exercised with Thirst whereas Hagar had been under the same Tryal Gen. 21.15 and the Three Kings that warr'd against Moab 2 Kings 3.10 yet were all relieved in season This was their renouncing of all Religion at once and a denying of the Deity of God There is no Divine Essence where there is not a Divine Omnipresence God is most present when he afflicts He knows our Souls in adversity Psal 31.7 8. Another wonder was this That the same Water out of this Rock was Drink for their Souls as well as for their Bodies therefore the Apostle saith They all drank of that Spiritual Rock 1 Cor. 10.3 4. They had not only Manna the Bread of Angels but also Water out of the Rock Christ They had no dry Communion as is practised in the Romish Church The Water was Spiritual Drink in the same respect that the Manna was Spiritual Meat being both of them miraculously produced and prefiguring Christ who is call'd a Spiritual Rock 9. And lastly This Rock was a figure of Christ in many respects holding most apt Congruity yet some Disparity First The Congruity betwixt them As 1. A Rock is a firm and sure Foundation for any Fabrick to stand upon Soft Stones will not bear a Superstructure but waste with stormy weather and washes away with the fluctuating Waters So Christ is a firm and unmoveable Foundation for his Church and Children to rest upon Matth. 7.24 and 16.18 1 Cor. 3.11 Isa 28. 16 c. Waves break themselves upon this Rock of Ages 2. A Rock is a dry craggy uncomely thing so is Christ to a carnal Eye having no form nor comeliness to be desired Isa 52.14 and 53.2 3. Yet as this Rock had Water within it tho' it seemed dry to Thirsty Israel so Christ hath the Water of Life within him Believe for Comfort when thou canst not behold it c. 3. A Rock is of great Relief for a shadow and shady Harbour in an hot Season and a weary Land Isa 32.2 and 25.4 So Christ shades us from the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God from being Sun-burnt Sin-burnt or Hell-burnt as the Spouse Cant. 2.3 4. This Rock affords no Water for Refreshing Israel under Thirst till smitten with Moses's Rod So Christ was smitten of God Isa 53.4 bearing the Curse of the Law for our sins Gal. 3.13 from whence flows healing Waters for thirsty and troubled Souls Christ's side smote with a Spear gushed out in blood and water John 19.34 35. 5. The Water out of the Rock served for both cleansing of Garments from filth contracted and for sustaining of life in satisfying Thirst So the Water of Life from Christ both washes away the guilt and filth of sin and upholds Spiritual Life in Believers Joh. 4.13 14. and 7.37 38 39. 6. The Water out of this Rock followed Israel from one station to another till they came to the Land of Promise So the Water of Life follows Believers in all Ages till they come to the heavenly Canaan Secondly The Disparity 1. This Rock was but course condensed Earth Christ was Heaven-made 2. It was without motion stirr'd not out of its place but Christ came down from Heaven went about doing good Acts 10.38 and ascended thither again 3. His Water of Life perishes not with using as that did and now is not Note here 1. Israel asked water of Moses 'T is the Rock Christ must give waterings not Moses's Law 2. As this Rock was turned into water so wrath is turned into mercy by our Mediator 3. Wo to whom this Rock is a stone of stumbling Rom. 9.23 1 Pet. 2.6 such shall be broken nay grinded to powder Mat. 21.44 4. 'T is the emblem of an hard heart softened by the Law in the hand of a Mediator standing on it mollifies 5. As God led to the Rock so he draws us to Christ John 6.44 The second distress and danger Israel met with at their 11th station was War with Amalek Exod. 17.8 c. teaching us That no sooner is one Tryal over but we must expect another following at its heels while we are in the Wilderness of this lower World Velut unda super venit undae one wave of the Sea pursueth another till we come to the happy Shore and Rest in the Coelestial Canaan Acts 14.22 Heb. 4.9 God tryed Israel's Faith with penury of Food and Water and with the peril of War before from Pharaoh and now from Amalek who indeed was a Scourge from God for the unishment of their four times murmuring and repining against his Conduct of them The Remarks in this VVar are 1. The Persons waging war against Israel were the Amalekites who were the Off-spring of Esau Jacob's Brother so near allied to Israel Gen. 36.12 15 16. whereupon they should have met their near Kinsmen with Bread and VVater by the way but they met them with Fire and Sword Deut. 25.18 being Heirs of that old Hatred of Esau against Jacob and reviving likely the remembrance of that old Quarrel about the loss of both the Birth-right and of the Blessing and now beholding Jacob's Off-spring become so notably numerous and marching towards the Land of Promise they had more cause to be afraid that Isaac's blessing of Jacob was now in a way of its Accomplishment and that the elder should serve the younger N.B. Amalek signifies a licking People licking up the hindmost of Israel Deut. 25.17 18. assaulting them more by Treachery than true Valour As Pharaoh pursued Israel to reduce them back to Egypt so Amalek intercepts them in the way to hinder them from Canaan and were the first of the Nations that warred against them for which Act Balaam himself foretold their destruction Numb 24.20 in whose days Amalek and their King Agag ver 7. ruffled among other Nations in formidable Grandeur as his expression there imports who by this primary and insolent Attempt procured his own utter Ruine God permitted this VVar for other causes beside that aformentioned for punishing their former Murmurings But 2. That they should not wax wanton by Ease and Idleness 3. That they might have more experience of God's delivering Mercy 4. And grow more expert in VVar Yea 5. And better furnished with weapons and other necessaries c. The second Remark is concerning the Manner of managing the Military matters on Israel's part Moses the chief Magistrate calls Joshua to be his General in this War whom he knew should be his Successor and General in all the Wars of Canaan He must fight with his Army the Lord's Battel against Amalek below which Moses Aaron and Hur prayed together above upon the top of the Hill Moses holding up the Rod of God in his hand where the Army might behold this Ensign and be confirmed in their good Fight of Faith ver 9 10. This Hur say the Jewish Doctors and Josephus was the Husband of Miriam Moses's Sister and being an old wise and experienc'd States-man was made Moses's Deputy in his absence
honourably as a Father saying Thy Son Benhadad hath sent me to say to thee shall I recover c. Remark the Fourth The Oracle Elisha Answers ver 10. in ambiguous Words Thou mayst certainly recover the Hebrew particle Lo may be read either as a Negative say not or as a Relative particle say to him therefore saith Sanctius the Prophet mock'd this wicked King as Micajah had done Ahab when he bid him go and prosper 1 Kings 22.15 and deludes him saith Piscator with vain Hopes of Health again but Tremellius renders it non omnino revalesces thou shalt in no wise recover so that Hazael manifestly lied saith Lyra in returning his Answer ver 14. some read the Words Interrogatively Say to him shalt thou indeed recover as thou dost flatter thy self No which Negation is implied in the very Interrogation The Lord hath shew'd me that he shall surely Dye Peter Martyr here adds also that this seeming contradiction is easily reconciled for Elisha doth but tell Hazael that Benhadad's Disease was not Deadly in its own Nature 't is not so mortal of it self as to take away his Life but though he dye not by this Disease He shall surely Dye by another Cause to wit by Suffocation ver 15. Remark the Fifth The Prophet fixed his Eyes upon Hazael ver 11. and look'd with such an awful Gravity as put this Peer to the blush but Elisha wept foreseeing all the Villanies that this Hazael would execute upon Israel as Christ did Luke 19.41 The Third Oracle of Elisha Recorded here which makes his Fifth as before is his foretelling Hazael should come to the Kingdom ver 12 13. Mark 1. Hazael with Reverence asks Why weepeth my Lord Elisha answers because I foreknow from Elijah my Master that thou wilt be King 1 Kings 19.15 16. and then wilt thou exercise and execute most excessive Acts of inhumane Barbarities upon Israel The Evil of sinning I foresee in thee and the Evil of suffering I foresee in them is the double Cause of my Tears Mark 2. Hazael replies still with Reverence to the Prophet Is thy Servant a Dog c. to do so more like a ravenous Beast than a reasonable Man Peter Martyr puts a double Sense upon his Words 1. I am now but a mean Dog as 2 Sam. 3.8 and have no Power to act such Cruelties which none but a King can Act which I am not nor am like to be Or 2. Hazael at this time might abhor such barbarous curst and cruel Actings as rending forth the Bowels of Women and dashing their Children in pieces c. he might here speak sincerely be it far from me not knowing his own Heart N.B. No Man knows before hand what Depths of the Devil Rev. 2.24 lay lurking in the bottom of his Heart which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 only the Lord knows it ver 10. who searcheth the Reins and before whose Eyes all things lay dissected and with their Faces upward as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Heb. 4.12 13. Insomuch that he knows beforehand both what good men will do hereafter Gen. 18.19 and what wicked men will do also in after-times and this same all-knowing God John 21.17 Acts 1.24 reveal'd to Elisha this bloody Disposition to be in Hazael and though he did not suspect himself to be such a Dog at this time yet when he came to be King his Honours chang'd his Manners and he became such a savage devouring Dog justly for the Vexation and Vastation of Idolatrous Israel as God's scourge to them Remark the Fifth Hazael returns with Elisha's answer to Benhadad ver 14 15. Wherein Mark 1. Hazael relateth the Prophet's answer by halves only and with as much honesty saith Junius as he afterwards strangl'd his Soveraign He represents only one part of the Prophet's Words concerning the possibility of his recovery because his Disease was not mortal but he conceals what the King most desired namely the Event and Issue of his Sickness And this he did out of design to make his Master the more secure that he might the better execute his Treason Mark 2. The means whereby Hazael murder'd his Master was a wet cloath ver 15. Hazael being impatient of delay lest the King should recover from his Fever which his fretting had cast him into pretends to cool and cure Benhadad's burning Fit saith Piscator but intends to stifle him as he did And this he the more boldly attempted because the Prophet's Prediction made him confident of the success which Oracle saith Peter Martyr excuses not Hazael's Treason and Treachery He made too much haste saith Grotius to accomplish God's Oracle but he ought to have waited God's time Though some say Hazael applied it at the King's command who unable to bear his burning bad him to do so but not to Choak him Mark 3. This Crafty Traitor did so cunningly contrive his Master's Death saith Peter Martyr that 1. He could not cry out Murder when his Mouth was stop'd with this cloath And 2. There appear'd no wound upon Benhadad's Body only his Breath was stop'd hereby Hazael was not suspected by either Peers or People to be the Murderer and therefore they quietly suffer'd him to succeed the King in his Throne whom none durst oppose because powerful with the People Did not these two Benhadad and Hazael make two famous Syrian Gods both which saith Josephus are worship'd with Divine Honour in that Countrey N.B. Many Kings may thus be murder'd and the World never the wiser c. 2 Chron. Chap. 21. with 2 Kings Chap. 8. ver 16 to 25. Remark the First is A Preliminary Word to this following History because the Narrative of Jehoram King of Judah begins here 2 Kings 8.16 and carried on to ver 25. but more amply described in 2 Chron. 21. throughout the whole Chapter Therefore is it necessary to joyn those two Histories together and the rather because the latter by Ezra is far larger than the former of this Book of Kings which as some suppose was writ by Jeremy wherein we find oft but a short account so 't is supplied in the Book of the Chronicles as hath been observed before And whereas the two Sons of Ahab and Jehosaphat had much what the like Names through the Confederacy and Affinity of the two Fathers and both of them lived and reigned together at the same time therefore for Distinction-sake I call the King of Israel the Son of Ahab Joram and the King of Judah Jehosaphat's Son Jehoram Remark the Second Jehosaphat is still alive until the fourth Year of Joram the Son of Ahab 2 Kings 8.16 and then Jehosaphat Dying his eldest Son Jehoram Reigned in his stead 1 Kings 22.50 2 Chron. 21.1 2 3. though he had ruled as a Viceroy in his Father 's both Absence and Old-Age And 't is not improbable but that this Jehoram had a fair Deportment while his Father lived because he twice committed the Government of the
First VOLUME from ADAM to MOSES Containing about Two thousand four hundred thirty three years CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of the Worlds Creation THE Creation was Gods first Emanation flowing forth or going out of himself giving the first Being and beginning to Time Place Persons and Things till then God was as it were Deus contractus containing all in himself now Deus expansus explicatus spreading his hand which had hitherto been as contracted to create the World not because he was now weary with doing nothing as Atheists say but he did it when it pleased him to manifest his own Wisdom Mercy Power and Glory as Augustine saith Nec cessando torpuit nec operando laboravit August cont Advers leg lib. 1. cap. 2. God who is the most pure Act is neither idle in Resting nor weary in working Hereupon 't is said what God did or how he employed himself before the Creation is a Sea over which no Ship hath ever Sailed is a Mine into which no Spade hath ever delved an Abyss into which no Bucket hath ever dived our fight is too tender and slender to behold this Sun 'T is Humane folly to say there was a World before Adam then he is falsely called the first man frequently in the Scripture of Truth this is to be wise above what is written but 't is Divine Faith to say that this World was created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affabrè factum neatly made up by the word of God Heb. 11.3 and then Time Place c. had their beginning Gen. 1.1 If so there could be none before it As we know not what God did before neither what he will do after the world Augustine smartly answers this sawcy Question That God was making an Hell for such over-curious Busie-bodies the Philosopher reading this first of Genesis was heard to say Egregiè dicis Domine Moses sed quomodo probas Excellently said Sir Moses but how will you prove what you say Augustine answers Credo non probo I believe it I need not prove it Theologia non est Argumentativa Alsted Divinity doth not use to prove her Principles the Mysteries whereof are better understood by Believing than believed by understanding 't is the nature of Faith to believe God upon his bare word and that against Sense in things Invisible and against Reason in things Incredible Sense corrects Imagination Reason corrects Sense but Faith corrects both Aufer Argumenta ubi â—â—ie quaeritur c. saith Ambrose Away with Arguments 't is enough I believe though I cannot prove every Principle and Fundamental of Faith as this of the Creation The word Creation according to the Criticks comes from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to effect or perfect and 't is taken in a double sense 1. Proper and literal so 't is a making something out of nothing Gen. 1.1 2. Common and Mystical so 't is a making something out of that which is worse than nothing Eph. 2.10 All Creatures were made at first without praeexisting Matter but when we come to be made New Creatures though there be a praeexisting yet there is a strongly Resisting Matter which is far worse and no less requires the All-creating power As the former is call'd Creatio transiens so this is Creatio continuans we can bring nothing to this glorious work except Opposition Yea when we are once created in Christ we can indeed do something to uncreate our selves were it not that Creating power comes to renew our decayed grace and Spiritual Witherings Psal 51.10 Creation here treated upon is taken in the proper sense and is the External Efficiency Act or Operation of God whereby be made the world in the beginning of time out of nothing very good and for his own glory There is a concurrency of four Causes in this as in other act considerable 1. A quâ the Cause Efficient 2. Ex quâ the Matter 3. Per quam the Form And 4. Propter quam the End Yea all those seven circumstances contained in one Verse Quis Quid Vbi Quibus Auxiliis Cur Quomodo Quando concur here in this Divine Action of the Creation Bereshith Bara Elohim Eth Hashamajim veeth haerets In the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth Gen. 1.1 Sundry Enquiries are here to be answered The first Enquiry is Who is the Efficient cause of the Creation Answ 'T is God the Creator call'd also Lord the Governour The External Efficiency or operation of the Divine Being is twofold 1. Creation 2. Providence in respect of the first he is called God the Creator and of the second Lord thè Governour Those two are called Relative Attributes as they do clearly hold forth a Relation betwixt the Maker and the Matter made And those two Titles God and Lord are first conjoyned in Gen. 2.4 As soon as the Universal Creation had attained to an Absolute perfection then stood it in need only of a continued Sustentation as Lord signifies a Sustainer 't is now added to the Name God which had been used singly about thirty three times before now he is first called Lord God that as his Work was perfect so his Name might be perfect also Thus likewise the Prophet couples those two Names together for the Churches comfort Isa 40.28 saying the same God-Creatour is still Lord-Governour or Sustainer who will not cast off the care of his Church as one toiled or tired for he Governs now as he did Create without either Toil or Travel and not subject to weariness as Man is The Hebrew Text is Elohim Bara Dii Creavit as being of the Plural number which holds out the Mystery of the blessed Trinity called by Elihu Eloah Gnoshai God my Makers Job 35.10 and by David the Makers of Israel Psal 149.1 and Soloman saith Remember thy Greators Eccles 12.1 This word Elohim signifies Almighties or Almighty powers yet is this Noun plural joined with Bara a Verb singular because God is but One Deut. 6.4 although in power Infinite There be three which bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 yet all three are called Creators 1. the Father is so Eph. 3.9 c. 2. the Word or Son is so Heb. 1.8 10. Col. 1.16 c. and the Spirit is so Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 104.30 Job 26.13 33.4 The Psalmist saith By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Breath or Spirit of his mouth that is God the Father by the Son through the Spirit Created all things 1 Cor. 8.6 Prov. 8.24 27 28. Joh. 1.3 10. Heb. 1.1 2. Revel 3.14 Isa 40.12 13. c. All which do declare that Three in One and One in Three wrought in the Creation of the world as afterwards they did in the formation of Man Gen. 1.26 and in making Borders of Gold with studs of Silver for the Church Cant. 1.11 Rab. Solomon Interprets we there I
into the Heart so Obedience is the letting out of God into the life here is God manifest in the Flesh of his Saints as was after a more transcendent manner in the Flesh of his Son 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 otherwise we are alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 if we do not lead a Godly life which kind of life none can live but those that do partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby they are renewed to be Holy as God is in Quality though not in Equality 1 Pet. 1.15 and to resemble him in countenance and condition as Children do their Father but such as are thus without God Eph. 2.12 the Devil works in them as the Blacksmith works in his Shop Eph. 2.2 Hammering out many Hard and Hot works of wickedness The Obedience of Faith in Abraham doth evidently appear in all his Ten Tryals I shall Instance and Insist upon only the first and the last of those Ten as the Author to the Hebrews doth Heb. 11.8 and 17. and first of the first Get thee out of thy Country c. said God to Abraham Gen. 12.1 and he obeyed this call by the strength of his Faith This proposition consists of a subject and a predicate the subject is Abrahams Person whereon I have spoken in the threefold aforesaid resemblance the predicate is Abrahams Action his obeying the Call and Command of God wherein four circumstances are very remarkable 1. The Time when it was when God call'd 2. The Terminus à quo or place from whence God call'd him 3. The Terminus ad quem or Countrey whither he was call'd 4. The Reason or End why he was thus said unto by the great God Get thee out of thy Countrey c. First of the first to wit the time when Abraham was call'd It was while he lived in Ur of the Chaldees for Abraham lived with his Father Terah in that place and in Haran or Charan a City of Mesopotamia till he was seventy sive years old Gen. 12.4 and Acts 7.2 3 4. There and then did the God of Glory appear to Abraham Gen. 11.28 This that Blessed Proto-martyr Stephen being filled with the Holy Ghost intimateth to convince those Superstitious and Blood-thirsty Jews who conceited that Religion was confined to Canaan or Jerusalem that Abraham had the true Religion even in Chaldea and in Charan before ever he saw Canaan or receiv'd Circumcision or before any Ceremonies were appointed by the Ministry of Moses and before there was either Tabernacle or Temple When Abraham dwelt with his Father on the other side of Euphrates and served Idols Josh 24.2 even then did God call him out of his Countrey yea call'd him to his Foot Isa 41.2 making him to follow his Call and to run as a Lackey at Gods Stirrup as it were with a blessed though a blind Obedience not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 no much caring so long as he had God by the Hand or might follow him as his Guide step by step Abraham as it were winked when he had put himself and his Hand into Gods Holy Hand to be led at his Divine Leisure and Pleasure By Faith Abraham when called obeyed Heb. 11.8 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports reverence in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and obedience in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not stop his Ear with the Adder to this great Charmer Psal 58.4 5. but he listen'd and hearken'd to Gods Call with an â—weful respect Christ Sheep do know his voice John 10.4 and his Companions or Friends such as Abraham was do hear and follow it Cant. 8.13 and Revel 14.4 Thus Abraham did not dispute but dispatch Gods command but immediately departed without Sciscitation or Carnal Reasonings against it Gen. 12.4 his inner and outer Man were Relatives so it should be with us The second Circumstance is the place from whence which is Twofold 1. Ur. 2. Haran which signifies in the Hebrew Fire and Wrath and so the History includes a Mystery As to the History touching Abraham's departure 1. From Ur of the Chaldees Gen. 11.28 31. where his Father Terah seems to have the Honour of that first Journey for he being inform'd of that Divine Oracle to his Son Abraham it seems repented of his Idolatry and consented to depart from that Idolatrous Countrey and hath the Honour of being principal therein though the Call was immediately and more especially to Abraham his Son Acts 7.2 3. and though they and them mentioned in Gen. 11.31 be meant of both Terah and Abraham yet the Call was chiefly to Abraham Gen. 15.7 and Neh. 9.7 The second place of his Removal was Haran this was after his Father Terah's Death Gen. 11.32 and 12.1 2 4. and Acts 7.4 who probably for his old Age was the cause of his Son Abraham's Sojourning and staying in Haran and hence some think it probable that as Abraham had two Calls from God the first from Ur when his Father was living and from whence the good old Man went along with him The second was from Haran after Terah was dead In the first Call God bid Abraham Get out of thy Countrey not mentioning his Fathers House to be left behind him for his Father went along with him yet this Phrase and more is added at his second Call Gen. 12.1 2. for it would have been not only of bad report among Idolaters but also an Act of undutifulness in it self to have forsaken his old Father and to have left him from whom he had both his Being and Succour succourless in the World From hence have we these choice Remarks and Mysteries The first Remark and Mystery is Parents ought not to hinder their Children from good and from obedience to God Here Terah the old Father did not rebuke Abraham his Son for being too full of Fancy nor charg'd him upon his Blessing to abide in his Native Countrey and not to be so Fantastical as to follow so fond a Call that told him not of the place whither he was to go he did not say to his Son Wil t thou leave a certainty for an uncertainty or wilt thou be wiser than all thy Fore-fathers c. Thus ignorant Parents say now to their enlightned Children Tange Montes Fumigabunt touch the Mountains and they will smoke Psal 144.5 If Inferiours do but touch Superiours in crossing them in their vain Customs Jer. 10.3 by not conforming to them Oh how some in such a Case are Acted more by Rage than by Right or Reason as Nebuchadnezzar was Dan. 3.19 and as too many Parents are but so was not Joash to his Son Gideon Judg. 6.27 30 31. who bravely defended him against the many-headed multitude in his Reformation and so was not Terah here to his Son but would go along with him in Obedience to God as far as his old Legs would carry him at the very first Call and therefore had he the honour of being principal in the first Removal Let
in Canaan N. B. Behold while God goeth about to prove Israel's patience they make proof of God's patience with a witness and that not only now in this murmuring but in their twenty more murmurings as some have reckon'd them during the forty Years Acts 13.18 c. The most of the Multitude do murmur for want of Victuals preferring the former Flesh-pots of Pharaoh tho' then they had little cause to boast of any full diet in their slavish lives before any present provision the Great God could make for them who only made them fast now to give himself a fairer occasion for more miraculously feasting them and to furnish them with a new and richer diet than Egypt could afford Here might God have said I will rain down Hell from Heaven upon you murmurers as once I did upon Sodom c. but lo the Lord's Language of Love here I will rain Bread from Heaven for you Exod. 16.14 The Remarks upon this Eighth Station Rameses being reckon'd for the first are as follow and all to bring Israel into the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20.35 36 37. The First Remark is Tho' God brought his Church into a vast Wilderness where the Earth they trode upon under them was dry and barren yet they had an Heaven over their heads that was abundantly fruitful c. Supplying their wants both with flesh and bread in plenty even at such a time when being a while pinch'd with penury they so dreadfully imprecated their own deaths and murmur'd both against Moses and against the Lord Exod. 16.2 3. then came the Promise both of bread v. 4 8. and of flesh v. 8 12. and after the performance of that double promise never was any Mortal tho' Mighty Monarch so serv'd in such state as those murmuring Israelites were Oh how good should we find our God to be unto us could we but be more careful to please him and more fearful to offend him walking before him unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 The Second Remark is This Gracious God gave them first Flesh to gratifie their first lustings after Flesh-pots v. 13. What those Fowls of Heaven were Conjectures be various Rabbi Jonathan on this Text and on Psal 105.40 calls them Pheasants but Rabbi David Kimchi Rabbi Solomon c. take it for the ordinary Quail as we read it No doubt but it was the daintiest of Flesh wherewith the Great Creator fed Israel at this time by Miracle The like whereunto God wrought for them about a year after this Numb 11.31 when they had them for a month together but with a vengeance then the Quails came to them with a Tempest and went away with a Plague Then it was not so much want as now it was but wantonness Ps 78.18 They ask'd to satisfie their Lusts. Nor may we think here that this supply of Flesh was any reward to these Miscreants for their mischievous murmurings whereof God himself complained but to convince them of their infidelity and to shew his own faithfulness in promising provision c. God could have fed them with grosser and courser flesh than Quails yet to testifie his love at Evening they miraculously flye over-Sea in the day further'd by the wings of the wind Psal 78.26 27. and tamely came to hand covering the Camp to be made meat of c. The Third Remark is The Quails thus miraculously sent and in such multitudes as to serve 600 thousand for food and that beyond the course of their own nature who living upon the fruits of the Earth use to flye into fertile Countries not into a barren Desart as here not to feed themselves but to become food unto Israel In order whereunto they did tamely offer themselves to be easily taken c. Notwithstanding all this they are not noted in Scripture to be a Spiritual Meat as was the Manna 1 Cor. 10.3 the flesh therefore which was to fill their bellies came towards night the time of darkness but the Bread from Heaven came in the Morning which usually signifies the time of grace from the Lord Psal 30.6 and 143.8 Lam. 3.22 23. The Fourth Remark is The. Flesh and the Bread came not both at one time as we see above the one at Evening and the other at Morning Hereupon some conceive that as they came severally so they might be eaten severally the Quails without the Bread and the Bread without the Quails each being of such an excellent temper and of so pleasant a taste that both being extraordinary provisions needed not any thing to relish or season them However it holds forth this great truth that God will be waited upon for the giving out of his Blessings Evening and Morning to whose leisure and pleasure all mortals ought to give attendance The Fifth Remark is But above all the glory of God's gracious goodness was mostly manifested in bestowing Manna upon such murmurers to be their Spiritual as well as Corporal food 'T is said the Glory of the Lord appeared upon the Cloud in the great wants of Israel's provision v. 7 and 10. This extraordinary appearance of God's presence did quell and quiet their impatient murmurings denoting to us that nothing but the fresh Appearances of the glory of the Grace of Christ can suppress the inordinate perturbations of a distressed Church and of a disturbed Soul more especially when Christ comes with a promise to give hidden Manna and the new Name c. Rev. 2.17 The Sixth Remark is That such a Race of Rebels should be relieved with such dainty diet as Manna was which signifies Hebrew a prepared portion without Man's labour sent from Heaven to Israel on Earth without their asking it able to please every Man's palate and to give a grateful gust to every ones taste as is said Wisd 16.20 21. And Josephus saith he who had it was so contented and delighted with it as never to desire any other Meat 't is call'd Angel's Food Psal 78.25 not because the Angels do daily feed upon it but because it was both made and Ministred by the Ministry of Angels and that Phrase sets forth the excellency of it as the Tongue of Angels signifies an Eloquent Tongue yet this excellent Bread is not only offered to them without asking but 't is also bestowed upon them without their seeking or purchasing it or labouring for it all they had to do was to go forth and gather it which was all the Imploy they had in the Wilderness at this time And what could the great God have done more for his People having now no other calling This was very near his raining it into their laps or into their mouths when he rain'd down this Corn of Heaven at their Tent doors The seventh Remark is Tho' the proudest Prince in his greatest Grandeur was never served in such Pomp and with such Dainties yet must Israel learn three Lessons 1. That God's gift must not justle out Man's labour they must gather it ver 16. 2. That they shall have
Men that had followed Baal-peor in those two Sister Sins ver 9. compared with Deut. 4.3 and whereas the Apostle mentioneth but three thousand destroyed 1 Cor. 10.8 this is thus reconciled The Apostle speaks only of the three and twenty thousand People that did fall by a Divine Hand in the Plague the other thousand of Princes were hang'd by Humane Hands ver 4 5. the latter for giving an evil Example and the former for taking it 'T is a Poor Plea for People to excuse their Sins by alledging the example of their Superiours If they dare Sin together on Earth they shall also burn together in Hell Thus are we brought to the second General Part namely the removing of this stumbling-block or Impediment partly by the hanging up of the guilty Princes by the Hands of Men and partly by the cutting off of the guilty People in the Plague by the hand of God but more especially by this Heroick Act of Phinehas in executing Impartial Justice upon a Prince of Israel and a Princess of Midian which affords these Remarks The First is God himself puts this peculiar Honour of staying the Plague when he was about to destroy the whole Camp upon this Fact of Phinehas saying He hath turned my Wrath away ver 10 11. because He was acted with the same Zeal for God's Glory and Israel's good as God himself is acted with for them and feared not to loose his Life in God's Cause by putting to Death a Prince and a Princess in the very flagrancy of their Lust at one blow There is such an Accent and such an Emphasis put by the Lord upon this Act as the Jewish Rabbies observe that here they begin the forty first Section or Lecture of the Law or as Vatablus saith the seventh Section of the Book which they call Phinehas Moreover it teacheth us That Zeal of Justice in the Cause of God is an hopeful means to remove God's Wrath from and to procure his Mercy to Man Psal 106.30 Thus David also made an Atonement by doing Justice on Saul's House 2 Sam. 21.3 c. The Second Remark is As Phinehas was the wise Man that pacified the Wrath of the King of Kings Prov. 16.14 So God rewarded him Eth berithi shalom with the Covenant of Peace ver 12 13. Thus God gave to Levi his Covenant of Life and Peace for the fear wherewith he feared me c. Mal. 2.5 Exod. 32.26 27 28. Deut. 33.8 9 10 11. The Priesthood wherewith God rewarded Phinehas was God's Covenant of Peace for two Reasons so called 1. Because the Priests if clean seemed more than the People in the Peace Familiarity and friendship of God oft discoursing with him c. so call'd God's Neighbours Levit. 10.3 2. Because the Priesthood rightly administred by Prayers and Sacrifices was a Cause of continuing Amity betwixt God and the People therefore for Phinehas's Holy Hatred against Sin and his inflamed Love to God and Godliness an Everlasting Priesthood was settled upon him namely till Christ's coming to whom that legal Priesthood was to give Place Heb. 7.11 c. The Third Remark is Phinehas by Vertue of this Promise of the Priesthood lived himself to a great old Age even as some say to three hundred Years as appeareth by Judg. 20.28 where He then is found alive for his Zeal at this Time He lived so long that some of the Hebrew Rabbies are of Opinion He died not at all but is still alive whom they suppose to be the Elias that is to come before the coming of Christ but this Notion is Confuted by others of their Rabbies and by the mention of his Seed succeeding him in Sacred Scripture However though few after the Flood did near attain to any such Age yet must Phinehas be very old in that Time of Israel's warring with Benjamin who then stood before the Ark and probably was as zealous in that Case as he was here in this of a not much differing Nature about Uncleanness The Fourth Remark is Phinehas's Priesthood is call'd Everlasting not in his Person but in his Posterity whose Sons were successively High Priests till the Captivity of Babylon 1 Chron. 6.4 to 16. and at the return out of Captivity Ezra the great Priest and Scribe was of his Line Ezra 7.1 to 6. and so it continued in that Line until or very near the approach of our Evangelical High Priest as Christ is called Heb. 5.6 who was of the Order of Melchizedeck So this Word Everlasting doth not denote a Duration of time without end or a perpetuity without Interruption for as both the Law and its Priesthood expired when Christ who was prefigured by them and the end of them was exhibited So that long continuance of Time imported in the Word Everlasting forementioned both in his Person who lived long and in his Posterity who succeded long wanted not its Interruption for the Covenant was Conditional wherein some of Phinehas's Sons failing the Priesthood passed over from Eleazar's Line to that of Ithamar's in Eli his Grand-child though it be not express'd how Eli came to the Priesthood but from Him it descended to Abiathar 1 Sam. 14.3 and 22.20 and 1 King 2.26 yet seems it to be by God's appointment 1 Sam. 2.30 Exod. 28.43 and 29.9 and both Eleazar and Ithamar as they both had the Promise so they both executed the Office of the Priesthood Numb 3.4 1 Chron. 23.2 and likewise their Sons after them in David's Time ver 3. till Abiathar of Ithamar's Line who for the Sin of Eli and of his Sons beside the eighty five Priests of Ithamar's Posterity slain by Saul 1 Sam. 22.18 and for his siding with Adonijah was according to God's Prediction cast out of the High-Priest's Office and Zadok of Eleazar's descent was put in his Place by Solomon 1 King 2.27 and in David's Time but one half of the Line of Ithamar were found to that of Eleazar 1 Chron. 24.4 Thus this Promise of a perpetual Priesthood to Phinehas here abode in that Family seven Generations 1 Chron. 6.4 5 6. and there it failed till the seventh Generation after Those six Amaziah Ahitub Zadok Ahimaaz Azariah and Johanan mentioned there 1 Chron. 6.7 8 9 10. brings in Azariah executing that Office but the forenamed six are left out in the Genealogy Ezra 7.3 4. because the Priesthood failed in them but by the force of this Covenant it brake out again and recovered it self from Ithamar's Line Phinehas's Posterity repenting and the Priesthood returning to those Penitents it remained some say to Herod's Time This Promise and that in Jer. 33.17 18 21 22. were accomplish'd in Christ Heb. 3.1 and 5.1 to 5. and 8.1 2 3 c. and Luk. 1.32 33. who was the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 The Fifth Remark is The Matter of Zimri and Cozbi contains in it a Mystery For 1. Zimri Hebrew signifies Cutting off as a superfluous Branch is cut off from the Vine as he was from the Vine of
gone c. this gave them good cause to weep c. but they hoped that in his Wrath he would remember Mercy Habb 3.2 The Third Remark is The Repetition of the Story of Joshua's Dismission of the People from his Parliament at Shechem c. borrowed from Josh 24.28 29. and mentioned here from ver 6. to 11. this is done in order to a discovery of the Time Cause or occasion of Israel's Defection from God and God's Desertion of them these five Verses have Joshua's Death and the Death of those Godly Elders about his Age c. Inserted in them to clear the way of all the ensuing Stories Vatablus his Note here is that these things are spoken here by way of Recapitulation that the Sum and Argument of this whole Book may be in this place set down together and à Lapide calls it an Hysteron-proteron repeating what was done long ago as if now done that the Author might more commodiously pass from Joshua to the Original and Institution of the Judges that succeeded Joshua But others are of Opinion that these Verses have a due Connexion to the words of the Angel in ver 1.2 who told them that the Idols of the Canaanites will become your ruine and now those Verses declare how this really came to pass and when and by what means dating it from the Death of Joshua c. then they began to forsake the Lord but above all Dr. Lightfoot's Judgment in this point seems to me most cogent and of greatest importance saying That all these things that were past are mentioned here as present that the foundation of the future story may be better laid and that the time of the Peoples beginning to degenerate may be the more manifestly marked out and hereupon after the tenth Verse of the second Chapter he placeth all those Stories which are held forth in Chapters 17 18 19 20 21. and after all these Chapters he begins again at Chap. 2.11 with the Death of the first Judge of Israel namely Othniel Let me have leave to transcribe his Reasons for his double Assertion First That all those last Chapters of Judges ought to be placed in the middle of the Second Chapter And Secondly That the Holy Ghost did not preposterously lay those Stories which came to pass so soon in so late a place of this Book of Judges As to the first of these his Arguments take as followeth his Chronology may not be in every hand where this may come Argument the First The Danites were not setled when the Stories of the 17th and 18th Chapters came to pass and therefore this could not be long after Joshua 's Death Secondly Phinehas was alive at the Battle at Gibeah 'twixt Benjamin and the Ten Tribes Chap. 19. and Chap. 20. ver 28. Thirdly The Wickedness of Gibeah is reckoned for one of their first Villanies Hos 10.9 there they began it as in Judg. 19. c. Fourthly Deborah speaks of the 40000 of Israel that perished by Benjamin as if neither Swâ—rd nor Spear had been among them Judg. 5.8 Fifthly Mahaneh Dan or as in our Translation the Camp of Dan which was so named upon the March of the Danites when they set up their Idolatry Judg. 18.12 is mentioned in the Story of Samson by that very Name Mahaneh-Dan though that Story of Samson be set before the Story of the Danites Judg. 13.25 Sixthly The first publick Idolatry that was found in Israel had its first beginning in the Tribe of Dan Judg. 18.30 before the Worshiping of Baalim and Ashtaroth in any other Tribe Judg. 2.13 Therefore Dan is omitted among the Sealed of the Lord Revel 7. Seventhly Ehud mentioned in Judg. 3.15 may very well be supposed to have been one of the Left-handed Benjamites and one of them that escaped at the Rock Rimmon Judg. 20.16 47. and 21.13 The Reasons of his second Assertion why there is a transposition of those Histories by the Holy Ghost I must refer to the Reader Lightfoot's Chronicle of the Old Testament pag. 93. to avoid prolixity of Quotations c. Nor is this the private Opinion of Dr. Lightfoot alone and singular but I find an Universal Concurrence of the most Learned and Judicious Interpreters with him concerning this Dislocation c. such as Judicious Junius Learned Lavater Bochartus Malvenda and many others both Foreign and Domestick Writers who do not only Insist upon the Reasons aforementioned but also do much amplifie upon them all unanimously affirming that these Stories in the five last Chapters of Judges did not fall out in the order wherein they are placed but much sooner even presently after the Death of the Elders that out-lived Joshua Judg. 2.7 and not immediately after the Death of Samson as they are set down in this Book Those Divines afore-named make it more apparent by adding Amplifications to the Arguments aforementioned N. B. They add to the First That it is not at all probable the Tribe of Dan which was numerous could want their proper Possessions for so long a time as 300 Years after Joshua's Death yet are they said to seek an Inheritance to dwell in c. Judg. 18.1 this could not be after Samson's Death To the Second is added The Story of the Levites Concubine and the War with the Benjamites happened while Phinehas was High priest Judg. 20.28 who must have been about 350 Years old if these things had falen out after Samson's Death which is more than improbable for Phinehas was at Man's Estate when he slew Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25.7 8. which was before Israel entred into Canâ—an and he succeeded in the High-Priests Office after his Father Eleazar who died about the same time that Ioshua did Josh 24.33 and therefore could not out-live Samson To the Third is added That the Sin of Gibeah Hos 10.9 must be soon after Joshua's Death and before the time of the Judges for Jebus or that part of Jerusalem which belong'd to the Benjamites was not yet taken Judg. 19.11 12. but was still possess'd by the Jebusites so that the Sin of Gibeah that Hosea mentions must be very Ancient c. To the Fourth is added That Deborah beside her mentioning the 40000 of Israel slain by Benjamin Judg. 5.8 doth in ver 14. use an Apostrophe turning to God in her words After thee Oh Benjamin among thy People and admiring that the poor Remnant of Benjamin reserved from that General Slaughter of them Judg. 20. should not be discourag'd by his paucity of number but became most forward in her Expedition and encourag'd Ephraim a Numerous Tribe thereunto the whole Tribe of Benjamin though now but small came forth to this War of Deborah's when the Numerous Tribe of Ephraim sent forth but an handful to it and did but follow after Benjamin she admires God in this double precedency To the Fifth is added That the place where Samson's Parents dwelt and where their Son Samson put forth the first Specimen of his Miraculous Prowess
B. This Repulse from Brethren and Refusal of such an Act of Mercy as is a common kindness to meer Strangers moved not meek Gideon a little as Nabal's Churlishness in the like kind did most highly incense Holy David Hereupon Gideon threatens them with most Severe and Just Revenge for their Treacherous Deserting the Common Cause of Israel and for their favouring God's Enemies who had so long Tyrannized over them by this Act which they did in such a Proud Scornful and Contemptible manner ver 7. And Penuel giving Gideon no better a Treat but rather worse for they having a strong Tower in which they trusted and which they probably pointed at to shew it Gideon not only their Rulers as at Succoth but even the Common People also gave the like Scornful Taunt to him whereupon he threatned them with the same Severity and with Demolishing of their Tower wherein they placed their confidence into the bargain ver 8 9. And Gideon was as good as his word for that very night he Conquers the Kings of Midian and early next Morning he comes to execute upon Succoth before they could hear of his Victory to shut their Gates against him what he had threatned for their upbraiding him c. ver 13 14. And because this Just Man would not punish the Innocent with the Guilty therefore learns he the Names of those Proud Princes and Elders of the City that had so sinn'd both against God and against Man and finding them to be Threescore and Seventeen he taught them better Manners than to be so Barbarous to their weak any weary Brethren and tore them with Thorns and tortured them till they died and he slew the Men of Penuel who had been equally guilty with the Elders of Succoth and therefore their Punishment must be alike Capital in both Only the Tower of Penuel was beaten down because it was the ground of their Confidence or rather Impudence in scorning Gideon ver 15 16 17. The Second Act of Justice Gideon executed was upon Zeba and Zalmunna the two Kings of Midian after Ephraim had executed the other two Oreb and Zeeb and brought their Heads to him Judg. 7.25 for Midian had many Kings we read of Five Kings of Midian in Moses's time Numb 31.8 Those two Kings Gideon pursues after his first Nights Conquest keeps no common Road with his Three Hundred weak and weary Men but went by the way of them that dwelt in Tents ver 10 11. Among whom probably he might meet with better Succour than he had at Succoth and Penuel however God strengthened his Men for what he call'd them unto This Demonstrates that God had qualified Gideon with much Dexterity in Military Matters and with excellent skill in improving Politick Stratagems He had no due to Hannibal's Character Vincere scis Hannibal uti Victoriâ nescis Gideon knew better than he both how to win and how to wear a Victory More like this brave General was to Julius Caesar of whom Lucian saith Nil Actum Credens dum quid Superesset agendum He thought nothing was done while any thing remained that was yet undone Gideon accordingly well knew that now was his time and he took it without delay to compleat his Victory while the Consternation of the last Nights Conquest continued upon that odd escaped Remnant which yet were at this time grown secure and laid down to sleep being wearied with their hasty Flight all the Day before and never expecting that Gideon could pursue them when got so far from the place of the last Nights Battel and so near their own Countrey without resting his Army some part of that day being so tired with their hard Service and their great Slaughter therefore is it said the Host was secure ver 11. And therefore was it that Gideon then assaulted them in the very next Night of their Security well knowing not only that the weakness of his Army appeared not to the Enemy by Night which Day-light would have discovered and so have encourag'd them to have waged War against them but also because the terrour of the last Nights Defeat still lay with force upon them so Gideon fetch'd a compass and falls upon them on the East-side of their Army where they never feared an Enemy and their Security usher'd in their Destruction The like Cry being now likely made on their second Onset the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon This affrighted them the more because of its sad effects the Night before Gideon smote the Host takes the two Kings Captive and returns early next Morning to Succoth as before ver 12 13. And now he brings Zeba and Zalmunna after he had shewed them as his Capitves to Succoth and Penuel who had upbraided him with them that they were not yet in his Hands to be Judged by the General according to Martial Law N. B. And in order hereunto he asks them What manner of Men were they whom ye slew at Tabor in which Mount many Israelites hid themselves at the Midianites Inroad and Invasion Judg 6.2 and some of them were found out in their Holes and Holds and were slain there whom Gideon suspected might be his Brethren because he missed them and could hear no Tidings of them therefore he makes Enquiry What was the Outward Shape and Quality of those Men whom they slew at that Mount The two Captive Kings answered him That they were like Beni Hammelech Hebr. the Children of a King brave portly Men and of a Majestick Carriage and Countenance ver 18. By this Description of theirs which was only to Ingratiate themselves with the Conquerour Gideon plainly understood that the Men Murthered by those Kings of Midian were his Brethren whom he knew to have a stately Comportment like himself though all of them were of a mean Family Judg. 6.14 15. Hereupon Gideon passeth Sentence upon them That both of them should Die ver 19. making their Murther the moving Cause thereof Seeing his Brethren's Beauty had not moved them to no more Lenity but so barbarously to Butcher them in cold Blood therefore he was by the Law Deut. 19.6 12. the avenger of their Blood Otherwise those Kings being not Canaanites he was not obliged to kill them unless by that Law Numb 31.2 3. Now though Gideon had found out a moving Cause yet wants he an Instrumental Cause to kill those two Captive and Condemned Kings Hereupon he calls forth Jether his First-born and so the beginning of his Strength Gen. 49.4 to be his Executioner ver 20. This Commission he gave his Son both to animate him in the use of his Arms against God's Enemies and to Inure him in Manly Warlike work from his Youth as likewise to make him have some share with himself in the Honour of the Victory Thus Joshua had Honoured his Captains Josh 10.24 But Jether not from any neglect of his Father's Command but meerly from his own Youthful fear refused the Office N. B. Note well First The two Kings were
but now he must be made a Captain as Samuel had foretold it 1 Sam. 8.11 12. as a step to the Kingdom whereunto he was Anointed and whereof he was no less assured Psal 63 11. The second part is Saul's Envy and Hatred the matter and form whereof is expressed in v. 8. how it had its Conception and Nativity the foul effects follow Remarks hereon are First Saul was very wroth with the Womens singing ten times more Praises to David than to himself Chrysostom and others do blame the Women for so doing because all Comparisons are odious even among equals how much more when an Inferiour is made equal to his Superiour but most of all when a Subject is preferr'd before his Soveraign this seems to have some Imprudence in it especially when such a Song would for the same of it spread far and near even into other Lands as indeed it did even into the Philistines Countrey chap. 21.9 and 29.5 those Songs of Triumph for this famous Victory were so solemnly transacted so that Saul seemeth to have just cause of displeasure against the Women for their Imprudent Actings but still be had no just cause of Anger against Innocent David who had so modestly behaved himself all along before Saul that he might easily gather it was neither David's desire or design much less his doing that any thing least of all that so much should be ascribed to him therefore the same Chrysostom excellently observeth that Saul's Anger against David was altogether without cause and he qualifies the fault and folly if any were indeed in their so doing being over-ruled by God so to do c. in the Women for N. B. Their Ascribing to Saul more than he deserved because he suffered the Philistines Champion to Challenge and Desie the Army of the Israel of God and to Blaspheme the God of Israel twice a Day for forty Days together yet he cowardly kept himself in his Camp for safety and durst not venture to vindicate God's Glory and the Honour of Israel whereas the Women attributed to David less than his due seeing to him as to an Instrument of God's Hand the whole Glory of the Victory ought to have been deservedly ascribed he was the only Agent and Saul was but a Patient and an Idle Spectator in the grand Conquering Controversie Yet the Women do give him some praise However in David there was no fault for he neither composed nor sang the Song The Second Remark is The first product or effect of Saul's Envious Heart against David which was his looking upon David with an Envious Eye with a Lowring Look and with a Sowre Frowning Countenance v. 9. This Vitium Diabolicum or Devilish Sin of Envy from the Envious one lay boiling in his Heart ever after the Womens singing so and his saying What can David have more but the Kingdom Invidiâ Siculi non Invenere Tyranni Majus Tormentum saith Horace The Tyrants of Sicily never invented a worse Torment than Envy which now became a burning fire in Saul's Bosome and as a Worm that uncessantly gnawed upon his Entrails N. B. Saul now began to think that David was the Man that Samuel had twice told him of A Man after God's own Heart chap. 13.14 and A Man better than me chap. 15.28 to whom my Kingdom must be transferr'd I now see God is gone from me in those Royal Gifts he once gave me but now they shine forth in David Kings hate Corrivals thus Saul hated David in his Heart when he saw him God's Darling and the Peoples Favourite and though he was a dissembling Hypocrite carrying plausibly with Court Complements toward David because he knew this pleased his Son Jonathan a great Crony with him and his Subjects generally yet could he not hide his Heart-Hatred but discovered it by an Envious Eye and a Malicious Aspect such a Countenance he cast upon David as Cain did upon Abel Gen. 4 5 6. Heu quà m Difficile est Crimen non prodere Vultu Though he sometimes gilded over his inward Malice with outward shews of Love to David yet could he not at all times conceal his Hypocrisie but discovered it by his Countenance The Third Remark is Saul's Envious Heart and Eye revived his Melancholick Distemper and the Devil of Discontent sets him now into a new Phrenzy v. 10. which while David endeavoured to qualifie by playing upon his Harp as at other times Saul raved and raged like a mad Prophet a Kings 9.11 and being acted and agitated by the Devil his Hand now as his Eye had done before doth make a new discovery of his secret Dissimulation For this Tyrant being as terrible to himself a Magormissabib Jer. 20. 3 4. terrour to himself as he had been to others kept ever a Javelin by him for his own defence this the Hypocrite snatches up in a Fury hurls it with great force at David N B. Who for his kindness in Harping to cure Saul's Melancholy hath this Javelin cast at him to kill him and to prick him to the Wall v. 11. tho' as Chrysostom well observeth Saul could not have sufficiently Honoured David had he taken the Crown from off his own Head and placed it upon the Head of David seeing he owed to him both his Kingdom and his very Life This was truly Diabolical to requite David evil for good yea and now while David was doing this good Office for him whereof he had formerly such good experience of great Success and had not the Devil been in him he would surely never have done it to good David N. B. Note well These three things here The First is The Devil was not so in Saul as to take away altogether the use of his Reason but suffers Saul to exercise it for execrable ends Saul could say to himself Now have I a fair opportunity to kill David Some suppose that Satan prompted Saul to prophesie of Divine things politickly to lull David asleep that he might dispatch him the better while he feared no danger The second is God over-shoots the Devil in his own Bow in making Saul's Javelin to miss David's Body who made David's stone to hit Goliah's Forchead and kill him The third thing is David in thus escaping is a Type of Christ who while he sought to cure the Jews they sought to kill him yet did he escape them often Luke 4.18 19 20. and John 8.59 till his hour was come Thus David escaped twice once here v. 11. and again chap. 19.10 The Fourth Remark is Saul's sending David away from his Court at Gibeah whither Saul marched from the Camp and Jonathan together with David after he had put him into a Soldier and a Courtiers Garb In their way thither was that Song so offensive to Saul sung by the Women as is aforesaid however Saul Hypocritically hides his Malice till he had the opportunity of casting a Javelin at David which he marvelously avoided as is before related N. B. Now Saul taketh new measures
been not long before this detained before the Lord under pretence of great piety Chap. 21.7 with this very High-Priest Ahimelech yet now impeacheth him of no less Crime than High Treason wretchedly wresting all that he saw and heard done or said at that time relating to David to the most mischievous misconstructions and all along concealing that part of the truth which he was obliged to declare for Ahimelechs just defence namely how he was circumvented by David's plausible pretences so could not be an Accessary to any such supposed Conspiracy with David against Saul N. B. Note well Upon this Occasion David composeth his fifty second Psalm as appears by the Title wherein Doeg is rightly reputed a Lyar and stigmatiz'd he stands for ever upon Scripture Record for his Lying tongue for though he told some truth to Saul here yet not for any love to truth or justice but for Devilish Ends both for incensing Saul and for disgracing both David and the Priests of the Lord. The Fourth Remark is The Massacre of the Lords Priests by Doog both Informer and Executioner at the Command of Saul that bloody Tyrant ver 11. to the 19. wherein we have an account of many sad Circumstances of that most savage Tragedy as First Upon the Evidence given by this cursed Informer Doeg Saul sends out his Summons and serves a Citation by his Apparitors upon Ahimelech and all that wore a Linnen Ephod to appear personally before him at Gibeah N. B. Here Saul stay'd and stood in a Tyrannical posture with a Spear in his hand ver 6. being always under a guilty affrightment of receiving harm from others and always in a ready posture of doing mischief to others N. B. Saul citeth those Priests of the Lord under a pretence of Justice tho' his intent was to be both their Accuser and their Judge and resolv'd before hand they should all dye whatever good defence they could make for themselves and for the saving of their own lives ver 11. The second Circumstance is Ahimelech and the rest appear at Saul's Summons each man in person then Saul impeaches them of High Treason in Conspiring with David against their Leige Lord and Sovereign which Charge or Accusation he could only prove by presumption and probability ver 12 13. Saying In so much as you have contributed your best Assistance to that Grand Rebel David you are Abettors of his Rebellion and therefore you shall dye and Saul was in such a rage here that speaking to Ahimelech in the name of the rest he disdain'd to call him by his own name but the best Title he can afford him was thou Son of Ahitub in a way of contumely because he was resolv'd to condemn him right or wrong though his Arraignment was false for what he did was done in the integrity of his heart The Third Circumstance is Ahimelech's Apology and Answer to the Indictment ver 14 15. wherein the Defendant Argues against this Royal Plaintiff in defence of his own innocency saying First As to David he declareth what David had formerly been both really in himself and relatively in the common estimation both of King and People insomuch that Saul himself had judg'd him worthy to receive him into a Royal Relation in his Court by making him the King's Son-in-Law c. As to present differences that had lately happened between Saul and David he did not take upon him to determine N. B. Some here do say that Ahimelech did not speak words of wisdom in so highly commending David to Saul's face whom he saw so hotly incensed against him at this time whatever he had been formerly But others do better affirm that this Holy High Priest wholly laid aside all Worldly Policy not acting like the Politicians of our times who to curry favour with an Angry Tyrant would acknowledge their mistake and would have promised they will know David better for time to come c. This good Man abhor'd such subtle and sinful shifts but in the honesty of his heart and in all godly simplicity will give David his due rather than debauch his own Conscience he will justifie the righteous tho' he tacitly tax Saul of Tyranny therein and so run himself into desperate danger of his life thereby N. B. In this Apology Secondly Ahimelech speaks as to himself having done with David saying This is not the first time that I have enquired of God for David had it been so there had been some ground of jealousie for my being a Conspirator knowing that David was now fallen under the King's displeasure tho' it hath oft been so before yet have they been as oft again reconcil'd but seeing it hath been my constant custom thus to enquire of God for him in former times when he hath been sent forth upon the King's service therefore this thing ought not to be imputed to me for a fault which is and hath often been but the duty of my Priesthood much less for a treacherous Conspiracy against my Soveraign which my Soul abhorreth and whereof I am altogether ignorant less or more N. B. Though he might know something of Saul's displeasure against David at some times yet this he might ascribe to the violence of Saul's frantick Disease as Jonathan had done Chap. 20.2 and not to himself seeing when his passion was over he had been reconciled to David and gave him security by Oath but he knew nothing of any Treasonable Design c. The Fourth Circumstance is Saul's rash pronouncing that harsh Sentence of Death against innocent Ahimelech and his whole Family of Priests ver 16. Here Saul plaid the part of a bloody Tyrant N. B. This was the worst Act that ever Saul did saith Theodoret and a great cause of his destruction saith Josephus like an unjust Judge he desperately shuts his ears to the High Priests just defence and damnably passeth this bloody doom of death upon him and not upon him only but upon all his Fathers House also and all this upon the single and malicious Testimony of a false and flattering Sycophant whereas the Law of God requireth that none should dye under two or three Credible Witnesses Deut. 17.6 c. Nor doth he take any time to deliberate for discovering any other Testimonies as Reasons why those Innocents ought not to die but without delay in a furious rage he denounced this illegal and rash doom and as furiously proceeds he from this cruel Sentence to a present bloody Execution N. B. It may well be wondred at why Ahimelech did not Apologize at lest now in so desperate a pinch and tell Saul that David had deceived him and drew him on to all he did for him by all those Lyes which he had told him this Allegation might seem most effectual for the High Priests excuse but not a word of this for 't is probable this good man was unwilling by excusing himself of a seeming fault to accuse David of a fault that was both foul and real
I shall one day perish c. Wherein Mark First David instead of Consulting with God either by the Prophet Gad or by the High-Priest Abiathar with the Vrim and Thummim doth consult here with the Carnal Reason of his own Heart which is the worst Counselor in the World David did not trust in God when afraid as Psal 56.3 And Josephus tells us he took Counsel from his Company none of the best such as Abishai who had twice counselled him to kill the King Secondly Mark here David's mighty mistake in saying from the dictates of such blind councel aforesaid There is nothing better for me than to flee to the Philistines When indeed there was nothing worse for him upon many accouâ—â—â— N. B. Note well The sum of the Reasons demonstrating how David ran upon a desperate Rock here briefly be First He forsakes the place where God had settled him by the Prophet Gad chap. 22.3 5. and had given him assurance of Divine Protection by a special promise yea and much experience of manifold deliverances from Saul by Gods Providence The Second Reason is Seeing God had check'd David for living with the Moabites which was more tolerable as being the Posterity of Righteous Lot c. How could David devise it the best for him to flee unto the Philistines who were of the number of those Cursed Nations whom God had devoted to utter destruction and with whom God had forbidden Israel to make Leagues or to live among them The Third Reason is David well knew what a professed Enemy to them they looked upon him to be both for his killing their Goliah and for his slaying Two Hundred of them whom he Circumcised after they were slain which was the highest Affront to that uncircumcised Nation besides all other slaughters he made among them in other Battles and Victories 'T is strange how David could expect any safety among such a People after so many unpardonable provocations and say 'T is best for me to flee thither The Fourth Reason is This act of David was a scandal to the weak and a scorn to the wicked As his own Nation on the one hand could not but be offended at David's deserting the cause of God and exposing them now weakned by his withdrawment with a considerable company of their most expert and most experienced Souldiers to the Invasions and Incursions of their Enemies round about c. So on the other hand the Philistines could not but scorn David and call him a Turn-Coat so wound Religion and the Professors of it through his sides as if they were a pack and parcel of Men who notwithstanding their plausible pretences of Profession would tack about to the Enemies side for their own safety and advantage and so betray the cause of God and of his People The Fifth Reason is Hereby David voluntarily incurred the penalty of that direful Curse and Doom which his own mouth had denounced against Doeg and the other Court-Sycophants of Saul for driving him out of God's Inheritance and tantamont for commanding Him to go and Worship other Gods chap. 26.19 And now David does that to himself for which he Curseth them The Sixth Reason is Hereby David involved himself unavoidably into that odious sin of ingratitude Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris which hath all sins in the Belly of it by his present procuring protection and provision from that very People whom be knew God would have him when he came to be King to fight against as God's and his mortal Enemies Where was David's gratitude to them then for this their present protection of him from Saul's persecution The Seventh Reason is How could this be the best for David to do which did expose him to so many Snares and Sins As the Sequel of this History doth Demonstrate The Second Remark is David departs to Achish King of the Philistines c. v. 2 3. Where Observe First Whether this doing was best or worst for David he thought himself forced to do it through his fear of Saul's irreconcilable Rage which made him so fickle in all his Oaths and Promises of Friendship Secondly No doubt but David did first obtain the publick Faith of this King by his Agents that had agreed upon Terms for his safe abode in Gath the Capital City c. Thirdly David might well hope Achish would be glad to entertain him partly because he freed himself from the most formidable Enemy he had in all Israel now when he was designing a War against them He feared David more than Saul And partly because David came not now alone as he did before chap. 21.12 but now brought pledges enough of his Fidelity So Achish before David's Fear became now his Friend The Third Remark is These Tidings being told Saul that David was fled to the Philistines he sought no more after him v. 4. Which implyeth Saul would have sought him again had David staid within Sauls Dominions so restless and irreconcilable was hi Malice against him notwithstanding all his Oaths and Promises to the contrary therefore David had some pretence of fear and so got Himself and his Six Hundred Souldiers with their Wives c. out of his reach The Second â—art of this Chapter is the Accidents that befel David in this place of his Retirement Remarks upon it are First David's Humble and Modest Petition to Achish for a place to dwell in not liking to dwell in the Roral City v. 5. For 1. David found Gath where the King had his Court a bad Air to breath in for his own and his Friends Devotion Exeat ex Aulâ qui volet esse pius He that would be truly Religious must not resort to an Irreligious Court c. No doubt but as Lot was in Sodom he was also vexed with Court-Vices 2. He might fear that his Friends and Followers would soon be corrupted with both the Idolatry and Immorality of the City 3. He might desire a distinct place for himself and all his Men c. where they should Worship God freely and not offend the Philistines 4. That he might not be ensnared to fight for the Philistines against Israel which he now knew they were designing to do 5. That he might make unknown Incursions into neighbouring Nations such as God had devoted to Destruction c. The Second Remark is Achish's Liberality unto David in granting his Petition and bestowing so great a City as Ziklag upon him so capacious as to receive David and his Six Hundred Souldiers with all their Wives and Children v. 6. N. B The King gave David Ziklag not only to Inhabit in for the present but to Possess it as his own to oblige him the more whom he knew well able to serve him in his Wars N. B. Though this City had been given to the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.31 and after to the Tribe of Simeon mingled with Judah Josh 19.1 5. yet had the Philistines kept Possession of it until this time the Israelites not
to David at Hebron and there makes a League with David to bring about all the Tribes to him that He might become the King of the whole Kingdom All this Abner did the more freely to David because he had felt the pulses of all the Israelites in general canting them into a compliance by the cogency of three flying Arguments His First is a Jucundo saying Ye sought to make David King heretofore v. 17. now this will gratifie all your desires Had he spoke out he might have added but I have hitherto hindred you His Second Argument is Ab Honesto The Lord hath declared it to be his will that David should Reign v. 18. here he Hucksters God's word for his own ends pretending Religion and Divine Authority for David but intending satisfaction to his own Pride and Revenge against Ishbosheth whom he would sell with the word of God and buy David therewith saith Peter Martyr this is the guise of Hypocrites thus to Huckster with the word of God 2 Cor. 2.17 and to colour over their wicked designs as if all Abner did here was only in obedience to God's Command Abner's Third Argument is Ab Utili He tells all the Tribes that David was the Man whom God had designed for their Deliverance not only from the Philistines but also from all other their Enemies therefore saith he turn to David your Deliverer and this will be your advantage v. 18. Nor was this all but he applies himself to the Tribe of Benjamin in particular v. 19. because they were of Saul's Kindred and would be least willing the Kingdom should go out of their Tribe into Judah's This shews what a notable Artist Abner was in endeavouring to win this Valiant Tribe so much addicted to Saul into a compliance with David for tho' he had got a satisfactory Answer from all the other Tribes yet this Tribe so nigh Judah and of so much Prowess once won over to David would gain the whole Point And notwithstanding all Abner's Rhetorical Oration to them it appeareth from 1 Chron. 12.29 that three Thousand of them stood off from David and endeavoured to keep the Kingdom in their own Tribe The Second Remark upon the third means is Abner's Address to David having Michal with him and twenty Men for a Guard and being flush'd with fair Promises from the Elders both of Israel and Benjamin it may easily be supposed he was welcome to David who both made a League with him and a Feast for him as was Customary at Covenant Contracts Gen. 26.30 31.44.46 and no doubt but there was mirth and joy enough at this Feast v. 19 20. Some do reckon this as a fault in David for though he might well be merry for both the recovery of his beloved Michal and the hope he now had of the whole Kingdom yet did he over-familiarly Feast this Wicked Man Semper Deo displicet Societas piorum cum impiis saith Peter Martyr God never likes Plowing with an Ox and an Ass yoked together tho' this his Feasting Abner for Civil Ends was not sinful in it self seeing it was not David's free choice nor out of any love to his Company c. N. B. Yet because David did all this without once consulting with God for direction herein he fail'd and therefore this whole Transaction had a most Tragical Conclusion God would frustrate David's Carnal Policy here that David might acknowledge himself bound to God for promoting him to the Kingdom of Israel and not to Abner who was a Traitor to his King Ishbosheth God would not suffer such a Man on such grounds to promote David The Third Remark is The Death of Abner wherein a marvelous Contexture of Divine Providence is very obvious to observation for no sooner is Abner departed from David to perform what he had promised in bringing about all Israel to him v. 21. but Joab returns with Rich Spoils taken from the Philistines who taking the Advantage of this discord betwixt the two Houses of Saul and David had made a new Incursion into Judah v. 22. Presently the Courtiers to curry favour tell Joab the story of Abner's Noble Reception and Amicable Dismission by David c. v. 23. Joab immediately runs to David and over-boldly bluntly and boisterously chargeth him with indiscretion in dismissing so dangerous a Person in peace who assuredly came as a Spie and Traytor c. v. 24 25. interpreting Abner's League to be put a Plot of Treachery and thus sweetning his over-sawcy reproof with a pretence of his love to David whereas his intent indeed was self-love lest Abner by this Eminent Service should worm him out of his place of being Chief General of the Royal Army Hereupon Joab flung out in a great Fury because saith Peter Martyr David would not answer him or because his rage would not suffer him to stay for the King's Reply but hasten'd to his Revenge so sent Messengers in the King's Name to recall Abner saith Josephus as if David had forgot himself in something of importance v. 26. Thus Joab feared neither the displeasure of God nor of David and hence was it that David did so diligently excuse himself from having any hand in designing Abner's Death afterward v. 28. The Fourth Remark is Abner's Treacherous Murther wherein Mark First The Murtherers are the two Brothers Joab and Abishai v. 27 30. for tho' it was Joab's sole Act yet Abishai was an Abettor of the Act it was not done without his privity and consent there is little difference faveà sne sceleri an scelus facias to hold the Bag is as bad as to fill it Secondly The Cause of their murthering Abner was because he had slain their Brother Asahel Chap. 2.23 but this was no just cause for what Abner did was in the heat of War and with protested reluctancy as before but now that matter was amicably composed and it was also a time of sublime peace so it ought not to be done in cold blood Thirdly The manner how he was murthered Joab calls Abner aside when he had recall'd him by the King's Warrant as a Friend and as if he had some Secret to whisper into his ear about the King's Affairs but instead thereof he most treacherously smote him under the fifth rib as he had done to Asahel Chap. 2.23 whereof he died c. Mark 4. The place of the Murther It was the gate of the City the place of Judicature which made Joab less suspected and Abner less suspicious and more careless of his own defence otherwise he might have made his part good against Joab and not have died as a Fool v. 33. The last Remark is David's Apology about the death of Abner wherein 1. He protesteth his own and his Kingdom 's innocency from so heinous and crying a Crime v 28. making his solemn Appeal to an all-knowing God concerning it and therefore he feared not that God would punish him or his Kingdom for it 2. He demonstrates his innocency to Men
of Worthies to the Lord 's Anointed even to David the youngest of them N. B. Which is an evident Demonstration of the freeness of God's choice in causing the first to be last and the last first Mat. 20.16 God will honour whom he willeth or abase c. Rom. 9.15 16 17 18. 2 Sam. CHAP. XXIV THIS Chapter is an admirable Description of an horrible Pestilence upon Israel consisting of three parts First Its procuring Cause Secondly Its Progress and Proceeding Effects and Thirdly The Period put to it in the issue c. Remarks upon the First Part are First The Procuring Cause principal and less principal was three-fold God Satan and David v. 1. wherein Mark First God is the Primus Motor the First Mover not only Philosophy but also Divinity so styleth him By him we live move and have our being Act. 17.28 the nature and essence even of Evil Actions is from God but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorder and malignity of the actions comes from Satan and from our selves The most holy God cannot be the Author of any unholy disorder or disposition which be naturally in every man's heart by the fall of Adam and which regeneration it self non totaliter sanat as Aquinas's Phrase is doth not totally cure because we are only renewed in part and have in us still as it were the Company of two Armies Cant. 6.13 tho' we be Shulamites that is at peace with God as to our state still there is an Army of Flesh warring against the Army of the Spirit in us Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.15.19 21 23 c. So that 't is said here God moved David as 't is said God stir'd up Saul against David 1 Sam. 26.19 and God bade Shimei Curse him 2 Sam. 16.10 and God bid a Lying Spirit deceive Ahab to his destruction 1 King 22.22 and God turned the hearts of the Egyptians to hate his People Psal 105.25 and God made Men to err from his ways Isa 63.17 and God sends strong delusions 2 Thes 2.11 and God hardem Pharaoh's heart c. God is said to do all these things as a just Judge to punish one sin with another not by infusing Sin but by withdrawing Grace which he is not bound to give unto any c. Deus Removet prohibens scilicet gratiam suam saith Peter Martyr God removes his grace that hinders sin that he may punish sin with sin when he is angry as God was here with Israel v. 1. which though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicts sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellecta Tho' it be spoken after the manner of Men who punish when they are Angry but must be understood according to the Majesty of God who cannot be subject to any Human passions Mark Secondly 't is expresly said Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David c. 1 Chron. 21.1 Standing is the Plantiff's posture at Man's Tribual Satan signifying an Adversary and an Accuser Rev. 12.10 and a Plaintiff at Law 1 Pet. 5. 8. he is repesented in this posture of standing before God's Tribunal after the manner of Men condescending to our capacities Job 1.6 Psal 109.6 1 King 22.21 Zach. 3.1 and so in 1 Chron. 21.1 where the Devil stands begging leave of God to tempt David for a mischief to Israel for God Tempts no Man Jam. 1.13 N. B. Piscator saith here God moved David as the first cause of all motions as they are meer motions and likewise so far as they are punishments but Satan moved him as he is the first cause of all sins so far as they are Sins And Lavater adds Satan did directly move David to this Act of Numbering the People as it was a sin and God only indirectly moved him to it as a punishment for Sin Thus the seeming contradiction is Solved and Salved Satan provoked David to it as it tended to a sin in David and God being provoked not only permitted but also moved him to do it as it tended to a Punishment of Israel Bishop Hall interprets it thus Both God and Satan are said to move David to Number the People God by permission Satan by Suggestion God as a Judge Satan as an Enemy God as in a punishment for Sin Satan as in an act of Sin God ordering it wisely for Good but Satan maliciously intending it for Evil c. Mark Thirdly David was likewise one principal cause of procuring this Plague as the Head Sinner with the Body his People God was Again Angry with Israel ver 1. again that is after the late Three Years Famine for Saul's sin is the Plague sent for Famine and the Plague are seldom asunder or it might be for their abuse of that Plenty and Peace Israel now enjoyed or for their now putting over much confidence in the King and his many Worthies named in the foregoing Chapter or it was for their so little Regarding and their so oft Revolting from David's Kingdom under Absalom and Sheba It was for some General Sin of the whole Land well known to God though unknown to us that the Lord was so Angry with Israel as to send a Plague upon them N. B. Therefore saith Peter Martyr out of Gregory Subjects ought not to be Angry at their Princes when they fall into any Vice but rather ascribe the cause of their falls unto themselves and to their own Sins because a Prince otherwise good may be left to fall for the faults of their People as David was here God was so far Angry with Israel as to desert David and leave him to himself so that he yielded to that Satanical suggestion especially when not barely tempted but violently prot voked thereto It daily dogg'd him till it conquered him his closing herewith brought a dreadful destruction upon his People The Second Remark is How the Lord was displeased with David as well as with Israel for his many Sins also as well as for his Numbering the People First Some say for his Injury to Uriah because he is last named among his Worthies in the last verse of chap. 23. immediately preceeding this ver 1. where 't is said God was angry again Secondly Others Say That David's Heart began now to be pricked up with Pride at his present Peace and Prosperity and at the large Catalogue of Brave Heroes that Divine Providence had now provided for him Hereupon he was prompted to take a Catalouge of his People also Therefore the Lord saw it a seasonable time to prick this Bladder of Pride with the Pin of a Plague the effect of his Arrogancy and Curiosity c. God having his Holy Hand both in his Sin and in his Punishment N. B. For 1. God holding the Devil like a Dog in a string looseth him off at David as the owner of the Beast may suffer his Dog to bait the Beast during his pleasure Thus Satan by God's sufferance Bull-baits David and wearies him with his renewed provocations until he had fastened his Temptation upon him Go Number the People
Plenty so far as is necessary Prov. 3.16 1 Tim. 4.8 't is the Character of an Impious man not to call upon God Psal 14.4 Yea God promises long life to him here ver 14. upon condition of his Constancy this as the Oar turns the Boat another way c. Thus have we seen how Solomon obtained his unparallel'd Wisdom in the Gift and Habit now in the next place we have the Act and Enercise of it The occasion was when Solomon had received this transcendent Gift at Gibeon He comes home to Sion solemnly to praise God with his Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings c. for so matchless a Mercy ver 15. Then God order'd it so Two Harlots stood before the King for Judgment ver 16. in a Controversie between them 't is supposed they had complained to inferiour Courts and the controversie could not be concluded there therefore make they their Appeal to Solomon for whom God purposely Reserved it that he might give the first Specimen and Demonstration of his profound Prudence received from the Lord in his Appearnce to him at Gibeon by his most wisely deciding this dark Case publickly before the People N. B. Behold here the most wonderful Trial of the Darkest Case and Difficultest Cause that ever was transacted before any Humane Tribunal either in Civil or in Sacred Records from ver 16 to the end of the Chapter Remarks upon this stupendous Tryal by Solomon The First is that which was previous to it ver 15. The Time when it was namely immediately after Solomon had solemniz'd his Marriage-day with his Wife which was Divine Wisdom saith Sanctius This Solomon solemnly observed as an high Festival-day by giving God his part in his Burnt Offering the Lord's Priests their part in his Peace offering and with the rest He feasted all his Subjects as Peter Martyr well marketh that accompanied him in this Solemnity at Sion this was to quicken them in thankfulness The Second Remark is the Persons that came to complain to Solomon as he sat upon his Throne the Supream Judge of Israel These are called Zonoth which some rend Hostesses or Victuallers rather than Harlots as I have noted before concerning Rahab Josh 2.1 c. for which these Reasons are rendred 1. Holy David durst not neglect that Law of God which saith There shall be no Whore of the Daughters of Israel Deut. 23.17 If Harlots were not permitted in any part of Israel much less in Jerusalem call'd the Holy City N. B. Not like to Vnholy Rome at this Day which allows of Common Stews and Brothel Houses paying a vast Revenue to the Pope ad purgandos Renes as their Phrase is to purge the Reins of their Vnmarried Priests especially in the three hot Months but cursed be that Remedy of Sin that is it self a Sin God will not have a Gain to be recompens'd with such a loss The Second Reason as neither David nor Solomon would tolerate common Harlots so neither durst any such have presented themselves before so Wise and so Just a Judge as Solomon was The Third Reason nor do common Harlots use to bring forth Children but use all the means they can to prevent their Conception or to make away their Brats if born for the better concealing their shame c. The Fourth Reason Those two Women had better Affections for their new-born Children than for the most part Harlots now have These two express here greater Care and Love than such do c. N. B. But the other Opinion that they were Harlots seems more probable 1. Seeing we hear of no Husbands they had whose proper Office it had been to contest for righting their Wives 2. They lived a solitary Life in one House like a couple of Misses maintain'd by their fornicating Gallants privately 3. Lavater addeth that they were Envious Impudent and Litigious as Harlots use to be quarrelling each with other through Emulation 't was lately the Language of a Royal Harlot to her Corrival Two of a Trade can never agree but seeing the Hebrew Word Zoneh signifies both an Hostess and an Harlot they might possibly be both the former by their publick Profession and the latter by their secret Practice as Junius and Piscator Judge and not common Whores The Third Remark is they both come before the King and the true Mother of the living Child is the Plaintiff and first States her Case complaining of a Plagiary that her Child was stolen out of her Bosom by her Co-partner but alas she had no witness to prove it yet she confidently affirms that when the other Woman had smother'd her own Child by over-laying it she steals my Babe out of my Bosom when I was fast asleep about Midnight and laies her own Dead Child in its Room c. ver 16 17 18 19 20 21. The Fourth Remark is now the other Woman comes to her turn of Answering as Defendant and peremptorily denies the Fact and puts her to produce her Witnesses for it belong'd not to her to Disprove this Matter of Difference 'T is the received Rule in Philosophy Affirmanti incumbit probatio they that Affirm must prove the Affirmative but none are obliged to prove Negatives This Advantage the Lyar and Denyer had against her that spake truly and it concern'd her the more to deny the Deed because as Sanctius saith her fear was she should be question'd for murthering her Child for either Law or Custom appointed a Punishment for those that either willingly or by carelessness destroyed their Children The Fifth Remark is when Solomon saw that she who had the Truth on her side would not be overcome by the Impudency of the Lyar and Denier ver 22. Yet was there no Evidence the Yea of the One was of no more Credit saith Peter Martyr than the Nay of the other because they were both equally Women of bad Name and Fame as reputed Harlots These Scolding Contradictions of Yea and Nay so oft repeated undoubtedly made the Matter of Controversie a blind Business to all the People in the Court who now hung in suspence and could not tell which of the two to Believe herein But wise Solomon knew what he had to do in this Dark Case when he said ver 23. here 's nothing but an equal Yea and Nay without Proof Objection Why did not Solomon in this dubious Cause either sift out the Truth by cross Interrogatories or try them with tortures c Answer Peter Martyr saith These ways of examining Persons were probably not used in those times nor do we read that such Methods are required in the Law of God and Confessions constrained by squeezing Tortures are dubious oft as false as true The Sixth Remark is Solomon to decide the Difference bids bring me a Sword ver 24. This command of the King seem'd a childish Act at first to the People that stood by saith Sanctius out of Josephus and Peter Martyr addeth likely some laughed within themselves saying secretly Will the King
go cut Causes with a Sword but his Design was above theirs or the two Womens reach The Actions of wise Kings oft transcend Vulgar Capacities nor can they comprehend their deep Projects Solomon speaks with some earnestness divide the living Child in two c. ver 25. This Sword shall force Nature to speak in the Bowels of the true Mother which he well knew would work as indeed it did ver 26. She rather chus'd to have her living Son alienated than destroyed by which Motherly Affection Solomon judg'd her the true Mother ver 27. this singular Sagacity of Solomon made good Men Reverence him and bad Men Dread him as a strict Judge ver 28. N. B. 1. All wresters of God's Word 2 Pet. 3.16 Harlot-like lay their dead Fancies in the Bosom of the Scripture the Mother and steal the Living Sense from it N. B. 2. Arminians in dividing Man's Salvation betwixt God's Free Grace and Man's Free Will and Papists 'twixt Christ and Works do according to Salomon's but seeming Sentence never designing it saying give half to the one and half to the other c. N. B. 3. The King of Thrace learn'd this Lesson from Solomon when three Son 's pretended themselves Heirs to the Crown of Cimmoria that King being Dead To decide the Difference he orders them to take up their Dead Father set him as a Mark and which of the three could come nearest his Heart should have the Crown thereupon the Corps was taken up two of them shot with their utmost Dexterity but the third cried God forbid I should seem so cruel to my Father now dead who was so kind to me while living by this the King judg'd him the true Son and both the other Bastards even so are they that dare break the Heart of God as he complains Ezek. 6.9 by Belching out blasphemous Oaths c. such are no better than Bastards c. 1 Kings CHAP. IV. THIS Chapter is a Narrative of the Magnificency and Majesty of King Solomon First The Matter of it both as to his Court and as to his Kingdom and Secondly The Effects of it both as to his own Subjects and as to Neighbouring Nations yea and as to those that were afar off Remarks first upon the matter of Solomon's Majesty and Magnificency as to his Court. First This is most manifestly demonstrated in the excellent order of it both as to Ecclesiasticks to Politicks to Polemicks and to Domesticks he had a most orderly distribution of Offices v. 1 2 3 4 5 6. and Secondly How his Court was most sumptuously provided for with all good things necessary both Animate and Inanimate for food every day to foreign Embassadors which were not a few v. 34. as well as to his own numerous Courtiers ver 7 22 23 27 28. The Second Remark is As to his Kingdom he appointed Twelve Governours over all the Twelve Tribes of Israel who are all named from v. 8 to 19. as all Men of Renown which is a confirmation of what is said that Solomon Reigned over all Israel v. 1. which was more than what his Father David did in the first seven years of his Reign and more than any of his Successors did save his Son Rehoboam only for a short space Chap 12.16 And tho' Israel and Judah enjoyed a sublime Peace under his Government v. 25. both without fear of any foreign Invasions and without Danger of Domestick Divisions yet maketh he all Warlike provisions providing forty thousand stalls of Horses v. 26. for furnishing his four thousand sttables 2 Chron. 9.25 each of which had ten stalls or partitions containing ten Horses at least a piece and tho' this great number seems forbidden Deut. 17.16 and both Joshua and David houghed the Horses they won from their Enemies yet Peter Martyr says Solomon sin'd not against that Law seeing he trusted not in his Horses Prov. 21.31 and he might have some peculiar dispensation from God tho' not Recorded because God promis'd him the greatest Grandeur and the highest Splendor of all the Kings of the Earth as a Type of the Messiah's Glorious Kingdom And this Reign of Solomon was the Golden Age of Israel therefore had they little cause to complain of his yoke after Chap. 12.4 Others are of Opinion That Solomon sinned in multiplying Horses as well as in multiplying Wives c. So Lavater and others affirm Chap. 11.1 2. The Second Part is the effects of Solomon's Magnificency and first upon his own Subjects Remarks upon it are First The Plenty both of Persons and things that Solomon's peaceable Kingdom produced v. 20 22 23. his Subjects did eat and drink plentifully and peaceably as well as himself without fear of foes The Second Remark is Their making merry was not only in one part but in all the parts of the Kingdom v. 24 25. having peace on all sides round about him whose name was peaceabe as Solomon in Hebrew signifies wherein he was a lively Type of Christ that Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 who as he was brought from Heaven with that Song of peace Luke 2.14 so he returned back again to Heaven with that farewell of peace Joh. 14.27 leaving to the World as one well observeth the Gospel of Peace Eph. 2.17 which worketh that peace that surpasseth all understanding Phil. 4.7 N. B. How may Christ's subjects eat their bread with joy and drink their wine with a merry heart when they know God accepts their persons and performances Eccles 9.7 All are accepted in that beloved one Eph. 1.6 and why are they so lean from day to day seeing they are Sons and Daughters to such a King of peace 2 Sam. 13.4 who gives them the white stone and the new Name Revel 2.17 enough and enough to make them everlastingly merry and that in the midst of a thousand Crosses and Casualties The Third Remark is Solomon's Subjects made thus merry not only for a few years but for forty years this mirth continued all the Reign of Solomon v. 21 25. notwithstanding his Apostasy for as God's truth appeared in performing that promise Chap. 3.13 giving him all this peace and plenty So God's love and long sufferance was mightily magnified in this that tho' he so foully fell afterward yet God continued this his goodness to him all his days Indeed God stirred up some Adversaries Chap. 11.14.23.26 but they were such as did more mischief to his posterity than to himself Secondly The Effects upon his Neighbours as well as his Subjects v. 21 24. wherein Mark First All Neighbouring Nations became subjected to Solomon's Dominion as far as to the River Euphrates which was their Coast Northward as God had promised Gen. 15.18 Exod. 23.31 Deut. 11.24 Josh 1.4 as the Land of the Philistines was their Coast on the West and Egypt on the South Numb 34.3 4 5. all the Kings that bordered upon Israel became subject to King Solomon Mark Secondly All the adjacent Kings of Moab Ammon Edom Syria c. which David subdued
also because none were so Skilful for squaring Stone and hewing Timber as the Sidonians who lived saith Grotius among Woods and Quarries so they were train'd up therein Mark Thirdly Several Men have their several gifts saith Peter Martyr and several Countries their several Abilities and Commodities Solomon had Materials within himself for Lebanon was either wholly or in part in his jurisdiction saith Peter Martyr therefore he desires not Hiram to give him Cedars which were his own already but Hiram had the Artificers whom Solomon desired him to send to exercise their Curious Art and Skill upon his Materials N. B. This was not without a Mystery that the Sydonians and Tyrians who were ingenious Gentiles must be called in to assist Solomon's Servants who were Hebrews in this building of a Temple for God Not only saith Peter Martyr to teach us that it is lawful for pious persons to make use of Impious Ethnicks Arts both Writings and Handy-works as occasion is offered but more especially it holds forth the call of the Gentiles Tho' the Jews only meddled with the Tabernacle of Moses in the Wilderness yet Solomon's Temple must not be built in that Holy City Jerusalem the Metropolis of Canaan without the aid of those Gentile Tyrians The Jews whether they will or not will must not build up the Gospel Temple or Church of Christ without the concurrence of Gentile Believers Paul said the Jews together with us Gentiles make up an House for God Eph. 2.13 14. Mark Fourthly Solomon's Commutative Justice in promising a due proportion of wages for those Tyrians true work the Workman he judged was worthy of his wages which he propounded Hiram gratefully accepts of his proposal v. 6 7 8. and Solomon as punctually performs the Contract in sending food a scarce Commodity in Hiram's Country having its supplies from Judea Ezek. 27.17 Acts 12.20 Materials Hiram exchanges for meat with Solomon v. 9 10 11. The Second Cause after the matter is the form of the Temple implyed in ver 12. namely in Solomon's Wisdom wherein he increased more and more not only because he shewed so much Wisdom in transacting this important League with King Hiram tending to the Temple building as Peter Martyr saith but 't is said here the Lord gave Solomon Wisdom as an additional gift to Chap. 3.12 and Chap. 4.29 namely Architectonick Wisdom an artificial skill in contriving and carrying on stately Structures a dexterous discretion for this present purpose God giving him the Idea or notion of the Temple in his mind as a model whereby the future fabrick was to be framed The Third is The Efficient Cause and this is twofold Instrumental or principal the Instruments were three 1. Labourers such as were stone-cutters and hewers of Timber 2. Porters that bare burthens as stones out of Quarries and Timber to the Carpenter's hands and 3. The Artificers that fitted both the Wood and the Stone for the Fabrick v. 13 14 15 17 18. then the principal Officers were the Master-Builders over-seeing all v. 16. Remarks hereupon are First The polished materials for this Typical Temple were two-fold First the best of Wood Cedars which God himself did point out to be done 2 Sam. 7.7 because 't is a wood most sound strong fragrant and durable not knotty nor subject to worms c. and secondly the best of building-stones call'd Costly even for the foundation v. 17. even Marble of all sorts the very foundation-stones were not rude and rugged but they were both of great value and well hewed that they might bed the better tho' they could not afterwards be obvious to the eye when under ground This was done not for necessity saith Peter Martyr but for Magnificency and to signifie to us that as the whole Temple did Typifie the whole Mystical Body of Christ which is his Church built up with growing stones and green Timber sanctified in Christ Jesus call'd to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.3 Cant. 1.16 17 c. So this foundation represents Christ the Foundation of the Church 1 Cor. 3.10 Eph. 2.20 Isa 28.16 hid from the World yet precious in himself c. And it teaches also that God is not all for the eye but pleases himself with his Saints hidden worth Remark the Second is God's tenderness to Temple-Builders those Labourers were one mouth labouring in Lebanon and two months at home by turns v. 14. their time of rest at home with their Relations was double to their time of labour N. B. Let Superiors learn from God and Solomon here to make the yoke as easie as they can to their Inferiours lest they lose their Affections and procure their Imprecations Remark the Third is that of Dr. Hall the Temple was all framed in Lebanon but it was set up in Sion So that neither Ax nor Hammer was heard in that Holy Structure all the noise was in Lebanon to fit every thing for its place made nothing but noise there but nothing in Sion save silence and peace Chap. 6.7 N. B. What ever tumults be in the World let Concord be in the Church Remark the Fourth Those Stone-squaring Giblites v. 18. were Pagans Ezek. 27.9 Psal 83.7 yet used about the Temple for their Squaring skill So Humane Learning may be used in Divine Discourses so it be not for vain ostentation for that is to make a Calf of the Ear-rings brought out of Egypt The Last Cause is the End for which this Temple was built It was unto the Name of the Lord God of Israel v. 5. when Solomon had no Satan or Adversary against him v. 4. the Devil was then Chain'd up but after this broke loose and because he could not hinder this will not only imitate it but endeavours to out-do it in Diana's Temple at Ephesus Act. 19.27 28. which was built unto the Devil's Name and not only built of Cedar like this of Solomon's as Vitruvius relateth but was likewise longer and larger than was this at Jerusalem as other Authors do assure us 220 years in Building and built in a place where no Earthquake could move it 't was 425 foot long 220 broad and had 1â—7 Pillars given by so many Kings c. The End why Solomon built his Temple is mention'd again Chap. 6. v. 12. he Built it for the Lord. 1 Kings CHAP. VI. THIS Chapter is a sacred Narrative of the Magnificence and Splendor of Solomon's Temple The General Remark first upon it is This Temple of Solomon was the most Famous Fabrick that ever was framed in the whole World Barbara Pyramidum sileat miracula Memphis c. Tho' the Egyptian Pyramids Diana's Temple c. were most stately Structures yet none of the Seven Wonders of the World were ever accounted comparable to this Temple of Solomon as appeareth by many Testimonies of Learned Authors as First That of Alsteda a Man who was aliquis in omnibus a Magazine of all kinds of Science both Humane and Divine he saith in his Encuclopedia lib. 15. pag. 1593. his
more to strengthen his Faith for a just revenge upon his insulting Adversary Ruach render'd here a Blast signifies a Spirit which was saith Grotius that spiritual Substance the Angel of God who destroy'd the Assyrian Army ver 35. which was a most stormy Blast and a terrible Tempest indeed a Plague saith Josephus Mark 4. And he shall hear a Rumour namely Tidings of Tirhakah's Invading his Land ver 9. with a vast Ethiopian Army as 2 Chron. 14.9 this must needs affright and divert Senacherib so Josephus this Rumour made him return to his own Land but rather that Ruine of his Army ver 35 36. where he fell by the Sword ver 37. Mark 5. Oh what a comfortable Cordial did Isaiah hand here to Hezekiah assuring him of the Truth of this Prophetick Promise in all its Branches And how happy was Hezekiah in having an Heart willing to advise with the Prophet Isaiah in such a Crisis of Affairs which was so blest with such an happy Issue 〈◊〉 N.B. But how unhappy was good Josiah whose Heart neglected to advise with that famous Prophet Jeremiah or with Zephaniah c who were then living at that Time beside a whole College of Seers when he went to War against Pharaoh Necho The omission of this Duty made him rush headlong upon his own Death in whom died the whole State of Israel as may be seen after Chap. 23.29 2 Chron. 35.22 Now come we to the Third Act in this Comedy which describes Rabshukeh's Departure and the moving Cause thereof ver 8 9. and the Railing Letters that were sent in the room of Rabshakeh Remarks hereupon are First Rabshakeh returns to Senacherib to give him an Account of the Treaty and to advise what was farther to be acted upon the Jews's Obstinacy yet leaving his Army behind him under the Conduct of Tartan and Rabsaris Commanders to carry on the Siege But finding his King removed with his other huge Host from Lachish to Libnah upon Tidings that Tirhakah had designed to fight against him hereupon he sends his Threatning Letters Remark the Second The King of Ethiopia's Invading Assyria broke all the measures of Senacherib and gave him such a marvelous Diversion from the Cities of Judah â—as Saul had from pursuing David when a Messenger came and told him that the Philistines had invaded his Land 1 Sam. 23.27 28. which place David therefore call'd Selangh Hammelekoth the Rock of Division because there God divided Saul from his Prey So here Senacherib was loath to let go his hold of Lachish and Libnah with one of his Armies Lachish was a very strong City Chap. 14.19 and likely Senacherib found the taking of it too difficult a task at this Time so was gone now to besiege Libnah when Tidings came of Tirhakah's Invasion c. which when he heard saith Vatablus he rais'd his Siege in that place to March against the King of Ethiopia with that Army but still his other huge Host besieged Jerusalem and more loath he was to let it go than either Lachish or Libnah being most eager to lick his Lips with it the King consults Rabshakeh then those hectoring Letters are sent to Cajole them into compliance Remark the Third The Contents of these Letters were at the best a compleat Roll of Rabshakeh's rudest and most railing Rhetorick Senacherib here Sings the same Song over again in these Writings which Rabshakeh had deliver'd by Word of Mouth in the foregoing Chapter ver 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. with ver 10 11 12 13. here and those Letter-Carriers are commanded to deliver the summe of what was written by Word of Mouth lest Hezekiah when he receiv'd the Letters should lay them aside and conceal them from the Knowledge of the People whom he design'd to Wheedle c. or to terrifie them into a Submission both by Word or Writing Now follows the Fourth Act when these Letters were received Remark the First Hezekiah carries this rude Roll of Railery and black Blasphemy into the Temple and spread it before the Lord the most Just and Jealous God vor 14. this he did not to inform the All-knowing God as if he knew it not but for the quickning of his own Spirit and for the strengthning of his own Faith the more thereby being saith Piscator at the Ark of God's Presence Remark the Second Then he Prays a most Pathetical Prayer ver 15 16 17 18 19. wherein 1. He pitches upon one of God's proper Attributes to prop up his Prayer 2. His Motive for God's revenge he makes Rabshakeh's reproaching the living God 3. He confesseth what ought to be confessed that Senacherib had conquer'd the false Gods because but Wood and Stone 4. He runs over those Arguments wherewith he had fill'd his Mouth and finally having a Promise before he puts it into Suit by Prayer preferring God's Glory before his own Preservation and pressing the Lord to make his Power known at this Juncture that all other Kingdoms may acknowledge with us that thou art the only Jehovah Remark the Third Nor would Hezekiah having done all this dare to tempt the Lord by neglect of such means as might be subservient to God's Providence but he doth many more Matters in order to his own Defence and Deliverance which are Recorded in 2 Chron. 32. ver 3 4 5 6 7 8. Mark 1. Because Water was a scarce Commodity in Canaan's Countrey and the want of it might much annoy the Assyrian Army therefore he stopp'd the Fountains without the Walls with Earth yet convey'd Water by Pipes under ground into the City ver 3 4. N.B. Oh that we could starve Satan thus by mortifying our earthly members Col. 3.5 so cause him to depart from us as Luke 4.13 Mark 2. He rebuilt the Wall that King Joash had broke down 2 Chron. 25.23 and mounted Engines upon the Tower Gates for his better Defence ver 5. Mark 3. He settles his Guards round the City ver 6. to stop the Rapid Torrent of Senacherib that came like an over-flowing fierce River Isa 8.7 Mark 4. He Comforts his Captains c. saying Fear not our Foes who trust in an Arm of Flesh for our God will quickly curse it Jer. 17.5 and cause the strongest Sinew in his Arm to Crack With us is the Lord our God Hebr. Gnimmanu Jehovah Elohenu which imports Immanuel the Name of Christ whereby he began to be known amongst them N.B. Thus ought we to go to Christ when Satan assaults our Souls or our Land telling him The stretching out of his Wings hath filled thy Land O Immanuel Isa 8.8 Vatablus and Osiander read this Phrase ver 7 8. Plures nobiscum quam cum illis There be more with us than with them as 2 Kings 6.16 for we have God's help and an Army of Angels N.B. Now if Antigonus in the time of the Maccabees could say to his fearful Souldiers fearing the Multitude of their Enemies but how many do ye reckon me for how much more may we reckon
by Ezekiel Chap. 48.31 and more fully Amplified by John Rev. 21. ver 12.14 16. where the New Jerusalem is the Emblem is described to consist of 12 Gates which are 12 Pearls and had 12 Angels to watch them The Wall of that Holy City hath 12 Foundations whereon were written those 12 Apostles answering the 12 Tribes of Israel And the measure of this City is 12 Thousand Furlongs Then again Rev. 22.2 The Tree of Life that stood in the midst of the Street of that Holy City beareth 12 manner of Fruits yea and yieldeth its Fruits in every of the 12 Months of the Year in Winter as well as in Summer So that all along here is Relation to the affairs of the Church God seemeth to affect the number of 12 above all others Note From which weighty consideration Dr. Potter doth wittily and learnedly make his Remarkable conclusions both about the Measure of the Wall of this New Jerusalem and about the number of the Apocalyptick Beast Saying to the first That the measure of the Wall of the City is said to be 144 Cubits which cannot be the measure of the compass it being too little for that nor either of the heigth or breadth of the Wall it being as much too great for both of them therefore must it be meant of the Square-measure or Root-number of 12 For 12 times 12 make 144. So that the Wall was 12 Cubits high and 12 Cubits broad Rev. 21.17 The like observation that Doctor makes upon the 144 Thousand the number of Christ's sealed Servants Rev. 7.4 and of his Holy Retinue that would not comply with Antichristian Idolatry Rev. 14.3 4. The Square Root of which number is 12 also But on the contrary as the latter The number of the Beast is said to be 666 Rev. 13.18 The Square Root of which number saith he is 25 a number that is much affected by Antichrist in his 25 Parishes Cardinals Gates Windows Altars Articles Holy days c. As the number 12 is by our Lord Christ Matthias must be chosen to make up the Eleven remaining Apostles the Round and Root-number of Twelve and because no Apostle had power to ordain another the Lord himself must make the choice by ordering the lot to fall upon this Man Pro. 16. last Acts 1.26 And he must be such a Man as had been an Eye-witness of the Lord's Resurrection Acts 1.22 which was a point not only of greatest difficulty to be believed but also of weightiest importance for supporting the Christian Faith and not only of that but also of the whole Doctrine Life Death Resurrection and Ascension too whereof Matthias was one of the Spectators upon Mount Olivet which was the place from whence he Ascended into Heaven Mark 16.19 Luke 24.51 Acts 1.19 12. Bethany laying in the bottom of it and the Garden wherein he had his Agony and was betrayed c. And this Mount our Lord chused to Ascend upon be cause it was in the view of Jerusalem where he had been scorned condemned and crucified about the same distance from the City as was betwixt the Ark and the People Joshua 3.4 From hence the rather our Lord Ascended that he might begin to receive his Crown and Glory nigh to the place where he had endured his Cross and Contempt c. Because I did adjourn our Lord's Ascension to this proper place where we have not only the Twelve Apostles those same principal secretaries of the Spirit and therefore his Successors but also many more Disciples eye-wittnesses thereof let me here give a distinct Discourse upon it as before upon his Resurrection The Grand Remarks upon Christ's Ascension be reducible to those three Heads 1. The Antecedents 2. The Concomitants 3. The Consequents of it which was the Second degree of his State of his Exaltation as his Resurrection was the first And his sitting down at God's Right-hand a place higher than that of Angels those Ministring Spirits that stand about the Caelestial Throne is the Third degree In the general first Matthew saith nothing at all of our Saviour's Ascension nor doth John give us any account thereof Mark is very brief Mark 16.19 20. But Luke is large upon it both in his Gospel Luke 24.50 51 c. and in his Acts of the Apostles the undoubted Author of which Book was that Evangelist as the Preface plainly implies where he gives a more full History of Christ's Ascension Acts 1. from ver 1. to ver 13. Note The commonly received opinion is that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ St. Mark his Ten after St. Luke his Fifteen after and St. John his Forty two years after our Lord's Death St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Judea so mentioneth nothing of Christ's Ascension because there was none in that Countrey who doubted of it being seen of above 500 so nigh Jerusalem c. But Mark and Luke wrote theirs out of that Countrey where they found many that heard nothing of it And seeing they both had recorded it There was no need for John to mention it whose principal work was to Relate such passages as had been omitted by all the other three The hardned Jews will by no means believe the Ascension of Christ into Heaven but on the contrary do make his Descent into Hell their principal and unquestioned Article blasphemously affirming that our Christ is tormented there in boyling and scalding Zoah or Dung because he received not the Traditions of their Chachamims or Elders yea they make him a false Prophet and a Prophane wretch like Esau aying The Soul of Esau entred into the Body of Christ for this cause they call Christians Edomites as the Jew of Maroceo pag. 172.173 saith More particularly now The first Remark of his Ascension is the Antecedents thereof which have a short relation by St. Mark Chap. 16.19 after the Lord had spoken to them to wit when he had delivered all the precepts and promises which his pleasure was to deliver to his Disciples during the 40 days he endured upon Earth N.B. though immediatly when he rose from the Grave his Right was to go up to Heaven but he waved his own Glory so long for the Churche's good Now having nothing more to say or do for settling his Church save only to Seal up all by sending the Holy Spirit he Ascends up into Heaven Luke Chap 24.50 51 is more large Relating how he led his Disciples forth as far as that part of the Mount of Olives which belonged to the Village of Bethany being a place where he had oft been praying and where as some say he mounted the Ass and Rode in Triumph to the City here will he take his Chariot of State and ride in Triumph up from thence into Heaven but first he doth lift up his hands and blesseth his Disciples here which was not so much the posture Accommodated to the Religious Action of his praying for them but rather a more Authoritative Act in the most
Deputy from the Faith N.B. Oh unhappy Princes in having such Parasitical claw-backs so familiarly in their presence This Magician is said to be with the Deputy had too much of the Proconsul's Ear formerly and now would have turned him away from his eternal happiness The greatest Opposers of the Sacred Truth have been the greatest Courtiers The Unclean Spirits those Internal Frogs thrust themselves into Kings Palaces Rev. 16.14 As the Plague of Frogs did into King Pharaoh's Palace and Bed-chamber Exod. 8.3 This is a pestilent place for Impostors to be present in and so become a Plague to too many over-credulous Potentates too easily imposed upon The Arrians crept into Kings Courts in their time and the Jesuits learnt of them to do the same And the like do the Arminians learn of them as Utenbogardus in the Low Countreys whatever all these or any of these have done or do now in our own Countrey The Pope hath his Nuncio's his Legates 〈◊〉 latere to resist Reformation and to support his tottering Kingdom but all in vain as here c. The fourth Remarks is This Diabolical Sorcerer of whose Corporation were those Vagabond Exorcists Acts 19.13 c. N.B. Gave the first occasion of changing the name of Saul into Paul for as Luke the Author of this Book never before call'd this great Apostle Paul so he never after this calleth him Saul There be various conjectures among the Learned Antient and Modern about these two names given to this one single Apostle Acts 13.9 1. The most current Opinion among the Antients is that he had this name of Paul given him at his Conversion and Baptism For Ambrose writeth wittily upon this thus Before this Apostle was washed with Spiritual Precepts he was a Blasphemer and a Saul but when the Rain of heavenly Washing had flowed down upon him then the Blasphemer the Persecutor and the Saul was slain but the Apostle the righteous and the Paul was revived And to the like purpose saith Augustin After that this man was brought to the Master to learn of him how to be meek and gentle c. Then Saul laid aside his old Coat of Sin and of being bloody with Slaughters and took upon him the Coat of Gentleness and Humility so of a Saul was made a Paul The second Opinion is that of Origen that he had two names after the manner of other Hebrews and to him agreeth Anselm but Oecumenius steps farther saying that seeing some other Apostles had two names given them by Christ this same Apostle must not have less honour in this respect than the other Apostles therefore Christ changeth his name that what chief thing the Prince of the Apostles had namely Peter Bar-Jona this man might have also and so receive an Argument of greater conjunction They all think this was done at his Conversion but if so then Luke would have changed Saul into Paul ever after that or at the least would have used indifferently sometimes the one name and sometimes the other especially when he came among the Jews again The third Conjecture is various about the Etymology of these two names in Hebrew Greek and Latine 1. The Hebrew name Saul was the name of a proud and bloody King signifying Thirsty or desirous of Blood therefore no desirable name but now when this Wolf had left worrying Christ's Lambs and became one of those Lambs himself that name must be changed into Paul which is derived either from Palah to segregate as he was now chosen and segregated from the World or from Pagnal to work for Christ's heart-changing and life-changing work appeared now in him passively and he was now called unto the great Apostolical work of Christ from his former Damnable work of the Devil N.B. 2. The Greek as Hierom and Ephrem c. say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name taken from Turbulency but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rest and Quiet or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cessando because Christ had quenched the Fire of Hell in him and made him to cease from his fiery Persecution Or lastly of Pi the Hebrew word for a mouth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word for a Trumpet because this man must now become as mad for Christ as ever he had been against him 2 Cor. 5.13 and must now become as mad for Christ as ever he had been against him 2 Cor. 5.13 and must open his mouth to sound out like a Trumpet the Grace of the Gospel of Christ N.B. 3. The Latine Paulus Augustin deriveth quasi paululus or parvulus because of a proud Pharisee he became an humble Disciple of Christ But to leave these curious Criticisms N.B. The â—ourth and best Opinion is That his Hebrew name Saul was changed into the Roman name Paul when he began his Ministry among the Gentiles For hitherto he had conversed among the Jews and Syrians unto whom the name Saul was most acceptable N.B. Therefore Luke calls him only by that name while his Ministry continued among them but now beginning to speak here of his Ministry among the Gentiles he advisedly recordeth him by this new name of Paul ever after for having begun his Apostleship of the uncircumcision it was never to cease till Paul himself ceased to live And as he had hitherto been called Saul as he was a Jew-born and Hebrew of the Hebrews Phil. 3.5 so now is he called Paul as he was a Roman a free Denison of Rome Acts 22.25 26 27 28. N.B. And they of the houshold of Sergius Paulus began first to call him by this name upon the conversion of this great Proconsul whose name Paulus being put upon this Apostle it would not a little avail in moving others to Reverence him especially the Greeks and Romans among whom he here began his Apostleship seeing that name was of good account in several of the chief Roman Families He did not ambitiously arrogate this high name to himself but it was put upon him by others and principally by the Deputy for the glory of God So that this change of name like that of Roman Conquerours was probable to be a Memorandum of the first Spoils Paul brought from the Gentiles into the Church of Christ yet was it not the Head but the Heart of this Sergius Paulus which Paul conquered here c. The fifth Remark is The first Miracle that was wrought among the Gentiles must be the striking of a perverse and perverting Jew with bodily Blindness which matter may very well become an Allegory N.B. Prefiguring that most Tremendous Judgment of God upon the Jews falling at that time under a Judicial blindness of mind and hardness of heart by the just Judgment of God which is oft mentioned in Scripture Isa 6 9 10. Matth. 13.13 14 15. Mark 4.12 Luke 8.10 John 12.40 Acts 28.26 Rom. 11.8 N.B. Matthew seemeth to speak of the more proximate cause namely of their sinful Act preceding this Divine Judgment but
Isaiah John Luke and Paul of the Judicial Act of God which is the higher but remoter cause importing thus much that God first sent them Moses and the Prophets by whom they might have seen and known his Will yet still they would not see nor hear nor understand nor convert nor be healed therefore did God at the last leave them to the Reprobation of their own minds even in the Prophet Isaiah's day Now saith our Saviour what was applicable to the Jews in the Prophet's time is much more applicable to you of whom Isaiah prophesied in my time The generality of the Jews have so despised the Grace of God that their Day of Grace is now over God is resolved he will not convert nor heal them They have had light they have seen me and my works they have heard both mine and the Baptist's Sermons but in seeing they would not see and in hearing they would not hear nor understand therefore are they fallen under a Judicial Hardness and Blindness N.B. This is a Judgment in some respect worse than Hell it self for beside that God inflicts it as a punishment for former Obstinacy this Hardness of Heart is one of the greatest sins and so a far greater evil than any of the greatest punishments Hence a Reverend Man of God had this saying I had rather be in Hell with a sensible spirit than live upon Earth with an hard heart and a reprobate mind Sin being a moral evil and punishment only a natural evil therefore there is worse evil in sin than in punishment for sin N.B. Thus the Allegory runs parallel in all parts As this obstinate Jew Elimas was struck blind at the Conversion of the Gentiles so the Generation of the Jews in general were smitten at that time with Judiciary Blindness And as Paul did not doom this perverse Jew to a perpetual Blindnese but only for a season he should not see the Sun Acts 13.11 So God hath doomed the Jews in general to a blindness in part only Rom. 11.25 'T is neither total nor perpetual as this Sorcerer saw after and perhaps a Convert c. So when God shall unite those two Sticks Ezek. 37.19 c. and makes way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 then shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel Oh what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 at the Jews Conversion The sixth Remark is The bundle of Marvels in this first Miracle of blinding Elimas N.B. As 1. That it might not be objected against Paul what he spake and did was a pang and transport of unruly passion this is prudently preoccupated by that clause Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost verse 9. to signifie that what Paul said and did to this Sorcerer was not any products of that Ranting Devil Anger which makes many men mad both in their sayings and doings But all was managed under the conduct of the Holy Spirit of God N.B. 2. Paul set his Eyes upon this Sorcerer as if he would have looked through him verse 9 no doubt but with angry and burning Eyes sparkling out fiery Beams Godly Men especially Ministers have a daunting presence Acts 3.12 and 6.15 Here was just ground for Paul's holy Indignation when he saw on the one hand this Proconsul Sergius Paulus have some panting desires after the good ways of God and like a docible Disciple of Christ had already got both a listening Ear and a longing Heart after saving knowledge And on the other hand this pievish Conjurer indeavouring to blast those blessed and hopeful buddings which God hath promised to bless Isa 44.3 in the old Translation he could not but be more than a little concerned well knowing that the Conversion of a Great Man is of great consequence having many shadows to follow such a Body especially this first-fruits of the Gospel in order to the Gentiles Conversion therefore is it no wonder if Paul was so loth to lose this Governour of Cyprus who might have great Influence upon the Governed his Subjects N.B. 3. After this dazling Lightning which Paul's Incensed Eyes had darted out upon Elimas followed that terrible Thunder-crack mentioned verse 10. Oh full of all subtilty and of all mischief This was the first frightful crack Importing that this subtle Sorcerer by long dealing and trading in Sorcery had got a Dexterity in doing evil as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a facility and readiness to run the Devil's Errands The second Crack was Thou Child of the Devil John 8.44 Matth. 13.38 1 John 3.8 that not only will but must do what the Devil bids who is call'd the Destroyer and whose work it was to hinder the Salvation of this Deputy and his Family The third Crack was Thou Enemy of all Righteousness This is more than is found in any single Sinner The Adulterer is an Enemy to Chastity the Drunkard to Sobriety c. but he that hindereth others from Heaven is an Enemy to all Righteousness The fourth Crack was Wil t thou not cease to pervert the good ways of God The Greek word for pervert signifies a digging up or ditching over God's good ways so as to render them unpassable to represent them crooked which are straight in themselves this was devilish This Sorcerer lay what Rubbs he could in the way of this great Man to keep him from coming into and from continuing in the good ways of God N.B. But the fifth and last which was the loudest and most confounding Thunder-crack was in these words And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind and not see the Sun for a season and immediately there fell upon him a Mist and a Darkness and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand v. 11. Here the spire of Lightning fell effectually upon this Perverter and strikes him blind No sooner was the Doom denounced but it was immediately executed Verbum Déi est Factivum The hand of the Lord which is his Almighty Power either for Mercy or Judgment did presently accomplish what he had denounced against this Sorcerer by the mouth of his Servant N.B. Oh sad and doleful Doom If it be a pleasant thing to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 then must it be very uncomfortable to be blind Life without light is called a lifeless life N.B. This was done at Paphos where Venus had her Temple and where their old blind Superstition doted upon their blind God Cupid Now this blind Magician was made to grope for his Fellow that same blind Cupid yet little Relief would he find therein could he have found him for if the blind lead the blind both fall into the Ditch and the Leader falls lowest and undermost so have the worst of it even the hottest place in Hell Matth. 1◠14 N.B. Thus the Lord smote those sinful Sodomites with Blindness so that they wearied themselves to find Lot's Door and found it not for their mischievous Intentions Gen. 19.11 And thus the Cavalry of the
mis-rule can be well enough Content with the concord and confederacies of the wicked for he will not have his Kingdom divided by such combinations as they are Conspiracies against Christ's Kingdom so they are the Corroborations and Confirmations of his own Therefore doth he only envy the happy Harmony of those that are the truly Religious This very consideration should be a sufficient caution to all good men least they be too far Imbarked into the Salt Sea of contention and that they do not overshoot themselves even in the best causes least if we be over hot one against another God's wrath may be kindled more hot against us all Wo and alas for those over sharp disputes and differences in our day My Soul doth mourn in secret for them We want the Angel that hath power over the fire to quench it c. Rev. 14.18 The second Remark is The best of Men are but Men at the best Those two Eminent Apostles being attempted to be worshipped at Lystra as a couple of Gods then staved off those blind Devotionists with crying out to them They were men of like passions with themselves c. Acts 14.15 and here they do testifie that same in their deeds which they there had affirmed only in words Their passions made them part as Abraham and Lot parted through a strife among their Servants Gen. 13.9 yet may we well suppose that their passions did not destroy their habits of Grace infused into both their hearts by the Holy Ghost They being good men both of them still kept the Unity of Faith in the hond of peace And though Barnabas were more blame-worthy according to the Judgment of the Greek fathers who say Paul only sought that which was just but Barnabas that which was Humane Divine matters ought to be consulted in the cause of Christ more than natural Relations which are oft times cloggs in clear duty And John mark 's pusillanimity in declining the hardships and Hazards of the Ministry once might well be judged that the same might be his Temptation again in their second enterprize N.B. Notwithstanding all this yet Barnabas being so good a man and full of the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 could not but retain his cordial friendship with Paul and Paul must do the same with him having still an holy respect of and an hearty Prayer for one another as undoubtedly it was no otherwise betwixt Lot and Abraham though they parted asunder 't is clearly intimated Gen. 18.31 that Abraham prayed for Lot in Sodom not giving over begging till he had prevailed with God in Baiting from fifty to ten and then might Abraham hope that peradventure ten Righteous persons might be found in Lot's numerous Family for the sparing of Sodom and her four Sisters Gomorrah Adimah Zeboim and Zoar however Lot was preserved at Abraham's prayer for him and Charity bids us think that Righteous Lot prayed also for Abraham The third Remark is The Sincere reproofs of the Righteous to Offenders are singular and real kindnesses Psal 141.5 So they proved here c. And Solomon saith Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Pro. 9.8 to wit for that faithfulness he findeth in thee and for that benefit he receiveth from thee Open Rebuke is better than secret Love Pro. 27.5 And faithful are the wounds of a Friend verse 6. though they put a man to some shame and pain too for the present yet afterward they do good and therefore are more desirable than flatterys because beneficial such woundings or smitings with the Tongue as they do prevent the evil consequences of sin so they are the best acts of the most faithful friendship Thus Paul's severe reflections upon John Mark here was so blest to him say the Greek Fathers also that it made him for the future more diligent and valiant in the cause of the Gospel which occasioned that kind Salutation Paul giveth him Col. 4.10 and which sheweth they were reconciled again and came into friendly and familiar fellowship This Mark repented of his sin and became profitable to Paul for the Ministry as Paul tells Timothy 2 Tim. 4 11. and was with Paul at Rome Phile. v. 24 as his Fellow-labourer and Evangelist and least the Church at Colosse or any of the other Churches should take up a prejudice against Mark for his leaving Paul and his company in Pamphylia Acts 13.13 therefore doth Paul give orders that if he came amongst them they might kindly entertain him as he was Peter's Spiritual Son 1 Pet. 5.13 Col. 4.10 And though Barnabas by standing so stiff for his Nephew against Paul his faithful Fellow-traveller had much disgusted him when Natural affection sway'd that good Man over much in the case of his Kinsman yea and again in his being found halting with Peter Gal. 2.13 rather than he would walk uprightly with his old Associate Paul verse 14. for the which Paul reproved them both yet doth Paul make an honourable mention of this same Barnabas 1 Cor. 9.6 matching him with himself in equal Apostolical power which flowed from his great holy ingenuity as it was in Peter to make such an honourable mention of Paul who had reproved him 2 Pet. 3.15 Oh! that all differences among Saints were thus amicably composed as here c. CHAP. XVI Paul and Silas sent out again NOw those two great Apostles being thus divided about their Companion in their work go their several ways Barnabas takes Mark and goeth to Cyprus that Island in the Mediterranean Sea and which was Barnabas's Native Soil Acts 4.36 After whose sailing to Cyprus nothing is recorded what honour this prophet found in his own Countrey 't is probable not much not only because Christ had foretold that such seldom meet with good success in their Ministry John 4.44 but also because had Barnabas's labours among his Kindered and Acquaintance been answerable to his Love and Affections toward them the Sacred Scripture could not have been silent concerning any such success And this may moreover be the more doubted because we find not that Barnabas and Mark were now sent away to Cyprus by any solemn Recommendation of the Church at Antioch as Paul and Silas were to their work they two were Recommended unto the grace of God Acts 15.39 40. that they might have the Spirits conduct and assistance but not a word of the Church's prayer for Barnabas and Mark when they sailed to Cyprus Therefore have we a distinct and exact account of Paul and Silas's Travells Actions and Success in their Perambulation through Syria and Cilicia confirming those Churches that had lately been planted in those Countreys Acts 11.19 and 15.23 c. to which also the late Decree of the Council at Jerusalem was directed that they might by their exhortations and answering of offered objections be incouraged to persevere in the profession of the Gospel of Christ which they had heard Acts 15.41 The sacred Journalls of Scripture do Record their Stations and Actions first in Asia and then
Earth Revel 11.10 never considering that those Saints in the Earth Psalms 16.3 do bear up the Pillars of the Earth Psalms 75.3 and that God gratifies his own Servants with the preservation of their persecutors as he did Paul with the live of all those Infidels who were in the Ship with him Acts 27.24 37 42. Thus the Stagg in the Emblem by biting off the boughs under which he lay hid from the Hunters bewrays and betrays himself into their hands c. The third Remark is Paul chused to labour with his hands rather than he would disadvantage the Gospel or become burdensome to those poor people who had here received the Gospel 'T is said He wrought with Aquila in Tent-making Acts 18.3 This Trade Paul learnt before he was called to the Ministry N. B. The most Learned among the Jews did alway learn some Handy-craft-Trade holding themselves obliged by their Traditional Law that every Father must teach his Child some Trade and their Rabbi Judah saith that whosoever doth not teach his Child a Trade doth as bad as if he bad him go play the Thief Paul therefore having learnt this Trade of a Tent-maker did work with his hands here for his own subsistency as he did in other places upon the same exigent 1 Cor. 4.12 1 Thes 2.9 and 2 Thes 3.8 Paul had power enough and warrant to challenge Maintenance for his Preaching-work as he intimateth many times over in his Epistles N. B. But 1. There was not yet any Church at Corinth to maintain him 2. When there was a Church there he would take nothing of the Gentiles for the greater honour and promotion of the Gospel among them 3. The persons that embraced the Gospel and believed were mostly the most mean persons as appears most probably from 1 Corinth 1.26 Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called Therefore spared he those poor Proselytes and would not be burdensome to them 4 It was to shew that he sought them more than theirs their persons to be saved by him more than their purses for him to be sustained by them N.B. Yet did he assert his own Right and the Right of Ministers by Divine Appointment 1 Cor. 9.6 11 12 14 c. But because of the present Necessity and Emergency of Affairs he denied himself here as Acts 20.34 2 Cor. 11.7 8. and 2 Thes 3.9 c. working with his hands in sowing Skins together whereon to make Tents used much by the Souldiers in those hot Countreys and by others also to keep off the violence of the Weather c. N.B. Hereupon one saith of him That he was no less busie in his Shop among his Tents than in his Study among his Books and Parchments which he mentions 2 Tim. 4.13 yet was it no work of supererogation as the Romanists say for in this case it was a duty saving the honour of the Ministry but no general Rule So thus Musculus when driven out of his place by Persecution was forced to pick up a poor living by Digging and Weaving And a late Martyr as great a Scholar as Europe had being banished served a Mason for his livelihood The fourth Remark is That painful Preachers must not be blamed for the blood of their perishing People N.B. Paul saith here I am clean your blood be upon your own heads ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I am not in the fault if ye perish The Kill-Christ Jews cryed His blood be upon our heads Matth. 27.25 that is the guilt and punishment thereof Accordingly Paul proposeth his speech to his opposers your blood be upon your own heads answerable to that aforesaid wish in their wretched Imprecation and according to the Jews Custom of the Witnesses laying their hands upon the head of the guilty person as devoting him thereby to death Deut. 17.7 And as the Sacrificers laid their hands upon the head of the Beast to be sacrificed whereby they transmitted their own sin upon the Sacrifice Exod. 29.10 15. and Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 c. N.B. But they had another manner of the High Priest's laying his hands upon the Scape-Goat's head also Levit. 16.10 21. that this Live-Goat might carry away all their sins from them along with him into the Land of everlasting forgetfulness never to be remembred against them any more as Isa 43.25 which was a Type of our Dear Redeemer upon whom God hath laid all our Iniquities Isa 53.6 7. and whom those Opposers rejected when tendered to them by Paul's Preaching Christ and therefore Paul tells them they were so many Felo's de se Self-destroyers and were guilty of their own Death and Damnation for seeing they refused that Christ should redeem them and save them from their sins they must bear their own burdens which without Repentance would bear them down into the bottomless Pit N.B. Nor could Paul be charged with the loss of their Souls for he was free from their blood because he had warned them of their Damnable State and shewn the way of Life and Salvation to them He had blown the Trumpet c. Ezek. 3.17 18 19 20 21. and 33.4 5 6 7 8 9. The Watch-man must give warning of Danger if his warning be effectual for Reformation then both the Warner and the Warned do deliver and save their own Souls If the Watch-man's Warning be not heeded by the Hearers they shall die in their sins but there is no danger to the Watch-man for he did his duty as Paul did here But if the Watch-man give no Warning not only the Sinner dies by his unrepented-of-sins but also the Minister by his not admonishing the Sinner becomes involved in that guilt death and damnation God will punish him as a Dumb Dog Isa 56.10 for not barking according to his duty to sound an Alarm of his People's danger Isa 58.1 All these passages in this Prophet Isaiah as one saith seem non Verba sed Tonitrua not Aery words but frightful Thunder-bolts What then will become of Idol-or Idle-Ministers But Paul was a better Pattern being a painful Preacher he doth his part here and would not have to answer for the blood of them that perished through any neglect in him but leaves it at their own door and upon their own heads as here and Acts c. 20. v. 26. The fifth Remark is The Lord's promise of his presence is a sweet incouragment to his Servants for their Abiding in a place and among a people notwithanding their fears from angry men and from inraged Devils Thus here the Lord Christ spake again to his Servant Paul saying be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee c. Acts 18. verse 9.10 N.B. We may well wonder what was the cause of any new fear in Paul that Christ should now say to him fear not seeing the coming of Silas and Timothy to him according to his order Acts
some besides this Pagan Governor who Judged him as mad in preaching it 2 Cor. 5.13 and in pressing towards the prize which he now persecuted so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Phil. 4.13 with as much eagerness as ever he had persecuted or prosecuted the poor saints and servants of Christ while he made havock of them Acts 8.3 The ninth Remark is 'T is likewise highly honourable and greatly comfortable when a prisoner at the bar can beside the testimony of his own conscience make a solemn Appeal to the consciences of his Judges that he speaks nothing but the words of truth and soberness Thus Paul makes his appeal 1. To Festus with all modesty waving the reflection he reviled him not as Christ had taught him 1 Pet. 2.23 nor called him whited wall as he had done Ananias the intruder into the High-Priest's office but gives him his Noble Title tho' his person was unworthy Yet for God's ordinance of magistracy's sake mildly minding him according to his own advice 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. that his Conscience must tell him his discourse was not like as one distracted And 2. To Agrippa to whom he useth a most Rhetorical insinuation v. 26 27. which could not but leave a forcible impression upon his heart persuading him that he being Educated in Judea could not but hear of the Life Doctrine Miracles Death and Resurrection of Christ c. all which were done openly John 18.20 and he could not but believe the Prophets The tenth Remark is So convincing is the power of the Gospel and the purity of its professors that at the long run the Adversaries thereof are shamefully confounded as here 1. The King is convinced to be almost a Christian v. 28 he is brought nigh God's Kingdom yet so clogg'd with the world as we do not find he ever came there which occasion'd Paul to wish for Agrippa and all his auditory all the good that was in himself for the accomplishment of a true Christian yet to be freed from all the evils that then were upon him verse 29. 2. Festus is easily influenced by Agrippa to acquit Paul from the Crimes laid against him yet he would not release him for fear of the Jews And 3. the malitious Jews got nothing for all their travel charges and impudent importunity but a being branded for a company of cursed Caitiffs for their thirsting after the blood of the innocent in the judgment of so many honourable personages Thus are those wretches packed home to Jerusalem with a stigmatizing indelible opprobrious blot upon their names and perhaps not without horrour of Guilt within their Bosoms Notwithstanding all those acquitters of Paul like the Black-moor in the Bath and the spotted Leopard Jerem. 13.23 got no saving change by these Transactions CHAP. XXVII Paul 's passage to Rome THIS Chapter containeth Paul's Voyage from Cesarea towards Rome which may be resolved into two General parts 1. The Causes of his voyage thither And 2. The Casualties that came upon him in his passage 1st The Causes were three first Efficient which was a decree in court by the Judges ver 1. where his companions are named Secondly Formal he must not travel it by Land least the Jews should ly lurking in the way to take away his life according to their old Oath and Design but he must pass by Sea v. 2. Thirdly Material to wit the places by which they passed from Cesarea were Sidon ver 3. Cyprus v. 4. Myra v. 5 6. Gnidus ver 7. and Crete v. 7 8. 2dly The Casualties in the general was sailing was now dangerous towards the depth of winter v. 9. more particularly they are reducible to three heads 1. The Antecedents 2. The Concomitants And 3. The Consequents 1st The Antecedents are the procuring causes of all the sad casualties namely the Centurion's too much obstinacy in rejecting the Apostle's advice and his too much obsequiousness in receiving the Counsel of the Master and owner of the Ship verse 10 and 11 12. 2dly The Concomitants are 1. A contrary tempestous wind verse 13 14 15. 2. The peril of the place v. 17 18. 3. The continuance of the storm for three days v. 18 19. 4. Heaving over board the lading Merchandize And 5. An utter despair of life v. 18 19 20. in the eye of Reason c. 3dly The Consequents are the Catastrophe or comfortable issue 1. Promised by Paul not only from his prophetick Spirit but also from an angelical Vision v. 21 22 23 24 25 26. 2. Performed through the use of ordinary means by night as the casting of their Anchors v. 27 28 29. The abiding of the Marriners in the Ship v. 30 31 32. The taking of due sustenance to support nature in its strength after Paul had begged a blessing v. 33 34 35 36 37. Then the second unladeing of the Ship v. 38. Lastly what was done extraordinarily by day v. 39 40. and suffered v. 41. The Ship is lost yet all its crew saved v. 42 43 44. The Remarks from those Resolves are these The first is The disposals of all men both Saints and Sinners are determined as here it was determined verse 1. first By God himself the Supreme cause Acts 23.11 and then by those Subordinate civil Magistrates Festus Agrippa and others with whom the Governour consulted concerning Paul's passing to Rome All these great men seem to be self-condemned in their acknowledging Paul's innocency yet not setting him at Liberty This neglect of Justice they do but varnish over with a pretence of Law fulness and necessity saying he might have been freed had he not appealed unto Caesar Acts 26.32 whereas the true secondary cause was that they durst not do it for self-ends and popularity for fear of the Jews but the principal primary cause is here included it was determined otherwise by the great God who disposeth all things according to his pleasure For Paul's appeal to Ceasar did indeed bind them up only from condemning the prisoner till Nero had heard him but not at all from setting him at Liberty had they pleased because Paul might have with-drawn his Appeal and enjoyed his freedom seeing Nero had not yet made those Sanguinary Laws whereby the profession of Christianity became a Capital Crime N. B. This is comfortable to consider that even great men cannot do what they please against the Saints but what the great God pleaseth The second Remark is Saints do share with sinners in matters Secular and External 'T is said expresly there were other prisoners beside Paul v. 1. that must all be pack'd together to Nero's Court at Rome They are mingled the good with the bad in the same misery Time and chance saith Solomon happeneth alike to all Eccles. 9.11 To the one as well as to the other especially in common Calamities for Hezekâ—ah's pride did contribute to the Babylonish Captivity wherein the good Figgs were involved with the bad as well as his Son Manasseh's Abominations Tho' they be thus
presupposeth that Paul had then made his appearance before Nero-Caesar and was acquitted N.B. But besides this passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews there be other Scriptures that give us a fuller account hereof As 1. That in the 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first Answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge and therefore he orders Timothy to hasten his coming to him v. 21. looking on him as a fast Friend when all others failed From this may be observed 1st That tho' the phrase At my first answer seems to imply that Paul made more Apologies than one and so made more appearances than this as the Postscript understands it making also Timothy a Non-Resident Bishop yet it only intimates that at the very first pinch and appearance of danger All the Christians there that should have been his assistants started from him and left him to plead for himself among whom was Demas verse 10.2 Tim. 4. who sculked away to Thessalonica out of the reach of Rome when he saw this Tryal of Paul to be of a very doubtful issue 2ly Observe It is not sufficient for us to maintain the truth our selves but we ought to assist such as stand up for the truth and not shrink from them when they are in trouble for it and need our assistance Thus all Paul's Friends sinned in shrinking from him through weakness and humane frailty therefore he begs of God that he would grant them a remission of that Sin 3dly It was a very sad Circumstance in Paul's sufferings that when he had appealed to Nero himself and when Nero himself in the Court of Rome heard his cause and defence none of the Church that was at Rome nor any of those that were of his own Retinue durst own him through a fright or stand by him in so signal an encounter and in so eminent Danger where his very Christianity was Crime enough for which to be executed And Paul himself did read his own death near even in Nero's Temper v. 6.2 Tim. 4. 4thly Tho' men failed Paul yet God failed him not but stood by him 2 Tim 4. verse 17. and made him able to plead his own cause so powerfully that he was delivered out of the Lion's mouth namely from Nero so called as Tyrants and persecutors of the Church have frequently in Scripture that name of Lions put upon them Ezek. 19.2 Psal 35.17 and 91.13 Pro. 28.15 and Jerem. 2.15 47. N.B. God is never so sweet and so seasonable to his Saints as in the day of their deepest distresse God loves to help those that are forsaken of their helps and hopes N.B. The next Scripture that giveth light herein is those passages in that Epistle to the Philippians Ph. 2.21 where at this time of his imprisonment also he complains that all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ just like all forsaking him c. 2 Tim. 4. verse 16. then he goes on verse 23. Hoping to send Timothy presently to them so soon as I shall see how it will go with me He could not as yet spare him to accompany Epaphroditus until he came to a certainty what would be the Issue of his present imprisonment telling them withal that he had sat down counted the cost of Godliness and cast it up thus that he had made up a total Resignation of his own will into the holy will of God according to Acts 21.13 14. comforting himself and them with those few Considerations As 1. That hitherto his confinement had fallen out for the furtherance of the Gospel c Phil. 1.12 13 14. Tho' the Devil designed it for the hinderance thereof yet through the over-ruling providence of God so ordering it he had Liberty two whole years and opportunity of Teaching the things of Christ whereby his Chains of Iron became a greater honour to him than were those Chains of Gold which King Agrippa the Emperor Nero or any of his Judges wore with so much Ambition therefore would he not have them discouraged but comforted as the Corinthians were 2 Cor. 1.5 6 7. Acts 5.41 James 2.2 It was matter of Joy to him that all Nero's Court began to ring of his sufferings seeing their inquiry after the Cause thereof gave occasion to impart some Notions of Christ to them whereby some of them were Converted Phil. 4.22 2. He lets them know that supposing the worst though his imprisonment should determine in his death and that he should then be offered up a Sacrifice yet as this would be his own advantage so it could be no dis-service to their faith Phil. 1.21 and 2.17.18 if it should be thus sealed with his blood 3. Yet was he persuaded either by a Prophetick Spirit in a Revelation or by the Sanctifying Spirit strengthening his Faith that as his prison had been his Ark of safety for two whole years so now that he should be delivered out of the mouth of the Lion and restored to them to confirm their Faith farther with his personal presence writing thus to them And having this confidence that my still abiding in the flesh is more needful for you I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of Faith Phil. 1.24 25. and again I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly Phil 2.24 designing to follow Timothy to them Another Scripture which gives light that Paul weathered out this point and was restored to his Liberty in despight of the Lion after so long imprisonment is Philemon verse 22. but withal prepare me a Lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given to you This accords with Phil. 1.25 and 2.24 Paul had long longed to visit the Christians at Rome and had prayed for a prosperous Journey thither but had been long hindered Rom. 1.10 11 12 13. and 15.22 23. yet was he brought to Rome by such a way as he little dreamed of Little thought Paul that when he was bound at Jerusulem and posted from one prison to another that God was now sending him to Rome his longing for it might be one cause of Paul's making his appeal to Rome Acts 25.10 11.12 N.B. Now God sent him and very safe with a great Convoy to Cesarea and from thence with a great convoy God's own protection notwithstanding both the Shipwrack and the Viper as safe to Rome N.B. God goes oft another way to work for granting our desires and for doing us good than we could imagine Paul lyes prisoner at Rome two years at the end of that term he is set at liberty bespeaking his Lodgings for him at Coloss where Philemon was a Minister call'd Paul's fellow-labourer whose wife was Apphia named before Archippus another Minister Col. 4.17 whose house must be now Paul's Lodgings Philemon verse 1.22 Thus have we a full account of Paul's confidence that through the Church's prayers for him both at Philippi and
Coloss he should have again his freedom to come amongst them and therefore provides to remove his old Lodgings from Rome as a prisoner unto those Cities of Greece as a free man again which most probably he did N.B. So that if we trace Paul's hopes and intentions as they are expressed in Scripture we shall find him purposing to go to Philippi first Phil. 2.23 24. Nay yet farther to Coloss Philemon verse 22. but still farther than both even into Judea from whence he was sent prisoner to Rome Heb. 13.23 Telling those Believing Jews of Judea which was the seat of the Circumcision and the proper center of the whole circumference of those dispersed to whom James John and Jude wrote their general Epistles c. that so soon as Timothy was set at Liberty and was come to him they would both come together into those parts to visit them we are not told how long Timothy staid from Paul or where Paul was when they met together N.B. Paul mentions an intention he had of taking a Journey into Spain Rom. 15.24 28. But this intent being long agoe and he being hindred hitherto either by the Evil Spirit as 1 Thess 2.18 or by the Holy Spirit otherwise disposing of him as Acts 19. v. 6 7. or by other intervenient yet important occasions as Rom. 15.22 23. or by his own infirmities through scourges c. or by the urgent intreaties of others as Acts 10.48 and 16.15 and 28.14 N.B. But now he found some urgent causes of steering his course another way for the Apostacy he heard of in the eastern Churches plainly declared to him that there was more need for him to hasten thither than to go westward So that tho' this Journey into Spain was really intended yet is it generally concluded that he was prevented of it Man's way is not in himself Jer. 10.23 but is over-ruled by God Prov. 16 9. However 't is conjectured that Paul after this releâ—se left Rome and preached in Italy till Timothy came to him What became of this Apostle or Timothy the Scripture gives no farther light after this that he was restored to the Churches which he had planted for some years but an attempting to trace him farther without Scripture light is the way to lose our selves A Scripture Account next of James Peter Jude and John after the last account of Paul CHAP. XXX First of James and then of the rest THIS Chapter containeth the Lives of the other Apostles so far as the light of the sacred Scriptures doth lead us waving all other narratives from more uncertain and fallible hands the most of which may be marked for monkish evaporations and the frothy exuberancy of wanton brains c. And sticking still as close as we can to the infallible guidance and conduct of the word of God wherein we have yet some farther account of four Apostles namely James Peter Jude and John in their Apostolical Books N.B. The first is James who wrote the Epistle of that name Not he that was the Son of Zebedee Matth. 10.2 who was slain not long after Christ's Ascension by Herod in Jerusalem probably long before any of the Apostles began to write any of their Epistles Acts 12.1 2. But he who was the Son of Alpheus Matth. 10.3 Call'd James the less Mark 15.40 And the Lord's Brother Gal. 1.19 As being of Kin to his Family and reckoned with Peter and John as a principal Pillar Gal. 2.9 Who succeeded his martyred name-sake James the Son of Zebedee that Thundering Brother of John In his Apostleship at Jerusalem N.B. And sat President of the Council there Acts 15. And concluded it there not withstanding the presence of Peter which had been no better than an usurpation had the supremacy been solely belonging to Peter as the Romanists affirm N.B. This James was the Residentiary Apostle at Jerusalem for many years and wrote his Catholick Epistle but a little before his own Death and when the Destruction of Jerusalem and of the Jews drew nigh as appeareth by those two Expressions he useth in that Epistle to wit the coming of the Lord draweth nigh and behold the Judge standeth before the door James 5.8 9. Wherein be intimateth that the vengeance of God upon that City and People for killing Christ c. Which is foretold by our Saviour at large Matth. 24. did now approach very near N.B. As this Apostle being the Minister of the circumcision in Judea could not but be mostly look'd upon with a malicious eye by the bloody persecutors of the Gospel there so he could not but observe with his own eye how those presaging signs predicted by Christ Matth. 24. grew on apace He lived to see false Prophets arising iniquity abounding love waxing cold a betraying and undoing one another c. All fore-runners and forewarders of that approaching Destruction from whence he could not but certainly conclude that the Judge was at the door and that particular Judgment day wherein Christ would render vengeance on and avenge the quarrel of Innocent sufferers upon Tyrannical persecutors The whole Jewish Nation being now got to the very height of Rage against the Gospel and the Believers of it to the very depths of suffering for it therefore doth he properly direct his Epistle to all the twelve Tribes scattered abroad as the Lord had threatned them Deu. 28. verse 64. Wherein he comforts the persecuted Chap. 1 c. But denounceth a direfull doom against the persecutors Chap. 4. and 5. His insisting upon that point of professors animating their faith by their works makes it more than probable that this Epistle was wrote after these Epistles of Paul were written wherein the Doctrine of free grace is so strenuously asserted James observing how that wholesome and comfortable Doctrine concerning free Justification by faith without works was at that time perverted by a licentious and sensual sort of Professors rather Libertines than Christians makes his remedy suitable to their malady And chiefly endeavours to reform manners correcting the extravagancy of those loose coats Thus they that would make straight a crooked stick do bend it the contrary way to its own crookedness And thus as Augustin says this Apostle did seeing some turning the grace God which Paul had preached into wantonness He presses the point of works thus far as to justify their faith by their works or their faith could never justify their persons and that their Religion was vain if their practice contradicted their profession N.B. Paul wrote to a people many times of a Pharisaical temper who of themselves lay too much stress upon good works and therefore might he in the wisdom of God given him look upon it as superfluous to press Pharisees to a necessity of good works but James wrote to such as were loose professors who relyed too much upon a bare Historical faith which is found in Devils James 2.19 And who neglected the fruits of a saving lively faith to bring them forth but turned the