which might be some help to him Of the sonnes of David sc Of David the King See 1 Chron. 3.22 Verse 3. Of the males an hundred and fifty Great account was made of males under the Law Blounts voyage more then of the females and so there is to this day among the Jewes who hold women to be of a lower creation made onely for the propagation and pleasure of man c. This their conceit is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings He did better who stiled woman the second Edition of the Epitome of the whole world Sure it is that soules have no sexes and in Christ there is no respect had more to the male then female Gal. 3.28 Verse 4. Of the sonnes of Pahath-Moab Haply so called because some of his progenitours had dwelt in Moab He was a Covenanter Neh. 10.14 Verse 5. The sonne of Jahaziel The father is named but not the sonne but why who can tell Et patet lucet pagina sacra Verse 6. Of the sonnes also of Adâ—i A Covenanter too Neh. 10.16 Verse 7. Jesbaiah Of the same name but not the same man that is mentioned verse 19. Verse 8. The sonne of Michael A name afterwards given to Jesus Christ Dan. 10.13 Rev. 12.7 signifying Who is as God Hence some conceive that it is not so fit to call a childe Michael Emmanuel c. Verse 9. Obadiah the sonne of Jehiel This Obadiah as also Zechariah verse 11. and Azgad verse 12. sealed the Covenant Nehem. 10. not without oath and execration It is both lawful and in some cases needful for good people solemnely to binde themselves to bounden duties Hereby saith a grave Divine as true intention earnest desire prudent jealousie and holy zeale are manifested so is a dull spirit much quickened and the weak wayward revolting flesh bridled and curbed yea and bound to her good behaviour Verse 10. The sonne of Josiphiah See verse 5. Verse 11. Zechariah the sonne of Bebai See verse 9. Verse 12. And the sonnes of Azgad See verse 9. Verse 13. And of the sonnes of Adonikam Some of his sonnes went up before with Zerubbabel ch 2.13 Eposteris posterioribus Tremel These not till now together with Ezra They might want either age or hearts to go at first with their brethren Second thoughts are best many times and Nunquam jerò si seriò That sonne in the Gospel who being bidden go work to day in the Vineyard answered and said I will not but afterwards repented and went wanted not his commendation Matth. 21.29 A learned man descanteth thus upon this Text The lot of Adonikam was below his brethren because he was the last that set foot forward toward their returne Verse 14. And with them seventy males The whole company consisted of one thousand four hundred ninety and six males a good addition to those that went up before with Zerubbabel yet nothing so many as might have beene but that they wanted hearts Rari quippe boni numero vix sunt totidem quot Thebarum portae vel divitis ostia Nili Juvenal Sat. 13. Verse 15. And I gathered them together to the River There was their first Rendevous at the meeting of two Rivers whereof that Countrey was full Psal 137.1 and therefore fertile as the Garden of the Lord whereof it was a part as most Geographers are of opinion And there abode we in tents Glad we had our faces set toward Zion going weeping c. Jer. 50.4 5 and our backs upon Babylon of which we might well say as the Philosopher afterwards did of Athens that it was a pleasant place to travel thorough but not safe to dwell in And found there none of the sons of Levi None but what he afterwards sent for no voluntiers this was lamentable that Levites should be so backward to so good a businesse Here was nomen inane crimen immane Verse 16. Men of understanding Of special note for their wisedome and eloquence such as could present to the people good matter well habited and could well expresse their expositions of the Law being themselves wise and willing to wise others as the Hebrew word signifieth Dan. 12.3 Men of understanding and ready to instruct many Dan. 11.33 Such a man as this is worth his weight in gold Verse 17. At the place Casiphia Where it may seem that there was a Colledge of Levites and Iddo was their President And to his brethren the Nethinims Who were now become men of Mark brethren to Iddo and much sought for by Ezra see Chap. 2.43 for the service they did about Gods house Verse 18. Pausanias And by the good hand of God upon us God was in all this good mans thoughts he set upon every passage as the Ancients did upon every special piece of work they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the onely way to make his journey comfortable thus to converse with God all along Paradisum mente deambulare as Hierome counselled the young Hermite assuring him that so long as he had Paradise in his mind and God in his apprehensions tamdin in eremo non esset so long he should not be in a desert They brought us a man of understanding The Hebrew word Shacal signifieth three things 1. To understand 2. To instruct 3. To prosper Those that understand themselves and teach others shall do much good to themselves and others See the Note on vers 16. This egregiè cordatus homo was Sherebiah as it followeth here and Sherebiah or even Sherebiah confer Neh. 8.7 and 9.4 5. Verse 19. And Hashabiah A man ready to every good work Neh. 3.17 and 10.11 and that 's no small commendation Verse 20. Whom David and the Princes had appointed i.e. continued confirmed and ordered them for they were first appointed and designed to that service by Joshuah and thence called Nethinims All these were expressed by Name Verbis non solùm difertis sed exsertis Verse 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there A day of restraint from food fine cloathes and other delights of life There is a three-fold-fast saith One from meat from mirth and from sin this last crownes all Unlesse God sees turning he sees no work in a fast saith another descanting upon that Text Jon. 3.10 God saw their works that they turned Of a Fast see the Notes on Joel 2.12 That we might afflict our selves before our God Not outwardly onely that 's but the shell Is 58.3 but inwardly also for that 's the kernel of this exercise Jer. 16.29 which else is but bodily and profiteth little something it may as it did Ahab But if rightly performed though it weakeneth the body yet it strengtheneth the spirit making it vigorous and victorious To seek of him a right way for us To edge our prayers and give wings to them for fasting inflameth prayer and prayer sanctifieth fasting hence they go coupled for the most part Luk 2.37 Matth. 17.21 1 Cor. 7.5 And surely if with fasting
they make sheweth whether they be crack'd or sound An asse is known by his ears saith the Dutch proverb and so is a fool by his talk As a bird is known by his note and a bell by his clapper so is a man by his discourse Plutarch tells us that Megabysus a Noble man of Persia Plut. de tranque coming into Apelles the Painters work-house took upon him to speak something there concerning the art of painting and limning but he did it so absurdly that the prentices jeared him and the master could not bear with him Verse 6. Hear now my reasoning c. Or hear I pray you Be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath suffer the words of exhortation and of reprehension sharp though it be and to the flesh irksome yet suffer it sith it is for your good Quintilian testifieth of Vespasian that he was patientissimus veri one that could well endure to be told the truth but there are few Vespasians Many people are like the nettle touch it never so gently it will sting you And hearken to the pleadings of my lips Heb. The contention of my lips see that you not only hear but hearken to it with attention of body intention of mind and retention of memory neither God nor man can bear it to speak and not be heard See that ye refuse not him that speaketh c. Heb. 12.25 See that ye slight not shift not off Christ speaking to you in his Ministers and messengers for if they escaped not who refused him that speake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Verse 7. Will ye speak wickedly for God Ought ye to defend Gods justice by unjustly accusing me Or must ye needs so free him from injustice that ye must charge me with hypocrisie Job had before called them Physicians of no value here he compareth them to Lawyers of no conscience that care not what they plead so they may carry the cause for their client But the Lord needeth no such advocates he so loveth truth that he will not borrow patronage to his cause from falshood he so hateth flattery though it be of himself that he hath threatned to cut off all flattering lips Psalm 12.3 and would one day say as much to Jobs friends notwithstanding their pretended zeal for his glory as once Alexander the great did to Aristobulus the Historian who presented him with a flattering piece concerning his own worthy acts which he extolled above measure hee cast the book into the river Hydaspes and told the Author he could find in his heart to cast him after it And talk deceitfully for him To talk for God is our duty it is to make our tongue our glory but to talk deceitfully for him to seek to help his truth by our lie the Vulgar here hath it Needeth God your lie that 's altogether unlawful for shall we do evil that good may come thereof God forbid Rom. 3.8 And yet the Papists do so familiarly and think they therein do God good service as when they deny his provident hand in ordering the disorders of the world to his own glory lest they should make him the Author of sin so they think to defend his justice by teaching predestination according to fore-seen works by ascribing to man free-will righteousnesse of works merit c. So their doctrine of Equivocation for the relief of persecuted Catholicks Spec. hist lib. 29. their piae fraudes as they call them their holy hypocrisie to draw infidels to the embracing of the faith and to the love of vertue their lying legends made say they for good intention that the common people might with greater zeal serve God and his Saints and especially to draw the women to good order being by nature facile and credulous addicted to novelties and miracles Verse 8. Will ye accept his person Whilst you think to gratifie him and to ingratiate with him by oppressing me Can you find no other way of justifying Gods proceedings then by condemning me for wicked because by him so afflicted The truth is these friends of Job out of a perverse zeal of advancing Gods righteousnesse unrighteously suspected poor Job of wickednesse and so rejected his person to accept Gods See the like done Isa 66.5 Jer. 50.7 John 16.2 O sancta simplicitas said John Hus when at the stake he observed a plain country-fellow busier then the rest in fetching fagots to burn the hereticks Will ye contend for God Why not Good blood will not belie it self the love of God constraineth his people to stand to him and to stickle for him Non amat qui non zelat saith a Father But then it must be a zeal according to knowledg for else it will appear to be but base and reprobate metal such as though it seemeth to be all for God yet it never received the image and impresse of Gods holy spirit and therefore is not currant in heaven But that I believe and know said that fiery Frier Brusierd in a conference with Bilney that God and all his Saints whom thou hast so greatly dishonoured Acts Mon. 914. will take revengement everlasting on thee I would surely with these nails of mine be thy death Another Frier preaching at Antwerp wished that Luther were there Erasm Epist lib. 16. that he might bite out his throat with his teeth and with the same teeth receive the Eucharist by Luther so dishonoured Verse 9. Is it good thas he should search you out c q. d. Could you have any joy of such a search Will not all your warpings and partialities your colloguing and sinisterity be laid open to your losse and shame Will not God reprove in stead of approving you in that which ye have said for him but all against me The time will come when God will surely search out all controversies that they all may be ashamed who under a pretent of religion and right have spoken false things and subverted the faith of some See 1 Cor. 3.17 Or as one man mocketh another will ye so mock him Be not deceived God is not mocked deluded beguiled as clients are by their corrupt lawyers as patients are by their cogging quack-salvers Sorry man may be mocked and made to believe lies as 2 Sam. 15.11 Acts 8.9 10. and Rev. 13.3 all the world wondred after the Beast Judges and other wise men are shamefully out other-whiles deceiving and being deceived Not so the All-wise God They that would mock him imposturam faciunt patiuntur as the Emperour said of him that sold glasse for pearls they deceive not God but themselves Neither may they conceit that their good intentions will bear them out as Merlin here noteth any more then it did these contenders for God who little thought of mocking him A bad aim maketh a good action had as we see in Jehu but a good aim maketh not a bad action good as we see in
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
Chaldee rendereth it such as was found in Araunah that famous Jebusite 2 Sam. 24.23 with Zech. 9.7 and is a quickening Spirit in every good soul causing them to make riddance as Baruc did Nehem. 3.20 Gen. 29. Ambrose and to take long strides toward heaven as Jacob did toward Padan-Aram for Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia The Spirit of grace knoweth no slow paces Mantuan but is quick of dispatch Up get these Chieftains when once they hear Surge age Summe Pater as one said once to the Bishop of Rome exciting him to make warre upon the Turk And the Priests and the Levites Fit it was that these should be of the first and forwardest at Temple-work whose proper employment is was to teach Jacob Gods judgements and to put incense before him continually Deut 33.10 to wait at the Altar and to be partakers with the Altar 1 Cor 9.13 With all them whose spirit God had raised up Not of Judah and Benjamin onely those best of the Tribes and truest to their Princes and principles but also of Ephraim and Manasseh 1 Chron. 9.3 with Ezek. 37.16 17 21 22. even as many of the Israelites as were acted by Gods Spirit of judgement and of burning Isa 4.4 firing them up to an holy contention in so noble and necessary a businesse and leading them into the land of uprightnesse Psal 143.10 The fruit of this good Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5.9 the work of it upon the sonnes of God who are led by it Rom. 8.14 is not onely an external invitation by the Word and Sacraments or a meere moral perswasion Cyrus his Proclamation here would have availed but little with this people if God had not moved their hearts but an effectual drawing of the heart whereby operating irresistibly the sinner is converted and whereby cooperating infallibly he persevereth in grace unto the very end John 6.44 This conduct of the holy Spirit we must both earnestly beg with David Psal 14.10 and as carefully observe and obey his motions as ever David did the out-goings of God in the tops of the mulberry trees 1 Chron. 14.15 for these are the sound of his goings and the footsteps of his Anointed Psal 89.51 To build the house of the Lord This was that they aimed at rather then their owne liberty Choice and excellent spirits can easily drowne all self-respects in the glory of God It was the care of those good people in Joels dayes that there might be a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord their God what-ever became of their owne Carcasses Joel 2.14 And when the daily sacrifice ceased by the tyranny of Antiochus they looked upon it as an abomination of desolation Dan. 9.27 The Jewes at this day are very earnest to be rebuilding the destroyed Temple at Jerusalem out of their blinde zeale but they have neither any Cyrus to encourage them Julian the Apostate once did in spight to the Christians but it came to nothing nor the Spirit of God to excite them to such an unwarrantable work Verse 6. And all they that were about them Both their countrymen the Jewes that thought not good to go themselves or not yet till they should see further there is none so wise as the sluggard Prov. 26.16 and others of the neighbourhood for the Egyptians may lend Jewels to the Israelites dogs may lick Lazarus his ulcers and the earth may help the woman by opening her mouth and swallowing up the stood cast out after her by the Dragon to drown her Rev. 12.16 Strengthened their hands Which else for want of such support would have hung down and their feeble knees buckled under them ere they had come to their countrey neither could they without such supplies have so comfortable carried on the work they went about For if wisdome be a defence or a shadow to those that have seene the Sunne as in the former verse and are scorched with the hear of it so is money too saith Solomon Eccles 7.12 and though Wisdome without wealth is good yet it is better with an inheritance verse 11. which is not only an ornament but an instrument of vertue When men go on Virtute duce comite fortunâ then it is well with them as it was with good Josiah Jer. 22.15 16. But Agur would not be poor lest he should be put upon ill courses Prov. 30.9 put to his shifts Poor Hagar when the water was spent in the bottle cast the childe under the shrubs Gen. 21.15 With vessels of silver with gold with goods and with beasts See the Note on Verse 4. These are things that men do not usually so easily part with to others till they needs must Euclio in the Comedian sits abrood upon his heaps and hoards and will not be drawn off Shall Nabal take his bread and his flesh and give it to those he knows not 1 Sam. 25 Misers will as soon part with their blood as their good whence the Chaldees call their money Dam that is blood Many a man shewes himself like the Cornish-chough which will steale a piece of money and hiding it in some hole will never help her self or any other with it afterwards Hermocrates being loth that any man should enjoy his goods after him made himself by his Will heir of his own goods Athenaeus telleth of one that at his death devoured many pieces of Gold and sewed the rest in his coat commanding that they should be all buried with him But these in the text seeme to have beene of the race of those Persians spoken of Isa 13.17 which regarded not silver and as for gold they cared not much for it Or if they were Proselytes to the Church then they had learned with Tyrus now also converted to give over heaping and hoarding of wealth and therewith to feed and cloath Gods poor Saints and so to furnish them for their journey to their Fathers house that they may eat sufficiently and have durable cleathing Isa 23.18 This was Gods work upon their hearts And Quando Christus magister quà m citò discirur quod decetur Augustine Whereunto may be added that Cyrus who set forth this Edict as he was an absolute Sovereigne and so his word went for a law so he was a gracious and courteous Prince it a ut Patris nomen meruerit so that he merited the name and title of Father of his Countrey and might command any thing of them And with precious things Even the very best of the best they had The word signifieth praestantissimum pretiosissimum in quocunque genere fructuum metallorum gemmarum vestium the choycest and chiefest of all kinde of commodities Such as Eleazar gave to Rebecca and her brother Gen. 24. such as Jehosaphat gave his younger son◠2 Chron. 21.3 For the purchase of the pearle of price the wise Merchant makes a thorough sale of all Barnabas parteth with his lands Zacheus with his goods Matthew
ability this gift was as great in Gods account See Luke 21.1 2. The widows mite was beyond the rich mans magnificence because it came out of a richer minde Verse 70. And some of the people For not halfe of them as may be probably thought returned but condemned the rest of rashnesse and weaknesse to their no small prejudice CHAP. III. Verse 1. And when the seventh moneth was come HEb And the seventh moneth approached a moneth of many festivities Levit. 23.24 27 34. 1 Kings 8.2 and so to the good a foretaste of eternal life where it shall be holiday every day where they have no rest and yet no unrest praising the God of heaven for heavens happinesse Psal 136. the same that these good souls sang together Rev. 4. verse 11. of this Chapter God is praised five and twenty times for his mercies but the conclusion is O give thanks unto the God of heaven c. Christ hath cast up such a causway to it that we may well travel thither from all coasts as these Jewes did to Jerusalem from all their Cities As one man to Jerusalem There to serve the Lord with one shoulder Zeph. 3.9 neither counted they it any trouble to travel thither though they were scarce yet warme in their nests as we say Then stood up Joshua Ministers of all others should be most forward and forth-putting ready prest and prepared to every good work as patterns to the people who are led more by their eyes then by their ears c. And Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel These two ever went hand in hand and hence the work so prospered in their hand It must needs be so said Queene Elizabeth once to the Suffolk-gentlemen who came to meet her with their Ministers by their sides where the Word and the Sword go together And builded the Altar of the God of Israel Which therefore in their father Jacobs sense Gen. 33.20 they might safely have called El Elohe-Israel that is God the God of Israel putting the signe for the thing signified Thus also the Arke is called Gods face Psal 105.4 Yea even God himself Psal 132.5 As it is written in the Law of Moses This was the rule they wrought by God requireth to have a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 such as whereof we can render a reason out of his Word he hateth a Samaritan service John 4.22 and will not endure Popish Will-worship Who required those things at their hands their Altars Crucifixes Penances Pilgrimages c. The whole number of the Beast is but the number of a man Rev. 13.18 Men will have it so and this is the summe of all Popish religion All their superstructions are humane inventions Moses the man of God The Prophet the Law-giver a man of much communion with God above any other Num. 12.8 One calleth him heavens Chancellour Verse 3. And they set the Altar upon his bases Upon the old foundation in the Priests Courts being glad of any place where to worship God joyntly and publikely for Temple as yet there was none Our worship-scorners are rightly stiled by one The last brood of Beelzebub For fear was upon them Though that was a lewd speech of the Poet Statius Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor It was timorousnesse that first made men religious yet there 's no question but fear of danger driveth men to God as it did these here Their malignant neighbours bandying and bending their forces against them make them hasten up an Altar that they might get God on their side and run to him reconciled what ever evil should befall them Be not thou a terrour to me Lord saith holy Jeremy chap. 17.17 and then I fear no creature Let us sing the 46. Psalme said Luther once in a great strait and then let the Devil do his worst What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal 56.3 Some read the text thus Though fear was upon them yet that hindered not their setting up Gods Altar but they brake through all discouragements and did their duty It is well observed that the very light of Nature taught Heathens that the services they performed to their gods with peril and hazard to themselves were best accepted Caius Fabius ventured thorough the enemies camp to offer a solemne anniversary sacrifice and returned in safety satis sperans saith the Historian propitios fore Deos quorum cultum ne mortis quidem metu prohibitus intermisisset trusting that in such a case his gods would secure him When Numa the second King of the Romanes heard as he was sacrificing that the enemies were coming he made this answer At ego rem divinam facio If God be for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. who shall be against us And they offered burnt-offerings thereon That their sinnes might be expiated and their persons protected The Ceremonial Law was Christ in figure it was their Gospel Verse 4. They kept also the feast of Tabernacles Or boothes built of boughs or branches of thick trees Nehem. 8.15 in a grateful memorial of Gods gracious preservation of them in the Wildernesse where they dwelt in tents or tabernacles It signified also the Prophet Zachary being interpreter chap. 14.16 17 18 19. that the remembrance of our redemption by Christ should be perpetuated with all spiritual gladnesse By number according to the custome There is an elegancie in the Original the Book of God hath many such as I have elsewhere noted As the duty of every day required Heb. The matter of the day in his day Here we are all travellers having no certaine habitation Heb. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.11 Let us account duty a debt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be daily doing at it Let us keep holy day keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.8 Let us be in the feare of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 Verse 5. And afterward offered Finding a flote of holy affections in their hearts they passed from one good exercise to another and were indefatigable in the Lords work David finding such an heat and height in his people prayes God to keep it ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts which he knew well to be fickle and false 1 Chron. 29.18 Both of the new-moones Kept in thankfulnesse to God for their time renewed upon them from moneth to moneth and his mercies every morning and moment And of all the set-feasts of the Lord that were consecrated By an holy resting both from corporall labour and from spirituall idlenesse A free will offering See the note on Chap. 1.4 Ver. 6. From the first day of the seventh moneth Which was the feast of blowing of trumpets signifying the just mans joyfulnesse and serving to put life and spirit into them Began they to offer And so held on for this moneth had as many feasts in it as were celebrated in all the yeare besides So as the Sabbath was the Queen of dayes Regina dierum so was
they be yet they must not look to be yokelesse lawlesse awlesse but to serve God with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 As it is written in the book of Moses Moses then was the Pen-man of the Pentateuch and not Ezra as some have said grounding upon that Apocryphal Esdras Verse 19. And the children of the captivity So the returned captives are called First to keep still afoot the remembrance of their late misery lest they should despise the chastening of the Lord Heb. 12.5 Secondly to inmind them of that signal mercy of their returne to their owne Countrey Hence doth the Evangelist Matthew so oft mention their transportation to Babylon and rings it in the eares of his ungrateful Countrey-men Mat. 1.11 12 17. Kept the Passeover In remembrance that the punishing Angel passed over their Ancestours in Egypt Exod. 12. and for confirmation of their faith in Christ the true Paschal Lamb. Hast thou escaped a danger offer a Passeover Hath Christ delivered thee from the wrath to come keep the Feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5.8 Vpon the fourteenth day of the first moneth See Exod. 12.2 with the Note Verse 20. Were purified together Misery had framed them to unanimity See 2 Chron. 29.34 All of them were pure Ritually at least if not really And killed the Passeover i. e. The Paschal Lamb whereof see Exod. 12. with the Notes For all the children See the Note one verse 19. And for themselves For they also were sinners and needed a Saviour Heb. 7.27 That Popish Postiller was utterly out when from Exod. 30.31 32. he will needs inferre that Priests when once anointed with the holy oile were thenceforth Angels Spirits not having humane flesh or infirmities Verse 21. And the children of Israel The whole community of what Tribe soever And all such as had separated themselves Who were the better to like because not Prosperity-proselytes such as came in not a few in Solomons time but the Jewes were very careful how they received them as Josephus relateth From the filthinesse of the heathen Who had filled the Land from one end to the other with their uncleannesses Ezra 9.11 Great sins do greatly pollute To seek the Lord God of Israel To seek not his omnipresence for that none need to do sith he is not farre from any one of us Acts 17. but his gracious presence And such a seeker is every good soul Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face that is Jacob. Did eate Edebant id est credebant for even Christ their Passeover was sacrificed for them 1 Cor. 5.7 Verse 22. And kept the feast of unleavened bread See 1 Cor. 7.8 and Exod. 12.35 with the Notes Seven dayes This began on the fifteenth day and lasted till the one and twentieth day Num. 28.16 17. Exod. 34.25 With joy See the Note on verse 16. For the Lord had made them joyful Given them cause of joy and an heart enlarged accordingly a mind right set for the purpose Saint James his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 5.13 shewes that all true mirth is from the rectitude of a mans minde which God onely giveth And turned the heart of the King c. It is He alone that gives favour that frameth mens opinions and affections that maketh a good mans enemies to be at peace with him To strengthen their hands As verse 8. And this did more ennoble him then all his warlike atchievements CHAP. VII Verse 1. Now after these things AFter that Zerubbabel had done his devoir in building the Altar and Temple Ezra according to the notation of his name began his and became a singular helper of the afflicted Church of God as appeareth in this Chapter and those that follow In the reigne of Artaxerxes sc Longimanus Esters sonne and the same that thirteene years after sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem Nehem. 2. whilest Ezra was yet alive Nehem. 8.1 Ezra the sonne of Seraiah That is the grand-sonne for Seraiah was slaine when Jerusalem was last taken 2 Kings 25.18 21. Verse 2. The sonne of Shallum See 1 Chron. 6.7 8 9 10. Of those two books of Chronicles this same Ezra is held to be the Pen-man and it is not improbable Verse 3. The sonne of Meraioth Here 's a great heap six of Ezra's ancestours likely for brevity sake being overskipped Verse 4. The sonne of Zeraiah c. These might be as one saith of Jesse the father of David Viri boni honesti minùs tamen clari good men but obscure Verse 5. The sonne of Aaron the chief Priest Ezra then was ex genere pontificio as those Acts 4.5 non tamen pontifex The title of chief Priest is never given unto him Verse 6. This Ezra went up from Babylon Together with many others who were moved thereunto by his example and authority He was as one saith of Tiberius imperio magnus exemplo major Paterc Great men are Looking-glasses according to which most men dresse themselves let them look to it therefore and shine as Lamps And he was a ready Scribe Or a nimble Text-man his office was to write out copies of the Law and to interpret it He wrote say some the Hebrew Bible out in Chaldee letters the same that we now call Hebrew the ancient Hebrew characters remained with the Samaritans for the use of his Countrey-men returned out of Chaldea He first ordained say others the Vowels Accents and Masoreth A great Scholar he was and excellently well seene in Scripture-learning to which all other skill is but straminea candela a rush-candle a small light that serveth but to light men into utter darknesse Be wise be learned saith the Psalmist but withall Serve the Lord with feare Kisse the Sonne c. Psal 2. Balt. Exner. Otherwise ye may be as learned as Varro that general Scholar as Albertus magnus quem nihil penitùs fugit omnia perfectè novit who knew whatsoever was knowable Bonosius as one saith of him or as Tostatus otherwise called Abulensis qui omnium scientiarum doctrinarumque arca fuit emporium saith he that writeth his life who was a living library and yet ye may perish everlastingly The Jewes called their learned men Scribes as the Persians did theirs Magi the French Druides the Indians Brachmanni c. But he that is not a Scribe instructed and instructing others to the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 13.52 shall hear Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Sapientes sapientèr in infernum descendent 1 Cor. 1.20 Aug. Which the Lord God of Israel had given The Moral Law with his owne immediate mouth so that he might say with Joseph Gen. 45.12 Behold your eyes see that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you the other Lawes he ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour i. e. of Moses Gal. 3.19 Hence Josephus calleth the Jewish politie a Theocratie and
men See chap. 5.15 Gods holy fear is the ground of all goodnesse and fidelity Hence Jethro in his well-qualified Ruler places the fear of God in the middest of the other graces as the heart in the body for conveying life to all the parts or as a dram of Musk perfuming the whole box of ointment Exod. 18.21 Most sure it is that nothing maketh a man so good a Patriot as the true fear of God On the other side Pietate sublatâ fides tollitur take away Piety and Fidelity is gone as is to be seen in the unrighteous Judge Luk. 18. ver 2. and as Constantius Chlorus father of Constantine the Great did well experience in his Counsellours and Courtiers whence that famous Maxime of his recorded by Eusebius 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 1 Pet 2. Hence that close connexion Fear God Honour the King And hence that saying of Bernard If all the World should conspire to make me complot against my Prince yet I would fear God and honour the King Above many This is a singular praise and by every man to be sought after 't was Cicero's posy and practise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the best at every good thing to excel and exceed others to be eminent and exemplary taller then the rest by the head and shoulders full of all goodnesse filled with all knowledge Rom. 15.14 able and active in every good word and work That 's a low and unworthy strain in some to labour after no more grace then will keep life soul together that is soul and hell asunder God would have his people to be discontentedly contented with the measures they have received and to be still adding 2 Pet. 1.5 and advancing Philip. 3.14 aspiring to perfection till they come unto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ Eph. 4.13 Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 30.28 Till the Sun be hot The Sun hath one of his names in Hebrew a calefaciendo from heating there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Psal 19.6 The name here given to the Sun signifieth a minister or servant because it is the common servant of the World whereby God ministreth light heat and precious fruits to all people Deut. 4.19 and 33.14 It whirleth about the World with incredible swiftnesse and is up in a morning before most people Therefore till the Sun be risen the Gates must be kept shut to keep out the Enemy who watcheth his opportunity And while they stand by to see it done as it ought to be lest by the treachery or carelesnesse of Under-officers it should either be undone or ill-done Etiam Tractate Junius Let them feel with their hands so some render it whether the Gates are made fast or not And appoint watches Heb. Set thou watches He speaketh to the two Hanani's and bids each of them whose turn it was see to the well-doing of it Hoc tu facias Cyropaed Xenophon saith of Cyrus that when he gave any thing in command he never said Let some one do this but do thou this Verse 4. Now the City was large Heb. Broad in spannes or spaces And great Yet nothing so great as Niniveh was of old or Babylon then or Alcair and Quinsay at this day Of the former Bunting saith that it is threescore miles in compasse Of the Later Paulus Venetus who himself dwelt therein about the year 1260 writeth that it is an hundred miles about being of all the Cities in the World the greatest Jerusalem was a great City and spacious though it fell far short of these And the people were few therein But how exceedingly they multiplyed afterwards appeareth by those many thousands of persons there destroyed and carried away by the Romanes at the last desolation as testifieth Josephus an eye-witnesse quem lege luge For present they were so few that they were not able without help to defend the walles in so large a circuit And the houses were not builded All could not be done in a day But some seiled houses there were Hag. 1. ver 4. and Nehemiah was all his time busie in building the old wast places and raising up the foundations of many generations so that he was worthily called The Repairer of the breach the Restorer of paths to dwell in Esay 58.12 Eusebius saith Nehemiah was twelve years in building the Walls he should have said the City Hierome likewise saith that he came to Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes and made an end of building the Wall and City in the two and thirtieth year so that during the whole twelve years of his Government he was in action Verse 5. And my God put into my heart Seeing how thinly the City was inhabited and casting in his mind what evil might come of it he bethinks himself by a motion from Heaven how to set things to rights that the City might be better peopled and so preserved This to do God put into his heart by his holy Spirit the sweet motions whereof are the sound of his goings the footsteps of his anointed Psal 89.51 We are not sufficient of our selves saith that great Apostle to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Nemo Vir magnus sine aliquo afflatu Divino unquam fuit saith Cicero No man ever grew to be greatly good without a Divine instinct To gather together the Nobles and the Rulers c. That out of them a tenth man might be taken to furnish out the City chap. 11.1 after that they had been first prepared by the hearing of the Law chap. 8.2 That they might be reckoned by their genealogies And so Jerusalem be inhabited again Zach. 12 6. in her own place even in Jerusalem Verse 6. These are the children c. See Ezra 2. ver 1 2 3 c. with the Notes Some small differences there are in Names and Numbers between this Catalogue and that not by the negligence of the Scribes who wrote out this Register as Pellican would have it but by other meanes as is above-noted CHAP. VIII Verse 1. As one man See Ezra 3.1 and remember that Omne simile non est idem this is a distinct History from that Into the street Or open place the meeting-place of the water-gate See chap. 3. ver 26. Right over against this Gate was the Court of the people saith Lyra See Ezra 10. ver 9. And they spake unto Ezra the Scribe The people may Col. 4.17 1 Cor. 3.22 if need be say to Archippus Look to thy ministery c. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas All is theirs the gifts and abilities of all good Ministers and they may call for them To bring the Book of the Law of Moses Wherein he was noe lesse able then apt to impart 1 Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He knew
charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ c. 2 Tim. 4.1 So Saint Austin to his hearers Per tremendum Dei judicium vos adjuro I require and charge you by that dreadful day of judgement when that doomes-day book shall be opened c. It is a weaknesse to be hot in a cold matter but it is a wickednesse to be cold in a hot matter He that is earnest in good though he may carry some things indiscreetly yet is he far better then a time-server and a cold friend to the truth like as in falling forward is nothing so much danger as in falling backward Eli was too blame with his Do no more so my sonnes And so was Jehoshaphat with his Let not the King say so And the people in Ahabs time who when they were pressed to expresse whom they were for God or Baal they answered not a word 1 Kings 18.21 And yet how many such cold friends hath the truth now adayes Luke-warm Laodiceans Neuter-passive Christians c When Callidus once declared against Gallus with a faint and languishing voice Oh saith Tully Tu nisi fingeres sic ageres Would'st thou plead on that manner if thou wert in good earnest Mens faint appearing for Gods cause shewes they do but faine their coldnesse probably concludeth they do but counterfeit Mordecai plays the man and chargeth Esther to improve her interest in the King her husband for the Churches deliverance See here how he turneth every stone tradeth every talent leaveth no meanes unused no course unattempted for the Saints safety And this the Spirit of God hath purposely recorded that all may learn to lay out themselvs to the utmost for the publike to be most zealous for the conservation and defence of the Church when it is afflicted and opposed by Persecutours seeing they cannot be saved unlesse she be in safety neither can they have God for their Father unlesse they love and observe this their deare mother Vtinam iterùm autem utinam diligentiùs à cunctis ordinibus haec hodiè considerarentur saith one Cypr. Aut. l. de unit Eccles Oh that these things were duely considered by all sorts now adayes To make supplication unto him Heb. to deprecate displeasure and mischief as 1 Kings 8.28 Zech. 12.10 And to make request before him Ad quaerendum à facie ejus so Pagnine from the Hebrew to seek for good from his face an effectual smile a gracious aspect that they may live in his sight For in the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter raine Prov. 16.15 The ancient Persian Kings were most fond of their wives doing them all the honour possible in Court as Partakers of all their fortunes and carried them and their children into their farthest warres by the presence of so dear pledges the more to encourage their mindes in time of battel Now therefore Esther whom Herodotus also witnesseth to have been Xerxes his best beloved is to try what she can do with him for her people who were haply grown too secure upon Esthers preferment as the French Churches also were upon the Queen of Navarres greatnesse and the promise of peace by that match God therefore shortly after shook them up not by shaking his rod only at them as here at these Jewes but by permitting that bloody Massacre Verse 9. And Hatach came and told Esther He acted the part of a faithful messenger so must Ministers those servants of the Churches declare unto the people all the minde of God Acts 20.27 and not steal Gods word every one from his neighbour Jer. 23.30 not deal deceitfully with it but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God let them speak in Christ and let them speak out not fearing any colours He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully saith God Jer. 23.28 Aarons Bells were all of gold the Trumpets of the Sanctuary were of pure silver they did not as those inverse Trumpets of Furius Fulvius sound a retreat when they should have sounded an alarm No more must Gods Messengers Whatsoever the Lord saith unto me 1 Cor. 11. Heb. 3.5 that will I speak saith Michaiah Paul as he received what he delivered so he delivered whatsoever he received Moses was faithful in all Gods house c. Verse 10. Again Esther spake unto Hatach Having before found him a fit and faithful messenger she further employeth him so those that minister well do purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldnesse in the faith which is in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 3.13 when others shall be laid by as broken vessels whereof there is not left a sheard to take fire from the hearth or to take water withal from the pit as the Prophet hath it Esay 30.14 Verse 11. All the Kings servants His Courtiers and Counsellours who haply were as very slaves to him Turk Hist 1153. as now the greatest Lords of the Court are to the great Turk no man having any power over himself much lesse is he Master of the house wherein he dwelleth or of the land which he tilleth but is in danger of being whipped upon the least displeasure of the Tyrant especially if he be not a natural Turk borne Ibid. 361. And the people of the Kings Provinces do know i.e. All both far and near this shewes that the Law here mentioned was no new Law procured by Haman to prevent Jewish Suppliants as Lyra would have it but long since made and known to all the Kings subjects That whosoever whether man or woman Yea though she be his dearest Consort who should cohabit with him and not be sundred for a season but by consent 1 Cor. 7.5 Shall come unto the King The Persians usually hid their King tanquam aliquod sacrum mysterium as some precious businesse and that for two reasons First for State and Authority lest familiarity with their subjects should breed contempt and make them over-cheap Philip the second King of Spaine was of the same minde and practice For after that he had gotten into his hands the Kingdome of Portugal and therewith the wealth of the Indies inclusit se in Curiale he shut up and immured himself in his Court Val. Max. Christ and was seldome seen of any though never so great a man but upon long suit and as a singular favour This made him to be adored as a demi-god Secondly for security and safety lest if all should be suffered to come that would the King should be assassinated and made away as Eglon was by Ehud Ishbosheth by Baanah and Rechab Gedaliah by Ishmael and many Kings of Israel and Emperours of Rome were by their own servants The Turks at this day suffer no stranger to come into the Presence of their Emperour but first they search him that he have no weapon and so clasping him by the armes Turk Hist under colour of doing him honour dissemblingly they
to audience speak Lord for thy servant heareth Let the woman and so the man too learn in silence Let by-thoughts swarming and humming in our hearts like the flies of Aegypt be barred out let the divel interrupting us with his suggestions as the Pythonisse did Paul and his companions be haltred up Let even good thoughts if unseasonable and heterogeneall to the work in hand be turned out of doores let us say to them as Hushai did to Achitophel thy counsel is good but not now how shall we else hear with attention and affection how shall we listen as for life and hearken diligently with much heed Isa 21.7 Verse 17. Miser aerumnis et peccatis obnoxius Shall mortall man Sorry sinfull man a very mixture and hodg-podg of dirt and sin Be more just then God Or be just rather then God as Luke 18.14 This is the matter of the vision and it is saith Diodate a revelation of the doctrine of the free remission of sins and of the sinners justification by grace through his faith in the promised Mediator But Eliphaz turns it another way and mis-applying it to Job would there-hence evince that all his present sufferings were the proceeds of his owne sin and so from the processe of Gods justice The truth is Job had blurted out some words in the former chapter that reflected somewhat upon God he had also bitterly cursed the day and services of his birth this latter if Eliphaz had sharply reproved Job for hee had done him a friendly good office But he waves that part quae desperat renitescere posse relinquit the other of clearing Gods justice he takes up and presseth it too farre to prove this unsound position That whosoever is greatly afflicted by God and for a long time together that man is to be numbred with the wicked though no other evidence or witnesse appear or speak a word against him for if he be innocent how shall God be just that punisheth him But Eliphaz should have known that afflictions are of two sorts Penal and probationall these later are not simply for punishment of mens sins but for triall and exercise of their graces to humble them to prove them and to do them good at their latter end Deut. 8.16 Wait but till God have made an end of his work and we must not judge of Gods works saith Peter Martyr ante quintum Actum before the fifth Act and we shall see the effect both just and good This Job had scarce patience to doe as appeareth by sundry passages of his howbeit he ever preserved high and holy thoughts of God neither at any time questioned his justice and purity or complained of his dealings with him and dispensations toward him as unrighteous though now and then through the extremity of his pain the anguish of his spirit and the provocation of his friends some unwary speeches slipt from him Shall man be more pure then his maker Take man in his prime and pride in his best estate and utmost strength when and wherein he is most a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir à viribus a man of the first magnitude of the highest elevation as one fitly phraseth it both in parts gifts and graces shall he be more pure then his Maker never think it Man compared with his Maker hath no purity or righteousnesse at all no not so much as a shew or shadow of it just he may be or pure by participation from God saith Austin but neither just nor pure in comparison of God he surpasseth all notion and surmounteth all creatures he hath no parallel so true he is that all men are liars so pure that all men are filthy so just that all men are wicked so incomparably great and glorious that the Angels make their addresses to him with greatest self-abasement For why Verse 18. Lo he put no trust in his servants c. those meniall domestick servants of his the holy Angels that wait upon him and are at his hand to doe his will Servant is a name of office and they delight rather to be called Angels that is Messengers and ministring spirits then Principalities Thrones Dominions c. Now in these God put no trust he found no such cause to confide in them because not perfectly sure and loyall to him further then upheld and assisted by himselfe the vulgar Latine hath it thus They that serve him are not stable that is the good Angels are not stable by their own strength but by Gods stablishing of them to stand when others fell Hence Psal 68.17 the Angels are called Shinan as Gods seconds say some the Nobles of that Court the very next unto him but others say they are so called from their changeable state now taken away by Christ under whom they are as an head of government of influence of confirmation but not of Redemption as we Christ as God giveth them their being and all their excellencies As Mediator also he maketh use of their Ministery for the safe-guard and comfort of his people And his Angels he charged with folly That is he spared not the angels that sinned as St. Peter expounds it 2 Pet. 2.4 Their sinne is said to be folly that is pride and self-confidence How this folly and madnesse of theirs pravity the vulgar rendreth it shewes it self whither in affecting a divinity or in envy stirred up by the Decree of exalting mans nature above Angels in and by Christ and appointing them to be good mens guardians which office they scorned or whether their pride appeared by transgressing some commandments in particular not expressed as Adams was it is hard to say Sure it is that they abode not in the truth that they kept not their station c. and that the good Angels stand and are out of danger of ever falling it is of divine grace Hence Exod. 25.19 the Cherubims stand upon the Mercy-seat and are made of the matter thereof Verse 19. How much lesse in them that dwell in houses of clay Or how much more in reference to the latter part of the preceding verse may God charge men with folly and pravity And how much more ought he to acknowledge that hee cannot subsist nor stand before Gods judgment as verse 17 but only by his gracious pardon and absolution That dwell in houses of clay Periphrasis est hominum saith Mercer this is a description of men as opposed to Angels those inhabitants of heaven called therefore the Angels of Heaven Matth. 24.36 Gal. 1.8 the courtiers of that heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 in and with which it may seem they were created as Christs soule was in and with his body in the virgins womb the same moment Hence they are also said to be in heaven when as men and other things here below are said to bee on earth Matth. 6.10 on the surface only as ready to bee shaken off and as having here no continuing City Heb. 13.14 no mansions till they come to heaven
Death as did Antiochus Herod Philip 2 of Spain c. Dionysius the Tyrant is said to have envyed a beast whose throat he saw cut because he dyed so soon Julius Caesar wished he might dye speedily saith Suetonius Pliny commendeth sudden death as the chief felicity of life Mâ—rs jucunda cujus nulla pracesses expectatio aut meâ—â—â— That 's a good death to nature which is neither feared nor expected yet that is the best death which hath been longest expected and prepared for Happy is he that after due preparation is passed through the gates of death ere he be aware Happy is he that by the holy use of long sicknesse is taught to see the gates of death afar off and addresseth for a resolute passage The one dyeth like Eliah the other like Elisha both blessedly Verse 14. Therefore they say unto God Depart from us Lest any should think saith Merlin here that Job speaks of such wicked as used a moderation in sinning and as the Historian said of the Emperour rather wanted vice then were vertuous Magis extra vitia quam cuâ—â— virâ—utibâ—m Tacit He describeth their great impiety by a rhetorical imitation expressing the language of their heart which is most base and blasphemous For first they bespeak God as if he were some low-prized scoundrel Apage Be packing thus they reject his acquaintance and would be rid of his company Porro rejiciunt Deum quot quot verbum eâ—us contemnunt saith Brentius here Now they reject God who slight his Word and cast his commands behind them Psal 50.17 Hence it follows by way of explication For we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Lo they prosesse themselves to be of the number of those Qui us liberius peccent libenter ignorant who are wilfully ignorant and like not to retain God in their knowledge Rom. 1.28 or if they professe to know him yet in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Wicked men cannot abide God such is their evil heart of unbelief Heb 3.12 they get as far from him as they can with Cain and not only desire him to depart out of their coasts with those swinish Gergefires but churlishly say unto him as here Avaunt Room for us They will neither have God in their heads Psal 10.4 nor hearts Psal 14.1 nor words Psal 12.4 nor works Tit. 1.16 See this exemplified in those perverse Jewes lying children children that would not hear the Law of the Lord which said to the Seers see not Get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path i.e. out of this tract of truth in dealing so plainly and reproving us so roundly Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease before us let us henceforth hear no more of him Isai 30.10 11. Now for such miscreants as these who can say it is otherwise then righteous that God should regest one day upon them Depart from me ye wicked He loves to retaliate And that they who now say unto him We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes should hear from him I tell you I know you not Luke 13.27 Verse 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him Here the rottenesse of their hearts blistereth out at the lips of these rich wretches these fat Bulls of Basan such as was Pharaoh that sturdy rebel who asked this very question in the Text What or Who is the Almighty He seemeth to rehearse the very words of Pharoah Diod. c Exod. 5.2 and had a large Reply made him by one plague upon another till he was compelled to answer himself The Lord is righteous Forced he was to speak fair whiles held upon the Rack if for nothing else yet that he might get off Such Queryings as this carry greatest contempt in them and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty as if Almighty were but an empty title and that he could do neither good nor evil Zeph. 1.12 that it was to no purpose or profit to serve him that the gaines would not pay for the paines c. And what profit should we have if we pray unto him Hebr. If we meet him viz. by our prayers Jer. 7.16 Am. 4.12 see Mal. 3.14 with the Note Children will not say their prayers unlesse they may have their Breakfast nor hypocrites pray but for some profit They pretend sometimes to meet God but they draw not near with that true heart mentioned Heb. 10.22 in seeking God they meerly seek themselves as Spira said he did In Parabola ovis capras suas quaerunt No penny no Pater Noster And as the Wolfin the Fable having spelled Pater and being bid put together said Agnus so when these pray their hearts are upon their halfe penny Ezek. 33. They follow Christ for the loaves and serve him no longer then he serves their turnes Rarae fumant soelicibus arae Verse 16. Lo their good is not in their hand that is They are not inriched by their own industry Prudence Piety c. but God hath exalted them thus that he may bring them down again with the greater poise So some sense the Text. Others thus Their good is not in their hand that is they are not Masters of them but are mastered by them they are servants to their wealth as the Persian Kings were to their Wives or Concubines Plut. Captivarum suarum caprivi And as those stall-fed beasts in the Gospel the Recusant Guests I mean that had bought Farmes Oxen c or rather were bought of them Difficile est opibus non tradere mâ—res Others make this the sense and I concur with them These wicked rich men buried in a bog of security contemne God as if they had their happinesse in their own hands and were petty-gods within themselves But they are deceived All is in Gods hand who can take away their wealth when he pleaseth These men may fall sooner then whey rose sith they subsist meerly by Gods manutension and he may do with his own as he listeth The counsell of the wicked is far from me I am so far from envying their prosperity that I cannot approve of their course of life for all their wealth I am not of their judgment I like not of their way Oh my soul come not thou into their secret Let their money perish with them said that noble Italian Convert to a Jesuit Caracciolâ—â— who tempted him with a great sum who esteem all the gold in the world worth one dayes society with Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit and cursed be that Religion for ever c. Verse 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out q.d. Diod. I confesse that which you say concerning Gods judgements upon the wicked to be sometimes true in this world yet it is not so continually nor ordinarily but very oft their lamp is extinguished their comforts damped and hopes of better dashed they are all on the sudden left
Matth. 24.45 Not as he in the Emblem who gave straw to the dog and a bone to the Asse The good Word of God is well applyed is profitable to all things as is here hinted scil to help the powerlesse to save the strengthlesse to counsel the ignorant and to set forth things as they are that there may be no manner of mistake but then it must be wisely handled and the help of Gods holy Spirit must be implored verse 4. that it may be a Word of reconciliation a savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 and 5.19 and whatsoever else is said in commendation of it Psal 19.7 8 9 10. Mercer interpreting this verse and the two following Hâ—c de Deo accipio saith he These things I understand concerning God and it is as if Job had said to Bildad O how bravely helpest thou him that is weak and pleadest for him that is forlorn as if God wanted thy patronage and defence No question but thou art a man fit to advise him and to set him in a course that he cannot otherwise hit on This is a good sense also But what meant Brentius to bring in Job blaspheming here as thus Quem juvas impotentem salvas brachium invalidi Cui consulis insipienti c. Whom helpest thou O God the impotent savest thou the arm of the strengthlesse Whom counsellest thou the ignorant c. q.d. Surely thou shouldst do so by promise and it would well become thee to do so by me But alasse thou dost nothing less and hence it is that I still stick in the bryers c. Upon this gloss wee may write as the Canonists do sometimes Palea or Hoc non credo Verse 3. How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom q.d. Thou lookest upon me as a fool and an Atheist but this thou dost with far greater folly for I am not the man thou takest me for but can say as much for God as thy self and more too and if I were such as thou wouldst make of me I might so continue for any help I should have by thy counsel The like hereunto we may say to the Papists and other Seducers who pretend to tender our good to counsel us for the best and to wish our salvation And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is Heb. the Essence or the Reason or the naked truth q.d. What ado hast thou kept to tell me no mere then I knew before wherein thou hast fairly lost thy labour and missed of thy design if ever thou intendest to counsel and comfort me Very wisely hast thou done it I must needs say for thee Verse 4. To whom hast thou uttered words And as thou thinkest words weighty and worthy of all acceptation when in truth there is no such matter Bubbles of words they are and big swolne fancies sed cui bono What tack is there in them and to what good purpose are they Melancthon makes mention of a certain good man Manl. loc com 536. who reading Aristotles Discourse concerning the Rainbow conceited thereupon many strange speculations and wrote to a friend that he had far outdone Aristotle in that matter But coming afterwards to the University and disputing there upon that Subject he was found to be utterly out in those fancies of his which indeed were no better then a sublime dotage And whose spirit came from thee Or Came out of thee Was it by Gods Spirit that thou spakest or thine owne rather For there is a spirit in man but the Inspiration or the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32.8 Job would not have Bildad think and term his discourses to be divine Inspirations or such admirable pieces Scult Ann. pag. 238 rare sayings being but vulgar and ordinary businesses Muncer the arch Anabaptist wrote a Book against Luther wherein he boasteth much of the Spirit and of Prophetical Light accusing Luther for unspiritual and one that savoured nothing but carnal things The Antinomians use to call upon their hearers to mark it may be they shall hear that which they have not heard before whenas the thing they deliver after so promising a preface is either false or what is taught ordinarily by others Some read the words thus Whose Spirit admired thee for the spirit goeth as it were out of it self after those things it admireth The Hebrewes expound it thus Whose Spirit hast thou quickned or confirmed by these thy words Who is the wiser or the better for them Quam animam per hac fecisti What soul hast thou gained to God by thy Doctrine Confer Gen. 12.5 the souls which they had made that is brought to the true fear and service of God Verse 5 Dead things are formed form under the waters Here Jobs tongue like a silver bell begins to found out the great things of God far better then Bildad had done Abbots beginning at the bottom and declaring that nothing is bred or brought forth whether animate or inanimate fish or other things in all the vast and deep Ocean but it is by his decree and power The Septuagint or Vulgar for dead and lifeless things render Giants and understand thereby Whales those huge Sea Monsters formed under the waters And the Inhabitants thereof That is saith One other fishes in general which are in the Seas where those Whales are For there is that Leviathan and there are creeping things that is smaller fishes innumerable And in particular certaine little fishes that are noted alwayes to swimme with the Whales as Guides of their way that they may not unawares coming into muddy places be miered there Aristotle calleth them Muscles Pliny Musticets Verse 6. Hell and destruction are before him Here beginneth a Magnifical and stately description of the Majesty of God and 1. from his Omniscience 2. From his Omnipotence For the first Hell and destruction are before him Not the grave only but the neathermost hell that most abstruse part of the Universe and most remote from heaven Gods Court. Of hel we know nothing save only what the Scripture saith of it in general that there is an hell and that the pains of it are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse c. but God only knoweth who are in hell and who is yet to be hereafter hurled into it It is the Saints happinesse that to them there is no such condemnation Rom. 8.1 that over them this second death hath no power Rev. 20.6 That if hell had already swallowed them up as they sometimes when deserted feel themselves to be in the very suburbs of it it could no better hold them then the whales stomack could do Jonas Luke 22.31 Satan hath desired to have thâ—e scil to hell but that he shall never have for they are the Redeemed of the Lord saved from the wrath to come and may triumphingly sing Death where a thy sting Hell where 's thy victory c. And destruction hath no covering that is Hell the place of destruction the Palace of
to be had above ground may some say but what under-ground Not there neither faith Job for the Abysse saith that is if it could speak it would surely say It is not in me and the Sea gives us in the same verdict dig to the centre of the earth dive to the bottom of the sea you shall hear no tale or tydings of her she neither groweth with gold and precious stones in the earth nor with Pearls and Coral in the sea we must be taught of God and the holy Spirit must joyn himself to our chariot as Philip did to the Eunuches Act. 8.29 he must teach us this wisdom from above or we can never learn it Isa 54.13 A man may read the figure on the Dial but he cannot tell how the day goes unless the Sun shine upon the Dial We may read over the book of the Creature and the book of the Scripture but we cannot learn to purpose till the Spirit of God shine into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 The Gospel is full of jewels but they are lockt up from sense and reason 1 Cor. 2.10 The Angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths 1 Pet. 1.12 and know not so much but they would fain know more of this manifold wisdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.10 that hath such an abundance of curious variety in it as the word there signifieth even such as is seen in the best pictures or textures Verse 15. It cannot be gotten for gold Non emitur nec aestimatur it is not purchased or procured with money as other learning may en precium praestantiam sapientiae with a great sum obtained I this freedom said that Colonel Act. 22.28 So may many say of their learning they have sufficiently paid for it Cleanthes parted with all he had for learning Plato gave thirty thousand Florens for three Books Reuchlin gave the Jew that taught him Hebrew a Crown for every hours pains Hierome got his skill in that language with the hazard of his life and held it a good bargain Hen Beaeuford in Hen. 6. time Act. and Mon. But here 's no such trading see Act. 8.18 19 20. Fie quoth that rich and wretched Cardinal when he saw he must die will money do nothing will not death be hired may not heaven be purchased No no God is no Money-merchant his Kingdom is not partum but paratum Mat. 25.34 his grace is gratuitous Mat. 13.11 To you it is given and what more free than gift to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God And to you it is given freely given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him Vega. c. Phil. 1.29 That proud merit-monger that said Gratis non accipiam I will not have Grace or Grace or Glory of free-cost could not but go without both Verse 16. It cannot be valued Heb. Thrown on the ground as Wares were wont to be and are yet when they are set to sale and to be prized or valued With the gold of Ophir The word here rendred gold is not the same with that in the former or those in the following verses Five several times gold is here mentioned because so highly prized among men and in four several words Jerom on Jer. 10. observeth that the Hebrew have seven several words for gold and five several sorts are here instanced That here mentioned is a special name for the most splendent and glistering gold Psal 45.10 Dan. 10.5 Cant. 5.11 Of it comes Michtam of David or Davids golden Psalm Psal 16.1 his ingot of gold Broughton thinks it to be no Hebrew word but the name of gold in Ophir Obrizium dictum volunt quasi Ophirizium Ophir is Peru say some Others an Iland in the Indies where the most precious gold was to be had called also gold of Parvaim 2 Chron. 3.6 This is supposed to be in Havilah Gen. 2.11 It is called perfections of gold 2. Chron. 4.21 With the precious Onyx or the Saphir The Onyx is a stone said to be found in the River Ganges and to be of a white colour like the white of a mans nail whence it hath its name See of it Plin. lib. 37. cap. 6. Boet. Hist Gem. lib. 2. cap. 90. The Saphir is a stone of a sky-coloured blue or of a light-coloured purple Verse 17. The gold and the chrystal cannot equal it For Chrystal some reade Diamond others Adamant It hath its name from its purity and transparency Junius rendreth it therefore nitidissima gemma It seems to be saith One the last attempt of nature and makes us finde heaven on earth And the exchange of it shall not be for jewels or vessels or fine gold Of Phez-gold so Broughton renders it and would have it come from Fesse in Barbary The Arabians now call gold Phes Of this solid fast gold were made many precious Jewels or Vessels like that French coyn in the Historian Vas auri puri puti in qua plus fâ—rmae quam ponderis in which was not so much weight as workmanship Prov. 25.11 Apples of Gold in Lattices of Silver or put in a Case of Silver cut-work Verse 18. No mention shall be made of Coral No talk of Coral or Carbuncle of Pearl or any other the rarest and richest Jewels in all the world We read of Cleopatra that vying with Antony in luxury she drunk up a Pearl of incredible price dissolved in vineger and of Charles Duke of Burgundy Macrob. Sat. lib 5. cap. 17 Alsted Chronoâ— that in the Fight at Nansey he lost a Diamond of that worth ut eo tota aliqua regio emi posset that therewith a man might have bought a whole country It was afterwards set in the Popes triple-Crown but no way worthy to be mentioned in the same day with wisedom For the price of Wisdom is above Rubies Which are so called from their lovely redness see Lam. 4.7 Pearls some render it of which Pliny saith Plin. lib. 9. c 35. Principium culmenque rerum omnium pretii margaritae tenent Pearls are the principal of all precious things They were so of old but they are not so now-adayes What huge sums were once given for Saints Reliques as they called them and Popes-Pardons but now the world is grown wiser England is no more a babe there is no man here Acts Mon. 990 but now he knows that they do foolishly that give gold for lead more weight of that then they receive of this This and much more to the same purpose speaketh Henry 8. in his protestation against the Pope who yet as a faint Chapman went not to the price of this true wisdome as appeareth by that publick speech of his in Parliament There are many that are too busie with their new Sumpsimus and others that dote too much upon their old Mumpsimus the new Religion though true he envied the old though his own he despised being as a speckled bird or a cake half baked c.
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
think things sufficiently refuted by the learned which yet had need to be further inquired into 5. That one younger man may see further sometimes into a matter then many others of longer standing and experience 6. That men may be esteemed obstinate and opinionative who are nothing less 7. That multitude and antiquity are but ciphers in Divinity c. Verse 13. Lost ye should say we have found out wisdom Or See that ye say not we need not search out words as verse 11. For we have found out wisdom rem acu pertigimus We have hit the nail on the head and said sufficient to convince him if any reason would do it whilst we affirm that God thrusteth him down as it were with a thump on the back and not man Who might do amisse but so cannot God who for as much as he fighteth against Job tossing him as a Tennis ball or as the wind doth a withered leafe from one affliction to another who can doubt but that he holdeth him a wicked man This saith Elihu is a very weak way of reasoning therefore never please your selves in it as convincing Hoc argumentum tam facilè dilustur quam vulpes comest pyrum as one merrily phrased it There is no judgement to be made of a person or cause by the good or evil successe of things sith none out of hell ever suffered more then Gods dearest children witnesse that little Book of Martyrs Hebr. 11. Neither have any sped better here then those worst of men Turks Papists Persecutors c. Verse 14. Now he hath not directed his speech against me And so I have no particular edge or grudge against him he hath no reason to think that I come prejudicated or exasperated This Elihu speaketh purposely to get within Job that he might the better perswade with him We must endeavour to preserve in the party with whom we would prevaile an opinion of our love and good affection to him for else we shall lose all our sweet words sith man is a cross and crabbed creature duci vult trahi non vult lead him you may drag him you must not Neither will I answer him with your speeches But with better He shall have from me soft words and hard Arguments I will come over him in a milder manner and to better purpose whilst moved merely by a zeal for Gods glory I shall shew him his miscarriages not in mine own words but in Gods That 's a true saying of learned Junius Personatae reprehensiones frigent plerimumque interest ex animo omnia ut conscientia fert animusque facias an de industria Verse 15. They were amazed As if they had seen Medusa's head or some such terrible spectacle that had rendred them dumb Talkative enough they have been when there was no such necessity but now that they might speak to some purpose they stand like stocks and are mute as fishes whereby they bewray their ignorance and folly Silence in some cases is sepes sapientiae as the Rabbins speak Pirke aboth the fruit and fence of wisdome Amos 5.13 See the Note there But withal there is a sinful silence which Luther wished never to be found guilty of Modò impii silentii non arguar Luth. And it is the divel doubtlesse that gaggeth people when being called to speak of or for God as these friends of Job were at this time they answer no more They leave speaking The desert a good Cause or betray it by a cowardly silence It may be feared the spirit of faith is no indweller where the door of the lips move not right 2 Cor. 4.13 He speaks thus of those three seniors in a third person by way of irony and contempt turning his talk to the by-standers whereof its likely there were many or as Tremellius thinketh to Job with whom he seeketh to ingratiate Verse 16 When I had waited for they spake not but stood still Or Seeing I have waited but they have not spoken c. Nothing appears but a dumb shew a deep silence such as Elihu much marvelled at and therefore setteth it forth in many words all to one purpose See verse 15. Verse 17. I said I will answer also my part It is a vertue to be forward and forth putting in that which is good and a vice to be shye and shame faced A Christian should catch at opportunities of doing and receiving good he should be ready to every good work as the busie Bee so soon as ever the Sun breaks forth gets abroad to gather honey and wax I also will shew my opinion Heb. My knowledg as verse 6. and so the Vulgar readeth it Hereupon Gregory taking Elihu but not well for an arrogant person sheweth that such love to vaunt themselves and out of ostentation to set forth their good parts to publick view and are therein like unto a vessel without a cover touching which the Law saith that it shall be counted unclean Thus He. But to utter a mans knowledge for the benefit of others as good Elihu did is not pride but zeal however the world censure it And they have doubtlesse an heavy account to make who hide their talents and having a great treasure of rare abilities will not be drawne to impart them the canker of these mens great skill shall be a swift witness against them Vile latens virtus Verse 18. For I am full of matter Heb. Of words such as are weighty and stuffy steep'd in mine understanding as Plutark saith Phocions words were and very well digested I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in very good case to speak as full of solid Arguments as the Moon is of light Whether Elihu speaketh this arrogantly and from the flesh or from the Spirit I determine not saith Brentius here But sure it is that such words as these howsoever they may seem arrogant and carnal Possunt tamen esse spiritualissima yet they may be very spiritual as Jer. 4. and 20. And as sure it is that we should be in company like full clouds or paps that pain themselves with fulness till eased of their milk The Spirit within me constraineth me Heb. The spirit of my belly that is Gods Holy Spirit inhabiting mine heart and exciting me to so good a work The love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5.14 It hath not only an impulsive but a compulsive faculty Sicu◠flatus in ventre conclusus magno impetu exitum quaerit sic zelus mentis quaerit exitum per sermonem Pisc Rumperer medius si non erumperet sermo intra me conceptus as Brentius here paraphraseth I should even burst if I did not vent my conceptions which like a child in the womb at full time or as wind in the bowels want room and presse to come out Psal 39.3 Jer. 20.9 Verse 19. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent By this elegant similitude Elihu illustrateth what he had said before wherein as Merlin well observeth he compareth words shut
one of them I must of necessity blame both parties however I come off with them Thy three friends have had their share in the former Chapter and now comes thine which shall be found though sharp of matters weighty and important as Psal 78.2 Habebis sermonem serium de re gravi for so much the Hebrewes intend by this expression of opening the mouth In the Revelation where-ever we read that heaven opened some great matter followed so when such open their mouthes as have the Law of God in their hearts Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Lucianâ— Aristophane dicunâ—ur 37.32 Prov. 31.26 Fools indeed have their mouthes ever open blustring out whatsoever lies uppermost rashly and without consideration But a wise man weigheth his words before he uttereth them and speaketh not but for some good purpose My tongue hath spoken in my mouth Heb. In my palat or under my palat which are two chief of those mine Iâ—struments of speech none of which can well be wanting Let God be glorified for and with that peculiar facultie and let our praises proceed not from the palate only or roof of the mouth but from the root of the heart The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which cometh from the bottom of the brest One Interpreter saith That by these words My tongue hath spoken in my mouth Elihu meaneth that he would not speak clamorously but as it were whisperingly to his eare in secret Verse 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart i.e. Out of the uprightnesse of my heart I will deal fairely and faithfully with thee I will carve thee a piece of my heart without doubling or dissembling and why should not downright truth please thee better then a smooth supparasitation Bees passe by Roses and Violets and sit upon Time so should men rather heed sound rebukes though hot and biting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then flattering discourses which Solomon fitly calleth The song of fools Eccles 7.5 a Syrens Song And another calleth a flatterer a courteous murderer that killeth in kindnesse kisseth and killeth Cavete vobis ab osculo hoc Iscarioticâ— Beware of this sweet poyson and covet rather those faithful wounds of a friend Prov. 27.6 as David did Psal 141 5. And as Vespasian who carrieth this commendation that he was Patientissimus veri and as Alphonsus King of Arragon who complained of this that whereas of every thing else he had enough of truth he was very much scanted there being few about him that would deal candidly and faithfully without flattery or partiality And my lips shall utter knowledg clearly i e Simply and sincerely plainly and perspicously I will shew my meaning without either gall or guile My Discourse shall be clear and pure from all drosse of deceit as the Original word signifieth This is a praise proper to Gods holy Word Psal 9 9 10 11. Prov. 30.5 And they that handle it Tophshe Torah Jer. 2.8 may here learn not to obtrude their own conceits or conjectures for doctrinal truths but to utter demonstrative things not to huâ—kster the Word of God or corrupt it with their own mixtures as Vintners do their Wines but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God c. 2 Cor. 2.17 Let them not preach one thing and practise another sed animentur moribus praecepta lest some Hillary complain as once That there were many heavenly Doctrines in the peoples eares that never yet had beene in the Preachers heart Verse 4 The Spirit of God hath made me That is I am Gods Creature no lesse then thou art made and maintained by the Word of his power by the breath of his mouth why then may not I utter pure and holy Doctrine sith I also am a rational Creature and if the Holy Spirit please to blow upon me I can turne about like the mill if to tune and touch me I can move to make Musick if to infuse good notions I can utter them Hear me therefore And the breath of the Almighty hath given me life This some will have to be a Metaphor taken from the blowing of glasses into this or that shape It hath been before noted Plat de Isid Ositid That the Egyptians worshipped a god whom they knew not under the shape of a man blowing an egg out of his mouth to signifie that he made the round world by his Word By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.6 Where some well note the mystery of the Trinity as others do not so well out of this text by God understanding the first person by Almighty the second and by the breath of the Almighty the third Sed 〈◊〉 subtilius saith Mercer Verse 5. If thou canst answer me Or If thou canst do thou answer me This bold challenge and the like confident expressions not unlike in appearance to that of Campian with his ten unanswerable Reasons as he accounted them or that of Sanders with his forty not probable Reasons De visib Monarch lib. i 8. but most solid demonstrations if men would believe him to prove That the Pope is not Antichrist hath caused one Interpreter following Gregory to censure Elihu for a palpable Bragadochian full of pride and vain-glory This is an hard saying and at the best reverenter glossanda as he said of the Potifician Lawes I think this good man is hereby no less mistaken and wronged than John Baptist was by Tertullian who falls foule upon him in three several places for that harmless question of his sent to our Saviour by two of his Disciples whom he sought to settle Art thou he that should come c. Matt. 11.3 as if himself had doubted of the person of the Messiah Sâ—â— thy words in order before me stand up A metaphor from Military matters muster up and marshal thine Arguments in good array and then stand to it make good thy ground like a valiant souldier who will rather die for it than stir an inch An expression not unlike this is that of David Psal 5. 3. In the â—urning wiâ—l I direct or marshal up my prayers and then look uâ— be as a Spy upon a watch-tower to see what speed and whether I get the day Military terms they are both Verse 6. Behold I am according to thy wish Heb. according to thy mouth If the Saints do but open their mouths wide God will fill them he will give them not only the desires of their hearts but the request of their lips Psal 21.2 fulfil all their counsel Psal 20.4 in that very way by that very means they wished it he fitteth his mercy ad cardinem desiaâ—rii and lets it be to his even as they will Was it not so with Joâ— here In Gods stead Heb For God to act and plead for him and to shew how thou hast dealt with him So
Martyrologue it is reported that having with infinite paines finished that elaborate Work of his the Acts and Monuments of the Church in eleven years space never using the help of any other man Mr Clark in his Life he grew thereupon so leane and withered that his friends know him not Now if sorrow and hard study will so macerate a man what marvel if long and sharp sicknesse and thereby extreme stomacklesnesse cause leanness and deformity And his bones that were not seen But could hardly be felt for flesh and fat now they stick out as in an Anatomy so that you may count them as also the veines and sinewes his body is become a very bag of bones a skin-bottle in the smoak as David hath it Verse 22 Yea his soul draweth neer unto the grave His soul that is His body as ver 18. for Elihu was no Mortallist neither dreamt he of a Psychopannychia He is in the very confines of death and no wayes likely to recover he is free among the dead as the Psalmist hath it And his life to the destroyers Lethalibus malis to deadly evils saith Trâ—mellius Mortiferis i.e. Morbis to those messengers of death deadly Diseases saith Vatablus To those that kill viz. Gentiles multa de Parcis fabulati sunt to the Angels by whom God sometimes destroyeth men as 2 Sam. 24.16 17. saith Piscator To enemies say other Pollinctoribus to the Bier-carryers say the Tigurines and so Beza paraphraseth so that hee stands not in need of any remedy or help of any thing more then of those who should carry his carcass unto the grave Verse 23. If there be a messenger with him An Angel say some but one man may be an Angel to another as Bradford was to Dr. Taylor Martyr who usually called him That Angel of God John Bradford If some Prophet or Teacher sent of God See Judg. 2.1 Mal. 3.1 Rev. 1.20 to the sick man who seeth his face as the face of an Angel and receiveth him as an Angel yea as Christ himself Gal. 4. in whose stead he is 2 Cor. 5.20 bringing the Embassage of reconciliation ibid. then which what can be more acceptable An Interpreter scil Of Gods holy Will who may assure the sick party that it is God who visiteth him in very faithfulnesse that he may be true to his soul that he doth it in mercy and in measure not to ruine him but to reduce him by repentance from dead works and by faith in Christ Jesus c. who may also set him in a course and pray for him as James 5.16 Dr. Vsher tells us that even in the times of Popery amongst our forefathers the ordinary instruction appointed to be given to men upon their death-beds was that they should look to come to glory not by their own merits but by the vertue and merit of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ that they should place their whole confidence in his death only and in no other thing and that they should interpose his death betwixt God and their sinnes betwixt them and Gods anger Serm. on Eph. 4.13 This was right and considering the times admirable This was better then that blasphemous direction they give elsewhere to dying men to say Conjunge Dâ—mine c Conjoyn O Lord mine obedience to all those things which Christ suffered for me c. One among a thousand Vnus è millibus not Vnus è similibus as the Vulgar Latine hath it by a gross mistake such as that Translation hath many One among a thousand he is said to be for the scarcity of such as can time a word comfort the afflicted conscience and speak to the heart of a poor distressed Creature who laboureth under the sense of sin and fear of wrath O quam hoc non est omnium This very few can skill of Luther who was excellent at it himself telleth us That it is a work every whit as hard as to raise the dead to life again Go ye rather to them that sell said the wise to the foolish Virgins and those are rare scil such faithful and wise distributers of Gods grace Isaiah 50.4 as having the tongue of the Learned and being instructed for that purpose to the Kingdome of heaven can comfort the feeble minded shore up and support the weak c. such a choice man is worth his weight in gold and O how beautiful are his feet Angelicall his face To declare â—n o man his uprightnesse Or His Righteousnesse that is Either the righteousnesse of Christ who is his peace or His that is the righteousnesse of his own experience how he hath been raised and received to mercy Or His to clear up to him his spiritual estate and shew his evangelical righteousness consisting more in purpose then in practice in confession of our imperfection then in any perfection we can attain unto It is not so much our inherent righteousnesse in regard of the worth dignity and excellency of it much lesse purity and perfection in it but as it is a fruit of Gods love and token of his favour a signe of our Adoption and Justification and a pledge of our glorification that yeeldeth comfort And this it will do when skilfully made out to a poor soul by a godly Minister and set on by the hand of that holy Spirit whereby the Saints are sealed to the day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 and 1.13 Verse 24. Then is he gracious unto him and saith If the sick man thus counselled and comforted repent and believe the Gospel delivering himself up to God and to that his Messenger by the will of God Mercy and Truth shall be with him he shall be cured on both sides as that Palsie man was Matth. 9.2 the Lord shall raise him up if it may stand with his eternal welfare But howsoever if he have committed sinnes it shall be forgiven him James 5.15 Both the guilt and filth of them shall be taken away so that he shall be able to look death in the face with everlasting comfort as being made to him â—anua vitae porta coeli a postern to let out temporal but a street door to let in eternal life Deliver him from going down to the pit Tel him from me that he shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord as Psal 118.17 Nay say to this righteous man tell him so from me that it shall be well with him and very well Isai 3.10 Redeem him from going down to the infernal pit that is declare that Redemption to him wrought for him by Christ and apply it to his conscience powre the oyle of grace into his broken vessel and assure him in mine name and by mine Authority that I am his salvation Whose sinnes soever ye my faithful Ministers remit they are remitted unto them and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Matth. 18. â—8 Joh. 20.23 But all this ministerially and declaratively not absolutely and out
Book to be bound up in a little Volume by it self to serve as his Manual and attend him in his running Library for therein he found amulets of comfort more pleasant than the Pools of Heshbon more glorious than the Tower of Lebanon more redolent than the Oyl of Aaron more fructifying than the dew of Hermon as one expresseth it All the latitude of the Holy Scriptures may be reduced to the Psalms saith Austin after Athanasius Luther calleth them Parva Biblia summarium utriusque Testaments a little Bible a Summary of both Testaments The Turks disclaim both the Old and New Testament and yet they swear as solemnly by the Psalms of David as by the Alchoran of Mahomet Anciently they were sung in the Temples and in the Primitive Christian Church happy was that tongue held that could sound out aliquid Davidicum any part of a Psalm of David Nicephorus telleth us that as they travelled and journied they used to solace themselves with Psalms and that thereby there was at a certain time a Jew converted Saint Paul calleth them Spiritual Songs Col. 3.16 both because they were indited by the Holy Spirit and for that they do singularly suit with mens spirits for they are so penned that every man may think they speak De se in re sua of himself and to his particular purpose as Athanasins observeth And lastly because they do after a special manner Spiritualize and sanctifie those that sing them in the right tune which is Sing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord as the Apostle there setteth it and elsewhere hinteth unto us that there is no small edification by the choyce of a fit Psalm 1 Cor. 14.26 Vers 1. Blessed Heb. O the blessedness the heaped up happiness both of this Life and a better fitter to be beleeved than possible to be discoursed The Hebrew comes from a root that signifieth to go right forward scil in the way that is called Holy having Oculum ad metam an eye upon the mark viz. True and real happiness such as all men pretend to but he only attaineth to who is here described Policrat lib. 8. cap. 4. Sylla was by his flatterers surnamed Felix because high and mighty and Metellus likewise Quod bona multa bono modo invenerat because rich by right means But he that first called Riches Bona was a better Husband than Divine and they that seek for a felicity in any thing here below seek for the living among the dead The Philosophers discourses of this subject are but learned dotages David saith more to the point in this short Psalm than any or all of them put together they did but beat the Bush God hath here put the Bird into our hands Is the man Heb. that man with an Article with an Accent and by an excellency as Jer. 5.1 that eminent and eximious man who is rationally Spiritual and Spiritually rational that man in Christ 2 Cor. 12.2 who hath learned Christ and doth live Christ walking as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 and not in the counsel of the ungodly c. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord c. Magnus atque admirabilis vir simodo viri nomine designare illum fas est as Chrysostom saith of Babylas the Martyr that is a great and an admirable man if a man we may call him and not an earthly Angel rather He must indeed bee content to pass to Heaven as a concealed man because the World knoweth him not 1 Joh. 3.1 but those that have senses exercised to discern good and evil may easily know him as he stands here described 1 To depart from evil vers 1. 2 To do good vers 2. Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly or restless the counsel of such should be far from us Job 21.16 22.18 The Jews cast their whole Nation of People into three ranks Reshagnim the word here used that is the profane rabble Tsadichim righteous men and Chasidim good or gracious men see Rom. 5.7 To these two latter are opposite here Sinners and Scorners these last being the worst of wicked persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 20.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 3.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panormit and therefore set last in this gradation as some will have it The Septuagint here render them Pests or Botches and elsewhere incorrigible wicked with a witness proud prevaricating c. Beware of this Sin saith Father Latimer for I never knew but one scorner that repeuted he who is fitten down in this Chair or Pestilence as having tired himself in ways of wickedness and will not bee better advised Prov. 9.7 8. but with Lots Sons in Law jeareth what he should fear wil not easily be raised out of it Vers 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord i.e. in the whole Doctrin of the Holy Scriptures that invariable rule of truth as Irenaeus rightly calleth it He findeth rest no where Nisi in angulo cum libello in a Nook with this Book as Thomas à Kempis was wont to say who also with his own hand wrote out the Bible King Alphonsus read it over fourteen times together with such Commentaries as those times afforded Luther said hee would not live in Paradise without the Word Par. in Epist. ad Ja. Nâ—wer Pastor Heidelb as with it he could live well enough in Hell Magdalen Wife to D. Paraeus after she was married and forty years of age out of love to the Scriptures learnt to read and took such delight in it and especially in the Psalms that she gat them almost all by heart Bâ—za being above fourscore years old could say perfectly by heart any Greek Chap. Act. Mon. in St. Pauls Epistles Cranmer and Ridley had all the New Testament by heart the former had learnt it in his journey to Rome the latter in the Walks of Pembrook-Hall in Cambridge And in his Law doth he meditate day and night Hoc primus repetens opus hoc postremus omittens Hora Having gathered with the Bees the sweet of those heavenly flowers he doth by meditation work his Hony-comb within his Hive and at this work he is perdius pernox till he feel it to become an ingrafted word yea till he hath turned it in succum sanguinem and is after a sort transformed into it 2 Cor. 3.18 The Hebrew word Hagah here signifieth both to speak with the mouth and with the heart to read and to meditate because to read is not to run over a Chapter as a Childe at School but to muse upon the matter and to make some benefit of it It is storied of Pythagoras that he lived in a Cave for a whole year together that being sequestred from the society of men he might the better meditate upon the abstruser parts of Philosophy he used also with a thread to tye the hair of
upon poor mens skins and wringing the sponges of poor people into their own purses David compareth them to Canibals Sir Richard Berkley his Sum. Bon. 1â—3 Psal 14.4 to greedy Lions here another saith they are like the fish Polypus that lying in wait for other fishes upon the Rock assimulateth to the Rock and taketh them in his Net which hee hath naturally behind his head and can spread at his pleasure before they find themselves in danger Vers 10. He croucheth or crusheth and humbleth himself Lyon-like Job 38. 40. Scipsum aegrum attritum fingit R. David He can few the Foxes skin to the Lions hide for a need and to compass his design As proud as he is yet in subtlety he can abase himself and with glavering speeches and fawning behaviour indirectly indeavor the overthrow of the innocent and distressed To which purpose he can put himself to pain feign himself sick and in a dying condition as those do that stand for the Popedome counterfeit and pretend humility but all is Hypocrisie That the poor may fall by his strong ones whether teeth or pawes per impia decreta saith R. Obadiah by his wicked decrees by the hands of his Privado's desperate Assassinates saith another Expositor Vers 11. Hee hath said in his heart God hath forgotten that is he knoweth it not regardeth it not To learn is nothing else but to remember said Socrates and what a man hath utterly forgotten it is all one as if he had never known it 2 Pet. 1.9 hee hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sins that is hee was never purged See vers 4. Vers 12. Arise O Lord surge age summe Pater said Mantuan to the Pope stirring him up against the Turks may wee better say to the Almighty God against his peoples enemies O God lift up thine hand lift it up on high that it may fall down the more heavily In the first verse of this Psalm the Prophet complained that God stood a farre off and hid himself in time of trouble Here hee is intreated to arise to come neer to put forth his hand for his peoples help c. Vers 13. Wherefore doth the Wicked contemn God q.d. It is time for thee Lord to arise and bestir thy self for otherwise what will become of thy great name The Saints cannot endure that God should be slighted Hee hath said in his heart Vers 3.4 This sticks in Davids stomack and draws this prayer from him who was now blessedly blown up with an holy zeal for God as was also good Zuinglius when hee said In aliis mansuetus ero in Blasphemiis in Christum non ita In other matters I can be mild and patient but not so in case of Blasphemy against Christ Vers 14. Thou hast seen it For thou art All-eye whatever the wicked conceiteth to the contrary making thee a God of clouts as they say or an Heathen-Idoll which is nothing in the World To requite it with thine hand reponendo in manu tua by taking it in thy hand so some render it sc ut propius intnearis certius consideres dijudices vindices Aben-Ezra-Relinquit in te â—onus saum R. Solomon that thou mayest take a more neer and narrow view of it and duely punish it The poor committeth himself unto thee Heb. leaveth relinquit scipsum currit ad te he relinquisheth himself and runneth unto thee Now whosoever committeth himself and his affaires to God shall bee sure to find him a faithfull Depositarie Thou art the helper of the father lesse The Worlds Refuge as the Grand Signiour is called The poor mans King as James 5. of Scotland In God the Fatherless findeth mercy Hos 14.3 And these Arguments David useth in his prayer not to move God to hear and help but to work upon his own heart thereby and to perswade himself to more Faith Love Obedience Humility Thankfullness whereby wee are the better fitted for mercy When a man in a Ship plucks a Rock it seemeth as if he pluckt the Rock nearer the ship when as indeed the ship is pluck'd nearer the Rock So is it in this case wee seem to perswade God by our Arguments when as indeed the change is not wrought in him but only in our selves our Arguments are curarum nostrarum levamenta fiducia impetrandi augmenta the cure of our cares and props to our faith of obtaining Vers 15. Break thou the arme of the Wicked that arm that hath been lifted up against the godly see Psal 3.8 58.7 Seek out his wickednesse that thou finde none ad alios vel inficiendos vel infestandos Ezech. 23.48 Or leave no sin of his unpunished The Franciscans to prove that Francis the founder of their order was without sin foolishly alledge this Text Queretur peccatum illâ—us non inven etur wherein according to the sense of the Psalmist what do they else but wish that God would trace him quite thorow the course and trade of his iniquities even to the uttermost end of them and punish him accordingly which is done no doubt long since Vers 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever Therefore he will doubtlesse do whatsoever hath been before desired and much more than wee can ask or think Many Kings have been long-lived as was Antaxerxes Mnemon who reigned 62. years Augustus Caesar 56. Q Elizabeth 44 c. but died at length to the great grief of their subjects and servants who are ready to with as once the Romans did concerning Augustus that eithet they had never been or never dyed But God is the King immortall invisible c. The Heathen are perished out of his Land the enemies whether Jews or Gentiles are rid out of his Church for that is Gods Land by a specialty his peculiar Portion Vers 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble The whole life of a good Christian is an holy desire saith Austin And the desires of the Righteous shall be satisfied Prov. 10.24 because they are framed by the Holy Spirit according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 and they have the mind of Christ 1. Cor. 2.16 who knoweth the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8.27 though their desires be not uttered v. 26. Thou wilt prepare their heart In removendis ab illo mundi negotiis saith R. David and by putting them into a praying frame and so fitting them for mercy Where God giveth a praying heart 't is sure that hee will shew a pittying heart If hee prepare the heart hee will also bend his ear like as when wee bid our Children ask us for this or that wee mean to give it them and as when wee open a purse as wide as wee can pull it 't is a sign wee intend to fill it top-full Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear even whilst they are preparing and before they can speak many times Isa 65.24 or whilest they are praying as Dan. 9.20 Act. 4.31 or not long after they
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
God made all yet hee will not save all but that there is a select number câ—lled and called out of the many who shall bee everlastingly happy and these are here characterized as they are also Psal 15. wherewith this Psalm hath great affinity and is thought to have been composed at the same time that is saith R. David post ne gotium Ornani Jebusai after the businesse with Araunah the Jebusite when God by fire from Heaven had pointed out the place where the Temple should bee built 1 Chro. 21.26 22.1 And who shall stand in his holy place Stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion Tautologia has est Hebrais perquam familiaris Who is a true Member of the Church militant and shall bee no leste of the Church triumphant Ver. 4. He that hath clean hands The clean in hands that is of innocent and unblamable conversation debet esse purus corde ore opere saith Kimchi Immunis 〈◊〉 tetigâ—◠〈◊〉 Horat. he must not touch that unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 Non magna munera sed immunis manus mensque sincera Deo placent Men must lift up pure hands in prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 or else their incense will stinck of the hand that offereth it Isa 1.13 Those that draw neer to God must not only have their hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience but their bodies also washed with pure water Heb. 10.22 And a pure heart Which while Pilat wanted it nothing profited him to wash his hands in the presence of the people Heaven is an holy place and they that would go thither must cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 The Serpent could scrue himself into Paradise but no unclean creature ever came into Gods Kingdome The Citizens of Heaven must here affect purity of heart aim at it and in some measure attain to it too the old frame of impure motions being dissolved c. Who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity i. e. Ad idâ—la vel opes saith One that is to Idolls or riches Jer. 22.27 but hath lifted it up in the wayes of the Lord as Jehosaphat did 2 Chron. 17. and David Psal 25.1 not heeding or hankering after the Worlds delights or the Devills delusions Some write the word Shau signifying vanity with a little Vau ad indicandum quòd minima vanit as est vitanda c. to shew that hee who would dwell in Gods holy Mountain must carefully avoid the least vanity that is keeping Gods Commandement as the apple of his eye that will bear no jests Prov. 7.2 Some for his Soul read my Soul Hee hath not taken in vain my Soul that is saith R. Obadiah That soul inspired by God which I also have received he taketh not in vain he misemployeth not to iniquity but consecrateth to the service of God whose image and superscription it beareth Nor hath sworn deceitfully Or inured his tongue to any other kind of the language of Hell rotten communication to the dishonouring of God or deceiving of others Perjury is here instanced for the rest as one of the most hainous But Peraldus rekoneth up four and twenty severall sins of the tongue all which every Burgesse of the new Jerusalem is carefull to avoid as the Devills drovill Tom. 1. pag. 264. no way becoming his pure lip Vers 5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord i. e. Omnimodam felicitatem all manner of mercies saith Vatablus hee shall bee as happy as heart can wish for great is the gain of godlinesse See my Righteous mans Recompence And Righteousnesse c. i. e. The fruit and reward of Righteousnesse which the Righteous God will not fail to bestow upon all his even the Crown of Righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 A grave Interpreter hath here observed that there is such a reciprocation between the description of this reward and the persons described Ames that the blessednesse assured to the persons exciteth them to the care of piety and this care of piety bringeth unto them a sure and firm expectation of blessednesse Vers 6. This is the generation of them that seek him These are the true Seekers farre different from those that now-adayes so stile themselves being no better indeed than the Jesuites by-blowes as one wittily calleth them M. Baxstoâ— though they are not yet so wise as to know their own Father These are a generation too but an evil and adulterous one in these last and loosest times of abounding and abetted Errours That seek thy face i. e. Thy favour that desire nothing more than to bee in communion with thee and conformity unto thee O Jacob Or O God of Jacob As the Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 So God is here called Jacob such a neer union there is betwixt him and his people Or this is Jacob. So the true Seekers are fitly called first because Israelites indeed Joh. 1.47 Rom. 9.6 secondly because they see God face to face as Jacob did at Penuel Gen. 32.24 26 29 30. thirdly because they also as hee Adjicitur Selâ— ut often daâ—â—â— quantoperè haec sentent sit considerâ—â— da. do bear away a blessing Hos 12.4 even Righteousnesse from the God of their salvation as in the verse aforegoing Vers 7. Lift up your heades O yee gates c. Here hee calleth unto Hell-gates say the Papists to the Heavens say others to give way to Christs ascension thereinto Vatab Justin pag. 55. Recipite Christum in portis novae Hierosol Cyril as the first fruites and the opener of the way to all his Members And hee doubleth the same speech vers 9. for the joy that hee had in the contemplation thereof bidding them again and again lift up and bee lifted up a phrase or term taken from triumphall arches or great Portico's set up or beautified and adorned for the coming in of great victorious and triumphant Captaines There are at this day to bee seen at Rome the ruines of Constantines triumphall arch erected at that time when hee entred the City triumphing over the Tyrant Maxentius quem vicit signo crucis as Eusebius reporteth making Christ to triumph at Rome after those ten bloody persecutions Viâ—cars with which triumph this Psalm may fitly bee compared saith a learned Interpreter Our late Annotatours tell us of a fashion in ancient times that when they would solemnize the enterance of any Prince or others that had well deserved of the publick they would break down the walls and pull off the gates of the City partly for more free entrance and partly to shew that their City needed no walls nor gates as long as they had such a Guardian and Protector within it It is likely say they that David by these words doth allude to some such custome Or as Calvin and others will have it to the Temple to bee set up by Solomon which hee wisheth were done that so hee might bring in the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
rejoyce in the Holy Ghost but take heed we let not fall the watch of the Lord. Crede mibi res sevâ—ra est gaudium verum Beleeve me true joy is a severe matter said Seneca Wee may better say so of Spiritual joy which he never tasted of neither doth any stranger meddle with And if Plato could tell the Musicians Philosophers could tell how to be merry without Musick much more may Gods people Quid nobis cum Fabulis cum risu saith Bernard What have we to do with carnal mirth and jollity c we have Meat to eat and Musick to our Meat that the World knoweth not of let us make us merry with it For praise is comly for the upright For them and for none but them High words are not fit for a fool saith Solomon Laudari ab illaudato to be praised by a praiseless person Seneca is no praise at all That State in story would not approve of good words from an evil mouth no more doth God Psal 50.15 16. Christ would not suffer the Devil to confess him Hypocrisie slurrieth all it toucheth If a man should sing a good Song with his voyce and play a bad one on his Instrument it would make but a black sanctis Such is the praise of the unupright who had better therefore be silent unless themselves were better sith they do not only lose their labour but commit sin Displeasing service is double dishonour and dissembled sanctity double iniquity Vers 2. Praise the Lord with Harp Or Cittern Jubals invention Gen. 4.21 much used by David and others of old under the Jewish Pedagogy as an help to devotion as were also other Musical Instruments here and elsewhere mentioned Now it is otherwise the best melody is to sing Psalms with grace in our hearts and for other Musick when Aristotle was asked what he thought of it he answered Jouem nec canere neque cit haram pulsare that Jupiter regarded it not Vers 3. Sing unto him a new Song sc upon every new emergent occasion God reneweth his Mercies not only every morning but every moment so thould we out praises every breath we draw should praise the Lord Psal 150. ult Doth God give comforts praise him and they shall be continued Doth hee send Crosses praise him and they shall be removed saith a Father but in every thing 〈◊〉 thanks and that not coldly and cursorily but ardently and with utmost affection for which cause this duty is so reiterated here and pressed with such forcible arguments in the following verses as might work upon the very stones almost much more men for whose sakes all this fair Fabrick of the World was erected Play skilfully or lustily with a loud noyfe Make good Musick set all your skill and might a work to magnifie the Lord. It is not an easie matter to praise God aright it must be done Corde ore operâ— with the very best of the best Benefacite canendo cuns jubilatione Vers 4. For the Word of the Lord is right Every Word of God is pure and precious Prov. 30.5 his Commandement holy and just and good Rom. 7.12 but by Word here we are to understand Gods Counsel and Decree concerning the Creation and government of the World which is unquestionably right and agreeable to sound reason and therefore they are too blame that dislike of his doings If any evil befall them the Saints confess Gods righteousness and praise him as Isa 12.1 Psa 10.1 faith Kimchi here And all his works are done in truth 〈◊〉 In faith that is in faithfullnesse without deceit or ficklenesse This is to be understood of the execution of Gods decree all is done well and equitable Vers 5. 〈◊〉 loveth righteousness and judgement q. d. How can he do otherwise than right whose nature is such that he loveth righteousness and judgement that is 〈…〉 〈…〉 Verse 〈…〉 gave them a Being Or by his essentiall Word Solo ipsius 〈◊〉 su nutu which is his Son the second person in Trinity Prov. 8.27 Joh. 1.3 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 And all the hoast of them These are first mentioned because the most glorious of all the works of God so Psal 19.1 By the breath of his mouth By his word and command Or rather by his Holy Spirit the third person in Trinity inseparable from the other two as well in essence as in operation See Gen. 1.1 2. with the Notes It hath been else-where noted that in Thebe a Town of Aegypt they worshiped a God whom they acknowledged to be immortall But how painted they him In the likenesse of a man blowing an egge out of his mouth to signify tha hee made the round World by his Word and by the breath of his mouth as here Vaâ—â—o addeth that in way of thank-fullnesse Plut. de Isidâ— Osicid Var. de re rufâ— l. 2. cap. 1. they dedicated a sheep to him to be offered in Sacrifice This Text was commonly urged by the Ancients for the Trinity of persons in the Godhead which Olymphus an Arrian Bishop denying was struck with three thunderbolts and killed in a Bath Vers 7. Hee gathereth the waters of the Sea together Confining them to their concave to the pit he digged for them Ecce altera misericordia saith kimchi here Behold another mercy without the which the earth would be inhabitable unlesseby fishes only because the waters would cover the earth As an heap This sheweth that the Sea is higher than the Earth Saylers observe that their ships flie faster to the shore than from it whereof what other reason can be given but the height of the waters above the land Hee layeth up the depth in store-houses In his treasuries that is he secretly hideth them and limiteth then to a certain place that they overwhelm not the earth by his Almighty power Jer. 5.22 Job 38.16 See there Vers 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord viz. For these stupendious works of his sufficient to strike an a we into all creatures of the divine Majesty Jer. 5.22 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob Psal 114.7 Vers 9. For he spake and it was done So true is that saying Dei dicere est facere And a great shame it is to men to disobey the great Creatour and not rather to follow the example of the unreasonable and insensible creatures And it stood fast The whole order of nature remaineth as he set it firm fast and unmoveable Vers 10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to noughi i. e. He counter-worketh the Devill and his imps who would overturn and destroy the fair order of nature mingle heaven and earth together as it were and soon marre all God frustrateth the counsells and attempts of such tumultuating boutefeaus and trouble-States and maugre their malice preserveth polities lawes judgements and naturall equity without which mankind could not long subsist Who then would not fear thee O King of Nations
tibi vulnera fecit Solus Achilleo tellere more potest Ovid. Trist 1. I am consumed by the blow of thine hand Heb. By the conflict or buffettings Oh keep out of his fingers for it is a fearfull thing to fall into them Heb. 10. Caveb is autem sipavebis Vers 11. When thou with rebukes doest correct man for iniquity Or Shouldest thou but correct him according to his iniquity correct him I say or instruct him Kimchi his Note here is Morbi sunt interpretes inter Deum homines increpantes ut Job 33.19 Diseases are Gods chiding messages or reall rebukes Thou makest his beauty Heb. What soever in him is desirable all his prime and pride pulchritudinem praestantiam his beauty and bravery as that of Jonas his gourd To consume away like a moth Heb. To melt away as a moth which is easily crusht betwixt ones fingers Job 4.19 or actively as a moth Quamâ—is 〈◊〉 palam fulmine è 〈◊〉 Vat. caeco morsu doth secretly and suddenly consume the most precious garment so dost thou the Wicked by thy secret curse though themselves or others little observe it Surely every man is vanity Selah See vers 5. Vers 13. Hear my prayer O Lord give ear c. My prayer my cry my tears See how his ardency in prayer grew by degrees and so availed much Jam. 5.16 we must rise in our requests pray cry weep ask seek knock let the Lord see that wee are in good earnest and then we may have any thing Tears have a voice and are very effectuall Oratours For I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner And in that respect subject to many miseries and molestations satanicall and secular till I shall repatriasse get home as Bernard expresseth it and this was the condition of all my godly predecessors who yet found favour with thee and so I hope shall I. Vers 13. O spare mee that I may recover strength Ut refociller reficiar Job maketh the like request chap. 10.20 Some breathing while they would have and a time to recollect themselves before that last great encounter They say in effect Differ habent parvae commoda magna morae Before I go hence and be no more No more seen amongst men It is said Speed 925. that Richard the third caused the dead corps of his two smothered Nephews to be closed in lead and so put in a coffin full of holes and hooked at the ends with two hooks of Iron and so to be cast into a place called the black deeps at the Thames mouth whereby they should never rise up nor be any more seen Joseph is not and Simeon is not Gen. 42.36 The Righteous perish Isa 57.1 when once I go hence saith David here viz. to my long home Eccles 12.5 there will be a Non ego an end of mee as to this World wherefore I beg a little respite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PSAL. XL. Vers 1. I waited patiently for the Lord Heb. In waiting I waited Diutissimè quidem sed optimo successu Est sensus ejusdem cum duobus prioribuâ—â— Kabuenat I prayed and waited I waited and prayed again persevering in prayer and begging audience as Psal 39.12 with which Basil maketh this Psalm to cohere and well he may for it seemeth to be of the same time and argument with the two former R. Obadiah saith that David composed this Psalm after that he was recovered of his Leprosie Psal 38.7 And he inclined unto me i.e. he began at length to shew favour for he waiteth to be gracious and well knoweth that desideria dilatione crescant cito data vilescant nothing is lost by holding his people long in request Vers 2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit è puteo sonitus ut Isa 17 12â— out of a noyse-full pit where there is a continual hurry by the great fall of waters into it He meaneth out of dreadful dangers out of a desperate disease saith R. Obadiah who also by rock here understandeth perfect health Sanitatem in corpore sanctitatem in corde Out of the miry clay E luto Luto saith Kimchi for here are two words used of one and the same sense to shew that as a bemired beast he was in a perishing condition till God puld him out and set him on firm ground And established my goings That I might not relapse into the same or fall into another malady or mischief Vers 3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth i. e. new matter which I shall soon contrive into a new song by the help of his holy Spirit for I cannot breath out a desire after him except he first imbreath me therewith and so put a new song in my mouth Even praise unto our God i.e. Unto Christ saith Junius to whom and of whom the Church singeth saith he in the following verses Many shall see it and fear and trust in the Lord Their eye shall affect their heart both with fear of and faith in the Lord that bringeth greatest things to pass and is fearful in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. Vers 4. Blessed is that man c. See Psal 2.12 And respecteth not the proud Who are set in opposition to Beleevers as they are also Hab. 2.4 Self justitiaries especially and Merit-mongers faith is an humbling grace Nor such as turn aside to lies As do Hereticks and Idolaters These the true beleever out of the greatness of his spirit slighteth how great soever they be Animo magno nihil magnum Vers 5. Many O Lord my God are thy Works which thou hast done Many and great and all for them that trust in thee Who therefore must needs be blessed as vers 4. And thy thoughts which are to us-ward Thoughts of peace and not of evil to give us an expected end Jer. 29.11 They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee No nor yet out of order and yet we must be reckoning and relating them as we are able to God and men by speaking good of his name and at this David was old excellent as we say If I would declare and speak of them By whole-sale we must do it though wee cannot so well by retale particulars also must bee instanced as Moses doth to Jethro Exod. 22. and for that end Catalogues must bee kept See one Judg. 10.11.12 Vers 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire Comparatively to the obedience of faith 1 Sam. 15.22 without which when Hypocrites thought to bribe God by cold Ceremonies they were rejected Christ is the end of the Law to all that beleeve that Lamb of God slain from the beginning of the world is the only Expiatory Sacrifice and the foundation of that fore mentioned blessedness ver 4. Now since Christ suffered the Levitical Sacrifices being abolished we have none to offer but such as are gratulatory to shew our thankfulness for such a Redeemer whose perfect obedience with the fruit of it is here and in the following Verses
Solom a vengeance hath befallen him God for his foul offence hath put him over to the Devill to be tormented by a pestilentiall disease that will surely make an end of him So Genebrard that mad dog in the fourth book of his Chronology Anno Dom. 1564. reckoning up those diverse diseases whereof Calvin dyed all which was well known to be false addeth An Herodes terribilius animam Satana reddiderit equidens nascio whether Herod yeelded up his soul to the Devill in a more horrible manner Lib. 5. cap. 1. I know not With as little charity did Evagrius say of Justinian the great Law-giver ad supplicia justo Dei judicio apud inferos luenda profect us est he went to hell-torments Lib. de Miffi privats Anno 1533. when he dyed by Gods just Judgement And Luther of Oecolampadius se credere Occolampadium ignit is Satane telis hast is confossum â—ubitanea morte periisse tant â—â—e animis calestibus ire This false conceit is sufficiently confuted by the history of his life and death set forth by Simon Grynaus as also is that concerning Calvin by his life written by Beza and others Vers 9. Yea mine own familiar friend Heb. The man of my peace This was a great cut to David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Sophacles what greater wound can there be than a treacherous friend such as was Abitophel to David Judas to our Saviour Brutus to Julius Casar who was slain in the Senat-house with three and twenty wounds Ann Dom. 337 given for most part by them whose lives he had preserved Magnentius to Constans the Emperour who had formerly saved his life from the Souldiers fury Michael Balbus to the Emperour Leo Armenius whom he slew the same night that he had pardoned and released him This evil dealing made Socrates cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friends there is hardly a friend to bee found and Queen Elizabeth complain that in trust she had found Treason and King Antigonâ—s pray to God to preserve him from his friends and King Alphonsus to complain of the ingratitude of his Favourites In whom I trusted So did not our Saviour in Judas for hee knew him better than so and therefore this clause is left out Joh. 13.18 where hee applieth this saying to himself Hieroâ—s and some others apply the whole Psalm to Christ and for that end they render these words actively Cui credidi to whom I entrusted or committed my ministery Who did eat of my bread My fellow-commoner with whom I had eaten little less than a bushel of Salt A mans enemies are many times those of his own house the Birds of his own bosom Judas dipt in the same dish with Jesus beâ—rayed him with a kiss Caveatur of culuns I scarioticuns Hath lifâ— up his heel against me Heb. Hath magnified the heel or the feet-sole sc to supplant me or to trample upon me or to spurn against me Metaphera ab equis calcitreâ—ibus saith Vatablus a Metaphor from unruly and refractory Horses See Judg. 15.8 it importeth contempt despite and cruelty Vers 10. But thou O Lord be merciful unte me As storms beat a Ship into the harbour so did mens misusages drive David to God and as Children meeting with hard measure abroad hye home to their Parents so here And raise mee up From off this bed of weaknesse and from under their feet of insolency and cruelty That I may requite them Not in a way of private revenge for that was utterly unlawfull and would not bear a prayer but of Justice as I am a King and a lawfull Magistrate The fear of this might happily make Ahitophel foreseeing that all would be naught on Absoloms side to save the hangman a labour Vers 11. By this I know that thou favourest mee This is the triumph of trust and the fruit of faithfull prayer ever answered sometimes before it is uttered sometimes in and sometimes after the act but we may be sure of an un-miscarrying return if we pray and not faint Luk. 18.1 even such as shall bring us word that God favoureth our persons Vers 12. And as for mee thou upholdest mee in mine integrity Which earth and hell had conspired to rob mee of but in vain through thy help My shield is yet in safety My faith faileth mee not nor yet mine innocency in regard of men or the Righteousnesse of my cause And settest mee before thy face for ever So that being never out of thy sight I cannot possibly be out of thy mind Confer 1 King 17.1 Vers 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Thus he sweetly shutteth up this first book of the Psalmes as some distinguish with a patheticall doxology redoubling his Amen Fiat Fiat to shew his fervency and most earnest desire that God should be blessed by his whole Israel This was the custome of the Scribes to do saith Kimchi when they had finished any book The other four books of Psalmes as they are reckoned end in like manner From everlasting to everlasting i.e. From the beginning of the World to the end of it or as the Chaldee hath it from this World unto the World to come Amen and Amen So be it and so it shall bee Dictio est acclamationis approbationis confirmationis The Rabbines say that our Amen in the close of our prayers must not be first hasty but with consideration 1 Cor. 14.16 Secondly nor maimed or defective wee must stretch out our hearts after it and be swallowed up in God Thirdly nor alone or an Orphan that is without faith love and holy confidence The spirits of the whole prayer are contracted into it and so should the spirit of him that prayeth PSAL. XLII Maschil for the sons of Korah Korah and his complices were swallowed up quick by the earth in the Wildernesse for their gain-saying Num. 16. but some of his sons disliking his practice escaped and of them came Heman the Nephew of Samuel a chief singer 1 Chron. 6.23 Now to him and his Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocumenta documenta was this and some other of Davids Psalms committed both to be kept as a treasure and to besung in the Sanctuary for comfort and instruction under affliction according to the signification of the word Maschil whereof See Psal 3â— title Vers 1. As the Heart panteth after the water-brooks Heb. As the Hind Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in females the passions are stronger saith an Interpreter here quicquid volunt valde volunt This Creature is naturally hot and dry De nat aniâ— 1.6 cap. â—â— about Autumn especially as Aristotle testifieth but when hunted extream thirsty Chrysostom and Basill say that she eateth Serpents and so is further inflamed by their poyson Now as the hunted and heated Hind glocitat breatheth and brayeth after the water-brooks Sopanteth my soul after Thee O God He saith Amo te Dâ— mine plus quam 〈◊〉 mos me Ben not after my former dignity and
greatnesse before Absolens disturbed mee and drove mee out though he could not but be sensible of such a losse we know what miserable moans Cicere made when fent into banishment how impatient Cato and many others were in like case so that they became their own deathsmen but after Thee Lord and the enjoyment of thy publick ordinances from which I am now alasse hunted and hindred After that Gods holy Spirit hath once touched a soul it will never be quier untill it stands pointed God-ward Vers 2. My Soul thirsteth for God More than ever it did once for the waâ—er of the Well of Bethelem and that because he is the living God the fountain of living waters that only can cooll and quench my desires Jer. 2.13 17.13 so as I shall never thirst again Joh. 4.14 whereas of all things else we may say Quo plus sunt pota plus sitiuntur aqua The Rabbines note here Ovid. Kimchi Aben-Ezra that David saith not so hungreth but so thirsteth my soul because men are more impatient of thirst than of hunger they can go diverse dayes without meat Curt ex Diodoro but not without drink Alexander lost a great part of his army marching through the Wildernesse of the Susitans by want of water When shall I come and appear before God Heb. And see the face of God viz. in his Tabernacle Eheu igitur quando tandem mibi miserrimo dabitur ut te in aede tua conspiciam These earnest pantings inquietations and unsatisfiable desires after God and his ordinances are sure signes of true grace But woe to our worship-scorners c. Vers 3. My tears have been my meat day and night Hunters say the Hart sheddeth tears or something like tears when he is pursued and not able to escape Hereunto David might allude Sure it is that as Hinds by calving so men by weeping cast out their sorrowes Job 39.3 Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor And Act. and Mon. 1457. Affert solatium lugentibus suspiriorum societ as saith Basil sighs are an ease of sorrow Of Mr. Bradford the Martyr it is reported that in the midst of dinner he used oft to muse having his hat over his eyes from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on his trencher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The better any are So Psal 80.5 the more inclined to weeping as David than Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. Here we have him telling us that his tears were his meat or his bread as Gregory readeth it and he giveth this reason that like as the more bread wee eat the dryer we are and the more thirsty so the more tears of godly sorrow we let fall the more we thirst after that living fountain springing from above Davids greatest grief was that he was banished from the Sanctuary and next to that the reproachfull blasphemy of his enemies hitting him in the teeth with his God as if not able or not willing to relieve him now in his necessity and bitterly upbraiding him with his hopes as altogether vain Whiles they continually say unto mee Where is thy God Violenti certe impetus saith Vatablus here these were violent shocks indeed and such as wherewith Davids faith might have been utterly overthrown had it not been the better rooted and withall upheld by the speciall power of the Spirit of grace Other of Gods suffering Saints have met with the like measure At Orleance in France as the bloody Papists murthered the Protestants they cryed out where is now your God what is become of all your prayers and Psalms now Let your God that you called upon save you if he can Mr. Clarks Gen. Martyrol P. 316. Others sang in scorn Judge and revenge my cause O Lord Others Have mercy on us Lord c. The Queen Mother of Scotland having received aid from France forced the Protestants for a while to retire to the High-Lands whereupon she scoffingly said where is now John Knox his God My God is now stronger than his yea even in Fife but her braggs lasted not long for within a few dayes Mr. Knox his life by Mr. Clark six hundred Protestants beat above four thousand French and Scots c. Gods Servants fare the better for the insolencies of their enemies who when they say where is now their God might as well say betwixt the space of the new and old Moon where is now the Moon when as it is never nearer the Sun than at that time Vers 4. When I remember these things viz. My present pressures compared with my former happiness Cic. de Fin. 1. 2. Sen. deben 1.4 c. 22. Miserum sanè est fuisse felicem The Epicures held but I beleeve they did not beleeve themselves therein that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments Ex prâ—teritarum upluptatum recordatione by the remembrance of his former pleasures and delights David found this here but a slight and sorry comfort though he better knew how than any of them to make the best of it and his delights had been farre more solid and cordial I pour out my soul See Job 30.16 with the Note For I had gone with a multitude Heb. A thick croud or throng of good peole frequâ—â—ting the publick Ordinances and David in the head of them One rendreth it In umbra vel umbrella sicut mos est Orientalium ambulare umbrellis contra ardorem solis accommodatis I went with them to the house of God Lente Itabam I went with a gentle pace Gressâ—â— grallatorio He speaketh saith Vatablus of the order observed by the faithful when they went to the Sanctuary viz. in comely equipage singing praise to God Kimchi in 〈◊〉 Radiâ— and confessing his goodness Vers 5. Why art thou â—ast down O my soul Here David seemeth to be Homo divisus in duas partes saith Vatablus a man divided into two parts as indee devery new man is two men and what is to be seen in the Shulamite but as it were the company of two Armies Cant. 6.13 David chideth David out of his dumps So did Alice Benden the Martyr rehearsing these very words when she had been kept in the Bishops prison all alone nine weeks with bread and water and received comfort by them in the midst of her miseries Act. Monâ— 1797. And why art thou disquieted in me A good mans work lieth most within doors he hath more ado with himself than with all the world besides he prayeth oft with that Ancient Libera me Domine à malo homine meip so Deliver me Lord from that naughty man my self How oft do we punish our selves by our passions as the Lion that beateth himself with his own tail Grief is like Lead to the soul heavie and cold sinking it downward taking off the wheels of it and disabling it for duty like as a Limb that is out of joynt can do nothing without deformity and pain Keep up thy spirit therefore and watch against
Origen Nusquam non ardet faith Erasmus sed nusquam est ardentior quam ubi Christi sermones actusque tractet that he was ever earnest Praefat. ad Origen opera but most of all when he discoursed of Christ Of Johannes Mollias a Bononian it is said Act. Mon. sol 855. that whensoever he spake of Jesus Christ his eyes dropped for hee was fraught with a mighty fervency of Gods holy Spirit and like the Baptist he was first a burning boyling or bubling and then a shining light Ardor mentis est lux Doctrinae I speak of the things which I have made touching the King Or I will speak in my works that is in this Psalm concerning the King viz. Salomon and Him that is greater than Salomon in all his glory Christ the King of the Church Works he calleth this Poem not for the greatnesse but for the exquisitenesse thereof it being breve longum planeque aureum utpote in quo universa pane salutis nostrae mysteria continentur as containing almost all the mysteries of mans salvation My tongue is the pen of a ready writer i. e. I will roudly and readily relate what I have so well ruminated and dexterously deliver my most mature meditations concerning the mystical marriage of Christ and his Church This is a good president for Preachers Demosthenes would have such a one branded for a pernicious man to the Common-wealth who durst propose any thing publickly which hee had not before-hand seriously pondered And Aristides being pressed to speak to something propounded ex tempore answered propound to day and I will answer to morrow for we are not of those that spit or spue up things c. Vers 2. Valde palchiuiâ—i Vat. Thou art fairer than the Children of men Heb. Thou art double-fairer the Hebrew word is doubled ad corroborandum faith Kimchi It may very well be that Salomon was for his beauty another Nireus and for his eloquence another Nestor Lentulus ad Senat. ap Magdeb. cent 1. wisdom might make his face to shine Of Christ we are sure that his body being of the finest temperament and no way diseased could not be but very beautifull The Roman register reporteth him to have been of a reverend countenance his stature somewhat tall his hair after the colour of the ripe hazel-nut his forehead smooth and plain his face without wrinkle mixt with moderate red his eyes gray various and clear c. Surely if Stephens face was as the face of an Angel and if with his bodily eyes he could peirce the heavens and see there what he would How much more could the Lord Christ whose very manhood came the nearest unto God of any that ever was or could be His very countenance did expresse a divinity in him And what if to the Jews who esteemed him not but maligned him and crucified him he had neither form nor beauty Isa 53.2 what if he were so broken at thirty three years of age with continuall paids and grief for them that they judged him wel-nigh fifty Job 8.57 yet he was every way compleat and comely above all the Children of men yea above all the Angells in heaven for in him the Godbâ—â—d dwelt bodily Col. 2.9 and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truâ—h Joh. 3.14 His soul was like a rich pearl in a rough shell like the Tabernacle Goats-hair without but gold within or as Erutus his staff enjus insue soliduns aurum â—ernto vilabatur cortice He was all glorious within had a fullness of grace above that of Adam Joh. 1.16 as much as a Creature was capable of Plutarch and more near familiarity with the Godhead than any creature Grace is poured into shy lips So that thou canst gracefully deliver thy self in a set speech Solomen could no doubt as another Phacion or Pericles in whose lips 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Eupolis sat a strange perswasive faculty so that he could prevail with the people at his pleasure Jesus Christ could much more do so for together with his words there went forth a power he spoke as never man spake he spoke with authority and not as the Scribes all that heard him wondred at the words of grace that proceeded out of his mouth Luk. 4.22 Isa 50.4 Therefore God bath blessed thee Or better because that God hath blessed thee and endowed thee with such gifts and graces Vers 3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O most mighty This is one of Christs titles Isa 9.6 the Giant or the mighty strong God O Herosâ— the valliant Champion of his Church And his sword is the word of his mouth Rev. 1.16 Heb. 4.12 Isa 49.2 All the wars in the conquest of Canaan were types of the spirituall wars under the Gospel whereby the Nations were subdued to the obedience of the faith 2 Cor. 10.4 Ephes 6.11 Christ hath his sword then a two-edged sword and he is here called upon to gird it to his thigh after the manner of those Easterlings as we do our skeans bangers woodknives that is to take unto him his authority and to exercise it for the conversion of his people and confusion of his enemies Additur â—i gladius quem non ostentet velut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed quem etium destring at A sword hee hath not for shew but for service whence it is added with thy glory and thy Majesty Equita super verbum veritâ—tis Vers 4. And in thy Majesty ride prosperously Heb. Prosper thou ride thou upon the Word of truth of meeknesse and of Righteousnesse q. d. Ride thou in thy triumphant Charret as it were drawn by those three glorious graces Truth Meeknesse and Righteousnesse and governed by the Word as by the Charter-man Cui divinissim a allegorie explicand a pro rei gravisate ac dignitate integro volumine opus esset saith Bâ—za For the explaining of which most divine allegory according to the worth of it a whole volume might well be full written The Kings of the earth for most part have their Charrets drawn by other horses viz. Pride Ambition Cruelty c. as Sesostres King of Egypt Qui Pharios currus regum cervicibus egit And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things i. e. Shall inable thee to perform them Christ riding on his white horse his Apostles and Preachers went forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Salomon was no such sword-man as was Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 5. Thine arrows are sharp c. Peters converts were pricks at heart Act. 1. Act. 7.54 and Stephens heaters were cut to the heart Christ can fetch in his rebelts afarre off he hath arrowes as well as a sword to wound them that men may either bend or break yeeld or become his footstool One way or other he will surely have the better of them Vers 6. Thy throne O God Here the Prophet
of man commendeth the righteousness of God Rom. 3.4 5. To thee O Lord God belongeth righteousness but unto us confusion of face saith Daniel chap. 9. Vers 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity This he alledgeth viz. his original pravity not as an excuse but as an aggravation of his actual abominations which he saith were committed out of the vile viciousness of his nature See Psal 58 3 4. The Masorites here observe that the word rendred iniquity is full written with a double Vau to signifie the fulness of his sin whole evil being in every man by nature and whole evil in man which when the Saints confess they are full in the mouth as I may so say they begin with the root of sin not at the fingers ends as Adenibezek did stabbing the old man at the heart first and laying the main weight upon original corruption that in-dwelling sin as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 7.14 that sin of evil concupiscence as the Chaldee here that peccatum peccans as the Schools Tully belike had heard somewhat of this when he said Cum primum nascimur in omni continuo pravitate versamur Assoon as ever we are born we are forth-with in all wickedness Augustine saith Damnatus homo antequam natus Man is condemned as soon as conceived And in sin did my mother conceive me Heb. Warm me This Aben-Ezra interpreteth to be our great Grand-mother Eve Qua non parturiebat antequam peccabat David meant it doubtless of his immediate mother and spake of that poyson where-with she had warmed him in her wombe before the soul was infused Corruption is conveyed by the impurity of the seed Job 14.4 Job 3.6 31. Sin may be said to be in the seed incoative dispositive as fire is in the Flint Let us therefore go with Elisha to the Fountain and cast salt into those rotten and stinking waters And for our Children let us labour to mend that by education which we have marred by propagation Vers 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Quam tamen mihi defuisse res ipsa demonstrat but this truth hath not been found in me when I acted my sin in that sort and did mine utmost to hide it from the world I have shewed little truth in the inward parts but have grosly dissembled in my dealings with Vriab especially whom I so plied at first with counterfeit kindness and then basely betrayed him to the sword of the enemy Sinisterity is fully opposite to sincerity trcachery to truth And in the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom Thus by faith saith one he riseth out of his sin being taught wisdom of God Others read it Thou hast made me to know c. And yet have I sinned against the light of mine own knowledge and Conscience although thou hast taught me wisdom privately E◠eheu quam familiaritèr as one of thine own Domesticks or Disciples Some make it a prayer Cause me to knew wisdom c. Vers 7. Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean Sprinkle me with the bloud of Christ by the Hyssop-bunch of faith not only taking away thereby the sting and stink of sin but conferring upon me the sweet savour of Christs righteousness imputed unto me See Heb. 9.13 14 19. where he calleth it Hyssop of which see Dioscorides lib. 3. chap. 26.28 David multiplieth his sute for pardon not only in plain terms but by many metaphors Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow So we cannot be by any washings of our own though with Snow-water Isa 6.46 The Brides Garments are made white in the Lambs bloud Rev. 1.14 the foulest sinners washed in this Fountain become white as the snow in Salmon Isa 1.18 1 Cor. 6.11 Eph. 5.27 Peccata non redeunt Vers 8. Make me hear joy and gladness God will speak peace unto his people he createth the fruit of the lips to be peace Isa 57.19 c. No such joyful tidings to a condemned person as that of a Pardon Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee Feri feri Domine nam à peccatis absolutus sum said Luther Davids Adultery and Murther had weakned his Spiritual condition and wiped off all his comfortables but now he begs to be restored by some good Sermon or sweet promise set home to his poor soul That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce By leaping over Gods pale he had broke his bones and fain he would be set right again by a renewed righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost by his former feelings of Gods favour Vers 4. Hide thy face from my sins We are not able to indure Gods presence much less his Justice for our sins nor can there be any sound peace of Conscience whiles he frowneth His favour is better than life but his displeasure more bitter than death it self See 2 Sam. 14.32 And blot out all mine iniquities See how one sin calleth to mind many thousands which though they lye a sleep a long time like a sleeping debt yet wee know not how soon they may be reckoned for Make sure of a generall pardon and take heed of adding new sins to the old Vers 10. Create in mee a clean heart O God His heart was woefully soiled with the filth of sin and the work of grace interrupted he therefore prayeth God to interpose and begin it again to set him up once more to re-inkindle those sparks of the spirit that lay almost quite smothered to put forth his almighty power for that purpose to farm that Augean stable of his heart to sanctify him throughout in spirit soul and body and to keep him blamelesse unto the comming of his son 1 Thes 5.23 Andrenew a right spirit within mee Or a firm spirit firm for God able to resist the Devill stedfast in the faith and to abide constant in the way that is called holy Vers 11. Cast mee not away from thy presence Deprive mee not of communion with thee and comfort from thee for that 's a peece of Hell torments 2 Thes 1.9 Cains punishment which possibly David might here mind as being guilty of murther And Sauls losse of the Kingly Spirit 1 Sam. 15.15 might make him pray on And take not thine holy Spirit from mee David knew that he had done enough to make the holy Spirit loath his lodging he might also think that the Spirit had urterly withdrawn himself and others might think as much beholding his Crosses Jer. 30.17 But the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and where the Spirit once inhabiteth there he abideth for ever Joh. 14.16 an interruption there may bee of his work but not an intercision and a Saint falling into a grosse sin may lose his jus aptitudinale ad calum but not his jus heredit arium his fitnesse but not his right to Heaven that holy place Vers 12. Restore unto mee the joy of thy salvation He had grieved that holy thing that Spirit of
2 Cor. 1.10 Vers 4. Turn us O God of our salvation Turn us and we shall be turned do as thou ever hast done for thou art Jehovah thou changest not but art yesterday today and the same for ever And cause thine anger c. I abefacta iram tuam erga nos Vers 5. Wilt thou he angry with us for ever Dilato Christo two vel tuo adventu Such expostulations mixt with faith are Vis Deo grata as saith Tertullian such as God is well pleased with Vers 6. With thou not revive us again Who for present are all amort as it were free among the dead free of that company That thy people may rejoyce in thee A joyless life is a lifeless life Mortis habet vices quae trahitur vita gemitibus Vers 7. shew us thy mercy O Lord Thy fatherly mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And grant us thy salvation Thy Christ and our Jesus Luke 2.30 Vers 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak I will not repine but listen what answer God giveth to my prayer and patiently wait a good issue of my troubles For he will speak peace unto his people viz. by his Promises and by his Providences And to his Saints For all Gods people are righteous ones Isa 60.21 justified and sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 But let 〈◊〉 them turn again do folly i.e. to the ways of the world and of 〈◊〉 real son lest they smart for their rashness and God 〈…〉 to their words again Vers 9. Surely his salvation is nigh them c. Though they be so 〈…〉 with tears that they cannot see it and so discouraged that they have even done looking for it Luke â—â— 7 â— That glory may dwell in our Land The Fathers hath by salvation and glory dwelling with man understand Christ Job 1.26 Vers 10. Jam fides pax honor pudorque Priscuâ— neglectâ—â— redire virtus Audet apparetque beata pleno Copia cornu Horat. Iren. Aug. Mercy and 〈◊〉 are met together 〈◊〉 his Mercy is ever â—â—â—â—â—ded by 〈◊〉 conjunction his people there is a 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—tion of Graces 2 Pet. â— â— and this is an effect of Christ Kingdom in mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Rom. 14.17 Righteousness and peace have killed each other Have friendly saluted in allusion to the manner of the Eastern Nations See Isa 12.17 Psal 119.169 Vers 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth i. e. Heaven and 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 both of truth and righteousness Many understand all concerning Christ See Jâ—â— 3.13 Others concerning extraordinary plenty of all good things Vers 12. Yea the Lord shall give that which is good Yea hâ—st of all viz. his holy Spirit Luke 11.13 with Matthew 7.11 with a largess of outward comforts Vers 13. Righteousness shall go before him Men shall walk before God in holinels and righteousness all the days of their lives Luke 1.75 they shall not rest in outward blessings vers 12. or be satisfied with such low things but be led up thereby to the care of higher And shall set us in the way of his steps So that we shall go an upper and â—â—â—â—fore a better way Prov. 15.24 having our feat where other mens heads are and so departing from Hell beneath which 〈◊〉 gapeth for the unrighteous PSAL. LXXXVI A Prayer Left for a form for a help to devotion as was also Psal 1â—2 Title Vers 1. Bow down thine 〈◊〉 O Lord As the careful Physician doth to his feeble Patient so Basil glosseth here For I am poor and needy Having nothing to live on but what my friends privily send me or what I can get by boot-haling from the Lords enemies 1 Sam. 30.26 Vers 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy Or a 〈◊〉 a Saint merciful such an one as upon whose heart the tender mercies of the Almighty 〈◊〉 forth abundantly do leave a compassionate frame David had the Divine Nature transfused into him he was holy as God is holy and merciful as God is merciful in quality though not in equality but all of free grace and this he pleadâ—â—â— for his own safety Save thy servant Serva servum tuum thy devoted servant and not thy beneficiary only Vers 3. Be merciful unto me Lest any should by the former 〈◊〉 I 〈…〉 suspect him to be a merit-monger he beggeth mercy with instancy and constancy of request Vers 4. Rejoyce the soul of thy servant True and solid joy entreth 〈◊〉 by the door of servent prayer Pray that your joy may be fell I lift up my soul In prayer Psal 25.1 and confident 〈◊〉 of an 〈◊〉 carrying return thereof 〈…〉 24. â—â— Vers 5. For thou Lord are good 〈◊〉 Lord I am â—ell 〈…〉 are Heaven said God by prayer And plenteous in mercy Both to 〈◊〉 sin and to give good Hos 14. â— Vers 6. Give ear O Lord c. The hearing of our sutes is earnestly to be sought and reckoned among our chiefest 〈◊〉 Vers 7. In the day of my trouble c. Gods Petitioners must pray and beleeve and beleeve and pray 〈…〉 David had said verse â— God is man in mercy to all that call upon him Here he 〈◊〉 and conâ—â—â—th 〈…〉 in the day of my trouble will call upon him therefore he will answer mee Vers 8. Among the Gods Whether deputed or reputed There is none like unto thee Either in essence or in operation See 〈◊〉 15.11 Vers 9. As Nations whom thou hast 〈◊〉 come c. I were 〈◊〉 they should Rev. 4. ult 't is to be hoped they shall Isa 11. 43. not by â—hange of â—race but 〈◊〉 responâ—ing their irreligions and yeelding unto Christ the 〈◊〉 of faith Some understand this Text of that generall Assembly at the 〈◊〉 Vers 10. For thou are grâ—â—â— Great is the Lord without quantity good without quality everlasting without time omni present without place containing all things without extent within all things and contained of nothing without all things and sustained of nothing c. Now the least 〈◊〉 of this knowledge is worth all the gleams of human wisdome And doest wondrous things The Schools have laid down a threefold way of knowing God First Negation of Imperfections Secondly Affirmation of Perfections Thirdly Causation of great works Vers 11. Teach mee thy way David knew much of God and yet he desireth to be taught more delivering himself up to Gods discipline and saying as once Solon did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unite my heart to fear thy name i. e. To serve thee with simplicity and godly 〈◊〉 2 Cor. â—â— cleavâ—â— to thee with full purpose of heart Act. 11.23 and attending upon thee without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 As thou aâ— God alone verse 10. so let my heart be towaâ—d thee alone Behold I find it divided disjoynted and so disabled for duty for anima disper sa fit minor Oh do thou unite it I beseech thee giving mee that one heart thou hast promised until we all come unto that oneness of the faith and of the
vegeti Bucholc not as the Brabanti or Flemmings qui quo magis senescunt eo magis stultescunt saith Erasmus the elder the foolisher nor as Trapezuntius who outlived all his learning but as Moses whose sight failed not his heat abated not as Wine the older the better as the Sun which shineth most amiably toward the descent Vers 15. To shew that c. This is one of their principall fruits to give God 2 testimonial such as good old Moses doth Deut. 32.4 PSAL. XCIII VErs 1. The Lord reigneth i.e. The Lord Christ Kimchi here noteth that all the following Psalms till the hundred and first are de diebus Christi of the dayes of Christ Here wee have his empire and regality asserted first by his works secondly by his word vers 5. See the like Psal 19.1 2. 7 8. c. and that manifestation of himself by his word far preferred Hee is cloathed with Majesty He hath now put off his armes and put on his robes hee will henceforth rule all wisely and righteously The Lord is cloathed with strength For the battel in case his enemies stir to attempt against him Ezra 8.22 The World also is established The earth though it hang like a ball in the air without a basis Ponderibus librata suis yet is unmoveable how much more the Church Vers 2. Thy throne in established of old Christ shall reign utcunque fremant scelerati omnia quantum in se est conturbent rage the wicked never so for he is Jehovah vers 1. the eternal here Firmâ aeternus qui considet arce Vers 3. Hypotyposis The floods have lifted up O Lord Armies of enemies have attempted great matters but thou hast soon queld and quasht them Immota manet may well be the Churches motto Auratonet sonet unda maris fremat orbis orcus Tutamen insertos nos tibi Christe tegis The floods lift up their waves The Word for waves hath its name from dashing or breaking Anaphora the enemies do but beat themselves into foam and froth against Christ the Rock qui instar rupis quae in marâ— vadoso horridi Jovis iratâ— ut ita dicam Neptuni fervidis assultibus undique verberata non cedit aut minuitur sed obtendit assuetum fluctibus laâ—us firmâ duritie tumentis undae impetum sustinet ac frangit Woverius Vers 4. The Lord on high is mightier He overtops Tyrants and persecutors be they never so terrible for noise and number â—â— he but thunder they are husht and glad to wriggle as worms into their holes Vers 5. Thy Testimonies are very sure Thy promises infallible and therefore rage the World never so thou shalt still have an holy Catholick Church such as whose principles practices and aimes are divine and supernaturall such as walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing and inasmuch as they have these rich promises do cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Holinesse becommeth thine house God looks to be served like himself he will be sanctified of all those that draw near unto him in holy duties Levit. 10.3 This the Heathens were not altogether ignorant of and therefore at their sacrifices the Priests cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is here Erasint Praef in Adag whereunto the people that were present answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are many and those good men all Procul hinc procul este profani PSAL. XCIV VErs 1. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth Heb. Jehovah God of revenges so Jer. 51.56 The Lord God of recompences Vengeance is mine saith He I will repay Deut. 32.35 And it is best he should for he returneth a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 whereas men seek oft an unequall revenge as a stab for the lye given and besides in seeking the lives of others Heb. 10.30 they sometimes lose their own Shew thy self Heb. Shine forth appear for thy poor wronged servant David knew the Law and submitted to it he turneth over his enemies to God to bee ordered by him neither did he himself herein any dis-service I seek not mine own glory so mine own revenge saith Christ but there is one that seeketh it God never faileth to do it to be their Champion who strive not for themselves only they must wait his leisure and not preoccupate his executions Vers 2. Lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth Judges as they ascend the Tribunal so when to passe sentence they usually stand up See Isa 33.10 And hereunto the Psalmist alludeth Vers 3. Lord how long shall the wicked how long Bis quia de die in diem gloriantur saith Aben-Ezra Twice he saith it because the wicked boast day after day with such insolency and outrage as if they were above controul Vers 4. Hour long shall they utter Heb. They will bluster or will-out as a fountain they will speak hard things speak milstones throw daggers they will boast themselves talk largely of their good parts and practices all this is expressed by an elegant Asyndeton to shew that they did all this ordinarily and uncessantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euripid. Vers 5. They break in peeces thy people They make potsheards of them And this is the best use they make of thy patience break it off therefore Vers 6. They slay the widdow and the stranger Those sacred persons thy proper clients to such an height of hard-heartednesse are they grown that they pitty not them whom nature and curtesy would shew compassion to Nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequâ—ntur Let us blesse our selves out of the bloody fingers of barbarous and brutish men skilful to destroy Vers 7. Yet they say The Lord shall not see To all other their enormities they added this Lib. 2. c. 7. that they denyed a divine providence and professed prophanenesse Irridendum vero curam agere reruns humanarum illud quicquid est summum saith Pliny delivering the sense of all other Atheists Vers 8. Under stand O ye bruâ—ish Ye that are ringleaders to the rest but no wiser than the reasonlesse creatures yea therefore worse because ye ought to be better Polybius complaineth of mans folly above that of other Creatures in these words Caetera animantes ubi semel offenderint cavent non vulpes aa laqueum lupus ad foveam canis ad fustem temere redibunt Solus home ab aevo ad aevum peccat fere iniisdem Vers 9. He that planted the ear shall he not hear Shall the Author of these senses be senselesse Our God is not as that Jupiter of Creet who was pictured without ears and could not be at leisure to attend upon small matters He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all eye all ear We read of a people called Panotii God only is so to speak properly He that formed the eye shall he not
so maketh it very fruitfull say Philosophers In which respects the Rabbines say that one day of Snow doth more good than five of Rain Hee scattereth the houre frost like 〈◊〉 When blown about by the winde It heateth also and dryeth as ashes the cold and moist earth nippeth the buds of trees c. â—mis monet â—em subesse â—â—m foveaâ— Vnde 〈◊〉 dicitur a 〈◊〉 saith 〈…〉 Vers 17 Hee casteth out his Ice like morsels Or Shivers of bread It is a 〈◊〉 saying of One from this text The lee is bread the Rain is drink the Snow is wool the Frost a Fire to the earth causing it inwardly to glow with heat teaching us what to do for Gods poor 〈…〉 Who can 〈◊〉 it when and where it is extreme especially as in Russia Freesland c. Vers 18. Hee sendeth out his word and melteth them See vers 13. Of the force of Gods word of command are given all the former instances Hee can as easily melt the hardest heart by his word made effectual to such a purpose by his holy Spirit If that wind do but blow the waters of penitent tears will soon flow as in Josiah 2 Chron. 34.27 See Zech. 12.10 Vers 19 Hee sheweth his word unto Jacob The Jews were Gods library keepers and unto them as a speciall favour were committed those lively and life giving oracles Rom. 3.2 there is a chiefly set upon it like as Luk. 12.48 to know the Masters will is the great talent of all other there is a much in that His Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel Even right Judgements true 〈◊〉 good Statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13 See Rom. 9.4 5. Prospers conceit was that Judaei were so called because they received jus Dei the Law of God Vers 20 He hath not dealt so with any Nation He had not then but now blessed be God hee hath dealt so with many Nations in these last happy days of Reformation especially wherein the knowledge of Gods holy Word covereth the earth as the waters cover the Sea and of England it may bee said as once of the Rhodos somper in Sole situ est Rhodos that it hath the Sun ever shining upon it This wee should prize as a precious treasure and praise the Lord for it â—orde ore operâ— And as for his Judgements they have not known them And therefore lye in deadly darkness wherein though they wander wofully yet not so wide as to miss of hell PSAL. CXLVIII VErs 1 Praise the Lord And again Praise yee the Lord and so often in this and the rest of the Halelujaticall Psalms In praising God the Saints are unsatifiable and would bee infinite as his perfections are infinite so that they make a circle as one phraseth it the beginning middle and end whereof is Halelujah From the Heavens praise him in the heights Or high places As God in framing the World began above and wrought downward So doth the Psalmist in this his exhortation to all creatures to praise the Lord. Vers 2 Praise him all his Angells Whose proper office it is to adore and praise God Job 38.7 Isa 6.3 Heb. 1.6 which also they do constantly and compleatly as those that both perfectly know him and love him Jacob saw them 1 Ascending to contemplate and praise the Lord and minister to him Luk. 2.13 Dan. 7.10 Mat. 18.10 Psal 103.20 2 Descending to execute Gods will upon men for mercy to some and for Judgement to others which tendeth much to his praise And David by calling upon these heavenly courtiers provoketh and pricketh on himself to praise God Praise yee him all his Hoasts i e. His Creatures those above especially which are as his cavalry called his Hoasts for their 1 Number 2 Order 3 Obedience Verse 3. Praise yee him Sun and Moon These do after a sort declare the glory of God Psal 19.1 2. Habak 3.3 not with mind and affection as if they were understanding creatures as Plato held but by their light influences admirable motions and obedience whereby quasi mutis vocibus by a dumb kind of eloquence In Epimeniâ— saith Nazianzen they give praise to God and bid check to us for our dulness and disorders Praise him all yee stars of light A light then they have of their own besides what they borrow of the Sun which they with-hold at Gods appointment Isa 13.10 and influences they have which cannot bee restrained or resisted Job 38.31 32. Vers 4 Praise him yee Heavens of Heavens Whereby hee meaneth not the lowest Heavens the air whereon wee breath and wherein birds flye clouds swim c. as some would have it but the highest Heaven called by St. Paul the third Heaven the habitation of the crowned Saints and glorious Angels called by Philosopher calâ—â—â— Empyreum and hereby the Psalmist the Heavens of Heavens as King of Kings song of songs c. by an excestency See Deut. 10.14 And the waters that â—ee above the Heavens i. e. Above the air and that do distinguish betwixt the Air and the Sky as the 〈…〉 doth betwixt the Sky and the highest Heavens Superius supensae aquarum forniâ— Vers 5 For hee commanded and they were 〈◊〉 His 〈◊〉 only made all this is celebrated by that heavenly quite Rev. 4.11 Vers 6 Hee hath also established them for ever viz. The course and appointed motions of the Heavens which hee hath setled by a Covenant and hath not falsified with them Jer. 33.25 much less will hee with his faithfull people Vers 7 Praise the Lord from the earth The Psalmist proceedeth to factour for God among the inferiour creatures beginning with the lowest in the waters beneath as the Dragons oâ— great whales and then comming to Rain and Snow c. which are made out of the waters above Yee Dragons and all deeps Of Sea-Dragons See Aelian lib. 4. Animal cap. 12. they live partly in the Sea and partly on the land as do Crocodiles These also yeeld matter of Gods praise Vers 8 Fire and Hail Snow and Vapour This latter is the matter of those former meteors which hee purposely mingleth with those forementioned miracles of land and waters the more to set forth the power of God because these seem to have no setledness of subsistence and yet in them hee is made visible Stormy winds fulfilling his word The winds blow not at randome but by a divine decree and God hath ordered that whether North or South blow they shall blow good to his people Cant. 4.16 Hee saith to all his Creatures as David did to his Captains concerning Absolom Handle them gently for my sake Vers 9 Mountains and all hills These praise God by their form hugeness fruits prospects c. Fruitful trees These by the variety of their natures and fruits do notably set forth the wisdome power and goodness of the Almighty whilst they spend themselves and the principall part of their sap and moisture in bringing forth some pleasant berry or the like for the use of
my rest for ever It was so because God was pleased to make it so hee rested in his love hee would seek no further Zeph. 3.17 For I have desired it This alone made the difference as it a so did betwixt Aarons rod and the rest that were laid with it Vers 15 I will abundantly bless her provision Her stock and her store Viâ—tico ejus affatim benedicam Tâ—em so that she shall not want necessaries which yet shee shall hunt for that is labour for as the Hebrew word importeth and know how shee comes by therefore it is added I will satisfie her poor with bread Dainties I will not promise them a sufficiency but not a superfluity poor they may be but not destitute bread they shall have and of that Gods plenty as they say enough to bring them to their Fathers house where is bread enough Let not therefore the poor Israelite fear to bring his offerings or to disfurnish himself for Gods worship c. Vers 16 I will also cloath her Priests c. So that they shall save themselves and those that hear them 1 Tim. 4.16 Thus God answereth his peoples prayers both for temporalls and spiritualls See vers 9. and that with an overplus of comfort they shall shout aloud Vers 17 There will make the horn of David to bud A metaphor from those living creatures quorum ramosa sunt cornua which have snags in their heads as Deer have which are unto them in stead of boughs For horn some read beam of David confer Luk. 1.78 I have ordained a Lamp i. e. A successor cui lampada tradat and that a glorious one at length Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light essentiall Joh. 12.46 Of Ascanius the son of Aeneas and likewise of Tullus Hostilius it is storied that light flames were seen about their heads when they lay in their cradles and that thereby was foresignified that they should bee Kings Vers 18 His enemies will I cloath with shame Shame shall bee the promotion of all such fools as set against Christ and his people yea they shall bee cloathed with it so that it shall bee conspicuous to all men But upon himself shall his Crown flourish His royall Diadem Nezer whereby hee is separated and distinguished from other men Alexander dropt his Diadem once into the water and because hee who fet it out put it on his own head whiles hee swam out with it hee cut off his head Our Edward the fourth hanged one for saying hee would make his Son owner of the Crown though hee only meant his own house having a Crown for the sign in Cheapside PSAL. CXXXIII VErs 1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is This David is thought to have said to the people when after eight years unnaturall war they came together to Hebron to anoint him King over all Israel 2 Sam. 5. Behold bee affected with that happiness of yours which no tongue can utter Accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur as Cyprian saith in another case How good and how pleasant Precious and profitable sweet and delectable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dainty and goodly as Rev. 18.14 Communion of Saints is the next happiness upon earth to communion with God For Brethren Whether by Place Race or Grace which last is the strongest tye and should cause such an harmony of hearts as might resemble that concord and concent that shall bee in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—thenaeus â—â— 3. The Thâ—bans in their armies had a band of men they called The holy Band consisting of such only as were joyned together in the bonds of love as would live and dye together these they made great account of and esteemed the strength of their armies To dwell together Heb. Even together that is even as God dwelleth with them Psal 132. to bee kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love Rom. 12.10 to bee as those Primitive Christians were Act. 2. of one heart and of one soul The number of two hath by the Heathens been accounted accursed because it was the first that departed from Unity Vers 2 It is like the precious ointment This similitude setteth forth the pleasure and amaenity of it as the other from the dew the profit and commodity Sic miscuit utile dulci. This ointment was most rich as made up of the chiefest spices Exod 30. and very fragrant refreshing the senses not of Aaron only but of all about him â—al 5. so doth Christian unity and amity that fruit of the Spirit far beyond that common friendship so highly extolled by Cicero and other Heathens and is therefore here fitly compared to that Non-such odoriferous ointment Upon the head that ran down upon the beard So the Spirit of grace that oil of gladnesse Psal 45.7 poured out abundantly even to a redundancy upon Christ the head runneth down upon all the members of his body mysticall even to the meanest so that they have grace for grace Vers 3 As the dew of Hermon Moisteneth and maketh fertil the Country of Bashan Hermon is a very high hill ever covered with snow whence ariseth a perpetuall vapour the originall and fountain of dew to all Jury And as the dew that descended The spirituall dew dispensed from God in Sion where hee is sincerely served For there the Lord commanded the blessing A powerfull expression highly commending brotherly love as a complexive blessing and such as accompanieth salvation PSAL. CXXXIV VErs 1 Behold bless yee the Lord This short Psalm the last of the fifteen Graduals is brâ—ve Sacerdotum speculum saith an Expositour a mirrour for Ministers who are first excited by a Behold as by the sounding of a trumpet or the ringing of a Sermon-bell And secondly exhorted to praise God and to pray unto him whereunto if wee adde their teaching of Jacob Gods Judgements whereof Moses mindeth them Deut. 33.10 what more can bee required of Archippus to the fulfilling of his ministry and if hee bee slack hee must bee told of it Col. 4.17 yet with all due respect and reverence to his office 1 Tim. 5.1 And it were fat better if they would rouse up themselves with the wakefull Cock and not keep sleepy centry in the Sanctuary All yee Servants of the Lord Yee Priests and Levites who are Gods Servants but of a more than ordinary alloy servants of noblest imployment about him Such are all faithfull Ministers each of them may say with Paul Act. 27.23 whose I am and whom I serve Which by night stand in the house of the Lord Keeping watch and ward there in your turns Num. 58.1 2 c. 1 Chron. 9.33 The Rabbins say that the High-Priest only sat in the Sanctuary as did Eli 1 Sam. 1. the rest stood as ready prest to do their office Vers 2 Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary Or Lift up holy hands as 1 Tim. 2.8 One readeth it out of the Hebrew Lift up your hands Sanctuary that is ye
Sanctuary-men continens pro contento Hearts and hands must both up to Heaven Lam. 3.41 and God bee glorified both with spirits and bodies which are the Lords 1 Cor. 6.20 And bless the Lord Like so many earth'y Angels and as if yee were in Heaven already say Vers 3 The Lord that made Heaven and Earth And therefore hath the blessings of both lives in his hand to bestow See Num. 6.24 Bless thee out of Zion They are blessings indeed that come out of Zion choice peculiar blessings even above any that come out of Heaven and Earth Compare Psal 128.5 and the promise Exod. 20.24 In all places where I put the memory or my name I will come unto thee and bless thee PSAL. CXXXV VErs 1 Praise yee the Lord praise yee Praise praise praise When duties are thus inculcated it noteth the necessity and excellency thereof together with our dulness and backwardness thereunto O yee Servants of the Lord See Psal 134.1 Vers 2 Yee that stand in the house See Psal 134.1 In the Courts Where the people also had a place 2 Chron. 4.9 and are required to bear a part in this heavenly Halleluiah Vers 3 Praise the Lord for the Lord is good scil Originally transcendently effectively hee is good and doth good Psal 119.68 and is therefore to bee praised with mind mouth and practice For it is pleasant An angelicall exercise and to the spirituall-minded man very delicious To others indeed who have no true notion of God but as of an enemy it is but as musick at funerals or as the trumpet before a Judge no comfort to the mourning wife or guilty prisoner Vers 4 For the Lord hath chosen God 's distinguishing grace should make his elect lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull heart to him And Israel for his peculiar treasure Such as hee maketh more reckoning of than of all the World besides The Hebrew world here rendred peculiar treasure seemeth to signifie a Jewell made up of three precious stones in form of a triangle Segullâ—h 〈◊〉 dici Sâ—gol 〈…〉 The Saints are Gods Jewels Mal. 3.17 his ornament yea the beauty of his ornament and that set in Majesty Ezek. 7.20 his royall Diadem Isa 62.3 Vers 5 For I know that the Lord is great As well as good vers 3. This I beleeve and know Job 6.69 saith the Psalmist and do therefore make it my practice to praise him And that our Lord is above all Gods Whether they bee so deputed as Magistrates or reputed as Idols Vers 6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased This the Heathens did never seriously affirm of any their dunghill deities sure it is that none of them could say I know it to bee so De diis utrum sint non ausim affirmare said one of their wise men Vers 7 Hee causeth the Vapours Not Jupiter but Jehovah See Jer. 10.13 Hee is the right Nubâ—coga Maker of the Metcors whether fiery aiery or watery Job 26.8 9 28.26 27 37.11 15 16. 38.9 See the Notes there Hee maketh lightenings for the Rain Or With the Rain which is very strange viz. that fire and water should mingle and hard stones come cut of the midst of thin vapours Hee bringeth the winde out of his treasuries Or Coffers store-houses where hee holdeth them close prisoners during his pleasure This the Philosopher knew not and thence it is that they are of so diverse opinions about the winds See Job 36.27 28 c. Job 37. throughout Vers 8 Who smote the first-born of Egypt And thereby roused up that sturdy rebell Pharaoh who began now to open his eyes as they say the blind mole doth when the pangs of death are upon him and to stretch out himself as the crooked Serpent doth when deadly wounded Vers 9 Who sent tokens and wonders Vocall wonders Exod. 4.8 to bee as so many warning-peeces Vers 10 Who smote great Nations Who by their great sins had greatly polluted their land and filled it with fiâ—th from one end to another Ezra 9.11 And slow mighty Kings Heb. Bony big mastiff fellows quasi â—ssâ—tâ—s five 〈◊〉 as the word signifieth Vers 11 Sihon King of Amorites A Giant like Cyclops And Og King of Bashan Of whom the Jews fable that being one of the 〈◊〉 Giants hee escaped the flood by riding affride upon the Ark. Vers 12 And gave their lands for an heritage Which hee might well do as being the true Proprietary and Paramount Vers 13 Thy Name O Lord c. Else O nos ingratos Vers 14 For the Lord will judge his people Judicabit id est vindicabit hee will preserve them and provide for their wel-fare And hee will repent himself This is mutatio rei non Dei effectus non affectus Some render it Hee will bee propitious Others hee will take comfort in his Servants See Judges 10.16 Vers 15 16. The Idols of the Heathen See Psal 115.4 5 6 c. Vers 17 Neither is there any breath in their mouths If they uttered Oracles it was the Devil in them and by them As for those statues of Daedalus which are said to have moved Aristot Diod. Sic. Plato spoken and run away if they were not tyed to a place c. it is either a fiction or else to be attributed to causes externall and artificiall as quick-silver c. Vers 18 They that make them c. See Psal 115.8 Vers 19 Bless the Lord And not an Idoll Isa 66.3 as the Philistines did their Dagon and as Papists still do their hee-Saints and shee-Saints Vers 20 Yee that fear the Lord Yee devout Proselytes Vers 21 Blessed bee the Lord out of Sion There-hence hee blesseth Psal 134.3 and there hee is to bee blessed Which dwelleth at Jerusalem That was the seat of his royall resiance per inhabitationis gratiam saith Austin by the presence of his grace who by his essence and power is every where Enter praesenter Deus hic et ubique potenter PSAL. CXXXVI VErs 1 O give thanks unto the Lord This Psalm is by the Jews called Hillel gadel the great Gratulatory See Psal 106.1.107.1.118.1 For his mercy endureth for ever His Covenant-mercy that precious Church-priviledge this is perpetuall to his people and should perpetually shine as a picture in our hearts For which purpose this Psalm was appointed to bee daily sung in the old Church by the Levites 1 Chron. 16.41 Vers 2 For his mercy endureth for ever This is the foot or burthen of the whole song neither is it any idle repetition but a notable expression of the Saints unsatisfiableness in praising God for his never-failing mercy These heavenly birds having got a note record it over and over In the last Psalm there are but six verses yet twelve Hallelujahs Vers 3 O Give thanks to the Lord of Lords That is to God the Son saith Hierâ—â— as by God of Gods saith hee in the former verse is meant God the Father who because they are no more but one God