do Pharaoh good Ver. 20. Hee that feared the Lord As few will do till they feel his hand Bradford But they that tremble not in hearing shal bee crush't to pieces in feeling said that Martyr Ver. 21. And hee that regardeth not This was doubtless the greater number Qualis Rex talis grex This was a just presage and desert of ruin not to bee warned Ver. 22. Stretch forth thy hand i. e. Thy rod in thine hand ver 23. Ver. 23. And the fire ran along upon the ground such hail-stones and coals of fire wee also read of Psal 18.13 14 15. Isa 30.30 31. and in the Roman historie when Marcus Antonius the Philosopher fought with the Quades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the praiers of the thundering legion as they were afterwards called of the Christians rain was obtained to the refreshing of the Roman armie ingens grando compluraque fulminâ— in hostes ceciderunt Itaque Dio in vita M. Ant. Phil. licebat videre in eodem loco aquam ignemque simul de coelo cadere atque obcam causam Romanos valere ac bibere Quados exuri penitùs interire i. e. A huge hail and manie light-bolts fell upon the enemie Fire and water fell at once from heaven the Romans drank of the water and were relieved the Quades were burn't by the fire and perished Ver. 25. And break everie tree of the field Here was strages clades horrenda yet Pharaoh's heart is not broken Aug. but remain's obdurate Perdidistis fructum afflictionis was an heavie charge Ducklings stoop and dive at anie little stone thrown by a man at them yet shrink not at the heavens great thunder Ver. 26. Onely in the land of Goshen See the note on chap. 8. ver 23. Dio reports further of the fire forementioned ver 23. That that fire from heaven either fell not at all upon the Romans or if it did it was presently quenched neither did the waters help the Quades Dio ubi suprà but inflamed them as if it had been oil so that they called for water to cool them when the rain fell upon them and wounded their own bodies to quench the fire with their blood Ver. 27. The Lord is righteous See the note on chap. 5. ver 2. Ver. 28. I will let you go But though hee spake thus fair Prov. 26.25 believ him not for there are seven abominations in his heart No sooner was Pharaoh off the rack but hee bite's in his confession and retract's his promise Ver. 29. I will spread abroad mine hands viz In praier holding up and out the palmes of the hanâ— as those do that exspect to receiv an almes in a having manner So did Solomon 2 Chron. 6.13 See Psalm 143.6 Ezr. 9.9 That the earth is the Lords See the note on ver 14. Ver. 30. That yee will not yet fear Howbâ—it I will praie for you and you shall feel the fruit of it Thus God is good to the just and unjust Matt. 5. Ver. 34. But sinned yet more As iron is verie soft and malleable while in the fire but soon after return's to its former hardness So here CHAP. X. Ver. 1. For I have hardened his Heart AS hee that bring 's in a light blinde's an Owl or as hee that powr's on water kindle's the Lime whereupon it is powred so the Lord by publishing his commands and by doing his miracles hardened the heart of Pharaoh who for his wilful rebellion was justly forsaken of God and delivered up to his own heart which is somwhat wors them to bee delivered up to the divel Ver. 2. And that thou maiest tell The memorie of God's magnalia great works must bee transmitted to posteritie Vt nati natorum qui nascentur ab illis that after-Ages may hear and fear this great God See 1 Sam. 4. ver 8. Ver. 3. How long wilt thou refuse God think 's long of the time that men misspend and waste in wicked courses Jer. 4.14 and 13.27 It is a savorie saying of Bernard Totum vitae meae tempus perdidi quia perditè vixi the time of my loosness I have utterly lost Ver. 4. Els if thou refuse Men should look up with David and see the punishing Angel over their heads with a drawn sword and submit As if not Balaam's Aâ—s shal condemn them for their desperate Lewdness for hee fell down before the Angel Si quâ—ties peccent homiues c. I will bring the locusts God hath treasuries of plagues for the obstinate neither câ—n hee bee as the Poet feared of his Jupiter possibly exhausted Ver. 5. And they shall cover For they go forth by heaps Pro. 30.27 and huge multiudes Jud 6.5 And shall eat everie tree See Joel 1.7 Plin. lib. 11. cap. 29. Ver. 6. And hee turned himself No man may turn himself to go out of the great Turk's presence Turk Hist but must go backward till hee bee out of the room Dissention talling out between Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex about a fit man for Government of Ireland hee uncivilly turned his back as it were in contempt with a scornful look Camden's Elis fol. 494. Shee waxing impatient gave him a cuff on the ear bidding him com again when shee sent for him c. But Moses may not bee imagined to have so turned himself Ver. 7. And Pharaob's servants said unto him They were convinced and mollified though hee was not Whom Hee will God hardeneth Rom 9.18 How long shall this man bee a snare unto us Hee was not the snare but their own sin Pre. 29.6 Howbeit hee must bear the blame As if som sond people should accuse the Herald or the Trumpet as the caus of their war oras if som ignorant peasant when hee see 's his fowls bathing in his Pond should crie out of them as the causses of foul weather Ver. 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought c. Somthing the tyrant would seem to yield to his Counsellors and not to deal by them as the Persian Monarchs who were wont to advise with their Peers but if anie of them delivered that which was contrarie to the King's minde flagris caedebantur Keckerman they were whipped which is a punishment also usually inflicted at this daie by the great Turk even upon the greatest Bassa's of the Court Tuâ—k Hist upon the least displeasure Ver. 9. For wee must hold a Feast See the Note on Exodus 5. ver 1. Ver. 10. Let the Lord bee so with you In cursing them hee unwittingly blessed them Exod. 12.30 31. and 13.21 22. See Psal 109.28 Cursing men are Cursed men But God's people fare the better for beeing cursed Let them curs but do thou bless is not more a Praier then a Prophecie Ver. 12. Even all that the hail hath left How easily can God straiten yea starv us all if hee but send forth his forraging Armies Joel 1.6 Ver. 13. An East-winde The proper and
administration of the Lords Supper Doth hee not seal again and again c Was leprous as snow Let us but laie our hand upon our hearts thrust them into our bosoms to rifle there and wee shall bee sure to take them out leprous all of a tetter Vers 7. As his other flesh To shew him that God by small means could bring about great matters and that in a moment See Isai 66.7 8. Which yet was ill applied by Card. Pool to this revolting nation in Q. Maries daies Vers 8. The voice of the first sign God's signes have a voice and words Psal 105.27 They speak not onely to our eies but ears as those manie prodigies did before the last desolation of Jerusalem as that terrible tempest at Rome Anno. 1516. The same year that Luther began to stir that so struck the Church where Pope Leo was creäting his Cardinals Balcus Centur 8. that it removed the Childe Jesus out of the lap of his Mother and the Keies out of St. Peter's hand So the two Suns seen in London at the comming in of King Phillip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feb. 15.1553 The new star in Cassiopeia Anno 1572. The prodigious Comet Anno. 1618 c. Vers 9. Shall becom blood In the year 874 at Brixia in Italie Funce Chronol it rained blood for three daies and three nights Anno. 1505. There appeared in Germanie upon the garments of men and women Act. and Mon. fol. 769. divers prints and tokens of the nails of the spunge of the spear of the Lords coat and of bloodie crosses Maximilian the Emperor had and shewed the same to Francis Mirandula who thereupon wrote his Staurestichon and therein thus Non ignota cano Caesar monstravit ipsi Vidimus innumeros prompsit Germania testes Ibid. 1853. In the third yeer of Q. Marie William Pikes beeing at libertie after imprisonment and going into his garden took with him a Bible where sitting and reading there soddainly fell down upon his Book four drops of fresh blood and hee knew not from whence it came Whereat hee beeing sore astonished and wiping out one of the drops with his finger called his wife and said in the virtue of God wife what meaneth this Will the Lord have four sacrifices I see well enough the Lord will have blood his will bee don and give mee grace to abide the trial c. Vers 10. I am not eloquent Heb. A man of words a master of speech as Paul was Act. 14.12 Hee had not that first second and third of an Orator Elocution or Pronunciation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet God made chois of him rather then of eloquent Aaron to praie Exod. 17. Not gifts but graces prevail in praier Slow of speech Of a letsom deliverie word-bound Vers 11. Who hath made man's mouth There is no mouth into which God cannot put fit words Balaam's Ass was enabled by God to convince his Master Whereas by a man never so full and fluent hee cannot bring forth his conceptions without the obstetrication of God's assistance Prov. 16.1 Vers 12. I will bee with thy mouth See the Note on Matth. 10.19 Vers 13. By the hand of him whom thou wilt Or shouldest send By that excellent Speaker the Messiah cujus dicere est facere Thus when God had answered all Mose's objections hee forwardly denie's to go notwithstanding and bid's him send by his son as one that was better fitted for the service That which made Moses so unwilling was whatever hee pretended the fear of his life which rub when God had once removed hee went on end vers 19 20. Vers 14. And the anger of the Lord And no wonder Patientia laesa fit furor Where God commandeth there to ask a reason is presumption but to oppose reason is a kind of Rebellion I know that hee can speak well The gift of utterance is an high favor a piece of a Christian's riches 1 Cor. 1.5 See the Note there Aaron as Tully saith of Aristotle had aureum flumen orationis a golden gift of speech Ver. 15. Will teach you See the note on ver 11.12 Ver. 16. And hee shal bee thy spokesman God hath made mee ill-favored in this world and without grace in the sight of men said Tindal to Frith speechless and rude Act. and Moâ—um p. 988. dull and slow-witted your part shal be to supplie that which lacketh in mee remembring that as lowliness of heart shall make you high with God even so meekness of words shall make you sink into the hearts of men In stead of God To dictate unto him my minde and counsel Such a God to every Christian is his sanctified Conscience Ver. 17. Wherewith thou shalt do signs God of his free-will joining his operation thereunto as likewise hee doth to the outward signs in the two Sacraments and hence their energie which els would bee none Ver. 18. Whether they bee yet alive which if they bee though in a low condition both they and I shall see caus to bee thankful Lam. 3.39 Eccles 9.4 Ver. 19. For all the men are dead Here the Lord laie's his finger upon the sore This was that pad in the straw the thing that made Moses hang off as hee did however hee pretended the people's incredulitie his own inabilitie and this and that neither did hee altogether dissemble but self-love need 's not bee taught to tell her tale Ver. 20. Vpon an Ass This may argue his povertie as Zach. 9. ver 9. Especially if hee had but one Ass for the whole Familie Ver. 21. But I will harden his heart with a judiciarie penal hardness And thus God is in this book eight times said to have hardned Pharaoh's heart thrice it is said that hee hardened his own heart and five times his heart is said to have been hardned viz. by the devil through the just judgment of God Ver. 22. Even my first-born And so higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Ver. 23. Let my Songo God commanding Pharaoh to let go his people and yet hardning his heart that hee would not let them go is not contrarie to himself For by so commanding him hee requireth his obedience and by so hardning him hee punisheth his disobedience Ver. 24. And sought to kill him to do justice upon him according to Gen. 17.14 and as upon one that was an unmeet man to take care of the Church having no better ordered his own hous 1 Tim. 3.5 God passeth not by the sins of his best children without a sensible check if scandalous especially and committed against conscience Hee hath much ado to forbear killing us in such cases Hee is even readie to have a blow at us and crie's like a travelling woman who bite's in her pain while shee can to bee delivered of his judgments Isa 42.14 Ver. 25. Surely a bloodie husband A peevish wife whose frowardness is either tollenda or toleranda cured or carried patiently nè conjugium fiat
their evil courses Ezek. 23.8 20.5 7 8. Ios 24.14 It is written as a heavie curs of God Levit. 26.17 If yee still trespass against mee I will set Princes over you that shall hate you Mischeivous odious Princes odious to God malignant to the people Vers 20. And they met Moses How readie are wee to mistake the grounds of our afflictions and to cast them upon fals causes 1 King 17.18 The Sareptan told the Prophet that hee had killed her son Vers 21. The Lord look upon you Thus wee have seen dogs in a chafe bark at their best friends Vers 22. And Moses returned unto the Lord Hee turned aside as it were to speak with a friend and to disburthen himself into God's bosom This is the Saints privilege See the Note on Matâ—h 11.25 Vers 23. Neither hast thou delivered Here Moses himself was too short-spirited Hee considered not belike that God's promises do manie times bear a long date neither is it fit to set him a time or to awaken him whom our soul loveth untill hee pleas Do but wait saith the Lord. Habac. 2.3 You shall bee delivered you shall bee delivered you shall bee delivered you shall you shall So much that text in effect soundeth and assureth CHAP VI. Vers 1. Then the Lord said unto Moses PArdoning the faults of his praier God grant's him a gracious answer so hee dealt with David Psal 31.22 For I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eies Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication when I cried unto thee Vers 2. Scalig. de Subtiâ—t I am Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger's word that do Peress Gregorie's word that have beeing of my self give beeing to all things elf and in special to my promises to perform with my hand whâ—t I have spoken with my mouth 1 King 8.15 onely God exspect's that men put his promises in suit by their prayers as here and burthen him with them as that Martyr said Vers 3. By the name of God Almightie See the Note on Gen. 17.1 The sens is this saith Cameron Quantum illis sufficiebat tantum indulsit Camer de Eccles non indulsit quod erat summum Hee gave them enough but not the main But by my name Jehovah That is by the import of this his name the full performance of his promises God was known to the Patriarchs by this name Jehovah quoad esse Dei but not quoad esse rei Vers 4. To give them the land of Canaan And a better thing with it the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 11.10.16 Vers 5. I have heard the groanings Hee heareth the young ravens that crie unto him but by implication onely Psal 147.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with a hoars voice unfit to move pitie whence also they have their name in the Hebrew how much more his own covenanters Vers 6. And I will bring you out A great deliverance but nothing to that which Christ hath wrought for us from the tyrannie of sin and terror of hell Vers 7. And I will bee to you a God This is the top of anie man's happineâ—s to have God for his God What can such a man want Psalm 23.1 As hee in Plutarch said of the Egyptians that though they had no musick nor vines amongst them Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet they had Gods Vers 8. And I will bring you See vers 4. Vers 9. But they hearkned not The ear which taste's words as the mouth doth meat was so filled with choller that they could relish no comfort It is ill sowing in a storm giving physick in a feaver-fit The easiest medicines or waters are troublesom to sore cies So here Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Vers 11. Go in speak unto Pharaoh Whether hee will hear or whether hee will forbear Ezek. 2.5 Speak when God bid's us though it may seem to little purpose Wee have lost manie a wors labor The man of God must bee patient tolerant to all yea to those that oppose proving if at anie time God will give them repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vers 12. Of uncircumcised lips Or of an heavie speech word bound Thick-lipped A thin lip is a sign of eloquence Job 12.20 Pitho sits in such lips Vers 13. And the Lord spake unto Moses Notwithstanding his former tergiversation and the peoples peevishness Mens wickedness cannot interrupt the cours of God's goodness Vers 14. These bee the heads This is a digression to shew the descent of Moses and Aaron Digressions in divine discourses are not alwaies and absolutely unlawful God's Spirit somtimes draws aside the doctrine to satisfie som soul which the Preacher know's not and sparingly used it quickeneth attention Vers 15. The son of a Canaanitess whom it was not lawful for him to marrie but hee was a head long and head-strong bold and fierce fellow Gen. 34.25 and 49.7 bound by Joseph Gen. 42.24 As one that had been most forward to sell him to the Midianitish Merchants Simeon also is left out in Moses his blessing Deut. 33. Vers 16. Of the sons of Levi Upon this family hee insist's and therefore hasten's to it Speak ever to the purpose Vers 20. Jochebed his father's sister See Chap. 2.1 Vers 21. Thuc. hist â—ib 124. Korah That ringleader of Rebels Num. 16.1 Vers 23. Elishaba Or Elisabeth a prince's sister Num. 2.3 Our English Elisabeth was by a French Dutchess said to bee the most glorious and most happie woman that ever swayed Scepter Vers 30. Of uncircumcised See the Note on vers 12. CHAP. VII Ver. 1. And the Lord said unto Moses IN answer to his last exception which yet hee had answered before chap. 4. ver 16. God bear 's with our infirmities A God to Pharaoh Armed with mine autoritie a Vice-God Shall bee thy Prophet i. e. Thy spokesman and interpreter Vers 2. Thou shalt speak Gods word must bee spoken however it bee taken Vers 3. And I will harden See the Note on chap. 4.21 The Dutch have a proverb Quem Deus excaecaturus est huic primum oculos claudit When God will blinde a man hee first closeth up his eies Vers 4. And Pharaoh shall not hearken This judgment God layeth upon manie of our hearers at this daie of whom after much paines taking wee may well complain as the herdsman did in the Poet. Heu mihi quà m pingui macer est mibi â—â—urus in aruo Vers 5. And the Egyptians shall know To their cost when the Lord's hand that is lifted up in threatning shal fall down in punishing Lord saith the Prophet when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see c. Isai 26.11 God will unseal their heavie eies with scorching plagues and rous them with horror enough Vers 6. Did as the Lord commanded them Mallem obediâ—e quà m miracula facere faith Luther Their obedience yielded them more comfort
resting this made them murmure Chap. 11.1 non quia dura sed quia molles patimur Sen. Went before them And as the Iewes conceive for the facilitating of their march the cloud levelled mountains raised vallies and laid all of a flat that is burnt up bushes smoothed rocks and made all plain c. Vers 35. Rise up Lord Commanders must pray as well as lead on their forces as did Charles the great and that late brave King of Sweden more addict to prayer then to fight CHAP. XI Vers 1. ANd when the people complained Or were as it were complainers they did inwardly and secretly repine and mutter at their three dayes march without intermission like those horses that disgest their choller by biting the bridle Consumed them that were in the uttermost parts There it seems the sin began amongst those that were faint and weary with travell as Deut. 25.18 Vers 2. And the people cryed to Moses That Lord Chancellour of Heaven as one calleth him that could rule with God and over-rule Of Moses it might be said as once of Luther Iste vir potuit apud deum quod voluit he might have whatsoever he would of God Vers 3. The name of the place Taberah So to perpetuate the memory of the peoples sin and Gods judgment Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Vers 4. And the mixâ— multitude See the Note on Exod. 12.38 Observe the danger of ill company Fish retains their sweetness in the salt sea The river d ee in Merioneth-shire running through Pimble-meere remaines entire and mingles not her streames with the waters of the lake The rivers of Peru after they have run some miles into the sea retain their sweetness as writers report But to converse with the ungodly and not to learn their manners is marvellous rare and difficult A man may pass through Ethiopia unchanged but he cannot dwell there and not be discoloured Vers 5. We remember the fish They forgat their servitude Discontent is ever harping upon wants and enjoyes nothing no more then Haman did his honour or Alâ—ab his kingdome when he longed for a sallet out of Naboths garden Vers 6. There is nothing at all besides The wheat of heaven was held a light meat because lightly come by Citò parta vilescunt How are many queasie stomacks even nauseated with the bread of life it makes not to their dainty palates 3 plain preaching is dis-rellished Vers 7. And the Manna See the Note on Exod. 16.14 31. There was therefore no such cause they should so loath it Was as Coriander seed Small but full of sweetness and nourishment Deut. 34.7 This might be some cause of Moses his undecayedness As the colour of Bdellium A kinde of transparent and precious gumme Vers 8. And the people went about Or went to and fro as men ought still to encrease knowledg Dan. 12.4 labouring for the meat that endureth to eternall life Joh. 6.27 God might have saved them this labour by rayning Manna into their mouthes but he would not for the tryall of their diligence and that they might not think that worth nothing that cost them nothing And ground it in mills So was Jesus Christ ground and pounded with passion baked and dryed up in the oven of his fathers displeasure before he became fit food and a Saviour to his Church As the taste of fresh oyle Or wafers baked with honey Exod. 16.31 The sweet promises of grace are sweeter then honey Psal 19.10 No fresh and sweet oyle can so cherish the face as they do the heart of a believer Vers 9. And when the dew fell As Manna fell in the dew so doth the Spirit descend in and by the word preached Gal. 3.2 In the night Figuring that hidden Manna laid up and prepared for the Saints Revel 2.17 Vers 10. Weep throughout their families Generally and openly they mutinied and murmured though so lately they had smarted at Taberah And this they did not once or twise but ten times over whereby it appeares that God chose this unthankfull people not for their merits sedex mera et mira misericordia he chose them for his love and loved them for his choyse Vers 11. Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant Antoninus the Emperour said often Imperium Oceanum esse malorum that to be a governour of others is to be plunged into an Ocean of miseries Pope Adrian caused to be engraven upon his own tomb Foelix si non imperitasset Melancthon said the three sorest labours of all were Docentis imperantis parturientis the labours of Ministers Magistrates and of travelling women Vers 12. As a nursing father beareth c. Lovingly mildly gently A Magistrate should carry himself as a Pater patriae Cambdens Elisab Queen Elizabeth would many times say That she could believe nothing of her people that parents would not believe of their children Vers 13. Whence should I have flesh Lust is unsatisfiable to go about it is to go about an endless piece of work it is to cast oyl into the fire to quench it Vers 14. It is too heavy for me Crowns have their cares seats are uneasie many a cumber attends honour Beatus ille qui procul negotiis Horat. Vers 15. And if thou deal thus with me Here the word Thou spoken to God is of the feminine gender At for Atta ex magna perturbatione saith a Rabbine Moses was so exceedingly moved with anger and grief these passions did so overcarry him that he could not complere vocem utter his whole speech as he that groaneth or gapeth in the beginning of his sentence cannot make up his breath to speak what he intended Vers 16. Gather unto me seventy men Here say some began the Sanhedrim that is the great Counsel of the Jews consisting of seventy Seniours and one President It continued till the time of Herod the Great who took it away and changed the form of it Vers 17. And I will take of the spirit i. e. I will bestow the same Spirit upon them as upon thee and this shall be nothing at all to thy loss or disadvantage Habet Hispania montem ex sale magnum de quo quantum demas tantum accrescit shall bear the burden of the people Who are in nothing more a burden then in this that with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. Praesens imperium semper grave they are ever grumbling at the present government though never so gentle Alleva jugum Ease the yoke that thy father put upon us 1 King 12.4 said they to Rehoboam forgetting the golden age they had lived in under his father Solomon Vers 18. Sanctifie your selves Ironicè dictum or sanctifie that is prepare your selves for the day of slaughter as Jer. 12.3 For you have wept in the ears Tears of what sort soever have a voyce in them Psal 39.12 as blood hath Gen. 4. For it was well with us in Egypt Such is the murmuring of those malecontents that