of man commendeth the righteousness of God Rom. 3.4 5. To thee O Lord God belongeth righteousness but unto us confusion of face saith Daniel chap. 9. Vers 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity This he alledgeth viz. his original pravity not as an excuse but as an aggravation of his actual abominations which he saith were committed out of the vile viciousness of his nature See Psal 58 3 4. The Masorites here observe that the word rendred iniquity is full written with a double Vau to signifie the fulness of his sin whole evil being in every man by nature and whole evil in man which when the Saints confess they are full in the mouth as I may so say they begin with the root of sin not at the fingers ends as Adenibezek did stabbing the old man at the heart first and laying the main weight upon original corruption that in-dwelling sin as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 7.14 that sin of evil concupiscence as the Chaldee here that peccatum peccans as the Schools Tully belike had heard somewhat of this when he said Cum primum nascimur in omni continuo pravitate versamur Assoon as ever we are born we are forth-with in all wickedness Augustine saith Damnatus homo antequam natus Man is condemned as soon as conceived And in sin did my mother conceive me Heb. Warm me This Aben-Ezra interpreteth to be our great Grand-mother Eve Qua non parturiebat antequam peccabat David meant it doubtless of his immediate mother and spake of that poyson where-with she had warmed him in her wombe before the soul was infused Corruption is conveyed by the impurity of the seed Job 14.4 Job 3.6 31. Sin may be said to be in the seed incoative dispositive as fire is in the Flint Let us therefore go with Elisha to the Fountain and cast salt into those rotten and stinking waters And for our Children let us labour to mend that by education which we have marred by propagation Vers 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Quam tamen mihi defuisse res ipsa demonstrat but this truth hath not been found in me when I acted my sin in that sort and did mine utmost to hide it from the world I have shewed little truth in the inward parts but have grosly dissembled in my dealings with Vriab especially whom I so plied at first with counterfeit kindness and then basely betrayed him to the sword of the enemy Sinisterity is fully opposite to sincerity trcachery to truth And in the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom Thus by faith saith one he riseth out of his sin being taught wisdom of God Others read it Thou hast made me to know c. And yet have I sinned against the light of mine own knowledge and Conscience although thou hast taught me wisdom privately E◠eheu quam familiaritèr as one of thine own Domesticks or Disciples Some make it a prayer Cause me to knew wisdom c. Vers 7. Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean Sprinkle me with the bloud of Christ by the Hyssop-bunch of faith not only taking away thereby the sting and stink of sin but conferring upon me the sweet savour of Christs righteousness imputed unto me See Heb. 9.13 14 19. where he calleth it Hyssop of which see Dioscorides lib. 3. chap. 26.28 David multiplieth his sute for pardon not only in plain terms but by many metaphors Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow So we cannot be by any washings of our own though with Snow-water Isa 6.46 The Brides Garments are made white in the Lambs bloud Rev. 1.14 the foulest sinners washed in this Fountain become white as the snow in Salmon Isa 1.18 1 Cor. 6.11 Eph. 5.27 Peccata non redeunt Vers 8. Make me hear joy and gladness God will speak peace unto his people he createth the fruit of the lips to be peace Isa 57.19 c. No such joyful tidings to a condemned person as that of a Pardon Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee Feri feri Domine nam à peccatis absolutus sum said Luther Davids Adultery and Murther had weakned his Spiritual condition and wiped off all his comfortables but now he begs to be restored by some good Sermon or sweet promise set home to his poor soul That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce By leaping over Gods pale he had broke his bones and fain he would be set right again by a renewed righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost by his former feelings of Gods favour Vers 4. Hide thy face from my sins We are not able to indure Gods presence much less his Justice for our sins nor can there be any sound peace of Conscience whiles he frowneth His favour is better than life but his displeasure more bitter than death it self See 2 Sam. 14.32 And blot out all mine iniquities See how one sin calleth to mind many thousands which though they lye a sleep a long time like a sleeping debt yet wee know not how soon they may be reckoned for Make sure of a generall pardon and take heed of adding new sins to the old Vers 10. Create in mee a clean heart O God His heart was woefully soiled with the filth of sin and the work of grace interrupted he therefore prayeth God to interpose and begin it again to set him up once more to re-inkindle those sparks of the spirit that lay almost quite smothered to put forth his almighty power for that purpose to farm that Augean stable of his heart to sanctify him throughout in spirit soul and body and to keep him blamelesse unto the comming of his son 1 Thes 5.23 Andrenew a right spirit within mee Or a firm spirit firm for God able to resist the Devill stedfast in the faith and to abide constant in the way that is called holy Vers 11. Cast mee not away from thy presence Deprive mee not of communion with thee and comfort from thee for that 's a peece of Hell torments 2 Thes 1.9 Cains punishment which possibly David might here mind as being guilty of murther And Sauls losse of the Kingly Spirit 1 Sam. 15.15 might make him pray on And take not thine holy Spirit from mee David knew that he had done enough to make the holy Spirit loath his lodging he might also think that the Spirit had urterly withdrawn himself and others might think as much beholding his Crosses Jer. 30.17 But the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and where the Spirit once inhabiteth there he abideth for ever Joh. 14.16 an interruption there may bee of his work but not an intercision and a Saint falling into a grosse sin may lose his jus aptitudinale ad calum but not his jus heredit arium his fitnesse but not his right to Heaven that holy place Vers 12. Restore unto mee the joy of thy salvation He had grieved that holy thing that Spirit of
any it is meerly because it stands in the light of their wicked wayes as the Angel did in Balaams way to his sin Nor abide in the paths thereof They have no stability Hos 6.3 nor settledness in well-doing They follow not on to know but soon give over the pursuit and practise of holiness not caring to adde to Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge c. 2 Pet. 1.3 Verse 14. The murderer rising with the light Betimes whiles it is yet darkish for here Job sheweth how those that do evil hate the light and take the fittest opportunities for a dispatch of the deeds of darkness daily digging descents down to Hell and hastening thereto as if they feared it would be full before they come thither They spend therefore the whole day in wicked pranks and practises proùt videtur commodum as shall seem best for their purposes interdin latrones nocte fures agunt By day they do what mischief they may in woods and desarts at night they return into the City and there play the theeves hoping to do it un-observed Bernard Thus every such one may better say then that Ancient did Totum tempus perdidi quia perdite vixi I have lost all my time by spending it loosely and basely I have been too faithful a drudge to the Devil whom Christ calleth a murthâ—rer Joh. 8. and Tertullian calleth Furem Veritatis a thief of the Truth Two notable Theeves of Naples Rain de Idol Rom. prafat whereof one was called Pater-noster and the other Ave-Maria had murthered an hundred and sixteen several persons at several times and in divers places These were worthily put to a cruel death by the Magistrate who possibly might by his connivence and slackness in doing his office be himself guilty of some of those murders sith to restrain justice is to support sin and not to correct is to consent to the Crime Hemingius maketh mention of a Felon who was indicted of seven murders while the Judge was studying what grievous punishment should be inflicted upon such a bloody villain an Advocate steps to the Bar and pleading for him proved That the Judge was guilty of six of the murders for thâ—â— the Felon was not put to death for the first offence Killeth the poor and needy Without Authority such as Magistrates have to kill Malefactors and Souldiers in a lawful Battel to kill their Enemies Sum Talbotti pro occidere inimicâ—s meos Speed this blunt boisterous sentence was written upon the renowned L. Talbots Sword whilest he warred in France and without any present necessity for his own lawful defence as Exod. 2.22 when he must either kill or be killed provided that he endeavour first to save himself by flight if possibly he can For that Tenet of Soto a Popish Casuist is the most false Quia fugs est ignominiosa That it is lawful for a man in his own defence to kill another because it is a shame to flie And that also of Navarrus that for a box on the ear it is not unlawful to kill another Ad bonor em recuper 〈◊〉 for the recovering of his honour And in the night is as a thief That is very thief for this as is magis expreâ—◠〈◊〉 veritatis as Mercer speaketh he would not seem to be but yet is an arrant thief ending the day with theft which he began with murder How these two sins go commonly coupled see Hos 4.2 and Isai 13.16 Verse 15. The eye also of the Adulterer waâ—teth Observeth expecteth and longeth till it cometh Vt videas illâ—m non precare infirmitate sed malitiâ saith Vatablus This sheweth that he sinneth not of infirmity but of forethought malice and wickednesse which he plotteth and ploweth as the Scripture phraseth it purveying for the flesh Quotidie perire me sentio Suer Rom 13. ult putrifying alive under a â—abe of impure lusts and daily perishing therein as Tiberius at Caprea by his own confession This beast was not ashamed of his detestable filthinesse as being a most impure and impudent defiler of other mens beds But the Adulterer here spoken of seeks the covert of the twilight and another of a disguise He putteth hu face in a secret place so the Hebrew hath it wrapping it in his cloak or getting on a Vizzard which saith he shall render me unknown and none eye shall see me For as for Gods eye either he conceits him blind or presumes him indulgent not doubting or an easie and speedy pardon This is charged upon David 2 Sam. 12.10 Because thou hast despised me c. viz. in thinking to sin secretly not considering mine All-seeing eye not caring though I looked on c. therefore shall all come to light verse 12. Sin secretly committed shall bee strangely discovered yea perhaps the sinner himselfe shall confesse his sinnes as Judas So sooner on later God wil bring every work into judgement with every secret thing Ecclesiasâ—es 12.14 See also Ecclesiasticus 23. Verse 16. In the dark they dig through the earth c. Heb. He digs through houses i.e. the Adulterer doth to come at his Strumpet with whom he had agreed upon a place of meeting for that evil purpose and in whose bosome by night the dark and black night as Solomon calleth it Prov. 7.9 he spareth not to bury his name substance soul and carcasse whilst they glut their unclean desires by the favour of the darknesse This is a bitternesse beyond that of death Eccles 7.26 But the divel presenteth his Butter in so Lordly a dish that the soul spies not the hammer and nail in his hand till he have driven it into the Temples Roger Mortimer who digged that hole at Notingham Castle and was afterwards hanged at Tiburn a just reward of his Ambition and Uncleannesse had the experience of this They know not the light i.e. They brook it not but run full butt against it because it discovereth and disquieteth them See on ver 13. Verse 17 For the morning is unto them as the shadow of death i.e. They are in deadly fear lest the light should bewray them and expose them to condigne punishment How fearful was Judah of being shamed after he had thus sinned Gen. 38.23 And how forward to save his credit by sending his Kid by the hand of that hang by Hiram Ter. in Eun. That young man in Terence was sore ashamed to be seen in the Eunuchs garment a token of his Uncleannesse whereas to have done the deed did nothing so much trouble him But the children of light hate and shun sin more for the filth that is in it then for the fire that is in it the blacknesse of that coal offendeth them more then the heat of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato condemneth the Poets for setting forth Jupiters Adulteries whereby the people were drawn to the like wantonnesse and for saying it were no matter though men did commit sin so they could hide it
earth with his tears Also the hundreth part of the money That is all that they had received for interest whether money or else It appeareth by this text that they took twelve in the hundred for so much the hundreth part monethly amounteth to as at this day in Italy and elsewhere the Jewes are permitted to straine up their usury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Christian for among themselves they now use it not which causeth many of those Pseudo-Christians to use those Jews under-hand Sands his Survey in improving their unlawful rents to the utmost proportion Verse 12. Then said they We will restore them This was well said and Nehemiah took course it should be as well done ne dicta factis erubescerent as Tertullian phraseth it that their saying and doing might be alike We will require nothing of them But be of those that lend looking for nothing againe Luke 6. no not the principal So will we do as thou hast said Denying our selves and all worldly lusts that we may get and keep a good conscience that most precious Jewel that ever the heart of man was acquainted with Then I called the Priests As fittest to tender so solemne an oath and to bear witnesse in a case of that nature And took an oath of them That is of them that had promised restitution that they might not start back nor repent them of their good resolutions Our hearts are deceitful and must be by all good means held up to duty Quo teneas vultus mutantem Protea nodo else they will slip collar as those slippery Jewes Jer. 34.10 11. retracted and repealed their vow It was therfore well and wisely done of Nehemiah to bind them thus to the good abearance as Asa and Josiah had done before him An oath is an hedge which a man may not break which yet that great Heteroclite of Rome maketh a sport of For when the Cardinals meet to chuse a new Pope they make him swear to certain Articles And Sleydan saith that no sooner is he chosen but he breaks them all and checks their insolencies as if they went about to limit his power to whom all power is given in heaven and earth Is not this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse monster Saint Paul speaketh of 2 Thes 2.8 Verse 13. Also I shook my lap By this rite running into their senses this holy man runs with terrours into the eyes and hearts of all that should perfidiously forswear themselves by a direful denunciation of divine vengeance In all lawful oaths there is an imprecation though it be not alwayes exprest Gen. 14.23 Heb. 3. So God cast out every man from his house See Zech. 5.4 5. with the Note And from his labour i. e. From his layings-up the fruit of his labour his lands and estate got by a diligent hand The Hebrew word signifieth labour even to lassitude and fainting And all the Congregation said Amen In token of hearty assent and assurance And praised the Lord There was a general joy and many an humble chearful and thankful heart lifted up to God for sinne so redressed and poor people relieved And the people did according to this promise This was real thankfulnesse It is not the fumbling out of a few good words as God I thank thee praised be God c. that will passe Thanksdoing is the proof of Thanksgiving and the good life of the thankful is the life of thankfulnesse Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the Most High Psal 50.14 Verse 14. From the time that I was appointed to be their governour He was not ambitious of the office nor usurped it but was commanded to it as the word signifieth by the King of Persia and clearly called to it by God Almighty Otherwise he could have shrouded himself in willing secrecy as good corn lieth in the bottome of the heap and as good balsam sinketh to the bottome of the vessel I and my brethren have not eaten the bread c. Rulers as they are nursing-fathers to the people Isa 49.23 so by them they are to be nourished and their state maintained See 1 Kings 4.7 It is also observed that although our Saviour Christ wrought many miracles yet he never wrought any about honour or money but that about tribute rather then that should go undischarged he commanded a fish to pay it Hence also he saith not Date Matth. 22. Rom. 13.6 but Reddite Give but Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars And Saint Paul saith ye pay tribute as being a due debt Neverthelesse in this great necessity Nehemiah le ts go his own right and leaveth it to others like as the Eagle is said Tostat ex Plin. when she seeketh her prey to leave a good part thereof to the birds that follow her for the same end Verse 15. But the former Governours Those that had been betwixt Zorobabel and Nehemiah Ezra was no Governour These had been strict in exacting their five pounds a day or for the head of every family so much besides bread for necessity and wine for delight Not so Nehemiah he would not use his power to over-burden those poore whom these Usurers oppressed This he here instanceth for their further conviction Yea even their servants bear rule over the people Exacting what they please of them this their masters should have seene to and not suffered for the servants sinne is the masters reproach When Charles the fifth resolved to lay down the Empire some of his Courtiers and Counsellours advised him to retaine still the name and authority of Emperour and to govern the Kingdome by his under-officers His answer to them was Ah me praesente ita res administratis c. Alas now that I am amongst you things are so ill carried that ye are complained of by all what then would you do if I should not have an eye upon you Val. Max. Christ p. 197. and how would you domineere like so many Sultans the word here used and follow the administration of Justice as a trade only with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gaine But so did not I because of the fear of God The best retentive from sinne certainly a spur to good a curb from evil Hence David calleth it a cleane feare Psal 19.9 and the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil saith Solomon And Aristotle hath this Probleme Why are men credited more then other creatures The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because man alone holdeth and feareth God therefore you may trust him But where this fear is not no good is to be expected but the contrary Gen. 20.11 See the Note on verse 9. Verse 16. Yea also I continued in the work He meaneth saith Lyra that he wrought with his own hands to draw on others the more when they should see their Governour himself so intent to the work He was constant at it and held out till all was
diu toleratur They shall fall by the sword they shall be a portion for foxes Psal 63.10 The Spoiler shall be spoiled Esa 33.1 and he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Rev. 13.10 See 2 Thess 1.6 And did what they would unto those that hated them Where it is to be hoped that they furbished the sword of justice with the oyle of mercy that they remembred that of the Philosopher Posse nolle nobile est that in some cases a man must not do all that he may do as there be some again wherein severity ought to cast the scale The Turks severity I can by no means like that will rather cut off two innocent persons then let one guilty man go free Zenecat obs polit Nor that of the Venetians who punish with death such as cozen the State of but one penny if it be proved against them Again care must be taken that justice be not executed whether in a civil or military way with a vindictive minde but all selfish actions carefully strained out Private revenge leaveth a stain upon a man some wayes innocent witnesse Jehu and puts an innocency upon the greatest offendour witnesse Abner Verse 6. And in Shushan the Palace One would wonder that any here should offer to stir against the Jewes so much favoured by the King patronized by Mordecai and well-appointed to withstand them But they were mad with malice against Gods people and ambitious of their own destruction Hamans death still sticks in their stomacks and they resolve to be revenged whatever it stands them in With like stoutnesse of stomack it was that Jezabel painted her face and tired her head when Jehu was come to Jezreel and looking out at a window said Had Zimri peace c. Herein certainly she shewed her great stoutnesse as if she would daunt Jehu and out-brave him in the midst of his pomp and triumph 2 Kings 9.30 31. Divine vengeance suffereth not wicked people to rest and to keep in their malice and mischief but that they must break out and run headlong like wilde beasts into the hunters toile or upon the spears point whereby they perish Verse 7.8 9. And Parshandatha and Dulphon and Vajezatha This Vajezatha was the youngest but most malicious of them all against the Jewes as their Doctours guesse and gather from the little Zain and great Vau found in his name Verse 10 The ten sonnes of Haman Of whom he had so boasted chap. 5.12 and bore himself bold as believing that being so full of children he should leave the rest of his substance to his babes Psal 17.14 These ten likely were ring-leaders to those Hamanists in Shushan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that durst appear in so bad a cause being evil egges of an evil bird Non enim fieri ullo modo potest ut ex me Agrippina vir bonus nascatur said Domitius the father of Nero Dio in Ner. It cannot be that of my self and Agrippina should come any good man Haman brought up his sonnes to bring down his house and was a Parricide to them rather then a Parent His darling Vajezatha he corrected not but cockered no wonder therefore that he proved to be of a gastrill-kinde disquieting his own nest of a viperous brood and therefore though not hanged together with his father and the whole family as the Apocryphal additions of Esther chap. 16.18 tell us but not truly yet slain in this insurrection at Shushan together with the rest of his brethren the good people crying out as once they did at Rome when the sonne of Maximinus the Emperour was put to death Ex pessimo genere ne catulum quidem habendum Let not one whelp be left of so evil a litter But on the spoile laid they not their hand Lest the King should be damnified or themselves justly taxed of covetousnesse and cruelty Give none offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 This is oft repeated in this chapter Non semper omnia quae licent sunt facienda Lavat to their great commendation that although by the Kings grant they might have taken the spoile chap. 8.11 yet they did it not 1. To shew that they were Gods Executioners not thieves and robbers 2. To gratifie the King for his courtesie towards them by leaving the spoile wholly to his Treasury 3. It is not unlikely Fâ—vard saith an Interpreter that Mordecai and Esther had admonished them how ill Saul had sped with his spoiles of the Amalekites and Achan with his wedge of gold which served but to cleave his body and soul asunder and his babylonish garment which proved to be his winding-sheet Verse 11. On that day the number of those that were slain This was done haply by some Malignants that would thereby have incensed the King against the Jewes Or else the King as became a good Shepherd of his people taketh an account of his slain subjects by diligent enquiry made thereinto Whereupon he might have repented him now in cold blood of his grant to Esther and the Jewes those forreigners against his natural subjects who had done nothing but by his command c. But God so ordered it that all this notwithstanding the King was well content with that which was done as supposing that Hamans sonnes and complices would be seeking revenge â—imiâ—iâ— sunt bâ—ni pâ—storiâ— boni regis opeâ—a Cyâ— 5. â—pud Xenoph. and plotting mischief if left alive He therefore goeth merrily into the Queen acquainting her with the number of the slain and giving her leave to ask of him whatever more she desired to be done This was the Lords doing all along Verse 12. And the King said unto Esther the Queen He would needs be the messenger himself as presuming the newes would be most welcome to her whom he desired to gratifie rather out of affection of love then desire of justice else he would never have so little respected the slaughter of his subjects armed by his own command What have they done in the rest of the Kings Provinces This he should have uttered with grief and regret accounting the blood of his subjects dear and precious and not making light of so many mens lives lost by his default But many Kings make as little reckoning of their subjects lives as Charles the ninth did of the Huguenots in the French Massacre or as the grand Seignior doth of his Asapi a kinde of common souldiers borne for most part of Christian Parents and used by him in his wars for no other end but to blunt the swords of his enemies or to abate the first fury and thereby to give the easier victory to his Janizaries and better souldiers Turk hist 317. This the Turkish Tyrants hold for good policy How much better that Romane General who said that he had rather save one Citizen then slay twenty enemies and Edward the Confessour who when
their lives Not one whereof was lost in this hot encounter in this sharp revenge they took off their avowed enemies This was even a miracle of Gods mercy Who would not feare thee O King of Nations c. And had rest from their enemies Or That they might have rest from their enemies who would not otherwise be quieted but by the letting out of their life-blood but would make an assault upon the harmelsse Jewes though it were to die for it so that upon the matter they were their own deathsmen besides the wilful losse of their immortal soules which our Saviour sheweth Mat 16.26 to be a losse 1. Incomparable 2. Irreparable And slew of their foes seventy and five thousand Neither was it any dishonour to them to be God Almighties slaughtermen Even the good Angels are Executioners of Gods righteous judgements as they were at Sodom in Sennacheribs army and oft in the Revelation There cannot be a better or more noble act then to do justice upon obstinate Malefactours But they laid not their hands on the prey They would not once foule their fingers therewith No godly man in Scripture is taxed for covetousnesse that sordid sin See the Note on verse 10. Verse 17. On the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar On this day they stood for their lives that they might rest from their enemies And accordingly On the fourteenth day of the same rested they i. e. the very next day after their deliverance they would not defer it a day longer but kept an holy rest with Psalmes and sacrifices of praise those calves of their lips the very next day whiles the deliverance was yet fresh and of recent remembrance This they knew well that God expected Deut. 23.21 and that he construeth delayes for denials Hag. 1.2 4. he gave order that no part of the thank-offering should be kept unspent till the third day to teach us to present our praises when benefits are newly received which else would soon wax stale and putrifie as fish I will pay my vowes now now saith David Psal 116.18 Hezekiah wrote his Song the third day after his recovery Queen Elizabeth when exalted from a prisoner to a Princesse and from misery to Majesty before she would suffer her self to be mounted in her charet to passe from the Tower to Westminster Englands Eliz. she very devoutly lifted up her hands and eyes to heaven and gave God humble thanks for that remarkable change and turn of things And made it a day of feasting and gladnesse Exhilarating and chearing up their good hearts that had long layen low with a more liberal use of the creatures that they might the better preach his praises and speak good of his name and that sith they could not offer up unto him other sacrifices prescribed in the Law because they were far from the Temple they might not be wanting with their sacrifice of thanksgiving which God preferreth before an oxe that hath hornes and hoofs saith the Psalmist Words may seem to be but a poor and slight recompence but Christ saith Nazianzen calleth himself the Word and this was all the fee that he looks for for his cures Go and tell what God hath done for thee With these calves of our lips let us cover Gods Altar and we shall finde that although he will neither eat the flesh of bulls nor drink the blood of goats yet if we offer unto God thanksgiving and pay our vowes unto the most High Psal 50.13 14. it will be look't upon as our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 Verse 18. On the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth What they could not do on one day they did it on another Men must be sedulous and strenuous in Gods work doing it with all their might and redeeming time for that purpose Eccl. 9.10 On both these dayes they destroyed their enemies They did their work thoroughly Let us do so in slaying our spiritual enemies not sparing any Agag not reserving this Zoar or that Rimmon but dealing by the whole body of sinne as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Amos 2.1 burn the bones of it to lime destroy it not to the halves as Saul but hew it in pieces before the Lord as Samuel As Joshua destroyed all the Canaanites he could lay hold on As Asa spared not his own mother as Solomon drew Joab from the Altar to the slaughter and put to death Adoniah the darling so must we deale by our corruptions ferretting and fetching them out of their lurking holes as these Jewes did their enemies on the fourteenth day that had escaped the day before Sith we must either kill them up all or be killed by them for as that one bastard Abimelech slew all Gideons sonnes upon one stone so one lust left unmortified will undo the soul And as one sinner so one sin may destroy much good Eccl. 9.18 And on the fifteenth day of the moneth they rested So shall the Saints do after death which will be the accomplishment of mortification for he that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 and filled with joy Isa 35.10 The ransomed of the Lord shall then return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Verse 19. Therefore the Jewes of the villages c. Pagani This is expounded in the next words that dwelt in the unwalled townes Such as is the Hague in Holland that hath two thousand housholds in it and chuseth rather to be counted the principal village of Europe then a lesser City Made the fourteenth day c. See verse 17. while the Jewes in Shushan were destroying the remainder of their enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Mac. 15.36 This day was afterwards called Mordecai's Holiday And of sending portions one to another See Nehem. 8.10 To the rich they sent in courtesie to the poor in charity and both these to testifie their thankfulnesse to God for their lives liberties and estates so lately and graciously restored unto them Verse 20. And Mordecai wrote these things He wrote with authority as a Magistrate say some that the Jewes should keep these dayes with greatest solemnitie He wrote the relation of these things before-mentioned say others as the ground of this annual festivitie Or else it may be meant more generally that Mordecai was the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost in writing this whole book of Esther as was before hinted And sent letters unto all the Jewes both night and farre Propinquis longinquis that they might all agree together about the time and manner of praising God and so sing the great Hallelujah See 2 Cor. 1.11 2 Chron. 20.26 27 28. Psal 124.1 2. and 126.1 Psal 136. penned for a recorded publike forme to praise God among the multitude Psal 109.20 and in the great Congregation Psal 22.22 25. David would go into the presses of people and there praise the Lord Psal 116.18
affairs Debile argumentum saith Vatablus here a poor argument but Job maketh use of all kind of arguments to move God to make an end of him Domine fac finem fac finem said dying Erasmus but what he meant by those words I know not saith Melancthon who reporteth it And that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him So as to make any account of so mean and miserable a creature Psalm 144.3 to magnifie him whom thou mightest rather vilifie or indeed nullifie or that thou shouldst set they heart against him sc to destroy him as chap. 34.14 That 's but an ignoble contest ubi vincere inglorium est atterisordidum Verse 18. That thou shouldst visit him every morning Be at so much pains as it were with him as to chasten him and every morning to do it that is certainly and early God took Job to task so soon as he was awake every morning and this hee thought much of and had rather have been without but that was his weakness sith the rod is as necessary as food And try him every moment Proving by affliction both what corruption and what grace is in his heart this David reckoneth upon the score of Gods favours and prayeth for Psal 139. ult This God promiseth as a special blessing Jâ—â— 9.7 and withall assureth that he will try and â—efine his people but not as silver Isa 48.10 He will not deal with them as in rigour of justice he might do because if he should do so they having more dross in them then good ore more corruption then grace they would soon be consumed in this fiery trial this God considered and so should Job have done and have given over his growling Verse 19. Psalm 139.10 How long wilt thou not depart from me Here he seems desirous to be rid of Gods company of his afflicting presense so true is that of the Apostle Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous till patience come to have her perfect work and men be brought to cry out as one did under a great fit of the stone The use Lord the use not so much ease of my pain as a good use of my suffering this Job came to at length no doubt mean while we have in him as Mercer observeth mirum ubique specimen a wonderful instance of that conflict between Flesh and Spirit that is in the Saints Nor let me alone till I may swallow down my spittle That is not afford me the least intermission no not a spitting-while He will not suffer me to take my breath chap 9.18 Hierome thinks that Job was troubled with a squinsey or sore throat which hindred the swallowing of his spittle neither had he power to spit out the corrupt matter that ran down his throat Oh what a sweet mercy is health and how ill able are the best without special support from heaven to bear sickness the Stoicks who said that he who lived honestly might live chearfully though under may bodily weaknesses senserunt ipsi in morbis se magnificentius locutos esse quà m verius saith one Wolsiâ—â— that is when it came to their own turn to be sick they well perceived that they had spoken rather bravely then truely Verse 20. I have sinned or Have I sinned Have I fallen into any foul offence as these men charge me Am I guilty of any thing more then involuntary failings unavoidable infirmities although I know that these also are downright sins fruits of the flesh properly so called missings of the mark as the word here signifieth and for such I humbly confesse them I put my self into the hands of thy justice in hope of thy mercy and what wilt thou more of thy poor creature What shall I do unto thee No sooner had Job confessed his sin but he is desirous to know a remedy Reprobates can cry Peccavi I have sinned but then they proceed not to say as here What shall I do they open their wound but lay not on a plaister and so the wounds made by sin are more putrified and grow more dangerous Job would be directed what to do for remedy he would have pardoning grace and prevailing grace upon any terms and more then this what can I do unto thee as the Septuagint render this text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O thou preserver of men Of all men but especially of tâ—em that bâ—lieve 1 Tim. 4.10 The Grecians called their Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deliverer or Preserver of their persons and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wall as if he were the watch and defender of their houses Some tender it O thou observer of men But these are praises proper to the true God the Keeper of his Israel Psalm 121.4 The Preserver of the Faithful Psalm 31.23 Whom he keepeth as the apple of his eye Psalm 17.8 that tenderest piece of the tenderest part most diligently and strongly guarded by nature with â—unicles It is the wisedom of a Christian in his addresses into God to make choice of fit and apposite titles and Attributes for the strengthening of his faith and increasing of his fervency Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee As a bul-wark as an object or as a rock of offence against which thou mayest alwaies dash so Vatablus rendreth it to the same sense Job asketh chap. 19.11 and 13.24 Wherefore holdest thou me for thine enemy So Lam. 3.12 and Job 16.13 Job conceived that God dealt with him no otherwise then the Turks did with the great Crucifix of Constantinople Turk hist 347 upon the head whereof they put a Turks cap and so settting it up in derision shot at it with their arrows calling it the God of the Christians Or as the same Turks at the taking of Tripolis in Barbary dealt with one John de Chabas a French man who in the time of the siege had shot off the hand of the Clark General of the Army Ibid. 756. They brought him into the town saith the story and when they had cut off his hands and nose they put him quick into the ground to the wast and there for their pleasure shot at him with their arrowes and afterwards cut his throat So that I am a burden to my self How can he be otherwise who is a but-mark for Almighty God who cleft his very reins a sunder and powred our his gall upon the ground Job 16.13 Job had once before complained that the poison of Gods arrows had drunk up his spirits chap. 6. Neither did any thing lie so heavy upon him or was so burdensome to him as this that God seemed to frown upon him and to fight against him with his own hand The Septuagint and Talmudists read thus So that I am a burthen unto thâ—e viz. with my complaints and expostulations this say they was the ancient reading Verse 21. And why dost thou not pardon my transgression Heb. Lift
none out of hell have ever suffered more then Gods dearest children and Heb. 12.6 He not only chasteneth but scourgeth every son whom he receiveth God will not cast away a righteous man said Bildad chap. 8.20 That is totally destroy him in temporals but restore him again no such matter saith Job for it may and many times doth fall out that a godly man may as to this life present perish as well as a wicked man he may be totally and finally bereft of outward comforts The righteous perisheth Isa 57.1 Only with this difference as hath been before noted Gods judgments on the wicked are penal and typical of eternal torment whereas upon the godly they are no more then medicinal or probational c. Verse 23. If the scourge slay suddenly By scourge here is meant a common calamity such as rides circuit compassing a country as a scourge doth a mans body round about Any sweeping judgment is a swinging scourge in Gods hand such as is the sword Isai 10.26 which when it rides circuit as a judge it is in commission Turk hist 211 Ezek 14.17 Jer. 47.6 7. devouring flesh and drinking blood Thus Attila the Hâ—nne stiled himself Gods scourge Tamerlane was commonly called The wrath of God and terrour of the world Think the same of famine pestilence wilde beasts Ezek. 14.12 c. these oft slay suddenly Isai 30.13 Jer. 18.22 as did the sweating sicknesse here in England the Massacre of France and that later of Ireland that scourge if ever any slew suddenly the perfect and the wicked When an over-flowing storm sweeps away the wicked the tail of it may dash their best neighbours He laugheth at the trial of the innocent The Vulgar readeth He will not laugh at the trial of the innocent but there is no Not in the Original others thus Will he laugh at the trial of the innocent q. d. No he will not God may seem to slight his own in affliction as Psalm 77.2 3. The Lion lets her whelps roare sometimes till they do almost kill themselves with roaring The truth is and I think the true sense of this Scripture God scorneth the allegation of innocency or the justification and plea of the most upright man breathing Mr. Abbot in the way of exemption or prevention of his just and wise dispensations when he pleaseth to inflict them involving good and bad in the same common calamity Verse 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked God many times suffereth the wicked most licentiously to raign in the world Jer. 27.6 Dan. 5.18 19. And it is thought by some that Job speaking here in the singular number aims at some famous tyrant in those parts known both to himself and to his friends such as was Phocas the Emperour who when he had slain his Master Mauritius and was set up in his stead there was an honest poor man saith Ceâ—renus who was wonderful importunate at the throne of grace to know a reason why that wicked man prospered so in his design he was answered again by a voice that there could not be a worse man found and that the sins of Christians and of the City of Constantinople did require it He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof i. e. That Tyrant above-mentioned subverteth all order of justice condemneth and putteth to death even the Judges themselves Spartian if they will not pervert justice as Bassiaâ—us did Papinian The covering of the face was the mark of a condemned man Esth. 7.8 Job 40.8 Isai 12.17 Mar. 14.65 Or thus God blindeth the Judges by giving them over to error or permitting them to take bribes so that they cannot discern right from wrong c. Some by judges here understand the Saints who shall one day judg the world but are in the mean-while grievously afflicted by the wicked If not where and who is he Which things if we say they are done besides the will and foreknowledg of God we shall thrust God out of the world and set up fate and blind fortune or thus It is even so or if not where is he and who is he see Esth. 7.5 Mal. 2.17 that can disprove what I have asserted Mercer pagnin Vatab. prodeat siquiâ— me potest falsi arguere I would fain see the man that can convince me of errour Verse 25. Now my dayes are swifter then a pâ—st c. Not my prosperous dayes only as Broughton glosseth but the whole course of my life the vanity whereof Job expresseth by many similitudes and here search is made into three of the four Elements earth water and ayr to find out a fit one What is swifter upon earth then a post who rides without stop oâ— stay and spares for no horse-flesh indeed he taketh some time to rest in but so doth not mans lise it is ever in motion and every moment we yeild somewhat to death Animantis cujusque vita est fâ—â—a saith the Philosopher our last day stands the rest run Cum crescit vita decrescit to live is but to lie a dying Sen. They flee away As David fled from the face of Absolom Psalm 3.1 as Brentius was advised by that Senator of Hala to flee for his life citò citiùs citissimè with all possible speed sith they were at hand that sought it See 1 Sam. 19.11 18. They see no good But are few and withall evil Gen. 47.9 Job 14.1 See the notes there Some good dayes Job had had but they were so soon over and his present pressures so great that he was scarce aware of them nor could take the comfort of them now the Epicures indeed held that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments ex praeteritarum voluptatum recordatione Cic. de Fin. l. 2. Sen. de benef l. 4. c. 22. by the remembrance of those pleasures and delights that formerly he had enjoyed Job held this but a slight comfort his care was in prosperity how to make the best use of it his thoughts ran upon the uncertainty of all creature-comforts that he might hang loose to them and hold them no otherwise then a child doth a bird in his hand open c. Verse 26. They are passed away as the swift ships Heb. They are changed gliding away insensibly as the ships of desire so called Labitur uncta vadis abies Virg. because they seem willing to beat the haven as soon as may be or as the ships of Ebeh a very swift river in Arabia saith Rabbi Solomon or as the Pirates ships so Broughton such as are your nimble Frigots fly-boats and catches c. Let our souls be like a ship which is made little and narrow down-ward but more wide and broad upward Let them be ships of desire hastning heaven-ward and then let our dayes passe away as they can we shall but be the sooner at home Mortality shall appear to be no small mercy As the Eagle that hasteth to the prey When hunger addeth
day So man by nature is licentious running as his lusts carry him to all manner of sin and giveth not overrunning till he is weary he will not be held in by any reins or kept to do the work he should by any yoak which the Lord by teaching seeks to put upon him Surely saith another God is fain to deal with such Marbury as men do with frisking jades in a pasture that cannot take them up till they get them to a gate Theatr. hist pag 127.128 so till the hour of death c. Thomas Blaverus chief counsellour sometime to the King of Scots believed not that there was God or divel heaven or hell till he came to die and then cryed out he was damned so also died one Arthur Miller Sword against swear pag. 34. Hist of world and before him a desperate Dean of Pauls When death comes saith Sir Walter Raleigh which hates and destroys men that is believed But God that loveth and maketh men he is not regarded O eloquent death O mighty death whom none could advise thou art able to perswade c. Verse 13. If thou prepare thine heart viz. to meet God Amos 4.12 humbly submitting to his justice and heartily imploring his mercy The summe of what Zophar saith in the following verses is this if thou truely repent thou shalt prosper as if not thou shalt perish this he might have said more fitly to most of us who are deeply guilty saith Lavater then to Job who was nothing so sinful as we are and yet much more penitent But Zophar calls upon him to quarrel with his faults and not with his friends and to break off his sins by repentance without which if he should have peace it would be but like those short interims between the Egyptian plagues And stretch out thine hands towards him Heb. And spread thy palmes to him so in prayer for pardon of sin and power against sin for this stretching out or spreading of the hands is a prayer-gesture wherein Gods people come formâ pauperis holding out the hand to receive mercy as beggars do an alms or as men beg quarter for their lives with hands held up or lastly as he that is faln into a ditch or deep pit and cannot get out lifteth up his hands and cryeth out for help See Exod. 17.11 12. and 19.29 1 Kings 8.22 Psalm 141.2 It appeareth that the Ancients prayed not with their hands joyned together or a little way lifted up but with their arms stretcht abroad and the palms of their hands turned up towards heaven Verse 14. If iniquity be in thine hand put it far away Cast away all thy transgressions and throw thy lusts out of service Hands lifted up in prayer must be pure 1 Tim. 2.8 for the fountain of goodnesse will not be laden at with foul hands Isai 1.15 16. Good therefore is the counsel of Jeremiah chap. 4.14 and of St. James chap. 4.8 The Priests had their laver to wash in before they sacrificed and their brazen altar to offer on before they burnt incense He that comes to pray having not first purged himself of all filthinesse of flesh and spirit doth say the Jew-doctors as he that cometh to offer a clean beast but holds an unclean one in his hand By iniquity in the hand here Beza and others understand wrong-dealing either by fraud or force by strength or slight of hand and then Zophar presseth Job to restitution away with it saith he send it home to the right owner else you will cough in hell and the divels will laugh at you saith Latimer And let not wickednesse dwell in thy Tabernacles i. e. In thy family Josh 24.15 â—sth 4.16 and where-ever else thou hast to do I and my house will serve the Lord saith Joshuah I and my maids saith Esther Davids care for the reforming and well-ordering of his houshold and of his whole kingdom See Psalm 101. throughout Such a man is really as he is relatively Those Governors of families and countries shew themselves perfect strangers to the practice of repentance who make no other use of their servants and subjects then they do of their beasts whiles they may have their bodies to do their service they care not if their souls serve the divel This will lye heavy one day Verse 15. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot c. Repentance must be performed in faith or else it will prove to be poenitentia Iscariotica a Judas-like repentance Lord said that dying Saint cast me down as low as hell in repentance and lift me up by faith into the highest heavens in confidence of thy salvation Zophar that he may move Job kindly and rightly to repent promiseth him thereupon malorum ademptionem bonorum adeptionem freedome from evil and fruition of good And first thou shalt lift up thy face without spot i. e. Thou shalt be full of comfort and of confidence not casting down thy countenance as guilty Cain but looking up boldly and cheerfully as St. Steven did Acts 7.15 they saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel Ibat ovans animis spe sua damna levabat Yea thou shalt be stedfast Or durable and compact as a molten pillar thine heart shall be established with grace thy mind with peace thine outward estate with a lasting felicity And shall not fear sc The losse of those enjoyments To be freed from the fear of evil is better then to be freed from evil and a great part of the Saints portion both on earth and in heaven lies in their deliverance from fear Luke 1.74 Psalm 112.7 See Zepb. 3.13 Isa 17.2 Repent and thou shalt fear no more a revolution of any thy troubles Verse 16. Because thou shalt forget thy misery There being no fear left or foot step thereof remaining to renew thy grief Gen. 41.30 Remember thy former trouble thou shalt with thankfulnesse for a better condition now but no otherwise all the marks of former affliction shall be worn out See Isa 65.16.13 so that thou shalt discount all the evil thou hast endured And remember it as waters that passe away As a land-flood soon gone as a light cloud quickly over or as Noahs flood which that good man thought upon when it was past with thankfulnesse to God offering sacrifice for his safety So shalt thou Job and as a man seldome thinketh how much water passeth by his habitation by day and by night or if he do yet it s no trouble to his mind no more shall the remembrance of by-past miseries be to thine Verse 17. And thine age shall be clearer then the noon-day The rest of thy life which thou givest for lost shall be the very prime part of thy time for glory Solid glory springeth out of innocency of life beneficence toward all men acts done valiantly and succesfully with justice and moderation of mind whereunto is added the constant applause of good men proceeding from an admiration
cast off the care of his earthly Kingdome to gratifie thee and to make good thine Assertion That good men may suffer and bad men go unpunished Never think it thou maist sooner expect him to overturn the whole world for thy sake and put every thing out of that order he hath decreed and made it in then cease to be just in punishing the wicked The course of Justice is as firmly settled as the course of Nature is Fias justitia periac mandâ—â— Of Fabricim it was said That the Sun might as easily be turned out of his track as he out of his path of Justice much more they it be so said of Almighty God the Rock that cannot be removed though he varieth the manner the means the times and seasons of executing Justice as seemeth best unto his heavenly wisdom Verse 5. Tea the light of the wicked shall be put out The ensuing description of a wicked mans unhappinesse in life at death and after death is very true and daintily set forth but falsly and wrongfully wrested against Job You or of a surety the light of the wicked shall be put out though thou wilt not hear of it but the truth shall be spoken however it be taken and thou shalt hereby see thy self to be a wicked man Merlin because thy light is extinct that is thy outward prosperity fitly compared to light because 1. It cheareth our minds 2. Directeth our hands to every businesse 3. Lesseneth our frights 4. Rendreth us conspicuous The light of the wicked shall put out it self so some render it he is commonly the cause of his own ruine And the spark of his fire shall not shine He is quenched as the fire of the thornes Psalm 118.12 Whereof after a while neither spark nor spunk remaineth Vers 6. The light shall be dark in his Tabernacle The glory of his family shall be obscured he and his shall come to utter and unexpected ruine as Hamans did And his candle shalt be put out with him He and his prosperity shall dye together he shall go out in a snuff and leave nothing behind him but a detestable name Sicat fetis fugrens vedit sit ille moritas hone erepitium cecenit saith Melancthon concerning Echius his last piece De conjugio ficet duum Or his candle shall be put out above him so the Vulgar Interpreter the Lamps which glistered over head during the pride and pomp of his Feasts shal give us more light or if they give any it shall be but to shine upon his Tomb. Verse 7. The steps of his strength shall be strâ—â—â—ed that is saith Vatablus he shall not do what he would and was wont He shall lost his courage in the midst of his enterprizes and not be able to effect his attempts And his own counsel shall cast him down His cunning shall faile him his counsel whereby once he rose shall serve but to advance his overthrow and to precipitate him into misery We use to say of a cunning-pated fellow that he never wanteth a trick wherewith to help himself but there is neither power not policy against the Lord and his judgements Of the Athenians it is said that Minerva turned all their evil counsel into good unto them Gods enemies have no such friend to help them at a dead lift The stone cut out of the mountaine without hands shall bring down the golden Image with a powder and make it like the chasse of the Summer-floor Dan. 2.35 Verse 8. For he is cast into a net by his own feet Wicked men are even ambitious of destruction judgements need not go to find them out they run to meet their bane Divine Justice and their own indiscretion undo them He hath sent his feet into the net so the Vulgar rendreth it He is sent into a net by his own feet so Mr. Broughton His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins Prov. 5.22 these shall cast him into inextricable straits And he walketh upon a suare Vpon a platted grin saith Broughton whereout the more he strives to get the more he entangleth himself Sen de ira lib. 3 cap. 6. Sic laqueas fera dum jactat astringit Sic aves viscum dum trepidantes excutiunt plumis omnibus illinunt So the beast whilst he tosseth the snares wherein he is taken straitneth them So the birds while they think to shake off the birdlime besmeare all their feathers with it Verse 9. The grin shall take him by the heel Or He shal lay hold on the grin with his heel so Mercer readeth it that is he foolishly runs upon his own ruine he perisheth by his own oversight And the Robber shall prevail against him Horridi sitibundi the shaghaired Ruffians that have wasted their own estates and now thirst after other mens Broughton readeth it The savage shall lay hold on him So that either by secret contrivance or open violence he shall be undone Verse 10 The snare is laid for him in the way c. This heap of words net snare grin trap cords sheweth that God hath many wayes to catch the wicked with and that nusquam nunquam non eis impendeat exitium destruction is ready to meet them at every turning God cannot want a weapon to beat a Rebel And a trap for him in the way He walks as it were upon a Mine of Gun-powder The Hebrew hath it His trap such as most of the Cesars till Constantine the great met with and among the rest Maximinus that Mastive Tyrant eight foot high who daily devoured forty pounds of flesh and drank thereto six gallons of Wine This soul beast after he had raised the sixth Persecution against the Christians especially against the Pastors of the Church and exercised many other great cruelties was told to his teeth Miâ—â—m in theatro Elephas grandis est occiditur Leo fortis est occiditur Cave multos si singulos non times And it befel him accordingly for at the siege of Aquileia in Italy Euseb he was slaine as he slept at noon in his Tent by his own souldiers Ezekiel foretelleth the degenerate sons of Josiah that they shall be taken by the King of Babylon as beasts in a toil So Pharaoh that natural brute beast was made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 with Exod. 9.16 So Saul complaineth that God had forsaken him and the Philistines those savage creatures were upon him 2 Sam. 28. Behold I will send for many hunters and they shal hunt them c. Jer. 16.16 Verse 11. Terrors shall make him afraid on every side These terrors are as it were the cruel Sergeants and mercilesse Officers of that King of terrors Apparitores lictores Jun. verse 14 arresting him as it were in the Devils name and bringing him to justice How can it be but a terrible time with him when death comes with a Writ of Habeas Corpus and the
and in the other their sins and that if those weigh down these they are â—aved as if otherwise they are damned But what saith an Ancient Vae hominum vitae etiamsi landabili c. Woe to the best man alive if God should weigh him in a balance of justice sith his sins would be found heavier than the sands of the Sea Job 9.15 10.15 Verse 7. If my step hath turned out of the way sc Of justice and equity in tâ—â—ding and trâ—ffacking to get the Mammon of unrighteousness No the Sun might sooner be turned out of his course as it was once said of Fabricius than Job out of the track of truth and honesty He had said laws upon his feet his eyes and his hands too binding them all to the good behaviour Witnesse the next words And mine heart walked after mine eyes As it doth too often to the coveting other men Goods which St. John casteth the lust of the eyes 1 Epist 2.16 Alexander the Great called the Persian Maids Dolores oculorum the griefs of the eyes The wedge of Gold and Babylonish Garment proved to be so to covetous Achan Josh 7.21 and Nabotâ— Vineyard to that Non-such Ahab 1 King 21.2 He was even sick of it and could not be cured but by a Sâ—llet out of it Hence the law flatly forbiddeth men to go after the sight of their eyes and the lust of their hearts for these are seldom â—undred Numb 15.39 Eccles 11.9 Unruly eyes like Jacobs sheep too firmly fixed on unlawful objects make the affections bring forth spotted 〈◊〉 Job would therefore set a guard upon them Oculus cor sunt proxeneta peccati Hebr. Proverb .. lest they should prove 〈◊〉 of wickedness to the heart as that hang by Hiram the Adâ—ttamâ—te was to Judah Gen. 38.20 There is an easie passage for evill through the eyes into the heart saith 〈◊〉 And if any blot hath cleaved to my hands If I have been fingering that which was not sit for me to meddle with viz. evil-gotten goods whether by bribery usury deceit or the like the very touching whereof will blot and benumb the hands as Pliny writeth of the fish Torpedo and as scholers know that Demosthenes a great Lawyer by poizing Harpalus his goblet was tempted and swayed to favour his Cause to the great danger of his Countrey and his own indeleble infamy Verse 8. Then let me sow and another eate God loves to retaliate and let him do so to me according to that he hath threatned Deut. 28 30 c. and as he executed upon Laban Nabal Saul Haman others The Greeks have a Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some sow that which others reape This Job wisheth may befal if he had been oppressive and injurious as Eliphaz had wrongfully accused him chap. 22.6 Yea let my off-spring be rooted out Or Let that which I have planted be pluckt up by the roots It is commonly seen that oppressours and unconscionable persons procure their own ruth and ruine and he that gathereth the fruits of another mans tree pulleth his own up by the roots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who spoyle houses which they builded not Job 20.19 shall when they cease to spoile be made a spoile and when they have made an end of dealing treacherously be treacherously dealt with themselves Isaiah 33.1 Verse 9. If my heart hath been deceived by a woman By a she-sinner as they call such a strange woman as the Scripture whose lips are snares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc 〈◊〉 persuadeo whose hands are bands whose words are cords to draw a man in as an Ox to the slaughter Prov 7.21 whose face is as a glass wherein whiles larks gaze they are taken in a day-net Here Job disavoweth and disclaimeth the sin of Adultery purging himself as it were by Oath as before he had done of fornication and of wrong-dealing These sins he reckoneth up either as they came to minde or else in such order as men are many times tempted to them Young people are prone to fornication Job when young had kept himself clear from that iniquity When men have got some yeares over their heads and are entred into the world as they call it they usually grow greedy and gripple they are set upon 't and will be rich however they come by it Job was none such neither verse 5.7 Afterwards when married they are sick of a Pluâ—isie and as the Devil who sets them a work they long to be sowing another mans ground Matth. 13.25 The temptation to fornication is strong but to adultery stronger God doth often punish fornication unrepented of Adulterium quasi ad alterius torum with strong and vexing honings and hankerings after strange flesh But Job either was never troubled in this kinde or else when the temptation came he was sure to be ever out of the way The Devils fire fell upon wet tinder and if he knockt at Jobs door there was no body at home to look out at the window and let him in for he considered the punishment both humane verse 11. and divine verse 12. due to this great wickedness Or if I have laid wait at my neighbours door Either as waiting the opportunity of his absence as Prov. 7.19 or as insinuating my self into her familiarity whiles she was standing in her door Of the Italian Women one giveth this Character That though witty in speech and modest in outward appearance yet they are magpies at the door Goats in the garden Devils in the house Angels in the streets and Syrens in the windows Jobs heart was not deceived by any such neither sought he to defraud his brother in any such matter 1 Thess 4.5 6. See the Note on Job 8.4 Verse 10. Then let my wise grind unto another i.e. Let her be his slave as Lam. 5.13 Exod. 11.5 Matth. 24.41 Or rather let her be his Where and may my sin Vatab. Alicnas Permolere uxores Horat. Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. molcre apud Theocrit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est coire which hath served her for example serve her also for excuse Not that Job would Hereby license his wise to commit filthiness as those Lituanians who have their Connubii adjutores coadjutors in wedlock and prize them far above all their acquaintance as Maginus relateth and as some wittals amongst us pandars to their own beds who either for gain or for a quiet life wink at their wives disloyalty and as Wood culvers or silly Hedg-sparrows hatch and bring up that which Cuckow 's lay in their nests but to set forth by this horrible imprecation how extreamly he abhorred the sin of Adultery And let others bow down upon her A clean expression of an unclean act Some Borborologi podicentex ore faciunt being like Ducks that ever have their noses pudling in puddles sic hi spurcitias Veneris eliminant delight in ribaldry and obscene language as did Proculus the Emperour and before him that
and God will receive you graciously pouring the oyl of his grace into your broken Vessels This comforted Bernard on his death bed he dyed with this sentence in his mouth Je. Manl. loc com 73. Austin caused it to be written on the wall over against his bed where he lay sick and dyed Many poor soules even in times of Popery had Heaven opened unto them by meditating on this Psalm and especially on this 17. vers Vers 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion Having made his own peace with God he now prayeth for the Church and the rather because by his foul sins he had hazzarded or rather exposed both Sion and Jerusalem Church and State to divine displeasure Delirantreges plectuntur Achivi Build thou the walls of Jerusalem i. e. Protect defend and maintain the civill State grant all things necessary for its safety and well-being supply of all wants confirmation and increase of all blessings Thus pray we Jer. 29.7 Psal 122.6 7 8. for except the Lord keep the City c. See Isa 5.1 2 3. 27.3 Hee is a wall of fire Rev. 20.9 of water Isa 33.20 21. say therefore as Isa 26.1 and beware of security sensuality senselesnesse c. Vers 19. Then shalt thou bee pleased with the sacrifices c. i. e. Such as are offered in faith and according to the will of God Psal 4.6 Then shall they offer Bullocks upon thine Altar They shall be free-hearted and frequent in thy work and service va torpori nostro Woe to our dulnesse and backwardness in these happy dayes of peace and free profession which we had need improve as they did Act. 9.31 Otherwise we may desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man and not see it Luk. 19.22 Go to Shiloh c. PSAL. LII A Psalm of David Of the same time and argument likely with Psal 58. Maschil Or to teach that the end of the Wicked is evill Redarguit pravos mores saith the Syriack When Doeg the Edomite When Abiathar escaping the slaughter-slave the blood-hound as Edomite may signifie came and told David what was befaln the Priests and their City This was no small affliction to David the rather because by telling the Priest a lye himself had occasioned that Massacre Hereupon for the comfort of himself and other good people who were startled at this sad accident and might be deterred thereby from succouring David he penned this Psalm When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul c. Doeg is a fit name for a courtier for it signifieth a solicitous or busy-headed fellow a catch-poll a progging-companion an informer one that listeneth after rumours and carrieth tales to curry favour An Edomite he was by Nation but a Proselyte in pretence at least and one that was at that time detained before the Lord either by vertue of some vow or because it was the Sabbath-day and he would not travel on it or to perform some other religious service 1 Sam. 21.7 this dissembled sanctity was double iniquity and he became a type of Judas as some make him He came and told Saul Like a Parasite and a pick-thank as he was when as he should rather have told Ahimelech that David was out of Sauls favour and sought for to the slaughter as Kimchi here noteth on vers 3. but he concealed that that he might accuse Ahimelech and so slew three at once saith another Rabbine viz. himself Saul and Ahimeleck calumniatorem calumniatum calumniam audientem And said David is come to the house of Ahimeleck Few words but full of poyson Verba Doegi erant pauci sed multum nocua Kimchi Midrash Tillin leviter volant non leviser vulnerant See the story more at large 1 Sam. 22 9. c. The Rabbines say from Levit. 14. where the same word is used of the Leprous house that is here vers 5. of Doegs doom that he was for this fact smitten with leprosy and afterwards sent to Hell which they gather from Psal 120.4 Vers 1. Why boastest thou thy self in mischief thou mighty man Or Thou Giart for so he seemed to himself when he had slain tot inermes nec repugnantes so many naked men not making any resistance though they were the Priests of Jehovah and afterward had smitten the innocent inhabitants of the City of Nob together with the women the infants and the Cattel like another Ajax flagellifer or Hercules furens and now vaunted himself in that mischievous prowesse Egregiam veroâ—undem c. The Hebrew word for boasting here signifieth also madness when it is taken in the worse sence as Jer. 46.9 See Prov. 2.14 and to boast of his hearts desire is the note of an Atheist Psal 10.3 The goodness of God endureth continually Maugre thy spitefulness R. Solomon Kabuenaki Midrash Tillin God is good to Israel to the pure in heart and will be so The Rabbins make this the sense If Ahimeleth had not releeved me God would have stirred up some other to have done it Some others understand it thus The goodness of God towards thee a wicked wretch endureth all the day This should lead thee to repentance But thou after the hardness c. Rom. 2.4 Vers 2. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefes i.e. Cogitat id est eructat venteth the mischievous devices of thy minde being an inter preter and an instrument fit for such a purpose Such another Doeg was Nicholas saunders Priest the Fire-brand of Earl Deswâ—â—â—ds Rebellion in Ireland Anno 1580. a restless and wretched man whose foul mouth was at length stopped with famine that had been ever open to stir up rebellions against the State that had uttered so many Blasphemies against God and his holy Truth and invented so many loud and lewdlyes against men Like a sharp razor working deceitfully That instead of shaving the hair launcheth the flesh or missing the beard cutteth the throat Exscindit carnem cum crinibus R. Solom Consutro aberrans jugulum petit whence Dionysius the Tyrant would not trust any Barber no not his own Daughters to shave him but singed off his own hair with hot coals The slanderers Tongue as sharp as a razor or as the quills of a Porcupine flasheth and gasheth the good names of others and that many ways viz. both by denying disguising leslening concealing misconstruing things of good report and also by forging increasing aggravating or uncharitable spreading things of evil report not for any love to the truth nor for respect to justice nor yet for the bettering of the Hearer or the Delinquent but only to prejudice the one and to incense the other This was Doegs sin and denominateth him a Lyer vers 3. though hee had spake but the truth Vers 3. Thou lovest evil more than good Indeed evil only and not at all good whatever thou pretendest Thy heart is naught and thence it is that thy tongue is so mischievons as stinking breath cometh from corrupt inwards And
as Fate or blinde Fortune will Câ—riosus est plenusque negotii Deus saith Cicero PSAL. LIX ALtaschith Destroy not preserve me from this Ambuscado See Psal 57. title When Saul sent and they watched the house But were disappointed by Michal shifting him out of the way preferring an Husband before a Father though she had otherwise no great goodness in her The glory of this deliverance David wholly ascribeth to God and seeketh help of him Vers 1. Deliver me from mine enemies O God This Psalm is the same in substance with those afore-going viz. Davids desire to be delivered from Sauls craft and cruelty Defend me from them Heb. Set me on high farre out of their reach Vers 2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity Sauls Assasines and Bloud-hounds hired to dispatch me Vers 3. R. Obad. Gaon in loc The mighty are gathered against me The seven sons of Saul say the Rabbines who were afterwards hang'd 2 Sam. 21. with a company of cut-throats attending them Vers 4. They run and prepare themselves At Sauls command never inquiring into the cause right or wrong but taking his will for warrant good enough Awake to help me Heb. to meet me sc in mercy Ut occurras succurrat mihi or at my calling as some render it And behold See the Note on Psal 34.15 Vers 5. Awake to visit all the Heathen These Paganish Israelites who might have some Heathens also amongst them Sauls Slaughtermen men flesht in bloud Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors Heb. That treacherously work iniquity that do it Consulto data opera Desperadoâ—s Reprobates destined to eternal destruction Vers 6. They return at evening sc To mine house at Gibeah of Saul hoping to finde me then at home again as if like the hunted Hate I must needs return to my old fourm They make a noyse like a Dogge When coming the second night also they missed of David they barked and houled like mad Doggs ready to take every one they met by the throat And go round about the City Ferretting and searching after him in all places and perhaps surrounding the City to surprise him Vers 7. Behold they bâ—lch out with theâ—r mouth Calling me Traitor where ever they come and seeking to double murther him viz. by detraction and by deadly practice As a fountain casteth out waters so do graceless men wickedness Jer. 6.7 Swords are in their lips Or To their lips they adde swords they word it not only but are armed and well appointed But it is well that they blurt out their bloody purposes and so give warning Huâ—c tibi pâ—gionem mittit Senat◠〈◊〉 faciâ—uâ— fatâ—â— c non implevit For who say they doth hear i.e. Who that we need care for Davids friends they thought durst not utter their discontent and for God they took no great thought Psal 10.3.8.55.20 Vers 8. But thou O Lord shalt laugh at them q. d. Thou not only hearest but jearest at their madnesse and wilt bring all their purposes to nought with little adoeâ— and as it were playing and sporting See Psal 2.4 Vers 9. Because of his strength will I wait on thee The stronger Saâ—lâ—â— the more will I adhere to thee Or thus His strength will I reserve to thee that is I will turn him over to 〈◊〉 who aâ— far stronger to take an order with him to put a hook into his nose and a bridle into his jaws and to bring mee at length to the Kingdome For God is my defence Heb. My high place therefore what need I feat him or his Emissaries Vers 10. The God of my mercy shall prevent me Or God will prevent mee with his mercy sc before I ask or think howsoever in the opportunity of time he will not fail mee God shall let mee see c. See Psal 54.7 Vers 11. Slay them not lâ—st my people forget Marcet sine adversarie virtus the natural heat decayeth if it have not wherewith to wrastle Carthage was not to be destroyed that Rome might not want an adversary The Saints have the reliques of corruption left in them for exercise of their graces Slay them not saith David and the Chaldee addeth statim forthwith or outright but by degrees rather lest my people my followers and fellow souldiers forget their skill in armes or thy judgements on the enemies Scatter them by thy power That they may wander as Cain did and be restlesse Or shake them to and fro as meal is shaken in a sieve let them be dissipated and by degrees wasted that they may be as so many standing monuments of the divine Justice ut â—o sint illustriera test atiora tua judicia as the dis-jected people of the Jews are at this day Vers 12. For the sin of their mouth c. The Arabians have this proverb Take heed lest thy tongue cut thy throat Many a mans mouth is a purgatory to the Master Hard words must bee reckoned for Jude 15. the Jews find it so and will do And for cursing c. Cursing men are cursed men Vers 13. Consume them in wrath c. But by degrees as vers 11. slowly Paulatiâ—â— seu gradatim in fine penitus corruant Kimchi but surely and severely that they may feel themselves wasted There may be much poyson in little drops And let them know Know to their cost Or Let men know Vers 14. And at evening let them return c. Let these back-sliders in heart be filled with their own wayes run about for hunger as before they did for malice vers Revertantur famelici Vat. Sit poena corum sicut peccatum Kimchi 6. Here the Prophet mindeth to mock them saith an Interpreter Vers 15. Let them wander up and down for meat Sicut mendici de ostio ad ostium faciunt as Beggers do from door to door saith Kimchi And grudge if they be not satisfied Murmure against God and men howling against Heaven as hungry Woolfs Isa 8.21 Others understand it thus Lee them run to and fro for meat that is to devour mee as Psal 27.2 but surely they shall not be satisfied but misse of their design thouâ—h they tarry all night watching for mee Vers 16. In the morning That time wherein they thought to have surprised mee 1 Sam. 19.11 but thou hast secured mee See Isa 65.14 Vers 17. O my strength All Davids strength was derivative in himself he was weak as water PSAL. LX. UPon Shushan Eduth An Instrument so called or to the tune of some song so casâ—â— The words signifie the Lilâ—y of the Testimony or of king 〈◊〉 whereof many make manyfold constructions but they are all conjecturall Michtam of David to teach The Hebrews have a proverb Liâ—lmâ—d lâ—tammed Men must therefore learn that they may teach Psalmo doctrinal Hisp David here imparteth what he had learned of Gods goodnesse and would teach others especially when they go to war as Judg. 3.2 2 Sam. 1.18 to call upon God and to
her that is for his Church or for her that tarried at home vers 12. a periphrasis of the Church in the times of primitive persecution especially till the Almighty scattered those persecuting Princes Some of the Jew-Doctors understand it of Gog and Magog It was white as snow in Salmon Or She was white as snow in Salmon not only as the wings of a Dove but glorious and glittering as snow on that high hill Judg. 9.47 48. At the top of the Alpes nothing is to bee seen but snow which hath lain there beyond the memory of man and as some say ever since the flood The same may be as true of Salmon which some here take for a Noun substantive common and render its albe sees in â—â—ligine thou shalt wax white in darknesse The old Emperour Andronicus lighting upon this verse in his Psalter and applying it to himself Turk hist fol. 164. was much setled and sastisfied concerning his troubles Vers 15. The Hill 〈◊〉 God is as the hill of Basan Basan was fat and fettile but Sion was better because the place where Gods honour dwelled any relation to whom dâ—th greatly ennoble any place or person so Gen. 17.21 22 Israel have blessed twelve Princes shall he beget but my covenant will I establish with Isâ—â—â— Since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable Isa 4â— â— Vers 16. Why leap ye ye high bills Why do ye pride and please your selves in your privileges of nature so faire above this of 〈◊〉 Quare 〈…〉 so some render it and tell us that the originall word 〈◊〉 is Syriack 〈…〉 to irritate to insult or contend with any one This is the Hill which God desireth to 〈◊〉 in This 〈…〉 and doth still of the Church from the rest of the World The Lamb Christ is on Mount Sion Revel 14.1 Vers 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand Heb. The Chariot to note the joynt-service of all the Angels who are here called Shinan of their changeableness now taken away by Christ say some of their precellency above other Creatures say others as being second or next unto God the chief Princes the Nobles of that Court as Dan. 10.13 Michael one of the chief Princes The Seventy render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cheerful ones such as are in joy and tranquillity freely serving God in all his Warres carrying the Elect and marching about them The Lord is among them as in Sinai i.e. The Angels make Sion as dreadful to all her enemies as those Angels made Sinai at the delivery of the Law See Heb. 12.22 In the holy place Holy for the time whilst God appeared there so 2 Pet. 1.18 Tabor is called the holy Mount Vers 18. Thou hast ascended on high As a Conquerour doth on his triumphal Chariot the Romans ascended up to the Capitol Plut. in Aemyl leading their Captives bound behind them and giving gifts unto the people They might have this custom from David and these words might be the peoples acclamation to David or as some think both the Kings and peoples acclamation to the Ark that notable Type of Christ to whom St. Paul applieth it Ephes 4.8 9. and teacheth us to understand it of his wonderful Ascension Thou hast led captivity captive i.e. Thou hast captivated those that once held us in captivity for so Gods justice required Isa 33.1 so he had fore-promised Isa 24. Rev. 13.10 and so Christ hath fulfilled Coloss 2.15 saving his people to the uttermost from Sin Death Hell and the Devil who had taken them alive captive at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Thou hast received gifts for men Heb. In man some render it in Adam Qualia erant in Adams talia dat Christus saith Eugubinus Christ gave such gifts to his people for if he received with one hand he gave with the other Sed Beth servilis non praeponitur proprio nomini and the fruits of his Victories are all for his Subjects as were in Adam True it is that hee repaireth Gods once-lost Image in them but the gifts here meant are mentioned by the Apostle Ephes 4 11. viz. Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edyfying of the body of Christ c. Lo these were those gifts that Christ bestowed upon his Church at the day of his Coronation and solemn inauguration into his Throne at the time of his triumphant Ascension These he received that he might give and he held it more blessed to give than to receive A like expression wee have Hos 14.2 Receive us graciously Heb. Take good sc to bestow it upon us as Acts 2.23 Yea for the rebellious also Rebellion at first till thou hast given them a better heart See Rom. 4.5 5.6 or if they continue so yet they may share in common gifts and external priviledges That the Lord God might dwell among them viz. in his religion and true worshippers for which end he giveth restraining grace to the very rebellious Vers 19. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us sc With blessings or with crosses turned into blessings as being sanctified and having their properties altered for of themselves they are fruits of sin and a peece of the Curse Let us not load him with our iniquities c. Vers 20. He that is our God is the God of Salvation Or This God is unto us a God of Salvations in the Plural so that he can save us and doth from a thousand deaths and dangers and when he hath delivered us to day he both can and will do it again to morrow he hath for his people omnimodam salutem And unto God the Lord belong the issues from death When we think there is no way but one for us he appeareth as out of an Engin and pulleth us out of Deaths jaws The Lord knoweth how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 from the most desperate and deadly dangers Peter might well say it for he had the experience of it Acts 12. Christ hath the Keys of death Rev. 1.18 the sole dominion and disposal of it 〈…〉 mortis Vers 21. But God shall wound the 〈◊〉 of his enemies 〈◊〉 caput a wound in the head if deep and God strikes no small blows is mortal Christ will break the head of those that bruise his heel that attempt any thing against Him and his By Head here Diodate understandeth the Devil that Prince of the World Deut. 32.42 Psal 110.6 Hab. 3.13 Evil spirits in Scripture are called Shegnirim shag-haired Levit. 17.7 Isa 13.21 And they go on in their trespasses they do infinitely hate God and sin that sin against the Holy Ghost every moment But the most understand it of wicked men And the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still c. This is Gods enemy that by his wilful wickedness striketh and as it were shooteth at God runneth upon him even upon his neck and upon the thick bosses
insnare the Saints Gratiae privativae multò plures sunt quam positivae saith Gerson God daily delivereth his from innumerable deaths and dangers By Fowler here some understand the punishing Angel 2 Sam. 24. and conceive that this Psalm was penned upon occasion of that great Plague that followed upon Davids numbring the people for then if ever both Prince and People stood in need of special comfort and here they have it Divine consolations are therefore sweet because seasonable and suitable And from the noysome Pestilence That uncomfortable and contagious disease Ab excidio exitiorum The vulgar rendreth it and from rough words In Hebrew Dabhar signifieth a word Debher a Pest an evil tongue hath the Pestilence in it Vers 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers As the Hen doth her Chickens Fides est quae pullastrum Christum gallinam facit ut sub pennis ejus speres num salus in pennis ejus saith Luther It is Faith which maketh thee the little Chicken and Christ the Hen that thou maist hide and hope hover and cover under his wings for there is health in his wings And under his wings shalt thou trust For without Faith what use is there to us of the Promises Non de se debet sperare Christianus si vule esse firmus vapore materno nutriatur ut pullus gallinaceus saith Austin Let no man hope for safety or strength but under Christs wings graciously stretcht out over him Vers 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night Thou shalt be freed if not from the common destruction yet from the common distraction Impavidum ferient ruinae Nor for the arrow that flyeth by day Sudden ill occurrences quae nec provident nec praecavent fideles the arrows of Death shall come whisking by thine ears and not hit Quid quisque Hor. lib. ◠Od. 13. vitet nunquam hominisatis Cautum est in horas Improvisa lethi Vis rapuit rapietque gentes True Faith is a Target and saveth a man if not from the smart yet from the hurt of evil accidents Vers 6. Nor for the Pestilence Called before Terrour and Arrow as some conceive Hippocrates calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Disease because sent more immediately from God as an evil Messenger Not but that a good man may dye of the Plagues as did Oecolampadius and many others Hezechiah is thought to have had it so had reverend Beza his Family was four several times visited here with who was much comforted under that and other heavy afflictions by this sweet Psalm which therefore he hugg'd and held most dear all the dayes of his life as himself witnesseth in his argument and use of this Psalm Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day For the noon-day-Devil so the Vulgar rendreth it after the Sept. as for Pestilence walking in darkness one old English Manuscript hath Goblin The Chaldee here expounds it the company of Devils As in the next verse A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand c. R. Solomon expoundeth A thousand Devils shall pitch their tents on thy right hand and on thy left but shall not hurt thee because the good Angels shall counterguard thee against them But it is better to understand all as before of the Pestilence though I doubt not but the Devil that old man-slayer hath a hand in this and other common calamities yet not without the Lords over-ruling power limiting him Vers 7. A thousand shall fall c. This deadly disease layes heaps upon heaps as we have had lamentable experience and scarce leaveth living enow to bury the dead as in the dayes of Decius the Emperour But it shall not come nigh thee Thou shalt be antidoted and priviledged sc if God see it good for thee See vers 6. and thou be carefull to serve his providence The Turks shun not the company of those that have the plague but pointing upon their foreheads say It was written there at their birth when they shall dye Thus to do is not to trust god but to tempt him Vers 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And say O the severity of divine justice O the venemous and mischievous nature and effects of mens sin Behold the goodnesse and severity of God on them which sell severity but toward mee goodnesse if I continue in his goodnesse otherwise I shall also be cut off Rom. 11.22 And see the reward of the wicked Thy self being as it were shot-free thy sincerity prevailing for thy safety Vers 9. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge c. Because thou hast done as I do thou shalt speed as I have sped for God is rich in mercy to all his Even the Most High thy habitation See Psal 90.1 Vers 10. There shall no evill befall thee No devoratory evill as Tertullian expresseth it nothing that tendeth ad exitium but only ad exercitium and such as shall end in thy good Neither shall any plague What a wonderfull separation made the Lord betwixt the houses of the Israelites and the Egyptians Exod. 11.7 See Job 5. and take these places as verse 6. For it may befall a Saint to share in a common calamity as the good Corn and weeds are cut down together but for a different end and purpose Non te tua plurima Pentheu Labentem texit piet as Vers 11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee This guard of Angels many Angels yea all if need be to secure every poor beleever how manly soever he thinks of himself or is esteemed by others is no small priviledge See Mat. 4 6. with the Note To keep thee en all thy wayes In all thy lawfull and Christian undertakings for no further doth God or his holy Angels take charge of thee If we keep not within Gods precincts we cannot look for his protection Wefts and strayes fall to the Lord of the soil The State secureth none that are abroad at undue hours that travell not betwixt Sun and Sun Divines observe that the Devil citing this Text Mat. 4.6 left out these words on purpose as not for his purpose yet doth not our Saviour so much as upbraid him with this mutilation nor yet tell him of that which followeth verse 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder c. to teach us in dealing with an adversary not to lye at the catch but answer to the thing c. Vers 12. They shall bear thee up in their hands See the Note on Mat. 4.6 and be sensible of the many good offices done us by the blessed Angels not once looking for our thanks Vers 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon c. No Creature shall harm thee so as to hinder thineeternal happinesse See Isa 11.6 7 8. Hos 2.18 Job 5.23 Mar. 16.18 this Text was shamefully abused by Pope Alexander Anno 1159. when at Venice he trod upon the neck of the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa and
very cold and for the other four it was Winter Vers 8 Neither do they which go by say c. As they use to do to harvest men Ruth 2. 3 Joh. Christianity is no enemy to curtesie yet in some cases saith not God speed PSAL. CXXX VErs 1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee i. e. Ex portis ipsis desperationis from the very bosom and bottom of despair caused through deepest sense of sin and fear of wrath One deep calleth to another the depth of misery to the depth of mercy Basill and Beza interpret it Ex intimis cordis penetralibus from the bottom of my heart with all earnestness and humility Hee that is in the low pits and caves of the earth seeth the stars in the firmament so hee who is most low and lowly seeth most of God and is in best case to call upon him As spices smell best when beaten and as frankincense maximè fragrat cum flagrat is most odoriferous when cast into the fire so do Gods afflicted pray best when at the greatest under Isa 19.22 26.16 27.6 Luther when hee was buffeted by the Devill at Coburgh and in great affliction Joh. Manâ— loc com 43. said to those about him Venite in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus come let us sing that Psalm Out of the depths c. in derision of the Devill And surely this Psalm is a treasury of great comfort to all in distress reckoned therefore of old amongst the seven Penitentiâ—â— and is therefore sacrilegiously by the Papists taken away from the living and applyed only to the dead for no other reason I think saith Beza but because it beginneth with Out of the Depths have I cryed a poor ground for Purgatory or for praying for the souls that are there as Bellarmine makes it Vers 2 Lord hear my voice Precum exauditie identidem est precanda Audience must be begged again and again and if hee once prepare our heart t is sure that hee will cause his ear to hear Psal 10.17 as when wee bid our Children ask this or that of us it is because wee mean to give it them Vers 3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities This and the next verse contains saith one the summe of all the Scriptures Twice hee here nameth the Lord as desirous to take hold of him with both his hands Extremity of Justice hee depreâ—â—â—h hee would not bee dealt with in rigour and rage Extrema fateor commeritus sum Deus Quid enim aliud dixers It is confessed I have deserved the extremity of thy fury but yet let mee talk with thee as Jer. 12.1 or reason the case O Lord who shall stand Stand in Judgement as Psal 1.5 and not fall under the weight of thy just wrath which burneth as low as Hell it self How can any one escape the damnation of Hell which is the just hire of the least sin Rom. 6.23 and the best mans life is fuller of sins than the Firmament is oâ— stars or the furnace of sparks Hence that of an Ancient Vâ— homiuâ—â— vitâ— quantumvis laudabili si reâ—â— miscericordiâ— judicetur Woe to the best man alive should hee bee strictly dealt withall Surely if his faults were but written in his forehead it would make him pull 〈◊〉 hat over his eyes Vers 4 But there is forgiveness with thee This holds head above water that we have to do with a forgiving God Neb. 9.31 none like him for that Mic. 7.18 For hee doth it naturally Exod. 34.6 abundantly Isa 55.7 constantly as here there is still is forgiveness and propitiation with God so Job 1.27 the Lamb of God doth take away the sins of the World t is a perpetuall act and should be as a perpetuall picture in our hearts That thou mayest bee feared i. e. Sought unto and served It is a speech like that Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come If there were not forgiveness with God no man would worship him from his heart but flye from his as from a Tyrant But a promise of pardon from a faithfull God maketh men to put themselves into the hands of justice in hope of mercy Mr. Perkins expoundeth the words thus In mercy thou pardonest the sins of some that thou mightest have some on earth to worship thee Vers 5 I wait for the Lord I wait and wait viz. for deliverance out of misery vers 1. being assured of pardoning mercy Feri Domine feri à peccatis enim absolutâ—◠〈◊〉 said Luther strike Lord while thou wilt so long as my sins are forgiveâ— I can bee of good comfort I can wait or want for a need And 〈…〉 viz. Of promise that ground of hope unfailable Rom. 5.5 of 〈◊〉 unfeigâ—â—ed 1 Tim. 1.5 Vers 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord Or Watcheth for the Lord Heb My soul to the Lord an eclipticall concise speech importing strong affection as doth also the following reduplication Prae custodibus ad mane prae custodibus ad manâ— I say more than they Or More than they that watch for the morning wait for the morning wherein they may sleep which by night they might not do Vers 7 Let Israel hope in the Lord Hope and yet fear as vers 4. with a filiall fear fear and yet hope Plenteous Redemption Are our sins great with God there is mercy matchless mercy Are our sins many with God is plenteous redemption multa redemptiâ— hee will multiply pardons as wee multiply sins Isa 55.7 Vers 8 And hee shall redeem Israel By the value and vertue of Christs death by his merit and spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 PSAL. CXXXI VErs 1 Lord my heart is not haughty Though anointed and appointed by thee to the Kingdome yet I have not ambitiously aspired unto it by seeking Souls death as his pick thanks perswaded him nor do I now being possessed of it proudly domineer as is the manner of most Potentates and tyrannize over my poor subjects but with all modesty and humility not minding high things I do condescend to them of low estate Rom. 12.16 Now Bucholc in alto positum non altum sapere difficile est omnino inusitatum sed quanto inusitatius tanto gloriosius It is both hard and happy not to bee puffed up with prosperity and preferment Vespasian is said to have been the only one that was made better by being made Emperour Nor mine eyes lofty Pride sitteth and sheweth it self in the eyes as soon as in any part Ut speculum oculus est artis ita oculus est naturae speculum Neither do I exercise my self in great matters Heb. I walk not manes intra metas I keep within my circle within the compass of my calling not troubling my self and others by my ambitious projects and practices as Cleâ—n did Alchibiades Cesar Borgia and others Ambitionists Or in things too high for mee Heb. Wonderfull high and hidden things that pass nay