Chapter 14. Yea, and though all Jewry was holy unto God, yet it

thereof is. To the sons of Korah, a psalm or song. The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains.

The inscription does not so much declare the authors as the chief musicians appointed to sing the psalm. However, it might come to pass that some man of that stock, being a Levite, did compose it.

The foundations thereof:

Since the relative is of the masculine gender, methinks they are deceived who understand it of Jerusalem, as though he should say that it was founded in the holy hills. Neither am I ignorant, however, that certain learned men do excuse this thing, to wit, that the name of the people must be understood though he speaks of the chief city. But how hard an exposition it were, though I should hold my peace, yet everyone may see. Some of the Jews also thought nothing more likely than to refer it to the psalm. And so, by a metaphor, they expound it, the foundations of the matter (of the psalm), because he treats of the holy city of Jerusalem, which was set in the mountains. But methinks the true and right meaning is that God has chosen the holy mountains in which he should found his own city. For it follows a little after in the text, "The Most High shall establish it." He is also the builder of other cities, but we never read that he said of any other city, "This is my resting place for ever, I will dwell here, because I have chosen it," in the Psalm 132.

For we must always put this difference, that though other cities as touching the outward policy were made by the power and providence of God, yet Jerusalem was his peculiar holy place and kingly seat. After the same fashion does Isaiah speak in Chapter 14. Yea, and though all Jewry was holy unto God, yet it

is said that he, having cast all others aside, has chosen this to himself, in which he might reign, which is expressed in the second verse.

"The Lord loves the gates of Zion above all the dwellings of Jacob." To which that answers which is written in the Psalm 78. That God has forsaken Shiloh, the Tribe of Ephraim, the tabernacle of Joseph, that he might dwell in Zion which he had loved. Furthermore, the Prophet declares the cause wherefore God does prefer one place to another, and he sets the cause not in the worthiness of the place, but in the only love of God without merits. Therefore, if anyone asks why Jerusalem does excel the rest, let a brief answer be enough, because it so pleased God. And this was the beginning of the love of God; but the end was that there might be a certain place in which true religion might remain until the coming of Christ, to the intent that the unity of faith might be nourished, and from whence afterward true religion should flow to all the coasts of the world.

Wherefore the Prophet praises Jerusalem with this title, that it has God for a chief builder and chief governor. Secondly, he ascribes all the dignity which it has before other places to the grace and adoption of God. As for that which he has put Zion for Jerusalem, and the gates for the whole compass of the city, it is a double Synecdoche.

Commonly, they take the hills for Zion and Moriah: which I do not reject, though it may be drawn further, because the country was full of mountains roundabout, and the City was set in a high place.

Wonderful things are spoken of you, O city of the Lord.

Word for word, it is that that is said in there are wonderful things.

But we must consider the counsel of the prophet or rather the purpose of the Holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of his prophet. When the state of the people was low and contemptible, and many grievous adversaries did rise against them on every side, and but few had the courage to overcome the lets, and day by day some new alteration did arise unlooked for, and it was dangerous lest things waxing worse and worse by little and little at length should utterly perish, and when there was almost no hope that the city could be restored, lest the hearts of the faithful being overcome with desperation should faint.

Here is a mete prop set under it, that is to say, that God has spoken otherwise of the state thereof which is to come. For it is not to be doubted but that they are called from the sight of things present unto the promises which did minister hope of an incredible glory. Therefore, though nothing appear whereof one may much rejoice, yet the prophet bids the children of God to stand up as it were in a watchtower and patiently wait for the things that are promised. On this manner were the faithful admonished, first, that they might give ear to the old oracles, and call them to mind, especially those which are written in Isaiah, from the 40th chapter unto the end of the book, and secondly, that they might hearken to the servants of God who then did preach of the kingdom of Christ: whereby it follows that we cannot judge aright of the felicity of the church unless we judge of it after the word of God.

"I will rehearse Rahab and Babylon among them that know me; behold the Philistines, Tyre, and Ethiopia; he was born there."

The name of Rahab is taken for Egypt in many places of the scripture, which signification does well agree to this place: for the prophet's mind is to describe that wonderful greatness of the church which was as yet hid in itself. Therefore, he says that they which afore were grievous enemies or altogether strangers should not only be familiar friends but also should be grafted in one body so that they should be counted citizens of Jerusalem. And in the first clause he says: "I will rehearse Egypt and Babylon among them of my household." In the second, he adds the Philistines, the Tyrians, and the Ethiopians, who were hitherto at such variance with the people of God shall now agree as well as if they were inhabitants. It is a wonderful dignity of the church that they shall gather themselves to it round about which did contemn it and that they which did wish it utterly razed out and destroyed should count it a chief honor to be the citizens thereof, and so to be counted; and all shall willingly refuse the name of their country of which before they were so proud. Therefore, wherever they were born, either in Palestina, either in Ethiopia or in Tyre, they shall profess themselves to be citizens of the holy city. The Jews do expound this place thus that few should come out of other nations which excelled the others in wit and virtues but that there should be great abundance in Israel.

Scarcely, they say, shall there be among the Tyrians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, or any other particular men worthy of praise, so that if there be any such, he may be pointed out with the finger for the scarcity:

but in Zion, man and man shall be born, that is to say, there shall be great abundance. The Christians almost with one accord refer it to Christ and think that the prophet renders the cause

why they should be counted among the citizens of Jerusalem who hitherto were strangers and sore enemies: because Christ should be born there, whose duty it is to gather men scattered as members torn asunder into the unity of faith and hope of everlasting life. As for the first interpretation, because it is altogether wasted, it needs no refutation. As for the second, because it is more subtle than sound, I do not receive.

"And of Zion it shall be said, 'A man and a man is born in it,' and the Most High shall establish it."

He continues the same sentence that new citizens shall be gathered into the church of God out of diverse parts of the world. However, he uses another figure that strangers shall be counted among the holy people as though they had been born of Father Abraham. He said in the former verse, "The Chaldeans and Egyptians shall become of the household of the church. The Ethiopians, Philistines, and the men of Tyre shall be counted among his children." Now he adds in stead of a confirmation that there shall be an infinite multitude of new seed so that the city shall be filled with a great people which was desolate for a time and afterward was but half full with a little number of men. And this which is here shortly promised is declared more at large by Isaiah: "Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labour! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," and "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities." Likewise, "Your offspring shall come from afar,

and your children shall be carried on the hip of their nurses." And in the 43rd chapter, almost the same manner of speech is used, or at least one which draws near to this which is here. "This one shall say, 'I am the Lord's,' another shall call on the name of Jacob, and another shall write on his hand, 'The Lord's,' and name himself by the name of Israel." Neither does the prophet without cause signify by the word "bearing" that the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and such like should be of the flock of God's people.

For although by nature they were not born of Zion but ought to be grafted in by adoption into the body of the holy people, yet because our entry into the church is the second birth, this manner of speaking does agree very well. For Christ does take the faithful to him in marriage with this condition, that they forget their own people and their father's house (Psalm 45), and being fashioned and born anew of incorruptible seed into new creatures, may begin to be the sons both of God and of the church (Galatians 4). And surely, we are born anew into the heavenly life none other way than by the ministry of the church. But in the meantime, we must mark the difference that the apostle puts between the earthly Jerusalem, which as it is a servant, so engenders children to subjection, and the heavenly which brings forth free children by the gospel.

In the second part of the verse, the long enduring of the same is declared: for oftentimes it comes to pass that the sooner cities creep up into a wonderful height, the shorter while does their prosperous state endure. And lest that the felicity of the church should seem after this sort to be unstable, the prophet pronounces that her stability shall be of the Lord, as though he should say that it were no marvel though other cities did shake

and were subject to diverse inclinations because they are tossed with the world and have not everlasting keepers. But new Jerusalem is of another sort, whose eternity being grounded in the power of God shall stand though heaven and earth fall.

"God shall count his people by writing; he was born there." Selah. The prophet means that the name of Zion shall be so famous that all shall with most fervent desire go about to be counted in the number and degree of the citizens thereof. For he speaks of a most honourable degree: as though he should say, when God shall make a count of the nations, those whom he will chiefly honour he will account rather to Zion than to Babylon or any other cities. For this shall be a greater dignity to be in the lowest degree amongst the citizens of Zion than anywhere to be of the chief. Yet in the meantime, he admonishes us from whence men who are strangers get such honour so suddenly: to wit, of the free gift of God. And surely, they who are the servants of the devil and of sin can never get by their own diligence the freedom of the heavenly city. It is the Lord alone who places the people in their several degrees as it seemed good to him, and whereas the condition of men is alike, he puts difference between one and another. As for the writing whereof he makes here mention, it pertains to the calling, for although he has written his children in the book of life before the creation of the world, yet he then counts them at length in the number of his children when he does seal them, being regenerated with the mark of the Spirit of adoption. As well the singers as the players on instruments, all my fountains are of thee.

Partly the great shortness, partly the doubtful signification of one word makes the sentence dark. As for the word "fountains," there is no doubt but that it is translated from the right

signification and used here by a metaphor. But although the interpreters differ in the declaration of the metaphor, some expound it as hope, some as affections, some as the inward thoughts. However, I would gladly agree with their sentence, which interprets it as songs, if the propriety of the tongue would suffer it. But because it may seem too far-fetched, I do receive that which is most agreeable to reason, namely, that countenance is signified, for the root from which it is derived signifies an eye. Now, we must see what that other member signifies. "As well the singers as the players on instruments." It is an abrupt manner of speaking, but all men do agree on the sense thereof, namely, that there shall be such cause of joy that the praise of God shall be set forth with singing, both without instruments and also with instruments of music.

Therefore, he establishes what he said before of that great, glorious restoration of Zion: for by the greatness of the joy and manifold singing of praise, he declares how great the felicity thereof should be. But in the meantime, he describes the end of all the gifts which God so liberally pours on his church, namely, that the faithful do witness their thankful mind towards him with hymns and songs. Moreover, the prophet declares that he embraces the church with a singular love, care, and study, to the intent he might exhort and kindle all faithful by his example to the same affection. According to this saying, "Let my right hand be forgotten if I do not remember thee, Jerusalem, in the beginning of my joy." For then, finally, are all our affections in the church, when as we gather ourselves from the wandering and vain destruction of the mind, and despise the dignities, delicate things, riches, and pomp of this world, and are content with that only spiritual glory of the kingdom of Christ.

Originally Printed at London by Rouland Hall dwelling in Golding Lane at the sign of the three arrows.

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