A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

PSAL. XXXVI.

TO him that excelleth of the Servant of the Lord, David. Of this Addition singularly here, The Servant of the Lord: See before Psalme. 18. It doth denote something in either set forth, declaring a difference betwixt him and his wicked Enemies, there his wonderfull mercy in delivering him out of their hands, for which his Eyes were towards him, as a Servants to his Master; here their profligate wickedness, wholly addicting themselves to do Evill, from which he abhorred, as it becomes Gods Servant to do.

The transgression of the Wicked sayth, in the midst of my heart, there is no fear * 1.1 of God before his Eyes: Hebr. Transgression sayth to the Wicked: That is, His obstinate, and shameless giving himself to live in all manner of Wicked∣ness, telleth him as by a lively voice, what shew soever he makes to the contrary, that he hath no fear of God in him, and this I say, because I know it in my heart to be so, as if I heard his wickedness speaking so much, and I know in the midst of my Heart, through the inward greif and sorrow that I have therefore. And this is true touching all, that do, Dare operam pecc••∣to, live and go on in gross sins from time to time, being touched with no [Note] Repentance therefore, their sinning outwardly proclaims what they are in∣wardly, although they set a good face upon it, and say that they have a good heart.

For he flattereth himself in his own eys til his iniquity be found out to hatred. * 1.2 Here he sheweth that the wicked harden themselves to the doing of Evill through a better conceit, which they have of themselves; when as others, that fear God hate and abhor their doings, and look upon their case as abo∣minable to God and dangerous. And this layeth open the Originall and [Note.] Nurse of so great wickedness, as abounds in the world, that men against their own Conscience, that accuseth them to be without all true fear of God and against the judgment of good men, who hate their doings, sooth up themselves, as if they were accepted before God as well as the best, N. Tran. Till his iniquity be found to be hatefull.

The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit: That is, Saith Cal∣vin, * 1.3 he hath something to say to excuse and justify himself to the deceiving of his own Soul, and the hardning of him in sin. He ceaseth to understand to do good, That is, He is averse from all good Instruction and Reason, whereby he might be perswaded better.

He meditates Iniquity upon his bed: That is, In his retiredness through * 1.4

the corruption of his heart he beginneth to enter into this evill way by himself alone not being drawn on to it by others. He persists in a way not good: not only beginning and going on far in a wicked course, but without Repentance al∣ways going on, He abominates not evill, being carryed by a contempt of God on in his wickedness; and then he summs up the differences betwixt the Wic∣ked, and such as fear God thus.

1. He slatters himself in his wickedness; this man judgeth and condemneth himself. [Note.]

2. He deviseth reasons to harden his heart in sin; this man reasons against sinning in any thing, in stead of extenuating, aggravating his least sins.

3. He stopps or turns away his Eares from hearing Reason against his Evill ways, this man is willing and desirous of good instruction, that he may be more stirred up to good, and against evill.

4. His meditations in private are, how he might practise this or that wic∣kedness; this mans meditations are, how he may yet grow better, and what abundance of sin he is already guilty of, to be accordingly humbled there∣fore.

5. He goes on in Evill, waxing dayly worse and worse; this man perse∣veres in good, and cannot by any means be beaten, or allured out of the Way hereof.

6. He being so Evill, as hath been sayd, abominates not himself therefore, but in contempt of God pleaseth himself still therein; this man through the fear of God, trembles and abhors himself, even for his Infirmities: yet it is not to be conceived, that every wicked man is such in all degrees, but that there are such, When there is no dram of Grace to restrain them, others not being suffered to be so exorbitant for the common Good of those politick Bodies, whereof they are members, and not that they are any whit the more in the way of Salvation.

(O Lord) thy mercy is in Heaven, thy truth unto the Clouds. Calvin, to the Heavens, New Translat. Thy faithfullness to the Clouds: Respecting ra∣ther the sense then the signification of the word. Having set forth the abo∣mination * 1.5 of wicked Enemies, to God and his people, now he proceedeth on the contrary side to set forth Gods mercy and Goodness for the comfort of all them that fear him, both to make the wicked ashamed and to fear, and to comfort all such as fear God, against their wicked practises, and himself in particular. In this and V. 6. are sour Excellencies in God spoken of: First, Mercy or Goodness. Secondly, His truth or faithfullness. Thirdly, His Righteousness. Fourthly. His Judgments. His mercy, In the Heavens Psalm. 57. 11. Ʋnto the Heavens, Psal, 108. 5. Above the Heavens. And the same is meant here also; it is so great that it filleth the World below and Heaven above also. His truth unto the clouds, For he dealeth truly and faith∣fully with all creatures, keeping touch with all in every thing, that he hath promised: And the Heavens and Clouds, haply are mentioned in reference to the Rain bow, which he sayth he would place in the Clouds, for a signe that * 1.6 the Earth should never be drowned again. His Righteousness like the moun∣taines, To administer all things by his providence most justly in punishing those that are so intollerably addicted to all manner of Wickedness, and do∣ing Good to those that fear him, and delivering them out of their Hands: His judgments like a great deep: Or Abysse, the bottom whereof cannot be sounded, whereby is meant, that although the Wicked for a time may live in prosperity, the Righteous in misery, they in honour, these in disgrace, yet the just judge will one day put a contrary difference between them, making these happy and honorable, them infamous and miserable for ever: but yet this judgment lyeth hid, as the bottom of an Abysse, no such thing appearing to men a long time. Thou savest both man and beast: So good is the Lord, that his Goodness in governing the World is extended to all his Creatures, yea

even the very beasts, therefore much more to men, and specially to such as fear him, and trust in him so that they shall be saved from the hands of their Enemies here, and from Death and damnation hereafter, and partake of this Heavenly Kingdom for ever and ever. And in this sense the Apostle sayth, God is the Saviour of all men, especially of them that beleeve.

How precious is thy mercy, and the Sons of men shall trust under the shadow of * 1.7 thy wings: That is, Not all promiscuously,l but the faithfull that live in his fear: Of the Wicked it is spoken contrariwise before, so that if they trust, they shall be deceived, the like Phrase is also used of the Faithfull, Psalm. 91.

They shall be satisfied with the fatness of thy house: That is, They shall * 1.8 have joy in thee, as they that are feasted in the house of a King, where all Delicacies, both of meat and drink abound, for a good Conscience is a conti∣nuall feast, and this is in the Sense of Gods Grace and favour in Christ; justi∣fying from our sins, there being no worldly thing that can satisfy, yet be∣cause Godliness hath the promises of this life, and of that to come, I hold with Calvin that the one is so promised here, that the other is not exclu∣ded. For all such as fear God and trust in him shal be fed corporeally, Ps. 37. 1. and Spiritually with the light of Gods countenance, Psal. 4. 7. and Eter∣nally with hidden Manna, Revel. 2. 17.

After promises of favour to them that fear God, here he addeth prayers, both for them and for himself, concluding with Threatning to the Wicked * 1.9 that they shall fall and never rise up again.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 3. Calvin.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 9.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.9

  Vers. 10. 11. 12.