The Songs of the Old Testament Translated into English Measures, Song 9 – Song 10
THE Third Song of ESAY. Eſay 26.
The Argument and Vſe.
THe Prophet Eſay, before the people of Iſrael were led into Captiuity, compoſed this Song thereby to comfort them; that they might with the more patience beare out their affliction, and become confident in the promiſed mercies of God. Firſt, it informeth them, that the protection of God being (whereſoeuer they are) nothing leſſe auaileable then a defenced Cittie,) they ought for euer to truſt in that firme peace, which they may hauehave in him. Secondly, this Song teacheth them, to confeſſe, that the pride of Sinners muſt be puniſhed, & how the true Church of Godwil conſtantly await his pleaſure, amid thoſe iudgements, and in their chaſtening, flye vntounto their Redeemer. Thirdly, ſeeing the wicked are ſo euilly diſpoſed, that they will neither repent for fauour nor puniſhment: their confuſion is here prophecied, and the peace of the godly promiſed: who are reſolued not to forſake the ſeruice of their Lord for any perſecution. Fourthly, they ſing the vtter deſolation of Tyrants, and the increaſe of the Church: whoſe endurance is illuſtrated by the pangs of a Childe-bearing woman. Fiftly, her deliuerance from perſecution, with the reſurrection of the dead, through Chriſt is foretold. And laſtly, the fai…hfull are exhorted to attend on the LORD their Sauiour, who will ſhortly come to iudgement: and take account for the bloud of his …aints.
This Song is made in the perſon of the whole Church. And the particular members thereof may alſo ſing the ſame, to comfort themſelues, and to encourage one another to be confident in all their chaſtiſements and perſecutions, vponupon conſideration of the ſhortneſſe of the time, and the certaintie of their Redeemers comming. They may alſo when they pleaſe make vſe of it, thereby to praiſe God for his iudgements, for his fauour to his people, and for the confirmation of their owne faiths in both thoſe.
The Song.
… A Citty now hauehave we obtain'd, Where ſtrong defences are, And God ſaluation hath ordai'nd, For wa's and Bulwarkes there. …
The gates thereof wide open ſet;
Thoſe righteous people who
The Truths obſeruers are, may get
Admittance thereinto.
There, thou in peace wilt keepe him ſure,
(Whoſe thoughts well grounded be)
In peace, that euer ſhall endure,
Becauſe he truſted thee.
For-euermore vponupon the LORD
Without diſtruſt depend,
For in the LORD, th'eternall LORD,
Is ſtrength that hath no end.
He makes the lofty City yeeld,
And her proud dwellers bow:
He layes it leuell with the field,
And with the duſt below.
Their feet, who poore and needy are,
Their feet thereon ſhall tread:
Their way is right that righteous are
Whoſe path thou well doſt heed.
VponUpon thy Courſe of iudgements wee,
Oh LORD attending were,
And to record thy Name,and Thee,
Our ſoules deſirous are.
On thee, my minde with ſtrong deſires
Is fixed in the night,
And after thee my heart enquires,
Before the morning light.
For, when thy righteous Iudgements are
VponUpon the earth diſcern'd
By thoſe that doe inhabite there,
Vprighneſſe ſhould be learn'd.
Yet ſinners for no terror will,
Iuſt dealing vnderſtand:
But they continue doing ill,
Eu'n in the righteous land.
VntoUnto the glory of the LORD,
They will not heedfull be:
Thy hand aduanc't on high, oh LORD,
They will not daigne to ſee.
But they ſhall ſee, and ſee with ſhame,
That doe thy people ſpight:
Yea, from thy foes ſhall riſe a flame,
That will deuoure them quite.
Then LORD, for vsus, thou wilt procure,
That wee in peace may be:
Becauſe that eu'ry worke of our,
Is wrought for vsus, by thee.
And LORD our God, though we are brought,
To other Lords in thrall:
Of thee alone ſhall be our thought,
VponUpon thy name to call.
They are deceaſt and neuer ſhall,
A farther life obtaine:
They die and ſhall not riſe at all,
To tyrannize againe.
For to that end thou viſited,
And wide diſperſ't them haſt:
Vntill their fame was periſhed,
And vtterly defac'ſt.
But LORD, encrea'ſt thy people are,
Encrea'ſt they are by thee:
And thou art glorified as farre
As any lands there be.
For LORD, in their diſtreſſes, when
Thy chaſt'ning on them lay:
They vntounto thee did haſten then,
And without ceaſing pray.
As ſhe with Childe is pain'd when as
Her throwes of bearing be:
And cryes in pangs; before thy face,
Oh LORD, ſo fared We.
We hauehave conceiu'd, beene pain'd, and all
Was for a windie birth:
The world no ſafetie yeeld's; nor fall,
The dwellers of the earth.
Thy dead ſhall liue; they riſe againe
With my dead body ſhall:
Oh you, that in the duſt remaine,
Awake and ſing you, all.
For as the dewe doth hearbs renewe,
That buried ſeem'd before:
So earth ſhall through thy heau'nly dewe,
Her dead aliue reſtore.
My people, to thy Chambers fare,
Shut cloſe the dore to thee;
And ſtay a while (a moment there)
Till paſt the furie be.
For loe, the LORD doth now ariſe;
He commeth from his place;
To puniſh their impieties,
Who doe the world poſſeſſe.
And now the earth no longer ſhall,
The blouds in her conceale:
But ſhee, ſhall be compelled all
Her murthers to reueale.
THE Prayer of HEZEKIAH. Eſay 37.15.
The Argument and the Vſe.
IT is recorded, in the 36. and 37. of Eſay, that Senacharib King of Aſiria, ſent an army againſt Ieruſalem; and that Rabſhakah his principall commander, not onelyonly threatned to take it, but blaſphemed alſo againſt the power of God. Which when Hezekiah receiued notice of: it is ſaid, he repaired vntounto the houſe of the LORD, and made this Prayer there. Wherein (hauing by the attributes there giuen him, acknowledged how able God was to be auenged,) he deſires the LORD, both to heare him, and to conſider the blaſphemy of his aduerſarie. Then, to manifeſt the neceſſitie of aſſiſtance: He vrgeth the power of that foe, ouer thoſe that ſerued not the true God. And as it ſeemes, deſireth deliuerance, not ſo much in regard of his owne ſafetie, as that the blaſphemer, (and all the world) may know the difference betweene the power of the LORD, and the arrogant braggs of Man.
This Prayer may be vſed by the Church, whenſoeuer her powerfull and open aduerſarie the Turke, or any other Aduerſarie, whom God hath ſuffered to preuaile againſt falſe worſhippers; ſhall thereupon growe proud, and threaten Her, alſo: as if in deſpight of God he had formerly preuailed by his owne ſtrength. And the name of Senacharib may be miſtically applied to any ſuch enemy. Moreouer, it may ſerue any of vsus Chriſtians for a prayer, againſt thoſe ſecret blaſphemies, which the Deuill whispers vntounto our ſoules. Or, when by temptations, he ſeekes to make vsus dispaire, and threatens to be our ruine, maugre our Redeemer; laying before our eyes how many others he hath deſtroyed, who ſeemed to be in as good eſtate as we. For this is (indeed) the Enemie, who hath ouerthrowne whole Countries and Nations: and he doth at this day ruine many thouſands, with their gods, (euen the meanes whereby they truſted to be ſafe:) for ſtrength, temporall power, riches, ſuperſtitious worſhips, the wiſedome of fleſh and bloud vnſanctified; Moral vertues, worldly policie, Idols, & ſuch like, wherein many put their truſt; are the works of mens hands, and may he rightly termed, the gods which that miſticall Aſirian Prince, and our aduerſarie hath power to deſtroy.
The Song.
And Hez…kiah prayed vntounto the LORD: ſaying.
… O Lord of hoaſts, and God of Iſra-el, Thou who betweene the Cherubins doſt dwell, Of all the world thou God alone art King, And heau'n and earth vntounto their forme did'ſt bring. …
Lord bow thine eare, to heare attentiue be;
Lift vp thine eyes, and daigne oh LORD to ſee
What words Senacharib hath caſt abroad:
And his proud meſſage to the liuing God.
Truth LORD it is, that lands, and kingdomes all,
HaueHave to the Kings of Aſhur beene a thrall:
Yea, they their Gods into the fire hauehave throwne,
For Gods they were not, but of wood and ſtone:
Mens work they were, men therfore ſpoil'd them hauehave.
Then from his power, vsus LORD our God now ſaue,
That all the kingdomes of the earth may ſee,
Thou art the LORD, and onelyonly thou art hee.