La scala santa, or, A scale of devotions musical and gradual being descants on the fifteen Psalms of Degrees, in metre : with contemplations and collects upon them, in prose, 1670.

Is a Narration of David's Devotion, and of God's Promises and Appointment; as to David and his Seed, and the setling of the Ark on Sion; which was a Type of the stability of Christ's Kingdom, and of the future Felicities of his Servants, in the Reign of the Son of David, (the Messiah, the Horn spoken of here in Verse 17, as the Rabbins agree) which the Apostle proves, Acts 2.30.

Therefore it was solemnly used at the Rebuilding of Jerusa∣lem,* 1.1 and most probably (as Grotius thinks) a composition of Solomon's at his raising of the Temple for the Honour of God, and the Place; containing in it part of Solomon's Prayer, part of God's Promise to the Jews, and to David.

But Kimchi and others think it made by David, at that very time,* 1.2 when the scituation of the future Temple was mira∣culously shewn unto him (as it is hinted in the word Invenimus) by the Sign from Heaven.

For as David was absolutely forbidden the building of a Temple, so 'till the Prophet Gad came to him with a Divine Command, That he should build an Altar in the Threshing-Floor of Araunah: (For all his great desire, like Abraham's,* 1.3 to see such a glorious Day, and notwithstanding his Devotion, like Jacob, to the Service of God) yet he knew not the place that God would chuse, as his Heaven upon Earth, for his most eminent and

suitable Habitation: Therefore his Care and Concern chiefly refle∣cting on his Vows here made were the more considerable, and might well be stiled Afflictions, worthy to be Commemorated as well as his former Persecutions. His constant Humility, Meek∣ness, pious Sollicitude, and Affection for God's Service, demon∣strated in 2 Sam. 7.2. and 1 Chron. 17.16. and all these senses the word Afflictions will bear, as I have shewn in my Version.

* 1.4Where also I have endeavoured to be as clear as I could in the Exposition of that dark place of the sixth Verse, which by some Commentators (like the Jewish Arab. here) is render'd much more shady and obscure; so that the Elegant Castalio was forced to confess, That he understood not the meaning of the Text, viz. Verse 6. Therefore herein (as all along) by the help of the Critics, with the assistance of the Learned Hammond and De Muys, I strive to sum up briefly as much of the sense as my Verse and Knowledge will give me leave to do.

Yet I cannot omit Buchanan's Version of this hard Sentence, which is as singular, as his Paraphrase elsewhere is excellent.

Fama licet Patriae multum promitteret orae, Inter saxa tamen Sylvestribus obsita dumis: Monstravit Deus ipse locum, Deus ipse perenne Hic Templum; Templique sacris sedem innuitaris.

Though Fame hath promis'd much to Judah's Coast By the Ark's stay, (whereof our Towns may boast;) Yet God himself hath shown and we have found Old Prophecies, (which did at Bethlem sound, Fulfill'd on woody Hills. —

— where the Ark stood, Or where it was to stand, high as a Wood.)

For the Woods of the Field, or the Fields of the Wood, may be taken as for the House of Aminadab in the Hill of Kiriath∣jarim, which was a City in a woody place, from whence David

and all Israel fetch'd the Ark from the House of Obed-Edom: So for the City of Jerusalem, and especially the Mount Moriah, which was a close Covert in Abraham's time, witness the Ram caught in the Thicket; and was afterwards more adorned with Wood when the Temple was built thereon: This being frequently by the Prophets called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Wood; as Bethlechem, the place of Bread, is also called Ephratah, viz. Fruitful.

It was the City of David, where he might learn from his pious Ancestors, that neither Silo, nor Gibeon, nor Nob, but Mo∣riah, (which was a part of Mount Sion, and here by way of Eminency bears the name of the whole Hill) should be the chief place of worshipping the Mighty God of Jacob.

God is so called here, because he calls himself the Almighty,* 1.5 when he named Jacob, Israel; and Jacob first calls God so, and is the first of all the Patriarchs who is mentioned to have vowed a Vow; as the most ancient Rabbi Abahu notes: Non dicitur, vovit forti Abraham, aut forti Isaac, sed forti Jacob, quod primus omnium vovit Jacob votum dicendo, &c. Dicendo quid? Dicendo omnibus, seu docendo omnes, vovendum esse in Calamitatibus.

* 1.6But I think it a fine Dream of the Rabbins, who say, Jacob is here mentioned, because (in his sleep) when he saw those Degrees which reach'd Heaven, he had a Vision of the Temple that Solo∣mon built; and being amazed at the Majesty thereof, speaks of it, and not of Bethel.

And David (as they say) made the Vow, mentioned in this Psalm, when the Plague was stayed at the Threshing-Floor of the Jebusite, and notice given him where the Temple should be built, (as I have noted before.)

Thus much may suffice by way of Argument, because I have wrote more in Annotations upon this Psalm, it being the longest and most difficult of my undertaking: Therefore I would be excu∣sed by the more Critical and Learned Reader, if the pains I took

do neither please nor profit him in the full understanding, or explai∣ning the sense hereof; because these Notes were not intended to nauseate the public with Crambes, but to inform those, who are of as low rank in knowledge as my self.

Having put the word Shechinah in the Margin of my Verses, I was once asked, why I did so? Therefore I here give the reason, because I look on that Petition of the Psalmist in the tenth Verse, Janus-like, with two Faces, and most fit for Solomon to make, who built both the Temple, and a place, on purpose to worship to∣wards the holiest of Holies, as if he had in this manner uttered his Mind.

O! let me never prove so Idolatrous, as to turn away to other Gods, from this place of Worshipping towards thy holy Temple (toward the Shechinah, the special place of thy Presence,) nor let me prove so rejected by thee, as in thine Anger to be cast out from before thee; but do thou impower me here to make thy Presence, and to meet with thy Favours in my Worship and Ado∣ration of thee.

Then I have doubly render'd the last Verse, because of the fulness of the Word (Induam), I'le cloath or put on, or throw on, as the* 1.7 Retiarii did their Nets over the Secutores, i. e. pub∣lickly in the sight of all Men, by covering and overwhelming them to disgrace and destroy them.

And this Induam is put in opposition to the cloathing of such Men,* 1.8 who having Truth and Righteousness visibly about them, (as it were, their Rayment) shall be manifestly preserved and adorned thereby, as Judges by their Robes, through the over-ruling Pro∣vidence and Tuition of the Almighty.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Chron. 6.41, 42. Deut. 12.11. 1 Chron. 17.11, 12.
• * 1.2

  1 Chron. 21.26. 1 Chron. 22.1.
• * 1.3

  1 Chron. 17.12.
• * 1.4

  Hic versus plurimum Hebraeos fatigat. in∣quit clarius.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 35.10, 11. Gen. 49.24. Gen. 28.20.
• * 1.6

  Quam Ter∣ribilis est iste Locu••? erit Bethel; i. e. Domus Dei, seu Domus O∣rationis, (Dixit) Quandoqui∣dem vidi h••c ipso in loco aedifi∣catum iri Templum. 2 Sam. 24.16, 17.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 9, 10.