Exposition of the Whole Bible

belong unto it, or patticular congtegationdl chutch- es, of which it confifts or 2 mountain abounding with cheefe*; which fed-“much ‘cattle, and theft produced much milk, of which large quantities of cheéfe were made, and fo is expreffive of the fruit> fulnefé Of it. init Iau ¥. 16. Why leap ye, ye bigh bills? &e.) Mears — ing the kingdoms. of this ‘world that lift up them- — felves above, and look with contempt upon the intereft; kingdom, and church of Chrift 5; lié in ‘wait for it, leap upon it, infult overdt, and ens deavour to crufh ‘and extirpate it; but all jh

-vain; thefe high hills and mountains are nothing before Zerubbabel King of faints; his chureh is buile ona rock, and the’ gates of hell cannot prevail a> - gainft ic; the little ftone cut‘out of the mountaih ”

without hahds will become a great mountain; aad fill the whole earth, and break m pieces and con+ fume the kingdoms of it: the word 437% im the Z rabit Yanguage, fignifies to lie in wait,as archi from’ R. Mofes Hadarfan obiervess /dnd to look church being clothed in white, as follows; fee Rev. Out, and I¢ap upon’ the prey; fo R. Har in Be

Melech fays it has the fignification of looking, eb+ ferving, hoping, or waiting, in the Arabic Jane guape *, ‘This is she bill which God deficeth to dwell in asin Pfal. exxxiiy 13. the Word of the Lord, as the Targum 5 the effential Word, the’ Meffiah: his defire was towards his church and people, in™ eternity, in tine, and now is; he: has\chefen and — defired ther for his habitation, and: in the midft of them he delights to be, Rev. i. 13+ > Yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever; he dwells in his chutch now by his gfacious prefence » he willdwell in the new Féru/alem-church-ftate perfonally for the {pace of a thoufand years 5 and after that he will © dwell with, and among his people to all’ eternity 5 fee Pfal. cxxxii. 14.: 3 y. 17. The chariots of God are twenty thoufand, &c.] By which are mieant the angels, as the fole lowing claufe fhews; called chariots, becaufe they have appeared in fuch a'form, 2 Kings ity ty. and vi. 17. and becaufe, like chariots of war; they dre the ftrength and protection of the Lord’s people 5 and becaufe of theif fwiftnefs in doing his work 5 and becaufe they ate for his honour and glory: they are the chariots of God, in which he rides a bout the world doing his will; they are the charts ots in which Chrift afcended up to heaven, and in < which he will defcend-at the laft day; and in whieh» he now fetches the fouls of his people to hiny at death, and will make afe of them at the reftirrecs tion to gather them to him, when their bodies are raifed by him: their number is very great, and in other places is mentioned as greater, Dan. vii. to. Rev. vs 11. Chrift fpeaks of twelve legions of them, and they are faid to be even innumerabie; Luke ii. 13. Heb. xiv 22. which is obferved, bork for the glory of God, and: for the fafety of his people. Even rhoufands of angels; the word for angels is otily ufed in this place; Kimobi and Bea

Melech take it to be one of the names of angels b which they were called: fome derive it fromya word which fignifies peaceable and quiet 5 as ive of the tranquil’ ftate in which they are:im heads ven, always beholding’ the face of God there: 0+ thers’from a word which fignifies harp, asi Farebr and fo refers to their being the executioners of God’s wrath and. vengeance.on men, and alluding to a fort of chariots with fharp hooks ufed in war:

others. from, a word which fignifies, to fecond ha

EDIT mohs:gite Junius & Tremellius; mons faltigiorumy Coeteiase béing the fecond, or next to God, the chief princes; or, as Aben Ezra, it denotes the number of angels, even ¢wo thoufand; fo the Targum, << the *¢ chariots of God are two myriads, (or twenty *< thoufand) of burning fires, two thoufand of an-

The Lordis among them as in Sinai, in the boly place; that is, at the head of them, béing their governor and commander, at| whofe beck they are, and ready to do his will; and he was among them when he afcended to heaven, as it follows, being carried up by them;° as he was among them at Sinai, when the law was given; for Chrift was there then, 4és viis 38. and attended with ten thoufands of his holy angels, by whom the law was ordained, fpoken and given, Déut. XXXill. 2. As vil. 53. Gal, iii. 19. Heb. tiv 2. which Sizai is called the holy place, from the pre+ fence of God there, and the law given from it: or in Sinai of old; fo in the holy place, in Sion his holy hill, the church under the gofpel-difpenfation, where there are an innumerable company of angels, Heb. xii. 22. according to the conftruction of the word in the Hebrew text, it feems as if Sinai was in. the holy place, the infide of it being of cedar, like the Sdittam wood that grew about Sinai '; or rather, the worfhip commanded and directed to on mount Sinai was performed in it.

¥. 18. Thou haft afcended on high, &c.} Which is to be underftood, not of Mofes afcending up to the firmament, as the Targum and Farchi interpret it, of which we no where read; nor of David’s going up to’ the high fortreffes, as Aben Ezra; nor of God’s afcent from mount Sinai; but of Chrift’s afcenfion to heaven, as the apoftle cites and explains it in Eph. iv. 8,9. which afcenfion refpects him as man, was not figurative, as in Gen. xvii. 22. but real and local, from earth to heaven; and was certain and vifible; he was feen to go up by angels and men; and becaufe of the certainty of it, it is here expreffed in the paft.tenfe, though it was then future. Zhou haft led captivity captive; meaning either fuch who had been captives, in which fenfe the word is ufed, P/al. cxxvi. i. and fo may defign either thofe who had been prifoners in’ the grave, but were fet free at Chrift’s refurrection, and went with him in triumph to heaven; or all his people, whom he redeemed by his blood from that captivity and bondage they were in by nature; or rather, thofe who led them captive are here meant by captivity; fach as fin, Satan, the world, death, and every {piritual enemy, whom Chrift conquered and triumphed over; the allufion may be to publi¢ triumphs, when captives were led in chains, even kings and great men,.that had captivated others: the words feem to be borrowed out of Fudg. v. 12. Thou baft received gifts for men; the gifts of the holy Spirit, qualifying men for the miniftry of the gofpel, as they are interpreted by the apoftle, pb. iv. rr, thefe Chrift received from his divine Father in human nature, when he afcended up to heaven, in order to give them to men; and which he did in a very extraordinary manner on the day of Pentecoft. The Targum and Syriac verfion render it, thou bast given gifts to men; and the Arabic verfion, and he gave gifts to men,as the apoftle, Eph. iv. 8. Yea, for the rebellious alfo; difobedient and unbelieving ™, as all

| dwell with the Lord God * in his churches 5 enjoy elfe the fenfe is, that Chrift is among the angels as meri aré by. nature, even God’s elect, before converfion, Tit. iii, 3. who are not only called by grace, and have the bleffings of grace beftowed upon them; but fome of then have gifts given them, whereby they are fitted to preach the gofpel to others, as Saul, the blafphemer, perfecutor, and injurious; and. fome of thofe among the Jews, that were concerned in the crucifixion of Chrift: though fome think the — Gentiles are intended, on whom the holy Spirit was poured forth after our Lord’s afcenfion 5 and fo the Targum interprets it of the rebellious, who become profelytes, and return by repentance. That the Lord God might dwell among them; that i8, that they, by the gifts and graces of the Spirit beftowed on them, might become a ‘fit habitation for God; or that hey, the rebellious, being now par-. God and his gifts, might his divine prefence, and have communion with him in his word and ordinances. _ ¥. 19. Bleed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with-benefits, &c.] With all fpiritual bleffings, with an abundance of grace, as well as with temporal mercies, for which he is, and ought to be praifed day by day: fo dben Ezra and Kimchi fapply the text, and fuppofe the word bdlefings or goodne ses to be wanting; thoveh the words may be rendered, bleffed be the Lord day by day, be will bear us OF carry us°s asa father his child, or a thepherd his lambs; and fo he does from thé womb, even to hoary hairs; and therefore blefling and praife fhould be afcribed to him 5 fee J/a. xlvi. 3, 4. and Ixiii. 9g. or be will put a burden upon us’; meaning the burden of afflictions: thefe are of the Lord’s laying upon his people; and he will lay no more upon them than he will enable them to bear; and will in his own time and way deliver them from them, and be the author of falvation to them, as follows; and therefore his‘ name is to be praifed, t Cor, x. 13. the Targum interprets it of the burdenfomnefs of the law; ** bleffed be the Lord «s every day, he burdens us, adding precepts un- “¢ to precepts.” Even the God of our falvation. Selah. the author of temporal, fpiritual, and eternal falvation, as Chrift is. ¥. 20. He that is our God, &c.] Or God for #s%5 is on our fide; andis the mighty God; able to fave to the uttermoft; is the God of falvation; or God for falvations®; fot the obtaining of them for his people, and giving them to them, even of every kind. And unio God the Lord belong the iffues from death; deliverance from its Chrift has abolithed it, and him that had the power of it; has delivered himfelf from it, and will deliver all his people from it, though they become fubject to it, as well as from eternal death; for he has the keys of hell and death in his hands. Some render the words, to God the Lord belong the iffues, or ways unto death *; he has various.ways of bringing perfons to death, of deftroying his and his péoples enemies; and fo Farchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimebi interpret it; though the following words feeni to be oppofed to thefe: the heathens had a’ notion, that the power of death belonged to God; hence they had a deity called the god of death, Dites*. ¥. 21. But God forall wound the béad of his ené- mies,. 8c.) Him who is the chief of his enenties, even Satan the prince of devils, the god of the world, the father of the wicked Jews, all enemies of Chrift; to wound, is the fame as to. bruife him as in Gen. iii. 15. and fo the Targum here, ‘* but “© God fhall break the head of his enemies;” difappoint his fchemes, blaft his defigns, cruth his.

power and authority, demolifh his empire, and eternally deftroy him with the fire prepared for him and his angels; and the fame may be applied to the man of fin, and all other enemies of Chrift, who is the divine perfon here, and all along fpoken of; fee Pal. cx. 6.. And the hairy fcalp of fuch an one as goeth on ftill in bis tre/paffes; by whom may be meant Antichrift: archi interprets it of Efau, who was an hairy man, and a figure of Antichrift; and his hairy fealp may denote his fiercenefs and cruelty, appearing like a favage beaft, drinking the blood of the faints; and like a thief and a robber, who ufed to let their hair grow long, fhagged and entangled, to ftrike terror into men they met with, Zod v. 5. and alfo his pride and haughtinefs; he exalting himfelf above all that is called God, and opening his mouth in blafphemy againft him: and likewife it fignifies his great power and authority, he having people, kingdoms and nations depending upon him, as hair on the head, and fubjeét to him: and_of him it may be truly faid, that he goes on flill in his trefpaffes; in tyranny, idolatry, fuperftition, and will-worfhip; taking no notice of what God fays by his witnefles, nor any warning by what the eaftern empire fuffered by the Turks and Saracens; fo as to repent of the works of his hands, of worfhipping idols of gold, filver, brafs and wood; nor of his murders, forceries, fornications and thefts; but ftill perfifting in them, until his, and the fins of his followers, reach to heaven, Rev. ix. 20, 21. and xviii. 5. but the God-man, Chrift Jefus, will give him a deadly wound, of which he fhall never be healed: this alfo holds true of all that perfift in a finful courfe of life without repentance; who are workers of iniquity, whofe lives are one continued feries of finning; thefe will be punifhed by Chrift with ever- Jafting deftruction.

y. 22. The Lord faid, &c.} Within himfelf, in his own heart 3 he refolved upon it in his mind; or he faid it in council and in covenant; he undertook and engaged to do what follows; or he {poke of it in promife and in prophecy, as what would be done. J will bring again from Bafhan; as he delivered his people from Og king of Ba/ban formerly, Numb. xxi. 33-35. fo he purpofed and promifed to ranfom them out of the hands of him that was ftronger than they; to recover them from the {trong man armed, and deliver them from the power of darknefs, and tranflate them into hisown kingdom, and fave them from all the bulls of Ba- Joan, fee Pfal, xxii. 14. to which text Farchi refers in the expofition of this; though fome underftand it of the fat and great ones of the earth, of the converfion of kings and princes, P/al. xxii. 29. J will bring my people again from the depths of the fea, out of the moft wretched and defperate condition, out of the depths of fin and mifery; out of an helplefs and hopelefs ftate, in which they were through the fall, and their actual tranfgreffions: ‘the allufion is to the bringing of the children of Jfrael through the Red fea, and out of the depths of it, unto dry land: the Yargum interprets the whole of the refurrection of the righteous, whether devoured by wild beafts, or drowned in the fea;

fee, Rev. xx. 13,' {ome interpret the paflage of the Lord’s gathering of his people, in effectual vocation, from the eaft and from the weft; from the eaft, fignified by Ba/han; and from the weft, the depths of the fea; fee J/a. xliii. 5. y ¥. 23. That thy foot may be dipped in the blood o thine enemies, &c.]. This verfe is in connexion with y. 21. the 22d verfe being to be read in.a renthefis: the fenfe is, that the Meffiah would fo wound the head and hairy fcalp of his peoples enemies, and there fhould be fuch a large effufion of blood, that their feet fhould be dipped therein, Rev. xiv. 20. fee the note on P/al. lviit. 10. And the tongue of thy dogs in the fame; who fhould lick it up, as the dogs: licked the blood of Fezebel, 1 Kings xxi. 19. 2 Kings ix. 35, 36. and fo fucha carnage will be made of Antichrift and his followers, that the fowls of the heavens will be called upon to eat the flefh of kings, captains, and mighty ones, Rev. xix. 17, 18. iy f y¥. 24. Ibey have feen thy goings, O God, 8c. In faving his people, and deftroying his enemies.

Even the goings of my God, my King, in the fantiuary; The walk and converfation of Chrift,. when he was made flefh, and dwelt among men;_his manner of life and deportment; his works and miracles, his fufferings, death, and refurrection from the dead; all which his apoftles were eye-witnefies of; as alfo his going up to heaven, which was vifible to angels and men; likewife his progrefs and victorious expeditions in fadea, and in the Gentile world, by the miniftry of the word, in which he went forth conquering, and to conquer; which fenfe is confirmed by the following words: for Chrift, who is God over all, the Lord and God of his people, and King of faints, is here, as throughout the pfalm, intended. The Yargum interprets it of the path or goings of the divine Majefty upon the fea, which the houfe of J/rael faw.

y. 25. The fingers went before, &c.] The apoftles and minifters of the word, the fweet fingers of Tfrael, the charmers that charm fo very wifely: the gofpel is a joyful found; it is like vocal mufie, harmonious and delightful; it is as a very lovely fong of one that hath a pleafant voice, as Ezekiel’s miniftry was, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. it is a voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon and righteoufnefs, and of eternal life and falvation by Chrift; it is as mufic in the ears of fenfible fouls, when founded forth, and fung. out clearly and diftinétly by the faithful minifters of it. The allufion feems to be to fingers going before armies, when marching to battle, or returning with victory; fee 2 Chron. xx. 21,28. Ihe players on inftruments followed after; fo the {weet ftrains of the gofpel, the melodious notes, and diftinguifhing founds of it, as well as the praifes of God’s people, are, in the New Teftament, fignified by harps, and mens playing upon them, Rev. v. 8. and xiv. 2. and xv. 2. Among/t them were the dam/els playing with timbrels, or in the midft of the virgins playing with timbrels", or beating on tabrets; as women ufe to do when they met their kings returning from the conqueft of their enemies; fee 1 Sam. xyiil. 6, 7. thefeé may be the pure and primitive churches of Chrift, and the members thereof, rejoic ng at the preaching of the gofpel, and praifing G for the bleffings of grace in it; in the midft of which the minifters of the word fung the new fong of gofpel-truths: and who may be compared det

* mindy JID in medio puellarum, Pagninus, Montanus; inter puellas, Junius & Tremellius, Pifcators fo Coceeius, i La fels or virgins for their beauty and comelinefs, thro’ Chrift; for their relation to him, being betrothed unto him;_ and for their ftrong and chafte affection for him; for their incorruptnefs in doétrine and worfhip, and their uprightnefs in their lives and converfation, Kev. xiv. 4. the allufion may. be to Miriam and the women with her at the, Red fea, Exod. xv. 20. and the Zargum interprets the whole verfe of Mofes and Aaron finging at the Red fea, andof Miriam and the women playing withtimbrels.

y. 26. Blefs ye God in the congregations, &c.| This was what they faid as. they fung and played; they called upon the churches, and the members of them, and upon one another, to blefs the Lord | Jefus Chrift, God manifeft in the flefh; not by invoking, or beftowing a blefling on him, which cannot be, and of which he has no need; but b proclaiming him to be God over-all,, bleffed. for evermore, as he is in himfelf; and the. perfections of his nature, by attributing all the bleffings of nature, grace, and glory to him, in whom they are, and from whom they come; and by exercifing faith upon him for them particularly, and for pardon, righteoufnefs, fupplies of grace, and everlafting falvation; and by giving him the glory.ofall, and afcribing bleffing and honour to him on account of them; which fhould be done openly and publickly, in the feveral particular congregated churches of Chrift; and this fhews the pfalm ftill.refers, to gofpel-times, in which only. fuch. churches..are. Even the Lord, from the fountain of Ifrael; or the Lord, who is of the fountain of Jfrael”; that is, whofe natural defcent is from J/rael, or Facob, as Chrift’s was according to the flefh, Rom. ix. 5. though fome take this to be a defcription of the pofterity of Facob, thofe that go out from the fountain of J/rael, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi; fee fai. xviii. 1. fo the Zigurine verfion, and others; who are called upon to blefs the Lord: but then it muft be underftood, not of the carnal J/raelites, they rejected the Meffiah, Jefus, and called him accurfed; but the fpiritual feed of Facob, whether Jews or Gentiles; J/raclites indeed, in whom is no guile. The Targum, and fo Farchi, interpret it of the feed of I/rael; compare with this Lukei. 415.44. the “words may be read, for, or becaufe of the fountain of Ifrael*: God, who is the fountain of living waters; Chrift, whofe blood is the fountain opened for fin and uncleannefs; the Spirit, who, in the operations of his grace, isa well, or fountain of living water, fpringing up unto eternal life; and all fpiritual bleffings, and the abundance of them, which the {piritual /raetof God enjoy, may be defigned by this phrafe; and fo be confidered as the reafon why God the Lords to be blefied. Some underftand it of the fcriptures, from whence all divine knowledge, bleffing and praife are derived; and others of the heart, and the abundance of it, from whence, and not with the lips only, men fhould blefs and praife the Lord. ° ¥. 27. There is little Benjamin, with their ruler, &c.] Or whois sheir ruler”; that is, in thecongregations or churches, where he was a ruler; or in the proceffion, the triumphal progrefs of Chrift in ‘7udea, and in the Gentile world, by the miniftry of the word; where the fingers and players of inftruments, and damfels with timbrels, went in order: for not the tribe of Benjamin is meant, called itt/e, becaufe Benjamin was Facob’s younger fon; or be- vel propter fontem Ifrael, Gejerus. culus; fo Tigurine verfion, Cocceius.

caufe it was greatly weakened and retluced at Gibeah, Judg. xx. 48. and was one of theofmalleft tribes in J/rae/, and Saul’s family, who was the firft king of J/rae/, the leaftin that tribe,.1 Sam: ix. 21. though the Zargum interprets, it of the’ tribe; and fo Farchi; but the apoftle Pau/ is here meant, who was of the tribe.of Benjamin, Rom,:xier. Phil, iii. 5. was a young/ man when’ he; was:con~ verted, Ads vil. 58, asthe Septuaging \anidyWuigate Latin verfions have ithere; was, /ittdéinettas ture, as is generally reported of him, and as: his name Paul may be thought to fignify, and «might be given him on that, account; fee 2 Cor.-x, 2ofand was little in his own eyes, Jefs than the!leaft-of all faints, and the chief of. finners one\-born out of due time, and unworthy to, be called anrapottle; as well as he was little and. contemptible in theeyes.of others; yet he was greatly. honoured by-Ghrift,-had an authority, from him, was arwlerin his churches 5 fet in the firft place there, made an apoftle, and:was an apoftle of the Gentiles, and not,a! whit-behind the very chief of the apoftles; and he was a princi+ pal in.this progrefs, and therefore.is named firfts he was.a chofen veflel to bear the name of -Chrift, and carry it into the Gentile world;, he travelled and laboured more abundantly than the reft, and preached the gofpel fully from Feru/falem round ae bout to Lilyricum, The, Septuagint and Vulgate Latin verfions, render it, there was Benjamin the younger in an extafy, oxtrance; as the.apoftle Paul was, 4éZs iX.9. and xxil..17. 2 Cor, xii. 2-Ly.-but our verfion is beft.. Lhe princes of fudab, and-their council; or company, as. Kimchi; their churches; or congregations over which they -prefided, »:or were the means of gathering; thefe were the:apos {tles, fome of which were of the,tribe of - Fudab of which tribe Chrift was, and fo muft be thofe that are called his brethren, Mate. xiii. 55. Asi. tige'thefe were princes, not only in.common with,othenchrif= tians, by adoption and;regeneration, butby*their office, being apoftles, and over others in the ord 5 and befides the church at Feru/alem, where Fames prelided, there were other churches in Fudea, which had fpiritual guides and governors over’ them 3 fee Heb. xii, 7, 17. and. fo the Septuagint verfion, and thofe that follow it, render the words, the princes of Fudab, their governors; and fo Aben Ezra interprets them, and obferves that regem in Zechy vil. 2. fo fignifies; to, which the fenfe of R. Mena chem in Farchi agrees, who renders it ¢heirpurpled ones; fo Cocceius; but Guffetius * renders it their

Stoning; who ftoned thofe that preached the gofpel tothem; fee Matt. xxi. 35. and xxiii. 37. or ftoned their enemies, conquered them; or their ffone *, the Meffiah, that fprung from Fudab, Gen. xlix, 246 Pfal. cxvitl.22. The princes of Zebulun,and the princes of Napbtali; the reft of the apoftles, who were of Gaililee,in which country lay the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali; fuch as Peter, Andrew, Fames and Fobn, Philip and Nathaniel, fee Matt. iv. 132%. Fobn i. 44—46.

¥. 28. Thy God hath commanded thy strength, &c.] Which is either an apoftrophe,.or an addrefs to the Meffiah, as in P/a/. xlv. 7, declaring, that as his God and Father had purpofediand promifed to fend forth, fo he had fent forth the rodof his ftrength out of Sion, Pfal. cx. 1, 2. thatis, his gofpel, both into the feveral cities of F¥udea, and into the Gentile world, where it was the power of

75° God unto falvation, both to Jew and Gentile’: or elf thefe: words are fpoken to the churches and congregations, in whom the Lord’s name was to be blefs-.

ed; or. to. the princes, rulers, and governors of them before mentioned, fhewing that the Lord has made good his promife to thém, that as their day was, their ftrength fhould be; and it was owing to their being ftrengthened by him that they: walked up and down in his name, doing his work, and preaching his gofpel, both to Jews and Gentiles; to which they reply by petition, Strengthen, O God, that «which thou baft wrought for us; which, if underftood of the apoftles, princes and rulers, refers to the work of preaching the gofpel, and the fuccefs of it, defiring it might be more and more confirmed; and‘ tothe fettlement of chriftianity, in the pagan world, and alfo to the work of the reformation from popery in later times; compare with this Rev. iii. 2. if of the churches, and the members thereof,.it may refpect the carrying on, and finifhing the work of grace in them. It is rendered in us by the Septuagint, and others; fee J/at. xxvi. 12. for this work fometimes feems to be very low and weak, and needs ftrengthening, and it is God only that cando it, and he will do it, 1 Pet. v.10. and this fhews. that the grace of God is not only neceflary at firft converfion, ' but to be continued for the performing of the work of grace until the day of Chrift.,

¥. 29. Becaufe of thy temple at Ferufalem, &c.] Not:the material temple there, which was not in being»in David's time, but was built by his fon, and deftroyed by Nebuchadnezzar; and though it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, tepaired by Herod, and was the ‘Meffiah’s temple, into which he entered as the. Lord and proprietor of it, Mal. iii. 1, yet was quickly after his timé demiolifhed, and will ‘never be rebuilt more; but the Meffiah’s {pirituat temple, of which he isthe builder, foundation, and corner-ftone’; the materials of which are believers in him, and it is for his fervice, worfhip and glory: and becaufe of Ferufalem”, as it may be tranflated; by which alfo the church of Chrift is meant, which is the heavenly Ferufalem, the Yerufalem. which is‘above; and free, the mother of us all; the city of the gréat-King, “the place of divine worthip, and well fortified by the power'and grace of God. The words may be rendered above Ferufalem *, and conneétéed,.either with the preceding verfe, and ‘fo point:at the place, heaven, the temple, and palace of ‘the Meffiah; from whence fpiritual health and ftrength are defired, and may be expected; or with the following words, and the fenfe be, from, or.

out-of thy temple in Ferufalem; even out of the materiak temple; the gofpel fhould be preached, as it was by the apoftles on the day of Pentecof;, and fo the word of the Lord went out from thence, and from Jerufalem into Fudea, and fo into the Gentile world, where it'is continued, and will be until the kings of the earth-fhall be converted, as follows. Shai] kings bring prefents unto thee; that is, fuch as fhould become chriftians, as Con/tantine and others, in the earlier ages of chriftianity; who brought their. riches and wealth to Chrift, and into his church, with a defign for the good and welfare of it, though it proved otherwife; and as many will in the latter day,. who being converted, will bring prefents to the King Meffiah, join his churches, and be their nurfing ‘fathers; fee P/al. Ixxii. 10, 11. Jfai. xlix.

this phrafe fhews that the whole is to be t

23. and Ix. 3, rt, 16. and who will bring their glory and honour, and that of the eno ne the new Ferufalem-church-ftate, Rev. xxi. 24, - and it will be becaufe of his church mre | and for their good and welfare, as well as for the glory and honour of Chrift, that thofe prefents will be brought; and which will not only be theirs, their good things, but themfelves, whom t will prefent to the Lord, as living and ‘accept-. able facrifices, Rom, xii: 1. the Targum is, “* out “of «thy temple’ thou fhalt receive offerings 5 “upon Ferufalem thy fhekinab dwells; out of “© their palaces kings fhall bring unto thee facri= “ fices. igi + fe hagiote ‘ys 30. Rebuke the company of pear-men, &e. Or of the reed“; that is, men that ufe and fight with fpears, like to reeds, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it. Aben Ezra fays, that {pears are fo called in the Kedarene, or Arabian language; and the Arabians ufea fort of reed for a fpear, a& Mr Castel out of Avicenna obferves‘, and Pliny * fays they are ufed for fpears: or rather the words fhould be rendered, rebuke, reftrain, deftroy ree wild beaft, or beafts of the reed®; as the Syriac, Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin verfions, and others, render it: the allufion is to fuch kind of creatures as lions in the thickets of Fordan; fee Fer. xlix. 1g. and the note there; and the behemoth, chat lies under the covert of reeds, ‘fob xl. 21. or as the crocodile in the river Wile, and other rivets of Zgypt, which abounded with flags and reeds, in which fuch creatures lay; fee J/a, xix. 6, 7. and xxxv. 6; and xxxvi. 6. perhaps the hippopotamus, or river-horfe, is referred to; fo may defign an infidious, cruel, and tyrannical prince; fuch an one as Pharaoh king of Egypt, Ma. xxvii. 1. 4 type of Antichrift, and who feems to be here meant; for as Rome, for it wickednefs, cruelty, and idolatry, is fpiritually called Egypt, Rev. xi. 8. fo the Romifo Antichrift is the beaft afcending out of the bottomlefs pit; and is an infidious creature, lies in wait. to deceive, puts on the mafk and vizor of chriftianity; has twoshorns, like a lamb in his ecclefiaftic capacity 3 lies covered with the reeds of the traditions, inventions, and the doétrines of men 5 and teaches men to truft in the ftaff of a broken reed, in their own merits, and the merits of others. archi interprets it of E/ax, who is like to a wild boar that dwells among the reeds; and the Ta/mud* interprets it of a beaft that dwells among reeds, and the Glofs explains it of the nation of Amalek; the Turks, according to fome, are meant. The multitude of bulls; the fecular powers of the beat of Rome’; the antichriftian ftates, their kings and princes, comparable to thefe creatures for their great ftreneth, power and authority, and for their fiercenefs and furioufnefs in perfecuting the people of — God: thefe are horned creatures, the ten horns of the beaft, in his’ civil and fecular capacity, with which he pufhes at the faints, cafts them down, and tramples upon them; fee P/al. xxii. 13. Azek, xxxix. 18. compared with Rev. xix. 18, With the calves of the people; or the people comparable to calves for their weaknels, folly, and ftupi thefe are the common people under the govern and influence of the kings and princes of the ¢ the people, multitudes, nations an san whom the antichriftian harlot fits, rules in a literal, but figurative fenfe, Tillevery one Jubmit bimfelf with pieces of fiver; that is, rebuke them by thy word, or by thy providences, until they become fenfible of their fins, repent of them; and fubmit themfelves to Chrift'; and bring with them their wealth and fubftance, and lay it:at his feet for the ufé of his intereft; as a teftification of their fubjeétion to him! but as this is not to be expetted from the perfons before defcribed, at leaft not from every one-of them; the words require another fenfe, and are to be confidered asa conti+ nued defcription of the perfons to be rebuked, and may be rendered, even every one that treads with pieces of filver*;, that walks proudly and haughtily, being decorated with gold and filver on their garments; fo the Romi/b Antichrift is faid to be decked, her popes, cardinals and bifhops, with gold and precious ftones, Rev. xvii. ‘4. or every one that bumbles bimfelf for pieces of filver', as the word is rendered in Prov. vi. 3. that lies down to be trampled upon for the fake of temporal advantage; and fo it defcribes the parafites and flatterers of the man of fin, who crouch unto him, take his mark in their hands, or foreheads, thatthey may be allowed to buy and fell; all thefe, it is defired, God Would rebuke, not in love, but with flames‘of fire, as he will fooner of later; for when the kings of the earth are become chriftians, as in the preceding verfe, God will put it into their hearts to hate the whore, and burn her flefh with fire. Scatter thou the people that delight in war; as Antichrift, and the antichriftian ftates do: they take delight in making war with the faints, and in flaying of them, to whom power has been given fo todo; with whofe blood they have been made drunk, and have took as much pleafure in the fhedding of it, as a drunken man does in indulging himfelf to excefs in liquor; but thefe in God’s own time fhall be fcattered, when Chrift the Lamb fhall fight againft them with the {word of his mouth, and fhall utterly deftroy them; fee Rev. xiii. 7. and xvii. 6, 14. and xix. 15 ome 21. ‘ sles

¥. 31. Princes fhall come out of Egypt, 8¢c.] The Vulgate Latin and all the Oriental verfions render it, ambaffadors. This verfe is a prophecy of the converfion of the Gentiles, under the names of £- gypt and Ethiopia; which will be at the fame time that the kings of the earth will become Chriftians, and Antichrift will be deftroyed. The gofpel is faid to be preached in Egypt by Mark the Evangelift; and no doubt but there were converfions there in the firft times of the gofpel; but there will be more in the latter day; fee P/al. Ixxxvii. 3, 4. and the whole roth chapter of Jaiab. Unlefs we underftand this of kings and princes, that fhall leave the communion of the-church of ‘Rome, which is fpiricually and myftically Zeypt} and join themfelves with the true churches of Chrift; fee

Rev. xi. 8. and xviii, 4. The converfion of every finner, is a coming out of Egypt it is ‘a call of them out ~of darknefs and bondage, worfe than that of Egypt, into light and liberty, when they are fet among princes, even the princes of Chrift’s people. Ethiopia fhall foon firetch out her hands unto Gods the gofpel is faid to be preached in:

Ethiopia by the Evangelift Matthew, and alfo by Matthias, who fucceeded “Fudas in the apoftlefhip; by means of whofe miniftry there is reafon to conclude, fome were converted: and we have an in-

{tance of a famous Ethiopian; that was converted and baptized by Pdilip, Acts viii. 27, and who very likely carried the gofpel into this country, and {pread it: fo that this prophecy began to have its ulfilment then, but will have a greater hereafter; fee Pal, lxxxvii. 4.. All men are like Ethiopians, even God’s elect, in a ftate of nature and unregeneracy: they are black with original fin and actual tranfgreffions; and can no more remove this blacknefs, than the Ethiopian can change his fkin, Fer. xii. 23. They are like them, idolaters, férving divers lufts and pleafures, the idols of their own hearts; are in a itate of diftance, afar off from God and Chrift, and from his people, word and ordinances; and are enemies in their minds by wicked works, yea enmity itfelf, and ftretch’ out their hands againft God; but when they are called and converted, and made fenfible of their ftates then they ftretch out their hands unto God, as a gefture of forrow, Fer. iv. 31. Lam. i. 17. expreffing their forrow for fin, as committed againft God, and becaufe of the evil that is init; and look to Chrift, and ftretch out their hands to him, whom they have pierced, and mourn; and as a prayer-gefture, Fob xi. 13. For as foon:as a man is converted, he prays and cries to God for pardoning grace and mercy, and to be cleanfed from his fin, and to be openly received into his favour, and to enjoy communion with him; and as the gefture of a man in the utmoft danger, who ftretches out his hand to Jay hold.on any thing to fave hims and fo a finner, fenfible of its danger, and feeing Chrift and falvation in him, it ftretches out its hand, lays hold on him, and will have him and no other to be its Saviour, and receives his righteoufnefs, and grace out of his fulnefs; and as the gefture of one that is conquered, refigning up himfelf into the victor’s hands, as a token of fubmiffion, peace and reconciliation ™; fo finners, in the day of Chrift’s power upon them, are made.willing to fubmit and give up themfelves to him. In the Hedrew text it is, foall make ber bands to run unto.God"; that is, with an offering, gold or fome treafure, to bring it unto God; as dben Ezra, Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; which may very well be underfteod of the offering of themfelves, as well as of the {piritual facrifices of prayer and praife. The Targum is, ‘the fons of Ham fhall come, the great “* men out of Egypt, to be made profelytes; the << children of Cu/h (or Ethiopia) fhall run to ftretch ‘< out their hands in prayer to God,’’ Farchi’s note is, ** and then when thou fhalt deftroy E/au (his ‘© pofterity) and the King Meffiah fhall arife, they «¢ fhall bring to thee gifts out of Ezbiopia.” And fo. he owns this to be a prophecy of the Meffiah; and {fo it is applied to the times of the Meffiah, and to the nations bringing gifts to him, in the Ta/- mud °, and other Jewifh writings ’.

¥. 32. Sing unto.God, ye kingdoms of the earth, &c,],. Not only the Agyptian and Erhiopian kingdoms, but all the kingdoms of the world; which will now be converted to Chrift, and become his, even all the papal, pagan and mahometan kingdoms; fee Rev. xi. 15. Thefe are called upon to fing fongs and hymns of praife to Chrift, who is God, for redemption by him, and falvation in him; ” and for their deliverance from all the darknefg and delufions, under which they formerly were. OQ fing praifes unto the Lord. Selah. the Lord of ved oe

Lord of lords, the Head of the church, and Saviour of the body; and whom thofe converted nations will acknowledge to be their Lord ‘and King; and make their homage, and bring theirtribute of praife to him, for breaking the antichriftian yokes that were upon them, and freeing them from the tyranny and bondage with which ‘they were opprefied: this will be fulfilled’ in”the- latter’ day 5 fee’ Rev, xi: 15, 16,17. and xv. 2, 3, 4. ‘and xix. ews.

¥.°33. Io him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, ‘which were of old, &c.] Or eaffward *; the firft, fecond and third heavens, which were created from the beginning of time by Chrift himfelf, P/al. cii. 25. compared with Heb. i. 10. Thefe he rode upon when he afcended on high, ‘even far above all heavens, as the apoftle fays, Epbhe. iv.

ro. and fo above the heaven of heavens, when he was made higher than they, and both Lord and Chrift; and placed his throne in them, and from thence exerciles his government over the whole world: and it may be obferved, that it was from mount Olivet, which was to the eaft of Yerufalem, that Chrift afcended, and fo to the eaftern part of the heavens, és 1.12. Zech. xiv. 4. fee Rev. vii. 2. Lo, he doth fend out bis voice; which is his gofpel, for that is the voice of Chrift; which he utters by his minifters, and which his fheep, his people, hearken unto, and can diftinguith from the voice of a ftranger. This is a voice of love, grace and mercy; it {peaks of righteoufnefs, peace, pardon and falvation by him, and is very joyful and comfortable to hear. This he fent out by his apoftles into all the earth, after his afcenfion to heaven; and which he has been, more or lefs, fending out in one place or another, by his minifters, ever fince; and in the latter day will fend it out more clearly, fully and largely, by a fett of minifters he will raife up for that! purpofe. And that a mighty voice; or, @ voice of firength*; a ftrong and powerful voice, fuch as the gofpel is,’ when accompanied with the power and Spirit of God. It is a foul-fhaking and awakening voice; it is an heart-melting and an heart-breaking one; it is a quickning and an enlightning voice; it quickens dead finners, gives life unto them, and the en. trance of it gives light to dark minds: it is a foulcharming and alluring one; it draws to Chrift, engages the affections to him, and fills with unfpeakable delight and pleafure. The Targum interprets this of the voice of the Spirit of prophecy; Aben Ezra underftands this voice as faying what x. 34. Afcribe ye Strength unto God, &c.] The Meffiah; by afferting him to be the mighty’God, even the Almighty; by attributing works of ftrength and power to him: fuch as the creation of all things; upholding all things in their being; the redemption and prefervation of his people; the. refurrection of the dead, &?c. by applying to him, and exercifing faith on him for fpiritual ftrength, and giving him the glory of it: fo the Targum, * give “ the glory of ftrength to God.” Moreover, this may be underftood of afcribing dominion and power to him by the kingdoms of the earth, who