The Saints Sacrifice, Section 66
§. 66. Of the meaning and doctrine of the 10 and 11 Verſes.
PSAL. CXVI. X, XI.
(I beleeved: therefore have I ſpoken. I was greatly afflicted.
I ſaid in my haſte, All men are lyars.)
THeſe two verſes are a digreſſion from his forementioned profeſſion, which is proſecuted in the verſes immediately after theſe: ſo as they may not unfitly be included in a parentheſis.
The Prophet in penning this Pſalme was even raviſhed with an holy admiration of the great deliverance which he had, and that beyond his expectation. Hereupon, as men in ſuch caſes uſe to doe, he falleth into digreſſions concerning the greatnes of his diſtreſſe, the weaknes of his fleſh, yea and of his recovery of himſelfe after that weakneſſe: which is here noted in the firſt place, thus, J beleeved, &c.
aLyranus. Aignanus. Rickelius.Some take this of the Prophets too much credulity in the caſe betwixt b2 Sam. 16. 3, 4Ziba and Mephiboſheth. Or of his too much credulity to Abſol…m, Achitophel, and other flattering courtiers which were the cauſe of his flying from Abſolom. But that ſenſe can be nothing to the Prophets purpoſe in this place. Beſides the word thus ſet alone, I beleeved, will not well beare that ſenſe. cSee § 5.As the firſt word of this Pſalme thus ſet, I love, ſo this, I beleeved, hath an eſpeciall emphaſis. It ſheweth that the greatneſſe of his affliction could not quell his faith. Saint Paul expreſly ſheweth d2 Cor. 4. 13.that the Prophet here meanes by this phraſe, I beleeved, a ſtedfaſt confidence in God: ſuch a confidence as by the ſpirit of God is wrought in Saints hearts. Therefore ſome for more perſpicuity inſert this word, God, thus, I beleeved God. This faith ſo quickned his ſpirit, and wrought ſuch an holy zeale in his ſoule, as he could not containe himſelfe, nor conceale his mind, but was in a manner forced to expreſſe himſelfe, and to utter his thoughts: whereupon he maketh this inference, Therefore have I ſpoken. eVatabl. in annot. in hunc loc.Some turne it in the future thus, I will ſpeake. An fforeign loquar.in the Hebrew it is ſo, ſimply conſidered. But its uſuall in that tongue to expreſſe things paſt by the future, eſpecially in rendring a reaſon of that which is paſt: as in gforeignthe firſt verſe of this Pſalme.
Queſt. What then was it that his faith made him utter and ſpeake?
Anſw. All that is mentioned in this Pſalme. His faith made him call upon God in the midſt of his deadly diſtreſſe. His faith made him acknowledge Gods grace and mercy. His faith made him promiſe and vow praiſe and obedience to God.
This clauſe I was greatly afflicted, may have a fit relation either to that which goeth before, or that which followeth.
In the former reſpect it is added as an amplification of the great meaſure of his faith, which, notwithſtanding the greatneſſe of his diſtreſſe, could not be extinguiſhed. If a diſcretive conjunction, although, be prefixed, the emphaſis of this clauſe will better appeare, thus, I ſpake although I was greatly afflicted.
In the latter reſpect, it is premiſed as an extenuation of his weakneſſe, ſhewing that this was a cauſe thereof, namely, Silu… ſive Soph paſuc eſt pauſa perfectae ſententiae, quae uſurpari ſolet in fine verſuum.his ſore affliction. If this cauſall particle, becauſe, be prefixed, the force of the reaſon wilbe evident thus, Becauſe I was greatly afflicted, I ſaid in my haste, &c.
I take the former relation to be here eſpecially intended, by reaſon of that * note of diſtinction which is betwixt this clauſe and the verſe following.
Verſ. 11. I ſaid aforeignin my haſte.
The word tranſlated bforeignhaſte, properly ſignifieth to flie for feare. It is uſed to ſet out the fearefull flight and haſte of the Aſſyrians when they thought that the Hittites and Philiſtines were ſuddenly comming upon them, they caſt away their garments da King. 7. 1…. foreignin their fearefull flight. Hebrew Interpreters do ſometimes tranſlate it, eTargum foreign cum …eſtinarentto make haste, as in the place quoted: and ſometimes to be affrighted, as where it is ſaid, fPſal. 104. 7. foreignAt the voice of thy thunder they hasted away, they tranſlate it, gTargum foreign terrebuntur.They ſhalbe terrified. Whereas therefore there ſeemeth to be a difference betwixt interpreters, ſome tranſlating this clauſe thus, in my haste; Others thus, in my feare; *Vatab Annot in 2 King. 7. 15. ſi… exponit foreign dum trepidan tes fugerent. Athanaſ de Paſſion. Dom. Gratian. de Poenit.both interpretations may well ſtand together, and be thus compoſed, in my ſudden feare: or in my fearefull haste; ſo as unadviſed, raſh, ſudden feare was the cauſe of this conceit and cenſure, All men are lyars.
A difference alſo there is in the interpretation of this clauſe. For ſome expound it as a ſpeech of faith: oppoſing men to God, who onelyonly is true: as if he had more largely thus expreſſed his mind, The Lord is without all queſtion moſt true, faithfull and conſtant in all his promiſes: and where men oft make queſtion thereof, it is by reaſon of that vanity and weakeneſſe which is in them: for all men are lyars. This difference betwixt God and man is moſt true: expreſly noted by the Apoſtle in theſe words, hRom. 3. 4.Let God be true, and every man a lyar: but this interpretation in this place cannot well ſtand with this clauſe immediately going before, I ſaid in my haſte. For, to pronounce all men lyars in oppoſition to Gods truth, is no raſh, paſſionate ſpeech: but a true, adviſed, Apoſtolicall ſpeech.
Calvinus Comment. in hunc loc. Sic & Lorinus, alii que Commentat.Others therefore expound it as a ſpeech of incredulity, and referre this generall particle all, in ſpeciall to ſuch meſſengers of God as were ſent to him, to comfort him in his afflictions, and to promiſe him deliverance and advancement. Now though at firſt he might believe them, yet when he was in the extremity of his perplexity, ſo as he doubted of all recovery, then he made queſtion of the truth of their words, and in his ſudden feare ſaid to this purpoſe, Certenly as the common fort of men, ſo even theſe ſervants and Prophets of God are lyars: all men, not theſe excepted, all men are lyars. Now where he layeth the blame on men, therein, notwithſtanding this his great weakeneſſe, he teſtifieth a reverend reſpect towards God, in that he doth not queſtion the truth of Gods Word, but rather imagineth that the Prophets did not well take their errand, but brought a wrong meſſage: and in that reſpect chargeth not God, but men with falſhood, and ſaith, All men are lyars. In the originall the words of this clauſe are in the ſingular foreignnumber thus, Every man is a lyar: but the generality in the ſingular number is of as large an extent as in the plurall, and for ſenſe truly and fully thus tranſlated, All men are lyars.
Summe.In this digreſſion there is A mixture of faith and feare.
The parts are two.
1 The evidence of his faith, verſ. 10.
2 The inſtance of his feare, verſ. 11.
The former is Propounded.
The former is Amplified.
In the propoſition we have to note
1 The Expreſſion of his ſaith, I beleeved
2 The Confirmation thereof, Therefore have I ſpoken.
The Amplification is taken from the extremity of his diſtreſſe, I was greatly afflicted.
The latter, namely his feare, is
1 Implied, by this phraſe, In my ſudden feare.
2 Exemplified, by this inſtance, I ſaid, all men are lyars.
The Expreſſion of his faith hath relation to the time of his triall: for he ſaith not of the time preſent wherein he was freed from his troubles, I beleeve: but of that time which before he deſcribed in the ſecond and third verſes, whereby he giveth demonſtration that
I. Faith remaines firme in troubles.
The Confirmation of the truth of his faith by his acknowledging Gods mercy, calling upon God, promiſing to walke before God, which is the ſpeaking here meant, giveth evidence that,
II. Faith makes men freely utter their mind.
The Amplification of the truth of his faith by the fore trouble wherein he was, thus ſet out, I was greatly afflicted, giveth proofe, that
III. No affliction can utterly ſuppreſſe faith. If not great affliction, what affliction?
The implication of his haſty, raſh paſſion under this phraſe, in my haſte, or in my ſudden feare, giveth inſtance that
IIII. Saints are ſubject to ſudden paſſions.
The uttering of his mind in this his paſſion, for ſaith he, I ſaid in my haſte, further ſheweth that
V. Diſtempered paſſion cauſeth unadviſed ſpeech.
The Matter of his ſpeech, which is to account ſuch as brought him promiſes of his deliverance, to be lyars, implieth, that
VI. Extremity of diſtreſſe cauſeth Saints to account promiſes of releaſe to be vaine.
The object of his imputation, men, (not God, though thoſe men were ſent of God) men are lyars, importeth that
VII. Saints in their most diſturbed paſſion beare a reverend respect to God.
Yet withall his unjuſt blaming of men (which he here acknowledgeth to be an effect of his weake fleſh, and diſtempered paſſion) declareth, that
VIII. Man muſt not unjuſtly be blamed.
The extent of that object noted by this note of generality, all, intimateth, that
IX. Paſſion makes men judge all alike.
The Connexion of the two parts of this digreſſion, wherof the former is an evidence of his faith, the latter an evidence of his feare, giveth aſſurance, that
X. Faith and feare may be mixed together.
The firſt and third of theſe doctrines are of neare affinity. The third compriſeth the firſt in it, as a greater the leſſe. VponUpon the proofe of the third followes the proofe of the firſt. I will therefore put off the firſt to the third.