tears of compassion they weep at Gods feet tears of compunction Oh beautiful contention The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite Because he was the ancienter man of greatest Authority and he that passed the heaviest censures upon Job doing enough to have driven him into desperation My wrath is kindled against thee Thus God passeth not sentence on Jobs side till he had first angerly repressed and reprehended those three friends of his who had assailed him without all right and reason Let Gods servants hold out faith and patience sooner or later they shall be righted And against thy two friends Bildad and Zophar Who stuck so close to thee and chimed in with thee against a better man then any of you all As for Elihu he is neither commended here nor condemned He spake well for the main but many times took Job at the worst and misconstrued his speeches He is therefore punished as Ambassadors are used to be when they commit undecencies with silence which is the way royal to correct a wrong The other three had great cause to be much troubled and terrified at that short but sharpest speech of God My wrath is kindled against you for Who knoweth the power of Gods wrath saith David It is as the Messenger of death Psalm 90.11 and Harbinger of hell God never said so much to Job in all those long and large speeches he made unto him for he knew that milder words would do and he loveth not to over-do Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox By the way observe That although these three had offended more then Job yet he was afflicted and they escaped free Judgement beginneth at Gods house neither have any out of hell ever suffered more then those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11. For ye have not spoken the thing that was right And yet they seemed to be all for God and to plead his Cause against Job throughout But as in some things they were much mistaken so they had their self-respects and were much byassed in their discourses Hypocrites and Heretikes saith Gregory here seem unto men more righteous but God accepteth them not for all their plausible pleas and specious pretences Luke 16.15 Ye are they said our Saviour to the Pharisees who justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God As my servant Job hath They also were Gods servants but because they had lent
recruit as far as God seeth fit Multadies variâ—squo Labor mutabilis avi Rettulit in melius multos alterna revisens Lusit in solido rursus fortuna locavit Virg. Aen. l. 11 The best way is to hang loose to these things below not trusting in uncertain riches but in the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 who will be our exceeding great reward and give to his Sufferers an hundred fold here and eternal life hereafter Mat. 19.29 Optandâ— nimirùm est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is doubtlesse a lovely losse that is made up with so much gaine Well might Saint Paul say Godlinesse is profitable to all things as having the Promise of both lives 1 Tim. 4 6 Well might Saint Peter call it The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.2 For as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty c. so doth Godlinesse Let a man with Job bear his losses patiently and pray for his enemies that wrong and rob him and he shall be sure to have his own againe and more either in money or moneys worth either in the same or a better thing contented Godlinesse shall be great gaine to him 1 Tim. 6.6 Besides heavens happinesse which shall make a plentiful amends for all The Rabbins would perswade us That God miraculously brought back again to Job the self-same cattle that the Sabaeans and others had taken from him and doubled them Indeed his children say they therefore were not doubled unto him because they perished by their owâ—â—ault and folly as one of his friends also told him But of all this nothing certain can be affirmed and they do better who say That his children being dead in Gods favour perished not but went to heaven they were not lost but laid up so that before God Job had the number of his children doubled for they are ours still whom we have sent to heaven before us and Christ at his coming shall restore them unto us 1 Thessal 4.14 In confidence whereof faithful Abraham calleth his deceased Sarah his dead That I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23.4 and so she is called eight several times in that one Chapter as Paraeus hath observed Verse 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren Then when God had begun to restore him As his adversity had scattered his friends so his prosperity brought them together again This is the worlds usage Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Summer-birds there are not a few Samaritans who would own the Jewes whiles they flourished but otherwise disavow them as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes Rich Job had many friends Prov. 14.20 Qui tamen persistebant amicitia sicut lepus juxta tympanum as the Proverb is All this good Job passeth by and forgetting all unkindnesses magnificently treateth them as Isaac in like case had done Abimelech and his train Gen. 26.30 And did eat bread with him in his house It 's likely they came with their cost to make Job a Feast of comfort such as were usual in those dayes Jer. 16.7 Ezek 24.17 But whether they did or not they were welcome to Job who now never upbraids them with their forsaking of him in his distresse which yet was then a great grief to him but friendly re-embraceth them and courteously entertaineth them This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable spirits in these dayes whose wrath like that of the Athenians is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-lasting and although themselves are mortal yet their hearts are immortal And they bimoaned him They condoled with him and shook their heads as the word signifieth not by way of deriding him as once they had done chap. 16. but of sorrow for their former deserting him and assurance that they would henceforth better stick to him in what estate soever And comforted him over all the evil c. So they should have done long before A friend is made for the day of adversity but better late then never Nunquam sane serò si seriò See here saith Brentius the change of affaires and the right hand of the Most High and learn the fear of God for as he frowneth or favoureth any man so will the world do Every man also gave him a piece of money Or a Lamb to stock him againe Beza rendreth it Some one of his Cattle and paraphraseth thus Yea every one of them gave him either a sheep or an Ox or a Camel and also an Ear-ring of gold partly as a pledge of their good will and friendship renewed toward him and partly in consideration and recompence of that losse which he had before by the will and fore-appointment of God sustained Honoraria obtulerunt saith Junius they brought him these presents as Pledges of their love and observance for so were great men wont to be saluted with some gift Sen. Epist 17. 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Chron. 17.5 And the same custome was among the Persians and Parthians whose Kings might not be met without some token of congratulation and Symbol of Honour And every one an Ear-ring of gold Inaurem auream an Ear-pendant of gold at the Receipt whereof Job might well say as the Poet did Theog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To thee this is a small matter but to me a great Verse 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job According to Bildads Prophecy chap. 8.7 And S. James his useful observation Chap. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy If he afflict any of his it is in very faithfulnesse that he may be true to their souls it is also in great mercy Deut. 8.16 that he may do them good in the latter end and this they themselves also shall both see and say by that time he hath brought both ends together Psal 119.71 Be ye therefore patient stablish your hearts James 5.7 Patient Job had all doubled to him Joseph of a Slave became his Masters Master Valentinian lost his Tribuneship for Christ but was afterwards made Emperor Queen Elizabeth of a prisoner became a great Princesse But if God deny his suffering servants Temporals and give them in Spirituals they have no Cause to complaine One way or other they shall be sure to have it Great is the gain of Godlinesse For he had fourteen thousand sheep c Cattle only are instanced Pecuma à pecâ—de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes posteà opes significant Melancth Dios because therein especially consisted the wealth of that Countrey but other good things also doubtlesse were doubled unto him as his family possessions grounds houses and especially Wisdom to make a good use of all for commonly Stultitiam patiuntur opes and what 's more contemptible then a rich fool a golden beast as Caligula called his father in
a most curious and strange Piece of Work devised and perfected by the most cunning Astronomers for Maximilian the Emperour whose noble minde never spared for any cost to obtain things of rare and strange devise But what was all this to the Heavens That Work of Gods finger That is most elaborate and accurate a Metaphor from Embroyderers or from them that make Tapestry Aben-Ezra's Note here is Digiti sunt decem sphaera sunt decem As there are ten Fingers so there are ten Spheres c. The Moon and the Stars No mention of the Sun because included in this word Heaven wherein by Day the Sun is most conspicuous as by Night the Moon and Stars VVhich thou hast ordained That was a witty speech of Cyril They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athiests by Night who worshipped the Sun and Atheists by Day who worshipped the Moon and Stars Vers 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him Sorry sickly man a Mass of Mortalities a Map of Miseries a mixture or compound of Dirt and Sin And yet God is mindful of him he not only takes care of him in an ordinary way as he doth other Creatures but singularly attendeth and affecteth him as a Father doth his dearest Childe Heis Divini ingenii cura saith one he is the end of all in a semi-circle saith another Philosopher meaning that all things in the World were made for man and man made for God Neither is there so much of the glory of God in all his Works of Wonder as in one gracious performance of a godly person But if we understand the Text as the Apostle doth Heb. 2.6 of the Man Christ Jesus Hic homo filius hominis qualis quantus est Deus bone saith Junius And the Son of Man Heb. Arrian in Epictet Of earthly men for what is the greatest Potentate but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peece of Clay neatly made up That thou visitest him That thou mindest him more than other Creatures and makest him Lord of all thy visitation preserveth his spirit Job 10.12 Vers 5. For thou hast made hima little lower than the Angels Compare here with Heb. 2.6 7. and it will appear that whatsoever is spoken here of man is applied to Christ and so is proper to the Saints by vertue of their union with Christ in which respect they are more glorious saith one than Heaven Angels or any Creature This is their dignity and for their duty they must therefore give the more earnest heed to the Doctrin of the Gospel lest at any time they should leak or let slip the same but retain and obey it This is the Apostles own inference Heb. 2.5 6 7. for thus he argueth Unto the Angels God hath not put in subjection the World to come where of we speak But to man for whose sake the Son of God came in the flesh for whose sake the Gospel was preached for whose sake wee speak of that World to come he hath therefore it behooveth man to observe and obey the Gospel And hast crowned him with glory and honour Some refer this to the reasonable Soul whereby he not only differeth from Beasts but draweth nigh to the heavenly Nature As Rome was an Epitome of the World as Athens was the Greece of Greece and as one said to his Friend who desired to see Athens Viso Solone vidisti omnia when thou hast seen Solon thou hast seen all Athens So man is a little World and is therefore called every Creature Mark 16 15. and the Saints in whom Gods Image is repaired are called All things Colos 1.20 Christ being unto them All and in all Vers 6. Thou madest him to have dominion c. He had so at first Gen. 1.26 and shall have again Zech. 8.12 Rev. 21.7 mean while though Rebellis facta est Creatura homini quia homo numini the Creature rebelleth against man because man doth against God yet we cannot but see some foot-steps remaining of that ancient Soveraignty Tully Plutarch Eâ—ncus which the very Heathens also acknowledged and there-hence fetched excellent Arguments for a Providence Lions hate Apes but fear men though Simia quam similis turpissima bestia nobis Hereof no probable reason can be given but this That God hath put all things under mans feet insomuch as that the most timerous men dare kick and beat the hugest Elephants Indeed by reason of Sin as was said we see not all things subdued Heb. 12.8 But why hath Nature denied to Horses Bodin Theat Nat. p 405. Asses Camels Elephants Deer c. a Gall which it hath given to Lions Wolves and other fierce Creatures Surely herein appeareth the wonderful Wisdom and goodness of God who hath done this that those so serviceable Creatures might be the better tamed and subdued by man Let man consider saith one well what excellency he hath lost through Adams fall and bewail his misery Let him also on the other side well weigh the grace bestowed on him in Christ and be joyful and thankful or mercy knowing this that if the Creatures be not now subjected unto us it is by reason of the Body and relicks of Sin that yet remain in us and that therefore if we would have a conquest over the Creatures we must begin first to get a victory upon sin or else we shall never profit that way Thou hast put all things under his feet The Earth hath its name from treading upon it teaching us Terra à teendo 1 To trample upon earthly things as base and bootless not to dote upon them with out hearts nor grasp them over greedily with our hands as that covetous Cardinal Sylberperger who took so great felicity in Mony that when he was grievously tormented with the Gout his only remedy to ease his pain was to have a Bason full of Gold set before him into which he would put his lame hands turning the Gold upside down But if Silver and Gold be a mans happiness then it is in the earth and so which is strange nearer Hell than Heaven and so nearer the Devil than God The ancient Romans had for a difference in their Nobility a little ornament in the form of a Moon to shew that all worldly things were mutable and they wore it upon their shooes to shew that they trod all under their feet 2. By this posture of all things sunder mans feet God would teach him to use them as a Stirrop for the raising of his heart to those things above A sanctified fancy can make every Creature a Ladder to Heaven and say with that Father Si tanti vitreum quanti verum margaritum If this trash be so highly esteemed of how much more the true Treasure Vers 7. All Sheep and Oxen c. There are Beasts ad esum et ad usum saith one Some are profitable dead not alive as the Hogge some alive not dead as the Dogge Horse c. some both as the Oxe
side to shew their numbers and their insolencies all places are full of them such dust-heaps are found in every corner when as the godly are as the salt of the earth sprinkled here and there as Salt useth to be to keep the rest from putrifying When the vilest men are exalted Heb. Vilities the abstract for the concrete quisquiliae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oft empty Vessels swim aloft rotten Posts are gilt with adulterate Gold the worst weeds spring up bravest Chaff will get to the top of the Fan when good Corn as it lieth at the bottom of the heap so it falls low at the feet of the Fanner The reason why wicked men walk on every side are so brisk so busie and who but they is given in to be this because Losels and Rioters were exalted See Prov. 28.12.18 29.2 As Rhewms and Catarrhes fall from the Head to the Lungs and cause a Consumption of the whole body so it is in the Body Politick As a Fish putrifies first in the head and then in all the parts So here Some render the Text thus When they that is the wicked are exalted it is a shame for the Sons of men that other men who better deserve preferment are not only slighted but vilely handled by such worthless Ambitionists who yet the higher they climbe as Apes the more they discover their deformities PSAL. XIII VErs 1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever It appeareth that when David penned this Psalm which some think was about the end of Sauls Persecution when he was forced to fly into the Land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27.1 he was under a dreadful desertion and that for a long while together Hence his many How-longs and for ever Christ saith Greenham was forsaken for a few hours David for a few months and Job for a few years Luther confesseth of himself that after his conversion he lay three days in desperation and the like is reported of Mr. Robert Bolâ—on who felt himself for the time in the Suburbs of Hell as it were So did Heman Psal 88.5 so did David here and elsewhere The final absence of God is Hell it self Depart from me yee cursed is worse than into everlasting fire To be punished from the presence of the Lord is the Hell of Hells 2 Thess 1.9 God seemeth to forget his dearest Children sometimes for a season to the end that they may remember themselves and become every way better as the Lion leaves her Whelps till they have almost killed themselves with roaring that they may become the more courageous But to speak properly God cannot forget his people Isa 44.16 49.14 15 16. Non deserit Deus etiamsi deserere videatur non deserit etiamsi deserat saith Austin If he leave us for a time yet he forsaketh us not at all If he hide his face as in the next words which is a further trial and a greater misery for it importeth indignation contempt and hatred yet it is but for a moment though it should be during life and he therefore taketh liberty to do it saith one because he hath an eternity of time to reveal his kindness in time enough for kisses and embraces mean while as when the Sun is ecclipsed though the earth wants the light thereof yet not the influence thereof so Gods supporting Grace is ever with his deserted Vers 2. How long shall I take counsel in my soul i.e. conceal my grief saith Aben-Ezra which is no small aggravation of it or how long shall I toss and tumble in my mind sundry counsels and purposes but allto no purpose This is no small affliction when we try all courses to get out of durance and nothing will do Such must needs have much sorrow in their hearts Having sorrow in my heart daily Heb. by day sc when others are full of business and forget their sorrows saith R. David But the Greek rendreth it day and night David was a cheerfull man and a great Musician but at this time heavinesse had possest his heart and his harp would not relieve him Sadnesse of Spirit had dryed up his bones Prov. 17.22 and made him a very bag of bones a bottle in the smoak shrinking away to nothing almost See Prov. 12.25 15.13 and the Notes Vers 3. Consider and hear mee O Lord my God Hee turns him to God in this peck of troubles for they seldome come single and pleads the Covenant My God beseeching him to see and hear both at once how it fared with him and to send him feasonable and suitable succour It were wide with the faithfull if they had not their God to repair unto in distresse pouring out their souls into his blessed bosome This they must do most earnestly when under a cloud of desertion as our Saviour being in an agony prayed more fervently Luk. 22.44 and as Micah having lost his Gods set up his Note Judg. 18. Lighten mine eyes lest I sleep death i. e. Comfort my conscience clear up my condition and chear up my drooping spirit lest I faint away as a dying man whose eyes through weaknesse wax dimme lest I fall into that somnus ferreus as the Poets call death that longest sleep Surge ne longus tibi somnus unde Non times detur Mor. lib.3 â— 11. Vers 4. Lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him This David frequently deprecateth as a great evill because Gods honour was concerned in it and would suffer by it As unskilfull hunters shooting at wild Beasts do sometimes kill a man so Persecutors shooting at Saints hit Christ reproach him and this the Saints are very sensible of And those that trouble me rejoyce when I am moved Compose Comedies out of my Tragedies iram Dei ad calumniam rapiant The wicked are vindictive and implacable sick of the Devills disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing at other mens harms revelling in other mens ruins But this is to inrage God and hasten wrath Prov. 24.17 18. Vers 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy Notwithstanding all the endeavours of Earth and of Hell to cast down this castle of my confidence I will not quit it but be still as a green Olive tree in the house of God I le trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52.8 Vers 6. I will sing unto the Lord How farre different is the end of this Psalm from the beginning See the like Psalm 6.1 with the Note there Because hee hath dealt bountifully with mee Qui retribuit mihi so Popish merit-mongers read it and would there-hence collect something in favour of their absurd Tenent But their own Vulgar Translation hath it bona tribuit Aynsworth hath givenmee good things And it is well observed that though the Hebrew word be sometimes taken for rewarding evill for good Psal 7.5 or evill for evill Psal 137.8 yet from God to his people it commonly signifieth a bountifull rewarding of good things instead of evill which
abased c. Bern. Sine Deo omnis copia est egostas In pleasant places From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine Prison Quis in Deo 〈◊〉 poâ—tio mea 〈◊〉 quasi in loco 〈◊〉 maeno R. David said that Italian Martyr dating his Letter Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit said that Ancient Thy presence Lord made Laurence his gridiron pleasant to him Yea I have a goodly heritage I have as much in content at least as hee who hath most The Bee is as well pleased with feeding on the dew or sucking from a flower as Behemoth that grazeth on the Mountaines The Lark when alost seeth further with a little eye than the Oxe on the ground with a greater Atque suum tirilitirilitiritirlire cantat Vers 7. I will blesse the Lord who hath given mee counsel David frequently consulted with God by Abiathar the Priest whom God by a sweet providence sent unto him with an Ephod for a comfort in his banishment 1 Sam. 22.20 Saul had slain those that ware the Ephod therefore God answered him not neither by dreams nor by Vrim nor by Prophets 1 Sam. 28.6 as hee did his Servant David who therefore blesseth him when the other runneth from him to the Witch for counsel and from her to the swords point My reines also instruct mee God hath not only illuminated mee whereby I shall bee the better able to endure a great fight of affliction Heb. 10.32 but hee hath also sanctified mee and honoured mee with holy inspirations and feeling of the Spirit of Adoption whereby mine internall thoughts and secret motions do dictate and suggest unto mee what I ought to do and undertake Methinks I hear a sweet still voice within mee saying This is the way walk in it and this in the night-season when I am rapt in rest and silence or night after night the Spirit is a continuall spring of counsel and comfort within mee prompting mee to make God my portion and to chuse this good part that shall never be taken away from mee In the night-seasons When commonly we are prone to evill Nox Amor c. Ovid. Illa pudore vacat c. and which is the wicked mans fittest opportunity Job 24.13 15 16. c. It must not content us that God by his word hath given us counsel but wee must labour to be inwardly taught of God A man may read the figure upon the Diall but hee cannot tell how the day goes unlesse the Sun shine upon the Diall Wee may read the Bible over and hear it opened and applied but can learn nothing till the Spirit shine into our hearts 2 Cor. 4. and so our reines instruct us c. Vers 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before mee Heb. I have equally set or proposed Ex Syro Serm. The Apostle translateth it I foresee the Lord alwaies before my face Act. 2.25 I set the eye of my faith full upon him and suffer it not to take to other things I look him in the face oculâ—irretorto as the Eagle looketh upon the Sun and oculo adamantino with an eye of Adamant which turns only to one point so here I have equally set the Lord before mee without irregular affections and passions And this was one of those lessons that his reines had taught him that the holy Spirit had dictated unto him Because hâ—e is at my right hand To help mee that I fall not saith R. David or as a thing that I cannot but remember as being of continuall use to mee It is as necessary to remember God as to draw breath saith Chrysostome I shall not be moved i.e. not greatly moved as Psal 62.2 though Satan stand at the right hand of a godly man to resist and annoy him Zech. 3.1 yet so long as God is at his right hand to assist and comfort him and hee at Gods right hand Psal 45.9 which is a place of honour and safety hee cannot bee moved The gates of Hell shall never prevail Christ our Sampson hath flung them off their hinges Vers 9. Therefore my heart is glad c. That is I am all over in very good plight as well as heart can wish or need require I do over-abound exceedingly with joy God forgive mee mine unthankfullnesse and unworthinesse of so great glory as that Martyr said In all the dayes of my life I was never so merry as now I am in this dark dungeon c. Wicked men rejoyce in appearance and not in heart Mr. Philpot. 2 Cor. 5.12 their joy is but skin-deep their mirth frothy and flashy such as wetteth the mouth but warmeth not the heart But David is totus totus quantus quantus exultabundus his heart glory flesh answerable as some think to that of the Apostle 1 Thes 5.23 Spirit Soul and Body were all over-joyed My flesh also shall rest or confidently dwell in hope Namely in this World as in a wayfaring lodging Diod. then in the grave as a place of safeguard and repose and at last in heaven as in its true and eternall mansion Vers 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell that is my body in the grave animamque sepulchro condimus or in the State of the dead Gen. 37.35 That Soul is sometimes put for a carcass or dead corps Virg. de Polydori funere Aeneid 3. See Job 14.22 Lev. 19.28 21. 1.11 Num. 5.2 6.6 19.13 which place is expounded Ezek 44.25 David can confidently write upon his grave Resurgam I shall rise against This many Heathens had no hope of 1 Thes 4.13 Cum semel occider is Non Torquate tuum genus aut facundia non te Restituet pietas c. Horat. lib. 4. od 7. Yet some Heathens beleeved both the immortality of the soul and therefore durst dye animaque capaces Mortis and the Resurrection of the body as did Zoroastes Theopompus Plato and as do the Turks at this day Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One c. that is the Messiah that is to come out of my loines and who saith to mee and all his Members 2s Isa 26.19 in effect Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust c. See the Note on the Title Michtam The former part of this verse seems to be spoken of David the latter of Christ like as Job 35.15 the former part is of God the latter of Job See the Margin Christs resurrection is a cause pledge and suerty of the Saints resurrection to glory for joy whereof Davids heart leapt within him Christs body though laid in the corrupting-pit could not see that is feel corruption It was therefore a pious errour in those good women who brought their sweet odours to embalm his dead body Luke 24.1 Vers 11. Thou wilt shew mee the path of life This being applied to Christ seemeth to shew that as man
a ship full of Frankincense and bade him sacrifice freely Vers 5. His glory is great in thy salvation He was at first slighted even by his own as a petty Prince and the Philistines came up to seek him that they might suppress him before he grew too strong for them in so much as he for fear of them went down to the Hold 2 Sam. 5.17 but soon after he became formidable to them and the rest of the neighbour-Nations whom he subdued and reigned over The like hereunto befell our Queen Elizabeth who how low soever at first became at length as her enemies confessed the most glorious Woman that ever swayed Scepter because Posuit Deum adjutorem suum Honour and Majesty hast thou laid upon him a growing weight of glory a load of it even before man The Saints when they come to Heaven shall have an exceeding excessive eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 such as if the body were not upheld by the mighty Power of God it were impossible it should ever bear it Vers 6. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever Heb. Thou hast set him to be blessings For as the wicked when destroyed by some horrible Judgment are examples to others of Gods curse Isa 65.15 Jer. 29.22 2 Pet. 2.6 Judaeus sim si fallam say the Turks at this day when they would assure any thing for a certainty so the godly when in a speciall manner blessed are Patterns of blessings to others that in them they may blesse themselves or others Psal 72.17 Psal 1 28. 4. Gen. 12.2 48.20 Ruth 4.11 12. See Psal 37.26 So here they shall say Tanto rerum successu polleas quanto David Maist thou bee as successfull as ever David was Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance One good cast whereof David long since preferred before all the worlds good Psal 4.6 See the Note there Vers 7. For the King trusteth in the Lord So then his joy was the joy of faith which is unspeakable and full of glory and hee must needs bee safe who relyeth upon God Isa 26.4 Hee shall not bee moved sc from the prosperous successe of his affaires and state the beauty and bulwark whereof is Gods never failing mercy Vers 8. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies Thine because ours for thou art in a league with us both defensive and offensive Now our enemies act as if they were out of the reach of thy rod but thou wilt easily hunt them down and root them out Pursued they shall bee by thee and overtaken run they never so farre never so fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 9. Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven i.e. Thou shalt lay upon them grievous and exquisite miseries Lam. 5.10 Hee alludeth to the overthrow of Sodom saith Vatablus The Lord shall swallow them up As the fire doth the fuel Some think the Prophet here alludeth to that direfull kind of punishment which David inflicted upon the Ammonites whom hee made to pass thorow the brick-kiln 2 Sam. 12.31 perhaps the furnace of their Idol Moloch or Milcholm wherein they caused their Children to passe thorow the fire 2 King 16.3 23.10 And the fire shall devour them Hell-fire saith the Chaldee Paraphrast Vers 10. Nulla emolumenta laborum Juven Their fruit shalt thou destroy i.e. Their labour and that which comes thereof Prov. 21.16 31. they shall toil to no purpose the gains shall not pay for the paines And their seed For as personall goodnesse is profitable to posterity so on the contrary as in the second Commandement they are peremptores potius quam Parentes Bern. Vers 11. For they intended evill against thee Because against thy people Hee that wrongeth a subject is arraigned for injury done to the King his Crown and dignity And as a certain Gentleman of Normandy was executed for but intending only to kill Francis the second King of France which he discovered to a Priest sub sigillo confessionis not thinking ever to hear further of it again so here Vers 12. Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back Who faced the very Heavens and ran as it were full butt against thee such was their impudence and insolence But thy wrath shall so meet them in the teeth wheresoever they turn that they shall bee forced to give over their chase and pursute of thy people Thou shalt make them turn their back Heb. their shoulder whence some sense the words thus Thou shalt bind them back to back and cast them into the Sea of perdition Some read the words thus Pones eos ut meram Kimchi Thou shalt set them as a Butt or Mark to shoot at and this agreeth best with that which followeth Against the face of them Which is elegantly campared to the white as their bodies to the whole mark or Butt Vers 13. Bee thou exalted Lord in thine own strength Finit Psalmum cum laude sicut incaepit saith Aben-Ezra Hee closeth up the Psalm as hee began it with praise and prayer that God would arise and destroy therest as hee had allready done some of their enemies Gods power and strength is in it self infinite and cannot be exalted or amplified but in respect of us it is said to bee exalted when exerted and put forth for the defence of his people So will we sing and praise thy power This they restipulate as knowing that it would please the Lord better than an Ox or Bullock that hath hornes and hoofs Psal 69.31 PSAL. XXII UPon Ajeleth Shahar Or The morning-Hart or stag such an one as the huntsman severeth out in the morning from the rest to hunt for that day It sheweth saith One Davids and Christs early and uncessant persecution and hunting by those doggs vers 16. till they came to their Kingdomes David had his share of sharp afflictions doubtlesse when hee penned this Psalm witnesse that graphicall description of his greatest grief in all parts and powers of body and soul Vers 14 15 16 c. But his mind and thoughts were by Gods holy Spirit carried out to Christs most dolorous and inexpressible sufferings to the which all his were but as flea-bitings as the slivers or chips of Christs Crosse and this was no small mitigation of his misery When the Jews offered our Saviour gall and vinegar hee tasted it but would not drink Therest hee left for his people and they must pledge him filling up that which is behind of his sufferings Col. 1.24 though for a different end as for exercise example triall witnesse of truth c. Vers 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee David had prayed Oh for sake mee not utterly Psal 119.8 In part and for a time hee knew God might forsake him to his thinking at least But what saith Austin Non deserit Deus etiamsi deserere videatur non deserit etiamsi deserat God forsaketh not his though hee leem sometimes to do so hee leaveth them sometimes
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comliness The Protestants at Lions in France called their publick meeting-place Paradise And the place where thine honour dwelleth i.e. Where thou thy self dwellest or thine Ark which is called Gods glory 1 Sam. 4.21 Psal 78.61 yea Gods self Psal 132.5 and Gods face Psal 105.4 Vers 9. Gather not my soul with sinners I have loved thy House which sinners never delighted in therefore gather not my soul with sinners so the Syriack senseth it Let me not dye the death of Sinners for I never cared for their company so the Rabbines See the Note on vers 5. Let me not share with them in punishment for I could never abide their practice Balaam would dye the death of the righteous but he liked not of their life Euchrites would be Craesus vivens Socrates mortuus Sir Walter Rawleigh would live a Papist there being no Religion like that for Licentious liberty and lasciviousness but dye a Protestant We have some that would gladly dance with the Devil all day and then sup with Christ at night live all their lives long in Dalilaes lap and then go to Abrahams bosome when they dye But this cannot be as David well understood and therefore both eschewed the life of a wicked person and deprecated his death Gather not or take not away c. The righteous is taken away Heb. gathered Isa 57.1 as men gather Flowers and candy them preserve them with such to be gathered David would hold it an happiness but not with sinners with sanguinaries for such are gathered but as house-dust to be cast out of doors Vers 10. In whose hands is mischief Wicked contrivance Here we have the true portracture of a corrupt Courtier such as Sauls were Vers 11. But as for me I will walk Whatever others do their example shall be no rule to me to deviate See my Righteous mans recompence D. 1. Redeem me c. For I am likely to suffer deeply for my singularity Vers 12. My foot standeth in an even place i.e. Mine affections are in an equal tenour A good man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the scales of his minde neither rise up toward the beam through their own lightness or their over-weening opinion of prosperity nor are too much depressed with any load of sorrow but hanging equal and unmoved between both give him liberty in all occurrences to enjoy himself I will bless the Lord For performance of promises chiefly in that great Panegyris Heb. 12. PSAL. XXVII Vers 1. The Lord is my light That is my comfort and direction he that dissolveth all my clouds of serrours within and troubles without To these all hee opposeth Gods All-sufficiency as making for him and as being All in all unto him Light Salvation Strength of Life what not and there-hence his full assurance and such a masculine magnanimity as feareth not the power of men and Devils be they who they will and do what they can Animo magno nihil est magnum When a man can out of this consideration God is my light inthings of the minde and my Salvation in things of the body as Aben-Ezra expoundeth it contemn and reckon all things else as matters of small moment it shews he hath in truth apprehended God and this is true holy magnanimity The Lord is the strength of my life He that keeps life and soul together saith Aben-Ezra as the Spirits do soul and body and therefore Quis potest me interimere saith Kimchi who can do me to death Of whom shall I be afraid Faith fortifieth the heart against distrustful fears which it quelleth and killeth In a fright it runneth to the heart as the bloud doth and releeveth it setting it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Gunshot of Creature-annoyances Expertus loquor for Vers 2. When the wicked even mine enemies came upon me Made impression upon me with utmost violence and open mouth as if they would have devoured me Cannibal-like or as a Lion doth a sheep inhumanissimè ferarumque more saith Junius barbarously and beastly They stumbled and fell Irritis conaitibus corruerunt they utterly lost their design as did those Amalekites who had sacked Ziglah 1 Sam. 30. and Saul often If a man stumble and fall not he gets ground but if after much blundering hee kiss the ground hefalleth with a force Davids enemies did so Corruerunt conciderunt they were irreparably ruined Vers 3. Though an Host should encamp against me See Psal 3.6 with the Note We should propound the worst to our selves the best will bring with it as wee say especially if we finde our faith to be in heart and vigour as here Davids was Though War shouldrise against me War is a complexive evil and is therefore called so by a specialty Isa 45.7 I make peace and create evil that is War Sin Satan and War have all one name saith a learned Divine evil is the best of them the best of sin is deformity of Satan enmity of war misery In this will I be confident In this In what In this one ensuing Petition saith Aben-Ezra or in this that I have said before The Lord is my light and my Salvation in this confident gloriation of mine which is such as an unbeleever is a perfect stranger unto Vers 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord One thing above the rest Every of Gods suppliants hath some one special request that he mainly insisteth on Ut cultu Del libeto legitimouti possit Jun. and King Davids was the liberty of Gods Sanctuary and enjoyment of his publick Ordinances Hoc primus petit hoc postremus omittit This was dearer to him than Wife Children Goods all This Sute he knew to be honest and therefore he began it and being so he is resolved never to give it over but to prosecute it to the utmost and to persevere in prayer which is a great vertue Rom. 12.12 till he had prevailed That will I seek after As Gods constant Remembrancer who loveth to be importuned and as it were jogged by his praying people Herein David shewed himself a true Israelite a Prince of God and as Nazianzen stileth Basil the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of desires flowing from the Spirit He knew well that a faint Suter doth but beg a denial That I may dwell in the House of the Lord i.e. In the place where was the Ark with the Prophets Priests Levites Asaph and his brethren c. with whom David desired to be taken up in the service of God free from Secular cares and delights at times convenient Pyrrhus told Cyneas that when he had finished his Wars once he would then sit still and be merry The Roman Generals when they had once triumphed over their enemies might take their ease and pleasure for ever after But good David resolves to improve his rest when ever God shall grant it him to perpetual piety That I may dwell saith he or sit in the house of Jehovah
as great a Master then as afterwards and David oft complaineth of it Vers 4. Give them according to their deeds God loveth to retaliate and David out of a publick and prophetick spirit not from private revenge or troubled affectious taketh thus upon him to imprecate And according to the wickednesse of their endeavours They were therefore old habituated irreclaimable sinners whom he thus cursed And against such this and such like imprecations are still in force Give them after the works of their hands Because they regard not the works of thine hands Vers 5. Par pari saith Aben-Ezra here Vers 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord that is saith Kimchi the worship of God they care not for but follow the vanities of the World Or the works of God in heaven and earth the consideration whereof is a part of Gods worship Or they regard not the works of the Lord that is the first making nor The operation of his hands that is the present disposing of his Creatures either by way of mercy or judgement whereof these brutish persons make no observation at all Psa 92.5 6 7. Isa 5.12 particularly they neither regard my present affliction Amos 6.6 nor beleeve my future exaltation to the Throne as God hath promised mee but oppose it all they can and would gladly prevent it which yet they cannot but will bee found fighters against God Hee shall destroy them and not build them up Destroy them in this World and not build them up in the World to come say the Rabbines Or as others he shall break them down as men do old rotten ruinous houses Jun. and never more repair or rebuild them Non potest Deus non perdere judicuis suis qui non crudiuntur documentis They that will not be ruled shall bee ruined See 1 Sam. 2.25 Vers 6. Blessed bee the Lord because hee hath beard c. God will one day turn the prayers of his people into praises David Vers 1. had said Bee not silent to mee here Blessed bee God for hee hath answered mee So Jehosaphat had his Bacah soon turned into Berachah 2 Chron. 20.18 19. See Davids Syllogism and mark his Conclusion Psal 66.18 19 20. not according to the rules of Logick but better Vers 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield So that I am furnished and harnessed within and without See Psal 18.2 My heart trusted in him and I am helped Faith substantiateth things not yet seen Heb. 11.1 it altereth the Tenses saith One and putteth the future into the present tense as here My heart greatly rejoyceth c. Inwardly I am glad warmed at heart and outwardly chearfull even unto singing And what will David sing See his Ditty in the next words Vers 8. The Lord is their strength Not mine only as vers 7. but the strength of all and every one of the holy Community of true Christians partakers of Christs unction of his Spirit Vers 9. Save thy people The Church must share in our prayers And blesse thine inheritance Which cannot but be dear to thee Feed them also For they are but ill-favouredly fed by Saul Lift them up Over all their enemies as Psal 27.6 PSAL. XXIX VErs 1. Give unto the Lord Verbo confessione saith Kimchi By word and confession as Josh 7.19 Jer. 13.16 acknowledge him the King immortal invisible c. and your selves his Vassals as did those three best Emperours Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian Cedite colite step back stoop humble and tremble before this dread Soveraign of the World bear an awefull respect to the divine Majesty the High thunderer the great Wonder-worker unlesse you will come short of brute beasts and dumb Creatures O yee Mighty Heb. Yee sons of the Mighty Grandees and Potentates who are readiest to rob God of his glory and being tumour'd up by their worldly wealth and greatnesse to deem or rather dream themselves demy Gods such as may do what they list as not accountable to any mortall The Septuagint render it O yee Sons of Ramms These Bel-weathers should not cast their noses into the air and carry their crest the higher because the shepheard hath bestowed a bell upon them more than upon the rest of the flock Give unto the Lord Give give give This sheweth how unwilling such are usually to give God his right or to suffer a word of exhortation to this purpose Glory and strength By ascribing all to him casting down your Crowns at his feet setting up his sincere service where-ever ye have to do c. Vers 2. Nominatissimam celeberrimam Jun. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Which yet you cannot do for his name is above all praise Psal 148.13 but you must aim at it The Rabbines observe that Gods holy name is mentioned eighteen severall times in this Psalm that great men especially may give him the honour of his name that they may stand in awe and not sin that they may bring presents to Him who ought to be feared and those also the very best of the best sith He is a great King and standeth much upon his seniority Mal. 1.14 Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness Or In his glorious Sanctuary therefore glorious because there they might see Gods face and hear his voice in his ordinances Away therefore with your superstitions and will-worships and bring your gifts to his beautifull Sanctuarie for no where else will he receive them Send a Lamb to this Ruler of the earth Isa 16.1 as an homage-penny Vers 3. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters Thunder is here called and fitly the voice of the Lord being brought as one instance of those many other glorious works of his in nature because it comes from him alone Naturall causes there are assigned of it The ancient Romans said Deus tonat Deus fulgurat for which now Tonat fulgurat but we must not stick in them as Epicurus and his Hoggs would have us The best Philosophy in this behalf is to hear God Almighty by his thunder speaking unto us from Heaven as if hee were present and to see him in his lightenings as if he cast his eyes upon us to behold what we had been doing This voice of the Lord is fitly instanced as an evidence of the divine power and Majesty because it is so dreadfull even to the greatest Atheists as it was to Caius Caligula that potent Emperour Sueton. ready to run into a mouse-hole in a time of thunder The God of glory thundereth And men quake before him as worms at such a time wriggle into the corners of the earth And yet your dive-dappers duck not at this rattle in the air though they do at a farre smaller matter So many tremble not at Gods terrible threats that yet are afraid of a penall statute The Lord is upon many waters viz. When he thundreth De aquis pendulis loquitur saith Vatablus He speaketh of the
of Hell as it were and doth therefore set up as loud a cry after God as once Micah did after his mawmets Judg. 18. and farre greater cause he had And to the Lord I made supplication He knew that the same hand alone must cure him that had wounded him neither was Gods favour recoverable but by humble confession and hearty prayer Some think to glide away their groans with games and their cares with cards to bury their terrours and themselves in wine and sleep They run to their musick with Saul to building of Cities with Cain when cast out of Gods presence c. sed haret lateri lethalis arundo but as the wounded Deer that hath the deadly arrow sticking in his side well he may frisk up and down for a time but still he bleedeth and will ere long fall down dead so it is with such as feek not comfort in God alone as make not supplication to Him for Him as return not to God who hath smitten them nor seek the Lord of Hoasts Isa 9.13 Vers 9. What profit is there in my blood c i.e. In my life say some q. d. To what purpose have I lived sith Religion is not yet settled In my death say others Diolat and better a violent death especially and out of thy favour Now all beleevers have ever abhorred such a kind of death before they were reconciled to God and had a true feeling of his grace Shall the dust praise thee c See Psal 6.6 with the Note Vers 10. Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me When faith hath once said to God what it hath to fay it will wait for a good answer relying on his mercy and expecting relief from the Lord as here David doth looking in the mean whiles through the anger of his corrections to the sweetneffe of his loving countenance as by a Rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud Vers 11. Thou hast turned from mee my mourning c. Sustulisti luctum latitiam attulisti See the Note on vers 5. Ver. 12. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee i.e. That my tongue oyled from an heart enlarged may exalt thee according to my bounden duty and thine abundant desert A good tongue that watcheth all opportunities to glorifie God and edifie others is certainly a mans great glory but an evill tongue is his foul shame Basil expoundeth glory by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit or soul The Chaldee Paraphrast Laudabunt to honor abiles mundi The glorious ones of the World shall praise thee O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Epiphonematica pathetica conclusio Davidi ex summis calamitatibus erepto familiaris He concludeth as he began ingaging his heart to everlasting thankfullnesse and therein becoming a worthy pattern to all posterity PSAL. XXXI A Psalm of David made say Vatablus and others at that time when Saul pursued David in the Wildernesse of Maon 1 Sam. 23.24 But by many circumstances and passages of this Psalm it appeareth more probable that it was as the former composed when Absolom was up 2 Sam. 15.10 c. See vers 11 12 22. of this Psalm with 2 Sam. 17.24 27. 19.33 Joseph Autiq. lib. 7. cap 9. Vers 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trust Hic Psalmus varia mixtus magna affectnum vicissitudine insignis est This Psalm is strangely mixt and made up of many and diverse passions and petitions according to the change of times and estate In the time of affliction he prayeth in the time of consolation he praiseth the Lord Ercles 7.15 In these three first verses is little said but what had been before said and is already opened Let mee never be ashamed i.e. Repulsed worsted defeated In thy Righteousnesse And not according to mine own Righteousnesse saith Kimchi or according to thy faithfullnesse Vers 2. 〈…〉 This repetition of his petition is no vain babbling as Mat. 6.9 but an effect and an evidence of greatest earnestneffe as Mat. â—6 44 For an house of defence Where the enemy can as little hurt mee as when I was in the Hold 1 Sam. 22.4 Vers 3. For thou art my Rock and my fortresse Such places David had been forced to fly to but stil he trusted in God Lead mee and guide mee Duc me deduc me A Metaphor from Captaines and Generalls who lead on their armies with greatest art and industry Vatab. Vers 4. Pull mee out of the net That noted net as the Hebrew hath it Nam Zâ— denet at rem notam omnibus saith Kimchi David was not caught in it but the enemies presumed he would be so selling the hide before the beast was taken as did likewife the proud Spaniards when coming against England in eighty eight they triumphed before the victory and sang Tu qua Romanas suevisti temnere leges Hispano disces subdere collajugo But blessed be God the net brake and wee escaped Psal 124.7 For thou art my strength As a tree is strongest at the root and a branch or bough next the trunck or stock and the further it groweth out from thence the smaller and weaker it groweth too So the nearer the Creature is to God the stronger and on the contrary Vers 5. Into thine hand I commit my spirit So did our Saviour so did St. Stephen and diverse of the dying Martyrs with these very words most apt and apposite surely for such a purpose But what a wretch was that Huberâ—â— who dyed with these words in his mouth I yeeld my goods to the King my body to the grave and my soul to the Devill Thou hast redeemed And so hast best right unto mee O Lord God of truth I know whom I have trusted Vers 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities i.e. Idols or ought else besides the living God who giveth us all things richly to injoy 1 Tim. 6.17 See Jon. 2.8 with the Note Vanitates vanitatis Vatablus rendreth it and telleth us that some understand it of Astrology R. David doth so in this Note of his upon the Text Astrologos in cantatores in fuga mea non consului sed in Domino prophetis ejus confisus sum I have not consulted Astrologers and Soothsayers in my trouble but have trusted to the Lord and his Prophets Vers 7. I will be glad and rejoyce In the midst of trouble faith will find matter of joy as extracting abundance of comfort in most desperate distresses from the precious promises and former experiences Thou hast known my soul in adversity God knows our souls best Psal 1.6 and wee know him best in adversity Isa 63.16 the Church thought she should know him in the midst of all his austerities Vers 8. Thou hast not shut mee up c. i.e. Not given mee into their power See Psal 27.12 Thou hast set my feet in a large room So that
must be as I am not only humbled but humble low but lowly Vers 3. O magnify the Lord with mee As not sufficient to do so great a work himself he calleth in the help of others We read of a Monster rather than a man who lying on his death bed not only himself swore as fast and as furiously as hee could but desperately desired the standers by to help him with oaths Boltons Assize-serm and to swear for him I knew the man saith mine Author And should not wee much more call upon others to joyn their forces with ours in magnifying the Lord Birds when they come to a full heap of corn will chirp and call in for their fellows Charity is no churl goodnesse is diffusive And let us exalt his name together And so begin Heaven afore-hand Aben-Ezra glosseth thus Quasi diceret Nos omnes simul ad laudandum Deum sumus imbecilles we are all too weak for this work though we should all do our utmost at it Vers 4. I sought the Lord Even when I was in the enemies hands and playing my pranks as a mad man amongst them I prayed secretly and inwardly I sent up some ejaculations as Nehem. 2.4 and was heard though unworthy And delivered mee out of all my fears Which were not a few 1 Sam. 21.13 besides his inward terrours upon his unwarrantable practices to save his life Sense fights sore against faith when it is upon its own dunghill in a sensible danger I mean to the great disturbance of the conscience afterwards George Marsh afterwards a Martyr in Queen Maryes dayes being examined before the Earl of Derby kept himself close in the Sacrament of the Altar as they called it But afterward thus he writeth to a friend I departed much more troubled in my spirit than before because I had not with more boldnesse confessed Christ but in such sort as mine adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against mee whereat I was much grieved for hitherto I went about as much as in mee lay to rid my self out of their hands if by any means without open denying of Christ and his word that could be done c. Thus He but no rest he had in his mind Act. Monâ— fol. 1419. till hee had better declared himself though to the losse of his life A man had better offend all the World than his own conscience David not without much ado recovered his peace for which he here heartily blesseth God Vers 5. They looked unto him and were lightened They that is my servants and fellow-souldiers who accompanied mee first to Nob 1 Sam. 21.2 4. Mat. 12.3 4. and afterwards to Gath as it is probable these being in the same danger looked likewise unto God by faith hope and prayer and were lightened that is comforted cheared directed yea delivered together with David Or They flowed together viz. to God as Rivers roll to the Sea or malefactors run to the sanctuary Isa 2.2 60.5 And their faces were not ashamed i.e. They were not repulsed disappointed made to hide their heads as Rev. 6.15 16. Vers 6. This peer man cried Meaning himself to whom it seemeth he pointed the finger or laid his hand on his heart when he said This poor man Hic vilis et evium Pastor saith Theoderèt this mean Shepherd not long since but rather This miserable sinner who whilome rashly ran such an hazard and so unworthily deported himself in the presence of King Achish this poor Soul I say cried but silently and secretly as Moses did at the red Sea as Nehemiah did in the presence of the King of Persia And the Lord Who might better be called the poor mans King than was James 4. King of Scotland Heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles And the like he will do for all that in like case being poor in spirit make their humble addresses unto him It is good to communicate unto others our experiences See the like done Psal 116.6 Rom. 8.2 1 Tim. 1.15 Vers 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about c. Not one Guardian-Angel only as some have hence conceited nor Michael the Arch-Angel only that Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ as Augustine expoundeth this Text but an Host of created Angels those ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 For although Christ the Captain of our Salvation needeth not their help for the safe-guard of his people yet for our comfort he maketh use of the holy Angels who meet us still as they did Jacob at Mahanaim where they made a lane for him as the Guard doth for their Prince as the word importeth Gen. 32.1 they minister many blessings to us though invisibly stand at our right hands Luke 1.11 as ready to releeve us as the Devils are to mischief us Sicut hostes sunt in circuitu Kimchi Zech. 3.1 yea they pitch Camp round about us as here Oh the dignity and safety of a Saint in this respect fight in battel-array against our enemies Dan. 10.20 the Heathens speak much of their Castor and Pollux fighting for them and Hâ—siod telleth of thirty thousand demy-gods that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepers of Mankind and convey them at death as they did Lazarus through the enemies Country the air into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. Vers 8. O taste and see c. Viz. with the mouth of your minde and with the eyes of your faith perceive and experiment the goodness of God in chusing and using such Instruments as the Angels and otherwise in the manifold expressions of his love to us wherein if we take not comfort the fault is meerly in our selves we being like him who hath pleasant and nourishing meat but will not make use of it The Saints taste how good the Lord is and thence long after him Optima demonstratio est à sensibus as he that feels Fire hot or as he that tasteth Hony sweet yee need not use arguments to perswade him to beleeve it So here let a man but once taste that the Lord is good and he will thenceforth as a new born Babe desire the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 3. neither will he take any more content in the Worlds tastless fooleries than in the white of an Egge or a dry chip D. 4. dom Gustato spiritu desipit omnis caro saith Gerson All flesh is savourless to him that hath tasted of the Spirit Paul after his Rapture looked with scorn and pity on all the Worlds glittering Poverty His mouth doth not water after homely provisions who hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance O let us get Spiritual senses habitually bitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing saith our Saviour to the Jews q.d. yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge no sound
God whereby he was sealed to the day of redemption Ephes 4.30 and is therefore at a losse for comfort he had vilipended that patent of his pardon which God had passed under his hand and seal God therefore calleth for it home again into the pardon-office as it were that he may know the worth by the want A man may sin away not only the sense and comfort of his pardon but the evidence and knowledge of it as that place of Peter seemeth to imply 2 Pet. 1.9 Mountebanks who wound their flesh to try conclusions upon their own bodies how soveraign the salve is D. Sibbes Souls confl do oft feel the smart of their presumption by long and desperate wounds So God will let his Davids see what it is to make wounds in their consciences to try the preciousnesse of his balsam such may go mourning to their graves And though with much ado they get assurance of pardon yet their consciences will be still trembling till God at length speak further peace even as the waters of the Sea after a storm are not presently still but move and tremble a good while after the storm is over And upholdest moe with thy free Spirit Heb. firmly sustain mee with thy noble or Princely Spirit that may make mee steddy and ready to come off roundly in thy service Sin against conscience disableth for duty taketh away freedom to it and stability in it David therefore prayes God to fix his quick-silver to ballance his lightnesse to settle and fill that vain and empty heart of his with something that may stay and stablish it that may also free and enlarge it for where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 that he might yeeld prompt and present obedience to God in all things and with all might be apt and able to teach transgressors as he promiseth to do in the next words Vers 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes Instruunts nos Patres tum docentes tum labentes saith Augustine Two wayes the Saints teach us First By their Doctrin Secondly By their Falles and Failings David had taught men this last way to his cost that it is triste mortalitatis privilegium licere aliquando peccare Now he promiseth by his example and instruction to teach transgressours those that are in the very bonds and hands of the Devill Gods wayes of mercy to the penitent and that they must either turn to God or burn for even in Hell And sinners shall be converted unto thee They shall give not the half but the whole turn and it shall appear by them The turning of a sinner from evill to good is like the turning of a Bell from one side to another you cannot turn it but it will make a sound and report its own motion Vers 14. Deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse O God Heb. From bloods in every drop whereof is a tongue crying for vengeance Besides if Davids adultery was a sin of infirmity he was preocoupated as Gal. 6.1 yet his murthering of Uriah and many others that fell together with him was a sin of presumption a deliberate prepensed evill done in cold blood and therefore lay very heavy upon his conscience Howbeit he gat pardon of this great sin also so that it never troubled him on his death-bed as some other did though not so great where of he had not so throughly repented 1 King 2. Thou God of my salvation By making choice of this so fit an Attribute he flirreth up himself to take better hold And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness That is of thy faithfullnesse in performing thy promise of pardon to the penitent As Aarons golden bells sounded so should our tongues sound Gods praises and sing them aloud shrill them out Vers 15. O Lord open thou my lips Which now I find stopt and sealed up as it were with the sin that doth so easily beset mee so that whereas I promised before to sing aloud of thy Righteousnesse this I shall never be able to do without thy speciall furtherance nisi verba suppedites tanquam pracas unlesse thou please to supply mee both with affections and expressions as well as with matter of praise And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise David had not been dumb till now all the while he lay in his sin but all he did was but lip-labour and therefore lost-labour Daniel confesseth the like of himself and his people chap. 9.13 All this evill is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord â—ur God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth Prayed they had but because they turned not frons their iniquities they got nothing by their prayers or praises God is a Fountain and if he meet with a fit pipe as is an ordinance rightly performed there he usually conveyeth his grace but if he meet with a foul pipe and obstructed there he doth not conferre a blessing The Pharisees were not a button the better for all their long prayers because rotten ar heart Vers 16. For thou desiâ—â—st not sacrifice This is the reason why David restipulateth Praise if God will pardon his great sin vers 14. viz. because he well understood that God preferred praise before all sacrifices whatsoever provided that iâ— came from a broken spirit Vers 17. rightly humbled for sin and thankfully accepting of pardon See Psal 50.14 15 23. Thou delightest not in burnt-offering viz. Comparatively and indeed not at all without a contrite heart Una Deiest purum gratissinsa victima pectus Nazianz. Much lesse then doth God respect the sacrifice of the Masse that hath no footing or warrant in the word A certain Sorbonist finding it written at the end of St. Pauls Epistles Missa est c. bragg'd he had found the Masse in his Bible Bee-hive cap. 3â— fol. 93 94. Buxtorf And another reading Joh. 1.44 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion Some of them as Bellarmine for one would fain ground it upon Mal. 1.11 Others fetch the name Missa from the Hebrew Mass for tribute which comes from Masas to melt because it many times melteth away mens estates Rect è quidem saith Rivet per Missam scilicet pietas omnis liquefacta est dissoluta Vers 17. The sacrifices of God area broken spirit i.e. Such an heart as lyeth low and heareth all that God saith such a sacrifice or service as is laid on the low altar of a contrite heart which sanctifieth the Sacrifice Mr. Abbas such a person as with a self-condemning self-crucifying and sin-mortifying heart humbly and yet beleevingly maketh out for mercy and pardon in the blood of Christ this this is the man that God expects accepts and makes great account of A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise This is great comfort to those that droop under sense of sin and fear of wrath being at next door to despair Bring but a broken heart
nor bestow upon them thy crown of righteousness Vers 28. Let them be blotted out c. Wherein they were never indeed written among those living in Jerusalem Isa 4.3 those first-born whose names are written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 but they accounted themselves of that number and were so esteemed by others This was a mistake and the Psalmist prayeth God to make it appear so No videantur in alhum tuorum velats quibus vgra vita 〈◊〉 destinasâ—i Vers 29. But I am poer and sorrowful The Church is usually so and may sing as here Vaâ—nignant c. but her comfort is 1 That Christ saith unto her as Rev. 2.9 I know thy sorrow and poverty but that is nothing Thou art rich 2 That her poverty is not penal but Medicinal Gods dispensation is sit her for better riches As a wise Physician purgeth a foul body till he bring it almost to skin and bone But why That having made it poor there may bee a spring of better bloud and spirits Vers 30. I will praise the Name of God i. e. aquitum Deum I will thankfully agnize and recognize Gods great goodness to me in this deliverance with mine uttermost zeal and skill Vers 31. This also shall please the Lord better c. True thankfulness is epimum optimum sacrificium those calves of our lips Hos 14.3 Heb. 12 1â— These Calves or Bullocks as in the Text must 1 Have burnt and hoofts bee young and tender the very best of the best 2 They must bee slain our thanks must proceed from a mortified minde 3 They must be sacrifised where is required 1 An Altar our praises must be tendred in the mediation of Christ 2. Fire our hearts must be enflamed with zeal and ardency 3 Our hands must be laid on the head of the Bullock That is we must in all humility confess our unworthiness c. This will surely please the Lord better than an Oxe or Bullock that hath â—erns and hâ—â—ofâ— Vers 32. The humble shall see this and be glad Davids great care was for others confirmation and comfort much more Christs witness that holy prayer of his Joh. 17. Your 〈◊〉 shall live Which before was all 〈◊〉 Pray that yet may joy David did so often Psal 6. c. Vers 33. For the Lord he 〈◊〉 the poor He is the poor mans King the wronged mans refuge Trajan the Emperour is renouned for this Aeli spart that when he was mounted for a battel he alighted again to hear the complaint of a poor Woman that cried unto him for Justice and our Edw. 6. for this that he would appoint certain hours to sit with the Master of the Requests Engl. Elis only to dispatch the Causes of the poor God is much more to be magnified Vers 34. Let the heaven and earth praise him As they do in their kind and have good cause so to do for their resstaâ—ration by Christ Rom. 8.11 Vers 35. 〈…〉 The Church universal And will build the Cities The paâ—â—â—dâ— at Churches That they may dwell there viz. The seed of his servants vers 36. 〈◊〉 after them shall be incorporated into the Church and 〈◊〉 thing to all perpetuity PSAL. LXX A Psalm of David Made likely or rather made use of from Psal 40.14 15 c. when Shaba the Son of Bichri was up in rebellion after Absoloms death 2 Sam. 20.1 c. See Psal 69. title To bring to remembrance Worthy to be remembred and followed as a pattern of prayer Some make this Psalm an Appendix to the former as Psal 43. is to Psal 42. Others make it a part of the next Psalm which is therefore say they without a title Vers 1. Make haste O God to deliver me As a Father â—ans without leggs when his childe is hazarded Vers 2. Let them be ashamed See Psal 40.14 35.26 27. Vers 3. Let them be turned back for a reward Vel ficit per insidias vel supplantationem more Athletarum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them be supplanted defeated That say Aha aha Augustine rendreth it Enge Enge that is Well done and giveth this Note upon it Plus persequitur lingua adulator is quà m manus interfectoris The tongue of a Flatterer may mischief a man more than the hand of a Murtherer The Apostle Heb. 11.37 ranketh their tempting and flattering promises among their bloudy deeds their is sing tongues with their terrifying jaws Vers 4. Let all those that seek thee c. Piorum characteres saith one a godly man caracterized by his search after God his joy in him his love to him his praises of him Let God be magnefied In illo quicquid ego ille non ego saith Augustine Vers 5. But I am poor and needy See Psal 69.29 with the Note PSAL. LXXI VErs 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trusts See Psal 31.1 with the Note It appeareth by vers 9.18 that this Psalm was written by David in his old age when Absolom or Sheba was in rebellion against him though haply for haste and in that fright he could not superscribe it as he did the rest The Greek title viz. of David A Psalm of the Sons of Jonadab and of them that were first captived hath no footing in the Original Hebrew Vers 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness Let my deliverance be the fruit of thy promise and of my prayer and so it will be much the sweeter Vers 3. Thou hast given Commandement sc To thine Angels and all other thy Creatures or thou hast commanded that is thou hast promised Vers 4. One of the hand of the unrighteous That seeketh by fraud to undermine me and by force to overturn me And cruel man Qui totus in fermento jacet soure as leaven sharp as vineger Vers 5. For thou art my hope Helpless I may seem but hopeless I am not Vers 6. Hâ— thee have I been bolden us from the womb As in the Womb I lived upon thee so from the womb The same that breede thus feedeth us that matter that nourisheth the Childe in the Womb striking up into the breasts and by a further concoction becoming white is mode milk for it Thou ar◠〈…〉 me out infamy to other bowels Else I had never been born alive That a childe is bound 〈…〉 saith Galen Sed quomoda fiat admotoritar 〈…〉 calleth it 〈◊〉 supra mirabiloâ— muja mirabila the greatest wonder in the World Surely if a Childe were born but once in an hundred years space we should all then to see so strange a work saith another Vers 7. I am as a wonder 〈◊〉 Or 〈◊〉 the great ones a Monster to the mighty Quia credo 〈…〉 glosseth because I beleeve what I yet see not viz. that this storm shall blow over and I he reâ—â—â—ed in my Throne Vers 8. 〈…〉 Vers 9. Cast me not off in the time of old age For now I have most need of thee The white Rose is soonest cankered so is the white Head soonest corrupted
119.4 5. If they cannot open the door yet if they give a pluck at the bolt or a lift at the latch there is comfort Vers 19. The Lord hath prepared Or fixed founded firmed established Here God is further praised for his most excellent Majesty which appeareth first From the loftiness of his Throne secondly From the largeness of his Dominion Vers 20. Bless the Lord ye his Angels In stirring up the Angels to praise God he awakeneth himself and for this purpose Incipit à superioribus finit in infimis saith Kimcbi here he calleth in the help of all the creatures from the highest to the lowest and after all concludeth as he began with a saying to himself That excel in strength Heb. Giants for strength such as can prevail and do great exploits yet is all their strength derivative they have it from God who it Hagibbor the Mighty One Deut. 10.17 and hence the Angel Gabriel hath his name God is my strength Labour we to be like unto the Angels strengthened with all might c. Col. 1.11 walking about the world as Conquerors able to do all things through Christ who strengthneth us Philip. 4.13 That do his Commandements viz. Cheerfully speedily universally humbly constantly Let us do accordingly else we mock God when we pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Vers 21. Bless ye the Lord all his hosts That is all his creatures which are fitly called Gods hosts First For their number Secondly For their order thirdly for their obedience Yee Ministers of his Whether in State or Church Kings are Gods Ministers Rom. 13.4 6. So are Angels Heb. 1.14 like as Ministers are Angels Rev. 2.1 they have exchanged names their office is Angel-like to wait upon God to stand before him to serve in his presence and to bless his Name Vers 22. Bless the Lord all his works Whether living or liveless For all thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints bless thee Psal 145.10 Benedicite ter ad mysterium Triadis saith an Interpreter Bless the Lord O my soul Whatever others do let me be doing at it as Josh 24.14 15. PSAL. CIV Vers 1. Bless the Lord O my soul This was much in Davids mouth as Deo gratias was in Austines See Psal 103.1 and 22. after which this Psalm is fitly set There he blesseth God for his benefits to himself and the whole Church here for his works of Creation and Government common to the whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek and Latine Translations prefix this title David de generation Mandi Continet opera Bereshith saith Kimchi It is of the same subject with the first Chapter of Genesis the first five dayes works are here after a sort considered and celebrated as a mirror wherein Gods Majesty may be clearly discerned This Psalm is by some called Davids Physicks Thou art very great Non molis dimensionâ— sed virtutis rerum gestarum gloria Thou hast made thee a great Name by thy works of wonder Thou are cloathed with Honour and Majesty i.e. With thy creatures which are as a garment both to hide thee in one respect and to hold thee forth in another to bee seen Vers 2. Who coverest thy self with light That lovely creature that first shone out of darknes and is chief among all things sensible as coming nearest to the unapproachable glory of God like as the robe royal is next unto the King Herod upon a let day came forth arrayed in royal apparel in cloath of silver saith Josephus which being beaten upon by the Sun-beams dazled the eyes of the people and drew from them that blasphemous acclamation Act. 12.21 God when he made the world shewed himself in all his royalty neither can we ascribe too much unto him Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain The whole expanse or firmament is as a Canopy over Gods Throne or rather as a Curtain or Skreen betwixt us and the Divine Majesty the fight whereof we cannot bear Vers 3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters God as he hath founded the solid earth upon the fluid waters Psal 24.2 So the highest heaven upon those waters above the firmament Gen. 1.7 Psal 18.11 This notably sets forth the wisdome and power of this Almighty Architect sith Artists say In solido extruendum the foundation of a building should be hard and rocky and experience sealeth to it Who maketh the clouds c. These are his Charriot royal drawn or rather driven by the winds as his Charriot-horses Vers 4. Who maketh his Angels spirits Immaterial substances fit to attend upon the Father of spirits and with speed to move suddenly and invisibly into most remote parts His Ministers a flaming fire Seraphims they are called for their burning zeal like so many heavenly Salamanders as also for their irrestible power the Angel that destroyed Sennacheribs Army is held to have done it by burning them within although it appeared not outwardly as some have been burnt by lightning Vers 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth Heb. He hath founded the earth upon her bases See Psal 24.2 Job 38.4 6. with the Notes That is should not be removed for ever Neither can it be by reason of its own weightiness whereby it remaineth unmoveable in the center of the universe Say it should move any way it must move towards heaven and so ascend which is utterly against the nature of heavy bodies Vers 6. Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment Operueras Thou hadst at first covered it till thou for mans sake hadst made a distinction for else such a garment would this have been to the earth as the shirt made for the murthering of Agamemnon where he had no issue out The waters stood above the mountains As the garment in the proper use of it is above the body and so they would still did not God for our sakes set them their bounds and borders Vers 7. At thy rebuke they fled At thy word of command and angry countenance overawing that raging and ranging creature So Christ rebuked the winds and waves They hasted away They ran away headlong as for life Vers 8. They go up by the mountains They run any way in post hasle breaking through thick and thin and no where resting till imbodied in the Abysse their elemental place and station This is check to our dulness and disobedience If a man had been present saith One when God thus commanded the seas to retreat from the earth hee might have seen both a terrible and a joyful spectacle Vers 9. Thou hast set a bound c. A certain compass and course an argument of Gods singular and sweet power and providence See Job 38.10 11. with the Notes Vers 10. He sondeth the springs into the vallies God doth this he by certain issues or venâ—s sendeth forth the waters of the Sea which here and there break out in springs leaving their saltness behind them that
Vers 22. Wondrous things in the land of Hon i.e. Among the Egyptians Hams posterity And terrible things at the red Sea All which were buried together with the remembrance of God the doer Vers 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them Idolatry is a people-desolating sin God was once in a mind to have destroyed this people utterly and to have left none but Moses Exod 32.10.31 c. promising him a great fortune if he would have suffered it But he tendring Gods glory more than his own greatness refused it Choice and excellent spirits use to do so Had not Moses his chosen Chosen to represent Christ in his mediatorship Stood up in the breach A metaphor from Military matters When a strong Hold is besieged and a breach made valiant Souldiers use to make up that breach with their own bodies till the enemy be beaten back Gods wrath was even breaking in upon the people Moses prayed instantly and constantly even the most part of those forty dayes and nights he spent in the Mount Deut. 9. and at length prevailed See Ezek. 13.5 and 22.30 Vers 24. Yea they despised the pleasant land Heb. The land of desire flowing with milk and hony sumen totius terre as One calleth it Egypt they preferred before it though it were a gage of heaven as Cardinal Burbon did his part in Paris before his part in Paradise They beleeved not his word so That he would or indeed could give them that good land He that beleeveth not maketh God a liar Vers 25. But murmured in their tents Where they sate discontented after the report of the Spies and as we say Sick of the Sullens they would not attempt a conquest but bewayled their hard fortune and let flye on all hands keeping a clutter and a rattle Vers 26. Therefore he lifted up his hand i.e. He solemnly swore as Nun. 14.30 or he was fetching his full blow at them To overthrow them in the wilderness Which also befel them according to their own wicked wish Let men take heed of wishing evil to themselves left God say Amen to it Vers 27. To overthrow their seed also among the Nations This clause of Gods oath is not expressed in Numbers but drawn there-hence as a fearful consequence both here by the Psalmist and also by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 20. And R. Solomons note upon this text is Tunc erat decretum de desolaâ—â—e Temple ut lachrymas pro re magna sicut ante pro nibilo effunderent Then was the desolation of the Temple though it fell out long after determined that those male-contents who cryed for nothing before might have somewhat to cry for Vers 28. They joyned themselves also unto Baal-peor Heb. They were unequally ye aked as 2 Cor. 6.14 Quam male in equales veniunt ad ar atra juvenci Ab opertione 〈◊〉 nudâ—tione pudondorum They seperated themselves to that shams Priapus Hos 9.10 who had his name from shewing all and his worshippers were most impudent Varlets And ate the sacrifices of the dead i.e. Of Idols opposed to the living God The beginning of Idolatry some say was the attributing of divine honours to great persons when they were dead The heathens shewed the sepulchres of their oldest Deities Vers 29. Thus they provoked him God cannot brook mans devices in matters of Religious he will have no other worship than what himself hath appointed And the plague brake in upon them As a Deinge or as an Army very impetuously to the destroying of twenty four thousand persons Vers 30. Animose surtexit Vatab. Thou 〈◊〉 By a secret heroical and extraordinary motion of Gods Spirit such as may not be drawn iâ—â— exampleâ— All things reported and commended in 〈◊〉 may not 〈◊〉 imitatedâ— Oâ—â— Bircheâ— by example of Pâ—iâ—â—as and 〈◊〉 thought he might have killed a great perâ—oâ—age in this land whom he looked upon as a naughty man and Gods enemy A patricular example will afford a general instruction where the equity of the thing done is universal and the cause common otherwise not saith learned Junius And exeâ—â—â—ed judgement Not tarrying for the sentence of the Judgeâ— The Chaldee rendreth it And prayed Execution of justice is that actual magisterial and majestical king of prayer that will stay the plague when nothing else will Vers 31. And that was counted unto him for righteousness God not only condemned him not of râ—sh zeal but looked upon what he had done as a peece of singulaâ— service and rewarded it accordingly Vers 32. They angred him also at the waters of strife Yet he made not the least semblance of it to Moses but only bad him smite the Rock which if he had then done and no more he had done right God is Bagnal Chemah master of his anger Nab. 1.2 so was not meek Moses at this time The best are miscarried by their passions sometimes to their cost So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes i. e. By their means he was kept out of Canaan which was a great cross to him and his repentance as to that favour came too lare for God was resolved Vers 33. Because they provoked his spirit So that he was in a pelt to the grieving of Godâ— good Spirit within him Eph. 4.30 31. O tantaene anim is coelestibus 〈◊〉 So that be spake unadvisedly Some render it only be spake or be pronounced he should not have spoken at al 's to the people as having no order from God so to do in that transaction but only to the Rock Et perperam locutus est Contra charita◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13. Whereas he not onely smote the Rock and smote it twice but spake to the people and spake rashly or idlely the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thought to come from the Hebrew Bate here used yea bitterly calling them Rebels and falling foul upon them with distrustful interrogations and mis-implications This is called Rebellion Numb 20.10 11.24 and severely punished in Gods favourite Moses Vers 34. They did not destroy the Nations For which neglect of theirs pity would be pleaded But there is a cruel mercy saith One There is a pious cruelty saith another Cursed is he that doth the Lords work deceitfully and cursed is he that restraineth his sword from blood when God biddeth him strike Saul and Ahab felt the dint of this curse and so did these Israelites for sparing the Canaanites whether out of pusillanimity or foolish pity Vers 35. But were mingled among the beathen With whom they made leagues and mariages Jud. 3. and so were soon corrupted by them It is dangerous to converse with graceless people their very example is a compulsion See Gal. 2.14 how much more their evil counsel Vers 36. And they served their Idols The Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith Synesius a lover of Idolatry and hee speaks through Idolaters as through his truncks perswading people to like practise as did Julian
to provoke him to wrath A heavy curse indeed Vers 16. Because that he remembred not to show mercy Here the Prophet beginneth to shew why he useth such doleful imprecations against his enemies viz. not out of a spirit of revenge or a false zeal but as truly seeking Gods glory and his Churches safety which could not other wise be procured unless these merciless men were devoted to destruction He remembred not that is de industria oblitus est omisit he forgot and neglected it for the nonce Vers 17. At he loved cursing c. The back-slider in heart shall he filled with his own Wayes Prov. 14.14 Cursing men are cursed men as were easie to instance in sundry as Hacket hanged in Q. Elizabeths Reign and Sir Jervase Ellowaies Lieutenant of the Tower in K. James his dayes according to their own wishes See Mr. Clarks Mirror p. 210 c. The Jews are still great cursers of Christians they shut up their daily prayers with Maledic Domine Nazaraek and how it cometh home to them who knoweth not even wrath to the utmost I Thess 2.16 Vers 18. As he cloathed himself with cursing as with his garment Ut vestis commensâ—rata corpori as the inner garment that sticks closest to the body and is not done off but with much ado as he hath wrapped and trussed up himself in cursing So let in come into his bowels like water Let him have his belly full of it and his bones full too And like ey Which easily soaketh through See Nam 5.22 Vers 19. Let it be unto him as a garment Not as an inner but outer garment also Actio merces that men may see and say This it an accursed person the visible vengeance of God pursueth him Vers 20. Let this be the reward Opus vel Oper a precium The same Hebrew word signifieth Work and Wages Job 7.2 Isa 49.4 persecutors shall be sure of their payment Vers 21. But do thou for me Fas mecum sis mibi à latere stick to me act on my behalf and for my behoof Vers 22. For I am poor and needy As a Lazar sheweth his ulcers to move pity so doth David his indigency and aylements And my heart is wounden I have mine inward troubles also or I am cordicisus vulneratus almost dead animam age Vers 23. I am gone like the shadow Abii perii evenui I vanish as the long shadows do so soon as the Sun setteth As the Locust Leapeth from hedge to hedge so do I from place to place being tossed from post to pillar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Cor. 4. Vers 24. My knees are weak through fasting Either for lack of meat or stomach to it genua laâ—am my knees buckle under me the strong men bow themselves Eccles 12.3 My flesh faileth of fatness I am lean and low brought Christ might well cry out My â—â—aâ—â—ess my leanness so busie he was for his Father and so worn out that they judged him well nigh fifty when he was not much above thirty Job 8.57 Vers 25. I become also a reproach In respect of my leanness They shaked their beads This is threatned as a curse Deut. 28. but may befall the best as it did our Saviour Psal 22. Mat. 27. Vers 26. Help me O Lord Prayer like those arrows of deliverance must be multiplied as out trouble is lengthned and lyeth on Vers 27. That they may know That I am delivered meerly by thy presence and power It is the ingenuity of the Saints in all their desired or expected mercies to study Gods ends more than their own Vers 28. Let them curse but bless thou Yea the rather as a Sam. 16.12 and I wot well that those whom thou blessest shall be blessed as Isaac once said of his son Jacob Gen. 27.33 When they arise To plead their own cause cousa extidant Vers 29. As with a mantle Sicut diploide saith the Vulgar as with a doublet q.d. Let them be double ashamed for which purpose also he here doubleth his prayer Vers 30. I will greatly praise the Lord Diligenter impense Gods blessings are binders and great deliverances call for suitable praises the neglect hereof is crimen stellionatus cousenage Vers 31. For he shall stand at the right hand As a saithful and powerful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Champion and not as Satan standeth at the persecutors right hand vers 6. From those that condemn him Heb. From the judges of his soul sc Saul and his Courtiers who judged him worthy of death PSAL. CX A Psalm of David Concerning Christ saith R. Obadiah and so say Christ himself Mat. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost and his Apostles I Cor. 15. Heb. 7. 10. though some Rabbines maliciously say otherwise as R. Joseph caâ—us qui bic caeâ—liâ— to say the best of him and other Jew Doctors who stagger here in their expositions as drunkards Vers 1. The Lord said unto my Lord In this one verse we have a description of Christs person his ware and his victory so that we may say of it and so indeed of the whole Psalm which is an Epitome of the Gospel as Tully did of Bruâ—as his Laconical Epistle Quà m multa quà m pancis How much in a little See the Note on Mat. 22.44 Sit thou at my right hand Sit thou with me in my Thronâ— having power over all things in heaven and earth Matth. 28. Christ as man received what as God hee had before Vntil I make thine enemies thy footseel Foes Christ hath ever had and shall have to the worlds end but then they shall be all in a place fittest for them viz. under Christs feet even those who now seâ— up their Crests face the heavens and say unto the King Aposâ—â—â—t◠〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 with him Vers 2. The Lord shall send the Roâ—of thy strength That is the Gospel that Scepter of Christs Kingdome that power of God to salvation unto as many as beleeve mighty through God to work 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.5 Act. 20.31 even the preaching of Christs cross Out of Sin For salvation in of the 〈◊〉 Job 4. 〈◊〉 lem till c. Act. 1. Rule thou it the midst of thinâ— enemies Among Jews Pagans Turks Papagaâ—s those that will not bend let them break those that will not stoop to thy Government let them feel thy power Psal 45.5 Vers 3. Thy people shall be willing All Christs subjects are Volunteers free-hearted In Psal 1. like those Isles that wait for Gods Law Isa 42.8 Zech. 8.11 They love to be his servants Isa 56.6 Lex voluntaries quaerit saith Ambrose In the day of thy power Copiarum tuarum of thine Army or of thy Militia when thou shalt lead on thy Church Militant and be in the head of them conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Some understand it of the Christian Sabbath day In the beauties of holiness i.e. In Church assemblies in the beauty of holy Ordinances at the
Heavens Where your terricula your fray-bugmawmets never were like as one being asked by a Papist where was your Religion before Luther answered In the Bible where your Religion never was This But seemeth uttered with indiguation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil on a like occasion Our God is no dunghill-deity Hee hath done whatsoever bee pleased Without either help or hinderance of any Vers 4 Their Idols are silver and gold Take them at the best they are no better and what is silver and gold but the guts and garbage of the earth But some of them might say as Priapus in Horace Olim truncus eram ficulnus inutile lignum Herodotus telleth us In Euterpe that Amasis had a large laver of gold wherein both hee and his guests used to wash their feet This Vessel hee brake and made a God of it which the Egyptians devoutly worshiped And the like Idolomany is at this day found among Papists what distinction soever they would fain make betwixt an Idol and an Image which indeed as they use them are all one The work of mens hands And therefore they must needs bee goodly gods when made by bunglers especially Act. Mon. fol. 1340. as was the rood of Cookram which if it were not good enough to make a God would make an excellent Devill as the Maior of Doncaster merrily told the complainants Vers 5 They have mouths but speak not Unlesse the Devil haply speak in them and by them as at Delphos or the false Priests as here in times of Popery Eyes have they But they see not And yet with wires and other devises they were made here once to goggle their eyes Act. Mon. to move their chaps apace as well a paid when something of worth was presented them as if otherwise to look at eyes end and to hang a lip Vers 6 They have cars but they hear not But are as deaf as door-nails to the prayers of their suppliants The Cretians pictured their Jupiter without ears so little hearing or help they hoped for from him Socrates in contempt of Heathen Gods swore by an Oak a Goat a Dog as holding these better gods than those Varro saith Aug. de Civit. Dei lib 4. â—2 31 They that first brought in pictures to bee worshiped Ii civitatibus suis meturn dempserunt errorem addiderunt took away fear and brought in errour Noses have they but they smell not As the Painter may paint a flower with fresh colours but not with sweet savour with this Motto No further than colours so the Carver may draw out an image but not make it draw in the breath with this Motto No further than fashion Vers 7 They have hands but they handle not Curious and artificiall for Art is Natures ape but uselesse and for shew only if Esculapius or the Lady of Loretto restore the lame or the blind it is the Devill with his lying wonders 2 Thes 2. Feet have they bus they walk not As those pictures in Plato made by Dedalus which if they were not bound would fly away or Vulcaus three-footed stools in Homer which 〈◊〉 â—eigned to have run on wheels of their own accord to the meeting of the Gods and after that to return in like fort back again The Tyrians besieged by Alexander chained up their God Hercules that hee might not go from them in that strait and yet they were not delivered Neither speak they through their threat They do not so much as chatter like a Crane or 〈◊〉 a Dove Isa 38.14 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 idols as the Apostle calleth them These are things commonly known 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 who yet are so bewatched that they will needs 〈◊〉 upon these gods of their own making O vanas hominum mentes c. O the spirit of fornication c. Vers 8 They that make them are like unto them Blind and blockish Vervecum in patria crasseque sub aere nasi given up by a just God to a judiciary stupidity See Isa 44.9 10 11 c. Rev. 9.20 their foolish hearts were darkened and they were delivered up to a reprobate sense to an injudicious mind Rom. 1. to strong delusions vile affections just damnation So is every one that trusteth in them Idols were never true to such as trusted in them but such deserve to bee deceived as being miserable by their own election Jon. 2.8 Vers 9 O Israel trust thou in the Lord Whatever others do Josh 24.15 and the rather because others do not Psal 119. the worse they are the better bee yee Hee is their help and their shield God is ingaged in point of honour to help and protect those that trust in him Vers 10. O house of Aaron trust in the Lord Ministers must bee patterns to others of depending upon God and living by saith as did Mr. Bradshaw Mr. Lancaster and many other famous Preachers of latter times whom god inured to a dependence from day to day upon his Providence for provisions and as a grave man of God sometimes said Whereas many others have and eat their bread stale these received their bread and ate it daily new from his holy hand Vers 11 Yee that fear the Lord Peregrini ex omni populo saith Aben-Ezra devout persons out of every Nation dwelling among the Jews though not absolute Proselytes Act. 2.5 10.2 13 16. Such also fearing the Lord are heirs of the promises and therefore may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto mee Heb. 13.6 Vers 12 The Lord hath been mindfull of us hee will blesse us God hath God will is an ordinary Scripture Medium as hath been aboye noted Hee will blesse the house of Israel Not help and keep them only but blesse them with the blessings of both lives for he is no penny-Father c. See Ephes 1.3 Hee will blesse the house of Aaron Ministers were ever a distinct order from the rest Note this against the Libertines who would gladly make a jumble Compas Samar affirming the Ministry to bee as arrant a juggle as the Papacy it self Vers 13 Hee will blesse Such shall abound with blessings Prov. 28.20 Both small and great Whether in age or degree Act. 10.34 35. Vers 14 The Lord shall increase you Or The Lord increase you derech tephilla prayer wise as the Rabbines read it You and your Children The care of whose welfare prevaileth far with religious Parents and sitteth close upon their spirits Vers 15 You are the blessed of the Lord c. And therefore shall bee blessed as Isaac said of his son Jacob Gen. 27.33 Which made Heaven and Earth And will rather unmake both again than you shall want help and comfort Vers 16 The Heaven even the heavens are the Lords As the speciall place of his delight and dwelling yet not so as if hee were there cooped up and concluded for God is immense and omnipresent yea totally
meeting with many molestations satanical and secular and left sometimes to themselves by God as was good Hezekiah for their tryal and exercise The Sea is not so calm in summer but hath its commotions the mountain so firm but may bee moved with an Earth-quake Doggs in a chafe bark sometimes at their own masters So do men in their passions let fly at their best friends When the taste is vitiated it mistastes When there is a suffusion in the eye as in case of the jawndise it apprehends colours like it self So here Abraham felt the motion of trepidation meek Moses was over-angry at Meribah so was Job Jonas Jeremy c. Ira comes of Ire say Grammarians because an angry man goes out of himself off from his reason and when pacified hee is said redire ad se to return to himself All men are Lyars Prophets and all Samuel hath deluded mee I doubt in promising mee the Kingdome which I shall never come to see 1 Sam. 27.1 Some make the meaning to bee thus what can I hope for seeing every man betrayeth mee and that I can trust no body The truth is that every man is a lyar either by imposture and so in purpose or by impotency and so in the event deceiving those that rely on him Psal 62.9 Vers 12. What shall I render unto the Lord This hee speaketh as one in an extasy Amor Dei est ecstaticus or in a deep demurre what to do best for so good a God Such self-deliberations are very usefull and acceptable and thereunto are requisite 1 Recognition of Gods favours 2 Estimation 3 Retribution as here Vers 13. I will take the cup of salvation Caliceâ— salutâ—â— vel omnis salutis Vatab. Trem. as in the drink-offerings or as at the feast after the peace-offerings see 1 Chron. 16.3 wherein the feast-maker was wont to take a festival great cup and in lifting it up to declare the occasion of that feast and then in testimony of thankfulness to drink thereof to the guests that they in order might pledge him This was called a cup of salvation or a health-cup but not in the Drunkards sense Vatab To this the Apostle seemeth to allude 1 Cor. 10.17 when hee calleth the sacramentall cup the cup of blessing Heirom rendreth it calicum Jesu accipium And call upon the name of the Lord Pray unto him and so praise him Or I will proclaim and preach his praises as 1 Pet. 2. â— Vers 14. I will pay my vows This word pay importeth that vows lawfully made are due debt and debt till paid is a disquieting thing to an honest mind Rom. 13.8 The Saints in distresse especially used to make their Prayers with vows Hence prayer is in Greek called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a service with vows Mr. Philpot Martyr â—cts Men. first comming into Smithfield to suffer kneeled down and said I will pay my vows in thee O Smithfield Vers 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord Rara chara God doth not often suffer his Saints to bee slain Psal 37.32 33. Or if hee do hee will make inquisition for every drop of that precious blood Psal 9.12 See Psal 72.14 with the Note This David delivereth here as a truth that hee had experimented Vers 16. O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Euge O Jehovah c. by a real and an heavenly complement thus hee insinuateth and therefore promiseth praise to God vers 17. and safety to himself according to that Psal 119.94 I am thine save me And the Son of thine handmaid That is of Ruth say the Rabbines or rather of his immediate mother Quia religiosiâ—r patre Geneâ—r a good woman and haply better than his Father as Monoahs wife had a stronger faith than himself and Priscilla is named before her husband Aquila And the Son of they handmaid Not born abroad and bought or brought into thy family but tuus quasi vernaculus et a ventre ad serviendum dispositus born and bred up to thy service of a child little Thou hast loosed my bonds Of affliction of corruption and made me Christs freeman brought me into the glorious liberty of thine own Children Vers 17. I will offer to thee c. I will perform to thee not ceremonial service only but Moral and spiritual such as thou shall accept through Christ Col. 3.17 And wil call c. see vers 13. Vers 18. I will pay See vers 14. Now Vows were to bee paid without either diminution or delays Deut. 23.21 23. And herein Jacob who is by the Hebrews called Votorum Pater the Father of vows was too short for it was long ere hee went up to Bethel In the presence of all his people For good example sake This also was Prince-like Ezek. 46.10 the Kings seat in the Sanctuary was open that all might see him there 2 King 11.14 and 23.3 Vers 19. In the Courts of the Lords house In coetu sacro in the great Congregation Psal 22.25 and 66.13 where there is a more powerful lively and effectual working of the Spirit Psal 89.7 Heb. 4.1 1 Cor. 14.24 PSAL. CXVII VErs 1. O praise the Lord all yee Nations viz. For Christ that gift Joh. 4 10. that benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 that desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 that good tidings of great joy to all people Luk. 2.10 who are by him received into the glory of God Kimchi Rom. 15.7 11. where the Apostle thus applyeth this Scripture and the Jew-Doctors confesse that this short and sweet Psalm is to bee understood de beneficiis Messiae of Christ and his benefits Praise him all yee people Laudationibus commendate eum so Tremel rendreth it praise him with a force and as it were with a violence with all your might ye cannot possibly over-do Vers 2. For his merciful kindnesse is great Invaluit hath prevailed over us breaking through all obstacles and impediments whether within us or without us eating its way through all rocks and remoraes and though wee would put it back yet it will overcome us his grace is irresistible neither can it ever bee taken away And the truth of the Lord As his mercy alone moved him to make promise so his Truth bindeth him to perform the same See 2 Sam. 7.18 21. The word of promise bindeth God and therefore it may seem to bee stronger than God If his merciful kindnesse prevail over us as vers 1. his truth prevaileth over him The Jew doctors observe that the word Emeth here used for truth consisteth of Aleph the first letter of the Alphabet Midrach â—illine Mâ—â— the middlemost letter thereof and Tan the last to shew that as God is Alpha and Omega so the truth of God is the All in all of our comfort Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ this is the sum of all the good news in the World PSAL. CXVIII VErs 1. O give thanks c. See Psal 106.1 Vers 2. Let Israel now say All
very cold and for the other four it was Winter Vers 8 Neither do they which go by say c. As they use to do to harvest men Ruth 2. 3 Joh. Christianity is no enemy to curtesie yet in some cases saith not God speed PSAL. CXXX VErs 1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee i. e. Ex portis ipsis desperationis from the very bosom and bottom of despair caused through deepest sense of sin and fear of wrath One deep calleth to another the depth of misery to the depth of mercy Basill and Beza interpret it Ex intimis cordis penetralibus from the bottom of my heart with all earnestness and humility Hee that is in the low pits and caves of the earth seeth the stars in the firmament so hee who is most low and lowly seeth most of God and is in best case to call upon him As spices smell best when beaten and as frankincense maximè fragrat cum flagrat is most odoriferous when cast into the fire so do Gods afflicted pray best when at the greatest under Isa 19.22 26.16 27.6 Luther when hee was buffeted by the Devill at Coburgh and in great affliction Joh. Manâ— loc com 43. said to those about him Venite in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus come let us sing that Psalm Out of the depths c. in derision of the Devill And surely this Psalm is a treasury of great comfort to all in distress reckoned therefore of old amongst the seven Penitentiâ—â— and is therefore sacrilegiously by the Papists taken away from the living and applyed only to the dead for no other reason I think saith Beza but because it beginneth with Out of the Depths have I cryed a poor ground for Purgatory or for praying for the souls that are there as Bellarmine makes it Vers 2 Lord hear my voice Precum exauditie identidem est precanda Audience must be begged again and again and if hee once prepare our heart t is sure that hee will cause his ear to hear Psal 10.17 as when wee bid our Children ask this or that of us it is because wee mean to give it them Vers 3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities This and the next verse contains saith one the summe of all the Scriptures Twice hee here nameth the Lord as desirous to take hold of him with both his hands Extremity of Justice hee depreâ—â—â—h hee would not bee dealt with in rigour and rage Extrema fateor commeritus sum Deus Quid enim aliud dixers It is confessed I have deserved the extremity of thy fury but yet let mee talk with thee as Jer. 12.1 or reason the case O Lord who shall stand Stand in Judgement as Psal 1.5 and not fall under the weight of thy just wrath which burneth as low as Hell it self How can any one escape the damnation of Hell which is the just hire of the least sin Rom. 6.23 and the best mans life is fuller of sins than the Firmament is oâ— stars or the furnace of sparks Hence that of an Ancient Vâ— homiuâ—â— vitâ— quantumvis laudabili si reâ—â— miscericordiâ— judicetur Woe to the best man alive should hee bee strictly dealt withall Surely if his faults were but written in his forehead it would make him pull 〈◊〉 hat over his eyes Vers 4 But there is forgiveness with thee This holds head above water that we have to do with a forgiving God Neb. 9.31 none like him for that Mic. 7.18 For hee doth it naturally Exod. 34.6 abundantly Isa 55.7 constantly as here there is still is forgiveness and propitiation with God so Job 1.27 the Lamb of God doth take away the sins of the World t is a perpetuall act and should be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts That thou mayest bee feared i. e. Sought unto and served It is a speech like that Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come If there were not forgiveness with God no man would worship him from his heart but flye from his as from a Tyrant But a promise of pardon from a faithfull God maketh men to put themselves into the hands of justice in hope of mercy Mr. Perkins expoundeth the words thus In mercy thou pardonest the sins of some that thou mightest have some on earth to worship thee Vers 5 I wait for the Lord I wait and wait viz. for deliverance out of misery vers 1. being assured of pardoning mercy Feri Domine feri à peccatis enim absolutâ—◠〈◊〉 said Luther strike Lord while thou wilt so long as my sins are forgiveâ— I can bee of good comfort I can wait or want for a need And 〈…〉 viz. Of promise that ground of hope unfailable Rom. 5.5 of 〈◊〉 unfeigâ—â—ed 1 Tim. 1.5 Vers 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord Or Watcheth for the Lord Heb My soul to the Lord an eclipticall concise speech importing strong affection as doth also the following reduplication Prae custodibus ad mane prae custodibus ad manâ— I say more than they Or More than they that watch for the morning wait for the morning wherein they may sleep which by night they might not do Vers 7 Let Israel hope in the Lord Hope and yet fear as vers 4. with a filiall fear fear and yet hope Plenteous Redemption Are our sins great with God there is mercy matchless mercy Are our sins many with God is plenteous redemption multa redemptiâ— hee will multiply pardons as wee multiply sins Isa 55.7 Vers 8 And hee shall redeem Israel By the value and vertue of Christs death by his merit and spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 PSAL. CXXXI VErs 1 Lord my heart is not haughty Though anointed and appointed by thee to the Kingdome yet I have not ambitiously aspired unto it by seeking Souls death as his pick thanks perswaded him nor do I now being possessed of it proudly domineer as is the manner of most Potentates and tyrannize over my poor subjects but with all modesty and humility not minding high things I do condescend to them of low estate Rom. 12.16 Now Bucholc in alto positum non altum sapere difficile est omnino inusitatum sed quanto inusitatius tanto gloriosius It is both hard and happy not to bee puffed up with prosperity and preferment Vespasian is said to have been the only one that was made better by being made Emperour Nor mine eyes lofty Pride sitteth and sheweth it self in the eyes as soon as in any part Ut speculum oculus est artis ita oculus est naturae speculum Neither do I exercise my self in great matters Heb. I walk not manes intra metas I keep within my circle within the compass of my calling not troubling my self and others by my ambitious projects and practices as Cleâ—n did Alchibiades Cesar Borgia and others Ambitionists Or in things too high for mee Heb. Wonderfull high and hidden things that pass nay
apprehension and which it behoveth mee mirari pâ—tius quam rimari to admire rather than to pry into Arcana Dei sunt Arca Dei The Bethshemites payed dear for peeping into the Ark. Phaeton is feigned by the Poets to have perished by taking upon him to rule the chariot of the Sun and Bellerophon by seeking to flye up to Heaven upon his Pegasus to see what Jupiter did there Terret ambustus Phaeton avaras Spes exemplum grave praebet ales Pegasus terrenum equitem gravaâ—us Bellerophâ—ntem Horat. lib. 4. Od. 11. Vers 2 Surely I have behaved Heb. If I have not c. a deep asseveration Si non compâ—sui sedavi such as hath the force of an oath And quieted my self Heb. Stilled or made silent my soul chiding it when distempered or noisefull as the Mother doth her weanling As a child that is weaned of his Mother Who neither thinketh great things of himself nor seeketh great things for himself but is lowly and fellowly Mat. 18.1 innocent and ignoscent taking what his Mother giveth him and resting in her love My soul is even as a weaned child Who will not bee drawn to such again though never so fair and full-strutting a breast So nor David the worlds dugs Vers 3 Let Israel hope See Psal 130.7 PSAL. CXXXII VErs 1 Lord Remember David Origen holdeth Solomon to have been pen-man of all these Songs of degrees as hath been before noted But as that is not â—â—â—â—ly see the titles of Psal 122. 124. 131. so diverse interpreters conceive this 〈◊〉 bee his because much of it is the same with that prayer hee made at the dedication of the Temple 2 Chron. 6.16 41 42. Here then hee prayeth God to remember David that is not his merits and suffrages as the Monks would have it but the promises made unto him for the which Solomon praised God as well as for the performance to himself 2 Chron. 6.10 and his singular sollicitude about the house and worship of God Ita ut doâ—mire non potuit Kimchi which was so great as that it affected yea afflicted his spirit whence it followeth here and all his afflictions for which it is 2 Chron. 6.42 the mercies or kindness of David Vers 2. How he sware unto the Lord Out of the abundance of his affection 1 Chron. 29.3 See Psal 119.106 he solemnly took God to witness and this he did say the Rabbines at that time when he saw the punishing Angel and was terrified And vowed to the mighty God of Jacob Jacob is mentioned say the Hebrews Quia primò vovit Kimchi Aben-Ezra because he first vowed to God Gen. 28.20 whence he is called Pater votorum the Father of vows Vers 3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house i. e. Of my New-built house 1 Chro. 15.1 2 Sam. 1.2 Those in Malachi were not so well-minded chap. 1.4 Vers 4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes viz. With any good content or more than needs must Vers 5. Until I finde out a place for the Lord The Jew-Doctors tell us that as the earth is in the middle of the world so is Judea in the middle of the earth Jerusalem in the middle of Judea the Temple in the middle of Jerusalem and the Ark in the middle of the Temple An habitation Heb. Habitations haply because the Temple consisted of three parts or partitions Vers 6. Lo we heard of it at Ephratae At Bethlehem Ephrata Davids Birth-place there we heard of it long since by our Progenitours Of it that is or the Ark saith Chrysostom Dicit â—am in famin i. e. divinam praesentiam R. Arama of Gods resting-place saith Austin of the place where Christ should be born saith Hierom where the Temple should be set saith Aben-Ezra where the Sbechinah or divine presence should reside say other Rabbines We found it in the fields of the wood At Jerusalem say some or at Kiriathâ—earim as others will have it The Chaldee interpreteth it of the wood of Libanus the place saith he where the Patriarchs worshipped Vers 7. We will go into his Tabernacles We will cheerfully and unanimously frequent his publick worships in the place he hath pitched upon called his gates and his Courts Psal 100.4 saying as vers 8 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow God was the old rule among the very Heathens We will worship at his footstool i.e. At his Ark where hee uttered Oracles and wrought miracles c. which yet was but his footstool to lift his people heaven-ward Christ-ward who was the truth of that type the Ark the Mercy-seat Vers 8. Arise O Lord into thy rest The place of thy rest for the Ark was transportative till setled in Solomons Temple so till we come to Heaven wee are in continual motion Thou and the Ark of thy strength The Ark in the Temple was the chiefest evidence of Gods presence and the most principal type of Christ in whom the fulnese of the Godhead dwelleth bodily The word is Aron which is put for a Coffin Coffer or Chest Gen. 50.20 2 King 12.9 This sheweth that all the Counsels of God all the love and favour of God all that God accounteth precious are treasured up in Christ Col. 2.3 1.13 Isa 42.1 Heb. 10.12 Vers 9. Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness i. e. With Salvation as vers 16. No surer sign of Gods gracious presence with a people than a powerful Ministery cloathed with inward purity and holiness represented by the holy Garments And let thy Saints shout for joy i. e. Those that are converted by such a Ministery let those that are justified by faith have peace with God and joy unspeakable full of glory Vers 10. For thy servant Davids sake For thy Covenants sake made with him and for thy Christs sake who is oft called David as Hos 3. ult so for the Lords sake Dan. 9.17 Turn not away the face of thine anointed Of thy Christ defer not his coming or deny not my request as 1 King 2.16 17 20. Vers 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth The Eternity of Israel cannot lye 1 Sam. 15.29 yet tendring our infirmity he sweareth and sealeth to us Of the fruit of thy body David was excellent at making the utmost of a Promise at pressing and oppressing it till he had exprest the sweetness out of it Isa 66.11 See how hee improveth Gods Promise and worketh upon it 1 Chron. 17.23 24 25 26. Solomon had learned to do the like Vers 12 If thy Children will keep my Covenant Although Gods Covenant is free yet is it delivered under certain conditions on our part to bee observed which are as an Oar in a Boat or Stern in a Ship turning it this way or that c. For ever more For a long season and Christ for all eternity Vers 13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion Hee chose it for his love and loved it for his choice Vers 14 This is
are unto thee Afflictions to the Saints are tanquam scalae alae to mount them to God Leave not my soul destitute Ne exinanias make not bare my soul viz. of thy protection Vers 9 Keep mee from the snare c. See Psal 140.5 Vers 10 Let the wicked fall Metaphora a piscibus saith Tremellius as fishes in casting-nets Isa 19.8 Whilest that I withall escape The Righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked commeth in his stead Prov. 11.8 It appeareth at length that simple honesty is the best policie and wicked polity the greatest simplicity and most self-destructive PSAL. CXLII WHen hee was in the cave scil Of Engedi 1 Sam. 24. Loquitur in spelâ—â—ca sed prophetat in Christo saith Hilary Vers 1 I cryed unto the Lord with my voice scil Of my heart and more with my mind than mouth for if hee had been heard hee had been taken by the enemy Thus Moses cryed but uttered nothing Exod. 14.15 Egit vocis silentio ut corde clamaret Aug. Thus Christ cryed Heb. 5.7 Vers 2 I poured out my complaint Heb. My mâ—ssiâ—â—tion I shewed before him Plainly and plentifully how my danger increased to a very Crisis as one expresseth it Vers 3 When my spirit was over-whelmed within mee Or covered over with grief as the Greek expoundeth it Then thou knewest my path scil That I neither fretted nor fainted Or thou knewest how to make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10.13 The Lord knoweth how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Vers 4 I looked on my right hand Not a man would appear for mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misery is friendless for most part See a Tim. 4.16 Nulla fide◠〈…〉 delegit 〈◊〉 Vers 5 I cryed unto thee O Lord I ran to thee as my last refuge in the fail of all outward comforts Zeph. 3.12 they are 〈◊〉 afflicted poor people and being so they trust in the Name of the Lord. Vers 6 〈…〉 Vat. 6 For I am brought very low Exhausted and 〈◊〉 dry 〈…〉 and disabled to help my self any way Vers 7 Bring my 〈◊〉 of prison 〈◊〉 Out of 〈…〉 less straitened than if in prison The Righteous shall compass mee about Heb. Shall Crown mee that is shall incircle mee as wondring at thy goodness in my deliverance or they shall set the Crown on mine head as the Saints do likewise upon Christs head Cant. 3.12 to whom this Psalm may bee fitly applyed all along as abovesaid PSAL. CXLIII VErs 1 Hear my prayer O Lord Hee prayeth once and again for audience De â—ugâ— ab Absolom R. O. 〈◊〉 and would have God to hear him with both ears Thus hee prayed saith the Greek title of this Psalm when his son Absoloâ— was up in arms against him and it may seem so by the next words Vers 2 And enter not into Judgement with thy Servant This is 〈…〉 siqua usquaâ— in sacris literis extat saith Beza an excellent sentence as any is in all the Bible saying the same that St. Paul doth Rom. 3.24 that Justification is by faith alone and not by works David would not bee dealt with in strictness of justice Lord go not to law with mee so some render it Go not into the Judgement-hall so the Chaldee All St. Pauls care was that when hee was sought for by Gods Justice hee might bee found in Christ not having his own righteousness which is of the law c. Phil. 3.9 The best Lamb should bee slaughtered except the Ram had been sacrificed that Isaac might bee saved Woe to the life of man saith an Ancient though never so commendable if it should have Judgement without mercy if there bee not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to moderate that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the severity of utmost right We read of a certain Dutch Divine who being to dye was full of fears and doubts And when some said to him you have been so active and faithfull why should you fear Oh said he the Judgement of man and the Judgement of God are different Sordeâ— in conspectâ— Judicis c. Vers 3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul Quasi rabiferali percitus hee hath raged unreasonably The utmost of a danger is to bee related before the Lord in prayer and to bee acknowledged after wee are delivered out of it by way of thankfulness Vers 4 Therefore is my spirit over-whelmed God 's dearest Children have their passions against that stoicall apathie A sheep bitten by a Dog is no lesse sensible of the pain thereof than a Swine is though hee make not such an out-cry Vers 5 I remember the dayes of old Wherein I was delivered from the Lion and the bear yea from the hand of all mine enemies and from the hand of Saul Psal 18. title More than this Sacula antiquitus praeterita recolo I run over and ruminate all the ancient monuments of thy mercy to the Patriarches and others sith all that is written was written for our instruction that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 See Psal 77.4 6. Vers 6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee As a poor beggar for an alms Beggery here is not the easiest and poorest trade but the hardest and richest of all other My soul thirsteth after thee And is therefore a fit subject for thy Spirit of Grace and comfort to bee poured upon Isa 44.3 55.1 Vers 7 Hear mee speedily A very patheticall prayer uttered in many words to like purpose as the manner is in extreme danger My spirit faileth I am ready to sink and to swoon This David knew God hath a great care that the Spirit fail not before him and the souls which he hath madâ— Isa 57.16 When Bezoard-stone is beaten wee see that none of it bee lost not so when ordinary spices so here for ordinary spirits God cares not much what becometh of them as hee doth of the choice spirits of his people Vers 8 Cause mee to hear in the morning Manâ— id est nature assoon as may be or at least as is meet make mee to hear of joy and gladness speak comfort to my conscience and help to my afflicted condition Vers 9 Deliver mee O Lord from mine enemies Deliverance from enemieâ— is a fruit of our friendship with God Vers 10 Teach mee to do thy will Orat nunc pro salute 〈…〉 saith Kimchi Now hee prayeth for his souls health and wold bee as well a clivered from his corruptions within as from his enemies without Lord save mee from that noughty man my self said an Ancient Thy Spirit is good The fruit of it is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Ephes 5.9 and it is the Spirit only that quickeneth Job 6. â—3 by purging out the dross that is in us 1 Pet. 1.22 setting us to work Ezek. 36.27 helping our infirmities Rom. 8.26 stirring us up to holy duties partly by immediate motions and partly by the ministry of the word made effectuall 1