answer is more than to hear viz. returning word again to a person concerning the matter whereof he hath spoken and to incline ones â—ar is to use great and favourable attention as a man which gives another leave to come so near him that he may even lay his ear to his mouth and hear his whisperings if he had more secret and important matter to speak of Vers. 3. For my daies are consumed like smoak Without all comfort vainly and to no purpose And my boxes are burnt as an hearth That is all his strength was quite dried up so that no marrow and moisture remained Vers. 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass This is more emphaticall say some than I am smitten Vers. 5. My bones cleave to my skin or flesh So Calvin and Ainsw Vers. 6. I am like a Pellican of the wilderness A bird living in wilde and desolate places Zeph 2. 14. Isa. 34. 11. Hierom writing upon these words saith when the Pellican beholdeth her young ones brought almost to death by the sting of a Serpent she diggeth a hole in her breast with her beak and from thence fetcheth out blood which lighting upon and besprinkling them doth kill the poison of the Serpents sting and restore them to life but Christ was contented to have his breast his head his sides his hands and feet pierced and opened that he might besprinkle us with his blood and so revive us that were dead in sins by the poysonous sting of the old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. Vers. 7. I watch and I am as a sparrow alone upon the house top Was kept sleepless and unable to take his naturall rest and that by reason of his being comfortless and friendless and destitute of all means of safeguarding him from danger as a sparrow alone upon the house top Vers. 8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day and they that are mad against me are sworn against me His enemies traduced him and bound themselves with oaths to do him mischief Nish bagnu jurant in me that is they wish all evil to befall me that I may become an execration so Numb 5. 27. Isa. 65. 15. a pattern of misery so that all men might say when they cursed the Lord make thee like David Vers. 9. For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping That is when I did eat and drink I had then little joy in my food for I wept abundantly in the midst of my meals He did count himself so vile a sinner that he was not worthy to feed upon any better food and that dust and ashes were too good for him In the daies of old they were wont in times of sorrow and sadness in a Fast to sprinkle dust and ashes upon their heads from whence our Ashwednesday hath its name being dies cinerum a day wherein men humbled themselves before the Lord in dust and ashes he means he did fast exceeding much Vers. 10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down That is had most vehemently cast him down as a man which lifts up a thing first that he may throw it down with more strength and vehemency Vers. 11. And I am withered like grass Before he said his heart withered like grass that is all his comfort and cheerfulness was dashed now he saith himself was withered which is something more then the withering of his heart it signifies that he was even ready to die and perish through extremity of sorrow Vers. 12. But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations God himself is eternall and he will give cause to those which live in one age as well as another to remember his truth goodness and great works Vers. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Gods power is noted in the word Arise the appointed time is come God had limited their Captivity to seventy years which were ready to be expired Vers. 14. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof That is were greatly gladded to think of her repairing and re-edifying and pitied her dust that is were moved with great remorse and compassion at the consideration of her ruines Vers. 15. So the Heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory That is become true Christians and shew it as by performing his whole worship so by fearing his Name shall know the glorious mystery of the Gospel so as shall work them to a holy fear of that glory Or by the glory of God may be meant Christ here who is made known in the Gospel whom Simcon calleth the glory of the people of Israel Vers. 16. When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory That is the Church he shall then appear in his spirituall glory Vers. 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Some take the word rendred destitute to signifie the heath or wilderness so we translate it Jer. 17. 6. Utterly broken so others Jer. 51. 58. The Hebrew word signifies a poor shrub that stands alone in the wilderness liable to every blast trodden by the feet of beasts that is when they pray he will cast a favourable eye and grant their requests Vers. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord This that is the coming of Christ in glory and goodness to the poor destitute soul. Shall be written that is set down in a book recorded and published by the Scriptures of the Apostles and Evangelists and propagated to all succeeding ages to the worlds end Vers. 19. For he hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from heaven did the Lord behold the earth His high and holy place this is taken from Deut. 26. 15. the sons of men which inhabit the earth Vers. 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Not only such who are imprisoned for well-doing but all those to whom sin is a prison whether they be otherwise prisoners or not Those that are appointed to death Which have deserved death for sin and such as are by men condemned to death for their righteousness sake free them from the danger of eternall death Vers. 21. To declare the Name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem The Jews the inhabitants of it should magnifie it Vers. 22. When the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. That is when the Gentiles which shall be converted shall meet together to perform publick worship unto God Vers. 23. He weakned my strength in the way This present life which is as it were a way leading to the life that is to come hereafter Vers. 24. I said
O my God take me not away in the midst of my daies thy years are throughout all generations He deprecates eternall death of which untimely is a forerunner q. d. I resolved to pray and beseech the Lord because he is my God joyned to me in a faithfull Covenant of grace that he would be pleased not to let this affliction continue so grievous upon me as to bring me to death untimely even in the midst of my daies in so undue a time when after the course of nature I might have continued as long again in the world Thy years are throughout all generations That is thou livest for ever and therefore art able to save thy people from destruction how extream and heavy soever their affliction be Vers. 25. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth That is from the beginning of the world before time anciently when things first begun to be laid making and setling it in the place and standing wherein it is before thou madest other things as the foundation of that great building And the heavens are the work of thy hands A thing created by thee by hands metaphorically are meant Gods mighty power because they which work any thing do it usually with their hands Vers. 26. They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Heaven and earth and so the things therein perish that is come to nothing and cease to be Endure That is continually the same for ever without change or end Heb. stand that is be the same constantly Heb. 1. 11. A garment Which by little and little grows rotten and comes to nothing God shall by little and little bring the world and all things in it to end Vers. 27. But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Constant without alteration Thou art he That is the same that thou promisedst to be and thy people expected thee to be Vers. 28. The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established for ever Children that is godly sons of godly parents qui a fide parentum non dâ—sciscunt Thou shalt have a Church here in the midst of all the changes of the world and they also shall inherit everlastingness Their seed That is by thy power shall be made stedfast and firm in heavenly glory PSAL. CIII THe Penman of the Psalm is David The matter of it thanksgiving The duty is propounded in the two first verses inlarged and confirmed in the rest to the twentieth pressed inforced and concluded to the end Vers. 1. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name His soul not alone his tongue and all his inwards that is the powers and faculties of his soul not the bodily parts liver lights but the minde affections This noteth a most fervent earnest and vehement manner of doing the exhortation it being adorned with the rhetoricall figures of repeating the same word and of speaking unto his own soul to note the great desire which David had to become a pattern as of all piety so principally of this thanksgiving unto the Church His holy Name Or the Name of his Holiness that is himself as he hath in his Word shewed himself to be most holy and excellent Vers. 2. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits As much as to say by an ordinary Hebraism Forget not any of all his benefits Vers 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases He enumerates particular benefits He meaneth the spirituall maladies of sinne which only God could heal He begins with pardon of sinne because free reconciliation is the fountain of all other blessings Vers. 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction Frees thee from dangers of sudden and violent death conspired against thee by thine enemies and withall from the second death everlasting condemnation Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies To Crown is to advance to a Kingdom by that sign of setting a Crown on the head that being the ensign of Kings and also this assured him of advancement to a heavenly Kingdom To Crown with mercy and compassions is out of great kindness and pity to bestow most excellent things Vers. 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles Perhaps it might be more simply and more to the letter translated thus Thou shalt renew thy self thy youth shall be as an Eagle To renew the youth is to retain the same strength and health which youth afforded for a long season that is thou continuest long in health and strength as that bird doth The Eagle casteth her feathers yearly and new grow up whereby she seemeth fresh and young flieth high and liveth long whence the Proverb Aquilae senectus Vers. 6. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressedâ— All manner of righteousness or most full and compleat righteousness all manner of judgements or most full and exact judgement The oppressed are those which are wronged by strong hand oppression is an injury done by violence Those to whom such violence is offered they are oppressed Justice or righteousness is the giving to every man his own Judgements signifie punishments here Davids meaning is he executeth just judgements in behalf of wronged and oppressed men and women by delivering them out of the hands of the wrong doers and punishing the wrong doers accordingly Vers. 7. He made known his waies unto Moses his acts unto the children of Israel Those waies which he requireth us to walk in his statutes and judgements which God prescribed to them for they were given to Moses that he might teach the people Vers. 8. The Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Mercy is that vertue by which one is ready to pity and help the miserable and afflicted Graciousness signifies a promptness to do good out of the free will of the doer not out of any motive found in the receiver slow to anger or long of wrath as the words are in the originall To stand so disposed that one is ready to bear much injury and great provocations and indignities before he will punish Much or abundant or great in kindness Kindness is an affection quite contrary to anger It is a readiness to accept and requite any courtesie passing by the defects and weaknesses of it Vers. 9. He will not alwaies chide neither will he keep his anger for ever He will neither be angry too much nor too long nor too often Vers. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him This is the highest comparison which the world will afford yet not sufficient to express the greatness of Gods mercy Vers. 12. As farre as the East is from the West so
to get his heart cleanâ—ed Vers. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart As a treasure that I might not lose it and as a rule that I might not transgresse it Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy Statutes See vers 26. Not to know more rules of duty but the right way of answering those rules Vers. 15. And have respect unto thy wayes That is look to them and to my self that I may observe them Vers. 18. Open thou mine eyes Those of my minde That I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law The Hebrew word signifies ardâ—a occulta mirabilia things hard hidden wonderfull all these things are in the Law Vers. 19. I am a stranger in the earth hide not thy Commandments from me When God gives thee over either to thy own natural blindnesse or suffers the god of this world to blinde thee Vers. 29. Remove from me the way of lying David doth not mean the special sin of lying but he cals sin in general the way of lying For First The way of lying is opposed to Gods Law and grant me thy Law graciously Secondly In the original it is Derech Shakar as ver 104. 128. other Hebrew words are rendred false way and it is without question that all sinne is meant thereby Vers. 30. I have chosen the way of Truth thy Judgements have I laid before me Laid before me As the adequate rule by which my actions and heart should be guided and directed Vers. 32. I will runne the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Run the way That is be abundant in the work of the Lord. If or when or because it is either Conditional or Causall or particula temporis The heart is commonly put for the whole soul all the faculties of the inward man the understanding God gave Salomon a wise and understanding heart Will a willing heart Conscience Your heart condemn you Memory Mary laid up these things in her heart Affections Davids heart went out after Absalom If riches increase set not your hearts on them Joy and sorrow a merry heart But the enlargement of the heart is restrained to two faculties the understanding 1 King 4. 29. and the affections 2 Cor. 6. 11. Vers. 33. And I shall keep it unto the end Greek Continually some turn it for rewards as after the Greek doth vers 112. Vers. 45. And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts That is he found his Spirit at the greatest liberty when he walked in Gods Statutes 2 Cor. 3. 17. then his minde was set on the noblest objects 2. This is to enjoy communion with God Vers. 48. My hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandments which I have loved Lifting up hands when it is done to God notes either praying to him or swearing by him To the Commandments notes some say obedience to perform the duties it commands to catch at to take it for my own As they say in Latine Ego tuas litteras obviis ulnis excipiam Ezra takes it in this sense Kimchi and others say this phrase notes to put the hands to work A new expression and hath not a parallel that I know of in all the Scripture There is an emphasis in both words I will lift up this implies The Commandments are sublime in nature in respect of the original in the matter of them heavenly Oracles My hands as a sign or testimony of lifting up his heart And I will meditate in thy Statutes The Commandments of God are called Statutes because they are immovable they cannot be changed they are sure stedfast and faithfull The Latine word signifies stability the Hebrew visitation God visits for breaking of them Vers. 49. Remember the Word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope q. d Lord thou hast invited me to hope therefore now satisfie it he pleads two things the grant of a promise and the gift of faith Vers. 57. Thou art my portion O Lord The meaning is Let others have their riches honours and other things of that kinde but I O Lord so purpose my part and portion is neither do I wish another to obey thy Word I have said That is Resolved Vers. 59. I thought on my wayes In the original I thought on my wayes advisedly seriously studiously Vers. 60. â— made haste and delayed not Did not delay my self it is in Hithpael Vers. 69. The proud have forged a lie against me In the original it is Taphlu gnalai sheker Assuunt mendacium mendacio they have sowed one lie to another Vers. 70. Their heart is as fat as grease but I delight in thy Law Fatnesse is put for that which makes the creature to be refractory Deut. 32. 15. void of all sense so here Vers. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes That is Afflictions are good by event or accident partly by Gods over-ruling providence that can turn them to good and partly by grace in the elect who make a good use of them Vers. 81. But I hope in thy Word That is thy promise whereby thou hast assured me that thou wilt satisfie my desire Vers. 89. For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in heaven Heb. Stands fast a Metaphor from a Champion or an Army of souldiers that stand fast and keep their ground Heaven and earth are opposed things below are changed not above in Heaven 2. Heaven is put for the Decree of God Isa. 34. 5. in Coelo used for firmly and without doubt 3. Established as a pillar so the Hebrew Vers. 92. Unlesse thy Law had been my delights I should then have perished in mine affliction He speaketh in the plural number as it he had said Instar omnium in stead of all manner of delights unto me Some think he alludes to 1 Sam. 30. 6. Vers. 93. I will never forget thy precepts Remembring and not forgetting Gods Law often mentioned in this Psalm implies 1. The Knowledge of Gods word Jam. 1. 24. Jude v. 5. 2. A retaining or keeping of what we know 1 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 2. 1. 3. A calling back of it to our mindes termed remembrance 2 Pet. 3. 1. Isa. 46. 8. 4. A special application of that I know retain and remember feel the fruit of such a truth Jam. 1. 22 23 24. as we say Do you remember me that is do what I desired Vers. 94. I am thine save me Heb. I am for thee others are for themselves Vers. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection Not in the concrete of perfect things but in the abstract of perfection and of all perfection But thy Commandment is exceeding broad That is exceedingly broader than any of those perfections I cannot see the end of it and I know it shall never have an end there is a vastnesse of purity and spiritualnesse in the
darkness which comes upon dying men a little before death that is they are ready to die with the fright and terrour of it CHAP. XXV Verse 4. HOw then can man be justified with God The Question carrieth a strong denial it is more than barely to say Man cannot be justified with God Such Questions How a thing may be are usually an Answer that they cannot be at all Or how can he be clean that is bâ—rn of a woman Here is another Question of the same tenour Jobs friends beat often upon this point vehemently suspecting that he did overween his own condition and thought too highly of himself whereas Job did not only freely and ingenuously but with a great deal of holy Rhetorick and Elegancy confess against himself again and again that he neither was nor could be clean before God Onely he would not admit their plea against him that he suffered for his uncleanness or that he was unclean because he suffered CHAP. XXVI Verse 7. ANd hangeth the Earth upon nothing The whole frame of the Heavens hath no other pillars than the Air the Air leaneth on the Earth the Earth hangeth on nothing but the mighty and powerfull word of God It hangs like a Ball in the Air. Ovid thus sings 6. Fastorum Terra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa Aere subjecto tam grave pendet onus Vers. 14. But how little a Portion is heard of him He speaks of the knowledge of God in his wayes much lesse of himself his Nature CHAP. XXVII Verse 6. MY heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Heb. Of from or concerning my dayes For all a wicked mans carnal presumption his conscience will reproach him thou hast spent thy dayes thus and thus Vers. 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite when God taketh away his soul See Luk. 12. 20. A godly man resigns and yeelds up his soul into the hand of his Redeemer Vers. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwayes call upon God Two things discover all hypocrisie 1. Though he perform service he delights not in God in duty 2. He doth not persevere he will be beaten off with every trifle he will not call upon God when he hath been heard and when he seemeth not to hear Quovis tempore viz. tam prospero quà m adverso Junius Drusius CHAP. XXVIII Verse 4. THe waters forgotten of the foot Because no foot had passed them along time nor was any like to pass them any more CHAP. XXIX Verse 3. VVHen his Candle shined upon my head An elegant expression that is by light from God all my actions were ordered and governed for the best Vers. 14. I put on righteousness and it cloathed me My judgement was as a robe and a diadem The glory and pride which Kings are wont to take in their Crowns and Sâ—epters and royal Vestments is not more than the glory and honour which he placed in doing Justice and Judgement Psal. 109. 16 17. Vult dicere admodum ornabat me Nam cidaris capitis est non integumentum duntaxat sed etiam ornamentum Drusius Vers. 15. I was eyes to the blinde and feet was I to the lame In stead of both to them Vers. 16. I was a Father to the poor There is an elegant Paranomasia in the Hebrew Elegans Paranomasia in Ab Ebion ac si diceret Quod pater est liberis suis idego etiam iis qui semper avent qui semper egent Drus. Eyes to the blinde Ignorantem dirigendo Feet to the lame Impotentem adjuvando a Father to the poor Indigentem sublevando Lyra. Vers. 17. And I brake the jaws of the wicked and pluckt the spoil out of his teeth Metaphora à feris He compares a violent man to the wilde beast which tears the prey with his teeth So Junius and Drusius He meaneth the same things by both power abused to oppression Dentes are long sharp teeth the fore-teeth Psal. 57. 4. Molares à molendo so called from grinding the great double-teeth the jaw-teeth those are the biters these the grinders Vers. 18. Then I said I shall die in my nest Id est inter meos placide cum dignitate Beza CHAP. XXX Verse 8. CHildren of base men Heb. Sons without name opposite to whom are men of name famous CHAP. XXXI Verse 1. WHy should I then think upon a Maid By the course of the letter he should have said that he should not look on a Maid but he saith think because looking usually brings thinking and thinking worse Vers. 10. Then let my wife grinde unto another and let others bow down upon her That is Be the vilest servant of others To grinde in a mill signifies extream misery and slavery Isa. 42. 2. Graeci honestè tectis verbis placeat virgo alteri Scortum alterius sit Jerom. Uxor mea concumbat cum altere Targum Alienaes permolere nxores dixit Horat. Serm. 1. Sat. 2. Vers. 12. If I did despise the cause of my man-servants or of my maid-servant when they contended with me His meaning is That in the ordering of his Family he behaved himself so equally that he would hearken to the basest person about his house and if he had done or said any thing unto them which had not been right as it might fall out sometimes they might plainly tell him of it he would not refuse to hear them nor fall out with them for their boldnesse See Ephes. 6. 9. Col. 4. 1. Vers. 18. And I have guided or pitied her from my mothers womb Had a disposition to pity from my nativity Ateneris assuescere multum est Vers. 21. When I saw my help in the gate Had such an honour and esteem among them that all men in authority would have born me out Vers. 26. If I beheld the Sunne when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness These two under several names were the great gods of the Heathens His verbis innuit se tanquam astra pro Diis coluisse quod gentes alim faciebant Drus. Vers. 27. And my mouth hath kissed my hand As the Heathens which worshipped the Sunne because they could not kiss it kissed their hand There is a kiss of Adoration as well as Reverence Psal. 2. 10. Vide Mart. de Roa Sing vol. 1. lib. 4. cap. 3. The meaning is If I saw the Sun and Moon and moved my hand to my mouth q. d. Cùm vidi solem lunam adoravi ea manu viz. Ori admota atque ad osculum relata Drus. Observ. Sac. l. 1. c. 20. in loc Idolaters used to kiss their Idols Hos. 13. 2. Vers. 33. If I covered my transgressions as Adam Si operui sicut Adam coram illo peccatum meum Chald. Par. As man so other Interpreters More hominum Jun. As men use to do Hos. 6. 7. Adam is mentioned
because herein we shew our selves to be of his race Gen. 3. 10. Vers. 37. As a Prince would I go near unto him Would come before God with a holy greatness of minde not draw near to him as a prisoner or one afraid Hos. 3. 4. Fretus â—quitati causae meae non ut affinis culpae sed ut princeps securus accederem Jun. CHAP. XXXII Verse 6. ANswered Began his speech began to speak so in the New Testament Mat. 11. 25 Mark 11. 14. CHAP. XXXIII Verse 12. IN this Thy contest with God Hoc modo hac via Drusius Thou art not just The Majesty of God makes thee inexcusable God is greater than man Enos miserable man God not only in Majesty and power concerning which thou expostulatest but also in Truth Righteousness Wisdom and Mercy infinitely exceeds men wherefore in this matter thou art unjust So Junius Vers. 13. He giveth no account of any of his matters He layes the equitableness of submitting to all Gods Conditions on two things His Greatness and Unaccountableness Vers. 15. In a dream in a vision of the night He shews how God in those times was wont to speak to men See Gen. 20. 6. 31. 24. Numb 12. 6. Vers. 22. His soul draweth near unto the grave and his life to the destroyers That is Satan called Abaddon Revel 9. looks every day when the Devil will fetch him Vers. 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto him his uprightness It is an excellent place It shews how God preserves a sinner from falling by admonitions and chastisements how he restoreth him being fallen by sending to him a Minister here called a Messenger or an Angell carrieth the Lords Embassage An Interpreter one inabled to declare aright the doctrine of reconciliation betwixt God and man no ordinary man one of a thousand his office is to declare man his righteousness viz. to assure him that whatsoever he is in himself a foul and loathsom sinner yet in Christ he is justified and through him accepted righteous before God Isa. 57. 19. and 50. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 18. One of a thousand For the rarity and preciousness of such a one i. Cujusmodi nuncius interpres fidus voluntatis Dei est rarissimus Vers. 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom The word signifies a price paid to redeem a mans life or liberty This is a full place against the Socinians Socinus saith God removes the curse of the Law by a free and absolute pardon without satisfaction the Socinians say he may forgive us freely as well as we one another without price or satisfaction We maintain that God takes not off the curse without any kinde of satisfaction pardon is free but founded on a satisfaction such a pardon as a sinner may plead it therefore Grotius his Exposition is but flat here CHAP. XXXIV Verse 13. WHo hath given him charge over the earth or who hath disposed the whole world None can controll him Mundum per seipsum regit qui mundum per seipsum condidit Vers. 17. Shall he that hateth light govern The Hebrew is bind up the sore Obligaret vulnus Junius Vers. 30. That the hypocrite reign not least the people be ensnared The Hebrew word translated hypocrite signifies a man that walks in a cloud or hath an artificiall covering that men may not see and observe his steps Grotius saith it is better read and more coherently to that which went before Ne regnet homo hypocrita let not the hypocrite reign CHAP. XXXV Verse 13. SUrely God will not hear vanity Shave signifies three things 1. Vanity and so empty prayers 2. Mendacium such prayers wherein ones heart answers not his lips 3. Temerarium he considers not his prayers the rule why he praies according to Gods will nor the end whether he aim at Gods glory Vers. 14. Yet judgement is before him That is he knows rightly to time his own mercies See Isa. 30. 18. CHAP. XXXVI Verse 5. HE is mighty in strength and wisdom Heb. strength and heart or strength of heart wisdom is that which brings things in strength to the heart and so makes it strong Vers. 8. And if they be bound in fetters and be holden in cords of affliction Bound hand and foot that is have some such extream affliction upon them as they know not how to get out of it Vers. 22. Who teacheth like him In three respects 1. With authority 2. Efficacy teacheth the heart 3. With that condescension Vers. 26. Neither can the number of his years be searched out q. d. It is unsearchable The Hebrew word signifies a curious search so as you would search for abstruse mysterious things CHAP. XXXVII Verse 7. HE sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work Lest they know it i. Praecludit ne operetur tanquam sigillâ— imposito metaphora Junius CHAP. XXXVIII Verse 6. WHereupon are the foundations thereof sastened or who laid the corner stone thereof It is founded upon its center and leans upon it as its basis Vers. 7. When the morning Starres sang together and all the Sonnes of God shouted for joy That is all the Angels as Chap. 1. v. 6. The Angels stood admiring and rejoycing that God would make such a dwelling place for man Vers. 28. Hath the rain a father Jerom Who is the father of the rain That is besides the Lord Praeter me Junius Vers. 31. Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion God himself because he had to deal with an Arabian questioned him in his own Astrology See ch 9. 9. The Starres have influence into things here below The Pleiades open the earth they make herbs and flowers grow the Spring is when they arise once trees begin to sprout and the plants do wax green Orion produceth cold the Winter comes when that shews it self Vers. 41. Who provideth for the Raven his food Animal cibi avidissimum Some say they are fed by a worm others by flies others by dew They cry to God after their manner when they are hungry CHAP. XXXIX Verse 19. HAst thou given the Horse strength The sense is thou hast not given it him Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder With neighing i. Tremitu aut hinnitu Drusius and he saith his neck because neighing comes from the neck Vers. 22. He moâ—keth at fear and is not affrighted He contemns all things to be feared so Prov. 1. 26. Your fear shall come that which you fear Neither turneth he back upon the sword If he sees the sword he doth not therefore go back nor run away Vers. 29. And her eyes behold afarre off She sees her prey afarre off Vers. 30. Her young ones also suck up blood and where the slain are there is she Our Saviour saith
number to shew that he only is righteous who hath all the parts and kindes of righteousness so the word is in the plural Isa. 35. 15. His Countenance Heb. His faces Every discovery of God in mercy is his face they shall have all his several wayes of gracious discovery all the wayes of love and delight PSAL. XII Verse 2. THey speak vanity They speak injuriously every one deceiveth or would circumvent and overreach his neighbour See Psal. 25. 4. With a double heart do they speak Heb. An heart and a heart Vers. 6. As silver tried in the fornace of earth He speaks de experiontia viva sanctorum every time any promise is fulfilled there is a trial of the sincerity of Gods intention Purified seven times That is Compleatly and perfectly compare Ps. 119. 164. with Psal. 34. 1. PSAL. XIII Verse 1. HIde thy face That is Withdraw thy favour This is contrary to the lifting up of the light of Gods face Psal. 4. 7. and importeth trouble and grief and is caused by sinne the Prophet often prayeth against it Psal. 30. 8. 104. 29. 88. 15. 69. 18. 102. 3. 243. 7. 27. 9. PSAL. XIV Vers. 1. THe fool hath said in his heart there is no God It is rather an option than an opinion Austin He could be content there were none In his heart None dare speak it though he dare think it There is none that doth good Of these three verses the first the second the third see Junius lib. 2. Parallel 4. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Isa. 59. 7. 8. Vers. 3. They are altogether become filthy Or rotten and stinking There is none that doth good no not one That is Very few naturally considered Non est qui faciat bonum Jun. Id latinius diseretur non est qui faciat bene ne quidem unus Druf Observ. Sac. l. 2. c. 11. Vers. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread q. d. If they knew whom they did devour they would never devour them My people That is The poor they are Gods people both because they are within the Covenant as also in respect of their estate and condition because they are poor the Lord taketh protection of them As they eat bread Without fear and resistance with delight continually Vers. 7. When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad He means it of the spiritual Captivity for neither his nor his Subjects in his time were molested with the natural God having subdued to him all his enemies round about then Jacob and Israel that is all Gods chosen so delivered shall rejoyce and be glad PSAL. XV. THe substance of the whole Psalm is a Question and an Answer The Question is Who are the members of Gods Church upon earth that shall come to life eternal in Heaven Vers 1. Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle That is Who shall have communion with the Church here Tabernacle fitly expresseth the movable estate of the Church in this world Exod. 26. 2. Sam. 7. 1 6. 1 Chron. 17. 5. Who shall dwell in thy holy hill Be received to Heaven This notes a durable estate Ainsw And Grotius interprets it of Mount Sion Psal. 2. 6. In Sione regia Davidis ubi tunc erat arca Grot. The Answer is made in the rest of the Psalm And in this Answer is contained a Description of the parties 1. By their Properties and Marks vers 2. 1. He that walketh uprightly That is In truth and sincerity of Religion which standeth in the sincerity of faith and a good conscience 2. And worketh righteousness He speaks of particular justice here that whereby we give to every man his right or due 3. And speaketh the truth in his heart Without all guile or flattery And because we are easily deceived in general sins in the third fourth and fifth verses there are set down more evident and sensible notes of sincerity justice and truth Vers. 3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue That is Speaks to his neighbours disgrace behinde his back Nor doth evil to his Neighbour In any act of injustice or cruelty to his hurt Nor taketh up a reproach against his Neighbour That is Receives and entertains willingly any reproachfull tale against him Some expound it Greedy to take it up when another reports it The word signifies elevare to lift up a report one sayes a little and he sayes more Vers. 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned He contemns wicked persons See examples of such carriage 2 King 13. 14. Esth. 3. 2. Luk. 23. 9. But he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Makes conscience of his word and promise especially if it be confirmed by oath Vers. 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury Some interpret it of oppressive lending Others of taking increase for bare lending to the poor Usury is fitly called Biting because it consumeth the borrower and his substance Nor taketh reward against the Innocent Gives testimony without bribery or partiality He that doth these things shall never be moved He that in his endeavour doth all these things shall never be cut off from the Church as an Hypocrite Hac quisquis vitam ratione exegerit ille Ille Dei foelix aeternum monte quieseat Beza PSAL. XVI THe whole Psalm say some is to be understood of Christ as well as David as Act. 2. shews Vers. 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee 3. But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight It was from the Father that Christ was sent and that his service was accepted as Mediator it may be opened by Heb. 10 5. God was not profited by all that he did The Excellent The word in the original signifies the magnificent ones those which have magnificent spirits and are exceeding glorious Vers. 4. Their drink offerings of bloud will I not offer The drink-offerings were an appendix to other Offerings They signifie two things 1. The pouring out of their souls in the service of God 2. The satisfaction that they took therein Paul alludes to this Phil. 2. 17. Some think he means the Gentiles which poured out bloud as a drink-offering Parisiensis de legibus gives three reasons why their drink-offerings were of bloud Major Honor Difficilior Servitus Humilior Subjectio Nothing so near to the soul as the bloud Therefore it was a greater honour to the Devil yea the bloud of their Sonnes and Daughters God required but the bloud of beasts Vers. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance Christ speaks this as Mediator thou maintainest my lot Some referre it to the words following Christs inheritance in his people Others to the words fore-going God is my portion both may be meant Vers. 6. The
to outward glory because it presently follows in what externals she is glorious therefore he taketh it as opposite to that which is adventitious and painted she hath it not from others Isa. 49 5. Her cloathing is of wrought gold That is the righteousnesse of Christ shining precious durable and desirable as gold Vers. 14. In raiment of Needle-work That is the several graces of the Spirit of God which puts a beauty upon the soul as the variety in Needle-work makes it beautifull PSAL. XLVI The Title THis Psalm is by many styled Luthers Psalm because Luther oft said and sung it especially in the time of any trouble A Song upon Alamoth The hidden ones of God because the providence of God strongly watcheth over these in times of warre Vers. 1. A very present help in trouble These words may be considered As 1. Verba contemplantia words of such as see God in the mercy for which they celebrate his praise 2. Verba agnoscentia 3. Verba gratulantia they return all the praise to God 4. Verba fidentia they are raised up from this particular mercy to trust more in God 5. Verba triumphantia 6. Verba exaltantia as the words of one that exalts God There is some diversity in the reading of those words Some reade the words He is a help in tribulations that have found us vehemently The Hebrew words may admit of such a translation God is a help in troubles which is found See Numb 32. 23. Others refer it to God and his help some of those render it by the verb Auxilium invenimus abundé Calvin saith It is to be read in the Preterperfect tense then it is a speech of experience Eccles. 7. 26. Others render it Ut auxilium inventum valde auxilium praesentissimum To it is a speech of one who looks upon God as unchangeable 1. The thing attributed to God a help or helper 2. The Persons to whom he is so to that peculiar people which have an interest in these Attributes 3. In the greatest trouble or straits in the plural number troubles many great continued troubles It comes from a word that signifies to straighten binde up presse into a narrow place it is rendred Augustia in Latine and by us straight 2 Sam. 24. 14. Lam. 3. it notes affliction which is a straightning to man in his way and the extremity of it 4. The nature of this help described A present help a help greatly found the Hebrew word in a secondary sense signifies to be sufficient Numb 11. 22. a sufficient help you need no other Vers. 2. Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea These words are a conclusion from the former premisses come in with an Ergo. 1. An In erence which refers to what goes before 2. A Supposition suppose this should be our condition 3. A fiducial Resolution we will not fear They that have the Lord for their refuge help and strength in trouble need not fear but we have so therefore upon this ground for this cause Si fractus illabatur orbis Impavidum ferient ruinae Horace Vers. 4. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God It is an allusion to the river Siloe which ran softly yet surely a still river that refresheth and supporteth on all occasions PSAL. XLVII Verse 5. WIth the sound of a Trumpet That is most gloriously as a triumphing Conquerour as the Apostle explains it Col. 2. 15. These things are spoken humanitus Piscator holds That by the Ascension or going up here nothing else is understood but that God under the symbol of the Ark of the Covenant is gone into the Temple but the comparing of the New Testament and the evidence of the thing shews that the Psalmist understands some sublimer thing in those words and Piscator here departs from Tremellius and Junius whom for the most part he diligently follows Vers. 7. Sing ye praises with understanding Zameru Maschil Sing praises every one that hath understanding or sing praises understandingly or with understanding or as Maschil also signifies as appears by the Title of divers Psalms Sing a Psalm of instruction Ainsworth renders it an instructing Psalm and gives this Annotation Maschil the Title of Psal. 32. and many others here used in like sense for a Psalm to give instruction or as in Psal. 14. 1. for a prudent understanding person In this sense Sing Psalm every one that is prudent or as the Greek explaineth it Sing prudently The Chaldee With good understanding See Muis. Vers. 9. For the shields of the earth belong unto God Magistrates are shields to protect the people from Gods vengeance as well as mans violence by executing Justice Psal. 89. 19. Hos. 4. 18. Dickson expounds it thus The hearts and power of all the Kings of the earth are in the Lords hand and he hath the disposing of shields armies and ammunition with all their Commanders and Rulers in the world Calvin saith That is the best sense the world is protected and kept by God alone PSAL. XLVIII Verse 14. FOr this God is our God for ever and ever Tolle meum tolle Deum It was the top of Christs glory that God was his God PSAL. XLIX Verse 2. BOth low and high Bene Ish or Filii viri that is Nobles sonnes of great men and Bene Adam or Filii hominis the sonnes of men of common rank Tam filii hominum ignobilium quam filii eujuscunque nobilis Adam is so called of Adamah the earth whence this Title is given to the baser sort of people The Greek translateth it here earth born 1 Cor. 15. 47. See Muis. Ish is the name of man in respect of heat valour nobleness and dignity it meaneth the great or noble sort of people Vers. 4. I will open my dark saying upon the harp That dark saying as the context shews is the vanity of all worldly things and the happinesse of Gods favour Vers. 5. When the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about That is as the most judicious Interpreters Calvin and Mollerus understand it when wicked men that trace me pursuing me close at the heels or observing my heels Psal. 56. 6. that is my steppings and seek to supplant me do on every side beset me Some think even in the hour of death when a mans sins use to come closest unto him the wickednesse of my actions say some sins contracted by my daily walking heels for goings and goings for moral actions Not only afflictions but the guilt of sin comes in with the sorrow See Ainsw Vers. 9. That he should live for ever and not see corruption Vers. 12. Neverthelesse man being in honour abideth not Adam lodged not one night in honour for so are the words if they be properly translated The word is Lun which signifies pernoctare to lodge
is the same in substance and almost in words with the end of Psal. 40. PSAL. LXXI Verse 14. ANd will yet praise thee more and more I will adde to thy praise so the words are in the Originall as if he should say God hath had some praise in the world already I would fain adde something for my part I would come in with my share and that he might have some more praise for me Vers. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God That is to go forth 1. In a right apprehension of a mans interest in God by vertue of the new Covenant by which one hath an interest in all his attributes 2. To go forth in the former experiments that he hath had of God Austin saith Calvin plus centies ad evertenda operum merita hoc testimonio utitur PSAL. LXXII Verse 1. GIve the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousness unto the Kings son Judgement is an ability to know what we ought to do 1 King 3. 15. Righteousness is a willingness to do what we know Vers. 3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousness Some understand it literally from all parts of the Land so Calvin rather the supream and inferiour Magstrates Vers. 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass Or as some write it for so the Originall will bear it He shall come down like rain upon the Fleece having relation to Gideons Fleece It is chiefly understood of Christ yet of Salomon also as a type of Christ and indeed of every good Governour See 1 King 4. 25. Vers. 9. And his enemies shall lick the dust They shall fall down so low when they worship him that their mouthes shall touch the earth Scimus Orientales hac caeremonia fuisse usos Calvinus Vers. 17. His Name shall be continued as long as the Sunne Filiabitur nomen ejus Montanus Shall be continued as the Name of the Father in the Son The Greek turneth it his name continueth The sense is That there shall alwaies be a true Church even to the end of the world in which Christ gets to himself in which he is worshipped and praisâ—d Glass Onomat See Muis. PSAL. LXXIII Verse 1. TRuly God is good to Israel What ever God doth though wicked men prosper and the godly be much afflicted Israel is the common name of the people of God in the Old Testament See Whitefoot on Gen. 47. 29. Vers. 4. For there are no bands in their death Are not held long a dying had no lingering disease or consumption Vers. 23. Thou hast holden me by my right hand That is helpt him in any thing he did See Isa. 45. 1. Vers. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell That is shalt give me counsell I will not take counsell of my self and that counsell shall be my guide Vers. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee He had communion with Christ the glorious Angels Abraham Isaac and Jacob. See Heb. 12. 23 24. The substantials of blessedness lie in God these are but accidentals He had beautifull and wise children on earth Vers. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth Flesh that is the outward man and my heart that is the inward man the courage But God is the strength of my heart His at last gasp And my portion for ever That is the lot wherewith he was content Vers. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God Best see vers 25. 1 In respect of the act of prayer to have communion with God 2. In respect of the issue of it all graces are exercised and increased sins mortified mercies sanctified and sweetned PSAL. LXXIV Verse 9. WE see not our signes That is the Ordinances Vers. 11. Pluck it out of thy bosom This denoteth a performance of the work without slackness See Prov. 26. 15. Ainsw Vers. 13. Thou brakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters That is the Egyptians the Noblemen of Egypt who pursuing the Israelites were drowned in the red sea Exod. 14. 28. For great persons are likened to Dragons or Whale-fishes as Ezek 29. 3. Ainsw Regem principes AEgyptios as Grotius Vers. 14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan or Whale in pieces That is Pharaoh King of Egypt And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness For their faith not bellies While they were in the wilderness they remembred Gods mercy to them at the red sea Vers. 19. O deliver not the soul of thy turtle Dove into the multitude of the wicked The Church is so called for as the Turtle Dove hath but one mate so the Church must have God only for her love and is exposed to prey PSAL. LXXV Verse 3. THe earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved Salomon almost ruined all I bear up the pillars of it Not by any industry of men Omnis potestas a summa potestate Aug. Vers. 6. For promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South The desart that is the South or North for desarts were in both ends of the Land of Canaan Vers. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup. There is a twofold Cup 1. Of blessing salvation 2. Of cursing wrath death as here and Psal. 11. 6. See Hab. 2. 16. Ezek. 23 31 32. Jer. 25. 28. And the wine is red Wine is wrath Job 21. 20. Red noting fiery indignation Full of mixture Of all manner of judgements as Rev. 14. 10. It is said to be without mixture of mercy And he poureth out of the same viz. Unto his own people Jer. 25. 17 18. keeps it not in the Cup. But the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out Shall wring out the dregs how bitter soever they be Significat his figuris Propheta non posse impios effugere quin sugendo ad ultimam usque guttam calicem â—bibant à Deo propinatum Calvinus PSAL. LXXVI Verse 4. THe mountains of prey Either those places where conquering Armies divided the spoil after a victory obtained or where robbers preyed upon passengers Vers. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee Which is not so meant as if the wicked in their rage should praise God but that their rage should yield great store of matter for God to raise his praise and glory thereby to make his power providence and wisdom to be known to men Vers. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes The word is he slippeth off as one should slip a cluster of Grapes from a Vine so soon and easily is it done PSAL. LXXVII Verse 10. THe years of the right hand of the most high The years and times of my life wherein I had experience of Gods mercy and love for
people and shaking of the earth Trembling and shaking are effects of a great measure of fear overcoming the person in whom it is and leaving him destitute of all power to resist and oppose or flie from the thing feared The meaning seemeth to be that all men yea and all things shall even faint and shrink before the Lord as utterly unable to stand against him when he comes to fight for his Church and defeat their projects and practices against it 4. Gods greatnesse in his Church vers 2. The Lord is great in Zion and he is high above all people By Zion a part put for the whole is meant the whole Church where Christ is acknowledged and the name of God called upon in him God is said to be great there because in the Church and for the maintenance and guidance of it he principally declares his greatnesse High above all people Not alone in respect of authority or right to govern but also in respect of strength power and sufficiency so that he is able to effect his own will amongst and against them and they cannot hinder his designs and purpose or effect any thing contrary to his good pleasure Secondly The Prophet layes down the duty it self In the third verse is the matter of the Exhortation with a reason to confirm it also Let them praise Or They shall or ought to praise it is so an Exhortation to a duty that it also shews a necessity and fore-tels the performance of it Thy great and terrible Name That is thy self that art great and fearfull For it holy So it is concisely in the Original and may be meant of the name of God or himself all is one for when the name of God is said to be holy the meaning is Himself is and known so to be The Name of God signifies his renown and honour and sometimes those things by which he is made known and called and sometimes himself so called and made known as here Vers. 4. The Kings strength also loveth Judgment By it here may be meant wisdom and understanding to moderate justice Justice is 1. Commutative which stands in the right behaviour of one person to another in all things as also toward the Governour 2. Distributive which is proper to Superiours and Governours and standeth in the right ordering of their Inferiours by punishing and rewarding them according to their works Thou dost establish equity To establish equity is to appoint and ordain by his powerfull authority the doing of that which is right and equal to ratifie it as a Law which cannot be altered or disanulled Thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in Jacob Thou givest to every man according to his works Psal. 99. 14. In Jacob in the Church Vers. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool For he is holy Ut sit excelsus in cordibus vestris Hieron To exalt is to lift on high not in place but worth so termed figuratively because it makes him eminent the meaning is take notice of confesse acknowledge make known and set forth Gods excellency To worship is to bow down the head or whole body in testimony of doing honour The Footstool of God is his Ark Temple or Tabernacle A footstool is the lower part of a Throne prepared for him to rest his feet upon that sits on the Throne This Hebrew word here translated Footstool is six times used in the Old Testament and hath alwayes the word feet added to it as 1 Chron. 28. 2. Psal. 132. 7. 110. 1. Isa. 66. 1. Lam. 2. 1. and here The LXX who translated the Hebrew into Greek do herein follow the Hebrew so do the Pen-men of the New Testament who wrote in Greek and that in eight several places as Matth. 5. 35. 22. 44. Mark 12. 36. Luke 20. 43. Acts 2. 35. 7. 49. Heb. 1. 13. 10. 13. Once the word Footstool is singly used without the addition of the other phrase of feet Jam. 2. 3. Doctor Gâ—uge on Heb. 1. 14. Sect. 154. These signs were fitly called his footstool there his feet as it were are set a littlelow expression of his greatnes is here a mean and scant manifestation of his excellencies but the fulnesse of his Majesty is seen alone in Heaven For he is holy Gods holinesse is thrice repeated in this Psalm Holinesse in God is that Excellency of his Nature whereby he is separated to himself regards himself knows himself esteems himself loves himself doth all for himself Vers. 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call upon his name The Lord raised up holy Priests and Prophets for his people Moses and Aaron were Priests Moses extraordinarily Aaron ordinarily Samuel a Prophet called on his Name in behalf of his people to turn away punishment from them See Jer. 15. 1. They called upon the Lord and he answered them God heard them and at their request did forbear to plague the people Vers. 7. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the Ordinance that he gave them This is meant not alone of those particular times when God spake out of a cloudy pillar to Moses and Aaron as he did often but of his giving unto the people the whole Law out of Mount Sinai which was full of darknes and fire to Exod. 19. 18. and that because he telleth of their keeping the Laws after in the next clause Vers. 8. Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions That is that didst sometimes forbear to punish them and forgavest their sins and sometimes again didst severely punish them for their sins or that pardoned the penitent amongst them but did avenge himself upon the impenitent didst punish their inventions or works or deedâ— PSAL. C. THis is a Psalm of praise that is a Psalm made for this purpose to be sung to the praise of God in the Assemblies of his Saints Vers. 1. Make a joyfull noise unto the Lord. Shout to him out of great gladnesse in respect of his goodnesse and the benefits he gives us especially himself or out of applause of his excellent works The word is used to signifie the blowing of an alarm with Trumpets Levit. 10. 5. the Prophet may well allude to this custome of blowing with Trumpets over their Sacrifices as they were wont to do in their new Moons and this they did to expresse the greatnesse of their joy in God All ye Lands Heb. All the earth not alone all the Land of Israel at that time but all the world after Christs coming Vers. 2. Serve the Lord with gladnesse That is Do his works submit to his Laws acknowledge his Sovereignty over us and be ruled by him and that cheerfully Come before his presence with singing The face of God here signifies his gracious presence in his Tabernacle Come before That is present ones self in
the abstract and in the plural number see Psal. 68. 10. as if the holy Ghost could not speak enough how willing they are to note exceeding great willingness to submit to every Commandment of the Lord or it may signifie free-will offerings voluntary oblations In the day of thy power That is on the Sabbath day when his people are assembled before him as an Army before the Generall or in that day when thou sendest forth thy Army that is the Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospel into the world In the beauties of holiness In with or by the beauties of holiness The Temple say some Ezek. 7. 20. That is thy people shall be willing when they come to publick Ordinances glorious and beautifull Others interpret it when God discovers holiness in its beauty From the womb of the morning The Greeks translated divinely From the womb before the morning starre have I begotten thee Thou hast the dew of thy youth The holiness and righteousness of Christ is called the dew of the morning not in regard of its fading nature as ours Hos. 6. 4. but in regard of its multitude because it maketh dewy Vers. 6. He shall wound the heads over many Countries Satan the head of all the ungodly as Conquerours use to do Gen. 3. 15. In the head of the Serpent lies both virus dolus Vers. 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head An allusion to the brook Kedron wherein they were wont to throw all the carnages of the Temple By the way is meant the whole course of Christs life every man is resembled to a traveller or wayfaring man Psal. 119. 1. The whole course of a godly mans life is called a narrow way Matth. 7. 14. by brook a Land-flood Waters in Scripture note afflictions miseries Psal. 18. 5. 69. 1. Great miseries are called many waters The expression implies 1. A great measure of afflictions therefore they are not called a Cup but a Brook Psal. 36 8. 2. A confluence of all manner of misery To drink of this river is to suffer and sustain all these evils Psal. 60. 3. Jer. 25. 15 16. Matth. 20. 22. or it may mean a short refreshing of himself and then a hot pursuit of his enemies without delay till he hath got a full conquest of them See Judg. 7. 4 5 6. Lift up the head An allusion to the release of Pharaohs Butler He shall lift up thy head Gen. 40. 13. so Christ as one that saw an end of his troubles and enjoyed a better state Luke 21. 28. PSAL. CXI Verse 2. THe works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein The word signifies serious and diligent enquiry The Jews called their School Domus inquisitionis because there they diligently sought after truth PSAL. CXII Verse 3. WEalth and riches shall be in his house That is things sufficient and competent Psal. 37. 16. 2. If by riches be understood abundance the words must be taken with this condition if they be for their good for all temporall promises must be understood with exception Vers. 10. And melt away By degrees so the Hebrew word signifies PSAL. CXIII Verse 6. WHo humbleth himself The word notes a great degree of humiliation Vers. 7. He raiseth the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill From the dust That is from base estate as 1 King 16. 2. This speech is taken from 1 Sam. 2. 8. The last words signifie a most abject condition PSAL. CXIV Verse 2. FRom a people of strange language This word is here only used and meaneth all speech that was not understood of Gods people which he that speaketh is called of the Apostle a Barbarian that is a stranger 1 Cor. 14. 11. even as here also the Chaldee turneth it R. Salomon and Kimchi expound it a people speaking any other language besides the Hebrew such they called Lognazim as the Greeks and Romans called all besides themselves Barbaros PSAL. CXV Verse 1. NOt unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truths sake It is redoubled for the greater emphasis the Prophet â—eacheth us to pray twice against our own praise we are so apt to praise our selves so ready to glory in our prosperity Repetitio ardorem indicat Muis. Some Divines think it is repeated as a rebuke of a temptation because they had thick thoughts of revenge they say it is not a Doxology but a prayer when the people of God went out against Pagan adversaries they did not desire revenge or deliverance but prosperity and successe that Gods mercy and truth might be magnified These two Attributes are mentioned 1. Because they are the chief part of the divine glory 2. They yeeld most consolation to the creature 3. For the better strengthning of their abnegation 4. Because these are the two federal Attributes and fit for the Church to mention Psal. 25. 10. The Covenant was made in mercy and kept in truth Micah 7. 20. Vers. 4. Their Idols are silver and gold the work of mens hands 5. They have mouths but they speak not Eyes have they but they see not The Psalmist even as if he should set forth the vanity of babes and children about their puppets so doth he describe the Heathen Idols Inanitatem idolorum deridet potius quam deseribit Bucerus They cannot be beneficial to men which have their whole existence from them He derides their madnesse who worship mute and empty Images and adore the work of their own fingers Vers. 8. They that make them are like unto them That is they have even as little wit and reason as they Vers. 16. The Heaven even the Heavens are the Lords Made for the manifestation of his own glory and the habitation of Angels But the earth hath he given to the children of men q. d. The Lord hath challenged the Heavens to himself in which he lives a blessed life he hath given this earth to men in which they should live and glorifie him PSAL. CXVI Verse 1. I Love the Lord. There is but one word in the Hebrew I love but he sheweth not whom he loveth it s a broken word because as Ambrosâ— faith he loved the most desirable thing Vers. 7. Return unto thy rest O my soul. Rests in the plural number all manner of rests because it hath attained its chief good Vers. 11. I said in my haste All men are liars That is when I remembred not the word of God but forgat my own duty and was carried away with the stream of my own affections against faith then I failed and was foiled Id est quum pracops raperer in perturbationes carnis ut accipitur Psal. 31. 23. Juniuâ— Vers. 16. Oh Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Repetâ—tio valet ad
phrase Psal. 109. 4. PSAL. CXXI Verse 1. I Lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help That is towards Sion or rather heaven Heb. 9. 24. This Psalm seems to be written when he had warre with Absalom saith Grotius Vers. 2. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth A speech of contempt Looks for help no other way Vers. 3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved viz. to thy ruine Vers. 4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Non dormitabit ac multo minus dormiet Bucer Muis. He shall be so farre from sleeping that he shall not so much as slumber The phrase is taken from watchmen who stand on wals in time of warre to foresee the approach of enemies and give warning they may be treacherous or sleepy The Capitol of Rome had been taken by the Gaules if the Geese had not been more waking than the watchmen of the walls Vers. 5. The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand That is protection comfort and refreshing from heat Isa. 25. 4. 4. 6. Num. 14. 9. The French and we say ready at hand Vers. 6. The sunne shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night The stars have in reference to the curse severall noxious influences they shall nourish and cherish the Saints they shall have benign influences on them The Sun and Moon being rulers of day and night Psal. 136. 8 9. imply all other things whatsoever but this hath reference to Gods protection of Israel in the wiâ—â—â—â—ness Exod. 13. 21. Isa. 4. 5. Ainsw 〈◊〉 â—hose hot regions as the heat of the day was intolerable so the cold of the night was hurtfull He means God would drive away all evils at what time soever they came Vers. 8. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and coming in That is prospers all thy actions at home and abroad Numb 27. 17. 1 King 3. 7. 2 Chron. 1. 10. See Dâ—ut 28. 6. 2 Sam. 3. 25. Act. 1. 21. 9. 28. Vitae actiones Scriptura egressum ingressum vocat Bucerus Thy going out To warre And coming in That is returning into thine house when the warre is ended Muis. PSAL. CXXII Verse 6. PRay for the peace of Jerusalem The originall words have such elegancy here as I think all the Scripture cannot parallell this verse The words do so excellently answer one another in matchless Paranomasie It is in English unexpressible Shaalu Shelâ—m Jerushalaim PSAL. CXXIII Verse 2. OUr eyes are upon the Lord our God For direction and protection Vers. 4. Of those that are at â—ase Not taken for absence of pain such as are drencht with pleasure PSAL. CXXIV Verse 3. THen they had swallowed us up or down quick A metaphor taken from ravenous beasts that devour their prey so suddenly that it seems to go quick down their throats PSAL. CXXV Verse 2. AS the mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his people from hence forth even for evâ—r Heb. 13. 5. As the City Jerusalem is every where compassed with mountains so God compasseth and will for ever compass the Church Vers. 3. Least the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Noting that if the godly should be too much afflicted they could not hold out but would turn aside to sinfull courses See Deut. 20. 18. Vers. 5. As for such aâ— turn aside unto their crooked waies Ainsworth renders it crcokednesses it signifies to be crooked in his way serpentum more as Numb 22. 23. PSAL. CXXVI THis Psalm was penned after their return from Captivity out of Babylon This Psalm is divided into Halelujahs and Hosannahs Praises and Petitions Vers. 1. Zion The people of God the Ark was there placed and there God was worshipt We were like them that dream That is we as it were forgat what our state and condition but lately was as a dreamer forgets how it was with him did not know whether it was true or no we were so amazed with the greatness of the deliverance Dreams are 1. Things unthought of 2. Unlaboured for 3. Of strange things Jacob of a ladder reaching to heaven that a Heathen King Cyrus of his own accord on a sudden should give them commission to return out of Babylon Ezra 1. 1. See Luke 24. 41. Act. 12. 9. PSAL. CXXVII IT is a Psalm concerning Salomon whom David foresaw to be his successor he is called Jedidiah 2 Sam. 12. 25. that is beloved of Jah so here Vers. 2. Iâ—did his beloved or dearling it hath reference to Salomons name Vers. 2. For so he giveth his beloved sleep So how is that that is notwithstanding all the hard labour and pains they take yet the Lord giveth them sleep and sleep makes them forget all their former labour Some say it should be translated For he rightly giveth his beloved sleep as the same Hebrew particle is used elsewhere Numb 27. 7. He means not bodily sleep but a quieting of the soul in God Some mysticall Divines speak of obdormitiâ— animae in Deo PSAL. CXXVIII Verse 2. FOr thou shalt â—at the labour of thine hands That is the fruit of thy labours or thou shalt take delight in the very labour it self as Christ saith It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will Vers. 3. Thy wiâ—e shall be as a fruitfull Vine by the â—ides of thine house The Vine tree brings forth liquor of the Vine most profitable to nourish the body and cheer the heart Secondly Fruitfulness is commended in the Vine tree so in women 1. Not a wanderer abroad as Dinaâ— but a house-wife 2. In the house side not the house top she is in thy side who was taken out of thy side 3. The Vine is of a bending and yeelding nature so she must be flexible to her husband 4. A Vine is an excellent shade against the schorching Sun so should she refresh her husband in his greatest misery Thy children like Olive plants round about thy table He mentions here the Vine and the Olive two of the best fruits the one for cheering the heart the other for cleering the face Psal. 104. 15. the one for sweetness the other for fatness Judg. 9. 13. Christ himself is compared to these two trees John 15. 1. Rom. 11. 24. 1. Numerous round about 2. Legitimate one cannot graff any thing in an Olive but the Olive 3. Flourishing that is alwaies green Psal. 52. 10. That he faith about thy table he expresseth the delight which they bring to the Father while many of them and those pretty ones stand alwaies in his sight Vers. 5. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion That was Gods speciall residence PSAL. CXXIX Verse 8. NEither do they which go by say The blessing of the Lord be upon you we bless you in the Name of the Lord. Shewing evidently that it was a good and commendable custom
of the people of God then to crave Gods blessing on the corn grass or other fruits that they saw upon the earth in these or the like words God bless it or God save it PSAL. CXXX Verse 3. IF thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand That is rectus in curia It is the posture of those that would boldly defend their cause Vers. 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they which watch for the morning As the weaâ—y Sentinell which is weâ— with the dews of the night waits for the appearance of the morning or as the Levites watched in the Temple when the morning would come that they might be taken off from their work Vers. 7. With him is plenteous redemption From all â—inâ—e and all the consequences of it PSAL. CXXXI Verse 2. AS a childe that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned childe See Isa. 32. That is was carefull of nothing as a weaned childe and as he depends on his mothers â—are so doth he commit the event to God and wholly depend on him PSAL. CXXXII Verse 8. ARise O Lord into thy rest thoâ— and the Ark of thy strength The royall Prophet having setled himself in his Kingdom according to his own desire and besides having after many wandrings to and fro at length brought back again the Ark unto Jerusalem maketh here most zealous and devout prayers to God for the continuance of his favour both to the Church and Commonwealth committed to his Government Vers. 9. Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness The Priests had linnen cloathes reaching down to their feet so Christ our Highpriest Rev. 1. 13. Linnen signifies righteousness in the Scripture Rev. 17. 8. To this David alludes here To this petition here God answers v. 16. and to Davids petition v. 10. God answers v 17. to the end of the Psalm Vers. 11. Of the fruit of thy body Thy womb or belly thâ—â— is thy childrenâ— See 2 Sam. 7. 12. This prophesie respecteth Christ Act. 2. 30. PSAL. CXXXIII Verse 1. BEhold how good and how pleasant it is How good that is how much would come to the persons by it by way of admiration and how pleasant Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit â—â—iâ—â— dulci. Some things are good which are not pleasant as afflictions repentance self-deniall rendring good for evil some things pleasant which are not good as sensuall pleasures some things neither good nor pleasant as envy despair impatience some things both good and pleasant as the happiness in heaven Vers. 2 3. He useth two comparisons answering to good and pleasant the second verse answering pleasant the third answering to good Vers. 2. It is like the precious oyntment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments It signifies that the spirituall oyl was first of all poured upon our Head Christ and from thence consequently derived to all his members Vers. 3. As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Hermon was a very fruitfull hill inter pascua celebratur Tâ—erâ— Where brethren dwell in unity Commanded Appointed and sent effectually See Psal. 42. 9. PSAL. CXXXIV Verse 3. THe Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion He doth not say The Lord that made the earth bless thee out of heaven nor the Lord that made heaven bless thee out of heaven but bless thee out of Zion as if he would teach us that all blessings come as immediatly and primarily from heaven so mediatly and secondarily from Zion where the Temple stood PSAL. CXXXV Verse 6. WHatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in hâ—aven and in earth in thâ—sâ—â—s and all deep places A holy Minister said that Scripture did â—â—â—ch content him Such a thing pleased God said he why should it not please me PSAL. CXXXVI Verse 10 To him that sâ—â—â—te AEgypt in their first-born Here are four particulars 1. God hath judgements for a whole Nation Exod. 12. 30. 2. God punisheth his enemies in what is neerest to them Zech. 12. 10. 3. God proportions his judgements to mens sins Exod. 1. they drowned the Israelites first-born 4. This judgement brake Pharaohs heart Vers. 11. And brought out Israel from among them The bondage of the Israelites was great 1. In regard of their bodies it is called an iron-fornace See Exod. 3. 7 9. 2. In regard of their souls great Idolatry The AEgyptians worshipt almost every thing the Crocodile River Ox Herbs in the garden Rev. 11. Rome is called AEgypt this was therefore a great deliverance Vers. 13. To him which divided the Red Sea into parts Or Divisions By the Jews tradition the Red Sea was parted into twelve several parts for every of the twelve Tribes to goe thorow But Bucer and Muis mislike that Interpretation Vers. 14. And made Israel to passe thorow the midst of it He shews for whom this was done Israel Exod 14. 22 29. not the AEgyptians Heb. 11. 29. 2. God gave Israel courage and faith to venture Heb. 11. Vers. 15. But overthrew Shook them off in the original as a man would shake a worm off his garment Ainsworth and Grotius render it Shook off See Exod. 14. 27. PSAL. CXXXVII Verse 6. ABove my chief joy Heb. The head of my joy PSAL. CXXXVIII Verse 1. BEfore the gods will I sing praise unto thee The Kings and Princes of the earth as vers 4. called gods Psal. 82. 1 6. before such David used to confesse the Lord Psal. 119. 46. Vers. 2. For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name The Name of God appears in his great work of Creation and Providence 1. Because there is more of God discovered in his Word then in his works 2. He works greater things by his Word then by his works converting the soul and comforting afflicted consciences 3. Gives it authority over the conscience PSAL. CXXXIX Verse 3. THou compassest my paths That is markest me which way soever I goe Vers. 13. For thou hast possessed my reins That is my secret cogitations for the kidneys lie in a hid and secret place of the body Jer. 12. 2. Vers. 14. For I am fearfully and wonderfully made Made as it were and composed altogether in wonders Vers. 15. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth So he cals the womb because curious work-men when they have some choice piece in hand perfect it in private and then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at Vers. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me Some expound it of the thoughts he had of God he valued nothing so much as high thoughts of him See vers 18.
are pleasant things which yet are not comely as foolish jesting Ephes. 5. 4. but singing of Psalms is good pleasant and comely Good in its own nature pleasant to the hearers and comely to the user Vers. 10. He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man Either because the strength of a man lies there or his agility is manifested there Any indowments of a man that are not grace as the opposition makes manifest vers 11. Vers. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him In their persons and services Vers. 13. For he hath strengthened the barres of thy Gates Against enemies Vers. 16. He giveth snow like wool Not only because of the likenesse in colour but also because it warmeth the ground and preserveth the corn that is sown Qui dat nivem candidam sicut lanam Chaldaeus PSAL. CXLVIII Verse 4. PRaise him ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that be above the heavens Heavens of heavens That is the highest heavens Ye waters that be above the heavens That is the clouds praise him as they are the wonderfull work of God and give men matter to praise him Vers. â—1 Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Judges of the earth 12. Both young men and maidens old men and children He invites all men of every condition age and sex lest any should think himself exempt from this duty PSAL. CXLIX Verse 6. LEt the high praises of God be in their mouth When God puts forth high acts of grace he expects high praises Vers. 9. To execute upon them the judgement written In the book of God the Lord hath declared against some enemies as Amalek and the Antichristian party PSAL. CL. Verse 2. ACcording to his excellent greatnesse So we reade but the Hebrew and Greek according to the multitude of his greatnesse and so Ainsworth Vers. 4. Organ Or The Organon as the Greek translateth it The Hebrew name signifieth a lovely or delightfull instrument It is one of the ancientest of the world invented by Jubal Gen. 4. 23. and an instrument of joy Job 21. 12. 30. 31. ANNOTATIONS Upon the Book of PROVERBS CHAP. I. THE Book of Proverbs is compared to a great heap of gold Rings rich and orient severally and every one shining with a distinct sense by it self but other Contexts of holy Writ to gold-chains so interwoven and enlinked together that they must be illightned and receive mutual illustration one from another Bolton on Prov. 18. 14. It is without question that Salomon was the Author of this Book 1 King 4. 32. Three Books of Scripture are Salomons Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles The Proverbs set out true wisdom Ecclesiastes worldly vanity Canticles heavenly love Vers. 4. The simple Jerom reads it a child Junius fools because both children and fools are simple Vers. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Filial fear a fear of reverence Mal. 3. 16. The word signifies as well caput or principatum the head or top of wisdom Vers. 8. My Sonne Salomon repeating this Title twenty three times hath it ever in this form Fili mi my son One main end of writing this Book was to instruct young ones Vers. 12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave As wilde beasts devour their prey at a morsel Ralph Bains saith he seems to allude to the History of Dathan and Ahiram whom the earth opened and swallowed up quick but Mr Taylor dislikes this for thieves saith he would not willingly mention such a judgement Vers. 20. Wisdom crieth without Heb. Wisdoms that is Summa Sapientia Junius Because it is the most excellent wisdom divine heavenly wisdom which teacheth us how to attain eternal life Crieth The word signifies a strong cry such a one as Souldiers use to send forth in the beginning of a battel or after a victory Vers. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity Simple sometimes signifies one that is plain hearted sincere and simplicity singlenesse and integrity of heart here taken in the worst sense fools love folly that is sinne That is Never strive to better your knowledge in things which may do you most good but suffer your selves to be abused in that which will overthrow and shame you And fooles hate knowledge Sinfull fools will not be at cost and pains to get it Vers. 26. I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh God delights not in it with a will terminated in their destruction but as an occasion to exercise his justice Vers. 31. Therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices A metaphor taken from those which have surfeted on sweet morsels when they feel the griping of their bowels they have enough of it From Husbandmen saith Baynes Mr Taylor saith there is a metaphor from meats in the word eat a metaphor from trees in the word fruit and a metaphor from travellers in the word way Vers. 32. For the turning away of the simple shall stay them By making them to neglect duty and provoke God against them CHAP. II. Verse 1. ANd hide my Commandments with thee That is Have them alwayes about thee that so when ever there is any need thou maist have the promises and counsels at hand Vers. 3. Yea if thou criest after knowledge Liftest up thy voice Synecd generis If thou pray after knowledge or for knowledge as it is translated in the end of the verse for understanding And that is nearer to the Hebrew Text. And liftest up thy voice Heb. Givest or utterest thy voice If thou criest There is the prayer If thou seekest Ver. 4. there is the endeavour Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord. Vers. 5. There is the blessing Vers. 6. For the Lord giveth wisdom As if he should say it comes not out of the mouth of the excellentest man that thou canst hear it comes from the Lord only and therefore thou must seek to him for it Vers. 11. Discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee Discretion imports a carefull examining things in the minde before we do them that we may avoid evil Shall preserve thee As a Buckler keeps from wounds or as a guard which Princes are wont to have about them for the safety of their persons The same benefit is twice inculcated Vers. 16. From the stranger which flattereth with her words Heb. Which maketh her words smooth See Psal. 55. 21. Vers. 17. And forgetteth the Covenant of her God That is of marriage of which God is the author and whose name was or ought to have been invocated in the match making The Hebrew word translated Covenant comes from a word which signifies to choose It is an agreement between two choosing one another and tying themselves by Covenant one to another upon such terms as both parties like Vers.
1. From their emptinesse and consequently unsatisfaction 2. In regard of their mutability 3. Because they may be lost Secondly Vexation of spirit Because 1. There is a mixture of evil in the best of these contents 2 In all of them some unsuitablenesse of spirit 3. In regard of the danger of sin from them Vers. 15. That which is crooked cannot be made straight The knowledge of all men in the world is not able to rectifie one crooked lust That which is wanting cannot be numbred There are many defects and errours in this knowledge Vers. 18. For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Salomon placeth not grief in wisdom nor sorrow in knowledge it self but in the way of attaining wisdome and knowledge or in the exercise of it CHAP. II. Verse 2. I Said of laughter It is mad That is so farre forth as it hath not the fear and reverence of the name of God to restrain it And of mirth what doth it That is what good doth sensual joy Vers. 9. Also my wisdome remained with me Because Salomon was to take not only a sensual but a critical delight in the creatures Few men in the enjoyment of so many pleasures depart not from the study of wisdom Vers. 10. I withheld not my heart from any joy That is any thing which might be matter of joy to me The same metaphor that is used Revel 18. 17. lived deliciously a metaphor from a beast that is let go without a yoke or bridle Vers. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head Is judicious and advised in all his wayes But the fool walketh in darknesse He maketh not use of his knowledge to guide and direct his wayes See Jer. 4. 22. Vers. 24. There is nothing better for a man viz. In respect of natural benefits Quò mihi fortunam si non conceditur uti CHAP. III. Verse 1. TO every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven A set time so the Hebrew word is used Nehem. 10. 34. 13. 31. Esth. 9. 26 31. Even a time not for every purpose For what purpose can any man have at such a time to be born or at such a time to die but as the Greek well renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For every thing under heaven the Hebrew word is used in the 17th verse of this Chapter and in 8. 6. Vers. 4. And a time to dance This place speaks not of dancing properly but of hearty rejoycing signified by dancing He speaks not of such things as we ought to do or may do by the commandment or permission of God but such things as fall out and come to passe by the providence and decree of God Vers. 5. A time to imbrace and a time to refrain from imbracing Liberis danda opera rursum continentiae so Jerom. 1 Cor. 7. 5. See Cartwright Vers. 7. A time to keep silence and a time to speak Every thing is beautifull in his season There are seven special seasons of speaking First When by speaking we may bring glory to God and doe good to our Brethren Secondly When we have an opportunity to vindicate the honour and truth of God Thirdly When we may relieve the credit of a wronged Brother Fourthly When we may instruct or direct those that are ignorant Fifthly When we may comfort and support those that are weak Sixthly When we may resolve and settle those that are in doubt Seventhly When we may duly reprove and convince And seven of silence First Till we have a Call Secondly Till we be rightly informed about the state of the Question to which we must speak Thirdly Till we have a suitable preparation Fourthly When what we speak is like to be a snare unto our selves Amos 5. 10 12 13. Fifthly When our passions or corruptions are up Sixthly When men are not capable of what we speak 1 Sam. 25. 36. 7. When we may grieve in speaking Vers. 19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other Vers. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth Some say these words are spoken in the person of wicked men but the better answer is that Salomon speaks by consideration of the outward events which do befall one as well as another Who can collect from ought he sees in the world that the spirit of a man goes upward and the spirit of a beast downward 2. Who doth acknowledge and consider it so as to look after eternall supplies CHAP. IV. Verse 1. ANd behold the tears of such as were oppressed It is in Hebrew Lacryma a tear It may be either to shew that there should be so much compassion toward the afflicted as one single tear or the first tear that they shed should win relief or as one observeth to shew the neglect of pity in those that have suffered the oppressed to wait and weep so long to crave help yet still delayed as they could weep no more had only one tear left Vers. 2. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead The word signifies Encomiis celebrare to sing out praises and pronounce them happy It is spoken of godly men their state of death is better than their own estate or the estate of other righteous men alive Vers. 5. The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh The sluggard will not work Eateth his own flesh Is cruell to himself starves himself or through sloth he is brought into such want that if he will eat he must eat his own flesh Vers. 8. Yea there is no end of his labour No natural nor moral end Vers. 13. Better is a poor and a wise childe than an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished The more folly the more obstinacy and the more obstinacy the more impatience of admonition CHAP. V. Verse 1. KEep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear then to give the Sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evil As though he should have said All our prayers and other services we do to God in his house are but the Sacrifice of fools till we have first by hearing been instructed how to do them according to Gods will It is as much as to say Come not into Gods house illotis pedibus Here is an allusion in particular to the rite of discalceation used by the Jews and other Nations of the East at their coming into sacred places as Exod. 3. 5. Josh. 5. Keep thy foot That is the whole man A fool a wicked man never considers God before whom he comes and that he looks after inward purity The Sacrifice of fools A Sacrifice which proceeds from a
matter Heb. That which is master of wing shall carry it abroad That is God will work a miracle to reveal it rather than it shall be concealed CHAP. XI Verse 1. CAst thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt finde it after many dayes Every word of this sentence is emphatical Cast. That is give with a good heart willingly readily and freely Cast. As men do seed not drop Thy Bread That is Seed of which bread is made like sowing thy seed on morish grounds or sowing in the Sea Bread A Synecdoche of the special By bread he meaneth all kinde of sustenance and maintenance meat drink apparel lodging money Matth. 25. 35. Thy Bread Got by divine providence therefore thou must give thine own Upon the waters That is the truly poor Jerome which are as common as waters For thou shalt finde it A reason to enforce this duty thy benefit shall not be fruitlesse though it seem to be cast into the Sea and utterly lost After many dayes Though not here in heaven Vers. 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth He setteth down the extent of our liberality shewing to how many we must give Give a part unto seven and also to eight A Synecdoche of the special a finite number being put for an infinite seven or eight poor For thou knowest not what evil shall be on the earth That is how long thou shalt enjoy thy goods and what need thou or thine may come to Vers. 4. He that observeth the winde shall not sowe and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap An allusion to the Husbandmen which disputing about the season lose the opportunity so those that will argue against giving from the times Vers. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes Implying that that is the temper of that age Gaudet equis â—anibusque custode remoto Vers. 10. For Childhood and youth are vanity In the abstract all kinde of vanity of thoughts speeches carriage company CHAP. XII Verse 1. REmember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Remember Not barely think on God remember to love fear reverence him as remember the Sabbath-day to prepare for it It is 1. To set the minde on work of the excellencies of God Psal. 104. 34. 2. To recollect our selves and return to him as the fountain of our salvation Psal. 22. 27. Hos. 2. 17. 3. It implies a reverent fear of him Prov. 23. 17. Psal. 16. 7. 4. To retain a thankfull sense of his mercy Deut. 18. 18. Psal. 106. 21. 5. To serve and obey him Deut. 8. 11. 6. When we alwayes consider what may please or displease him Col. 1. 10. Thy Creators Heb. as Isa. 54. 5. he speaks of God either by way of honour or alludes to the Trinity In the dayes of thy youth In the beauty vigour and strength of youth we have a sensible feeling of Gods creating bounty While the evil dayes come not i. e. Of old-age When thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them That is no sensitive pleasure Vers. 2. While the Sun or the light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkned nor the Clouds return after the rain That is all the abilities of the minde be decayed The Clouds return after the rain As in winter that is though one evil follows upon another Vers. 3. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble The hands and arms prove crazy And the strong men The thighes and legs Shall bow themselves And the grinders Teeth Cease And those that look out of the windows The eyes Be darkned Vers. 4. And the doors shall be shut in the streets That is none shall have delight in their company And he shall rise up at the voice of the Bird. Take little rest And all the daughters of musick shall be brought low See 2 Sam. 19. 35. Vers. 5. Because man goeth to his long home See Job 30. 23. Isa. 26. 4. it is a lasting house Vers. 6. Or ever the silver cord be loosed Some interpret it of the marrow others of the sinews Or the golden bowl be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain The liver is the fountain of bloud the heart of spirits these lose their drawing and distributing power Vers. 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it To be rewarded or disposed of by him Vers. 11. The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepherd The Arguments which the Lord useth to fasten duties on the soul and quicken us up to them There is a double power in the word of God preacht 1. Quickning to stir us to duty goads 2. Strengthning nails Vers. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man q. d. If we could keep the Commandments without this this is not the thing The duty of every man or the whole duty of man ANNOTATIONS Upon the Book of CANTICLES OR THE SONG of SALOMON CHAP. I. CAnticles or Song of Songs That is the most excellent Song Titulus praestantiam ostendit authorem Brightm Salomon made a thousand Songs and five 1 King 4. 32. of all which this was most excellent yea and of all the Songs in the Scripture Non est enim strepitus oris sed jubilus cordis non sonus labiorum sed motus gaudiorum voluntatum non vocum consonantia Bern. Serm. 1. super Cantica Some make this Book wholly a Mystery some a History Brightman a Prophecy Christ is the woer the Church or a true Christian soul the Virgin or Spouse Est nuptiale carmen exprimens custos jucundosque complexus animorum morum concordiam Bern. Our Saviour cals his Church as his Spouse so his Sister at the least five times in the Canticles to note the greatness of his love to her The Church is called Fair fifteen times in this Book Vers. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth Whereby the Church desireth to have Christ manifested in the flesh and to have the loving and comfortable doctrines of his Gospel applied unto her conscience Foelix osculum ac stupenda dignatione mirabile in quo non â—s ori imprimitur sed Deus homini unitur Bern. super Cantica Serm. 12. Vers. 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment poured forth There is no great savour of precious ointment when shut up in a box It alludes to his Name Messias and Christ is anointed Est
dignatur Haec ratio est cur Propheta Israelem nominet atque etiam protinus hoc nomen restringat ad rectos corde in quo est correctionis species Calvinus Quoniam verba sunt futuri temporis hunc genuinum esse sensum existimo Domine postquam nunc tuo ductu in viam semel reductus sum posthac etiam regere me perges donec tandem in gloriam tuam suscipiar Calvinus Neque in caelo neque in terra alium praeter te quaesivi I have sought none in heaven or earth besides thee Jerom. I desire nothing in heaven or earth but thee Calvin Thee alone I affect in heaven and in earth Cajetane I love nothing with thee Marlorate I esteem thee in stead of and above all treasures Molterus Psal. 16. 5. Cujus sanguine sum redemptus Hieron Queruntur fideles ablata sibi esse signa gratiae quòd Deus faciem suam quodammodo absconderit Calvinuâ— The testimony of Gods presence and favour extraordinary or ordinary Aâ—nsw Manum in sinum condere otiari est Prov. 29. 24. 26. 15. Contrà manum è sinu producere est seriò accuratè aliquid agere Fessel Advers Sac. l. 4. c. 9. See Ainsw Prioris temporis statum respicit Neque à desertis montibus saith the Vulgar from the desart mountains which lying on both sides of Canaan include both North and South as the Chaldee Paraphrase expounds it Quo divinarum afflictionum modus diversus innuitur Eadem metaphora Esa. 51. 17 22. occurrit Glass Rhet Sac. Tract 1. Vinum quia iram accendit vindictam significat Esaia 11. 12. Jer. 25. 16. Apoc. 14. 1â— 16. 19. 18. 3. 19. 15. Grotius Quo nomine violenta praedatoria regna designat sicut abinitio scimus quo quisque plus valebat latrocinando fines suos magis ampliasse Calvinus The Kingdoms of this world which make prey and spoil one of another like wilde beasts Dan. 7. 4 5 6 7. Ainsw B. Smith Quamvis initio hostium furor omnia perturbans quasi tenebras obducat tandem cessurus in laudem Dei quia eventu palam fiet quicquid moliantur nihil tamen posse contra Deum Calvinus Vindemiat vindemiabit Calvinus Quod in Israelitas proprie competit ad Deum transfert cujus auspiciis ductu per aridum maris Rubri sinum transierunt illi Calvinus Vide Jun. l. 1. Paral. 26. Matth. 13. 35. Nomen Mâ—shal graves insignes sententias Hebraeis significat quales sunt paraemlae vel proverbia apophthegmata Quia igitur materia ipsa si gravis ponderosa est expergefacit hominum sensus mera aâ—ophthegmata proferre sibi in animo esâ—e testatur author Psalmi Calvinus That is in or with parables as the holy Ghost expoundeth it Math. 13. 34 35. A parable or proverb is in Hebrew Mashal which denoteth rule superiority or excellency because such speeches preuail much in the mindes of men and are in esteem In old English or Saxon it was called A big spell Ainsw on Psal. 49. 5. Contumaciam denotat proterviam Panem robustissimum ut Juniusâ—ectè â—ectè transtulerunt ad significandam naturae Angelicae praestantiam excellentiam Rainold de lib. Apoc. See Dr Willet on Exod. 16. quaest 23. Verum quidem est magnificè ideo celebrari miraculum quo magis detestabilis reddatur populi impietas quia longè praestantiùs fuit Man è coelo pluere quam si satiaâ—i fuissent vel herbis vel fructibus vel alio terrae proventu Calvinus Quia oris confessio affectu carens voluntaria non erat Calvinus Loquutiones quas usurpat fragilitatem notant quia miserabilis est hominum conditio Calvinus Manum Dei pro virtute per Metonymiam accipisatis notum est Fuit autem in prima illa liberatione populi novo insolito modo extenta Dei manus quo magis detestabilis fuit populi impietas in quam nunc invehitur Propheta pro nihilo ducere vel statim sepelire quod nulla veâ—ustate obsolescere debuerat Calvinus Or Angels of evils The Chald. Paraph. translateâ—b Sent by the hand of them that do evil Vide Rivetum in Exod. 11. Calvin in loc Dr. Casaub. The orig cause of Temp. evils See Gen. 4. 2â— 23. Psal. 12. 6. Prov. 6. 21. Matth. 18. 22. Fumabis Calvinus See smoak for anger Psal. 74. 1. Videtur tacita esse allusio inter sumum irae Dei suffitum qui Sacrificiis adhibebatur sub lege Calvinus Super populum quem dextera id est Christus tuus salvavit Hieron Whom thou lovest honourest and powerfully helpest See Gen. 35. 18. Ainsw Illi canebant tuba in Pascha Pentecoste Seenopegia Hieron Sub novilunio per Synecdochen alias quoque ferias designat Quanquam autem quotidie offerebantur Sacrificia dies tamen Sacrificii per excellentiam nominat quibus se ex Legis praescripto fistebant fideles ad tabernaculum Calvinus Monet ne modicè aut parce sed multa ac magna à Deo peâ—amus Chrysost Quum appareat ex sacra historia mel in cavis rupibus passim fuisse repertum quamdiu florebat Dei benedictio simplex sensus est tenorem gratiae Dei continuum aequabilem futurum fuisse nisi malitia sceleribus populi abruptus esset Calvinus B. Hooper on the Command See Exod. 7. 4. 22. 8. Vide Junium lib. 1. Paral. 77. Joh. 10. 34. Ne hostium insidiis captionibus putemus nos esse expositos opportunè suggerit nobis Propheta plenum consolationis spei Epitheton vocans nos Dei absconditos Calvinus Let not sin or vain thoughts dwell in you Shews the strength that comes in by serving God Exo. 23. 14 17. Si cui magis placeat turma sensus erit non paucos modò venturos sed per multas catervas Calvinus See Rev. 21. 7. The creature stands in need of two things Provision and Protection For the first the Lord is a Sunne as full of goodness as that is of light For the second a Shield Psal. 18. 2. Zech. 9. 12. Pax non dicitur nisi quando bellum non est Hieron Hierosolyma sic dicitur tribus de causis 1. Quoniam in ea Deus habitabat Nam in urbe Templum in Temple area sedes Dei in terra aut 2. Valet proverbiali sermone civitas ampla ut cedri Dei. Aut dicta eo modo quia Divinitas purè ibi colebatur Drusius in Observat. Sac. lib. 6. cap. 15. Proverbiale hoc significans maximos minimóique in hac re esse similes Grotius â—ontes scientiarum bonorum Quòd inutilis esset ad omnia vitae muncraâ— quasi à mundo alienatus â—alvinus â—psam Ecclesi am iâ— qâ—â— ceu Rex sedâ—bis in aeternum Hâ—er Sec Psal. 0. 18 Which gathered men unto the Tabernacle Numb 10. 6. because it call'd them to the Ordinances of God 1 Sam 18. 13 14 30. Oâ— not seazâ— as a