from the fault And the night He would be sure so â—it the time whether it were day or night He that is 〈◊〉 out of Gods way knoweâ— not where he shall stop or when he 〈◊〉 step back Take heed therefore to they wayes that thou sin not with thy tongue Psal 39.1 Jam. 3. that unruly member Hanc frâ—nis hanc â—â— compesce catenis When Gods hand is on thy back let thy hand be on thy mouth keep it as with a bridle or muzzle Psal 39.1 Passionate speeches teâ—iter volant non â—â—viter violant The best that come of them is repentance Job when he was once out could keepe no mean but what he had said against day and night he amplifieth by the parts and first for the Day ver 4.5 and then for the Night 6 7 8. c. Verse 4. Let that day be darknesse thick darknesse as that once was in Egypt Exod. 10.23 A day of trouble and distresse a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse Zeph. 1.15 Let it be a dreadfull and a dismall day let sorrow and sadnesse overshadow it let mourning and tears overwhelme it let it be as when the Sun hideth his head in a mantle of black and is eclipsed at which time all creatures here below flag and hang the head In the gloomiest day there is light enough to make it day and distinguish it from night though the Sun shine not But Job would have no light to appear on his birth-day Thus be throweth out words without wisedome and as Hinds by calving so he by talking casteth out his sorrows Job 39.3 Let not God regard itâ— or require it let it passe as not worth looking after let him not take care of it or powre downe any speciall blessing upon it as he doth upon his people every day but especially upon the sabbath-Sabbath-day Gods market day called by the Jewes desiderium dierum the desire of dayes and by the Primitive Christians Dies Lucis the Day of Light Neither let the light shine upon it And what is the air without light that first ornament of the visible world so what are all creature-comforts unlesse God shine through them What a wo-case is that poor soul in that walketh in darknesse and hath none of his light Isa 50.10 how lamentable is such an one deserted â—eâ—ghted how doth he find himself in the very suburbs of hell it self where the paine of losse is greater then the paine of sense 2 Thes 1.9 and to note thus much Iob here after he had said Let that day be darknesse addeth as a greater evil Let not the light shine upon it Verse 5. Let darknesse and the shadow of death stain it Let it be â—â—es luctuosus â—ethalis such a deadly dark day that each man may think it his last day fatall and feral Let there not be dimnesse only such as appeareth through a painted glasse died with some obscure colour but horrid and hideous darknesse such as was that at our Saviours passion when the Sun was totally â—â—â—â—ed and a great Philosopher thereupon cried out either the God of Nature suffers or the world is at an end To darknesse Iob here emphatically addeth the shadow of death The shadow is the dark part of the thing so that the shadow of death is the darkest side of death death in its blackest representation Now let these stain it saith he or challenge it or espouse it In nocte funestatur mund◠〈…〉 saith Tertullian elegantly Let a cloud dwell upon it Crescâ—t 〈…〉 Auxesin oratio Iob heapes up words like in sound and not unlike in sense Grief had made him eloquent as hoping thereby to ease himself Let a cloud dwell upon it a fixed cloud not such an one as continually hangeth over the Island of St. Thomas on the back side of Africa Abboâ—s Gâ—â—g 251. wherewith the whole Island is watered nor such aâ—dloud of grace as God promiseth to create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies that upon all his glory may be a defence Isa 4.5 But such as St. Paul and his company were under before the shipwrack Act. 27. when neither Sunne nor starre appeared for many dayes together the heavens being wholly muffled c. Let the blacknesse of the any terrifie it or Let the â—eat of the day terrifie it as it befalleth those that live under the torrid Zone where nothing prospereth The Atlantes a certain people are said to curse the rising Sun it doth so torture them with extreme heat When the dog star ariseth those are in ill case who dwell in hot Countries towards the East they are troubled and terrified Some take the word Chimrine here rendred blacknesse for those 〈◊〉 mentioned by the Prophets those Chimney-Chaplains of the Heathen idols and so render it thus Let the Priests of the day terrifie it that is Let those who used to observe and distinguish dayes note it for a terrible day otherâ— understand it of the noon-day divels that should vex people on that day with hellish heâ—â—â—â— and fures the â—â—lgar Latine hath it thus Let Hinc forsan tenebra Cimmeria as it were the bâ—ternesseâ— of the day terrifie it and to the 〈…〉 the Chaldee Paraphrast Iob still riseth in his discourse making use of many poeticall figures and tragicall phrases pickt out for the purpose Verse 6. As for that night let darknesse seize upon it Having spent his spleene upon the day he now vents himself upon the night according to that division verse 3. As for that night of mine unhappy conception or birth let tenebrosus turbo as the Vulgar here hath it Caligo perpetua inufitata Mercer a dark tempest or a tempestuous darknesse grasp it or invade it let it be as dark as pitch by a darknesse superadded to its naturall darknesse Let it not be joyned unto the dayes of the yeare Let nature quite disclaime it and disjoint it from the day following let it not be reckoned as any part of time that measure of all our motions Some render it Ne gaudeat inter dies Let it not rejoyce it self among the dayes of the year as one of them The night hath glory by union with the day this he wisheth taken from it Disunion and division is a curse and the number of two hath been accounted accursed because it was the first that departed from unity And let it not come into the number of months Drus. Deleatur è calendario let it be razed out of the Calendar and not have any place in the computation of time The Hebrewes call the Moon and a Month by the same Name because the Moone is renewed every month Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mensis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luna Verse 7. Lo let that night be solitary And so consequently sorrowfull for alonenesse is comfortlesse optimum solatium sodalitium There is a desirable solitarinesse such as was that of
the Greeks for like cause call it is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part the eye which is kept most diligently and strongly guarded by Nature with tunicles David therefore fitly prayeth to be so kept Hide me under the shadow of thy wings Another excellent similitude taken from Fowls which either cover their Young with their wings from the scorching heat of the Sun beams as doth the Eagle or keep them thereby from the cold or from the Kite as Hens do Gods love to and care of his poor people is hereby shadowed out as it was likewise by the out-spread wings of the Cherubins in the Sanctuary See Ruth 2.12 Deut. 32.10 Zach. 2.8 Psal 36.8 57.2 Matth. 23.37 Vers 9. From the wicked that oppress me Heb. That waste me i.e. that cast me out into banishment despoyled of all This hard usage of his enemies drove David into Gods blessed Bosom as Children misused abroad run home to their Parents From my deadly enemies Heb. My enemies against the soul i. e. the Life at least if not the soul which they would gladly destroy Some malice is so mischeivous that it would ruine Body and Soul together as that Monster of Millain the enemies of John Husse and Hierom of Prague whose bodies they delivered to the fire and their Souls to the Devil David elsewhere complaineth of his enemies that they did Satanically hate him Psal 55 4. Beware of men saith our Saviour Mat. 10. for one man is a Devil to another Vers 10. They are inclosed in their own fat See Job 15.27 with the Note They abound in all delights Adipem suum obesant Trem. and therefore spare not to speak proudly They have closed up their eyes in their fulsome fat ut non videant nec timeant te saith R. Solomon that they can neither see nor fear thee With their mouth they speak proudly Heb. in pride that is Palam plenis buccis openly and with full mouth they contemn God and men they belch out Blasphemies and do what they please Vers 11. They have now compassed us in our steps i.e. Me and my company so that we cannot stir any whither but we are in danger of them In all thy ways acknowledge God and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3.6 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him c. Psal 37.5 Keep within Gods Precincts and thou shalt be under his protection He took order that a Bird should be safe upon her own Nest They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth i.e. Hoc unum spectant ut ruamus Junius They are earnestly bent and firmly resolved upon our ruine as one that fixeth his eyes upon another to mark him or to know him again or as Bulls ready to run at one set their eyes downward Vers 12. Like as a Lion that is greedy c. Cruelty and Craft are conjoyned in the Churches enemies as the Aspe never wandreth alone they say without his companion David here pointeth out some one special enemy Saul likely who should have been a Shepherd but proved a Lion As a young Lion lurking Therefore as we tender our safety keep close to God out of whose hands none can take us no not the roaring Lion of Hell Vers 13. Arise O Lord disappoint him Anticipa faciem ejus that is that raging and ravening Lion step between me and him and stop his fury defeat his purpose and disable his power Which is thy Sword As Assyria is called the Rod of his Wrath. Attilas stiled himself Orbis flagellum the wrath of God and the scourge of the World Turk Hist So Tamerlan was commonly called The Wrath of God and Terrour of the world Some render it by thy Sword i.e. or thy might and power See Job 40.41 or by thy Word execute thy judgement Vers 14. From men which are thy hand This saith one is Davids Letany From those men c. good Lord deliver me Gods hand they are called as before Gods Sword Titus Son of Vespasian being extolled for destroying Jerusalem said I have only lent God my hand but he hath done the work From men of the World Heb. A mortuis i. e. impiis qui sunt mortui in vits eorum R. Gion From Mortals of this transitory world qui sunt mundani mundum spirant sapiunt the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea as opposed to the Citizens of the New Jerusalem Rev. 12.12 such as having incarnated their souls as that Father speaketh are of the earth speak of the earth and the earth heareth them Job 3.31 mind earthly things only as if they were born for no other purpose Terrigene fratres animam habentes triticeam as those Stall-fed beasts in the Gospel Which have their portion in this life And they love to have it so saying with the Prodigal Give me the Portion that belongeth to me They crave it and they have it but with a vengeance Munera magna quidens misit sed misit in hamo As the Israelites had Quails to choke them and afterwards a King to vex them a table to be a snare to them c. By the way observe that wicked men have a right to earthly things a man must needs have some right to his portion what Ananias had was his own whilst be had it Acts 5. and it is a rigour to say they are Usurpers As when the King gives a Traitor his life hee gives him meat and drink that may maintain his life So is it here neither shall wicked men be called to account at the last day for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession As for the Saints who are heirs of the world with faithful Abraham and have a double portion even all the blessings of Heaven and of Earth conferred upon them though here they be held to strait allowance let them live upon reversions and consider that they have right to all and shall one day have rule of all Rev. 3. Mendicato pane hic vivamus annon hoc pulchrè sarcitur c. What though we here were to live upon Alms saith Luther is there not a good amends made us in that here we have Christ the bread of life in his Ordinances and shall hereafter have the full fruition of him in Heaven The whole Turkish Empire is nothing else but a crust cast by our Father to his Doggs and it is all they are likely to have let them make them merry with it Wilt not thou saith another bee content unless God let down the vessel to thee as to Peter with all manner of Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air Acts 10.12 Must you needs have first and second course Difficile est ut praesentibus bonis quis fruatur futuris ut hic ventrem illic mentem reficiat ut de deliciâ—s ad delicias transeat ut in coelo in terra gloriosus appareat saith Hierom It is a very hard thing to have Earth and Heaven
maintenance begrudg'd them a. 98. must be faithful page a. 143 Mockings cruel a. 51. punished a 56. God appeareth for his mocked 696. See b. 102.604 Mony matter of it precious and vile 234.235 't is most mens study 241. love of it pernicious 236 237 Morning fittest for prayer page 576 Mordecai who a. 194. his constancy page a. 150 Mortification practise of it 713. let it be speedie a. 185. thorough page 187 Moses praised page b. 825 Murther crieth for vengeance a. 133. descried by a dog b. 59. self-murther b. 35 36 ready rode to hell page ib. Musick Temple-Musick antiquated page 930 N. National sins page a. 64 Nature Book of Nature a. 83. b. 621.622 Naturalists to be prized page 335 Naughty nature soon seen 738. Natural man hollow b. 106. wilde ib. Nehemiah his book is the last of the Old Testament page a. 102 Nightingale sings uncessantly page 309 O. Oath a private Oath may be taken page b. 155 Obey God rather then man a. 127. obedience universal 876.883 obedience of faith page 360 Obstinacy senselesse b. 64 resisteth God b. 146.147 uncounsellable page 739 Old age good b. 60. foolish 113. must prepare to die b. 156. 't is dangerous page 767 One for first page a. 1. Oppression accursed page b 179 181 182 Opportunity to be taken page a. 163 Ordinances wicked banished page 874 Original sinne b. 131. filâ—hinesse 143. a filthy fountain page 723 Orphans provided for page a. 116 Ostrich described page 339.340 P. Parents wicked woful legacy to their children b. 191. they are parricides page 339 340 79â— Passions transport the best b. 871. b. 35. chide them down page 697 Patience fained and unfained b. 16. whence ib. in sicknesse page b. 70 Peacock praised page 339 Perfection Christian perfection page b. 2 Perjury punished page 606 Pellicans errour page a. 192 Persian Monarchy and superstition page a. 2 Persecution cruel page a. 135 136 Persecutours shall perish a. 169. soon confounded b. 41.567 585 Philip of Spaines diseases page b. 21 Piaculars and Scape-goat page a. 190 Plague a good man may die of it page 903 Poors complaints heard by the great Turk a. 138. right the poor 765. penury b. 145. feed and clothe the poor page 926 Pleasures sinful to shunned page b. 189 Pliny an Atheist page b. 199 Politicians frustrated page b. 54 Powder-plot discovered page b. 117 Pope his polling England a. 91. popish piae fraudes b. 122. Pope a grosse hypocrite page 303 Prayer beg grace a. 92. easie accesse to God a. 143 hands held out in prayer b. 106 prescribe not to God b. 126. fall not from affections of prayer b. 139. power of joynt prayer a. 145. ask enough a. 148. ask in Gods own words a. 149. it causeth joy 582. how to know that it is answered ib. life up the heart in prayer 641. pray to God alone 656. keep times of prayer 733. shun customarinesse ib. prayer short and pithie 736. ply the prayer-hearing God 751. sin hindreth the success of prayer 755 it speedeth a battel 780. flattering devotion 788. pray for the publike 895. 't is incense 917. indent not with God page 171 Praise God to the last gasp 923. unsatisfiably 927 with ravishment a. 188. how Angels praise God page 927 Preferment befalleth the poorest oft b. 600. a. 126 it puffeth them up ib. it is from God b. 53. and why ib. it is oft for a mischief a. 151. be humble under it ib. it is of God page 779 Prepare to serve God page b. 5. Prognostication page 325 Promise keep promises page a. 171 Prosperity of the wicked b. 188. prosperity-proselytes a. 180. it maketh men worse a. 88. 't is somtimes in wrath a. 134. 't is like lights and how b. 162. wickeds prosperity stumbled at page 771 Promises pray them over page a. 2 Providence divine doubted of b. 10. denied by Epicurus 845. questioned 771. God Providence in the creatures 336. he provides for mans safety 334. for young ravens 335. observe Providences page 117 119 Provocations are blasphemy page a. 86 Proud persons abased 348. rich and proud 774. prides picture a. 17. Spanish pride page a 3 Preaching what page a 82 Profess truth boldly page a. 20 Psalmes of degrees what 892. Psalm 119. praised b. 876. sung by good souldiers page 929 Publike-spirited a. 139.141 contra page 144 Punishment of sin 263. in kinde 591. page See b. 49 Purgatory exploded page b. 171.902 Purpose of sin punished page a. 85 Printing when first invented page b. 172 Q. Queens some good page a. 191 R. Rain sent by God b. 52.318 procured by prayer page 319 Rainbowe wonder of it page 323 Ranters blaspheme Christ page 288 Ravens young how fed page 925 Rawlins Martyr resolute page a. 150 Reading some thereby converted page a. 153 Reformation of Religion succeeded page a. 96 Renting of garments used by Heathens also page b. 26 Repentance best remedy 221. see it described 358 practised by Theodosius and Hen 4.721 press men to repent more page 344 Report do things of good report page a. 18 Reproach for Christ is glory page 276 Reproof friendly b. 38. wish't and well taken 918 accept it 275. harsh reproof is fruitlesse b. 138 lost page b. 166 Reservedness discreet page a. 148 Resurrection asserted b. 100. see b. 133.134 135 173 174.175 Revenge is barbarous 273. sweet 272. but pernicious ib. see page a. 177 Reward Persian Kings rewarded bountifully a. 154. God much more ib. b. 22.362 yet his service is held unprofitable page b. 190 Restitution page a. 65 Riches why called goods a. 6. they are too much loved ib. part with them for Christ 7. temporals are transitory 331. slight them 589. the soul resteth not in them 685. hang loose to them 688 once they were not so admired a 63. uncertain 64 rich wretches b. 33 die neverthelesse ib. See Money World Rome no peace with Rome page a. 14 S. Sabbath when first given a. 85. sanctifie it a 109 profaned a. 99. that sin punished 26. 100. See b. 29. page 805 Saints their safety 648.712 they have their interchanges page a. 174 Sanctius his fooles bolt page 282 Sanders famished page 727 Satan his malice a 19. he is restlesse b. 7.17.565 so are his impes ib. he is chased away by the Scripture 756. he is a jugler page a. 180 Scripture read chapters also full of names and numbers a. 10. search the Scriptures b. 562. Scripture-comforts at death 578. Scriptures commended 623.624 625. Scripture strumbled at 806.809 the summe of them 902. the longest verse in them a. 174. read in an unknown tongue 175. high esteem of them page 209 Security carnal 655 punished in Saints a. 87. See spiritual security Self self-denial difficult 705. self-examination 574. self-love hideth sin 274. self-sufficiency a fancy page 348 Self-defence lawful a. 176. self-conceitednesse b 94. and 178 Sensualists page 350 Separatists holy ones page a. 91 Servant a good one described page a. 140 Sicknesse
Christ hath written for us also the great things of his Law And should they then be counted a strange thing Hos 8.12 See the Notes there His Gospel likewise he hath written to you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God 1 John 5.13 and ponder his Passion especially which is therefore so particularly set downe by four faithful Witnesses Sphinx Philos that men may get it written not on the nailes of their hands as one once did but upon the tables of their hearts there to abides as a perpetual picture Non scripta solùm sed sculpta as He said that we therein beholding as in a glasse the love of our Lord might be changed into the same image till our hearts became a very lump of love to him who loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood and made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Rev. 1.5 6. Ver. 2. The Lord God of heaven hath given me This good language Cyrus might well learn of Daniel who flourished under his reign Dan. 6.28 probably acquainted him with the prophesies that went before of him Isa 44.28 and 45.1 Jaddus the High-Priest did the like many years after to Alexander the Great who not only thereupon spared the Jewes but highly honoured them as Josephus relateth Here then we see this Potentate of the earth giveth unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Psal 29.1 2. acknowledging him the blessed and onely Potentate 1 Tim. 6.16 One that both is in the heavens and also doeth whatsoever he pleaseth both in heaven and in earth Psal 115.3 and 135.6 The God of heaven saith He hath given me all the Kingdomes of the earth This was farre better then that of Alexander the Great whom when Lysippus had pictured looking up to heaven with this Posie Iuppiter asserui terram mihi tu assere coelum c. Alexander was so delighted with it that he proclaimed that none should take his picture but Lysippus Plin. lib. 6. cap. 16. All the Kingdomes of the earth i. e. Many of them so that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mighty Monarch an absolute Emperour But to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sole Lord of the whole world was never yet granted to any though the great Cham of Cataia is reported to cause his Trumpets to be founded every day assoone as he hath dined Heyl. Geog. in token that he giveth leave to other Princes of the earth whom he supposeth to be his vassals to go to dinner And the proud Spaniard who affecteth to be Catholick Monarch was well laughed at by Sir Francis Drake and his company Camd. Elis for his device of a Pegasus flying out of a Globe of the earth set up in the Indies with this Motto totus non sufficit orbis But he affecteth an universal Monarchy and so perhaps did Cyrus which maketh him here speak so largely And he hath charged me Et ipse commisit mihi so Junius rendereth it The word signifieth to visit one either for the better or the worse But according to the Chaldee and Syriack use it signifieth to charge or command as it is here and 2 Chon 36.22 fitly rendered But how knew Cyrus this charge of Almighty God otherwise then by books Like as Daniel who probably shewed him those Prophesies of Esay concerning him understood by Jeremy 25.12 and 29.10 that the seventy years captivity were accomplished and by Ezekiel chap. 31.1 2 3. c. which he had read likely and revolved he was the better able to give a right interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dreame Dan. 4. To build him an house at Jerusalem i. e. To rebuild that which had beene once built by Solomon whence Hegesippus not having the Hebrew tongue will have Hierusalem so named quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomons Temple a stately house indeed and one of the seven wonders of the world For albeit it was but one hundred and twenty foot long and fourty foot broad whereas the Temple at Ephesus was two hundred fourty and five foot long and two hundred and twenty foot broad Yet for costly and choyce materials for curious and exact workmanship for spiritual employment and for mystical signification never was there the like edifice in the world And happy had it beene for Cyrus if laying aside all his warlike expeditions and atchievements he had wholly applyed himself to the building of this holy house and to the study of those things that there he might have learned for his souls health Jerusalem which is in Judah Jerusalem was part of it in Judah and part in the tribe of Benjamin The house here mentioned viz. the Temple stood in Benjamin as was foretold it should by Moses four hundred and fourty years before it was first built by Solomon Deut. 33.12 And of Benjamin he said The beloved of the Lord that is Benjamin his darling shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell betweene his shoulders that is betwixt those two mountains Moriah and Sion wherein the Temple was built Now because Benjamin was the least of all the tribes of Israel and because so much of it as lay within Judah Josh 19.1 9. was comprized under Judah 1 Kings 11.13 therefore is the Temple here said to be in Jerusalem which is in Judah Hereby also this Jerusalem in Judah is distinguished from any other Jerusalem if there were any place in the world so called besides We reade of Pope Sylvester the second who sold his soul to the Devil for the Popedome that saying Masse in a certaine Church in Rome Funcc Chronol Jacob. Reu. pag. 109. called Jerusalem he fell suddenly into a Fever whereof he died the Devil claiming his owne For the bargaine betwixt them was that he should continue Pope till he sang Masse in Jerusalem and now intellexit se à Diabolo amphiboliâ vocis circumventum little dreamt the Pope of any other Jerusalem but this in Judah and this cost him his life Lib. 5. cap. 17. Anno Dom. 1003. Eusebius telleth us that Montanus the Haeresiarch called his Pepuza and Tymium two pelting parishes in Phrygia Jerusalem as if they had beene the only Churches in the world Hist David George p. 3. Hofman the Anabaptist had the like conceit of Strasburg in Germany and Becold of Munster both which places they called the new Jerusalem Ver. 3. Who is there among you of all his people Many there were among them that affirmed deeply of being the people of God who yet tanquam monstra marina passed by this Proclamation with a deaf eare and preferring haram domesticam arae dominicae a swinesty before a Sanuctary chose rather to abide in Babylon and there to dwell amongst plants and hedges 1 Chron. 4.23 making pots for the Kings garden then to go up to Jerusalem So that besides this O yes by the King God was faine to cry Ho Ho
the like here The Parliament here held Anno 1376 was called The Good Parliament and another not long after Parlamentum benedictum The blessed Parliament God grant us such a one next for at present we are without any but not without cause to cry out This was written May 18. 1653. as those in Jeremy chap. 8.20 22. The harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not helped Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physician there Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health and behold trouble ver 15. Verse 9. And this is the number of them Had they not beene things of great price and use they would not have beene numbered Cant. 6.8 The Queenes and Concubines are numbered how many but not the Virgins that bring not forth fruit to God Men use not to count how many pibbles they have in their yard or piles of grasse in their field as they do how many pence in their purse or sheepe in their fold When the Great God shall count his peoples flittings bottle up their teares as sweet water book up their sighs as memorable matters Psal 56.8 shall we not say of them as the Jewes did of Lazarus when Jesus wept Behold how he loves them When the very hairs of their head are all numbered Matth. 10.30 so that not one of them falleth to the ground without their heavenly Father what store think we setteth He by their persons by their performances I know thy work and thy labour Rev. 2.19 I pitie this people they have beene with me now three dayes and fasting they are and farre from home and faint they may if sent away empty Matth. 15.32 Lo is not this a wonderful condescension that Christ should consider tantus tantillos tales and reckon every circumstance of their service so particularly and punctually that he might give to every man according to his works Oh his Jewels his book of remembrance c. Mal. 3.16 17 See the Notes there Thirty chargers Serving to hold such parts of the Sacrifices as were to be eaten by the Priests and others Nine and twenty knives Sacrificing knives richly hafted Verse 10. Thirty basins of gold These were to hold the sprinkling-water or blood And other vessels Of sundry sorts whereof see 1 Kings 7.50 Verse 11. All the vessels of gold and of silver Those best of mettals and therefore fittest for his use and service who is Good Psal 106.1 Better Psal 108.9 Best Phil. 1. 23. goodnesse it self Matth. 19.17 Whose great purse is the Earth with All that is either on it or in it Psal 24.1 whose great storehouse are the Stars and Planets the Sun especially making these mettals and causing plenty Deut. 28.12 Let us lavish out of the bag and when we have honoured the Lord with the Best of our best cry out with David Of thine owne Lord have we given thee and with Justinian 1. Chron. 29.6 Cedren dedicating a very rich Communion-table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. CHAP. II. Verse 1. Now these are the children of the province THat is of Judaea now a Province though formerly a Princesse now solitary and tributary that was once populous and great among the Nations Lam. 1.1 Medinah the word here rendered Province sometimes signifieth Metropolis aliis jus dicens a place that giveth Lawes to other places and so Judaea in her flourish had beene See chap. 4.20 But now it was otherwise and so it is at this day not onely with Judaea but with other renowned Empires and Kingdomes not a few all which together with most of those Churches and places so much mentioned in Scripture are swallowed up in the greatnesse of the Turkish Empire Shiâ—dler That Medina a City in Arabia where Mahomet lieth buried where his Sepulchre is no lesse visited then is Christs Sepulchre at Jerusalem holdeth this Medina in hard subjection making her children pay for the very heads they weare and so grievously afflicting them that they have cause enough to take up a new Jeremies Elegie over their doleful captivity That went up out of the captivity That listed themselves in Babylon to go up Which if any failed to do as by comparing verse 5. of this chapter with Nehem. 7.10 it appeareth some did it was because either they changed their minds or their lives His life by Crashaw before they came there When that Noble Marquesse Galeacius Caracciolus set forward for Geneva some of his most familiar friends promised and vowed to accompany him thither But divers of them when they came to the borders of Italy turned back again c. and so might many of these ingagers magis amantes mundi delicias quà m Christi divitias graviorem ducentes jacturam regionis quà m religionis Which had beene carried away But had Gods promise that they should returne be built up planted and not rooted out Jer. 24.6 and his command to marry and beget children Jer. 29.6 which should inherit the promises for they are good sure-hold Whom Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon That Metus Orbis flagellum Dei as Attilas King of Hunnes proudly stiled himself that is The Terrour of the world Gualth in Hab. 2. Eucholc and scourge in Gods hand See Esay 10.5 That Ira Dei Orbis Vastitas as Tamerlan loved to be called The wrath of God and ruine of the world Had carried away to Babylon As to his Lions-den Nah. 2.10 but God sent from heaven and saved them with such a mighty salvation as eclipsed that deliverance out of Egypt Jer. 23.7 8. Every one unto his City Appointed him by the present Governours For during their abode in Babylon Judaea lay utterly waste and uninhabited The Land kept her Sabbaths resting from tillage and God by a wonderful providence kept the roome empty till the returne of the Natives Verse 2. That came with Zerubbabel That famous Prince of Judah chap. 1.8 Governour of Judah Hag. 1.1 who was borne in Babylon and accordingly had a Babylonian name His hands laid the foundation of the second Temple his hands also finished Zech. 4.9 whence some conclude that the Lord gave him a life much longer then ordinary His children shall notto bed till their work be done Jeshua This was that Jehoshuah the High Priest the great assistant of Zerubbabel in building the Temple chap. 5.1 Hag. 1.14 These were those faithful Witnesses of God in their generation as before them had beene Moses and Aaron Elijab and Elisha and as after them Paul and Barnabas Luther and Melancthoâ— Oecolampadius and Zuinglius c. Christ sent out his Disciples by two and two for two is better then one and why See Eccles 4.9 10 11 12. Nehemiah Saraiah Reelaiah Mordecai Not that famous Nehemiah nor that renowned Mordecai so much spoken of in the book of Esther but others of the same name Reasons see in Master
on verse 12. and learne that fidelity to governours is ever both safe and honourable Zedekiah's falsifying his oath to the King of Babylon was the overthrow of that Common-wealth See what God himself saith not without great indignation Ezek. 17.18 Seeing he Zedekiah despised the oath by breaking the Covenant when loe he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape Verse 16. We certifie the King They doubt not of audience whilest they sang a song of Vtile which therefore they thus set on with more confidence then charity Verse 17. Peace and at such a time As the Latines saluting say Ave or Salve Hieron the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Hebrews and Syrians say Shalom lach that is Peace be to thee The Turks salutation at this day also is Salaum aleek the reply Aleek Salaum Blount Peace is a complexive blessing Verse 18. Hath beene plainly read before us This in the general was commendable but he should have reserved as Alexander used to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One eare free and have heard both parties Verse 19. Hath made insurrection against Kings Chald. Lift up it self against Kings Pride is painted with a triple crowne on her head Upon the first whereof is written Transcendo upon the second Non obedio upon the third Perturbo Wat Tyler the rebel dared to say that all the Lawes of England should come out of his mouth Spead Verse 20. Beyond the river Euphrates the boundary of Solomons Empire 1 Kings 4.21 24. as it was also promised Genesis 15.18 Exod. 23.31 Deut. 11.24 Joshuah 1.4 Verse 21. Give you now commandment Chald. Make a Decree which yet did but carry on Gods Decree for while persecutors sit backward to his command they row forwards to his Decree Verse 22. Take heed now that ye faile not This was to spurre a free-horse like as litters were sent from King Philip and Queene Mary to Bishop Bonner complaining that Hereticks were not so reformed as they should be and exhorting him to more diligence Why should dammage grow Take heed of that howsoever Multi reges graviorem ducunt jacturam regionis quà m religionis c. Bucholcer Verse 23. They went up in haste Perurgente diabolo the Devil driving them and their owne malicious dispositions egging them thereunto So when Queene Mary lay a dying Bern. Acts Mon. 1562. Harpsfeild Arch-deacon of Canterbury being at London made all post-haste home to dispatch those Martyrs whom he had then in his cruel custody So ambitious are wicked men of hell they take long strides and mend their pace as if they feared lest it should be taken up before they come thither Verse 24. Then ceased the work of the house of God And now the adversaries have got the ball on the foot thinking to carry the game before them But the triumphing of the wicked is short Job 20.5 and that they prosper at all in their designes it is non ad exitium sed ad exercitium Sanctorum not for the ruine of the Church but for the exercise of the faith and patience of Gods people CHAP. V. Verse 1. Then the Prophets HE that is now called a Prophet was before-time called a Seer 1 Sam. 9.9 because his eyes were illightened Num. 24.3 and he saw visions of God Ezek. 1.1 Dan. 1.17 Prophets they were afterwards called that is Interpreters of Gods will by his command Exod. 7.1 Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet that is thine Interpreter By the mouth of these holy Prophets God spake to his people in all ages Luke 1.70 Yet not without some intermissions of Prophesie as the Church complaineth Psal 74.9 till that Cathimath Chazon as the Jewes call it the sealing up of Prophesie which they place betweene the Prophet Malachi and John Baptist who was more then a Prophet The Original word Nabi signifieth one that from the inward counsel of God uttereth Oracles Haggai the Prophet Who was not an Angel incarnate as Origen and Hierom held but a young Saint as Epiphanius describeth him and might therefore well be an old Angel if he lived to be old Juvenis admodum ex Babylone profectus est Hicrosolymam c. Epiph. lib. de Proph. vit See more of him Hag. 1.1 with the note there And Zechariah the sonne of Iddo That is of Barachiah the sonne of Iddo Zech. 1.1 See the Note there These two God sent within two moneths one of another in the eighteenth year of the peoples returne out of Babylon which fell out to be in the second year of the reigne of Darius Hystaspes and in the three thousand four hundred fourty and fourth year of the world according to Funccius his Chronology Christ usually sent his Prophets and Apostles by couples for mutual comfort and greater confirmation Prophesied unto the Jewes Who had brought a judgement of sore famine upon themselves by their slacknesse and backwardnesse to rebuild the House of God Hag. 1.4 6. See the Notes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot Mat. 22.21 and learne of the Heathen Historian to preferre Gods interest before thine owne or else to look for his curse For he is a great King and stands upon his seniority Mal. 1.14 he will have us first to seeke his Kingdome Matth. 6.33 and to give unto God the things that are Gods or we shall hear of him to our small comfort In the name of the God of Israel Who both authorized and enabled them God sendeth none whom He gifteth not The Apostles also were Embassadours in the same name 2 Cor. 5.20 and so Collegues to the Prophets Luke 10.16 See 1 Pet. 1.12 Angels admiring the matter o◠their Ambassie and their happy harmony Even unto them Who yet were very little amended by their seventy years captivity Afflictions Gods hammers had but beaten upon cold iron as it were as appears by this History and by the Prophesies of Haggai and Zechariah whom for his labour and love to their souls Hoc ictu ceu didactro accepto Linus mortuus est Buchol they afterwards slew betwixt the Temple and the Altar Matth. 23.35 serving him as Hercules did his Tutour Linus whom for a few sharp words given him he knockt on the head Or as their Ancestours did the Prophet Esay whom they sawed asunder saith Hierome out of the Rabbines because he had called them Princes of Sodom and people of Gomorrah Esay 1.10 This is the worlds wages to faithful Ministers Verse 2. Then rose up Zerubbabel Called before Shazbazzar the Tirshata Philo calleth him Barachias Men in those dayes had sundry names which must be noted or else confusion will not be avoyded according to the notation of Zerubbabels name Alienus à confusione ut quidam perhibent It is said of him that he brought back part of the people in the seventeenth year of his age that he continued Governour fifty eight years some say many more and that he began to
planted turned it into the same nature with it self as copres which will turn milk into ink or leaven which turneth a very Passeover into pollution See Mich. 1.5 with the Note Verse 12. Now therefore give not your daughters unlesse ye have a mind to pitch them into hell-mouth See ver 2. with the Note Nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever For they were devoted by God to utter destruction and therefore Israel might have no intercourse with them The Jewes at this day count and call us Canaanites Edomites c. and hold it an almesdeed to knock us on the head The best among the Gentiles say they is worthy cui caput conteratur tanquam Serpenti to be killed up as a Serpent Tacitus long since observed of them that as they were very kind to their own so to all others they bare a deadly hatred Thrice a day in their prayers Buxtorf Synag Jud. cop 5. they curse us Christians and in Polony where they have a toleration they print base and blasphemous things against Christ and Religion That ye may be strong viz. by my presence amongst you and providence over you for cui adhaereo prae est as Q. Elizabeth could write how much more may God Almighty He whom I favour is sure to prevail And cat the good of the Land The best of the best the finest Wheat the choyfest fruit and those a pledge and fore-taft of the happiness of Heaven where there is nec fames nec fastidium as one saith neither lack nor loathing neither measure nor mixture but sweetest varieties felicities eternities And leave it for an inheritance personal goodnesse is profitable to posterity the righteous shall leave inheritance to his childrens children Prov. 13.22 God never casteth out his good tenants nor leaveth his servants unprovided for See Psal 103.17 and 112.1 2. Verse 13. And after all that is come upon us Affliction like foul wheather cometh before it is sent for yet not but of Gods sending and then it is ever either probational as Jobs or Cautional as Pauls prick in the flesh or penal for chastisement of some way of wickednesse as here For our evil deeds These he thanketh as well he might for all their sufferings sin is the mother of misery and hales hell at the heeles of it Seeing that thou our God Our God still and this is the sixth time that he hath so stiled Him in this holy prayer besides three times My God These are speeches of faith and refer to the Covenant that pabulum fidei food of faith When ye stand and pray beleeve when ye humble and tremble before God keep up your faith still Nihil retinet qui fidem amisit lose that and lose all Seneca Take away the iniquity of they servant saith David 2 Sam. 24.10 'T is as if he should say I am thy servant Lord still though an unworthy one And to prove himself so he addeth For I have done very foolishly I confesse it Lord that thon mayest cover it Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit This he beleeves and speeds when Judas confessing but withal despairing misseth of mercy Hast punisht us lesse then our iniquities deserve Heb. Hast withheld beneath our iniquities The just hire of the least sin is death in the largest sense Rom. 6.23 What then might God do to us for our many and mighty sins or rather what might he not do and that most justly How great is his mercy which maketh him say Jerusalem hath received at Gods hand double for all her sins Isai 40.1 2. Too much saith God there too little saith Ezra here and yet how sweetly and beautifully doth this kind of contradiction become both And hast given us such deliverance as this A fruit of free mercy and calls hard for duty Gods blessings are binders and every new deliverance calls for new obedience Servaeti sumus ut serviamus Verse 14. Should we again break thy Commandements There is so much unthankfulnesse and disingenuity in such an entertainment of mercy that holy Ezra here thinkes that Heaven and Earth would be ashamed of it And joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations Especially when we may hear God himself screeching out as it were those words of his Oh do not this abominable thing Save your selves from this untoward generation c Wouldst thou not be angry with us Id est Chide us smite us and so set it on as no creature should be able to take it off Sin may move God when we ask bread and fish to feed us to answer us with a stone to bruise us or a Serpent to bite us Shun it therefore as a Serpent in your way or as poyson in your meats Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way c. Psal 2.12 So that there should be no remnant So that our late preservation should prove but a reservation to further mischief as was Sodoms Senacheribs Pharaohs Verse 15. O Lord God of Israel So called because he is their portion they His Deut. 32.9 He had avouched them for his and they him interchangeably Deut. 26.17 18. Seneca could say that the basest people meaning the Jewes gave Lawes unto all the World that is had the true God Creatour of all for their God Thou art righteous In all thy judgments inflicted upon us or thou art faithful and true in thy promises but we have forfeited thy favour and deserved destruction Behold we are before thee in our trespasses Or guiltinesses which is that iniquity of sin as David calleth it Psal 32.5 whereby the sinner is bound over to condigne punishment For we cannot stand before thee But must needs causâ cadere being self condemned and such as must needs subscribe to thy perfect justice in our own utter destruction CHAP. X. Verse 1. Now when Ezra had prayed HAD presented himself as a Suppliant and opened his cause to God the Judge appealing to him that he might determine And when he had confessed And begged pardon deprecating the divine displeasure Hithpallel as the word signifieth Weeping Of this we read not in the former chapter but of other effects of his passion as renting his garments tearing off the hair of his head and beard c. His sorrow at first might be above tears which afterwards came gushing out amain as the blood doth out of a Wound but not till it hath first run back to the heart to bear the newes to it as I may so say It is said of Athanasius that by his tears as by the bleeding of a chast vine he cured the Leprosy of that tainted age May we not say the same of this good man And casting himself down before the house of God Where all might see him that their eyes might affect their hearts and contribute some tears of compunction and compassion toward the filling of Gods bottle as they had done sins toward the filling of his bag Of Men Women and
aske what he would asked nothing but that the Church might be disempestered of Arians And when the Emperour being himself an Arian tore his Petition he said he would never aske any thing for himself if he might not prevaile for the Church Theodor. l. c. 32. So I prayed to the God of heaven Darting up an ejaculation a sudden and secret desire to God to order and speed his Petition Begin all with prayer and then expect a blessing Call in the Divine help if it be but by darting out our desires to God Crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas raptim ejaculatas Thus Moses cryed to God yet said nothing Exod. 14.15 Hannah was not heard and yet she prayed Austin reports the custome of the Egyptian Churches to pray frequently and fervently but briefly and by way of ejaculation ne fervor languesceret lest their heat should abate Verse 5. If it please the King Silken words must be given to Kings as the mother of Darius said neither must they be rudely and roughly dealt with as Joab dealt with David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 19.5 who therefore could never well brook him afterward but set another in his place And if thy servant have found favour Pellican observeth here that Nehemiah was a great favourite of this Kings as appeareth in that having so many Nobles he chose him to this Office rather then any of them He therefore pleads it as a pledge of further favour so may we with God as being no small favourites in the beloved One Ephesians 1.5 That thou wouldest send me unto Judah Not only give me leave to go but also send me with a Commission to be Governour This was a bold request but modestly proposed and easily obtained The King is not he that can deny you any thing Jer. 38.5 Love is liberal charity is no churle Verse 6. And the King said unto me He yeelds for the thing only indents for the time as being loth to deny Nehemiah his suit and yet as loth to forgo so faithful a servant Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat Seneca The Queene also sitting by him And assisting his cause likely Some think this was Esther the Queen-mother But the Hebrew word here is Wife Now the Kings of Persia were noted for uxorious For how long c. The departure of a dear friend is so grievous that Death it self is called by that name So it pleased the King to send me As a Governour chap. 5.14 This was the fruit of prayer and therefore so much the sweeter And I set him a time sc Twelve years chap. 5.14 But more probably a shorter time at first Verse 7. Moreover I said unto the King He taketh further boldnesse upon the former encouragement so may we with Almighty God the Sunne of our righteousnes the Sea of our salvation Conclude as she did A company comes God never left bating till Abraham left begging Let letters be given me to the Governours Those nearest neighbours but greatest enemies That they may conveigh me over He committed himself to God and yet petitions the King for a Convoy In all our enterprizes God is so to be trusted as if we had used to means and yet the means is so to be used as if we had no God to trust in Verse 8. Epit Hâ—st Gall c. 114. Keeper of the Kings forrest Heb. Paradise probably so called for the pleasantnesse of it The French Protestants called their Temple or Church at Lyons Paradise Davids delight Psal 27. and 84. Of the palace that appertained to the house Id est To the Temple which is called The house by an excellency as the Scriptures are called the Bible that is the Book as being the onely best Book in comparison whereof all other books in the World are no better then wast paper And for the house that I shall enter into Id est A dwelling house for my self when once the publike is served Junius understands it of a Common-hal or Shire-house wherein he might sit and judge causes brought before him And the King granted me It was but ask and have and so it is betwixt God and his people When there was a speech among some holy men what was the best trade One answered Beggery it is the hardest richest trade Common beggery is indeed the poorest and easiest but prayer he meant A courtier gets more by one sute oft then a tradesman or merchant haply with twenty years labour so doth a faithfull prayer c. According to the good hand He calleth him his God as if he loved or cared more for him then for the rest of the World It is the property of true faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make all its own that it can lay hold upon See the Note on Ezra 7.6 Vers 9. Then I came to the Governours Josephus saith that the next day he took his journey and delivered his letters to Saddeus Governour of Syria Phoenicia and Samaria A strange example saith one to see a Courtier leave that wealth ease and authority that he was in and go dwell so far from Court in an old Torn and decayed City among a rude poor people where he should not live quietly but toyl and drudge like a day-labourer in dread and danger of his life But this is the case of earnest and zealous men in Religion c. Now the King had sent Captains This was more then Nehemiah had desired and as much as he could have done for the greatest Lord in the Land God is likewise usually better to his people than their prayers and when they ask but one talent he Naaman-like will force them to take two Verse 10. When Sanballet the Horonite That is the Moabite Isa 15.5 Jer. 48.3 5.34 His name signifieth saith one a pure Enemy he was come of that spiteful people who were anciently irked because of Israel Num. 22.3 4. or did inwardly fret and vex at them as Exod. 1.12 who yet were allied unto them and did them no hurt in their passage by them yea had done them good by the slaughter of the Amorites their encroaching Neighbours And Tobiah the servant A servant or bond-slave once he had been though now a Toparch a Lieutenant to the King of Persia Now such are most troublesome Prov. 30. ver 22. Asperius nihil est humili cùm surgit in altum A' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. lib. 60. Rer. Rom. Heard it As they might soon do by means of their Wives who were Jewesses And the Jewes to this day are generally found the most nimble and Mercurial wits in the World Every Visier and Basha of State among the Turkes useth to keep a Jew of his private counsel whose malice wit and experience of Christendome with their continual intelligence is thought to advise most of that mischief which the Turk puts in execution against us Blounts Voyâ— P. 114. It grieved them exceedingly Heb. It seemed to them an
who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality shall be eternal life Rom. 2.7 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. But it came to passe THE Devil and his Impes have ever been utter Enemies to Reformation So do savage beasts bristle up themselves and make the most fierce assaults when they are in danger of losing the prey which they had once seized on Jabesh Gilead would send in none to help the Lord against the mighty Judg. 21.9 No more would Meroz chap. 5.23 Josiah met with much opposition so did St. Paul wherever he came to set up Evangelical and spiritual worship which is called a Reformation Heb. 9.10 All the World was against Athanasius in his generation and Luther in his rejecting what they attempted with scorn and slander Here it is quarrel enough to Nehemiah and his Jewes that they would be no longer miserable They were not more busie in building then the Enemies active in deriding conspiring practising to hinder and overthrow them A double derision is here recorded and both as full of mischief as prophane wit or rancoured malice could make them He was wroth Heb. He was enkindled and all on a light fire he was as hot as Nebuchadnezzars Oven huge hot he took great indignation and was so unreasonably enraged as if he would have fallen forthwith into a phrensy or apoplexy as that Roman Emperour did by raging at his servant He was grieved before chap. 2. but now he was madded And mocked the Jews By word and gesture fleering and jeering flouting and scoffing at them as the Pharisees also did at our Saviour Luk. 16.14 Davids Enemies at him upon their ale-bench Sr. Tho. Moore and other learned Papists at the new-Gospellers See chap. 2.19 This might have dismayed these poor Jewes and put them out of countenance for our nature is most impatient of reproaches there being none so mean but thinks himself worthy of some regard and a reproachful scorn such as these here shewes an utter disrespect which issueth from the very superfluity of malice If God had not strengthened them saith One it would have made them leave their work and run away Verse 2. And he spake before his brethren Id est before his companions and complices who would second him and say the same his Aiones and Negones as one calleth such And the Army of Samaria The Garrison-souldiers or those that lay there billetted to observe the people What do these feeble Jews These beggerly shiftlesse Fellowes these Asinarii as Melon and Appion of Alexandria disgracefully called the Jews like as Tertullian telleth us that the Pagans painted the God of the Christians with an Asses head and a Book in his hand to note that they were silly and despicable people B. Jewell in a Sermon of his citeth this out of Tertullian and addeth Do not our adversaries the like at this day against all that professe the Gospel Will they fortify themselves Heb. Will they leave to themselves sc any thing to trust unto Junius rendreth An sinerent eos should they sc the Officers and Souldiers suffer them thus to do Will they sacrifice Sc. at the dedication of their new Walles Will they do this all at once and think they without more adoe to have the liberty of their Sanctuary Will they make an end in a day It should seem so by their Citò Citò quick dispatch of their parts and task c. Praecipita tempus mors atra impendet agenti Sil. Ital. Will they revive the Stones c. Stones they want for their new wall where will they have them will they glew together the old Stones and revive them out of the rubbish will they do this or what will they do Verse 3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite This was one of Sanballats good brethren ver 2. A Bird of the same feather a loaf of the same leven his fellow-scoffer and so homine pejor saith Chrysostome worse then a man as the scoffed that beareth it well is Angelis par saith he an Angels peere Even that which they build if a Fox go up c. It was some such bitter jeer that Remus uttered in contempt of Romulus his new wall and was knockt on the head for it Hae sannae leniter volant non lenitèr violant Verse 4. Hear ô our God These mocks and menaces lay so heavy upon Nehemiah's spirit that he could not ease himself but by breathing heaven-ward and turning them over to God to take an order with them His prayer is not long but full A child may not chat in his Fathers presence his words must be humble earnest direct to the point avoiding vain babblings and tedious prolixities For we are despised Heb. We are contempt in the abstract Not vilified we are onely but nullified as a company of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No-bodies So Paul the most precious man upon earth and his companions the glory of Christ Esay 62.3 and a Royall diadem in the hand of Jehovah were looked upon as the filth of the World the off-scouring of al things 1 Cor. 4. What matter is it then what becometh of us 2 Joh. We have a God to turn us to and Demetrius hath testimony of the truth that 's enough let Diotrephes prate what he pleaseth And turn their reproach upon their own heads Surely God scorneth these Scorners saith Solomon that is Prov. 3.34 saith Rabbi Levi upon that Taxt he casteth them into some calamity and so maketh them a laughing stock to those whom they have laughed at God loves to retaliate to pay men home in their own coyn Thus he dealt by Appion of Alexandria who scoffing at Religion Josephus and especially at circumcision had an ulcer the same time and in the same place The like ill end befell Julian the Apostate whose daily practise was to scoffe at Christ and his people Dioclesian the Emperour as Volaterran writeth had a Jester called Genesius who used to make him merry at meales and amongst their devises would scoffe and squib at Christians But God plagued him for example of others And the like he did to Morgan that mocking Bishop of St. Davies to John Apowel who derided William Mauldon for his devotion and lastly Act. Mon. fol. 1902. Ibid. 1906. to one Lever of Brightwel in Barkshire who said that he saw that ill-favoured knave Latimer when he was burned at Oxford and that he had teeth like an Horse But the Lord suffered not this scorn and contempt of his servant to passe unpunished For that very day and about the same hour that Lever spake these words his son wickedly hanged himself saith mine Authour Lege cave And give them for a prey c. A heavy curse and as not causelesse against implacable Enemies to God and goodnesse so nor fruitlesse Wo be to such as against whom the Saints moved with a zeal of God shall imprecate vengeance God usually inflicteth what they denounce against his and their
he well be to his parents then Epamiuondas was to his and of him it might be sung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer The sonne of Shimei the sonne of Kish a Benjamite He descended then either from some other sonne of Kish the father of Saul or esse from Jonathan Sauls sonne for he only of all the sonnes of Saul left issue behind him But the Kish here mentioned though of his line lived many years after Sauls father Verse 6. Who had been carried away from Jerusalem Kish â—ad not Mordecaâ— unlesse it were in the loines of his great grandfather Kish and his posterity were of those goods figs mentioned in Jeremy but goodnesse is no target against affliction nec te tua plurima Penthen Labentem texit pietas Virg. With the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah The good figs were carried away at the same time with the bad but in several baskets Jer. 34.1 Kish and others like him as Daniel Ezekiel Shadrach Meshack and Abednego c. were not only good men but very good like the figs that are first ripe Jer. 24.2 such as Gods soul desireth Mic. 7.1 and yet they were carried away with Jeconiah and the rest that were naught stark naught Jer. 24.2 The best may have their share in a common calamity but God will not faile even then to set his eyes upon them for good Jer. 24.6 The husbandman cutteth down his corne and weeds together but for different purpose Excellently Austin Vna eademque vis irruens bonos probat purificat eliquat malos damnat vastat exterminat One and the same common calamity proveth De Civit. Dei lib 1. cap. 8. melteth purifieth the good damneth wasteth destroyeth the evil these have an evil an onely evil Ezek. 7.5 without mixture of mercy and that because they are naught very naught figs that cannot be eaten they are so naught Jer. 24.2 Whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had carried away Loe here the rod in Gods hand for the chastisement of his children that being chastened of the Lord they may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 This rod when he had worne to the stumps he cast into the fire Verse 7. And he brought up He both nourished and nurtured her in the true Religion and admonition of the Lord Ephes 6.4 he was her foster-father and her Instructor Hadassah Not the same with Atossa as Tremellius would have it Hadassah was the name given her by her parents and it signifieth a Myrtle-tree which loveth to grow in a bottome whence the Church is compared to it for her lowly-mindednesse Zech. 1.8 Herod lib. 7 Scalig. See the Note there That is Esther This was her Persian name say some In Heathen histories she is called Amestris His uncles daughter Not his brothers daughter as the Vulgar rendereth it after Josephus and Aben-Ezra She was his cousin-german and this was one reason that moved him to adopt her viz. the bond of nature For she had neither father nor mother A poor Orphan she was but Christ left her not comfortlesse John 14.18 He had provided and inabled Mordecai to feed her and breed her to traine her up in the fear of God and to defend her chastity from the rage of lust besides that her head was by him destined to a Diadem Esther the captive shall be Esther the Queen Esther the fatherlesse and motherlesse shall be a nursing mother to the Church and meane while meet with a merciful Guardian Mordecai Why then should we not trust God with our selves and our children And the maid was faire and beautiful See the Note on verse 3. Gratior est pulchro c. For her beauty she was brought to the King and not without some respect to this it was that she was bred up by Mordecai This beauty was a priviledge of nature and because of the forcible battery that would be laid to it God gives her a Guardian Esther was now in the flower of her age and her beauty was the flower of her vertue as Chrysippus called it Whom Mordecai when her father and mother were dead And so the might have been put to seek her bread in desolate places being left to the wide world as they say but the Lord was her rereward Esay 58.8 he took her up Psal 27.10 as the gathering army or rear-guard did the lame feeble and sick Israelites Josh 6.9 In the Civil Law provision is made for Orphans and such as were cast out some Hospitals to entertaine them some liberties to comfort and compensate their troubles Amongst us also besides harbours and Hospitals for such to the great commendation of the Founders very good provision is made by the Lawes and many lives thereby preserved God oft professeth himself the pupill's Patron gives great charge to all not to hurt them and menaceth the Jewes for their hardheartednesse toward them Let therefore the dying parents of such though they have as little to leave them as Esthers had cast them by faith into Gods everlasting armes who hath charged his Angels with them and hath promised heaven to them commanding his best creatures to cater for them Hos 2.21 22. Took for his own daughter He hid not his eyes from his own flesh Esâ—y 58. as some unnatural Ostrich or Sea-monster he made not as many do tuition a broker for private gaine he made not instead of a daughter a slave or spunge of his pupil he devoured her not under pretence of devotion but freely took her for his child and bred her in the best manner Now the Jews at this very day account a childs Tutour or Monitour worthy of more respect then his father for he say they hath given him only his being Leo. Mod. but the other his well-being Verse 8. When the Kings commandment and decree was heard Percrebuisset his officers herein over-officious had soone set it abroad and put it in execution the Persians also homines ad servitut ens paxati as Tiberius said of the Romanes those servile souls deny not to prostitute their daughters but proffer them rather and hold them happy if they may be admitted Not so Mordecai and his Esther Vis major eam abstulit She was carried away by force 't is like or if otherwise it might be a fault in her and her Guardian unlesse we shall say they did it by an extraordinary instinct Probably there was a sad parting and many prayers put up by them both for divine direction and protection and they were heard accordingly And when many maidens were gathered together Four hundred Lib. 11. cap. 6. saith Josephus Sed quid attinebat tot puellas huic cani constuprandas offerre saith Feuardentius Plin. lib. why should this dog deflour so many maidens Proculus Caesar boasted that in fifteene dayes space he got with child twenty Virgins a fair commendation Vnto Shushan the palace Answerable to the Seraglio where those that are kept up for their beauties
thus to sell the Hide before they had taken the beast He that sate in heaven and had otherwise determined it laughed at them the Lord had them in derision With him alone is strength and wisdom the deceived and the deceiver are his He leadeth Counsellours away spoiled and maketh the Judges fooles He leadeth Princes away spoiled and overthroweth the mighty Job 12.16 17 19. Psal 2. The people also to do with them Here Haman was made here he had more then heart could wish as Psal 73.7 and holdeth himself therefore no doubt the happiest man under heaven But Nihil sanè infelicius est felicitate peccantium saith Hierom there cannot befall a man a greater misery then to prosper in sinne for such a one is ripening for ruine as fatting cattel are fitting for the shambles They prosper and live at ease saith God yet I am extremely displeased with them Zech. 1.15 As they say of the metal they make glasse of it is nearest melting when it shineth brightest so are the wicked nearest destruction when at greatest lustre Meane-while see here what many times is the condition of Gods dearest children viz. to fall into the power and pawes of Lions Leopards Boares Beares Tygers of men more savage then any of these whose tender mercies are meer cruelties Poor blinde men they are that offer violence to the Saints as Sampson laid hands upon the pillars to pluck the house upon their owne heads To do with them as it seemeth good to thee O bloody sentence Such words as these Lenitèr volant sed non lenitèr violant So Dioclesian gave leave to people to kill up Christians without more ado whereever they met them the like was done by authority in the French Massacre but though Tyrants restraine not their Agents yet God will Psal 76.10 And though they bandy together and bend all their forces to root out true Religion yet are they bounded by him and shall not do what themselves please but what he hath appointed My times are in thine hand saith David and Pilate had no more power to crucifie Christ then what was given him from above John 19.11 Verse 12. Then were the Kings Scribes called Then presently upon 't so soon as the word was out of the Kings mouth licet quod libet the Scribes were called and all things dispatched with all possible haste art and industry So Judas what he did did quickly he was up and at it when Peter and the rest of the Apostles were sound asleep The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light for why they have the devil to help them and to prick them on and hence their restlesnesse On the thirteenth day of the first moneth Soon after they had begun to cast lots verse 7. and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded Right or wrong that was never once questioned by these over-officious Officers If the King command it and Haman will have it so the Secretaries and Rulers those servile soules are ready to say as Tiberius once did to Justinus Si tu volueris ego sum si tu non vis ego non sum Or as he in Lucan did to Caesar Jussa sequi tam velle mihi quà m posse necesse We are wholly at your devotion and dispose We are only your clay and wax c. It is not for us to take upon us as Counsellours but only to write what is dictated unto us c. But this was no sufficient excuse for them before God as neither was it for Doeg that he was commanded to slay all the Lords Priests which Abner and other of Sauls servants rightly and stoutly refused to do 1 Sam. 22. A warrant once came down under seal for Lady Elizabeths execution whilest she was prisoner at Woodstock Steven Gardiner like another Haman being the chief Engineer But Mr. Bridges her Keeper mistrusting false play presently made haste to the Queen who renounced and reversed it So might Ahashuerus haply have done this bloody Edict had his officers shewed him the iniquity of it But they took not this to be any part of their businesse Or if any one of them should be more conscientious yet he might be surprized by a sudden onset as the Lord Cromwell when by the instigation of Gardiner he was commanded by King Henry the eighth to reade the sentence of death against Lambert the Martyr whereof he repented afterwards sending for Lambert and asking him forgivenesse as Mr. Fox relateth And to every people after their language See chap. 1.22 In the name of the King Ahashuerus For more authority sake and that Hamans malice and cruelty might lie hid under the Kings cloak So Jezabel wrote letters in Ahabs name against Naboth so the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites in the name of their King the Jewes pretended to be all for Caesar when they sought and suck't our Saviours blood The Popish Persecutours here did all in Queen Maries name when as it might be said of her as Josephus doth of Queen Alexandra among the Jewes Ipsa solùm nomen regium ferebat c. She had the name only of Queen but the Pharisees ruled the Kingdome so did the Bishops in those dayes and some of them would have done the like in ours and that was their downfal after that as rotten teeth they had put the King and Kingdome to a great deal of misery And sealed it with the Kings ring Lest it should by any meanes be reversed Dan. 6.8 12 15. Of the right antiquity use and matter of rings let them that will read Plin. lib 33. cap. 1. 37.1 Macrob. lib. 1. Saturn cap. 13. Alexand. ab Alex. lib. 2. genial dier Rhodig lib. 6. cap. 12. Verse 13. And the letters were sent by Postes These the Persians called Angari or as Ruffin writeth it Aggari But why was this done in such post-haste so long before the day of execution was it not to hold them all that while on the rack and so to kill them peece-meale as Tiberius used to do by his enemies whilest through feare of death and expectation of that doleful day Heb 2.15 they were all their life-time subject to bondage To destroy to kill and to cause to perish Words written not with black but with blood and therefore multiplied in this sort to shew that it mattered not how so they were made away by any meanes and the world well rid of them Reade the History of the French Massacre and heare Reverend Merlin who narrowly and indeed miraculously escaped those bloody Villaines as being Chaplaine to the Admiral and praying with him in his Chamber a little before he was murthered heare him I say commenting upon this text Sic nostro saeculo si scribenda fuerint edicta adversus Religionem non potuerunt sibi Scribae satisfacere in excogitandis verbis significantibus quibus atrociora magis sanguinaria redderentur c. that is in our age also if
of the sea for it was part of the Continent because mediâ inseperabilis undâ separated from other Countreyes and encircled with Gods powerful Protection It was say some Herod l. 3. by Mordecai's meanes exempted from this great taxation Herodotus saith that a Countrey near unto Arabia was exempted He meaneth Judea saith Junius though he name it not It may be so And it may be saith an Interpreter that this is here inserted as being intended only of the reimposing of the tribute whereof there was granted a release at Esthers marriage chap. 2.18 yet it may be also added to shew how God punished the Nations for their late greedy gaping after the lives and estates of Gods people Verse 2. And all the Acts of his Power and his might Lyra and Rikelius observe that Ahashuerus had all this power and might given him by God as a recompence of his courtesie to the Jewes and justice done upon their enemies No man serveth God for nought He is a liberal Pay-master Mal. 1.10 See the Note there And the declaration of the greatnesse of Mordecai Heb. the Exposition Many make large Commentaries upon their own greatnesse which a right Exposition would shew to be rather belluine then genuine Great men are not alwayes wise saith Elihu Job 32.9 But Mordecai was a great wise man every way accomplish't one of Gods Rabbines as Daniel calls them fit to serve any Prince in the world There is a spirit in man a rational soule in an ordinary man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32.8 Whereunto the King advanced him Heb. wherewith the King greatned him wherein he shewed himself a wise and Politick Prince as did likewise Pharaoh in advancing Joseph Darius Daniel Constantius Chlorus Christian Officers our Henry the eighth the Lord Cromwell whom he made his Vicar-General Jovianus the Emperour was wont to wish that he might govern wise men and that wise men might govern him Justin Martyr praiseth this sentence of divine Plato Common-wealths will then be happy when either Philosophers reigne or Kings study Philosophy Justin Apol Jethro's Justitiary must be a wise man fearing God c. Exod. 18. and that famous maxime of Constantius Chlorus recorded by Eusebius is very memorable He cannot be faithful to me that is unfaithful to God Religion being the foundation of all true fidelity and loyalty to King and Countrey Are they not written in the book of the Chronicles These Chronicles of Media and Persia if they were now to be had as they are not would far better acquaint us with the history of those times then the fragments of them collected by Herodotus Diodorus Arrianus Jeâ—stin and Curtius But better books then these Chronicles are now wanting to the world as the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Iudah the Book of the warres of the Lord the book of Jasher Origens Octapla the losse which work saith a learned man deplorare possumus compensare non possumus bewaile we may but make up we cannot Chrysostome upon Matthew when promotions were offered Thomas Aquinas his usual answer was Chrysostomi Commentarium in Matthaeum wallem I had rather have Chrysostomes Commentary upon Matthew and many other precious pieces which learned men would gladly buy at as deare a rate as Plato did those three bookes that cost him thirty thousand Florens That we have the holy Scriptures so perfect and entire preserved safe from the injuries of time and rage of tyrants who sought to burne them up and abolish them is a sweet and singular Providence and must be so acknowledged Verse 3. For Mordecai the Jew was next unto King Ahashuerus Proximus à primo the Kings second as 2 Chron. 28.11 having the next chief seat to him as Josephus expoundeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and set over all the Princes of that Monarchy so that he might well cry out with that noble General Iphicrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what mean beginnings to how great an estate and dignity am I raised How long he held it is not recorded all the dayes of his life it is likely for the good and comfort of the Church though not without the envy of many of the Courtiers which he overcame more by patience then pertinacy And great among the Jewes A kinde of King in Jeshurun as Moses as great among them as if he had been their proper King There is mention made of one Mordecai Ezra 2.2 who was of the first that went up with Zorobabel Aben-Ezra saith that this Mordecai was he and that when he saw that the building of the City and Temple went not on as was to be wished he returned again out of Judea to Shushan and lived about the Kings Court being not known to be a Jew till Haman was in his greatnesse soon after which himself became much greater then Haman And accepted of the multitude of his brethren He was their Corculum as Scipio their darling Orbis deliciae Melancth Chron. as Titus Mundi Mirabilia as otho the third Emperour of Germany was called Of Mordecai it might be sung as Cardanus did of our Edward the sixth Deliciae saecli gloria gentis erat Seeking the wealth of his people Farre more then his own private profit glory and dignity labouring their good both of soule and body by all meanes possible that they might have Gaius's prosperity and be as happy as heart could wish And speaking peace He was gentle and courteous to all not like Polyphemus who was Nec visu facilis nec dictu affabilis ulli Now affability and courtesie in high degree easily draweth mens mindes as faire flowers in the Spring do Passengers eyes Queen Elizabeth for instance of whom before Moreover he spoke good of them and for them to the King and promoted their prosperity to the utmost To all his seed i. e. to all his Countreymen as if they had been his own children And here that sweet Promise of God made to the good figges was fulfiled Jeremy had perswaded Jehoiakim and many others with him to yield themselves up into the hands of the King of Assyria assuring them that so doing they should fare farre better then those that stood out They did so and Mordecai among the rest as some will have it and now see how well they speed see the faithfulnesse of God in fulfilling his Promises the reward of the righteous the triumph of trust Again to all his seed That is posteris suis so some sense it he spoke peace to all his seed â—olocutâ—s est â—speritatem â—du Judaeoâ—â— posterita Merlin that is prosperity to all the Jewes posterity providing for their future happinesse also and taking course that after his death too the welfare of the Church might be continued This was dying Davids care 1 Chronicles 28.1 2 c. and Pauls Acts 20.29 and Peters 2 epist 1.15 and Ambroses of whom Theodosius speaking said Dilexi virum I could not but love the
man exceedingly for this that when he died he was more solicitous of the Churches then of his own dangers So was Calvin as is testified in his life Nay Cicero as he could confidently sing O fortunatam natam me consule Romam So he elswehere professeth that he was in no lesse care what the Common-wealth would do when he was dead then whiles he was yet alive Cic. de amici Soli Deo Gloria in aeternum A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Upon the BOOK of JOB CHAP. 1. Verse 1. There was a Man A Notable man a man by ad excellency and with an accent as it were A man of high degree as the word Ish signifieth Psal 49.2 62.9 where it is opposed to Adam utpote quem ex meliore luto finxit Titan a Manly man Animo virili praeditus every way excellent and eximious Magnus admirabilis vir c. A great and marvellous man if it be fit to call him by the name of a man as Chrysostome speaketh of Babylas the Martyr Orat. cont Gentiles Basil in his Sermon of the forty Martyrs calleth them the Stars of the World and the flowers of the Churches Chrysostome speaking of those that were praying for Peter Act. 12. saith that Puriores caelo afflictione facti sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 55. in Mat. Damâ—â—hum beminis miraculum natura ut de Scaligerâ— non nemo dixit by their afflictions they were become clearer then the azured sky and elsewhere falling into speech of some religious men of his time he doubteth not for their holy and heavenly conversation to stile them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels That Job deserved this high title as well as the best of them we have here and otherwhere Gods own testimony of him and this whole book whereof he is the principal object doth abundantly prove him an Heroe In the Land of Vz Which what it was and where situate though our Maps shew us not yet by the consent of all it was a country bordering upon Idumea in part and part upon Arubia see Lam. 4.21 Jer. 25.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odys Chrysostome testifieth that Jobs sepulcher hath been shewed in Arabia which might well have been called Happy if but for having such an inhabitant Ptolemy placeth the Hussites in Arabia Whose name was Job It is then a true and real history that we here have of him and not a fiction or a moral parable as some have believed see a double testimony for this the one Prophetical Ezek 14.14 the other Apostolical Jam. 5.11 and such a well-twined cord is not easily broken What if posephâ—s make â—â—â—mention in his History of such a man it was beside his purpose to write any thing but what concerned the Jewes Aristeus in his History of the Jewes maketh Johâ— be descended of Esan and to dwel in Idumea The Jew-doctors and some of the Fathers of the Church make him to be that Jobab mentioned Gen. 36.33 True it is that the words differ much in the Hebrew writing but for that whiles he prospered he might be called Joâ—â—b when in distresse which 〈◊〉 twelve months say the Hebrews seven yeares saith Suides contracted into Job See the like Rath 1.20 Cox 17.5 Some make him to be much more ancient viz. the same with that Jobab who was the Son of Jockran the nephew of Eber 1 Chron. 1.23 and that himself was pen-man of this book He doth 〈◊〉 wish that his words 〈…〉 book and haply he and his 〈…〉 in Hexameters for most part as Hierome thinketh But that it was by inspiration of God is testified not only by the divine Grandeur and Majesty of the stile together with the intrinsecal excellency and efficacy of the matter but also by the concurrent testimony of not a few other Scriptures sufficiently asserting the authentity and authority of this Book The common opinion is that is was written by Moses while he abode as a stranger among the Midianites for the comfort of his poor Country men groaning under the Egyptian servitude or else that this History written at first by Job and his friends in prose was afterwards by Moses put into verse and imbelished Preface to his Paraphrase with the most rich ornaments and the most glittering figures of Poetry Sure it is saith Senaâ—lt that there is no book in the world where the manner of speaking is more noble the conceits mere generous the descriptions more rich and the comparisons more natural Sometimes the Author reasoneth like an excellent Philosopher oftentimes like a profound Divine but alwaâ—es like an Orator and his Eloquence never leaveth him And that man was peâ—â—ect that is upright aâ—â—t followeâ—â— next and sincere without guile or gall a pattern of patience a standing rule to all ages and therefore in Gods acceptation and account perfect and entire wanting nothing Jam. 1.4 because in him patience had her perfect work Tamim de victimis perfectis immaculatis dicitur as much as mortality would afford It was but an unsavory speech of him who when he was perswaded to be patient as Job was replied what tell you me of Job Job never had any suites in Chancery no but he had far sharper trials and if he had been judge in that Court as he was in his own Country Chap. 29.12 17 he would have made as good dispatch there as ever Sir Thâ—maâ— Mâ—â—r did who calling once for the next cause was answered That there was none And upright more resembling Jacob that plain-hearted man then 〈◊〉 his great Grand father Of the word here used Jesher Israel was called Jeshâ—â—◠〈◊〉 22.15 and 33.5 26. Isai 44.1 because God requireth uprightnesse which he calleth perfection Deut. Buxtorf 18.13 and there is a great Tau in the world Tanâ—â—â— to shew that an upright man keepeth the whole law from the first to the last lenâ—â—â— thereof and where he findeth it â—eckoneth Jâ—â—her an Ishmaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 is he a very good Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 and Job the Idumeaâ— a very good Christian such an one as Apelles was Rom. 16 approved in Christ And one that feared God with an amicable not servile feare such as was that of those mongrels who seat'd him for his Lyons and are therefore said not to have feared him Sic vive cum beminibum tanquam Deus videat Sâ—â—iquere cum Dec c. Sam â—emp 2o. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 King 17.32 33 34. Job so lived with men as if God saw him and so spake with God as if men over-heard him Thence it was that seldome or never did any man see him doing or hear him speaking but what was good and godly as Xenophon saith of Socrates Thence it was that he never did well that he might appear to do so sed quia aliter facer◠〈…〉 as Valleius saith of Cato but because acting by this principle of Gods 〈◊〉 he could not do otherwise for the fear of the
was but the stage of mâ—â—ability and that Omnia sunt homiâ—â—◠〈…〉 filo Et subito casu quae â—â—lâ—ere râ—unt Verse 4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses They were of ripe years and although unmarried yet had they their several houses to dwell in This declareth not onely the wealthiness of the Family but also the good Order and Government thereof as 〈◊〉 observeth Their orderly intercourse of friendly feasting one another shews their mutuall love to 〈◊〉 and agreement by this means testified and 〈◊〉 For wine hath as 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an attractive power 〈◊〉 it to 〈◊〉 and â—eep friendship and from the drinking of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 used for a 〈◊〉 hath 〈…〉 We may not think that they did thus every day aâ— that 〈…〉 their 〈…〉 they had been better bred and they observed this order with great modesty and discretion They went and feasted that is they did it readily and cheerfully that brotherly love might continue for Fratrum quoque gratia raraest The Divel doth what he can to cast a bone betwixt brethren to make those that should love most dearly to hate one another most deadly See this â—â—â—â—plified in Câ—iâ— and Abel Esau and Jacob Joseph and his Brethren Joram and his Romulus and Remus Caracalla and Geta Robert and 〈◊〉 the two sons of William the Conquerour Polynices and Eteecles c. And when such are once 〈…〉 saith Solomon is harder to be woâ— then a strong City and their contentions are like the barres of a Castle which being strong will 〈…〉 Prov. 18.19 All good means therefore must be used to prevent them and to preserve that unity and unity which the Psalmist doth so 〈…〉 concludeth that there God commandeth the blessing and 〈…〉 that is constant happinesse 〈◊〉 in and by a blessâ—d Posterity The number of two hath been accounted 〈◊〉 because it was the first that departed from Unity And sent and 〈…〉 That their number and amity might be complete This was no 〈◊〉 joy to 〈◊〉 that his children were so kind one to another It is 〈…〉 that which was denyed to Abraham and Isaac though fathers onely of two children to Jacob also and Samuel and David Constantine the great 〈◊〉 many others whose children through ambition pride 〈…〉 may at deadly send among 〈…〉 that the Sisters kept not with their 〈…〉 which was both more seemly and more safe as also more agreeing with maidenly 〈◊〉 Neither is it said that 〈…〉 not ever â—oldly to the 〈…〉 honest disposition Verse 5. And 〈…〉 of their feasting were gone about Such was his holy care of them and jealousie over them that he would deferre the work no longer as knowing that sin will ranâ—â—e in the conscience and harden the heart like poyson in the body it must be quickly cast up ere it get to the vitals That Job sent and 〈…〉 them Though they were grown up yet he kept them in awe as appears by his command to sanctifie themselves against the sacrifice Vt se parent purgent So did not Eli but honoured his untoward sons above God even then when those lewd losels kick'd at his sacrifice and at his offering which he had commanded in his habitation 1 Sam. 2.29 Job knew that he was bound as well to the preservation as to the observation of Gods commandments to see that others those especially of his familiarity and family keep them as well as himself When therefore the circle of dayes and feasting was finished he waited not till the eighth day came but at the end of the seventh he summoneth all his children to come before the Lord in holy duties with the best preparations they could make to wash their hands in innocencie before they compassed Gods Altar to repent of their immoderations in mirth Psal 26.6 or whatsoever other guilt they had any way contracted lest he cast back their services as dirt upon their faces The Heathens by the light of nature saw that God was not to be served slightly and slubberingly The Pythagoreans would not have men worship by the by but make it their businesse and prepare for it afore-hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Numa Pompilius second King of Rome commanded that men should not worship God for fashion carelesly and as doing somewhat else but freed from all other cares and cumbers The Jews had their Preparation and their fore-preparation to the Passover and as any man measureth to God in preparation God will measure to him again in blessing And rose up early in the morning Sanctificat senat ditat quoque surgere manè The morning is the best time for holy duties God should have the first of every thing then also men are 〈◊〉 and freest from worldly businesses The Philâ—stins 〈…〉 to do sacrifice to their Dagon or Triton as other Heathens called him They generally took the top of the morning utpote quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to offer to 〈◊〉 dung-hill-deities as holding 〈…〉 in their Temples and took notice of morning-salâ—tations 〈…〉 in the morning So do the Roman Historians their Pâ—titii and 〈◊〉 offering to Hercules upon their greatest Altar of all Argonaâ—â—â— do the like in Apollonius and the Persian Mâ—â—gi were wont to worship the rising Sun with their early Hymns And offered burnt offerings who le 〈◊〉 offerings not sacrifice onely as the Greek interpreter hath it nor peace offerings whereof himself might have had part but burnt offerings that were offered 〈…〉 unto God and that according to the number of his sons not one general family sacrifice only but for every one one It appeareth then that Job was no penny father no â—iggard in Gods service but lavishâ—◠〈◊〉 out of the bag and thought all too little that was laid out that way So did Solomon in that greatest sacrifice that ever we read of 1 King 8.63 and his father David when out of his poverty as he calleth it he had prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of golâ— Hist of the world part 2. cap. 17. sect 9. and a thousand thousand talents of silver c. which Sir Walter Raleigh casteth up to be more then any King in the world it worth this is 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 and basenesse Fâ—r Job said viz. in his heart for God understandeth the language of the heart also Psal 130.1 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—inned Or lest haply He well knew the Corruption of 〈…〉 wherein there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 of all sinâ— He knew also how easily we over-shoot ourselves at 〈◊〉 meetings and give too much liberty to our 〈◊〉 and appenâ—â—â— to râ—n 〈◊〉 He therefore seeks pardon for his childrens suspacted same 's he know besides 〈◊〉 and involuntary infirmities 〈…〉 by a just and jealous 〈…〉 1 Cor. 5.2 or not rebuked at least by their countenance as God 〈…〉 was a man of a 〈…〉 and therefore propounds to himself the worst neither was it against
him Eliah was most zealous for the Lord of Hosts when he slew 450 of Baals Priests Tantus tamen fulminator ad Jezabelis minas trepidat suctus seipso imbecillior saith one and yet this valiant Prophet flieth at the threats of Jezabel and heareth from heaven Bucholc What dost thou here Elias So Jeremy Peter Father Latiemr Pray for me saith he I say pray for me for I am sometimes so fearfull that I would creep into a Mouse-hole sometimes God doth visit me again with his comforts so he cometh and goeth to teach me to feel and know mine infirmity Thus he writeth to B. Ridley Acts and Mon. 1565. with whom he afterwards suffered at the same stake His last words were Fidelis est Deus c. God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able c. This was also Jobs comfort when himself doubtlesse for at this time it was Ego non sum Ego with him and God considered it for he knoweth our mould he remembreth we are but dust And cursed 〈◊〉 day Diom non Deum his day and not his God as the divell would have had it It was too much howsoever of that and Job should have opened his mouth to better purpose In the Revelation whensoever heaven opened some memorable matter followed when wisedome openeth his mouth she speaketh excellent things Prov. 8.6 When Asaph opened his mouth he spake parables Psal 78.2 When our Saviour did so he delivered that famous Sermon in the Mount Matth. 5.2 But Job alas in the extreme paine of his body and anguish of his soul openeth his mouth and curseth bitterly curseth his day in a most emphaticall manner and in most exquisite terms wishing all the evill to it that it was any way capable of Now the day that he here curseth is either the day wherein he suffered such a world of evils as Obad. 12. Isa 2.12 Or rather the day which gave occasion to his sufferings his birth-day as verse 3 Jeremy did the like by a like infirmity chap. 20 14 and some others but never hath any yet been heard to curse the day of his new-birth nor ever shall as whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust and besides an entrance ministred unto us further and further into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 11. There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multiplied happinesse in holinesse Verse 2. And Job spake and said Heb. answered and said Answered whom answered he The Jew-Doctors say he answered his friends who having hitherto said nothing to him and heard as little from him at length rupere silentia 〈◊〉 and asked him what he ailed others more probably conceive that Job answered here to some dispute in his own mind or rather with the divel Some take this verse for a transition only Others make it a preparation for Jobs future discourse to move expectation and win attention The discourse indeed is all along to chap. 42.7 Poeticall and very accurate made up in Hexameters as Hierome holdeth not by Job and his friends at the first uttering but afterwards by Job at better leisure or as some think Sic Jonas orationem suaÌ„ in ventre balanahabitum David plâ—rosque Psalmos c. by Moses whilest a shepherd in Midian for the comfort of his poore Country-men in Egypt Mercer saith that his predecessor Vatablus as he and heard had found out a way of scanning these Hexameters to others unknown and to all the more obscure because the verse causeth a cloud The first Hexameter that ever was made in Greek is said to be this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anno Mundi 2580 Prima vates Phemoâ—oi Aâ—â—ed Chronol 468. Birds bring your plumes and Bees your wax at once Verse 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born He curseth his birth-day which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of a mans Nativity they call the begetting of his misery because he is non pâ—iùs natus quam dumnatus no sooner born but damned to the Mines of misery Job 14.1 Crying he comes into the world Aug. and before he speaketh he prophesieth and saith in effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Nasci pena labor vita necesse mori O that I had ne'r been born Wo worth th day That brought me forth and made me not away This whole life is orespread with sins and miseries as with a filthy morphew or as Job was with his leprosie the anguish whereof together with his inward troubles so grieved and galled him that he not onely cryeth but which is naturall for a man to do but giving the rains wholly to his grief he roareth and rageth beyond all reason and had not the spirit held him back he would surely have run headlong into blasphemy and desperation which was Satans designe But in the Saints as the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and sometimes getting the upper ground as it were bears it down as here in Job at this present so the Spirit again lusteth against the flesh and a great bustle there is in the good soul as when two opposite things meet together cold salt-peter and hot brimstome there is a great noise and as when Paul came to Ephejus there was no small stirre about that way Acts 19.23 c. Gal. 5.17 so that ye cannot do the things that ye would saith the Apostle As Job cannot do and say the good that he would because of the flesh so neither could he do or say the evil that he would because of the spirit he curseth indeed his day but not his wise nor friends much lesse his God as those male contents did Isa 8.21 Nay so soon as God came into his mind verse 20. the flesh was thereby though not altogether quailed and quelled yet so farre daunted and damped that it kept it self within the compasse of weeping and wailing and God himself though he find fault with Jobs speeches for unadvised and sometimes ranging beyond the precincts of godlinesse yet acquitting him from all grosse sin he crowneth him with the garland of a famous vict0ory as Mr. Beza here well observeth Most wisely therefore and fitly doth Saint James warn us that in thinking upon Job we regard not so much what was done while the combate lasted as what end the Lord make Jam. 5.11 The Saints doe never more prevaile and triumph then when it seemeth otherwise See Rev. 13.7 with chap. 12.11 they gather strength by opposition and conquer in being conquered Senâ—â— Rom. 8.37 They repent of their our hursts as Job did chap. 42. And Quâ—◠〈…〉 he is little lesse then innocent who is afterwards penitent Ambr. in Psal Yea it is almost mere to repent of a fault saith a Father then to have been free
it It is said that Severianus whom this Emperour injuriously put to death wished of God at Adrianus quamvis mortem obire percupiat tamen non possit that Adrian might desire to die and not be able or find opportunity There is an Epistle of his extant saith the Historian wherein is set forth what a misery it is to desire to die Dio Cass in Adrian and yet to be denied it This was the case of those Popelings Rev. 9.6 And in particular of Roger Bishop of Salisbury in King Stevens time who through long and strait imprisonment was brought to that evil passe â—t vivere notuerit mori nescierit live he would not and yet die he could not This is a very typicall-hell and a fore-taste of eternall torment Verse 22. Which rejoyce exceedingly Joy till they skip again so Broughton rendreth it Strange that any should be so glad of death that last enemy that slaughter-man of nature and harbinger of hell to the ungodly but this the divel hideth from them till he hath them where he would have and whence there is no redemption What was it else that moved Augustus at his death to call for a Plâ—udite or that made Julian the Apostate to die so confidently and many now-adayes that have little reason for it to be so prodigall of their lives and seemingly fond of death Is it not because they are fearfully blinded by the god of this present world who holdeth his black hand before their eyes 2. Cor. 4.4 left they should see the evill consequents of death and be saved which because they do not what do they else but rejoyce exceedingly or with exultation as the word here signifieth in their wofull bondage and goe dancing to hell in their bolts not so much as desiring deliverance A man that is to be hanged next day may dream overnight he shall be set free nay that he shall bee a King and rejoyce therein accordingly but the end of such joy is heavinesse Verse 23. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid i.e. Why is the light of life continued to him who is in a maze or labyrinth of miseries whereof he can see no cause and whereout he can descry no issue no hope at all appeareth of ever either mending or ending Therefore Vale lumen amicum as he in Saint Hierome said sweet light adieu Quin morere ut merita es as shee in the Poet Be thine owne deaths-man Seneca counts it a mercy to a man in misery that he may by laying hands on himself set out his life when he will and this he calls valour and man-hood But we have no so learned Christ neither may we leave our station till called for by our Captaine but must stand to our arms and as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ suffer hardship 2 Tim. 2.4 His word to us is the same as the Kings was to his Sonne the Black-Prince Speed either vanquish or dye and as she in the story said to her son when shee gave him his Target See that thou either bring this back with thee or else be thou brought back dead upon it out of the battel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It troubled Job that he could not see his way and that God had hedged him in viz. with a thorn-hedge of afflictions Lam. 3.7 9. Hos 2.6 so that he could find no way out But what if he could not nor any man alive yet the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 He hath his way in the whirlewind and his judgements are a great deepe Psal 36.6 Sometimes secret they are but ever just Surely it had beene more meete for Job to have said unto God That which I see not teach thou mee c. yea Job 34.31 in the way of thy judgments O Lord have I waited for thee the desire of my soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Isa 26.8 Verse 24. For my sighing cometh before I eat It cometh unsent for as evill weather useth to do and most unseasonably surprizeth me at my repast I mingle my meat with my tears with every bit of bread I have a morsell of sorrowes â— and I mingle my drink with weeping Psal 102.9 though indeed Jobs was not so much a showre of teares as a storm of sighs and a volly of roarings betokening extremity of griefe such as was beyond tears and vented it selfe as the noise of many waters for my roarings saith he are poured out like water I am as hungry as a Lion roaring on his prey and as violent as the Torrents ranging the fields and yet I neither have leisure nor lift to eat my bread as loth to prolong such a troublesome life but that I must or be guilty of self-murther Mr Fox reports of Mr. John Glover that not long after his conversion upon a mistake of the sense of that text Heb. 6.5 6. he was strongly conceited that he had fallen into the unpardonable sinne and must necessarily therefore be damned and in that intolerable grief of mind although he neither had not could have any joy of his meat yet was he compelled to eate against his appetite to the end to deferre the time of his damnation so long as he might Acts Mon. 1552. Now who can tell how neere Jobs case might come to this fith the divell was both Author and Actor in a great part of both these Tragicomedies Verse 25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me Heb. I feared a fear and it came upon me Had Job been wicked this had been no wander Prov. 10.24 Job 15.21 Or had his fear been sinfull it had been lâ—sse pity Prov. 29.25 John 11.48 for why should he by a painfull 〈…〉 suffer before he needed and send for his crosses before they came A good man should 〈◊〉 all and so consequently fearfull in nothing â—â—il 4.6 he should hope the best and beate bravely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Demosthenes whatever God sendeth The Epicunts held that a good man might be cheerfull under whatsoever miseries 1. Ex prateritarum voluptatum recordatione Cic. de finib lib. 2. In consideration of honesty and integrity 2. In consideration of those pleasuâ—es and to 〈◊〉 that formerly he had enjoyed and now cheared up himself with Of neither of these was Job to seek But whereas it might be said unto him Is it fit for thee who hast hitherto been so happy now to take on so heavily because thus and thus afflicted Truly saith he I was never so happy as you took me for because considering how moveable and mutable all outward things are I alwayes feared lest I should out live my prosperity that which now also is unhappily befallen me Sylla had been happy si eundem vincâ—ndi 〈…〉 fâ—cisset saith One that iâ— if he had made an end of conquering and of living together but that he did not In him and many
I am judged I am damned Pet. Sutor de vita Carth. This very much wrought upon the heart of Bruno saith he and occasioned him to found the Carthusian order Waldus a French Merchant was so affected with the death of one that died suddenly in his presence that he thenceforth became a right godly man and the Father of the Waldenses those ancient Protestants in France called also The poor men of Lions But oh the dead lethargy the spirit of fornication that hath so besotted the minds of the most that they can see death and yet not think of it they can look into the dark chamber of the grave and never make the least preparation for it if for present they be somewhat affected and have some good impressions yet they soon vanish as the water circled by a stone cast into it soone returns to its former smoothnesse as chickens run under the wings of the hen whiles the kite is over them or in a storm but soon after get abroad againe amd dust themselves in the Sun As Nebuchadnezzar had seen a vision but it was gone from him so here if men at the house of mourning have â—ome good motions they improve them not to resolutions or draw not forth their resolutions into execution c. Verse 21. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away Journyeth not their excellency with them so Broughton rendreth it By their excellency here some understand the soule called by David his glory A Philosopher said Favorium there was nothing excellent in the world but man nothing in man but his soul The Stoicks affirmed that the body was not a part of a man but the instrument or rather the servant of the soul Hence the Latines call the body Corpus or Corpor as of old they speak quasi cordis puer sive famulus And Plato saith Camer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that is not the man that is seen of him but the mind of a man that 's the man And in the 19 verse of this chap. man is said to dwell in an house of clay that is the soul to inhabit the body The soul goes away with the name of the whole person the soul indeed is the man in a morall consideration and is therefore elsewhere called the inward man 2 Cor. 4.16 1 Pet. 3.4 and the hidden man of the heart the body compared to it is but as a clay-wall encompassing a treasure a course case to a rich instrument a leathern sheath to an excellent blade Dan. 7.15 or as a mask to a beautiful 〈◊〉 Now at death this excellency of a man departeth returneth to God that gave it Eclesias â— 7 His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish even the most excellent effects of his mind and spirit as the word signifieth Psal 146.4 And as that so all other excellencies go away at death Psal 39.11 and 49.13 even the whole goodlinesse of man Isa 40.6 whether it be the good things of the mind as wisedome science conscience judgment or of the body as beauty and health or of fortune as they call it as favour and applause together with plenty of prosperity No mans glory goeth down with him into the grave Psal 49.16 Where is now the flourishing beauty and gallantry of Caesar saith one his armies and honours his triumphs and trophies where are the rich fools great barnes Nebuchadnezzars great Babel Agrippa's great pomp c Have not all these made their bed in the dark leaving their excellency behind them Are they not many of them gone to their place as a stone to the center or as a foole to the stocks They dye even without wisdome Heb. They die and not with wisedome They die like so many beasts but for their pillow and bolster without any care to lay hold on eternall life 1 Sam. 3.33 they die as a fool dieth Not in wisedome that is in abundance of folly saith Pineda and this is most mens case their wit serves them not in this weighty work of preparing to die they put farre away the thoughts of it and hence they die tempore non suo Eccles 7.17 when it were better for them to do any thing rather then to die To live with dying thoughts is an high point of heavenly wisedome Psal 90.12 Deut. 32.29 How might one such wise Christian chase a thousand foolish and hurtfull lusts 1 Tim. 6.4 which drowne mens soules in perdition and destruction CHAP. V. Verse 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee THe beginning of this chapter is hard saith Mercer till you come to the seventh or eighth verses and then all is plain and easie That which Eliphaz driveth at here is to drive Job out of all good conceit of his own condition and to perswade him that never any good man suffered such hard and heavy things as he or at least suffered them so untowardly and impatiently Call I pray thee saith he call over the roll look into the records of former Saints and see if thou canst find among them all such another knotty piece as thy self that needed so much hewing and made such a deale of complaining Was there ever the like heard of Call now if there be any one answerable to thee Broughton rendreth it Call now if there be any one that will defend thee that is be thy Patron or advocate in word or in the example of their lives And to which of the Sâ—â—nts wilt thou turn q. d. Thou art alone neither maist thou hope to meet with thy match in the matter or manner of thine afflictions unlesse it be among hypocrites and gracelesse persons as verse 2. The Septuagint read it To which of the Angels wilt thou look And the Popish Commentators think they have here an unanswerable ground for their Doctrine of invocation of Saints and Angels But did not the buzzards take notice of an Irony here and that Eliphaz assureth Job that it would be in vain for him to call to any Saint c Is it not plain or probable at least that he here meaneth the Saints living in this world or if not yet is Gregory the great of no authority with them who acknowledgeth none other to be called upon here meant but God and that the Saints are mentioned to Job in derision as if it were a ridiculous thing to call to them departed out of this life who cannot hear us Verse 2. For wrath killeth the foolish man Such as thou art Job hot and hasty pettish and passionate fretting thy self to do evil and so provoking God to fall soule upon thee as a just object of his wrath to thine utter ruine without repentance Surely with the froward God will show himself froward Psal 18.26 Neither hath ever any one hardened himself against the Lord and prospered Job 9.4 For why he is wise in heart and mighty in strength as it is there every way able to
over-master an adversary if he but turn his own passions loose upon him such as are wrath and envy they will soon dispatch him How many are there who like sullen birds in a cage beat themselves to death did not Bajazet do so and was Diodorus any wiser or Homer â—ert lib. 2. who died for anger that they could not resolve certaine questions put unto them or Terence who drowned himself for grief that he had lost certaine Comedies that he had composed We read of some that out of discontent they turned Atheists as Diaâ—oras Lucian Porphyry c. and of others Diod. Sic. that missing of Bishopricks or other Church-preferments they turned hereticks in Jui solatium were not these great sinners against their owne soules like the angry Bee who to be revenged loseth her sting and soon after her life Died they not like fooles indeed that died of the sullens and so were deeply guilty of self-murther especially if their wrath were bent against God Ardâ—lâ—onem if they howle against heaven such are at once twice slain slain with the wrath of God and with their owne And envy slayeth the silly one Him that is under the power of his passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Aâ—â—ce Homer minima afflictione ab officio abducitur saith Mercer and is turned off from duty by every light affliction such an one doth envy at another mans prosperity It is the same with wrath nisi quòd vehementius est but that it is somewhat worse saith the same Author as being a most quick-sighted and sharp-fanged malignity Hence that of Solomon Wrath is cruel and anger outragious but who can stand before envy Prov. 27.4 It is the rottennesse of the bones Prov. 14.30 And like the serpent Porphyrius it drinks the most part of its own venome See the Note on Prov. 14.30 Verse 3. I have seen the foolish taking roote q. d. I grant that wicked men are not alwaies presently punished sed Nemesis in tergo subitò tollitur qui diu toleratur Gods wrath is such as no wicked man can avert or avoid This had Eliphaz well observed I have seen he had set a Memorandum on Gods just judgments and marked his spits with his own starres as one speaketh Eliphaz was a man of much experience see chap. 4.8 In him that was true which Elihu saith should be that dayes spake and multitude of yeeres taught wisedome chap. 32.7 Only herein he is mistaken that he mis-applieth all to Job arguing from his outward condition to his inward as if therefore he were wicked because seemingly wretched Thus the glosse he set was viperous eating out the bowels of the text It was a truth of God that he uttered and the same in sense with that of David Psal 37.35 And that of Solomon Pro. 23.18 But why should he thus writhe it and wrest it to make the tune sound to his own key St Peter speaketh of some that wrest the Scriptures 2 Pet. 3.16 putting them upon the rack Caedem scripturarum faciunt and making them speak that which they never thought And Tertullian saith of others that they do murther the Scriptures for their own turnes and to serye their own purposes But let us hear Eliphaz I have seene saith he and what more sure then sight Numb 16.14 The foolish the wilfull fool and perhaps he points at some one such rich fool as is mentioned Luke 12.20 not unknown to Job and as Eliphaz deemeth a fit parallel for him taking root dwelling alone in the earth confirmed and setled in a fair estate in a prosperous condition as Nebuchadnezzar that goodly tree thought himself Dan. 4.4 22. See Jer. 12.2 and Dionysius tyrant of Sicily Aelian var. hist lib. 2. who conceited that his Kingdome was bound fast unto him with chaines of adamant But he was soone after cast out and thereby convinced of singular folly A tempest or at least an axe of divine vengeance can easily fell these fast rooted and best-fruited trees and lay them low enough as he did Nebuchadnezzar that maule of the Nations and rod of Gods wrath Isa 14.4 5 6 7 8. Dan. 4.22 c. and Attilas the Conquering Hunne who called himself the Wrath of God and Scourge of the world P. Jovius and arrogantly said that the starres of heaven fell before him and the earth trembled but was soone after rooted up by impartiall death in the midst of his nuptial solemnities And suddenly I cursed his habitation His house which he held his castle Subita morte extinctus est sanguine copiose in fauces exundante ex ore crump together with his family verse 4. and his family-provisions verse 5. All these Eliphaz suddenly even when he was in the ruffe of all his jollity in the height of his flourish cursed Heb. pierced or bored through not so much by a malediction as a prediction Male ominatus sum iis I fore-saw and foretold that that happinesse would not hold long I ominously divined it I both thought it and spake it Piâ—â— non decent diâ—ae cursing men are cursed men but a godly person may presage a curse and foretell it according to that Prov. 3.33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked yea the flying â—â—â—le of curses that is ten yards long and five yards broad shall remain in the midst of it and consume it Zech. 5.4 Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation and the fire of God shall kindle it so that his rootes shall be dried up beneath and above shall his branch be cut off c. Job 18.15 16. Verse 4. His children are farre from safety This is one principall root of wicked men viz. their children which have their very name in Hebrew from building because by them the house is built up and way made to greatest honours by friendships and affinities of other great families These are farre from safety that is they are in a great deal of danger or by their intemperance they run into many diseases and disasters Lavat by their evil practises they come under the lash of the Law and without repentance under the danger of damnation too salvation is farre from them Psal 119.155 Isa 59.11 They are crushed in the gate That is they are cast in judgement all goes against them and sentence pronounced upon them as it befell Hamans children and Davids enemies Psal 109.7 Neither is there any to deliver them None to plead for them or rescue them Prov. 31.8 9. none to extend mercy to them nor any to favour those fatherlesse children Psal 109.12 and that because their fathers were pitilesse verse 13 14. Haman for instance Verse 15. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up This is another root of the wicked One his estate against which God raiseth up a rout of needy wretches to pillage him These are as a sweeping raine that leaveth no food Prov. 28.3 These as leane lice bite hardest and as
Redeemer lived c. So might Simeon because he had seen Gods salvation and so might Paul who had fought a good fight and kept the faith But how could Plato say in the eighth of his lawes The communion of the soule with the body is not better then the dissolution as I would say if I were to speak in earnest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato His master Socrates when to die was nothing so confident for he shut up his last speech with these words as both Plato himself and Cicero tell us Tempâ—â— est jam hinc abireâ— It is now high time for us to go hence for me to die and for you to live longer and whether of these two is the better the gods immortall know hominem quidem arbirâ—or sciro neminem it is above the knowledge I believe of any man living Thus he but Job was better perswaded otherwise he would have been better advised then thus earnestly to have desired death And cut me off Avidè me absumat quasi ex morte mea ingens lucrum reportaturâ—â— Let him greedily cut the 〈◊〉 so the word signifieth even as if he were to have some great gain Piâ—eda or get some rich booty by my blood Verse 10. Thou should I 〈◊〉 have comfort yea I would harden my self in sorrow c. I would take hard on and beaâ— what befalleth me as well as I could by head and shoulders had I but hopes of an end by death as having this for my comfort I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. I have boldly professed the true Religion Ps 40.10 116.10 119.43 not â—â—ared to preach the truth sincerely to others for Gods glory and their good however you may judge of me I never rejected the word of God but have highly honoured it so that my desire of death is not desperate as you may conceive but an effect of good assurance that by death heaven advanceth forward that happy term when all my miseries shall end at once and hence it is that I am so greedy after the grave Verse 11. What is my strength that I should hope q. d. Thou hast told me O Eliphaz that if I frame to a patient and peaceable behaviour under Gods chastisement I shall go to my grave in a good old age c. but alasse it is now past time of day with me for that matter my breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the graves are ready for me chap. 17.1 Were I as young and lusty as ever I have been some such things as ye have promised me might be hoped for but alasse the map of age is figured on my forehead the calenders of death appeare in the furrowes of my face besides my many sores and sicknesses which if they continue but a while will certainly make an end of mee And what is mine end i.e. The later part of my life what is that else but trouble and sorrow see this elegantly set forth by Solomon Eccles 12.2 3 4 c. That I should prolong my life That I should desire my life to be prolonged or eeked out to that De re râ—st lib. 1. cap. 1. Rather let it be my â—are with Varro ut sarcinas colligam antequà m proficiscar è vita to be ready for death which seemeth so ready for mee Verse 12. Is my strength the strength of stones Or Is my flesh of brasse Is it made of marble or of the hardest metal as it is said of one in Homer that hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of brazen bowles and of Julius Scaliger that he had a golden soule in an iron body he was a very Iron sides but so was not Job he had neither a body of brasse nor sinewes of iron to stand out against so many stormes and beare so many batteries he felt what he endured and could not long endure what he felt As for the damned in hell they are by the power of God upheld for ever that they may suffer his fierce wrath for ever which else they could never do And as for those desperate Assasines Baltasar Gerardus the Burgundian who slew the Prince of Orange Anno Dom. 1584. and Ravilliac Ferale illud prodigium as one calleth him that hideous helâ—hound who slew Henry the fourth of France in the midst of his preparations and endured thereupon most exquisite torments this they did out of stupidity of sense not solidity of faith and from a wretchlesse desperation not a confident resolution Verse 13. Is not my help in me Have I not something within wherewith to sustaine me amidst all my sorrowes viz. the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity I have had my conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 â—o this is my rejoycing this is my cordial c. Innuit innocentiam suam aâ— vita integritatem saith Drusius he meaneth the innocency and integrity of his heart and this was the help Job knew he had in store this was the wisedome or right reason he speaketh of in the following words and is wisedome or vertue driven quite from me no no that holdeth out and abideth when all things else in the world passe away and vanishâ— as the word Tushijah importeth Job had a subsistence still for his life consisted not in the abundance which he had possessed but was now bereft of The world calleth wealth substance but God giveth that name to Wisedome only The world he setteth forth by a word that betokeneth change for its mutability Prov. 3.8 and the things thereof he calleth Non-entia Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes saith he upon that which is not and which hath no price but what opinion setteth upon it Grace being a particle of the divine nature is unloosable unperishable Virtus post funera venit Verse 14. To him that is afflicted Heb. melted viz. in the furnace of affliction which melteth mens hearts and maketh them malleable as fire doth the hardest metals Psal 22.15 Josh 7.5 Pity should le shewed from his friend By a sweet tender melting frame of spirit such as was that of the Church Psal 102.13 and that of Paul 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weakâ— and I am not weak sc by way of sympathy who is offended and I burne not when others are hurt I feele twinges as the tongue complaineth for the hurt of the toe and as the heart condoleth with the heele and there is a fellow-feeling amongst all the members so there is likewise iâ— the mysticall body From his friend who is made for the day of adversity Prov. 17.17 and should shew â—ove at all times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et cum fortuna statque cadisque fides and especially in evil times but poor Job bewaileth the want of such faithfull friends David also complaineth to God his onely fast friend of those that would be the causes but not the companions of his calamity that would fawn upon him in his flourish but forsake him in his misery
of this and especially in this book which shewes that we are very apt to forget it A point this is easie to be known but very hard to be believed every man assents to it but few live it and improve it to reformation Mine eyes shâ—ll no more sâ—e good sc in this world for in the world to come hee was confident of the beatificall vision chap. 19.27 Hezekiah hath a like expression when sentenced to die I said in the cutting off of my dayes I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the land of the living that is in this life present Psal 27.13 and 52 5. and 142.5 Isa 53.8 called also the light of the living John 9.4 Psal 56.13 I shill behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world Isa 38.11 And this both sick Job and sick Hezekiah tell the Lord and both of them begin alike with O remember Isa 38.3 God forgetteth not his people and their condition howbeit he requireth and expecteth that they should be his Remembrancers for their own and others good Isa 62.6 7. See the Margin Verse 8. Thâ— eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more In death we shall neither see nor be seen but be soon both out of sight and out of mind too It is storied of Richard the third that he caused the dead corps of his two smothered Nephews to be closed in lead and so put in a coffin full of holes and hooked at the ends with two hookes of iron and so to be cast into a place called the Black-deeps Speed 935. at the Thames mouth whereby they should never rise up nor be any more seen Such a place is the grave till the last day for then the sea shall give up the dead which are in it and death ad he grave shall render up the dead that are in them Rev. 20.13 then shall Adam see all his nephews at once c. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not Thou even lookest me to death like as elsewhere God is said to frown men to destruction Psalm 80.16 and Psalm 104.29 they are not able to endure his flaming eyes sparkling out wrath against them What mad men therefore are they that speak and act against Him who can so easily do them to death If God but set his eyes upon them for evil as he oft threatneth to do Amos 9.4 Job 16.9 they are undone Verse 9. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away A cloud is nothing else but a vapour thickened in the middle Region of the aire by the cold encompassing and driving it together psalm 18.19 vessels they are as thin as the liquor that is in them but some are waterlesse the former are soon emptied and dissolved the later as soon scattered by the wind and vanish away See the Note on verse 7. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more sc to live and converse here with men as ver 10. Or he shall come up no more sc without a miracle as Lazarus and some others long since dead rose againe he cannot return to me said David of his deceased child 2 Sam. 12.23 God could send some from the dead to warn the living but that is not now to be expected as Abraham told the rich man Luk. 16. Those spirits of dead men that so oft appeared in times of Popery requiring their friends to sing Masses and Dirges for them and that drew this verse from Theodorus Gaza sunt aliquid manes lethum non omnia finit were either delusions or else divels in the shape of men That Job doubted of the Resurrection or denied it as Rabbi Solomon and some other both Hebrew and Greek writers conclude from this text is a manifest injury done to this good man and a force offered to the text as appeareth by that which next followeth Verse 10. He shall return no more to his house Either to dispatch businesses or to enjoy comforts he hath utterly done with the affaires of this world Melanchthon telleth of an aunt of his who having buried her husband and sitting sorrowfully by the fires side saw as she thought her husband coming into the roome and talking to her familiarly about the payment of certaine debts and other businesses belonging to the house and when he had thus talked with her a long time he bid her give him her hand she at first refused but was at length perswaded to do it he taking her by the hand so burnt it that it was as black as a coal and so he departed Was not this the divel Neither shall his place know him any more His place of habitation or his place of honour and ruledome these shall no more acknowledge him and welcome him back as they used to do after a journey Death is the conclusion of all worldly comforts and relations Hence wicked people are so loth to depart because there is struck by death an everlasting parting-blow betwixt them and their present comforts without hope of better spes fortuna valete said one great man at his death Cardinall Burbon would not part with his part in Paris for his part in paradise Fie said another rick Cardinall will not death be hired will mony do nothing Never did Adam go more unwillingly out of paradise the Jebusites out of the strong-hold of Zion the unjust steward out of his office or the divels out of the demoniack then gracelesse people do out of their earthly tabernacles because they know they shall return no more and having hopes in this life only they must needs look upon themselves as most miserable Verse 11. Therefore I will not refraine my mouth Heb. I will not prohibite my month sc from speaking I will bite in my grief no longer but sith death the certaine end of all outward troubles is not farre from mee I will by my further complaints presse the Lord to hasten it and not suppresse my sorrowes but give them a vent I will speake in the anguish of my spirit Heb. In the straitnesse or distresse of my spirit which is almost suffocated with grief I will complaine in the bitternesse my soul his greatest troubles were inward and if by godly sorrow for his sinnes he had powred forth his soule in an humble confession as some understand him here he had taken a right course but thus boisterously to break out into complaints savoureth of humane infirmity and sheweth quantae sint hominis vires sibi à Deo derelicti what a poor creature man is when God leaveth him to himself Mercer and subjecteth him to his judgments Verse 12. Am I a sea or a whale Can I bear all troubles as the sea receives all waters and the whale beares all tempests This as is well observed was too bold a speech to God from a creature for when his hand is on our backs our hands should be upon our mouths as Psalm 39.9 I was dumb or as others read it I should
none out of hell have ever suffered more then Gods dearest children and Heb. 12.6 He not only chasteneth but scourgeth every son whom he receiveth God will not cast away a righteous man said Bildad chap. 8.20 That is totally destroy him in temporals but restore him again no such matter saith Job for it may and many times doth fall out that a godly man may as to this life present perish as well as a wicked man he may be totally and finally bereft of outward comforts The righteous perisheth Isa 57.1 Only with this difference as hath been before noted Gods judgments on the wicked are penal and typical of eternal torment whereas upon the godly they are no more then medicinal or probational c. Verse 23. If the scourge slay suddenly By scourge here is meant a common calamity such as rides circuit compassing a country as a scourge doth a mans body round about Any sweeping judgment is a swinging scourge in Gods hand such as is the sword Isai 10.26 which when it rides circuit as a judge it is in commission Turk hist 211 Ezek 14.17 Jer. 47.6 7. devouring flesh and drinking blood Thus Attila the Hâ—nne stiled himself Gods scourge Tamerlane was commonly called The wrath of God and terrour of the world Think the same of famine pestilence wilde beasts Ezek. 14.12 c. these oft slay suddenly Isai 30.13 Jer. 18.22 as did the sweating sicknesse here in England the Massacre of France and that later of Ireland that scourge if ever any slew suddenly the perfect and the wicked When an over-flowing storm sweeps away the wicked the tail of it may dash their best neighbours He laugheth at the trial of the innocent The Vulgar readeth He will not laugh at the trial of the innocent but there is no Not in the Original others thus Will he laugh at the trial of the innocent q. d. No he will not God may seem to slight his own in affliction as Psalm 77.2 3. The Lion lets her whelps roare sometimes till they do almost kill themselves with roaring The truth is and I think the true sense of this Scripture God scorneth the allegation of innocency or the justification and plea of the most upright man breathing Mr. Abbot in the way of exemption or prevention of his just and wise dispensations when he pleaseth to inflict them involving good and bad in the same common calamity Verse 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked God many times suffereth the wicked most licentiously to raign in the world Jer. 27.6 Dan. 5.18 19. And it is thought by some that Job speaking here in the singular number aims at some famous tyrant in those parts known both to himself and to his friends such as was Phocas the Emperour who when he had slain his Master Mauritius and was set up in his stead there was an honest poor man saith Ceâ—renus who was wonderful importunate at the throne of grace to know a reason why that wicked man prospered so in his design he was answered again by a voice that there could not be a worse man found and that the sins of Christians and of the City of Constantinople did require it He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof i. e. That Tyrant above-mentioned subverteth all order of justice condemneth and putteth to death even the Judges themselves Spartian if they will not pervert justice as Bassiaâ—us did Papinian The covering of the face was the mark of a condemned man Esth. 7.8 Job 40.8 Isai 12.17 Mar. 14.65 Or thus God blindeth the Judges by giving them over to error or permitting them to take bribes so that they cannot discern right from wrong c. Some by judges here understand the Saints who shall one day judg the world but are in the mean-while grievously afflicted by the wicked If not where and who is he Which things if we say they are done besides the will and foreknowledg of God we shall thrust God out of the world and set up fate and blind fortune or thus It is even so or if not where is he and who is he see Esth. 7.5 Mal. 2.17 that can disprove what I have asserted Mercer pagnin Vatab. prodeat siquiâ— me potest falsi arguere I would fain see the man that can convince me of errour Verse 25. Now my dayes are swifter then a pâ—st c. Not my prosperous dayes only as Broughton glosseth but the whole course of my life the vanity whereof Job expresseth by many similitudes and here search is made into three of the four Elements earth water and ayr to find out a fit one What is swifter upon earth then a post who rides without stop oâ— stay and spares for no horse-flesh indeed he taketh some time to rest in but so doth not mans lise it is ever in motion and every moment we yeild somewhat to death Animantis cujusque vita est fâ—â—a saith the Philosopher our last day stands the rest run Cum crescit vita decrescit to live is but to lie a dying Sen. They flee away As David fled from the face of Absolom Psalm 3.1 as Brentius was advised by that Senator of Hala to flee for his life citò citiùs citissimè with all possible speed sith they were at hand that sought it See 1 Sam. 19.11 18. They see no good But are few and withall evil Gen. 47.9 Job 14.1 See the notes there Some good dayes Job had had but they were so soon over and his present pressures so great that he was scarce aware of them nor could take the comfort of them now the Epicures indeed held that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments ex praeteritarum voluptatum recordatione Cic. de Fin. l. 2. Sen. de benef l. 4. c. 22. by the remembrance of those pleasures and delights that formerly he had enjoyed Job held this but a slight comfort his care was in prosperity how to make the best use of it his thoughts ran upon the uncertainty of all creature-comforts that he might hang loose to them and hold them no otherwise then a child doth a bird in his hand open c. Verse 26. They are passed away as the swift ships Heb. They are changed gliding away insensibly as the ships of desire so called Labitur uncta vadis abies Virg. because they seem willing to beat the haven as soon as may be or as the ships of Ebeh a very swift river in Arabia saith Rabbi Solomon or as the Pirates ships so Broughton such as are your nimble Frigots fly-boats and catches c. Let our souls be like a ship which is made little and narrow down-ward but more wide and broad upward Let them be ships of desire hastning heaven-ward and then let our dayes passe away as they can we shall but be the sooner at home Mortality shall appear to be no small mercy As the Eagle that hasteth to the prey When hunger addeth
bespeaking us as once hee did Jacob Fear not to go down to Egypt so down to the grave for I will go with thee and will surely bring thee up again Gen. 46.4 Or as he did his labouring Church Isa 26.20 Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast That thou wouldst keep me secret In limbo Patrum say the Papists in parabola ovis capras suas quaerentes Vntil thy wrath be passed For it is such as I can of my self neither avoid nor abide Turn it away therefore or turn it into gentlenesse and kindnesse Psal 6.4 and be friends again Jer. 2.35 Or secret and secure me til the resurrection when all thy wrath will be gone from me That thou wouldst appoint me a set time Heb. set me a statute set down even what time thou pleasest either to send me to bed or to call me up again so that thou wilt but be sure at last to remember me And remember me Job is willing to die out of the world but to die out of Gods memory to be out of sight but not out of mind that God should bury him in the grave but not bury his thoughts of him he could be content to be free among the dead free of that company but not as the slain that lie in the grave whom God remembreth no more Psal 88.5 Job would be remembred for good as Nehemiah prayeth and be dealt with as Moses was whose body once hid in the valley of Moab did afterwards appear glorious in Mount Tabor at the transfiguration Verse 14. If a man dye shall he liâ—e again This he speaketh in way of admiration at that glorious work of the Resurrection See the like question chap. 15.11 Gen. 3.1 and 17.17 So the Apostle Rom. 8.30 31. having spoken of those glorious things predestination vocation justification glorification concludeth in these words What shall we say then We cannot tell what to say to these things so much we are amazed at the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse in them Surely as they have a lovely scarlet blush of Christs blood upon them so they are rayed upon with a beam of divine love to them that are in Christ We read of that godly and learned Scotch-Divine Mr. John Knox that a little before his death he gat up out of his bed and being asked by his friends why being so sick he would offer to rise and not rather take his rest he answered that he had all the last night been taken up in the meditation of the Resurrection and that he would now go up into the pulpit that hee might im part to others the comforts which thereby himself had received And surely if he had been able to have done as he desired I know not what text fitter for his purpose he could have taken then these words of Job If a man die shall he live again He shall without question and those that deny it or doubt of it as the Sadduces of old and some brain-sick people of late they erre not knowing the Scriptures this among the rest which are express for it and the power of God Mat. 22.29 being herein worse then divels which believe it and tremble worse then some heathens who held there would be a resurrection as Zoroastres Theopompus Plato c. worse then Turks who at this day confesse and wait for a resurrection of the body at such a time as the fearful trumpet which they call Soor shal be sounded by Mahomet say they at the commandment of the great God of the judgment All the dayes of mine appointed time or warfare will I wait till my change come i. e. till my death Prov. 31.8 men appointed to die are called in the original children of change or till the resurrection come when we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 our vile bodies shall be changed and conformed to Christs most glorious body the standard Philip. 3.23 in beauty agility impassibility and other Angelical perfections When I awake saith David sc at that general Resurrection I shall be full of thine image Psalm 17.15 I shall be brought from the jawes of death to the joyes of eternal life where are riches without rust pleasures without pain c. Three glimpses of this glorious change were seen 1. In Moses his face 2. In Christs transfiguration 3. In Stevens countenance when he stood before the council Such a change as this is well worth waiting for what would not a man do what would he not suffer with those noble professors Heb. 11. to obtain a better resurrection I would swim through a sea of brimstone saith one that I might come to heaven at last The stone will fall down to come to its own place though it break it self in twenty pieces so we that we may get to our center which is upwards c. Sursum cursum nostrum dirigamus manantem imminentem exterminantem mortem attendamus ne simul cum corporis fractura animae jacturam faciamus Let us wait and wish every one for himself as he once did Mî sine nocte diem vitam sine morte quietem Det sine fine dies vita quiésque Deus Verse 15. Thou shalt call and I will answer thee At the Resurrection of the just thou shalt call me out of the grave by thine All-powerful voice uttered by that Archangel with the trump of God 1 Thes 4.16 1 Cor. 15.52 Psalm 50.3 4. and thou shalt not need to call twice for as I shall not need then to fear as the hypocrites will to shew my face so I will readily answer Here I am Mr. Boroughs yea as that dying Saint did so I will say I come I come I come I will even leap out of the grave to obey thine orders and I doubt not but to draw me out of that dark prison thou wilt lend me that hand of thine whereof I have the honour to be the workmanship Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands I know that thou thy self for the love thou bearest me of thy goodnesse who am thy creature Abbot and on whom thou hast shewn favour and reprinted thine image wilt long after the consummation of my happinesse for then I shall be like unto thee more like then ever for I shall see thee as thou art and appear with thee in glory Col. 3.4 1 John 3.2 being next unto thee Luke 22.30 Yea one with thee John 17.21 and so above the most glorious Angels Heb. 1.14 The King shall greatly desire my beauty Psal 45.11 and rejoyce over me as the bridegrom doth over his bride Isa 62.5 See chap. 10.3 The word here rendred Thou wilt have a desire signifieth Thou wilt desire as men do after silver The Lord seemed to deal by Job as men do by drosse to put him away as wicked Psalm 119.119 neverthelesse he believed that he would look
upon him as silver and although he now crushed him together and brake him to pieces as the silver-smith doth an old piece of plate which he means to melt yet that he would in the grave as in a furnace refine him and at the Resurrection bring him out of a new fashion Lo this is the right Logick of faith to make conclusions of life in death and of light in darknesse to gather one contrary out of another Verse 16. For now thou numbrest my steps Or But now thou numbrest c. thou keepest an exact account of every sin of mine of every step that I have trod awry yea though it be but some wry motion of my mind as the Septuagint here translate so curious art thou and critical in thine observations of mine out-strayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See chap. 10.14 But is this Job that speaketh or some other How confident was he 〈◊〉 while and comfortable in the hope of a glorious resurrection but now down again upon all four as we say and like an aguish man in a great fit of impatiency which holdeth him to the end of the chapter But for this who knoweth not that every new man is two men that in the Saints the flesh is ever lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that in the Shulamite is as it were the company of two armies maintaining a continual contest Cant. 0.13 â—said I am cast out of they sight yet I will look againe toward thine holy Temple Jon. 2.4 See the Note there Dost thou not watch over my sin This is the same with the former but without a figure The Rabbines have a saying that there is not any doubt in the law but may be resolved by the context the Scripture is its owne best Interpreter Verse 17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag As the writings or informations of a processe which is ready to be sentenced Deut. 32.34 Hos 13.12 Thou hast as it were sealed up and made sure work with all my sins saith Job to have them forth-coming for the increase of my punishment Look how the Clark of Assizes saith one seals up the indictments of men and at the Assizes brings his bag and takes them out to read the same against them so God dealt with Job in his conceit at least The truth is God had not sealed his transgressions in a bag but had cast them behind his back a bag God hath for mens sins and a bottle he hath for their tears Psalm 56.8 Now Job was one of those penitents that helped to fill Gods bottle and therefore he saw at length though now he were benighted all his sins bag and all thrown into the sea and sinking as a waighty milstone in those mighty waters of free-grace and undeserved mercy And thou sowest up mine iniquity Adsuèsne aliquid iniquitati meae so the Tigurines translate i. e. Wilt thou sew or adde any thing to mine iniquity wilt thou tye to it that tag as a Martyr phraseth it of the Lawes malediction conjoyning the punishment to the sin Adsuere ad iniquitatem est poenas poenis continenter adjungere Merl. Some make this an explication of the former q. d. the bag is not only sealed but for more surety sewed too and that purposely for a purchase of punishment as some sense it Verse 18. And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought q. d. If thou Lord proceed to deal thus rigidly with me viz. to number or cipher up my steps to watch over my sins to seal them up in a bag c. and all this in fierce wrath that thou mayest lay load upon me what mountain what rock what other creature is ever able to abide it chap. 6.12 chap. 7.12 Job had said before Is my strength the strength of stones Am I a sea or a whale Were I these or any the like robustuous creatures yet could not I expect to stand before the displeased Omnipotency who takest the hills like tennis-balls and crackest the rocks like a Nut-shell See Hab. 1.4 5 6. with the Notes And the rock is removed out of his place As in earth-quakes it sometimes falleth out See on chap. 9.5 or by reason of the sea underlaking it decayeth in time and waxeth old as the Hebrew word signifieth Verse 19. The waters weare the stones Gutta cavat lapidem c. the weakest things wear out the hardest by often falling upon them or continual running over them so doth Gods wrath though let out in minnums secretly but surely consume Hos 5.12 I will be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottennesse or that little worm teredo that eats into the heart of wood and rots it Thus he plagued the Egyptians by lice and flies There may be much poison in little drops Thou washest away the things that grow out of the earth Or Thou ever-flowest as once in the general deluge when the face of the earth was grown so foul that God was forc'd to wash it with a flood and frequently since we see that after great rains there are huge floods that marre whole meadows and corne fields not only discolouring but drowning all their beauty and plenty This is the fourth comparison used in this and the former verse where a man would wonder saith an Interpreter Olymp. audire Jobum in medus â—rumuis philosophantem to hear Job in the midst of his miseries making use of his philosophy and travelling thus in his thoughts for illustrations of his own case over mountains and rocks c. Thou destroyest the hope of man viz. In destroying the things above-mentioned or so thou destroyest c. though some reserve the raddition to the next verâ—â— so Thou prevailest against him c. i.e. So thou never ceasest with thy might to cast down sorry men till such time as they changing countenance and departing with an heavy and sorrowful heart thou violently throwest them out their lives and hope ending together if they have been wicked as if godly yet their vain and groundlesse hopes of prosperity and plenty c. come to nothing though over the red sea yet Gods people may be made to tack about two and forty times in the wildernesse Verse 20. Thou prevailest for ever against him This and the rest of the words to the end of the Chapter some make to be the Application of the Similitudes Others an Amplification only of what he had said Thou destroyest the hope of man Thou must needs when thou overmatchest and over-masterest him and art never worsted Exod. 15.3 the Lord is called A Man of War the Chaldee there hath it The Lord and Victor of Wars And the word here rendred Ever cometh from a root that signifieth to finish conquer and triumph And he passeth scil Out of the world by a violent or untimely death Violenâ—â— mortâ— aut certe immaturà Merlin with as ill a will many times as the unjust Steward did out
wise men teach us as themselves have learned of their religious Ancestors But both continued experience and consent of men teach us that wicked men have terrors within and troubles without Therefore this is to be taken for a truth Therefore also by consequence that is false which thou hast spoken concerning the prosperity of wicked men chap. 12.6 Neither canst thou avoid the charge of wickednesse who dost suffer the punishments of the wicked Now what is all this more then Eliphaz had said in a former discourse so that Job might have cried out Apage coccysmum only there he groundeth his Argument upon a night-vision here upon the testimony and consent of certain wise men commended by their power and justice Some think he meaneth Noah and his pious posterity That which I have seen I will declare Wil t thou not believe in eye-witnesse What can be more sure then sight 1 John 1.1 Surely if we were well read in the Story of our own lives and had laid up our experiences we might have a divinity of our own The 119 Psalm is made up of experiments and David oft telleth us what he had seen and observed Verse 18. Which wise men have told from their fathers Who have carefully and faithfully transmitued it as a doctrinal truth to us their posterity from hand to hand For in Jobs time 't is likely that the Scriptures were not yet written Which or Which things wise men who did in their generations Deum rectè cognoscere câ—lâ—râ— rightly know and worship God which is the highest wisdome saith Lactantiâ—â— Have told Have spoken it so plainly and plentifully as if they had shewed us the things acted before our eyes From their Fathers Who were careful to instil good instructions and heavenly truths into the minds of their children their familiars and families as did Abraham Gen. 18. and others according to Gods own appointment Deut. 6. And have not hid it But communicated it for the good of many Light in diffusive of it self Knowledg is perfected while it is communicated The more you teach and impart to others Bodin theat Nat. p. 9. eo ditior ac doctior fias saith One the richer and skilfuller you become It is not powring out but want of pouring out that dryeth up the streames of grace as of that Oyle 2 King 4.6 See Prov. 11.24 25. Psal 78.2 3 4. Verse 19. Merlin Bold To whom alone the earth was given Noah and his pious posterity as was above noted whom Methodins and other Ancients call Misudi chiliarchas the Lords of the whole word given them by the Possâ—ssor of heaven and earth as Melchisedech first calleth God Gen. 23. Gen. 14. and from him Abraham another Prince of God as those Heathens acknowledged him and heir of the whole world Rom. 4. As for Melchisedec commonly taken to be Sem he was King in Salem and no stranger that is no enemy molested him no not those great spoilers Kedarlaomer and his Complices these never medled with Melchiseaec and his subjects probably out of respect to his wisdome and holinesse for which he was famous no not when marching against the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah they wasted and smot all the neighbour Countries So true of his subjects and territories was that which followeth here And no stranger passed among them viz. in an hostile way in a warlike manner Nah. 1.15 Some read No strangs thing passed among them As not the devouring sword so neither the pestilence that walketh in darknesse nor the destruction that wasteth at noon day Psal 91.6 Such as was the raigne of Ferdinando the third King of Spain for five and thirty yeares space In quibus nee fames nec pestes fuit in regno saith Lâ—piz Gloss in Prolog par 1. wherein there fell out neither Famine not Pestilence Verse 20. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes He tormenteth himself or thrusteth himself through so some read it 1 Tim. 6.10 He takes no more rest then one upon a Rack he hath his hands on his loynes as a woman in travel Jer. 30.6 he smiteth upon his thigh sicut mulierculae in puerperio facere solent saith Luther in his Marginal Note on Jea 31.19 And if he would do so for his sin as he doth for his misery pia esset illa tristitia si dici potest beata miseria as Austin hath it Aug Epist 545. his grief would be godly and his misery a blessing God would pity him as he did his moan-making Ephraim and earnestly remember him still ver 20. But alas the wicked wight the hypocrite in heart as he heaps up wrath so he cryeth not when God bindeth him Job 36.16 Or if he do cry 't is perii and not peccavi I am undone and not I have done amisse Hence God many times turneth loose upon him those three Vultures Care Fear and Grief to feed upon his heart It is seldome seen that God alloweth unto the greatest darlings of the world a perfect contentment In the very pursuit of these outward vanities is much anguish many grievances fears jealousies disgraces interruptions diâ—contentments In the unsanctified enjoyment of them something the wicked shall have to complain of that shal give an unsavoury verdure to their sweetest morsels and make their very felicity miserable witnesse Ahab Human c. But then followeth the sting of conscience that maketh a Cain a Pashur a Richard the third to be a terrour to himself And with this pain some wicked men travel all their dayes here but hereafrer it shall infallibly and inexpressibly torment the souls of them all through all eternity And this with the following illustrations is that Oracle or divine sentence which Eliphaz received from those famous men above mentioned and which he not obscurely applyeth and wresteth against Job whom herehence he would prove a wicked man by his own concessions chap. 3.25 26. and 7.13 14. compared with Devit 26 36. Deuâ— 28.65 for that which Eliphaz had heard from his Ancestors was but the same Law for substance that was afterwards written by Moses And the number of years is hidden to the Oppressour Heb. to the terrible Tyrans who as he hath not a more cruel Executioner then his own conscience so not a more sensible displeasure then to know that he is mortal and yet to be ignorant when his Tyranny must end The number of the years of his Tyranny is uncertain saith the Vulgar translation And from this uncertainty which he knoweth not how to remedy though he run to light a candle at the devil sometimes viz. by consulting with Soothsayers and Sorcerers to know of them how long he shall live and who shall succeed him as Tiberius and other Tyrants did followeth suspicion and fear saith Aquinas upon this Text. Verse 21. A dreadful sound is in his ears Heb. A sound of fear and terrors Not one but many at once so that he is a Magor-missabib factus à corde suo
of penitent Suppliants causeth us to abhor our selves and repent in dust and ashes which were anciently the signes and symbols of true contrition And now sith Christians ought to repent all their life long and to grieve for their sins let them be alwayes cloathed with sackcloth not without but within and let them put dust on their heads by remembring that they are but dust and that they cannot be raised out of the dust and in stead of sackcloth be cloathed with the robes of glory but by the mercy of God through the merits of Christ c. Verse 16. My face is foule with weeping Is swelled saith the Vulgar Is shriveled up say the Jew-Doctors is double dirtied so one rendreth it So far was Job from stretching out his hand against God and strengthing himself against the Almighty as Eliphaz hâ—d charged him chap. 15.25 That he lay at Gods feet as a Suppliant with blubbered and beslubbered cheeks having furrowes in his face and Isickles from his lips with continual weeping yea he had wept himself blind almost for so it followeth And on mine eye lids is the shadow of death i.e. Mine eyes doe fail with teares as Lum 2.11 Mercer Largâ lachry marum copiâ aciâ—â—â—oculorum obstruente they are even wasted away and sunk into my head as in a dying man Much weeping spendeth the spirits weakneth the visive power and sometimes blindeth as it did Fanstus the son of Vortiger King of this Island by his own daughter who is said to have wept himself blind for the abominations of his parents See Davids teares and the effects thereof Psa 6.7 and 38.10 Verse 17. Not for any injustice Heb. violence or wrong doing in my hands Job could wash his hands of that rapine and bribery wherewith they had injuriously charged him 3. Serm. before K. Edw. chap. 15.34 and safely say of it as afterwards Father Latimer did of Sedition As for that sin for ought that I know me thinks I should not need Christ if I might so say Some failings there might be in him in doing justice but no intendments of doing injustice Also my prayer is pure As proceeding from an heart washt from wickednesse Jer. 4.14 and presented with holy hands lifted up without wrath or doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 That he regarded not iniquity in his heart he was well assured Psal 66.17 Prayer is the powring out of the heart if iniquity be harboured there prayer will have the sent and savour and that incense will strike off the hand which offereth it God requireth that in every place Incense be offered unto his name and a pure Offering Mal. 1.11 It standeth a man in hand to see that though his work be but mean yet it be clean though not fine yet not foule soiled and shibbered with the flur of a rotten heart An upright man in afflictions is not without his cordial as is to be seen in Job here and 8 Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Verse 18. O earth cover not thou my blood Job had made an high profession of his innocenty and integrity This he 〈◊〉 confirmeth 1. By an imprecation against himself 2. By an appeal to God ver 19 in this imprecation or wish of his which Mr. Broughton taketh to be meant by the foregoing words Also my prayer is pure rendred by him thus Bar my wish is clean saying Oh earth cover â—â—t c. he hath an eye no doubt to the History of Abelo blood shed by Cain Gen 4. and it is as if he should say If I have committed murder or â—hy the like wickednesse cover it not O earth but do thy office by crying out against me yea cry so loud to God for vengeance as to drowne the voice of my supplication And let my cry have no place A most pathetical speech able to 〈◊〉 the heart of his friends to relent to hear it and straightway to 〈◊〉 their opinion of him whiles he thus bespeaketh the earth and maketh res 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and lifelesse creatures his hearers Verse 19. Also now behold my witnesse is on heaven Here 's his appeal to God so great is the confidence of a good conscience We also may do the like if there be no other way left of clearing our innocency provided that we do it with a cleare conscience and in a matter of consequence not in jest but in judgement Some of the Martyrs appealed thus and cited their Persecutors to answer at Gods Tribunal Yea to help the truth in necessity a private Oath betwixt two or more may be lawfully taken so it be done sparingly and warily for in serious affaires and matters of great importance if it be lawful in private to admit God as a Judge why should he not as well be called to withesse Again the examples of holy men shew the practise of private Oathes as not unlawful Jacob and Laban confirmed their covenant by a private Oath so did Jonathan and David c. Verse 20. My friends scorn me Or Play the Rhetoricians against me David likewise complaineth of his Rhetorical mockers at feasts that made as it were set speeches against him One rendreth it My friends are Interpreters or rather mis-interpreters of my speeches For my love they are my adversaries but I give my solf unto prayer Psal 109.4 But mine eye powres hâ—ut tears unto God Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor The Hebrew hath it Mine eye droppeth or distilleth to God Prayers and tears are the weapons of the Saints whose eyes glazed with tears are fitly compared to the Fish pools of Heshbon Cant. 7.4 These tears have a voice Psal 39.12 Hold not thy peace at my tears they are most powerful Oratours Christ going to suffer on the Crosse could not but turn back and comfort those weeping women God will powre out comforts into their bosomes who can poure out teares into his they can never be at any losse who find out God to weep to Verse 21. Oh that one might plead for a man with God Heb. And he wil plead for a man with God and the Son of man for his friend that is say our late learned Annotators to whom we are greatly bound for this most sweet and spiritual exposition of the words Christ who is God and man will plead my cause with his Father He can prevaile because he is God equal to the Father he will undertake it because he will be man like to me This interpretation agreeth best with the coherence and the words following And it seemeth that Job knew the mystery of Christs Incarnation chap. 1.25 26 27. where he speaketh of him both as God and as a visible Redeemer Christ is frequently called the Son of man in the New Testament and believers are called his friends John 15.13 14 15. By this Text thus expounded wee see that the Doctrine of a Mediatour betweene God and man was knowne and believed in the world long before Christ came into the world He is the Lamb of God slaine from the foundation
as was Alphonso the wise the Fool rather who feared not to say openly Roderic sanct Hâ—st Hispan p. 4. ch 5. That if he had been of Gods Council at the Creation some things should have been better made and marshalled The wisest men are benighted in many things and what light soever they have it is from the Father of Lights whose judgements are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out what a madness were it therefore for any mortal to prescribe to the Almighty or to define whom when by what means and in what measure he must punish offendors Herein Jobs friends took too much upon them and he gives them the telling of it wishing them to be wise to Sobriety and not to give Laws to God who well knoweth what he hath to do and how to order his earthly kingdom To disallow of his dealings is to reach him knowledge which is greatest sawciness Seeing he judgeth those that are high Excelsos in excâ—lsis the Angels who are so far above us in all manner of excellencies and yet are ignorant of the wisdom of Gods wayes which they know but in part for how little a portion is heard of him Job 26.14 His judgements therefore are rather to be adored than pryed into Mirarioportet non rimari let us rest contented with a learned ignorance Verse 23. One dieth in his full strength Iste moritur There 's one dieth in his very perfections or in the strength of his perfection when he is in the Zenith in the highest degree of earthly felicity And he seemeth to point at some one eminent wicked person well known to them all Confer Eccles 9.2 God is pleased to do wonderful contradictory things in mans reason so that we must needs confess an unsearchableness in his wayes In hoc opere ratio humana talpâ magis caecâ—est saith Brentius In this work of his humane reason is blinder then a Mole Averroes turned Atheist upon it and Aristotle was little better as being accused at Athens and banished into Chaelcis quod de divinitate malè sentiret Being wholly at ease and quiet At ease in body and quiet in minde The common sort ask What should ayle such a man The Irish What such an one meaneth to die Verse 24. His Brests are full of milk and his Bones c. He is well lined within as we say having abundance of good blood and fresh spirits in his body fat and plump and well liking He is enclosed in his own fat Psal 17.10 His back is well larded and his bones are moistened with marrow which Plato saith Plat. in Timâ—â— is not only the sourse and seminary of generation but the very seat of life Now such a state of body as is here described is no defence at all against death saith Job Nay it is a presage and a forerunner of it many times For ultimus sanitatis gradus est morbo proximus say Physicians the highest degree of health is nearest to sickness We many times chop into the earth before we are aware like a man walking in a field covered with Snow who falleth into a pit suddenly Verse 25. And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul Heb. And this dieth with a bitter soul in a sad and sorrowful condition having suffered many a little death all his life long as godly men especially use to do being destitute afflicted Heb. 11. tormented seldom without a cross on their backs and then dieth not only in the sorrows of death but in the sorrows of life which to him hath been a liveless life because a joyless life And never eateth with pleasure Either because he hath but Prisoners pittance which will neither keep him alive nor suffer him to die Or if he sit at a full table yet his body is so ill affected by sickness or his mind with sorrow that he finds no good relish in what he eateth That it is better with any of us see a mercy and be thankful Verse 26 They shall lye down alike in the dust and worms c. Death and Afflictions are common to them both as Eccles 9. How then do ye pronounce me wicked because afflicted and free among the dead free of that company c And the worms shall cover them Who haply were once covered with costliest cloathing The best are but worms-meat why then should we pamper and trick up these Carcasses câ— Verse 27. Behold I know your thoughts sc By your words as it is no hard matter for a wise man to do Prov. 20.5 for otherwise God only knoweth the heart 1 Pet. 1.24 Psal 139.3 it is his royalty But when men discover their thoughts by their discourses looks gestures c. we may say as Job doth here I know your thoughts and that by the wicked wretch described by you my self is intended this I am well aware of though you hover in generals and speak in a third person Lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oblig Bartolus writeth of Dr. Gabriel Nelâ— â—hat by the only motion of the Lippes without any utterance he understood any mans thoughts The like some say they can do by looks The Italians have a proverb That a man with his words close and his countenance loose may travel undiscovered all the world over And the devices which you wonderfully imagine against me viz. To take away as it were by violence my Credit and Comfort this is the foulest theft avoid it Verse 28. For ye say Where is the house of the Prince Ye say though not in so many words yet upon the matter Where is this mans Jobs princely pomp and port that but even now was so splendidous A Prince they called Job in a jear Per ironiâ—m antiphrafin Vaâ—ab and by contraries saith Vatablus because he had been rich and should have been liberal and munificent but had not been so The Apostle calleth the Pharisees and Philosophers in like sort Princes of this world 1 Cor. 2.8 And where are the dwelling places The Palaces large and lofty Junius ut sunt pratoria et principum aedes as the houses of Princes use to be Lavater rendreth it Taberâ—â—cillum babitaculâ—t 〈◊〉 The Tabernacle of Tabernacles as Gentlemens houses amongst us are called Places Halls Courts c. Of the Wicked viz. Of Job and his Children the eldest sons especially which was blown down chap. 1.18 As if it might not befal a good man also to have his house plundered burnt his children brained c. They had often in their discourses jerked at Jobs children Verse 29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way The cause of that their rash judgement Job sheweth here to be their ignorance of things known to every ordinary passenger and such as whereof there are many pregnant proofes and Examples every where Some by them that go by the way understand men by experience such as have gone many voyages c. made many observations in their Travels of things
King Abaddon so the Divel is called Rev. 9.11 and so hell is called in this Text because thereinto are thrust all that are destined to destruction all the brats of fathomlesse perdition such as was Judas the Traytor who went to his place and all wicked ones who shall surely be turned into hel with all those that forget God Psal 9 17. This place is not covered saith Ferus here but open to God for whomsoever he will cast thereinto Verse 7. He stretcheth out he North ever the empty place Heb. Over Tohâ— Aristotle saith that beyond the moveable heavens there is neither body nor time nor place De calâ— text 99 nor vacuum But on this side of the heaven there are bodies time place and as it may seem to some an empty place for so the Air is here called over which and not over any solid matter for a foundation God hath spread and stretched forth the heavens which are here called the North because they are moved about the North-Pole and besides the North is held the upper part of the world according to that of Virgil Mundus ut ad Scythiam Riphaeasque arduus arces Consurgit premitur Libya dovexus ad anstres Hènce it is here put for the whole heaven which held up by the Word of Gods power without any other props leaneth upon the liquid Aire the Aire upon the earth and the earth upon nothing And hangeth the earth upon nothing Terra pilae fimilis nullo fulcimine nixa Aere sublato tam grave pendet onus Ovid. 6. Fastor The earth hangs in the midst of heaven like Architas or Archimedes his Pigeon equally poised with his own weight Of this great wonder This is the very finger of God Aristotle himself admireth it De Cal. l. 2. c. 13 the Philosophers after much study can give no good reason because ignorant of this that God hath appoined it so to be even from the first Creation Psal 104.5 Heb. 1.2 The Poets fable that Atlas beareth up heaven with his shoulders but we confesse the true Atlas viz. the Lord our God who by his Word alone beareth up heaven and earth And it is here fitly alledged as an Argument of his Almightinesse The greatness of this work of God appeareth hereby saith Merlin that men cannot spread aloft the thinnest curtaine absque fulcris without some solid thing to uphold it Verse 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds Heb. Clouds which yet have their name from thicknesse because they arise from Aire condensed In these God bottleth up the rain and there keepeth it in by main strength as the word signifieth though those vessels are as thin and thinner then the liquor that is contained in them This duly weighed were enough to convince an Atheist especially if he consider how The cloud is not rent under them And so causeth a cataclysme to drown the earth as sometimes at sea especially great hurt is done this way among ships by a spout as Mariners call it the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Dutch Ein Wolckenbruch or Heavenbreach viz. when clouds cleave asunder and discharge themselves all at once for a great mischief to mankind Now that God thus binds up these heavy vapours and keeps them in the clouds as a strong man in a Cobweb till brought by the winds whithersoever he pleaseth to appoint them they drop upon the earth buy little and little to make it fruitful this is a wonderful work of God and should bring us to the knowledge of his Power Wisdom and Goodnesse Rom. 1.19 20. see Job 38.37 Jer. 5.22 Verse 9 He holdeth back the face of his Throne i.e. Of heaven Isai 66.1 which he eftsoons overcloudeth and muffleth up or masketh with a vail mystically by the Face of his Throne we may understand the knowledg of his glory for this is held from us so in this world that we cannot perfectly know him as he is but must content our selves with a learned ignorance 1. Joh. 3.3 Here darkness is and will be under his feet Psal 18.9 And spreadeth his cloud upon it It is fitly called his cloud because 1. It is his handy-work Psal 18.11 Gen. 9.14 Job 28.26 27. and 37.15 16. and 38.9 Psa 104.5 His Sun draweth up those vapours which being thickned in the middle Region of the aire by the cold encompassing and driving them together become a cloud 2 He used it of old as a sign of his glorious Power and gracious presence with his people Exod. 13.21 and 16.10 2 Chron. 5.13 14. And as a figure of Christs guiding and protecting his Church through the wildernesse of this world Isai 4.5 6. 3. He still rideth in state upon the clouds Isai 19.1 Christ was by a cloud coached up to heaven Act. 1.9 and shall come in like manner Apoc. 1.7 and 10.1 We also shall then be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thessal 4.17 O mora Christe veni Verse 10. Trem. He hath compassed the waters with bounds Decreto circinavit superficiem aquarum He hath as it were with a pair of Compasses drawne a circle about the sea that it may not passe to drown the earth Confer chap. 38.8 10 11. Psal 33.7 and 89.10 and 104 9. Prov. 8.29 So he drew a circle round about the earth Prov. 8.27 doing all with infinite Wisdome Pondere mensura numero c. He founded the earth not upon solid Rocks but fluid waters And that it floteth not upon them nor is shaken with them as oft as there is a tempest in the Ocean that begirteth it neither yet is overflowed by them this is the wonderful-work of God Aristotle in his Book De Mirabilâ—bus admireth it and acknowledgeth Gods providence which elsewhere he denyeth Terminum aquis prescripsit saith Job here And this either he had from Moses Gen. 1.10 or if he lived before Moses as it is most likely he did he had it as he had many other things by tradition from the Fathers Saylers tell us that as they draw nigh to the shore when they enter into a haven they run as it were down hill And yet men are said to go down not up to the sea in ships Psal 107.23 See a reason hereof in this Text and Psal 104.96 An vero non stupendum est saith Lavater But is it not a wonderful thing that so fierce an Element so huge a masse of waters tossed by the winds should be bounded and bridled by sands confined and kept within their prescribed place and shore Especially if the water be as some affirm ten times bigger then the earth the air then the water the fire then the air Vntil the day and night come to an end Heb. Until the consummation of light with darknesse that is till time shall be no more till the end of the world when all things shal be let loose to devastation and the sea
to be had above ground may some say but what under-ground Not there neither faith Job for the Abysse saith that is if it could speak it would surely say It is not in me and the Sea gives us in the same verdict dig to the centre of the earth dive to the bottom of the sea you shall hear no tale or tydings of her she neither groweth with gold and precious stones in the earth nor with Pearls and Coral in the sea we must be taught of God and the holy Spirit must joyn himself to our chariot as Philip did to the Eunuches Act. 8.29 he must teach us this wisdom from above or we can never learn it Isa 54.13 A man may read the figure on the Dial but he cannot tell how the day goes unless the Sun shine upon the Dial We may read over the book of the Creature and the book of the Scripture but we cannot learn to purpose till the Spirit of God shine into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 The Gospel is full of jewels but they are lockt up from sense and reason 1 Cor. 2.10 The Angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths 1 Pet. 1.12 and know not so much but they would fain know more of this manifold wisdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.10 that hath such an abundance of curious variety in it as the word there signifieth even such as is seen in the best pictures or textures Verse 15. It cannot be gotten for gold Non emitur nec aestimatur it is not purchased or procured with money as other learning may en precium praestantiam sapientiae with a great sum obtained I this freedom said that Colonel Act. 22.28 So may many say of their learning they have sufficiently paid for it Cleanthes parted with all he had for learning Plato gave thirty thousand Florens for three Books Reuchlin gave the Jew that taught him Hebrew a Crown for every hours pains Hierome got his skill in that language with the hazard of his life and held it a good bargain Hen Beaeuford in Hen. 6. time Act. and Mon. But here 's no such trading see Act. 8.18 19 20. Fie quoth that rich and wretched Cardinal when he saw he must die will money do nothing will not death be hired may not heaven be purchased No no God is no Money-merchant his Kingdom is not partum but paratum Mat. 25.34 his grace is gratuitous Mat. 13.11 To you it is given and what more free than gift to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God And to you it is given freely given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him Vega. c. Phil. 1.29 That proud merit-monger that said Gratis non accipiam I will not have Grace or Grace or Glory of free-cost could not but go without both Verse 16. It cannot be valued Heb. Thrown on the ground as Wares were wont to be and are yet when they are set to sale and to be prized or valued With the gold of Ophir The word here rendred gold is not the same with that in the former or those in the following verses Five several times gold is here mentioned because so highly prized among men and in four several words Jerom on Jer. 10. observeth that the Hebrew have seven several words for gold and five several sorts are here instanced That here mentioned is a special name for the most splendent and glistering gold Psal 45.10 Dan. 10.5 Cant. 5.11 Of it comes Michtam of David or Davids golden Psalm Psal 16.1 his ingot of gold Broughton thinks it to be no Hebrew word but the name of gold in Ophir Obrizium dictum volunt quasi Ophirizium Ophir is Peru say some Others an Iland in the Indies where the most precious gold was to be had called also gold of Parvaim 2 Chron. 3.6 This is supposed to be in Havilah Gen. 2.11 It is called perfections of gold 2. Chron. 4.21 With the precious Onyx or the Saphir The Onyx is a stone said to be found in the River Ganges and to be of a white colour like the white of a mans nail whence it hath its name See of it Plin. lib. 37. cap. 6. Boet. Hist Gem. lib. 2. cap. 90. The Saphir is a stone of a sky-coloured blue or of a light-coloured purple Verse 17. The gold and the chrystal cannot equal it For Chrystal some reade Diamond others Adamant It hath its name from its purity and transparency Junius rendreth it therefore nitidissima gemma It seems to be saith One the last attempt of nature and makes us finde heaven on earth And the exchange of it shall not be for jewels or vessels or fine gold Of Phez-gold so Broughton renders it and would have it come from Fesse in Barbary The Arabians now call gold Phes Of this solid fast gold were made many precious Jewels or Vessels like that French coyn in the Historian Vas auri puri puti in qua plus fâ—rmae quam ponderis in which was not so much weight as workmanship Prov. 25.11 Apples of Gold in Lattices of Silver or put in a Case of Silver cut-work Verse 18. No mention shall be made of Coral No talk of Coral or Carbuncle of Pearl or any other the rarest and richest Jewels in all the world We read of Cleopatra that vying with Antony in luxury she drunk up a Pearl of incredible price dissolved in vineger and of Charles Duke of Burgundy Macrob. Sat. lib 5. cap. 17 Alsted Chronoâ— that in the Fight at Nansey he lost a Diamond of that worth ut eo tota aliqua regio emi posset that therewith a man might have bought a whole country It was afterwards set in the Popes triple-Crown but no way worthy to be mentioned in the same day with wisedom For the price of Wisdom is above Rubies Which are so called from their lovely redness see Lam. 4.7 Pearls some render it of which Pliny saith Plin. lib. 9. c 35. Principium culmenque rerum omnium pretii margaritae tenent Pearls are the principal of all precious things They were so of old but they are not so now-adayes What huge sums were once given for Saints Reliques as they called them and Popes-Pardons but now the world is grown wiser England is no more a babe there is no man here Acts Mon. 990 but now he knows that they do foolishly that give gold for lead more weight of that then they receive of this This and much more to the same purpose speaketh Henry 8. in his protestation against the Pope who yet as a faint Chapman went not to the price of this true wisdome as appeareth by that publick speech of his in Parliament There are many that are too busie with their new Sumpsimus and others that dote too much upon their old Mumpsimus the new Religion though true he envied the old though his own he despised being as a speckled bird or a cake half baked c.
him It is said to Trajan that he neither feared nor hated any man living What then shall we think of him Mercer who is Moderator Dominator supremus ac solus Or who hath disposed the whole world The habitable world and especially that habitable part of Gods earth as man is called Prov. 8.31 Verse 14. If he set his heart upon man Viz. For evil and not for good and have a purpose to unmake him again which he can as easily do as will it to be done If he gather unto himself his Spirit and his breath If he take away his life which what is it else but a puffe of wind a vapour c. who can say he is unjust May not the Potter do with his pot as he pleaseth We subsist meerly by his Manutension and if he but pull back his hand only we are gone immediately This is to be seen in those that swoon suddenly away See Psal 104.29 and consider how little this is considered by the most Elihu thought that Job was wanting herein for he had heard him chap. 12. disputing concerning the soveraigne and absolute power of God almost in the very same words which himself here useth from ver 13. to 31. Verse 15. All flesh shall perish together i. e. All men called here All flesh as Mark 16.16 they are called every creature a little world If God command it to be so they shall all breath out together And man shall turn to his dust again The body to the dust whence it was taken but the Spirit to God who gave it Eccles 12. Verse 16. If now thou hast understanding hear this Hear it and know it for thy good as chap. 4.27 if at least thou hast any wit for thy selfe or care of thine own well doing This is a stinging Apostrophe to Job Si vel â—ica est in te bonae mentis unlesse thou hast buried thy braines and lost thy â—enses listen as for life Verse 17. Shall even he that hateth right govern Heb. Bind sc Malefactors whom Magistrates use to hamper Others take it of binding up the wounded after the manner of Chirurgeons An qui odit judicium Chirurgos imitaretur so the Tigurines translate Would he who hateth right do as Chirurgeons use to do Would God if he were unrighteous bind up the broken hearted or receive into favour as he doth a sinner that repenteth doing him good again as if there never had been a breach betwixt them It hath been noted That a King hath his name in the Greek tongue from healing and that Isai 3.7 a Governor is called a Healer or Binder up the same word there as here in the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medela But how unfit for such an Office must he needs be who not only doth not right but hateth it as did Nero Caligula Commodus c And wilt thou condemn him that is most just Or That is strong and just illúmne impietatis sugillabis None in his right wits would ever do so for what else were this Tigur but to exalt a mans self above the divine Majesty And yet what do they lesse then this who grudge at Gods proceedings and are ready to think that if they had the ordering of things in their hands they could dispose of them a fair deal better How absurd and unseemely this is in any one is aptly set forth in the next verse Is it fit c Verse 18. Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked Heb. Belial that is Thou yoaklesse Qui dicit regi Apostata Vulg. lawlesse masterlesse Monster Kings are not wont to be so accoasted and aviled nor is it lawful Exod 22.28 It is blasphemy in the second Table to speak evil of dignities Jude 8. It was some disadvantage to Saint Paul that although provoked and unjustly smitten he called the High Priest whited wall Act. 23.3 he was glad to excuse it by his ignorance And Luther cryed our Henry 8 mercy for his uncivil language to him such as was that Audi Domine Rex edocebo ie in a jeer Dan. Hist Hâ—nry 6. indeed was coursely handled in a tumult and wounded but then he was at an under and being restored he freely pardoned the Offendor saying Alass poor soul he struck me more to win favour with others then of any ill will he bare me But this was a rare example of patience in a King Alexander the Great dealt more harshly with his friends Clitus and Callisthenes for their plain-dealing Seâ— Tiberius put to death a Poet for uttering some free words against him though under the person of Agamemnon quem in iragoedia probris lacessisset Savanarola suffered deeply for telling the Pope his own And Bajazet the second took great revenge upon his Janizaries Turk hist fol. 444. who for his casting Achmetes Bassa into prison they in an uproar insolently cryed out that they would by and by teach him as a drunkard a beast and a Rascal to use his great Place and Calling with more sobriety and discretion Plut. Kings must be spoken to with soft and silken words as she said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Elias or Elisha or Isaiah or the Baptist do otherwise that is not a copy for every man to write after Is it safe to take a Lion by the beard or a Bear by the tooth Naboth suffered though falsly accused to curse the King and Shimei had at length his payment for reviling David If Ezekiel called the King of Judah Thou wicked and profane Prince chap. 21.25 that was by an extraordinary spirit and by a special command of God And to Princes ye are ungodly Ingenuis These as they must not be flattered so neither may they be unmannerly advertized of their duty or danger It is probable that Joseph used some kind of preface to Pharaohs chief Baker in reading him that hard destiny Gen 40.19 such haply as was that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar chap 4.19 My Lord the dream be to them that hate thee c. Or ad Philo brings him in with a Vâ—inam tale somnium non videsses I would I had no such dream to interpret unto you But for the matter he giveth him a sound though a sharp interpretation Verse 19 How much lesse to him that accepteth not the person of Princes How much more both dangerous and undecent must it needs be wrongfully to accuse God of injustice and partiality which is far below him sith he neither doth nor needeth prefer great ones before meaner men in judgement See on chap. 13.7 and 52.21 Nâ—â— regardeth the rich more then the poor The word rendred rich opulent or potent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes either from a root that signifieth to save because it is in the power of such to save others from hurt and damage or else from another root that signifieth to cry aloud because such men use to speak their minds more freely and boldly as having that which can
c. and be wise by others woes enjoy their follies and gather with the Bee sweet honey out of those bitter weeds Poena ad pancos metus ad omnes Verse 27. Because they have turned back from him To pursue after lying vanities broken cisterns which whosoever do as they fall into two foul sins at once such as heaven and earth have cause to be astonished at and afraid of Jeremiah 2.12 13. so they are miserable by their own Election Jonah 2. vers 8. And would not consider any of his wayes Wisely consider them as David did Psal 119.168 All Gods lawes were in his sight and all his wayes in Gods sight This was the general cause of their destruction The special followeth Verse 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor c. These they compel by their oppressions to wash the earth with their tears and to importune heaven with their complaints Senault as One phraseth it The wicked do as it were bring up to God the cryes of the poor oppressed and so pull upon themselves inevitable destruction for he is the poor mans Patron and heareth the cry of the afflicted The grand Signior would have the world take notice that such as lament unto him shall be sure to have redress and succour from him Grand Sign Serag 147. Wherefore also he calleth himself Awlâ—m Penawâ—â— The worlds Refuge A title far more fit for the God of heaven than for any earthly Monarch 〈◊〉 Manl. loc 〈◊〉 were he far more gracious than the great Turk from whose courtesie freely offered him Luther blessed himself with a Deus me tutatur à tali benefice Domino God defend me from such a gracious Lord. Verse 29. When he giveth quietnesse who then can make trouble Ipse tranquillabit quis inquietabit This is like that of the Apostle saith Brentius Rom. 8. If God be for us who can be against us Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect c It is he alone who giveth peace both of countrey and of conscience Peace peace Isai 26.3 Pacem omnimodam external internal eternal and then who can disturb or unsettle Surely as Isaac once said to Esau concerning Jacob He is blessed and he shall be blessed so may it be said of such as have made their peace with God Peace shall be upon them and Mercy contra gentes whosoever saith nay to it yea though it be the Devil himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is oft called the Troublesome one who ever since he was cast out of heaven keeps ado on earth and seeks to disquiet all such as by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Rom. 2.7 And when he hideth his face who then can behold him Him Whom God who dare look upon him or toward him for help when he is throughly displeased and looketh irefully Or the party frowned on by God who will smile upon him or shew him any favour and furtherance Here Aben-Ezra giveth a good Note Aversio vultus Dei c. The turning away of Gods pleased countenance is the cause of all Wars and other disasters The Physiologer in Epiphanius telleth of the Bird Charadius that being brought into the room where a man lyeth sick if he look with a steddy and fixed eye upon the sick man he recovereth but if he turn away from him and look another way the disease is to death Apply this to God and it fitteth Whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only All 's a case as they say to God he stands not upon multitudes as men use to do in case of Mutinies or the like to punish the tenth man or so in terrorem for a terrour to the rest This is not Gods way of punishing but as a thousand years are to him but as a day and one day as a thousand years so when he proceeds to execution of Justice whether it be done against a Nation c. All Nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket or dust of a balance Isai 40. And hence he buried a world full of people in one universal grave of waters And the wicked be they never so many shall be turned into hell With whole nations tht forget God Psal 9.17 God seemeth to say Fiat justitia ruat orbis Verse 30. That the hypocrite reign not That he reign no longer Almighty God taketh order by putting these mighties from their seats and exalting them of low degree Luk. 1.52 And why 1. Lest the hypocrite or the impure and impious man reign Such as was Jehu Herod Julian our Richard 3. Pope Sixtus Quintus of whom One saith Spec. Europ that he was the most crouching humble Cardinal that ever was lodg'd in an oven and the most stout proud Pope that ever wore Crown What pride equal to his making Kings kisse his Pantofâ—es What humility pretended greater than his shrieving himself daily on his knees to an ordinary Priest He calleth himself the servant of Gods servants and yet stamps in his Coyn That Nation and Countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out he also suffereth his Parasites to stile him Our Lord God the Pope Is not this a notorious hypocrite and when such a one reigneth and taketh upon him to be Lord of all both in spirituals and temporals may not we conclude that God hideth his face as in the former verse from his people May we not cry out as Basil once did Epist 17. Num Ecclesias suas dereliquit Dominus hath the Lord utterly forsaken his Churches It is doubtless a very great judgement upon a people when an hypocrite or a prophane person is set over them who pretends the publick good to his own designes and self-interests and by his crafty inventions undoes his subjects robbing them of their lawful liberties and enslaving them Some read the words thus Vulg. Speâ— Ab. Ezra He causeth that the hypocrite reigneth for the sins of the people It is threatened as an heavy curse Levit. 26.17 If you still trespasse against me I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious Princes odious to God malignant to the people Such as was Phocas that bloody Tyrant who when he had slain his Master Mauricius and reigned in his stead there was an honest poor man saith Cedrenus who was earnest with God to know a reason why such a thing was suffered to whom it was answered That a worse man could not be found and that the sins of Christians required it We read of Attilus King of Swethland that he made a Dog King of the Danes in revenge of a great many injuries received by them Sr. Rich. Berkley's Sum. Pon. p. 387. Gunno likewise King of the Danes made a Dog King of Norway and appointed Counsellours to do all things under his Title and Name That which these men did spitefully God somtimes doth righteously setting up tyrants for a
Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either do thou kill me or I 'll kill theâ— if I can And what lesse then this upon the matter do those monsters and miscreants amongst us who set their mouthes against heaven when things go crosse with them especially and their tongues walk through the earth Psal 73.9 As Hacket did who lifting up his eyes to heaven and grinning against God blasphemed him and threatned him even when he had the rope about his neck Anno 1591. Now as in the water face answereth to face Cambd. Eliz. fol 403. so doth the face of a man to a man And as there were many Marii in one Caesar so there are many Caligula's and Hackets in the best of us all if God restraine us not from such horrid outrages But Elihu would have us here to know that God is far above our reach neither can we throw this high and lofty one out of his throne utcunque fremamus ferociamus for how should any thing that wee silly Creatures can do reach to God when as we cannot reach up to the visible heavens And behold the clouds which are higher then thou Eminent prae te The clouds are Gods Chariot whereon he rideth and wherein he manifesteth much of his Majesty These Elihu would have Job to contemplate in their height even superiores nubâ—s as Tremellius rendreth it the upper clouds or as others the Starry Heaven Heb. The thin of heavens So Bildad before had called upon him to behold the Moon and the Stars chap. 25.5 And surely the very sight of heaven over us to the which all that we are or can can bring no help or hurt at all should admonish us of our meanesse and make us think most modestly of God whom we are so infinitely below and not dare either to complain of him or to boast us before him c. For this cause it is that Elihu so presseth Job here with this heap of words that he may henceforth know and keep his distance and not so presumptuously call God as it were to reckoning touching expences and receipts Verse 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him What more then shew thy teeth or shoot at a rock where the Arrow rebounds upon thee In the sack of Constantinople the Image of the Crucifix was taken down by the Turks and a Turks Cap put upon the head thereof and so set up and shot at with their arrowes Turk hist 347 and afterwards in great derision carried about in the Camp as it were in Procession with Drums playing before it rayling and spitting at it and calling it the God of the Christians But what was all this to Christ He that sitteth in the heavens extra jactum laughed at them the Lord had them in derision Psal 2.4 Etsi navitès peccas Do wicked sinners when they work hardest against God as the word here signifieth and take greatest paines to go to hell do they I say provoke the Lord to anger Do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces Jer. 7.19 And may we not well say to such as Vlysses his companions said to him when he would needs provoke Polydamas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odys God can easily get him a name in the utter overthrow of a rabble of rebels conspiring against him as at the Flood tower of Babel Sodom Egypt Moab c. who were trodden down under him as straw is trodden down for the dunghil Isai 25.10 And in the next verse The Lord shal spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim that is with greatest facility for violent stroaks rather sink then support a swimmer and he shall bring downe their pride together with the spoiles of their hands And the fortresse of the high fort of their wals shall he bring down lay low and bring to the ground even to the dust Isai 25.11 12. Verse 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him Nothing sith he is self-sufficient and independent He needeth us not neither doth our righteousnesse reach him Psal 16.2 The Pharisees dreamt of an over-doing the Law and making God beholding to them The Papists also those modern Pharisees talk of works of super-erogation and of merit of congruity and merit of condignity But these are mere fictions Chimaera's absurd Doctrines such as Elihu never heard of He that doth righteousness is righteous 1 John 3.7 but he addeth nothing thereby to God let him do his utmost Indeed whoso offereth praise glorifieth God Psal 50.23 so he is pleased to account it and call it but his glory is as himself is eternal infinite immense The Sun would shine in its own brightnesse though all the world were blind and should wilfully wink so here God accepts not our persents but to returne them us back with interest as the raine ascends in thinne vapours but comes downe againe in thick showres Or what receiveth he of thine hand If any thing it is of his own as David thankfully acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 29.14 and besides that our sweetest Incense smelleth strong of the hand that offereth it Verse 8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art Wicked men are many wayes mischievous to others and have much to answer for their other mens sins How many are undone by their murders adulteries robberies false testimonies blasphemies and other rotten speeches to the corrupting of good manners c What hurt is done daily by the Divels factours to mens souls bodies names estates Besides that they betray the land wherein they live into the hands of divine Justice whiles they do wickedly with both hands earnestly Mic. 7.3 That I speak not of the manifold miseries they pull upon themselves And thy righteousnesse may profit the son of man Thy self and others for the Just liveth by his own faith he maketh a living of it and a good one too And as for his Charity it is the mother of all manner of good works whereof others have the benefit Papists and some as silly have shrunk up charity to an hands breadth to giving of Almes But besides that a good man draweth out not only his sheaf but his soul to the hungry 1 Thess 5.14 He also warneth the unruly comforteth the feeble minded supporteth the weak and tradeth all his talents for the good of others He is a common blessing to all that art about him As Plutark said of the neighbour-Villages of Rome in Numa's time That sucking in the aire of that City they breathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse so may it be said of the City of God and her Citizens Verse 9 By reason of the multitude or magnitude of oppressions c. Or Of the oppressed whom they that is whom the Oppressours not worthy to be named as neither is that rich glutton Luke 16. make to cry Job had said chap. 24.12 Men groan out of the City and the soul of the wounded cryeth
understinding Heb. If thou knowest understanding An irony but friendly and free from all bitternesse the better to convince Job of his folly and faultinesse for which end also multis eum interrogationibus onerat Mercer God loadeth him with many deep questions the least whereof he could not answer Verse 5. Who hath laid the measures thereof In that circumference and diameter that it holdeth If thou knowest Or For thou knowest quandoquidem scitus es a tart irony Geometricians take upon them to know the several dimensions of the earth and Archimedes boasted that if he had but where to set his foot from off the earth he could shake the whole body of it As also that he could number all the sands that were in the whole World habitable and inhabitable But these were vain brags Or who hath stretcht the line upon it A metaphor from Masons and other Master-builders who work by line and by rule Vitruvius in his 7th Book saith thus Longitudines ad regulam lineam altitudines ad perpendiculum anguli ad normam respondeâ—iâ—s exigantur Verse 6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened Surely upon nothing but the word of Gods power The Philosophers dispute many things concerning the foundations of the earth but without any sound foundation of good reason Some Jew-Doctors make the mountains to be them but these bear not up the earth but the contrary The Psalmist saith that God hath founded the solid earth upon the liquid waters Psal 24. wherein appeareth the infinite wisedom and power of God the founder Vitruvius saith In solido extruendum foundations must be laid in solid places But God is not tyed to rules his works are in oppositis mediis as was above noted Or who â—aid the corner-stone thereof i. e. The Center say some Jew-Doctors whither all heavie things are carried and about which the whole world hangeth the elements and heavenly orbs surrounding it in their motions Others fetch this corner-stone out of the middle of the sea But all this discourse is metaphorical to shew the firmnesse of the work wherein none had any hand but only the essential wisdom of God Prov. 8. who did it with more ease than men can build an house Verse 7. When the morning stars sang together There is but one morning star properly so called viz. Phosphorus Lucifer or Venus the Suns fore-runner But for their brightnesse they are all called here Stars of the morning and said to sing together as birds use to do at break of day so did these in the morning of the Creation when first those heavenly torches began to shine and joyfully to dance as it were in number and measure This they do still in their kind Psalm 19. vers 1. beckening also as it were to us to do the like Psal 145.3 And all the sons of God shouted for joy i. e. All the Angels as chap. 1.6 meant also by those morning stars as Piscator and others will have it These being created together with the highest heavens on the first day as it is probable like as Christs soul was created in and with his body in the Virgins womb the same moment were present at a great part of the Creation if not at all and were rapt with admiration at the great wisdom and power of their Creator singing Holy holy holy c. Shall the stars sing the Angels shout and shall we be so dull This was all they did at the Creation Note this against those who held that God made the superior creatures himself but the inferior by his Angels A great hand they have as Gods instruments in governing the world Ezek. 1.5 6 7 c. whence also they are called Watchmen and Keepers Dan. 4.13 but not any had they in making the world for in that work God was alone and by himself Isai 44. vers 24. Verse 8. Or who shut up the sea with doors i. e. With bounds and banks the Sea God shut up in the hollow parts of the earth as in a great house that the dry land naturally overwhelmed thereby might appear and become fit both to bear grain grasse plants c. and to yield an habitation for men and beasts Piscator thinks it is a Metaphor from Flood-gates at Mill-ponds When it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb The Sea is here set forth in lively colours as an incomprehensible work of Gods wisdom Out of Nothing God produced it at first as an infant out of the mothers womb How great is God then to whom the great Sea is but as a little infant It brake out of the womb when it was severed from the Abysse which lay covered with darknesse till the waters below were separated from those above Gen. 1.10 Verse 9. When I made the cloud the garment thereof When I clothed this new born child with a cloud Elegans allegovia Jun. commanding the vapors which environ it to serve it for garments Clouds are begotten of the waters of the sea especially and appear daily upon it And thick darknesse a swadling band for it This thick darknesse is well interpreted to be those fogs and mists which arise upon the sea and are between the clouds and the sea as the swadling bands between the upper garment and the child Interim significat saith Mercer here Meanwhile here is signified that God can as easily rule and represse the sea as the mother or nurse can her suckling when it is swathed up Verse 10. And brake up for is my decreed place That great house in the hollows of the earth vers 8. gathering it together by a perpetual and powerful decree into that place and pit Tremellius rendreth it Quum diffregi pro eo terram decreto mea When I brake up for it the earth by my decree Others And laid upon it my Statute for shabhar signifieth also statuere decernere say they but that 's more than I know And set bars and doors Vectes valvas See vers 8. This is a work of Gods great power and is therefore much instanced and insisted upon in Scripture Ps 109. Jer. 5.22 c. God could have put many other hard questions to Job about the seaâ— as why it swelleth not by the inflowing of so many great Rivers why the waters of it are so salt whence it is that it so ebbeth and floweth c Aristotle sheweth himself no very wise man in answering these questions whom yet Averrâ—es so madly admireth that he saith there is no errour at all to be found in him and that his doctrine is the chiefest truth c. Verse 11. And said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further This God commanded and it is done If the sea at any time break its bounds and over-flow countries as in Holland Zealand and other parts it hath done that is to declare the power of God and his just anger against sin And here shall thy proud waves be stayed Canutus commanded such a thing but
before him But this cruelty was nothing to that of soul-murder whereof many parents by their negligence at least are deeply guilty they bring forth children to that old Man-slayer Struthionis astorgia declaratur e causis duabus vacuitate metus vacuitate intellectus and so their labour in bearing and breeding children is in vain and worse without fear for they will not be better advised nor affected Verse 17. Because God hath deprived her of wisdom That is of such fore-cast to provide for her young ones by a natural instinct as other fowles and beasts have Gods mercy to men appeareth 1. in giving us wisdome beyond them Job 35.11 2. In giving us power over them Psal 8. And 3. In learning us so much by them in those many Scripture-comparisons Prov. 7.23 and 26.2 and 27.8 Matth. 8.26 that's a sweet place Isai 31.5 As birds flying scil to save their young so wil the Lord defend Jerusalem defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it The Fowles of the Aire are and may be unto us examples and Monitours of many vertues to be embraced and vices to be eschued In the Ostrich for instance we may see that strength and bignesse of body is not alwayes accompanyed with wisdom and understanding that it is God who either giveth or denyeth wisdome to his Creatures that natural affection is of him that he gives not all things to one man but diversly distributeth his gifts The Ostrich hath wings but not to flye with c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non omnia possumus omnes Verse 18. What time she lifteth up her self on high c. That is when she runneth away from the hunter which she doth with singular swiftness she lifteth up her self on high not from the earth as other birds for that she cannot do but on the earth with wings stretcht out like sailes and her whole body bolt upright scarce touching the earth at all with her feet but quickning her own pace with sharp spurs which they say she hath in the pinnion of each wing so pricking her self on that she may run the faster to teach us what we should do in the race of Religion and when pursued by Satan how to hasten to Christ She scorneth the horse and his rider That is she easily out-runs them being as swift as a bird that flyeth They say the Arabians are wont to try their horses swiftness by trying to overtake them Verse 19. Hast thou given the horse strength Having mentioned the horse he comes next to shew his nature and here we have a most elegant description of a generous horse such as Dubartas maketh Cain to manage and as the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fremebundum Virg. Georg. Quod siqua sonum procul armadeà êre Stare loco nescit micat auribus tremit artus Collectumque premens velvit sub naribus ignem In this Creature therefore we have a clear instance of the wonderful Power and Wisdome of God If the hoase be so strong and warlike what is the Almighty that man of war Exod. 15.3 and Victor in Battle as the Chaldee there calleth him This is one way whereby we may conceive of God scil per viam eminemiae for if there be such and such excellence in the Creature what is there in the Creator sith all that is in us is but a spark of his flame a drop of his Ocean How then wilt thou O Job dare to contend with him who art not able to stand before this Creature of his Wonderful things are reported concerning Bucephalus and the horse of Julius Caesar of Nicomâ—des King of Bithynia of the Sibarites War-horses Qui ad symphonia cantum saltatione quadam movebantur Pausan The Persians dedicated an horse to the Sun so did the Idolatrous Israelites 2 Kings 23.11 as the swiftest Creature to the swiftest God Very serviceable he is for drawing and carrying but especially in battle whereof only here De equis militaribus cataphractis of War-horses the use whereof appeareth to be very ancient even in Jobs dayes The Israelites made little or no use of them in the Conquest of Canaan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. in Numa but their enemies there did and Pharaoh before them Exod. 14. Let it be held that a horse is a vaine thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength Psal 33.17 The Jewes are sharply reproved and heavily threatned for trusting to the horses of Egypt Isai 31.1 Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder That is with neighing and snorting answerable to his strength and which soundeth terribly from within his neck till his very eyes sparkle as if he did both thunder and lighten The Apostles and other Ministers of God are called Christs White horses Rev. 6.1 2. upon which he rideth about the world conquering and to conquer Horses for their courage and constancy and white for their purity of Doctrine Discipline and Conversation They thunder in their Doctrine and lighten in their lives as Nazianzen saith Basil did to the subduing of souls to the obedience of faith Verse 20. Canst thou make him afraid as a Grashopper Which soon flincheth and flyeth with the least noise But the horse is more like that formidable Army of Locusts described Joel 2. that bare down all before them and shook all places where ever they came The glory of his nostrils is terrible Heb. Terrors His snorting and sneezing strikes terror into people The more wonderful is Gods goodnesse in subduing to weak man so lusty a creature to be ridden and ruled at his pleasure He trains him to the great saddle and teacheth him to obey his hand and spur to bound in the aire to observe his measures to shew that docility dexterity and vigour which none but God hath given him and be every way so serviceable and useful both in War and Peace Joannes Bodin hath observed That whereas Lions Wolves Theas Nat. 405 and other ravenous creatures have a gall and choler whereby they are easily stirred up to anger and revenge not so horses asses camels elephants and other creatures made for mans help these have neither gall nor hornes wherein appeareth summa Opificis sapientia the great wisdome and goodnesse of the Creator Verse 21. He paweth in the valley Cavatque Tellurem solido graviter sonat ungula cornu Virg. Georg. l. 3 Such is the impatiency of his spirit that he champs his bit and stamps with his feet Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula Campum Virg. he pricks up his eares and growes white with foame and can hardly be held in till the enemy come but would fain be in the battle whither when he comes he runs upon the Pikes and undauntedly casts himself and his rider among the enemies squadrons Quod summè mirum est saith Mercer which is a wonderful thing indeed and it is no less wonderfully set
recruit as far as God seeth fit Multadies variâ—squo Labor mutabilis avi Rettulit in melius multos alterna revisens Lusit in solido rursus fortuna locavit Virg. Aen. l. 11 The best way is to hang loose to these things below not trusting in uncertain riches but in the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 who will be our exceeding great reward and give to his Sufferers an hundred fold here and eternal life hereafter Mat. 19.29 Optandâ— nimirùm est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is doubtlesse a lovely losse that is made up with so much gaine Well might Saint Paul say Godlinesse is profitable to all things as having the Promise of both lives 1 Tim. 4 6 Well might Saint Peter call it The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.2 For as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty c. so doth Godlinesse Let a man with Job bear his losses patiently and pray for his enemies that wrong and rob him and he shall be sure to have his own againe and more either in money or moneys worth either in the same or a better thing contented Godlinesse shall be great gaine to him 1 Tim. 6.6 Besides heavens happinesse which shall make a plentiful amends for all The Rabbins would perswade us That God miraculously brought back again to Job the self-same cattle that the Sabaeans and others had taken from him and doubled them Indeed his children say they therefore were not doubled unto him because they perished by their owâ—â—ault and folly as one of his friends also told him But of all this nothing certain can be affirmed and they do better who say That his children being dead in Gods favour perished not but went to heaven they were not lost but laid up so that before God Job had the number of his children doubled for they are ours still whom we have sent to heaven before us and Christ at his coming shall restore them unto us 1 Thessal 4.14 In confidence whereof faithful Abraham calleth his deceased Sarah his dead That I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23.4 and so she is called eight several times in that one Chapter as Paraeus hath observed Verse 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren Then when God had begun to restore him As his adversity had scattered his friends so his prosperity brought them together again This is the worlds usage Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Summer-birds there are not a few Samaritans who would own the Jewes whiles they flourished but otherwise disavow them as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes Rich Job had many friends Prov. 14.20 Qui tamen persistebant amicitia sicut lepus juxta tympanum as the Proverb is All this good Job passeth by and forgetting all unkindnesses magnificently treateth them as Isaac in like case had done Abimelech and his train Gen. 26.30 And did eat bread with him in his house It 's likely they came with their cost to make Job a Feast of comfort such as were usual in those dayes Jer. 16.7 Ezek 24.17 But whether they did or not they were welcome to Job who now never upbraids them with their forsaking of him in his distresse which yet was then a great grief to him but friendly re-embraceth them and courteously entertaineth them This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable spirits in these dayes whose wrath like that of the Athenians is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-lasting and although themselves are mortal yet their hearts are immortal And they bimoaned him They condoled with him and shook their heads as the word signifieth not by way of deriding him as once they had done chap. 16. but of sorrow for their former deserting him and assurance that they would henceforth better stick to him in what estate soever And comforted him over all the evil c. So they should have done long before A friend is made for the day of adversity but better late then never Nunquam sane serò si seriò See here saith Brentius the change of affaires and the right hand of the Most High and learn the fear of God for as he frowneth or favoureth any man so will the world do Every man also gave him a piece of money Or a Lamb to stock him againe Beza rendreth it Some one of his Cattle and paraphraseth thus Yea every one of them gave him either a sheep or an Ox or a Camel and also an Ear-ring of gold partly as a pledge of their good will and friendship renewed toward him and partly in consideration and recompence of that losse which he had before by the will and fore-appointment of God sustained Honoraria obtulerunt saith Junius they brought him these presents as Pledges of their love and observance for so were great men wont to be saluted with some gift Sen. Epist 17. 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Chron. 17.5 And the same custome was among the Persians and Parthians whose Kings might not be met without some token of congratulation and Symbol of Honour And every one an Ear-ring of gold Inaurem auream an Ear-pendant of gold at the Receipt whereof Job might well say as the Poet did Theog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To thee this is a small matter but to me a great Verse 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job According to Bildads Prophecy chap. 8.7 And S. James his useful observation Chap. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy If he afflict any of his it is in very faithfulnesse that he may be true to their souls it is also in great mercy Deut. 8.16 that he may do them good in the latter end and this they themselves also shall both see and say by that time he hath brought both ends together Psal 119.71 Be ye therefore patient stablish your hearts James 5.7 Patient Job had all doubled to him Joseph of a Slave became his Masters Master Valentinian lost his Tribuneship for Christ but was afterwards made Emperor Queen Elizabeth of a prisoner became a great Princesse But if God deny his suffering servants Temporals and give them in Spirituals they have no Cause to complaine One way or other they shall be sure to have it Great is the gain of Godlinesse For he had fourteen thousand sheep c Cattle only are instanced Pecuma à pecâ—de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes posteà opes significant Melancth Dios because therein especially consisted the wealth of that Countrey but other good things also doubtlesse were doubled unto him as his family possessions grounds houses and especially Wisdom to make a good use of all for commonly Stultitiam patiuntur opes and what 's more contemptible then a rich fool a golden beast as Caligula called his father in
Book to be bound up in a little Volume by it self to serve as his Manual and attend him in his running Library for therein he found amulets of comfort more pleasant than the Pools of Heshbon more glorious than the Tower of Lebanon more redolent than the Oyl of Aaron more fructifying than the dew of Hermon as one expresseth it All the latitude of the Holy Scriptures may be reduced to the Psalms saith Austin after Athanasius Luther calleth them Parva Biblia summarium utriusque Testaments a little Bible a Summary of both Testaments The Turks disclaim both the Old and New Testament and yet they swear as solemnly by the Psalms of David as by the Alchoran of Mahomet Anciently they were sung in the Temples and in the Primitive Christian Church happy was that tongue held that could sound out aliquid Davidicum any part of a Psalm of David Nicephorus telleth us that as they travelled and journied they used to solace themselves with Psalms and that thereby there was at a certain time a Jew converted Saint Paul calleth them Spiritual Songs Col. 3.16 both because they were indited by the Holy Spirit and for that they do singularly suit with mens spirits for they are so penned that every man may think they speak De se in re sua of himself and to his particular purpose as Athanasins observeth And lastly because they do after a special manner Spiritualize and sanctifie those that sing them in the right tune which is Sing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord as the Apostle there setteth it and elsewhere hinteth unto us that there is no small edification by the choyce of a fit Psalm 1 Cor. 14.26 Vers 1. Blessed Heb. O the blessedness the heaped up happiness both of this Life and a better fitter to be beleeved than possible to be discoursed The Hebrew comes from a root that signifieth to go right forward scil in the way that is called Holy having Oculum ad metam an eye upon the mark viz. True and real happiness such as all men pretend to but he only attaineth to who is here described Policrat lib. 8. cap. 4. Sylla was by his flatterers surnamed Felix because high and mighty and Metellus likewise Quod bona multa bono modo invenerat because rich by right means But he that first called Riches Bona was a better Husband than Divine and they that seek for a felicity in any thing here below seek for the living among the dead The Philosophers discourses of this subject are but learned dotages David saith more to the point in this short Psalm than any or all of them put together they did but beat the Bush God hath here put the Bird into our hands Is the man Heb. that man with an Article with an Accent and by an excellency as Jer. 5.1 that eminent and eximious man who is rationally Spiritual and Spiritually rational that man in Christ 2 Cor. 12.2 who hath learned Christ and doth live Christ walking as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 and not in the counsel of the ungodly c. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord c. Magnus atque admirabilis vir simodo viri nomine designare illum fas est as Chrysostom saith of Babylas the Martyr that is a great and an admirable man if a man we may call him and not an earthly Angel rather He must indeed bee content to pass to Heaven as a concealed man because the World knoweth him not 1 Joh. 3.1 but those that have senses exercised to discern good and evil may easily know him as he stands here described 1 To depart from evil vers 1. 2 To do good vers 2. Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly or restless the counsel of such should be far from us Job 21.16 22.18 The Jews cast their whole Nation of People into three ranks Reshagnim the word here used that is the profane rabble Tsadichim righteous men and Chasidim good or gracious men see Rom. 5.7 To these two latter are opposite here Sinners and Scorners these last being the worst of wicked persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 20.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 3.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panormit and therefore set last in this gradation as some will have it The Septuagint here render them Pests or Botches and elsewhere incorrigible wicked with a witness proud prevaricating c. Beware of this Sin saith Father Latimer for I never knew but one scorner that repeuted he who is fitten down in this Chair or Pestilence as having tired himself in ways of wickedness and will not bee better advised Prov. 9.7 8. but with Lots Sons in Law jeareth what he should fear wil not easily be raised out of it Vers 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord i.e. in the whole Doctrin of the Holy Scriptures that invariable rule of truth as Irenaeus rightly calleth it He findeth rest no where Nisi in angulo cum libello in a Nook with this Book as Thomas à Kempis was wont to say who also with his own hand wrote out the Bible King Alphonsus read it over fourteen times together with such Commentaries as those times afforded Luther said hee would not live in Paradise without the Word Par. in Epist. ad Ja. Nâ—wer Pastor Heidelb as with it he could live well enough in Hell Magdalen Wife to D. Paraeus after she was married and forty years of age out of love to the Scriptures learnt to read and took such delight in it and especially in the Psalms that she gat them almost all by heart Bâ—za being above fourscore years old could say perfectly by heart any Greek Chap. Act. Mon. in St. Pauls Epistles Cranmer and Ridley had all the New Testament by heart the former had learnt it in his journey to Rome the latter in the Walks of Pembrook-Hall in Cambridge And in his Law doth he meditate day and night Hoc primus repetens opus hoc postremus omittens Hora Having gathered with the Bees the sweet of those heavenly flowers he doth by meditation work his Hony-comb within his Hive and at this work he is perdius pernox till he feel it to become an ingrafted word yea till he hath turned it in succum sanguinem and is after a sort transformed into it 2 Cor. 3.18 The Hebrew word Hagah here signifieth both to speak with the mouth and with the heart to read and to meditate because to read is not to run over a Chapter as a Childe at School but to muse upon the matter and to make some benefit of it It is storied of Pythagoras that he lived in a Cave for a whole year together that being sequestred from the society of men he might the better meditate upon the abstruser parts of Philosophy he used also with a thread to tye the hair of
him and done for him and hence this congeries or heap of holy expressions and all to shew that God is a Rock of refuge a firm Fortress a recepracle of rest a sanctuary of safety to all his Saints in time of trouble David had had his share and had been put to his shifts glad to hide himself as he could in rocks and strong-holds that sheltered him from the storm To these he alludeth when he calls God his Rock Fortress c. And my deliverer Rocks and Strong-holds do not always deliver witness the Shechemites Jebusites Arimasphes but God always doth And the Horn of my Salvation Qui veluti cornu petit conficit hostes meos saith Vatablus who goareth and dispatcheth mine enemies A Metaphor either from horned Beasts or else as some will have it from the ancient custom of wearing horns of Iron upon their Helmet for a Crest or Military ornament â—whereupon the raised Horn was a sign of Victory and the Horn beaten down a sign of being overcome Vers 3. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised Or is the proper object of praises because he is good and doth good Psal 119.68 David vows to praise him 1 By loving him entirely 2 By trusting in him stedfastly vers â— 3. By calling upon him continually here and Psal 116.2 3. which Psalm is very like to this in the beginning especially both for matter and method So shall I be saved c. He had often proved the power of Prayer specially when he came ready prepared to praise God for the return of Prayer and thence he is bold to promise himself all good Vers 4. The sorrows of death compassed mee Or the pangs pains throws as of a travelling woman these invironed mee or came thick and threefold upon mee perventebant usque ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to my face as the Rabbines descant upon the word or flew upon me desperate and deadly dangers assailed mee The worst of an evill escaped Medrash Tillin Aphaphuni pro â—naphaphuni is to bee thankfully acknowledged and highest straines of eloquence therein to bee used so that pride bee avoided and the praise of God only aimed at And the floods of ungodly men Heb. of Belial that is of Belialists acted and agitated by the Devill these came tumbling upon him like many and mighty waters Fluct us flustum trudit Torrentes Belial terrebant me Vers 5. The sorrows Or throws or cords such as wherewith they bind malefactors led forth to execution The snares of death prevented mee David knew how to make the most of a mercy hee means I was almost surprized and all hope of help seemed to bee prevented if help should come it would come too late Vers 6. In my distresse I called upon the Lord This was Davids anchora sacra prayer hee knew could never come too late nor God want a way to deliver his distressed The time of affliction is the time of supplication and mans extremity is Gods opportunity And cryed unto my God Hee grew more and more earnest wee must pray and not faint Luk. 18.1 but rise in our sutes Out of his Temple i.e. Heaven where of the Temple was a type as being the place of Gods speciall presence and of transcendent holinesse Vers 7. Then the earth shook and trembled c. Upon Davids prayer all this befell like as Act. 4. the house shook wherein they were praying and the thundering Legion procured thunder and rain and so did Samuel by his prayers 1 Sam. 12. But this terrible tempest here described is to be taken rather allegorically than historically The Prophet in most lofty and lively tearmes and expressions farre above the strain of the most sublime either Poets or Oratours describeth Gods powerfull presence and concurrence in Davids conquests The foundations also of the hills That is so vehement was the Earthquake that it shook as it were the roots of the Mountains which lye deep within the ground 2 Sam. 22.8 these hills are called the foundation of Heaven as Job 26.11 the pillars of Heaven because the tops of high Mountains seem to touch the clouds and the Heavens seem to lean upon them and because the Earth is in the centre of the World about the which the Heavens do continually turn Because he was wroth Or burn did his nose So Vers 8. There went up a smoak out of his nostrills As angry men breath vehemently and seem to spit fire by their blustering speeches and menaces so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnia qua tamen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt intelligenda Vers 7. Hee bowed the Heavens i.e. velociter venit saith R. David hee came speedily to destroy mine enemies And darknesse was under his feet Hee came invisible Vers 10. And he rode upon a Cherub Which word hath affinity with Rechub a Charret Hereby is noted Gods swiftnesse in comming to succour David He waits to bee gracious and when it is a fit season hee comes leaping and skipping over the Mountaines of Bether or division all lets and impediments Gabriel came to Daniel with wearinesse of flight chap. 9.21 Hee did flie upon the wings of the Wind For by the Ministry of Angells God raiseth and stilleth the winds Vers 11. Vatab. Hee made darknesse his secret place As a King that being angry withdraweth himself from his subjects and will not bee seen of them Vel quia decret a Dei veniunt invisibiliter said R. David Vers 12. At the brightnesse that was before him c. i.e. at his bright presence his thick clouds wherein hee was inveloped passed or did cleave as it were in sunder whence came hailstones mixed with coales of fire or lightnings out of the cloudes which God maketh at once aery seas and aery furnaces fetching fire out of the midst of water and hard stones out of the midst of thin vapours Vers 13. The Lord also thundred in the Heavens Quasi pro classico aâ—spicio praeliâ—ineundâ— Vers 14. Yea hee sent out his arrowes c. Tandem permisc entur omnia grandine flammis fulminibus tanquam telis sagittis Dei adversus hostes pugnantis After the vaunt-curriers vers 12. the great Ordinance vers 13. the battel begins and all is on an hurry Vers 15. Then the Chanels of waters were seen The force of this terrible Tempest is further set forth by the effect of it a dreadful concussion of the universe not without an allusion to the drying up of the red Sea and of Jordan before Israel which deliverances stood for Archetypes or chief patterns to all Posterity Vers 16. He sent from above he took me He rescued me as by an hand reacht me from Heaven Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or he sent his Angels to secure me He drew me out of many waters As he had once done Moses Exod. 2.10 who there-hence also had his name Musaeus for the same cause calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Water-sprung
bee unto them when I depart from them I did cast them out c. Evacuabameos I dealt by them as men do by the sweepings of the house or noysome excrements God sometimes dungeth his Vineyard with the dead bodies of his enemies Vers 43. Thou hast delivered mee from the strivings of the people viz. In the rebellions under Absolom and Sheba the son of Bichri These like bubbles which Children blow up into the air were soon blown out and fell into the eyes of those who with the blasts of disloyalty and ambition held up the same Thou hast made mee head of the Heathen Philistines Syrians Anamonites c. This is most true of Christ Head of his Church which consisteth of all Nations and most of these were unknown unto him as man and by hearing of him they were brought to submit unto him when the Apostles came and preached him amongst them Hence it followeth Vers 44. Assoon as they hear of mee Heb. at the hearing of the ear that is by the preaching of the Gospell they shall bee brought to yeeld the obedience of faith The strangers shall submit Heb. Subjectio sucosa Hypocâ—itica Falsly deny or dissemble with mee their submission is forced and feigned they dare do no lesse they receive my yoke but their hearts I have not Christ hath many such false-hearted subjects fawning and faining profligate professors carnal Gospellers Vers 45. The strangers shall fade away As do the dry leaves of Trees their vigour and confidence shall perish in a moment And bee afraid out of their close places Whence they shall come creeping to mee their conqueror to seek favour And this may very fitly also be applied to Christ and his subjects who must bee driven unto him out of their close places or starting holes of self-confidences self-conceitednesse c. by the spirit of bondage before they will unfeignedly submit to Christs Government Vers 46. The Lord liveth Or Vivat Dominus Let the Lord live It is spoken saith Calvin after the manner of men who use such kind of acclamations to the Kings whom they love and honour The Wicked could wish God extinct that so they might never come to an account before him but the Saints cry out Let the Lord live let Christ reign c. Blessed bee God that Hoe is God was a learned mans motto Luthers was Vivit sc Christus Si non viveret vellem me non unam horam vivere c. Christ is alive otherwise I would not wish to live an hour Another good man saith Miconius Christ liveth and raigneth alioque totus totus desperassem otherwise I should be utterly out of hope Let the God of my salvation bee exalted Triumphali elogio ab omnibus celebratur let him bee set up in all hearts and houses Vers 47. It is God that avengeth mee Heb. that giveth vengeances for mee whence also hee is called the God of vengeances Psal 94.1 and the God of recompences Jer. 51.56 And subdueth the people under me It is the great work of God to perswade the hearts of so many millions to obey one man Vers 48. He delivereth me from mine enemies This David hath never done with but goeth over it again and again as desirous to do the Lord all the right that might be From the violent man That is from Saul saith R. David and him he mentioneth last Quia erat principium omnis Davidicae gloriae because the fall of his house was the rise of all Davids glory The Chaldee hath it From Gog and his Armies Vers 49. Therefore I will give thanks c. See how the Psalmist in these three last Verses endeth as he began Among the Heathen This the Apostle applieth to Christ and his people as a Prophecy of his Kingdom and of the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15.9 I that is Christ but yet in the person of his faithful and especially his Ministers will praise thee or confess unto thee c. And sing praises unto thy name Which to have done absurdum fuisset apud surdoâ— would have been absurd had not those Heathens had their ears opened Vers 50. Great deliverance giveth be to his King In Samuel it is He is the tower of Salvation for his King This Tower is Messias say the Jew-Doctors Quiest turris salutis O that those poor Creatures would once run to that strong tower and be safe To David and to his seed for evermore That is to Christ who was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.3 Act. 13.23 and to all faithful Christians who are called Christs Seed Isa 53.10 and Psal 72.17 Filiabitur nomine ejus the Name of Christ shall endure for ever it shall be begotten as one Generation is begotten of another there shall be a succession of it to the Worlds end PSAL. XIX THe Heavens declare the glory of God The World saith Clemens Alexandrinus is Dei Scriptura the first Bible that God made for the institution of man The Heavens here instanced as a chief part of that Mundi totius machina are compared to a Scroul that is written Rev. 6.14 As in a Horn-book which little ones carry there be Letters in a paper within which appear through the same so under the blew saphire of the Firmament is spread a sheet of royal Paper written all over with the Wisdom and Power of God This Book was imprinted saith one at the New Jerusalem by the Finger of Jehovah and is not to be sold but to beseen at the sign of Glory of every one that lifts up his eyes to Heaven where he may plainly perceive Deum esse mentem Architectricem intelligentem sapientem potentem c. This lesson is fairly lined out unto us in the brows of the Firmament which therefore we are bidden to behold and discern sith therein God hath made himself visible yea legible even his eternal Power and God-head so that men are left without excuse Rom. 1.20 But because this Book of Nature with its three great Leaves Heaven Earth and Sea though never so diligently read over cannot bring a man to the saving knowledge of God in Christ nor make him perfect throughly furnished unto all good works behold another and better Book even that of the Holy Scriptures set forth vers 7 8. c. of this Psalm that like as where the Philosopher endeth the Physician beginneth so where Nature faileth us Scripture may inform and comfort us In this excellent Psalm then we have the sum of all true Divinity saith Reverend Beza the end whereof is to give us that knowledge of God and of his holy Worship whereby we may be made partakers of eternal life Here then in the six first Verses the Prophet sheweth that God manifesteth his glory to Mankind by his Works and first by the Work of Creation vers 1. Next of Government vers 2 3 c. and that 1. In the revolution of the starry Sky which revolution first
death in its most hideous and horrid representations I will not fear for I fear God and have him by the hand I must needs bee Tutus sub umbra leonis safe by his side and under his safe-guard It God be for us who can be against us For thou art with mee Hence my security see a promise answerable to it Joh. 10.28 Christ is not to lose any of his sheep Joh. 17.12 Having therefore this Ark of Gods Covenant in our eyes let us chearfully passe the waters of Jordan to take possession of the promised land Cur timeat hominem homo in sinu Dei positus saith a Father Thy rod and thy staff Hee pursueth the former Allegory Shepheards in driving their flocks have a rod or wand in their hand wherewith they now and then strike them and a staff or sheep-hook on their necks wherewith they catch and rule them Of Christs rods and staves see Zach. 11.7 c. foolish Shepheards have only forcipes mulctram Zach. 11.15 R. Solomon by rod here understandeth afflictions by staff support under them a good use and a good issue They comfort mee Gods rod like Aarons blossometh and like Jonathans it hath hony at the end of it Vers 5. Thou preparest a table before Here hee makes use of another Metaphor from a liberall feast-maker or as some will have it from a most kind Father making provision for his dearly beloved child So did God for David both in regard of temporalls and spiritualls God had given him as hee doth all his people all things richly to injoy all things needfull for life and godlinesse the upper and nether springs the blessings of the right hand and of the lest bona throni bona scabelli as Austin phraseth it Now outward prosperity when it followeth close walking with God is very sweet as the cipher when it followeth the figure addeth to the number though it bee nothing in it self Davids Table was laden with Gods Creatures and did even sweat with variety of them God had let down to him as afterwards hee did to Peter a vessell with all manner of beasts of the earth and foules of the air in it Act. 10.12 This he is very sensible of and thankfull for as a singular favour In the presence of mine enemies i.e. In fight and spite of them hostibus videntibus ringentibus God doth good to his people maugre the malice of earth and of Hell Thou anointest my head with oyle A peece of entertainment common in those times and amongst that people Luk. 7.36 37 38. to shew the greater respect to their guests And although this is not every good mans case in temporall respects yet at the Word and Sacraments God anointeth his guests with the Oyl of gladnesse My cup runneth over Hee had not only a fullnesse of abundance but of redâ—ndancy Those that have this happinesse must carry their cup upright and see that it overflow into their poor Brethrens emptier vesseâ—â—s Vers 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy c. Vtique bonit as beneficentia Or as Tremellius hath it Nihil nisi bonum benignitas Nothing but goodnesse and loving-kindness c. This is his good assurance of Gods favour for the future grounded upon Gods promise whereby hee was well assured that mercy should follow him though hee should bee so foolish as to run from it like as the Sun going down followeth the passenger that goeth Eastward with his beames And I will dwell c. Devoted to his fear I will stick to him in life in death and after death Apprehensions of mercy in God must work resolutions of obedience in us PSAL. XXIV A Psalm of David The Greek addeth Of the first day of the week Because wont to be sung in the Temple on that day which is now the Christian Sabboth in memory of Christs resurrection and ruledome over all which is here celebrated Vers 1. The earth is the Lords and the fullnesse thereof Hee alone is the true Proprietary Job 41.11 Deut. 10.14 and the earth is Marsupium Domini as One saith the Lords great purse the keeping whereof hee hath committed to the sons of men Psal 115.16 like as also hee hath given the heavenly bodies to all peoples Deut. 4.19 every star being Gods storehouse which hee openeth for our profit Deut. 28.12 and out of which hee throweth down riches and plenty into the earth such as the Servants of God gather and the rest scramble for What use the Apostle putteth this point to See 1 Cor. 10.26 28. with the Notes Other uses may well bee made of it as that Kings and Princes bear not themselves as Lords of all the Turk and Pope so stile themselves the great Cham of Tartary every day assoon as hee hath dined causeth they say his trumpets to besounded by that sign giving leave to other Princes of the earth his Vassals as hee conceiteth to go to dinner but the Lords vicarii villici vicegerents and Stewards to whom they must give an account of all Again that Gods dear Children cannot want any thing that is good for them sith they have so rich a Father who seemes to say unto them as Gen. 45.20 Regard not your stuff for all the good of the land is yours To him that overcommeth will I give to inherit all things I have all things Phil. 4.18 2 Cor. 6.10 The world and they that dwel therein This is Gods universall Kingdome by right of Creation vers 2. besides which hee hath a spirituall Kingdome over his elect ut docet nos pulcherrimus hic Psalmus saith Beza who are here described vers 4 5 6. and encouraged to enlarge their desires after their Soveraigne in the exercise of faith and use of means and to give him the best entertainment vers 7 8 9 10. For the Church is Christs Temple and every faithfull soul is a gate thereof to let him in as Rev. 3.20 Vers 2. For hee hath founded it upon the Seas The solid earth hee hath founded upon the liquid waters This Aristotle acknowledgeth to bee a miracle as also that the waters which are naturally above the earth overflow it not but are kept within their shoares as within doors and barres This is the very finger of God and a standing miracle worthy to bee predicated to his praise all the World over Job 38.6 7 8. c. See the Notes there See also Gen. 1.9 with the Note And established it upon the floods Upon the waves and surges of the Sea which but for Gods decree would soon surmount it The dry land is that which is here called Teb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitable world And this is Gods universall Kingdome which because lesse considerable the Prophet speaketh but little of it in comparison as hastening to the spirituall Vers 3. Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord Montem caelestem significat saith Vatablus hee meaneth into Heaven for the Prophets purpose is to shew that although
directeâ—h his speech not to Solomon who never took upon him the name of God as did Sosostris King of Aegypt Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caligula and some other proud Princes but to Christ Heb. 1.8 who is God blessed for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so called by an excellency only as the Angels are Psal 8.9 with Heb 2. not by Office and Title only as Magistrates are godsâ— Ps 82.16 nor Catachrestically and Ironically so called as the Heathen gods nor a diminutive god inferiour to the Father as Arrius held but God by nature every way Co-essential Co-eternal and Co-equal with the Father and the Holy Chost Joh. 1.1 Phil. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.20 Hold this last for it is the Rock Mat. 16.16 it is of the very foundation so that if we beleeve it not there is no heaven to be had 1 Joh. 5.20 As for his Kingly Office here described it belongeth to him as Mediator and what is here spoken of him is to be understood of his whole person for so is he Head of the Church and King of Israel for ever The scepter of thy Kingdom c. Thy government is not with rigour but with righteousness thou camest rightly by it casting out Satan the Usurper Mat. 12.29 Heb. 2.14 and dost most righteously administer it Deut. 4.8 Vers 7. Haec verè heroica est nemesis Thou lovest right eousness and hatest wickedness Salomon did so for a great while may Nero's first five years were such that Trajan was wont to say that none ever attained to the perfection of them but Christ continually neither can hee do otherwise See Matth. 3.10 11 12. Joh. 5.30 Matth. 12.18 19 20. Therefore God thy God hath anoynted i.e. For which purpose God hath anoynted thee his Messiah or Christ Psal 2.2 With the oyl of gladness Quia totus mundus in unctione Christi ejus missione letabitur saith Kimchi so called because the whole World should bee cheared up by the Unction and Mislion of Messiah he received the Spirit without measure that of his fulness we might all receive and grace for grace righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Above thy fellows i.e. Exreliquorum regum numero eximendus above all earthly Potentates Beza the best whereof as David â—o sish had their faults and flaws or rather above thy Saints thy fellow-brethren by grace and Co-heirs of glory they have Plenitudinem V asis but thou Fontis neither only art thou anointed Pre consortibus above thy fellows but Pro consortibus for those thy fellows as some render it Dioscor l. 1. c. 67. l. 3. c. 82 lib l. 12 Lib. 1. Antidot and it is very comfortable Vers 8. All thy garments smell of myrrbe aloes and cassia Things not only of good savour but of great price Myrrbe some take to be Musk Aloes Amber Cassia a kind of Ginnamon which in Galeas time was very rare and hard to bee found except in the store-houses of great Princes And Pliny reporteth that a pound of Cinnamon was worth a thousand Denarii that is an hundred and fifty Crowns of our 〈◊〉 This description then of Christs cloathing doth allegorically set forth the sweetness and pleasure that the Father findeth in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.17 and that we also finde whilst he is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Confer 2 Cor. 2.14 and that out of his Ivory palaces i.e. his heavenly habitation from which he beholdeth us and raineth down righteousness upon us Whereby they have made thee glad i.e. Servi sodales tui thy fellow friends and servants who stand and hear the Bridegroom and rejoyce greatly by reason of his voyce Joh. 3.29 yea make him glad by their ready obedience setting the Crown upon his head and adorning him as it were with all his bravery in the day of his espousals Cant. 3.11 and making him say How fair how pleasant art thou O love for delights Cant. 7.6 Vers 9 Kings daughters were among thine honourable women Thy Ladies of honour attending upon thy royal Consort for after the description of Christ the Bridegroom followeth another of the Queen his Bride and of the royal Nuptials Or Kings daughters are in thy preciousnesses that is in thy comliness that thou hast put upon them Ezek. 16.14 for all the Churches bravery is borrowed and all her Daughters i.e. Members are adorned not with their own proper attire Sed regio mundo ornatu out of the King Christs Wardrobe this is the righteousness of the Saints Rev. 19.8 viz. imputed and imparted Upon thy right band Which is a place of Dignity and Safety As Christ is at the Fathers right hand so the Church is at Christs right hand where as his wife she shineth with her Husbands beams This is very comfortable Did stand the Queen Heb. Augusta the wife adjutorium illi exacts respondens as Gen. 2.18 saith 〈◊〉 that hee was happy in his wife a Lady of excellent vertue who drew evenly with him in all the courses of honour that appertained to her side Daniels hist and seemed a peece so just cut for him as answered him rightly in every joynt Vers 10. Hearken O Daughter and consider incline thine ear The Prophets or rather Christs Counsell to the Church and each Member thereof wholly to deny ungodlinesse and wordly lusts and to live soberly Tit. 3.12 righteously and godly in this present World to leave all and to cleave to Christ This because it is soon said but not so soon done He presseth in many words all to one purpose Hearken see incline thine ear Self-denyall is a most difficult duty and yet so necessary that if it be not done we shall be undone Forget also thine own people c. All evill opinions must be unlearned and all evill practices abandoned and all our love transferred and transfused upon Christ or we cannot be a fit Spouse for him Christs Spouse must as Deut. 21.11 12 13. shave her head pare her nails and bewail her Father and Mother that is her naturall inbred evills and corruptions Vers 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty If thou deny thy self and forgo all others to please him alone he shall set his whole heart upon thee and be ravished with thy love as Prov. 5.19 How could that Persian Ladies Husband do lesse than love her who having been at Cyrus his wedding and asked how she liked the Bridegroom Like him said she I know not how I like him for I looked upon no man there but mine own Husband Aspasia Milesia was very dear to Cyrus because she was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fair and withall Wise Aelian For he is thy Lord And therefore not to be slighted by thee for his great love as many of the Persian Monarchs were Ahashuerosh for instance but reverenced and obeyed as Augustus was by his wife Livia Vers 12. And the
under our feet Hence the Jews to this day dream as did also the Disciples sowred with their leaven of an earthly Kingdom wherein the Messiah at his coming shall subdue the Nations and distribute their Provinces and wealth among his Jews But Christs Kingdom is of another nature and the Nations are already subdued to the Church which remaineth one and the same although the Jews be as branches broken off and others set in their place Rom. 11.24 Besides by the Nations under the Jews feet is meant say some that the Gentiles should be Scholars and the Jews School-masters as it were unto them for so fitting under the feet or at the feet signifieth in Scripture Acts 22.3 Luke 10.39 2 King 2.5 The teacher was called Joshebh or Sitter the Scholar Mithabbek or one that lieth along in the dust in token of his humble subjection And in this sense Seneca some where saith that the basest of people meaning the Jews gave Laws unto all the world Vers 4. He shall chuse our inheritance for us Or He hath chosen Of his free grace he espied out the Land of Canaan for his people Israel flowing with Milk and Honey and such as was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 and as much yea much more hath he done for the whole Israel of God both of Jews and Gentiles by electing them to an inheritance immortal undefiled reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 The excellency or high-glory of Jacob whom he loved i.e. All those high and honourable Priviledges wherein Jacob once and now all the faithful may wellglory and rejoyce See Rom. 9.4.5 having as great both abundance and assurance of Gods grace and goodness as Jacob ever had Vers 5. God is gone up with a shout The Ark is here called God as also Psa 132.5 and the face of God Ps 105.4 because from the Ark in the midst of the Cherubims God spake to his people and they by looking towards it had a sure symbol of the Divine presence The bringing of it up with pomp and solemnity into Mount Zion was a type of Christs wonderful ascension into Heaven triumphing over all his and our enemies Col. 2.15 Eph. 4.8 and joyfully entertained by Saints and Angels in Heaven The Jews ever apt to work themselves as one saith of them into the foolsparadise of a sublime dotage understand this passage of the future reduction of the Ark into the Sanctuary where it was once and for the which they most earnestly pray still as Buxtorf writeth With the sound of a trumpet Concrepantibus tubis and in like sort he shall return De Syuags Jud. c. 13 Acts 1.11 with 1 Ths 4.16 Vers 6. Sing praises to God sing praises Do it with all alacrity and assiduity being of that Martyrs mind who said Should I do nothing else all the days of my life yea as long as the days of Heaven shall last but kneel upon my knees and repeat over Davids Psalms to the glory and praise of God yet should I fall infinitely short of what is my duty to do Vers 7. For God is King of all the earth q. d. Our King said I it is too little he is King of all the earth A title vainly taken by some proud Princes as Sesostris King of Aegypt who would needs be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of the whole world So a Decree went out from Augustus Casar that all the World should be taxed Luk. 2.1 The great Turk Amurath the third stiled himself Turk Hist 91 God of the earth Governour of the whole world c. but these were but bubbles of words as Saint Peter hath it God is the sole Monarch of the whole Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sing yee praises with understanding Non bacchantium more but prudently and with a well composed minde saith Vatablus Psalmo Didascalico saith Tremellim with such a Psalm or Song as whereby yee may rightly inform one another concerning his Kingdom and your own duty Heb. Sing yee Maschil that is Quotquot sapientes inrelligentes petitiestis psallend one of the Psalms that bear that title as some sense it or every one of you that hath skill in Songs as others Vers 8. God reigneth over the Heathen This is his universal Kingdom whereof before vers 7. and yet never can too much be said of it God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness He is in a special manner King of his Church as Ahasuerosh was of his Hester called his throne Exod. 87.16 because the hand upon the throne of the Lord that is Amalechs hand upon the Church as some interpret it His throne of glory Jer. 4.21 and here the shrone of his holiness because Christ who is called God so many times in this Psalm loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanseir and so present it to himself a glorious Church Eph. 5.25 26 27. Vers 9. The Princes of the people are gathered together Or the voluntary of the people The great ones disdain not to meet with the meanest at the publick Assemblies for performance of holy duties but thither they fly one with another as the Doves do to their windows Isa 63.8 glorying in this that they are Christs Vassals as did Constantine Valentinian and Theodasius Socrates those three great Emperours casting their Crowns at his feet and willing to come under the common yoke of his obedience with the rest of the people of the God of Abraham the common sort of Christians For the Shields of the earth be long to God That is those Princes and Magistrates also Hos 4.18 Psal 89.18 belong to the covenant of election a though not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 and it was grown to a Proverb â—mnium bonorum Principum imagines in 〈◊〉 annulo scâ—lpi posse The Spanish Fryer was wont to say there were but few Princes in Hell and why because there were but few in all If such shall shew themselves shields to their people to protect them from wrong and not sharks rather to peel them and pillage them God will own and honour such Others thus the shields of the Earth belong to the Lord that is the Militia of the World is his he hath and can quickly raise the Posse comitatus of all Countries He is greatly exalted How should he be otherwise who hath sogreat a command and useth it for the defence of his people Especially if the Grandees of the earth become Religious and draw on others by their example and liberality Magnates Magnetes PSAL. XLVIII A Psalm a song for the sons of Korah When and by whom compiled we certainly know not If by David probably it was upon occasion of the Philistines comming up to seek him but were sent away back with shame and losse 2 Sam. 5.7 9. If upon the slaughter of Sennscheribs army by an Angel Isaiah or some other Prophet of those times as there were many might be
that I break not forth into outward act God will not hear i. e. so hear as to impute it or to account it a sin Pharisaice Vers 19. But verily God hath heard mee As I well perceive by his answer full and enlarged as the cloud that riseth out of the earth in thin and insensible vapours falleth down in great and abundant showers Vers 20. Blessed be God c. This is the conclusion of Davids syllogism in this and the two former verses and herein his Logick is better than Aristotles PSAL. LXVII VErs 1. God be mercifull unto us sc In sending his son and calling his elect both among Jews and Gentiles to the participation of that gift Joh. 4.10 that Benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 And blesse us Specially with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.3 And cause his face to shine upon us Giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 who is the brightnesse or glittering refulgency of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serenâ— suo vulâ—â— nos irrad et Beza Heb. 1.3 the day-spring from on high Luk. 1 78. In this prayer the Psalmist plainly alludeth to that blessing pronounced upon the people by the High-Priest Numb â— and sheweth that all commeth from Christ the true Aaron the High-Priest of the new Covenant Vers 2. That thy way may be known Thy way of worship that way that is called holy the Gospel Act. 19.23 18.25 26. the way of salvation Act. 16.17 Thy saving health That is thy Christ Luk. 1.30 32. Vers 3. Let the people praise thee O God Enlarge the bounds of thy Church and bring in the Hallelujahs of the Gentiles also Let them praise Thee that pronown Thee is emphaticall and exclusive and not their Gods of gold and silver Let them turn to God from Idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thes 1.9 Vers 4. O Let the Nations be glad c. As they cannot but bee upon their sound conversion Act. 8.8 there being no such joy as the joy of faith and that a mans name is written in Heaven Beatus Ludâ—vicus would be called Ludovicus de Pissiaco rather than take greater titles because there he became a Christian For thou shalt judge the people righteously c. Not rigorously keeping thy Church in safety amidst the greatest ruines of the World and collisions of Empires And 〈◊〉 the Nations upon earth Selah Heb. Thou shalt gâ—â—â—ly lead them as 〈◊〉 Shepheard doth his flock or a Father his child Lord hasten it Vers 5. Versus 〈◊〉 See Vers 3. Vers 6. Then shall the earth yeeld her increase Omnia opera â—â—stra eram prospera All shall go well with us and we shall abound with blessings of both â—â—es The Gospel is a cornucopia and they that receive it shall have all that heart can with or need require all creatures shall conspire to make them happy The earth which was cursed for mans sin and hath lain bed-ridden as it were ever since shall put forth her utmost strength for good peoples use God will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the earth c. Hos 2.21 22. when once mens hearts bear fruit to the Lord Mat. 13.19 23. Heb. 6.7 Hierom interpreteth these words of the Virgin Mary bringing forth the child Jesus Others thus Then shall the earth bring forth innumerable servants of God Vers 7. In more Nevochim God shall blesse us God is thrice named here and in the former verse to note the Trinity of persons as Kamban wrote and had therefore his book burnt by the Jews in France And whereas it is thrice here said God shall bless us it importeth that the blessings here meant are more than terrene and bodily blessings PSAL. LXVIII A Psalm or song of David Made at that time when having overcome his enemies he brought arcam in arcem the Ark of God into the Tower of Sion conferre vers 1. with Numb 10.35 Herein also he treateth of the greatest secrets of Christs Kingdome and prophesieth of things to come as Act. 2.30 31. witnesse the Apostle Ephes 4.8 Vers 1. Let God arise He need do no more that his enemies may be scattered though never so close united eâ—iamsi catapbractus incedat Satan as Luther speaketh digitum sunns tantum moveat dissipabuntur hostes Let the Lord but stirre his finger only let him but look unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and they shall be troubled as Exod. 14.24 funduntur fugantur cum primum se exferit Deus as those Philistines 2 Sam. 5. Let them also that hate him flee before him Athanasius telleth us that evill spirits may be put to flight by this Psalm and that Anthony the Hermite fought against the Devill with this verse and worsted him This may be done also as well with other texts of Scripture Golloq Mens Luther encountred the Devill with that sentence Thou hast put all things under his feet Another Dutch Divine with this The Sbn of God came to dissolve the works of the Devil Cramerus A third with those words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head As the rocks repel the boisterous waves câ—nantia frangere frangunt so doth Christ the Rock the stone cut out of the mountains without hands Dan. 2.45 all his Churches enemies Vers 2. As 〈◊〉 is driven away c. Smoak at first sight seemeth formidable but soon vanisheth and the higher it ascendeth the sooner it is dissipated so here Guicciardine saith of Charles the eighth of France that he came into the field like thunder and lightening but went out like a snuff more than a man at fist and lesse than a woman at last Semblably Gods enemies As wax melteth before the fire c. Wax is a more solid substance than smoak but held to the fire it quickly dissolveth The Psalmist both prayeth and prophesieth here that the downfall of the Churches enemies may be praeceps presentissimum sad and suddain as is elegantly set forth by these â—wo similitudes Vers 3. But let the Righteous be glad When he seeth the vengeance Psal 58.10 See the Note there whilst this wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them Prov. 20.26 Let them rejoyce before God Heb. At the presence of God from which the wicked must flee vers 1. See Isa 33.14 Yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Heb. Rejoyce with gladness over-abound exceedingly with joy as St. Paul 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7.4 Joy is the just mans portion which the wicked may not meddle with Hos 9.12 Vers 4. Sing unto God sing praises 〈…〉 not in a custumers 〈…〉 help hereunto was this Psalm 〈…〉 Excell him that rideth upon the Heavens Exalt him so as when a 〈◊〉 is made up unto a great height Beza rendreth it Sternite 〈…〉 Cast upon pave the way for him
that rideth in the desert Comeâ—â— Isai 40.3 4 Mat. 3.1 Mat. 3.3 The Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raise up the way and make it ready as they use to do before Kings that ride in triumph that the King of glory may come into your hearts those deserts indeed By his name Jâ—h the same with Jehovah that proper and incommunicable name of God Some of the Heathens called it Joâ—â— as Dioderus Sicalanâ— Mackâ—â—â—â— c. Holy and reverend is this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentates and it is here and elsewhere given to Christ See it interpreted Rev. 1.4 Vers 5. A Father of the fatherless c. Pupillerum pater 〈◊〉 vindex a title that God much glorieth in and although hee rideth upon the Heavens and is higher than the highest yet so low stoopeth he to our meanness neither will he leave his people orphans or comfortless Jâ—â— c. 18. for God is in his holy habitation Not in Heaven only but in and with his Church on earth the Ark and Mercy-seat were never sundred Vers 6. God setteth the solitary in families i.e. He blesseth them with Issue See Psal 113.9 and so he doth the Church Isa 54. It in these dayes of the Gospel especially He bringeth out those which are bonnd in thâ—ing As he did Peter Act 12. Paul and Silas Act. 16. Some read it thus He bringeth out those which are bound in accomoditates into places where they may live commodiously and chearfully As on the other side The rebellions dwell in a dry land In leâ—â—s torridis arridis exsucis 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 and desert Countries where they are destitute of Gods blessing and his soul-refreshing comforts The Hebrew word signifieth a bleak or white soil such as is all Egypt where the Nile arriveth not viz. a whitish sand bearing no grass but two little weeds of which they make glass Where the river wâ—â—â—reth is a black mould so fruitfull say travailers as they do but throw in the seed and have four rich harvests in lesse than four months Hence Egypt is called The World Graâ—â—â—y Vers 7. O God when thou wentest forth before thy people Here the former benefits of God to his people are recited additis 〈◊〉 coloribus 〈◊〉 potius quam descripta and rather depainted out in lively colours than described Wet must stirre up out selves to thankfullness for what God hath done for our forefathers neither must the memory of his mercies ever grow stale with us Vers 8. The earth shook the Heavens also dropped Velut in sudoviut soluts as if they had been put into a sweat In so terrible a manner was the Law given that Gods sear might fall upon us Exod. 20. As for the Gospel it is than 〈◊〉 of Liberalities vers 9. confirming Gods inheritance when it is weary Even Sinai it self was moved at the prefence of God Some render it a facie Dei hâ—jus Sinaice à facie Dei Dei I srael These two verses are taken our or 〈◊〉 song Jud. 5.4.5 Vers 9. Thou O God didst send a plentifull rain Heb. Thou 〈…〉 rain of liberalities Spiritually this meaneth the Doctrin of the Gospel Deut 3. â— 2 Isa 45.8 Hos 14.6 and the gifts of the Holy Christ bestowed hereby and plentifully Vers 10. Thy Congregation hath dwelt therein 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 sosome render it and interpret it of the flocks and heards whereby of his goodnesse God prepared fot his poor those creatures being profitable both 〈…〉 Deus obrulit occasionem laetandi ovandi triumphandi Vers 11. The Lord gave the word That is the occasion 〈…〉 de victoria saith Vatablus How God provided his people of 〈…〉 Psalmist had told us now of the victory the good news whereof shall 〈◊〉 in every ones mouth like the word in an army with joyfull acclamations and out-cryes Great was the company Heb. army of the forbad published 〈◊〉 Such are thy Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10.15 an office taken now from the Angelâ—â— and given to the Ministers whereâ—â— that Angel turned over 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 information 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word for 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 continuance out 〈…〉 of New England but to shew the weaknesse of the means fisherman and the like that God is pleased to use in this great work Ut imbecillitatem ministrorum Ecclesiae nocet Moller for the greater manifestation of his power in the successe as some conceive Vers 12. Kings of armies did flee apace Heb. Did flee did flee Or shall flee shall flee which one interpreteth of Devils called Principalities and Powers formerly using to give Oracles but after Christs birth ceasing to do so As also of Liciusâ—â— and other tyrants fleeing before Constantine the first Christian Emperour See Rev. 9.11 Antichrist is the King of Locusts and he fleeth daily before the Evangelies Lib. 3. de Pont. Rom. cap. 21. the New-Gospellers as he calleth them Bellarmine complaineth that ever since we held the Pope to be Antichrist non mode non crevit ejus imperium sed semper magiâ—ac magis decrevit his Kingdome hath not only not increased but more and more daily decreased And she that tarried at home divided the spoil That is toto congregatia que non pugnabat saith Kimchi Or the women also those domi porta came forth to pillage These dayes of the Gospel do abound with many godly matrones and holy Virgins And it is easie to observe that the New Testament affordeth more store of good women than the Old Vers 13. Inter Chytropodâ—s Though ye have lyâ—n among the Pots Quasiobruti roti oppleti fuligine tenebris black and sooty as the black guard of an army or as Skullions in a Kitchin who lye sometimes all right like beasts in a chimney-corner or as your Fore-Fathers in Egypt when their shoulders were not yet removed from the burden nor their hands from the pots Psal 81.6 The meaning is though ye have been in a low and loathsome condition yet now ye shall shine and flourish Verba sunt maliorum saith Kimchi these are the words of those women annunciatrices in the eleventh verse Beza maketh them to be the Psalmists words to those women that divided the spoil vers 12. Vixistis adhuc puella c. ye have hitherto dwelt at home and washt pots c. but now being enriched by the spoils yee may come abroad fair and trimme like white Doves with gilt feathers Yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove Ye shall flye swiftly from the storm of cruel persecution saith the Syroack Interpreter yea you shall shine and make a glorious shew ficut nivea columbae per medium aercus inter volitandum aureum quendam splendarem ejaculantur See Isa 54.11 12 13. the Churches bricks made in her bondage shall be turned into Saphires Vers 14. When the Almighty scattered Kings in it i.e. In the wilderness as they passed or in Canaan which they possessed according to vers 1. Or scattered Kings for
of his Bucklers Job 15.25 26. his hairy scalp setting forth his fierceness Job 5.5 Note this against Anti-Round-heads See Ezek. 44.20 Vers 22. The Lord said That is assurance good enough I will bring again from Bashan Og the Giants Country where Israel was in no small distress and danger till that Monster was taken out of the way Numb 21.33 Deut. 3.1 2. q. d. I will if need require and as occasion serveth do as much for mine again as I did once at Bashan and at the red Sea Some interpret this and the following Verses of the calling of the Jews The glorious things saith one which God will effect in their behalf are here reduced to five heads First the bringing of them home from most extreme difficulties naming Bashan because of the slaughter spoken of vers 14. and the deep of the Sea alluding to Exod. 14.16 peradventure he meaneth the drying up of Euphrates before them For this first Head aimeth at those times the beginning of the Jews repair unto their Country The Second Head is the great and famous Victory that God will give delivering them out of those difficulties and distresses vers 22. See Isa 63.1 2 3 4. The Third Head is the Jews thorough conversion by occasion of that singular mercy of God vers 23. and the form of a goodly Church under the Type of the old Synagogue set up among Jacobs posterity vers 24. the Ten Tribes as well as the Tribe of Judah which is concluded by acknowledging their strength to come from God a prayer to perfect his Work begun and a spur to put into these Kings of the East as they are also called Rev. 16.12 to present in the Temple at Jerusalem in the publick Congregation testimonies of their thankfulness vers 25 26 27 28. The Fourth Head is the taming of their proud enemies and the forcing them at least to counterfeit a subjection vers 29. The Fifth Head is the general calling of all the Kingdoms of the earth to joyn themselves unto the Church of Christ which shall follow the conversion of the Jews And this he shutteth up with provoking all Nations to give unto God the praises that are due unto him for it and his own particular thanksgiving vers 30 31 32 33 34. Thus he Vers 23. That thy foot may be dipped Heb. Redded imbrewed made gore-bloudy Hereby is implied a very great slaughter Confer Rev. 19.17 18 21. Vers 24. Diod. They have seen thy goings O God Namely the holy manner of conducting the Ark with even and proportionable restings and settings down See 2 Sam. 6.13 The Ark is here and elsewhere called God because a symbol of his special presence When we are called to hear Gods Word and pray publickly though we see not God ab yet we may see his goings Deus enim ipse chorum agit primas tenet in illo incessu Of my God my King David though he were a King yet held himself but Gods Mandatary or Substitute Vers 25. The singers went before c. Thus they were Marshalled when the Ark was conducted to Mount Sion every thing being done decently and in order Christ ascending into Heaven and setling his Kingdom is perpetually praised of his Church Vers 26. Bless yee God in the Congregations i.e. Catervatim ac turmatim by Troops and Companies Even the Lord from the fountain of Israel That is from the Heart say some which is the true fountain of praising God Others understand it of Christ who is 〈◊〉 the fountain of Israel Rom. 9.5 there are that think that the study of the 〈◊〉 Tongue is here recommended to us Reuchlin was wont to say than the 〈…〉 drank out of Cisterns the Greeks out of Ponds but the Hebrews out of the Fountain it self Calvin and the most Interpreters read the words Yee that are of the fountain of Israel springing out of his loyns See Deut. 33.28 Isa 48.1 51.1 Vers 27. There is little Benjamin with their Ruler Though before they had stood out for Saul and his house yet now they bore a part in this solemn celebrity as being next unto the Sanctuary Of this Tribe was St. Paul Tricubitalis ille homuncio sed insatiabilis Dei cultor as Chrysostom calleth him little in stature but in labours more abundant The first precious stone in the foundation of the New Jerusalem is a Jasper Rev. 21.19 which in Aarons brest-plate was the last Exod. 28.20 on which Benjamins name was graven This intimateth saith one Ainsw the last now to be first and chief in Christian Churches The Princes of Judah and their Council Or company or purple-arrayed ones Beza rendreth it Lapidatores corum the stoners of the enemies The word is found here only and Forsterus thinketh that our Saviour alluded to it when as Mar. 3. he calleth James and John Boanerges The Princes of Zebulon Sic absolvitur pempae triumphalis These are mentioned as most remote bringing up the rear In those Tribes Christ walked and there-hence he called sundry of his Disciples Vers 28. Thy God hath commanded thy strength A brave expression admired by Longinus a Heathen Rhetorician See the like Deut. 28.8 Psal 42.8 44.4 33.9 God both made and ruleth the World without Tool or toyl he enableth his people to subsist and to resist their enemies by his Will only and by the efficacy of his Word Suppeditavit tibi Deus tantum robur nequid superbias saith Varablus Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us Petamus ut det qued ut habeamus jubet Pray to the God of all Grace to make us the same that hee requireth us to be Vers 29. Because of thy Temple Or out of thy Temple at Jerusalem q. d. strengthen us out of thy Temple out of the fulness that is in thy Son thereby typified Kings shall bring presents unto thee See the Note on vers 22. Vers 30. Rebuke the company of Spear-men Or Launce-men Heb. The beast of the reeds that is say some voluptuous persons that wallow in Wealth plenty Arab. Sicut Pontifices Cardinales Episcopi horum satellites and pleasure Job 40.21 Behemoth lyeth in the Fennes which Gul. Parisunsis applieth to the Devil in sensual hearts Reeds grow not but in fat and moyst places But they do better who render it the Rout or crue of the Cane that is men that bear Reeds or Canes whereof Spears Arrows and Launces were wont to bee made these men or rather beasts cruel savage and bloudy rebuke that is repress The multitude of the Bulls The Commanders and Chieftaines With the Calves of the people The common Souldiers With pieces of silver With an Homage-penny as they call it That delight in War That make a sport of it as Joab 2 Sam. 2.14 as Pyrrhus King of Epirotes who made a recreation of Warfare So did not David though necessitated thereunto for the glory of God hee was a man of Warre from his youth If we Princes
nor bestow upon them thy crown of righteousness Vers 28. Let them be blotted out c. Wherein they were never indeed written among those living in Jerusalem Isa 4.3 those first-born whose names are written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 but they accounted themselves of that number and were so esteemed by others This was a mistake and the Psalmist prayeth God to make it appear so No videantur in alhum tuorum velats quibus vgra vita 〈◊〉 destinasâ—i Vers 29. But I am poer and sorrowful The Church is usually so and may sing as here Vaâ—nignant c. but her comfort is 1 That Christ saith unto her as Rev. 2.9 I know thy sorrow and poverty but that is nothing Thou art rich 2 That her poverty is not penal but Medicinal Gods dispensation is sit her for better riches As a wise Physician purgeth a foul body till he bring it almost to skin and bone But why That having made it poor there may bee a spring of better bloud and spirits Vers 30. I will praise the Name of God i. e. aquitum Deum I will thankfully agnize and recognize Gods great goodness to me in this deliverance with mine uttermost zeal and skill Vers 31. This also shall please the Lord better c. True thankfulness is epimum optimum sacrificium those calves of our lips Hos 14.3 Heb. 12 1â— These Calves or Bullocks as in the Text must 1 Have burnt and hoofts bee young and tender the very best of the best 2 They must bee slain our thanks must proceed from a mortified minde 3 They must be sacrifised where is required 1 An Altar our praises must be tendred in the mediation of Christ 2. Fire our hearts must be enflamed with zeal and ardency 3 Our hands must be laid on the head of the Bullock That is we must in all humility confess our unworthiness c. This will surely please the Lord better than an Oxe or Bullock that hath â—erns and hâ—â—ofâ— Vers 32. The humble shall see this and be glad Davids great care was for others confirmation and comfort much more Christs witness that holy prayer of his Joh. 17. Your 〈◊〉 shall live Which before was all 〈◊〉 Pray that yet may joy David did so often Psal 6. c. Vers 33. For the Lord he 〈◊〉 the poor He is the poor mans King the wronged mans refuge Trajan the Emperour is renouned for this Aeli spart that when he was mounted for a battel he alighted again to hear the complaint of a poor Woman that cried unto him for Justice and our Edw. 6. for this that he would appoint certain hours to sit with the Master of the Requests Engl. Elis only to dispatch the Causes of the poor God is much more to be magnified Vers 34. Let the heaven and earth praise him As they do in their kind and have good cause so to do for their resstaâ—ration by Christ Rom. 8.11 Vers 35. 〈…〉 The Church universal And will build the Cities The paâ—â—â—dâ— at Churches That they may dwell there viz. The seed of his servants vers 36. 〈◊〉 after them shall be incorporated into the Church and 〈◊〉 thing to all perpetuity PSAL. LXX A Psalm of David Made likely or rather made use of from Psal 40.14 15 c. when Shaba the Son of Bichri was up in rebellion after Absoloms death 2 Sam. 20.1 c. See Psal 69. title To bring to remembrance Worthy to be remembred and followed as a pattern of prayer Some make this Psalm an Appendix to the former as Psal 43. is to Psal 42. Others make it a part of the next Psalm which is therefore say they without a title Vers 1. Make haste O God to deliver me As a Father â—ans without leggs when his childe is hazarded Vers 2. Let them be ashamed See Psal 40.14 35.26 27. Vers 3. Let them be turned back for a reward Vel ficit per insidias vel supplantationem more Athletarum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them be supplanted defeated That say Aha aha Augustine rendreth it Enge Enge that is Well done and giveth this Note upon it Plus persequitur lingua adulator is quà m manus interfectoris The tongue of a Flatterer may mischief a man more than the hand of a Murtherer The Apostle Heb. 11.37 ranketh their tempting and flattering promises among their bloudy deeds their is sing tongues with their terrifying jaws Vers 4. Let all those that seek thee c. Piorum characteres saith one a godly man caracterized by his search after God his joy in him his love to him his praises of him Let God be magnefied In illo quicquid ego ille non ego saith Augustine Vers 5. But I am poor and needy See Psal 69.29 with the Note PSAL. LXXI VErs 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trusts See Psal 31.1 with the Note It appeareth by vers 9.18 that this Psalm was written by David in his old age when Absolom or Sheba was in rebellion against him though haply for haste and in that fright he could not superscribe it as he did the rest The Greek title viz. of David A Psalm of the Sons of Jonadab and of them that were first captived hath no footing in the Original Hebrew Vers 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness Let my deliverance be the fruit of thy promise and of my prayer and so it will be much the sweeter Vers 3. Thou hast given Commandement sc To thine Angels and all other thy Creatures or thou hast commanded that is thou hast promised Vers 4. One of the hand of the unrighteous That seeketh by fraud to undermine me and by force to overturn me And cruel man Qui totus in fermento jacet soure as leaven sharp as vineger Vers 5. For thou art my hope Helpless I may seem but hopeless I am not Vers 6. Hâ— thee have I been bolden us from the womb As in the Womb I lived upon thee so from the womb The same that breede thus feedeth us that matter that nourisheth the Childe in the Womb striking up into the breasts and by a further concoction becoming white is mode milk for it Thou ar◠〈…〉 me out infamy to other bowels Else I had never been born alive That a childe is bound 〈…〉 saith Galen Sed quomoda fiat admotoritar 〈…〉 calleth it 〈◊〉 supra mirabiloâ— muja mirabila the greatest wonder in the World Surely if a Childe were born but once in an hundred years space we should all then to see so strange a work saith another Vers 7. I am as a wonder 〈◊〉 Or 〈◊〉 the great ones a Monster to the mighty Quia credo 〈…〉 glosseth because I beleeve what I yet see not viz. that this storm shall blow over and I he reâ—â—â—ed in my Throne Vers 8. 〈…〉 Vers 9. Cast me not off in the time of old age For now I have most need of thee The white Rose is soonest cankered so is the white Head soonest corrupted
He chose it for his love and then loved it for his choice The word Tribe we borrow from the Romans who at first divided the multitudes into three parts called thereof Tribes The Hebrew name signifieth a rod or scepter and fitly agreeth to Judah Vers 69. Like high palaces Not places as some books absurdly have it Like the earth There shall be a Church to the Worlds end Vers 70. He chose David also God chuseth not as man doth 1 Cor. 1.26 yet Alexander the great advanced Abdolominus a poor Gardiner to be King in Sidon And took him from the sheep-folds The art of feeding cattle and the art of ruling men are sisters saith Basill Vers 71. From following the â—â—es So Saul from seeking Asses Agathocles from making pots Hist tripart lib. 9. Valentinian 〈◊〉 c. Plaâ—illa called upon her husband Theodosius the Emperour to remember from what mean estate God had called him to the highest honours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 72. So he fed them c. See vers 70. He was not malus vir bonus prâ—â—ceps as is said of our Richard the third but every way accomplished and active for the good of his subjects PSAL. LXXIX A Psalm Of like subject with Psalm 74. bewayling the same calamity of the Jews whether under Nebuchadnezzar or Antiochus is uncertain but foreseen by Asaph or described by some other Prophet and committed to some of Asaphs successours to be sung Cantant justi etiam in adversis as birds in the Spring tune most sweetly when it raineth most sadly Vers 1. O God the Heathen Ex abrupto ordâ—tur q. d. canst thou endure it Is it not high time for thee to set in Lo they have filled the breadth of thy land O Immanuel Isa 8.8 that is O thou who art God with us who givest with the Father Cum parte dator inter nos petitor Aug. who prayest with the suitor and who in all our afflictions art afflicted The holy Temple have they defiled Spoliando funestando omnia profana impiaque munera obeundo See Psal 74.7 They have laid Jerusalem on heaps In rudera into an Orchard-keepers cottage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. saith the Vulgar An elegant Hypotyposis Vers 2. The dead bodies of thy Servants Either they denyed them the honour of buriall which is reckoned among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dues of the dead or else they mangled their dead bodies and exercised their rage upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as the Papists did upon Husse and Zuinglius and many of the English Martyrs A barbarous practice as Pausanâ—as judged it in Herodot Callâ—ope The flesh of thy Saints c. Of thy beneficiaries whose souls are with thee in Heaven these have not so much as a burying-place on earth but lye like common carrion Morticina like cattle that dye of the murrain and are most ignominiously dealt withall And yet these are Gods Saints and in some sense Martyrs Vers 3. Their blood have they shed like water They made no more reckoning of it than of ditch-water and were ready to say as Hannibal did when he saw a ditch full of mens blood O formosum spectacutum O beautifull sight Contemptim vel abjecte And there was none to bury them Either none to bury them at all Immaniatis est Scythicae non sepelirâ— mortuos Sen. ad Maâ—tiam which the Jews accounted worse than death Eccles 6. and the Romans extreme cruelty Or none to bury them cum ritibus with the accustomed rites and ceremonies as Jacob was buried Gen. 50. but not Jeconiah Jer. 22.18 Vers 4. Wee are become a reproach to our neighbours To the Edomites Philistines Syrians Tyrians c. who do now compose comedies out of our tragedies A scorn and derision to them that are round about us Quorum opprobriis Iudibriis contumeliis sumus expositi This was more grievous to them than stripes or wounds saith Chrysostom because these being infflicted upon the body are divided after a sort betwixt soul and body but scorns and reproaches do wound the sould only Hebet quendam aculeum contumelia they leave a sting behind them Act. 5 in Ver. as Cicero observeth Vers 5. How long wilt thou be angry c Or How long wilt thou be angry for ever The Psalmist knew that the enemies were but Gods executioners and that if he were but once pacified they should soon be put out of office Shall thy jealousy viz. For our Idolatry Exod. 20. Vers 6. Pour out thy wrath c. Even the full vials of it That have not known thee More than by the book of the Creatures wherein there is indeed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something of God manifested Rom. 1.19 20. even his eternal power and God-head rendring men without excuse but nothing of his goodness and patience leading them to repentance chap. 2.4 That have not called upon thy Name A note of prophaneness Psal 14.4 Vers 7. For they have devoured Jacob As Wolves and other ravenous creatures do the simple sheep His dwelling-place Or his cottage his sheep-coat Vers 8. O remember not against us former iniquities Or The iniquities of them 〈◊〉 were before us wherewith we also are justly chargeable the sin of the golden calf saith the Arabick here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodor. Curt. lib. 7. an ounce whereof is in all our sufferings to this day say the Jews Alexander slew the Branâ—hidae and utterly destroyed their City because their Fore-fathers had long before indeavoured to betray Greece into the hands of Xerxes Speedily prevent us Lest they come too late for we are at last gasp Vers 9. Help us for the glory of thy Name A speeding argument God will do much for his own glory his wife as it were Purge away our sins Which nothing can do but tender mercy Vers 10. Where is their God See Psal 42.3 So Turks at this day when they have the better of Christians cry where is the Christians God We are the right Musalmans c. By the revenging of the blood of thy Servants c. For the which make thou inquisition and do justice Vers 11. Let the sighing of the prisoner c. It was lately in many places of this land a like difficult thing to find a wicked man in the enemies prisons or a godly man out of them The sights of such were shril in Gods ears Preserve thou those that are appointed to dye Heb. The children of death those that being destined to destruction seem to be as much in deaths power as children are in their Parents The Arabick rendreth it Redime filios occisorum Redeem the children of those who are slain lest the name of their Parents be blotted out Vers 12. Into their bosomes Full measure pressed down shaken together and running over Luk. 6.38 See Isa 65.6 7. Jer. 32.18 Wherewith they have reproached thee viz. In reproaching us who do quarter armes as
Sam. 2.1 10. Vers 10. The wicked shall see it Vir improbus reprobus The covetous Caitiff who sate a brood upon his bags and befool'd the bountiful man shall himself come to beggery which he so much feared and be ready to eat his own nayis through envy at the others prosperity and because he cannot come at his heart he seeds upon his own yea puts himself into an hell above ground both for pain of loss and pain of sense as here PSAL. CXIII VErs 1. Hallelujah See Psal 111.1 Praise Oye servants of the Lord None but such can do it or are fit for it and for such praise is comely Psal 147.1 as unthankfulness is an ugly sin but especially in Ministers those servants of the Lord by a specialty Praise the name of the Lord Ter repetit Trinitatem subindicando saith One Others note that by this threefold Praise ye the Psalmist taxeth mens dulness and exciteth their diligence to this divine duty Vers 2. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Praise him with utmost intension and extension of spirit and of speech God is therefore called by an appellative proper The blessed One Baruc-bu Mark 14.61 Luke 1.68 From this time c. A nunc usque Vers 3. From the rising of the Sun i. e. All the world over in all places and at all times North and South are not mentioned but included because not so well peopled Vers 4. Aug. The Lord is high c. He looketh on the earth as on a Ant-hillock All Nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket Isa 40. Quantilla ergo es in istius guâ—â—ae particula And his glory above the heavens These are as far beneath him in glory as in situation Angels understand him not fully Vers 5. Who is like c See Psal 89.6 He Is imparallel Who dwelleth on high Heb. Who exaheth to dwell Oh that we could flye a pitch any way proportionable by exalting his Name together Psal 34.3 Vers 6. Who humbleth himself Lo it is a condescention in God to vouchsafe to look one of himself upon the Saints and Angels how much more upon us Sith fin seâ—teth us â—urt her beneath a worm than a worm is beneath an Angel Vers 7. He raiseth up the poor c. David for instance besides many others as Agathecles 〈◊〉 Maximinianus c. whom he raised from the lowest stair to the very highest step of honour and opulency Vers 8. That he may set him with Princes See 1 Sam. 2.8 Hannabs song where of this seemeth to be an abridgement Vers 9. He 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 we man to keep house Heb. To dwell in an house that is to have a house full of Children and so to build her husbands house Ruth 4.11 This is applyed to the Church which is the theatre of the World wherein God sheweth his speciall providence and power Isa 54 1. Gal. 4.26 27. PSAL. CXIV VErs 1 When Israel went out of Egypt Emedie gentis idest ex viscoribus Aegyptiorum qui â—â—s quasi deglutiebant out of the midst of that Nation Mid. Tillim in Psa 114. that is out of the bowels of the Aegpytians who had as it were devoured them thus the Jew-doctors glosse upon this Text. From a people of strange language And yet more estranged affections jearing them and their Religion as the word Lognez which is of affinity with Logneg a scoffer seemeth to sound Afterwards it was prophecied that five Cities in the land of Egypt should speak the language or lip of Canaan Isa 19.18 viz. when the Lord should turn to them a pure language Zeph. 3.9 Vers 2. Judah was his sanctuary Or Sanctitie or Sanctification This was an happy change for them from their Egyptian Idolatry Ezek. 23.19 like as it was from their Egyptian servitude when Israel became Gods dominions dominations and signiories Vers 3. The Sea saw it and fled When God will deliver his people and perform his promises unto them nothing shall hinder but all Creatures shall contribute their helps for they are all his servants Psal 119.91 Vers 4. The Mountains skipped like Rams scil at the giving of the law Exod. 19.18 which also causeth heart-quakes in beleevers but the unjust knoweth no shame Zeph. 3.5 is past feeling Ephes 4.19 Vers 5 What ailed thee O thou Sea Or what came to thee can there any naturall reason bee given or was it Gods powerfull presence only that caused you to run retrograde Atheists and unbleevers will search the Devills scull to find out something whereby they may elevate Gods great works and elude his Arguments as Pharaoh sat not down under the miracle but sent for the Magicians and hardened his own heart Vers 6 Yee Mountains that yee skipped c. These two verses teach us saith One that wee may many times ask questions and yet neither doubt of the matters nor bee ignorant in them Vers 7 Tremble thou Earth f Heb. See in pain as a travelling woman for if the giving of the law had such dreadfull effects what should the breaking thereof have At the presence of the God of Jacob Whom Jacob that is Gods covenanted people knoweth and confideth in a midst all his austerities Isa 63.16 and can boldly say as Hab. 1.12 Art not thou from everlasting O Lord my God mine holy one wee shall not dye Vers 8 Which turned the rock into a standing water Set the Rock of Rephidiâ—â— abroach and made it not only a standing water stagnum as here but a running river for the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 with Joh. 4.14 7.38 The Flint into a fountain of Waters Still God worketh for his people in oppositis mediis as Luther expresseth it by contrary means and rather than they shall want necessaries hee both can and will work miracles PSAL. CXV VErs 1 Not on to us Lord not unto us This is the godly mans 〈◊〉 and his daily practice See Gen. 41.16 Act. 3.12 16. 1 Cor. 15.10 Luk. 19.16 Nor wee but thy Talents have gained other five Georg. Fabrâ—◠〈◊〉 vivus de scipsâ—â— and other two c. Fabricius studuit bene de pietate mereri Sed quicquid petuit gloria Christe tua est There is no merit at all in us faith the Chaldee here the bowles of the Candlestick had no oyl but that which dropped from the Olive-branches It is therefore very good counsel that 〈◊〉 gives his friend 〈…〉 illi do 〈…〉 In all thy good deeds give God the glory and take up â—lowly thoughts of thy self Vers 2 Wherefore should the Heathen say Why should they thus be suffered or occasioned to blaspheme thee and twit us with our Religion Hence some conceive that this Psalm was made in the time of the babylonish captivity by Daniel saith one Jew-doctor when hee expounded Nebuchadnezzars dream by the three Worthies saith Another when they were in the fiety furnace See Psal 42.10 79.10 Vers 3 But our God is in the
Jer. 33.25 Thou hast established See Job 26.7 with the Note Vers 91 They continue this day God never brake promise with them Jer. 33.20 25. much lesse will hee with his people for whose use hee made them For all are thy servants All creatures are at Gods beck and check except evill Angels and men those great Heteroclites who yet do Gods will though against their own wills Vers 92 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 had been my delight Unless it had been setled in my heart as well as it is in Heaven for my singular comfort I had been crusht I should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long 〈◊〉 have perished The Laâ—-grave of Hâ—ssâ—n told mee at 〈…〉 saith 〈◊〉 that it had been impossible for him to have born up under the manifold miseries of so long an imprisonment 〈…〉 verbe divine in sue cords 〈…〉 of the Scripâ—â—es in his heart Joh. Manl. loc com â—39 Vers 93 〈…〉 That is thy promises which are aâ— fire and firm as the commands of the most absolute Monarch upon earth And here the Prophet proposeth his own example for a pattern to others for as Pacatus writeth in his Panegyrick to Theodosius the Emperour blandissime jubetur exemplo examâ—â—â—s are sweet Precepts For with them thou hast quickened mee Thou hast fetcht mee again when ready to faint as vers 92. Vers 94 I am thine save mee Every man will see to his own unless hee bee worse than an Infidel and shall not God For I have sought thy Precepts And can thereby prove my self to bee Thine Where it is implyed that all that wee are to seek in our obedience are the Precepts themselves the thing especially wee are to aim at is obedience it self to the Precepts Vers 95 The wicked have waited Nothing less than destruction will satisfie Persecutors but the Lord knows how to deliver his Peters out of the hands of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews Act. 12.11 2 Pet. 2.9 But I will consider thy Testimonies And therewith hearten and harden my self against their insolencies and attempts for my hurt Vers 96 I have seen an end of all Perfection viz. Here below Tempora tacta ruunt praetoria Fairest buildings strongest persons goodliest Empires have their times and their turns their rise and their ruine Omnis finis finem vidi Syr. Interp. Omnia sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo Et subito casu quae valuere ruunt Omniae fortunae variis stant obvia telis Aut â—tiam longo tempore victa cadunt But thy Commandement is exceeding broad It is endlesse infinite perpetuall and withall of largest extent witness that of Charity which is the complement of the Law and the supplement of the Gospel David though hee had proceeded further in the discovery of divine truths than those before him vers 99. yet hee was still to seek of that which might bee known Like as those great discoverers of the new found land confess still a Pâ—â—â—-uâ—tra Vers 97 O how love I thy Law Such a pang of love hee felt as could not otherwise bee vented but by a patheticall Exclamation and this was wrought in him by the thought of the largeness and lastingness of Gods law Plato prized one book called Sophron above all the rest whereof hee had many Richard de Bury Bish of Durham as hee had more Books than all the Bishops of England besides so in his Book called Philobiblos hee saith of himself ecstatico quodam librorum amore potenter se esse abreptum that he was carried out of himself by love to good books Floruit anno 1333. but not so much as David was to Gods blessed book Queen Elizabeth at her Coronation received the Bible presented unto her with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breast saying that the same had ever been her chiefest delight c. Speed It is my meditation all the day Sive locutio commentatio occupatio my daily discourse study or imployment as love is never idle Vers 98 Thou through thy Commandements hast made mee wiser than mine enemies So that I outwit them and mine holy simplicity is too hard for their sinfull subtlety Bee wise as Serpents For they are ever with mee Heb. It is ever with mee that is every one of thy Commandements I am expert in them Or It is mine I have made them mine own by meditation I have turned them in succum sanguinem I have incorporated them as it were into my soul Vers 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers i. e. I have understood by much reading more than they ever taught mee whilst I referred all to practise and so came to know more of Gods mind than they did A friend saith Chrysostom that is acquainted with his friend will get out the meaning of a letter or phrast which another could not that is a stranger so it is in the Scripture Act. Mon. And here Indocti 〈◊〉 calum a pious swain is better learned than a proud Philosopher faith a certain devout Dominican Our King Alfred was held the best in all his Kingdome both for understanding and for 〈◊〉 the holy Scriptures For thy Testimonies are my meditation I do particularly apply the word heard to mine own necessities and work it upon mine affections by an after deliberate meditation Vers 100 I understand more than the Ancients Whom yet Age Use and Experience have taught much but by the practicall study of the Word I ouâ—-go them all with reference to these hoary heads the seniours of the Synedriâ—â— bee it spokens Non prelixa facit sapiâ—â—â— baâ—â— Vers 101 I have refrained my feet c. I have clapt up my unruly affections close prisoners and hampered them abandoning every errour in Judgement and enormity in practise That I may keep thy word Which I shall never do but by self-denyall and mortification Vers 102 I have not departed from thy judgements i.e. From thy Law which is called Judgements because God will thereby judge the World For thou hast taught mee scil To cleave close unto thee with full purpose of heart and not to bee drawn aside by any either Allurement or Affrightment Vers 103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste Heb. To my Palat. Syr. caâ—is gutturis mei the roof of the mouth resembleth Heaven Epicurus was worthily blamed by Ennius for that â—um palatâ— quid sit optimum judicabat cali palatium non suspexerit whiles hee looked so much to his palate hee looked not at all to the heavenly palace David was no Hog of his heard hee had sweet meats to feed on that the World was not aware of Yea sweeter than hony to my mouth Mercuries Priests were wont to say when they did eat their figs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is sweet The Comaedian saith after Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light is sweet The pleasures of the mind are far beyond those of the body Vers 104 Through thy Precepts I get
vitae And it is to bee observed that here all men are spoken to as wedded because this is the ordinary estate of most people See 1 Cor. 7.1 2. At this day every Jew is bound to marry about eighteen years of age or before twenty else hee is accounted as one that liveth in sin and how the Popish clergy professing continency have turned all places into so many Sodoms who knoweth not And walketh in his wayes The true reverentiall fear of God will easily form the heart to a right obedience They that fear the Lord will keep his Covenant Psal 103.13 with 18. and therefore was the Law delivered at first in that terrible manner Vers 2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands That is thou shalt reap and receive the sweet of thy sweat whether it bee of the brow or of the brain according to the kind of thy calling Isa 57.10 And although thou bee forced to live by the labour of thine hands whence mans life is called the life of his hands yet that shall bee no hinderance to thy happiness but a furtherance of thine account Happy shalt thou bee and O shall bee 〈◊〉 with thee The Chaldee thus expoundeth it Happy thou in this World and good shall it bee unto thee in the World to come Vers 3 Thy Wife shall bee as a fruitfull vine Full of bunches and clusters of rich ripe Grapes so shee of Children and those vertuous the little-ones hanging on her breasts as Grapes on the Vine the Elder as Olive-plants straight green fresh and flourishing Psal 52.9 legitimate also as the Olive admitteth no other grass Indeed the Olive set into the Vine yeeldeth both Grapes and Olives whereby is represented the naturall affection that is betwixt the Mother and her Children The Vine and the Olive are two of the best fruits the one for chearing the heart the other for clearing the face Psal 104.15 the one for sweetness the other for fatness Judg. 9.13 both together implying Simon Biâ—â—is◠〈◊〉 that a great part of a mans temporal happiness consisteth in having a good Wife and Children It is said of Sylla that hee had been happy had hee never been so married And Augustus his wish was but all too late Utinam aâ—t caelebs vixissem aâ—t orbus periissem Oh that I had either lived single or dyed childless 〈◊〉 By the sides of thy house Where Vines are usually planted that they may have the benefit of the Sun The modest wife is domiporta found at home as Sarah in the Tent not so the Harlot Prov. 7.12 Thy Children like Olive-plants See the Note before on this verse Round about thy Table Making a most delectable inclosure Vers 4 Behold that thus shall the man bee blessed c. Behold and that thou q. d. Know it for a truth and rest assured of the blessednesse of married couples whatsoever the Devill and his Agents speaking basely of marriage suggest to the contrary so bee it they fear the Lord for that 's it that sweeteneth and sanctifieth all estates of life whatsoever Vers 5 The Lord shall 〈◊〉 thee out of Zion viz. With spirituall benedictions Ephes 1.3 and these are far better than all other that Heaven and Earth afford Psal 134.3 And thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem i. e. The prosperity of the Church without which all other comforts are to a good soul but as so many Ichabods A good Christian injoyeth them not but is even sick at heart of the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 Vers 6 Yea thou shalt see thy Childrens Children A faithfull man shall abound with blessings Prov. 28.20 hee shall have all that heart can wish or need require And peace upon Israel Procured in part by thy piety and prayers PSAL. CXXIX VErs 1 Many a time Or Much and long Have they i. e. The Persecutors that deserve not a name The rich man is not named as Lazarus is because not worthy They shall bee written in the Earth Luk. 10. Jer. 17.13 Afflicted mee i. e. The whole community of Saints spoken of here in the singular for their 1 Unity 2 Paucity From my youth The first that ever dyed dyed for religion so early came Martyrdome into the World May Israel now say Who yet are promised peace Psal 128.6 but so was Josiah and yet he dyed in battel 2 Chron. 34.28 But the very God of peace had sanctified him throughout and so altered the property of his affliction that it was subservient to his salvation Vers 2 Many a time c. Anadiplosis ad exaggerationem q. d. They have done it and done it again but could never atchieve their design viz. to supplant and eradicate mee which might not bee Oppugnarunt non expugnâ—â—unt however the Vulgar so rendreth here The Church is invincible Athens took upon her of old to bee so and Venice late boasteth the like but time hath confuted the one and may soon do the other when the Church shall stand firm because founded on a Rock More truly may it bee said of it than t was once of Troy Victa tamen vinces eversaq Trâ—ja resurges Obruet hostiles illa ruina domes Ovid de 〈◊〉 Vers 3 The plowers plowed upon my back Which was never without some Cross upon it yea some plough passing over it The Church is Gods Husbandry and hee will bee sure to plow his severall what ever becommeth of the wild waste She is his threshing-flore Isa 21.10 and hath but little rest or respite Enemies are flails to thresh off our husks files to brighten our graces ploughs and harrows without which wee should bear but a very thin crop Gods people do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sow the seed of prayer in the long furrows which those plowers made on their backs like as the Jews in their feasts break their glasses as Jerusalem was broken They made long their furrows Heb. Furrow as if there were totum pro 〈◊〉 corpus Here haply the Psalmist alludeth to those exquisite torments whereunto many of the Martyrs were put sulcati fidiculiâ— Vers 4 The Lord is righteous That 's a ruled case and must bee held for a certain truth whatever wee are or our Persecutors Hee hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked That is their harness their ploughtraces nam continuatur tropus Rusticus so that the plough is loose and the horses at liberty all their forces and designs are broken Vers 5 Let them all bee consounded c. And if those that hate Zion how much more those that hurt her with their virulent tongues or violent hands Vers 6 Let them bee at the grass c. They are cursed with a witness whom the Holy Ghost thus curseth in such emphaticall manner in such exquisite tearms Vers 7 Wherewith the Mower filleth not his hand As holding it not worth gathering in Wicked men are useless creatures as Stratonicus in Athenauâ— saith that the Hill Hamus was for eight months in the year
they write that when shee would change her feathers shee falleth down into the Sea Vers 10 Even there shall thy hand lead mee i. e. Thy Power and Providence shall dispose of mee I shall flee but from thy hand to thy hand as guilty Jonas did Vers 11 The darknesse shall cover mee The Hebrew phrase is taken from Beasts that lye a squat saith Dâ—odat Nocte latent mende sed non Deum The guilty conscience sharketh up and down for comfort but getteth none Vers 12 Yea the darkness bideth not Heb. Darkeneth not from thee because thine eyes are fiery Rev. 1.14 such as need no outward light they are more light and radiant than the Sun in his strength The darkness and the light c. Deo obscura clarent muta respondent silentiâ—â— confitetur saith an Ancient Night will convert it self into noon before God and silence prove a speaking evidence Vers 13 For thou hast possessed my reins The seat of mine affections Thoughts kindle affections and these cause thoughts to boil they are causes one of another and both well known to God For who possesseth lands or houses but hee knoweth the right title and rooms thereof saith an Expositour T. W. Thou hast covered mee in my Mothers womb But not from thine all peircing eyes though in so dark a place and wrapt up in secâ—â—dâ—â—es Vers 14 I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made 〈…〉 operibus tâ—â—s saith Montanâ—s neither can I wonder enough at thy workmanship The greatest miracle in the World is man in whose very body how much more in his soul are miracles enow betwixt head and feet to fill a volume Austin complaineth that men much wonder at high mountains of the earth huge waves of the Sea deep falls of rivers the vastness of the Ocean the motions of the stars relinquunt seipsos nec mirantur but wonder not at all at their wonderfull selves Fernel de abâ—â—â— rerum cauâ—â— Galen a prophane Physician writing of the excellent parts of mans body and comming to speak of the double motion of the lungs could not chuse but sing an hymn to that God whosoever hee were that was author of so excellent and admirable a peece of work And that my soul knoweth right well That is so well as to draw hearty praises from mee to my Maker But for any exact insight hear Salomon As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all Eccles 11.5 Some read the words thus Thy works are wonderfull and so is my soul which knoweth right well q. d. my rationall and intelligent soul is an admirable peece indeed Nothing in the World saith one is so well worthy to bee wondred at as man nothing in man as his soul Vers 15 My substance was not hid from mee Ossatiâ— mea id est ossium 〈◊〉 tuum compages â—embles misâ—hief of ignor the structure of my bones and joynts But was not hee a wise man and yet wise enough otherwise who being asked upon his death-bed what his soul was seriously answered that hee knew not well but hee thought it was a great bone in the middle of his body Was not hid from thee For thou hast both the names and number of every part to a nerve or an artery Aquinas saith that at the Resurrection the bodies of the Saints shall bee so clear and transparent that all the veins humours nerves and bowels shall bee seen as in a glass T is sure that they are so to God when first formed in the womb When I was made in secret That is in the womb of my Mother As curious workmen â—â—de Lactant. â—â— Dei opificio â—alen de usu â—rt Cic. 2. de â—â—t dear when they have some choice peece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at so here And curiously wrought Variegatus quasi acu pictus Embroidered and wrought as with the needle whence man is called a Microcosm or little World Bodine observeth that there are three regions within mans body besides all that is seen without answerable to those three regions of the World Elementary Etherial and Celestial His entrails and whatsoever is under his heart resemble the Elementary region wherin only there is Generation and Corruption 〈◊〉 Nâ—â— â—â—â— The heart and vitals that are divided from those entrails by the Diaphragma resemble the Ethereall Region as the brain doth the heavenly which consisteth of intelligible creatures In the lowest parts of the earth That is in my Mothers womb as before See Epâ—es 4.9 The Syriack interpreteth it but not so well when I shall dye and be buried and my bones turned to ashes yet thou shalt know them Vers 16 Thine eyes did see my substance Galmi est semen coagulatum ante formationem membrorum saith Kimchi when I was but an Embryo or hardly so much Disponit Deus membra culicis pulicis saith Austin how much more of man The word signifieth my wound-up or unwrought-up mass And in thy book all my members are written A metaphor from curious workmen that do all by the book or by a modell set before them that nothing may bee deficient or done amiss Had God left out an eye in his common-place book saith One thou hadst wanted it Which in Continuance In process of time and by degrees When as yet there was none of them But all was a rude lump This is a great secret of nature and to bee modestly spoken of How precious also are thy thoughts unto mee i. e. The thoughts of thy wisdome power and goodness clearly shining in these wondrous works of thine it does my heart good to think and speak of them How great is the summ of them viz. Of my works and of thy thoughts thereon I cannot count them much less comprehend them To blame are such as trouble not their heads at all about these matters Surely when the Lord made 〈◊〉 head with so many closures and coverings to his brain the seat of understanding hee intended it for some precious treasure Many locks and keys argue the price of the Jewell they are to keep and many papers wrapping a token within them the use of that token Vers 18 If I should count them c. q. d. They are infinite and innumerable Archimedes that great Mathematician bragged that hee could number all the sands in the habitable and inhabitable World but no man ever beleeved him See 1 Sam. 13.5 2. Sam. 17.11 Psal 78.27 When I awake I am still with thee Still taken up with some holy contemplation of thy works and wisdome These thoughts I fall asleep with and these I awake with As I take up my fire ore night so I finde it in the morning Vers 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked Those that traduce and slander mee