hand and so escape the Snare and the Sin No that I dare not do for she hath already threatned to accuse me to my Master whereby I shall be endanger'd to lose my life as well as liberty and good name for my Garment left in her hands will be brought in as an Evidence against me Oh what shall I do Yea his strait was the greater if as some say she held him with such strong hands and struggled with him for so long a time till some of the Servants she complained to v. 14. were returned from the Feast of Triumph Oh what Man what Good-Man nay what of the best of Men would not have been bewitched with the Charms of this Flesh-pleasing Temptation under all these aforesaid Circumstances Yet Joseph's Bow abode in strength being strengthened by God his Chastity cannot be conquered though in a strait not betwixt two but three or four great Evils Behold here how this Goodly Person so call'd Gen. 39.6 was entangled in Satan's snare wherein he had been hurry'd head-long to Hell had he not been more goodly on the inside than he was on the outside Gratior est Pulchro veniens è corpore Virtus Vertue has a better Grace that shineth from a comely Face His Brethren had rob'd him of his Garment but not of his Grace which enabled him here to abide the shock of this Temptation and fortify'd his Soul so in this desperate Conflict that he comes off Conqueror If ever any one Mortal man were famous for having all the four Cardinal Vertues at once surely it must be this Joseph at that Juncture where we may behold as in a Mirrour 1. His Temperance in his not being inticed to folly no not by his own over-kind Mistriss or Lady inticing him she the Tempter knock'd at the Door of his pure Heart and chast Soul with the Hammer of Temptation but found none to open the Door and to give either Entrance or Entertainment to so great a wickedness 2. His Justice in his not being perswaded to do his own very kind Master such a manifest Injury as treacherously to defile his Marriage-Bed 3. His Fortitude in his not being overcome by so many and daily renew'd Assaults yea and Violence at last but persevering to the End in his Holy purpose 4. His Prudence in his nor being altogether at a loss when surrounded with all those straits aforesaid but prudently Answers the Dilemma or rather Trilemma the Two-horned or rather Three-horned Argument aforementioned Shall I yield or shall I fly or shall I leave my Garment He at length in profound Wisdom answereth E duobus malis minus è Tribus minimum est eligendum of two Evils the lesser of Three the least of all ought to be chosen Though this Philosophical Maxim hold not true as to Moral Evils none of which are matter of choice the least no more than the greatest none of which must be chosen for God never necessitates any Soul to sin yet stands it good as to Inconveniencies either when opposite one to another or when an Inconvenience is opposed to something that is morally Evil as all Sin is and this was Joseph's Case to yield unto his Mistriss was a plain and palpable Sin to leave his Garment in her hand and so to flee from her and from sinning with her had no Sin or moral Evil in it 't was at worst but an Inconvenience and might produce bad effects as it did afterward yet Joseph's Prudence suggested to his Soul that the least sinning was far worse than the greatest suffering how much more this Sin which he call'd a great wickedness and whatever were the evil Consequences he might suffer by leaving his Garment behind him yet therein he did not Sin Hereupon he resolves with himself to break from this brazen-faced Curtizan and to flee away without his Garment trusting Providence with the Issue of Life Liberty and good Name rather than he would offend his God his Conscience and his kind Master by committing such a filthy Iniquity Thus he being as it were environ'd round about as with manifold Temptations from Hell so with those four Theological Vertues or Graces from Heaven did stoutly Resist the Devil Despise the World and Subdue the Flesh his Bow abode in strength being strengthened c. This is the second time that poor Joseph was strip'd of his Garment before by his Brethren and now by his Mistriss before by the Canker of Envy and now by the Violence of Lust before through Necessity but now out of Choice before to deceive his Father but now to incense his Master Joseph stays not to parley with her he had done that before to no purpose and now the Temptation was got too high for either Pleading against it or pushing at it 't was safer to flee from it than to fight with it and though he was strong enough to rescue his Coat out of her hands he runs from her These Premises produce the third Archer that shot sore at Joseph also to wit Potiphar his Master whom his Mistriss basely perverted from a kind Friend to Joseph to become his cruel Enemy because she could not pervert Joseph from his Chastity to commit Adultery with her And his overmuch Credulity to his wanton fallacious wife was the cause of his overmuch Cruelty to his chast and innocent Servant This wicked Woman shoots two Arrows at Joseph 1. At his Soul in foully tempting him to Sin 2. At his Body in falsly accusing him for Sin This succeeded casting him into Prison that though he could not be cast into Sinning yet is into Suffering The History hereof consists of four Parts all relating to Joseph's Malady after which follows the mitigation of that Malady in the close of all First His Malady or Misery l. Began in her clamorous Exclamation against Joseph Gen. 39.13 14. upon Joseph's Escape she crys out to those few that went not to the Feast and call'd Whore first as the common Saying is causing them to become her prepared pick'd Witnesses against poor Innocent Joseph where her Incontinency brought forth still more and more Impudency to cry out and say to those few about the House See he hath brought in an Hebrew to Mock us c. v. 14 15. in which filthy Calumny many Remarks are before the Eyes of an intelligent Mind She belches up and blusters forth out of her black Mouth it being as black as her Body her self being a black Gypsie or Egyptian a whose bundle of Rage Revenge and Lies all at once As 1. She dissembles high Displeasure against her Husband for bringing this Hebrew into the House calling him He by way of Scorn and contemning to call him by his Proper or Common Name 2. She calls her faithful Servant an Hebrew in the way of contempt also for the Hebrews were abhorred of the Egyptians Gen. 43.32 3. She wishes her Husband Hang'd as it were for buying and bringing this Hebrew into her House 4. She aggravates her pretended
is Mans own Concupiscence always finds him dry Tinder 3. This Lust is the Mother of Sin and Death is the Merit of it at last 4. Sin gradually incroacheth upon the Soul 1. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Seed plot of sin by Satans over shadowing begets Thoughts 2. Thoughts irritate desires 3. Then arises an inward Titillation or Contemplative Delight 4. This produces Consent 5. Then comes Action 6. Action causes Custom 7. And Custom Necessity .. Lastly comes in Death which is but a modest word for Damnation the first and second Death being implied in it Thus sin never stands still at a stay but from Concupiscence or corrupt Nature is all along in Motion yea in quick Motion till it conclude in Death or Damnation if the Grace of God prevent is not Now follows the fourth Branch of the Distribution to wit the sad consequences upon the Sinners The Lord 1. Serves a Terrible Citation upon the Tempted before he came to the censure of the Tempter so 't is said those first sinners heard the Voice of the Lord c. Gen. 3.8 to wit either in a mighty Thunder which is call'd Gods Voice Psal 29. often as he spake to Pharaoh Exod. 9.28 or in an Horrible Whirl-wind as he spake to Job Job 38.1 or the Lord comming as a just Judge to judge them for their Sin might form such Articulate words in the Air as these yea have they served me thus Have they made a conspiracy with the Devil against me their Maker Indeed So some Interpret Leruach Haiom ad Spiritum seu ventum Diei Gods presence did Demonstrate it self either by a Thunder or by a Whirl-wind or by a dreadfuly angry Articulate Voice though we translate the words in the cool of the Day This struck such a terrour into both the Offenders that they both ran to hide themselves for fear of Gods Majesty their sinful Consciences sought to shun Gods presence with as much folly as faultiness for he that formed the eye shall he not see Psal 94 9. and 139.2 7. They ran with their fig-leaf Aprons into the Thickets there to hide themselves from an All-seeing God Oh how many do so to this day which Job saying If I cover my transgression as Adam then let this and that evil come upon me Job 31.33 c. durst not do neither ought we to do it Prov. 28.13 Besides suppose what is not to be supposed that they could have run from God yet this would not do unless they could run from themselves too for Haeret lateri lethalis Arundo the wounded Deer whither ever he runs carries with him the fatal Arrow sticking fast in his sides The Guilt of their Souls and the terror of their Consciences went along with them whither ever they went So would onely have been like the Angled and Entangled fish with the Hook of the Fisherman that may indeed swim away all the length of the line but the Hook in her mouth hales her back again So God summons in sinful man saying Adam where art thou v. 9. not as if God knew not where he was for he knoweth all things Joh. 21.17 but to proceed against him after a judiciary manner therefore is he brought from behind the Bush at the Voice of the Lord will he nill he he must appear and answer for himself which he did but untowardly in the words following v. 10. God would not condemn Adam before he heard him and therefore asks him three Questions The first was as before where art thou to which Adam Answers not directly confessing his Sin but indirectly excusing his flight for three reasons all along hiding the true cause thereof Adam's first reason or shuffle was that he heard Gods Voice This he had heard before his fall and feared not but rejoic'd therein with greatest joy his second shift or shuffle was I was afraid as if he had not feared God before yes with a filial fear for his goodness Psal 31.19 Hos 3.5 as he was blessed for blessed are they that fear the Lord Psal 128.1 but now being a sinner he had turned it into a slavish fear of Gods wrath the joyful sound of God Psal 89.15 Mic. 2.7 was now become frightful to him his third excuse was I was naked Here also is now causa pro causâ for before sin they were both naked and were not ashamed Gen. 2.25 Pure nakedness was Gods Creature wherein he had appeared before in Gods presence without fear or shame thus he would have transferred his flight to God because he had made him naked and frighted him with his Thundering Voice but alas there was another pad in the straw which Adam studiously concealed to wit the Conscience of his Sin Hic murus Aheneus esto nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpâ The second Question God asks Adam was c. VVho told thee thou art naked And the Third Hast thou Eaten c. thereby to convince him of his sin and to make him confess it oh the wonderful condescension and kindness of God to man thus to dispute with him whom he might justly destroy Here still God's asking and arguing with man saying thy shameful nakedness could not come upon thee but by a Violation of my law because it is the punishment of Sin doth it not demonstrate that thou hast broke my precept and strip'd thy self of the Garment of Innocency Why dost thou not candidly confess the Truth Why dost thou not blame thy self but thy Mâ—â—â—â— for making thee Naked Thus the Lord most tenderly presseth hard upon him to convince his Conscience of his Sin when he might in the rigour of his Justice have confounded his person ipso facto according to the Divine Menace In the Day thou Eatost thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 Hereupon Adam puts in his Answer a sorry one Gen. 3.12 wherein He makes indeed a confession of his Eating but it was only a cold confession and accompanied with transferring the cause of his Eating from himself both to the Woman and to God too for he sophistically argued from that common maxim causa causae 〈◊〉 causa causati The Woman was the cause of my Eating and God was the cause of my having a Woman therefore my Eating is caused by thy self Thus as he had blamed God before for making him naked So now again for giving him the Woman implying thus much If God had not given me a Woman I had never sin'd against God whereas had Adam argued aright he would have discerned that the Woman much less God who forbad it was no essential cause of his Eating whereof that Maxim is meant but by accident onely And had Adam acted as an Husband ought to do in the like Temptation he could not have been caused by his Wife to Sin against God but he should as Job did his Wife have rebuked her for her Sin and for Tempting him to her transgression It was the duty of his place to reprove her for it
which his posterity say they suffered so long and so hard a bondage in Egypt bur as God must be Trusted so he may not be Tempted by neglect of lawful means so it was not Diffidence but Obedience in Abraham to seek out necessary supply Gen. 12.10 however no sooner was he come thither but his Wives Beauty had like to have betrayed her and him for her sake had not God over-ruled the matter assoon as some pick-thank People saw her they tell tidings hereof to Pharaoh's Parasites or Courtiers and they to the King If a Ruler hearken to lies all his Servants saith Solomon are Wicked Prov. 29.12 Flattering Courtiers please Princes Humors to an Hair as Doeg did Sauls and gratifie their Lusts though to the procuring of their own Plagues as here and 2 Chron. 24.17 18. where the Court-Parasites Fawned upon young Joash and flattered him into wicked ways Fair words make Fools Fain as saith the Proverb insinuating he had been a King without a Kingdom and had been subject to his Subjects during Jehojadahs days now that he was Dead himself must assume his Royal Power and give liberty for men to live as they list and not confine them to Gods Temple c. Thus likewise Sarah was sent for to Court by the like insinuations and probably was by a Marvellous providence put into the House of the Women in order to Pharaoh's Bed as Esther was purified for a time in order to Ahasuerus Esth 2.8 or as others say for no worse purpose than to wooe and win her good will to become his Wife and therefore did be entreat Abraham well for her sake Gen. 11.15 16. that he might not be a back-friend but sollicite his Sister for her free consent Thus she was brought into the Bryars so that neither she could Extricate her self nor could her Husband help or so much as own her Then comes God undoubtedly at both their Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as out of an Engine both to save Sarahs Chastity and her Husbands Life the Lord Plagued Pharaoh with great Plagues saith the Hebrew or Tormented him with Torments as set upon the Rack saith the Greek v. 17. not because he had defiled her but that he should not Defile her God gave him this diversion he had then something else to think on than the satisfying of his Lust the Hebrews say that Sarah had a Tutelar Angel who upon her Prayer to God Vaienagang nagagnim smote Pharaoh with Plagues either with a Tumor upon his Groin or with an Ulcer upon his Privy Parts or with a Gonorrhea such a running of the Reins as render'd him incapable of Defiling Sarah and as 't is said of her after Gen. 20.16 Thus she was reproved so it may be said of her here Thus she was preserved The Lord is the preserver of all those that hang their Hope and their Help upon him who is called the Hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in time of trouble Jer. 14.8 9. These things are an Allegory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 what God was here to Sarah that he is to his Church she hath a Tutelar Angel indeed even the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 and of Gods presence Isa 63.9 her Redeemer who Redeemeth her from all Evil Gen. 48.16 he will come as out of an Engine and preserve his People when at a pinch Abraham had done all he could and 't was but a sorry shift to deny his own Wife this brought him into the Bryars and he could find no way out he commends his case to God for preserving his Wives Chastity and no doubt he had many an heavy Heart for her vvho suffer'd by his default and she again for him God upon their Repentance provides graciously for them both she is kept unpolluted and he is greatly enriched for her sake though the Rabbies say it vvas because he had taught Egypt Astronomy They are both of them safely dismissed vvith the Kings ovvn conduct Gen. 12.20 1. Oh what a shame it is that this Heathen King should abhor Adultery whereas many Kings now called Christian and should know better things even wallow in the practice of it 2. Oh how sad it is for Saints to fall justly under the reproof of Sinners God had reproved Pharaoh ver 17. and Pharaoh reproves Abraham ver 18. for telling him a Lie out of fear We should lead shining Lives in the sight of the World 1 Pet 2.9 c. 3. Oh who would not serve such a God as turns our Errours and evil Counsels into the greatest good as here c. 2. Sarah was in danger again in Gerar as before in Egypt for her Beauty though at that time Ninety years old Gen. 10.1 2. Lis est cum formâ magna pudicitiae her Beauty was her Bane this time also had not God who miraculously preserv'd it to this great Age been her Guardian and preserv'd her also Abraham the Father of the Brood of Travellers was oft Journeying from one place and sojourning in another hence was he call'd Abram the Hebrew of Heber which signifies a Pilgrim or Stranger so he was while on Earth expecting his Home in Heaven He is driven out from the Plains of Mamre Gen. 18.1 with 20. either by Famine as his Son Isaac was after Gen. 26.1 or for sorrow at the sight of Sodom's Ruine or as annoyed by that pestilent Air which arose from the Sulphurous Rubbish thereof or as loathing Lots Incest or as desirous to do good to many however that this remove brought him into a snare is certain though the cause of it be uncertain He falls into the same sin the second time both against piety towards God in distrusting him and using indirect means and â—â—ainst Charity towards his Neighbour in exposing his Wife to Abimelech's pleasure and â—â—â—elech to Gods displeasure No doubt but Abraham had repented of his former Dissimulâ—◠〈◊〉 which made the Lord move Pharaoh to deal kindly with him so as to give him Sheepâ—â—â— Oxen c. Gen. 12.16 The best of Men are but Men at the best and may fall again 〈◊〉 the same sin they have truely repented of None are able to define how oft and into how heinous but surely not oft into the same sin which is heinous and scandalous 'T is a great Remark put upon the Patriarch Judah that he knew Tamar again no more Gen. 38.26 'T was no sin of Custom that which is so is no Infirmity of Saints but rather an Enormity of Sinners who cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14 God gives it as a great aggravation upon Israel's sin saying This have ye done again Mal. 2.13 and how oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness c. Psal 78.40 'T is a graceless one that drives the Trade of sin Here again Sarah is taken into the King of Palestina's Court as before into the King of Egypt's and God through his tender Care over his Children fetches her off and out without harm Gen. 20.1 2 3. Joshephus
Bethel Gen. 35.1 was only until he had perform'd his Vow 2. It may not be doubted but that this Holy Man having such high Communion with God departed from Bethel by the Command of God he who called him thither must call him thence also 3. But Suppose the time of Jacob's removal from Bethel after his Vow was paid God left to his own Prudence yet it may not be imagined that so Pious and Prudent a Patriarch would wilfully expose both himself to the loss or his Dear Wife and his Rachel to the loss of hâ—r Dear Life The Hebrews do indeed affirm That Rachel being wearied with her Journey was brought to her Travel before the Time If so then there would have been some appearance of Immaturity and Imperfection in Benjamin when Born whereof the Scripture is silent 'T is more probable that Jacob might be ignorant that Rachel was so very nigh her Time otherwise he had not removed for Travelling Women will make but bad Travellers But even to the most prudent Persons many things may happen beyond their Expectation And however this be taken it must be granted Jacob had cause enough to be jealous that he was mistaken in so bold an Adventure his Ignorance of Rachel's so near approaching Travel could not relieve him against his Jealousie that himself was at least the causa sine quâ non if not the Principal yet the Instrumental or Accidental Cause or Occasion of his Dear Wives Miscarriage He could not look upon his so hasty removal of her when so unfit for it without Remorse and Regret especially considering how First Rachels Travel came upon her when she was but a Field-breadth from Bethlehem-Ephratah that fruitful House of Bread as the word signifies where she might have had better Help and more Accommodations This was a sad Circumstance to fall short of such a City only Kibrath haerets Gen. 35. and 48.7 which the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippodromum an Horse-Race the Chaldee Stadium Pagnin Milliare a Mile Borcardus a fleet-shot and Rab Kimchi a morning-walk to come within a little way as our Reading is of Bethlehem the very place wherein Christ the Son of God was born Mat. 2.1 that Bread which came down from Heaven John 6.33 was born in that City Baith-lechem which signifies the House of Bread and not Reach it with his lovely Rachel This made the Disaster much sadder Oh how happy might Jacob think himself if his Benjamin might be born there where his Shilo whom he foresaw by his Spirit of Prophecy Gen. 49.10 should be born and his Rachel live too to rejoice in the mercy which he might think might have come to pass had she been so happy and he with her therein to have held out to this City call'd also Ephratah for its fruitfulness of all sorts of fruit and food where she might have been corroborated with all good Cordials and Comforts and thereby carried through her Travel Which is the second thing to be considered that must needs pinch Jacob's spirit Rachel's Travel was hard and so hard that 't is twice told in Scripture Gen. 35.16 17. she had hard Travel and if her Travelling on foot that same day of her Travel made her Travel harder as probably enough it did being a Journey of twelve miles betwixt Bethel and Bethlehem this also is another Aggravation and could not but grieve Jacob's Soul for a long time after yet before I say Jacob could possibly have digested his sorrows for the death of his dear Yokefellow who had been a faithful Fellow-sufferer with him in all his hard service in Syria and in all his sore Travels and Sufferings in his Return homeward to Canaan hitherto before he had sung out his sad Song of being exceeding loth to lose her did this fourth Cross of his Eldest Sons Incest befal him Jacob falls far short of David's priviledge and mercy whose two Wives are expresly said to go up with him out of all his Wandrings and Banishments unto Hebron 2 Sam. 2.2 God then thought it a most meet mercy for David and for his two Wives Abigail and Ahinoam to be partakers together of Prosperity as they had been before at burnt Ziklag c. 2 Sam. 30.5 18. Partners together in Adversity And David did judge it but just likewise to hand his two Wives along with him to Hebron that as they had been comforts to him in his misery they might also be Conforts with him in his mercy and communicate together so far as their share should reach with his Dignity and Glory In which they were indeed true Types of Christ and his Church when she for a while hath suffered with him she shall then Reign with him for evermore 2 Tim. 2.12 Luke 22.28 29. The Lord Jesus will likewise in a short time remove his Spouse the Church from the Land of her Banishment and Bitterness even from the Ashes of her forlorn Ziklag to the Hebron of her peace and eternal happiness where she shall have Fellowship as Hebron signifies with glorified Saints and glorious Angels for ever Her Redeemer hath taken order for this already John 17.24 that where he is there she may be also and is only gone before as her Harbinger to prepare the best Rooms for her more honourable Reception John 14.2 3. not reckoning himself right and compleat until this be done and that his Church be with him Eph. 1.23 But alas though this was David's Priviledge which praefigured the Promises to hand both his Wives to Hebron yet Jacob must not be so happy in his going to the self same City even to Hebron Gen. 35.27 but one of and the best beloved of his Wives must lay her bones by the way his dear Rachel must fall short of Mamre that is Hebron where Isaac lâ—ved and where Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebekah and her Sister Leah lay buried Gen. 49.31 Rachel must not be joyned with them in burial which phrase importeth a Judgment Isa 14 20. Such sad circumstances as are all these aforesaid must most probably seize upon her Husbands heart yea and sit long upon his spirit before time alone could wear them off notwithstanding all these Aggravations fore-mentioned Jacob was not got above two miles farther of his Journy towards his Father in Hebron to wit one mile from Rachel's Sepulchre which lay about that distance North from Bethlehem and another mile from thence to the Tower of Edar which lies about the same distance towards the South from Bethlehem 〈◊〉 the Travels of the Patriarchs tell us ere Reuben his Eldest and so should have been his wisest Son climbs up into his Fathers Bed and lyes carnally with Bilhah his Fathers Wife This was an ugly fault in so godly it Family So it sometimes falls out through the malice of Satan who designs thereby to put the greater disparagement upon Profession and upon the pious practice of the good ways of God Satan never tempted Saul to such heinous actions
Affront that she a Lady should be Mockd by an Hebrew Slave The Hebr. lits chack ad Illudendum to Sport c. which Moses mentioneth in a good sense Gen. 26.8 is here taken in the bad sense for Whoredom as Terence Tacitus and others use it 5. To make Joseph the more maligned She doth not say to mock me only but she saith to mock us in the Plural Number as if she did mean This Hebrew Slave would not only abuse me in such a manner as to make others mock me but she intitles the Injury in more general terms as if it had been a National Offence wherein this vile Hebrew had affronted the whole Nation of her Honourable Egyptians well-knowing that the latter were very apt to be offended with the former seeing they were naturally an Abomination to them not only as they were Shepherds Gen. 46.34 but also as the Chaldee more plainly saith because the Hebrews did feed upon as well as Sacrifice those very Cattel which the Egyptians worshipped and therefore their Persons and Sacrifices too were an Abomination to them Exod. 8.26 6. She basely belyes Joseph saying he came in to me to lye with me as if he had come in to commit a Rape upon her by force and not to do his Stewards Business as the Scripture saith Gen. 39.11 and more fully the Chaldee Paraphrase to search the Book of his Stewardship or as Paulus Fagius explains it the Scrolls of his Receipts and Disbursements whereas in truth this was his only Errand of going into the House and then the Devil who counts a fit opportunity the one half of a Conquest drives her furiously to fall in with this fair occasion and to commit a Rape upon him hoping that his corrupt Nature that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Seed-Plot of all Sin would be set on work to comply to the Act when it was so well watered with an happy concurrence of Secrecy Security Sweetness of the Sin and so much the more with an Honourable Lady that offer'd him her Service 7. When this cursed Curtizan had thus loaded poor and pure Joseph with this loud Lie and sluttish slander then she backs it to make it look more plausible and probable in the Eyes of her Servants whom she designed for Evidences against him to her Husband with two pretended demonstrative signs 1. I was compelled to cry out and call saith she for your Assistance 2. When I cry'd out for help he fled away leaving in my Hands this his Garment which I caught hold of endeavouring to hold him By that time she had thus well prepar'd her Witnesses sometimes foaming with rage against Joseph and sometimes beseeching them with many Crocodile Tears to vindicate her upon him her Lord was returned Home and finding her as Josephus saith in an horrible Agony demanded the cause with a much troubled Mind to behold his Wife in such a sad discomposure though indeed he could not expect better if that be true which is supposed by some that she feigned her self sick at his Departure Hereupon she judging it worthy of a Womans wit to become the first Plaintiff and to Ride upon the Fore-horse in fist Accusing him who might have been more justly her Accuser lays load upon the Innocent Hebrew uttering with fierce words and with not a few Tears After this manner did thy Servant unto me c. shewing him his Garment Gen. 39.16 17 18. All which afore mentioned she seem'd to prove substantially by her wheedled Witnesses This was the second part of good Joseph's malady or misery to wit his Mistrisses false Accusation of him to Potiphar to whom she makes her Appeal not only as to her Lord but also as to a Chief Magistrate who was invested with a power over Liberty if not over Life as he was Provost Marshal in Chief to King Pharaoh and from whom she demanded Justice against the pretended Offender against whom she makes most bitter Invectives before her Husband Her Pathetical and Passionate Harangue or Oration is Recorded by Josephus wherein she a Black-moor blackens white Joseph rendring him all Black and her self white she represents him who was not only his Earthly Fathers White-boy but his Heavenly's also far blacker than her self yea more ungrateful than Ingratitude it self as Josephus phraseth if Thus this heinous Impostrix addeth one sin to another and hideth one sin with another her own Adultery with a Capital Calumny cast upon Joseph and thus this notorious Strumpet accuseth a most Chast and Innocent Man of that very crying Crime whereof she alone was most deeply guilty NB. 'T is then no new thing now Alas How many Innocents in all Ages have even perished by false Accusations 'T is the very Godless guise of a wicked World to charge that Home upon the guiltless whereof they themselves are known to be notoriously Guilty This measure our Lord Christ met with meted out to him to be Branded a Blasphemer by the Most Blasphemous Jews Mat. 26.65 What wonder then if the most Orthodox Christians be now blackened with the Brand of Hereticks by the most Heretical Antichristians How did the malicious Heathens traduce those pure Primitive Christians purer than Snow whiter than Milk ruddier than Rubies Lam. 4.7 as so many Murderers Man-Eaters Church-Robbers Whore-Masters Traitors c. all which as is most manifest in Historical Records were their own common and customary notorious practices And is it now to be wonderd at if wicked Men of our day do slander the best Servants of God and the best Subjects of the King for being so many Troublers of State as wicked Ahab did holy Elijah 1 King 18.17 when not they but themselves are those that trouble it No doubt but as the Accuser of the Brethren as Satan is call'd Revel 12.10 set this wicked Woman on work to denigrate fair Joseph so the same Devil ever since and in our day sets on his Infernal Instruments and Incarnate Devils to traduce the Saints of the most High God NB. 2. Hence observe the right Difference betwixt bare Lust and proper Love the former is a fleeting changeable and unconstant Humour mostly changing into the other extream and from Love doth degenerate into hatred whether it be satisfied as in Amnons's Case 2 Sam. 13.14 15. or it be unsatisfied as in the case of this frontless propudium whose unruly Lust after Joseph turned into inveterate and implacable Hatred against him insomuch that both this Harlot and that Amnon added Inhumanity to their Impiety both being Bewitched with the like Bait of Beauty yet herein if either the former in some sense exceeded But true Love it more fixed and constant than meer Lust it being not so much an Humour as a Principle and therefore though some Jarrs and Contests may casually arise betwixt true Conjugal Lovers yet are they wrought off again by this Principle which is like the Springing Fountain that when troubled in its Waters will clear it self again Neither can proper Love pick
neglect of such Lawful Means as may be subservient to his Providence Hence we may learn the difference betwixt true Faith and vain presumption the latter is bold grounded upon Humane Strength and Natural Abilities which makes it so oft precipitant and rushing headlong upon such weak and false grounds thinking the end may be accomplish'd without the use of those Means that should advance it N. B. Thus the Devil tempted Christ to leap from the Pinacle of the Temple when there was an ordinary way at hand to descend by Stairs down to the ground this our Lord flatly calleth a Tempting of God Matth. 4.5 6 7. and is the sin of a vain presumption whereas true Faith when it hath God's Promise to depend upon is no less careful to use all Lawful Means than if there were no promise of God at all well knowing that ordinarily God appointeth the means and the end to go together and that the certainty of God's Purposes and Promises doth not excuse but rather oblige Man's diligent use of fit means for the Accomplishment of them as we see in Acts 27.30 31. Except these stay in the Ship ye cannot be saved Though God be not bound up to Means yet doth he not usually work without them God works here by this Stratagem against Gibeah as he had done before by the like against Ai Joshua 8.4 5. c. The Sixth Remark is The many Remarkable Branches of this Third Battle As First The Time when it was fought 't is said to be upon the third Day ver 30. for after their last Defeat they spent one Day in marching up to Shilo and the second Day was spent in deep Humiliation before the Lord in Shilo and on the third Day they renew their Fiâ—ht against Gibeah or it is callâ—d the third Day of Battle in respect of the two Battle Days they had before Secondly That Army of Israel who were ordered to feign a Flight made according to their Orders a preposterous Retreat this did flush the Benjamites and made them cry Victoria too soon ver 31.39 and so eager they were of pursuing those Counterfeit Cowards that the whole Garrison of Gibeah was drained dry Thirdly This gave a fair opportunity for the Liers in wait to arise out of the Meadows and Storm the City and then Fire it which was the Sign for those that fled to make a stand turn Head and renew the Battle as soon as they saw the Smoak of the City ascending Hereby the Benjamites were struck with Horrour being disappointed of their Pursuit they had made in the two former Battles and beholding this Third Battle to begin both before them and behind them they fled yet knew not wither for in flying from Death they fled the faster to it so that Day there fell of them Twenty five Thousand besides the Thousand that were slain in the two other Battles ver 38.46 Fourthly God's Presence made Israel's Victory easie here ver 43. In the two former Battles wherein they wanted Divine Assistance to concur with their Humane Endeavours they found it too hard a work for them to overrome their Enemies but now they tread them down without difficulty Fifthly This Slaughter of the Benjamites ceased not in the Field not only upon those that came to Gibeah but pursued them home to their several Cities unto which they fled out of the Battle ver 48. where the Israelites slew Man Woman and Child and all the Cattle that came to hand and burnt the Cities with fire because they had sent Aid to Gibeah All this seemeth harsh bloody and unlike an Isrealite to his Brother if it were not done by the Command of God but out of a Military fury they were certainly blame worthy However we may learn hence N. B. 1. Earnestly to pray that God may prevent Civil War which is always Utrinque triste sad on both sices 2. That such abominable Wickedness may neither be practised among us nor much less protected and patrooniz'd for which Divine Vengeance as well as Humane Revenge cut off the whole Tribe save a few yea their very Infants which was not unusual in such cases Numb 31.17 1. Sam. 15.3 Josh 7.15 and Deut. 13.15 God bid it be done there in a Parallel Case 3. It teacheth us what God will do with the Rod wherewith he Chastises his Children The Rod of the Wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the Righteous Psal 125.3 when his chastizing work is done he casts the Rod into the fire and burns it as he doth Benjamin here whom God first made use of to execute his Justice upon Israel for their not punishing Idolatry among them and then God useth Iâ—rael to Plague Benjamin for not delivering up the Delinquents of Gibeah to Justice yea that Rod wherewith God had most severely Corrected Israel he here casts into the fire when Israel was low enough and Benjamin high enough and so burns it that nothing but a small stump remained unburned namely the Six Hundred Men in the Rock Rimmon ver 47. This brings in the last part namely the Consequents of this third Battle whereof we have an Account in the next Chapter CHAP. XXI of Judges JVdges the Twenty First which Relateth how the Tribe of Benjamin now almost extinct came to be restored In this Relation or Narrative the Causes thereof are declared which be two First The Efficient Cause namely Israel's Repentance and deep Sorrow at those sad Issues their Rash and Uncharitable Oath disturbs them on one hand and their Pity and Compassion to their Brother Benjamin whose utter extirpation they never designed though it fell out very near it in the heat and fury of War beyond their expectation this even distracted them on the other hand therefore come they to Shilo not so much to praise God for their late woful Victory but more especially now to seek God's Direction how they might extricate themselves out of this present Labyrinth to this end they spend a whole Day in Praying Weeping Sacrificing and Deploring the deplorable case of their Brother Benjamin ver 1 2 3 4 5 6. All these Actions were Signs of Israel's Sorrow The Second is The Material Cause or the Means by which the Tribe of Benjamin now shrunk up into a small Remnant was restored namely by providing Wives for them and these were of two sorts 1. Some were given to them freely to wit such as were the Daughters of Jabesh Gilead whose Males c. Israel destroyed because they assisted not in the War against Benjamin ver 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And 2. When still Two Hundred of that Tribe could not be provided by this Gift others must be stolen and taken by force to save them from the Curse they had Imprecated on themselves in their Oath that they would not give them Wives of their own Daughters therefore are they ordered to commit Two Hundred Rapes upon the Damosels that came to Dance their Dances at the Feast in
of Shilo may by a Rape be caught that the Remnant of Benjamin may be supplyed his Relation here agreeth well with the Scripture of truth as the same Story is recorded Judg. 21.17 18 19 20. to the end Israel's great Cry was now that the Lord had made a Breach upon the Tribes ver 15. Benjamin was the begetter and beginner of the sin God was owned here the chief Author of the punishment and Iseael were but his Executioners Hereby Benjamin is shrunk up into a small room and reduced to a very narrow number they complain the Women were destroy'd out of Benjamin ver 16. So the Two Hundred could not hope to have Wives out of their own Tribes They further urge One Tribe must not be lost out of the Twelve ver 17. because both Jacob and Moses promised an Inheritance to Benjamin and Joshua performed their Promise to him their Land cannot be alienated from them nor can it be possess'd by any other Tribe Their State must not be dismembred there must be Twelve whole Tribes to serve God instantly Day and Night as was said by a Benjamite afterward Acts 26.7 whence those Wives could come to recruit the Tribe in the Overplus number of Benjamites unprovided they knew not that they must have none of our Daughters given them by us because we have sworn to the contrary ver 18. and seconded our Oath with a Curse upon him that durst break it Then comes in Josephus's great Projector with his Grand Salvo at the Feast of Shilo c. ver 19.20 21 22 23. This Oath though Unlawful as above must by no means forsooth be broken yet a Violent Rape is devised to elude the Oath which was far worse for hereby they added to their Perjury for it was the Common-Council's Decree that gave those Dancing Damsels to the Benjamites the sin of Rape Fraud and deceitful Dealing The Benjamites have now got a Decree in Council of the Elders to lie lurking in the Vineyards and these Damsels that came by them to their Dances they were authorized to take them by force as their Wives without either Consent of Parents or Parties and undoubtedly to the great Grief of both and when any of their Relations came to complain as they had just cause to do against these Plagiaries or Kid-nappers it was ordered to answer them Be favourable to them c. that is we have wronged them in not reserving Wives sufficient for them either out of their own Tribe or out of Jabesh-Gilead N B. Whose Widows their Husbands being slain might have served them Wives when the number of Virgins was not found sufficient c. And they are told also Ye are not guilty of the Oath because ye did not give them but they werr taken against your Wills c. And so indeed they were Innocent but so were not they that used this Plea seeing they had contrived this Rape but this they conceal least it should make them odious to the Complainers and so harder to pacifie Inferences from this History are these First That Israel's Anarchy begat a General Ataxy They having no King or Judge to Govern them from thence came all those Disorders aforementioned Their Apostacy from God was Cursed with Manifold Confusions Civil-Wars c. Secondly In those dark Times they still held that great Truth that Parents have the power of Giving their Children in Marriage This was the Grand Ground of their Oath and of their Scruples concerning it So much Light yet remained among them that it was Unlawful for Children to Marry without the Consent of their Parents Thirdly A Violent Rape of Daughters without Parents Consent was even in this Degenerate Day lookt upon as Unlawful and therefore did they use those Wiles to appease those Parents whose Daughters were taken from them against their Wills not being altogether ignorant of the Law against Man-stealing Deut. 24.7 nor how heavily Jacob took it to be Robb'd of his Daughter Dinah Gen. 34. Children are a chief part of their Parents Goods therefore the Civil Law punishes Rapes with Death Much mischief hath followed Rapes and many Bloudy Wars the Rape of Helena out of Greece by Paris King Priamus's Son did cost the Destruction of Troy And later What a Woful War broke out between the Emperour Maximilian and Charles the Eigth King of France who violently took away Anne the only Daughter of the Duke of Britanny which had been Espoused to the Emperour c. N. B. How these Couples could fadge is hard to tell An After-Consent might salve all which only made Jacob's Marriage with Leah to be Lawful c. Fourthly Their Superstition brought upon them this great Folly to hinder their Daughters from great preferment for here they had a fair opportunity of making their Daughters Mistresses of very large Inheritances seeing the copious Inheritance of the whole Tribe of Benjamin was to be divided among Six Hundred Men none of the other Tribes must have any share in it therefore the share of many Thousands did fall to those few Hundreds yet so Superstitiously scrupulous were they to disown it c. Fifthly Notwithstanding the darkness of those Times yet was there so much light as to look upon Polygamy Unlawful and Impracticable Fot the Decree ran thus Catch ye every Man his Wife c. ver 21. no more but one Wife for a Man is mentioned which shews though Polygamy was practised by some yet was it not approved even in those Times yea and in this case never more needful cause was found for the allowance of it because the Benjamites were now reduced to a very small number yet had very great and extraordinary Work that lay before them namely the Rebuilding of their Ruined Cities the Re-peopling of them when Rebuilt and the Replenishing of that Wide Inheritance which now did almost lie wholly waste therefore if ever it was now necessary for one Man to have many Wives for a Greater Increase Sixthly and Lastly Nor were those Times so bad as to allow of mixed Dancings like the Dancings of our Days between Men and Women which in all Ages of the Church hath been condemned as Wanton and Lascivious but the Dancings of those Damsels was Sober Modest and Acted only by themselves whereby indeed they were the more exposed to this Rape we oft read of Virgins Dancing by themselves Exod. 15.20 Judg. 11.34 1 Sam. 18 26. and 2 Sam. 6.20 22. but not any where of any mixed Dances as is the corrupt Custom of our Times c. Judges CHAP. II. Verse 11. NOW return we to the History Recorded from Judg. 2.11 unto Judg. 3.11 under the Government of Othniel whom God made their First Judge after Joshua Famous Sir Walter Rawleigh saith here 'T is not improbable that the War betwixt Benjamin and the other Tribes of Israel brake forth between the Times of Joshua and Othniel for then there was no King in Israel and the Tribe of Judah which led the People against the
Samson suspected as is supposed his Wife had before over-much familiarity ver 20. which caused him to compare her to a Wanton Heifer ver 18. The Fourth Remark upon the Concomitants is the Solution of Samson's Aenigmatical Sentence which is twofold N. B. First Literal which the Bride-men by the Bride's Treachery to her Bride-groom openly declared before the Sun was set upon the Seventh and last Day of the Feast ver 18. that they might win the Wager Samson hereupon acknowledgeth he had lost yet telleth them Had they not plowed with his Heifer they could not have found out his Riddle N. B. Which is an Allegory wherein he reproves both his Wife's Perfidiousness and their Fraudulency in first Inticing and then in Forcing his Wife to discover her Husband's Secrets They Expounded the Riddle indeed yet but in dark words saying What is sweeter than Honey c N. B. To which might be answered Sugar had it been known in those times as it is in our days Nor could they have hit upon Honey had Samson's Heifer drawn even in the Yoke of Wedlock with himself which she did not but drew a contrary way N. B. As befalleth such Married Couples that are unequally Yoked 2 Cor. 6.14 or Samson might call her his Heifer because he suspected that his Friend so called ver 20. had been too familiar with her as above N. B. Some Criticks rendring the Hebrew word Begnanalti in Vitula meâ in my Heifer this Chief Bride-man had been Plowing in her as well as with her but the plain meaning of that Allegorical Expression is As the Plowing with Heifers turns up and discovers the Treasure that is hid in the Ground so they had made use of his Wife both by their Fawns and Frowns to Plow up and bring to light that Mystery which lay hid in his Obscure Problem he had put forth to puzzle them N. B. Secondly The Mystical Sense of Samson's Riddle is twofold The first Mystical Sense is 'T is an express Figure of the Mystery of the Death of Christ who is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5.5 and oft call'd a Lyon as well as a Lamb. N. B. Now out of the Carcase of this Crucified Christ comes forth that sweet and saving food for the Soul of Man far sweeter than Honey or the Honey-Comb Psal 19.10 and 119. ver 103. his flesh is Meat indeed c. John 6.51 And by his Death he slew the Devil of Death Mors mortis morti mortem quoque morte dedisset there 's Honey out of the Rock indeed Psal 81.16 to wit the Rock Christ Hebr. 2.14 O Death I will be thy Death Hos 13.14 N. B. The Second is It covertly implyed likewise That the Philistines though now they had strength on their side and exercised a rigorous Dominion over Israel and thereby did devour them upon all occasions yet at the last they should become Meat to the Israelites Psal 74.14 whose present Afflictions when Sanctified may be compared to Honey which alway hath its best in the bottom leaving a sweet Blessing behind them though grievous at present Hebr. 12.11 God's Rod drops Honey more than Jonathans 1 Sam. 14.27 43. The Third part is the Consequents which be Three First Samson pays the Wager he had lost by Treachery to the Thirty Men with Honesty but not without Cruelty ver 19. N. B. For he went in a great pang of Passion to Askelon one of the Principal Cities of the five Lords of the Philistines and finding the Citizens gathered together at their Sports in the Fields he falls furiously upon them slays Thirty of them and strips them all the rest running away in a Fright and not daring to make a Rescue N. B. These Men that Samson Murdered might be Innocent in the matters acted at Timnath all that can be said to clear Samson from Cruelty is That he acted not herein as a private person from a Spirit of Revenge but as a Constituted Judge over Israel against their Enemies under the Conduct of God's Spirit N. B. The Second is When he had honestly paid what he had deceitfully lost with those Spoils he carried from Askelon to Timnath he packs up his All and departs from thence to his Father's House N. B. Wishing it may be that he had followed his Father's Advice in not Marrying that Vncircumcised Philistines Daughter which had so betray'd him and for so doing he left her behind him in Anger N. B. The Third is The Perfidiousness of Samson's Vntamed Heifer no sooner had her Husband turn'd his Back but she Marries the chief Paranymph or Bride-man whom Samson had chose as his Friend to be the Master of the Ceremonies at his Marriage and who had so sordidly Influenc'd his Wanton Wife to discover her Husband's Secrets Samson had made this Man his Alter-Ego his Second-Self as a Friend is called yet he Marries her ver 20. and so became Samson 's Second-Self indeed How much more unsufferable was such a Wrong that was done by such a Friend This made David himself cry out It was thou my Friend Psal 55.12 13. Judges CHAP. XV. JUdges the Fifteenth manifesteth more of Samson's Heroick Exploits in his waging War against the Philistines singly by himself Wherein is observable 1. The Cause 2. The Manner 3. The Event The First Remark is The External Cause or Occasion of Samson's War was the denial of his Wife ver 1 2 3. Samson had withdrawn himself from her in a fit of high displeasure N. B. This cannot be look'd upon as a laudable Action in him for he ought not so lightly to be disjoynted from her having now taken her for better and for worse as we say but within a while after so soon as he had disgested his Indignation he first sought a Reconciliation which he would have purchased with a Kid so kind was he to forgive and to forget Injuries N. B. Hereby teaching all Married Couples either not to fall out or not to go long unreconciled But Samson's Overtures of Peace were wretchedly rejected by his Wife's Father Samson essayed to go into his Wife's Chamber which used to be distinct from the Mens Gen. 24.67 her Father stops him 'T is a wonder Samson did not knock him down N. B. No doubt but Filial Reverence and Respect to a Father did tie Samson 's Hands from so doing This was also of the Lord he did it not because he still sought an occasion against the Philistines Judg. 14.4 Her Father with his forcible resistance adds a slender Apology saying I verily thought thou hadst utterly hated her but he should have been sure of it or sought either a Reconcilement or a Divorce and not have disposed of another Man's Wife without his Consent once asked which is not only against the Law of God but of Nature also N. B. The wilful neglect of those Moral and Natural Duties therefore did cost him and his Daughter their Lives ver 6. However to stop Samson's Mouth as
Phrase is put upon them by the Holy Ghost as is put upon Esau Compare this ver 4. They took them Wives of the Daughters of Moab with Gen. 26.34 he took to Wife two Hittites the worst sort of the Canaanites Ezek. 16.3 neither consulting his Parents nor craving their consent this was such a grief to Rebecca that she cryed out What good shall my Life do me Gen. 27.46 Oh let Children beware they give not the like occasion of complaint to their Parents in the same case certainly these things are written for our Learning Rom. 15.4 and to be Examples 1 Cor. 10 6.11 as strong Cautions against such Ungodly Marriages Hence Observ 3. That Children ought not to Marry without their Parents consent much less against their Likings and Judgments they took them Wives this Phrase imports that they did not observe the Antient and Laudable Custom of their Fore-fathers wherein the Bride used to be given by Parents to the Bridegroom and he to receive her at their hands but Mahlon and Chilion took them Wives yea though their Father was yet living as Josephus saith without any such Observation Hence Rabbi Jonathan saith That Decurtati sunt dies eorum their Days were cut short v. 5. because they had broken God's Command in Deut. 7.3 4. Thou shalt not make Marriages with Idolatrous Daughters for they will turn away thy Sons from following God and 't is a breach of the Fifth Commandment all Children should honour their Parents especially in craving their Counsel and Consent in the most weighty concern of Marriage which hath an Influence upon the whole Life that their Days may be long in the Land which the Lord their God giveth them Those two were cut off for breaking it Oh then you that are for changing your Conditions be not equally yoked with Vnbelievers c. 2 Cor. 6.14 15. for these Reasons First You spoil your own Comfort for your whole Life 't will be a Marre-age and not a Merry-Age to you What Concord can Light have with Darkness or Christ with Belial Quam male Inaequales veniunt ad aratra Juvenci saith Ovid That Plow hath no good Speed where one Bullock draws one way and the other another way An Oxe and an Ass might not be coupled together under the Law Deut. 22.10 Oh then you should not dare to Yoke your self with any Untamed Heifer that bears not Christ's Yoke Jer. 31.18 Matth. 11.29 30. Second Reason You endanger your own Soul for the weaker Sex may prove too strong for the stronger Sex yea for the Wisest of the stronger Sex 1 Kings 11.2 3 4. Their Wiles overcame Solomon's Wisdom for 't was down the Hill and with the Hare 't was to things agreeable to corrupt Nature Satan still works upon Adam by Eve and makes those evil Counsellors which were given of God to be good Comforters Satan per Costam tanquam per Scalam ad Cor Ascendit saith the Father The Devil climbs up by the Rib to the Heart and he makes use of the Rib especially if crooked to break the Head the cause of the first Sentence God passed upon Man was because thou obeyest the Voice of thy Wife Gen. 3.17 Third Reason You may shorten your own Lives especially if there be Disobedience to Parents in the case as above a good Child lengthens his Parents Days and therefore God promises to lengthen his Eph. 6.1 2. But evil Children that sadden their Parents are many times cut off in the midst of their Days as those here according to Rabbi Jonathan for this sin 'T is observable that though Samson was in a hurry of Blind Inordinate Affections yet his Parents Consent he durst not leap over Get her me to Wife for she pleaseth me well Judg. 14.2 3. and 't were well if his Parents Counsel could be heard and taken all the World over that though as Samson Persons be carried headlong with blind Affections yet should not dare to take that Woman for a Wife which their Parents do not Get for them and give to them especially if they be such Persons as be under the power of Parents and Godly Parents too no such block as their Unwillingness should be leap'd over but there shoudl be a patient waiting until God that makes all good Marriages remove it The Name of the one was Orpah which signifies a Neck or hinder part of the Neck stiff-necked the raising of the Mouth or the making bare of the Mouth Hence Observ 4. That many Times Names and Natures do Symbolize and Correspond together For all these things appeared in the Nature of Orpah which are signified in her Name First As her Name signifies a Neck or Stiff-necked so her Nature was even stiff-necked in her Idolatry otherwise she had never returned to her Gods or Idols in her Idolatrous Countrey v. 15. Secondly As her Name signifies the hinder part of the Neck or back part so appeared to be her depraved Nature in her back-sliding from her hopeful Beginnings for she arose and went a little way from Moab to Canaan v. 6 7. and then turned her back part both of the Land of Promise and of the God of Promise and her Face towards Moab and her Idols Thirdly As her Name signifies the raising or making bare of her Mouth this was also her Nature in kissing her Mother and bidding her farewel 't was only Courtesie not true Piety that made her go so far hence she went no farther The Name of the other Ruth which signifies Watered Filled or made Drunken Thus she also answered her Name in her Nature according to the Notion of Nomen quasi Notamen oft times Names denote the Nature of Persons as of things Thus Adam gave Names to all Creatures according to their Natures Gen. 2.20 Nomina Naturae quà m bene conveniunt This doth not always hold for even Solomon himself call'd his Son Rehoboam which signifies as Enlarger yet how did he Answer his Name rather the quite contrary for instead of Enlarging the Tribes of Israel he reduced them from Ten to Two which Wise Solomon little thought of that it would be the Nature of his Foolish Son when he put that Name upon him Thus Abshalom which signifies his Father's Peace did as little answer his Name being the Author of an Unnatural War against his own Father and Jehu signifies a constant Man yet prov'd Unconstant for in his latter time he regarded not to walk in the ways of the Lord God of Israel 2 Kings 10.31 Yet generally Conveniunt rebus Nomina saepe suis Names and Natures hold good Correspondency as in Ruth here as well as in Orpah for Ruth and the History that doth concern her is a Type and Figure of the Church of God which is subject to manifold Temptations and Tribulations in this lower World She is afflicted tossed with Tempests and not comforted yet after all those Tossings God gives a joyful and a comfortable Issue as he did to Ruth Isa 54.11 12. The
part and main cause of his Purchase Hence Observ 1. A Godly Wife is a good Purchase Boaz could not think he paid too dear for this Purchase seeing she was one that feared God and the price of such an one is far above Rubies Prov. 31.10 A good Wife was one of the first real and Royal Gifts bestowed upon Adam Though Ruth was a Moabitess of that cursed Stock that were excluded from the Church to the Tenth Generation Deut. 23.3 hence some do censure Boaz for Marrying Ruth but uniustly for she was a Proselyte and a Vertuous Woman and came to trust under the Wings of the God of Israel She was not as Solomon's Mistresses of Moab that stole away his heart from God Neh. 13.26 V. 11. The Lord make the Woman c. This is their Prayer for a Blessing on his Marriage Hence Observ 1. Though Marriage be not a Sacrament as the Romanists reckon it yet ought it to be Solemnized and Sanctified by Prayer as it is both an Holy Ordinance of God Prov. 2.17 and an Honourable Estate to Man Hebr. 13.4 That is come into thy House To possess it as a good not an evil Spirit Hence Observ 2. Marriage is either a Marr-Age or a Merry-Age The Heathen could say every Man at Marriage brings into his House a good or an evil Spirit so makes it an Heaven or an Hell thereby Like Rachel and Leah Beautiful as Rachel Fruitful as Leah Hence Observ 3. Beautifulness and Fruitfulness are two Marriage-Blessings which God gives to them that Marry in the Lord. Both those are the Gifts of God and ought to be pray'd for by Man and both these are Blessed Cements betwixt Married Couples Gen. 24.16.67 Rebeccah was very fair and Isaac loved her and Gen. 30.20 and Job 19.17 Children are strong Cements both with Jacob and with Job c. Query 1. Why is it not said like Sarah or Rebeccah Answer 1. Because those two Rachel and Leah left their Countries as Ruth did 2. They desired Off-spring as she did 3. From them sprang the Twelve Tribes only but the Edomites were from Sarah and Rebeccah 4. The Bethlemites were from Leah and Rachel Rachel's Sepulchre was in the Suburbs of the City Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 Query 2. Why is Rachel set first Answer Because dearer to Jacob and his first Thoughts Do worthily in Ephratah c. All this was become a Jewish Form of Prayer Observ 4. Every Man ought to do worthily in his place and station All Men should be serviceable to God and profitable to Man not Inutile pondus terrae as if Born only Fruges Consumere to no purpose or to bad purpose they are to bad purpose by whom no body is better but some body worse See Ezek. 18.18 V. 12. Like the House of Pharez Who was the Bethlemites Progenitor Gen. 38.29 of a Numerous and Honourable Family see v. 18. and the Blessing of this Peoples Prayers came upon the Head of Boaz and Ruth Hence Observe 'T is good to have a share in the Prayers of others God graciously heard the Prayers of this People for this Couple for they had Children Wealth and Honour of them descended many and Mighty Princes especially Messiah the Prince The two grand priviledges of a Child of God Are First To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives And Secondly Upon the Wings of Angels when he Dies V. 13. Boaz took Ruth This was done before solemn Witnesses Hence Observ 1. Clandestine Marriages are not warranted by the Word some Daughters are stolen away without Parents Consent Boaz took her to be his Wife not his Whore He went in unto her A modest Expression of the Marriage Duty Hence Observ 2. No corrupt Communication should proceed out of our Mouths Eph. 4.29 No Borborology no Obscene or filthy Speeches The Hebrew Tongue is called Holy some say because there is not one proper Name in it that signifies the Privities of either Sex or the Act of Copulation but it uses a modest Phrase or Periphrasis The Lord gave her Conception Hence Observ 3. The Key of the Womb as of Heaven of Hell and of the Heart hangs at God's Girdle She had been Married to a Young Man yet had no Child now she is Married to an Old Man yet hath a Child this was by the singular Blessing of God yea and a Son too which was more than a Daughter to uphold the Name and Family even to the Birth of Christ V. 14. And the Women said to Naomi Hence Observe Women's Meetings ought not to be spent in vain and frivolous Chat and idle Prattle much less in Ribaldry and Scurrility Here was an Holy way of Gossiping so Luke 1.58 the time was not wasted but spent in Praying and praising of God That his Name may be famous The Men had pray'd thus before now the Women pray for the same Hence Observ 2. 'T is an happy time when Men and Women do even apart pray for the same Blessing Esther 4.16 Zech. 12.12 Mercy would then come to God's Family and to our own V. 15. A Restorer of thy Life c. Hence Observe Children ought to be Restorers of Life to their Aged Parents and nourishers of their Old Age. Oh what a shame it is that so many Children bring down the Gray-hairs of Parents with Sorrow to the Grave Gen. 42.38 Many break the Hearts of their Parents few are Restorers and Comforters or Nourishers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stork-like so famous for Gratuity to their Dam c. V. 16. Naomi took the Child and laid it in her Bosome To wit next her Heart Hence Observe Love hath a descending Nature as the Beams of the Sun it descends better than ascends Naomi was but Mother-in-Law to its Mother yet behold her Affection to it 'T is oft found that Grand-mothers love their Grand-Children better than their own from the descending Nature of Love Hereupon she became Dry-Nurse to it Oh the Ocean of Love that descends from Parents to Children V. 17. The Women gave it a Name To wit those good Women v. 14. perswaded the Parents so to Name it either at the Birth or at the Circumcision as usual They call'd him Obed A Serviter so he was to Naomi whom he served with Comfort and Restoration and so he was to God a Serving Son Obed i. e. Obedient The Name Obed put him in Mind of his Obedience and Service to God and his Parents Mal. 3.17 as the Prince of Wales's Motto Ich Dien I serve to suppress his Pride c. V. 18. Though he was Mahlon's Legal Son yet was he Boaz's Natural Son the Catalogue of whose Generation is set down to shew that Shiloh came of Judah according to the Promise which Matthew transcribes Matth. 1.3 5. Pharez a Breaker a Type of Christ who broke the power of Death and Hell and the Partition-Wall then Zarah the Jew comes forth again Gen. 38.29 30. Boaz begot of Rahab Matt. 1.5 as Obed of Ruth c. The
of that doleful Chain of David's Lust So far was David still from Repenting of his Sin that seeing his craft for concealing his Adultery he failed him in all the other fair means he contrived now resolveth upon cruelty in the use of foul methods to get this good Uriah cut off insensibly and so to cover his Adultery with Murther that so he might not live to accuse the Adulteress Mark 1. In order hereunto he wrote a letter to Joab v. 14. not with Black but rather with Blood and Vriah must carry this Sword to Joab for the cutting of his own Throat Hence was feigned that Fable by Satan's subtilty of Bellerophontis literas portare to elude this true Scripture-Story When a Man bears the message of his own death c. Mark 2. Vriah must be set in the hottest Battle and then lurched v. 15. Joab must believe this most excellent person had some way deserved Death and he must be the Executioner yet could he not be ignorant of the Law that no Criminals should Die without two or three Witnesses against them therefore he was too obsequious in obeying so Tyrannical a Command v. 16 17. but Joab happly hoped hereby to ingratiate himself with David for the Murther of Abner which he had not yet answered For now David was like to be no less guilty than himself Right or wrong he 'll please the King Mark 3. Tidings hereof are dictated by Joab in what order the Messenger must tell David v. 18 19. and if the King object any rashness in the enterprize he must answer Vriah is slain also and that answers all objections v. 20 21 22 23 24. The Messenger played his part notably like a pick-thank and makes haste to tell David of Vriah's death which salved all so that he needed not to tell him of the death of Abimelech Judg. 9.53 as Joab had tutor'd him to qualifie the death of any of his Brave Souldiers c. Mark Fourthly David was pleased saying Let not Joab be displeased c. v. 25. where he smootheth up his General slights the slaughter of so many gallant men and deeply dissembleth with the Messenger that so neither his bloody Command nor Joab's fawning obedience might be discovered to him N. B. David had been still striving against the stream in the use of fair means and none would do to his content but having found success in this foul Policy Oh how he huggs himself under hardness of heart But was this like David who while but a Servant was so tender hearted he could not cut off the Lap of Saul his Adversary but his Heart smote him with remorse 1 Sam. 24.5 but now coming to be a King he can kill his faithful Friend and loyal Subject yea one of his famous Worthies without regret and with peace of mind O quantum mutatus ab illo how had Adultery altered him Mark 5. Bathsheba mourned for the Death of her Husband v. 26. and no doubt it was a feigned and a merry mourning She was inwardly pleased both as freed from fear of his rage and punishment of an Adulteress and as hoping now to be made a Queen Had she been sensible of her sin afterwards doubtless she was she would have mourned like a Dove as Queen Huzzah did Nah. 2.7 But after Seven days of mourning saith Josephus the ordinary time Gen. 50.10 1 Sam. 31.13 the Adulterer Married the Adulteress and probably more haste might be made here that she might be thought to be with Child by David after they were Married v. 27. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord which was not simply his Marrying of her for that is no where forbidden in Scripture but for his alluring her to Adultery and for murthering her Husband after it as will more plainly appear in the following Chapter where David's Conscience is awakened THE THIRD VOLUME Of the SACRED History and Mystery OF The Old-Testament Logically Discust and Theologically Improved Beginning at The Birth of Solomon and ending at the Birth of Christ Wherein an ample Account is given of all the Apocryphal Times also betwixt Malachy and the Messiah as well as of all the Canonical Books till that Time By Christopher Ness Minister of the Gospel in London LONDON Printed by Thomas Snowden for the Author in the Year 1695. 2 Sam. CHAP. XII THIS Chapter contains First David's Repentance for his double sin and both of them of the first Magnitude Adultery and Murder He was reduced to Repent by Nathan's parable and by direful punishments denounced against him for them And Secondly The effects of his Repentance both as to his private and as to his publick capacity Remarks upon the First Part are First The procuring cause of David's Repentance as God himself was the principal so Nathan God's Prophet was the instrumental cause thereof for 't is said The Lord sent Nathan and he had need be a Man of God's sending that can rouze and awaken a sleepy Conscience so hardened in sin as David's was v. 1. Mark 1. The time how long David lay in his Sin without Repentance 't is computed about Ten Months was the time of his impenitency for God sent not Nathan untill the Child begot in Adultery was born by Bathsheba So long did David indulge himself in his Amourous Embracements of his dear Adulteress whom he the Adulterer had now ventured to Marry Yet all this long Ten Months as Peter Martyr well observes David sanctified every Sabbath presented himself before the Lord in the Holy Assembly and did purifie himself with others according to the Laws of the Sanctuarie's purification But Oh wonderful With what kind of mind Surely he did nothing sincerely nothing from real Piety it was all in Hypocrisy and from a customary Formality When the ordinary use of the Ordinancies of God could not cure David of his Lethargy but still he stuck fast with his Feet in the cloggy Clay because the God of ordinances was not in them He had only got the Mantle of Elijah in his Tabernacle-Worship but he still for these Ten Months time wanted the Lord God of that Mantle of Elijah which Elisha pray'd for 2 King 2.14 Even then God out of meer Commiseration and Free Grace to David makes use of Extraordinary means to bring him out of this Horrible Pit and Miry Clay as David acknowledges Psal 40.2 N. B This was to teach us That as no Man can awaken himself out of a Dead Sleep so the best of men may fall when they will but they cannot rise when they will untill the Lord lent him his Holy Hand to help him and to do for him what Ebedmelech did for Jeremy to draw him up with the Cords of Mercy out of a Miry Dungeon Jer. 38.6 12 13. The Second Remark is Nathan is the Ebedmelech to David This Nathan had been sent by the Lord to David with Glad Tidings about filling David's House with variety of Sweet Cordials and Comforts Chap. 7.4 to 17. And
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
raised up to its Zenith or highest point and pitch yet through Humane Infirmity in the faln Estate is not durable but hath its declensions and as P. Martyr noteth ought not to have any confidence placed in it the Wheel of Providence in ordering worldly affairs when at its highest point of Exaltation then begins to decline downward N.B. The glory of all Kingdoms as in the four grand Monarchies of the World hath its Times and its Turns Solomon here is a clear Specimen hereof whom the Lord exalted to the highest Eminencies and Perfections that this lower World could afford him yet God suffered him to fall so foully that he like another Adam in his Paradise-Happiness might exemplifie this great Truth that there is no constancy in the compleatest worldly Felicity and nothing here below is to be trusted to but all is vanity save only the Kingdom which is not of this World c. N.B. Behold here a Star of the first magnitude fall from Heaven a None-such Saint into scarce None-such Sins another Lucifer c. Isa 14.12 c. The particular Remarks upon the first part namely Solomon's Sins are 1. The Occasion of his foul fall from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or highest degree of earthly Excellency was his love of Women ver 1 2 3 4. This is one of Satan's Baits which hath put a monstrous But at the Doors of the best of men who were but men at the best as in those famous Examples upon Scripture-Record N. B. 1. In that of Adam the Innocentest Man that ever was in the World yet was he made Nocent and undone by a Woman which was given to him for a Comforter and not for a Counsellor much less for a Controuler Therefore God in his first Sentence against Adam expresseth this as the cause Because thou hast obeyed the Voice of thy Wife c. Gen. 3.17 2. In that of Sampson the strongest Man that ever was in the World who by his prodigious strength slew his Thousands of Men laying them heaps upon heaps yet so weak he became in the hands of a Woman that in fine he lost his Strength his Eyes and his God also And 3. In this of Solomon the wisest Man that ever was in the World yet how foully did he fall by his exorbitant love of fair Ladies c. The 2d Remark is The Time when this lustful Devil took possession of Solomon's Soul and prevailed so far over him that himself after his Repentance calleth it a bitterness beyond that of Death Eccles 7.26 As if he had said I had better have been buried alive than thus to have miscarried to the great dishonour of God and gross detriment of Israel This he did in his old Age c. ver 4. N.B. Solomon having now Reign'd about 36 years as Dr. Lightfoot computeth it and being about 20 years old when he began to Reign when his Son Rehoboam was one year old chap. 14.21 was not now sixty years old So that in truth he did but now begin to be an old Man yet might it have been well expected that the Elder be was the Wiser he should have been Job 32.7 having had so long Communion with God and Experience of his goodness which might have made him Better Beside his body had been long despumed and one would think well-nigh drained dry upon his many Wives and Concubines which he multiplied both for his Lust and for his Pride and Magnificence looking upon it as a point of Honour c. However his Age here is an Aggravation of his sin seeing his lust now was as monstrous as to behold green Apples upon leafless Trees that look gray or white with Snow in Winter Gray Hairs and green Hearts can never have a comely and commendable Agreement Whenever the time was both Piscator and Junius reckon from it to the Ruine of Solomon's Temple of Jerusalem and of the Kingdom of the Jews 390 years according to Ezek. 4.5 Solomon's sin here was the beginning of all the mischiefs that followed after N. B. Note well with P. Martyr here This teacheth that no Age is free from Temptation there is such weakness and wickedness even in the best and wisest of Men that if left to themselves they may foully fall While Solomon was young he was wholly taken up with his framing famous Fabricks with Executing Justice among his Subjects and with writing sundry excellent Books but now beginning to grow old he indulg'd himself in Amorous Imbracements c. therefore should we watch in all Ages old and young The 3d. Remark is Solomon's Sin It was the Sin of Idolatry that Land-desolating Sin into which David never fell tho' he greatly sinned otherwise ver 5 6 7 8. where his sin is marked to be manifold As 1. In Doting upon so many Wives c. His Father contented himself with six Wives 2 Sam. 3.3 4.5 but his Son will have seven hundred Wives and three hundred Concubines ver 3. here 2. His marrying so many Idolatrous Strangers contrary to the Law of God 3. In suffering them to set up their Idolatrous Worship in God's Land and to practise it 4. In appointing Places for their Idols 5. In raising heavy Taxes upon his Subjects whereof Complaint is made by them in the next Chapter to maintain the Idolatrous Priests and Worship of his Wives c. 6. In conforming himself to their Desires in worshiping their Idols Venus Bacchus and other Pagan Idols with them in his own person say Lavater and Serrarius yea and compelling his Hebrews to worship them also And 't is said here ver 4. that his Wives turned away his heart after other Gods For after he had once gratified his Mistresses of Moab the rest of his Idolatrous Women wished him to do the like favour for them and he out of a Complaisant Humour being left of God to himself did unlike himself comply with them unwisely for wise Solomon to do as P. Martyr observeth The Fourth Remark is No wonder if the Lord were Angry v. 9 10 11 12 13. The Effect of his Complicated Sin and so oft twisted Transgression Though Solomon was Jedidiah God's beloved Darling Wherein Mark 1. God's Chastizements of his own Children as the ground is grieved Love so the end is fuller and freer Embracements The Antinomian Notion is here condemned that saith God is never Angry with his People fall they never so foully no not with a Fatherly Anger This is contradicted here and Isa 57.17 and 1 Cor. 11.30 Mark 2. When the Heart is won the whole Man is won in that hidden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3.4 When Solomon's Heart was turned aside from God then took he this Liberty to Sin thus grievously 't was a wicked Heart of Vnbelief that was the grand ground of his great Sin and set him upon departing from the Living God to Dead Idols Heb. 3.12 Mark 3. God's great Favour in appearing twice to Solomon after an extraordinary manner was a great Aggravation
he ate sparingly saith Sanctius that he might have some to suffice him the next Day However the Angel touches him the second time to awake him out of his Repose to betake Himself again to a fresh Repast ver 7. telling him he must feed lustily that he might be able to hold out so long a Journey as to Horeb N.B. The like Words the Angel of the Covenant seemeth to say to us in his Ordinances especially in the Lord's Supper eat O Friends yea drink abundantly c. Cant. 5.1 Remark the Fifth Elijah obeyed and in the strength of that double Meal he went to Horeb c. ver 8. Horeb is reckoned from Beersheba but fourscore Miles whereof he had walk'd one Day 's Journey already into the Wilderness So that the Prophet need not spend forty Days and Nights in going thither but Peter Martyr supposeth that he went wayless ways with many windings and turnings in the manner of Fugitives to shun Jezebel's Pursuers Sometimes he stood still rested and lay lurking in obscure Places and perhaps saith Menochius It was not at the first his purpose to pass so far as Horeb but God by his Providence brought him through all his wandrings in the Wilderness thither saith Peter Martyr that he might there instruct him Others are of opinion that forty Days and Nights time was spent in not only his going to Horeb but also in his abiding there N.B. However this is certain that this double Meal lasted to nourish him for so long a Time No doubt but Meat and Drink of an Angel's providing must have an extraordinary Digestion and Operation As the Meal in the Barrel and the Oil in the Cruise continued for three Years Chap. 17.14 15. so might this Meat of the Angel's making abide in Elijah's Stomach for forty Days and forty Nights and this is reputed the Prophet's seventh Miracle in his Fasting so long as Moses had done before him Exod. 34.28 and the Messias after him Matth. 4.2 which three great Fasters did meet gloriously together on Mount Tabor at Christ's Transfiguration Matth. 17.3 The third Place Elijah fled to for fear of Jezebel was Mount Horeb where the Lord met him ver 9 to ver 18. Remarks upon this are these First Horeb had a Cave in which Elijah lodged himself this was a more convenient Place for his Lodging than when he lay in the open Air under his Juniper-Tree in the Wilderness and Rab. Solomon saith It was the self-same Cave wherein Moses was when he saw God's Back-parts Exod. 33.21 22 23. and 34.6 Hence this Cave was in most high esteem among the Ancients saith Josephus c. N.B. However this Mount Horeb was the Place where God appeared to Moses at the first Exod. 3.1 2. and where afterwards God gave the Law to Moses and Israel Deut. 4.10 15. It surely could not but much confirm Elijah's Faith against his fear to behold those sensible Monuments wherein God cover'd Moses with his Hand while He passed by him with his overwhelming Glory Moses had gone to this Horeb to see God in the Bush Exod. 3.1 2 3. but here God comes to find Elijah in this Cave saying to him what dost thou here Elijah ver 9. wherein saith Peter Martyr God asks not because he knew not but secretly taxeth him for forsaking his Station intimating to him how he had sent him and set him to reduce Israel from their relapses and gave him great Gifts and Miracles for that end and saying I would have protected thee still hadst thou continued amongst them But now most unlike a Champion for Truth thou art a timorous run-away and comes not hither by my command but by thy own Cowardice for fear of Jezebel N.B. But others vary from Peter Martyr's Sentiments saying Had God been displeased with Elijah's being here He would not have sent his Angel to sustain him in the Wilderness nor have so strengthen'd him to travel forty Days and Nights with the succour of one double Meal only Therefore say they God asks this Question only to usher in the following Discourse Remark the Second Elijah's Answer to God's Question ver 10. in which Peter Martyr observes that the Prophet doth not speak out simply and directly but conceals the true Cause of his coming thither and commends himself with his Zelando Zelavi I have been Jealous c. meaning that it grieved his Soul to behold the Lord's Spouse so play the Harlot c. God's Honour was as tender to him as a Wives Honesty is to her Husband N.B. Here it is that Elijah makes Intercession to God against Israel Rom. 11.2 laying three grievous Crimes to their Charge The First is Their forsaking God's Covenant The Second is Their throwing down God's Altars The Third was Their slaying God's Prophets Oh woe to that People who put a Godly Minister to such an unpleasing Task whose Work properly is to pray for and not against them When a People so far apostatize as to fall a persecuting God's Prophets and when the most eminent of them are the greatest objects of their Hatred and Persecution such a People forfeit Prophets Prayers for them and Ripen fast for Destruction Remark the Third is Jehovah's appearance to Elijah at the Mouth of the Cave whereas the Lord's Accusation and Elijah's Apology before mentioned were in the Heart or midst within the Cave from ver 11 to ver 13. Mark 1. The Lord bids Elijah come forth out of his lurking Hole into the open light and stand in the Mouth of the Cave and there thou shalt see my Harbingers all three Terrible in themselves to humble the Prophet and to prepare him for hearkening more heedfully to the Divine Oracle in the fourth Harbinger and for receiving it with a deeper Veneration Mark 2. The first of God's Harbingers was a tempestuous wind that moved the Mountains and rent the Rocks ver 11. Though the Wind of it self be but a Vapour yet what great things God can work by it is well known both at Sea and Land by Storms and here also and all to make way saith Osiander for his own gracious appearance in the last Harbinger N.B. This Tempest represented Hazael whom Elijah anointed afterward ver 15. that tearing Blast to Israel was from God but God was not in it c. Mark 3. After the Wind comes the Earthquake more terrible than the Wind that did but move the Air but this the Earth saith Dr. Hall that only beats upon some Prominencies of the Earth but this shook it from its Center N.B. This might prefigure Jehu whom Elijah anointed ver 16. This again is added but the Lord was not in it that is God was so in it as in his other extraordinary Works but not so as to impart himself graciously to Elijah therein lest he should rather be affrighted than instructed by God's speaking to him out of those terrible Things Mark 4. After the Earthquake came the Fire more terrible than the two former to teach Elijah
Spirit Thus the Bridegroom adopted the Bride Ruth 3.9 and so doth God to us Ezek. 16.8 if called c. Mark 3. When this rich Farmer 's Son found his Heart changed by this Habit He leaves his Plough and begs leave of a farewel to his Parents This great change upon Elisha by only the Mantle of Elijah makes up his eighth Miracle Mark 4. Elijah grants it Grace destroys not Nature nor Sanctity Civility Parents do Consent Elisha comes without dallying and delaying not as He did Matth. 8.21 Luke 9.59 and ver 61 62. where Christ grants not to him what Elijah here granteth because Christ knew all Men John 2.24 and that it was a pretence only to leave Christ Mark 5. Elisha's friendly Farewel was speedy This Divine Impression makes him willing to leave his Parents his Plough his fat Farm his All for God c. He slays his Oxen he plow'd with boils the Flesh with the Plough and wooden Instruments makes a farewel Feast for all his Friends here 's no weeping saith Peter Martyr but all Joy at this Happy Day and more honourable imploy Thus Levi did Luke 5.29 1 Kings CHAP. XX. THIS Chapter is a Narrative of Ahab's two great Victories over the Syrians for two years together First of the first Victory in which the Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents are remarkable Remarks first upon the Antecedents As 1. Benhadad the Son of him who had spoiled sundry Cities in Israel chap. 15.20 and the same whom Hazael murdered and succeeded 2 Kings 8.15 waged War against Ahab The Cause of this War is variously assigned As 1. The Syrians above thirty years before had been invited in by Asa to assist him against Baasha and then conquering some Cities 1 Kings 15.17 18. they had felt the sweetness of the Soil of Israel and now they would have all N.B. This is oft the fate of calling in Forein Powers for the suppression of an home-bred Enemy The Remedy oft proves worse than the Disease The 2d Cause saith P. Martyr was Ahab's refusing to pay Tribute to Benhadad which before he had paid him for those Cities that had been taken from Baasha and some also from Omri Ahab's Father not mention'd in sacred Story but implied here ver 34. But the 3d. and true Cause of this War was God's great displeasure against Israel for their Idolatry and Apostasie and Benhadad's Ambition in amplifying those Conquests his Father had made chap. 15.20 was but the Rod in God's hand to chastize the Impiety of his Children Remark the Second Benhadad gathers a vast Host consisting of thirty two Kings c. wherewith he comes up and besieged Samaria the Metropolis of the Ten Tribes designing to catch and conquer that Kingdom wholly to himself ver 1. Hereupon he sends his Embassadors from the Siege into the City to demand all Ahab's Treasures his Wives and Children c. ver 2 3. or expect no Peace but a sudden Assault Remark the Third Timorous Ahab finding himself not only hard pressed with a close Siege without but also worse oppressed with a guilty Conscience within makes a most pusillanimous Truckle to Benhadad's insolent Demands saying I am thine and all that I have ver 4. An evil Conscience was the cause of this Cowardice N.B. Some indeed more charitably call this Prudence in Ahab that by a soft Answer he might mollifie the mind of a Barbarian King so saith Menochius and that he spake not this seriously but only officiously to pacifie Benhadad nor would such a proud Imperious Dame as was Jezebel suffer him to do otherwise as loth enough to be delivered up into the hands of Barbarous Benhadad And Dr. Hall saith that Ahab did wisely like a Reed in the Tempest stoop to this violent Charge of so potent an Enemy he being but half a King while the Kingdom of Judah was divided from him and Benhadad had two and thirty Kings in conjunction with him It is not for the over-powered to expostulate in Capitulations weakness must not argue but yield Might many times runs down Right Remark the Fourth Benhadad insolently incroacheth upon this first submission of Ahab ver 5 6. Ahab offers to be a Tributary King to him and to hold his All in Homage and Fealty under him so the propriety and present possession might be but his No saith Benhadad in his second Message I will not only have Dominion over thy All but I will have present possession of thy All without any subordinate Interest reserved to thy self and not of thy All only but the All of all thy Subjects shall be mine in hold also Thus Insolency is both unsatiable and unreasonable too The unjust knows no shame Zeph. 3.5 he will have his Jezebel too together with the Treasure of the City as well as the Royal City and all the Cash Jewels Plate and portable goods of the Citizens All shall be actually mine saith he nor will I stay till thou deliver them but I will send to fetch them Remark the Fifth Upon the Antecedents Ahab now consults with the Elders whose wealth was now equally involved and incroached upon with his own ver 7. P. Martyr marks well here that Ahab neither consulted God at this pinch nor acknowledged the true cause of it He tells those Elders I have not denied to become his Vassal but nothing will satisfie him save the plundering of our Houses the ravishing of our Wives and the spoiling us of our All that is comfortable This over-strained subjection turns desperate and hereupon the Elders advise him to a Denial and rather stand it out to the Issue of a bloody War ver 8. Then Ahab gave in his Denial but faintly in saying I may not do it ver 9. whereas a right generous Spirit would have said I will not do it thy incroaching Terms required are worse than death c. N.B. Ahab was of such an Abject Temper that he would have submitted to the second Message saith P. Martyr but that he feared a Sedition among his Subjects sending his Answer in such a sordid dress Tell my Lord the King that thy Servant will do all demanded at first He might as well have said and the second too but my Subjects will not suffer me Remark the Sixth Ahab's Denial puts Benhadad into a desperate Out-rage ver 10. He stamps and stares he brags and threats yea and swears by his Gods that he would immediately turn the City Samaria into a Dust-heap And tho' every of his Souldiers should but each take up one hand-full they shall be sufficient to carry the whole City out of its place N.B. Such prodigious Pride and Presumption usually precedes utter Destruction which all Benhadad's Dunghil-Deities could not deliver from Now indeed Ahab answered wisely ver 11. and a little more couragiously than before leaving out that slavish Title My Lord but useth a Proverbial speech Let not him that girds on his Armour boast as he that puts it off N.B. 'T is sublime folly to sound a
of their Killing of the Messiah and the Wrath of God lying so severely upon them for that wicked Act Acts a. 23. that it not only confutes their Vnbelief and confirms our Faith in Christ but also it hath convinced sundry of the Jew-Doctors who by the clear Evidence of this Text have been compell'd to confess That the True Messiah is already come and that he was that Jesus whom their Fore-fathers Crucified as R. Samuel acknowledges in his Epistle to R. Isaac related by Dionys-Carthur's Comment on this Text and Rab. Hosea in his Lamentation for this Inexpiable Guilt of the Jewish Nation Recorded by Galatinus lib. 4 cap. 18. N. B. 2. Jerome well observeth That all those sad Occurrences contained in the Seventy Weeks or Ten Jubilees which make up 490 Years were Determined even until the Consummation so were all the effects of a Divine Decree and therefore Irrevocable and Irresistible And the precise periods of Time wherein each particular would be performed is expresly Revealed in this Prophetical Prediction the like whereunto is not to be found in any other of the Prophets namely the Time of the Life and Death of the Lord Jesus of burning the City that Slaughter-house of the Saints and of the Sanctuary that Den of Thieves and likewise how long their Desolation should last even until the end determined by God's Decree And therefore tho' the Jews have oft attempted yet could never to this Day Recover their own Land nor are ever like to do until they be made willing to say Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord Matth. 23. 38 39. This Scripture and Rom. 11.25 26. give hopes saith Graserus of an End of that Flood of God's Wrath which flowed in upon the Jews and so overfloweth as Noah's Flood had done and soâ—ept them all away out of their own Country Mark 4. But above all Daniel hath a most distinct Revelation concerning the Condition of the Jews under their many powerful Adversaries till the Madness of Antiochus Epiphanes was over in his three last Chapters all which look more like an History than a Prophecy from the Third Year of Cyrus to the period of Antiochus's Persecution First Daniel the 10th Chapter is but a Prologue to the main Prophecy wherein some things are premised as Preparatory to it Secondly The 12th Chapter is the Epilogue Annexed wherein the Pious are comforted with Promises both of Protection and of Deliverance Thirdly But the main Body of the Prophecy or rather History is revealed in the 11th Chapter which reacheth to the Jews raising out of the Dust of their Dispersion c. wherein the State of the Church of the Jews saith Brand Mullerus is Described under a double Respect N. B. 1. It was very Miserable in respect of the bloody Wars between the Lagidae the King of Egypt and the Seleucidae the Kings of Syria for Judea having Egypt on the South and Syria on the North lay as Corn betwixt two Mill-stones and was miserebly grinded to powder by their frequent Incursions of their Armies commonly marching through the bowels of Judea and wasted it The 2d Respect was Antiochus's Persecutions especially at three times 1. When he returned from Egypt in his second Expedition Dan. 11.28 2d In his third Expedition thither ver 30. And 3dly In his fourth ver 41 c. N. B. 1. Daniel Mourning for the sad Estate of the Jews in Judea hath this Vision vouchsafed to him to Relieve him against his great fright and fainting by being informed of the Affairs of both the Persian and Grecian Empires the Disasters whereof relating to the Church of the Jews put good Daniel into his Dumps Dan. 10.2.3 till comforted by Gabriel ver 12. yet not all at once but by four Degrees was Daniel raised 1. He is set upon his Knees and upon the palms of his Hands ver 10. after his three Weeks Mourning c. this posture was an Emblem of Prayer 2. He is caused to stand upon his Feet tho' trembling and silent ver 11 15. 3ly His Mouth is opened to speak but with much weakness fears and sorrows ver 17. And 4thly He is fully strengthened ver 18. N.B. God gives his Answers of Peace to the Prayers of his People not all at once but gradually for he is a God of Judgment and blessed are they that wait on him Isa 30.18 The Angel comforts Daniel with this That the Persians shall be Diverted by the Grecians under Great Alexander so that they shall have little leisure or mind to meddle with the Jews for Michael or Christ stood up for his Church in the want of all Humane Helps ver 19 20 21. so that the Devil cannot prevail Matth. 16.18 N. B. 2. Gabriel gives a more particular Exposition of the Visions Chap. 7. and 8. This latter Explanation in Chap. 11. being more plain than the former before for in Chap. 11. the Angel with the greatest clearness declares in particular the several Kings of Persia and of Grecia more especially the sundry Passages of those Divided Kings one against another especially relating to the Jews the other two Kings of the East and of the West being of a lesser figure than the other two of the North and South all four Successors of Alexander and not meddling with the Church of the Jews therefore the Angels meddleth not with them in this Historical Prophecy But of the Northern Kings of Syria and of the Southern Kings of Egypt Gabriel giveth an Account of seven several Wars between them in this 11th Chapter As 1. Between Ptolomeus Lagus of Egypt who was a great Enemy to the Jews saith Josephus and Seleucus Nicanor of Syria stronger than Ptolomy Chap. 11. ver 5. the poor Jews that lay betwixt these two Potent Princes were beaten on both sides 2. Between Ptolomeus Philadelphus so call'd because he Marry'd his own Sister yet was a Learned King and being a great lover of Learning he Founded that famous Library wherein were two hundred Thousand Books and among them the Septuagint which he caused to be composed by 72 Rabbins and Antiochus Theos or God as his Parasites styled him These two Kings made a Marriage out of Sinful Politicks to compose all their Controversies by a Confederacy ver 6. Antiochus Marrys Ptolomy's Daughter for confirming the Concord Berenice which signifies a Daughter of Innocency but not right named saith Junius because he Marry'd his own Sister Nor could this Berenice cause these two Kingdoms cleave together as was foretold Dan. 2.43 but they brake out again into open War and this fond God Antiochus was poisoned by his Wife a just Judgment from a jealous God that he should die by jealous Laodice 3ly Between Ptolomeus Evergetes and Saleucus Callinicus was the third War Dan. 11.7 8 9. Antiochus after a while put away Berenice who long retain'd not the power of her Arm ver 6. that is her Interest in her Husband her Queendom and her Life were soon after lost
the second King of the Jews but the Pharisees so call'd from their Separation and then being a prevailing Faction with their Traditions Reproached him as unworthy of the Royal Diadem because he was born of a Captive Mother for which high Affront he slew 50000 of them and their Partakers Notwithstanding this Revenge he observing how that Sect led the Vulgar by the Nose persuades his Wife Salome to strike in with them and to be Ruled altogether by them and to deliver his Body now seiz'd upon with an incurable quartan Ague of three Years continuance whereof he died to them to be used at their pleasure this being done by Salome it so oblig'd the Pharisees whom he had so notoriously Disoblig'd that they not only Interr'd him Honourably but also made his Widow Queen calling her Alexandra under whom the Pharisees were so powerful that they Ruled all and put many good Men to Death for not favouring their Faction This Queen made Hircanus her Eldest Son High-Priest who drove his younger Brother Aristobulus out of all Command but because Hircanus was look'd upon as half-witted a Dispute arose who should be King before Pompey the Great He determines it for Hircanus to be their third King marches to Jerusalem to suppress the Opposers Sacks the Temple and lays open the Holy of Holies then hasting to Rome carries Aristobulus along his Prisoner but being Releas'd there by Julius Caesar he being more Active and Accomplish'd a Composition was made that he should be their fourth King and Hircanus content with his High-Priesthood This Aristobulus the Second possessed two and twenty Castles with the Kingdom tho' Antipaeter Herod's Father attempted to restore Hircanus the Elder Brother to the Crown yet siding with Julius Caesar in the Civil Wars against Pompey the Great he was afterward poyson'd by the Pompeian Party leaving his Son Alexander to Reign in his stead who made the fifth King of the Jews and who making many Motions in Rebelling against the Roman Conquerours and endeavouring to cast off the Roman Yoke was at last Conquer'd catch'd and beheaded by Pompey at Antioch N. B. 1. That Anna the Prophetess of whom we read Luke 2.36 became a Widow much about this Time being 84 Years old c. ver 37. N. B. 2. This fifth King of the Jews Alexander had born to him by Alexandra Hircanus his Uncle's Daughter the two Paragons of that Time for Beauty Aristobulus and Mariamne both Murder'd by Herod afterward N. B. 3. The Principality and Kingdom of the Maccabees or Asmoneans of the Line of David here ended in Alexander after they had out of their own Ambitious Humour Advanced themselves from the Priesthood to the Throne and quarrelling one with another they open'd a way for the Romans to Invade and Subdue them and to set up Herod an Edomite a King over them Remark the Third The sixth King of the Jews was Herod call'd the Great an Idumean and of a base Stock faith Josephus but grew up into a very great Grandeur by the benign Influence and warm Sunshine of the Roman Soveraignty upon this Mushroom insomuch as he was called Herodes Magnus Paraeus and Cluverius c. give this Narrative of Herod's Life 1. That his Father was Antipater an Idumean whom they also call an Ascalonite from whom this grand Rascal proceeded However his Original was so far out of a foreign Extract that Josephus and the Domestick Jews look'd upon Jacob's Prophecy of the Departing of the Scepter from Judah to be fulfilled in Herod's Vsurpation 2ly Antipater Herod's Father being a Crafty Fox first sided with Pompey against Caesar while he seemed to be the strongest side but afterwards he wheel'd about to assist Caesar in his Alexandrian War and being successful Caesar made him Governour over all Judea who Repaired the Walls of Jerusalem that Pompey had Demolish'd setting his Eldest Son Phaselus over Jerusalem and Herod his Younger Son over Galilee but Antipater being poison'd by one Malichus and Phaselus dashing out his own Brains saith Josephus Herod by the help of the Roman Senate becomes King of Judah 3ly As Herod while young did Patrizare being a Crafty Fox like his Father and Marry'd Mariamne matchless for Beauty and one of the Blood-Royal to fit him for wearing the Crown-Royal c. so he exceeded his Father in becoming also a Cruel Tyger for perceiving the Jews uneasie to have a Stranger King over them by Mark Anthony's means whom he had well bribed he Murders all the Blood-Royal that might question his Title to the Throne amongst which were 1. Hircanus at 80 Years old returning from Banishment when Herod had Marry'd Alexander's fair Daughter Mariamne 2. Beautiful Aristobulus his Wife's Brother whom he invited to a Feast at Jericho and there in Sport was Duck'd to death by his fellow-Swimmers whom Herod had Suborned for that end and this was done without any cause but only because Herod had made him the High-Priest and perceiving that he became a dear Darling to the Jewish People this was enough to make him the Object of that Crafty and Cruel King Herod 's Hatred Nor 3ly did he spare his dearest Wife Mariamne that Paragon of Beauty but Executed her together with her Mother Alexandra for pretended Treason 4ly This Herod caused Ezekias an Highway-man with many of his Associates to be slain tho' not Condemned by due course of Law this so incensed the Sanhedrim that they sent out their Warrants to bring him to Justice for medling with their Authority But he was grown now too stiff-neck'd for such a Curb for he came with a strong Guard to over-awe them for which Old Simeon call'd the Just told him to his Teeth that he deserved Death for so doing c. This so enraged Haughty Herod against them that he could never be at quiet until he had kill'd all that Grand Council except Old Simeon who escaped being preserved by God's Providence to embrace Christ that beautiful Babe of Bethlehem and to Prophesie of his Salvation Luke 2. 25 to 31. N. B. Herod this bloody Raskalonite stands Stigmatiz'd upon Record in all Histories for his being 1. a Cruel King in killing his own Subjects of all sizes gentle and simple 2. A Crueler Son-in-law for Murdering Alexandra his Mother-in-law and Hircanus his Queen's Grand-father And 3ly the Gruelest Husband in Murdering Mariamne his own fair Wife and Queen 4ly That he might become Vnparellel'd he steps one Degree higher than the Superlative the highest Degree in murdering three of his own Sons by Mariamne who was his principal Queen among his nine Wives c. Hereupon Augustus Caesar broke this Jest upon Herod Praestare Herodis Porcum esse quam filium 'T is better to be Herod's Hog than his Son So he was more than the cruelest Father to his own Natural Sons Remark the Fourth While Herod was thus wallowing in the blood of his own Relations saith Cluverius and in the blood of the Jews in general principally projecting to keep the
to the Godly as he said to Jacob Fear not to go down to Egypt into the Grave c. p. 409. 'T is sudden to some but lingring to others p. 418. Decree of God firm as a Mountain of Brass p. 6. Deliverance must be waited for p. 370 410 425. Departure of Israel out of Egypt into the Wlderness p. 455. Having the Cloudy Pillar for their Conduct p. 457. Devil a faln Angel spake in the Serpent as a Man to deceive Eve c. p. 41 42. His Fall is final p. 43 44. Doomed to eat Dust p. 48 49. Devotion what it is that is acceptable to God p. 77 78. Dreams of sundry sorts p. 248 to 253. And of several Subjects p. 355. to 359. Joseph and Daniel great Interpreters of Dreams Vol. 1. Page 390 391. E. Ear of Man how created and corrupted p. 16 17 Election not from foreseen Works p. 75. 'T is the Cause of Holiness not the Effect of it p. 76 to 210. England an Isle that God hath an eye upon p. 386. Enmity put betwixt the Serpent and the Woman p. 50 51. Enoch walked with God p. 83 c. His Prophecy p. 86 87. His Translation p. 94. as Elijah p. 95 to 99. Envy the cause of Joseph's Sale upon many accounts p. 351 to 354. Eve first in the Transgression as she was first Assaulted p. 43. Eye of Man corrupted by the Fall p. 14 15. F. Faith gives us Acceptance with God p 79. What true Faith is p. 131. It hath a Soul-satisfying property p. 334. Fall Reasons why God suffered the first Fall of Adam p. 44. Fear much attends the most Pious Mind and sometimes upon Suspicion only without any real cause p. 405. Fear of God is the best preservative from Sin p. 373. First born Consecrated to God p. 453 454. Flesh when God allowed Man to feed thereon p. 128. G. Godliness is both the Fealty and the Felicity of Man 't is both his Duty and his Dignity p. 90 91. How there are Safety Solace and Satiety in walking with God p. 92. See Piety Grace is free p. 75. In putting difference betwixt Sons of one Father and betwixt Twins of one Mother ibid. Noah found Grace in God's sight He was not saved for his own Righteousness p. 108. H. Holiness See Godliness and Piety Husband A Man may be long so before he be a Father p. 215. An Husband may be blessed tho' he be not bless'd to become a Father ibid. Hypocrites in the Church at last discover'd 5.58 I. Jews may not boast of the Merit of their Progenitors p. 327 328. Innocents do oft perish by false Accusations p. 377. Job's whole History spoke to p. 429 430. Joseph Sold at a low price was a Type of Christ p. 359 360. And in his state of Humiliation and Exaltation p 365 c. Whether Jacob knew how Cruel his Sons had been to Joseph is discuss'd p. 366 to 369. Joseph's Chastity when Exalted p. 366 367. How farther he is a Type of Jesus in his Exaltation p. 394. He is justified in his Monopolizing all the Corn c. p. 397 398. How he is farther a Type of Christ of the Church and of a Christian p. 399. He makes himself known to his Brethren p. 400 and 403. Presents his Brethren first to Pharaoh p. 412. and then to his Father p. 420. Journeys See Travel We ought to have a Divine Warrant for all our Ingresses and Egresses Vol. 1. Page 128. Isaac a Type of Christ How p. 148 149. His Birth Weaning c. p. 157. Judgment-day is unknown Why p. 104. Signs of its sudden coming ibid. and p. 150. K. Keys There be four Keys hang at God's Girdle p. 127. L. Ladder of Jacob the sundry Senses put upon it in many Resemblances p. 256 258 c. the seven excellent Properties of it as it represents Christ p. 261 to 267. Language Hebrew is the most Antient of all Languages p. 55. Life of Man but a Pilgrimage How Jacob's was so with a witness p. 332 333 334 c. Love How base Lust differs from proper Love p. 377. Lying the Aggravations of that Sin p. 235. M. Man made up of the four Elements God's Masterpiece p. 9 10. Of Man's Body p. 11. In the state of Innocency p. 12 13. And after the Fall p. 14. Man's Heart the cause of Sin and his Eye the occasion of it p. 15. Marriage is Honourable for Ministers p. 88. Of many Wives how it was a Type in Jacob p. 273. 'T is Honourable in it self p. 315. Yet wants not Woe see of it in Adam p. 316 326. Matters that concern the Church tho small are Recorded in Scripture when greater Matters of the World are pass'd over in silence p. 84. Mercy God gives the Godly no pure Mercy in this Life without some mixture of Misery p. 216 217. Ministry is a great Blessing p. 63. Miracles God will not multiply them but where there is a defect of Means p. 460. Moses a Type of the Messias in many Respects p. 432. Of his Bush burning and not consumed p. 435 c. It was a Type of the Church p. 436 437. He was famous for his Birth Life and Death p. 433. Mortality taught by Adam's Death and Immortality by Enoch's Translation p. 85 86. Mother Her Authority is great over her Children see Parents p. 228. N. Name changed for the better p. 158. Nature must be changed in us p. 159. Noah and his Deluge p. 99. His Ingress Progress and Egress p. 123 to 128. O. Obedience of Abraham how excellent it was p. 141 151 152 153 to 156. P. Paradise Man lost it by Sin p. 53 54. The Earthly and Heavenly Paradise p. 95 96. Parents thankful for Children Vol. 1. Page 55. Ought to train them up in God's Worship p. 64. May not hinder them from Good p. 132. Ought not to be partial in Cockering one above another Vol. 1. Page 354. Passover largely describ'd p. 447 to 454. Persecutors do Imprison the Saints yet God is with them there as with Joseph p. 382 383. Piety or Impiety of Persons commend or discommend their Actions p. 70. 'T is never safe without Policy p. 229 282. Pilgrimage of the Patriarchs p. 332 to 336. Plagues the Ten sent upon Egypt p. 443 to 445. Possessions that are Earthly are but Vanity p. 55. Potter hath power over his Clay c. p. 55. As in Cain and Abel p. 56 75. Prayer Man's Prayer for God's Promise must be performed instantly and constantly p. 215. God's Promise must not prevent Man's Prayer ibid. Jacob's Wrestling with God p. 286 to 310. Predestination it lay in the Womb of God's Eternal Decree as Jacob and Esau did in Rebekah's Womb p. 218 219. Price There be three sorts of Prices the Kind the Discreet and the Rigid Price p. 361. Promise the outside thereof cannot save p. 126. See Prayer Deliverance Prosperity attends the bad more than the good p. 242 244. Joseph feared his Prosperity more
or Mother and all the People shall say Amen Deut. 27.16 Prov. 30.11 17. and many other Scriptures The Fourth Remark or Remarkable means whereby Jacob obtain'd the Blessing was the mutual diligence of the Mother and Son in the use of the most commodious means tending to that end Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratia gratiam parit there was a Reciprocation of Affections betwixt the Mother and the Son and no love was lost between them The Mother overhearing what Isaac had said secretly to Esau proposes this project to Jacob for preventing the design and for pre-occupating the Blessing that it might be placed upon the right Object according to Gods Oracle v. 6. Gen. 27 and she injoins her Son in all filial Obedience to her Maternal Commands v. 8. he obeys yet not until his Objections which she thought not of were answered v. 11 12 13 15. In Rebekahs project for her purpose aforesaid there be three particulars First the Means prescribed that Jacob should take two Kids of her Dressing which Rupertus makes to be the Two Testaments as he doth by Blind Isaac represent Carnal Cardinals selling Spiritual Blessings for Temporal Morsels that the daintiest Bits might be pick'd out of both and that if the one were not dressed up pleasing to Isaac's Palate the other might be Rebekah knew her Husbands Diet and could Dish up what was delightful to his Tooth and Tongue ver 9. Wives ought to please their Husbands 1 Cor. 7.34 and Oh that we could bring Savoury Meat to our Maker who is our Husband Isa 54.5 and to our Father as we are his Children that he might bless us He hath said That he will eat our Honey-comb with our Honey Cant. 5.1 Crust and Crumb he will take in good part our sorry performances which come from sincere Hearts and such as regard not sin Psal 66.18 yet will reject the fat of Rams where Hands are full of Blood and Hearts of Sin Isa 1.11 15. The second particular is The putting into practice or Execution of those projected means Jacob must bring this Dish of Kids to his Father Isaac for Venison and personate his Brother Esau in so doing Against this Jacob objects plus vident oculi quam oculus many Eyes see more than one Esau my Brother is an hairy Man my Father peradventure will feel me c. ver 11 12. Here the plain Man must act the part of a Politician and of a subtle Man Gen. 25.27 yet not without some controuls and contradictions of Conscience Jacob saw more than his Mother and therefore saith I shall seem to him as a Deceiver This teaches 1. That the Pious could be Politick as well as others were not their Wit Wisdom and Understanding over-ruled by the working of their Consciences they are not so simple or filly as the World deems them And 2. A Pious mind hath a more mind to seem so than to be so So Jacob saith I shall seem to my Father as a Deceiver though this he could not be without fear and scruple 3. Plain Piety sometimes without some honest Policy is too simple to be safe as always Policy without Piety is too subtle to be good Our Lord bids his Disciples be wise as Serpents yet harmless as Doves Mat. 10.16 The Head of a Serpent and the Heart of a Dove are two good Ingredients in compounding the best Christianity which calleth us not to a silly simplicity and sheepishness to suffer every Crow to pull all the Wool from off our Backs when 't is in the power of our Hands to Right our selves in a right way both of Law and Gospel Christianity allows us as much of the Serpent as of the Dove A Serpents Eye is a singular Ornament in a Doves Head The Dove without the Serpent is caught easily the Serpent without the Dove doth Sting Mortally when Piety and Policy are well matched together this makes themselves secure and many safer from casting themselves into needless dangers All its Activity is Dove-like that Flies Provokes not the Hawk nor Projects Revenge 4. Policy is never matched aright with Piety but when 't is manag'd in such Means and Methods as are manifestly Subordinate and Subservient to the declared Will of God all the wicked Wits and Wiles of evil Men are indeed Subservient to the secret Will of God who doth order Mens most crooked ways of wickedness to a right and straight end for his own Glory The secret Will of God is no rule for Man to walk by for we may cross Gods secret Will and do well as David did in praying for the Life of his Child 2 Sam. 12.16 18. though God had decreed yea declared ver 14. it should die and Men may serve the secret will of God and do ill as Judas and the Jews did in Betraying and Crucifying of Christ Acts 2.23 God over-rul'd their worst of Actions for his Best of Ends the Redemption of the World This Subserviency to Gods secret Will will not warrant Humane Actions But Rebekah's project here was Subordinate to the declared VVill of God and her policy here was not only from a strong Affection to her Son but also from a strong Belief of Gods Oracle Gen. 25.22 23. which made her have such a strange Opinion of the success of her project saying to her scrupling and curse-fearing Son Upon me he thy curse Gen. 27.13 which she could not have so boldly spoken without a firm Faith upon the Promise and a real reliance upon the Oracle of God Though the Methods she took to deceive Isaac might be of her own devising rather than of Gods directing for setting him to the Rights that he might comply with not cross and contradict Gods revealed Will. ☞ Christians are frequently call'd the Meek so Mat. 5.5 and in Psalms and Proverbs often overcoming envy and ill-will more by patience than by pertinacy committing their cause as Christ did 1 Pet. 2.23 to him that judgeth righteously hereby with honest Naboth they come to be Sworn out of their Patrimony yet that place assures us there 's nothing lost by meekness for it both pronounces the meek blessed Ones and promises they shall inherit the Earth so much as God sees good for them and leave it to their Posterity Prov. 13.22 As Heaven is taken by violence Mat. 11.12 so is the Earth by meekness God loves no Tenants butter and he is the great Landlord Psal 115.16 nor grants longer Leases to any than to the meek whereas frowardness forfeits all into the Lords Hand Abraham makes a meek Remission of his own right of choice unto his Nephew Lot Lot taketh it and behold Lot is crossed in that which he chose but Abraham is blessed in that which was left him God never permits any Man to lose by meekness Objection the first Why did not Rebekah and Jacob shew meekness in committing their cause to God in the Contract 'twixt Isaac and Esau Answer 'T is answered This meekness of Christianity is a
meekness of Wisdom Jam. 3.13 It must he a wife meekness Wisdom must be both its cause and its quality It must be such as is only opposite to an heady and furious fierceness which knows no due bounds not to a well-grounded and well-guided Zeal and Fervency of Spirit Rom. 12.11 The Spirit appeared not only in the form of a Dove Mat. 3.16 but also in Cloven Tongues of Fire Acts 2.3 4. There is a blessed consistency of the Spirit of Power and of Love 2 Tim. 1.7 Nazianzen gives a good Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let meekness be mixed with wariness then is it wise meekness or meekness of VVisdom We must neither be Foxes for subtilness nor yet Asses for silliness couching under every Burden without complaint Meekness many times brings on Injuries God requires not we should be as the silly Sheep that suffers the Crow to stand upon her Back and to pull off Wooll from her side Paul wishes us wise to that which is good as well as simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Horns not Horned Beasts to push others to evil Rom. 16.19 A Second Objection or Doubt cloth arise to be answered As 1. Whether Rebekahs Device and Advice for circumventing Blind Isaac be excusable 1. Answ Negatively If this act he weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary the sacred Rule so far as her project was promoted by any transport of Carnal Affections and Private Respect to her beloved Jacob together with a particular prejudice or grudge against Esau 't is not Excusable For 1. She Sins against her Husband Isaac whom being blind she deludes laying a stumbling block before the Blind which the Laws calls a Cursed Act and Curseth the Actor Deur 27.18 2. She Sins against her Son Esau whom she designs to deceive of his Fathers Blessing which seemed to be his due as he was their first Born 3. She Sins against her Son Jacob whom she should have taught better things than to lye many lyâ—â— and thereby to deceive his own Father which moreover might have brought upon him his Fathers Curse as he feared and which must unavoidably expose him to his Brothers Implacable Hatred 4. She Sins against her self and agâ—â—â—st her own Soul Numb 16.38 in imprecating with a weak and Womanly precipitancy the Curse her Son feared upon her self v. 12 13. desiring his danger of the doubtful Issue of that deceit might be upon her 5. She Sins against God lastly in carrying on his Holy Counsel by Unholy Contrivances as Lying and Deceit not willing to wait till God make good his own Oracle but doing evil that good might come thereby contrary to the Apostles Rule Rom. 3.8 2. Answ Positively This fact of Rebekah may be excused though it seem a sinful project as in those live respects aforesaid yet in truth it might all flow from a strong Faith in her working wisely not so much to deceive her Husband as to correct his Errour in his acting contrary to Gods Oracle going about to give the Patriarchal Blessing to the wrong object Though all the Actions of Holy Men and Women cannot be excused but are set down in Scripture for Caution not for Imitation Yet in doubtful cases wherein probable reasons may be rendred Charity bids us chuse the better part and not to condemn without cause For clearing this point two things are considerable First The Matter of the fact to wit the translating of the Blessing upon Jacob herein Rebekahs Faith might manifestly operate upon solid grounds As 1. Upon the Divine Oracle The Elder shall serve the Younger 2. Upon that wonder at the Birth that Jacob took hold of Esau's Heel 3. Upon the sale of the Birth-right 4. Upon Esau's Profaneness and Departure from the Covenant in wicked Marriages The Second is The Manner of her translating the Blessing from Esau to Jacob seemeth most dubious as to the Quo Warranto in divers circumstances yea 't is the common opinion of the Antient Fathers that Rebekah did all by a Divine Instinct and Warranty from Heaven which notwithstanding makes not God the Author of fraud and lying For 1. There is a good craft as well as a bad the bad is when one thing is acted and another feigned for the hurt of him whom the design is to deceive this was not Rebekah's deceit but it was a good and an honest craft to reduce her Husband from a gross mistake such projects and politick practices are so far from being condemned that they are sometimes commended as in the Faithful Physitian who beguiles his fond Patient in order to his cure giving him some effectual remedies which if he knew them he would not take them So in the tender Mother who oft is constrained to cheat the froward child to bring it either to eat or sleep None condemn Pauls for using craft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an high point of Heavenly Wisdom Dan. 12.3 to gain the Souls of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.16 nor Christ for seeming as if he would go further than Emmaus to stir up the Disciples desires for his abode with them Luke 24.18 29. As to the five Articles wherewith Rebekah is Arraigned in the first Branch they all may be thus answered in order 1. She did not lay a stumbling block before the Blind but rather remov'd one out of his way by directing Isaac into a right way of obeying and accomplishing Gods Oracle 2. 'T was no Injury to Esau for she design'd not to bereave him of any thing that was properly his due the Blessing belong'd not to him but goes with the Birth right 3. Neither did she corrupt her Son with pernicious counsel but rather corrects her Husband with pious prudence her honest advice and device did no damage to Isaac which he never complain'd of after to her but confirms it as profitable counsel to them both neither did it incur the danger of a Curse which Jacob feared as the event did demonstrate nor that deadly hatred of Esau against Jacob for this happen'd by accident from his malice 4. It was not Female rashness but certainty of Faith that made her Prophecy a good Issue saying Only obey and upon me be thy Curse thou vainly fears though as to second causes the counsel seem'd doubtful but she surely saw a good event from Gods Oracle which she believed 5. Neither did She act against God herein but according to God and his will declared to her in his Oracle besides other Providences to be spoke of in the last remark concurring to demonstrate the mind of God to her and therefore she was not to wait till God by some miracle should confer the Blessing on Jacob but upon this emergency uses those means an honest Wile to effect it it follows then she did not do evil to procure good and if she gave good counsel Jacob sin'd not to take it but more of this afterwards The Fifth Remark or remarkable means of Jacob's obtaining the Blessing was the over-ruling Providence of God