came under Solomon's protection saith Grotius and not only paid him Tribute but also brought him presents to procure his favour The Third Effect was v. 34. when Solomon's Wisdom sounded afar off to remote Kingdoms as well as to those nigh at hand Mark 1. Even all Kings of the Earth that had heard of his Wisdom the report of which Fame had now filled all the World came also to hear it and because Kings do not commonly go out of their Kingdoms in Person but upon some great Emergency they sent their Embassadors at the least saith Peter Martyr to Jerusalem to correspond with him and to communicate his profound Wisdom to their Masters Mark 2. The Excellency of this Wisdom of Solomon that thus sounded abroad in all the parts of the World it was of as great extent as the sand upon the Sea shore v. 29. which can never be numbered or measured even so was the largness of Solomon's Wisdom and innumerable notions even a Sea of Knowledge he had within himself so that he was wiser than Arabians Chaldeans Philosophers Astronomers v. 30. yea Wiser than all Men v. 31. far beyond Pythagoras Plato Aristotle or Socrates himself whom Apollo in his Oracle at Delphos pronounced to be the Wisest of all Mortal Men All their Learning was only acquired but Solomon's was infused Mark 3. The Wisdom of Solomon did manifest it self in his Learned Works he wrote Books of Ethicks and of Physicks v. 32 33. the greatest part whereof were lost in the Captivity and whereunto Aristotle was not a little beholden when they fell into his hands at Alexander's taking of Babylon with whom he was as his Tutor However the Choicest part of his Natural Moral and Divine Wisdom God preserved for the Church and left them Recorded in those Three Books Proverbs Ecclesiastes and Canticles Mark 4. Those Works of Solomon had as much variety in them as the World hath in it self treating upon all therein Eusebius thinks Hezekiah destroyed them because the People did Idolize them as they did the Brazen Serpent but Peter Martyr says better seeing so many of his Books are lost let us be more thankful to God for the Three Books of his we have and make the better improvement of them This made Solomon so Famous far and near that tho other Kings came not in person to partake of his Wisdom themselves yet the Queen of Sheba did Chap. 10. N. B. How doth this aggravate the perverseness of their dispositions that regard not the Wisdom of him who was Wiser than Solomon Mat. 12.42 In all which Solomon was a Type of our Blessed Saviour who draws in all Nations to the Gospel and who reads better Divinity Lectures to Men than ever Solomon could do c. 1 Kings CHAP. V. GIves an Account of Solomon's preparations for his Building the Temple wherein all the four Causes do concurr 1 Matter 2. Form 3. Efficient and 4. The Final End Remarks upon the First are First The Materials for Building it are procured by a double Embassage First Hiram King of Tyre and Sidon two Sea Towns in Phoenicia bordering upon Galilce near Lebanon the People whereof came in multitudes to Jesus Mar. 3.8 and Jesus also went into their Borders Mar. 7.24 call'd Huram 2 Chron. 2 3. sent his Embassadors to Solomon so soon as he heard of his succession to his Father David of whom he had always been a firm Lover and a fast friend to him to congratulate his coming to the Crown of Israel v. 1. and Peter Martyr observes well here that tho' these Embassadors of King Hiram had been sent long before this time yet now only is mention made thereof because an occasion is related here of Solomon's requesting of him materials for the building of his Temple and Grotius mentions the loving Letters passed between them The Second Remark is Solomon sends secondly his Embassadors to this Hiram v. 2. upon these well supposed Reasons First Because Hiram probably was a Proselyte Prince one believing in the God of Israel v. 7. where his thankfulness to the true God for setting up Solomon over Israel was a good sign of true Grace the Greeks have but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express both grace and thanks Secondly Because of that Love and League that had formerly been betwixt Hiram and his Father David to whom he had done the like Courtesies 2 Sam. 5.11 which inward intire and continual affection both to the pious Father and to the pious Son was no small evidence of true piety in Hiram and whose congratulatory message before encouraged Solomon to send now to him Thirdly Because King Hiram was the only Prince that could gratifie Solomon in his suit None else had that Ability to supply Solomon with Materials for the Temple as Hiram was able and therefore the Son renews the League 'twixt Hiram and his Father ver 11. The Third Remark is The most Elegant and effectual Oration Solomon sent by his Embassadors to King Hiram here v. 3 4 5 6. wherein Mark First The Preface thou knowest c. v. 3. both first that David could not build the Temple tho' it was in his heart to do it because of his continual Wars which gave him no time for it N. B. This good Son would not lay open to Foreigners his Father's nakedness as cursed Cham did his Gen. 9.22 25. for the Reason rendred of David's Divine Prohibition was his shedding much blood as that of Vriah's and his fellow Souldiers that fell with him 2 Sam. 7.5 1 Chron. 22.8.28.3 but Solomon comes off only with his Father's uncessant Wars to shew that Children ought to speak the best things of their Parents for to speak evil either of them or to them was death by the Law of God Math. 15.4 yea and by Solon's Law too tho' but a Pagan Lawgiver one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece c. And Secondly Solomon in his Preface tells Hiram the Reason why he resolved to erect the Temple which his Father had no capacity nor opportunity to accomplish because of his Wars but now the Lord hath given me an Vniversal Peace v. 4. which he ascribes not to his Earthly Father as the effect of all his Victories Foreign and Domestick nor to his own prudence but to the Lord by whom Kings Reign Prov. 8.15 and from whom all peace and promotion cometh Psal 75.6 7. saying as Peter Martyr saith here I may not abuse my ease which my Heavenly Father hath granted me to idleness and luxury but having no work in Wars abroad I will restore Religion at home ver 5. Mark Secondly Solomon's Proposition after his Preface he requests of Hiram such Materials as were requisite for building the Temple both Wood and Stone v. 6 18. for tho' David before his death had prepared abundantly both Wood and Workmen 1 Chron. 22.2 3 4 c. 29.3 yet nothing near enough for so great a work and Hiram must help him with Workmen
things are put under the feet of the Soul Psal 8.5 6 8. The Body is but the Souls servant and all other Creatures are but the slaves and drudges of the Soul God made it the Lord and owner of all 4ly The Soul hath the most noble stamp upon it Gold is precious in regard of its Matter and Substance but when it is Coined and comes from the Mint with a Princes stamp upon it then onely is it currant Coin and more precious than before So this noble nature of the Soul hath a noble Image engraven upon it There is a twofold Image of God upon the Soul The first is in the substance of it as it is one Immaterial Immortal and Intelligent Spirit distinguish'd into three powers the Mind Will and Memory all which make up one Soul This Image is never lost Gen. 9.6 The second is in its Divine Qualities Knowledge Holiness and Righteousness This Image is lost by the first Adam and cannot be restored but by the second 5. The Soul hath the most noble provision made to preserve it The moisture of the Earth feeds the Plants the Grass of the Field feeds the Beasts c. yea and Bread that perisheth feeds the Body but God hath provided Bread from heaven Angels food to feed the Soul his Word and Sacraments exhibits to us a pretious Christ whose Flesh and Blood is Meat and Drink indeed Joh. 6.55 56. Christ is call'd the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls 1 Pet. 2.25 he hath by way of eminency Curam Animarum both the Care and the Cure of Souls therefore hath he ordained Holy Ordinances both for its Food and Physick this Prince and principal Pastor hath appointed the means of Grace as Pabulum Animae the green pastures of the Soul Psal 23.1 2. wherein this chief Shepherd feedeth the Sheep that belong to and keep in his sheepfold bidding them eat and drink abundantly there Cant. 5.1 he feedeth his Church among the Lillies Cant. 2.16 on Mountains of Spices Cant 8.14 Christ feeds them and feasts them daily and daintily with the best of the best Isa 25.6 in those glorious Ordinances wherein the Saints go in and out that is out of one green pasture into another with refreshed Souls what the Tree of life was to Adams Body before the fall that the Tree of Ordinances are to Believers Souls after the fall An Ordinance now is to the Soul what the River Jordan was to Naamans Body 't was not any intrinsick vertue in the water but the Divine Institution which gave it an healing vertue so the Ordinance materially taken hath not in it self any Spiritual good to convey to the Soul save only by Divine appointment And in as much as Christ hath appointed not only feeding but also physicking Ordinances for the Soul and rather than the Soul should not prosper 3 Epist Joh. v. 2. he giveth his flesh and blood to feed and physick it The Travel of Christs Soul is the cure of ours Isa 53.11 As if the Physicians death were the best Medicine to make his Patient live All this Soul-care and Cure from Christ evidenceth the Souls excellency 6ly The most noble price that ever was paid in the world was laid down for the Soul when it was lost taken captive and enthralled by Satan God counted nothing too good and too dear to redeem it The Soul was not then redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold which are the most pretious things in the world yet are they but corruptible things and therefore far below the worth of an Incorruptible Soul but the Peerless price for purchasing the pretious Soul when lost must be no less than that Pearl of great price Matth. 13.45 46. paid down as a ransome for it it was no less than the pretious blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. which Bernard calls Animae pretiosae Inestimabile pretium an unvaluable price for a pretious Soul the Blood of this Lamb of God was not the Blood of a mere-man but of God-man hence 't is call'd the Blood of God Act. 20.28 The Soul of Man is so pretious that God is said there to purchase it with his own Blood 'T is call'd there the Blood of God not as if there were any Blood or Flesh in God who is a Spirit but by a Communication of properties in God-Man our Redeemer to set forth the inestimable value and vertue thereof Hence the Schools do say that one drop of Christs Blood was sufficient for the whole world as to the dignity of the person and natural value of the thing yet not so by a value positive in respect of the Covenant Christs Blood was more precious and more profitable than Davids who said what profit is there in my Blood Psal 30.9 but oh how precious and profitable was Christs Blood wherein there was both a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price of ransome from Hell and a price of purchase for Heaven Now seeing the redemption of the Soul is so precious Psal 49.8 and Money will bear no Mastery in the things of the Soul it follows then that it is a most precious thing 7ly The most noble place that ever was made in both worlds was framed for the reception and Mansion-house of the Soul to wit the Third Heaven that Heaven of Heavens Hebr. 12.23 c. This is the order of Nature that the basest things be below and the choicest and purest be above Thus the dreggy lumpish earth is below our feet but the pure Heaven is above our heads Our worthless lumber we lay in our Cellars underneath but our Treasure and Jewels we chamber them above Those most glorious Bodies the Sun Moon and Stars are placed in the Heavens above us yet is there an Heaven which we cannot see save only the underceiling of it the highest and therefore the richest of all the Heavens this was made for a receptacle of the Souls of just men made perfect Our Jewels which are our choicest treasure we keep them in the richest Cabinets so this highest Heaven the richest and most pretious of all places was created as a Cabinet to contain the most pretious Soul therefore it is called Sedes Beatorum the seat of the blessed the Paradise of God wherein are many Mansions of glory Joh. 14.2 Now if the outside and the underceiling which we behold of this glorious room be so glittering and so glittering and so bespangl'd with Stars how much more glittering and glorious is the inside wherein the Souls of the Saints shall live and reign with Christ for ever 8ly and lastly The Soul is a most noble thing in respect of all its four Causes Efficient Material Format and Final 1. The efficient cause was Elohim who call'd a Counsel only for making Man a living Soul the Lord God consulted not about making any other Creature save only Man 2. The material cause the Soul was a quinta essentia a noble and Divine substance a Spiritual matter more pure than the Heavens
Vessel of Honour Abel but the Vessel of dishonour Cain inasmuch as he was the first-born Cains Possession the founder of the City of the World and of the Kingdom of Satan was formed first and was the first former of a City in the World and was given up as well to carking cares as to worldly glories yea he Hated Persecuted and Murthered his only Brother but was rejected of God for a Damned Reprobate whereas Abel Vanity who saw the Worlds Vanity and sought a City in Heaven whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 was born after his bloody brother yet was chosen and accepted before him and became the Founder of the City of God therefore was he maliced by this first born of the World and massacred by this eldest Son of the Devil Augustin saith of Abel By Grace he was praedestinated by Grace he was elected by Grace he was an Alien below on Earth and by Grace he was a Citizen above in Heaven yet as to himself he sprang from that corrupt Mass of Mankind which was then faln into an Original and Total Condemnation From hence those following Corollaries and Conclusions naturally flowing forth are very considerable As 1. In the birth of those two Sons of Adam there was an equality natural being both born of the same parents who were then under the same Guilt and Condemnation 2. Betwixt those two Sons there is plainly put a Difference supernatural that Abel should be a chosen Vessel of mercy the head of the City of God and one who was to Reign with God for ever but Cain should be rejected as a Vessel of wrath and a reprobate head of the City of the World to be tormented for ever with the Devil 3. Inasmuch as Cain was rejected of God for a reprobate this overthrows that foolish Notion of Universal Election yea of all Devils as well as of all mankind according to the corrupt opinion of that famous Father Origen 4. Such is the Soveraignty of God that great Potter over his Clay of mankind that out or that common corrupt Mass even of men equally involv'd in the faln Estate he chuseth some to be of his own City and Kingdom whom he willeth and he refuseth others leaving them to be of the City of this evil World and of the Kingdom of Satan yet for all this man must not mutter nor murmur against God but resolve all into his Soveraignty Rom. 9. from 15. to 22. 5. The procuring cause of this most gracious Election of the Vessels of honour doth not arise from foreseen Faith and VVorks or any thing in Man but it flows freely from the good pleasure of God seeing all men are alike in the corrupted and condemned Mass of mankind Rom. 9.11 Eph. 1 4 5. c. Where the Apostle wadeth into that profundum sine â—undo Deep Occean of Praedestination without a bottom shewing all its causes to be meerly beyond and without man As the Efficient God the Material Christ the formal the good pleasure of his wilk the Final cause for the Praise of Gods glorious grace Election is altogether from free grace and not at all of Dâ—bt Eph. 2.8 9. c. 6. The positive cause of mans praeterition or being passed by as properly opposed to election and of his Damnation is wholly and solely flowing from those Vessels of wrath themselves who do fit themselves for destruction Hos 13.9 Mans damnation is from himself though his Salvation be not so but is the free Gift of God Rom. 6.23 Carnal reason must not reprehend what it cannot comprehend Assuredly God being a free agent cannot be unjust to any because he is bound â—o none to bestow Grace and Salvation on them 7. As Cain was born first and then Abel so we are all born Cains or Flesh before we be new-born Abels or Spirit 'T is nature that first maketh us Cains or Carnal but 't is Grace that must make us Abels or Spiritual We are first Nature and then Grace The first Worship of God from man we read of is mention'd Gen. 4.3 4. Though none doubt but that Adam did Sacrifice to God yet seeing no such notable remark happened at any of his Sacrifices as at his Sons which he had taught them to do there is no mention made thereof but this of Cain and Abel is the first that is recorded in Scripture concerning which two Sons of Adam two generals are observable 1. Their Parity 2. Their Imparity 1. The parity or equality of Cain and Abel is fourfold 1. In their Original as both born of the same Parents The loins and womb they both sprang from were the same 2. In their Relation they were both Brothers Sons begotten of one Father and born of one Mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of à simul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uterus as brothers Jacent in eodem utero lay in the same belly 3. In their secular condition Both had honest employs and not only lawful but laudable particular callings Cain was an Husbandman and Abel was a Shepherd though of a differing Kind yet both good 4. In then Religious concerns both were Worshippers of God both brought Sacrifices to God To omit their parity in the two former let us insist a little upon the two latter to wit their particular and general callings wherein they were equal 1. Their particular Callings Gen. 4.2 Indeed it is not recorded in Scripture whether Adam did chuse those two distinct Trades for his two Sons by his paternal Authority or that Cain and Abel did of themselves chuse them by their own proper and private genius or inclination If it were from Adams Authority over them Then these corollaries or considâ—rations do naturally flow from it 1. That Patents ought not to bring up their Children in Idleness but in some honest calling wherein they may both serve themselves and their generation according to the will of God Acts 13.36 It ought not to be the least care of Parents how to place out their Children in such serviceable Trades and Occupations as those of an Husbandman and Shepherd were both which have their due commendation for their necessity simplicity and Usefulness both in sacred and civil History 2. That every Man must have his Trade and Calling in the World as those two Sons of Adam had Though their Father was the Lord of the World yet he brought up both his Sons in laborious Callings and none can repute themselves more priviledg'd than Adam who in his very state of Innocency before his fall was appointed to dress the Garden though 't is true this was then to be rather his recreation than any toilsom Occupation for pains and weariness was a punishment for his sin his labour which before the fall was onely an Ordinance is become by the fall both an Ordinance and a Punishment too 3. Every Honest Calling hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something in it that is very comely as God himself is the Author of it and
cannot be unjust to any because he is bound to none and as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies there is no chatting or wording it with God about those profound points v. 20. God may pass by whom he will and do with his own what he will Mat. 20.15 and who can say to him VVhat dost thou Eccles 8.4 He rejects some as Cain here that his Mercy might the more appear in the Electing of others as of Abel that he might be a Vessel of Honour as Cain was of Dishonour for God hath his use of both in his great house the VVorld 2 Tim. 2.21 He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.18 Inference hence is Oh how ought we to magnify the glory of Gods Free-grace Eph. 1.6 for we were all alike Cast aways in the faln and lost Estate Abel as well as Cain we were all Children of wrath by Nature even at others Eph. 2.3 and who maketh thee to differ from another that proud Arminian Gervinchovius undertakes to answer with a stinking Breath that question of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4.7 with egomet meipsum discerno I do make my self to differ from another but we have not so learnt Christ Eph. 4.20 We are taught in Christs word to say that God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sin hath quickened us together with Christ by Grace we are saved Eph. 2.4 5. and to cry with that Blessed Disciple How is it Lord that thou manifests thy self to us and not to the VVorld John 14.22 Christ is our all and in all we are nothing in our selves Col. 3.11 and of all the good that is found in us we may say as the young Prophet said of his Hatchet Alas Master it was borrowed 2 Kings 6.5 for in us that is in our flesh or corrupt Estate dwelleth no manner of thing that is good Rom. 7.18 until we borrow both the good will and good deed from a good God Phil. 2.13 Therefore when we see others wallowing in wickedness and committing sin greedily and with both hands earnestly Eph. 4.19 Hos 7.3 then should we reflect upon our selves and say such were some of us This was our natural condition but now we are washed c. 1 Cor. 6.11 Now through Grace we find a Law in our Hearts to be more careful to please God and more fearful to offend God Can we say this our Consciences bearing witness hereof in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 Oh how should we bethink our selves that it is God who putteth the difference snatching us as brands out of the fire Zech. 3.3 Ascribe to him all the Glory 2. As God putteth the difference so he beholdeth the difference 'twixt good and bad as here between Cain and Abel And this latter flows from the former as doth the stream from the Fountain for after God hath made a difference he must needs have a prospect of what himself hath made Hence was the cause and ground why Abel was righteous Mat. 23.35 and so accepted in his Person but Cain was wicked 1. John 3.12 and so rejected of God Whence observe 2. That the Holiness and Righteousness of Man it not the Cause but the Effect of the Electing love of God The former is the Branch but this latter is the Root from whence it springeth Paul that great Assertor and Preacher of Free-grace not of Free-will doth Divinely both affirm and confirm this Truth saying According as God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the VVorld that we should be holy not because he foresaw we would be Holy and without blame before him in love c. Eph. 1.4 5 6 7 8 9. where the Apostle Teacheth 1. That Christ was assigned and designed the Mediator from Eternity to wit by vertue of that Humane Nature which he should assume wherein to be slain Revel 13.8 2 That God ordains to the means holiness as well as to the end happiness 3. That Holiness is the Effect of Eternal Election not the Cause thereof 4. That all the Causes of our Election or Predestination to Life are meerly without us As 1. The Efficient God 2. The Material Christ 3. The Formal the good pleasure of hit VVill. 4. The final Cause to the praise of the glory of his Grace So that the difference 'twixt Cain and Abel did wholly flow first from the Counsel of Gods own VVill that put a difference between them v. 11. God doth all by Counsel and ever hath a Reason for his VVill which though we cannot comprehend it here on Earth we shall be sure to apprehend it hereafter in Heaven mean while we must adore what we cannot compass or fathom crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth c. Rom. 11.33 Hence observe 3. That Difference which God putteth the same he beholdeth betwixt one Man and another 'twixt good and evil and accordingly he respects or disrespects their Persons first and then their Actions As here God had respect first to Abel 's Person and then to his Offering or Action Gen. 4.4 But unto Cain's Person first and then to his Action or Offering God had not respect v. 5. though God put a difference in his Eternal purpose yet Men also put a difference by their personal performances the godly through Grace and the wicked through want of Grace c. From whence observe 4 'T is the piety or impiety of Mens Persons that do commend or discommend their Actions and Services to God 'T is not the work that so much commends or discommends the Man but the Man the work As is the Man so is his work good or evil at least habitually quo magis aliquid tale est illud est magis tale or qualis causa tale causatum As is the Cause so is the Effect and the better that the Cause is the better must the Effect be These are Maxims in Philosophy which hold true in Divinity also A good Man worketh good Actions and the better the Man is the better are his Actions As the Temple is said to sanctifie the Gold and not the Gold the Temple Mat. 23.17 So the Person gives acceptance to and sanctifies the Action not the Action the Person Solomon saith that a Gift will make room for the Giver among Men Prov. 17.8 with 18.16 but it cannot do so with God because Man looks first on the Gift and then on the Giver measuring the Giver by his Gift but God doth just contrary for he first looks upon the Giver and then on the Gift first upon the Person and then on the Action as here and as he finds the Man he doth accordingly accept or reject approve or disapprove of the Gift Action or Offering This Truth is further demonstrated by Prov. 12.2 and by Prov. 15.8 in both which Solomon setteth out two famous Antitheses or Oppositions betwixt the godly and the wicked as two contrary opposites the former
of Peace with Joshua c. are 1. The Final Cause was that they might be allowed to live and not be destroyed with the Cursed Canaanites ver 15.20 21. the League was to let them live 2. The Efficient Cause was their Elders of Gibeon their Royal City and the Embassadors sent by the Elders ver 3 4 11. 3. The Material Cause by which the Cheat was managed was Victus Amictus Mouldy Bread and Clouted Cloathing c. ver 4 5.12 13. c. 4. The Formal Cause was the smooth Oration which those Embassadors made before Israel to decoy them into the bonds of a Covenant with them ver 6 8 9 10 11 12 13. Thus those poor Gibeonites made a better use of what they heard to wit the Ruine of Jericho and Ai than the other Canaanites did therefore they work wilily ver 3 4. and wickedly too in laying one lye upon another ver 5 6 9 11 12 13. thus Mendacium Mendacio Assuunt they stitch one Lye to another they strain hard to save their lives and taught their Tongues to speak Lies Jer. 9.5 and took fast hold of Deceit Jer. 8.5 Satan knew what he said All a Man hath will he give for his Life Job 2.4 whereas we should rather Die than Lye The Embassador is call'd an Hivite ver 7. which name hath the signification of a Serpent in it This Hivite told his Tale fairly but not a word of truth in his whole Tale He had more of the Serpent than of the Dove here was Serpentine Subtilty but no Columbine Simplicity Do not the least evil tho' it would procure the greatest good Rom. 3.8 And thus our Modern Gibeonites the Romanists would cheat the Protestants with a pretence of Antiquity Indeed the Romish Religion is no better than Clouted Shooes and Moulded Bread yet non erat sic ab initio our Religion is found in the Bible long before Luther where their musty stuff never was found Their Old Religion as they call it deserveth no more Reverence than an old Fornicator who because Old is so much the more odious Antiquity without Verity is but filthy Hoariness the old things mentioned 1 Chron. 4.23 were never better for being Ancient The Second Remark upon the Second Part is the Strange Effect which the Causes afore-mention'd did produce namely a League and Confederacy procured by the overmuch craftiness of the Gibeonites and contracted by the over-much Credulity of the Israelties ver 15. The Grand Enquiry here is whether this League was Lawful or not Answer the First some have these Sentiments that it was unlawful upon those grounds because 1. God forbad Israel to make any League with the Canaanites and bad to destroy them all Exod. 23.32 34.15 Deut. 7.2 without making any Exceptions c. Secondly the People murmured at this League ver 18. which they ought not to have done had it been Lawful 3. Joshua denounces those Gibeonites accursed for deceiving him ver 23. which he would not have done had nothing been done but what was just and equal 4. He Charged them with Circumventing him by dissimulation ver 21. Answer the Second but others affirm it was a Lawful League as Augustin and all the Rabbies c. upon those grounds First It was lawful for Israel to offer Peace to other Nations before they besieged any of their Cities Deut. 20.10 which shews this League was lawful as to the substantial part of it Secondly This Sanguinary Law of Killing all the Canaanites was not absolute and Universal but admitted of an exception of Penitents and True Converts as appeareth from Jerem. 18.7 8. Jon. 3.4 Thirdly That this Law was thus limitted being only a positive Law and so might be qualified with a Natural and Moral Equity appears in Israel's sparing Rahab and her Relations Fourthly The Reason of that Sanguinary Law was least those Canaanites that were not killed might entire the Israelites to their Idolatry Now that Reason ceased at their turning from Idolatry and becoming Proselites to Israel c. Fifthly That the Gibeonites were Converts appears for their Hearts were not hardned as the other Canaanites were Josh 11.19 20. They came to Joshua here in the Name of the Lord ver 9. and they had this blessing to have a near approach unto God in their Service of the Sanctuary ver 27. where David could have been content to be a Poor Door-Keeper Psal 84.10 Sixthly Had this League been unlawful it had been better broken than kept If it had been a Sin to make it the Sin would have been double to keep it but Joshua and all the Princes upon the review of it did conscientiously keep it verse 19 20.22 23. Seventhly God severely punish'd the Violaters of this League long even 400 years after as 2 Sam. 21.3 Saul's rash zeal cost the seven of his Sons Lives and so almost rooted out his whole Posterity Eighthly The utter Destruction of all the other Cursed Canaanites came not so much or so necessarily upon them by vertue of any absolute or peremptory precept for destroying them as it did from their own obstinacy and obduration of their hearts whereby they did not only neglect but also scorned to make peace Joshua 11.19.20 The Third Remark is the Admirable Adjuncts of this League which be two The first is the Discovery of the Decit And Secondly The Punishment upon the Deceivers First The Discovery of the Cheat was not till Three days after the League was made ver 16. who was the Discoverer is not express'd 't is not at all improbable that some Israelites making Excursions out of the Camp into the Country either for Forage and Food or out of Curiosity to view Canaan might come to Gibeon which some say was but 26 Miles from Gilgal where Joshua incamp'd and there hear and bring the News Now when Joshua understood by those Foragers c. that those Deceivers were neighbouring Canaanites still he stood to the Covenant he had contracted with them which may make up the Ninth Evidence to the Eighth aforesaid concerning the lawfulness of the League for had Joshua known it had been contrary to the Law of Moses he would not now upon better Information have confirm'd it seeing the Holy Scripture doth testifie that Joshua left not any thing undone which the Lord had commanded by Moses Josh 11.23 Unto which may be added a Tenth Evidence How can any Man believe that so Wise so Rich and so Potent a King as Solomon was would have spared those Remnants of the Canaanites whom he reduced into Subjection and Servitude nay would he not rather have destroyed them if indeed he had understood that God had commanded it to be done Secondly The Punishment upon the Deceivers though they were spared as to their Lives yet shall they be punished in their Persons ver 20 21 27. The Gibeonites had indeed gulled the Israelites and had beguiled them by the means of this League of the rich Spoils of their
Remedy first upon the Malady this is Threefold The 1st Remark is This Mans wandering the wrong way departing from the Holy City Jerusalem which Hebrew Name Jereu Shalom signifies they shall see Peace and Shimet found it a place of Peace while he continued in it 1 Kin. 2.36 41 42 46 c. and so did this certain Man in the Parable the Thieves did not dare to Assault him while he staid in this Mountain of Rocks amongst which it was built Josh 18.28 and 2 Sam. 5. ver 6 7 8 9. it was a strong City of Refuge yea glorious things are spoken of it Ps 87.3 It 's Walls were called Salvation and its Gates Praise Isa 60.18 God loved to look upon it Isa 49.16 and he delighted to dwell in it Ps 132.13 14 c. The Old Jerusalem was the more Famous for being a Type of the New Jerusalem which hath a most Glorious and Graphical Description of all its parts Rev. 21. per totum Oh how foolish was this certain Man to turn his back upon such a Blessed place the Terminus a quo from whence he went but more especially considering the Terminus ad quem the Cursed place that he turned his face toward which was Jericho signifying the Moon Hebr. that is placed under the feet of the Church of Christ Rev. 12.1 and it was Cursed by Joshua Joshua 6.17 as a kind of first Fruits of that cursed Country Dedicated to Divine Justice Levit. 27.28 Though Hiel presumed to Redeem this place so devoted to Gods Curse and to Rebuild it 1 Kin. 16.34 yet did he pay most dearly for so doing inasmuch as be lost his living House namely his Children while he busied himself in Raising up lifeless Houses upon a Cursed Spot of Ground N.B. Note well t is said of Christ that he sets his face as one going to Jerusalem Luk. 9.53 Sure I am it should so be said also of every True Christian whose Heart as well as Face must be toward Sion for the way to Sion is writ in their Hearts Ps 84.5 but wo to such as wander the wrong way from Sion to Babylon from places of Gods Worship to a Land of Darkness 1. Remember Dinah who was Defloured by her gadding abroad from her good Fathers Tent Gen. 24 2 23. 2. Remember Naomai who left the Land of Promise and went to Sojourn in the Land af Moab yet was she so wise as to Return again in due time and upon her Return gives this Account of her self what she had got by her wandring the wrong way she saith call me no more Naomi which signifies Delightful but call me Marah which signifies bitter for my God the Almighty hath dealt bitterly with me I went out full but am returned empty c. Ruth 1.20 21. 3. Remember Shines who judged the Kings command good in confining his Abode in Jerusalem a place too good for so bad a Man and he kept the Kings Command for three full years yet after this he breaks the bridle runs over to the Uncircumcised whereby he lost his Life by the hand of Justice and his own Heart was privy how justly he suffered 1 Kin. 2.38 39. to the end 4. Remember Samson what a Turmoiled and Toilsom Life he led by his Leaving Canaan and his Conversing so much among the Cursed Philistines Lastly Remember the Prodigal who by leaving his Fathers House made himself more miserable than the very Hoggs that he kept therefore little Children abide in Christ and continue ye in the love of Christ 1 John 2.28 and John 15.9 The Second Malady of this Man Remark the 2d is His falling among Thieves ver 30. Hence Great Grotins's Gloss is that this Portion of Scripture is a true History of a matter of Fact that happened in that time and place because the Road-way betwixt Jericho and Jerusalem was notoriously infested with Robbers as our High ways near London are too well known to be and as Savoy or Salvoy was of old called Malvoy which signifies an Evil way because High-way-men abounded there so that no Travellers could have any safe passage to any place but when those Robbers were routed out then was it named Savoy or Salvoy which signifies a safe way But waving this singular Sentiment of Grotius Literal Sense let us follow the concurrent Opinion of both Antient and Modern Authors who make it a Parable N.B. Note well 1. This certain man is either the Original Sinner the first Adam or the Actual Habitual or Unconverted Sinner to wit All Mankind descended from Adam or the Backsliding Sinner c. N.B. Note well 2. The Thieves that all these three sorts of sinners did fall among were Satan Sin and Death the two first are the founders of Evil and the last is the finisher of it Satan and sin are the Efficient cause of all Evil and Death is the final effect of Evil Rom. 5 12. and Satan is a most dangerous Thief as he hath got the upper ground of man for he is the Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 which is about the Earth where man walks and sin is no less dangerous a Thief for the Iniquity of mans beels do compass him about Ps 49.5 and so if left to himself he is ever in danger to have his Heels tripped up thereby and Lastly Death comes oft as a Thief in the Night upon Man 1 Thes 5.2 2 Pet. 3.10 Revel 16.15 and 3.3 c. N.B. Note Well 3. The Original Sinner Adam fell among these Thieves when he minded more Satans promise and Eves proffer of the forbidden Fruit than he did of Gods Praecept against it his Hearkening and Hankering after Honour of the Devils giving made him walk the wrong way from the Tree of Lifs to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil This made him to sin that greatest of sins Reckoned to be next unto that unpardonable sin the sin against the Holy Ghost seeing it was a sin against so much Light Life Love and liberty such as never any Mortal Man had His sin was not the Rebellion of a poor peasant upon the Dunghill but of the highest Favourite in the Court even in Paradise it self Hereupon Bernard descants Si hoc Adamo Contigisseâ— in paradiso quid nobis in seerquilinio If Adam fell among Thieves in Paradise it self Oh what falls may befall us that are cast upon the Dunghil of this evil World Satan made Adam sin and his sin brought forth Death the Fruit of his fall from Obedience and Innocency c. N.B. Note well 4. The Habitual and Unconverted sinner drives the trade of sin and the chiefest place of his Trading is Jericho Satan leads him Captive at his Will 2 Tim. 2.26 and such must needs goe yea run the wrong way whom the Devil drives Such as are not only sold under sin as we all are by Adam Rom. 7.14 but they sell themselves to sin with Ahab 1 Kin. 21.20 who being past feeling give themselves over to work all kind of wickedness
First VOLUME from ADAM to MOSES Containing about Two thousand four hundred thirty three years CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of the Worlds Creation THE Creation was Gods first Emanation flowing forth or going out of himself giving the first Being and beginning to Time Place Persons and Things till then God was as it were Deus contractus containing all in himself now Deus expansus explicatus spreading his hand which had hitherto been as contracted to create the World not because he was now weary with doing nothing as Atheists say but he did it when it pleased him to manifest his own Wisdom Mercy Power and Glory as Augustine saith Nec cessando torpuit nec operando laboravit August cont Advers leg lib. 1. cap. 2. God who is the most pure Act is neither idle in Resting nor weary in working Hereupon 't is said what God did or how he employed himself before the Creation is a Sea over which no Ship hath ever Sailed is a Mine into which no Spade hath ever delved an Abyss into which no Bucket hath ever dived our fight is too tender and slender to behold this Sun 'T is Humane folly to say there was a World before Adam then he is falsely called the first man frequently in the Scripture of Truth this is to be wise above what is written but 't is Divine Faith to say that this World was created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affabrè factum neatly made up by the word of God Heb. 11.3 and then Time Place c. had their beginning Gen. 1.1 If so there could be none before it As we know not what God did before neither what he will do after the world Augustine smartly answers this sawcy Question That God was making an Hell for such over-curious Busie-bodies the Philosopher reading this first of Genesis was heard to say Egregiè dicis Domine Moses sed quomodo probas Excellently said Sir Moses but how will you prove what you say Augustine answers Credo non probo I believe it I need not prove it Theologia non est Argumentativa Alsted Divinity doth not use to prove her Principles the Mysteries whereof are better understood by Believing than believed by understanding 't is the nature of Faith to believe God upon his bare word and that against Sense in things Invisible and against Reason in things Incredible Sense corrects Imagination Reason corrects Sense but Faith corrects both Aufer Argumenta ubi â—â—ie quaeritur c. saith Ambrose Away with Arguments 't is enough I believe though I cannot prove every Principle and Fundamental of Faith as this of the Creation The word Creation according to the Criticks comes from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to effect or perfect and 't is taken in a double sense 1. Proper and literal so 't is a making something out of nothing Gen. 1.1 2. Common and Mystical so 't is a making something out of that which is worse than nothing Eph. 2.10 All Creatures were made at first without praeexisting Matter but when we come to be made New Creatures though there be a praeexisting yet there is a strongly Resisting Matter which is far worse and no less requires the All-creating power As the former is call'd Creatio transiens so this is Creatio continuans we can bring nothing to this glorious work except Opposition Yea when we are once created in Christ we can indeed do something to uncreate our selves were it not that Creating power comes to renew our decayed grace and Spiritual Witherings Psal 51.10 Creation here treated upon is taken in the proper sense and is the External Efficiency Act or Operation of God whereby be made the world in the beginning of time out of nothing very good and for his own glory There is a concurrency of four Causes in this as in other act considerable 1. A quâ the Cause Efficient 2. Ex quâ the Matter 3. Per quam the Form And 4. Propter quam the End Yea all those seven circumstances contained in one Verse Quis Quid Vbi Quibus Auxiliis Cur Quomodo Quando concur here in this Divine Action of the Creation Bereshith Bara Elohim Eth Hashamajim veeth haerets In the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth Gen. 1.1 Sundry Enquiries are here to be answered The first Enquiry is Who is the Efficient cause of the Creation Answ 'T is God the Creator call'd also Lord the Governour The External Efficiency or operation of the Divine Being is twofold 1. Creation 2. Providence in respect of the first he is called God the Creator and of the second Lord thè Governour Those two are called Relative Attributes as they do clearly hold forth a Relation betwixt the Maker and the Matter made And those two Titles God and Lord are first conjoyned in Gen. 2.4 As soon as the Universal Creation had attained to an Absolute perfection then stood it in need only of a continued Sustentation as Lord signifies a Sustainer 't is now added to the Name God which had been used singly about thirty three times before now he is first called Lord God that as his Work was perfect so his Name might be perfect also Thus likewise the Prophet couples those two Names together for the Churches comfort Isa 40.28 saying the same God-Creatour is still Lord-Governour or Sustainer who will not cast off the care of his Church as one toiled or tired for he Governs now as he did Create without either Toil or Travel and not subject to weariness as Man is The Hebrew Text is Elohim Bara Dii Creavit as being of the Plural number which holds out the Mystery of the blessed Trinity called by Elihu Eloah Gnoshai God my Makers Job 35.10 and by David the Makers of Israel Psal 149.1 and Soloman saith Remember thy Greators Eccles 12.1 This word Elohim signifies Almighties or Almighty powers yet is this Noun plural joined with Bara a Verb singular because God is but One Deut. 6.4 although in power Infinite There be three which bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 yet all three are called Creators 1. the Father is so Eph. 3.9 c. 2. the Word or Son is so Heb. 1.8 10. Col. 1.16 c. and the Spirit is so Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 104.30 Job 26.13 33.4 The Psalmist saith By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Breath or Spirit of his mouth that is God the Father by the Son through the Spirit Created all things 1 Cor. 8.6 Prov. 8.24 27 28. Joh. 1.3 10. Heb. 1.1 2. Revel 3.14 Isa 40.12 13. c. All which do declare that Three in One and One in Three wrought in the Creation of the world as afterwards they did in the formation of Man Gen. 1.26 and in making Borders of Gold with studs of Silver for the Church Cant. 1.11 Rab. Solomon Interprets we there I
and of the same nature with Angels 3. The formal cause the Soul was made not after the similitude of any Created thing but after the Image of God himself the Creators both in respect of its substance and qualities 4. The final cause both of the Creation of the Soul and of its redemption also was 1. That it might be the Temple of God and the Habitation of his Holy Spirit in this world 2. That it might Temple with God and sit shining upon a Throne in the world to come This noble end in both worlds together with the other three causes make the Soul like Saul higher by the head and shoulders than all other Created Beings It follows then that it is a most foolish thing to play away such a noble and pretious Soul which God hath given to Man unto Satan for his Toys and Trifles only We do judge the ignorant Indians very injudicious in making away their Gold and Jewels by way of barter and exchange onely for old Mettal and gawdy Pictures and our Courts of Judicature doth judge those Children to be natural Fools by Law that will part with Gold for Counters such a one is deemed not Compos Mentis incapable of inheriting his Parents Estates and so the Judge doth disinherit him But this bartering away of a most pretious Soul for a few toys of worldly Treasure Pleasure and Honour is far worse than either of the former and none but Children and Fools would make such fond Bargains Oh how unfit are such to be betrusted with the true riches Luk. 16.11 12. or with a truly rich Soul so it is in it self and its own nature Yet many such fools and children there are we see in the world so betrusted which sell away their Souls for trash and trumpery pro Thesauro Carbones 't is a sorry exchange of a Pearless Pearl for poor Pebles a gaining of dung and losing a Diamond Oh how unworthy are they of such a pretious Soul that dare sell their own Souls as the false Prophets did the Souls of the people only for handfuls of barley and for a piece of bread Ezek. 13.19 like so many base Gypsies or common beggars a pretious Soul was no more set-by by them Such do little consider 1. The worth of their Souls while they are yet in their hands unsold away If a Jeweller after much pains and skill in polishing his Jewel into a most exquisite piece cannot chuse but be much troubled to see his precious Pearl faln into the hands of such Fools or Children as neither know how to value it nor how to use it So this rare and choice piece wrought by Jehovah the Jeweller so transcendent in its due and true estimate that the Spirit of God seems at a stand to find out any thing to equal the Soul in its value saying What shall he give in exchange for his Soul Mark 8.37 We may say after the manner of Men that God cannot be well pleased to see a precious Soul of his making Isa 57.16 Jerem. 38.16 fall into a fools hand that hath no Head nor Heart to improve it Prov. 17.16 Oh what sublime stupefaction even stuns the minds of most men that they do not consider the worth of the Soul but wilfully cuts the Throat of it and having no Heart to look after Heaven while it may be had do trifle away their precious Souls in their sinful courses and their hard and impenitent Hearts do plainly fool away their own Salvation 2. As they do not consider the worth of the Soul so neither do they consider the loss of it what kind a loss the loss of a precious Soul is they consider not 1. That it is an incomparable matchless loss yea though a Man should gain the whole world by losing the Soul Christ himself declares it a most silly sale and no better than a bruitish Bargain Matth. 16.26 All the world cannot weigh in worth against one Soul This was the Divine Sentence that Francis Xaverius gave John the Third King of Portugal to meditate every day one quarter of an hour on to wit What shall it profit to win the whole world and to lose one Soul Wherein our Saviour deals with the worlds darlings to convince them of their mad folly as Elijah dealt with Baals Priests to convince them of their gross Idolatry 1 Kin. 18.23 24 25 30 33. where Gods Prophet in his Tryal by Sacrifice grants them all the advantages that might be lest it should be pretended that their God was sullain and therefore silent and takes all the disadvantages to himself He gives them dry wood and takes wet wood to himself c. that the Miracle might be more manifest and without exception yet was he too hard for them even so Christ here grants the worldling all the advantages of the world all that the whole world can afford to its darlings to wit pelf pomp and pleasure yet one pretious Soul though never so wet with the water of adversity outweighs all the world there is no Comparison between them the loss of it is an incomparable loss If to lose a mans life for money be look'd on as a madness what is it to lose the Soul which indeed cannot be lost in respect of being and property though it may be in respect of well-being and felicity As there is no comparison betwixt a mans pretious life and his perishing wealth so that skin for skin and all that he hath will he give for his life Job 2.4 that is any skin of Cattle Servants Children to save himself in a whole skin the Traveller parts with his purse to the Robber and the Mariner with his Cargo to the storm that their lives may be spared so there is less comparison 'twixt worldly vanities and a most pretious Soul Seeing 1. the light of nature hath Philosophiz'd that Man is nothing else but a Soul cloathed with a Body and that this noble Guest and Royal Inhabitant dwells in it as in an house of clay or in a bag of dust and therefore persons are usually called Souls the more excellent part denominating the whole yea and that the Soul was made for noble imployment and should not be brought into subjection unto any sordid things below its own excellency as worldly things be 2. The light of grace doth much more Theologize that the Soul is a most precious Jewel which God himself hath laid up for a little time in the curious Cabinet of the Body Psal 139.15 16. and therefore all the Saints in all ages learnt this lesson from their dying Saviour to resign up this Jewel which they had from God at death unto God again Though our dying Redeemer did commit his dear Mother to his beloved Disciples care Joh. 19.27 yet did he commit this precious Jewel his precious Soul to his Heavenly Fathers care Luk. 23.46 3. It was Christs judgment which is certainly Infallible as he is Truth it self and cannot lye that the whole world
God was the prime Efficient Cause of Joseph's Prosperity even in his lowest and hardest Adversity Gen. 39.2 the Lord was with him and made him a prosperous Man c. All men have God's Essential Presence Enter praesenter Deus hìc ubique patenter But only Godly Men have God's gracious Presence such an one was Joseph whom his Father Jacob had religiously Educated and with whom through God's Blessing that Divine Tincture received likewise remained His brutish Brethren did bereave him of his Embroidered Garment but they could not rob him of his inherent Holiness of his infused and imprinted Grace and Godliness He brought this along with him into Egypt and retain'd it even in the worst of his Slavery and whithersoever Grace goes thither God goes and wheresoever Grace stays there God stays The Lord is with us while we are with him 2 Chron. 15.3 As Joseph had God's Grace so he had God's Favour and God's Favour was the Fountain from whence did flow that Happy Success in all his Undertakings and that Foundation whereon it stood His Piety through Divine Favour procureth and produceth his Prosperity Joseph though now a Slave leads such a Convincing Life which was the 2d Cause of his being made a Master in his Master's House that Potiphar saw not only that Jehovah was with Joseph according to the Hebrew reading v. 2 3. but also that God's Providence made him a prosperous Man Hebr. Ish-Matsliach Homo boni pedis as his Father Jacob had been to Laban Gen. 30.27 30. his very coming on his feet into his House and his doing though but Drudgery-work was wonderfully blest with Success This his Master saw by the effect who though he knew not the True God yet acknowledg'd that God was the Giver of Prosperity and that Piety is so pleasing to God as to be bless'd by him with Prosperity yea and that Potiphar's Affairs became prosperous Improvements even for the sake of Pious Joseph The third cause was Potiphar did not only see his Service made successful by a Divine power over-ruling Humane Affairs but also his Patience and Humility under all his Servile Labours 'T is said He abode in the House of his Lord and Master that is he did not run from him as many evil Servants do 1 Sam. 25.10 Though his Service was severe and slavish and therefore one would think to such an Ingenuous Mind and tenderly Educated Body and to the Cocker'd Son of such a Mighty and Wealthy Patriarch seem'd unsufferable notwithstanding Joseph neither murmurs against God for laying upon him so cruel a Cross nor mutters against his Master though an Egyptian to whom he was his Drudge and Bond-slave though of himself an Honourable Hebrew He doth not like Rivers damm'd up break his Banks nor as refractory and unruly Bullocks break his Bands Joseph doth not break away from his Austere Slavery as many Roâ—ues and Runagates run away from their Masters He runs not away Home to his Father Jacob which many in his Circumstances would have done But good Joseph doth patiently and humbly submit to the Hand of God which for the present had brought him into that House of hard Bondage in Egypt that Israel afterward were afflicted in for two hundred and fifteen years not daring to break out from under it till Gods time came to deliver them Moses saith Vahi Be Beth Adonau Hamitsri He was or remained in the House of his Egyptian Lord Gen. 39.2 that is he quietly bore his Bondage and ran not away to his Father again for his full time till God set him free All this Excellency his Master saw to his Amazement and Conviction Joseph's faithfulness God having all Hearts in his own Hand Prov. 21.1 and fashioning them to his pleasure Psal 33.15 as he did the Great Kings towards Nehemiah Neh. 2.4 5. procureth Potiphar's Favour Gen. 39.4 and God giving him to find Favour and Grace in his Masters sight Potiphar hereupon as the Hebrews say raiseth Joseph from a Skullion to a Page from a Page to a Chamberlain and from thence he Advanced him to be the High and Chief Steward of his House This is the less improbable seeing 't is expresly said that Joseph ministred to his Master ver 4. In our reading 't is served him but the Hebrew word there is Sharath not Gnabad which latter signifies a more Servile and Slavish Service as that of Bond-slaves Thus David saith that Joseph was sold for a Gnebed a Slave or Servant Psal 105.17 but when he comes to describe those that should serve him in his own House and Court Psal 101.6 then he useth Sharath the upright shall minister to me which word is always used to express some Honourable Service even that of Freemen Isa 60.7 yea and that of Publick Office both in Church and State Seeing therefore Moses useth this very word Sharath to express Joseph's serving his Master and that after he had found Grace in his Masters sight it plainly implies that Potiphar now look'd no more upon Joseph as a contemptible Three-half-penny Slave good to nothing save to sordid Drudgery but gives him then more Honourable Employ a Ministration of freer and Nobler Service differing from Slavery and so he rose gradually to be made Vice-Master in the Family his Master seeing all his undertakings so signally successful committed the whole care of all his Concerns both in City and Countrey taking no care himself for any thing save only for Eating and Drinking Thus far Joseph's Bow abode in strength He that was hated of his Brethren yet was favoured of strangers and so highly Favoured as to be highly Advanced Not only here by Potiphar who made him his Vice-Master but also after by Pharaoh Potiphar's Master who made him his Vice-Roy Inferences hence be 1. God loves to Act by a way of his own working all by contraries Thus God brought Joseph through the most despicable Slavery into most High Advancement He Dream'd of the latter but never Dream'd of the former Yet this was Gods method the more to commend his Mercy he makes the way to Heaven by Hell Gates The second Inference hence is God the Creator supplies the want of Creatures to comfort his Servants in distress 'T is said expresly God was with Joseph but Jacob was not with him No he was stoln and sold away from his Father into a strange Land Yet the want of his Earthly Father was sweetly supplied by the presence of his Heavenly Father who furnish'd him with Prudence Piety and Prosperity to allay the smart and to dulcifie the bitterness of his sad Adversity Let none then in their lowest Estate despond therein provided they be pious such as own God God will own them Deut. 26.17 18. He will not despise them in their Affliction Psal 22.24 but his Eye is upon them c. Psal 34.18 19. 2 Pet. 2.9 Inference the third wait Gods time for Deliverance which is alway the best time as Joseph did here who remained in the
Corn. Thirdly 'T is likened to Wafer-Cakes made of Honey v. 31. to shew the sweetness of its taste Fourthly 'T is compared to fresh Oyl Numb 11.7 for such was its savour when dress'd tho' before its dressing or baking it tasted like sweet Wafers and Fifthly it was like Bdellium Numb 11.7 a transparent Gumm for colour but the Talmudists will have it the white Precious Pearl No wonder then if such Rich and unparallel'd food as precious Pearl was call'd the food of Angels so delicate as might not unbecome Angels to eat if they did eat any at all such as Poets feign their Nectar and Ambrosia was to their Dunghil Gods and as the Jews say it had Saporem omnimodum a particular taste to please every palate yet those murmuring miscreants loath'd it complaining that they were dryed up with it preferring Garlick and Onions before it The Fifteenth Remark is As those that laboured hard upon the sixth day to gather a double quantity of Manna were well provided with what to eat upon the Sabbath-day So all such as do labour hard in Christ in this life while God giveth time to work shall have in the life to come the fruition of their labours with an eternal Sabbath of Rest in Heaven John 6.27 29 58. Gal. 6.7 10. Revel 14.13 Heb. 4.3 4 9 c. This present Life and World is the time and place of working the Life and World to come is the time and place of receiving wages and reward for our work 2 Cor. 5.10 c. If we have gathered no Manna before it will then be too late to seek for it Mat. 25.8 9 10. The Sixteenth Remark is Monuments and Memorials of God's great Mercies are to be erected that the loving kindness of God may be kept in everlasting Remembrance Hence was it commanded here fill an Omer with this Manna put it into a Golden Pot to be kept for the use of succeeding Ages in the Most Holy places v. 32 33 34. Heb. 9.4 lest it should fare with them as it frequently fareth with Children Bread eaten is as soon forgotten Thus Christ Commanded that when he had fed the Multitude with a few Loaves c. the remainder of the broken bread c. might be reserved in baskets that such a signal and singular miracle of mercy might be preserved in a thankful remembrance How much more worthy to be remembred was this unparallel'd Miracle of Mercy wherein Christ sed so many hundred thousand with such dainty diet as was Manna which had such a nourishing vertue above other food in it that where sin hindred not it would draw out a Man's Life rather to an Angelical than to an Humane Duration Thus it kept Moses and Caleb in a continual equality of Strength and Health Deut. 34.7 and Josh 14.11 And that Christ fed them herewith full Forty Years till they came to the Corn of Canaan Josh 5.12 Teaching us two great Truths 1. We shall need Ordinances till we come to Heaven And 2. Where God grants ordinary means there extraordinary Miracles are not to be expected 't is Tempting God But the grand Reason why this Omer of Manna was kept in a Golden Pot was because it was a most pregnant Type of our blessed Messiah as He himself affirmeth Joh. 6.33 48 49 50 51 c. and this is farther Asserted by the great Apostle 1 Cor. 10.3 4 c. N.B. 'T is call'd Angels Food not by way of Position but of Supposition for Angels being Spiritual Substances need no Food at all nor do they eat any unless when they take upon them Humane Shapes as Gen. 18.8 and 19.3 c. but suppose they were to be nourished as Men are they needed not any other dainty Diet than this Manna that came from the Habitation of Angels in whose Name it is commended There is much Congruity betwixt the Type Manna and the Antitype the Messiah yet some Disparity also First Of the Congruity which brancheth it self out in these Particulars 1st In the Causes of sending this Manna which was 1. The Moving Cause God's Compassion to his People when almost famish'd in the Wilderness So God loved the World in sending Christ to nourish Hungry Souls Joh. 3.16 2. The Final Cause of giving Manna was to prove Israel ver 4. Whether his Favours would work them to Obedience unto his Law Thus the Lord trieth the World whether they will receive the Law of his Son to wit the Gospel which Reprobates reject Luk. 7.30 2ly In it's Qualities which are many As 1. Both came from above 2. As Manna descended in the Dew so Christ the Bread of Life comes down in the dew of God's Word Deut. 32.2 Rom. 1.16 17. and 10.8 14. Gal. 3.1 2. Psal 110.3 Falling like dew upon mowen Grass Psal 72.3 The dew that water'd Paradise Gen. 2.6 3ly Israel knew not what Manna was having dew both under it and above it so lying clean betwixt two coverings and appear'd not till the Dew vanish'd ver 14. Thus Christ is an unknown Mystery wrap'd up in Types and Figures the Holy Child Jesus in Swadling Bands yet is God manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 when those shadows wherewith he was wrapped are done away 4ly Manna was but a very small thing like Coriander-seed yet had it a great and most Soveraign Vertue in it for preserving of Health so that there was not one feeble Person among that vast Host Psal 105.37 Thus though Christ came under a small figure in the form of a Servant c. yet is he of such a powerful Efficacy as to begin and beget being the Bread of Life Joh. 6.48 all Spiritual Life in us and not only so but also to uphold and maintain it yea and to nourish us up to Eternal Life ver 68. 5. Manna is said to have all sorts of good Tastes in it pleasing every Palate of them that made a right use of it So hath Christ to all given unto him whether Jew or Gentile Barbarian Scythian Male or Female Bond or Free Gal. 3.28 All are one to him and he all and one to them Col. 3.11 6. As Manna was sweet as Hony Glorious as Bdellium that shining Pearl and wholesome as Oil that makes the Face to shine so and much more than so is Christ to all his Redeemed 7. As this Manna was ground in the Mill beaten in a Mortar boil'd in a Pot or baked in an Oven So was Christ beaten and bruised for us Isa 53.4 5. The Heat of God's Justice was upon him c. 8. As Manna fell every Day and that with the Dew which was extraordinary in this respect for all Dews naturally fall at the Evening but this fell in the Morning so Christ is the Morning Dew Psal 110.3 That falls daily promising to be with his Church to the Worlds end Math. 28.20 in the dew of Grace and Spirit 3ly The Congruity holds in the Circumstances of gathering it As 1. The Time when it must be gather'd in
stoned ver 35. This was the heaviest of all the four kinds of Death that Malefactors suffered in Israel for capital Crimes some were Sentenced to be Strangled others to be Slain with the Sword some to be Burned and others to be Stoned the two last were undoubtedly the most painful because longer in Dying and therefore inflicted upon the grossest Offenders Though in Man's Judgment this might seem too severe a Sentence for such a seeming small Offence yet in God's Judgment it is not a light offence notwithstanding too many men make but little of it to prophane the Sabbath by doing needless Works upon that Holy Day We may well suppose that this Sinner by the Connexion of ver 30. with this Relation sinn'd presumptuously and with publick scandal 5. He was Executed accordingly being carried without the Camp which was a Circumstance aggravating the Punishment being a kind of Reproach as the Apostle noteth Heb. 13.11 12 13. This was done to the Blasphemer before Lev. 24.14 Thus Jezabel did to Naboth under the Notion of Blasphemy 1 King 21.13 and thus the Jews stoned Stephen under the pretence of a Blasphemer without the City both these wicked Deeds were done afterwards However the severity upon this Sinner sheweth of what weight the Commandment touching the Sabbath is the Prophanation whereof God would have thus dolorously to be avenged and it declares the folly and phrensie of the Swedes c. where the baser sort of the People do always break the Sabbath saying that 't is only the Duty of Gentlemen to keep that Day How much better said that poor Indian in New-England soon after its first Plantation by the English who coming by and beholding one of our Countrey-men profaning the Sabbath by felling a Tree said to him Do you not know that this is the Lord's-day Much macket man that is thou very wicked Man what break you God's Day The best and wealthiest of the Jews saith Buxtorf in his Synagogue will with their own Hands sweep the House kindle Fires chop Herbs cleave Wood c. on the Day before the Sabbath call'd their Preparation-day to prevent any servile Work upon their high Sabbath-day This severity doth likewise farther signifie the Eternal Death of such as do not keep the Sabbath of Christ entring into the rest of God by Faith and ceasing from their own Works as God did from his Heb. 4.1 2 3 4 10 11. finding Rest for the Soul in Christ Matth. 11.28 Then after the Violation of the Sabbath thus severely punished God gives a Law of Fringes upon their Garments as a sign of remembrance to help frail sievy memories broken by the fall the Sky colour'd Ribband ver 38. taught them that though their Commoration was on Earth their Conversation must be in Heaven Phil. 3.20 And the Garment taught that they must put on Christ Rom. 13.14 That Wedding-Garment Mat. 22.11 and the new Man Eph. 4.24 and the Armour of God Eph. 6.11 c. 'T is thought Christ wore such a Fringe which the Woman touch'd and was cured c. Luk. 8.44 The next remarkable Occurrence at Kadesh Barnea was the fatal Conspiracy of Korah c. Numb 16. in which the Causes and the Effects or Events thereof are principally to be considered 1. The Causes are three 1. The Efficient 2. The Material 3. The formal Cause 1. The Efficient is either Principal as Korah Cousin-German to Moses and Aaron for Izhar his Father was Brother to Amram their Father ver 1. Exod. 6.18 all of the Tribe of Levi and Hon Dathan and Abiram who were of Reuben's Tribe the Eldest Patriarch and next Neighbours to Korah in the Camp whereby they were the sooner corrupted by him Vvaque corruptâ livorem ducit ab Vvâ For this corrupting of others he is branded as the prime Author of the Rebellion Jude ver 11. Numb 27.3 or less principal ver 2. He decoy'd into his Conspiracy Men of Note and Name famous for their Parts and Parentage whereby the Rebellion was much corroborated as Gen. 6 4. These Men of Name both for Wealth and Wisdom made the Conspiracy stronger against Moses as did that of the Giants against God himself Corruptio optimi est pessima the more famous of Note those Princes and Statesmen were the more notorious became their Sin of Mutiny and Rebellion Of most dangerous consequence was this Conspiracy for as in a Beast the Body will follow the Head so the Mobile Vulgus call'd Bellua multorum Capitum the Multitude follow their Heads Great Men are their looking glasses by which they dress themselves Their Sins do as seldom go unattended as their Persons c. those were two â—â—ndred and fifty Princes in number 2. The Material Cause was Korah's Ambition of the Priesthood ver 3 10. He being a Levite of the Kohathites which was the chief Family of the Levites having the charge of the Ark Table Candlestick Altars and the most Holy things of the Sanctuary took offence and envied at the preferment of Elizaphan the Son of a Younger Brother Vzziel whereas himself was of Izhar Elder than He Numb 3.27 28 29 30 31. This Affectation of Honour was restless and unsatisfiable growing like the Crocodile so long as it lives and lifts up Korah not only against Elizaphan but also against Moses and Aaron in seeking the Priesthood also 3. The Formal Cause Which is expressed in Korah and his Complices accusing Moses and Aaron for unjustly usurping both the chief Magistracy and chief Ministry v. 3. Saying Ye take too much State too much Power too much Honour too much Holiness in appropriating to your selves those publick Administrations wherein all the People being as Holy may partake with you Secondly The Effects of those aforesaid Causes follow namely 1. The correction of those Conspirators and 2. Their confusion First Their Correction is two-fold 1. Humane 2. Divine for First Moses falls upon his face v. 4. and begs of God to direct him how to correct and convince those Conspirators c. This he doth as an humble Supplicant in this lowly posture not only that God might not proceed against them for their sin as he doth v. 22. in conjunction with Aaron but also Addresseth to Korah the Ring-leader of that Rebellion with most moving and Cogent Arguments which God at his desire had directed him to use that he and his Complices might not proceed any farther in their Conspiracy from v. 5 to v. 19. Wherein there is a multifarious fierce altercation pro and con betwixt Korah and Moses More particularly 1. Moses truly retorts upon them the same that they had falsely charged upon him and Aaron v. 7. as Elijah did after upon Ahab 1 King 18.17 18. 2. Out of his particular Faith and Confidence in God who would maintain their Cause and Calling extraordinary against all opposers He telleth Korah that To morrow the Lord will declare manifestly whether he hath made choice of us for those chiefest Offices of Principality
are the ways of an Holy God to those of wicked Princes 1. The Angel blames Balaam for going so soon Balak blames him for coming no sooner 2. The Angel did withstand him as an Adversary the King welcomes him as a Friend with Royal Entertainment therefore he flew Oxen to Feast him ver 40.3 The Angel met him with a Sword to signifie that the same should be his end if he persisted in his wicked way but Balak met him with a Banquet this worse part Balaam chuses and ends as a Fool Jer. 17.11 The Tenth Remark is The Devil and his Servants are imitating Apes of God and his Servants as to outward observances Here Balak hath his Chapel built in an high place and Dedicated to Baal that signifies a Lord or Patroon ver 40 41. here he has his Altars and Sacrifices yea and Idolatrous Feasts at the appointment of Balaam Numb 23.1 c. and 25.1 2. Deut. 12.2 All this was in Imitation of God and his worship for as God sends his People help from his Sanctuary and succour out of Sion that high and holy Hill Psal 20.2 And comes to bless them from all Places where he Records his Name Exod. 20.24 So the Idolaters Thought their high Places were the fittest Places for obtaining their requests in even from God himself though it were for Cursing his People from those high Places Balaam makes an Experiment what his Conjuring Imprecations might avail against Israel Yea both Balak and Balaam with the Princes of Moab and Midian do wickedly concur with one Consent to set up their abominable Idolatry and Sin upon high being no more ashamed to serve Baal than the Godly are to do Service or offer Sacrifice unto the true God N. B. Now follow the accursed Endeavours of Balaam to curse Israel which he attempteth three times to accomplish in Numb 23. But all those three times he was basely basted and befooled with over-ruling Disappointments by the God of Israel of these three attempts in their order The First attempt of this Sorcerer of Satan is described by these particulars First The two Circumstances of Time and Place are specified in the last verse of the foreging Chapter Secondly The Causa sine quâ non was this false Prophet's hope of bribing God with both his Sacrifices required by Balaam v. 1. and prepared by Balak v. 2. and with his Prayers which he mumbled over when alone v. 3. and boasted before God of his Supererogating Devotion v. 4. then Thirdly The Event hereof was The notorious frustration of his impious Enterprize wherein First Whereas Balaam endeavoured to procure a Magick Oracle under a Divine pretence yet God over-power'd the Devil and his Instrument commands Balaam to return unto Balak and bless Israel v. 3 5 6. God's over-ruling power over Balaam's Black and Necromantick Art was the Efficient cause of frustrating his endeavours Secondly The Material Cause was both the mind and the tongue of this mad Prophet were by a mighty hand from Heaven marvelously Metamorphos'd so that he contrary to his Cursing Intention and Resolution blesseth Israel and loudly preacheth God's loving kindness as unrepealable towards them His Sermon he preached was partly Apologetical saying Tho' I was called to Curse yet am I so restrained from it as if my hands were bound and my mouth muzzled up from doing it v. 7 8. and partly Encomiastical wherein he is forced to affirm to the very face of Balak that the People whom he called him to curse were blessed c because of their Prerogative Power and Amplitude above all other People and therefore he wished the same fate and felicity of them to himself that his end might be as happy as theirs v. 9 10. N. B. Now follow the Remarks upon Balaam's first attempt The First is Balaam's Altars and Sacrifices v. 1. are supposed to be his Worship to the Devil upon these grounds First Because all this was done upon the high places of Baal and Baal's Worship was no other than a Worshipping of Devils Levit. 17.7 Deut. 32.17 Psal 106.37 1 Cor. 10.20 Revel 9.20 Secondly Because Balak a Pagan and a Worshipper of Baal did joyn with Balaam in this Worship yea it was a Worship wholly in Balak's name and upon his account Now it seems improbable that Balak would be at all this Cost and Preparation for the true God whom he Worshipped not but rather for Baal-Peor whom he Worshipped Numb 25.3 Thirdly Because 't is expresly said that Balaam used Inchantmems Numb 24.1 Namely Spells Charms and Communications with the Devil and such Diabolical Arts seem best accommodated to accomplish his Diabolical End to wit for Cursing Israel Fourthly Because he look'd out a solitary place v. 4. chap. 23. wherein to Conjure and call up Evil Spirits who appear mostly in darkness and solitude that thereby he might satisfie Balak's desires and in this solitary place he might possibly be possess'd and fall into such horrible Raptures and Transports as he would not be seen in lest he should be contemn'd Fifthly Because he had not yet consulted with God before he Sacrificed c. Hence it may be inferred that his Worship was not as from God so nor to God but Superstitious from the Devil and to the Devil Sixthly Because he erected Seven Altars as if he were Soothsaying from the Seven planets or from the Seven Daemons which he believed did preside those Planets and did govern their influences so did expect an Oracle from them The Second Remark is others suppose Balaam's Worshipping here was to the true God and their grounds are these First He might be the Prophet of God as the Sibyls were and as was Caiaphas Secondly He calls the true God his God Numb 24.13 and Names him Jehovah Numb 22.5.18 Thirdly 'T is very improbable that the true God should vouchsafe such Divine Revelations to him had he been a Prophet of the Devil then would he have been a Prophet of God and of the Devil too Fourthly The Neighbourieg Nations near the Patriarchs might learn the manner of Sacrificing to Jehovah such as the Aramites Moabites Midianites c. and might retain it 'till Moses's time by Tradition from their Ancestors tho' corrupted with their own Superstitious and abused to much impiety Fifthly Balaam's number of Seven Bullocks and Seven Rams was a Sacred Number Sanctified of God for many Mysteries hence the 7th of days was the Sabbath and the 7th of years was the Jubilee by God's appointment And more Examples of this Mystical Number may be seen in Ainsworth's Notes upon Levit. 4.6 Hence we read often Seven Days unclean and Seven Days lamenting the Dead c. Besides God directed Job's Friends to offer the same number of seven Bullocks and seven Rams c. Job 42.8 Yea and David's Sacrifice at the bringing up of the Ark was of the same Nature and Number with this of Balaam's 1 Chron. 15.26 And so was Hezekiah's for the Kingdom 2 Chron. 29.21 Sixthly After the same manner doth
purpose to fix or reside there but only to take up his Lodging there for one Night Hereupon Micah was transported with this Providence and thinking with himself that it would much more countenance his Idolatrous Service when it was officiated by a Levite than by his own Son who was but a Lay-Man and an Ephraimite he invites him to the Employ with a company of Courting Complements ver 9 10 Wherein Note First Credulous Micah doth not either call for his Testimonials under the hands of such Elders as were of known Fidelity in the Church approving of this Nagner or Young Man's Abilities c nor doth he examine him himself concerning his Qualifications for the Office though he thought himself sufficient to Ordain this Levite to Officiate but only asks him Whence comest thou This was a raw and rude Election and Vocation to a pretended Divine Function Secondly Micah proposeth a most slender stipend a small Salary to him Ten Shekels of Silver by the Year a double suit of Apparel so Hebr. one for Summer and another for Winter and his Victuals This was but a poor pittance for a Levite from a Man of so great an Estate Micah had Eleven Hundred Shekels of Silver to bestow upon his Idols yet could scarce from the penuriousness of his Mind and from his Contempt of the Ministry afford Ten Shekels for his Priests Maintenance However what was wanting of sufficient Wages he supplies it with empty Complements calling him Father though much younger than himself who had a Son as old as the Levite whom he had ordained to the same Office but now upon the Reasons above-mentioned must be degraded and give place of being Priest to this new-comer the Levite N.B. 'T were well if many Faithful Ministers do not meet with such Micah's in our Day that grudges them competent Means and Maintenance yet disdain not to allow them as their Padre's enough of Caps and Complements as if they were of the Camelion kind and could live upon the Air of empty Titles 'T was sad that Luther was forced to complain Parishes and Schools are so Robbed as if they designed to starve us in the Ministry c. N. B. And Heylin in his Goography tells us That in Ireland formerly Ministers had no more for their Maintenance than the pasture of two Milch-Kine c. In the whole County of Connaught the Stipend of the Incumbent was not above Forty Shillings and in some places but Sixteen Shillings per Annum This last Sum is much what the like Allowance that Micah assorded his Levite if a Shekel of Silver be according to the common Computation reckon'd at Two Shillings and Six pence then the Levite had in his Ten Shekels Twenty five Shillings by the Year Thirdly Note here This Hunger-bitten Levite that was ready to snap at any thing and could not tell where to make a better Bargain for himself accepteth of the offer upon those sordid Terms Ingens telum Necessitas Necessity knows no Law But considering that this Levite was Nagner puer a Novice and likewise infected with the Contagion of the times in Superstition and Idolatry one that would Murther Souls for a Morsel of Bread Ezek. 13.19 even this Salary though small was enough and too much for him seeing he was employed in the Devil's Drudgery while he was officiating in Idol-Service But that which was the greatest Aggravation of this Novice's sin was that he is described to be Moses's Great Grand-son Judg. 18 30. where he is called Jonathan the Son of Gershom the Son of Moses so it is Exod. 2.22 and 18.3 but here it is the Son of Manasseh saith Learned Buxtorf for Moses's Honour least it should reflect upon so good a Man to have so bad a Grand-Son therefore Manasseh in the Hebrew with the N at the top that it may be put in or left out with the Unpricked Letters so without the Nun it may be read Moses but with it Manasses to shew that this Jonathan though he was of Moses that Man of God by Propagation yet as he was a degenerate Plant he seem'd rather to be of Manasses that Notorious Idolater by Imitation but this Rabbinical Criticism seems to be over curious and somewhat reflecting upon the purity of the Sacred Text seeing that Idolatrous King Manasses was long after this Jonathan and there might be other Men of the same Name of Gershom and Manasses from whom this Jonathan descended The Fifth Remark is Idolatry is a Compound of Foppery and Impiety ver 11 12 13. Micah entertains this Novice cherisheth him as a Son though he was by his Office as a Father to him he Consecrated him as he had done his own Son before ver 5. knowing that the Levites were no less Excluded by the Law from executing the Priests Office than the Lay-People for that Office belonged only to the Sons of Aaron but this Levite was nearer a-kin to it than his Lay-Son was yet the Priests Office was so sacred a thing and of such Veneration with this Idolatrous Micah that neither his own Son nor this Levite must enter upon it until he had solemnly Consecrated them to it and when all this was done behold how he blesseth himself in his blind Devotion saying Now I know that the Lord will do me good seeing I have a Levite to my Priest ver 13. whereas his whole unwarrantable Practices of Superstition and Idolatry rather exposed him to God's Wrath and were more likely to bring a Curse upon him and not a Blessing as appeareth in the next Chapter Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepe suo For here are a whole bundle of Sins 1. Idolatry 2. His Invitation of this Young Man to it 3 Here was a Threefold Breach of the Priest-hood as Instituted by God for this Levite was not capable of the Priesthood as not of Aaron's Stock nor could he an Ephraimite ordain this belong'd to the High-Priest nor ought he to seduce a Priest to Idolatrous Worship Now for Micah to promise Prosperity to himself was not from Jehovah but from his Idol c. CHAP. XVIII JVdges the Eighteenth declareth how Idolatry was Translated out of this one private Family of Micah's into the whole publick Tribe of Dan and this publick Idolatry is described First By its Causes And Secondly By its Accidents First Its Causes be either Efficient or Material The External Efficient Cause was Threefold 1. The Anarchy in Israel ver 1.31 2. The Narrowness of Dan's Inheritance ver 1. 3. The Searchers sent forth for enlargement of their Borders and in their way meeting with Micah's House in Mount-Ephraim and knowing his Priest they consult him touching their Enterprize upon Laish and he bids them go on and prosper ver 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. then the Material Cause of this publick Idolatry is related the Army of the Danites thus encourag'd to proceed steal all the Idolatrous Trinkets while the Solders kept the Priest who was the keeper of them in
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
Canaanites as it is supposed under the Conduct of Caleb their General Judg. 1 2. did likewise lead up the People in the War against Benjamin Judg. 20.18 but Dr. Lightfoot steps farther beyond Sir Walter Rawleigh's Probability and fixeth those Stories in this place as most proper which he proveth by many Arguments aforementioned Judg. 2. from ver 11. to the end together with the Seven first Verses of Judg. 3. give us a General Account of the History of the Judges whom the Lord raised up successively after this time when God had been so highly provoked by his Covenanted People in their Manifold Apostacies and Idolatries as to sell them several times into Oppressours Hands for Judg. 2.16 is an Epitome of the whole History of the Judges saying Nevertheless the Lord raised up Judges who delivered them c. which containeth the Stories of all the Judges from Joshua to Samson from hence to the end of the Sixteenth Chapter clearly demonstrating that marvelous Circle which God went in with his People When they sinned they were cast down into the hands of Tyrants when they Repented God raised them up by sundry Judges out of the Tyrant's Hands as there is a Vicissitude of Nights and Days so there was of Israels Miseries and Mercies God checkered his Providences toward them sometime with Black and sometimes with White and Checker'd-Work is beautiful Work when Miseries and Mercies are after a comely Manner interwoven and God's People have their Interchanges of Joys and Sorrows while they are below Psal 55.19 Men fear God by having changes with David not otherwise c. Thus it was with Israel in Canaan that Land of Hills and Vales of Vp 's and Down's Deut. 11.11 Sometimes they were up on Hills of Prosperity and at other times they were down in the Valleys of Adversity God goes in a Circle with them and when they were brought to the lowest Ebb He that was seen in the Mount with Isaac Gen. 22.14 was seen in the Valley with Israel to mount them up again God by every Judge he raised up for them in their low Estate turned Israel's Sighing into Singing their Musing into Musick their Tears into Triumph and their wringing of Hands for Grief into clapping of Hands for Joy c. Judges CHAP. III. JUdges the Third gives a Narrative of three several Slaveries and most grievous Oppressions into which God sold his People for their most Grievous Sins As 1. By the Syrians from ver 1. to the 11th 2. By the Moabites from ver 12. to ver 30. 3. By the Philislines ver 31. The first under the Syrians is described First By the Causes of that Slavery As 1 The Procuring Cause namely Israel's sins such as their toleration of those wicked Nations among them ver 5. their Marriages with them whereby they became corrupted ver 6. and then their Apostacy and Idolatry ver 6 7. 2. The Efficient Cause the Lord sold them for those aforesaid sins into the hands of the Syrians 3. The Material Cause they were made Slaves and Vassals to the King Cushan-Reshathaim whom they served eight Years ver 8. Secondly Their Deliverance from this Slavery is described 1. By the Deliverer the Lord. 2. The Motive thereunto the Penitent Cries of his People 3. The Instrument in God's Hand to work their Deliverance was Othniel ver 9. whom the Lord qualified with the Gifts of his Spirit for that work he call'd him unto and who subdued the Oppressour ver 10. and gave rest to the Land Forty Years and then Died verse 11. Remarks hereupon are First This was the first Servitude and Slavery of the Israelites ever since they came out of their House of Bondage in Egypt For now such Detestable Apostacy was found in Israel as Heaven and Earth had cause to be ashamed of Jerem. 2.12 13. therefore is he made a Slave and Servant ver 14. The spreading of Idolatry from Micah's House over the whole Tribe of Dan was mentioned before upon Judg. 17. and 18. Now have we an account how Idolatry did spread over all the other Tribes how mixed Marriages with the Cursed Canaanites did undo Israel and brought them to serve Baalim and Ashtaroth the He-Gods and the She-Gods of the Heathen or the Sun and Moon which many of the Pagans Worshipped all which was expresly contrary both to God's Command Deut. 4.19 and 7.1.3 5. and Exod. 34.13.16 c. and likewise contrary to their own Solemn Covenant made first at Mount Sinai in Moses's time and lately renewed and ratified once and again in the Days of Joshua Now because they forgot their Covenant and forsook their God turning to Dumb Idols c. They that would not serve the Lord in the Abundance of all things with Gladness shall serve their Enemies in the want of all things with sadness Deut. 28.47 48. therefore God forsook them that they might know the Worth of his Service by the Want of it under Woful Miseries 2 Chron. 12.8 The Second Remark is As this was the first Oppression that Israel met with after their coming out of Egypt so this King of Syria was their Oppressor His Name is Notable and Terrible Cushan Reshathaim which the Chaldee rendreth Chusan Impij a wicked King of Reshang wicked Hâ—br and this teacheth how Tyrants delight in Terrible Names and Titles His Name here is Verbum sesqui pedale as Horace doth Phrase it a bombasting Name that fills the mouth of the pronouncer of it top full and the very sound of it was terrible to the Israelites so oft as they heard its big pronunciation not unlike to that formidable Name of the Zanzummime Giants Deut. 2.20 The Country of this King is call'd Mesopotamia Hebr. Aram-Naharaim that is the Country of Syria which is Situated between the two Famous Rivers Tigris and Euphrates from whence it hath its Name in the Dual Number This was the Country where Abraham lived with Terah Nahor and Lot before he removed to Canaan Gen. 11.32 and 12.4 5. and Acts 7.2 3 4. and afterwards Jacob Sojourned in the same place with Bethuel and Laban Gen. 28.2.5 As Laban the Syrian had been exceeding injurious to Jacob's Posterity their Slavery at this time and place might mind them of that of their Patriarch long before to hide Pride from them Job 33.17 N. B. This King had God's Commission as well as his Permission to oppress Israel for God sold them into this King's hands renouncing his own right in them and delivering them up to him as the Seller the thing sold into the hands of the Buyer and yet was he but a Lessee his Possession was by vertue of a Lease and that only a Lease limited to eight years which some Interpreters suppose was the very term of time wherein so long Israel had served Idols in the Groves the Prince of Darkness directing them to those Dark Places the Thick Groves wherein his Children of Darkness might more closely commit their deeds of darkness It surely
may well be supposed that Joash might threaten with Punishments from God as well as from himself telling them in Defence of his Son That God had appear'd to his Son and had commanded him to do all that he had done and that it was their Worshiping of Baal for which God had punished them by Midian's Tyranny seven years and that if they persisted therein still God will punish us seven times more c. It is usual in Scripture to give only some short hints of those things that were more largely discoursed But his Third Argument is From the Office of Baal himself by an Ironical Concession saying If Baal be a God let him plead for himself as the God of Israel hath done often times when any Indignity or Injury hath been done to him as when Nadab and Abihu offer'd strange fire Levit. 10.1 2. and in the case of Corah and his Accomplices Numb 16.31 35 c. The sense of his saying thus was this If Baal have such a Divine Power as you imagine then is he able to maintain his own Honour to right himself and to revenge the Wrongs offered to him so needs none of you to plead his Cause but if he be only an idle Idol and Image then is he not worthy to be Worship'd and defended by you who is unable to defend either you or himself such as dare any farther to plead for so silly a God as could not protect himself deserveth to die for their own Folly and Impiety The Tenth and last Remark in this Chapter is Gideon's undertaking to deliver Israel from the Tyranny of Midian from ver 33. to the end No sooner had Joash thus prudently stop'd the rapid Torrent of the Rabble's Fury with those Three forcible Arguments afore-mentioned but he Knights as it were his Son with an honourable Title calling him Jerub Baal that is let Baal plead against him that hath broke down his Altar this Name of Honour was given to Gideon by his Father as a Memorial of his Sons Noble Exploit and to Stigmatize Baal with this black brand of Infamy a fair caution for those foul Successors that would needs Worship Baal in after Ages Gideon's undertaking Israel's Deliverance is described First By the occasion of it the Midianites and their Confederates made a new Invasion as far as Jezreel ver 33. where the Kings of Israel afterward had a Royal Palace 1 Kings 21.1 and not far from Ophrah where Gideon dwelt therefore well might he fear their sudden coming upon him to surprize him but this proved the unhappiest time to the Enemy now to invade Israel when Gideon had begun a Reformation in the Land ver 25. c. N.B. He began at the right end first to abolish false Worship and then to set up the true Worship seeing there can be no Concord betwixt Christ and Belial betwixt the Temple of God and the Temple of Idols 2 Cor. 6.15 16. and if we will serve God the Service of Baal must first be rejected 1 Kings 18.21 Gideon's suppression of that Superstition and Idolatry which caused God to give Israel up to Midian's Tyranny and his begun Reformation of the true Religion must needs make him more couragious and consident of Victory for hereby a door of hope was opened in order thereunto A good Cause a good Call and a good Conscience could not but breed a good Courage in him all these are needful in Civil Sacred yea and in Military Undertakings more especially because they carry their Lives in their Hands and by these they die in peace though they die in War as many good Men do The Second part of the Description is by the efficient Cause namely the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and cloathed him as the word signifies with extraordinary Wisdom Zeal and Magnanimity ver 34. this was a rich addition to that Courage he had from the goodness of his Cause Call and Conscience and hereby the Qualifications of a Judge of Israel did so shine forth that even the Men of Abiezer those of his Father's Houshold ver 27. who were so corrupted with the Idolatry of the times and so zealous then for Baal that he feared to acquaint them with his design of destroying Baal's Altar yet now they are so convinced that God had called Gideon to this great Work both of Vindicating God's Glory and his Countries Liberty that they are the first Voluntiers that will follow him as the person whom God had not only protected in that dangerous attempt of destroying Baal but had also pick'd him out of all the Tribes and pitched upon him by whose hands the Lord would work Israel's Deliverance from Midian Thirdly This Expedition is described by its Instruments whereof Gideon's own Family were a part Joash is call'd an Abiezrite ver 11. the first Soldiers that offered themselves willingly to be as Instruments in God's Hand for this undertaking were the Abiezrites when Gideon an Abiezrite also blew his Trumpet and when he sent Messengers to the other Tribes ver 35. they freely Muster and march up to meet him even the Tribe of Asher it self which was justly blamed by Deborah for their backwardness to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.17 God never starves his Work for want of Instruments but always stirs up those that he will employ therein and where Men are not at hand an Oxe's-Goad in Shamgar's Hand or the Jaw-bone of an Ass in Samson's Hand shall be enough The Fourth part of the Description is the Motive that bore up the Spirit of Gideon in this great Enterprize namely the confirmation of his Faith by a double Sign of the Dew and the Fleece of Wooll ver 36. to the end These Signs he beg'd of God not out of Infidelity but in all Humility not only for the corroborating of his own Courage and Confidence but also for the Encouragement of his Army now gathered together at their Rendezvous in Ophrah that they might more faithfully follow him in this Heroick and Hazardous Attempt we do not read that the Lord answered his Prayer by any words spoke to him but by Deeds he did in this double Sign which was by a wet and by a dry Fleece A proper Representation of Israel which was wet with the Dew of Divine Doctrine when all the World besides was dry and now dry when all the World besides was wet namely with the Dew of Peace answerable to the Prophet's Vision wherein he saw all the Earth sitting still and at rest but Jerusalem only under grievous Indignation Zech. 1 11 12 13. We must suppose their Floors then were not under a cover as ours are now but placed in the open Air as this floor was upon which the Fleece was laid so that nothing interposed to receive the falling Dew N.B. This Fleece was Israel which properly belonged to the great Shepherd of the Sheep Psal 23.1 the God of Israel but now alas how was Israel fleeced and sheared of their Corn and Cattel by the
only Invited but Jesse and his Sons also were bidden Guests in order to which he bids them Sanctifie themselves by washing their Garments Exod. 19.14 15. but especially their Hearts Isa 1.16 Spiritually as well as Legally fitted for God's Service The Third Remark upon the Antecedents is the Rejection of all the Elder Sons of Jesse and the Election of the youngest Son ver 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. where we have a bundle of Wonders As N. B. First God had told Samuel that He it is whom I Name unto thee v. 3. yet had he not all this time which was spent in preparation for the Feast and summoning Jesse and his Sons together for private Discourse named David to Samuel but still he leads him on as it were Blindfold and altogether at a loss which of Jesse's Sons was to be the Lord 's Anointed to teach us N. B. Note well God oft reveals his Will to Men not all at once but at sundry times and by divers degrees not only in this case of David Literal wherein God first told Samuel he had found him a Man after his own Heart chap. 13 14. then that this Man should be one of the Sons of Jesse the Bethlemite v. 1. of this Chapter and Lastly That it should be David after the refusal of all his Brethren the Lord saying then to him This is he v. 12. N. B. But thus it was also in David Mystical our Blessed Messiah whom God made known to the Church first only as the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 then to be of the Posterity of Abraham Gen. 22.18 c. and then to be of the Tribe of Judah Gen. 49.10 c. and then of the House of David 2 Sam. 7.16 Isa 7.13 and lastly that he should be born of a Virgin Isa 7.14 N. B. A Second Wonder was this That so great a Prophet and so old in his Experiences of Divine Revelations should fall here into so foul a mistake in misjudging Eliab the Eldest Son for a Soveraign of God's singling out for Israel when he saw him both of a Comely Countenance and of a Tall goodly Stature which two are Graceful Ornaments of a King in the sight of their Subjects not considering how ill Saul had proved who was a proper personable Man enough But Samuel said thus within himself Ak neged Jehova Meshicho Surely before the Lord is his Christ or Anointed v. 6. As he was a private Person declaring his own private thoughts and not as he was a publick Prophet inspired by God's Spirit and thus other Prophets sometimes mistook when they over-hastily spake their own Humane Sentiments before they had consulted with God and received his Divine Revelation as Nathan did 2 Sam. 7.3 and what a kind of Christ might Eliab have proved even a second Saul who was of a Morose and Arrogant Temper as appeared in his proud Insulting Carriage towards David and his causeless Choler against his own Younger Brother Chap. 17.28 fronti nulla fides a Conjecture from the Countenance is very fallible therefore God comes here and corrects Samuel's Mistake by secret Inspiration v. 7. saying as it were thou was once deceived by a likely Look in Saul chap. 10.23 24. thou shouldst not be deceived the second time N. B. Note well Man seeth only the surface and outside but the Omniscient God feeth the inside also Psal 7.9 2 Chron. 28.19 Jer. 11.20 and 17.10 and 20.12 Luke 16.15 The Third Wonder was Objection Why the Lord did not observe this Rule of Judging Saul by his Heart which he knew was naughty as well as Eliab 's and the rest of his Brethren before he was Anointed and Appointed King over Israel Answer But that Wonder may cease if it be seriously considered what great Grotius saith to this point namely Deum illis Regem tunc dedisse non qualem ipse probavit sed qualem populus Meruit God would have gone by this very Rule of esteeming Men according to the Goodness of their Hearts in the choice of Israel's first King if the People's sinful desires had not provoked him to give them a bad King Saul was such a King as the People deserved though not such an one as God approved he was given in God's Wrath Hoseah 13.11 The Fourth Wonder was Why David was not present when Jesse was bid by Samuel to present all his Sons before him being undoubtedly acquainted with Samuel's Errand from God but this poor Boy was in the Field keeping Sheep as one unregarded of his Father and altogether incapable of any Royal Dignity as his Elder Brethren all Men of Note were and on whom David waited in the Wars running his Father's Errands chap. 17.17 c. Now when God had refused all the Seven Sons of Jesse Samuel was at a stand and puts forth that curious Inquity Hathammo Hanegnarim Are here all thy Children v. 11. N. B. Thus should we say in our Confessions to God Are these all our sins we have confessâ—â— c Thus the Lord ordered thus by his Providence that the Call of David to the Kingdom 〈◊〉 plainly appear to be God's Work and neither Samuel's nor Jesse's design Samuel as yet knew nothing of him for God as yet had not Named David to him and Jesse his Father calls him his Hakaton or least Son having him in the least and lowest Eâ—â—imation possibly not yet throughly understanding his Worth both for Wisdom and Valour so was not call'd unto the Feast nor Sanctify'd among his other Brethren for it N. B. Though Lavater thinks he was and after the Sacrifice was done he was dismiss'd to his Charge in the Countrey lest the Sheep should want their Shepherd however Samuel would not sit down to the Feast until he despised of all came and was Anointed c. wherein David was a Type of Christ who when he was most Despised and Rejected of Men was then most highly esteemed in the Eyes of God Psal 118.22 Acts 4.11 and 1 Pet. 2.7 The Fifth Wonder was How could Samuel be said to Anoint David in the Presence of all his Brethren or in the midst of them v. 13. seeing some of them were so envious to him chap. 17.28 then Saul might soon have heard of all c. but seeing Samuel's design was to be transacted in secrecy for fear of Saul The Hebrew word Bekereb must be read out of the midst of his Brethren and not in the presence of them all for Samuel took David out of the midst of the Company and privately Anointed him none but Jesse only being present at the Action Now come we to the Concomitants which is the second part of this Chapter of David's Anointing Remarks hereupon are First The principal efficient Cause was the Lord himself and Samuel was but the Instrument the Lord made use of who being so grave a Prophet did undoubtedly inform David concerning the will of God that was secretly reveal'd to him upon his appearance Arise and Anoint him for
as one amazed yet Abner after often calling upon by his Name answered not but at last the Lord that had cast him into this dead sleep lets him awake to hear David charge him with no less than Treason by the Law of Nations for Guarding his Sovereign no better but suffering his life to be in such desperate danger Saying Though I know thee to be a Man of Valour and thou hast many Valiant Souldiers under thy Command as thou art their General yet you all deserve to die for your falling asleep when you should have Guarded the King Mark 3. Then David cries Ecce Signum Behold the Spear and the Cruse set up at Saul's head in the midst of his Camp he that was permitted by your negligence to remove them hither had a fair opportunity through your laziness to have given Saul his Pasport into another World Lo here is an Ocular Demonstration of your blame-worthiness and of my own integrity and innocency The Fourth Remark is David's Dialogue with Saul at a due distance upon an Hill that he might be heard and yet so far off that he might escape in case of danger v. 17.18 19 20 21. Wherein Observe First David had called so loud and so often with an audible Voice upon Sleepy Abner that he awakened Saul also v. 17. at which Abner was Angry crying Who is that clamorous Fellow that dare disturb the King in his Sleep v. 14. Yea David Awakened not only Saul's Eyes but his Conscience also which made Saul cry Is this thy Voice my Son David v. 17. Here again falls a second Conviction upon this Hypocrite's heart as before when he wept to David chap. 24.16 whereby it appears that Saul persecuted David against the Light of his own Conscience as well as contrary to both his Promise and his Oath chap. 19.6 and 24.20 N. B. Saul here hath a Velleitatem as the School-term is a wambling wish or an imperfect motion of his willingness to favour David but he had not a voluntatem a direct and compleat will to disown his own sin So David's Innocency produced only a transient extacy and admiration of him in his Conscience for Saving his Life Twice Secondly Mark here how David diswades Saul from his daily persecuting of him in this Dialogue with him by many strenuous and cogent Arguments As Mark 1. It was unjust for a King to persecute an innocent subject v. 8. That I have no Traiterous design against my Soveraign is plain for twice God hath given me an opportunity to kill the King and twice I have spared him If a Man find his Foe will he let him go Chap. 24.19 Saul himself confesseth Mark 2. He useth a Dilemma a double Horned-Argument that pusheth both ways saying Thy rage against me is either from God or from Man If from God then 't is either for thy sin or for mine or for both Let this be decided by a Sacrifice to God whose of them God will accept thine or mine If for thy sin God hath given thee up to be acted by an Evil Spirit and the Devil drives thee to this evil work then oughtest thou to reconcile thy self to God by Sacrifice that thou mayest be freed from thy Frantick Fits And if it be for my sins too I am ready to pacifie God's displeasure with an Oblation also and am willing moreover to become a Sacrifice my self so Gods displeasure may be appeased and the Kings Justice may be satisfied c. But if it be from Men namely from Doeg and thy cursed Court-Sycophants who have incensed thee against me I leave them as accursed Creatures to the Lord 's Righteous Revenge v. 19. where David prudently and meekly accuseth not the King but lays the fault upon his Evil Counsellors Mark 3. David urgeth those Courtiers cruelty to him in driving him out of Canaan where God's Worship was into Idolatrous Countries where they really though not verbally bid him Serve Idols David sets an Emphasis upon this Argument as being an Evil that troubled him more than his loss of all other comforts and therefore cries he Woe is me c. Psal 120.5 Mark 4. David Argues both an impossibility of Saul's Accomplishing his Bloody Ends for he had a particular Faith that God would preserve him out of his hands Psal 27.1 2 3. and ex Hypothesi suppose Saul should shed my Innocent Blood by God's permission yet sure I am my Blood would cry as Gen 4.10 and God will revenge it and stigmatize thee for it Mark 5. He urges an absurdity upon Saul v. 20. that it was below a King to persecute such a mean Subject A Flea is hard to catch and yet not worth catching 'T is to Fight with a Flea 'T is no fit Employ and Exploit for a King to Kill a dead Dog as he had said before chap. 24 14. or to toil and turmoil thy self about catching a Partridg on the Mountains where he may flee from thee and though taken the Advantage cannot compensate the Labour The Fifth Remark is The Effects of all those Arguments First Saul confesseth his foolishness and recals David from his Banishment v. 21. where we see Saul melted down by those Coals of Kindness which David had twice heaped upon his Head though Saul seem here under those meltings to aggravate his sin yet in truth he doth extenuate it by imputing it only to his Folly which made him do he knew not what whereas indeed it was his malice against David because God had upon his rejection chose him his Successor Notwithstanding he well knew David's Innocency Secondly David Restores the King's Spear v. 22. which he took away not to retain it but to return it to the right owner after he had convinced Saul's Conscience thereby of his own Righteousness Thirdly Because Saul had no Tribunal above him David makes his solemn Appeal to the Tribunal of God v. 23 24. requesting the Lord to recompense each of them according to the Equity or Iniquity of their cause Fourthly Saul's Temporary Repentance is another effect of David's charming Rhetorick here and he not only lays aside his persecuting Principles for the present but also Saul is again Found among the Prophets really foretelling that David's Kingdom should be very glorious v. 25. And Fifthly David dare not yet trust Saul notwithstanding all his fair Promises from a convinced Conscience while he knew His Heart was not changed For 1. David durst not carry him his Spear but bids him send for it And 2. David went away to his place of Safety and came not down to Saul as before chap. 24.8 c. 1 Sam. CHAP. XXVII THIS Chapter contains another Banishment of David into the Philistines Country The General Parts of it are two First The Causes of it and Secondly The Accidents attending David in it c. Remarks upon the First Part are First The final or moving cause that moved David to fly to the Philistines is expressed ver 1. David said in his Heart
also because none were so Skilful for squaring Stone and hewing Timber as the Sidonians who lived saith Grotius among Woods and Quarries so they were train'd up therein Mark Thirdly Several Men have their several gifts saith Peter Martyr and several Countries their several Abilities and Commodities Solomon had Materials within himself for Lebanon was either wholly or in part in his jurisdiction saith Peter Martyr therefore he desires not Hiram to give him Cedars which were his own already but Hiram had the Artificers whom Solomon desired him to send to exercise their Curious Art and Skill upon his Materials N. B. This was not without a Mystery that the Sydonians and Tyrians who were ingenious Gentiles must be called in to assist Solomon's Servants who were Hebrews in this building of a Temple for God Not only saith Peter Martyr to teach us that it is lawful for pious persons to make use of Impious Ethnicks Arts both Writings and Handy-works as occasion is offered but more especially it holds forth the call of the Gentiles Tho' the Jews only meddled with the Tabernacle of Moses in the Wilderness yet Solomon's Temple must not be built in that Holy City Jerusalem the Metropolis of Canaan without the aid of those Gentile Tyrians The Jews whether they will or not will must not build up the Gospel Temple or Church of Christ without the concurrence of Gentile Believers Paul said the Jews together with us Gentiles make up an House for God Eph. 2.13 14. Mark Fourthly Solomon's Commutative Justice in promising a due proportion of wages for those Tyrians true work the Workman he judged was worthy of his wages which he propounded Hiram gratefully accepts of his proposal v. 6 7 8. and Solomon as punctually performs the Contract in sending food a scarce Commodity in Hiram's Country having its supplies from Judea Ezek. 27.17 Acts 12.20 Materials Hiram exchanges for meat with Solomon v. 9 10 11. The Second Cause after the matter is the form of the Temple implyed in ver 12. namely in Solomon's Wisdom wherein he increased more and more not only because he shewed so much Wisdom in transacting this important League with King Hiram tending to the Temple building as Peter Martyr saith but 't is said here the Lord gave Solomon Wisdom as an additional gift to Chap. 3.12 and Chap. 4.29 namely Architectonick Wisdom an artificial skill in contriving and carrying on stately Structures a dexterous discretion for this present purpose God giving him the Idea or notion of the Temple in his mind as a model whereby the future fabrick was to be framed The Third is The Efficient Cause and this is twofold Instrumental or principal the Instruments were three 1. Labourers such as were stone-cutters and hewers of Timber 2. Porters that bare burthens as stones out of Quarries and Timber to the Carpenter's hands and 3. The Artificers that fitted both the Wood and the Stone for the Fabrick v. 13 14 15 17 18. then the principal Officers were the Master-Builders over-seeing all v. 16. Remarks hereupon are First The polished materials for this Typical Temple were two-fold First the best of Wood Cedars which God himself did point out to be done 2 Sam. 7.7 because 't is a wood most sound strong fragrant and durable not knotty nor subject to worms c. and secondly the best of building-stones call'd Costly even for the foundation v. 17. even Marble of all sorts the very foundation-stones were not rude and rugged but they were both of great value and well hewed that they might bed the better tho' they could not afterwards be obvious to the eye when under ground This was done not for necessity saith Peter Martyr but for Magnificency and to signifie to us that as the whole Temple did Typifie the whole Mystical Body of Christ which is his Church built up with growing stones and green Timber sanctified in Christ Jesus call'd to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.3 Cant. 1.16 17 c. So this foundation represents Christ the Foundation of the Church 1 Cor. 3.10 Eph. 2.20 Isa 28.16 hid from the World yet precious in himself c. And it teaches also that God is not all for the eye but pleases himself with his Saints hidden worth Remark the Second is God's tenderness to Temple-Builders those Labourers were one mouth labouring in Lebanon and two months at home by turns v. 14. their time of rest at home with their Relations was double to their time of labour N. B. Let Superiors learn from God and Solomon here to make the yoke as easie as they can to their Inferiours lest they lose their Affections and procure their Imprecations Remark the Third is that of Dr. Hall the Temple was all framed in Lebanon but it was set up in Sion So that neither Ax nor Hammer was heard in that Holy Structure all the noise was in Lebanon to fit every thing for its place made nothing but noise there but nothing in Sion save silence and peace Chap. 6.7 N. B. What ever tumults be in the World let Concord be in the Church Remark the Fourth Those Stone-squaring Giblites v. 18. were Pagans Ezek. 27.9 Psal 83.7 yet used about the Temple for their Squaring skill So Humane Learning may be used in Divine Discourses so it be not for vain ostentation for that is to make a Calf of the Ear-rings brought out of Egypt The Last Cause is the End for which this Temple was built It was unto the Name of the Lord God of Israel v. 5. when Solomon had no Satan or Adversary against him v. 4. the Devil was then Chain'd up but after this broke loose and because he could not hinder this will not only imitate it but endeavours to out-do it in Diana's Temple at Ephesus Act. 19.27 28. which was built unto the Devil's Name and not only built of Cedar like this of Solomon's as Vitruvius relateth but was likewise longer and larger than was this at Jerusalem as other Authors do assure us 220 years in Building and built in a place where no Earthquake could move it 't was 425 foot long 220 broad and had 1â—7 Pillars given by so many Kings c. The End why Solomon built his Temple is mention'd again Chap. 6. v. 12. he Built it for the Lord. 1 Kings CHAP. VI. THIS Chapter is a sacred Narrative of the Magnificence and Splendor of Solomon's Temple The General Remark first upon it is This Temple of Solomon was the most Famous Fabrick that ever was framed in the whole World Barbara Pyramidum sileat miracula Memphis c. Tho' the Egyptian Pyramids Diana's Temple c. were most stately Structures yet none of the Seven Wonders of the World were ever accounted comparable to this Temple of Solomon as appeareth by many Testimonies of Learned Authors as First That of Alsteda a Man who was aliquis in omnibus a Magazine of all kinds of Science both Humane and Divine he saith in his Encuclopedia lib. 15. pag. 1593. his
Thousand to bear Burthens Eighty Thousand to be Hewers in the Mountains and Three Thousand Six Hundred Overseers 1 Chron. 22.18 That is Thirty and Three Thousand Overseers over the Hundred and Fifty Thousand Workmen 1 King 5.16 and Three Hundred Overseers both of them and over all and so many Hands are at Work thus only for preparation c. The Fourth Demonstration of this none-such Temple is also the length of Time it took up in Building namely seven Years and an half notwithstanding the many Myriads of Hands hastening forward it's Erection with utmost Expedition N. B. For we may not suppose that it was either built with such few Hands or with so many Pauses and Intermissions as is our Temple of Paul's heretofore call'd the Temple of Bellona which Work slackens as the Treasure slackeneth c. Nor as Solomon did when he was about thirteen Years in building his own House Chap. 7.1 wherein he took more leisure and had less help both for Materials ready prepared and for the Peoples readiness to push it forward But as to the House of God Solomon 's Zeal to build it had eaten him up Psal 69.9 Joh. 2.17 And the express command of God did Quicken him up to a speedy dispatch yea and a necessity of setting up God's Worship therein which was the grand ground of his hoped for Happiness both of King and Kingdom did urge him effectually to be Expeditious to his utmost c. N. B. Notwithstanding all this Haste with so many hands and though all the Materials of Wood and Stone were made ready in the beginning of his Reign the first three Years so that the noise of Axes and Hammers being over ver 7. they had nothing to do but to join the prepared materials together yet the Fabrick finishing from the Foundation laying in the Fourth Year of his Reign took up the time until his Tenth Year and a half was expired The Fifth Demonstration is never any Fabrick in the World had rarer Rooms as the three Courts c. which brings in the Objection Diana's Temple at Ephesus had larger Diameter Dimensions For this Temple of Solomon was but an hundred twenty Foot long and forty Foot broad taken after the largest size Chap 6.2 But that Temple of Diana at Ephesus was four hundred Foot long and two hundred twenty Foot broad as before Answer This is but Humane Testimony concerning the Dimension of Diana's Temple so 't is less Authentick then this of Divine Testimony And if those sixty Cubits ver 2. be as most probable the Cubit of the Sanctuary which is the great Cubit Ezek. 41.8 much greater than the Common Cubit this declares it to be a larger Edifice than is commonly Computed but suppose it true that Diana's Temple was of a larger Capacity yet this Temple had rarer Rooms adorned with more choice and costly Materials of more exact and curious Workmanship of more Mystical Signification and for spiritual Employment so a None-such in the World But more of this afterward c. Having so largely Discoursed upon the First General Remark I need insist upon the particular Remarks of this Chapter the lesse because a little Light and Lustre is already given to them in the aforesaid reserving more General Remarks for concluding this Chapter The Parts whereof are reducible to these several Heads As First The Name of this glorious Fabrick the House of the Lord. Secondly The Time when it was built both these in ver 1 37 38. Thirdly The Efficient Causes of it both Principal and Instrumental ver 11 12 13 14. Fourthly The Form and Figure of it in three Dimensions Long Broad and High v. 2. Fifthly It 's several Parts and Apartments outward and inward ver 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 c. Sixthly The three distinct Courts ver 16 17 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 28 to 36. First Remarks in particular are 1. Upon the Name 't is call'd here and every where the House of God not because it was to contain God in it though it was great and wonderful great yet can it not comprehend the incomprehensible God whom the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Chap. 8.27 2 Chron. 2.4 5 6 9. and 6.18 Act. 7.49 Solomon seems to say When I speak of Building a great House and a wonderfully great House for the Great God let none be so foolish as to think that I intend to contain him within it for he is Infinite and Incomprehensible but my meaning is that this great God may be worshipped therein N. B. God is good without Quality great without Quantity Everlasting without Time Present every where without Place containing all things yet contain'd of nothing He is both within all things and without all things yet sustain'd of nothing therefore Solomon expresly saith I Dedicate this House to God's Worship c. Chap. 8.63 2 Chron. 2.4 And not for God to dwell in as a Man dwells in his House Intimating only that we should endeavour to our utmost to Worship this great God with God's Grace answerable in some sort to God's greatness and it was call'd the Holy Temple not only because it was wholly devoted to God's Holy Service particularly mentioned 2 Chron. 2.4 But also because it was built upon Holy Ground upon Mount Moriah 2 Chron. 3.1 a Place which God had Pointed out and Consecrated for this End for that was the Mount wherein Abraham would have Sacrificed his Son Isaac Gen. 22.2 c. Who was a Type of Christ actually offered up to God upon Mount Calvary which some suppose was a part of this Mount c. And it was the very Place where the same Angel of the Covenant that had stayed Abraham's killing stroke from Isaac now had appeared again to stop the destroying Plague from Israel 1 Chron. 21.15 16. There David built an Altar and offer'd Offerings thereon and the Lord answered him by Fire from Heaven upon that Altar Upon those grounds this Mount being thus made Holy Ground is therefore the fittest Place whereon to build this Holy Temple Secondly Remarks upon the Time when which is twofold First The Inchoation and Secondly The Consummation of it The Inchoation or when the Temple began to be built hath a Trible Denomination of Year Month and Day and the Year is doubly Denominated 1. The Year of Israel's departure out of Egypt And 2. The Year of Solomon's Reign ver 1. The First Remark upon the former account of Years is 't is expresly said to be in the four hundred and fourscore Year This account I find variously ventilated both by Criticks and Interpreters c. But to pass by all their Prolix Sentiments both the best and the briefest Computation runs regularly thus Reckoned 1. Forty Years in the Wilderness Numb 14.33 2. Seventeen under Joshua 3. Forty under Othniel Judg. 3.11 4. Fourscore under Ehud and Shamgar Judg. 3.30 5. Forty under Deborah Judg. 5.31 6. Forty under Gideon Judg. 8.28 7. Three under
Abimelech Judg. 9.22 8. Three and twenty under Tolah and two and twenty under Jair Judg. 10.2 3. 9. Six under Jephthah seven under Ibzan ten under Elon eight under Abdon Judg. 12.7 9 11 14. 10. Twenty under Sampson Judg. 15.20 11. Forty under Eli 1 Sam. 4.18 12. Forty under Samuel and Saul Act. 13.21 13. Forty under David 2 Sam. 5.4 and under Solomon as here ver 1. After this manner of reckoning both Junius and Piscator make up the number of four hundred eighty Years the Difficulty of this Computation ariseth only from the Times of the Judges but 't is done away by including the Years of the Oppressors in the Years of the Judges and reckoning from Rest to Rest which is more certain than their Opinion that reckon the other way Yea and 't is the more to be embraced not only as it was the Opinion of Dr. Lightfoot but also of that famously Learned Antiquary Dr. Vsher c. The Second Remark as to the Year 't is the fourth Year of Solomon's Reign which was the 2993. Year of the World Solomon had spent the former Years in settling his Kingdom and preparing all manner of Materials wherewith to build the House of God and as to the Month it was in Zif which signifies Brightness for in that second Month or April Moon then are Plants in their greatest splendour for Abib signifying the Spring was the first Month of the Sacred Year Exod. 12.2 and 13.4 and as to the Day Solomon began to build this wonder of the World upon the second Day of this second Month 2 Chron. 3.2 not on the sixth as Calvisius saith nor on the eighth as Capellus much less on the twenty ninth as Scaliger Solomon began not this great building in the first Month though a wise Builder and would lose no time that was seasonable for building Work the Reason rendred by Peter Martyr is He was hindred in Abib because in that Month the great Feast of the Passover was kept by the King and Kingdom The Third Remark as to Time is the interspace betwixt the Inchoation and the Consummation of the Temple this we are told ver 37 38. is compleat seven Years and the odd six Months are necessarily implied as much time as laies betwixt the Month Zif wherein he began to build and the Month Bull their eighth Month which signifieth Fading for in October Leaves fall off and all flowers fade away Though Solomon began to build upon the second Day of Zif yet this House no more than Rome could not be built in a Day as the Proverb is for notwithstanding his Myriads of many Hands to help it forward He could not finish it until his Eleventh Year whereof the odd six Months were a part and every thing considered this wise Master Builder may not be wondered at for being so long a time about as some call it a little Fabrick but assuredly he made a very good dispatch of so great a Work Considering 1. That the Temple it self properly so called was for Quantity the least part of the Edifice there being very many and great buildings in the several Courts both above ground and under ground And considering 2. The choicest and chiefest Curiosity of Art which was used here and the fewness of exquisite Artists in that Age. This would require a long time for the doing of it N. B. Josephus tells us it took up a vast time to level the Ground which before was uneven and full of Hills and Valleys before they could dig for a sure Foundation and Peter Martyr says excellently here let Men consider other Examples as 1. The Building of Diana's Temple did employ all Asia for two hundred Years And 2. The building of one only of the Pyramids employed three hundred and sixty thousand Men for twenty Years together both which are affirmed by Pliny Plin. 36.12 Then will they leave wondring why Solomon was so long in his c. Thirdly the Remarks upon the Efficient Cause The first is as Solomon was the principal Builder so had He Instruments not only Humane Helps many Myriads of Mens Hands both Masons Carpenters Carvers Painters c. but which was above all He had a Divine Message in the midst of his building the Word of the Lord came c. ver 11. either by Ahijah or by some other Prophet both for his Instruction and Encouragement in his building Work The Second Remark is the Purport of this Divine Message was not only to strengthen Solomon's Heart in his Work as Jonathan had strengthened his Father's Hands in the Wood 1 Sam. 23.16 But also to Caution him saith Peter Martyr that he might not place his Confidence in the Merit of this external Aedifice for the perpetuating the Grandeur of King and Kingdom But if ever he expected to inherit the Promises which God had made to him of his being a None-such c. It must be with this Proviso si ambulaveris If thou wilt walk before me c. ver 12 13. intimating that God had more respect to Solomon's faithful Obedience to his Word than unto any magnificency of that glorious Work This God spake to him while he was in his building Work though some say it was after he had finished it and is here placed by Anticipation seeing it is said both ver 14. and 9. So Solomon built the House both which come in as an Epilogue to that which went before N. B. Signifying to him that the Lord dwells not in Temples made with Hands Act. 7.48 But the Man that is of a sanctified Heart and Life is God's true Temple such an one saith Christ my Father will love and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Joh. 14.23 So Strigilius whereby Solomon might be withdrawn from all Superstitious Confidence in the external Work Fourthly The Form and Figure of the Temple ver 2. Remarks upon it First In General the three Dimensions in Philosophy are here with all exactness observed namely Longitude Latitude and Profundity and the Form or Figure of the Temple saith Peter Martyr did not much differ from that of the Tabernacle yet was it twice as large in all it's Dimensions as plainly appears by comparing them And the sweet Symmetry and Harmony of those three Dimensions in measures is very remarkable For 1. 60. to 20. the length to the breadth is trible or as 3. to 1. 2. 60. to 30. the length to the heighth is double or as 2. to 1. and 3. 30. to 20. the heighth to the breadth is sesquialter or one and an half as 3. to 2. which are the Proportion's congruous to the three great Concords in Musick commonly called a Twelfth an Eighth and a Fifth which therefore must needs be a very grateful Proportion to the Eye as that Harmony in Musick is so exceedingly ravishing to the Ear. The Second Remark as to particulars 1. The length of the Temple from Wall to Wall was sixty Cubits of the
of Nahum that Nineveh was now fully Ripe for its full Ruine and God was just now going to scour that filthy Pond of Sin and to do to her as she had done to his Church Remark the Second Tho' Nineveh had before Repented at the Preaching of Jonah as above and therefore the Lord had likewise Repented of his Displeasure against that City and suspended his Judgments he had threatned by Jonah to inflict upon those notorious sinners at the end of forty Days Yet after this Respit and Divine Remission both that City and the whole Assyrian Empire whereof Nineveh was the Head returned to a filthy Commission of their former sins aggravating and encreasing them with a Renewed Persecution of the Church of God Tho' the Vnclean Spirit seemed to be cast out of the City by Jonah's single Sermon yet he returned soon after with seven worse and so their last State was worse than the former Matth. 12.45 The Bile of this People being but half healed breaks out again afterwards as appeareth by this Prophecy and proved to be the Plague of Leprosie Lev. 13.18 19 20. so shut them out from receiving any more Mercy Those Apostates were turned aside to their crooked paths therefore the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of Iniquity Psal 125.5 and God stirs up Nahum to tell them so not only telling them of their sins but also foretelling them of their punishments upon this account Nahum's Prophecy is call'd the Burden of Nineveh chap. 1. ver 1. writ in a Book sent to Nineveh but Nahum himself went not to Nineveh as Jonah had done for now they were more sealed down in their Impenitency And this same Reason is rendred by some Rabbins N.B. why that Threatning Letter which Elijah wrote before his Translation and left to be sent unto Jehoram King of Judah 2 Chron. 21.12 by Elisha or some other Prophets who durst not shew themselves in Jehoram's presence because of his horrid Insolency and hardened Impenitency Remark the Third Nineveh's Preservation by their Repentance at Jonah's Preaching proved but a Reservation for utter Destruction according to Nahum's Prophecy As Jonah had denounced Nineveh's Destruction to be but forty days off in case they had not Repented which was the Condition of their Declared Doom at that time So Nahum now is raised up of God to denounce his last and Irrevocable Decree for destroying them by the Chaldeans c. and that about forty years or less after Jonah and then was Nineveh destroyed indeed under that effeminate Emperor Sardanapalus saith Dr. Lightfoot so famous or rather infamous in Heathen Histories Remark the Fourth Nahum is generally believed to have lived and prophesied in the days of Hezekiah and was one of those Prophets who were commanded to be Comforters of Jerusalem against its Affrightments from Assyria Isa 40.1 And he plainly telleth what Evil Counsel Senacherib conceived against the Lord and foretelleth Senacherib's Death in his Idol Temple by his own Sons as well as the prodigious Slaughter of his numerous Army by the stroke of an Angel Nah. 1.11 to 15. wherein is intimated 1. His Pestilent Counsel he gave to Jerusalem that they should cast off God as unable to deliver them out of his hands 2 Kings 18.19 c. 2 Chron. 32.15 c. Isa 36.15 to 20. 2. Tho' Senacherib's Army was well disciplined and likewise many for number ver 12. yet God by his Angel will cut or shear them Hebr. with as much ease as Men shear a Sheep mow down a Meadow or shave off the feeble Hair with a sharp Razour alluding to that phrase of Isaiah with whom he was Contemporary Isa 7.10 3. The breaking of the Assyrian Yoke v. 13. no more Tribute to be paid by Hezekiah as had been in Ahaz's Time c. 4. The failure of Senacherib's Sons ver 14. He rebelled against his Father in Heaven and his Sons rebelled against him their Father on Earth and slew him in his Idol-Worship This fact God is said to command because he would have destroyed the true Worship of God He lost his two Sons by whom he lost his Life and tho' his Third Son succeeded him yet soon after he lost his Life and Kingdom by the Chaldees so all the Royal Race of Assyria was Routed out Remark the Fifth Nahum's Graphical Description of Nineveh's Doleful Destruction for the Church's Comfort Mark 1. The Chief Efficient Cause of that Capital City's Ruine together with the whole Assyrian Empire as Brand Mullerus maketh the Analysis was the everlasting glorious and omnipotent God taking Vengeance of his Enemies and gave out the Commandment that this dashing work should be done and that sinful City and Empire be undone chap. 1.14 and 2.13 and 3.5 6. where the Lord of Hosts Commander in Chief of all his Creatures both his higher and lower Forces is said to come against his Adversaries and commands them to be destroyed The great God need say no more for what he saith shall be done as in the Creation of the World Hence Jeremy pray'd Lord be not thou my Adversary then shall I the better bear what will beside befall me from Men Jer. 17.17 God's Administration is most paternal for pitying his Friends but most powerful to punish his Foes Mark 2. The Meritorious procuring Cause of this Divine Displeasure was their manifold sins as beside their Persecution of God's Church chap. 1.9 11. they added Fraud Rapine and Robbery hence compared to a Lion's Den and the feeding-place of young Lions chap. 2.11 12. greedy Lions they were that could never have enough Isa 56.11 12. not enough to satiate them but enough to sink them and Woe is denounced by Nahum against Nineveh for being a bloody City and all full of lyes chap. 3.1 Her violence filled her so with fraudulency and falshood which seldom are seen asunder the Fox's Skin Eeking out the Lion's Hide that there was no Truth in her private Contracts and no Trust in her publick Transactions c. There were Whoredom Witchcraft and all kind of wickedness with a witness found in her chap. 3 4. and tho' she seem'd to repent of her Luxury Cruelty c. at the Preaching of Jonah yet now is she become as bad again and worse than ever N.B. Let Paris and Rome yea London remember what was the Ruine of Nineveh Mark 3. The less Principal or Instrumental Cause of Nineveh's Destruction for her Inhumanity against Men and her Idolatry against God were the Chaldeans c. who are described by their Arms Apparel Launces Chariots and Horses Chap. 2.1 2 3 4. and 3.2 These the Lord of Hosts armed to dash her in pieces and to burn that Rod wherewith he had scourged his own Church and Children though the Assyrians knew not so much Isa 10.12 13 c. which Place explaineth Nah. 2.2 God now having no more use of the Rod of his Anger the Assyrians to chastize Israel for their Sins wherein they exceeded their Commission in Cruelty
Solemnize her Marriage after her Coronation and made a Release from Taxes in all his Provinces ver 18. that by this Jubilee all his Subjects might Rejoice in this New Queen Josephus saith they all then kept Holy-day They were no longer troubled saith Grotius with seeking of any more Virgins for him and likewise to express his Royal Love to his Loyal Queen he gave Gifts Chains of Gold c. to her saith Junius and King-like yea God-like Jam. 1.5 Psal 68.18 Ephes 4.8 he gave Royal Donatives to the People N. B. Query How could Esther Rejoice in marrying such an Infidel A Lapide and Menochius Answer it 1. Jews were forbid Marrying Canaanites not Persians c. 2. Esther and Mordecai did this by Divine Direction knowing it to be for the Jews good 3. Esther was not Sui Juris at her own Dispose but that Tyrant might take her by force against her Will. Remark the Second Esther tho' thus Advanced her Honours had not yet alter'd her Manners she was still as Obsequious and Observant of Mordecai tho' but a Porter and not prolling for Preferment c. as she had been before to him from whom she had tho' not her Being yet her Well-being ver 19 20. Esther had concealed her Kindred which many Queens saith Grotius do out of Pride as loth to relate their low Extract but she did it out of Prudence and in obedience to her Vncle's Command well knowing that the Jews were generally hated for being Different in Religion and that she might be cashier'd the Court for a Jewess which then was accounted Crime enough being of a Country Conquer'd Captivated and contrary in Laws to all Nations as Haman afterwards accused them Esth 3.8 therefore her Taciturnity was her Vertue having no Call to give an account of her Faith 1 Pet. 3.15 And no marvel that Esther was in her Silence so Morigerous to Mordecai when he was so solicitous for her Safety as to walk every day before the Gate ver 11. lest she should be Sick saith Bonartius Thus they both did Reciprocate and Mutual Respects most obligingly drew on one another No love lost here between them Remark the Fourth A Dreadful Conspiracy is made against the King while he was drowning himself in Carnal Pleasure and dreaded no Danger even then was he in the greatest Danger Mark 1. By whom this Conspiracy was contrived ver 21. 'T was by two of the King's Chamberlains who in their greatest Trust hatched this most Horrible Treason while they kept the King's Bed-Chamber Door to take away the King's Life in the very flagrancy of his sinful Lusts while he was Ravishing and Deflowring so many Maidens and now at last solacing himself in his new Nuptials This they thought the fittest Season to perpetrate their sublime Treachery when they saw the King in such supine Security Little do Voluptuous Princes in the glut of their Sensual Delights consider what slippery places they are set in and how Hell gapes for them Isa 14.9 Mark 2. Mordecai knew this bloody Conspiracy ver 22. How he came to know it the Scripture is silent Josephus saith it was revealed to him by Barnabazus a Jew who was Servant to one of the Conspirators Grotius and Drusius concurr with Josephus herein Some say Mordecai in the Wisdom God had given him could shrewdly guess at their bloody Design by their looks and gestures Speaking of it in Anger before Mordecai in the Language of Tarsus saith Rabbi Solomon supposing he understood it not and their Anger was against Mordecai 1. Fearing this late Marriage might Advance him above those Shomerims or Porters as Drusius saith Or 2. Because Vasihi their Friend at Court was Rejected saith Grotius Or 3. Their Plot was to prefer Haman to the Crown say Menochius and A Lapide However God had his Holy Hand in it Mordecai hath Intelligence and certifies it to the Queen and she to the King in Mordecai's Name who now being but a mean Man held himself unworthy to speak to the King c. Mark 3. Search was made of the Matter c. ver 23. The King could not slight such an Information from his Queen whom he so entirely loved lest he should betray his own Life nor would he over-hastily believe it before Inquisition was made into it lest he should discover a causeless Fear or precipitate a wrong Sentence Upon enquiry the Treason comes to a Discovery as usually and sometimes strangely it doth in all Ages both the Traitors were Hang'd on a Tree Traitors saith one in this are like Bells which will never be well Tuned till they come to be well Hanged And lastly This was Recorded as a remarkable Passage in a Diurnal saith Grotius which was kept by the King or in a Book laid up before the King for him to peruse saith Drusius for his Delight and Direction N.B. God will not be beholden to a wicked Man for any good he finds in them but they shall have their Reward if Ahab have but an external Humiliation God's curse shall not come in his Days 1 Kings 21.29 So Ahasuerus's Love to Esther and Kindness to her People God rewards here by detecting and defeating those two cursed Conspirators that endeavour'd to take away his Life which was saved by his Loyal Queen c. N.B. 'T is probable Haman had his Hand in this cursed Conspiracy seeing he gave so little thanks to Mordecai for discovering it but his Craft to hide it and his Grandeur to lift him above the Law caused him now to pass unpunished as one not involved in it Esther CHAP. III. THIS Chapter contains Haman's Gonspiracy to cut off the whole Nation of the Jews as well as Mordecai who had saved the King's Life from the two Conspirators Hamans Friends The two Parts of this Conspiracy are 1. Its Causes And 2. Its Effects Remarks upon the first Part The Causes of the Conspiracy First The efficient Cause was Haman's Anger which arose upon this occasion Ahasuerus being transported with a Complacency in his new Queen yet not made better by her advanceth Haman that Vilest of Men as Psalm 12.8 meerly for his Mind-sake and to shew his uncontroulable Soveraignty as Dar. 4.19 probably Hamaâ— had insinuated himself into the King's favour by proposing some new project for augmenting his Tribute whereby he might strengthen his Tyranny wherefore within a few Years after his Marrying Esther he exalts Haman to the highest Pinacle of Honour and commands all his Courtiers to bow to him but Mordecai did not ver 1 2. Remark the Second Then the Cringing Courtiers do Counsel Mordecai unto Conformity to the King's Command blaming him for being singular And this they did Day by Day tempting his Constancy not once but often acting the part of Beelzebub the God of Flyes of which Pliny saith Quo magis abiguntur eo magis premunt the more that Flyes are driven away the more they press upon you This these Men did here Devil-like indeed Daily
his Conception The Answer to the first is this That the Matter Christ was Conceived of 1. Negatively First He was not made of nothing as the World was at the Creation Secondly Nor was he raised out of the dead earth as Adam was nor Thirdly Did he bring his Flesh with him out of Heaven as some fondly imagine But 2. Possitively He was Conceived of the living flesh of the holy Virgin Gal. 4.4 when fulness of time was come God who doth all things pondere mensurâ numero as Plato saith in weight measure and number Therefore as he never comes too soon so nor doth he ever stay too long but times his mercies in the best season Isa 30.18 then he sent forth his Son even out of his own bosom Joh. 1.18 loe how he loved us Joh. 11.36 to be made of a Woman that is of the sanctified substance of the holy Virgin N. B. Note this against the Marcionites and others that do deny it and made under the Law c. With this Apostle concurs the Angel of God saying to the Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hail thou highly favoured c. Luke 1.28 loe thou shalt conceive in thy Womb the Holy Child Jesus ver 30 31. The Son of the Highest ver 32. And though thou know not a Man yet the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee as once he did the confused Chaos in the World's Creation hovering over it and hatching out the Creature as the Hen doth the Chickens therefore that Holy thing which shall be born of thee that is as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word implys of thy Flesh and Substance shall be called the Son of God ver 34 35. Some Heterodox Men hold that Christ brought his Flesh from Heaven and that he passed through the Virgin 's Womb as Water passeth through a Conduit-pipe But the Orthodox believe from those two Scripture Testimonies c. That the matter whereof Christ was conceived was the Flesh of the Virgin because also had he taken other Foreign Flesh or brought it from Heaven this would have made him an unmeet Redeemer for by the order of Divine Justice the same nature that sinned must suffer for sin As it was Man that had sinned so it must be Man that must be punished therefore took Christ the Flesh of a Woman c. The Second Inquiry is by what Power Christ was Conceived Answer 1. Negatively It was not done by the power of Nature for all that are conceived by ordinary generation are sinful who can bring saith Job a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 As if he had said 't is the common lot of all Mankind proceeding from sinful Parents to be unclean and unavoidably infected with Original Corruption And Jesus himself confirms that of Job saying that which is born of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 corruptus corruptum faln Adam begat a Son after his own faln Image Gen. 5.3 by this one Man sin entred upon all Rom. 5.12 so that by nature all are Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 whole man is in evil and whole evil is in man The first man defiled nature and ever since nature hath defiled every Man Hence David candidly confesseth that he was conceived in Sin and shapen in Iniquity Psal 51.5 He look'd upon his Original Sin to be the sad Source and corrupt Fountain from whence all his filthy streams flowed Answer 2. Possitively Therefore this sinless Babe of Bethlehem was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost so saith Luke afore quoted Luke 1.35 And Matthew makes forth the same great truth saying that Holy thing conceived in Mary is of the Holy Ghost Matth. 1.20 as the efficient not as the material cause the power of nature could never have brought forth such a pure Redeemer no more than a Tree can by nature bring forth a Chair of State though it should grow a thousand years yet it could not grow of it self into the form of a Royal Throne this fashion it must receive from a Skilfull Artist though the substance of such a Seat be in it So though Christ were in the loins of Adam yet Nature could never be able to bring forth Christ no this could only be effected by the power of the Holy Ghost The Virtus formatrix or formative faculty which the Virgin had not is ascribed to this power wherewith the Holy Ghost framed and fashioned Christ of the flesh or substance of the Virgin sanctified miraculously and without Man's help Thus Christ is said to be conceived of the Holy Ghost three ways First The Godhead did sanctifie that part of the Virgins Flesh whereof Christ was made severing and purifying it from sin and corruption as the Cunning Artificer draws dross from the Gold c. Secondly The Holy Ghost did frame and fashion that part of the Virgin 's Flesh so purified so sanctified and made it a fit House or Temple for his Godhead to dwell in Therefore is He call'd that Holy thing Luke 1.35 and that Holy of Holys wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily Col. 2.9 that is Personally Thirdly He did Unite the Humane Nature to the Divine so made one person of both so He is call'd the Son of God very often in the holy Scripture N. B. The Mystery of this History is manifold As First the Abstruse profound Speculations hereupon which the Learned both Antient and Modern have collected hence 1. Augustin saith though Christ be call'd by the Angel the Son of God yet was He not the Son of the Holy Ghost as He was the Son of the Holy Virgin for He was not Conceived of Him as he was of Her He was Conceived of Her as of a Mother not of the Holy Ghost as of a Father lest there should seem to be Two Fathers in the Holy Trinity We must not say saith He that the Holy Ghost was born of the Dove in whose shape He appeared Mat. 3.16 As Christ was of the Woman because the Spirit came not down to Redeem the Doves as Christ did to Redeem Mankind born of a Woman but to signifie unto us by that significant form all Spiritual Innocency Amicableness and Love to little Ones found in those that have the Spirit 2. Another Curious Notion of the Learned is that Christ was call'd Shilo Gen. 49.10 because that Hebrew Name signifies a Secondine which is the Tunicle wherein the Child lyes wrapped up secure in its Mothers Womb Hence Christ was call'd Shilo as He was the Son of Mary's Secondines ut ostenderet Christum de Matre absque patre Nasciturum to shew that the Blessed Virgin 's Secondines alone brought him forth without the help of Man Hence is He said to be without Father as Man and without Mother as God Heb. 7.3 The 3. Is That this Precious Pearl as Christ is call'd Mat. 13.45 46. Ex Rore Spiritus Sancti in Conchâ Virginis erat conceptus As Pearls are made up
that happy hour of spending their spleens upon the captive Christ now coming to them that they might condemn him according to Caiphas's counsel John 11.49 50 51. that one Man should dye for the People God speaking this through him as through a Trunk or as the Angel spake in Balaam's Ass and according to the resolve at their general consult Mat. 26.3 4. John 11.57 Mat. 2.4 N. B. Note well Here was a General Council which it seems may err consisting of a company of Cursed Caitiffs all concurring to kill Christ here they erred in a most necessary and fundamental point so that such as have the Title of being Rulers of the Church may prove the most malignant Enemies to the Lord Jesus and the Devil often either finds or makes those of greatest power in the Church to be against Christ as he had those Chief-Priests and Elders here and 't is remarkable also that those Attackers of Christ could not kill him in a Tumult but at a Judgment Seat where his Innocency and their cruelty was clearly declared The 2d Circumstance is The Time when Not only upon an Holy-day which was against their Cannon Law as above but also it was done in the Night Time a right Deed of Darkness in the Hour and by the Power of Darkness Luke 22.53 they had broke their sleep been up and at their cursed Work at least most of the Night and had got the Blessed Jesus condemned by their Spiritual Court about the Cock-crowing at which Time Peter denied his Master and before the Morning for then they led him away as condemn'd by them to Pilate for his confirming their Condemnation of him Mat. 27.1 N. B. Note well Oh see how sedulous the Devil's Servants be in bustling all the Night bereaving themselves of their warm Beds and sweet Sleep that no time might be lost in Satan's slavery yea Annas himself though an Old Man can thus far deny himself in doing the Devil's Drudgery for he is supposed to be the Man that promised the payment of the thirty pieces to Judas and paid them to him when he brought his Master to his House in the way to Caiphas and that this crafty Fox and cruel Tyger as the keenest of the Blood-hounds carried his caught Prey along with him being the first that was call'd upon to the Consistory yea and all the other Priests c. were Restless but made haste and as it is said of the old Jews Their feet ran to shed Blood Isa 59.7 These Remarks hence arise 1st Such is the pravity of our fallen Nature to be so quick expeditious and violent in the practice of Mischievous Impieties as the fire is to burn combustible Matters This should serve for a caution for us to beware of all occasions and provocations to Wickedness when the Wind of Satan's Temptations and the Tide of our own Corruptions meet and join together then Sin runs Rapidly in its strongest Torrent The 2d Remark is Those Christ-Killers could not questionless have been hired for any Money to come out of their warm Beds for doing any thing that was good yet for condemning of Christ the whole spiteful more than Spiritual Council yea and Multitudes of other Priests and People could sit up all Night and that a cold Night too Nor did this cursed corruption of Nature dye with this wretched Generation that Crucified Christ For Alas N. B. Note well How many are yet Alive that can sit up whole Nights at Cards Dice Pastimes and Revellings This is their Pleasure Complacency and their Hears are Ingaged in such Delights But to sit up a little time for Holy Duties Prayers Godly Conference c. This is tedious and painful work to them and presently they fall asleep Yea thus it is not only with the Wicked but with the Godly also For Christ's own Disciples could hold out and not fall asleep in their fishing Imploy yea toil all Night even when they could take nothing Luke 5.5 yet when they were call'd to Pray with Christ in the Garden then they fall asleep even while Judas was awake making his Market with the Priests such cannot sleep till they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 The 3d Remark is As some Trials in Courts of Judicature are over hastily carried on and come to a determined issue so others are protracted and spun out with long delays This Trial of Christ was of the first sort for this solemn Assembly was notoriously hurried on with a Precipitant Fury and Preposterous Rashness whereas they fall upon examining Christ about his Disciples and Doctrine John 18.19 Indeavouring thereby not to learn of him but to insnare him out of his own Mouth whereas Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum no Man is bound to accuse himself saith the Law and the Oath ex Officio is damn'd by God and all Good Men that he himself might help them in proving him an Heretick but they omitted all this time such necessary circumstances as ought to have been practised as the serious examination of Witnesses that contradicted one another and his contrary Answers c. but they being resolved to have his Blood right or wrong huddle up the Cause all on a sudden He is taken brought before the Judge and condemned and all this in one Night's Time N. B. Note well So on the contrary the complaint of our Times is of Dilatory proceedings and of slow dispatch of Law matters so that many are undone before their Causes can come to a final determination insomuch that one complaining once he could not come at such a piece of good Cloth as would make him a lasting Suit He was wittily Answered by his Friend Oh Sir go but into the Chancery and there you may get a Suit that will last you your Life c. whereas God hath ordained that Justice should be so dispatched in Judicial proceedings with that speed and expedition as that men may be made better and not worse and that the Common-Weal Peace and Liberty may be maintained There is a Golden mean betwixt two extremes over hasty or over dilatory to be observed The Third Circumstance is the Manner how this cursed Court and Council proceeded against Christ seeing the end of their Arraigning him was directly designed to destroy him no Indifferent or Impartial manner of proceeding could be expected from them Nothing could be look'd for but an universal Plotting on all hands for the Blood of Jesus N. B. Note well This sprang from that old Enmity mentioned Gen. 3.15 Which broke forth soon in Cain against Abel so in Ishmael against Isaac and in Esau against Jacob and so down in those Jews against Jesus and still it is Ingrafted in the Natures of the Wicked to hate Christ and his Members to this very Day None are more Maligned and laden with Nicknames than professors of Christianity and for no other fault but quâ tales because they follow that which is good Psal 38.20 Though this Ecclesiastick Court had this bloody End
spots in her also The sacred Scriptures do Record two Spots in this Church 1st The sin of Hypocritical Sacrilege in two of her Members Acts 5. but this sin 't is told there also was miraculously expiated by the death of those two sinners And 2dly The sin of murmuring Acts 6.1 which indeed is a great grievous God-provoking-sin as Exod. 16.7 8. Numb 14.27 36. and 16.17 and 17.5 John 6.43 and 1 Cor. 10.10 c. Note well These Murmurers were destroyed by the Destroyer The Rabbins say God wrote their sin upon their punishment for as they had sinned with their Tongues so they died by an Inflamation upon their Tongues and Worms issuing out of them Numb 14.37 But as to this Murmuring that arose in this Apostolical Church it was seasonably discovered and redressed by the choice of Deacons equally concerned in the Hellenists as well as Hebrews Nor can we find upon Record any one Church-sin whereby such a blessed and useful Instrument as Stephen so full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom was forfeited But on the contrary N.B. Acts 8.2 Such great Grace remained upon the whole Church that the eminently religious Members durst give their stoned Stephen a solemn Funeral and with great mourning also as being sensible of the Church's great loss in him being nothing afraid of those mad Murtherers and furious persecuting Butchers though those outragious Zealots look'd upon it as a piaculiar Act and of deep pollution among the Jews to touch a dead Corps especially of such an one as was put to death for Blasphemy yet did these Devout Men bear him upon their shoulders and perform'd such Funeral Rites for him as were usual only for those of greatest Eminency such as were used for the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 50.1 3 10. at his Interment and more lately at Lazorus's even by our Lord himself John 11.35 Thus the Church here lamented their great loss in such a Man at such a time which may serve to condemn that unnatural Apathy or Stupidity of Stoicks rather than of Christians in our day to lament over Dead Members especially Ministers of Note is a laudable Custom However though no foregoing foul sin can be found in this Church whereby either its Officers or its own Peace might be forfeited yet this we find that a great persecution was raised against her Acts 8.1 not as heretofore against the Apostles only but now it was against the whole Church Whereas God had before this restrained the Rage of those persecuting Priests c. with their fear of the people lest they should lose their favour Acts 4.21 and 5.26 N.B. This Awe had hitherto held them in as is the unruly Horse by Bit and Bridle Psal 32.9 but now through the unsearchable Wisdom of God the Reins of that restraining Bridle are let loose and laid along the Neck of those furious persecuting Beasts to run Riot according to their own wicked will and according as the Devil drove them by both his Whip and Spurs 'T is Tertullian's phrase every Persecutor hath Insessorem Diabolum the Devil for his Driver and as saith the Proverb They must needs go yea run whom the Devil drives The lusts of their Father they both must and will do John 8.44 Satan is call'd the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 because as the great God at the Creation did but speak the word and it was done so if the Devil do but hold up his finger give the least hint his Vassals do obey him N.B. Thus those Priests did who when they saw the people whom they had formerly feared so tamely suffer them to stone Stephen to death do inlarge their Outrage which hitherto they had let flie against the Apostles only but now they fall foul upon the whole Church wherein Saul 1. Was their fit Instrument by whose Diabolical craft and cruelty they proceeded 2. To persecute the Church so effectually as to disperse it abroad Their Staff of Bands and Beauty Zech. 11.10 14. their former Fellowship was now broken N.B. A little discourse 1. Of the Efficient cause of this Persecution and then 2. Of the sad Effects thereof may not do amiss as follows 1. The Divine Record doth stigmatize this Saul to strike with the Devil 's great Hammer herein This same Saul gives an account of his own Education that he was brought up at Gamaliel's feet Acts 22.3 but alas how little had he learnt of his Tutor or Master's Moderation for his Tutor had taught this his Pupil to do nothing rashly much less to be found fighting against God as he daringly dehorted the Grand Council and thereby prudently and piously-got them dissolved whereby he disappointed the Devil's design of that Satanical Sanhedrim in the Church's second Persecution Acts 5.34 to 41. whereof Saul sitting at his feet could not be ignorant Yet this Heteroclite and degenerating Pupil was so fill'd with a furious Phrenzy against Christ and his Gospel that he spent his Youth in Persecution for while he was but a Young Man 't is said that the Witnesses which stoned Shephen threw off their upper Garments that they might be more nimble to stone him and laid them down at this Young Man's feet Acts 7.58 for they were to cast the first stones Deut. 17.7 And the Spirit of God doth farther brand Saul that he was consenting to Stephen's death Acts 8.1 Though he was no Actor in it yet was he a Consenter to it and thereby became guilty of the same bloody Crime N.B. 'T is all one to hold the Sack and to fill it to do evil and to consent to it There is heart-murder as well as hand-murder Matth. 5.22 and committing Adultery with the mind as well as with the body Matth. 5.28 A mind to do evil is sin in the seed which time and opportunity brings forth to maturity James 1.14 15. Quae quid non licuit non facit ille facit God may justly judge us saith Austin for our evil affections though we may want an opportunity for our evil actions N.B. Thus Christ charged all the Blood that was shed from Abel to that day upon the Priests c. Matth. 23.35 because by their consenting to shed Innocent Blood now they consented to and approved of all the Murders of the Innocent that had been perpetrated in all former Ages Nor did Saul here barely consent for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies He was well pleased with it did approve of it in thought word and deed Acts 22.4 20. and 26.10 11. as he acknowledged of himself and 't is said that this Saul made Havock of the Church Acts 8.3 which phrase makes some think that he was the Raving Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin which was prophesied by Jacob Gen. 49.27 He unlearned the Lenity and Moderation of his over-ruled Master N.B. Yet easily learned the Savage Cruelty of the mad Multitude so became as mad as the most and worst of that Rude Rabble yea stepping a degree higher beyond the ordinary
sort of Persecutors he violently broke open many Doors of the Houses where those Christians had their private Meetings and there he spared none of either Sex but haled both Men and women by the Hair of their Heads as if they had been taken Captives in the heat of War and cast them into Prison and still which was worse than all this he compelled them to blaspheme Acts 26.11 that is not only to renounce their Religion but also to curse their Crucified Christ therefore confesseth that he had been not only a Persecutor but one who had been notoriously Injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 Phil. 3.6 The Remarks hereupon are 1. That there is a blind Zeal misguided by an Ignis Fatuus a Will-with-Wisp or rather by a false Fire from Hell His Zeal was only exercised in persecuting the Church Phil. 3.6 that could not conform to the Pharisaical Traditions N.B. Zeal is good when it acts in a good matter Gal. 4.18 but this of Saul's was not so Gal. 1.13 He saith the same of his own Zeal as of that of the Jews that it was a Zeal without knowledge Rom. 10.2 3. though a warm yet a blind Zeal They knew not that Christ was the End and Accomplishment of the Law and that his Righteousness not that of the Law was only acceptable to God If Zeal be not qualified with knowledge all will be on fire as the primum-mobile with its swift Revolution would be were it not cooled by the counter-motion of the lower Spheres Blind Zeal is as wild-fire in the hand of a Fool 't is like the Devil in the Demoniack which casts him sometimes into the Fire and sometimes into the Water Mark 9.22 Ignorance is a great Breeder and mostly great-bellied which Aristotle himself makes the Mother of mis-rule and mischief The dark corners of the Earth saith the Psalmist are top-full of cruelty Psal 74.20 The Soul that is without knowledge is not good and he that without knowledge basteth with his feet sinneth saith Solomon Prov. 19.2 The faster he goeth the farther he wandereth out of the Right way Mettle in a blind Horse is dangerous Yet this mad Zealot lived a blameless life otherwise Phil. 3.6 The second Remark is This black Character is designedly given here and elsewhere of this peevish Zealot as a foil to give the more lustre to the Riches of the Grace and Mercy of God towards him in changing such a bloody worrying Wolf into such a gentle and useful Lamb and of such an unparallel'd Persecutor to make such an eminent and wonderful Pastor N.B. All this is Recorded of him that none might despair of Saving-Mercy who can but find hearts given them to repent of their sins and to be converted c. The third Remark is the prospect of that black Hue which this young Persecutor had put upon him by being dip'd in the Devil 's Dye-Fat N.B. Satan before his Fall did think none but after his Fall would have none better than himself therefore makes he Saul here as bad as himself both in Malice and Sin These two Evils whether in Devils or in Men are equally Aged and be as equally Evil both have the same Name and Nature as if there were no sin but Malice All Evil is envious The good that a bad man will not imitate he cannot but envy He that grieves not because himself is evil usually Irks that another is good As Sin separates 'twixt God and Man so it sows Enmity 'twixt the Devil and Man yet can it combine wicked men to become Sworn-Brethren in Iniquity not only in being but also in doing Evil. N.B. This Confederacy is not Union or Concord but the worst sort of Conspiracy as was that of Herod's and Pilate's against Christ When Thieves shake hands 't is done for malice and mischief against the truly honest Man Judas both consents to and consults with the Priests for killing Christ Saul consents only which is always the first step to sin with the Stoners of Stephen Acts 8.1 and 22.20 N.B. To behold Evil and not to dislike it is to consent to it By-standers may be Accessories making the offence of others their own by their consent He that forbids not Evil furthers it Particpat Nutans non obstans non manifestans Either Saul's degree was above the Office of an Executioner or his Age was under it Yet if he may not be a Partner in the Murder he will be a Witness yea a Witness of the Witnesses who laid down their cloaths at his feet Acts 7.58 N.B. No Age is innocent Childhood and Youth are vanity Eccles 11.9 10. This Young Man though not rejoycing in the vain pleasures of his Youth yet was villanous and violent in a malicious persecution of the Gospel of Truth So villany as well as vanity was found in this Youth who might be too young to have Might enough for casting a Stone at a Martyr's head with his hand yet was there no want of Malice in his heart though there was not Might in his hand to hold the cloaths of those that could more mischievously cast them So Saul stoned Stephen with his heart while his hands held the cloaths of those that did it and probably prompted them on therein So Saul stoned Stephen by the many hands of the mad Multitude as if his own hands alone were not enough to stone him N.B. Now being once flesh'd in Stephen's Blood Saul becomes a second Nimrod a mighty Hunter not satiated with devouring one silly Lamb whose flesh still sticks in this Wolf's Teeth becomes now bolder to seize upon the whole Flock Stephen's Blood had only made his mouth to water after a deeper Draught and a fuller Carouse of the Saint's Blood as one who could not sit down satisfied with destroying one single Saint without dissolving the whole Communion of Saints Having thus far spoke 1. To the Efficient Cause or Instrument of this Fourth Persecution I come 2. To speak of the sad and deplorable Effects thereof which is expressed in those words They were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judaea and Samaria excepting the Apostles Acts 8.1 There be various Opinions about the All that were scattered hereby The first Opinion is that this All here is to be taken largely for the Multitude of Believers who were the Constituting Members of the first Gospel-Church at least so many of them as could not commodiously Abscond and had conveniency to fave themselves by flight This was allowed or rather commanded by Christ Matth. 10.23 Therefore they are too Rigid that discommend it The second Opinion taketh this All more strictly for all the Teachers of the Church those extraordinary Gifted Deacons and others who Preached the Word a work only proper for Ministers Acts 8.4 one of which number was Philip who Preached at Samaria verse 5 c. which very Imploy is ever most obnoxious to Persecution N.B. This sense is the more probable For 1. Luke's scope is to write an History of the one
work which he had never medled with before by a special vision of an Angel we find not upon Record that he had any such extraordinary call or invitation in all his Travels to preaching work in any other place And Thirdly That the Pen-man of this History Luke never joyns himself and his name into the Narrative till now at this very time for hitherto he had spoken all along in the third person in the phrases of he and they as he came to Derbe Acts 16. ver 1. and they went through the Cities verse 4. c. but now he putteth himself into the number by using the phrases of we and us verse 10. After the vision we endeavoured to go c. assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us c. which shews that Luke went along with Paul Silas and Timotheus to the work Paul's coming to Philippi to the Church in which City he afterwards wrote an Epistle calls upon us for our consideration of two famous general concernments The first is concerning his Action there And the second is his passion or suffering there also As to his Action in the first place that in the general is twofold first His converting of Lydia And secondly his casting out a Spirit of divination out of a Devilized Damosel Concerning the Conversion of Lydia Luke relates the several circumstances thereof as 1. The time place and occasion of it verse 13. 2. The person to be converted is described by her name sex occupation countrey and conversation verse 14. And 3. The efficient cause hereof both the principal God opening her heart and the less-principal or instrumental namely her diligent attention to the word preached by Paul verse 14. Then 4. The effects of it viz. the great gratefulness of this New Convert insomuch that she did not only offer them the best Entertainment of her House-accommodations but even urged them to the acceptance of it verse 15. Thus the Convert courted and constrained her Converters Then concerning the Divining Damosel's dispossessing that Divine Narrative consists of three circumstances 1. From whence or out of whom was this Divining Spirit cast out It was done to a Damosel who was a Servant to sundry covetous Masters which perverted the Religion of foretelling future things into filthy gain verse 16. And 2. For what Reason to wit for her many importunate yet many ways suspected Acclamations after the Apostles done undoubtedly by the suggestion of Satan for wicked ends verse 17. And 3. By what means this was effected this miracle was wrought in the name of the Lord verse 18. Now follow the Grand Remarks gathered from both those two famous Actions of Paul at Philippi and first from the former the Conversion of Lydia Hence The first Remark is 'T is no new thing for the Worshippers of God to meet in private places remote from the noise and observance of the multitude for God's worship This oratory the Jews being not able to build a Synagogue here was by a River's side ver 13. N.B. There was a mixture of many Jews in this Roman Colony living among them for they were now dispersed and sowed as it were in most places of the Roman Empire yet possibly not so many of the Rich Jews were in this place as had a purse for raising up a Synagogue or probably they could not obtain leave from those Heathen-Roman powers therefore made they some slighter Proseucha's if that was not a less obnoxious name of a Synagogue to those Infidels or meeting place and that out of the Town where prayer was wont to be made by them for fear of disturbance from those Vnbelieving Gentiles who knew not God The second Remark is It appeareth not who were the persons that prayed here but it is most probable they were the Jews and Proselytes to the Jewish Religion N.B. The women only are named v. 13. as being most numerous in those oratorys for some say that those women used bathings there by the water side for their legal purifications or as that Sex were most willing to hear and attend diligently to the Gospel preached from whence it is made manifest that Paul at his first coming to Philippi had no other Hearty Hearers there save a few Females yet out of this weak foundation how did God raise up a most stately Fabrick of a Gospel-Church afterwards which flourished with Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 N.B. Tho' God can erect strong structures upon weak foundations yet would he not have us to attempt it but when we are to build up the Tower of Godliness Luke 14.28 We must build it on the rock Christ Matth. 7.24 1 Cor. 3.11 The third Remark is The Sabbath day is the day which God hath appointed and sanctified to be a means af conveying sanctifying grace into the hearts of his hidden ones as here of Lydia the purpuriss and proselytess It was thus done to her upon the Sabbath day N.B. It is God's great Market day and the day of his opening the Grand Gospel Exchecquer as well as the day of opening hearts here as Ez. 20.12 I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they might know I am the Lord that sanctifie them that is I have sanctified that portion of time wherein I might sanctifie them to my self and they make their holy observation of it as a sign of their being my peculiar people select from all others wherein to walk with me to rest in me and to receive more grace therein from me that they might become not only relatively but really holy and changed in heart and life c. The fourth Remark is Mans heart is naturally locked up and barricado'd against God until he by his Almighty Spirit make forcible enterance and serve the writ of ejectment upon the Devil beating him out of his trenches 2 Cor. 10.4 Luke 11.21 22. For here verse 14. 't is said the Lord opened the heart of Lydia which she could not of her self open by any Key of her own her understanding the Lord now inlightned and her will and affections all which are comprehended under that one word heart Rom. 10.10 were changed so that she now loved what before she hated hated what before she loved though she had before this forsaken her Heathenish Idolatry and was proselyted to the Jewish Religion and owned the one only true and living God yet was she unacquainted with the Gospel of his Son our Saviour till now that the Lord prepared her heart to receive it And where he who had the Key of David Rev. 3.7 comes not to open there the Gospel tho' never so powerfully preached is hid and nothing affecteth the stupified heart 2 Corin. 4.4 for creating a clean heart within us Psalms 51.10 is beyond the power of Nature this grace is given only to those ordained to life Acts 13.48 The fifth Remark is Lydia's being judged faithful by the Apostles and baptized before she went home all her family whom she could
Brethren for which he complain'd of them to Jacob so his Father could not but both suspect and expect they would do him some Mischief if ever he came kindly into their Clutches for this and his other reputed Provocations unto their prejudiced Minds The Fifth Ground hereof to be short is His Brethren's words to Joseph after Jacob's Death Gen. 50.16 Thy Father commanded say they to Joseph that thou should forgive the Sin of thy Brethren c. If this was true it necessarily implies Jacob knew what their Sin he would have pardon'd was But of this more afterwards A Sixth may be added If Josephus be but Authentick in saying that Jacob was not altogether ignorant of Joseph's Misfortunes and after the bloody Coat was shewn him he still hoped for better Tidings supposing his Son was only taken Captive and would be heard of c. Jos Antiqu. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. Pag. 30. where he tells a large Story 2dly Beside Joseph's Barbarous Brethren his wanton Mistriss was another Arch-Archer which the Devil employ'd to shoot most invenom'd Arrows against him The occasion was this Poor Joseph was Sold for a Slave by his Brethren to Strangers some say sundry times from hand to hand was he tess'd 1. To the Ishmaelites 2. From them to the Midianites 3. From them to the Medanites who descended from Medan the Son of Abraham Gen. 25.1 2 Brother to Midian Gen. 37.25 28 36. but I rather judge they were all one Company as before However these Merchants though they bought this Jewel better than all their Spices for an old Song as we say yet undoubtedly Sold him for a vast price to Potiphar Pharaoh's Provost-Marshal Little did Joseph know what God was working while he suffer'd his Servant though a young one to be thus justled as the Phrase is from Wigg to Wall thus passed in post-haste from Post to Pillar from one Purchaser of him to another and by a marvelous Providence to this Potiphar Joseph must be here humbled that he might be hereafter exalted Therefore is he not Sold to a Common Huckster or Kid-napper of Slaves or to any Country-Clown but to a Courtier a Commission-Officer in Pharaoh's Court that so a passage might lay open for his future Preferment NB. Could we but have a little more Line of Patience waiting till God make all Ends of his Work meet together Divine Providence is not to be doubted of because we presently perceive not the plain Reasons of its many passages we say Women and Children should never have the sight of half-done Deeds whether those of Painters or those of Carpenters The first Product of the Bear-whelp is to the Eye nothing else but a deformed lump yet the Naturalist says Ursus foeturn Deformem lambendo figurat The Bear licks it into a better shape How much more may the most Wise God who commandeth Light to come out of Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 who caused the first confused Chaos to come forth into a Comeliness wherein he could at the first step have Created all things the Spirit of God hovering over and hatching out every Creature as the Hen doth her Chickens Gen. 1.1 2. can cause to come forth a most beautiful Church out of our present Confusions as be did a most beautiful World out of that primitive Chaos 'T is an excellent Observation of Dr. Reinolds on Psal 110.5 that As a Man by a Chain made up of divers Metals some of its Links framed of Gold others of Silver some of Brass others of Iron c. may be drawn out of a Pit as Jeremy was with Cords Jer. 38.12 so the Lord by a contexture and concurrence of several subordinate Dispensations of Providence which even seem to have no manner of Dependency one of another or natural Coincidency one with another as the Links of the Chain really have hath oft-time wrought and brought about the Deliverance and Exaltation of his Servants that it might appear to be the work of his own hand and of his only Oh how wonderful is every step of Providence in all these Passage◠1. Concerning Joseph himself who must first be Humbled the very Method God took with David making him first as a weaned Child with Afflictions Psal 131.2 and then exalted him 2. Concerning Jacob his Father who was taught in Joseph's Sale and all other Parents not to over-love Creature-Comforts for that is the high-way to over-live them as Jacob thought he had done his Joseph whereby he was excited to fix his Affections more upon heavenly Objects that cannot perish And 3. Concerning Joseph's Brethren who by this very means of their Selling Joseph into Egypt were when Famish'd out of Canaan brought into that long ago accursed Country of Cham or Egypt where their Posterities suffered most hard and long Bondage which happened as is supposed for this very Sin of their Progenitors in their selling Joseph thither Then the last Buyer or Purchaser of poor Joseph the Slave was Potiphar whom Moses describes by a double Denomination 1. By Saris which the Septuagint reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eunuch but such a one he was not for he had both a Wife that tempted Joseph Gen. 39.7 9 12. and also a Daughter Joseph after married Gen. 41.46 as some sense it from the Affinity of the Name therefore he could not properly be a guelded Man as Isa 56.3 4 5. and Matth. 19.12 where the same word is so used but because Eunuchs were Chamberlains to the Kings Women Esth 2.3 and 4.4 as Harbonah was to King Ahasuerus Esth 7.9 and consequently Courtiers therefore it became a Name of Court-Honour or Office so we well read it an Officer of Pharaoh 2. By Shar-Hitbachim which signifies a Prince of the Slaughter-men because he had as Keeper of the King's Prisoners the chief Authority over all Malefactors and was to see Execution done upon them as a Sheriff with us therefore 't is read Captain of the King's Guard To this great Courtier who had a double Office at Pharaoh's Court was poor Joseph providentially Sold and not to any mean Man for to be his Slave or Servant Now Moses mentioneth a double Humiliation of Joseph together with a double Exaltation of him both as Preludes and Presages of that grand Preferment God conferr'd upon him alter all First He being Sold by the Merchants of Midian to this Egyptian Courtier was at first employed as a vile Drudge to him that Gypsy-Lord using this white and beautiful Boy no better than our English Lords do now their Blacks whom they make the Skullions in their Kitchens at first God then steps in to mitigate Joseph's Affliction and to make his Servant of a Slave or Servant to become by degrees a Master first in Potiphar's Palace and secondly in Potiphar's Prison First In his Palace and Family Moses mentions three Causes of this mutation from a Servant to a Master The first is Principal Primary and Efficient the other two were as Auxiliaries subservient Adjutories 1. The Presence of
in his Obedience to God's Command Stretch out thy Spear that is in thy hand ver 18. and be drew not his hand back c. until Ai was destroyed ver 26. This was the Signal a Banner being fixed to the end of his Spear the lifting up or tossing of the Colours was a Sign for the Ambush to arise and enter and for the main Army to turn head upon the Enemy and destroy them Nor was this all but it was a mysterious means to discomfit Ai as Moses Rod held by steady hands was to discomfit Amaleck Exod. 17 11 12. that Joshua should do as Moses had done before him to stand fixed in one place with the Staff or Spear whereon hung the Colours held up in his hand all the time of the Battel without striking one stroak himself which was work or rather Idleness below any Brave General All this seems absurd and ridiculous to Carnal Reason but the Mystery hereof was to signifie that the Victory was not got by any Prowess in Joshua who only stood still in his place pointing his Spear towards the City but by the assisting and effective power of God who only was to have the glory of it as in the Case of the Amalekites who were discomfited more by Moses's Praying than by Joshua's Fighting Nor could Joshua's hands have kept so steady for so long a time had not the Arms of his Hands been made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.24 't is said of God only that his hand is not weary but is stretched out still Isa 9.12 and 59.1 The Remarks upon the Secâ—â—d Part after the Victory was obtained The First is Joshua built an Altar unto the Lord in Mount Ebal according to Moses Law Exod. 20.25 Deut. 11.29 27.5 6. to Offer up a Burnt-Offering and a Peace-Offering upon it c. ver 30 31. where Note 1. This must be immediately after the Sacking of this City Ai while the Glorious Victory which had so enriched them with all Spoils lay with most weight and warmth upon their Hearts it is best striking while the Iron is hot then was the Altar built Note 2. This Altar must be of Rough Unpolish'd Stones to polish it with an Iron Tool is to pollute it God loves not outward Pomp whereof Popery is made up and which scoffs at our simplicity c. Note 3. It must stand in Mount Ebal this was farther up in the Countrey near Shechem in the Tribe of Ephraim Judg. 9.6 7. 20.7 Thus far Israel durst now march to fulfill God and Mose's Commands for the Canaanites were smitten with dread at the loss of these two strong Frontier Cities and the Altar must be in Ebal where the Curses were read to shew that Christ is the Altar Hebr. 13.10 that takes off the Curse and sent to bless Act. 3.26 The Second Remark is the Decalogue was writ upon a Monument of Stones which were polish'd and plaistred ver 32. as is manifest from Deut. 27.2 and now God renewed his Covenant with Israel as before at Sinai many of them being dead Deut. 26.17 Reading the Curses on Ebal that they which would not obey God for love should do it for fear as well as the blessings upon Gerizzim ver 33 34. and these Curses we may read particularly what they are Deut. 27.15 16 17 c. the Blessings are not so particularly and distinctly mention'd by Moses that we may learn to look for them by the Messiah only for he was sent upon that special Errand to bless both Jew and Gentile Acts 3.26 CHAP. IX THE Ninth Chapter of Joshua consists of two parts The 1st is the Enmity or Conspiracy of the Canaanitish Kings against Joshua ver 1 2. and the 2d is the Amity or Friendly Covenant that the Gibeonites made fraudulently with Joshua the fraudulency whereof is described in a three fold description 1. by its Causes 2. by its Effects and 3. by its Adjuncts The Remarks upon the first part are these The First is whereas seven Nations are reckon'd up by all their Names Deut. 7.1 to be destroyed by Israel six only are named here in ver 1. The Girgashites are not here mention'd to make them up seven hereupon some suppose that those Girgashites took hold of the Covenant of peace with Israel and their cutting a Covenant as the word Deut. 7.2 signifies with them was the reason they were not cut off by them as the other six Nations were but this seems to be wise above that which is written seeing St. Paul saith expresly that seven Nations were destroyed and their Lands divided among the Tribes of Israel Acts 13.19 And in rehearsing the number of those Nations the Scripture reckoneth them sometime more and sometime fewer as in Gen. 15.19 they are reckoned to be Ten but in Exod. 23.23 33.2 Deut. 20.17 they are reckon'd only Six The reason of this difference is one part of this People might have several Names and several parts of them might be comprehended under one Name or sometime General Names and sometimes particular might be mentioned However the Number Seven was the most current Number as Josh 24.11 c. because 't is the full and perfect Number as above Gen. 2.2 and signifies the many Enemies of the Church God will subdue tho' they be mightier than we Deut. 7. i. e. be got up in their own Sentiments to a number of fulness and perfections c. The Second Remark from the First part is when those Kings of the Canaanites which was the general name of all the seven Nations heard that Israel had Sacked and Burned the two main Bulwarks of Canaan their Frontier Cities and of great strength Jericho and Ai then were they awakned out of that stupifaction and slumbering which God had cast upon them they could not but hear long before this that their Country was Invaded yet such a supine security had lull'd them asleep that we read not of any forces they raised to obstruct the torrent of this Invasion and even now they only deliberate upon it and entred into a Confederacy about it but did not actually do it as the sequel of the History demonstrates for we read not that they took any advantage tho' sometimes they had some as when Israel fled before Ai and when they marched so far into the Country as Mount Ebal and Gerizzim to assault Joshua's Army but both in the beginning of the War and to the end thereof we shall always find them assaulted by Israel They all stood out in this stupidity and were destroyed If Men harden their hearts God will harden his hand and hasten their utter destruction save only the Gibeonites who were saved from Ruine by their League Josh 11.19 20. The Second Part concerning the Gibeonites who were of the Hivites ver 7. here and Josh 11.19 affordeth many Remarks on their League The First Remark is the Causes of their so subtily and fraudulently procuring a Covenant