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. XLVI.

TO the chiefe Musician for the Sons of Corah, upon Alamoth a Song. Of the Sons of Corah enough hath been said before, Psal. 42. But what is meant by Alamoth, the Sept. and Vulgar Latine, render it De

arcanis, of secrets, which Jerom expoundeth of the rejection of the Iews * 1.1 and the vocation of the Gentiles, when they should most tumultuate and rage against Christ, teaching them to put them trust in God, and not to feare them, or any other enemies: The Cald. following the same reading, applyeth to the Sons of Corah, when their Father was swallowed up of the earth, and so hidden from them for his sinne, but they were delivered, taking it to have been compiled by them. Some take Alamoth for the Virginals, because Alam signifieth a Virgin, and for this maketh, 1 Chron. 15. 20. Where prasing of God with P••a••te••••es on Alamoth is spoken of: And therefore I preter this, and the rather, because other Psalmes before-going, were also commended to be sung upon particular Instruments of musick, as Psal. 4. and 5. &c. For the occasion, Calvin thinks it to have been the deliverance of Hezekiah and Ierusalem, from the Assyreans, * 1.2 when the Angel of God went out and slew in one night 185000 of San∣necheribs Hoast, and the matter of it doth not disagree; only because this comes within the Psalmes of David and that was long after, and therefore if it be applyed to that time, must be yeilded to have been com∣piled by some other man, it seemeth rather to have been made at some time, when David and his People had some great deliverance, a when the Philistims came against him, but were confounded; yet it is not to be thought, but herein is a further reach, even to the times of the Gospel, according to the interpretation of Jerom upon Alamoth, secrets: Because he speaks of peace, and being known amongst the Nations, Verse 9. 10. Like to that, Isa. 2. 4. I resolve therefore, that it is a prophesie of hidden or mysticall things under the Gospel, kept svecret in former times, but now revealed and made manifest, because the light is come to the Nati∣ons, that were before in darknesse, and after much trouble in the Primitive times by persecution, peace followed in Constantines daies; and we hope, the Turk and Pope being overthrown, a long lasting peace in all Nations, which cannot, til then be quiet again.

God is my refuge and strength, a present help in trouble. Hebrew, God * 1.3 is verily found a protection and strength to us, an help in streights or adver∣sities: Thus also Calvin, the Vulgar, God is our refuge and virtue, an helper in tribulations, which have very much found us. The sense being al∣most in all the same, but let us hold to the Original: And the scope of the Psalme being already shewed, the sense hereof is easie, he speaks of God come in the flesh to save us, as if he had then been come, because seen by the eye of faith, as Abraham is said by Christ, to have seen his day and rejoyced: For we being in great streights by reason of our sinnes, * 1.4 he is found borne in Bethlehem and by the Angels declared to be our Sa∣viour, and this to be tydings of great joy to all people: For which it is not here said, God is my, but our protection and strength, As spoken not of one, but of all Nations in the World.

Therefore we will not feare at the moving of the earth, at the casting down * 1.5 of the Mountaines into the midst of the Sea. What stirs and troubles soever be in the World, if there should be commotions amongst the enemies of the Gospel, like to an Earth-quake, the most terrible that ever came, to the casting down of very Mountaines, as indeed there were, when it was heard that Christ was born, Herod as an high and great Mountain, was troubled and all Jerusalem with him, and so were Devils, that were in the esteem of the Heathen, high as Gods, for then their Oracles ceased, and they durst not give answers any more, and I saw, saith Christ, Satan falling from Heaven like lightning: Yet the Faithful feare not, when being moved with indignation, hot persecutions are stirred up against them, as we may see in the Apostles, Act. 4.

The waters thereof shall roare and be troubled. He proceedeth in the * 1.6 Allegory begun, setting forth the rage of the wicked enemies of the Gospel,

under the name of the waters of the Sea, and these waters swelling up on high, so that they dash against the Mountains, and therefore were able to make carnall men, of what worldly might so ever, to shake; yet they cannot move the people of GOD, but they go on courageously in propaga∣ting and cleaving to the Gospel.

The River of his flouds rejoyce the City of God: Hereby, sayth Jerom, is * 1.7 understood the Water of Baptisme, Basil, the manifold goodness of GOD abounding towards his people, not only in the Blessings of this life, but chiefly in those that be spirituall, for which the Faithfull do most rejoyce trough joy of the Holy Ghost, But forsomuch as we read of Rivers of water flowing out of his Belly to Eternall life, that drinks of the Water, that Christ shall give him, that is, himself, the Fountain of living Water * 1.8 and his Spirit, we need not look any further for the meaning, but under∣stand it of the Spirit of Christ the Comforter, whom he promised to send, and then although the City of his people should be heavy for a time at his Death, they should again have exceeding great joy. In comparing them to a City and Sanctuary, he hath reference to Zion, where the Ark was a figure of the Church of CHRIST, and therefore oft set forth by that name.

God is in the midst of her, shee shall not be moved: He had before sayd, * 1.9 that the Earth should be moved, but now he sayth the Church shall not, she is as a City built upon a Rock, against which the Gates of Hell prevail * 1.10 not. And thus firmly built is every good Hearer of the word of God that doth it, Matth. 7.

The Gentiles made a noise, the Kingdoms moved: Having spoken of the * 1.11 stability of the Church through God in the midst of it, Verse 5. Now he further illustrats the same by bringing in the Enemys thereof tumultua∣ting and raging against her in every place, but the Lord uttering his voice in way of Rebuke, they presently dissolve and have no strength left them against her, that when the Faithfull under the Gospel should see themselves through perscution stirred up in all places in an Evill case, they might here∣in be comforted: Whereas Jerom hath it, They gave their voice: Expoun∣ding it as spoken of the Gentiles, he goeth plainly from the word, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a singular, spoken therefore of one, that is, God sayd, V. 5. to be in the midst of his Church. And it is, He gave with his voice, That is, Such Rebuke, that all their strength was broken, and so it was when Constantine turning Christian overcame his Competitour, Licinus, an Heathen, and gave peace to the CHURCH every where. See the like before, Psalme 2.

The Lord of hoasts is with us: Here Jerom rightly, this is a Prophesy of Christ, who is Emanuel, God with us, Isa. 7. 14. And hereby it appeares, * 1.12 that was very God, to whom the Title of the Lord of Hosts is given, not agreeing to any meer man, although the most mighty amongst those that are the Sons of God by adoption, or any outward dignity above other men put upon them.

Come and consider the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made Jerom, What prodigies or wonders he hath wrought: And the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sig∣nifieth * 1.13 either desolations, or stupendious admirable things, but because he coming, Verse 9. To explain what he meaneth hereby, He maketh wars to cease to the uttermost ends of the Earth, and the cessation of War rather * 1.14 Replemisheth the Earth, then makes it desolate, it must needs be rather un∣derstood of Prodigies, for what move admirable then upon Earth every where imbrued with bloud, and resoundiug with Ecchoes of Alarums to war, to cause all war or cease, and Armes every where to be husht and still. For thus it is in history observed to have been in the Dayes of Augustus Caesar, when CHRITT was born, Peace was all over the Earth: For Pompey and Anthony Competitours of the Romane Empire, were de∣stroyed,

and so there were none left to disturb it: Then he injoying all Kingdomes in quiet, sent out a decree, that all the World should be taxed, Luk. 2. And then the Tmeple of Janus for a sign of universal peace, was shut up, as it had not been above once or twice before, in seven hundred years, since Rome was built: For who so shall read the story of the Romans, shall finde, that they were never without wars, but as hath been said, but as soon as one was ended, another burst out, and therefore such a cessation of war, as is here spoken of, was a wonder of wonders.

He breakes the bow, &c. Here he speaks of Christ, as a Conquerour, like Joshuah, who in times past haughed the enemies horses when he had * 1.15 subdued them, and burnt their Charriots with fire, for he was a figure of Christ Jesus; and hereby it is meant, as Isaiah saith, that they should no where have Armes, to make war any more, and therefore not learn it: But the time of this blessed peace is yet to come, as I have sometime said before.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hieron.
• * 1.2

  Calvin.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.4

  Joh. 8.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 4. Hieron. Basil. M.
• * 1.8

  Ioh. 4. 6.
• * 1.9

  Ver 5.
• * 1.10

  Matth. 16.
• * 1.11

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.12

  Verse. 7.
• * 1.13

  Ver. 8.
• * 1.14

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 10.