NINE SONGS Collected out of the holy SCRIPTURES of Old and New Testament: drawn forth of the pure fountains of HEBREW and GREEK. Translated, Paraphrased in prose, Summed, Analysed, knotted upon, grounds for use and doctrine observed in every one of them, and finally paraphrased in English meeter. By Mr. WILLIAM MORAY, Minister of GOD'S word in Crail. Colloss. 1.3. Verse 16. Let the word of CHRIST dwell in you plenteously in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with spiritual grace in your hearts to the LORD. jam. 5.13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? le● him sing Psalms. EDINBURGH, 〈…〉 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE VISCOUNT OF STORMONT, LORD OF SCONE, and of BALWHIDDER, Stewart of FYFE, etc. One of the Kings most excellent Majesties privy counsellors. My Lord, WHen I look back upon the course of your L. life, whom I have known about forty eight years ago: I cannot but wonder of the goodness and gracious providence of GOD towards your L. For so soon as your L. went to the Court of that Prince of worthy memory in all ages so long as the world shall last, King james the sixth of that name in Scotland, & first of that name in England, France, & Ireland; God gave your L. such favour in the sight of that Prince & bestowed upon you such gifts of mind & body as did indeed merit at that prince's hand, all the degrees of honour and great estate, which that royal and magnific Prince rewarded your L. service withal. For I may say truly: your L. was faithful to his Majesty and when his Hyenes did honour your L to be Captain of a guard for the peace of the country and for execution of justice, to the well of his Majesty's subjects, against Rebels, bangsters, contemners of his Heines laws & authority. Your L. did with such courage and conscience administrat that charge that you spared not great nor small until that they were brought under obedience 〈…〉 gave your L. grace in your old age, to retire yourself from Court, with as great honour, wealth and favour of your Prince, and more, than any other did, as I could mark in my time. Moreover, God hath given to your L. ability & will to honour your country, in building of fair Palaces, and planting fair Ortchards & gardens in the places of your L. residences: In being magnific in Hospitality, both to honourable strangers coming to see this country, & to our own country men, noble, ignoble, friends & acquaintance. Like as God hath made your L. the man to set up again that house whereof your L. came, and to raise the ruins thereof to as good estate as ever it was; Notwithstanding of your L. liberality in advancing your friends to great honours and heritage's, to be enjoyed by them as your L. successors, when you shall departed from this life. I know not what more is required to make your L. both here and eternally happy: but that your L. remember & consider this good & gracious providence of God toward you, and be thankful, saying with David, What shall I render to GOD for all his benefits to me, etc. Ps. 116. And confess to God your sins with sorrow for them, and to believe his promises of mercy to penitent sinners through the merit of his beloved Son jesus Christ: that with old jacob, Gen. 49 and Simeon, Luk. 2. waiting for the salvation of the Lord, your L. may departed in peace in Gods apppointed tyme. To you my Lord I dedicat this little Treatise, as having no kinsman now so near unto me by blood, or so honourable in estate: which I recommend unto your L. gracious acceptation and your L. self, to the grace of GOD. And rests, Your L cousin to honour and serve you in the LORD to my power▪ To the loving Christian Reader. LOving Christian Reader, wit: when long sickness brought upon me so great inability and weakness, that I was not able to go without doors, fare less to prosecute the dispensation of my ministry in public: I set myself at the intervals of any little respiration from pain, to the reading and meditating of holy Scripture, that the light of knowledge and faith might more and more shine in my mind, and abide in my memory, and the sense of holy joy and peace, might possess my heart and conscience: For certainly: As water if it stand long and run not, want good air or lyvelie spring, will rot and stink: So the soul of man if it be not moving about good, and moved by the breath of the holy Spirit, that it may be a well of water of life: joh. 7.38. It will soon die in corruption and sin, and stink in the nostrils of GOD Deut. 32.19. Amongst other Scriptures I read these Songs contained in this little Treatise, and did meditate upon them: I wrote my meditations, which when I show them to some godly learned Brethren, they thought if they were published they might do good to others. I think myself that they may serve for good use, to two sorts of people: First to good Christian men and women, who delight to meditate in the Law of GOD both day and night. Ps. 1. Next to young students of Theology, aspiring to be Preachers and Ministers of God's word: The particulars set down in order in this Treatise serveth to help such. For 1. a young Divyne should be acquaint in some good measure, with the original languages wherein the holy Scriptures were first written, namely the Hebrew and Greek that he may understand Id est and Hoc est of every word of his Text, and not to be addicted to any one man's interpretation; so in a manner living by another man's faith, but labour to have in himself, a full plerophory of faith. 2. He should labour to make plain the Hebraisms and Hellenismes in holy Scripture by proper paraphrase to the purpose. 3. He should take good heed to his method in preaching. Loving 〈…〉 There be chiefly one of two methods that the best preachers observe in preaching The one cryptick, the other open, or by the practice of Logical analysis. The 2 I prefer to the 1. for these reasons. 1. The Cryptik method requireth long practise, a great wit and memory: which yongue scholars cannot suddenly attain unto. 2. The Cryptick method doth more move the affections, then inform the mind, so that after such Sermons are well delivered, if ye will ask the auditor's judgement thereof▪ they will say to you, that the man preached very well, but they have forgot what he said: but the open method used by a good man and of good understanding, serveth to teach, delight, move, both himself and his hearers, and to help their memories. 3. The Cryptick method being in continual discourse maketh not the uses of the word mentioned by the Apostle: 2. Tim. 3.16. But the open method, may very well use the word accordingly, when grounds for the uses are found in the Text. And this purpose my analysis respects. The 4. use a yongue Divyne may make of this book, is: he may learn in taking up the sum of his text, to see that it be it indeed, and not a sum of purposes, flying first to his fantasy which he maketh the sum of the text. The 5. use is to teach him to draw out his doctrines properly out of the words or purpose of the text either as Apodeictik conclusions or by way of necessary consequence, flowing therefrom: & not make quid libet ex quolibet. Seeing the whole word of God is full of principals which should not be denied. For if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ipse dixit, was enough to Pythagoras scholars: How much more should Thus sayeth the LORD: be enough to all men, fearing God and loving him. The 6▪ use is to teach him to put a difference, betwixt Methodum textus, and Methodum doctrinae: that is to say, that this method be, by the natural logic analysis of the text: whither in simple enunciations, propositions, Enthememes, or Syllogisms, considering well subjects and attributs, whether they be proper, or figurat, examining the force of the words in the original, comparing Scripture with Scripture: so shall he have many doors open to him for variety of doctrine, and shall be saved from confusion and idle repetition of purposes. A practical glance of these uses I give in this Treatise: How well or ill, I submit myself to thy charitable judgement. Now commending me to thy prayers to God for me; that I may fight out the good sight of faith, & finish my course with joy. I commend thee to the grace of GOD. AD ORNATISSIMUM VIRUM, D. GULIELMUM MORAVIUM hujus libelli & alterius, non ita pridem de morte editi, Authorem. AEGro fallebat curas de morte libellus: Nunc hymnis laeto cor tibi ritè salit. Dum Musas sacro deducis fonte novenas, Illustrasque tuo liberiore stylo. Verum doctrinae Methodum, juvenique senique Indigitas, Moravi, simplicitate piâ. Olim voce gregem pascebas sedulus; at jam Pagina, quà liceat, pascit amoena tua. Eia age, nè pigeat saeclis prodesse futuris; Hic animos recreat moestaque corda labor. Dignus luce cluet, meruit virtute superstes Qui bene de cunctis, post obitumque meret. ROBERTUS CRAFORDUS alias Lunnaeus. The names and number of Songs contained in this Book. I. THE song of Moses at the red Sea. Exod. 15 II. The song of Moses before his death. Deut. 32. III. The song of Deborah. judg. 5. FOUR The song of Channa. I. Sam. 2. V The song of Hezechiah King of judah. Esay 38. VI The song of the blessed Virgin Marie. Luk. I. VII. The song of Zacharie. Luk. 1. VIII. The song of Angels at the birth of CHRIST. Luk. 2. IX. The song of Simeon. Luk. 2. The song of Moses, Miriam and all Israel when they had passed through the red Sea. Exod. 15. The Text. I Will sing to jehovah for he hath excelled wonderfully: The horse and his rider he hath thrown in the Sea. jah is my strength and song: and he was my salvation. This is my strong GOD, and I will make him a tabernacle; the GOD of my fathers I shall exalt him. JEHOVAH is a man of war, JEHOVAH is his name. Pharoahs' charets and his host hath he cast into the Sea: And his chosen captains are drowned in the red Sea. The deepths hath covered them, they descended to the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand jehovah is magnified in strength thy right hand jehovah; hath broken in pieces the enemy And in the greatness of thy excellency, thou hath everthrowne those that rose up against thee; thou sent forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nosthirles the waters were gathered together, the floods stood as a heap, the deepths were congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy had said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, I shall have my heart sith of them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thou did blow with thy wind, the sea covered them, they sank as lead in mighty waters. Who is like unto thee JE-HOVAH amongst the gods: Who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful with praises, working wonders? Thou stretched out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou leads in thy mercy this people whom thou hath redeemed: Thou guideth in thy strength to the tabernacle of thy holiness. The people shall hear: they shall be astonished: Sorrow shall take hold upon the inhabitants of Palestina. The Dukes of Edome shall be amazed, fear shall take hold upon the strong men of Moab, all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them by the greatness of thy arm, they shall be still as a stone, until the people pass by, JEHOVAH: until the people pass by, which thou hast purchesed. Thou shall bring them to it, and plant them in the mountain of thy inheritance: jehovah, which thou made for a dwelling place, in the sanctuary which thy hands have established. JEHOVAH shall reign for ever and ever. The paraphrase. 1. WHO can but admire the power goodness, and justice of our GOD: how can I the leader of this people, or they, cease to sing and rejoice, seeing JEHOVAH the only true God, our God, hath drowned in the Sea Phoroahs' charets and horses with all his army which persewed us. 2. He hath ever been my strong defender whose name is JAH: but now he hath wonderfully delivered us from a mighty & cruel tyrant, therefore he is the subject of my song, he is our strong GOD, & the GOD of our fathers, we will exalt him and honour him, & publicly worship him, 3. JEHOVAH is a Lord mighty in battle as his Name shows signifying one that hath being in himself, and hath given being to all creatures; and is well called the LORD of Hosts. 4. A document hereof is this overthrow of Pharaoh with his strong charets, the drouning of him: of them, of his choice captains and whole army in the red sea. 5. High was their pride but their persons lieth low in the sea: Their swimming serveth them to no more use than the stones, which cast in the water plump down to the ground. 6. O LORD thou alone art strong, thou alone O Lord art able to dash in pieces all thy enemies. 7. And so great is thy excellency that thou overthrowest all those that rise up against thy people: for thou accounts such to rise up against thyself: Thy wrath breaks forth upon them as fire, and before it they are as stubble before the fire. 8. Thou being moved with the distress of thy people, and rage of the enemy, & with the prayer of Moses sent forth a mighty east wind which divided the sea in two and made dry land in the mids thereof for thy people to pass thorough. 9 And this thou did o Lord in the midst of the pride and rage of the enemy, in the height of their confidence and hope to bring us back to be their perpetual slaves. 10. But thou disappointed them with a wind, which made a dry way for thy people, and with the sea which turned and drowned them all, 11. Let all the mighty that ever were so accounted be rehearsed, which of them may be compared with thee O LORD, in holiness or goodness, in acts praise worthy and wonderful. 12. By thy mighty power the sea which drowned them was made the place of their burial. 13. Now hast thou begun to lead thy people whom of thy free mercy thou hast redeemed: now thou hast begun to guide them to the place, where thy holiness promised to dwell in the mids of them. 14. This thy work O Lord shall not rest here, but thou shall strike with fear other nations, and with sorrow the Palestins, whom thou hast appointed a prey for thy people 15. The Princes of Edom, the strong men of Moab, and all the heathen who know not and serve not thee, shall fear, chiefly the Canaanites cursed of old and destinate to be rooted out by thy people Israel. 16. Thou shall work with them so powerfully, that they shall be as stones, neither speaking nor moving, until all thy people pass by them, whom thou hast set at liberty, to place them in the land appointed for them, 17. To holy Canaan shalt thou bring them, which thou keeps as an inheritance for them, where thou will dwell amongst them, and by thy presence sanctify & establish both it and them. 18. JEHOVAH who now hath kithed to be our King, of his Kingdom there shall be no end. The argument and analysis of this Song. THis Song Moses and all Israel sung to the praise of God, the day after the Lord led them through the red Sea on dry land, and after the Lord caused the waters return upon Pharaohs chariots & horsemen, who pursued and followed his people, and therewith drowned them all. The parts of this Song are three: 1. a preface, verse 1. next the purpose of the song from the 1. verse to the 18. Thirdly the conclusion, verse 18. The preface contains three things. 1. the maker and uptaker of the Song, to wit Moses in these words, I will sing. 2. the person in whose praise this Song was made & sung in these words; to jehovah. 3. a reason of the making and uptaking of this song and praising of the Lord thereby, and it hath two parts: the 1 taken from God's excellency generally in these words, for he hath excelled wonderfully. the 2. taken from a present particular document of his excellency in these words the horse and his rider hath he thrown in the Sea. The purpose of this Song contains two things. 1. the praise of God, from the beginning of the 2. ver. to the 14 Secondly, a Prophecy of the consequents of this great work in bringing his people through the red Sea on dry land, and drowning Pharaoh and his whole army who pursued his people. The praise of God is expressed, 1. by the causes presently moving to praise him. 2. by a vow, hereafter by word and deed to be thankful to him verse 2. Next they praise God by enumeration of arguments of his praise from the 2. ver. to the 14. Those arguments are eight in number, the 1, is taken from his valour, in these words: the Lord is a mighty Warrior. the 2. proving the 1. is taken from his Name, in these words, jehovah is his Name. This name imports his eternity, his truth in performing his promises, his being to be of himself and no other, and that he gives being to all creatures: and therefore able to destroy them again when he pleases, ver. 3. The third argument of his praise is taken from the work presently done upon Pharaoh and his host, verse 4.5. The fourth argument of his praise is taken from his power conjunct with his justice in destroying his enemies, and such as rose up against him, verse 6.7. The fifth argument of his praise is taken from his power conjunct with his goodness to his people, verse 8. The sixth argument of his praise is taken from the comparison of this work of God, with the presumption and pride of the enemy, who thought and said all was in his power, but God blew with his wind, and caused the waters drown him and his army, verse, 9.10. The 7. argument of his praise is taken from the supereminency▪ of GOD above all men in the world who seem mighty; and this supereminency is set down in three particulars: Holiness, fearfulness, wonderfulness, all kithing in this work: His holiness in delivering his people from a mighty & cruel Tyrant: his fearfulness in destroying the tyrant and his whole army together; his wonderfulness in dividing the Sea, making his people to go through the midst of it upon dry ground, and making their enemies by wind and water therein to drown, verse 11.12. The 8. argument of his praise is taken from his mercy and truth to his people, beginning with this work to manifest the same, and to confirm their faith and hope of performing his promise made to their fathers, verse 13. The prophecy of the consequents of this work of God contains three things. 1. concerning the nations by whose land the people of Israel should pass to the land of promise, namely the Edomites and Moabites, that fear and astonishment should fall upon them, & force them to let his people pass by. The 2. concerns the inhabitants of Palestina, & chief the Canaanites, that their hearts should melt away for fear, verse 14.15.16. The 3. thing in the prophecy concerns GOD'S people, That God should bring them unto, possess them in, as their inheritance, the land promised to their fathers, and dwell amongst them by the means of his public visible worship, verse 17. The conclusion of the song is that the Kingdom of God is everlasting. Annotations upon this Song. Verse 1. I will sing: not only for to witness our thankfulnese to God for our deliverance: but also for confirmation of the truth of this History; for six hundreth thousand men, with their wives and children bore witness in signing this Song. Unto jehovah; that is unto his praise: so Psal. 106. ver. 12. compare this song, with the song, Apoc. 15. ver. 2.3.4. both sung at the Sea: Harps of timbrels in the singer's hands: The songs are of Moses and of the Lamb, the one delivered from the bondage and persecution of Pharaoh: the other from the beast Antichrist, or the Pope. Verse 2. JAH, a proper name of God first mentioned on in holy Scripture, next Psal. 68.5. In Greek in the new Testament it is joined to Halelu to make Haleluiah, that is, Praise ye the Lord; the whole compond word is originally Hebrew, see Apoc. 19.1.3.4.6. Strength: so signifieth the Hebrew word properly: yet seeing it is joined here with these words, & sung: it signifieth the strength of song and praise, that is, most vehement praise: So Christ, Math. 21.16. exponeth this word, used Psal. 8.2. My GOD: this oppones the true GOD to Idols, the religion of his people to the error and idolatry of other nations, as in the next words Abraham's religion opposite to the superstition of the nations, see Esay 25.9. Verse 3. A man of War, that is, a notable Warrior: for the word Man added to other things in the Hebrew phrase often signifieth excellency, see Exod. 4.10. job 22.8. JEHOVAH, this name imports: 1. God's eternity, & is in Greek expressed by α and ω Apoc. 1.8.2. it signifieth his power above all creatures, and over them, as having being of himself only, and giving being to all creatures, Act. 17. Thirdly, it signifies his truth in performing his promise, Exod. 6. 3. Fourthly, his power in executing judgement on the enemies of his Church, and He therefore called jehovah of Hosts. Psal. 83.14.19. and 46.7.8.12. Verse 5. As a stone: that is to say, their skill in swimming did serve them to no use. Verse 6. Thy right hand, thy right hand: this doubling imports that this miraculous work can neither be ascribed to fortoun, nor to the industry of men, but to GOD only. Verse 6. Against thee the paraphrase hath against thy people: see Zach. 2.8. Mat. 25.45. Act 9.4. Verse 8. Blast: he meaneth that East wind spoken of before Chap. 14.2. Verse 11. GOD'S: that is, Princes or Potentates, see Psal. 82. and 89.7. Purchased: in Hebrew Canah, which signifieth getting by generation. Gen. 41. or buying. Gen. 25.10. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. HOly songs have been in use in the true Church in all ages, and are recommended to the Christian Church. Eph. 5.19. Col. 3.16. jam. 5.13. But the use of Musical instruments not so: as being ceremonial types in the old Testament prefiguring the joy of the holy Ghost abundantly to be poured out upon Christians under the New Testament. Rom. 14.17. Eph. 5.19. Obs. 2. This song proves the verity of the whole history preceding in the book of Ex. seeing not only Moses sung it, but with him six hundreth thousand men beside women and bairnes, whereof any two or three might have been witnesses against Moses, if this had been fabulous: Hear I might take occasion to dispute that the holy Scripture is true and the very true word of GOD: but my purpose is not in this treatise to dispute contraversies. Obs. 3. We have here an example to teach us to be thankful to GOD for his benefits and of solemn thanksgiving, if common to one Church or to the universal. Obs. 4. upon. verse. 1. Moses is first and formest in this thanksgiving, by reason of his place: by his example teaching all such as God hath raised up too hy pre-eminence in church or commonwealth to do the like Obs. 5. There is no work of GOD in creation or providence, wherein some one or more of his attributs doth not show themselves, thought some more clearly than other, upon which we should chief meditat: So worshipping GOD by this mids of his worship; as Moses and the people doth here meditat upon his excellency, supereminence, power, justice, mercy, goodness, holiness, ttueth: which all kithed in the work of their deliverance. Obs. 6. All delyverance from danger, all good success in affairs, all salvation temporary or eternal: flows to us from GOD of his mercy without our merits, therefore to him only belongs the praise, Obs. 7. We should study by all means, to put a difference betwixt the true GOD and Idols, that we may know him, serve him, and worship him aright. Io. 4. Obs. 8. upon vers. 2. They praise GOD upon these three grounds. 1. Upon the sense of their own conscience & experience. 2. Upon the duty which they profess and promise of their thankfulness in worshipping him publicly. Upon their obligation of all sort of homage to him: So should we meditat upon grounds of reasons to praise GOD that we may show ourselves thankful for his benefits. Obs. 9 GOD is compared to a most mighty man of war, to teach us both to fear him and trust in him, because he is able to destroy all such as rise against him, see thee history of Senacherib with Hezekiah, and of the nations with jehosophat. Obs. 10. GOD accounts the wrong done to his servants to be done to himself. Act, 9.4. And the good done to them to be done to him. Mat. 25, 40. This should comfort the godly and affray wicked persecuters. Obs. 11. upon vers. 9 The wicked sing the triumph before the victory, and when their pride is at the height than comes suddenly their destruction. Psalm. 73.18. Obs. 12. vers. 10.11.12. All the creatures are obedient to GOD except the devils and mankind: and serve him in saving his servants, and destroying their enemies whensoever GOD bids them. Obs. 13. upon vers. 13. The work of grace and salvation once begun by GOD in his children, he will never leave till he perfect it. Psal. 138. 8. Phil. 1.8. Therefore we should not despair under the sense of desertion: Neither is the doctrine of the final and total apostasy of the sancts true but heretical. Obs. 14. GOD is able to defend his people from their enemies, were they never so many & mighty. Obs. 15. upon vers. 18. The times, places, and persons, of GOD'S Church, when, where, and by whom he will be worshipped he himself ordains. Obs. 16. upon vers. 18. The continuance of the Church of GOD is grounded upon his everlasting Kingdom. Psal. 102 29. This song in meeter followeth to be sung with the tune of the 25. Psalm. Verse. 1. FOR joy now will I sing, to JEHOVAH a song, For wonderfully hath he now, excelled in the throng Of horsemen: whom he hath thrown down unto the sea, Pharaoh the king I mean, and all his great army. Vers. 2. The subject of my song, I see that JAH must be My strength and my salvation, still is and so was he: This is my, GOD most strong, to him I'll make a tent: My Father's GOD he is also▪ Vers. 3. A mighty man of war, JEHOVAH is I say, No marvel, for JEHOVAH is his name and shall be ay. Vers. 4. Pharoahs' charets and host, He cast into the sea, Chosen captains were drowned there in mids of the red sea. Vers. 5. The deep them covered all, down to the ground they sank, Even like as doth a stone, that is cast in a stanke. Vers. 6. JEHOVAH thy right hand, in strength is excellent: For thy right hand JEHOVAH hath, thy foes in pieces rend. Vers. 7. And in the greatness of thy power now thou hast, Subdued those, 'gainst thee that rose, for down thou hast them cast. Thy wrath thou did send forth, consuming them as fire Consumeth stubble where it comes. so hot was then thine ire. Vers. 8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the water stood, Gathered together on a heap, and so did stay the flood In midst of the sea, The deep congealed then, So mighty was thy easter wind, dry way it made to men. Vers. 9 The enemy had said, I will o'ertake, I will Divyde the spoil, I shall have my heart sytht on them with ill. My sword I will draw out, and then my hand shall make, This people my inheritance, my yoke they shall not shake, Verse 10 Then with thy wind thou blew the sea them all did hide, They sank as lead in waters deep, so cruel was the tide, Verse 11 Who is like unto thee, the mighty all among? JEHOVE I say who is the like? I say that there is none. Thy glory is so great, and thou so holy art, With praises to be reverenced, thy wonders make us start ¶ 12. When thou didst stretch out thy right hand suddenly: The lowest earth did then thy foes, up swallow by and by. Vers. 13. Thou leads in thy mercy, thus thy redeemed people, Thou guides them also in thy strength unto thy holy staple. Vers. 14. So soon as nations shall hear, then shall they shake, Palestina's inhabitants, shall doole and sorrow make. Vers. 15. The Dukes of Edom then, amazed all shall be: Moabs' strong men shall melt away, And Canaan's posterity. Vers. 16. Such fear & dread shall fall on them of thy right hand, That as a stone they shall lie still, till Israel pass their land. Vers. 17. JEHOVAH, thou shall bring, and plant them in the hill, Of thy holy inheritance, a place where thou'le dwell still, Thy sanctuary there, thy hands have made to bide, Vers. 18. jehovah alone shall reign, The Song of MOSES before his death. Deut. 32. Text. GIve ear ye Heavens, and I will speak: and hear O earth the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as showers upon the grass. Because I will publish the name of JEHOVAH, Ascribe ye greatness to our GOD. The rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgement: a strong God faithful and without iniquity, just and right is he. He hath corrupted himself; their spot is not his children's, a perverse, and crooked generation. Do ye so requite JEHOVAH! O ye foolish people and unwise: Is not he thy Father? Thy Redeemer? Hath he not made thee, and established thee? Remember the days of old the years of generation & generation, ask thy father and he will show thee, thy elders & they will tell thee. The high one in distributing heritage to the Nations, in separating the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people, to the number of the children of Israel. For the portion of JEHOVAH is his people, JACOB the line of his heritage. He found him in the land of Wilderness, and in a waste and howling Wilderness: he caused him go about: he taught him: he kept him as the apple of his eye. As the Eagle stirreth up her nest, flightereth over her birds, spreads out her wings, takes it, bears it upon her wing. jehovah alone led him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride upon the high places of the earth; and he ate the increase of the field: and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flint of the rock. Butter of Cows, and milk of Sheep, with fat of lambs and Rams sons of Bashan, with the fat of the nears of wheat, and the red blood of the wine berry thou didst drink. And I eschurun grew fat and flung, thou hast grown fat, thou hast grown gross, thou covered thee: and he left GOD that made him the rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods: they provocked him to anger with abominations. They sacrificed to Devils, not unto GOD, to gods whom they knew not, to new gods near hand whom your fathers feared not. Of the rock that begat thee: thou art forgetful: and hath forgot the GOD that brought thee forth of the womb. And JEHOVAH saw it and he abdicat through indignation his sons and his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I shall see what will be their end: for they are a froward generation, children in whom is no fidelity. They have provoked me to jealousy with that which was not God, they have provoked me to anger with their vanities, and I shall provoke them to jealousy with those that are not a people: I shall provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in my anger, and shall burn to hell, and shall consume the earth, with the increase thereof, & shall set on fire the foundation of the mountains. I will join evils togother upon them, I will spend my arrows upon them, Burnt with hunger, eaten up with burning coal, and bitter destruction, & teeth of beasts will I send against them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. Without, the sword shall make fatherless in the secret chambers, fear shall overtake the choice young man, and the Virgin, the suckling child, with the gray-haired man. I said, I shall scatter them in corners I shall make the memory of them to cease from men. Were not I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, lest they should say, our high hand, and JEHOVAHS' hath not wrought all this. For they are a nation void of counsel, and hath no understanding in them. Oh that they were wise, that they understood this: that they understood their latter end. How should one chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, if not because their Rock had sold them, and JEHOVAH caused them yield themself. For their rock is not as our ROCK, even our enemies being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorah, their grapes, are grapes of venom, they have bitter clusters. Their wine is the venom of Dragons, and the cruel head of Asps. Is not this laid up beside me: sealed among my treasures. Vengeance is mine and recompense: in time their foot shall stagger, for the day of their destruction is near, and hasteneth things to come to them. For JEHOVAH shall judge his people and shall repent himself for his servants, when he shall see the hand is gone & nothing shut up or left. And he shall say where are their gods, the rock wherein they trusted? Who did eat the fat of their sacrifices, drank the wine of their brunt offerings, let them rise & help you: let them be your hiding. See now that I, I myself and no gods with me: I cause to die, and I cause to live, I wound, and I heal, and there is none can pluck out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to the Heavens and say: I live for ever. If I sharp my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgement, I will render vengeance to my enemies and recompense them that hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood (and my sword shall eat flesh) of the blood of the slain, and captivity, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Ye nations praise his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and render vengeance to his adversaries: and will be merciful to his land and to his people. Paraphrase. 1. IF you people will not hearken to my words, the Heavens and Earth, & all creatures other shall be witnesses against you. 2. If my people be a soft soil, and good ground, my doctrine shall be fruit full in young and old, in weak and strong. 3. Glorify God in harkening to his word, for I will make him manifest to you, who howbeit he be always infinite, yet he abases him to be our God & his will I will declare. 4. To whom will ye go from this God? who is so strong, so righteous in all his actions, so true in all his words, and in whom no defect can be found? 5. Yet Israel hath corrupted his own ways, which proveth they are not the children of GOD, but a wicked and perverse generation. 6. Is this the reward where with ye recompense God? who hath adopted you to be his children, when ye were his enemies, passing by the rest of mankind who were as sib to him by creation as you, who hath redeemed you from the bondage of Egypt, & hath magnified you above other people, when you were worse than nothing. 7. The history of Abraham Isaak and sacob and of the rest of your predecessors, shows your small be beginning, & Gods great mercy & goodness toward you 8. When God in his providence allotted to everi nation a dwelling place he had mind of Israel and appointed for their number a place most convenient and most excellent. 9 For he had freely chosen the posterity of jacob to be his peculiar people beside all the World. 10. When they were in a Wilderness where there was neither bread, nor water, nor other thing to sustain their life, GOD fed them, and clad them, and because of their infidelity he caused them go about the Wilderness forty years: during the which time, he taught them by his benefits and chastisements: yet he had exceeding great care of them to keep them from all hurt. 11. And look wha● care the Eagle or any other fowl have of their young ones in hatching them, covering them until they can come forth or flee, and guiding them from the nest: such care had God of his people▪ 12. He needed not the help of any other beside himself, & would have none: for he would have the guiding of his people to himself alone. 13. He placed him in Canaan an hilly country, & full of fertile valleys: whose craigie places were no● barren, but there was to be found honey, there olyves grew: and it was a land flowing with milk and honey. 14. Nothing was wanting for delicate meat and drink: as butter, milk fat lambs, rams, choice wheat, most excellent claret wine, all these the LORD gave liberally to Israel. 15. For all this Israel who should have been upright became unthankful to GOD in their prosperity like bruit beasts miskenning their masters, they rebelled against their maker and redeemer. 16. Like vile harlots they made the LORD their husband angry, committing spiritual whoredom, with strange gods abominable Idols. 17. They came to the highest degree of idolatry: to give the worship to GOD to devils: yea they were so foolish, that leaving the God whom they knew, or rather who knew them: they worshipped unknown gods, and did not follow their holy father's footsteps. 18. All this thou didst not of simple but of wilful ignorance after so great experience of God's love to thee and care for thee. 19 After that the Lord considered this their apostasy he cast off these that before by outward cal●ing appeared to be his children. 20. Then he said, I will misken them, I am weary of them, there is no good to be looked for, from them, they will in end perish miserably. 21. As they have done to me so shall I do to them, they forsook me and followed idols, I shall forsake them & set other nations above them: yea, the Gentiles whom they despise, I will take in their place to be my people, and cast them off. 22 I shall be to them a consuming fire, high nor low shall not escape my wrath, their land and all the increase thereof will I destroy. 23 I will multiply my plagues upon them, as arrows out of my quiver shot at them. 24. Namely famine, pestilence, wild beasts & Serpents, so openly and secretly, without and within, they shall be plagued. 25 No sort of person, no sex: neither young nor old without or within, shall be free from the fear and stroke of the sword of the enemy. 26. Whereas I had made them as the stars in number and glory, I purpose to put them in obscure places, and root them out. 27. If I had no respect to my glory that it should not be the subject of blasphemy of the Gentiles, I should utterly have destroyed them. 28. Their madness is uncurable why should I spare them: no counsel will they follow, neither have they any wit. 29. It is a pity to see the hardness of their heart, that after so long experience of punishment, they cannot consider their case nor what will be their end 30. So long as I fought for them and was with them, no multituds could resist them, now while as man of them are overcome by few, it is evident they want my protection. 31. I take to witness the infidels who by experience of my power find, that I am not like their idols. 32. Moreover, they & their works are wicked, as if they had been the seed of Sodom and Gomorah; venomous and bitter fruit bring they forth. 33. No nation so wicked as they, being lyker to Dragons and Asps nor men. 34. This their wickedness is laid up in store with me, and treasured up in the treasure of my wrath, against the day thereof, and revelation of my righteous judgement. 35. I am judge of all the world, it is my office to punish, howbeit I seem to delay, you shall fall in due time, your destruction be the evil that shall come upon you at hand. 36. Albeit the LORD shall judge his people: yet at last he shall be appeased, and moved with repentance, to mitigate the rigour of his wrath, when he shall see all their strength gone, and all almost destroyed at home and abroad. 37. Then shall they say to their enemies, where are your gods, where are your rocks, your particular patrons in whom ye trusted 38. Before whom the Priests did eat the fat of the sacrifice, and drank the wine of their drink offering, let those idols help you now and take your protection. 39 Let them who have eyes to see behold me, and make no gods my companion: for I have power to kill, and to keep alive, to wound, & make heal: let them in all changes trust in me, and fear to offend me, whose hand none can escape. 40. For I hold up my hand to Heaven and swear, saying, As I am the everliving GOD. 41. My enemies think my sword will always be hid in the scabbard, and because I am patiented, that I cease to be a just judge: but they shall feel the contrary, when my wrath shall break out against them. 42. There shall be no end of my vengeance, until the earth be filled with blood and dead bodies, & my enemies be made captives, upon whom I will have no mercy. 43. Seeing GOD will manifest his goodness to his people I sraell, & his mercy: it is the part of all nations to acknowledge the same, and to praise him in the communion of Sancts both of jews & Gentiles The argument and analysis of this song. GOD caused and commanded Moses to write this Song, & preach it to Israel, and to testify God's goodness and grace to them, and to convince them of unthankfulness towards God, and to prepare the catholic church of the jews, who were to be dispersed through the world: Therefore he commanded this song to be put in the mouth of the Israelites, and to be preserved in written monuments. Deut 31.19. The sum of this Song is this: GOD the Father of his Church and judge of all the world, contests with the people of Israel by this solemn Song, of his goodness towards them, of their ingratitude and contumacy seen already in Moses days: and now foreseen by him that it would be greater hereafter, and therefore prophesieth by Moses of the rejection of the jews, & calling of the Gentiles. The parts of this song are three: 1. the preface, verse 1.2.3. The 2. a narration from the 4. verse to the 43. The 3. the conclusion of the Song. verse 43. The 1. part which is the preface or beginning of the song, con taineth an exhortation to the Heavens and earth to attend to this Song, verse 1. a reason of this exhortation verse 2. a precept to the people to be attentive & docile with the reason thereof, verse 3. The 2. part of the Song containeth in it, first, a narration of things bygone before the penning of this song from the 4. verse to the 19 Secondly, a narration of things that were to come, from the 19 to the 43. The sum of the narration of things bygone is set down verse 4.5. The enarration or exposition thereof from the 5. verse to the 19 and the sum containeth in it 2. things: The 1. concerns God, verse 4: The 2. concerns the people of Israel, verse 5. which is aggredged, and they taxed with foul ingratitude, verse 6. The enarration and exposition of these things keeps this order. 1. the part of God is set down from the 6. vers to the 15. Next the part of the people is set down: from the 15. verse to the 19 God's part, verse 6, proved by antiquity and testimony of their fore-beears, verse 7. and from his providence for them from the beginning of the world, verse 8. with the reason thereof, verse 9 Thirdly from his care of them when they were in the Wilderness, verse 10. illustrated by similitude, verse 11.12. Fourthly, from his placing of them in the land of CANAAN, verse 13.14. The enarration of the part of the people, and the exposition thereof, verse 16.17.18. The 2. part of the narration concerning things to come; containeth 2. things, 1. God's justice against the unthankful and rebellious jews, from the 19 to the 35. Secondly, the work of God's mercy to a remnant of them from the 35 verse to the 43. The work of God's justice is set down in this order. 1. that he abhorred them, and the reason, verse 19.2. that he resolved to leave them to themselves, with the reason thereof, verse 20.3. That he will pay them home with like, for like; lege talionis, verse 21. with the reason thereof, verse 22. 4. That he will multiply plagues upon them, verse 23.24.25. 5. That he purposed to have put away their memorial amongst men, were not the respect he had to his own glory, and the pride of their enemies, verse 26, 27. 6. He wisheth they had a mind and heart to consider, and be sensible of his dealings with them, & of their end, together with the reason of all, verse 28.29.30. which he proves by the testimony of Gentiles their enemies, verse 31. and subjoineth reasons of his severity against them, verse 32.33.34.35. The work of his mercy to the remnant of them is set down verse 36. Amplified with the triumph and iusulting of his people over their enemies, verse 37.38. Which he confirmeth by the demonstration of his power, verse 39 and by his oath, verse 40.41.42. The conclusion of the Song, verse 43. containeth an exhortation to the Church catholic of jews' and Gentiles to praise God with the reason thereof. Annotations upon this Song. Verse. 2. My doctrine: the Hebrew word signifieth received learning, a good description of the doctrine of true religion, because it is received from GOD, not devised by men. 1. Cor. 11.23. joh. 8.28. and should be received by the hearers with this respect. 1. Thess. 2.13. and this imports that the teacher receives it from God, and the hearers also from him by his ministers. Shall drop: so Micah. 5.7. Esay. 55.10. The doctrine of false teachers not so, Iud: 6.12. Pro. 25.15. and this is a wish rather than a promise. Raine. dew; figures of heavenly graces. Gen. 27.28 Grass: here unto people compared for their frailty Es. 40.6. or admonition to be fruitful. Heb. 6. Verse 3. The name: that is his majesty, his works of mercy and justice. Verse 4. ROCK: The septuagints translate this word: GOD who is a Rock to his Church. Mat. 16.18. 1. Cor. 10.4 and this word imports GOD'S constancy, wherein his servants trust. His work: The Greek translats works. Heb. 3.9. Verse 5. Not of his sons: for they sin of infirmity: and this shows the effect of the law differing from the effect of the Ghospelf. Rom. 7.9. Phil. 2.5. Verse 6. Requyt: see the contrary spoken to God by David, Psal. 103.10. Father that bought thee: this aggredges their unthankfulness, forgetting the benefits of their redemption, adoption, regeneration. Made thee: that is, not only created thee, but also redeemed and called thee, and put thee in a high estate when thou was nothing 1. Sam. 12 6. Es. 43.7. Mark 3.14 Verse 7. The days of old: That is, look not so much what thou art now, as what thy forbears were once. Ios. 24. this argument also is used for consolation. Ps. 77.67. Psal. 119.52. Psal. 14.3.5. Verse 9 Thy Elders: who are yet living among you. Portion: that is, the Church and members thereof are the heirs of God & coheirs with Christ. Ro. 8.17. Verse 10. Wilderness: that is, I found them needy unworthy flying from the enemy, enemies to me, but I graciously and mercifully received and entertained them though most unworthy. Ezec. 16. Rom. 5.10. Apple of his eye: that is, with all greatest care, alluding to man's practice, who will cast up any part of his body to receive a stroke and save the eye. Vers. 11. Eagle: The same similitude is in Exod. 19 which showeth his fathealy care to his people, which is exponed by these parts, stirring up, to wit, by a noise about her bird moving her wings to give them wind, streatching her wings for example to them to fly, taking them out of their nest, putting them upon her wings, that being taken from their nest they might be compelled to flee further: All these may be seen in GOD'S dealing with his people, when he brought them out of Egypt, stirring them up by his word of promise moving them with the wind of his wrath upon Egypt, taken under his protection and as carried upon wings brought them through the red sea. Verse 13. ride upon high places: so that no strength could withstand them. Numb. 20. Deut. 2. Verse 14. Nears of wheat: That is the best, so called because of kirnels of nuts the grain is within: and for some resemblance that good grains of wheat have to nears. The red blood: Because the claret wine in judea is both best & most abundant as witness Strabo & Pliny Verse 15. leschurun: from jesher righteousness, or Schor, seeing Schor a bullok, because Israel were by calling righteous, had a righteous law, or because they saw the glory of GOD in Sinai, or because afterward they became a flinging bullok. Fat: The Chaldea interprets rich so this maxim hath ever holden true: Ecclesia peperit divitias & filia devoravit matrem. Verse 17. Devils: in Hebrew Schedim, that is, destroyers of mankind. Verse 19 Saw it: That is, as a righteous judge, he took cognition of their wickedness, and decreed to abdicat them: Verse. 20. I will hide: That is, I will abdicat them and not look upon them. I shall see: I will give them over to a reprobate sense that they may perish. Verse 21. Vanities: The Septuagints calls them Idols jer. 18.19. jonah. 2.8. Not a people: that is, the Gentiles whom I will call by the preaching of the Gospel. Rom. 10.19. Es. 65.2 Verse 23. Arrows: All sort of plagues as after is exponed of famine (the Hebrew word not in any part of Scripture but here) pestilence. Hab, 3.5. wild beasts, serpents, sword. Verse 36. judge his people: That is, take their cause in hand and defend them from their enemies. Shall repent: So speaketh the Scripture of GOD after the manner of man: but in simple truth repentance is not in GOD: Numb. 23. 1. Sam. 15. The hand gone: that is, their strength and they nothing. Verse 37. He shall say: that is GOD to his people jeremy. 2.28. Verse 39 I, I: The pronoun doubled to stir up the people to hold fast their faith. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. BEcause GOD as a judge was to pronounce sentence against his people in the song: Moses gins with a majestical preface, like unto the sound of a trumpet before Prince's proclamations. Obs. 2. This majestical preface serves to keep the people in due reverence of this song, that neither pride move them to despise it, nor the sharp threatenings contained therein, make them loath. Obs. 3. vers. 1. He directs his speech to Heaven & earth, taking and making them witnesses of the people's stupidity, if they condemn this doctrine: Also to show that such is the force of GOD'S word that all creatures should be attentive there unto. Es. 1.2. jer. 23. and so the living are sent to the school of the dead to learn at them. Obs. 4. The word of GOD is as dew and rain upon graft and herbs when it meets with good ground: but hearts hard like stones get no good thereby. Heb. 6. Obs. 5. The Hebrew word which is exponed doctrine, signifieth properly perception or discipline, and teaches that the ministers of the word should deliver nothing to the people but that which have been taught, and received of the Lord. Obs. 6. vers. 2. The word of GOD is compared to dew and rain, which similitude, teacheth that the Church is God's land or lizzure, and the word of God the food thereof making his people grow in grace. Obs. 7. Moses professeth himself to be God's Herald, proclaiming his praise, and so teacheth the people their duty to do so. Obs. 8. By the name of God he meaneth God's majesties works, of goodness and grace, his severe judgements all which he setteth down after. Obs. 9 verse 3. The words JEHOVAH, and our GOD imply reasons to persuade the practice of the duty craved: these arguments in Scripture are oft fund together: the 1. taken from God's nature; the 2. from his covenant of grace. Obs. 10. The consideration of the perfection of God and of his works, as done in judgement, truth, justice and righteousness; should keep us from running from God to Idols. jer. 2.13. Obs. 11. The perfection of God's works in creation or providence, is not to be sought in every particular so much as in the general, seeing amongst beasts there be some we call unbeasts, and amongst men some crooked, some blind, some deaf, some maimed and mutilat of one member or other, and all corn cometh not to perfection: yet in these defects God is glorified. Obs. 12. verse 4. The truth of God and his fidelity should teach us to believe him and his word: yet his fidelity prejudgeth not his justice against unbelievers for he is just and right. Obs. 13. It may be mervailed that the people bore with Moses liberty in rebuking them: yet it behoved to bridle them, that they knew this worthy servant of God was shortly to departed from this life. Obs. 14. Hypocrites are sometimes called God's children, Esay 1.2. sometimes they are denied to be the children of God, when Adoption by general vocation is restrained to particular Election. Obs. 15. Moses describing the people's ingratitude to God beginneth first at their action, in these words: They corrupted themselves, that is: by their own deed lost the estate of grace offered to them by outward calling: and cast themselves in course of perdition. 2. he sets down the blot remaining after their action: in these words: their spot, not the spot of his children: 3. he sets down the habit contracted of both, calling them: a perverse & crooked generation. These 3 may be observed in all actual and outward sins. Obs. 16. As Adam and Evah by their first sin, fell from the integrity of nature: so such as seemed by out ward vocation and adoption to be in the state of grace, by turning from GOD, falls from that which they appeared to have. Obs. 17. verse 5. Sin leaves behind it a spot: as diseases in the lever and leprosy send forth spots in the skin and flesh: This spot of sin, is a disposition of the heart to be apt and prone to the sin once committed, or to any other. This spot in the reprobat differeth from the spot of God's children, because upon the one it draweth on total and final apostasy: upon the other not so, God giving grace to repent. Obs. 18. The more liberal God is to us, the more thankful should we be: the taste of his goodness should force us to love him. Obs. 19 God is good to all his creatures, but in special manner to his Church. Psal. 147. Obs. 20. The benefits of adoption and regeneration are attributed to hypocrites, because externally they are called thereto. But they are proper to the Elect, whom Paul calleth, the work of GOD created to good works. Eph. 2. or Moses here by the word made, as in the 15. verse means, God's providence in making his people great and renowned. Obs. 21. verse 6. This aggredgeth the people's vn, thankfulness, that God was so good to them, and they wicked against God. Obs. 22. If we will look back to our beginning natural, spiritual, or civil: we shall see we have no reason to be proud. Obs. 23. verse 7. The best and surest witnesses of God's benefits, are these, who being indeed godly have had long experience of them. Obs. 24. God so loved his Church that in the creation of the world, and in the midst of his providence, he had a special regard to it: not for their merit, but because of his gracious election, and adoption: where by he hath made them his heirs, and coheirs with CHRIST. Rom. 2.8. verse. 8.9. Obs. 25.10.11.12. David Ps. 105. repeats Gods' benefits to this people, farther of nor Moses doth in this song: for Moses labouring to be short, beginneth at their coming to the wilderness. Obs. 26. verse 13.14. Variety of creatures for man's necessity, utility, and pleasure, flows from GOD'S liberality to man, for the which man should be thankful. See Psal. 104. Obs. 27. verse 15. jeschurun: or he who should have been righteous is put for Israel, by Ironical illusion because they proved unrighteous and unthankful: so GOD to Adam. Gen. 3.22. Obs. 28. He concludes all the faults of this people with their sin of Idolatry: the heinousness whereof he sets forth by the similitude of an impudent harlot prostituting herself to other men, of purpose to provoke her husband to anger: for idolatry is the highest sin against GOD'S Law. Obs. 29. Men and women are called Gods' children by nature, because of creation, or by grace by regeneration, generally, or in a special respect: Moses calls this people so here, because of their general and outward calling, which divynes calls, voluntatem signi: & distinguish it: a voluntate bene placiti. Obs. 30. GOD punishes not rashly, but takes first due inquisition of the fault, howbeit he needs not who knoweth all things: by his example to teach judges their duty. See Genes. 11.5. and 18.21. Obs. 31. verse 19 If GOD lie aback from us and leave us to ourself; we shall run to perdition, and if he return to us we shall be saved. Psal. 30, 39 & Psalm. 80.3.7.19. Obs. 32, GOD raised up the Egyptians, Syrians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Grecians, Romans, against his people: All those he calleth foolish, how beit they were politic, honourable, wealthy: yet unlike to the people of GOD while they served GOD. See Deut. 4.6.7.8. and Psal. 147.19.20. Obs. 33. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of GOD being angry with us, for even our GOD is a consuming fire. Heb. 12.29. Obs. 34. verse 20.21. All plagues and punishments comes from God Amos. 3.6. yet to the godly they are made fatherly chastisements for their good. Heb. 12 Obs. 35. verse 27.28. GOD magnifies his mercy in making grace to superabound, where sin abounded Rom. 5.20. and his own glory is the end of all his working. Obs. 36.29.30. etc. GOD requires three things of his people which he miss in them. 1. The habit of wisdom. 2. The understanding of things concerning his glory and their own salvation. 3. providence to foresee things to come. Obs. 37, verse 34.35. GOD'S judgements sleep not, (as wicked men think) but lie at the door Gen. 4. & 7. jer. 17.1. 2. Pet. 3.9. Obs. 38. When GOD hath chastised his people enough, he will cast the rod in the fire, and in wrath remember mercy, Hab. 3. ●3. Psal. 89. Psal. 30. Esay. 54.8. that we may have experience hereof, true repentance is required at our hands. Zach. 2.3. Obs. 39 When our estate is most desperate GOD'S help is nearest, that he only may have the praise. 2. King. 14.26. Obs' 40. GOD is the supreme ruler of all things ordinary or extraordinar, of punishments & deliverances therefrom Obs. 41. verse 36.37 etc. We defraud GOD of his right, if we set him not above all, and according to our place▪ gifts, callings, trample not under foot, all Idolatry, superstition, will worship, inventions and traditions of men, which cannot be demonstrat by the word of GOD: whether it be in matters of faith, manners. Church government, or ceremonies joined to the worship of GOD. Obs' 42 verse 40.41.42. In holy Scripture, we find many oaths which GOD makes, joined sometime to promises, and he doth both promise and swear that by two immutable things he may confirm our faith, Hebr. 6.18, and when he swears he swears by himself as having none greater. ibid. 13. Obs. 43. The whole Catholic Church of jews and Gentiles and exhorted to sing and praise the LORD, for his works both of justice and mercy which he would manifest to them. Rom. 15.10. Obs. 44. The word expiation alludes to the legal ceremonies, and imports that salvation that was to be perfected by JESUS CHRIST. Obs, 45. verse 43 With this prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, and conversion of the jews, as with a blast of a trumpet after a King's proclamation he concludes this song. This song in meeter followeth to be sung with the tune of the 78. Psalm. Verse. 1. Hear O ye Heavens what I do speak, O Earth my words attend. Vers. 2. My doctrine shall drop down as rain, my speech like dew I'll spend. And as small rain on tender herbs, and showers upon the grass So shall my word much fruit bring forth, not being heard amiss. Vers. 3. Since I the name of God the Lord, will publish and proclaim: Ascribe ye people all to him the greatness of the same: Vers. 4. God is a rock, his work's perfect, for all his ways are just. A strong God, faithful, without sin, he must be right and just. Vers. 5. His people are become corrupt, and filthy now they are, Perverse and crooked is their kind, unlike his children dear. Vers. 6. O foolish people and unwise, who so the Lord reward: Thy Father, Maker, Saviour, wilt thou not him regard? Vers. 7. The days of old, the ages past, fathers, fore-beears all: Will tell and teach thee this for truth, if for them thou wilt call. Vers. 8. When the most High to Nations, did heritage divide: A pleasant bounds for Israel he did even then provide. Vers. 9 For they his chosen people were, the portion of the Lord, The line on them laid for himself Vers. 10. He found him in a Wilderness, was roaring, waste, and void: About the which he caused them go, for he them sore annoyed. He schooled him there, and taught him too by long experience: He kept him as the apple of his eye with patience. Vers. 11. As eagle's flighter o'er their young, and stirs up all their nest: Spreads out their wings to bear their birds, where they themselves think best. Vers. 12. Even so the Lord his people led, and with him their was none, No strange strong God made any help, JEHOVE did all alone. Verse 13. Above the monts he caused them ride and feed in fruitful field. Honey from rocks, and oil from flint, to suck gave God their shield. Vers. 14. Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, rams sweet, Well fed on Bashan hill they eat: such meat for them was meet. The choicest wheat, the finest flower was also to them food: The berry of the wine they drink, Vers. 15. But Israel grew fat and flung, both fat and gross grew thou: jeschurun upright should have been, though fat him covered thorough. His God who made him he forsakes, and so Salvation. Him he despised who did him good, so vngrate's this Nation. Vers. 16. To jealousy with their strange gods, than did they him provoke: To anger with things he abhorred, casting from them his yoke. Vers. 17. To Devils they did sacrifice in place of God their Lord: The gods both new and near they serv'de, their fathers such abhorred. Vers. 18. The Rock begat thee thou forgot the God that brought thee out Of mother's womb: is out of mind, he'll punish thee but doubt. Vers. 19 For when the Lord saw all their sins, he abdicat with grief His sons, and eke his daughters all, and made them no relief. Vers. 20. And then he said. my face from them hereafter I will hide: And I will see what end will be, A froward generation, unfaithful children they Are now become: and will no more My holy Law obey. Verse 21. To jealousy with their none gods, since they do me provoke, And with their vanities trouble me. how beit they be my flock. With those that now no people are provoked shall they be, And with a foolish nation, To rage and jealousy. Verse 22. For in my wrath there kindled is. a hot consuming fire: Which shall burn down unto the deep, Through earth, through dub, through mire, There shall be left no fruit on earth, increase there shall be none, The grounds of mountains great also, this fire shall burn upon. Verse 23. My plagues on them I'll multiply, And spend my arrows all. Verse 24. Brunt up with hunger shall they be, with pest like burning coal: Bitter destruction will I send, by beasts devoruing lust, And serpent's poison shall them hurt. Verse 25. Without the sword shall orphans make within all full of fear: The chosen youth, the virgin close, the infant and grey hair. Verse 26. I said that I should scatter them, in corners: and should make Of them no more memorial, that one might notice take. Verse 27. Were not I fear the wrath of those that enemies were to me, Lest they should say through ignorance, God did not this but we. Verse 28. A nation void of counsel they, yet counsel will not take: In them no understanding is, I sorrow for their sake. Verse 29. Oh that they somuch wisdom had as this to understand, Their latter end what it will be, who such things take in hand. Verse. 30. How should it come to pass that one a thousand men should chase, Or two ten thousand should compel, To flee before their face? If not because their rock so strong, had sold them for no price, And GOD had caused them yield themselves, Verse 31. Your enemy's judges if ye make, their god is not like yours: So strong a Rock to trust unto, all years, and days, and hours. Verse 32. Of Sodoms' ground & Gomors' field their vine with venmous grapes, And bitter are their clusters all, when they are laid on heaps. Verse 33. And so the wine that thereof comes, like Dragon's venom kills, Or like the cruel head of Asps, whom poison fully fills. Verse 34. Do I not keep this sure in store, My treasures sealed among, Verse 35. Vengeance is mine I will repay, For I am GOD the strong. Their foot shall slide betyme, For why? the day'f perdition, Is near: and bring with it in haste, to them confusion. Verse 36. The Lord shall judge his people so, and yet he shall repent When he shall see his servants cease, that all their strength is spent, And few or none left to remain. in city or in field, Verse 37, Then shall they say their foes to scorn where is 〈…〉 Vers. 38. Where are your gods who eat the fat, Of offerings, and drank wine, Let those ruse up and help you now, or flee from me and mine. Verse 39 See now that I, even I alone, no other gods with me: I kill, and I give life also, I wound and I heal thee. Verse 40. And none can put out of my hand. which up to heaven I lift, And say, As I for ever live, the enemy shall not shift. Verse 41. When I my glistering sword shall sharp, to judgement lay my hand: Then on my foes I'll be avengd, my haters shall not stand. Verse 42. My arrows shall be drunk with blood My sword shall flesh devour, The blood shall be, of men are slain, and captives more and more. Vers. 43. Praise ye his people, nations all whose blood he will revenge Upon their foes: but from his land, and chosen will not change. The Song of DEBORAH. jugdes. 5. Text. BEcause he hath taken revenge by Israel, when the people offered themselves willingly: Bless ye JEHOVAH. Hear O ye Kings, give ear O Princes: I even I will sing to JEHOVAH the God of Israel. JEHOVAH when thou went out of Seir, when thou marched out of the land of Edom: the earth was moved, also the Heavens dropped, also the clouds dropped water. The mountains flowed before the face of JEHOVA: This Sinai before the face of the GOD of Israel. In the days of Sangar the son of Anach: In the days of jahel the hy way ceased: and they that walked, went by byrods and boutgates. The villages ceased in Israel; they ceased: until I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. When he choosed new gods, war was in the gates: no sword nor spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. My heart is to the law givers in Israel: The welwilling among the people; Bless ye JEHOVAH. Ye that ride upon whit asses, ye that sit in judgement, ye that walk in the ways, Speak. The delivered from the voice of the archers, in the places where water is drawn: there they shall teach the righteousness of JEHOVAH: his righteousness upon his villages: then the people of jehovah went down to the gates. Rise up, rise up Deborah, rise up, rise up, utter thy song: Arise Barak & lead captive thy captivity, thou son of Abinoam. Then he that remained, ruled over the nobles of the people: JEHOVAH shall bear rule to me among the strong. Out of Ephraim whose root streatches to Amalek, after Benjamin among thy people: out of Machir they came down, and out of Zebulon, they that draw with the rod of the writer. And the Princes of Isachar with Deborah: and Isachar with Barak, sent down to the valley upon his feet. for the divisions of Reuben great thoughts of heart. Why sat thou betwixt two folds to hear the bleeting of the flocks? for the division of Reuben great searching of heart, Gilead dwelled still in the other side jordan: and why dwelled Dan in ships: Asher sat at the sea shore & dwelled upon his Creeks. Zebulon & Naphtali were the people, who did hazard their soul to die upon the places of the field. The Kings came then they fought, the Kings of Canaan fought in Taanah at the waters of Megiddo, their desire of silver they got not. The stars fought from the Heavens out of their degrees fought they with Sisera. The river Kison swept them away: that ancient river Kison. My soul shall trample upon the strong. Then were the horsehoofes bruised, by the strokes of the strong. Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of JEHOVAH: Cursing curse ye the inhabitants thereof: because they came not to help! JEHOVAH, to help JEHOVAH among the strong. jahel the wife of Cheber the Kenite shall be blessed above women, above women in tent she shall be blessed. He asked water and she gave him milk, she brought him butter in a dish for nobles. Her hand sent themselves to the nail: and her right hand to the hammer of work men: and she hammered Sisera, she cut off his head: she pricked through, and pierced the temple of his head. Betwixt her feet he was bowed together, he fell, he steeped betwixt her feet: he bowed himself, he fell where he bowed himself, there he fell spoilt. The mother of Sisera looked through the window, and cried out at the open of the window, Why tarries his chariot from coming? why are the turning of his four wheels made slow. Her wise ladies answered unto her, also she herself turned her speeches to herself. Have they not found? shall they not divyde the spoil? one damosel, two damosels, for every man: The spoil of colours for Sisera himself, the spoil of party colours of needle work, two of spoil for the neck. So let thy enemies all perish JEHOVAH: and let those that love him, be as the sun going forth in his strength. Paraphrase. PRaise ye the LORD who both hath made you able to revenge yourself upon your enemies, and given you courage to fight, and power to overcome them. 2. O ye Kings who trust in your might, & rulers who lift up yourself in pride: hear and hearken unto the words of this song; wherein the LORD, the GOD of Israel is praised: for it serveth to teach you. 3 O LORD when thou led thy people from mount Seir, and the land of Edom toward the land of Canaan: all creatures in Heaven and earth were moved with thy presence among thy people. 4 Yea the mountains that seemed so solid melted before the face of the LORD, even mount Sinai where thou gave thy law. 5. A long time before this our last deliverance our estate was so hard, that from the death of Ehud unto this time: none durst go abroad, for fear of the enemy. 6. And as the people durst not travel in high ways: So might they not abide in villages: until the time that GOD raised me up, to foretell and confirm the deliverance of his people. 7. Because Israel choosed new gods, God raised up new enemies to sight against them and oppress them: so that no weapon was found among them. 8. I rejoice of the Princes of Israel and of the people who came willingly to battle. Bless ye the Lord. 9 Let all sort of people speak of this work of God: but namely merchants, judges, way-faring folk, where before hid themselves for fear of the enemy. 10. Before for fear of the enemy they durst not come forth to draw water, nor inhabit villages, nor minister justice: now the case is altered, by the righteous acts of the LORD: which we should proclaim. 11. Thou Deborah a prophetess rise up and sing thy song of praise to GOD. and thou Barak captain of the Lords army, triumph over the Cananite. 12. When we were left few in number and despised: our enemi●s were many and mighty: yet the Lord hath made us rule over them 13. To this battle came some of the tribe of Ephraim, & of Benjamin, and of the family of Machir of the tribe of Manasseh, & of the tribe of Zebulon, men more wise & learned then valorous warriors. 14. The Princes of Isachar were also with Deborah: And Isachars soldiers being footmen; attended Barak in the valley: It grieved us much that the Reubenites concurred not to help us. 15. Why had thou greater pleasure in the care of thy flocks, nor in the care of the commonwealth? more care of thy beasts then of GOD'S people, we marveled much when we saw Reuben absent. 16. Gilead came not: Dan for fear kept the boats of jordan to flee away. Asher also did stay at home in his surest places for refuge. 17 Such courage & zeal was in the tribs of Zebulon & Naphtali, who being few in number in comparison with their enemies, did venture. 18 Many Kings of Canaan sent their forces with Sisera, who fought in the plain betwixt Taanah & Megiddo: They looked for greater spoil & riches, but brought none away 19 GOD show himself party against the enemies of his people: and caused the stars in their stations fight against them. 20. He also caused the river Kison to swell & drown them: and made his people stout to slay them. 21. So sore were the horse put at in fight and fleeing, that they being strong and beating the ground. with their feet, broke all their hooves. 22. Barak the Lord's messenger, had good cause to curse, and bide curse the inhabitants of Meroz, who would not come forth to help GOD'S people, being so near them. 23. jahel the wife of Cheber the Kenite shall be much praised above other women who dwell in tents. 24. When Sisera fled & came to her tent to hide himself, he called for water to quench his thirst: she gave him milk and butter in precious vessels like a friend or servant. 25. But when she saw him fast a sleep she took one of the nails of the tent, with a hammer in her right hand, wherewith she drove the nail, through the temples of his head fast in the ground. 26. So that he lay first sleeping, next dead among her feet: notwithstanding all his struggling in the agony of death: So ended this great Captain oppressor of others. 27. Sisera his mother looking for his return with victory, being impatient, whiles looked out at the window, whiles cried out, why stays he so long what can be his stay. 28. Her ladies essayed all their wits to comfort her, yea even she comforted herself with his own words saying. 29. They have found their prey, they are parting the spoil, even damosels to every man: and the coloured & party coloured garments sowed with needle work made to be ornaments for their necks. 30. This may be a document to all ages, that all the enemies of GOD shall perish: and those that love him shall shine as the sun at noon day. The argument and analysis of this song. AFter the death of Ehud who slew Eglon king of Moab, and delyvered Israel out of the hands of Moabits: whom they had served eighteen years before, Israel had rest from enemies for the space of four score years: But again Israel wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD: therefore he delivered them over into the hands of jabin king of the Canaanites: the general of whose army was called Sisera, who oppressed Israel the space of twenty years: Then Israel repent them of their sins, humbled themselves and cried to the Lord and he heard them: And Deborah▪ Barak, & jabel, he made instruments to deliver them. This deliverance is the argument of this Song sung by Deborah a Prophetess. There be three chief and principal parts of this song. 1 The exordium or beginning of this song. vers. 1. 2. Next the purpose, from the 3. verse to the 30. Thirdly, the conclusion of the song. verse 30. The exordium contains in it 2. exhortations with their reasons. The 1. exhortation is to God's people to praise God, the reason thereof is taken from their present delivery. verse 1. The 2 exhortation is to all kings and princes to be attentive to the words of this Song. The reason thereof is taken from the purpose of the Prophetess in this song, to wit, to praise and make manifest the only true God: v. 2. see the like Ps. 2. The purpose of the song contains in it chiefly 5. things: 1. a narration of things bygone, from the 3 verse to the 8. Next an exhortation to praise God, from the 8. vers to the 13. Thirdly, a narration of the battle betwixt the Israelites and Cananits. from the 13. to the 22. Fourthly a curse and blessing, from the 22. verse to the 27. Fifthly, a pretty prosopopeia, from the 27. verse to the 30. The narration of things bygone, contains 2. things, 1. God's wonderful power in bringing his people through the wilderness, to the land of promise ver. 3.4. Next the great misery wherein Israel was of late: with the reason thereof, verse 13. that they had served new gods, idols. 5.6.7. The exhortation to praise God hath in it 4. things. 1. the governor's of this people verse 8. Next to merchants, verse 9 Third to the commons, verse 10. the reason thereof, is their liberty: The fourth part is to herself and Barak. verse 11. with the reason thereof, verse 12. The narration of the battle contains in it: 1. the praise of the tribes of Israel who came to fight, and the dispraise of such as lay aback, from the 13. verse to the 18. Secondly is set down the part of the Canaanites. verse 18. Thirdly the part of God and his people. verse 19.20.21. The curse is upon Meroz and his inhabitants, with the reason thereof, verse 22. The blessing is upon jahel, with a narration on of her part and the event thereof, from the 22. ver. to the 27 the prosopopeia is of Sisera his mother & her ladies talking to gether, from the 27. verse to the 30. The conclusion which is the last part of the song: contains a prayer for the confusion of the enemies of God and of his Church: and for the prosperity of all those who truly love GOD: verse 30. Annotations upon this song. IT was the custom of Lyric Poets in giving of thanks to GOD, to use solemn verses: as we may read in Orpheus, Linus, Pindarus, Horace: so the priests of Mars among the Romans called Salijs: All these did so by the light of nature: but holy men and women did the like by the inspiration of the holy spirit. Verse 1. Revenge: In Hebrew in revenging revenges Willing: That is, not all Israel but such only as followed Barak who at the time had no authority in Israel. Verse 2. The earth etc. Hyperbolical speeches signifying the power of God's presence working in all his creatures. Verse 4. Sinai: That is to say, not only creatures which were as it were before GOD in his presence: but also such as it were behind him were moved. Verse 6. Mother: so called because being endued with the spirit of prophecy as a mother to her children: so prophets were called fathers, their disciples their sons. Verse 7. Gates: or ports, signifying that the enemy was master of all, for in the ports of cities judges sat: and the munition of the city lay there. Verse 9 white asses: This may be exponed either of merchants or great men: as after chap. 10.4, & 12.14 Vers. 13. EPHRAIM: It may be meant of Deborah, for chap. 4.5. it is said she dwelled in mount Ephraim. Verse 14. A dish: that is to say, abundantly, for the Hebrew word signifieth a veshell cup like, appointed to be used at great sacrifices, as chap. 6.38. Butter; That is to say, new milk new severed from the butter. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. DEBORAH conceived and sung this Song by a prophetic spirit the very day when the benefit was gotten: teaching us hereby to give thankes to God for his benefits without delay: not linger with jacob to go to Bethel and perform his vows: neither being unthankful altogether, as the nine lepers were to Christ. The Ethnics sung their Paeans immediately after victory over their enemies. Obs. 2. It is God who revengeth the wrongs done to his servants: for it is his office, Deut. 32. which when we find we should praise him: Psal. 18.47. neither should we avenge ourselves. Pro. 25.21. Ro. 12.10. Obs. 3. v. 1. All true fortitude comes of God, and is his gift, as the right use of it, and good event: Psal. 18 for our actions are not in our power: jer. 10.23. This doctrine refuteth the error of man's freewill. Obs. 4. Whatsoever is written in holy Scripture serveth not only for the age when it was written, but also for the posterity: Rom. 15.4. 1. Cor. 10.11. Obs. 5. Kings, Princes and potentates have need to be exhorted to mark the judgements of God upon their Peers, for pride so blinds their minds, that they mis-ken both God & man. Ps. 2.10. Ps. 70.12 Ps. 82.6. Obs. 6. We should remember God's works of old, that we may praise him, trust in him, and be comforted in the day of trouble. Psal. 77.11. Obs. 7. vers. 3.4 All creatures in heaven & earth serve God: only the Devils and mankind are rebellious. Obs. 8. Peace is a great benefit of God to Church & commonwealth: and War a great plague, therefore we should pray for it. Psal. 122.6. 1. Tim. 2.2. and praise God for it. Obs. 9 vers. 5.6. Princes and Princesses should be nourishers of the Church of God. Esay. 49.23. parents to their subjects, therefore even the Ethnics by the the light of nature called them Patres patriae: and their kins-fold patritios. Obs. 10. vers. 7. God is a jealous God, and will not suffer his honour to be given to another, but punisheth Idolaters with new punishments, whatsoever the Idolatry be, and howsoever man's engine laboureth to colour or defend it. Obs. 11. vers. 8 9.10. We should be feeling members of the Church, rejoicing when they rejoice, murning when they mourn. Rom. 12.15. provoking others to serve God. Psal. 51.13. Obs. 12. There are none so eminent in the Church who have not need to be stirred up to their duties. Heb. 10 24. 2. Tim. 1.6. Obs. 13. To triumph over enemies, overcoming in lawful war is lawful: all triumphs amongst God's people before Christ's death were but praeludes and types of Christ's triumph upon the Cross over principalities and powers. Col. 2.15. and of his members at the latter day. 1. Cor. 2.3. Obs. 14 vers. 11. Deborah hath the Song named after her, Barak the triumph after him: she was the Prophetess, he the leader of the Army. justice giveth to every one his own. Obs. 15. verse 13.14. By sin God's people are made the tail, by repentance and obedience they become the head again. Deut. 28.12. Obs. 16. As their names who have been zealous for the cause of God, and of their country are registrated for their everlasting good memory: so such, as by infidelity or fear have lain aback are noted with shame. Prov. 10.7. Obs. 17. vers. 15.16.17. Reuben the father of that tribe regarded more his pleasure than his honour, and so was degraduat by his father jacob. Gen. 49.3. This sticks to his posterity now, so some sins are hereditary Obs. 18. verse. 18 Man proponeth and God disponeth: yea, Princes have no power to perform all their intentions. Psal. 146.4. Prov. 21.1. Obs. 19 verse 19.20. All creatures as at GOD'S command to fight against his enemies, & the enemies of his servants, therefore he is called the LORD of Hosts: Devils and wicked men disobey, the one he holds in chains. jud. 6. and he can put his hook in the nosthirles of the other. Es. 37.29. Obs. 20. verse 21. Man should put his trust in GOD only, and in none other. Psal. 20.7. Psalm. 146.3. Obs. 21. verse 22. Whatsoever is done to God's servants be it good or evil, God thinks it done to himself. Mat. 25.25. Acts. 9.4. Obs. 22 Before we curse or use imprecations, we should try by what spirit we are led, as Christ said to his Disciples john and james. God can overthrow mighty champions by weak mean and instruments, as Pharaoh his overthrow, Sisera's▪ and many more prove. Obs. 23. Deborah a true Prophetess, as the event declared: the best trial of prophecies are by event. Obs. 24. verse 23.24 25.26. Through faith the Fathers were renowned: Barak because his faith was weak had little honour in his victory, so Zachariah chastised for infiidelitie, Christ's disciples oft rebuked. Obs. 25. verse 27.28.29. When the wicked cry peace, peace, then suddenly cometh their destruction. 1. Thess. 3.3. The hope of the wicked shall perish, & the thing they fear shall come upon them. Obs. 26. verse 30. The petitions of God's servants moved by his holy Spirit registrated in holy Scripture are equivalent to promises: and being turned in propositions comfort the godly, & may affray the wicked: howbeit the Lord hold his Church under the cross for a while, yet their outgate shall be comfortable, & their end peace. Ps. 37. This song paraphrased in English meeter to the tune of the 76. Psalm. Verse. 1. THE LORD our quarrel hath revenged, And made our people willing fight: Now our estate is meekle changed, To bless his Name we have good right. Vers. 2. Hear O ye Kings and Princes all, For to JEHOVAH sing I shall, To jacob's GOD, the GOD of might. Vers. 3. When thou O Lord from Seir went out And marched forth from Edom's land, The earth, the clouds the Spheres about, Were moved all at thy command, Vers. 4. The mountains fled before thy face, The mount Sinai shaken for a space, Of Israel's GOD they felt the hand. Vers. 5. When Sangar yet was in this life, Whose father Anach was by name, And jahel also Chebers' wife▪ Israel did sustain great shame. Vers. 6. For all their ways were stopped about, Till I Deborah did step out, Israel thraldom from to claim. Verse 7. Israel to them new gods did choose, And wars were made within their ports, When they their GOD did then refuse, No spear nor shield had their cohorts. Vers. 8. I loved then the nobles all, That helped Israel in this thrall. Bless ye the LORD who us comforts. Vers. 9 Merchant's white asses on, who ride, And ye in judgement who do sit, You who do travel time and tide, Keep not silence: but speak of it. Verse 10. For fear such as no water drew, GOD'S justice forth now they do show, No justice now will judge omit. Vers. 11. Rise up rise up again up rise, Thou Deborah thy song to sing, And thou Barak also arise, With thy triumph make earth to ring. Vers. 12. Lately vile slaves our nobles served, Now we do reign and they are starved, Should we not then praise GOD our King? Verse 13. Ephram that pleasant mighty tree, Whose root to Amalek doth reach, Did then send forth strong boughs with me, Which Benjamin did also teach. And Machir then, for to come down, With the strong men of Zebulon: Fair writers all and good in speech. Vers. 14. With Deborah the princes were, Of Isachar as Barak chief: With whom were many footmen there, Reuben, Alas made no relief. Vers. 15. Then did ye sit as still as stocks, To hear the bleating of your flocks, And came not forth to chase the thief. Verse 16. Gilead beyond the river bode, Then Dan with boats did still remain, Ascher like to a wily Tod, Sat at the sea next to the plain. Verse 17. But Zebulon and Napthali, Hazard their souls though they should die, Upon the mountains of the main. Verse 18. The kings came forth to fight that day Even Canaan's kings in Tanah field, Megiddo's waters near I say, No profit did their labour yield. Verse 19 For stars from Heaven against them fought Vers. 20. And Kisons' flood against them wrought Ver. 21. I tramp the strong horsehoofes in field Verse 22. God's Angel said Meroz be cursed, Curse bitterly her people all. To help the LORD that day, who durst Not come among men strong and tall. Verse. 23. Blessed be jahel Chebers' wife, Above the women all her life, Dwelling in tents which we do call. Verse 24. Water he asked, she gave him milk, And butter in a lordly plate. Betwixt her hands as soft as silk, Verse 25. Unto a hammer made by art, She put her right hand, and a nail In her left hand, lest she should fail, And through his temples caused it start, Verse 26. Betwixt her feet he bowed sore, He fell, he steeped betwixt her feet, Until in him was life no more, And so to die for him was meet. Verse 27. When his mother did then look out To spy the fields round about, She said, my son stays long in street. Verse 28. Her ladies wise did answer make, And she herself affirmed to. Ver. 29. Now of the spoil their parts they take, And so they have now much ado, So many damsels to divyde, And coloured garments right well died, Right meet their shoulders all unto. Verse 30. O LORD let all those perish so, That enemies are to thee and thine: And such as love thee more and more, As clear as sun above to shine; As clear as sun in his great strength, So that thy Church may at the length, Sing forth thy praises with me and mine. The Song of CHANNAH. 1. Samuel. 2. Text. MY heart rejoiceth in JEHOVAH, my horn is exalted in JEHOVAH: my mouth is enlarged against my enemies for I rejoice in thy salvation. None holy like JEHOVAH: for there is none but thou; and no rock like to our GOD. Multiply not speeches highly, highly let not the old come out of your mouth: for JEHOVAH is a GOD of sciences, and actions are not directed without him. The bow of the strong is broken, the weak is girded with strength. They that were full of bread, hath hired themselves: and the hungry hath ceased: while the barren hath borne seven: she with many sons is weakened. JEHOVAH kills and gives life, casts down to hell, and makes to ascend. JEHOVAH makes poor and rich, he causes to fall, also he exalts. He raises the poor out of the dust▪ he lifts up the beggar from the dung hill; to make them sit with princes, and makes them to inherit the throne of glory, for to JEHOVAH the pillars of the earth do appertain, and he hath put upon them the habitable world. He will preserve the feet of his godly ones, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness: for a man shall not be made strong by his own strength. JEHOVAH let their contentions be trampled under foot: he shall thunder from Heaven upon him: JEHOVAH shall judge the ends of the earth: and shall give strength to his King: and shall lift up the horn of his CHRIST. Paraphrase. 1. OF this late, and great benefit O LORD which thou hast bestowed upon me: I have conceived so great joy: that my heart which before was heavy, now is light: and my weakness made strong: my mouth closed before is now opened, against my enemies. Peninna & others who reproached me. 2. In thee O LORD I rejoice justly, who art most holy, hath no companion: neither is there any so able to save. 3. Speak not proudly, as thou was wont to do, O my enemies: for the LORD knows all things, and without him we can do nothing. 4 O Peninna thy strength is gone, who insulted upon my barrenness: and I who was weak am made strong. 5. The case now is fare changed: thou was full of prosperity: now thou must content thyself. I was in great affliction when I had no child: God hath now given to me one child better nor seven, more worth than all thine 6. The LORD is author of all changes, & can bring contrares out of contrares, life out of death, prosperity out of adversity, light out of darkness. Gen. 1. 7. Poverty and riches are from the Lord: low estate and honour comes from him. 8. None so poor whom God if he will can not make rich, none so vile but he can make them honourable: even companions to princes: setting them in glorious thrones: for the Lord hath set the pillars of the earth to it to stand upon with the inhabitants there of, which pillar is his word and power. 9 All the ways of the godly he will direct: and wicked men shall perish in darkness: for no man standeth in his own strength. 10. All who contend against GOD shall be trodden under foot: he shall thunder from Heaven against every one of them: the LORD shall judge the whole inhabitants of the world giving glory to his Son JESUS CHRIST the King of Kings. The argument and analysis of this song. CHANNAH the wife of Elkanah (who also had another wife called Peninna) being a long time barren, which grieved her much: (for the Hebrew women knowing the promise of the seed of the woman to tread down the head of the serpent, Gen. 3. and that that seed should of the posterity of Abraham their father, esteemed barrenness a great cross) And her companion Peninna having children to Elkanah insulting upon her added affliction to the afflicted. Therefore Channah prayed to God earnestly to comfort her, to take away her reproach, and give her a son: The Lord heard her prayer, and gave her a son, whom therefore she called Samuel, that is to say: The strong God heard: And she being moved by the Spirit of GOD made and sung this song. The parts of the song are 3. The 1: a proposition with the reason thereof. verse 1.2. The 2. a dehortation with the reasons thereof, from the 3. verse to the 9 The 3. the conclusion of the song. verse 10. The proposition is of Channas' joy in the LORD, set forth by the motives of her joy. viz. the present benefit recaved, and effect thereof, her ability to answer Peninna and all other that upbraided her before. The reasons of the proposition are 2. the 1. taken from the efficient joy, to wit: her deliverance from her grief and reproach which she ascribs to GOD, and calls it, hersalvation. verse 1. The 2. reason is taken from the unchangeable nature of GOD, that he is most holy, most strong, most true. verse 2. The dehortation is proponed in the beginning of the 3. verse. The sum of the proposition is: That none, specially Peninna, be any more proud or utter lofty language which is the effect of pride: the reason of her dehortation are two, The 1. is taken from God's omniscience: The 2. from his powerful providence. verse 3. The 2. reason is illustrat by the effects thereof. 4.5.6.7.8. verse. of which effects she showeth the cause in the end of the 8. verse. The conclusion of the song contains a pophecie of the salvation of the godly, the destruction of the wicked: with a reason. 9 Next a petition conform to the prophecy: with a repetition more clear of the prophecy, verse 10. Annotations upon this song. AS this song gins so it continues full of metaphors purposes flowing from great feeling, and therefore wanting conjunctions: In it also there be divers apostrophees: of all these the judicious reader may make use. Verse 1. Thy salvation: so said Simeon in his song Luk. 3. for the saints of old by temporal benefits as this was to Channa, were stirred up to think of the great salvation by CHRIST, which Simeon looked for, and saw more clearly and nearly than his forbears. Vers. 2. None holy, no rock: This most true for holiness and power are in GOD essentially and perfect: in the creature by communication only and in part, being compared with GOD. job. 4.18. Verse 5. Hath ceased: To wit, to be hungry and are filled. Seven: that is, many. Ruth. 4.11. Set out themselves: to wit, for hired servants for want of food. Verse 8. The pillars: See job. 48. v. 4. Psal. 124. v. 8. Psal. 112.26. and 104. verse 5. Verse 10. To his KING: that is to say; to CHRIST JE SUS, to whom he was to give all power in Heaven and earth as his appointed King. Psal. 2. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. THis song is called a prayer because it is spoken to GOD, and in end hath a prayer: but the purpose of it is a thanksgiving: and so these well joined according to the precept of the Apostle. Phi. 4.6. Obs. 2. It is easy to GOD when he will to make a heavy heart light and joyful: a despised person honourable: one silenced to speak boldly. These things and other benefits are obtained, by humiliation & prayer. Obs. 3. verse 1. Whatsoever benefit GOD bestows upon us, we should not so much think of it or use it, as look to GOD the giver of it and praise him, not being as the swyoe, who feed upon fallen fruit: but look not up to the tree. Obs. 4. We should labour to know God's attributes by his word and works, we should meditate thereupon: that we may love, fear, trust him and obey his will always. Obs. 5. verse 2. It is easier to tell what God is not. or to deny any creature to be like him: then to tell what he is, for God being always infinite cannot be defined affirmativelie so well as negativelie. Obs. 6. Pride is a hereditary sickness in men and women: yet GOD resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. jam. 4.6. Obs. 7. verse 3. to the 8. The providence of GOD rules all things: makes all mutations among men Ps. 107. Obs. 8. We should not look upon things, and judge of them by present appearance: for the earth is as a stage: we are players there upon, every one is not that he seemeth to be in the play: for a beggar there may represent a King: a wise man a fool: a wicked man a good: but we should abide patiently the catastrophe of the play, staying till the morning, when every man putteth on his own coat: that is the morning of the resurrection. Psal. 49.14. 1. john 3.1. Obs. 9 verse 9.10. The godly of old took their deliverances particular, and of the Kirk in general, as types of their great salvation by Christ, which they looked for: 1. Pet. 1.10. This song paraphrased in English meeter to the tune of the 103. Psalm. Verse. 1. MY heart rejoiceth in the Lord, in him my horn is high: My mouth is open wide and large against my enemy. In thy salvation I joy, 2. none holy like to thee: For there is none but thou, O Lord, a God, a rock to me. 3. Speak thou no more words arrogant as thou was wont before: For God knows all things very well, and doth both less and more. 4. The strong man's Bow is broken quite, the weak hath put on strength: 5. The full begin to beg their bread, the hungry eat at length. The barren hath her seven borne, the mother of sons is weak: 6. The Lord he kills, and giveth life, casts down and up doth take: 7. He makes men poor: and he makes rich, he humbles, and raiseth high 8. Even poor men from the dung and dust, Princes equals to be. For to the Lord the pillars of the earth do appertain: And thereupon hath he set fast the world and all therein. 9 The feet he will keep of his Saints, that they may never swerve: The wicked shall in darkness dwell, as they do well deserve. No man shall by his own strength stand, 10. O Lord stop all their strife: The Lord will shoot his thunderbolts at him from heaven right rife. The ends of earth the Lord shall judge, his King he shall make strong: And he shall his Anoynteds' horn lift up ere it be long. The Song of Hezechiah King of judah. Esay. 38. Text. I Said in the cutting of my days, I shall go to the ports of the grave: I am deprived of the rest of my years. I said, I shall not see JAH, jah in the land of the living: I shall not behold man more, with the inhabitants of the world. My habitation is gone and flitted from me, as a shepherds tent: I have cut off as a weaver my life: he will cut me off from the thrum: from the day to the night thou will destroy me. I resolved unto the morning as a Lion he so bruised all my bones, from the day to the night thou consumes me As a crane, a swallow, I chettered: I sighed like a dove; mine eyes were lifted up to the height: JEHOVAH, I am weak give me rest. What shall I say? both he said to me, and he himself hath done it: I shall go on all my years with the bitterness of my soul. Lord upon these they shall live, in all wherein the life of my spirit is, and thou wilt heal me and give me life. Behold, for peace I had bitterness, and thou hast loved my soul from the pit of rottenness: because thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave shall not confess unto thee, death praise thee neither shall they hope who go down to the pit to thy truth. The living, the living he shall confess unto thee: as I this day: the father to the sons, shall make known thy truth. JEHOVAH to save me: Therefore my songs shall we play: all the days of our life in the House of JEHOVAH. Paraphrase. 1. When I thought God was cutting the thread of my life, by death's knife: I thought, and said within myself: I shall now die young and childless. 2. Then my greatest grief was, that my bodily eyes should not see God for a long time: and presently to be deprived of the sight of him, in the mirror of his works, word and Sacraments. 3. My dwelling place leaves me, and I it: as a shepherd leaveth his tent: the web of my life is cut out: as the weaver cutteth out a web out of his loom: for I made it short by sins God hath made it short in his justice: and gives to me no rest day or night. 4. After the night's unrest I looked for no better in the morning: but that he cruelly would destroy me. 5. The crane's and swallows cannot speak in their pain; yet they chatter, and the dove cheeps: so, under so great grief and pain, I could do nothing, but mourn, sigh, lift up my eyes and heart to God. 6. It is the Lord, I can neither say good nor evil: he hath spoken to me by his servant Esay, and is doing accordingly: I will never forget this heavy hand of God upon me. 7. Upon such meditations the godly shall be comforted: in time of sickness & death: as I now, hoping yet for life and health, from thee O Lord. 8 In place of peace & health which I had, God laid upon me sore sickness and trouble of Spirit: yet he loves me: because, howbeit he hath afflicted me sore: yet hath he not delivered me to death. Psal. 118. but hath forgiven my sins, and set me away with peace. 9 And this thou hast done that yet I might worship thee in the land of the living, which bodies dead, and buried cannot do. 10. But man living as I am yet, shall praise thee: and one generation shall deliver thy truth, unto another. 11. The Lord was ready to save me. Therefore my song shall be sung, even this song tuned & played, upon musical instruments, in witness of me and my people's thankfulness to God for this my deliverance. The argument and analysis of this song. HEzechiah king of judah being sick of a desperate disease, which the learned think to have been a pestilentious fever, because mention is made of Boil. It was God's will that the Prophet Esay should say to him he should die be that disease: This messenger did much commove Hezechiah: partly because he was then a young man, and had no child: partly because he being tormented both in body and spirit seared death: But chiefly because he having long before resolved to serve God, and do good to his Church, this good intention would fail. Being in this estate he prayed, and weeped sore, and the Lord heard and pitied him: Therefore he sent again to him the Prophet Esay: with another more comportable commission then the first: namely, that he should not die at this time: but have fifteen years added to his years he had lived already: he being thus comforted, began to recognosce his thoughts in time of his sickness, and to consider Gods great mercy toward him: for the which he promised to be thankful all the days of his life. These things after he had convalesced he put in write, and makes the argument of this song. The parts of the song are three: The 1. is a recognoscing of his thoughts and words, in time of his sickness: from the 1. verse to the 6. The 2. is the consolation wherewith he comforted himself, from the 6. verse to the 11. The 3. is the conclusion of the song verse 11. As to the 1. part he sayeth his thoughts and words were these. 1. he thought and said he would die of this disease. verse 1. Next he thought and said he would have no more time place or occasion to serve GOD among men living upon the earth, verse 2. Thirdly he repeats his thoughts of death, in similitude taken from shepherds, and weavers: verse 3 4. Fourthly by the similitude of Crane, swallows, doves: he expresseth his pain & prayer, verse 5. As for the 2. part, to wit, his conclusion: the grounds thereof are these. 1. that GOD declared to him his will by the Prophet that he should die: and it was GOD'S hand upon him. 2. his resolution to pass the rest of his time in humility and repentance verse 6. Thirdly, he comforts himself with God's promise, verse 7. Fourthly, he comforteth himself with God's mercy, set down with the motive thereof, that God may be honoured by his servants living upon earth, verse 8.9.10. The conclusion is, that he will praise God while he liveth, verse 11. Annotations upon this Song. Verse 1. I said: through impatience I thought with myself. I shall go: a description of death. Rest of my years: which by the course of nature I might have looked for. Verse 2. I shall not see: I shall be deprived of God's visible presence in his Church. I AH, I AH: This doubling showeth his great love to God, and his worship. Verse 3. My habitation: he compareth the life of man to a tent and web. Verse 4. I resolved: That is, I laid my count. A Lion: the like job, David, Christ felt. Verse 5. Chattered: being weak in body & wounded in Spirit I could not utter many words in prayer. Verse 6. What shall I say: to wit, to my Maker: see the like, chap. 39.8. job, 1.21. Heli, 1. Sam. 3.18, David, Psal. 39 9 murmuring the contrary condemned. Verse 7. These: he meaneth God's word and works. Verse 8. For the grave: so David Psal. 6. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. HEZECHIAH left behind him this song as a monument of God's mercy towards him: so did David many Psalms: and God honoured both with place in holy Scripture: which shall not be forgot or lost, so long as the world shall last: I will honour those that honour me, saith the LORD 1. Sam. 2.30. Obs. 2. verse. 1.2.3.4. He complains not for fear of death; as loving this life so well, that he had no knowledge, faith, or hope, of a better life after this: but hereby he shows what pains he had in his body, what agony in his sauce: being sensible of his sins and of God's anger: yet there betwo things that make men willing to die: some earthly thing whereunto their heart is teathered: or want of knowledge of the joys of Heaven. Obs. 3. vers. 5. He could utter few words in prayer, for grief and pain: yet God saw his tears, heard his pitiful sighs and groans: This should teach us in greatest troubles, yea in the midst of the shadow of death to hold fast our confidence in God. Ps. 23.4. Heb. 10.35. Obs. 4. vers. 6. The grounds that Hezeckiah laid for his comfort, we should use to the like end: see the analysis. Obs. 5. The LORD wounds and heals again; kills & gives life: therefore we should always fear, serve, and trust in him. 1. Sam. 2.6. Obs. 6. The chief end of man's life is to know God and serve him: therefore this should be the principal cause of our desire to live. Obs. 7. Death is a web of our own spinning: because by sin we brought it on us; yet God is said to cut out the web of our life: because he gins it, promoves it, ends it when he pleases. This may be the morality of the Poet's fable of the three weirdsisters. Obs. 8. When God forgiveth a man his sin he takes away the punishment also, as Hezechiah testifieth by his experience: and this refuteth the doctrine of Romanists: of remission of sin: and reservation of punishment where upon they build purgatory. Obs. 9.7.8 9.10.11. verse. When God hath afflicted us and delivered us again, we should be humble, thankful, penitent, praying for perseverence lest we fall again with Hezechiah. Es. 3.9. This song paraphrased in English meeter to the tune of the 102. Psalm. Verse. 1. WHen that I thought my days were cut, I said, unto the grave I'm put, My years are spent no more remain. 2. GOD in this life to see again, No longer men I say behold, Hear upon earth although I would. 3. My tabernacle now is rend, I flit as shepherds do from tent. My web like weaver I cut out, My like I mean: for thou but doubt, Will me cut off O LORD with noy, And me from day to night destroy, No rest I get into the night. 4. And in the morning by his might, Like to a lion he me breaks, Both day and night so sore he shakes. 5. As Crane or Swallow, or like Dove, I murne, I sigh, I chatter now: I lift my eyes, I say this best, LORD I am weak, give thou me rest. 6. I hold my peace because that he, Both said and did all this to me: With sorrow humble will I go, Spending my life hereafter so. 7. Upon thy promise we depend, And on thy mercy without end: These are the life of this my spirit, To make me heal thou thinks it meet. 8. In place of peace I had great pain, Thou loved my soul brought it again From pit: for all my sins past, Behind thy back now thou hast cast. 9 Man gone to grave, cannot confess, Nor praise thy name, there more or less, Nor can they trust more in thy truth: 10 But such on earth, whom thou hast ruth; As I this day now living do, Thy truth their seed will tell unto. 11. The LORD was ready me to save, The song of the blessed Virgin Marie. Luk. chap. 1. MY soul magnifieth the LORD. And my spirit leaps for joy: in GOD my Saviour. Because he hath looked unto the humility of his handmaid: for behold from this time, all nations shall call me blessed. For he who is mighty hath done unto me great things: and holy is his Name. And his mercy to generations of generations, to them that fear him. He hath done a powerful work: with his arm he hath scattered the proud with the discourse of their heart. He hath pulled the mighty out of thrones: and hath exalted the humble. He filled the hungry with good things, and hath sent the rich away empty. He hath taken up Israel his child to remember his mercy. As he spoke to our father's Abraham and his seed for ever. 1. I Am so ravished with admiration of the mercy, goodness, and power of GOD toward me: that all the powers of my soul concur with my tongue to praise him. 2. And this is the cause of the exceeding great joy of my spirit: even to think upon GOD my Saviour. 3. Who hath looked upon me his handmaid of low degree: and hath honoured me so: that now in all tims to come all people shall proclaim me a blessed woman, the mother of that blessed seed. 4 For the strong and holy GOD hath done great and wonderful things by me. 5. And he is not only good to me, but also to all that love him and serve him in all ages. 6. By his mighty power he hath wrought a great work he hath dissipat the proud, and all their devyces. 7. God resisteth the proud: and giveth grace to the humble: exalting them which will be seen shortly upon my Son & me: and Herod. 8. Such as were poor and in hard estate: as my husband and I, he hath made abundantly content: And upon rich men as Herod he is bringing great misery and male-contentment. 9 With his own hand he hath lifted up Israel his servant: and exalted him: who before was despised, remembering his covenant of grace, made with Abraham Isaac and jacob our fathers. 10 Even that everlasting covenant concerning the seed of Abraham. The argument and analysis of this song. MARRY having hearkened to the message of the Angel Gabriel: hasted to Hebron a town of the tribe of judah, pertaining to the Levits, situate among the mountains: where Zachariah & Elisabeth her cousin dwelled: to show her this mervelous work of God with her, that she a virgin not knowing man had conceived by the holy Ghost: that child who should be the Messiah promised to the fathers: Now so soon as Mary came to Elisabeth, and saluted her: At the voice of Mary's salutation: john the Baptist who was to be the forerunner of CHRIST, leapt within the womb of Elisabeth: And Elisabeth being filled with the holy Ghost, told Marie the tidings, she came to tell her: before Marie uttered a word more than the salutation: and she proclaimed Marie to be a blessed woman, the mother of her LORD, & the fruit of her womb blessed; and show her that so soon as she heard the voice of her salutation: her own child leapt for joy within her belly. Even john (sayeth Augustine) moving, saluteth Christ, whom as yet he could, not salute with words. And Elisabeth assured Marie, that that should come to pass, which was told her from the Lord by his Angel: Then Marie moved by the holy Spirit uttered the words of this song containing the praise of GOD: for his great mercy and goodness towards her: and towards all his servants in all ages: and for his wise, just, powerful providence, for his Church and against the enemies thereof: according to his covenant with Abraham and his seed for ever. The parts of the song are 2. the 1. containeth a proposition of her praising of GOD and rejoicing in him. verse 1.2. The 2. containeth reasons of the proposition: which are 7. in number. The 1. is taken from GOD'S goodness towards her and the consequent thereof, that hence forth all ages shall call her blessed, verse 3. The 2 is taken from GOD'S wonderful power, in working with her, and his holiness. verse 4. The 3. is taken from the continuing of God's mercy to his servants & their posterity. verse 5. The 4. is taken from God's power over the enemies of his Church. verse 6. The 5. is taken from GOD'S power and justice over wicked men be they never so mighty: and his power, goodness, & grace to such as in humility serve him. verse 7. The 6. is taken from God's compassion upon poor ones: & his despising of the rich, who trust in their riches. The 7. is taken from God's goodness to his people Israel and the efficient cause thereof, to wit, his covenant with their fathers. verse 9.10. Annotations upon this Song. Verse 1. MAgnifieth: that is, enlarges itself to think of his greatness and goodness: for no creature can comprehend GOD fully, fare less add to his perfection. Verse 2. In: or for: and this showeth the efficient cause and very object of her joy. My Saviour: The Syriak interpretation is, quickening me. Verse 3. Looked: that is, favourably accepted: Gen. 4. chap. v. 4.5. Humility: The word imports a low and despised estate: & not the merit of virtue in her: as they allege who maintain that divine worship is due to Marie in a hy degree: But Theophylactus exponing these words sayeth better: I shall be called blessed not for my virtue but because GOD hath done great things for me. Verse. 5. To generations: according to the promise Exod. 20.6. Psal. 103.17. Fear him: fear in holy Scripture oft signifieth all duty we own to GOD: and is to be understood of the filial not servile fear. Rom. 5.15. Verse 6. A powerful thing: the Syriak interprets this, victory. Scattered: as the whirl wind doth chaff. Psal. 1. Verse 8. Hungry: she alluds to the words of Channa in her song. Taken up: with his hand to deliver: which the Greek word properly signifieth, as Galen witnesses, and so is to be exponed Heb. 3.16. and the consideration hereof giveth another meaning to that Scripture, then commonly interpreters do. Child: Syriak his servant, as Esay. 41, 8.9. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. THis the first song in the new Testament sung by the blessed Virgin Marie: as the first song in the old Testament was sung by Marie Moses sister, both about one time of the year, both by women, both by Mary's: and in many things the purposes of both agrees. Obs. 2. verse. I. 2. The spirit of GOD in lighteneth the eyes of the minds of his servants to see clearly his benefits, and their greatness: he fills their hearts with spiritual joy: & opens their mouth to praise: while as the wicked are like to swine who eat fruit falling from the tree: but never look where from it came. Obs. 3. vers. 3. God is said in holy Scripture to respect or look upon men or women when he shows any token of his favour to them: and by the contrary not to respect or look upon them, when he is angry: & the similitude is borrowed from parents or masters to their children or servants. Obs. 4 Marry here & in the verses following seems to allude to the 98. Psalm, teaching us to be well acquaint with holy Scripture, that we may make use thereof in due time. Obs. 5. vers. 4. 5. God's promises to the godly, import everlasting good things: And therefore the per formance of his promise by temporal benefits, should be to us pledges of his eternal love. Obs. 6. Compare the verses following with Psal. 1. Psal. 63. Esay 29. Obs. 7. GOD takes the wicked in their own crafts, making evil counsel worse to the giver. Obs. 8. When God will put forth his hand to help, he comforts his Church, confounds his enemies Es. 41.10 Obs. 9 verse 6. 7. 8. 9 10. God is faithful and fails not his servants. Ios. 1.5. Heb. 13.6. This song paraphrased in English meeter to the tune of the 19 Psalm. Verse. 1. MY soul the Lord doth magnify, 2. and spirit in him rejoice: He is my GOD and Saviour, To him I sing with noise. 3. For he the poor estate of me, his handmaid did respect: And now from hence no people shall, to call me blessed neglect. 4. The mighty LORD to me hath done, things marvellous and great. 5. His Name is holy and his grace, sits in eternal seat. To such as fear his holy Name, and worship him in truth: 6. A mighty work his arm hath wrought, the Proud destroyed but ruth. 7. The mighty men out of their thrones, he pulled hath with strength: And such as were of low degree, exalted at the length. 8. With good things he the hungry fils, the rich sends poor away. 9, His servant Israel hath he ta'en, for to protect always. For why, he hath remembered, his covenant of grace. 10. Which with our fathers he did make. and seed to come in place: Of Abraham I chiefly mean, and his posterity, That they should find to them and theirs, The Song of ZACHARIE. Luke. 1. Text. BLessed be the LORD the God of Israel: because he hath visited and made redemption to his people. And hath raised up the horn of salvation to us in the house of David his child. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets: which have been since the world began. Salvation from our enemies & from the hand of all that hate us. To make mercy with our fathers, and to remember his holy testament. The oath which he swore to Abraham our father. To give unto us delivered from the hand of our enemies, to serve him without fear. In holiness and righteousness before him; all the days of our life. And thou, babe; shall be called the Prophet of the most High, for thou shall go before: before the face of the LORD to prepare his ways. To give the knowledge of salvation to his people, in the remission of their sins By the bowels of mercy of our GOD, by the which he hath visited us who comes from above. To shine to them that sit in darkness & in the shadow of death, to direct our feet in the way of peace. Paraphrase. 1. Let God be praised and preached most worthy of praise: because that now he hath declared, that he was mindful of his people, in sending his Son to visit and redeem them 2. And now while as the strength of Israel seemed to be gone, and the promise made to David to have failed: he hath raised up his CHRIST: who by his strength shall overthrow our enemies: and establish the kingdom in the house of David. 3. According to his promises by his servants: continued in all ages since the beginning. 4. Who prophesied that we should be delivered from our enemies and from the power of all who hate us. 5. And to perform his mercy promised. to our fathers: and show he did remember his covenant made, sealed to Abraham. 6. By oath, vision, and circumcision. 7. That we being delivered from the power of our enemies, might serve him willingly & boldly. 8. In holiness and true righteousness in his sight continually (who searches the hearts and raines) so long as we live. 9 But now thou my young son: though thou seem little worth: yet thou shall be a great one: even furriour of the great King: and his forerunner to prepare his people's hearts to receive him. 10. Opening to them the way of salvation, in repentance and faith in the blood of Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 12. Which is the greatest mercy given us by GOD: manifesting his Son in the flesh: who cometh from Heaven. 13. Who also shall be a light to the Gentiles, who now sit in darkness and deadly ignorance: & lead both us and them to true happiness. The argument and analysis of this song. ZACHARIE the father of john the Baptist, a priest of the order of Abiah: when he was doing his office according to the order of his course, in the temple of the LORD. Gabriel the Angel appeared unto him and told him that his wife Elisabeth should bear him a son: & commanded him to call his name john: Also he show him that he should be that Elias of whom Malachi prophesied chap 4. v. 5. Which message Zacharie doubted of: considering that both he and Elisabeth were old: and she had been all her days till then barren. Therefore he was stricken with dumbness until the day john was borne: so that upon the eight day after, when they were about the circumcision of the child, they speared at him how the child should be called: & he ask writing tables, because he could not speak, wrote, his name shall be JOHN: and immediately his tongue was loosed: and he opened his mouth, and praised GOD. And being filled with the Spirit of GOD he spoke the words of this song: The sum of it is: he praised GOD for performing of his promise concerning Messiah: made to their father Abraham and to David, and foretold by the holy Prophets since the world began: and in the end he prophesieth that his son john should be the forerunner and furriour of CHRIST. The parts of the song are three; The 1. containeth the praise of GOD or an exhortation to praise him ver. 1. at the beginning: The 2. part contains the reasons of the exhortation: from the 1. to the 9 And they are in number 3. The 1. is the visitation of his people. The 2. is the redemption of them: verse 1. The 3. reason is the raising up of the horn of salvation in the house of David. verse 2. All these 3. reasons are illustrate, by comparing the promises of God and prophecies with these things, the event and accomplishment of them verse 3.4.5.6.7.8. The 3. part of the song, contains a prophecy concerning his son john: that he should be called a Prophet, be the furriour and sorerunner of CHRIST. verse 9 Next the ministry and doctriné of john, viz. to point out Messiah: prepare the people to receive him: teach the doctrine of repentance & faith, for receiving by the mercy of GOD remission of sin's verse 10.11. Thirdly he sets down the final cause of CHRIST'S first coming, to wit, to give light, comfort, life eternal to all those that should believe in him verse 12.13. Annotations upon this song. Verse 1. BLessed: The verb, be, is to be understood Visited: This word in holy Scripture signifieth, whiles to punish, Exod. 20. while to do good, as here, where it imports the personal presence of GOD in his Son JESUS CHRIST coming in the flesh, to see the estate of GOD'S Church on earth: and to redeem them. See Exod. 3.8. Redemption: This word is diversely taken. 1. for delivering by force and power out of the hand of the enemy, as GOD redeemed his people out of Egypt. 2. For going free with the enemies good will: as the redemption from the Babylonian Captivity. 3. For ransoming, that is, paying the just price, as here and else where. Verse 2 The Horn: That is, the strength, a metaphor from horned beasts. Verse 7. Without fear: That is, with confidence: Eph. 3.12. for fear here doth not signify religious reverence, but grief for evil to come. Verse. 10. In the remission: or by the remission of sins, which is the manner by the which GOD saves us. Rom. 4.7. Verse 11. Who cometh from above: The Greek word properly signifieth the sun rising: And Messiah is so called in Hebrew. jer. 23.5. Zach. 3.8. Peace: In the old Testament often signifieth prosperity, and in the New: but here it imports happiness everlasting: In this way CHRIST by his word leads us: for he is the way, the verity and life. Observations of grounds for use and doctrine. Obs. 1 ALbeit these words of Zacharie be called a prophecy: yet the learned calleth this the second song in the New Testament: There is indeed a prophecy in the four last verses: but the former containerh the praise of GOD. Obs. 2. verse 1. It hath always been the practice of the godly after sight or sense of God's benefits temporal or spiritual, to praise GOD: so should we. Obs. 3. GOD maketh his promises to his Church good, when there is least appearance: hence the proverb: when man is weakest GOD is strongest. Obs. 4. verse 2. The raising up of the horn of salvation in the house of David, is the continuing of David's kingdom, to be an everlasting kingdom in the person of CHRIST. Obs' 5. The comparison of prophecies with their event argue the Scripture to be the word of GOD. Obs. 6 verse 3. All the Patriarches and Prophets believed and looked for the coming of Christ. 1. Pet. 1. Obs. 7. verse 4 5.6. The Covenant of grace is: that God would forgive us our sins: save us from enemies, chiefly spiritual, sin, Satan, death, put us in the estate of grace, and bring us to glory: which benefits Christ meriteth to us by his death. Obs. 8. verse 8. The end of our redemption is, that we serve God & Christ his Son in true holiness & righteousness before him: beware of hypocrisy, Ps. 50. Obs. 9 john new borne is installed in his office by the holy Ghost. Obs. 10. verse 10. The only way to salvation by remission of sins through the merit of the blood of Christ, was showed in the bloody sacrifices from the beginning, types hereof. Obs. 11. God's mercy is over all his works. Psal. 145.9. but the bowels of his mercy, that is, his superaboundant love towards his chosen in redeeming of them by Christ his Son. Obs. 12. verse 11. CHRIST is compared to the morning star, the sun, the light, an orient from above: all which have good use to comfort us. This song paraphrased in English meeter to the tune of the 18. Psalm. 1. THE LORD, the GOD of Israel, be blessed and praised always: For he with great redemption, hath visit us this day. 2. The horn now of salvation, to us is raised high, Unto the house of David, his beloved: as we see. 3. As did foretell our fathers all, who prophets were by name: Since that the world did first begin, by them he spoke the same. 4. That we should be delivered, out of our enemy's hand: From every one that did us hate, or that should us withstand: 5. According to the Covenant, once with our fathers made Of mercy, now remembered, though they long since be dead. 6. The oath which unto Abraham, our father he did swear: 7, To give to us deliverance, to serve him without fear. 8. In righteousness and holiness, sincere before his face: So long as life should in us dure, and that from race to race. 9 And thou my little babe shall be, prophet of the most High, And so be called, because that thou, the LORD himself shall see. And thou before him first shall go, his way for to prepare: 10. Instructing to salvation, his people less and maire. 11. That unto them remission, of all their sins is given. 12. By GOD'S most tender mercy now, set forth before our eyen: For now the Sun of righteousness, hath shined from above. 13. To them that sit in darkness, and in shadow of the grave. Our paths for to direct into, the way that leads to peace: And everlasting glory next, The Song of the Angels at the birth of CHRIST. Luk. 2. Text. GLORY to GOD in the most High: and in the earth peace: to men good will. Paraphrase. GLORY is giving to GOD in the most hy Heavens: peace is now upon earth: and good news to men. The argument and analysis of this song. ONE Angel maketh manifest the birth of Christ, to shepherd's watching their flocks in the night: & there appeared to them with the Angel a multitude of heavenly soldiers, that is to say: other Angels: congratulating, the nativity of Christ, and singing this song: The parts of it are 3. The 1. concerneth God, that the Angels in HEAVEN were praising him for manifesting his Son in the flesh. The 2. concerneth mankind upon earth to whom peace is wished. The 3. maketh mention of a greater benefit to them, even GOD'S loving kindness. Annotations upon this song. GOod will: The Syriak exponeth a good message: Peace: For so it was then through all the world: Men: The Syriak exponeth the sons of man. Observations for use and doctrine. IT is customable to earthly Princes to congratulate by their Ambassadors one another, when children are procreated to them: but the like of this was never heard before nor shall be hereafter: That the eternal, infinite, everlasting GOD, should send from Heaven a multitude of Angels, his Ambassadors to congratulate the birth of a bairne: teaching us in what estimation GOD hath his son new manifested in the flesh: how willing he sent him in the world to redeem us. Obs. 2. Outward peace is little worth where peace of conscience is away, therefore to peace is well joined Gods good will: the sense whereof giveth peace inward. This song paraphrased in English meeter to the tune of the 117. Psalm. IN highest Heaven to GOD is glore, Let men on earth yet praise him more: For he to us his peace hath send, In praising him our life to spend: To men hath showed his great good will, To laud his name should we be still? The song of Simeon, Luke. 2. Text. NOW LORD thou lettest go thy servant in peace, according to thy word, For my eyes have seen thy salvation. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Paraphrase 1. LORD thou said I should not departed from this life until I had seen Messiah: now I have seen him: and am ready to die with peace and joy. 2. Even with the eyes of body, I have seen him, who shall save us. 3. Even Christ jesus upon whom both jews & Gentiles should look: and believe in him their saviour. 4. That light that was promised to be revealed to the Gentiles: and the glory of the jews, being flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bones. The argument and analysis of this song. SIMEON a just and godly man, living in the days when JESUS CHRIST was borne: had a revelation from the holy Ghost, that he should not see death before, with his bodily eyes he had seen the LORDS CHRIST, And when joseph and Mary brought jesus to jerusalem, to present him to the LORD, and offer according to the law of purification of women. Simeon being moved by the Spirit of GOD; came to the Temple and took the babe JESUS in his arms: and blessed GOD, and uttered the words of this song: showing therewithal what child this was, and what he should be. The parts of the song are 2. The 1. in substance a thanksgiving: in form an affirmative proposition: containing beside the subject and attribute: the circumstance of time in the word, now: and of manner in the words, according to thy word: verse 1. The 2 part is a reason of the thanksgiving or proposition: because he had seen with his bodily eyes the Messiah, whom he describs, calling him the Gentiles light, Israel's glory. Annotations upon this song. Vers. 1. LEttest go: The Greek word is a metaphor from ships lousing from one place to another port, the Syriak hath: Now let me go. In peace: That is, happily, with inward peace & joy Verse 2. My eyes: that is, the eyes of my body; for otherways Abraham long before Simeon saw Christ with the eye of saith john 8. & is that sight which the Prophets desired to see, beside the sight of faith. 1. Pet 1 My salvation: That is, JESUS the Saviour, thy Son: The Syriak hath, thy gracious. Verse 3. Before the face: as a work to look unto, and a light to follow. Glory: because, come of them according to the flesh. Observations for use and doctrine. Obs. 1. SImeon Swan-lyke for white hairs, sang this sweet song before his death: As Moses did another. Deut. 32. Obs. 2. The days were very evil wherein Simeon lived, which did appearantly make him weary of his life: So Elias, jeremiah, and other holy men have been tempted with this tentation. Obs. 3. The metaphor from Mariners having a cable cast fast where they mind not to stay, and casting it louse when they will go home: teacheth us that the life of the godly is a voyage through many storms: their death a go●●● home to their. Heaven their port, their rest. Obs. 4. The hour of our death is appointed by God: therefore we should neither too much love life not hasten or fear to die. Obs. 5. vers. 1. The end of the godly is peace Ps. 37. Es. 57 but no peace to the wicked, ibid. Obs. 6. vers. 3. Christ is set forth by the preaching of the Gospel before all people: yet some look upon him and offend: others look upon him and believe. 1. Cor. 1.13. 1. Pet. 2.8, 7. This song in meeter: to the tune of the 25. Ps. 1. NOW lettest thou, O LORD, thy servant part in peace: According to thy promise made, to me of thy good grace: 2. For why? my eyes have seen, my LORD and Saviour. 3. Whom thou hast set before our face, to look on every hour: And als before the face, of other people all: 4. For here's the light revealed now, to Gentiles whom we call, In whom Isra'l may glore, as being Abraham's seed. And sent to them now in due time, in time of their great need. FINIS.