for to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10 7. Rev. 15.4 Vers 11. The counsell of the Lord of standeth for ever That counsell of his whereby he hath decreed to maintain government amongst men to relieve the oppressed to punish the Wicked to uphold the Church is firm and inviolable Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur saith Gregory There is a councell in Heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counfells upon earth Vers 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord viz. By speciall favour and covenant The preservation of the Church which hath so few friends on earth and so many enemies in earth and hell is justly brought as an evident argument of the divine providence Christ standeth upon Mount-Zion and that mountain shall bee exalted above all mountaines The Church as it is highest in the favour of God so it shall be set above all the World and het enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them the lowest the footstool of Christ The people whom he hath chosen Some read it The people which hath chosen Hims for their inheritance It cometh all to one See Deut. 26.17 18 19. Vers 13. The Lord looketh from Heaven Ita râ—spicit universos quasi singulas it 〈…〉 sâ—lâ—s And this Doctrin of Gods particular providence is fides natinnum quarum Deus est Dominus saith Kimchi taught in the Church only Vers 14. From the place of his habitation he beholdeth And this is a very great condescension sith he humbleth himself to behold things in Heaven Psal 113.6 to look out of himself upon the Saints and Angels how much more upon the inhabitants of the earth Vers 15. Unum paâ—â—ter acaliud Kimchi He fashioneth their hearts alike i. e. Ones as well as anothers The Arabick hath it Format sigillatim he fashioneth them severally one after another and not all soules together as the Origenists and some Jew-doctors held Hee considereth all their works Their hearts are not hid from him sith he made them as is said before much lesse their works These God considereth and therefore men had need consider them and turn their feet to his Testimonies Psal 119.59 Vers 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoast Witnesse Sennacherib Xerxes Bajazet Away then with Creature-confidence it will be the ruine of all that rest in it whether it be in men or means that they trust See Psal 62.9 10. with the Notes A mighty man Or A Giant Goliah for instance As the most skilfull swimmers are often drowned So here Vers 17. Pausan An Horse is a vain thing And yet a warlike creature full of terrour See the Note on Psal 32.9 and so swift in service that the Persians dedicated him to the Sun See Job 41.20 Prov. 21.31 With the Notes Vers 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him Hee looketh upon such with singular delight not without sweet intimations of his singular kindnesse and care of their good Upon them that hope in his mercy Here we have a description of that true Church which God will never forsake sc It is a company of such as truly serve God and boast not of their merits but possessing their soules in hope and silence wait for his mercy Vers 19. To deliver their soul Freedom from troubles He promiseth not but deliverance in due time he assureth them and support in the mean while to keep them alive in famine Vers 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord i. e. Patiently tarrieth the Lords leisure We can both wait and want for a need Vers 21. Our heart shall rejoyce in him We shall be sure of an happy issue and event but yet so as that we pray for it as in the next words Vers 22. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Not that we would have no more mercy than we have trust but we would shew that our trust is bottomed upon thy promises and that we humbly expect the full accomplishment of the same in due time PSAL. XXXIV VErs 1. A Psalm of David An Alphabeticall Psalm which David newly delivered from the Philistines Semper in Ecelesia his Psalmus piis suit commendatissimus Moller who had taken him prisoner and presented him to their King as a speciall prize composed with singular art as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people who may here meet with many excellent lessons and cordiall comforts When he changed his behaviour Heb. gust um hoc est gestum This he did being put to his shifts but not without sin Lib. 3. Od. 11. for he was splendide mendax as Horace saith of Hypermuestra at the best neither can this dissimulation or officious lye of his be excused as some have by distinctions indeavoured it but in vain Before Abimelech Or Achish King of Gath 1 Sam. 21. for he was binominiâ— saith Aben-Ezra or else Abimelech that is Father-King was his title of honour As Augustus would be stiled Pater Patria the Father of his Country R. Solomon saith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philistin-Kings as Pharaoh to the Egyptian Who cast him one For a mad man 1 Sam. 21.15 wherein there was a sweet providence of God who can order our disorders to his own glory and our good like as an Artificer with a crooked tool can make straight work or as an Apothecary of a poysonfull Viper can make a wholesome triacle And he departed Into some parts of Judea where he might repent of his sin first as Peter did when got into a corner and then compile this Psalm of thanksgiving to God who had so graciously delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition not only above but against his desert Vers 1. I will blesse the Lord at all times As not satisfied with any thing I can do herein at any time The Saints have large hearts and could bet eem the Lord a great deal more service than they are able to perform A certain Martyr said at the stake I am sory that I am going to a place where I shall be ever receiving wages and do no more work His praise shall continually be in my mouth For this remarkable mercy especially which I will still be telling of and speaking good of Gods name to as many as I can possibly extend unto This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir Vers 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord This holy gloriation is a Christians duty not to be neglected The Church in the Canticles is much in it and so is St. Paul It sheweth an heart full of joyes unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. And besides God is thereby greatly glorified Jer. 9.23 24. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad Not for my sake only but their own as conceiving good hope of like deliverance But then they
of a full liberty and power as Popish Priests arrogate Mr. Ley his Pattern of Piety 145. I have known one saith a very grave Divine who neither by education or affection was disposed to Popery who having the ill hap when his conscience was perplext to fall into the hands of a Popish Priest upon this reason because as the Priest suggested that Religion afforded more comfort because it had and exercised a power to pardon sin which our Ministers neither did or durst assume unto themselves he became a Papist But it is honour enough to Ministers and may be comfort enough to their hearers that God gives them commission to deliver a penitent man from hell not as the Meanes for that is Christ alone but as Instruments 1. To apply Christ crucified or rather risen again unto him 2. To pronounce his safety and salvation upon the due use of that means And this is the greatest honour that ever was done to any mere creature Angels never had such a Commission They indeed are Ministers for the good of those that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 But Ministers are called Saviours Obad. 21. 1 Tim. 4.16 Jam. 3.20 I have found a ransom Or An attonement a cover for his sin as a thing is covered with plaister or as under the Law the Ark covered the Decalogue the Mercy Seat upon it and over them two Cherubims covering one another all which shewed Christ covering the Curses of the Law and expiating the sins of his people which things the Angels desire to pry into as into the patterns of Gods deep wisdom who hath found out such a ransom which he now professeth to accept for this penitent man 1 Tim. 2.6 Psal 32.1 Verse 25 His flesh shall be fresher then a childs Tender and smooth full of good blood and fresh spirits he shall be battle and blith like a suckling See a like Hyperbole concerning Naaman the Syrian restored to health 2 Kings 5.24 implying that his disease was throughly cured and his flesh in better case then ever There is a memorable story in the Acts and Monuments of the Church which here may not unfitly be inserted to shew the sweet fruits of remission of sins by the free mercy of God In the dungeon with Pâ—trus Bergerius at Lions in France was a certain thief and Malefactor who had lain in the dungeon the space of seven or eight months This thief for pain and torment cryed out of God and curst his Parents that begat him being almost eaten up with lice miserably handled and fed with such bread as dogs and horses had refused to eat So it pleased the goodness of the Almighty that through the teaching and prayer of this Bergerius he was brought to repentance and the knowledge of God learning much comfort and patience by the word of the Gospel preached unto him Touching his conversion himself wrote a sweet Letter to some friends declaring therein that the next day after he had taken hold of the Gospel and framed himself to patience according to the same Act. Monâ—f 828. his lice which he could pluck out before by twenty at once betwixt his fingers now were so gone from him that he had not once his rotten flesh the Vulgar translateth this Text thus Consumpta est ejus caro à suppliciis was recruited and the Almes of good people so extended toward him that he was fed with white bred and that which was very good His name was John Chambone He shall return to the dayes of his youth Rejuvenescet He shall grow young again and renew his youth like the Eagles Psal 103.4 He shall be vigorous and active as Isai 40 31. Verse 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him All former unkindnesses notwithstanding God will cast his sins into the bottom of the sea and be as propitious to the poor sinner now reconciled recovered and making request as if he had never been offended by him Amongst men Reconciliationes sunt vulpinae amicitiae Reconciliations are for the most part Fox-like friendships and there 's little trust to them Not so betwixt God and men witnesse Peter of whom Christ thought no whit the worse for his threefold denyal of him when once he wept bitterly and prayed for pardon Mark 16. James 2.5 Go tel the Disciples and Peter that I am risen If any man want wisdom or any other good thing else let him ask it of God who giveth unto all men liberally and hitteth no man in the teeth either with his present weaknesses or by-past wickednesses Ambros in Psa Imò plus est propemodum à vitiis se revocasse quam vitia ipsa nescivisse saith a Father Penitence is in a manner as good as Innocence He shall see his face with joy Or Ostendet ei faciem suam in jubilo God shall make him to see his face with joy even with joyful acclamation when he shall find himself possest of Gods Kingdome which consisteth in Righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost which Chrysostomâ— rightly calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven afore hand For he will render unto man his righteousnesse Which he had lost by falling into sin as Ezek. 18.24 Understand it of degrees and measures for true grace cannot wholly be lost Rursus eum in album justorum piorum referet Lav. Or he will render unto him now in Christ that righteousnesse he lost in Adam he will fully and freely justifie him and sweetly seale him up to the day of Redemption the former falling out shall be but a renewing of love as it was betwixt Christ and his Spouse Cant. 5 and 6. Verse 27. He looketh upon men He looketh to see when any wil repent and return unto him Now Christs looks are often operative and cause that which he looks after A stroke from guilt broke Judas heart into despair but a look from Christ broke Peters heart into tears And if any say I have sinned so he say it penitently as David and the Prodigal and not fainedly as Saul or forcedly as Pharaoh or desperately as Judas In mens Courts saith Quintillian its best to say Non feci to plead Not guilty but in Gods Court its better to say Ego feci Guilty Lord Mercy Lord and not to put God to his proofs as they did Jer. 2.35 sith he that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 And perverted that which was right Thus the true penitentiary layeth load upon himself and aggravateth his sinnes whereof saith Merlin we have here a definition answerable to that of St. John 1 Epist 3 4. Sin is the transgression of the Law I have writhed from the rights saith He in the Text. I have turned aside to crooked wayes and so have deserved to be led forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.5 As Cattle are to the slaughter or malefactors to
too c. Gregory the Great trembled whensoever he read those words of Abraham to the rich Glutton who thought this life to be his saginary or boares-frank Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16. Yee have lived in pleasure upon earth Jam. 5.5 no fit place for such a purpose God did not turn you out of one Paradise that you should here provide your selves of another earth is a place of banishment and bondage Of the wickeds prosperity here see Job 21.7 8. with the Notes And whose belly thon fillest with thy bid treasures That is with Gold and other precious things digged out of the earth saith Aben-Ezra Opimis rebus saith Junius with abundance of outward blessings and benefits saith another which are called Gods hidden treasures not because they are not seen but because they are not so well perceived and used of the ungodly as were meet or because the reason of their present plenty of all things is hidden from them and yet it appears not but shall bee made manifest that these fatting ware are but fitting for the slaughter They are full of Children which they send forth as a flock Job 21.11 See the Note there Or their Children are full carne porcinâ saith the Arabick here or of wordly wealth and mountaines of mony left them by those faithfull drudges their rich but wretched Parents and progenitours whose only care was to heap up hoards of wealth for their posterity Vers 15. As for mee I neither envy nor covet these mens happinesse but partly have and partly hope for a farre better I will behold thy face in Righteousnesse which none can do but the pure in heart Mat. 5. and those that keep close to God in a constant communion being justified and sanctified persons I shall be satisfied Better than those muck-worms and their Children are When I awake sc Out of the dust of death at the Resurrection With thy likenesse With the visible sign of thy glory in Heaven 1. Job 3.2 PSAL. XVIII TO the chief Musician Some render it Adtriumphandum and well they may for this is old Davids 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant song after so many victories and deliverances and it is twice recorded in Scripture with very little variation See 2 Sam. 22. for the great worth and weightinesse of the matter that wee may the more observe it and bee the better versed in it This here recorded seemeth to bee the Review of it and thence those small additions and alterations that are found here and there but not of any great moment A Psalm of David Who having now gotten some breathing while from his troubles gave not himself to Idlenesse or worldly pleasures as the Romans used to do after that they had once ridden in triumph but calling to mind Gods great mercies towards him composed this sweet Psalmodie to his glory The Servant of the Lord So hee stiled himself before Psal 36. when hee first entred upon the Kingdome and now here again when being to lay it down together with his life hee breatheth out his holy soul to God in this divine ditty Sic ubi fata vocant c. This hee did after that as a faithfull servant of the Lord hee had done all the wills of God Act. 13.22 had served out his full time Verse 36. and dwelt in Gods house to length of dayes Psal 23.6 Who spake unto the Lord the words of this song God lets out his mercies to us for this rent of our praises and is content wee have the benefit of them so hee may have the glory The Hebrews give this Note here Every man for whom there is wrought a miracle of mercy and hee thereupon uttereth a song hath his sins forgiven him This is better yet than that of the Papists who promise pardon of sin to those that shall hear two Masses a day Wee who have received so many mercies should compass God about with songs of deliverances and not only servire Deo sed adulari as Tertullian hath it From the hand of all his enemies Heb From the Palm of other enemies as less considerable but from the hand or clutch-fist of Saul And from the hand of Saul his greatest enemy and of longest continuance So Christ is said to save his people from their sins by a specialty Mat. 1.21 because these do us the most mischief Vers 1. I will love thee O Lord my strength Heb. I will love thee dearly and entirely Ex intimis visceribus from the very heart root from the bottom of my bowels with like intention of affection as a tender-hearted Mother doth her dearest Babe that is her own bowels her self of the second edition Neither did David herein super-erogate for God requireth to be loved with all the heart minde soul strength Modus sig siâ—â— modo Beâ—â— as one that is best worthy good without measure that hath loved us without measure and therefore is without measure by us to be beloved Not that we are bound to love God in quantum est diligibilis so much as he is lovely or love-worthy for so God only can love himself but Nihil supra aequè aut contra Nothing must we love above God or so much as God much less against God we must be able to say affectionately with David Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee And as Bernard Amo te Domine plus quam mea meos me I love thee Lord more than my goods my friends my self A Christian begins with loving God for himself but he ends in loving himself and all other both persons and things in and for God His friend he loveth in the Lord his foes for the Lord but God he loveth absolutely and for himself affecting not only an union with him but even an unity his heart being turned as it were into a very lump of love as was Maries Luke 7.47 Histories tell of a certain Woman that came to Vespasian the Emperour professing that she was in love with him he commanded that a liberal reward should be given her for the same and when his Steward asked him under what Item he should put that gift in his Book of Account Vespasiano adamato said the Emperour Item To her that loved Vespasian God saith the Apostle is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love c. Heb. 6. I love them that love me saith Christ Prov. 8. and his love is not like the Winter Sun which hath light but not heat c. he is the strength of his people their Rock Fortress c. Vers 2. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress c. i.e. He is all in all for my preservation Ten words say the Hebrews he here heapeth up in reference to Ten signal Victories or rather because his thankful heart was so enlarged that hee could never satisfie himself in saying what God had been to
be desolate for a reward a poor reward but such as sin payeth to her servants the wages of sin is death Sin payeth all her servants in black mony See Psal 35.21 The ward here rendred reward signifieth an heel It is as if the Prophet should say Let one desolation tread upon the heels of another â—ill they be utterly undone Vers 16. Let all those that seek thee rejoyce viz. When they hear of my deliverance The Saints have both their joyes and griefs in common with their fellow-members as being in the body Heb. 13.3 both in the body of Christ and in the body of sleth and frailty Vers 17. But I am poor and needy A stark begger neither will I hide from my Lord as once Josephs Brethren said to him when they came for com mine extream indigency my necessitous condition I am one that gets my living by begging Yee the Lord thinketh upon met Hee is the poor mans King as hath been said and Christ is 〈…〉 as Augustine hath it that is he gives with the Father and at same time prayes with the suter who must therefore needs speed Thou art my help and my deliverer make no tarrying Deliver mee speedily lest I perish utterly God saith One is sometimes troubled with too much help but never with too little we are sometimes too soon but he is never too late PSAL. XLI A Psalm of David Of the same sense with the four former Psalmes saith Kimchi Vers 1. Blessed is his that considereth the poor Heb. That wise by 〈◊〉 concerning the poor The poor weakling whose health is impaired whose wealth is wasted Austin rendreth it Qui praeoccupat vocem 〈◊〉 He that prevenreth the request of the poor begger wisely considering his case and not staying till he â—â—ave which possibly out of modesty hee may hee Ioth to do The most interpret it of a charitable Judgement passed upon the poor afflicted not holding him therefore hated of God because heavily afflicted as Jobs friends did At vobis 〈◊〉 sit qui de me quantumvis calamitoso rectius judicatis so Beza here paraphraseth Well may you fare my friends who censiâ—â—e better of mee though full of misery and deal more kindly with mee The word Masâ—hil signifieth both a prudent Judgement and a desire to do all good offices Faith One. It signifieth to give comfort and instruction to the weak faith Another wisely weighing his case and ready to draw out not his sheaâ— only but his soul to the hungry Isa 58.10 This is a blessed man presupposing him to be a Beleever and so to do it from a right Principle viz. Charity out of a pure heart of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 The Lord will deliver him i.e. The poor weakling and the other also that dealeth so mercifully with him both shall be delivere according to that of our Saviour Matth. 10.41 Delivered I say he shall be in due time supported in the mean while a good use and a good Issue he shall be sure of Kimchi Some make it Davids prayer The Lord deliver him c. Others the mercifull mans prayer for the poor-afflicted Vers 2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive Life in any sense is a singular mercy Why is a living man sorrow full Lam. 3.39 if he be alive though afflicted he hath cause to be thankfull how much more if alive to Righteousness The Arabick here interpreteth it dabit 〈◊〉 filios in quibus post mortems vivat he will give him Children in whom he may live after his death And he shall be blessed upon the earth With wealth and other accommodations so that the World shall look upon him as every way blessed And thou wilt not deliver him into the hands of his enemies Heb. Do not thou deliver him This maketh Kimchi conclude that all this is but oratio visitantis consolatoria the prayer of him that visiteth the sick man for his comfort Vers 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing Whether through sicknesse of body as Isa 38.2 or sorrow of heart for in such case also men cast themselves upon their beds 1 Kin. 21.4 This God and not the Physicians will do for the sick man die septimo on the seventh day saith R. Solomon when he is at sickest Thou wilt make all his bed Heb. Thou wilt turn thou wilt stirre up Poâ—hers under him that he may lye at ease and this by the hand of those poor whom he had considered Or Thou wilt turn all his bed That is his whole body from sicknesse to health as Kabvenaki senseth it Vers 4. I said Lord be mercifull unto mee heal Heal mee in mercy and begin at the inside first Heal my soul of sin and then my body of sicknesse Heal me every whit These to the end are the sick mans words saith Kimchi And this is the Character of the Lords poor man to whom the foresaid comforts do belong saith Another For I have sinned against thee He cryeth peccavi not perit Sanat ionom in capite orditur he beginneth at the right end Vers 5. Mine enemies speak evill of mee Notwithstanding my pitty and devotion that 's no target against persecution Davids integrity and the severity of his discipline displeased these yokelesse Balialists they were sick of his strict government and longed for a new King who would favour their wicked practices such as was absolom whom they shortly after set up David they could not name because be did Justice and Judgement to all the people These â—bertines were of the Eâ—â—◠〈◊〉 loquaces ingeniesi in prafect 〈…〉 eulpam infamiam non effugiat such as loved to speak evill of dignities and could not give their governours how blamelesse soever a good word When shall be dye and his name perish Nothing lesse would satisfie their malice than utter extermination But David recovereth and his name surviveth when they lie wrapt up in the sheet of shame Vers 6. And if he come to see mee That is Achitaphel or some such hollow-hearted Holophanta Plaut Ore pro mea sinitate orant sed cordequaerunt malum Midrash Tillin He speaketh vanity Pretending that he is very sorry to see mee so ill at ease and letting fall some Crocodiles tears perhaps Has heart gathereth iniquity to it self As Toads and Serpents gather venom to vomit at you When be goeth abroad be telleth it Boasting to his treacherous Brotherhood of his base behaviour Vers 7. All thas hate mee whisper together against mee Heb. Mussitant they mutter as Charmers use to do These whisperers are dangerous fellows Rom. 1.29 like the wind that creepeth in by chinks in a wall or cracks in a window A vente percolato inimice reconciliato libera nos Demine saith the Italian Against mee do they devise Cogitant quasi coagitant Vers 8. An evill disease say they â—leaveth fast unto him Heb. A thing of Belial Omnes impietates quas perpetravit R.
administration whereof Christs Birth-dew that is the influence of his Spitis and his presence in those Ordinances is from the womb of the morning i.e. is of that generating and enlivening vertue that the dew of the teeming morning is to the seeds and plants of the earth An apt similitude both to express the multitude of Christâ— converts and the manner of their heavenly generation See Mac. 5.7 with the Note Vers 4. The Lord hath sworn c. Christs Priestly Office as well as his Kingly is here described whereof how many and how great mysteries there are see Heb. 7. with the Notes The Church is collected and conserved not onely by Christs Kingly power but also by his Priestly mediation Thou art a Priest 1. To expiate 2. To intercede After the order of Melchisedeck Who whether he were Shem or some other is not easie to determine Melchisedeck was a King and a Priest Christ was more a Priest a Prophet and a King These Offices have met double in some others as Melchisedech was King and Priest Samuel a Priest and a Prophet David a King and a Prophet but never met all three in any but in Christ alone Vers 5. The Lord at thy right hand Before Christ was at the Fathers right hand here the Father at his this is to shew the equality of the Father and the Son falsh Hierom. Athanasius by Lord here understandeth the Holy Ghost Others by thy right hand will have the Church to be meant who is promised protection and victory The Lord Christ shall slay her enemies in battel vers 5. compel them to flye and turn their backs vers 6. pursue them flying vers 7. as Judg. 7.5 c. Vers 6. He shall judge among the heathen Do execution upon his enemies as vers 1. whether Kings or Caitives He shall fill the places The ditches of their own camps He shall wound the heads Heb. Head cruontabit caput whereby some understand the Roman Empire with its Image Antichrist with his adherents who are called Heathens Rev. 11.2 Others Turks and Saracens reading the next words Over the land of Rabbab the chief City of the Ammonites who were likewise Arabians and so they make it an allusion to Davids victories over the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10. 12. Vers 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way i. e. Of the wrath of the Almighty Viver paupâ—rem vitem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—st Aeâ—umnas omnes dutisâ— mae militiae perferet Beâ— pointing to Christs state of humiliation as in the next words to his exaltation Or he shall content himself with a low condition here such as was that of Eliâ—â— when he drank of the brook I King 17. Or in the eager pursuit of his enemies he shall drink hastily of the water next at hand i.e. as Gideon and his Souldiers did Therefore shall be lift up the hand Maugre the heads of his enemies he shall rise again reign and triumph and so shall all his members after that through many â—â—ibulations they have entred into the Kingdom of heaven Christs and their 〈◊〉 but a drinking of the brook not a spring of water for perpetuity they are 〈◊〉 a dark entry into out Fathers house a dirty lane to a stately Pallace shut but your eyes as that Martyr at the stake said and there will be a change immediately Look how the Disciples after they had taken Christ into the ship were presently at shore after a Tempest So the Saints have no sooner taken death into their besomes but they are landed presently at the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 at the Kingdome of heaven PSAL. CXI Vers 1. 〈◊〉 ye the Lord At the 〈◊〉 especially for this and the other Hallelujatical Psalms that follow called by the Jews the Great Hallelujah were sung as that and other solemn 〈◊〉 in praise of God for his manifold mercies I will praise the Lord Musica hujuâ— Psalmi insignis est siquis com consequi potuit The great are used in the composure of this and some other Psalms after the order of the Hebrew Alphabet serveth both to set forth their excellency and for the help of memory Vers 2. The works the Lord aye great Magnalia no small things are done by so great a hand Grandior solet esse Deus in parvulis quam in magnis in formic is major anima quam in Elephantis in nanis quam in gigantibus Sought out of all them q.d. Great though they be yet are they seriously sought into and found out by those that delight therein and the deeper they dive into them the sweeter they find them Basil diligently described many creatures and so did Ambrose after him Pliny who was himself a very great searcher in Natures secrets telleth of one who spent eight and fifty years in learning out the nature of the Bee Et non duns assecutus sit omnies and yet could not attain to all Our Anatomists find still new wonders in the body of a man c. God hath shewed singular skill in his works that men might admire him But woe to such as regard not his handy-work Isa 5.12 Vers 3. His work is honourable Heb. Honour and glory they all come tipt and gilt with a glory upon them à centro ad coelum This the bruitish man knoweth not Psal 92.6 His righteousness endureth for ever His judgements are sometimes secret but alwayes just Vers 4. He hath made his wonderful c. Memorabilia reddedit mirabilia sua clemens misericors Jehova Vers 5. He bath given meat Heb. a prey Escam demensam as he did Manna to the Israelites to each an Homer so to all his he giveth food convenient for them Prov. 30.8 Cibum petum quae sunt divitiae Christianorum Hieron He will ever be mindful of his Covenant To pass by his peoples sins and to supply all their necessities All his pathes to such are not mercy onely but truth Psal 25. Vers 6. He hath shewed his people c. To them it is given to see but not to others who are delivered up to a judiciary blindness Call unto me and I will answer theâ— and shew thee great and hidden things which thou knowest not Jer. 33.3 That he may give them c. Yea power over all Nationâ— Rev. 2. Vers 7. The works of his hands They speak him a true and just God Chrysostome taketh truth here for mercy and noteth that God usually mixeth mercy with justice yet sometimes he sendeth an evil an onely evil Ez. k. 7. All his commandements That is his promises added to his commandements or they are so called because firm and sure as the commandements of an Emperor Vers 8. They stand fast for ever and ever The promises are infallible good sure hold not yea and nay but Yea and Amen And are done i.e. Ordained made and ratified Vers 9. He sent redemption to his people Once out of Egypt ever out of Satans thraldome He hath commanded his Covenant for ever Sic cum
body is sick my soul is well Vers 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going one c. Thou shalt have his safe 〈◊〉 publick faith for thy defence in 〈◊〉 enterprizes 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 together with good success in all thine affairs and actions Prov. 3.6 PSAL. CXXII VErs 1 I was glad when they 〈…〉 The flourish is the chief joy of the good Christian Hence the Evangelicall among the Protestant party Gregory Nazianzon writeth that his Father being an Heathen and often besought by his wife to become a Christian had this verse suggested unto him in a dream and was much wrought upon thereby 〈…〉 Dutch Martyr in Luâ—â—â—ing hearing the sentence of his condemnation to the fire Act. Mon. fol. 807. 〈◊〉 Psalm c. Let us go into the house of the Lord I will go also as Zech. 8.21 said holy David who was much a cheered at his peoples forwardnesse in Gods service and became their Captain Vers 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates Where the Ark whilâ—om transportative was now fixed this was their great joy so should it bee ours that the true religion is now setled amongst us and that wee are at a certainty Respons ad Staphyl Time was when good Melancthon groaned out Quâ—s fugiamus habemus quâ—s sequamur non intelligimus Wee know whom wee should flye viz. the Papists but whom to follow wee yet know not Vers 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City c. None such for uniformity of buildings or unanimity of Citizens There is no such â—â—â—nesse in all the World as amongst true Christians and this the very Heathens observed and commended As the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned by loops so were they by love And as they stones of they Temple were so close cemented together that they seemed to bee all but one stone so was it among the primitive Saints Vers 4. Whither the Tribes go up Thrice a year all the Males appeared before the Lord in Sion the females also as many 〈◊〉 would as 〈◊〉 the Virgin Mary c. but they were not bound At which times there was such a generall meeting as no City could shew the like a type of that great Panegyriâ— Heb. 12.22 23. Unto the Testimony of Israel The Ark was so called in regard of the Tables of the Covenant kept therein as two letters of contract betwixt God and men saith Aâ—en-Ezra Exod. 25.16 those two tables are called the Testimony Vers 5. For there are 〈…〉 These are the two chief praises of any place 1 The exercise or Gods sincere service 2 The administration and execution of publick justice Vers 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Peace is a voluminous mercy and must therefore be prayed for peace both of conscience and of Country It is well with Bees when they make a noise in the Haâ—â— but with men when they are at quiet in Church and state Among the Persianâ— her that offered Sacrifice prayed not only for himself but for all his Country men and especially for the King Herodot lib. 1 They shall 〈◊〉 that love 〈◊〉 And out of love pitty and pâ—ay for thee Vers 7. Peace bee wit◠〈…〉 had no sooner admonished others of their duty but himself 〈…〉 Vers 8. For my Brethren and companions sakes David was not all for himself as the maâ—â—â—â— is in thâ—s◠〈…〉 spirit hee did 〈…〉 Vers 〈…〉 Where Davids heart was and wherein 〈…〉 unto him was Gods 〈…〉 â—ee into likeness of 〈◊〉 heavenly 〈◊〉 〈…〉 PSAL. CXXIII VNto thee life I up mine eyes Praying by them rather than by words mine afflictions having swoln my heart too bigge for my mouth See the 〈…〉 Psal 121.1 Vers 2. Behold as the eyes of servants For direction defence maintenance mercy in time of correction help when the service is over-hard c. so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God viz. for direction and benediction Vers 3. Have mercy upon me O Lord have mercy This is preceâ— fundere calum tundere misericerdiem exterquert as Tertulliâ—n hath it to wring mercy out of Gods holy hands by out utmost importunity For we are exceedingly filled with contempt We are made the very scâ—â— and scorn of our proud imperious enemies This the nature of man is very impatient of and can hardly brook for there is none so mean but holdeth himself worthy of some regard and a reproachful scorn sheweth an utter dis-respect which issueth from the very superfluity of malice Vers 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those that are at ease And there-hence insolent and unsufferable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulness breedeth forgetfulness yea it maketh men scornful and wrongful to others PSAL. CXXIV VErs 1. If it had not been the Lord c. God may farre better say than our Hen. 8 Cui adhareâ— praest He whose part I take is sure to prevail But Christ hath ever been the Churches Champion and hence she is insuperable The Captain of the Lords Hâ—asts is Captain of our salvation Josh 5.14 Heb. 2.10 Vers 2. When men rose Monsters rather but such as think themselves the only men alive and us the only slaves and Zanies Vers 3. Then had they swallowed in up quick As the great Fish do the little ones as hungry Lions Gualth praef in Marc. R. Obad. Gaon in Psal 124. or Wolves raven up their prey Ptâ—lâ—mam Lathurus King of Aegypt slew thirty thousand Jews and compelled the living to seed upon the dead Adrian the Emperour made a Decree that hee who had not slain a Jew should himself be slain When their wrath was kindled against us Heb. in the flagrancies or 〈◊〉 of their anger Vers 4. Then the waters 〈…〉 us At once the red Sea did the Aegyptians or as the general deluge did the old world The stream 〈…〉 Neither could we have withstood it by any Art or industry Vers 5. Then the proud waters c. The same again to note the greatness both of the danger and of the deliverance And it may teach us not lightly to pass over Gods great blessings but to make the most of them Vers 6. Blessed be the Lord c. 〈…〉 thanks be to God was much in Austins mouth and should be 〈…〉 deliverance How was God blessed 〈…〉 As a prey to the 〈◊〉 Who meant to have made 〈…〉 and had already devoured us in their hopes but God 〈◊〉 them Vers 7. Our soul is 〈◊〉 c. 〈…〉 God 's opportunity See 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 c. God 〈…〉 net is broken Vers 8. 〈…〉 〈…〉 of infinite might and mercy and say as those good souls at Ebon-ezra Hitherto God hath helped us he hath and therefore he will c. PSAL. CXXV VErs 1 They that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Zion Great is the stability of a beleevers felicity Winds and storms move not a Mountain an Earthquake may but not easily remove it That mysticall Mount Sion the Church immota manet is unmoveable so is every
besides was smitten with fore boiles as hoping haply he would have cursed God therewith Only upon himself put not forth thy hand Meddle not with his outward or inward man He would fain have been doing with both and had done it now but for this mercifull restriction which to the divel was no doubt a very great vexation But how could he help it otherwise then as horses digest their choler by biting on the bridle The will of the Lord must stand and Job though he shall have his back-burden of crosses of all kinds yet they shall not be laid upon him all at once but piece-meal Acts and Mon. fol. 1579. and at several times Fidelis est Deus saith the Apostle and Father Latimer died in the flames with those sweet words in his mouth God is faithfull who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able c. but will surely proportion the burden to the back and the stroke to the strength of them that shall beare it See his gracious dealings with the Apostles at their first setting forth into the world and how by degrees he inured them to bear the Crosse of Christ Acts 2. 4. 5. 12. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord As thinking every houre two till he had sped his commission the divel descended like lightning upon the earth to search occasions to ruine Job and to triumph over his patience to touch all that he had and to touch him to the very quick This diligence of the divel in evil-doing how happy were it saith Mr. Beza if we could imitate in doing well But behold whilest Christs enemies watch and in the night set themselves in readinesse to take him his chief disciples do not only snort and sleep but cannot so much as be awaked in the garden Verse 13. And there was a day A dismal day it proved to Job a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse as Zeph. 1.15 That subtle serpent set upon mischief purposely picketh out such a time to do it as wherein such a sad and sudden change was least of all looked for and then laies on amaine as if he were wood with the hail-shot hell-shot of sharpest afflictions He knowes well that as mercies and deliverances the more unexpected they are the more welcome as Abrahams receiving his son Isaac after a sort from the dead Israels eduction out of Egypt when they were forsaken of their hopes Jonah his being drawn out of the belly of hell as he phraseth it chap. 2.2 so crosses the more suddenly they befall men the more they amate them and finding weak minds secure they make them miserable leave them desperate When his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine Wherewith if their hearts were overcharged and what more easie the divel foiled our first parents by inordnate appetite and finding it then so successfull a weapon he maketh use of it still that day might come upon them unawares Luke 21.34 That was Satans drift surely however it fell out and so to destroy body and soul together But it is to be hoped that he was disappointed of his aime and that death was sent in hast to Jobs children as an invitant to a better feast and that they might do as our Saviour did who being at a feast at Bethany fell into a meditation and discourse of his death and bâ—â—â—al John 12.7 8. Sure it is that although the wicked may die firming and shall die in their sins John 5.21 and so be killed with death as Jezebels children were Rev. 2.23 Yet Gods children shall not dye before their time Eccles 7.17 or till the best time till their work is done Revel 11.7 No malice of man or divel can antedate my end a minute saith one whilest my master both work for me to do It is the happinesse of a Saint that he is sure not to die till that time when if he were but rightly informed he would even desire to die Happy is he that after due preparation is passed through the gates of death ere he be aware as Jobs children were Verse 14. And there came a messenger A sad relater not a divel in the shape of a man as the Rabbines would have it let that passe for a Jewish fable but one of Jobs own servants or some other eye-witnesse to make Job believe belike that as an evill man he only sought rebellion sith such cruel messengers were sent against him Prov. 17.11 The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding c. i.e. We were none of us either idle or ill-occupied but taking pains and tending our cattle when this disaster befell us Fools because of their transgression and because of their iniquities are afflicted Psalm 107.17 they create themselves crosses such as must therefore needs come with a sting in them See Gen. 42.21 But Jobs servants were honestly employed when plundered and assassined which sheweth that his losses were not penall but probationall And the asses feeding beside them Peter Martyr upon the first of Samuel Com. in 1 Sam. 12. wittily applyeth this text to prelates and non-residents who when put in mind of their duty would usually answer that they had substitutes and curates to do their businesse for them Itâ— labor aliorum est proventus ipsorum So that others took the paines and they the profit saith he and as it is in the book of Job The axen plow and the asses feed beside them Verse 15. And the Sabeans fell upon them i.e. Sabai apud poetas molles vocantur but Satan set them a work Bâ—eerw Enquir 135. The Arabians a theevish people that lived by rapine and robbery They are at this day called Saracens of Sarac to rob for they keep up their old trade and are not all out so good as those Circassians a â—ind of mongrell-Christians who are said to divide their life betwixt sinne and devotion dedicating their youth to rapine and their old age to repentance Yea they have slain the servants Heb. The young men for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈…〉 It was happy howsoever that they were taken away when in their lawful â—alling and about their honest employments Eliah chose to be taken in such a posture for he knew the very time and yet when the charriots of heaven came to fetch him up he was going and talking to his Scholar Elisha The busie attendance on our holy vocation is no lesse pleasing to God or safe for us to die upon then an immediate devotion Happy is that servant whom the Master when he cometh shall find so doing And I only am escaped alone to tell thee For no other cause escaped this one this single one but to adde to Jobs affliction There was no mercy in such a sparing It was that Job might have the ill newes brought him suddenly and certainly That old
My lovers and friends stand aloof c. they looked on him and so passed by him as the Priest and the Levite did the wounded passenger Luke 10.32 But God takes it ill that any should once look upon his afflicted unlesse it be to pity and relieve them Obad. 12.13 and hath threatned an evil an only evil without the least mixture of mercy to such as shew no mercy to those in misery Jam. 2.13 But he hath forsaken the fear of the Almighty Which wheresoever it is in the power of it frameth a man to all the duties both of piety and charity Oâ—adiah feared God greatly and it well appeared by his pity to the persecuted Prophets Cornelius feared God and as a fruit of it gave much almes Acts 10.2 Not so Nabal that saplesse fellow whose heart was hardened from Gods holy fear nor Judas the traitor who had no bowels of compassion toward his innocent master and therefore he burst in the midst wâ—â—h an huge crack and all his bowels gusht out by a singular judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 1.18 There are many other readings of this text as that of the â—igurine translation It were fit for friends to shew kindnesse to their friend that is in misery but the feare of the Almighty hath forsaken me as you please to say See what Eliphaz had said to this purpose chap. 4.6 with the Note Others read it thus to him that is afflicteâ— should reproach be given that he hath forsaken the feare of the Almighty q.d. Must a man therefore be reviled as irreligious because he is calamitous The vulgar translation runnes thus He that taketh away pity from his friend hath forsaken the fear of the Almighty c. Verse 15. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brooke Even you whom I esteemed as my brethren for to them he applyeth this speech verse 21. prove hollow and helplesse to me like the river Araris that moveth so slowly that it can hardly be discerned saith Caesar whether it flow forward or backward or rather Cas de bell Gal. l. 1. to a certaine fish in that river Araris called Scolopidus which at the waxing of the Moon is as white as the driven snow and at the wayning thereof is as black as a burnt coal Job here elegantly compareth them not to a river which is fed by a spring and hath a perennity of flowing but to a brook arising from rain or melted snow the property whereof is in a moisture when there is least need of them to swell in a drought when they should do good to fail It is reported of the river Novanus in Lombardy that at every mid-summer-solstice it swelleth and runneth over the bankes but in mid-winter is quite dry Such were Jobs deceitfull brethren good summer-birds c. The same Author telleth us that in that part of Spaine called Carrinensis Plin. lib. 2. cap. 103. Idem ibid. there is a river that shewes all the fish in it to be like gold but take them into thine hand and they soon appeare in their natural kinde and colour Job found that all is not gold that glistereth And as the stream of brooks they passe away i. e. as an impetuous land-flood they faile me and now that I have most need of their refreshments they yeild me none but the contrary rather like as land-floods by their sudden and violent overflow doe much hurt many times to corn and cattle I can goe to these streames of brookes saith Job and shew my friends the face of their hearts in those waters Verse 16. Which are blackish by reason of the ice Or frost a black-frost we call it which deceiveth those that tread upon it Or if hard enough to beare up passengers it promise to be a store-house of preserving snow and water against the scortching time of Summer yet there 's no trusting to it for these waters as they are in winter lock'd up with frosts so they will be in Summer exhaled and dried up by the Sun Verse 17. What time they wax warm they vanish when it is hot c. Lo such is the fruit of creature-confidence of making flesh our arme of trusting in men or meanes whereas Deo coâ—fisi nunquan confusi they that trust in the Lord shall never be disappointed This thou canst never do unlesse unbottomed of thy self and the creature thou so lean upon the Lord as that if he fail thee thou sinkest and not otherwise Verse 18. The paths of their way are turned aside i. e. They being as it were cut into divers small rivers running here and there by little and little Beza and being resolved into vapours at length quite vanish away They go to nothing and perish Metaphâ—ra insignis Hieroglyphicum saith an Interpreter this is an excellent metaphor and a lively picture of the vanity of such as make a great shew of piety and charity which yet floweth not from the spring of true faith and therefore cannot but after a while go to nothing and perish A failing brook saith another is a cleare emblem of a false heart both to God and man Lavatâ—r thus explaineth the comparison 1. As brookes run with waters then when there is least need of them so falfe friends are most officious when their courtesie might best be spared 2. As the ice of such brooks is so condensed and hardened that it beareth men horses and other things of great weight so counterfeit friends promise and pretend to be ready to doe their utmost to suffer any thing for our good and comfort 3. But as those brookes are dried up in summer and frozen up in winter so that we can set no sight on them in like sort these are not to be found when we are in distresse and affliction 4. As brooks in winter are covered with snow and ice so these would seem to be whiter then snow when their aâ—fections towards us are colder then ice 5. Lastly as the ice that was hard and firm upon a thaw breaketh and melteth so false friends leave us many times upon very small or no dislikes as being constant only in their unconstancy Verse 19. The troopes of Tema looked the companies of Sheba waited for them The troops that is the travellers the Caravan or company of merchants from those parts passing through dangerous and dry deserts expected reliefe from those brooks which they had marked out for themselves against summer But with what successe Verse 20. They were confounded because they had hoped c. Heb. They blushed or they were abashed because disappointed and defeated of their hope and expectation See Jer. 14.3 4. Joel 1.10 11. Gods people have a promise that hoping in him they shall never be ashamed Joel 2.26 Rom 9.23 Their hope is unfallible Rom. 5.5 because founded upon â—aith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Hence they are commanded to rejoyce in hope Rom. 12.12 and to conceive gaudium in re gaudium in spe gaudium de possessiâ—e
as was noted before on verse 5. But he is said to remember us when he relieveth us Psalm 136.23 and 9.18 1 Sam. 1.19 That thou hast made me c. viz. in those Protoplasts my first parents formed out of the ground Gen. 2.7 whence the Heathen Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arian in Epict. that man is nothing else but a piece of clay weakly made up or thou hast wrought me like clay sc in the womb where thou hast framed and formed my body as the potter worketh his clay well-tempered into an earthen vessel Here then Job in-minds the Lord by the matter whereof he was made of the frailty vility and impurity of his nature Lutum enim conspurcat omnia sic caro to move him to a mitigation of his misery See Psal 103.14 and 78.39 Wilt thou bring me into the dust again viz. By those grievous torments Or And that thou wilt bring me into dust againe for so thou hast said to dust shalt thou return Gen. 3.19 And it is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 Oh therefore that I might have some small rest and respite before I go hence and be no more seen Psal 39.12 13. Verse 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk Or melted me that is made me of some such thing as liquid and white milke Generationem hominis describit Man is a very mean thing in his first conception modestly here set forth by the making of cheeses Vatab. Vnde superbit homo cujus conceptâ—o turpis Nasci poena labor vitâ— necesse morâ— Concerning mans formation in the womb see the Naturallists and Lactantius de Opificio Dei cap. 12. but especially Psalm 139. where and in this text there is enough spoken to satisfie us about this great natural mystery saith Mercer that is a good Moral that one maketh of it God strains out the motes of corruption from a godly-man while his heart is poured out like milk with grief and fear whereby the iniquity of Jacob is purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne Isa 27.9 And crudled me like cheese Siccastissimo ore elegantibus metaphoris saith an Interpreter Bodin theat natur 434. Arist de gen anim cap. 20. i. e. Thus in a most modest manner and with elegant metaphors doth Job as a great Philosopher set out mans conception in the womb Aristotle whose manner is obscurioribus obscura implicare as Bodin observeth hath some such expression as this but nothing so clear and full Verse 11. Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh Out of that soft and liquid substance the slime of my parents loins grossed first into a rude fleshy masse and consolidated Thou hast made not only a thin skin and firm flesh but also hard bones and knitting nerves and all this for a garment or guardment to those more noble inward parts the brain heart liver c. which Job here accounts to be the man when he saith Thou hast clothed me that is my vital parts with the upper garment of skin and with the under-garment of flesh all which and the rest of the parts both similar and organical are in their original but the same matter which God hath thus diversified and all by the book Psalm 139.16 Had he left out any member in his common-place-book thou hadst wanted it saith one And hast fenced me with bones and sinews Bones are the pillars of the body giving it stability straightnesse and forme The Rabbines say there are as many of them in mans body as there are affirmative precepts in the law that all his bones may say Lord who is like unto thee c Psal 35.10 By the sinews are the bones knit together that upon them man may move from place to place as he pleaseth Sense also and Motion is by these in their wonderful and inexplicable conjugations conveyed to the rest of the parts It is God alone that knoweth how the bones think the same of the sinews arteries veins gristles flesh and blood c. do grow in the wombe of her that is with child Eccles 11.5 The Anatomists find out every day almost new wonders and an Ancient stileth Man the miracle of miracles Besides what is seen Mr. Caryl God hath pack many rarieties mysteries yea miracles together in mans chest And surely saith one if all the Angels in heaven had studied to this day they could not have cast man into a more curious mould or have given a fairer or more 〈◊〉 edition of him Verse 12. Thou hast granted me life i. e. Into my body thus formed and organized thou hast infused a soul Vatab. that principle of life quickned me in the womb and brought me alive out of it which because it is a miracle of mercy therefore 〈◊〉 addeth favour thou hast granted me Heb. thou hast wrought with me life and favâ—â—â— Thou hast dealt life and goodnesse unto me that is thou hast given me life accompanied with thy goodnesse and blessings so Beza senseth it Some understand it of the reasonable soul others of the beauty of the body according to Isa 40 6. And thy visitation hath preserved my Spirit i. e. Thy good providence hath safe guarded me from innumerable deaths and dangers Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus children are apt to run into mischief and those of riper years are subject to a thousand disasters and evil-occurrences Gods special care is exercised over his as is sweetly expressed Psalm 121. and Psalm 23. Davids pastoral and Psalm 3. where David doubteth not of safety though asleep and in the midst of enemies because God sustained him when as Samson and Ishbosheth a sleep in the midst of friends were circumvented because deserted by him oh pray pray that the Lord Jesus Christ would be ever with our spirits visit him in duty that he may visit us in mercy Verse 13. And those things hast thou hid in thine heart Legendum hoc cum stomachâ— saith Mercer And hast thou indeed hid these things in thine heart What things meaneth Job his afflictions which God was long before preparing for him and now took his time to lay load upon him to be revenged on him at unawares and at greatest advantage If this be the fense of Jobs words as some would conclude from the next verses he was mightily mistaken and this was atrox querimonia a grievous complaint and unworthy of God who lieth not at the catch nor pretendeth fair when he intendeth otherwise A Cain may do so to Abel Esau to Jacob Absolom to Amnâ—n Joab to Amasa c. The Creator needs not daub or prevaricate thus with his creatures if Job thought he did with him Job was utterly out though for confirmation he adde I know that this is with thee I am sure that thou hast dealt thus closely and covertly with me and that thy plagues have surprized me O these still revenges Merlin and others understand by those thing hid
of so great vertue This Zophar promiseth Job upon his true repentance with a daily increase thereof as the Sun shineth more and more unto the perfect day Fame followeth vertue as the shadow doth the body at the very heels If there be any vertue if any praise saith the Apostle Philip. 4.8 Where the one is the other will be Abel for his faith and righteousnesse is yet spoken of as some render Hebr. 11.4 though dead long agoe The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psalm 112.6 Thou shalt shine forth thou shalt be as the morning Isai 58.8 Or If thou dost wax obscure yet thou shalt match the morning which disperseth darknesse and conquers it by the approaching light Look how the Moon wadeth out of a cloud so shall thine over-cast righteousnesse break forth as the light and thy judgment as the noon-day Psalm 37.6 Verse 18. And thou shalt be secure because there is hope It 's a spiritual security that 's here promised which is a fruit of faith quelling and killing distracting and distrustful fears faith I say unfaigned 1 Tim. 1.5 which produceth hope unfailable Rom. 5.5 Hope is the daughter of faith but such as is a staffe to her aged mother Yea thou shalt dig about thee That is saith one Interpreter by searching to find out how to do all things for the best thou shalt prosper in all Others sense it thus Eugub Tigur thou shalt be secure as they that lye in trenches Rabbi David Thou shalt dig only about thy city and not need to make any walls about it for thy security Others Lavater thou shalt labour hard and sleep soundly thereupon Or thus God shall so encompasse thee with his safe protection as if thou dost but dig a place to pitch thy tent in thou shalt enjoy thy self safelier therein then otherwise thou wouldst do in a walled city And thou shalt take thy rest God will keep off those gnats of cares and fears that might disquiet thee We read of some great Princes that could not sleep as Ahasuerus Esth. 6.1 Daniel Thulin Richard the third of England and Charls the ninth of Franc after that barbarous Massacre at Paris but David could Psalm 3. and 4. because God was his keeper No marvel that Philip sleepeth soundly when Antipater his fast friend watched by him the while Job and all Gods beloved ones shall sleep on both ears Psalm 127.2 rest securely and comfortably What should hinder In utramvis aurem when the keeper of Israel who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth shall watch over them for good Verse 19. Thou shalt lie down and none shall make thee afraid Thou shalt walk about the world like a conquerour being ever under a double guard the Peace of God within thee Philip. 4.7 and the Power of God without thee 1 Pet. 1.5 neither shall any enemy come upon thee in the night to fright and to disturb thee which is a great mercy It is not long since we of this Nation did eat the bread of our souls in peril of our lives neither could we rest in our beds for the sound of the trumpet the alarm of warre Destruction upon destruction was cryed c. Jer. 4.19 20. Should this ever be forgotten Yea many shall make suit unto thee Heb. Shall intreat thy face yea they shall tire thee out with their intreaties Many seek the Rulers favour Prov. 29.26 he is even thronged with suitors so that he cannot be without a Master of Requests Hence the Poet Orpheus faineth that Litae or Supplications and Petitions are Joves daughters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orph. in Arg. and that they are ever attending at his throne Here then Zophar promiseth Job that upon his return to God he shall be as great a man as ever and that many yea that his very enemies shall not only not molest him but fear his power Jer. 30.17 and beg his favour And whereas once it was this is Job whom no man feeketh after then the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour Psalm 45.12 and all that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the foals of thy seet Isai 60.14 See Isai 45.14 Rev. 3.9 Prov. 19.6 Lo this is the honour God putteth upon holinesse Holy and reverend is his name and therefore reverend because holy so also is ours Psalm 111.9 Isai 43.4 Howbeit we have cause to complain that in these last and worst times Omnes quodammodo mali esse coguntur ne viles habeantur Sal. lib 4. as the Turks count all fools to be Saints so men with us account all Saints to be fools and not a few turn to unholinesse lest they should be despised Verse 20. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail Contraries illustrate one another and Zophar willing his words should stick and work thinks to leave a sting in Jobs mind by telling him what he must trust to if he persist in his sin And first his eyes shall saile Vt vehementiùs vellicet fodiat inopinatum ut putabat Job◠animum Merl. Speed The eye is a principal part of the body and the failing of the eyes followeth either upon some sudden fright or upon much weeping Damen 2. Psalm 88. and 38. we read of one Faustus son of Vortiger King of Britain who wept out his eyes or too long looking after the same thing or on the same object The wicked saith Zophar shall never want frights and griefs they shall also look many a long look after help but none shall appear Lam. 4.17 their hopes shall be fruitlesse their projects successelesse And they shall not escape Heb. refuge or flight shall perish from them◠miseries and mischiefs they shall never be able to avert or avoid many sorrows shall be to the wicked Psalm 32.10 and although they may think to get off of out-run them yet it will not be Amos 2.14 Psalm 142.4 Saul for instance God hath forsaken me saith he and the Philistims are upon me 1 Sam. 28.15 Their hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost Broughton rendreth it Their hope is nought but pangs of the soul Of that which yeildeth but cold comfort we use to say It comforteth a man like the pangs of death the Vulgar hath it Their hope shall be the abomination of their soul the Tigurine Their hope shall be most vain even as a puffe of breath which presently passeth away and cometh to nothing Some Rabbines make this the sense Their hope shall be as the snuffing of the breath that is they shall be so angry at their disappointments that they shall vex and snuffe at it According to our translation the wicked mans hope is set forth as utterly forlorn and at an end for any good ever to befall him The godly mans hope is lively 1 Pet. 1.3 and the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Cum expiro spero is his motto whereas the wickeds word when he dieth is or may
the wisdom in the world and must it needs live and dye with thee Is every man a fool presently An solus sapis ita ut te pareunte sit ipsa sapientia peritura Vatabl. who is not of thy mind and make Epicurius indeed had such a conceit and Palaemon in Suetonius and Laurentius Valla with some others of late but Job was far from it as appeareth by his many self-abasing expressions and it had been well for him if his three friends had taken out that lesson in wisdomes school viz. to judge those certaine good things found in another better then they are and certaine evils lesse doubtful good things certaine and doubtful evil things none Verse 9. What knowest thou that we know not Here Eliphaz inveigheth against Jobs pride sed majori cum fastu but with greater pride else what meaneth this arrogant comparison Did not a deceived heart burn him aside as the Prophet speaketh in another case and might it not be said of him as it was once of Antony That he hated a Tyrant but not Tyranny See the Notes above on chap. 12.3 and 13.2 Verse 10. With us are the gray-headed c. Job had said chap. 12.12 With the ancient is wisdom and in length of dayes is understanding This though modestly spoken yet was very ill taken and is here replyed unto with a great deal of heat Sed ita solent importuni homines c. saith Mercer here But such is the course and custome of unreasonable men to take every thing in the worst way and to deal rather by reproaches then by reasons as Eccius Sanderus Genâ—brardus the whole generation of Jesuites of whom Aâ—relius the Sorbonist saith and truly that they are a sort of men qui nihil magis habent quâ—m arrogantiam Tâ—eologicaâ— niâ—il minus possident quà m Theologicaâ—â—cientiâ—m Arrogant and yet ignorant for whiles they think they know all things they know nothing at all as they ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 As for Antiquity here so sâ—iffely pleaded it must have no more Authority then what it can maintain Papists boast much of it as once the Gibeonites did of old shooes and mouldy bread But antiquity severed from verity is of no value for as Cyprian saith well Consuetâ—do mala vetustas erroris est And our Saviour saith not I am custome but I am the Way the Truth c. And God saith by the Prophet Ezekiel Walk ye not in the statutes of your Fathers neither observe their judgments c. but walk in my statutes and keep my judgments and do them chap. 20.18 19. See the Notes on chap. 8.8 9 10. and on 12.12 Verse 11. Are the consolations of God Sic fastuâ—se suas consolationes appellat sociorum saith Mercer so Eliphaz with state enough calleth the comforts that he and his fellowes had ministred to Job promising him mercy from God upon his sound repentance but telling him withal that unlesse he would yeeld himself an hypocrite those promises would profit him nothing at all Had Job slighted the precious promises those conduits of comfort he had been much to blame as he was doubtlesse who said My soul refused comfort Psal 77.2 Like some sullen child that will not eat his milk because he hath it not in the golden dish The soul is ready to turn the back of the hand and not the palm to the staff of divine consolations saying Oh my stubbornnesse c. and rather to shift and shark in every by corner for comfort then to suck it out of those breasts of consolation and be satisfied Isai 60.11 The Apostle taxeth his Hebrewes that they had forgotten the consolation so the words may be read which spake unto them as unto children saying My son c. Heb. 12. â— Wrangling with God by caviling Objections when they should rather have wrastled with him by earnest supplications putting the Promises in suit and drawing waters with joy out of those wells of consolation Isai 12.3 Job was not altogether clear of this fault He was so poor and sore without and within so full of horrour and terrour that he was ready with Rachel to refuse to be comforted Mercies were offered unto him but he was scarce in case to receive them The ear which tasteth words as the mouth doth meat was so filled with choler that he could hardly rellish any comfort The easiest Medicines or Waters are troublesome to sore eyes The flesh with her roarings and repinings maketh such a din that the voice of the Comforter cannot well be heard in the best heart sometimes The Spirit knocks but there is none to open Hence he goes away grieving and that should not be Is there any secret thing with thee Hast thou meat to eat that we know not of Are there with thee consolations of thine own better then those of God which we have ministred unto thee Some render it And lyeth there any hidden thing within thee that is Either some greater and more profound wisdome then every man knoweth or else some secret sin which must be cast out ere comforts can fasten For as the wound cannot close and heal as long as any part of the iron weapon remaineth in it so herein the Cordiaca passio or passion of heart the heart iâ— so oppressed and over-covered that the most refreshing cordials cannot come at it so that it is even suffocated with sorrow In allusion whereunto the Church prayes Laâ— 3.65 Give them sorrow of heart This was Spira's case and for the time might be Jobs Possibly some sin or sorrow might lye at the fountain-head and stop the course of his comforts This Eliphaz fisheth after and would have found out and remedied Verse 12. Why doth thine heart carry thee away Violently transport thee scil beyond all bounds of reason and modesty There is another charge Quis te furor cordis exagitas Pineda and higher then the former as if he had been emotae mentis not well in his wits but wild and wood as they call it or at least that his passions were so far too hard for his reason as they did Rectam de cardine tollere mentem We are in no smal danger of our naughty hearts It was no ill prayer of one Lord keep me from that naughty man my self Nor was it any ill counsel of another Domine libera me à malo homine meipso Ita cave tibi ut cave as teipsum who said So take heed to thy self that thou beware of thy self Though there were no devil yet our corrupt nature would act Satans part against it self it would have a supply of wickednesse as a Serpent hath of poison from it self it hath a spring to feed it Keep thy heart therefore with all custody Prov. 4.24 it will get away else and carry thee away with it And what do thine eyes wink at Nictant celeriterscilicit subtiliter Possibly Job through pain and anguish might be made to wink whiles he was speaking to
and God come in with his Cordiâ—ls of comfort See the Note on the former verse Verse 14. Yet his meat in his boâ—els is turned Soure â—â—uce he hath at length to his sweet meats viz. Gripes and throbs of conscience terrors and tortures inexproâ—â—ble a greedy Vulture feeding upon his entrails as the Poets fained of Prometheus those Furies or hell-hags so much mentioned by them as hanting evil-doers In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare Prov. 29.6 There is a cord to strangle his joyes with to maâ— his mirth Did not Josephs brethren experiment this and Ahab in his house of ivory and Belshazzar amidst his sensualities Principium dulce est sed finis amoris amarus Laâ—â— venire Venas tristis abire solet The sinners cup of honey ends in the dregs of gall even the gall of Asps Volupiâ— and Angorom went yâ—aled together among the Romans Did men but forecast the said issues of sin they durst not but be innocent It is the gall of Asps within him Gall of any sort is bitter but that of Asps is most poisonful and mortal Pliny saith that the poison of Asps is nothing else but their gall An Asp is a kind of serpent not know in these parts of the world Eaâ—â—â—titeth That the biting of an Asp is uncurable and others say that it killeth without remedy with in four houres space Unto this kind of poison is sinne fitly compared for when an Asp stingeth a man it doth first tickle him so as it maketh him laugh then it casteth him into a sleep till the poison by little and little gets to the heart after which it paineth him more then ever before it delighted him So doth wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Duleacidum It is a bitter-sweet Bernard compareth it to the itch which first yeilded pleasure and afterwards smart Austin saith Many devour that on earth which they must digest in hell where they shall have punishment without pity misery without mercy sorrow without succour mischief without measure torments without end and past imagination When therefore thou art making a covenant with sin say to thy soul as Boaz said to his kinsman Ruth 4.4 What time thou buyest it thou must 〈◊〉 Ruth with it So if thou wilt have the sweet of sin thou must have the 〈◊〉 with it and let thy soul answer as he there doth No I may not do it I shall 〈…〉 Verse 15. 〈…〉 down riches As wild beasts do their prey as the greater fishes do the lesser greedily easily suddenly recoverably as the fire swalloweth up the fuel as the lean Kine devoured the far and as the Pamphagus glutton doth his tid bits his sweet morsels This word Hath swollowed sheweth his infinite and unsatiate desire of getting and gathering riches and that by continual gaping after more he loseth the pleasure of what he hath already Like as a dog at his Masters table swalloweth the whole meat he casteth him without any pleasure gaping still for the next morsel He knoweth no other language but that of the Horte Leethes daughter Give give or that of greedy Eseâ— returning from the field as hungry as an Hunter Gen. 25.30 Feed me I pray thee or 〈◊〉 me swallow at â—â—er like as Camels are fed by casting gobbets into cheir mouth 〈◊〉 red red c. Gold is no better then red earth and cannot terminate mans Eccles 5.10 And he shall vomit them up again Either by remorse and restitution in the mean time or by despair and impenitent horror hereafter He shall vomit them up and together with them his vital blood and spirits he shall bring up his very heart withall as Judas did together with those thirty pieces of silver Mat. 27.4 all his bowels gushing out Act. 1.18 He thought to have digested his ill gâ—â—ten goods as the Estrich doth iron but Pelican-like he is forced to cast them up again The Whale that swallowed Jonah found him hard meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pelicanus à vomitu Vide Plin. l. 10. c. 30. Graci eleganter tropo explicato and for his own ease was forced to regurgitate Think the same of this wretched Mammonist The Septuagint interpret the Text when they thus render it Wealth unjustly gathered soal be vomited up again and an Angel shall bale it out of his mouth An evil Angel say their Interpreters But the Hebrew verity referreth it to God as an act of his divine justice God shall cast them out of his belly As by a Writ of Ejectment or rather as by a violent purgation that shall work both wayes Jer. â—1 44 I will punish Bel in Babylon and I will bring forth out of his mouth what he hath swallowed up viz. the wealth of the Nations round about him This God will take out of his belly so that a piece of his heart shall go with it In the last destruction of Jerusalem some of the Jewes had swallowed their gold that the roman souldiers might not have it this was found out and thereupon thousands of them were killed and ript up for the gold that might be found in their stomacks and bowels In like sort shal God deal with those covetous Gaitives that have devoured the riches of iniquity that have suck'd in pestilential Air as hos 8.7 See the Note there Verse 16. He shall suck the poison of Asps That lyeth in his head whence also it hath its name in the Original See the Note on vers 14. Caput aspidis suget saith the Vulgar It is said of the Toad that he hath in his head a stone of great vertue called Bufâ—nites But the Asp hath nothing in his head but strong poyson This the rich wretch shall suck Like as he was went to suck the blood of the poor oppressed to eat their flesh Psal 14.4 and to eviscerate them The Vipers tongue shall slay him Perinde cadeâ— timale ficium saith Junius His wickednesse shall prove his bane unlesse he presently take the Antidotes of Repentance where by to expel the poisonâ—re it get to the vitals Repentance is the souls best vomit the hardest but wholsomest Physick It is Repentance unto life whereas the sins of the impenitent are mortal saith Saint John 1 ep 5.17 or rather Immortal as saith Saint Paul 〈◊〉 The hand that is here and elswhere lifted up in threatning Isai 26 11. will fall down in punishing The wages of sin is death When the Barbarians saw the Viper hanging on Saint Pauls hand they looked when he would fall down dead Acts 28 46. The divels designe want here to have slaine Paul but he was defeated And Brentius holdeth that the Metaphor here used is taken not so much from Serpents whose venome lyeth in their tongues as from Satan Brent in loc who by the Serpent in Paradise cast our first parents into all kind of evils Another there is who thus descanteth upon this Text Caput Viperis suget When Vipers engender the female sucketh the head of the male
common meeting place as Isai 14.13 the house of constitution or assignation to all living as the Hebrew here hath it that is to all men who are by an excellency called every creature Mark 16.15 as being the best living creatures upon earth Verse 24 Howbeit he will out stretch not his hand to the grave He will not dig up the dead as the Papists dealt by Bucer and others to afflict them any more Quid facere poterunt Occident Nunquid resuscitabunt ut iterum occidant What can they do said Luther concerning his enemies who threatned him Will they kill me but what then Will they raise me up to life again that they may kill me again No Charles the Fifth Emperour when he might have done that and was moved to do it would not Mors requies aerumnarum Dead men are at rest was Chaucers Motto There in the grave the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest chap. 3.17 Thus Job speaketh going no further then the afflictions of the body as being for his own part fearlesse of eternal punishment But as for the wicked when they dye out of bodily misery it is but as the mans flying from a Lion and a more savage Bear meeteth him or going from it into the house this house mentioned in verse 23. and that more venemous Serpent the Divel who hath the power of death Heb. 2.14 there biteth him Amos 5.19 Though they cry in his destruction i.e. Whiles God is crushing or killing of them Or Is there any cry in his destruction It was never yet known that dead men made moane what ever the Popish Legenders tell us of one that cryed out I am dead I am judged I am damned which gave occasion to Bruno to found the Carthusian Order Verse 25. Did I not weep for him that was in trouble Rursum per pathos excandescit Here Job wondreth Mercer and is much moved again at his unpitied condition sith himself was so pitiful to the afflicted He could safely say with Cyprian Cum singulis pectus meum copulo moeroris funeris pendera luctuosa participo cum plangentibus plango cum destentibus desteo He had teares ready for the afflicted and wept with those that weep not for a Complement as the Brasilians who Vt flerent oculos erudière suos Nor out of melch-heartednesse Ovid. as Gordian the Emperour who would weep for the beating of a boy at School But out of hearty compassion and commiseration as good Nehemiah chap. 2.2 and those Christian Hebrewes chap. 10.33 34. Now for as much as the merciful have the promises of mercy made unto them Matth. 5.7 James 2.13 And all men say Ab alio expectes alteri quod feceris Job marvelleth at others hard heartednesse toward him and expostulateth the unkindnesse Was not my soul grieved for the poor Into whose case good Job put himself and so became mendicorum maximus as Salvian saith of Christ Ad Eccles Carbol l. 4 because he shareth with his Saints in all their necessities he drew out not only his sheaf but his soul to the hungry Isai 58.7 10 and satisfied the afflicted soul this was right Contristata est anima mea super egenum Some render it Restagnavis lachrymis anima mea My soul stood with tears like a standing pool Others ustulatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soul burneth which is agreeable to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not Verse 26 When I looked for good According to that general rule and the common course of Gods proceedings With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again Matth. 7.2 With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful Psal 18.16 Middah cenegedh middah say the Hebrewes Men shall have measure for measure like for like Hence Job expected to have all things at will but it fell out somewhat otherwise and this puzled him he could not unriddle these cross occurrences He could almost find in his heart to think that he was therefore so little pitied by others because he had been so pitiful to others When I waited for light then came darknesse Things grew every day worse and worse with me mending like sowre Ale in Summer as we say Thus it fates many times with Gods best servants these children of light walk in darknesse neverthelesse let them trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon their God in the faile of all outward comforts Isai â—0 10 Habak 3.17 18. This is the tryumph of faith which tells the soul that things must go backward before they can come forward and when matters are at worst they will mend Verse 27 My bowels boyled and rested not Being tossed and tumbled with continual boyling and bubbling Ollae more insonuerunt Merc. rumbling and making a rattle as the word signifieth whether through passion or compassion With most compassionate sympathy saith one learned Paraphrast did my bowels yearn over the afflicted so that I could have no quiet in my self for grieving and taking thought for them I was seldome or never without sorrow for some one or others affliction The dayes of affliction prevented me Prevision should have hindred this prevention Evils fore seen come no whit the sooner but far the easier It is a labour well lost if they befall us not well spent if they do whereas coming on the sudden they find weak minds secure make them miserable leave them desperate Expect them therefore and prepare for them Darts foreseen are dintless Verse 28 I went mourning without the Sun Ater ambulo sed non ob Solem I am not Sun-burnt but heart burnt black and discoloured without because parched and dryed up within by the force of my disease and my griefe wherewith I am pained pined and even perished I stood up and cryed in the Congregation Which was not very handsome but I could not hold Rise I did and roar I must amidst the preass of people whatever they should think of me So Mordecai went out into the midst of the City and cryed with a loud and a bitter cry and came even before the Kings gate c. Esth 4.1 2. In extreme heavinesse men care not to keep decorums Verse 29. I am a brother to Dragons c. i.e. I utter a very lamentable voice or rather noise like Dragons which sucking the Elephants blood till he fall down dead upon them and quell them with his huge bulk make an horrible howling Plin. Solin so horrible and hideous say some that they amaze yea kill those that hear it And a companion to Owles I give forth rude and confused cryes as if I howled with Owles or grunted with Ostriches We use to say of such that they roar like Beares and bellow like Bulls filling the air with their Out-cryes Young Ostriches cast off by their Dams Job 39.14 Lam. 4.3 make pittiful moan so do the young Ravens for
As a dutiful and docible Scholar who should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will ask thee questions and hang upon thy holy lips for an answer Verse 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear God hath ordained that as death entred into the world at first by the ear poisoned by that old Man-slayer Genes 3. so life shall enter into the soul by the same door for it is Hear and your soul shall live Isai 55.3 And The dead in sins and trespasses shall hear the voice of the Son of God sounding in his Ordinances and shall live the life of grace here and of glory hereafter John 5.25 This great mercy Job had received and he thankfully acknowledgeth it But behold a greater But now mine eyes hath seen thee Not only in the temple and whirl-wind those clear testimonies of thy presence but by some other special glorious apparition so some think and by a Spirit of Prophecy as the Hebrewes would have it by the inward teaching of thy Spirit howsoever as Vatablus senseth it Et quando Christus Magister quà m citò discitur quod docetur saith Austin When God by his Spirit taketh in hand to teach a man he soon becometh a skilful Scholer Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia saith Ambrose The Spirit is not long in teaching those that commit themselves to his tuition The hypocrite knowes God but by hear-say as a blind man knoweth colours such may say as those in the Psalm Audivimus famam something we have heard and some confused notions we have got concerning God and his will but they are meerly disciplinary but not intuitive id est Per speciem Propriam c. Such as transformes the soul into the same Image it is not that claritas in intellectu quae parit ardorem in affectu That light in the understanding that kindleth the affections Job was such witnesse his next words Verse 6. Wherefore I abhor my self Aspernor illa so Tremellius I utterly dislike those my former base and bald conceits of thee my hard and unsauoury speeches mine impatient and imprudent carriages Horreo quicquid de meo est ut meus sins as Bernard expresseth it Reprobo meipsum so Brentius I do utterly reject my selfe I condemn mine own folly I eat those words of discontent at thy righteous proceedings Dignasanè quae per jugulum redeant Abiicio vitam meam so Mercer and Lavater render it Displiceo mihimetipsi ac pervelim ut aliter dixissem ac fecissem Lavat Jerem. 6.26 and 25.34 Virg. Aeneid lib. 12. I cast away my life and look upon it as lost if thou shouldst take the forfeiture I humbly put my self into the hands of justice yet in hope of mercy I repent in dust and ashes As in an expresse and publick pennance I throw my self here upon the ground I put my mouth in the dust Lam. 3.24 Canitiem iâ—â—mundo perfusam pulvere turpo I sprinkle dust and ashes upon mine head in token that I have deserved to be as far under ground as now I am above ground I repent my presumptuous misbehaviour with as lowly a spirit as ever I sinned with an high Lo this was paenitentiam agere quod est pro malo bonum reponere saith Brentius This was true repentance to change evil for good as piety for blasphemy chastity for fornication charity for envy humility for pride Christ for Satan And Reformation is the best Repentance saith Luther Such as so repent are sure of comfort The word here rendred I repent signifieth also to take comfort as Ezek 32.31 It is repentance unto life Acts 11.18 and such as accompanieth salvation Hebr. 6.9 Neither is it wrought in any man but by a saving sight of Almighty God in his Greatness and Goodness such as may make him at once to tremble and trust as Job did here and Isaiah chap. 6.1 5. Verse 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words to Job And Job those other again to God it soon repented the Lord concerning his servant Pro magno delicto parum supplicii sat is est patri A little punishment is enough to a loving father for a great fault Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith the Lord for alass they have received of my hand double for all their sins Terent. Isai 40.1 2. So it seemed to him who is all bowels and who in all their afflictions is equally afflicted God weeps on his peoples necks tears of compassion they weep at Gods feet tears of compunction Oh beautiful contention The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite Because he was the ancienter man of greatest Authority and he that passed the heaviest censures upon Job doing enough to have driven him into desperation My wrath is kindled against thee Thus God passeth not sentence on Jobs side till he had first angerly repressed and reprehended those three friends of his who had assailed him without all right and reason Let Gods servants hold out faith and patience sooner or later they shall be righted And against thy two friends Bildad and Zophar Who stuck so close to thee and chimed in with thee against a better man then any of you all As for Elihu he is neither commended here nor condemned He spake well for the main but many times took Job at the worst and misconstrued his speeches He is therefore punished as Ambassadors are used to be when they commit undecencies with silence which is the way royal to correct a wrong The other three had great cause to be much troubled and terrified at that short but sharpest speech of God My wrath is kindled against you for Who knoweth the power of Gods wrath saith David It is as the Messenger of death Psalm 90.11 and Harbinger of hell God never said so much to Job in all those long and large speeches he made unto him for he knew that milder words would do and he loveth not to over-do Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox By the way observe That although these three had offended more then Job yet he was afflicted and they escaped free Judgement beginneth at Gods house neither have any out of hell ever suffered more then those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11. For ye have not spoken the thing that was right And yet they seemed to be all for God and to plead his Cause against Job throughout But as in some things they were much mistaken so they had their self-respects and were much byassed in their discourses Hypocrites and Heretikes saith Gregory here seem unto men more righteous but God accepteth them not for all their plausible pleas and specious pretences Luke 16.15 Ye are they said our Saviour to the Pharisees who justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God As my servant Job hath They also were Gods servants but because they had lent
recruit as far as God seeth fit Multadies variâ—squo Labor mutabilis avi Rettulit in melius multos alterna revisens Lusit in solido rursus fortuna locavit Virg. Aen. l. 11 The best way is to hang loose to these things below not trusting in uncertain riches but in the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 who will be our exceeding great reward and give to his Sufferers an hundred fold here and eternal life hereafter Mat. 19.29 Optandâ— nimirùm est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is doubtlesse a lovely losse that is made up with so much gaine Well might Saint Paul say Godlinesse is profitable to all things as having the Promise of both lives 1 Tim. 4 6 Well might Saint Peter call it The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.2 For as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty c. so doth Godlinesse Let a man with Job bear his losses patiently and pray for his enemies that wrong and rob him and he shall be sure to have his own againe and more either in money or moneys worth either in the same or a better thing contented Godlinesse shall be great gaine to him 1 Tim. 6.6 Besides heavens happinesse which shall make a plentiful amends for all The Rabbins would perswade us That God miraculously brought back again to Job the self-same cattle that the Sabaeans and others had taken from him and doubled them Indeed his children say they therefore were not doubled unto him because they perished by their owâ—â—ault and folly as one of his friends also told him But of all this nothing certain can be affirmed and they do better who say That his children being dead in Gods favour perished not but went to heaven they were not lost but laid up so that before God Job had the number of his children doubled for they are ours still whom we have sent to heaven before us and Christ at his coming shall restore them unto us 1 Thessal 4.14 In confidence whereof faithful Abraham calleth his deceased Sarah his dead That I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23.4 and so she is called eight several times in that one Chapter as Paraeus hath observed Verse 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren Then when God had begun to restore him As his adversity had scattered his friends so his prosperity brought them together again This is the worlds usage Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Summer-birds there are not a few Samaritans who would own the Jewes whiles they flourished but otherwise disavow them as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes Rich Job had many friends Prov. 14.20 Qui tamen persistebant amicitia sicut lepus juxta tympanum as the Proverb is All this good Job passeth by and forgetting all unkindnesses magnificently treateth them as Isaac in like case had done Abimelech and his train Gen. 26.30 And did eat bread with him in his house It 's likely they came with their cost to make Job a Feast of comfort such as were usual in those dayes Jer. 16.7 Ezek 24.17 But whether they did or not they were welcome to Job who now never upbraids them with their forsaking of him in his distresse which yet was then a great grief to him but friendly re-embraceth them and courteously entertaineth them This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable spirits in these dayes whose wrath like that of the Athenians is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-lasting and although themselves are mortal yet their hearts are immortal And they bimoaned him They condoled with him and shook their heads as the word signifieth not by way of deriding him as once they had done chap. 16. but of sorrow for their former deserting him and assurance that they would henceforth better stick to him in what estate soever And comforted him over all the evil c. So they should have done long before A friend is made for the day of adversity but better late then never Nunquam sane serò si seriò See here saith Brentius the change of affaires and the right hand of the Most High and learn the fear of God for as he frowneth or favoureth any man so will the world do Every man also gave him a piece of money Or a Lamb to stock him againe Beza rendreth it Some one of his Cattle and paraphraseth thus Yea every one of them gave him either a sheep or an Ox or a Camel and also an Ear-ring of gold partly as a pledge of their good will and friendship renewed toward him and partly in consideration and recompence of that losse which he had before by the will and fore-appointment of God sustained Honoraria obtulerunt saith Junius they brought him these presents as Pledges of their love and observance for so were great men wont to be saluted with some gift Sen. Epist 17. 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Chron. 17.5 And the same custome was among the Persians and Parthians whose Kings might not be met without some token of congratulation and Symbol of Honour And every one an Ear-ring of gold Inaurem auream an Ear-pendant of gold at the Receipt whereof Job might well say as the Poet did Theog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To thee this is a small matter but to me a great Verse 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job According to Bildads Prophecy chap. 8.7 And S. James his useful observation Chap. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy If he afflict any of his it is in very faithfulnesse that he may be true to their souls it is also in great mercy Deut. 8.16 that he may do them good in the latter end and this they themselves also shall both see and say by that time he hath brought both ends together Psal 119.71 Be ye therefore patient stablish your hearts James 5.7 Patient Job had all doubled to him Joseph of a Slave became his Masters Master Valentinian lost his Tribuneship for Christ but was afterwards made Emperor Queen Elizabeth of a prisoner became a great Princesse But if God deny his suffering servants Temporals and give them in Spirituals they have no Cause to complaine One way or other they shall be sure to have it Great is the gain of Godlinesse For he had fourteen thousand sheep c Cattle only are instanced Pecuma à pecâ—de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes posteà opes significant Melancth Dios because therein especially consisted the wealth of that Countrey but other good things also doubtlesse were doubled unto him as his family possessions grounds houses and especially Wisdom to make a good use of all for commonly Stultitiam patiuntur opes and what 's more contemptible then a rich fool a golden beast as Caligula called his father in
measure to trust in it that is to think our selves simply the better and the safer for it as our Saviour sheweth and this Disciples after some wonderment at length understood him so Mark 10.23 24. Hence that strict charge 1 Tim. 6.17 And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches Contrary to Jer. 9.23 This Psalm sets forth the better gloriation of a Beleever in the grace of God and in his blessed condition wherein he is lifted up above the greatest Worldings Vers 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother And therefore all Mony that hath been given for Masses Diriges Trentals c. hath been cast away seeing Christ is the only Redeemer and in the other World Mony beareth no Mastery neither can a man buy off death though hee would give never so much Death will not regard any Ransome neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts as Solomon saith in another case Prov. 6.35 Fye quoth that great Cardinal Beanford will not Death be hired Act. Mon. in H. 6. Will Mony do nothing Wherefore should I dye being so rich If the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it c. Lewis the Eleventh would not hear of death all the time of his last Sickness but when he saw there was no remedy he sent for the Holy Water from Rhemes together with Aarons rod as they called it and other holy Reliques Epit. Hist Gall. Balth. Exner. Val. Max. Christ p. 391. thinking therewith to stop Deaths mouth and to stave him off but it would not be O Miser saith one thereupon hoc assidue times quod semel faciendum est Hoc times quod in tua mann est ne timeas Pietatem assume superstitionem omitte mors tua vita erit quidem beata atque eterna Vers 8. For the redemption of their soul is precious i.e. the price of life is greater than that any man how wealthy soever can compass it Mony is the Monarch of this World but not of the next And it ceaseth for ever i.e. The purchase of a longer life ceaseth there is no such thing beleeve it Job 36.18 19. Deut. 23.22 Zech. 11.12 To blame then were the Agrigentines who did eat build plant c. as though they should live for ever Vers 9. That be should still live for ever As every wicked man would if it might be had for mony for he knoweth no happiness but to Have and to Hold on the tother side the Grave he looketh for no good whereas a godly manholdeth mortality a Mercy as Phil. 1.23 he hath Mortem in desiderio vitam in patientin as Fulgentius saith he desireth to dye and yet is content to live accepting of life rather than affecting it enduring it rather than desiring it And not see corruption Heb. The pit of corruption The Chaldee understandeth it of Hell to the which the wicked mans death is as a trap-door Vers 10. For he seeth that wise men dye likewise the fool This to be a truth etiam muta clamant cadavera the dead Corpses of both do preach and proclaim by a dumb kinde of eloquence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death maketh no difference Pallida mors equo c. It is appointed for all men once to dye It lieth as a mans Lot as the word signifieth Heb. 9.27 and all men can say We are all mortal but alas we say it for most part Magis us◠quam sensu more of custom than feeling for we live as if our lives were rivetted upon Eternity and we should never come to a reckoning Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Ant velut infernus fabula vana foret And the bruitish person perish His life and his hopes ending together But it would be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wise men dye as well as fools good men dye as well as bad yea good men oft before the bad Isa 57.1 Jeroboams best Son dyed before the rest because there was some good found in him And leave their wealth to others Nec aliis solùm sed alienis to meer strangers this Solomon sets forth as a great vanity It was therefore a good speech of a holy man once to a great Lord who had shewed him his stately House and pleasant Gardens You had need make sure of Heaven or else when you dye you will be a very great loser Vers 11. Their inward thought is that their houses c. Some joyn this verse to the former and read the words thus Where as each of them seeth that wise men dye likewise the fool c. yet their inward thought is c. they have a secret fond conceit of their own immortality they would fain beleeve that they shall dwell here for ever The Hebrew runneth thus Their inwards are their houses for ever as if their houses were got within them as the Pharisees goods were Luke 11.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here Internum vel interiora not the thoughts only but the very inmost of the thoughts of wicked Worldlings the most retired thoughts and recesses of their souls are about these earthly things these lye nearest to their hearts as Queen Mary said when she dyed Open me and you shall find Calice at my heart It was a pittiful case that a rotten town lay where Christ should and yet it is ordinary They call their Lands after their own names So to make them famous and to immortalize them at once Thus Cain called his new-built City Enoch after the name of his Son whom he would thereby have to be called Lord Enoch of Enoch This is the ambition still of many that take little care to know that their names are written in Heaven but strive to propagate them as they are able upon Earth Nimrod by his Tower Absolom by his Pillar Alexander by his Alexandria Adrian by his Adrianople c. But the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 and those that depart from God shall be written in the earth Jer. 17.13 c. Vers 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not Howsoever he think to eternalize himself and be grown never so great dye he must whether Lord or Losel and dye like a beast a carrion beast unless he be the better man but only for his pillow and bolster At one end of the Library at Dublin was a Globe at the other a Skeliton to shew that though a man was Lord of all the World yet hee must dye his honour must be laid in the dust The mortal Sythe saith one is master of the royal Scepter and it moweth down the Lillies of the Crown as well as the Grass of the field Perperam accommodatur bic versiculus saith another this verse is not well interpreted of the first man Adam to prove that he sinned the same day wherein he was Created and lodged not one night in Paradise He
finde them out as cunning as they are and sith they are so fool-hardy as to walk upon iniquities Fire-works let them look to bee blown up and they shall have my prayers to that purpose In thine anger cast down c. It is Prophetical as well as Optative Vers 8. Thou tellest my wanderings Or thou cipherest up my stittings and hast them in numerato ready told up my vagaries whilst hunted up and down like a Partridge and hushed out of every bush so that I have not where to settle Saint Paul was at the same pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he we have no certain abode 1 Corin. 4.11 and so were sundry of the holy Martyrs and Confessors who wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins c. driven from post to pillar from one Country to another God all the while noting and numbring all their flittings yea all their footings Bottleing up their tears booking down their sighs as here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mal. 3.16 See Mat. 10.30 The Septuagint for my wandrings or flittings have my life to teach us saith one that our life is but a flitting Put thou my tears into thy Bottle Heb. My tear that is every tear of mine let not one of them be lost but kept safe with thee as so much sweet water It is a witty observation of one That God is said in Scripture to have a Bag and a Bottle a Bag for our sins a Bottle for our tears and that wee should help to fill this as we have that There is an allusion here in the Original that cannot bee Englished Are they not in thy Book sc Of Providence where they cannot be blotted out by any time or tyrants Vers 9. When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back For how should they stand before so mighty a God Of the power of Prayer for the beating back of enemies besides the Scripture Histories are full that famous Victoria Halleâ—â—iatica for instance Vers 10. In God will I praise his word The Jew-Doctours observe that Elohim God is a Name importing Justice and that Jehovah Lord holdeth out mercy according to that Exod 34.6 Jehovah Jehovah Merciful Gracâ—us c. But if God should foem neither to show his Mercy upon us nor his Justice upon our enemies we must nevertheless adhere to his Word or Promise and patiently wait his performance which will be as sure as he is God and Lord. See the Note on vers 4. Vers 11. In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid c. When news came to Luther that both the Emperour and Pope had threatned his ruine he bravely answered Contemptus est à me Romanus favor furor I care for neither of them I know whom I have trusted See vers 4. Vers 12. Sunt tua post quam Vori. Arabâ— Thy Vows are upon me O God I am a Votary ever since I was at Gath there and then I vowed that if the Lord would vouchsafe to bring me out of that brake I would do as became a thankful man every way And now I am Damnatus votorum as the Latine expression is Vow I must and pay to the Lord my God Ecce ego Domine Lord I am ready do thou but set me up an Altar and I will offer a Sacrifice restore me to thy Sanctuary and I will do it exactly in the Ceremonies and Formalities thereof Mean while mine heart and lips shall not be wanting to give thee praise in spirit and truth I will render praises unto thee Vers 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death Which was the very thing I begged of thee when I was at worst viz. that thou wouldest save my life which then lay at stake I also then solemnly took upon me such and such ingagements which lye upon me as so many debts and I am in pain till I have paid them This if I shall do effectually Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling Yea I know thou wilt Lord for every former favour of thine is a pledge of a future That I may walk before God in the light of the living Called else-where the Land of the living that is in this present life spending the span of it in thy fear and labouring to be every whit as good as I vowed to be when I was in great distress and danger Pliny in an Epistle of his to one that desired rules from him how to order his life aright I will saith he give you one rule that shall be instead of a thousand Ut tales esse perseveremus sani quales nos futuros esse profitemur infirmi i. e. That you hold out to bee such when well as you promised to bee when weak and sick c. PSAL. LVII ALtaschith i. e. Destroy not David being in an imminent danger of destruction in the Cave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. might send up this short request as it were in a fright before he uttered this insuing prayer Altaschith in such an exigent might well be an effectual prayer as was the Woman of Canaans Lord help me and the sick mans Ah Father or these might now be his words to Abishai or some other of his Servants whose fingers even itched to bee doing with Saul as afterwards they were upon a like occasion 1 Sam. 26.9 Destroy not Saul See thou do it not Michtam of David See Psal 16. title When he fled from Saul in the Cave 1 Sam. 24.1 Or into the Cave for shelter and where when he might have cut Sauls throat he cut his Coat only and was inwardly checked for it nevertheless the Spirit came upon him which was no small comfort as Aben-Ezra here observeth and he said Vers 1. Be merciful unto me O God be merciful q. d. Now or never help at a dead lift Bis pro more rogantium ad corrober andum saith Kimchi Other Jew-Doctors give this reason of the repetition of his petition Be merciful c. lest either I fall into Sauls hands Midr. Tilli or Saul into mine lest desire of revenge prick me on to kill him Or Have mercy on me that I sin not or if I do sin that I may repent For my soul trusteth in thee An excellent argument so it comes from the soul so it be heart-sprung Yea in the shadow of thy wings c. As the little Chicken in danger of the Kite hovereth and covereth under the Hen. Vntil these calamities be over-past For long they will not continue Nubecula est site transibit said Athanasins of the Arrian Persecutions which for present were very sharp So Master Jewel about the beginning of Queen Maries reign perswading many to patience said often Hac non durabunt aetatem this sharp shower will soon over Vers 2. I will cry unto God most high Who can easily over-top Saul as high as he is and all his complices against whom I have this comfort that in the thing wherein they deal proudly
c. but especially Wealth 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust not to that saith the Psalmist whether it be ill or well gotten unless you covet to be deceived for First he who getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the middest of his days and is his end be a â—ool a poor fool God will make of him Jer. 17.11 Male parta waâ—e dilabentur If riches increase Though by means lawful and laudable though they come in at the street door Policrat l. 8. c. 4. and not at a postern Non minimum felicitatis argumentum Metello fuit bona multa bono modo invenisse yet Set not your heart upon them Place not your felicity in them think not your selves simply the better or the safer for them Be not puffed up with outward things as a bubble with a Childes blast in a Walnut-shel when he hath in it a little Sope Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 An Eagle will not catch Flies that is no Game for her much less will she make a flight at nothing when there is no Game sprung at all He is the true rich man who loveth his riches poorly saith one Vers 11. God hath spoken once twice have I heard this The Septuagint have it thus Once spake God these two things have I heard that is say some in the Second Commandement where mention is made of Gods jealousie and mercy Exod. 20.5 6. Others Once and again spake God and I have heard it Or God spake once I heard him twice viz. by an after-deliperate meditation upon what I had heard I preached over the Sermon as it were again to my self and so heard it a second time That power belongeth unto God He is well able to punish the wicked Ezra 8.22 See the Note there Vers 12. Also unto thee O Lord belongeth mercy viz. To set thy Power a work for the good of thy people And as these two Gods Power and Gods Mercy are the two Pillars the Boaz and the Jachin of every Beleever hence Job chap. 42.2 having spoken of his Power he speaketh of his thoughts of peace toward his people so they are sufficient proofs of the Doctrines before delivered and do evince the truth of that which followeth For thou rendrest to every man according to his work viz. Judgement to the wicked and Mercy to the righteous where the Syriack interpreter giveth this good Note Est gratia Dei ut reddat homini secundum opera bona quia merces bonorum operum est exgratia It is mercy in God to set his love on them that keep his Commandements Exod. 20.6 PSAL. LXIII WHen he was in the Wilderness of Judah That is of Idumea saith Genebrard which bordered upon the Tribe of Judah But better understand it either of the Forrest of Hareth 1 Sam. 22.5 or of the Wilderness of Ziph 1 Sam. 23.14 where David was In deserto desertus exul omnis ferè consolationis inops not only destitute of outward comforts but in some desertion of soul Et sic miserrimus calamitosissimus oberravit saith Beza Vers 1. O God thou art my God And that is now mine only comfort Divini mellis alvearium the Bee-hive of heavenly honey Early will I seek thee Now they who seek God early have a promise that they shall finde him Aben-Ezra rendreth it Cicut mercator gemmas inquiramte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercator I will diligently seek thee as a Merchant doth precious Stones My soul thirsteth for thee Thirst is Taclâ—th hattaavah say the Rabbines the perfection of desire The whole life of a Christian is nothing else but Sanctum desiderium saith Austin How many broken spirits spend and exhale themselves in continual Sallies as it were and egressions of affection unto God thirsting after not only an union but an unity with him My flesh longeth for thou Non habet haec vox socium saith Aben-Ezra this word is here only found It is a notable Metaphor saith another Interpreter R. Solomon Arescere exponit taken from Women with Childe to express the earnest affection that hee had to God-ward The Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quam multipliciter His soul his flesh all was on a light fire as it were with ardent affection towards God In a dry and thirsty Land Where I am hardly bestead and at a great fault for outward accommodations but much more for sweet and Spiritual communion with thee in holy Ordinances there lieth the pinch of my grief Vers 2. To see thy power and thy glory To feel those heart-ravishing apprehensions of thine incomparable excellencies from thy self immediatly who canst bee to thy people in their banishment as a little Sanctuary Ezek. 21.16 and supply all their wants out of thine All sufficiency who art rich in mercy to all that call upon thy Name So as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Where were to be seen the house of God Exod. 25.8 Deut. 12.5 the throne of glory from the beginning Jâ—r 17.12 the Ark of the Covenant Exod. 25.22 the tables of the Covenant laid up in the Ark Exod. 28.21 the Mercy-seat Exod. 25.21 the Oracle 22. Numb 7.89 the ceremonies that shewed the estate of the faithfull both by nature and by grace and indeed were their Gospel and Christ in figure These were glorious sights and signals which therefore David dearly desired and more bewailed the want of them then of all outward comforts and contentments Vers 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better than life Mr. Bradford being threatned by Stephen Gardiner then L. Chancellour answered I know to whom I have committed my life Acts Mon. fol. 1459. even into his hands which will keep it so that no man may take it away before it be his pleasure Therefore his good will be done life in his displeasure is worse than death and death in his true favour is true life This made him and the rest of the holy Martyrs that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 The sight of God though but in that dark glasse of the ceremonies would have been better to David than life with the appurtenances those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 riches honours pleasures c. See Psal 4.7 8. My lips shall praise thee Gods love shed abroad in the heart can cause the lips of them that are a sleep to speak Cant. 7.9 Vers 4. Thus will I blesse thee while I live I will divide my time betwixt praises and prayers and so drive an holy trade betwixt heaven and earth See Psal 18.3 I will lift up my hands i.e. Fretus tuo auâ—â— c. pray as Psal 141.2 1 Tim. 2.8 In thy Name i.e. Cleaving to thy goodnesse and mercy Vers 5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse Heb. As with fatnesse and fatnesse his ad corroborandum saith Aben-Ezra q.d. I shall be top-full of comfort animo adipe medullis sanctissimarum
2 Cor. 1.10 Vers 4. Turn us O God of our salvation Turn us and we shall be turned do as thou ever hast done for thou art Jehovah thou changest not but art yesterday today and the same for ever And cause thine anger c. I abefacta iram tuam erga nos Vers 5. Wilt thou he angry with us for ever Dilato Christo two vel tuo adventu Such expostulations mixt with faith are Vis Deo grata as saith Tertullian such as God is well pleased with Vers 6. With thou not revive us again Who for present are all amort as it were free among the dead free of that company That thy people may rejoyce in thee A joyless life is a lifeless life Mortis habet vices quae trahitur vita gemitibus Vers 7. shew us thy mercy O Lord Thy fatherly mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And grant us thy salvation Thy Christ and our Jesus Luke 2.30 Vers 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak I will not repine but listen what answer God giveth to my prayer and patiently wait a good issue of my troubles For he will speak peace unto his people viz. by his Promises and by his Providences And to his Saints For all Gods people are righteous ones Isa 60.21 justified and sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 But let 〈◊〉 them turn again do folly i.e. to the ways of the world and of 〈◊〉 real son lest they smart for their rashness and God 〈…〉 to their words again Vers 9. Surely his salvation is nigh them c. Though they be so 〈…〉 with tears that they cannot see it and so discouraged that they have even done looking for it Luke â—â— 7 â— That glory may dwell in our Land The Fathers hath by salvation and glory dwelling with man understand Christ Job 1.26 Vers 10. Jam fides pax honor pudorque Priscuâ— neglectâ—â— redire virtus Audet apparetque beata pleno Copia cornu Horat. Iren. Aug. Mercy and 〈◊〉 are met together 〈◊〉 his Mercy is ever â—â—â—â—â—ded by 〈◊〉 conjunction his people there is a 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—tion of Graces 2 Pet. â— â— and this is an effect of Christ Kingdom in mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Rom. 14.17 Righteousness and peace have killed each other Have friendly saluted in allusion to the manner of the Eastern Nations See Isa 12.17 Psal 119.169 Vers 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth i. e. Heaven and 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 both of truth and righteousness Many understand all concerning Christ See Jâ—â— 3.13 Others concerning extraordinary plenty of all good things Vers 12. Yea the Lord shall give that which is good Yea hâ—st of all viz. his holy Spirit Luke 11.13 with Matthew 7.11 with a largess of outward comforts Vers 13. Righteousness shall go before him Men shall walk before God in holinels and righteousness all the days of their lives Luke 1.75 they shall not rest in outward blessings vers 12. or be satisfied with such low things but be led up thereby to the care of higher And shall set us in the way of his steps So that we shall go an upper and â—â—â—â—fore a better way Prov. 15.24 having our feat where other mens heads are and so departing from Hell beneath which 〈◊〉 gapeth for the unrighteous PSAL. LXXXVI A Prayer Left for a form for a help to devotion as was also Psal 1â—2 Title Vers 1. Bow down thine 〈◊〉 O Lord As the careful Physician doth to his feeble Patient so Basil glosseth here For I am poor and needy Having nothing to live on but what my friends privily send me or what I can get by boot-haling from the Lords enemies 1 Sam. 30.26 Vers 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy Or a 〈◊〉 a Saint merciful such an one as upon whose heart the tender mercies of the Almighty 〈◊〉 forth abundantly do leave a compassionate frame David had the Divine Nature transfused into him he was holy as God is holy and merciful as God is merciful in quality though not in equality but all of free grace and this he pleadâ—â—â— for his own safety Save thy servant Serva servum tuum thy devoted servant and not thy beneficiary only Vers 3. Be merciful unto me Lest any should by the former 〈◊〉 I 〈…〉 suspect him to be a merit-monger he beggeth mercy with instancy and constancy of request Vers 4. Rejoyce the soul of thy servant True and solid joy entreth 〈◊〉 by the door of servent prayer Pray that your joy may be fell I lift up my soul In prayer Psal 25.1 and confident 〈◊〉 of an 〈◊〉 carrying return thereof 〈…〉 24. â—â— Vers 5. For thou Lord are good 〈◊〉 Lord I am â—ell 〈…〉 are Heaven said God by prayer And plenteous in mercy Both to 〈◊〉 sin and to give good Hos 14. â— Vers 6. Give ear O Lord c. The hearing of our sutes is earnestly to be sought and reckoned among our chiefest 〈◊〉 Vers 7. In the day of my trouble c. Gods Petitioners must pray and beleeve and beleeve and pray 〈…〉 David had said verse â— God is man in mercy to all that call upon him Here he 〈◊〉 and conâ—â—â—th 〈…〉 in the day of my trouble will call upon him therefore he will answer mee Vers 8. Among the Gods Whether deputed or reputed There is none like unto thee Either in essence or in operation See 〈◊〉 15.11 Vers 9. As Nations whom thou hast 〈◊〉 come c. I were 〈◊〉 they should Rev. 4. ult 't is to be hoped they shall Isa 11. 43. not by â—hange of â—race but 〈◊〉 responâ—ing their irreligions and yeelding unto Christ the 〈◊〉 of faith Some understand this Text of that generall Assembly at the 〈◊〉 Vers 10. For thou are grâ—â—â— Great is the Lord without quantity good without quality everlasting without time omni present without place containing all things without extent within all things and contained of nothing without all things and sustained of nothing c. Now the least 〈◊〉 of this knowledge is worth all the gleams of human wisdome And doest wondrous things The Schools have laid down a threefold way of knowing God First Negation of Imperfections Secondly Affirmation of Perfections Thirdly Causation of great works Vers 11. Teach mee thy way David knew much of God and yet he desireth to be taught more delivering himself up to Gods discipline and saying as once Solon did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unite my heart to fear thy name i. e. To serve thee with simplicity and godly 〈◊〉 2 Cor. â—â— cleavâ—â— to thee with full purpose of heart Act. 11.23 and attending upon thee without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 As thou aâ— God alone verse 10. so let my heart be towaâ—d thee alone Behold I find it divided disjoynted and so disabled for duty for anima disper sa fit minor Oh do thou unite it I beseech thee giving mee that one heart thou hast promised until we all come unto that oneness of the faith and of the
popule suo pactus est ut de ipsius pacti observatione certis edict is caverit as he covenanted so he looketh his commandements should be respected which are as binding to us as his Covenant is to him and through grace his Covenant is as binding to him as those are to us Holy and reverend is his Name Which therefore we should not presume in a sudden unmanneâ—liness to blurt out The Jews would not pronounce it The Grecians as Suidas observeth when they would swear by their Jupiter forbare to mention him This is check to the profaneness common amongst us Let those that would have their name reverend labour to be holy as God is holy Vers 10. The fear of the Lord is be beginning of wisdome Or the principal point and chief perfection See Prov. 1.7 and Job 28.28 with the Notes A good understanding have all they So much a man knoweth in true account as he doth Hence understanding is here ascribed to the will so Job 28.28 See Eccles 10.2 some render it Good success His praise endureth for ever i.e. Gods praise for they that understand it of the godly wise man understand not the propriety of the Hebrew word Tebillaâ— saith an Interpreter PSAL. CXII PRaise ye the Lord See Psal 111. vers 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord That obedientially seareth him as aforesaid Psal 111.10 that feareth the Lord as Abraham did Gen. 22.12 Midrash Tillâ—â— in Psal 112. who is the blessed man here described say the Jew-Doctors because he kept the whole Law from 〈◊〉 to Tau this Psalm also is Alphabetical as the former wish his whole heart delighting in Gods commandements and hastening to fulfil them as when he left his Countrey circumcised his family sacrificed his son That delighteth greatly in his commandements And thereby sheweth that his fear of God is filial and amicable not base and servile which ever carrieth torâ—â—ent along with it and he that so seareth is not made perfect in love I Job 4.18 cannot but hate him whom he so feareth for Quam metuunt oderunt Vers 2. His seed shall be mighty upon earth As Abrahams was and besides the reward of his humility and fear of the Lord was riches and honour and life Prov. 22.4 For godliness is profitable to all things having the promises of this life and of that to come I Tim. 4.8 as in this Psalm is fully set forth The generation of the righteous c. Personal goodness is profitable to posterity and the contrary Vers 3. Wealth and riches Wealth enough as the word Hon signifieth a well-contented sufficiency His chambers shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches Prov. 24.4 His righteousness endureth for ever He is not the worse for his wealth nor drawn aside by the deceitfulness of riches which yet is hard and happy Ardua res baec est opibus non tradere mores Et cum tot Craesos viceris esse Numam Martial Vers 4. Vnto the upright there ariseth light in darkness i.e. Joy in tribulation as did unto the Martyrs plenty in penury at having nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor 6 10. If they have not an external affluence yet they have an internal influence of grace and comfort which is far better and sweeter I Tim. 6.6 Some render the words thus He who is gracious and full of compassion and righteous i.e. God causeth light to arise in darkness upon the upright who also is according to his measure and by participation from God gracious merciful and righteous Vers 5. A good man sheweth favour and lendeth A publick-spirited man Rom. 5.7 maketh his moderation to be known to all men Philip. 4.5 and lendeth looking for nothing again Luk. 6.35 Thence it is that to him light ariseth in darkness the merciful shall have mercy Mat. 5.7 Some render it Bene vire qui miseratur Well is the man or Well will it be with the man that pittieth and lendeth The Hebrew hath it That is pittying and lending ever in such actions He will guide his affairs with discretion Heb. With judgement neither illiberal not prodigal not withered handed when he should give nor yet stretching beyond the staple for that were to spoyl all Tremellius rendreth it Moderatur res suas ex officio Vers 6. Surely be shall not be moved for ever Non nutabit The world thinketh liberality to be the ready way to beggary But it is otherwise Isa 32.8 The liberal man deviseth liberal things and by liberal things he shall stand Not getting but giving is the way to wealth The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance Namely with the righteous Demetrius hath good report of all good men and of the truth it self 3 Job 12. Vatab. As for wicked men Calumnias corum nunquâ—m effugit there is no escaping their cavils and calumnies Vers 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tydings When the miserly miscreant is ready to make away himself for feat of what evil may follow this man is undaunted and unappaled The fear of God so ballasteth his hears that he floteth steadily and blow what wind it will he saileth sate to the port Fides famem non formidat Faith seareth no famine nor any thing else when as a sound of sear is ever in the wicked mans cars Job 15. His heart is fixed viz. Upon the promises of God and hence he 〈◊〉 a spiritual security a blessed Sabbath of Spirit he is freed if not from the common destruction yet from the common distraction for he knoweth whom he hath trusted Praeclara est equabilitas in omni vita In offic idem semper vnitus eademque frons saith Cicero It is a brave thing to have a well-composed spirit in all changes and to look alike however the world goeth 〈◊〉 lib. 9. The heathens tell us that C. Lalius was such an one and Archimedes and Socrates who are said to have been far above all fear of or grief at any disaster But that could not be because their hearts were not fixed trusting in the Lord. And how Socrates the best of them staggered and faultered when he came to dye appeareth by his last speech as it is related both by Plato and Cicero Vers 8. His heart is established Heb. Vnderpropt shored up He shall not be afraid Of any adverse power Psal 3. 27. Vntil he see his desire Which his faith will once work out Vers 9. He hath dispersed Or made a scatter yet with discretion giving liberally but most of all where is most need and with a specialty of respect to the family of saith Gal. 6. His righteousness endureth for ever The reward of his charity is lasting or his charity is never at an end Sic vocat eleâ—mosynas Aben-Ezr he giveth after that he hath given as a spring runneth after it hath run as the Sun shineth after it hath shone See a Cor. 8. His horn shall be exalted i.e. His head as 1
It is in mercy and in measure that God chastiseth his Children It is his care that the Spirit fail not before him nor the soules which hee hath made Isa 57.16 If his Child swounds in the whipping God le ts fall the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it again Vers 19 Open to mee the gates of Righteousnesse So the gates of the Sanctuary are called because holinesse becommeth Gods house for ever to keep out the prophane Porters were appointed See 2 Chron 23.19 and such were the Ostiarii in the primitive Church their word was Canes for as Dogs out of doces See Reve. 22.15 Prosper Vers 20 This gate of the Lord Some make the former verse the request of the people and this to bee Gods answer thereunto Others make that to bee Davids speech to the 〈◊〉 and this their answer q.d. This beautifull gate is fit to bee opened to the Lord alone if others enter they must bee righteous ones only and that to praise him 〈◊〉 which the Righteous shall 〈◊〉 scil With Gods good leave and liking Others may haply thrust into the Church but then God will say Friend how camest thou in hither who required these things at your hands who sent for you O Generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the wrath to come The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when hee bringeth it with a wicked mind Prov. 21.27 Vers 21 I will praise thee for thou hast heard mee Luther rendreth it because thou hast humbled and afflicted mee but withall thou art become my salvation Vers 22 the stone which the builders refused David and the son of David were by those who seemed to bee somewhat laid aside and sleighted as abjects and refuse ones but wisdome was ever justified of her Children Is become the head-stone of the corner Lap is dratonus sive frontatus whereby the Church is supported as the sides and weight of a building are by a Principall binding corner-stone against all blasts Vers 23 This is the Lords doing That David should ever come to the Kingdome that Christ should so bee raised from the lowest ebbe of humiliation to the highest tide of exaltation this is a wonder of wonders a matchlesse miracle And it is marvellous in our eyes As all Gods works are to those that have spirituall senses habitually exercised but especially the great work of mans Redemption by Christ Vers 24 This is the day which the Lord hath made The Queen of dayes as the Jews call the Sabbath Arnobâ—us interpreteth this text of the Christian Sabbath others of the day of salvation by Christ exalted to bee the head-corner-stone in opposition to that dismall day of mans fall Wee will rejoyce Or Let us rejoyce Dull wee are and heavy to spirituall joy and are therefore excited thereto Vers 25 Save now I beseech thee Hosanna as Mat. 21.9 an usuall acclamation of the people to their new Kings Send now prosperity God will send it but his people must pray for it I came for thy prayers Dan. 10. Vers 26 Blessed bee hee that commeth Blessed bee Christ Scultet Annal. Vivat Christus ejusque insignia said John Clark of Melda when for declaring against the Popes indulgences hee was burnt in the forehead with a hot Iron Wee have blessed you out of the house of the Lord Thus say the Priests to the people Ministers must blesse those that bless Christ saying Grace bee with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Ephes 6.24 as if any do not let him bee Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Vers 27 God is the Lord who hath shewed us light By giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 hee hath brought us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Binde the Sacrifice with cords Make them fast there till the Priests shall have time to offer them Spare for no cost in shewing your thankfullness for Christ and his benefits Some render it Obligate solennitates in frondosis Austin hath it in confrequent at ionibus Vers 28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee The people are taught to say thus and the Greek Arabick and Latine translations repeat here vers 21. I will praise thee for thou hast heard mee and art become my salvation People can never be sufficiently thankfull for their salvation by Christ It is their duty and should be their desire Vers 29 O give thanks unto the Lord c. Repetit proaeâ—iâ—â— pro Epiloge See vers 1. PSAL. CXIX VErs 1 Blessed are the undefiled Pindarus and other Poets had their Ogdaades or Octonaries Lib. 4. Biblioâ—â— This Alphabeticall Poem as Sixtus 8 〈◊〉 calleth it is Davids doubtlesse though it hath no title to shew to much written in the dayes of his banishment under Saul and far more worthy to bee written in letters of gold than Pindâ—â—â— seventh Ode which that prophane fellow Politian preferred before any Psalm of David the sweet finger of Israel How much better his Coâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Jacobus Furnius who translated this Psalm into Greek and Latine verses 〈◊〉 many Octonaries and beginning each verse thereof with the same letter after the manner of the Hebrew composure which is very artificiall both for the excellency of the matter and for the help of memory The Jews are said to teach it their little ones the first thing they learn wherein they take a very right course both in regard of the heavenly matter and plain stile fitted for all capacities David in his troubles especially was a man much in meditation of Gods word and here hee giveth us in his thoughts of it When a book is set forth verses of commendation are oft prefixed David seemeth to set this divine Psalm as a Poem of commendation afore the Book of God mentioning it in every verse unlesse it bee one only verse 122. under the name of Testimonies Laws Statutes Word Judgements Precepts c. Who walk in the Law of the Lord Who walk towards Heaven in Heavens way avoiding the corruptions that are in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Vers 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies Angels do so and are blessed Rev. 22.9 And that seek him Sincere ac sollicitè That seek not his omnipresence what need they but his gracious presence Vers 3 They also do no iniquity i.e. No wilfull wickednesse as do those workers of iniquity whose whole trade it is and whose whole life is nothing else but one continued web of wickednesse spun out and made up by the hands of the Devill and the flesh an evil spinner and a worse weaver They walk in his wayes Without cessation or cespitation Vers 4 Thou hast commanded us c. These are verba vivenda non legenda words to bee lived and not read only as one well saith of this whole Psalm neither is it enough that wee understand or ponder
subsist in the feeling of thy favour as 1 Sam. 25.6 And keep thy word For which end only I desire life See the like Psal 118.17 Non peto vitâ—m propâ—â—r deliâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Kimchi Non aliter pelit vitam quam ut prastet se fidelem Dei 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 David doth no otherwise desire life than for this that hee may faithfully serve God Vers 18. Open thou mine eyes Heb. Vnveil theâ— velumen umâ—ot 〈◊〉 evolve give sight and light irradiate both organ and object In spirituals wee are not only dim-sighted but blind as Beetles 1 Cor. 2.14 Oh pray for that precious eye-salve Rev. 3.17 for that supernal light 2 Cor. 4.6 and whensoever wee open the Bible to read say as here open thou mine eyes c. as when wee close it up again say I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandement is exceeding broad vers 96. Wondrous things Mâ—rabilia magnalia mysteria such as none can understand and unriddle but such as plow with Gods own heifer 1 Cor. 2.11 Vers 19. I am a stranger in the earth And therefore apt to lose my way without a guide I shall surely else bee wildred and lost Hide not thy Commandements from mee viz. In the spirituall sense and effectuall operation of them Philosophers observe that lumen est vehiculum influentiae light is the convoy of influence as it begets the flower in the field the pearl in the earth c. so the foundation of all renovation is Illumination Hence David so earnestly beggeth it here and vers 17. Vers Comminuitâ—r 〈◊〉 20 My soul breaketh The Seventy render it My soul hath desired to desire thy Judgements How many broken spirits do even spend and exhale themselves in continuall sallies as it were and egressions of affection to God and his judgements The stone will fall down to come to its own place though it break it self in many peeces so the good soul Vers 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud c. Thou chidest them threatenest them plaguest them and so settest it on as no creature can take it oft And this is one reason why I love and observe thy laws ne paria patâ—ar lest I should suffer in like sort sith men must do it or dye for it Vers 22 Remove from mee reproach and contempt Cast upon mee by those proud haughty scorners vers 21. and that for nothing but because I keep thy Statutes therefore it is that they despise and defame mee but do thou Lord take an order with them behold I put them into thine hands and my self upon thy care to clear mee and set mee right for I am well resolved Vers 23 Princes also did sit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By publick invectives such as were those of our Henry the eighth and of Lewis King of Hungary and Bohemia two very potent Princes against Luther Denotat continuum clamâ—rem Kimchi Vers 24. Thy Testimonies are my delight In mediâ—â— crucibus to them I run as to my cordiall they are my pleasure and pastime And my Counsellours My learned Counsel by whose advice I do all here I am sure to find consolationem consultissiâ—am directionem counsell and comfort in all my necessities Vers 25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust Those Princes my Persecutors Sauls counsellors have brought mee to deaths-doore as Psal 44.25 22.15 I am in a forlorn condition as far below hope as they are above â—ear Theodoret expoundeth it of humility and Theodosius the Emperor used these words when reproved by Ambrose for the slaughter at Thessalonica Theod. Eccleâ— hist l. 5. c. 18. hee lay on the ground and humbly begged pardon Vers 26 I have declared my wayes My sins and troubles those thou hast remitted and these thou hast remedied Teach mee thy Statutes Shew mee how I may walk worthy of such a love and live up to my mercies Vers 27 Make mee to understand c. Give mee a mouth and wisdome that I may not talk at random of thy word and works but understandingly and fruitfully Vers 28 My soul melteth Heb. Droppeth away like water I weep out my life together with my grief Strong thou thee mee 〈◊〉 to thy word Support â—â—ee by thy promise Vers 29 Remove from mee the way of lying A sin that David through diffidence fell into frequently See 1 Sam. 21.2 8. where hee roundly telleth three or four lyes and the like he did 1 Sam. 27.8 10. this evil he saw by himself and here prayeth against it And grant mee thy Law For a preservative from this soul sin herein gratfie â—â—ee good Lord. Vers 30 I have chosen the way of Truth I am fully bent against lying and am resolved to speak truth though I have done otherwise sometimes through frailty Thy Judgements have I laid before mee Thereby to fright my conscience that I might not so much as equivocate Some render it judicia tua 〈…〉 I have kept pace with thy judgements scil in the bent and bias of my heart at least Vers 31 I have stuck unto thy Testimonies Hitherto I have done so let mee not now shrink from them or hang loose to them lest I lose the things that I have wrought and shame my self for ever by my recidivation Vers 32 I will run the way Do thy work with utmost diligence and delight come off roundly and readily therein take long strides towards heaven When thou shalt inlarge my heart By thy free Spirit and by the joy of faith when thou shalt have oyled my joynts and nimbled my feet then shall I run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40.31 our promises of obedience must be conditional sith without Christ we can do nothing Joâ— 15.5 Vers 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Which is both hard to hit and dangerous to miss teach me therefore And I shall keep it Lex jubet gratia juvat O beg of God that we may persevere sith the evening crowneth the day c. Vers 34. Give me understanding Wee can neither know nor do Gods will without Divine light and aid as appears clearly by this fifth Octonary which therefore Austin made so great use of against the Pelagians Vers 35. Make me to go in the path Which I shall soon forsake if thou guide me not Te duce vera sequer te duce falsa nego For therein do I delight After the inward man Rom. 7.22 Thou hast given me to will give me also to work what is wel-pleasing in thy sight Vers 36. Incline my heart Through the exercises of thy Word and the working of thy Spirit And not â—o câ—vetousness Which draweth away the heart from all Gods testimonies and is the â—opt of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Some think it is put here for all other vices The Chaldâ—e hath it And not to Mammon that mammon of iniquity as Christ calleth it the next odious name to the Devil Now to good God inclineth mans heart
the precious from the vile and make men the same within as without Vers 120 My flesh trembleth Horripilatur Job 4.15 In the Saints is a mixture of contrary passions fear and great joy as was in those holy women Mat. 28.8 and the one makes way for the other Vers 121 I have done Judgement and Justice I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Act. 23.1 my cause is right and my carriage righteous But Innocency is no target against detraction and deadly practice therefore Leave mee not to mine oppressours Or traducers for they will soon exceed their commission Zach. 1.15 Vers 122 Bee surety for thy servant for good Obi vadimonium appear for mee and non-suit all accusations against mee Or undertake for mee that I shall keep thy lawes as I have said and sworne to do Sis fide jussor meus Some observe that this is the only verse throughout the whole Psalm wherein the word is not mentioned under the name of Law Judgements Statutes or the like tearms And they make this Note upon it where the Law faileth there Christ is a surety of a better Testament There are that render the words thus Dulcify or delight thy servant in good Oblects servum tuâ—m â—uscul that is make him joyfull and comfortable in the pursuit and practice of that which is good Vers 123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation Not my bodily eyes only but the eyes of my faith See vers 81.82 And for the word of thy Righteousness That is for thy faithfull promises which many times bear a long date Vers 124. Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy i.e. Shew mee so much mercy as to teach mee thy Statutes Cathedram in caelis habet qui corda dâ—cet Divine learning is of Gods free favour If common skill then this much more commeth forth from the Lord of Hâ—asts who is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28.19 Vers 125 I am thy servant give mee understanding I have voluntarily hired my self unto thee chosen the things that please thee and take hold of the Covenant loving to bee thy servant Isa 56.4 6. Now this is all the wages I crave of thee Give mee understanding c. This David speaketh saith one in a reall and heavenly complement with his Maker That I may know thy Testimonies Work done in the dark must bee undone again David therefore would fully know his Masters mind that he might acceptably do it Vers 126 It is time for thee Lord to work For else what will become of thy great name and of thy poor people This the Psalmist speaketh not as prescribing God a time but as in minding him of his own glory and of his peoples necessity For they have made void thy Law They would if they could as out Antinomians dogmaticall and practicall our aweless lawless Belialists untameable untractable Vers 127 Therefore I love thy Commandements I like them the better because they sleight them and prize that way the more that they persecute I kindle my self from their coldness and whilst they greedily grasp after gold and fine gold I lay hold upon eternall life 1 Tim. 6.10 11 12. Vers 128 Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to â—ee right Therefore from the same ground again as before by an holy Antipâ—ristasis I esteem c Rectiâ—icavi I have declared them to bee right in every part and point against those that wrangle and wrâ—st them to a wrong sense I esteem every parcell of Truth precious and arm an utter enemy to every Hetoâ—odoxie The many All 's in this verse used not unlike that in 〈◊〉 chap. â—4 30 sheweth the integrity and â—â—â—â—ersality of his obedience All is 〈◊〉 word but of large extent I hate every false way Whether in point of opinion or practice all sinfull deviations and prevarications Hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing Rhet. lib. 2. saith Aristotle Vers 129 Thy Testimonies are wonderfull As comprehending high and hidden mysteries such as are far above the reach of humane reason such as the very Angels admire and adore A man must have more than common faith to subject his reason to them But all men are Socinians by nature they will beleeve Gods word no further than they can see reason which while men make the rule of their faith as did the wise Grecians the rationall Romans they stumble at the preaching of the Cross as foolishness and dis-beleeve the riches of Christ which are unsearchable Therefore doth my soul keep them Though I cannot comprehend them yet I am comprehended by them and though I cannoâ— do them as I would yet I am doing at them as I can I admire what I cannot attain to Vers 130 The entrance of they Words giveth light So soon as men are over the threshold of thy house sese lux quaedam inâ—uâ—rrabilis conspiciendam offert a marvellous light shineth about themâ— So little cause is there that any should accuse Gods word of darknesse and hardnesse or give way to negligence and carelesness of the Scriptures because they are wonderfull Lex Lux the Law is a Light Prov. 6.23 and the Gospel a great Light Mat. 4.16 See 2 Pet. 1.19 It giveth under standing to the simple And maketh them subtle Prov. 1.4 so they bee but docible The very first rudâ—ments of religion make wise the rude so they bee not refractary Vers 131 I opened my mouth and panted Heb. And Sâ—â—ped in the air as one that laboureth for life Oh the sighs and the groans that I uncessantly breathed forth As one that â—unneth himself out of breath Sitio propter lâ—gem sicut dâ—acones proptet pluviam Job 29. out of zeal to thy law Oh the strong affections kindled on the harth of my heart for I longed for thy Commandements The Septuagint render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a most vehement desire impatient of delays Vers 132 Look thou upon mee c. Face about towards mee and give mee a glimpse at least of thy grace for full fruition I expect not in this present life Brevis hora parva mora As thou usest to do unto those c. Common mercies satisfie not a Saint hee must have peculiar favours spirituall blessings in heavenly things even the sure mercies of David Hee pleads for a childs part Vers 133 Order my steps in thy word Let mee walk as in a â—â—ame walk by rule exactly accurately Ephes 5.15 Here hee prayeth that hee may keep the affirmative Precepts saith Aben. Ezra as in the next words the negative And let not any iniquity have dominion over mee Let it not reigne though it doth rebell let it bee like those beasts in Daniel whose dominion was taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time chap. 7.12 Vers 134 Deliver mee from the oppression of man Homo hominâ— lupus David besides his corruptions within met with oppressions and persecutions
and biteth it off with great delight then she conceiveth her young ones which eat out her belly So the Oppressour getting the poor mans goods they seem sweet unto him but at the last his sin findeth him out for it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder as Sermon saith of drunkennesse which Austin calleth dulce vemenum a sweet poyson Prov. 23.32 Verse 17. Mercer He shall not see the Rivers the floods c. that is that plenty and abundance of all good things that cometh in to the righteous Velut confertim certatim affatiâ—â— a confluence of all manner of comforts and contentments These the Oppressour shall have none of for being insatiable and vexed with the furies of an evil conscience they enjoy not any thing though they abound with all things being worse then Tantalized and if after his fall he seek to recruit himself he shall never be able to effect it He shall not see the Rivers c. The Seventy and others after them render it by an elegant Apostrophe Ne spectes rivos Let him never look after the Rivers c. for it will never be He may please himself in hope and expectation of a better condition but God will surely crosse him For his hoped for riches he shall have poverty for pleasure pain for health sicknesse for nourishment poison for dignity disgrace for the favour of God his wrath and hatred for life destruction A further account of the wicked mans non-enjoyment of what he had wrongfully wrested from others Zophar giveth us in the next verse Verse 18. That which he laboured for shall he restore Great paines he hath taken to small purpose in hope to make him self happy the result whereof is Reddet laborem he shall restore his labour either by regret and remorse of conscience or by Law or by force he shall be made to restore his ill-gotten goods which he had laboured for even to lassitude for wicked men are sore work-men and oppressours are great pains-takers Nazian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in getting wealth unweariable And shall not swallow it down Or if he do as vers 15. it shall be but as the fish swalloweth the hook or as the Whale swallowed Jonah ill at ease till he had laid up again According to his substance Ball the restitution be hebr According to the substance fo his exchange Opes compensationis the riches of his recompence so the word is rendred chap. 15.31 The Oppressor is so infatuated that he looks upon his cursed hoards as the reward of his labour and rejoyceth in that where of he hath more reason to repent as Leah said at the birth of her son Issachar but not well God hath given me my hire because I have given my maiden to my husband Gen. 30. 18. Felix scèlus virtus vocatur Dionysius gloryed that the Gods disliked not his Sacriledge because they punished him not presently But what faith Zophar here He shall not rejoyce therein Or if he do for a while yet the tryumphing of the wicked is but short ver 5. as a blaze of thornes under a pot or as a flash of lightning which is followed by rending and roaring he shall be filled with unmedicinable sorrowes when his Gold his God is taken from him when he parteth with that whereon he had set his heart and built his felicity Verse 19. Because he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor Hebr. Because he hath crushed or broken in pieces The Original word importeth as One well observeth Tyrannical Oppression without mercy or moderation without ho or hold some give full scope to their rage and wrath they put neither bond nor bridle upon their covetousnesse and cruelty such are characterized by this word And forsaken the poor Or Left men poor viz. by letting them without a livelyhood and so as good as without life A poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell crush that and you kill him They which read it And for saken the poor give us this good Note That as it is sinful to forsake the poor though we have never oppressed them Matth. 25.35 36. Not to do Justice is Injustice not to shew mercy is cruelty Mark 3.4 so to oppresse and then forsake them is far more sinfull Because he hath violently taken away Violently and in open view in an impudent manner He pulleth down mens houses but never thinketh of repairing them so some read this Text. Let our Depopulators look to it who build themselves desolate places and desire to live alone in the earth This hath been noted as a great fault in our Nation And therefore Goropius thinketh the English were called Augli because they were so good Anglers having skil to lay diverse baits when they fished for other mens livings Verse 20. Surely he shall not feel quietnesse in his belly i. e. Peace in his conscience satisfaction in his soul but as he is still coveting more being sick of a Dropsie or Bulimy as it were so he hath many inward gripings and grabbings worse then any belly ache or sicknesse of the stomack he never eateth to the satisfying of his soul as the righteous man doth but the belly of the wicked shall want Prov 13.25 His meat is so sawced and his drink so spiced with the wrath of God that he hath no joy of it His belly is pained his mind is in perpetual turmoile whiles like a Ship laden but not filled up he hath enough to sink him but not enough to satisfie him He shall not save of that which he desired Which he coveted with strong desire and had as lief have been knockt on the head as parted with as his Plate Wardrobe Jewels c. neither can he save them nor they him Broughton rendreth By that which he desired he shall not be safe and to like purpose the Septuagint Verse 21. There shall none of his meat be left Zophar still pursueth the Allegory of the belly and in all striketh at poor Job who had scarce a bit of bread to eat but yet was not without the hidden Manna the feast of a good conscience which made him say with Luther Mendecato pant hic vivamus c. Let us take up with course fare here sith we have better within and better yet we shall have in heaven in our Fathers house is bread enough c. Therefore no man shall look for his goods Heb. His goods or goodnesse It was well said That he that first called riches Bona Goods was a better husband then Divine But it may be thought that the most are such husbands The common cry is Who will shew us any good The Lord answereth Exod. 33.19 I will make all my good passe before thee and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee The Prophet answereth Mic. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good viz. to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Nevessen But most men
are of his mind who said He that will not venture his body will never be valiant and he that will not venture his soul will never be rich But what saith the Prophet He that getteth riches and not by right shall dye a poor fool Jer. 17.11 And what saith Zophar here He shall dye a plain beggar and leave no estate worth the looking after or suing for this falleth not out alwayes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times it doth as is easily to be observed Verse 22. In the fulnesse of his sufficiency be shal be in straits The covetous man never hath a sufficiency but is as greedily gasping still after more as if he were not worth an half-peny much lesse a fulnesse of sufficiency a superfluity a superabundance What soever Esan pretended in his I have enough my brother Gen. 33.9 Jacob could indeed say truly I have enough ver 11. for godlinesse only hath an autarkie 1 Tim. 6.6 True piety hath true plenty and is never with out a well-contenting sufficiency wherein the good man is when is the fulnesse of straits See it in David 1 Sam. 30.6 in Habakkuk chap. 3.16 17. in Paul 2 Cor. 6.10 Phil. 4-11 he had nothing and yet possessed all things But that which Zophar here drives at is to shew that the Oppressour shall be ruinated when at highest and when he least looketh for it as was Nebuchadnezzar Haman Belshazzar Babylon the great Rev. 18.7 8. How was Alexander the Great surprized at a Feast Caesar in the Senate house many of the Emperors in their own Palaces c Every hand of the wicked shall come upon him Or Of the Labourer whose wages he hath detained Or of the poor oppressed whom he hath forced to labour hard for a poor living Broughton rendreth it Each hand of the injured and grieved shall come upon him and so he shall have many fists about his ears many ready to rifle him and to pull a fleece from him Verse 23 When he is about to fill his belly It appeareth by this expression that it was belly timber wherein the wicked man placed his sufficiency ver 22. his felicity Si ventri bone sit si lateri saith the Epicure in Horace If the belly may be filled the body fitted that 's all that these Lurcones these Losels look after Pelyphemus knew no other God but his belly There were belly-gods in Saint Pauls time such as of whom be could not speak with dry eyes Phil 3 18-19 Such are compared by Clemens Alexandrinus to the Sea-castle that hath his heart in his belly By others to the Locust the belly whereof is said to be joyned to his mouth and to end at his taile to the fish called Blax that is altogether unprofitable and to Rats and Mice good for nothing but to devour victuals When therefore such a Pamphagus is about to fill his belly and to pamper his panch or otherwise to gorge himself with the full messes of sins Dainties as the Viper lives on venemous things the Spider on Aconite the Sow on swill as Tartarians on Carrion holding them as dainty as other men do Venison then saith Zophar God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him Heb. He shall send forth c. He will no longer keep in his judgments in the chaines of mercy but give them their full forth upon this wicked Oppressor and that even very then when hee bids his heart make merry and assures himselfe of unchangeable happinesse For He shall rain it upon him that is reveal it from heaven against him Rom. 1. while he is eating As it befel chose Cormorants Numb 11.33 and the old world Luke 17. Matth. 24.38 Sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with child Vel ut pluvia quae sereno coelo inopinantes opprimit Or as foul weather that comes unsent for and oft unlook'd for The Vulgar rendreth it And he shall rain his war upon him But this Zophar setteth forth in the next verse where he denounceth war and weapons Verse 24. He shall flee from the iron weapons i. e. whiles he seeks to shun one mischief he shall fall into another and when he thinks to run from death he runs to it God who can do what he will with his own bare hand is here brought in after the manner of men with sword and bow to shew that both at home and afar off he can tame his Rebels Neither boots it any man to stand out with God or to seek to save himself by sight or flight sith he is that King against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 and if he be angry no other helps can relieve us Brasse and iron can fence me against an Arrow or a sword but if I were to be cast into a furnace of fire it would help to torment me if into a pit of water to sink me Now our God is a consuming fire and his breath a stream of brimstone Isai 30.33 Submit your selves therefore to God Jam. 4.7 Humble your selves therefore under his mighty hand and he shall lift you up in due season 1 Pet. 5. To run into God is the way to escape him as to close and get in with him that would strike you doth avoyd the blow And the bow of steel shall strike him through Or shall change him that is kil him Death is our great change and to the wicked a dismal change for they shal be killed with death Rev. 2.23 Then Balaam and his bribes Baltasar and his bowls Dives and his dishes Herod and his Harlots the Usurer and his bills the Merchant and his measures c. shall part asunder for ever But that is not the worst of it The word here used signifieth excision or cutting off and hence that of Bathsheba Prov. 31.8 Bene chaloph children of destruction answerable to that of our Saviour John 17.12 A son or child of perdition that is a man devoted to utter destruction Verse 25. It is drawn and cometh out of the body that is the Arrow out of the Quiver or the sword out of the sheath as the Vulgar translateth it By a like Metaphor the body is called the souls sheath Dan. 7.15 But I rather take it properly It cometh out of his body that is out of the wicked mans body who is under such a deep and deadly wound as Jehoram was whom Jehu shot through the heart and as William Rufus was by Walter-Tirrel who in hunting mistook him for a Dear Yea the glistering sword cometh out of his gall And so the wound must needs be mortal sith none can come at the gall to cure it The wicked shall be double slaine first with Gods bow and then with his sword rather then he shall escape How much better were it to fall down as Paul did Rom. 7. slaine with the sword of the Spirit Bernard told his brother a souldier that because he would not listen to the word of exhortation God would shortly