Exposition of the Whole Bible

“To the chief mificlan} ‘A pfalm or fong of David.

HE Targum makes the argument of this pfalm_to be the coming of the children of Sfrael out of Egypt, and the giving of the law on mount Sinai; in which it is followed by many of the Jewith interpreters: but dben Ezra rejects fuch an interpretation of it, and thinks that David compofed it, concerning the war he had with the un- Circumcifed, nations, the Philiftines and others, 2 Sam. viii. 1, &c. And fo the title of the Syriac verfion begins, ‘¢ A, pfalm of, David, when the «* kings prepared themfelves, to fight againft him:” and Kimchi fays, it was compofed on account of Sennacherib’s army coming, againit Feru/alem, in the times of Hezekiah, and fo delivered by David, under a fpirit of prophecy concerning that affair; tho’ he owns, that fome of their writers interpret it of the war of Gog and Magog, in the times of the Meffiah they yet expect. But they are much hearer the truth, who take it that it was written on occafion of the ark being brought to the city of David; fecing it begins with much the fame words that Mo/es wied when the ark fet forward in his ‘times, Num. x. 35. and the bringing of which was attended with great joy and gladnefs, 2 Sam. vi. 14, 15. fuch as the righteous are called upon to exprefs in this pfalm, y. 3, 4. And this being a type of Chrift, and of his afcending the holy hill of God, may be allowed of; for certain it is, that this pfalm treats of the coming of Chrift, and of bleffings by him, and of victory over his enemies; and particularly of his afcenfion to heaven, as moft evidently appears from’ Ephe/. iv. 8, 9. and from prophecies in it, concerning the calling of the Gentiles. Wherefore the latter part of the Syriac_infcription of it is very pertinent; ‘¢ alfo a prophe- «< cy concerning the difpenfation of the Meffiah, « and concerning the calling of the Gentiles to «© the faith.” ‘archi interprets ¥. 31. of the Meffiah. ~. ite * ¥.1. Let God arife, &c.] Which, as Kimchi obferves, is either by way of prayer, or by way of prophecy; and in either way the fenfe is the fame: for if it is confidered as a prayer, it is a prayer of faith, that fo it would be; or if as a prophecy, it is certain that fo it fhould be. And this is to, be “ underftood of the {ame divine perfon, whofe chariots the angels are; who is faid to be the Adonai, or Lord in the midft of thems and of whonrit is prophefied, that he fhould afcend to heaven, y¥, 17, 18. even the Meffiah, who is God over all, And this arifing, attributed to him, may be interpreted either of his incarnation, his exhibition and manifeftation in the flefh; which is fometimes called in {cripture, a raifing of him up, as in is iii. 26, and xiii. 23. or of his refurrection from the dead, as it is interpreted by many of the ancients 3, which, as it was a certain thing, and previous to his afcenfion hereafter fpoken of, fo. it was a.proof of his deity; for tho’ it was only the man that rofe, who died and was buried, yet as in union with the divine perfon of the Son of God,, and who rofe by virtue of that union; and thereby he was declared to be the Son of God with power. Or. elfe, rather this is to be underftood of his arifing and exerting his power as a man of war, as a mighty and victorious hero, on the behalf of his people, and againft his enemies; as he did, when he arofe and met Satan, the prince of the world, and engaged with all the powers of darknefs; fee P/a/. xlv. 3, 4. Fobn xiv, 30, 31. and this fenfe is confirmed by what follows: Let bis enemies be feattered; let them

(alfo that hate him fice before bim: the fenfe of thefe two claufes is the fame; his enemies, and thofe that hate him, are the fame perfons; and to be fcat- /tered and flee, exprefs the fame things; for enemies being difcomfited, flee and fcatter. Some in-

| terpret this of the watch fet to guard our Lord’s fepulchre; who, upon his rifing from the dead, were

‘filled with great fear and dread, and fcattered, and fled to the priefts, to acquaint them with what was done: others, of the Jewifh nation in general,

| who were enemies to Chrift, and hated him, and would not have him to reign over them; againft whom he rofe up and exerted his great ftrength; came in his kingdom and power againft them; poured out his wrath upon them to the uttermoft; — which iffued in the utter deftruétion of them, as a body politic; and in the intire difperfion of them in all countries, which remains unto this day, Or rather, the whole is to be applied to Satan, and to his principalities and powers; the profeffed enemies of Chrift, perfonal and myftical; who, when he arofe and exerted his mighty power in his conflict with them, in the garden and on the crofs, were fpoiled and diffipated, and obliged to fly before him; and who at the fame time overcame the world, made-an end of fin, abolifhed death, as well as d rt “oyed. Lore 2b gel coh cotoeete Pou _ ih a Ae GY ei “$119. Us finoke is driven away, fo drive them away, 8¢.]° This both defcribes the character of wicked men, Chiift’s enemies; as their darknefs and ignorance, their will-worfhip and fuperftition, and their deteftablenefs to God, Rev. ix, 2. J/a, Ixy. 5) and the manner of theirdeftruétion, which is as eafily bronght about, as fmoke is driven by the wind, and is as irretrievable, like fmoke that vanifheth ihto air °;' fee P/al. xxxvii. 20. J a. li, 6.

As wax melteth before the fire, whereby its confittency, form and ftrength, are loft.” Refpect may be had both in this and the foregoing metaphor, to the fire of divine wrath, and the {moke of eternal torments; fince it follows: So let the wicked perife at the prefence of God, the appearance of Chrift, either in his awful difpenfation againft the fhall not be able to ftand before his face, but fhall call to the rocks and: mountains to hide them from him; and when they fhall be bid to depart from him, and fhall be punifhed with e- vetlafting deftruétion in foul and body, from | the -prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power. Ts

¥.'3. But let the righteous be glad, &c.J~ At the incarnation of Chrift, which is matter of joy to all people that believe in him; as did Zacharias and Elifabeth, who were both righteous, and alfo Simeon; and at his refurrection from the dead, fince it is for their juftification, by which they ‘are denominated righteous; as did the difciples of Chrift, and’ as do faints in all ages; who know the power of his refurrection, and the influence it has on the regeneration of their fouls, the juftification of their perfons ‘now, and the refurrection of their bodies heteaftet; and at the deftruéction of the enemies of Chrift and theirs. Let them rejoice before God; in the prefence of him enjoying communion with him; having views of intereft in him; as they do when this is the cafe, and as they will when they fhall appear before him, and ftand at his right hand at the latt day, clothed with his righteoufnefs, and having palms in their hands, Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice; as they have juft reafon to do, in his perfon, grace, righteoufnefs and falvation. All thefe exprelfions denote the greatnefs, frequency, fervency, fulnefs and. continuance of their joy. They may be rendered in the future, ut the righteous fall be glad’, Bcc. fo the Targum.

y¥. 4. Sing unto God, &c.| Manifett in the flefh, rifen from the dead, afcended on high, fet down at the right hand of his divine Father; having exerted his great ftrength in their redemption; a therefore fhould fing the fong of redeeming love, with grace and melody in their hearts, unto him. Sing praifés to bis name; to the honour of his name Jefus, a Saviour, becaufe of the great work of falvation wrought out by him; give him all the praife and glory of it, which is due unto his name. Extol him that rideth upon the heavens; having afcended above them, and being higher than they, and fo is exalted above all bleffing and praife; and ffes ‘his power and greatnefs for the help of his people; fee Deut. xxxiii, 26. Some choofe to render the words, prepare the way %, as ‘ohn the Baptift is faid to'do, before him, J/a. xl. 3. for bim that rideth through the deferts, or fields'; as he did him which had the ‘power of its fee through the fields of Judea on an als) and thro? the ‘nations of the world, in the miniftty of 1 word, carried thither by his er places, comparable’ to’ deferts for their barrenne

Lord: or rather, that videth in the weft; it bein, and unfruitfulhefs, became like the garden of ns at the weft end of the tabernacle and temple, wher the Cherubim were, on which Febevab rode, they being his chariot. By bis name Janu, or Febovab; which being a name incommunicable to creatures and ‘given to Chrift; fhews him to be’ the moft.

High; a felf-exiftent being, the immutable and everlafting I am; which is, and was,’and is to come; from whom all creatures ‘récéive their being, and are continued in it; and. who is alfe Febovab our righteoufhefs; and by; in, and ‘becaufe of this name, is he to be extolled and magnified. And rejoice before him; fee the note on Jews, or in the laft judgment; when the wicked ¥..3. £

¥. 5. A father of the fatherlefs, &c.] Ina literal fenfe,. fo as,to fhewmercy to them, take care of them, and protect them;, and this is a chara¢ter which the great God often nome partly to ex- - u prefs his power and providence over fuch, and partly to fignify his tendernefs, mercy, and goodnefs to them; and in which he fhould be imitated by civil magiftrates, and by all good men: for it was not only a law in J/rael, to fhew regard to fuch, and take care not to afflict them; but ‘it is alfo a branch of pure, undefiled Chriftian religion, Fames i. 27. in attending to which we refemble the great author of it, who. is here intended. "Moreover, this may bé underftood'in a fpiritual fenfe of fuch, who are deferted by their friends, or are called’ to leave father and mother for the fake of Chrift and.

his gofpel; and who are like fatherlefs ones, in a helplefs condition in themfelves, and are fenfibl of it; and will not truft in the creature, nor in any works of their own, but apply to Chrift, where they have help and falvation, in whom the fatherlefs find mercy, Hofee xiv. 3. and who afterwards, when they are without the prefence of Chrift, and fenfible communion with him, are like orphans or fatherlefs children; but Chrift, who is the father of fuch, will not leavé them fo, will have pity on them, fhew favour to them, provide every thing needful for them, and ‘will come and vifit them, as in Fobn xiv. 18. where the word orphans or father-.

lefs is ufed of Chrift’s difciples. And a judge of the widows; of fuch who are widows indeed in a literal’ fenfe, and efpecially that are believers, his and of fach who are fo in a fpiritual fenfe; even of the whole church of Chrift, who may, even now, be faid to be in a widowhood-eftate, as well as under the former difpenfation; fince Chrift, her bridegroom, is gone to heaven, and who yet, in the mean time, is her judge, protector and defender; dorned for her hufband, will come and take I ta himfelf, and ‘fhe fhall remember the ‘teproach of — and when fhe is made’ ready for him, as a bride a;

her widowhood no more, J/a. liv. 4, 5. Is God in bis baly habitation; in heaven, the habitation holinefs, where is Chrift the high and holy and has refpect to the poor and lowly, the lefs and the widow: or in his church, his ple, where he dwells and walks, and grants his gra cious prefence, and will do to the end of the w deubedihg to his promife; or in his holy nature, the temple and tabernacle, in which the God= head dwells. Ria Ae dat SI HUG

¥.6. God fetteth the folitary in families, &c.] Which the Jewifh writers ‘generally underftand of an increafe of families, with children in lawful marriage; fee P/al. cxiii. 9. an inftance of which we have in dérabam and Sarah; from which fingle or folitary ones, when joined in marriage, {prung a numerous offspring, J/a. li.2. Heb. xi. 12. And to this fenfe the Zargam paraphrafes the words; “¢ God is he that joins, couples fingle ones into a “¢ couple, as one:” fome copies add, “ to build’an << houfe out of them;” that is, a family; fee Rath iv. 11... But-it may be better interpreted of the fruitfulnefs and increafe of the church with converts, under the gofpel-difpenfation, even from among the Gentiles; who were before folitary, or were alone, without God and Chrift, and ‘aliens from the commonwealth of J/rael; but: being called and converted by the miniftry of the word, were brought into and: placed in gofpel-churches, or families; fee J/a. liv. 1. Gal. iv. 26, 27. Epb. li, 12. 45 xiv. 23. and may be applied to particular perfons, who, before converfion, may. be faid to be folitary or alone; living without God, the knowledge and fear of him, and fellowfhip with him, being alienated from the life of him through ignorance; and without Chrift, and communion with him, he not dwelling in them, nor. they in him; and alfo fenfual, not having the Spirit, his graces and fruits; being deftitute of faith, hope and love: and moreover, aliens from the people of God, having no fociety with them, being in a ftate of folitude and darknefs, and under the power of fin and Satan;_ helplefs and de/olate, as the word here ufed is rendered, P/a/. xxv. 16. But in effectual calling, fuch are brought out of this difmal ftate, and being drawn with the cords of love by the Spirit, to the Father and the Son, and brought to a fpiritual acquaintance with them, they are /e in families, or placed in gofpel-churches; which, as families have a mafter over them, who is Chrift the Son and firft-born, of whom they are named; where are faints of various ages, fizes and ftanding: fome fathers, fome young men, and fome children; where are provifions fuitable for them, and ftewards to give them their portion of meat in due feafon, who are the minifters of the word; and laws and rules, by which they are directed and regulated, and every thing is kept in good decorum. He bringeth out thofe which are bound with chains; as Peter and others literally, Ac?s xil. 5—11. 2 Cor. xi. 23. or rather, it is to be underftood fpiritually, of fuch as are bound with the chains of their own fins, and are under the power of them, with the fetters of the Law, in which they are held, and who are led and kept captive by Satan; thofe Chrift the Son makes free, proclaims liberty to them, fays to fuch prifoners, Go forth; and, by the blood of his covenant, fends them forth, and direéts them, to himfelf, the ftrong-hold, as prifoners of hope; fee Jfa. \xi. 1. and xlix. 9. Zech. ix. 11, 12, The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin verfions render it, be bringeth forth the prifoners with fortitude 5 fo Apollinarius, with his great power and ftrength; and the Syriac verfion, with profperity: or ina pom- ‘pous manner, as the Targum. But the words may be better rendered, be dringeth forth the prifoners, either as Ain/worth, into fit (and commodious) places,. or rather, into the conveniencies or commodities;. that is, of life, fuch.as prifoners are deftitute of. But theerebéllious dwell in avdry land; meaning the Jews, to whom Chrift came, and whom they re-

| jected; reviled, hated, and’ would not have him to reigm over them, and were a gainfaying and difobedient: people; for which their land was fimitten with a curfe, and in the time of their wars became a dryland; when famine and) peftilence were every where, and: fuch tribulation as was never known, La. viii. 21,22. Matt, xxiv. 6, 7,21. Moreover, the nations of the world, among whom they ate difperfed, area dry land ‘to them; and even fuch places as are become fruitful thro’ the preaching of the gofpel, are no other to them, who: neither do hear it, nor will they.hear it; and they are like

| perfons in a dry and thirfty land, vainly expect- ng a Meffiah, who will never. come... This. may alfo be applied to all that: obey not the gofpel of Chrift, who will be punithed with everlafting deftruction ‘from his prefence, and fhall not have a drop of cold water allowed them to cool, their tongue. The allufion may be thought to be to the Jews, that murmured and rebelled againft God; and vexed his Spirit in the wildernefs, where. their carcafies fell; and fo dwelt ina dry land, and entered ‘not ‘into reft, or the land of Canaen.. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental verfions render it, iz graves; Apollinarius paraphrafes it, ** he bringeth the dead out of the graves

‘© to light.” ye A O God, when thou wenteft forth before thy people, &c.] In the pillar of cloud, and in the pillar of fire, as the Jargum adds; and this divine perfon was the Son of God, the Angel of his prefence, in whom his name was, even his name Fah or Fehovah before-mentioned. When thou didft march through the wildernefs. Selah. At the head of the J/raelites, leading, guiding and directing them; providing for them all things neceflary, and protecting them againft their enemies. And fo Chrift goes before his people, as they pafs through the wildernefs of this world; and does the like good offices for them, until he, as the great Captain of their falvation, brings them fafe to glory: for what is here faid is taken notice of as a refemblance of what he’now does,’ or has done, under the gofpeldifpenfation, to which this pfalm belongs;_ particularly of. his marching thro’ the wildernefs of the Gentile world, in the miniftry of the word by his apoftles, wherein he went forth conquering and to

¥. 8. The earth /kook, &c.] Not only about Sinai, but in other places; fee P/al. cxiv. 1, 4, 6, 7. Hab, iii. 6, 10. \ It may alfo defign the dread and trembling of the inhabitants of the earth, when they heard of the wonderful things God did for his people; Hxod.xv. 14,15, 16. The heavens alfo dropped at the prefence of God, the Targum fupplies, dew to which may be added, quails and manna: tho’ it rather feems to defign a large fhower of rain, which followed the lightning and thunder, when the Law was given. Even Sinai it/eif was moved at the prefence of God, the God of Lfrael: it is faid to quake greatly, Exod. xix.18. The words of this and the preceding verfe, feem to be borrowed out of the fong of Deborah, Judg. v. 4, 5, Like effects followed the’ promulgation of the Gofpel, even a fhaking of the heavens and of the earth, as an emblem of the removing of the ceremonial rites and Mofaic ordinances. Let it be obferved, that Chrift, who went before the Z/rae/ites in the wildernefs, and whom they tempted and rebelled againtft, is called the God of J/rael. nay; ‘y¥.9. Thou, O God, didf fend a plentiful rain, &c.] Not of water literally taken, as when the Traelites paffed thro’ the fea, P/al, Ixxvii. 1 bi - when when the thundrings and lightnings were on mount. Sinai, at thé giving of the Law, which:are commonly attended with rain, Exod. xix. '16.-orin the

Jand of Canaan, which was the land that drank in the water of the rain of heaven, Deut. xiv 1.:nor the rain of manna and of quails, as 4rama, Exod. xvig. Pfal. xxviii. 23; 27. but either the effufion of the holy Spirit, ordinary or extraordinary; that, on the day of Pentecoft, in confequence of Chrift’s afcenfion, prophefied of in this pfalm, was. a plentiful one indeed; when the difciples were filled with the holy Ghoft, and baptized with its »;yea, the ordinary meafure of the Spirit’s grace in. converfion, is abundant, and exceeding abundant 3. it, is:fhed abundantly through Chrift, and fuperabounds fin, and may be called, as the words here fignify, @ rain of liberalities*, or a free and liberal rain; for it comes from the free grace of God, and makes‘ thofé on whom it defcends.a willing people in their obedience. rit; and where he is, ‘there:is liberty, in the exercife of grace, and in'the difcharge ofiiduty.. Or elfe, the miniftration of the’ gofpel * is meant; which is compared to rain, Deut. xxxit. 2.. I/a.lv. 9, 10, 1i. | This efpecially, in the firft times.of the gofpel, was.a very large and plentiful. one;) it being fent all over the world, and brought forth fruit in every place: this was alfo a /iberal one, flowed from the free grace of God); the fubjeét of..it is free grace; and the tendency and effect of it are, to make men free from the bondage of the-Jaw, and the fpirit of bondage which that induces.. The Targum is, * thou haft let down the dews of quick- *¢ ning, and the rains of good pleafure;’’ grace, or free favour. Whereby thou didjt confirm thine inheritance when it was weary; that is, the church, as the Zargum explains it; the inheritance of Chrift, which he has chofen, the Father has given him, and he poffeffes: the people of God, »weary with the burdenfome rites and ceremonies of the law; with their own fins and corruptions, a burden too heavy for them to bear; with the fins of others, among whom they dwell; with the temptations of Satan, with which they are annoyed; with the perfecutions of the men of the world, which make them weary fometimes, and faint in their minds; and with the common afflictions of life, which often make them weary of life itfelf. Now, by the plentiful miniftration of the doctrines of the gofpel, accompanied with the Spirit and grace of God, the.

hearts of the Lord’s people are refrefhed, as the weary, dry and thirfty land, is with a.comfortable fhower of rain; and by it weary fouls have reft, or, at leaft are directed by it. to Chrift, where they find it: and as the earth is prepared *, as the word ufed fignifies, by rain, for the nourifhment of plants; fo is the church by the gofpel, whofe plants are an orchard of pomegranates, for the reviving and -fructifying of thofe who are planted in it; whereby they appear to be trees of righteoufnefs, and the planting of the Lord; and fo.are confirmed, fettled, and eftablifhed in the houfe of God, and in the truths of the gofpel... | ¥. 10. Thy congregation bath dwelt therein, &c.] That is, in the Lord’s inheritance, in the midft of “his church and people. The word for congregation, fignifies bea/ts or living creatures”: fome underftand them of the Gentiles, who, before the gof-

The Spirit of God isra free Spi- | pel.came among them, were comparable to fuch; pe under the once near being called and taken out by it, were put among the people of God, and dwele in his inheritance, Tho? without any limitation, it may be applied to all that are quickned. and made aliye by the grace of God; to all that are written among the living in Fee Gs 3 and particularly to the minifters of the gofpel, who are fignified by the four living creatures, in Ezekiel’s vifion and in Fobn’s Revelation; tho” not to the exclufion of any living believer, who has a name and a place here, and who are fellow-citizens with the faints, and of the houfhold of God. Thou, O God, bat prepared of thy goodnefs for the poor; bleflings of goodneis, fpiritual bleffings, bleffings of grace and of glory; which flow from divine goodnefs, are in themfelves good and in their effeéts; and thefe were prepared in the covenant of grace and in Chrift from all eternity; and that for perfons poor and mean, indigent and helplefs; and fo the goodnefs of God in preparing them, appears to be free and unmerited, ‘The Targum is, ** thou «< haft prepared an hoft of angels to do good to ‘© the poor of God.’ 4rama interprets it of the manna., 7 ¥.41. Zhe Lord gave the word, &c-] The word of the gofpel to his apoftles. He committed the word of reconciliation to them; he intrufted them with it, as a facred depofitum; he gave gifts unto them, qualifying them for the miniftration of it; he gave them a commiffion to preach it; and he gave them a door of utterance to fpeak it as it fhould be, and an opportunity to publifh it. The Targum wrongly interprets it of the word of the law. Great was the company of thofe that publifhed it; there were in our Lord’s time, twelve apoftles and feventy difciples, who were fent out to preach the gofpel; and many more in the times of the apoftles, and fince. The word for company, fignifies an army*: Chrift’s minifters are foldiers, and war a good warfare; they have weapons which are not carnal, but fpiritual and mighty through God, and they are made to fa oe in Chrift in every place. And.the word rendered, thofe that publifbed, is in the feminine gender; not as fugeefting that women would be preachers of the gofpel under the New-Teftament-difpenfation, for that is. forbidden, 1 Co. xiv. 34. but in allufion to the cuftom of women in J/rae/, publifhing the victories obtained by their armies Me generals; fee 1 Sam. xviii. 7. and it may be, it is ufed to denote the weaknefs of gofpel- minifters in themfelves, who have the treafure of the word put into their earthen veffels, that the power may appear to be of. God and not of man;. fo minifters are called maidens, Prov. ix. 3. and this fame word is ufed of them in Ja. xl. 9. And it may be obferved, that notwithftanding it is of the faid gender, yet it is by the Zargum interpreted of men, thus; * but Mo/es «< and Aaron evangelized the word of God to the “* great army of J/rae/.” And it may alfo be obferved, that this word MYwanM which fignifies a publifbing of good news, is derived from’ a root which fignifies fe/h; denoting, that the good of the gofpel, or of peace and pardon, Bape life and falvation, publifhed in it, are byan in

Saviour, or through his affumption of our f fuffering in it. Pes A gs the fame purpofe, the Tigurine verfion, Cocceius, Junius & Tremellius.

~ 12. Kings of armies did flee apace, &c.] Or, they fled, they fled’, or they flee, they flee. This is either the fubjeét-matter of the word pudblijhed, the words of the publifhers fo faying; or the effect of the publication of the gofpel: for though fome, by thefe kings of armies, underftand the apoftles, either fleeing from place to place becaule of perfecution, or running to and fro, as they interpret the words, to fpread the gofpel; yet they rather intend the enemies of the gofpel, and the chief of them that oppofed themfelves to it; namely, the Roman emperors and kings, and who fled before it; particularly at the time of the downfal of pagani{fm, when they fled to the mountains and hills, and called upon them to hide them from Chritft, Rev. vi. 15, 16. And fhe that tarried at home divided the fpoil; the church, compared to a woman that keeps at home, Titus ii. 5. who fhared in the fpoils taken out of the hands of Satan, and from among the Gentiles, even converted fouls, brought unto her. What is. promifed to Chrift, //a. lili. 12, is faid of the church; fhe being made more than a conqueror through him, and fharing in all his victories and fpoils. It denotes the certain and eafy fuccefs of the gofpel-miniftry, attended with a divine power, and the advantages thereof to the church of Chrift; this was particularly true of the church in the times of Con/tantiae.

¥. 13. Though ye have lien among the pots, 8c.)

Kimchi takes thefe words to be the words of the.

women, or of thé pfalmift addreffing the J/raeclites going out to war; that though they fhould lie in a low, dark and difagreeable place, in the camp, in the open field, expofed to wind and weather; yet they fhould be fair and beautiful, and be loaded with gold and filver, the fpoil of the enemy. But Fortunatus Scacchus * refers them much better, to the encampment of the J/raelites in their tents, and to the difpofition and order of their army going to battle: the body of the army in the middle, and the two wings, right and left, on each fide; whofe glittering armour of gold and brafs, the rays of the fun ftriking on them, are fitly refembled by the co- Jours on the wings and back of a dove. Another learned writer * thinks they are an addrefs to the wings of the dove; that is, to the dove itfelf, meaning the holy Spirit, expoftulating with him how Jong he would dwell within the limits and borders of the land of Canaan; which was not long after the afcenfion of Chrift, for foon was the gift of the holy Ghoft poured down upon the Gentiles. But rather they are an addrefs to the people of J - rael; intimating, that though they had been in adverfity, and their lives had been made bitter with hard bondage, in morter and in brick, and in all manner of fervice in the field; and had!ain among the brick-kilns and furnaces when in Egypt; and in the times of the Judges had fuffered much from their neighbours, by whom they were frequently carried captive; and had been in affliction in the times of Sau]; yet now in profperous circumftances in the times of David, who had conquered their enemies, and enlarged their dominions, and reftored peace; and efpecially would be more fo in the days of Solomon, when they enjoyed great plenty and profperity, and filver was made to be as the ftones of the ftreet. Tho’ it is beft of all to apply the words to the church and people of God in gofpel-times; and they may defcribe their ftate and condition by nature and by grace; in adverfity and in profperity: the former in this claufe, in which there is an allufion to fcullions, or fuch as'Jie among coppers and furnaces, and are black and footy; and fo it defcribes the Lord’s people before converfion, who are black with original, fin and actual tranfgreffions; who being tranigreffors froni the womb, and as long as they live and walk in fin, and have their ‘converfation with the men of the world, may be faid to lie among the pots: and this may alfo be expreffive of the church of Chrift being in adyerfity, and black with the fun of perfecution fmiting her; and fhe might be faid to lie among the pots while the ten heathen perfecutions lafted, and alfo in the reign of Antichrift; during which time the church is in the wildernefs, and the witnefles prophefy in fackcloth. Yet fhall they be as the wings of a dove covered with filver, and ber feathers with yellow gold: alluding to the white, filver colour of fome doves.. Such were the white doves Charon of Lampfacum {peaks of *, feen a= bout Athos, which were like the white crow, Ovid calls *, the filver fowl with {nowy wings: and alfo it may be to the time when they become of a golden colour, at which time they are fit for facrifice, as the Jews? obferve;' or to the different appearances of them, according as the rays of light and of the fun differently fall upon them. So the philofopher * obferves, that the necks of doves appear of a golden colour by the refraction of light. And this defcribes the faints and people of God as they are by grace. They are comparable to the dove on many accounts: like doves of the valleys, every one of them mourn for their iniquities; like the trembling and fearful dove, tremble at the apprehenfions of divine wrath, and judgment to come under firft convictions; and are fearful of their enemies, and of their own ftate; are.humble, modeft and meek think the worft of themfelves, and the beft of others; flee to Chrift for refuge, and to ordinances for'refrefhment; are chafte and affectionate to Chrift, and harmlefs and inoffenfive in their lives and converfations, Ezek. vii. 16, Hofea xi, 11. Cant.iv. 1. Ja. 1x, 8. Matt. x.16. Being as the wings of a dove covered with filver, may denote the purity of doétrine held by them; ‘the words of the Lord being as filver purified feven times, P/al. xii. 6, and the precioufnefs and fincerity of their faith, by which they mount up with wings as eagles; and the holinefs of their converfation, being, as becomes the gofpel of Chrift: and being as the feathers of a dove covered with yellow gold, may denote their being adorned with the graces of the Spirit, as faith, hope and love; which are more precious than gold that perifheth, and are called chains of gold, Cant.i.10. fee 1 Pet. i. 7. or their being clothed with the righteoufnefs of Chrift, fignified by gold of Opbir, and cloathing of wrought gold, P/al. xlv. 9, 13. or their being enriched with the unfearchable, folid, fubftantial and durable riches of Chrift, Rev. iii. 18. And both may defcribe alfo the profperous eftates of the church, either in the firft ages of Chriftianity, when fhe was clothed with the fun, and had a crown of twelve ftars on her head, Rev. xii, 1. or in.the latter day, when her light will be come, and the glory of the Lord will rife upon her; when her ftones will be laid with fair colours, and her foundations with fapphires; when fhe fhall have the glory of God upon 2 Eleo- upon het, and be as a bride adorned for her hufband, ‘Ja. Ix. 1, 2. and liv. t1, 12, Rev. xxi. 9, 10, 11. ete South ¥.14. When the Almighty fcattered kings in it, &c.] His inheritance, his congregation, the church, y.9, 10.. Which fome uniderftand of his diffufing, and fpreading and giving, in large numbers, minifters and preachers of the gofpel, paftors and teachers; who are kings and {piritual governors, are oyer churches, and have the rule over them in the Lord: and fo ¥archi interprets them of the difciples of the wife men. Or they may be underftood of the Lord’s bringing into his churches fuch as are made kings and priefts unto God, and in whofe hearts grace reigns; and even of kings, ina literal fenfe, who will be brought into the church in the latter day, J/a, xlix. 23. and Ix. 3, 11, 16. fee ¥.27, 29. ‘Tho’ they may be interpreted of wicked kings, and the deftruction of them éy it *, the dove, the church of Chrift; which will be done at the battle of Armageddon, at which time we read of the

Xvi. 14, 16. and xix. 8, 14, 18, 19.. The name of Almighty well agrees with Chrift, Rev. i, 8. or Shaddai, who is fufficient, all-fufficient; and whofe grace is fufficient for his people, 2 Cor. xii,g. Tt was white as /now in Salmon; a mountain near to Shechem, Avis: ix. 48. which feems to have had its name from the fhady trees upon it; and which alfo, as it feems from hence, was fometimes covered with fnow; as was Lebanon, fo called from the whitenels of the fnow on it; and Olympus is called {fhowy, by. Homer, from the fhow continually on it ®. Farchi and Kimcbi interpret, it, in darkne/s, or in the foadow of death; denoting, as Ainfworth obferves, light in darknefs, joy in tribulation: but rather, it may defign the purity of the church and people of God, through the imputation of Chrift’s righteoufnefs to them, which is as fine linen, clean and white; and thro’ his pardoning blood, whereby their fcarlet and crimfon fins are as white as wool, as white as fnow; and thro’ the fanétifying grace of the Spirit, by which they are wafhed and cleanfed, and made all-glorious within and ‘thro’ the holinefs of their lives and converfations, they hating the garment fpotted with the flefh; and wafhing their garments, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb: or they may be faid to be fo, as having got the victory over all -their enemies; and efpgcially this will be the cafe, when the kings of the earth will be fcattered and deftroyed by the almighty Saviour, Rev. vii. 9. and xix. 14.

¥. 15. The bill of God is as the bill of Bafban, &c.] The church is the hill of God,, an excellent and fupereminent one, and in which he dwells, as is faid in the next verfe; called an hill for its vifibility, and efpecially as it will be in the latter day, when it will be eftablifhed and exalted above the mountains and hills, the kingdoms of this world, Ifa. it. 2. this is compared to the hill of Ba/han for fertility and fruitfulnefs; hence we read of the kine and bulls, the rams and lambs, and fatlings of Bafban, and of the oaks thereof, Deut. xxxii. 14. Pfal, xxii. 12. Ifa. ii, 13, Ezek. xxxix. 18. Amos iv, 1. the ordinances of the church are green paftures, where his people become fat and flourithing, Pfal, xxiii. 2. and xcii. 13, 14.' | An high bill as the bill of Bafhan; or an bill of eminences*; it had feveral tops, or little hills that rofé up from it; fo the church of Chrift, though but one hill or church in general, yet there are: feveral:little: hills

# Mons qui cafeis abundat, Tigurine verfion.