or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes in schemes or figures sometimes without as we see in Solomons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverbs or Parables many of them are plain moral sayings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any figure or darkness or comparison from whence yet they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them as The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom c. and so 1 Sam. 24.13 as saith the Proverb of the Antients Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked Of this sort is that which is here spoken of a moral sentence not much veiled with figures nor so concise as ordinarily Proverbs are but a larger declaration of this wise Ethical maxime the vanity of all wicked mens prosperity and this is by the LXXII rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies literally a comparison but is more loosely taken for any moral sentence as is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Hesychius fully defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a saying profitable for mens lives and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exhortations advises admonitions for the rectifying of manners and passions so called indeed as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beside the ordinary road in figures or artificial schemes or poetical and so not vulgar expressions many of which will be discovered here in this Psalm but used more loosely also and indifferently for those which have no figure in them And of the same kind is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my riddle that here follows from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak acutely or darkly used for a riddle in the story of Samson Jud. 17. for questions of some difficulty such as the Queen of Sheba askt Solomon 1 King 10.1 and accordingly 't is here rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Problem or difficult question which yet is not only the asking of such a question which is here done v. 5. but the answering of it also as 't is there in the following words and so the stating or resolving or giving an account of any difficulty as we know those of Aristotle and Aphrodisaeus were and some of them moral as well as natural and then it belongs very fitly to the matter in hand the wise moral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here delivered but somewhat obscurely in the rest of the Psalm V. 5. Iniquity of my heels What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill of my heels will be best judged by taking the words asunder And first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies evil both of fault and punishment frequently in the former but sometimes in the latter also So 1 Sam. 28.10 when Saul sware to the witch that no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that must be punishment should happen to her for this So Isa 53.11 he shall bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their iniquities we read it must be the punishments of their iniquities and so v. 6. The Lord hath laid on him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the iniquity but the punishment of us all and so Psal 31.10 my grief and my sighing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my not iniquity but punishment belong to the same matter and interpret one the other And thus most probably 't is taken here Then for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my heels 't will best be understood in the notion which Aben Ezra and Jarchi have of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my heels saith Sol Jarchi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my latter end and so it frequently signifies in Arabick and then the evil of my heels saith Aben Ezra is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the days of old age called the evil days Eccl. 12.1 and to this the Chaldee here may seem to refer adding in their paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my end And this evil of our heels is said to incompass us when old age and approach of death surround us on every side and so is ready inevitably to seize upon us This therefore is no obscure interpretation of the question-part of this probleme or parable on the understanding of which all the subsequent part of the Psalm depends Why should I fear in my decrepit age in sickness or in death Is there any reason for a pious man to apprehend death with any disquiet when it begins its close approaches and is most unavoidably ready to seize on him V. 6. Trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidit signifies confident secure men such was he that said he had goods laid up for many years and thereupon gave himself up to enjoy the pleasures of this life to eat drink and he merry Of these saith the Psalmist here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will glory triumph or applaud themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over or for or in their wealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the strength or multitude of their riches This is the most literal importance of the verse making of it self a complete proposition Confident men boast themselves in their wealth c. and then follows with good connexion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a brother by redeeming shall not redeem i. e. no man shall in any wise be able to redeem either another or himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a man shall not give his ransome to God i. e. no meer man shall ever be able to pay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price of equal value to rescue one sinner from the power of death to which he is sentenced This the LXXII seem to have thus read though now in the copies it is much deformed 'T is now thus read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But with a light change of the punctation and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is exactly consonant to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A brother shall in no wise redeem a man shall not give c. Then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the redemption of their soul or life shall be pretious i. e. of a great and high rate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ceaseth for ever shall be a high-prized redemption which costs very dear but then it is also a singular eternal redemption that being once wrought shall need never to be repeated again whereon it follows and he shall yet live for ever so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is literally to be rendred and so the Chaldee paraphrases it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall yet live an eternal life never dying any more death having no more dominion or power over him And thus it belongs expresly to Christ of whom the Apostle resolves for in that he died he died unto sin or to put away sin once or but once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God And so certainly the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall not see corruption are peculiarly applyed to Christ Psal 16.10 and in that sense frequently appealed to by the Apostles Act.
Martyr and directed to the Philippians 't is observed that whilst he was at a pretty distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil hastned the structure of Christs Cross as much as he could set Judas and all the Artificers of Hell about the work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when all was even ready Christ for the Cross and the Cross for Christ then he began to put i◠demurs shews Judas an Halter frights Pilar's Wife in a dream she could not sleep in 〈…〉 and in summ uses all means possible to prevent Christs Crucifixion Yet this saith Ignatius not out of any repentance or regret of Conscience but only being started with the foresight of his own ruine by this means Christ's suffering being in effect the destruction of his Kingdom his death ou◠Triumph over Hell and his Cross our Trophy By this you may discern what a miracle of God's love was this giving of his Son the conceiving of which was above the Devil's reach and wherein he was providentially ingaged and if we may so speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried blindfold by God to be an Instrument of his own ruine and in a kind be a Co-worker of our Salvation Not to inlarge or expatiate upon Circumstances Man being thus involved in a necessity of damnation and no remedy within the sphere either of his power or conceit left to rescue him nay as some have been so hold to say that God himself had no other means besides this in his Store-house of miracles to save us without intrenching on some one of his Attributes for God then to find out a course that we could never prompt him to being solicited to it by nothing in us but our sins and misery and without any interposition any further consultation or demur to part with a piece of himself to redeem us Brachium Domini The Arm of the Lord as Isaiah calls our Saviour Isa liii Nay to send down his very Bowels amongst us to witness his compassion to satisfie for us by his own death and attach himself for our liberty to undergo such hard conditions rather than be forced to a cheap severity and that he might appear to love his Enemies to hate his Son In brief to fulfil the work without any aid required from us and make Salvation ready to our hands as Manna is called in the sixth of Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bread baked and sent down ready from Heaven Wisd xvi 20 to drop it in our mouths and exact nothing of us but to accept of it this is an act of love and singleness that all the malice we carry about us knows not how to suspect so far from possibility of a treacherous intent or double dealing that if I were an Heathen nay a Devil I would bestow no other appellation on the Christians God than what the Author of the Book of Wisdom doth so often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the friend or the lover of Souls But this is a vulgar though precious subject and therefore I shall no longer insist on it Only before I leave it would I could see the effect of it exprest in our Souls as well as acknowledged in our looks your hearts ravished as thorowly as your brains convinc'd your breasts as open to value and receive this superlative mercy as your tongues to confess it then could I triumph over Hell and death and scoff them out of countenance then should the Devil be reduced to his old pittance confined to an empty corner of the World and suffer as much by the solitariness as darkness of his abode all his engines and arts of torment should be busied upon himself and his whole exercise to curse Christ for ever that hath thus deprived him of Associates But alas we are too sollicitous in the Devil's behalf careful to furnish him with Companions to keep him warm in the midst of fire 't is to be feared we shall at last thrust him out of his Inheritance 'T is a probable argument that God desires our Salvation because that Hell wheresoever it is whether at the Center of the Earth or Concave of the Moon must needs be far less than Heaven and that makes us so besiege the gate as if we feared we should find no room there We begin our journey betimes lest we should be forestall'd and had rather venture a throng or crowd in Hell than to expect that glorious liberty of the Sons of God 'T is to be feared that at the day of Judgment when each Body comes to accompany its Soul in torment Hell must be let out and inlarge its territories to receive its Guests Beloved there is not a Creature here that hath reason to doubt but Christ was sent to die for him and by that death hath purchased his right to life Only do but come in do but suffer your selves to live and Christ to have died do not uncrucifie Christ by crucifying him again by your unbelief do not disclaim the Salvation that even claims right and title to you and then the Angels shall be as full of joy to see you in Heaven as God is willing nay desirous to bring you thither and Christ as ready to bestow that Inheritance upon you at his second coming as at his first to purchase it Nothing but Infidelity restrains Christs sufferings and confines them to a few Were but this one Devil cast out of the World I should be straight of Origens Religion and preach unto you Universal Catholick Salvation A second Argument of God's good meaning towards us of his willingness that we should live is the calling of the Gentiles the dispatching of Posts and Heralds over the whole ignorant Heathen World and giving them notice of this treasure of Christ's blood Do but observe what a degree of prophaneness and unnatural abominations the Gentile World was then arrived to as you may read in all their stories and in the first to the Romans how well grown and ripe for the Devil Christ found them all of them damnably Superstitious and Idolatrous in their Worship damnably unclean in their lives nay ingaged for ever in this rode of damnation by a Law they had made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never to entertain any new Laws or Religion not to innovate though it were to get Salvation as besides their own Histories may be gathered out of Act. xvii 18 And lastly consider how they were hook'd in by the Devil to joyn in crucifying of Christ that they might be guilty of that bloud which might otherwise have saved them and then you will find no argument to perswade you 't was possible that God should have any design of mercy on them Peter was so resolv'd of the point that the whole succession of the Gentiles should be damned that God could scarce perswade him to go and Preach to one of them Act. x. He was fain to be cast into a Trance and see a Vision about it and for all that he is much
that piercing Sun every atoâ—e of that flaming Sword as the word is phrased shall not though it be rebated vanish the day of Vengeance shall instruct your Souls that it was sent from God and since it was once refused hath been kept in store not to upbraid but damn you Many other petty occasions the Spirit ordinarily takes to put off the Cloud and open his Face toward us nay it were not a groundless doubt whether he do not always shine and the cloud be only in our hearts which makes us think the Sun is gone down or quite extinct if at any time we feel not his rays within us Beloved there be many things amongst us that single fire can do nothing upon they are of such a stubborn frozen nature there must be some material thing for the fire to consist in a sharp iron red hot that may bore as well as burn or else there is small hopes of conquering them Many men are so hardned and congealed in sin that the ordinary beam of the Spirit cannot hope to melt them the fire must come consubstantiate with some solid instrument some sound corpulent piercing judgment or else it will be very unlikely to thrive True it is the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent which can so invisibly infuse and insinuate its virtue through the inward man that the whole most enraged adversary shall presently fall to the earth Act. ix the whole carnal man lie prostrate and the sinner be without delay converted and this is a Miracle which I desire from my heart might be presently shewed upon every Soul here present But that which is to my present purpose is only this That God hath also other manners and ways of working which are truly to be said to have descended from Heaven though they are not so successful as to bring us thither other more calm and less boysterous influences which if they were received into an honest heart might prove semen immortalitatis and in time encrease and grow up to immortality There is no such encumbrance to trash us in our Christian Progress as a phansie that some men get possessed with that if they are elected they shall be called and saved in spight of their teeth every man expecting an extraordinary call because Saul met with one and perhaps running the more fiercely because Saul was then called when he was most violent in his full speed of malice against Christians In this behalf all that I desire of you is First to consider that though our regeneration be a miracle yet there are degrees of miracles and thou hast no reason to expect that the greatest and strongest miracle in the world shall in the highest degree be shewed in thy Salvation Who art thou that Gâ—â— should take such extraordinary pains with thee Secondly To resolve that many precious rays and beams of the Spirit though when they enter they come with power yet through our neglect may prove transitory pass by that heart which is not open for them And then thirdly You will easily be convinced that no duty concerns us all so strictly as to observe as near as we can when thus the Spirit appears to us to collect and muster up the most lively quick-sighted sprightfullest of our faculties and with all the perspectives that spiritual Opticks can furnish us with to lay wait for every glance and glimpse of its fire or light We have ways in nature to apprehend the beams of the Sun be they never so weak and languishing and by uniting them into a Burning-Glass to turn them into a fire Oh that we were as witty and sagacious in our spiritual estate then it were easie for those sparks which we so often either contemn or stifle to thrive within us and at least break forth into a flame In brief Incogitancy and inobservance of Gods seasons supine numbness and negligence in spiritual affairs may on good grounds be resolved on as the main or sole cause of our final impenitence and condemnation it being just with God to take those away in a sleep who thus walked in a dream and at last to refuse them whom he hath so long sollicited He that hath scorned or wasted his inheritance cannot complain if he dies a bankrupt nor he that hath spent his candle at play count it hard usage that he is fain to go to bed darkling It were easie to multiply arguments on this theme and from every minute of our lives to discern some pawn and evidence of Gods fatherly will and desire that we should live Let it suffice that we have been large if not abundant in these three chief ones First The giving of his Son to the World Secondly Dispatching the Gospel to the Gentiles And lastly The sending of his Spirit We come now to a view of the opposite trenches which lie pitched at the Gates of Hell obstinate and peremptory to besiege and take it Mans resolvedness and wilfulness to die my second part Why will you die There is no one conceit that engages us so deep to continue in sin that keeps us from repentance and hinders any seasonable Reformation of our wicked lives as a perswasion that God's will is a cause of all events Though we are not so blasphemous as to venture to define God the Author of sin yet we are generally inclined for a phansie that because all things depend on God's decree whatsoever we have done could not be otherwise all our care could not have cut off one sin from the Catalogue And so being resolved that when we thus sinned we could not chuse we can scarce tell how to repent for such necessary fatal misdemeanors the same excuses which we have for having sinned formerly we have for continuing still and so are generally better prepared for Apologies than Reformation Beloved it will certainly much conduce to our edification instead of this speculation whose grounds or truth I will not now examine to fix this practical theorem in our hearts that the will of man is the principal cause of all our evil that death either as it is the punishment of sin eternal death or as it is the sin it self a privation of the life of grace spiritual death is wholly to be imputed to our wilful will It is a Probleme in Aristotle why some Creatures are longer in conceiving bringing forth than others and the sensiblest reason he gives for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hardness of the Womb which is like dry earth that will not presently give any nourishment to either seed or plant and so is it in the spiritual conception and production of Christ that is of life in us The hardness and toughness of the heart the womb where he is to be born that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dry Earth in the Philosophers or that way-side or at best stony ground in Christ's phrase is the only stop and delay in begetting of life within us the only cause of either barrenness or hard
Goodness The first verse is very distantly rendred by the LXXII Instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O mighty man the benignity of God as the Chaldee rightly render it they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty for wickedness and the Syriack and Latine c. follow them in it To this they seem to have been lead by a second notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quite contrary to mercy by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for impiety mercilessness and also reproach Lev. 20.17 it is a wicked or abominable thing By analogy with which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be thought to signifie that which is to the reproach of God as indeed the killing of the Priests was and so not amiss exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the ordinary acception of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very fit for this place where the great mercy and benignity of God and the continuation or constancy thereof in despight of our greatest provocations Gods bounty even to enemies is very fitly opposed to Doegs unprovoked cruelty and impiety V. 4. Deceitful tongue The reading of the LXXII here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is resisted by the context and 't is not improbable to have been the error of some scribe the change being so easie from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vocative case to which it may be fitly said in the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast loved And thus surely the Latine read it who have lingua dolosa in that case but the Syriack took it in that other and so read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in conjunction with the antecedents and deceitful tongues and so the Arabick and Aethiopick also V. 5. Dwelling place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is literally from the Tabernacle not from thy dwelling place and so the LXXII render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Tabernacle and though the Latine and Syriack and Arabick have added tuo thy yet neither will the Hebrew bear nor do the Chaldee acknowledge it who read by way of paraphrase he shall cause thee to depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from inhabiting in the place of the Schechina or Tabernacle the place of Gods presence And thus Aben-Ezra expounds the Tabernacle of the place where the Ark was And then the removing from that so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transtulit will be best understood of the censure of Excommunication which in the last and highest degree was Schammatha delivering up the offender to the hand of heaven to be cut off himself and his posterity according to that of the Jewish Doctors who assign this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excision that he that is guilty of death only himself suffers not his seed but excision reacheth both the sinner himself and his posterity as here it doth The Fifty Third Psalm TO the chief Musitian upon Mahalath Maschil A Psalm of David Paraphrase The fifty third Psalm is very little varied from the Fourteen first composed by David on occasion of the general revolt in Absoloms rebellion but now new set to the tune called Maschil which probably was the cause of the variations and accommodated to some other occasion perhaps the first captivity mentioned v. 6. and committed to the Praefect of his Musick to be sung to a Flute or some other such hollow instrument 1. The fool hath said in his heart There is no God Corrupt are they and have done abominable iniquity there is none that doth good Paraphrase 1. See Psal 14.1 2. God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand that did seek God Paraphrase 2. See Psal 14.2 3. Every one of them is gone back they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Paraphrase 3. See Psal 14.3 4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread they have not called upon God Paraphrase 4. See Psal 14.4 5. There were they in great fear where no fear was for God hath scattered the bones of them that incamped against thee thou hast put them to shame because God hath despised them Paraphrase 5. God struck them with a sudden consternation for which there was no visible cause and so they fled and were killed in the flight God being thus pleased signally to interpose his hand for the securing of David and his disappointing and discomfiting his enemies 6. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion When God bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Paraphrase 6. See Psal 14.7 Annotations on Psal LIII Tit. Mahalath What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in the title of this and the 88 Psalm must be uncertain the word being not elsewhere found 'T is most probably the name of an Instrument on which the Psalm was to be sung and it may fitly be deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perforavit or iâ—cidit either from the hollowness of the instrument or farther from the holes cut in it in which respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily used for fistula or tibia a pipe The Fifty Fourth PSALM TO the chief Musitian on Neginoth Maschil A Psalm of David when the Ziphims came and said to Saul Doth not David hide himself with us Paraphrase The fifty fourth Psalm was composed by David at a time of his great distress and seasonable deliverance afforded him by God when hiding himself in the wilderness of Ziph 1 Sam. 23.15 and of Maon v. 24. the Ziphites made discovery to Saul v. 19. and he went with forces to seek him v. 25. and compassed him round about v. 26. but was diverted and called home and gave over the pursuit by reason of the Philistims invading his land v. 2â— It was set to the tune of Maschil and committed to the Praefect of the stringed instruments 1. Save me O God by thy name and judge me by thy strength 2. Hear my prayer O God give ear to the words of my mouth Paraphrase 1 2. To thee O Lord I address my self in all humility to thee is my only resort that at this time of distress thou wilt take the care and patronage of me and by thy power and mercy deliver me out of it 3. For strangers are risen up against me and oppressors seek after my soul they have not set God before them Selah Paraphrase 3. For now malitious men have conspired to bring mischief and ruine upon me and by their discoveries excited those who are now hunting me for my life they only consider how they may gratine the King and gain his favour and have no restraint of conscience or piety to repress them from proceeding to the utmost evil 4. Behold God is my helper the Lord is with them that uphold my soul Paraphrase 4. But their malice shall
overwhelmed me 6. And I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest 7. Lo then would I wander far off and remain in the wilderness Selah 8. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest Paraphrase 5 6 7 8. And accordingly I am now forced as in a state of horrour and confusion to forsake my place to flee from Jerusalem with all possible speed to escape out of his hands and to this end to wander upon the mountains to go whither I may 2 Sam. 17.20 to avoid this calamity so suddenly raised by mine own rebellious son and subjects 9. Destroy O Lord and divide their tongues for I have seen violence and strife in the city Paraphrase 9. Lord be thou pleased to confound and dissipate their counsels see 2 Sam. 15.31 by causing some disagreement and division among them for all that they design and consult about is rebellion and rapine 10. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it Paraphrase 10. These two are the continual guard of their city the arts to which they are content to owe their safety And that which is within and is to be preserved by these means is it self of the same making violation of my â—ust rights established on me by God All that they have to do is to defend one wickedness and violence with the addition of many more 11. Wickedness is in the midst thereof deceit and gaâ—â—e depart not from their streets Paraphrase 11. And so their whole conspiracy what is it but a continued complication and conjunction of all kind of iniquity and injustice 12. For it was not an enemy that reproached me then I could have born it neither was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself against me then I would have hid my self from him Paraphrase 12. One thing that extreamly heightens my trouble is that the most pernicious counsel that hath been given in all this business was not the counsel of any known enemy whom I might have foreseen and prevented 13. But it was thou a man mine equal my guide and my acquaintance 14. We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company Paraphrase 13 14. But of Achitophel one whom I loved as my own soul or life one whose advice I took above all other mens 2 Sam. 1â— 23 one that I had a particular friendship with and communicated my secrets to him and above all one whom I had reason to look on as a pious man he was so ready always to accompany me to the service of God 15. Let death seise upon them and let them go down quick into hell for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them Paraphrase 15. But God will not suffer this perfidiousness of his to go unpunished he shall not live to perfect his design a death as unnatural unexpected and remarkable as that which fell on Corah Dathan and Abiram those rebels against Moses and Aaron shal certainly befall him for it is a most horrible wickedness that he is guilty of This is also a visible prediction of what should befal Judas who was parallel to Achitophel both in sin and punishments Act. 1. 16. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice Paraphrase 16 17. But as for my self I have nothing to do but to pray constantly and importunely to God thrice a day solemnly to reinforce my impression on him and no doubt he will be gratiously pleased to deliver me out of this distress as formerly he hath done out of all others and 18. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battel that was against me for there were many with me Paraphrase 18. Restore me to peace and safety from the imminent danger of this rebellion which be it never so strongly and invincibly contrived and managed against me cannot outvie the strength of heaven which is certainly on my side God taking my part as he doth I can want no other supply of auxiliaries 19. God shall hear and afflict them even he that abideth of old Selah Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Paraphrase 19. Without such aids God will himself be sure to maintain my cause he is eternal omnipotent and unchangeable and shall therefore according to his promise made to me protect and secure me and withal sharply punish these obdurate persons which for fear of men were corrupted from their obedience by Absalom and being now out in rebellion and going on prosperously and undisturbedly in it cannot by a far juster fear the fear of God be reduced 20. He hath put forth his hand against such as be at peace with them he hath broken his Covenant Paraphrase 20. They have broken all laws of fidelity and allegiance being obliged by oaths have had no regard thereto 21. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter but war was in his heart his words were softer than oyl yet were they drawn swords Paraphrase 21. Their tongues and hearts were at a great distance their smoothest and fairest and most flattering speeches were but designed to conceal and disguise under them their bloody and rebellious contrivances which under these pretences were most securely carried on till at last it was seasonable for them to break out into open war 22. Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Paraphrase 22. But let their practises and designs be what they will I am resolved to make no other applications but those in my prayers to God All my wants and desires I will make known to him who is the Author of all good things even of my very being it self and in him repose my trust for the supplying of them He will I doubt not come seasonably to my relief and although he have now for a while permitted me to be driven from my place he will in his good time return me to it and not suffer this rebellion to prosper or me his anointed Vicegerent to be cast down for ever 23. But thou O God shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days but I will trust in thee Paraphrase 23. But on the contrary God shall assuredly bring these down to an untimely ruine or excision And the same is the portion which all other like them are to expect Rebels and perjured and bloody men shall generally meet with disappointments in this life gain little but the shortning of their own days seldom live half so long as other men that are more dutiful and peaceably disposed And in this contemplation of Gods just vengeance on them
were utterly routed and put to flight Josh 10. and the weakest Israelites they that could not enter the battel were yet partakers of the spoils of their wealth And so in like manner that by the resurrection of Christ the powers of hell should be discomfited and the humble meck peaceable Christian reap the fruit of it 13. Though ye have lyen among the pots yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold Paraphrase 13. And the Israelites that were opprest and long lay in a sad and black destitute despised condition were now at length advanced to all prosperity splendor and glory as was remarkable at their coming out from the kilns of Egypt with the Jewels and wealth of the Egyptians and afterward more illustriously at their injoying of Canaan And so under Christs kingdom the heathenish Idolaters that were brought to the basest and most despicable condition of any creatures worshipping wood and stone c. and given up to the vilest lusts and a reprobate mind Rom. 1. should from that detestable condition be advanced to the service of Christ and practice of all Christian virtues charity meekness c. the greatest inward beauties in the world 14. When the Almighty scattered Kings in it it was white as snow in Salmon 15. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan an high hill as the hill of Bashan Paraphrase 14 15. When God destroyed and dissipated the Kings of the seven nations before them for though it was by their arms yet was their strength so small in proportion to the giantly inhabitants that the victory was wholly to be attributed to God his providence was illustriously visible in it and the people were by this means soon possessed of the land on this and on the other side of Jordan a most fruitful and profitable possession caused by the melting of the snow that lay on the tops of the hills and exceedingly inrich'd all the plains that lay below them and there dwelt remarkable and illustrious in the eyes of all their neighbours And so upon Christs rising from the dead and thereby conquering death and hell and soon after upon his victorious conquest over his enemies the Jews his crucifiers which would not suffer him to reign over them the Church of Christ typified by the people of Israel should be possest of a prosperous and flourishng condition in Judaea and even in the heathen world though for a while it should sometimes meet with persecution from the heathen Emperors yet at length Christianity should be victorious and subdue the greatest opposers to the faith 16. Why leap ye ye high hills This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the Lord will dwell in it for ever Paraphrase 16. Yet was not God pleased so far to favour either of these high hills as to chuse them for the place of his habitation but hath now brought the Ark of the Covenant and placed it on Mount Sion not the highest hill in those parts but one of an humble and moderate size preferring this before all other for the place of his special residence and this so as never to remove from thence as formerly he hath done to any other station as long as the Jewish state lasted And so proportionably shall Christ erect his Church in the hearts of the meek and lowly Mat. 5.3 whereas the proud and lofty as they will oppose and stand out against him so shall they be utterly rejected by him 17. The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Paraphrase 17. There therefore the hosts of Angels infinite numbers of them took up their station and so signified this to be the place of the special presence of God that Lord of hosts that appeared so terribly in mount Sinai who is said to reside where these his courtiers of heaven his guards of attendants are visible But much more illustriously shall Christ be present in his Church by the ministry of many thousands of Angels after his resurrection being that very God that once appeared by his Angels in Mount Sinai and hath all the hosts of them continually ministring to him 18. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Paraphrase 18. The God of heaven hath pleased to reveal himself in great Majesty to return victoriously to his throne in heaven being as a triumphant conqueror attended by many captives inabling his people the Israelites by the conduct of David to overcome the heathens and subject some of them to this Law of God to bring them in proselytes to their religion and those particularly which long held out against it the Gibeonites and the like and by this means as conquerors are wont to scatter largesses donatives so he hath distributed among these the spectators of his power among his people the greatest blessings the richest donatives imaginable the dignity of worshipping and praying to him in his Sanctuary as afterwards in the Temple whereby God vouchsafeth now to be present among those to hear and answer their prayers that were before strangers to him And thus Christ having by his resurrection overcome death hell and sin and also soon after signally destroyed his crucifiers shall send his Apostles and Evangelists to preach his Gospel to the whole heathen world induing them with gifts of tongues and miracles c. to qualifie them for their office and by them bring many Disciples to the faith particularly a remnant of the unbelieving Jews who seeing the Idolatrous Gentiles come in were stirred up with emulation and so timely prevented their ruine and lived members of the Church of Christ to which he promised his presence see Eph. 4.8 19. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah Paraphrase 19. Thus doth God our great deliverer from time to time continually oblige us with a great weight of mercies afforded us Blessed be his Name for it 20. He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death Paraphrase 20. 'T is not in the power of any other but of this God whom we worship to work the least deliverance for any His priviledge it is to rescue out of the greatest dangers and to him we owe all our escapes From him also have all the signal judgements proceeded under which our enemies have fallen the Egyptians and the inhabitants of the seven nations 21. But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses Paraphrase 21. And indeed for all those that will not be wrought on and brought home to him by all his wise and
this sense of this verse the Apostles discourse seemeth to be framed Heb. 4 6 7. thus seeing they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbelief Again he limiteth a certain day saying To day c. i. e. notwithstanding all former rebellions if you will now come in the promised rest shall be made good to you Which the Apostle there applies to the Hebrews under the preaching of the Gospel not as if it had no completion in Davids time by the carrying up the Ark to Jerusalem and Gods resting and their worshipping him there but because beyond that the Psalm had a farther completion in the Messias as the Jews themselves Rab. Kimchi and others confess in whom God did much more eminently dwell than he ever did in the Ark or Temple at Jerusalem From whence therefore the Apostle concludes that there then remained a rest to the people of God the persecuted Christians and to all unbelieving Jews upon condition if they shall hearken to the voice of God in the preaching of the Gospel For then notwithstanding all their misbehaviours continued untill that time of his writting to them that warning they should yet be Gods people and enjoy the glorious promises of peace and happiness under the Messiah In which words to day if a farther offer of grace and pardon is made to those Jews on condition of timely reformation And so elsewhere according to these grounds the Apostle saith 't was necessary that the Gospel should first be preached to the Jews but they then again refusing it was to depart from them and be promulgated to the Gentiles who in the scheme here used in this verse are called by Christ other sheep Joh. 10.16 which are not of this fold taken in by God into his Church upon their hearing his voice when the Jews who if they would have heard at that time had still continued his sheep were cast out and given over as lost sheep for their not hearing The Ninety Sixth PSALM The ninety sixth Psalm is a form of common thanksgiving and praising of God for all his works of grace and mercy as the great Creatour and Preserver Redeemer and Judge of the world It was first composed by David and among others delivered into the hand of Asaph and his Brethren at the carrying up of the Ark from the House of Obed-Edom to Zion 1 Chron. 16.23 c. and afterward lightly changed and said to have been used at the reâ—building the Temple after the Captivity And is in the prophetick sense very appliable to Christ's spiritual Kingdom and the effects thereof in the conversion of the Gentiles c. see note c. 1. O Sing unto the Lord a new song sing unto the Lord all the earth 2. Sing unto the Lord bless his name shew forth his salvation from day to day 3. Declare his glory among the heathen his wonders among all people Paraphrase 1 2. O let all men in the world acknowledge and bless and magnifie the Lord of heaven and this in the utmost chearfull joyous manner every day of their lives but more peculiarly we at this time who have this present signal addition to his wonted mercies commemorating all the glorious works and mighty deliverances which he hath wrought for his people Paraphrase 3. Let this zeal of ours indeavour to extend it self to the benefit of all the heathen people in the world those that know not God and by proclaiming the glorious miraculous acts of his power and goodness to his faithfull servants invite and perswade all to become proselytes to his service 4. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all Gods Paraphrase 4. For certainly his power and goodness his majesty and his mercy is most worthy to be adored by all rational creatures and his divine vengeance so lately felt by the Philistims whose Gods were plagued by him as well as their votaries and by the Jews themselves in that breach upon Uzza 1 Chron. 13.11 ought in all reason to be admired and reverenced and trembled at by all opposers much more than all the feigned deities that are feared and worshipped among men and are not able to secure their worshippers or themselves 5. For all the Gods of the nations are idols but the Lord made the heavens Paraphrase 5. The choicest of those that the heathen people of the world have adored for Gods are but either Angels or souls of men or celestial bodies and what are these but the creatures of God who is the Creatour of the highest heavens and of all that inhabit there and are therefore in all reason to give place to the kingdom of the Messias which is to be erected in mens hearts see note c. 6. Honour and majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary Paraphrase 6. The sanctuary or holy place appointed for the assembly to whom God will powerfully presentiate himself is the most glorious majestick place in the world the Angels those splendid ministers of his reside there and by their ministery our prayers are heard our wants supplied and so sufficiency of strength imparted to those that stand in need of it and there petition for it And this an image and imperfect type of what shall be at the coming of Christ that spiritual kingdom of his among us by the efficacy of his grace in his Church 7. Give unto the Lord O ye kindreds of the people give unto the Lord glory and strength Paraphrase 7. O let all the nations and people of the world acknowledge him the great and glorious Creatour and supreme sole Governour of all 8. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name bring an offering and come into his courts Paraphrase 8. Let them pay to him those acknowledgments which his all-wise and gracious providence and disposals and the redemption which he hath wrought for the whole world exact from all and offer up themselves and their prayers those their spiritual sacrifices together to him in his Church 9. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness fear before him all the earth Paraphrase 9. Let them magnifie and adore him in all his glorious attributes revere and obey him in all his commands and never fall off or apostatize from him 10. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be removed he shall judge the people righteously Paraphrase 10. Let his people of the Jews instruct the heathen world in these great Articles of their Creed not onely that the God of Israel the Creatour of the world is also the sole Governour of it but farther that the Messias his eternal Son having conquered death shall have all dominion over his Church committed to him by his Father that by his divine providence and power he shall so over-rule and settle and compose the disturbances and oppositions among men that he shall plant miraculously and
was framed encompassing the air and superiour abyss wherein the waters in the clouds and those in the bowels of the earth were assigned their mansions wherein this globe of earth and sea were so formed that the one should be confined to its channel the other stand firm on its basis this eternal Word and wisedom of the Father was the great artificer by which all was framed inseparably united the Son to the Father and as a Counsellor joining in all the wise fabrick of the Universe and all therein contained All which being formed by infinite wisedom all was exceeding good and beautifull and delightfull to the Creatour And though it were so yet the creating of mankind was a special and principal piece whereto the whole Trinity was summoned Gen. 1.26 and about this one sort of creature when created God took special delight to be employ'd as bearing his image in a special manner and when that by sin was defaced immediately this wisedom of the Father was promised to be incarnate to unite it self to our humane nature thereby preferring it before the very Angels on purpose to redeem and restore us to purity 32. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye children for blessed are they that keep my ways 33. Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors 35. For whoso findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Paraphrase 32 33 34 35. These considerations put all together the all kind of advantages from obedience to the divine commands of God and their flowing from that eternal wisedom of God whereby the whole world was designed and created and so unquestionably the most divine and excellently wise and such as the eternal Word and Son of God was to be incarnate in our flesh to exemplifie and oblige to this practice may make it most perfectly reasonable for all that consider themselves their present or future weal to set to this exercise diligently and constantly see Luk. 11.28 as the onely way to all kind of felicity not to frustrate so great a mercy as is the instruction of God himself who certainly knows what is our best and wisest course and therefore prescribes it us because he knows it most agreeable to the better part of us but to apply themselves to it most solicitously constantly and unweariedly as that which is made up of all kind of felicity makes life worthy to be called life prepares them that live well here for that favour of God which will never deny them any good thing here and will over and above reward them for being thus happy here with an eternal immarcescible crown of glory hereafter 36. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Paraphrase 36. Whereas the neglect of these precepts is the greatest treachery against ones self the going on in any course of sin is the immersing him in an abyss of present wretchedness the engaging him in certain eternal woes hereafter So that every wicked man stands off on terms of the utmost defiance to wisedom and is onely in love with ruine and destruction refuseth happiness when it is put into his hand when he is courted to it and wooes and importunes misery casts himself away and his body and soul to all eternity for that that yields him the least fruit in the enjoyment Annotations on Chap. VIII V. 12. Witty inventions From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excogitavit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 counsel machination most frequently in an ill sense so Lev. 19.29 it is rendred by the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the counsel of the wicked and by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedness and Prov. 12. v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of cogitations is by the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked man and so by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked man and accordingly here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred the knowledge of machinations which if it be in an ill sense of machinations then the finding them will be the finding them out discovering and defeating and frustrating all such the craftiest contrivances of worldly and wicked men but it may be also in a good sense and then it is the finding i. e. the obtaining and acquiring them and thus it best agrees with the beginning of the verse where of this true i. e. practical wisedom it is said that it dwells with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. subtlety cunning craft as before v. 5. contrary to simplicity and deceivableness and so the full importance of the place is that this kind of wisedom the practice of vertue though it be not so esteemed but be under the contrary prejudice is indeed the onely true subtlety The LXXII reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I invoked knowledge and cogitation reading it seems 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cogitations and so doth the Chaldee and Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge and cogitations V. 22. Possessed one The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thus most literally rendred from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to possess But it must be remembred that this possession is sometime acquired by begetting as the Son is certainly to be reckoned among the possessions of the Father as well as the Servant which is brought up by him or the Cattel or House in like manner so Gen. 4.1 upon the birth of Cain Eve saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render it I have gotten a man c. And Zach. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begat me This makes it reasonable to bestow some consideration on the reading of the LXXII in this place where we have it rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath created me in the beginning of his ways on or over his works That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created is mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possessed was St. Jerom's conceit on Isa 26. and is obvious to imagine because that will be directly answerable to the ordinary notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for possessing and because Aquila reads expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possest me But beside that the Ancient Fathers before St. Jerome follow this reading of the LXXII which now we have 't is evident the Chaldee concur in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created me And the Son of Sirach more than once transcribes it ch 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedom hath been created before all things and v. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord himself created her and ch 24.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he created me from the beginning before the world And Gen. 14.19 the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the LXXII rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where speaking of God they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who
simple or simplicity in the abstract they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she becomes to want a piece of bread by this paraphrasing her simplicity that her course of idleness and impudence brought her to extreme want and in the end of the verse for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she knows not what or any thing they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she understands not shame merely as a scholion of what else seemed obscure or imperfect for which the Chaldee reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodness V. 14. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the high places of the city they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visibly in the streets merely by way of paraphrase to express the sense not the words V. 17. They invert the order of the words without any considerable change paraphrastically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take the secret loaves pleasantly and the sweet waters of stealth V. 18. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead or carcases see Note on Psal 88. d are there they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the giants or those that are born of the earth perish by her referring to the double notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for those that are in the earth as the dead are or those that come out of the earth as giants were believed to do In the end for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her guests they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he meets as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies so And this also without any considerable change of the sense for this simple one being one of her guests her guests being in the depths of scheol and his meeting or going to meet her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the depth of hades are equivalent After this comes a very large insertion merely as a scholion of some learned man an exhortation to avoid the forementioned danger which in some but not in the Complute Editions is crept into the Text and retein'd also by the Syriack and Arabick but neither in the Chaldee nor Latin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But leap back stay not in the place nor cast thine eye upon her for so thou shalt pass over the strange water But abstein thou from the water of another's fountain that thou mayst have a long time and that the years of life may be added to thee CHAP. X. 1. THE Proverbs of Solomon A wise son maketh a glad father but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother Paraphrase 1. After the general preparatory exhortations to the care and practice of piety enlarged on in the former chapters by way of foundation and introduction now follow the King his divine sentences some plain and yet weighty and important but the most by way of parable or aenigmatical allusion fit to affect the reader and to have a deep impression on him and commodious for memory also see Note on Chap. 1. a And the first recommends true wisedom the exercise of all vertue and piety to all young men and women as an act of necessary gratitude to their parents as well as of kindness to themselves for this certainly is the ensuring on them all manner of prosperity and felicities and flourishing condition in this life and as that is their own nearest interest so is it the parents greatest joy the whole comfort of whose lives extremely depends as upon the thriving and prospering so upon the pious sober humble pure behaviour of their children If they thrive and prosper in the world much more in those ways of divine vertue which hath the promise of all secular prosperity annext to it this must needs be matter of most ravishing delight to their parents This is an aphorism of so general observation that when the parents themselves are not so pious and gracious as they ought yet they rejoyce to see their children such And on the contrary if they miscarry and prove vitious in any kind there is no such cause of trouble and grief to the parents especially to the mother whose love is most tender and passionate and cannot choose but bewail it as the most unsupportable affliction of her life that she hath with so much pains and care brought forth a child to dishonour God to disgrace and despise his parents and to accumulate upon himself the direfullest woes of this and another life 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteousness delivereth from death 3. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish but he casteth away the substance of the wicked Paraphrase 2 3. This you may discern in several branches of wisedom as that is opposed to the different sorts of folly that are observable among men The first and most principal notion of wisedom is that of all true and divine vertue and of this it is manifest that nothing can secure any man of any ordinary degree of happiness in this world but this one tenure of piety and justice and charity and all manner of vertue This is the one way of secular prudence and policy the most certain thriving course quite contrary to the worldlings measures He thinks the devil's arts are likeliest to thrive in this world injustice oppression deceit covering and griping gaining as much as he can and parting with as little and by these ways sometimes he fills his coffers possesseth himself of vast treasures On the contrary he cannot believe that justice and charity which holy writers style righteousness see Note on Psal 37. h and affirm them both to be ingredients of that righteousness which God's Law exacteth from men will ever tend to any man's worldly advantages but will be sure to keep him low and improsperous and hinderly that binds himself strictly to the exercise of them But herein the love of the world hath strangely blinded and infatuated men the truth of God's word and fidelity of his promises being engaged on the contrary observation that the greatest riches either unlawfully acquired or illiberally possest bring not the least advantage or benefit to the owner whilst he possesseth them his covetousness suffers him not to enjoy them himself much less to make himself capable of that future reward which is laid up for the charitable and mercifull and besides they are sure to meet with blasts from God and so not long to be held by him or his posterity Whereas on the other side the constant exercises of exact justice and the most diffusive charity which are so deeply under the worldlings prejudices have the blessings of God even those of this life entailed on them are so far from impoverishing or undoing any man that they are the most auspicious means to enrich and enlarge both his days and his plenty and rescue him from all the calamities to which this life is subject or the malice of wicked and covetous men could design to bring upon him And thus certainly it will be as long as God hath the disposing of the things of this world his providence being obliged to secure and
difficulties about it please you to take it in these few Propositions 1. That the Crucifixion of Christ was a Sacrifice truly propitiatory and satisfactory for the sins of the whole world and there 's nothing further from this Text or our present Explication of it than to derogate from the legality the amplitude extent or precious value of this sacrifice Yea and 2. that Christ himself thus willingly offering delivering up himself for us may in this be said a Priest or to have exercised in his death a grand act of Priesthood But then 3. this is an act of Aaronical Priesthood which Christ was never to exercise again having done it once Heb. 7.27 and so far distant from his eternal Priesthood Or to speak more clearly an act of Christ this as of a second Adam a common person order'd by the wisdom of God to bear the chastisement of our peace the Scape-goat to carry all our sins on his head into the wilderness into a land not inhabited Deut. 16.22 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Creed to which he went and so though it were typified by all the sacrifices of the Priests and though in it that whole body of rites were determin'd no more Aaronical Priests seasonable after this one sacrifice yet still this is no part of the eternal regal Melchisedech-priesthood that of powerful intercession that of blessing us in the Text for though the death of Christ tend mightily toward the blessing of us though there were a wonderful act of intercession on the Cross Father forgive them yet that powerful intercession that for grace to make us capable of mercy that blessing in this Text the power of conferring what he prays for this 't was to which the resurrection instal'd him 4. If all this will not satisfie why then one way of clearing this truth farther I shall be able to allow you that the death of Christ consider'd as a sacrifice may under that notion pass not for an act of a Priest in facto esse but for a ceremony of his inauguration in fieri thus in the 8. of Levit. at the consecrating of Aaron and his sons you shall find sacrifices used the Ram the Ram of consecration ver 22. and apportion'd to that this Lamb of God that by dying taketh away the sins of the world may pass for a Lamb of consecration the true critical importance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.10 that the Captain of our salvation was to be consecrated by sufferings This death of his that looks so like an act of Aaronical-Priesthood is the preparative rite of consecrating him to that great eternal Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech and this preparative most absolutely necessary both in respect of Christ and us of Christ who was to drink of the brook of the way before his head should be lifted up humbled to death c. Phil. 2. wherefore God hath also highly exalted him for that suffering crown'd him Yea and in respect of us too Heb. 2.9 who were to be ransom'd by his death before we could be bless'd by his resurrection deliver'd from the captivity of Hell before capable of that grace which must help us to heaven which seems to me to be the descant of that plain song Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren i. e. as the 18. verse explains it to suffer being tempted to undergo the infirmities and mortality of our flesh that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest c. his infirmities and effusion of his blood are not this Priesthood of it self but the qualifying of the second person in the Trinity to become a high Priest and that a merciful and faithful one merciful to pardon slips and faithful to uphold from falling and so a Priest such as it is most for our interest to have And so once more the dream is out that Artemidorus mentions of one he dream'd he was crucified and the consequent was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was taken up to be a Priest of Diospolis And by the way let me tell my Clergy Brethren if that shall prove the consequent of our Priesthood which was the presage of Christs the pains the contumelies yea and death of that Cross what is this but a blessed lot that hath brought us so near our Christ and a means to consecrate us too to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Kings and Priests for ever in Heaven I have thus far labour'd to clear this doctrine calculated the time of Christs enstalment to his eternal Priesthood and found it exactly the same with the aera here in this Text not till after the resurrection to which I shall only add one final grand proof of all which will sum up all that hath been hitherto said That parting speech of Christs Mat. ult All power is given unto me both in heaven and earth that you know was after the resurrection and so from thence that power was dated and that commission of blessing that here we speak of The act of his eternal Priesthood is his intercession that his powerful intercession that his giving of that grace which he interceeds for that the blessing in this Text and so the commission of blessing was given him not till after the resurrection And believe it though it look all this while like a rough sapless speculation there is yet somewhat in it that may prove very useful and ordinable to practice a hint if not a means of removing one of the harmful'st scandals and impediments of good life that is to be met with We are Christians all and by that claim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on rank and on march toward eternal life and yet many of us live like so many Mahometans or China-infidels quite out of all form of obedience to the commands of Christ we do not reverence him so much as to pretend toward serving him not advance so far as but to be hypocrites in that matter live in all the sensuality and vileness in the world and yet live confidently resolve we have done what is required of us by Christ can justifie our state for such as God is pleased with And if we be called to account the anchor of all this unreasonable false hope of ours is most constantly this that Christ our Priest hath propitiated for us we fly to our City of refuge till our Priest be dead and then we are quit by proclamation out of the reach of the avenger of blood 'T is the death of Christ we depend on to do all our task for us his priestly not regal office we are resolved to be beholding to In that we have Christ the Sacrificer Christ the Reconciler Christ the Satisfier and these are Christs enough to keep us safe without the aid of Christ the King that Judaical unedifying notion of a reigning Messias and then quis separabit what sin what devils what legion what act what habit what
of Scripture of which these words are a close is the Angels message or Gospel unto Joseph and set down by St. Matthew as both the interpretation and accomplishment of a Prophecy delivered long ago by Isaiah but perhaps not at all understood by the Jews to wit That a Virgin should conceive and bear a Son and they should call his name Emmanuel Where first we must examine the seeming difference in the point of Christs Name betwixt the place here cited from Isaiah and the words here vouched of the Angel V. 21. and proved by the effect V. 25. For the Prophet says he shall be called Emmanuel but the Angel commands he should be and the Gospel records he was named Jesus And here we must resume and enlarge the ground premised in our Preface that Prophecies being not Histories but rude imperfect draughts of things to come do not exactly express and delineate but only shadow and covertly vail those things which only the Spirit of God and the event must interpret So that in the Gospel we construe the words but in Prophecies the sense i. e. we expect not the performance of very Circumstance exprest in the words of a Prophecy but we acknowledg another sense beyond the literal and in the comparing of Isaiah with St. Matthew we exact not the same expressions provided we find the same substance and the same significancy So then the Prophets and call his name Emmanuel is not as humane Covenants are to be fulfill'd in the rigour of the Letter that he should be so named at his Circumcision but in the agreement of sense that this name should express his nature that he was indeed God with us and that at the Circumcision he should receive a name of the same power and significancy Whence the observation by the way is that Emmanuel in effect signifies Jesus God with us a Saviour and from thence the point of Doctrine that Gods coming to us i. e. Christs Incarnation brought Salvation into the World For if there be a substantial agreement betwixt the Prophet and the Angel if Emmanuel signifie directly Jesus if God with us and a Saviour be really the same title of Christ then was there no Saviour and consequently no Salvation before this presence of God with us Which position we will briefly explain and then omitting unnecessary proofs apply it In explaining of it we must calculate the time of Christs Incarnation and set down how with it and not before came Salvation We may collect in Scripture a three-fold Incarnation of Christ 1. In the Counsel of God 2. In the Promises of God 3. In a Personal open exhibiting of him unto the World the effect and complement of both Counsel and Promises 1. In the Counsel of God so He was as slain so incarnate before the foundation of the World Rev. xiii 8 For the word slain being not competible to the Eternal God but only to the assumption of the humane nature presupposes him incarnate because slain God then in his Prescience surveving before he created and viewing the lapsed miserable sick estate of the future Creation in his Eternal Decree foresaw and pre-ordained Jesus the Saviour the Author and Finisher of the Worlds Salvation So that in the Counsel of God to whom all things to come are made present Emmanuel and Jesus went together and no Salvation bestowed on us but in respect to this God with us 2. In the Promises of God and then Christ was incarnate when he was promised first in Paradise The seed of the Woman c. and so he is as old in the flesh as the World in sin and was then in God's Promise first born when Adam and man-kind began to die Afterwards he was not again but still incarnate in Gods Promise more evidently in Abraham's time In thy seed c. and in Moses his time when at the addition of the Passover a most significant representation of the incarnate and crucified Christ he was more than promised almost exhibited Under which times it is by some asserted that Christ in the form of Man and habit of Angel appeared sundry times to the Fathers to give them not an hope but a possession of the Incarnate God and to be praeludium incarnationis a pawn unto them that they trusted not in vain And here it is plain thorowout that this Incarnation of Christ in the Promise of God did perpetually accompany or go before Salvation not one blessing on the nations without mention of thy feed not one encouragement against fear or unto confidence but confirm'd and back'd with an I am thy shield c. i. e. according to the Targum my Word is thy shield i. e. my Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word in the first of Joh. i. Not any mention of Righteousness and Salvation but on ground and condition of belief of that Jesus which was then in promise Emmanuel God with us 3. In the Personal exhibiting of Christ in form of flesh unto the World dated at the fulness of time and call'd in our ordinary phrase his Incarnation then no doubt was Emmanuel Jesus then was he openly shewed to all people in the form of God a Saviour which Simeon Luk. ii 30 most divinely styles God's Salvation thereby no doubt meaning the Incarnate Christ which by being God with us was Salvation Thus do you see a three-fold Incarnation a three-fold Emmanuel and proportionably a three-fold Jesus 1. A Saviour first decreed for the World answerable to God incarnate in God's Counsel and so no man was ever capable of Salvation but through God with us 2. A Saviour promised to the World answerable to the second God with us to wit incarnate in the Promise and so there is no Covenant of Salvation but in this God with us 3. A Saviour truly exhibited and born of a Woman answerable to the third Emmanuel and so also is there no manifestation no proclaiming no preaching of Salvation but by the birth and merits of God with us To these three if we add a fourth Incarnation of Christ the assuming of our Immortal Flesh which was at his Resurrection then surely the Doctrine will be complete and this Emmanuel incarnate in the Womb of the grave and brought forth cloath'd upon with an incorruptible seed is now more fully than ever prov'd an Eternal Jesus For when he had overcome the sharpness of death he opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers as it is in our Te Deum as if all that till then ever entred into Heaven had been admitted by some privy key but now the very gates were wide opened to all believers This last Incarnation of Christ being accompanied with a Catholick Salvation that Jesus might be as Eternal as Emmanuel that he might be as Immortal a Saviour as a God with us 'T were but a superfluous work further to demonstrate that through all ages of the World there was no Salvation ever tendred but in
they had been so starved with thin hard fare under the tyranny of a continued superstition which gave them no solid nourishment nothing but Husks and Acorns to feed on that they were now grown horrid and almost ghastly being past all amiableness or beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good for nothing in the World We see in Histories that perpetual Wars hinder Tillage and suffer them not to bestow that culture on the ground which the subsistence of the Kingdom requires Thus was it with the Gentiles in the time of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their hostility with God they generally bestowed no trimming or culture on the Soul either to improve or adorn it and then receiving no spiritual food from God all passages being shut up by their Idolatry they were famished into such a meagerness they were so ungainly and Crest-faln that all the fat Kine of Aegypt according to Pharaoh's Dream all heathen learning could not mend their looks they were still for all their Philosophy like the lean Kine that had devoured the fat yet thrived not on it they were still poor and ill favoured such as were not to be seen in all the land of Jury for badness Gen. xli 19 2. They had engaged themselves in such a course that they could scarce seem ever capable of being received into any favour with God Polybius observes it as a policy of those which were delighted in stirs and Wars to put the people upon some inhumane cruel practice some killing of Embassadors or the like feat which was unlawful even amongst Enemies that after such an action the Enemy should be incensed beyond hope of reconciliation So did Asdrubal in Appian use the Captive Romans with all possible Cruelty with all arts of inhumanity fley'd them cut off their Fingers and then hanged them alive to the end saith he that thereby he might make the dissentions of Carthage and Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not possibly to be composed but to be prosecuted with a perpetual hostility This was the effect of Achitophels counsel to Absalom that he should ly with his Fathers Concubines and this also was the Devils Plot upon the Gentiles who as if they were not enough Enemies unto God for the space of 2000. years Idolatry at last resolved to fill up the measure of their Rebellions to make themselves if it were possible sinful beyond capability of mercy and to provoke God to an eternal revenge they must needs join in crucifying Christ and partake of the shedding of that blood which hath ever since so died the Souls and cursed the successions of the Jews For it is plain 1. by the kind of his death which was Roman 2. by his Judge who was Caesaris Rationalis by whom Judaea was then governed or as Tacitus saith in the 15. of his Annals Caesars Procurator all capital judgments being taken from the Jews Sanhedrim as they confess Joh. xviii 21 it is not lawful for us to put any one to death 3. by the Prophecy Mat. xx 19 They shall deliver him to the Gentiles by these I say and many other arguments 't is plain that the Gentiles had their part and guilt in the Crucifying of Christ and so by slaying of the Son as it is in the Parable provoked and deserved the implacable revenge of the Father And yet for all this God enters League and Truce and Peace with them thinks them worthy to hear and obey his Laws nay above the estate of Servants takes them into the liberty and free estate of the Gospel and by binding them to Ordinances as Citizens expresseth them to be Civitate donatos coelesti within the pale of the Church and Covenant of Salvation They which are overcome and taken Captives in War may by Law be possest by the Victor for all manner of servitude and slavery and therefore ought to esteem any the hardest conditions of peace and liberty as favours and mercies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Marcus in Polybius they which are conquered must acknowledge themselves beholding to the Victor if he will upon any terms allow them quarter or truce Thus was it above all other Sinners with the Gentiles of that time after 2000. years War with the one God they were now fallen into his hands ready to receive the sorest strokes to bear the shrewdest burdens he could lay on them had it not been then a favour above hope to be received even as hired Servants which was the highest of the Prodigals ambition Luke xv 19 Had it not been a very hospitable carriage towards the Dogs as they are called Mat. xv 26 to suffer them to lick up those crums which fell from the childrens table Yet so much are Gods mercies above the pitch of our expectation or deserts above what we are able or confident enough to ask or hope that he hath assumed and adopted these Captives into Sons And as once by the counsel of God Jacob supplanted Esau and thrust him out of his Birth-right so now by the mercy of God Esau hath supplanted Jacob and taken his room in Gods Church and Favour and instead of that one language of the Jews of which the Church so long consisted now is come in the confusion of the Gentiles Parthians Medes Elamites and the Babel of tongues Act. ii 9 And as once at the dispersion of the Gentiles by the miracle of a punishment they which were all of one tongue could not understand one another Gen. xi 9 so now at the gathering of the Gentiles by a miracle of mercy they which were of several tongues understood one another and every Nation heard the Apostles speak in their own language Acts ii 6 noting thereby saith Austin that the Catholick Church should be dispersed over all nations and speak in as many languages as the world hath tongues Concerning the business of receiving the Gentiles into covenant St. Austin is plentiful in his 18. Book de Civit. Dei where he interprets the symbolical writing and reads the riddles of the Prophets to this purpose how they are called the children of Israel Hos i. 11 as if Esau had robbed Jacob of his name as well as inheritance that they are declared by the title of barren and desolate Esa liv 1 whose fruitfulness should break forth surpass the number of the children of the married wife To this purpose doth he enlarge himself to expound many other places of the Prophets and among them the prophecy of Obadiah from which Edom by a pars pro toto signifying the Gentiles he expresly concludes their calling and salvation but how that can hold in that place seeing the whole prophecy is a denunciation of judgments against Edom and ver 10. 't is expresly read For thy violence against they brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut out for ever How I say from that place amongst others this truth may be deduced I leave to the revealers of Revelations and
his life past or present state or future hopes In the first posture and meditation you may see first Paul alone who was before a Blasphemer a Persecuter and injurious secondly all the regenerate together For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin did work in our members c. and many the like In the second posture and meditation you may observe him retracting an error Acts xxiii deprecating a temptation with earnest and repeated intercessions 2 Cor. xii 7 fighting with and harrasing himself beating down his body and keeping it in subjection lest while he preacht to others he himself might be a cast-away 1 Cor. ix 27 c In the third posture we find him Rom. vii 25 where after a long disguise he cries out I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And again Phil. iii. 13 most evidently Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching out to those things which are before I press toward the mark c. like a racer in the heat of his course whose Eyes desire to anticipate his feet and enjoy the goaâ— before he reach it These three carriages of the regenerate man fully prove our observation for if either of the two former sights could afford him any content if either his former or present state did not sufficiently terrify him he would not be so eager on the third it being the folly of humane pride and self-love to contemn any foreign aid as long as it finds either appearance or hope of domestick If in the view of his former life he should find any thing either good or not extremely bad and sinful he would under-prize the mercy of that Saviour that redeem'd him from so poor a guilt if he could observe in his present state any natural firmness or stability any inherent purity any essential justice he might possibly sacrifice to his own nets and reckoning himself in perfect peace with God neither invoke and seek nor acknowledge a Mediatour But when in his former life he shall find nothing but the matter and cause of horrour and amazement nothing but hideous ghastly affrightments yea and a body of damnation when in hope to mend himself and ease his fears he shall fly to the comfort of his present converted state and yet there also espy many thorns of temptations how can he but be frighted out of himself How can he but fly from the scene of those his torments and seek out and importune the mercy of a Saviour which may deliver him out of all his fears after the example of our Apostle in my Text where he does more peremptorily apprehend Christ and more bodily believe That he came into the world to save sinners because of all sinners he was chief making his own sinfulness being the object and external motive of Gods mercy an argument and internal motive of his own Faith and confidence The plain meaning of this Thesis is that among men things are not alway valued according to the merit of their nature for then each commodity should be equally prized by all men and the man in health should bestow as much charges on physick as the diseased but each thing bears its several estimation by its usefulness and the riches of every merchandize is encreased accordingly as men to whom it is proffered do either use or want it Moreover this usefulness is not to be reckoned of according to truth but opinion not according to mens real wants but according to the sense which they have of their wants so a man distracted because he hath not so much reason about him as to observe his Disease will contemn Hellebore or any other the most precious Recipe for this Cure and generally no man will hasten to the Physician or justly value his art and drugs but he whom misery hath taught the use of them So then unless a man have been in some spiritual danger and by the converting spirit be instructed into a sense and apprehension of it he will not sufficiently observe the benefit and use of a deliverer unless he feel in himself some stings of the relicks of his sin some pricks of the remaining Amoritâ— he will not take notice of the want and necessity which he hath of Christs mediation But when he shall with a tenderness of memory survey the guilt of his former state from the imputation not importunity whereof he is now justified when he shall still feel within him the buffetings of Satan and sensibly observe himself not fully sanctified then and not before will he with a zealous earnestness apprehend the profit yea necessity of a Saviour whose assistance so nearly concerns him The second ground of this position is That an extraordinary undeserved deliverance is by an afflicted man received with some suspicion the consideration of the greatness of the benefit makes him doubt of the truth of it and he will scarce believe so important an happiness befaln him because his misery could neither expect nor hope it Hence upon the first notice of it he desires to ascertain it unto his sense by a sudden possession of it and not at all to defer the enjoying of that mercy which his former misery made infinitely worthy of all acceptation Thus may you see a ship-wrackt man recovered to some refuge cling about and almost incorporate himself unto it because the fortune of his life depends on that succour The new regenerate man finding in the Scripture the promise of a Redeemer which shall free him from those engagements which his former bankrupt estate had plung'd him in cannot delay so great an happiness but with a kind of tender fear and filial trembling runs and strives as the Disciples to the Sepulchre to assure his necessitous Soul of this acceptable salvation even sets upon his Saviour with a kind of violence and will seem to distrust his promise till his seal shall authorize and confirm it Thus did the greatness of the work of the unexpected resurrection beget in Thomas a suspicion and incredulity I will not believe c. where our charity may conjecture that he above all the rest was not absolutely resolved not to believe the Resurrection but that he being absent at the first apparition would not take so important a miracle upon trust but desired to have that demonstrated to his sense which did so nearly concern his faith that so by putting his finger into the print of the nails and thrusting his hand into his side he might almost consubstantiate and unite himself unto his Saviour and at once be assured of the truth and partake of the profit of the Resurrection Hear but the voice of the Spouse and any further proofs shall be superfluous where in violence and jealousie of love she importunes the Eternal presence of the beloved Set me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death jealousie as cruel as the grave the coals thereof are