trouble whole Nations even at Midnight at a time when we least think of Disturbance or Remove as we have great Examples in the People of Israel Egypt and Assyria for there is not any Darkness no not the shadows of Death where the workers of Iniquity can hide themselves from thine Eyes though all the Mountains of the World should cover them thou beholdest all our Goings though thy Foot-steps are too little regarded by us Therefore let us not think to do mischief or wrong like the Evil one who sowed Tares while other Men slept nor to commit Violence or Robbery 1 King 3.20 nor to Defraud or Deceive like the Harlot at Midnight but even at that Season be Chast and Pious and Charitable like Boaz denying our selves and mastering our Concupiscences and like Sampson in Gaza disappoint the malice of that implacable Adversary who hunts after our Souls and ceases not like a Dog to go about seeking whom he may devour Lord deliver thou my Darling from his Power as thou didst St. Paul even at such a dismal time when I may seem in his very Jaws then let my Soul escape and get away and find a way to serve thee as that chosen Vessel did who could Pray and sing Praises unto thee even at Midnight so let us endeavour to worship the Lord with holy Worship with clean Hands and a pure Heart that we may stand on his holy Hill and remember in all the Formalities of outward Cleanness to keep our Spirits pure and in all our Approaches to thee to keep our selves unspotted of the World to this end give us inward Holiness and the Sanctifications both of Heart and Life that in the darkest hour of Temptation in the deadest time of Distress in the cloudiest night of Trouble or of Agonies we may lift up our Praises and Adorations unto thee who canst send thine Angel as thou didst once thy Son at such a time to comfort and recover our vile Natures and to command Deliverances unto thy People even from thy most holy Place O! that we may be of the number of those who qualifie themselves by thy Service for the better discharge of their Duty and thy Will that having the filthy Garments of our own evil Thoughts Words and Actions like Joshua's the High-Priest's taken off from us we may not have Satan left at our right Hands to accuse or command us but may see Jesus at thy right Hand interceding for us and being cloathed in the long Robes of his Righteousness we may lift up our Hands in thy Sanctuary and bless thee for evermore who hast made the Heavens as well as the Sea for thy Children to adore thee in O! Our Father c. THE FIFTEEN Psalms of Degrees OR ASCENTS Are so called because they were sung Anthem-wise by several Parts of the Choir with Elevation of Voice on some higher Ground or place of advantage perhaps on the Steps of the Temple which in Ezekiel's Vision are mentioned to be Fifteen in number Ca. 40. v. 22. 34. And just so many Stairs say the Talmudists were there mounting from the Women's Court to the Men's on which they fancy these PSALMS were sung and therefore thus termed Ὠδαί τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν καὶ ἀναβάσεων εἰς τὰς ἀναβάσεις as Aquila and Symachus But I think rather because they were much used by the Hebrews upon their coming up from Babylon and at the building of the second Temple as may be guessed from Nehemiah Cap. 8. at which time they might indeed begin very properly with the 120th Psalm by reason of the contempt and calumniation of their ill-willers at that time who were such as are there described Arabians crafty and cruel Adversaries who maliciously opposed both their unloosing the Chains of Captivity and the erection of their Buildings Need was there then of Songs of Education and Ascents to advance God's high Deliverances of them and exalt his Praise and Glory in the most excellent way of rejoycing which was in their eminent Music as the Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Cantica Dignitatum may likewise bear As also to revive their drooping Spirits by some pleasant kind of Melody or lofty Note well known to the Jews by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some suppose may here import no more than this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the front of other Psalms viz. to notifie that the Tune or Key these were to be sang in was the same with such other Psalms as were known to begin with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS
with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being sung with loud and frequent Responses by the Levites at the erecting and re-edifying of the Temple and therefore intended by me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Anthem for the Day of a Nativity or Baptism For Shrove-Tuesday or a Wedding TIL God the House doth build and Fa mily maintain Workmen tho' ne're so strong or skill'd La bour a las in vain Fa ther 's get Sons in vain in vain the Watchmen ward our Gates un less the Lord or dain his Host to be our Guard In vain a Life we keep Rise early late take Rest Fare hardly For I take it with the 72 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when others take pains with care to provide for their Families God's Beloved thrive better and yet do not so much as lose their sleep or rest in pursuit of thòse enjoyments which others incessantly toyl for This shews the vanity of our Solicitude as the other sence viz. so he gives speaks God's Blessing of honest Labour whereby he brings Rest and makes both it and what else got by Labour pleasant according to Eccless 5.11 lose our loved Sleep 'Till God our Stock hath blest But they whom God hath blest Like Job regain their Peace Nempe Dilectis Domini viz. Jedidiah's such as Solomon God gives his Jedidiahs Rest And with their Rest Encrease Look All Children are given as an Inheritance passing from the Father of Heaven to us not purchased by our own Ability but the Wise and Good are more than David's pleasant and goodly Heritage for they are also a Reward as here and a Crown especially such as are born to us in our stronger and youthful Age who may be grown up and able to give advice and assistance and ready at hand to help or adorn as Arrows in the Quiver of an Archer so that we may go in or out of the Gates of our House City or Lie with honour and safety and speak either with Friends or Foes strong or great the Judge or General Whether it be in public in the sight of all as Aben Ezra construes in Portâ or whether it be in the place where the People assemble where the Nobles meet where the Thrones are set the Prophets prophecy the Right is pleaded the Guards are kept the Soldiers stand and the Judges fit as they did formerly in the Gate Vide Ruth 4.1 1 King 22.10 2 King 7.20 Judg. 9.52 c. ev'n our best Encrease Ruth 4.13 Gen. 30.2 Children come from the Lord Those Fruits of th'Womb which some may guess Man's Work are God's Reward Children both give and Ward A blow for though but young To Parents they 're a double Guard Like Weapons to the Strong Those Shafts help against wrong Life against Death provide Like Jonathan's they home are flung To shield our threaten'd fide Happy the Man whose side Bears Quivers of such Arms For wheresoe're his Cause is try'd He 's quit of Shame and Harms Thus we whom God hath Blest Like Job regain our Peace Since God gives his Beloved Rest And with our Rest encrease Gloria Patri c. To God the Father Son And God the Holy-Ghost Be Glory and let every one Strive who shall praise God most HOSANNA CONTEMPLATIONS and COLLECTS ON THE Eighth PSALM of DEGREES BEING The GXXVII PSALM GRacious Father who workest hitherto as thy Son also worketh look upon us thy Workmanship make us thy Building who as lively Stones well wrought and figured would be built up a Spiritual House unto thee And we know except thy Divine Wisdom thus frame and raise us bearing up the Pillars of our Strength hewing out the Stones of our hard Hearts to be polished Corners of thy Temple we shall prove but sorry Tabernacles but foolish Builders and Labourers in vain For who amongst us can say that he hath made his Heart clean Who can come to the Rock to lay a good Foundation except it be given him from above Or who can keep himself so clean as that the foul and wicked Spirit touch him not nor enter in again after he hath been cast out of a Man except thou O Lord who art stronger than the Enemy dost watch and defend the House of the poor Soul Thou must work all our Works in us and for us for without thee we can do nothing O therefore raise strengthen stablish and compleat us thou glorious Solomon thou who must edifie us by thy Apostles and Teachers and instruct us how to be Temples for thy holiest Spirit and the Heritage of the Lord for evermore We must acknowledge that our best Skill and carefullest Actions our Watchings and Fastings our Righteousness and Charities are as Stones which thou O Master Builder mightest refuse being fit for nothing but to debase and throw us down to Hell affording us no prop or safe reliance upon them 'T is thou alone O truest Jedidiah that foundest thy beloved Church upon the Corner-Stone of Faith which edifies with joy and peace with rest and firmness in believing So build us up we beseech thee and watch over our Souls that we may not be found to have watch'd or to have work'd to have instructed our Hearts to have cleansed our Hands in vain but to have done the Work and compleated the Task which thou hast appointed us to do by edifying both our selves and others in our most holy Faith We throw our selves Lord Jesus on thy gentlest Bosom of Compassions to be regarded and instructed by thee and trust that we are not Judas's whilst we eat of thy Bread and drink of thy Cup but shall be unto thee Sons and Daughters such an Inheritance as may be the Crown of thy Rejoycing the purchase of thy Labours the proof of thy Power the Arrows in thy Quiver with which thou mayest triumphantly come to the Almighty and say Behold me and the Children which thou hast given me Let not thine Arms be full or weary dear Lord 'till thou hast enclosed our Souls within them and made us so the Children of thy strength as that we may be able to come with boldness to the Throne of Grace and neither be affrighted when we meet with our Enemies in the Gate of Death nor when we shall speak with our Accuser and our Judge at the great Tribunal of the last day From the various Proofs of thy tenderness over thy Flock in giving them repose and comfort and blest content in the midst of their hard fare hard work and harder want O skilful Shepherd of our Souls let us learn to cast our Care upon thee for our protection and provision for thy presérvation of our Persons and propagation of our Families and if thou carest for us we need take no more care than Abraham did for God will provide for us for our Off-spring for our chief Good and for his Glory The Lord shall build his David a House and he will be an exceeding great Reward even above that of the
he and so great a Bearer as that she hall cover and adorn all the sides of his House and bring him clusters of Eshcol Grapes of Sion Loads of Comfort and Satisfactions Tokens of Plenty and Delight for having trodden the Wine Press alone And then O beloved Husbandman when thou shalt visit this Vine and behold the Off-spring which thou hast brought her with transports of Joy and Contentation O! then look upon me and mine and see us grafted into the right Olive though we be sprung from that which is wild by nature that we may grow up as Plants of thy own planting and flourish round about thy Table For this hath God promised unto thee O Christ and we beseech thee to make it good unto us by making us thy Children O Lord how should we praise honour and serve thee Were we like David such Olive Trees as might be fixed in thy House and framed into more holy Uses to be farther instrumental to thy Glory Behold a greater than Solomon is here to make us fit to attend thy Oracles and with the Cherubs to be near thy Mercy Seat Dear God! prepare us for such high places there however thou cut and strike us here that we might be the better formed and wrought out of the World's glory for our own into thine even by the beauty of Holiness that New Jerusalem that comes down from above Then shall we admire the good of Sanctity and wish the good of thy People all the days of our life and rejoyce in the happiness of thy Chosen all the days of Eternity For as we are Blest in serving thee out of thy House and Sanctuary so we hope to be Blessed with thee in thy holy Hill of Sion where we shall see the glorious Harvest of all Ages the eternal Happiness of our Generations and the never-fading Peace of thy chosen Israel AMEN THE TENTH Psalm of Degrees BEING The CXXIX PSALM Is a Commemoration not unlike that Solemn one which every true Israelite was to make at the Offering of the First-Fruits Deut. 26.35 36 37. and Secondly a Prognostication of the cursed End and Ruine of the Church her Enemies from the Consideration of the wonderful Deliverance which God had wrought and reiterated for his People a Juventute both from theirs and the World's Infancy so that at length their Adversaries according to their Prayers shall be but weak few like the Grass on the House top 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not growing up there being formerly a Meter or gatherer of Grass as we have now of Grain most in fashion about those fertile Countries where Grass is of an excessive length even at this day as modern Travellers affirm that wither before it's pulling But Zion 's Foes saith Ezra or whosoever it was who in his Time compiled this Prophetical Psalm and Prayer shall one Day be so inconsiderable that as they shall have no Eulogies to encourage their Growth or Harvest so they shall need no Weapon to cut them down for they shall drop away shamefully of their own accord without a Dominus Vobiscum said unto them 1 Cor. 14.25 For all they may say though not of a Truth what once a Sennacherib and a Rabshakeh falsly affirmed That God is with us Quà de causâ à me Selectus est hic Hymnus in Tertium Septembris Propter M. O. C. nec non in Quintum Novembris IF Ja cob did in E gypt tell what Troubles in his time be fell how few and e vil were his Days How hard Life's travel in rough ways In Ca naan well may Is rael say From my Youth up God was my stay From my Youth up I met with Foes Gen 28 â—6 17. But to God's House I ' scap'd from those Many a time was I assail'd But I as many times prevail'd Exod. 2.24.25 God broke my Cords which they did bind And made them Captive if not kind Exod. 5.19 Mark 15.15 Long did they with deep Furrows wound And Plow my Back as 't were their Ground But the good Husbandman now cracks John 15.1 The Ploughman's Whip on their own Backs The Righteous Lord stays not too long 1 Cor. 10.13 From resc'uing his who suffer wrong Therefore shall Zion's Enemy 2 Sam. 3.33 Psal 73.6 Prov. 16.18 Mat. 13.5 Like Fools wax faint like Cowards fly Whom Pride doth cloath Shame shall confound As Corn that grows in no good Ground 2 Sam. 11.4 Dan. 4.30 31. But stands with Kings on the House-Top Where comes a Blast and that 's its Crop Its Crop doth rot before 't is ripe Nor can it fill the Reapers gripe Nor joy his Heart For what is worse It bears no Burthen but a Curse 'T is no Man's comfort no Man's care No Man for such bids one short Pray'r None in God's Name give such good speed As Boaz to his Harvest did Gloria Patri But we to God will Glory give Who with the Son and Spirit doth live God Reigns and shall as heretofore Bless'd be his Name for evermore CONTEMPLATIONS and COLLECTS ON THE Tenth PSALM of DEGREES BEING The CXXIX PSALM O Dearest Jesu let me behold thee as an Israelite indeed in whom there was no guile and yet how many a time even from Herod's persecution of thee in thy Youth wert thou afflicted Thou didst grow up as a Stem out of a dry Ground very poorly and despicably in the Eyes of the vain proud World who looked for another appearance and attendance than thou O King of Glory didst affect on Earth and therefore wert thou rejected as a Man of Sadness And well mightest thou be acquainted with much Grief when thou didst bear our greatest Sins even those whereby we did set thee at nought as did Herod and his Soldiers and even sought the holy Child the First-born of Grace in our Hearts to take away its Life O Lord we must confess how many a time too often we have betrayed and exposed thy Name and Body thy Word and Members to Shame and Reproach to Indignities and Sufferings We have smitten and pierced them through with many Sorrows we have knotted the Whip and lengthen'd out the Rods to plough thy Back as the Jews did by their lashing Taunts when thou wert dying on the Cross only to non-plus thy Love and patience if it were possible But the Lord is Righteous and the Lord is Merciful and therefore he hath cut asunder the Cords of the Wicked and by his Righteousness shall justifie many as also confound all such as have evil will towards his Zion Grant therefore dear Lord that we may not prove such a Crop as grows upon the House or among the Stones which withereth as soon as it is put forth But as from our Childoood we have been acquainted graciously with thy Mind and Gospel so grant that we may grow up in Grace and in the knowledge of a Saviour and have the Blessing of Almighty God from the very Ground of
Crucifixion when I am most cast down or overwhelmed with the Seas of my Anxieties and Trials for the Lord hath been deeply sensible of our Infirmities and touched to the quick with humane Miseries that he might not be fled from as he was formerly both while he stood on Sinai and on Golgotha but that he might be feared and approached unto with Reverence because there is a Propitiation with him for us there is an Attonement made by him our High-Priest Therefore O God! hear my Voice though my Sins cry aloud for Vengeance and thou mayst be more strict than thou wert formerly under the more imperfect Light of Nature or of the Irish Law to mark the failings and stumblings of Mankind now in the lightsom day-time of the Gospel yet do thou my Father Jeremiah and my Prince pity me in the Dungeon of my Corruptions and draw my Feet out of the Mire of my Lusts out of the Clay of my earthly Mindedness out of the Waters of my worldly Sorrows and bring me to the desired Shore of thy sure Mercies in Christ Jesus set my feet on the Rock and order my Goings that my Foot-steps may not slip but that I may walk in the Land of the Living unto the Land of Promise and when I go down to the bottom of the Mountains and the Weeds are wrapt about my Head Jonas and the Earth with her Bars enclose me on every side that then I may not be cast out of thy sight nor into the Bonds of mine Iniquities nor into the Belly of the lowest Hell O our Father since thou hast not left thy Son there grant that my Life may be brought up from Corruption I know Salvation is from thee alone and with thee infinite abundance of Bowels of the tenderest Compassions why thou shouldest be reverenced and repaired unto there is a Jesus in thy Bosom to redeem from all Sins from Dangers Enemies and Troubles and to represent us cover'd with his Righteousness otherwise shouldest thou view us in our Original Nakedness or actual Filthiness we could not stand before thee in Judgment But since there is Forgiveness with thee O God! there is cause enough why we should fly unto thee trust in thee wait on thee and watch for thee more than they who watch for the Morning for if Light be so grateful to those who walk in Darkness how amiable is thy Countenance to us in the gloominess of thy present State And how much more lovely will it be when we lie down in the Night of Death that the Day-spring from on high may visit us and bring the joyful Morning of a Resurrection both from Sin and the Grave O! do thou make hast my beloved Saviour and be as a Roe and a young Hart Cant. 2. on the Mountain of Spices Thou that art the Hart of the Morning who out of the midst of thy deepest Woes and dying Pangs didst cry unto God for us do thou send us timely help for we would seek thee early in the prime of our Age hastening from the very dawn of our Lives to prevent the Night-Watches and like thy Spouse or beloved Mary to see the Sun of Righteousness risen on the Earth before we get to our Zoar. O! that our Prayers might ascend like Incense by the meritorious lifting up of thy Body for us Dear Lord impute no Guilt to us but cleanse us from all that we may be blessed and holy and happy as we beg to be for thy own sake O gracious Saviour to whom be Glory c. THE TWELFTH Psalm of Degrees BEING The CXXXI PSALM Was composed by David in the life-time of Saul when most humble innocent and distant from the Succession to the Crown though then suspected envied and accused It was appointed to be used at the Jews Return because no temper better qualifies us for God's Mercy nor more becomes us under the greatest Mercies such as those we have enjoyed than that Humility Self-denial Resignation and Affiance in God's Will which are here exemplified in the first and second Verses and exhorted unto in the last While the Psalmist with that frequent Elegancy in the holy Tongue suppresseth the Imprecation and imposeth a kind of Silence upon himself after his Attestation proceeding to an Asseveration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I have not c. viz. still'd and pacifi'd my Soul as the Waves levell'd and smooth'd my Brow like the face of the Ground and have put my Hand upon my Mouth viz. I have ceased from crying and throbbing as at the Mother's command the Child doth who although weaned can without Sollicitude yield and conform to the Mother's Direction and Provision Thus the Comparison is fitly squared As a Child is in quiet and order with its Mother so is my Soul with me As the Jewish Arab. notes the Repetition to import I have weaned it from Transgressions Non arrogavi mihi magna mirabilia inconcessa inhonesta as the first Verse intimates and this whole Psalm saith Grotius savours much of a Gospel Spirit as of that gracious and modest Disposition with which David was endowed eminently so as to make him be stiled After God's own Heart For Innocents day NO Lord I do not look too high tho to this lof ty pitch I fly to seek thy Throne and Ma je sty No Earthly Crown do I de sign nor as my Sov'raign's Son to shine my sole Am bi tion's to be thine Like Bethshemites I dare not pry In things for me too Great too High My Heart is humble as mine Eye But the proud Foe my Heart mistook Whilst I his Frowns did fairly brook Without returning one Ill look I soon lay quiet to control The froward Passions that did roll Like Waves about to move my Soul My Soul is hush't like a wean'd Child That from the Mother's sight exil'd To any thing 's strait reconcil'd And surely I my self behave Like a wise Man while thus I crave Like a weak Child what I would have May Isr'el do as I have done To all things here indiff'rent grown Trust always But in God alone May Isr'el do as we c. Gloria Patri c. Give Glory Praise Dominion To God the Father with the Son And Spirit thrice Bless'd Three in One. Sicut erat in Principio c. Now let us all the Lord adore Who is the same as heretofore And shall be King for evermore HOSANNA Another VERSION of Psalm CXXXI To be sung as Mr. George Sandys Paraphrase Psal 1. LORD 2 Sam. 6.21 22. Acts 13.22 I 'le prelude to my Lord's humblest part That I may be the Man after thine Heart I hate proud Looks and glance not up an Eye At things too hard too hidden or too high But as a Child whom its kind Mother weans Loving the Breast yet on her Bosom leans I hold me at thy Hand nor once repine But quietly repose receive resign Wishing our Isr'el thus may trust God still And frame their
State according to thy Will CONTEMPLATIONS and COLLECTS ON THE Twelfth PSALM of DEGREES BEING The CXXXI PSALM O Thou Son of David of whom we ought to learn to be Meek and Lowly let us see what kind of Disciples we are by regarding our dear Master and find what Proficients in thy School by minding the Copy thou hast set us There appeared not the least glance of Pride Arrogance or Self-love in thy Behaviour there was not the least Roof of Bitterness in thy Breast for thou camest to Attone the first Sin of our first Parents and so for all thou wert exalted far above all that are here called Gods yet thy Spirit was not haughty as Lucifer's not thine Eyes lift up to the forbidden Fruit. Mark 13 32 Thou wert willing to be ignorant as Man of those things which did not befit Men to pry nicely into that thou mightest stoop to the weaknesses of thy Body the Church and comply more absolutely with the divine Will and Compassionate more sensibly the Infirmities or Ignorances of Mankind O most gracious condescending Jesus how were thy Delights among the Children of Men while thou didst not behave thy self like a Simon Magus like an Impostor that would be admired for some God below but like thy Servant Moses didst vail thy self that thou mightest be conversed withall and didst not walk too much obscured by thine own Lustre and Transcendency but didst leave the Doctors and Learned Jews to go down with thy humble Mother into Galilee and to be subject unto her as a weaned Child And though thou wouldest not exercise thy self in things too high for thee yet O! how low wouldest thou appear in thy Employments How plain in thy Countenance how easie and affable in thy Conversation that Publicans and Sinners and little Children might come unto thee and hear thy excellent Discourses and taste thy miraculous Provisions while thou wentest about doing good and telling Men that they should follow thy steps in being meek humble quiet and contented doing Good readily suffering Evil patiently as dear Children Lord How then should we abhor our selves when we either think of thee or of our selves How unlike are we become to thee if we claim any Kindred with thee For do we not still continue like Leviathan among the Sons of Pride Do we seem little in our own Eyes as thy Servant David did when thou didst make him a great King Or rather do we not lift up our Wills and Understandings and walk with a stiff Neck of Perversness in opposition to thee as it were aiming even at Heaven it self like the Tail of the old Serpent So far are we from receiving the Kingdom of Heaven like little Children But O! when then shall it once be that we shall not be High-minded but fear and love and own thee to be Lord over us Then shall we not rashly venture with Uzzal to meddle with those things which are unmeet for us or forbidden to us but we shall be weaned from our Mother Earth from the love of this dirty World and from loving its foul Inclinations and we shall cast our Cares and Affairs on thee renouncing all Self-Trusts or Conceits to level the face of our Souls before the feet of the holy Jesus that when thou comest O most holy Spirit to prepare the way of the Lord in us he may find no Rock nor Mountain nothing too hard or haughty in us nothing untractable or inaccessible to obstruct or oppose his Progress But O! let the too mighty Elevations of my vain Thoughts be brought down and the crooked ways of my Heart be made strait and the rough ways of my Condition be made smooth that my Soul may be still quiet with me and still'd and quietted by thee Rebuke the tempestuous Motions of a froward Mind that I may repose my self sweetly and safely on thy Promises on thy Provisions and resign my self wholly to thy Inspirations And God grant that all thine Israel may like Jacob wrastle with Principalities and Powers even in the highest and most heavenly Things and though never so much in a Night of Cares and darkest perplexities or to encounter with enraged Enemies yet let them wait and hope on the Lord and stay and strengthen themselves on their God as David did at Ziklag for he is a sure Reward and a constant Reward a Pillar of Fire and a Pillar of a Cloud a Sun and a Shield in whose Name we ought to trust denying our own Conjectures Affections and Desires rather than an absolute Dependance on him for ever and ever AMEN THE THIRTEENTH Psalm of Degrees BEING The CXXXII PSALM Is a Narration of David's Devotion and of God's Promises and Appointment as to David and his Seed and the setling of the Ark on Sion which was a Type of the stability of Christ's Kingdom and of the future Felicities of his Servants in the Reign of the Son of David the Messiah the Horn spoken of here in Verse 17 as the Rabbins agree which the Apostle proves Acts 2.30 Therefore it was solemnly used at the Rebuilding of Jerusalem 2 Chron. 6.41 42. Deut. 12.11 1 Chron. 17.11 12. and most probably as Grotius thinks a composition of Solomon's at his raising of the Temple for the Honour of God and the Place containing in it part of Solomon's Prayer part of God's Promise to the Jews and to David But Kimchi and others think it made by David at that very time 1 Chron. 21.26 1 Chron. 22.1 when the scituation of the future Temple was miraculously shewn unto him as it is hinted in the word Invenimus by the Sign from Heaven For as David was absolutely forbidden the building of a Temple so 'till the Prophet Gad came to him with a Divine Command That he should build an Altar in the Threshing-Floor of Araunah For all his great desire like Abraham's 1 Chron. 17.12 to see such a glorious Day and notwithstanding his Devotion like Jacob to the Service of God yet he knew not the place that God would chuse as his Heaven upon Earth for his most eminent and suitable Habitation Therefore his Care and Concern chiefly reflecting on his Vows here made were the more considerable and might well be stiled Afflictions worthy to be Commemorated as well as his former Persecutions His constant Humility Meekness pious Sollicitude and Affection for God's Service demonstrated in 2 Sam. 7.2 and 1 Chron. 17.16 and all these senses the word Afflictions will bear as I have shewn in my Version Hic versus plurimum Hebraeos fatigat inquit clarius Where also I have endeavoured to be as clear as I could in the Exposition of that dark place of the sixth Verse which by some Commentators like the Jewish Arab. here is render'd much more shady and obscure so that the Elegant Castalio was forced to confess That he understood not the meaning of the Text viz. Verse 6. Therefore herein as all along by the help of the Critics
with the assistance of the Learned Hammond and De Muys I strive to sum up briefly as much of the sense as my Verse and Knowledge will give me leave to do Yet I cannot omit Buchanan's Version of this hard Sentence which is as singular as his Paraphrase elsewhere is excellent Fama licet Patriae multum promitteret orae Inter saxa tamen Sylvestribus obsita dumis Monstravit Deus ipse locum Deus ipse perenne Hic Templum Templique sacris sedem innuitaris Though Fame hath promis'd much to Judah 's Coast By the Ark's stay whereof our Towns may boast Yet God himself hath shown and we have found Old Prophecies which did at Bethlem sound Fulfill'd on woody Hills where the Ark stood Or where it was to stand high as a Wood. For the Woods of the Field or the Fields of the Wood may be taken as for the House of Aminadab in the Hill of Kiriathjarim which was a City in a woody place from whence David and all Israel fetch'd the Ark from the House of Obed-Edom So for the City of Jerusalem and especially the Mount Moriah which was a close Covert in Abraham's time witness the Ram caught in the Thicket and was afterwards more adorned with Wood when the Temple was built thereon This being frequently by the Prophets called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wood as Bethlechem the place of Bread is also called Ephratah viz. Fruitful It was the City of David where he might learn from his pious Ancestors that neither Silo nor Gibeon nor Nob but Moriah which was a part of Mount Sion and here by way of Eminency bears the name of the whole Hill should be the chief place of worshipping the Mighty God of Jacob. God is so called here because he calls himself the Almighty Gen. 35.10 11. Gen. 49.24 Gen. 28.20 when he named Jacob Israel and Jacob first calls God so and is the first of all the Patriarchs who is mentioned to have vowed a Vow as the most ancient Rabbi Abahu notes Non dicitur vovit forti Abraham aut forti Isaac sed forti Jacob quod primus omnium vovit Jacob votum dicendo c. Dicendo quid Dicendo omnibus seu docendo omnes vovendum esse in Calamitatibus Quam Terribilis est iste Locuâ— erit Bethel i. e. Domus Dei seu Domus Orationis Dixit Quandoquidem vidi hâ—c ipso in loco aedificatum iri Templum 2 Sam. 24.16 17. But I think it a fine Dream of the Rabbins who say Jacob is here mentioned because in his sleep when he saw those Degrees which reach'd Heaven he had a Vision of the Temple that Solomon built and being amazed at the Majesty thereof speaks of it and not of Bethel And David as they say made the Vow mentioned in this Psalm when the Plague was stayed at the Threshing-Floor of the Jebusite and notice given him where the Temple should be built as I have noted before Thus much may suffice by way of Argument because I have wrote more in Annotations upon this Psalm it being the longest and most difficult of my undertaking Therefore I would be excused by the more Critical and Learned Reader if the pains I took do neither please nor profit him in the full understanding or explaining the sense hereof because these Notes were not intended to nauseate the public with Crambes but to inform those who are of as low rank in knowledge as my self Having put the word Shechinah in the Margin of my Verses I was once asked why I did so Therefore I here give the reason because I look on that Petition of the Psalmist in the tenth Verse Janus-like with two Faces and most fit for Solomon to make who built both the Temple and a place on purpose to worship towards the holiest of Holies as if he had in this manner uttered his Mind O! let me never prove so Idolatrous as to turn away to other Gods from this place of Worshipping towards thy holy Temple toward the Shechinah the special place of thy Presence nor let me prove so rejected by thee as in thine Anger to be cast out from before thee but do thou impower me here to make thy Presence and to meet with thy Favours in my Worship and Adoration of thee Then I have doubly render'd the last Verse because of the fulness of the Word Induam I 'le cloath or put on or throw on as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Retiarii did their Nets over the Secutores i. e. publickly in the sight of all Men by covering and overwhelming them to disgrace and destroy them And this Induam is put in opposition to the cloathing of such Men Vers 9 10. who having Truth and Righteousness visibly about them as it were their Rayment shall be manifestly preserved and adorned thereby as Judges by their Robes through the over-ruling Providence and Tuition of the Almighty For Christmas day as it is appointed by the Church LOrd think on him whom thou didst find the Man ac cor ding to thy Mind who could for thee with all things part With his Wives love and his own State that on thy Ser vice he might wait Remember Da vid's humble Heart Think on his Hand that brings thee Praise Strikes down thy Foes ill Spirits lays 1 Sam. 17.49 16.16 2 Sam. 6.19.6.16.6.21 And Gifts and Musick doth afford Though he did right he had much wrong Ev'n while he brought thy Ark along Remember David's Troubles Lord. Think on the King and on his Care Who for thy Place did well prepare Lord Bless his Heir 1 Chr. 22.3.4.5.28.14 5.2.15.1 build up his House He would have set and trimm'd up thine Lord bless our acting his Design Remember David and his Vows Thus said he 2 Sam. 5.9 when he took his Oath To Jacob's God I plight my Troth Though I am safe in my new Forts I will not sleep nor there sit still 2 Sam. 7.2 'Till the Ark rests on Zion's Hill And from its * Tabernacula Curtains comes to †Vsus est numero multitudinis ad plures Templi partes indicandas nam in Templo inquit Kimchi erant Domus tres Courts 1 Sam. 19.15 16. My House though built shall not be * It shall not be Dedicated and so not dwelt in 'till Consecrated as the Jews did ever some part of their House for special Worship Blest My Bed shall yield me no more †Tandem tam longè abest ut ego sim dormiturus ut ne oculis quidem rictaturus sim Rest Than when 't was searched for no good 1 Chron. 13.5 6. 'Till here with ours God's Seat is found Being with lofty Cedars crown'd Instead of Kiriath-jearim's Wood. For in the Woods we lately found Joys 1 Sam. 7.1 which to Abram's Hill may sound Gen. 22.13 1 Sam. 16.1 Mic. 5.2 When God shall there be seen again As first at Bethlem we did