Works Volume 4, Book · Psalm 19
The Ninteenth PSALM.
TO the ‖Prefect of his Muſick.chief Muſitian, a Pſalm of David.
Paraphrase. The Nineteenth Pſalm is chiefly ſpent in giving glory to God for all his works of power and excellence, eſpecially in giving ſo admirable a rule of life to men, and affording mercy for all but preſumptuous ſins. It was propoſed by David, and committed to the Prefect of his Muſick.
1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament ſheweth his handy-work.
Paraphrase. 1. The fabrick and motion and influences of the Heavens do demonſtrate to any man, that conſiders them diligently, how great, and powerful, and wiſe, and gratious that God is, who formed them in this manner; and the firmneſs and cloſeneſs of all thoſe vaſt orbs, which are of ſo fine and ſubtile a nature, and yet are compacted into a moſt perfect ſolidity, together with the aire, and the many meteors, thunder, lightning, &c. therein, are an evidence of his many glorious attributes who thus created them.
2. Day unto day uttereth ſpeech, and night unto night ſheweth knowledge.
Paraphrase. 2. The viciſſitude of days and nights cauſed by the conſtant certain motions of thoſe heavenly bodies, do continually preach, and inſtruct men in the glories of the creator of heaven and earth.
3. ‖They have not ſpeech, nor words, their voice is not heard.There is no ſpeech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Paraphrase. 3. They are not furniſht with language, or words, or an articulate intelligible voice, as we men are.
4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he ſet a tabernacle for the Sun.
Paraphrase. 4. Yet have they ways to expreſs themſelves, to make known to all the men in the world, Gentiles as well as Jews, the wonderful power and goodneſs, and providence of God. In the midſt of them, in an eminent and principal place, is aſſigned a royal manſion for the Sun, in which he moves conſtantly, and by his motion inlivens and rejoyceth all that ſee him. Whereſoever he comes, he hath the day-Star, and a ſtreaming of light, going before him, as the torch-bearers before a Bridegroom, when he comes out of his Bride-chamber; and in his circuit he viſits all the corners of the earth, and drives on alacriouſly, like a mighty invincible champion in a perpetual courſe or race. He begins in one extreme point of the heavens, and marcheth on through every part, till he comes back to the very ſame point again; and ſo in ſome part of his courſe or other, takes in every climate of this lower World of ours: there is no corner, which doth not partake of the light and warmth he brings with him. (And in all this is there a farther myſtical repreſentation of the Goſpel of Chriſt, that Sun of righteouſneſs, with his Baptiſt before him, to light him into the world; whither, when he is come, he ſends out his Apoſtles to preach the Goſpel to all the dark heathen corners over all the earth, and by ſo doing, diffuſeth his light and warmth, the knowledge of his will, and ſtrength, and grace (in ſome meaſure) to perform it, and withall, pardon, and refreſhment, to all that do not love darkneſs more than light, and ſo wilfully refuſe to be inlightned by him.)
5. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run a race.
6. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat of it.
7. The Law of the Lord is ‖reſtoring, ſee note e.perfect, converting the ſoul: the teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, making wiſe the †or, ſeducible. foreignſimple.
Paraphrase. 7. And as Gods glories are viſible in the creation, and wiſe and gracious diſpoſal of the heavens, &c. ſo above all, in his giving us ſuch a guide and director of life, as is the law, and revelation of his will unto us. A law made up of ſuch excellent praecepts, that it moſt eminently conduceth to the ſatisfying and refreſhing, the making all men happy, that obey it. It preſcribes us an univerſal adherence and dependence on God; and ſo is proper to repair and refreſh our hungry ſouls, which being fallen off from God by ſin into a moſt doleful ſtate, have no other means of recovery or refection, but this manna from heaven, this ſpiritual food of ours. 2. It is conſtant, and in every part agreeable to it ſelf, and conſequently is a means to ſettle and eſtabliſh, and confirm him that is moſt unſteady and ſeducible, and carried away with every deceit of ſin.
8. The ſtatutes of the Lord are right, rejoycing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is ‖or, food,pure, inlightening the eyes.
Paraphrase. 8. As for the particular precepts and commandments thereof, they are made up of perfect juſtice and equity, ſo agreeable to our own reaſon, and the ſouls with which we are created, that the performance of them is matter of the greateſt preſent delight and joy to a rational man. Gods commands are our ſpiritual food; and the obeying them is refection and nouriſhment to the ſoul, the original of all ſpiritual ſtrength and vigor to it.
9. The fear of the Lord is clean, induring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are *truth. foreigntrue, and righteous altogether.
Paraphrase. 9. The dread of offending God keeps the man from all impure mixtures, ſuffers not any worldly or carnal aim to have admiſſion with him; and this, and nothing but this, will hold out in time of temptation, and conſequently yield him a reward from God in another world. As for the things wherein our obedience is expected by God, they are in themſelves moſt juſt and equitable, fitteſt to be done by us, (if they were not commanded, nor ſhould ever be rewarded in us) and ſo are acknowledged by all wiſe men, and cannot chuſe but be diſcerned by us to be ſo, if we ſeriouſly weigh them and practice them.
10. More to be deſired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; ſweater alſo than honey and the ‖dropping of the combes, foreignhoney-comb.
Paraphrase. 10. And indeed when we come to make that trial of them, to know their true value by practice and experiences, (and not to judge them by thoſe appearances and colours that the world hath of them, and ſuch as conſider them at a diſtance, and ſo think them rugged and melancholy) we ſhall find them much more priſeable than the greateſt wealth in the world, (all that amaſs'd together cannot yield us any true contentment or ſatisfaction) much more delicious and pleaſurable than the richeſt and choiceſt ſenſualities that are moſt eagerly purſued and guſtfully injoyed by us.
11. Moreover by them †doth thy ſervant ſhine.is thy ſervant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Paraphrase. 11. All the ſplendor and greatneſs, and flouriſhing condition that I injoy at this time, or ever expect in this or in another world, I hold only by this tenure, as long as I keep my ſelf cloſe to the commands of God. For thus hath God pleaſed in his infinite goodneſs to deal with us; he gives us moſt excellent precepts, commanding us to do thoſe things which are of all others moſt agreeable to our natures, and ſo moſt valuable and pleaſurable to us, v. 10. and then upon our obedience to this moſt gracious yoak, heaps all the richeſt rewards upon us, Godlineſs having, beſides its own ſweetneſs, the promiſes of this life, and of that which is to come.
12. Who can underſtand his errours? cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults.
Paraphrase. 12. But, alas, how imperfect hath my obedience been? How many times have I tranſgreſt theſe holy commands of thine? Many, many times; which I am not now able to enumerate; many, which I did not obſerve at the time, ſins of ignorance and frailty no man is able to number, and particularly to confeſs to thee: O be thou pleaſed to ſeal to my ſoul thy free pardon and forgiveneſs for all theſe.
13. Keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous ſins, let them not have dominion over me: then ſhall I be upright, and I ſhall be innocent from the great tranſgreſſion.
Paraphrase. 13. As for any known deliberate ſins, which have not that alleviation of ignorance or weakneſs, but are committed againſt expreſs knowledge of my duty, after mature conſideration of it, Lord, be thou pleaſed to arm me by thy ſpecial aſſiſtance of grace, that I never fall into any one ſuch commiſſion. Let not any temptation thus get power over my will, when my conſcience tells me I ought not to yield, whatſoever the profit or pleaſure be, that thus comes in competition with known duty. If it do, then am I a ſervant and ſlave of ſin, and ſo no longer the ſervant of God. But if by the power of thy grace thou ſhalt uphold me from falling into any ſuch preſumptuous ſins, then ſhall I not fail to be acquitted by thee; and being free from all hainous guilts, I ſhall, through thy mercy, promiſed in thy covenant of grace, be ſure to be abſolved, and juſtified from all the other innumerable frailties, v. 12. that I have been guilty of.
14. *The words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart ſhall be accepted in thy ſight, or an acceptable ſacrifice.Let the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord my ſtrength and my Redeemer.
Paraphrase. 14. And then all my prayers and praiſes, being thus poured out of a pure, ſincere heart, and ſo likewiſe all the performances and deſigns of my life, ſhall be as a ſacrifice well-pleaſing and acceptable to thee, whoſe grace it is by which I have been preſerved, and whoſe abundant mercy by which I have been reſcued from all evil.
Annotations on Pſalm XIX.
foreignV. 1. Firmament] Of the word foreign which is by the LXXII. rendred foreign, firmament, that it is deduced from foreign, which the Syriack Luk. 6.38. ſet for foreign, to preſs very cloſe, and is uſed in that ſenſe, Ezek. 6.11. and 25.6. and there by us rendred to ſtamp, i. e. to ſtrike and preſs together, and that ſo as plates of gold, &c. are, by beating and preſſing, expanded to a great breadth, and that in this reſpect it is by an antient Greek Interpreter (mentioned by *in Pſa. 136.S. Chryſoſtome) rendered foreign, which in ‖Meteor. l. 4. c. 9.Ariſtotle ſignifies foreign ▪ a firm durable compreſſion, and that this is the ground of the LXXII. there rendring it foreign, firmament, and others expanſum, ſee the moſt learned Nicholas Fuller, Miſcel. l. 1. c. 6. Now as under this title the heaven is conteined, Gen. 1. as appears undeniable by the Sun and Moons being created in it, v. 14. ſo 'tis as certain, that the air is ſignified by it alſo, by the uſe that is aſſigned it, to divide the waters from the waters, i. e. the Sea here below from the rain that is in the Clouds. Accordingly, as Joſephus, in his deſcription of the creation, Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. ſaith of heaven, foreign, that God made it to have rain in it, to benefit the earth by the dew thereof; ſo Sibylla ſpeaking of the air, ſaith that God mixed vapours, and rainy or dewy, i. e. watery clouds with it, —foreign. Thus when the rain fell that drowned the earth, Gen. 7. the windows of heaven are ſaid to be opened, v. 11. and therefore it is ſo frequently called rain from heaven, according to that of Pliny, Nat. Hiſt. l. 31. Scandunt aquae in ſublime, & coelum quoque ſibi vendicant, The waters climbe on high, and challenge the heaven alſo for their ſeat; and again, Quid eſſe mirabilius poteſt aquis in coelo ſtantibus? What can be more wonderful than waters ſtanding in heaven? And thus in Scripture-ſtile, foreign, the heavens, contein all thoſe ſuperiour orbs, together with the regions of the air. So ſaith the Author of the Queſtions and Anſwers under Juſtins name:foreign. foreign, the Scripture calls heavens either thoſe that are ſo indeed, the firſt heaven and the firmament, or the regions of the air, (ſee note on Eph. 6. a.) even the loweſt of thoſe where the birds fly, which accordingly are called the fowles of heaven. And ſo all this is fitly compriſed under the word foreign; but here (where the heavens are named before) the aery regions peculiarly; the Hebrews having no other word for the air, but either this, or foreign heavens, (which alſo is generally derived from foreign and foreign, becauſe waters are there.) The word which nowadays they uſe for the air foreign, being clearly taken from the Greek; when yet it cannot be queſtioned, but the ſacred Writers had ſome word by which they called it, viz. this of foreign, which accordingly the Chaldee here render foreign air.
foreignV. 3. There is no ſpeech] The underſtanding of this verſe ſeems to depend on the notion of foreign. That commonly ſignifies not, and is perfectly all one with foreign, only with the addition of י. Now both of theſe being oft uſed for all ſort of excluſive particles, without, beſides, unleſs, hence it is that the learned Grotius renders it in this place ſine, without, i. e. without the voice or words, precedent. If this liberty may be taken, I may then propoſe another notion of foreign lightly deduced from theſe. For of foreign the Lexicographers tell us, that in Arabick it ſignifies ſed, but. And the Arabick being but a dialect of the Hebrew, we may thence conclude, that thus it antiently ſignified among the Hebrews: and if that may be admitted, then the whole verſe will be thus clearly rendred, foreign non ſermo, not ſpeech, i. e. they (the heavens and firmament) have no ſpeech, foreign, nor words, foreign but, or notwithſtanding, foreign their voice is, or, hath been heard; i. e. either,foreign as foreign voice frequently ſignifies thunder, their thunder is heard, or elſe more generally, they have ways to proclaim, or make known the attributes of God, though they are not able to ſpeak. Beſides this way of interpreting the verſe, by this notion of foreign for [but] or [yet] or [notwithſtanding] another offers it ſelf, by rendring it non, not, as it, without queſtion, and moſt vulgarly, ſignifies. Thus, they have neither ſpeech, nor words, their voice foreign is not, or hath not been heard; yet foreign their line we render it, is gone out into all the earth, foreign their words to the end of the world. Which if it be accepted, we muſt then ſuppoſe a difference to be made by the Pſalmiſt betwixt foreign and foreign and foreign which the Heavens are ſaid to want, and foreign and foreign which they are ſaid to have. The three former are ſuch as belong to men peculiarly, rendred by the LXXII. foreign and foreign and foreign, talk, and words, and voices: and though the laſt be ordinarily uſed for thunder, yet taking it, by analogy with the other two, for an humane voice, it may truly be ſaid, that the heavens have none of theſe. But two other things there are, which are fully equivalent, if not ſuperior, to theſe, and thoſe do eminently belong to them. What foreign here ſignifies, is a matter of ſome doubt. It ordinarily denotes a line, ſuch as being joyned with a plumbet, marks out any thing in architecture, ſhews and directs what to do, how to ſquare the timber, &c. as well as words could do. From hence alſo foreign in Abenezra is found to ſignifie book-learning, as when children learn one line after another. And thus it may here be underſtood, that the heavens direct men to the knowledge of God as evidently, as a line directs the workman in architecture: or again, that the heavens are as it were the book (to that they are compared Rev. 6.14.) wherein God may be read by all the world; and ſo the lines of that book or volume are the indications of a Deity, that may there be read. But beſide this, the word is in Arabick found to ſignifie vociferation or crying aloud, (ſee Mr. Pocock, Miſcel. c. 4. p. 48.) and to this the LXXII. refer, reading it foreign, a loud voice, which is more than foreign, voice, by which they render foreign in the former verſe, and generally in other places: which is an evident proof, that the LXXII. did not here for foreign read foreign, as it is ordinarily imagined, for then in all reaſon they muſt have rendred it foreign, voices, as in the verſe immediately precedent they had done. As for Capellus's conjecture, that they deduced foreign from foreign, which in Chaldee and Syriack ſignifies to declare, and indeed is ſo uſed here, v. 2. foreign ſheweth knowledge, there is no need of that; only it may make it more probable, that this ſenſe of declaring, or ſhewing, belong'd originally to this word, by the near affinity of this other word, that ſignifies the ſame. Mean while it is certain, that the Apoſtle citing this place, reads it, as the LXXII. did, foreign, their ſhril or loud voice: which notion of the word foreign may therefore deſerve here to be preferr'd before that other of line, which belongs to it in other places, and is without any metaphore very really competible to the heavens, as they comprehend the aerial regions, in reference to the loud ſounds of thunders, that oft come from thence, and declare the power of God. Then for foreign,foreign which is alſo attributed to the heavens, that comes from foreign in Piel to ſay, or ſpeak, but this, frequently, not by words, but by any other ſignificative expreſſions. So Prov. 6.13. He winketh with his eyes; he ſpeaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers: the Hebrew hath foreign (ſuch language as it ſeems the feet have) which the LXXII. render foreign, he ſignifies. The ſame word ſignifies in Chaldee clamorem, a cry or loud voice, and ſo agrees alſo with the ſecond notion of foreign for a loud voice. And then we have the full and clear meaning of the place; that though the heavens and firmament have neither ſpeech, nor words, nor voice properly ſo called, yet they have other ways of declaring and making known the attributes of God, whereby they ſpeak much louder than any ſpeaker or teacher on earth can do. This is literally true, in reſpect of that loud noiſe and roaring of the thunder; but much more ſo, in reſpect of the wonderful order, light, influences, &c. of thoſe heavenly bodies, which ſo ſignally ſet out the power and wiſdom of the Creator of them. This being clearly the importance of the place, the only remaining difficulty is, how that which is thus ſpoken of the heavens, and the loud voice and noiſe of them, is applicable to the Apoſtles purpoſe, to which it is cited Rom. 10.18. which is evidently to faith in Chriſt, Chriſt, v. 9. it being not obvious to diſcern, how the thunder, and other ſuch language of the heavens, do reveal, or declare and preach that. To this the anſwers may be, 1. That as the faith of Chriſt is conſidered more generally, for the acknowledgment of the one true God of heaven and earth, in oppoſition to the gentile idolatry, or moreover of the gratious goodneſs of God to men, (which we know was moſt illuſtriouſly revealed and ſealed to us in Chriſt, and ſo the belief of that is in effect the believing on Chriſt;) ſo this place of this Pſalm directly belongs to it, and accordingly ſuch arguments as theſe are frequently uſed by the Apoſtles of Chriſt, to induce that faith. So Acts 14.16, 17. God in times paſt ſuffered all nations to walk in their own ways; nevertheleſs he left not himſelf without witneſs, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful ſeaſons, filling our hearts with food and gladneſs: where it ſeems the rain and fruitful ſeaſons were lookt on by the Apoſtle, as teſtimonies and proofs not only of the Deity, but alſo of the truth of that whole doctrine, which now the Apoſtle was about to reveal to them, and ſo no improper means of inducing this faith of Chriſt. And ſo Rom. 1.20. the foreign, Gods works or doings in the world, are lookt on, as competent means to convince men of the divine eſſence, and attributes, and to render all idol-worſhippers unexcuſeable. And it is not altogether improbable, that the ſame Apoſtle, which had oft uſed this argument to inforce beliefe, might, in that Tenth to the Romans, in paſſing, touch on it, ſpeaking, v. 12. of the no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile, both of them having aſſurance, that if they ſincerely ſerve and worſhip the true God, now revealed in and by Chriſt, they ſhall be ſaved; and all the queſtion being how they ſhall now thus call on him without beliefe, believe without a Preacher— the anſwer is given in the words of thoſe places of Scripture, which teſtifie this knowledge or beliefe to have been abundantly preached or revealed to them. And then why may not this be one inferiour teſtimony of this kind, to prove that all ſort of men, Jews and Heathens, have heard, i. e. had a competent meaſure of this knowledge of Gods great goodneſs toward men revealed to them, that the Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of the glory of God, thoſe glorious attributes of power, mercy, and wiſdom, which are to be adored in him, and expreſſing poetically how the heavens declare, or ſet it forth, hath theſe words, their loud ſound is gone out into all the world, and their words, or ſignificative expreſſions, into the ends of the world, meaning thereby this knowledge of God, and his glories which his works of creation preach aloud to all the men in the world? This, I ſay, is a poſſible, and no very improbable meaning of the Apoſtle in his citation of theſe words. But then ſecondly, as the faith of Chriſt ſignifies more ſtrictly the whole Chriſtian faith at large, as it was now promulgated by the Apoſtles, and as that was founded in the preaching, miracles, death, and reſurrection of Chriſt, and as it was oppoſed to the Jewiſh Moſaical oeconomy, of which this was to be the reformation; ſo thoſe words, being ſpoken literally of the heavens, are yet in a more ſublime manner of alluſion and accommodation applyable to the Goſpel preached, as to all the world, ſo peculiarly to the Jews: that as the Heavens, &c. preached a deity, proclaimed the power and goodneſs of God toward men, and ſo their loud ſound went out over all the world; ſo, in a much more eminent manner of completion, was this farther accompliſht in the Apoſtles of Chriſt, who had a very loud and audible voice, and that, according to Chriſts appointment, was now gone out into all the world, and heard by all the Nations thereof, the Jews as well as Gentiles, and indeed the Jews firſt, who therefore have no cauſe of objection againſt the proceeding now taken, in departing from them, and going to the Gentiles. And this indeed ſeems to be the beſt ſolution of the difficulty, as the words in the Apoſtle are an anſwer to the Jews objection, How ſhall they believe without a preacher, viz. when the Apoſtles forſake and give over preaching to them. And it is no news that ſuch accommodations, and fuller completions of paſſages in the old Teſtament as theſe, ſhould thus be made uſe of by the Apoſtles, the like being frequent among the Evangeliſts, and ſome of them expreſly ſtyled foreign, fulfillings of prophecies, when yet the paſſages themſelves, thus made uſe of▪ had a firſt and literal truth in ſome matter of fact far diſtant from thence; as when to Chriſts return out of Aegypt is accommodated that of Hoſeah concerning the children of Iſrael, Out of Aegypt have I called my Son, Matt. 11.1…. (ſee note on Mat. 11. k.) Of the application of this whole paſſage to Chriſt, ſee more Note c. and d.
V. 4. He ſet] The Hebrew reading is here moſt perſpicuous,foreign foreign to the ſun he hath ſet a Tabernacle there; and ſo the Chaldee agrees, to the ſun he hath ſet a Tabernacle of brightneſs, or bright Tabernacle there. And the Tranſlation which the *foreign 40. p. 428. B.Author of the Queſtions and Anſwers under Juſtins name mentions, under the name of foreign, the literal Tranſlation out of the Hebrew Tongue into the Syriack, varies but little, foreign, in them he ſet the Tabernacle of the Sun. But the Syriack, which we now have, and which ſeems not herein to be the literal rendring of the Hebrew, but of the LXXII. (and ſo alſo of the Latine, and Arabick, and Aethiopick,) give it another ſenſe, as if God were ſaid to ſet his own Tabernacle in or on the Sun, in the Heavens: In ſole poſuit, in the Sun he hath ſet his Tabernacle, ſaith the Latine, and Arabick, and Aethiopick, foreign Ʋpon the Sun he fixt his Tabernacle in them, ſaith the Syriack: and all theſe, as rendring the Greek, foreign, which literally ſounds thus; and from thence the LXXII. are ſuppoſed by many to have read the Hebrew otherwiſe than now we have it. But this I ſuppoſe a groundleſs reſolution, and ſhall rather propoſe to conſideration, whether their Greek verſion it ſelf, being only underſtood according to the idiome of the Helleniſts, be not exactly accordant to our Hebrew. For 1. foreign,foreign in their dialect, is perfectly all one with foreign, to the Sun, in the dative caſe, as foreign, to believe in God] is no more than foreign, God] in the dative, and many the like; and 2. foreign,foreign is as frequently uſed for [there] and then the LXXII. ſhall clearly thus be rendred, To the Sun he hath ſet a Tabernacle there, i. e. in them, or in the heavens; and that is all that the Hebrew as we now have it, affords. Now for the uſe of the word foreign Tabernacle, foreignthat Author of the Queſtions and Anſwers under Juſtin Martyrs name, interprets it to the ſenſe of thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt in other place, Pſalm 104.2. foreign, he extendeth, or ſpreadeth out the heavens like a skin, foreign ▪ for the extenſion of skins makes a Tabernacle. But if the whole place have a farther completion in Chriſt, (ſee Notes b. and d.) then will here be an intimation of it alſo; Chriſts incarnation, Joh. 1. being thus expreſt by that Evangeliſt, foreign, the word was made fleſh, and he pitcht his Tabernacle or Tout among us.
V. 4. p. 295. B.For the Sun] What is here ſaid of the Sun, Juſtin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon affirms to be foreign, a Scripture ſpoken of Chriſt. Thus we know the title of Sun of righteouſneſs, in the Prophecy of Malac. ….2. is myſtically underſtood to denote Chriſt, who is that true light, which coming into the world lighteneth every man. And ſo that of the Bridegroom, to which the Sun is here reſembled, is a ſignal title of Chriſt, in reſpect of his Spouſe the Church:foreign and ſo alſo that of the foreign or ſtrong, whether Gyant, or Champion, eminently denoting Chriſt, among whoſe titles is that of foreign mighty God, Iſ…. 9.6. and accordingly ſaith *Ibid. A.Juſtine, it is by the heathen Poets transformed into that fable of Hercules, foreign, a ſtrong man, and one that went over the whole earth, foreign, and that he was the Son of Jupiter, born of Alemena, who died and returned to heaven again. Now of theſe two ſimilitudes here uſed, the former, that of a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber, will not be perfectly underſtood, but by referring to the cuſtoms among the Jews; among whom the Bridegroom was wont to go with his Bride into a place of ſecrecy, foreigncalled foreign, as here his chuppa, or bride-chamber, there to talke with her more familiarly; and this as a ceremony of confirmation to the Wedlock. Whilſt he was there, no perſon came in, but his friends and attendants waited for him at the door, with torches or lamps in their hands▪ and when he … was …ived with great joy and … by all that were …. To this … many places of the Goſpel… refer, eſpecially that of Joh. 3. (… on that … and generally Chriſt is the perſon … bridegroom. Now as thoſe bridegroom ▪ … ſolemnly brought out from under the …. 25.1. … of darkneſs comes to us … of his … whither he hath … to be ſeen … morning, at the riſing of the … ▪ ſaith the … the … ſtar, … that … ſenſe, … of God to the …, whether … or by voice from hea…en) at laſt … of righteouſneſs ▪ was ready to come forth, their … and his ſon John the Baptiſt, (of whom it is peculiarly ſaid, he was a …rning, and a ſhining lamp) this light from heaven, that of Prophecy, began to ſhew it ſelf as the Phoſphorus of Daduchus, the light bearer or torch-bearer, to bring out this bridegroom into the world, who, when he was come, ſhould imitate the Sun in his courſe, … and warm all the parts of the bab…able world before he ſet again. This we know, Chriſt did by … rays (by thoſe his Apoſtles … which makes it … the foreign … of Chriſt▪ foreignand not only of … in the creatures.
foreignV. 8. …, is … is thought to be the … to the Chaldee … and the LXXII. foreign as … and …. But it is not ſo …, that … the feminine of foreign or foreign but rather … then it may not be … to remember … of the foreign to take food, and from the… … and foreign … meat or food. So Iam. 4.10. foreign for food in th… plural, the Chaldee renders foreign the LXXII. … foreign, for food ▪ ſo Pſal. …8.22. … foreign for food; … Sam. 13.5, 7, 10. And to this ſenſe the … here to inclin…; Firſt, by rejoycing the heart, precedent, which being the effect attributed to wine, … that this ſecond part of the verſe ſhould … long …, and the effects thereof: and ſo ſecondly it follows, it enlightens the eyes. That this is an effect of taking food peculiarly, hath been noted at large Pſal. …. note … from that paſſage of Jonathan, when the taſting … little honey was the inlightning his eyes; and ſo the phraſe is uſed to expreſs any refection of mind or body. And ſo it will be moſt agreeable here, the law of God, and obedience thereto, being the moſt proper aliment to the ſoul, (as it is ſaid to be Chriſts meat to do the will of him that … him) and the effect thereof all manner of refreſhment to the ſpirit; when on the other ſide, ſin puts men into a ſad, weak, famiſhing condition, ſuch as the prodigal in the Goſpel is deſcribed in. To this ſenſe of foreign for food the reader will be more inclined 1. by the context, v. 7. where the law of the Lord is ſaid foreign to make my ſoul or life return, foreignwhich is the ordinary expreſſion of foods refreſhing us, when we faint with hunger. So Pſal. 23.3. foreign he reſtores my ſoul, a conſequent of the green paſture, and ſtill waters, v. 2. he refreſheth me. So 1 Sam. 30.12. foreign and his ſpirit … him, as an effect of eating and drinking, after … days. So Lam. 1.16. the conforter … or bringing back the ſoul, i. …. he that … reſtoring refreſh me. And then this reſtoring of the ſoul, and … food to it, are in effect all one. This food be… … that of Paradiſe, without the curſe …ext to … us by God without our labour, the … of knowledge, and of life. … the word foreign, which in the … from both the roots, … dimenſum, or por… … …is purged and dreſt, before ….
V. 10. … ſignifies, foreignwill be uncertain The … renders it foreign o…ryzum … Hierome conceives …, that which comes … gold. But the … precious ſtone, and Pſal. … precious ſtone. And this latter is very … the word, and is but a light variation of it … other languages, if we may believe Heſy… For … he ſpeaking of the … which is but this … with the Greek … foreign, Pa… … Topa…, and is a precious ſtone. Meanwhile it is alſo clear, that it is uſed for fine gold alſo, of which the Crown is made, Pſal. ….3. and of which … veſſels, Job 28.17. and ſo it may be here alſo.
V. 11. foreignWarned] The word foreign here uſed hath three ſignifications: Firſt, to ſhine, and is rendred foreign, to ſhine forth, Dan. 12.3. Secondly, by a metaphor to admoniſh and warn, and then is rendred foreign, Ezech. 33.3. to ſignifie, foreign, Ezech. 33.9. to declare before …and; and Thirdly, to flouriſh, in the Chalde… Paraphraſe, Hoſ. 14.6. and Pſal. 90.6. From the ſecond of theſe, moſt of the Antient Interpreters render it here: the Chaldee, thy ſervant was circumſpect in them; the LXXII. foreign, keeps them, and ſo oft elſewhere; and from them the Syriack, Latine, Arabick, and Aethiopick. But the context …ems rather to determine it to the firſt, or (which … all one) to the third ſenſe, the glorious and flouriſhing condition that is to be attained to either in …, or in another world, by this means of careful obedience unto Gods commands, and by no other; for to this it follows, that in keeping of them: there is great reward.
V. 13. Preſumptuous] From foreign …bullivit, intumuit, foreignto boil, to ſwell, is foreign proud or inſolent, one that on ſet purpoſe, deliberately commits any ill, and alſo the action that is ſo committed. This the LXXII. render foreign, and the Latine, ab alienis, from ſtrangers, or ſtrange ſins, or other mens ſins; moſt probably miſreading the word foreign, and taking foreign from ſtrangers, for it.
V. 14. foreignLet the words] The Hebrew foreign in the future is literally to be rendred, ſhall be, and … the LXXII. and Latine read it, foreign, & …ra…; and the words ſhall be foreign, ut complaceant, ſuch as ſhall be acceptable before God, or in his ſight, or, more expreſly, an acceptable ſacrifice. So 'tis uſed Exod. 28.38. Lev. 22.20, 21. Iſai. 56.7. Jer. 6.20. in all the places where it occurs. And to this ſenſe the context confines it, ſpeaking of that abſtinence from all wilful known preſumptuous ſins, which is required of all men to make their prayers, or any other their beſt performances or ſacrifices, acceptable before God; according to that of the Apoſtle, exhorting to lift up clean or holy hands, 1 Tim. 2.8. and the Prophet. Iſai. 1.16. Waſh ye, make ye clean: till then ſurely God heareth not ſinners— John 9.31.