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. LXVII.

THIS Psalme is also generally held to be Propheticall of the conversion of all Nations, beginning first with the Jewes, who say,

God be mercifull unto us and blesse us, and lift up the light of his countenance * 1.1 upon us: That is, inlighten us by Christ, who is the true light; and not on∣ly us, but all Nations of the Earth; for from Zion the light went forth in∣to all parts, as the Sun-rising in the East, as was shewed before, Psal. 19. in a similitude taken therefrom. Hereupon he rejoycingly breaks out, and saith,

Let the people praise thee (O God) Let all the people praise thee: That is, both Jewes and Gentiles for this glorious Light, and for judging them righ∣teously, * 1.2 and governing the nations of the earth: Whereby he meaneth, not his generall governing by his Providence, as Calvin saith well, but his Spi∣ritual * 1.3 governing of his Church, and justifying her by his grace; for this he meaneth, when he saith, God shall judge his folke righteously, acquitting them for his owne righteousnesse, made theirs by faith. Then he iterates the same words againe, to stirre up all men the more.

Let the people praise thee (O God) adding; Then shall the earth bring forth her encrease: That is, saith Jerome, the Virgin Mary, her fruit Iesus, that sa∣veth * 1.4 us: For what was Mary but earth? and Jesus saith of himselfe, Ʋnless a graine of Corne fall upon the ground, it fructifyeth not: Implying himselfe to be the encrease of the earth, wherein we all that believe are blessed, as followeth here:

And God, even our God shall blesse us: God shall blesse us, and all the ends of the earth shall feare him: That is, God the Father, God the Son, and God the * 1.5 holy Ghost, and for this blessing all Nations shall feare him, as for a mer∣cy unspeakable, as else-where it is said, That there is mercy with thee, that thou maist be feared. By feare, love, humility, and obedience to his will in all things being meant, because it is the product of this infinite mercy; and it * 1.6 is usuall in Scripture by the feare of God, to set forth all vertue, as where it is said; Heare the end of all, feare God, and keepe his commandements, for this * 1.7 is the whole duty of man. And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome. Wherefore Jerome saith not so rightly upon these words, Feare is of little ones, Love of perfect ones; and in prosecuting this Argument, he confutes himselfe, by saying, All things shall worke together for good to those that love * 1.8 God: And instanceth in Iob, touching whom we know, that it is said, He feared God, and eschewed evill: Therefore he that feareth God, according to that which is here said, loveth him also, and is not of a sort of men inferi∣our to such as love him, and this very place evinceth the same. For upon whom is this unparalleld blessing of God, but upon such as feare him; for what else is here said, But God shall blesse us, and all the ends of the earth shall feare him: So that they who feare him are blessed with the best of all blessings, Christ Jesus; and their being blessed in him, makes them to feare, love, and honour him alwayes, and in all things. Neither is the feare of God here and elsewhere commended; that which he saith, love that is perfect, ca∣steth out, misalledging that Text of Iohn, Perfect love casteth out feare, but the very compend. of all graces. Yet that which hee saith of Jesus, the fruit * 1.9 yeelded by the earth here spoken of, is not to be misliked, because all the Psalm is of him, and comfort by him to all Nations before, set forth by light, now by encrease or fruit of the earth: And the extolling so highly of this blessing, naming it three times over, argueth it not to be temporany and corporeal, but spiritual and eternall, making men truly blessed indeed, such as is Christ Jesus alone, of whom the same Ierome saith well, he was first a Flower, as in the Canticles it is said, I am the flower of the field, and the

Lilly of the Vallies; and then he grew to be fruit to be eaten, to the ob∣taining of ete••nall life, according to that, He which eates my flesh and drinks * 1.10 my blood, hath evrlasting life. So that as the Earth once yeilded fruit, by eating whereof Death came, so now by eating this fruit, life for evermore: Thus also Augustine, but Basil and Calvin expound it only, as meant of temporall blessings, wherewith they shall be blessed that feare God, as it is said, Godlinesse is profitable to all things, having the promise of this life * 1.11 and of the life to come.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1. John 1.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.3

  Calvin.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 6. Hieron.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 21.
• * 1.7

  Eccles. 12. Prov. 1. 7.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.9

  1 John 4. 18.
• * 1.10

  Joh. 6.
• * 1.11

  1 Tim. 4. 8.