thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done, &c.'

Therefore the mind is to be established in this sense of the Psalm, and not to be tossed about by any other wind of doctrine, because this meaning of it was confirmed from heaven; for, as the same Luke saith, "when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together." It is quite clear, therefore, that by "the kings," is signified Herod and Pilate, even though Pilate was not king, for these two co-operated together to fulfil that which the counsel of God had determined before to be done; (as they themselves here say;) that is, to destroy Christ.

It now remains that we clear up the trifling difficulty concerning Pilate. He is either called a king with Herod, or else called so by a figure of speech most commonly used in the scriptures, which gives an appellation to the whole people from the name of the Father. Thus, Israel is called the "first-born," even though many among them were idolaters. And again, they are all rebuked when only some of them deserved it. And so also, the one being king makes both to be kings.

Again, by "rulers" are to be understood the heads of the priests; by "heathen" the Roman soldiers under Pilate, who seized Jesus, scourged him, and crucified him; and by "people" we are clearly to understand the commonalty of the Jews, or Israel.

In this passage therefore heathen and people are kept manifestly distinct. But I do not dare to affirm, nor do I believe, that this distinction is maintained in all instances: though the term heathen is most frequently used in contradistinction to the Jews, or Israel. For thus, the church of the heathen (or Gentiles), and Paul an apostle of the heathen (or Gentiles), is held in universal authority and use, as distinct from the church of the Jews, or that which is of the Jews.

And observe how this distinction is kept up, "the heathen rage," and "the people meditate a vain thing, "the kings stand up," and, "the rulers take counsel together.

The "heathen," as irrational beasts raged, for they knew not what they did.-But the "people" prated and conferred in their councils speaking iniquity against the Most High, and surrounded him on every side with words of hatred, as it is set forth, in Psalm 108, saying, "Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours," Mark xii. 7. And Caiaphas, John xi. 49, 50, having assembled the people, said, "Ye know nothing at all: nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people."-These vain addresses to the people, therefore, whereby they so often sought to destroy Christ, and their fabricated accusations before Pilate, are what David here calls 'vain meditations.'--For the kings" decreed, (because that is what we are here to understand from the Hebrew stood up') determined, issued proclamations, and confirmed these their ragings and meditations, by giving their sentence concerning Christ. "And so Pilate, (saith the evangelist,) willing to satisfy the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified."-And the "rulers" gathered together, consulted, persuaded the people, and at the same time confirmed them in their determination to crucify Jesus: for they stirred up the people and moved them to ask that Barabbas should be released unto them rather than Christ.'

And observe here the tenderness and modesty of the prophetic mouth, how feelingly, and as it were sympathetically, he speaks of the fury of these men. For when he might with justice have called these enraged expressions, " Away with him! Crucify him, crucify him! and all those other enfuriated clamours of the Jews whereby they accused Christ, frenzy and maddened violence, he only calls them meditations. And meditation, as we have shown before, is a continual prating or talking with the mouth: and this is here a meditation a a bad sense. For as a lover is always spontaneously saying many things about the object beloved; the hater is assiduously prating and saying the worst things about the object hated.--And there is the same Todesty also in the words "rage, "stand up," and

"take counsel together;" for the act itself was far more atrocious than the purport of these words would seem to indicate.

We are hereby taught, therefore, that we ought not, after the manner of detractors, to exaggerate the evil conduct of men, but as much as possible to extenuate it; that we may show that we do not feel so much indignation on our own account, as pity on theirs. For the Holy Spirit is kind. He does not glory in the evils of others, but, in his kindness, pities all. And thus St. Peter says of Christ, that he did not revile nor threaten when he suffered, nor wish for revenge, but committed himself unto him that judgeth righteously.' 1 Epist. ii. 23.

David says, "vain things:" in which expression, he comprehends the purport of nearly the whole of the Psalm. For he wishes to show, that Christ, who is set up as king by God the Father, cannot be hindered nor prevented by all the many and great resisting counsels, attempts, and furies of Gentiles, Jews, kings, and rulers ; but that all their endeavours are so utterly spent in vain, that they make themselves a derision, and by their very resistance further and promote the kingdom of Christ. As if the Psalmist wished in this Psalm to prove that which he had declared in the first Psalm, 'That all things whatsoever he doeth (as far as it is understood with reference to Christ) shall prosper.'-For to this tend those words of Paslm xlviii. 4, And in thy beauty go forth, ride prosperously, and reign,' &c. And Psalm cxviii. 25, 26, “O Lord, prosper thou. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." For the prosperity of Christ, as I said, it not worldly, nor carnal, but spiritual. For what man is there, who while Christ was suffering, would not have thought, that he would ever have been one of the lowest of men living, and that he was the farthest from being king of all. Who would not have believed, that the meditations of the people were then firmly established, and the farthest from being vain, when they gloried that he was condemned to the curse of the cross by the authority of God himself, and thought that their meditations were established for ever?

So necessary always are faith and hope in the works of God, not only in the things that are to be borne, but in those which are to be understood: which are always accomplished contrary to all human sense and apprehension.

And this also is a word of faith-" Against the Lord and against his Christ:" for they seemed, both to all others and also to themselves, to be acting for God and for his Christ. Thus also, at this day, and always, the ungodly work against the glory of God, when they imagine they are working for the glory of God. And it is thus that God governs the world, making all its wisdom foolishness. So that, they who are considered to be acting for the glory of God, are acting to the blasphemy of him; and those who are accused of blaspheming him, are the very persons who are truly contending for his glory. Thus his way is in a hidden path, in faith, and in holiness: but the court which is without the temple is not measured, because it is given to the Gentiles,' saith John, Rev. xi. 2.

David saith, first, "against the Lord," and then, "against his anointed." For all sin first of all offends God. Because he is not only righteousness, but also the love of righteousness; and all who love righteousness receive it from him. If it did not offend God, it would not be sin.

But he moreover orders his words thus, that we may learn for our consolation and exhortation, that we never suffer any injury, but what offends God first, and more than it does us; and that such is the care of God our Father over us, that he feels every injury done to us before we do, and levels a greater indignation against

it.

This David holds forth to us, that we may keep ourselves from all feeling of revenge: nay that we may rather pity those whom we see to rush, on our account, upon such majesty, unto their own perdition: while they not only do not in the least injure us, but merely horribly destroy themselves. For God saith," whoso toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye," Zechariah ii. 8.-Hence the prophet, sympatheticall grieving

from his heart, as it were, at their rashness, first begins in an interrogative form, asking, why they raged? why they made themselves a derision? why, like fools, they attempted impossibilities? O (saith he) that they would be wise and understand! And then, in a way of exhortation, he admonishes them, that, they would attempt solid things instead of vain: that is, that they would be rather instructed and understand, and be brought to serve Christ in fear.

Moreover, by the very tenderness of his words, he sufficiently extenuates their vanity and fruitless attempts, saying, they'raged,' 'meditated,' 'stood up,' and 'took counsel together.' As if he had said, ye may rage, but ye cannot destroy: ye may meditate, and talk, and prate much, but ye will effect nothing. Let your kings decree, but it shall not come to pass: let your rulers take counsel, but it shall come to nought. What therefore is left you but that ye wish to accomplish many things but in vain ; that ye attempt mighty things, and try every means, and at last see nothing accomplished, but every thing turn out just contrary to your wishes.

Thus God will permit ragings, counsels, and attempts, to be stirred up by the ungodly against the godly. But all these are like the swelling waves of the sea, which swell and rush toward the shore, as if they would utterly overwhelm it; but, before they reach the shore, they sink into themselves and vanish, or are dashed on the shore with a vain and empty noise. For the righteous man, like the shore, being firmly established in the faith of Christ, confidently contemns all these languid threats, and these swellings that will soon sink into naught: for he knows that Moab is exalted in pride, and that his presumption is greater than his strength, and his indignation than his power; as Isaiah and Jeremiah say.— And by this cross the ungodly are tortured according to their deserts for it is a dreadful torment to wish to hurt all, and to be able to hurt none. And hence, the heathen have said concerning envy,

Sicilian tyrants never could invent

A torment, like an envy-bitten heart!