King Abaddon so the Divel is called Rev. 9.11 and so hell is called in this Text because thereinto are thrust all that are destined to destruction all the brats of fathomlesse perdition such as was Judas the Traytor who went to his place and all wicked ones who shall surely be turned into hel with all those that forget God Psal 9 17. This place is not covered saith Ferus here but open to God for whomsoever he will cast thereinto Verse 7. He stretcheth out he North ever the empty place Heb. Over Tohâ— Aristotle saith that beyond the moveable heavens there is neither body nor time nor place De calâ— text 99 nor vacuum But on this side of the heaven there are bodies time place and as it may seem to some an empty place for so the Air is here called over which and not over any solid matter for a foundation God hath spread and stretched forth the heavens which are here called the North because they are moved about the North-Pole and besides the North is held the upper part of the world according to that of Virgil Mundus ut ad Scythiam Riphaeasque arduus arces Consurgit premitur Libya dovexus ad anstres Hènce it is here put for the whole heaven which held up by the Word of Gods power without any other props leaneth upon the liquid Aire the Aire upon the earth and the earth upon nothing And hangeth the earth upon nothing Terra pilae fimilis nullo fulcimine nixa Aere sublato tam grave pendet onus Ovid. 6. Fastor The earth hangs in the midst of heaven like Architas or Archimedes his Pigeon equally poised with his own weight Of this great wonder This is the very finger of God Aristotle himself admireth it De Cal. l. 2. c. 13 the Philosophers after much study can give no good reason because ignorant of this that God hath appoined it so to be even from the first Creation Psal 104.5 Heb. 1.2 The Poets fable that Atlas beareth up heaven with his shoulders but we confesse the true Atlas viz. the Lord our God who by his Word alone beareth up heaven and earth And it is here fitly alledged as an Argument of his Almightinesse The greatness of this work of God appeareth hereby saith Merlin that men cannot spread aloft the thinnest curtaine absque fulcris without some solid thing to uphold it Verse 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds Heb. Clouds which yet have their name from thicknesse because they arise from Aire condensed In these God bottleth up the rain and there keepeth it in by main strength as the word signifieth though those vessels are as thin and thinner then the liquor that is contained in them This duly weighed were enough to convince an Atheist especially if he consider how The cloud is not rent under them And so causeth a cataclysme to drown the earth as sometimes at sea especially great hurt is done this way among ships by a spout as Mariners call it the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Dutch Ein Wolckenbruch or Heavenbreach viz. when clouds cleave asunder and discharge themselves all at once for a great mischief to mankind Now that God thus binds up these heavy vapours and keeps them in the clouds as a strong man in a Cobweb till brought by the winds whithersoever he pleaseth to appoint them they drop upon the earth buy little and little to make it fruitful this is a wonderful work of God and should bring us to the knowledge of his Power Wisdom and Goodnesse Rom. 1.19 20. see Job 38.37 Jer. 5.22 Verse 9 He holdeth back the face of his Throne i.e. Of heaven Isai 66.1 which he eftsoons overcloudeth and muffleth up or masketh with a vail mystically by the Face of his Throne we may understand the knowledg of his glory for this is held from us so in this world that we cannot perfectly know him as he is but must content our selves with a learned ignorance 1. Joh. 3.3 Here darkness is and will be under his feet Psal 18.9 And spreadeth his cloud upon it It is fitly called his cloud because 1. It is his handy-work Psal 18.11 Gen. 9.14 Job 28.26 27. and 37.15 16. and 38.9 Psa 104.5 His Sun draweth up those vapours which being thickned in the middle Region of the aire by the cold encompassing and driving them together become a cloud 2 He used it of old as a sign of his glorious Power and gracious presence with his people Exod. 13.21 and 16.10 2 Chron. 5.13 14. And as a figure of Christs guiding and protecting his Church through the wildernesse of this world Isai 4.5 6. 3. He still rideth in state upon the clouds Isai 19.1 Christ was by a cloud coached up to heaven Act. 1.9 and shall come in like manner Apoc. 1.7 and 10.1 We also shall then be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thessal 4.17 O mora Christe veni Verse 10. Trem. He hath compassed the waters with bounds Decreto circinavit superficiem aquarum He hath as it were with a pair of Compasses drawne a circle about the sea that it may not passe to drown the earth Confer chap. 38.8 10 11. Psal 33.7 and 89.10 and 104 9. Prov. 8.29 So he drew a circle round about the earth Prov. 8.27 doing all with infinite Wisdome Pondere mensura numero c. He founded the earth not upon solid Rocks but fluid waters And that it floteth not upon them nor is shaken with them as oft as there is a tempest in the Ocean that begirteth it neither yet is overflowed by them this is the wonderful-work of God Aristotle in his Book De Mirabilâ—bus admireth it and acknowledgeth Gods providence which elsewhere he denyeth Terminum aquis prescripsit saith Job here And this either he had from Moses Gen. 1.10 or if he lived before Moses as it is most likely he did he had it as he had many other things by tradition from the Fathers Saylers tell us that as they draw nigh to the shore when they enter into a haven they run as it were down hill And yet men are said to go down not up to the sea in ships Psal 107.23 See a reason hereof in this Text and Psal 104.96 An vero non stupendum est saith Lavater But is it not a wonderful thing that so fierce an Element so huge a masse of waters tossed by the winds should be bounded and bridled by sands confined and kept within their prescribed place and shore Especially if the water be as some affirm ten times bigger then the earth the air then the water the fire then the air Vntil the day and night come to an end Heb. Until the consummation of light with darknesse that is till time shall be no more till the end of the world when all things shal be let loose to devastation and the sea
enemy on the other side to forbid their landing There did we rejoyce in him We who were then in the loyns of our fore-fathers and so shared in their joy See Hos 12.4 with the Note Vers 7. He ruleth by his power As sole Soveraign universal Monarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sesostris King of Aegypt would needs bee stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emperour of the whole World Herod l. 2. he lived about the time of Sampson and perished by the hands of his own houshold-servants His eyes behold the Nations For which purpose they run to and fro through the earth 2 Chron. 16.9 Let not the rebellious c. Heb. The off-faln froward and refractory persons these shall soon be represt and crest-faln Vers 8. O bless our God yee people We must not only publish Gods praises but provoke others also so to do Vers 9. Which holdeth our soul in life Heb. Putteth that is bestoweth life on us preserveth it restoreth it Some think this Psalm was made upon Davids deliverance from the Giant that sought to kill him 2 Sam. 21.16 And suffereth not our feet to be moved David gave back diverse paces say the Hebrews but was seasonably rescued by Abishai who slew the Philistine Vers 10. For thou O God hast proved us Non ut ipse sciat sed ut sâ—ire nâ—sâ— faciat saith Austine God proveth his people not thereby to better his own knowledge of them Joh. 2.25 6.6 21.17 Acts 1.24 but to bring them to a better knowledge of their own both Vices and Graces It is not known what Corn will yeeld till it come to the Flail nor what Grapes till they come to the Press Grace is hid in Nature as sweet water in Rose-leaves the fire of affliction fetcheth it out Thou hast tried us as Silver The wicked also are tried Revel 3.10 but they prove reprobate silver Jer. 6.28.30 or at best as Alchymy gold that will not bear the seventh fire as Job did chap. 23.10 Vers 11. Thou broughtest us into the Net A Metaphor from Hunters or Fowlers Vtitur figuris tanquam in poemate Thou layedst affliction upon our loyns Coâ—rctationem in lumbis wee are not only hampered as in a Net but fettered as with chains as if we had been in the Jaylors or Hangmans hands Vers 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads Subjected us to the villanies and outrages of the basest persons who have used us more like beasts than men We went thorough fire and thorough water That is thorough variety of sharpest afflictions noted out by this Proverbial passage Fire and Water are merciless Elements Aelius Pertinax fortune pila pervulgatè dicebatur quòd variis casibus exercit us fuit It is the true Christians comfort that nothing befalleth him but by a sweet providence and that God goeth along with him into both fire and water Isa 43.2 to see that he take no hurt by either But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place Heb. Moyst that is into the air saith Aben-Ezra opposed to Fire and Water where wee might draw breath and live comfortably In locum irriguum in refrigerium It is but winking said that Martyr at the stake and we shall bee in Heaven immediatly The Arabick hath it Eduxisti nos ad requiem Confer Acts 3.19 Vers 13. I will go into thim house c. I will begin to others in that publick solemn Thanksgiving and not grutch at the cost I will be Vir gregis as the He-Goat before the flocks Jer. 50.8 Vers 14. Which my lips have uttered Heb. Have opened that is which I have uttered diductis labiis with lips wide open Videmus qualiter vota nuncupari soleant saith Vatablus Here we see after what sort vows use to be made when we are under any pressing affliction but when once delivered how heavily many come off in point of paiment And my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Then men will promise any thing for ease and release But what saith the Italian Proverb Sciapato il morbo frandato il Santo when the Disease is cured the Saint is defrauded Horace calleth upon Macaenas who in his Sickness had vowed to build a Temple Reddero victimas Lib. 2. Od. 17 Aedemque votivam memento Nos humilem feriemus agnam Vers 15. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings Heb. Marrow the very best of the best and better I could beteem the Lord if I had it With the Incense of Rams Which being offered infaith and as Figures of that great Sacrifice to come shall be accepted of God for a sweet-smelling savour I will offer Bullocks with Gouts Faciam â—oves this Ecciâ—â— alledgeth but absurdly to prove the Popish unbloudy sacrifice of the Mass as if Christ when he said This do ye in 〈◊〉 of me had meant Thus sacrifice ye Vers 16. Come and hear He had said before Come and see vers 5. He held it a greater honour Prodesse 〈◊〉 praâ—sse All yee that 〈◊〉 God For such only will hear to good purpose others either cannot or care not And I will declare c. Communicate unto you my Soul-secrets and experiments There is no small good to be gotten by such declarations Bilney perceiving Latimer to bee zealous without knowledge came to him in his study and desired him for Gods sake to hear his confession I did so saith Latimer and to say the truth by his confession I learned more than afore in many years Act. Mon. So from that time forward I began to smell the Word of God and forsake the School-Doctors and such fooleries Vers 17. I cryed unto him I prayed fervently and frequently And he was extolled c. My prayers were soon turned into praises which I silently framed within my self even while I was praying Vers 18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart If I have but a â—exths-mind to it as we say If I cast but a leering-look towards it if there be in mee but an irresolution against it how much more then if I allow it and wallow in iâ—â— He who chuseth to hold fast sin doth by his own election forsake mercy Jon. 2.8 neither let such a man think that he shall receive any thing at the hands of God Jam. 1.7 As in a wound a plaster prevaileth not whiles the Iron remaineth within so neither prayer while sin rankleth God will never accept of a good motion from a bad mouth as that State in story would not A man may deliver an excellent speech but because of his stinking breath we may have no pleasure to hear him so in this case Prayer is a pouring out of the heart as hath been already observed If iniquity harbour there prayer is obstructed and if it do break out it will have the scent and savour of that iniquity upon it and thereby displease Kimchi maketh this strange sense quite from the purpose and from the truth If I regard iniquity only in my heart so
keep to their oaths Verse 9. Of the God of heaven Heathens have this notion by nature that God is the God of heaven and that there He is as in his place howbeit we must not conceive that God is commensurable by any place sith he filleth all places and is every where all-present totally present wheresoever present but in heaven is his glory most manifested and on earth is he alone to be worshipped Verse 10. That they may pray for the life of the King For God at his pleasure cutteth off the spirits of Princes Psal 76.12 he crops them off with ease as one would do a flower slips them off as one would do a bunch of grapes as he dealt by Alexander the Great Attilas that Terrour of the world and King Henry the second of France who upon the marriage of his sister to the King of Spaine was so puffed up that he called himself by a new title Tres-heureuse Roy the thrice-happy King But to confute him in solemnizing that marriage he was slaine at Tilt by the Captaine of his guard though against his will but not without Gods determinate counsel in the very beginning of his supposed happinesse Prov. 3â— Death is the onely King against whom there is no rising up The mortall sythe is master of the royal Scepter saith one and it moweth downe the Lilies of the Crowne as well as the grasse of the field pray therefore for the life of the King saith this King here let the Priests shout and say Let the King live for ever Nehem. 2.3 〈◊〉 And of his sonnes Some of whom had soone died say some He therefore calleth for prayers for the preservation of the rest Verse 11. Let timber be pulled downe from his house 1. Let his house be pulled down for a penalty The Popish Councel of Tholouse called together against the Albigenses those ancient Protestants made this cruel constitution We decree that that house wherein is found an Heretick be pulled down to the ground 2. Let that timber be set up for a gibbet and let him be hanged thereon Chald. destroyed Compare that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man destroy the Temple of God which Temple ye are him shall God destroy and let those look to it who turne it into a den of theeves into a brothel-house slaughter-house pest-house of noysome lusts qui podicem ex ore faciunt by their unsavory speeches and moile themselves worse then by tumbling in a jakes Verse 12. And the God that hath caused his name i. e. his Word and true worship Acts 9.15 Psal 138.2 Mic. 4.5 1 Kings 5.3 5. Destroy all Kings and people A dreadful curse and such as God saith Amen to Let all persecutors and Church-robbers look to themselves Gods hand hath ever beene very heavie upon such and their posterity See Prov. 20.25 with the Note Let it be done with speed It hath beene too much retarded and delayed already Let it now be expedited David made haste and delayed not to keep Gods Commandments Psal 119.60 And Austin crieth out Nimis serò te amavi Domine It was a great burden to his good soul that he began no sooner to love God He resolveth therefore to redeeme time and to redouble his diligence not leaving till his soul was turned into a lump of love Morus novissimè omnium germinat tamen parit inter primas The Mulberry-tree buds last but fruits with the first Verse 13. So they did speedily This they did because they durst do no otherwise their obedience was wrung out of them as verjuice is out of a crab or as distilled water is forced out by the heat of the fire Thus some performe duties and yet hate them part with sins and yet love them Shew the malefactour the rack and he will say or do any thing This is to feare God for his Lions as those Mongrels did 2 Kings 17.33 34. tâ—â—â—re-sâ—rvili non â—micali Beda which yet may addere alas left they fall under the lash the correction of the Law for refusing the direction thereof Verse 14. And Artaxerxes This is Xerxes called also Ahashuerosh husband of Esther or as some think Artaxerxes Longimanus the sonne of Xerxes by Esther by whom the Temple finished before might be much beautified and haply enlarged also Verse 15. And this house was finished About fifteene years after that the foundation had beene laid or twenty at most The Jewes therefore either were out in their account John 2.20 Fourty and six years was this Temple in building or else they meant it of Herods Temple which was long in building and beautifying whereby he sought to ingratiate with the Jewes which yet he could never do Verse 16. Kept the dedication with joy So they did at the dedication of the first Temple 2 Chron. 7.10 God had required all his worships to be celebrated with joy Deut. 12.7 and made it a condition of an acceptable service Deut. 26.14 Sacrifices offered with mourning were abomination Hos 9.4 yea accursed by God Deut. 28.47 What a general joy was there at Samaria when Christ was first preached and beleeved on amongst them Acts 8.8 when they first became Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 a Temple for God to dwell in and walk in 2 Cor. 6.16 The like was at Bern at Geneva at Zurick when the reformed Religion was first received amongst them They caused for joy thereof the day and yeare to be engraven in a pillar in letters of gold for a perpetual memory to all posterity Like as at Heidelberg Anno 1617. in the Calends of November Acts Mon. Vita Parci operib praefix they kept for three dayes space an Evangelical Jubile for joy of the Reformation begun by Luther an hundred years before Verse 17. An hundred bullocks c. This little in comparison of what was done at Solomons dedication 1 Kings 8.63 was highly accepted in heaven as was likewise Noahs sacrifice which yet could not be great because that after a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 which saith Aristotle is not to be measured by the worth of the gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. st Ethic. lib. 4. but by the will of the Giver See the Note on chap. 2.6 Twelve he-goates A fit creature for a sin-offering because nasty unruly c. According to the number of the tribes of Israel All whom wheresoever dispersed they remember in their prayers as we should likewise do all the Israel of God in all places Verse 18. For the service of God According to that Exod. 12.25 Ye shall keep this service where the same word is used that elsewhere serveth to set forth their servile service Gnabhodah their bondage in Egypt God lets them know that they must serve still though another Master and after another manner So Christ calleth upon his to take his yoke upon them Free though
ordered it That when the King saw Esther the Queen c. Beautified by God in a special manner as was Moses Acts 7.20 Stephen Acts 6.15 c. And some faces we know do appear most orientally faire when they are most instamp't with sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That she obtained favour in his sight Josephus saith that at first the King frowned upon her so that she fell into a swoon before him Rex autem voluntate arbitror Dei mentem mutavit i. e. But the King as God would have it changed his minde and cheared her up How true this is I know not But this I know that the wrath of a King is as the roaring of a lion which is so terrible that it astonieth all that heare it Amb bex l. 6. c. 5. and that Omne trahit secum Caesaris ira malum Sir Christopher Hatton being check't and threatened by Queen Elizabeth died soon after Neither could the Queen having once cast him down with her word only raise him up again though she visited him Camd. Eliz 406. and comforted him Esther here was soon raised and relieved Dejicit ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus And the King held out to Esther the golden Scepter He did not kick her out of his Presence as some Cambyses would have done neither did he command her to the block as Henry the eighth did his Anne Bullen upon a meer misprision of disloyalty neither yet did he cashiere her as he had done Vashti for a lesse offence but by holding out his Scepter shewes his gracious respects unto her This was the Lords own work as was likewise that of old that Laban should leave Jacob with a kisse Esau meet him with a kisse Gen. 33.4 where the word kissed hath a prick over each letter in the Original to shew the wonder of Gods work in changing Esaus heart from his former hatred Let a mans wayes please the Lord and men shall quickly befriend him This is compendiosissima hominum gratiam consequendis via saith Lavater here the readiest way to win favour with all others When David was once a man after Gods heart whatsoever he did pleased the people So Esther drew near and touched the top of his Scepter With her hand saith the Chaldee with her mouth saith the Vulgar Translation This she did either in token of submission or for the avoiding of danger for as Josephus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph Col. 3.19 He that touched the Kings Scepter was out of the reach of evil Wives should submit themselves to their own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Submission includeth Reverence in heart speeches gestures and obedience to all their husbands lawful commands and restraints This is no more then is meet saith the Apostle Verse 3. Then said the King unto her He perceived both by this her bold adventure and also by her countenance and habit that she had some very great suit to him He therefore accosteth her as the Lord did the Angel Zech. 1.13 with good words and comfortable words And this way one man may be an Angel nay a God to another Gen. 33.10 Indeed it is God that comforteth by the creature as by a conduit-pipe The aire yieldeth light as an instrument the water may heart but not of it selfe The Lord put it into the heart of Ahashuerus to chear up Esther in this sort wherein also he did but his duty for no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies He that loveth his wife loveth himself Eph. 6.28 29. What wilt thou Queen Esther That he called her by her name and with such an honourable attribution was a signe of no small favour The hearts of Josephs brethren were so big swolne with spite and spleen that they could not call him by his name but said Behold this dreamer Gen. 37.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 7.11 So the Pharisees called our Saviour This fellow And the Jewes sought him at the feast and said Where is he they could not finde in their hearts to say Where is Jesus So Saul asked not for David much lesse for his son-in-law David but for the son of Jesse by way of contempt Christ tells his disciples that their enemies shall cast out their names for naught Luke 6.22 and chargeth them courteously to salute their enemies calling them friendly by their names Mat. 5.47 And what is thy request q. d. Feare not to utter it I am very earnest to know it and fully resolved to grant it It was more troublesome to Severus the Emperour to be asked nothing then to give much When any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him he would call him and say Quid est cur nihil petes What meanest thou to ask me nothing Hitherto ye have asked me nothing saith the King of Saints to his beloved Esther Ask that your joy may be full John 16.24 he is worthily miserable that will not make himself happy by asking It shall be given thee to the half of the Kingdom A proverbial rather then a prodigal speech and much in this Kings mouth If some ambitious Semiramis had had such an offer what ill use might she soon have made of it The dancing Damosel made no good use of the like from Herod But a Bee can suck honey out of a flower that a flie cannot skill to do Esther prudently and modestly improveth the immoderate offer of the King and conceiveth good hope How much more may we upon those exceeding great and precious Promises given us by God of an exuberancy of love and a confluence of all comforts for this life and a better Especially since God doth not pay his Promises with words Pâ—â—t as Sertorius is said to have done neither is he off and on with his people nec mutatur nec mentitur but performeth all with the better as Naaman pressed the Prophets man to take two talents when he asked but one The widow of Sarepta had more then she could tell what to do with her cruse never ceased running till she had no room The Shunamite would ask nothing of the Prophet nor make use of his offered courtesie He sends for her again and makes her a free Promise of that which she most wanted and desired a sonne 2 Kings 4.16 Gods kindnesse is beyond all this he giveth his servants what they forget or presume to ask and sends his Spirit to help them and to forme their prayers for them and thereby to seale them up to the day of Redemption to assure them of the Kingdome Verse 4. And Esther answered She did not presently poure forth her whole heart into the Kings bosome raile against Haman beg for her people c. but prudently reserveth her selfe till a fitter opportunity Unadvised open-heartednesse is a fruit of
Religion so early came Martyrdome into the world and John Baptist was put to death in prison without all shew of law right or reason as if God had beene nothing aware of any such matter Acts Mon. as that Martyr phrased it Indeed if Eliphaz meant it of perishing eternally neither Job nor any one else could produce an instance of a godly man so perishing but for temporall miseries 't is sure that never any out of hell have met with more then the most holy and harmlesse heires of heaven see Heb. 11. and you will say so But the Scriptures haply were not written when Eliphaz uttered this speech howbeit he might have observed the contrary to what he here seemeth to affirme appealing to Jobs own experience for proof And the truth is if men were so well read as they might in the story of their owne lives they might have a Divinity of their own by noting experiments such as that 119 Psalm is in a manner wholly made up of Remember saith hee here and the Philosopher saith that experience is nothing else but multiplex memoria because of the memory of the same thing often done ariseth experience Eliphaz therefore after that he had given Job his turne to search his experiences brings forth his owne in the next verse Verse 8. Even as I have seene And therefore can boldly say for what so sure as sight See Numb 11.23 Gen. 34.1 2. Diligent inspection of a thing and deepe consideration upon it makes confidence which is the fruit of experience They that plow iniquity and sow wickednesse Here 's plowing and sowing a mysticall husbandry Sinners are sore labourers great pains-takers they plot and plow they sow and reap they dig and delve Prov. 16.27 they weave and spin Isa 59.5 They busie their heads and beat their brains as hard students in their black-art they labour even unto lassitude Jer. 9.5 Hence they are called workers of iniquity the vulgar rendreth this text Qui operantur iniquitatem and sinne is called a work of the flesh How can those but work hard in digging descents to hell who have the divel for their task-master who continually spurres them on to a quick dispatch of the deeds of darknesse Arant serunt occant scelera as the divels hinds and horses they drudge night and day turning up all the corruptions in their hearts and conveniences in the world for the effecting of their wicked devises And sow wickednesse Nemo repente fit turpissimus Sin goeth on gradually here is first plowing 2 Tim. 3.13 and then sowing wicked men and seducers grow worse and worse til at length they are even Satanized being transformed into sins image and bereft of all passive power of awaking out of the snare of the divel being taken alive by him at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Reape the same Not the same day it may be but too soone to their sorrow they receive the guerdon of their sinne Sooner or later it is sure he that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity Prov. 22.8 Jer. 4.18 As every body hath its shadow so hath every sinne its punishment and many times the one is so like the other that a man may safely say such a punishment is the product of such a sinne Gal. 6.7 Men shall reap the same they sow and good reason Give them bloud to drink for they are worthy Rev. 16.6 God loves to make him a name amongst men by his Art of Justicing as One calleth it in that most exact way of counter-passion or retaliation And Adonibezek hath got him a fame of ingenuity by acknowledging as much Judg. 1.7 Verse 9. By the blast of God they perish He puts himself to no great pain to punish them but blowes them away as so many dust-heaps he nods them to destruction saith the Psalmist Ps 80.16 he can as easily do it as bid it to be done Sic Caesar Metello Psal 64.1 If the Lord do but arise his enemies shall be scattered and all that hate him flye before him If he but put his head out of the windows of heaven as it were and say Who is on my side who all the creatures who for fear of him had hid themselves as worms wriggle into their holes in time of thunder shall look out presently and offer him their service so that he cannot possibly want a weapon to tame his rebels or a way to bring the wicked to condign punishment He is Eloah as he is here called that is The puissant One the mighty strong God as Isa 9.6 before whom all Nations are as the drop of a bucket or as the dust of the balance No more able to stand against him Isa 40.15 then is the glasse-bottle against a Cannon shot or down-thistle before a whirl-wind Behold I will send a blast upon him saith God concerning Sennacherib 2 King 19.7 and so set him going So elsewhere he threatneth to tread down his stoutest enemies as straw is troden down to the dung-hill Neither shall he much trouble himself in doing this For he shall onely spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim c. Isa 25.11 12. to signifie that he shall do it with greatest facility The motion in swimming is easie not strong for strong violent strokes in the water would rather sink then support It is said that by a look of his out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud he troubled the hoast of the Egyptians Exod. 14.24 and as the Rocks repelled the boysterous waves Coâ—antia frangere frangunt so did He the enemies of his people By the breath of his nostrils they are consumed Heb. By the wind of his nostrils This is the same with the former Onely it is conceived that Eliphaz here alludeth to the manner of the death of Jobs children by a mighty wind so strong as if God himself had breathed it out By the breath of his mouth He made the world Psalm 33.6 and by the same breath can He as soon and as easily unmake it againe as he did in the generall Deluge whereunto the Chaldee Paraphrast holdeth that Eliphaz here referreth the remembrance of which standing monument of Gods wrath was fresh and well known when this was spoken Verse 10. The roaring of the Lion c. Lest any should think saith an Interpreter that the blast of God above-mentioned carryeth away only strawes and feathers Mr. Caryâ— light and weak persons into perdition Eliphaz addeth the weightiest and the strongest The roaring of a Lion c. q. d. God by his blast can take away or break the strongest the mightiest lion-like men c. Under the shadow of which allusions he closely strikes at Job who was once a great man a fierce spoiling Lion in the apprehension of his friends and yet God brought him down Of tyrants and Oppressors compared to Lions and why see Nahum 2.11 12. with the Note and Prov. 28.15 with the note
power so infinite is the distance betwixt God and the greatest Noble that it is an honour that they may be suffered to live in his sight Exod. 24.10 11. And it is all one with God whether against a man or a nation Job 34.29 Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered Instance but any one whether tongue-smitter or hand-smiter that could ever boast of the last blow or could cry Victoria Quis dura locutus est â—i so some render it Who ever uttered hard speeches Jude 15 stout words Mal. 3.13 against God and prospered scaped scot-free as we say and had not his full payment Blasphemers set their mouths against heaven witnesse Pharaoh Sennacherib Julian c. dealing with Almighty God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lonicer theat histor as if Augustus Caesar were dealing with some god Neptune Caligula with his Jupiter whom he dared to a duel or the three sons trying their archery at their fathers heart to see who can shoot nighest But shall they thus escape by iniquity No In thine anger cast down the people O God Psalm 56.7 The wall of Aphek did execution upon the blasphemous Syrians the Angel of God upon the Assyrians his visible vengeance fell upon Julian Arius and Olympius an Arian bishop who denying the Trinity was struck with three thunderbolts and killed in a bath Others understand here the word Libbo and read it thus who hath hardened his heart against him c. Surely if men harden their hearts God will harden his hand and hasten their destruction See Prov. 29.1 Isai 6.10 11. Rom. 2 5. and get thy flinty heart made fleshy sith an hard heart is in some respect worse then hell which is the just hire of it sith one of the greatest sins is far greater in evil then any of the greatest punishments Verse 5. Which removeth the mountains and they know not For further proof of Gods power first and then afterwards of his wisedome Job produceth divers particular acts of his upon the creatures both unreasonable and reasonable Elâ—phaz had said somewhat to this purpose chap. 4. se hîc admirandus est Job saith Merceri Job doth it admirably his tongue like a silver trumpet sets forth the high praises of God far more plainly plentifully and magnificently then any of his friends who yet have done it very well too God to shew his power removeth the mountains saith Job sc by stupendious earthquakes and otherwise at his pleasure Nahum 1.5 Psalm 97.4 5. Isa 40.15 he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing he can remove mountains with a wet finger as we say though so mighty in bulk and strongly founded Dionysius thinketh that in thus speaking Job aimeth at that which was done in the time of Noahs flood when the waters with their mighty force galled and bare down many great mountains but that 's uncertaine Great things God will do by the fire of the last day when mountains shall melt rocks rent and the earth with the works therein shall be all burnt up 2 Pet. 2.10 And what desolations he hath made in sundry parts of the earth by terrible earth-quakes as at Antioch often which was there-hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because so visited by God in divers places of Italy Sicily Burgundy Helvetia Joseph Cedren Plin l. 2. cap. 83. Camb Lritan and here in Hereford-shire mention is made in Pliny Stumpsius Jovius and other historians all making good this of Job and that of the Psalmist The mountains will skip like rammes and the little hills like lambs when the Lord is displeased Psalm 114.4 And they know it not Dicto citiùs it is done with a trice speedily and secretly before the mountains if they could at all know could know what is done to them or before the mountaineers or the neighbourhood could foresee and avoid the danger of being overwhelmed and buried alive Which overturneth them in his anger Or that he overturneth them in his anger Men are not sensible of Gods anger for sin no not in the greatest commotions such is their stupidity but will needs swelter and pine away in their iniquities as if nothing could awake them Lev. 26 39. Verse 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place By mighty earthquakes dislocating the earth some part of it for the whole was never removed though God can take up the whole Globe as a man would do a hall tossing the very center it self whereon it is established 2 Sam. 22.8 c. There is a twofold power of God 1. Absolute 2. Actual By the former he can do more then he doth By the latter whatsoever he willeth that without impediment he effecteth As for the earth as God upholdeth it by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 so he hath poised it meâ—â—ly by its own weight that it should not be removed for ever Psalm 104.5 For if you imagine that the earth could be removed out of its natural place which way so ever it be removed it shall move towards heaven and so shall naturally ascend but to do so is utterly repugnant to the nature of the earth which is to bear downward All which notwithstanding the God of nature as he is in the heaven so he doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth Verse 7. Which commandeth the Sun and it riseth not God in framing the world began above and wrought downward but Job in describing the great works of God here began below and now goes upward from earth to heaven It is as natural to the heaven to move as to the earth to stand still Copernicus his opinion that the earth turns round and heaven stands still is worthily exploded round the earth is indeed notwithstanding the hills and vallies as an apple is round notwithstanding some knots and bunches in it and being round it is naturally apt for motion the Pythagoreans held that the earth was naturâ suâ mobilis as the heavens are but God hath fixed and made it unmoveable whiles the heavenly bodies are restlesse in their courses The Sun the glistering Sun as the word here signifieth rejoyceth as a strong man to run his race Psalm 19.5 De ascensâ—nent in Deum grad 7 Bellarmine saith that in the eighth part of an hour the Sun runneth 700 miles But God the Soveraign of the Sun can speak to it and it riseth not If he do but give the word of command to the Sun not to rise the morning shall be made darknesse Amos 4.13 and the day dark with night Amos 5.8 Was it not so in that three dayes darknesse in Egypt in that miraculous standing still of the Sun in Joshua's dayes Exod. 12.21 Josh 10.13 when the Sun rose not with the Antipodes one morning and the stars were sealed up part of the night in that dismal darknesse mentioned by Lavater upon this text March 12. 1585 lasting for a quarter of an houre and being so like the night that the fouls went to roost at noon
drunkards that they deserve double punishments first for their drunkennesse and then for the sin committed in and by their drunkennesse so do all men deserve double damnation first for the corruption of Nature signified by those legall pollutions by bodily issues and then for the cursed effects of it Gen. 6.5 Rom. 7.8 But it may bee Job here had an eye to that promise made to Noah after the flood Gen. 8.21 where the Lord moveth himself to mercy by consideration of mans native corruption even from his child-hood for he knoweth our frame c. Psalm 103.14 that is as the Chaldee Paraphrast explaineth it he knoweth our evill figment or thought which impelleth to sin hee knoweth it and weigheth it See the like Isa 48.8 9. Wee may beseech the Lord to spare us when we act sin because our natures are sinful but let not any go about either to palliate or extenuate their acts of sinne by the sinfulness of their natures as those doe who being told of their evil pranks and practises plead for them saying Wee are flesh and blood c. Not one Fortes creantur fortibus bonis but no meer man can bring forth a clean child out of unclean seed Adam begat a son after his own image Gen. 5.3 Corruptus corruptum That which is of the flesh is flesh John 3. Sin is propagated and proceedeth from the union of body and soul into one man That phrase Warmedin sinne Psalm 51.5 is meant of the preparation of the body as an instrument of evil which is not so actually till the soul come But we should not be so inquisitive how sin came in as how to be rid of it like as when a fire is kindled in a city all men are more careful to quench it then to question where and how it began Now there is one only way of ridding our hearts of sinne viz. to run to Christ and to believe in him For if the Son make you free ye shall 〈◊〉 indeed and hereunto both the Chaldee Paraphrast had respect likely when he rendred this text Cannot One that is Cannot God As also the Vulgar Latine Nonne tu qui solus es Canst not thou alone sc by thy merit and Spirit according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 Verse 5. Seeing his dayes are determined c. God hath set every man both his time whether shorter called here his dayes or longer the number of his months they have both their bounds which none can passe and also his task Acts 13.25 Hieron ep ad Fu. John fulfilled his course in brevi vitae spatia tempora virtutum multa replevit and he lived long in a little space he wrought hard as not willing to be taken with his task undone So verse 36. David after hee had served his owne generation and had done all the will of God fell on sleep See more of this on chap. 7.1 Thou hast appointed his bounds Heb. His statutes It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 once for all and for ever it is appointed and this statute is irrepealable Here then we see the cause why some likely to live long die soon and others more infirme live longer God hath set the bounds of each ones life to a very day Virg. The bounds may be passed which our natural complexion setteth the bounds cannot be passed which the providence and will of God setteth Stat sua cuique dies Verse 6. Turn from him that he may rest Heb. Look away from him i. e. from me look not so narrowly and with such a critical eye upon mine out-strayes thus to hold me still on the rack look not so angerly afflict me not so heavily but let me rest or cease from my present pressures and doleful complaints and spend the span of this transitory life with some comfort and then let the time of my departure come when thou pleasest Till he shall accomplish as an hireling his dayes That is saith the Glosse till I am as willing to die as a labouring man is to go to supper and to bed The word rendred accomplish signifieth properly to acquiesce and rest in a thing and vehemently to desire it The Saints when they die shall rest in their beds Isâ—i 57.2 they rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presently straight upon the stroke of death no sooner have they passed under the flaming sword of that punishing Angel but they are forthwith in Paradise Here they are seldome quiet but tossed up and down as the ball upon the racket or ship upon the waves and hence it is that they sometimes fret or faint as Job and speak unadvisedly with their lips these firm mountains are moved with earth-quakes these calm seas are stirred with tempests and truly whosoever hath set himself to do every dayes work with Christian diligence to bear every dayes crosses with Christian patience and is sensible of his failings in both libentèr ex vita qunsi pleno passu egredietur saith one he will be full glad to be gone hence and be as weary of his life as ever any hireling was of his work See the Notes on chap. 7.1 2. Verse 7. For there is hope of a tree c. Here Job setteth on his request verse 6. with a reason God loveth a reasonable service and liketh well that we reverently reason it out with him And for the literal sense all things saith Gregory are so plain that there is no need to say any thing to that it being no more then this either I shall have comfort in this world before I die or never here therefore grant me rest now This argument Job illustrateth 1. By a dissimilitude here 2. By a similitude Merlin verse 11 12. The dissimilitude betwixt a tree and a man is this a tree may be hewed and felled yet feel no pain Again succisa repullulat imbribus irrigata a tree cut down if well watered will spring and sprout up again But now man as he is very sensible of every stroke of Gods hand neither can he suffer sickness or other affliction without smart so when once cut down by death he can by no means be recovered he cannot revive without a miracle Verse 8. Though the roots thereof wax old in the earth And so the more unlikely to shoot forth again Trees also have their old age wherein they decay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the stock thereof die in the ground Heb. in the dust as it needs must when cut off from the root it lieth along on the earth It was by a miracle that Aaroâ—s rod flourished not only all the plants of Gods setting but the very boughs cut off from the body of them shall 〈◊〉 and be fruitful Verse 9. Yet through the sent of water it will bud Heb. from the smell of waters a sweet Metaphor saith Merlin sense being attributed to things senselesse as smelling to the fire Judg. 16.9 and
to another as the aire conveyeth light or water heat His comforts are either rational fetch'd from grounds which faith ministreth or real from the presence of any thing that comforteth as the sight and discourse of a friend And herein how forcible are right words chap. 6. 25. They are of force we see here both to strengthen the feeble minded and to abate the strength of their sorrowes to asswage the most swelling floods thereof And thus one man may be an Angel nay a God to another Now whereas some might say You that are so good at comforting others and promise so fair Why are you not comfortable Job answereth in the next verse that this was their fault who had unkindly kept him off from receiving any comfort Verse 6. though I speak my grief is not assâ—agest Heb. If I speak scil to bewail my misery or to maintain mine innocency ye say ' â—is good enough for me and how can I be but wicked who am so punished As If I forbear what am I eased Heb. What goeth from me q.d. Ye conclude me guilty because silent as if I had nothing to say for my self Some make the words to refer to God as if Job had said Whether I speak or whether I forbear God doth not come in to my help I find no comfort from him c. and by the next verse it should seem that this is the right sense Verse 7. But now be hath made me weary i.e. God whom he acknowledgeth the Author of his afflictions but he should better have born up under them Quis cum fatigevis Dolor vel Dem ipse Lavat then to faint and fret even unto madnesse as the Septuagint here translates Job was now not only wet to the skin but his soul came into iron as Josephs once Psal 105.18 Like Ezekiels book chap. 2. he was written quite through with woes and lamentations And he might say with heman Psal 88.15 While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted The grief which he here describeth Major erat quà m ut verbis comprehendi gravior quà m ut ferri molestior quam ut credi passes saith Brentius i.e. In locum Was greater then could be uttered heavier then could be born more troublesome then can be believed He therefore sets it out as well as he can and amplifies it by figures and Hyperbolies to move God and his friends to pity him and to shew that he complained not without cause Thou hast made desolate all my company Heb. Thou hast wonderfully desolated or wasted all my company that is all my joynts and members so the Vulgar translateth it but they do better that understand it of Jobs family and familiar friends In nibilum redacti sunt omnes artus mei who were either destroyed or stood amazed at his so great affliction and yeelded him little comfort Ne te autem turbet enallage persona faith Mercer here the change of person need not trouble us only the troubledness and unevennesse of Jobs speech sheweth that his spirit was troubled and unsettled We meet with the like oft in the Psalms Verse 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me viz. that I am an afflicted man but yet not a wicked man such as Eliphaz had described by his pingis aqualiculus those collops in his flank chap. 15.27 Persius Thou bast made me all wrinkled so Broughton rendreth it or Thou hast wrinkled me The Hebrew word is found in Job only but in the Rabbins more frequently Grief had made surrowes in Jobs face and his tears had often filled them And my leannesse rising up in me scil By the continuance of my sores and sorrowes which have made my body a very bag of bones and cause me to cry out My leannesse my leannesse wo unto me Isai 24.16 My flesh through my grievous anguish being fallen from my bones which rise up in a ghastly manner Beareth witnesse to my face scil That I am one of Gods Plagipatidae poor Afflicted But what of that Scourgeth he not every Son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.7 Others render it Iumâ— face where my leannesse sitteth and is most conspicuous like as it is said of our Saviour That with fasting and paines taking he had so wanzed and macerated himself that at little past thirty he was looked upon as one toward fifty Mr. Clark in his life John 8.57 And as Mr. John Fox the Martyrologue by his excessive paines in compiling the Acts and Monuments of the Church in the space of eleven years grew thereby so lean and withered that his friends hardly knew him to be the same man Verse 9. he reareth me in his wrath c. Who did all this to Job The devil say some his Disease say others that was a most uncharitable censure passed by Luther upon Occolampadius Lib. de Missa prin Anno Dom. 1533. that he died suddenly ignitis Satanae telis confessus slain by Satans fiery darts because he died of a Carbuncle But Job surely meaneth it of God upon whom his heart was still though he speak here somewhat unhappily of him out of the sense of the flesh and greatness of his grief Who hateth me Heb. He Satanically hateth me What strange language is this from him who elsewhere calleth God his Salvation his Redeemer chap. 13.15 16 18. and 19.25 and will by and by call him his witnesse in heaven to whom his eye powreth out tears vers 19 20 How shall we reconcile these so contrary passions and passages otherwise then by saying that every good man is two men c neither can it possibly be expressed how deeply sensible the Saints are of Gods displeasure when they are more then ordinarily afflicted by him and especially when he seemeth to fight against them with his own hand Hereby saith Ferus we may easily see in what a perplexed estate wicked Reprobates shall be at the last day when God shall declare himself to be such an enemy to them indeed for so much as one of his Elect and a most rare man but conceiving him to be against him because hee had no present sense of his favour was thus extremely troubled He gnasheth upon me with his teeth as extremely angry Act. 7.54 and by sharpning his teeth threatning destruction Psal 37.12 Mine enemy sharpneth his eyes upon me which cast forth as it were sparkles of fire An elegant Hypotyposis or description of his sad condition to the life Vt non tam gestares quam nunc geri videatur saith Brentius as if we saw it even acted before our faces Brent in loc Verse 19. they have gaped upon me with their mouth They who Non solum Dens nec solum amici mei sed tota rerum machinae mihi adversaâ—ur Not God only nor these friends of mine but all the creatures are up in armes against me and threaten to devour me at one morsel They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully i.e. They have
of the Rock Golden words they are indeed that here follow Clarks Lives and well worthy to be written in Lotten of God In the Life of Ziscn that Warlike Babeâ—â—ian it is recorded that in the famous Monastery called the Kings Court a mile from Pragus in the walls there of the whole Bible was most exquisitely engraven in Letteâ—s of Gold For ever To last longer then the would lasteth Those bloody Tyrants of the Primitive times made account they had made sure work in rooting out true Religion when they sounded the triumph before hand and engraved the victory upon Pillars of Marble in these bubbles of words Nomine Christianorum deloâ—o qui Râ—â—s ovâ—rebant c But Christ shall reigne and the Church shall stand upon his right hand as a Queen in gold of Ophir Psal 45 9 When all earthly greatnesse shall lye in the dust Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Psal 45.6 and there shall be a new succession of Saints to all perpetuity Psal 72 17. His name shall endure for ever His name shall be continued Heb. childed as long as the Son as long as the world as long as the Word of our God which according to Jobs wish here shall stand for ever Isai 40.8 But what meaneth the Vulgar translation here by this insignificant word Celte And why should Hugo feek to salve the matter Celte vox est nihili Merc. by reiling us that Celtes is a Tool wherewith Letters or Pictures are cut in the flint Whereupon Vide quaeso mi Lector saith Brentius See I pray thee good Reader how only they interpres Scripture that want Learning for neither is Celte such a Tool nor can it be Celte for centa sith the Hebrew word Lâ—guad doth not signifie Surely but For ever Verse 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth Clarissima fidei confessio saith Brentius A most famous Confession of his faith Breves longe â—â—taque aurea est hac Apologia saith Another This is Jobs short and yet long Apology bat golden all oven and such as hath fulness of matter in fewnesse of words Calvin and Mercar viri alioqui judioiosissimi are mistaken here when following the Raâ—hins they interpret this text of a temporal restauration of Job to such an estate of honour and riches as he had enjoyed in the former part of his life this they call Jobs Resurrection and Redemption c. But his thoughes soared higher then so I know faith he it is as if he should say you take your selves to he the only knowing men and as for me Bilded hath set me among such as know not God Chop 18.21 But hereby I know that I know him 1 John 2.3 Because I know him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ John 17.3 Net only as a Redeemer but as my Rodeemer by a particular application of him to my self which is the very pith and form of faith This great Mystery of godlinesse I know what ever else I am ignorant of and I know it savingly because I am secure of my interest in Christ my Kinsman and Redeemer and therefore I am no hypocrite or wicked man as you would make me Were it not for this word of possession Mine the worst man alive â—ay the divel might say at Job here doth yea repeat al the Articles of the Creed to as good purpose as he but that which tormenteth the divel is he can say My to never a one of them I know saith Job when condemned for an hypocrite that Christ is my Redeemes and that this my Redeemer liveth for over and is for ever mine So Doctor Taylor Martyr when condemned for an Heretick subsribed his last Will and Testament Acts Mon. in these words Row hand Taylor departing hence in a sare hope without all 〈◊〉 of a glorious Resurrection I thank God my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ my certains Saviour And that he shall stand As keeping the field when all his foes shall be his footstool Psal 1 10.1 So he standeth Rev. 10.2 setting his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth maugre all Hereticks and Anti-christs that therehence arise as Lord Paramount of both At the latter day Or last of all Theodesius rendreth it Novissimè a general judgment of quick and dead at the last day was in Jobs time and after wards by Zoroaster and other Heathens as Lucretius Theopompus Plato Cicero Ovid c believed and foretold But in processe of time this true and pure Doctrine was darkned amongst them and when once it was extinct Superstitions and other vaine fopperies over grew the greatest part of the world The ancient tradition was that the latter age of the world should be so filthy all over that as it could not bee washed with water as once so it should he wasted with fire 2 Pet. 3.10 Vpon the earth Or Over the earth to wit in the aire For there it is probable Christ will sit in the clouds of the aire neer unto the earth whether the Elect shal be caught up to meet the Lord and so shal they ever be with the Lord 1 The. 4.17 There the divels shall be subdued and sentenced where they have ruled and plaid Rex Eph. 2.2 see Mat. 24.30 some read it And this pointing to his body shall stand up at the last day upon the earth Verse 26. And thought after my skin wormes destroy this body Here he pointeth again as doth likewise David when Psal 34.6 he saith This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him c. So the ancient Believers when they came to that Article in the Creed I believe the Resurrection of the flesh were wont to add Etiam bujus carnis even of this flesh pointing to some naked part of their body or else alluding to that of the Apostle This mortal must put on c. Wormes destroy this body Heb. They destroy this he saith not this body quod oh deformitatem summam non licerit corpus dicere faith Vatablus So worn it was and wasted with sores and sicknesses that it could scarce be called a body And yet it was not at the worst neither for in the grave it should be worm-eaten and something more Serm. 48. ad frat in erem Mihi exper to credite saith Austin Believe me who have tryed it open dead mens Sepulchers and upon their heads ye shall find toads crawling begotten of their brains on their loynes serpents begotten of their Rains in their bellies wormes begotten of their bowels c. Yet in my flesh Hebr. Out of my flesh as out of a casement I shall see God I shall see Christ Christum in corpore Austins wish the humane and glorified body of Christ who is god blessed for ever as also the mystical body of his Church perfectly united unto him 1 John 3.2 To this sense some render the Text thus I shal see God in my flesh that is I shall see Christ sitting in glory
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
â—e He perfectly understandeth that there is no way of wickedness in me Psal 139.24 no sin that I do favour allow and wallow in but that the way that is called â—loby is my delight and endeavour that I am upright for the main that my heart is not turned back neither have my steps declined from his way Psal 44.18 I cannot see him but he seeth me and mine uprightness When he hath tryed me sc With favour and not with rigour for then who should abide it Psal 143.2 God promiseth to refine his People but not as silver Esa 48.10 that is not exactly lest they should be consumed in that fiery tryal This David knew and therefore prayed Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart Psal 26.2 and 139.23 I shall come forth as Gold Which is purged in the fire shines in the water as on the other side clay is scorched in the fire dissolved in the water Verse 11. My foot hath held his steps I have followed God step by step walking as I had him for an example and pressing his footsteps This Job speaketh of himself not as vaunting but as vindicating and defending his own innocenty and as giving Eliphaz to know that he had already done and still continued to do as he had in the former Chapter exhorted him verse 21 22. Acquaint now thy self with God c. That 's not now to do saith Job for my foot hath held his steps Be at peace I am so saith he for his way have I kept and not declined Now can two walk together and they not be agreed Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth What else have I done faith Job when as I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips Lay up his words in thine heart this I have done ex instituto saith he vel pre demenso more than my necessary food have I esteemed the words of his mouth So exact a pattern of the rule was Job so consonant to Eliphaz his good counsel Plain things will joyn in every point one with another not so round and rugged things so do plain spirits close with holy counsels not so such as are proud and unmortified Let these be touched never so gently nettle-like they will sting you Deal with them roughly and roundly they swagger as that Hebrew did with Meses saying Who made thee a man of Authority c Exod. 2.14 Good Job was of another spirit with God as it is said of Caleb Numb 14.24 and followed him fully ornavit doctrinam coelestem piis â—fficiis heavenly doctrine was as the mould and he as the metal which takes impression from it in one part as well as another His constant endeavour was to express God to the world and to preach forth his vertues or praises by a sutable practise 1 Pet. 2.9 Gressum ejus retinuit pes mens His way have I kept and not declined sc In excess or defect and therefore I am no such flagitious person as thou Eliphaz wouldst make of me Verse 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandement of his lips i.e. Ab ip sissimo Dei verbo from the very word of God that sure Cynosura which he that holdeth straightly to may truly say Lord if I be deceived thou and thy word hath deceived me But of that there is no danger sith the Scripture is the invariable Canon or Rule of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Reg. 3. saith Irenaeus the Cubit of the Sanctuary the Touchstone of Errour the divine Beam and most exact Balance as Austin and Chrysostom stile it yea the very heart and soul of God as Gregory And if Job lived before the word was written yet not before the Law of Nature and the Traditions of the Patriarchs which whiles they remained uncorrupted were the commandement also of Gods lips as having been received from his very mouth and might far better be called ipsissimum Dei verbum than the Popes pronunciata which Cardinal Hosius prophanely and blasphemously pronounceth to be the very Word of God I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food I have preferred Heb. I have hiâ— or laid up as men do precious things as house-keepers do Provision for their Family them before my bodily food my daily bread and we see what pains men take what shift they make Vâ— bene sit ventri ut lateri for food and raiment and other things requisite to the preservation of this life present Now Job knew that Gods holy word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athanasius calleth it the Souls nourishment and that the promises are pabulum fidei the food of Faith as another calleth them that we may better want bread than that bread of life Hence he esteemed it more not only than his dainties or superfluities but then his substantial food without which he could not live and subsist more than his appointed portion so some render it set out for him by the divine Providence which cutteth out to every man his allowance I had rather be without meat drink light any thing every thing saith One then that sweet Text Come unto me all ye that are weary und heavy laden c. I would not for all the world saith Another Selneccer Mr. Baxters Saints everlasting Rest p. 24. that that one verse John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world had been left out of the Bible And again There is more worth saith the same Authour in those four Chapters John 14 15 16 17. Ibid. 708. then in all the Books in the world besides Luther said Tom. 4. Oper. Lat. p. 424. He would not live in Paradise without the Word as with the Word it were no hard matter to live even in hell it self Of old they were wont to say It were better for the Church that the Sun should not shine then that Chrysostome should not preach to the people The Jewes at this day will not omit prayers for their meat or labour They divide the day even the working-day in three parts the first ad Tephilla for prayer Weensie the second ad Tara for the reading of Gods Law and the third ad Malacca for the works of their Calling And when they have read one Section they begin another lest they should seem to be weary of their task Whereas if we read but a Chapter not a quarter so long as one of their Sections or Paragraphs O what a wearinesse is it his neither begin we till we have looked over the leaf to see how long it is so soon sated are we with this heavenly Manna Verse 13. But he is in one mind and who can turn him He is ever like himself not mutable inconstant or various as men who are as Tertullian saith of the Peacock all
himself how can his wisdom be but as well known unto him His infinite knowledg and understanding is in some sort shadowed out unto us in the words following Verse 24. For he looketh to the ends of the earth He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil all eye so that together and at once he beholdeth all things in the whole course of Nature and under the whole cope of heaven His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men Psal 11.4 Where the former pointeth out Gods knowledg the latter his judgment his critical descant saith One. And surely this All-seeing eye of God saith another Interpreter should keep us within the compasse of obedience as much as any thing sith he who is our Judge is a constant eye-witnesse of our cogitatious communication and whole conversation Cave spectat Cato Take heed Cato seeth you was an old watch-word among the Romans and a retentive from vice How much more should this be among Christians Ne pecces Deus ipse videt Be advised God beholdeth you Think not that he who is invisible cannot see or that because he is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity therefore he cannot see so far as earth for he looketh to the ends and extremities of the earth his eyes run to and fro they are in every place beholding the evil and the good Pro. 15.3 The world is to him as a sea of glasse Rev. 4.6 He seeth through it and every man before him is all window he seeth the very entrals of the soule the heart of the heart All things are naked and open before him saith the Apostle Heb. 4.13 Naked for the outside and open for the inside of them the word signifieth dissected quartered and as it were cleft through the back-bone He searcheth the Raines those seats of Lust and most abstruse parts of the body so wrapt up in fat and flesh as if no eye should come at them And seeth under the whole heaven His providence like a well drawn picture looketh every way and extendeth to every the least and lightest occurrence governing all things wisely and powerfully and ordering the disorders of the world to his own glory Epicures and Atheists would shut him up in heaven as hath been before noted as if he did neither know nor do any thing here below but they will find it otherwise Verse 25 To make the weights for the wind He ordereth wind and water raine and thunder Pondere mensura numero facit omnia therefore wisdom is with him The winds he weigheth in a balance then when they seem to blow where they list piercing through the aire with their violent blasts God sets them their bounds and appoints them their proportion He sends them out as his Postes and makes them pace orderly And he weigheth the waters by measure Both the raine not a drop falls in vain in a wrong place or at randome but by a divine Decree as a witnesse of his Wisdome and Goodnesse Acts 17.14 and the sea and Rivers neither doe the winds blow nor the waters flow without the Lord who is the great Moderatour that measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand c. Isai 40.12 Verse 26. When he made a Decree for the rain And hence it is that it raineth upon one City and not upon another Am. 4.7 See the Note there The rise of rain out of vapours drawn up from the earth by the heat of the Sun and the generation of it in the clouds is no lesse wonderful then the use of it is necessary for the refreshing and fatning of the earth allaying the heat and nourishing the herb and tree c. These showres may seeme to arise and be carried up and downe at randome and without a Law but Job assureth us that God maketh a decree a Statute or a bound for them and that he gives or with holds rain at his pleasure And a way for the lightning of the thunder Or for the lightning and the thunder In both which there is much of God to be seen and heard these being the Harbingers as it were and Officers to make roome for him and to manifest his power which the greatest must acknowledg Psal 29 1 2. and the Saints must take comfort in verse 11. As for those impious wretches that slight these wonderful works of Almighty God speak basely of them as he of whom Mr. Perkins somewhere writeth that hearing it thunder said it was nothing but Tom Tumbrel a hooping his tubs was thereupon killed with a thunder-bolt and those old Italians that used in time of thunder to ring their greatest bells and shoot off their greatest Ordnance c. on purpose to drown the noise of the heavens As they are worse then Pharaoh and Caligula and other heathens who stiled their chief god Altitonans the high-Thunderer so they shall one day see the Lord Christ suddenly coming upon them as lightning and dreadfully thundering out that dismal Discedite Go ye cursed Verse 27 Then did he see it and declare it c. Or Then doth he see it and number it c. scil When he ordereth winds waters and other creatures he hath wisdom ready in numeratâ— as we say as well known and as familiar as men have those things they daily deal in Illa vero verborum congeries faith an Expositour This heap of words Merlin God saw it numbred it prepared it searched it out serveth but to shew how intimate wisdom is with God and how proper to him And lest any should say Hath God then communicated no heavenly wisdom to his creature Yes saith Job but such as is thus circumscribed Verse 28 But unto man he said c. q.d. Let him not curiously pry into Gods secrets Infignis est hic locus Mercer nor rashly censure others as you have done me but out of a reverential fear of God eschew evil and do good for this shall be his wisdom Deut. 4.6 and the contrary Jer. 8.9 See like exts Deut. 29.29 Eccles 12.13 Psal 111.10 Prov. 1.7 and 9.10 with the Notes CHAP. XXIX Verse 1. Moreover Job continued his Parable OR his sentence as Tremellius rendreth it his sententious and elegant oration his aurâ—um flumen orationis Tota oratio gravissimis sententiis verborum luminibus illustris est Merlin golden flood of grave discourse as we may better call it then Tully did Aristotles â—â—lâ—â—cks Here Job describeth graphically his former felicity as in the next Chapter his present misery The promise of Prosperity to Gods people is to be understood with exception of the cross wherewith if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 they are sure to be exercised and they shall take it for a favour too Heb. 12.6 by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report c. 2 Cor. 6.7 8. they must learn to be abased and to abound Vlpian to be full and to
the Papists falsely infer from Matth 5.22 dispossessing a man of his wit and reason and disfiguring his body with fierinesse of the face swelling of the veines stammering of the tongue gnashing of the teeth and many other impotent and unmanly behaviours Hence angry men were counselled in the hear of their fit to look themselves in a glasse where they may see themselves swolne like a toad glowing like a divel c. But Elihues anger was not of this kind A fire it was but the 〈◊〉 of God as holy Zeal is called Cant. 8.6 a most vehement flame as it is there rendred kindled upon the hearth of his heart by the spirit of judgement and of burning Isai 4.4 and such as many waters could not quench for this zeal is the extreme heat of all the affections and the coales thereof are coales of fire Cant. 8.6 only we must see that it burn clear and quick without all smoak of sin wherein though Elihu somewhat faulted yet because he was right for the main all was well taken We are apt to mingle sin with our best actions and so to plow with an Oxe and an Asse But God considers whereof we are made and graciously layes the finger of mercy on the scars of our sinnes as that Limner in the Story Of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite Descended he was of good parents Fortes creantur fortibus bonis who gave him a good name signifying He is my God or My God is Jehovah to inmind him of his duty whereunto we have need of all helps that may be His fathers name Barachel signifyeth One whom God hath blessed He had blessed him indeed in so good a son as could not but make him a glad father Prov. 10.1 The Buzite he is called either from his Progenitor Buz the son of Nahor who was the brother of Abraham and had by Milcah Huz his first-born of whom some think Job came and Buz his brother Gen. 22. 21. Tradit in Gen. Or else from his country the City of Buz a City of Idumea Jer. 25.23 Hierom will have this Elihu to be the same with Balaam who whiles young was a Prophet of God and dealt thus divinely with Job but afterwards being corrupted by Balac he became the Divels Spelman This I look upon as a Jewish tradition not much to be credited His pedigree is here more fully described Vt certitudo hâ—st ria ostenderetur saith Mercer That we might not doubt of the truth and certainty of the history so circumstanced as also because Elihu did better then the rest of Jobs friends who proved no better then Satans instruments How he came to make one amongst them we know not It is conceived that hearing of the going of the other three by consent to visit Job he also went to hear their conferences not doubting but that he should thereby very much benefit his understanding But failing in some sort of his expectation and finding both parties out in their discourses he steps forth and takes the boldnesse to interpose as an Arbiter or Moderator blaming both sides and beginning in the six following Chapters that determination of the difference betwixt them which God himself will afterwards finish Mean-while it is well observed by learned Beza Beza â—rafaâ—â— this chap. that Elihu in blaming Job as there was cause doth for the most part interpret Jobs words far otherwise then he meant them and moreover that even in finding fault with those things that were justly to be found fault withal he kept not alwayes that moderation that was meet which is evident to godly men and especially such as are of a more earnest nature and disposition so hard a thing is it even when we do well not to offend on the one side or on the other But if we consider how far Job being thereto driven by the importunity of his Accusers and his most intolerable calamity did range out of the right way and how we are all given even to the uttermost to defend and maintain our credit and estimation especially when we are therein touched by those men who ought least of all others to have done the same We shall confesse that it was very requisite and necessary for Job rather to be censured in this sharp manner as he was then after any milder sort to the end he might the better acknowledg and humble himself before God as alwayes he had done till through the slanderous speeches of his friends he was drawn into these altercations Of the kindred of Ram â— E familia Syra so Tremellius as if Ram were put for Aram. The Chaldee saith it is put for Abraham who was first called Râ—m secondly Abram thirdly Abraham But Elihu was of the family of Nâ—hor rather then of Abraham and Ram seemeth to have been some famous man of that family Because he justified himself rather then God This he did not directly totidem verbis but by consequence and Elihu was kindled at it It is a blessed thing to have a stomack for God and to be blown up in his Cause as was Moses Exod. 22. Eliah with his Zelando zelavi Phinehas David Christ Job 3.17 the Angel of Ephesus Rev 22. To be all on a light fire with love to God and indignation against all that do him any dishonour by word or deed Jâ—b had uttered some discontented speeches against God which reflected upon his Justice and Goodnesse he had also despaired of a restauration and most earnestly wished for death c. and thereby seemed to justifie himselfe rather then God this good Elihu could not brook Verse 3. Aâ—so against his three friends was his wrath kindled True zeal is of a most masculine dis-ingaged couragious nature like fire it catcheth on every side and is impartial Elihu was a man made â—ll of fire walking among stubâ—le as Châ—ysosâ—om saith of Peter And surely he that is not angry against sin whether in himself or others it is because either he knowes it not or hates it not as he ought He also kept within the bounds of modesty and moderation and expressed himselfe without bitternesse We read of Idacius that he would needs be doing with Sâ—lvianus and Instantius both Priscillianists Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 17 1. But by his passionate and intemperate language he not only not converted them but made them worse Because they had found no answer They were gravelled and non-plust Act. Mon. as the Popish Doctors were oft by the Martyrs Philpot Ridley c. yea by those of the weaker sort as Anne Askew Alice Driver c. Speed 11 45. ex Grafton Hollinsâ—cad c. The Prolocutor in Convocation Anno 1553 confessed that those dejected Ministers afterwards Martyrs had the Word on their side but the Prelates in place the possession of the sword and that was their best answer to the others Arguments And yet had condemned Job condemned him for a wicked man as the word signifieth So the Popish
is not extent any Poem either of the Greeks or Latines which may be compared with this stately eloquence of Elihu in describing those natural effects which are caused in the air and for the same cause are of the Philosophers called Meteors or aiëry impressions as namely clouds rain hail snow thunder lightning and such-like whereof he here discourseth very gravely and learnedly And first of rain which he describeth 1. by the form or manner of producing it vers 27 28. 2. by the largenesse of the clouds and their noise vers 29. 3. by the suddain succession of fair weather and foul vers 30. and lastly by the different use thereof in the three last verses of this Chapter God maketh small the drops of water that is he raineth by dividing the drops in the cloud causing them to come down gutâ—atim piece-meale and not by whole spouts or paile-fulls Others read it Subtrahit Deus God draweth up drops of water viz. out of the Sea the rivers and other moist places whence those vapours do ascend of which are generated those drops of rain Psal 147.8 He covereth the heaven with clouds he prepareth rain for the earth c. They powre down rain according to the vapours thereof As the vapours are greater or lesser so is the rain The rain ascendeth in thin vapours but descendeth oft in thick showers So do our poor Prayers come down in greatest blessings and we are sure of as much mercy as we bring faith to carry it away Verse 28. Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly Hence the Dutch call it raegen and we rained à rigando from watering the earth all over at times This is Gods work and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes it would be so were it not so ordinary Non sactis id ascribamus multò minùs sagis the Heathens gave their gods the glory of it The holy Ghost here and elswhere setteth before us these common things that when we see them and yet know not the reason of them we may gather that we ought not over-curiously to pry into the profound judgements of God which are far above the clouds those receptacles of rain yea far above the highest heavens Verse 29. Also can any understand the spreading of the clouds That is the skill that God sheweth in spreading forth the clouds to that large extent and muffling the whole heavens with them so that Nature finds her self buried in darkness Some render it the divisions or differences of the clouds illic enim fiunt miracula magna For some clouds are empty Vatab. and answer not expectation worthlesse and vain boasters are compared to such R. Levi. Prov. 25.14 Jude 12. some yield rain and drop fatnesse Some again send forth hail snow frost storm thunder lightnings c. These are wonders in nature far beyond humane apprehension The clouds God maketh one while as some aiëry seas to hold water another while as some aiëry furnaces whence he scattereth the suddain fires into all parts of the earth astonishing the world with the fearful noise of that eruption Out of the midst of water he fetcheth fire and hard stones out of the midst of thin vapours Haec sunt sanè admiranda tremenda saith Mercer These are wonderful things and no lesse dreadful Is it not strange that of one and the same equal matter viz. the vapours exhaled from the earth or water so many several and different Meteors should be engendred Or the noise of his Tabernacle i.e. The swinging showres or rustling winds or ratling thunder-claps one in the neck of another out of the clouds called here Gods Tabernacle in quo velut abditus tot rerum miracula creat wherein he sits in secret and unseen creating many strange Meteors to send down upon the earth whereof the profoundest Philosopher of them all can give no certain and undoubted reason Verse 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it That is his fair weather clearing up the cloudy sky as some expound it Or us others his lighting shot forth every way Psal 18.13 15. 144.6 Or the sun-beams spread upon the sea and drawing up vapours unde mare hoc loco nubium radix dicitur saith Brentius whence the sea is here called the root of the clouds or the surface of the sea is called the root of it in regard of the wandring waves which are cut in sunder after the manner of roots so saith Vatablus Those that by light here understand lightnings say that God maketh them dart so abundantly through the waters of the sea that they do as it were cover all the bottom of it Verse 31. For by them judgeth he the people i.e. By rain and drought in excesse or defect he punisheth people at his pleasure whom oh how easily could he affamish by denying them an harvest or two in granting whereof he giveth testimony of his bounty Job 14.17 He giveth meat in abundance sc By sending moderate showers fatning the earth whereunto also the preaching of the Word is fitly compared Isai 55.10.11 which those that drink not in and fructifie Deut. 32.2 are accursed Heb. 6.8 Verse 32. With clouds he covereth light Heb. With the palmes of his hands so the clouds are called see 1 King 18.44 he hideth light that is the Sun-beams viz. when he sendeth rain the heavens are masked And commandeth it not to shine Heb. And forbiddeth it those words not to shine are not in the original propter intercedentem Trem. Merlin for the sake of those that intercede He giveth rain or fair weather upon the prayers of his faithful people who can thereby open and shut heaven as did Elias and the thundering Legion R. Levi interpreteth this and the following verse concerning thunder Verse 33. The noise thereof sheweth concerning it The hurry-noise made in the air before a shower of rain fore-showeth it to be at hand The Cattel also concerning the vapour Heb. Concerning that which goeth up Hogs Sheep Oxen c. are much more quick-scented than men and can perceive the vapours going up to cause rain before men can see or feel them Hence shepherds and herdsmen gather prognosticks of rain and are so weather-wise as we call it Ad dextram cuhantes oves pluviam portendunt Merlin Aben-Ezra noteth that sheep lying on the right-side fore-signifie foul weather See Virgil. Georg. lib. 1. and Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 18. cap. 35. Some render this verse than which there if not an harder in all the book saith Mercer thus Declaring toward him who intercedeth his good-will toward the cattel and also toward the encrease of the earth CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. At this also my heart trembleth AT this At what at the thunder whereof he had spoken before Beza Diodat and more meant to speak and which he heard at that instant as it may seem by the next verse and therefore no wonder that his heart trembled and was moved out of its place by an
extraordinary palpitation or as the Tigurines have it luxation Thunder is so terrible that it hath forced from the greatest Atheist an acknowledgement of a Deity Suetonius telleth us of Caligula that Monster who dared his Jove to a Duel that if it thundred and lightned but a little he would hood-wink himself but if much he would creep under a bed and be ready to run into a mouse-hole as we say Augustus Caesar also was so afraid of thunder and lightning that alwayes and every where he carried about him the skin of a Sex-Calf which those Heathens fondly held to be a preservative in such cases and if at any time there arose a great storm he ran into a dark vault The Romans held it unlawful to keep Court Jove tonâ—nte fulgurante in a time of thunder and lightening as Tully telleth us De Divin lib. 2. And Isidore deriveth tonitru à terrendo thunder from its terrour and others form its tone or rushing crashing noise affrighting all creatures At the voice of thy thunder they are afraid Psal 104. which One not unfitly calleth Davids Physicks Verse 2. Hear attentively the noise of his voice Conjunctam commotione vocem ejus the great thunder-crack that now is that angry noise as the word signifieth Hear in hearing you cannot but hear it with the eares of your bodies hear it also with the eares of your minds tremble and sin not contrary to the course of most men who sin and tremble not drowning the noise of their consciences as the old Italians did the thunder by ringing their greatest Bells discharging their roaring-Megs c. But what saith Elihu here to his hearers Audite audite audite etiam atque etiam contremiscetis vos vos testes adhibeo as Mercer paraphraseth it out of Kimchi Hear ye hear ye hear ye again and again and then ye also will tremble I take you to witnesse whether ye consider his greater thunder-claps ringing and roaring in your eares See Psal 29.4 87.7 or the lesser rumblings called here Murmur vel Mussitationem vel habitum citra quem sermo non profertur the sound or breath that goeth out of his mouth Aristot Pliny All 's ascribed to God though Naturalists tell us and truly that there are second causes of thunder and lightning wherein neverthelesse we must not stick but give God the glory of his Majesty as David teacheth Psal 29. and as blind Heathens did when they called their Jove Altitonantem the high Thunderer The best Philosophy in this point is to hear God Almighty by his thunder speaking to us from heaven as if he were present and to see him in his lightnings as if he cast his eyes upon us to see what we had been doing His eyes are as a flaming fire Rev. 1.14 and the school of nature teacheth that the fiery eye seeth Extra-mittendo by sending out a ray c. Verse 3. He directeth it under the whole Heaven Heb. He maketh it to go right forward meaning the thunder the vehement noise or sound whereof not altogether unlike that of cloth violently torn or of air thrust out of bellows or of a chesnut burst in the fire but far louder is brought through the air to our eares with such a mighty force that it drowns all noises clappings clatterings roarings even of many waters making the earth to shake again Lavat and all things tremble non secùs quà m siquis currum onustum per plateam lapidibus stratam ducat And this dreadful noise is by God directed to this or that place under the heavens at his pleasure The word rendred directeth signifieth also Beholdeth whence some interpret this text of Gods seeing all things under heaven But the former sense is better And his lightning unto the ends of the earth God commands the lightning to cleave the clouds and to scatter its flames through the world Lightning is the brightnesse of a shining flame running through the whole air in a moment rising of a small and thin exhalation kindled in a cloud see Psal 18.13 The natural end and effect of thunder and lightning is to clear the air by wasting poysonous vapours The supernatural is to shew Gods excellent Majesty and Might which the Mightiest must acknowledge Psal 29.1 2. to be his officers about him to make room for him Psal 97.1 4. to execute his wrath upon his enemies Exod. 9.23.27 Psal 77.18 19. 1 Sam. 2.10 Isai 29.6 and his mercy toward his people for the humbling of them 1 Sam. 12.18 19 20 c. raising them again to an assured confidence Psal 29.11 c. But that God can shoot these arrows of his so far Mat. 24.27 Psal 77.18 97.3 4. and here yea and that at the same time when it raineth when one would think that the one should quench the other Psal 135.7 this is a just wonder and Jeremy urgeth it twice as such chap. 10.13 51.16 Verse 4. After it a voice roareth After it that is after the lightning it thundereth indeed before or at least together with it but the lightning is seen before the thunder is heard because the sense of hearing is slower than the sense of seeing thus fire is first seen in a Gun Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures c. Horat. ere the report is heard the Ax of the Wood-cleaver is up for a second blow ere we hear the first if any way distant c. And besides as R. Levi well observeth here that the sight of the lightning may come from heaven to us there needeth no time because our eyes reach up thither in an instant but that a sound may come therehence to us in regard of the distance and because the air must be beaten and many times impressed as into so many circles there must be some space of time neither can it be done so suddenly He thundereth with the voice of his excellency Or of his height or of his pride Proud persons think themselves high and use to speak big-swoln words of vanity bubbles of words as St. Peter calls them If they be crossed never so little verbis bacchantur cum quodam vocis impetu loquunter Oh the tragedies the blusters the terrible thunder-cracks of fierce and furious language that follow thereupon Some have been threatned to death as Cornelius Gallus was by Augustus Caesar and Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour by Queen Elizabeth How much more should men quake and even expire before the thunder of the most high or wriggle as worms do into their holes the corners of the earth And he will not stay them when his voice is heard Them that is new flashes of lightning or rain and haile which usually break out either while it thundreth or presently after in a most vehement and impetuous manner Verse 5. God thundereth marvellously with his voice Or God thundereth our marvellous things with his voice Marvellous indeed if we consider the effects of thunder lightning and
Surely there is cause enough to be cast down if he be so big and dreadful to bebold as is reported See the Note on Verse 1. Verse 10. None is so fierce that dare stir him up Unlesse he be ambitious of his own destruction cruel so the word here signifieth to his owne life which hereby he desperately casteth away Aristotle telleth us That fishes do sleep and perhaps these greater fishes take more sleep Now who dare awake them sleeping or encounter them waking and rouling in the waters None surely but a mad man Who then is able to stand before me Et est qui coram me stet No more surely then a man before a Whale or a glass bottle before a Cannon shot Here then we have the accommodation and application of the former Discourse which we must not look upon as cunningly devised fables 2 Pet. 1.16 or read as we do the old stories of forragne businesses but as that wherein our selves are nearly interested and concerned that we may give God the glory of his Power as here far beyond that of the Whale or any other creature and of his Justice as verse 11 12. Verse 11. Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Who can tax me with injustice who am bound to no man but Owner of all things If any one can say I am beholding to him let him prove it and I shall readily requite it he shall have no cause at all to complain of me as ungrateful Rom. 11.34 35. Whatsoever is under the whole heavens is mine The Divel told our Saviour that all was his and to whomsoever he would he gave it Luke 4.6 The Pope also that first born of the Divel takes upon him as Lord of all to dispose of Spirituals or Temporals in all Countries as Boniface the VIII wrote to Philip King of France who answered him with a Sciat fatuitas tua c. And as the Pope that then was gave our Henry the Eighth's Kingdome prime occupâ—turo to him that should first take it but he slighted him with Os Pupae culus Diaboli in eodem sunt praedicamento It is for God alone to say as Dan. 4.32 I rule in the Kingdome of men and give it to whomsoever I will How then can I do any man wrong who am obliged to none but all are engaged to me for all they have Verse 12 I will not conceal his parts nor his power That therein as in a picture of the most principal piece of my Workmanship thou maist behold how great and how glorious a God I am In the year of Grace 1577 July 2. the Ship-men took a Whale not far from Antwerp the picture whereof was printed and published to this effect His hide was without scales and of a leaden colour he was 85 foot long and sixteen soot high From his mouth to his eyes was fifteen foot from his eyes to his finnes four foot and three fingers c. Such a kind of picture or character of this Sea-monster we have here from the most skilful hand of heaven Pliny observeth that pictures of things exact and excellent are seldom drawn but with great disadvantage Not so this in the text as will appear in the sequel Nor his comely proportion Heb. Nor the grace of his disposition i.e. Dicam quà m egregiè concinnè membra â—jus composita sint I will declare how finely and fitly all his parts are proportioned Vatab. and put together In the most deformed Creatures as we count them there is no part superfluous uselesse or uncomely Deus est magnus in minimis nec parnus in maximis Verse 13. Who can discover the face of his garment That is saith Piscator Who can pull him out of the sea wherewith he is covered as with a garment Who can slip off his skin whiles he is alive as men do the Eels-skin say others Who as men use to do when horses are to be saddled will take off his cloth and set the saddle upon his back This last is Beza's Paraphrase and it suits best with that which followeth Or who can come to him with his double bridle Let it be never so large or strong his mouth is too wide his jawes too strong to be held in with bit and bridle lest he come near unto thee Verse 14. Who can open the doors of his face The two-leaved-doors of his jawes to let in a bridle Sampson durst venture upon a roaring Lion and rend him as a man would rend a Kid. But never durst any such thing be done to a Whale His teeth are terrible round about The Whales teeth are said to be 120. each tooth four cubits long Verse 15. His Scales are his pride They are like so many glistering shields wherein he puts his confidence and takes his pride as thinking them impenetrable Shut up together as with a close seal So closed and put together like Paper sealed with Wax as that nothing can part them The Jewes use to write upon the back of their sealed Letters Nun Cheth Shin that is Niddui Cherem and Shammatha all sorts of Excommunication to those that open them Verse 16. One is so near to another that no air c. One scale or flake is This is more proper say some to the Crocodile than to the Whale but who can tell the several kinds of Whales Vide Cocceium in locum some whereof are said to have great and thick scales closely compacted as here Quòd si squammae Leviathan ita cohareant ut earum opere textili densato c. Let the Saints strengthen themselves by close-sticking the one to the other as the primitive Christians did so that the very heathens acknowledged that no people under Heaven did so hold together and love one another as they being like that Sacra cohors holy band of Souldiers in the Theban Army which consisted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus lib. 3. of such only who were joyned together in the bonds of love and these they esteemed the prime of all their strength in battel Verse 17. They are joyned one to another c. They are lapt over one another like tiles on a house See the Note on vers 16. Verse 18. In sublime nimbos efflat Plin. lib. 9. c. 6. By his neesings a light doth shine When this dreadful Monster sneezeth or snorteth fire breaketh out at his eyes and nose By this neezing of the Whale is meant the abundance of white frothy water which he casteth forth at his nostrils And his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning Bright and beamy Olaus writeth of the Norway Whales that their eyes shine in a dark night like a fire so that Marriners have oft thought when they have seen them that they saw a great fire Verse 19. Out of his mouth go burning lampes This and those that follow are all hyperbolical expressions Here he is brought in as a spit-fire as the Devil was wont to be in Playes and
Pageants And by this passage some conjecture that not the Whale but the Sea-dragon is here described Let it be what it will it must needs be a great heat within this great Fish that sendeth forth as it were burning lamps and sparks of fire and a strong sulphurous breath he must have like the out-bursts of Aetna by this description Aristotle saith the Whale is of an hot fiery nature and that he hath Lungs and breatheth a pipe or passage also he hath in his fore-head Lib. 4. 〈◊〉 anim cap. 〈◊〉 whereat he throweth out the water he hath taken in either by his breathing or eating This transparent water thus with a force thrown up against the Sun-beams may bear a shew of lightning or burning lamps Verse 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke c. Whiles his meat heateth in his stomack for concoction Sufflati as if fire were put under some great reaking pot or Caldron boyling Heb. blown for of blowing comes boyling Verse 21. His breath kindleth coals Or Would kindle coals as a Smiths bellows if there were any to kindle Such a kindle-coal was Arrius and Hildebrand of old the Jesuites at this day and not a few others Prov. 26.21 Es 33.10 your breath as fire shall devour you Some mens tongues are like Gun-powder which touched with the least spark will instantly be in the face Jam. 3.6 A flame goeth out of their mouths enough to set the whole course of Nature on fire Verse 22. In his neck remaineth strength Aristotle saith that among Fishes De part 〈◊〉 lib. 3. the Dolphin Whale and such as breath have necks proportionable to their bodies The word rendred remaineth is in the Hebrew lodgeth or abideth all night so spoken saith One because the Whale as also the Dolphin sleepeth with his head erected above water And sorrow is turned into joy before him i.e. He knows no sorrows he fears no hurt but alwayes rejoyceth bearing himself bold upon his strength God having made him to sport in the sea Psal 104.26 Others read it And before him danceth fear Pavor Pallor Tullus Hostilius his two gods men dance or start for fear Verse 23. The flakes of his flesh are joyned together Heb. The fallings Meland Tremell or the refuse and vilest parts as the word is rendred Am. 8.6 Now if God be so punctual in the description of these also can any one think that he hath let passe any thing in the holy Scriptures that belong to our Salvation What need is there then of humane traditions They are firm in themselves Heb. Moulton Firm they must be because so joyned together Vis unita fortior but dissention is the mother of dissolution England is a mighty Animal saith a great Polititian which can never die except it kill it self They cannot be moved Or He cannot be moved He may say as Terminus of old Nullicedo I give place to none unlesse I please Verse 24. His heart is as firm as a stone He is corpore corde validissimus Of the sword-fish Plutarch saith that he hath a sword but not an heart to use it But the Whale hath courage to his bulk his heart is as firm as a stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his head saith Scaliger is as hard as a flint In the hearts of some creatures saith Aristotle is found a bony or grisly hardness but the Whales heart is all as it were a bone and this bone as a stone As a pair of the neather milstone Metae upon which the whole weight lyeth the Greek call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 18.6 the Mill-Ass because it is the bigger and harder of the two The vulgar here for the neather Mill-stone hath the smiths-Anvil which by hammering is made harder Verse 25. When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid When he shewes himself like some moving mountain upon the surface of the water the most assured Pilotes or passengers are seized with fear of death and seek to make peace with God as those Marriners did Jon. 1.5 6 c. By reason of breakin gs Broughton reads of shiverings They purifie themselves Expiantse they beg pardon of sin and prepare to die Others render it aberrant they are dispirited and know not what course to take Others again they purge downwards their retentive faculty being weakned with fear they let go their excrements as Loper the traytour did when he was upon his tryal before the Lords of the Council and as God somewhere in Ezekiel threatneth his rebels that for fear of his displeasure they shall not be able to hold their water Verse 26. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold So close are his scales so thick his skin that there is no wounding of him There was not of old it seemeth But now there is a way found of shooting and piercing of him so that he dieth with an horrible noise and out-cry Nor the Harbergeon A defensive weapon will be as uselesse as those other offensive for the Whale will soon swallow up the armed as well as the unarmed Verse 27. He esteemeth iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood He makes nothing of any thing that shall be done against him Bears and Lions may be wounded with hunting-weapons other Fishes with Eele-spears and the like not so the Whale or not so easily Verse 28. The arrow cannot make him flee Heb. Sons of the bow as chap. 5.7 Sparks are called sons of the coal Arrows were then as much in use as bullets are now Sling-stones are turned with him into stubble Those stones which the sling castes with so much force make as little impression upon his body as a festraw would which the hand of a child should push Verse 29. Darts are counted as stubble When any thing in the Decrees or Decretals likes not the Pope he sets Palea that is stubble upon it or Hoe non credo so doth this Leviathan upon all kind of weapons he slightes them The word here rendred darts is as strange as the weapon it signifieth is to us unknown lapides ballistae an engin whereby great stones were thrown against Walles or Towers as now Cannon-bullets to make a breath in them Catapulta aries vel simile aliquod tormentum Be they what they will the Whale fears them not no though they were as terrible to others as those two great pieces of Ordnance cast by Alphonsus Duke of Ferrara the one whereof he called the Earthquake the other Grandiabolo the great Devil Verse 30. Acumina testacea Sharp stones are under him Heb. Sharp pieces of the potsheard which prick him no more than if he lay upon the softest couch◠so hard is his belly He spreadeth sharp-pointed things upon the mine When he might lye softer he scorns it as our hardy forefathers some two or three hundred years agoe who ordinarily lay upon straw-pallets covered with canvas and around log under their heads instead of a bolster Hollinshed As
fear the want of it They shall praise the Lord viz. At the Eucharist and after Your heart shall live for ever Apostrophe ad mansuetos Emphatica You meck of the earth and seekers of the Lord who have eaten of Christs flesh that was given for the life of the World Joh. 6.51 Your heart shall live for ever And if so then in death it self As Aristotle giveth the reason of the Swans singing a little before his death because generous bloud goeth then to the heart making it cheerful and that thence cometh the melody Vers 27. All the ends of the World shall remember Shall turn short again upon themselves as those Solomon prayed for 1 King 8.47 and the Prodigal Luke 15.17 And turn to the Lord From their dead Idols as 1 Thess 1.9 And all the Kindreds of the Nations c. Christ when he is lifted up shall draw all men to him Joh. 11. the heavenly Eagles from all parts shall fly to this dead but all-quickning carcass and shall feed thereupon Vers 28. For the Kingdom is the Lords The Spiritual Kingdom over the Church and the universal Kingdom over all the World belongeth unto Christ Diod. the eternal God Vers 29. All they that be fat upon earth i. e. Rich and prosperous wealthy and well-liking these shall feed on Christ and be furthered thereby in his service so shall also the poorer sort called here They that go down to the dust and that cannot keep alive c. That is that are low kept and half dead through hunger and misery Vers 30. A Seed shall serve him And be saved by him a remnant reserved for royal use a chosen generation Rom. 9.20 Isa 53.10 Vers 31. Declare his righteousness i.e. his Mercy and Goodness they shall propagate his praise to all posterity That he hath done Or performed viz. the Salvation promised by Christ PSAL. XXIII VErs 1. The Lord is my Shepherd This Psalm may well be called Davids Bucolicon or Pastoral so daintily hath he struck upon the whole string through the whole Hymn Est Psalmus honorabilis saith Aben-Ezra it is a noble Psalm written and sung by David R. Kimchi R. Solom not when he fled into the Forrest of Hareth I Sam. 22.5 as some Hebrews will have it but when as having overcome all his enemies and setled his Kingdom he enjoyed great peace and quiet and had one foot as it were upon the battlements of Heaven Leo. Modena The Jews at this day use for most part to repeat this Psalm after they are sate down to meat God is often in Scripture called the Shepheard of his people Psal 80.1 Ezek. 34.12 14 15. Isa 40.11 Joh. 10.11 1 Pet. 2.25 although non est officium magis contemptibile quam opilionis saith R. Jos Bar. Hamna there is not a more contemptible office than that of a Shepheard Every Shepheard was an abomination to the Aegyptians But God disdaineth not to feed his Flock to guide to govern to defend them to handle and heal them to tend and take care of them and all this he hath tied himself by Covenant to do Ezek. 34.25 well therefore might David confidently conclude I shall not want Non deficiam indigebo destituar The wicked in the fulness of his sufficiency is in straits Job 20.22 Tantalus-like he is ever wanting content he hath none Contrarily true piety brings true plenty and a Saint is never to seek of wel-contenting sufficiency 1 Tim 6.6 for to him Parva seges satis est And he saith Discite quam parvo liceat producere vitam Et quantum natura petat c. Lucan Pharst lib. 4. Vers 2. He maketh me to lye down in green pastures In folds of budding-grass where he feedeth me daily and daintily plentifully and pleasantly as among the Lillies Cant 6.3 that is amidst the Ordinances David here seemeth to resemble powerful and flourishing Doctrine to green Pastures and the secret and sweet comforts of the Sacraments to the still waters where I shall not need to bite on the bare ground but may go in and out and finde pasture Joh. 10.9 such as will breed life and life in more abundance Joh. 10.10 Isa 49.10 fat pastures hee provideth Ezek. 34.14 and fair Coates or Coverts from the Suns heat as the word here used may also be rendred Confer Cant. 1.6 Virgil saith it is the office of a good shepheard Aestibus in mediis umbrosam exquirere vallem He leadeth me Heb. Gently leadeth me beside the still waters Heb. waters of rests Ex quibus diligunt oves bibere saith Kimchi such as sheep love to drink of because voyd of danger and yeelding a refreshing air Popish Clergy-men are called the inhabitants of the Sea Rev. 12.12 because they set abroach gross troubled Brightman brakish and sowrish Doctrine which rather bringeth barrenness to their Hearers and gnaweth their entralls than quencheth their thirst or cooleth their heat The Doctrine of the Gospel like the waters of Silâ—â— Isa 8.6 run gently but taste pleasantly Lene fluit Nilus fed cunct is amnibus extat Vtilior Claud. Vers 3. De nat Animal lib. 9 He restoreth my Soul He reduceth me when like a lost sheep I have gone astray Psa 119.176 A Sheep saith Aristotle is a foolish and sluggish Creature Et omenium quadrupedum stupidissimum aptest of any thing to wander though it 〈◊〉 no want and unablest to return The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib Swine in a storm run home and at night will make to the trough But a sheep can make no shift to save it self from tempests or inundations there it stands and will perish if not driven away by the shepheard Loe such a silly shiftlesse thing is man left to himself But blessed be God for a Christ that best of Shepheards who restoreth the lost soul and maketh it to return into the right way giving it rest and causing it to serve Him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse Luk. 1.74 Hee leadeth mee in the paths of Righteousness Or In plain smooth easie paths or sheep-tracks wherein I may walk unweariably unblameably without cessation or cespitation The wayes of sin are craggy crooked full of errour and terrour leading to those precipices that tend to destruction From such stand off saith Christ to his sheep who are all rationall and will bee ruled by him Joh. 10. For his Names sake i.e. Of his free grace and for his meer mercy-sake Otherwise hee would never do us any of these good offices but let us alone to perish in our own corruptions Vers 4. Yea though I walk thorow the valley of the shaddow of death In the most dark and dangerous places where there is Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago those dark places full of cruelty Psal 74.20 where Wolves wait for mee Though I walk not step thorow not crosse the valley not a dark entry only of the shaddow of death the darkest side of it
as great a Master then as afterwards and David oft complaineth of it Vers 4. Give them according to their deeds God loveth to retaliate and David out of a publick and prophetick spirit not from private revenge or troubled affectious taketh thus upon him to imprecate And according to the wickednesse of their endeavours They were therefore old habituated irreclaimable sinners whom he thus cursed And against such this and such like imprecations are still in force Give them after the works of their hands Because they regard not the works of thine hands Vers 5. Par pari saith Aben-Ezra here Vers 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord that is saith Kimchi the worship of God they care not for but follow the vanities of the World Or the works of God in heaven and earth the consideration whereof is a part of Gods worship Or they regard not the works of the Lord that is the first making nor The operation of his hands that is the present disposing of his Creatures either by way of mercy or judgement whereof these brutish persons make no observation at all Psa 92.5 6 7. Isa 5.12 particularly they neither regard my present affliction Amos 6.6 nor beleeve my future exaltation to the Throne as God hath promised mee but oppose it all they can and would gladly prevent it which yet they cannot but will bee found fighters against God Hee shall destroy them and not build them up Destroy them in this World and not build them up in the World to come say the Rabbines Or as others he shall break them down as men do old rotten ruinous houses Jun. and never more repair or rebuild them Non potest Deus non perdere judicuis suis qui non crudiuntur documentis They that will not be ruled shall bee ruined See 1 Sam. 2.25 Vers 6. Blessed bee the Lord because hee hath beard c. God will one day turn the prayers of his people into praises David Vers 1. had said Bee not silent to mee here Blessed bee God for hee hath answered mee So Jehosaphat had his Bacah soon turned into Berachah 2 Chron. 20.18 19. See Davids Syllogism and mark his Conclusion Psal 66.18 19 20. not according to the rules of Logick but better Vers 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield So that I am furnished and harnessed within and without See Psal 18.2 My heart trusted in him and I am helped Faith substantiateth things not yet seen Heb. 11.1 it altereth the Tenses saith One and putteth the future into the present tense as here My heart greatly rejoyceth c. Inwardly I am glad warmed at heart and outwardly chearfull even unto singing And what will David sing See his Ditty in the next words Vers 8. The Lord is their strength Not mine only as vers 7. but the strength of all and every one of the holy Community of true Christians partakers of Christs unction of his Spirit Vers 9. Save thy people The Church must share in our prayers And blesse thine inheritance Which cannot but be dear to thee Feed them also For they are but ill-favouredly fed by Saul Lift them up Over all their enemies as Psal 27.6 PSAL. XXIX VErs 1. Give unto the Lord Verbo confessione saith Kimchi By word and confession as Josh 7.19 Jer. 13.16 acknowledge him the King immortal invisible c. and your selves his Vassals as did those three best Emperours Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian Cedite colite step back stoop humble and tremble before this dread Soveraign of the World bear an awefull respect to the divine Majesty the High thunderer the great Wonder-worker unlesse you will come short of brute beasts and dumb Creatures O yee Mighty Heb. Yee sons of the Mighty Grandees and Potentates who are readiest to rob God of his glory and being tumour'd up by their worldly wealth and greatnesse to deem or rather dream themselves demy Gods such as may do what they list as not accountable to any mortall The Septuagint render it O yee Sons of Ramms These Bel-weathers should not cast their noses into the air and carry their crest the higher because the shepheard hath bestowed a bell upon them more than upon the rest of the flock Give unto the Lord Give give give This sheweth how unwilling such are usually to give God his right or to suffer a word of exhortation to this purpose Glory and strength By ascribing all to him casting down your Crowns at his feet setting up his sincere service where-ever ye have to do c. Vers 2. Nominatissimam celeberrimam Jun. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Which yet you cannot do for his name is above all praise Psal 148.13 but you must aim at it The Rabbines observe that Gods holy name is mentioned eighteen severall times in this Psalm that great men especially may give him the honour of his name that they may stand in awe and not sin that they may bring presents to Him who ought to be feared and those also the very best of the best sith He is a great King and standeth much upon his seniority Mal. 1.14 Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness Or In his glorious Sanctuary therefore glorious because there they might see Gods face and hear his voice in his ordinances Away therefore with your superstitions and will-worships and bring your gifts to his beautifull Sanctuarie for no where else will he receive them Send a Lamb to this Ruler of the earth Isa 16.1 as an homage-penny Vers 3. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters Thunder is here called and fitly the voice of the Lord being brought as one instance of those many other glorious works of his in nature because it comes from him alone Naturall causes there are assigned of it The ancient Romans said Deus tonat Deus fulgurat for which now Tonat fulgurat but we must not stick in them as Epicurus and his Hoggs would have us The best Philosophy in this behalf is to hear God Almighty by his thunder speaking unto us from Heaven as if hee were present and to see him in his lightenings as if he cast his eyes upon us to behold what we had been doing This voice of the Lord is fitly instanced as an evidence of the divine power and Majesty because it is so dreadfull even to the greatest Atheists as it was to Caius Caligula that potent Emperour Sueton. ready to run into a mouse-hole in a time of thunder The God of glory thundereth And men quake before him as worms at such a time wriggle into the corners of the earth And yet your dive-dappers duck not at this rattle in the air though they do at a farre smaller matter So many tremble not at Gods terrible threats that yet are afraid of a penall statute The Lord is upon many waters viz. When he thundreth De aquis pendulis loquitur saith Vatablus He speaketh of the
little light he once had he hath lost and cast off such good practices as once in hypocrisie he performed neither will he learn to do better Dicit reprobos fugitare rationem bene agendi ne vitam suam in melius corrigere cogantur saith Vatablus Vers 4. He deviseth mischief upon his bed He bendeth his wits and beateth his braines perdius pernox breaking his sleep to plot and plow to contrive and effect mischief Vanity or villany is his whole study He is alwaies either weaving spiders webs or batching Cockatrices eggs He setteth himself in a may that is not good And there meaneth to keep him as the word importeth set he is and he will not be removed being every whit as good as ever he meaneth to be Statuit se there you left him and there you may find him for he is no changeling and that 's a peece of his silly glory He abhorreth not evill Sed studio sissime amplectitur Jun. but doth wickedly with hands earnestly and taketh long strides towards Hell which is but a little before him as if he feared it would be full ere he came thither If he do abstain from any wickedness yet hee abhorreth it not It is for the evill consequents of sin viz. shame loss punishment that he forbeareth it and not because it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo an offence against God and a turning away from God that 's no argument at all to him sed fertur laxis habenis in quaevis flagitia but he is hurried headlong into all wickednesses as Vulturs flye swiftly to the most stinking carcases Vers 5. Thy mercy O Lord is in the Heavens Yea farre above them Psal Admiratur David incredibilem Dei patientiam c. Vat. 108.4 and over all thy good and mens bad works Otherwise thou couldest never endure such provocations of the profane rout who yet live upon thee and share in thy generall goodnesse And thy truth unto the cloudes Gods mercy goeth usually yoaked with his truth and bounded by it lest any should presume upon it considering that God is faithfull as well as mercifull faithfull I say to fulfill both his promises and his menaces too And as he hath mercy unmeasurable and truth unfailable for his Saints so he hath Righteousnesse and Judgements for the Wicked as it followeth Vers 6. Thy Righteousness is like the great mountaines Heb. Mountaines of God pro more linguae quae quando magnificat aliquid addit nomen Dei ut Jon. 3.3 Gen. Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arat in Diosem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30.5 Rev. 15.2 Psal 80.11 68.16 saith R. David that is after the manner of the Hebrew tongue which when it would magnifie any thing addeth the name of God because as any thing is nearer to God the more excellent it is The like is to be found also in Heathen-Authors David meaneth that as Gods mercy is matchlesse so his Justice is unmoveable and we are to give him the glory of the one as well as of the other sith they are both alike in him for whatsoever is in God is God Thy Judgements are a great deep A fathomlesse abysse in quam dejicis impios nunquam evadunt saith Kimchi wherein the Wicked sink irrecoverably Thy providentiall dispensations also are past finding out Rom. 11.33 They are to Reason as the Sea is to Shallows and therefore we must do by them as the Romanes did by a certain lake of unknown depth they dedicated it to Victory O Lord thou preservest man and beast Such is thy beneficence answerable to thy patience afore celebrated Thou not only bearest with mens evill manners even to admiration but abundantly providest for their being and well-being of such I mean as walk about the World with hearts as full as Hell of all kind of wickednesse Howbeit bonitas tua ad Atheum est sicut illa ad bestiam saith Kimchi here thou dost but for the Atheist as thou dost for the Beast and by that course of common preservation and kindnesse which runneth toward all that none need doubt of a Providence Vers 7. How excellent Heb. precious is thy loving-kindnesse That speciall love and favour that thou vouchsafest to thine own elect only Oh this is incomparable and inexpressible It maketh a vast difference betwixt the Righteous and the wicked though the blind World observeth it not Therefore the Children of man Who are also the Children of God by a better birth Joh. 1.12 13. and that 's their greatest preferment 1 Joh. 3.1 Ludovicus sirnamed the Saint King of France would needs be called Ludovicus de Pissiaco rather than take greater titles because there he became a Christian He thought no birth to a new birth in Christ no Parentage to that of God to his Father Put their trust under the shaddow of thy wings As chickens in a storm or when the Purtock threatneth hover and cover under the Henne See Psal 91. Matth. 23. Vers 8. They shal be abundantly satisfied Heb. watered inebriated They shall be plentifully provided for as the Domesticks they shall have a confluence of all comforts and contentments for this life and a better for godlinesse hath the promises of both Hic locus est consolationis plenissimus saith One. And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasure And so utterly quench their thirst after the World and sin Clitorio quicunque sitim de fonte levarit Vina fugit Vers 9. For with thee is the fountain of life Vena vita verae vitae scaturigo A fountain communicateth its water and yet is not exhausted Fontium perennitas is one of the wonders in nature what shall we say of this divine fountain of life temporall spirituall and eternall over-flowing and ever-flowing In thy light shall we see light viz. Of knowledge and comfort what 's the air without light or any thing else without God Absque Deo omnis copia est egestas saith Bernard In the former comparison with thee is the fountain or vein of lives the Prophet alludeth either to waters as is aforesaid or to metalls to shew that as the veines of gold silver and the like do lye in bank in the bosome and bowels of the earth so doth life in God Or to the veines of the body which as so many rivers or rivolets derive their blood from that red Sea the liver Certain it is that man hath neither life nor light in himself till it be communicated unto him from God Vers 10. O continue thy loving kindnesse Heb. Draw it out at full length extend and exercise it lengthen and perpetuate it Thus the godly greatly taken with the sweetnesse of Gods house and rapt in the admiration of his transcendent goodness towards them pray for a continuance thereof Intimating also by the manner of expression that Gods peculiar mercies to his are a continued series there is a connection between them yea a concatenation And as in a
so maketh it very fruitfull say Philosophers In which respects the Rabbines say that one day of Snow doth more good than five of Rain Hee scattereth the houre frost like 〈◊〉 When blown about by the winde It heateth also and dryeth as ashes the cold and moist earth nippeth the buds of trees c. â—mis monet â—em subesse â—â—m foveaâ— Vnde 〈◊〉 dicitur a 〈◊〉 saith 〈…〉 Vers 17 Hee casteth out his Ice like morsels Or Shivers of bread It is a 〈◊〉 saying of One from this text The lee is bread the Rain is drink the Snow is wool the Frost a Fire to the earth causing it inwardly to glow with heat teaching us what to do for Gods poor 〈…〉 Who can 〈◊〉 it when and where it is extreme especially as in Russia Freesland c. Vers 18. Hee sendeth out his word and melteth them See vers 13. Of the force of Gods word of command are given all the former instances Hee can as easily melt the hardest heart by his word made effectual to such a purpose by his holy Spirit If that wind do but blow the waters of penitent tears will soon flow as in Josiah 2 Chron. 34.27 See Zech. 12.10 Vers 19 Hee sheweth his word unto Jacob The Jews were Gods library keepers and unto them as a speciall favour were committed those lively and life giving oracles Rom. 3.2 there is a chiefly set upon it like as Luk. 12.48 to know the Masters will is the great talent of all other there is a much in that His Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel Even right Judgements true 〈◊〉 good Statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13 See Rom. 9.4 5. Prospers conceit was that Judaei were so called because they received jus Dei the Law of God Vers 20 He hath not dealt so with any Nation He had not then but now blessed be God hee hath dealt so with many Nations in these last happy days of Reformation especially wherein the knowledge of Gods holy Word covereth the earth as the waters cover the Sea and of England it may bee said as once of the Rhodos somper in Sole situ est Rhodos that it hath the Sun ever shining upon it This wee should prize as a precious treasure and praise the Lord for it â—orde ore operâ— And as for his Judgements they have not known them And therefore lye in deadly darkness wherein though they wander wofully yet not so wide as to miss of hell PSAL. CXLVIII VErs 1 Praise the Lord And again Praise yee the Lord and so often in this and the rest of the Halelujaticall Psalms In praising God the Saints are unsatifiable and would bee infinite as his perfections are infinite so that they make a circle as one phraseth it the beginning middle and end whereof is Halelujah From the Heavens praise him in the heights Or high places As God in framing the World began above and wrought downward So doth the Psalmist in this his exhortation to all creatures to praise the Lord. Vers 2 Praise him all his Angells Whose proper office it is to adore and praise God Job 38.7 Isa 6.3 Heb. 1.6 which also they do constantly and compleatly as those that both perfectly know him and love him Jacob saw them 1 Ascending to contemplate and praise the Lord and minister to him Luk. 2.13 Dan. 7.10 Mat. 18.10 Psal 103.20 2 Descending to execute Gods will upon men for mercy to some and for Judgement to others which tendeth much to his praise And David by calling upon these heavenly courtiers provoketh and pricketh on himself to praise God Praise yee him all his Hoasts i e. His Creatures those above especially which are as his cavalry called his Hoasts for their 1 Number 2 Order 3 Obedience Verse 3. Praise yee him Sun and Moon These do after a sort declare the glory of God Psal 19.1 2. Habak 3.3 not with mind and affection as if they were understanding creatures as Plato held but by their light influences admirable motions and obedience whereby quasi mutis vocibus by a dumb kind of eloquence In Epimeniâ— saith Nazianzen they give praise to God and bid check to us for our dulness and disorders Praise him all yee stars of light A light then they have of their own besides what they borrow of the Sun which they with-hold at Gods appointment Isa 13.10 and influences they have which cannot bee restrained or resisted Job 38.31 32. Vers 4 Praise him yee Heavens of Heavens Whereby hee meaneth not the lowest Heavens the air whereon wee breath and wherein birds flye clouds swim c. as some would have it but the highest Heaven called by St. Paul the third Heaven the habitation of the crowned Saints and glorious Angels called by Philosopher calâ—â—â— Empyreum and hereby the Psalmist the Heavens of Heavens as King of Kings song of songs c. by an excestency See Deut. 10.14 And the waters that â—ee above the Heavens i. e. Above the air and that do distinguish betwixt the Air and the Sky as the 〈…〉 doth betwixt the Sky and the highest Heavens Superius supensae aquarum forniâ— Vers 5 For hee commanded and they were 〈◊〉 His 〈◊〉 only made all this is celebrated by that heavenly quite Rev. 4.11 Vers 6 Hee hath also established them for ever viz. The course and appointed motions of the Heavens which hee hath setled by a Covenant and hath not falsified with them Jer. 33.25 much less will hee with his faithfull people Vers 7 Praise the Lord from the earth The Psalmist proceedeth to factour for God among the inferiour creatures beginning with the lowest in the waters beneath as the Dragons oâ— great whales and then comming to Rain and Snow c. which are made out of the waters above Yee Dragons and all deeps Of Sea-Dragons See Aelian lib. 4. Animal cap. 12. they live partly in the Sea and partly on the land as do Crocodiles These also yeeld matter of Gods praise Vers 8 Fire and Hail Snow and Vapour This latter is the matter of those former meteors which hee purposely mingleth with those forementioned miracles of land and waters the more to set forth the power of God because these seem to have no setledness of subsistence and yet in them hee is made visible Stormy winds fulfilling his word The winds blow not at randome but by a divine decree and God hath ordered that whether North or South blow they shall blow good to his people Cant. 4.16 Hee saith to all his Creatures as David did to his Captains concerning Absolom Handle them gently for my sake Vers 9 Mountains and all hills These praise God by their form hugeness fruits prospects c. Fruitful trees These by the variety of their natures and fruits do notably set forth the wisdome power and goodness of the Almighty whilst they spend themselves and the principall part of their sap and moisture in bringing forth some pleasant berry or the like for the use of