retein the number of ten words so loth are Hereticks to have their assâ—â— cars seon they divide the last which yet is called the Commandement not the Commandements Rom. 7.7 Vasques not able to answer our Argument saith That the second Commandement belonged to the Jews onely Ver. 2. Which have brought thee God's blessings are binders and everie deliverance a tie to obedience Ver. 3. Thou shalt have This Thou reacheth everie man Xenophon saith of Cyrus that when hee gave anie thing in command hee never said Let som one do this but Do thou this Hoc tu facias Xenophon Cyropaed No other Gods before mee But know and serv mee alone with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 Hoc primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur saith Luther In this first Commandement the keeping of all the other nine is commanded Ver. 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee i. e. For religious use for civil they may bee made Mat. 22.20 Howbeit the Turks will not indure anie Image no not upon their coins becaus of this second Commandement The Papists by their sacrilegeous practices have taken away this Commandement out of their vulgar Catechism This is a great stumbling-block to the Jews and a let to their conversion for ever since their return from Babylon they do infinitely abhor Idolatrie And for their coming to Christian Sermons they saie That as long as they shall see the Preacher direct his speech and praier to that little wooden Crucifix that stand's on the Pulpit by him Specul Europ to call it his Lord and Saviour to kneel to it to embrace it to kiss it to weep upon it as is the fashion of Italie this is preaching sufficient for them and perswade's them more with the verie sight of it to hate Christian Religion then anie reason that the world can allege to love it Ver. 5. Thou shalt not bow down Images came first from Babylon For Ninus having made an Image of his father Belus all that came to see it were pardoned for their former offenses whence in time that Image came to bee worshipped through the instigation of the Divel who is saith Synesius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that rejoiceth in Images Am a jealous God Bee the gods of the Heathens good-fellows saith one the true God is a jealous God and will not share his glorie with another nor bee served by anie but in his own waie They that wit-wanton it with God may look to speed wors then that Citizen in K. Edward the Fourth's daies did who was executed in Cheapside as a traitor Speed's Chron for saying hee would make his son heir of the crown though hee onely meant his own hous having a crown for the sign Visiting the iniquitie This second Commandement is the first with punishment becaus men do commonly punish such as worship God in spirit and truth As therefore one fire so one fear should drive out another the fear of God the fear of men Ver. 6. Vnto thousands Of succeeding generations Personal goodness is profitable to posteritie And this promiss though made to all yet is more specially annexed to this second Commandement to teach saith one that parents should chiefly labor to plant pietie in their families as they would have God's blessing intailed upon their issue Ver. 7. The Name of the Lord That holie and reverend Name Psal 111.9 that Nomen Majestativum as Tertullian calleth it dreadful among the Heathen Mal. 1.14 The verie Turks at this daie chastise the Christians that live amongst them for their oaths and blasphemies darted up against God and Christ The Jews also are much offended thereat and it should bee no small grief to us to hear it When one of Darius his Eunuchs saw Alexander the Great setting his feet upon a low table that had been highly esteemed by his master hee wept Diod. Sic. lib. 17. Beeing asked the reason by Alexander hee said It was to see the thing that his master so highly esteemed to bee now contemned and made his foot-stool Ver. 8. Remember the Sabbath daie Hee saith not The seventh daie from the Creätion but the daie of religious rest such as is now our Christian Sabbath called a Sabbath-daie by our Saviour Mat. 24.20 who is Lord of this Sabbath called therefore the Lord's-daie Rev. 1. 1 Cor. 10. as one of our Sacraments is called the Lord's Supper and the table of the Lord becaus instituted by him Pope Sylvester presumed to alter the Christian Sabbath Hospin de fest Christ decreeing that Thursdaie should bee kept through the whole year becaus on that daie Christ asscended and on that instituted the blessed Sacrament of his bodie and bloud And generally Papists press the sanctification of the Sabbath as a mere humane institution in religious worship an ordinance of the Church and do in their celebration more solemnly observ the Festivals of the Saints then the Lord's Sabbaths making it as Bacchus's Orgies c. that according to what their practice is it may more fitly bee styled Dies daemoniacus quà m Dominicus The divel's-daie then God's To sanctifie it Let everie one of us keep the Sabbath spiritually saith Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 3.2d Magnesian rejoicing in the meditation of Christ's Law more then in the rest of our bodies The ox and ass must rest wee must consecrate a rest â—s God on the seventh daie rested not from his works of preservation John 5.17 Ver. 9. Six daies shalt thou labor God hath reserved but one daie in seven as hee reserved the Tree of knowledg of Good and Evil. Gen. 2. yet wretched men must needs clip the Lord's coin In manie places God's Sabbaths are made the voider and dunghil for all refuse businesses The Sabbath of the Lord the sanctified day of his rest saith one is shamelesly troubled and disquieted B. King on Jon. Lect. 7. The world is now grown perfectly profane saith another and can plaie on the Lord's-daie without book Ver. 10. But the seventh daie Or a seventh daie Not onely Hebrews but also Greeks and Barbarians did rest from work on the seventh daie witness Josephus Clemens Alexand. and Eusehius That which they tell us of the river Sabbatius it's resting and not running on that daie I look upon as fabulous Thou shalt not do anie work Onely works of Pietie of Charitie and of Necessitie may bee don on the Sabbath daie Hee that but gathered sticks was paid home with stones The first blow given the Germane Churches was upon the Sabbath daie Dike of Cons pag. 276. which they carelesly observed Prague was lost upon that daie Thou and thy son c. Everie mother's childe The baser sort of people in Swethland do alwaies break the Sabbath David's desire by R. Abbot saying That it 's for Gentlemen to keep that daie Thy man-servant There is an old law of the Saxon King Ina If a villain work on Sundaie
by his Lord's command hee shall bee free Sr. H Spelman in Concil Ver. 11. For in six daies God took six daies to make the world in to the end that wee might bee in a muse when wee think of it and think on his works in that order that hee made them And rested the seventh daie Not as tired out for hee made all without either tool or toil his Fiat onely did the deed but to give us example as John 13.15 Wherefore the Lord blessed c. How God esteemeth the strict observation of the Sabbath daie may appear by the exact deliverie of it For hee hath fenced it about like Mount Sinai with marks and bounds that profaneness might not approach it 1. By his watch-word Remember 2. By his bountie Six daies c. 3. By his sovereigntie It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God 4. By the latitude Thou and thy son c. 5. By his own example And rested the seventh daie 6. By his benediction as here Hee blessed it and ordained it to bee a means of much blessing to those that observ it Add hereunto that God hath placed this Command in the midst of the Decalogue betwixt the two tables as much conducing to the keeping of both It stand's like the sensus communis between the inward and outward senses Boâ—in Theat Naturae beeing serviceable to both And hallowed it Diem septimam opifex ut mundi natalem sibi sacravit Ver. 12. Honor thy father c. Philo well observeth that this fifth Commandement which therefore hee maketh a branch of the first Table and so divide's the Tables equally is a mixt Commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and differ's somwhat from the rest of those in the second Table They consider man as our neighbor in nature like us this as God's Deputie by him set over us and in his name and by his autoritie performing offices about us That thy daies may bee long A good childe lengthneth his father's daies therefore God promiseth to lengthen his Ill children as they bring their parents graie hairs with sorrow to the grave so they are manie times cut off in the midst of their daies as Abimelech was God rendring upon him the evil that hee did to his father Judg. 13.5 Besides the pnnishment they have in their posteritie to whom they have been peremptores potiùs quà m parentes Bern. One complained that never father had so undutiful a childe as hee had yes said his son with less grace then truth my grandfather had Ver. 13. Thou shalt not kill A crying sin Gen. 4. For the which God make's inquisition Psalm 9.12 and strangely bring 's it to light It was a saying of King James that if God did leav him to kill a man hee would think God did not love him Ver. 14. Thou shalt not commit adulterie Adulterie onely is named because bestialitie Sodomie and other uncleannesses though more hainous yet they do not directly fight against the puritie of posteritie and humane societie which the Law mainly respect's Ver. 15. Thou shalt not steal i.e. Not rob or wrong another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. either by force or fraud 1 Thes 4.6 See the Note there Basil chargeth the Divel as a thief of the truth in that hee had decked his crows with her feathers And it was of the Divel surely that Shee had learned her answer who beeing charged by her mistress for stealing her linnens Light for smoke p. 85. and other things which shee found in her trunk said that shee stole them not and when shee was asked how came they to bee laid and locked up there Did not you do this No said shee it was not I but sin that dwelleth in mee Ver. 16. Thou shalt not bear Neither bear it nor hear it rais nor receiv wrong reports of another Deut. 19.16 Make a lie nor love it when it is made Rev. 22.15 The truth must bee spoken and that in love Doeg had a fals tongue though hee spoke nothing but truth against David Psal 120.3 Ver. 17. Thou shalt not covet See the Note on Rom. 7.7 and on Heb. 13.5 Thy neighbor's hous House is here first set as that which hold's and harbor's all the rest To these ten words written by God himself in the daie of the Assemblie Divines have reduced those other Laws Moral Judicial and Cerimonial written by Moses 34.27 28. Deut. 10.4 And herein Alstedius that excellent Methodist hath in his Harmonia Musica as in all those brief but pithie Notes upon the Pentateuch don the Church of Christ singular good service whom therefore for a Preface to that which follow 's in the opening of this and the three next Books and for the use of mine English Reader I have abbridged translated and the same here inserted SECT I. Of reducing all the Moral Laws to the Decalogue TO the first Commandement belong laws that concern Faith Hope and Love to God First Faith as that there is but one God and three Persons Jehovah Elohim that hee will send them a Prophet greater then Meses Deut. 18. that hee is to bee honored with our confidence patience and inward worship Next Hope of Favor Grace and Glorie Thirdly Love to God with the whole heart filial fear humble praier holie vows constant care to avoid idolizing the creature seeking to the Divel tempting of God listening to Seducers c. To the second Commandement belong laws made against gross Idolatrie will-worship c. and for right worship To the third pertein laws for Praier Thanksgiving Oaths Lots Blasphemies worthie walking c. To the fourth all laws of sanctifying the Sabbath To the fifth of honoring and reverencing Parents Princes Elders c. and of punishing rebellious children To the sixth may bee reduced all laws concerning Murther Revenge Rancor Smiting Fighting cursing the Deaf laying a block before the blinde c. To the seventh all that is said against Fornication Adulterie Sodomie Incest wearing the Apparel of the other Sex To the eighth Laws against Robberie Rapine Usurie Sacrilege deteining Wages or Pledges removing Land-marks accepting of Persons taking of Gifts fals Weights c. To the ninth belong laws against Back-biting Tale-bearing Fals-witnessing judging not admonishing c. To the tenth no laws are referred becaus it is wholly spiritual and hath no visible violations SECT II. Of reducing Judicial Laws to the Decalogue TO the first Commandement It was death 1. to denie obedience to the Priest who was a type of Christ 2. To perswade Apostacie from the true God 3. To seek to witches and wizzards It was likewise unlawful to make a covenant with the Canaanites whom God had cursed to make mixtures of divers kindes of creatures c. whereby they are taught sinceritie in Religion and conversation To the second Commandement God commanded to abolish Images Pictures Idolatrous temples Altars Groves c. and forbad them upon pain of death to bow to Sun Moon or anie other strange
Patriarks to those spirits once in pleasure now in prison but prevailed not 1 Pet. 3.18 19. shall not alway strive with perverse men by preaching disputing convincing in the mouths of my servants whom I have sent unto them nor in their own mindes and consciences by inward checks and motions which they have made no good use of Delicata res est spiritus Dei Grieve it once and you may drive it away for ever Ideò detâ—riores sumus quia meliores esse dâ—bâ—mus Saâ—v It bloweth where it listeth and will not be at your whistle For that he also is flesh He is therefore the worse because he ought to be better God expects singular things from his people and takes it ill when they are carnal and walk as men 1 Cor. 3.3 They should be higher then others by head and shoulders as Saul was and all that is in them or comes from them should be as the fruit of the trees in Paradise fair to the eye and sweâ—t to the taste Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty yeers It shall be so long ere I destroy 1 Pet. 3.19 20. 2 Pet 2.5 This long-suffering of God is celebrated by St. Peter and well it may for had he not been God and not man he could never have held his hands so long Neither indeed did he for so extream was the provocation that he cut them off twenty yeers of this promised count That all the earth might know to their wo Numb 14.34 his breach of promise Vers 4. There were Gyants Gigantes quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earth-sprung John 3.31 They were of the earth they spake of the earth and the earth heard them Heard them I say and fell before them as the beasts of the field do before the roaring Lyon Hence they are called in Hebrew Nephilim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as being faln from God fell upon men Job 1.15 and by fear and force made others fall before them Thus they sought to renown and raise themselves by depressing others and doing violence But this was not the way For now they lie shrowded in the sheet of shame To do Worthily in Ephrata is to be famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4.11 To be patiently perseverant in well-doing is to seek for glory and honor yea to attain immortality and eternal life Romans 2.7 Vers 5. The wickedness of man was great in the earth Which was now grown so foul that God saw it but time to wash it with a flood as he shall shortly do again with streams of fire He destroyed the world then with water for the heat of lust he shall destroy it with fire for the coldness of love as saith Ludolfus Devita Christi l. 2. c. 7. And that every imagination of the thoughts Omne figmentum cogitationum The whole fiction or every creature of the heart as the Apostle hath it Hebr. 4.13 speaking there of the thoughts All the thoughts extensively are intensively onely evil and protensively continually and intents of the heart There is a general ataxy the whole frame is out of frame The understanding dark as hell and yet proud as the devil The will cross and overthwart The memory slippery and waterish to receive and retain good impressions but of a marble firmness to hold fast that which is evil The affections crooked and preposterous The very tongue a world of wickedness what then the heart Si trabes in oculo strues in corde The operations thereof are evil onely evil Every day evil saith this Text And assigneth it for the source of the old worlds wickedness David also resolves his adultery and murther into this pravity of his nature as the principle of it Psal 51.5 so doth Job Chap. 40.4 Paul Rom. 7.24 Isaiah Chap. 6.5 The whole Church Isai 64.6 cryes out Vnclean Vnclean and Chap. 53.6 Lev. 13.45 Esa 1.3 All we like sheep have gone astray Now as no creature is more apt to wander so none less able to return then a sheep The Oxe knoweth his owner the Asse his masters crib The very Swine accustomed to the trough if he goe abroad yet at night will finde the way home again Not so the Sheep Loe such is man Quintilian therefore was quite out when he said It is more marvell that one man sinneth then that all men should live honestly sin is so against the nature of man But he erred not knowing the Scripture For doe ye think Jam. 4.5 saith St. James alluding to this text that the Scripture saith in vaine The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy The civill mans namans nature is as bad as the worst not changed but chained up Truely said Tully Cum primùm nascimur in omni continuò pravitate versamur We are no sooner born then buried in a bog of wickedness Vers 6. And it repented the Lord c. and it grieved him These things are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men but must be taken and understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it beseemeth God Perkins When Repentance is attributed to God saith Mr. Perkins it noteth onely the alteration of things and actions done by him and no change of his purpose and secret decree which is immutable M. Gataker Gods repentance saith another learned Divine is not a change of his will but of his work Repentance with man is the changing of his will Repentance with God is the willing of a change Mutatiorei non Dei effectus non affectus facti non consilii Vers 7. I will destroy man See here the venemous and mischievous nature of sin It causeth God to make a World and again to unmake it it sets him against Man his Master-piece and makes him though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely to devise but to delight in the destruction of his owne creature to mock at and make merry in his calamity Prov. 1.26 to deliver the beloved of his soule into the hands of the destroyer Time was when Christ being by at the Creation Jer. 12 7. rejoyced in this habitable part of Gods earth his delights were with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 But since the Fall it is far otherwise Habaâ— 1. for he is of more pure eyes theâ—â— to behold sin with patience He hates it worse then he hates the Devill for he hates the Devill for sins sake and not sin for the Devills sake Now the naturall and next effect of hatred is revenge Hence he resolves I will destroy man Both man and beast the creeping thing c. Why what have those poore sheep done They are all undone by mans sin and are for his punishment to perish with him as they were created for him This is a piece of that bondage they are still subject to and grievously groan under waiting deliverance Rom. 8.21 22. Vers 8. But Noâ—h found grace Because in Covenant with God who of himself was
sent home so they would faint by the way What was it that he took not knowledg of I know thy works and thy labor in doing them Revel 2.2 That he will command his children c. A good houshâ—â—der whatsoever he gets abroad he brings home to his family Prov. 10.21 as Bees bring all their hony to the hive The lips of the righteous feed many those under his own roof especially Welfare Popery for that Old folks will tell us that when in those days they had holy bread given them at Church they would bear a part thereof to those that did abide at home The way to get more it to communicate that we have according to that Hâ—benri dabitur No man hath received ought from God for private use Neither is any one born for himself much less new-born He that kid his talent was soon shred of it Vers 20. Because their sin is very grieâ—oâ—â— Or very heavy such as the very ground groans under The Aâ—â—le-trâ—e of the â—arth is ready to break under it Sin is a burden to God Aâ—â—â— 12. It was so to Christ he fell to the ground when he was in his agony It was so to the Angels who sunk into Idâ—ll under in It was so to Kore and his company the earth could not bear them It was so to the Sodomites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 1.23 they were so clogged with this excrement of naughtiness as Saint James calleth it that God came from Heaven to give their land a vomit Vers 21. I will go down now and see c. The Sodomites sined as freely and securely as if God knew nothing Now therefore he is come to know that is to give them to know that he knew all as well as if he had been in their bosoms Vers 22. Abraham stood yet before the Lord And without such to stand and pray the world could not stand they bear up the pillars of it Oh the price with God and profit to men of praying persons God will yield something to such when most of all enraged Matth 24.20 or resolved Lot was saved for Abrahams sake when all the rest perished Vers 23. And Abraham drew neer A priviledg proper to â—uch as have a true heart full assurance of Faith and a good conscience Heb. 10.22 The hypocrite shall not come before him Job 13.16 He must stand without as a vagrant at the gate that knows not whether the master is providing for him an alms or a cudgel But the upright comes into the â—arlor yea dwells in Gods presence Psal 140.13 In the light of his countenance Wilt thou also destroy the righteous Single suites speed not we must back them with sound Arguments and Reason the case with God concerning his judgments Jere. 12.1 Vers 24. Peradventure there be fifty righteous Charity presumes the best hopes the best The Disciples could not imagine that Judas was so very a Traytor each one suspects himself sooner then him And when our Saviour said What thou doest do quickly they thought he had meant of making provision or giving something to the poor Vers 25. Shall not the Judg c. He fills his mouth with Arguments Let us also This will encrease Faith and Fervency Vers 26. If I finde fifty righteous The Saints are the Salt of the earth that keep the rest from rotting and putrefying Vers 27. Which 〈◊〉 but dust and ashes Gâ—aphar veephar 〈◊〉 cinis None so humble as they that have nearest communion with God The Angels that stand before him cover theâ—◠〈◊〉 with two wings as with a double scarie Isaiah Chapâ—â—â— 6. verse 2. Vers 29. Alsted And he spake unto him yet again Cùm in colloquium descendimus cum Deo replicemus licet duplicemus triplicemus quadruplicemus The bolder we make the better welcome Vers 30. I will not do it c. If God so yielded to Abraham interceding for wicked Sodom will he not hear us for his laboring Church Joaâ— never pleased David better then when he sued to him for Absolâ—m What shall we think of God in like case How angry is he with those that help forward the anger Zach. 1.15 How ready to answer those that speak to him for his Church with good words and comfortable words Zach. 1.13 Yea should there be no praying Christians amongst us as there are many thousands yet there is hope if any of another Kingdom make intercession for us as Abraham here did for Sodom to the which he was a stranger Vers 32. Peradventure ten shall be found there Lo all that slavery and misery they had sustained hath not yet made ten good men in those five bad Cities Till God strike the stroke and work upon the heart afflictions Gods hammers do but beat upon cold Iron The wicked are no whit better by them but much the worse as water becomes more cold after a heat and naughty boyes more stubborn and stupid after a whipping Vers 33. And the Lord went his way Abraham hucked with the Lord so long till he had brought him down from fifty to ten And mark that he left begging are God left bating Let us finde praying hearts and he will finde a pittying heart CHAP. XIX Verse 1. Lot sate in the gate NOt as a Judg as the Hebrews will have it nor as a Merchant much less as a Noveller but as a good housholder looking for his herds and as a good house-keeper looking for guests Vers 2. Nay but we will abide in the street They would have done so Luke 24. but for Lots importunity So our Saviour would have gone further but that the two Disciples constrained him to stay This was no simulation or if so yet it was onely exploratory without deceit or hypocrisie And if Solomon sinned not in making beleeve he would do that which was unlawful to be done 1 King 3.24 It can be no sin to do the like in things indifferent Vers 4. Both old and young Nulla aetas erat culpae immunis ideò nec exitii Ambros Sin spreds as leaven and is as catching as the plague like the Jerusalem Artichoke plant it where you will it over runs the ground and chokes the heart Vers 5. That we may know them O faces hatcht with impudency They shroud not their sin in a mantle of secrecy but hang out these sowre Grapes to the Sun to ripen Vers 6. Lot went out So he exposed himself to save his strangers hoping to save them from that abominable violence The right of strangers is so holy that there was scarce ever any nation so barbarous that would violate the same When Steven Gardiner had in his power the Renowned Clark Peter Martyr then teaching at Oxford he would not keep him to punish him but when he should go his way as it is reported gave him wherewith to bear his charges But these Sodomites had not so much humanity left in them They had put off the man and were become dogs and worse
Chron. 16.14 Of whom also it is further added as an honour that he was buried in his own Sepulchre which he had digged for himself among the Kings of Israel in the City of David and laid in the bed that was filled with sweet odours c. Of Joram Joas and Ahaz it is expresly noted in the Chronicles that they were buried in the City of David but not in the Sepulchres of the Kings of Judah A worse place was thought good enough for them unless they had been better As of Tiberius the Emperour it is storied that he was so hated for his tyranny Sâ—â—lae Gemonia Quidam etiam Terram matrem orarent c. Pareus Cornel Nepos in vita Dionis Dionys Lambin in Annot. ad locum that when he was dead some of the people would have had him thrown into the River Tiber some hang'd up at such another place as Tiburn Others also made prayer to mother Earth to grant him now dead no place but among the wicked Contrarily when Dio died the people of Syracuse would have gladly redeemed his life with their own blood which because they could not they buried him very honourably in an eminent place of their City Whereas anciently as Lambinus well noteth Kings and Princes in Homer and other Poets are not read to have been buried but without the gates somewhere in the fields and gardens as the Patriarchs also were looking for the return of that everlasting Spring CHAP. XXIV Vers 1. And Abraham was old NOn tam canis annis Beurer in vita Attici quà m virtutibus sapientiâ gravis as One saith of Atticus Abraham had a good gray head as it is elsewhere said of him Hence so honored not onely at home but of the Hittites Chap. 23. Cognata sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old-age and honor are neer a kin in the Greek tongue And God bids honor the face of the old man Levit. 19.32 for the hoary-head is a crown Psal 111.9 Si prolixa facit sapientem barba quâ—d obstaâ— Barbatus posset quin caper esse Plato Baron Annal. so that it be found in the way of righteousness God is called the Ancient of dayes and because holy therefore reverend is his name as saith the Psalmist But it is a poor praise to Nectarius who succeeded Nazianzen in the Church of Antioch that he was venerandâ canitie vultu sacerdote digno a comely old man and of a Bishop-like visage and that was all that could be said for him Vers 2. Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh Either as a token of subjection or for the honor of circumcision Quae erat in parte femoris q. d. I adjure thee by the Lord of the Covenant whereof Circumcision is a signe Or which is most likely in reference to Christ who was to come of Abraham according to that phrase Gea 46.26 The souls that came out of Jacobs thigh Vers 3. I will make thee swear by the Lord Who alone is the proper object of an oath Isaiah 65.16 Jere. 12.6 Howbeit in lawful contracts with an Infidel or Idolater we may admit of such oaths whereby they swear by false gods as those of old that swore by God and Malcom and the Turks great oath nowadayes is By the immortall God Turk Hist fol. 345. and by the four hundred Prophets by Mahomet by his Fathers soul by his own children and by the sword wherewith he is girt c. That thou shalt not take a wife unto my son c. Lest they should turn away his heart from following God Deut. 7.3 4. as those Outlandish wives did Solomon Neh. 13.26 whom therefore God Almighty punished both in himself and his successor Rehoboam his onely son that we read of by so many Wives and Concubines and he was none of the wisest nor happiest 2 Cor 6.14 tam auspicata sunt conjugia contra Dei legem contracta saith the Divine Chronologer Be not unequally yoked therefore with any untamed heifer that bears not Christs yoke If Religion be any other then a cipher how dare we not regard it in our most important choice D. Hall I wish Manoah could speak so loud saith a Reverend Divine that all our Israelites might hear him Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren or among all Gods people that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistimes What 's the reason the Pope will not dispense in Spain or Italy if a Papist marry a Protestant yet here they will but in hope to draw more to them For they well know what power wives many times get over their husbands as Jesabel did over Ahab the Hen was suffered to crow and all went as she would have it And therefore the Legats in the Councell of Trent Hist of Count. of Trent fol. 680. were blamed for suffering the Article of Priests-marriage to be disputed as dangerous because it is plaine that married Priests will turne their affections and love to wife and children and by consequence to their house and Countrey So that the strict dependence that the Clergy hath upon the Apostolick See would cease And to grant Marriage to Priests would destroy the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and make the Pope to be Bishop of Rome onely Vers 4. But thou shalt go unto my Countrey c. Nâ—hors stock were neither pure in Religion nor precise in life Josh 24.2 Gen. 31.30 yet far better in both then those cursed Canaanites Some knowledge they retained of the true God of whom they speak much in this Chapter and concerning whom they hear Eleazer here relating how he had answered his prayer and prospered his journey And for their manners we finde them hospitable and their daughter though fair yet a pure Virgin Now Lis est cum forma magna pâ—dicitiae Like unto these are the Greek Church at this day Breerewoods Enquiries p. 139. B. Vshers Serm. at Wansteed D. Field of the Church Jac Reviue de vit Pentif p. 320. which is far greater then the Roman And though in some points unsound and in other very superstitious yet holdeth sufficient for salvation Cyrill their good Patriarch of Constantinople set forth the Confession of the faith of those Eastern Churches Anno 1629. agreeable in all things for most part to the Reformed Protestant Religion but diametrally opposite to that they call the Roman Catholick He is also busie about a generall Reformation among them and hath done much good Vers 5. Peradventure the woman c. He swears cautelously he doth not rashly rush upon his oath he swears not in jest but in judgement so must we Jer. 4.2 duely considering the conditions and circumstances as the nature of an oath the matter whereabout the person by whom and before whom the time the place our calling and warrant thereunto Eccles 5.2 Be not rash the best that can come of
utter his words of grace in the land of Nepthtali Mat. 4.13 And this is the Reason that as of the children by Leahs side Iudah obtained the first place among those that were sealed Revel 7. because Christ sprang of him so of those on Rachels side Nephtali is first named because there he dwelt at Capernaum where he had hired a house and preached ut ubique superemineat Christi praerogativa saith a learned Interpreter Medes in Apocalyps Compare with this text Deut. 3â— 23 and then observe that good words do ingratiate with God and men Vers 22. Joseph is a fruitfull bough Of the vine saith the Chaldee Paraphrast Uno anno septies fructus sufficit Vnde pomum decerpseris alterum fine mora protuberat Solin But it may be Iacob meant it of the Egyptian fig-tree whereof Solinus reporteth that it beareth fruit seven times in the year pull one fig and another presently puts forth saith he Vers 23. The archers have sorely grieved him These were his barbarous brethren that sold him his adulterous mistress that harlot-like hunted for his precious life his injurious Master that without any desert of his imprisoned him the tumulcuating Egyptians that pined with hunger perhaps spake of stoning him as 1 Sam. 30.6 and the envious courtiers and inchanters that spake evill of him before Pharaoh to bring him out of favour as the Ierusalemy Targum addeth All these arrow-masters as the Hebrew here hath it set against Ioseph and shot at him as their but-mark willing to have abused him but that Gods grace providence and unchangeable decree called here Joseph's bow and strength vers 24. would not permit them as those cruel Turks did one Iohn de Chabas a Frenchman at the taking of Tripolis in Barbary Turk hist 756. They brought him into the town and when they had cut of his hands and nose put him quick into the ground up to the wast and there for their pleasure shot at him with their arrows and afterwards cut his throat Vers 24. But his bow abode in strength He gave not place to them by subjection Cal. 2.5 Prov. 24.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phlt. no not for an hour If thou faint in adversity thy strength is small saith Solomon Ioseph did not but as it was said of old Rome Roma cladibus animosior and as of Mithridates he never wanted courage or counsell when he was at the worst so neither did Ioseph Virtus lecythos habet in malis The sound heart stands firme under greatest pressures 2 Cor. 1.9 12. Whereas if a bone be broak or but the skin rub'd up and raw the lightest load will be troublesome hang heavy weights upon rotten boughes they presently break But Iosephs were green and had sap By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob It was said of Achilles that he was Styge armatus but Joseph was Deo forti armatus and thence his safety He used his bow against his adversaries as David did his sling against Goliah He slung saith One Bucholcer perinde ac si fundae suae tunicis non lapillum sed Deum ipsum induisset ac implicuisset as if he had wrapt up God in his sling Vers 25. Who shall help thee God hath God shall is an ordinary way of arguing it is a demonstration of Scripture Logick as Psal 85.1 2 3 4. So 2 Cor. 1.10 Every former favour is a pledg of a future With the blessings of heaven above c. God shall hear the heaven the heaven shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn wine and oyl the genealogy of all which is resolved into God Hos 2.21 22. with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb Yet rather then Ephraim shall bring forth children to the murtherer the Prophet prayes God to give them as a blessing as some think a miscarrying womb Matth. 24.19 and dry breasts Hos 9.13 14. And our Saviour saith Woe be to such as are with child and give suck in those dayes of war and trouble Vers 26. Above the blessings of my progenitors Chiefly because Jacob pointed them out the particular tribe whereof and the very time wherein Shiloh should come This mystery was made known to the Church not all at once but by degrees Adam was told the seed of the woman should break c. but whether Jew or Gentile he heard not a word Abraham the Hebrew long after was certified that In his seed all nations should be blessed but of what tribe Christ should come till now the world never heard After this David was made to know that Christ should be a male but that he should be born of a Virgin was not known till Esay's time Thus God crumbles his mercies to mankind and we have his blessings by retail saith One to maintain trading and communion betwixt him and us So the cloud empties not it self at a sudden burst but dissolves upon the earth drop after drop unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills Spiritual blessings in heavenly things whereof those temporals afore promised Eph. 1.3 were but types and pledges Whence David doubts not to argue from temporals to spirituals Psal 23.5 6. God in the Churches infancy fed them and led them along Sunt qui autumant hanc prophâ—tiam Paulo applicari debore Bez. Annot. ad Act. 83. by earthly to heavenly blessings speaking unto them as they could hear Vers 27. Benjamin shall ravin as a Woolf There are that think that this ought to be applyed to S. ' Paul the Benjamite who while he was Saul not content to consent to S. Stephen's death though it be all one to hold the sack and to fill it to do evil and to consent unto it Act. 8.1 3. he made havock of the Church like a ravening Woolf entring into houses also and haling men and women to prison Yea Act. 9.1 he lyes breathing out threatnings and slaughter panting and windless as a tired Woolf and having recovered himself is marching toward Damascus for more prey But met by the chief shepherd of a Woolf he is made a Lamb Esay 11.6 not once opening his mouth unless it were to crave direction What wilt thou have me to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 3.14 2 Cor. 5.13 with Act. 26.11 Sand's his survey of West Relig. Lord After which time he never persecuted the Saints so fast as now he pursues and presses hard toward the high prize and as mad every whit he is thought to be for Christ as ever he was against him The papists some of them have censured him for a hot-headed person and said that there was no great reckoning to be made of his assertions Is this blasphemy in the first or second table say you Porphyry the Philosopher could say that it was pity such a man as Paul was cast away upon our religion And the Monarch of Morocco told the English Embassadour in King John's time that he had lately read
of Aetius the Roman Prefect of Gaul using these words To Aetius thrice consul the sigh's of the Britains Daniels Chronicle and after thus they complain The barbarous enemie beat 's us to the sea the sea beats us back to the enemie between these two kindes of deaths wee are either murthered or drowned But their implorations prevailed not Neither found they anie other remedie then what the Prince of Orange shewed to his souldiers at the battle of Newport Hist of Netherl when they had the sea on one side and the Spaniards on the other If saith Hee you will live you must either eat up these Spaniards or drink up this Sea Ver. 11. Becaus there were no graves Thus they rebelled at the sea at the red-sea yet hee saved them for his names sake Psal 106.7.8 Ver. 12. Is not this the word Invalidum omne naturâ querulum Weak spirits are ever quarrelling and contending Seneca Ver. 13. Stand still and see the salvation Thus God heard their crie at the red-sea Neh. 9.9 Though it were not the crie of faith but of fright and perturbation So hee heard the voice of the lad Gen. 21.17 Ver. 14. Yee shall hold your peace i. e. Yee shall neither saie nor do Ver. 15. Wherefore criest thou unto mee sc with inward groanings without anie audible voice Moses egit vocis silentium ut corde clamaret And God was readier to answer then hee to ask Speak unto the children of Israël q. d. August Ther 's somthing more to bee don then to praie Ora labora Wee must not onely crave God's help but bee forward in the cours whereby to make waie for God's help That they gforward Though upon a manifest danger This is an act of strong faith pure obedience Ver. 16. But lift thou up thy rod This rod God make 's use of for the greater manifestation of his own power and the gracing of his servant Moses Ver. 18. When I have gotten mee honor Made mee a name as at this daie Neh. 9.10 For this hee was famous in far countries Jethro the first proselyte to the Jewish Church was hereby converted saie the Rabbines 1 Sam. 4.8 And the Philistimes crie Woe unto us these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the Wilderness Ver. 19. And the Angel of God Christ the Angel of God's presence See chap. 13.21 and 23.22 Went behinde them So the glorie of the Lord was their rereward Isai 58.8 Hee will bee to his both Van and Rere Isai 52.12 Ver. 20. A cloud and darkness to them See the Note on Heb. 12.2 Ver. 21. Func Chron. And Moses stretched out his hand Of that Pseudo-Moses that cozeâ—ed manie credulous Jews of Creet into the midâ—st of the sea Anno. 434. See Funccius at that year And the waters were divided So was that torrent of fire if Aristotle may bee beleived that ran from Aetna De mundo cap. 6. consuming the countrie and yet parted it self making a kinde of a lane for those that ventured to rescue their aged parents Ver. 22. Were a wall unto them Everie main affliction is our red-sea saith One which while it threat's to swallow preserv's us Ver. 24. In the morning watch God watcheth upon the evil to bring it upon his enemies then when hee may do them a greatest mischeif Dan. 9.14 Hee picketh his times for vengeance Isai 33.10 The Lord looked upon the host Hoe set his eies upon them as Paul did upon Elymas the sorcerer with highest offence and utmost indignation After which lightening follow 's that terrible thunderclap wherewith hee troubled them and took off their wheeles See Psal 77.18 19. and 18.15 Ver. 25. For the Lord fighteth for them Our late great successes have extorted the like acknowledgments from som of Satan's sworn swordmen as at the dissolution of the seige at Plimmouth Ver. 26. That the waters may com again By winde that God sent Exod. 15.10 The windes blow the waters flow Psal 147.18 Ver. 27. Returned to his strength For by beeing divided it had been weakened si collidimur frangimur The daughter of dissension is dissolution Ver. 28. There remained not one of them No more doth there of our subdued iniquities Mic. 7.19 Peccata non redeunt Wee shall see them no more anie otherwise then these Israëlites did their enemies dead upon the shore CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. Then sang Moses PResently upon the deliverance whiles their hearts were hot and the mercie fresh No part of the thank-offering might bee kept unspent till the third day Benesits soon grow stale and putresie as fish Ver. 2. I will prepare him an habitation Or I will adorn him I will give him ornaments and trimmings Such God account's our poor praises Ver. 3. The Lord is a man of war Yea hee alone is a whole Armie of men Van and Rere both Isai 52.12 Hee send 's the sword Ezek. 14.17 Muster 's the men Isai 13.4 Order's the ammunition Jer. 50.25 Give 's the victorie Whence hee is here styled by the Chaldee The Lord and Victor of wars Ver. 4. In the red sea So called haply from that red man Esau or Edom who usurped the dominion of that sea now called Sinus Arabicus Ver. 5. As a stone So shall Rome Rev. 15.5 Ver. 6. Hath dashed in pieces It is a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 For who knoweth the power of his anger Psal 90.11 Ver. 7. That rose up against thee Becaus against thine There is a league offensive and defensive betwixt God and his people Ver. 8. And with the blast In celebrating God's favors wee must bee punctual and particular Ver. 9. The enemie said I will They made account all was their own but were soon confuted as were likewise Sisera and Sennacherib Where the begining of a business is conâ—idence the end is consusion Ver. 10. Thou did'st blow c. Here it was that the Arm of the Lord put on strength to cut Rahab and wound the dragon Isai 51.9 Ver. 11. Who is like thee One of the most stately descriptions of God that is found in holy-writ God is to bee magnified Wee must make room for him Ver. 12. The earth swallowed them That is the sea which compasseth the earth about as a girdle God having set the solid earth upon the liquid waters See Jon. 2.6 Psal 24.2 Ver. 13. Vnto thy holie habitation Canaan where God chose to dwell This Hee is said alreadie to have don becaus hee would certainly do it God's promises are his performances and everie former mercie a pledg of a future Ver. 14. Sorrow shall take hold So it did 1 Sam. 4.8 Then the Dukes of Edom See Deut. 2.4 Ver. 15. The mightie men See it fulfilled Num. 22.3 shall melt So they did Iosh 2.9 10 11. Ver. 16. Till thy people pass over Over Jordan as now they have don over the red sea into Canaan Ver. 17. Of thine
Moses Aaron and Hur went up into the Mount where Moses's hands are thus supported while Amalek is discomfited and that Moses the Prophet Hur the Prince and Aaron the Priest all put together were a type of Christ who on the fourtieth daie after his Resurrection asscended into the Mount of Heaven where as our Prophet Priest and Prince hee hold's up the hands of his Intercession for his Church Militant whiles shee fight 's with spiritual Amalek Sin Satan Antichrist World Flesh c. Ver. 13. And Joshua discomfited How should hee do otherwise when hee fought with such weapons Praiers are the bombardae instrumenta bellica Christianorum saith Luther The great guns and warlike weapons of the Saints The Romans in a great distress were driven to take the weapons out of the Temples of their gods and overcame The Parliament souldiers at Edg-hill-battle falling on with courage and crying out Now for the fruit of praier Now for the fruit of praier prevailed mightily slaying near ten to one c. Ver. 14. In a book Or in the book that thou art now in writing viz. the Pentateuch the most antient book that is extant I will utterly put out c. The portion of wicked men is to bee forgotten in the citie where they had so don Eccles 8.10 their memorie die's with them or if it bee preserved it stink's in keeping and remain's as a curs and perpetual disgrace Ver. 15. And Moses built an Altar As a lasting monument of God's great Mercie in that first victorie The Romans had a custom that the Conqueror in his triumphant chariot rode to the Capitol and offered a white ox to Jupiter Liv lib 6. Decad 3. Ver. 16. Becaus the Lord c. Heb. The hand upon the throne of the Lord. God's hand is laid upon his own throne as swearing to root out Amalek Or Amalek's hand is lifted up against God's throne that is the Church called God's throne of glorie Jer. 4.21 and crown of glorie Isa 62.3 therefore hee will have perpetual war with him Tua caussa erit mea caussa said the Emperor Charls the Fifth to Julius Pflugius who beeing his Agent had received wrong by the Duke of Saxonie so saith God to all that belong to him CHAP. XVIII Ver. 1. Heard of all ANd thereby was converted saie the Rabbins beeing the first Proselyte to the Jewish Church that wee read of in in Scripture Ver. 2. After hee had sent her back Becaus shee was troublesom with her peevishness and a hinderance to the good work in hand Chap. 4.25 26. Sylla felix fuisset ni uxorem duxisset Adrianus ni imperitâsset Moses both Ver. 3. In a strange land See the Note on Chap. 2.22 Ver. 4. Eliezer Or Lazarus Wee should write God's mercies upon the names of our children or som other waies perpetuate the memorie of them Ver. 5. At the Mount of God Horeb whither they were removed from Rephidim though the remove bee not mentioned Ver. 6. And hee said That is sent him word so God's messages to us are to bee received as his own immediate words Hee that heareth you heareth mee Ver. 7. And did obeisance Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancellor would in Westminster-hall beg his Father's blessing on his knees Ver. 8. All that the Lord bath don It is not enough to relate God's mercies to us in the lump and by whole sale but wee must instance the particulars both to God and men That had com upon them Heb. Had found them yet not without a providence Job 5.6 God cut 's us out our several conditions it is his hand that finde's us when wee suffer ought Ver. 9. And Jethro rejoiced So must all Sion's sons Isa 66.10 Ver. 10. And Jethro said c. Cheerfulness make's thankfulness Luke 1.46 Jam. 5.13 Ver. 11. Now I know See the Note on Ver. 1. So the people knew that Jehovah was God 1 King 18.37 See 2 Cro. 33.13 Hee was above them God sit's in the heavens Psal 2.4 where hee see 's that their daie is coming Psal 37.16 and mean while scorneth these scorners Prov. 3. Fright's them as hee did those Syrians 2 King 7.6 Over-aw's them as hee did Laban Divert's them as hee did Saul Senacherib c. or otherwise defeat's them as hee did Benhadad disclosing their counsels blasting their designs c. Ver. 12. Before God i.e. as in his presence with reverence and godlie fear To feed without fear is a foul fault Jude 12. See my Common-place of Abstinence Ver. 13. And the people stood by Moses Beeing haply as the French are said to bee verie litigious and thereunto abuting Moses's lenitie whereas had they been soundly whipped as among Mahumetans they are that go to law for light â—â—attâ—rs there would have been but few and short suits amongst them Sure it is that if men's hearts were not bigger then their suits there would not bee half so manie Ver. 14. What is this thing A man by good counsel may becom an Angel nay a God to another Alexander beeing requested by som Embassadors to shew them his treasures shewed them his faithful Counsellors Ver. 15. To enquire of God For a divine sentence is in the mouth of the Judg therefore also the place of Judicature is called the holie place Eccles 8.10 Let those that go to law inquire of God and rest in his will Ver. 16. When they have a matter In our ordinarie suits there is for the most part more malice then matter The late Judg Dier if there came anie such trilling controversies to bee tried before him would usually saie That either the parties are wilful or their neighbors without charitie becaus their suits were not quietly compromised Ver. 17. Is not good Wee commonly saie Hee that receiv's a curtesie sell's his libertie But so did not Jethro Ver. 18. Thou wilt surely wear away Heb. Fading thou wilt fade as a leaf that wanteth moisture Melanchthon was wont to saie that none labored so hard as Travelling women Magistrates and Ministers Politici Ecclesiastici labores maximi sunt saith Luther Atterunt enim corpus tanquam ex imis medullis exhauriunt succum Ver. 19. I will give thee counsel A Midianite counsel's Moses God hereby teacheth him humilitie Ver. 21. Out of all the people Magistrates must bee drained from the dregs sifted from the bran of the ordinarie sort of people Able men Able and active strong and stout-hearted wealthie also and well underlaied See Jethro's Justice of Peace in a Sermon by Mr. Sam. Ward Ver. 22. So shall it bee easier c. How thankless is their labor that do wilfully over-spend themselvs in their ordinarie vocations Ver. 23. To their place To the promised land Or to their own homes well apaid and with good content Ver. 24. So Moses hearkned Of a meek man it is said that a childe shall lead him Isa 11.6 how much more so grave a counsellor as Jethro Dio. in Augusto Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was
gods because Moses his politie could not consist of true worshippers and professed Idolaters To the third Commandement there were two kindes of blasphemie or cursing of God whether it were mediate or immediate direct or indirect One proceeding of insirmitie and impatience the other of malice and obstinacie This later was to bee punished with stoning that former with som corporal punishment as beating boring the tongue c. To the fourth Commandement The wilful profanation of the Sabbath was punished with death Tithes Offerings First-fruits Firstlings and the like were commanded by God as part of the Priest's maintenance due to them by the verie law of Nature And the same custom is at this daie commendably kept up there not beeing a more equal and easie waie of mainteining the Ministers of the Church and so of upholding the Church's Ministerie To the fifth Commandement Wrong don to a Parent whether by striking or cursing is parricide and to bee punished with death so is wrong offered to the chief Magistrate this is treason Parents had power to command and correct their children yea in som cases to sell them to their brethren the Israëlites and to sue out a Writ of Execution against them if uncounsellable and incorrigible The Privilege of Primogeniture made for the honor of the familie and prefigured hrist The chief Magistrate is both ordained and ordered by God Deut. 17. Inferior Magistrates must neither bee strangers nor eunuchs nor bastards nor Ammonites nor Moabites Deut. 23. But they must bee men of courage fearing God c. To the sixth Commandement Four sorts of capital punishments were in use among God's people viz. stoning burning beheading and strangling Execution was don either by the whole people or els som deputed thereunto Man-slaughter was committed either by man or beast If by a man either it was voluntarie and that was punished with death or involuntarie and in that case they had their cities of Refuge these prefigured Christ our sole Sanctuarie of safetie But if by a beast the beast was stoned as also the master of the beast if don by his default Blows that caussed loss of limbs were punished with the like loss or if not with a reasonable recompens Violence offered to a woman quick with childe so as shee lost her fruit was death but if shee were not quick it was onely a monie-mulct God straitly charged them to abstein from the use of beast's blood that they might learn to abstein much more from sheddid man's blood Lepers were to live apart lest the sound should bee infected and to intimate the contagiousness of sin A Jewish servant if hee should not go free at the year of Jubilee was to bee bored in the ear with an awl and to live and die with his master Hereto also pertein their laws for War as that new-married men timorous persons and plough-men should bee excused that a souldier should bee twentie years of age at least that the General should desire passage through his brother's countrie that hee should send forth spies offer peace lead on his souldiers use stratagems spare fruit-trees equally divide the spoil reserv a part thereof for God see that the Camp bee kept clean from sin c. To the seventh Commandement Adulterie was death and in the High-priest's daughter Fornication was burning becaus hee was a special type of Christ and therefore his familie should bee without blame or blemish Sodomie and bestialitie were likewise death so was the deflouring of an espoused virgin and a rape The Priest might not marrie anie but a virgin The price of an harlot might not bee brought into the Sanctuarie Polygamie and Divorce were permitted onely and not commanded Marrying with the brother's widdow was peculiar to the old Testament They were to marrie within their own tribes becaus our Lord was to spring of the Tribe of Judah Hee that defiled a virgin was both to marrie her and to endow her so that hee had her parents consent thereunto The prohibited degrees both of Consanguinitie and Affinitie are Moral Lev. 18. 20. and grounded upon verie good reason To the eighth Commandement Man-stealing Sacrilege and compound theft were punished with death Usurie is condemned by the Law of God The Law for things borrowed deposited intrusted lent or found is grounded upon this Rule Hee that marreth another man's goods robbeth him God would not have anie poor that is sturdie beggers amongst his people To the ninth Commandement Hereunto belong the laws for Ecclesiastical and Civil judgments SECT III. Of the signification of the Cerimonial Laws and first for holie Places THese Laws concern either holie Places Times Things or Persons The general law for holie Places was That in that place onely that God should chuse holie Services should bee performed And this signified 1. that through Christ alone wee must go to God in everie divine dutie 2. That the time shall com when wee shall injoie the immediate presence of God in heaven The special Law was as touching the Tabernacle a lively type of Christ and of the Church and of each Christian Now in the Tabernacle are considerable 1. The causses and 2. the parts thereof The causses that concurred to the making of it up are 1. The Matter which was various voluntarie and sufficient This figured that Free-will-offering wherewith everie man ought to honor God by trading with his talent and by doing what hee is able for the maintenance of the Ministerie andrelief of the needie 2. The Form and so the Tabernacle was to bee made according to the pattern received in the Mount To teach us that God will bee served according to his own prescript onely and not after man's inventions 3. The Efficient was everie skilful workman and by name Bezaleël and Aholiab These later figured out the Churches Chieftains and Master-builders as those former all gifted Ministers These were the causses of the Tabernacle the parts thereof as well conteining as conteined follow These all were so framed as that they might easily bee set up or taken down and so transported from place to place whereby was signified that while wee are in this tabernacle of the bodie which shall bee taken down by death and set up again by the resurrection wee are absent from the Lord and that the whole Church not onely is a stranger upon earth but also moveth from one place to another as God disposeth it The Covering of the Tabernacle set forth that the Church and her members do ever sit safe under God's protection The Court made up of divers pillars signified that the Church in regard of the Ministerie therein is the pillar of Truth and that the offices and abilities of the several members ought to bee as props to the whole bodie The holie Instruments and implements served to set forth all the pretious gifts and ordinances of the Church such as are the Word Sacraments Faith Holiness c. The Taches whereby the Curtains were knit together signified that
man troubled in minde told him that their religion afforded more comfort to the conscience then ours and that becaus it had and exercised a power to pardon sin M. Ley his patteâ—n of pietie p. 145. which our Ministers neither did nor durst assume to themselvs CHAP. VII Ver. 1. Of the trespass-offering Heb. A Sham Piaculum quo peccatum expiabatur How it differed from the sin-offering is hard to determine Ver. 2. In the place See the Note on Chap. 1.11 Ver. 3. That covereth the inwards My son give mee thy heart See Psal 51.6 Jer. 4 14. Ver. 4. And the two kidneys See the Note on Lev. 3.4 Ver. 7. As the sin-offering is They were distinct then See vers 1. Ver. 8. The Priest shall have to himself It is a sign of gasping devotion when men are so streight-handed to their Ministers who should have part of all Gal. 6.6 Ver 9. And all the meat-offering Which seem's to bee so called partly becaus it went as meat unto the Priest the laborer is surely worthie of his meat Mat. 10.10 but principally as leading to Christ whose flesh is meat indeed John 6. Ver. 10. Have one as much as another In their father's hous was bread enough Put mee I praie thee into one of the Priests offices that I may cat a piece of bread 1 Sam. 2.36 This the Tirshata would not suffer those turn-coats to do Ezra 2.63 But how hard put tooâ—t was that poor Priest that answer'd young Pareüs Vita Parei per Philipp filtum primo oper tomâ— praefixa asking him an alms according to the custom of those times Nos pauperi fratres nos nihil habemus an piscimus an caro an panis an misericordia babemus Ver. 11. Sacrifice of peace-offering Or Paie-offering See Psal 116.14 I will paie or I will perfect Fitly for a vow till paid is an imperfect thing Ver. 12. Vnlevened cakes There must bee sinceritie in all our services for els God will not once look at them Ver. 13. Levened bread Lo levened bread will pass in a peace-offering God for Christs sake reject's not the services of his Saints though tainted with corruption August Peccata nobis non nocent si non placent Wine is not thrown awaie for the dregs nor gold for the dirt that cleav's unto it Ver. 14. For an heav-offering So called becaus it was heaved and lifted up before the Lord in token that they received all from him and did acknowledg all to be due to him Ver. 15. Eaten the same daie Thanks must bee returned whiles mercies are fresh lest as fish they putrefie with keeping Eaten bread is soon forgotten Hezekiah wrote his song the third daie after his recoverie Jehosuphat gave thanks first upon the ground where hee had the victorie calling it Berachah and three daies after again at Jerusalem 2 Chron. 20. See David's Now Now Now I will paie my vows Psalm 116.14 15. Ver. 17. On the third daie Foreshadowing the resurrection of Christ on the third daie whereby all legal Cerimonies were abolishâ—d and had no use in the Church but by accident as hee who buildeth a vault letteth the centrels stand till hee put in the keiâ—-stone and then pulleth them awaie Ver. 18. It shall bee an abomination Kept beyond the time and so uneatable unsacrificeable prophane stinking Ver. 19. Shall not bee eaten Becaus not fit to represent Christ Ver. 20. Having his uncleanness upon him To the unclean all things are unclean c. Tit. 1.15 See the Note Ver. 21. Cut off from his people Confer 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29. Ver. 22. And the Lord spaâ—e unto Moses This is ost repeted to draw attention and get autoritie See 1 Thes 2.13 Ver. 23. No manner fat See the Note on Levit 3.12 Ver. 24. Vsed in anie other use Though not in Sacrifice Mudwals may bee made up of any refuse matter not so the wals of a Church or Palace Ver. 25. Shall bee cut off i. e. Shall bee liable to God's judgments Ver. 26. Yee shall eat no manner of blood This signified 1. That wee should learn to honor holie things and not to make a mock of them by employing them to common use 2. That wee should bee most careful not to shed man's blood for the satisfying of our lust See Levit. 17.11 12. with Gen. 9.4 5. and Deut. 12.13 Ver. 29. Vnto the Lord Not kill it in the Camp though there they might eat it Ver. 30. His own hands Teaching them that they must live by their own faith Hab. 2.5 May bee waved Or Shaken to and fro which signified the shaking of our lips in giving thanks to God Hos 14.2 Heb. 13.15 16. which yet must bee fetcht lower then the lips even from the bottom of the heart the deeper the sweeter The voice that is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which com's from the depth of the brest Ver. 31 32. The brest shall bee Aarons and the right shoulder To note that men must give their brests and shoulders affections and actions even their whole selvs first to the Lord and then to us Ministers by the will of God as those famous Macedonians did 2 Cor. 8.5 that so they may bee sani in doctrina sancti in vita sound in doctrine and holie in life Ver. 34. For the wave brest and the right shoulder This might further signifie saith one that Christ Jesus heaved up for us both brest and shoulder that is wisdom and strength to all his elect Priesthood whose portion hee is 1 Cor. 1 30. Or it might note saith another that Ministers should both take care figured by the brest and pains signified by the shoulder And therefore the high-priest did to that end wear the names of the Tribes upon his shoulders and upon his brest Ver. 35. This is the portion of the anointing That is of the anointed Priests and that becaus they were anointed to the office Here Origen according to his manner turn's all into allegories and mysteries and tel's us of a three-fold sens of Scripture 1. Literal 2. Moral 3. Mystical comparing them to the gridiron frying-pan and oven used in dressing the meat-offering Allegorias spumam scriprurae vocat Luth. in Gen. 3. p. 67. vers 9. of this Chapter But this itch of all allegorizing dark and difficult texts hath no small danger in it And I may doubt of Origen as one doth of Hierom Vtrùm plus boni peritiâ lingâ—arum quâ excelluit an mali suis allegoriis in quibus dominatus fuit Ecclesiae Dei attulerit Amama Antâ—batb whether hee did more hurt or good to the Church CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. And the Lord spake SEE the Note on Lev. 7.22 And for the rest of the Chapter read the Notes on Exod. 28. 29. 30. Ver. 3. And gather thou all the congregation Ministers are to bee ordeined in the publick Assemblie Acts 14.22 that the people may shew their approbation profess their purpose of