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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67153	A practical commentary or exposition upon the Pentateuch viz. These five books of Moses Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Wherein the text of every chapter is practically expounded, according to the doctrine of the Catholick Church, in a way not usually trod by commentators; and wholly applyed to the life and salvation of Christians. By Ab. Wright; sometime fellow of St. John's Colledge in Oxford.	Wright, Abraham, 1611-1690.	1662 (1662)	Wing W3688; ESTC R221054	292,675	224

He that liveth by his Faith yet shrinketh and sinneth How vainly shall we hope to beleeve without all fear and to live without infirmities Some little aspertions of unbelief cannot hinder the praise and power of Faith Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousness He that through inconsiderateness doubted twice of his own life doubted not of the life of his Seed even from the dead and dry Womb of Sarah yet was it more difficult that his posterity should live in Sarah than that Sarahs Husband should live in Egypt this was above nature yet he beleeves it Sometimes the Beleever sticks at easie tryalls and yet breaks through the greatest tentations without fear Verse 14. Holy Iob's Covenant with his Eyes in the Old Testament should be every Christians in the New to look to his looks to set a guard and sentinel over his Eyes for from looking comes lusting from a lascivious glance proceeds a lascivious act and it is all one in Gods esteem with which part of the body we commit adultery so that if a man lets his Eye or his Thought loose and enjoyes the lust of either he is an Adulterer before God It was therefore our Saviours advice Mat. 5. If thy right Eye offend thee pull it out the meaning is this That when thou doest give check to the loose evibrations and wanton twirles of a lascivious Eye thou dost at that very time pull out that wanton Eye from thy body and the lustful Devil that is in that wanton Eye from thy soul. There is great reason therefore that we should set a strict watch over this Cinque-port of our bodies Beauty is a dangerous bait and Lust is sharp-sighted It is not safe gazing on a fair Woman how many have died of the wound in the Eye No one means hath so enrich'd Hell as beautiful faces Verse 19. It is a sad case when an Egyptian shall reprove an Israelite when a Pharaoh shall rebuke an Abraham and therefore all Professors of Religion should so practice it as the very Infidels seeing their good works answer their good words may glorifie their Father which is in heaven For our Calling as it is most eminent so most eyed and worst censured by all the Infidel part of the World If an Apostle rub but an ear of Corn on the Sabbath 't is breaking of the day a heathens Motes are a Christians Beams and a Turks indifferency is my evil somethings being expedient in respect of the man which are scandalous meerly for his Religion none therefore to keep within so strict lines both for words and deeds as the Christian for behold saith the Apostle We are made a gazing stock to the world to Angels and to men CHAP. XIII Verse 2. ALthough the Scripture tells us That it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven yet the Scripture saith not that it is absolutely impossible Heaven gate stands open for the Rich as well as for the Poor for rich Abraham here as well as for poor Lazarus in the Gospel and as it is true Blessed are the Poor for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven So it is also as true Blessed are the Rich for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Thus Adam and Noah flew up to Heaven with the Monarchy of the whole World upon their backs The Patriarchs also as in this Text Abraham with much Wealth many holy Kings with rich Crowns and Scepters It is not Wealth therefore as Wealth but Sin that is the clogg that keeps men from ascending the burthen of covetous desires being more heavie to an empty Soul than much treasure to the full for not the meer Possession and use of riches offends but the affectation Verse 7. When the strife began between Abraham and Lot the Scripture notes it as a special Memorandum here that the Canaanite was then in the Land Doubtless there are at this time also in our Land too many who carry Canaanitish hearts and minds who would no less than the old Canaanites rejoyce and triumph in our discords saying among themselves Aha so would we have it But let those that have the Spirit of Abraham learn also the Speech and Language of Abraham who though he was in Age and Dignity superiour to his Nephew Lot yet came and said unto him I pray thee let there be no strife between me and thee for we are Brethren Verse 9. Before Abraham and Lot grew Rich they dwelt together now their Wealth separates them their Society was a greater good than their Riches many a one is a looser by his Wealth who would account those things good which makes us worse It had been the duty of young Lot to offer rather than to chuse to yield rather than contend Who would not here think Abraham the Nephew and Lot the Uncle It is no disparagement for greater persons to begin treaties of Peace better doth it beseem every Son of Abraham to win with love than to sway with power Abraham yields over this right of his choice Lot takes it And behold Lot is cross'd in that which he chose Abraham is blessed in that which was left him God never suffers any one to lose by an humble remission of his right in a desire of Peace Verse 10. Wealth hath made Lot not only undutiful but covetous he sees the goodly Plain of Iordan the richness of the Soyl the commodity of the Rivers the scituation of the Cities and now not once enquiring into the Condition of the Inhabitants he is in love with Sodom Outward appearances are deceitful guides to our judgement or affection they are worthy to be deceived that value things as they seem It is not long after that Lot payes dear for his rashness He fled for quietness from his Uncle and finds War with strangers by whom he is carried Prisoner with all his substance That Wealth which was the cause of his former Quarrels is made a prey to merciless Heathen that place which his Eye covetously chose betrayes his life and goods How many Christians whilst they have look'd at gain have lost themselves Verse 14. Gods way of appearing unto Abraham was like our Saviours way of appearing in the flesh to the world until such time as there was a general Peace over the whole Earth our Saviour would not appear amongst men and until such time as the strife was ended betwixt Abraham and Lot and they two parted friendly God did not appear unto Abraham God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4. 16. Where Charity is there is an habitation a Temple for the Lord and where it is not there is a dwelling-place for the Devil Religion is but rottenness without it our Devotions unsavory our Sacrifice distasteful and all our front of Holiness but dross and rubbish Therefore Christ saith If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee first be

writ and his anger will destroy part of the people that Gods anger may not consume them all Now let us imitate these great examples and that we may be angry and not sin let us only be angry for sin Verse 4. I see in Rachel the image of her Grand-mother Sarah both in her beauty of person in her actions in her success she also will needs suborn her handmaid to make her a Mother and at last beyond hope her self conceiveth It is a weak greediness in us to affect Gods blessings by unlawful means what a proof and praise had it been of her Faith if she had staied Gods leisure and would rather have endured her barrenness than her Husbands Polygamy Now she shews her self the Daughter of Laban the Father for covetousness the Daughters for emulation have drawn sin into Iacobs bed he offended in yielding but they more in solliciting him and therefore the fact is not imputed to Iacob but to them In those sins which Satan draws us into the blame is ours in those sins which we move each other unto the most fault and punishment lies upon the tempter Verse 6. Here Rachel makes use of Gods name to prophane it and under pretence of Religion would have God justifie her Maids and her own sin Many cry up that Cause to be Gods which he never will own and put his Name to those Writings which at the last day shall condemne them And indeed there hath of late years been no sin so common among Christians as to prostitue both Gods Name and his Cause and as that great Commander of the powers of darkness the Devil can transform himself into an Angel of light so there are no deeds of darkness so black and ugly which have not been like their Father the Devil mask'd and veil'd and clouded even with light its self I mean with those glorious heavenly Angel-like pretences of Religion and Conscience Insomuch that not only the most unchristian but the most inhumane practises the most unnatural savage barbarities of this last age of the World are now avowed to be the dictates and commands of God that God himself as in the text hath judged and allowed them Verse 18. Leah broke the bonds of Matrimony and yet expects a reward thus many times men flatter themselves in their sins and think that they are rewarded of God when they do ill As Micah having made houshold gods and entertained a Levite cryes Now I know that the Lord will be good unto me because I have a Levite to my Priest but he never thought he had an Idol to his God Thus Leah here rejoyced in that for which she should have repented and takes that for her hire which God for all she knew intended as her punishment And indeed her Son Issachar who was the hire here was none of the wisest and withal a slave and therefore in Iacobs Prophesie Gen. 49. compared to an Ass and one that for his ease would submit unto any burthens impositions taxes This was a simple low poor spirit and his posterity were for the general very unworthy and vile and yet this was the hire the reward the blessing that Leah rejoyced in as if God had approved of the sin by the success and fruitfulness of her handmaids Womb and this was her error of measuring and judging of things by the success as if God did not many times give Children and Honour and Riches in his wrath and were not many times angry with men though they outwardly prosper If this were not so the Turks and some Christians too at this day were in an happy condition who judge of the goodness of their cause only by the success and because they are not crossed that therefore they are blessed Verse 20. Children are a good dowry if they prove good and though they are alwayes an heritage that cometh of the Lord yet they are not alwayes the Lords heritage When our Children appear to be Gods heirs as well as ours then may we justly esteem them to be the best part of our estate and our greatest dowry Otherwise they will prove but sad blessings and such as we had better be without and yet all men desire them how much rather should we cover grace and those things which accompany salvation having got these we may safely and surely say God hath endued me with a good dowry Verse 27. Iacob rich in nothing but Wives and Children was now returning to his Fathers house accounting his Charge his Wealth But God meant him yet more good Laban sees that both his Family and his Flocks were well encreased by Iacobs service Not his love therefore but his gain makes him loth to part Even Labans covetousness is made by God the means to enrich Iacob and even his strait Master entreats him to that recompence which made his Nephew mighty and himself envious Verse 41. In the very shapes and colours of brute Creatures there is a divine hand which disposeth them to his own ends Small and unlikely means shall prevail where God intends an effect Little peel'd sticks of Hazel or Poplar laid in the troughs shall enrich Iacob with an encrease of spotted Cattel Labans Sons might have tryed the same means and failed God would have Laban know that he put a difference betwixt Iacob and him that as for fourteen years he had multiplyed Iacobs charge of Cattel to Laban so now for the last six years he would multiply Labans Flock to Iacob and if Laban had the more yet the better were Iacobs Even in these outward things Gods Children have many times sensible tastes of his favours above the wicked CHAP. XXXI Verse 13. VVHen God appeared here to Iacob upon his return from Laban he tells him I am the God of Bethel by which expression he no doubt intends to mind Iacob of the Promise not only made there by God to him but likewise by him to God for so it followeth Where thou vowedst a vow to me God is the God of pious resolutions as to approve of them when made so to look after them how they are made good and let me tell you to prophane that heart that is once consecrated to God to faulter in the execution of what is solemnly resolved in Gods service is a fetching the Sacrifice from the Altar and will certainly bring the coal of fire along with it Hadst thou never put in for the title of a Friend or votary with an O God my heart is ready to do thy will thou hadst not been perfidious though prophane but by breaking thy promise thou addest the guilt of unfaithfulness to that of disobedience and thy sin becomes beyond measure sinful Verse 18. I know not whether Laban were a worse Uncle or Father or Master he can like well Iacobs service not his wealth as the wicked have no peace with God so the godly have no peace with men for if they prosper not they are despised if they prosper they are envied This Uncle

destruction therefore our only safety standeth in Prayer and begging Gods assistance Fourthly We have daily Temptations Bodily and Ghostly arising from the World the Flesh and the Devil and therefore saith our Saviour Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat. 26. So then this Morning and Evening Sacrifice should direct us how and when to Worship God we must remember him in the Morning and Evening he must be the first and last in our thoughts we must begin the day and end it with him Verse 9. Every day in the Week ought to be the Christians Sabbath wherein he is to perform some duties or other of Religion but every Seventh Day should be a double Sabbath wholly taken up in the Service and Worship of God When our whole work must be to beravish'd in Spirit doing no Work but such as whereby we either bless God or look to receive a Blessing from him none but such as wherein we would the Lord should find us at his coming which Lactantius saith Will be on the Sabbath day And therefore the Jews call'd the Sabbath the Queen of dayes blessing the Lord at its coming in and going out that God might have both the first and the last Fruits of the day Verse 26. Here is handled the Feast of Pentecost or of Weeks to give God thanks after the gathering of the Harvest For in as much as God hath not only set us in this World but supplies and feeds us in it so that we live by his bounty and liberality it was his will that the Jews should keep a yearly Feast to him to give him thanks that hereby they might acknowledg all the year after that they were sustain'd by his hand Secondly These first Fruits figured out Gods Church which is a people separated unto him from the rest of the World For as the first Fruits were separated from the rest of the heap unto God so is the state of the Church call'd and cull'd out of the World unto his service CHAP. XXIX Verse 1. THis Feast of Trumpets was to be a Feast of remembrance of Gods manifold mercies received in the Wilderness that thereby they might stir up themselves to be united to God and may serve to stir us up to return unto God Praise and Thanksgiving with joyfulness of heart for all his benefits according to that of Psalm 81. 1 2. Make a joyful noise unto the God of Iacob Take a Psalm and bring hither the timbrel blow up the Trumpet in the New-Moon so David having experience of Gods goodness towards him in many preservations composed the eighteenth Psalm as a testimony of his thankfulness for his deliverance from his Enemies And although this Feast is pass'd away and abolish'd by the coming of Christ yet this remaineth that we our selves should serve for Trumpets For as the Temple being destroyed we must be spiritual Temples unto God so the Trumpets being taken away every one of us must be spiritual Trumpets i. e. we should rouze up our selves from the World and the vanities thereof Our Ears are so possess'd with the sound of earthly things and our Eyes so dazled with the pleasures of the flesh that we are as deaf and blind men that can neither hear nor see what God saith unto us wherefore we must not look till there be a solemn holy-day to call us unto the Church there to keep a Feast of Trumpets but it must serve us all the dayes of our life as a spur to cause us to return to God Verse 7. The Jews were here to afflict their Souls with voluntary sorrow for their sins for the whole year and so dispose themselves to obtain pardon and reconciliation For whereas in their private Sacrifices they durst not confess their capital sins for fear of Death due to them by the Law God graciously provided and instituted this yearly Sacrifice of Atonement and afflicting their Souls for the sins of the whole people without particular acknowledgment of any After the same manner the Lords Supper is with us a day of Atonement or afflicting of our Souls for the Passover must be eaten with four hearbs And further we may observe from hence that this day of afflicting their Souls was to be immediately before the Feast of Tabernacles verse 12. they were to be kept in sorrow five dayes before they might keep their Feast of joy which Feast signified the spiritual joy and gladness of the Saints that are redeemed by Christ all their life long We must first look upon him whom we have pierc'd and weep for him before we can receive any comfort by him We must afflict our Souls for his Passion before we shall partake of the joy of his Resurrection Verse 12. This Feast was call'd the Feast of Tabernacles because during the dayes of this Feast they were to live in Tents and Tabernacles it being a memorial of Gods preserving them in the Wilderness where was no house for them to rest in and from hence we may learn that it is a duty belonging to all to remember the dayes of their troubles and afflictions from which God in great mercy hath delivered us We are ready to forget our former condition when God hath given us rest and therefore God would have his own people year by year to depart out of their Houses and dwell in Tents that thereby they should call to mind both where they were and where they had been that although they now were at rest and ease in the Land of Canaan yet they had not alwayes been so for God had carried them upon Eagles wings and preserved them after a miraculous manner in the Wilderness CHAP. XXX Verse 2. VVHen a man vows he vows unto the Lord and therefore if he breaks it he sins against the Lord. Who expects he should have kept touch with him and accordingly will punish such a vow-breaker for he hath not lyed unto men but unto God Acts 5. As God is true saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 1. 18. our word towards you was not yea and nay but yea and Amen For the Son of God c. Why what 's all this to the purpose may some say yes very much For it implies that what a Christian doth promise to men much more to God he is bound by the earnest penny of Gods Spirit to perform he dares no more alter and falsifie his word than the Spirit of God can lye And as he looks that Gods promises should be made good to him so he is careful to pay what he hath vowed to God seeing Gods Covenant is of mercy ours of obedience and if we expect that God should be all sufficient to us we must be altogether faithful to him Verse 8. The power and authority of the Husband over the Wife is very great for all be it the Wife be at liberty to vow in the Lord when her Husband is dead yet while he lives he hath power to disanul her vows The Husband is the head of the