Advertise thee Balaam called a South-sayer chapter XXIV verse 14 Josh. XIII 22. and a Prophet 2 Pet. II. 16. gives this advertisement to Balak which seems to have a relation to that which follows in the residue of that Chapter Yet besides he gives counsel to Balak or at least after to the Midianites to draw the Israelites into sinne Num. XXXI 16. which coming so to passe He himself in his return is slaine by the sword amongst the Midianites Num. XXXI 8. in that Expedition wherein Joshuah though not named may seeme to be the General and Phineas chief of the Priests sounding Trumpets in that warre wherein 12000. Israelites not having one man slaine did yet slay five Kings of Midian or Dukes of Sihon dwelling in the Countrey as it is Josh. XIII 21. and all the males of that populous Nation save such as escaped by flight whose posterities in the dayes of Gideon came to prevaile against Israel Judg. VI. 1 2. And they took a mighty prey and booty whereout after Purifications of themselves and the Prey there was paid a tribute and portion to the Priests and a portion to the Levites and a voluntary Oblation after made by the Captaines to the Lord Num. XXXI Of the 24000. chapter XXV verse 9 that died in the Plague and stroak of Gods vengeance the 23000. mentioned 1 Cor. X. 8. likely were the vulgar sort that died in the slaughter Num. XXV 5. and the other thousand were the heads of the people hung up ver 4. without supposing any Pestilence at that time Or if by Plague Num. XXV 9. Psal CVI. 30. we understand the Pestilence then most probably the 23000. died of it and the other thousand by Hanging and Slaughter 22200. chapter XXVI verse 14 In this last numbering of the people in the Plains of Moab in the fourtieth year of their wandering in the Wildernesse Simeon was farre the least in number and Judah the most And the whole number of fighting men of the twelve Tribes after that generation died in the Wildernesse upon that judgement Numb XIV 29 35. and upon sundry other judgements besides was now 1820. lesse in number then in the former numbering at Mount Sinai thirty nine years before 23000. And so but 700 more then they were in the former numbering at Sinai Ch. III. verse 62 Being likely not altogether free from that sinne and punishment Num. XIII and XIV Sin This Wildernesse differs from Zin chapter XXXIII verse 11 ver 36. This being the eighth Station of the Israelites that of Zin the thirty third which is Kadesh where Miriam died as was said Num. XXXIII 11 36. Rephidim See the Observations on Ch. verse 14 XXVIII 8. Abarim Pluraly verse 47 Mountains being a continuation of Mountains or Hills Num. XXXIII 47. in the Confines of the Amorites and Moabites whereof the tops had several names as Nebo Pisgah Pehor But Mount Sinai was none of them being farre enough of Salt Sea Is not that Lake of Genesareth chapter XXXIV verse 3 But only that Dead Sea and Salt Sea where formerly Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim had stood Deut. XXIX 23. Hos. XI 8. Riblah Riblah in the Land of Hamath part of the East border of Canaan near the North quarter Here Pharaoh-Nechoh put Jehoahaz in bonds 2 Kings XXIII 33. And Nebuchadnezzar put King Zedekiah in bonds and put out his eyes 2 King XXV 6 7. And slew the High Priest and second Priest and the sonnes of Zedekiah and other prime men ver 18 21. Jer. LII 10 27. This Riblah seems to be that which was afterwards called Antiochia in Syria Of this see my Annotations on Ezek. XI 10 11. Chinnereth Num. XXXIV 11. Deut. III. 17. Josh. XI 2. and XII 27. and XIX 35. is called in the New Testament Genezareth Luke V. 1. which Lake is also called the Sea of Galilee Matth. IV. 18. Mark I. 16. And the Sea of Tiberias Josh. XXI 1. And absolutely the Sea Matth. XVII 27. Suburbs The Suburbs of the Cities of the Priests chapter XXXV verse 4 and Levites were 1000. Cubits from the Cities on every side And so 2000. in the limits and utmost Bounds and Borders of each Quarter East West North and South Fourty eight Cities See Josh. verse 7 XX. and XXI and 1 Chron. 6. compared together and the Great Annotations upon the said sixth Chapter Shall not be guilty The innocent man verse 27 that by meere accident against his will slew a man might yet as it seemes be lawfully slaine by the revenger of blood if he took him without the Citie of refuge Which the more shews the wrath of God against murder Onely to the family Israelites might marry wives of other Tribes chapter XXXVI verse 6 so that they were not inheritrixes of Land Num. XXXVI Yea of other Nations if they were Proselytes and not of those Nations which God expressely devoted to destruction Deut. VII 3. and XXI 10 13. Of their marriages with Heathens and mixing the holy seed See Ezra IX and X. Ch. Neh. IX 2. and X. 30. and XIII 3. 23 30. Deuteronomie DEUTERONOMIE was written in the yeare of the world not 2493. But in the year 2553. or rather 2548. thirty eight years and odde moneths from the time of the beginning of the Book of Numbers And about 1450 years before Christ's time It containes to the fifteenth Verse of the last Chapter an History of one moneth and seven dayes viz From moneth eleven day one to moneth twelve day seven at which time Moses died as hath been formerly gathered upon Aarons death See and compare together Deut. I. 3. and XXXIV 8. and Josh. IV. 19. In which short time the Book was written by Moses And besides sundry Repetitions and Explications other new Lawes given A second Edition as it were of the Covenant made with the new Generation with some other Consequences and last Acts of Moses The last Chapter of Deuteronomie was written after Moses his death As likewise the Conclusion of the Book of Jeremie was written after his Death Jer. LI. 64. and LII 31 34. And that XXXIV Chapter contains one moneth more of the Israelites mourning for the death of Moses This Book of Deuteronomie and that of the Psalmes are of chief note in the Old Testament for the Life of Religion the spiritual power of Worship and Obedience in the inner man Yet this Book of Deuteronomie seemes not to be that which was to be written very plainly upon great stones plaistered in Mount Ebal For that was the Decalogue only or those Blessings and Curses only Deut. XXVII 2 26. Josh. VIII 30 35. Nor seemes it to be this book of Deuteronomie only that was to be Copied out by the King and He to read therein all the dayes of his life Deut. XVII v. 18 19 20. Not yet seemes it to be this book only that was to be solemnly read by the Priests every seventh or Sabbatical year in the Feast of Tabernacles in the audience of
points and circumstances easily to be gathered and understood Deut. XI 26 30. and XXVII 12 26 This was done in the first year of their coming over Jordan Josh. VIII 32 35. when and where were read likewise all the words of the Law of Moses before all the Congregation of Israel With ships Ships besides the Ark of Noah chapter XXVIII verse 68 are first mentione in Jacobs blessing of Zebulun Gen. XLIX 13. and in Moses his threatning the Israelites in this place Not given Gods hand in giving and working of Grace chapter XXIX verse 4 See Ch. XXX 6. Jer. XXIV 7. and XXXI 33. and XXXII 39. Ezek. XI 19 20. and Ch. XXXVI 26 27. Heb. VIII 10 11. John VI. 44 45 65 Phil. I. 29. and II. 13. Ephes. II. 8. 2. Tim. II. 25. And he gives grace to the remnant which is according to the election of Grace Matth. XI 25. and XIII 11. Mark IV. 11 12 John XII 39. Rom. XI 7. Ephes. I. 5. 2 Chron. XXX 12. Mount This Mount Hor chapter XXXII verse 50 where Aaron died Num. XX. 25 26. was South of Judea And Mount Hor on the North-bounds of Judea Num. XXXIV 7. are far differing and distant mountains King in Jeshurum Moses King in Ieshurum chapter XXXIII verse 5 25. in Blessing the twelve Tribes doth omit Simeon if we accompt him not included in Iudah as his Lot in the division of Canaan fell within the Lot and Tribe of Iudah and their expeditions against their enemies in conquering their own shares were joynt and undertaken together Iosh. XVIII and XIX Iudg. I 3. Dwell between his shoulders That is verse 12 In Ierusalem For though the Southerne and Superior part of Ierusalem where Mount Sion was and which was called the City of David did belong to the Tribe of Iudah yet the Northerne and inferior part of it where Mount Moriah was whereon the Temple was built belonged to the Tribe of Benjamin The huge deep valley of Mello between the two Mountains being filled up and levelled by Solomon so that thence afterward Sion and Moriah might be called two tops of one Mountain Sion the higher top and Moriah the lower Died The time of Moses his death was in the fourtieth year chapter XXXIV verse 5 twelfth moneth seventh day of their coming out of Egypt and one hundred and twentieth year of his age See upon Aarons death Num. XXXIII 38. No man knoweth The reason of concealing the place of the Burial of Moses verse 6 And Michael the Archangel his contending with the Devil and disputing about the body of Moses Iude ver 9. was not revealed in the Scripture of the Old Testament And this dispute might be lest the Israelites knowing it might carry it with them as Iosephs bones into Canaan into which God had said That he should not enter or rather That the people might not idolize it Joshua THE Book of Joshua was not probably written by him though of and concerning him For besides some things contained in it which are deemed by some to be done after his death As that concerning Caleb and his daughter Achsah Ch. XV. 16 19. And most surely the Conquering of Leshem or Laish by the Danites Ch. XIX 47. Iudg. XVIII 7. 29. And those things recorded Ch. XXIV 29 33. Some other things seeme to plead That it was written by some Prophet Long after his death Whence that phrase remaines unto this day is so frequently used Ch. IV. 9. and Ch. VI. 25. and VII 26. and VIII 29 and IX 27. and X. 27. and XIII 13. and XIV 14. and XV. 63. And the Book of Iasher is named Ch. X. 13. which seemes written at soonest in Davids time as recording an Act of his 2 Sam. I. 18. unlesse we say This Book of Iasher in Ioshua's time to be continued on and enlarged in after-times by adding and inserting memorable acts in after-ages And so in Davids time And further the Mountains of Iudah and the Mountains of Israel are mentioned Iosh. XI 21. Which many possibly seeme to intimate the Book to be written after the division of the Nation into the two Kingdomes of Iudah and Israel Ioshua was the Tribe of Ephraim Num. XIII 8. 1 Chron. VII 27. And he lived one hundred ten years Ch. XXIV 29. and was six full years in conquering the Land and in the seventh fell to the Dividing of it by Lot as is gathered out of the age of Caleb Iosh. XIV 7 10. And divers years Ioshua lived and governed after that time but how many it doth not appear out of this Book yet is gathered out of other places to be ten years more and so this Book to containe an History of seventeen years from the Beginning of his Government to his Death The truth of this account stands upon this computation from the coming out of Egypt to the fourth of Solomon are four hundred and eighty years 1 King VI. 1. which are made up thus fourty years in the Wildernesse seventeen of Ioshua two hundred ninety nine of the Iudges counting in the twenty of Sampson as coincident and concurring with the first twenty years of Eli twenty years more of Eli twenty of Samuel fourty of Saul fourty of David four of Solomon In all 480. Within three dayes This Edict and Proclamation of three dayes chapter I verse 2 for preparation to passe over Iordan set down here doth begin and commence after the History of the two Spies and their returne to Ioshua which History yet is recorded after in the Chapter following And thereupon the mention of the said three dayes is taken up again the second time Ch. III. 2. when new directions are given for their Passage and the manner of it Rahab Rahab chapter II verse 1 an Harlot because at least she had been so though now a beleeving Convert ver 9 10 11. Heb. XI 31. Iames II. 25. She had her house on the wall of Iericho ver 15. which fell not when the rest of wall fell Ch. VI. 20 22. In framing her excuses for the Spies sake she bewrayes her infirmity in making equivocations or untruths rather ver 4 5. In transacting with the Spies some speeches seeme to passe between them after they were let down the wall ver 18. In pleading for her family she makes no mention of an Husband ver 13. and Ch. VI. 23. She was after married to Salmon eldest sonne of Nahshon which Nahshon was great-grand-childe to Hezron or Esrom that went down with Iacob into Egppt Gen. XLVI 12. And was Prince of Iudah at the numbring of the people Num. I. 7. at the marshalling of the Camps Num. II. 3. at the Dedication of the Altar Num. VII 12. and at the setting forward in their journeys Num. X. 14. But died in the Wildernesse Num. XIV 29. This marriage of Rahab to Salmon now Prince of Iudah is not recorded in the Old Testament But mentioned Matth. I. 5. in the Genealogy of our Saviour wherein as Rachab so Thamar Ruth
verse 8 and with the boughs and branches thereof purging and pruning them and making them fruitful and the smell of thy nose Or nostrils the breath that thence proceedeth shall be sweet odoriferous and grateful to those at least that have their inward senses habitualy and spiritualy exercised causing the lips Hyperbolicaly verse 9 but excellently expressing the vertue and efficacie the power and vigour of the Word and Gospel preached under the similitude of the best wine and the operation of it They that have tasted of the power of the good Word of God and of the world to come cannot forbear to declare and speak of it to â—ll the world Acts IV. 20. and II. 4 11 14. I am my Beloveds The Churches renewed speech and profession verse 10 upon Christs so great commendations of her and affections towards her notwithstanding her former faylings and imperfections She growes up to this confident assurance Come She is emboldened hereupon to these Petitions following verse 11 that he will accompany her to visit the particular Churches that his spirit and care may joyne together to prosper hers for the good of all the Churches She will not now go any way ot do any thing without him and his companie She had lately felt the sorrow and smart of his absence from her of her being without him and his presence She is minded now as Barâ—k was Judg. IV. 8. my loves The fruition of my graces verse 21 the fruits of my faith hope love good works thanksgivings c. She will detaine nothing that is hers from the love and service of Christ but resigne all unto him who is worthy alone to enjoy all The mandrakes See the Annotations on Gen. verse 13 XXX 14. at our gates c. This may seeme to allude to the order of strawing the wedding-house doores with sweet smelling flowers or of laying up of fruits in gate-houses and garners for thee All for Christ. He gives all to them all his offices and efficacies all his merits and graces what he did and suffered was for them and they returne all to him all that they are and have all that they do and suffer all their good works and services as fruits of his owne Graces in them they ascribe and devote unto him Psal. CXV 1. that he may be Ali in All. In this last Chapter the Church proceeds to her dearest wishes for and after Christ How she faine would have him and use him in the three first verses And in the next verse she againe chargeth others not to disturbe or displease him as my brother That she might have more close conjunction and consociation with him chapter VIII verse 1 more intire familiarity and sweetnesse more intimate union and communion with him kisse thee Chap. I. 2. Psal. II. 12. and publikely professe thee notwithstanding any danger yet they should not despise me 2 Sam. VI. 22. not dishearten me from duty and affection but she would bravely sleight all scorning Michols all contumelies and contempts for her conscience sake and Christs sake 〈◊〉 mothers house The universal Church she calls her her mother verse 2 in her universal latitude of al her members yea somtimes comprehending in that notion Christ the head also as v. 5. And so again in the New Testament the whole Church in all her members with her head Christ is called Christ i. e. mystical Christ 1 Cor. XII 12. Thither from without would she bring him with solemnity and joy and there humbly welcome and entertaine his presence with all honour and obedience instruct me The Church would do it instrumentaly and subordinately from God primarily and originaly John VI. 45. Esay LIV. 13. Jer. XXXI 34. of spiced wine Prov. IX 2. This should be her hospitality and kindnesse to Christ nothing too dear for him as he doth the like for her Esay LV. 1 2 3. who is this verse 5 c. Chap. III. 6. Some would have this to be the speech of the Church some of Christ some of the Angels that cometh up Sure whosoever speaks it this is meant of the Church it is she comes up There are continual ascensions in the hearts of Gods people whiles here they are ever aspiring to heaven-ward from the wildernesse Of this world and the tribulations of it of sin and the temptations and miseries of it Leaning For otherwise without him she could not ascend No more then the Vine without its supporter or the Ivy without its Oak And leanes truly not as those Micah III. 11. And leanes wholy and solely upon him utterly unbottomed of her self and of every creature All other are but as Job VI. 17. and VIII 15. and Esay XXXVI 6. I raised thee up c. Some understand these words as spoken by the Church and in answer to Christs question That namely I is she her self and no other even she that raised him up and awoke him from under the apple-tree by her prayers as Psal. XLIV 23. Matth. VIII 25. Esay LXII 7. And there by acts of faith and beleeving on the promise did after a sort conceive bear and bring him forth And that it is she also that in the extreme height and heat of her love and zeal so prayes to him and so professes as is in the two verses following Others under stand all these words as spoken by Christ to the Church whose grace alone did and doth raise up his Church depressed and fallen under the tree of offence after the eating of the forbidden fruit lying in her blood as it is Ezek. XVI 5 6. then and there he said unto her and be the mother of the living as Gen. III. 20. And so they make the rest of the words to be his command to his Church naturaly following as her duty from the consideration of his foresaid benefits to her vouchsafed But yet however the words in the fifth verse be taken I do rather incline to understand the words in the six and seven verses to be the Churches by reason of their masculine idiome She so begging Christs dearest love to her and so professing her own love to him as riding in a Chariot o triumph victorious over all oppositions unconquerable unquenchable And such indeed is the Divine mutual love between Christ and his Church thus exalted to the highest Set me as a seale Have me in precious esteeme verse 6 bear me on thy breast and shoulders as Aaron did the Tribes Exod. XXVIII 11 12 20 21 29 30. Thus she begs to be highly remembered preserved honoured by Christ in his heart dearly cherished and valued by his arme mightily defended strong as death Death conquers all is the King of terrors Job XVIII 14. yet Love as strong as death Jonathan would have died for the love of David and David for Absalom See Rom. XVI 4. Apoc. XII 11. She would not refuse to die for him but shall die if he grant not her desire Wherein the irresistible and undaunted vigour and courage of holy love and
feast of the Passeover Exod. 12. 15 19. or forbear to keep that feast Numb 9. 13. or that eate fat Lev. 7. 25. or blood Lev 7. 27. 17. 10 14. or that eate of the flesh of the peace-offering on the third day Lev. 19. 8. or that eat of the flesh of sacrifice having their uncleannesse on them or being uncleane do not purifie themselves Numb 19. 13 20. or having touched any unclean thing Lev 7. 20 21. 22. 3. or that bring not their sacrifice to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to be killed there and not elsewhere Lev 17. 4 9. or that shall not afflict his soule on the fast-day the tenth day of the seventh moneth Lev. 23. 29. or doth any work in that same day or that defileth the Sabbath to do any work therein Exod. 31. 14. or that lieth with a woman in her sicknesse Lev. 20. 18. or with a sister Lev. 20. 17. or an idolater Ezech. 4. 8. or that gives of his seed to Molech Lev. 20. 2 3 4 or that turneth after wizards and such as have familiar spirits â—ev 20. 6. or that doth ought presumptuously Numb 15. 30 31. All these are expressely threatened with and sentenced to this punishment And the meaning of the phrase is most usually taken to signifie a cutting off by death and it is so expressed Exod. 31. 14. Lev 17. 4 20. 2 3 4. 5. And must needs be so understood when it is used against grievous sins and crimes as against idolatry witchcraft incest and sins done presumptuously despising the Word of the Lord and reproaching him This penalty is to be inflicted by the Magistrates power no doubt And in case of his faile God himself threatens and undertakes to do it Lev. 17. 10 20. 2 3 4. 5 6. 23. 30. And for the lesser offences mentioned they being wittingly and wilfully done in Gods Worship and service and against his plaine and peremptory command I see not how they come short of sins of presumption Numb 15. 30. which are doomed to death in the judgement of the learned upon that place I conceive therefore that they fall short that by this penalty here will understand no more but that such an offender is to be cast off and held for no Jew but as an Heathen man And they also that would apply this phrase here and in other places of the Old Testament for the maintenance of Ecclesiastical Excommunication among the Jewes The doubtfulnesse of the meaning of the phrase hath made me the more inquisitive into it I confesse if not too tedious in it However I leave all to better judgements And for my part like not in things dubious to be too definitive V. 15. Sarah Yet in the New Testament it is written Sara without the h the Greek tongue having no h at the end of words V. 16. Nations 1 Pet. 3. 6. Jerusalem which is above her answerable type is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. V. 17. Laughed For joy and wonder Rom. 4. 17 18 19 20 21. as over-joyed and amazed at the promise which he believed Heb. 11. 12. rejoycing even at the promised seed Joh. 8. 56. an hundred yeares old Rom. 4. 19 20. he did hope against hope If Abraham married Keturah thirty seven years after this time and had six children by her then surely God shewed his power in renewing Abrahams vigour and strength of body as the Eagles Psal. 103. 5. or it may rather seem that Abraham took Keturah in Sarabs life-time within those thirty seven yeares between the birth of Isaac and her death seeing Keturah is called his Concubine 1 Chron. 1. 32. V. 18. Oh that Ishmael Ch. 16. 10. V. 19. Isaac Laughter Chap. 21. 6. V. 21. My Covenant Thirteen times named in this chapter Luke 1. 72 73 74. with Isaac Ch. 21. 12. Rom. 9. 7 8. Gal. 3. 29. at this set time Ch 18. 10. This was just a yeare before Isaacs birth V. 22. Went up Ascending vanished out of his sight so from Jacob ch 35. 13. so from Manoah and his wife Judg. 13. 20. V. 23. In the self-same day Of the command not eight dayes after V. 24. When he was circumcised By whom Abraham was circumcised is not set down But he is said to circumcise the rest v. 23. some say that now the Jewes use Chirurgions in this service CHAP. XVIII Verse 1. PLaines O. Oak-grove of Mamre Ch. 13. 18. 14. 13. 23. 19. V. 2. Three men So in his thought and in appearance But thus he entertained Angels at unawares Heb. 13. 2. But one of them is called Jehova 13 14 17 20 22. And after Abraham so acknowledgeth him v. 25 27. The other two were created Angels Ch 19. 1. V. 3. Lord Speakes to one of them in shew the chief V. 6. Three measures Jewes write that their measure which they call Seah the Greeks Saton containes as much as one hundred fourty foure Hens egges about two gallons and 1 2 of our measure three of these measures make an Ephah containing about seven gallons and 1 2 V. 8. And they did eate Ch. 19. 3. They had true bodies for the time and did truly eate Though a Spirit hath not flesh and bones Luke 24. 39. yet Spirits may and by Gods dispensation sometimes do assume humane bodies V. 9. Where is Sarah thy wife Thus they begin to manifest themselves to be more then men V. 10. He said Jehova v. 13. returne Not by apparition again but by performance of promise ch 21. 1. according to the time of life From this time according as the time of life is between conception and birth so many moneths as a woman goes with childe Rom. 9. 9. This Promise argued more then men V. 11. After the manner of women Rom 4. 19. Heb. 11. 11. V. 12. Laughed Not as Abraham ch 17. 17. but through weaknesse of saith and therefore it is reproved v. 13. yet commended Heb. 11. 11. after sure she did better recollect her self Luk. 1 45. after she laughed for joy ch 21. 6. within her self Not outwardly and openly which haply made her the more readily deny it V. 13. And the Lord said Jehova said Christ so v. 17. He knew her thoughts themselves fâ—ying shall I c She used if not the very same words yet to the same sense V. 15. Denied for she was afraid Weaknesses and failings in Saints V. 16. Toward Sodom As going thither the two Angels did so ch 19. 1. V. 17. Shall I hide Amos 3. 7. Joh. 15. 15. Abraham a Prophet ch 20 7. and a friend 2 Chron. 20. 7. V. 19. He will command Duty of Parents and Masters of families and example to them Gen. 28. 1. Deut 6. 7. 11. 10. 32. 46. Job 1. 5. Prov. 6. 20. V. 20. Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim Deut. 29. 23. Hos. 11. 8. V. 21. I will go down and see God speaks after the manner of men as ch 11. 5 7. V. 22. And the men Two of the three
and 29 9. Exod. 2. 16. V. 17. Ran to meet her v. 13. but had removed a little aloof off to give way â—o Rebekah and to mark her V. 22. Took a golden ear-ring To give her as taking or receiving Psal. 68. 19. is expounded giving Eph. 4. 8. He puts the ear-ring upon her face v. 47. after he had asked whose daughter she was Shekel See Annotat. on ch 20. 16. and on ch 23. 15. Half a shekel is called Bekah Ex. 38. 26. V. 26. Worshipped v. 52. ch 22. 5. Exod. 4. 31. This is more then kneeling or bowing of the head This is a prostrating of the whole body a falling down upon the face to the ground Psal. 95. 6. Luke 5. 12. compared with Mat. 8. 2. V. 27. Brethren Kinsfolk v. 48. ch 13. 8. V. 28. Mothers house It seems the custome of those times and places was for the women to dwell in tents and houses apar by themselves v. 67. ch 31. 33. V. 32. And he ungirded i. e. Laban and water to wash Ch. 18. 4. 1 Tim. 5. 10. In those hot countreys men used to go barefoot or with sandals open above V. 33. I will not eate Eph. 6. 5 6 7 8. V. 47. Upon her face Some were worne in the eare some on the forehead which hanged down to the nose Ezech. 16. 12. Esay 3. 21. V. 48. Daughter Grandchilde V. 49. Kindly and truly Mercy and truth joyned ch 47. 29. Josh. 2. 14. Prov. 3. 3. Psal. 85. 10. V. 50. Then Laban and Bethuel The sonne set before the father as having the chief managing of all by reason of his fathers age v. 55. bad or good Nothing at all against it chap. 31. 24 29. V. 51. At the Lord hath spoken As we plainly see by the whole carriage of this businesse v. 15. 2 Sam. 16. 10. V. 57. At her mouth About this motion for her sudden departure V. 59. Her nurse Deborah ch 35. 8. Great is the tendernesse of the affections of nursing fathers and nursing mothers Numb 11. 12 13. 1 Thes. 2. 7. Esay 49 22. 2 Sam. 4. 4. V. 61. And followed the man Psal. 45. 10. V. 62. Lahai-roi Ch 16. 14. 12. 9. 25. 11. in the wildernesse of Beersheba ch 21. 14 33 34. â—e dwelt Not apart from his father but with him That Well was not far from Beersheba where Abraham dwelt ch 21. 14 33 34. V. 63. To meditate Or pray or both so the word signifieth Psal. 77 3 6. 12. 119. 15. V. 65. A Veile A signe of modesty and subjection 1 Cor. 11. 5 6 10. The custome was to bring the spouse veiled to her husband The face was covered sometimes for grief and mourning as in Davids mourning for Absalom Sometimes by others in token of wrath and judgement as when Hamans face was covered Sometimes in way of feare and reverence as Elias covered his face 1 Kings 19. 13. V. 67. Sarahs Tent Women it seems had their tents apart ch 31. 33. And Sarahs Tent and furniture it seems was reserved for Isaacs wife and took Rebekah By solemnity of marriage in the fourtieth yeare of his life ch 25. 20. loved her Eph. 5. 25 28. after his mothers death Three yeares before ch 17. 17. 23. 1. Dear and durable was his affection toward his mother CHAP. XXV Ver. 1. THen again Whether in Sarahs life-time cannot certainly be determined The sacred story mentions nothing of Keturab or her children till now after Sarahs death And the words here seem to give it to be after her death And Sarah in her life-time not enduring Hagar and Ishmael would hardly have endured another And Isaac when offered is called his only son And yet on the other side Keturab is called a Concubine implicitely v. 6. and expresly 1 Chron. 1. 32 And though a Coucubine be called a wife yet I finde not that a legitimate wife as she should be after Sarahs death or a second wife is called a Concubine And the words of Abrahams servant seeking a wife for Isaac ch 24. 36. compared with v. 5 6. of this chapter seem to reflect on Keturahs sonnes in Sarahs life-time And which is most of all if Abraham did not take her to wife till after Sarahs death then he must be one hundred thirty eight and likely one hundred and fourty yeares old when he married her and after that begat six sonnes of her whereas the Apostle saith that fourty yeares before that time his body was dead for begetting of children Rom. 4. 19. Gen. 17. 17. 18. 12. If then it were after Sarahs death it must be said that God did renew unto him that masculine strength and vigour of body after fourty yeares by an extraordinary blessing in a marvellous if not miraculous manner and that to make good his Promise of multiplying Abrahams seed ch 17. 5. in others also though principally in Isaac V. 2. Medan Ch. 37. 36. Midian Numb 25. 6 17. Shuah Job 2. 11. V. 3. Sheba Job 1. 15. V. 4. Midian Numb 31. 18. Judg 7. 25. 8. 5. children of Keturah And Grandchildren V. 5. To Isaac As being his only heire and childe of Promise ch 21. 12. a figure of Christ and Christians ch 24. 36. V. 6. Concubines Hagar and Keturah and sent them away from Isaac Because he was to be the heire of Canaaâ— Eastward Arabia Syria Job 1. 3. Job likely came of Keturah Judg. 6. 3. 7. 12. V 7. One hundred seventy five yeares Ch. 15. 15. Heber of whom he was called an Hebrew ch 14. 13. out-living him And Jacob and Esau were then fifteen yeares old v. 26. ch 21. 5. V. 8. Gathered unto his people V. 17. which implies the immortality of the soule and so the phrase of gathering to their fathers Judg. 2. 10. Heb. 12. 23. V. 9. Isaac and Ishmael Ishmael though never received again into Abrahams family yet dwelt not so far off but might heare of his fathers death and come to his burial V. 11. Blessed Isaac Entailed the blessing and Promises made to Abraham on him ch 17. 19. Lahai-roi See ch 24. 62. V. 12. Generations of Ishmael ch 16. 10 12. 17. 20. much exceeded Isaacs 1 Cor. 15. 46. Nebaioth He and his brethren seated in Arabia Esay 21. 13. 60 7. Ezech 27. 21. Jer. 49. 28. V. 15. Tema Job 2. 11. V. 16. Twelve Princes Ch. 17. 20. Like the twelve sonnes of Jacob. V. 18. Havilah Ch. 2. 8. an ample region in Arabia not that Havilah in India Shur Ch. 16. 7 Ex. 15. 22. died in the presence His brethren surviving him ch 16. 12. V. 20. The Syrian So Luke 4. 27. Aramite is translated Syrian by our Saviour Padan-Aram Called Aram-Naharaim ch 24. 10. sometime Padam only ch 48. 7. This is Mesopotamia of Syria distinguished from Aram-Zobah Ps. 60 tit V. 21. Intrcated Often no doubr barren Twenty yeares v. 20 26. many good women in Scripture barren a long time V. 22. Strugled A misery to her and a mystery in her v. 23. if
though in that favour and of that power ch 45. 19. yet would not do it without the Kings expresse consent Goshen See Annot. on ch 45. 10. for every shepherd See Annot. on ch 43. 32. CHAP. XLVII Verse 1. GOshen See Annotat. on chap. 45. 10. 46. 28. V. 2. Five men Not set down which five and therefore guesses here are but idle and curious V. 3. Occupation Ch. 46. 33. Jonah 1. 8. 2 Thes. 3. 10. Good Magistrates inquisitive against idlenâ—sse as the bane of a Common-wealth shepherds Every one a shepherd v 6. ch 46. 34. V. 4. To sojourne For a time duriâ—g the famine This likely their intent at first and not to leave Canaan Though afterwards for Josephs sake and his great accommodations afforded them they continued their abode there And afterwards the following Kings against the Lawes of Hospitality kept them as bond slaves no pasture It failed sooner in Canaan then in Egypt and Goshen Canaan being an higher land let thy servants dwell Pharaoh made a frank offer ch 45. 18 20. Joseph intended this place for them ch 45. 10. His brethren here requested it and no doubt by Josephs direction ch 46 34. Thus by this meanes Joseph in his modesty would gaine Pharaohs â—onsent to this particular place V. 6. Of Activity Men of fit and able parts are to be chosen to places and offices Jacob blessed Pharaoh Saluted him with prayer for his welfare and thanks and praise for his bounty to Joseph to him and his children 2 Kings 4. 29. Numb 6. 23 24. Mat. 26. 26. with Luke 22. 19. so again when Jacob left Pharaoh v. 10. V. 9. Of my pilgrimage Pilgrims here seeking after a better countrey an heavely Heb. 11. 9 13. 13. 14. 1 Chron. 29. 15. Psal. 39. 12. 119. 19. Jacobs flittings from Labai roi to Gerar to the valley of Gerar to Rehoboth to Beersheba to Bethel to Haran in Mesopotamia to Gilead to Mahanaim to Succoth to Shalem in Sechem to Bethel to Ephrath to Mamre to Beersheba to Egypt to Pharaohs Court one hundred and thirty yeares Therefore Jacob was ninety when Joseph was borne and seventy six when he came to Laban v 28. and have not attained Abraham lived to one hundred seventy five Isaac to one hundred and eighty V. 11. Ramases Exod. 12. 37. The City built after by the Israelites Exod. 1. 11. After the Israelites multiplied and spread further and had Egyptian families among them and about them whence their doores were distinguished by the blood Exod. 12 7 23. and v. 35 37. they soon borrowed jewels of them V. 12. According As a child is nourished by the nurse ch 45. 11. 49. 24. 50. 21. lovingly tenderly carefully V. 13. Fainted Yet now among strangers God satisfies his Church with fulnesse V. 14. All the money into Pharaohs house His treasury Josephs fidelity V. 15. Money failed Generally for the most part â—almost totally give us bread Yet ask it in an humble manner v. 17. 18 19 25. V. 18. The second yeare Namely after their cattel was sold which seemes to have been the sixth yeare of the famine the second of their extremity V. 19. And our land Die become desolate As trees while they bear fruit are said to live when not to die so may the ground and give us seed This is the seventh year of the famine V. 21. He removed them So to gain the right of propriety and possession from the people to Pharaoh The people mutinie not in all these extremities nor break open the granaries of Pharaoh but by Josephs prudence and Gods over-ruling Providence keep their loyalty and obedience Thus Chams posterity was brought into bondage ch 9. 25. V. 22. Only the land of the Priests Or Princes Pharaohs chief Officers and Lords as ch 41. 45. See Annos on that place ch 14. 18. if it be here understood of Priests as the Chaldee and LXX translate it This shews Pharaohs care not Josephs for he favoured not idolatrous Priests to preserve their rights and revenues to save their lands from alienation to maintain them so Jezabel 1 King 18. 19. These shall rise up in judgement against many Christian Kings and people who neglect the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel V. 24. The fifth part He might have required the halfe or have allowed them but the fifth part Here then he deales not with them injuriously or uncharitably making his best advantage of their necessity But mercifully as themselves confesse v. 25. and yet faithfully as became the steward of Pharaoh whose corne he sold. This fifth part was no more then was laid up in the yeares of plenty ch 41. 44. V. 25. Pharaohs servants His Farmers and Tenants V. 27. Multiplied exceedingly So God fulfilled his Promise ch 46. 3. V. 28. Seventeen yeares So long Joseph nourished his father in Egypt as his father had nourished him at home V. 29. Thy hand under my thigh See Annot on ch 24 2. Jacob requires this oath not so much doubting Josephs obedience herein but that he might alledge it to Pharaoh ch 50. 5. and so decline the envy of the Egyptians and their surmising of his scorning their land and that it might be a testimony of his faith in Gods Promises for possessing the land of Canaan that as a type of Heaven Heb. 11. 9 10 14 15 16. and for a strengthening of the faith of his seed that they should return thither And for this also Joseph layes his bones as it were at stake ch 50. 25. Heb. 11. 22. Thus being dead they teach and preach faith to them V. 30. But I will lie Lie down and sleep Such is death lie in burial with my fathers Abraham and Isaac See v. 29. V. 31. Bowed himself Unto God with thankfulnesse Heb. 11. 21. His religious thoughts now near his end took up his minde with matter of praying to God and praising of God And though weak and bedâ—id yet he would not do it without some outward expression of devout reverence This bowing then was not to Joseph ch 48. 12. nor yet towards the East or Canaan but to God so David 1 Kings 14. upon the beds head The LXX read it leaning upon the top of his staffe The Hebrew word without pricks or vowels serves both Mittch is a bed Matteh is a staffe The LXX sure had a copy without pricks The Apostle follows the LXX in Heb. 11. 21. See Annot. on ch 46. 27. and on ch 11. 12. Jacob turning his face to the bed and so rearing himself upon the boulster at his beds head he then bowed himself and worshipped the Lord ch 48. 2. 1 Kings 1. 47 48. And it well may be that to help himselfe herein in his great weaknesse he might leane upon the top of his staffe which he had in his hand being an old man and the Apostle knowing this also to be true did not therefore stick to alledge the place according to the Translation of the LXX CHAP. XLVIII Verse
Deut. 33. and Apoc. 7. 5. and Numb 1. 5. 2. 5. â— and blessed them To Reuben Simeon and Levi it might seeme rather a curse then a blessing yet the denomination may be from the greater and better part And their fathers reprehension might prove a blessing to their further repentance He concludes them within the number of the tribes and so comprehendeth them within the Covenant gives them a right to Canaan the type and so by faith to the heavenly Canaan And likely he dismissed them all with a general benediction praying for them all And as those three became tribes and had their shares and portions in Canaan so they had their names in Aarons breast-plate on twelve stones Exod. 28. 21. and on two Onix-stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod Exod. 28. 10 11 11. Levi likely because they were the Priests and holy Ministers themselves being left out in the precious stones And as many of their tribes are sealed Apoc. 7. 5 7. as of the rest every one according The blessings applied to every tribe according to the several references to his twelve sonnes such blessings as were meet for every of them as Gods Spirit did allot V. 29. Gathered into my people His soule to the Saints Heb. 12. 23. His body to the grave See Annot. on ch 25. 8. and on ch 47. 9. to my holy fathers by death v. 33. bury me with my fathers See Annotat on chap. 47. 30. â— in the cave This a ground of Josephs request to Pharaoh ch 50. 5. And lest in seventeen yeares absence question might be made of his right to the place evidences by writings being not then in use of Ephrou Bought of him v. 30. ch 23. 9 10 c. and ch 47. 30. V. 31. I buried Leah Ch. 47 30. 48. 7. Of the death and burial of Rebekah and Leah we have nothing elsewhere set down in Scripture V. 33. He gathered up his feet Which haply hung down before as he sate on the beds side And so composed himself to a quiet rest and sleep of death enjoying the use of memory and speech unto the last Psal. 37. 37. The gesture ch 47. 31. was for reverence and thankfulnesse to God and haply to Joseph 100. CHAP. L. Verse 1. ANd Joseph fell upon his face Exceeded his brethren as in Piety toward God so in filial affection and duty to his father Religion rejects not but regulates natural affections wept upon him Not womanish weaknesse to weep Men of excellent spirit and valour have been noted for it David Ezekiah Ne hemiah Joseph seven times Christ himself thrice John 11. 3. Luke 19. 41. Heb. 57. Paul Acts 20. 19 31. 2 Cor. 2. 4. Lawful in Funerals if mixt with faith and exceed not a just measure The want is a fault Esay 57. 1. Acts 8. 2. Jer. 22. 18. and kissed him To touch the dead was after forbidden Numb 19. 11 12. yet in Josephs time not forbidden Filial affection in a good sonne dieth not with a good father but surviveth V. 2. His servants the Physicians The Antiquity of Physick Physicians and embalming the dead Luke a Physician Col. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 10 11. embalmed Embalmed bodies are transported from Egypt into other parts of the world at this day to be used for medicine Hence the Jewes had the custome of embalming so they embalmed King Asa 2 Chron. 16. 14. 21. 16. and our Saviour John 12. 7 19 39 40. Mar. 14. 8. Though his body needed it not being secured from corruption Psal 16. 10. Act. 2 31. 13. 35. yet they that embalmed him knew not so much Jacobs body was to be kept long and carried far V. 3. Seventy dayes To honour him as 2 Chron. 32. 33. The Hebrewes time of mourning was thirty dayes Numb 20. 29. Deut. 21. 13. 34. 8. And the Egyptians time for embalming was fourty dayes These two might make up the seventy dayes much time taken in the very ceremonies of mourning V. 4. Joseph spake unto the house Useth the mediation of Egyptian Courtiers to testifie his modesty in a businesse concerning himself to prevent all suspicion of his not returning and to decline their envie and endear himself to them the more And perhaps also Mourners were not to come into the presence of Princes Esther 4. 2. V. 5. Made me swear Lest he should seem to disdain to have his father buried in Egypt he alledgeth this tie upon him by the dead which I have digged for me So spacious was the place that they might dig themselves several Repositories or Cells for their dead bodies in it where his Progenitors and wife were buried The manner of men to build sepulchres while they were alive So Absalom so Asa 2 Chron. 16. 14. so Joseph of Arimathea Mat. 27. 60. so Shebna Esay 22. 16. bury me Some bodies are embalmed and not buried most buried without embalming some embalmed with Aromatick spices put into their bodies some only had spices upon them and about them some had sweet odours burnt at their burials 2 Chron. 16. 14. 21. 19. Jer. 34. 5. some had their dead bodies themselves burnt 1 Sam. 31. 12. sundry other manners amongst Heathen Want of burial is a calamity bewailed Psal. 79. 3. and a judgement threatened Jer. 7. 33. 22. 19. V. 6. As he made thee swear Very infidels would have oathes performed V. 7. All the servants A very great multitude of them So Mat. 3. 5. All Judea and so again many is put for all Rom. 5. 19. Such was Josephs prudence and sweetnesse of disposition that he kept the height of honour still without envie which Court-favourites seldome do and all the Elders Senatours Governours Officers Counsellours Ezech. 7. 26. Psal. 105. 22. V. 10. Valley of Atad Signifies a bramble or thistle Likely not far from Hebrou or Machpelah beyond Jordan As Moses stood when he wrote this Deut. 1. 1. 3. 25. being now in the plaines of Moab Else in a direct journey from Egypt to Hebron Mamre or Machpelah their way was not to passe over Jordan seven dayes So long in Moses Law they were unclean the touched the dead Numb 19. 11. See Annot. on v. 3. V. 13. And buried him in the cave which Acts 7. 15 16. saith Stephen to Jacob went down into Egypt and died he and our fathers and were carried over into Sichem and laid in the Sepulchre that Abraham bought for a summe of money of the sons of Emor the father of Sichem The case is clear that the two places which Abraham bought ch 23. and which Jacob bought ch 33. are not one and the same but divers as appears by the place or situation by the name use price and persons buyers and sellers And yet these two purchases seem to be confounded in the speech of Stephen Again Stephen might have a failer in memory in his long and sudden speech as not being then infallibly guided as an Inditer of Scripture though full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6. 5. 7. 55.
Ps. 81. 3 Esay 1. 13. Yearly at Feasts 3. Solemn of Passeover and Unleavened bread Lev. 23. Weeks Deut. 16. Tabernacles Deut. 16. Others for one day viz. of First-fruits Lev. 23 9. 15. Blowing of trumpets Lev. 23. 24 25. Fast of expiation Lev. 16. and ch 23 27. 32. Incident occassions more Extraordinary as at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes Lev. 8. Exod. 29. and ch 40. See Aarons first-offerings Lev. 9. Levities Numb 8. Dedication of the Altar Numbers 7. 10 88. Ordiâ—â— Purification and cleansing of Women after childe-birth Lev. 12. 13 14 15. chapters Leper Lev. 12. 13 14 15. chapters Men in their issues Lev. 12. 13 14 15. chapters Women in theire 〈…〉 Lev. 12. 13 14 15. chapters 9. Day Nadab and Abihu offer Incense with strange fire and are slaine Levit. X. 11 12 13. Dayes Seeme those Lawes given from the Lord to Moses and Aaron touching Beasts Fishes Fowles clean and unclean Ch. XI Moses for Purification of Women in child-birth Ch. XII Moses and Aaron for Leprosies their cleansings Ch. XIII XIV For issues of men and women their cleansings Ch. XV. 14. Day Celebration of the Passeover Num. IX whether the Feast of unleavened Bread for seven dayes was added hereunto is not expressed After the death of Nadab and Abihu Moses receives Lawes from the Lord touching the High Priests coming into the most Holy Place once a year to make an Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh moneth And the maner of it Ch. XVI Place of Sacrificing And touching Blood Ch. XVII Unlawful mixtures and Lusts and other sins And the Punishments of them Ch. XVIII XIX XX. Priests their Holinesse Honour and cleansing Ch. XXI XXII Feasts Ch. XXIII Oile and Lamps And Shew-bread Ch. XXIV 1 9. Shelomiths sonne blasphemeth Ch. XXIV 10 14. Thereafter Moses receiveth Lawes from the Lord touching Blasphemy and Murder Chap. XXIV 15 23. Sabbath-year and Jubile Ch. 25. Idolatry and Religiousnesse with Blessings and Curses Ch. XXVI Vowes and Tythes Chap. XXVII For the better understanding and remembring of this Book And specially of the Offerings and Sacrifices therein contained The Table ensuing and the Directions thereof may give some part of help and furtherance though the same be not in all points perfect and compleat Sacrifices then are of a Divine Institution And were indeed practised by Adam and his children and in all ages But by Moses enlarged with many Observations Circumstances and Prefigurations contained in them Yet not principally commanded nor so much as Morall duties of Piety and Honesty 1 Sam. 15. 22. Psal. L. 5 16. Marke XII 33. Hos. VI. 6. Matth. XII 7. as Joel II. 13. Esay I. 11. and Jer. VI. 20. Amos V. 21. Jer. VII 21 22 23. Of the Cattell The kindes of Beasts and Birds verse 2 for Sacrifices were Oxen Bullocks Sheep Lambs Rams Goats Turtle-Doves young Pigeons The Sparrow or living Bird mentioned Levit. XIV 4. in the cleansing of the Leper was not properly a Sacrifice These Creatures for Sacrifice were of common use for mans sustenance maintenance And so were lawfull to be eaten in civill and common use Deut. XIV 4 26. and Ch. XII 15 21. And they were easie to be had As also Bread Flower Cakes Wafers Wine Salt Oile Frankincense used most in the Meate and Drink-offerings And such likewise are Water Bread and Wine in our Sacraments See Levit. I II III IV. Ch. and Ch. VII v. 11 12 13. A Burnt-Sacrifice In all Burnt-Offerings verse 3 and in such Sin-Offerings whereof any of the Blood was to be brought into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to reconcile withall in the holy place and also in Meat-Offerings of and for a Priest all was to be burnt to the Lord There was nothing left to be eaten by any Levit. I. and Ch. VI. 22 23 30. In all other Sin-Offerings and Trespasse-Offerings besides the fat and kidneys burnt to the Lord All the Flesh was the Priests and to be eaten by him and his And so in all other Meat-Offerings Levit. VI. 16 17 18 26 29. and Ch. VII 6 7 9 10 14. In the Peace-Offerings the Wave-breast and heave or right shoulder were the Priests to be eaten by him and his And the rest of the Flesh belonged to the bringer of the Peace-Offering to be eaten by him and his Levit. VII 31 32 33 34. and v. 15 21. The Levites had no part in any Offerings Burnt-Offerings used for Sinne-Offerings in Jobs time Job XLII 8. At the doore Killed there Because thither it was lawful for the Offerer or Bringer of it to come that he might put his hand upon the head of the Sacrifice Lev. I. 3 4. and III. 2 8 13. and IV. 15 24 29 33. Leaven Leaven generally forbid in Meat-Offerings chapter II verse 11 except in those two mentioned Lev. VII 13. and Ch. XXIII 17. Confesse chapter V verse 5 This Confession of sinne differeth altogether from the Popish Sacramentall Confession That soul shall be cut off from his people This Punishment as it is awarded here against the eating of the flesh of the Peace-Offering chapter VII verse 20 for him who hath any Legal pollution upon him so it is against such who are not circumcised Gen. XVII 14. who eate leavened bread during the Feast of the Passeover Exod. XII 15 19. who do any work on the Sabbath-day Exod. XXXI 14. who eate of the fat of Beasts of which men offer Sacrifices Levit. VII 25. who eate Blood v. 27. and Ch. XVII 10 14. who bring not the Sacrifice to the doore of the Tabernacle to be killed there not elsewhere Levit. XVII 4 9. who eate of the Sacrifice of Peace-Offering on the third day Levit. XIX 8. who give of their Seed to Moloch Levit. XX. 2 3. or kill not such a sinner v. 4 5. who go a whoring after Wizzards and such as have familiar spirits v. 6. who commit incest v. 17. or lie with a woman in her sicknesse v. 18. who goeth unto the holy things which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord having his uncleannesse upon him Levit. XXII 3. who doth any work or is not afflicted on the Fast-day of Atonement Levit. XXIII 29 30. who keep not the Passeover Num. IX 13. who sinne presumptuously Num. XV. 30 31. who being unclean do not purifie themselves Num. XIX 13 20. who being idolaters come to a Prophet to enquire concerning the Lord Ezek. XIV 8. This kinde of punishment hath variation of phrases in the expressions in Scripture thus shall be cut off utterly cut off cut off from Israel from the Congregation of Israel from among the Congregation in the sight of their people from the midst of my people cut off from the earth cut off from my presence which likely do import various kindes and degrees of punishments according to the nature of the sinnes spoken to in them How farre this phrase advanceth the Jewish Excommunication I leave to further consideration The
the year of Jubile began with Blowing of Trumpets on the tenth day of that moneth which also was the day of Expiation Levit. XXV 9. And the Feast of Tabernacles for seven dayes followed after in the same moneth Twelve Cakes The twelve Cakes of Shew bread chapter XXIV verse 5 each of an equall and of a good bignesse set in two rows six on a row seeme to be two rows in Longitude upon the Table one by another And so the Frankincense upon each Cake rather then in Altitude one upon another And so but one Frankincense upon either row See v. 6 7. The Table being two Cubits long and one Cubit broad Exod. XXV 23. And the Frankincense being to be burned every Sabbath Levit XXIV 7 9. yet some make them to be two rows six upon one another in either row on heaps in height In the Temple there were ten Tables of Shew-bread five on the right hand and five on the left 1 Chron. 28. 16. 2 Chron. IV. 8. A Jubile The Jubile-year had all the priviledges of the Sabbath-year chapter XXV verse 11 and more besides Levit. XXV Fruit for three years Viz verse 21 the year before the Sabbath-year and the Sabbath-year and the year after it till the plowing and sowing at the end of the Sabbath-year came to an harvest in the end of the third year Esay XXXVII 10. Numbers THis Book begins with the year of the World Not the 2455 or 2544 But the 2514 or rather 2510 and a little over Thus 2369 to the end of Genesis and death of Joseph Thence 60 to the birth of Moses Thence 80 to the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt And thence 1 year and one moneth to the beginning of this Book which is the second year second moneth first day of their coming out It containes an History not of 39 years but expressely of 38. years and 9 moneths Num. I. 1. and Ch. XXXIII 48 49. compared with Deut. I. 3 4 5. That in Num. IX 1 c. is but a Rehearsal of what was both given in charge and was done before And some other like Repetitions there are 603550. chapter I verse 46 From twenty years old and upwards besides the Levites A wonderful multiplication from seventy persons in 211. yeares yet fairly possible Whereas if they had been in Egypt it self 400 years then their spawning or multiplying there had been very small considering that from three persons that came out of the Arke with Noah within the space of 400 years to the time of Abraham issued such infinite numbers and troops of people in severall Kingdomes and Countreys in the world as out of the Sacred Text and Storie doth plainly appear The Order of the Camp chapter II III and march of the Israelites in the Wildernesse Ch. II. and III. is thus viz The Tabernacle in the middest and Center of all the Hoast Round about the Tabernacle the Levites camped and marched viz On the West the Gershonites Num. III. 23. South the Kohathites Num. III. 29. North the Merarites Num. III. 35. East Moses Aaron his sons Num. III. 38 Males from a moneth old and upwards 7500. 8600. 6200. 22300. Round about the Levites at a good distance Josh. III. 4. Camped and Marched on the East-side Judah and in his Camp Issachar and Zebulun likely on either side or each hand of Judah he being in the midst And so in the other Camps following South-side Reuben and in his Camp Simeon and Gad. West-side Ephraim and in his Camp Manasse and Benjamin North-side Dan and in his Camp Asher and Naphtali Num. II. and X. Chap. In all 603550. And this is the same number of Males from twenty years old and upwards when they gave a Bekah or ten Gerahs each man that is half a Shekel after the Shekel of the Sanctuary to the building of the Tabernacle Exod. XXXVIII 26. As was commanded Exod. XXX 11 16. In the last numbering in the wildernesse in the fourtieth year after the death of Aaron and the death of that Generation for their rebellion and murmuring Num. XIV 29 35. The males from 20 years old and upwards all that were able to go to warre were 601730. The Levites still numbered not with them but by themselves Num. XXVI 51. 22000. chapter III verse 39 300 Male-Levites are omitted in this summe as appears out of ver 22 28 34. which make up 22300. being all the males from a moneth old and upwards And the First-born males of all the children of Israel in the twelve Tribes from a moneth old and upwards being 22273. Ch. III. 43. which argues at least twenty seven males in each family And the surplusage of 273. verse 46. being redeemed at five Shekels apiece amounting to 1375. Shekels verse 50 All this argues the foresaid 300. male-Levites to be wittingly left out in the casting up of the summe most likely omitted so Because they were such First-born of the Levites as were born from the time of the coming out of Egypt to the time of this reckoning and in that regard were sanctified to God as his own by his Law and challenge Exod. XIII 2. and so could not come into the number of the other Levites which were to be changed for the First-borne of the other Tribes and in their stead to be substituted and appropriated to God and his service This number of the Levites was very farre lesse then were of each other Tribe Ch. III. with Ch. I. The number of the least Tribe from twenty years old and upward males able to go forth to warre being 3200. Of the greatest 74600. And the number of the male-Levites from a moneth old and upwards being onely 22300. The charge of Aaron chapter III IV and his sons joyntly and of Eleazar and Ithamar distinctly and of the Kohathites Gershonites and Merarites severally is prescribed in the taking down and carrying and setting up of the Tabernacle See Ch. X. 17 21. From thirty The Levites at the age of thirty years chapter IV verse 3 entered into the full possession of their Offices to waite upon the service of the Tabernacle Num. IV. 3. At the age of twenty five they entered or might enter upon them as Novices and subservients in some secondary or inferiour administrations as Probationers and Proficients Num. VIII 24. And when the Temple should be builded they were ordered to begin and enter at twenty years of age 1 Chron. XXIII ver 24 27. Ezra III. 8. And that by Davids appointment together with the Prophets Gad and Nathan 2 Chron. VIII 14. and Ch. XXIX 25. They continued in their Offices till fifty Num. IV. 3 47. At fifty they ceased waiting upon the service of the Tabernacle but were Overseers there Ch. VIII 25 26. And in their several Cities as being well experienced in the Judicial Laws they judged of matters brought before them The Levites Offices distinct from the Priests are set down in many particulars 1 Chron. XXIII 28 32. David
11 12 17 18 26. and Ch. XIV 22 26. And this second Tythe seems every third year to be distributed to the poor Or rather a third Tythe every third year not carried to Jerusalem and eaten there But gathered for these charitable uses onely and to be eaten any where throughout the Land Deut. XIV 28 29. and XXVI 12 13. And this third year is therefore called the year of Tything Deut. XXVI 12. Amos IV. 4. Of Tythes see more 2 Chron. XXXI 4 19. Nehem. X. 32 39. and XII 44 47. and XIII 5 12 13. Mal. III. 8 10. Luke XI 42. and XVIII 12. Heb. VII 2 9. The great maintenance of the Levites appears in that the whole Tribe of Levi being three or four times lesse in number then any other Tribe yet had they distinguished from all the Priests the Tythes of all the Tribes and so more then any one other Tribe Besides their thirty five Cities and Suburbs whereof five were Cities of Refuge Josh. XXI one belonging to the Kohathites Levites two to the Gershonites and two to the Merarites In all twice at least more Cities then some other Tribes had that were twice their number See also that Num. XXXI 30 47. The greater maintenance of the Priests appears in that being but three persons at first at least of ripe and mature age yet they had the Tythes yearly of all the Levites Tythes which were at first 8580 of thirty years old and upwards and so about the hundred part of all the fruits and increase of all Israel And as the numbers of the Priests multiplied afterwards so did in all probability the number of the other Tribes They had also all the First-fruits of all things from all persons throughout the twelve Tribes even of their doughs and bakings Deut. XVIII 4. Num. XV. 20 21. which as some think exceeded their Tythes aforesaid They had also all the First-borne of Oxen Sheep and Goats which were given to them in kinde And the Redemption money of the First-borne of Men and of unclean Beasts and cattell Num. III. 46 52. Exod. XXXIV 19. 20 and Ch. XXII 29 30. Deut. XV. 19. They had also all Oblations both Voluntary and by Vow And the Redemption of Things and of Persons Devoted to God And all Sacrifices for Sinnes and for Trespasses and the Meat and Drink Offerings and Heave-offerings And the Breast and Shoulder in Peace-offerings Deut. XVIII 3. And the Skins of the whole Burnt-offerings And all their Tythes First-fruits and Oblations were to be of the best and choisest sorts Num. XVIII 12 29. Besides these they had thirteen Cities and Suburbs and Priviledges belonging to them whereof one was a City of Refuge Josh XXI 13. See Num. XVIII 8 19. And that also Num. XXXI 28 29 37 38 39 40 50. Levit. X. 12 13 14 15. and Ch. XXVII 21 28. See the Annotations on Num. XVIII 29. Rock At Rephidim by Mount Sinai chapter XX verse 8. 13. Exod. XVII 1 7. being the eleventh Station of the Israelites Num. XXXIII 14. Moses with his miraculous Rod struck the Rock in Horeb in a due obedience to Gods commandment and waters came forth And he named the place Massah and Meribah Exod. XVII 5 6 7. But at Kadesh in the Wildernesse of Zin where Miriam died being the thirty third Station Num. XXXIII 36. Moses with Aarons miraculous Rod for he took it from before the Lord as he commanded him having his spirit provoked by the rebellious people smiles the Rock twice without any such command or commission to smite at all And he and Aaron likewise speak unadvisedly with their lips uttering words of passion and incredulity and so rebelling against Gods commandment And thereupon they not sanctifying the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel He was sanctified in them by his excluding them from entrance into the Land of Canaan And this also is called the water of Meribah or Strife as here so Ch. XXVII 14. Psal. CVI. 32 33. Aaron Aaron chapter XX verse 28 whose name may seem to signifie an Ark or Chest dies seven moneths and seven dayes before Moses at Mount Hor the Place called Mosera Deut. X 6. in the thirty fourth Station For Aaron dying in the fourtieth year fifth moneth first day Num. XXXIII 38. And that compared with the moneths mourning for Moses Deut. XXXIV 8. and three dayes preparation to passe over Jordan Josh. I. 1. and Ch. III. 2. And their coming out of Jordan on the first moneth tenth day Josh. IV. 19. Do shew that Moses died in the twelfth moneth seventh day And so seven moneths and seven dayes after Aaron In which short interval of time many and mighty things were done and atchieved as among other things Sihon and Og and their Kingdomes conquered the Midianites almost destroyed among whom Balaam was slaine Josh. XIII 22. and the book of Deuteronomie written Num. XXI and XXXI Deut. I. 1 3. Fiery Serpents onely in the later part of the fourtieth year chapter XXI verse 6 after Aarons death Heshbon Heshbon a chief City in Moab verse 26 afterwards of Sihon King of the Amorites Deut. I. 4. afterwards of Gad and out of that Tribe given to the Merarites Josh. XIII 26. and XXI 38 39 40. 1 Chron. VI. 80 81. Afterwards recovered by the Moabites and wasted by Shalmanesar Esay XV. 4. and XVI 8 9. and after by the Babylonians Jer. XLVIII 45. There may seeme to be another Heshbon of the Ammonites Jer. XLIX 2 3. And one in the Tribe of Reuben Num. XXXII 37. Josh. XIII 15 17. Heshbon signifies Devises And an allusion is made to the name Jer. XLVIII 2. in the judgement there denounced against it like to this is English There is mischief devised against the Devises the name of a town with us Balak Balak needed not to have hired Balaam chapter XXII verse 2 and feared Israel Num. XXII and XXIII and XXIV if he had known the prohibition of God to Israel Deut. II. 9. which they obeyed Judg. II. 15 17 18 25. 2 Chron. XX. 10. Yet that part which was great of the Lands of Moab which Sihon had lately conquered from Vehab King of Moab as Tremelius translates Num. XXI 26. the Israelites conquering Sihon in that right possessed it Num. XXXIII 49. Deut. I. 5. and XXXIV 1 5 6 8. and it was given to the Reubenites and Gadites Josh. XIII Unicorne So Deut. chapter XXIII verse 22 XXXIII 17. Job XXXIX 9 10. Psal. XXII 21. and XXIX 6. and XCII 10. Esay XXXIV 7. Yet the translation of the word is doubted of or at least the nature of the beast such as the Pensil of our Painters doth portray out unto us because no such beast was known or seen by any man And the Unicornes horne so deemed is of some strange Fish not of any known Beast Some learned render the word Bufale or Buff or else the wild Oxe called by the Latines Urus eminent for bignesse strength hornes and untamable fiercenesse
in that Levites time Iudg. XIX 10 11 12. or haply at that time had never got any hold in it at all Hebron Of this City see the Observations on 2 Sam. verse 10 II. 1. Caleb Of Caleb see the Observations on Iosh. verse 12 XV. 16. A South-Land Or dry Land verse 15 Kenite and Ch. IV. 11. and Ch. V. 24. See 1 Chron. II. 55. verse 16 As also Gen. XV. 19. Num. XXIV 21. 1 Sam. XV. 6. And see my Observations on Num. X. 29. Palme Trees Jericho Of this see the Observations on Ch. III. 13. Gaza Iudah took Gaza verse 18 and Askelon and Ekron And lost them soone afterwards Ch. III. 3. Bethel Of this see the Observations on 1 King verse 22 XII 29. and XXXII Bethsâ—an And the rest in this verse were Cities in that half Tribe of Manasseh that lay West of Jordan verse 27 Angel The Angel here seemes to be no created Angel chapter II verse 1 But that Angel of the Covenant Mal. III. 1. that appeared to Moses in the Bush Exod. III. 2. called Jehovah ver 4. and to Ioshua Iosh. V. 14. And to Gideon Iudg. VI. 16. And to Manoah and his wife Ch. XIII Of whom Iacob spake Gen. XLVIII 24. And of whom God spake unto Moses Exod. XXIII 21 22 23. termed both Jehovah Exod. XIII 21. XIV 10 24. and his face or presence Exod. XXXIII 14 15. and an Angel Exod. XXXIII 2. the Messias Acts VII 38. the Sonne of God Heb. I. 3. See on Judg. XIII 3. But whether this History fell out in the life-time of Ioshua or after his death is somewhat more uncertain all the dayes of Joshua Therefore the Angel's coming to Bochim verse 7 though premised was after the death of Joshua and those Elders Mount of Ephraim Of this see the Observations on Joshua XXIV verse 9 1. Baal and Ashtaroth Of these see the Observations on Ch. verse 13. 16. VIII 33. Judges This Chapter seemes to be a summarie of the bulk of this Book Left those Nations Ver. verse 23 22. and Ch. III. 1 2 4. See the Observations on Deut. VII 1. and 2. King of Mesopotamia Heb. chapter III verse 8 Aram-Naharaim i. e. of Syria between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates Naharaim being of the Dual number Fourty years See the Observations on the beginning of this Book verse 11 Palme-trees Jericho the City of Palme-trees Deut. XXXIV 3. verse 13 2 Chron. XXVIII 15. This was nigh Jordan on the West-side of it and Gilgal in the East border of Jericho where Rahab entertained and hid the two Spies And from the Plaines of Moab Pisga and Shirtim which were over against Jericho on the East-side of Jordan the Israelites passed over Here the Israelites kept the Passeover and the Captain of the Lords Hoast appeared to Joshua This was burnt Josh. VI. 24. And the Re-builder of it cursed ver 26. And the same verified in Hiel in the dayes of Ahab 1 King XVI 34. So that the Kenites being in it and Eglons possessing of it mentioned here And that of Davids ill-intreated messengers residing here 2 Sam. X. 5. must be meant of some mean buildings or Forts onely in it or rather by it It fell by Lot to the Tribe of Benjamin Josh. XVIII 21. Here was a Colledge of the sonnes of the Prophets in the times of Elias and Eliseus and the waters healed by Eliseus Hither were sent back courteously the many Jewes captived by Pekah in the dayes of Ahaz 2 Chron. XXVIII And in the Plaines here was Zedekiah taken by Nebuchadnezzars forces And in the dayes of our Saviour he did herein or hard by give sight to blinde men and converted Zacheus And he arose Reverence to God and his Word verse 20 Num. XXIII 18. 2 King XX III. 2. 2 Chron. XXXIV 31. Neh. VIII 6. Oxe-goad Miraculous are the victories of Shamgar verse 31 slaying sixe hundred Philistines with an Oxe-goad and of Sampson slaying one thousand of them with the jaw-bone of an Asse Ch. XV. 15 16. Jabin This Jabin successor to that Jabin slaine by Joshua chapter IV verse 2 and his City Hazor burnt Josh. XI 1 10 11 13. Yet this successor or sonne reinforceth himself and twenty years oppressed Israel and was destroyed at last by Deborah and Barak ver 24. Hazor A City in Naphtali and upper Galilee East from Rehob in Asher and in former times head of the neighbouring Kingdomes Iâ—sh XI 10. There was another Hazor or two in the Tribe of Judah Iosh. XV. 23 25. Haresheth of the Gentiles Ver. 16. In Naphtali about thirty miles East from Hazor near the South-bottome of the waters of Merom Here he dwels because Joshua had burnt Hazor Iosh. XI 11 13. Charets of iron Much use of these in warre verse 3 not by the Jewes but by their enemies See the Observations on Ch. XX. 2. and on 2 Sam. VIII 5. A Prophetesse See the Observations on Zeph. verse 4 III. 4. and on 1 Sam. XVIII 10. at that time Even when and while Iabin oppressed them So that those twenty years v. 3. are within those fourty years of Deborah V. 31. Ramah See the Annotations on Hos. verse 5 V. 8. There were divers Cities of this name in divers Tribes See Josh. XVIII 25. and XIX 29 36. 1 Sam. I. 1. Those in Benjamin Ephraim and Judah were the chief Places famous by Deborah Samuel Saul and David as the sacred Histories do record Barak This Barak verse 6 as also Rahab Gideon Jephthah Sampson commended for their Faith Heb. XI 31 32. though weak in Faith and not without their many failings Tabor In the South-part of Zebulon not farre from the river Kishon as it runnes into the South-bottome of the Sea of Galilee Of Tabor see more in the Annotations on Hos. V. 1. Of a Woman Deborah verse 9 and Jael Zaanaim Zaanaim by Kedesh in Naphtali verse 11 where Barak dwelled Not a man left Not a man left in the field to make any resistance verse 16 Psal. XIV 3. and LIII 3. Rom. III. 12. Shamgar Of him chapter V verse 4 Ch. III. 31. And of Jael Ch. IV. 18. Was there a speare 1 Sam. XIII 19. verse 8 From the noise They could not fetch water without danger from the enemy verse 11 Out of Hence to the end of the Song verse 14 and Chapter Deborah relates how the several Tribes behaved themselves in this Expedition with their praise or dispraise And here Reuben Gilead and Dan and Asher are blamed and Meroz cursed and Jael the wife of Heber is blessed Roote Most likely understood of Deborah of Mount Ephraim the firstrise and mover of this Expedition though some extend it to Joshua and others understand it of the Tribes of Judah and Simeon Amalek Amalek joyned here with the Canaanites in this battell against the Israelites After thee Benjamin After Ephraim came Benjamin to assist in this warre Out of Machir That half Tribe of Manasseh that dwelt within Canaan For though the one half
Exod. XXXII 4 5. 2 Chron. XXXIII 17. Hos. II. 16. The other nine hundred Shekels it is like she bestowed on house vestments and other necessaries for that Idolatrous service An house of gods So great was the Idolatry of the Jewes at this time And their zeale great in their Idolatry Ch. XVIII 24. Ephod This Ephod mentioned againe verse 5 Ch. XVIII 14. As likewise that of Gideon Ch. VIII 27. were not like those Linnen Ephods Exod. XXVIII 40. 1 Sam. II. 18. and Ch. XXII 18. But like Aarons rich and glorious Ephod Exod. XXVIII 6 34. See the Annotations on Hos. III. 4. and the Observations on 1 Sam. XXIII 9. Teraphim Or Theraphim a word of the plural number and still so used in Scripture signifies Images or Idols Hos. III. 4. 1 Sam. XV. 23. But of what kinde or fashion it is uncertaine some conceive them to be made like men because Michal put one of them in Davids bed thereby to deceive her father Sauls messengers 1 Sam. XIX 13. Some take them to be houshold-gods and as such in Labans house and family Gen. XXXI 19 34. Some to be such as they used to consult with as Oracles as in the case of the Danites here and Ch. XVIII 14 17 18 20. and of Nebuchadnezzar Ezek. XXI 21. and in Zecharies time Zech. X. 2. Answers likely being given by the subtilty of the Devil or forgery of their Priests And to workers with familiar spirits and Wizards They are joyned in Josiah's Reformation 2 King XXIII 24. See the Annotations on Hos. III. 4. Consecrated And ver 12. The grosse abuse of Consecration As in Jeroboams time 1 King XIII 33. No King King here is taken verse 6 not properly for a King but for a Judge such as the thirteen Judges in this Book for King properly there was none till Sauls reigne A Levite A Levite borne or verse 7 bred in Bethlehem Judah or sojourning there as a stranger Where I may finde a place The necessitous state of the Levites verse 9 in those Idolatrous times ver 10 11. Danites sought Their inheritance by lot is set down chapter XVIII verse 1 Josh. XIX 40. But they got it not all through their own sinne and default Iudg. I. 34. And their tribe being numerous they sought out larger bounds and more commodious habitations Iosh. XIX 47. And this though mentioned in that text of Ishua yet fell out after his death and the death of those Elders that out-lived him likely soone after but surely before the dayes of Sampson Mount Ephraim See the Observations on Josh. 2. XXIV 1. Ask counsel These Danites verse 5 being superstitious Idolaters ascribe thus much to this Levite and to his Idolatrous Ephod and Teraphim and graven and molten Images ver 14 17. Laish Laish very farre off from the body of the Tribe of Dan verse 7 that lying next to Simeon and Judah in the South-parts of the Land of Canaan and this under Mount Libanon by Asher and Naphtali in the North-bounds This Citie first burnt and after rebuilt by these Danites they then called Dan which is taken as the North-bound of the Land of Canaan as Ch. XX. 1. 1 Sam. III. 20. 2 Sam. III. 10. and elsewhere And here Jeroboam did set up one of his golden Calves 1 King XII 29. Jonathan A Levite the great grandchilde of Moses verse 30 though borne in Bethlehem-Judah and so as of the family of Judah Ch. XVII 7. And though a Levite yet taken and used as a Priest and consecrated thereunto by Micah an Ephraimitie ver 1 12. Who likewise had consecrated one of his owne sons to become his Priest ver 5. And this Jonathan forced to seeke and shift for his maintenance and livelihood and to accept of one so poore and base ver 10. All this bespeaks the sad and lamentable condition and coufusion of those times wherein they lived Captivity of the Land This Idolatry of the Danites in this Citie Dan continued untill the day of the Captivity of the Land that is as it is explained ver 31. all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh till the Philistines took the Arke 1 Sam. IV. Psalme LXXVIII 60 61. which was at the death of Eli. A Concubine Or a wife a Concubine chapter XIX The word for Concubine in Hebrew is etymologized wittily by some from two other words of that language which put together verse 1 signifie that which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some old Latine Inscriptions Viro-conjux an half-wife or secondarie wife We read in Scripture of Concubines and Wives variously Of many wives to one man in the Old Testament And this not onely in prophane and evill men as in Lamech Gen. IV. and Esau and other but also in good and godly men as in Iacob David and others And among these many wives we sometimes finde a kinde of distinction of them into two sorts One sort the First and principal and absolutely lawful wife and Mistris The other sort but in a secondary and inferiour degree And such as had no Dowries nor solemne Rites of reception nor Rule in the family nor their children had any Inheritance but Gifts and Portions For that of Iacobs sons by Bilhah and Zilpah was a case extraordinary And thus we finde with Abraham Sarah of the first sort and Hagar and Keturah of the second with Iacob Rachel and Leah of the first Bilhah and Zilpah of the second And those of the second sort are sometimes called wives and sometimes Concubines as we see in Keturah Gen. XXV 1 6. 1 Chron. I. 32. And in Bilhah Gen. XXX 4. and XXXV 22. and Ch. XXXVII 2. And Davids ten Concubines 2 Sam. XV. 16. and Ch. XVI 22. and Ch. XX. 3. are called his wives 2 Sam. XII 11. And thus Concubines are of two sorts some are wives or half-wives others plaine Whores and Harlots But this Concubine of the Levite was his wife and he her Lord as appears ver 3 4 5 7 9 26 27. and Ch. XX. 4. Gibeah Distinct from Gibeah in the tribe of Iudah chapter XIX verse 12 Iosh. XV. 57. And from Gibeon in the Tribe of Benjamin Iosh. XVIII 25. This was either that which afterwards was called Gibeah of Saul in the Tribe of Benjamin 1 Sam. XI 4. or else very near it in the same Tribe and not farre from Ierusalem and Ramah ver 13 14 16. House of the Lord In Shilo verse 18 And so Ch. XX. 18. This was near Mount Ephraim where he sojourned And thither the whole Campe came Ch. XXI 12. Know him So Gen. verse 22 XIX 5. monstrous impudent wickednesse a modest intimation of a most immodest meaning My brethren Men in nature verse 23 though worse then beasts in their lusts Behold my daughter Sinful this verse 24 to use unlawful means though to a good end We may not do evill that good may come thereof Rom. III. 8. Not hearken Yet did in the next words verse 25 And she sinning
verse 9 The Princes by their authority and in the Kings name made way for them so to do with the better courage countenance and successe Philistines These verse 11 and the Arabians subdued by Asa chap. XIV 14 15. Numbers See the Observations on chap. verse 14 XIII 3. Waited Waited in their Courses verse 19 some at one time some at another Jehoshaphat Jehoshaphat marries his sonne Jehoram to Athaliah chapter XVIII verse 1 Ahabs daughter And this in the eighth year of Jehoshaphats reign as appears by the age of Ahaziah succeeding his father Jehoram in the Kingdome when he was two and twenty years old 2 Kings VIII 18 26 27. 2 Chron. XXII 2. with chap. XXI 5. went down to Ahab In the twenty two and last year of Ahabs reign verse 2 and life And in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat Ramoth Gilead See the Observations on 2 Kings VIII 28. at a venture Gods Providence verse 33 See the Observations on Ester V. 8. and on Ezek. I. 18. Wrath Wrath deserved by him chapter XIX verse 2 and appearing on him chapter XVIII 31 and XX. 1. from Beershebah to Mount Ephraim The South and North borders of the Kingdome of Judah verse 4 set As Jehoshaphats Commission for teaching throughout the Kingdome was chap. verse 8. 11. XVII 9. So here is his High-Commission-Court at Jerusalem 2 Chron. XIX 8 11. following therein the Ordinance of Moses Deut. XVII and XIX See the Observations on Deut. XVII 8 13. Hazazon-Tamar Gen. chapter XX verse 2 XIV 7. Called also Engedi a Citie of the tribe of Judah Josh. XV. 62. thy friend So Esay XLI verse 7 8. James II. 23. cliffe of Ziz And so the Wildernesse of Jervel verse 16 both in the tribe of Judah near Tekoah and Berakah ver XX. 26. Korhites Korhites that descended of that Korah the sonne of Izhar the sonne of Kohath swallowed up of the earth Num. XVI 1. 32. These were singers in the Temple and some of them Porters Praise the Lord Psal. verse 21 CXXXVI So chap. XXIX 27. began to sing In assurance of victory verse 22 three dayes A rich spoile verse 25 of Jehu See the Annotations on chap. verse 34 XIX 2. in the book 1 King XVI 1. joyned himself Jehoshaphat first verse 36 it seemes refusing to have Ahaziah to joyne with him to make ships to go to Tarshish 1 Kings XXII 49. doth at last yeeld and is reproved by Eliezer and the ships are broken Not that he joyned first and refused after upon the Prophets reproof for then the ships might well have been unbroken But however Here the good King falls once and again into the same fault of joyning himself with wicked Ahaziah as formerly he had done with wicked Ahab chap. XVIII 1 2 3. and chap. XIX 2. As we see the like in Abraham Gen. XII 13. with chap. XX. 2. Jehoshaphat King of Israel Jehoshaphat here is called King of Israel chapter XXI verse 2 that being then a distinct Kingdome from his So again are the Princes called ver 4. And Ahaz likewise 2 Chron. XXVIII 19 27. And Darius is called King of Assyria Ezra VI. 22. And Artaxerxes King of Babylon Neh. XIII 6. As indeed the Persian Monarchs were the rightful Kings of Persia Assyria and Babylon or Chaldea Of names see more in the Annotations on 2 Chron. XXIV 20. of his father After his father Jehoshaphats death verse 4 In his fathers life-time Jehoram carried himself better both as Viceroy and King slew all his brethren And see Gods judgements upon his sonnes ver 17. and his grand-children chap. XXII 10 11. only Jehoahaz or Ahaziah or Azariah left of the one and Joash of the other compelled By force and persecutions verse 11 A most wicked sonne of a godly father A writing to him from Elijah Written in the life-time of Elijah verse 12 15. who died before Jehoshaphat 2 Kings III. 11. Left and directed to Jehoram or for him who would not endure the Reproof of a living Prophet Therein prophesying and foretelling Jehorams Sinnes and Punishments Amongst other his wickednesses He shew all his brethren the sonnes of Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. XXI 4. And his sons were all slaine by the Philistines and Arabians but Ahaziah the youngest called also Jehoachaz 2 Chron. XXI 17. and Azariah chap. XXII 6 7. 2 Chron. XXI 17. and XXII 1. And Ahaziah was slaine by Jehu 2 Chron. XXII 9. when he was twenty three years old 2 Kings VIII 26. And the sonnes of Ahaziah were slaine by their grand-mother Athaliah save Joash that was hid from her and after crowned King and at last slaine by his own servants 2 Chron. XXIV 24 25. We read that Josiah and Cyrus by their names were prophesied of many ages before they were borne But their good deeds were foretold not any evill of them as of idolatrous bloody Jehoram here Elisha foretels Hazael face to face of his bloodinesse and evil that he would do to the children of Israel 2 King VIII 12. Arabians near the Ethiopians See the Observations on Gen. verse 16 II. 13. he reigned Iehoram of Iudah his Life verse 20 Death Burial Fourty and two Clear it is chapter XXII verse 2 That Iehoram the father of Ahaziah was but fourty years old when he died chap. XXI 5. And that Ahaziah himself was but twenty two years old when he began to reigne 2 Kings VIII 26. But it was in the two and fourtieth year of the continuance of the Crown in Omri and his race from whom Ahaziah descended by his mother Athaliah 2 Kings VIII 18 26. And the Hebrew expression by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sonne together with a trajection of some clauses in this verse do render this interpretation the more passable And a like passage we finde as hath been shewed in chap. XVI 1. And such trajections are used 1 Sam. XX. 16. Ezra X. 17. Neh. XII 22. Athaliah Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah and wife of Jehoram the sonne of Jehoshaphat and daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and grandchilde of Omri in Samaria Not in the Citie verse 9 but in the Kingdome of Samaria 2 Kings IX 27. Sonne of Jehoshaphat Grandchilde So daughter for grandchilde verse 2. A phrase usuall in Scripture seed royal Sonnes of Ahaziah verse 10 ver 11. likely by other women of the King Jehoram verse 11 and sister of Ahaziah as is expressed in this verse Of the Priests chapter XXIII verse 4 and of the Levites They the Prime men in the deposing of Athaliah and crowning of Joash guarding the gates and compassing the King round about with weapons in hand their courses being not dismissed and others of them gathered out of all the Cities of Iudah gate of the foundation Called Shur verse 5 2 Kings XI 6. the high or higher gate 2 Kings XV. 35. 2 Chron. XXVII 3. Of the Gates of the Temple and Courts See the Annotations on Ezek. VIII 3. See also Ezek. VIII 5. 14. and chap. IX 2. and chap. XL.
I. 10. Surely thou wilt verse 13 Psal. CXVI 8. 9. Al-taschith That is chapter LVII Destroy not which seemes to be the subject-matter of this Psalme The same is in the Titles of Psal. LVIII LIX LXXV Possibly the word here may relate to that 1 Sam. XXVI 9. though that fell out after his being in the Cave Cave 1 Sam. XXIV 3. And in the Cave he made a Prayer which is the CXLII Psalme performeth all things for me Psal. verse 2 CXXXVIII 8. Phil. I. 6. Some understand this Psalme in this sense chapter LVIII to admonish Judges and Magistrates of their duties and offices minding them of their high power received from God who they are against whom they must exercise it even wicked men such as are here described And so shall men count them worthy the title of gods and acknowledge God in them and their doings Yet I would not in this Psalme exclude all or any relation had to Saul and his wicked Courtiers Doye He appeals to their consciences verse 1 speak righteousnesse Or dumb justice boasting so to do when indeed justice was dumb and opened not her mouth O congregation O assembly company of Sauls Courtiers and Counsellors complying with the King against David you weigh Not justice verse 2 but wrong for right to serve your violence as you are able from the womb Esay XLVIII 8. John IX 34. Ephes. IV. 18. verse 30 inbred inveterate incorrigible Jer. XIII 23. Charmers The Addars craft against them is recorded by divers Authors verse 5 Some sinners like the Addars Acts VII 57. Charmers seem to practise thus upon Addars Eccles. X. 11. Jer. VIII 17. And Charmers are forbidded by Gods Law Deut. XVIII 11. Yet this may seeme a proverbial speech used by David without any purpose to maintaine either the truth of the thing in matter of fact no more then Sirenum voces or Cygnea cantio do prove such things to be or else the lawfulnesse of it in relation to God and his Law And Proverbs and Similitudes may be taked from things in themselves unlawful as from a thief Apoc. XVI 15. the unjust Steward Luke XVI 18. O God The plural word Elohim here used is most times meant of one true God in the singular number verse 6 See Gen. XX. 13. and XXXV 7. And so may be understood that in Exod. XXXII 1. and verse 4. comparing therewith Neh. IX 18. Before your pots can feele the thornes The general meaning is plain verse 9 of the suddennesse of the destruction of those wicked men in the former verses Yet this proves a thorny text to expound aright the simiiude of thornes here used and the rest of the words contained in this verse Pots thornes living are words here of various significations whence three maine renditions and interpretations do arise thus Before your pots can feele the fire of thornes which is short Eccles. VII 6. so shall God take them away as raw flesh by the heat of his indignation Or thus as quick or as yet living and flourishing in his wrath Or thus Ere men shall perceive your young springs of thornes grow to a perfect pricking bramble God will as with a whirlewinde destroy every one of them even as alive or quick even in wrath as in burning anger Thus speaking to the wicked of their sudden destruction Or thus As raw flesh is snatched out of the pot or flesh snatched out of the pot being yet raw before the heat of that light bramble-fire be come to it so God c. Thus variously we may extend our mindes and meanings without any peremptory determination of any one particular wash his feet As Psal. verse 10 LXVIII 23. See Esay LXIII 3. Mal. IV. 3. Apoc. XIV 20. at evening Sauls messengers watching the house to kill David chapter LIX verse 6 And so verse 14. of his strength Sauls verse 9 Or suddenly changing the person as is sometimes in the Hebrew as Deut. V. 10. Dan. IX 4. Mich. I. 2. meaning Davids strength And so it is verse 17. my mercie So by the vowels verse 10 and in the margin of the Masorets But in the Hebrew text his mercie Slay them not At once verse 11 but by little and little Yet verse 13. he saith Consume them that they may not be And in the next words and let them know All which may so well agree together as needs no words of reconciliation Shushan-Eduth Shushan signifieth an instrument of six strings chapter LX from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 six or a Lillie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it consists of six leaves Eduth signifieth Testimony either implying this Psalme to be a testimony of Davids faith and thankfulnesse or to be sung by the Priests before the Ark of the testimonie or rather being joyned to the former word by a Maccaph as in some kinde a part of it it makes up the name of the musical instrument to teach The Doctrine in this Psalme contained that all might learn it As Deut. XXXI 19. 2 Sam. I. 18. 2 Chron. XXXV 25. when he strove See the Histories 2 Sam. VIII 13. 1 Chron. XVIII 12. And see the Observations on 2 Sam. VIII 5 13. Edom The Edomites joyning with the Syrians in the valley of salt At the South end of the dead Sea Or that called the valley of Siddim Gen. XIV 8. Or the valley of Saveh verse 17. twelve thousand And after in the pursuit of the victory six thousand or these six thousand by Abishai before the main battel From both doth arise the number of eighteen thousand Which victory being archieved by Davids two Generals Joab and Abishai both under him is ascribed to each of these three in the places afore cited And as David and his Generals obtained a victory here 2 Sam. VIII 13. So afterwards did Amatziah slay of Edom in the valley of Salt 10000. And other 10000. were cast down the top of the rock or Selah or Petra which Amatziah took by warre and they all were broken in pieces 2 King XIV 7. 2 Chron. XXV 11 12. Thou hast given Now a banner of conquest and victory That From hence to the end accords with Psal. CVIII 6 verse 4 13. I will reioyce David by reason of Gods truth verse 5 word and promises verse 6 will triumph over his enemies within the Land of Judea and those bordering about it I will divide This implieth a possession first Shechem It was a Citie in Mount Ephraim near Samaria given to the Kohathites-Levites and a Citie of Refuge Abram came thither Jacob had his daughter Dinah ravished there Joshua thither gathers all Israel and renues Gods Covenant with them a little before his death The Shechemites conspire against the house of Gideon to make Abimelech King and he destroyes them Thither Rehoboam came to be made King but Jeroboam gaines the Kingdome of Israel builds or repairs Shechem and dwels in it Of this see the Annotations on Hos. VI. 9. Succoth Not that in Egypt Exod.
He at thy right hand ready to assist thee O Christ as Psal. XVI 8. and CIX 31. Shall strike through Kings Psal. II. 2 4 5. even the highest Powers and Potentates that oppose Christ and his Kingdome 2 Cor. X. 5. In the day of his wrath the time appointed in Gods wisdome the time of his just will so to punish them with plagues temporal eternal in this life in that to come 1 Thes. I. 9 10. Not that Christ the Lord shall be exempted from this powerful conquest and overthrow of his enemies the Sonne being in all things coequal consubstantial with the Father And so the Act coming from the Father by the Sonne But in this speech relation is had to Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man as the King Mediatour and receiving his Office from the Father He shall judge The Lord at thy right hand shall execute judgements and punishments verse 6 among the heathen Psal. II. 1. Acts IV. 27. all his enemies whatsoever he shall fill the places with the dead bodies All places with the carkases of the slaine See Jer. XVI 4. A figurative and poetical expression of an huge slaughter such as was that of the Jewes at the final destruction of Jerusalem after the death of our Saviour he shall wound the head in many countries Wound or strike through Head for heads collectively Psal. LXVIII 21. in many or great countries See that Apoc. XX. 9 10. He Christ the Lord. verse 7 Thus the Prophet passeth from the Father to the Sonne The Father acteth by the Sonne the Sonne from the Father shall drink of the brook in the way In pursuing the victory over his enemies he shall do as Gideons souldiers did Judg. VII 7. admit of no delaies which occasioned that interdict adjuration and curse of Saul 1 Sam. XIV 24. Or rather these words seeme to have relation to Christs state of Humiliation and the rather because of that opposition thereunto in the words following And so here we have Christs exinanition and exaltation his passion and resurrection whereby he was brought to sit at the right hand of the Father verse 1. drink In passing through this valley of tears in this world he shall drink deeply of the cup of sorrowes the waters floods and torrents of afflictions and miseries should overtake and encompasse him if not overwhelme and drowne him Psal. LXXXVIII 7. 17. See Jer. XXV 15 16. and chap. XLIX 12. Matth. XX. 22. John XVIII 11. Matth. XXVI 39. in the way Of this life the way of doing his fathers will for the work of mans redemption Phil. II. 7 8. He hid for the time the luster and beams of his Divine Majesty that it might not hinder the sufferings and death of his Humanity 1 Cor. II. 8. Matth. XVII 9. therefore Thus Christ came from his humiliation to his exaltation from his Priesthood to his Kingdome Therefore here notes not a Merit preceding in Christ meriting for himself this exaltation or his glorie either in body or soul his life eternal All necessarily followed upon that hypostatical Union which he could not merit to himself All Christ did was to merit for us The particle here notes the consequence or sequel and order the means and manner how he came to this exaltation shal he lift up the head Be exalted sit at Gods right hand See for the phrase Psal. III. 3. and XXVII 6. Jer. LII 31. Lam. II. 10. sublimi feriet sydera vertice Praise This is one of the Alphabetical Psalmes chapter CXI verse 1 And so is the next Psalme Thereby to help memory and to mark out the excellency of these Psalmes See the Observations on the beginning of the Book of Psalmes wonderful works In Egypt verse 4. 5. meat Manna and Quails Covenant Though they by their sinnes often and grievously provoked him heathen Canaanites verse 6 Praise chapter CXII verse 1 See the former Psalme wealth See the Observations on Psal. XXXVII 1. verse 3 light in darknesse Esay LVIII 10. Job XI 17. Psal. XXXVII 6. verse 4 of evil tydings Prov. I. 33. Otherwise is it with the wicked verse 7 Jer. XLIX 23. gnash with his teeth See that Luke XIII verse 10 28. who humbleth himself to behold Psal. chapter CXIII verse 6 CXXXVIII 6. and CXXXIX 1 c. Job XXXIV 21 22. Prov. V. 21. Jer. XVI 17. contrary to that Psal. LXXIII 11. and LXIV 6. and XCIV 7 10. Job XXII 12 13. He raiseth 1 Sam. II. 8. verse 7 mountains skipped Sinai chapter CXIV verse 4 Horeb quaked and shaked Exod. XIX 18. Hab. III. 6 10. Psal LXVIII 8. Their idols are Not like unto our God chapter CXV verse 4 verse 3. are like unto them As much without sense and reason verse 8 as blocks and stones their help Theirs that trust in him or one person verse 9 put for another which is not unusual hath he given To their use verse 16 in this world Or the earth also is the Lords which he hath given to the children of men The dead praise not Psal. verse 17 VI. 5. and XXX 9. and LXXXVIII 10 11 12. Esay XXXVIII 18. I love This may seeme to be Davids Psalme chapter CXVI verse 1 upon his new coming to the Kingdome Therefore The experience of Gods hearing our prayers verse 2 doth hearten us to pray the more Pains of hell The sorrowes and straits of death verse 3 and the grave Psal. XVIII 5 6. Gratious The issue and effect of Prayer verse 5 thy rest Thy quiet comfortable estate in God without trouble of conscience verse 7 and that because of Gods goodnesse and good dealing towards thee I beleeved 2 Cor. verse 10 IV. 13. upon consideration of the Premises his Faith thus triumphed notwithstanding his afflictions I was greatly afflicted The Hebrew word here hath an Active forme but in a Passive signification As sometimes an Hebrew word in a Passive forme is of an Active signification See Esay XXI 10. and chap. XXV 9. and LIII 7. and Ezek XIV 4 7. haste verse 11 All men are liers Even the Prophets as Samuel that promised to me the Kingdome Yea all men in comparison of God unable to help in time of need Rom. III. 4. cup of salvations Used in the Israelites Peace-offerings of Thanksgivings verse 13 and in the Meat-offerings joyned to them and to their whole-burnt offerings and used in their holy Feasts 1 Chron. XVI 1 2 3 whence that seemes to be Luke XXII 17. vowes Made in mine adversity verse 14 Of vowes see the Annotations on Jonah I. 16. Pretious Psal. LXXII verse 15 14. which God shewes in preserving my life from death in the midst of all mine enemies Praise The Apostle alledgeth this to prove Gods mercy to the Gentiles chapter CXVII verse 1 that they should therefore glorifie him O give thanks This may seeme to be Davids Psalme chapter CXVIII verse 1 and likely inspired and composed upon his returne from his last victory over the Ammonites 2 Sam.
of heaven heareth not But jears at it chapter XIII Keepeth his mouth God hath set a double guard of lips verse 1 and teeth verse 3 before this gate yet unlesse God himself keep the watch all will be lost Psal. CXLI 3. and CXXVII 1. See chap. XII 13. and chap. XVIII 21. and chap. XXI 23. diligent Affection without endeavour is like Rachel verse 4 beautiful but barren we must work as well as will and wish and 2 Cor. VIII do as well as desire performe as well as promise loathsome Stinks as it were above ground verse 5 And cometh to shame by his lying The ransome Jer. XLI 8. heareth not rebuke As a man not worth the chiding verse 8 not considerable having nothing to lose the lamp of the wicked As a candle verse 9 Job XVIII 5 6. and ends in a snuff Eccles. VII 6. wisdome Meeknesse of wisdome verse 10 wisdome peaceable James III. 13 17. Hope deferred Many lie long languishing at Hopes Hospital verse 12 as he at the poole of Bethesda The Law Chap. verse 14 XIV verse 15 27. good understanding Both gaineth favour as in Joseph Daniel and others And favour or grace gaineth a good understanding or good successe chap. III. 4. Psal. CXI 10. is hard Harsh rough 2 Tim. III. 3 4. Tit. III. 3. prudent man Observes seasons verse 16 and circumstances deports himself with discretion Amos V. 13. his folly By his headstrong verse 17 headlong exorbitances a wicked messinger Chap. XXVI 6. is sweet Specialy in spiritual things verse 19 abomination To be pulled from their evil lusts and sinful courses walketh Converseth verse 20 is a constant companion companion 1 Cor. XV. 33. which Saint Paul takes out of Menander the Poët pursueth Hard at heeles verse 21 Sinne and Punishment are linked together with chains of adamant repayed By God a liberal paymaster to his child Personal goodnesse is profitable to posterity verse 22 1 Kings XV. 4. Exod. XXXIV 7. where the Hebrew word Nâ—tser keepeth hath a great N. to note likely the greatnesse of Gods mercie to the good mans posterity Wealth As Nabals was for David Hamans for Mordecai the Canaanites for the Israelites Job XXVII 16 17. Though this be not so alwayes and universaly Psal. XVII 14. want of judgement In tillage verse 23 or managing and husbanding what is gotten hateth his sonne As it proves in the issue verse 24 As we see in Eli to his sonnes and in David to his Absalom and Adonijah See chap. XXIII 13. and XIX 18. And thus we are said to will and do many things which properly and directly we do not so but because we do such things whereupon the other will follow So chap. VIII 36. and chap. XVII 19. Matth. XXVI 12. John XII 7. Luke XI 48. Ezek. XVIII 31. and XXXIII 11. Psal. CVI. 24. satisfying With contentation verse 25 be it more or lesse verse 6 seeketh As a coward seeketh his adversarie chapter XIV in hope not to finde him is easie Chap. I. 20. and chap. VIII 1 17. a mock at sinne These dance with the Devil verse 9 Chap. X. 23. 2 Thes. II. 12. 2 Pet. II. 13. favour From God or a complacencie in their righteous dealing or gains them favour among themselves not intermeddle 1 Pet. verse 10 I. 8. Phil. IV. 7. 2 Cor. V. 4. It is an hansel of heaven The cock on the dunghil knows not the worth of this jewel seemeth Chap. verse 12 XVI 25. Sinne comes cloathed with a shew of Reason Exod. I. 10. And thereupon we willingly deceive our own hearts James I. 26. as Micah Iudg. XVII 13. and Ier. VII 4. And self-delusion is an epidemical disease and deadly even in laughter Some frothy and flashy mirth the wicked may have verse 13 but there is a snare or cord in their sinne which strangles their mirth that they rejoyce in the face not in the heart 2 Cor. V. 12. Esth. V. 13 heavinesse Iob XXI 12 13. Luke 6. 25. Eccles. II. 2. filled with his own wayes have made a match with mischief verse 14 and shall have enough of it hath sold himself to wickednesse and shall be sure of his payment from himself 1 Tim. VI. 6. Heb. X. 34. Psal. XIX 11. Goodness is its own reward in hand and in hope The simple beleeveth As Ieroboam that old baby verse 15 looketh well Looks before he leaps tries before he trusts 1 Iohn IV. 1. Ephes. V. 15. feareth verse 16 and departeth Feareth the judgements whiles they hang in the threatnings counts them not words so much as thunderbolts Hab. III. 16. The evil bow The worst cannot but think well of them verse 19 and do homage to the image of God stamped upon the natures and practises of the good and righteous his neighbour Poor neighbour verse 21 and needy that devise evil That plot and plough it verse 22 dig and delve it are they not heavenly wide utterly out labour That is honest verse 23 not that whereby they do wickedly with both hands earnestly talk of the lips Great talkers are commonly do-littles is their riches For God gives them wisdome to use them well verse 24 fools Rich fools Riches to them is as a sword put into a mad mans hand strong confidence Dan. verse 26 III. verse 28 17. 2 Kings XVIII 5. multitude of people Which wars waste and consume See 2 Sam. XXIV slow to anger Anger may rush into a wise mans bosome verse 29 not rest there Eccles. VII 9. Iames I. 19 20. exalteth Proclaims it aloud verse 30 sets it on the theater A sound heart Well freed from passions and perturbations holds out long envie A corroding disease it is an hel-hag that feeds upon its own marrow bones and strongest parts it is as rust is to iron as the viper It both sinnes and is punished together so quick and speedy justice accompanies it Iob V. 2. his maker 1 Sam. verse 31 II. 7. A poor mans livelihood is his life Luke VIII 43. honoureth him That is honoureth God God so takes it chap. III. 8. And God honours him Matth. XXV 34. c. driven away Being arrested by the Serjeant death verse 32 in the Devils name and so hurried away and hurled into hell hath hope Death to them is as the valley of Achor Iustus etiam dum exspirat sperat in the heart Is not vainglorious verse 33 sets not forth his good parts and practises a sunning to be seene and cried up in the midst of fools Their zeal must be seene 2 Kings X. 16. Their pietie must be shored up with popularitie a reproach Sinnes are the snuffs of our candlesticks verse 34 and threaten the removal of it and will render us a reproach and a taunt Deut. XXVIII 37. Ier. XXV 9. Ezek. V. 14 15. a wise servant So to Joseph by Pharaoh verse 35 so to Daniel by Darius And much more is the favour of the King of Kings to his servants Matth. XXIV 45 46 47. and XXV 21 23. his wrath So
and gaines he catcheth but a Butter-flie with much vexation and all his toile And I turned To his first enquirie verse 12 to see if his second thoughts therein might prove the wiser what can True without boasting None can go beyond him trie who will wisdome excelleth follie Foolish verse 13 sensual pleasures which perish in the using and leave a sting behinde them Though the most excellent humane wisdome is vaine also as to this maine end and in order to it to attaine true happinesse The wise mans eyes He shewes the great difference of worth between these two contraries verse 14 And the antithesis and opposition of them serves to illustrate the nature of them both The wise man sees fore-sees fore-casts ponders things past present and to come he casts and considers is vigilant and circumspect The foole hath neither sight nor light his eyes are any where rather then in his head he is inconsiderate rash carried headlong in blindnesse and I my self perceived Though the one so farre excelling the other yet both alike in this no difference herein but one event happeneth to them all as two wayes meet at the same Inne and Ships from several Coasts meet at the same Haven and Counters after casting summes are put into the same bag And why was I then more wise To what purpose verse 15 as to the maine point no remembrance Chap. verse 16 VIII 10. Prov. X. 7. Psal. CXII 6. and XLIX 11 12. Jer. XVII 13. and how dieth As oblivion so death equal and common to both Psal. XLIX 10. Ezek. XXI 4. Only piety maketh the difference John XI 25 26. Therefore I hated life He saw little valuable or desirable in it verse 17 He was wearie of living to so little purpose and withal that sufficient to the day was the evil thereof all my labour As being so vaine and vexatious verse 18 No felicitie and true happinesse in this life being to be gained by any creature-comfort leave it Psal. XLIX 10. and XXXIX 6. And so Luke XII 17. ere he was a day elder a wise man verse 19 or a foole How Rehoboam proved is well known chap. VI. 2. therefore I went about Fetcht a compasse verse 20 by a reflex act of my minde as Ephraim Jer. XXXI 18 19. and the Prodigal Luke XV. 17. as those 1 Kings VIII 47. And being wearied in this round I was brought to a despondencie of spirit and a despair of attaining to my purpose and search as being fruitlesse and unseazable these emptie things only abusing and deluding me For there is a man This particular did so pinch Solomon verse 21 that he thinks he can never say enough of it he cannot give it over And it is a judgement threatened that it shall so fall out Prov. XIII 22. Yea leave it to a stranger and enemie as Nabals was to David Hamans to Mordecai the Canaanites to the Israelites what hath a man verse 22 c A meere nothing a coffin perhaps to his grave Then all the world is gone with him Psal. XLIX 17. Eccles. I. 3. and III. 9 and V. 15 are sorrowes In the abstract verse 23 And those pluraly Job V. 7. not rest in the night Though he lie upon a bed of downe yet these gnats will not suffer him sleep his heart doth not rest in that time of rest Job IV. 13. as the clock cannot stand still while the plummets hang at it Grace only cures these cares and procures this quiet rest Phil. IV. 6 7. Ps CXXVII 2. nothing better Chap. verse 24 III. 12 13 22. and VIII 15. as to the happinesse of this life attainable by all study and industrie in worldly things and affairs and so to free our selves from this vanitie and vexation of them and specialy from that disease verse 21. the hand of God It is not alwayes in our power Verse 26. Chap. III. 13. and V. 19. Acts XIV 17. God is then to be sought to in whom only felicity is to be found Psal. CXLV 15 16. Eccles. IX 7 8 9. For who can eate verse 25 Who else can prove it by his own experience better then I verse 12. For God giveth To get these worldly things rightly verse 26 and to use them rightly and comfortably giveth this peculiar blessing to this person the proper subject of it Chap. III. 12 13. but to the sinner To scrape and rape chap. IV. 8. Hab. II. 6. Psal. XXXIX 6. Luke XII 18. give to him that is good Job XXVII 17. Prov. XIII 22. and XXVIII 8. To every thing there is a season Or rather a time prefixed chapter III verse 1 set and predetermined The series and contexture whereof and of all future events we cannot order or alter we cannot antedate or anticipate nor post-off or post-date by all our anxious care and toyles we cannot break through the bounds of Gods providence and predeterminate purpose in the guidance of them So again chap. VIII 6. And therefore we should quiet and content our selves in the good and comfortable use of them as chap. II. 24. And not seek to extract out of such vaine and variable things that good and felicity which is not in them Yet again This may minde us not to neglect the seasons times and opportunities of Grace which are in Gods hand when he doth please to offer and afford them Luke XIX 42. Heb. II. 3. A time Chap. verse 2 III. 17. This here is oft repeated that it may be once remembred There are various vicissitudes and changes in all things under the Sunne We should seek perfect felicitie in him only in whom there is no shadow of change and in his kingdome of glory which shall continue when time it self shall be no more What profit Concludes that verse 9 Chap. I. 3. Matth. VI. 27. no more then that James II. 14 16. Consider that Matth. XVI 26. which God hath given God gives it verse 10 for our exercise in it and by it And he not we or fate or fortune orders it and the event of it He usualy gives the blessing in our use of the meanes beautiful Though we at all times see it not in every thing verse 11 though we are not able to put together all the pieces of Gods providence nor to foresee that frame and forme feature that he will bring them to at the last Esay X. 12. we being not able to finde out the beginning or end of the causes or uses of Gods works Yet these seeming confusions God will reduce into an excellent beautiful order and in a beautiful season too Frost and Snow are as seasonable in the Winter as heat and flowers and fruits are in the Summer The world is so much in our hearts that we minde and mark not Gods dealings sufficiently and we are of so short continuance that though we minde it yet we live not to observe a full point in the works of God Their beginning may be in one age and their end in
another Rom. XI 34. No good in them verse 12 but c. To enjoy things present and to do good here and so have good hereafter Psal. CXXVIII 2. 1 Tim. VI. 18 19. it shall be for ever His doing and counsel shall stand verse 14 Esay XLVI 10 11. Jer. 44. 28. And is perfect and holy unalterable by man Job XXXVIII 31 c. We should therefore with willingnesse and contentment submit to him and his doings acquiesce in him and dread and adore him though our blear eyes cannot see the bright Sun-shine of his actions His decrees must not drive us to despair or to a neglect of using the means but from deifying our selves and our own wisdome in the use of meanes still depending upon his blessing And moreover Having formerly shewed the vanitie and vexation of Knowledge verse 16 and of Pleasures and of humane Labours in many regards together with the Remedies of them He now proceeds to shew more vanities and vexations and yet to vindicate Gods Providence in them the place of judgement That should be a Sanctuarie and Citie of Refuge for wronged Innocencie That wickednesse and oppression should be and reigne there was a great vexation and a great tentation too against Gods righteous Providence I said That God shall judge and right all verse 17 at least and last in that great Assizes to be held by his Sonne at the last day Acts XVII 31. Some he judgeth here lest his Providence but not all lest his patience and promise of judgement might be called into question Therefore this vanitie and vexation ought not to dismay the innocent or hearten the oppressors seeing God will amend all that God might manifest them Men in place and power verse 18 though they carry themselves as beasts to their brethren yet will hardly know themselves their own fraile and base condition and that as to outward respects they are but as the beasts that perish Psal. XLIX 20. God must manifest it to them And this should humble them and staine their pride This shewes and should cure this vanitie Prov. XXX 2. For that which befalleth Psal. verse 19 XLIX 10. chap. II. 15 16. hunger thirst diseases c. all turne to dust againe Expire alike verse 20 and the body turnes to dust alike Gen. III. 19. Job XXXIV 15. This still in relation to the body only Who knoweth the spirit of man No man can by sense discerne the ascent of the one verse 21 or the descent of the other But he can who hath the minde of Christ who hath seen the insides of Nature and Grace Who is spiritual 1 Cor. II. 14 15 16. See chap. XII 7. of this book And Solomons scope throughout this Book is to shew the vanitie of earthly things and of humane actions in order unto things under the Sunne as to satisfie the heart of man in the acquiring of true felicitie Of his immortal or heavenly condition he speaks not purposely But as he makes Pietie the Only Remedy against all these earthly vanities and vexations and so concludes his Book in the two last verses We need not here then to make these passages to be speeches taken up in the Person of the â—picure or Atheist Wherefore I perceive He resumes his Assertion verse 22 verse 13. and ch II. XXIV and V. 18. after him What shall become of his goods how used and disposed and by whom all the oppressions More vanities and vexations in the Civil State no Comforter Doubled here This addes to their miserie This was Jobs case chap. VI. 14 15. and chap. XVI 2. and chap. XIX 21. he crieth and calleth for this pitie and commiseration It was Davids case Psal. LXIX 20. And Jerusalems Lam. I. 2 9 16. God cals for it towards Jerusalem Esay XL. 1 2. And himself doth it Esay LI. 3 12. See Nahum III. 7. praised the dead He preferreth the ease and quietnesse of death before the miseries of such a dying life See Job chap. III. throughout Jonah IV. 3. 1 Kings XIX 4. He speaks here according to the judgment of men under oppression without relation to the wickednesse of men whose state after death is in those terrours and torments that shall either mend or end and they be never able to abide or avoid Matth. XXVI 24. not yet been Job III. verse 3 10. and chap. X. 18 19. envied For his eminent worth and works verse 4 his ingenious Acts and Parts As the Courtiers of Persia did Daniel See Prov. XXVII 4. foldeth his hands The foolish sluggard so described verse 5 Prov. VI. 6. See the Explanations there And chap. XXVI 15. and chap. XIX 24. eateth his own flesh Prov. X. 4. maketh many an hungry meale Better is an handful The sluggards plea. verse 6 Sinners will have their shifts saw vanitie Another vanitie contrary to the former Fools whiles they shun the sands do rush upon the rocks yet no end of all his labour This matchlesse miser verse 8 and fellow that hardly hath a fellow is never satisfied as Prov. XXX 15. toiles without end Esay V. 8. Hab. II. 5. and to no end trusts he can draw up Jordan into his mouth Job XL. 23. and yet knows he hath none to whom he may leave his goods so toiled for This is worse then that of Psal. XXXIX 6. neither is his eye satisfied with riches Indeed the eye only hath the use of riches with such covetous men Two are better then one In a natural verse 9 and in a Moral sense Jer. XLI 13 14. 2 Sam. X. 11. And spiritualy next to Communion with God is the Communion of Saints Psal. XVI 2. Heb. X. 24. he cometh to reigne The poor and wise child verse 14 I considered Another vanitie and vexation if this be not an exemplification of the old foolish King dethroned and the poor wise child standing up in his stead all the living All the present generation of men living under a present Prince or Government the multitude many-headed given to change falling off from the falling Sun and adoring the rising Sunne with the second child The Successor sonne or who ever he be joyning to him and following him as thinking they must live by the living and not by the dead and so expecting protection and preservation by and under him Such is the vanitie and vexation of Princes that if they live long they outlive their own glorie and are looked upon by their own subjects as faling sinking bending to the grave And such is the vanitie and levitie of people that they are weary of present government and even sick for a change prove the change what it will 1 Sam. VIII 5 18 19 20. and XII 12. 2 Sam. XV. 12 13. and chap. XX. 2. 1 Kings II. 15. Prov. XXIV 21. no end of all the people Infinitely discontented verse 16 and restlesse in their desires of change never contented with their present state The people put no end or stop to this vanitie to this their epidemical
Whether thou wilt or no when thou shalt in vaine call to rocks to hide thee into judgement If not in this life yet at thy death thy doomesday and at the judgement of the great day Jude 6. called The terror of the Lord 2 Cor. V. 10. Acts XVII 30. See Esay XXVIII 17. Therefore remove sorrow Sinne verse 10 which is the true cause of sorrow as the end will prove Prov. XIV 13. and the true cause of Gods indignation Or particularly this sinne of thy indignation and all inordinate passions thy swelling and storming at the will and wayes of God or at any serious advice given thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember 1. Chron. XXVIII 9. Prov. XXIII 17. thy Creator Heb. chapter XII verse 1 Creators Father Sonne and Holy Ghost So God my Makers Job XXXV 10. The Makers of Israel Psal. CXLIX 1. thy Makers is thy husbands Esay LIV. 5. Gods created Gen. I. 1. youth Youth is slippery prone to lusts and sensual pleasures apt to put off the evil day farre from them to look on death and judgement as at a great distance as evil men use to do Ezek. XII 27. Amos VI. 3. 2 Pet. III. 3 4. Solomon here calls on them to remember themselves better to minde God in the Spring of their age to present the first-fruits to God as young Samuel Jeremy and Timothy did and not to leave and reserve the dregs and snuffs to God while the evil dayes Old age is very unfit to begin so great a work in Old age will bring evils enough of its own besides While the Sunne Before the sight of thine eyes grow dimme Or verse 2 before thy most delightful and pleasant things begin to grow unwelcome unpleasant to thee The darknesse of lights about them as of the Sun candles torches c. Whence we need Spectacles Returning of the clouds after the raine alludes to the winterly state of old age In summer after raine the clouds break up and fair weather comes Not so in winter So in youth Not so in old age nor the clouds return One grief comes upon the neck of another as the billows of the sea wallow and tumble upon the back one of another A proverbial speech as Psal. XLII 7. the Keepers of the house The hands and armes verse 3 Some here take in the head and ribs and outward senses and inward faculties but not so properly strong men Thighs and legs Here some take in the feet Grinders The teeth They come not with us into the world And they commonly leave old men before they go out of the world look out of the windows The eyes out of the eye-lids darkened A further degree of dimnesse then that ver 2. And the doores Old men shall shut the street-dooers shall stay within doores because the weaknesse of their appetite and digestion when the sound of the grinding with the teeth was low and doth cause them to eat little and so weakens their bodies to stir abroad Others by streets here understand those Pipes and passages which are for the meat to go down to the stomach and for the breath and aire to go down to the lungs which passages have doores and covers which open and shut And these being weakened in old age breed weaknesse of the body and difficulty of swallowing and of speaking Those which stretch the words to the Hearing or to the eye-lids or to all the senses seeme to misse most of the true meaning doores Lips When for want of teeth the meat is rolled and ravelled in the mouth and hath need of shut lips to keep it from falling out of the mouth at the voice of the bird Shall wake out of sleep at every little noise through the badnesse of sleeping and wearines to lie long in bed by reason of little ease and much paine and akings daughters of musik That we can neither sing our selves nor be delighted with the musik of others 2 Sam. XIX 34 35. afraid of that which is high To go up it verse 5 being weak and short-winded And fear stumbling at every little stone in the way Both heights and hollows in the way annoy their goings almond-tree The gray-hairs which some call the white flowers of the Church-yard grashoppers Every light thing shall be a burthen to them who are now already become a burthen to themselves and desire shall faile The lust of the flesh libido As also the lust of the eye and the pride of life In decrepit age all these desires die though they reigned and raged in him before long home The grave his own house and long home Nox est perpetua Vna dormienda Esay XIV 18. never to returne hither again Job VII 10. But long to abide there till the Resurrection-day mourners Jer. IX 17. verse 6 and XXII 18. Amos V. 16. See Job III. 8. silver cord The marrow of the back-bone be loosed or lessened and contracted whence old men grow crooked and bending in the back Some take this for the sinewes which are the ligaments of all the members and are loosened by cold humours and palsie-distempers golden bowle The heart the blood of it or the pericardion or the brain pan pia-mater and pericranion Some understand this of the cista fellis the gaul and choler which easily breaks out in old men Some of the skull parted in the sâ—tures and seams of it diseases grow round as a bowle-golden for the colour and precious use of it in preserving the brains or the pitcher be broken at the fountain By fountain we may understand those principal parts as the Heart Head Liver from whence the vital supplies of spirit heat blood sense and motion are drawn into the body By Cisterne the same aforesaid or those places of the body whereinto those vital supplies are drawn and conveyed By the pitcher and wheele the veins arteries and sinewes which as subservient instruments do conveigh those supplies into the several parts of the body Some understand by the pitcher the bladder and by the cisterne the belly that neither duly performe their office by the fountaine or spring the issuing forth of the water the retentive faculty of the muskle at the neck of the bladder being broken so that water the urine issueth from him insensibly without stay the wheele broken at the cisterne The Lungs broken off from their motion of inspiration and respiration by phlegme from the stomach stopping and stifling the Lungs The Lungs are as the wheele transmitting the aire in and out up and down and when this free course is stopped then follows ratling in the throat and death after The stomach is the cisterne from all the body And the spirit shall returne Gen. II. 7. Joh XXXIV 14 15. verse 7 And even the wisest Heathen have avouched the immortality of the soul and a life of joy or paine after this life ended according to our carriage here So Socrates Plato Cicero Plutarch Epicharmus Euripides Lucretius Heraclitus Virgil and others
used of those aprons or girdings which of twigs twisted or wreathed rather then leaves sowed together our first parents made to cover their shame with a rent Or rags burning Sun-burning tanning gates Cities verse 26 Lam. I. 4. She The Land of Iurie or the mother-City Ierusalem seven women Chap. chapter IV verse 2 III. 25. Such should be the paucity of men surviving as chap. XIII 2. that is uncouth immodest motion and sollicitation should fall out and finde place with them In that day After these calamities overpast when the Lord shall have washed c. as it is ver 4. the branch The Messias chap. XI 1. Zech. III. 8. and VI. 12. Jer. XXIII 5. and XXXIII 15. Yet some understand this here of the Church And so to the end of this short Chapter of the Lord The Messiah himself And likewise the Church and her beauty and holinesse and defence and shade and shelter come and spring all from the Lord. and the fruit of the land Literaly And may be applied spiritualy that remaineth The remnant that shall escape verse 3 be left and survive Altar The brazen Altar in the Court before the doore the voice of the Lord Not of the Seraphs I send The Unity of the Deity for us The Trinity of the Persons send me Being so fitted as formerly he now promptly offers himselfe make the heart of this people fat This God doth not by infusing any wickednesse or corruption of any kinde into them but indirectly and by accident and consequent thus By not hindering it but permitting it justly for their sinnes withholding or withdrawing his Restraining Grace which holds them in as a Grayhound is held in from an hare by a slip Denying his blessing to the meanes of Grace not vouchsafing his special and free grace and assistance to them but withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit which things he is not bound to give to any and justly leaving them so both to all Satans tentations and his instruments And also to their owne vile lusts the inbred hardnesse of their hearts rebellion of their wills and the universal corruption of their natures which enslaves them to sinne and fires them after it yea the more for any opposition of Gods Commands Word or Works or any meanes else used to the contrary as we see Lime burne with water cast upon it Even so the Heathen could say Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimúsque negata according with that of the Apostle Rom. VII verse 8 13. Yea God justly suffering and presenting such objects and occasioning such things to fall out as are not simply evil in themselves yet through their default will prove stumbling-blocks unto them as whereupon their own wicked hearts will still work and improve their own induration excecation and irritation to further sinning Thus they willingly fall further into sinfull actions The power of doing which acts as they are acts are yet from God alone in whom we live and move and have our being but the obliquity malignity and evil of them is from the wicked Agent And all this God doth in a way of justice It is a just thing with God when men wilfully winkand shut their eyes against the light And when they harden their hearts and stop their eares against him his Word and Will and Works It is just with him in maner aforesaid to let them have and enjoy what they so love and desire to have and enjoy And so to punish sin with sin For all the premises see Deut. XXVIII 28. and XXIX 2 4. Psal. LXIX 23. and LXXVIII 32. and LXXXI 12. and CVI. 7. Esay XXVIII 13. and XXIX 10. and XLIV 18. Jer. V. 31. Ezek. II. 5 7. and III. 7. and XX. 25. Zech. VII 11 12. Matth. XIII 14. John XII 37. Acts XIV 16. Rom. I. 21 22 26 28. and II. 4 5. and Chap. VII ver 8 9 11 13 23. and XI 8. 10. 2 Cor. II. 15 16. 2 Thes. II. 10 11 12. 2 Tim. III. 13. Heb. VI. 4 6 7. Apoc. XVI 9 11. All this I say is just for Him who knoweth how and orders withal out of the infinitenesse of his wisdome and goodnesse so as to make them serve his providence for the producing of good out of evill the greetest good out of the greatest sinne as Acts IV. 28. See my Annotations on Ezek. III. 20. Lord verse 11 how long Shall this sad condition last utterly desolate Yet there is mention of a Reserve v. 13. farre away Into Assyria verse 12 and Chaldea yea some extend this to the last destruction by Vespasian and Hadrian the Romane Emperours But yet in it shall be a tenth God will still in his dreadfulest judgements preserve a small remnant verse 13 to continue his Church Thus he concludes with this comfort here as he likewise concluded his first and second Sermon a Teil-tree Or a Line-tree of goodly boughs and leaves and an oak So most do render the word whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves As in winter so the holy seed The seed of Saints The application of the similitude These God reserves by them to propagate his Church Rom. XI 15. And it came to passe chapter VII verse 1 The fifth Sermon in the dayes of Ahaz In the third or the beginning of the fourth yeare of his reigne For within the fourth of his reigne was Pekah slaine 2 Kings XV. 30 33. in the twentieth yeare of Jotham reckoning so both the four yeares of Jotham in his father Uzziahs life-time and the sixteen yeares of his reigne after the death of his father Or rather reckoning from the beginning of Jothams sixteen And so this will fall out in the fourth of Ahaz See my Observations on 2 King I. pag. 103. Of the death of Ahaz See chap. XIV 28. that Rezin Rezin and Pekah severaly by themselves had made some attempt against Iudah in the end of Iothams or the very beginning of the reigne of Ahaz and then mightily prevailed 2 Kings XV. 37. 2 Chron. XXVIII 5 8. But now joyntly they bend their forces together to make a full conquest yet in this prevaile not And so 2 Kings XVI 5. One Rezon was the first King of Syria 1 Kings XI 23. Syria See the Observations on 2 Sam. VIII 5. as the trees Their hearts quaked and quivered verse 2 as an aspin leafe And the rather because of what they had formerly suffered from them severaly Which put them instantly upon dispatching of messengers for aide unto the King of Assyria which God sends here to disswade them from 2 Kings XVI 7 8. Shear-jashub Signifies the remnant shall returne verse 3 This name given him in a prophetical way as that of his other sonne chap. VIII 3. and those of Hosheah chap. I. 4 6 9. Here brought with Esay because he was to make use of him in his message to Ahaz v. 16. upper poole The very place where Rabshakeh afterwards stood ch XXXVI 2. 2 Kings X. 17. See the
Observations on Neh. III. 1. And the Annotations on this text of Esay fullers field See the Observations on Neh. III. 1. the sonne of Tabeel Uncertaine who verse 6 But whoever a King to hold from and under them the forementioned calamities These a Type of the Elect Phil. IV. 3. Apoc. III. 5. and XVII 8. and by the spirit of burning By the fire of Gods zeale verse 4 chap. IX 7. rhe fire of his Spirit And the Lord will verse 5 c. A promise of Gods gracious presence among his people for their direction and protection after they are so washed and purged her assemblies for the solemne services of God Psal. XLVI 5. Zech. II. 5. a cloud As the Pillar was to the Israelites Exed XIII 21. a cloud by day and a fire by night Even the same Pillar Exod. XIV 19 20 24. all the glorie All Gods people Or rather all that glorious estate that God would advance his people unto as aforesaid should continue firme and stedfast unto them under his protection over-spreading every part of it and preserving it from all annoiance in any kinde Now will I sing chapter V verse 1 c. His third Sermon what could have been done more c Matth. verse 4 XXIII 37. and ch XI 21. more in regard of Ordinances and means offered and used more as a Vine-dresser more in this kinde and way by my Ministers and Labourers and Husbandmen more to leave them inexcusable Gods absolute power and will are not here questioned See Matth. III. verse 10 9. and ch XI 25 26. 1 Cor. III. 6 7. Rom. IX 16. one bath See the Observations on Gen. XVIII 6. an Homer See the Observations on Exod. XVI 36. the work of the Lord The judgements verse 12 either impendent or incumbent And the Lords hand in them are gone into captivity Or verse 13 are going It is as sure so to be as if it were done already So Jer. IX 1. and John III. 18. Hell The grave or any kinde of receptscle of mans dead body verse 14 Gen. XXXVII 35. Jonah II. 1 2. Mean man See the Annotations on Ch. verse 15 II. 9. Adam of base earth mighty man Ish. in judgement In his righteous judgements upon them verse 16 Then After the judgements threatened verse 17 are accordingly executed shall the Lambs Literaly Or rather the godly poore ones after their maner Freely and quietly as they had wont to do before their disturbance and expulsions by their great oppressors And this either in the time of the captivity when they were left in the land and the great ones carried away or upon their returne quietly enjoying their own lands and meanes againe whence by the injurious dealings of the mightier sort they had formerly beene ejected strangers eate As Chap. I. 7. Woe More wilde grapes verse 18 and vile fruits that Gods Vineyard brought forth And woes with them draw iniquity Toile and tire themselves with all their might to draw on iniquity to practise it Let him make speed That scoffe at his threatenings verse 19 jest at his judgements Therefore as the fire Gods judgements at the heeles of sinne verse 24 their carcases 2 Chron. verse 25 XXVIII 6. 120000 in one day And he will lift up verse 26 c. More and greater judgements should follow after those still more to the Nations The Assyrians in the time of Hezekiah Some stretch it to the Chaldeans in the time of Nebuchadnezzar slumber or sleep Be drowzie and sloathful verse 27 but vigilant and diligent girdle They shall not lay their armes aside but be alwayes ready for journey and march and action nor the latchets Nothing should befal them that might retard them in their march or hinder their expedition roare like young lions See the Annotations on Job IV. verse 29 10. By sundry similies and hyperbolees he sets forth the fiercenesse of the enemies and their armies and if one look The forlorne and perplexed condition of the Jewes verse 30 by the irruption of so fierce and powerful an enemie that cast they their eye which way soever they could downward or upward yet no hope of help or comfort should appear So again chap. VIII 21 22. in the closing up of this hideous prediction yeare that Uzziah died And the beginning of Jothams reigne chapter VI verse 1 Jotham had ruled some yeares in the life-time of Uzziah See the Annotations on Hos. I. 1. And the Observations on 2 Kings I. But this here is after Uzziah's death This is the fourth Vision or Sermon of Esay I saw the Lord One God in Trinity of persons as the Plural terme ver 8. go for us seemes to imply Esay saw him not in his Essence but in this visible module of glory here represented traine Of his robes filled the Temple The Throne then it seemes was in that high Portal of 120 Cubits high and the traine of his robes filled the Temple or the Sanctum flie Verse 6. verse 2 Dan. IX 21. one cried to another As by course singing out the praises of the Lord. verse 3 holy Thrice to denote the superlative eminencie of the Lords holinesse and likely the holinesse of his justice And the posts verse 4 c. The Temple doores and posts shaken and the body of the Temple filled with smoak Signes of Gods anger and indignation Psal. XVIII 8. at the voice of him that cried A loud and dreadful voice See Amos IX 1. woe is me As Hab. verse 5 III. 16. See the cause here and v. 7. within sixty five yeares From the fourth of Ahaz verse 8 to the four and twentieth of Manasseh wherein he was carried to Babylon by Esarhaddon 2 Chron. XXXIII 11. who withal swept away the remainder of those that Shalmaneser had left Ezra IV. 2. are 65. years and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's sonne Pekah verse 9 And he was slaine by Hoshea And Rezin by Shalmaneser both almost presently after 2 Kings XV. 30. and chap. XVI 9. See my observations on 2 Kings I. Ask thee a signe Seeing thou still remainest staggering and doubtful verse 11 for all this A great grace offered to a gracelesse man I will not ask Not as loath to tempt God verse 12 though he pretend that But because he beleeved nothing of that the Prophet spake and was resolved to go on another way contrary to the Prophets minde to seek help of the Assyrian and not to rely on God and his help O house of David Speaking as to him verse 13 so to his traine and attendants alike herein faulty as he was weary my God In distrusting him and me his messenger Therefore Or verse 14 Neverthelesse Though you are unworthy of it by your refusal a signe Such as never any was before it or since a Virgin This fell out in many ages after And so things to ensue afterwards are sometimes given for signes as chap. XXXVII 30. Exod. III. 12. Jer. XLIII 9 10. and LI. 63. By this signe God shewes that
to the Nations for them bring or send in the Israelies that are in captivity with them or sojourne among them This typicaly and chiefly relates to the calling home of the elect of them to Christ wheresover dispersed some at one time some at another and also the maine body of the residue in his own appointed season Acts II. 41. and IV. 4. and XXI 20. Rom. XI 5 25 26. 2 Cor. III. 16. The envie also of Ephraim That had beene between them verse 13 and Judah since the rent of the Kingdomes by Jeroboam the Ephraimite 1 Kings XII was to cease when united either to other in Christ Ezek XXXVII 16. Jer. III. 18. and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off In the time of the Messias the obstinate enemies of the Church of God shall by Christ be destroyed see chap. LX. 12. But they shall flie verse 14 c. They shall subdue these inveterate enemies the enemies of the spiritual Kingdome of Christ hereby typified the tongue of the Egyptian sea verse 15 The Prophet here promiseth from God a removal of all impediments that might hinder the Jewes in this their returne into their land This their returne shadowing out the reducing of people to the obedience of Christ and his spiritual Kingdome By this tongue there is meant the red-sea which is like a tongue the river Nilus in the seven streames By which as by so many mouths it emptieth it self into the Sea To make way for the Jewes returne from her into their own land The meaning is that no impediment or obstacle should be so great that might hinder those who were to be brought home to Christ and his Church out of all quarters but it should be removed an high way The same meaning for Assyria verse 16 as in the former verse for Egypt in that day chapter XII verse 1 Of thy returne home thou shalt say And sing these or the like Hymnes of Praise composed by the Prophet as set formes or as directories to them or both So 1 Chron. XVI 7 35 36. in that day A preface or passage into a new forme verse 4 another ditty and this in way of exhortation to others to do the like Babylon Here begin Prophecies chapter XIII verse 1 purposely against forreign States And first against Babylon that should be their principal enemy The Inscription of this Sermon is here in the first words Of Burden See Jer. XXIII 33 36. Of Babylon see my Observations on Dan. IV. 30. Of her Fall see Jer. L. and LI. And this seemes to be the seventh Sermon Lift ye up a banner To summon those that were to be imployed against Babylon verse 2 nobles The great Peeres of Babylon my sanctified ones Set apart to this service verse 3 ver 17. Jer. LI. 27 28. a far countrey Media and Persia. verse 5 whole land Of Chaldea Howle ye Babylonians their faces shall be as flames Lam. IV. verse 6 8. and V. 10. Ezek. XX. verse 8 47. Yet this here seemes to be for fear of evil yet to come See therefore that Jer. XXX 5 6. Joel II. 6. Nahum II. 10. Yet the Original word seemes to incline to the faces of Lybians or tawny-moores the stars All shall be so full of horror and terror verse 10 that the heavenly bodies may seem to have lost their light no glimps of comfort shall appeare Ophir See the Observations on 1 King verse 12 X. 11. shake the heavens I will cause them to be in such confusion and distraction verse 13 as if heaven it self were falling upon their heads and the earth moving or removing from under their feet And it shall be Babylon turne to his owne people Babylon shall be forsaken by her hired forces and confederates verse 14 found Medes and Persians Medes verse 15 Under the conduct of Cyrus and Darius verse 17 overthrew Sodom verse 19 This utter devastation of Babylon was not at once but began at the conquest of it by Cyrus and in the succeeding ages was consummated It shall never be inhabited Jer. LI. 26 verse 20. 22. 29 43. and her time is near to come Esay in vision seeth the judgements as if presently approaching or this may be taken as spoken to and for them that then should be living in the time of the captivity of the LXX years For the Lord The reason of the hastening of the destruction of Babylon chapter XIV verse 1 which is Gods mercie and compassion towards his people the deliverance of whom depended upon Babylons destruction strangers shall be joyned See the like ch 5. XLIV and LVI 3. and LX. 3. Esther VIII 17. Psal. XLVII 8 9. This partly accomplished at their returne from Babylon but more in the Kingdome of Christ by the Ministery of the Gospel possesse them These Proselites and Converts verse 2 take them captive c. Partly verified in the time of the Maccabees literaly but most of all spiritualy by the means and ministery of the Apostles and Preachers subduing them to the obedience of Christs Scepter this Proverb Or by-word verse 4 or taunting speech Here the Prophet continues the denunciation of the destruction of Babylon the King i. e. the Kingdome O Lucifer Meaning the Babylonian verse 12 the mount of the Congregation Mount Sion verse 13 or mount Moriah being in the North-side of Jerusalem 2 Chron. III. 1. Psal. XLVIII 2. that opened not the house of his prisoners But kept them LXX verse 17 years in captivity Prepare slaughter Esay speaks to the Medes and Persians verse 21. 23. 25. for the bitterne See chap. XIII 21 22. that I will break the Assyrian in my land Rather as in breaking the Assyrian in my land Sennacheribs overthrow it seemes was before this And it is brought in as an argument and example to prove that as God had done that one so he would as certainly do the other that is overthrow Babylon in its time In the yeare that King Ahaz died Here begins another Sermon verse 28 or Prophecie And might well be the beginning of another Chapter Chap. VI. did beare the date of the death of Uzziah This of the death of Ahaz Palestina Meaning here the Westerne part of Jury that was inhabited by the Philistines verse 29 Of the Philistines see my Annotations on Zech. IX 6. The Babylonians were the greatest enemies to the Jews farthest off The Philistines were their greatest enemies nearest at hand because the rod c. This is meant of King Uzziah who prevailed much in his wars against them 2 Chron. XXVI 6 7. But in Ahaz his reigne the state and strength of the Jews was much weakened whereat the Philistines did much rejoyce But Esay biddeth them not to be overjoyed for it should not last long a cockatrice Ezekiah 2 Kings XVIII 8. and his fruit shall be a fiery flying Serpent The Serpents fruit shoul be a cockatrice yea more then so a fiery flying Serpent And the first-borne of the poore The extremely poore verse 30 as
the words a Nation meting out and treading down arrogating so much to themselves and acting accordingly the rivers have spoiled The forces of the King of Assyria say some thus should spoile the land of the Ethiopians The others understanding here the land of the Assyrians conceive it here to be thus described by the rivers and the abundance and violence of them and their streams in it All ye inhabitants Esay calls all the world to observe verse 3 how remarkable and conspicuous Gods judgements and the execution of them by the Assyrians should be upon the Ethiopians say some Gods judgements upon and against the Assyrians say others And accordingly they apply what is set down in the 4 5 and 6. verses following the one for the Assyrian executing the judgement upon the Ethiopian the other for God executing his judgement upon the Assyrian asserting to himself the defence and security of his owne people In that time A prophecie of the Conversion of the Ethiopians to Christ verse 7 in the dayes of the Messias Acts VIII 27 39. As most hold shall the present be brought By the Ethiopians a present of their spiritual services Others expound it a present of the prey of Sennacheribs armie chap. XXXIII 23. consecrated to Gods service and in way of Thanksgiving to him Jer. LI. 44. of Egypt Of Egypt see the Observations on Gen. chapter XIX verse 1 XII 10. Of this burden of Egypt see likewise Jer. XLIII 10. and XLIV 30. and XLVI 2 13. Ezek. XXIX and XXX and XXXI 2 18. and XXXII swift cloud Swiftnesse for expedition cloud in an extraordinary manner for clouds are not ordinarily seen in Egypt Psal. CIV 3. a cruel Lord and a fierce King Which some understand of Sennacherib verse 4 some of Nebuchadnezzar some rather of one of their own Kings as namely Psammetichus who had beene a pettie King of one of the two Provinces into which Egypt had beene divided after the death of Sethon who had beene King of the whole Countrey before But this Psammetichus at last overpowering the rest made himselfe Lord of all Egypt and was the father of Nechoh who slew the good King Josias 2 Kings XXIII 29. See Herodotus lib. 2. Diodor. lib. 1. And the waters shall faile from the Sea This may imply the impeaching of their trade and traffick by Sea verse 5 and the river shall be wasted Nilus upon which the wealth and felicitie of Egypt did depend The miseries which should ensue upon the wasting and drying up of it are set downe in the five verses following of Zoan See Num. verse 11 XIII 22. Psal. LXXVIII 12. Land of Judah shall be a terror Judah's overthrow shall fright Egypt verse 17 left the like befall them and their own turne come next In that day five Cities A gracious prediction of the conversion of Egypt to God verse 18 and his service which principaly hath reference to the dayes of the Messias So againe Jer. XLVI 26. see the like comfortable closes chap. VI. 13. and XVII 7. and XVIII 7. and XXIII 17 18. one shall be called the Citie of destruction Or of Heres Or of the Sunne See the Observations on Josh. XIX 38. at the border thereof Alluding to that verse 19 Josh. XXII 10 24 25 27. a Saviour and a Great one Principaly the Lord Jesus verse 20 Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians Both serve the Lord. verse 23 And Israel be the third All three serve the Lord ver 24 25. In the yeare chapter XX The time when this Prophecie was delivered chapter I that Tartan One of the three that Sennacherib sent to Ezekiah 2 Kings XVIII 17. came to Ashdod Of Ashdod see the Annotations on Amos III. 9. When Sargon Of him see the Observations on 2 Kings XV. 19. and took it Some say in the twelfth year of Ezekiah some in the fourteenth some in the fourth But most likely about the eight or ninth year of Ezekiah after Shalmanezers decease And the Egyptians and Ethiopians coming to the relief of Ashdod were by the Assyrians defeated and carried captives in such scornful and despiteful manner as is described ver 4. the sackcloth Not here a mourning weed verse 2 but such an upper garment made of course and hairy stuff as the Prophets ordinarily were wont to weare 2 King I. 8. Zech. XIII 4. Mat. III 4. naked Not stark naked But stript of his Prophetical mantle As 1 Sam. XIX 24. Joh. XXI 7. Mic. I. 8. Act. XIX 16. As captives are wont to be led three yeares And well might the siege of Ashdod continue three yeares verse 3 as well as that of Samariah most likely the Prophet went so three dayes so fourty dayes for fourty years Num. XIV 33 34. Ezek IV. 4 5 6. upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia Judgements denounced upon them before severally upon Ethiopia Chap. XVIII upon Egypt Chap. XIX Here now upon them joyntly so shall The explication of the signe verse 4 It shall be so at the end of three yeares from the beginning of the siege of Ashdod And they shall be afraid both the Ashdodites verse 5 and Jews that relied so much upon their aid Isle See the Observations on Gen. X. 6. verse 6 of the desert of the sea chapter XXI verse 1 Another Sermon and prophecie against Babylon And so there are many Sermons against the Assyrians and also against the Egyptians by this Prophet Babylon and Caldea is here called the desert of the sea a desert because a large desert or wide Wildernesse lay between Caldea and Media or it self should be made so by the judgements ensuing Or the word here used signifieth a Plaine and in a plaine Babylon was built Gen. XI 2. And called a sea because of the great river Euphrates on the banks whereof Babylon was built and because of the vast lakes made out of the river And hence is Babylon said to sit upon many waters Jer. LI. 13. and ver 36. I will dry up the sea As whirlwindes such shall the violent irruptions be of the Medes and Persians breaking into Chaldea The treacherous dealer hath now his match verse 2 is now paid in his own coine Or the treacherous dealer dealing treacherously which some apply to the Chaldeans some to the Medes and Persians and the spoyler spoyleth Some apply only these words to the Medes and Persians O Elam The Persian all the sighing Wherewith Babylon made my people sigh Therefore loines Spoken in the person of the Babylonians verse 3 The night of my pleasure Even in their sestival night was Babylon taken by Cyrus Dan. verse 4 5. 1 30. hath he turned Though it were done about 170. years after This is an usual Prophetick phrase Prepare the table Most likely K. Belshazzars words verse 5 for the Feast and for the Watch. arise ye Princes Cyrus and Darius set a watchman Gods word to the Prophet verse 6 And that as if God willed him to stand as on a watch-tower to see what he
thus the denying Interrogative is equivalent to an affirming Enunciative The like may well be admitted Esay XLIX 5 6. And there are sundry Interrogatives found in Scripture where the Negative is suppressed as Job XX. 4. Gen. XXVII 36. 1 Sam. II. 27 28. 2 Sam. XXIII 19. Jer. III. 6. and XXXI 20. Ezek. XX. 30. Amos VI. 2. And the Masorets in like cases to this in Job do usualy adscribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him as their Keri in the margin And they use this liberty more in this one word then in any other in the Old Testament before him To plead his cause with confidence verse 16 as I am ready to do I have ordered my Cause He prepares for his trial before God verse 18 I am ready to plead justified For the various significations of this word see the Annotations here Only That he may have a fair trial verse 20 then I will go on in my plea. Then call thou He offers the choise to God verse 22 whether he will be Plaintif or Defendant such is his confidence and answer thou me This is too much for any man or creature to say to God Yet the extremity of his case brings him to this extremity How many Here begins his Plea verse 23 and continues to the end of the next Chapter Let me know my charge and condemn me not before I be heard wherefore If no heinous cause be alledged verse 24 break a leaf No honour to a Gyant to break and bruise an infant verse 25 a print upon Followest me step by step verse 27 not one step behinde me to mark my sinnes to plague me and prevent my escape woman In the Hebrew chapter XIV verse 1 hath her name from a man as the first woman had her nature also And doest thou Chap. VII 17 18. me into judgement with thee So great a God verse 3 to deale summo jure most rigorously with such a worme and wretch and not to pity him as if this were a maine thing that God looked at in his providence who can Why then am I thus singled out verse 4 Turne from him From plaguing him so sorely for sinne verse 6 as now thou doest me hope of a tree But an impossibility after mans death verse 7 to returne hither again to enjoy any comfort here and where is he No where among the living verse 10 As the waters As the flood fed by those waters then decayeth verse 11 So c. till the heavens be no more As now they are verse 12 but changed at the Resurrection shall he live again As chap. XV. 11. verse 14 and IV. 2. Gen. XVII 17. a wonder it is yet true Thou wilt have a desire Thus at that time it will appear verse 15 to Jobs comfort For now Job concludes in a passionate fit verse 16 That yet now God deals strictly and harshly with him and his sins the mountain The strongest creatures yeeld to thy power verse 18 Thou prevailest Applies it to man verse 20 and Gods prevailing power over him and his hopes his soul For the various acceptations of this word verse 22 See the Annotations here Then Here begins the second onset of Jobs three friends chapter XV verse 1 Wherein being angred likely by some harsh words of Job reflecting on them they do only lay load upun him as upon a wicked man drawing ill Conclusions from his Passionate Speeches and insisting upon it still That so many and great calamities as fell upon him befell to none but to ungodly men But they afford him not one Exhortation to Repentance or one comfortable promise as formerly they had done chap. V. 8 17. and chap. VIII 5 20 21. and chap. XI 13 19. And Job in his Replies the more sharply reproves them for their inhumanity and uncomfortablenesse towards him in his distressed condition which sad estate he still sets out copiously and that it ought to move them the more to pitie and commiseration He refels their false position whereupon they stood so much viz. the Prosperity of the Godly and the Punishment of the Wicked only and shewes That many times the wicked greatly flourish and the godly extremely suffer And he refutes the slanderous imputations fastened upon him by reason of the strange grievousnesse of his afflictions He asserts and defends his own innocencie and contends more eagerly for his integrity against hypocrisie then he did before He comforts himself in the certain hope of a glorious Resurrection hereafter and moves them to Repent of their ill and hard dealings against him and restrainest Prayer before God By thy ungodly speeches doest discourage men from Praying to God verse 4 that we know not See chap. XIII 2. verse 9 what is man Eliphaz doth but repeat the same argument which he used before verse 14 chap. IV. 17 18 19. And makes litle against Job who confesseth as much And yet Bildad useth it again chap. XXV 4 5. unto whom Unto which wise worthy men God gave a continuance of undisturbed prosperity verse 19 And therefore their sayings not to be sleighted The wicked Here follow those wise sentences verse 20 to the end of the Chapter The same in substance he had said before chapter IV. and V. But here are they more lively set forth and the number How long the Oppressor shall live He runneth upon him God sets fiercely on him verse 26 and his strongest armour dwelleth in desolate His luxury fore-runs his poverty verse 28 He shall not be rich nor prosper God will blast his endeavours for all his vaine confidence as he sheweth to the end of the chapter Though I speak Job acknowledgeth that all those things had chapter XVI verse 6 and do befall him which Eliphaz had said do befall wicked men and he instanceth in divers particular afflictions wherein and whereby he complaineth of his misery and the harsh and fierce dealings of God and his friends against him to verse 17. Yet denies himself to be an ungodly man and by arguments makes it good from verse 17. to the end of the chapter a surety Job would be glad of a Surety to be put in chapter XVII verse 3 to have some other and not his friends to hear him plead and maintain his cause astonied At this dealing of God with Job verse 8 stir up himself For me against the hypocrite to clear me and themselves from such men and make better use of mine afflictions as in the verse following my hope He was sailed past the Cape of good hope verse 15 for any worldly prosperity It shall lie down with him in the dust for thee Bildad bitterly reproves Job chapter XVIII verse 4 for contemning them and misbehaving himself the light of the wicked In a sharp and angry speech he laies out to the life the miseries of wicked men verse 5 in life in death and after death to the end of this chapter And so he doth but enlarge what he had said chap. VIII And seemes to imply
thereby that they had not charged Job unjustly seeing him lie under such judgements as God did not inflict but upon ungodly men And here he deals not with him by exhortation and promises as there he did but seemes also to imply and threaten these judgements to Job as unavoidable by him the first-borne of death The most terrible kinde of death verse 13 that carrieth the principality above all other kinds of death as the first-borne doth above all the brethren And yet death it self in what kinde soever is called in the next verse the King of terrors How long Here Job again blames his friends chapter XIX verse 2 ver 2 3. And be it By a fresh commemoration of his miseries verse 4 wherein he chargeth God still too heavily he moves them rather to a Compassion and Commiseration of him to verse 23. skin of my teeth Of my lips verse 20 or gums rather Oh that my words Fearing to finde little comfort in his friends verse 23 he betakes himself to God and comforts himself in an assured expectation of a joyful Resurrection But ye Job admonisheth his friends to be well advised of their ill dealing with him verse 28 and to fear Gods wrath seeing the root of right and Religion is in Job and will be found so in the end that the triumphing of the wicked is but short Being driven from that part of their argument chapter XX verse 5 That God did not use to give prosperity to wicked men Zophar now insisteth upon this That though it be so Yet their Prosperity is but for a moment or short and ruine and destruction shall befall them And this he pursues to the end of the chapter sweet in his mouth Zophar seemes to insist upon this similitude verse 12 to verse 23. bow of steele Of the Bow verse 24 see the Annotations on Zech. IX 13. and chap. X. 4. Here is mentioned a Bow of steele And so Psal. XVIII 34. such it seemes were in use Wherefore do the wicked live Job overthrowes Zophars assertion of the short prosperity of wicked men in this world chapter XXI and their sudden downfal verse 7 and shewes their flourishing estate in themselves ver 7. in their children ver 8. in their families ver 9. in their wealth ver 10. in their pleasures ver 11 12. in their life and death ver 13. yea though they were notoriously wicked men ver 14 15. yet their counsell and course is farre from Job ver 16. And he shewes that God doth oftentimes break off their prosperity and plagueth them verse 17 21. And that God deals both wayes thus diversly with them out of his unsearchable wisdome whereunto we cannot reach verse 22 26. He concludes with an application of the premises to his own case relating their false doome of him and his upon their false grounds ver 27 28. And refelling the same by the testimony of passengers themselves and their better judgement that many wicked men live and die prosperously and peaceably 29 33. Then Eliphaz Here begins the third Onset chapter XXII verse 1 by Eliphaz and Bildad only Wherein being convinced by Job of the falshood of their grand plea and position Eliphaz now doth charge him home with particular sinnes tells him the justification of himself and his righteousnesse cannot be profitable to God and Exhorts him to Repentance with Promises of Mercie chap. 22. And Bildad having little more to say Concludes with this That neither Job nor any man can be justified with God And therefore Job should not contend with God as if he had done him some wrong in afflicting him more then was fitting chap. 25. And Job in his Replies longeth yet to appear and plead before God in confidence of his mercie He asserts his innocency against Eliphaz and promiseth to himself an happy issue though for the present God do seeme to him inexorable He shewes that God often winketh at many grosse wickednesses committed by ungodly men which God punisheth not in this world but suffers them still to prosper and flourish chap. XXIII and XXIV And checking Bildads impertinencies He speaks more magnificently of God Power and Wisdom then Bildad had done chap. XXVI And seeing his three friends at a Non-Plus He goes on the more confidently to maintaine his Cause and clear his own innocencie against hypocrisie He acknowledgeth that Gods judgements light on ungodly men in this world and that their Blessings are turned into Curses though not alwayes chap. XXVII And this by Gods wonderful wisdome which passeth mans deepest wisdome and is unsearchable and carrieth things farre above the reach of the wisest men whose highest wisdome is to Fear the Lord chap. XXVIII And Job it seemes after some intermission of speech finding his friends still silent goes on And in his last speech bemoanes himself and excuseth his impatience by his great fall from so great prosperity chap. XXIX to so great misery chap. XXX And for conclusion He stands upon the clearing of his own integrity much more then before And that by a solemne Protestation of his uprightnesse and piety in sundry several duties without any grosse wickednesse committed by him chap. XXXI for fear of thee Lest thy wickednesse should hurt him verse 4 or thy fear of him and pietie could help him Is not He chargeth Job home and in particulars verse 5 But falsely old way Haply relating to the time of the Flood verse 15 By the purenesse of thine hands God will not only do good to thee verse 30 but to others also for thy sake but he is not there I cannot so see and finde him chapter XXIII verse 8 that I might reason with him in one minde To lay load on me verse 13 that is appointed for me In his infinite wisdom verse 14 and irresistible will he will not cease afflicting me till all be done cut off By death verse 17 Gods Executioner Why Why may not God hide his times of punishing the wicked chapter XXIV verse 1 even from the knowledge of the godly themselves that they could never observe that he punisheth many ungodly men according to their deeds in this world The wicked make ill use of this as thinking God sees not or cares not yet God Calls them not to account for their foolish sinful actions verse 12 the way of the Vineyards He walketh not in those wayes where men use to travel to their work verse 18 lest he should be seene and taken He evil intreateth The oppressor doth so in this verse 21 and in what followeth Yet some understand it of God and his judgements upon the wicked in this verse and in those also that follow eares of corne The not pronouncing this word rightly did cost so many Ephramites their lives verse 24 Judg. XII 6. peace in his high places chapter XXV verse 2 In and above the heavens No Angel doth or dare question or complain of his proceedings much lesse should Job How Job ironicaly taunts Bildad chapter XXVI verse