face of the waters till at last the highest hills were covered with waters the Ark floting upon the surface of them and not swallowed up by them In reference whereunto David prayes Psal 69.15 Let not the water-flood overflow me neither let the deep swallow me up The true Christian may be tossed on the waters of affliction yea dowced over head and ears and as a drowning man sink twice to the bottom yet shall up again if out of the deep he call upon God as Jonah did Then I said I am cast out of thy sight Jonas 2.4 there you may take him up for dead yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple there he revives and recovers comfort yea though Hell had swallowed up a servant of God into her bowels yet it must in despight of it render him up as the Whale did Jonas which if he had light upon the Mariners would have devoured and disgested twenty of them in less space Vers 19. And all the high hills So high some of them that their tops are above the clouds and winds And yet as high as they were they could not save those from the flood that fled to them Surely might they say in vain is salvation hoped for from the mountains Isaiah 3.23 Well for them if taught by their present distress and danger they could go on with the Church there and say Surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Happy storm that beats us into the Harbor Vers 21. And every man died Now these mockers behold that Ark with envy that er'st they beheld with scorn they wish themselves in the darkest corner of it that lately laughed at it and perhaps did what they could Verisâ—mile est non abstinuisse manus ab opere turbando Piscat to hinder the finishing of it Yea some likely to save them from drowning caught at and clang as fast to the outside of the Ark as Joab for the same cause did to the horns of the Altar But all in vain For Vers 22. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life died of all that was in the dry land This last clause exempteth fishes though the Jews would needs perswade us that these also died for that the waters of the flood were boyling hot But rain-water useth not to be hot we know and therefore we reject this conceit as a Jewish fable CHAP. VIII Vers 1. And God remembred Noah HE might begin to think that God had forgotten him having not heard from God for five months together Fuit in arca per annum integrum decem dies Piscator and not yet seeing how he could possibly escape He had been a whole year in the Arke and now was ready to groan out that dolefull Vsquequò Domine Hast thou forgotten to be mercifull c But forgetfulness befalls not the Almighty The Butler may forget Joseph and Joseph his fathers house Ahashuerosh may forget Mordecai and the delivered City Eccles 9.15 the poor man that by his wisdome preserved it The Sichemites may forget Gideon But God is not unfaithfull to forget your worke and labour of love saith the Apostle Heb. 6.10 And there is a book of remembrance written before him Mal. 3.16 saith the Prophet for them that feare the Lord. A metaphor from Kings that commonly keep a Callendar or Chronicle of such as have done them good service as Ahashuerosh and Tamerlain Esth 6.1 who had a catalogue of their names and good deserts which he daily perused oftentimes saying that day to be lost Turk hist p. 227. wherein he had not given them something God also is said to have such a book of remembrance Not that he hath so or needeth to have for all things both past and future are present with him he hath the Idaea of them within himself and every thought is before his eyes Psal 139.16 so that he cannot be forgetfull But he is said to remember his people so he is pleased to speak to our capacity when he sheweth his care of us and makes good his promise to us We also are said to be his remembrancers when we plead his promise Esa 62.6 and presse him to performance Not that we perswade him thereby to do us good but we perswade our own hearts to more faith love obedience c. whereby we become more capable of that good God made a wind So he worketh usually by means though he needeth them not But many times his works are as Luther speaketh in contrariis mediis As here he asswageth the waters by a wind which naturally lifteth up the waves thereof and inrageth them Psal 107.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jon. 1.4 God worketh by contraries saith Nazianzen that he may be the more admired Vers 2. And the raine from heaven was restrained These four keyes say the Rabbines God keeps under his own girdle 1. Of the Womb 2. Of the Grave 3. Of the Rain 4. Of the heart Revel 3. He openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth Vers 3. And the waters returned continually Or hastily Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In going and returning or heaving and shooving with all possible speed to return to their place at â—ods appointment See a like cheerfulness in Gods servants Zach 8.21 Isai 60.8 Psal 110.3 Vers 4. Mountains of Ararat On the tops of the Gordaean Mountains where Noahs Ark rested we finde many ruines The Preâ—â—bers travels by Job Cartwright p. 32. Joseph Antiq lib. 1. cap. 5. and huge foundations saith the Preacher in his travels of which no reason can be rendered but that which Josephus gives That they that escaped the flood were so astonished and amazed that they durst not descend into the Plains and Low Countries but kept on the tops of those Mountains and there builded Vers 5. The waters decreased Not all on the sudden but by little and little Isaâ— 28.16 for exercise of Noahs faith He that beleeveth maketh not haste God limiteth our sufferings for time maner and measure Joseph was a prisoner till the time came Smyrâ—â— was in tribulation for ten days Physick must have a time to work and Gold must lye some-while in the fire In the opportunity of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.6 saith Peter God will exalt you Prescribe not to him with those Bethulians in Judith but wait his leasure and let him do what is good in his own eyes He waits a fit season to shew us mercy Isai 30.18 and thinks as long of the time as we do Vers 7. And he sent forth a Raven Which when it is made tame though it delights in dead carcases whereof Noah knew the earth was now full yet doth not easily forget its station but returns thereto when nature is satisfied Which went forth to and fro Fluttered about the Ark but kept out of it Manet foris cum voce corvina qui non habet
himself or rather beyond himself the end of a thing being better if better may be then the beginning thereof Eccles 7.8 as good wine is best at last and as the Sun shines most amiably when it is going down This book of the law it was that the King was to write out with his own hand Deut. 17.18 19. that it might serve as his Manual and attend him in his running library This was that happy book that good Josiah lighting upon after it had long layn hid in the Temple melted at the menaces thereof and obtained of God to dye in peace though he were slain in battle This onely book was that silver brook that pretiously-purling current out of which the Lord Christ our Champion chose all those three smooth stones wherewith he prostrated the Goliah of hell in that sharp encounter Mat. 47 10. And surely if Tully could call Aristotles Politicks for the elegancy of the stile and for the excellency of the matter aureum flumen orationis And if the same Author durst say that the law of the twelve tables did exceed all the libraries of Philosophers both in weight and worth how much rather is all this true of this second edition of Gods law with an addition Vers 2. There are eleven dâ—yes journey So many dayes march for a foot army Triduo confici potuit But Philo the Jew saith a horseman might dispatch it in three dayes Vers 3. In the eleventh moneth And in the twelfth moneth of this same year he dyed so that this was his swan-like song Sic ubi fata vocant c. Vers 4. After he had slain Sihon If Sampson had not turned aside to see the Lion that not long before he had slain he had not found the honey in the carkase Iudg. 14.8 So if we recognize not our dangers deliverances and atchievements we shall neither taste how sweet the Lord is nor return him his due praises To true thankfulness is required 1 Recognition 2. Estimation 3. Retribution See them all Psal 116.3 7 12. Vers 5. Began Moses to declare And he was not long about it See the Note on vers 1. A ready heart makes riddance of Gods works for being oyled with the Spirit it becomes lithe and nimble quick of dispatch Vers 6. Long enough The law is not for men to continue under but for a time till they be fitted for Christ Gal. 3.16 17 18. Humbled they must be and hammered for a season sense of misery goes before sense of mercy Vers 8. Go in and possesse it God was ready but they were not ripe for such a mercy So 2 Chron. 20.33 the high places were not taken away for the people had not yet prepared their hearts for such a reformation the work was insnarled and retarded by their unfitness See Isai 59.2 Vers 9. I am not able Politici Ecclesiastici labores maximi sunt saith Luther None have so hard a tug of it as Magistrates and Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Augustus to his Livia Had we not businesses and cares and feares Dio Cass above any private person we should be equall to the gods Vers 11. The Lord God of your fathers Such holy ejaculation such sallies of soul and egression of affection to God and his people are frequently found in heavenly-minded men Vers 12. Bear your cumbrance A Princes temples are not so compassed with a crown as his mind besieged with cares nor is he so lifted up with the Splendour of his train as cast down with the multitude of his feares See the Note on vers 9. Saint Paul also had the cumber of the churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.28 All care numbred and mustered together and that with anxiety with the same sollicitude that a man hath about his own most important business Vers 15. And officers among your tribes That might put the laws in execution which is the same to the law that the clapper is to the bell There were in good Iosiah's dayes horrible abominations And why by the slackness of under-officers Zeph. 3.3 Vers 16. Hear the causes c Hear them out Vlpian in orat Demost dc fal legat In the Forum of Rome the accuser had six hours allotted him to accuse the accused had nine hours to make his answer And judg righteously So upright was the sentence of the Areopagites in Athens that none could ever say he was unjustly condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay both parties as well those that are cast as they that cast are alike contented Vers 17. Ye shall not respect persons God will surely reprove you saith Iob if you secretly accept persons Chap. 13.10 Aequum me utrique parti tam in disceptandis controversiis quam in tuenda disciplina praebebo said Justinian I will hear causes without prejudicate impiety judiciously examine them without sinister obliquity and sincerely judg them without unjust partiality It was the oath of the heathen Judges as the Oratour relates Audiam accusatorem reum sine affectibus personarum respectione I will hear the plaintiffe and defendant with an equall minde without affection and respect of persons And agreeable hereunto is the oath taken by our Circuit-Judg as it is recorded in the statute of the 18 of Edward the third You shall not be afraid For facilè a justitia deviat qui in causis non deum sed homines pertimescit saith Chrysostome A faint-hearted judg doth easily pervert justice A man of courage he must be a Cuer-de-lion another Cato à quo nemo unquam rem injustam petere audebat of whom no man ever durst desire any thing unjust This Solomon symbolized by the steps of his throne adorned with lyons the Athenian Judges by sitting in Mars-street For the judgment is Gods whose person ye bear and in whose seat ye sit and should therefore sit in as great though not so slavish a fear of offending as Olanes in the history sat upon the flaid skin of his father Silannes nailed by Cambises on the tribunall or as a Russian Judg that feares the boyling caldron or the Turkish Senate when they think the great Turk to stand behind the arras at the dangerous doore Cave spectat Cato take heed Cato seeth you was an ancient watch-word among the Romans and a great retentive from evil how much more amongst us should Cave spectat Dominus Take heed the Lord looks on Vers 19. That great and terrible wilderness Abounding with want of all necessaries Jer. 2.6 and surrounded with many mighty and malicious enemies Such is this present evill world to those that are bound for the Heavenly Canaan Many miseries and molestations Heyl. Geog. pag. 802. both satanicall and secular they are sure to meet with this world being a place of that nature that as it is reported of the straits of Magellan which way soever a man bend his course if homeward he is sure to have the wind against him Vers 21. Behold
A Clavis to the Bible OR A NEW COMMENT UPON THE Pentateuch OR Five Books of MOSES Wherein are 1. Difficult Texts explained 2. Controversies discussed 3. Common-places handled 4. Cases of Conscience cleered 5. Many Remarkable matters hinted that had by other Interpreters been omitted 6. Besides divers Texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened 7. And the whole so intermixed with pertinent Histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the Judicious pious Reader By JOHN TRAPP Pastor of Weston upon Avon in Glocestershire LONDON Printed for Timothy Garthwait at the George in Little-Brittain 1650. TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL his highly honoured friend William Comb Esquire of Stratford upon Avon Justice of the Peace for the County 〈◊〉 Warwickt Worthy Sir YOu may well wonder not so much that I now dedicate this peece of my pains unto you as that I did it not till now considering how long I have known you and how very much I am oblieged to You. The truth is this These Notes upon Genesis were the first in this kind that ever I finished and You were deservedly among the first that came into my thoughts for a Patron to them But as Pharez once made a breach upon his brother Zarah Gen. 38.29 and gat into the world before him so did those other Works of mine if at least that name be not too good for them deal by This which now with its red threed a sign of its intended seniority humbly implores Your patronage and if worth while your perusal I know you have somewhat else to do then to read Commentaries and yet I must needs know too that You that are so sedulous a searcher of the Scriptures and so seriously inquisitive after the genuine sense of such and such dark Texts therein as in conference occasionally You have oft proposed unto me cannot but delight to be duely exercised in books of this nature Dr. Cumber That Reverend Doctour of Cambridge that in the behalf of himself and his whole Colledg for a very good turn you did them presented You with the fairest great Bible that ever I beheld saw something surely of your pious inclination to the study of that blessed Book And if to the better understanding thereof this or any thing else that I have yet written may be any way serviceable I have that I sought for Alphonsus King of Arragon is said to have read over the Bible fourteen times Panormitan with Lyra's Notes upon it And those English Exiles for Christ at Geneva knew they could not present any thing more pleasing to that Incomparable Queen Elizabeth then their new Translation of and marginal Notes uppon the holy Bible which Book of books she had received with both her hands Speed from the Londoners soon after her Coronation and kissing it laid it to her breast saying That the same had been her chiefest delight and should be the rule whereby she meant to frame her whole deportment Let it be still Yours Good Sir as hitherto it hath been and let this poor piece of mine if at any time you think good to consult with it tell you in my absence what my sense is of such places as wherein with that noble Eunuch Act. 8.31 You may need an Interpreter No more Jam. 1.17 2 Cor. 4.6 Sir at present then to pray the Father of lights who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse to give You the light of the knowledge of the glory of God Vers 7. in the face of Jesus Christ That though You have this treasure presented to you in an earthen vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a vile oyster-shell as the Greek hath it yet You may partake of the excellency of the power that is of God and not of Me Vers 5. who preach not present not my self but Christ Jesus the Lord and my self Your Servant for Jesus sake JOHN TRAPP 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas Richardson Oxen Pastor Ecclesiae de Newbold pace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tho Dugard Art Mag. Rector Barsordiae LECTORI HAbes hîc Lector pretii quantivis Librum Prioribus * Limatissimis et lectissimis illis Annotationibus in Novum Testamentum unam cum locorum communium decade nec non duobus aliis idiomate etiam vernaculo conscriptis quorum alteri nomen God's Love-tokens c. alteri The true Treasure c. quos trivistilatus parem Notas in Mosis Pentadem unde denuò Sic splendet ille â—t Mâ—nte quum descenderet Magni Tonantis inclytus Tabellio At non at olim Claritate territans Abegit accedentes nunc parili modo Ne contremas tibi prodit formidabilis Accede sis et intuere senties Lucem stupendam sed quae oculos beet tuos Tenebras fugari gestis ecce Phosphorus Aenigmata solvi te penes est nunc Oedipus Gazas recludi clavem cernis auream Tenebricosior est subinde Legifen Et Sphingis instar et gazas premit suas Ast Trappus clarat solvit pandit omnia Trappi nil quicquam est invium solertiae Nec Luce solùm donat ut scientior Et auctior Capite ita corde purior Modò tibi nè desis hinc discedas Vale. Dugardus TO THE BOOK WElcome sweet Babe into the Light A Light thy self to Him whose sight Was at twice sixty undecay'd Deut. 34.7 Whose Infancy ravisht a maid His wind-and-wave-rockt Cradle she That gracious Princess needs would see And seeing fell in love with him Whose first three moneths were taught to swim As he to her so thou to me Art full of Amabilitie Exceeding fair and proper too He was thou art who can but wooe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.23 Who can but fix on thee his eye And much affect thy company So sweet is thy discourse where meet Piety Learning Eloquence wit Profit and Pleasure Muse and Grace Maschil and Michtam here 's the place Where golden apples we may find With silver pictures fitly joyn'd Were it not so I durst profess That thou sweet child
killing him nor as the Angel did Balaam with a drawn sword in his hand to destroy him Neither did he rush upon him as David ran upon Goliah and cut off his head But with a soft and slow pace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gressu grallatorio Isai 28.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad vesperam dici as if he had no minde to it he comes walking toward them to do this his work his strange work of sentencing sinners and that in the cool of the day too or towards the evening as Saint Ambrose hath it after the Septuagint Whereas to shew mercy behold he comes leaping upon the Mountains skipping upon the Hills Lo this is the voyce and the pace of my beloved Cant. 2.8 God was but six days in making the whole world yet seven days in destroying one city Jericho as Chrysostom long since observed He scourgeth not his people Isai 42.14 till there be no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 He forbears us though he cry like a travelling woman to be delivered of his judgments And Adam and his wife hid themselves Their covering of figleaves then was too short for here they run with their aprons into the thicket to hide from God A poor shift God wot but such as is still too much in use If I have covered my transgressions as Adam Job 31.33 or after the maner of men saith Job then let this and this evil befal me The bad heart runs from God and would run from its own terrors as the wounded Deer from the deadly Arrow that sticks in his side Facti sunt à corde suo fugitivi Tertul. but refusing ordinary tryal it is in danger to be prest to death inevitably We have no better refuge then to run from God to God Blood-letting is a cure of bleeding a Burn of a burn To close and get in avoyds the blow c. Vers 9. Where art thou Not as if God knew not for he searcheth Jerusalem with lights Jam. 1.17 yea himself is the father of lights the great eye of the world to whom the Sun it self is but a snuff Zach. 3.9 2 Chron. 16 9. Heb. 4.13 exp He hath seven eyes upon one stone yea his eyes run to and fro through the earth and all things are naked and open Naked for the outside and open for the inside before the eyes of him with whom we have to deal Simple men hide God from themselves and then think they have hid themselves from God like the Struthiocamelus they thrust their heads into a hole Plin. when hunted and then think none seeth them But he searcheth so one may do yet not finde and knoweth Psal 139.1 He seeth so one may do yet not observe and pondereth Prov. 5.21 Though men hide their sins as close as Rachel did her idols or Rahab the spyes Though they dig deep to hide their counsels God can and will detect them Prov. 15.11 with a wo to boot Isai 29.15 For hell and destruction are before him how then can Saul think to be hid behinde the stuff or Adam behinde the bush At the voyce of the Lord he must appear will he nill he to give account of his fear of his flight This he doth but untowardly in the words following Vers 10. I heard thy voyce So he had done before his fall and feared not Are not my words good to the upright Micah 2.7 Excellently Saint Austin Adversarius est nobis quamdiú sumus ipsi nobis Quamdiú tu tibi inimicus es inimitum habebis Sermonem Dei Yea but I was naked and therefore hid my self This also was non-causa pro causa There was another pad in the straw which he studiously conceals viz. The conscience of his sin Hic verò non factum suum Excusando seipsum accusat Gregor Prov. 19.3 sed Dei factum in semetipso reprehendit saith Rupertus He blames not himself but God for making him naked and so verifies that of Solomon The foolishness of man perverteth his way and then to mend the matter his heart fretteth against the Lord. O silly simple Vers 11. Who told thee His own conscience awakened and cited by Gods voyce Joh. 4. told him as the woman of Samaria said of our Saviour all that ever he did Before and in the acting of sin we will hear nothing but afterwards Conscience will send forth a shrill and sharp voyce that shall be heard all the soul over such as was that of Reuben to his brethren Did not I warn you saying Sin not against the childe c. The Books of our Consciences are now sealed up and the woful contents are not read by the Law They remain as Letters written with the juyce of Oringes or Onions which are onely to be made legible by the fire of Gods wrath Then shall the wicked run away but all in vain with those words in their mouthes Isai 33.14 Who amongst us shall dwell with this devouring fire Who shall abide by these everlasting burnings Then shall they tire the Mountains with their hideous out-cryes Fall upon us hide us crush us in pieces grinde us to powder But how can that be when the Mountains melt and the Rocks rent asunder at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob Vers 12. The woman whom thou gavest Here he rejects the fault upon the woman and thorow her upon God who gave her to be with him or before him or such another as himself with reference to that Lenegdo Chap. 2.20 or a help meet for him This she might have been to him had he been that he ought to her a manly guide in the way to Heaven He should have rebuked her as Job did his wicked wife for transgressing Gods Law and tempting him to the like Then had her sin been personal rested upon her self and gone no further had not he hearkned to her voyce But he not onely not did thus but insteed of agnizing his fault seeks to transfer it upon God That sith he could not be like unto God in the divinity which he aymed at he might make God like unto himself in iniquity which was to fill up the measure of his sin that wrath might have come upon him to the utmost but that Gods mercy was then and is still over all his own good and our bad works Vers 13. And the woman said The Serpent Thus the Flesh never wants excuses Nature need not be taught to tell her own tale Sin and shifting came into the world together never yet any came to Hell but had some pretence for coming thither It is a very course Wool that will take no Dye Sin and Satan are alike in this they cannot abide to appear in their own colour Men wrap themselves in excuses as they do their hands to defend them from pricks This is still the vile poyson of our hearts that they will needs be naught and yet will not yield but that
of the worlds cut throat kindnesses consort not with Sodomites lest ye partake of their plagues Hamath lyes nigh to Damascus in place and fares the worse for its neighborhood Zach. 9.2 Lot loseth his goods and liberty 2 Chro. 18.31 19.2 Jehosaphat had well-nigh lost his life for loving those that hated God Vers 13. And there came one that had escaped A Sodomite likely but a servant to Gods good providence 2 Pet. 2.9 Eph. 4. Psal 126 4. for Lots rescue The Lord knoweth how to deliver his c. He that led captivity captive can turn our captivity as the streams in the South Vers 14. He armed his trained servants Or catechised such as he had painfully principled both in Religion and Military Discipline tractable and trusty ready prest for any such purpose It is recorded to the commendation of Queen Elisabeth that she provided for war even when she had most perfect peace with all men Camdens Elis fol. 164. Darts foreseen are dintless Vers 15. Smote them and pursued them Abram came upon them as they were secure sleepy and drunken as Josephus writeth So did David upon the Amalekites 1 Sam. 30.16 and Ahab the Syrians 1 King 20.16 The division of his company and taking benefit of the night wacheth the use of godly policies and stratagems Vers 16. And he brought back all the goods The five Kings were deprived of the whole victory because they spared not a man whom they should have spared One act of injustice oft loseth much that was justly gotten Beware saith a Reverend Writer hereupon of swallowing ill gotten wealth Mr. Whatelyes Archetypes it hath a poysonfull operation and like some evill simple in the stomack will bring up the good food together with the evill humours And also brought again his brother Lot Many a crooked nature would have thought of the old jar and let Lot taste of the fruits of his departure In a friends distress let former faults be forgotten and all possible helps afforded And the women also and the people The hope of this might haply move that officious messenger to address himself to the old Hebrew vers 13. little set by till now that they were in distress Generall Vere told the King of Denmarke Spec bellisacri 253. that Kings cared not for souldiers no more did the King of Sodome for Abraham and his Reformadoâ—s untill such time as the Crowns hang on the one side of their heads Vers 18. Melchizedek King of Salem Who this Melchisedek was is much controverted Some would have him to be the holy Ghost Others the Lord Christ in the habit of a King and Priest The Jerusalem Targum saith Hu Shem Rabba This was Shem the Great and of the same opinion are not a few of the Hebrew Doctours and others But what should Shem do in Canaan which Country fell not to him but to his brother Ham To this they answer That by the instinct of the Holy Ghost he left his own posterity now fallen away for most part to Idolatry and came to the land of Canaan a type of Heaven and the place from whence peace and salvation should be preached to all people If this were so it might very well be that Amraphel who was of Shems lineage Dr. Prideaux Lâ—â—t de Melchis p 95. and his fellow-souldiers moved with reverence of this their great Grand-father Shem might forbear to molest him at Salem or invade his territories when they wasted and smote all the neighbour-nations But then on the other side if Melchisedek were Shem why doth not Moses calf him so but change his name 2. Why did not Abram dwelling so near visit him all this while that was so near allyed to him and so highly respected by him as it was meet 3. Why did Melchisedek the Grand-father take tithes of his Nephew to whom he should rather have given gifts and legacies 2 Cor. 12.14 Most likely Melchisedek was a Canaanite of the Canaanites yet a most righteous King and Priest of the most High God and so a pledge and first-fruits of the calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge and obedience of Jesus Christ of whom he was a lively type Heb. 7.2 Brought forth brend and wine This he did as a King as a Priest he blessed Abraham which latter therefore the Apostle pitcheth upon Heb. 7.1 as being to treat of Christs Priesthood The Papists think to finde footing here for their unbloody sacrifice in the Masse Melchisedee say they as a Priest offered bread and wine to God for he was a Priest of the living God So they render it Tert. de Praescrip advers haeret or rather wrest this text to make it speak what it never meant Caedem Scriptuarum faciunt ad materiam suam they murther the Scriptures to serve their own purposes saith Tertullian Where can they shew us in all the Book of God that the Hebrew word Hotsi here used signifieth to offer But any thing serves turn that hath but a shew of what they alleadge it for A Sorbonist finding it written at the end of St. Pauls Epistles Missa est Bee-hive of Rom. Church chap. 3. fol. 93. Nelancthon orat de encom eloquentiae Pref. to his book of the Sacraments c. brag'd he had found the Masse in his Bible So another reading Joh. 1.41 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion A third no whit wiser then the two former speaking of these words I now write upon Rex Salem panem vinum protulit fell into a large discourse of the nature of Salt Agreable whereunto Dr. Poynes writes that it was foretold in the Old Testament that the Protestants were a Malignant Church alleadging 2 Chron. 24.19 Mitâ—â—batque prophetas ut râ—vâ—rterentur ad Dominum quos â—rotestantes illi audire nolebant Vers 19. And he blessed him Lo here an instance of the communion of Saints Melchisedek doth all good offices to Abraham a beleever though a stranger not of curtesie onely and humanity but of charity and piety Vers 20. And he gave him tithe of all Not of the Sodomites goods which he restored wholly ver 23. but of the other lawfull spoyle he had taken from the foure conquered Kings in testimony of his thankfulness to God the giver of all victory Vers 21. And the King of Sodome said He that a few dayes since faced the heavens and cared not for foure Kings can now become suppliant to a forlorn forreigner Affliction will tame and take down the proudest spirits they buckle in adversity that bore their heads on high in prosperity In their moneth you may finde these wild-asses Give me the persons Abram did so Jer. 2.24 and yet they were no whit amended by their late captivity or former servitude from both which now they are freed by Abraham but still held captive by the Devill who owes them yet a further spite as we shall see Chapt. 19. Vers 22. I have lifted up my hand A swearing
his coat but he is a double fool that would be laughed out of his skin that would hazard his soul because loath to be laughed at Caligula socerum Scyllanum molestum ei propter virtutem affinitatem ad mortem sibi consciscendam ludibriis adegit More fool him Vers 4. And Abraham circumcised his Son At Circumcision so as now at Baptisme names were given Let them be such as are significant and may immind us of some good either person or thing all will be found little enough Optima nomina Columel â—e re rust l. 1. c. 7. Hoâ—at Epod. 2. non appellando mala fieri Alphius foenerator dixisse verissimè fertur We read of a good woman that had named her three daughters Faith Hope and Charity And when she was to be condemned by Bonner My Lord said she If you burn me I hope you will keep Faith Hope and Charity no by my troth will I not quoth the Bishop Act Mon. 1798. keep them who will I le take no charge of them We read also of another that courting an harlot asked her name she answered Mary whereupon remembring Mary Magdalen that penitent harlot he repented him of his evill purpose and advising the curtisan to repent by her example departed and lived honestly Stâ—aâ—ge Viney in Palest We cannot have too many monitors to mind us of our duty Vers 5. And Abraham was an hundred yeers old After twenty yeers praying and waiting the fulfilling of the promise besides thirteen of those yeers silence for ought we read after the promise of a childe This was a sore tryal but God knew him to be armor of proof and therefore tryed him thus with Musket-shot Heb. 10.36 Well might the Apostle say Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God and suffered it too ye might receive the promise The spoyling of their goods required patience but this waiting much more Good men finde it casier to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed This waiting is nothing Importuno tempore poma decerâ—unt Cyprian but hope and trust lengthened Which they that cannot do like children they pull Apples afore they are ripe and have Worms bred of them as those hasty Ephraimites that set upon the Philistims and were slain in Gath. They had indeed a promise of the Land but the time was not yet come See my Love-tokens pag. 94. They were weary of the Egyptian bondage and would have thus got out but they were too hasty Fugientes ergâ— fumum incidebant in ignem 1 Chronicles 7.21 2â— Psalm 78. v. 9. Vers 6. Prov. 10.1 God hath made me to laugh A wise son maketh a glad father Monstri autèm simile est quandò pro risu sunt fletus sunt flagellum And yet this is many a good mans case How many parents are put to wish Moses his wish Num. 11.11 Lord If I have found favor in thy sight kill me that I behold not my misery Had he lived to have seen what ways his grand-childe Jonathan took what a grief would it have been unto him Judg. 18.30 Ac proinde studio inseruisse literam Nun suspensam tamen in fignum â—am adesse vel abesse posse ut fit filius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 istius prosapiâ hujus imitatione Buxtorf Tiber. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Jonathan the son of Gershom the son of Manasseh c. In the best Hebrew Copies Nun is suspended in that name whereupon the Hebrews descant that this Gershom was the son of Moses but because he and his posterity walked not in the wayes of Moses but rather of Manasses 2 King 21. and did his works therefore the Penman of this Book would not so far disgrace Moses as to make him his son as indeed he was Exod. 2.1 Chron. 23.14 but rather of Manasses whom he imitated and resembled How much better and happier had it been for them both if they had expressed their fathers maners as Constantines sons did of whom it is said That they had put on whole Constantine and in all good things did exactly resemble him Vers 7. That Sarah should have given children suck So she had a double blessing of the belly and of the brests Milk she had at those yeers and great store of it too whence she is said to give children suck not a childe onely She could have nursed another for a need besides her own Note that though she were a great Lady yet she was a nurse Let it not be niceness but necessity that hinders any mother from so doing lest she be found more monstrous then the sea-monsters that draw out their brest and give suck to their young Lam. 4.3 If the childe must be set out let a fit nurse be looked after Quidam scrofae lacte nutritus cum esset Sphinx Philosoph p. 235. in coeno sese identidem volutabar Vers 8. And Abraham made a great feast A laudable custome saith Cajetan That the beginning of the eating of the first-born should be celebrated with a feast St. Augustine observeth here That this solemnity at the weaning of Isaac was a type of our spiritual regeneration at and after which the faithful keep a continual feast Let us keep the festivity or holy-day saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. ap Plutarch that feast of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Isai 25.6 proceeding from milk to stronger meat Heb. 5.12 and being to the world as a weaned childe His mouth doth not water after homely provisions that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance Vers 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar mocking At that mystical name Isaac as a gaud or laughing-stock At the feast also made upon such a frivolous occasion As who should say What care I though this ado be made now about Isaacs weaning I am the first-born and beloved of my Father who will not deny me the inheritance This Sarah had soon spyed or over-heard Liberorum curiosi sunt parentes The mother especially observeth the wrong done to the childe And besides Dislike soon spies a fault Textor epist A fault it was no doubt and a great one too Otherwise the Apostle would not have called it persecution Gal. 3. nor God have punished it with ejection Machiavel that scoffing Atheist rotted in the prison at Florence Jearing Julian had his payment from Heaven Sir Thomas Moor qui scopticè scabiose de Luthero Religione Reformata loquebatur lost his head Another lost his wits for mocking at James Abbes Martyr as a mad man for that Act. Mon. fol. 1904. having no mony he gave his apparel to the poor some to one some to another as he went to the stake What 's truth Joh. 18.38 said Pilate to our Saviour in a scornful prophane maner Not long after
neither of them apt to turn inwards Vers 36. Is he not rightly named Jacob He cavils and quarrels at his brothers guile at his fathers store Hast thou but one blessing c. but not a word we hear of his own profaneness How apt are men to mistake the cause of their sufferings and to blame any thing sooner then their own untowardness Vers 38. Esau lift up his voice and wept Yet found no place for repentance Heb. 12.17 that is he could not by his tears prevail with his father to reverse the blessing See the fruit of Gods holy fear Moses his rod was not so famous for being turned into a Serpent for even the Magicians did as much as for devouring the Magicians rod So the true fear of God is most eminent and effectual when set in emulation or opposition to other fears or carnal aims and affections Vers 39. Answered and said unto him Dixit non benedixit quia pâ—tiùs fuit praedictio futurae conditionis quà m benedictio saith Pareus And whereas we read Behold thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven Castalio renders it thus Tua quidem sedes a terrae pinguitudine a supero coeli rore aberit For Mishmanne saith he signifieth ab pinguitudine sive sine pinguitudine as it doth also Psal 109.24 Sic dicimus Ab re 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compositè Amens abesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My flesh faileth from fatness that is for lack of fatness or Without fatness So the sence he sets upon this Text is Thou shalt dwell far from the fatness of the earth in a barren country c. For Isaac could not give Esau what he had given Jacob afore and this was that that Esau so grieved at and threatned his brother for Or if he could what cause had Esau so to take on why should it trouble me that another partakes of the sun-light with me when I have never the less c. Object But the Apostle saith Heb. 11.20 Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau Sol. It was a blessing no doubt that Edom should shake off Israels yoke as it follows vers 40. and fell out 2 Kings 8.20 Vers 40. When thou shalt have the dominion Cùm planxeris saith Junius when thou hast for some time undergone hard troublesom and lamentable servitude the grief whereof thou dost greatly groan under as in Davids time who cast his shoe over them Psal 60.8 The Sodomites those worst of men 2 Sam. 8.14 were the first that we finde in Scripture brought in bondage to others Gen. 14.4 When the Danes and other forraigners domineer'd in this Kingdom was it not a lamentable time were not mens dearest lives sold as cheap as sparrows were among the Jews five for two farthings Did we but live a while in Turkie Persia yea or but in France saith One a dram of that liberty we yet enjoy would be as precious as a drop of cold water would have been to the rich man in hell when he was so grievously tormented with those slames Take we heed lest for the abuse of this sweet mercy God send not in the Midianites to thresh out our corn the Assyrians to drink up our milk to make a spoil of our cattel Jer. 49.32 and to cause us to eat the bread of our souls in the peril of our lives as our fathers did in Queen Maries days Vers 41. And Esau hated Jacob c. Because God said Jacob have I loved And as all hatred is bloody he resolves to be his death The righteous is abomination to the wicked saith Solomon Prov. 29.27 Moab was irked because of Israel or did fret and vex at them Num. 22.3 4. who yet passed by them in peace But the old serpent had set his limbs in them transfused his venom into them hence that deadly hatred that is and will be betwixt the godly and the wicked Pliny speaks of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein he doth not put forth the sting So doth that serpentine seed acted by Satan The Panther so hates man that he flies upon the very picture of a man and tears it to pieces So doth Satan and his imps upon the image of God in whomsoever they finde it Psal 35.19 Scito quia ab ascensore suo daemone perurgetur Bern. They Satanically hate me saith David of his enemies And seest thou thy persecutor full of rage saith Bernard know thou that he is spurr'd on by the devil that rides him that acts and agitates him Eph. 2.2 And Esau said in his heart Effutiverat etiam minaces voces he had also bolted out some suspicious speeches as our Gunpowder-traitors did whereby he was prevented The days of mourning for my father No matter for his mother Levit. 19.3 yet God saith Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father The mother is first mentioned because usually most slighted Vindicabâ— me afferendo Patri luctum caede fratris Luth. Luther thinks he threatneth his father also in these words as if he should say I will be avenged by being the death of my brother though it be to the breaking of my fathers heart A bloody speech of a vindictive spirit whom nothing would satisfie but to be a double parricide I will slay my brother But threatned men live long for even Isaac who died soonest lived above fourty yeers beyond this Psal 31.15 My times are in thy hand saith David Vers 42. And these words of Esau c. For he could not hold as Absalom did who intending to murther Amnon spake neither good nor evil to him These still revenges are most dangerous as a dog that barks not That Esau vented himself in words was a great mercy of God to Jacob. He thought nothing good man but followed his calling not knowing his danger But his provident mother hearkened it out and took course to prevent it So doth the sweet fatherly providence of God take care and course for the safety of his servants when they are either ignorant or secure Masses were said in Rome for the good success of the Powder-plot but no prayers in England for our deliverance and yet we were delivered A seven-fold Psalmody they had framed here which secretly passed from hand to hand with tunes set to be sung for the chearing up of their wicked hearts with an expectation as they called it of their day of Jubilee The matter consisteth of railing upon King Edward Queen Elizabeth and King James Spec. bell sacri of petition imprecation prophecie and praise This Psalter is hard to be had for they are taken up by the Papists as other books be that discover their shame But Mendoza that lyer conveniunt rebus nomina saepè suis sounded the Triumph before the Victory That blinde Letter of theirs brought all to light by the meer mercy of the Father of lights who was pleased to put a divine sentence into the
retein the number of ten words so loth are Hereticks to have their assâ—â— cars seon they divide the last which yet is called the Commandement not the Commandements Rom. 7.7 Vasques not able to answer our Argument saith That the second Commandement belonged to the Jews onely Ver. 2. Which have brought thee God's blessings are binders and everie deliverance a tie to obedience Ver. 3. Thou shalt have This Thou reacheth everie man Xenophon saith of Cyrus that when hee gave anie thing in command hee never said Let som one do this but Do thou this Hoc tu facias Xenophon Cyropaed No other Gods before mee But know and serv mee alone with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 Hoc primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur saith Luther In this first Commandement the keeping of all the other nine is commanded Ver. 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee i. e. For religious use for civil they may bee made Mat. 22.20 Howbeit the Turks will not indure anie Image no not upon their coins becaus of this second Commandement The Papists by their sacrilegeous practices have taken away this Commandement out of their vulgar Catechism This is a great stumbling-block to the Jews and a let to their conversion for ever since their return from Babylon they do infinitely abhor Idolatrie And for their coming to Christian Sermons they saie That as long as they shall see the Preacher direct his speech and praier to that little wooden Crucifix that stand's on the Pulpit by him Specul Europ to call it his Lord and Saviour to kneel to it to embrace it to kiss it to weep upon it as is the fashion of Italie this is preaching sufficient for them and perswade's them more with the verie sight of it to hate Christian Religion then anie reason that the world can allege to love it Ver. 5. Thou shalt not bow down Images came first from Babylon For Ninus having made an Image of his father Belus all that came to see it were pardoned for their former offenses whence in time that Image came to bee worshipped through the instigation of the Divel who is saith Synesius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that rejoiceth in Images Am a jealous God Bee the gods of the Heathens good-fellows saith one the true God is a jealous God and will not share his glorie with another nor bee served by anie but in his own waie They that wit-wanton it with God may look to speed wors then that Citizen in K. Edward the Fourth's daies did who was executed in Cheapside as a traitor Speed's Chron for saying hee would make his son heir of the crown though hee onely meant his own hous having a crown for the sign Visiting the iniquitie This second Commandement is the first with punishment becaus men do commonly punish such as worship God in spirit and truth As therefore one fire so one fear should drive out another the fear of God the fear of men Ver. 6. Vnto thousands Of succeeding generations Personal goodness is profitable to posteritie And this promiss though made to all yet is more specially annexed to this second Commandement to teach saith one that parents should chiefly labor to plant pietie in their families as they would have God's blessing intailed upon their issue Ver. 7. The Name of the Lord That holie and reverend Name Psal 111.9 that Nomen Majestativum as Tertullian calleth it dreadful among the Heathen Mal. 1.14 The verie Turks at this daie chastise the Christians that live amongst them for their oaths and blasphemies darted up against God and Christ The Jews also are much offended thereat and it should bee no small grief to us to hear it When one of Darius his Eunuchs saw Alexander the Great setting his feet upon a low table that had been highly esteemed by his master hee wept Diod. Sic. lib. 17. Beeing asked the reason by Alexander hee said It was to see the thing that his master so highly esteemed to bee now contemned and made his foot-stool Ver. 8. Remember the Sabbath daie Hee saith not The seventh daie from the Creätion but the daie of religious rest such as is now our Christian Sabbath called a Sabbath-daie by our Saviour Mat. 24.20 who is Lord of this Sabbath called therefore the Lord's-daie Rev. 1. 1 Cor. 10. as one of our Sacraments is called the Lord's Supper and the table of the Lord becaus instituted by him Pope Sylvester presumed to alter the Christian Sabbath Hospin de fest Christ decreeing that Thursdaie should bee kept through the whole year becaus on that daie Christ asscended and on that instituted the blessed Sacrament of his bodie and bloud And generally Papists press the sanctification of the Sabbath as a mere humane institution in religious worship an ordinance of the Church and do in their celebration more solemnly observ the Festivals of the Saints then the Lord's Sabbaths making it as Bacchus's Orgies c. that according to what their practice is it may more fitly bee styled Dies daemoniacus quà m Dominicus The divel's-daie then God's To sanctifie it Let everie one of us keep the Sabbath spiritually saith Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 3.2d Magnesian rejoicing in the meditation of Christ's Law more then in the rest of our bodies The ox and ass must rest wee must consecrate a rest â—s God on the seventh daie rested not from his works of preservation John 5.17 Ver. 9. Six daies shalt thou labor God hath reserved but one daie in seven as hee reserved the Tree of knowledg of Good and Evil. Gen. 2. yet wretched men must needs clip the Lord's coin In manie places God's Sabbaths are made the voider and dunghil for all refuse businesses The Sabbath of the Lord the sanctified day of his rest saith one is shamelesly troubled and disquieted B. King on Jon. Lect. 7. The world is now grown perfectly profane saith another and can plaie on the Lord's-daie without book Ver. 10. But the seventh daie Or a seventh daie Not onely Hebrews but also Greeks and Barbarians did rest from work on the seventh daie witness Josephus Clemens Alexand. and Eusehius That which they tell us of the river Sabbatius it's resting and not running on that daie I look upon as fabulous Thou shalt not do anie work Onely works of Pietie of Charitie and of Necessitie may bee don on the Sabbath daie Hee that but gathered sticks was paid home with stones The first blow given the Germane Churches was upon the Sabbath daie Dike of Cons pag. 276. which they carelesly observed Prague was lost upon that daie Thou and thy son c. Everie mother's childe The baser sort of people in Swethland do alwaies break the Sabbath David's desire by R. Abbot saying That it 's for Gentlemen to keep that daie Thy man-servant There is an old law of the Saxon King Ina If a villain work on Sundaie
obedience and praie for God's Spirit to bee poured upon them Ver. 7. And Moses brought Aaron They did not intrude themselvs See the Note on Heb. 5.4 Ver. 8. Hee put in the brest-plate the Vrim c. Hence it may bee God appointed the brest-plate to bee made double that the Urim and Thummim might bee put within and lie hid on everie side This Urim and Thummim signified saith one that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Col. 2.3 and that hee hath all secret things most perfectly known and numbred out before him which hee revealeth continually to his Church and chosen as need requireth by such means as himself hath sanctified Psal 25.14 John 14.21 26. 17.14 17 26. CHAP. IX Ver. 1. On the eighth daie THe verie next daie after the Priest's consecration that no time might bee lost I made haste and delaied not c. Psalm 119.16 Then said I lo I com in the volume of the book it is written of mee c. Psalm 40.7 Live live live saith one quickly much long let no water go by no daie bee lost c. Preach preach bee instant quick at work c. Praecipitat tempus mors atra impendet agenti Ver. 2. Take thee alyoung calf In remembrance and sor the remission of Aaron's sin about the golden calf as som Hebrews are of opinion Ver. 3. Take yee a kid of the goats for a Sin-offering Quia gravis odor peccati The smell of sin is grievous it offendeth all God's senses yea his verie soul Isa 1.12 13. c. Ver. 4. For to daie the Lord will appear unto you And hee may not sinde you emptie-handed unprepared See the Notes on Fxod 19.10 Ver. 6. And the glorie of the Lord shall appear unto you so shall it one daie to us yea wee shall bee like him and appear with him in glorie and must therefore purifie our selvs as God is pure 1 John 3.2 3. Ver. 7. Make attonement for thy self See Heb. 5.3 7.27 28. with the Notes there Ver. 8. Went unto the Altar i. e. The brasen Altar for hee had not yet access to the Altar of Incens Wee must staie our corruptions before wee present our supplications wash our hearts from wickedness and then compass God's Altar Ver. 22. Lift up his hands Hee put the blessing upon them A type of Christ Luke 24.50 with Acts 3.26 Ephes 1.3 Ver. 24. They shouted and fell on their faces The consideration of God's gracious acceptation of us in Christ should make us to lift manie an humble joiful and thankful heart to God CHAP. X. Ver. 1. And Nadab and Abihu THese jollie young Priests over-joied haply of their new emploiment and over-warmed with wine as som gather out of Vers 9. over-shoot themselvs the verie daie of their service Vers 19. and are suddenly surprised by a doleful death So was that inconsiderate Priest oâ— Naples Anno Dom. 1457. of whom Wolphius report's Wolph Mcmorab Lect. Câ—â—â— 15. that when the hill Vesuvius had sent huge flames and don great spoil hee to make proof of his pietie read a Mass and would need 's go up the hill to finde out the caus of such a calamitie But for a reward of his fool-hardiness hee perished in the flames and was never heard of anie more Ver. 2. And there went out fire By fire they sinned and by fire they perished Per quod quis peccat per idem punitur ipse Nestorii lingua vermibus exesa est Evag. lib 1. So Archbishop Arundel's tongue rotted in his head The Archbishop of Tours in France made suit for the erection of a Court called Chambre Ardent wherein to condemn the Protestants to the fire Hee was afterwards stricken with a diseas called the fire of God Act. and Mon. fol. 1911. which began at his feet and so asscended upward that hee caussed one member after another to be cut off and so hee died miserably Ver. 3. This is that the Lord spake Where and when Lev. 8.35 Exod. 19.22 Or perhaps no where written but at som other time spoken by God Moses might but set down the short Notes of his discourses as the Prophets used to do I will bee sanctified Either actively or passively Aut à nobis aut in nos either in us or upon us sure it is that hee will bee no loser by us Sanctified hee will bee either in the sinceritie of men's conversation or els in the severitie of their condemnation Singular things are exspected of all that draw nigh to God in anie dutie but especially in the office of the Ministerie Those that stand in the presence of Princes must bee exact in their carriages God appointed both the weights and measures of the Sanctuarie to bee twice as large as those of the Common-wealth to shew that hee exspect's much more of those that serv him there then hee doth of others The souls of Priests must bee purer then the sun-beams saith Chrysostom D. Hakw on Psalm 101. And Aaron held his peace Hee bridled his passions and submitted to the divine Justice The like did David Psalm 39.9 which words were taken up by Du-plessis in the loss of his onely son Ver. 5. In their coats These were not burnt as neither were their bodies the fire Tostat beeing of a celestial and subtile nature might pierce their inward parts not touching their outward as the lightning kill 's by piercing not by burning Ver. 6. And Moses said unto Aaron Philo reporteth that the High-priest of the Jews to keep alwaies his soul pure never saw anie mournful object Tiberius counterfeiting grief at the funeral of Drusus had a veil laid betwixt the dead and him that hee might not see the bodie becaus hee was as the rest of the Emperors also were Pontifex Maximus or the High-priest and therefore a sacred person Mourning in Aaron might have seemed murmuring hee is therefore forbidden it and accordingly hee forbear's Manlii Loc. com p. 215. So did Luther when hee buried his daughter hee was not seen to shed a tear No more did reverend Mr. William Whatelie late Pastor of Banburie when after hee had preached his own childe 's Funeral upon this Text The will of the Lord bee don hee and his wise laid the childe in the grave with their own hands Bewail the burning It 's fit enough ordinarily that the bodie when sown in corruption bee watered by the tears of those that plant it in the earth Ver. 7. For the annointing oil of the Lord is upon you This is everie true Christian's case who should therefore carrie himself accordingly There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seemlie carriage belong's to everie calling You have an unction c. 1 John 2. Ver. 9. Do not drink wine nor strong drink As som are of opinion Nadab and Abihu had don Ex malis moribus honae leges which miscarriage of theirs occasioned this precept The perpetual equitie
cum alienis loqui et quidem solam cum solo saith Munster and yet are not jealous But the Italians are so jealous that how many husbands so many jaylours And the Turks as far exceed the Italians herein Blunts voyage into Levant as the Italians do us Therefore their women go muffled all but the eyes nor are they suffered to go to Church or so much as look out at their own windows In Barbary 't is death for any â—an to see one of the Xeriffes concubines and for them too if when they see a man though but through a casement they do not suddenly screek out Vers 15. Barly-meal Barly not wheat She hath done the act of a beast and her oblation is the meat of a beast as Sal. Jarchi here noteth Vers 16. Set her before the Lord Whose the judgment was that if guilty she might be scared from submitting her self to this triall sith God knows all our thefts Vers 17. Holy-water i.e. Water taken out of the holy laver Annal. ad annum 44. no warrant for popish lustrall water and sprinkling of Sepulchres for the ground whereof Cardinall Baronius fairly referrs us to Iuvenals sixth Satyre Vers 18. Vncover the Womans head Because she stood now upon her justification and thereupon laid aside for present this sign of subjection to the man 1 Cor. 11.7 _____ The offering of memoriall Brought by her husband vers 15. who was now sick of one of those three diseases that they say are hardly cured jealousy frenzy and heresie Vers 21. Thy thigh to rot and belly to swell God takes notice of the offending member as he did in those blasphemers who gnawed their tongues Revâ—l 9. Absoloms hair Jeroboams hand the adulterers loyns Prov. 5.11 Zimri and Cozli thrust through the belly Num. 25.8 Charles the 2. King of Navarr Ioane Queen of Naples c. Suffered as they sinned Vers 22. Amen Amen Twice to shew the fervency of her zeal the innocency of her cause the uprightness of her conscience and the pâ—rity of her heart Vers 23. Shall write these curses in a book To shew that the word written should cause the water thus to work according to the cleanness or uncleanness of the party See 2 Cor. 2.16 with the note there CHAP. VI. Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake Est Venus in vinis therefore after the law for the privy harlot here is a law given for abstinence from wine and strong drink which some have called lac Veneris Rev. 17.4 The whore commâ—th forth with a cup as with a fit instrument Vers 2. To vow a vow A voluntary vow a religious promise made in prayer hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer To separate themselves unto the Lord As mirrours of singular sobriety and sanctimony Lam. 4.7 especially required in such as are separated unto the Gospell of God Rom. 1.1 and as types of Christ that great Votary true Nazarite holy harmless undefiled and seperate from sins Heb. 7.26 that holy thing Mat. 1.20 that holy of holies or most holy Dan. 9.24 Vers 3. He shall separate himself from wine Lest he should drink and forget the law Prov 31.5 which he was to study diligently but loaden bellies make leaden wits intemperance takes away the heart Hos 4.11 overchargeth it Luk. 21.34 Moist grapes or dryed Dryed as raisins currants or grapes of Corinth whence they come and are called Vers 4. From the kernels even to the husk Nothing that that might occasion or tempt him to break his vow All shadows and shewes of evill must be shunned quicquid fuerit male coloratum as Bernard hath it whatsoever looks but ill-favoured 1 Thess 5.22 Iude 23. He that would not eate the meat must not meddle with the broth He that would not toll the bell must not tuggle with the rope He that would shun the blow must keep aloof from the train Vers 5. There shall no rasor In opposition to Heathens Votaries who nourished their hayr to offer to their gods The popish Priests also cut and shave their hayr that they may still look neate and effeminate which God allowed not in his Nazarites Amos 2.11 Vers 6. At no dead body Christ was never defiled by any person dead in sin nor by any dead work no more must we Vers 7. He shall not make himself unclean In all changes he must be unchangeable so was Christ so must we Vers 9. And if any man dye A figure of the involuntary and unavoidable infirmity of the Saints which must be bewailed as direct fruits of the flesh and for which there is through Christ a pardon of course Vers 12. And he shall consecrate He shall begin the world a new so must we after some foul fall especially repent and do thy first works Revel 2.5 as the Shulamite did Cant. 5.2 c. Vers 14. And he shall offer his offering Though he had fulfilled his vow in the best manner yet he must come with his sin-offering c. leading him to Christ for pardon of failings in the manner and with his thank-offering for what he had been enabled to do before he could be released of his Nazarite-ship Vers 18. And put it in the fire To teach us that the Lord so loveth his children that he esteemeth the least hair of their head as a precious gift Vers 19. The sodden shoulder i.e. The left shoulder for the right was due unto him raw Lev. 7.32 This taught the Nazarite speciall thankfulness dignity requires duty Vers 20. The Nazarite may drink wine The Popish Votaries will needs fetch colour and approbation for their superstitious vowes from this order of Nazarites But the abolishing of this ordinance is declared Act. 21.25 and they are so far from the abstinence of Nazarites that they eate of the best and drink of the sweetest the most generous wine in Lovain and Paris is known by the name of vinum theologicum the Divines those Sâ—rbonists do so whiffe it off Vers 21. Besides that that his hand i.e. Beside his voluntary devotion according to his ability This he may do but that he must do be he poor or rich Vers 23. Ye shall bless the children of Israel Praying for them with hands first stretched out to Heaven Levit. 9.22 and then laid upon the people so putting the blessing of God upon them So Christ did upon his Apostles which was his last action upon earth Luk. 24.50 And so must all Pastours do that would do good on it pray down a blessing on their people Vers 24. The Lord bless thee Here some observe the mystery of the holy Trinity See it explained 2 Cor. 13.14 CHAP. VII Veas 2. The Princes of Israel offered So they did at the making of the Tabernacle and at the building of the Temple Exod. 35.27 1 Chron. 29.6 7 8. which was but to give God of his own as David acknowledgeth with all thankfulness Vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of thine own we offer unto thee said
Vers 12. It shall be at the salt-Sea That is the Lake of Sodome called also Asphaltites and the dead Sea Josephus saith that an ox having all his legs bound will not sink into the water of this sea it is so thick Vers 17. Eleazar the Priest Pointing to the high Priest of the new Covenant by whom we have entrance into the promised inheritance whither he is gone before to prepare a place for us and hath told us that in his Fathers house are many mansions room enough CHAP. XXXV Vers 2. SVburbs These were for pasture pleasure and other Country-Commodities not for tillage for the Levites were to have no such employment Num. 18.20 24. Vers 6. That he may flee thither All sins then are not equal as the Stoicks held neither are all to be alike punished as by Draco's laws they were in a manner Those laws were said to be written not with black but with blood because they punished every peccadillo almost with death as idleness stealing of pot-herbs c. Aristotle gives them this small commendation that they are not worth remembrance but only for their great severity Vers 7. Shall be fourty and eight cities Thus the Levites were dispersed throughout the land for instruction of the people so ought Ministers of the Gospel who are fiâ—ly called the salt of the earth that being sprinkled up and down may keep the rest as flesh from rotting and putrisying Vers 8. From them that have many ye shall give By the equity of this proportion the richer are bound to give more to the Ministers maintenance then the poorer Let this be noted by those that refuse to give any thing to their Ministers because they have not those things the tithes whereof the law requires for this purpose See Gal 6.6 with the Note there Vers 15. Shall be a refuge Christ is our Asylum to whom running for refuge when pursued by the guilt of an evill conscience we are safe None can take us out of his hands If we be in Christ the Rock temptations and oppositions as waves dash upon us but break themselves Vers 16. So that he dye Though he had no intent to kill yet because he should have look't better to 't he is a murtherer he smote him purposely and presumptuously and the man dyes of it King James was wont to say that if God did leave him to kill a man though besides his intention he should think God did not love him Vers 18. The murderer shall surely be put to death This is jus gentium The Turks justice in this case will rather cut off two innocent men then let one offender escape Cartwr travels The Persians punish theft and man-slaughter so severely that in an age a man shall hardly hear either of the one or the other A severity fit for Italy where they blaspheme oftner then swear Spec. Europ Purchas and murther more then revile or slander like the dogs of Congo which they say bite but bark not And no less fit for France where Les ombres des defunde fieurs de Villemor within ten years 6000 gentlemen have been slain as it appears by the Kings pardons Byron Lord high-Marshal of France and Governour of Burgundy slew a certain Judge for putting to death a malefactor whom he had commanded to be spared Epitome hist Gall. pag. 275. For this he sued for a pardon and had it but not long after he turned traytor to his Prince that had pardoned him and was justly executed Vers 21. He shall surely be put to death And yet the Papists allow wilful murtherers also to take sanctuary who should as Joab was be taken from the altar to the slaughter Their hatred to Protestants is so deadly that they hold us unworthy to live on Gods ground fit for nothing but fire and fagot yea they send us to hell without bail or main-prize as worse then Turks or Jews They tell the people that Geneva is a professed Sanctuary of all roguery that in England the people are grown barbarous and eat young children that they are as black as Devils c. Vers 23. Or with any stone As at the funeral solemnities of Q. Anne a scholar was slain by the fall of a letter of stone thrust down from the battlements of the Earl of Northamptons house by one that was a spectatour Vers 25. Vnto the death of the high Priest Because he was amongst men the chief god on earth and so the offence did most directly strike against him Or rather because the high Priest was a type of Christ and so this release was a shadow of our freedom and redemption by the death of Christ CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. ANd spake before Moses Who was their common Oracle to enquire of in all doubtful cases Like as at Rome C. Scipio Nasica whom the Senate by way of honor called Optimus had a house in the high-street assigned him at the publike charge quò faciliùs consuli posset that any man might go to him for counsel And surely as the Romane General never miscarried so long as he followed the advice of Polybius his historian so neither did or could this people do amiss if ruled by Moses who was the mouth of God vers 5. Vers 6. To whom they think best See Gen. 24.57 58. with the Note there Vers 7. Shall keep himself to the inheritance This was an excellent law to cut off quarrels strifes and law-suites and to frustrates those qui latrocinia intra moenia exercent as Columella said of the Lawyers of his time Vers 11. For Mahlah Tirzah and Hoglah c. The names of these virgins as one Interpreter elsewhere observeth seem to be not without mystery M. Ainsworth For Zelophehad by interpretation signifieth the shadow of fear or of dread his first daughter Machlah Infirmity the second Noah Wandering the third Hoglah Turning about for joy or Dancing the fourth Milcah a Queen the fifth Tirzah Well pleasing or Acceptable By these names we may observe the degrees of our reviving by grace in Christ for we all are born as of the shadow of fear being brought forth in sin and for fear of death were all our life-time subject to bondage Heb 2.15 This begetteth infirmity or sickness grief of heart for our estate After which Wandering abroad for help and comfort we finde it in Christ by whom our sorrow is turned into joy He communicates to us of his royalty making us Kings and Priests unto God his Father and we shall be presented unto him glorious and without blemish Ephes 5.27 So the Church is beautiful as Tirzâ—h Cant. 6.3 Deo soli Gloria A COMMENTARY or EXPOSITION UPON The Fifth Book of MOSES CALLED DEUTERONOMY CHAP. I. Vers 1. These be the words which Moses spake ANd surely he spake thick if he spake as some cast it up this whole Book in less then ten dayes space Certain it is that he spake here as ever most divinely and like
all the world Gagge of the new Gosp pref to Read that nothing more needs hereto then that they know to read and have their eyes in their heads at the opening of their Bible By the shooting of which bolt you may easily guess at the archer Vers 7. Thou shalt put the evil Both person and thing 1 Cor. 5.13 Vers 8. Too hard for thee in judgment i.e. For thee O Judge who art thereupon to consult with the Priests and by them to be informed of the true sense and meaning of Gods law For apices juris non sunt jus And the Rabbines have a saying Nulla est objectio in Lege quae non habet solutionem in latere Now the Priests lips should preserve knowledg and the Law should be sought at his mouth the high-Priest also in some cases was to enquire and answer after the judgment of Vrim before the Lord Num. 27.21 This the Pope cannot do and therefore cannot claim the final determination of all causes and controversies though his Parasites tell him Oraclis vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et meritò in terris diceris esse deus Vers 9. And unto the judg i.e. The councill of judges the Synedrion 2 Chron. 19.8 consisting partly of Priests and partly of civile Magistrates Amongst the Turks at this day their Iudges are ever Ecclesiasticall persons whereby both orders joyned Blounts voyage 89. give reputation one to another and maintenance for these places of judicature are the only preferment of the Priest-hood Vers 10. According to all that they inform thee viz. Agreeable to the sentence of the law vers 11. The Iews from this text foolishly seek footing for their traditions which they so much magnifie Mat. 15.1 2. Vers 14. And shalt say I will set a King A King then they might chuse so they did it orderly Zuinglius in ea fuit sententia regna omnia esse electiva nulla propriè successiva haereditaria In quo non negamus eum errasse in facto ut loquuntur Rivet Iesuita vap Psal 2.6 Vers 15. Whom the Lord shall chuse As he did Saul but especially David and his progeny types of Christ Vers 16. He shall not multiply horses Lest he be held as our Henry the third was Regni dilapidator the royall spend-thrift Vers 17. Silver and gold Lest his exactours receive from his subjects no less summs of curses then of coyne and lest he gather money the sinews of war but lose his peoples affection the joynts of peace as our King Iohn did Vers 18. He shall write him a copy The Iews say that if printing had been found out then yet was the King bound to write two copies of the law with his own hand one to keep in the treasurie and another to carry about him This Book of God was Davids delight Psal 119.70 Alphonsus King of Aragon is reported to have read over the Bible fourteen times with Lyra's notes upon it Charles the Wise of France not only caused the Bible to be translated into French as our King Alured translated the Psalter himself into his Saxon tongue but was also very studious in the holy Scripture And that peereless princesse Q. Elizabeth as she passed in triumphall state through the streetes of London after her Coronation when the Bible was presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheape-side Speeds hist she received the same with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breasts saying that the same had ever been her chiefest delight and should be the rule whereby she meant to frame her government Vers 19. And it shall be with him As his Vade-mecum his Manuall his running library the man of his counsell Luther said he would not live in paradise without the Bible as with it Tom. 4. Oper. Latin p. 424. he could easily live in hell it self V. 20. That his heart be not lifted up That his good and his blood rise not together as that Kings of Tyre did Ezek. 28.2 and that Lucifer son of the morning Isai 14.12 13. See my common place of Arrogancy Of Caligula it is said that there never was a better servant or a worse Lord Vespasian is said to be the only man that became better by the Empire The most of the Emperours grew so insolent that they got nothing by their preferment nisi ut citius interficerentur but to be sooner slain CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. ANd his inheritance i.e. Whatsoever by the Law belonged to the Lord as decimae deo sacrae c. V. 4. Plin. hist The first fruit also Pliny lib. 18. tells us that among the Romans also no man might taste of his own corn wine or other fruits priusquam Sacerdotes primitias libassent till the Priests had offered the first-fruites and made their use of them Vers 6. With all the desire of his minde To do God better service A good heart holds the best he can do but a little of that much that he could gladly beteem the Lord and is still devising what to do more Psal 116.12 Vers 8. Besides that He shall not maintain himself of his own private stock but live of the Holy things of the Temple Vers 10. That maketh his son See the Note on Levit. 18.21 Vers 11. Or a Necromancer Bellarmine and other Papists play the Necromancers when they would prove a purgatory from the apparitions of spirits that tell of themselves or others there tormented Vers 13. Thou shalt be perfect See the Note on Mat. 5.48 Vers 14. Hath not suffered thee so to do He â—hath shewed thee a more excellent way and kept thee from these devoratory evills as Tertullian calleth them so ordering the matter that that evill one toucheth them not with any deadly touch I Ioh. 5.18 For either he suffers not his to be tempted above strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Or else he with-holds the occasion when temptation hath prevailed to procure consent and purpose c. Vers 15. Like unto me Both in the participation of nature and of office a true man and a true Mediatour Similes they are but not pares Christ being worthy of more glory then Moses and why See Heb. 3.3 c. Heb. 7.22 9.15 Vers 18. And he shall speak unto them Christ is that palmoni hammedabbar Dan. 10. that excellent speaker that spake with authority and so as never man spake being mighty in word and deed See my true treas p. 1. Vers 22. Thou shalt not be afraid Though he spake great swelling words of vanity Camd. Elis fol. 403. 2 Pet. 2.18 milstones and thunderbolts as Hacket here did CHAP. XIX Vers 3. THou shalt prepare thee a way A direct plain faire high-way Such a way must Ministers prepare and pave for their people to Christ the true Asylum by giving them the knowledg of salvation by the remission of their sins Luk. 1 76 77. Vers 4. Whom he hated not in time past There is a passion of hatred This is a
2.3 CHAP. XXV Vers 1. IF there be a controversie Among the Mahometans there are very few law-suites and the reason is given quòd temerè litigantes publicè flagellis ceduntur because they that sue others without just cause Caesar Com. are whipped publikely Once it was counted ominous to commence actions and follow suites Of our common-barretters we may well say as the Historian doth of Mathematicians Tac. lib. 1. c. 7. Genus hominum quod in rep nostra vetabitur semper retinebitur Vers 2. To be beaten before his face The Turks when cruelly lashed are compelled to return to the Judge that commanded it to kiss his hand to give him thanks and to pay the officer that whipped them Vers 3. Should seem vile unto thee There is an honour due to all men 1 Pet. 2.17 and though we must hate the sin yet not the sinner Vers 4. That treadeth out the Corn Which was the manner of that country Whereunto also the Prophet alludeth Hos 10.11 Ephraim is a heifer that loveth to tread out the corn because while it treads it feeds on the corn but not to plow because no refreshing till the work was done Vers 5. Her husbands brother This was a special exception from that general law Levit. 18.16 but yet gave no liberty under this pretext to have more wives then one at once See the Note on Matth. 22.23 Vers 6. The first-born Provided that he be a son as appears by the reason here given that his name be not put out of Israel It signified the birth-right of Christ that should never dye He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes Isai 53.10 Filiabitur nomine ejus Psal 72.17 The name of Christ shall endure for ever it shall be begotten as one generation is begotten of another there shall be a succession of Christs name Vers 9. And loose his shooe To shew that he was worthy to go bare-foot and had no right howsoever to tread upon that ground as any part of his estate See Ruth 4.7 The Turks have a ceremony somewhat like this The woman may sue a divorce when her husband would abuse her against nature Blunts voy which she doth by taking off his or her shooe before the judg and holding it the sole upward but speaking nothing for the uncleanness of the fact And spit in his face As unworthy to shew his face amongst his brethren See Num. 12.14 Isai 50.6 That will not build up his brothers house See the Note on Exod. 1.21 Vers 12. Cut off her hand The instrument of her sin thus Cranmer thrust his hand wherewith he had subscribed a recantation first into the fire crying out thou unworthy right hand An act of Parliament was here made in the raign of Philip and Mary that the authours and sowers of seditious writings should lose their right hands By vertue whereof John Stubbes and William Page had their right hands cut off with a cleaver driven through the wrist with the force of a beetle in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth for a book written against the marriage with the Duke of Anjou entituled the Gulf Camb. Elisab fol. 239. wherein England will be swallowed up by the French marriage c. which most men presaged would if it had gone one have been the ruine of religion Vers 13. Divers weights a great and a small As they have that weigh not out a whole seventh day to God who hath given men six whole dayes to labour in these sell by one measure and buy by another It was an errour doubtless for want of due light and better information in that pious Prince Edward the sixth Life of Edw. 6. by Sr. I. H. pag. 147. to give order to his Councell that upon Sundayes they should intend publique affaires of the realm dispatch answers to letters and make full dispatches of all things concluded in the week before provided that they be present at common-prayer Vers 18. How he met thee by the way Not with bread and water but with fire and sword See Exod. 17.8 And he feared not God Who had so powerfully brought his Israel out of Egypt See Iob 6.14 Gen. 20.11 with the note there Vers 19. Thou shalt not forget it Neither did they Saul should have utterly destroyed them 1 Sam. 15. But wherein he failed God stirred up the Simeonites in Hezekiah's dayes to smite the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped 1 Chron. 4.42 43. It is ill angring the ancient of days His wrath lasts longer then hot coales of juniper Psal 120.4 his judgments are severe and durable As we use to say of winter they never rot in the skie but shall fall if late yet surely yet seasonably Gods forbearance is no quittance CHAP. XXVI Vers 2. THat thou shalt take of the first c. In token of homage or as a chiefe rent due to God the true proprietary of whom they held all Vers 5. A Syrian ready to perish Jacob whose originall was from Haran in Syria Gen. 11.31 and whose abode had been with Laban the Syrian in much poverty affliction and misery Hos 12.12 And became there a nation Consider we likewise what we were by nature and should have been what we are by grace and shall be and then take we up that most modest speech of that noble Athenian Captain Iphicrates in the midst of all his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great baseness and misery Aristot Rhetoric l. 5. c. 9. to what great blessedness and glory are we advanced being raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 See vers 11.12 13. with the notes What was there in us said Tamerlian to Bajazet the great Turk Leionclav Annal. Turc now his prisoner that God should set us over two great Empires of Turks and Tartars to command many more worthy then our selves you being blind of one eye and I lame of a leg c Peter Martyr told Queen Elizabeth in an epistle that Princes must be double thankfull to God 1. As men 2. As eminent men exalted above others so must all Gods servants who being his first-born are in that respect higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 and being the first fruits of his revenue are therefore holiness to the Lord Ier. 2.3 Vers 12. The stranger the fatherless Thus God doth not only plead the poor mans cause Chap. 15.10 11. but he allots a portion of the third-yeares tyth not only to the Levite who is never excluded but to the stranger fatherless and widdow as Hierom observeth and calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor mans tyth Vers 13. I have not transgressed This is spoken not by way of Pharisaicall boasting or opinion of merit but publike testification of entire obedience Vers 14. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning All Gods worships were to be celebrated with joy Deut. 12.7 Sacrifices offered with mourning were
abominated Hos 9.4 yea accursed Deut. 28.47 None might come to the court of Persia in mourning weeds Esth 4.2 For any unclean use Or common profane use Common and unclean is one and the same in sundry languages to teach us that it is hard to deal in common businesses and not defile our selves and that those that come to holy things with common affections and carriages profane them Nor given ought thereof for the dead To bury them or buy provision for the funerall feast Ier. 16.7 Ezek. 24.7 Hos 9.4 Ye have done according c. It is a witty expression of Luther By mens boasting of what they have done sayes he Haec ego feci haec ego feci they become nothing else but Faeces dregs But so did not these See the note on vers 13. Vers 17. Thou hast avouched This we do when with highest estimation most vigorous affections and utmost indeavours we bestow our selves upon God giving up our names and hearts to the profession of truth And this our chusing God for our God Psal 73 25. is a sign he first chose us 1 Ioh. 4.19 Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ said Mary to her It is he that brings us into the bonds of the Covenant Ezek. 20.37 He first cryes out who is on my side Who and then gives us to answer as Esay 44.6 One sayes I am the Lords another calls himself by the name of Jacob another subscribes c. Vers 19. And to make thee high Assyria is the work of Gods hand but Israel is his inheritance Isa 19.25 43.3 CHAP. XXVII Vers 2. ANd plaister them with plaister That they might have it in white and black Vers 4. In mount Ebal Where the curse was denounced vers 13. to signifie that those that sought salvation in the law must needs be left under the curse The law is a yoke of bondage as Hierom calls it and they who look for righteousness from thence are like oxen who toyle and draw and when they have done their labour are fatted for slaughter Vers 5. Thou shalt build an altar For burnt offerings c. Vers 6.7 God teacheth them thereby that righteousness impossible to the law was to be sought in Christ figured by that altar and those sacrifices Thus the morall law drove the Iewes to the ceremoniall which was their Gospell as it doth now drive us to Christ who is indeed the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Vers 8. All the words of this law very plainly Therefore it could not be all Deuteronomy much less all Moses books as some have thought for what stones could suffiee for such a work Unless they could write as close but how then could it be very plainly as he did who set forth the whole history of our Saviours passion very lively In canicular colloq both things and acts and persons on the nailes of his own hands as Maiolus reporteth Vers 15. Cursed be he c. The blessings are not mentioned by Moses that we might learn to look for them by the Messiah only Act. 3.26 Vers 16. That setteth light That vilipendeth undervalueth not only that curseth as Exod. 21.17 Vers 24. That smiteth Either with violent hand or virulent tongue Ier. 28.18 Vers 26. Cursed Aut faciendum an t patiendum Men must either have the direction of the law or the correction CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1. IF thou shalt hearken diligently Heb. If hearkening thou shalt hearken If when Gods speaks once thou shalt hear it twice as David did Psal 62.11 by a blessed rebound of meditation and practice Will set thee on high Thou shalt ride upon the high places of the earth Isai 58.14 There thou shalt have thy commoration but in heaven thy conversation Philip. 3.20 being an high and holy people Deut. 26.19 high in worth and humble in heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian as one saith of Athanasius Vers 2. And overtake thee Unexpectedly befall thee Surely goodness and mercy shall follow thee Psal 23.6 as the evening Sun-beames follow the passenger as the rock-water followed the Israelites in the wilderness and overtook them at their stations 1 Cor. 10.4 O continue or draw out to the length thy loving kindness unto them that know thee Psal 36.11 There will be a continued Series a connexion between them to all such Vers 3. Blessed shalt thou be What blessedness is See the Note on Mat. 5.3 Vers 4. The fruit of thy body Which is thy chief possession Dulcis acerbitas amarissima voluptas Tertull. but without my blessing will be bitter sweets Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of such as are as the arrowes of a strong man Psal 128 4. the knottiness of whose nature is refined and reformed and made smooth by grace Arrowes be not arrowes by growth but by art what can better preserve Iacob from confusion or his face from waxing pale then when he shall see his children the work of Gods hands framed and fitted by the word in regeneration and the duties of new obedience This will make him to sanctifie God even to sanctifie the Holy One and with singular incouragement from the God of Israel Isai 29.22 23. Vers 7. The Lord shall cause thine enemies Mr. Fox observes that in King Edward the sixth's time the English put to flight their enemies in Muscleborough field the self-same day and hour wherein the reformation enjoyned by Parliament Act. Mon◠was put in execution at London by burning of Idolatrous images Such a dependance hath our success upon our obedience And flee before thee seven wayes In the fore-mentioned fight many so strained themselves in their race that they fell down breathless and dead whereby they seemed in running from their deaths to run through it 2000 lying all day as dead got away in the night The Irish were so galled or scared with the English ordnance Life of Edw. 6 by Sr. Io. H. that they had neither good hearts to go forward nor good liking to stand still nor good assurance to run away saith the Historian Vers 8. The Lord shall command the blessing Now if he send his Mandamus who shall withstand it Vers 10. And they shall be afraid of thee Naturall conscience cannot but do homage to the image of God stamped upon the natures and works of the godly When they see in them that which is above the ordinary nature of men or their expectation they are afraid of the Name of God whereby they are called their very hearts ake and quake within them as is to be seen in Nebuchadnezzar Darius Herod Dioclesian who was so amazed at the singular piety and invincible patience of the primitive Christians that he laid down the Empire in a humour Bucholcer quod christi nomen se deleturum uti cupiverat desperasset because that when he sought to root out religion he saw he could do no good on 't Vers 12. And
good Eccles 9.18 Vers 23. And beareth not any grasse As they say no ground doth where the great Turk hath once set his foot such waste he makes and such desolation he leaves behinde him Like the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah See the Notes on Gen. 19.24 25. _____ Admah and Zeboim Which two Cities bordering on Sodome and Gomorrah were the worse and fared the worse for their neighbourhood as Hamath did for Damascus Zech. 9.2 God overthrew them and repented not Ier. 20.16 Vers 26. And whom he had not given unto them Or who had not given to them any portion For Can the vanities of the Gentiles give rain or can the heavens give showers Jer. 14.22 As Saul said 1 Sam. 22.7 Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards and olive-yards c so may God say to Apostates Can the world do for you as I can Vers 28. And cast them into another land Cast them with a violence with a vengeance in the Hebrew the word cast hath an extraordinary great letter sling them out 1 Sam. 25.29 as out of a sling Vers 29. The secret things belong This is one of those sixteen places which in the Hebrew are marked with a special note of regard Eorum quaescire nec datur nec fas est docta est ignorantia scientiae appetentia insaniae species saith Calvin out of Austine CHAP. XXX Vers 1. THe blessing and the curse When thou hast made trial of both and hast bought thy wit as feeling by woful experience what an evil and a bitter thing sin iâ— and how easily thou mightest have redeemed thine own sorrowes by better obedience Vers 2. And shalt return to the Lord By sin we run away from God by repentance we return to him Vers 3. That then the Lord thy God Conversie Judaeorum magnisicè hic promittitur saith One Here 's a stately promise of the conversion of the Jews concerning which see the Notes on Rom. 11.25 c. Vers 4. If any of thine be driven The Jews have been for this 1600 years and upward a disjected and despised people hated and cast out by a common consent of all nations for their unexpiable guilt in murthering the Messiah which they now begin to be somewhat sensible of and will be so more and more See the Note on Chap. 28.28 Vers 6. And the Lord thy God See Chap. 10.16 Vers 7. Will put all these curses upon thine enemies God will recompence tribulation to them that have troubled you 2 Thess 1.6 he will spoyl the spoylers Esay 33.1 deliver the just out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead Prov. 11.8 Isa 65.13 14. It seemeth to the Churches enemies an incredible paradox and a news by far more admirable then acceptable that there should be such a transmutation of conditions on both sides to contraries but so it will be as sure as the coat is on their backs or the heart in their bodies See Lam. 4.21 Vers 9. And in the fruit of thy land for good God will provide that thou shalt not be the worse for thine outward abundance that fulness shall not breed forgetfulness It is as hard to bear prosperity as to drink much wine and not be giddy or as to drink strong waters and not weaken the brain thereby The parable of the Sun and Wind is well known Some of those in Queen Maries dayes who kept their garments close about them wore them afterwards more loosely when they came to prosperity and preferment It is a marvellous great mercy to have outward comforts and contentments for good Bonus Deus Constantinum Magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus De civ dei lib. 5. cap. 25. quanta optare nullus auderet saith Augustine God of his goodness heaped all good things upon Constantine Vers 11. For this commandement This word of faith Rom. 10.8 that teacheth the righteousness of faith vers 6. and speaketh on this wise the doctrine of salvation by faith that works by love this is cleerly enough revealed in both testaments so that none can reasonably plead ignorance and think to be excused by it Vers 12. Who shall go up for us to heaven And yet to know heavenly things is to ascend into heaven Prov. 30.4 Vers 13. Neither is it beyond the sea Beyong the sea it was to us till blessed Luthers books were brought hither together with Tindals translation and other good mens writings Some Papists jeare us and say that Turkies hops and heresy came into this kingdom in one bottom Howbeit long before this the Lady Anne wife to King Richard the second siller to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia by living here was made acquainted with the Gospell whence also many Bohemians comming hither convey'd Wickliffes books into Bohemia whereby a good foundation was laid for the ensuing reformation Anno 1417 by the help of another good Queen there called Sophia The writings also of Iohn Husse brought thence wrought much good in this kingdome a hundred years before Luthers time Vers 19. Therefore chuse life Which yet man of himself can as little do as a dead carcase can fly aloft It was therefore an unsound and unsavory speech of him that said quod vivamus dei munus est quod benè vivamus nostrum That we live it is of God but that we live well it is of our selves See the contrary Isai 26.12 Hos 14.8 Ioh. 15.5 CHAP. XXXI Vers 2. I am an hundred and twenty c. And so might well bespeak them as Augustus once did his army and pacified them thereby when they were in a mutiny Sueton. Audite senem juvenes quem jâ—venem senes and erunt Vers 6. He will not fail thee Five times in holy Scriptures is this precious promise repeated and Heb. 13.5 made common to all believers with a very deep asseveration Vers 9. Vnto the Priests Gods library-keepers his depositaries _____ Vnto all the elders of Israel As to the Keepers of both Tables Vers 11. Thou shalt read this law Which was nevertheless read in their synagogues every Sabbath-day Act. 15. And by this reading at the feast of Tabernacles every seventh year the originall copy written by Moses Mr. Burton against Couzens they might perceive that those copyes that they had amongst them were right and authentick It was ill ordered in our english bibles of the new translation that between the Printers haste and Correctours over-sight such foul escapes have been lately committed as Iudas printed for Iesus in the great Bible Lightf Miscel The Turkish Alcoran is written and to be read in Arabick under pain of death not to mistake a letter which is as easily done in this tongue as in any Vers 17. And many evils and troubles As it befell Sampson and Saul when God was gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all miseries came trooping and treading one in the heeles of another So Ezek. 9.10 11. God makes many removes and as he goes out some judgment comes