1 Mem. The Feast of venth Month, on which Lev. xxlii. 24. LogBlow up the empet in the new-moon even in the time appointed, and upon our folemn feast-day. 4 For this was made a ftatute for Ifrael: and a law of the God of Jacob. This he ordained in *Jofeph 5*Jofeph here fig for a teftimony: when he came difies all Ifrael. See God fpeaks from the heavy Burdens which out of the land of Egypt, and had heard a ftrange language. 6 Ieafed his fhoulder from the burden: and his hands were delivered from making the pots.] the Egyptians laid upon your backs, and delivered you from thofe flavish, dirty Employments in which they made you labour.] Exodili. 8. 7 [And when ye the terrible Thunder ings and Lightnings at Sinal, Exod. xx. 18, 19. ruine, I reliev'd you, and Exod. xvii. 8. At Rephidim I tried your Faith, and Thou calledft upon me in troubles, and I delivered thee; [and heard thee, what time as the fform fell upon thee.] and look'd for nothing but immediate made the Storm a Calm.] 8 [I proved thee alfo: at the waters of ftrife.] Difpofitions, by fuffering you for a while to want Water, and found you then to be what you have been ever fince, a mutinous and diftruftful People.] 10 I will protect you from your Heathen Idolatrous Enemies, I will drive away them 9 Hear, O my people, and I will affure thee, O Ifrael: if thou wilt hearken unto me, 10 [There fhall no ftrange god be in thee: neither fhalt thou worship any other god.] and their falfe Gods, and keep them at a distance from you; fo that you fhall be under no temptation to worship an Idol.] See A&s vii. 41, 42. Deut. xxviii, 36, 64. Ii I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land land of Egypt: [open thy 11 [Whatever your Cravings and Defires mouth wide, and I fhall fill it.] be, I will fatisfy them.] 12 But my people would not hear my voice and Ifrael would not obey me. 13 [So I gave them up unto their own hearts lufts: and let them follow their own imaginations.] 14 O that my people would have hearkened unto me: for if Ifrael had walked in my ways, 15. I fhould foon have put down their enemies: and turned my hand against their adverfaries. 16 The haters of the Lord fhould have been found liarst: but their time fhould have endured for ever. 17 He fhould have fed them alfo with the fineft wheat-flower: and with hony out of the ftony rock fhould I have fatiffied thee. Evening Prayer. 13 [So I left them to their own Inclinations, and to worship thofe falfe Gods, for which they had fuch a fondness.] 16+ See Pfal. Ixvi. 2. * Their time, that is, the time of God's People. 17 In Judea the Bees ufed the Rocks, and even the Ground, as Hives to lay up their Hony, Deut. xxxii. 14. 1 Sam. xiv. 25, 26. A Pfalm of Afaph, the Seer, mentioned 2 Chron. xxix. 30. being a Complaint of the Corruption of the Courts of Judicature; and that there was occafion for this Complaint in that Age, fee Ifai. i. 10. G Deus ftetit. Pfal. LXXXII. 1 [Affemblies of Ma OD ftandeth [in the conI gregation of princes]: he giftrates.] is judge among gods. 2 How long will ye give wrong judgment: and accept the perfons of the ungodly? 3 See ver, 6. 3 De st Being blinded with Bribes and Ignorance. The foundations of the earth are Laws and Juftice. See Pfal. xl. 3. 6 God calls Magiftrates by his own Name Gods, Ex. xxii.28. compar'd with Ads xxiii.5. 7 [In fuch a manner, by fome fuch exemplary Death as wicked Tyrants ufe to do.] 3 Defend the poor and fatherlefs fee that fuch as are in need and neceffity have right. 4 Deliver the out-caft and poor fave them from the hand of the ungodly. 5 They will not be learned nor understand, but walk on ftill in darkness +: all *the foundations of the earth are out of course. 6 I have faid, Ye are gods: and ye are all the children of the moft Highest. 7 But ye shall die like men: and fall [like one of the princes.] 8 Arife, O God, and judge thou the earth: for thou fhalt 8Heathen] that is, take all *heathen to thine inhe all Nations. ritance. A Pfalm or Song of Afaph, defiring Affiftance from God, against feveral Princes and Nations, then in Confederacy against the Jews. Bishop Patrick feems inclined to think 'twas the Confederacy mention'd 2 Chron. xx. but which Afaph this was, or whether any of them mentioned in Scripture, is altogether un certain. Deus, quis fimilis ? Pfal. LXXXIII. Old not thy tongue, O H God, keep not still fi lence: refrain not thy felf, Q God. 2 For lo, thine enemies make a murmuring: and they that hate thee have lift up their head. 13 [As reftlefs as the Wheel of a Chariot in its Career, or make them as fwift to run away as a wheel down 14 The burning Mountains fuch as Ætna and Vefuvius. [like unto a wheel]: and as 13 O my God, make them the ftubble before the wind; Hill.] 14 Like as the fire that burneth up the wood: and as the flame that confumeth [the mountains.] 15 Perfecute them even fo with thy tempeft: and make them afraid with thy ftorm. 16 Make their faces afhamed, O Lord that they may feek thy Name. 17 Let them be confounded and vexed ever more and more: let them be put to fhame and perish. 18 And they fhall know that thou whofe Name is Jehovah : art only the most Highest over all the earth. Bishop Patrick fuppofes this Pfalm to have been indited by fome pious Levite, when the way to Jerufalem was. block'd up by Senacherib's Army. Quam diletta! Pial. LXXXIV. 3+ Altars] here fignifies the place, or Building about the Altars: So the word Altar fignifies again, Rev. xi. 1. O hofts! How amiable are thy dwellings: thou Lord of 2 My foul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh rejoyce in the living God. 3 Yea, the fparrow hath found her an houfe, and the fwallow a neft, where she may lay her young: even thy *altars, |