for the City Timnath-Serah which he chose call'd Timnath heres which signifies the Picture of the Sun which was there worship'd Judg. 2.9 in detestation whereof the Name was altered by tranposition of Letters Here 's for Serah was on old ruinous City which he was forced to repair before he could inhabit it and Masius tells a Story of Paula whom Jerom writes to how she went to visit Joshua's Sepulchre in this City Josh 24.30 and there wondered that he who was the principal Divider of that fruitful Land to others should set out for himself no richer Revenues but the meanest and barrenest part thereof as the Hebrew word Bethubem here signifieth yet lower nor still was this the whole of Joshua's Condescension for he receiv'd this poor pittance not by Lot as the Tribes did their Lands but by Gift The Children of Israel gave an Inheritance to Joshua ver 49. and 50. He acknowledged it a Gift to him from the People over whom God had placed him their Governour and General though it was only the People's free Assent unto the Lord's Promise or Precept for undoubtedly the Lord said the same to Moses concerning Joshua as well as Caleb Josh 14.6 seeing Joshua had shewed the same Courage and Faithfulness in espying out the Land of Canaan which Caleb did Numb 14.6.30 therefore must receive the same equal encouragement and comfort from God at that time namely to have such parts of the Land when it was Conquered as they desired Oh sweet Spirited Modest Humble Low-condescending Joshua in all these aforementioned Particulars But all this was done that there might be the greater Congruity betwixt Joshua the Type and our blessed Jesus the Antitype who did Exouthenize or empty'd himself condescending to come in the form of a Servant to his Redeemed People to whom he saith concerning the work of my hands command ye me Isa 45.11 Christ indeed became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 was born lived and died poor c. CHAP. XX. JOshua the Twentieth appointeth the Cities of Refuge according to God's Command Exod. 21.13 Numb 35.6.11.14 c. Deut. 19.2.9 The Remarks upon it are principally Three The First Remark is The end why God appointed those Cities of Refuge was for the preservation of the Life of Man so tender is the Lord of the Effusion of Bloud that he provides six Sanctuaries here to save Mans Life from the Avenger of Bloud least he should take his private revenge while his Bloud waxed hot within him for the loss of some near Kinsman Deut. 19.5 6. Well doth Job Characterize God The Preserver of Men Job 7.20 and well doth the Apostle Adore God's Philanthropy or Love to Mankind Tit. 3 4. So precious is the Bloud not only of his Saints though that be chiefly but of all his Reasonable Creatures in the sight of God Ps 72.14 and 116.15 compared with this care of God to Man in general Here therefore all those Cities of Refuge were placed in open view and as some say paved all the way as a Mark of Direction yea and situated at a just distance that the Innocent Party might repair from all parts in due time without enquiring the way thither least the Pursuer thereby overtake the pursued The Second Remark is The Form or priviledge of this Asylum or Sanctuary teaching 1. Who were capable of it not the wilful Murderer such saith God shall be Haled from the Horns of the Altar Exod. 21.14 as Joab was 1 Kings 2.31.34 but only Casual Manslayers without any premeditated Malice the Lord acting by them as meer Instruments in his hand without any purpose or intention on their part Exod. 21.13 2. What was this Priviledge namely security from the Avenger and a safe Judiciary Tryal if his Slaughter be found Chance-Medley The practice of Princes in protecting wilful Murderers is quite contrary to this Law of God much more the Pope's dispensing with such as if wiser than Solomon who saith A Man that doth Violence to the Bloud of any Person shall flee to the Pit let no Man stay him Prov. 28.17 God's Law is Draw such from the Altar to the Halter least the Land be Defiled with Bloud The Third Remark is How long they were to stay in those Cities and that was to the Death of the High-Priest Numb 35.25 Josh 20.6 then had he a Release after a long confinement which was his punishment for his carelesness c. because the High-Priest was a Type of Christ and so this Release was a shadow of our Redemption by the Death of Christ who was also Typed out by all those six Cities of Refuge 3 on this side Jordan and 3 on that if we run to this Rock for our Refuge we are safe Prov. 18.10 and none can pull us out of his and his Fathers hands Joh. 10.28 29. He is our best Sanctuary when pursued at the Heels by the Avenger of Blood Divine Justice and by the Guilt of our own Evil Consciences c. If we be in Christ the Rock Temptations and Oppositions do as the Waves dash upon us indeed but 't is to break themselves all asunder c. CHAP. XXI JOshua the Twenty first Is a Narrative of the Cities divided and given by Lot unto the Priests and Levites from ver 1. to ver 43. Hence the Remarks are First The Fathers of the Order of Aaron come and make their claim v. 1 2. when the whole Land was now distributed among the several Tribes which they could not do sooner for they were not forgotten in the foregoing division because they were to have their Cities and Inheritances out of the other several Tribes amongst whom they were to be dispers'd according to Jacob's Prophecy Gen. 49.7 that they might the more easily frequently and effectually as they were obliged teach Israel Gods Judgments Deut. 33.10 and that the People might upon all occasions resort to them for learning the sense of the Law of God Mal. 2.7 and they do not here refer themselves to the Charity and Devotion of the People for their Mantenance out of any free Gifts but they ground their claim upon the Command of God to Moses Numb 35.2 nor was this a General Command only of Cities and Suburbs to be given to them and the rest to be referr'd to the pleasure of the People but the number of those Cities are expresly named to be forty eight Cities and their Lands and Suburbs are exactly measured in their extent belonging to the Levites not for Tillage for the Levites were to have no such Employment Numb 18.20.24 but for Pasture Pleasure and other Country Commodities Besides all other means of their maintenance are precisely prescribed as being the portion which God had appropriated to himself and bestowed upon them as his Ministers that administred unto him that so they might not stand to the courtesie of the People but acknowledge the Lord alone to be their only Benefactor The Second Remark is The Children of Israel's readiness to
once Familiarity and Fear Familiarity with him in our Conversation and fear of him in his Commands God loves to be acquainted with Men in the Walks of their Obedience yet he takes state upon him in his ordinances and will be trembled at in his Word and Judgments Thus it is said of Christ Surely they will Reverence my Son Matth. 21.37 As the Ark of Gods presence and Hearers are all here and before the Lord to hear his word Act. 10.33 which ought to be trembled at then God will respect us Isa 66.2 There be many more Parities or Congruities follow to be spoke to in their proper place the Sixth whereof leads in The Fourth Remark which is As by the Ark of God the River Jordan was divided and dried up insomuch that the People went dry and safe over to Canaan So by the Son of God a most plain easy and ready way is made through the Horrours of Death for us to come safely to our Heavenly Canaan and Kingdom Psal 23.4 Heb. 10.19 20. This drying up of Jordan by the Ark approaching it Josh 3.13 was a wonderful work of God and much admired by the Psalmist Psal 11.4 3 5. The many circumstances of this miracle make it the more marvelous as 1. the Time when namely at such a time when Jordan overflowed all its Banks Josh 3.15 at the time of Barly Harvest This might be Natural 1 Chron. 12.15 as to Nilus and other Rivers caused by the melting of Snow which lieth all Winter upon the adjacent Mountains and is melted in their Harvest time by the Heat of the Sun Therefore the drying of it up when it was under its most dreadful innundation must needs be the more Supernatural Hereupon the Psalmist asks the Question what ailed thee oh thou Jordan that thou wast driven back c Psal 114.5 as if he had said what was the matter What power overpower'd thee Can there any natural reasons be rendred for it No it was God powerful presence thou saw that did affright thee and not only stop'd thee in thy natural course but also caused thee to run a Retrograde Motion as God chused this very time of an Innundation 1. that his powerful kindness to Israel might be more singular and the Miracle the more admirable when God will perform his promises of deliverance to his People no created Being can obstruct his Proceedings for all Creatures are Gods Servants Psal 119.91 and shall contribute their help and not hindrances 2. So it most highly commends the strong Faith of those Holy Priests that did first set their Feet upon those Waters while they so fearfully overflowed and ran with such a rapid fierce and strong Currant 3. and Lastly this time likewise gives the greatest illustration of Gods good providence toward his People in bringing them into the Land of their Enemies even in Harvest time when it was the best furnished with all necessary Provision both for the present and the following Year here one Sowed and another Reaped Joh. 4.37 The Second Circumstance that exalts this Miracle is The place where it was wrought what part of Jordan must be dried up for Israel's March over into Canaan No place of Jordan must serve but that part which was Right over against Jericho Josh 3.16 This was the place which God chose because 1. God would shew himself to be their Captain who would lead them over in safety there where there was a strong City a potent King and a valiant People 2. Because this wonderful wafting Israel over safely there would strike a greater terror upon the Hearts of their Enemies 3. To Signalize this very place call'd after Bethabara Trajectum or place of passage where John the Baptist did Baptize the Lord Jesus Joh. 1.28 c. Here Baptism was first Administred not without Divine Direction being fore-shadowed by Israel's passage through Jordan as before through the Red-Sea 1 Cor. 10.2 to signify that Christ is the true Beth-Abara or place of passage into our Heavenly inheritance Eph. 2.18 To which may be added 4. because this place led Israel to the most pleasant and fruitful part of Canaan and therefore the most convenient both for Israel's refreshment after their long and tedious Marches and for their encouragement to their present expedition The 3. Circumstance that makes this Miracle famous is The manner how this differ'd from the drying up of the Red-Sea for 1. That deliver'd them from the Egyptians but this led them into Canaan 2. In that the Waters stood up on each side as a wall in this the upper Waters only stood up on an heap the nether Waters were clean cut off as with a Sword Job 6.17 saith Tremellius and ran away into the Dead Sea 3. There the Waters were divided at the stretching out of Moses's Rod but this was done by the presence of the Ark of Gods presence Lastly this huge Heap of the upper Waters of Jordan did not fall all at once as the Red Sea did to drown the Egyptians but being Restrain'd by the power of God abated by little and little and brought to their ordinary course otherwise the Heap being higher than the Banks had drown'd all the Country by a sudden and entire Fall The Fourth Circumstance of this marvelous Miracle is The means whereby Israel was transported it was not by Bridges or by Boats c. but on Foot yet dry shod notwithstanding the vast Innundation which teacheth us that such as are Israelites indeed Joh. 1.47 Need not to fear their passage through Jordan the Agonies of a corporal Death having the Ark of Gods Covenant in their Eye to take possession of the Heavenly Canaan Eph. 2.18 The Fifth Remark is These Holy Priests that bare the Ark of the Lord stood betwixt the People and danger as a wall of Defence to them whether their station appointed them were either in the middle of Jordan as some say from vers 17. then they preserved them from fear of the Flood overflowing them in the midst of the River or if the Priests marched end-Ways through the River to the brink of it on the other side as others do interpret vers 8. lest the People should otherwise get before the Ark who were bid to follow after it then the Priests exposed themselves to the Peril of the Enemy who might be ready to hinder their Landing as Rationally could not but be expected In which case the Peril of those Holy Priests must needs be the greater because of their distance 2000 Cubits from the rest of the Army However understood it teacheth us That 't is the frequent State and Portion of Gospel-Ministers to be most exposed unto Peril from Persecutors whose constant Cry is smite the Shepherds and the Sheep be soon scattered c. Zech. 13.7 Oh pray for Pastors who bear the brunt and burden of the Day The Sixth and last Remark is Those whom God gives up to Destruction he first gives them over to Infatuation which is the English of
prescription and favourable presence of that God who can work what he pleaseth even by the most contemptible ways Secondly The Term of time unto which this Action was extended this compassing the City must be done every day once for six Days together but on the Seventh Day they must Surround it seven times successively ver 3.11 13 14 15 16. Israel walks their Circuit six times over for six Days and on each Day return into their Camp Re Infectâ nothing was effected in order to Jericho's Overthrow so long a time they are held in suspence for the exercise of their Faith and Patience Had they not taken the Seventh Turn upon the Seventh Day and made likewise Seven Circuits upon that Day Had they compass'd Jericho one Day less than Seven Days or one time less than seven upon the Seventh Day the Walls of Jericho had never fallen God will have the Condition of his Promise exactly observed before he will turn it into a performance Whence some observe That the Septenary number is much Nobilitated not only in Sacred but also in Profane Writings especially in such who had drawn any Doctrine of Divine things out of Moses Pentateuch as Cicero calls this Seventh Number Rerum omnium nodum the knot that ties up all things And that most Ancient Poet Linus calls it Cunctorum rerum originem the Original of the six sort of Created Beings 1. Angels 2. Elements 3. Inanimate Bodies Stones Metals 4. Plants which live but want sence and motion 5. Animate Brutes 6. Rational Man All those flow from God and return again to God as the Original Being of all And the Scripture saith when God had created all things in six Days he rested on the Seventh Day returning as it were into the Abyss of his own Eternity The Eleventh Remark But above all the Sacred Scriptures seem to put a great Veneration upon this Septenary Number both in this place and in many other places As 1. We have here seven Priests seven Trumpets seven Days seven times compassing the City and upon the Seventh Day seven times yea and frequently the number of seven is made use of in the Levitical Law Exod. 13.6 7. the Unleavened Bread was eaten seven Days Levit. 4.6.17 and 8.11 the Bloud was to be sprinkled seven times Levit. 8.35 and 16.14 Aaron at his Consecration must abide at the Tabernacle Door seven Days Levit. 12.2 the Mother of a Male Child was Unclean seven days Levit. 13.5 The Leper for his Tryal must be shut up seven days Levit. 14.8 He must tarry out of his Tent for his cleansing seven days Levit. 23.15 Seven Sabbaths for the Wave-offering Levit. 25.8 Seven Sabbath of Years for the Jubilee and Numb 8.2 Seven Lamps in the Tabernacle c. Moreover 't is said yet seven Days and the Floud shall come Gen. 7.4 And Abraham must have seven Lambs Gen. 21.28 29. And Noah waited seven days and other seven days Gen. 8.10 12. Jacob Served seven Years for Rachel Gen. 29.18 20. And Samson had seven Locks Judg. 16.13 And Samuel appointed Saul to stay for him seven Days 1 Sam. 10.8 and the Elders of Jabesh had seven Days respit 1 Sam. 11.3 And the Gibeonites hang'd seven Sons of Saul 2 Sam. 21.6 And Solomon observes this number of seven Years in building the Temple 1 Kings 6.38 And in many other things 2 Chron. 7.8 9. and Elisha prescribed Naaman to wash 7 times 2 King 5.10 c. In a word the time would fail me to mention more The Visions in the Revelations are represented under this Septenary Number as seven Seals seven Angels with seven Trumpets the seven Vials The Reason of such frequent use of this Number in Scripture may be supposed to be this because God was pleased to begin and to finish all things concerning the Worlds Creation in seven Days six whereof were destinated to the perfecting of the work it self in the six several parts of it as is above mentioned and the Seventh Day was appointed to be an Holy Rest wherein the Creator himself drew in that Emanation of his creating Power into himself as into a Resting of it and wherein his Creatures might after a certain manner partake with him of that Rest every Sabbath for his Glory and for their Good So that the Sabbath seems to be the Mystery of this Septenary Unity and God making the first Week to consist but of seven Days Hereupon the true measure of all time whether of Man's Life or of the Ages and Centuries of the World from its Creation to its Dissolution is nothing else but a continued Revolution of seven Days or Daniel's Weeks The Divine Poet saith Numero Deus impare gaudet God loves the odd Number therefore Seven is call'd the first Number because therein Heaven and Earth do meet together to wit God and his People upon the Sabbath Day 'T is the observation of a Cabalist that Three is the Father of all Numbers and Two is the Mother great with Child in Four which is its Square these two three and four make Seven till the Seventh Day no Sabbath not on the sixth or fifth c. This is the Day which the Lord hath made for God and Man to meet in and this Seventh Day here whereon Israel surrounded Jericho seven times was probably the Sabbath Day however one of the seven must be the Sabbath whereupon Marcion accuseth God of Inconstancy for requiring Israel to Rest on this day before but here to surround the City to whom Tertullian Answers Humane Works are forbid on the Sabbath not Divine and those are Divine Works which God commands That Law God laid upon Man and not upon himself God in this Case did dispense with his own Law The Twelfth Remark is the Consequents after all the before-mentioned Concomitants No sooner had God Cursed the City Ver. 17 18 19. and the Ark of God had compassed it seven times on the Seventh Day no sooner had the Priests sounded their Trumpets and the People shouted with a great shout but presently 1. The Walls of Jericho fell down flat to the ground ver 20. as God had foretold ver 5. which gave the Army of Israel an easie entrance into the City we must suppose that the Priests Sounding and the Peoples Shouting were the Triumph of their Trust in God for 't is call'd the Victory of Faith that made these Walls fall Hebr. 11.30 the Faith of Israel must needs be very strong here who could sing a Triumph now with so loud an Acclamation as if they had already got the Victory into their hands before they beheld the Walls to slide at all They were assur'd that God would perform what he had promised ver 5. nor may we imagine that all the Walls which Israel had compassed daily c. fell flat to the Earth but only that part which was now opposite to Israel's Army which was enough for their entrance at so wide and so prodigious a breach as entertained
Exod. 24.14 And we are told also that the Frantick People when mad of making a Golden Calf Exod. 32. did destroy this good old man because he would not comply with Aaron in promoting their Calf-Idolatry therefore we hear no more of him in Scripture-Record after that as we do of Moses and Aaron However Joshuah whom the Holy Ghost calleth in Greek Jesus Act. 7.45 Heb. 4.8 and whom Moses before that call'd his name Jesus or Oshea that is Saviour Numb 13.16 was a figure of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World both in his Name and Actions in fighting the Battels of the Lord and in bringing the Lord's People into the promised Canaan 'T is not Moses or the Law can do it The 3d. Remark is The Effects of this double manner Moses's precando and Joshua's praeliando This we have an account of When Moses held up his hands in Prayer Israel prevailed c. v. 11. Which shews that the power of Moses's Prayer prevailed more against their Enemies than did all the pushes of Israel's Pikes Moses orat vincit cessat vincitur saith Bucholcer Moses Prays and Conquers especially when Aaron and Hur joyn'd in Prayer with him N.B. In the Congregation where Saints are praying together with fervency of Faith there the Arrow Shield and Spear are broken Psal 76.2.3 Thus are the Peoples words to David 'T is better thou succour us out of the City 2 Sam. 18.3 interpreted that thy Prayers in the City shall prevail with God for our assistance in the Battel Thus Knox's prayers were more feared than ten thousand Souldiers and Gustavus said the greater our Army of Prayers are the greater be our Victories Prayer is the best of Duties if any duty be a penny this is a pound and such as with Peter have neither Silver nor Gold to pay Taxes with may yet pay the subsidy of Prayer pray for the peace of Sion c. Psal 122.6 God will honour Prayer because it honours God giving him the Glory of Victory as the Lord of Hosts and for these things God will be enquired Ezek. 36.37 Great Constantine after all his Victories would not as other Conquering Emperors be coined upon his current Money in a posture of Triumphing but Praying ascribing more to Prayer than to his Sword And David a Man of Prayer Psal 109.4 breaks through many Hosts in Conquest The 4th Remark is The various success of this Spiritual Engine Moses's Prayer his hands were heavy v. 12. so that he could neither bear up his Standard the Rod of God nor continue instant in Prayer Rom. 12.12 and then Amalek prevailed God would have the Victory to follow the lifting up or falling down of Moses's hands his gesture in Prayer to testifie that the Victory was only from God to whom Moses prayed His hands wax'd not heavy through old age being now 80 years old for 40 years after this when he was an 120. his natural strength was not abated Deut. 34.7 But it was from Humane infirmity which cannot hold out long in Spiritual Exercises It is a praise proper to God only that his hand is stretched out still but the best of Men are but Men at the best though the Spirit in them be willing yet the Flesh is weak Mat. 26.41 43. and cannot continue long intent in devotion beside there might be this mystery in it Moses hands waxed heavy to teach that the Law of Moses could bring nothing to perfection Heb. 7.19 However it plainly demonstrates that Prayer is not effectual unless it be fervent and constant When Moses's zeal and fervency abated then his heavy hands were let down and the Enemy got the better and won ground thus it is with us when we are made able to lift up our hearts and hands to God in prayer by a lively and fervent faith so long do we overcome our spiritual as well as temporal Enemies but when our faith flaggs and faints our zeal and devotion abate then they prove prevalent therefore 't is dangerous to faint in Prayer Gal. 6.9 Luke 18.1 2 3. be importunate c. the Prayer of the Righteous avails much to which is added if it be fervent Jam. 5.16 Alass God may complain our Spirits are not stedfast Psal 78.7 37. nor our hearts fixed on God as Psal 57.7 and 108.1 and 112.7 The 5th Remark is The Means whereby Moses was supported in a steady posture of Prayer 'till Amalek was discomfited they took aâ— stone and put it under him c. Moses was wearied both ways both with standing so long and with holding up his hands all that time therefore First They put under him a Stone to sit upon Under which similitude of a Stone Christ is oft signified Isa 28.16 Psal 118.22 1 Pet. 2.4 Zech. 3.9 upon whom our weak faith is supported in prayer and by whose Spirit our infirm Spirits are sustained therein Joh. 14.13 14 16 17. Rom. 8.26 and Secondly Aaron and Hur on each side upheld his hands in a steady posture who well resembled Faith and Patience sustaining our heavy hearts in praying work 't were well if we could say Lo here these two Graces are as Revel 13.10 and 14.12 contributing their assistance and vigour to our duty of Prayer No doubt saith Calvin but Aaron and Hur did not only hold up Moses's hands but also joyned with him their earnest Prayers It may hold forth Mystically that the grace of the Gospel was represented by the Stone whereon Moses sate for by it the Law of Moses was fulfilled and likewise Morally how godly Ministers ought to animate and assist one another in the exercises of piety Distance and division greatly hinders prayer Yea and Doctrinally that he who endureth to the end shall be saved Mat. 24.13 To all which may well be added as Moses the Prophet Hur the Prince and Aaron the Priest thus concur'd to discomfit Amalek upon the fortieth day after their coming out of Egypt All three put together are a Type of Christ who on the fortieth day after his Resurrection ascended into the Mount of Heaven where as our Prophet Priest and Prince he holds up the hands of intercession for his Church Militant while she fights here below with Spiritual Amalek Antichrist Sin World Flesh and Devil c. The 6th Remark is the event and issue of all which was not only Amalek's present discomfiture but also God's Decree to root him up for the future as Rab Eliezer saith out of this World and out of the World to come v. 13 14. This is testified not only by Recording God's Decree in this Pentateuch the most Ancient Book that is extant in the World But also Secondly By Moses's Altar call'd Jehovah Nissi the Lord is my Banner ver 15. which was both a lasting monument of God's mercy in that first Victory and of his Decree against Amalek from Age to Age and Thirdly God lays his hand upon his own Throne swearing to accomplish this Decree because Amalek's hand was lifted up
evil Ghost and overtake them in the punishment as it did Gen. 44.34 and after Isa 59.12 Hereupon the two Tribes unanimously renew their Promise and Covenant shewing thereby their Faith in God and love to their Brethren they were resolved to be in the fore-front of the Battel with their lives in their hands against so many and mighty Enemies of Canaan leaving their weak Families behind them to the Lord's protection N.B. Thus the matter was adjusted betwixt them and Moses yet was it not accomplished under Moses's Ministry figuring that the Law should make nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope Heb. 7.19 it was fulfilled under Joshua who dealt favourably with those two Tribes and did not take all their able Warriours according to the strict letter of their Covenant v. 21. but only forty thousand of them Josh 4.12 13. which was not half of their military number as appeareth by their last muster Numb 26.2 7 18 34. the over-plus of the forty thousand staid behind to guard their weak Families The Fifth Remark concerns the half Tribe of Manasseh whereof no mention is made untill v. 33. where they are named either First Because they joyned themselves to the Petitioners looking upon the Land of Og and Sihon to be too large for the two Tribes only or Secondly Because those Sons of Manasseh shewed much faith and fortitude in conquering Gilead v. 39. and 't is said of Machir the Son of Manasseh that he was a man of war therefore he had Gilead and Bashan Josh 17.1 Thirdly Because this half Tribe abounded with Cattel as did the other two Tribes This half Tribe had also their Inheritance given them upon the like condition with the former two Tribes Josh 4.12 And the Inheritances of all the three was not only Moses's Donation but it had also the Lord's approbation as 't is said the Lord hath given it you Deut. 3.18 The Sixth Remark is Musakkoth Shem Hebr. The changing of the names of those Cities which the two Tribes and half conquered v. 38. for those Amorites on this side Jordan to fill up their Iniquity Gen. 15.16 called their Cities by the Names of the Idols which they Worshipped such as Nebo Isa 46.1 Baal Judg. 6.31 which the Lord would not have to be mentioned by his People Exod. 23.13 Psal 16.4 therefore their names were changed Beside 't is common for Conquerors to change the name of Conquered Cities and Countries to commend their Conquests and their own Names and Fames to Posterity But Jerom's saying absit abore Christiano ut sonet Jupiter Omnipotens Mehercule c. Magis portenta quam Numina is grounded upon the first Reason Heathenish Gods no nor Popish Idols should not be mentioned so honourably by the mouths of Christians yet those old Idolatrous names were revived and retained especially when Israel did degenerate Judg. 13.17 Isa 15.2 Ezek. 25.9 and so it is with us c. The Thirty Third Chapter being the next of Numbers affords some few Remarks The First is Here begins the 43d Lecture of the Law call'd the Journeys which were 42 in number from Egypt to Jordan figuring the Churches unsettled estate under Moses's Law that brings not to rest Deut. 12.9 as the Gospel of the Messias doth Heb. 4 3. Isa 33.20 Heb. 12.27 28. as Moses reckons up 42 removings from Egypt to Canaan so Matthew reckons up 42 Generations from Abraham to Christ Mat. 1. by whom we have entrance into Heaven All those manifold Stations wherein Israel met with manifold Exercises as Hunger Thirst Fiery Serpents Plague c. shew us that through manifold Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 N.B. The Jews do miserably comfort themselves that these 42 Journeys are so distinctly described by Moses to make out the hope of their Redemption by the Messiah yet to come after their long wandrings and that they shall then return into their Promised Land 't were well they would more mind what their own Rabbi Moses Hadarschan most truly saith the true Redeemer was born before He was born that reduced Israel into this last Captivity The last of those Mansions was Abel-Shittim v. 49. so called from their woeful bewailing the sad plague Numb 25.6 The Second Remark is The Command of God for Israel's destroying all the Idols and the Idolaters also out of the Land of Promise from v. 51 to the end And this Command is back'd with a grievous Commination If you dare be sparers of any of them know that those spared will not spare you no not your tenderest parts your eyes to which they will be pricks v. 55. and they will gore your sides also with the sharpest Weapons without either measure or mercy The troubles which those spared Jebusites brought upon Israel are set forth in the Book of the Judges in the History of Jabin Sisera and others N.B. No less pernicious are those spared Jesuites to those Christian States that harbour them An Interpreter saith here Shall we suffer those Vipers to lodge in our bosoms 'till they eat out our bowels This extirpating Command of rooting out those cursed Jebusites is oft repeated by God Exod. 23.33 Deut. 7.1 2 5. and again Deut. 12.2 3. no less will be the preserved Jesuites but pricking Briars and grieving thorns Ezek. 28.24 to the Souls and Bodies of the Church of God as Psalm 106.34 35 36. Nor ought it to be objected Why did not God command Israel to endeavour the Conversion of those Gentiles rather than their confusion and utter extirpation Answer Because 1. The time of persuading Japhet to come over to the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 that is of propagating the true Worship of God in the way of the Gospel was not now come 2. Because these Canaanites were the cursed Offspring of Cham and therefore to be cut off lest Israel should be harmed by any sinful Society with such notorious Sinners their Land did spue them out and God who is the true proprietary of all Lands gave it to Israel which was divided by Lot to all the Tribes Numb Chap. 34. and a portion for the Levites and Cities of Refuge Chap. 35. and the inconveniency of alienating the Inheritances of Daughters was remedied by their Marrying in their own Tribe hence the Daughters of Zelophehad Married their Uncle's Sons lest their Inheritance should be removed from their Tribe Chap. 36. All which Divine Commands must certainly corroborate Israel's confidence of a Conquest of Canaan seeing all these Orders were given as if Israel had been now in present possession of the Land already c. Now come we to the last Book of Moses call'd Deuteronomy in Greek signifying the Second Edition of the Law and unto the last two Months of Moses's Life and the two last Months of Israel's forty years wandring in the Wilderness This Book doth plainly appear to be a Rehearsal and Explanation of those Laws God gave Israel mentioned in the three former Books
Light and Truth of the Gospel Till then the Tribe of Levi prayed for and preached to the People And because Ministers shall be sure to have many Enemies for so doing therefore must the People pray for them and if Man will not Right them Light being offensive to sore Eyes c. God himself will by striking through the Loins of those that injure them v. 11. as Korah Dathan and Abiram were done to Levi had no Portion but the Lord who therefore was their Avenger The 5th Remark is the Publick Exercise of Religion promised to Benjamin ver 12. who had been his old Father's Darling Gen. 42.4 and now must become a Darling to God himself Benjamin must live by Levi because the Temple wherein the Levites ministred stood upon Mount Moriah in the Tribe of Benjamin being the Northern Part of Jerusalem though the Southern Part wherein Mount Sion stood belonged to Judah's Tribe The Valley of Millo betwixt those two Hills Mount Sion and Moriah being filled up and made plain by Solomon whereby those two Hills might seem to be but one and the greater communicating its Name to the lesser hereupon God is said Synechdochically to dwell upon Mount Sion Thus Benjamin did dwell betwixt the two Shoulders of the Lord those two Holy Hills from both sides of the Temple as the Head on the Body The 6th Remark is the Blessing of Joseph in both his Sons Ephraim and Manasseh wherein is promised 1. A Confluence of all Creature-comforts from Earth and Heaven ver 13 14 15 16. and 2. A most potent Kingdom ver 17. Moses prays here that the Sun with its warmth and the Moon with its moisture may make Joseph's Land fruitful and that the Messiah who appeared to him in the Bush Exod. 3.2 might both preserve Joshuah of Joseph's Tribe in his Wars as the Bush in the Flame and bless him with a Conquest over Canaan as with the Horn of an Vnicorn c. The 7th and 8th Remarks relate to Zabulon and Issachar both Sons of Leah whom Moses joins together in one Blessing ver 18 19. to whom he promiseth vast Treasures by Sea-Traffick Zabulon was foretold to dwell by the Sea Shore Gen. 49.13 Issachar had also some Cities by the Sea side though they mostly delighted in a quiet Country Life of feeding Sheep and tilling the Ground from whence they sucked in prodigious Profits Both those Tribes shall not forget to return their Praises to God from whom they received all those Profits They shall call the People to the Mount of God The 9th Remark respecteth Gad to whom is promised 1. most renowned Victories ver 20. and 2. a most Reverend Prophet to Spring out of that Tribe to wit Elijah the Thisbite ver 21. who executed the Lord's Vengeance upon Baal's Priests 1 Kings 18. as likewise of a most resolute Prince namely Jehu of this Tribe who furiously poured forth God's Fury upon the Idolatrous House of Ahab c. 2 Kings 9 and 10. Chap. And though this Tribe had their Portion on this side Jordan where their Law-giver Moses had his Lot to die and be buried in yet were they as couragious as any to conquer Canaan for their Brethren Numb 32.23 29 33. 1. Chro. 12.8 and 5.18 to 22. The 10th Remark relateth to Dan to whom Military Prowess is promised ver 22. who is by Jacob called a Serpent Gen. 49.17 for his subtil and secret surprizing of his Adversaries But here by Moses he is likened to a Lion that lurketh in Bashan the Place where Lions were bred and suddenly jumped upon their Prey that passed by So Dan jumped suddenly on Laish Josh 18. The 11th Remark concerneth Naphthali to whom is promised all sorts of Prosperity even to full satisfaction ver 23. For they laying upon the Sea and trading with Tyre Sidon c. could not well want the most contentful Provisions both for quantity and quality more especially coming with the Favour of God to them There the light of God's Favour in Christ appeared Matth. 4.13.16 The 12th and last Remark upon the Tribes is on Asser or Ashur ver 24 25. to whom is promised a plentiful Portion both above Ground for Fruits and under Ground for Metals together with Multitudes of Children This Tribe had now 53 Thousand and four hundred Men of War Numb 26.47 and is farther promised That while their Days lasted their Strength should last also As Moses was lusty in his old Age Deut. 34.7 The third Part of Deut. 33. is the Epilogue or Conclusion wherein Moses gives 1st a graphical Character of the high Praises of the most high God both in his own Nature and Majesty ver 26 27. and in his transcendent loving kindness to his People Israel ver 28. and 2dly shuts up all with a most elegant Epiphonema which is Eucharistical ver 29. Remarks hereon are 1st This Conclusion concerneth all the Tribes of Israel in general unanimously celebrating the Glory of God in his goodness to his Church in the Wilderness they all partaking thereof to their everlasting Happiness Jeshurun the Chaldee explains it Israel and the Greek translates it Beloved Or it comes of Jashar Hebr. Righteous for they were beloved of God and righteous in his Eyes Yet soon they lost their Uprightness and kicked against God like a Shar Hebr. Bullock or young Mule qui matrem suis regratulatur calcibus that kicks his Dam after he hath suck'd her Dugs Deut. 32.15 The 2d Remark is God was an All-sufficient Succour to Israel while they retained their Uprightness God riding upon the Heavens ver 26. was an evidence of Triumph 2 Sam. 22.11 Hab. 3.8 Revel 6.2 and 19.11 16. having all the Celestial Creatures for his Cavalry or Horsemen and all the Terrestrial for his Infantry or Footmen What Foe can stand before him and his c. The third Remark is the Safety of the Church under such a Protector the Ancient of Days is their Refuge ver 27. Their Protection is both above and below them a Child of God cannot fall so far as to fall below the everlasting Arms of God Cant. 2.6 much less can all his Children Christ destroyeth the Devil that hath the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 and with him all their Enemies are destroyed The fourth Remark is God's Church is a People separated from the World that lays in Wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 They dwell alone ver 28. Numb 23.9 they mingle not with the Heathen nor meddle with their Worship or Manners Esth 3.8 being a peculiar Treasure to God Exod. 19.5 Tit. 2.14 having a better Fountain to feed on than the broken Cisterns of the World No Foe shall Usurp their place The fifth and last Remark from the Epiphonema is God's People are the World's Paragons None-such ver 29. such as the World is not worthy of Heb. 11.38 in their having Ossensive as well as Defensive Armour whereby they pull down the strong holds of Satan 2 Cor. 10.4 5. As 't is God's Glory to tread
2 3 7. 3. Their deliverance from that danger by whom and by what means vers 4 5 16. 4 The Intelligence they received there concerning the Universal Consternation both of Jericho and of all the Region round about it vers 8 9 10 11. 5 The Covenant they made with their Hostess for saving her Life and the Lives of her Relations found in her House vers 12 13 14 16 18 19 20. 6. Their Dismission from Jericho and safe Escape vers 15 16 21. 7. Their returning in safety to Joshua in Shittim with good tidings vers 22 23 24. This Sevenfold History containeth a manifold Mystery and meaning to be discoursed upon orderly in sundry Remarks The First is upon Joshua's Mission of the Spies to Jericho This was Joshua's First Pious and Politick Exploit Some object against this Act saying How could this be well done by Joshua when the same Act in Moses had such evil success Numb 13.3 c. and 14.1 c. Beside Joshua should have Acquiesced in the bare Promise of God for Performance c. Answer in General There is much difference betwixt Moses and Joshua's Mission of Spies both in the Actors Motives and in the the Manner and end For 1. In the first Mission the People made the first motion of it unto Moses out of their Fear and Distrust not from the Lord who commanded them immediately to go up without dread or discouragement Deut. 1.19 21 24. Moses upon the People's importunity consults with God who seeing they would not be satisfied without it permits it to be done but afterwards punisheth it with a sad success whereas in the 2. Mission Joshua acted alone without the People but undoubtedly with advice from God who had promised to be present with him in all his Enterprizes Josh 1.9 tho' not recorded in Circumstances as those of Gideon were Judg. 6.36 39. and 7.2 4 5 7 9. All wonderful condescensions in God to Man Secondly In Moses's Mission there were 12 Spies out of every Tribe one not only because it was done primarily and principally at the Instigation of all the Tribes but also because they were to search the whole Land in a time of deep security Beside Those 12. proved too many by ten for only two kept tight to their integrity the other ten did much mischief among the People at their Return But in Joshua's Mission two were enough to keep Counsel to search secretly and that but a small space of Ground no Man knew of their Mission save Joshua and themselves and notwithstanding all this privacy they had much adoe to secure themselves in that City the People of the Land being now alarm'd and awakened Thirdly In Moses's Mission the 12 Spies being publickly sent forth gave an Account at their Return to the whole Congregation Numb 13.26 which was the cause of their murmuring and Rebellion But in Joshua's Mission the 2 Spies being sent out privately gave an Account of their hazardous expedition to Joshua alone Josh 2.23 24. Fourthly In Moses's Mission the People prompted the sending of the 12 Spies from a distrustful fear and depending more on their own prudence and policy than on the precious promise and powerful Providence of God as plainly appeareth by the Consequences thereof but Joshua like a prudent General sent out his 2 Spies to view the Fortifications of the City and the Fortitude of the Citizens that he might the better manage his Siege against it yet not without due dependance upon Divine Assistance in the use of means Fifthly Tho' it be objected that it was Joshua's duty to depend upon God's Promise to deliver up the Land yet had it been no better than a tempting of God in Joshua to neglect the means Our Faith is never so strong as not to need farther confirmation as appeareth in the Instance of Gideon aforesaid nor doth assurance of the end occasion us to neglect the means conducing to the end in subserviency to Gods providence this rather causeth us to use them with more confidence and comfort The second Head of discourse upon those Spies sent out by Joshua is the peril they passed in their Spying work with Remarks upon it As 1. The Hebrew Doctors take upon them to tell us the names of those two Spies calling them Caleb and Phineas who did hazard their Lives in searching Jericho c. Wherein the Weal both of the State and of the Church of Israel ran a desperate Riscue for Caleb was a Pious Prince as appeared by his former Faithfulness in Moses's Mission of him Numb 14.24 c. And Phineas was a Pious Priest Psal 106.33 The loss of those 2 Men of figure had been a great loss to Israel The second Remark is Their danger was desperate for the Spies themselves were Spied by some of the Citizens which gave an Alarm to the whole City Those two Spies passing over the Fords of Jordan mentioned Josh 2.7 and Judg. 3.28 and 12.5 came by a Divine instinct in the twilight unto Rahabs House supposed a Victualling-house the most convenient Hiding-place for them because her House was nigh to the Gate and stood upon the Walls of the City from the high Roof of which the Spies had a fair Prospect both of the City and of the Country adjoyning Tho' they slip'd in so secretly as they could before the Gates were shut yet was there a Watch set at the Gate because a powerful Adversary was not far from them who took notice of those two suspicious Persons gave notice of it to the King who evermore hath long Ears and who immediately upon this Universal Alarm sent to seize the Spies at Rahabs House Josh 2.1 2 3. This could not but break their Sleep tho' wearied with their long Walk and their Rest not so long as that of the Ark in the midst of Jordan after Josh 3.13 The third Head of discourse upon those Spies is Their deliverance from this imminent danger by whom and by what The first Remark is upon the Person who delivered the two Spies Rahab tho' she had been an Harlot as the word Zona signifies and as she is called Heb. 11.31 and Jam. 2.25 heretofore yet now was become a true Convert being furnished with the graces both of Faith and Repentance As the two Scriptures afore quoted do give an account of her Faith in entertaining the Spies in Peace so her whole discourse with those Spies did demonstrate her to be a true penitent She doth not only abstain from doing any Injury her self unto those Spies but was also faithful to them in not treacherously betraying them to the Kings Pursevants that came to catch them which could not be had she not been a true Convert Besides tho' the word Zonah doth signify an Harlot as before yet it signifies an Hostess or Victualler one that dresseth and selleth Meat so Lzun and Zona are used for Meat Dan. 4.12 and Psal 144.13 and this probably was Rahabs profession which was a Trade Infamous among the
Honey God will not be too prodigal of his favours in too lavishingly expending them and thereby exposing them to be scorn'd as superfluous things The Seventh Remark is The appearance of the Son of God to his Servant General Joshua verse 13. To the end where we have a whole Bundle of very Remarkable Marks As 1. This Apparition was no created Angel for then he had not admitted of Adoration Revel 19.10 and 22.9 but is called Jehova Josh 6.2 The Son of God who oft appeared to the Sons of men as Preludes to his Incarnation He was oft in carne before he was ex carne saith Tertullian from his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love to Men Tit. 3.4 Luke 2.14 His delight being among the Sons of Men Prov. 8.31 as after his Resurrection he appeared to Mary Magdalen in the the form of a Gardner Joh. 20. and to the two Disciples Travelling to Emmaus in the form of a Traveller Luk. 24. so here before his incarnation in the form of a Captain as the matter did require And that at with a drawn Sword in his Hand vers 13. Oh pray that Christ may never lay down or Sheath this Sword which he first drew at the first enmity Gen. 3.16 for there begins the Book of the Wars of the Lord for the defence of his Church until all the Enemies thereof yea the last of them namely Death be destroyed Secondly Mark here Joshua's Courage in daring to approach an◠Armed Man and no doubt of a most Majestick countenance not knowing whether he might not be a Foe and that some Ambuscade might be laid to entrap him and to cut him off while alone this shews how bravely God had qualify'd Joshua for a General of his Army Thirdly Such as be found doing their Duty and keeping within Christ's Precincts they shall not only have Christ's Protection but his Presence also that Joshua was doing his Duty in the Fields of Jericho may not be doubted some say he was Praying there others that he was Meditating there assuredly he was like a good General viewing the ground and where was the fittest place to attempt Jericho Sure I am he was not asleep there for 't is said He lift up his Eyes c. to shew that his Vigilancy was equal to his Valour Fourthly The Eternal Son of God when daringly asked by Joshua who he was and whom he was for Answered verse 14. That he was neither Israelite nor Canaanite but Chief General both of the Host of Angels which fight for the Church Dan. 10.13 21. Revel 12.7 and 19.11 14. and of the Host of Israel whom I am come to assist against all their Enemies and to give thee directions by what means Jericho shall be conquered Fifthly Christ's discovery of himself suddenly changeth Joshua's daring confidence while he thought him a mere Man into a most humble and Awful Reverence of God's glorious presence insomuch that he falls down flat upon his Face to the Ground before him and declaring withal how ready he was to obey his Divine commands Sixthly Christ's 1st command to him was loose of thy Shoes verse 15. which was used to express the highest Degree of Humiliation under Gods severest Dispensations 2 Sam. 15.30 Isa 20.2 4. Ezek. 24.17 23. Thus Moses Exod. 3.4 and Joshua here to express their own nothingness before the Lord not for any inherent Holiness in the place for it was but common ground when Christ was gone and to make Joshua more attentive to his commands Josh 6.2.3 c. CHAP. VI. JOsh The 6th relateth the overthrow of Jericho where we have 1. Its Antecedents 2. Its Concomitants and 3. Its consequents The Antecedents 1. Are the Terror upon the Townsmen vers 1. in shuting up their Gates not by night only as before Josh 2.5 but by Day also keeping them constantly shut from all Egress and Regress 2. The Lord's Appearance both instructing and comforting Joshua in taking the City both safely and easily verse 2 3 4 5. 3. Joshua's faithfulness in declaring Gods Commands both to the Priests verse 6. and to the People how and when they should compass Jericho in verse 7. Sound the Trumpets and make a General Shout verse 10.16 4. The obedience of both Priests and People to the Lords Commands both Generally verse 8.9 11. and specially in all the seven days verse 12 13 14. 5. The Anathema or Curse of God upon all Man and Beast in it verse 17 18. excepting 1. Persons as Rahab and her kindred verse 17. and 2. Things as Mettals and what were made thereof verse 19. Secondly The Concomitants of Jericho's overthrow as 1. when and upon what day of its compassing verse 15. 2. by what means namely by the sounding of the Trumpets and by the Shoutings of the People verse 20. Thirdly The Consequents are 1. The Destruction of all living Creatures in it verse 21. 2. The Preservation of Rahab with her Family verse 22 23. and 25. 3. The Conflagration of the City verse 24. 4. The Rebuilding of it Cursed verse 26. The Curse fulfilled 2. Kings 6.34 5. Joshua's fame by this noble fact was spread abroad verse 27. This is the logical Analysis or Resolution now the Theological Remarks or Observations The First Remark is The Signification of the Name Jericho the Etymology whereof is Twofold 1. Jericho is derived of Jarach which signifies the Moon because this City was built in the form of an Half-Moon now Decrasing and weaning away yea just entring into a total Eclypse and that which was worst of all Gods direful Curse is denounced against that Man who durst endeavour to help this Moon to a new Increase and renewing of her Horns Josh 6.26 Or 2. 't is derived of Reiach which fignifies to smell sweetly for the fragrancy of the Balsoms Opo Balsamum Karpo Balsamum Xulo Balsamum All which did most happily abound about that City The more mercies that they did and we do enjoy the greater was theirs and is our condemnation when those excellent mercies God gives us are not rightly improved The Second Remark is The Situation of this City it was a Frontier Town near Jordan upon the Skirts of Canaan and opposite to Jerusalem Luke 10.30 In the Travellers Journey tho' he went the wrong way for he should have travelled from Jericho this cursed City unto Jerusalem call'd the Holy City Joshua here first assaults this Frontier City He travelling the right way will not leave this City as a nest of Rebels unsubdued behind him but he levels Jericho that he might the better march on to Jerusalem Oh that our Joshua or Jesus may not leave a nest of Spiritual Enemies behind unsubdued to hinder our March towards that Blessed Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4.26 The Third Remark is The Fortification of it If those Threescore Cities which Moses conquer'd on the other side Jordan were all fenced with High Walls Gates and Bars Deut. 3.4 5. How much more were those many Cities within Canaan on this
side Jordan fortified but most of all this Frontier-City Jericho If the Male-content Spies gave this General Account of those Cities that they were all walled up to Heaven Numb 13.28 Deut. 1.28 and so strengthened with the Anakim Gyants that there was no possibility of a Conquest How much more may it be imagined that this Frontier Garrison must be most of all unconquerable Moreover it was shut up and better shut up as Sogereth Vmesuggereth Heb. verse 1. signifies claudens clausa erat They did shut up themselves so that no Citizen could get out and they were so shut up the Chaldee adds with Iron Gates which were Barr'd up with Bars of Brass that no Israelite could get in as the two Spies had done before Josh 2.1 5. This was attended with careful watching and strenuous guarding for fear of a sudden surprize from the approaching Army These things could not but be discouragements to Joshua c. The Fourth Remark is The Downfal and Destruction of this seeming impregnable City now comes the Son of God with Encouragements to Joshua verse 2. And with particular Directions about the means and the manner how it should be effected vers 3 4 5. The scope of Christ's counsel in the General unto General Joshua whose Hope as some supposed seem'd to flag at the sight of such an impregnable place was to give him assurance of an unexpected Victory and tho' he could not have confidence enough to assault and to storm this strong City by force of Arms yet should it certainly be conquered by the Force of Faith As it is said expressly to be Heb. 11.30 for there is no Power or Policy against the Lord Prov. 21.30 even against that Lord of Hosts who now stood with Joshua before Jericho and who had now told him That the Town should surely be taken Exod. 15.3 Psal 24.8 9. The Fifth Remark is The means whereby this strong City was subdued And 1. Negatively not by Arms or Engines we read not here that any Mount was raised any Sword was drawn save only that of the Son of God Josh 5.13 or any Pioneers employed to undermine the Walls of Jericho yet the Walls did fall and that with a Witness yea with a vengeance almost round about the City without any battering Rams to beat any part of it down 2. Positively the means were twofold 1. Outward and 2. Inward 1. the outward means were the sounding of Rams Horns and the Ark of the Lord compassing the City 1. Rams Horns must be sounded verse 4 5. They had Silver Trumpets Numb 10.2 c. It may be asked Why did not Christ command here that these should be sounded seeing Trumpets made of Rams Horns were rather ridiculous to Carnal Reason than laudable Instruments of War as Battering Rams are c. The Sixth Remark is The Answer to the Objection 't is thus answer'd It must be Rams Horns for many Reasons 1. To let Israel know that God loves to go away by himself as being the most free Agent tho' the Silver Trumpets of the Sanctuary might seem to have graced the Action more and to bring along with them more Authority for confirming Israel's confidence of success yet God worketh his will by such means as the World looks upon with scorn and Derision God oft confoands things that are by things that are not 1 Cor. 1.28 Christ healed the Blind by clay and Spittle which were more likely to put out Eyes c. And the Jaw-Bone of an Ass in Samson's Hand laid heaps upon Heaps and all this to signify that the excellency of those Divine Miracles might not be ascribed to the Efficacy of the means but to the infinite power of God 'T is no matter what is the instrument where the Lord is pleased to become the Principal Agent The 2d Reason Those Rams Horns must Signify the Gospel-Ministry which is enough contemptible to the World yet how did God's presence with those Poor Fishermen make Satan fall from Heaven like lightening Luke 10.18 Of the like efficacy it is still in us Earthen Vessels poor Oyster-shells Greek to cast him down from his Heaven of Mens Hearts that the excellency of the Power might be of God and not of us 2. Cor. 4.7 The 3d. Reason was To signify that as this literal Jericho did fall by the sounding of Rams Horns so shall mystical Jericho or Babylon fall by the preaching of the Gospel The Breath of Christ's Mouth and the brightness of his coming shall destroy Antichrist 2 Thes 2.8 and the Angels sounding out the Everlasting Gospel then follows the other Angel Proclaiming the fall of Babylon Revel 14.6.8 And this Cry is doubled Babylon is fallen is fallen both here and in Revel 18.2 which is borrowed from Isa 21.9 spoke there of literal Babylon and doubled also to shew that as that did so this mystical Babylon shall fall certò citò penitùs certainly speedily and utterly as this cursed Jericho did at this time And Babylon hath the same curse upon it that Jericho had it shall never be built again Isa 25.2 Babylon is falen is fallen 't is spoke in the present tense assuring us that it shall so surely fall as if we had seen it already falen it is now fallen culpably and it shall as certainly fall penally Gods decree for it stands as firm as a Mountain of Brass Zech. 6.1 it is fallen already both in its Doctrine and in its Dominion 't is fall'n at this time in its Credit and in its Revenues Oh that our Gospel Angels may sound their Trumpets Soundly Stoutly and Loudly that the Walls of Babylon tho' Fifty Cubits Thick and two Hundred Cubits High as History relateth may tumble down according to the Prophecy Jerom. 50.15 and 51.8 44 58. Isa 13 19. to the end and 21.9 and 25.2 and 34.5 6. c. Babylon's Walls begin to shake already and Christ is come to divide the spoil with the strong Pope Turk and Devil Isa 53.12 and hath divided these Babylonians or Babel Builders to wage war one against another c. The Seventh Remark relateth unto the second outward means namely The Ark of the Covenant must be carried to compass the City vers 4.11 12 13. The Armed Men and Priests with their Trumpets going before it and all the People following after it for the Re-reward or Gathering Host As God's presence in the Cloudy Pillar had magnified Moses by dividing the Red-Sea before him So the Lord's Presence with the Ark of the Testimony must magnity Joshua as Moses's Successor not only by dividing Jordan as before but also by throwing down the strong Walls of Jericho Thus the presence of the Ark of God used to be an assurance of Israels Victories afterwards as a Visible Sign of Gods presence with them therefore they carried it into the Field with their Armies as appeareth 1 Sam. 14.18 and 2 Sam. 11.11 It s presence had been succesful in former times as in their War against the Meidianites
Numb 31.6 as here in the siege of Jericho but its Absence had been fatal to them Numb 14.44 45. Tho' its Presence was successful to such as stood on good Terms with God yet was it not so to those Carnal Confidents 1 Sam. 4.3.4 5 6. who made an Idol of its Wood and an Antidote for their own wickedness the Ark was present at which they Triumph'd before and without a Victory as the Philistines trembled without any cause but God was not Present not as a Friend saith Josephus but as an Enemy they trusted more in the bare sign of Gods Presence than in the sure Promises of God to be apprehended Alas What was the Ark without the God of the Ark And What are Ordinances of God without the God of those Ordinances Those profligate Priests and People cried the Ark shall save us But David did better tho' he sent the Ark into Joab's Camp before Rabbah 2 Sam. 11.11 yet sent he it back to Jerusalem when he fled with a slender Army from Rebellious Absolom and when he never more needed the comfort of its presence 2 Sam. 15.25 26. well knowing that God could save without it as well as with it relying more upon Gods powerful Presence which was the substance and would be a Sanctuary to him in his banishment Ezek. 11.16 than upon the Ark which was but a sign and shaddow of it The Eighth Remark concerneth 2. The inward Means which is Faith affirmed Hebr. 11.30 both in Joshua the General and in the Priests and People tho' many other Graces were here Acted as Vnanimity Patience Constancy c. yet no Grace is named by the Apostle there save only the Grace of Faith because that is the Mother-Grace which quickens all the other her Daughters nor was this an Historical or a Miraculous Faith like that Mat. 21.21 22. of removing Mountains tho' a Miracle was wrought by it but it was a saving Faith for that is the Faith which our Apostle discourseth upon there Or did this Faith effect so great a work as it was a justifying Faith only but as it laid hold 1. on Gods precept Josh 6.1 and then on Gods promise vers 5. So that in this Act of Faith there was not only Obedience to Gods precept but also a firm Dependance upon Gods Promise first made to Abraham of giving Canaan to his Seed and now renewed to them Tho' the outward means as the blowing of Rams Horns seemed never so childish and contemptible to Carnal Reason yet when Faith as the inward means doth make use even of scorned ways because they are Divinely prescribed then doth the Soul mind its Duty and soon finds Gods Mercy as here when second causes are weakest then should our Faith be strongest if a Divine Warrant be but our prop and bottom Thus Sarah's Womb being dead required a more lively Faith Rom. 4.16 17 18 19 20 c. are the means we make use of either in sacred or secular affairs the very appointments of God then ought we to wait in them by Faith tho' they be never so mean expecting a Blessing of success from him that appointed them Faith in Gods promise is the foundation of Prayer and Prayer is the fervency of Faith when we can turn Gods precepts and promises into prayers Casting our burden upon the Lord by Faith then God will turn them into performances that we may be sustained Psal 55.22 Moreover Faith is such a God-pleasing Grace Hebr. 11.6 That God oft Honoureth it with doing those things which his own power and not our Faith performeth as here it was Gods Power and not Israels that overthrew Jericho's Walls appropriating Faith makes that which is Gods to become ours c. The Ninth Remark respecteth the Manner namely compassing about it seven Days c. This is not the manner of Conquerers to walk round a besieged City only but to assault and storm it This manner may be considered 1. As to its posture and 2. As to its extent First The Posture was a walking posture as it had no direct or probable Tendency for subduing the City so it likewise seemed Ridiculous to the Rude Citizens who might well scoffingly say What are these foolish People doing Have they not had a walk long enough for forty Years in the Wilderness that now they have a new walk round about our Walls and that once every Day for six days together They desire indeed to possess our City but they may compass it long enough before that posture can conquer it c. besides this posture seem'd Perilous as well as Ridiculous for though at that time they had no Guns as now yet had they Engines to throw great Stones at a great distance wherewith Archimedes frighted the Romans when they besieged Syracuse c. Notwithstanding their danger to have some at least knock'd on the Head by those Engines in their walking so oft about c. Yet God will make Jericho as well as his Israel know that he can give Victory to their Feet as well as to their Hands God oftentimes delighteth to go some way of his own which is not Man's way and worketh his own Will by such means and in such a manner as the World judges both Perilous and Ridiculous As the greater was God's Glory in effecting this great work wherein Israel contributed nothing to it so the stronger was Israel's Faith in believing it should be effected notwithstanding both the Difficulty Danger and Improbability of Means and Manner c. The Tenth Remark introduceth the second branch of the manner to wit the extent As 1. Israel's posture was a walking not a warring or fighting posture not one Sword of an Israelite drawn not one stroke by any struck not any Engine used to make one breach in any part of the Besieged City So 2. The extent of this walking posture to be considered in two Respects or Terms 1. The Term of place How far Israel walkked And 2. The Term of Time how oft they walked that term of place First The Term of place or space of ground they walked was 1. Negatively not an Acre or Furlong or any such measures of Miles nor was it an half-turn c. but 2. Positively It must be a whole turn a Circumambulation a compassing the City round about as Vaiaseb and Holekim Halok Hebr. signifie Ver. 3.11 13. and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.30 imports their drawing a Circle round about the City Had they not gone round about all had not been their own They had Conquer'd no more than they had compass'd so had done their work but to half part Yet at the best if we judge of this Action in it self as Treading a Circle Ludionum ludibria potiùs Censeri debetur quà m Bellatorum Stratagemata It looks more like Childrens Play in treading a Maze than any Stratagem of Warriours All this was to teach Israel not to expect success from their own Prowess or Policy but meerly from the
grant this claim of the Levites thus grounded upon and backed with God's Command ver 2. they gave them most willingly all those Cities and Suburbs c. which God commanded and not only the bare use of them but an absolute propriety in them which they might upon necessity mortgage yet those Lands c. when Mortgag'd must in the Jubilee return to the Levites as to their proper Owners Levit. 25.33 34. N. B. The Liberality both of God and of his People to the Ministers of God is here very Marvelous in giving 48 Cities to this one Tribe of Levi which was the least of all the Tribes yet have they the most Cities given to them ver 4.10.41 because it was the Lord's Pleasure to have this Tribe provided for in an honourable manner seeing he himself took upon him to be their portion and made choice of them for his peculiar Service therefore did he deal thus bountifully with his Ministers partly to put Honour upon those whom he foresaw many would be prone to despise and partly that by this liberality they being freed from wordly Distractions might more entirely devote themselves to God's Service and to the Instruction of Souls There liberal maintenance did not hinder their Legal Ministry nor was the Lord's Bounty to those Levites then look'd upon as a Burden to them as too many pretending Conscience do dare to affirm at this Day a Lesson they have learnt from Julian the Apostate whose Project it was to take away Ministers Maintenance that thereby no Ministry might stand in his way to oppose his reducing Christianity back to Paganism Whereas it must be argued on this wise if the Lord allowed the Levites under the Law such a Liberal and Honourable Maintenance as Cities Suburbs and Lands for their Cattle c. beside all the rest of their Incomes by Sacrifices Free-will-Offering c. all due to them by vertue of God's Command whom only and not the People they were to own and acknowledge for their Patron and Benefactor Assuredly the Lord hath not made worse Provisions for the Ministers of the Gospel than he did here for the Priests of the Law Seeing that if the Gospel is a more Glorious Dispensation than this of the Law And this great point of a comfortable competency for Gospel Ministers the Apostle strenuously demonstrates Gal. 6.6 and 1 Cor. 9. throughout from whence it may well be argued to allow the Oxe nothing but the Straw for his treading out the Corn and only so much Straw and no more than what the People please this is a sure sign of a Gasping Devotion and of cursed covetousness as the same great Apostle concludeth 2 Cor. 9.5 't is well observed by an Interpreter that in former and darker times amongst us in our Land the Statute of Mortmain was Enacted in Parliament which provided that Men should give no more to the Church as if they had given enough already and wanted rather a Bridle than a Spur So liberal were our fore-Fathers to the Ministers of the Church in those times but now Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis Times are so changed in these latter times that their Posterities stand in more need of a Spur than a Bridle the Spring of that Ancient Bounty is dryed up so as Men commonly grudge their Ministers now a competent Subsistency but we have a better and a more ancient Instance of an Act of Restraint made in the like case with our Statute of Mortmain namely that made by Moses to restrain the People when they had brought enough and too much towards the making of a Worldly Sanctuary as t is call'd Hebr. 9.1 They did and over did Exod. 36.5 6 7. Their Liberality then condemneth the backwardness of many narrow-soul'd Men now The Third Remark is The Marvelous Providence of God in ordering not only the Priests to be placed in those three Tribes Judah Simeon and Benjamin that were nearest the Tabernacle and Temple that they always might be ready at hand to do their Sacerdotal Service in God's Sanctuary with more ease to themselves and with better content to the People but also that all the Levites who were not Priests should be placed by Lot all the Land over as the Kohathite Priests had Thirteen Cities given them ver 4. and ver 9 to 20. So the Kohathite Levites being of an Inferiour Order had Ten Cities given to them in the Tribes of Ephraim Dan and Manasseh ver 5. and ver 20. to 27. Then the Gershonite Levites had Thirteen Cities out of Issachar Asher and the other half Tribe of Manasseh ver 6. and ver 27. to 34. Lastly The Merarite Levites had Twelve Cities out of Reuben Gad and Zebulon ver 7. and ver 34. to 43. Thus the Levites were dispersed throughout the Land not unlike to Salt that is sprinkled upon Meat to keep it from putrifying and thus our Lord saith of his Ministers Ye are the Salt of the Earth Matth. 5.13 We may well suppose that as those Cities of Refuge given also to the Levites were so conveniently seated at a due distance for the best advantage of the pursued Man slayer as before So those other forty two Cities given to them also were likewise situated at a due distance one from another in every part of the Land that the People might resort to them with most ease for their Instruction in the good ways of God N. B. Oh how happy would England be if every Congregation had a faithful Minister The Lord of the Harvest must be earnestly intreated to thrust out Loiterers and send in Labourers Matth. 9.37 38. many places putrifie for want of Spiritual Salt c. CHAP. XXII THE Two and Twentieth of Joshua declareth First the dismission of the two Tribes and half to their Land beyond Jordan from ver 1. to ver 10. and Secondly The Consequences of their departure thither they building an Altar of Remembrance and being misunderstood therein by the Ten Tribes had like to have occasion'd a Civil War betwixt them but the Quarrel was fairly composed by an Amicable Treaty c. from ver 10. to ver 31. The Remarks on the First Part are First The Time when Joshua disbanded and dismissed them this was done when the War was done which lasted Seven Years as is observed above from Josh 11.18 and 14.10 then had God perform'd his Promise of the Conquest of Canaan and had given his People Peace and Rest so that they had no farther need of the Assistance of those Reubenites c. to fight for them Therefore is it the more probable that those two Tribes and half stayed not till the new conquer'd Canaan was divided among the other Ten Tribes for these Reasons 1. This Division of the Land as 't is judged took up as much time as the Conquest had done other Seven Years 2. They were not so much concern'd in the dividing of Canaan wherein they expected no share as they were under more
the first Offender yet this the offended Husband will condescend to do either out of pity to her or from his want of her Company he offers Reconcilement ver 3. whence some say his Concubine had not committed Adultery for in that case no Reconciliation ought to be offered for Adultery was severely punished by the Law of God c. However he would Imitate God in alluring her c. Hos 2.14 therefore brings he a Beast to ride upon home a couple of Asses though possibly she ran from him on Foot N. B. The Father in-Law rejoiced to behold Reconciliation brought home to him though all this while he had not stir'd out of Doors to fetch it Now must they all rejoyce together in this new Reconcilement the Levite is content to spend three Days therein on his own Voluntary Accord but he must spend other Days more though unwillingly being over-born with the Importunity of his Father-in-Law ver 4 5 6 7 8 9. still the Father in Law presseth his stay so long upon the last Day and all that this renewed Love might be the more confirmed by his kind Entertainment that it was a time sitter to take up Lodging than to begin a Journey but the Levite was resolute and will stay no longer ver 10. and here begins the sad Tragical Story Note here by the way Delays are many times dangerous had they set out betimes and not staid till the Afternoon they might haply have got home that Night and the following Mischiefs might have been prevented Semper nocuit differe paratis N. B. Thus the Devil usually Courteth and Cozeneth those that would look toward Heaven our best Home just as this Old Man did the Levite Be content I pray thee c. What haste In space comes Grace and hereafter is time enough Thus one Delay begets another as one Link in a Chain draws on another Qui non est Hodiè cras minus Aptus erit He that is not fit to Day will be less fit to Morrow and oft times our choice may be made our Judgment For if lingring and loitering in Matters of Salvation be our voluntary choice one Day God may justly inflict it as a Judgment upon us the next day Our delaying to Day may become the hardening of our Hearts to Morrow To Day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Hebr 3.15 Now is the accepted time and now is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Dr. Hall hath an excellent Note here It is good hearing when the Levite maketh hast home an Honest Man's Heart is where his Calling is such an one is like a Fish in the Air whereinto if it come for Necessity or Recreation yet it soon returneth into its own Element again This Office by how much more sacred it is so much the more attendance it requireth even a Day breaketh square with the truly Conscientious as it did in this Levite who rose up early two Mornings together to Depart and to return to his charge ver 5.8 but the Old Man his Father-in-Law detained him against his Inclinations Hinc illae lacrimae from hence sprang all the following Mischief and Miseries No doubt but the Old Father might out of a good Mind constrain their stay N. B. Would to God we could thus constrain Christ to stay with us as the two Disciples did at Emmaus not by force but by friendly Intreaties Luk. 24.28.29 that the hearts of the Levite and his Concubine might be the better reunited and their Mutual Loves be the more reciprocally renewed As a Bone once broken becomes stronger after setting and as Boards well Glued together will not easily be dissevered However this over affectionate Father soon felt the sad effects of his fond Affections both in detaining his Daughter four Months before and now in detaining her Husband with her other five Days until the Day was declined upon the fifth Day for he soon after even that very Night lost his Daughter as well as the Levite lost his Concubine and that after a more than bruitish and barbarous manner which happened thus The Day was far spent when they came toward Jebus the Levite dare not lodge there because it was Inhabited by the Jebusites though the City Jerusalem had been taken by Caleb c. Judg. 1.8 therefore Adonibezek was brought to Jerusalem because it was then in Israel's hands ver 7. yet could they not quite drive out the Jebusites neither the Tribe of Judah out of their part Josh 15.63 nor the Benjamites out of their part Judg. 1.21 And the Jebusites did Inhabit that City until David's day 2 Sam. 5. ver 6 7 8. which was the upper part the strong Fort of Zion from whence probably they much molested the lower part and afterwards by God's Permission drove out the Israelites that dwelt there for the punishment of their Sin Therefore this Levite durst not lodge with those Cursed Canaanites ver 10.11 12. but piously resolveth to lodge in a City belonging to God's People so pitches upon Gibeah belonging to Benjamin ver 13 14 15. where he expected better Entertainment but by an over-ruling Providence of God his choice here proved pernicious to himself to his Wife and to many Thousands of his People If this City were one that was given to the Levites as some suppose from Josh 21.17 no wonder if he turn'd in thither hoping to find some of his fellow Levites there to have the comfort of their Company If so either the Backsliding Benjamites had Banish'd them thence or themselves were become as bad as the Benjamites and the following wickedness was so much the worse Where can a Man be safe from the Devil and his Imps and what place excepting Hell it self can afford a worse Creature than an Apostate Israelite a profligate Professour and a Depraved Priest or Levite Here N. B. This Levite leaning upon his own Vnderstanding in his choice of Lodging Prov. 3.5 and not desiring God's Direction Prov. 16.9 and 19. â—1 and 20.24 Jerem 10.23 goes to Gibeah where he found none so kind as to entertain him there being no Inns in those times as are now but if no Man took them in Travellers lay in the Streets Gen. 19.2 though he would not have been at all chargeable save only for House-room having all Accommodations of his own for his Journey so that there was no reason to refuse him Lodging There was no Job among all the Benjamites who suffered not Strangers to lodge in the Streets but opened his Door to Travellers Job 31.32 Nor was there a Lot to entertain a Levite an Angel Gen. 19.3 Hebr. 13.2 until he came who was an Old Man yet a Work-man yea at Field-work and that till the Evening whereas the other Citizens were Idle and Luxurious and he was also of Mount-Ephraim as the Levite was which might make him the more kind to his Country-man who after some needful Questions asked and understanding he was going to the House of the Lord
foundation of humility shall be laid the higher will the Superstructure and Roof of Honour be over-laid This is God's Method For thou hast shewed more kindness c. That is this thy later Love is greater than thy former while thy Husband was alive and could requite thee Hence Observ 4. True Grace and Goodness is of a growing Nature Thyatira's Works were better at last than at first Revel 2.19 Happy is that Soul that hath no Spiritual Witherings and sensible decays of the inward power of Grace but is as the shining light that shines more and more to a perfect Day Prov. 4.18 when Apostates like Blazing-Stars go out in a snuff and stench yea and infect the Air c. The Righteous shall hold on his way and wax stronger and stronger Job 17.9 not only persevere but proceed and make progress not only holding their own but also getting more Grace adding to Faith c. 2 Pet. 1.5 Inasmuch as thou followest not Young Men. Which are more suitable to thy Age being more Vigorous and Viewable Persons of a better presence than I am being an Old Man This was chaste Love Hence Observ 5. The Lawless Law of Lust ought not to direct in Matches and Marriages but the right Law of Reason and Religion This Ruth followed and not that for no doubt but she might have found Wanton Young Men either poor or rich in her own Countrey and never have come to Canaan to be Married to Old Boaz she did not as too many Wanton Young Widows which are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5.6 that being impatient of delay marry the first that come to their hand and as the vulgar Saying is take their former Husband's Winding-sheet before he be well cold in the Grave to make a Shift or Wedding Shirt for her following Husband This is not of good report to sober Minds V. 11. And now my Daughter fear not That is of failing or falling short of thy desire or hope or thus do not fear that I will reproach thee or reject thee for this present practice which though it have an appearance of evil in it so far as to affright me yet now I better understand it proceedeth not from any Unlawful Lust or Wanton Lightness this was a Candid Construction and a comfortable Answer to this Distressed Expectant Hence Observ 1. As Ruth 's Goel or Redeemer construes all candidly and answers comfortably unto her even so and much more then so doth Christ our Goel and Blessed Redcemer all this unto poor us Oh what a candid Construction is that of God! Deut. 22.26 27. There is in the Damosel no sin for she cryed out she shall not die 'T is presumed from the very circumstance of the place that she cryed out and ceas'd not to do so till she could hope no longer of any help or succour she falls before the Fornicator as the Honest Traveller before the High-way Robber Now how could this be known that there was Violence on the one side and Innocence on the other seeing as there was none to save her so there was none to hear her in her crying out God teaches Moses to presume it and to take it for granted silence in such a case giveth consent And Oh what a comfortable Answer did Christ give that Syrophaenian Woman Be it unto thee even as thou will Matth. 15.28 although he had first at least seemingly reproached and rejected her for a Gentile Dog yet after gives her as it were the Key of his Treasury where fulness of all things both Throne-Mercies and Footstool-Mercies are laid up and bids her take up what Mercy she pleaseth I will do unto thee all that thou requiretst saith Boaz to Ruth here Hence Observ 2. The desires of the Righteous shall be granted Prov. 10 24. Let Persons that pray bring but honest Hearts and lawful Requests in the Name of Christ and they may have what they will even any thing their Hearts do wish for or their Needs do require either in Heaven or Earth even betrothing Loves from Jesus Christ as Ruth had here from Boaz a promise of Marriage conditionally I will be thy Redeemer thy Goel thy Husband Isa 54.4 5. especially if Christ can but say of us as Poaz said of Ruth Ye are Vertuous Souls For all the City of my People knoweth that thou art a Vertuous Woman Chi Esheth Chail A Woman of Vertue that hath Godly Strength as the word Chail signisies to withstand Ungodly Temptations thou art one praised by all and therefore praised by me above all even above the choicest Rubies Hence Observ 3. All Women ought to be Vertuous Women They should have Ruths Character on them who is called Esheth Chail and they should be known to be so by all the City of their People N. B. But woe and alas how many Women are Vitious not Vertuous Women and known too to be so by the People of this Great City Wherein are found so many notorious Bawdy-Houses and whole Streets or by-Allies of prostituting Whores We should mourn in secret for this as it contracts great guilt and will bring great Plagues on the City if not Repented of and Reformed Solomon saith many Daughters have done Vertuously Prov. 31.29 but alas we may say in our day that many Daughters have done Vitiously in prostituting their Bodies to the Whoremonger and their Souls to the Devil never considering that all such Unclean Persons shall be shut out of Heaven 1 Cor 6.10 11. no such defiled Dogs or Bitches shall ever trample upon that Golden Pavement Revel 21.21 27. with 22.15 but all such wickedness shall be thrust down and turned into Hell yea though there be whole Streets whole Cities or whole Nations of them Psal 9.17 prepared for the Devil and the Damned Matth. 25 41.46 Observ 4. Good men should promise Marriage only to Vertuous Women Thus Boaz promises Ruth here upon this very ground that she was a Vertuous Woman Alas the Worlds Rule is Virtus post nummos Money carrieth the mastery more than Vertue And the Question that is first asked is What hath she for Cash not What is she for Vertue Dos non Deus 'tis Portion not God maketh most Marriages but they commonly prove unhappy Marriages where Men Marry either by the sight of their eyes for fading beauty or by their fingers ends in telling over a great Portion I have given in my Christian walk upon Family duties Seven qualifications whereby to chuse a fit Wise to wit Grace Race Face Arts Parts Portion and Proportion Grace is the first as t is the best of those Qualifications and Portion is the last but one This is Boaz's way and 't is God's way though it be not the Worlds way For saith the Poet. Hand facilè Invenias multis e millibus Vnum Virtutem preeii qui put at esse sui Not one of a Thousand do reckon Vertue as a good Portion as Boaz did here c. N. B. 'T is indeed good
requite thee evil for good I know their Aversion to David and their Affection to Saul whom they fear more than Love and rather than they will suffer such Severities as Nob did by Saul they will certainly make thee their Sacrifice to pacifie Saul's Phrantick Fury and judge it better than one Innocent person perish than that their whole City should be destroyed Inferences from this grand case may not be omitted N. B. Note well The First is That Scientia Media which the Schoolmen plead for cannot consist with the highest Perfection of God because as they state their Notion it maketh some knowledge of God to depend principally upon the External Object in Man and not independantly upon the Eternal Will of God The plain Truth here is that God by his Praescience and Omniscience Knoweth all things Joh. 21.17 both all Good and all Evil he foreseeth three sorts of Evils 1. The Evils of Nature as Famine Sword Pestilence c. so reveals them to his Prophets 2. The Evils of Sin both in Men and Devils c. And 3 The Evils of Punishment which God inflicts upon both The Eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the Earth 2 Chron. 16.9 The maker of Man Psal 33.15 Isa 44.2 must needs know what is in Man John 2.24 25. So God hath a Science of Vision even of all future things whether they be in their own Nature necessary or free and voluntary or Contingent and casual And here God by his Omniscience fore-knowing in these future contingents what would come to pass in the course of Naturral causes though in his Absolute Decree he had purposed that they should never happen and therefore he croâ—â—â—â— their Course so God telleth David here that Saul would certainly come down and that the Men of Keilah would as certainly deliver David into Saul's hands if their purposes were not crossed by David's departure which God had Decreed c. Objection How could these two Oracles of God be true when it plainly appeareth that neither of them came to pass Answer 1. David did not enquire of God what would absolutely come to pass for then he had fled in vain Answer 2. God's Oracle was rather a Provident Caution to David teaching him what he should do than any positive Assertion informing what Saul and the Men of Keilah would do Not speaking of the Decree and Providence of God to the contrary N. B. Note well The Second Inference is God loveth to be often sought unto by his Praying People Luk. 18.1 c. and therefore answereth them not all at once all they desire but by degrees that he may the more frequently hear from them which God loveth Cant. 2.14 These two requests of David to God are rehearsed both together v. 11. But God answers only to one of them and then the other request is renewed again v. 12. to which God gives a particular Answer and not to both at once Thus the Cloud of Heaven doth not empty it self by any sudden and violent out-burst nor dissolveth all at once by impetuous Streams and Water Spouts but gently distilleth by drop and drop N. B. Note well The Third Inference is What desperate Wickedness lodgeth in the Heart of fallen Mankind which lyeth lurking there and never discovered because Satan's Temptation and Man's Corruption have not an opportunity given them by God to meet together as in this case of the Men of Keilah who are supposed to be the Magistrates of the City so called and whom David was more jealous of than of the Common People who are not usually so ungrateful to their Deliverers saith Martinius David trusted those Migistrates with Himself and his Soldiers seeing the City was of sufficient strength for Defence against Saul's Forces if these Chief Citizens would but be faithful to him which he might hope they could not well be otherways seeing they both knew his Innocency and themselves lay under such a strong obligation of venturing their Lives for him who had so lately ventured his own Life and the Lives of his Army to save them from the Philistines Siege Notwitstanding under David's hope of Trust God saw Treachery Jer. 17.9 though they never had opportunity to discover it 'T is true they were bound to save their City from being ruin'd by Saul as Nob was yet might they have done this by a friendly intreating of David to depart The Second Part of this Chapter is Saul's pursuit of David into the Wilderness when he was thus miraculously delivered from him by his departure from Keilah from v. 13. to the end Remarks upon it are First David at his departure thence hath augmented his Army Two Hundred Men more to his Four Hundred he had before Chap. 22.2 This new Addition was made by his Valour and Victory over the Philistines Besiegeing Keilah and his raising the Siege there could not but oblige many of the honest Citizens to List themselves under such an Honourable General So that now he hath got the number of Six Hundred Soldiers v. 13. N. B. Here again David is constrained to wander hither and thither where he could find any Refuge with his Six Hundred Men Saul hunting him every day but God delivered David out of his bloody hands v. 14. quite contrary to what Saul had fondly perswaded himself that God would deliver him into his hands v. 7. Here N. B. Note well 1. Concerning Saul he saught David every day so outragiously resolv'd he was to ruine him which desperate Blood-thirstiness for David's Destruction did plainly transform him into the Devil's likeness whose Malice against Mankind is not only uncessant but also unsatiable so that Saul is now another Satan N. B. Note well 2. Concerning David that God to make him fit the more for the Kingdom makes him go he knew not whither which had been Father Abraham's case whom God call'd to his foot Isa 41.3 and leads him as it were blindfold he knew not whither Hebr. 11.8 yet this was both Abraham's and David's support tho' neither of them knew whither they went yet both of them well knew with whom they went for they walked as dear Children in the hands of a tender Father and of the two David was the happier in this that he went not now in an untrodden path for Abraham had gone before him therein to lead him the way The Second Remark is Saul's â—â—dry Snares he laid to intrap David all which as they were disappointed by the Providence of God in general v. 13 14. so in particular were discovered by David's Scouts and Intelligencers whom he employ'd to espy out Saul's Motions or he might behold them by some prospect from an high Mountain v. 15. but more especially they were qualified by Jonathan's Cordial Kindness to him and Candid Correspondency with him v. 16. Who came into the Wood where David had appointed to meet him and strengthened his Hands in God by reminding him of God's infallible promise to him and of his irresistible
now need of this Noble Captain yet rather than have this young Proselyte discouraged in his new profession of the true Religion he would trust God with himself and his concerns in raising up other instruments for his assistance It seems David was none of those kind of Men who measure all things for their advantage and may they have their own self-ends they matter not what becomes of the weal of others Mark Fourthly David in order to Ittai's dismission gives him a Cordial Prayer Mercy and Truth be with thee words oft in David's mouth Psal 25.10 c. Wherein he wisheth him Covenant-kindness that God would reward his labour of love in his present willingness to wait upon him seeing saith he I in a manner dâ—posed am not able to requite thee therefore he prayeth God to perform all his precious Promises made to true Proselytes as well as to Israelites good to him that as God's Mercy moved him to make the Promises so his Truth might bind him to perform them to him for his Temporal Spiritual and Eternal welfare Mark Fifthly Ittai is such a fast and faithful friend to David that he will not be by any means shaken off but resolvedly replies Nothing shall part them save death only v. 21. A sure Friend is best seen in unsure matters Such friends that will be certain in Adversity as well as in Prosperity as one saith are gone on Pilgrimage and their return is uncertain N. B. David took Ittai's fixed fidelity so highly obliging that he made this very man one of his three Generals in that fatal and final Battle against Absalom Chap. 18.2 and doubtless it could not but much encourage David's dependency upon the Lord in his distress when he saw tho' his own native Subjects did desert him yet God had fetch'd in a forreigner from far that will be fixed for him and that a Man of a great figure able every way both for Courage and Conduct yea and if so as some say a King's Son too to fight for him as well as a King's Son to sight against him The Fourth Remark is the Ark's coming to David and his sending it back again to the City v. 23. to 29. Mark First When all the Countrey People beheld David trudging a foot over the Brook Kidron wherein he was a Type of Christ who passed over the same Brook when in danger of the Jews Joh. 18 1. as David was in danger of Absalom they truly simpathized with him and fell a weeping with a loud voice to see so good a King going into Banishment like a poor Pilgrim being in fear of an unnatural Son and while David's well-wishers were thus weeping here no doubt but Absalom and his Accomplices that resorted to hunt him out of both City and Country even all the Rascality were as much transported on the other hand with their mad merriments but that Hilary Term lasted not long but had a Returna brevi according to Lawyers Latin Mark Secondly The High-Priest and the Priests and Levites brought the Ark of God which was a pledge of his presence to counter comfort those disconsolate Mourners David and his Friends This was a very commendable Act in them thus to Countenance distressed David in despight of Ambitious Absalom when so many of their Predecessors had been so lately cut off by malicious Saul and only for their favouring David when Banished and came to begg a little Bread of them at Nob c. yet these their Successors dare own David in Danger and bring him the Ark that at it he might Consult then with God about Direction in his way and that the veneration of the Ark might likewise draw more Company to David both out of City and Country The Fifth Remark is King David's command to carry back the Ark of God ver 25 26 c. His Reasons were First Because he believed that in his Banishment God himself even the God of the Ark would be as a little Pocket-portable Sanctuary unto him as he promiseth Ezek. 11.16 and not withdraw his Powerful Presence and Protection from him both for his safety and for his success Knowing that when God denies means he supplies means when we cannot come to the Ordinances of God the God of Ordinances comes to us If David can but secure the substance he can better spare the shadow His Second Reason was Though the Ark's presence had wrought wonders in Dividing Jordan in Demolishing Jericho c. so was desirable enough to David in his Distress yet such a Reverence he bare to it as he justly thought it unfit to hurry it from place to place he knew not whither and to expose it to all the hazards that himself was like to be exposed unto His Third Reason was His Respect to the Priests whom he would not again expose to the Rage of Absolom as before he had done to the Fury of King Saul 1 Sam. 22. A Fourth Reason Lyra fancyeth That David had bid Abiathar ask Counsel of God at the Ark when it came hither but God gave no Answer whereby he knew God was not yet pacified The Fifth Reason is That rendred better by Peter Martyr namely David knew those faithful Priests might do him better service in the City than in his wandrings using this Dilemma saying Either God will bring me back or he will not for my foul offences I peaceably and patiently submit to his pleasure Hence the Sixth Remark is David saith to Zadock 't is not thy Duty to attend me in my Banishment but on the Ark in the Tent where I have placed it in the City and where thou mayest both pray and consult with God for me and also give me good intelligence of the Rebels Motions and Counsels by thy Sons which is of great consequence to my concerns I will hover in the Wilderness which was my haunt when I fled from Saul and where I found not God a Barren Wilderness to me Jerem. 2.31 Then they returned with the Ark but David went weeping and bare-foot taking an Holy revenge upon himself for his former Luxury and Impieties up to the top of the Mount of Olives that from thence he might look towards the Ark yet in sight not like to see it again in haste There he and his Friends wept and pray'd The Seventh Remark is God gave a speedy Answer to his Prayer for though he was told of Poyson Achitophel's deep reaches assisting Absolom yet God sent him in an Antidote Hushai to confound his crafty Counsels as David had prayed ver 30 31 to 37. Wherein Mark 1. David saith to Hushai be not thou a burden to me in my Banishment seeing provisions are scarce and seeing thou art Old fitter for Counsel than for War ver 33. Mark 2. David directs him to dissemble with the New King ver 34. N. B. This was one of David's errours in the extremity of his straits in not doing so exactly as he should which therefore God graciously pardoned and directed David's
even in the Field by Martial Law though contrary to the private will of David's Person who was too much transported with fond Affections Secondly Joab saw there could be no safety to the King nor peace to the Kingdom nor security to himself and all Loyal Subjects so long as Absalom lived Heir Apparent to the Crown as may seem probable from chap. 19.10 Till he was dead the People Return not to David Thirdly Joab knew that Absalom's Crimes were already not only abominable but unsufferable even Capital Crimes by the Law of God which commands Rebellious Sons to be stoned Deut. 21.18 21. and it Curseth those that Vncover their Father's Nakedness c. And beside his Murther of Amnon he was now the Chief Cause of the Slaughtering Twenty Thousand of the Lord's People whom he had first wheedled into a Rebellion wherein they dyed Fourthly Joab saw no hopes of Absalom's amendment for by his means and Mediation he had been once and again reconciled to his Father yet had he most notoriously falsified his Faith and now was become a dangerous Traitor and a desperate Rebel against King and State Fifthly Joab perceived likewise that his Father out of fondness of Affection to him was still reconcilable towards him and that it would be a most grievous scandal in Israel to have such an Vnreclaimable Rebel still pardoned by too fond a Father who had well nigh ruin'd himself and the Kingdom by his repeated indulgency to this wretch Sixthly Joab having no hope of Justice from so Affectionate a Father against such a Son and himself being Chief General under the King might well think he might put to Death by Martial Law this unparallell'd Criminal now fallen so providentially into his hands before the Battle was ended therefore he ventured to cut him off preferring the publick peace and Safety of the Kingdom before the private undue Affection of the King whereby tantamont Joab saved David's Life against David's Will Seventhly David himself was so far convinced with the warrantableness of this fact of Joab that 1. he did not after the Battle blame Joab for it when he returned to Mahanaim Nor 2. did David make this fact any part of his charge when afterwards he accused Joab to his Son Solomon for his killing Abner and Amasa but not a word of his Killing the Beloved Absalom 1 King 2.5 The Third Part is the Consequents of this fatal Fight which are expressed from v. 16. to the End Remark the First Joab having cut off Absalom the Head of the Rebellion 1. Sounds a Trumpet to erase the shedding of any more Israelitish Blood the danger being over 2. He Buried this Arch Rebel in a great Pit in the Wood like a dead Beast and whereas other Rebellious Sons were Stoned alive Deut. 21.18 21. Absalom was stoned when Dead having a great heap of stones cast upon him whereby God crossed his Pride who had built a stately Tomb to perpetuate his Memory in the King's Dale hoping to be one of the Kings ver 17 18. The Second Remark is Joab sends tidings of his Victory to David ver 19 20 to 32. Ahimaaz 1. Desires to be the Messenger as he used to do heretofore but Joab prudently put him by because he had bad as well as glad Tidings to carry therefore 2. He sends Cushi the Black Aethiopian thinking it more proper for a Black to bear Black News N. B. The Messenger that brought Tidings The King's Son Christ was alive again was not a Black-moor but an Angel like Lightning and his Raiment as White at Snow Matth. 28.3 5 6. Mark 16.5 6. A Black may serve to tell the sad Tidings of Rebellious Absolom's Death but he is gloriously White that tells the Glad Tidings of our dear Redeemer's Resurrection But Ahimaaz presseth upon Joab and by importunity prevails resolving to be first and to relate the best leaving the worst for Cushi to tell and therefore Runs by the way of the Plain which proved the nearer way though farthest about than was the Hilly way that Cushi Ran And as this good Man was first espied by the Watch so he came first and was overcome to tell a Lie about Absolom as a product of his rashness in Running against Joab's diswasions Then comes Cushi the Black and blabs out all to David fearing the worst c. The Third Remark is David's grief for the Death of his Graceless Son who had nothing good in him but his Name signifying Father's Peace drown'd his Joy of the Victory Omnis in Ascanio chari stat cura Parentis He was moved for him more than was meet est modus in Rebus there is reason in all things N. B. He cried Would God I had died for Absalom by his Natural sorrow but Godly Sorrow taught him not to cry Would God I had died for Uriah 2 Sam. CHAP. XIX THIS Chapter treateth farther upon the Consequents of the Victory over the Rebels which are reducible to Two Heads The First is David's Dolorous bewailing the Death of his Son Absolom ver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The Second Head is David's return from his Banishment ver 9 10 11 to the end Remarks upon the First Head are First Ahimaaz and Cushi tell Joab how sadly David disresented the Death of his Son How he covered his Head after the manner of Mourners as ashamed so great a King should be seen in such sorrowful circumstances of Habit Gestures and Outcries and how he could never have done with that Doleful Ditty Oh my Son Absolom ver 2 3 4. Insomuch that the Victorious Souldiers stole away into the City by the other Gates thereof and not by that Gate where David was as Men ashamed to be seen of him lest he should suspect any of them to have had a hand in the Death of Absalom Yea and some of the People might mourn with David for the Death of Relations in the Slaughter of Twenty Thousand as oft happeneth in Civil Wars the Character whereof is Nullos Habitura Triumphos the very Victory therein ought to have no Triumphs N. B. Hereby the Joy and Triumph of this great Deliverance and most Glorious Victory was converted this day into a miserable Mourning The Body Politick sympathizing with its Head the King Prov. 16.15 and 19.12 The Second Remark is General Joab was greatly concerned that so wonderful a Salvation should thus conclude with so sad a Catastrophe and that so wise a King should fall short of the Prudence of sundry Pagan Princes who have better born the Death of their Dear Sons in Battle than David did saying only Novi me genuisse Mortalem I knew that I had begot a Mortal Now Is it not a shame that Nature should outstrip Grace Therefore Joab bestirs himself and gives the King a severe reprimand for his so unseasonable sorrow ver 5 6 7 8. Wherein Mark 1. It seemeth by this time David was got home to his House where he Quartered having first vented his passion
c. pretending great profit to him for thereby he might lay a Tax upon every Poll and much enrich his own Coffers Hereupon David bids Joab to do it Secondly How God had his Holy Hand in the Punishment appears after Objection How could this Act of David being but a Civil Act and frequently practised by Kings be so great a Sin to deserve so great a Plague Answer 'T is true it hath been the practice of great Princes to Tax their People with an Universal Tax by Poll This is certified not only by Civil but also by Sacred Story The Holy Scriptures tell us of Agustus Caesar's Taxing the Subjects of his Dominions far larger than that of David his being of the whole Roman World both of Jews and Gentiles Luk. 2.1 and probably with far more Pride and Vain Glory than this was done by David yet was it not imputed to him as any heinous sin Yea and Moses Numbered the People of Israel without sin Numb 1. ver 2 3. and this was done to prevent a Plague every Head paying the Redemption of their Souls Exod. 30.11 Answer the Second Though all this be granted yet David doubtless sinned in thus doing for that expression of his That I may know the Number of the People ver 2. seems to point directly at David's Sin in that matter seeing there was then no important Reasons either for Church or State to require it at this time therefore must it proceed either from his Curiosity or from Vain Glory or Carnal Confidence in the Number of the Creature with a distrust of God's Providence which an All-seeing God distinctly observed and something thereof Job himself suspected And though Caesar did so for his pleasure without punishment yet David shall not do so God will bear with that in others he will not bear in his own Amos. 3.2 The Philistines may Cart the Ark of God but if David do so he smarts for it and as to Moses God bid him do so but David did this of his own Head without any Divine Direction Answer the Third How could this Action of David be good when General Joab a Man more a Souldier than a Casuist Souldiers use not to trouble themselves with Cases of Conscience saw it to be evil and unseasonable ver 3 4. and 1 Chron. 21.3 Wherein Mark First Joab Judges there was no just cause for so tedious and troublesome a task at this time seeing there was now no fear of any Sedition but the whole Tribes of Israel were entirely devoted to be the Subjects of David and not now blowing up in any part any new Rebellion Mark Secondly This will create saith Joab an endless disturbance to thy Subjects and give them a grievous Avocation from their necessary Employments by their Daily Attendance for many Months to be Polled in every City This will make them murmur Mark Thirdly Besides their dissatisfaction with the Vanity and Vain Glory of this Action it will also involve the People into a participation of thy Pride and Curiosity if not of thy Creature-confidence so God may punish them for this sin as he commonly doth People suffer for their Prince's sins 1 Chron. 21.3 c. N. B. Joab hath here more Piety at least more Policy than Holy Wise David had and declines this God-displeasing Act. N. B. 2. Joab very judiciously having a Nail to drive in disswading David from this design dips it first in Oyl that it might drive the deeper saying The Lord thy God how many soever they be make them an Hundred times more this he wisely wisht lest David should suspect that he Disswaded him out of Dis-affection to him N. B. Thirdly Joab had more sagacity and sapience saith Peter Martyr for his Soveraign than he had for himself saying Why doth my Lord the King delight in this thing that is to be so set upon it without colour of cause and meerly for thy mind's sake This would oft have been happy Counsel to himself had he not been better at giving than at taking Counsel N. B. Fourthly The best Kings may sometimes be too Soveraign as the School-Man phraseth it both Grace and Wit being asleep in one of the best of Human breasts as here in David's a Man after God's own Heart The Third Remark is The accomplishment of this unalterable resolve-Royal in Numbering the People at the King's importunity Mark First Joab perceiving David would not be disswaded neither by him nor by the Captains of the Host that did second him loth he was to lose again the King's favour by farther disputing or disobeying his commands ver 4. Hereupon they like obsequious Courtiers began their computation of Polling the People in the Eastern part of David's dominions beyond Jordan ver 5. Mark Secondly Joab took the Captains of the Host and their Companies with him therefore 't is said they pitch'd in Aroer probably saith Peter Martyr to over-awe the People who might be unwilling enough to be put to this unnecessary trouble and more especially to pay Poll-Money if required of them No wonder if Joab went thus well guarded not only for the pomp of a General but for his safety also in fear of Resistance c. Mark Thirdly Joab passeth through the other parts of Israel to Poll the People according to the King's Command Behold how Joab differed from himself as Peter Martyr well observes when David bewailed the Death of Absalom he could handle the King couragiously and with his roughness reduced David out of his Melancholick Dumps for then was he but acting the part of too Fond a Father But now coming to act the Part of a Resolute King Joab opposeth him molliori Brachio with a softer Hand though he knew it was against the Law and though he had found already how hateful a thing this Poll-Tax was to the People beyond Jordan yet he tamely here not only receives the King's Commission against the light of his own Conscience but Executes it also in other parts of the Kingdom on this side Jordan that he might not lose the King's favour Mark Fourthly The time taken up for this Poll-Tax was Nine Months and Twenty Days ver 6 7 8. So that Joab's counting time was much near the counting time of a Woman with Child and then he brought forth his Number as his Child N. B. So long did David lay again insensible of his Sin in numbring the People as he had done before about the same term of Time after he had committed Adultery with Bathsheba He lay senseless of that Sin till the Child was born as is noted before upon that Story and repented not all those intervening Months which shews that God's Children may not only be deeply Drenched in the Waves of Sin but even lay under them for some time and perhaps sink twice to the Bottom c. notwithstanding all this yet Sin did not dwell in David as an Owner or Home-dweller 't was only a Stranger or a Traveller to him Chap. 12.4 Mark
from Rehoboam and 2. gave him up to his young Counsellors Folly 3. alienating the hearts of his People from him 4 This God did moreover to shew his Divine Truth in his Threatnings to punish Solomon's Idolatry Chap. 11.11 God brings to pass what he had thre â—â—ed 1 Sam. 15.29 by the Insolency of his Son 5. And to vindicate likewise the Honour of his Prophet by whom he had foretold this sad Rent that Ahijah might not be found a false Witness as 2 Kings 9.36 and 10.10 and in other cases 6. There is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Am. 3.6 as an Act of Justice in God to punish sin with sin in the unjust actions of Men. N. B. God is the supream and most righteous Judge and ordered all those disorders of Rehoboam's roughness of the People's petulancy of Jeroboam's Plot and of the young Councellor's rash Councel to his own glorious ends and purposes by his over-ruling Providence in all these Occurrences As sin is a punishment of sin so 't is an act of Justice in God to make use of it All those aforesaid sinners acted freely according to the choice of their own depraved wills yet all their sins do unwittingly meet together to accomplish the just Decrees of God N B. Dr. Hall saith Excellently here all these aforesaid Sinners might have done otherwise for any force that was offered to their wills yet they all would no more do otherwise as they did than if there had been no praedetermination in Heaven concerning it that God may be magnified in his Wisdom and Justice while Man wittingly perisheth in his own folly Hos 13.9 Secondly The Remarks upon Jeroboam as First Now Jeroboam strikes while the Iron was hot and blows up the People now under a general disrelish of Rehoboam's roughness into a general defection from him and as general a Rebellion against him crying out What portion have we in David c. v. 16. N. B. 'T is a wonder those seditious mouths durst mention David in such defiance one would have thought that the very name of David whom God raised up to do so much good for Israel might have been able enough to Conjure down that Devil of Phrenzy and Fury which now had taken possession of them and to contain them within the due bounds of Loyal obedience but alas all those good turns that David had done for them and for their Fathers before them were so soon forgotten as that twice here they named David in contempt and add that absurd title to it the Son of Jess an opprobrious Language which they had learnt from Saul the Cast-away 1 Sam. 22.7 and from Sheba that Arch-Rebell 2 Sam. 20.1 tho' the Holy Ghost maketh an honourable mention of this Title 2 Sam. 23.1 Psal 72.20 Acts 13.22 and Isa 11.1 10. the Root of Jess out of which Christ sprouted Tho' David had done them no wrong yet thus venomously they spit out their malice against David and against his House saying See to thy own House David and we will see to ours c. N. B. Then the Ten Tribes went away to their Tents and to their Idols too as Mr. Broughton upon Daniel observeth from the words Ohalchem and Elohehem that so signifie And some suppose this mutiny was managed by the rude multitude at Jeroboam's instigation wholly resolving to assume the Crown to himself The Second Remark is Jeroboam having thus politickly gained the Ten Tribes to himself v. 16.19 the Tribe of Judah only stuck cordially to Rehoboam and with them that part of the Tribe of Simeon that were mingled with them and part of Benjamin whose dwellings were within the confines of Judah yea and the Levites and others of the other Tribes who set their hearts to seek the Lord in his holy Temple 2 Chron. 11 1â—.16 and 15.9 but Rehoboam could not content himself with these few he therefore sends his Tribute-Master Adoram to promise them ease of their Taxes when it was too late after himself had threatned to make them ten fold more heavy v. 18 Herein also Rehoboam was ill-advised seeing the sight of such an Officer he might well think would the rather enrage the rude rabble the mutinous multitude were guided more by rage than by right who having rejected Rehoboam's Person and Majesty did with greater disdain renounce his message and Messenger When Adoram all too late would coax the People with good words they answered him with stones wherewith they stoned him to death and had Rehoboam been in Adoram's cloaths he himself had fared no better for those stones were thrown at him in his Officer the Messenger suffers for his Master and the Master suffers in his Messenger as 2 Sam. 10.3 4 5 6. 'T was now high time for Rehoboam to betake himself to his Chariot and make Jerusalem his Sanctuary against this Conspiracy at Shechem and well it was he got so well away thither Remark the Third Rehoboam having recovered a refuge by an hasty flight in Jerusalem takes a new step of over-hasty Advice to reduce the Rebells into Allegiance by force of Arms c. v. 19 20 21. but was Countermanded by the Lord who sent his Prophet to prohibit him c. v. 22 23 24. Mark 1. This was Rebellion and no better in Israel tho' Rehoboam had acted like a fool towards them and tho' it was according to the determined Counsel of God and what God had foretold yet because Israel acted not here with any design of fulfilling God's Will but only to gratifie their own Rebellious dispositions therefore is it most justly stiled a Rebellion v. 19 20. Mark 2. Judah and Benjamin still stick fast to their Loyalty the Example of a general Rebellion cannot make them Disloyal to the House of David God will reserve a Remnant free from and uncorrupted with the common Contagion An hundred and fourscore thousand of them are ready to force Israel to their due Fidelity and to their denyed Subjection v. 21. Mark 3. God suddenly sends his Prophet Shemaiah to forbid the Battel v. 22 23.24 saying this thing is from me c. As this Rebellion was an Act of Sin so it was from those Rebels but as it was a punishment for Solomon's Apostasy Chap. 11.11 so it was from God who challenges it here for his own work so Rehoboam desists c. not doring to fight against God his Maker tho' he durst against the Multitude c. Remark the Fourth is When Jeroboam had craftily contrived to get himself made King over Israel by the Election of the People v. 20. then he fortified Shechem the City of his Conspiracy and Built Penuel beyond Jordan to be a Bulwark there v. 25. For this fault God blames them They have set up Kings but not by me c. Hâ—s 8.4 Israel there is worthily reproved for setting up this Vsurper tho' they follow'd the will of God's Decree yet did they not do it in obedience to God's Precept but as hurried
he learned not her corrupt manners but Maintained his true Piety Remark the Third There be Five Principal Monuments of Asa's true Piety as First His Abolishing of Sodomy so far as he could find it out for as it had been set up Chap. 14.24 so some escaped his censure Chap. 22.46 Secondly His Removing Idols ver 12. call'd Hagillulim dirty or dunghil Deities that stank in God's nostrils Thirdly He Deposed his Mother from being Queen-Regent or Queen-Mother at the least v. 13. because she had abused her Authority for the patronage of Idolatry N. B. Good Asa will not know any bonds of nature in a case of dishonour to the great God he will not suffer his Mother to be a Priestess say some in that filthy Worship of Priapus Fourthly He Demolishes her Miphletzeth Hebrew the Picture of Priapus or Pan an horrible ugly Idol which he burnt first and then drown'd it in the Town Ditch Kidron poor Gods they were in the mean time that might be both burnt and drown'd v. 13. the evil example of his Forefathers must be no president to him Fifthly He Augmented the Sacred Treasury v. 15. namely with those Spoils which his Father had taken after his great Victory over Jereboam 2 Chron. 13.15 and devoted them in thankfulness to God but had not brought them into the Temple hereby the Lord's Treasury which had been exhausted by Shishak King of Egypt Chap. 14.28 became well replenished again All these Five Famous Acts were as so many sparkling Diamonds in this good Asa's Royal Diadem and that which gave the greatest lustre to him was God's own Character of him that his heart was upright with God v. 14. a good Root for good Fruit a good Heart cannot want a good Life Remark the Fourth Tho' the state of Israel and Judah were most deplorably plunged into a depraved and degenerate Estate wo and alas when Sodomy and Idolatry was found in even Judah and Jerusalem it self as well as in Israel c. Idolatry had so debauched them that God gave them up to Sodomy Rom. 1 21 22 23 24. N. B. To what a low ebb was the true Religion now reduced the whole World had now no Visible Church but like the Lily Cant. 2.2 was in this Winter-season gone under ground yet was it not so much her Grave as her Sanctuary behold this Spring-Season God raiseth up this Good Asa to raise her up from her Retirements and to restore God to his own Land by his Reformations c. To whom God gave a long Reign to establish God's Worship c. Remark the Fifth Asa's uprightness of heart was blest by God with his first ten years peace wherein he put down Idols set up God's Worship fortified Cities and trained his Armies in time of peace providing for war 2 Chron. 14 3 4 5 6 7 8. and then also while he and his People sought the Lord he obtained a most Glorious Victory by his affectionate Prayer to God over a Million of Ethiopians nine hundred thousand foot and one hundred thousand horse saith Josephus besides three hundred Chariots armed with Instruments of death called in likely by the Ten Tribes in revenge of their late overthrow given them by Abijam Remark the Sixth When Asa found his Army of five hundred and eighty thousand Men over-matched by almost double their number he earnestly prays Help us O Lord for we rest in thee let not sorry sickly Man as the word Enosh Hebr. signifies prevail against thee c. 2 Chron. 14.9 10 11. So the Lord smore the Ethopians tumbling them down headlong from Mareshah unto Gerar a City of the Philistims who probably were Partners and so Sufferers with them N. B. God sent an Host of Angels saith Lyra to match and over-match this Million of Enemies so that Asa's Spoils of them were vast v. 12 13 14 15. of 2 Chron. 14. which was a good amends for the Treasure that Shishak King of Egypt and Ethiopia had taken from Rehoboam not very long before Remark the Seventh After this Glorious Victory Azariah the Prophet meets Asa to Admonish him and his Army of their answerable returns of duty 2 Chron. 15 2 3 4 5 6 7. that as they had begun an happy Resormation so they must promote and perfect it When Asa heard these words v. 8. then was he according to his double obligation both of Victory and of Prophecy far more fervent for a thorough Reformation and renews the Covenant of God with all the People to destroy all those that would not leave their Idols to seek God yea this solemm Oath doth not only Depose Queen Maachah for her past Idolatry but she must dye by it if she did the like again v. 12 16. Remark the Eighth As Asa had the five fore-mentioned jewels to beautifie his Imperial Crown so he had as many Infirmities that blotted the beauty of his Royal Escutcheon as follows First He Removed not all the High Places 1 Kings 15.14 2 Chron. 14.17 He did indeed remove all those that had been set up in honour of Idols but those High Places which had been used for the Worship of God mentioned 1 King 3.2 he let stand not only because David and Solomon had used them before the Temple was built but also because the People were now loath to be tyed to the Temple for fear the Israelites should break in upon them when all their Males were gone up thither therefore he wink'd at this wâ—ll-worship which he ought also to have abolish'd seeing variety of Altars were forbid by an express Command Deut. 12.5 6 11. yet God would not impute this Infirmity where he saw Sincerity for with one breath God reports this weakness and the uprightness of his heart in the main course of his life Asa's Second Infirmity even of this Religious King was when Baasha King of Israel came to wage war against him by blocking him up at Ramab that none of Israel might resort to Jerusalem for the Worship of God Asa basely beggeth help from the Idolater Benhadad v. 17 18 19 20. and hires him with the Treasures of the Temple which was Sacrilege to break his League with Baasha and to Invade Israel contrary to his Fidelity N. B. Where was Asa's Piety now while he rob'd God to hire an Infidel for the destruction of Israel And where is the Christianity of him that is call'd the Most Christian King while he hires the Turks to destroy Christendom The Third Infirmity is Asa's relving upon this Arm of Flesh which he had so fordidly hired for which failure God sent Hanani the Prophet to reprove him 2 Chron. 16. 7 8 9. telling him he had lost the glory and booty that God would have given him Had Benhadad come up with Baasha against him as by Covenant he should have done they both in Conjunction should have done no more than the Ethiopians did had he relyed upon God's Power and Providence but now having relyed on Perfidious Benhadad whom he
World abounds with Courtesies that be no better than Cruelties Remark the Second This proud and prophane Captain with his fifty Elijah destroys by Fire from Heaven as 1 Kings 18.38 which was his Ninth Miracle ver 10. Vatablus saith here Thou thinks me not a man of God but scornfully calls me so yet God will prove me to be so by Fire from Heaven This Judgment was the greater wherein not one of the one and fifty were spared N. B. Nor did the Prophet pray for it out of any Carnal and Revengeful Passion but from a pure Zeal to vindicate God's Name and Glory which was so notoriously dishonoured and from a motion of God's Spirit whereof God gave his Approbation in a miraculous Answer to his Prayer Therefore Christ doth not condemn this Fact of Elijah saith Peter Martyr when he reproved his Disciples for desiring such a Deed from private Revenge and not from a divine Impulse nor suitable to a Gospel-Spirit much differing from Elijah's Severity Luke 9.54 55. Remark the Third Neither Oracles nor Miracles can mend this mad King though he lay on his Death-bed yet is nothing moved saith Peter Martyr at the loss of his Subjects by so dreadful a Judgment as Sodom was destroyed with Gen. 19.24 the whole World will be so 2 Pet. 3.7 yea and the Torments of Hell are resembled by it Mark 9.43 Notwithstanding Ahaziah in his Phrenzy exposes one Company after another and this second Captain was more impudent than the first saying Come down quickly ver 11. as if he had said or I will fetch thee down with a Vengeance therefore did Elijah most justly fetch down Fire upon him and his with a Vengeance and worthily made him an Example to his Successor who would not take the Example of his Predecessor to beware c. ver 12. This was Elijah's Tenth Miracle Remark the Fourth This frantick King doth desperately expose a Third Captain and his Company ver 13 14. Ahaziah c. could not be ignorant how Elijah had made fire fall down to consume the Sacrifice at Carmel 1 Kings 18.38 so powerful was this Prophet's Prayer James 5.17 and now again he had done the like twice to lick up the two Bands of Soldiers at Carmel also yet the King in despight of God and his Prophet sends a Third Captain with his Company This Captain took caution and considered what a sorry thing Man is in the Hands of his Maker who by a flash of Lightning had lick'd up two Captains with their Companies therefore he prostrates himself before God's miraculously protected Prophet expressing a Reverence to his Person and a belief of his Power with a dread of God's Wrath. N. B. Hereupon some think it was good Obadiah who the King knew could best prevail with the Prophet to come along with him to the Court He saw nothing could be got by strong hand so tries what might be done by Suit and he sues more for own Life than for Elijah's Company God and not he must direct him therein He saw the Mad King incapable of Admonition but fears not to find Elijah inexorable Remark the Fifth God commands Elijah by his Angel to go without fear ver 15. What could he expect at Court from a raging King a Jezebel at his Elbow c. but such hot service as the Captains had found in coming to summon and apprehend him N. B. Yet having the Angels Protection as well as Warrant his Faith was grown above his former fear when he fled from the face of Jezebel 1 Kings 19.3 He comes confidently into the King's Bed-chamber ver 16. tells the King to his Face his whole errand not abating a Word The King as daunted with the Prophet's presence and message is strangely manucled and muzzl'd he neither speaks nor acts against him N.B. The stoutest and stubbornest Stomachs must stoop when God takes them to task Prov. 16.1 and 21.1 Ahaziah died away ver 17. undoubtedly so affrighted with Elijah's Words as it hastened his Death whereas he might have recovered as did Hezekiah had he sought to God and not to the Devil Now dies he childless and leaves his Throne to his Brother Jehoram c. 2 Kings CHAP. II. THIS Chapter treats first upon Elijah's Translation and secondly upon the Miracles wrought by Elisha his Successor As to the first Part namely Elijah's Rapture the Antecedents the Concomitants and the Consequents are considerable Remarks upon the Antecedents of his Rapture are First Before Elijah left this lower World he resolves to visit the Schools of the Prophets that he might strengthen their Hands and Hearts in God's Work and bestow his last farewel upon them on Earth before his Chariot of Triumph came to fetch him home to Heaven This last Journey of his Peter Martyr saith was Circular after a sort for He went from Gilgal near Jordan thence to Bethel and Jericho and then returned to Jordan again from ver 1 to the 8. Remark the Second 'T is a marvelous good Providence of God saith Peter Martyr that any true Prophets should be preserved in those places when Idolatry abounded and the false Prophets of Baal were so Triumphant yea and Jezebel her self who persecuted them to Death was alive And though Obadiah had hid an hundred in Caves yet now to find open Schools of them especially in Bethel where one of Jeroboam's Golden Calves was set up yea and in that cursed City Jericho is matter of great Admiration N.B. Yet God over-ruled Matters to preserve them to a Prodigy lest his People should wholly want the Light of his Word Remark the Third This is no less marvelous that the two Prophets of the ten Tribes Elijah and Elisha did far outshine all those Prophets that belong'd to the two Tribes in their manifold Miracles the Reasons are supposed 1. Because Idolatry was more grievous in the former than in the latter and where Sin did most abound there God gave the greater Grace to stop the Inundation of it And 2. The truly pious Israeli es were more grievously tempted to forsake God than the Jews were c. Remark the Fourth Elijah bids Elisha three Times do that which he deny'd to do First He bids him carry at Gilgal Secondly At Bethel And Thirdly At Jericho but Elisha gave Elijah three Denials to His command and not barely in Negatives but each time He confirms his Denial with an Oath also Though this may seem strange that so good a Servant dare thus peremptorily disobey the Commands of so good a Master Yet was this an Holy and Zealous Disobedience for Lavater Vatablus Peter Martyr Piscator c. Say 1. That God had revealed to Elisha the Rapture of Elijah as well as to the Sons of the Prophets ver 3 5. 2. He knew that his Master did bid him tarry only to try the Truth of his Love whether He would leave him or no. 3. And that it was rather to kindle in him a more ardent Affection to cleave close to him
warm our Hearts unless the God of Ordinances be in and with them It was Christ's presence with the two Disciples discoursing in their way to Emmaus that made them say Did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us in the way Luke 24.32 so we may say if so in the way of his Ordinances c. Remark the Second upon the Consequents is The Sons of the Prophets saw the River remove its streams in obedience to Elijah's Mantle though it had chang'd it's Master and was now in Elisha's Hands yet Elijah's Spirit remain'd behind him with Elisha Hereupon they meet him ver 15. and tho' these Men had been train'd up in the Schools of the Prophets and Elisha among Carts and Ploughs yet do they give him due Veneration as one now endowed with Elijah's Spirit and whom God had made a Father of the Prophets Yet these Young Prophets are as full of Zeal for Elijah as they are of Reverence to Elisha ver 16 17 18. Mark 1. Their Incredulity in not believing that Elijah was now translated into Heaven but thinking that some Angel had taken him up and carried him to some obscure place on Earth according to 1 Kings 18.12 so still ought to retain his Dignity over the Prophets yet would they be so obsequious to their new Master as not to send their fifty Sons of strength to seek their old Master without Elisha's leave but he said send not c. Mark 2. Their Importunity they were so urgent with him for Leave and Liberty that Elisha was ashamed to seem inexorable therefore he saith Send seeing you are so set upon it though I am assured you are sure to lose your labour as indeed they did after they had wearied themselves with three days search N. B. The uncounselable are commonly unsuccessful in their enterprises and are best satisfied when wearied with their own ways nothing will teach them wit but disappointment Remark the Third is The Miracles that Elisha wrought by his double Spirit and all as Answers to his ardent Ejaculation Where is the Lord God of Elijah The same God cloath'd Elisha with Elijah's Spirit as well as with his Mantle whereof he had many ensuing Experiments There be three Miracles that Elisha wrought mentioned in this Chapter His first Miracle was the Dividing of Jordan described 1. By its Organ the Mantle of Elijah ver 13. 2. By its Author Manner and Matter ver 14. 3. By its Witnesses and Spectators the Sons of the Prophets ver 15. as above which when they saw they came to congratulate the Gift of God bestowed upon him and to own him as their Master for like Miracles argued the like Spirit in him And indeed Elisha wanted not the Evidences of a Double Spirit to that of Elijah which he desired seeing his Miracles that are mentioned in Scripture-Record were about twenty For besides the three here ver 14 22 and 24. there be many more Recorded whereof take this Epitome chap. 3.20 chap. 4.6 17 36 41 44. chap. 5.14 27. chap. 6.6 10 13 17 18 20. chap. 7.6 18. and chap. 13.21 in all seventeen more so that almost 't is a Duplication of Elijah's Miracles Remark the Fourth Elisha's second Miracle was his healing the bad Waters of Jericho here ver 19 20 21 22. wherein Mark 1. The Citizens petition to Elisha ver 10. So wise was this cursed City grown by their College of Prophets as to make improvement of this Master-Prophet while they had him 't were well if all People were so wise In their Address they say My Lord acknowledging his Authority over their Society in whose name the Speaker spoke The Situation of this City is pleasant but the Waters are naught and thereby the Ground is barren N.B. The same may be said of all such Places tho' never so pleasant as want those Waters of Life Gospel-Ordinances purely and powerfully Administred in them such should seek Redress as those do here But this evil here had not been original when Israel came first hither 'T is more probable that it was God's Curse inflicted for Hiel's Presumption in Rebuilding that City 1 Kings 16.34 A fruitful Land God turns into barrenness for Mens sin Psal 107.34 Deut. 28.24 Mark 2. The means of healing ver 20. Elisha calls for a new Cruse that no suspicion might be of working the Miracle by vertue of any thing that had been in it before and that no Legal Pollution might hinder its miraculous operation he bids Put Salt therein a most improper and improbable Remedy for Salt naturally makes Waters brackish and Land barren See Judg. 9.45 N.B. God oft works by contraries that his power might the more appear working without or against means Mark 3. The miraculous Effect of this seeming ridiculous means both for the quality and the quantity of Salt and the place where that small part was put The Fountain or Spring quickly works forth any thing put into it Elisha by Divine Direction pours the Salt in and heals them ver 21 22. N.B. He pours not the Salt into the Stream or Channel but into the Spring or Fountain So when God casts the Salt of Grace into our hearts those Fountains of Affections and Actions if but one small Cruse-full thereof we are immediately healed not so much as a thought can pass betwixt the Receipt and the Remedy Matth. 8.3 and 20.34 Mark 1.31 42. Luke 8.44 47 55 c. Remark the Fifth Is Elisha's cursing the scoffing Children described in all its Circumstances ver 23 24 25. wherein Mark 1. Elisha's going from Healed Jericho N.B. God's Prophets leave their blessing behind them to visit the Sons of the Prophets at Bethel also and to comfort them saith P. Martyr for their Loss of Elijah and to settle Orders where there was a strange composition of Jeroboam's Calves and a College of Prophets Mark 2. The Children that came forth to meet and mock Elisha were doubtless such whose Parents had nuzzled them up in Idolatry and Calf-worship with which Bethel abounded 1 Kings 12.28 29. Hos 4.15 and 5.8 and from whom they had learnt to contemn God's Prophets who seated themselves there to bear witness against their False-worship and to reclaim the People from it Mark 3. Those mis-taught Brats belch forth Gnalah Kereach with the greatest petulancy Go up thou bald-pate not only scornfully deriding him for affirming Elijah was gone up to Heaven but also prophanely scoffing him for his not going up with his Master for the Hebrew word Gnalah is used in both places ver 11. and ver 23. that they might not any more be troubled with him who opposed their Idolatry as Elijah had done and having no worse to upbraid him with they twit him with his natural Distemper his Baldness and repeat it twice to aggravate his grief the more Mark 4. Elisha curseth them for cursing him ver 24. not out of any private Revenge but by his Spirit of Prayer and Prophecy having a commission from God
32.23 the King will punish us if we stay till Morning light if we hide these glad Tidings from the City half dead with Famine Mark 6. They go to the Watchmen at the Gates tell them the Coast was clear all were gone yet Tents left furnished with Beds Meat Drink and all other Furniture these Watch-men hasten first to tell the King ver 10 11. as was fit that he might order all for the best Remark the Second Hereupon the King more fearful than was fit and suspecting this flight of the Syrians to be a Strategem only to Decoy the Hungry Samaritans out of their Gates to plunder their Camp politickly left full fraught with plenty of all things that while the half-famished Souldiers and Citizens were falling upon the Spoil in a confused way then the Syrians would turn short upon them and destroy them as oft hath fallen out in Strategems of War ver 12. This was King Joram's Worldly Wisdom but his Fear in suspecting more than was meet was above his Faith in the Promise made him by the Prophet he neither believed God nor his Prophet saith Peter Martyr but rather put his trust in two forlorn Scouts sent out to see ver 13. 'T was first proposed by one of the King's Councellers that allathe five Horses which the Famine had left uneaten should be sent out with Riders to make Discovery but the Council concluded two were sufficient ver 14. Those two Horse-men find no lurking Syrians betwixt Samaria and Jordan but all the way scattered Garments c. whatever might hinder their hasty heels in the flight these fall not on plundering for themselves as the Lepers did ver 8. but presently brought word to the King that the Lepers had told him the truth ver 15. The Second Part is the Accomplishment of Elisha's Oracle Remark the First 'T was Accomplish'd in the Plenty of Provision that Elisha foretold ver 1.16 As that hurrying Noise made probably by the Angels those Horses and Chariots of fire Chap. 6.17 which frighted away the Syrians from the Siege of Samaria was a miraculous Answer to Elisha's Prayer as he sat in his House Chap. 6.32 and made the Prophet's Eighteenth Miracle so this sudden change of extream Scarcity into such abundant Plenty and dearness of Food into such cheapness so that a Measure of fine Flour to day was far lower rated than of Dove's Dung yesterday This was a miraculous Effect of Elisha's Prayer as well as of his Prophecy whereby was made up his Nineteenth Miracle Behold and wonder how the half-starved Samaritans now dare venture forth to take the Spoil of the Syrian Camp as if the Lord had brought the Syrians thither not so much to famish as to enrich them Now they find Granaries Ward-robes Treasures saith Dr. Hall and whatever was for either Vse or Honour as Scarcity had bred Dearth so God's Plenty now produced Cheapness c. Remark the Second Elisha's Oracle was also accomplish'd in the Death of that prophane Prince that had scoffed at his Prophecy of Plenty ver 17 18 19 20. Mark 1. The marvelous Providence of God that this same Prince must be made Lord Keeper of the City Gate toward the Syrian Camp to suppress Tumults saith Sanctius as well as to secure the City from the feared lurking Syrians God ordered it so saith Grotius to fulfil his Decree Mark 2. This Vnbelieving Peer saw the foretold Plenty brought in at the Gate though the Windows of Heaven were not opened ver 2. He beholds the Infallibility of God's Promise to the People and now feels he the Infallibility of God's Threatning to himself Mark 3. He had trampled on the People by Oppression saith Peter Martyr but undoubtedly he had shamefully trodden under foot the Honour of God's Power wherefore he was worthily trampled upon by the hungry People says Lavater whose Bellys had no Ears their Hunger breaks through stone-walls and bears him down by their tumultuous pressing through the narrow Gates not regarding his Authority Mark 4. This punishment being according to the Prophet's Prediction and probably his Prayer was miraculous and so reckoned his twentieth Miracle N. B. 1. Learn from the Syrians in their flight to cast off every weight in our Race of Religion Heb 12.1 And 2. From Samaritans in their Hunger to press through the strait Gate for the Bread of Life Luke 13.24 2 Kings CHAP. VIII THIS Chapter contains Three more Oracles of Elisha The first concerns his foretelling of seven years Famine from v. 1 to 6. The second the Death of Benhadad from v. 7 to 10. The third the Reign of Hazael in his room from ver 11 to 14. This is the first part of it the second part returns to Jehoram and Ahaziah from ver 16 to 29. Remarks upon the first part and first Oracle are First He foretells the Shunamite that God had call'd for a seven years Famine Kara Hebr. signifies invited so Junius intimating by this Metaphor that N. B. Such publick Calamities are God's Invited Guests they come at his Call and Command Psal 105.16 Jer. 25.29 Hag. 1.11 The Centurion acknowledg'd as much of Christ's Power over Diseases Matth. 8.9 This Famine God call'd for to last seven years because saith P. Martyr the Famine in Elijah's time which lasted but half so long Luke 4.25 James 5.17 had not Reclaimed Israel from their Idolatry c. but continued obstinate and incorrigible under the powerful Ministry of Elisha who confirmed his Doctrine by so many even twenty Miracles therefore is this Famine most justly doubled to that former under Elijah for doubling their sins Remark the Second Elisha shews kindness to this Shunamite for her shewing so much kindness to him chap. 4.8 c. He had done much for her before yet saith P. Martyr he still proceeds to do more N. B. A truly grateful person can never satisfie himself in requiting former favours Hence Elisha bids her enquire of a place where she might purchase Provision for that could not be done in her own Country ver 1. therefore at the Prophet's word she went and sojourned in the Land of the Philistines ver 2. where the Famine was not N. B. For God saith Peter Martyr begins his Judgments at the House of God 1 Pet. 4.17 God will bear with the Philistines Carting the Ark of God because they had not God's Law and knew no better but if Israel do so who had more means of Grace and Light of Knowledge then comes the Perez-Vzzah God makes a breaâ—h upon them 1 Sam. 6 7 10 11 c. with 2 Sam. 6.3 6 8. So here the Israelites were by a special hand of God punished for their Idolatry when the Philistines escaped having no Elisha's to instruct them 'T was lawful for pious persons saith P. Martyr to sojourn there for Isaac had done the like upon the like occasion of necessity Gen. 26.1 So David did upon another occasion 1 Sam. 27.1 2. and Joseph Matth. 2.14 Here she stayed seven
Idolatress partly because she was the Original of all the Mischiefs and partly because Joram had made his Mother's Sins to be his own seeing he had not restrained her according to his Royal Duty and as pious Asa had restrained yea and deposed his Mother 1 Kings 15.13 whereas Joram rather promoted Jezebel's matchless Villany and was himself an Idolater if he were not an Adulterer also Remark the Third Jehu slays Joram in the Field of Jezreel ver 23 24 25 26. Joram's Carcass must now serve to Manure that Vineyard which his Father Ahab had so bloodily wrung from Naboth by Butchering both him and his Sons as is expressed here that he might have a clearer Possession of it yea and Jezebel the principal Promoter of the Slaughter of the Lord's Prophets as well as of the Murder of Naboth even her stinking Carcass both alive and dead notwithstanding all her Perfumes and Paintings shall become manure also to this same Vineyard How dear was this Garden of Herbs bought and how richly Dung'd even with Royal Corps Remark the Fourth Ahaziah was wounded also by Jehu's Order but not so mortally as Joram was by Jehu's Arrow who sank down dead by it for Ahaziah fled to Megiddo ver 27. but hid himself in Samaria as thinking it the safer place 2 Chron. 22.9 or he died at Megiddo in the Country of Samaria yet Jehu suffered his Servants to carry his Corps to Jerusalem ver 28. for Jehosaphat's sake Remark the Fifth Jehu comes to Jezreel and executes Jezebel ver 30 to 37. Mark 1. She painted her Face either to affright Jehu with her Majestick Looks saith Lavater or to allure him from Murder to Adultery saith Vatablus but she was too old for that now saith P. Martyr and mourning Weeds had been more meet for her in the loss of her Husband and of her Son c. Mark 2. Jezebel expostulates with Jehu ver 31. wherein she calls him a Second Zimri his Master's Murderer She thought that being a Woman she might wag her wicked Tongue at will and that Jehu durst not meddle with her not knowing that he had a particular Charge from God about her ver 7 10. Mark 3. Jehu crys Who is on my side ver 32. and her Eunuchs that commonly attended the Queen being mercenary Creatures did quickly comply with Jehu's command of casting her out at the Window ver 33. N. B. Behold saith P. Martyr how Court-Parasites change their Minds with their Conditions Mark 4. See how God writes her Sin upon her Punishment her Brains that had devised Mischief against God's Servants are now strewed upon the Walls and she that had insulted over the Lord's Prophets is now trampled under Foot by Horses heels She that out of her dogged Disposition had flown upon so many that feared God is now justly devoured by Dogs mark 5. Jehu had for the present forgot Elijah's Prophecy of her 1 Kings 21.23 when he bad to bury her because she was the Daughter of Ethbaal King of Sidon 1 Kings 16.31 whom he was loth to incense in his unsettled Estate but when word was brought him the Dogs had devour'd all her Flesh and left nothing but Bones a fair warning to foul dogged Persecutors then he remembred what he heard Elijah say ver 36 37. Where he relates more than was recorded 1 Kings 21.23 which now is made Scripture as if before related 2 Kings CHAP. X. THIS Chapter is a farther Narrative of Jehu's Life and Death His Actions in his Life are twofold the first were lawful and laudable from ver 1 to ver 27. the second were unlawful and illaudable a stain in his Escucheon ver 29 30 31. Remarks upon his laudable Actions are First His Severity in extirpating Ahab's Posterity and Kindred according to God's command Mark 1. Ahab had Seventy Sons by several Wives in Samaria ver 1. as if he had bid defiance to that divine Threatning of Rooting out his Family as if impossible c. Mark 2. Jehu writes a trying Letter to the Grandees of that Royal City that they would set up the likeliest of all these Seventy Sons to succeed Joram in his Throne and fight yet for him thus he felt their Pulses whether for or against him ver 2 3. Mark 3. Those Pusillanimous Peers truckle at a small Intreaty to betray their Trust never consulting saith P. Martyr either with the Word of God or with his Prophets nor do they send Embassadors but immediately yield to him ver 4 5. Mark 4. Hereupon Jehu writes a second Letter ver 6. to send him the Heads of those Seventy Sons in a Basket c. As God had his holy Hand in their Pusillanimity in order to Root out Ahab's House so likewise in this Retaliation for as Ahab and Jezebel had by a Letter sent to the Elders of Jezreel shed the Blood of Naboth and his Sons so they should have the Blood of all their Sons shed by a Letter sent from Jezreel to the Elders of Samaria and all these Heads must be brought in Baskets ver 7. to Jezreel because Ahab had sent from Samaria for some Baskets of Grapes out of Naboth's Vineyard at Jezreel Mark 5. Those Seventy Princes Heads which the second Letter writ not in black but in blood fetched from Samaria Jehu bids the Messenger lay them all Night at the Gates of Jezreel which was the place of Judicature and which now were shut when they came ver 8. thus saith Vatablus but Menochius renders this Reason That Jehu durst not trust the Samaritans that brought those Heads to be admitted into the City in the Night Lavater saith best saying This was the place of greatest Concourse both for Judgment and for Egress and Regress where the People beheld next Morning this formidable Justice upon Ahab's Family and so justifie Jehu in God's just Vengeance upon them Mark 6. Jehu comes in the Morning ver 9. and a vast Concourse of People to behold this lamentable Spectacle Some hard hearted Hannibal would have cried out as he once did upon the like occasion O formosum Spectaculum O brave sight 'T is wittily said that this evil World is like those heaps of Heads placed on both sides the Gates of Jezreel that had not so much as one heart among so many heads Few hearts be for God 1 John 5.19 But Jehu saith Vatablus makes an excellent Apology here alledging that neither he had slain his Master nor they the Seventy Sons but it was the Lord himself for the Prophecy of Elijah was now fulfilled and the Decree of God was hereby executed ver 10. and therefore let not this multitude met here fear God's Vengeance on the Innocent Mark 7. Jehu likewise slew all Ahab's Court-Creatures ver 11. such as he had advanced to Wealth and Honour and who had been Partners with him and Jezebel in their Sins together with all their Kindred excepting Joash King of Judah saith Lavater and Ahaziah's Brethren which he slew afterwards ver 12 13 14.
of Sin full for our Lord quotes that wicked Act as highly conducing to the Catastrophe of their Kingdom Matth. 23.32 35 36 37. N. B. The First Second Third and Fourth Chapters of Hosea all speak the fore-tokens of their Captivity The Third Prophet in that time was Amos Chap. 1.1 his whole Prophecy concerns Israel's Rejection but more expresly in Chapters 7.10 11 12 c. he tells us Jeroboam the Second was then alive Contemporary with Vzziah and that Amaziah the Priest of Bethel's Calf inform'd against him as a Traytor to that King The Fourth Prophet in this time was Jonah as is aforesaid upon 2 Kings 14.25 which Text doth certifie he was Contemporary with the former Prophets who had all foretold the Rejection of the Jews and therefore is this Jonah seasonably sent forth to fetch in the Gentiles by preaching to Ninive c. and though at the first he declined his Message out of love to his own Countrymen knowing that the coming in of the Gentiles would be the casting off of the Jews yet was he forced thither when cast a Shore out of a Whale's Belly wherein he was a Type of our Lord's Burial and Resurrection Matth. 12.39 40. just before the Call of the Gentiles by the Preaching of the Gospel APPENDIX Jonah CHAP. I. REmark the First Junius Piscator and Grotius affirm unanimously That the same Jonah whom God sent to Nineveh Jon. 1.1 2. was he that is mentioned 2 Kings 14.25 though Masius and Menochius say otherwise but seeing in both places this Prophet is called The Son of Amittai which Hebr. signifies Truth or Veracity denoting saith D'Dieu that he was a veracious and truth-telling Prophet 't is therefore the concurrent Opinion of learned Authors that both were one and the same Prophet Mr. Lively relateth that this Jonah was the first of all the Prophets whose Prophecies are Recorded and is named next to the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 13.14 20. and 14.25 Jonah lived before the Battle of Joash King of Israel with the Syrians about the end of Elisha's Life and he prophesied among the Ten Tribes say Paraeus Cluverius c. concerning the Prosperity of Jeroboam the Second who was more prosperous than pious and when he had spent much time with small success among the irreclaimable Israelites whose Sermons to them are not come to us upon Record saith Calvin then did God send him to the Gentiles saith Mercerus that they might provoke them to Repentance or at least leave them inexcusable therefore 't is said God also sent him to Nineveh Jon. 1.1 2. Remark the Second Though Jehoaaz in his Trouble besought the Lord 2 Kings 13.3 4 5 6 7. and the Lord heard him out of his matchless Mercy and made use of Jeroboam the Second to be Israel's Saviour though a sorry sinner from the savage Syrians and sent Jonah to foretel his Victories over their Oppressors because God had not still writ Lo-ammi upon them 2 Kings 14.25 26 27 c. Yet because the House of Israel made a misimprovement of this Divine Mercy therefore God sent Hosea Amos Isaiah c. to foretel their Calamity and Captivity yea of Judah as well as of Israel Dr. Lightfoot excellently observeth that when Joel and the other Prophets had shewed the Rejection and Ruine of all the Twelve Tribes and when Obadiah had foretold the Desolation of Esau the next Kinsman to Jacob's Seed then God saw it seasonable to send out Jonah to fetch in the Gentiles c. Remark the Third Jonah at the first declined his divine Embassage unto that great City Nineveh Jon. 1.3 Rabbi Kimchi saith his Reason for his refusal was because he murmured that Mercy and Peace should be carried away from the Jews and now be preached by him a Jew to the Gentiles upon condition of their Repentance He was loth to leave his own People whom he loved and would not have them cast off by the coming in of the Gentiles he thought saith Calvin it would be acting contrary to God's Covenant to reject Israel c. and the like mistake made Peter call'd also Simon Bar-Jonah John 1.42 with his name-sake Jonah who accounted the Gentiles as common and unclean He narrow'd the Beams of divine Grace likewise Acts 10.11 12 15. until better informed by Christ and then he acknowledged his Error ver 34 35. both those two Jonahs might have learnt the Mystery of Naaman's carrying Jewish Earth into Syria 2 Kings 5.17 which signified some favour was to be transported from the Jews to the Gentiles c. Remark the Fourth Jonah's Sin of Disobedience to God's Call and Command ver 2 3. N. B. This whole History is a marvelous dispute betwixt passionate peevish Jonah and the patient and omnipotent Jehovah a sorry Creature with the most sovereign Creator in both Jonah's Messages c. to Nineveh c. God gave him his first Commission to go preach at Nineveh the Metropolis of the Assyrian Monarchy and very Antient Gen. 10.11 and exceeding Ample as well as Antient containing 50 Miles in compass saith Diodorus Siculus and was a City of three days journey in Jonah's days Jon 3.3 and besides this vast compass of Ground it had the like stately Walls about it the height whereof was an 100 Foot and their breadth so spacious as capable to receive three Carts to pass together in a breast or row and these Walls were adorn'd with fifteen hundred Towers says Munster This famous Fabrick the then none-such in the World was so frightful to Jonah's timorous Temper that he durst not face it especially with so dismal a Message of proclaiming its utter Ruine in a little time Hereupon Jonah flees c. acting contrary to blessed Paul who consulted not with Flesh and Blood Gal. 1.16 nor daring to be disobedient to the heavenly Vision Acts 26.19 but Jonah plays the run-away from the Presence of the Lord that is from the special and spiritual Presence of God wherein he had hitherto stood and ministred for from God's general Presence Jonah knew he could not flee Psalm 139.7 8. Acts 17.27 Some run before they be sent as uncalled Preachers contrary to Rom. 10.14 15. but Jonah though he runs not before sent yet when sent he runs not the right way for fear of the Ninevites for love to his Israelites and he conceited his Task was to no purpose in preaching to Pagans seeing he prevailed so little at home with his own People c. therefore fled he to Tarshish making more haste than good speed from Joppa thither N. B. When once got out of God's way we may turn we know not whither and return we know not when He led himself into Tentation but God left him not in it but led him out of it He was happy that no evil happened to him Prov. 12.21 Remark the Fifth God punishes this run-away Jonah ver 4. so far evil did happen to him that the Ship wherein he imbarked himself was stop'd by a Storm
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
the whole of his Discourse therein is carry'd on in a stately Style in figurative Terms full of Passion and Compassion as to shew his love to his Country so to work upon his hard-hearted Country-men pressing them to Repentance Prayer Patience together with a Sanctify'd use of all their Sufferings and a confident expectation of a most happy Issue at the end notwithstanding his doleful Echa which signifies How which he useth no fewer than three times in the 1st Verse of Lamentations the 1st intimating 1. How are all the Holy Vessels of God's Sanctuary now carry'd into Captivity 2 Kin. 25.13 14 15 16. 2 Chron. 36.18 Jer. 52.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. All the Instruments of God's Service together with the Ornaments of the Temple were all carry'd away as had been foretold by Jeremy Jer. 27.21 22. where he adds to that Threatning which they then would not believe a comforting promise that a great part of those Vessels should be brought back again and be anew Consecrated to the Lord's Service Ezra 1 7. and 7.16 The 2. Echa or How is the Glorious Temple that Solomon built for an House to the Lord the Wonder of the World c. now laid in Ashes because his People had notoriously prophaned it and all the Holy Vessels of it c. And the 3. Echa or How is His bewailing the Desolations both of City and Country once full of People able to send forth vast Armies in the Days of David Asa Jehosaphat c. once a Princess commanding many Nations but now a Solitary Widow forsaken of her God of her King and of her People c. Remark the Fourth The Occurrencies Recorded in Scripture which happened in the first Year of this long Captivity are Mark 1. Young Daniel and three other young Nobles of the Blood-Royal are brought to Babylon as had been foretold Isa 39.7 where they refused to Defile themselves with the Court's Diet because it was oft such as was forbidden by the Law of God Levit. 11. and Deut. 14. which would have been an offence to their weaker Brethren with whom they chose rather to sympathize in their Adversity than to live in excess and fulness Amos 6.6 This was done in the third Year of Jehoiakim Dan. 1.1 3 5 8 11 15. Their Pulse and Water in their austerity of Life made them look fresh and fat shewing Man lives not by Bread only c. Deut. 8.3 Matth. 4.4 The main matter that made them look so well was God's blessing on their courser fare Josephus the Jew is much mistaken in Antiq. lib. 10. cap. 7. making this to fall out in the 4th Yea of Nebuchadnezzar and in the 8th of Jehoiakim Rabbi Don Joseph upon Daniel doth better saying Nebuchadnezzar in the first Year of his Absolute Reign after his Father's Death came up against Jerusalem in the latter part of Jehoiakim's third Year and took it in the beginning of his fourth Dan. 1.1 Jer. 25.1 Mark 2. In this same first Year of the Captivity it was that Jeremy prepared a Cup of Indignation for Jerusalem and for all the Nations round about it and at last for Babylon it self Jer. 25.1 c. The Captivity began at the first Year of Nebuchadnezzar and ended at the first Year of Cyrus and Darius 2 Chron. 36.20 21 22. in which Court Daniel continued all that time Dan. 1. ver 1 21. Jeremy's Cup was Babylon's Sword which was Commission'd by God Jer. 47.6 7. and caused to ride its Circuit like a Judge in Scarlet N. B. And this Cup tho' it began at Jerusalem Judgment begins at God's House Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 and made Judea Desolate for Seventy Years yet after it had gone its Round running from Nation to Nation it ends at last at Babylon it self Jer. 25.9 10 11 12 15 19 to 29. the Scourging Rod God burns at last Mark 3. In this Year also Baruch writes the Prophecy of Jeremy in a Book Jer. 36.1 to 8. About twenty Years had Jeremy spent his pious pains among them for he began to Phophesy in the 13th Year of Josiah Jer. 1.2 who Reigned 31 Years so as Jeremy Prophesied 18 Years during Josiah's Life and this was the 4th Year of Jehoiakim Here God commands Jeremy to Record all the Revelations he had from God for 22 Years last past and to write the summ of all his Sermons that they might be reserved as Witnesses against them seeing they had been nothing better by that Doom he had so deservedly denounced against them Chap. 25 c. And now the Time drew near wherein all was coming to pass at this juncture Jeremy was confin'd to his House by Jehoiakim for he says Jer. 36.5 I am shut up Therefore Baruch must Read the Roll for him Remark the Fifth There is no particular Occurrence Recorded in many of the following Years of the Captivity yet in the Second of the Seventy there is namely the Reading this Roll publickly upon a publick Fast-day and the Effects thereof Jer. 36.9 to the end A Fast-day on which a great concourse of People could not but be expected from all parts of the Country was a fit Season for Reading this Scripture Roll yet was it not the Ordinary Yearly Fast Levit. 23.27 call'd the Day of Expiation or Atonement for that was held on the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month whereas this was kept in the Ninth Month appointed upon Emergency for fear of the Chaldeans c. Mark 1. It seems there was some Form or Carcase of Religion yet left in this so Degenerated Nation insomuch that a Fast was observed for the Prophets God sent them kept the Coal from being quite quenched N. B. This is one difference betwixt the Lord's casting off the Jews at this time and that of his casting them out for Crucifying of Christ afterwards for now God sent them Prophets both before and all along their Captivity therefore 't is call's a Transmigration only but this last easting out hath had no Prophets sent from God to them so their House is left Desolate as if under an utter Rejection for almost this Seventeen Hundred Years c. Mark 2. Baruch Read this Roll probably out of a Chamber-window or some Balcony that all the People under him might the better hear ver 10. The Princes it seems were not present at this Fast but were Solacing themselves with their Court-Consolations while the People were Humbling themselves before the Lord and Trembling at the Word Therefore Micaiah one that had heard it runs to tell these Privy-Counsellors ver 11 12 13. They sent Jehudi to fetch Baruch who comes couragiously and these Princes not all out so bad as the King very courteously bade him Sit down and Read the Roll v. 14 15 16. So far they were at the first affected with it that tho' they durst do no other but Acquaint the King yet knowing the fierceness of his Temper c. advise Baruch to Hide himself and Jeremy ver 17 18 19
Disappointments which could not but go like a Dagger to his Heart thus to Honour Mordecai c. Mark 4. Make haste and take the Apparel and the Horse c. saith the King to Haman ver 10. here was no time given Haman for Deliberation nor must he Dispute but Dispatch where the Word of a King is especially of an absolute Persian King there is Power and who may say to him what dost thou Eccles 8.4 it was not therefore for Haman aut Responsare aut Repugnare either to Respond or Refuse had he been allow'd the least Breathing Time either to have considered with himself or consulted with his Friends saith a Learned Interpreter he would either have feigned himself Sick or found some other excuse that he might not have done to his Enemy this Honour but God had so ordered it and the King had so commanded it that it must be done in haste Mark 5. Do even so to Mordecai the Jew that sits at the King's Gate saith the King ver 10. this Word must needs stabb Haman to the Heart to Honour Him who was thus Pointed out to him where he sat so that he could not mistake him and now must be forced to honour him whom at this time he had hoped to have hang'd out of his way c. Mark 6. Haman full sore against his Stomach arays Mordecai with the Royal Apparel whose Heart he would rather have torn out of his Belly mounts him upon the King's Horse when he would rather have Danced upon his Grave leads his Horse like a Lacquey and as a cryer proclaims before him his Fidelity to the King in saving his Life which was the cause of this high Honour N. B. Thus perform'd he a Triumph for Mordecai for whom he had prepar'd a Tree c. Oh what a cutting Cordolium was all this to haughty Haman c. Remark the Fifth The Consequences and contrary Effects of this stupendous Dispensation in disappointing Haman and advancing Mordecai Mark 1. Mordecai returns to his old Place ver 12. and to his old Sackcloth saith Lyra to wait for the Issue being not at all puff'd up with his new Honour saith Osiander as he had not been before any whit daunted with Haman's threats Chap. 5.9 The King's Horse and Apparel are returned to the right owner N. B. And he was as little transported with them as David had been with putting on Saul's Armour Nor doth he now envy his Superiours nor insult over his Inferiours nor trouble his Equals nor threaten his Enemies c. but calmly sits down in his old Office committing his Cause to God as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 according to the Guise of a Godly Man Psalm 131.1 2. yet Hopes this former Mercy was a pledge of some Future this Experience bred his Confidence Mark 2. But Haman hurl'd himself home as Nid-caph Hebr. signifies pulling his Night-Cap over his Eyes as ashamed to see or be seen ver 12. N. B. Never was any mortal Man made more a most Egregious Fool by the Immortal God over-shooting the Devil in his own Bow than Haman was here for he made an account to have gone in merrily to the Queens second Banquet after he had truss'd up Mordecai on the Gallows whereas lo he doth not only miss of gratifying his malicious mind upon Mordecai but he is made also to conferr all his matchless Honour upon him and that by his own Direction yea and that publickly through the Streets of the City where all Men had been in an Amazement at this unexpected Honour and sudden Glory of Mordecai which put People to a non-plus when they could not reconcile this Day with Haman's Lucky Day the thirteenth of Adar or February All this must needs Gall him profoundly and Grieve him prodigiously c. Mark 3. Haman consults with his Wife and Wizzards ver 13. such as he made use of saith Grotius in casting Lots to find his lucky Day they all concur in reading his Destiny from this evil Omen this they concluded either 1. From Rules of Politicks saith A Lapide observing Haman's sinking and Mordecai's rising in Reputation which are frequent Cases in Regal Courts wherein new Favourites foil the old Ones and more probably prudent Mordecai might give the fall to haughty Haman in getting the bloody Edict reversed 2. From their own Observations of extraordinary Deliverances they had heard the Jews of old were blest with in Egypt c. saith Menochius and of late in the Court of Cyrus c. saith Grotius c. 3. From Divine Inspiration saith Serrarius God giving them this Instinct as he did to the Sibylls Balaam and Caiaphas c. for his own greater Glory and for the Comfort and Benefit of his own People 4. Or the Devil might put this Answer into the Mouths of those Wizzards by God's Permission saith Mariana and of his Wife to make her now as cold a Comforter as she had been before a cursed Counsellour Chap. 5.14 Haman now heartless and hopeless is hasten'd away by Harbonah who tells him the King and Queen waited for him at that fatal Feast ver 14. Esther CHAP. VII THIS Chapter gives an Account of the foul and fatal Fall of haughty Haman from the high Pinacle of Preferment First The Antecedents conducing thereunto are two 1. Esther's Oration or Petition to the King And 2. The King 's passing the Sentence of Condemnation upon Haman Then Secondly The Execution and his dismal Downfal Remarks upon the first Part are First Haman hangs back from this Second Banquet when he heard his own Counsellours whom he hoped would have been his Comforters declare his Doom and Downfal beforehand now his Conscience if not seared c. began to fly in his Face for his Bloody Decree and now was he loath to go fearing far worse Entertainment than he had found at the former Feast While he thus linger'd and loiter'd the King's Chamberlain Harbonah comes to hasten Haman away probably saying to him It was uncivil for a Subject to Cause both the King and Queen to wait for him c. Chap. 6.13 14. Harbonah hurries Haman away head-long in a turbulent Manner when he saw that he had no Mind to go under pressing Despondency Remark the Second Haman being thus haled thither they all sit down to the Banquet and so soon as the King was well warm'd with Wine his Affections to Esther made him very desirous to know what her suit was and being egged with her delays He asks again What is thy Petition c. ver 1 2. He presseth her to speak out so God doth us to pray John 16.24 then Esther twice encouraged requests of the King for her own Life and the Lives of her People ver 3. What could be spoken in that Case saith Grotius more wittily and more wisely she could not use more Acute and cutting Words to the King's Heart saith Menochius seeing he had such strong Affections to his Queen Therefore to take away
Romish Church say Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion yet God's word saith 't is the Mother of Destruction My People are destroyed for lack of Knowledge Hos 4.6 To be ignorant of God's Law is no Mother in Israel c. Mark 5. The Contents of the Letter wherein Mordecai doth not only give Commission from the King for all the Jews to stand upon their guard for securing their own Lives but also to Kill all those who sought to Kill them making use of the same words in Hanian's Decree Chap. 3.13 that all Men might know the King's Mind was Alter'd in giving Mordecai as large a Commission to save the Jews as ever Haman's was to destroy them The Third Part of this Chapter is the Consequents of this Edict Remark the First No sooner were there Transcripts of this Original Decree transmitted in all haste into all parts of the 127 Provinces where they were publickly proclaimed That upon that long-look'd-for Day the thirteenth Day of the twelfth Month the Jews should be ready to Avenge themselves upon their Enemies ve 12 13 14 but immediately the Jews fear of that Fatal Day was changed into a Joyful Festival Day beforehand ver 16. the Dread of that Dismal Day in Haman's Decree being once done away by Mordecai's Edict of a contrary Countermand the Jews became Joyful and had their Holy Merry Meetings wherein to bless God for this unexpected and undeserved Mercy And no doubt but this Feast and good Day here mentioned ver 17. was only a Preparative at this Time when the Bad Brunt of their panick fears was once over unto that Grand Feast Chap. 9. Remark the Second Mordecai having obtained his heart's desire for an effectual Deliverance of his poor People went out from the King in his greatest Grandeur with a great Crown of Gold upon his Head ver 15. we read not that Human had any such yet may we suppose that this was not the Grand Royal Crown peculiar only to the King but one with sufficient Distinction from it permitted to the Prime of Persian Princes yet was it so Glittering and Glorious together with all his other Royal Apparel and Accoutrements as to put the City as he marched through it into a Joyful Jubilee Now the People that had been before perplexed Chap. 3.15 were rarely revived with the sight of Triumphing Mordicai And that not the Jews only saith Piscator but also the other Citizens who were either allyed to them by Affinity or engaged with them in Worldly Concerns or out of their Humanity abhorring that so many Millions of Innoâ—ents should be Butcher'd by Haman's Bloody Decree and now rejoycing that it was countermanded so that Shushan now shone as Aben-Ezra reads it and that Lilly as Shushan Hebr. signifies was now most lovely and lightsome Remark the Third This Joy of the Jews so general over the whole Empire as well as in Shushan caused a fear to fall upon the People of the Land ver 17. so that they became Proselytes to the Jewish Religion and as some say either for fear or Love submitted to that severe Precept of Circumcision However the great God over-ruled Matters so that when they saw the King himself favour the Jews and the Queen and Mordecai were altogether of them as well as for them c. this so over-awed even the Malignant Persians that they may of them had no mind to meddle c. Esther CHAP. IX THIS Chapter relateth the slaughter of the Hamanists who both purpos'd and endeavour'd to slay the Jews In this History are Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents Remarks First upon the Antecedents as First The long look'd for lucky Day of Haman's Diabolical Let came at last ver 1. namely the thirteenth of Adar or February upon which Day Haman 's Abettors hoped to revel in the Jews Ruine for though the King had set forth a second Counter-Edict in May foregoing this following February yet many malignant Hamanists did doubtless despise this later Decree and scoffingly derided it as only extorted from the King by his Queen's importunity and perswading themselves and others that the King was of the same Mind as before in Haman's Time to have all the Jews rooted out and to rid the World of them notwithstanding he had in an over Vxorious Humour consented to this second Counter-Decree meerly to give his Wife Content Therefore they resolve to Arm themselves and join all their Forces to prosecute to the utmost Haman's first Letter of Licence upon the lucky Day and take no notice of the second procured by Esther and her Vncle N.B. Thus those that are ripe for Ruine harden their own Hearts and hasten their own Destruction And that which did harden and heighten them in this daring attempt was that the latter Letter did not at all Reverse and repeal the former but only gave the Jews Liberty to defend themselves whom they doubted not to over-power for what was this handful of poor Captives to the whole Persian Empire But above all they were deluded by the Devil who is the Author of all such Arts and Lots of Divination for foretelling any future Arbitrary and Contingent Events and who Cozen'd them with false hopes of a lucky Day c. Remark the Second The Jews prepare on their Part Vim vi repellere to repel force by force in Defence of their own Lives unto which the Law of Nature prompted them for Man naturally saith Aristotle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Life-loving Creature and so indeed all Creatures from the highest Angel to the lowest Worm make much of their Lives N.B. The Jews had before made use of spiritual means as solemn Fasting and Prayer wherein they confidently committed their Righteous though disconsolate Cause to God who judgeth righteously yet dare they not tempt God by any wilful neglect of lawful means for their own Defence well-knowing that though the Care of the End belong'd to God yet the Care of the Means belong'd to them and therefore did they most industriously as for Life provide Temporal Means both Offensive and Defensive Weapons against that lucky unlucky Day of the thirteenth of Adar and this they did the more earnestly because they had the King's Commission for Arming themselves and gathering together c. without which this would have been reckon'd a Riot and Rebellion Hereupon Bernard highly Honours the Jews here saying though they were Laeti in Domino habentes gandium in re gaudium in spe c. the Jews had Joy Chap. 8.16 17. not doubting to possess what God had promis'd non tamen securi yet durst they not be secure but do Arm themselves for their Security The Second Part is the Concomitants of the Hamanists fall Remark the First Though the Jews Enemies were it seems allowed to take up Arms against the Jews when Haman's happy unhappy Day happened to fulfil Haman's bloody Letter whereof himself the Author repented and had rued it when he came to be hang'd for it and though those
Edifices and with Inhabitants taking a Poll of all the People ver 5 to 69. And Thirdly How He and the Chief Men gave Gifts to the Cities Treasury ver 70 to 73. Remark the First Upon the first Part is Pious and Prudent Nehemiah pitcheth upon such-men like himself for Piety and Prudence to be Chief Captains of the City-Watch namely his two tried and found faithful Friends Hanani and Hananiah to preserve the Cities Peace and principally to watch its Walls and Gates against the Incursions of the Enemy He chose not those principal Officers out of any carnal respect because they were related to him but because they both feared God above many which is the truest and surest ground of a firm Fidelity Mark 1. Though nothing be affirmed hereof concerning Hanani here the former of them yet enough had been Recorded before of his Piety and Zeal for God and his Countrey in taking such a tedious Journey from Jerusalem to Shushan to inform Nehemiah of the sad Estate of the City and to implore his helping hand to relieve it Chap. 1.1 2. so after such a plain Demonstration 't was needless to add here a new Commendation Mark 2. But Hananiah of whom no such account had been given before save only as a Repaizer Chap. 3.8 hath Ish Emeth Hebr. a Man of Fidelity given him here for his Character and one that feared God Merabbim Hebr. above many exceeding and excelling other Men therein or for many Days as Vatablus renders it to shew he was no Novice but stanch and try'd to whom Matters of Moment might safely be committed c. Remark the Second To those two faithful Favourites Nehemiah committed the Castody of the whole City the latter of which had been the Keeper of his Court and Palace wherein he lived like a Viceroy in great Splendour though at his own Charge as above Now Nehemiah having found him faithful over a little makes him Master over much Matth. 25.31 and knowing that they both feared God which was the best Defence against all Temptations to perfidiousness that they might meet with in his absence as other Nobles had met before this and the best ground of his Confidence in them Therefore he constituted them the Shomerims Hebr. or Keepers of the City-gates charging them not to open them till broad Day ver 3. when the Enemies approaching saith Masius may more manifestly be discovered and the Citizens all up and ready in Case of an Assault and their Office every Night was to feel with their Hands saith Junius whether the Gates were made Fast ver 3. moreover the Citizens were set to Watch upon the Walls saith Mariana in that watching Place which was next his own House every one in their Turns to make them more careful for their own safety Remark the Third ver 4 Shews the necessity of keeping this Order of a General Watch upon the Walls because the Circumference of the City was large six Miles in Compass saith Wolphius and the People but few that had yet return'd from their Captivity and their Houses were not yet generally compleated but they made a shift with sheds of Boards for present use near the Walls and many of the few that returned were dishearten'd by the Threats of the Adversary to remain there so retired back to Babylon and Persia and with them Zerubbabel saith Sanctius The Second Part is Nehemiah's replenishing Jerusalem with Inhabitants Remark the First While this good Man was musing in his Mind what Mischief might arise from the fewness of Citizens that inhabited the City at last he bethinks himself of such means whereby the City might be better Peopled and thereby become the better preserved ver 5 6 to 69. the means he made use of was to Congregate the Nobles Rulers and People and to take a Catalogue of them that so it might be known who appertained to the City and whose Calling lay therein and whose Inheritances lay in the Country that he might saith Grotius recal the Ancient Citizens and their Families to replenish the City N.B. Wolphius Objects here why was God so angry with David for this very Action of taking a Poll of his People c. He Answer 's it thus Nehemiah had just Causes to do so both for a sufficient Replenishment of the City with Citizens and for raising a summ of Mony out of that Poll to supply present importunate Necessities and likewise for a more Select number of Soldiers in this Emergency whereas David was no way urged by any of those urgent and necessary cogent Causes and Reasons It may farther be added what David did in that Case was not so much from want as from Wantonness Pride and Presumption c. Remark the Second Though this Act of Nehemiah was meerly a prudential Act commonly practised by prudent State-Polititians that know not God in Cases of the like Emergency yet this good Man ascribes this piece of Prudence not to himself or to his own Wit and Wisdom but to the Gift and Grace of God both directing and inclining him to it ver 5. wherein he humbly acknowledg'd with the Holy Apostle that the best of Men are not sufficient of themselves so much as to think a good Thought but his sufficiency is wholly from God 2 Cor. 3.5 and without him we can do nothing John 15.3 His humble Heart ingenuously owneth that this good Motion so useful and advantagious to the Church of God was handed down from Heaven to him He heard the joyful sound of God's goings in it and felt the Footsteps of his Anointed therein Psalm 89.15 51. N.B. Nehemiah made it more manifest afterwards that he firmly believed this good Motion of mustering up this Multitude of People came from God for out of them he taketh every Tenth Man to replenish the City with Inhabitants Chap. 11.1 2. after they had been first prepared by hearing the Law Chap. 8.2 Remark the Third The following Catalogue from ver 6 to 69. is the same in Substance saith Masius with that in Ezra 2. ver 1 to 68. they both begin and end alike they only differ in number as hath been noted before upon that Place This difference doth not at all weaken saith Wolphius the Truth of either of those sacred Catalogues seeing many Mutations saith Masius might be made both in Names and in Numbers within the Compass of an hundred Years and such a distance saith He as betwixt the first Catalogue at Zerubbabel's return and this here c. The Last Part is Nehemiah's Collection of Stores for the common good Remark the First This Collection was made ver 70 c. for the maintenance of the Ministry saith Osiander to which the Tirshatha Nehemiah's Name of Governour in the Persick Language gives Liberally and so did the Roshe Haaboth Hebr the principal Fathers c. according to their Ability which was very laudable being so lately delivered from Captivity N.B. This condemns the Custom of such saith He that tho' freed from Antichrist
yet dare Rob the Church and Convert this Sacrilege to their own Service Remark the Second Some there were who pretended to be Priests to have their share in this Collection c. ver 64. and Ezra 2.62 c. 2 Chron. 31.14 but because they could not clear their Descent from Aaron saith Grotius from Josephus therefore Nehemiah degraded them till an High Priest stood up with Vrim and Thummim which he hoped saith Grotius God would restore and resolve thereby dark Cases but Vatablus saith better that without all doubt this good Man pointed at the Messiah here this is more probable because it was a Tradition not only among the Jews but Samaritans also that when the Messiah came he would tell them all things John 4.25 26. Nehemiah CHAP. VIII THIS Chapter is a double Description of the Jews Festival Joys the First is General the Second is Special Remark the First Upon the General To every Act there is a Season saith Solomon a Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh c. Eccles 3.1 4. now was the Time come of the Jews General Joy when Zechary's Prophecy was now accomplished Jerusalem shall be inhabited in her own Place even in Jerusalem Zech. 12.6 Then all the People assembled as one Man ver 1. as they had done before Ezra 3.1 which though that Description be like this yet is it not the same Omne simile non est Idem this is a distinct History All the Jews met unanimously saith Piscator and call'd upon Ezra to bring forth the Pentateuch especially Deuteronomy saith Menochius which plainly sheweth that all the Holy Books were not burn'd at the burning of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar as some say and were restor'd by Ezra for they only bid Ezra here bring them forth out of his Custody and read therein to them Here Grotius notes excellently that now their City being rebuilt and replenish'd with People it was most meet that those Laws by which they were to live should be recall'd into their Remembrance Remark the Second The Women Assembled with the Men and their Children that were grown up to Years of Discretion and to an Age of Understanding ver 2 3. all these must hear the Law Read Mark 1. Souls have no Sexes but both Sexes are all one in Christ Gal. 4.28 God gave to them both Rational Souls and made them both Joint-Heirs of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3.7 therefore the means of Salvation must be afforded both to Male and Female N. B. This condemns that cursed Saying of the Romish Church That a Distaff is fitter for a Woman than a Bible c. Mark 2. Parents ought to take care of their Children that they be brought under the Droppings of the Sanctuary when they come to any competent growth those little Pitchers have Ears little Children must be suffer'd to come to Christ Matth. 19.14 who if well Principl'd may understand much and be blest by Christ Remark the Third The Time when this Solemn Festival-day was Celebrated 't is said to be on the first Day of the seventh Month ver 2. which was said to be at hand Chap. 7.37 In every Month the first Day was Festival to the Jews call'd Neomenia or New-moon saith Menochius Numb 28.11 2 Kings 4.23 and 1 Chron. 23.31 but in the seventh Month the first Day thereof was the more Solemn because beside the New-moon common to all Months there was on that first Day the Feast of the Blowing of Trumpets on the tenth Day the Feast of the Day of Reconciliation and on the fifteenth Day the Feast of Tabernacles which lasted at the least seven Days so that this Month was a Month of more Solemnities than any other and this first Day was a double Holy-day Levit. 23.24 34 35. Deut. 31.11 Remark the Fourth The Manner how this Great Festival Day was Solemnized This was Celebrated by a Sermon as the principal part of that Solemnity in both those Feasts of Trumpets and Tabernacles the Preacher was Priest Ezna N. B. 1. He is no Right Priest said Gregory of old that is not a Preaching Priest 2. The Place out of which Ezra Preached is call'd Migdal gnets Hebr. A Tower of Wood ver 4. because saith Mariana not only he was to stand Higher than his Hearers but also his Pulpit was built in the form of a Tower in an Orbicular or Round Figure N. B. This is enough to confute the Custom of the Capuchins and other Popish Priests that must have long Pulpits wherein they may walk and Act as upon a Stage especially in Lent c. 3. The Time that this Preacher took up in those Holy Duties of Reading and Expounding the Law and of Blessing the Lord mentioned ver 6 7 8. is express'd to be from the Haor Hebr. or Morning-light to Mid-day ver 3. which was about five or six hours saith Piscator from whence the raised Devotion both of Ezra the Preacher and of the People his Hearers saith Lyra doth plainly appear N. B. Oh then what a shame it is that the most among us are tyred with the time of an hour sitting as in the Stocks while the word of God is preached accounting the Sermon tedious if but a little extended beyond the Glass and then come out of the Church like Prisoners out of a Jayl c. Now come we to the Second Part which is in Special of the two Feasts Remark the First Upon the Feast of Trumpets from ver 5 to ver 13. Mark 1. Nehemiah c. tells the People that this Day was Holy to the Lord ver 9. a Day of blowing Trumpets Levit. 23.24 so must be consecrated solemnly to God as a Festival of Rejoicing in all Holy Duties and that their weeping at the Word they heard so heartily discovering to them their Sins was now unseasonable Eccles 3.3 Mark 2. This Congregation was so great that they all could not Hear Ezra therefore were they divided into Thirteen several Sacred Assemblies and had in all Thirteen several Priests to preach to them all named ver 4 7. some on the one hand of Ezra and some on the other all reading the Law distinctly ver 8. not tumbling it over so fast as few were the better and Interpreting it by comparing one place with another as Acts 9.22 Paul did at Damascus Mark 3. The People observed good Order here where Great was the Company of Preachers Psal 68.11 They in each Assembly kept their own Stations ver 7. without shuffling and shifting from Preacher to Preacher Vehagnam gnal gnamedam Hebr. Vatablus renders the People stood in their Stations as they were distributed saith Piscator that divers Companies might have divers Doctors N. B. They did not confusedly gad to and fro one to hear this Teacher and another that as those of itching Ears do in our day but abode under the Ministers God had set over them Mark 4. Those Hearers are highly commended for their Attention Intention and Retention which three Ingredients make up
to keep it ever-burning upon God's Altar Lev. 6.12 13. besides there was Fire in other Places for Pots to boil with 1 Sam. 2.15 2 Chron. 35.13 c. so much Wood was used as also for Burning of Sacrifices but the common Store of the Temple now failing they bind themselves to provide it in their Courses that God's Service might by no means be neglected N. B. As they took great Care for fuel to nourish God's Fire here that it might not be put out So no less ought we to do to feed our Faith Love and Zeal which Solomon calls the flame of God Cant. 8.6 Waters must not quench it Cant. 8.7 10. nor must Ashes cover it 2 Tim. 1.6 we may not wiâ—h-draw the fewel of God's Ordinances or pour on the puddle-water of gross-sins but feed it as well as the Gentiles did the Vestal Fire which was never to dye out for want of fresh fuel Mark 6. The Sixth Particular Branch of the Covenant was for paying their first Fruits ver 35 36 37. that the Priests rights might be firmly assured and they not be defrauded of any part thereof all the Particulars of the first Fruits are distinctly described here that none might pretend Ignorance in withholding the Priests-due which at this Time the People were prone to Practise either through Poverty or a Penurious or a Prophane Disposition But the first-born of their Sons and of their Cattel both great and small if unclean might be redeemed Exod. 13.2 13. yea the first Fruits of their Dough that the Priest might have a Cake as oft as they Baked N. B. Thus God required the firstlings of all to shew how he highly values the kindness of our Youth Jer. 2.1 2. Mark 7. The Seventh Branch they bound themselves unto by this Covenant was the Payment of Tythes ver 37 38 39. which the Law gave the Levites for their maintenance Numb 18.24 28. and they paid the Tenth of their Tenths to the Priests all this was done by the Inspection of the High-Priest call'd here by way of Eminency the Son of Aaron saith Grotius and though they paid Tribute at this Time to the King of Persia N. B. Yet they thus solemnly bind themselves by Oath that they would not defraud the Lord of his Part but render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are Gods Matth. 22.21 and God's part was laid up in God's House which they promis'd to frequent themselves and to see that none of his Servants should forsake it for want of maintenance which yet they did out of want Chap. 13.10 Nehemiah CHAP. XI THIS Chapter is a Sacred Narrative which seemeth to divide it self into two formal Parts the First is An Account of those Persons that dwelt in the City And the Second is Of those also that dwelt in the Countrey Remarks upon the first Part are First The City is said to be large and great but the People were few that dwelt therein Chap. 7.4 therefore was it Nehemiah's double Diligence when he had once repaired it in all its Parts then his Care was to Repeople it also In Order hereunto he Orders the Rulers especially those that made up the great Council or Sanhedrim to dwell in Jerusalem This they could not well but willingly embrace saith Sanctius because 1. This was the Royal Seat and the most beautiful City and therefore the most suitable Place for the Nobles as is usual in all Nations to take up their Residences there And 2. These were Voluntiers likewise in obeying this Order that this Capital City might be better defended by their Presence and Influence whereby saith Wolphius they declared themselves brave Patriots and grateful Citizens for the Publick Good Remark the Second This Holy City as 't is call'd here ver 2. and many other Places of Scripture because the Temple stood in it with all its Holy Ordinances c. was the principal But or Mark that all the Jews Enemies chiefly shot at therefore so few of either the Princes or People durst make it their free Choice to dwell there both because of the Danger they were mostly expos'd to in that Place and because at present it was rather Chargeable than Beneficial to its Inhabitants in Repairing and Watching whereas in the Countrey they could live at more Ease Plenty and Safety therefore were there so few that offered themselves willingly to secure this so much envied City save only such as were truly publick-spirited and those were they whom the People blessed God for ver 2. that they had such Zeal for the common Cause given them and pray'd God to bless them with Safety and Success Remark the Third Because they that offer'd themselves voluntarily to dwell at Jerusalem were too few to replenish and defend that large and fair City then it was ordered say Grotius and Menochius that every Tenth Man out of the rest of the People should dwell there ver 1. and that none might rationally repine at this Order and to prevent all Murmuring the matter was manag'd by casting Lots the Dispose whereof is wholly from the Lord Prov. 16.33 that so it might appear God himself would have such and such to dwell at Jerusalem as the Apostles knew the Mind of God by the same Means Acts 1.24 26. This Oracle of God answer'd all their Doubts As 1. Of their Desires of enjoying the Profit and Pleasure of the Countrey And 2. Of their Fears to live in the City lest it should be Besieged c. then Conquered and so they Captivated again this made many loath to Adventure there to inhabite save only those few whose Faith was above their Fear and whom God enabled to Roll themselves upon his precious Promise I will be a Wall of Fire round about Jerusalem Zech. 2.5 N. B. This one of Ten or Hebr. Teshang Haiadoth nine Hands saith Montanus or Parts that were left by Lot to live in the Countrey when only one part was chosen by God to dwell in this Earthly Jerusalem is an excellent shadow and figure of the Paucity or fewness of those whom the Lord chuseth to inhabit the Heavenly Jerusalem according to Isa 6.13 Jer. 3.14 c. Many are called but few chosen Matth. 7.13 and 20.16 and 22.14 Remark the Fourth The Description of those that were chosen to reside in the City 1. Those of Judah's Tribe from ver 4 to ver 7. yea and of the Children of Ephraim and of Manasseh too 1 Chron. 9.3 where the same is set down as here but the number is greater because here only those are reckoned who inhabited Jerusalem by Lot but there the Voluntiers also as Masius well observes out of Junius and therefore the Name Israel is used ver 3. to intimate saith Menochius out of Lyra that such of the Ten Tribes as for Religion's sake were moved to leave their own Tribes and to join themselves with the Men of Judah as many did 2 Chron. 11.16 and 30.11 c. And
2. Of the Tribe of Benjamin ver 7 8 9. this little Benjamin so called Psalm 68.27 the smallest of the Tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 9.21 yeilds more by half than Judah as Wolphius well observeth for that Tribe affords only four hundred and sixty eight whereas this Tribe hath nine hundred and twenty eight And 3. Of Levites from ver 10 to 25. as Jerusalem stood within both these Tribes of Judah and Benjamin therefore are they reckon'd first the Total Summ of both Tribes amounting to one thousand three hundred and ninety six so the Levites are reckon'd next whose number amounted to one thousand four hundred and seventy six beside the one hundred and seventy two Porters who were all Levites also so that the Total Summ of the Levites exceeded that of the Lay-People so called N. B. These were the Salt of the City Matth. 5.13 to keep the Citizens from Putrifying by their Holy Instructions The Second Part is a Description of those that were left by Lot c. to live in the lesser Cities and Villages of the Countrey and this also is threefold both in respect of their Persons and of their Places and Offices Remark the First Those of the Tribe of Judah from ver 25 to ver 31. the Persons of this Tribe are said to be assigned to their several Cities Beiad Hammelek Hebr. by the Hand of the King ver 24. for Nehemiah saith Masius was the King of Persia's Viceroy and acted all these things as his Deputy and Chief Commissioner in Judea which is here call'd a Province ver 3. belonging to the Kingdom of Persia therefore these Orders of Nehemiah are said to be by the King's Commandment ver 23. assigning sundry Seats to the Men of Judah Remark the Second The Tribe of Benjamin comes next from ver 31 to ver 36. and they have Cities also and their Daughters appointed for them the Hebrew calleth Villages Daughters because as Daughters are under a Mother so are Villages under a City adjoining to them saith Mariana Among other Cities Bethel was assigned to those of Benjamin it was in the out-Coasts of that Tribe and thereupon surprized by the ten Tribes in their Revolt who set up one of their Golden Calves there 1 Kings 12.29 Remark the Third Concerning the Levites ver 36. who had their Divisions both in Judah and in Benjamin having Cities and Suburbs given them as being of great usefulness thoughout the Countrey to instruct the People besides those that were settl'd in Jerusalem N. B. 1. Many of those Cities and Villages had been destroyed by the Chaldean when they over-ran the Countrey in Nebuchadnezzar's Day but now upon their return from Captivity they had repaired them again c. N. B. 2. The King of Persia impower'd Nehemiah to do what he saw fit to be done giving him the same Commission which he had formerly given to Ezra Ezra 7.18 20 23. and therefore Nehemiah most piously and prudently judg'd it meet to disperse those Levites among these two Tribes knowing that Candles in a Pound give no Light but when lighted up one in one Room and another in another all the House is lighted thereby c. Nehemiah CHAP. XII THE principal Scope and main Design of this Chapter is to declare the solemn Dedication of the new repaired Walls of Jerusalem In which Narrative are First The Antecedents Secondly The Concomitants And Thirdly The Consequents Remarks first upon the Antecedents are First The Genealogy of the Priests and Levites begins this Chapter because they had a principal Part in Repairing the Walls but more especially in their Dedication and their Genealogy is first Recorded that it might be the more manifest they were the true Priests and Levites who were thus employed in this Holy Work Remark the Second Their Pedigree is reckoned under three High Priests 1. Under Jehoshua ver 1 to 12. 2. Under Joiakim from ver 12 to ver 21. and 3. Under Eliashib from ver 22 to 26. Mark 1. The Ancestors of those that Dedicated the Wall namely those that came up with zerubbabel c. together with those that came up with Ezra Ezra 8.2 3 18 19. are so distinctly described not only for Reverence-sake to themselves but also to demonstrate that those now employed in this Consecrating Work were no Interlopers but their Successors by a Right Descent and entring into that Office by a right Door N. B. Such as intrude themselves into the Ministry and enter not in by Christ the Door into the Office of an under-Shepherd are but Thieves and Robbers John 10.2 8. Wanting his Call Mission and Commission Mark 2. In these Catalogues of right-descended Priests there be fewer courses Recorded than were appointed by David who nameth twenty four 1 Chron. 24.7 c. by Divine Direction Now the Reason rendred why here are fewer than twenty four here is that some of David's Courses were either extinct in the Captivity or died without Posterity and 't is said that Ezra found but few of them when he gather'd them all together at his return Ezra 8.15 Mark 3. Eliashib is reckoned one in this Catalogue ver 10. who proved a very wicked Priest Chap. 13.4 5. and his Son Joiada was little better by his being allied to Sanballat Chap. 13.28 a base Apostate saith Josephus but more of that in its proper Place Mark 4. Jaddua is mention'd also ver 11. who is generally supposed to be the same High-Priest that met Alexander the Great in his Pontisicalibus or Sacerdotal Formalities and prevailed with him to spare the City Jerusalem and not only so but also to confirm the Privileges thereof as Josephus relateth at large c. Objection How could Nehemiah mention this Man here who was not High-Priest until many Years after Nehemiah's Death Answer the First Though some say this will make Nehemiah to live till he was two hundred Years Old which is improbable for so long did the Persian Monarchy continue after Cyrus before Alexander came to Conquer it Yet Scaliger on the other hand affirms that this King of Persia with whom Nehemiah was such a Favourite was that Artaxerxes who Reigned a little while before Alexander which at most could be saith Piscator no more than sixty Years Answer the Second Grotius saith that Nehemiah lived after this to the times of Darius the last King of Persia of whom he speaketh ver 22. and who was Conquer'd by Alexander and he mentions Jadduah also as above saith Dr. Lightfoot that High-Priest whom Alexander had in so great Veneration c. so Nehemiah might live to see Jaddua a Boy though not yet an High-Priest which might be many Years after therefore is Jaddua barely named here as born of Jonathan but not called High-Priest here Answer the Third Some suppose God might give this good Man Nehemiah the Blessing of a very long Life for the good of his Church in such a Time as this wherein she much needed Nehemiah's help both for Counsel and for
Conduct N.B. Lyra observes the same Objection against Ezra named here ver 1 13 and 33. saying if this be Ezra the Scribe he must now be an hundred and thirty Years Old if not more this Wolphius well answereth that these Holy Men that lived sober Lives and were more conversant in their serious Studies than in riotous Feasts which shorten many Men's Lives Plures pereunt gulâ quam Gladio More die by Gluttony than by the Sword and both of them most eminent Instruments for preserving the Church God might probably grant them a longer Lease of their Lives promised in the fifth Command and performed unto Aaron who was an hundred and thirty Years Old though he died before his Time by a Divine Hand of God Therefore 't is no wonder if these two did live so long Answer the Fourth Others say these Passages might be put into this Book by some other sacred and inspired Pen-man there being some though but few such Passages in the forgoing Books of Scripture as the last of Deuteronomy c. which were added by succeeding Men of God in after Times and A Lapide addeth that this Addition was made by the Synagogue of the Jews who then were guided by the Holy Spirit to shew principally saith he the Succession of the High Priesthood Remark the Third Ezra the Priest and Scribe so called ver 26. and is here an Holy Assistant to this good Governour Nehemiah for though Ezra was no High Priest Ezra 7.1 yet because of his great Wisdom Zeal and Courage and because of that favour he found with the King of Persia so as to grant him a very large Commission Ezra 7.22 c. He had a Government over the Jews as well as Nehemiah and therefore the Years are reckoned here by the Time of Nehemiah and of Ezra's Government The Second Part is the Concomitant Circumstances of the Dedication of the Walls and Gates of the City newly repaired Remark the First Not only the Walls ver 27. but also the Gates ver 30. yea the whole City saith Tirinus are now solemnly Dedicated to God in thankfulness to him who had so wonderfully bless'd them in the Rebuilding of all and with earnest Prayers for God's Presence to preserve for the Future not only their Lives Families and Estates but also his own Temple and Worship therein from the furious Assaults of the Enemy This Dedication was done with Prayers Praises Sacrifices and all forts of Musick c. and all saith A Lapide a little after fifty Days they had rested when all was perfected Remark the Second They gather'd together all the Levites that were gone into the Countrey which they might do till their turn came to Officiate in the Temple that this legal Consecration might be carried on with more Solemnity In Order whereunto the Levites purified themselves with legal Washings Numb 10.9 10. and then the People ver 30. whence Lyra learnedly observeth N.B. That Ministers who would reform others must first begin to reform themselves Yet this legal Dedication under the Law will not warrant as Wolphius saith well those Superstitious Consecrations used by the Romanists under the Gospel Remark the Third The Manner of managing this Dedication from ver 31 to 43. all the Princes Priests and People divided themselves into two Companies and walk'd in solemn Procession two differing Ways upon the broad Walls Ezra the great Scribe led the first Company ver 36. and Nehemiah as Captain General follow'd the second ver 38. as the first Company went round from the West Southward until they came to the East So the second went round from the West Northward until they came to the East also where they both met together in the Temple ver 40. as in their Center after these Circumferences wherein they both as one praised God with all sorts of Musick both Vocal and Instrumental as the Law of Moses prescribed upon all such solemn occasions of Joy N.B. Saith Wolphius both those two Companies though they went differing Ways the one Northward and the other Southward round about yet could they come and convene together in the Temple as in the proper center and publick Shop of Piety Even so the Brethren of differing persuasions have lately by a gracious influence of God upon them made an amicable Coalition and Concord in God's Temple also The good Lord grant that the envious one Satan may never be permitted to sow his Tares of Discord where God hath sown the good Seed of Concord c. The Third Part is the Consequents of this Solemn Dedication namely A General Joy and Reformation ver 43 to 47. Remark the First This was a Solemn and Sacred Procession far different from those Antick Processions practis'd by Papists c. who have their Jester in the midst of them to make them Merry Epit. Hist Gallic pag. 191. there was Mad Devotion in the mean time But these Godly Levites had the Musical Instruments of God so call'd 1 Chron. 16.42 because they were of God's appointing under the Law And tho' much mention is made of their going from Gate to Gate c. yet this they did to excite them the more in Singing aloud to be heard a far off as Vaiashmignu Hebr. ver 42. signifies at the sight of them and in praising God for his marvelous helping them so soon to build such Fortifications And 't is expresly said that God made them Rejoice with great Joy so that they offer'd up the greatest of Sacrifices which Sanctius saith were Oxen the biggest Beasts ver 43. yea their Wives and Children were wrought upon so as to Rejoice with them This look'd not like that Joy which Jesters but Jehovah put into them Psal 4.7 Remark the Second The People here generally Rejoiced to behold those eminent Gifts and Graces shining forth in those Godly Priests and Levites saith Wolphius while they so chearfully and devoutly executed their Offices in this Religious Work ver 44. And hereupon this Spiritual Joy did so inlarge the Peoples hearts that they most promptly provide all the prescribed Maintenance for those pious Ministers and to pay them all their Dues that God had appointed and themselves had lately commanded to do that so none of the Sacred Function might be forced out of the City into the Country to seek a Livelihood there for them and theirs N. B. This was a Right and a Religious Reciprocation the People had received much benefit by their Ministry and therefore they most voluntarily return a competent Maintenance to them according to that Rule Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.4 7 9 11 to 14. So warm were this Peoples hearts now by the Word that they will by no means part with their Ministers but they shall have a Competency in wholly waiting on their Work for the Peoples Edification Remark the Third The Reformation in appointing Porters that no unclean Person might enter into the House of God this care belonged unto them 2 Chron. 23.19 the Law of Purification
Keeping carefully and 3. In Distributing prudently to every Priest and Levite their Portion and Proportion Remark the Fourth When Nehemiah had left nothing undone that might become a Vigilant and a Valiant Ruler he shuts up all with this Holy Ejaculation Remember me O my God c. ver 14. that his God saith Wolphius might put a Candid Construction upon all his Kindnesses so the Hebr. is for good Deeds to God's House in Restoring all the Ordinances thereof to be duly observed as he had done before Chap. 5.19 See there wherein N. B. he did what God hade him do Put me in Remembrance Isa 43.20 and 62.6 7. saying Lord forget not my Labour of Love Hebr. 6.10 Not that God needeth any of Man's Memento's but speaking after the manner of Men he alludeth to the wipings out of a Table-Book God is said to have a Book of Remembrance Mal. 3.16 and good Nehemiah would not be wiped out of that Book nor blotted out of the Book of Life Rev. 3.5 as Piscator senseth it here N. B. This good Man was far from that cursed frame of the wretched Monk who in his Dying hour blasphemously belched out these words Redde mihi Deus aeternam Vitam quam mihi Debes God give me Heaven which thou owest me Not like that foul-mouth'd Vega another Popeling who cry'd Coelum gratis non accipiam I scorn to have Heaven as a free gift quite forgetting that Eternal Life is the gift of God and not any wage for Man's work Rom. 6.23 Nor was Nehemiah here like that Third Popish Justitiary who most daringly bluster'd out Non habeo Domine quod mihi Ignoscas which is in the Language of our late Executed Jesuits I die as Innocent as a Child unborn and have no Sins for God to pardon No Nehemiah said thus in the sense of Augustin saying Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Deus facit ut faciamus Sure it is we do what good we do but 't is God alone who causeth us so to do 't is God that works all our good works in us and for us Isa 26.12 and without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 and from him alone is our Fruit found Hos 14.8 hereupon the Church in Canticles is no where commended for the beauty of her Hands those Acting Members because her Bridegroom alone wrought all her good works for her and would rather have her to abound with good works in silence than that she should boast of them at all therefore ought we all to say in our loftiest Enlargements and highest Attainments Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name be the Praise Psal 115.1 This is the Godly Man's Motto and his Daily Practice Gen. 41.16 Acts 3.12 16. 1 Cor. 15.10 'T is not our Pains but Christ's Pounds that gains Ten Pounds Luke 19.16 N. B. I am thus large on this Remark for Refuting that Lying Doctrine of the Romish Merit bolster'd up by these words of Nehemiah See more of this Point upon ver 22. The Third Part of this Chapter consists also of a Malady and Remedy Remark First Upon the Third Malady to wit the Prophanation of the Sabbath are First The Matter that was done in Nehemiah's sight namely Treading of Wine-Presses bringing in Sâ—eaves of Corn lading of Asses c. ver 15. all on the Sabbath-day which were expresly forbidden by God's Law Exod. 20.10 and 34.22 c. As their Asses ought to have Rested on that Day so their Wine-Press treading saith Wolphius might then have been waved without Damage so could not be a Work of Necessity Remark the Second The Persons that Prophaned the Sabbath ver 16. The Men of Tyre who being Infidels saith Menochius gave the Grand Occasion of this grievous Sin for Tyre a near Neighbour to Judea and famous for Fishing because it bordered upon the Sea and a great Mart-Town for all manner of Merchandise Ezek. 27.3 c. yea those Merchants of Tyre had their Factors dwelling in Jerusalem who Sold all sorts of Ware publickly upon the Sabbath-day unto the Jews which they ought not to have done for that was God's Market-day and not Man's Nor ought the Jews to have bought them for thereby they made themselves worse than the Tyrians because they knowing God's Law ought to have been better had there been no Buyers there would soon have been a ceasing of Sellers c. Jeremy condemns it Jer. 17.21 Remark the Third The Place where all this was done 't was in Jerusalem that Holy City whose Citizens saith Vatablus should more conscientiously have kept the Commandments of the Lord they being then the only People of God in the whole World and where the Sanhedrim sate and great store of Priests and Levites to Instruct them N. B. This is added as a notorious Aggravation of their Sin in a City where God's House and Presence was So that this Prophanation of the Sabbath in such an Holy City was a manifest high Affront both to God and Man Remarks in the next place upon the Third Remedy are First Nehemiah was Centoculus had as it were an hundred Eyes an Eye in every Corner to observe whatever was out of Order therefore 't is said He saw this Sin also in Judah ver 15. He sits not down satisfied with Discovering and Redressing the two former Maladies but quickly discerning this Third likewise he smartly sets himself to Remedy this also chusing rather as a Learned Commentator Phraseth it to be accounted a busie Justice than a quiet Gentleman To which I add This good Man was thus Seraphically blown up with such a pious Zeal as if he were resolved it should never be writ upon his Tomb-Stone after his Death This Man did no good among his People Ezek. 18.18 Remark the Second He solemnly protested against these Sinful Actions and admonished them before Witness saith Vatablus to forbear ver 15. but he is more sharp with the Rulers saith Wolphius than he was with the Vulgar Jews or Tyrians the Buyers or Sellers ver 17. because the Sin was committed either by the Countenance or at least by the Connivence of those Rulers who ought to have restrain'd and severely punish'd such notorious Offenders therefore in an high Transport he calls them a Company of Traitors to Church and State ver 18. Abetting their Predecessors Sins which had so lately provoked God's Wrath against them Jer. 17.27 and now daring Jehovah to a Duel as Caligula did his Jove in renewing the same Sins as if stronger than God 1 cor 10.22 c. Remark the Third This Godly Ruler to prevent the Prophaning of the Sabbath Commands the City Gates to be shut when it began to be dark the Evening before the Sabbath ver 19. beginning their Sabbath at the Evening before Levit. 23.32 that there might be due Preparation and that the Sabbath might be Sanctified without any Interruption saith Sanctius and it soon began to be Dark at the Gates even at the Sun-setting
from the greater to the lesser ver 26 27. saying if none-such Solomon both for Wealth and Wisdom was drawn away by strange Wives unto strange Sins if this befel such a Green-Tree what may Dry Trees expect c. Remark the Second Nehemiah's Severity in special against one of the Sons of Joiada Eliashib the High Priest's Son ver 28. whom he banish'd for ever from all Civil Society either at Court or in the City This Priest is not named here but Wolphius out of Josephus calls him Manasses who Married Sanballat's Daughter N.B. Who being banish'd to Samaria Sanballat built him a fair Temple upon Mount Gerizim near the City Shechem and to keep him with his Wife made him the High Priest thereof Thus this Vile Apostate Brother to Jaddua the right High Priest who met great Alexander as before drew many other prophane Priests like himself and many People also who would not put away their strange Wives unto this Mock Temple of Sanballat and so became the first Founder of that deadly Feud and Sad Schism betwixt the Jews and the Samaritans so as there was no dealings between them John 4.9 Remark the Third Nehemiah in his Vezakarah lehem Hebr. Remember them O my God ver 29. turns the incorrigible of those Priests that hated to be Reformed over unto God to be punish'd by himself for polluting the Priesthood and prophaning the Covenant of that sacred Function wherein God had promis'd to give them an Everlasting Office Numb 25.12 13. 1 Sam. 2.30 Mal. 2.4 5. and wherein they had likewise reciprocally promis'd all faithfulness on their Part according to the Holy Rules God gave them Levit. 8.35 and 21.1 c. and 22.2 c. Vatablus saith here N.B. Wo to those Priests that should outshine all others in godly Patterns yet dare to debauch the People by their wicked Practices Corruptio optimi est pessima the sweetest Wine makes the sourest Vinegar and a wicked Priest is the worst of Mankind and woe to such prophane Priests whom God's People do thus turn over unto God to punish Remark the Fourth Nehemiah's purging the Priest-hood c. ver 30 31. Mark 1. He made all the Ministers of the House of God put away their strange Wives and the Children born of them as Chap. 9.2 and such as would not do so he forced them to forsake both the Temple and the Land of their Nativity lest they should corrupt others Mark 2. When he had purg'd away all the filth and rubbish from the Priesthood and made clean Work he sets all such as willingly Reformed in their several Stations appertaining to them in their sacred Function so caused the Priesthood to shine again as the Word here Tahar Hebr. ver 30. signifieth Mark 3. He prepareth the Wood-offering which saith Vatablus was the sacred fuel to nourish the Coelestial Fire to keep it always burning upon God's Altar And the first-Fruits likewise see Chap. 10.34 35. Grotius out of Josephus saith there was a solemn Day appointed to be observed in Memory of this Wood-offering call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. A bearing of Wood observing both a Season to cut it and a Season to carry it Remark the Fifth The most sweet Conclusion of the Old Testament History a sacred Sentence of his fervent Supplication Mark 1. Nehemiah had prayed before that God would remember those prophane Priests for evil ver 29. and now he shuts up his hole History with this pithy and pregnant Prayer for himself Remember me O my God for good ver 31. as he had done ver 15. and ver 22. and Chap. 5.19 wherein he doth not Brag or Boast of his good Deeds but only produceth them in his Prayer as blessed Testimonies of his Sincerity whereof he begs God's gracious acceptance he prays with so much Reverence as to God yet with so much Confidence as to his God c. Mark 2. This Devout Sentence in Nehemiah's last Supplication is the closing sweet-bit of the Old Testament-Times upon sacred Record for though the Book of Esther be set after this yet is it an History of many Years before this as is abovesaid As for the Prophets they all but the three Last lived before the Captivity Haggai and Zechariah prophesy'd while the Temple was in building Malachy when it was builded saith Mr. Pemble reproving mixt Marriages c. Mark 3. Learned Dr. Lightfoot excellently observeth that though the Scripture be utterly silent to express the number of the Years of the Reign of Artaxerxes Ahasuerus who was Husband to Queen Esther long before Nehemiah's last return to Jerusalem or of any of his Successors in clear Expressions so that we are not told how long he Reigned Yet the Scripture mentions Artaxerxes Darius his second Year Ezra 4.24 his fourth Year Zech. 7.1 his sixth Year Ezra 6.15 his seventh Year Ezra 7.8 his twentieth Year Neh. 1.1 and 2.1 and his thirty second Year Neh. 13.6 but how long he farther Reigned the Scripture gives no account no more than of the former Kings and here the Chronicle of the Old Testament-Times as to any express Terms endeth N. B. 1. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost as the Phrase is Acts 15.28 and to his sacred Penmen to Name some several Years of those Kings intending to continue the Scripture Chronicle until the City Jerusalem was compleated and the Temple thereof was compleatly Reformed and its Worship reduced to its Primitive Purity of the legal Priesthood and there to end the Church's Annals c. N. B. 2. The former of the two last Prophets namely Zechariah doth indeed Prophesy concerning the coming of Christ of his Riding upon an Ass Zech. 9.1 9. of his confounding the three Shepherds to wit the Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans and of his being Sold for thirty pieces of Silver Zech. 11.8 12. and of his Disciples to be scattered Zech. 13.7 and of divers Jews mourning over him whom they had pierced Zech. 12.10 as likewise of the City and Temple now restored to their pristine Beauty their second Destruction Zech. 11.1 c. because of their unbelief Though the Time of Zechary's prophesying be express'd as above yet have we no History of the Time between these Times N. B. 3. The latter of the two last Prophets namely Malachy concludeth his Prophecy Chap. 4. with an Exhortation to the Jews to study well the Law of Moses and the Old Testament and giveth them an Expectation of Elias's coming namely John the Baptist at the beginning of the New Testament Because after the Death of this Prophet Malachy the Spirit of Prophecy was to depart with this Malachy from the Jews and was a Stranger among them until the dawning of the Gospel 'T is true some Apocryphal Books were writ betwixt those Times but they all wanted the dictating of that Holy Spirit which was now departed N. B. 4. Malachy concludeth the Canonical Books of the Old Testament with a Prediction of Elias's the Baptist's coming and with a Threatning
Prophets together which I have before but here and there scatteringly mentioned in the foregoing Discourse as occasion offered Take the Table from Piscator c. Thus. First The Prophets that began to Prophesy before the Captivity Were 1. Jonas in the beginning of Jeroboam the Second 2 Kings 14.23 25. 2. Amos during this Jeroboam's Reign Amos 1. ver 1. 3. Hosea at the end of this Jeroboam's Reign Hosea 1. ver 1. 4. Joel about that Time speaking of the same Plagues that Amos doth 5. Isaiah in Hoshea's Reign Isa 1.1 and 6.1 6. Micah in Jotham's Reign Mic. 1.1 7. Nahum under Hezekiah foretelling Sennacherib's Death c. Nah. 1.11 14. 8. Jeremy under Josiah Jer. 1.1 9. Zephany at the end of Josiah 's Reign Zeph. 1.1 4. 10. Habakkuk about that Time Hab. 1.1 5. 11. Obadiah when Jehoiakin had been carried away Captive as his Matter intimates Secondly In the Time of the Captivity 1. Ezekiel began to Prophesy in the fifth Year after Jehoiakin 's Deportation Ezek. 1.2 2. Daniel in the first Year of Belshazzar Dan. 7.1 Thirdly After the Captivity 1. Haggai in the second Year of Darius and in the sixth Month Hag. 1.1 2. Zechariah in the same Year and eighth Month the Temple being not rebuilt Zech. 1.1 3. Malachy as appeareth by his Arguments ut supra these Prophets were sixteen in all and in Order c. Remark the Second The Time of this Vision about restoring the Temple and City c. that Ezekiel had here was twenty Years after his first Vision Ezek. 1.1 that was in the twelfth of Nebuchadnezzar and in the fifth of Ezekiel's Captivity but this was in the thirty second of Nebuchadnezzar and in the twenty fifth of Ezekiel who being very Young was carried Captive in the Captivity of Jehoiakim or Jeconiah Ezek. 40.1 the City was not destroyed and the Temple burnt until eleven Years after in Zedekiah's Captivity which makes him mention the fourteenth Year wherein that havock was made and which being added together the eleven and the fourteen Years make up twenty five Because this Vision was but a little before the Temple was rebuilt by Zerubbabel c. therefore some Learned Men look too much at the litteral Sense of this exceeding large Vision saying it was given to the Prophet at this Time for the Comfort of the Jewish Church which had been now fourteen Years Mourning for the loss of their Temple and City Hereupon God gave this Vision to Ezekiel to assure them that though the Temple of Solomon was now burnt and the City destroyed c. yet should all shortly be rebuilt by Zerubbabel Nehemiah c. Thus great Grotias saith with Menochius that Ezekiel had presented to his Eyes the like Temple to that which Nebuchadnezzar had burnt and this for two Reasons First That the Jews might understand how by their Sins they had lost the Beauty and Glory of their Land And Secondly That upon their return they might have this Specimen and Visionary Pattern to imitate so far as they were able though far short of Solomon's Temple Ezra 3.12 c. Remark the Third Such indeed is the difficulty of understanding the right Sense of this whole Vision contained in the last nine Chapters of Ezekiel especially say some the 40.41.42 that it gave the chief occasion to that Ordinance among the Jews saith Sanctius that none under the Age of thirty Years should be admitted to the reading of it because saith Cunaeus it is more obscure than Plato's Mysterious Numbers And some of their Learned Rabbins have professed that such obscurity they find in several Passages of the Vision that they despair to understand the true meaning thereof until their Elias whom they expect shall come to unfold it to them Yet the wisest of those Rabbins convinced by cogent Reasons as Galatinus testifies do not Interpret those nine Chapters of any earthly Building according to the Letter much less of a glorious State and Temple at the coming of their imaginary Messiah as the more foolish and fabulous Rabbins do generally understand and expect Remark the Fourth Some Romanists have spent much Pains and Time in Commenting upon this Vision yet fall short of their own satisfaction as Sanctius himself confesseth saying Nihil tamen video in quo acquiescit Animus I can find no Sense wherein I am satisfied c. yea and he sawcily calls the Description of this Temple c. Insulsam Descriptionem an insipid nonsensical Description N. B. This Sanctius and other Popish Commentators did so tie themselves up to their Vulgar Latine Translation that it was a great ground of their manifold mistakes so that but sparingly touching upon the true Litteral Senâ—e they run out so largely and lavishly into Allegorical Analogical and Tropological Senses of their own wanton Brains as so many frothy Exuberancies thereof insomuch that some of them do not without difficulty forbear from blasphemous Expressions both against this Holy Text-man and the sacred Text it self because of its obscurity Remark the Fifth Among all sorts of Theological Interpreters both Antient and Modern the Greck and Latine Fathers and later Learned Writers of the Reformed Religion many have waved this Vision of Ezekiel not daring to undertake the Exposition of it affirming with some Rabbins that it was an Arcanum unintelligible and unexplicable to all meer Mortal Men saith A Lapide This abstruse Vision and some other sacred Scriptures of the same sort are such Secrets as God thought good to conceal from the Minds of Men and he who can make right Conjectures saith Cunaeus de Repub. Hebr. Vatem hunc perhibebo optimum I will account him a Prophet indeed of the best sort But Polanus better observeth how John the Divine hath left for the Church an Excellent Interpretation of this mysterious Vision in Rev. 21. and 22. where he useth Words as it were borrowed from this Platform of Ezekiel applying all not to the Carnal and Earthly but to the Heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Remark the Sixth The soundest Interpretation of this Vision among all Humane Interpreters seemeth in my Judgment that of Junius Capellus and Polanus c. who unanimously affirm the Scope of this Vision beareth a Literal and a Mystical Sense First The Literal relateth to the rebuilding of the Temple and City c. by Zerubbabel c. for 't is improbable that the Prophet in his coming to Comfort God's People the now Captive Jews should flye over and pass wholly by such a Cordial as this was and would be to them and so near at hand too and that all he doth is only to Comfort them with an uncertain remote comfortable Divine Dispensation of a Christian Church in Gospel-Times many hundred Years after this Secondly The Mystical Sense is 't is ordinary with the Prophets to speak figuratively of the Amplitude Splendour and Glory of the Christian Church as Isa 54.11 12. signifying God's Temple rais'd among the Gentiles and beautified with
to be Mount Nebo which was call'd Pisgah Upon the Top of which the Lord shewed Moses the Land of Canaan which was the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 Accordingly the Devil who delights to be God's Ape in Imitation takes up the Messias unto the Top of the same Mountain and gives Him there and thence the fairest proâ—pect he could procure of all the Kingdoms of the World and of the Glories of them wherewith be Thought to have dazzl'd our Saviour's Eyes those Windows of the Soul and to have fired his Affections but he most miserably mistook himself In this Third Temptation Beelzebub or Master-Fly returns again as Flyes beaten off will come on often therefore are call'd Impudent Creatures and Musters up all his Forces unites all his Stratagems and Strength in this last Assault and Impudently offer'd the Maker of the World a gawdy Map of it in Beauty and Bravery 〈◊〉 witching enough doubtless to a Worldly Mind But hereupon the Lamb grows angry as a Lion rebukes his Impudence and removes him out of his presence c. some say that our Saviour passed through all these three sharp Tentations in one Dayâ— time See more largely hereof in my Church History from Page 304 to Page 320 321. CHAP. VIII THE Fifth Place of Christ's Pilgrimage was Galilee where he had his Peregrination and Perambulation three several Times The First was before the first Passover after his Baptism and Temptations John 1.43 with John 2.12 13. Some four Months Christ spent in walking up and down Galilee whereof there were two sorts 1. That of the Jews and 2. That of the Gentiles Mat. 4.15 the former was in the Tribe of Zebulon and the latter in the Tribe of Napthali and this Division was occasion'd by the twenty Cities of Galilee which Solomon gave to Hiram the King of Tyre 1 Kin. 9.11 Therefore was it call'd Galilee of the Gentiles and a People that sat in Darkness yet saw a great Light Mat. 4.16 for the Day-spring from on High visited them Luke 1.78 and the Bright Son of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 which had all Pâ—lestina for his Zodiack the twelve Tribes for his twelve Sings c. stayed longest among them These two Tribes as Jerom observeth were first carried into Captivity by the Assyrians 2 Kin. 15.29 seemed farthest from Heaven as bordering on the Gentiles and in many things symbolizing with them learning their Manners So Redemption was first Preached in those Countries of Zebulon and Napthali Isa 9.1 â— Our Lord was a long time in perfecting this perambulation he walk'd or went about Doing Good this whole Circuit Acts 10.38 which contained many great Towns and Famous Cities in Zebulon were Nazareth Bethsaida Cana Naim c. and in Nathali were Capernaum Riblah Caesaria Philippi c. All which Populous Places promised a plentiful Increase and Income of the Evangelical Harvest 'T was the Prudence of Christ and of his Apostles to seat themselves as near as might be where most need is and where there was the greatest likelihood of doing most good So ought all Christ's Ministers to do spreading the Net of the Gospel where most Fishâ—â— are found for catching them In this Holy procession of our Messiah we find many Remarks Recorded in Scripture as First His leaving of Nazareth Mat. 4.13 This was the Place of Christ's Conception and Education Therefore did He marvelously Affect this City and sought the Safety and Salvation of the Citizens but they would not Though it being his own Country did draw his Heart to it as our Native places do ours by a kind of Mâ—â—netick Power and Property yet when He would have healed them their Iniquity was Discovered as Hos 7.1 It broke out as the Leprosie in their Foreheads they refused to be Reformed and hated to be Healed Though Christ in his second Perambulation was admitted to be publick Reader in their Synagogue for that Sabbath and Preached a most Powerful Sermon from his Text in Isaiah 50. to the admiration of all his Auditors yet because He pinched their wickedness by his Comparisons He was in Danger of his Life had he not Delivered himself in a miraculous manner Luke 4.16 to 30. He could there do no mighty work saith Mark 6.5 6. Therefore left them say both Mat. 4.13 and Luke 4.31 than which they could scarce have incurr'd a greater Displeasure for Wo be to You saith He when I depart from you Hos 9.12 and what Woes came into the City Jerusalem when the Lord was quite gone out of it Ezek 11.23 God there makes many Removes and still as he goes out some Judgment came in till at last that fatal Calamity in the final Ruine of it rush'd in upon that City N.B. Note well Oh Pray Pray Pray That such a dismal Day of Removing our Candlestick may not come That our Sun of the Gospel may not go down at Noon nor the Glory of God depart from our English Israel that our Dear Redeemer may not be provoked to turn his back upon this our Nazareth The Second Remark is That when Christ left Nazareth because that Great Prophet had no Honour in his own Country nay he was in hazard of his Life among his Countrymen he came and dwelt in Capernaum c. Mat. 4.13 Mark 1.14 Luke 4.31 and John 1.43 and 2.12 where he hired an House for Himself his Mother c. for the Son of Man had not an House of his own wherein to lay his Head Mat. 8.19 This City became the seat of the Evangelical Kingdom fitly chosen for the wholesomeness of the Air Fertility of the Soil and its propinquity both to the River Jordan and the Lake of Genesareth besides many fair Towns and Populous Places were its Neighbours Here the Corn was White unto the Harvest John 4.35 and did solicite Labourers then became it a Town of Consolation as Capernaum signifies when Nazareth the Flower as it signifies withered by the withdrawment of the Sun of Righteousness from it N. B. Note well Contempt drives away Christ but kind Hungrings constrain him to stay Luke 24.29 and 4.42 We should earnestly contend for the Faith which is but once delivered to the Saints Jude ver 3. We must not expect again ever a second Edition of it But if we make Christ welcome as Capernaum did He will dwell here as He did there he will utter Oracles and Work Miracles c. Oh happy Place and People in so sweet and pretious and Inhabitant among them Hereby Capernaum is said to be lifted up to Heaven Mat. 11.22 and some render the Reason why Judah was sealed first of Leah's Children and Napithali of Rache's side Rev. 7.5.6 because Our Lord sprang out of Judah and dwelt in Capernaum of Napthali 's Tribe Here Christ paid Tribute as a Citizen and retired hither when tired at any time with Preaching c. The Third Remark is He went about all Galilee Sometimes walking from Town to Town and sometimes walking upon the Sea Shore Mat.
not once questioning their Merits nor upbraiding them with their former failings or present infirmities James 1.5 And tho' his Errand was to heal the Soul of sin and death yet willingly he heals the Body and so he doth now c. The 4th Remark is All sorts of persons rich and poor young and old male and female bond and free out of all kind of places Villages Towns Cities and Countreys must come to Christ as to their common Saviour for safety and Salvation of Soul and Body as the People did here when once they were made sensible of their own wants and weaknesses All must come to him for all are one in him Col. 3.11 The 5th Remark is As Christ comes no where but there he hath an Errand so he sendâ— his Gospel to no place but for some special end some fresh Vein of Election to break forth No Housholder will light up a Candle but when he hath some work to be wrought thereby No Husbandman will send his Servants into the Field with Sithes or Sickles but there is more than Thistles and Nettles to be reaped thereon The Ministry of the Gospel was sent to the Gentiles that the Elect might be gathered Isa 49.6 Acts 13.48 And hence the Apostle gathers an Argument of the Thessalonians Election 1 Thes 1.5 The 6th Remark is Such Souls have a right sense and science both of themselves and of their Saviour that do seek to him and implore his saving help and so imploy him as the Saviour of the World Thus this People do here among whom Christ presently sound some that found him Thus Genezareth became the Garden of a Prince as in Hebrew it signifies or engendring Air to it self as some interpret it from the fresh gales the neighbouring Sea sends to it from its curled Waves and here brought them the sweet gales of the Gospel c. or as others interpret Geâ—esar the beginning of Nativity so it became now to the Gentiles to whom Chrise transported over Sea his precious Gospel from the Jews The 7th Remark is Such Souls at know Christ aright will not only seek to him themselves but they will endeavour all they can in their proper stations to bring in to him their Relations and Acquaintance also as this People did Nemo fibi nascitur sed multorum utilitati men are born for the benefit of many Nascitur indigne per quem non nescitur alter He is unworthily born by whom others are not helped to be â—â—w horn Charity is no Churl No sooner had Andrew found the Messiah but he calls his Brother Peter John 1.41 and Philip Nathaneel ver 45. Thus Relations brought the Palsey-man upon his Bed to Christ Mark 2.3 Thus the Prophet saith They shall bring their Friends in Litters or Charets upon Mules or Horses Isa 66.20 N.B. Note well We should bring all ours to the Ordinances doing at least the Office of the Sermon Bell call them to Christ and lay them before the Lord for healing we know not what he may do for them There is healing vertue under his Wings Mal. 4.2 When the first Iron Ring of the Chain is drawn by the Loadstone that draws the second and that the third c. till the whole come in we should help our Neighbours to heath and to Heaven c. The 8th Remark is The greater our measure of Faith is the less will be our limiting God to signs Some are satisfied with their Saviouris speaking a word at distance as the Centurion others must have Christ come to their house and lay on his hands as Jairus Here they must only touch the hem of his garment Matters were well mended with these men since their rejecting of Christ and his Gospel Mat. 8.34 now are they Ripe as before Raw so press upon him in crowds as to touch him behind before and on each side and all Touchers were healed The Evangelist John expresly relateth chap 6.22 That the very next morning many of that multitude which Christ had miraculously fed with five Loaves the day before do follow him it Capernaum and find him there asking him Rabbi when camest thou hither ver 24.25 and by what meanâ— for they â—â—mired both the time when and the manner â—ow well knowing the Journey by foot was very long and that he came not along with his Disciples in the Ship when he dismiss'd them over night Christ answers ver 26. not to what the was asked but knowing their hearts admonishes them of their Carnality that they followed him for Lâ—aver more than for Love and as Augustin phraseth it did not love or seek Jesus for Jesus sake This being the very day of the Synagogue Serâ—ice in the City of Caâ—enâ—â—um ver 59. Christ takes that occasion to Preach that excellent Sermon in the Synagogue to them from ver 16. to the end of the Chapter wherein he reclaims theâ—â— from their expectations of perishing food c. to bused daily 〈◊〉 Miracles as he had done the day before and that for forty years together as Israel was fed by Mâ—leâ— not with Barley bread but with Manna Angels food c. Christ calls them up to seek the more Spiritual Food that endureth for ever whereof Maâ—â—â— was but the Type and himself was the Antityâ—â— and that they must expect an other food now from him than the â—ating of his Flesh and the drinking of his Blood this â—â—â—â—â—ed such a monstrous Doctrine to many of them that they will follow him no more We may nor understand that in ver 60. to he any of the twelve Disciples no now yet of Judas the Devil nâ—rryâ— but it was many of those that were more frequent followers than others of him among whom saith Epiphaâ—â—â— Mark himself became a Deserter stumbling at this seeming inhumane saving of eating Man's flesh but was reclaim'd by Peter After these things saith John 7.1 to wit Christ's Miracle about the Corporal Food feeding 5000 with five Loaves and his Oracle or Sermon about the right Spiritual Food the eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood spiritually by the mouth of Faith he still remained in Galilee where they were not such Zealots for the Law so not such hot Persecutors of Christ and would not walk in Jury or Judea because the Jews sought to kill him being blinded and incensed by Satan as Pharaoh c. were against Moses which made him flee to Midian Exod. 2.15 for now Christ's Fame and Name was mightily spread abroad by his Doctrine and Miracles his Disciples marvelously increased c. therefore the Sanedrim seek to kill him as Herod had done the Baptist Hereupon he declines Jerusalem still because he would not be Assassinated in a clandestine seditious manner which answered not the Father's Appointment and because his hour was not yet come for when that came he did willingly present himself in that City and in the very Temple c. However such was the malice and rage of the Sanedrim against our Saviour that
c. still waiâ—â— for their Prey again and there presseth upon them for his Release more than eveâ—â— But while he urged Christ's Absolution this time also they cry out against Pilate that if he Justified him whom they had Condemned in their Court and committed the Prisoner to him they would Article against himself as no Friend to Caesar c. John 19.12 This saying knocks down all Pilate's Honesty dead to the ground save only that as he had brought Christ out from the Barr before shewing him most notoriously abused that they might be moved with Compassion towards him when he said to them Behold the Man thus madly misused by the Rude Rabble Soldiers So here again he brings him forth from the Bar and cries again Behold your King John 19.13 14. Are you not ashamed to kill your King whom you have caused me to put all this Contempt upon Those faint Essays of Pilate's clearing the Innocent were took weak Remedies for Curing so strong a Malady as the Priest's Malice Who were not at all moved with all the Miseries they had Mischievously Inflicted upon Innocent Jesus but though they Relented not at their beholding the Man and beholding their King thus abominably abused N. B. Note well 't is meet we should be moved to see the King's Son so basely Scourged by the basest of Men and that for our sakes not for his own those Miscreants melted not Mollified not to behold the most prodigious and profoundest part of our Redeemer's Misery but on the contrary made themselves sport thereof and with many Outragious and Spiteful Speeches flocked about Pilate Threaten to Accuse him of Treason to the Emperour for Labouring by many means to Release such a Traitor to Caesar's Government Now is Pilate Conquered to yield for two Causes and Considerations N. B. Note well First the Impatiency Importunity and Impudency both of the Priests and of the People like Priest like People Pilate faintly saith to them shall I Crucifie your King the more backward he was to it the more madly forward and furious they were for it And the same Mouths that had but a little before cryed Hosanna to Christ at his entring into Jerusalem now with their loudest Clamours cry Crucifie him and to shew the earnestness of their Divelish Desires they double that Outcry saying Crucifie him Crucifie him He is none of our King we have no King but Caesar let him be pushed out of the City to be Crucified Then Pilate Feared a Tumult Matth. 27.24 As God made this People's choice their Judgment they would have no King but Caesar as if there were no King in Sion Mic. 4.9 And as if they Rejected the Lord from being their King 1 Sam. 8.7 God gives them their choice with a Vengeance for their King Caesar utterly destroyed them as was prophesied Zech. 11.6 which was fulfilled by the Emperour Vespasian So this fear of Man brought Pilate into a Snare Prov 29.25 Causeth him to comply with the Clamorous Crew to avoid the Danger of a Tumult c. The Second cause of his complying was his fear of losing Caesar's Favour fearing that more than the loss of God's So chuses to obey the Creature 's Corruptions rather than the Creator's Commands And in fine he loses the Favour of both as the sequel sheweth CHAP. XXXI WHen this Cowardly and Inconstant Pilate was thus Sordidly overcome by the pressings both of Priests and People and overawed by his fear of losing Caesar's Favour and so by Consequence his Office of Power and Presidentship then he that had been as stiff as an Oak in absolving Christ so oft before saying I find-no fault in him becomes as supple and plyable as a Willow and complies with the cursed Crew to Condemn the Innocent and Faultless One that they might lead him away to Execution Whence do arise these few Remarks Remark The 1st is That Men of no Principle Magistrates or others that Act for pleasing the People and fear of Princes Dust and Ashes more than the living God cannot persevere in their pretended Piety or Honesty but yields at last to the Temptation Remark 2d Such as do yield to the Tempter whether they be Godly or Ungodly are sure to be punished for not persevering as was Adam for yielding to Eve Sampson to Dalilah and Pilate here to the People as Adam lost Paradise and his Primitive Excellency both to his Person and to his Posterity and as Sampson lost his Strength his Eyes his God and his Life thereby So Pilate perplexed here with Threats of Impeachment persists not Honest in his Office soon after he was kicked out of it by Cajus for perverting of Justice Banished into Germany as before where through Grief and Shame for loosing both Gods Favour and Caesar's he became his own Death-Man Eusebius Hist lib. 2. cap. 7. and which is worse he stands Branded in the Bible for Condemning the Just One upon Everlasting Record to the end of the World to say nothing of his Torments for it in the other World N. B. Note well This should Teach all Persons to fear God above the World we may not warp and act against the Light of our Consciences as he did The 3d Remark is Above all it concerns Magistrates to be Men fearing God Exod. 18.21 Able and Active Strong and Stout Hearted well underlayed with Righteousness as well as Riches fearing God above all Judges should be Men of Courage ceur de Lions Solomon's Throne was supported with Lions to shew what manner of Men such as Sit in places of Judicature should be and what Mettal a Magistrate should be made off The Standard of Justice should be of Case-harden'd Steel and the Main-posts of a Common-wealth should be Heart of Oak Tully tells us 't is a Mercy to have Judges Modò Audeant quae sentiant so they dare but do according to the Dictates of their Consciences which because Pilate did not do therefore all that Evil aforesaid by a Just Judgment of God came upon him As Joseph yielded not though his Sollicitations were so oft renewed So he and Daniel had no fault found in their Grandeur save in the matters of their God c. The 4th Remark is It was a wonderful providence of God that Pilate should in these his contrary Actings of Absolving and Condemning Christ serve God's Will as well as his own both God's Secret and his Revealed Will. In his Absolving Christ so often he concurred with the Revealed Will of God which declareth him Faultless and without Sin Heb. 4.15 A Lamb without blemish of Original Sin and without spot of Actual Sin 1 Pet. 1.18 and in his Condemning him Pilate served the Secret Will of God which laid upon Christ all the Sins of the whole Elect Isa 53.6 according to the Covenant of Redemption contracted betwixt the Father and the Son for satisfaction of Divine Justice and for the expiation of all our Sins While he stood before the Bar of this Mortal Man he
1 Cor. 15.44 but He changed his place only and they miraculously lost sight of him Luke 24.31 The last Branch of this Holy Conference c. was the Consequences and Effect thereof No sooner was Christ vanisht out of those Disciple's sight This Appearance of the Lord was indeed Joyful to them but it being so short and so suddenly Attended with a Disappearance of Him beyond their expectation this troubled them with a confounding consternation But as soon as they could recover themselves They 1. fall upon a Self tryal reflecting upon their own Folly that they knew Him no sooner Luke 24. v. 32. saying each to other as it were He indeed called us Fools and so we were otherwise we might have known Him before He sat down with us at the Table even while he talked to us and taught us in the way for beside the highest Elegancy of his Discourse and the many ponderous Arguments He poured forth so that never man spake like him as John 7 46. Did we not feel a Divine Efficacy attending his words which inflamed our hearts to astonishment such as we were wont to experience while he used to teach us with Authority before his death On what Fools are we who could not know our own Happiness in his sweet Society before he withdrew himself Thus God teacheth both them and us the worth of Blessings by the want of them This may teach us also that as Christ's words had such a powerful Influence upon them so as to fire up their frozen Affections so it ought to be with us while we sit under Sermons If we remain cold and careless under the Word Preached which is the Key of opening the Scriptures 't is because Christ speaks not in it to inflame our hearts we meet not with the spirit of burning Isa 4.4 to burn off our Rust and to burn up our combustible corruptions the Word of God shall be to us like as fire and as an Hammer to break our Rocky hearts in pieces Jer. 23.29 This is the peculiar work of Christ alone and not of any Minister to inflame the Affections Cathedram in Coelis habet saith Angustin qui corda hominum in terris docet He hath his Pulpit in Heaven that thus teacheth the hearts of men on Earth None can kindle that fire of God which cannot be quenched Cant. 8.6 but God himself he only can baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Luke 3.16 A drowsie dead frozen heart never profits by the Word 't is a mis-spending of precious time c. The 2d Effect was They rose up the same hour Luke 24.32 33. Here was their Self-denial after their self-tryal in this Transport knowing that their Lord was Rose up from the Grave they likewise like sympathizing Servants Rose up also from the Table and as may well be supposed without eating one bit of Bread though they were two hungry Travellers For they coming to know Christ in breaking of Bread which was the very time he chose to manifest himself and till them suspended their sight as he started out of their company so immediately they started up from the Supper and none can prove that any of them did eat of the Bread then Broken which is a cogent Argument to evidence that it was not Sacramental Bread for 't is blasphemy to think that Christ mocked them with a Sacrament though he might prove these two whether they with Job esteemed his Word and Work above their necessary Food Job 23.12 and as he himself often had done c. As when the Disciples said to him Master eat he answered I have meat to eat that you know not of c. John 4.31 32 33 34. He preferr'd the doing of his Father's Will before the food that was necessary to keep him alive So he did when disappointed of his Breakfast at the Barren Fig-tree Matth. 21.17 23. Though he came hungry into the City yet read we not that he went first into a Victualling-house to satisfie his Appetite but 't is expresly said He directly went into the Temple where he taught the People most part of that day The Zeal of God's house had eaten him up so as he forgot his own eating So the two Disciples here had now other work to do than to stay there any longer and to spend any more time in eating a Supper though their Bread was both blest and broken by Christ himself No they must hasten the same hour to comfort the Distressed and half-dead Disciples Luke 24.33 Hence the 3d Consequence is their Self-resolution though they now were going as others think into Galilee their own Country in order to meet Christ there as both Himself and his Angel had told them Mark 16.7 and were come the first Day 's Journey towards it as far as Emmaus and though it was night-time and themselves both weary and hungry yet up they must get and return back to Jerusalem so foot it by the same footsteps in the Dark they had newly footed over in the Day-light According to this Resolve they renounce their present Repast and their Rest by Night not sparing themselves to do good unto their Disconsolate Fellow-Disciples A good man's heart is where his work lies he cannot think that he lives only to eat but he eats only to live and to do his work as being no Belly-God c. These two as the Lepers 2 Kings 7.9 durst not tarry till the Morning-light lest some mischief should befal them for lingring in a time of good Tidings They were restless till they told it to their Brethren whose hearts were almost broken for the loss of their Lord Mark 16.10 Therefore the good Women were bid to go quickly Matth. 28.7 to bind up their nigh-broken hearts with these Joyful Tidings So here these two Disciples must not now loiter about sitting still at Supper to fill their own Bellies but be gone quickly taking each of them a piece of the blest and broken Bread in their hand as may be supposed and trudge away in post-haste for their Master his Majesty's service late though it was and though they were like to want in their Return that Chariot They had in their Day's-Journey thither Comes pro vehiculo est optimum solatium fodalitium Christ had been their Companion all the day whose sweet company and conference wherewith he entertained them all along the Journey sweetned every Footstep to them and made their Travel no trouble and indeed how could they wander out of the right way to Emmaus while their Guide and Conduct was he who is the way truth and life John 14.6 the way to walk in the truth to walk by and the life to walk with So that they could neither wander nor be weary But now the dark night was come and the light of the day was gone and not only so but their Lord who is the light of the World was gone too yet must they haste haste haste back to the Disconsolate
by Ezekiel Chap. 48.31 and more fully Amplified by John Rev. 21. ver 12.14 16. where the New Jerusalem is the Emblem is described to consist of 12 Gates which are 12 Pearls and had 12 Angels to watch them The Wall of that Holy City hath 12 Foundations whereon were written those 12 Apostles answering the 12 Tribes of Israel And the measure of this City is 12 Thousand Furlongs Then again Rev. 22.2 The Tree of Life that stood in the midst of the Street of that Holy City beareth 12 manner of Fruits yea and yieldeth its Fruits in every of the 12 Months of the Year in Winter as well as in Summer So that all along here is Relation to the affairs of the Church God seemeth to affect the number of 12 above all others Note From which weighty consideration Dr. Potter doth wittily and learnedly make his Remarkable conclusions both about the Measure of the Wall of this New Jerusalem and about the number of the Apocalyptick Beast Saying to the first That the measure of the Wall of the City is said to be 144 Cubits which cannot be the measure of the compass it being too little for that nor either of the heigth or breadth of the Wall it being as much too great for both of them therefore must it be meant of the Square-measure or Root-number of 12 For 12 times 12 make 144. So that the Wall was 12 Cubits high and 12 Cubits broad Rev. 21.17 The like observation that Doctor makes upon the 144 Thousand the number of Christ's sealed Servants Rev. 7.4 and of his Holy Retinue that would not comply with Antichristian Idolatry Rev. 14.3 4. The Square Root of which number is 12 also But on the contrary as the latter The number of the Beast is said to be 666 Rev. 13.18 The Square Root of which number saith he is 25 a number that is much affected by Antichrist in his 25 Parishes Cardinals Gates Windows Altars Articles Holy days c. As the number 12 is by our Lord Christ Matthias must be chosen to make up the Eleven remaining Apostles the Round and Root-number of Twelve and because no Apostle had power to ordain another the Lord himself must make the choice by ordering the lot to fall upon this Man Pro. 16. last Acts 1.26 And he must be such a Man as had been an Eye-witness of the Lord's Resurrection Acts 1.22 which was a point not only of greatest difficulty to be believed but also of weightiest importance for supporting the Christian Faith and not only of that but also of the whole Doctrine Life Death Resurrection and Ascension too whereof Matthias was one of the Spectators upon Mount Olivet which was the place from whence he Ascended into Heaven Mark 16.19 Luke 24.51 Acts 1.19 12. Bethany laying in the bottom of it and the Garden wherein he had his Agony and was betrayed c. And this Mount our Lord chused to Ascend upon be cause it was in the view of Jerusalem where he had been scorned condemned and crucified about the same distance from the City as was betwixt the Ark and the People Joshua 3.4 From hence the rather our Lord Ascended that he might begin to receive his Crown and Glory nigh to the place where he had endured his Cross and Contempt c. Because I did adjourn our Lord's Ascension to this proper place where we have not only the Twelve Apostles those same principal secretaries of the Spirit and therefore his Successors but also many more Disciples eye-wittnesses thereof let me here give a distinct Discourse upon it as before upon his Resurrection The Grand Remarks upon Christ's Ascension be reducible to those three Heads 1. The Antecedents 2. The Concomitants 3. The Consequents of it which was the Second degree of his State of his Exaltation as his Resurrection was the first And his sitting down at God's Right-hand a place higher than that of Angels those Ministring Spirits that stand about the Caelestial Throne is the Third degree In the general first Matthew saith nothing at all of our Saviour's Ascension nor doth John give us any account thereof Mark is very brief Mark 16.19 20. But Luke is large upon it both in his Gospel Luke 24.50 51 c. and in his Acts of the Apostles the undoubted Author of which Book was that Evangelist as the Preface plainly implies where he gives a more full History of Christ's Ascension Acts 1. from ver 1. to ver 13. Note The commonly received opinion is that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ St. Mark his Ten after St. Luke his Fifteen after and St. John his Forty two years after our Lord's Death St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Judea so mentioneth nothing of Christ's Ascension because there was none in that Countrey who doubted of it being seen of above 500 so nigh Jerusalem c. But Mark and Luke wrote theirs out of that Countrey where they found many that heard nothing of it And seeing they both had recorded it There was no need for John to mention it whose principal work was to Relate such passages as had been omitted by all the other three The hardned Jews will by no means believe the Ascension of Christ into Heaven but on the contrary do make his Descent into Hell their principal and unquestioned Article blasphemously affirming that our Christ is tormented there in boyling and scalding Zoah or Dung because he received not the Traditions of their Chachamims or Elders yea they make him a false Prophet and a Prophane wretch like Esau aying The Soul of Esau entred into the Body of Christ for this cause they call Christians Edomites as the Jew of Maroceo pag. 172.173 saith More particularly now The first Remark of his Ascension is the Antecedents thereof which have a short relation by St. Mark Chap. 16.19 after the Lord had spoken to them to wit when he had delivered all the precepts and promises which his pleasure was to deliver to his Disciples during the 40 days he endured upon Earth N.B. though immediatly when he rose from the Grave his Right was to go up to Heaven but he waved his own Glory so long for the Churche's good Now having nothing more to say or do for settling his Church save only to Seal up all by sending the Holy Spirit he Ascends up into Heaven Luke Chap 24.50 51 is more large Relating how he led his Disciples forth as far as that part of the Mount of Olives which belonged to the Village of Bethany being a place where he had oft been praying and where as some say he mounted the Ass and Rode in Triumph to the City here will he take his Chariot of State and ride in Triumph up from thence into Heaven but first he doth lift up his hands and blesseth his Disciples here which was not so much the posture Accommodated to the Religious Action of his praying for them but rather a more Authoritative Act in the most
this name and not fall as if we had not been anointed with Oil 2 Sam. 1.21 Thus the Lord as he ever doth did over-shoot Satan in his own Bow over-ruling the Malice of the Adversary in turning it here to the propagation of the Gospel Those Disciples were forced to flie for their lives from the Capital City of the Jews hereby the Light of the Gospel is carried to the Gentiles N.B. The great God causeth the Devil to break his own head by his own design and maketh Light to come out of Darkness Psal 112. v. 4. God is a skilful Pilot and can sail with contrary Winds using cross Providences to accomplish his precious Promises Gen. 9.27 Hereby Japhet the Gentiles were made to dwell in the Tents of Shem the Jews This scattering proved to the Church's great Advantage which like the Sea what ground it loseth on one side it gaineth on the other side No doubt God is fetching such a compass now c. 2 Sam. 5.23 'T is a great and most sacred Truth that the great God would suffer no sort of evil to be unless he knew how to bring some excellent good out of that evil N.B. The following History is a confirming Comment upon this Text of Truth The most wise God would not have permitted such a Dispersing Persecution upon this Primo-primitive Church but to over rule it for his own greater glory and for his Church's greater gain This Church at Jerusalem was now grown so great by the many Accessions and Additions to it through the great Grace that was upon it Acts 4.33 that it was become like the Hive of Bees which is so full of stock that there is not room within to receive all those little laborious Animals and therefore if they do not voluntarily remove in a Swarm they must be driven to make a new Colony in another new Hive Thus and much more the Lord dealt with this numerous over-grown and full-stock'd Gospel-Church A great many of those Evangelical Bees are driven away from Jerusalem not only to plant new Colonies of Christians in Samaria but also in many other places both among the Jews and among the Gentiles as the sequel sheweth N.B. The first Instance hereof is the planting of a Gospel-Church in Samaria whereof the Procatartick or occasional cause was this great Persecution that the Devil and his Imps raised against this first Church at Jerusalem but the Organical or instrumental cause thereof was Philip not the Apostle Mat. 10.3 but the Deacon of that name Acts 6.5 for all the Apostles still stay'd at Jerusalem Acts 8.1 This Deacon having been found faithful over a few things was made Master of more in the Ministry as Mat. 25.23 Thus he being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach the Truth and able to maintain it by the Gifts of the Holy Ghost upon him purchased to himself an higher degree in the Ministry of the Church 1 Tim. 3.12 13. fairly stepping from that good degree of a Deacon therefore none should despise the Deaconship that is so honourably intituled to an higher Order c. This holy Deacon was of that scattered number whom God directed to go into Samaria where what he did the Divine Record gives a full account of it Acts 8.5 c. N.B. The Relation of his Actings there 1. Concerns his Doctrine and 2. His Auditors 1st His Doctrine is described 1. In the Matter of it Acts 8.5 12. He Preached the Doctrine of Faith Repentance and Remission of Sins by Christ alone c. 2. In the Success of it verse 6 7. a mighty presence of Divine Power prepared those to attend whom God had a purpose to save hanging their Ears as it were at the mouth of this their Minister as those are said to do upon Christ himself Luke 19.48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They did hang upon him it signifies as the Babe hangs on the Breast the Bee upon the Flower or the little Bird upon the Bill of her Dam As Christ drew the People after him by the Golden Chain of his Angelical yea Divine Eloquence So Philip here by the powerful presence of the Spirit of Christ upon him united his Hearer's hearts as well as Ears to attend diligently unto the Doctrine of Christ He Preached to them concerning his marvelous Birth his holy Life and Death and his glorious Resurrection and Ascension and concerning the Kingdom of his Grace and Glory both which are one seeing the Kingdom of God hath its Inchoation on Earth but its Consummation in Heaven This diligent attention was a blessed preparative to these Samaritan's Conversion seeing Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 The Syriack word Methtephisin here signifies they did not only Attend to but also did Acquiesce in all he spake to them N.B. Were there more Reverend Attention to the Word and more plenary Aquiescency in it there would be more Conversion at this day N.B. But besides Philip's Evangelical Eloquence wherewith he drew his Auditory to his Oracles he wrought Miracles also which were as so many Evidences of the Truth of his Oracles and whereby he shewed God's Authority for what he Preached He healed many Diseases and cast out many Devils call'd unclean Spirits because they delight in sin that spiritual uncleanness of the Soul who cried out with a loud voice as very loth to leave their Lodgings had they not been constrained to it c. N.B. The performance of what Christ promised Mark 16.16 17. did both corroborate the Faith of those Gospel-Ministers and did mightily promote the Success of Philip's Ministry in Samaria Then 3dly The Effect hereof is briefly comprised v. 8. and There was great Joy in that City Tho' Samaria was a place of corrupted Worship and basely bewitched by the Sorceries of Simon Magus yet even there God begets a People to himself who not only rejoyced for the miraculous Cures wrought upon their Bodies but more especially for the Word of Reconciliation and Salvation Preached to their Souls N.B. Josephus saith that at Samaria was a Sanctuary opened by Sanballat for all Renegado Jews and upon the very building of the Temple upon Mount Gerizim multitudes of Jews flocked thither that call'd Jacob their Father had their Priesthood Service Pentateuch c. so that Samaritanism generally was but a Mongrel-Judaism Therefore the Jews hated the presence the are the fashions and the very Books of the Samaritans John 4.9 Now this despised Samaria imbraces the Gospel with Joy when the formerly beloved and holy City Jerusalem doth explode and persecute it N.B. Such strange Alterations doth the Free Grace of God work both in Cities and Countreys and in all Societies of Men. Once it was before this that Christ must needs go to Samaria John 4.4 Oh happy City that then lay in a sweet Saviour's way to be look'd upon with his gracious look of Love and that his Footsteps may drop fatness upon it Psal 65.11 Many believed in Christ at that time of the Samaritans John 4.40 41.
his Actions to the Judgment of the Church at Jerusalem giving them an Account of the whole Transactions and the Reasons which moved him to do what he had done The Vision of the Sheet c. are twice at large Recorded in the 10th and 11th chapters that the tendency of it namely to put no difference now betwixt Jew and Gentile seeing the partition-wall was broke down now by Christ might become the more unquestionable a Truth both to Peter who was most especially concerned in it and to others also who now doubted of it and disputed against it In this Defence or Apology there be these Remarks 1. In the general Peter affirmeth that he had done nothing upon his own head but all according to Divine Direction therein 2. More particularly he is his own Compurgator That he had lived hitherto in a strict observation of their Ceremonial Righteousness verse 8. Though he thought himself far from being justified thereby abstaining from all appearances of evil to them 3. That he had not been too facil or easily reclaimed from their Legal Rites therefore the Vision was repeated three several times c. verse 9 10. before his full Regulation herein 4. The Voice of Divine Providence in sending the three Messengers that gave him his Call verse 11. and the Voice of God's Spirit to clear up his Call with a Divine as well as Humane Warrant c. verse 12 13 14. are asserted for their satisfaction 5. He gives an Account how in his Preaching those Gentiles had the pourings out of the Spirit upon them in the like power as had been upon them that were Jews Acts 2. v. 4. upon Pentecost-Day 6. Then he urgeth the Promise of Christ which he then call'd to mind of baptizing Believers with the Holy Ghost first mentioned by the Baptist Matth. 3 11 Mark 1.8 but after approved of by Christ Matth. 11.9 as by the people John 10.41 and expresly spoken also by him Acts 1.5 7. The Conclusion Peter drew from the Premisses seeing God hath made the Gentiles equal in Grace with the Believing Jews what was I to withstand God verse 17. It was God that call'd them to Life and Salvation and not I saith he therefore it was not in my power to deny them Church-Priviledges and Church Communion Here Peter's Argument is very cogent to such a Conclusion N.B. They that have the thing signified which is the greater have right to the Seal signifying which is the lesser And seeing the sanctifying Graces of the Spirit were given by God to those Gentiles he infers hence had he denied them Baptism he would therein have been a Resister of God and a wronger of them in with holding that token from them which God had sent to them 8. This Defence of Peter's was so pungent and convincing that it conquered the Cavillers they were not only silenc'd from gain-saying but satisfied fully that it was of Divine Dispensation to give the Gentiles Repentance unto life verse 18. which can come from no hand but from the Almighty 2 Tim. 2.25 The Objectors hereupon let fall their Monopoly they dreamt of concerning Christ and Grace and being good men they acquiesced as those that contended more for Truth than for Victory Now follows the second Topick for adjusting and justifying the Gentile's Reception into Gospel-Communion This is drawn from the wonderful success of God's Word among the Gentiles at Antioch called Grecians as contra-distinct from the Jews aforementioned v. 19 20. This is more manifest in the following Remarks First The 120 Ministers mentioned Acts 1.15 who were scattered upon Stephen's stoning Acts 8.1 went Preaching up and down first as far as the bounds of Judea extended then some of them stepped farther as far as Phoenice Cyprui and Syria but all this time dealing with the Jews only not being yet perswaded of the Calling of the Gentiles But Peter having now broke the Ice for a freer passage to them at last some of them made bold to go beyond the partition wall to Preach to the Greeks or Gentiles at Antioch Thus all things do work together though not asunder for good Rom. 8.28 even the Persecution that arose about Stephen did the more disseminate the Gospel c. The second Remark is Divine Light must not be let in all at once but by degrees Thus it was not only with those Banished Ministers who for some time confined themselves to teach the Jews only in strange Countreys yet when more Light was let in they venture among the Gentiles as here at Antioch But it was thus also with the Apostolical Church at Jerusalem who made at the first all this great Ruffle afore-mentioned against Peter's conversing with the Gentiles yet now perceiving many Gentiles were converted at Antioch they now send Barnabas that Son of Consolation to confirm and comfort them in Church-Communion verse 21 22 Thirdly The God of all grace makes even a Gentile-City to cry grace grace Zech. 4.7 Manifested in their Professions and in their Practices also with correspondent conversations All this the good man Barnabas saw and rejoyced at it upon Earth as the Angels also rejoyced at it in Heaven Luke 15.7 and no less did all other Believers who are but learning that Angelical Lesson when they heard hereof in Jerusalem and in other places as Caesarea c. Hereupon Barnabas exhorted this great number of Believing Gentiles verse 21. and this much people which were added to the Lord v. 24. that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord verse 23. as Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 that is cleave close to the Profession of the Truth of Christ with their whole heart tide life tide death whatever it cost them and not foil or slubber their Religion with the slur of a rotten unsound and insincere heart The sound heart is neither ashamed of the Gospel nor a shame to the Gospel Psal 119.80 Fourthly The greatest honour in the Kingdom of God and of the Gospel was conferred upon this gentile-Gentile-City Antioch now made even above Jerusalem it self Insomuch that Christ's Disciples were first call'd Christians in this City verse 26. to shew that Christ from thence spread forth his Banner which he had first set up as his Standard therein by a people that had his own name put upon them and who would apparently own and follow him in his good ways maugre the malice of Men and Devâ—ls and in despite of all the designs of a beholding and contradicting World against them as is intimated before N. B. As Caesarea the Seat of the Roman Governour of Indea first seeth the Door of Faith opened to the Gentiles in the conversion of Cornelius and his Friends and Family so Antioch the Seat of the Roman Governour of Syria first heareth and beareth the honour of the honourable name of Christian which therefore will be a Renowned City so long as the World lasteth and the Church in the World N.B. This Antioch of old had been call'd Hamath Ezek.
the Salvation of Souls Paul yielded to circumcise Timothy for that indifferent thing tho' according to the decrees of the Great Council of the Apostles it was not to be imposed was yet necessary for preserving the peace of the Church as then it was by bearing with the weak Jewish Christians to whom he condescended and with whom he complyed so far as would consist with a safe conscience abating of his own liberty to gratify their Scrupulosities and indulging their weaknesses with his stronger grace so far as he knew he should not offend God to whom he designed to gain those weak Souls thus he also comported with the Apostles in the shaveing of his head afterward Acts 21.24 Yet would not he be compelled to circumcise Titus who was a Native Gentile being a Greek which had he done the false brethren that came to spy out the liberty Paul had in Christ and preached would have won a great advantage against him for defaming him as teaching one thing among the Gentile -Churches and practiceing the contrary among the Jews now when he was come to the Apostles at Jerusalem Gal. 2.3 4. Therefore would he not yield that Titus should be circumcised least he should seem to countenance those privy Spies who held circumcision necessary to Salvation N.B. O what a pattern to posterity doth great humble charitable Paul leave here for future practice performing or forbearing what by the law of God he lawfully might according to the various persuasions of several Christians that he might become an Instrument in any degree for the Salvation of any soul and sure I am no order of men can pretend to a greater superiority as to the Conscience in spiritual matters than he undoubtedly had yet would he not exercise a Lordly dominion over the Faith of others 2 Cor. 1.24 N.B. It was therefore well done by the Ministers of Magdeburgh in stoutly opposing those of Wittenburgh and Lipswich who by their Adcaphora's as they call'd them indifferent things would have paved a way to popery And it was good council Peter Martyr gave to Queen Elizabeth that her Church-Governours should not endeavour to carry the Ark of the Gospel into England upon the Cart of Needless Ceremonies as we are doing at this Day out of it The fifth Remark is God doth not only chuse Men to be Ministers but he also appointeth the time when and the place where they shall labour in their Ministry Two hints hereof we have here both verse 6. They were forbidden by the Holy Chost to Preach the word in Asia and again verse 7. The Spirit suffered them not to go preach in Bithynia N.B. The very Journeyings of those Preachers of the Gospel as well as their Divine Exercises were all ordered by the most wise God they must neither speak act or walk but according to Divine direction as Ambrose and Chrysostom here noteth They must for this time pass by both these fore named places and Mysia too verse 8. Thus God the Great Housholder orders the Candle to be removed from one Room to another he granteth to people or withdraws from them the light of the Gospel as oft as he pleaseth Even so it pleaseth him saith Christ Matth. 11.26 N.B. To have the word forbidden to be preached was an heavyer Judgment upon those Coasts than if their Harvest or the Light of the Sun had been denyed them therefore ought all places and people highly to prize the Preaching of the Gospel as a most singular priviledge They that be without a Teaching Priest are without God also 2 Chron 15.3 Amos's Famine of the word was far worse and more deplorable than Samaria's Famine of Bread in that strait Siege c. N.B. Nor may we think that God denied those places his Grace but only retarded it for that time for afterward Paul preached there about two years together Acts 19.10 why God now with held his Grace the reasons be supposed 1. From some secret cause unrevealed 2. From the freedom of God's good pleasure whereon both our Election and our Vocation hath their foundation depending altogether on the free grace of God and not at all upon the free will of Man 3. Those places and people might be as some say reserved for the Apostle John's ure and care for the sevâ—a â—â—â—rches of Asia lay within his line c. 4 Because those provinces were nigh to other places where now famous Churches of the Gentiles were constituted from which if they had a mind they might light their Candle and whereby the knowledge of the Gospel might be easily spread through the lesser Asia But 5. 'T is probable God saw those Cities c. not at all prepared now to receive the Gospel 6. and Lastly God had another new work of greater importance wherein to imploy those Apostles which was to send them speedily into Europe Now come we to Paul's passing over out of Asia into Europe The occasion whereof was a Night-Vision he had of an Angel which appeared to him in the habit of a Graecian-man calling for his help into Macedonia which is a Greek province in Europe extending to the Archipelago Acts 16.9 10 11 12. So came he to Philippi the chief City of that part of Macedonia to help them according to the call of God for Ministers are those means by whom God helpeth a perishing people whereby the Lord plucketh his chosen ones as brands out of the fire Zech. 3.3 he draweth them out of the Devil's drudgery and pulleth them away when hanging over the Chimneys of Hell by one single rotten thread of a frail brittle life from the danger of Damnation N.B. Hereupon God's Ministers are call'd Saviours Obad. v. 21. 1 Tim. 4.16 and Redeemers Job 33.24 28. and Co-workers with Christ 2 Cor. 6.1 Tho' a wicked world take them for tormentors Rev. 11.10 This travel of Paul into Greece is marked out as a new work and such as he never had yet been imployed in namely to preach the Gospel to a Roman plantation for at Philippi the text tells us verse 12. and verse 21. There dwelt a Colony of Roman Citizens who enjoyed the freedom of the City of Rome N.B. He had indeed been always in the Roman Dominions all those Countreys of the East being then Rome's Conquests but still he conversed with other Nations as Jews Greeks Syrians and such like yet never as yet do we read of any Romans till this time now because the Roman Nation lyeth under so many sad brands in Scripture and was now become an abomination to the Jews for ruling so Rigorously over them therefore Paul's going to preach the Gospel to them hath three singular Circummstances Recorded in Scripture as so many Eminent Badges and Advertisements of it For first that when Paul c. would have gone into Asia and Bithynia the Spirit forbade them and diverted them with haste into Macedonia unto this new work of preaching to this Roman plantation Secondly That he was called to this
Prisoners as above No doubt but the Earthquake being general did affright them as well as their Jaylor and did shake the foundations of all their persecuting rage as well as of their prison and made them tremble c. Besides their Consciences might be the more terrified for their stripeing Strangers without any legal Tryal or form of Law c. N.B. Yet all this horrour and terrour had not such a saving work upon their hearts as upon the Jaylor's because not so Sanctified to them as to him for that trouble which is not Sanctified to the Soul is like the HAMMER beating upon cold IRON it makes no impression Thus all the ten Plagues of Aegypt being unsanctified did but harden Pharaoh the more Exod. 7.3 c. The fifth Remark is Real and true Conversion worketh a wonderful change even in the worst of Persons No doubt but this same Jaylor was one of the worst sort of Mankind one that had been imployed in the Devil's Drudgery in beating imprisoning and Stocking the Lord's Servants N.B. But behold what a change is wrought in him in an instant He that a little before had dealt so cruelly with Paul and Silas and did despise whatever they said to him as well as their persons c. Now comes he trembling in to them falls at those feet which he had lately fastened in the Stocks and crys Sirs what shall I do to be saved verse 29 30 c. Now this poor blind Heathen is become mindful of his future estate and is made docible to the Doctrine of life and Salvation yea and together with his civil Veneration towards his Prisoners he brought them forth of prison into his own apartments treated them kindly and heard them Attentively and believingly while they preached to him and to his Family the Gospel of Christ N.B. Oh what a wonderful Catastrophe and Conclusion had this Confinement and cruel usage of the Apostles not only this rude Jaylor became a new Creature was baptized all his house for a demonstration of the truth of his Conversion he washed now those very wounds of the Apostles which himself had made upon their bodies with his stripes upon them but also their fellow-prisoners became here the Lord's Freemen so happy were they in such blessed Company and the Magistrates courted them to be gone verse 31 32 33 to the end This leads to the second part namely to their deliverance from their Danger by a peaceable dismission c. verse 35 36 37 38 39 and 40. upon which we have these Remarks The first is Those that have the true fear of God and faith in Christ will rather obey God in being charitable than such Men or Magistrates as command them to be cruel to God's Servants N.B. This strange change was in one night wrought upon this Jaylor whose name was Stephanas as is gathered from 1 Cor. 1.16 and 16.15 17. that he regards not now his Governours charge of keeping his prisoners close and carrying cruelly to them but frees them out of the Stocks and Pillory brings them out of the low Dungeon into his own House sets meat before them a mercy needful enough to fasting Prisoners and rejoyced in all acts of Humanity of him to them and of Divinity from them unto him yea and was glad to tell them the Tidings that the Magistrates had sent an Order for their fuller release requiring no Fees for himself but was willing to dismiss them with his prayers and blessing to their Ministry upon this News he told them of this New Mercy The second Remark is Tho' we may not return Evil for Evil yet we may use all lawful means for redressing and removing our own grievances as the Apostles did here who though they were as innocent as Doves yet with Christ's own allowance they might be as wise as Serpents N.B. Paul here stands upon his just priviledge and would not be content with a sneaking Clandestine Dismission after such a publick and Ignominous punishment was imposed upon them only for preaching the Gospel and casting out the Divining Devil and that Indictâ causâ without a fair hearing especially against the Roman priviledges wherewith they were Infranchized This was Paul's plea here and elsewhere Acts 22. verse 25. pleading that he was a Roman this was not a lye N.B. For tho' he was not born in Rome but was a Jew born in Tarsus yet because Tarsus did stick close to Julius Caesar in the Civil Wars and afterwards to Octavius it was therefore Infranchized with all the priviledges of the City of Rome whose Freemen by their Valerian Law might not be bound and by their Sempronian Law might not be beaten and least of all uncondemned without the consent of the Romans N.B. This the Apostle pleaded not so much for his own sake as for the Gospel's least it should be contemned with their person and had not Paul's plea been Authentick herein it would have been more despised The Magistrates of Philippi who were now under the Roman powers knew this plea to be true and feared an after reckoning for this Treason in abusing a Roman Citizen as Seneca calls Paul in one of his Epistles to him therefore they cry peccavi and in person besought them to be gone God thus over-ruling their fear for his Servants deliverance The third Remark is The Apostles thus marvellously brought out of prison by the same hands which put them in went into the house of Lydia who being converted verse 14. could not but be much comforted and confirmed in the Faith by this their marvelous deliverance and convened the Brethren to confirm and comfort them also against present and future Tribulation exhorting them to prepare for it to submit to God in it and to pray for a Sanctified improvement of it Then they departed from the City as the Magistrates had requested for their own safety least the rude Rabble should again rush in upon them with more rage and madness N.B. Though Paul for this time peaceably departed from Philippi being over-awed by its Armed powers and people and ordained now no Ministers over that Church till his return thither again as was his course and custom he used in other Churches Acts 14.23 yet this time was the laying of the foundation of that Eminent Church there to which he wrote his Epistle wherein he acknowledgeth as many Tokens of love received from them as from any other Church he planted and wherein also he mentions many Fellow-labourers that he had there in the Gospel both men and women Phil. 4.3 all assisting him with their private instructions to persuade their Relations and Acquaintance touching their Imbracing of the Gospel and it was to this Church that he made so many visits afterwards to compleat them CHAP. XVII Paul Preaching at Thessalonica c. NOW come we to Paul's Second Station in his first Travels into Greece in Europe as his first was at Philippi so his second was at Thessalonica Acts 17.1 passing by both
and Dead at the last day v. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. This last was his Epilogue Thirdly The Issue and Effects of his Sermon upon his Auditory consisting both of Jews and Gentiles and those learned and unlearned Some were effectually called but others were hardned And tho' there was a Synagogue of the Jews in this City yea and Great Heathen Scholars in that Vniversity both which never had heard any thing preached concerning Christ Crucified c. though probably those learned Gentiles might have heard from those Devout Jews there some report of the True God yet Paul the Preacher after he had done this Sermon is permitted to go out in peace without punishment tho' he had loudly Declaimed against the Idolatry of the place verse 32 33 34. But more of this last in the Remarks which follow The first Remark is Humane learning alone cannot learn any place or people the Divine Truths of Christ and his Gospel N.B. This Athens which Paul came to that he might be out of the reach of his Adversaries was the most Soveraign City in all Greece and had in it the most famous University so that it was most higly honoured with that Eminent Title of being called the Greece of Greece and the very eye of Greece as Greece was accounted the eye of the world which was all reputed blind in comparison of it yet notwithstanding all their Scholarship all their learning could not teach them to attain any saving knowledge until Paul came and preached it to them but on the contrary that City and University too was wholly given to Idolatry verse 16. Insomuch that Pausanias reckons up more Idols almost in Athens than in all Greece besides And Xenophon telleth us that the Athenians did keep double their Superstitious Holy days and Festivals to what other Grecian Cities did And Josephus in his 2d book to Appion saith that those Athenians exceeded all other Cities in their Idol worship worshipping Shame Fame Desire c. in their peculiar Temples as Cicero and other Authors among the wiser Heathens do acknowledge Yea to Sum up all in one word one of themselves do confess that our Region is so full of Idols that it is easier to find a God among us than a man their Idols and Images being as numerous as their Inhabitants N.B. All which teacheth us not only how defective humane learning is alone in the knowledge of Divine Mysteries though it be call'd a good Handmaid yet it is always but a bad mistress where it is not subservient to Grace but also that Corruptio optimi est pessima Tho' learning be a good thing in it self yet when it is corrupted by a busy Devil and a base heart it degenerates into the worst instrument in the world as it did here We read how the Angel spake by an Ass Num. 22.28 yet the Devil spake by a Serpent more subtle than all the beasts of the Field Gen. 3.1 The second Remark is All known and notorious Acts of sin especially that God provoking and Land destroying sin of Idolatry are unbearable to behold by any gracious Spirit Thus it was unto blessed Paul here his Spirit was stirred up in him c. verse 16. The Idolatry that was practiced by the people of this place before his eyes did plainly put him into a Paroxysm as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same with Acts 15.39 He was almost besides himself being in a transport by beholding their abominate Idolatry This drove him into a strange Concussion of contrary passions Paul here was highly affected with divers affections and passions of Mind As 1. With Grief for so learned and yet so blind a City and University so miserably dovoted to such Sottish and Simple Superstition 2. With Anger and Indignation against the Superabounding Idolatry of that people who should have made a better improvement of their Learning 3. With Zeal and Ardent Desire to undeceive them and better inform them with his Evangelical Instructions And therefore wherever any persons whether in the Synagogue or in any other part of the City would but lend him a little Audience such were his transports of Zeal that he would preach to them verse 17. practising that in his own person what he exhorted Timothy and all Ministers to do namely to preach in Season and out of Season 2 Tim. 4.2 Giving still to the Jews the priority and to those Proselytes of the Gentiles who were come over from Paganism to the Jewish worship He throws the net of the Gospel still where the most Fish were stirring The third Remark is Christ and his Doctrine of the Gospel is the Grand stumbling-block to the blind World both Jews and Gentiles Learned and Vnlearned 1 Cor. 1. ver 18 19 20 21 22 23. The Jews would not believe in a Christ whom they had Crucified not giving Credit to Christ's word without signs and wonders tho' they wanted them not Matth. 12.38 John 4.48 the Greeks or most learned of the Gentiles looked upon it as an Idle Story that he who is and was God blessed for ever should be Crucified because this could not be demonstrated to them by natural causes and Rational Arguments which they only depended upon knowing nothing of any Divine Revelation Their deep Theorems of Philosophy as King James the first said made them not better but worse men even mere Atheists especially those Epicurians and Stoicks verse 18. who held nothing to be desirable but what delighted their senses this made them more Swine than men and to Ridicule the Doctrine of Paul as a new Doctrine and himself a babler introducing Anastasis or the Resurrection he so often named as a new Goddess to their more than a good many Goddesses which they adored already N.B. While Paul told them of the true God in opposition to their Idols they cry not out so much against him for they could not but hear something hereof from the Jews and Proselytes that lived among them but when he preached to them a Christ Crucified Risen and Glorified this was a novelty tho' truth is elder than the oldest errour which startl'd them they draw him to their most cruel Court consisting of their most learned men v. 19 yet not so much to condemn him for it as to be informed better by him of it c. The fourth Remark is Behold here the wonderful work of the over-ruling Providence of God over the Acting of all evil men Tho' those vain Philosophers apprehended Paul as a babler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as such a contemptible person that had nothing to live upon but upon the off falls of Corn which in measuring falleth off the Bushell when stricken and was used to be picked up by the poorest of the People as the Greek word signifies or as a setter forth of strange Gods out of his own private opinion which they only allowed to be done by publick Authority even as many as they pleased Or as some interpret
20.1 N.B. In which Chapter his four places of Commoration into which the whole Chapter may be Resolved as he returned to Jerusalem are mentioned The First is Macedonia from verse 1. to 7. The second is Troas from verse 7. to 13. The third is Assos from verse 13. to 17. The fourth is Miletus from verse 17. to the end of the Chapter wherein all the occurencies and Actions of Paul in all these four places while he abode there in Transitu or Journey to Jerusalem are recorded in several Circumstances N.B. These four Resolves into which the whole Chapter is reduced afford us many Remarks as followeth The first Remark is A Minister of Christ may depart from a place and people where his Ministry hath been successful when driven from thence by persecution N.B. Thus Paul departs from Ephesus where God had a great harvest he giving place to wrath and yielding to the fury of Demetrius and his Tumult not so much for his own safety for had he not been hindered he would have thrust in among the Rabble either to have appeased the uproar or at the worst to have dyed Christ's Sacrifice if he might no longer live his Servant Acts 19.30 31. as for the good of the Church that the brethren there might not be farther persecuted for his sake and that elsewhere the Church by his Ministry might be the more inlarged and edified This was Christ's command when persecuted in one City flee to another Matth 10.23 The second Remark is Such places and people as the Ministers of the Gospel have been persecuted from may have an hopeful and happy return of those same Ministers at least to give them a Corroborating and Comforting visit afterwards N.B. Thus Paul returned from Ephesus to Macedonia Acts 20.1 and 1 Cor. 16.5 from whence he had been driven by persecution some five years ago Acts 16.24 37. as he now was driven from Ephesus yet had he this incouragement for his return which unto all such returning Ministers ought to be presupposed that in that interspace he had received so many evidences of the Macedonians faith towards God and pledges of their Tender affections toward himself Phil. 4.15 16. that as one obliged to revisit them and to bestow his Apostolical pains again among them he resolves to Venture himself there at this time also for their further and fuller establishment and proficiency in the Gospel The third Remark is Paul's practice is our pattern in this that at his departure from Ephesus he leaveth Timothy there behind him tho' in a dangerous place and time yet there was a cogent necessity that required such an able substitute because some false teachers were ready to break out there to infect Christ's Flock 1 Tim. 1.3 4. yea Wolves to worry them Acts 20.29 The fourth Remark is God's people under persecution especially if it last long and sharp too stand in need to be strengthened in the faith and truth of the Gospel c. N.B. The Apostle here went over all those parts of Macedonia where he had formerly sowed the seed of God's word both to confirm and to comfort as the word for Exhortation indifferently signifieth those Disciples after so great an opposition and persecution against them They could not but stand in great need of Paul's Cordials that they swouned not by being offended at the Cross of Christ and no better Cordial could be procured than that which Christ delivered wherein he pronounced and promised a special blessing unto all such as are persecuted for Righteousness sake Mat. 5.10 as Peter learnt from his Lord to comfort the persecuted with this Cordial 1 Pet. 3.14 and again 4.14 in both places pronouncing them happy whether it were wounds or but words they suffered so Paul also learnt to do the like The fifth Remark is Long affliction requireth proportionably a long Consolation Here Paul stayed for three Months Acts 20.2 3. to comfort those disconsolate persecuted Grecians Tho' it be said there he came into Greece that is strickly taken for Attica in which province Athens was or for Achaia the chief City where of was Corinth otherwise if Greece be largely taken it contains Macedonia also which was Great Alexander's Countrey called at this day Albany and Subject to the Turks N.B. Which sheweth that God will not be bound to any place and people to tarry with his Gospel among them any longer than not only durante bene-placito during his good pleasure but also quam din se benè gesserint so long as they behave themselves well and do walk worthy of it Alterius perditio nostra fiat Cautio it concerns us to take caution at their and others desolation least we have not an Interpreter a Comforter left us for 3 months together The sixth Remark is 'T is high presumption and no better than a plain tempting of God to run headlong upon evident and eminent dangers and not to improve all the best and lawful means we can to prevent and decline them as Paul did here Acts 20.3 N.B. The cursed Jews when they could not prevail against him by open violence then they contrived secret plots and treachery against him they laid wait for him in his passage not so much as some say like Robbers upon the High way to rob him of these Collections money which he carried with him for the poor Saints at Jerusalem but most likely like murderers designed to take away his life because they hated him with a deadly hatred for his Zeal in the Gospel but God giving him knowledge of it he avoided them by turning another way The seventh Remark is The truth of Saint-ship is evidenced by Action while Paul ftayed at Philippi among his most dear Macedonians N.B. He was doing there as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 3. signifies he was in continual action As the life natural consists in Action so doth the life Spiritual By these things we live saith Hezekiah Isa 38.16 N.B. And upon this account one man may live more in a month than another in many years In this sence must the Sage Sentence of the Heathen Seneca be taken Saying quamvis vitae paucos fecerimus dies although we have acted but a few days Epist 67. And that better saying of the Ancient Father multos annos in mundo fui sed paucos vixi I have been many years in the world almost fourscore years but I have lived but a few of those years for I was dead in sin the most of them before I began to live and to do for God The renewing Spirit is an active lively thing c. Thus much of Paul's first Commoration in Macedonia Now come we to his second Commoration at Troas in Asia as the other in Greece The Remarks from this second are The first Remark is Paul becomes all things to all men yet would not become sin to any man To the Jews he became a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 as Acts 18.21 with 18. and 21 24 and 26
Coloss he should have again his freedom to come amongst them and therefore provides to remove his old Lodgings from Rome as a prisoner unto those Cities of Greece as a free man again which most probably he did N.B. So that if we trace Paul's hopes and intentions as they are expressed in Scripture we shall find him purposing to go to Philippi first Phil. 2.23 24. Nay yet farther to Coloss Philemon verse 22. but still farther than both even into Judea from whence he was sent prisoner to Rome Heb. 13.23 Telling those Believing Jews of Judea which was the seat of the Circumcision and the proper center of the whole circumference of those dispersed to whom James John and Jude wrote their general Epistles c. that so soon as Timothy was set at Liberty and was come to him they would both come together into those parts to visit them we are not told how long Timothy staid from Paul or where Paul was when they met together N.B. Paul mentions an intention he had of taking a Journey into Spain Rom. 15.24 28. But this intent being long agoe and he being hindred hitherto either by the Evil Spirit as 1 Thess 2.18 or by the Holy Spirit otherwise disposing of him as Acts 19. v. 6 7. or by other intervenient yet important occasions as Rom. 15.22 23. or by his own infirmities through scourges c. or by the urgent intreaties of others as Acts 10.48 and 16.15 and 28.14 N.B. But now he found some urgent causes of steering his course another way for the Apostacy he heard of in the eastern Churches plainly declared to him that there was more need for him to hasten thither than to go westward So that tho' this Journey into Spain was really intended yet is it generally concluded that he was prevented of it Man's way is not in himself Jer. 10.23 but is over-ruled by God Prov. 16 9. However 't is conjectured that Paul after this releâ—se left Rome and preached in Italy till Timothy came to him What became of this Apostle or Timothy the Scripture gives no farther light after this that he was restored to the Churches which he had planted for some years but an attempting to trace him farther without Scripture light is the way to lose our selves A Scripture Account next of James Peter Jude and John after the last account of Paul CHAP. XXX First of James and then of the rest THIS Chapter containeth the Lives of the other Apostles so far as the light of the sacred Scriptures doth lead us waving all other narratives from more uncertain and fallible hands the most of which may be marked for monkish evaporations and the frothy exuberancy of wanton brains c. And sticking still as close as we can to the infallible guidance and conduct of the word of God wherein we have yet some farther account of four Apostles namely James Peter Jude and John in their Apostolical Books N.B. The first is James who wrote the Epistle of that name Not he that was the Son of Zebedee Matth. 10.2 who was slain not long after Christ's Ascension by Herod in Jerusalem probably long before any of the Apostles began to write any of their Epistles Acts 12.1 2. But he who was the Son of Alpheus Matth. 10.3 Call'd James the less Mark 15.40 And the Lord's Brother Gal. 1.19 As being of Kin to his Family and reckoned with Peter and John as a principal Pillar Gal. 2.9 Who succeeded his martyred name-sake James the Son of Zebedee that Thundering Brother of John In his Apostleship at Jerusalem N.B. And sat President of the Council there Acts 15. And concluded it there not withstanding the presence of Peter which had been no better than an usurpation had the supremacy been solely belonging to Peter as the Romanists affirm N.B. This James was the Residentiary Apostle at Jerusalem for many years and wrote his Catholick Epistle but a little before his own Death and when the Destruction of Jerusalem and of the Jews drew nigh as appeareth by those two Expressions he useth in that Epistle to wit the coming of the Lord draweth nigh and behold the Judge standeth before the door James 5.8 9. Wherein be intimateth that the vengeance of God upon that City and People for killing Christ c. Which is foretold by our Saviour at large Matth. 24. did now approach very near N.B. As this Apostle being the Minister of the circumcision in Judea could not but be mostly look'd upon with a malicious eye by the bloody persecutors of the Gospel there so he could not but observe with his own eye how those presaging signs predicted by Christ Matth. 24. grew on apace He lived to see false Prophets arising iniquity abounding love waxing cold a betraying and undoing one another c. All fore-runners and forewarders of that approaching Destruction from whence he could not but certainly conclude that the Judge was at the door and that particular Judgment day wherein Christ would render vengeance on and avenge the quarrel of Innocent sufferers upon Tyrannical persecutors The whole Jewish Nation being now got to the very height of Rage against the Gospel and the Believers of it to the very depths of suffering for it therefore doth he properly direct his Epistle to all the twelve Tribes scattered abroad as the Lord had threatned them Deu. 28. verse 64. Wherein he comforts the persecuted Chap. 1 c. But denounceth a direfull doom against the persecutors Chap. 4. and 5. His insisting upon that point of professors animating their faith by their works makes it more than probable that this Epistle was wrote after these Epistles of Paul were written wherein the Doctrine of free grace is so strenuously asserted James observing how that wholesome and comfortable Doctrine concerning free Justification by faith without works was at that time perverted by a licentious and sensual sort of Professors rather Libertines than Christians makes his remedy suitable to their malady And chiefly endeavours to reform manners correcting the extravagancy of those loose coats Thus they that would make straight a crooked stick do bend it the contrary way to its own crookedness And thus as Augustin says this Apostle did seeing some turning the grace God which Paul had preached into wantonness He presses the point of works thus far as to justify their faith by their works or their faith could never justify their persons and that their Religion was vain if their practice contradicted their profession N.B. Paul wrote to a people many times of a Pharisaical temper who of themselves lay too much stress upon good works and therefore might he in the wisdom of God given him look upon it as superfluous to press Pharisees to a necessity of good works but James wrote to such as were loose professors who relyed too much upon a bare Historical faith which is found in Devils James 2.19 And who neglected the fruits of a saving lively faith to bring them forth but turned the
puts wicked Craft out of Countenance that for a need Sanballat was such an one as could suck such a Lye out of his own Fingers-Ends as he had done before in Ezra 4.13 Vatablus saith Nehemiah's Answer to Sanballat ver 8. was Tu mentiris 't is a Fiction of thy own framing and Geshem must be its Patron c. yea he passeth his Judgment upon the Plot ver 9. that it was only to make them afraid while he thus Ranted at randome that the King of Persia would not only judge him and the Jews but also himself and his Samaritans saith Osiander on this Report However at this pinch saith Masius out of Junius Nehemiah daâ—teth out a short but Pithy Ejaculation in four Words Hebr. to the Lord Saying These Men would weaken my Hands but thou the Captain of my Salvation strengthen thy Soldiers Hands Having dispatch'd the External Impediment we come to the Internal Remark the First When the Devil found his Tools from without Sanballat c. to fail him he now that he might not starve his Work for want of Instruments makes a new Experiment of other Tools from within the Principal whereof was Shemaiah a Priest who only pretended himself a Prophet though only made so by Tobiah's Gold that had hired him to this pretence and who like a grand Devotionist shut himself up in his Chamber that he had in the Temple among all the other Priests Chambers here saith Menochius he pretended to Pray for the Preservation of Nehemiah who as he Prophesy'd was in great Danger of Death that very Night ver 10. and therefore perswades him to secure himself in the Temple which was saith Wolphius as a strong Castle beside the sacredness of the Place which Sanballat durst not attempt especially while the City-gates are not yet Compleated Oh deep Dissimulation however Nehemiah looking on him as a Friend went to him to know the meaning of his becoming an Anchoret who then would make him believe his eminent and sudden Danger to which he was subborn'd by Sanballat in Imprisoning himself from pretended fear c. Remark the Second Nehemiah rejecteth the Counsel of this false Prophet from many Topicks As 1. Because it was base and below his Dignity to embrace it ver 11. he accounted it better saith A Lapide to dye bravely like a Captain than to fly basely like a Coward and as a Malefactor take Sanctuary in the Temple c. 3. Because it was false ver 12 13. his Sagacity discerned that Shemaiah was but Sanballat and Tohiah's Hireling a meer Mercenary that had sold his Tongue to tell Lies Nehemiah perceiv'd it false Counsel because saith Wolphius it was quite contrary to God's Counsel given to him to Compleat the City c. N.B. God's Word is the best Touch-stone to try Truth by And 3. Because it was Impious Counsel to make him Sin out of fear ver 13. which be was most afraid to do but resolves against it and to commit himself to God who had hitherto so protected and prospered him and not to Sin by distrust as this Priest did c. Remark the Third Then makes he God his Chancellour being yet unable to relieve himself by Law he remits Justice into God's Holy Hands for revenge upon Tobiah and Sanballat Enemies without and upon Shemiah and his Mistriss and false Prophetess Noadiah Traitors within and many more pretending Prophets all Pensioners to the Publick Adversary ver 14. which Nehemiah would not Name saith Wolphius prudently yielding so far to the sad Circumstances of his Day his Dolour in pacifying the late Sedition Chap. 5. made him thus wary well-knowing how many were still discontented some because so much as they would was not given them and others because more than they thought just was taken from them these were brib'd to betray and disgrace him so he remits all to a just God Remark the Fourth The wonderful and quick dispatch of Nehemiah's Compleating the Walls and Gates to the confounding of all his Enemies ver 15 16. All was perfected in fifty two Days in Elul or sixth Month our August c. Mark 1. Lyra and other Learned Men render Reasons of this speed As 1. For Accomplishing Daniel 's Prophecy Dan. 9.25 2. The Date is from Sanballat 's Letter to Nehemiah 3. Only breaches here and there in the Walls were repaired having most of the materials still remaining in the Rubbish 4. The Multitude of Men employed to carry on each their Part and Princes present to prick them on 5. The Gates are not said saith Sanctius to be built a new but only the Doors 6. But above all God help'd them as their Enemies confess'd therefore Josephus is mistaken in saying it was two Years and three Months in doing Sanctius saith Nehemiah made this haste for his returning the sooner to the King and Queen to both whom he was exceeding Dear so would not be longer absent from them N.B. Beda adds it was done iâ— all Parts in the sixth Month both to Answer the six Days of God's working to make the World after which a Rest followed And also the six Ages of the World spent in Tail and Travel then cometh the Sabbath of Rest in a better Age. N.B. This sixth Month was call'd Elul Hebr. the Radix or Root whereof signifies Nothing because as is supposed their Corn being all at that Time Reaped there remained then Nothing upon the Ground Remark the Fifth and Last upon the sixth Chapter is The Conspiracy of the Nobles or White-ones Hebr. with Tobiah c. ver 17 18 19. Mark 1. Those Nobles cloath'd with White Garments had black and sooty Souls under them in Confederating with the Churche's Enemies even in a Time when the Walls were built and Nehemiah was still present saith Masius Mark 2. These Nobles are named and branded as Pensioners to Tobiah not only corresponding with him by Letters but also had sworn to be true to him against Nehemiah and against their own City and Nation and the Church of God Mark 3. Some of those Nobles had seemed forward for the Work and had help'd to build the Wall Chap. 3.4 yet now shew themselves in their Colours discovering that they were but painted Hypocrites Mark 4. 'T is said of them Tobathau Omerim Hebr. they spake good of Tobiah alluding to his Name though he had little enough of goodness and they Hypocrites had as little skill to judge aright of it but this Corruption came in as a curse upon them for their mixt Marriages with the Pagans which is noted here to shew how necessary it had been in Godly Ezra to disanull all such unlawful and mischievous Matches Nehemiah CHAP. VII THIS Chapter demonstrates three things First How Nehemiah prudently improved the Walls when finished and the Doors when set up by appointing a faithful Watch over the Walls and Gates so soon as the Levites had celebrated the Dedication of them in the first four Verses Secondly How he replenish'd the City with