which might be some help to him Of the sonnes of David sc Of David the King See 1 Chron. 3.22 Verse 3. Of the males an hundred and fifty Great account was made of males under the Law Blounts voyage more then of the females and so there is to this day among the Jewes who hold women to be of a lower creation made onely for the propagation and pleasure of man c. This their conceit is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings He did better who stiled woman the second Edition of the Epitome of the whole world Sure it is that soules have no sexes and in Christ there is no respect had more to the male then female Gal. 3.28 Verse 4. Of the sonnes of Pahath-Moab Haply so called because some of his progenitours had dwelt in Moab He was a Covenanter Neh. 10.14 Verse 5. The sonne of Jahaziel The father is named but not the sonne but why who can tell Et patet lucet pagina sacra Verse 6. Of the sonnes also of Adâ—i A Covenanter too Neh. 10.16 Verse 7. Jesbaiah Of the same name but not the same man that is mentioned verse 19. Verse 8. The sonne of Michael A name afterwards given to Jesus Christ Dan. 10.13 Rev. 12.7 signifying Who is as God Hence some conceive that it is not so fit to call a childe Michael Emmanuel c. Verse 9. Obadiah the sonne of Jehiel This Obadiah as also Zechariah verse 11. and Azgad verse 12. sealed the Covenant Nehem. 10. not without oath and execration It is both lawful and in some cases needful for good people solemnely to binde themselves to bounden duties Hereby saith a grave Divine as true intention earnest desire prudent jealousie and holy zeale are manifested so is a dull spirit much quickened and the weak wayward revolting flesh bridled and curbed yea and bound to her good behaviour Verse 10. The sonne of Josiphiah See verse 5. Verse 11. Zechariah the sonne of Bebai See verse 9. Verse 12. And the sonnes of Azgad See verse 9. Verse 13. And of the sonnes of Adonikam Some of his sonnes went up before with Zerubbabel ch 2.13 Eposteris posterioribus Tremel These not till now together with Ezra They might want either age or hearts to go at first with their brethren Second thoughts are best many times and Nunquam jerò si seriò That sonne in the Gospel who being bidden go work to day in the Vineyard answered and said I will not but afterwards repented and went wanted not his commendation Matth. 21.29 A learned man descanteth thus upon this Text The lot of Adonikam was below his brethren because he was the last that set foot forward toward their returne Verse 14. And with them seventy males The whole company consisted of one thousand four hundred ninety and six males a good addition to those that went up before with Zerubbabel yet nothing so many as might have beene but that they wanted hearts Rari quippe boni numero vix sunt totidem quot Thebarum portae vel divitis ostia Nili Juvenal Sat. 13. Verse 15. And I gathered them together to the River There was their first Rendevous at the meeting of two Rivers whereof that Countrey was full Psal 137.1 and therefore fertile as the Garden of the Lord whereof it was a part as most Geographers are of opinion And there abode we in tents Glad we had our faces set toward Zion going weeping c. Jer. 50.4 5 and our backs upon Babylon of which we might well say as the Philosopher afterwards did of Athens that it was a pleasant place to travel thorough but not safe to dwell in And found there none of the sons of Levi None but what he afterwards sent for no voluntiers this was lamentable that Levites should be so backward to so good a businesse Here was nomen inane crimen immane Verse 16. Men of understanding Of special note for their wisedome and eloquence such as could present to the people good matter well habited and could well expresse their expositions of the Law being themselves wise and willing to wise others as the Hebrew word signifieth Dan. 12.3 Men of understanding and ready to instruct many Dan. 11.33 Such a man as this is worth his weight in gold Verse 17. At the place Casiphia Where it may seem that there was a Colledge of Levites and Iddo was their President And to his brethren the Nethinims Who were now become men of Mark brethren to Iddo and much sought for by Ezra see Chap. 2.43 for the service they did about Gods house Verse 18. Pausanias And by the good hand of God upon us God was in all this good mans thoughts he set upon every passage as the Ancients did upon every special piece of work they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the onely way to make his journey comfortable thus to converse with God all along Paradisum mente deambulare as Hierome counselled the young Hermite assuring him that so long as he had Paradise in his mind and God in his apprehensions tamdin in eremo non esset so long he should not be in a desert They brought us a man of understanding The Hebrew word Shacal signifieth three things 1. To understand 2. To instruct 3. To prosper Those that understand themselves and teach others shall do much good to themselves and others See the Note on vers 16. This egregiè cordatus homo was Sherebiah as it followeth here and Sherebiah or even Sherebiah confer Neh. 8.7 and 9.4 5. Verse 19. And Hashabiah A man ready to every good work Neh. 3.17 and 10.11 and that 's no small commendation Verse 20. Whom David and the Princes had appointed i.e. continued confirmed and ordered them for they were first appointed and designed to that service by Joshuah and thence called Nethinims All these were expressed by Name Verbis non solùm difertis sed exsertis Verse 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there A day of restraint from food fine cloathes and other delights of life There is a three-fold-fast saith One from meat from mirth and from sin this last crownes all Unlesse God sees turning he sees no work in a fast saith another descanting upon that Text Jon. 3.10 God saw their works that they turned Of a Fast see the Notes on Joel 2.12 That we might afflict our selves before our God Not outwardly onely that 's but the shell Is 58.3 but inwardly also for that 's the kernel of this exercise Jer. 16.29 which else is but bodily and profiteth little something it may as it did Ahab But if rightly performed though it weakeneth the body yet it strengtheneth the spirit making it vigorous and victorious To seek of him a right way for us To edge our prayers and give wings to them for fasting inflameth prayer and prayer sanctifieth fasting hence they go coupled for the most part Luk 2.37 Matth. 17.21 1 Cor. 7.5 And surely if with fasting
the ropes or manage the oares c. The self-seeker the private-spirited man may he be but warme in his own feathers regards not the danger of the house he is totus inse like the snail still within doors and at home like the Squirrel he ever digs his hole towards the Sun-rising his care is to keep on the warme side of the hedge to sleep in a whole skin to save one whatever become of the many From doing thus Mordecai deterreth Esther by an heap of holy arguments discovering an heroical faith and a well-knit resolution At this time There is indeed a time to keep silence and a time to speak Eccl. 3.7 But if ever a man will speak let him do it when the enemies are ready to devoure the Church as Croesus his dumb son burst out into Kill not King Croesus For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest c. Esay 62.1 If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth c. Psal 137.5 6. That noble Terentius General to Valens the Emperour being bidden to ask what he would asked nothing but that the Church might be freed from Arians And when the Emperour Niceph. upon a defeat by the Gothes upbraided him with cowardise and sloth as the causes of the overthrow He boldly replied Your selfe have lost the day by your warring against God and persecuting his people Then shall their enlargement Heb. Respiration a day of refreshing should come from the Presence of the Lord. Confer Job 9.18 At present they could hardly breath for bitternesse of spirit And deliverance arise Heb. stand up as on its basis or bottome so as none shall be able to withstand This Mordecai speaketh not by a spirit of Prophecy but by the force of his faith grounded upon the Promises of Gods defending his Church hearing the cries of his afflicted arising to their relief and succour c. Mira profectò at omnibus linguis saeculis â—â—cisque commendabilis fides saith one A notable faith indeed and worthy of highest commendation Thorough the Perspective of the Promises those pabulum fidei food of faith a believer may see deliverance at a great distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see it and salute it as those did Heb. 11.13 What though Sense saith It will not be Reason It cannot be yet Faith gets above and sayes It shall be I descryland Italiam Italiam laeto clamore salutar Virg. But thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed Here he thundereth and threatneth her if to save her self she shall desert the Church Mordecai's message like Davids ditty Psal 101.1 is composed of discords Soure and sweet make the best-sauce Promises and menaces mixed will soonest work God told Abraham that for the love he bare him Gen. 123. he would blesse those that blessed him and curse such as cursed him Their sin should finde them out and they should rue it in their posterity As one fire so one feare should drive out another And who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom There is often a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. God may have an end and an aime in businesses that we wot not of nor can see into till event hath explained it Let us lay forth our selves for him and labour to be publike-spirited such as fully satisfied him No man labour can be in vaine in the Lord. to see which way we may most glorifie God and gratifie our brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil 1.20 Verse 16. Thus Esther bade them returne Mordecai this answer A sweet answer and such as fully satisfied him No mans labour can be in 〈◊〉 in the Lord. Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation is the wise mans counsel In the morning sow thy seed 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 thy 〈◊〉 for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this 〈◊〉 that or whither they â—ath shall be alike good Eccles 11.6 Mordecai had filled his mouth with Argument and now God filled his heart with comfort Esther yields and resolves to obey him whatever come of it only she will go the wisest way to work first seeking God and then casting herself upon the King Ora labora God hath all hearts in his hand and will grant good successe to his suppliants Verse 16. Go gather together all the Jewes Great is the power of joynt prayer it stirres heaven and works wonders Oh when a Church-full of good people shall set sides and shoulders to work when they shall rouse up themselves and wrastle with God when their pillars of incense shall come up into his Presence Rev. 14.1 and their voices be heard as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder Rev. 14. What may not such thundring legions have at Gods hands Have it they will have it Coelum tundimus preces fundimus misericordiam extorquemus said those primitive Prayer-makers Rev. 9.13 the prayers of the Saints from the foure corners of the earth sound and do great things in the world they make it ring It was the speech of a learned man if there be but one sigh come from a gracious heart how much more then a volley of sighs from many good hearts together it filleth the eares of God so that God heareth nothing else And fast ye for me Who am now upon my life and for ought I know am shortly to appear before the Lord who requireth to be sanctified in all them that draw near unto him and wherein I may not look to have leave to erre twice Non licet in bâ—llo bis â—rrâ—re D. â—â—all Point therefore your prayers for me with holy fasting that they may pierce heaven and prevail Abstinence meriteth not saith a grave Divine for Religion consisteth not in the belly either full or empty What are meats or drinks to the Kingdome of God which is like himself spiritual but it prepareth best for good duties Full bellies are fitter for rest Not the body so much as the soule is more active with emptinesse Hence solemn prayer taketh ever fasting to attend it and so much the rather speedeth in heaven when it is so accompanied It is good so to diet the body that the soule may be fattened And neither eat nor drink three dayes c. That is saith Drusius two whole nights one whole day and part of two other dayes See the like expression Mat. 12 40. Others lay that in those hot countreyes they might fast three dayes as well as we two in these cold climates Tully in one of his Epistles telleth us Epist 10â— that he fasted two dayes together without so much as tasting a little water For the Romanes also and Grecians had their Fasts private and publike whether it were by a secret instinct of Nature or by an imitation of the Hebrewes Faciunt vespae favos The
David expoundeth it for then I am sure to bee found faulty For I have walked in mine integrity viz. Toward Saul whatever his pick-thank Courtiers suggest against me as Psal 7. which is much like this and made as it may seem about the same time as this viz. about the beginning of Sauls persecution raised against David 1 Sam. 22.7 c. who thereupon appealeth here to Gods just Judgment and stands upon his Justification as holding fast faith and a good conscience Therefore I shall not slide Or not farre I shall not be greatly moved Psal 62.2 Moved I may be but not removed shaken but not shivered thrust at but not thrown down c. because bottomed and built upon the rock of Ages Isa 26.4 2 Cor. 4.8 Vers 2. Examine me O Lord and prove me It must needs be a good Conscience that thus boldly offereth it self to Gods trial so Job 31.6 Try my reins and my heart i.e. Mine affections and thoughts for these are sibi mutuò causa Whilst I mused the fire kindled Psal 39. David was neither ambitious nor factious as his adversaries represented him Vers 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes And that 's a strong tye upon my Conscience The cords of love are the cords of a man Hos 11.4 To sin against Mercy is to sin against Humanity it is no less than bestial than devillish When therefore I am tempted to recompence evil for evil thy loving kindness comes before me and reigneth me in And I have walked in thy truth i.e. according to thy Word I have led a Bible-conversation though sollicited to do otherwise by the Courtiers and Politicians with that prophane Proverb of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comply with the times Theog and be not so straight-laced Religiosum eportet esse sed non Religentem Vers 4. I have not sate with vain persons who are voyd of Gods holy fear but filled with all unrighteousness wickedness covetousness maliciousness c. Rom. 3.29 Courtiers are such for most part and David never delighted in such company to sit with them especially when they were acting mischief which whiles Gromwell did at the condemnation of Lambert Martyr and Sir John Cheek at other such like meetings they were cast upon no small snares and inconveniences See Jer. 15.17 Neither will I go in with dissemblers Heb. close workers of iniquity Qui secreto malè agunt Chald. secret and sly Sirs such as hide themselves to do evil as the Chaldee hath it and can carry their wickedness cleanly and closely so as that the World shall be little the wiser Versatiles versutili multiplices Protei such as can serve the times and shift their sails to the sitting of every Wind Machiavellians Ahitophels Jonadabs 2 Sam. 13.3 These mens wisdom may serve them as the Ostriches wings to make them out-run others upon earth though it be into Hell-mouth but help them never a whit toward Heaven David therefore would have nothing to do with them he would neither enter walk nor sit with any such Confer Psal 1.1 they should not sprinkle him with their Court-holy-water Vers 5. I have hated the Congregation of evil-doers The Church Malignant whose lives are a Mystery of iniquity as Josephus saith of Antipater qui emnia turbant miscent tantum ut ipsi crossere possint as Aristophanes saith of Cleon care not whom they ruine so they may raise themselves nor what mischief they work to others so they may drive on their own sinful designs Luther said of the Monks in Germany that they were so bad tam desperate malitiae ut nihil cogitent quod non idem patrare ausint that they would stick at no villany whatsoever David held it a hell to be in company with such incarnate devils It was once the prayer of a good Gentlewoman when she was to dye being in much trouble of Conscience O Lord let me not go to Hell where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I never loved their company here And will not sit with the wicked But hate the very garment spotted by the flesh Jude 2 3. that is a voyd evil company saith Mr. Perkins as Levit. 15.4 so Deut. 22.12 It is not safe coming near stinking Catrion except one have the wind of it Sin is as catching as the plague Vers 6. I will wash mine hands in innocency As Exod. 40.32 So 1 Tim. 2.8 Sic Egyptii sacerdotes apud Herod in Euterpe tertio quoque die corpus eradunt c. See Deut. 21.6 Isa 1.15 Iam. 5.8 If in our addresses to God we cannot wash our hands in innocency yet we must wash them in tears Quem pocnitet peccasse penè est innocens saith Soneca Penitency is well-nigh as good as innocency but one way or other be sure to come clean when you come to Gods Altar when you draw nigh to him in holy duties We wash our hands every day and often but when we are to sit with some great person we scoure them with balls so here we must be always holy but especially when we present our selves to the holy eyes of our Creator And hereby David differenceth himself from the wicked in the use of Ordinances wherein they were as forward as the best Doeg may set his foot as farre into the Sanctuary as David and cry the Temple of the Lord c. but cared not to come clear thereunto their hands were full of bloud their hearts full of wickedness So will I compass thine Altar O Lord i.e. I will cover it with Sacrifices and Oblations and perform what is required of me diligently and cheerfully The people might not touch the Altar but only see afar off what was done there by the Priests D. Am. Howbeit those that were more zealous among them to the end that they might have a full view of the services stood not still in one place but stirred up and down on all sides of the Altar and some such thing David did when he is said to have danced before the Lord 2 Sam. 6.14 Vers 7. That I may publish This was the end David propounded to himself in all his solemn services that he might set up God and not serve himself upon God And tell of all thy wondrous Works All Gods Mercies to his are Wonders if well weighed in their several circumstances But we commonly deal by them as Solomon did by the brass of the Temple it was so much that hee weighed it not Vers 8. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house Much more the people and the Ordinances there but most of all the Lord himself of that house as if a man love the School-master for his Childes sake he loveth his Childe much more and hence it is that I so hate the Society of the ungodly For what communion hath Christ with Belial The word rendred habitation some derive from a word that signifieth the eye and therefore render it sight or beauty the Seventy
for to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10 7. Rev. 15.4 Vers 11. The counsell of the Lord of standeth for ever That counsell of his whereby he hath decreed to maintain government amongst men to relieve the oppressed to punish the Wicked to uphold the Church is firm and inviolable Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur saith Gregory There is a councell in Heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counfells upon earth Vers 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord viz. By speciall favour and covenant The preservation of the Church which hath so few friends on earth and so many enemies in earth and hell is justly brought as an evident argument of the divine providence Christ standeth upon Mount-Zion and that mountain shall bee exalted above all mountaines The Church as it is highest in the favour of God so it shall be set above all the World and het enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them the lowest the footstool of Christ The people whom he hath chosen Some read it The people which hath chosen Hims for their inheritance It cometh all to one See Deut. 26.17 18 19. Vers 13. The Lord looketh from Heaven Ita râ—spicit universos quasi singulas it 〈…〉 sâ—lâ—s And this Doctrin of Gods particular providence is fides natinnum quarum Deus est Dominus saith Kimchi taught in the Church only Vers 14. From the place of his habitation he beholdeth And this is a very great condescension sith he humbleth himself to behold things in Heaven Psal 113.6 to look out of himself upon the Saints and Angels how much more upon the inhabitants of the earth Vers 15. Unum paâ—â—ter acaliud Kimchi He fashioneth their hearts alike i. e. Ones as well as anothers The Arabick hath it Format sigillatim he fashioneth them severally one after another and not all soules together as the Origenists and some Jew-doctors held Hee considereth all their works Their hearts are not hid from him sith he made them as is said before much lesse their works These God considereth and therefore men had need consider them and turn their feet to his Testimonies Psal 119.59 Vers 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoast Witnesse Sennacherib Xerxes Bajazet Away then with Creature-confidence it will be the ruine of all that rest in it whether it be in men or means that they trust See Psal 62.9 10. with the Notes A mighty man Or A Giant Goliah for instance As the most skilfull swimmers are often drowned So here Vers 17. Pausan An Horse is a vain thing And yet a warlike creature full of terrour See the Note on Psal 32.9 and so swift in service that the Persians dedicated him to the Sun See Job 41.20 Prov. 21.31 With the Notes Vers 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him Hee looketh upon such with singular delight not without sweet intimations of his singular kindnesse and care of their good Upon them that hope in his mercy Here we have a description of that true Church which God will never forsake sc It is a company of such as truly serve God and boast not of their merits but possessing their soules in hope and silence wait for his mercy Vers 19. To deliver their soul Freedom from troubles He promiseth not but deliverance in due time he assureth them and support in the mean while to keep them alive in famine Vers 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord i. e. Patiently tarrieth the Lords leisure We can both wait and want for a need Vers 21. Our heart shall rejoyce in him We shall be sure of an happy issue and event but yet so as that we pray for it as in the next words Vers 22. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Not that we would have no more mercy than we have trust but we would shew that our trust is bottomed upon thy promises and that we humbly expect the full accomplishment of the same in due time PSAL. XXXIV VErs 1. A Psalm of David An Alphabeticall Psalm which David newly delivered from the Philistines Semper in Ecelesia his Psalmus piis suit commendatissimus Moller who had taken him prisoner and presented him to their King as a speciall prize composed with singular art as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people who may here meet with many excellent lessons and cordiall comforts When he changed his behaviour Heb. gust um hoc est gestum This he did being put to his shifts but not without sin Lib. 3. Od. 11. for he was splendide mendax as Horace saith of Hypermuestra at the best neither can this dissimulation or officious lye of his be excused as some have by distinctions indeavoured it but in vain Before Abimelech Or Achish King of Gath 1 Sam. 21. for he was binominiâ— saith Aben-Ezra or else Abimelech that is Father-King was his title of honour As Augustus would be stiled Pater Patria the Father of his Country R. Solomon saith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philistin-Kings as Pharaoh to the Egyptian Who cast him one For a mad man 1 Sam. 21.15 wherein there was a sweet providence of God who can order our disorders to his own glory and our good like as an Artificer with a crooked tool can make straight work or as an Apothecary of a poysonfull Viper can make a wholesome triacle And he departed Into some parts of Judea where he might repent of his sin first as Peter did when got into a corner and then compile this Psalm of thanksgiving to God who had so graciously delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition not only above but against his desert Vers 1. I will blesse the Lord at all times As not satisfied with any thing I can do herein at any time The Saints have large hearts and could bet eem the Lord a great deal more service than they are able to perform A certain Martyr said at the stake I am sory that I am going to a place where I shall be ever receiving wages and do no more work His praise shall continually be in my mouth For this remarkable mercy especially which I will still be telling of and speaking good of Gods name to as many as I can possibly extend unto This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir Vers 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord This holy gloriation is a Christians duty not to be neglected The Church in the Canticles is much in it and so is St. Paul It sheweth an heart full of joyes unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. And besides God is thereby greatly glorified Jer. 9.23 24. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad Not for my sake only but their own as conceiving good hope of like deliverance But then they
God whereby he was sealed to the day of redemption Ephes 4.30 and is therefore at a losse for comfort he had vilipended that patent of his pardon which God had passed under his hand and seal God therefore calleth for it home again into the pardon-office as it were that he may know the worth by the want A man may sin away not only the sense and comfort of his pardon but the evidence and knowledge of it as that place of Peter seemeth to imply 2 Pet. 1.9 Mountebanks who wound their flesh to try conclusions upon their own bodies how soveraign the salve is D. Sibbes Souls confl do oft feel the smart of their presumption by long and desperate wounds So God will let his Davids see what it is to make wounds in their consciences to try the preciousnesse of his balsam such may go mourning to their graves And though with much ado they get assurance of pardon yet their consciences will be still trembling till God at length speak further peace even as the waters of the Sea after a storm are not presently still but move and tremble a good while after the storm is over And upholdest moe with thy free Spirit Heb. firmly sustain mee with thy noble or Princely Spirit that may make mee steddy and ready to come off roundly in thy service Sin against conscience disableth for duty taketh away freedom to it and stability in it David therefore prayes God to fix his quick-silver to ballance his lightnesse to settle and fill that vain and empty heart of his with something that may stay and stablish it that may also free and enlarge it for where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 that he might yeeld prompt and present obedience to God in all things and with all might be apt and able to teach transgressors as he promiseth to do in the next words Vers 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes Instruunts nos Patres tum docentes tum labentes saith Augustine Two wayes the Saints teach us First By their Doctrin Secondly By their Falles and Failings David had taught men this last way to his cost that it is triste mortalitatis privilegium licere aliquando peccare Now he promiseth by his example and instruction to teach transgressours those that are in the very bonds and hands of the Devill Gods wayes of mercy to the penitent and that they must either turn to God or burn for even in Hell And sinners shall be converted unto thee They shall give not the half but the whole turn and it shall appear by them The turning of a sinner from evill to good is like the turning of a Bell from one side to another you cannot turn it but it will make a sound and report its own motion Vers 14. Deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse O God Heb. From bloods in every drop whereof is a tongue crying for vengeance Besides if Davids adultery was a sin of infirmity he was preocoupated as Gal. 6.1 yet his murthering of Uriah and many others that fell together with him was a sin of presumption a deliberate prepensed evill done in cold blood and therefore lay very heavy upon his conscience Howbeit he gat pardon of this great sin also so that it never troubled him on his death-bed as some other did though not so great where of he had not so throughly repented 1 King 2. Thou God of my salvation By making choice of this so fit an Attribute he flirreth up himself to take better hold And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness That is of thy faithfullnesse in performing thy promise of pardon to the penitent As Aarons golden bells sounded so should our tongues sound Gods praises and sing them aloud shrill them out Vers 15. O Lord open thou my lips Which now I find stopt and sealed up as it were with the sin that doth so easily beset mee so that whereas I promised before to sing aloud of thy Righteousnesse this I shall never be able to do without thy speciall furtherance nisi verba suppedites tanquam pracas unlesse thou please to supply mee both with affections and expressions as well as with matter of praise And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise David had not been dumb till now all the while he lay in his sin but all he did was but lip-labour and therefore lost-labour Daniel confesseth the like of himself and his people chap. 9.13 All this evill is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord â—ur God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth Prayed they had but because they turned not frons their iniquities they got nothing by their prayers or praises God is a Fountain and if he meet with a fit pipe as is an ordinance rightly performed there he usually conveyeth his grace but if he meet with a foul pipe and obstructed there he doth not conferre a blessing The Pharisees were not a button the better for all their long prayers because rotten ar heart Vers 16. For thou desiâ—â—st not sacrifice This is the reason why David restipulateth Praise if God will pardon his great sin vers 14. viz. because he well understood that God preferred praise before all sacrifices whatsoever provided that iâ— came from a broken spirit Vers 17. rightly humbled for sin and thankfully accepting of pardon See Psal 50.14 15 23. Thou delightest not in burnt-offering viz. Comparatively and indeed not at all without a contrite heart Una Deiest purum gratissinsa victima pectus Nazianz. Much lesse then doth God respect the sacrifice of the Masse that hath no footing or warrant in the word A certain Sorbonist finding it written at the end of St. Pauls Epistles Missa est c. bragg'd he had found the Masse in his Bible Bee-hive cap. 3â— fol. 93 94. Buxtorf And another reading Joh. 1.44 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion Some of them as Bellarmine for one would fain ground it upon Mal. 1.11 Others fetch the name Missa from the Hebrew Mass for tribute which comes from Masas to melt because it many times melteth away mens estates Rect è quidem saith Rivet per Missam scilicet pietas omnis liquefacta est dissoluta Vers 17. The sacrifices of God area broken spirit i.e. Such an heart as lyeth low and heareth all that God saith such a sacrifice or service as is laid on the low altar of a contrite heart which sanctifieth the Sacrifice Mr. Abbas such a person as with a self-condemning self-crucifying and sin-mortifying heart humbly and yet beleevingly maketh out for mercy and pardon in the blood of Christ this this is the man that God expects accepts and makes great account of A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise This is great comfort to those that droop under sense of sin and fear of wrath being at next door to despair Bring but a broken heart
calleth it The heavenly Exchange betwixt God and his people they present dury he conferres mercy Luther saith he would not live in Paradise without the Ordinances as with them he could frame to live in Hell it self And a small village with a godly Pastor and a good people in it is an earthly Paradise saith He. If that Italian Martyr could date his letter From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine prison what may we think of the free use of the ordinances what of Heaven nam facile literatransfertur ad Spiritum Vers 2. My soul longeth As she did who said Give mee Children or else I dye His soul once longed for the waters of the well of Bethlehem but not so earnestly as now to draw waters with joy out of those wells of salvation My heart and my flesh Ut sit sanctitus in corde sanitas in corpore And for obtaining of this whole David cryeth aloud as a child when hungry cryeth every whit of him hands feet face all cry and then the Mother flings by all then she flyes and out-runs her self So here The desires of the Righteous shall be satisfied Prov. 10.24 Vers 3. Yea the sparrow Avis communissima haunteth about houses buildeth about windows and there chirpeth The Heb word ken for a nest hath the first letter bigger than the rest to note Gods providence in teaching birds to build Exclamatio pathetica ex abrupto Trem. And the Swallow a nest for her self c. She hath her name in Hebrew from her liberty to flye boldly and to nestle in mens chimneyes Prov. 26.2 Even thine Altars Or Oh thine Altars so some read it by a passionate exclamation importing strongest desires after them The want of Gods Ordinances should pinch us to the heart Vers 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house viz. Those Meniall-servants of thine the Priests and Levites who have their lodgings near thee and their imployment about thee This is still the happiness of Gods Ministers whose holy function and calling both in the preparation to it and execution of it leadeth them to God and holdeth them with him They will be still praising thee As having hearts full of Heaven and consciences full of comfort There cannot but be musick in the Temple of the holy Ghost Vers 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee i.e. Who is enabled by thee both in body and mind to come from the place of his aboad to the solemn feasts In whose heart are the wayes of them Here the old translation In whose heart are thy wayes is far better i.e. As he bringeth his body to the Ordinances so he hath thy wayes or laws ingraven in his heart Vers 6. Who passing thorough the valley of Baca That is of tears say some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. of Mulberry-trees say others the one are moist the other use to grow in more dry places Betwixt them both they may serve saith One to make up a more compleat emblem of this miserable World made up of woes and wants In hoc exilio saith Bernard in hoc ergastulo in hac peregrinatione in hac valle lachrymarum c. Make it a Well They are as chearfull in their travel to Gods house as if they had plenty of water all the way Finis edulcat media the joy of the Lord is their strength whereby they are carried on an end as they say to their journeys end the joyfull preconceit of appearing before God in Zion allaying their great thirst Vers 7. Pergunt tarmatini Beza They go from strength to strength i.e. Lustily and constantly turma turmae subinde sese adjungente one company comming this way and another that out of their several parishes and so they grow stronger and go more comfortably on together Some render it de doctrina in doctrinam vel de academia in academiam they grow til they come to a perfect knowledge of God Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God And then think their pains though never so great well bestowed though then they saw Gods face but obscurely in the dark glass of the ceremonies Popish pilgrims though used hardly and loose much of their estates yet satisfie themselves in this I have that I came for viz. the sight of a dumb Idol What then should not we then suffer to see God in his ordinances c. Vers 8. O Lord God of Hoasts hear my prayer Satisfie mine earnings pantings and inquietations of mind after the liberty of they Sanctuary verse 2. These very desires he calleth prayers Vers 9. Behold Not only Hear see Psal 34.15 with the Note Look upon the face of thine anointed Christi cujus festina adventum saith Kimchi do me good for Christs sake Vers 10. For a day in thy Courts Every Flower hath its sweetness so hath every holy duty its comfort I had rather be a Door-keeper As the Korites were to whom this Psalm was committed and for whose incouragement this might be spoken A Door-keeper is first in last out so would David be in holy assemblies Tardy hearers would be loath to beg this office out of his hand In the tents of wickedness Tentoriis vexationis Kimchi Vers 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield An universal All-sufficient and satisfactory good proportionate to our necessities The Lord will give grace and glory One would think that were enough yea but then here is more than enough No good thing will he with-hold c. and thence is Davids desire so to be about him Vers 12. O Lord of Hosts c. Conclusio Epiphonematica PSAL. LXXXV VErs 1. Lord thou hast been favourable c. Gods free grace and favour is fitly premised as the Fountain and Mother of all the following Mercies This is that other Book Rev. 20 12. that hath our names in it and our pardon Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob Of old from Aegypt and alate from the Philistines who after Sauls death miserably tyrannized over Israel till David delivered them Some hold that this Psalm was composed at the end of the Babylonish Captivity Others conceive it may be a prayer for the conversion of the Gentiles who are brought in speaking the whole Psalm throughout Vers 2. Thou hast for given the iniquity c. This is worthily mentioned as a main mercy as a chief fruit of Free-grace Thou hast covered all their sin That that filthy thing may be no longer an eye-sore unto thee In the Original there are Six Homoioteleuta which is an elegancy not to be englished Vers 3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath Heb. Thou hast gathered it thou hast recollected it that we might not bear it when Sin is once remitted Wrath is soon removed Thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness c. Here are six Hasts drawing in the next Turn vers 4. God hath and therefore God will is a strong Medium of hope if not a demonstration of Scripture-Logicks See
earth with his tears Also the hundreth part of the money That is all that they had received for interest whether money or else It appeareth by this text that they took twelve in the hundred for so much the hundreth part monethly amounteth to as at this day in Italy and elsewhere the Jewes are permitted to straine up their usury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Christian for among themselves they now use it not which causeth many of those Pseudo-Christians to use those Jews under-hand Sands his Survey in improving their unlawful rents to the utmost proportion Verse 12. Then said they We will restore them This was well said and Nehemiah took course it should be as well done ne dicta factis erubescerent as Tertullian phraseth it that their saying and doing might be alike We will require nothing of them But be of those that lend looking for nothing againe Luke 6. no not the principal So will we do as thou hast said Denying our selves and all worldly lusts that we may get and keep a good conscience that most precious Jewel that ever the heart of man was acquainted with Then I called the Priests As fittest to tender so solemne an oath and to bear witnesse in a case of that nature And took an oath of them That is of them that had promised restitution that they might not start back nor repent them of their good resolutions Our hearts are deceitful and must be by all good means held up to duty Quo teneas vultus mutantem Protea nodo else they will slip collar as those slippery Jewes Jer. 34.10 11. retracted and repealed their vow It was therfore well and wisely done of Nehemiah to bind them thus to the good abearance as Asa and Josiah had done before him An oath is an hedge which a man may not break which yet that great Heteroclite of Rome maketh a sport of For when the Cardinals meet to chuse a new Pope they make him swear to certain Articles And Sleydan saith that no sooner is he chosen but he breaks them all and checks their insolencies as if they went about to limit his power to whom all power is given in heaven and earth Is not this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse monster Saint Paul speaketh of 2 Thes 2.8 Verse 13. Also I shook my lap By this rite running into their senses this holy man runs with terrours into the eyes and hearts of all that should perfidiously forswear themselves by a direful denunciation of divine vengeance In all lawful oaths there is an imprecation though it be not alwayes exprest Gen. 14.23 Heb. 3. So God cast out every man from his house See Zech. 5.4 5. with the Note And from his labour i. e. From his layings-up the fruit of his labour his lands and estate got by a diligent hand The Hebrew word signifieth labour even to lassitude and fainting And all the Congregation said Amen In token of hearty assent and assurance And praised the Lord There was a general joy and many an humble chearful and thankful heart lifted up to God for sinne so redressed and poor people relieved And the people did according to this promise This was real thankfulnesse It is not the fumbling out of a few good words as God I thank thee praised be God c. that will passe Thanksdoing is the proof of Thanksgiving and the good life of the thankful is the life of thankfulnesse Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the Most High Psal 50.14 Verse 14. From the time that I was appointed to be their governour He was not ambitious of the office nor usurped it but was commanded to it as the word signifieth by the King of Persia and clearly called to it by God Almighty Otherwise he could have shrouded himself in willing secrecy as good corn lieth in the bottome of the heap and as good balsam sinketh to the bottome of the vessel I and my brethren have not eaten the bread c. Rulers as they are nursing-fathers to the people Isa 49.23 so by them they are to be nourished and their state maintained See 1 Kings 4.7 It is also observed that although our Saviour Christ wrought many miracles yet he never wrought any about honour or money but that about tribute rather then that should go undischarged he commanded a fish to pay it Hence also he saith not Date Matth. 22. Rom. 13.6 but Reddite Give but Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars And Saint Paul saith ye pay tribute as being a due debt Neverthelesse in this great necessity Nehemiah le ts go his own right and leaveth it to others like as the Eagle is said Tostat ex Plin. when she seeketh her prey to leave a good part thereof to the birds that follow her for the same end Verse 15. But the former Governours Those that had been betwixt Zorobabel and Nehemiah Ezra was no Governour These had been strict in exacting their five pounds a day or for the head of every family so much besides bread for necessity and wine for delight Not so Nehemiah he would not use his power to over-burden those poore whom these Usurers oppressed This he here instanceth for their further conviction Yea even their servants bear rule over the people Exacting what they please of them this their masters should have seene to and not suffered for the servants sinne is the masters reproach When Charles the fifth resolved to lay down the Empire some of his Courtiers and Counsellours advised him to retaine still the name and authority of Emperour and to govern the Kingdome by his under-officers His answer to them was Ah me praesente ita res administratis c. Alas now that I am amongst you things are so ill carried that ye are complained of by all what then would you do if I should not have an eye upon you Val. Max. Christ p. 197. and how would you domineere like so many Sultans the word here used and follow the administration of Justice as a trade only with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gaine But so did not I because of the fear of God The best retentive from sinne certainly a spur to good a curb from evil Hence David calleth it a cleane feare Psal 19.9 and the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil saith Solomon And Aristotle hath this Probleme Why are men credited more then other creatures The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because man alone holdeth and feareth God therefore you may trust him But where this fear is not no good is to be expected but the contrary Gen. 20.11 See the Note on verse 9. Verse 16. Yea also I continued in the work He meaneth saith Lyra that he wrought with his own hands to draw on others the more when they should see their Governour himself so intent to the work He was constant at it and held out till all was
ò grati â—periuntur Cic. Verse 2. And is was found written It was God who directed the Reader to that very place like as he did the Eunuch to Esay 53.7 8. where reading of the meeknesse of Jesus Christ he was transformed into the same image as was likewise Johannes Isaac a Jew converted by reading the same chapter Hoc ego ingenuè profiteor saith he Caput illud ad fidem Christi me adduxisse This I confesse ingenuously that lighting upon that chapter I was brought thereby to the faith of Christ Austin thought he heard a voice saying Tolle lege take up the Bible and reade accordingly he took it up and opening it fell upon that text in the Romanes chap. 13.14 which was the main meanes of his Conversion That Mordecai had told of Bigthana c. See chap. 2.21 Verse 3. And the King said What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this Lyra saith that he had waited six yeares for a reward and had none In Princes Courts men are sure to meet with two evils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so in heaven The Butler forgate Joseph Solomon speaketh of a poor wise man who by his wisdome delivered the City yet no man remembred that same poor man Eccl. 9.15 This is merces mundi the worlds wages Mordecai had saved the Kings life and yet is unrewarded The Kings of Persia used to be very bountiful to those that had well deserved of them â—erod l. 8. or of the Common-wealth calling such Orosangae and setting down both their names and their acts in the Chronicles as Herodotus testifieth Among the rest he mentioneth one Phylacus Qui inter benè de rege meritos ascriptus est multo tractu soli donatus â—erod l. 3. who was put upon record for his good service to the King and rewarded with a great deal of land given him Others had great store of gold and silver and a gallant house as Democedes Crotoniates the Physician who cured Darius had at Susis It is well known out of Xenophon what rich gifts Cyrus gave to his friends and followers chains of gold â—ib 8 Cyroâ—ed armelets bridles bossed with gold Persian Stoles called Dorophoricae c. Herodotus telleth us that this Ahashuerus alias Xerxes gave Megabyzus for his good service at Babylon a golden Mill weighing six talents Plutarch writeth that he gave Themistocles above two hundred talents and three Cities besides viz. Magnesia Lampsacus and Mâ—untis to finde him food â—lut in Themist and for clothing and furniture two more viz. Percos and Palaescepsis How came it then to passe that good Mordecai was so forgotten Surely it was a great fault in this ungrateful King but Gods holy hand was in it that Mordecai should not have no present recompence but that it should be deferred till a fitter opportunity when God might be more glorified in the preservation of his people and destruction of their enemies Let us not therefore be weary of well-doing for however men deal by us we shall be sure to reap in due season if we faint not Gal. 6.9 God best seeth when a mercy will be most sweet and seasonable When his people are low enough and the enemy high enough then usually it appeareth that there is a God that judgeth in the earth and a rich reward for the righteous Men may neither remunerate nor remember the good turnes we have done them but there is a book of remembrance written before the Lord for all them that feare him and that think upon his name Mal. 3.16 See my Treatise on that text called The Righteous mans Recompence annexed to my Comment upon the Small Ptophets Then said the Kings servants The Eunuches or Gentlemen of the bed-chamber ingenuous men they were and not disaffected to Mordecai whom yet they could not but know to be a great eye-sore to Prince Haman Si juvenes isti vulgari invidentâ—â— morbo laborâssent saith Lavater If these young men had been sick of that common disease of envy they would have extenuated his good service and have said Mordecai is a despised Jew a stranger a captive If he revealed the conspiracy he did but his duty and provided thereby well for his own safety Is it not reward enough that he lives and at Court where he hath a place an office c Courtiers we know love not to have others come over their heads but think all lost which themselves acquire not Qâ—icquid noâ— acquititur danâ— num est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xen. Cyrop l. 8. Ep. Praes Enarr in Hos as Seneca saith Sejanus did We know how it was in the Courts of Pharaoh Saul Herod That 's a rare commendation that is given by Xenephon of Cyrus his Courtiers that though a man should seek or choose blindfold he could not misse of a good man Davids Court might very well be such Psal 101. and Queen Elizabeths and George Prince of Anhalts of whom Melancthon writeth that his chamber was Ecclesia Academia Curia a Church an University and a Court Palaestra pietatis literarum as Tremelius saith of Cranmers family a School of Piety and Learning There is nothing done for him And yet the Apocryphal Additions chap. 12. ver 5.6 say otherwise Verse 4. And the King said Who is in the Court Josephus saith that he first asked What a clock it was and understanding that it was morn-light for so long he had heard his servants reade and till then it was not that Mordecai's matter was mentioned Haman being now ready to get a warrant for his execution he asked Who 's there without as desirous to proceed by counsel in a businesse of that consequence Now Haman was come c. He was early up and at Court for a mischief but never the nearer save only to his own utter ruine To speak to the King to hang Mordecai Which till it were done he could neither sleep in quiet nor eat with comfort Little considered he how the Gallowes groaned for himself The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead Prov. 11.8 Vivit adhuc Christus regnat regnabit usque Atque hostes omnes sub ditione premit Verse 5. Behold Haman standeth in the Court For into the Presence he might not come uncalled And to be thus called in he held it no small happinesse but was soon confuted He came into the room as men come to a Lottery with his head full of hopes but he went thence with his heart full of blanks And the King said let him come in See here saith Merlin a sweet and special Providence of God in this that Ahashuerus should take advice about honouring Mordecai and not of his servants that attended upon his person but of Haman then present though for another purpose and concealing the man he meant should make Haman say what was fit to be done and then do it accordingly Neither the King nor his
the Papists falsely infer from Matth 5.22 dispossessing a man of his wit and reason and disfiguring his body with fierinesse of the face swelling of the veines stammering of the tongue gnashing of the teeth and many other impotent and unmanly behaviours Hence angry men were counselled in the hear of their fit to look themselves in a glasse where they may see themselves swolne like a toad glowing like a divel c. But Elihues anger was not of this kind A fire it was but the 〈◊〉 of God as holy Zeal is called Cant. 8.6 a most vehement flame as it is there rendred kindled upon the hearth of his heart by the spirit of judgement and of burning Isai 4.4 and such as many waters could not quench for this zeal is the extreme heat of all the affections and the coales thereof are coales of fire Cant. 8.6 only we must see that it burn clear and quick without all smoak of sin wherein though Elihu somewhat faulted yet because he was right for the main all was well taken We are apt to mingle sin with our best actions and so to plow with an Oxe and an Asse But God considers whereof we are made and graciously layes the finger of mercy on the scars of our sinnes as that Limner in the Story Of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite Descended he was of good parents Fortes creantur fortibus bonis who gave him a good name signifying He is my God or My God is Jehovah to inmind him of his duty whereunto we have need of all helps that may be His fathers name Barachel signifyeth One whom God hath blessed He had blessed him indeed in so good a son as could not but make him a glad father Prov. 10.1 The Buzite he is called either from his Progenitor Buz the son of Nahor who was the brother of Abraham and had by Milcah Huz his first-born of whom some think Job came and Buz his brother Gen. 22. 21. Tradit in Gen. Or else from his country the City of Buz a City of Idumea Jer. 25.23 Hierom will have this Elihu to be the same with Balaam who whiles young was a Prophet of God and dealt thus divinely with Job but afterwards being corrupted by Balac he became the Divels Spelman This I look upon as a Jewish tradition not much to be credited His pedigree is here more fully described Vt certitudo hâ—st ria ostenderetur saith Mercer That we might not doubt of the truth and certainty of the history so circumstanced as also because Elihu did better then the rest of Jobs friends who proved no better then Satans instruments How he came to make one amongst them we know not It is conceived that hearing of the going of the other three by consent to visit Job he also went to hear their conferences not doubting but that he should thereby very much benefit his understanding But failing in some sort of his expectation and finding both parties out in their discourses he steps forth and takes the boldnesse to interpose as an Arbiter or Moderator blaming both sides and beginning in the six following Chapters that determination of the difference betwixt them which God himself will afterwards finish Mean-while it is well observed by learned Beza Beza â—rafaâ—â— this chap. that Elihu in blaming Job as there was cause doth for the most part interpret Jobs words far otherwise then he meant them and moreover that even in finding fault with those things that were justly to be found fault withal he kept not alwayes that moderation that was meet which is evident to godly men and especially such as are of a more earnest nature and disposition so hard a thing is it even when we do well not to offend on the one side or on the other But if we consider how far Job being thereto driven by the importunity of his Accusers and his most intolerable calamity did range out of the right way and how we are all given even to the uttermost to defend and maintain our credit and estimation especially when we are therein touched by those men who ought least of all others to have done the same We shall confesse that it was very requisite and necessary for Job rather to be censured in this sharp manner as he was then after any milder sort to the end he might the better acknowledg and humble himself before God as alwayes he had done till through the slanderous speeches of his friends he was drawn into these altercations Of the kindred of Ram â— E familia Syra so Tremellius as if Ram were put for Aram. The Chaldee saith it is put for Abraham who was first called Râ—m secondly Abram thirdly Abraham But Elihu was of the family of Nâ—hor rather then of Abraham and Ram seemeth to have been some famous man of that family Because he justified himself rather then God This he did not directly totidem verbis but by consequence and Elihu was kindled at it It is a blessed thing to have a stomack for God and to be blown up in his Cause as was Moses Exod. 22. Eliah with his Zelando zelavi Phinehas David Christ Job 3.17 the Angel of Ephesus Rev 22. To be all on a light fire with love to God and indignation against all that do him any dishonour by word or deed Jâ—b had uttered some discontented speeches against God which reflected upon his Justice and Goodnesse he had also despaired of a restauration and most earnestly wished for death c. and thereby seemed to justifie himselfe rather then God this good Elihu could not brook Verse 3. Aâ—so against his three friends was his wrath kindled True zeal is of a most masculine dis-ingaged couragious nature like fire it catcheth on every side and is impartial Elihu was a man made â—ll of fire walking among stubâ—le as Châ—ysosâ—om saith of Peter And surely he that is not angry against sin whether in himself or others it is because either he knowes it not or hates it not as he ought He also kept within the bounds of modesty and moderation and expressed himselfe without bitternesse We read of Idacius that he would needs be doing with Sâ—lvianus and Instantius both Priscillianists Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 17 1. But by his passionate and intemperate language he not only not converted them but made them worse Because they had found no answer They were gravelled and non-plust Act. Mon. as the Popish Doctors were oft by the Martyrs Philpot Ridley c. yea by those of the weaker sort as Anne Askew Alice Driver c. Speed 11 45. ex Grafton Hollinsâ—cad c. The Prolocutor in Convocation Anno 1553 confessed that those dejected Ministers afterwards Martyrs had the Word on their side but the Prelates in place the possession of the sword and that was their best answer to the others Arguments And yet had condemned Job condemned him for a wicked man as the word signifieth So the Popish
on this Text Men that is broken crackt-creatures Morbis mortique obnoxii woful weights sorry and sickly Caitives This to know savingly is the beginning of true Humility saith Augustine here PSAL. X. VErs 1. Why standest then afar off O Lord As if thou-hadst forgotten what thou hadst promised thy people in the former Psalm which the Greek and Latine Versions make to be one and the same with this as having no title and tending almost to the same purpose Hence the difference in Numbers which holdeth almost to the end of the Psalter viz. to Psal 148. Why hidest thou thy self in time of trouble So God seemeth to do when he helpeth not presently neither doth any thing more trouble the Saints in affliction than the want of Gods gracious presence This maketh them thus to expostulate and lament after the Lord not quarrel as those Hypocrites did Isa 58.3 or revile as Caligula did his Jupiter taking up that Verse in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or with him little better in the holy History who said Behold this evil is of the Lord and what should I wait for the Lord any longer 2 King 6.33 The good Soul knows that God waiteth to be gracious and as he seldom cometh at our time so at his own which is ever the best time he never faileth Vers 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost The wicked in his pride doth persecute c. Heb. hotly pursueth and that out of his pride the true cause of Persecution whatever else is pretended And this is fitly here alledged and urged as an Argument to move God to make hast See Deut. 32.27 The Saints fare the better for the insolencies and outrages of their enemies whose ruine is thereby accelerated and somewhat God will do the sooner for his people lest the enemy exalt himself Psal 140.8 and say Our hand is high the Lord hath not done this Let them be taken in the devieâ—s c. As all Persecutors are sure to be In which regard Tertullian well adviseth Scapula Si nobis non parcis tibi parce si non tibi Carthagini If thou wilt not spare us Christians yet spare thy self or if not thy self yet thy City Carthage which else will smart and smoke for thy cruelty Vers 3. For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire Though the Soul of the wicked desire evil Prov. 21.10 yet he glorieth in it as did that Thrasonical Lamech Gen. 4. and that Pyrgopolynices Nebuchadnezzar Isa 10.9 10 11 12. See Psal 5 Phil. 3.19 This the just and jealous God cannot bear as neither that which followeth He blesseth the Covetous Vt sapientem providum as a wise man and good Husband So they in Malachy who said And now we count the proud happy c. Felix scelus virtus vocatur Whom the Lord abhorreth smiting his hands with indignation at his dishonest gain Ezek. 22.13 like as Balac did at Balaam Senecaâ— with whom he was deeply displeased Numb 24.10 Vers 4. The wicked through the pride of his countendnce That is of his heart appearing in his countenance as a master-pock in his fore-head For Pride buddeth Ezek. 7.10 the pride of Israel testifieth to his face Hos 5.5 the thoughts are oft seen in the countenance and the heart is printed upon the face Isa 3.9 'T is a hard thing saith one to have a brazen face and a broken heart Will not seek He thinks it not necessary or worth the while and his practice is agreeable that is nought all over Pride in the Soul is like a great swelling in the body which besides that it is a dangerous Symptom unfits it for any good service and is apt to putrifie and to break and to run with loath some and soul matter So doth Pride disable the Soul from doing duty and at last breaketh forth into odious deeds abominable to God and men It is observed that the ground whereon the Peacock useth to sit is by that occasion made exceeding barren so where pride roosteth and reigneth no good groweth God is not in all his thoughts God is neither in his head as here nor in his heart Psal 14.1 nor in his words Psal 12.4 nor in his ways Tit. 1.16 he is wholly without God in the world Ephes 2. he studies Atheism and all his thoughts are There is no God so this Text may be read he would fain so perswade himself Vers 5. His ways are always grievous As he Pleaseth not God so he is contrary and vexatious to men Via ejus semper terrent so Aben-Ezra The Psalmist here noteth him for such an one as the Cyclops are set forth to have been by the Poets Thy Judgements are far above out of his sight He looketh not so high but reckoneth that quae supra nos nihil ad nos If he read them at any time he regardeth them as little as he doth the story of forein Wars wherein he is not concerned As for all his enemies he puffeth at them He holdeth himself man good enough to make his party good with them and that he can overthrow them all with a puffe He defieth them and domintereth over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost as the Greek renders it Vers 6. He hath said in his heart I shall not be moved So said a better man once Psal 30.6 but he was quickly confuted If a beleever conclude by the force of his faith that he shall never be moved from that good estate in which Christ hath set him this is the triumph of trust and not the vain vaunt of presumption For I shall never be in adversity The Chaldee hath it Quoniam non sum in malo and understandeth it of the evil of sin as Exod. 32.22 and then the sense is because the wicked man suffereth not the punishment of sin therefore he conceiteth that he is innocent and without sin See Hos 12.8 with the Note Vers 7. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit Such cursing men are cursed men and for such slippery and deceitful persons the Lord is the avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.8 Vnder his tongue is mischief that is in his heart which is by Nature placed beneath the Tongue making its use of it for much mischief Matth. 12.34 Jam. 3.8 The word Toch here rendred fraud signifieth properly the middle of any thing Quoniam fraus in modio cordis est saith R. David because fraud is in the middle of the heart and there-hence sent into the mouth Vers 8. He sitteth in the lurking-places c. A description of an High-way-robber saith Diodate under which name are meant all violent and fraudulent men and their actions Vers 9. He lieth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den See Job 38.40 with the Note When hee draweth him into his Net that is into his bonds debts morgages saith Chrysostome When a poor man is once gotten into these Nets wicked Oppressors do not only rob but ravish them coyning their mony
insidiatores meos such as Saul and Doeg were who looked upon David with an evill eye and watched for his halting It was the wisdome of the Lacedemonians alwaies to send two Ambassadors together which disagreed among themselves Aristoc Polit. lib. 2. cap. 7 that so they might mutually eye one anothers actions The wicked will bee eying and prying into the practises of good people who must therefore watch and pray Vers 12. Deliver mee not over unto the will of mine enemies Heb. Unto the soul for the wicked are carried on against the godly with all their soul as it were For false witnesses Such as whereof Sauls court was full viz. his Aiones Negones who fed his humour by traducing and denigrating innocent David And such as breath out cruelty As Saul breathed out threatning against the Disciples Act. 9. So did Davids spit-fires Vers 13. I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved Saved hee was then by his Faith which drank to him as it were in a cup of Nepenthes and fetcht him again when ready to swoon and sink See Psal 119.92 The word rendred Unlesse here Lule habeâ— puncta stipra infra is as the Masorites note one of the fifteen Scripture-words that were extraordinarily pointed by the men of the great Synagogue The reason whereof given by Kimchi and others as if David doubted of his salvation is not satisfactory nor sound To see the goodnesse of the Lord That is to taste one sense usually put for another the soul also hath her senses and these must bee habitually exercised to discern good and evill Heb. 5. ult In the Land of the living That is here on earth Psal 316.9 Isa 38. â—â— where men live and I my self have not only a portion of life with them but a promise of many good things besides To blame therefore was good David when hee said in his haste All men are lyars Prophets and all who had promised him the Kingdome Psal 116.10 But the best have their passions which they daily outgrow and adde to their faith patience 2 Pet. 1.5 6. And albeit as Calvin here noteth every ones case is not like Davids who had particular promises concerning this life beyond many other faithfull persons yet because according to every mans faith it shall bee unto him let us all likewise trust in God as wee are all hereupon exhorted in the next words Vers 14. Wait on the Lord Expecta expecta See how earnest good David is with himself and others for hee knew mens dullnesse and the difficulty of the duty Religious men find it more easie to bear evill than to wait till the promised good bee enjoyed Heb. 10.36 the spoyling of their goods required patience but this more than ordinary Let our distance from God our dependance upon him and our undone condition without him bee but considered and wee shall bee the willinger to wait yea to want and go without some things that we are but too much set upon Bee of good courage Be confirmed hold fast play the man as the Seventy have it and the Apostle useth the same word 1 Cor. 16.13 and let not the big words of thine enemies make thee to cast away thy confidence which hath so great recompence of reward And hee shall strengthen thy heart Or let thine heart be confirmed chear up hold out faith and patience Wait I say on the Lord i. e. De die in diem expecta wait still do it from one day to another God is a free agent neither is it fit for us to send for him by a Post Many of his promises bear a long date but they are sure and infallible Wait therefore and why See Habakkuk 2.3 with the Note PSAL. XXVIII Vers 1. Unto thee will I cry O Lord my Rock That thou mayest grant mee what I begged so earnestly of thee in the former Psalm especially vers 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after c. For this Psalm is of the same subject with that and seemeth to have been made much about the same time viz. after that David had twice spared Sauls life 1 Sam. 24.4 5 6 c. 26.12 21. Only here he expresseth himself not as if hee had been a private person and in daily danger of his life but as destined and designed to the Kingdome by Almighty God to whom therefore hee prayeth for himself and the people and against their inplacable enemies with so great confidence as that he presently praiseth him for his request obtained vers 6. Bee not silent to mee Cease not as deaf from mee If God seem to be deaf to us wee must cry the louder that having prepared our hearts by such a seeming silence hee may cause his ears to hear Psal 10.17 which he will not fail to do when once wee set up our note and make bitter moan Lest if thou bee silent c. Here are his reasons to help his hope to bee heard God is well pleased that wee argue it out with him in prayer Like them that go down into the Pit Or dirty dungeon that is the grave or as Kimchi lest I bee as the wicked that go down to Hell The Righteous perisheth Isa 57.1 that is the World looks upon them as lost Vers 2. When I lift up my hand An ordinary gesture in prayer expressing faith for they held out their open hands as craving beggars with the Palmes upward 1 King 8.22 and helping fervency whilst hands and heart went up together to God in the heavens Tertul. Lam. 3.40 Preces fundimns colum 〈◊〉 misericordiâ—◠〈◊〉 c. Toward thy holy Onaâ—â—â— Called Debbir because there-hence God spake and gave answer Toward this aâ—ype of Chrift the Word essentiall David lifteth up his hands that it might bee as a Ladder whereby his prayer might get up to Heaven Hered Clio. The Devill also who delighteth to be Gods ape but for mans mischief gave or and câ—at 〈◊〉 and elswhere but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtfull and lying as to Croesus Pyrrbus others But the eternity of Israel cannot lye 1 Sam. 15. every word of God is pure hee is a shield to them that put their trust in him Prov. 30.5 Vers 3. Draw mee not away with the wicked Who seek to draw mee away from my setled purpose of attending upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.35 and are therefore likely to be drawn away by thee to Execution as Malefactors are drawn hanged and quartered there wanteth but a hurdle a horse and a halter said Belknapp to do mee right as Sisera was drawn by God to the River Kishon to be ruined Sen. Judg. 4.7 Ducunt volentem fata nolentem trahunt Which speak peace to their Neighbours but mischief is in their hearts Saul and his Courtiers are here noted Pers Astutam vapido servantes pectore vulpem The Florentine Secretary Machiavell was not born of many years after but the Devill was
of Hell as it were and doth therefore set up as loud a cry after God as once Micah did after his mawmets Judg. 18. and farre greater cause he had And to the Lord I made supplication He knew that the same hand alone must cure him that had wounded him neither was Gods favour recoverable but by humble confession and hearty prayer Some think to glide away their groans with games and their cares with cards to bury their terrours and themselves in wine and sleep They run to their musick with Saul to building of Cities with Cain when cast out of Gods presence c. sed haret lateri lethalis arundo but as the wounded Deer that hath the deadly arrow sticking in his side well he may frisk up and down for a time but still he bleedeth and will ere long fall down dead so it is with such as feek not comfort in God alone as make not supplication to Him for Him as return not to God who hath smitten them nor seek the Lord of Hoasts Isa 9.13 Vers 9. What profit is there in my blood c i.e. In my life say some q. d. To what purpose have I lived sith Religion is not yet settled In my death say others Diolat and better a violent death especially and out of thy favour Now all beleevers have ever abhorred such a kind of death before they were reconciled to God and had a true feeling of his grace Shall the dust praise thee c See Psal 6.6 with the Note Vers 10. Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me When faith hath once said to God what it hath to fay it will wait for a good answer relying on his mercy and expecting relief from the Lord as here David doth looking in the mean whiles through the anger of his corrections to the sweetneffe of his loving countenance as by a Rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud Vers 11. Thou hast turned from mee my mourning c. Sustulisti luctum latitiam attulisti See the Note on vers 5. Ver. 12. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee i.e. That my tongue oyled from an heart enlarged may exalt thee according to my bounden duty and thine abundant desert A good tongue that watcheth all opportunities to glorifie God and edifie others is certainly a mans great glory but an evill tongue is his foul shame Basil expoundeth glory by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit or soul The Chaldee Paraphrast Laudabunt to honor abiles mundi The glorious ones of the World shall praise thee O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Epiphonematica pathetica conclusio Davidi ex summis calamitatibus erepto familiaris He concludeth as he began ingaging his heart to everlasting thankfullnesse and therein becoming a worthy pattern to all posterity PSAL. XXXI A Psalm of David made say Vatablus and others at that time when Saul pursued David in the Wildernesse of Maon 1 Sam. 23.24 But by many circumstances and passages of this Psalm it appeareth more probable that it was as the former composed when Absolom was up 2 Sam. 15.10 c. See vers 11 12 22. of this Psalm with 2 Sam. 17.24 27. 19.33 Joseph Autiq. lib. 7. cap 9. Vers 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trust Hic Psalmus varia mixtus magna affectnum vicissitudine insignis est This Psalm is strangely mixt and made up of many and diverse passions and petitions according to the change of times and estate In the time of affliction he prayeth in the time of consolation he praiseth the Lord Ercles 7.15 In these three first verses is little said but what had been before said and is already opened Let mee never be ashamed i.e. Repulsed worsted defeated In thy Righteousnesse And not according to mine own Righteousnesse saith Kimchi or according to thy faithfullnesse Vers 2. 〈…〉 This repetition of his petition is no vain babbling as Mat. 6.9 but an effect and an evidence of greatest earnestneffe as Mat. â—6 44 For an house of defence Where the enemy can as little hurt mee as when I was in the Hold 1 Sam. 22.4 Vers 3. For thou art my Rock and my fortresse Such places David had been forced to fly to but stil he trusted in God Lead mee and guide mee Duc me deduc me A Metaphor from Captaines and Generalls who lead on their armies with greatest art and industry Vatab. Vers 4. Pull mee out of the net That noted net as the Hebrew hath it Nam Zâ— denet at rem notam omnibus saith Kimchi David was not caught in it but the enemies presumed he would be so selling the hide before the beast was taken as did likewife the proud Spaniards when coming against England in eighty eight they triumphed before the victory and sang Tu qua Romanas suevisti temnere leges Hispano disces subdere collajugo But blessed be God the net brake and wee escaped Psal 124.7 For thou art my strength As a tree is strongest at the root and a branch or bough next the trunck or stock and the further it groweth out from thence the smaller and weaker it groweth too So the nearer the Creature is to God the stronger and on the contrary Vers 5. Into thine hand I commit my spirit So did our Saviour so did St. Stephen and diverse of the dying Martyrs with these very words most apt and apposite surely for such a purpose But what a wretch was that Huberâ—â— who dyed with these words in his mouth I yeeld my goods to the King my body to the grave and my soul to the Devill Thou hast redeemed And so hast best right unto mee O Lord God of truth I know whom I have trusted Vers 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities i.e. Idols or ought else besides the living God who giveth us all things richly to injoy 1 Tim. 6.17 See Jon. 2.8 with the Note Vanitates vanitatis Vatablus rendreth it and telleth us that some understand it of Astrology R. David doth so in this Note of his upon the Text Astrologos in cantatores in fuga mea non consului sed in Domino prophetis ejus confisus sum I have not consulted Astrologers and Soothsayers in my trouble but have trusted to the Lord and his Prophets Vers 7. I will be glad and rejoyce In the midst of trouble faith will find matter of joy as extracting abundance of comfort in most desperate distresses from the precious promises and former experiences Thou hast known my soul in adversity God knows our souls best Psal 1.6 and wee know him best in adversity Isa 63.16 the Church thought she should know him in the midst of all his austerities Vers 8. Thou hast not shut mee up c. i.e. Not given mee into their power See Psal 27.12 Thou hast set my feet in a large room So that
eye hath seen it as Aben-Ezra observeth So doth Keep not silence To that they opened their mouth wide against me Ibid. Vers 23. Stir up thy self and awake This is the same in effect with the beginning of the Psalm to shew his ardour and intention of affection Vers 24. According to thy righteousness i.e. for the honour of thy Justice wherein else thou art likely to suffer And let them not rejoyce over me For I quarter Armes as I may so say with thee Lord and my disgrace will reflect upon thee Vers 25. Ah so would we haveâ—t Heb. Ah ah our soul that is our desire we are voti compotes We have swallowed him up As Swine do swill or ravenous beasts their prey Vers 26. Let them be ashamed c. They shall so and this prayer against the Churches enemies shall still speak effectually Vers 27. Let them shout for joy c. He concludeth with hearty prayer for the Church as he doth in divers other Psalms That favour my righteous cause Though perhaps they dare do no more than inwardly favour it and by their prayers to God promote it Let them say continually c. Let them have continual cause to praise God for this sweet property that he delighteth in his peoples prosperity and afflicteth them not from his heart nor grieveth the Children of men but for their greatest good Lam. 3.35 Vers 28. And my tongue c. I do solemnly promise that thy praises shall never dye on my hand c. PSAL. XXXVI A Psalm of David the Servant of the Lord See Psal 18. title Then hee had well-nigh finished his Ruledom here he is about to begin it and therefore assumeth this title Serum est nomen officii Servant is a name of Office or Duty Tertullian faith of Augustus we may better of David Gratius ei fuit nomen pietatis quam potestatis he took more pleasure in names of duty than of dignity so those heavenly Courtiers rejoyce rather to be stiled Angels that is Messengers and Ministring Spirits than Thrones Principalities Powers c. Vers 1. Hieron Vulgata The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart Some say t is libbi for libbo Jod for Van and render it within or in the midst of his own heart and so make it the same in sense with Psal 14.1 but these make too bold with the text David that zealous Servant of God was fully perswaded of and deeply affected with the profligate wickedness of some graceless persons such as were Saul and his bloud-sucking Sycophants that they were stark Atheists and had not the least spark of common goodness left in them that they had neither the fear of God nor shame of the World to reign them in from any outrage This is mine opinion of them saith David I am strongly so conceited and I will give you my grounds I speak as to wise men judge yee what I say Vers 2. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes This is the first proof of the foregoing charge and the fountain of all the following exorbitancies See the like 2 Tim. 3.2 there self-love brings all out of order here self-flattery Sibi palpum obtrudit he stroketh himself on the head and saith I shall have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of mine heart to adde drunkenness to thirst and rebellion to sin Deut. 29.19 Thus he sootheth and smootheth up himself neither shall any one perswade him but that his penny is as good silver as the best of them all Thus he calleth evil good and good evil and proudly bolstering of himself in his sinful practices he maketh a bridge of his own shadow and so falleth into the ditch of destruction Vntil his iniquity be found to be hateful Till God by his Judgements uncase him and men out of utter hatred of his execrable practices tell him his own to his teeth Thus Stephen Gardiner being charged of cruelty by Mr. Bradford answered in open Court I for my part have been challenged for being too gentle often times which thing Bonner confirmed and so did almost all the audience that he had ever been too mild and moderate But Doctor Taylour told him another tale Act. Mon. 1461. Ibid. 1380. when he said to him How dare you for shame look me or any Christian man in the face seeing you have forsaken the truth denied our Saviour Christ done contrary to your Oath c. So Bonner They report me said he to the Lord Mayor to seek bloud and call me Bloudy Bonner whereas God knows I never sought any mans bloud in all my life To whom Mr. Smith the Martyr answered Why my Lord Ibid. 1537. do you put on this fair visor before my Lord Mayor to make him beleeve that you seek not my bloud to cloak your Murthers through my stoutness as you call it Have you not had my brother Tomkins before you whose hand when you had burnt most cruelly you burnt his whole body and not only of him but of a great many of Christs Members c So upon the Martyrdom of Master Philpot a certain unknown good woman in a Letter to Bonner wrote thus Indeed you are called the common Cut-throat and general slaughterssave to all the Bishops of England and therefore it is wisdom for me and all other simple sheep of the Lord to keep us out of your butcherly stall as long as we can especially since you have such store already that you are not able to drink all their bloud lest you should break your belly and therefore you let them lye still and dye for hunger Ibid. 1672. c. And soon after you have broken a Pot indeed Mr. Philpot but the precious Word contained therein is so notably therewithall shed abroad that the sweet savour thereof hath wonderfully well refreshed all the true Household or Congregation of Christ that they cannot abide any more the stinking savour of your filthy ware that came from the dunghil of Rome though your Lordships Judasses set them to sale every where to fill up your Baggs c. Thus these bloud-suckers stunk above ground and it is probable that the Saints shall look upon such in the next World throughout all eternity with execrable and everlasting detestation Vers 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit That is saith Calvin he hath something to say to excuse and justifie himself to the hardening of his heart and hastening of his destruction as there is no Wool so coarse but will take some colour But God will one day wash off his varnish with rivers of Brimstone hee can skill of none other Language but that of Hell the words of his mouth are desiderium dolus there is no truth and as little trust to be put in any thing that he speaketh And why there is no fear of God before his eyes See a like Text Rom. 3.13 14 15. He hath left off to be wise and to do good That
greatnesse before Absolens disturbed mee and drove mee out though he could not but be sensible of such a losse we know what miserable moans Cicere made when fent into banishment how impatient Cato and many others were in like case so that they became their own deathsmen but after Thee Lord and the enjoyment of thy publick ordinances from which I am now alasse hunted and hindred After that Gods holy Spirit hath once touched a soul it will never be quier untill it stands pointed God-ward Vers 2. My Soul thirsteth for God More than ever it did once for the waâ—er of the Well of Bethelem and that because he is the living God the fountain of living waters that only can cooll and quench my desires Jer. 2.13 17.13 so as I shall never thirst again Joh. 4.14 whereas of all things else we may say Quo plus sunt pota plus sitiuntur aqua The Rabbines note here Ovid. Kimchi Aben-Ezra that David saith not so hungreth but so thirsteth my soul because men are more impatient of thirst than of hunger they can go diverse dayes without meat Curt ex Diodoro but not without drink Alexander lost a great part of his army marching through the Wildernesse of the Susitans by want of water When shall I come and appear before God Heb. And see the face of God viz. in his Tabernacle Eheu igitur quando tandem mibi miserrimo dabitur ut te in aede tua conspiciam These earnest pantings inquietations and unsatisfiable desires after God and his ordinances are sure signes of true grace But woe to our worship-scorners c. Vers 3. My tears have been my meat day and night Hunters say the Hart sheddeth tears or something like tears when he is pursued and not able to escape Hereunto David might allude Sure it is that as Hinds by calving so men by weeping cast out their sorrowes Job 39.3 Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor And Act. and Mon. 1457. Affert solatium lugentibus suspiriorum societ as saith Basil sighs are an ease of sorrow Of Mr. Bradford the Martyr it is reported that in the midst of dinner he used oft to muse having his hat over his eyes from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on his trencher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The better any are So Psal 80.5 the more inclined to weeping as David than Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. Here we have him telling us that his tears were his meat or his bread as Gregory readeth it and he giveth this reason that like as the more bread wee eat the dryer we are and the more thirsty so the more tears of godly sorrow we let fall the more we thirst after that living fountain springing from above Davids greatest grief was that he was banished from the Sanctuary and next to that the reproachfull blasphemy of his enemies hitting him in the teeth with his God as if not able or not willing to relieve him now in his necessity and bitterly upbraiding him with his hopes as altogether vain Whiles they continually say unto mee Where is thy God Violenti certe impetus saith Vatablus here these were violent shocks indeed and such as wherewith Davids faith might have been utterly overthrown had it not been the better rooted and withall upheld by the speciall power of the Spirit of grace Other of Gods suffering Saints have met with the like measure At Orleance in France as the bloody Papists murthered the Protestants they cryed out where is now your God what is become of all your prayers and Psalms now Let your God that you called upon save you if he can Mr. Clarks Gen. Martyrol P. 316. Others sang in scorn Judge and revenge my cause O Lord Others Have mercy on us Lord c. The Queen Mother of Scotland having received aid from France forced the Protestants for a while to retire to the High-Lands whereupon she scoffingly said where is now John Knox his God My God is now stronger than his yea even in Fife but her braggs lasted not long for within a few dayes Mr. Knox his life by Mr. Clark six hundred Protestants beat above four thousand French and Scots c. Gods Servants fare the better for the insolencies of their enemies who when they say where is now their God might as well say betwixt the space of the new and old Moon where is now the Moon when as it is never nearer the Sun than at that time Vers 4. When I remember these things viz. My present pressures compared with my former happiness Cic. de Fin. 1. 2. Sen. deben 1.4 c. 22. Miserum sanè est fuisse felicem The Epicures held but I beleeve they did not beleeve themselves therein that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments Ex prâ—teritarum upluptatum recordatione by the remembrance of his former pleasures and delights David found this here but a slight and sorry comfort though he better knew how than any of them to make the best of it and his delights had been farre more solid and cordial I pour out my soul See Job 30.16 with the Note For I had gone with a multitude Heb. A thick croud or throng of good peole frequâ—â—ting the publick Ordinances and David in the head of them One rendreth it In umbra vel umbrella sicut mos est Orientalium ambulare umbrellis contra ardorem solis accommodatis I went with them to the house of God Lente Itabam I went with a gentle pace Gressâ—â— grallatorio He speaketh saith Vatablus of the order observed by the faithful when they went to the Sanctuary viz. in comely equipage singing praise to God Kimchi in 〈◊〉 Radiâ— and confessing his goodness Vers 5. Why art thou â—ast down O my soul Here David seemeth to be Homo divisus in duas partes saith Vatablus a man divided into two parts as indee devery new man is two men and what is to be seen in the Shulamite but as it were the company of two Armies Cant. 6.13 David chideth David out of his dumps So did Alice Benden the Martyr rehearsing these very words when she had been kept in the Bishops prison all alone nine weeks with bread and water and received comfort by them in the midst of her miseries Act. Monâ— 1797. And why art thou disquieted in me A good mans work lieth most within doors he hath more ado with himself than with all the world besides he prayeth oft with that Ancient Libera me Domine à malo homine meip so Deliver me Lord from that naughty man my self How oft do we punish our selves by our passions as the Lion that beateth himself with his own tail Grief is like Lead to the soul heavie and cold sinking it downward taking off the wheels of it and disabling it for duty like as a Limb that is out of joynt can do nothing without deformity and pain Keep up thy spirit therefore and watch against
26.50 22.11 Be we herein followers of God as dear Children Josh 7.19 Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.29 O Israel I will testifie against thee i.e. I will expostulate with thee and convince thee This is a mercy which the Lord vouchsafed our first Parents when they had finned the Serpent he would not so much as examine but doomed him presently I am God And should therefore have been better obeyed Even thy God And therefore thou of all others shouldest have had more care and not have despited mee with seeming honours by presenting mee with out-side services Vers 8. I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices i.e. For thy neglect of them but for thy resting in them sticking in the bark bringing mee the bare shell without the kernel not referring thy Sacrifices to the right end and use but satisfying thy self in the work done This was afterwards the sin of the Pharisees is still of the Papists and of too many carnall Gospellers who think they have served God for they have been at Church done their devoir for they have said their prayers c. Yea many of the better sort amongst us hold only a certain stint of daily duties as Malt-horses their pace or Mill-horses their round that move much remove little out of custome or form Yea the best find it hard enough to be in duty in respect of performance and out of duty in respect of dependance to do all Righteousness and yet to rest in none but Christs Or thy burnt-offerings to have been continually before mee Heb. Thy burnt-offerings have been continually before mee so that I am sated with the very sight of them Isa 1. there God complained that all his senses were wearied and his soul vexed by the abundance of their outward ceremonies but want of morrall service Vers 9. I will take no Bullock out of thy house c. q.d. Keep them to thy self I need them not thou settestan high price upon them and thinkest to ingratiate with mee by them I value them not nay I loath them Sordit in conspectu Judicis quodfulget in comspectu operantis That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 Displeasing service is double dishonour Vers 10. For every Beast of the Forest is mine God is the great Proprietary and all is his by primitive right It is but of his own therefore that any man giveth him ought as David freely acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 29.14 and that great Emperor who dedicating his rich Communion-table to Jesus Christ wrote upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justinian apud Ceâ—ren Thine own and of thine own Lord present we unto thee c. And yet vain man is aptto conceit that God is obliged unto him when he offereth unto God any part of his goods And the Cattel upon a thousand Hills Or Upon the Hills of a thousand owners Vers 11. I know all the foules of the Mountaines i.e. in numerato habeo saith Vatablus they are alwaies before mee ready at my service And the wild Beasts of the Field R. Solomon interpreteth it Reptile the creeping things of the Field others copiam volucruns in vallibus the abundance of birds that are up and down the Fields and Vallies Vers 12. If I were bungry I would not tell thee I would not employ thee to cater or purvey for mee Homer Lucian But it befalls not God to be hungry as not only Heathens held and therefore said that their Jove was gone into Aethiopia to be feasted c. but some carnal Jews also who conceived that a fat Sacrifice was as acceptable to God as a fat dinner was to themselves For the World iâ— mine and the fulness thereof Quicquid avium vâ—litat quicquid piscium matat quicquid feraruns discurrit as Seneca hath it all is the Lords hee made all maintaineth all and may therefore at his pleasure make use of any he needeth not bee beholden but the truth is he needeth not any such broken supports See Psal 24.7 Vers 13. Will I eat the flesh of Bulls c. q. d. Are you so thick-brained as to think so Vervecum in patria crassoque sub asre nati No He that killeth an Oxe unlesse he kill his corruptions too is as if be stew a man he that sacrificeth a Lamb unlesse he see his own guilt and be carried out to the immaculate Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the World is as if he cut off a dogs neek He that offereth an oblation unlesse therewith he offer up himself for a whole burnt Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 is as if he offered Swines blood he that burneth incense unlesse he lift up holy hands in prayer without wrath and without doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 is as if he blessed an Idol Isa 66.3 Vers 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving That pith of your peace-offerings that Sacrifice more acceptable to God than an Oxe that hath horns and hoofs Psal 69. 31. Oh cover Gods Altar with the calves of your lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13.15 And pay thy vows unto the Most High Say not God a thank only but do him thanks the life of thanksgiving is the good life of the thanksgiver Our praises should be reall and substantiall Vow and perform to the Lord your God Psal 76.11 Vers 15. And call upon mee These two praising God for what we have and praying for what we want do take up the whole duty of man a holy trade is hereby driven betwixt heaven and earth and sweet intercourse maintained betwixt God and man In the day of trouble At anytime but then especially the time of affliction being the time of supplication for then we are fittest to call and then God is readiest to give answer then we may have any thing Zech. 13. ult I will deliver thee It is but ask and have and surely he is deservedly miserable who will not make himself happy by asking When there was a speech among some holy men what was the best trade One answered Beggery D. Preston It is the hardest and richest trade Common beggery is indeed the easiest and poorest trade but prayer he meant It is like the Ring given a Noble-man in this Land by Queen Elizabeth with this promise that if he sent that Ring to her at any time when he was in distresse she would remember and deliver him He sent it but it never came to her hands but prayer never mis-carrieth c. And thou shalt glorifie mee Servati sumus ut serviamus Luk. 1.74 And yet it is ten to one that any returneth with the Leper to give God the glory of a deliverance Plerique ut necipiant impertuni donec acceperint inquieti De Consid 1. â— ubi acceperiut ingrati saith Bernard truly Most men are importunate that they may receive good at Gods hands restleffe till they have it and are carelesse to return thanks afterward Out upon such an ingratitude hatefull even amongst Hearhens Vers 16.
bosome-friend one that stood even with mee and upon the same ground as it were My guide In all mine affaires and actions so that I thought nothing well done that I did not by his advice and counsel my Duke my Doctor my Rabbi Davidis as Rabby David hath it out of Kabuenaki Vers 14. We took sweet counsell together It was my great delight to conferre and consult with him Religio a religandâ— especially about the things of God and the exercises of Religion which is or should be sacratissimum inter homines vinculum the straitest tye of all And walked unto the house of God in company But so do those false Italians who carry a pocket-Church-book with a pistol hid in the binding which turning to such a page dischargeth Il Mercurio Italico Introd a plot to intrap him whom they hate even while they are in their devotions together when there 's lest suspicion Vers 15. Let death seize upon them Irruat super illos mors as a mercilesse Land-Lord as a cruel creditor or as he in the Gospel who took his fellow by the throat and said Pay that thou owest mee A sad time it must needs be with the wicked when death shall come upon them with a writ of Habeas corpus and the Devil with another of Habeas animam Capiat illos mors so Aben-Ezra rendreth it Exigat mors in eos so Kimchi a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 89 2â— Here it is written saith he without an Aleph as it were with a swift hand and as if death and seize were all one word to note the sudden stroak of death and that it will soon dispatch them To which sense also some render it Decipiat eos mors Let death deceive them be too nimble for them And let them go down quick into Hell As did Dathan and his complices Numb 16. See on verse 9. According to this imprecation Ahitophel and Judas hanging themselves went to Hell alive that is hail and well not infeebled by sicknesse first Augustine saith that Hereticks do the like falling with open eyes and self-condemned For wickednesse is in their dwellings and among them Heb. In their so journing-place for here we are but guests or sojourners and in the middle of them that is in their hearts and houses both undique circumfluunt malitia maleficiis they are as naught as need to be Vers 16. As for mee I will call upon God Or I have called upon God sc for good to bee done to my self verse 1. c. and for evill to mine enemies verse 9. c. of which sort of imprecations see the Note on Psal 35.4 And he hath heard mee I know he hath both for my self vers 17 18. and against them 19 20 21. for why first they fear not God 19. secondly they break covenant 20. thirdly they use deceit 21. These courses will work their ruth and ruine Vers 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray So Daniel prayed three times a day chap. 6.10 and in the Temple they prayed at the third sixth and ninth hour of the day The Saints set themselves certain hours to pray in besides extraordinary occasions puttinâ— them upon that daily sacrifice the better to arrouse their spirits and to keep constant intercourse with God Papists have their set times and Mahometans what occasion soever they have either by profit or pleasure to divert them will pray five times every day This they do of form and custome not of conscience take we heed of those ordinary marre-goods formality and customarinesse it hath been bewailed before that many hold only a certain stint of daily duties as malt-horses their pace or mil-horses their round and rest upon them when they have done using the means as Mediators and so fall short of Christ And cry aloud Rousing up my self and wrestling with God not in a customary frigid bedulling way but with all intention of spirit and contention of speech And he shall hear my voice How should he do otherwise I comming upon him with such earnestnesse Preces fundimus caelum tundimus misericordâ—as extorquemus said those Primitive Christians whose prayers came before God as the noise of many waters Rev. 14.2 Vers 18. Hee hath delivered my soul in peace from the battel This he speaketh upon his prayer by the force of his faith as being assured of victory before the battel was fought or stroak struck as they say For there were many with mee i.e. Gods holy Angels as 2 King 6.16 17. Vel multi ex Israele orantes pro Davide sic Aben-Ezra Vers 19. God shall hear sc My prayers which are on the file before him and as Sollicitours with him Mittamus preces lachrymas cordis legatos saith Cyprian Up go prayers down come deliverances And afflict them Ludit ambiguitate verbi The same word signifieth to afflict and to answer q.d. he shall answer mee but afflict them answer them with blows with bitter answers Even he that abideth of old And is therefore no changeling Sedet Deus ad judicandum surgit ad puniendum Aug. the Eternity of Israel cannot lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 neither can mine enemies hide themselves from him in any starting-holes Selah Id est modo honorabili saith R. Gaon Or So be it O Lord. It is set in the middle of the verse as respecting both parts of it Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Changed they are not by repentance which is such a change of the heart as bringeth forth a reformed life but continue obstinate and obdurate neither have they any alterations in their outward estate they are not poured from vessell to vessell have a constant prosperity such as Demetrius called mare mortuum a dead Sea and do therefore settle upon their lees cast away all care of God and his service Vers 20. He hath put forth his hands c. That wicked Ahitophel hath The Fathers understand it of God and his Judgements He hath broken his Covenant His oath of allegiance and a particular oath when he was sworn of Davids counsel Herod Melp The Scythians were strict covenant-keepers and the Carthaginians infamous for the contrary as now the Turks are Vers 21. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter Full finely he could sooth and smooth mee up whiles he was my counsellor with his Pithanologie Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde frans in fact is But war was in his heart Heb. His heart was war so in another Psalm David saith of himself I am peace but when I speak of it they are for war His words were softer than oyl So were Joabs to Amasa Judesses to Christ Ctesias Cambyses's to his Brother whom he slew Andronicus's to his Nobles put to death by him whiles he wept over them as if he had been the sorrowfullest man alive Turk Hist sol
their light from the Sun so do Rulers their authority from the supreme Majesty Thirdly By deputation from God whose vicegerents they are and to whom they must be accountable for their mal-administration Vers 2. How long will ye judge unjustly viz. Thorough a cyclopicall contempt of Gods senerity Ne pecces Deus ipse videt Will ye represent and expresse God to the World as a corrupt crooked and unrighteous Judge And accept the persons of the wicked Heb. Lift up their faces and shew them more favour than others that are much honester Barrabbas oft is released and Christ crucified Alter habet aequum sed alter habebit equum said that partiall Emperour This man hath the right on his side but the other shall carry the cause for all that Vers 3. Defend the poor and Fatherless These are Gods clients and this is Gods counsell worthy to be written with letters of gold on the walls of all Judicatories as having in it better direction for a Statesman than all Lipsim his Bee-hive or Machiavels Spider-wed These two Latine verses are said to be written over the Judgement-seat in Xant Hic locus odit amat punit conserv at honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bones Vers 4. Rid them out of the hand of the wicked Heb. Of the turbulent who make a do as the Devil doth and vex others Vers 5. They know not neither will they understand q. d. There 's no good to be done upon these uncircumcised vice-gods as they may in the worst sense be best stiled 't is bootless to advise them to better for they are set they are as good every whit as ever they mean to be and as for their duty nec cogitant nec curant they neither know it nor care to know it but blunder on in the dark and are led blindling by their base lusts which so they may satisfy they pass not what becomes of the weal publick Pessimi dantur ruunt omnia but oppose with crest and brest whatsoever crosseth-their sinfull designs Hereby they cause mighty concussions and draw down heavy judgements Isa 24.18 19. Vers 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—ist Polit. l. 3. c. 13. Niceph. l. 18. scribit summum principem gentis Turcicadictum fuisse Taifau i.e. fâ—lium Dâ—i I have said ye are Gods As verse 1. but doubly so if good too if they excell both in vertue and power as Aristotle joyneth them I have said is vox potestatis constituentis whence that of the Apostle All power is of God Rom. 13.2 And all of you are children of the most High Invested as Princes sons and heirs are oft with part of my power and intrusted with the administration of mine earthly Kingdome by the exercise of vindictive and remunerative Justice The Chaldee paraphraseth As the Angels of the High and Kimchi As the Stars which have dominion over these inferiour bodies Confer Job 38.7 Vers 7. But ye shall dye like men Yea if wicked like beasts but only for their pillow and bolster Super cubilia for san in honore morâ—untur quo a bestiis differunt sed non in morte saith Kimchi God who had so highly advanced such will lay them low enough even in the slimy valley if not in hell where are many already like them and more shall come after them Job 21.31 32. Our Henry the eight was told on his death-bed that he should go to the place of Princes which was no great comfort if the old Proverb be true that Hell is paved with the Crowns of Princes and helmets of souldiers The Spanish Frier used to say there were but few Princes in hell for why there were but few in all And fall like one of the Princes Of the Heathen Tyrants which are oft slain by the People as most of the Cesars before Constantine were Ad generum Cereris c. Some of the Fathers Arnobius Chrysostom Theodoret c. understand it of Beelzebub and his fellows qui acerbissimis exquisitissimis tormertis cruciâ—ntur who are most tormented in hell 2 Pet. 2. Potentes potentur torquebantur Some read it And ye O Princes shall fall as one i. e. as others do A necessary consideration for great ones who are apt to dream of an immortality or at least to drive off the thoughts of death Vers 8. Arise O God judge the earth Take the matter into thine own hand for it is but time all things here being so ill ordered by thy substitutes nam alioqui prae judiciorum constupratione terra tota videtur collapsura all will bee naught else For thou shalt inherit all Nations Thou Lord Jesus shalt Psal 2.8 Heb. 1.2 Rev. 11.15 Come therefore yea come quickly PSAL. LXXXIII VErs 1. Keep not thou silence O God Ter idem dicit ad vehementiam He saith the same thing thrice to shew his earnestness The Hebrew is Be not silent to thee that is in thine own cause as verse 5. The Septuagint and Vulgar have it O God who is like unto thee Concurrunt magno impetu conatu ardore Vers 2. For let thine enemies make a tumult Thine because ours for there is a league offensive and defensive betwixt God and his people the Church must therefore needs bee invincible because God is so Have left up the head Being insolent and confident Kimchi they bear their noses high in the air uttering loud and lofty language as did Rabshaketh sent by Sonnacherib 2 King 18. to which times some referre this Psalm as others to those of Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. Vers 3. They have taken crafty counsel c. They have negotiated this league with much subtiltie and solicitation conferunt captant confilia they are cruel-crafties Malignaverunt consilium saith the Vulgar And consulted against thy hidden ones Hidden under the hollow of thy hand under the shaddow of thy wing and therefore safe from strife of tongues or force of hands Psal 27.5 31.21 Commodum instituto epithetum The Greek rendreth it Thy Saints such as whose life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 1 John 3.2 The same Hebrew word is used for the inward oracle of the Temple Ezek. 7.22 a type of Heaven the Saints Country Vers 4. They have said come c. The wicked have their Come Prov. 1.11 as well as the Saints Isa 2.3 5. Zach. 8.21 but for a worse purpose Let us cut them off Them by way of contempt as not worth naming they were so base The Devill and his Imps would utterly root out the Church but that cannot bee Jer. 31.36 Mat. 16.18 That the name of Israel c. But Israel hath still a name when Moab Ammon Edom c. live but by fame only See Jer. 48.2 Vers 5. They have consulted together with one consent Heb. With one heart concorditor as if they had all but one heart This was not unity but conspiracie such as is that of Papists Rev. 17.13 14. They are confederate against thee
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
sure These words are faithfull and true Rev. 22.6 from the one end of the Bible to the other Some render it thus Thy most excellent Word is Truth This most excellent word Kimchi interpreteth to bee particularly that in the head or preface to the Decalogue Hear O Israel Jehova thy God Jehova is One. Theodoret will have it to be that promise made to Abraham that in his seed all Nations of the earth should bee blessed Some read it every chapter of thy Word is Truth Vers 161 Princes have persecuted mee without a cause And Quae venit indignè poena dolenda venit But better without a cause than for evill doing 1 Pet. 4. David suffered by these Potentates because hee was small and despised vers 141. as a little dog is worried by the bigger as the lesser fishes are devoured by the greater But my heart standeth in awe of thy Word The fear of God driveth out the fear of the creature Isa 8.12 13. Vers 162 I rejoyce at thy Word Libenter omnibus omnes opes concesserim c. Epist lib. 9. I would gladly leave all the wealth in the World to others said Tully so that I might without disturbance live and dye in the study of learning What marvell then that David was so taken with heavenly learning As one that findeth great spoil Which as it commeth oft unexpectedly and is therefore the better welcome so the profit is usually very great as was at the sack of Constantinople and the pleasure besides the honour is no lesse than the profit because gotten from an enemy George Fransperg a Generall in the Imperiall Army Hâ—st of the Counc of Trent p. 43â— under the conduct of Charles Burbon that sacked Rome in the time of Pope Clement the seventh caused an halter to be carried near his colours saying that with that hee would hang the Pope the better to incourage his souldiers who were almost all Lutherans whom hee promised to lead to Rome shewing them the great opportunity they had to inrich themselves with the spoils of that City Vers 163 I hate and abhor lying Utitur atrâ—ci verbo abominatus sum I hate it as I hate hell it self and yet lying was Davids sin after a speciall manner See vers 29. with the Note But thy Law do I love All hatred comes from love of they contrary Yee that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97.10 Vers 164 Seven times a day do I praise thee Septies id est sâ—pissime very oft in the day whensoever God setteth mee up an Altar I am ready with my sacrifice Mahometans pray constantly five times a day those of Morocco six times Papists foolishly and superstitiously allege this text for their seven Canonicall houres as they call them The Jews pronounce an hundred benedictions ever day Leo Modena Vers 165 Great peace have they which love thy Law The fruit of Righteousness shall bee peace Isa 32.17 even the peace of God the joy of faith a heaped-up happiness And nothing shall offend them Heb. They shall have no stumbling-block non pereunt quicquid accidat Though they fall they shall arise for the Lord putteth under his hand Psal 37. Vers 166 Lord I have hoped for thy salvation This saying hee borrowed from good old Jacob Gen. 49.18 And done thy Commandements Done them as I could done them to divine acceptation through Christ and hence I have hoped 1 Job 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as God is pure Vers 167 My soul hath kept thy Testimonies scil As well as mortality will afford And I love them exceedingly I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.22 I trust I have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 Vers 168 I have kept thy Precepts All thy Laws are in my sight like as all my wayes are in thy sight I desire to approve my self to thee in the discharge of every part and point of my duty in all my wayes I acknowledge thee Pro 3.6 Here note that all along this 21 Octonarie the Psalmist propoundeth himself for a Pattern of piety Vers 169 Let my cry come near before thee O Lord That is as some will have it Let this whole preceding Psalm and all the petitions whereof wee have here a repetition therein contained bee highly accepted in Heaven Vers 170 Let my supplication c. The same again neither is this Battologie but fervency in begging audience Vers Semper 〈◊〉 171 My lips shall utter praise Eructabunt labia mea hymnum A Metaphor either from a fountain casting out waters vel a ructu qui cibum copiosum sequitur Vers 172 My Tongue shall speak True goodnesse is diffusive charity is no churl Vers 173 Let thy hand help mee To do what I have promised For I have chosen thy Precepts Refusing Satans cut throat kindnesse Vers 174. I have longed for thy Salvation So do all men but then David will take a right course for it so will not all And thy Law is my delight This the most men mind not Vers 175 Let thy Judgements help mee scil To Heaven together with Gods Word there goeth forth a power Vers 176 I have gone astray c. And of my self shall never return Seek thy Servant Do all the offices of a good Shepheard for mee Luk. 15. For I do not forget The root of the matter is still in mee I am recallable and ready to hear thy voice Job 10.3 PSAL. CXX A Song of degrees A most excellent Song Tremellius rendreth it and so indeed this and the fourteen following are both for the matter and for the form or manner of expression which is wondrous short and sweet as the very Epigrammes of the Holy Ghost himself wherein each verse may well stand for an oracle And in this sense Adam Hammahalah or a man of degrees is put for an eminent or excellent man 1 Chron. 17.17 Others understand it otherwise wherein they have good leave to abound in their own sense sith sine periculâ— hic erratur an errour here is not dangerous Vers 1 In my distresse I cryed unto the Lord Oration 〈…〉 est ut avis siâ—â— alis Distress addeth wings to our devotions Our Saviour being in an agony prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 So do all his members and especially when they lyâ— under the lash of a lying tongue as here vers 2. Being defamed wee pray saith Paul 1. Cor 4.15 And 〈…〉 The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5.16 Zâ—ch 13.9 Hee that prayeth ardently speedeth assuredly Psal 91.15 and the unmiscarrying return of prayer should bee carefully observed and thankfully improved Psal 66. ult Vers 2. Deliver my soul O Lord from lying lips This was Davids distresse and it lay heavy upon his spirit so it did upon Jobs and Jeremies chap. 20.10 the scourge of tongues hee felt as sharp as Scorpions Of the mischief of an
body is sick my soul is well Vers 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going one c. Thou shalt have his safe 〈◊〉 publick faith for thy defence in 〈◊〉 enterprizes 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 together with good success in all thine affairs and actions Prov. 3.6 PSAL. CXXII VErs 1 I was glad when they 〈…〉 The flourish is the chief joy of the good Christian Hence the Evangelicall among the Protestant party Gregory Nazianzon writeth that his Father being an Heathen and often besought by his wife to become a Christian had this verse suggested unto him in a dream and was much wrought upon thereby 〈…〉 Dutch Martyr in Luâ—â—â—ing hearing the sentence of his condemnation to the fire Act. Mon. fol. 807. 〈◊〉 Psalm c. Let us go into the house of the Lord I will go also as Zech. 8.21 said holy David who was much a cheered at his peoples forwardnesse in Gods service and became their Captain Vers 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates Where the Ark whilâ—om transportative was now fixed this was their great joy so should it bee ours that the true religion is now setled amongst us and that wee are at a certainty Respons ad Staphyl Time was when good Melancthon groaned out Quâ—s fugiamus habemus quâ—s sequamur non intelligimus Wee know whom wee should flye viz. the Papists but whom to follow wee yet know not Vers 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City c. None such for uniformity of buildings or unanimity of Citizens There is no such â—â—â—nesse in all the World as amongst true Christians and this the very Heathens observed and commended As the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned by loops so were they by love And as they stones of they Temple were so close cemented together that they seemed to bee all but one stone so was it among the primitive Saints Vers 4. Whither the Tribes go up Thrice a year all the Males appeared before the Lord in Sion the females also as many 〈◊〉 would as 〈◊〉 the Virgin Mary c. but they were not bound At which times there was such a generall meeting as no City could shew the like a type of that great Panegyriâ— Heb. 12.22 23. Unto the Testimony of Israel The Ark was so called in regard of the Tables of the Covenant kept therein as two letters of contract betwixt God and men saith Aâ—en-Ezra Exod. 25.16 those two tables are called the Testimony Vers 5. For there are 〈…〉 These are the two chief praises of any place 1 The exercise or Gods sincere service 2 The administration and execution of publick justice Vers 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Peace is a voluminous mercy and must therefore be prayed for peace both of conscience and of Country It is well with Bees when they make a noise in the Haâ—â— but with men when they are at quiet in Church and state Among the Persianâ— her that offered Sacrifice prayed not only for himself but for all his Country men and especially for the King Herodot lib. 1 They shall 〈◊〉 that love 〈◊〉 And out of love pitty and pâ—ay for thee Vers 7. Peace bee wit◠〈…〉 had no sooner admonished others of their duty but himself 〈…〉 Vers 8. For my Brethren and companions sakes David was not all for himself as the maâ—â—â—â— is in thâ—s◠〈…〉 spirit hee did 〈…〉 Vers 〈…〉 Where Davids heart was and wherein 〈…〉 unto him was Gods 〈…〉 â—ee into likeness of 〈◊〉 heavenly 〈◊〉 〈…〉 PSAL. CXXIII VNto thee life I up mine eyes Praying by them rather than by words mine afflictions having swoln my heart too bigge for my mouth See the 〈…〉 Psal 121.1 Vers 2. Behold as the eyes of servants For direction defence maintenance mercy in time of correction help when the service is over-hard c. so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God viz. for direction and benediction Vers 3. Have mercy upon me O Lord have mercy This is preceâ— fundere calum tundere misericerdiem exterquert as Tertulliâ—n hath it to wring mercy out of Gods holy hands by out utmost importunity For we are exceedingly filled with contempt We are made the very scâ—â— and scorn of our proud imperious enemies This the nature of man is very impatient of and can hardly brook for there is none so mean but holdeth himself worthy of some regard and a reproachful scorn sheweth an utter dis-respect which issueth from the very superfluity of malice Vers 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those that are at ease And there-hence insolent and unsufferable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulness breedeth forgetfulness yea it maketh men scornful and wrongful to others PSAL. CXXIV VErs 1. If it had not been the Lord c. God may farre better say than our Hen. 8 Cui adhareâ— praest He whose part I take is sure to prevail But Christ hath ever been the Churches Champion and hence she is insuperable The Captain of the Lords Hâ—asts is Captain of our salvation Josh 5.14 Heb. 2.10 Vers 2. When men rose Monsters rather but such as think themselves the only men alive and us the only slaves and Zanies Vers 3. Then had they swallowed in up quick As the great Fish do the little ones as hungry Lions Gualth praef in Marc. R. Obad. Gaon in Psal 124. or Wolves raven up their prey Ptâ—lâ—mam Lathurus King of Aegypt slew thirty thousand Jews and compelled the living to seed upon the dead Adrian the Emperour made a Decree that hee who had not slain a Jew should himself be slain When their wrath was kindled against us Heb. in the flagrancies or 〈◊〉 of their anger Vers 4. Then the waters 〈…〉 us At once the red Sea did the Aegyptians or as the general deluge did the old world The stream 〈…〉 Neither could we have withstood it by any Art or industry Vers 5. Then the proud waters c. The same again to note the greatness both of the danger and of the deliverance And it may teach us not lightly to pass over Gods great blessings but to make the most of them Vers 6. Blessed be the Lord c. 〈…〉 thanks be to God was much in Austins mouth and should be 〈…〉 deliverance How was God blessed 〈…〉 As a prey to the 〈◊〉 Who meant to have made 〈…〉 and had already devoured us in their hopes but God 〈◊〉 them Vers 7. Our soul is 〈◊〉 c. 〈…〉 God 's opportunity See 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 c. God 〈…〉 net is broken Vers 8. 〈…〉 〈…〉 of infinite might and mercy and say as those good souls at Ebon-ezra Hitherto God hath helped us he hath and therefore he will c. PSAL. CXXV VErs 1 They that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Zion Great is the stability of a beleevers felicity Winds and storms move not a Mountain an Earthquake may but not easily remove it That mysticall Mount Sion the Church immota manet is unmoveable so is every
beast Tiberius These are to be avoided as Pests and botches of humance society So also are Stage-playes for that very cause as the Brothels of bawdery the corrupters of youth the canker of the Common-wealth as Plato an heathen complained Filthiness and fornication should not be once named among Christians Ephes 5.3 Groves were flatly forbidden by God to be planted near the places of his Worship in detestation of that heathenish custome of Priapus his worshippers promiscuously satisfying their lusts in a thicket after they had sacrificed thereby as they conceived best pleasing their god Verse II. For this is an heinous crime Hoc enim grande flagitium est so the Tigurines translate For this is a wickedness with a witness though counted by some a light offence a peccadillo The Popish Priests deeply guilty of it themselves seldom cryed out against it in their Sermons this the great ones and others observed and therefore ran into it as if it had been a venial sin if any sin at all But we have not so learned Christ and there was once found an English Bishop Adelm Elect Bishop of Sherborn anno 705. who boldly and sharply reproved Pope Sergius to his face for this foul sin Godwin Catal. pag. 333. Joseph calleth it a great wickedness Gen. 39.9 because a breach of the bond of loyalty which cannot but be treachery as also because it destroyes society and the purity of posterity stealing sometimes an heir into the estate c. Yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Sith it is a thest of that which is most precious and most peculiar to the owner as Joseph told his Mistress Gen. 39. the suspicion or jealousie of it raiseth the rage of a man to such an hâ—â—ght that it will not be allayed without revenge Prov. 6.34 35. Some render it iniquitas judicata an iniquity already adjudged capital The Hebrew hath it an iniquity of the Judges that is That which Judges should severely punish Before the Law Tamar was to have been burnt for it Gen. 38.24 as under the Law the High-Priests daughter Levit. 21.9 Ahab and Zedekiah were rosted in the fire for this offence Ezek. 23.25 alludeth to this custome by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Jer. 29.22 23. Some think that these two were the Elders that assaulted Susanna The Egyptians cut off the Harlots nose and the Adulterers members The Locrians pulled out their eyes The Julian Law among the Romans Lex Julia dormis adjudged them to dye and Hierom saith this Law was yet in force in his time but the Poet complaineth that for want of due execution it lay dormant as many other good Lawes do by the basenesse and partiality of the Judges Such as were those Athenian Judges who having before them Phryne that notable Strumpet Plutarch vit 10 Rhetor. in Hyper were about to passe sentence of death upon her but when her Advocate Hyperides had opened her bosom and shewed them her beautiful brests to move them to mercy they acquitted her and let her go In like sort also they dealt with the Dame of Smyrna whom they appointed to appear some hundred years after How much better the old Saxons who whilst they were yet heathens made a Law and saw it well executed that the Adultetess should be first strangled and then burnt in a bonfire Lavat in loc over which the Adulterer was to be hanged in chaines and burnt to death by degrees And of another Heathen people we read Burroughs on Hos vol. 1. p. 276 that they put the Adulterers and Adulteresses heads into the paunch of a beast where all the fifth lyeth and so stifled them to death Verse 12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction Ad Gehennam usque to the place of destruction Heb. to Abaddon that burneth as low as hell it self In case â—â—en should be slack to punish this heinous Grime yet Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.3 shutting them out of heaven Rev. 22.15 for what should any such dirty dog do trampling on that golden pavement and thrusting them into hell as he did the filthy Sodomites Jude 7. beside that hell above-ground which he rained from heaven upon them hot fire for their burning lusts and stinking brimstone for their stinking brutishnesse How God signally punished this sin in Charles 2 King of Navarre roasting him to death See my Note on Gen. 19.24 Joane of Naples also and Mary of Arragon wife to the Emperour Otho the third burnt at a stake are set upon Record as instances of the divine displeasure against Adultery a fire which burns hearts and consumes houses And would root out all mine increase Leaving me nothing as a devouring fire burnes up men cattle houses corn trees c. So doth this fin all a mans income baring him to the very bones and exhausting him to the utmost So that like Tiberius at Capreae he doth indies perire which is a bitternesse beyond that of death Eccles 7.26 Or like Samson befooled and bereft of all by Dalilah who had not her name for naught for it comes from Dalal to exhaust and impoverish And indeed such king of creatures do ordinarily drain the strength exhaust the purses dry up the credit waste and consume the all of the mightiest Samsons Besides the loss of their immortal souls and perpetual shame at the last day when all their faults shall be written in their foreheads unlesse the matter be taken up in the Judges privy Chamber of mercy and unlesse by timely repentance course be taken to stop his open judicial proceeding in Court Verse 13. If I did despise the cause of my man servant c. Servants of old among the Heathen especially were mere slaves to their Masters according to the flesh who had power to use them at their pleasure as they did their cattle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A servant saith Aristotle is the Masters Instrument and wholly his He might do what he would to them saith Seneca even to the taking away of their lives without danger of Law But Job held with the same Seneca That Posse nolle nobile est and that in some cases Nimis angusta innocentia est ad legem bonumesse That utmost right is utmost wrong and that there will come an after reckoning the forethought whereof awed him and swayed him to do his servants right when he might have oppressed them and tyrannized over them as now the Turks do over their Gally-slaves Of Archbishop Cranmer it is recorded that he never raged so far with any of his household-servants as once to call the meanest of them Varlet or Knave in anger Tremellius who was for a time entertained in his house saith of it That it was Enarat in Hos praefat Schola vel Palaestra pietatis literarum A school or Nursery of Piety and Learning And therefore what wonder that there was so good accord betwixt him and his
family when there was so careful a performance of Domestical duties and he was not a better man then a Master Think the same of Job Discontents might fall out in his house and complaints might be made which he heard with patience and then set all to rights again taking course that he might be both loved and feared by all about him Verse 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up c. Job considered That himself had a Master in heaven Col. 4.1 That there is One higher thou the highest Eccles 5 8. with whom there is no respect of persons but wherein soever any deal proudly God is above them Exod. 18.11 These and the like humbling considerations and not any placability or natural courteousnesse made him deale thus fairely and kindly with his servants how much more then with his wife and children c And when he visiteth what shall I answer Job looked to be visited and called to an account of his houshold Government It is a good saying of an Heathen Cic. 4. in Verr◠Ita vivamus c. Let us so live as those that must render an account of all we do And that which the Ruffian in Seneca scoffeth at in the sober young man is true of the godly in a sense more divine Ita laborat ita ludit it a coenat ita potat ita loquitur ita vivit ut qui Ephemerides patrs est approbaturus that is He so laboureth so sporteth so eateth so drinketh so speaketh so liveth as he that must approve his day-books to his father Job was not to learn that there is a way of upright walking in our houses so as God will come to us if our houses be rightly ordered Psal 101.2 and we shall look him in the face with comfort for it is called there a Perfect way in opposition to hypocrisie Now uprightnesse hath boldnesse Ver. 15. Did not he that made me in the womb make him In which regard have not we all one Father and hath not one God created us Mal. 2.10 Is it not he who formeth and shapeth us and all by the Book Psal 139.16 We are all of all sorts in this respect whether Kings or Caitiffs Lords or Losels made of the same mould hewen out of the same Rock digged out of the same pit cut out of the same piece the shears only going between as they say Thus for our bodies and for our better part is not the meanest made in Gods image and as capable of heaven if god please as the greatest In the Law the servant paid the half shekle as well as the Master And in Christ Jesus as there is neither Jew nor Greek so neither bond nor free Gal. 3 28. Truth it is God hath made these distinctions and degrees amongst men but himself is no respecter of persons He acknowledgeth no faces so the Hebrew expresseth it he taketh no notice of any mans outward condition as Countrey Sex Wisdom Wealth Dignity c. These neither please God nor displease him but as they are in a good or bad man as a Cypher by it self is nothing without a figure before it This reason wrought with Job and should do doubtlesse with all Superiours to bring them to a moderation Why should a poor man be slighted or brow-beaten Is he not Gods handy work also Was he not made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Psal 139.15 that is in his mothers womb as it followeth And did not one that is God fashion Heb. apt or fit us in the womb Quum fortuna Aptè concinnc el. boravit I rent Servus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domini suiest non natura cos fecerit servos cur propter fortunam eos contemptiores habuissem For as much as not nature but providence hath made them my servants why should I for that cause deale hardly with them and not rather favour them the more for our common condition of birth and death and coming to Judgment Verse 16. If I have with-held the poor from their desire The poor man speaketh supplications he comes to the rich with his God help me as Lazarus did Luke 16. his very name speaks as much but the rich answereth him roughly Prov. 18.23 Either the answer cutteth of half the petition as the eccho doth the voice or else he is commanded 〈◊〉 quercumdicere to tell his tale to the Statues and Images as Diogenes used to do for of living men he could get no hearing But Jobs suitors sped better Pennylesse they were but not friendlesse Drawn dry as the Hebrew word importeth and such as whose wealth was utterly wasted but Job snored them up and supplied them And this he did readily and at the first asking they no sooner desired relief but they had it Job was a cheerful giver he neither denyed nor delayed those that came to him for relief or refuge Merlin Multi contra studiose cansas inquirunt quibus se à benefaciendo cohibeant Many seek occasion to put off poor people and to rid their hands of them Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail Viduae saepe sunt verecunde Mercer Widowes many times are modest their eys are weakned with much weeping whiles they remember their by-past comforts and present crosses This good Job considered and therefore soon condescended to their requests He held it enough that their hearts aked and would not suffer their eyes to ake with expecting his help but speedily sped them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 17 Or have eaten my morsel my self alone As that churle Nabal did and therefore merited the title of Pamphagus Many rich wretches are like little children who though they have their mouthes full of meat and both their hands full yet wil part with none to another but rather mar it The richer they are the harder as Dives whom to upbraid Laxarus was laid in the bosome of liberal Abraham of whom it is recorded that he fat in the door of his Tent in the heat of the day the usual time of repose and repast purposely to invite passengers Gen. 18.1 He pursued hospitality as the Apostles expression is Rom 12.13 and a very hearty householder he was Think the same of Job whose cup overflowed into other mens lesser ves sles as Ps 23.5 neither did any thing he eat do him good without some good company to take part with him Charity is no churle Of a certain Bishop of Lincoln it is storied That he never thought he had that thing which he did not give Quod nondu◠dederit nondu◠se credit haber◠Senec. Martial hoc habeo quodcunque dedi saith One And another Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes And the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof These were his Fellow-Commoners Act. Mo◠1369 and the like is reported of Charles the Great and of Bishop Hooper who had his Board of Beggars widowes and Ophans sent for to his Palace in Worcester