of hypocrites but he hears the prayers of penitents 313. Psal 19. 4. Their line went out into the ends of the earth Rom. 10. 18. Their sound went out into the whole world Paul interprets the Psalme concerning the Doctrine of the Gospell and saith that it is the Canon of the holy Ghost and rule of faith and manners of Christians appointed by God by the sound and voice of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles in which the will of God is revealed and therefore it is called the Canonicall Scripture 314. Psal 19. 8. The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart 2 Cor. 3. 7. The law is the ministration of death engraven in stones In the Psalme by the Law is understood all the will of God revealed from above The Apostle speaks only of the morall law not as it is in it self for so it is the perfect law of righteousnesse and brings life but in respect of us who are transgressors of the Law and obtain nothing but death by it 315. Psal 19. 11. And in keeping of thy commandments there is great reward Luk. 17. 10. When you have done all ye were commanded ye shall say We are unprofitable servants we have done nothing but what we are obliged to do David commendeth the Law of God and that there is great reward in the keeping of it In which the goodnesse of God is commended who may of right require obedience from us yet he freely gives a reward unto us which he oweth not Christ sheweth that we and all that we have are due unto God therefore we can aske nothing for a reward and it is presumption to think that we can deserve any thing at Gods hands 316. Psal 22. 1. My God my God wherefore hast thou forsaken me Joh. 14. 10. Chap. 16. 32. I am not alone for the Father is with me In the first place is signified the sense of Gods wrath and the effect thereof in Christ who taking upon him our person is made sin for us though he complained that he was forsaken as man yet he was not forsaken as the Son of God nor was the divine nature separated from the hnmane nature but supported it In the latter place when Christ saith I am not alone he hath respect to the flight of the Apostles and fortifyeth himselfe against it by the presence of his Father 317. Psal 22. 3. My God I cryed by day and thou heardest not Joh. 11. 42. I knew because thou hearest me alwayes Christ was not heard in his passion because he was to die In the latter place he speaks of his prayer for believers he gives thanks to his Father that he was always heard 318. Psal 24. 1. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Luk. 4. 6. I will give to thee saith Satan unto Christ all this power and glory Satan being the spirit and father of lying Joh. 8. 44. Mat. 28. Psal 23. 8. doth falsly appropriate to himself the power of the world Christ being appointed by his father King of Kings to whom was given all power in heaven and earth he rules in heaven and earth from sea to sea from the rivers unto the ends of the earth 319. Psal 24. 2. The Lord hath founded the earth upon the seas Exod. 20. 4. The waters are under the earth The earth hath its stability from the first creation the foundation thereof is the power of God which is the center of the whole and it doth as it were move upon the waters above and beneath it hath the waters on the sides so that the sea is higher then the earth it is therefore the wonderfull work of God that he preserveth mankind from drowning in the midst of the waters 320. Psal 26. 2. Prove me O Lord. 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man prove himself God because he proves our thoughts words and deeds therefore we must prove our selves that we may make our selves approved to God 321. Psal 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old Vers 3. Through my roaring all the day long Silence respects the suppression of sinnes Crying the complaints and lamentations for grief of mind 322. Psal 32. 10. Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked 73. 5. The righteous are punished more then the wicked Punishments internall and sempiternall are for the wicked but externall and temporary are understood by the last place 323. Psal 34. 5. They lookt unto him and were lightned 1 Tim. 6. 16. He dwels in a light that no man can approach unto God is said to dwell in light not properly but metaphorically for by this his glory and manifest presence is understood 324. Psal 34. 10. There is no look to them that fear God 2 Tim. 3. 12. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution The Godly suffer no want in spirituall good but in corporall and temporall good yet their persecutions are good for them and are rewarded with eternall life 325. Psal 34. 22. None that trust in the Lord shall be desolate Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God In the first place is understood delinquency to death and eternall destruction but they that believe in Christ their faults shall not be imputed to them unto death 326. Psal 35. 6. Let their way be made slippery and dark and let the Angell of the Lord persecute them Mat. 5. 44. Love your enemies In the first place are meant the incorrigible and obdurate enemies of Christ and his Gospel In the latter place those of whose conversion we have hope 327. Psal 36. 8. Thou shalt preserve both man and beast O Lord. 1 Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care for oxen Under the generall care of God are comprehended all creatures but under his speciall care Men for whose sake God hath made the beasts Ambrose saith God cares not for beasts for themselves but for our sake for which he created all things and therefore his principall care is for us 328. Psal 37. 21. The wicked borrowes and payeth not again Luk. 6. 35. Lend looking for nothing again If the Debter be fallen into extreme want that he cannot pay we must not kill him or forsake him in his utmost necessity 329. Psal 37. 25. I have been young and now am old yet saw I never the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread Luk. 16. 20. Lazarus a begger desired to be satisfied with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table Beggery is a punishment to the wicked but to the godly a fatherly punishment and it is found in the unlawfull begging of Monks sturdy obstinate and idle people which refuse to work but the lawfull begging is for the members of Christ which are brought to extream poverty by banishment war fire water sicknesse c. 330. Psal 40. 7. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye as living stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall
of David Matthew observes the natural order descending from Fathers to the sons Luke ascends from the sons to the Fathers Matthew by Solomon and his posterity reckons the fore-fathers of Christ from David to Salathiel Luke by Nathan and his posterity for Solomons race being extinct Christ was born of the posterity of Nathan according to the flesh 530. Mat. 1. 12. Jeconias begat Salathiel Luk. 3. 27. Salathiel was the son of Neri Melchi Addi Jeconias died without children Salathiel was the natural son of Neri born from David by Nathan the legal son of Jeconias because he succeeded him by right in the Kingdome 531. Mat. 2. 1. Behold wise men came from the East to Jerusalem cap. 11. 25. I confesse to thee Lord because thou hast hid these things from the wise c. The Wise men were led to Christ not by humane but divine wisdome acknowledging Col. 2. 3. Rom. 1. 25. Mat. 23. 23. Luk. 11. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 26. that in Christ were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Christ rejects no such wise men but such as are not wise from Gods Spirit and yet think themselves wise following the wisdome of this world as the Heathen Philosophers and the Pharisees amongst the Jews and those that are wise now adayes with fleshly wisdome 532. Mat. 3. 1. John the Baptist preached in the wildernesse Luk. 3. 3. He came into all the Countrey about Jordan preaching by the Desert Matthew means not the inward remote parts separated from the company of men but the fore-parts a Mountainous Countrey lying about Jordan 533. Mat. 3. 14. John knew Christ before he baptized him Joh. 1. 33. I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and resting upon him he it is that baptizeth with the holy Ghost John had a knowledge of Christ before his baptism by inchoation but that knowledge was confirmed and consummate when in baptism he saw the Heavens open and the Spirit of God descending upon him like a Dove and so by an outward revelation joyned with an inward illumination he pronounced that Jesus was the Messias and the Lamb of God that takes away the sinnes of the world 534. Mat. 3. 16. The Spirit of God descended and came upon Christ Luk. 1. 35. Christ had the holy Ghost before Gal. 4. 6. At the baptism of Christ the holy Ghost came upon him like a Dove to declare that Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and man according to the prophesie The Spirit Isa 61. 1. of the Lord was upon me because he hath anoynted me to preach good tidings to the meek to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord who being to Psal 45. 8. take upon him the Office of Mediator is anoynted with spiritual oyl 535. Mat. 4. 2. And when Jesus had fasted forty dayes and forty nights he was afterward an hungred and the Tempter came and said unto him Luk. 4. 1. He was tempted forty days The internal temptation lasted forty dayes then came the Devil to Christ in an external and corporal shape and spake unto him 536. Mat. 4. 8. The Devil at the third temptation took him up to a Mountain Luk. 4. 5. The Devil at the second temptation took him into a high Mountain In the holy Scripture saith Augustine there is no contradiction where any thing is related by divers Authors and not observed the same way De Cons Ecclesiae Matthew placeth the temptations in order But Luke by Hysterosis puts the second temptation after the third 537. Mat. 4. 12. 17. Jesus began to preach from the imprisonment of John the Baptist Joh. 1. 2 3 4. chap. He preached before John was in prison Matthew passeth over that which John sets down in his 4 first chapters 538. Mat. 4. 18. Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brothers Simon and Andrew casting a Net into the Sea and he said Follow me Luk. 5. 1. He stood by the Lake of Gennesareth v. 3. Ascending into Simons ship he bade them put off a little from the land and he sat and taught the people out of the ship as he ended his speech he said to Simon Lanch into the deep v. 10. Fear not henceforth thou shalt catch men Here we have need of a threefold reconciliation Matthew saith that Christ walking toward Sea called Peter Luke in a little ship But Matthew speaks of his first call and Luke of his confirmation in it 2. Matthew makes no mention of the Miracle but what he let passe Luke describes 3. Matthew cals it the Sea of Galilee Luke the Lake of Genesareth because the Hebrews call all waters Seas Matthew respects the Province Luke the banks by the next City 539. Mat. 5. 1. Christ seeing the multitude went up into a Mountain and taught them Luk. 6. 17. He came down with them and stood in the plain Vers 20. Looking on his Disciples he said Blessed c. Here is also a threefold difference either Matthew saith that Christ preached in the Mountain Luke in the field Or Matthew saith he preached to the people Luke to his Disciples or Matthew saith before Luke after the healing of the leper Whence we conclude that Christ repeated that Sermon a second time 540. Mat. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Vers 14. Rejoyce and be glad Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Christ speaks not of all that mourn but such as from the heart mourn for their sins Joh. 16. â—3 Luk. 16. 25. 2 Cor. 1. and believe in him whose condition in this life is sorrowful and they suffer pressures in the world their mourning brings joy in this world and the world to come and God comforts them in all afflictions Christ pronounceth such mourners happy 541. Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall possesse the earth Heb. 1â— 13. And they all confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth Meek are gentle such as with a quiet mind induring injuries do not resist evill but overcome evil with goodnesse by the example of Christ to these is the possession of the earth Rom. 12. 21. Mat. 11. 28. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Psal 27. 13 14. 16. promised not simply but by right of inheritance for the godly though they possesse nothing are said to possesse the earth because they have Christ who possesseth all things and he is only rich who hath a quiet mind The earth here is principally taken not for the element of earth but the land of the living 542. Mat. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Ver. 12. Because great is their reward in heaven 1 Pet. 2. 10. c. 4. 14. Rom. 8. 18. The afflictions of this world are not worthy of the glory hereafter which shall be revealed in us The reward here hath no relation to any merit of ours but to the free love of
Anthropopathy he remembers when he sends help and hears our prayers as Gen. 30. 22. 1 Sam. 15. 19. Psal 13. 2. 42. 10. Also he is said to forget when he defers to help and seems not to hear us 35. Gen. 8. 13. In the year 601 the first month the first day of the month the waters were dryed up Chap. 8. 14. And in the second month the 27 day of that month was the earth dryed The diminishing of the waters and the superficies of the earth yet soft and plashy is intimated vers 13. 14. The earth is dryed and perfectly solid 36. Gen. 8. 21. Nor will I any more smite Psal 103. 13. every living creature Chap. 6. 13. 7. 21. And all flesh dyed Chap. 19. 24. Sodom overthrowne Before the flood God judged the world and he judged Sodom also as a just judge and revenger after the flood he promised he would do so no more as a father who taketh pity of his children 37. Gen. 8. 21. I will not again curse the ground for mans sake Deut. 28. 16. Thou shalt be cursed in thy house and cursed shalt thou be in the field c. A generall malediction doth not take away a speciall malediction neither did God oblige himself that he would not send his speciall punishments and calamities on those who refuse to hear his voice 38. Gen. 8. 22. Seed time and harvest as long as the earth endureth 1 King 17. 1. Jam. 5. 17. And it reigned not for three yeares and six months Barrennesse and drynesse was sent from God on the earth in the dayes of Elias by reason of the Idolatry of the Israelites He took not away seed-time and harvest in other places The ordinance of God though it was not observed in one place for mans transgression yet it found place in an other 39. Gen. 9. 2. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth Job 39. 9. Will the Vnicorne be willing to serve thee In the former place the dominion over the creatures is partly restored to man after the fall and God hath cast a fear on them that they should not dare to hurt man but should be afraid of mans countenance But if the Unicorn or any beast do violence to man they do but put him in mind of his fall 40. Gen. 9. 13. I do set my bow in the clouds and it shall be for a token of a Covenant between me and the earth Revel 4. 3. And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like to an emerald The first place is concerning the ordinary place of the rain-bow the second of the extraordinary rain-bow and the seat of God 41. Gen. 10. 8. Nimrod began to be mighty in the earth Vers 10. And the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers The tyrannicall power of Nimrod was with violence and violation of government in families yet not without Gods ordination nor doth every unlawfull attaining take away the lawfull power from ill beginnings and manners good lawes and profitable thins proceed also The beginning of the Kingdome of Judah was the wantonnesse and wickednesse of the people The beginning of the Kingdome of Israel the sedition of Jeroboam yet they were afterwards lawfull Kingdomes 42. Gen. 10. 22. The children of Sem were Elam Assur and Arphaxad Chap. 11. 10. Sem begat Arphaxad two years after the flood In History the order of nature and time are not alwayes observed therefore though Elam and Assur are named Chap. 10. before Arphaxad yet it followes not that they were elder then he and Sem is said to have begotten sons and daughters after Arphaxad was born and not before 43. Gen. 11. 7. Let us goe down and there confound their language 1 King 8. 27. Jer. 23. 24. Do not I fill the earth God is not moved from place to place because he is all every where saith Augustine but L. 16. c. 5. De civ dei he is said to descend when he doth any thing for the ordinary and usuall course of nature and so he sheweth his presence in respect of us not that there is any thing that he doth not see and know or doth change his place but this is attributed to God after the manner of men and in respect of our sense as Gen. 18. 21. Psal 14. 2. 44. Gen. 11. 12. Arphaxad begat Salem Luk. 3. 36. Which was the son of Sala which was the son of Cainan c. The name and the generation of Cainan in Beda in Luk. 3. Genesis and the words of the days according to the truth of the Hebrews is not found but Arphaxad is said to have begotten Sala there being none betwixt him Luke took this Genealogie from the edition of the 70 Interpreters 45. Gen. 11. 26. Terah lived 70 years and begat Abram Nahor and Haran Chap. 12. 4. And Abram was 75 years old when he departed out of Haran Terah did not beget three sons in the same year but he began to generate at 70 years old and he lived in Haran to 205 years old it may be Abraham was the younger son but because he is so commended in the Scriptures he is set down first before his brethren as Jacob Mat. 1. 3. Judas 1 Pet. 4. 1. 46. Gen. 12. 5. Abraham took Sara his wife and Lot his brothers son Chap. 13. 8. 14. 14. Abraham said to Lot we are brethren c. Brothers are called by bloud Gen. 27. 13. of alliance Chap. 14. 4. of gentility Deut. 15. 3. of affection 2 Sam. 1. 26. of unity of confession of faith Jer. 31. 34. We are brethren saith Abraham to Lot perswading him not to contend with him but seeing that he is joyned with him in the band of religion and consanguinity he wisheth him to avoid occasion of quarrell and not to give scandall to the infidels 47. Gen. 12. 3. 18. 18. All the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him Gal. 3. 14. The blessing of Abraham came on the Gentiles through Christ This promise was made to the seed and posterity but not to the person of Abraham so the promises made by God to the Fathers Gen. 22. 18. Heb. 11 8. are fulfilled in their children and in individuals 48. Gen. 12. 18. Abraham told a lie Psal 5. 7. Thou shalt destroy all those that speak leasing Seing that the Devill is the Father of lying Abraham denying his wife sinned against God by distrust against Sara and Pharaoh by injustice Mat. 26. Psal 32. for he sought to save his life by wrong means as Peter did by denying Christ God will destroy impenitent lyers but not whose lies and offences are pardoned in Christ and covered as Abrahams Isaacks and Peters were who repented 49. Gen. 12 7. 13. 15. 15. 38. This land which thou seest will I give to thee and thy seed c. Act. 7.
Psal 89. 7. O Lord God who is like unto thee 1 Joh. 3. 2. We know that when he appears we shall be like him The Psalmist speaks of the mighty men of the earth who living wickedly and ungodly are not like to God And John speaks of the faithfull who though they are here strangers and pilgrims seeing only in a glasse by faith yet when the time of perfection shall come we shall see him face to face as he is and reign for ever with him 348. Psal 90. 9. We passe away in thy wrath Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth not the Son the wrath of God abideth on him God is angry for a time not against the persons of the godly but against their sins and he chastneth them here not for ever for their good and not for their hurt but unbelievers shall never see Gods gracious face unto life 349. Psal 92. 16. There is no iniquity in God Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded all under unbelief that he might have mercy upon all God being free from all iniquity hath concluded that it argueth all men to be guilty of sins not as the cause thereof but as a judge whilst he declares them guilty for sinne if he would deal according to rigour of divine justice 350. Psal 102. 26 27. Heaven and earth shall passe away as a garment shall they wax old and as a vesture shalt thou change them 104. 5. The earth Eccles 1. 4. shall not be removed for ever c. The earth shall endure to the time appointed by God and what is corruptible of it shall be burnt with fire in the end of the world For ever here signifies not eternity but a long time 351. Psal 103. 10. Dealt not with us after our sins nor rewarded us after our iniquities Deut. 7. 10. I will repay to them in time God rewards believers not according to their iniquity nor doth he deal with us after our sins for when we were his enemies he was reconciled to us by Christ and gave us life but he rewards the unbelievers according their works and condemns them by just judgment 352. Psal 104. 5. Thou laidst the foundations of the earth 2 Pet. 3. 5. The earth standing out of the waters and in the waters by the word of God The basis of the earth is the power of God that supports all this Universe the earth is called the Centre of the Universe and is said to subsist in the waters and out of the waters because it is compassed by the waters like an Island 353. Psal 104. 15. Oyle that maketh a chearfull countenance Isa 3. 18. The Lord will take away the bravery of their tinckling ornaments their caules and their round tires God will not have people to paint their faces for that is reprehended in Isaiah but because God fore-knew by the fall that most grievous diseases would afflict us he gave power of healing to plants and art to Physitians and Apothecaries to make oyles and unguents Chymically to cure and refresh men of this the Psalmist speaks 354. Psal 105. 37. There was not one feeble person amongst them Deut. 25. 18. Amalek slew all that were feeble behind thee The Israelites going out of Egypt were sick of no disease but there were women with childe and old people who were weary in the way and sat down to rest 355. Psal 106. 31. Phinehas slew two of them in their fornication and that was counted to him for righteousnesse Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse This just heroicall act of Phinehas pleased God To Abraham believing in Christ grace and righteousnesse is imputed Therefore to be imputed for righteousnesse signifies diversly as it is applyed to different persons 356. Psal 108. 9. He curseth his enemies Mat. 5. 44. Love your enemies blesse them that curse you c. Christ in the person of David by a propheticall spirit wisheth horrid punishments to the enemies of God and his Church In Matthew he exhorts to sincere and ardent charity to our enemies 357. Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Mat. 11. 12. The kingdome of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force We are willing to do good when the holy Ghost doth his work in us and renews us The Evangelist means a spirituall violence of men with a burning zeal entring into the Kingdome of God and taking of it as it were by force obeying the Gospell forsaking legall ceremonies and embracing salvation by Christ 358. Psal 112. 6. The righteous shall not be moved for ever Prov. 24. 16. The righteous man shall fall seven times a day Job 5. 19. Psal 34. 10. The righteous in Christ founded on him by a true faith shall not be overthrown though the World and the Devill rage against him but if at any time by infirmity of the flesh he do fall yet he riseth again by Gods grace nor doth he despair or cast away his trust in God but by repentance he returns into favour with God again 359. Psal 115. 4. The Idols of the heathens are silver and gold Isa 41. 45 46. 1 Cor. 8. 4. An Idoll is nothing in the world Idols for their matter are things created by God but an Idoll is nothing privatively not negatively because it is not that which it is called namely God it hath nothing of God it can do neither good nor hurt 360. Psal 216. 11. Every man is a lyer Rev. 14. 5. There was found no guile in their mouth The first place sheweth what we are by nature of our selves the latter of what we are by grace after we apprehend Christ by faith and are led by the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of truth 361. Psal 119. 13. With my lips have I shewed all the judgements of thy mouth Rom. 11. 33. The judgments of God are unsearchable The Psalmist speaks of the judgements of Gods mouth revealed in his word Paul of the secret and unscrutable judgements or the reason why God doth this or that to make one man rich an other poor 362. Psal 119. 13. I have hated the wicked Rom. 12. 14. Blesse those that persecute you and curse them not Godly men must not hate mens persons Mat. 5. 2. Act. 7. but rather their faults not those that sin of weaknesse but those that sin of obstinacy and rather to pray for them both by the example of Christ and Stephen c. then to curse either 363. Psal 119. 155. Health is far from the ungodly Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The Psalmist speaks of wicked men obstinate and such as are hardned in their sins rejecting the grace of God and Christ the author of salvation Christ speaks of penitent sinners who being convinced with the sense of their own sins flie to the mercy of God and seek health in Gods grace onely through Jesus Christ 364. Psal 125. 1.