confirm wherein he seems to have particular reference to his saving of Saul when he had him at an advantage and he restrained his captains from offering him any violence 1 Sam. chap. 24. and 26. Yea saith he I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy Vers 5. Let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust By this honour may be meant his soul as in Gen. 49.6 concerning which see the Note there which may be said to be laid in the dust when his life that proceeded from the union of his soul and body was taken away and he laid in the dust and so both clauses let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust may both intend the same thing or secondly by his honour may be meant that honourable condition whereto God had advanced him or which God had promised him to wit of being king over his people which might be said to be laid in the dust either by his death or by his being brought to a low and poor condition or thirdly by his honour may be meant that honourable fame and repute and credit wherein he had lived and which might remain of him after his death which in case of his guilt he desires might be laid in the dust to wit by the perishing of his memory or being buried under obloquy and reproach Vers 6. Lift up thy self because of the rage of mine enemies c. That is Because of their rage arise to my help and so it is the same in effect with the foregoing clause Arise O Lord in thine anger or Lift up thy self that is exalt and glorifie thy self as a conquerour by saving me from their rage As for the following clause and awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commanded there are two severall Expositions neither of them improbable which are given of it The first is that David doth therein desire the Lord to awake for him to settle him in the kingdome which he had promised him for because his office was therein to doe justice and judgement and to settle all things in the kingdome which had been out of frame under Sauls reign and because God had commanded Samuel for this purpose to anoint David and because God had decreed and said that David should be king and had at the same time pronounced this judgement against Saul that he had rejected him 1 Sam. 16.1 and what God hath decreed shall be in regard of its certainty is frequently in the Scriptures said to be commanded of God as Psal 33.9 He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast and Psal 147.15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon the earth his word runneth very swiftly therefore doth he expresse this in these tearms awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commanded And then the second is which I best approve that David doth herein desire that God would raise up himself to punish his enemies and to deliver him that was injured and oppressed which he tearms the judgement which God had commanded either because God had commanded the sons of men thus to execute judgement and therefore he doubted not that God would himself doe what he had enjoyned others to doe or because it was that which he knew God had ordered and decreed Vers 7. So shall the congregation of the people compasse thee about c. Two things may also probably be intended herein The first is that if God would make good his promise and settle him in the throne so far as in him lay the people that were now grown to a kind of profane neglect of Gods worship under the government of Saul as appeared by the neglect of the Ark all the time of his reign should be brought to assemble themselves duly together to perform the duties of his worship and service and hereby he makes it manifest that he desired not the kingdome for his own interests but for the advancement of Gods glory And the second is that if God would appear in his defence against his enemies the experience of Gods justice and faithfulnesse herein would bring in the people by multitudes to compasse him about and it may be meant of the Israelites alone or of other nations joyntly with them to whom the fame of what God had done for David herein should come to wit to praise God to pray to God for judgement in the like case yea and in generall to worship God with fear and reverence for indeed the judgements of God manifested in the world do notably stir up devotion in men And to this purpose also is that which follows for their sakes therefore return thou on high that is exalt thy self and shew thy self gloriously in this cause of mine or rather ascend again into thy throne of judgement and judge the cause between me and mine enemies for in these words there seems to be an allusion to the thrones and seats of judgement amongst men which used to be on high above the people as we see in Solomons throne 1 Kings 10.19 or else to the height of the heaven of which it is said The Lords throne is in heaven Psal 11.4 and because whilst God had forborn punishing his persecutours it had been as if God had given over judging the world therefore he desires that God would return to his throne of judgement Vers 8. The Lord shall judge the people c. As if he should have said And therefore from the slanders of men I appeal to God and know that he will judge righteously whereupon he addes Iudge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse c. concerning which see the Note 2 Sam. 22.21 Vers 9. Oh let the wickednesse of the wicked come to an end c. As one that had been long under this affliction he desires the Lord that at last some way or other there might be an end put to the malicious practises of his enemies against him and others and so thereby that he would establish the just for saith he the righteous God tryeth the hearts and reins that is the Lord exactly knoweth the secretest thoughts and desires of mens hearts and consequently he knoweth the integrity of mine heart and that there never came any such thing into my thought as they lay to my charge Because in the entrails of a man the reins lye of all the rest the most retired and hidden therefore they are added to the heart Vers 11. God is angry with the wicked every day Hereby is meant not so much that there is no day wherein God doth not manifest his anger against some wicked men by pouring forth his wrath upon them as that he is every day angry with the wicked even when he forbears them whence it is that even then they are said to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 Vers 12. If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow
more see good That is I shall certainly die nor shall ever live to enjoy good day more in this world for in the scripture phrase to see good is nothing else but to enjoy good Ier. 17.6 He shall be like the heath in the desert saith the Lord of him that trusteth in man and shall not see when good cometh And so also to see evil is to suffer evil Psal 90.15 Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evill and to see death is to die Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Vers 8. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not That is I shall be cut off or shall not be found amongst the living as Rahell weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children because they were not Ier. 31.15 and Gen. 42.13 The youngest is this day with our father and one is not As for the first words of this clause concerning Gods eyes being upon him there may be severall expositions given of them 1. That they are spoken to set forth the frailty of his life that if God should but cast his eyes upon him to cut him off he should soon be destroyed one glaunce of his eyes would do it 2. That they are spoken as a motive to perswade the Lord to shew him mercy speedily because else help would come too late if God should relent and turn his eyes in mercy upon him he should not be found amongst the living to whom mercy could be shewed and 3. That they are only spoken as that which went before to set forth his hopelesse condition how certain it was that the misery he lay in would at length yea and that ere long too make an end of him and therefore consequently that he had reason to desire that God would not prolong his misery but cut him off instantly for having in the former words said that the time was coming when those that saw him should see him no more he adds thine eyes are upon me and I am not that is yea if thou seekest for me amongst the living thou shalt not find me Iob herein speaking of God as is usuall after the manner of men And this I conceive to be the best exposition because it agrees best with the drift of Iobs speech and that which went before Vers 9. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more To wit to live in this world as formerly as Iob explains himself in the following verse He shall return no more to his house c. Iob therefore doth not in these words speak as one that knew not or believed not the resurrection of the dead at the last day but only shewed the impossibility of mans returning after he is once dead and laid in the grave to live again in this world amongst his friends and acquaintance as formerly Vers 10. Neither shall his place know him any more That is he shall no more come to enjoy the place of office or dignity which formerly he enjoyed or he shall be no more known in the place of his habitation amongst his family and friends as formerly as it is said of the flourishing flower of the field Psal 103.16 The wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more that is it shall be no more seen in the place where it grew Vers 11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth c. That is since my grief and miseries are so intolerably great and my condition in that regard desperate without hope of recovery I will never forbear to speak or restrain my self in speaking but will rather pour out my complaints freely in whatsoever my soul imbittered with grief shall suggest to me and so hereby will ease my mind overladen with anguish and sorrow whilst I may do it there being no hope of redresse or ease any other way for me Vers 12. Am I a sea or a whale that thou settest a watch over me That is am I such a monster of men that thou must deal with me as with no other man am I so proud and rebellious against thee or likely to break forth with such fury and unresistable rage upon men to hurt them as the sea doth sometimes and even to swallow them up as the whale swallows up a multitude of smaller fishes and overturns ships and gallies when they come in his way that thereupon as thou hast set barres and dores to shut up the swelling waves of the sea saying hitherto shalt thou come and no farther and here shall thy proud waves be stayed as thou dost by thy providence watch in a speciall manner over the whale the king over all the children of pride as he is called ch 41.34 and hast shut him up within the bounds of the great Ocean that so the lesser fish may the more safely live in other seas so thou settest a watch over me curbing and restraining me with these ulcers and many other miseries least otherwise I should break forth into rebellion against thee or to the destruction of those that live about me or is there such an overbearing might and strength in me as in the sea or the whale that nothing but the almighty power of God can withstand or restrain me that no lesse then these many grievous and mighty afflictions can keep me within compasse as if he should have said surely it is not so I have neither been so stubborn against God nor so harmefull to men that I should need to be so shackled nor am I so strong but that a smaller matter if there had been any such danger might have kept me in Vers 13. My couch shall ease my complaint That is my couch shall ease my pain and sorrows the cause of my complaint by yielding me some little refreshing rest and sleep and so consequently shall allay the bitternesse of my complaints too Vers 14. Then thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me through visions Dreams and visions may be meant both of one and the same thing or else we may thus distinguish them that whilst he slept he was scared with terrible and fearfull dreames and whilst he lay awake with ghastly sights and visions It is indeed most probable that Satan did both waies seek to disturb him that so he might the better drive him to despair and that this it is which Iob here complains of and bemoans and yet because Satan can do nothing but as he receives a Commission from God therefore Iob speaks thus to God Thou scarest me with dreames and terrifiest me through visions Vers 15. So that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather then my life That is hereupon it is that I had rather die if I might have my choice yea though it were by any kind of death rather then to live in this miserable condition wherein I now live for strangling he mentions in the first
then quite cast him off but desires that God should even there remember him And whereas according to this exposition he should desire death without any expression of his desire to be raised up again from the grave to this it is answered that he speaks as a man distracted so with sorrowes that he asks of God he well knows not what eased he would be of his trouble and out of his desire of that he wisheth what came next to mind or lay uppermost in his thoughts let God hide him in the grave or doe what he would with him to free him from his sad estate so he did not utterly forget him And lastly by the grave may be meant any place under ground where he might be hidden a-live such as were those caves and dens in the earth where the Saints in times of persecution were wont to hide themselves and so were for the time as men buried a-live Heb. 11.36 and so then his desire is only that he might be hidden somewhere under ground where he might be in safe custody out of the reach of those troubles that now annoyed him till the indignation of God were over and that then at a time prefixed God would remember him and fetch him forth again But which way soever we take these words most probable it is that he useth this phrase of being hid in the grave in allusion to the custome of those Eastern countries where they used in those times to have great caves or vaults for their sepulchers or burying places whereinto in times of danger they were wont to run and hide themselves Vers 14. If a man die shall he live again All the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come As the former words so these also are divers waies expounded by Interpreters Some say that the change here meant is that which Iob had wished or desired in the foregoing verse to wit his being raised out of the grave after he had been hidden there for a time to live again here in this world and accordingly they conceive that the first words were spoken by way of admiration If a man die shall he live again Is that possible and then that the next words were added as the Resolution of Iob upon this supposition as if he should have said Could this be or let this be granted and then surely all the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come that is I will willingly wait all the set time allotted for my abode in the grave untill the change shall come of my being raised up again from thence and thus they say he spake in reference to his foregoing words O that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me Again others conceive that he speaks here of his change at the generall Resurrection of the dead and so they take the first words to be spoken either of mans living again in this world and the interrogation to be a vehement negation If a man die shall he live again No I know he shall not it is altogether impossible and that thereupon he adds All the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come as if he had said I am not therefore afraid to die there being no fear of returning hither again after death again to endure the miseries of this present world but will gladly wait all my appointed time till my change at the Resurrection of the dead shall come or else of mans living again at the day of judgement and of those that understand it thus some hold that the interrogation doth here intend an affirmation of that concerning which the question is propounded If a man die shall he live again as if he had said I know he shall there will a day come when God will raise him up and restore him to life again whereupon he inferres that he would wait in expectation of this blessed change All the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come and others conceive that it is spoken by way of doubting and accordingly they make this to be the drift of the words to wit that the first words contain the temptation wherewith Iob was tempted namely that he questioned whether man being dead could ever rise again If a man die shall he live again Is this possible and then that the next clause contains the Resolution of his faith overcoming that temptation All the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come as if he had said yes I know there shall a change come after death when they that are dead shall rise and live again and so corruption shall put on incorruption and therefore all my appointed time I will wait till that change shall come But last of all there is another exposition which to me seems best as best agreeing with other foregoing passages namely that by his appointed time here is meant the time allotted him of God for his living here in this world according to that he had said before vers 5. His daies are determined the number of his moneths are with thee c. and so the sense of the words is this that since being dead there was no hope of living again here in this world there was nothing for him to doe but all his appointed time to wait upon God till his change come that is till God should be pleased to deliver him from this sad condition wherein he now lived and put him into a more prosperous estate or rather till the time of his departure out of this world was come when he doubted not but God would receive him to his mercy Vers 15. Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That is out of the love thou bearest me as thy creature and much more as one in whom thou hast renewed thine own image thou wilt not cast me off for ever but wilt receive me again unto thy self which is spoken in reference to the former clause Thou shalt call and I will answer thee of which also there are severall expositions given by Interpreters answerable to those they give of the foregoing verses for 1. Some take it to be spoken as in reference to that which they conceive he intended vers 13. where he speaks of his being hid for a time in the grave namely that if that might be so if God would hide him for a time till his indignation were over and then would remember him in mercy again then when God should call him forth he would readily come forth unto him hoping to live here in his favour again 2. Some understand this also of the Resurrection Thou shalt call that is thou shalt command me to arise from the dead and I will answer thee that is I shall as in obedience to thy command readily arise and present my self before thee not needing then to fear thy face as hypocrites will and indeed
to be let this which I have said move you to pity me and comfort me and do not still condemne me for an hypocrite and adde affliction to the afflicted As for the reason that is added for the hand of God hath touched me see the Notes chap. 1.11 2.5 Vers 22. Why do you persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh This which Iob here upbraids his friends with to wit that they persecuted him as God may be understood two severall waies either 1. That when God afflicted him they did so too they did as it were joyn with God in afflicting him and making his life burdensome to him when God punisheth any man or men though the punishments be never so justly inflicted it is the duty of those that behold them thus punished to pity them and be tender over them neither must they by any means insult over them but rather reflect upon themselves and be afraid of themselves as considering that God may as justly lay his hand upon them as he hath done upon these whom they behold in such misery Now that therefore for which he blames his friends here may be only this because when Gods hand was heavy upon him they instead of pitying him did also set themselves against him and by their hard usage and bitter reproaches did adde to his affliction forgetting themselves to be men subject to the same miseries or 2. That they did afflict him in the same manner as God did to wit in that 1. As God did persecute him incessantly and without intermission bringing calamities upon him one in the neck of another without affording him any breathing time so did they follow him with reproach upon reproach and censure upon censure not yielding him any rest and 2. In that they persecuted him as an enemy as God did and in as heavy a manner As God had laid load upon him so did they as God had appeared in a way of wrath against him so did they and so he doth as it were intimate that their scorns and scoffs and calumnies were as grievous to him as all the other miseries that God had laid upon him or 3. That they arrogated that to themselves which belonged only to God to wit either because they did in so masterly a manner condemne him for an hypocrite which none could know but God only who is the searcher of the heart and of the reines or else rather because they did causelessely persecute him why do you persecute me as God as if he had said However God in regard of his absolute Sovereignty over men may deal with them as seems good in his own eyes and so may lay what afflictions he pleaseth upon me merely because it is his will so to doe though there were no other cause at all yet you have no such power over me and therefore shew why it is that you do thus persecute me what will you make your selves Gods And then for the next clause wherein he chargeth them that they were not satisfied with his flesh Why do ye persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh the drift thereof I conceive is to imply either that it was a high degree of cruelty in them that not content with the grievous miseries he had endured in his body even to the utter wasting and consuming of his flesh besides that he was stripped of all other outward comforts whatsoever they should also seek as they had done to wound and afflict his spirit also as if he had said Though God afflicteth my mind and my soul and hath filled my soul with terrours yet why should you force on my affliction as farre as God doth or else that in regard they were not satisfied with all those insufferable miseries that he lay under but did still prosecute him with so much bitternesse they were herein like beasts of prey that when they have eaten the flesh of the poor creatures they prey upon cannot be satisfied therewith till they have quite devoured them and after they have eaten the flesh do also gnaw and crush the bones asunder And indeed all cruell oppression and crushing of the poor and afflicted is usually expressed in the Scripture by that phrase of devouring them and eating up their flesh as Psal 27.2 My foes came upon me to eat up my flesh and Gal. 5.15 But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Vers 23. O that my words were now written oh that they were printed in a book c. Though some referre this particularly to that following passage verse 25. wherein he makes indeed a most clear and glorious confession of his faith in Christ his Redeemer and his hope concerning the resurrection of the dead and life eternall worthy to be taken notice of by all that should live in succeeding times yet I rather think he meant it of all that he had spoken in that dispute that had been betwixt him and his three friends yea and of all that he should afterward speak To shew how clear his conscience was and how confident he was of the justice of his cause and to manifest withall that he had not spoken so rashly and unadvisedly and much lesse so desperately and blasphemously as they pretended he had though some words might slip from him in his passion that were not altogether to be justifyed he wisheth that his words were written and printed in a book c. For hereby he intimates that he was so farre from declining the judgement of any man living that he was willing it should be known both to the present and future ages as being assured that whoever in succeeding times should read what he had suffered and what had passed betwixt him and his friends they would pity his condition and acquit him from all those false accusations they had charged upon him Yea and therefore he wisheth that his words were not only written and printed in a book but also vers 24. that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever And however some Expositours understand this that herein he wisheth that his words were graven with an iron pen in plates or leaâ—s of lead yea in the rock for ever yet others think that according to our translation the ground of this expression must needs be either that in those times they were wont to make their graving tools of iron tempered with lead as now a-daies they are tempered with steel or else that when they desired to grave any thing in stone for a perpetuall monument they used to cut the letters with an iron pen or graving tool and then to fill up the cuts or furrows of those letters with lead that they might be the more plain and legible and that hence he speaks of having his words graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever Vers 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand
against is rejoycing in the greatnesse of his wealth carnally inordinately and immoderately as those do that set their hearts upon their wealth as if all their happinesse consisted therein or that give themselves to live therewith in all kind of voluptuousnesse Vers 26. If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the moon walking in brightnesse c. Many later writers understand this allegorically as a protestation against pride and arrogancy of spirit or against confidence in his great wealth and power or in his own works and innocency of life as first thus If I beheld the Sun when it shined c. that is If mine heart hath been exalted and my looks stately and lofty because of my greatnesse or transcendent holinesse so that I scarce deigned to look downwards upon other men as deeming my self some little God and fitter to live with the Sun and Moon then with mortall man or secondly thus If I observed and viewed with delight the lightsome and glorious condition wherein I lived as indeed usually in the Scriptures a prosperous estate is expressed by light and the bright shining of the heavens upon men or thirdly thus If I beheld my gold glorious and glittering as the Sun or my silver bright as the moon And accordingly also they understand the following words vers 27. And my heart hath been secretly enticed to wit to exalt my self in this my great wealth and glorious condition or to put my confidence therein or my mouth hath kissed my hand namely by way of applauding my self or ascribing these things to my self to mine own industry endeavours or righteousnesse And so also that which follows vers 28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge for I should have denyed the God that is above to wit that if he had thus gloried or trusted in his greatnesse or wealth or righteousnesse or ascribed them to himself it would have been a manifest deny all of God and consequently an iniquity to be punished by the judge and indeed we see that accordingly the Apostle saith that Covetousnesse is Idolatry and Agur Prov. 30.8 having disclaimed the desire of a great estate adds vers 9. lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord But yet first because Job speaks of the moons walking in brightnesse which is certainly meant of the moons constant motion in the heaven and cannot well be understood allegorically and secondly because a mans pride of heart or confidence in his wealth or righteousnesse is a sin known only to him that searcheth the heart and cannot therefore be called an iniquity to be punished by the Iudge I rather conceive that these three verses are to be understood literally concerning the Idolatry of worshipping the Sun and moon c. If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the moon walking in brightnesse and my heart hath been secretly enticed c. that is If when I beheld those glorious lights of heaven the Sun and Moon shining in their full brightnesse without the interposition of any clouds and hereupon to wit by viewing their exceeding brightnesse and by other considerations of the manifold benefits which men enjoy by their means my heart hath been secretly enticed that is my heart hath been inwardly moved to adore them as Gods or my heart hath been perswaded to worship them in secret which may seem the more probable Exposition because he speaks of an offence punishable by man or my mouth hath kissed my hand to wit by way of externall adoration as the heathens used to doe kissing as it were the light of the Sun and moon upon their hands because they could not kisse the Sun and moon themselves concerning which see the Note 1 Kings 19.18 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge as he had said before vers 11. concerning adultery to which this word also hath reference for I should have denyed the God that is above to wit by making Gods of those Creatures This is I conceive the plain meaning of these words I know some Expositours limit that which is said of beholding the Sun when it shined and the moon walking in brightnesse to the welcome and pleasing brightnesse of the Sun at its first rising and to the moons shining when it is in the full and indeed the heathens used to worship the Sun at his rising as did also the Idolatrous Israelites in Ezekiels time Ezek. 8.16 they worshipped the Sun towards the East but I see not but that it may be extended more generally to the worshipping of the host of heaven when at any time they shined in their brightnesse Vers 29. If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me or lift up my self when evil found him To wit by insulting over him and trampling upon him A man may lawfully rejoyce at the ruine of his wicked enemies if he doth it with respect to the glory of God and the good of the Church and other such like holy respects Psal 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance But that which Job here protests against is rejoycing at the destruction or hurt of his enemies out of private malice and desire of revenge and so also the words of the following verse must be understood Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul Vers 31. If the men of my tabernacle said not Oh that we had of his flesh we cannot be satisfied A very difficult passage this is insomuch that though there be four different Expositions given of it yet it is not very easie to say which of them is the most probable First some hold that Job having in the foregoing verses protested that he had not rejoyced at the destruction of his enemy nor wished him any hurt here he adds how farre he was provoked to the contrary to wit because those of his own houshold were so enraged against his enemy and so greedy to be revenged on him that they said amongst themselves Oh that we had of his flesh we cannot be satisfied as if they should have said we could even tear him with our teeth and eat his very flesh and yet that would scarce satisfie our rage all which notwithstanding Job contained himself and was so farre from being stirred up by his houshold that he rather restrained them as David did his servants when they would have provoked him to have slain Saul 1 Sam. 24.5 Now concerning this phrase of not being satisfied with eating his flesh see the Note chap. 19.22 Secondly some understand it thus that the love of those of Jobs houshold was so impetuous and vehement to him that they thought they could have eaten his flesh so sweet and delightfull he was to them that they could not be satisfied with enjoying his presence but seemed to desire even to have him within them And indeed though this Exposition may seem somewhat harsh yet we know that it is not unusuall for men to
6. Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I also am formed out of the clay that is according to thine own desire I in Gods stead will undertake to maintain his cause who am a poor earthly man as thou art and so vers 7. My terrour shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee which are almost the very words that Job had used in the places before cited Vers 8. Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing c. As if he should have said I do not charge thee as thy friends have done with secret wickednesse and hypocrisie that which thou hast professed concerning the holinesse of thy life and conversation I conceive is true all that I lay to thy charge is the unseemly and unreverent speeches that thou hast uttered concerning God in my hearing which I am sure thou canst not deny Vers 9. I am clean without transgression c. We do not find that Job ever said thus much in expresse tearms but Elihu meant this doubtlesse of those words of Iob which he took to be the same in effect as those chap. 10.7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked and 13.18 19 Behold now I have ordered my cause I know that I shall be justified who is he that will plead with me c. and many others of the like kind as we may find chap. 13.23 16.17 and 23.10 11 12. and 31.6 Now however some Expositours conceive that Elihu did misinterpret Iobs words making account that Iob did directly indeed maintain that he was pure and free from sin whereas he only meant by those speeches to justifie himself thus farre that he had not been a wicked man and an hypocrite as his friends affirmed and consequently that it was not for any such grievous enormities of his life that Gods hand had been so grievous upon him yet because Iob had so often in the hearing of Elihu clearly affirmed the contrary to this to wit that he was a vile unclean wretch in Gods sight and that he nor no man else could possibly be justified in this regard before God nor could be able to answer one of a thousand of that which God could charge upon him as we see chap. 9.1 2 c. and chap. 14.4 and in many other places I cannot think that Elihu meant to accuse Iob for boasting in this sense that he was void of all sin and that there was no iniquity in him but only that out of an over-eager desire to maintain his innocency against the calumnies of his friends he had talked so much of that in his expostulations with God for dealing so hardly with him and in his frequent protestations how earnestly he desired that he might plead his cause with God as if he thought himself perfectly pure and spotlesse and that God could not in justice punish him as he had done So that it is not for thinking himself clear from sin or for maintaining his integrity against his friends that Elihu here reproves Iob but it is for his alledging of this in a way of impatience and murmuring to the impeaching of Gods justice And therefore though Iobs other friends did seem to object the same thing to Iob that Elihu doth here as we see in that of Zophar chap. 11.4 Thou hast said My doctrine is pure and I am clean in thine eyes and in many other places yet they did it upon different grounds For his three friends upbraided him for boasting of his righteousnesse because they judged he played the hypocrite herein being in truth a wicked man but now Elihu expostulates with him for this only because by pleading his righteousnesse in that manner as he did he did in effect charge God with injustice Nor can it therefore be said but that Elihu still holds to what he had said to Iobs friends chap. 32.14 neither will I answer him with your speeches Vers 10. Behold he findeth occasions against me c. This also which Elihu here chargeth Iob to have spoken we find not any where in expresse tearms but some passages there are which he might take to be as much in effect as if he had said Behold he findeth occasions against me as where he said chap. 10.6 thou enquirest after mine iniquity and searchest after my sin and chap. 14.16 thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch over my sins and some other such like expressions As for the next clause he counteth me for his enemy this we find that Job said of God severall times as chap. 13.24 and chap. 19.11 and so also that which follows in the next verse He putteth my feet in the stocks he marketh all my paths we have it in expresse tearms chap. 13.27 However that which he condemns Job for in these speeches of his is that out of the opinion he had of his own righteousnesse he durst so presumptuously complain of God as if he had dealt cruelly with him Vers 12. Behold in this thou art not just c. As if he had said I deny not but that thou art a holy just man and hast lived so strictly and exactly as thou hast spoken nor do I blame thee generally for all that I heard came from thee that thou shouldest bemoan thy self for thy miseries is not strange at all and in many things I acknowledge thou hast spoken very well both concerning God and concerning man but in this that because of thy righteous life thou hast thus murmured against God in this I say I am sure thou canst not be justified and to all thy pleas concerning thine own righteousnesse and Gods severe dealing with thee I will answer thee and this one answer may well serve for all that God is greater then man that is infinitely greater in majesty wisedome power justice mercy and in every other respect And indeed this did necessarily imply how unreasonable a thing it was that man should contend with God and quarrel against God first because there must needs therefore be more wisedome justice and mercy in God then there can be in man whereas he that complains of Gods dealings with him doth in effect conclude that there is more wisedome and justice and goodnesse in him then there is in God secondly because man therefore cannot comprehend the waies of God and so there may be much wisedome and justice and mercy in his proceedings which we cannot discern thirdly because there being such an infinite disproportion betwixt God and man it must needs be great arrogance in man to contend with God as if he were his equall if he had to do with a man as himself he could doe no more and fourthly because this greatnesse of God implyes his soveraignty over man as his creature in regard whereof he may doe with man what he pleaseth and it must needs argue boldnesse in man to contend with God as if he had no such power and authority over him Now whereas it may be said that Jobs three friends had often
servants how they ought to be affected in that condition Yet these words I am weak may be meant of his being brought low by any deadly distresse or danger and deliverance from any such distresse may be tearmed healing as Deuter. 32.39 I wound and I heal and so also the healing of the sick foul with comfort or grace as Psal 41.4 Heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Vers 3. My soul is also sore vexed c. To wit with fear of thine indignation with grief for my sins and thy displeasure and the insultation of mine enemies over me but thou O Lord how long that is how long wilt thou afflict me or how long wilt thou defer to help me but as one whose words were swallowed up with grief he only saith How long Vers 4. Return O Lord c. That is Whereas thou hast withdrawn thy self for a time from me return and be with me again to help and comfort me as formerly deliver my soul that is deliver me or save my life Nor needs it seem strange that David should so earnestly beg for life first because death is naturally dreadfull to all men secondly because the blisse of the Saints departed was not so clearly revealed under the Old Testament as it is now thirdly because the blisse of this life was by Gods appointment to them a pledge of their future life and happinesse and fourthly because he might fear that the cause of Religion which he sought to establish aright might suffer much after his departure Vers 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee c. That is When men are dead they cannot record and praise thy name before men as I desire to doe Vers 6. All the night make I my bed to swim c. He mentions the night either because sick men are usually worst in the night or because he had then most freedome to think of his sins or his enemies that longed for his death and might with most privacy pour forth his tears before God Vers 7. Mine eye is consumed because of grief c. For weeping yea grief alone may darken and marre the eyes See Job 17.7 Vers 8. Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Being delivered from his sicknesse or the deadly danger he was in or at least being assured of deliverance in these words either David resolves to cast off those his enemies that had been formerly familiar with him and in the mean season desired his death or else he engageth himself as by way of thankfulnesse for this mercy that he would not henceforth have any communion with any wicked men or else rather by these words he insults over his enemies telling them they might be gone with shame that had stood gaping after his death or sought it and that because the Lord had now heard his prayer and tears Vers 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed c. To wit as being disappointed of what they hoped for let them return and be ashamed suddenly that is let them turn their backs and be gone with shame according to that Psal 56.9 When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back and that suddenly that is God on a sudden delivering me out of their hands PSALM VII The Title SHiggaion of David c. There are divers conjectures in Expositours but they are mere conjectures concerning this word Shiggaion as that it was the name of some Musicall Instrument to which this Psalm was to be sung or the name of some kind of Verse wherein it was composed or of some tune or some known song to the tune whereof it was to be sung That which seems most probably said is that Shiggaion is derived of an Hebrew word that signifyeth to erre and so may be translated an aberration or a song of wandring to wit either because it was sung in parts or by severall voices some singing one clause and then others another or because upon the Instrument whereon they played when this Psalm was sung they ran with their fingers from one string to another or because it was made of sundry variable or wandring verses or because therein are expressed those cares of David which made him in danger to erre or goe astray Yea because the Hebrew word Prov. 5.19 doth signifie to be delighted or to wander in love therefore some translate Shiggaion of David Davids variable or delightfull song or the solace of David As for the following words which he sang unto the Lord concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite it is most probable that this Cush was some great Courtier of Saul and of his tribe and family who had accused David to Saul upon occasion whereof David composed this Psalm I know that the most Expositours hold that it is Shimei or Saul himself that is here called Cush by interpretation the Ethiopian or blackmore and that say they to note his black malicious and hellish disposition or that there was no more hope of changing his nature and qualities then of washing a blackmore white But besides that the reasons alledged for giving either of them this name Cush have no great solidity in them and that there could be no cause at all why he might not have expressed them by name in the Psalm David seems plainly to speak of some slander that endangered his life which could not be meant of Saul nor of the revilings of Shimei Vers 2. Lest he tear my soul like a lion c. In the foregoing verse he had said Save me from all them that persecute me this therefore which he adds here in the singular number Lest he tear my soul like a lion must either be understood indefinitely of every one of those that did persecute him Lest he tear my soul c. that is lest he that persecutes me do tear me in pieces or destroy my life for soul is often taken for the person or the life of a man see the Notes Psal 3.2 and 1 Sam. 25.29 or else of Saul in particular his great enemy whom others served in their persecuting of David And by comparing him to a lion he implyes his power and cruelty thereby the rather to move God to deliver him and if this were done after Saul had made such a slaughter of the Priests 2 Sam. 22.18 David had the juster ground to compare him to a lion tearing his prey Vers 3. If I have done this c. That is this which Cush hath laid to my charge and which is thereupon commonly spread abroad concerning me to wit that he adds in the following verse that when things were all at peace in the kingdome and that Saul had given his daughter in marriage to David and preferred him as his favourite in all things then David sought to take away Sauls life that he might step into the throne If saith he I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me that is to Saul which the following clause doth also
prophanenesse that had overspread the face of the Church the Israel of God in Sauls time and so in the first place he mentions the secret Atheism that was in their hearts as the root of all their wickednesse The fool that is the wicked man see 2 Sam. 13.13 hath said in his heart There is no God that is he doth what he can to perswade himself that there is no God and to extinguish the light of knowledge and conscience that is in him concerning God and that secret contempt of God that is in his heart is in effect a plain deniall of God and a clear sign that he doth not indeed believe there is a God which appears by the impiety of such mens lives they are corrupt they have done abominable works c. Vers 2. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God That is any that did truly know God and seek after him in the right manner to wit to know and serve him to approve themselves to him and make him and his glory the end of all their actions Some conceive that this is expresly spoken of the old world as if David had said And thus it was in the daies of Noah The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men c. as it is said Gen. 6.12 God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way But I rather conceive that David speaks still of the prophanenesse of his own time though haply in the expression he useth he may allude to that which is there said and that it is all one in effect as if he had said The all-knowing God sees it is thus The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men that is those that are in their unregenerate estate to see if there were any that did understand and seek God and he saw there was not any For that this last is implyed is evident because the Apostle cites the words thus Rom. 3.11 There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God Vers 3. They are all gone aside c. or gone back as it is expressed Psal 53.3 which is the same in a manner with this to wit from God or from the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse wherein God hath prescribed them to walk they are all together become filthy as being corrupt and doing abominable things and consequently good for nothing whence it is that the Apostle renders this clause thus Rom. 3.12 they are together become unprofitable And because this David or the Lord rather having looked down from heaven pronounceth concerning the wicked in those daies of Saul that were not regenerated by the spirit of God therefore the Apostle applyeth it to shew that thus all mankind are corrupted before they be regenerated Rom. 3.12 See the Note Psal 5.9 Vers 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread That is who dayly devour the poor who are my speciall care yea the poor of my peculiar people the Israelites and that without any fear yea with delight making no more conscience of it then a man would of eating a piece of bread and so feed and fat themselves thereby as if they were appointed to be meat for them See the Note also Job 19.22 As for the Interrogation in the beginning of the verse Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people c. some conceive it hath the force of a commination as if the Lord had said Do they not know that there is a just God that must needs one day punish them for this their horrible wickednesse and profanenesse Well they shall know it Again some think it hath the force of an affirmation Have they no knowledge yea doubtlesse so it is they are become very brutes they have no knowledge else they would not doe as they doe Again some conceive on the contrary that it hath the force of a vehement negation Can they be ignorant that they sin in these things and that there is a God that will be avenged on them for it Doubtlesse they are not nor cannot be ignorant of it and that is manifest by the terrours that ever and anon they feel in their consciences which is added in the next verse But others which I judge the rightest do understand it as spoken by way of admiring and bewailing that they should be so stupid and brutish Vers 5. There were they in great fear c. Psal 53.5 these words where no fear was are added All the difficulty here is to know what is intended by this word There Some conceive of it thus There that is before God and his judgement were they in great fear which is opposed say they to the judgement of the world and they alledge that as a parallel place Eccles 3.17 God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there that is before God there is a time of judging men for every purpose and for every work But there are three other Expositions of this word which seem to me more probable to wit First that this word there hath relation to Gods punishing these Atheisticall wretches the former Question Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge c. implying that God would make them know that there was a God that would punish such profanenesse and impiety hereupon he adds There that is when God begins to punish them were they in great fear c. so also this expression may imply the certainty of their punishment whilst he points at it as it were with his finger Secondly that by there were they in great fear is meant that they were terrified in their hearts and consciences The foregoing Interrogation Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge might imply that they could not but know in their consciences that there was a God that would judge them and so with relation thereto it follows There that is in their hearts and consciences were they in great fear And thirdly which seems the clearest that this hath relation to that which is said before concerning their devouring Gods people and not minding to call upon the Lord namely that there that is as they were running on securely and in the midst of this their profanenesse horrid terrours from God should seize upon them and so this expression may imply how suddenly this should come upon them as in Psal 36.12 there are the workers of iniquity fallen and that these inward terrours did evince that they could not be ignorant that there was a God that would call men to account for their sins For God is in the generation of the righteous namely to protect them and take their part against those that injure them and this may be added to imply either that by the discovery of this the wicked are terrified or that therefore for the
as it were to leap and sparkle when it riseth and doth with admirable swiftnesse run its course about that vast compasse of the heavens and yet is not wearied And indeed by the account of the best Mathematicians within the compasse of a day and night it passeth over one and twenty thousand and six hundred miles of the earth Vers 6. His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it c. That is from the East it goeth to the West and so round about under the earth to the East again Yet some conceive that under these words his circuit the Suns moving Northward and Southward according to the severall seasons of the year is also comprehended and that by the ends of the earth may be meant the severall places of the Suns rising and setting As for the following clause and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof either the meaning is that there is nothing neither man nor beast tree nor plant that can be hid from the scorching heat thereof or that there is nothing so deeply hid in the bowels of the earth which doth not feel the enlivening heat of the Sun or the effectuall operation thereof Vers 7. The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul c. By the law here is meant the whole word of God see the Note Psal 1.2 or the whole doctrine of salvation for any doctrine in Scripture is called law as the law of works and the law of faith Philip. 3.27 And it is said to be perfect because it is faultlesse and doth perfectly reveal the will of God in all things necessary unto salvation And thus David passeth to that which was his chief drift in this Psalm namely to shew how far the instruction of the word which God hath afforded his people doth surpasse that of the creatures by the creatures much may be learnt concerning God but in his word he hath perfectly revealed all things necessary unto salvation and it is said to convert or restore the soul because it doth restore men to life that were dead in sin or generally because it doth restore men to a good condition that are fallen from the blisse of their first estate according to that of the Apostle Act. 26.18 As for the 2 clause the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple why the word is called the testimony of the Lord see in the Note Exod. 25 â— 16. And it is said to be sure because it is so unquestionably certain and true and to make wise the simple because those that are of meanest capacities may hereby be made wise unto salvation if they be humble and not highly conceited of their own wisedome neither is there any true wisedome in men till hereby they are made wise Vers 8. The statutes of the Lord are right c. That is They do clearly and plainly teach men that which is right and direct them in the right way the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes that is enlightening men with knowledge or comforting them in their sorrows Vers 9. The fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever c. If we understand this as some do of that filiall fear of the Lord which is in all the godly that is said to be clean because it purifies mens hearts and waies and to endure for ever because even in heaven the Saints shall fear and reverence the Lord or because this fear must alwaies be in the people of God and will bring them unto life eternall And if we understand it of the worship of God that may be called clean because of the inward and outward purity that God requires in those that serve him and we know it must be for ever in the Church of God But here evidently it is the Word that is called the fear of the Lord. For as God is sometimes called fear because he is the object of our fear as Gen. 31.53 Iacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac and Psal 76.11 bring presents to him that ought to be feared or to fear as it is in the Originall so the word or law of God is here called the fear of the Lord because the law was given with fearfull majesty and the Word it is that worketh in men a due fear and reverence of God and that teacheth men how to worship him And why this may be said to be clean see also Psal 12.6 As for those words enduring for ever they intend either that the Word is an eternall and unchangeable law which shall alwaies be continued in the Church or that the truths contained therein shall for ever be found sure and certain and likewise that it is the means to bring men to live for ever in heaven In the last clause the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether the commandments of God are called his judgements either because they are the commandments of him who is the judge of the world or because according to them he will judge men or because of the threatnings of judgements thereto annexed or because God hath therein declared what he hath judged or determined that men should doe and they are said to be true and righteous altogether both to signifie that they are all such and that they are perfectly and exactly such Vers 10. Sweeter also then the honey and the honey comb That is the honey that of its own accord drops from the comb which is accounted the sweetest Vers 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned c. To wit to avoid the sins he was subject to both in regard of his generall and particular calling as he was Gods anointed king and in expressing this he tearmeth himself Gods servant as rejoycing in his walking in Gods waies which he had said were so delightfull to him As for the following clause and in keeping of them there is great reward it may imply 1. that God is wont abundantly to reward all those that sincerely endeavour to keep his laws and 2. that the very keeping of them is in it self a reward sufficient there being so much sweetnesse and so much of the first fruits of life eternall enjoyed therein Vers 12. Who can understand his errours c. This may be inserted here in reference to severall foregoing passages as that vers 7. The law of the Lord is perfect but alas we are so far from observing it perfectly that no man can tell how many waies he breaks it or the words of the foregoing verse By thy law I am preserved from much evil but alas in many things we offend all They that keep thy law shall be richly rewarded but who can tell how many waies they transgresse it so that it is thy grace in pardoning my sins that I must rest upon and not mine own righteousnesse and therefore saith he cleanse thou me from secret faults Vers 13. Then shall I be innocent c. To wit if
and it may be that to imply this the word soul is here expressed His soul shall dwell at ease Some I know restrain this to the rest of heaven But the first Exposition is every way the best Vers 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him c. This may be meant of the secret of Gods Providence and of the secret counsell of his spirit see the Note Job 29.4 But yet most commonly and upon best grounds it is understood of Gods revealing unto such men his will concerning mans salvation expressed in his word as is more clearly set forth in the following clause and he will shew them his Covenant and that this is called the secret of the Lord because it contains many things which are not to be known by naturall reason but only by the enlightening of Gods spirit as concerning the remission of sins the sanctifying of our nature and life eternall with other secrets of heaven which God only imparts to his friends as Christ saith Joh. 15.15 Vers 15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord c. This must be taken in the same sense as when before he said that he lifted up his heart unto the Lord see the Note vers 1. and Psal 5.3 and then the following clause for he shall pluck my feet out of the net may be meant of all the streights he was in and more especially of the plots whereby his enemies sought to ensnare him Vers 17. The troubles of my heart are enlarged To wit both for my sins and the miseries I endure Vers 20. Let me not be ashamed See the Note before vers 2. Vers 21. Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me That is Preserve me because of mine integrity and uprightnesse as I have no way injured others even those that are now mine enemies so let not others hurt and injure me Yet withall he might also in these words desire of God that he might be still kept upright for his security that nothing his enemies did might drive him to seek revenge or any other way to doe that which was evil in his sight Some I know limit the words to the integrity of his faith and so make them a request that God would preserve him because he did sincerely rest upon God alone but we had better understand them of his integrity in regard of his enemies Vers 22. Redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles The rather did David adde this because God by anointing him king had committed his people to his care and it most grieved him that they the godly especially were involved in his troubles PSALM XXVI Vers 1. JVdge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity c. That is in that integrity wherewith I carried my self from the beginning both towards Saul and the rest of mine enemies as I was guiltlesse at first so I have still continued though never so much provoked by them See also the Notes Deut. 32.36 Psal 7.8 and 17.2 and 4.1 and 2 Sam. 22.21 I have trusted also in the Lord therefore I shall not slide that is I shall not fall from mine integrity and from mine endeavour to doe only that which is just in thine eyes or from my stedfast hope that thou wilt defend me and my just cause Vers 2. Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart As if he had said I appeal to thee take exact notice whether I be not inwardly such as I professe my self to be See the Note upon a like expression Job 31.6 And for the word reins see the Notes Psal 7.9 and 16.7 Vers 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes c. In two severall respects David might set Gods goodness before his eyes by meditating frequently seriously thereon namely 1. that he might be render'd thereby the more carefull to obey God in all things and the more fearfull to offend him even because he is so good and gracious according to that Hos 3.5 they shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse in the later daies and 2. that being hereby confirmed in his faith that God would be good to him as he useth to be to all his especially to the afflicted and oppressed and that he would help and protect him this might keep him from recompencing evil for evil and taking any unlawfull course to help himself And in both these respects therefore David might here alledge his continuall setting of Gods goodnesse before his eyes both as a proof of his integrity and that he was far from those sinfull practises which his enemies charged him with and to shew with what confidence he might therefore well appeal to God to be judged by him And accordingly we must also understand the following clause and I have walked in thy truth to wit either that he had lived according to the direction of Gods word which is truth Joh. 17.17 or else that he had continually walked in the confidence of Gods faithfulnesse and lived by faith in his promises continually meditating on the promises which God had made both to the righteous in generall and to him in particular concerning the kingdome and so waiting upon God in the way of righteousnesse whom he knew to be a God of truth to make good his promises and not seeking by any unlawfull courses to help himself I know there are some that understand both clauses of imitating Gods goodnesse and truth thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes to wit as a pattern which I desire to imitate and I have walked in thy truth that is I have endeavoured to imitate thy truth and faithfulnesse and others understand it of the goodnesse and truth which God requires in his people For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes c. that is the loving kindnesse which thou requirest I have endeavoured to practice and to walk in the truth which thou hast prescribed But the former Exposition is clearly the best Vers 4. I have not sat with vain persons c. Some by vain persons understand lying false deceitfull men and so hold that the next clause doth explain this neither will I goe in with dissemblers others such as are not what they pretend themselves to be as magistrates and counsellors of State that pretend to be for the publick good but do indeed mind no such thing being as clouds without rain and fountains without water But doubtlesse David meant it more generally of all wicked men who are called vain persons because they were void of all true piety and gave themselves wholly to vanity that is to seek after earthly things which are vain and transitory and to follow sinfull courses which would never yield them any solid comfort or benefit Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed see also the Notes Judg. 9.4 and Job 11.11 However this is here added as a farther proof of his integrity the intention of these words being to signifie either that
his bones not one of them is broken The meaning is that God preserveth the whole man every member of his body and much more then his soul Yet this must be understood with subordination to the Crosse God will preserve his bones unlesse the breaking of any one of them may tend to the eternall good of his soul Vers 21. Evil shall slay the wicked c. That is His sin shall destroy him or more particularly The evil he practiseth against the righteous shall prove his own ruine yet some understand it of the evil of punishment to wit that the wicked man shall by the judgements that God brings upon him be irrecoverably cut off and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate or shall be guilty See the Note Psal 5.10 Vers 22. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants See the Note Psal 31.5 PSALM XXXV Vers 1. PLead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me c. To wit who would gladly live peaceably with them but that they are so implacably contentious and will not let me be quiet In this first clause David desires that the Lord would maintain his innocency against those that falsly accused him in the next fight against them that fight against me that he would withstand those that did unjustly persecute him And thus he doth ingage God in his quarrel as knowing that the cause was Gods as well as his who had chosen and anointed him to be king Vers 2. Take hold of shield and buckler c. That is either shield or buckler therewith to defend me that they that presume so much upon their armes may find that there is a God who is armed with such power for the defence of his servants that against that their armes shall nothing avail them Vers 3. Stop the way against them that persecute me c. That is that they may not flee away and escape out of thine hands or rather that they may not come at me to hurt me say unto my soul I am thy salvation that is make me to know by experience that thou hast undertaken my defence or assure me inwardly by thy spirit that thou wilt save me from mine enemies And it may well be that in this expression he alludes to those that intending to relieve a place besieged are wont by messages to assure them before-hand that they will come to their succour Vers 4. Let them be turned back c. That is Let them be put to a shamefull flight or Let them be disappointed of their purposes and not be able to goe on forward with the evil they have plotted against me Vers 5. Let them be as chaff before the wind c. As if he had said As they have driven me up and down from one place to another so let them be scattered and flee before thee or let them be ever in a restlesse condition driven up and down with the inward terrours and affrightments of their own minds and consciences not thinking themselves safe in any place see the Note also Job 21.18 and let the angel of the Lord chase them as if he should have said Yea in stead of the wind let an angel of far more force and might then the mightiest wind pursue them so that they may not have any breathing time And this may be meant either of a good or an evil angel as we see in Saul 1 Sam. 16.14 Vers 6. Let their way be dark and slippery and let the angel of the Lord persecute them That is Let the way whereby fleeing they seek to escape be fearfull dangerous and troublesome as if he had said Let them not know what course to take nor be able any way to escape but fall at last under the stroke of thine avenging hand Whilst a man may goe leasurely he may goe safely though it be in the dark and in a slippery way but being forced to flee in such a way by the secret pursuit of an angel what hope can there be of escaping That this is the meaning of these words we may see by the like expression Jer. 23.12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery waies in the darknesse they shall be driven on and fall therein Vers 8. Let destruction come upon him at unawares c. That is against him that persecutes me indefinitely see vers 3. or it may be meant particularly of Saul Vers 10. All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee which deliverest the poor c. This he speaks as in reference to that which he had found by his own experience That expression which he useth All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee c. some understand as if he had said thus I who am at present quite consumed nothing in a manner but skin and bones shall notwithstanding extoll thy great name But doubtlesse it is rather an hyperbolicall expression of the strong desires he should have to set forth Gods praise if he vouchsafe to take his part against his enemies All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee as if he should have said Not my soul only but my whole man all the members of my body yea all my inward parts will be so affected with thy goodnesse and so inflamed with a desire to praise thee that my very bones though senslesse could they speak would break forth into thy praises and cry out Lord who is like unto thee To which purpose there are many expressions elsewhere not much unlike to this as that Psal 84.2 My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God and that Psal 5.8 Make me to hear joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and that Job 31.20 If his loyns have not blessed me c. concerning which see the Note there Vers 12. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoyling of my soul To wit as seeking to take away my life whereby the soul is stripped or spoyled of the body or as seeking to deprive me of all that might be any help or joy or comfort to me as to spoyl me of all my goods to drive me from my countrey and from the presence of my God in his worship and ordinances Vers 13. But as for me when they were sick c. and consequently when they were in any other misery my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosome concerning which last clause there are many different Expositions and divers of them seem equally probable For some conceive that these words imply his perseverance in praying for them my prayer returned into mine own bosome as if he had said I found my self still as mindfull of them as earnest to call upon God for them as ever and so was ready still to renew my prayers for them again and again upon all opportunities Secondly others think that David hereby intended to signify the sincerity of his prayers to
mine enemies or by suppressing it in silence the hearts of men being apt to swell the more and to be the more bitterly pained when sorrow hath not a vent I know these two last clauses are otherwise understood by some Expositours to wit that he held his peace even from speaking any thing that was good and that for this he was afterwards grieved or that he was wholly silent and his sorrow was stirred that is though his sorrow was stirred but the first exposition is the best Vers 3. My heart was hot within me c. To wit his eager desire to speak being as a fire shut up within him or rather because his passions grew hot within him and set him as it were on fire his grief for the misery he endured or his indignation against his enemies whereby he became impatient and unable to bear the miseries and wrongs he suffered perhaps particularly that he should hear his enemies reproach him to his face and yet must keep silence while I was musing that is whilst I sat plodding on my miseries or thinking of many things in silence but not speaking or whilst I was musing whether I should speak or still hold my peace the fire burned to wit more and more insomuch that not my heart only but my whole body seemed to be on a light flame Thus I conceive the first part of this verse must be understood Yet some do understand it of a holy zeal in him which would not suffer him any longer to forbear speaking of good things As for the last clause then spake I with my tongue the meaning of it doubtlesse is that at last not able any longer to contain himself he brake forth into words of impatience and muttering against God and many conceive that the words of impatience that he uttered are those that are added in the next verse Yet some Expositours would have the meaning of it to be only this that when he might not ease his mind to men he turned his speech at last to God according to that which follows in the fourth verse Vers 4. Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my daies what it is that I may know how frail I am Or what time I have here Many learned Expositours take these to be those words of impatience of which he said in the former verse then spake I with my tongue only some conceive that David therein desired that God would presently put an end to his life Lord make me to know mine end c. as if he should have said How long shall I be in this misery since I am not like to see an end of my miseries till I see an end of my daies hasten therefore mine end make me experimentally to know and see the full period of this transitory life of mine and then others hold that he doth only herein expostulate with God concerning his laying so great afflictions upon him notwithstanding the transitorinesse of his life Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my daies what it is c. as if he should have said Since Lord thou art pleased to handle me so severely let me I beseech thee know how long the time is that thou hast appointed me to live that so I may see whether in likelyhood it may afford me a sufficient recompence for the miseries I now suffer if thou hast appointed to lengthen out my daies for many ages to come then indeed the hope of better daies hereafter might allay my grief but if there be no such thing to be expected as indeed there is not must it not needs seem hard to me that having so little a while to live my life should be thus imbittered with sorrows Neither yet must we think that David did seriously hereby desire to know the just hour of his death but only in the heat of his spirit by intimating his assurance of the brevity of his life to shew what just cause he had to be impatient that he should be so continually in so sad a condition But I rather with others take these words to be added by way of correcting that heat and impatience of spirit and perhaps that murmuring whereinto with his tongue he had broken forth Lord make me to know mine end c. that is cause me seriously to believe and often to remember and lay to heart which few do the frailty and transitorinesse of mans life that so I may the more patiently endure my troubles as knowing that I cannot long live to endure them and that I may provide for mine end and prepare my self against my change comes Yea it may also imply an approbation of Gods dealing with him as if he had said Thou doest well Lord by these afflictions thus to take me off from the vanity of my former waies and to make me see how frail a creature I am and therefore I willingly submit to thy hand Lord make me to know mine end c. Vers 5. Behold thou hast made my daies as a hand-breadth c. According to the divers expositions of the former verse this also may be understood divers waies to wit either as spoken in a way of impatience or as by way of correcting his impatience see the former Note and mine age is as nothing before thee that is the time of my life is as nothing in respect of thee who art eternall before whom a thousand years are but as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 verily every man at his best state that is in greatest strength and in his most flourishing condition is altogether vanity see the Notes Job 7.16 Vers 6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew c. This seems to imply 1. that man himself is but an empty representation and appearance of a man as when we see a man in a glasse or in a dream a picture or shadow of a man rather then a man indeed and that because he is continually in such a frail and changeable condition 2. which differs not much from the former that the life of man is but an imaginary life an appearance of life rather then a life indeed namely because it is so exceeding transitory passing away in a moment as a shadow Job 14.2 and 3. that the happinesse and the good things which he seems to enjoy are but shadows of such things there being no reall good nor happinesse in them his hopes are but vain hopes and his enjoyments are vain in the continuall labours and restlesse condition wherein he wearies himself which is implyed in that word walketh he wearieth himself for very vanity as is more fully expressed in the following words surely they are disquieted in vain c. All which agrees with that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.31 the fashion of this world passeth away and that which is said of the prosperity of wicked men Psal 73.20 As a dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image Vers 7. And
vile and foolish in the eyes of others If riches increase to wit though it be in a lawfull way set not your heart upon them that is do not trust in them nor dote on them so as to be proud of them and anxiously sollicitous to preserve or encrease them Vers 11. God hath spoken once twice have I heard this c. That is oftentimes so that there is no question to be made of it See the Note Job 33.14 Vers 12. Also unto thee O Lord belongeth mercy c. The sweet content he took in thinking on Gods mercy makes David turn his speech to God Also unto thee O Lord belongeth mercy so that thy servants may with confidence rest upon thee for thou rendrest to every man according to his work and therefore the righteous may in this regard also trust in God as assuring themselves that God will protect and blesse them and punish their wicked enemies PSALM LXIII The Title A Psalm of David when he was in the wildernesse of Iudah To wit the forest of Hareth 1 Sam. 22.5 or the wildernesse of Ziph 1 Sam. 23.14 and 26.1 2. both which were in the tribe of Judah and David often in both of them in great distresse and danger by reason of the incessant persecution of Saul Vers 1. My soul thirsteth for thee c. To wit to enjoy the presence of God in his Tabernacle see the Note Psal 42.22 my flesh longeth for thee which is added because when the soul of a man doth earnestly desire any thing the body will be likewise stirred and affected therewith in a dry and thirsty land where no water is that is a land that being chapt through drought doth seem to thirst for water and when it comes drinks it in greedily like a thirsty man or a land wherein the inhabitants or passengers for want of water are dryed up with thirst and indeed the word in the originall signifyeth a weary land that is a wildernesse through which travellers could not passe without much faintnesse and wearinesse Now thus David describes the place where he was 1. to imply his faith and confidence in God in that being in such streights he did not forget God nor cast away his hope in him but rather his distresse made him long the more after God and 2. to expresse thereby the fervency of his desires after God in that as great as his wants were being in such a dry and barren wildernesse yet he minded not his streights in such outward respects in comparison of his desire to enjoy Gods presence in his Sanctuary Yea and it may imply also that the place where he hid himself was as void of spirituall comforts as it was of water and that the parched ground thirsted not more after water then he did after God Vers 2. To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Some conceive that David in these words desired that he might be as effectually refreshed with the consideration of Gods power and glory even whilst he was in that dry wildernesse as ever he had been in the Sanctuary But I rather conceive that Davids desire herein is that he might again enjoy the signs of Gods powerfull and glorious presence in his Sanctuary with the same refreshing to his soul as he had formerly done to wit the Ark for which see the Notes 1 Sam. 4.21 1 Chron. 16.11 and 2 Chron. 6.41 and all other the holy Ordinances that were thereto be enjoyed Vers 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better then life my lips shall praise thee His aim herein may be to imply either 1. that however he was at present in a sad condition in a place that was altogether comfortlesse and withall in continuall danger of his life yet being assured of Gods favour which may justly be preferred before life it self he should in that alone have abundant cause to blesse God or 2. that when he was restored to the enjoyment of the signs of Gods loving kindnesse in his Sanctuary he would there praise Gods name that not so much for his deliverance as for that discovery of Gods loving kindnesse which was far better then life it self or 3. that there was more assurance for a mans safety in Gods loving kindnesse then there was in life it self or in all the naturall advantages that tended to the preservation of life so that the assurance of Gods favour might be a juster ground of praising God even in the greatest dangers then any safety in regard of his outward condition could yield Vers 4 Thus will I blesse thee while I live c. This word thus may have reference to divers particulars Thus that is as I purpose and do at this present though in great distresse or thus that is Being thus restored according to my desire to thy Sanctuary there I will openly praise thee But I rather think it refers to those affections he had described to be in himself concerning his desire after Gods Tabernacle Thus that is being thus affectionately desirous of enjoying thy presence in the Sanctuary and esteeming thy loving kindnesse better then life it self I will blesse thee while I live that is whereever and in what condition soever I am I will lift up my hands to wit in praising thee or in praying to thee as if he had said Being thus delivered I shall be for ever encouraged to pray unto thee see the Note Job 11.13 in thy name that is to thy name as it is elsewhere expressed Psal 9.2 as if he had said I will call upon thee yet it may be understood divers other waies in thy name that is through thy help or at thy command or trusting in thy goodnesse and mercy Vers 5. My soul shall be satisfyed as with marrow and fatnesse c. This with that which follows in the next verse may be meant either of the time when he should be restored to Gods Sanctuary again to wit that then remembring on his bed the comforts he had found in Gods Ordinances and the enjoyment of Gods presence therein his soul should be abundantly satisfied therewith or else of the time of his exile in the wildernesse to wit that even there when he could not come at Gods Tabernacle and when he was in no little want of outward things yet remembring God his soul should be abundantly satisfied with spiritual comforts For the phrase here used see the Note Psal 36.8 Vers 6. When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches That is at severall times of the night for they divided the night by severall watches see the Note Judg. 7.19 Vers 7. In the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce To wit as chickens that sleep securely and with content under the wings of their dams See the Notes Ruth 2.12 and Psal 17.8 and 57.1 Vers 8. My soul followeth hard after thee c. As if he should have said Though I be driven far from Gods
therein is 1. that they might be hardened in their sins and so might never repent and become righteous or 2. which implyes the same that God would not justify them Let them not come into thy righteousnesse that is Do not pronounce them righteous let them not partake of that righteousnesse or faithfulnesse whereby thou art alwaies certainly wont to absolve and justify those that do truly believe and repent see the Note Psal 51.14 and so it is the same with that which is added in the next verse that they might not be numbered amongst the righteous or 3. which I like the best that they might never come into heaven for that is indeed called righteousnesse elsewhere as Psal 24.5 concerning which see the Note there Vers 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living c. That is Let them not be of the number of those that were from all eternity chosen and ordained both to the life of grace and of glory hereafter and accordingly when they die let them be cast into hell as it seems to be more clearly expressed in the following clause and not be written with the righteous Yet withall I conceive that this phrase of blotting them out of the book of the living may also imply a desire that however by outward profession they might be of the number of those that were the Church and people of God and thereupon might accordingly hope and boast that their names were written in heaven yet God would not own them for such yea that God would manifest that they were reprobates to wit either by casting them out of the Church as we see the Jews are not now the people of God but the Gentiles are succeeded in their room or by casting them out into utter darknesse The expression here used is the same with that Ezek. 13.9 concerning the false prophets they shall not be in the assembly of my people neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel c. I know indeed some understand both of being cut off by death But for this and other things see the Note Exod. 32.34 Vers 29. But I am poor and sorrowfull c. That is afflicted and broken-hearted see Psal 40.17 yet some apply it to the poverty and low estate of Christ let thy salvation O God set me on high that is let it set me above the reach of mine enemies see the Note Psal 28.9 But this too some understand of Christs ascension Vers 31. This also c. Having said in the foregoing verse I will praise the name of God c. he adds This also shall please the Lord better then an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs and either the drift of these last words that hath horns and hoofs is to set forth what bullock he meant to wit one that was young and tender whose horns began to bud forth and whose hoofs began to harden or one that was for years ripe and fit for sacrifice thereby to set forth that thanksgiving was more acceptable to God then any the choicest sacrifice or else they are added by way of slighting those legall sacrifices of brute beasts in comparison of that reasonable service of praise as if he had said the calves of our lips so the prophet calls our praising God Hos 14.2 is a sacrifice far more acceptable to the Lord then calves or bullocks that have horns and hoofs Vers 32. The humble shall see this and be glad c. See the Notes Psal 34.2 and 40.3 and your hearts shall live that seek God that is your hearts that were in a manner dead within you because of mine or your own sad distresses shall be revived again see the Note Psal 22.26 Vers 33. For the Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his prisoners That is his servants that are brought into the straights of any distresse by Gods afflicting hand for their sins or those that are persecuted and bound for his sake or for his truth and cause Vers 35. For God will save Sion and will build the cities of Iudah c. David foreseeing by the spirit of prophesy the great calamities that would befall the land and people of Israel in succeeding times doth here foretell for the encouragement of the faithfull that the reformation begun amongst them by the setting up of his throne should be carried on that God would preserve Sion the place of his publick worship with which he begins because the maintenance of Gods worship was the foundation of all their happinesse and that he would cause the whole kingdome to prosper and flourish unto the coming of Christ of whose kingdome his was a type and withall the same he intends also concerning the Church of Christ Gods spirituall Sion see the Note Psal 2.6 that they may dwell there and have it in possession that is that the faithfull Israelites may dwell long in Sion and in the land of Canaan see the Note 2 Sam. 7.10 and that the faithfull may continue in the Church and after this life may dwell for ever in the heavenly Canaan Vers 36. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it c. This must be understood as the former verse 1. of the faithfull Israelites continuing in the land which God had given them and some understand it of the times when the Jews shall be converted to Christ and 2. of the true believers abiding in the Church and at last for ever with God in heaven PSALM LXX Vers 1. MAke haste O God to deliver me c. See the Notes Psal 40.13 c. where we have this whole Psalm almost word for word PSALM LXXI Vers 1. IN thee O Lord do I put my trust c. Many passages in this Psalm make it most probable that this Psalm was composed by David in his old age when his son Absalom was risen up against him see vers 9 and 18. But for the two first verses see the Notes Psal 31.1 2. Vers 7. I am as a wonder unto many c. That is say some Expositours either 1. because thou hast so wondrously advanced me raising me from keeping sheep to sit on the throne of Israel and hast alwaies hitherto so miraculously preserved me or 2. because I walk so strictly and because my waies seem so strange to them in that I restrain my self from that liberty and from those pleasures to which others give up themselves and can so willingly expose my self to so great troubles for conscience sake and then bear them too with patience and chearfulnesse according to that which Peter saith to the faithfull in those times 1 Pet. 4 4· they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excesse of riot or 3. because thou hast now forsaken me who have alwaies served thee so constantly and trusted in thee with so much confidence But I rather conceive the meaning is that because of his uncouth waies and because of the grievous afflictions
of the waters the rising mountains and the low-laid valleys did then appear Vers 9. Thou hast set a bound that they may not passe over c. See the Notes Job 38.8 9 10. Vers 13. He watereth the hills from his chambers c. See the Note above vers 3. That which is here noted as remarkable is that even the mountains where there are no springs and brooks of water are yet watered with the dew and rain that fall from the clouds the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works that is with the rain which is thy work causing the clouds to be filled therewith and causing it to be showred down when thou pleasest upon the earth or with the rain which proceeds from the clouds or with the fruits which thou causest the earth by this means to bring forth Vers 14. He causeth the grasse to grow for the cattel and herb for the service of man c. That is and all kind of herbs which are for the use of man whether for food or physick that he that is that God may bring forth food out of the earth This I conceive is the meaning of these words Yet some Expositours understand them otherwise to wit that God causeth not the grasse only but the herb to grow for the cattel for the service of man that is that the cattel being nourished thereby may be serviceable to man That he may bring forth fruit out of the earth that is that man by his labour in tilling the earth may eat of the fruit thereof Vers 15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oyl to make his face to shine c. To wit when it is used by men in their anointing of themselves with precious ointments for which see the Note Psal 23.5 Yet some understand it of the vertue that there is in oyl when it is eaten to chear the hearts of men and so to make them look with a chearfull and lightsome countenance according to that Prov. 15.13 A merry heart maketh a chearfull countenance However by joyning that which follows concerning the support of mans life by bread and bread which strengtheneth mans heart there is this covertly commended to our observation That God hath provided not only for mans necessity but also for his delight Vers 16. The trees of the Lord c. That is high and lofty trees as the cedars are called cedars of God Psal 80.10 though it be render'd in our translation the goodly cedars are full of sap whereas one might wonder how the earth should yield sap enough for trees of so mighty a height and so huge a bulk Or by the trees of the Lord may be meant such trees as grow of themselves by the sole providence of God and are not set or planted by man as the following clause seems to explain it the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted Vers 19. He appointeth the moon for seasons c. See the Notes Gen. 1.14 the sun knoweth his going down see the Note Job 38.12 And here begins the relation of the works God created the fourth day Vers 21. The young lions roar after their prey c. That which the prophet saith Amos 3.4 Will a Lion roar in the forrest when he hath no prey will a young lion cry out of his den if he have taken nothing may seem to imply that lions use not to roar till they have taken their prey whereas the Psalmist here seems to say that they roar after their prey and do hereby as it were seek their prey of God But herein we shall find no contradiction if we consider 1. that a lion may be said to have a prey or to have taken his prey as the Prophet speaks because it is surely his when he hath once discovered it though he have not yet gotten it into his paws and 2. that it may well be that the lion is wont to wander up and down silently for fear of frighting away the beasts he seeks after till he hath espied a prey and then he may be said to roar both for his prey and because he hath gotten a prey And indeed Naturalists report that by the lions roaring even those creatures that are swifter of foot then he are so astonished that they fall down and are easily taken by him Vers 25. So is this great and wide sea c. Having said in the foregoing verse the earth is full of thy riches he adds so is this great and wide sea wherein are things creeping innumerable to wit things that creep along upon the ground or that glide in the waters And thus the Psalmist enters here upon the works created on the fifth day see Gen. 1.20 only he mentions not the fowls which were created also on that day because of them he had occasionally spoken before in speaking of the trees wherein they make their nests as for the same reason he omits also to speak of the beasts and cattel created on the sixth day because of them he had also occasionally spoken before Vers 26. There is that Leviathan c. See the Notes Job 41.1 c whom thou hast made to play therein This is said either 1. because these huge whales do by swimming and tumbling up and down in the sea and clapping their sinns and tails seem to sport themselves as other lesser fishes are wont to do or 2. because by reason of their great strength their overturning of boats or ships and hunting and devouring all other creatures that live in the waters is but a sport to them or 3. because they securely lord it in the sea not fearing man or any other creature whatsoever as upon the same account it is said of the Babylonians Habak 1.10 they shall scoff at the kings and the princes shall be a scorn unto them they shall deride every strong hold c. Vers 27. These wait all upon thee c. As if he had said Though there be such an infinite number of birds beasts and fishes yet thou providest for them all And in that expression of the creatures waiting upon God the Psalmist seems to allude to that which may be ordinarily seen in farms and countrey-houses to wit how the cattel and fowl will look and follow after those that at certain set times are wont to give them their meat and so likewise in the following clause that thou maist give them their meat in duo season where by their meat he intends the severall sorts of meat which he provides for the severall creatures according to their kinds and by those words in due season is hinted to us that provident care of God over them in that 1. he provides for them so liberally in the summer that there is a supply for them all the year after 2. that he provides for some of them severall sorts of food some at one time and some at another Vers 28. That thou givest them they gather c. Here again he alludes to the feeding
be loathed and reproached by every man when his lying comes to be discovered and though he be brought to that shame that scarce any body will believe any thing he saith yet he will not leave his lying but loves it still Vers 26. Righteousnesse keepeth him that is upright in the way c. It secures him from being drawn out of the way by any temptations and defends him against all flanders and dangers whatsoever but wickednesse overthroweth the sinner that is it carrieth him violently into sin so that he hath no power to avoid it it overturns his designs and at last utterly destroyes him See the Notes Psal 25.21 chap. 10.29 and 11.3 5 6. Vers 7. There is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing there is that maketh himself poor yet hath great riches Many severall expositions are given of this Proverb as that many a man that hath nothing raiseth himself to great riches and that others that have great riches bring themselves to poverty or that there are some that being poor make themselves rich by being well contented with their condition and that there are others again that being rich make themselves poor by their covetousnesse being as greedy as if they had nothing and scarce willing at any time to spend any thing upon themselves or which seems the best that many a man that is a very beggar makes a vaunting shew of very great riches see the Note chap. 12.9 and that on the other side many a rich miser pretends himself to be very poor And this is also most true concerning mens spirituall estates Vers 8. The ransome of a mans life are his riches but the poor heareth not rebuke The aim of this Proverb seems to be the setting forth of the commodities discommodities both of riches poverty and to shew that even in this regard the rich are in a worse condition then the poor The discommodities of riches that seem to be implyed in these words are these 1. that because of their riches they are the bolder to transgresse the law to gather wealth by unjust means and to be injurious to others so do many times bring themselves into trouble and not seldome even to the endangering of their lives 2. that however their lives are usually in danger either by reason of thieves robbers or of false accusers tyrants oppressours But then this commodity the rich man hath by his riches that they will help at such a dead lift herewith he can stop the mouths of those he is in danger of and so ransome his life and procure his peace as it was with those Jer. 41.8 Slay us not say they to Ishmael for we have treasures in the field c. so he forbare and slew them not see the Note chap. 10.15 But then on the other side the discommodities of the poor are very many only this commodity there is in poverty that the poor heareth not rebuke so far he is from being in danger of his life that he shall not be so much as rebuked or reviled to wit either 1. because the poor man is not in danger to be rebuked for his ill-gotten goods as the rich man is or else 2. because his poverty will make him afraid to offend or to be injurious to others and so freeth him from trouble or 3. because there is nothing to be gotten from him therefore neither robbers nor false accusers will meddle with him or 4. because even out of pity when they have offended men are ready to passe by the poor not taking any notice of their offences yea sometimes out of a slighting of them not looking upon them as any way considerable Ver. 9. The light of the righteous rejoyceth c. That is The prosperity the comfort the knowledge holy conversation of the righteous shineth brightly gloriously encreasing still more more even as the sun doth from whence the similitude seems to be taken that rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race Pro. 19.5 so shall doe unto eternity see the Note chap. 4.18 19. Because those things that flourish do seem as it were to rejoyce as the Poet saith concerning the flourishing of all the in the spring Omnia nunc rident nunc formosissimus annus and with all because the shining light of the righteous according to the foregoing Exposition is matter of much joy both to themselves others therefore it is said that the light of the righteous rejoyceth see the Note Psal 97.11 But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out that is the prosperity of the wicked which compared with the prosperous estate of the righteous is but as a candle in comparison of the sun-shine shall either be violently put out on a sodain or else by degrees consume away to nothing and so shall end in sorrow see the Notes Job 18.5 6. 21.17 Yea so shall it also be with the shew which the wicked sometimes make of knowledge holinesse it shall come to nothing This I conceive is the full meaning of the Proverb Yet some understand the first clause the light of the righteous rejoyceth of the peoples rejoycing in the exaltation prosperity of the righteous for which see the Note chap. 11.10 Vers 10. Only by pride cometh contention c. That is pride tends only to contention or pride is the chief in a manner the only cause of contention or rather pride alone is usually the cause of contentions amongst men though there be no injury done him nor no cause of quarrelling yet the proud man meerly out of pride will take some occasion or other to quarrell with men either by being injurious to them or by taking some offence causelesly all this because he is foolish see the Note chap. 11.2 and yet withall thinks no man so wise as himself so will hearken to no counsell advice of others either for the preventing of contentions or the making of peace which last is implyed by the following clause but with the well-advised is wisdome that is the humble are wile and so will do nothing rashly but upon mature deliberation will be ready to hearken to the advice of others and by that means they are carefull to avoid contentions and are all for peace Vers 11. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished That is that which is gotten by deceit wickednesse see the Note Job 31.5 as particularly that which is gotten by any vain course of life which no way tends to the good either of Church or commonwealth such as that of stage-players jugglers wandering fidlers c. or by the abusing of any lawfull art in any unlawfull way Vers 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life That is it is a singular comfort restorative to such a grieved fainting soul even as when a man ready to faint for hunger lights upon some fruit-tree and eating of the fruit
those that were taught by all those that were truly wise and apply thine heart unto my knowledge see the Note chap. 2.2 From the beginning of the tenth chapter to this place Solomon hath as by way of doctrine given us certain short proverbiall sentences every verse almost containing one entire Proverb by it self but now from hence to the beginning of the 25. chapter the manner of his stile is changed for besides that all is here delivered by way of exhortation the precepts that are here pressed are for the most part more largely delivered in severall verses and backed with reasons much as before it was in the first nine chapters And hence I conceive it is that in this and the four following verses this new exhortation to attend diligently to Solomons doctrine is inserted either by way of closing up the former Proverbs or rather by way of a new preface to that which follows Vers 18. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee c. As if he had said Though the words of the wise may at first seem harsh and hard to be learnt and over-severe and so be displeasing to thee yet if thou keep them within thee that is if thou dost once understand and believe them and so dost upon occasion call them to mind and meditate on them obey them constantly thou shalt find them very delightfull and comfortable to thee see the Note chap. 3.17 They shall withall be fitted to thy lips that is thou shalt be able opportunely to call them to remembrance for the instruction of others and to speak fluently aptly to good purpose of every thing as any occasion is offered yea and that with the acceptance and good approbation of those to whom thou speakest And indeed then only do holy words and instructions proceed fitly and handsomely from men when they proceed from the heart from good men according to that of David Psal 37.30 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdome and his tongue talketh of judgement the law of God is in his heart for which see the Notes there Vers 19. That thy trust may be in the Lord c. That is To the end that knowing observing what I have taught thee thy trust may be fixed upon God his word promises both for what concerns thy welfare in this life and that which is to come I have made known to thee to wit all these truths that I have taught thee this day that is at this time see Psal 95.7 or in this book even to thee as if he should have said Even to thee my son to whom I cannot better manifest my fatherly love then in teaching thee these things whose duty it is to apply these precepts generally delivered to thy self in particular and to know them for thine own good I know some read the last clause thus trust thou also the drift of it is as if he had said I have done my duty in shewing thee those things that should bring thee to put thy trust in the Lord be thou now as carefull to practise this as I have been to teach thee Vers 20. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge That is excellent counsels which I have given thee from God for thine advice and direction in all thy waies whereby thou maiest be enabled to give counsell to others and excellent precepts appertaining to knowledge to inform thee in all things which it is fit thou shouldest know for thy welfare here or eternall salvation hereafter Vers 21. That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth c. That is That I might teach thee not doubtful conceits or lying fables but truths of unquestionable certainty even the sure Oracles of God that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee that is that thou maiest be able to give sound advice to those that send to thee to desire thy counsell and to satisfy those that send to be informed in some hard cases or doubtfull questions or that thou maiest be able to give a reason of thy judgement or doings to any that shall call thee to give an account thereof according to that 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you But now if we read this last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles that thou mightest answer the words of truth to those that send thee then the meaning must be this that thou maiest give a fair account to those that have sent thee either to be instructed or to manage any great businesse they have committed to thy trust Vers 22. Rob not the poor because he is poor c. That is say some because being poor he is fitter to be pitied and relieved then to be robbed and oppressed or rather because being poor he is not able to withstand let not that encourage thee neither oppresse the afflicted in the gate to wit under a pretence of justice see the Notes Job 5.4 and 31.21 Vers 25. Lâ—st thou learn his waies c. To wit the angry mans waies mentioned in the foregoing verse by being infected by his example company as naturally men are prone to imitate those they love or by being provoked to anger by his anger so through often brawling and contending thou gettest at last an habit of frowardnesse and get a snare to thy soul that is so beest entangled in the same sin to the endangering of thy soul in eternall perdition or lest thou bring thy life into danger to wit either by thy friends falling suddenly upon thee in his fury some time or other and taking away thy life or by some quarrels whereinto thou maiest be brought by his means wherein by thy provoking of others thy life may be brought in hazzard at least some great mischief or other may befall thee Vers 26. Be not thou one of them that strike hands c. See the Notes chap. 6.1 and Job 17.3 Vers 27. If thou hast nothing to pay why should he take away thy bed from under thee See the Note chap. 20.16 Vers 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse c. As if he should have said Such a man is deservedly to be noted and observed and if therefore thou hast taken notice of such a man observe likewise what the issue of his diligence is he shall stand before kings c. CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. WHen thou sittest to eat with a ruler consider diligently what is before thee That is what plenty and variety there is of dainty meaâ—s and delicious wines and how dangerous they are to entangle men unawares whence it is that they are called afterwards vers 3. deceitfull meat and to draw them to excesse in eating and drinking whilst they will be tasting of every dish and sipping at every cup and so consequently to make
such an one if once she be married will quickly shew what metall she is made of her husband must doe what-ever she will have him an insufferable burden she will be to all his relations especially if once her husband begin to hate her to deal any way roughly with her for then she will grow intolerable and will raise endlesse and unquenchable quarrels troubles amongst them As for the last of these insufferable evils mentioned in the following words and an handmaid that is heir to her mistresse though thereby might be meant a maid-servant that is by her mistresse appointed after her death to inherit her goods for such indeed are many times insolent enough yet because she is mentioned in the last place as the most insufferable of all the four it is more probably thought that the wise man intends hereby either a hand-maid that is taken into her mistresses place her mistress being cast out of doors or at least neglected disregarded for such a one doth commonly grow so insolent injurious that neither children nor servants nor at last the husband himself are able to abide her or rather a hand-maid that after her mistresses death is married to her master so comes to possesse all that before her mistresse did enjoy that because children servants will scorn to be brought into subjection to such an one besides such wives raised so suddenly from a servile condition are usually wont to swell and grow proud nor are any commonly more costly more turbulent and imperious then they are Vers 24. There be four things which are little upon the earth but they are exceeding wise The drift of this passage may be not only to set forth the wonderfull power wisdome of God in the strange acts of wisdome that are done by these little creatures but also to teach us by them 1. that we ought not to be proud of our wisdome knowledge since even in many things of this nature we may find our selves out-stripped by the meanest of the creatures 2. that bodily strength tends not so much to the prospering of endeavours as wisdome doth and that therefore those that are weak ought not to be despised by others nor to be discouraged in themselves or under a pretence of feeblenesse to neglect any businesse that belongs to them Vers 25. The ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the summer In these creatures we are taught diligence and providence and that especially with respect to those things that concern life eternall But see the Note chap. 6.6 Vers 26. The conies are but a feeble folk yet make they their houses in the rocks In these we are taught 1. that the hardest things may be effected by constant labour 2. that wisdome should teach us as to provide betimes an habitation for our selves especially in heaven against the time we must leave the world so also to provide for the safety of our selves children to secure our selves as far as we are able against all wrong and injury that especially by making the Lord our rock of refuge Vers 27. The locusts have no king yet goe they forth all of them by bands To wit some going one way some another like so many severall squadrons or bands of an army And hereby men are taught that needfull and good things ought to be done though they be not enjoyned by authority that concord unanimity amongst men yea the association combination of men in lawfull things is very usefull and commendable Vers 28. The spider taketh hold with her hands c. To wit on the thrid she hath spun therewith she weaves her web builds her house and is in kings palaces which is noted to shew the art industry of this little creature in that she builds her house spreads her nets even in kings palaces though their rooms be often high lofty yet she makes a shift to get up to those roofs battlements there takes up her dwelling though their palaces are much frequented often swept cleansed yet will she find a time to build her house there And hereby men are taught either 1. not to shrink from doing what belongs to them to doe for fear of the greatest or 2. not to be discouraged with the difficulty of any undertaking that because by art industry any enterprize may be effected though never so many obstacles lye in the way or 3. to know that the meanest men may by diligence worthy enterprizes attain to highest places of honour according to that chap. 22.29 Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse he shall stand before kings c. Vers 29. There be three things which goe well yea four are comely in going These patterns of comelinesse in going are propounded to teach all sorts of people to walk orderly decently according as is seemly for men in their places that their deportment of themselves be with all gravity and comelinesse and that especially in regard of magnanimity as the following instances do import even that men should not dishonour themselves with any base cowardise but proceed on constantly couragiously in every enterprize they undertake But yet I conceive that this is principally propounded with respect to magistrates because the following instances do most fitly resemble them as we may see in the first mentioned vers 31. which is the lion that is usually tearmed the king of beasts and so in the rest Vers 31. A grey-hound c. Or rather A horse as it is in the margin of our Bibles for indeed there is no such statelinesse in the going of a grey-hound It is in the Hebrew girt in the loins which imports strength and agility and this agreeth to the horse as well as to the grey-hound But besides the warlike horse is fitter to be propounded as a pattern to men in high place with respect to whom especially as I have noted in the foregoing verse these examples of courage and statelinesse in the creatures are propounded And therefore likewise the next mentioned is an he-goat also that useth to goe stately before the flock leading them in the hardest and most troublesome waies and then in the close he addeth and a king against whom there is no rising up that is with whom none must compare for the statelinesse and majesty of his gate or rather a mighty and magnanimous king prosperous in his reign of uncontrollable power and against whom none have risen nor dare rise up therefore he goeth with the more state and courage Vers 32. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self c. That is If thou hast foolishly upon any occasion lifted up thy heart with pride or if through the lifting up of thy heart with pride thou hast any way behaved thy self foolishly or by any proud or contemptuous carriage of thy self or breaking forth in anger against others
men are innumerable and if they cannot be numbred much lesse can they be remedied there are many thousand things in nature which are still unknown to them that know most yea the things which men know not are infinitely more then those are which they know 2. It is true also in regard of the disposition and manners of men The nature and life of man is as long as he continues in that corrupt estate wherein he is born wholly sinfull perverse and crooked Psal 125.5 And so likewise the sinfull defects of mens lives are innumerable Whâ— can understand his errors saith David Psal 19.12 Yea the very nature of man is many waies defective both for principles and power to do well We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 See also Rom. 3.9 10 22. Now all the knowledge in natural things that can possibly be attained can never rectifie these things that are thus perverse and out of frame in the nature and lives of men and so remove the causes of their infelicity and make them happy it can neither restore man to his original integrity nor supply his manifold defects as is most evident in that the greatest Philosophers and the most eminent Schollers that ever were amongst the Heathens have been as vitious as other men professing themselves wise they became fools Rom. 1.22 yea such have been found most averse from learning that true saving knowledge that is taught in the Gospel See 1 Cor. 1.20.26 Indeed by and through Christ all this may be remedied it was that which the Baptist foretold concerning him Luk. 3.5 Every valley shall be filled and the crooked shall be made streight he will by degrees perfectly reform all the crookednesse of our nature and lives Eph. 4.13 and out of his fulnesse all our wants shall be supplied Psal 84.11 But no natural or acquired knowledge can ever do it 3. It is true also in regard of mans outward estate and of all the businesses and actions of men their successe and events mens bodies are subject to manifold diseases and if an eye or a toe be wanting in a child that is born it cannot be supplied there are many miscarriages casualties crosse and crooked events in the best waies that the wisest of men take in any thing that they set themselves to do some thing or other they shall find was wanting of what they should have done and in many things they still come short of what they hoped and laboured for all which likewise no natural knowledge of men can possibly prevent and 4. It is true in regard of all the creatures for though God made them all very good and they are all strait and right and perfect in themselves yet the sin of man hath brought much vanity confusion corruption and disorder upon the whole creation Rom. 8.20 the creatures are frail and changeable there is an enmity amongst them and they are subject to many casualties and these crookednesses and defects in them man with all his knowledge is no way able to help but so they will continue untill the times of restitution of all things Act 3.21 when God hath promised to make a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 2.13 and to deliver the creature from the bondage of corruption into a glorious liberty Rom. 8.21 Vers 16. I communed with mine own heart c. Lest it should be objected that happinesse might be attained by knowledge though Solomon had not attained it here he professeth that upon an impartial conferring with his own heart about this he found that he had attained an incomparable measure of knowledge farre above all others that had been before him so that if any man could have attained happinesse by knowledge he should certainly have done it I communed with mine own heart saying Lo I am come to great estate and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem that is by my studies and endeavours I have much increased that stock of wisdom which was at first given me of God See the Note 1 King 3.12 Yea my heart had great experience or had seen much as it is in the Hebrew of wisdom and knowledge that is I had got a cleer insight into all kind of knowledge and learning Or by wisdom may be meant speculative knowledge and by knowledge what he had found by practical experience or by wisdom the ability of men to understand things and by knowledge the acquired insight into things that is gotten thereby Vers 17. And I gave my heart c. See the Note above ver 13. To know wisdome and to know madness and folly that is say some Expositors to know the worth of wisdome by experience and experimentally also to know the worth and benefit of sensual things which indeed to do in a way of seeking happiness thereby is no better than madness and folly But because in the following verse Solomon concludes with a censure concerning the vanity and vexation of wisdome and knowledge I do not think that as yet he is speaking of his seeking content in sensual things And again some understand this as well as that which went before of Solomons seeking to attaine all kind of knowledge even that of natural Philosophy and so accordingly as by wisdome they understand truth so by madness and folly they understand the mad erroneous opinions of men the manifold jarring and repugnant tenets of contentious men who proudly affecting to be admired do intrude themselves into things above their reach and will however oppose others that they may seeme to know more then others and so thereby discover great ignorance folly and madness But the most and best Expositors hold that having before spoken of the vanity of the knowledge of natural Philosophy and how this was altogether ineffectual for the reforming of mens lives here he sheweth how he betook himselfe to the study of moral Philosophy And I gave my heart to know wisdome that is the wisdome of moral political and practical knowledge or the wisdome of vertue And because every thing is best known by knowing its contrary to know madness and folly that is to know what vice is and to observe and understand the wayes of those that lived wickedly foolishly and madly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit to wit because he found that all men come short of this wisdome neither can the greatest perfection of moral wisdome so farre as it is attainable by humane endeavours ever yield any full rest or satisfaction to men and because he found on the other side how generally men gave themselves up to sinfull mad and foolish courses the pleasures and delights whereof did rather encrease mens misery than any way tend to their happiness And indeed the same censure may be passed concerning all kind of natural knowledge as appears by that general conclusion wherewith Solomon shuts up this discourse in the next verse Vers 18.
people the performance of their vowes and because when men had sworn rashly and unadvisedly they were by the law of God to carry a peace offering to the Priest which for their atonement was to be offered to the Lord for which see the Notes Lev. 5.4 5. therefore men are here enjoyned that when they have made a vow and then afterwards begin to repent and to grudge at what they have vowed they should not then think to salve up the matter by going to the Priest and confessing that it was an error that they had so vowed and so save somewhat by giving a peace-offering instead of some greater matter they had vowed expecting thereby to be absolved from their vow and that because it would be most egregious folly and wickednesse thus to think to delude God and to abuse his Messenger and Minister See the Note also Pro. 20.25 Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice that is at these thy vaine excuses and destroy the work of thine hands that is all that thou hast gotten with the labour of thy hands and so by withholding a little thou shouldest bring ruine upon thy whole estate Or it may be meant of Gods crossing and disappointing him in all his enterprizes and affaires or particularly in those his endeavours for the prospering whereof he had made those inconsiderate vowes Vers 7. For in the multitude of dreames and many words there are also divers vanities c. See the Note before vers 3. For as there we are advised to avoyd rashnesse and forwardness in speaking lest that produce in prayer much vaine babling so here also that thereby we may avoyd rashnesse in vowing and that because in rash vowes there is usually much vanity as that mens vowes are many times sinfull foolish and unprofitable and that they often repent of what they have vowed and keep not faith with God and so by that meanes the Lord is offended men are scandalized and some calamity befalls those that have thus vowed As for the last clause But feare thou God which some also conceive is spoken with reference to the Angel mentioned before ver 6. to wit the Lord Christ this is prescribed as the meanes whereby men may be brought rightly to performe all religious worship and so particularly that of making vows for they that truly feare God will neither vow rashly nor be carelesse of performing what they have so solemnly promised to the Lord. Vers 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poore c. Two wayes I find given by Expositors for the connexion of these words with that which went before and they are both very probable The first is this that having in the foregoing part of the Chapter pressed men to feare God and to worship God in a right manner as the only remedy of that vanity to which men are subject here in this world and the only way wherein true happinesse is to be found because against this it might be objected that a mans tranquility may seeme hereby to be little mended in regard the poore especially those that are religious are so usually wronged and oppressed by those that are too mighty for them and if they fly to the Magistrates and Courts of Justice for remedy there they shall find Justice perverted and their oppressions rather encreased then eased this objection is here answered by shewing that God doth take notice of this and therefore will undoubtedly right them in his own due time The second is this that having hitherto in this Chapter taught men to prevent the vanities that are frequently found in mens performing the duties of Gods worship so here now he teacheth them to avoyd the vanity of being discontented and discouraged with the oppressions and injustice that are found in the world If thou seest the oppression if the poore and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a Province marvell not at the matter that is be not amazed or astonished as if it were a strange thing that this should be or that God should suffer or order it to be so marvell not at it so as to think hardly of God to be discontented and discouraged to distrust his providence or to grow weary of his service For he that is higher then the highest regardeth that is God who is higher then all the Potentates of the world the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 doth from heaven his high and holy place take speciall notice of all such things and will in due time right the poore against their oppressors And there be higher then they to wit the holy Angels whom God sets as his subordinate Ministers over Kings and Kingdomes to defend the righteous and to execute his judgements upon tyrants and oppressors Vers 9. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all c That is That which ariseth out of the earth by the labours of the husbandman in the tillage and planting of his grounds and the breeding of cattell is for the supply of all sorts of men and all things that are necessary for the subsistence of men Many nations have been without money but the fruits of the earth they could never be without The King himselfe is served by the field that is he and his are supported and maintainted by such provisions as arise from the labours of the husbandman For the right understanding of Solomons aime in these words we must know 1. that he doth here returne to his former discourse concerning the vanity of all things under the Sunne Having in the foregoing part of the Chapter inserted a passage concerning the fear and worship of God as that which can only render men happy and remedy the vanities whereto the life of man is incident after this Digression he returnes againe to what he was before speaking of and falls upon discovering the vanity of all kind of riches wherein very many doe look for happinesse Only first by way of transition he sheweth here the excellency of husbandry above all other wayes of gain whatsoever by shewing the benefit that redounds to men by the fruits of the earth above all pecuniary possessions whatsoever and then afterwards he discovereth the vanity of both and 2. that withall there may be in these words some respect also to that which was said in the foregoing verse concerning the oppression and injustice of those that are in high places this which is said here in the commendation 〈◊〉 husbandry tending to shew that the greatest that are stand in need of the meanest amongst the people as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.21 The head cannot say to the feet I have no need of you so that when great ones oppresse the poore by whom the earth is tilled they doe they know not what because both King and Nobles too must needs want bread and other necessaries if husbandry be destroyed Vers 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver c. Divers
learned Expositors hold that the drift of these words is to prove the excellency of the fruits of the earth above money in that these yield a real benefit to those that take paines for them whereas silver and gold can never fill a mans belly nor cloath his back c. And accordingly they understand also the following clause nor he that loveth abundance with increase that he that loveth abundance of money can never be satisfied with the increase thereof he may starve for hunger and dye for cold in the midst of all his heaps of gold and silver But I rather understand this of the insatiablenesse of covetous mens desires He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver that is he will never think he hath enough of it that sheweth the vanity of that kind of wealth nor he that loveth aboundance with increase that is he that loveth abundance of all other things wherein consists the wealth of rich men will never be satisfied though his estate be never so exceedingly encreased which may also be intended more peculiarly to imply the vanity of mens seeking to increase their estate by the oppression of others Vers 11. When goods increase they are increased that eate them c. To wit because the greater estates men have in their hands the more servants and the greater families they must needs have the greater resort there will be to their houses of friends and others that will hang upon them and indeed no man had greater experience of this then Solomon had concerning whose numerous family and huge expences see 1 King 4.22 23 26 27 28. And what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes Which may be understood two severall wayes either first that the owners thereof have no other benefit by their estates but the seeing of them spent by others himselfe enjoyeth the least part of them only he seeth others consume them which as it may be some comfort to him if he be of a free and generous spirit it being a more blessed thing to give then to receive Act. 20.35 so on the other side if he be of a base and sordid spirit it must needs be a vexation to him to see his goods so wasted and consumed Or secondly that they enjoy no other good by their abundance but only the beholding of them to wit as their own that they can look upon their houses and lands and goods and say in their hearts All this is mine for otherwise a servant or stranger may please himselfe with looking on his houses and gardens and all other his possessions as well as he Vers 12. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eate little or much c. To wit Because if he eate little yet being wearied with hard labour that will make him sleep soundly and if he eate much by reason of his healthfulnesse and labour his stomack will digest it and so his sleep will not be broken with crude and hurtfull humours fuming up from his stomack into his braine And besides his labour doth so take up his thoughts thâ—â—by this meanes his mind is much freed from those earking thoughts and coveting desires which render other mens sleep lesse sweet unto them as it followes in the next words But the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep to wit the abundance of his wealth which through much businesse anxious cares and feares and gripes of conscience when they have been gotten unjustly doth break his sleep or as may seeme by the former clause to which this is opposed the abundance that he eats wherewith overcharging his stomack he is much distempered thereby and either cannot sleep at all or at least sleepes very unquietly Vers 13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun c. As if he should have said Amongst the many evils and miseries incident to men in regard of their riches this is above others an evil disease or a sore evil a very grievous and bitter evil namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt to wit either because they prove an occasion of much sin to them making them proud idle luxurious c. or because they are much vexed and afflicted with cares and fears concerning their riches or because they expose them to envie and violence and rapine insomuch that many times they lose their lives by â—eason of their riches to wit by thieves and robbers by tyrants and sometime by the treacherous violence of their own children and servants Now when a man shall hoard up and with much care keep his riches as expecting much happinesse thereby and to live joyfully without any fear of want for himself or for his children and quite contrary to his expectation they shall prove the occasion of his ruine this must needs be esteemed a sore evil Vers 14. But those riches perish by evil travel c. As if he had said But besides this forementioned evil that riches are usually kept to the owners hurt there is another vanity whereto riches are subject and that is that many times too they cannot be kept but they perish by evil travel the meaning whereof is either that they perish and come to nothing though a man doth extreamly afflict himself with sore travel and toil both to encrease and advance his estate and to preserve what he hath gotten or else that they perish by his own folly and improvident courses or by his successeless travels and the losses that befall him in his trading and dealing in the world when nothing that he undertakes thrives in his hands or by the fraud and violence of others And he begetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand that is the father when he dieth hath nothing to leave his son and this must needs be very grievous to him fathers being usually more sollicitous for their children then for themselves or the son hath nothing to live upon when his father is dead which indeed is most grievous to the sons of rich men because they are seldom brought up to labour or to any way or trade of living whereby they may know how to sustain themselves Vers 15. As he came forth of his mothers womb naked shall be return to go as he came c. This is added as another vanity in riches to wit that though men do not lose their wealth whilst they live yet to be sure they must part withall they have when they die they shall carry nothing with them of that which they have gotten by their hard labour Vers 16. And this also is a sore evil that in all points as he came so shall he go c As if he had said Though those before mentioned vers 13 14 be the greater evils to wit when a mans riches are kept for his hurt or when he lives to see them all lost and gone yet it is a sore evil also to wit to a
to further displeasure against us but that we carry our selves wisely and meekly in the day of adversity God also hath set the one over against the other c. That is God hath established an intercourse and vicissitude of prosperity and adversity in the lives of men the one opposite to the other that so the one might allay the other having respect therein to the frailty of man in generall and to the spirituall good of his faithfull servants in particular The meaning is that as in the ordering of the times and seasons of the yeare God hath setled an intercourse of day and night winter and summer one over against the other and as in a paire of scales when the balance stands in aequilibrio not turning the one way or the other the weights in the one scale doe fully poise and answer the wares in the other so doth the Lord usually measure out unto men dayes of comfort and dayes of sorrow prosperity and adversity proportioning the one to the other And why doth God doe this That followeth in the next words To the end that man should find nothing after him which may be understood two severall wayes as 1. that God doth so intermingle good and evill dayes that no man may be able to find out or foresee what will afterwards be that by discerning the footsteps of Gods former proceedings men may not be able to inferre from thence that thus or thus God will hereafter doe and consequently that discovering hereby how unsearchable Gods counsels are and how unable they are to search into the reasons of his present proceedings and how impossible it is that they should by any care or providence of theirs prevent that which they cannot foresee and that all things must be as he hath determined what ever they desire resolve or endeavour they may learne quietly to submit to the providence of God in all the changes that befall them and in all that God doth unto them and likewise to walk humbly before God and in the feare of his all-ruling power waiting and depending upon him in all conditions whatever not being puffed up in prosperity as remembring that they may soone come to be in an afflicted estate nor yet fainting in the dayes of adversity as considering that God may soone turne their sorrow into joy and secondly that God doth thus temper the changes of prosperity and adversity to the end that no man should come after God and find any thing in that which God hath done which he could have mended and have ordered better no not for his own advantage then as God hath ordered it any thing that is superfluous defective or irregular in any work of his for which they may justly complain of God but that on the contrary observing how God doth with infinite wisdome and fatherly goodnesse dispose of all things they may acknowledge every thing to be best that God doth and so may without any fretting or discontent against God quietly submit to his will and rest contentedly in that which he doth Vers 15. All things have I seen in the dayes of my vanity c. That is All these things before mentioned concerning the strange and secret proceedings of Gods providence I have observed to be so by mine own experience in the time of my vain short life see the Note chap. 6.12 yet it may well be that Solomon expresseth this in such generall tearms All things have I seen because there was indeed nothing that could be knowne by the reason of man but he had attained the knowledge and observation thereof and therefore he must needs have experience of those things before mentioned concerning the seeming strange dispensations of divine providence one particular instance whereof he addes in the following words There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousnesse that is that is oppressed and sometimes brought to an untimely end notwithstanding that he is a truly righteous man yea it may be even because of his righteousnesse and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickednesse that is notwithstanding he is a wicked man yea it may be by meanes of his wickednesse Vers 16. Be not righteous over-much c. Some learned Expositors conceive that Solomon having layd down in the foregoing verse his Observation concerning the sad sufferings that many times befall the righteous whilst wicked men flourish and prolong their dayes in their wickednesse doth here in this verse tell us in the first place what the judgement of corrupt Reason is in this case and what the advice is which naturall and carnal men would give for the avoyding of this inconvenience tending to a politick indifferency and neutrality in the wayes of religion and righteousnesse Be not righttous over-much that is Seeing righteousnesse doth thus expose men to danger be not so forward and precise in matters of religion piety and righteousnesse as many men are be discreet and wary and stand not alwayes so strictly and inflexibly upon grounds of conscience and justice but that thou mayest as occasion serves for thine own safety and advantage remit a little of thy strictnesse and comply with the times and thine own necessary interests Neither make thy selfe over-wise that is be not too nice and scrupulous make not thy selfe wiser then other men by refusing to doe as others doe why shouldest thou destroy thy selfe that is why shouldest thou unnecessarily expose thy selfe to so great danger as many men by such needlesse precisenesse doe often bring upon themselves But the generall current of Expositors goe another way taking this to be the advice of the Spirit of God by the pen of Solomon And indeed it seemes very unsafe where Solomon goeth on in one continued tenor of prescribing directions to men for the well-ordering of their lives to make any one passage therein to be spoken as in the person of carnall men unlesse Solomon himselfe doe give some hint unto us either by some censure that he afterwards passeth thereon or some other way that it must be so understood or unlesse the words will not beare any other interpretation Now here nothing can be alledged to the contrary but that this may be severall wayes understood as the counsell of the holy Spirit of God by the pen of Solomon as 1. that men must take heed of being so over-righteous and over-wise as to murmure against and to question the justice of any such dispensations of Gods providence as that mentioned in the foregoing verse when the wicked live long in a prosperous estate and the righteous are sorely afflicted and soone cut off they may well be judged righteous over-much that will take upon them to be more righteous then God and to be over-wise that will apprehend that they could order things better then as God hath ordered them And by such bold searching into the secret and incomprehensible counsels of God they take the ready way to provoke God to destroy them Or secondly that men
thou shouldest so do And indeed then onely can we use the creatures with joy and comforts when we know that both our persons and works are well pleasing to God Vers 8. Let thy garments be alwayes white c. That is When ever in other regards it is fitting and seasonable let thy garments be cleane handsome and decent yea and when thy condition will allow it rich and gorgeous Yet because it is generally said that in ancient times in those Eastern Countries white garments were used as expressions of honour and dignity whence the royall apparrell wherewith Mordecaj was cloathed upon his advancement is said to have been of blue and white Esth 8.15 as likewise in times of feasting and rejoycing therefore this may be also literally meant of white garments And let thy head lack no oyntment that is anoint thy selfe plentifully with sweet and precious oyntments for this powring forth of oyntments upon the head was another thing which they used much at their times of feasting and rejoycing See the Note Psal 23.5 The meaning of the whole is this that the servants of God should take the comfort of the bounty of God towards them in the things of this life keeping themselves within the bounds of religion and piety and not out of a sordid disposition or any other evill humour deprive themselves of that chearfull content in the use of these blessings which God allowes them to enjoy Vers 9. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest c. Therefore is the love of the husband here mentioned because it is indeed only the love of married persons that makes their cohabiting and conversing together comfortable to them As for those following words All the dayes of the life of thy vanity which he hath given thee under the Sunne all the dayes of thy vanity see the Note Chap. 6.12 It is true indeed that those words which he hath given thee under the Sun are by some understood to be meant of the wife who is indeed elswhere tearmed the gift of God Pro. 19.14 But if Solomon had intended this of the wife he would only have said which he hath given thee and not which he hath given thee under the Sun which is not a proper expression And therefore that clause is to be referred to the foregoing words All the dayes of the life of thy vanity which he hath given thee under the Sun because it is God alone that doth in this world lengthen out the dayes of mens lives to them and therefore concerning the dayes of mens lives the very same expression is used before Chap. 8.15 For that is thy portion in this life and in thy labour which thou takest under the Sun to wit this comfortable enjoying the good blessings of God of which he had spoken from the beginning of the seventh verse though some indeed think that mens living chearfully with their wives in the feare of God is here principally at least intended this being the best of comforts to men in all their troubles and travels and sorrowes here in this life But see the Notes Chap. 2.10 8.15 Vers 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe c. That is Whatsoever thine abilities can reach to do and which thou hast a faire occasion and opportunity to do if it be also a thing lawfull to be done do it with thy might that is do it carefully diligently vigorously and speedily with all the powers of thy soule and without any delay for that all this may be well intended by this expression Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe is evident by other places where in the Original the like phrase is used as Lev. 12.8 Numb 6.21 1 Sam. 10.7 Gen. 16.6 Some conceive that the thing here injoyned is that men should with all possible zeale and diligence take all the opportunities they can to doe all the good they are able either in their generall or particular calling by way of being serviceable in their places to God or to their brethren and that this is enjoyned either 1. To cleare what was said in the foregoing verses from being mis-understood That it might not be thought that therein there was any encouragement given to a voluptuous life Solomon addes here that withall men must endeavour with all their might to do all the good that possibly they are able Or 2. as another meanes whereby men may come to live comfortably and happily And indeed when men are earnest and diligent to doe all the good they can as it is a meanes to prevent manifold crosses and miseries so also it yields a quiet and peaceable conscience which tends much to the happinesse and comfort of mens lives But the whole Context in this place sheweth that the advice here given is that men should freely and with all their might do whatever may lawfully be done whilst they live here in this world as occasion serves for their comfort and delight Having before instanced in those chiefe outward comforts of meat and cloaths and marriage he now addes this generall advice that in all other things wherein an opportunity was given for refreshing themselves in an honest way they should embrace it if it lay in their power and that because this present life is the only time for the enjoying of these comforts For saith he there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest to wit in regard of the things of this life He doth not deny the knowledge that is in the soules of men departed But he exhorteth men whilst they live freely to enjoy the commodities that are here given of God for the comfort of mens lives because in the grave or in the state of death whither men are continually going they can no more make any use of their skill or knowledge or wisdome for the doing of any good either to themselves or others And very observable indeed it is what kind of contentments and delights Solomon doth here advise men to enjoy namely not such as are bruitish and sensuall but such as arise from our honest labours and wherein we are guided by skill and wisdome and knowledge Vers 11. I returned and saw under the Sunne that the race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill c. This passage may be added to that which went before upon several respects for 1. It may be added as another vanity which upon farther observation of humane affaires Solomon had taken notice of to wit that the event and successe of men in their affaires and undertakings are not according to the abilities that are in men but quite contrary so that the lesse nimble in running doe many times winne the race c. Or 2. it may be taken as a farther discovery of that which he had said before ver 2. that all things come alike to all in that the
was in Syria whence the valley also with the river that ran therein was likewise called by the same name 2 Kings 5.12 Are not Abana or Amana as it is in the margin there and Pharpar rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel And others againe that it was a mountaine bordering at least on the west of the land of Canaan so that say they here is a mountaine mentioned on each quarter of that Country Lebanon on the North and Shenir on the South Hermon on the East and Amana on the West And accordingly doe Expositors differently understand these passages as they are the words of Christ to his Church for 1. Some conceive that hereby is set forth Christs calling of his chosen ones to himselfe and into the number of his Church and people implying a promise that none of them should be lost but that they should be all gathered in to him in due time And many particulars concerning this may be implyed in the figurative expressions here used as 1. that they should be gathered not from among the Jewes only but also from amongst the Gentiles the most barbarous savage and brutish people which they say is implyed by mentioning some mountaines within the confines of Judea and some without as likewise by the dennes of Lions and mountaines of the Leopards yea from all the corners of the world which they say is hinted by naming the mountaines in every quarter of the Land of Canaan 2. That the efficacy of their calling should be such that no pleasures here below signified by the delights of Lebanon nor no feare of the rage of men Lions and Leopards should keep them from Christ 3. That by their coming in to Christ a way should be opened to them for the knowledge of many mysteries concerning God and the way to life eternall yea an entrance should be given them into the true land of promise Gods kingdome of glory which is signified say they by calling the Church from those mountaines from which men might look and by which they were to enter into the land of promise 4. That being called in unto Christ they were to abandon all the bruitish corruptions that were in themselves and others and to forsake the society of wicked men that they might follow him and walk with him in newnesse and holinesse of life And 5. that Christ will be sure to deliver those that come to him from all dangers whatsoever But then againe 2. Others hold that Christ here calls his Church from their militant condition on earth where they are usually amongst cruel and bloody persecutors Lions and Leopards as David speakes Psal 57.4 My soule is among Lions to follow him into that true mountaine of myrrhe and hill of frankincense his kingdome of glory and that to this end that she might be the more willing to follow him thither he adviseth her to look from the top of Amana c. that is by the eye of faith to behold the place of their rest in heaven as from those mountaines men might see the pleasantness and beauty of the land of Canaan and to observe what glory God hath there prepared for his people which is judged the more probable because the time of the faithfulls entrance into the heaven is the time indeed when they are manifestly declared to be the Spouse of Christ by his carrying them home as his Spouse to his fathers house Vers 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my Spouse Or Thou hast taken away mine heart as it is in the margin to wit with the love thy beauty hath wrought in me and the delight which thereupon I take in thee The Bridegroome here renders a reason why he had so earnestly sollicited his Spouse in the foregoing verse to goe along with him from Lebanon c. namely because he was so exceedingly transported with love towards her Never was love like the love of Christ to his Church He speakes here as a man overcome with love Thou hast ravished my heart implying that her beauty had made such a strong impression upon his heart that he was not himselfe he had not the command of his own heart it was so wholly gone out after her as indeed love of Christ to his Church made him regardlesse of himselfe As for the title of sister here added my Sister my Spouse we must know that besides that this is an usuall expression of tender love see Matth. 12.50 and may be used to signifie that whatsoever was amiable either in Sister or Spouse was to be found in her the Church may be truly called Christs sister 1. with respect to Christs Incarnation by reason whereof they were both descended from the same stock and partakers of the same flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 and she is said to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Eph. 5.30 And 2. with respect to her adoption whereby she became the daughter of his father and co-heire with him of his kingdome of glory and 3. with respect to her regeneration as being borne of God and made partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.10 all which the Apostle might intend in that Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Thou hast ravished my heart c. This repetition implyes the vehemency of his affection and how exceedingly he was taken with her With one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy neck As if he had said Out of modesty thou seemest afraid to look on me and thinkest not thy selfe beautifull enough nor sufficiently adorned for me but alas a cast of one of thine eyes I need not look on both thy beauty is so great in one or any one chaine of thy neck is enough to ravish me Yet withall in this expression with one of thine eyes there seemes to be an allusion to that custome of womens covering their faces so with a veile as they doe in Spaine and other Countryes at this day that they look out only with one of their eyes that they may see their way before them and so only one of their eyes can be seen by others And by this one eye may be meant faith without which no man can please God Heb. 11.6 Or sincerity whereby we singly aime at God and Christ in all that we doe Or any one holy thought and affection And so by one chaine of her neck is meant any one of the graces wherewith Christians are adorned But see the Note Chap. 1.10 Vers 10. How faire is thy love my Sister my Spouse That is How glorious and excellent how amiable pleasant and delightfull is thy love to me to wit as it was manifested in the fruits thereof her readiness to doe his will according to that Joh. 15.14 Ye are my friends if you doe whatsoever I command you and to suffer for his sake How much better is thy love then wine
the desart and that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted Apollo watered or else with respect to the spirit of grace which is in her as a fountaine of living waters as it is called Joh. 4.10 Joh. 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the Spirit c. those waters wherewith our spirituall thirst is quenched Isa 44.3 our spirituall filth is washed away Ezek. 36.25 and we become fruitfull in good workes as trees planted by the waters see the Note Psal 1.3 And upon this account it was that the Prophet long since used the same expressions in a manner concerning the Church that are here used Isa 58.11 Thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters faile not So that we must still remember that the Church is not said to be a spring or fountaine as if these waters of life did spring originally from her for this is the peculiar priviledge of Christ but only to signifie that thorough Christs presence in her she is so abundantly replenished with these waters of life as if she were all over a spring or fountaine of waters and that it is from her that these waters must flow forth unto others see also the Note Psal 87.7 And 2. to a spring shut up a fountaine sealed as in allusion to the care that was taken in former times in those hot Countries to keep their choicest springs and fountaines covered and shut up as we reade of a Well where the inhabitants used to water their sheep Gen. 29.3 that was covered with a great stone that hereby they might keep them cleane and pure that no uncleane thing might be cast into them to defile them and that beasts might not goe into them and mud them with their feet or any other way pollute them yea and perhaps that the waters therein might be preserved for the owners and not drawn out and wasted by others whence haply is that expression that Solomon useth Pro. 5.15 17. Drink waters out of thine own cistern Let them be only thine owne and not a strangers with thee And hereby is signified either 1. that these heavenly treasures of Gods word and sanctifying Spirit doe peculiarly belong to the Church and that no other plants or gardens are watered with these waters yea that none doe partake of the word in it's lively efficacy but only those that are Gods chosen ones the true and living members of the Church these waters are sealed up for them and hidden from others Isa 8.16 Binde up the testimony seal the law among my disciples and if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4 3. see also Isa 29.11 Or 2ly that God by his Providence will both preserve his Church from being defiled with the abominable pollutions of the world and likewise the Scripture and the doctrine of the Church from being corrupted and mudded by the feet of ungodly men Or that the Church shall by the Spirit of God whereby they are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 be kept as a chast and pure virgin unto Christ so that none shall have her heart and love but Christ only Vers 13. Thy plants are an Orchard of Pomegranates c. By the Churches plants here are meant the severall members of the Church that thorough the grace of God doe spring and grow up in her see the Notes Psal 1.3 92.13 And they are said to be an orchard of Pomegranates that is like to an orchard or paradice of Pomegranates with pleasant fruits that is yielding those and divers other severall sorts of choice dainty fruits such as those that are afterwards in this and the following verse particularly mentioned some of them trees some lesser shrubs and some hearbs as camphire spikenard and saffron calamus and cynamom myrrhe and aloes c. hereby signifying both that the Church should be fully fraught with holy men and women of severall ranks and conditions as an orchard with trees and other plants and likewise that thorough the manifold graces of Gods Spirit they should be as beautifull and send forth as fragrant a savour and yield as sweet and pleasant as wholesome and medicinall fruit in their lives and conversations as such trees and hearbs did for camphire spikenard and myrrhe see the Notes Chap. 1.12 13 14. and for aloes see the Note Num. 24.6 Vers 15. A fountaine of gardens c. Very many of our best Expositors doe take these to be the words of the Church acknowledging Christ to be the only true fountaine of saving knowledge and grace and that if she were a fountaine as Christ had called her ver 12. it was only because she conveyed those waters of life to others which were derived to her from him who was the spring from whence all her beauty and glory proceeded and accordingly they render the words thus O thou fountaine of gardens c. But it is better I conceive rendered by our Translators as a continuation of Christs speech to his Church wherein he farther enlargeth that glorious title he had before given her ver 12. that she was a spring shut up a fountaine sealed tearming her 1. A fountaine of gardens to shew that she was not so shut up and sealed but that she did with those spirituall waters wherewith she was abundantly replenished water all her gardens that is the severall Congregations of the Church and the severall members thereof 2. A well of living waters that is of springing running water for that the Scripture calls living water as is evident Gen. 26.19 where that which is translated a well of springing water is in the Original a well of living water and so also doe the heathen Poets as we see in that Donec me flumine vivo Abluero And hereby is signified the purity sweetness and perpetuity of the Churches doctrine and graces and some adde too that by tearming her a well the profundity of Gospel-mysteries is also implyed And 3. Streames from Lebanon that is streames watering all the Israel of God as pure cleare wholesome and sweet as those that came running down from Lebanon as it is said that Jordan and divers other brookes and rivers did and so watered the whole land of Canaan And indeed if these waters had any tast of the sweetnesse of Lebanon as it is said that the waters that runne from those places where cloves and cinamom grow have some kind of tast of the cloves and cinamom they were the fitter to represent the sweet doctrine and graces of the Church and that too with their first issuing from Christ as those did from Lebanon Vers 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden c. See the Notes above ver 12 13. Because of those words blow upon my garden very many Learned Expositors take these to be
that cometh up from the Wildernesse c For these first words see the Note Chap. 3.6 But for the following words leaning on her beloved they are added here with respect to the Spouses supposed loving and familiar carriage of her selfe to her beloved in her leaning upon him as she went along with him for that this was an expression of familiarity and love is evident by the mention that is made of the custome of Kings leaning on the hands of their great favourites 2 Kings 5.18 7.2 Very many Expositors take these to be the words of the Bridegroom and accordingly conceive that Christ doth herein admire and extoll the faith and love of his Spouse the Church and rejoyceth and glorieth in her happy coming up out of her wildernesse-estate that she might thus associate her selfe with him her Lord and Redeemer Againe others think that it is the Bride the Church that speakes this of her selfe in a third person Who is this that cometh up from the wildernesse leaning on her beloved and that too as admiring at and rejoycing in her exceeding great happinesse in that she enjoyed so neare and sweet communion with Christ her beloved and propounding it to be considered as a matter of wonder by others But I rather think that as before Chap. 3.6 so here likewise they are the words of the friends of the Bridegroom or Bride or some others that must be supposed to have met them by the way and that therefore in our Bibles they are included in a parenthesis by themselves And accordingly they must be taken as a joyfull acclamation of the holy Angels or other the faithfull servants of Christ wondering either 1. at the neare conjunction and deare love that was betwixt Christ and his Church or 2ly at the springing up of some new Church in some place where there had been no Congregation of believers before and their being conducted by Christ thorough the wildernesse of the world or 3. at the former Churches growth and encrease her strength and zeale for Christ and her stedfast and unmoveable faith and patience by reason of her neare union with and constant dependance upon her beloved Saviour But yet considering that the foregoing words and those which follow after are most probably thought to be the word of the Spouse methinks it is the clearest way to take this also which some Expositors doe as spoken by her only in the name of others Who is this that cometh up from the wildernesse leaning on her beloved As if she had said Thus will people now again extoll my happinesse Every one that beholds me will admire my blisse in that familiarity and love that is betwixt me and my beloved However by this phrase of the Churches leaning upon her beloved the Holy Ghost doth imply not only her entire love to Christ but also her dependance upon him by faith that the Church is weak in her selfe as the Vine that would sink and fall down to the earth were it not that she clings fast to her wall or pole only by casting her selfe upon his merits and resting in all things upon him for help and assistance he is a sure support to her and doth strongly beare her up see Joh. 15.5 2 Cor. 3.5 Jer. 10.23 I raised thee up under the apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee Very many learned Expositors doe take these also to be the words of the Bridegroom to the Bride And accordingly they make the spiritual sense of the words to be either 1. that when the Church lay in a sad and deplorable estate that naturall estate wherein she was conceived and brought forth by her mother like a child cast out in the fields under a tree unpittied and ready to perish and indeed the Prophet compares man in his naturall estate to such a child cast out in the open field and so left in a sad and desperate condition Ezek. 16.4 5. then Christ did by his free grace raise her up and bring her to that glorious condition which at present she enjoyed or 2ly that when the Church lay under the tree of the forbidden fruit that is under the guilt of that first sinne whereby all mans posterity were destroyed then Christ did love her and raise her out of that misery and by the Ministry of the Gospel in the Primitive Church she was born againe But because in the Hebrew pricked Bibles the words are in the masculine gender as spoken to a man therefore the most of our Protestant Expositors do take them to be the words of the Spouse to her beloved And so according to the letter of the Parable the Spouse may be supposed to speak this by way of putting him in mind of the place in his mothers house where they began first to set their affections one upon another to wit that finding him asleep under an apple-tree there she awakened him and so upon that occasion their hearts from thence-forth were mutually knit together whereupon it is that as rejoycing in the very place where he was borne she addes those words in a kind of rapture of joy There thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee But now for the spirituall sense intended by the Holy Ghost with reference to Christ and his Church 1. Some conceive that by the apple-tree here is meant the Paradice of God in heaven the place of Christs repose in glory and that it is said that the Church did there raise up her beloved because by the prayers and zeale of the faithfull in those times Christ was moved to visit her from heaven and so there that is where the people of God did waken him by their prayer according to that expression used concerning prayer Psal 44.23 Awake why sleepest thou O Lord the Sonne of God was incarnate and brought forth by his mother the Virgin Mary Again 2ly Some understand by the apple-tree that tree of grace and life to wit the Gospel of Christ The Spouse had before compared her beloved to an apple-tree Chap. 2.3 for which see the Note there Now it seemeâ— in allusion hereto because in the Gospel the wonderfull love of Christ and the hope of life and salvation is made known to poore sinners the Church here tells Christ that finding him there she raised him up to come in to her help and comfort in her misery and sorrow and then she addes there that is under this discovery of Christ and the way of salvation by the Ministry of the Gospel thy mother brought thee forth that is the Primitive Church did conceive thee and by preaching professing and practising of the word and by suffering for the truth did bring thee forth as it were into the world and that not without many bitter throes and hard labour as the word in the Original signifieth which may be referred both to the anguish of true penitents that are brought in to Christ and to the