Page images
PDF
EPUB

forms; and differs upon the impression thereof, as wax or clay doth at the stamping of a new seal, so as it seems quite other than it was; and men, especially guilty malefactors, are shifted by the breaking forth of the light, like to so many several gar

ments.

XXXVIII. 22, 23 Treasures of snow, &c. which I have reserved against the time of trouble?

Didst thou ever enter into that my storehouse of meteors, which I have decreed to bring forth upon all occasions of my judgments upon men?

XXXVIII. 24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

Dost thou know how the lightning comes to break forth of the cloud; and how that vapour there included doth, with great violence, scatter a blustering wind upon the earth?

XXXVIII. 31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

See chapter ix. verse 9. Canst thou alter the seasons of the year; or cause a restraint of the spring, summer, autumn, &c.?

XXXVIII. 32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

Canst thou bring forth those hidden stars of the south; or direct the northern constellations in their courses?

XXXVIII. 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? and canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

Knowest thou what laws God hath made for the motions and influences of the heaven; and what power he hath given to their operations on the earth?

XXXIX. 1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?

Canst thou understand, or dispose of, the conceptions and births of the wildest creatures?

XXXIX. 19 Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

Hast thou enabled him to neigh so loud and strongly, as if it were the rattling of thunder?

XXXIX. 24 Neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

Neither doth conceive any terror at all in the alarum to the battle. XXXIX. 26 And stretch her wings towards the south.

Is it by thine appointment and instinct, that the hawk wasteth her nimble and swift wings, to fly into the warmer climates of the south?

XXXIX. 30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

Whereas other fowls drink water, the young eagle is wont (and who taught it him?) to suck in the blood of his prey; and where carcasses are, thither, by a strange sagacity of nature, is drawn

to resort,

XL. 15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

Look but upon two of my creatures; the one on the land, the other in the water; both high and mighty: behold the elephant first, which I have formed and placed in thy view, and made apt to thy use; which, though he be so vast that his very stature is enough to terrify the beholder, yet I have caused him to eat grass like the ox, and to feed on no prey but these slight vegetables.

XL. 17 He moveth his tail like a cedar and the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.

In his lust, he moveth his generative part, like to some cedar; and the sinews of his stones are wrapt together, like to the roots of those tall and strong trees.

XL. 24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares, (or, as the margin rather, Will any take him in his sight, or, bore his nose with a gin?)

Will any man be able by open force to take him, while he sees and is forewarned of the enterprize? or can he be taken by the nose, as a fish with a hook? Is he not able to break through all the dangers of a violent taking?

XLI 1 Canst thou draw up leviathan with an hook?

In like manner, cast thine eye into the deep waters, and see there the great whale that I have framed; canst thou think to angle for him, as for small fish, &c. ?

XLI. 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons ?

Canst thou pierce his skin with barbed hooks?

XLI. 8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no

more.

If thou lay thy hand upon him to strike him, thou shalt have so much reason to feel the smart of this conflict, that thou shalt not meddle with him any more.

XLI. 11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? Who hath done me any favour, in helping me to make or govern the world, or in furthering my actions, that I may repay it unto him?

XLI. 13 Who can discover the face of his garment?

Who is able to turn over that skin, wherewith he is covered as with a garment?

XLI. 18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

When he neeseth, he maketh, as it were, a fire to break forth at his nostrils and eyes; and when thou beholdest his eyes, thou wouldest think thou sawest the sun rising in the morning.

XLI. 22 And sorrow is turned into joy before him. And if from any other creature, there be occasion of trouble and vexation offered to him, he takes pleasure therein, as that which he will turn to his advantage and triumph.

XLI. 25 By reason of breakings they purify themselves.

Out of the fear of his vehement and terrible motions, they are glad to make their peace with God, that they may be ready for that dissolution, which is threatened unto them thereby.

XLI. 32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

Where he moves in the sea, he causeth a mention of his way in the waters; leaving behind him a white kind of foam, on the face of the sea, discernible from the rest of the waves.

XLI. 34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

He doth, in the confidence of his great strength, overlook all other living creatures, and exalt himself over the proudest of them; as thinking himself more strong and mighty than they.

XLII. 9 The LORD also accepted of Job.

The Lord also heard the prayer of Job, that he made for his friends; and so accepted of his person and his devotion, that he forgave their offence upon his intercession.

XLII. 10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends.

And the Lord released that miserable affliction, under which Job was held bound; when, out of his meekness and charity, he was content to pray for those his persecuting friends.

XLII. 11 Every man also brought him a piece of money, and every one an carring of gold.

They came to him; and, by way of gratulation, brought him, each of them, a gift, a piece of coin usual in those times (stamped with a sheep or lamb) and an earring of gold.

XLII. 15 And their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

Their father, as the reward and encouragement of their virtues, gave them a possession of land, that they should be coheirs of his estate and territories, as their brethren were, and should share proportionally with them.

PSALMS.

I. 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Blessedness is the thing we all drive at: would ye then know who is a blessed and happy man? It is he, that first refraineth himself from all evil: and whereas there are three degrees of wicked men, ungodly in their thoughts, sinners in their actions, and scorners in their words and carriage; this man holds aloof from them all; not yielding to frame himself, either to the counsels of the ungodly, to continue in the way and manner of life which is used by sinners, or to settle himself in a resolution to join with the scornful enemies of grace and goodness.

I. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

But contrarily, instead of these lewd courses and sinful pleasures, his delight is wholly placed in the Lord his God; and for his sake, in the word of that God; and wherewith his heart is so taken up, that he spendeth his thoughts upon it day and night.

r

I. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous. For the Lord takes special notice of the actions and events of godly men he graciously accepts of what they do, and wisely and mercifully ordereth the issues of all things to their good.

II. 1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

What madness is this in the enemies of God and of his Anointed, thus to conspire against that kingdom and government, which he would have established in me, as a type of the Everlasting Sovereignty of his Son, Christ?

II. 7 I will declare the decree: Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

That men may no longer pretend ignorance, I will declare and publish the eternal decree of God; who hath said, concerning his Son Christ, whose type I bear, Thou art my only Son, I have from eternity begotten thee; and now I do this day proclaim thee to the world, as the Everlasting King, and Governour thereof.

II. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, Give ye your true testimonies of your humble homage and subjection to this Eternal Son of God; and of your meet obedience to me, whom he hath ordained to be a figure of that his glorious government; lest his anger be provoked against you by your contempt, and so he should cut you off in the midst of your designs,

IV. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? &c.

O ye proud enemies, that pride yourselves in the favour and countenance of Saul, how long will ye vainly endeavour to disappoint that glory, which God hath by his prophet fore-promised unto me? IV. 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own hearts upon your bed, and be still.

Be afraid of God's judgments, and be reclaimed from your sins, and especially from your bloody persecution of me: deal seriously with your own hearts in secret, betwixt God and them: retire yourselves purposely, for the more opportunity of your deep meditations; and be confounded in yourselves, turning your displea sure back upon your own wicked hearts.

IV. 6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? I know it is the common fashion of the world, to look after outward prosperity; and to measure happiness by the abundance of these earthly things; but for me, O Lord, I value thy favour above all things whatsoever.

IV. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

They do not so much rejoice in their vintage and harvest, when it is most rich, seasonable, abundant, as I do in the assurance of thy grace towards me.

V. 9 Their throat is an open sepulchre.

They have swallowed down many dear morsels, of the estates and lives of the godly and innocent; and out of their throats have proceeded nothing but words tending to the destruction of others,

VI. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee.

When I am once dead, I can no more celebrate thy name amongst the living, as I now do.

VII. 7 So shall the congregation of the people praise thee: for their sakes therefore return on high.

O God, in delivering me, thou shalt not only do good unto me, but this proof of thy mercy shall draw all the people to a just admiration of thy goodness; for their sakes therefore, ascend thou upon thy throne of judgment, and make thy grace conspicuous to all the world.

VII. 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

It shall be with him, as with a woman that is mocked with a false and yet painful conception: he hath conceived a mischievous plot against me; he travaileth, in bringing that sinful design to execu tion; and when all is done, he is delivered of nothing, but a vain and false hope, which vanisheth into wind and disappointment.

VIII. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and avenger.

O God, thou needest no skilful rhetoricians to set forth thy praise; even very new born babes and sucklings do sufficiently declare thy power, wisdom, and goodness: whosoever shall but look upon them, and see their miraculous formation and nourishment and insensible growth, shall see enough to stop the mouths of all thine enemies; how much more when they come to age and discretion, dost thou fetch praise and glory to thyself from them?

VIII. 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. Thou hast made man in his very creation, and the Son of Man in his voluntary exinanition of himself for our sake, a little lower than the angels.

IX. 6 0 thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end : and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. O thou enemy, thou hast now, I hope, done destroying; thou hast made an end of sacking and ruining our cities; there is no

« PreviousContinue »