that begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lies i◠the name of the Lord and his Father and Mother that begat him shall thrust him thorow when he prophecieth chap. 13. 3. Hananiah for prophecying to the captive Jewes their returne from Babylon within two yeares was threatned by Jeremie to die within a year after dyed accordingly Jer 28. 16 17. There is abundance of anger to be read in the expressions which the Prophet used when he threatned him The Lord saies he hath not sent thee but thou makest this people to trust in a lie Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will cast thee off from the face of the earth verse 16. I will cast thee in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will Send thee as we say I will send thee going with a witnesse as if he had said For going when thou wast not sent thou shalt be sent when thou woudst not goe I have elsewhere observed that it was usuall with the Prophets in their threats to make use of such words wherewith they had expressed the sinne which they threatned even as it was usuall with God in punishments to make them have a resemblance with the nature of the sinnes which he punished Shemaiah prophecying in the same manner both he and his whole family were threatned to be cut off chap. 29. 32. Ahab and Zedekiah prophecying in the same manner and disswading the Jewes from obedience to the King of Babylon were by Nebuchadnezzar rosted to death c. 29. 22. And after their death it became an usuall curse among the people whom they had thus indeavoured to deceive The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the fire verse 22. When the Councell of the Jewes would have put the Apostels to death as being false Prophets Gamaliel advised them to forbeare as reckoning that if they were such indeed they would be sure to perish though they should doe nothing to them he produced also his examples for it as first Theudas who was slaine saies he and all that obeyed him were scattered and brought to nought Acts 5. 36. Secondly Judas of Galilee he also perished sayes he and all even as many as obeyed him were dispersed Acts 5. 37. This Judas was otherwise called Judas the Gaulonite and those that adhered to him Gaulonites or Galileans Some of his sect were slaine by Pilate as they were sacrificing for themselves because they forbad sacrificing for the safety of the Romane Empire and therfore it is said He mixed their blood with their Sacrifices Luke 13. 1. The first beginning of this sect was at the time when Cyrenius was sent from Augustus for raising of a taxe in Syria and Judea For Judas then disswaded the people from paying it telling them they were tributary to none but God You have read of the death of 450. prophets of Baal at one time 1 King 18. And you may read of the miserable end of Arrius and divers other such Hereticks 6 Speedy destruction if not damnation for so the English translations renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose judgment now of along time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not 2 Pet 2. 3. Lingreth not not as if time could goe away faster or that time when their judgment should be executed come any sooner but to shew that the long suffering of God which had waited a great while and not pronouncd judgment till he saw they would not repent resolved now to tarry no longer God may be said to hasten a thing in ' its time or although it have an appointed time Ezek 60. 22 because he doth not deferre it although men fear or hope that he wil. Lingreth not Hence forward their judgment lingreth not or is not idle It is not at a stand either in going or growing but grows greater and greater according as they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath By their Destructive courses which they take or their Doctrines which they teach if they doe not upon others they certainly bring upon themselves swift destruction verse 1. I say destructive courses for so I think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be rendered in the verse following though it signifies destructions and we render it pernicious waies In the Spanish edition saith Beza and in six manuscripts 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar translate it luxurias we may english it lascivious courses now as Beza saith that this reading agrees well with the description which followes in this chapter of lascivious Nicolaitans so doe I say it agrees very well with the practise of most of your false teachers of these times both in this and other countries most of them walking after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse verse 10. Swift destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or destruction in a short time as it is chap. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies word for word the leaving of my Tabernale is swift But we translate it shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle Bring upon themselves swift destruction any hurt that men bring upon themselves must needs be swift because they doe not use the meanes to prevent it In Ezek. 13. 14 it is said to those false Prophets that daubed up a wall of security for the Jewes bearing them in hand that they should be safe enough from their enemies whatever God had threatned to the contrary So will I break down the wall that ye have dawbed of untempered morter and bring it downe to the ground so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered and it shall fall and ye shall bee consumed in the midst thereof and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So that they shall die suddenly as with the fall of a wall or if they died not when the wall fell they should not live long after In the ninth verse they are thus threatned And my hand shall bee upon the Prophets that see vanity and divine lies They shall not be in the assembly of my people neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel neither shall they enter into the Land of Israel and ye shall know that I am the Lord God For whether by being written in the writing of the house of Israel be meant being written by God afore among those that should returne againe to Canaan out of Babylon as God seemes to have had a booke of those who should enter into it in the time of Moses Exod 32. 32. or whether it be meant of being written afterward by men among those who did return again out of Babylon as you may see an account taken by Ezra Ez 8. as there was an account taken by Moses when they came out of Egypt Num 2. or whether somewhat more then so be meant in those words I know not but it is cleare by the words following which it may
doings c. they did but trust in lying words which would deceive them to say The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord though they sayd it never so often Jer 7. 4 5. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heaven Matt. 7. 21. Workes of God not regarded Because they regard not the workes of God nor the operation of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up Psalm 28. 5. See Psalm 78. 32 33. World Those that love it punished 1 With a short enjoyment of what they love which is no punishment to them that doe not love it And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. 2 Vexation of mind I have seen all the worke that are done under the Sun and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 1. 14. 3 Not being able to be Christ's disciple Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple Luk 14. 33. That forsaketh not and vers 26. That hateth not his father c. Much lesse then can they that love and cleave to the world be Christ's disciples Paul saith he counted all things but dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so he could but that he might winne Christ as if else he could not See Phil. 3. 8. 4 Surprizall by the day of Judgment Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeting and drunkenesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Luk. 21. 34. Worship of God neglected Yee looked for much and loe it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it Why saith the Lord of hoasts Because of mine house that is wast and ye runne every man to his owne house Hag. 1. 9. APPENDIX READER I intreat thee to lend mee the reading of a few lines more which partly by the Printers fault and partly by mine own having done my work in loose papers were left out in the book P. 31. Before Destruction Read 6 Shame O Lord the hope of all Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord the fountaine of living water Jer. 17 13. Pag. 32. read The Jewes when they heard any one blaspheme God's name either out of indignation against the party for the affront as Joshua and Caleb did at the murmuring of the people Num. 14. 6 or else out of griefe for God's dishonour as it was their custome to doe in times of mourning used to rent their cloaths And this they would doe whosoever he were that had blasphemed but especially if he were one of their own nation and had professed himselfe to be in covenant with him whose name hee blasphemed oh I could teare my haire to see Professours of godlinesse dishonourers of God For this reason and because he spake in the Hebrew tongue the Iewes conjecture Rabsbacheh at whose blasphemy the people in Jerusalem did rent their cloaths 2 Kings 18. 37. to have been formerly of their religion Yea they thought the practice of this custome so warrantable upon such an occasion that even the Priests who were expresly forbidden to use either this or any other custome used in times of mourning yea though their owne daughters should be burnt to death for whoredome Lev. 21. 9. 10 yet notwithstanding as it seemes upon the hearing of blasphemy thought they might lawfully perhaps were ambitious to use it as they were to doe many other things whereby they might seem to be over righteous P. 75. before Those who have no union c. this chapter Threats and Examples of his being a Scandal He shall be for a Sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Isa 8. 14. Behold this child is set for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel c. Luk 2. 34. See Pet. 2. 8. Rom. 9. 33. This stumbling at Christ was to the Jewes 1 A punishment of their disobedience And therefore Jonathan the Paraphrast in the place of the Prophet before quoted before he mentions the threat prefixes these words If ye shall not obey 2 A fruit of their blindnesse and ignorance for certainely had they seen never so little they could not possibly have stumbled in so great a stone as he was No instead of going on till they dasht th◠selves against him if they had perceived him to be a rock of refuge as indeed he was they would have got up upon him and have made him their Sanctuary Had they known what a pretious corner stone he was even chosen of God and laid in Sion of purpose as the fittest in whom the building of either sides viz of themselves and Gentiles might be fitly knitted together Eph 2. 21 for a living and a Holy Temple for God to dwell in by the Spirit insteed of their temple made with hands which must perish doubtlesse they would never have rejected him and have let him lye in the way for themselves to fall in Or if they envied so much good to the Gentiles as to make him a corner stone yet they would have made him their foundation stone and have built upon it themselves And as they stumbled at him both Jewes Gentiles because of the meannesse of his quality because of the danger of believing in him so because they liked not his do ctrine as for other reasons so especially for these 1. Because of the Spirituality of the expressions and language thereof seeming strange uncouth to them Pilate said what is truth John 13. 38. He wondered what Christ meant by truth Festus tooke Paul for a mad man Acts 26. 24. Nicodemus could not conceive how a man could be born again unlesse he could enter into his mother's wombe and so be borne Joh. 3. 4. So when he told them that unlesse they did eate his flesh and drinke his blood they had no life in them they sayd how can this man give us his flesh to eate Joh. 6. 52. Nay many that were his disciples before tooke such offence at this hard saying as they called it vers 60 that they went backe and walked no more with him And thus the Pharisees were offended when he told them that Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man but that which goeth out of the mouth Matt. 15. 12. They could not believe that that which went out of a man or that which proceeded from a man 's own selfe should defile himselfe Many other such like things there were in his doctrine which as Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. 24. they could not
King of Babylon's daughter this sinne * For in this sense the old Latin translation renders viz. Scortum alterius sit ux or mea but Vatablus had rather have it meant of being made a slave indeed grinding was an usuall imployment and punishment for slaves amoÌ„gst most nations See Isai 47 2. a If that he not rather meant of the strength of a mans wealth or state b Salomon knew this by his owne experience some say these are his words Lemuel being one of his eight names but he had them from his mother Abiah the daughter of Zachariah * Made of holy water and dust with the washing of the booke in which the curse was written so that herein her end was as bitter as wormewood Prov. 5. 4. a When Ishbosheth accused Abner of lying with his fathers concubine he replyed Am I a dog Sam. 3. 8. b If the meaning be not of spiritual adultery c Like horses it is a saying in one of the Jewish Writers he that lyeth with another mans wife his soule entreth into a camell Buxtorf in Floril which yet agrees not with the opinioÌ„ of the Pharisees who held transmigration onely of good mens soules Joseph de bello lib. 2. cap. 12. * Which we commoÌ„ly use when we speak in anger as when we say this same naughty fellow or the like Matth. 6. 4. 6. David prayes that God would cleanse him from secret faults Ps 19. 12. See Prov. 30. 19. 20. * Prov. 9. â—9 * Timeo Danos dona fereâ—tes * In the orig t is ye have you are as sure to have it as if you had it already or you have it allotted for you the present tense is usuall for the future we say in English what hath such a one this yeare c. * Like this Be angry and sinne not Eph. 4. 26. implied †Le Misphat in the same sence I thinke that Bemisphat with judgment c. 10. * This doubtlesse was a token of Gods anger with them as well as a punishment upon their Fathers and husbands See chap. 5. 13. 21. 17. * Lib. Cur bonis mala fiunt * Plutarc * Liv. l. 3â— * For God had commanded them to be gone from that place where they were then saith Joâ—phus * Ego captandi vocabulo uti malo ubi do studio conatu agitur * Arist Eth. l. 5 c. 4. a Or neatnesse * Or he will certainly punish for so is meant as I think by not pardoning in more places then one Jer. 5. 7. 2. Kings 24 4 c. * Some understaÌ„d this of the Fathers not punishing the child traÌ„slating the next words in the third person he will doe it againe i. e. sin againe but then it cannot be for if I think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is seldome But if * See Buxtorf floril * According to the Hebrew proverb Bekis Bekos Be Kahhas the purse the cup wrath will shew what heart he hath * Cap 21. L de Ira cap. 1. * Cap. 25. * As any other passionate man doth Sed cuÌ„subsedit cupiditas Seneca l 2. de Ben. c. 14 * Or foamâ— as angry men are no better then raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame Jude 13. * The Hebrew uses to expresse the greatnesse of a thing by putting the word in the plurall number †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. l. 7. c. 6. * Plutarch de Frat. Am. a They were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotles word is Eth. l. 4. c. 5. * * Buxtorf Rab. Lex in voe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a l. 2. c. 2. b lib. 7. c. 6. * As Beza saies of Judas upon Matt. 17. 12. exitio destinatus devotus though I thinke it be more then perditus as Erasmus translates it making the Hebraisme to be onely in the Genitive case for then it had been no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of perdition nor yet so much * Children of transgressions Isay 57. 4. b I say fatnesse and not oyle according to the vulgar filius olei because otherwise the vineyard would have been an olive yard c For it may be understood in an active sense as well as in a passive a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 2. 12 they shall perish in their owne corruption * See also Christ denyed and Relapse * Such changes are usuall in threatning expressions * The Latine translation ignominiosa exercuere judicia executeth disgracefull judgments for because of his Apostacy he was buried only with his fathers as other ordinary men were and not in the sepulchers of the Kings 2. King 12. 21. * Laboravi rogans the Latine translation I am weary of intreating as if they were the Prophets words resolving to intreat no more for their peace See v 5. * For these words especially the Church of Rome who was more milde towards those that fell then other churches for a long time refused to admit the Epistle to the Hebrews into the number of Canonicall bookes for it was their practise to receive into Communion againe after long repentance such as had fallen after baptisme though they had committed Idolatry which occasiond the schisme of Novatus and Novatianus * By which name the sin of apostacy is usually called Esa 31 6. Jer 5 23. c. * 2 Chr 28 19 c. 33 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 29 19. * God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Groâ—ius upon this place smells of Poland and Rome too per nullas victimas alias as bonam frugem revocabuntur ut veniam consequi possint * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pull away the shoulder Zach 7. â—1 Like a backsliding heifer in the yoke Hos 4. 16. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies alsoe the things that are behind for thouâ—â— they be good we should with Paul forget them and be still pressiâ— and stretching forward toward the goale Phil 3. 14. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheifest of revolters or their Princes are revolters as Hos 9. 15. if the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 els revolting revolters * Prov. 6. 34. for Jealousy is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance * The Cald. Paraphrast But my people have forsaken my worship for which I bring glory to them It seemes in his time it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their glory but at first they say it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my glory the Jewes having thus alterd it lest the glory and majesty of God should be viliâ—id So Chebodam for Chebodo Ps 106 20. * See Clothes * It is not unlikely that by Malcheth ha Shamaiim which signifies Queen of Heaven Jer 7 18. was meant the moone who was called also Baaleth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Lady nor that by Molech which signifies King and Baal which signifies Lord was meant the Sun Macr. Sat l. 3. cap. 5.
A VIEW OF THE THREATS AND PVNISHMENTS Recorded in the Scriptures Alphabetically composed VVith some briefe OBSERVATIONS upon severall TEXTS By ZACHARY BOGAN of C.C.C. OXON Num. 32. 23. Be sure your sinne will find you out OXFORD Printed by H. Hall for R. Davis 1653. TO MY HONOVRED FATHER Mr WILLIAM BOGAN SIR IT is too well knowne to you how for no lesse then foure or five yeares by the just hand of God upon me for my many Sins and perhaps more especially for my presumption upon my power over my passions and my phancy which I have most prefidently expressed whensoever my friends bade me beware how I yeelded to them I have been in a manner buried alive in melancholy and spent my dayes in vanity My distemper was such as did not onely render me indisposed by study to gather more knowledge then I had before being not able for whole moneths together to perswade my selfe to take a booke in hand and for severall yeares if I had read any thing to tell you what I had read But also made me to loose a very great part of that which I had already gathered And therefore I doubt not but my Acquaintance and Country men what ever they may think and say too sometimes against mee for idlenesse yet after a very few serious thoughts doe abundantly excuse me It is true It was one of those things which in my melancholy my dejected spirit dwelt longest upon that I had done God and my brethren no service having lived so long But after a yeare or two It pleased the Lord who I cannot say did ever hide himselfe in my trouble or despise my affliction but was ready to know me in all my adversity to set me in a way wherein I might spend my time better and passe thorow with more ease some of the rest of those wearisome dayes which he had appointed for me He gave me a subject to meditate upon wherein he dealt suitably with my distemper as well in the employment as the subject being fitter for meditation then reading The Mirth of a Christian Life in opposition to those who disparage it with reports of melancholy sadnes VVhich accordingly I undertooke and committed my meditations such as they were to paper VVhen some yeares were past you may remember that the last winter you told me in your letter that my mother desired much to see those meditations printed I resolved considering the sickly condition she was then in thougâ—â— they were never so unworthy the publike view to satisfie her desire But before â— had set upoÌ„ the busines it thus happened Being in a Booksellers shop and looking upon a treatise of God's Promises I asked the Bookeseller whether he knew of any Treatise of his Threats Being answered contrary to my expectation that he knew of none I was the more earnest to inquire further And so I did but could heare of none VVhereupon I told my Bookeseller that I resolved forthwith to read over the Bible and make a collection of them my selfe and if it pleased God to incourage me in it to print them Now the Lord did encourage me and that exceedingly as I shall shew you in my preface to the Reader so that I have finished my worke quickly and brought you savory meat such as I hope you love You had had it long since had it not been longer in the Printers hands then it was in mine owne But I hope it is not too late now I had another reason besides naturall and civill obligation why I chose to dedicate this booke to your selfe And that was this viz. because I conceived the contents of it more proper for your family then for any that I knew in regard we have had more mercies then other families and as I feare have abused them to security The truth is a booke of this nature is very proper for the whole Nation because there have beene so many judgements of God in the Earth and in our owne Land and yet we have not learned righteousnesse The Lord grant that as many as yet remaine may heare and feare and may henceforth commit no more such evils as they have committed But I have held you too long And therefore I will conclude with this humble request that as often as you meet with any faylings in this booke you will beare with them in that manner as you have been wont to beare with them in the authour so as never the lesse to accept of the unworthy gift of C.C.C. Jun. 29 1652. Your obedient Sonne ZACHARY BOGAN Christian READER GIve me leave to shew thee what course I tooke in Composing this Booke It was in very little more then a fortnight's time that by the help of God I read the Bible over and reduced every thing that I observed to a certaine head in Alphabeticall order After this I examined every place of Scripture by the Originall and the most noted Translations Some few Texts besides those which I observed my selfe I met with afterwards in other Bookes Those bookes I knew not of before I had done reading the Bible Which I much rejoyced for both because of other things which in reading I took in together with those that were for this purpose and because of the abundance of time and labour which I should have spent in examining quotations which are usually heaped up without choyce or judgement It cost me not a little pain to examine only those Texts which they had and I had not out of feare lest they had been apply'd to a wrong head a thing too ordinary in most Common place bookes But before I goe any further now I have spoken of paine give me leave to tell thee of that which I tooke abundance of comfort in and which I may not conceale the marvellous encouragement which it pleased God to afford me all along in this worke Whereas ever since my sicknesse I have not been able to read above a quarter of an houre at a time without a great deale of wearinesse and paine In reading the Scriptures although I read the same places ten times over I was I know not how supplyed with a constant delight in what I did and a desire to goe further If at any time I was weary as sometimes I was quite tired through infirmities of body and want of spirits as soone as I had but turned aside but a few minutes I found a sudden supply of desire to follow my businesse againe as fresh as ever Thus it was most commonly when I was thus weary and when it was not so and I had noe appetite at all to the businesse If I did but once take my bible in hand to try how it would be then and read a line or two I presently recovered my appetite againe as bodies filled with winde use to get a stomack by eating And these things I looke upon as great encouragements whereunto I adde the health which I had all the while I was doing this thing