MHCC 52: Why Was Eve Formed From Adam's Rib?

In the famous Commentary of Matthew Henry, we find a beautiful summary of why woman was created in the Garden of Eden from the rib of Adam rather than from the earth like Adam was. 

“ 4. That the woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved. Adam lost a rib, and without any diminution to his strength or comeliness (for, doubtless, the flesh was closed without a scar); but in lieu thereof he had a help meet for him, which abundantly made up his loss: what God takes away from his people he will, one way or other, restore with advantage. In this (as in many other things) Adam was a figure of him that was to come; for out of the side of Christ, the second Adam, his spouse the church was formed, when he slept the sleep, the deep sleep, of death upon the cross, in order to which his side was opened, and there came out blood and water, blood to purchase his church and water to purify it to himself. See Eph. v. 25, 26.” – Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary Upon the Whole Bible (1708-1710, 1991, 2006), p. 10 (Gen. 2.21)

This quote, often-repeated, highlights the companionship that God intended for husband and wife. As Henry no doubt would acknowledge, this understanding of the relationship between man and wife was not unique to him. As it turns out (here I wish to thank Adam Brink for highlighting this point) there is a long theological pedigree to this idea which predates Matthew Henry by centuries. In this blog post, I will provide citations to other theologians who have made this very point. This list may not be complete (allusions to this idea may be found in Augustine and earlier), but it shows a trajectory of thought which is historically intriguing, at least to this researcher, and each contribution along the way has its own particular and profound eloquence.

“Adam lost a rib, but he got a better thing instead of it, even a help meet for him. Thus God uses to deal with his children: they lose sometimes some of their creature-comforts; but then perhaps they get more of the Creator’s comforts, and that’s a blessed exchange. This bone was taken out of Adam’s side, fitly noting the woman’s place: not out of his head, to be above him; nor out of his feet, to be trampled on by him; nor from before him, as his better; nor from behind him, as his servant; -- but out of his side, to be equal with him; near his heart, for he owes her love; under his arm, for he owes her protection. Surely they forget from whence the woman was taken, that carry themselves haughtily and abusively towards their wives.” – Philip Henry (1631-1696), An Exposition…Upon the First Eleven Chapters of Genesis (1682, 1839), p. 56 (Gen. 2.21) * This commentary by Matthew Henry’s father was written by the hand of Matthew Henry in 1682.

*** 

 “The woman was taken out of this part, not out of the higher or lower parts, to show that she is neither to be her husband’s mistress, to usurp authority over him, 1 Tim. ii.12; nor yet to be his slave, to be abused, despised, or trampled under his feet; but to be kindly treated, and used like a companion, with moderation, respect, and affection.” – Matthew Poole (1624-1679), “Annotations Upon the Holy Bible” (1683-1685), Vol. 1, p. 7 (Gen. 2.21). * “One fact is certain from internal evidence, that Mr. Henry wrote his Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, with the learned compilation of Poole, called Criticorum Synopsis, open before him; as, in all difficult passages, he has judiciously selected that opinion from the many presented in this work, which, upon the whole, seems to be most probable.” – Archibald Alexander, Preface to Matthew Henry’s Commentary

*** 

“To honour marriage more yet, or rather to teach the married how to honour one another, it is said that the wife was made of the husband's rib, Gen. ii.22; not of his head, for Paul calleth the husband the wife's head, Ephes. v. 23; not of the foot, for he must not set her at his foot. The servant is appointed to serve, and the wife to help. If she must not match with the head, nor stoop at the foot, where shall he set her then? He must set her at his heart, therefore she which should lie in his bosom was made in his bosom, and should be as close to him as his rib, of which she was fashioned.” – Henry Smith (1560-1591), A Preparative to Marriage (1591), p. 8

*** 

"It was right for the woman to be made from a rib of man. First, to signify the social union of man and woman, for the woman should neither "use authority over man," and so she was not made from his head; nor was it right for her to be subject to man's contempt as his slave, and so she was not made from his feet." -- Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225–1274), Summa Theologiae (1265–1274, 1485), Pars Prima, Quest. 92, Art. 3 * Thomas Aquinas wrote a commentary on Peter Lombard’s Sentences.

 ***

“It is not good for man to be alone; let us make him a help like unto himself” – “‘like unto himself’ – this corresponds to equivalence. By this is indicated that the woman must be the equal of the man, or his companion, not under him and not above him. Also, the woman was made from man’s rib, not from the upper part or from the lower, but from the middle, that by it might be designated that woman must be man’s equal.” – Robert of Sorbon (1201-1274), De Matrimonio (Of Marriage) (c. 1260-1270) on Gen. 2.18

 ***

“WHY WOMAN WAS FORMED FROM THE MAN’S SIDE AND NOT FROM SOME OTHER PART OF HIS BODY. But although woman was made from man for these reasons, nevertheless she was formed not from just any part of his body, but from his side, so that it should be shown that she was created for the partnership of love, lest, if perhaps she had been made from his head, she should be perceived as set over man in domination; or if from his feet, as if subject to him in servitude. Therefore, since she was made neither to dominate, nor to serve the man, but as his partner, she had to be produced neither from his head, nor from his feet, but from his side, so that he would know that she was to be placed beside himself whom he had learned had been taken from his side.” -- Peter Lombard (1100-1160), Libri Quatuor Sententiarum (Sentences) (c. 1150), Bk. 2, Distinction 18, Ch. 2 (see also 3.18.3; 4.28.3.2; 4.28.4) * Peter Lombard was a pupil of Hugh of St. Victor.

***

“XXXV. Why woman was made from man, and why from the side.

But afterwards as a help to generation woman was made from man himself, since, if she had been made from another source, surely the beginning of all men would not have been one. Now she was made from the side of man that it might be shown that she was created for association in love, lest perhaps, if she had been made from the head, she would seem to be preferred to man unto damnation, or, if from the feet, to be subject unto slavery. Since, therefore, she was furnished to man neither as a mistress nor a handmaid but as a companion, she had to be produced neither from the head nor from the feet but from the side, in order that he might realize that she was to be placed beside him, whom he learned had been taken from his very side.” -- Hugh of St. Victor (c. 1096-1141), De Sacramentis (Sacraments of the Christian Faith) (c. 1134), Book I, Part VI, Sec. 35

*** 

“[God took one] of the ribs. Why was the woman formed from a rib? For if she were formed from his foot or hand or some other part she would stand in shame before him. Another interpretation is that it shows the greatest love, for the rib is, after all, closest to the heart, as it is said: the rib is the guardian of the heart.” – Anonymous (Irish), Commemoratio Geneseos (8^th Century)

Best Set of Online Bible Commentaries

If you are interested in quality Reformed Bible commentaries, and your book budget is limited or you appreciate the benefits of being able to search online, be sure to bookmark this page at Reformed Books Online (RBO): Bible Commentaries.

Travis Fentiman has done yeoman's work to assemble most of the highest rated commentaries identified by Charles Spurgeon, Richard Muller, Cyril J. Barber and others in one place where they are easily accessible online. Of particular interest to readers of this blog, there are so many Puritan and Reformation-era Bible commentaries that are now accessible.

This is a fantastic resource, and I highly commend it to all students of the Word of God.

Here is a more thorough overview of what this resource entails:

This is the best and largest collection of Bible commentaries on the net (a total of 2,200+).  It includes, but is not limited to:

– Every commentary that Charles Spurgeon gave his top recommendation (3 stars  *** ) and ‘good’ recommendation (2 stars  ** ) to in his Commenting and Commentaries  (1876);

– Every Reformed, Puritan or otherwise good commentary we could find on PRDL and EEBO that is in English;

– Every relevant commentary  mentioned by Dr. Richard Muller in his survey of the major Reformation and Puritan era commentaries in McKim’s Historical Handbook of Major Biblical Interpreters  Buy  that is in English and online;

– Most all of the older Bible commentaries that a Bible-believer would be interested in, that are free online (in the public domain, pre-1920’s);

– The best of the commentaries listed in Cyril J. Barber’s The Minister’s Library (1974), including his top recommendations;

– The major commentaries from the Early and Medieval Churches that have been translated into English;

– And many more.

The Best works are at the top of each page.  More commentaries follow under the sub-sections: 1500’s, 1600’s, Simple & Practical, Intermediate, Advanced.

Commentaries in larger subsections have not been reduplicated on the pages of the individual books, except as Spurgeon or Barber commented on them.  Some of the best commentaries are on those pages, so be sure to check them as well.

In the days ahead (Deo volente) we hope to add much more to this collection, including works in Latin and a selection of the better contemporary commentaries (only a few are present as is).  

While contemporary commentaries have their benefits (they are typically more uniform, focus on exegesis, bring in archaeology, have some updated research, etc.), they are, as a whole (with few exceptions), seriously deficient in deep, savory, godliness.  They will feed you information, but not your eternal soul.  On the other hand, not only do many 1800’s commentaries often have more thorough scholarship in them than many contemporary commentaries (for instance, see Jamieson-Fausset-Brown in Whole Bible Commentaries), but in reading older puritan commentaries from the Reformation age, one not only grows in knowledge, but finds depths of soul-stirring communion with our Eternal and Beloved God.

Spurgeon’s justly famous, helpful and often humorous comments and evaluations have been quoted under the titles where possible.  His scale is as follows: 

*** – ‘Heartily recommended’ ** – ‘Good, but more ordinary’ * – ‘Least desirable’

Do note that Spurgeon’s recommendations were for whether a late-1800’s seminary student preparing to be a preacher should buy a certain commentary.  As some commentaries were very pricey and scarce in Spurgeon’s day, he sometimes gave a lower rating to certain commentaries than what they otherwise deserve, and his emphasis is on whether a given work will be helpful to a preacher or not.  By God’s grace, we have many more of these works available to us than what even Spurgeon and his readers had available to them in their own day.

Cyril J. Barber’s comments have been added where possible as well.  He was a late-1900’s evangelical pastor and bibliophile who reprinted many of the best works he commends through (the now defunct) Klock & Klock Publishers (which commentaries should be purchased immediately if found).

Not every commentary is reformed, as truth may appreciated, and should be desired, wherever it is found.  A number of broadly evangelical works have been included (especially in the mid-1900’s) at Barber’s recommendation. 

Please note, in relation to this collection, the words of Spurgeon:

‘It is to be specially noted, that in no case do we endorse all that any author has written in his commentary.  We could not read the works through, it would have needed a Methuselah to do that; nor have we thought it needful to omit a book because it contains a measure of error, provided it is useful in its own way; for this catalog is for thoughtful, discerning men, and not for children.  

We have not, however, knowingly mentioned works whose main drift is skeptical, or Socinian, except with a purpose; and where we have admitted comments by writers of doubtful doctrine, because of their superior scholarship and the correctness of their criticisms we have given hints which will be enough for the wise.  It is sometimes very useful to know what our opponents have to say.’

Do note that, while liberal theology is in serious, fundamental, unbelieving error, some of the better, more conservative liberal works (usually noted as such) from the mid-late 1800’s and early 1900’s have been included on these pages as they often contain a wealth of information that can be found nowhere else (which is particularly valuable for the advanced student if one is looking for exhaustive information on a particular text).  These works are usually in the advanced sections of the webpages (as liberals rarely wrote anything that fed anyone’s soul).  Barber often relates why the particular work is useful.  Needless to say:  Beware of their presuppositions, eat the meat, spit out the bones, and feed upon the vast majority of the commentaries that hold forth God’s Truth in shining fullness.

Many of the works on these pages can be bought on Amazon and BookFinder. A book in hand is worth two on the computer.

Please enjoy thoroughly to the glory of God, and tell your friends.

 

A Plea Answered: Wilhelmus à Brakel's Commentary on Revelation Translated

It was just over 7 years ago today that I published "A Plea to Translate Wilhelmus à Brakel's Exposition of Revelation." When Father Brakel's "The Christian's Reasonable Service" was translated into English in the 1990s -- a great service to the church indeed -- a decision was made not to translate the final portion of it consisting of his commentary on Revelation because it represented a postmillennial eschatological perspective (common to all Puritans, whether Dutch, Scottish, English or American). This omission in translation left a gap for English readers desiring both to have a full translation of à Brakel's magnum opus, and those interested to read for themselves his understanding of the last book of the Bible.

I am pleased to report that this gap has finally been filled by J. Parnell McCarter and his team at the Historicism Research Foundation who have now produced an English translation of this work titled "Not to be Ignored: Rev. Wilhelmus à Brakel's Commentary on Revelation" (2016), which is now available for purchase in paperback or digital format. For those who have been waiting, as I have, for this important work to be accessible in English, please see the announcement of this publication here for details on how to purchase your copy.

Many thanks to Mr. McCarter and those who assisted in the project for this valuable contribution to the church! 

New Matthew Poole Synopsis Volume (Leviticus) Is Now Available

"Rabbi Assi said: 'Why do young children commence [their studies] with the Book of 'The Law of Priests', and not with the Book of Genesis? - Surely it is because young children are pure, and the sacrifices are pure; so let the pure come and engage in the study of the pure.'" (Leviticus Rabbah 7:3)

Although in a former, and perhaps wiser, age, the Jews began the religious instruction of their children with the Book of Leviticus, it has been largely neglected by the modern Church. This is a shame, for in its pages Christ, His Priesthood, and His atoning sacrifice are set forth with a brilliance that makes a deep impression upon the mind and heart. It is a good season to recover this portion of the inheritance of God's people.

For the first time in English, Matthew Poole's Synopsis Criticorum on the Book of Leviticus is available (The Exegetical Labors of the Reverend Matthew Poole: Volume 6: Leviticus). It is something of a verse-by-verse history of interpretation, surveying the opinions of the Jewish Rabbis, Church Fathers, Medieval Schoolmen, and Reformation-era Commentators and Theologians. The ascended Lord Jesus Christ promised to provide faithful teachers for His Church in all ages (Eph. 4.11-12): Matthew Poole's Synopsis Criticorum is a record of their teaching and testimony, a thing of surpassing value. For more information on the Matthew Poole Project, click here for a radio interview with the translator, Dr. Steven Dilday.

It is a good time to get acquainted with the Matthew Poole Project. All available volumes (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Revelation) have been marked down 20% by the publisher, and 20% by the printer (coupon code: SUMMERBOOKS); but these mark-downs will not last long so don't delay.

Visit the Matthew Poole Project website for more information and join us on Facebook as well.

MHCC 48: Matthew Henry's Guide to the Proverbs

Matthew Henry prepared this topical index to the Proverbs which is a helpful guide to navigate the wisdom of Solomon:

Twenty chapters of the book of Proverbs (beginning with ch. x. and ending with ch. xxix.), consisting mostly of entire sentences in each verse, could not well be reduced to proper heads, and the contents of them gathered; I have therefore here put the contents of all these chapters together, which perhaps may be of some use to those who desire to see at once all that is said of any one head in these chapters. Some of the verses, perhaps, I have not put under the same heads that another would have put them under, but the most of them fall (I hope) naturally enough to the places I have assigned them.

1. Of the comfort, or grief, parents have in their children, according as they are wise or foolish, godly or ungodly, ch. x. 1; xv. 20; xvii. 21, 25; xix. 13, 26; xxiii. 15, 16, 24, 25; xxvii. 11; xxix. 3.
2. Of the world's insufficiency, and religion's sufficiency, to make us happy (ch. x. 2, 3; xi. 4) and the preference to be therefore given to the gains of virtue above those of this world, ch. xv. 16, 17; xvi. 8, 16; xvii. 1; xix. 1; xxviii. 6, 11.
3. Of slothfulness and diligence, ch. x. 4, 26; xii. 11, 24, 27; xiii. 4, 23; xv. 19; xvi. 26; xviii. 9; xix. 15, 24; xx. 4, 13; xxi. 5, 25, 26; xxii. 13, 29; xxiv. 30-34; xxvi. 13-16; xxvii. 18, 23, 27; xxviii. 19. Particularly the improving or neglecting opportunities, ch. vi. 6; x. 5.
4. The happiness of the righteous, and the misery of the wicked, ch. x. 6, 9, 16, 24, 25, 27-30; xi. 3, 5-8, 18-21, 31; xii. 2, 3, 7, 13, 14, 21, 26, 28; xiii. 6, 9, 14, 15, 21, 22, 25; xiv. 11, 14, 19, 32; xv. 6, 8, 9, 24, 26, 29; xx. 7; xxi. 12, 15, 16, 18, 21; xxii. 12; xxviii. 10, 18; xxix. 6.
5. Of honour and dishonour, ch. x. 7; xii. 8, 9; xviii. 3; xxvi. 1; xxvii. 21. And of vain-glory, ch. xxv. 14, 27; xxvii. 2.
6. The wisdom of obedience, and folly of disobedience, ch. x. 8, 17; xii. 1, 15; xiii. 1, 13, 18; xv. 5, 10, 12, 31, 32; xix. 16; xxviii. 4, 7, 9.
7. Of mischievousness and usefulness, ch. x. 10, 23; xi. 9-11, 23, 27; xii. 5, 6, 12, 18, 20; xiii. 2; xiv. 22; xvi. 29, 30; xvii. 11; xxi. 10; xxiv. 8; xxvi. 23, 27.
8. The praise of wise and good discourse, and the hurt and shame of an ungoverned tongue, ch. x. 11, 13, 14, 20, 21, 31, 32; xi. 30; xiv. 3; xv. 2, 4, 7, 23, 28; xvi. 20, 23, 24; xvii. 7; xviii. 4, 7, 20, 21; xx. 15; xxi. 23; xxiii. 9; xxiv. 26; xxv. 11.
9. Of love and hatred, peaceableness and contention, ch. x. 12; xv. 17; xvii. 1, 9, 14, 19; xviii. 6, 17-19; xx. 3; xxv. 8; xxvi. 17, 21; xxix. 9.
10. Of the rich and poor, ch. x. 5, 22; xi. 28; xiii. 7, 8; xiv. 20, 24; xviii. 11, 23; xix. 1, 4, 7, 22; xxii. 2, 7; xxviii. 6, 11; xxix. 13.
11. Of lying, fraud, and dissimulation, and of truth and sincerity, ch. x. 18; xii. 17, 19, 22; xiii. 5; xvii. 4; xx. 14, 17; xxvi. 18, 19, 24-26, 28.
12. Of slandering, ch. x. 18; xvi. 27; xxv. 23.
13. Of talkativeness and silence, ch. x. 19; xi. 12; xii. 23; xiii. 3; xvii. 27, 28; xxix. 11, 20.
14. Of justice and injustice, ch. xi. 1; xiii. 16; xvi. 8, 11; xvii. 15, 26; xviii. 5; xx. 10, 23; xxii. 28; xxiii. 10, 11; xxix. 24.
15. Of pride and humility, ch. xi. 2; xiii. 10; xv. 25, 33; xvi. 5, 18, 19; xviii. 12; xxi. 4; xxv. 6, 7; xxviii. 25; xxix. 23.
16. Of despising and respecting others, ch. xi. 12; xiv. 21.
17. Of tale-bearing, ch. xi. 13; xvi. 28; xviii. 8; xx. 19; xxvi. 20, 22.
18. Of rashness and deliberation, ch. xi. 14; xv. 22; xviii. 13; xix. 2; xx. 5, 18; xxi. 29; xxii. 3; xxv. 8-10.
19. Of suretiship, ch. xi. 15; xvii. 18; xx. 16; xxii. 26, 27; xxvii. 13.
20. Of good and bad women, or wives, ch. xi. 16, 22; xii. 4; xiv. 1; xviii. 22; xix. 13, 14; xxi. 9, 19; xxv. 24; xxvii. 15, 16.
21. Of mercifulness and unmercifulness, ch. xi. 17; xii. 10; xiv. 21; xix. 17; xxi. 13.
22. Of charity to the poor, and uncharitableness, ch. xi. 24-26; xiv. 31; xvii. 5; xxii. 9, 16, 22, 23; xxviii. 27; xxix. 7.
23. Of covetousness and contentment, ch. xi. 29; xv. 16, 17, 27; xxiii. 4, 5.
24. Of anger and meekness, ch. xii. 16; xiv. 17, 29; xv. 1, 18; xvi. 32; xvii. 12, 26; xix. 11, 19; xxii. 24, 25; xxv. 15, 28; xxvi. 21; xxix. 22.
25. Of melancholy and cheerfulness, ch. xii. 25; xiv. 10, 13; xv. 13, 15; xvii. 22; xviii. 14; xxv. 20, 25.
26. Of hope and expectation, ch. xiii. 12, 19.
27. Of prudence and foolishness, ch. xiii. 16; xiv. 8, 18, 33; xv. 14, 21; xvi. 21, 22; xvii. 24; xviii. 2, 15; xxiv. 3-7; vii. 27; xxvi. 6-11; xxviii. 5.
28. Of treachery and fidelity, ch. xiii. 17; xxv. 13, 19.
29. Of good and bad company, ch. xiii. 20; xiv. 7; xxviii. 7; xxix. 3.
30. Of the education of children, ch. xiii. 24; xix. 18; xx. 11; xxii. 6, 15; xxiii. 12; xiv. 14; xxix. 15, 17.
31. Of the fear of the Lord, ch. xiv. 2, 26, 27; xv. 16, 33; xvi. 6; xix. 23; xxii. 4; xxiii. 17, 18.
32. Of true and false witness-bearing, ch. xiv. 5, 25; xix. 5, 9, 28; xxi. 28; xxiv. 28; xxv. 18.
33. Of scorners, ch. xiv. 6, 9; xxi. 24; xxii. 10; xxiv. 9; xxix. 9.
34. Of credulity and caution, ch. xiv. 15, 16; xxvii. 12.
35. Of kings and their subjects, ch. xiv. 28, 34, 35; xvi. 10, 12-15; xix. 6, 12; xx. 2, 8, 26, 28; xxii. 11; xxiv. 23-25; xxx. 2-5; xxviii. 2, 3, 15, 16; xxix. 5, 12, 14, 26.
36. Of envy, especially envying sinners, ch. xiv. 30; xxiii. 17, 18; xxiv. 1, 2, 19, 20; xxvii. 4.
37. Of God's omniscience, and his universal providence, ch. xv. 3, 11; xvi. 1, 4, 9, 33; xvii. 3; xix. 21; xx. 12, 24; xxi. 1, 30, 31; xxix. 26.
38. Of a good and ill name, ch. xv. 30; xxii. 1.
39. Of men's good opinion of themselves, ch. xiv. 12; xvi. 2, 25; xx. 6; xxi. 2; xxvi. 12; xxviii. 26.
40. Of devotion towards God, and dependence on him, ch. xvi. 3; xviii. 10; xxiii. 26; xxvii. 1; xxviii. 25; xxix. 25.
41. Of the happiness of God's favour, ch. xvi. 7; xxix. 26.
42. Excitements to get wisdom, ch. xvi. 16; xviii. 1; xix. 8, 20; xxii. 17-21; xxiii. 15, 16, 22-25; xxiv. 13, 14; xxvii. 11.
43. Cautions against temptations, ch. xvi. 17; xxix. 27.
44. Of old age and youth, ch. xvi. 31; xvii. 6; xx. 29.
45. Of servants, ch. xvii. 2; xix. 10; xxix. 19, 21.
46. Of bribery, ch. xvii. 8, 23; xviii. 16; xxi. 14; xxviii. 21.
47. Of reproof and correction, ch. xvii. 10; xix. 25, 29; xx. 30; xxi. 11; xxv. 12; xxvi. 3; xxvii. 5, 6, 22; xxviii. 23; xxix. 1.
48. Of ingratitude, ch. xvii. 13.
49. Of friendship, ch. xvii. 17; xviii. 24; xxvii. 9, 10, 14, 17.
50. Of sensual pleasures, ch. xxi. 17; xxiii. 1-3, 6-8, 19-21; xxvii. 7.
51. Of drunkenness, ch. xx. 1; xxiii. 23, 29-35.
52. Of the universal corruption of nature, ch. xx. 9.
53. Of flattery, ch. xx. 19; xxvi. 28; xxviii. 23; xxix. 5.
54. Of undutiful children, ch. xx. 20; xxviii. 24.
55. Of the short continuance of what is ill-gotten, ch. xx. 21; xxi. 6, 7; xxii. 8; xxviii. 8.
56. Of revenge, ch. xx. 22; xxiv. 17, 18, 29.
57. Of sacrilege, ch. xx. 25.
58. Of conscience, ch. xx. 27; xxvii. 19.
59. Of the preference of moral duties before ceremonial, ch. xv. 8; xxi. 3, 27.
60. Of prodigality and wastefulness, ch. xxi. 20.
61. The triumphs of wisdom and godliness, ch. xxi. 22; xxiv. 15, 16.
62. Of frowardness and tractableness, ch. xxii. 5.
63. Of uncleanness, ch. xxii. 14; xxiii. 27, 28.
64. Of fainting in affliction, ch. xxiv. 10.
65. Of helping the distressed, ch. xiv. 11, 12.
66. Of loyalty to the government, ch. xxiv. 21, 22.
67. Of forgiving enemies, ch. xxv. 21, 22.
68. Of causeless curse, ch. xxvi. 2.
69. Of answering fools, ch. xxvi. 4, 5.
70. Of unsettledness and unsatisfiedness, ch. xxvii. 8, 20.
71. Of cowardliness and courage, ch. xxviii. 1.
72. The people's interest in the character of their rulers, ch. xxviii. 12, 28; xxix. 2, 16; xi. 10, 11.
73. The benefit of repentance and holy fear, ch. xxviii. 13, 14.
74. The punishment of murder, ch. xxviii. 17.
75. Of hastening to be rich, ch. xxviii. 20, 22.
76. The enmity of the wicked against the godly, ch. xxix. 10, 27.
77. The necessity of the means of grace, ch. xxix. 18.

Special Suffering

William Henry Green, Conflict and Triumph: The Argument of the Book of Job Unfolded, pp. 63-64:

It is undoubtedly true that where there is no sin there will be no suffering among the subjects of God's moral government. All suffering has sin as its invariable and necessary antecedent. It is also true that the consciousness of sin and ill-desert must for ever close the mouth of every sufferer from any well-grounded complaint against the righteousness of God. The holiest and the best are sinners nevertheless; and, whatever sufferings they may endure in the providence of God, it cannot be said that they are unjustly treated; for, as Zophar states this point in more developed form to Job, 'God exacts from less than your iniquity deserves' (11:6). No man's sufferings in this world are equal to his just deserts.

But, while this is true and incontestable, it does not account for cases of special and extraordinary suffering, and especially such as occur in the experiences of good men such as Job. The general sinfulness of men may account for human sorrows so far as they are uniformly distributed; and a like principle may be applied where they are plainly graduated in proportion to the demerit of the sufferers. But special suffering, not involving special guilt, cannot be thus accounted for. A sinfulness common to all cannot be the reason why one is singled out rather than another, and made to endure extraordinary sorrows.

The special significance of suffering, therefore, remains unexplained. Its importance as a test of character, its value as a means of discipline and training, and the far more exceeding reward by which it shall be abundantly compensated, are not once considered. Eliphaz alleges that man suffers because he is a sinner; he knew not that a man may likewise suffer because he is a saint that he may thus exhibit more distinctly his saintly character; that he may be ripened still more in holiness; and that his final recompense may be proportionally increased. Suffering, to Eliphaz, was ever and only a punishment, a judgment for sin, an infliction of the divine displeasure. He knew not that it might be also a token of love, a means of grace, a blessing in disguise; that whom the LORD loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.

19th Century Poole Translation Project

Robert Young (1822-1888), was a successful bookseller, and self-taught Biblical scholar and master of oriental languages. A member of the Free Church, and most famous perhaps for publishing Young's Literal Translation of the Bible and his Analytical Concordance of the Bible, he was prolific as a publisher, and both visionary and energetic as a translator. He was the first to translate the Westminster Shorter Catechism into Hebrew (he also translated it into Syriac and 10 other languages), and he did so with a view towards supporting ongoing Free Church missionary outreach to the Jews. He himself served as a missionary in India.

Among his many translation efforts, was a project that he conceived to translate Matthew Poole's Latin Synopsis Criticorum into English for the first time. He prepared a prospectus which outlined his plan not only to translate the Synopsis itself but to append his own critical exegetical and grammatical notes (which he estimated would amount to new matter that would "be equal to one-fifth of the whole work"). Additionally, the plan was to translate fresh each chapter of Scripture preceding Poole's notes, along with an original analysis of each chapter. The 1850 prospectus, which I obtained from the New College Library in Edinburgh (Sherman Isbell graciously provided helpful assistance), contains a translation of Poole's preface to the whole work, and a translation of the summary and initial summary analysis and notes on the book of Matthew. Elsewhere, I have located translations that were prepared by his team of scholars of Poole's prefaces to the New Testament (both the Gospels-Acts and Romans-Revelation), which were published in 1869 (available to read online here, starting on p. 294).

To the best of my knowledge, Young's translation project never progressed further than the translation of these prefaces and a small introductory portion from the book of Matthew. If anyone has information to the contrary, please let me know. It is an encouragement to the current Matthew Poole Project to know that this work was deemed worthy of translation into English in the 19th century as well. The vision of Robert Young is shared by those who desire to unlock valuable Biblical scholarship and make it available to readers in their own tongue, and it is hoped that we will, by God's grace, carry on to complete the task for the edification of the church in the present age and in ages to come.

MHCC 45: Matthew Henry's Counsel on Singing Psalms

An oft-overlooked aspect of Matthew Henry's commentary on the Psalms is the specific focus he puts on not only on their exposition, but also on how they might be sung with the most spiritual profit. As he encourages Christians to read, meditate and pray over the Psalms, he concludes his remarks on each psalm or section with an exhortation on how to sing God's word aright. The value of this has been appreciated in times past when his comments were published along with the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter, as I have noted here and here, but it is easy to pass over them in our day and miss the benefit of his wisdom. Therefore, I have collected his comments in this regard on the first eight psalms as an encouragement to note these exhortations when reading his commentary.

Psalm 1.1-3:

In singing these verses, being duly affected with the malignant and dangerous nature of sin, the transcendent excellencies of the divine law, and the power and efficacy of God's grace, from which our fruit is found, we must teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, to watch against sin and all approaches towards it, to converse much with the word of God, and abound in the fruit of righteousness; and, in praying over them, we must seek to God for his grace both to fortify us against every evil word and work and to furnish us for every good word and work.

Psalm 1.4-6:

In singing these verses, and praying over them, let us possess ourselves with a holy dread of the wicked man's portion, and deprecate it with a firm and lively expectation of the judgment to come, and stir up ourselves to prepare for it, and with a holy care to approve ourselves to God in every thing, entreating his favour with our whole hearts.

Psalm 2.1-9:

In singing this, and praying it over, we must give glory to Christ as the eternal Son of God and our rightful Lord, and must take comfort from this promise, and plead it with God, that the kingdom of Christ shall be enlarged and established and shall triumph over all opposition.

Psalm 2.10-12:

In singing this, and praying it over, we should have our hearts filled with a holy awe of God, but at the same time borne up with a cheerful confidence in Christ, in whose mediation we may comfort and encourage ourselves and one another. We are the circumcision, that rejoice in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 3.1-3:

In singing this, and praying it over, we should possess ourselves with an apprehension of the danger we are in from the multitude and malice of our spiritual enemies, who seek the ruin of our souls by driving us from our God, and we should concern ourselves in the distresses and dangers of the church of God, which is every where spoken again, every where fought against; but, in reference to both, we should encourage ourselves in our God, who owns and protects and will in due time crown his own interest both in the world and in the hearts of his people.

Psalm 3.4-8:

In singing this, and praying it over, we must own the satisfaction we have had in depending upon God and committing ourselves to him, and encourage ourselves, and one another to continue still hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord.

Psalm 4.1-5:

In singing these verses we must preach to ourselves the doctrine of the provoking nature of sin, the lying vanity of the world, and the unspeakable happiness of God's people; and we must press upon ourselves the duties of fearing God, conversing with our own hearts, and offering spiritual sacrifices; and in praying over these verses we must beg of God grace thus to think and thus to do.

Psalm 4.6-8:

In singing these verses, and praying over them, let us, with a holy contempt of the wealth and pleasure of this world, as insufficient to make us happy, earnestly seek the favour of God and pleasingly solace ourselves in that favour; and, with a holy indifferency about the issue of all our worldly concerns, let us commit ourselves and all our affairs to the guidance and custody of the divine Providence, and be satisfied that all shall be made to work for good to us if we keep ourselves in the love of God.

Psalm 5.1-6:

In singing these verses, and praying them over, we must engage and stir up ourselves to the duty of prayer, and encourage ourselves in it, because we shall not seek the Lord in vain; and must express our detestation of sin, and our awful expectation of that day of Christ's appearing which will be the day of the perdition of ungodly men.

Psalm 5.7-12:

In singing these verses, and praying them over, we must by faith put ourselves under God's guidance and care, and then please ourselves with his mercy and grace and with the prospect of God's triumphs at last over all his enemies and his people's triumphs in him and in his salvation.

Psalm 6.1-7:

In singing this, and praying over it, we must give glory to God, as a God ready to hear prayer, must own his goodness to us in hearing our prayers, and must encourage ourselves to wait upon him and to trust in him in the greatest straits and difficulties.

Psalm 7.1-9:

As far as we have the testimony of an unbiased conscience for us that in any instance we are wronged and injuriously reflected on, we may, in singing these verses, lodge our appeal with the righteous God, and be assured that he will own our righteous cause, and will one day, in the last day at furthest, bring forth our integrity as the light.

Psalm 7.10-17:

In singing this psalm we must do as David here does (v. 17), praise the Lord according to his righteousness, that is, give him the glory of that gracious protection under which he takes his afflicted people and of that just vengeance with which he will pursue those that afflict them. Thus we must sing to the praise of the Lord most high, who, when his enemies deal proudly, shows that he is above them.

Psalm 8.1-2:

In singing this let us give God the glory of his great name, and of the great things he has done by the power of his gospel, in the chariot of which the exalted Redeemer rides forth conquering and to conquer, and ought to be attended, not only with our praises, but with our best wishes. Praise is perfected (that is, God is in the highest degree glorified) when strength is ordained out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.

Psalm 8.3-9:

In singing this and praying it over, though we must not forget to acknowledge, with suitable affections, God's common favours to mankind, particularly in the serviceableness of the inferior creatures to us, yet we must especially set ourselves to give glory to our Lord Jesus, by confessing that he is Lord, submitting to him as our Lord, and waiting till we see all things put under him and all his enemies made his footstool.

Calvin's Amanuenses

Jean Cadier, The Man God Mastered: A Brief Biography of John Calvin, pp. 168-169:

Calvin used to lecture and preach extempore but he had secretaries present who took down his words at great speed and thus permitted him to be published. Here is how this was done.

'As it might be considered strange, nay, even quite incredible that these lectures were recorded, and with such diligence that John Calvin never said a single word while expounding which was not straightway set down, it will be good to inform our readers briefly at this point of the means employed by those who recorded them. For once their zeal and remarkable industry have been made known, this may occasion several others to undertake a similar work and thus the thing will not seem incredible.

'Firstly, you must understand that the said Calvin never wrote down or noted anything for his public exposition of the Holy Scripture, and still less when he had finished his lecture, or the day after he had taught; but for the space of an hour he continually expounded, without however taking down a single word in his book in order that he might remember it. This was why Jean Bude and Claude de Jonviller, having found some years previously that the trouble they had taken to record the lectures on the Psalms had not been useless, were the more encouraged to record with greater diligence, if that were possible, all the lectures on the twelve Minor Prophets. Moreover the means that they adopt to take down his lectures is that each of them has his paper ready as conveniently as possible and each writes separately as quickly as he can. If one fails to catch any particular word, as sometimes happens, especially when Calvin becomes vehement as he expounds some passages which demand this, the other may have recorded it, or the author can easily put the word in. For as soon as the lecture is over, the said Jonviller takes away the papers of the two others and collates them with his. He carefully looks over them and diligently compares them. Then he has another person transcribe what has been recorded so hastily. Finally he looks over the whole thing, so that the next day he may read it over to the author at his own home. Where there is sometimes a word lacking, he can restore it. Or if there is something which does not seem to be expounded clearly enough he can explain more simply. That is how these lectures came to be published....'1

Thanks to these rapid notes by his secretaries, the commentaries that Calvin produced on all the books of the Bible except the Song of songs and Revelation have been published.

1 From the printer's Foreword to Calvin's Lectures on the Minor Prophets (Geneva, 1560).

Singing Worthily

John Calvin wrote in his 1542 epistle to the reader of the Genevan psalter that:

Now what Saint Augustine says is true, that no one is able to sing things worthy of God unless he has received them from him. Wherefore, when we have looked thoroughly everywhere and searched high and low, we shall find no better songs nor more appropriate for the purpose than the Psalms of David, which the Holy Spirit made and spoke through him. And furthermore, when we sing them, we are certain that God puts the words in our mouths, as if he himself were singing in us to exalt his glory.

Now it may be inquired, Where did Augustine say that? Hughes Oliphant Old, The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship, pp. 262-263, points us to Augustine's commentary on Psalm 35, where we find these remarks on the first verse:

The psalm belongs to Him: our heart is His, let our tongue sing appropriate things to Him: if only he shall deign to give that which the tongue should sing. No one sings to Him except he who would receive from Him what he should be able to sing. Finally we are able to sing in this way because He has spoken by his Spirit through the Prophet and in these words we recognize Him also.

The Spurgeon Collection Updated

Good news from the UK! Last year I was pleased to highlight the 10-volume DVD set produced by Satch Chikhlia of Book Academy known as "The Spurgeon Collection." This includes 1) one volume containing a vast amount of the works of Charles Spurgeon; 2) five volumes containing the works cited in Spurgeon's famous Commenting & Commentaries; and 3) four volumes of works known as The Puritan Library, a wealth of Puritan gems.

Now I am pleased to report that both individual volumes are for sale, as well as the five-volume set covering the works cited in Commenting & Commentaries, and the four-volume Puritan Library, sold as discrete units.

I encourage readers, lovers of the Puritans, Spurgeon and godly literature, to visit Satch's website, The Book Academy, for more information on this invaluable collection, including its contents and pricing. It will be well worth the visit.

MHCC 39: Till We Be Discharged

Matthew Henry on Josh 21.1-9:

So, though our heavenly Father's house above be ever so desirable (it is bishop Hall's allusion), yet must we stay on earth till our warfare be accomplished, wait for a due discharge, and not anticipate the time of our removal.

Joseph Hall, Contemplations on the Historical Passages of the Old and New Testaments 9.2, p. 104:

If heaven be never so sweet to us, yet may we not run from this earthly warfare, till our great Captain shall please to discharge us.

Our Duty to Pray for One Another

William Attersoll, A Commentary Upon the Fourth Book of Moses, Called Numbers, p. 806 (re: Num. 21.7):

[And Moses prayed for the people.]...The Doctrine from this place is this; It is our duty to pray for one another. The Lord requireth of us, not only to commit to God, and commend in our prayers the Saints, but to be mindful of our enemies, and them that hate us, and to desire their good and conversion. This affection we see in Abraham, who prayed earnestly and oftentimes for the Sodomites, that God would spare them, & not destroy the righteous with the wicked, but rather to spare the wicked for the righteous sake. This was also in Samuel, when the people besought him to pray for them that they died not, he said, God forbid, that I should sin against the Lord, and case praying for you, &c. 2 Sam. 12, 23. How often did Moses & Aaron pray for Pharoah, and spread out their hands unto the Lord, That the plagues might cease, and that he might know that the earth is the Lords? Exod. 9, 29. This duty Christ our Saviour setteth down as a rule to guide us, both by word of mouth, and by example of life. For he taught his Disciples this Doctrine, Mat. 5.44. Love your enemies: bless them that curse you: do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt you, and persecute you, &c. Now this point as Christ preacheth, so he practiceth and prayeth for his enemies, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luk. 23.24. Thus did the faithful witness of God, Stephen, when he was stoned, he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Acts 7, 60.

Matthew Poole on Revelation is Now Complete!

The third and final volume of the first-ever English translation of Matthew Poole's Synopsis Criticorum (Synopsis of Interpreters) on the Book of Revelation is now available. Revelation 15-22 can be purchased as a single volume, but if you order the full set of three volumes on Revelation this month (through August 31, 2010), you will receive a 20% discount on the first two volumes. Also, because of Lulu.com's summer special savings, if you order by August 23, 2010, you will receive free shipping on orders over $19.99.

Remember that these volumes include both his English commentary as well as the Synopsis (a collection of interpretative comments, which is a veritable history of exegesis), and so comprise much more than most commentaries on Revelation. Poole has mined the works of Puritan and Reformed, Arminian, Roman Catholic, Jewish and other scholars to bring extraordinary light to bear on this most challenging of prophetic books. He believed that John's Apocalypse was intended to be, not a concealment, but indeed a revelation. This exegetical treasury has been locked away from English readers since the Puritan era, but is now available to both scholars and laymen in the 21st century English-speaking world.

Project update: The Matthew Poole Project is working to both translate and publish the remainder of the Synopsis (Genesis [3 vol.] and Exodus [2 vol.] are complete and available, and Leviticus is the next book forthcoming), as well as Matthew Poole's other works (his first work, a defense of the Deity of the Holy Spirit, is forthcoming).

Take advantage of this opportunity to employ the exegetical labors of Matthew Poole on the Book of Revelation by ordering the full three-volume set today. The 20% discount is available through the end of this month, and Lulu's free shipping special expires August 23, 2010. Matthew Poole on Revelation is a goldmine of Scriptural wisdom and this is an opportunity not to be missed!

Devotional Psalters - Part 2

Back in January 2009, I wrote about versions of the (1650 Scottish Metrical) Psalter that were once published with the annotations of Biblical commentators included for the edification of psalm-singers. Since I blogged about that, three new editions of such devotional Psalters have been published.

• John Brown of Haddington, The Psalms of David in Metre: With Annotations, Explaining the Sense, and Animating the Devotion (Nabu Press, March 2010);
• Matthew Henry, The Psalms of David in Metre...Allowed by the Authority of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland...With an Analysis by Matthew Henry (Gale ECCO, June 2010)
• David Dickson, The Psalms of David: In Metre with the Annotations of David Dickson (Nabu Press, January 2010)

The Most Beautiful Thing Under Heaven

David Dickson, A Brief Explication of the Psalms, Vol. 1, p. 292:

The true visible church, where God's ordinances are set up as he hath appointed, where his word is purely preached, is the most beautiful thing under heaven, and there is God's glory set forth and manifested more clearly than in all the Lord's handiwork beside in heaven or earth; therefore is the place of the Lord's temple here so highly commended, and Zion called the perfection of beauty, because of the glory of God sundry ways revealed there: out of Zion God hath shined, saith he, in regard to the clear manifestation of his will, specially in the matter now in hand about the way of judgment.

(HT: Holdfast)

George Hutcheson on the Westminster Confession

In the vein of wishful thinking about books lost to history, it is known that George Hutcheson, who was both a member of the 1647 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland which gave its stamp of approval to the Westminster Confession, and a member of David Dickson's team of Biblical commentators, himself authored a commentary on the Westminster Confession.

Robert Wodrow, Analecta, or Materials for a History of Remarkable Providences, Vol. 1, p. 30:

The Principal told me that Mr George Hutcheson has written a large commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is yet in his freind's [sic] hands.

Ibid, Vol. 3, p. 13:

I heard Mr. Ralf Rodger say, that he had read that piece of Mr. George Hutcheson's on the Westminster Confession, and he was but come to the Trinity, and he said he had writt seven quair,' and that it was so correct that it needed very little to put in the press, and if he had lived to have perfected it, [it] would have been one of the greatest common-places [which] ever had seen the light.

It was William Parker who wrote the first commentary on the Westminster Confession, a negative commentary, The late Assembly of Divines confession of faith examined: as it was presented by them unto the Parliament: wherein many of their excesses and defects, of their confusions and disorders, of their errors and controdictions are presented, both to themselves and others (1651). David Dickson's Truth's Victory Over Error (originally a collection of his lectures delivered to divinity students in Latin in the early 1650's, entitled Prealectiones in Confessionem Fidei; translated into English, and pirated, by George Sinclair in 1684) was the first sympathetic commentary on the WCF to be published. But what if Hutechson's commentary had been published? As a student of his other writings, it is my wishful thinking that the manuscript survives and will one day see the light. What a treasure to the church this would be.

In All Godliness and Honesty

I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet, and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. (1 Tim. 2.1-2)

How is that we are to pray for our civil magistrates? That we may live a quiet and peaceable life? Yes, but "in all godliness and honesty." How did older Puritan and Reformed divines understand this guidance for how we are to pray? The Westminster Divines understood this verse to support the proposition inferred from the second petition of the Lord's Prayer -- "thy kingdom come" -- that the Lord teaches us to pray that "the church [may be] furnished with all gospel officers and ordinances [and...] countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate" (Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 192). So far from this verse supporting the modern doctrine of "separation of church and state" (understood to imply that the state must be divorced from any support of piety), this verse in fact, according to the Reformed historically, teaches that our prayers ought to be that magistrates would promote piety towards the end that we might live piously, quietly and peaceably.

John Calvin writes on this passage:

That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life By exhibiting the advantage, he holds out an additional inducement, for he enumerates the fruits which are yielded to us by a well regulated government. The first is a peaceful life; for magistrates are armed with the sword, in order to keep us in peace. If they did not restrain the hardihood of wicked men, every place would be full of robberies and murders. The true way of maintaining peace, therefore, is, when every one obtains what is his own, and the violence of the more powerful is kept under restraint.

With all godliness and decency The second fruit is the preservation of godliness, that is, when magistrates give themselves to promote religion, to maintain the worship of God, and to take care that sacred ordinances be observed with due reverence. The third fruit is the care of public decency; for it is also the business of magistrates to prevent men from abandoning themselves to brutal filthiness or flagitious conduct, but, on the contrary, to promote decency and moderation. If these three things are taken away, what will be the condition of human life? If, therefore, we are at all moved by solicitude about the peace of society, or godliness, or decency, let us remember that we ought also to be solicitous about those through whose agency we obtain such distinguished benefits.

Hence we conclude, that fanatics, who wish to have magistrates taken away, are destitute of all humanity, and breathe nothing but cruel barbarism. How different is it to say, that we ought to pray for kings, in order that justice and decency may prevail, and to say, that not only the name of kingly power, but all government, is opposed to religion! We have the Spirit of God for the Author of the former sentiment, and therefore the latter must be from the Devil.

If any one ask, Ought we to pray for kings, from whom we obtain none of these advantages? I answer, the object of our prayer is, that, guided by the Spirit of God, they may begin to impart to us those benefits of which they formerly deprived us. It is our duty, therefore, not only to pray for those who are already worthy, but we must pray to God that he may make bad men good. We must always hold by this principle, that magistrates were appointed by God for the protection of religion, as well as of the peace and decency of society, in exactly the same manner that the earth is appointed to produce food. Accordingly, in like manner as, when we pray to God for our daily bread, we ask him to make the earth fertile by his blessing; so in those benefits of which we have already spoken, we ought to consider the ordinary means which he has appointed by his providence for bestowing them.

To this must be added, that, if we are deprived of those benefits the communication of which Paul assigns to magistrates, that is through our own fault. It is the wrath of God that renders magistrates useless to us, in the same manner that it renders the earth barren; and, therefore, we ought to pray for the removal of those chastisements which have been brought upon us by our sins.

On the other hand, princes, and all who hold the office of magistracy, are here reminded of their duty. It is not enough, if, by giving to every one what is due, they restrain all acts of violence, and maintain peace; but they must likewise endeavor to promote religion, and to regulate morals by wholesome discipline. The exhortation of David (Psalm 2:12) to “kiss the Son,” and the prophecy of Isaiah, that they shall be nursing — fathers of the Church, (Isaiah 49:23) are not without meaning; and, therefore, they have no right to flatter themselves, if they neglect to lend their assistance to maintain the worship of God.

Thomas Cobbett, The Civil Magistrate's Power, pp. 35-36, writes likewise:

...civil rulers by their office and place, now in the days of the New Testament, are to look to matters pertaining to godliness; whether doctrinal, or practical, so far as acted by the outward man, and appearing in outward view in their life or the like, as well as they are in the like way, to look to the matters of honesty. As he that is taught to pray that he may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness, and honesty, prayeth that he may lead a life in all godliness and honesty (without which to pray for peace and quiet in any other life, or to pray to be let alone unmolested, in any ungodly or dishonest way of his life, even but to ask leave and liberty to sin). So he that prayeth to the Lord, for all that are in highest civil authority, as for kings or the like; for this end, that he may live in all godliness and honesty, quietly, and peaceably, he prayeth to God, to cause the persons in such civil authority, to further by their civil authority such an end, to which under God they are an external means, and surely then he prayeth, that persons in civil authority may in such sort attend and look to matters as well of piety, as of honesty, appearing in any acts or ways of their subjects' lives; as that their subjects may in such godly and honest acts and ways of their life and in no other enjoy peace and quiet.

Just War

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Rev. 19.11)

James Durham's comments on this text (Commentary on Revelation, p. 890) are worthy of consideration by magistrates who must decide whether and how to manage war justly:

And then, secondly, it is added, that in righteousness he doth judge and make war: which implieth, that there is a right end in His undertaking, a right cause, and a right manner of proceeding in it.

Think So's

It is a dangerous thing to stray from the sure foundation of God's Word. To proceed on one's own course without a divine warrant is to act without faith, which is sin (Rom. 14.23), because faith is grounded not upon and good intentions and guesses and wishful thinking but upon the Word of the Lord. It is not enough, in the sphere of worship, to not take away from God's Word, but we must not add to it either (Deut. 4.2, 12.32), and so enmesh ourselves in vain will worship (Col. 2.23). While we must all confess that our faith is weak, and beseech God for greater faith, even our weak faith must take care to remain anchored upon that sure foundation of Christ and his Word. If our moorings are undone, so are our vessels. There are no "think so's" in godly divinity; that is playing with fire before the God with whom we have to do (Heb. 4.13).

John Collinges, in Matthew Poole's English Annotations on Rev. 19.10, when John fell at the Angel's feet:

And he said unto me, See thou do it not; but the angel doth not only refuse it, but with some indignation; ...Have a care you do it not. From whence we may observe, what a fig leaf they have made to cover the papists’ idolatry, in worshipping the bread in the eucharist, who (to show us their great skill in divinity) think they may be excused from idolatry in it, because they think the bread is turned into the body of Christ; idolatry is not to be excused by think so’s.