otherwise Nehemiah will never do it to dye for it And now is there that being as I am So greatly beloved of God Dan. 9.23 so highly favoured of the King chap. 2.2 4. so protected hitherto so prospered so entrusted with the government and safety of this people more dear to me then my very life Would go into the Temple As a Malefactour to take Sanctuary there or as a Coward to save mine own life with the losse of the lives of many of the precious sonnes of life Zion I will not go in The Heavens shall sooner fall then I will forsake the Truth Will. Flower Act. Mon. 1430. In Epist said that Martyr Omnia de me praesumas praeter fugam palinodiam said Luther to Staupicius I le rather dye then flye burn them turn Latimer was wondrous bold and stout in his dealing with Henry the eighth both before and after he was a Bishop So were Athanasius Ambrose Basil the primitive Confessours This courage in Christians the Heathen persecutours called Obstinacy and not faith Sed pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur saith Tertullian in his Apology For this obstinacy of faith we gladly dye neither can we dye otherwise for the love of Christ constraineth us Life in Gods displeasure is worse then death as death in his true favour is true life as Bradford told Gardiner Verse 12. And so I perceived that God had not sent him By my spiritual sagacity I smelt him out as having mine inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Doth not the eare try words as the mouth tasteth meat Job 12.11 What though we have not received the Spirit of the World we cannot cog and comply as they can yet we have received a better thing the Spirit of God the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 16. But that he pronounced this prophecy against me To make my righteous soul sad with his â—yes Ezek. 13.22 and to bring me to disgrace and danger Luther was wont to advise Preachers to see that these three Dogs did not follow them into the pulpit Pride Covetousnesse and Envy For Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him A mere mercenary he was then and had Linguam Vaenalem he could call good evil and evil good justify the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isa 5.20 Such false prophets were Dr Shaw and Frier Pinket in Rich. the thirds time who made use of them as his Factours to obtrude bastardy on his brother King Edward the fourth and so to disable his children for the Crown that he might settle it upon his own head Dan. Hist What became of Pinket I know not but Shaw as ashamed of his Sermon at Pauls crosse disconsolately departed and never after that was publikely seen Like unto these were Bishop Bourn and Cardinal Pool in Q. Maries dayes The Cardinal hired with the Archbishoprick of Canterbury took for his Text Esay 66.8 and applyed it to England as then happily reduced to the Popes obedience Bourn for the Bishoprick of Bâ—th preached such staffe at Pauls-cross that the people were ready to tear him in pieces They flang a Dagger at him in the Pulpit Phlugius Melch. Adam and Sidonius Authours of the Popish Book published in Germany by the name of Interim Chrisma oleum pontificium defendebant ut ipsi discederent unctiores defended Chrisme and extreme unction as being liquoured in the fists and promoted to fat Bishoprickes But a Minister as he should have nothing to lose so he should have as little to get he should be above all price or sale Nec prece nec pretio should be his Motto Verse 13. Therefore was he hired that I should be afraid But they were much mistaken in their aimes this matter was not malleable Nehemiah was a man of another spirit of a Caleb-like spirit he was fide armatus Deo armatus and therefore undaunted he was full of Spiritual mettle for he knew whom he had trusted And do so and sin Nehemiah feared nothing but sin and the fruit thereof shame and reproach so great was his spirit so right set were both his judgment and affections But if any thing would have drawn him aside from the straight wayes of the Lord base fear was the likeliest as we see in David at Gath and Peter in the High-priests hall See Zeph. 3.13 with the Note Pessimus in dubiis Augur Timer And that they might have matter for an evil report This wicked men watch for as a Dog doth for a bone and if they get but the least hint oh how happy do they hold themselves what wide mouthes do they open c It is our part therefore by a Nehemiah-like conversation to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who like Black-moores despise beauty like Dogs bark at the shining of the Moon Of Luther it was said by Erasmus Nec hostes reperiant quod calumnientur Of B. Hooper it is said that his life was so good that no kind of slander although diverse went about to reprove it could fasten any fault upon him Act. Mon. 1366. The like is reported of Bradford and Bucer We should so carry our selves ut nemo de nobis malè loqui absque mendacio possit as Hierom hath it that none might speak evil of us without a manifest lye Verse 14. My God think upon Tobiah and Sanballat Heb. Remember to be revenged on them q.d. I cannot deal with them but do thou do it He doth himself no disservice saith one who when no Law will relieve him maketh God his Chancellour It is a fearful thing to be put over into his punishing hands by the Saints as Joab and Shimei were unto Solomons hands by dying David If men in their best estate are so weak that they are crushed before the moth how shall they stand before this great God According to these their works Qualia quisque facit talia quisque luat Let them drink as they have brewed And on the Prophetesse Noadiah Who joyned with Shemaiah in this dissimulation and was of his counsel Omne malum ex gynaecio False Prophets and Seducers are seldome without their Women Simon Magus had his Helena Carpocrates his Marcellina Apelles his Philumena Montanus his Priscilla and Maximilla c. And the rest of the Prophets Improperly so called but so they pretended to be and here they had conspired a great sort of them to do evil That would have put me in fear By their concurrent prophesies purposely to disgrace and endanger me Suffragia non sunt numeranda sed expendenda Multitude and antiquity are but ciphers in Divinity Verse 15. So the Wall was finished Though with much ado and maugre the malice of all forrein and intestine Enemies So shall the work of grace in mens hearts it is perfected there by opposition and growes gradually but constantly and infallibly In the twenty and fifth day of the moneth Elul Which
must be as I am not only humbled but humble low but lowly Vers 3. O magnify the Lord with mee As not sufficient to do so great a work himself he calleth in the help of others We read of a Monster rather than a man who lying on his death bed not only himself swore as fast and as furiously as hee could but desperately desired the standers by to help him with oaths Boltons Assize-serm and to swear for him I knew the man saith mine Author And should not wee much more call upon others to joyn their forces with ours in magnifying the Lord Birds when they come to a full heap of corn will chirp and call in for their fellows Charity is no churl goodnesse is diffusive And let us exalt his name together And so begin Heaven afore-hand Aben-Ezra glosseth thus Quasi diceret Nos omnes simul ad laudandum Deum sumus imbecilles we are all too weak for this work though we should all do our utmost at it Vers 4. I sought the Lord Even when I was in the enemies hands and playing my pranks as a mad man amongst them I prayed secretly and inwardly I sent up some ejaculations as Nehem. 2.4 and was heard though unworthy And delivered mee out of all my fears Which were not a few 1 Sam. 21.13 besides his inward terrours upon his unwarrantable practices to save his life Sense fights sore against faith when it is upon its own dunghill in a sensible danger I mean to the great disturbance of the conscience afterwards George Marsh afterwards a Martyr in Queen Maryes dayes being examined before the Earl of Derby kept himself close in the Sacrament of the Altar as they called it But afterward thus he writeth to a friend I departed much more troubled in my spirit than before because I had not with more boldnesse confessed Christ but in such sort as mine adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against mee whereat I was much grieved for hitherto I went about as much as in mee lay to rid my self out of their hands if by any means without open denying of Christ and his word that could be done c. Thus He but no rest he had in his mind Act. Monâ— fol. 1419. till hee had better declared himself though to the losse of his life A man had better offend all the World than his own conscience David not without much ado recovered his peace for which he here heartily blesseth God Vers 5. They looked unto him and were lightened They that is my servants and fellow-souldiers who accompanied mee first to Nob 1 Sam. 21.2 4. Mat. 12.3 4. and afterwards to Gath as it is probable these being in the same danger looked likewise unto God by faith hope and prayer and were lightened that is comforted cheared directed yea delivered together with David Or They flowed together viz. to God as Rivers roll to the Sea or malefactors run to the sanctuary Isa 2.2 60.5 And their faces were not ashamed i.e. They were not repulsed disappointed made to hide their heads as Rev. 6.15 16. Vers 6. This peer man cried Meaning himself to whom it seemeth he pointed the finger or laid his hand on his heart when he said This poor man Hic vilis et evium Pastor saith Theoderèt this mean Shepherd not long since but rather This miserable sinner who whilome rashly ran such an hazard and so unworthily deported himself in the presence of King Achish this poor Soul I say cried but silently and secretly as Moses did at the red Sea as Nehemiah did in the presence of the King of Persia And the Lord Who might better be called the poor mans King than was James 4. King of Scotland Heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles And the like he will do for all that in like case being poor in spirit make their humble addresses unto him It is good to communicate unto others our experiences See the like done Psal 116.6 Rom. 8.2 1 Tim. 1.15 Vers 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about c. Not one Guardian-Angel only as some have hence conceited nor Michael the Arch-Angel only that Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ as Augustine expoundeth this Text but an Host of created Angels those ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 For although Christ the Captain of our Salvation needeth not their help for the safe-guard of his people yet for our comfort he maketh use of the holy Angels who meet us still as they did Jacob at Mahanaim where they made a lane for him as the Guard doth for their Prince as the word importeth Gen. 32.1 they minister many blessings to us though invisibly stand at our right hands Luke 1.11 as ready to releeve us as the Devils are to mischief us Sicut hostes sunt in circuitu Kimchi Zech. 3.1 yea they pitch Camp round about us as here Oh the dignity and safety of a Saint in this respect fight in battel-array against our enemies Dan. 10.20 the Heathens speak much of their Castor and Pollux fighting for them and Hâ—siod telleth of thirty thousand demy-gods that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepers of Mankind and convey them at death as they did Lazarus through the enemies Country the air into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. Vers 8. O taste and see c. Viz. with the mouth of your minde and with the eyes of your faith perceive and experiment the goodness of God in chusing and using such Instruments as the Angels and otherwise in the manifold expressions of his love to us wherein if we take not comfort the fault is meerly in our selves we being like him who hath pleasant and nourishing meat but will not make use of it The Saints taste how good the Lord is and thence long after him Optima demonstratio est à sensibus as he that feels Fire hot or as he that tasteth Hony sweet yee need not use arguments to perswade him to beleeve it So here let a man but once taste that the Lord is good and he will thenceforth as a new born Babe desire the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 3. neither will he take any more content in the Worlds tastless fooleries than in the white of an Egge or a dry chip D. 4. dom Gustato spiritu desipit omnis caro saith Gerson All flesh is savourless to him that hath tasted of the Spirit Paul after his Rapture looked with scorn and pity on all the Worlds glittering Poverty His mouth doth not water after homely provisions who hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance O let us get Spiritual senses habitually bitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing saith our Saviour to the Jews q.d. yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge no sound
50. Whereupon the Historian cryeth out O deep dissimulation and Crocodiles tears c The wiser sort deemed Andronicus his praysings to be the beginnings of a mans disgrace his bounty his undoing and his kindnesse his death Agedum igitur animula mea cur te diutiâ—â— Excruciâ—s 〈◊〉 Vers 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord Dare tuum vel Donum tuum that is whatsoever thou wouldest have the Lord bestow upon thee cast it first by faith upon him in prayer even all thy cares businesses travels and troubles This David speaketh first to himself and then to others R. Solomon maketh this Gods answer to Davids prayer Spiritus sanctus sic resâ—â—ndit saith he And he shall sustain thee Or Thou shalt have thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy demensum thy due allowance victual thee nourish thee as a Foster-father as Joseph did his father and brethren chepi tappam according to the mouthes of their little ones Gen. 47.12 as Barzillas at this time nourished David at Mahanaim 2 Sam. 17.27 19.32 He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Or if moved yet not greatly moved Psal 62.2 not removed Hee will establish the just Psal 7.9 Vers 23. But thou O God shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction Into the deep Gehenna saith the Chaldee thou shalt hurl them into Hell from their lofty tops here Blondy and deceitful men shall not live out half their days Heb. Shall not half their days that is shall be soon cut off dye in the flower of their age come to an untimely end Ad generam Cexeris c. either the Sword in Battel or the Sword of Justice shall cut them off or some treachery of men or their own intemperance or Gods immediat hand shall make an end of them betimes and before they come to the full age of a man or before they have effected their evil designs Luther rendreth it Non dimidiabunt negotia or before they are in fit case to dye Tempore non suo Eccles 7.17 then when it were better for them to do any thing than to dye Our Richard 3. and Queen Mary reigned the shortest while of any other since the Conquest Charls the Ninth of France that bloudy Prince dyed young of a bloudy Disease c. Absolom and Abitophel came to Tragical and unhappy ends so did all the Primitive Persecutors those cruel-crafties But I will trust in thee For safety here and for Salvation hereafter PSAL. LVI VPon Jonath Elens Rechakim Meaning himself who had wished before the wings of a Dove Fatua columba Hos 7.11 Psal 55.6 and was now the Dove of dumbness among Foreiners Philistines those ravenous Hawks that were ready to seize and tear him Dumb he was fain to feign himself and worse amongst them See Psal 34. the title 1 Sam. 21.17 c. and therein was more of the Serpent than of the Dove Michtam of David Davidi insigne aureolum Davids Jewel or golden ingot See Psal 16. title This Michtam he made likely as also Psal 34. when gotten away from Gath he came into the Cave of Adullam 1 Sam. 22.1 Carmina secessum scribentis otia quaerunt Vers 1. Be mercifull unto me O God for man would swallow me up Soop me up as the Hebrew word soundeth make but one draught of mee or suck mee in as a Whirlpool swallow mee up as a ravenous wild Beast The Devil is said to seek whom he may swallow down 1 Pet. 5.8 at a gulp as it were and his Imps are as greedy but that they are gagg'd by God The man here mentioned is Ishbibenob the brother of Goliah saith the Chaldee but they do better who understand it of Saul and his complices He fighting daily oppresseth me Pliny saith of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting The like do Satan and his Instruments Vers 2. Mine enemies or observers would daily swallow me up Anhelant observatores mei To set forth the indignity of the thing he repeateth the same sentence again in the plural number noting that there were not a few of them bitterly bent by might and main to mischief him a poor forlorn friendless man For there be many that fight against me O thou most High Or though there be many that fight for me from on high that is the Angels as Aben-Ezra rendreth and senseth the Text. Vers 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee This was bravely resolved Quid timet hominem homo in sinn Dei positus Faith quelleth and killeth distructful fear but awful dread it breedeth feedeth fostereth and cherisheth Vers 4. In God I will praise his Word Having placed my confidence in God I will take his bare word for my security He hath promised to make mee King 1 Sam. 16.13 and he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail or alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Psal 89.33 the Word of God cannot bee broken John 5.35 David once doubted of it but hee soon took himself up for halting Psal 116.11 I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Flesh is terminus diminuens what can proud flesh do against the God of the spirits of all flesh Man is but despicable flesh at the best Vers 5. Every day they wrest my words Or my matters they distort and pervert every thing I say or do from the true intention and all to make a Traitour of me That I carried my self wisely in the Court valiantly in the Field faithfully toward Jonathan cautelously for the safe-guard of mine own life shifting as I could from one place to another all this they say was done out of affectation of the Kingdom and as seeking Sauls death So they dealt by our Saviour in the Gospel taking that with the left hand which he tendered with the right and many times marring a good Text by an ill Gloss put upon it So Simon the Loper served that good Woman who made an Ewer of her eyes and a Towel of her hair Luke 7.34 Men should interpret every thing the best way and not as Logicians do Sequi partem deteriorem All their thoughts c. See the Note on vers 1. Vers 6. They gather themselvee together They convene and combine to do me mischief and should not Gods people meet often together to counterplot such Malignants and to pray them down Apol. advers gentes cap. 39 Num. 520. Cum boni cum probi coeunt cum pii cum casti congregantur non est factio dicenda sed curia Et è contrario illis nomen factionis accommodandum est qui in odium bonorum proborum conspirant saith Tertullian They mark my steps They spy and pry into my practices that they may take any advantage this calls for careful and exact walking 1 Pet. 2.21 Heb. 12.13 Vers 7. Shall they escape by iniquity q. d. No let them never think it their sin will surely
NOw Heb. And for the former History recorded in the Chronicles is continued by Ezra that ready Scribe and perfect in the Law Chap. 7.6 Yet not so prompt or perfect can I deeme him as that he should by memory restore the Bible that was burnt together with the Temple Irenae Tertuil Clem. Alexi Hieron Aug. Euseb Alsted Chron pag. 267. Acts Mon. by the Babylonians And yet that was the opinion of many Ancients grounded upon some passages in that Apocryphal Esdras We reade also of one Johannes Gatius Ciphaleditanus who out of the vaine confidence of his learning and memory was wont to give out that if the Holy Scripture should be lost out of the world he would not doubt by Gods grace to restore it whole again Of Cranmer indeed a far better man and a profounder Divine it is storied that he had got most of the New Testament by heart And of Beza that being above eighty years of age he could say perfectly without book and Greek Chapter in Saint Pauls Epistles M. Leigh Aâ— not on John 5.39 In the first year Heb. In the one year The Hebrews oft use One for First So do also the Apostles in Greek Matth. 28.1 John 20.1 19.1 Cor. 16.2 Rev. 6.1 One being the first number neither was it without a mystery that Pythagoras bade his Scholars ever to have respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Moses also his saying Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Deut. 6.4 Of Cyrus Heb. Coresh so named by God above an hundred years before he was born See the like Josiah 1 Kiâ— 13.3 Isay 40.28 and so honoured by the Persians as the founder of their Monarchy that they liked the better of all that were Hawk-nosed like unto him The Persian word signifieth a Lord or great Prince as Hen. Stephanus noteth and thence the Greeks have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord and We our word Sir as some will have it Plutarch in Artaxerxes saith that the Persians call the Sunne Cyrus And it may very well be so Peacham for the Hebrews also call the Sunne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheres from its glistering brightnesse King of Persia So he had beene above twenty years before this and done many great exploits but this was the first year of his Empire of his Cosmocratie of the Monarchy translated from the Babylonians to the Persians The greatest Kingdomes have their times and their turnes their rise and their ruine when they shall live by fame onely Persia having oft changed her Masters since Cyrus remaineth a flourishing Kingdome to this day but wholly Mahometan Turk Hist â—ol 5. Which abominable superstition the Turks received from them when in the year 1030. they won that Countrey under their Sultan Tangrolipix Where it is hard to say saith mine Author whether nation lost more the Persians by the losse of so great a Kingdome Blounts Voy. into the Leu. pag. 81. or the Turks by embracing so great a vanity To this day they acknowledge the Persians better Mahometans then themselves which maketh the Turks farre better souldiers upon the Christian then upon the Persian That the Word of the Lord For it was He that spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Luke 1.70 and his word cannot be broken Psal 31.5 John 10.35 for he is the God of Amen asthe Prophet David somewhere calleth him and all his promises are the issue of a most faithful and right Will void of all insincerity and falshood Prov. 8.8 By the mouth of Jeremy That admirable Preacher as Keckerman calleth him that most eminent Prophet as another with whose writings De Rhet. Eccles about this very restauration Daniel consulted and therehence collected that the time was come Dan. 9.2 which put him upon that heavenly prayer for he knew that Gods promises must be put in suit and and it was to him that the Angel afterwards said I came for thy word Dan. 10.14 God will come according to his promise but he will have his peoples prayers lead him This liberty here granted to the Jewes after so long captivity was the fruit of many prayers founded upon the promise Jer. 25.12 and 29.10 Might be fulfilled As indeed it was exactly by the death of Belshazzar slaine by Cyrus who succeeded him Dan. 5.30 In that night was Belshazzar slaine because then exactly the seventy years were ended So for the same reason it is noted Exod. 12.40 41. that at midnight the first-borne of Egypt were slaine because just then the four hundred or four hundred and thirty years foretold were expired So punctual is God in keeping his word It is not here as with men A day breaketh no square c. for he never faileth at his time The Lord stirred up the spirit It was the mighty and immediate work of God in whose hand are the hearts of all both Kings and Captives Lords and Losels to bring this wise and great Prince in the very first entrance into his Monarchy before things were fully settled to dismisse so great and so united a people in respect of their custome and religion and so given to insurrection as was generally held into their owne Countrey with such a faire and full Patent This was the Lords owne work and it was justly marvellous in the eyes of his people who could hardly believe their owne eyes but were for a while like them that dreame Then was their mouth filled with laughter and their tongue with singing c. Psal 126.1 2. Then was the great power and goodnesse of God in stirring up Cyrus to do this acknowledged Then also was the Kings clemency and courtesie no lesse cried up and magnified then was that of Flaminius the Roman General at Athens where for delivering them from servitude he was little lesse then deified Or that of our Queene Elizabeth who for her merciful returning home certaine Italians that were taken prisoners in the eighty eight Invasion was termed Saint Elizabeth by some at Venice Whereof one told the Lord Carleton afterwards Viscount Dorchester being there Embassadour that although he were a Papist yet he would never pray to any other Saint but that Saint Elizabeth That he made Proclamation Heb. He caused a voice to passe sc by his Messengers and Ministers The Posts went out being hastened by the Kings commandment Esth 3.15 even those Angarii The Lord Christ also proclaiming liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Esay 61.1 causeth his Word to run and to be glorified to spread like a Sun-beame as Eusebius saith the Gospel did at first to be carried as on Eagles wings or on Angels wings as it was thorough all Christendome when Luther first sent forth his book De Captivitate Babylonicâ of the Babylonish Captivity And put it also in writing That it might be posted up and every where published Vox audita perit littera scripta manet
Edgar ordained that Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday nine of the clock Acts Mon. till Munday morning here in this Land that God might surely have his due The Jewes of Tiberias began the Sabbath sooner then others Those at Tsepphore continued it longer adding de profano ad sacrum Buâ—torf Hence R. Jose wished that his portion might be with those of Tiberias and ended it with those of Tsepphore And some of my servants set I at the gates To keep them carefully and to prevent profanations How the Athenians amerced those that came not to the Assemblies on holy-dayes hurdling up all the streets except them that led to the Ecclesia taking away all their saleable wares c. See Rous his Archaeolog Attic. pag. 103. Verse 20. So the Merchants lodged without Jerusalem They would not easily be said or take an answer so desirous they were of some takings from the Jewes There is nothing in the world that is more pertinacious and that cleaveth closer to a man then a strong lust say it be covetousnesse wantonnesse passionatenesse or any the like intreat it to be gone as Naomi did Ruth threaten it as Abner did Asael or as Nehemiah did these Merchants you prevail nothing till God comes and strikes a parting-blow c. Verse 21. Why lodge ye about the wall His care was also lest God should be dishonoured in the Suburbs A little fire warmes but a little way off when a great one casteth about its heat farre and near He feared also lest those within the walls seeing them might be tempted to wish themselves with them as when Sylla the Roman lay before the walls of Athens the Citizens minds were with him though their bodies were kept from him I will lay hands on you I will lay you fast enough be packing therefore The best way to be rid of sinne is to threaten it punish it by the practice of mortification to handle it roughly We are not debters to the flesh Rom. 8.12 We owe it nothing but stripes nothing but the blue eye Saint Paul gave it 1 Cor. 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 22. And I commanded the Levites He might do it as their Governour How then can Popish Priests exempt themselves from the power of the civil Magistrate and say as those shavelings did to our Henry the second when they lashed him on the bare till the blood followed Domine noli minari nos enim de tali curia sumus quae consuevit imperare regibus Imperatoribus that is Sir spare your threats for we are of that high Court of Rome which is wont to Lord it over Kings and Emperours Might he not have well replyed Ye take too much upon you ye sonnes of Levi or rather ye limbs of Antichrist Come and keep the gates The Temple-gates with Procul hinc procul este profani In Greece the Priest at their solemne sacrifices was wont to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who 's there and the people were to answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are many and those also good men To sanctifie the Sabbath day By severing the precious from the vile and seeing that all things were rightly carried by themselves and the rest Remember me c. See verse 14. And spare me Meritum meum est misericordia Domini Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus Thomas Aquinas lying on his death-bed Bern. and being about to receive the Lords Supper besought the Lord with tears that he would spare him according to his abundant goodnesse and snatching up the Bible he hugg'd it and said Volâ—ter I beleeve all the contents of this blessed Book The like is reported of William Wickam Founder of New-College Oxon and of Charles the fifth Emperour and some other wiser Papists Verse 23. In those dayes saw I Jewes Outwardly at least as the Apostle distinguisheth Rom. 2.28 and that also was then a prerogative Rom. 3.1 and shall appear to be so againe when their long-looked for conversion-day is come Romans 11. That had married wives of Ashdod Outlandish-wives and of another Religion and with these they cohabited as the Hebrew word here importeth Verse 24. And their children spake halfe in the speech of Ashdod They had a mixture of their mothers both speech and spirit the birth followed the belly the Conclusion followed the weaker Proposition And could not speak in the Jewes language Though it were that of their fathers Mothers are most about children and have the greater advantage to perfume them or poyson them But what mad fellowes were those old Britaines or Welsh-men who driven out of their owne Countrey by the Saxons came into little Britaine in France where when they had married wives they are said to have cut out their tongues Heyl. Geog. left they should corrupt the language of their children Hence the Brittish or Welsh language remaineth still in that Countrey Verse 25. And cursed them i. e. I denounced Gods heavy curse and vengeance upon them according to that themselves had wished and entered into chap. 10.30 in case they repented not This is nothing then in favour of our cursing men who are cursed men c. And smote certaine of them So far was his heart enraged with an holy hatred of their sinne that he could not forbear them So when Charles the fifth had heard that Farnesius General of the Popes forces had ravished certaine Ladies he brake out into this speech and was never in all his life observed to be more angry at any thing Si adesset impurus ille Farnesius manu meâ confoderem O if I had here that filthy fellow I would slay him with mine own hand And mads them swear by God So they had done before chap. 10.29 30. But now alasse they were all gone aside they were altogether become filthy they stank above ground Psal 143. He takes therefore another oath of them c. Verse 26. Did not Solomon King of Israel c. Did not he deviate and prevaricate in his old age shamefully turning from the Lord who had appeared unto him twice Did not his strange wives draw him to strange practises insomuch as some have doubted of his salvation and Bellarmine reckoneth him but wrongfully amongst reprobates Yet among many Nations was there no King like him For honour pleasure wisdome and wealth c. the abundance he had of these drew out his spirits and dissolved him See Mark 10.23 25. 1 Tim. 6.9 Isa 39.1 2. Who was beloved of his God His corculum his darling his Jedidiah 2 Sam. 12.25 but he did not reciprocate his heart was dis-joynted and hung loose from the Lord whom he grievously provoked by his sensuality and apostasie And God made him King over all Israel Not by right of inheritance for he was a younger brother but by special designation Yet he defiled that Throne whereunto God had so graciously advanced him this was a great aggravation of his sinne 2
in him to suspect 〈…〉 whilest he intended their good and turned his 〈…〉 That his children were godly is put 〈…〉 whether they had sinned But how then doth it follow And cursed God in their hearts And not blessed God so Calvin rendreth it not done him right So Sanctim and therefore wrong they have not high and honourable conceptions of him answerable to his excellent greatnesse but by base and bald thoughts cast him as it were into a dishonourable mould and not given him the glory due to his Name that holy and reverend Name Psal 111.9 Great and dreadful among the Heathen Mal. 1.14 In the Hebrew it is And blessed God for cursed by an Euphemismus or Antiphrasis as when an harlot is called Kedesha a holy woman by contraries So aurisacra i. e. execranda fames The Hebrews so abhorred blasphemy against God as they would not have the sound of it to be joyned to the Name of God whom they commonly call Baruc-hu the blessed One. So they would not take the name of Leven that prohibited ware into their mouths all the time of the feast of the Passeover Elias Thisâ— So in their common talk they call a Sow dabhar achar an other thing because they were forbidden to eat swines flesh Thus did Job continually Heb. all the dayes that is in the renewed seasons he was not weary of well-doing but stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord alwaies renewing his repentance and faith in Christ figured by those sacrifices for the Ceremonial Law was their Gospel Verse 6. Now there was a day Haply that day wherein Jobs children were feasting their last The Rabbines say the first day of the year and some say the sabbath day But who told them so this is to intrude into things which they have not seen Col. 2.18 and where of there is neither proof nor profit Certain it is that as God hath before all beginnings decreed all things so he hath set and assigned the times or seasons which he hath put in his own power Act. 1.7 when every thing shall come to passe as himself hath appointed Now then saith Beza the time being come which he prefixed for the actual accomplishing of that he had decreed concerning Job he revealed the same to Satan being before altogether ignorant thereof as whom he had appointed to be the chief instrument in executing this his will and purpose The children of God i.e. the Elect Angels called Sons of God here and elsewhere not because they are so by eternal generation as Christ alone nor by adoption and regeneration as the Saints John 1.12 but by Creation as Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3. ult and Resemblance for they are made in Gods image and are like him as his children both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties which are Life and Immortality Blessednesse and Glory wherein we shall one day be their comperes Luke 20.36 Came to present themselves This is spoken in a low language for our better apprehension by allusion to the custome of earthly Princes and their attendants and officers coming to give an account or receive directions The Angels are never absent from God Luke 1.19 but yet employed by him in governing the world Ezek 1. and guarding the Saints Heb. 1.14 This the heathens hammered at for both Plutarch and Proculus the Platonist say that the Angels doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 travel betwixt heaven and earth carrying the commands of God to men and the desires of men to God Jussa divina ferentes ad homines hominem voâ—â— ad deos And Satan came also among them That old man-slayer envying Jobs holinesse and happinesse as much as the good Angels rejoyced in it and promoted it for he was seen of Angels of both sorts would needs make one among those Sons of God not without Gods over ruling power although he regarded not so much Gods authority as wanted an opportunity and license to do mischief In reference to this history George Marsh Martyr in a certain letter of his writeth thus to his friend the servants of God cannot at any time come and stand before God that is lead a godly life and walk innocently but Satan comes also among them that is the daily accuseth findeth fault 〈◊〉 persecuteth and troubleth the godly c. Yet unlesse God do permit him he can do nothing at all not so much as enter into a filthy hog But we are more of price then many hogs before God Acts and Mon. fol. 14 23. Before the Lord Or By or Near the Lord. But can Satan come into the presence of God Mr. Caryl Surely no otherwise saith a grave Divine then a blind man can come into the Sun he cometh into the Sun and the Sun shineth upon him but he sees not the Sun Satan comes so into the presence of God that 〈…〉 of God he is never so in the presence of God as to see God Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan either by forming and creating a voice in the air as Matth. 3.17 Job 12.28 or by an inward word after an unspeakable manner manifesting his wil as he willed to Satan The School men have great disputes about the speech of spirits but this they agree in that the intention of one spirit is as plain an expression of his mind by another spirit when he hath a will that the other should understand it as the voice of one man is to another Whence comest thou This the Lord asketh not as if he were ignorant for he knows all things and that from eternity neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open before his eyes Heb. 4.13 yea in him all things subsist Colâ—â— 1.17 So that there can be no motion of the creature without his privity God therefore thus interrogateth Satan that he might shew himself to be his Judg and that he might exact a confession out of his own mouth Then Satan answered the Lord the word signifieth to speak in witnesse-bearing Exod. 20 16 From going to and fro in the earth He saith not from instigating men to all manner of wickednesse from ranging up and down as a roaring Lion to devour soules from sinning that sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. All this he cunningly dissembleth and saith in effect as once Gehezi did Thy servant was no where or for no hurt to any when as he is never but doing mischief as Pliny saith of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting Is not the hand of Joab in this businesse So is not Satan in all the sins of the wicked and in most of the troubles of the godly Heâ— quà m furit Satan impellis secures homines ad horrenda flagitia c. saith Luther O how doth Satan range and rage that he may glut himself
do gracelesse men that draw not their knowledge into practice but detaine the truth in unrighteousnesse it swimmeth in their heads but sinketh not into their hearts it maketh them giddy as wine fuming all up into the head but never coming at the heart to cheare it Such a man may cast out divels and yet be cast to the divel he may go to hell with all his unprofitable knowledge like as a Bull with a coronet and garland goes to the slaughter Unlesse a man heare and know for himselfe he shall find no more comfort of it then a man doth of the Sun when it shineth not in his own Horizon or then a traveller doth of the fatnesse of a farre Country which he only passeth through and taketh a light view of If therefore thou bee wise be wise for thy self Prov. 9.12 Let thy knowledge be not only apprehensive but affective â—illightning but transforming 2 Cor. 3 ult discursive but experimental and practical For hereby we know that we know him if we keepe his commanaments 1 John 2.3 CHAP. VI Verse 1. But Job answered and said ELiphaz thought he had silenced him and set him down with so much reason that he should have had nothing to reply yet Job desirous to disasperse himself and to clear-up his reputation answered and said For indeed Negligere quid de se quisque sentiat non solum arragantis est sed dissoluti saith one that is altogether to neglect what others think or speak of a mans self and not to make apology is the part not only of a proud but of a dissolute person â— silence sometimes argueth guiltinesse or at least it strengtheneth suspition Verse 2. Oâ— that my griefe were throughly weighed Heb. were weighed by weighing The word rendred griefe signifieth also Angâ—â— and is thâ— same with that wherewith Eliphaz began his speech chap. 5.2 where he saith Wrath killeth the foolish man pointing at Job as an angry man exalting folly Here therefore Job beginneth his refutation wishing that that anger or griefe of his so hardly censured were duely weighed in an even ballance for then it would appeare that there was some reason for his passion that he had enough upon him to cry for and that he had not complained without a cause We read of a certaine Philosopher who hearing of his sons death brake out into a loud lamentation for which being reproved Permitâ—â—â—e inquit ut homo sim suffer me I pray you said he to shew my self to be a man that is sensible of my sufferings And my calamity laid in the balances together That is that my calamity were accurately set against my grief my laments and my torments equally poised it would then appear that I have not yet grieved or complained up to the height or weight of those calamities which are upon mee Even to day is my complaint bitter saith he elsewhere in answer to Eliphaz too interpreting his complaints to be rebellion against God My stroake is heavier theâ— my groâ—ning chap. 23.2 Verse 3. For now it would bâ— heavier then the sand of the sea How light soever thou O Eliphaz esteemest it as being in a prosperous condition It is easie to swim in a warm bath and every bird can sing in a sunshine-day But grief lieth like a load of lead upon the soule heavy and cold afflicting it as an unsupportable burden doth the body It so oppressed the poor Israelites in Egypt that they had no mind to hearken to Moses Eâ—eâ—d 6.9 Solomon cryes out A wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18. â—4 My soule is very heavy and exceeding sorrowful even unto death saith our blessed Saviour Matth 26.37 38. then when the Father made all our sins to meet upon him and be bare our griefs and carried our sorroweâ— Isa 13.4 12. Sure it is that had he not been God as well as man he had beene utterly crushed by that unconceivable weight of sin and wrath that he then groaned under Oh what will all Christ lessâ— persons do in hell where God shall lay upon them and not spare they would faine fly out of his hand Job 27.22 bur that cannot be Therefore my words are swallowed up Vix loqui possum vox faucibus haevet I want words which yet if I had them at will would be far too weak to utter the grief of my mind Broughton rendreth it Therefore my words fall short they are semesa saith Junius half-eaten before spoken I am as it were gagg'd with grief or my words are even smothered up with sighs and sobs Thus Job rhetoricates and yet thinkes himself greatly word-bound Verse 4. For the arrowes of the Almighty are within me What marvel then though his flesh had no rest but he was troubled on every side sith without were fightings within were feares 2 Cor. 7.5 The arrowes not of a mighty man as Psal 127.4 but of an Almighty God Troubles without and terrours within David felt these arrowes and complaineth of them heavily Psal 38.1 2. He shall shâ—ot as them with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded saith he of those his enemies who had bent their bow and shot their arrowes at him even bitter words Psal 64.3 7. God will make his arrowes drunk with the blood of such persons Deut. 32.42 But the arrowes Job here complaines of were poisoned or invenomed arrowes The poison whereof drinketh up my spirits Dryeth them up and corrupts the blood in which the spirits are sprinkling in my veines a mortall poison working greatest dolour and destemper The Scrâ—hians and other nations used to dip their darts in the blood and gall of Asps and Vipers the venemous heat of which like a fire in their flesh killed the wounded with torments the likest hell of any other and hereunto Job alludeth The terrours of God do set themselves in array against me i. e. the terrible strokes of God who seemeth to fight against me with his own hand to rush upon me as the Angel once did upon Balaam with a drawn sword in his hand threatning therewith to cut off my head as David did Goliah's yea to send me packing to hell in the very suburbs whereof methinks I feel to be already and shall not I be suffered to complain a galled shoulder will shrink under a load though it be but light and a little water is heavy in a leaden vessel But the word here used for terrors noteth the most terrible terrors hellish terrors and worse for they are the terrors of God surpassing great 2 Cor. 5.11 which made Jeremy pray so hard Be not thou a terrour to me O Lord and then I care not greatly what befalleth me Whiles I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith Hemun Psalm 88.15 Adde hereunto that these terrours of God had set themselves in array they were in a military manner marshalled and imbattailed against him as Jer. 50.9 God afflicted Job methodically and resolvedly he led up his army as a Reverend man phraseth it exactly
up or take away for sin was Jobâ— greatest burden which therefore he prayeth to God to pardon and that not in heaven only but in his own conscience and then no darkness can be so desolate no cross so cutting no burden so importable but he shall by Gods grace be able to deal with it Hence this vehement expostulation of his for remission and removal of sin first and then of its evil consequents for pardon of sinne is a voluminous mercy and being justified by faith we can glory in tribulation Rom. 5.1 3. For now shall I sleep in the dust In the dust of death Psal 22.15 and therefore must have help presently or not at all sith a man once departed is no more to be found in this world though never so diligently sought for See verse 7 8. One paraphraseth these words thus For now I shall die and then when thou lookest to receive thy morning sacrifice of praise as aforetime I shall not be found to give it thee CHAP. VIII Verse 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said BIldad who was of the posterity of Shuah Abrahams son by Keturah Gen. 25.1 2. interrupteth Job and indeavours to maintain what Eliphaz had spoken Nevertheless it appeareth by this chapter verse 5 6 20 21. that his opinion was not so rigid as that of Eliphaz for he grants that a righteous man may be afflicted but yet so that if God restore him not speedily he may be censured cast and condemned as unrighteous He passeth as they do all some hard censures upon Job and is paid in his own coyn by him who saith that he was according to his name a wicked kinsman for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is naught and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Uncle With what judgment men judg they shall be judged Mat. 7 2. Vers 2. How long wilt thou speak these things Quonsque effaberis ista q. d. Tremel Hast thou nothing better then this to utter Be silent for shame or forbear at least to vent thy spleen against God of whose proceedings with shee thou hast heavily complained thy words have been stout against the Lord and thou hast taken too much liberty of language in this tempest of talk And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind Mercer Big and boisterous rude and â—robustuous as if thou wouldst Dominum impetere evertere dejicere blow down God and his proceedings at a breath The Tigurine translation is Quanaiu verba oris â—ui soâ—abuâ—t pertinaciaâ— How long shall the words of thy mouth sound out thine obstinacy If evil thoughts be majoris reatus of greater guilt as the Schools speak yet evil words and works are majoris infamia of greater scandal and do more corrupt others This Bildad was sensible of and conceiving that Job complained of God as dealing hardly with him and unjustly afflicting him he addeth Verse 3. Doth God pervert judgment By not punishing the wicked or doth the Almighty pervert justice by not rewarding the righteous so the Hebrews expound it Why no neither did Job ever say such a thing only he had pathetically set forth the greatness of his pain and the unkindness of his friends and wished to die rather then to endure it Now this was construed for blasphemy or little less and Bildad is very hot in his invective against Job as good reason he had if he had not been so mistaken Here he wresteth in a most true proposition commondam sanè sed non accâ—mmodam but yet such a one as very little concerned this present disputation and he doth it with as small wisedom and discretion saith Beza as with great pride and confidence For doth it either argue Job and hypocrite and wicked man or charge God with injustice if it be said that Job for his sins was not so afflicted by God whereas he in the mean time denieth not himself to be a sinner and to have deserved Gods heavy hand upon him but rather proved and tryed by him according to his good pleasure yet Bildad goeth on as if he had done very well and in the next verse in plain words boldly avoucheth that Jobs children were by Gods judgment destroyed with the fall of the house whatever betid their souls Vers 4. If thy children have sinned against him As what man is he that liveth and sinneth not But Bildad meant that Jobs children had hainously sinned had been grievous sinners against their own souls as afterwards were Core and his complices had not sinned common sins and therefore died not common deaths indeed they died early and suddenly and eating and drinking wherein there might be some excess and before sacrifice offered for them as formerly all this was sad and moved Job more then any thing else But did it therefore follow that God hast cast them away c. And he have cast them away for their transgression Or And he have expelled or abandoned them into the hand so the Hebrew hath it elegantly of their transgressions or rebellions Pagnin as so may executioners Some render it thus He hath driven them out of the world for their transgression The Chaldee Paraphrast goeth further interpreting hand here for place If God have sent them saith he into the place of their wickedness that is into hell prepared for the wicked Now surely saith Lavater Inhumanissimus fuit Bildad qui ista calamitosissimo objicere non dubitabat Bildad was a most unmerciful man who doubted not to lay these things in the dish of him that was before so heavily afflicted and to heap more load upon him who was ready to sink under his burden but he did it say some of a good intent to bring Job to a sense of his sin and to put him in hope of appeasing Gods wrath who had yet spared his life that he might make his peace and not suddenly slay him as he had done them and therefore he assureth him in the following verses as Eliphaz had done before that all things shall go well with him if he repent Albeit thy children have sinned c. yet Verse 5. If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes If warned by the evil end that befell thine unhappy children thou wouldst early and earnestly seek unto God for mercy for which purpose it may seem that thy life hath been graciously spared when thy children have been destroyed that thou mightst be made wise at their expence Such counsel as this is Eliphaz had given Job before chap. 5.8 And make thy supplication to the Almighty Pray for mercy out of free-grace alone so the Hebrew word signifieth plead for pity speak supplications as the poor man doth Prov 18.23 Be poor in spirit a stark beggar and bankrupt lesse then the least of all Gods mercies Gen. 32.10 and in this mind addresse thy self to the All-sufficient the Cornucopia the God rich in mercy to all that call upon him for pardon of thy great sin in standing out in contention with
pieces he rooteth them up and ruineth them Let no man think to prevail by strength 1 Sam. 2.9 sith the weaknesse of God if any such thing there were is stronger then men 1 Cor. 1.25 He will smite his enemies as so many puny-boyes in the hinder-parts and so put them to a perpetual reproach Psalm 78.66 Yea he will not only smite them on the loins but through the loins Deut. 32.11 that they never rise again Let them therfore learn to meddle with their match Eccl. 6.10 and take heed how they fall into the punishing hands of the living God Verse 20. He removeth away the speech of the trusty Or of the eloquent as Demosthenes the most eloquent of the Greeks being by them frequently sent as an Ambassadour to Philip King of Macedony thrice stood speechlesse before him and thirty several times forgat those things which he had thought to have spoken as Tzâ—tzes testifieth Chiliad 7. So Latomus of Lovain that Apostate and Persecutor of the truth having prepared an elegant Oration to make to Charls the fifth Emperour was so confounded that he could hardly speak a word of sense the grief whereof broke his heart The Counsellor and the Eloquent Orator the Prudent and the Ancient are reckoned up as the stay and the staffe the beauty and bulwark of a Nation Isa 3.2 3 These God removeth at his pleasure and for a general judgment causing either them to dye or their abilities to die and decay or crossing their attempts that they shall speak perswasively but not perswade people but be slighted and exploded of all Veracium Yea though they be Truth-speakers so the Vulgar hath it or Trusty as our translation Confiding men as they are called worthy to be trusted such faithful counsellors as Polybius was to Scipio who never miscarried in any thing wherein he followed his advice as the Historian testifieth yet God can remove or change the speech of such by leaving them to their own unfaithfulnesse and inconstancy as we have plentifully experimented in these late discriminating and shedding times And taketh away the understanding of the aged Heb. And taketh the sense or savour or raste of the Elders or Senators that they shall be no more able to discern and determine what is true or false right or wrong then old Barzillaâ— could skill of the Court-meates and musick See this threatned Isai 29.14 Such old men as either were bred Scholars or have had much experience in the management of great affairs are presumed to be of great understanding but God can either take such away as he threateneth to do Isa 3.3 4. or take away their wisedome to render them uselesse to the publick as it is reported of Theodorus Gaza and of Albertus Magnus those great Scholars that for certain years before they died they did so dote and were so childish that they could not write their own names or read a letter on the book Let therefore the Eloquent and the aged take heed they abuse not their abilities lest they forget and lose them Verse 21. He poureth contempt upon Princes Or Nobles or Gentlemen which are or should be free bounteous munificent benefactors if they be not Nedibim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Nebalim liberal but churlish see these opposed Isa 32.5 it is just in God to pour contempt to lay abundance of shame and scorn upon them as sordid penny-fathers ignoble Euclio's poor-spirited men the base brood or rather blot of their better fore-fathers Of out Edward the second it is chronicled that never was Prince received with greater love and opinion of all then he or never any that sooner lost it for his very first action in recalling his minion Pierce Gaveston Daniel discovered an head-strong wilfulnesse that was uncounsellable hence he was slighted by his subjects pursued by his wife and son and at length cruelly murthered Mercer observeth that David hath the self-same words Psalm 107.40 that are found here and verse 24. Neither need we wonder sith they both spake by the same spirit And weakneth the strength of the mighty Heb. He slackneth the girdle of the impetuous that like strong streams in narrow straits bear down all before them So do Souldiers in warre see 2 Sam. 22.16 Job 6.15 But God can loose their girdles or belts which bind their garments and buckle their armour close to them he can dispirit them and make them feeble and faint-hearted as he did Samson and those Assyrians Psalm 76.5 6. By this whole discourse of Job it appeareth that he had very diligently observed Gods providence and way of administration in the several ranks of men and alterations of common-wealths whereby he had learned secretly to admire and adore Gods judgments which thing we ought also semblably to do Verse 22. He discovereth deep things out of darknesse As he did to Joseph and Pharaoh by dreams to the Prophets by visions and revelations and still doth to his people by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 He bringeth to light also the hidden things of darknesse hellish conspiracies as in the Powder-plot the deep reaches of Kings to maintain their authority and compasse their designs resolving to suffer never a rub to lie in their way that might hinder the true running of their bowle Philip de Comines dived so deep Heyl. Geog. and wrote so plainly of the Stately affairs those arcana imperii that Katharine de Medices Queen-mother of France was wont to say that he had made as many hereticks policy as Luther had done in Religion she saw not that God had set Comines awork and that he will yet further bring out to light that all men may see the shadow of death that is the things that are most abstruse and most unlikely ever to have been discovered see Matth. 16.26 with the Note and say Wo to them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord Isai 29.15 The powder-plot was a deep thing of darknesse it was under ground they were so long digging in their vault of villany and a long time it was secreted under oaths and strongest concealments But a bird of the air revealed it and that which had wing told the matter Eccles 10.20 It was a quill a piece of a wing brought all to light by a blind letter put by a providence into a wrong hand the danger was at the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within eight hours of being acted when from a match ready fired we received a matchlesse deliverance Say then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 23. Hee encreaseth the Nations and destroyeth them It is all one with God whether against a single man or a whole Nation Job 34.29 when he once taketh them to do The wicked shall be turned into hell and that they may not hope to escape because a multitude all the nations that forget God Psalm 9.17 Soon after the flood the Babel-builders were scattered
a castaway who am sorely afflicted indeed so that my very raines are consumed within me my graces also haply are somewhat deflourished and it is little better with me then with a tree in winter and as a Tyle tree whose say is in the root Isai 6.13 But so long as the root of the matter is in me that radical grace of faith and fith I do utter as ye have heard the words of truth and sobernesse as some fruits of a sound faith sure you should handle me with more tendernesse as one that hath some sap and substance in him Verse 29 Be ye afraid of the sword Heb. Be ye afraid for your selves form the fact of the sword Gods sore and great and strong sword Isai 27.1 that hangeth over your heads as it were by a twined thred O tremble at Gods judgements whilst they hang in the threatâ—ings He that trembleth not in hearing shall be cut to pieces in feeling in that Marâ—yâ— said Gods sword 〈◊〉 the reâ—â— Ezek. 21.13 If Job be under his rod they that persecute him under what pretence soever shall feel the dint of his Sword of his deep displeasure Now it is a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God And cruelty toward others toward his own especially he will be sure to punish for he is gracious Exod. 22.27 Fugite ergo à facie gladii flee therefore from the face of the sword so the vulgar rendreth this text The sword is an instrument of death it hath its name in Hebrew from laying waste and the face or faces of the sword shew that divine vengeance is near at hand Aug in Ps 30. It is a mercy to men that God whets his Sword before he smites and first takes hold on judgement before his judgements take hold on us Deut. 32. 41. For wrath bringeth the punishment of the sword It is from displeased love that God chastizeth his children but from fierce wrath that he plagueth his enemies Some of these God punisheth here lest his providence but not all lest his patience and promise of judgement should be called into question That we may know that there is judgement Wherein they that rashly judge others shall be judged by God Math. 7.1 And this Jobs friends knew well enough but well weighed not to fright themselves from rash censurings He minds them therefore of their danger and labours to prevent their sorrow who had so much caused his See the like in Jeremy chap. 26.15 in our Saviour in St. Stephen c. and learn to be like charitable though your success be no better than Jobs was upon whom in lieu of this love they fell more foul than before as will appear by their following discurses CHAP. XX. Verse 1. Then answered Zophat the Naamathite and said IF a wise man contendeth with a foolish man whether he rage or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 Christ piped to that crooked generation Jobs mourned to them but all to no purpose absurd and unreasonable people will never be satisfied or set down say what you can to them such is their pertinacy and peevishness Job had utterred himself in such passionate expressions as might have moved stony hearts Sed surdo fabulam Vbi babent sere singulae voces aliquid ponderis Merl. He had set forth his own misery begged their pity made an excellent confession of his Faith every word where of had its weight each sylable its substance He had lastly terrified them with the threats of Gods Sword but nothing would do Zophar here though he had little to say more then what he had said chap. 11. yet he takes occasion from Jobs last words though full of love to rough hew him again and makes as if he were necessitated thereunto for his own and his fellows necessary defence Vatablus thinks that Zophar here maketh answer not to the preceding words but to those in the 12 Chapter where Job had complained that wicked Oppressors live commonly in greatest peace and prosperity Whatever it is Zophar henceforth will say no more either he had said what he could or was satisfied with Jobs Reply in the next Chapter or lastly quia lusurum se operans credebat as Mercer observeth because he thought he should lose his labour which no wise man would do Verse 2. Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer q. d. Whereas I had thought O Job to have spoke no more to thee for I see I do but lose my sweet words thy last Comminatory expressions have altered my resolution So nettled I am that I must needsly interrupt thee And yet think not that I shall speak what soever lyeth uppermost for I have dipped and dyed my words in my thought which do now prompt me what to answer and bid me make haste And for this I make haste Lavat Lest I should forget the particulars of thy speech whereto I am to answer Munster rendreth it thus Et ob is promptitudo mea est intra me as if Zophar had boasted of his ready elocution as in the next verse of his ripe understanding Some render it Eâ—â— this I delight in inspiring Verse 3. I have heard the check of my reproach Zophar conceived himself disgraced as well as menaced by Job and this kindled him Some are of so testy a nature saith one so skittish and unquiet humour that a little offensive breath a disgraceful word blows them up into rage that will not be laid down with out revenge or reparation of their credits Jobs reproofs were by this man construed for reproaches and what was spoken to them all he applieth to himself It appeareth that he was sick of a Noli me tangere when being touched so gently nettle-like he stingeth him who handled him And the Spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer This I shall do with reason and understanding not with passion and recrimination Spiritus Dei nec mendax nec mordax meekness of wisdom is a fruit of Gods Spirit by the which and not by his reasonable soul only Zophar seemeth to himself to be carried on And surely they are holy Truths all along that he uttereth but wrested and misapplyed as to Job whom he will needs have to be wicked because wretched Interim observemus saith Lavater mean-while let us observe that these things sc the state and portion of the wicked the greatness and suddenness of their punishments is therefore by Gods appointment so oft propounded and pressed in this whole Book whereof this is almost the sole Argument that we might be right in that point fear to offend and not fret at the wicked mans prosperity which is but momentany The Tigurinâ—s translate this clause thus Tametsi me conscientia hîc consolabitur Albeit herein my conscience shall comfort me Verse 4. Knowest thou not this of old Whether Zophar intended his own Conscience or not before he here appeareth to Jobs and secretly taxeth him of going against it or at
open a way to his hard heart by his glistering sword which accordingly befel him Terrors are upon him Heb. the terrible upon him which some interpret of Divels hell-hags The Vulgar rendreth it Then horrible outs shall come upon him The word is used for Gyants Deut. 2.10 The Emins shall fall upon him that is men of fierce and cruel spirits But better take it for terrors as we render it and so the sense is That the wicked when he sees he must needsly dye is surprized with greatest anxieties and perplexities of spirit as beholding that threefold dreadful spectacle Death Judgement Hell and all to be passed through by his poor soul Verse 26. All darknesse shall be bid in his secret place That is saith Diodate wheresoever he shall think to find a place of safeguard there shall he meet with some horrible mischance Men that are proscribed and sought for to death usually hide themselves as divers Jewes did in Privies at the last destruction of Jerusalem and were thence drawn out to the slaughter The Duke of Buckingham in Richard 3 his time was betrayed by his servant Bannister Appianus telleth of a Roman hid by his wife De Bell. Civ Rom. and then discovered by his wise to the Murtherer to whom she soon after also was married Others render and sense the words thus The wicked shall come into darknesse propter abscondita for his secret sins And others thus R. Sel. All darknesse is laid up for his hid treasures that is God or men have taken order that hee shall lose his riches as well as his life though he hide them never so secretly A fire not blowne shal consume him i. e. say some calamities whose causes shall be unknowne and shall proceed immediately from God See Isai 30.33 Many of the Greeks interpret this Text of Hell with its unquenchable fire Matth. 3.12 which being created by God and kindled by its breath that is by his Word it burneth everlastingly Albeit God many times punisheth wicked men here with fire from heaven as he did Sodom Nadab and Abihu those Captiances of fifties with their companies 2 King 1. Tremellius rendreth it thus A fire consumeth him non accensum flatu I say Him not kindled by blowing but burning of his own accord Vt stipule aut stupae Ut cremium aut arefactum liguum as stubble fully dryed or hurds or sear wood See Nab 1.10 with the Note It shall go ill with him that is left His posterity shall never prosper but be rooted out Eliphaz and Bildad had said the same thing and all to pay poor Job whose family was now ruined It shall surely go ill with him or He shall be wringed saith Broughton alluding belike to the sound as well as the sense of the Hebrew word Verse 27. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity Job had called heaven and earth to record of his innocency chap 16.17 18. This is not to do now saith Zophar for all creatures have conspired thy ruine and contributed thereunto Wind Fire Sabeans c. so that he that hath but half an eye may see thee to be a wicked person Such as are wicked indeed not only secundum dici as Job but secundum esse as Ahab cannot look to heaven above or to earth beneath without horrour to think even these if other witnesses faile shall bring to light their secret sinnes and come to give testimony against them before the great Iudge at the last day And the earth shall arise up against him Night will convert it self into Noon against the evil-doers and silence prove a speaking evidence Earth cryed Cain guilty the Stars in their courses fought against Sisera as a Traytor and Rebel to the highest Majesty Yea Servi ut taceant jumenta loquentur the Asse hath a verdict to passe upon Balaam A Bird of the Aire shall carry the voice that but whispereth Treason Eccles 10.20 Yea if nothing else will reveal iniquity it will reveal it selfe It will prove like the Oyntment of the right hand of which Salomon saith that it wrayeth it self Prov. 27.16 Verse 28. The increase of his house shall depart All his posterity shall be destroyed and so shall his prosperity too even all at once with a sudden ebb in the day that God visiteth him with his wrath and righteous judgements All the wicked mans wealth and revenue shall be wretchedly wasted and embezelled by one meanes or other And his goods shall flow away As waters The Apostle saith The fashion of the world passeth away viz. as a hasty headlong torrent or as a Picture drawn upon the ice Thou carriest them away both persons and things as with a flood Psal 90.5 Verse 29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God A portion God alloweth the wicked in this life Psal 17.14 As a King when he reprieveth a Traytor alloweth him a subsistence prisoners pitance at least Yes the worst of men divide the wealth and honors of the world between them for a time Nebuchadnezzar had Tyrâ—s as pay for his paines in Egypt And the whole Turkish Empire is nothing else but a crust cast to his dogs by the great house keeper of the world saith Luther But besides this God hath provided a far other portion for them saith One and that by way of inheritance never to be parted from them viz. all the forementioned miseries and many more all torments here and tortures in hell This is the inheritance Quam nunquam deserere non magis quam seipsos pottrunt which will stick to them as close as the skin to the flesh or the flesh to the bones it falls to them as the inheritance doth to the heir chap. 27.13 and 31.2 or as the mess of meat doth to the invited Guest Misery is the heritage of the wicked as they are children of disobedience and their wages as they are workers of iniquity their present prosperity also is a piece of their punishment Isai 1.5 Prov. 1.32 The words of Zophar are ended Let others reply as they please but he hath done Prastat herbam dare quam turpiter pugnare No surer sign of an evil cause then a powerlesse pertinacy CHAP. XXI Verse 1. But Job answered and said Disproving and refuting that Proposition of theirs concerning the infelicity of the ungodly by Reason by Experience and by Divine Authority All which evince and evidence that neither is prosperity a proof of mens innocence nor adversity a mark of their wickednesse as Zophar and his fellowes would have it And that they might not any more interrupt him nor think him too rough he useth a gentle Preface craving attention and pressing them thereunto by many Arguments in the six first verses Verse 2. Hear diligently my speech Heb. In hearing hear The Greek hath it Hear hear that is hear me out have so much patience with me as not to interrupt me any more yea hear with understanding Let your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
â—e He perfectly understandeth that there is no way of wickedness in me Psal 139.24 no sin that I do favour allow and wallow in but that the way that is called â—loby is my delight and endeavour that I am upright for the main that my heart is not turned back neither have my steps declined from his way Psal 44.18 I cannot see him but he seeth me and mine uprightness When he hath tryed me sc With favour and not with rigour for then who should abide it Psal 143.2 God promiseth to refine his People but not as silver Esa 48.10 that is not exactly lest they should be consumed in that fiery tryal This David knew and therefore prayed Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart Psal 26.2 and 139.23 I shall come forth as Gold Which is purged in the fire shines in the water as on the other side clay is scorched in the fire dissolved in the water Verse 11. My foot hath held his steps I have followed God step by step walking as I had him for an example and pressing his footsteps This Job speaketh of himself not as vaunting but as vindicating and defending his own innocenty and as giving Eliphaz to know that he had already done and still continued to do as he had in the former Chapter exhorted him verse 21 22. Acquaint now thy self with God c. That 's not now to do saith Job for my foot hath held his steps Be at peace I am so saith he for his way have I kept and not declined Now can two walk together and they not be agreed Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth What else have I done faith Job when as I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips Lay up his words in thine heart this I have done ex instituto saith he vel pre demenso more than my necessary food have I esteemed the words of his mouth So exact a pattern of the rule was Job so consonant to Eliphaz his good counsel Plain things will joyn in every point one with another not so round and rugged things so do plain spirits close with holy counsels not so such as are proud and unmortified Let these be touched never so gently nettle-like they will sting you Deal with them roughly and roundly they swagger as that Hebrew did with Meses saying Who made thee a man of Authority c Exod. 2.14 Good Job was of another spirit with God as it is said of Caleb Numb 14.24 and followed him fully ornavit doctrinam coelestem piis â—fficiis heavenly doctrine was as the mould and he as the metal which takes impression from it in one part as well as another His constant endeavour was to express God to the world and to preach forth his vertues or praises by a sutable practise 1 Pet. 2.9 Gressum ejus retinuit pes mens His way have I kept and not declined sc In excess or defect and therefore I am no such flagitious person as thou Eliphaz wouldst make of me Verse 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandement of his lips i.e. Ab ip sissimo Dei verbo from the very word of God that sure Cynosura which he that holdeth straightly to may truly say Lord if I be deceived thou and thy word hath deceived me But of that there is no danger sith the Scripture is the invariable Canon or Rule of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Reg. 3. saith Irenaeus the Cubit of the Sanctuary the Touchstone of Errour the divine Beam and most exact Balance as Austin and Chrysostom stile it yea the very heart and soul of God as Gregory And if Job lived before the word was written yet not before the Law of Nature and the Traditions of the Patriarchs which whiles they remained uncorrupted were the commandement also of Gods lips as having been received from his very mouth and might far better be called ipsissimum Dei verbum than the Popes pronunciata which Cardinal Hosius prophanely and blasphemously pronounceth to be the very Word of God I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food I have preferred Heb. I have hiâ— or laid up as men do precious things as house-keepers do Provision for their Family them before my bodily food my daily bread and we see what pains men take what shift they make Vâ— bene sit ventri ut lateri for food and raiment and other things requisite to the preservation of this life present Now Job knew that Gods holy word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athanasius calleth it the Souls nourishment and that the promises are pabulum fidei the food of Faith as another calleth them that we may better want bread than that bread of life Hence he esteemed it more not only than his dainties or superfluities but then his substantial food without which he could not live and subsist more than his appointed portion so some render it set out for him by the divine Providence which cutteth out to every man his allowance I had rather be without meat drink light any thing every thing saith One then that sweet Text Come unto me all ye that are weary und heavy laden c. I would not for all the world saith Another Selneccer Mr. Baxters Saints everlasting Rest p. 24. that that one verse John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world had been left out of the Bible And again There is more worth saith the same Authour in those four Chapters John 14 15 16 17. Ibid. 708. then in all the Books in the world besides Luther said Tom. 4. Oper. Lat. p. 424. He would not live in Paradise without the Word as with the Word it were no hard matter to live even in hell it self Of old they were wont to say It were better for the Church that the Sun should not shine then that Chrysostome should not preach to the people The Jewes at this day will not omit prayers for their meat or labour They divide the day even the working-day in three parts the first ad Tephilla for prayer Weensie the second ad Tara for the reading of Gods Law and the third ad Malacca for the works of their Calling And when they have read one Section they begin another lest they should seem to be weary of their task Whereas if we read but a Chapter not a quarter so long as one of their Sections or Paragraphs O what a wearinesse is it his neither begin we till we have looked over the leaf to see how long it is so soon sated are we with this heavenly Manna Verse 13. But he is in one mind and who can turn him He is ever like himself not mutable inconstant or various as men who are as Tertullian saith of the Peacock all
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
shall overflow the Land again as that then it shall some would gather from this Text. Verse 11. The Pillars of heaven tremble i.e. the Angels say some who tremble out of conscience of their own comparative imperfections The best of Saints on earth say others according to Gal. 2.9 Rev. 3.12 Prov. 9.1 2. who tremble at Gods Word Isai 66.2 and have many concussions by afflictions But better understand the Firmament of heaven Hag. 26 7. Matth. 24.29 The Powers of heaven shall be shaken they shall quake with the loud check of his Thunder claps Or the high and mighty mountaines whereon the heavens seeme to rest as on so many pillars shaken by Earth-quakes and sometimes with great astonishment removed out of their places And are astonished at his reproof As all the beasts of the field are at the roaring of the Lion Lavat Vt quis a gravi magnae potâ—statâ— vire objurgatus iremit â—â—hementer solicitus est as a slave chidden by a Prince trembleth and is aghast Verse 12. He divideth the sea with his power i.e. With his strong winds causing tempests see the like Isai 51.15 so that it lyeth as it were in ridges the top of one wave far from another Jer. 31.35 That was a strange thing that is reported to have fallen out at London the last week On Munday Aug. 14 1654. Sever. Proceed of State affirm p. 4033. by reason of the great winds the Tide was so low in the Thames that boyes waded over it from the one side to the other the old Watermen affirming they never saw it so before And by his understanding he smiteth through the proud Heb. Pride or Rahab which is oft put for Egypt as Psal 87.4 and 89.10 Isai 51.9 whence some would have Pharaoh meant others the Divel others the Whale dashing against a Rock or driven to shore where he is taken others the proud waves of the sea He hath the sea in as great awe as a Giant hath a Pigmee as chap 38.11 disabled by God to stir more as a man mortally wounded is to fight longer An instance hereof we have in the history of Jonas and another in the Gospel Mat. 8. and 14. As God is powerful enough to raise stormes so he is wise enough to lay them again Psal 107.25 29. Verse 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens Spiritu ejus coeli sunt ipsa pulâ—â—â—cudo By his Spirit the heavens are beauty it self so Vatablus rendreth it That Three â—â— One and One in Three wrought in the Creation see Psal 33.6 Adoravit decoravit pulchrcfecit Hins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of his mouth Here Jehovah his Word and his Spirit are noted to be the Maker of the world so Gen. 1. The Heathens had some blind notions hereof as appeareth by Plutark who reporteth that in Thebe a Town of Egypt they worshipped a God whom they acknowledged to be immortal but how painted they him Plut. de Ifid Ofirid Var. dere rust lib. 2. c. 1. In the likenesse of a man blowing an egg out of his mouth to signifie that he made the round world by the Spirit of his mouth Upon the heavens especially God hath bestowed a great deal of skill and workmanship as appeareth Heb. 11 10. and Psal 8.3 where heaven is called The work of Gods fingers a curious divine work a Metaphor from them that make Tapestry Garnished it is with Stars as a Palace is with stately Pictures besides the inward beauty which is unconceivable There is something of a Saphir in the Hebrew word here rendred Garnished and Revel 21. search is made through all the bowels of the earth to find out all the precious Treasures that could be had Gold Pearles and precious Stones of all sorts and what can these serve to only to shadow out the glory of the walls of the new Jerusalem and the gates and to pave the streets of the City See also Isai 54.11 12. His hand 〈◊〉 formed the crooked Serpent Enixe est peperit hath â—â—oughâ— forth as by birth hath formed the most deformed and dreadâ—â—â— Creature in the earth Or those flaming Dragons flying in the Aire Meteors â— mean Or the Constellation in heaven called the Dragon betwixt the two Beares and not far from the North-Pole Est hos sane maximum maxime conspicuum in coelo fidus c. Or lastly those Sea-Dragons the Whales which Mercer thinketh most likely to be here meant and compareth Isai 27.1 Psal 104.26 Job 40.20 Neither need we wonder saith he that the beginning of the verse is of heaven and the end of the sea for Job would shew and set forth two admirable works of God in two extremes of the world viz. in heaven above and in the waters under the earth his Power and Wisdome shineth every where in the Creatures neither can a 〈◊〉 easily sook besides a miracle Job therefore insisteth not long upon particulars but as one lost in the labyrinth of Admiration at so great things he 〈◊〉 shuts up Verse 14. Lo these are parts of his wayes Or rather Particles of his Works Extrema sunt viarum ejus so the Tiguâ—â—es translate it these are the ends extremities or utmost parts of them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul calleth it that which may be known of God par 〈◊〉 treaturaruâ— Rom. 1.19 20 as the Sun may bee seen in the water after a soft but in roâ—â— as the Schooles speak in the Cirele where in it runs we are not able to behold him so something of God may be seen in his Works in his Word his back parts we may see and live as Moses Exod. 33. Quam exigultatem Piscat Parvaâ—â— stillam Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a. Sept. Paucuâ—â— de pâ—nco pusillum parum admilum Merc. His truth in the Temple as 〈…〉 But how little a portion is heard of him Heb. What a 〈◊〉 or shâ—â— of a word or thing is heard of him As when one heareth the latter end only of a 〈◊〉 that which the eccho resoundeth and no more it is 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 cannot know we are as narrow mouthed vessels Ye are not able to 〈◊〉 what I have to say to you saith Christ to his Apostles John 16.12 And to the people hâ— spâ—ke as they were able to hear Mark 4.33 and not as he was able to have spoken Lequimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus saith Gratian the Emperor We speak of God Iâ— Epist ad Ambros not so much as we should but so much as we can We prophecy but in part and what wonder sith we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. In humane things the wisest men have professed that the greatest part of what they knew was the least of that they knew not how much more in things divine By no expressions do we so fully set
Verse 19 The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it Of the Topaz see Plin. lib. 36. cap 8. It seemeth to have the lustre of Gold and purity of Chrystal and those agreeable mixtures of colours which make the purple of Kings The operations of this Stone are many and rare as Rueus sets them forth Lib. 2. cap. 9 Neither shall it be valued with pure gold Plato saith as much of moral wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No Gold or Gem so glistereth And elsewhere he saith that if moral vertue could be beheld with mortal eyes mirificos sui amores excitaret it would wonderfully enamour men Aurelius the Emperour would say That he would not leave the knowledg he might learn in one houre for all the gold that he possessed Alphonsus King of Arragon professed That he would rather chuse to lose his Jewels then his Books his Kingdomes whereof he had many quam literas quas permodicas scire dicebat Val. Max. Christian 118 237 then that little Learning he had attained unto Many have been so taken with the study of the Mathematicks that they could have lived and dyed in it Vae igitur stupari nostro Leo Digges Wo then to the world because of wisdome This incomparable Wisdome of God in a mystery as the Apostle calleth it Haec quia prâ— vili sub pedibusque jacet Ovid Money is most mens study not without an horrible neglect of pietie which yet is the principal thing Prov. 3. and profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 as that which hath the promise of both lives ibid. Now the Promises are exceeding great and precious things 2 Pet. 1.4 even the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 Such gold as cannot be too deer bought Matth. 13.44.46 nor too far fet no though so far as the Queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdome of Solomon and could have been content to have changed her throne for his footstool Sure it is she was no niggard but parted with abundance of precious things and sweet odours for that wisdome which she held and worthily far more sweet and precious then all her annual entradoes Sure it is that if the mountaines were Pearle the huge Rocks Rubies and the whole Globe a shining Chrysolite yet all this were nothing to the worth of the wisdome here commended How greatly bound then are Gods people to blesse his Name for communicating unto us this unvaluable treasure by his Word and Spirit 1 Cor. 2. Hath he not written for us excellent things in counsels and knowledge Prov. 22.20 hath he not made his Son that essential wisdome of his to become unto us Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Should some earthly Prince give us a rich Ring off his finger wherein there were a Chrysolite a Saphire a Topaz or some other precious Stone how highly would we honour him and what would we not be ready to do or suffer for him And shall we not much more do so for God rich in mercy plenteous in goodnesse abundant in kindnesse and in truth who giveth us all things richly to enjoy O pray for that blessed sight Ephes 1.18 and 3.18 and reckon one grain of grace more worth then all the gold of Ophir one remnant of faith beyond all the gorgeous and gay attire in the world Verse 20. Whence then cometh wisdome c See the Note on verse 12. q. d. No where surely is she to be found but with God the fountain of wisdome vers 23. To seek her elsewhere is but laborious losse of time witnesse the Philosophers anxious but bootlesse disquisitions after the Summum Bonum the true blessedness of chief good about which there were eight several opinions and yet all out Verse 21. Maxima pars eorum quaescimus est 〈◊〉 pars corâ—m quae nescimus Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living As hath beene before set forth verse 13. They that see most into it see but in part and must needs say that the greatest part of their knowledg is the least part of their ignorance Something they know of his revealed will but nothing at all of his secret Whereunto we may add that there are many occult qualities in nature the reason whereof the wisest men undertand not And kept close from the fowles of the Aire Which yet fly very high and seem to touch the clouds of heaven as the Eagle which delighteth in high-flying Some wil have the Angels elsewhere set forth as winged creatures to be here meant who although they stand alwayes in Gods presence and see much of his Majesty yet not at all nothing neer Isai 6. they cover their faces with their wings as with a double scarf as not not able to behold his glory and make their addresses unto him with greatest self-abasements Verse 22. Destruction and death say c That is the dead in the grave and damned in hell Junius as some glosse it Others man in his corrupt estate though a child of death yet capable of salvation and the wisedome of God hath found out a way to save him by his Son letting in life by the car according to that Hear and your souls shall live The dead in sins and trespasses shall hear the voice of the Son of God in the preaching of the Word and shal live Vatabl. Isaiah 55.3 the life of grace here and of glory hereafter John 5.25 These have heard of Gods wisdome in his various dealings with the sons of men and that with their ears both with the gristles that grow on their heads and with the inward ears of their minds so that one sound hath pierced both but yet the one half hath not been told them they can truly say as the Queen of Shâ—ba said to Solomon Thou hast added Wisdome and goodnesse to the fame 1 Kings 10.7 And as David in the person of Christ Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life whereby is hinted that Christ himself as man did not so fully understand in the daies of his flesh the unconceivable joies of heaven as he did afterwards when his whole person was glorified with the glory which as God he had with the Father before the world was John 17.5 Verse 23 God understandeth the way thereof The only wise God who alone knowes her price knowes her retreat Haec sunt inferni mortis verba saith Brentius These are the words of hell and of death But we may better take them as spoken by Job himself which yet are to be understood not as if Job thought that there was any place out of God where his wisdome might be sought or any way out of himself to go to it But these things are spoken after the manner of men saith Merlin for wisedome is in God yea God is wisdome it self For the wisdome of God is nothing else but the most wise God sith whatsoever is in God is God Therefore seeing he is well known to
If of mine own accord I came unto them at any time I sate chief and was Chair-man in a word I dwelt as a King amidst his Troopers when he comforteth them being cast down that is when after some defeat or disappointment he cheereth up their spirits by his speeches and cryes Courage my hearts Flebile principium melior fortuna sequatur Victorem à victo superari saepè videmus The Tigurines render the former part of the verse thus Accommodam me illorum moribus cum judicio I fitted my self to their fashions yet with discretion R. Solomon and others thus They asked me What way shall we go What course take And I chose out their way and set them down a course as a Counsellour doth to his Clyents a King to his Souldiers or a Casuist those that resort to him for comfort And dwelt as a King in the army Where he is continually surrounded by his souldiers and highly honoured The Bees in their Common-wealth have a King whose Palace they frame as fair in shew as strong in substance if they find him fall they stablish him again in his Throne with all duty with all devotion they guard him continually for fear he should miscarry for love he should not Job had so tempered and mixed gravity and lenity he had so fourbished the sword of Justice with the Oyle of Mercy that he was at once both feared as a King and loved as a Comforter As one that comforteth the mourners That mourn for the loss of some dear thing or person as the word signifieth and especially for the loss of Gods favour as Zach. 12.10 groaning under the sense of sin and fear of wrath Now to comfort such mourners in Sion is as difficult a work as to raise the dead saith Luther and scarce one of a thousand can skill of it Job 33.23 Every Christian should have feeding lips and an healing tongue to comfort the feeble-minded to drink to them in a cup of Nepenthâ—s that cup of consolation Jer 16.7 taking them down into Christs Wine-cellar Cant. 2.4 and there stay them with Flagons and comfort them with Apples verse 5. those Apples of the garden of Eden as the Chaldee there hath it the sweet and precious Promises which are pabulum fidei the food of Faith and do give the joy of faith even that peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that have been in a low and lost condition But this few can do to purpose because they are either unskilful in the word of truth or unexperienced they dig not their discourses out of their own brests they utter them more from their brains than from their bowels from their own experience I mean which made even Christ himself a more compassionate high-Priest Heb. 5. And that eminent servant of his St. Paul had by this means got an excellent faculty in comforting the disconsolate Melancthon 2 Cor. 1.4 So had Luther as having himself from his tender years been much beaten and exercised with spiritual conflicts Conceive we may the like of Job who was therefore flocked unto from far and near as known to be able to time a word and to speak to the hearts of drooping and dejected persons But now c. CHAP. XXX Verse 1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision ID quod ei morbo suo longè gravius fuerit sicut Hebraei testantur saith Mercer This troubled him much more than all his sores and sicknesses that every young shackrag slighted him and laughed him to scorn In this case especially Faciles motus mens generosa capit Ovid. You shall finde some saith Erasmus that if death be threatned can despise it but to be despised or belyed they cannot brook but least of all by base persons Quiâ—zbet ab aquila quam corvo discerpi mavnlâ— Job was now grown ancient Cognate sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had been honorable as he had set forth chap. 29. Old-age and Honour in the Greek tongue are near a kin and Summa fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani Inque suo precio ruga senilis erat But it is a signe of gasping devotion and that things are far out of order when the Child behaveth himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable Esa 3.5 as at Bethel where those ill-bred Children derided the old Prophet and petulantly cryed after him Go up thou baldhead go up thou baldhead 2 King 2.23 If the like unworthy usuage befal us let it suffice us that our betters Job David Christ himself have sped no better Art not thou glad to fare as Phocion said he to a meaner man that was to die with him Whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my stock i.e. To have made my dog-keepers that they might feed with them as the prodigal son did with the swine Dogs are commonly looked upon as paltery carrion Creatures only some for their minds sake and others for certain necessary uses as shepherds and hunters make some reckoning of them It was not permitted to a dog to 〈◊〉 into the Acropolis or tower of Athens for his libidinousness and ill-favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 175. At Rome they crucified a dog yearly in detestation of those dogs in the Capitol that gave not warning of the approach of an Enemy Job it seems had his dog-feeders men of meanest account Now these mens sons a beggarly breed and very rascals insulted and trampled opon this precious man dealt as basely and coursely with him haply as those fictious fellows in Geneva did with reverend Calvin whom they not only in contempt called Cain as Athanasius was somtimes by his enemies called Sathanasius and Cyprian Cyprian that is a dunghil-fellow but also named their Dogs Calvin as Beza in his life reporteth Verse 2. Yea whereto might the strength of their hands profit me For to say the truth thus Beza here paraphraseth the strength of those young striplings could not have stood me in any stead at all and as for the old-age of their fathers it were such that having spent the greatest and best part of their life partly in idleness and partly in divers wicked lewd pranks they might worthily seem to have lived in vain all that while Thus he The Greeks say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines Juniorès ad labores young men are fit for hard labour because strong and lusty But these Sanniones in the text were through idleness meat nullities in the world superfluities in the earth Jeremies rotten girdle good for nothing but to devour victuals vermine apes monkeys their whole life was to eat and drink when they could come by it and sleep and sport and flear and jear at Gods afflicted with words as full of scorn as profane wit or rancour'd malice can make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 settuag These are excrements in humane society Pests
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
up in the mind of him that would faine utter them to new wine not yet throughly purged the soul to bottles silence to the stopple which keeps in the wine grief hereupon to the breaking of those bottles speech to the opening of them by taking away the stopple of silence And although in this Discourse Elihu may seem to lay on more words then the matter requireth yet he doth not for he saith no more then the Psalmist doth Psal 45.1 and Jeremiah chap. 6.11 and the Apostles Act. 4.20 We cannot but speak c. And whereas Gregory saith that all this came from pride in Elihu Chrysostom praiseth him rather and therein he is in the right for his zeal which will have a vent or the heart will cleave as the waters undermine when they cannot overflow As for that which is urged against Elihu that God saith of him as of a Reprobate and one whom he knew not Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledg ch 38.2 It is plain that God speaketh there not of Elihu but of Job and so Job understood and applyed it chap. 42.2 And that God speaketh not of Jobs sacrificing for him as for the other three makes more for his praise then else and shewes that he had spoken of God the thing that was right which they had not done chap. 42.7 Verse 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed Heb. That I may breath This many Martyrs did though to the losse of their precious lives as those that came to the Tribunals and cryed out Christiani sumus We are Christians hang us burn us stone us c. Modo Jesum nostrum nanciscamur so that we may get our Jesus And when they were told that they were put to death Non pro fide sed pro obstinatione not for their Religion but for their obstinacy Tertullian answered Pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur For this Religious obstinacy we gladly dye As for those that made not a good confession but either denied or dissembled their Religion for politick respects what a deal of unrest found they in their consciences till they had better declared themselves or revoked their recantations as Bilney Bainhum Benbridg Abbes Sharp besides Origen and all those of old Let a man speak boldly and freely in a good Cause when called to it and he shall be refreshed for as every flower hath its sweet smell so hath every good word and work its comfort I will open my lips and answer Viz. Freely and fully as Eph. 6.19 with great a lacrity of spirit and vehemency of speech Some kind of answer a man may make though he open not his lips as he did who being asked what mans life was presently turned his back and went his way Theadoret also upon Matth. 5.2 observeth that our Saviour taught sometimes when yet he opened not his mouth viz. by holy life and wondrous works Verse 21. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person q.d. This leave you must give me or at least wise I must take it sith my life lyeth upon it to be impartial and plain-dealing laying the blame where it lights and sparing the paines of pleasing and Parasitical Poems of oratorical and rhetorical insinuations Nihil loquar ad gratiam c. I shall know no man after the flesh in this businesse nor look on any face If Job found this fault with his other three friends chap. 13.7 he shall have no cause so to do with me but as a right Moderatour I will hear Arguments speak and not persons I will shut out my friend or my seniour and speak the truth in love Diem hominis non desideravi saith Jeremy chap. 17. And if I yet please men I am no more the servant of Christ Gal. 1.10 See the Note there Neither let me give flattering Titles Praenomen aut cognomen those that seeme to be somewhat whatsoever they be it shall make no matter to me God accepteth no mans person Gal. 2.6 I shall call a spade a spade tell every one their owne without circumlocution and not sooth or smooth up any man though never so great in his sinful practices Semper Augustus In vâ—â—a Alpâ—on is a Title still given to the Germane Emperours But Sigismund once Emperour when a fellow flattered him above measure and extolled him to the Skies gave the Flatterer a good box on the eare and when he asked Why swiâ—â— you me He answered Why clawest thou me Verse 22. For I know not to give c. I have as little Art in it 't is out of my road as heart to it For In so doing my Maker should take me away i.e. Kill me and send me packing to Hell He would soon snatch me away he would burn me as some render it so dangerous is the sinne of flattery A Preacher called Constantine the Great Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 4. Blessed to his face but he went away with a check What will God say to such think we CHAP. XXXIII Verse 1. Wherefore Job I pray thee hear my speeches PLain Job for flattering Titles Elihu would give one chap. 32.22 only in prefacing to his Discourses he is very large witnesse the whole former chapter which may well stand for a common exordium to all the five following and the seven first verses of this wherein he both calleth upon Job for audience and useth Arguments for that purpose An Orator he sheweth himself all along for in his Introduction he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 milder affections which suit best to insinuate and toward the conclusion he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pathetical expressions that may leave an impression in his Hearers And hearken to all my words And not to some of them only picking and chusing what pleaseth you and turning a deaf eare to the rest as he in Tacitus did who said Tulingua ego aureum dominus You may say what you please but I will hear no more then I like and lift This is an evil ear and must be healed as the Orator told his Country-men ere any good can be done The good soul lyeth low at Gods feet and saith Speak Lord for thy servant heareth All that the Lord our God shall speak unto us that will we hear and do Deut. 5.27 Now therefore we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10.33 It is sign of an honest heart to take the Precepts together with the Promises and to tremble at the threatnings as well as to reach after the comforts of Gods holy Word which last every hypocrite will be catching at as children do at Sweet-meats passing by the better provision Verse 〈◊〉 Behold now I have opened my mouth I have taken upon me to be a Speaker an Arbitratour in this Controversie which is usually a thanklesse Office for he who interposeth in businesses of this nature if he had two friends before is likely enough to lose
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
of the lower Region of the Aire as in Winter we see the breath that cometh out of the mouth to congeal and hang upon the beard and haires This hoare frost is answerable in the counter-point to the dew but lasteth much longer Verse 30. Quae aquae magno diuturno frigore congelascunt velut per 10 vel 20 annos continuos appeilantur chrystallus velut in Alpibus Et glacialem Oceanum The waters are hid at with a stone This is a further description of ice which is hard as a stone and clear as chrystal so great is the force of frost how much more then of God to do whatsoever he pleaseth And the face of the deep is frozen Some deep Rivers are ice to the bottom so that loaden carâ—s are driven over fires made upon them meat dressed c. as was here upon the Thames in the great Erost some forty five years since Yea some seas are over-frozen Juvenal speaks of the icy Ocean in the Northern part of the world the ice thereof when once thawed floteth in the waters like huge mountaines as in Greenland c. Verse 31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades That is Restrain the pleasantnesse of the Spring or asswage the sharpnesse of winter that cold and comfortlesse Quarter There is none beside God who can either forbid flowers to break forth in the Spring tide Averni temporis significatione or else cause them to flourish in winter The Pleiades otherwise called Virgiliae and the Hens are the seven Stars in the end of Aries They are in Hebrew called Chimah of Chamah to love ardently because of the fellowship and working together that appeareth in them They have all one name because they all help one another in the work which is to bring the Spring and like seven Sisters or Lovers so are they joyned together in one Constellation and in one company We see saith One that God will have the sweetest works in Nature to be perfected by mutual help The best time of the year cometh with these Pleiades and the best time of our life cometh when we enter into true love and fellowship Or lose the bands of Orion Which is a Star that ariseth in the beginning of Winter Nimbosus Orion Virg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turbare concitare and draweth foul weather after him as with bands these can no man â—â—â—e for Winter never rotteth in the Aire as the Proverb hath it nor is it fit it should for it is of very great use for mellowing of the earth killing of worms and 〈◊〉 c. Neither can the Spring come kindly till Orion have prepared the way God will have us suffer before we reigne The word Chesil here used sigâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to perfect because saith One by suffering and offering violence to our selves we enter into perfection Luke 13 32. If we would have a pleasant Spring of graces in our hearts we must first have a nipping winter The Spirit of Mortification must be like the cold Star Orion to nip our quick motions in the head and to bind all our unclean desires and burning lusts that they stir not in us and unless we do thus the delights of Pleiades or the seven Stars of comfort shal never appear to us Verse 32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth Or the Twelve Signes or the Southern Stars that bring in Summer Lucifer some render it others the Hyades and others again every one of the stars or signs It is like it was some one star very well known in those dayes as were likewise the rest here mentioned and put for the four seasons of the year Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons Or Bootes with his waine those Northern stars or Autumne with his yearly fruits the gift and work of God alone Of Arcturus Hierome observeth that semper versatur nunquam mergitur this is most true of Christs Church much tossed never drowned Verse 33. Knâ—west thou the Ordinances of heaven Either how to order them as Master over them Diod. or to comprehend what they are certainly and perfectly Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth As well in regard of the motion of the heavens which varieth the seasons of the year as of the influences and vertue which cometh from thence For they who think that the superior bodies have no power at all upon these inferiour do go against common sense and experience yea this and many other texts of Scriptures which yet make nothing at all for that Judiciary Astrology so much cryed up in these last and worst dayes of the world by some who would have the manners studies and events of every man to depend upon the stars yea the rise and ruine of Kingdomes Arts Religion c. Verse 34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds Thy commanding voice as Numb 9 23. Some render it Thy thunder Will the clouds obey thee and rain upon thee at thy pleasure Something thou maist get by thy prayers as Elias did James 5 17. and the thundering Legion in the Ecclesiastical history but nothing by command or compulsion The Monarch of Mexico is a mad man to take an Oath at his Coronation Lopez de Gomara that it shall be what weather soever he pleaseth all the time of his Raigne Verse 35 Canst thou send lightnings Nunquid emittes Canst thou send forth lightnings and thunder-bolts as hurtful Creatures out of the Cave wherein they are kept Or as so many souldiers or servants to do as thou commandest them The Poets faine that Mercury had once a mind to steal Jupiters thunder-bolts but durst not lest they should burn his fingers Histories tell us of a King of Egypt and of Caligula the Roman Emperor that they attempttd to thunder and lighten Admirari duntaxat potest efficere non potest Brent but with very ill success Job is here told that that is too hard a work for any creature to do Verse 36. Who hath put wisdome in the inward parts Hitherto God hath set forth his own admirable Power Wisdome and providence in making and governing the life-less creatures the Meteors especially Now he comes to declare the same in things endued with life and first with man his Master-piece who hath given him wisdom saith God in the inward parts or reines where the reasonable soul sitteth and soveraigneth The Hebrewes say That the heart understandeth and the raines deliberate They haue their name here from plaistering over or covering because they are over-covered with fat and flesh howbeit the Lord tryeth them Jer. 17.10 and hath given wisdome to man to moderate his affections and concupiscences which are here seated and to get truth into these inward parts Psalm 51.6 that this hidden man of the heart may be highly accepted in heaven 1 Pet. 3.4 Or who hath given understanding to the heart To the Cock saith the Vulgar Latine after the Talmudists and Jew-Doctors who teach their
before the battle be fought And can this be of any one but the Lord. Our Saviour alludeth to this Text Mat 24.28 Where the carcasse is there will the Eagles be also See my Note on that place CHAP. XL. Verse 1. Moreover the Lord answered Job and said HIC verisimile est aliquantispèr Deum tacuisse saith Mercer Here it is likely that God held his peace a while and seeing that Job replyed not he added the following words the more fully to convince and affect him There is somewhat to do to reduce a sinner from the error of his way yea though he be in part regenerate the flesh will play its part against the Spirit This must be considered and all gentleness used to those that offend of infirmity aster Gods example here Verse 2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him Or An disputare cum Omnipotente est eruditio Is it wisdom to contend with the Almighty No but the greatest folly and sottishnesse Job might think otherwise so long as he compared himself with others but being once set by God in his superexcellencies considered he shall see his owne nothingnesse and sit down in silence and patience though severely tryed and sharply afflicted He that reproveth God let him answer it Answer it if he can or else yeeld the cause Praestat herbam dare quà m turpitèr pugnare But if Job have yet further a mind to question and quarrel God in any his wayes and works let it be heard what answer he can returne to what hath been already spoken Verse 3. Then Job answered the Lord and said 'T was time for him if ever to stoop to the Most High so far condescending to his meannesse and to answer his expectation by acknowledging a fault and promising amendment Lo this is the guise of a godly person He may be out but he will not usually be obstinate An humble man will never be an Heretick convince him once and he will yeeld Not so the obstinate and uncounsellable person he runs away with conviction as the unruly horse doth with the bit between his teeth and his wit will better serve him to devise a thousand shifts to elude the truth than his pride will suffer him once to yield to it and acknowledge his errour Verse 4. Behold I am vile Light and little worth and therefore deserve to beslighted and laid by as a broken vessel The humble man vilifies yea nullifies himself before God as Abraham Gen. 18.27 as Agur Prov. 30.2 as Paul Ephes 3.8 as that Martyr who cryed out Gehenna sum Domine Lord thou art heaven but I am hell c. Tantillitas nostra saith Ignatius of himself and his colleagues Behold 1 am an abject saith Job here contemptible and inconsiderable This was well but not all an excellent confession but not full enough his meannesse he acknowledgeth and that he was no fit match for God but not his sinfulnesse with desire of pardon and deprecation of punishment God therefore gives him not over so but sets upon him a second time vers 6. and brings him to it chap. 42.1 There must be some proportion betwixt a mans sin and his repentance Ezra 9. and this God will bring all his Jobs to ere he leave them What shall I answer thee I am silenced and set down I see there is no reasoning against thee I acknowledge thy greatnesse so plainly and plentifully demonstrated in the fore-going discourse and am well pleased that thou shouldest be justified when thou speakest and over-come when thou judgest Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 I will lay my hand upon my mouth I that have spoken more freely and boldly then I ought Et ore patulo multa sine judicio effutivi and have opened my mouth more wide then was meet will henceforth be better advised and keep my mouth with a bridle or muzzle as Psal 39.1 See the Note on chap. 21. vers 5. Verse 5. Once have I spoken but I will not answer 'T is enough of that Once The Saints running out and meeting with a bargain of sin come back by weeping-crosse and cry What have I to do any more with wickednesse Hos 14.8 Judah knew his daughter Tamar no more Gen. 38.26 If I have done iniquity I will do no more chap. 34.31 32. That was Elihu's counsel and now it is Jobs practise Tea Twice That is Often so eager was I set upon a dispute This was an Aggravation of Jobs sin the committing of it again and again Numbers added to numbers are first ten times more then an hundred then a thousand c. This hath been thy manner from thy youth Jeremiah 22.21 that was an ill businesse But I will proceed no further sc In this controversie I will not come into the lists to contend with thee I see there is no safety in such a contest In many things we offend all saith St. James and he is a perfect man who sinneth not with his tongue But as he who hath drunk poyson maketh haste to cast it up again ere it get go the vitals so should we deal by our daily misdoings It is not falling into the water that drowns a man but lying long under it Bewaile thy sin and hasten to get out of it Verse 6. Then answered the Lord unto Job out of a Whirl-Wind As before chap. 38.1 notwithstanding Jobs submission See the reason on vers 4. God took his out-bursts against him so very ill that he is not easily pacified but the better to abase Job and quite to break the neck of his pride he answereth him again angerly not by a soft and still voice as he dealt by Eliah but out of the whirl-wind though with some abatement of terrour as Rainban conceiveth from the leaving out here the notificative Article set before Segnarab the whirl-wind in the 38 chapter Peter was not over-forward to comfort those that were prickt at heart with sense of sin and fear of wrath but presseth them yet further to repent Act. 2.38 Men are apt to slight and slubber over the work doing it to the halves and must therefore be held hard to it lest it should not be done to purpose Verse 7. Gird up thy loynes now like a man Resume new strength and prepare your self for a second encounter for I have not yet done with you If therefore you think your self able to stand in contention with me shew your valour See the Note on chap. 38.3 Verse 8. Wilt thou also disannul my judgement Dost thou think to ruin my justice to establish thine own innocency and wilt thou needs be a superiour judge over me Wilt thou not revoke thy former expostulations and complaints against me and with open mouth give me my due glory Here God sheweth his dissatisfaction with Jobs former confession Wilt thou condemne me that thou maiest be righteous Job had bolted out some words that either tended to this purpose or seemed so to do to the just grief offence of his
cadent damnabunâ—ur at the Great Assizes they shall bee cast and condemned Revel 6.17 For the great day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear 1 Pet. 4.18 Surely no where but in Hell their own place Acts 1.25 not before God for he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult and they chaff or stubble fully dried See Isa 33.14 Not before Christ for he shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance c. 2 Thess 1.7 not in Heaven for it 's an undefiled inheritance neither may any dirty Dogge trample on that golden pavement Revel 22.15 Not any longer on Earth defiled by their iniquities and therefore to bee purged by the fire of the last Day for the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 R. David Kimchi by Judgement here understandeth the day of the wicked mans death and indeed his Deaths-day is his Doomesday when he must take a fearful farewell and breath out his Soul and hope together with the breath of the same dying groan Job 27.8 11.20 Hinc illae Lachrymae hence that loth-to-depart though some set a good face upon it when to dye as Sir Thomas Moore who dyed for the Popes Supremacy with a light jest in his mouth Vespasian likewise dyed with a jest and Augustus in a Complement This was but the Hypocrisie of mirth for Death is the King of terror to a Natural man See Heb. 2.15 1 Sam. 15.32 28.20 Saul at the message of death swooned quite away and fell all along Quantus quantus erat as Peter Martyr phraseth it yea good Hezekiah wept when sentenced to death and the approach of it was to him Mar mar bitter bitterness Isa 38.3.17 he must have his faith at his fingers ends as one saith that will dye actively But all men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 and those few that have are not always assured that their hearts shall live for ever as Psal 22.26 and that Death the Devils Serjeant to drag wicked men to Hell shall be to them the Lords Gentleman-usher to conduct them to Heaven as Mr. Brightman expresseth it Nor Sinners in the Congregation of the righteous They shall never set foot within heavens Threshold within that general Assembly that sacred Panegyris ample Amphitheatre the Congregation-house of crowned Saints and glorious Angels Tertullian saith of Pompies Theatre which was the greatest ornament of old Rome that it was Arx omnium turpitudinum a receptacle of all kind of Ribaldry and Roguery Not so Heaven There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye Rev. 21.27 Augustin The Irish air will sooner brook a Toad or a Snake than Heaven a Sinner Mali in area nobiscum esse possunt in horreo non possunt Chaff may be with Gods good Corn on the floor but in the Garner it shall not For Christ will throughly purge his floor and gather his Wheat into the Garner but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire Mat. 3.12 Vers 6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Or acknowledgeth approveth administreth and ordereth all things to their eternal Salvation as may appear by the opposition wherein there is a Rhetorical Aposiopesis Gods knowledge of men and their ways is not meerly Intuitive but Approbative of the good and Vindictive of the evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Providence which is the carrying on of his Decree is that helm which turns about the wholeship of the Universe with singular skill and justice Dominus diligit dirigit viam id est vitam omne institutum justorum See Psal 37.18 142.4 Nahum 1.7 Prov. 2.8 with the notes there God knows the righteous by name Exod. 33.17 knows them for his own looks upon them and their whole course with singular delight and complacency they are his Hephzibah Isa 62.4 the dearly beloved of his Soul Jer. 12.7 Verba notitiae apud Hebraos secum trahunt affectum But the way of the ungodly shall perish Their practices and persons shall perish together be done away be lost for ever And why because the Lord knoweth them not unless it be for black Sheep as we say or rather for reprobate Goats Mat. 25. Hence their Souls are flung out as out of the middle of a sling when the Souls of the Saints are bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord their God 1 Sam. 25.29 PSAL. II. Vers 1 VVHy do the Heathen rage Why or for what The Psalm beginneth abruptly with an angry interrogation q.d. What are they mad to attempt such things as whereof they can neither give any good reason nor expect any good effect The Lord Christ of whom David was both a Father and a Figure as here appeareth shall surely reign maugre all the rage and resistance of his enemies who may seem to be ambitious of their own destruction and are therefore in this Psalm schooled and counselled to desist Nothing is more irrational than irreligion Why do the Heathen tumultuously rage or hurtle together Fremunt ferociunt When the Philistines heard that David was made King in Hebron they came up to seek him and to unking him 2 Sam. 5.17 so the Heathen and People that is Gentiles and Jews would have dealt by Christ Acts 4.25 26. The Devil ever since hee was cast out of Heaven tumultuateth and keepeth ado so do unruly spirits acted and agitated by him Dan. 6.15 Then those men kept a stir with the King against Daniel it is the same Hebrew word that is here and possibly Daniels spirit might think of Davids terms John 11.33 Jesus troubled himself but after another manner than these his enemies his passions were without mud as clear water in a Chrystal Glass what was an act of power in Christ is an act of weakness if not of wickedness in others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 4.25 The Apostles Greek word for this in the text denoteth rage pride and fierceness as of Horses that Neigh and rush into the Battel And the people imagine Heb. meditate or mutter a vain thing an empty design that shall come to noting Niteris incassum Christi submergere puppem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illaratis Dipt may the Churches Ship be but not drown'd Christ will not fail her enemies to confound Some think that by this muttering people are meant such as act not open outrages against Christ but yet in words murmur and mutiny whispering Treason Vers 2. The Kings of the earth set themselves Or stand up as if they would do the deed and bear down all before them The many had acted their part vers 1. and now the mighties shew themselves but go off again with shame enough The Spanish Frier used to say there were but few Princes in Hell and why because there were but few in all It was a
good prayers in answer whereunto one saith well Si magicae Deus non vult tales si piae non per tales God heareth not good prayers from a bad man as that State in story would not hear a good motion from an ill mouth or as wee cannot indure to hear sweet words from a stinking breath The bloud of a Swine might not be offered in Sacrifices though better to look upon than the bloud of a Sheep Vers 4. Stand in awe and sin not Be stirred or commoved or troubled Tremble and sin not But now adays the Word and the World too is altered for men sin and tremble not being arrived at that dead and dedolent disposition of those Heathens who were past feeling Ephes 4.18 19. St. Paul rather alludeth to this text Eph. 4.6 than citeth it as some think Commune with your own heart upon your bed Advise with your Pillow what you have to do in a business so important as the practice of Repentance whereunto I am now exhorting you Here then examine your selves prove your own selves as 2 Cor. 13.5 Sift you sift you Zeph. 2.1 Recoil turn short again upon your selves thrust your hands into your bosoms as Moses did and took it out again Leprous white as snow Take a review of your hearts and lives converse with your selves a wise man can never want with whom to discourse though he be alone But as it is a sign that there are great distempers in that Family where Husband and Wife go divers days together and speak not the one to the other so in that Soul that flyeth from it self and can go long without Self-examination A good mans business lieth most within doors and he taketh the fittest time night or day for the better dispatch of it though thereby he abridge himself of his Natural rest Mr. Bradford the young Lord Harrington and sundry others kept Journals or Day-books and oft read them over for an help to Humiliation And be still Selah Or make a pause dwell upon the work of self-examination till you have made somewhat of it till you have driven it up to a Reformation as Lam. 3.39 40. Let us try and turn The word signifieth Be dumb and hereupon all our Silentiaries have founded their superstitious opinions and practices such as were those old Monks of Egypt who saith Cassian were umbrarum morè silentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as speechless as Ghosts So the Carthusian Monks at this day who speak together but once a week Some kind of Anabaptists also will not speak a word to any but those of their own Sect. Vers 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness Confess your sins and slay them run to him who is the propitiation Jesus Christ the righteous present your bodies a living Sacrifice bring a contrite spirit to do good and to communicate forget not c. else you offer the sacrifice of fools as Eccles 5.1 and not of righteousness here The Chaldee hath it Domate concupiscenti as sacrifice and subdue your lusts And put your trust in the Lord It is well observed that God brings men home by a contrary way to that they fell from him We fell from him by distrust by having him in a jealousie as if he aimed more at himself than at our good Wee return to him by having a good conceit of him that he loves us better than we can love our selves and therefore that we ought to put our trust in him both in life and death Vers 6. There be many that say Who will shew us c. This is Vox populi the common cry Studium improborum vagum good they would have but pitch not upon the true good It was well observed that he who first called Riches Bona goods was a better Husband than Divine but the most are such Husbands O siquis daret ut videâ—mus bonum Who will help us to a good bargain a good estate c. but God the chief good is not in all their thoughts they minde not communion with him or conformity to him which is the Bonum hominis Mic. 6.8 the totum hominis Eccles 12.13 the one thing necessary though nothing is less thought upon What are these outward comforts so much affected and admired saith Plato but Dei ludibria banded up and down like Tennis Balls from one to another A Spiritual man heeds not wealth or at least makes it not his business What tell you me of Money saith Paul I need it not but to further your reckoning Phil. 4.1 And David having spoken of those rich and wretched people that have their portion herein all abundance Psal 17.14 concludeth I neither envie their store nor covet their happiness it is enough for me that when I awake so at the Resurrection of the just I shall be full of thine Image vers ult Christ who had all riches scorned these Bona scabelli earthly riches he was born poor lived poor dyed poor for as Austin observeth when Christ dyed he made no will c. and as he was born in another mans house so he was buried in another mans tombe And yet he was and still is God blessed for ever Cicero indeed writing to Atticus would have one friend wish to another three things only viz. to enjoy Health possess Honour and not suffer Necessity How much better Pauls with Grace Mercy and Peace or Davids desire here Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us One good cast of Gods countenance was more to David than all this Worlds wealth than a confluence of all outward comforts and contentments He had set up God for his chief good and the light of Gods loving Countenance was the guide of that way that leadeth to that good and hence his importunity he cannot draw breath but in that air nor take comfort in any thing without Gods gracious aspect and some comings in from Christ It is better saith one to feel Gods favour one Hour in our repenting Souls than to sit whole Ages under the warmest Sun-shine that this world affordeth Saith not David so much in the next words Vers 7. Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than c. Joys unspeakable and full or glory 1 Pet 1.8 We read of some godly men that they have been overwhelmed with Spiritual joy till they have cried out Hold Lord stay thine hand I can bear no more like weak eyes that cannot endure to bear the light Indeed Bain Letterâ— this is not every good mans case witness that saying of sweet Master Bain I thank God in Christ sustentation I have but suavities spiritual I taste not any And that of holy Rolloc Whiles I live I never look to see perfect Reformation in the Church or to feel perfect ravishing joys in mine heart But those Gods people have are far beyond all Carnal comforts Than in the time that their Corn c. These indeed are the precious fruits of the earth Jam. 5.7 but they seal not up
special favour A man may have together with them animam triticeam as that rich fool had Animas etiam incarnavimus as a Father complaineth These outward things are got within men and have stolen away their warmest and liveliest affections from God Not so in the Saints They must have God or else they dye The people mourned and put on black when they heard that God would not go with them himself but send an Angel with them Exod. 33.2 3. And when great gifts were sent to Luther he sent them back again with this brave speech I will not be put off with these poor things I look for better Let God bestow himself upon me and it sufficeth As with Manna there fell a dew so to a good Soul together with Corn and Wine be it more or less there is a secret influence of God which the carnal heart is not acquainted with A fly cannot make that of a Flower that a Bee can do The treacherous Shechemites had plenty of Corn and Wine Judg. 9.27 but having not the grace of God withall they were soon after destroyed by Abimelech Vers 8. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep Heb. In peace together will I lye down and sleep that is saith the Syriack interpreter Non solum cubabo sed etiam Dormiam I will not only lye down but also sleep which many cannot do for fears and cares those Gnats that keep them waking The Arabick hath it I sleep as securely in adversity as those can that are in prosperity Others thus I wil lay me down together with the joy before spoken of and confidence in God this shall be my Bed-fellow and then I am sure to rest sweetly and safely For Thou Lord only makest thou settest me in safety thou givest to thy beloved sleep Psal 127.2 that is extraordinary quiet refreshing sleep as the learned note upon the Aleph quiescent in 〈◊〉 which is not usual PSAL. V. TO the chief Musician See on Psal 4. title Vpon Nehiloth Upon Wind-instruments Pneumatica tribulata The Rabbins say that this Psalm was made and appointed to be sung concerning Doeg and Ahitophel Vers 1. Give ear to my words O Lord David knew him to be a Prayer-hearing God Psal 65.2 and that his ears were always open as the doors of the Roman Aediles were to hear complaints and requests hence this prayer Consider my meditation i. e. the conception of my soul uttered with a low voyce Murmur meuns Hieron but with most vehement affection All this Mussitationeâ—â— meam the Hebrew word importeth Vers 2. Hearken unto the voyce of my cry He thrice repeats the same request to shew the greatness of his grief and the necessity of help from Heaven Let mind and mouth spirit and speech go together in prayer and then its right the voyce of the Heart is simply necessary Moses cried to God at the red Sea though he said nothing The voyce of the lips is of great use also 1. For preventing of distraction 2. For exciting devotion My King And therefore help O King as she said 2 King 5.24 And my God who art in covenant with me both offensive and defensive For unto thee will I pray Thou art the proper object of Prayer as being Omnipresent Omniscient Omnipotent and a God in covenant with thy people Vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My voyce shalt thou hear in the morning That fittest season usually for Prayer or any other serious business The very Heathens chose the morning chiefly for Sacrifice as Nestor in Homer the Argonauts in Apollonius The Persian Magi sang Hymns to their Gods at break of day and worshipped the rising Sun The Pinarii and Potitii certain Idolatrous Priests sacrificed every morning and Evening to Hercules upon the great Altar at Rome The Jews counted and called it an Abomination of desolation if at any time the Morning and Evening Sacrifice to the Lord were intermitted So should Christians if they offer not unto him twice a day at least viz. Morning and Evening prayers and praises Mass and Meat hinder no mans thrift say the very Papists A whet is no let a bait by the way hindreth not the journey so neither doth prayer in a morning hinder a mans business be it never so hasty or weighty but furthereth it rather Cardinal Wolsie though hee were Lord Chancellour His Life and Death by his Gentle Ush pag. 18. when he came in a morning out of his privie Chamber would not go abroad till he had heard two Masses nor go to bed at night with any part of his service unsaid no not so much as one Collect. Mahometans what occasion soever they have by profit or pleasure pray constantly five times a day Christians have a charge to continue instant in prayer and to let all business wait upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.12 with Act. 6.4 David knew that if prayer stand still the trade of godliness standeth still He therefore will be up and at it betimes and rather break his sleep than leave such a duty undone In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Or look out spy like a Watch-man Gnarach Or dinavit aciem disposuit Tsaphah Speculando expectavit Two Military words the Prophet here maketh use of hee would not only pray but marshal up his prayers put them in array And when he had done he would be as a Spy upon a Tower to see whether he prevailed whether he got the day Some men pray of course or as a task but never look after their prayers or mark what answer This is very great folly and oscitancy Who sends forth a Ship and waits not for the return thereof Who shoots an Arrow or casts a Boul and looks not where it lights Prayer is the Souls Arrow Angle Seed Dove Messenger c. And they that take not notice how they speed deal as scofling Pilat did who scornfully asked Christ What 's truth but stay'd not for the answer If God shall hearken what David speaketh David must likewise hearken what God will speak He must look up to God if God shall look out of himself to David sith he humbleth himself to behold things done in Heaven Psalm 113.6 by a wonderful condescension how much more then to look upon man that is a Worm and the Son of man that is a Worm Job 25.6 Tantus tantillum Vers 4. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness As the Kings of the Earth have saith R. Solomon Alexander the Great promising a Crown of one hundred and eighty pound to those of his Guests that drank most caused one and forty to kill themselves with drinking for that Crown King Charls the Ninth of France gave one Albertus Tudius an Hucksters Son six hundred thousand Crowns Camera Med. Hâ—stor to teach him to swear with a grace But God perfectly hateth wickedness and wicked persons There were more
which when his Nobles wondred he told them this he did not as he was King of the Draves but as he was King of another World wherein these should be his companions and fellow-Princes He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Covetousnesse he so hateth that first hee will rather suffer losse than be worse than his oath or honest word secondly he lendeth looking for nothing again thirdly hee taketh no reward against the innocent either as a Judge or as a Pleader Of many swearers it may be said that they can play with oaths as Children do with Nuts or as Monkies do with their collars which they can slip off at their pleasure And of many promisers that they are like the Peacock all in changable colours as often changed as moved But this is not the guise of Gods people Tertul. The Jews at this day keep no oath unlesse they swear upon their own Tâ—rah or Law brought out of their Synagogues The Turks keep no oath further than may stand with their own convenience The Papists hold that faith is not to be kept with Hereticks and they practice accordingly But the old Romans had a great care alwaies to perform their word whatever it cost them insomuch that the first Temple built in Rome was dedicated to the Goddesse Fidelity In after times indeed Romanis promittere promptumerat promissis autem quanquam juramentâ— firmatis minime stare The Romans were forward to promise and swear Procop. de bel Persic lib. 1. but carelesse to perform if Mirrhanes the Persia Generall may be beleeved But an oath was ever held amongst all Nations a sacred bond and obligatory unlesse it were contra bonos more 's as the Lawyers speak Josuah and the Elders kept their oath to the Gibeonites though to their inconvenience Zedekiah was punished for not keeping touch with the King of Babylon And one of the laws of the Knights of the Band in Spain was that if any of them broke his promise hee went alone by himself and no body spake to him nor he to any Vers 5. He that putteth not out his mony to usury To biting usury so some distinguish it from Tarbith the toothlesse usury But both these are condemned Ezek. 18.8 13. and no man of note in all Antiquity Jews and Manichees excepted for one thousand five hundred years after Christ hath ever undertaken the defence thereof Here and Neh. 5. it is plainly cryed down neither is there any ground in Scripture for that distinction of usury into biting and toothlesse The Bever biteth so sore as that he never looseth his teeth untill he have broke the bones Nor taketh reward against the innocent Olim didici quid sint munera said one A good man as he despiseth the gain of oppressions so he shaketh his hands from holding of bribes Isa 33.15 lest the touching thereof should infect and benumme him as Pliny writeth of the fish Torpedo and as Histories report of Demosthenes that great Lawyer tempted and prevailed with against right by poising Harpalus his goblet Hee that doth these things For not the hearers of the law but the doers shall be justified Rom. 2.13 And to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality shall bee eternall life Vers 7. Shall never be moved Potest in momentum moveri sed non in aeternum resurget â—nim saith R. Solomon here Moved he may be for a time but not removed for ever His soul is bound up in the bundle of life near unto the throne of glory when the souls of the Wicked are restlesse as a stone in the midst of a sling saith the Targum in 1 Sam. 25. PSAL. XVI MIchtam of David i.e. Davids precious Jewel or Psalm of Gold propter mirificans ejus excellentiam better worth than its weight in gold Insignis Oâ— Davidis Tren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prae corona aâ— stimatur hic Psalmus R. Solomon both for the matter thereof and the meeter Aureum flumen orationis said Cicero concerning Aristotles Politicks there is in that Book a golden flood of discourse and Liber iste aurâ— contra non carus said Another concerning the Lives of the Philosophers written by Disgenes Laertius No gold is comparable to that gallant piece How much more may the same be said of this notable Psalm as that which beside many other remarkable matters lively setteth forth the mysterie of Christ his passion and resurrection with the fruit of both this hee doth more like an Evangelist than a Prophet and may therefore be called as likewise Isaiah is the Evangelical Prophet And whereas saith learned Beza hee calleth the Messiah Chasid vers 10. that is as I interpret it that Man upon whom the Father hath most plentifully powred out all his grace and bounty which also we all draw from him alone by faith David seemeth in this one word to have summed up the whole Doctrin of the Gospell Vers 1. Preserve mee O God Keep mee safe unto the Kingdome both temporall and eternall which thou hast promised mee and now that I am flying to the Philistines for shelter 1 Sam. 27.1 for that is held to be the time when he composed this golden Psalm guard mee guide mee keep mee by thy power through faith unto salvation This prayer of his David was well assured should be granted and therefore hee giveth thanks Vers 7. For in thee do I put my trust This was a most powerfull plea for to trust God is the highest honour wee can do him it is to set the Crown upon his head See Judge 9.15 And if such shall be forsaken God will be a great loser in his glory whereof hee is very tender Vers 2. O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Or I have said unto the Lord and so I had rather read it with Hierome and the Septuagint because the letter Jod may be wanting in Amarti See the like Job 42.2 Ezek 16.59 David was here extra se abreptus carried beyond himself and so might easily speak short and say Amart for Amarti like as Moses in a passion said to God At for Attâ— Num. 11.15 as not able to speak out Amâ—r Dei eft ecstaticus c. Thou art my Lord Heb. Thou my Lord so the next words My good not unto theâ—â— all concise and abrupt out of deepest affection broken language from a broken spirit spending and exhaling it self into Gods blessed bosome My goodnesse extendeth not to thee But if it did I could with all my heart beteem it thee even the very best of my best but what can I give thee save only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sith all is thine own I Chrow 29 14.16 Psal 24.1 thou needest no sacrifices Psal 50.8 neither art thou delighted therein Psal 51.18 Isa 1.11 All that thou requirest is mercy Hâ—s 6.6 Mis. 6.8 Mat. 12.7 Therefore I will seek out those thy Receivers the Saints that are in the earth
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
vix corpus traho I am a pittifull poor creature and in a most heavy Condition as appeareth by my gate my gesture my looks and habit See Psal 35.14 Vers 7. Faemora meâ— prorsus occupat atdens ulcus Vat. In quit us est concupiscentia Theodoret For my loyns are filled with a loothsome disease The loins those seats of lust are now grievously inflamed and pained with some impostumated matter or pestilentiall carbuncle Morbo vilissim quem nominare dedecet saith Aben-Ezra God oft punisheth sinne in kind and speaketh to the Conscience in its own Language that such a sicknesse was the fruit of such a sin And there is no soundnesse in my flesh Principium dulce est sed finis Amoris amarus Lata venire Venus tristis abire solet Sinne is as the poysen of Aspes which first tickleth him that is stung and maketh him laugh till by little and little it gets to the heart and then puts him to intollerable torture Vers 8. I am feeble and sore broken Through the length and nature of my distemper Isai 38.10 12. The same Hebrew word signifieth pining sicknesse and a thâ—â—â— because of the thinnesse and weaknesse of it I have 〈◊〉 But not repined this nature prompteth to when we are in extremity and grace is not against it Vers 9 Lord all my desire is before thee Confused desires broken requests if from a 〈◊〉 spirit are upon the file of heaven and stand before God till they may have an answer And my 〈…〉 hid from thee No not my breathing Lam. 3.56 God 〈…〉 groaning of his people go to his heart Vers 10. 〈…〉 Heb. 〈…〉 tossed and â—ro circuivit cor moum inordinate movetur et non quiescit saith Aben-Ezra The Hebrew word signifieth such a kind of motion as that of Merchant who runne up and down from one Countrey to another Also the two last Radical are doubled to note that it is more than an ordinary stirring and motion of the spirit because it is not come to its rest All earthly things to the soul are but as the air to the stone can give it no stay till it come to God the center As the circle is the perfectest figure because it beginneth and endeth the points do meet together as Mathematicians give the reason the last point meeteth in the first from whence it came So shall wee never come to perfection or satisfaction saith a Reverend man till our souls come to God till God make the circle meet c. The Wicked wallâ— the round from one creature to another Plas 12.9 but they come not at God and hence they are so dis-satisfied Return to thy rest Heb. Rests saith David to his soul that is to God to whom hee here maketh his moan Miser anime varias subinde partes abreptus me deserit As for the light of mine eyes that lumen amicum of mine eyes is almost quite benighted Vers 11. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore Heb. Praehorrore detrectantes accedere Trem. â—ry strank which therefore some Jew-Doctors will have to bee the Leprosy which was noysome and contagious and therefore by the Law of God none were to come near such So among the Persians none might come neer a Pisaga so they called a Leper and therefore Magabyzus having offended Artaxerxes Ctes Pers kept himself five years from Court pretending himself a Leper and in that space made his peace with the King But in Davids friends who dealt thus with him it was not so much fear of danger as pride and perfidy that made them deny him all duty and friendship Psal 31.11 Job was so used Chap. 6.15 Sophoc Val. Mar. Plutarch in Alex. and our Saviour when hee hung naked on the Crosse Luk 23.49 and St. Paul when hee made his defence before Nero 2 Tim. 4.16 So was not Orestes by his friend Pylades nor Damâ—n by his Pythias nor Achilles by Patrâ—clus which made Alexander cry out O felicem juvenem Trouble tryeth who are friends who traytors Vers 12. They also that seek after my life That seek and would suck my blood As his friends were slack to help him so his foes were active to hurt him This David relateth before the Lord that hee may pitty him and be so much the more ingaged to him for hee knew that where humane help faileth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine beginneth Speak mischievous things Exitialia such things as wring from mee that lamentable voice Woe and Alasse woefull evills voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And imagine deceits Or Murmure Vers 13. But I as a deaf man heard not But possessed my soul in patience in quietnesse and confidence was my strength Isa 30.15 As they were Masters of their tongues so was I of mine ears Hee that cannot bear calumnies reproaches and injuries cannot live faith Chytraeus let him even make up his pack and get him out of the World Vitus Theodorus sends to advise with Melancthon what to do when Osiander preached against him Melancthon desired him for Gods sake to make no reply but to behave himself as a deaf man that heard not Vitus writeth back that this was very hard yet he would obey Another bravely answered one that railed upon him Facile est in me dicore cum non sim responsurus Thou maiest speak what thou wilt but I will hear no more than I list and punish thee with silence or rather with a merry contempt Princes use not to chide 〈◊〉 Embassadours offer them indecencies but to deny them audience That man certainly enjoyeth a brave composednesse who setteth himself above the flight of the injurious claw And I was as a dumb man c. He answered them by silence and taciturnity which is the best answer to words of scorn and petulancy Thus Isaac his Brother Ismael and our Saviour Pilat Herod and Caiaphas and Giles of Brassels when the barking Fryers reviled him held his peace continually insomuch that those blasphemers would say abroad that he had a dumb Devil in him Act. Mâ—n 811. This is a great victory not to render evill for evill or railing for railing a Pet. 3.9 Nihil fortius nihil magis egregiam quam audire 〈…〉 saith Cassiodore nothing is more and return no answer As on the contrary 〈…〉 he goes by the worst that hath the better faith Basit And Sile funestam dedisti plagam saith 〈◊〉 Say nothing in such a case and thou thereby givest thine adversary a deadly blow Vers 14. Thus was I 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 He doubleth his speech to shew his holy pertinacy in a prudent and patient silence though greatly provoked David was as it is reported of 〈◊〉 the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 careful of what was to be done by him but careless of what was said of him by others As Augustus he did but laugh at the Satyrs and Buffonerâ—â—â— published against him He knew that as Physical
Saepe nigrum cor est capue albium Satan maketh a prey of old Salomon Asa Lot others whom when young hee could never so deceive The Heathens therefore well warn us to look well to our old age as that which cometh not alone but is infested with many diseases both of body and minde This David knew and therefore prayed as here Cast me not off in the time of old age for sake me not when my strength faileth He is a rare old man that can say with Caleb Josh 14.10 11. Omnia fert atâ—â— animum quoque Vers 10. For mine enemies Who rather than their lives would bereave me of mine these would double murther me first by detraction and then by deadly practice Vers 11. God hath forsaken him For his late fin against Vriah and as may appear by his present distress his forlorn proscribed condition Vers 12. O God be not farre from me The insolency of his enemies sets an edge upon his prayers Oratio sine malis est avis sine alis Our Saviour in his Agony prayed the more earnestly Luk. 22.44 Vers 13. Let them be confounded and consumed Here he beginneth Diris devovere to devote his foes to destruction who soon also found that these were not bruta fulmina as the Popes Bulls are wittily compared by one to a fools Dagger ratling and snapping without an edge but that there was an energy in them though haply not felt for present and that they had better have angered all the Witches in the Country than occasioned David thus to curse them in the Name of the Lord. Vers 14. But I will hope continually I will lengthen out mine hope as a line drawn out Tremellius renders it I am in expectation still of compleating thy praise and will go on therein viz. when thou shalt have compleated my deliverance Vers 15. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation Lo here a sweet and comfortable conjunction of Gods Righteousness and our Salvation See 2. Thess 1.6 7. For I know not the numbers thereof Or Though I know not c. by a modest correction sith they may be celebrated but not enumerated Littera quot conchas quot amaena rosaria flores Quotve soporiferum grana papaver habet Sylva feras quot alit quot piscibus unda natatur Et teneram pennis aera pulfat avis So many and ten thousand times more are Gods loving kindnesses The Psalmist elsewhere venteth himself by an Exclamation Psal 31.19 See the Note there Vers 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God Ingrediar in potentias Domini I will do what I can with Gods help in glorifying his Name though I cannot do as I would and as I ought Narrabo res inenarrabilos and then intreat those that hear me to think higher things of God than I am able to utter Evan of thine only For that is enough and more than I can well do I will not once mention as profane persons use to do mine own Wisdom valour c. alas they are not worthy to be named in the same day with thine Vers 17. O God thou hast taught me Happy David in such a School-master All the faithful are taught of God outwardly by his Word and Works inwardly by his Spirit Et quando Christâ—â—â—â—â—gister quam cite discitur quod decetur Aug. Ambros Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia Vers 18. Nâ—â— also what I am 〈◊〉 and rray-headed Now that the Plumb-tree is full of bloomes the map of age is figured in my sore-head the calendar of death appeareth in the furrows of my face let me do nothing to spot my white head Let me with the Sâ—n give greatest glimpse at the going down and with the Rose 〈…〉 though I have lost my colour See vers 9. And thy power to every one that is to come Mirus fervor David is in celebranda bonitate Dei saith Vatablus here David would propagate Gods praise to all posterity Vers 19. Thy righteousuess also O God is very bigh Farre above the reach of human reason yet for the strengthening of my hope I will look up after it though mine eye should be tired in the way Vers 20. Thou which bast shewed me great and sore troubles Augustias magnas malas and hast thereby taught me vers 17 Quae nocent docent Shall quicken me again And this is one singular height of thy righteousness that thou carryest thy people thorough so many deaths and causest them to ascend from the lowest ebbe of affliction to the highest pitch of comfort Stoicks ascribe such Occurrences to Fate Epicures to Fortune but David to God alone Vers 21. Thou shalt increase my greatness Meam id est Tuam quam mihi dedisti saith the Arabick gloss here My greatness that is thy greatness which thou hast given me Vers 22. I will also praise thee with the Psaltery In Organo natali with an instrument made like a bottle O thou holy one of Israel Who sanctifiest thine throughout and art to be sanctified of thine throughout all eternity Isa 5.16 Vers 23. And my soul which thou hast redeemed Heart and lips shall concur in this work The voyce which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which cometh from the depth of the breast The deeper and hollower the belly of the Lute or Viol is the pleasanter is the sound the fleeter the more grating and harsh in our ears Vers 24. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness Advisedly talk and upon due deliberation What a mad Edict was that of Henry the second of France that men should not talk at all of Scripture-matters And that of the Jesuites at Dola forbidding any talk of God either in good sort or in bad PSAL. LXXII A Psalm for Salomon Whom his Father David had crowned whilst yet alive and now at point of death leaveth him this his last bequeath as a Basilicon-doron a direction in point of Government and a prediction of a most flourishing reign thereupon This last he so describeth that by a spirit of Prophecy attributing eternity thereunto he riseth up from Salomon to Christ of whom hee was a type like as also the Promise made to David concerning Salomon and Christ was conceived in such terms by God himself as if they had been almost one and the same person 2 Sam. 7.13 14. 1 Chron. 22.10 Vers 1. Give the King thy Judgements O God i. e. Give me for that little time I have here to live and reign skill and will to do it aright and as thy Law requireth And thy righteousness unto the Kings Son To Salomon and his Successors for Davids great care was the welfare of Gods people after his decease for which end he both prayeth and principleth his Son Salomon and herein his great piety to the end appeareth I could not but love the man said Theodosius the Emperour concerning Ambrose who as whiles he lived he heartily wished that the
and known Hearing and seeing are the two learned senses whereby knowledge yea life entreth into the soul Prov. 2.2 10. Isa 55.3 And our Fathers have told us Have delivered down to us from hand to hand whetting upon us the written word Deut. 6.7 and adding thereunto for explication many other things fit to be known Vers 4. We will not hide them from their children The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 neither is any one born much less born again for himself but must be as usefull as may be in his Generation Paulum sâ—pultae distat iâ—ertiae Celata virtus Hor. The praises of the Lord The praise-worthy acts of God for his people and against their enemies for these two are not sundred Phil. 1.28 Vers 5. For he established a testimony in Jacob c. Lest any should attribute too much to ancient traditions and to shew that Antiquity must have no more authority than what it can maintain the Psalmist here as afterwards the Prophet Esay calleth them to the Law and to the Testimonies for if any speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.26 Vers 6. Who shall arise and declare them i. e. Succeed their Parents both in their place and office of teaching their posterity not suffering the truth which is after godliness Tit. 1.1 to fall and fall in the streets Isa 59.14 15. or if it do raising it up again and restoring it to their utmost Vers 7. That they might set their hope in God Summa legis divinae scopus this is a brief of the Bible viz. to beleeve in God and obey his law both which men shall the better do if they forget not his works Vers 8. And might not be as their Fathers Fathers are not alwaies to be followed Cicero Epist Ezek. 20.18 19. He zealously affected his Fathers but not well who said I will follow them sicut bos armentum eâ—iamsi â—uant though I fall with them A stubborn and rebellious Generation Aver satrix irritatrix A Generation that set not c. Double-minded men unstable in all their wayes Jam. 1.8 having religionem ephemeram as Beza said of Balduin that Ecebolius the second And whose spirit was not stedfast with God As was that Martyrs who said Though you may pluck the heart out of my body yet you shall never pluck the truth out of my heart The Heavens shall sooner fall said Another than I will forsake the Truth I have once received Vers 9. The children of Ephraim being armed c. This the Rabbines interpret of eight thousand Ephraimites who would needs break prison as it were out of Egypt before the time that God had set for their deliverance thence and seize upon Palestina the promised Land but with evill successe for they were slain by the men of Gath to the great grief of their Father Ephraim 1 Chron. 7.21 22 23. and to the increase of their servitude in Egypt Exod. 1. This is historia Caballica See R. Solomon on those words Exod. 15.14 the people shall hear and be afraid sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina who remembring what a slaughter they once made of these Ephraimites shall fear the just revenge of that cruelty Others interpret this text by Judg. 1.29 and some by 2 King 17. with Hos 10.6 7 8 c. but this to mee seemeth likeliest These are ancient things and of such the Psalmist promiseth to treat vers 2 3. Being armed and carrying bows Trusting to their own strength and warlike preparations and chusing rather to be counted temerarious than timorous Turned back in the day of battel Carnal confidence seldome comes home otherwise than weeping Vers 10. They kept not the Covenant c. And so betrayed themselves into the hands of divine justice they were worthily worsted See 2 Chron. 15.2 And refused walk in the law They were set upon it and would not be ruled by their Father Ephraim or any other that counselled them to the contrary and haply said the like to them that Archidamus did to his over-daring son Aut viribus adde aut animis adime Either adde to thy forces or abate of thy courage Vers 11. And forgat his works and his wonders Forgetfulness is a grave ingrato quicquid donatur deperditur all is lost that is conferred on an ungratefull person Vers 12. Marvellous things did he c. Whereof they were eye-witnesses and therefore could not plead ignorance or excuse The Hebrew hath it a marvel or a miracle collectivè In the field of Zoan Corruptly called afterward Tan and Tanis Ptolom Strabo a populous and principall City of Egypt even in Isaiahs time chap. 19. one hundred and eighty furlongs from Memphis saith Josephus there Moses wrought his miracles Vers 13. He divided the Sea Making it fordable for them and fixing those fluid waters like stone walls on each hand of them whiles they passed thorough with ease and safety Every main affliction is our Red-sea which while it threats to swallow preserveth us Vers 14. In the day-time also he led them with a cloud This cloud not only conducted them but also compassed them in on every side both to keep them from the parching heat of the Sun and to save them from the sight and violence of their enemies Exod. 13.21 A figure of Gods guidance of his Church and protection over the same Isa 4.5 Neh. 9.9 Vers 15. Hee clave the rocks And set them abroach both that in Rephidim Exod. 17. and the other in Cadesh Num. 20. Moses Nehamides on Exod. 17. saith that the old Jew-doctors held that the Rock of Rephidim not only yeelded waters like a river all those forty years wherein they were in the wilderness but followed them also there whithersoever they went This agreeth well with that of the Apostle St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.4 who sweetly allegorizeth this history As out of the great deeps i. e. In great abundance Rocks sooner yeeld fire than water but what cannot God do Ad 〈◊〉 usque Vers 16. He brought streams also out of the Rock Idem enuntiat per Epexegeâ—i ad miraculi magnitudinem ostendendam The same again to set forth the greatness of the miracle This was a standing miracle as was also the pillar of cloud the pillar of fire and the Manna Vers 17. And they sinned yet more against him The better he was to them the worse were they toward him as if God had hired them to be wicked and this was ordinary with them and is still amongst us Oh the divine patience By provoking the most High in the wilderness In terra arida ubi Deo indies indigebant ibi peccabant saith Aben-Ezra here This was another aggravation of their sin Vers 18. And they tempted God in their hearts In their hearts first but afterwards also with their lips The Psalmist here striketh at the root of their
the mercies of the Lord Gods Mercies moved him to promise his faithfulness bindeth him to perform Ethan promiseth to celebrate both were the times never so bad their case never so calamitous I will make known thy faithfulness Which yet I am sometimes moved to make question of Thus the Psalmist insinuateth before he complaineth Vt faclendum docent Rhetores in causis invidiosis wherein he sheweth himself a right Rhetorician Vers 2. For I have said I beleeved therefore have I spoken it I dare say it shall be so because thou hast said it so the Greek here hath it what God saith we may write upon it because all the words of his mouth are in righteousness neither is there any thing froward or perverse in them Prov. 8.8 Mercy shall be built up for ever Till the top-stone be laid and judgement bee brought forth into victory Mat. 12.20 the sure mercies of David fail not Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the heavens Or with the very heavens that is so sure as they are established If that Martyr could say The Heavens shall sooner fall than I will forsake the truth I have learned how much more may we say so of Gods unfaileable faithfulness See vers 33. Vers 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen i.e. With Christ who is Gods elect one Isa 42.1 and in him with all his people Ephes 1.4 I have sworn unto David The Father and Figure of Christ who is frequently called David and is here chiefly to be understood O happy we for whose sake God hath sworn saith Tertullian and O most wretched if we beleeve him not thus swearing Vers 4. Thy Seed will I establish for ever Davids for a long time but Christs for ever and aye And build up thy throne to all generations Christs Kingdom hath no end Isa 9.7 Luke 1.33 This is very comfortable The Jews understanding this promise of Davids Kingdom have oft attempted the restauration of it but in vain and to the ruine of their Nation Vers 5. And the heavens shall praise thy Wonders Heb. Thy Miracle viz. in their circumgyration which sheweth a first mover in their embroidery influences c. yeelding matter and occasion of praise And thus All thy Works praise thee O Lord but thy Saints bless thee Psa 145.10 and so by Heavens here we may understand the Angels of Heaven as they are called Mat. 24 36. as by the Congregation of Saints the Church universal in heaven and earth by whom God is highly praised for the Covenant of Grace Vers 6. For who in the heaven can be compared c Thou farre transcendest the brightest Cherub all whose excellency is but derivative a drop of thine Ocean a spark of thy flame Who among the Sons of the mighty Inter chores Angelorum saith the Chaldee What Angel what Man Vers 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly c. Heb. Daunting terrible in the socret of the Saints very much The holy Angels make their addresses unto him with greatest reverence and self-abasements for they know that he humbleth himself to behold things in heaven Psal 113. How much more then should we set our selves to serve him with reverence and godly fear sith our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. Vers 8. Who is a strong Lord like unto thee Heb. Who is like thee mighty Jab This is to magnifie God when we get above all Creatures in our conceptions of him Or to thy faithfulness 〈◊〉 out thee those that are round about thee or thou art full of faithfulness Vers 9. Thou 〈◊〉 the raging of the sea That it overwhelm not the earth this work of Gods Power is often celebrated as well it may all things cinfideâ—â—â— Vers 10. Than hast broken Rahab in 〈◊〉 i. e. which is called Rahab for it strengtheâ—â—â—â—de As a 〈◊〉 is slain Or as one deadly wounded as such an one is soon dispatcht so here Vo Halal vulneratum lethaliter designat Then hast 〈◊〉 c. See Isa 25. â—â— with the Note Vers 11. 〈◊〉 heaven is 〈◊〉 thâ—â—earth also in thine Thâ—â—â— madest them by thy Power and thou maintainest them by the Provideâ—â—â— thou doest whatsoever thou wilt in both Psal 115.3 As for the World c. See Psal 24. 〈…〉 Vers 12. Tabor and Hermon That is the West and East of Judea but put here for the West and East of the World Judea was the World of the World as Atheâ—s the Greece of Greece as Solon the Epitome of Athens Vers 13. Thou hast a mighty arm Men should therefore both tremble before God and trust in him 1 Pet. 2.6 Strong is thy hand Even thy left hand q. d. tu polles utraque manu thou hast both hands alike powerful Vers 14. Justice and Judgement are the â—â—bitation or basis of thy 〈◊〉 these are the supporters and pillars Mercy and Truth c. These are the fore-runners or satellites I should much fear Justice and Judgement saith Austin were it not that Mercy and Truth comfort me Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Johâ— Vers 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound Jubilatioâ—â—â— the sound of thy Word the free use of thine Ordinances serving thee with cheerfulness and giving thee thanks with exaltation of heaâ—â—â— and rapture of spirit Scias unde gauâ—â— quod verbâ—â— explicate 〈◊〉 possis saith Aâ—stiâ—s Accipa quod seâ—â—â— antequam 〈◊〉 faith Cyprian writing to Donatur concerning the joy of his Conversion They shall walk O Lord in the light of thy 〈◊〉 In the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the holy Ghost Vers 16. In thy name shall they rejoy 〈◊〉 a day Or every day Bonis semper ferie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Diâ—genes in Plutarch God crowneth the Kalender of good mens lives with many feâ—tivals Vers 17. For thou art the glory of thew strength And hence it is that they are filled to pfull with comfort and do over-abound exceedingly with joy in all their tribulation 2 Cor. 7.4 Vers 18. For the Lord is our defence Heb. our shield the body cannot bee wounded but through the shield And the holy one of 〈◊〉 our King How then can any one cry aloud Mich. 4.9 Vers 19. Then thou spakest in Vision to thy holy one i. e. to Samuel thy Priest and Prophet â— 1 Sam. 16.12 one of those few that lived and dyed with glory I have 〈…〉 upon one 〈◊〉 is migthy I have called David to the Kingdom and qualifie him 〈…〉 chiefly intended here is Christ able to save them to the 〈…〉 to God by him Heb. 7.29 〈…〉 One of them 〈◊〉 or one of singular 〈…〉 of the vulgar Vers 20. 〈…〉 and in 〈…〉 With my holy oyl have I annoynted him How Christ was appointed and annoy 〈…〉 Vers 21. 〈…〉 and carry him thorough all conditions with comfort See Ezra 22 with the Note 〈…〉 i.e. 〈…〉 more strength than the hand Vers 22. The enemy shalt 〈…〉 Or shall profit nothing 〈…〉 at all as
for in God we live move and have our being Act. 17. A frown of Augustus Cesar Camden proved to be the death of Cornelius Gallus Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellor of England dyed Sept. 20.1591 of a flux of his urine and grief of mind conceived upon some angry words given him by Q. Elizabeth Thou takest away their breath Heb. Thou gatherest it callest for it again viz. their vital vigour Vers 30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit Virtutem vivificam They are created Others of the same kind are and so the face of the earth is renued whiles another generation springeth up This is matter of praise to their maker Vers 31. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever Or Let glory be to the Lord for ever so For his great works of Creation and Conservation The Lord shall rejoyce in his words As he did at the Creation when he saw all to bee good and very good so still is doth God good as it were to see the poor creatures feed and men to give him the honour of all Vers 32. He looketh an the earth and it trembleth This must be considered that God may be as well feared as loved and praised He toucheth the hills and they smoak It s therefore ill falling into his hands who can do such terrible things with his looks and touches Vers 33. I will sing unto the Lord Though others be slack to do God this right to help him to his own to give him the glory due to his Name yet I will do it and do it constantly so long as I have a breath to draw Vers 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet Or Let it be sweet unto him let him kindly accept it though it be mean and worthless through Christs odours powred thereinto I will be glad in the Lord Withdrawing my heart from other vile and vain delights or at least vexed at mine own dulness for being no more affected with such inexplicable ravishments Vers 35. Let the sinners be consumed c. Such sinners against their own souls as when they know God or might know him by his wonderful works glorifie him not as God neither are thankful Rom 1.21 but pollute and abuse his good creatures to his dishonor fighting against him with those lives that he hath given them Bless the Lord O my soul The worse others are the better be thou kindling thy self from their coldness c. PSAL. CV VErs 1. O give thanks unto Lord Some tell us that this and the two following Psalms were the great Hallelujah sung as solemn times in their assemblies But others say better that the great Hallelujah as the Hebrews called it began at Psal 113. and held on till Psal 119. which they at the Passover began to sing after that cup of wine they called Poculum bymni sen laudationis Call upon his Name Call upon the Lord whe is worthy to be praysed Psal 18.3 See the Note there Our life must be divided betwixt praises and prayers Vers 2. Sing unto him sing Both with mouth and with musical instruments Talk ye Or meditate ye Let your heart indite a good matter and your tongue be as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 Vers 3. Glory ye in his holy Name Of his power and goodness See 1 Cor. 1.31 Alsted with Jer. 9.23 Non est gloriosier populus sub caelo quam Judaicus saith One there iâ— not a more vain-glorious people under heaven than the Jews But we are the circumcision which worship in spirit and glory in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Philip. 3.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce c. All others are forbidden to rejoyce Hos 9.1 and bidden to weep and howl Jam. 5.1 Vers 4. Seek the Lord and his strength That is his Ark at the remove where of to Jerusalem this Psalm was sung 1 Chron. 16.7 8. c. Called it is Gods strength and Gods face here yea even God himself Psal 132.5 It s as if he should say Frequent holy Assemblies as ever you desire to draw nigh to God and to have your faith in him confirmed Vers 5. Remember the marvellous works c. Deeply and diligently ponder both the works and words of God comparing the one with the other that ye may the better conceive of both Vers 6. O yee seed of Abraham c. Do thus or else your pedigree will profit you no more than it did Dives in the flames that Abraham called him Son An empty title yeeldeth but an empty comfort Vers 7. For he is the Lord Jehovah the Essentiator the promise-keeper therefore praise him He is also in Covenant with us and will we not do him this right His judgement are in all the earth His executions upon the Egyptians and Philistims are far and near notified and discoursed Vers 8. He hath remembred his Covenant I Chron. 16.15 it is Bee ye mindful alwayes of his Covenant God ever remembreth though we many times forget it and out selves The word which be commanded The conditions of the Covenant Vers 9. which Covenant be made with Abraham c. Whom hee found an Idolater Josh 24.2 he justified the ungodly Rom. 4.5 And his Oath That by two immutable things c. Heb. 6. Vers 10. And confirmed the same c. So God sealeth and sweareth to us again and again in every Sacrament that all doubts of his love may be taken away and out hearts lifted up as Jebosaphats 2 Chron. 17.6 in the way of the Lord. Vers 11. Vnto thee will I give the land of Canaan That pleasantest of all lands Eâ—â—k 20.6 a type and pledge of heaven to the faithful Vers 12. When they were but a few men in member Seventy souls at their going down into Egypt which yet say the Hebrews truly were more worth than the Seventy Nations of the whole world besides Howbâ—â—t God chose them not for their worth or number but loved them meerly because he loved them Deut. 7.7,8 Vers 13. When they went from one Nation to another There were seven several Nations in that Land wherein they sojourned flitting from place to place and having no setled habitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.11 From one Kingdome Forced by Famine or other necessity See Gen 10.12 and 20.1 2 c. and 26.1 c. Vers 14. He suffered no man c. So as utterly to oppress them for otherwise they had their ill usages such as was the taking away of Sarah casting out of Isaac the rape of Dinah c. Strangers meet many times with hard measure Yea be reproved Kings Gen. 12.17 and 20.3 Kings and Queens must not think themselves to good to nurse Gods little ones yea to do them homage licking up the dust under their feet Isa 49.23 Vers 15. Touch not mine anointed c. This God speaketh not of Kings but to Kings concerning his people who have an unction from the Father being sanctified and set apart for his
subsist in the feeling of thy favour as 1 Sam. 25.6 And keep thy word For which end only I desire life See the like Psal 118.17 Non peto vitâ—m propâ—â—r deliâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Kimchi Non aliter pelit vitam quam ut prastet se fidelem Dei 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 David doth no otherwise desire life than for this that hee may faithfully serve God Vers 18. Open thou mine eyes Heb. Vnveil theâ— velumen umâ—ot 〈◊〉 evolve give sight and light irradiate both organ and object In spirituals wee are not only dim-sighted but blind as Beetles 1 Cor. 2.14 Oh pray for that precious eye-salve Rev. 3.17 for that supernal light 2 Cor. 4.6 and whensoever wee open the Bible to read say as here open thou mine eyes c. as when wee close it up again say I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandement is exceeding broad vers 96. Wondrous things Mâ—rabilia magnalia mysteria such as none can understand and unriddle but such as plow with Gods own heifer 1 Cor. 2.11 Vers 19. I am a stranger in the earth And therefore apt to lose my way without a guide I shall surely else bee wildred and lost Hide not thy Commandements from mee viz. In the spirituall sense and effectuall operation of them Philosophers observe that lumen est vehiculum influentiae light is the convoy of influence as it begets the flower in the field the pearl in the earth c. so the foundation of all renovation is Illumination Hence David so earnestly beggeth it here and vers 17. Vers Comminuitâ—r 〈◊〉 20 My soul breaketh The Seventy render it My soul hath desired to desire thy Judgements How many broken spirits do even spend and exhale themselves in continuall sallies as it were and egressions of affection to God and his judgements The stone will fall down to come to its own place though it break it self in many peeces so the good soul Vers 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud c. Thou chidest them threatenest them plaguest them and so settest it on as no creature can take it oft And this is one reason why I love and observe thy laws ne paria patâ—ar lest I should suffer in like sort sith men must do it or dye for it Vers 22 Remove from mee reproach and contempt Cast upon mee by those proud haughty scorners vers 21. and that for nothing but because I keep thy Statutes therefore it is that they despise and defame mee but do thou Lord take an order with them behold I put them into thine hands and my self upon thy care to clear mee and set mee right for I am well resolved Vers 23 Princes also did sit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By publick invectives such as were those of our Henry the eighth and of Lewis King of Hungary and Bohemia two very potent Princes against Luther Denotat continuum clamâ—rem Kimchi Vers 24. Thy Testimonies are my delight In mediâ—â— crucibus to them I run as to my cordiall they are my pleasure and pastime And my Counsellours My learned Counsel by whose advice I do all here I am sure to find consolationem consultissiâ—am directionem counsell and comfort in all my necessities Vers 25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust Those Princes my Persecutors Sauls counsellors have brought mee to deaths-doore as Psal 44.25 22.15 I am in a forlorn condition as far below hope as they are above â—ear Theodoret expoundeth it of humility and Theodosius the Emperor used these words when reproved by Ambrose for the slaughter at Thessalonica Theod. Eccleâ— hist l. 5. c. 18. hee lay on the ground and humbly begged pardon Vers 26 I have declared my wayes My sins and troubles those thou hast remitted and these thou hast remedied Teach mee thy Statutes Shew mee how I may walk worthy of such a love and live up to my mercies Vers 27 Make mee to understand c. Give mee a mouth and wisdome that I may not talk at random of thy word and works but understandingly and fruitfully Vers 28 My soul melteth Heb. Droppeth away like water I weep out my life together with my grief Strong thou thee mee 〈◊〉 to thy word Support â—â—ee by thy promise Vers 29 Remove from mee the way of lying A sin that David through diffidence fell into frequently See 1 Sam. 21.2 8. where hee roundly telleth three or four lyes and the like he did 1 Sam. 27.8 10. this evil he saw by himself and here prayeth against it And grant mee thy Law For a preservative from this soul sin herein gratfie â—â—ee good Lord. Vers 30 I have chosen the way of Truth I am fully bent against lying and am resolved to speak truth though I have done otherwise sometimes through frailty Thy Judgements have I laid before mee Thereby to fright my conscience that I might not so much as equivocate Some render it judicia tua 〈…〉 I have kept pace with thy judgements scil in the bent and bias of my heart at least Vers 31 I have stuck unto thy Testimonies Hitherto I have done so let mee not now shrink from them or hang loose to them lest I lose the things that I have wrought and shame my self for ever by my recidivation Vers 32 I will run the way Do thy work with utmost diligence and delight come off roundly and readily therein take long strides towards heaven When thou shalt inlarge my heart By thy free Spirit and by the joy of faith when thou shalt have oyled my joynts and nimbled my feet then shall I run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40.31 our promises of obedience must be conditional sith without Christ we can do nothing Joâ— 15.5 Vers 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Which is both hard to hit and dangerous to miss teach me therefore And I shall keep it Lex jubet gratia juvat O beg of God that we may persevere sith the evening crowneth the day c. Vers 34. Give me understanding Wee can neither know nor do Gods will without Divine light and aid as appears clearly by this fifth Octonary which therefore Austin made so great use of against the Pelagians Vers 35. Make me to go in the path Which I shall soon forsake if thou guide me not Te duce vera sequer te duce falsa nego For therein do I delight After the inward man Rom. 7.22 Thou hast given me to will give me also to work what is wel-pleasing in thy sight Vers 36. Incline my heart Through the exercises of thy Word and the working of thy Spirit And not â—o câ—vetousness Which draweth away the heart from all Gods testimonies and is the â—opt of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Some think it is put here for all other vices The Chaldâ—e hath it And not to Mammon that mammon of iniquity as Christ calleth it the next odious name to the Devil Now to good God inclineth mans heart
Metaphora a falcibus By these I lopped off my cares fears and griefs as with a pruning or paring knife spared them round till none was left In the house of my pilgrimage In hoc exilio in hoc ergastulo in hac peregrinatione Bern. in hac valle lachrymarum Travellours sing to deceive the tediousness of the way so did David and hereby he solaced himself under that horrour vers 53. great is the comfort that cometh in by singing of Psalms with grace in our hearts Vers 55. I remembred thy name c. breaking my sleep for the purpose to meditate on thine holy Attributes Word and Works And have kept thy Law Which could not have been kept if not kept in firm and fresh memory See 1 Cor. 15.2 Vers 56. This I had This comfort or this remembrance or this ability to keep thy Law Because I kept thy precepts A strange reason I kept it because I kept it but every new act of obedience fitteth for a following act Rom. 6.19 As in Sin so in Grace Mark 4.24 acts increase habits and facilitate the work Vers 57. Thou art my portion Lord Whiles other mens portion Sunt divitia vel deliciae nothing short of God can satisfie me I have said c. i.e. Purposed and promised the obedience of faith Vers 58. I have intreated thy favour Heb. Thy face that is thy Christ saith Ambrose and Hilary this David did in the sense of his own utter inability to do as he had promised Be merciful unto me c. This was the sum of his Petition and must bee the main of ours Vers 59. I thought on my ways At Self-examination beginneth sound conversion Lam. 3.39 40. Hag. 1.5 7. 2 Cor. 13.5 And turned my feet Finding all to bee naught and stark naught contrary to what God found in his works upon a review all good and very good set upon a new course Vers 60. I made haste and delayed not Heb. I distracted not my self about Had-I-wist but minded the one thing necessary Nalite tempus in nugis terrere vel cras ut ille seria hodie morituri protelari saith one Haste haste haste delays are dangerous opportunities are headlong and once past irrecoverable Vers 61. The hands of the wicked have robbed me In these late stripping times many a poor mans whole lifes gettings were lost in an instant But I have not forgotten thy Law I have encouraged my self in the Lord my God as at the sack of Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. Vers 62. At midnight will I rise To speak with a friend The Primitive Christians had their 〈…〉 and Cyprian And this the 〈…〉 Night services Because of thy righteous judgements Gods Word read and Preached is a main matter of thankfulnesse so are his Works Vers 63. I am a companion of all them Though never so mean if there be aliquid Christi in them Grace is of an uniting properry and purgeth out partiality Jam. 2.1 2. That keep thy precepts The best proof of true fear of God Psalm 103.13 Act. 10.35 Vers 64. The earth O Lord is full of thy mercy Thy mercy is over all thy works This is thy general goodness â—ben-Ezra But Teach me thy statutes Non petâ— a te aliam misericordiam this is that I beg above all viz. the lively light of thy Law and Word sound and saving knowledge A gracious spirit cannot be satisfied with low things Vers 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant Men must bee no lesse praisefull than prayerful Shall we come to the well of life thirsty and then turn our backs upon the Rock that followeth us According to thy word sc Of promise this sweetteth a blessing Vers 66. Teach me good Judgement Heb. good taste for the soul also hath her senses and as the mouth tasteth meat so the ear trieth words the mind relisheth Religion For I have beleeved thy Commandements But would do yet more 1 Job 5.13 These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Son of God that ye may beleeve on the name of the Son of God Vers 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray Especially through high mindedness and earthly mindednesse which are purged out by affliction and grace increased as Fish thrive better in cold and salt waters as the Walnut-tree is most fruitful when most beaten Master Ascham was a good School-master to Queen Elizabeth but Affliction was a better c. See my Treatise on Rev. 3.19 But now I have kept thy word Now that I have been lashed to it and have paid for my learning Vexatio dat intellectum Smart maketh wit As the scourging and beating of the garment with a stick beateth out the mothes and dust so do afflictions corruptions from the heart Quae nocent docent Corrections of instructions are the way of life Prov. 6. Vers 68. Thou art good and doest good Good in thy self indeed there is none good but thy self and good to thy Creatures inexpressibly bounteous and beneficial Teach me thy statutes And so impart unto mee of thy special goodnesse that I may resemble thee in being and doing good full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge Rom. 15.14 Vers 69. â—oncinnaâ—unt â—tificlose conâ—â—xeâ—unt The proud have forged a lye against mee Heb. They have cunningly and finely aspersed me Mendacium mendacio assuentes peecing one lye to another and drawing together iniquity with the cart-ropes of vanity But I will keep thy precepts Notwithstanding their slanders and the rather Vers 70. Their heart is as fat as grease Grosse as grease curdled as Milk or Cheese say the Septuagint congealed and baked as it were in their sins Obtusum quasi arnina obductum fat things are lesse sensible and fat-hearted people are noted by Aristotle for dull and stupid But I delight in thy Law Illa me pasco sagino therewith I feed and fat my self Vers 71. It is good for mee that I have been afflicted And thereby humbled for else the fruit of affliction is lost and they are always impaired that are not improved by their sufferings as all Gods people are sure to be at length The Lacâ—demonians of old and the same is said of the Hollanders a late grew rich by war and were bettered when all other Kingdomes were undone by it The Saints make benefit of their crosses which to others are destructive That I might learn thy statutes Luther saith of some of Saint Pauls Epistles that they can never be understood but by the cross Qui 〈…〉 saith he in another place 〈…〉 do best understand the scriptures when the wealthy and secure read them but as one of Ovids Poems Vers 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto mee c. For what is all this trash to that true treasure those lively and life giving oracles Dionysius worthily preferred Plato before Aristippus because the one was ever craving mony of him but the other books It is reported of Plato Joh.
are unto thee Afflictions to the Saints are tanquam scalae alae to mount them to God Leave not my soul destitute Ne exinanias make not bare my soul viz. of thy protection Vers 9 Keep mee from the snare c. See Psal 140.5 Vers 10 Let the wicked fall Metaphora a piscibus saith Tremellius as fishes in casting-nets Isa 19.8 Whilest that I withall escape The Righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked commeth in his stead Prov. 11.8 It appeareth at length that simple honesty is the best policie and wicked polity the greatest simplicity and most self-destructive PSAL. CXLII WHen hee was in the cave scil Of Engedi 1 Sam. 24. Loquitur in spelâ—â—ca sed prophetat in Christo saith Hilary Vers 1 I cryed unto the Lord with my voice scil Of my heart and more with my mind than mouth for if hee had been heard hee had been taken by the enemy Thus Moses cryed but uttered nothing Exod. 14.15 Egit vocis silentio ut corde clamaret Aug. Thus Christ cryed Heb. 5.7 Vers 2 I poured out my complaint Heb. My mâ—ssiâ—â—tion I shewed before him Plainly and plentifully how my danger increased to a very Crisis as one expresseth it Vers 3 When my spirit was over-whelmed within mee Or covered over with grief as the Greek expoundeth it Then thou knewest my path scil That I neither fretted nor fainted Or thou knewest how to make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10.13 The Lord knoweth how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Vers 4 I looked on my right hand Not a man would appear for mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misery is friendless for most part See a Tim. 4.16 Nulla fide◠〈…〉 delegit 〈◊〉 Vers 5 I cryed unto thee O Lord I ran to thee as my last refuge in the fail of all outward comforts Zeph. 3.12 they are 〈◊〉 afflicted poor people and being so they trust in the Name of the Lord. Vers 6 〈…〉 Vat. 6 For I am brought very low Exhausted and 〈◊〉 dry 〈…〉 and disabled to help my self any way Vers 7 Bring my 〈◊〉 of prison 〈◊〉 Out of 〈…〉 less straitened than if in prison The Righteous shall compass mee about Heb. Shall Crown mee that is shall incircle mee as wondring at thy goodness in my deliverance or they shall set the Crown on mine head as the Saints do likewise upon Christs head Cant. 3.12 to whom this Psalm may bee fitly applyed all along as abovesaid PSAL. CXLIII VErs 1 Hear my prayer O Lord Hee prayeth once and again for audience De â—ugâ— ab Absolom R. O. 〈◊〉 and would have God to hear him with both ears Thus hee prayed saith the Greek title of this Psalm when his son Absoloâ— was up in arms against him and it may seem so by the next words Vers 2 And enter not into Judgement with thy Servant This is 〈…〉 siqua usquaâ— in sacris literis extat saith Beza an excellent sentence as any is in all the Bible saying the same that St. Paul doth Rom. 3.24 that Justification is by faith alone and not by works David would not bee dealt with in strictness of justice Lord go not to law with mee so some render it Go not into the Judgement-hall so the Chaldee All St. Pauls care was that when hee was sought for by Gods Justice hee might bee found in Christ not having his own righteousness which is of the law c. Phil. 3.9 The best Lamb should bee slaughtered except the Ram had been sacrificed that Isaac might bee saved Woe to the life of man saith an Ancient though never so commendable if it should have Judgement without mercy if there bee not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to moderate that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the severity of utmost right We read of a certain Dutch Divine who being to dye was full of fears and doubts And when some said to him you have been so active and faithfull why should you fear Oh said he the Judgement of man and the Judgement of God are different Sordeâ— in conspectâ— Judicis c. Vers 3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul Quasi rabiferali percitus hee hath raged unreasonably The utmost of a danger is to bee related before the Lord in prayer and to bee acknowledged after wee are delivered out of it by way of thankfulness Vers 4 Therefore is my spirit over-whelmed God 's dearest Children have their passions against that stoicall apathie A sheep bitten by a Dog is no lesse sensible of the pain thereof than a Swine is though hee make not such an out-cry Vers 5 I remember the dayes of old Wherein I was delivered from the Lion and the bear yea from the hand of all mine enemies and from the hand of Saul Psal 18. title More than this Sacula antiquitus praeterita recolo I run over and ruminate all the ancient monuments of thy mercy to the Patriarches and others sith all that is written was written for our instruction that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 See Psal 77.4 6. Vers 6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee As a poor beggar for an alms Beggery here is not the easiest and poorest trade but the hardest and richest of all other My soul thirsteth after thee And is therefore a fit subject for thy Spirit of Grace and comfort to bee poured upon Isa 44.3 55.1 Vers 7 Hear mee speedily A very patheticall prayer uttered in many words to like purpose as the manner is in extreme danger My spirit faileth I am ready to sink and to swoon This David knew God hath a great care that the Spirit fail not before him and the souls which he hath madâ— Isa 57.16 When Bezoard-stone is beaten wee see that none of it bee lost not so when ordinary spices so here for ordinary spirits God cares not much what becometh of them as hee doth of the choice spirits of his people Vers 8 Cause mee to hear in the morning Manâ— id est nature assoon as may be or at least as is meet make mee to hear of joy and gladness speak comfort to my conscience and help to my afflicted condition Vers 9 Deliver mee O Lord from mine enemies Deliverance from enemieâ— is a fruit of our friendship with God Vers 10 Teach mee to do thy will Orat nunc pro salute 〈…〉 saith Kimchi Now hee prayeth for his souls health and wold bee as well a clivered from his corruptions within as from his enemies without Lord save mee from that noughty man my self said an Ancient Thy Spirit is good The fruit of it is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Ephes 5.9 and it is the Spirit only that quickeneth Job 6. â—3 by purging out the dross that is in us 1 Pet. 1.22 setting us to work Ezek. 36.27 helping our infirmities Rom. 8.26 stirring us up to holy duties partly by immediate motions and partly by the ministry of the word made effectuall 1
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
Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 And lastly sanctifying the offering up both of our selves and of our services to God as the Altar sanctifieth the gift Rom. 15.16 Cyrill gathereth from this Text that the good Spirit is God Per viam planam aequam because none is good but God Into the land of uprightness Or On â—even ground as Isa 26.7 10. Psal 26.12 〈◊〉 the right land i. e. Heaven Vers 11 Quicken mee O Lord Who am no better than a living carcass a walking sepulcher of my self Bring my soul out of trouble I can bring it in but thou only canst bring it out Vers 12 Cut off mine enemies Because not so much mine as thine and those also implacable and irrecoverable Elsewhere hee saith Slay them not lest my people forget See the Note there For I am thy Servant See Psal 116.16 with the Note PSAL. CXLIV A Psalm of David The Greek addeth Against Goliah And the Chaldee for the hurtfull sword vers 10. hath Goliahs sword Blessed bee the Lord my strength See Psal 18.1 and observe how this Psalm suiteth with that Which teacheth my hands Used to the hook and harp and not to the sword and spear but God hath apted and abled them to feats of armes and war-like exploits It is God that giveth skill and success saith Solomon Prov. 8. wisdome and ability saith Daniel chap. 2. And as in the spirituall warfare so here our weapons are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 who promiseth that no weapon formed against his people shall prosper Isa 54.17 Vers Genebr 2 My goodness and my fortress See Psal 18.2 with the Notes His epithet is elogiis eblanditur Deum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd saith an Interpreter Who subdueth my people under mee This is the work of God and not of King-craft to make men good subjects who are naturally discontented at the present government bee it never so good and apt to rebell Vers 3 Lord what is man What am I that thou shouldest do all this for mee or what is the strongest man alive when such a Giant as Goliah so suddenly and easily is slain by mee That thou makest account of him Tantus tantillos tales saith a Father Vers 4 Man is like to vanity See Psal 39.6 62.9 Adam Abelo compar est Adam is Abels mate His dayes are as a shadow Which is a meer privation and hath no subsistence at all Vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 Bow thy Heavens O Lord Come to my help suddainly and seasonably as it were out of an Engine Touch the Mountains These high and haughty enemies of mine do thou but lightly routh them and it shall suffice they shall soon burn and bee turned into smoke as the mountains that are thunder-struck Vers 6 Cast forth lightening and scatter them All this was done according to Davids desire Psal 18.13 14. God sometimes answereth his suitors ad cardinem desâ—dâ—riâ— and saith unto them Bee it unto you even as yee will This is a wonderfull condescension Vers 7 Sâ—â—d thine hand from above Heb. Hands both hands all thy whole power for I need it Vers 8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity They keep touch no further than will serve their own turns And 〈…〉 No though they give their hands upon it that they will keep 〈◊〉 Multis annis 〈◊〉 traâ—saâ—â—is Nulla fides est in pactis Vers 9 I will sing a new song Upon the receipt of any new mercy like as in a lottery at every new prize drawn the trumpet soundeth Vers 10 It is hee that giveth salvation or victory to kings Ferdinand Balth. Exâ—â—â— Val. Max. Christian p. 516. King of Arragon sending his son against the Florentines thus bespake him Victoria mihi crede non hominum disciâ—â—â—â—is aut industria camparatus sed Dei O. M. 〈…〉 arbitrio Deâ—â— igitur inprimis cole in cum confide a qua tum victorias 〈…〉 quaeque provenire dubiâ— procul est c. Beleeve mee son victories are not gotten by art or industry but given of God Who delivereth David his servant All Kings are Gods servants for the common good of mankinde saith Plutarch but David by a specialty Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the hurtfull sword Of Goliah saith the Chaldee and of all his other enemies for as it was said of Queen Elizabeth hee swam to the Crown thorough a Sea of sorrows and might rather marvell that hee was than muse that hee should not bee were it not that Gods holy hand had protected him beyond expectation Vers 11 Rid mee and deliver mee Hee repeateth his former petition vers 7.8 for an utter riddance of those ill members that stood in the way of Israels welfare and broke off Davids new song or Psalmody vers 9. Vers 12 That our sons may bee as plants c. As young plants fair and flourishing That our Daughters may bee as corner stones c. Tall and trim comely of person and costly-arrayed resembling the polished-pillars at Palace-gates Tremellius rendreth the last words of this verse 〈◊〉 structura Templi may bee the building of the Temple that is may bee such living stones as may bee used to the building and polishing of Gods Church that wee may altogether grow up to an holy Temple in the Lord Ephes 2.21 4 12 13. For indeed what can better preserve Jacob from confusion or his face from waxing pale than to see his Children the work of Gods hands framed and fitted for Gods building This maketh religious parents to â—anctifie Gods name as here even to sanctifie the holy one and with singular incouragement from the God of Israel Isa 29.22 23. Vers 13 That our garners Heb. Our coâ—â—ers i. e. that every corner of our houses may bee filled with precious and pleasant riches That our sheep Faetosae multiparae mille cuplantes myriadificantes Vers 14 Nor going out viz. To incounter the enemy or to bee led into captivity No complaining No out cries but Harvest-homes Vers 15 Happy is the people That hath such a confluence of outward comforts In Hezekiahs dayes only it was so say the Rabbines peace plenty and posterity The Syriack rendreth it question-wise Is not the people happy that is in such a case No not except they have God to boot as if they have they are happy howsoever Deut. 33.29 â—â— vita carnis anima est ita beatitude hominis Deus saith Austin PSAL. CXLVI DAvids Psalm of praise Heb. Davids praise or hymn well worthy saith learned Beza to bee made use of by all men for a rule and pattern of praising God Perfectum illiâ—s rationalis culms exemplum Beza Kimchi R. Arama It is one of those Psalms that are artificially made up after the order of the Alphabet and so highly prized by the Rabbines that they doubt not to promise Heaven to him who shall thrice every day pray over this Psalm corde ore opere Vers 1 I will extoll thee O God my King