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.

THE THIRTEENTH Psalm of Degrees, BEING The CXXXII. PSALM,

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.

For Christ∣mas day, as it is appoin∣ted by the Church.

〈♫〉〈♫〉

LOrd! think on him whom thou didst find, the Man ac—cor—ding to thy Mind; who could for thee with all things part: With his Wives love, and his own State, that on thy Ser—vice he might wait. Remember Da—vid's humble Heart.

Think on his Hand that brings thee Praise, Strikes down thy Foes, ill Spirits lays, * 1.9And Gifts and Musick doth afford: Though he did right, he had much wrong, Ev'n while he brought thy Ark along: Remember David's Troubles, Lord.

Think on the King, and on his Care, Who for thy Place did well prepare; Lord Bless his Heir,* 1.10 build up his House: He would have set, and trimm'd up thine, Lord! bless our acting his Design. Remember David, and his Vows.

Thus said he,* 1.11 when he took his Oath, To Jacob's God I plight my Troth, Though I am safe in my new Forts: I will not sleep, nor there sit still, * 1.12'Till the Ark rests on Zion's Hill, And from its* 1.13 Curtains comes to† 1.14 Courts.

* 1.15My House (though built) shall not be* 1.16 Blest; My Bed shall yield me no more† 1.17 Rest, Than when 'twas searched for no good: * 1.18'Till here (with ours) God's Seat is found, Being with lofty Cedars crown'd, Instead of Kiriath-jearim's Wood.

For in the Woods we lately found Joys,* 1.19 which to Abram's Hill may sound, * 1.20When God shall there be seen again: As first at Bethlem we did hear How glorious all his Goings were, Up to the Mountains from the Plain.

* 1.21And while God comes with the glad Throng, In ev'ry place we hear this Song, See, see, where our Beloved goes: That he may stand on Sion still, Look how he leaps from Hill to Hill, And makes us skip for joy, like Roes.

Come,* 1.22 let's to Sion march along In order, (lest we Worship wrong) * 1.23After the Ark our Course is bent: We'll worship with the solemn Cries, Rise, Lord! unto thy Rest arise, Rise to a Temple from a Tent.

The Train shall shout,* 1.24 and so will I, The Choir shall raise their Voices high; The Priests shall shew the Sanctity Both of thy Person, and their Place, * 1.25By being cloath'd with Righteousness: And thine Anointed thou shalt bless, Nor from thy* 1.26 Presence turn his Face.

Oh!* 1.27 never turn from us thy Face, For David's sake, love David's Race; Do not his Stock (as Saul's) disown: Since, if his Sons thy Laws obey, Thou,* 1.28 Lord, hast sworn his* 1.29 Seed shall sway, And here for ever have a Throne.

* 1.30For here hath God his Favour shown, And chose our Dwellings for his own; He will not stay with Edom* 1.31 still, But his Provisions shall bless ours, Since on the Rich he dainty's show'rs, And can with Bread the Hungry fill.

Here will I sit,* 1.32 saith God,* 1.33 and Carve To each poor Soul,* 1.34 that none may starve; * 1.35All Wants I will so far supply, That a large Alb of Thankfulness Shall be my Priest's perpetual Dress, And Saints shall set their Joys on high.

On high shall David see my Love, As here in Sion; so above, Like Aaron's Rod, shall bud his* 1.36 Horn: † 1.37Glory's own Lamp lights up his Line, And on his Head my Crown shall shine; But on his Foes I'le‖ 1.38 throw my Scorn.

Gloria Patri, &c.

Glory be to the Father, Son, And Holy-Ghost, the Three in One, Whom as one Being we adore: Tho ev'ry Person of the Three For ever was, shall ever be, And is, God Blessed evermore.

AMEN.

CONTEMPLATIONS and COLLECTS ON THE Thirteenth PSALM of DEGREES, BEING The CXXXII. PSALM.

O Lord God! that thou mayest the more graciously consider us and our Affairs, Remember our Lord Jesus we beseech thee, and all his Afflictions, all his Humblings, all his Troubles, his Cares, and Loves, and Passions for us: look how through the whole Volume of thy Book it is written of him, That he should fulfill thy Will, O God! and therefore he begger'd himself so far as to be born of the Stock and Lineage of David, that he might perform the Promise he had made, not to fail his People, but to become their Righteousness, and their Redemption; and so though the Foxes had holes, and the Birds of the Air nests, he would not have where to lay his Head: Neither would he give sleep to his Eyes, but would be walking, and watching, and praying, whole Nights together, that he might be doing good to us, for us, in us, and with us, that here again in this base Earth and World of ours, he might find out an Ha∣bitation for the Mighty God, and a place where his holy Dove might rest. Grant then, O glorious Lord! that all his Labours and Desires, his Endeavours and good Will concerning us may not be frustrated, but let us be built up a Spiritual House upon him, and be blest in our Undertakings through him unto thy Glory; that as we have been directed, so we may go on (not stand still) to see thy Salvation, and to worship thy Goodness, which doth arise with healing under its Wings for us, as a Hen, and as an Eagle, to cure, to carry, to secure and feed us, to make our Natures thy Abode, our Hearts thy San∣ctuary, our Souls the resting Place, both for thee, and the Ark of thy Strength; and all this, to what purpose? but for our Advantage, (not thine) that we might be a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priest∣hood, cloathed with Christ's Righteousness, and cover'd with thy Comeliness, which invests us with all Peace and Joy through the Holy Ghost.

O therefore! let us lift up our Hearts with Love, and Praise, and Comfort, in believing, trusting, and begging, for thy Son's sake, that neither our Faces may be turned from thee to go a Whoring after other things (that are not God, nor indeed good), nor let the face of thine Anointed be turned so away from us, as not to know us at the last Day.

No, blessed Lord! grant us such an interest in our dear Redeemer, as that we may have a Title to thy Favour, and be able to put thee in mind how thou hast sworn, and wilt not fail unto thy well-beloved Son, that of the Fruit of his Body thou wilt set upon the Throne, and hast promised to all true Believers (his Servants,) that if they keep thy Covenant, they and their Children shall Reign with thee for

ever, and find new cause of rejoycing in thee, who hast chosen the Sons of Men for thy Zion, and desired their enlarged Souls for thy restful Habitation, and chief Delight!

But when shall we come to this Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory? When we have with patience waited on thy good pleasure, and not fainted in our expectation of thy faithfulness, then for certain we shall see thee, abundantly blessing and rewarding the small Provisions made here to serve thee withall, and thou wilt satisfie such as hunger and thirst after thy Kingdom with the Bread of Life, and with the Wells of Salvation, and they shall be array'd like thy Priests with Holiness, and shine like Lamps in thy Presence for evermore. Amen.

HElp us, O Mighty God of Jacob! to sing no Requiems to our Souls or Conditions here, 'till we have not only heard of thee with the hearing of the Ear, but hearkened unto thee with the attention of the Mind, and come unto thee with the obedience of the Will, finding out a place in our Affections and Understandings where thou mayest dwell, that thou mayest hereafter prepare a Mansion for us, even in thy House, O Father!

And with us be mindful of all Degrees amongst us, from David upon the Throne, to Job upon the Dunghill; be good unto them in all their Cares, Vows, Prayers, Devotions, and Afflictions, accor∣ding to the multitude of thy most tender Mercies, and comfortable Promises: Let the King rejoyce in thy strength, O Lord! and do thou make his Power to flourish, and his Righteousness to blossom like the Rod of Aaron; ordain a lustre of Honour and Happiness for him and his House for evermore; let not his Candle go out in obscurity, nor quench the Light of Israel, but let his Enemies be inveloped with disgrace and disappointments, and cloath thy Priests, and our Church of England, with Honour, Prosperity, and perfect Redemption, that the Horn of David may bud amongst us, and the Power of Godliness shoot forth every where in our Land, in the great City, in Princes Courts, and in thy House and ours, so that thou mayest have Mercy on Zion, and repair the breaches of thy Jerusalem, while she that sate Disconsolate as a Widow may now be feasted with Bread from Heaven, with the Manna of Divine Ordinances duly administred; so that no Soul amongst us may go empty away, but that even he who gathers least may have no lack.* 1.39

Lord! thou canst make thy holy Viands, like David's Provision at the Passover, be dealt so plentifully to every one, as that none shall be unprovided for, or ashamed, who depend like Ruth upon thy Bounty; but they who despise thee shall be wrapt up in Confusion as in a Cloak.

Therefore let thy Servants joy in thy Salvation, and all our People know the Lord, acknowledging his Goodness and his Bounty that blesses the Abundance of the Rich, and fills the Hungry with good things, that both may have Bread enough, and neither want nor repine, but seek their Food of God, while he makes those that depart wickedly from him to continue in shame and scarcity.

Ah! that we may stand in a we and not sin, lest we inherit the pro∣motion of Fools, instead of the Kingdom and Crown of David; so provide for us, gracious Master, in every state and condition, as may seem best to thy God-like Wisdom, and prove most to thine Eternal Glory, if not to ours, O! Our Father, &c.

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.
• * 1.9

  1 Sam. 17.49 16.16 2 Sam. 6.19.6.16.6.21.
• * 1.10

  1 Chr. 22.3.4.5.28.14 5.2.15.1.
• * 1.11

  2 Sam. 5.9.
• * 1.12

  2 Sam. 7.2.
• * 1.13

  Tabernacula.
• † 1.14

  Ʋsus est numero mul∣titudinis, ad plures Templi partes indicandas; nam in Templo (inquit Kimchi) erant Domus tres.
• * 1.15

  1 Sam. 19.15, 16.
• * 1.16

  It shall not be De∣dicated, and so not dwelt in 'till Consecrated; as the Jews did ever some part of their House for special Worship.
• † 1.17

  Tandem tam longè abest ut ego sim dormitu∣rus; ut ne oculis quidem rictaturus sim.
• * 1.18

  1 Chron. 13.5, 6.
• * 1.19

  1 Sam. 7.1.
• * 1.20

  Gen. 22.13. 1 Sam. 16.1. Mic. 5.2.
• * 1.21

  Cant. 2.8. Rev. 14.1. Psal. 114.4.
• * 1.22

  John 2.22.
• * 1.23

  Numb. 10.33, 35, 36.
• * 1.24

  1 Chr. 15.27.
• * 1.25

  2 Chr. 6.12, 13.
• * 1.26

  Or Favour. See Grego∣ry's Notes on the word,
• * 1.27

  2 Sam. 6.21.
• * 1.28

  2 Chr. 9.17.
• * 1.29

  De fructu Ventris tui, quoniam uterus Ʋxeris cum omni suo fructu ad Mari∣tum pertinet.
• * 1.30

  2 Sam. 6.12.13.
• * 1.31

  Neither with Edom whom he hated; nor Obed Edom whom he blessed.
• * 1.32

  2 Chr. 6.41.
• * 1.33

  Vi••tum eis (non vidu∣am) lenedicam.
• * 1.34

  Significare vult apertam & ma∣nifestam salu∣tem quae omni∣bus pateat, cum sacerdotes salu∣te quasi veste circumdarentur; qui nunquam deerint gratia∣rum repetenda∣rum Officio.
• * 1.35

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the 72 Interp. will ren∣der it, which properly signifies Venison (a dain∣ty indeed,) but it im∣plies more largely any Victuals or Prosions.
• * 1.36

  His Royal Dignity, Power, and Off spring. 1 King. 11.36.
• † 1.37

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which mystically re∣fers to Christ. Psal. 4.2.
• ‖ 1.38

  Haud secus ac Re∣tiarii; ut supra in com∣ment.
• * 1.39

  Exod. 16.18.