are manifest Gal. 5. Neither need wee half so much caution or curiositie to bee persuaded of our spiritual leprosie which is too too apparent onely those manie cerimonies as one well noteth may put us in minde how much more exquisite our diligence ought to bee in finding and ferreting out our special sins Ver. 10. And there bee quick raw flesh It is one of the most remarkable things in all this law saith a learned Divine that quick or sound flesh in the sore should bee judged leprosie and the man unclean whereas if the leprosie covered all his flesh hee was pronounced clean vers 13. Hereby 1. May bee meant such as justifie themselvs and their wickedness as Jonas did his anger whereas hee was judged himself is like him who had the leprosie all over and might bee declared clean Or 2. Such who sin against the light of knowledg and the quickning yea rawness of a galled conscience Ver. 12. And if a leprosie So called becaus so counted at first but it prove's no more then a kinde of scurf or scab Ver. 13. Hee shall pronounce him clean i. e. not infectiously or incurably unclean Ver. 14. But when raw flesh Becaus it shew'd that there were still corrupt and poisoned humors in the bodie not easie to bee expelled till death Ver. 15. It is a leprosie Properly so called a fretting soreness or scabbedness The Greeks call it Elephas or Elephantiasis when the skin grow's hard as the Elephant's skin This the Israëlites brought likely out of Aegypt for it was bred onely about Nilus and is therefore called the botch of Aegypt Deut. 28.27 Ver. 16. Turn again Viz. to bee white like the rest of the bodie so if a sinner stop or step back c. Ver. 18. Was a bile and is healed Seemed to bee healed as apostates to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 and to have known the waie of righteousness vers 21. and yet the later end is wors with them then the begining They becom altogether filthie Psalm 53.3 Forsakers of the Covenant yea wicked doers against the Covenant Dan. 11.30 32. These sin not common sins as Core and his companie died not common deaths Ver. 22. And if it spread much abroad So if sin reign there is no pardon rebel it may reign it must not Ver. 23. But if the bright spot staie Sin if it reign not is not imputed for wee are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6.12 14. Ver. 25. A leprosie broken out of the burning Seldom do passions burn but there is a leprosie breaking out of that burning such as causseth the climate where such lepers live to be like the torrid Zone too hot for anie to live neer them Ver. 30. A yellow thin hair Which is a true sign of a skall Ver. 34. Hee shall wash his clothes See the Note on ver 6. Ver. 35. After his cleansing See the Note on ver 18. Ver. 37. Black hair A sign of soundness Quod sanitas in corpore id sanctitas in corde saith Bernard Ver 39. A freckled spot Or white-morphew This made not a man unclean no more do meer infirmities make God abhor us Ver. 44. His plague is in his head Such a leper is everie ignorant man how much more the man that is an heretick whom therefore after the first and second admonition wee must reject Titus 3.10 yea from such stand off 1 Tim. 6.5 Keep aloof as from lepers Purchas Pilgr their verie breath is infectious and like the dogs of Congo they bite though they bark not Ver. 45. His clothes shall bee rent To shew his sorrow for sin the caus of his calamitie And his head bare That men might not mistake him and further to shew his humilitie whereof this also was a cerimonie A covering upon his upper lip His Moucbaches that by his breath hee might not insect others and to shew that God will not hear a good motion from an ill mouth Vnclean unclean Saie wee the same in our humblest acknowledgments but withall add that of the leper in the Gospel Yet Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee clean Ver. 46. Without the Camp And that utterly if incurable as Vzzias A livelie type of Excommunication which the Apostle describeth 2 Cor. 5.11 12. and our Saviour Mat. 18.17 Ver. 47. The garment also A plague not anie where els read or heard of beeing nothing like clothes now-adaies infected with the plague but far more strange and dangerous whether it did spread or fret inward the garment was to bee burnt with fire This signified that all instruments of idolatrie or of anie other sin are to bee destroied and made awaie As the Law commandeth The graven images of their gods shall yee burn with fire Deut. 7.25 26. And Jude alludeth to it when hee biddeth us save som with fear pulling them out of the fire bating even the garment spotted by the flesh Jude 23. See Isa 30.22 Acts 19.19 Justiciaries also shall one daie finde that though to the worldward they wash themselvs with snow-water and make their hands never so clean yet God will plunge them in the ditch and their own clothes shall make them to bee abhorred Job 9.30 31. CHAP. XIIII Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses ANd to Aaron also though not here mentioned as hee is vers 33. Ver. 2. Hee shall bee brought unto the Priest To teach us to go to Jesus Christ the high-Priest of our profession who healeth all our diseases Psalm 103.3 He cured the leprosie to others altogether incurable by a touch of his hand onely Mark 1.41 Yea hee sent his word and healed them Psalm 107.20 and so hee doth the souls of sinners that com unto him Ver. 3. If the plague of leprosie bee healed As it was in Simon the leper that entertained Christ Jealousie Phrensie and Heresie are counted incurable diseases not so leprosie though the most carried it to their death as Gehazi Azariah c. Ver. 4. Command to take That the leper might shew his thankfulness to Jehovah his Physician as hee is called Exod. 15.26 See Mat. 8.4 Men praie and paie Physicians of their bodies who yet do but officiosè occidere manie times And shall God have nothing Must hee ask as once Where are the other nine Shall wee not turn again with Naaman now cleansed and offer our service renounce our idols dedicate all wee are and have to the God of Israël Two birds Or sparrows whereof two were sold for a farthing to shew how lightly set by Christ is in the world whose blood nevertheless is more worth then a thousand worlds Ver. 5. Over running water Heb. Living water Life consist's in motion in action hence waters that spring and run are for their continual motion called living waters O Lord saith Hezekiah By these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit Isa 38.16 Ver. 6. That was killed over
horror Cicer. orst pro Ros Amer. For assuredly a body is not so tormented with stings or torne with stripes as a minde with remembrance of wicked actions Vers 13. My punishment is greater then I can bear Or Mine iniquity is greater then can be forgiven In either sense he sins exceedingly and worse perhaps then in slaying his brother whether he murmur against Gods justice or despair of his mercy Mine iniquity is greater c. Mentiris Cain saith a Father Cain did not say so because it was so But it was so because he said so Despair is Satans master-piece it carries men head-long to hell as the Devils did the herd of Swine into the deep Act. Mon fol. 1908. Gellus in dialog secundo Chimaericâ— witness Guarlacus Bomelius Latomus of Lovain Johannes de Canis our English Hubertus a covetous Oppressor who made this will I yield my goods to the King my body to the grave my soul to the devil Vers 14. From the face of the earth That is of this earth this countrey my Fathers family which in the next words he calls Gods face the place of his publike worship from the which Cain was here justly excommunicated And surely Saint Judes wo will light heavy upon all such as going in the way of Cain and not willing to hear of their wicked ways do wilfully absent themselves from the powerful preaching of the Word They that will not hear the Word shall hear the Rod Mic. 6.9 Yea a sword shall peirce thorow their souls as it did Cains here in whom was fulfiled that of Eliphaz Job 15.21 22. A dreadful sound was in his ears lest in his prosperity the destroyer should come upon him He beleeved not that he should return out of darkness and he is waited for of the sword Every one that findes me Petron. shall slay me Quà m male est extra legem viventibus quicquid meruerunt semper expectant Fat Swine cry hideously if but touched or medled with as knowing they ow their life to them that will take it Tiberius felt the remorse of conscience so violent that he protested to the Senate that he suffered death daily Tacitus Whereupon Tacitus makes this good note Tandèm facinora flagitia in supplicium vertuntur As every body hath its shadow appertaining to it so hath every sin its punishment And although they escape the lash of the Law yet vengeance will not suffer them to live Acts 28.4 as the Barbariâ—â—â— rashly censured Saint Paul to live quietly at least Richard the third after the murther of his two innocent Nephews had fearful dreams and visions insomuch that he did often leap out of his bed in the dark and catching his sword which alway naked Daniels Chron. continued by Trussel 249. stuck by his side he would go distractedly about the chamber every where seeking to finde out the cause of his own occasioned disquiet Polydor Virgil thus writes of his dream that night before Bosworth-field where he was slain that he thought that all the devils in hell pulled and haled him in most hideous and ugly shapes and concludes of it at last I do not think it was so much his dream as his evil conscience that bred those terrors It is as proper for sin to raise fears in the soul as for rotten flesh and wood to breed worms That worm that never dyes is bred here in the froth of filthy lusts and slagitious courses and lyes gnawing and grubbing upon mens inwards many times in the ruffe of all their jollity This makes Saul call for aminstrell Belshazzar for his carrousing cups Cain for his workmen to build him a City others for other of the Devills anodynes to put by the pangs of their wounded spirits and throbbing consciences Thuan. lib. 57. Charles the ninth after the massacre of France could never endure to be awakened in the night without musick or some like diversion he became as terrible to himself as formerly he had been to others But above all I pity the loss of their souls who serve themselves as the Jesuite in Lancashire followed by one that found his glove with a desire to restore it him M. Wards Sermons But pursued inwardly with a guilty conscience he leaps over a hedge plunges into a Marle-pit behinde it unseen and unthought of wherein he was drowned Vers 15. The Lord set a mark c. Some say it was the letter Tau others some letter of Jehovah probably it was the perpetuall trembling of his hands Totum Cedreni opus est stabulum quisquiliarum c. Scalig. and whole body the very sight whereof made people pity him till at length he was slain say some by his nephew Lamech Cedrenus tells us if we may believe him that Cain took his death by the fall of a house in the year of the world 931. the next year after the death of his father Adam But however he dyed sure it is he had but an ill life of it He was marked ' Ne semel morte defungerctur sed ut atatem totam moriendo exigeret Philo. saith Philo but to his misery he might not be killed by any that he might every day be dying having a hell in his conscience and standing in fear of every man he met with He that would not harken to God so sweetly inciting and enticing him to doe well Lactan. Instit vers 7. hath now Pavor and Pallor for his gods as Lactantius reporteth of Tullius Hostilius who had prophanely derided the devotions of his predecessour Numa as here Cain had done his brother Abels Vers 16. And Cain went out from the presence c. But whiter could he goe from Gods Spirit or whither could he flye from his presence Psal 139.7 â—bi est Deus quid dixi miser sed ubi non est Bern. Act. 17. Coloss 1.17 From the presence of his power he could not for Entèr praesenter Deus hic ubique potentè God is not very far from any one of us saith St. Paul Not so far surely as the bark is from the tree for all things consist in him so that a wicked man cannot wag hand or foot without his privity But it was the presence of his grace and use of his Ordinances that this wretch fled from as did likewise Jonas in that as wise as he so going out of the grace of God into the warm sun as we say Jon. 1.3 God fetcht Jonas home again by weeping cross Jon. 2.8 and made him feelingly acknowledge for it had like to have cost him a choaking that they that observe lying vanities as he had done forsake their owne mercies But Cain seated himself in the land of Nod and there fell to building and planting in contempt as it is thought of the divine doom denounced against him Sigon or rather to drown the noise of his conscience as the old Italians were wont to do the noise of the heavens
die in a ditch CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. After the death THat others might bee warned Lege historiam ne fias historia saith one When they offered before the Lord A little strange sire might seem a small matter in the eies of indifferencie and yet it was such a sin as made all Israël guiltie as appear's by the sacrifices offered for that sin set down in this Chapter Ver. 2. That hee com not at all times Whensoever hee pleaseth but when I appoint him i.e. once a year onely Exodus 30.10 and then also with reverence and godlie fear God as hee lov's to bee acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience so hee tak's â—â—ate upon him in his ordinances and will bee trembled at in his judgments Ver. 3. For a sin-offering viz. For himself and his familie ver 6. and 11. See the Note on Chap. 14.3 Ver. 4. Therefore shall hee wash As wee must bee alwaies holie so then most when wee present our selvs to the holie eies of our Creätor We wash our hands everie daie but when wee are to sit with som great person wee scour them with bals See vers 24. Ver. 5. Two kids of the goats Both of them types of Christ who though hee died not for wicked goats yet hee seemed rejected of God and was reckoned among malefactors Isa 53. Ver. 6 And for his hous Whereof a Minister must bee mainly carefull 1 Tim. 3.4 lest as Augustus doing justice on others hee bee hit in the teeth with his own disordered familie Aaron had lately smarted in his two eldest Ver. 8. Shall cast lots To shew that nothing was don for us by Christ but what God's hand and his counsel had determined Acts 4.28 1 Pet. 1.20 See the Note For the scape goat Which beeing a piacular or purging oblation carried the peoples curs with it as did likewise those Obominales among the Grecians who from this custom of the Hebrews borrowed their yearlie expiation of their cities the manner whereof somwhat like unto this See in the Note on 1 Cor. 4.13 Ver. 9. The goat A type of Christ's mortal humanitie saie som as the scape-goat of his immortal deïtie Or the one of his death the other of his resurrection Others are of opinion that hereby was signified that the Deïtie of Christ dwelling in light inaccessible gave to his humanitie sufficient strength for the induring of those things which no other creature could have com near for the full expiating of our sins So hee telleth the Jews first and after his disciples Where I shall bee you cannot com Ver. 22. Ver. 11. An attonement for himself That having first made his own peace hee may be in case to attone for the people This was David's method Psal 25. 51. Ver. 12. And bring it within the veil So to prepare the waie into the holie place This incens smal-beaten might figure Christ in his Agonie praying more earnestly before hee entred with his own blood into the most holie place of heaven Ver. 13. May cover the mercie-seat And so bee as a skreen betwixt the Priest and those everlasting burnings or as a cloud to darken the glorie of their shining for the high-priest's safetie Ver. 14. Vpon the mercie-seat eastward This and the following verses signifie saith one that even heaven it self is defiled unto us by our sins until it bee made clean by the blood and obedience of Christ who is entred thither not by the blood of goats and calvs but by his own blood and thereby hath purified the heavenlie things themselvs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.12 23. Ver. 16. In the midst of their uncleanness Which did cleav to the Tabernacle as the sins of spiritual Babylon are said to bee glewed to heaven Revel 18.5 Ver. 17. And there shall bee no man Christ will have no partner and hee need 's no co-adjutor Heb. 7.25 Isa 63.3 Ver. 18. And hee shall go unto the Altar This signified saith one that everie Church-assemblie is acceptable to God onely through the blood of Christ by the remission of all their sins Ver. 21. All their transgressions in all their sins i.e. In their several circumstances and aggravations laying open how manie transgressions were wrapped up in their several sins This was to bring out their sins as they took the vessels of the temple Ezra 8.34 by number and by weight Ver. 22. Shall let go the goat The Hebrews saie that hee was to throw it down the rock and so it died The Grecians had a like custom in their solemn expiations of their cities They tumbled the persons devoted from som rock into the sea Suidas Aemulus Dei diabolus sacrificing them to Neptune saying Bee thou a propitiation for us Ver. 24. Hee shall wash his flesh See what this taught them and us Heb. 10.22 That Epistle to the Hebrews is an excellent Commentarie upon this book of Leviticus Ver. 26. Shall wash his clothes To shew 1. That it was for our sins that Christ suffered 2. That all that partake of his benefits must wash their hearts from wickedness Jer. 4.14 2 Cor. 5.15 and 7.1 Ver. 29. Yee shall afflict your souls With voluntarie sorrows for your sins as David did Psal 35.13 and Daniel Cha. 10.3 12. and so dispose your selvs to obtein pardon and reconciliation The Lord's Supper is with us a daie of attonement at which time both the Scape-goat was let go and affliction of soul was called for This Passover must bee eaten with sour herbs Ver. 31. It shall bee a Sabbath of rest An exact and caresull rest such as is described Isa 58.13 which place of the Prophet som understand of this daie of attonement and yearlie fast spoken of in the begining of that Chapter Ver. 33. For the holie Sanctuarie For all the sins of your holie services it beeing the manner that either make's or mar's an action Ver 34. For all their sins once a year For whereas in their private sacrifices they durst not confess their capital sins for fear of death due to them by the Law God gratiously provided and instituted this yearlie Sacrifice of attonement for the sins of the whole people without particular acknowledgment of anie CHAP. XVII Ver. 2. This is the thing which the Lord WHo must bee readily obeied without tergiversation or sciscitation Ver. 3. What man soever Whether Israëlite or proselyte Vers 8. unless by special dispensation from the Law-giver as 1 Sam. 7.9 and 11.15 2 Sam. 24.18 1 Kings 18.22 and then they were to offer upon altars of earth or rough stone that might bee soon and easily thrown down Exodus 20.24 25. Ver. 4. And bringeth it not unto the door To teach that in the Church alone and by Christ alone that is by faith in him acceptable service can bee performed to God Christ is the door of the sheep Iohn 10.7 9. by whom wee com to the Father Iob. 14.6 and may everie where list up pure hands without wrath
young Gentlemen at once Ver. 3. To defile my Sanctuarie Great sins do greatly pollute See Lev. 18.21 Ver. 5. I will set my face against that man See the reason Ezek. 16.20 21. Is this of thy whoredomâ— a small matter that thou hast slain my children and delivered them to pass thorough the fire for them This was an enraging sin such as God is absolute in threatning and will bee as resolute in punishing Ver. 6. I will cut him off Nemo cum serpente securus ludit Chrysolog Serm. 155. nemo cum diabolo jocatur impuné Ver. 7. For I am the Lord your God And God that is holie should bee sanctified in righteousness Isa 5.16 Ver. 8. I am the Lord that sanctifie you Vt acti agatis that yee may trade with your talents sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and lives and walk up to your principles Ver. 9. For everie one that curseth See the Note on Mat. 15.4 and on Exod. 21.17 Ver. 10. Shall surely bee put to death Adulterie was death long before this Law Gen. 26.11 and 38.24 So it was afterwards among the Greeks Romans and manie other Nations Jer. 29.22 23. Ver. 15. Yee shall slaie the beast Though innocent this shew's the hainousness of the sin See Chap. 18.9 Ver. 17. And see her nakedness In the Pope's war against the Albigenses those antient French Protestants when the Bishops had taken a great Town yielded to them they commanded the inhabitants both men and women to depart stark naked Jesuita vapulans p. 331. Partibus illis quae honestè nominari non possunt sanctorum illorum cruciatorum oculis expositis saith Rivet not suffering them to hide from the impure eies of those Pope holie fathers those parts that nature would have covered David that had faulted in looking lustfully on bathing Bathshedba praie's hard after hee had smarted for it Turn away mine eies from beholding vanitie Ovid. c. _____ Cur aliquid vidi cur noxia lumina feci _____ See Hab. 2.15 Of looking com's lusting especially when they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Apostle's word 2 Cor. 4.14 so look as the archer at the mark Ver. 21. They shall bee childeless Either barren or bereft for this is a sin saith Iob that root 's out all a man's increas Chap. 31.12 Hence that of Hosea They shall commit whoredom velo iipparedu they shall not increas Pered is a mule which is a beast verie libidinous but begetting nothing Solomon had manie concubines yet but one son and two daughters So had our Henrie 8. Hee had uncovered his brother's nakedness and was well-nigh childless by her Afterwards hee married manie wives and was blame-worthie for women but left no more children then Solomon did More happie hee was in them then Solomon for hee had Rehoboam a man neither wise nor fortunate as they call it his daughters but obscure and both of them subjects But Henrie had a Peerless Prince to his son viz. Edward 6. and his two daughters were both Soveraigns of an imperial Crown Ver. 24. Separated you With a wonderfull separation such as was that of light from darkness at the Creätion Ver. 25. Between clean beasts How much more then shall you abstein from those unlawfull copulations whereby men put off all manhood degenerate into dogs Rom. 1.27 Deut. 23.18 2 Sam. 3.8 Ver. 27. That hath a familiar spirit As Paracelsus had one confined to the pummel of his sword or els Erastus belie's him CHAP. XXI Ver. 1. There shall none bee defiled for the dead THis holie abstinence of the Priests in matter of mourning marriage c. figured the transscendent holiness of Christ The divels could call him that holie One of God Mark 1.24 It taught also both Ministers and people who are a Kingdom of Priests 1. Well to govern their passions and to bee paterns of patience 2. Ever to keep such a Sabbath of Spirit that by no dead works or persons dead in trespasses and sins they bee hindered in the discharge of the duties of either calling Ver. 2. And for his brother The high-priest might not for anie of these ver 10 11. nor might Eleazar and Ithamar for their dead brethren Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.6 becaus in that case mourning might have seemed murmuring Ver. 3. And for his sister What and not for his wife Yes surely though shee bee not mentioned becaus shee is nearer then either daughter or sister See Ezek. 24.16 hee was a Priest but that was an exempt case an exception from what was ordinarily don Ver. 4. Beeing a chief man A vir gregis all whose actions were exemplarie and have not an impulsive onely but a compulsive power and propertie Gal. 2.14 Why compellest thou the Gentiles His example was a compulsion Ver. 5. They shall not make baldness c. So Chap. 19.27 Howbeit in humiliation for sin the Lord God of hosts called them all both Priests and people to weeping and mourning Jeel 2.17 yea to baldness and sackcloth Isa 22.12 Here wee cannot easily over-do Ver. 6. They shall bee holie Heb. Holiness i.e. all holie even as holiness it self meerly spiritual Not prophane the Name of their God Not do anie thing unworthie the majestie of the Ministerie but suffer the dead to burie their dead Mat. 8.22 Ver. 7. They shall not take a wife Lest his function bee disgraced That which Hosea was commanded to do against this prohibition Chap. 1.2 was but visional Or prophane defloured ravished Put away from her husband Becaus of evil report Ver. 8. Thou shalt sanctifie him i. e. Thou Moses shalt command him to bee sanctified as Exod. 19.10 Ver. 9. Shee shall bee burnt with fire A peculiar plague to shew the hatefulness of the sin Ver. 10. Shall not uncover his head So neither doth the Mufti among the Turks nor the Pope of Rome uncover to anie man but this is their pride and stateliness Ver. 11. Nor defiâ—e himself But appear impassionate as it were and more than a man Ver. 12. For the crown of the anointing Noting thereby that Christ now risen is crowned with glorie and honor Heb. 2.7 Zach. 6.12 and so shall wee with him Heb. 2.9 10.1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. Ver. 13. In her virginitie Such is Christ's wife 2 Cor. 11.2 Revel 14.4 Mat. 25. not giving her love or his worship to anie other Ver. 14. Of his own people A Jewess of anie Tribe Ezek. 44.22 2 Chron. 22.11 Ver. 15. Prophane his seed Disable them for the Priesthood by marrying such a wife as was forbidden him Ver. 17. That hath anie blemish Christ was without blemish so should all the Saints bee but especially Ministers of whom it should bee said as of Absalom that from top to toe there was no blemish in him 2 Sam 14.25 Ver. 18. Hee shall not approach Lest his Ministerie bee sleighted for his personal defects and deformities how much more for his ignorance envie indirect aims uneven walking injudiciousness unheavenlie
away well mounted till overtaken by hue and cry he is apprehended sentenced and executed Your sin will find you out as a blood-hound et patientia Dei erga impios quò diuturnior Hioron in Jerem. eò minacior Morae dispendium foenoris duplo pensatur the longer God forbeareth the heavier he punisheth Vers 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence The Hebrew word for vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies comfort also for God will be comforted in the execution of his wrath Ezek. 5.13 See the Note on Chap. 28.63 He shew such severity sometimes as if he had blotted that out of his title Exod. 34.6 and now took up that Emperours Motto Fiat justitia pereat mundus Their foot shall slide in due time They are set in slippery places Psal 73.18 they ever walk as upon a mine of gun powder ready to be blown up Nemo crimen gerit in Pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo Nemesis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods wrath is such as none can avert or avoid Vers 36. And repent himself for his servants Thus God mingleth and allayeth the rigour of his justice with the vigour of his mercy Vers 37. And he shall say i. e. He shall upbraid them with the inability of their idols to do for them Vers 39. I even I am he I is emphatical and exclusive Vers 41. If I whet my glittering sword God first whets before he smites and first takes hold on judgement before his judgments take hold on men Est piger ad poenas ad proemia velox See the like Psal 7.12 God was but six dayes in making the whole world yet was he seven dayes in destroying that one city of Iericho as Chrysostome observeth Fury is not in me Esay 27.4 As a bee stings not till provoked so God punisheth not till there be no other remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Vers 43. Rejoyce O ye Nations Give God the glory of his just severity which is no less commendable in a Judge then seasonable clemency Vers 47. For it is not a vain thing Gods favour is no empty favour it is not like the Winter-Sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little comfort and heat CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1. BEfore his death The words of dying men are living oracles they should therefore be pious and ponderous Vers 2. Went a fiery law for them This fire wherein the law was given and shall be required is still in it and will never out hence are those terrours which it slasheth in every conscience that hath felt remorse of sin Every mans heart is a Sinai and resembles to him both heaven and hell The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law Vers 3. Yea he loved the people With a general love with a common Philanthropie But the love of God in Christ is that we must all labour after such a love as doth better for a man then restore him to sight or raise him when bowed down Psal 146.8 Are in thy hand And so in a safe hand Ioh. 10.29 And they sate down at thy feet As attentive and tractable Disciples See Act. 22.3 Luk. 10.39 2 King 2.5 Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master from thy head A phrase taken from their manner of sitting at the feet of their Teachers Vers 4. Moses commanded us a law These are the words of those Saints above-mentioned expressing their good affection to the law and to Moses by whose mediation they received it Even the inheritance For perpetual use to us and our posterity Indeed the law lyes not upon the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.9 nor urgeth them as it doth upon the wicked To those the law is as chains and shackles to those as girdles and garters which gird up their loyns and expedite their course the better It confines them to live in that element where they would live as if one should be confined to paradise where he would be though there were no such law Vers 5. And he was King in Jesharu◠An herrick King raigning by vertue and justice only not by force and violence One that said not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I can do but This is fit for me to do When the heads of the people and the tribes Here was a government made up of King Lords and Commons The best of governments doubtless so that the boam be kept right betwixt Soveraignty and subjection The contention now again flagrant in England between Prince and people about command and obedience ceased not till the Magna Charta first obtained of King John after of his son Henry 3. though observed truly of neither was in the maturity of a judicial Prince Edward the first freely ratified after fourscore years Vers 6. Let Reuben live and not dye Let him have a nail and a name in Gods house notwithstanding the hainousness of his sin and the severity of Iacobs sentence Gen. 49.4 See the Note there Vers 7. And this is the blessing Simeon is not mentioned but implyed in Iudah's blessing in the midst of whose inheritance lay his portion Josh 19.1 Besides that tribe was exceedingly defiled with fornication spiritual and corporal and by that means much decayed and diminished Numb 26.14 Hear Lord the voyce of Judah Putting thy promises Gen. 8.9 10 11. into suit by his prayers and pressing thee for a performance Vers 8. Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim Sincerity of life and soundness of doctrine See the Note on Exod. 28.30 There is great cause That Ministers of all men should be much pray'd for Vers 9. Who said unto his father In that heroical fact Ezod 32.26 29. Not to be wryed or biassed by respect to carnal friends is a high and hard point of self-denial Mark was Barnabas his sisters son hence he stood so stiffe for him against Paul his faithfull fellow-traveller Act. 15.37 Colos 4.10 Moses to please Zipporah displeased God and it went hard with him Exod. 4.24 Eli was too indulgent to his wicked sons and so perhaps was Samuel too 1 Sam. 8.1 3. Vers 10. They shall teach Jacob Apt and able to teach must all Ministers be as Paul Act. 20. Praedicationis officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit saith Gregory Hee 's no Minister that 's no teacher Aidanus the first Bishop of Durham Anno Dom. 636. neglected no duty of a good Pastour travelling up and down the country even on foot Godw. Catalog to preach the Gospell giving whatsoever he could get unto the poor and by the example of his own vertues instructing as well as by word and doctrine Amongst the Greeks Tragedians and Comedians were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour in teaching the people What should Ministers then do They shall put incense before thee i.e. Pray for the people as well as preach to them So Act
raising of his Son Christ Eph. 1.19 to raise us from the death of sin and of carnall Esa 51.16 to make us a people created againe Psal 102.18 Doth he not plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth that he may say to Zion thou art my people Empty man would be wise saith Zophar Job 11.12 though man be born like a wild asse colt Mans heart is a meer emptiness a very Tohu vabohu as void of matter to maâ—e him a new creature of as the hollow of a tree is of heart of oake God therefore creates in his people cleane hearts Psal 50.10 and as in the first creation so in the new creature the first day as it were God works light of knowledge the second day the firmament of faith the third day seas and trees that is repentant tears and worthy fruits the fourth day Lightf Miscel the Sun joyning light and heat together heat of zeale with light of knowledge the fifth day fishes to play and foules to flye so to live and rejoyce in a sea of troubles and flye heaven-ward by prayer and contemplation The sixt day God makes beasts and man yea of a wild asse-colt a man in Christ with whom old things are past all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 4. And to whom besides that they are all taught of God the very beasts Esa 1.2 and birds Jer. 8.7 doe read a Divinity Lecture Aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the foules of the ayre they shall tell thee Anton. Eremita ap Aug. lib. 1. de doctr Christ Niceph. l. 8. c. 40 Clem. Alex. Job 12.8 The whole world is nothing else saith One but God expressed so that we cannot plead ignorance for all are or may be book learned in the creature This is the Shepherds Callender the Plowmans Alphabet we may run and read in this great book which hath three leaves Heaven Earth Sea A bruitish man knows not neither doth a foole understand this Psal 9 29. They stand gazing and gaping on the outside of things onely but asknot Who is their Father their Creator Like little children which when they finde a Picture in their booke they gaze and make sport with it but never consider it Either their mindes are like a clocke that is over wound above the ordinary pitch and so stands still their thoughts are amazed for a time they are like a blocke thinking nothing at all Esa 40.28 or else they think Atheistically that all comes by nature but hast thou not known saith the Prophet hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator c. or at best as the common passenger looks onely at the hand of the Diall to see what of the clock it is but takes no notice of the clock-work within the wheels and poises and various turnings and windings in the work so it is here with the man that is no more then a meer naturall 1 Cor. 2.15 But he that is spirituall discerneth all things he entreth into the clock-house as it were and views every motion beginning at the great wheel and ending in the least and last that is moved He studies the glory of God revealed in this great book of Nature and prayseth his power wisdome goodness c. And for that in these things He cannot order his speech because of darkness Job 37.38 39. he begs of God a larger heart and better language and cryes out continually with David Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things And blessed be his glorious name for ever and eâ—er and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Plal. 72.18 19. Verse 26. And God said Let us make man Man is the master-peece of Gods handy-work Sun Moon and Stars are but the workâ— of his fingers Psal 8.3 but man the work of his hands Psal 1â— 9.14 He is cura divini ingenii made by counsell at first Let us make c. and his body which is but the souls sheath Dan. 7.15 Animae vagina is still curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in the womb Psal 139.15 with Eph. 4.9 as curious workmen when they have some choice peece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at Thine bands have mude me or took speciall pains about me and fashioned me saith Job Thou hast formed me by the book saith David Psal 139.16 Job 10.8 yea emâ—roidered me with nerves veyns and variety of limbs miracles enough saith One betwixt head and foot to fill a Volume Man saith a Heathen is the bold attempt of daring nature the faire workmanship of a wise Artificer saith another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trismegist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xâ—noph Miraculorum omnium maximum Stoici Gal. lib. 3. de usu partium Lib. 11. 1â— The greatest of all miracles saith a third And surely should a man be born into the world but once in a hundred years all the world would run to see the wonder Sed miracula assiduitate vilescunt Galen that prophane man was forced upon the description of man and the parts of his body only to sing a hymn to the Creator whom yet he knew not I make here saith he a true hymn in the honour of our Maker whose service I beleeve verily consisteth not in the sacrificing of Hecatombs or in burning great heaps of Frankinsence before him but in acknowledging the greatness of his wisdome power and goodness and in making the same known to others c. And in another place Now is he saith Gallen which looking but only upon the skin of a thing wondreth not of the cunning at the Creator Yet notwithstanding he dissembleth not that he had tryed by all means to find some reason of the composing of living creatures and that he would rather have fathered the doing thereof upon Nature then upon the very Authour of Nature Lib. 15. And in the end concludeth thus I confesse that I know not what the soule is though I have sought very narrowly for it Favorinus the Philosopher Nibil in terra magnum prater bominâ—m nibil in homine praeter mentem Fav ap Gel. was wont to say The greatest thing in this world is Man and the greatest thing in man is his soule It is an abridgement of the invisible world as the Body is of the visible Hence man is called by the Hebrewes Gnolam haktaton and by the Greeks Microcosmus A little world And it was a witty essay of him who stiled woman the second Edition of the Epitome of the whole world The soule is set in the body of them both as a little god in this little world as Jehovah is a great God in the great world Whence Proclus the Philosopher could say that the
got a manchilde of the Lord she called him Cain a possession as David did Absolom his Fathers peace But Fallitur augurio spes bona sape suo Excellently Saint Gregory Ante partum liberi sunt onerosi in partu dolorosi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post partum laboriosi And he shall rule over thee Yet not with rigor She must though to her grief and regret be subject to all her husbands lawful both commands and restraints But he must carry himself as a man of knowledg towards her and make her yoke as easie as may be It is remarkable Colos 3.19 That when the Apostle had bid Wives submit to your own husbands c. He doth not say Husbands rule over your wives for that they will do fast enough without biding but husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them Vers 17. Because thou hast hearkned to the voyce of thy wife Our English Historian relating the deadly difference that fell out betwixt those two noble Seymours the Lord Protector Sir Johu Heywood in the life of K. Edw. 6. p. 84. and the Admiral his Brother in Edward the sixt time thorough the instigation of their ambitious wives passionately cryes out O wives The most sweet poyson the most desired evil in the world c. Woman was first given to man for a Comforter saith he not for a Counsellor much less a controller and director And therefore in the first sentence against man this cause is expressed Because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wife c. Cursed is the ground for thy sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arvuum ab Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Greeks and Latines borrow their words for ground of the Hebrew word that signifieth cursed The curse of emptiness and unsatisfyingness lyes upon it that no man hath enough though never so much of it The curse also of barrenness or unprofitable fruits whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 The whole earth and the works therein 2 Pet. 3.10 shall be burnt up It was never beautiful nor chearful since Adams fall At this day it lyes bed-rid waiting for the coming of the Son of God that it may be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8.20 Vers 18. Thorns also and thisties Vbi veritas dixit quod terra homini spinas tribulos germinaret subintelligendum fuit ait Petrareha rusticos tribulis omnibus asperiores Petrarch de remed ver fort Dial. 59. Judg. 8 7-16 The Clowns of Midian drove Jethroes daughters from the water they had drawn Rudeness hath no respect either to sex or condition Those Churls of Succoth were worthily threshed with thorns of the Wilderness and with bryars and thereby taught better manners Thou shalt eat the herb of the field And no longer feed on these pleasant fruits of Paradise which by thy sin thou hast forfeited Thus man is driven from his dainty and delicate dyet to eat husks with hogs as the Prodigal or at least grass with the Ox as Nebuchadnezzar and be glad of it too as our Ancestours who though they fed not at first on acorns as the Poets fable Hiâ—c holus quisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if they could get a dish of good green herbs they held themselves as well provided for as if they had all Verse 19. Picherellus in Cosmâ—p In the sweat of thy face Or of thy nose as One rendreth it that sweat that beginning in thy brow runs down by thy nose through thy hard labour This is a law laid upon all sorts to sweat out a poor living to humble themselves by just labour to sweat either their brows or their brains for this latter also is a sore occupation Eccles 1.13 and the Ministers toyl is compared to that of those that cleave wood or work hard in harvest 1 Thess 3.5 Math. 10.1 â— 1 Cor. 9.14 See my true â—â—ealure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shalt thou eat bread Not herbs onely as vers 18. And here take notice of an elegant gradation together with a mercifull mitigation of mans misery Thou shalt eat earth ver 17. herbs vers 18. and now here Thou shalt eat bread that stay and staffe of mans life under his hard labour Panem dictum volunt à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor 1.20 Vntill thou returne unto the ground O earth earth earth bearâ— the word of the Lord i.e. Earth by creation Earth by corruption Earth by resolution This is the end of all men and the living should lay it to heart Jâ—â— 22.29 In this third of Genesis we find Mans Exodus This is the first text of mortality and all comments yea all dead corpses concur to the exposition of it Etiam mutâ— clâ—mant cadavâ—â—a Basil For dust thou art Think on this and be proud if thou canst We were created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now we live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Agapetus Had we so sweet a generation as that little creature Scaliger speaks of Exercit ad ad Cardan that is bred in sugar we might have had some ground of boasting but now we may sprinkle the dust of humility on our heads as the Ancients used to do in token that they had deserved to be as far under as now they were above ground And to dust thou shalt return By this limitation God restrains mans death here threatned to that earthy part of him his body The forest death is when a man dyes in his sins as those Jewes did Joh. 8.21 better dye in a ditch a fair deal when he is killed with death as Jesabels children Rev. 2.23 this is the second death The condemned person comes out of a dark prison and goes to the place of execution so do many from the womb to the tomb nay to that tormenting Tophet to the which death is but a trap-door to give them entrance Verse 20. And Adam caâ—â—ed his wives name Eve That is Life or Living Not per antiphraesim as some would have it much less out of pride and stomack in contempt of the divine sentence denounced against them both that they should surely dye as Rupertus would have it but because she was to be mother of all living whether a naturall or a spirituall life and likewise for a testimony of his faith in and thankfulness for that lively and life-giving oracle vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mother of all living Have we not all as one father Mal. 3.10 so one mother did we not all tumble in a belly why do we then deale treacherously every man against his brother ib. This one consideration should charm down our rising and boyling spirits one against another as it did Abrahams Gen. 13 8. Verse 21. Coats of skins and clothed them God put them in leather when yet there was better means of cloathing to humble them doubtless and draw them to
repentance Whether God created these skins anew or took them off the backs of sheep and goats killed for sacrifice to mind man of his mortality and mortification it much matters not Our first parents who even after the fall were the goodliest creatures that ever lived went no better cloathed no more did those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.37 And surely The dogs that kept Vulcanâ— temple would tear those that came in tattered cloâ—thes Hospinian howsoever our condition and calling afford us better array and the vulgar like a Bohemian cur fawn upon every good suit purpuram magis quam Deum colunt yet we must take heed that pride creep not into our cloaths those ensignes of our sin and shame sith our fineness is our filthiness our neatness our nastiness It is a sure sign of a base minde though in high place to think he can make himself great with any thing that is lesse then himself and win more credit by his garments then his graces St. Peter teacheth women who many of them are too much addicted to over much fineness to garnish themselves not with gay cloathes but with a meek and quiet spirit as Sarah did and not as those mincing dames 1 Vestium curiositas deformitatis mentium morum indicium est Bernard Pet. 3.3 4. whose pride the Prophet inveighs against as punctually as if he had viewed the Ladies wardrobes in Jerusalem Esa 3. Rich apparell are but fine covers of the foulest shame The worst is Natures garment the best but follies garnish How blessed a Nation were we if every silken suit did cover a sanctified soul or if we would look upon out cloathes as our first parents did as love-tokens from God Nam cum charissinia semper Munera sunt Author quae pretiosa facit How could they but see it to be a singular favour that God with own hands should cloath them though he had cast them out of Paradise for their nurture a visible Sacrament of his invisible love and grace concerning their soules in covering their sins and so interresting them into true blessedness Psal 32 1 2. Verse 22. The man is bâ—come as one of us A holy irrisionof mans vain affectation of the Deity Quod Deus loquitur cum risu tu lâ—gas cum fleâ—u Aug. de Gen. ad â—â—eram 1.11 c. 3â— Howbeit St. Aug. is of opinion that God speaks thus not by way of insulting over Adam but deterring others from such proud attempts Discite justitiam moniti c. And take also of the tree of life And so think to elude the sentence of death pronounced upon him by God which yet he could not have done had he eaten up tree and all He should but have added to his sin and judgement by abuse of this Sacrament which would have sealed up life unto him had he held his integrity Multi etiam hodie propter arborem scientiae amittunt arborem vitae Aug. In terris manducant quod apudinferos digerunt Verse 23. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth He gently dismissed him as the word signifies placed him over against Paradise in the sight thereof as Stella observeth out of the Septuagint that Stella in Luc. 7 by often beholding the sorrow of his sin might be increased Iisdem quibuâ— videmus â—culis flemus Lam. 3. 2 Cor. 2.7.11 that his eye might affect his heart Yet lest he should be swallowed up of over much sorrow and so Satan get an advantage of him for God is not ignorant of his devices Christ the promised seed was by his voluntary banishment to bring back all beleevers to their heavenly home to bear them by his Angels into Abrahams bosome and to give them to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Rev. 2.7 Our whole life here is nothing else but a banishment That we like it no worse is because we never knew better They that were born in hell saith the Proverb think there 's no other heaven The poor posterity of a banished Prince take their mean condition well-aworth Moses counts Egypt where yet he was but a sojourner his home and in reference to it calls his son born in Midian Gershom that is a stranger there Oh how should we breath after our heavenly home Aâ—â— Paradisi Gesner groaning within our selves like those birds of Paradise Naturalists speak of stretching forth the neck as the Apostles word importeth waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. Rom. 8.23 glorifying God mean-while with our spirits and bodies devouring all difficulties donec à spe ad speciem transeamus till Christ who is gone to prepare a place for us returne and say This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Verse 24. So he drove out the man The Hebrews say God led Adam gently by the hand till he came to the porch of Paradise and then thrust him out violently who hungback and plaid loth to depart That he went out unwillingly as I wonder not so that he should strive with God about his going out I believe not This garden planted meerly for his pleasure and all the benefits created for his use and service in six dayes he lost in six houres say some in nine say others the same day he was made say All almost What cause then have all his sinfull posterity to distrust themselves And how little cause had that blasphemous Pope to set his mouth against heaven Juâ—ius 3. when being in a great rage at his Steward for a cold Peacock not brought to table according to his appointment and desired by one of his Cardinals not to be so much moved at a matter of so small moment he answered If God were so angry for an apple that he cast our first parents out of Paradise for the same why may not I being his Vicar be angry then for a Peacock sith it is a greater matter then an apple Act. Mon. fol. 1417. Is not this that mouth of the Beast that speaketh great things and blasphemies Rev. 13.5 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. I have gotten a man from the Lord OR that famous Man the Lord as if she had brought forth the Man Christ Jesus These were verba spei non rei for Cain was of that wicked one the Devill 1 Joh. 3.12 as all reprobates are 1 Joh. 3.10 Cain the Authour of the City of the World saith Augustine is born first and called Cain that is a possession because he buildeth a City is given to the cares and pomp of the world and persecutes his brother that was chosen out of the world But Abel the Authour of the City of God Aug. de civit Dâ—i l. 15. c. 1. is born second called Vanity because he saw the worlds vanity and is therefore driven out of the world by an untimely death so early came martyrdome into the world the
Cavete ab hoc quem natura notavit is but a gold ring in a Swines snout as Solomon hath it or ornamentum in luto as another so it was in Alcibiades for a man and in Aurelia Orestilla for a woman yet surely where they meet they make a happy conjunction and draw all hearts to them as in Germanicus for a man in whom beauty and vertue strove for precedency and Artaxerxes Longimanus the son of Esther who is said to have been of all men the most beautifull and most bountifull So in Esther for a woman who obtained favour in the sight of all that looked upon her Esth 2.15 And Aspasia Milesia the wife of Cyrus who deserved to be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fair and Wise as Aelian relateth As on the other side in Vatinius deformity of body strove with dishonesty of minde adeo ut animus ejus dignissimo domicilio inclusus videretur saith Paterculus Vers 12. Therefore it shall come to passe c. Note here saith Pererius the raging affection of the Egyptians that made no conscience of murther to enjoy their lust 2. Their blindness that made less account of murther then adultery Note again saith Piscator that beauty exposeth a body to the danger of dishonesty and that as the Poet hath it Lis est cum formâ magna pudicitiae Let those therefore that have beauty look to their chastity and possesse their vessels in holiness and honour Thesaurum cum virgo tuum vas fictile servet Vt caveas quae sunt noxia tuta time Filthiness in a woman is most abominable therefore is a Whore called a strange woman Vers 13. Say I pray thee thou art my sister The truth was here not onely concealed but dissembled As the Moon hath her specks so the best have their blemishes A Sheep may slip into a slough as soon as a Swine and an Apple-tree may have a fit of barrenness as well as a Crab-tree Vers 14. The Egyptians beheld the woman Pleasure is blamed in Xenophon for this that she ever and anon looketh back upon her own shadow Decet haberâ— oculos continenter maâ—â—â— linguam and giveth her eyes leave to rove and range without restraint An honest man saith Plautus should have continent eyes hands and tongue Nihil enim interest quibus membris cinoedi sitis posterioribus an prioribus said Archelaus the Philosopher to a wanton yonker The eye that light of all the members is an ornament to the whole body And yet that lightsome part of the body draweth too too oft the whole soul into darkness Job 31.1 This Job knew and therefore made a Covenant to look to his looks â—â—th of looking came luâ—â—ing Charles the fifth when the City of Antwerp thought to gratifie him in a Mask Job Mauliâ— loc Com. p. 34â— Saepe claufit senestram nâ— inspicâ—râ—t formosiores â—â—â—miâ—â—â— c. De Carolo 5. Pâ—reuâ— hist pres medul pag. â—08 Matth. 5.28 29 with the sight of certain fair Maids brought in before him almost naked he would not once look at them The young Lord Harrington when he should meet with fair women in the streets or elsewhere would usually pull his hat over his eyes as knowing that of our Saviour He that looks upon a woman to lust after her c. whereupon immediately follows If thine eye offend thee c. Eckius was sharply rebuked at a feast by a modest matrone for his uncivill glances and carriages in these words as Melancthon relateth Es tu doctor Joh. Manlii loc com p. 32â— Non existimo te in honesta familia sed in lupanari educatum Thou a Doctour I do not believe thou wast bred any where else but in a brothel-house See the Notes on Chap. 6. Vers 2. Vers 15. The Princes also of Pharaoh c. Flattering Courtiers please Princes humours and serve their delights though to the procuring of their plagues as here and in young King Joash If a ruler hearken to lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod l. 3. saith Solomon all his servants are wicked Prov. 29.12 Aulicisunt instar spâ—â—uli saith One. And Mirifica est sympâ—thia saith another inter magnates parasitâ—s Herâ—dorus writeth that when Cambyses demanded of his Courtiers and Counsellours whether it were not lawfull for him to marry his own sister whom he greatly desired they answered That they found no law to license such a match but another law they found that the King of Persia might do what he would And the woman was taken into Pharaohs house Not for any worse purpose then to get her good will to become his wife Vers 16. And he entreated Aâ—ram well for her sake To the end that he might sollicite his sister to yeeld consent or might not be a back-friend at least out of displeasure because they had taken away his sister from him to the Court. So K. Hen. 8. advanced all Anne Bullens kindred c. Vers 17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh Plagued him with plagues saith the Hebrew tormented him with torments or set him on the rack saith the Greek And for this he might thank his Court-parasites who put him upon this rape Chrysostome thinketh that Sarah was abed with the King and that in the bed God by his plague so restrained him that she remained untoucht But we cannot gather by the text that he intended to commit adultery sed quòd levitate vaga libidine peccavit but offended onely in going after the sight of his eyes a and lust of his heart as Solomon hath it Vers 18. What is this that thou hast done unto me God had reproved Pharaoh according to that Psal 105.14 He suffered no man to doe them wrong but reproved Kings for them and now Pharaoh reproves Abraham It is a sad thing that Saints should do that for which they should justly fall under the reproofe of the wicked we should rather dazle their eyes and draw from their consciences at least a testimony of our innocency as David did from Sauls when he said Thou art more righteous then I my son David Whose oxe have I taken saith Samuel And which of you can condemne me of sin saith Christ Now the life of a Christian should be a Commentary upon Christs life 1 Pet. 2. Ye are a holy nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a peculiar people that ye should preach forth his vertues and not hang his picture his image and graces in a dark hole but in a conspicuous place Bucer so lived that neither could his friends sufficiently praise him nor his foes justly blame him for any miscarriage Act Mon. And Bradford was had in so great reverence and admiration for his holiness that a multitude which never knew him but by fame Ibid. 1458. greatly lamented his death yea and a number also of Papists themselves wished heartily his life But to have Egyptians jear us and that for sin is threatned as a
Samuel thought it had been God that called to him and not Eli he would not have slept but fallen on his face before the Lord as Abram here who was no novice but knew well that though God loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience yet he takes state upon him in his Ordinances and will be trembled at in his word and judgements Vers 4. As for me Ego ecce An abrupt speech to shew what haste God made to comfort and confirm Abram now fallen at his feet Thou shalt be a father of many nations The Israelites Ismaelites Edomites Keturites c. besides all Beleevers Gal. 3.28 29. Vers 5. Neither shall thy name any more c. This is reckoned for an high favour by those holy Levites Neh. 9.7 The Jews say that for honours sake God inserted one of the letters of his own incommunicable name Jehovah into the name of Abram now Abraham Sure it is that by stiling himselfe the God of Abraham he doth him more honour then if he had ingraven the word Abraham upon the firmament or in the clouds in letters of gold Vers 6. I will make thee exceeding fruitfull Heb. Foecundabo te valdè valdè And as oft as thou thinkest upon thy new name thou shalt remember my promise and rest assured of my performance See how God of his grace condescends unto us and accommodates us Vers 7. For an ever lasting Covenant Circumcision the outward sign of it was temporary and changeable into baptisme but the Covenant of grace thereby then and by baptisme now sealed up unto us is eternall being stablished and ratified by the death of the Testatour by the blood of the Arch-shepherd Heb. 13.20 Here it must be considered that there is a twofold Covenant 1. Single such as God makes with children when baptized viz. If ye will repent believe and walk with me ye shall be saved Now if they break the condition God is freed D. Preston of Gods Attrib he is not bound any further 2. Double such as God â—â—kes with his elect onely and that is to perform both parts sc If you will beleeve repent obey ye shall be saved And further I will give you a new heart so that you shall repent beleeve c. and be saved Thus God undertakes for both parts and so it becomes an everlasting Covenant such as hath the sure or unfailable mercies of David And here those that are thus in Double-Covenant with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fitly compared to them that are gone in at a Church-door some are further in then others but yet all are in So though the weak in faith be not so forward yet they may be in though not so far in And to thy seed after thee See the Note on the next Verse Vers 8. All the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession And yet now for their inexpiable guilt in putting to death the Lord of life they are utterly dispossessed of that pleasant land In Jerusalem it self there are not to be found a hundred housholds of Jews Adriâ—â— the Emperour drove them utterly out of Jewry Breerewood and commanded them by proclamation not so much as to look toward it from any Tower or high-mountain Yea long before this the Lord for their wickedness counted them but usurpers Funceiuâ— and called them sojourners in that land Ezek. 20.38 and 11.15 If men forfeit their priviledges God may at his pleasure take the forfeiture and dis-priviledge them as he did Saul and Judas who by transgression fell from his office that he might go to his own place Act. 1.25 I will be their God This is a singular comfort for all beleeving parents Their greatest care is for their poor little ones what they shall do another day why cast them upon God their God as well as thine for is not he in Covenant with them too It would be a great stay of minde if God should say to us for our children as David said to Mephibosheth or to Barzillai for his son Chimham Chimham shall go with me and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee and whatsoever thou shalt require of me that I will do for thee Behold God saith all this and more to us 2 Sam. 19.38 when he saith I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee I remember a sweet passage of Mr. Saunders the Martyr in a Letter to his wise Act. Mon. 1364. Though we do shortly depart hence and leave our poor Infant to our seeming at all adventures yet shall he have our gracious God to be his God For so hath he said and he cannot lye I will be thy God and of thy seed Yea if you leave him in the Wilderness destiâ—uâ—e of all helps being called of God to do his will either to die for the confession of Christ or any work of obedience that God which heard the cry of the little poor Infant of Hagar and did succor it will do the like to the children of you or any other fearing him and trusting in him Vers 9. Thou shalt keep my Covenant This is the stipulation on Abrahams part by receiving the Sacrament of Circumcision to avouch God to be his God Deut. 26.17 Now to the making the Lord to be our God it is required that with highest estimations most vigorous affections and utmost endeavors we bestow our selves upon him Thus if we chuse God for our God Psal 73.25 We shall be assured that he hath chosen and avouched us for his people 1 John 4.19 Vers 10. Every man-childe amongst you Infants were circumcised to signifie that we had better be flayed and have our skin quite stripped off then to have it as a skin-bottle hanging in the smoke of filthy desires and blown full of unclean motions with the breath of Satan That wretched Renegado that betrayed the Rhodes was well served For his promised wife and portion were presented but the Turk told him that he would not have a Christian to be his son in law Spec. bol sac p. 157. but he must be a Mussle-man that is a beleeving Turk within and without And therefore he caused his baptized skin as he called it to be fleyed off and him to be cast in a bed strawed with Salt that he might get a new skin and so he should be his son-in-law But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and torment Vers 11. It shall be a token of the Covenant It seals up nothing then to those that are not in Covenant Circumcision to such is but as a seal to a blank Unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 Circumcision of it self avails nothing if the heart be uncircumcised The Apostle distinguisheth of Circumcision Colos 2.11 and tells us that the true Circumcision is made without hands and is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom.
Deut. 23.18 The price of a dog that is of a buggerer saith Juâ—ius and Deodatus on that Text. And Am I a dog saith Abuer that is 2 Sam. 3.8 so given as dogs be to lust Vers 7. Do not so wickedly They were the first that fell into this foul sin and were therefore worthily hanged up in gibbets by God for a terror to others and besides they suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Iude 7. The Pope pretends to be Christs Vicar and presumes to assume the title of Holiness But how far he is from expressing God to the World appears by his if not commiting yet conniving at this detestable sin of Sodomy To speak no more of that debauched villain Johannes a Casa that Printed a Poem in commendation of this wickedness Act. Mon. 417. Caesar Bâ—rgis buggerd a grave Bishop by force Ignat. concl 58. Heyl. Geog. pag 2â—3 being at the same time Dean of the Popes Chamber and Bishop of Beneventum One Petro Alvegi Faruesis committed an unspeakable violence on the person of Cosmus Chaerius Bishop of Fanum and then poysoned him For which execrable action he received no other chastisement of his father Pope Paul the third then Haec vitia me non commonstratore didicit He never learned these tricks of his father But whom did the Cardinal of Saint Lucia learn it of Jâ—cob Revius de vis Pontif. To whom and his whole family Pope Sixtus quartus permited by license the free use of this filâ—hiness for the three hotter moâ—eths of the year June July and August with that Apostilla of his Fiat ut petitur Lupanar etiam utriusque veneris Romae 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 119. saith Agrippa In the time of Pope Nicolas the second when Priests marriage was termed the heresie of the Nicolaitans Invaâ—â—â—s â—â—â—â—â—mentèr Sodomiticum scelâ—â— saith mine Author Sodomy was held no sin as at this day it is not among the Turks Blounts Veyage p. 79. In 〈◊〉 and those parts Whoredom and Sodomy those Spanish verâ—uâ—s are common without reproof The Popes pardons being more rife there then in any part of Europe for these filthinesses whereout he sucketh no small advantage Notwithstanding the Indians abhor this most loathsom living The World encompassed by Sir Fr. Drake p. 58. shewing themselves in respect of the Spaniards as the Scythians did in respect of the Grecians whom they so far excelled in life and behavior as they were short of them in learning and knowledg God hath delivered up these Pagans as he did those Pagans Rom. 1. to reprobate sense to vile affections to dishonor their own bodies between themselves for that they have worshipped and served the creature more then the Creator Vers 24 25 26. Hence it is that Rome is called Sodom in the Revelation Revel 11.8 Vers 8. Behold now I have two daughters This was an inconsiderate motion such as the best mindes easily yield when once troubled It was proper to the Lord Christ to be subject to natural passions and perturbations yet without sin as a Chrystal Glass full of clear water remains still pure howsoever it be shaken The Hebrews think That for this sinful offering to prostitute his daughters he was given up by God to commit incest with his daughters Vers 9. Stand back c. They set up the bristles at Lots admonition a sure fore-runner of destruction as in Elies sons Vers 10. But the men Thus Lot is rescued at a dead lift that 's Gods opportunity who knows how c. 2 Peter 2. vers 9. Vers 11. With blindness Subite scotomate saith Junius With blindness both of body and minde saith Aben-Ezra Such as tormented their eyes as if they had been pricked with thorns as the Hebrew word signifies And yet they continue groping for the door as if they were ambitious of destruction which now was at next door by Dous quem destruit dementat So Pharaoh when under that palpable three days darkness rageth against God and threatneth Moses with death Though doomsday should be to morrow next wicked men must and will serve their lusts Vale lumen amicum said Theotimus in St. Ambrose who chose rather to lose his sight then his sin Vers 12. Hast thou here any c. It is something for safety to be Lots Kinsman So the Kenites in Sauls time receive life from Jethro's dust many ages after his death 1 Sam. 15.6 and favor from his hospitality Vers 13. For we will destroy this place Even the good Angels are Gods executioners And the first execution they did in the world that we read of was upon these filthy Sodomites So will it be likely at the last day And Saint Peter seems to say as much 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord reserves the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness Mark that chiefly Vers 14. But he seemed as one that mocked Sed fuit habitus tanquam joâ—abundus Graceless hearts jear when they should fear and are senceless and secure as if they were out of the reach of Gods rod and needed not to fear his wrath Ridetur cum suo Jehoua sed risus impiorum est Sardonius Par. Lot here is counted but a Lob of his own sons in law Wonder not if we meet with the same measure Vers 15. Left thou be consumed So Revel 18.4 Come out of her that ye receive not of her plagues Musculiruiâ—is imminâ—ntibus pramigrant aranei cum telis primicadunt saith Pliny Plin. lib 8. cap 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag Swine live home afore a storm Vers 16. And while he lingred Or distracted himself with much business which David did not Psal 119 60. The Lord being merciful unto him What is he then to us in delivering us from the â—â—â—th to come 1 Thes 1.10 Acts 2.40 Why save we not our selves from this unto ward generation Why see we not his mercy to us in our losses and crosses His hand laying hold on us when he takes away that that may hinder us from Heaven Vers 17. Look not behinde thee As loth to depart Non minùs difficultèr à deliciis Sudemorum abstrabimur quà m canis ab uncto coriâ— Vers 18. Oâ— not so my Lord But who shall prescribe to the Almighty Or limit the holy One of Israel Are we wiser then he Have we a trick beyâ—nd him He lets us sometimes have our way but to our wo at last Vers 19. Behold now thy servant c. We can receive and commend Gods favors but be backward enough to obey him Vers 20. Is it not a little one Let no man use this plea for his sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 1. Even the Philosopher tells us That the smallest errors prove many times most dangerous It is as much treason to coyn pence as bigger peeces Vers 21. I will not overthrow this City Zoar of all the five Cities was
and oxen c. Gen. 12.16 But what shall we say to that example of the Apostles Luke 22.24 Amongst whom there was a strife who should be accounted the greatest And this was not the first but the third time they had thus offended by ambition and ever after our Saviour had discoursed unto them of his Cross But this last time most absurdly and unseasonably after that he had foretold his Passion to follow within two days had taught them that he was anoynted by the woman against the day of his burial had administred to them the Sacrament that Seal of Mutual Love had washed their Feet to teach them Humility and Charity c. Oh the incredible perverseness of corrupt Nature How strongly do the best still smell of the old cask taste of the old stock though ingrafted into Christ and though poured from vessel to vessel And this have ye done again saith the Lord Mal. 2.13 John 5.14 A great aggravation as numbers added to numbers are first ten times more and then a hundred and then a thousand Psal 78.40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness and grieve him in the desart A regenerate man may fall into the same sin again that he hath truly repented of Nor can we define how oft and into how hainous but surely not oft into the same that is hainous and scandalous That 's a graceless person that hath eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sin 2 Peter 2.19 An enemy to God that goeth on in his trespasses Psal 68.21 It is expresly noted of Judah Gen. 38.26 that he knew Tamar again no more And Abimelech King of Gerar A fit name for a King and a common name to the Kings of this Countrey It signifies Father-King I was a father to the poor saith Job Job 29.16 And Kings shall be nursing fathers to the Church saith Isaiah Isai 49.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. Ibiâ— in vita Bucholc in Indice Chronol Orbis amor deliciae Corculum appel latut est Tusc quast l. 1. Parei Medul Hist proâ—an p. 482. Augustus was stiled ' Pater Patriae And Trajan gloried most in his title Optimus He desired more to be loved then honored and counted it a greater dignity Prodesse quà m praeesse He tare his own Garment to binde up therewith the wounds of his Souldiers and professed That he would so carry himself to private persons now that he was Emperor as he wished when he was a private man that the Emperors should carry themselves toward him Titus for his sweet nature and carriage was called the Worlds darling Scipio the Cities Sweet-heart Julian the Apostate as he came not short of the greatest Philosophers for learning so neither of Titus for Lenity of Antoninus for Clemency of M. Aurelius for Moderation setting aside his Satanical hatred of Christian Religion Queen Elisabeth ever accounted Devotion and Mercy Camd. Elis 494. the brightest Stars in the Sphere of Majesty She always thought it more fit to offend a man then to hate him saith Master Camden In the yeer 1579. a young man discharged a peece out of a Boat and shot one of the Barge-men in the Queens Barge where she was then through both his arms who was soon apprehended and led to the Gallows for a terror to him But whereas he religiously affirmed That he did it unwittingly and thought no hurt he was discharged Idem ibid. fol. 205. The Queen many times saying That she could beleeve nothing of her people that Parents would not beleeve of their children This made her so beloved at home and admired abroad Queen Elisabeth was the most glorious and happy woman that ever ware a Crown said that thrice Noble princess Anna Atestina Thuan. hist lib. 129. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. the Mother of the Dukes of Guise and Nemours as Thuanus hath Recorded it Her Subjects were ready to say to Her as the Senate said to Severus All is well with us so long as thou rulest well over us Vers 3. And God came to Abimelech in a dream Dreams are either natural or supernatural Natural dreams are not much to be regarded Eccles 5.7 Diviners and Dreamers we are forbid to hearken to Jere. 27.9 Cicero confutes them that do in his Books de Divinatione Somnia ne cures nam mens buâ—aâ—a quod optat c. That use there is of them is in Physick to discern our temperatures in Divinity our beloved sins Supernatural dreams are sent by God and his Angels and that either to comfort us as Matth. 2.19 or to chasten us Job 7.13 14. And these are first usually repeated till they are regarded as Pharaohs and young Samuels dreams Secondly they do much affect us and leave a certain perswasion an inward sence of Gods presence in the soul as Daniels Josephs and Pareus his dreams In the Calends of April saith he in his domestical Diary or Day-Book 1618. I had a terrible dream at four of the clock in the morning Vidi Heidelbergam totam occulto incendio undiquaque fumigantem c. Philip. Par. in vita Davidis Parei operib ejus praefina For me thought I saw all Heidelberg on a thick smoke but the Prince his Pallace all on a light fire O Deus clementissime averte sinistrum omen serva Sareptam tuam a vastatione hostium intùs foris Thus that good man dream't and thus he pray'd but the decree was passed and shortly after executed according to his dream There are also dreams diabolical Eusebius tells us that Simon Magus had his dream-haunting Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his familiars by whom he deluded men in their dreams and drew them into the admiration of himself These devilish dreams are either meer illusions as that of Eliphaz is thought to be no better Job 4.12 16 17. Marbury of Repent Or else they tend to sin as nocturnall pollutions and other evill dreams whereby the devill sometimes fasteneth that sin upon the Saints when asleep that he cannot prevail with them to commit whiles awake As for Pilats wives dream some Divines think it was from the devill seeking thereby to hinder the work of our Redemption For she is a mans wife Adultery even in Kings is punishable by death Emperors and Popes have been cut off by the just hand of God in and for this filthy sin Society and the purity of posterity could not otherwise continue amongst men if this crime were not capitall Moritur Pauluâ— 4. nimto Veneris usu c. Valentinian Imp. Heyl. Geog. At Geneva they punish fornication with nine dayes fasting Adultery with death God appointed that such should be stoned He stoneth them howsoever with the stone in the heart Hos 4.11 Prov. 7.22 Hetfer the Anabaptist was put to death for this sin at Constance He being a learned man and a Preacher insinuated himself into the familiarity of many women of good ranke and repute and defiled
the battlements of the walls of the City c. The Souldiers of Pelopidas were no less excessive when for grief of his death they would neither unbridle their horses nor untie their armor nor dress their wounds Something here may be yeelded to nature nothing to impatiency Immoderate sorrow for losses past hope of recovery is more sullen then usefull Our stomach may be bewrayed by it not our wisdome The Egyptians mourned seventy dayes for Jacob Joseph who had more cause but withall more grace mourned but twenty dayes Mark 5.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Iam. â— 1 God flatly forbad his people those heathenish customes of shaving their heads and cutting their flesh Lev. 21. intoken of mourning for the dead We read in the Gospel of minstrels and people making a noise at the terming-house as they call it Matth. 9.23 And the Jews that were comforting Mary Perinde ac 〈◊〉 intercute laberantes salsamenta comederent Cartwr when they saw her rise up hastily and go forth followed her saying She goeth unto the grave to weep there Joh. 11.31 Such customes it seems they had in those dayes amongst them to provoke themselves to weeping and lamentation which was saith One as if they that have the dropsie should eat salt meats How much better Father Abraham here who came indeed from his own tent to Sarahs to mourn for her as good reason he had but exceeded not as the Jews think is signified by that one letter less then ordinary in the Hebrew word for weep Libcothah used here in the text Baal-turim gives but a bald reason of it parùm flevit erat enim vetula Abraham wept not much for her she being but an old-wife and past her best Buxtorfe gives a better pâ—tiùs quià luctus ejus fuit moderatus And therefore also in the next verse it is said that he stood up from before his dead where in likelyhood he had sitten a while on the earth as was the manner of mourners to do Job 2.12 13. Esa 47.1 to take order for her buriall as having good hopes of a glorious resurrection Excellent for our purpose is that of St. Hierome Lugeatur mortuus sed ille quem Gehenna suscipit quem Tartarus devorat in cujus poenam aeternus ignis aestuat Nos quorum exitum Angelorum turba comitatur quibus obviam Christus occurret c. gravemur magis si diutiùs in tabernaculâ— istâ— habitemus Mourn for none but such as are dead in their sins killed with death as those Rev. 2.23 Vers 3. And Abraham stood up from before his dead So she is called eight severall times in this Chapter Pareus in loc to note that death makes not any such divorce between godly couples and friends but that there remains still a blessed conjunction betwixt them which is founded in the hope of a happy resurrection Jobs children were still his even after they were dead and buried How else could it be said that God gave Job twice as much of every thing as he had before Iob. 4â— 10 13. sith he had afterwards but his first number of children viz. Seven Sonnes and three daughters Vers 4. That I may bury my dead out of my sight She that had been the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24.16 the sweet companion of his life is by death so defaced that he loathed to look on her This we are to think on in our mourning for the dead to bewail the common curse of mankinde the defacing of Gods image by death through sin c. And yet to comfort our selves in this that these vile bodies of ours shall once be conformed to Christs glorious body the standard in incorruption Phillip 3. ult agility beauty brightness and other most blessed and unconceivable parts and properties Vers 6. Thou art a Prince of God amongst us That is excellent or prosperous as Gen. 21.22 and it was their ingenuity and candor to acknowledge it Gods people are Princes in all lands Psal 45. Kings they are in righteousness and peace but somewhat obscure ones as was Melchisedec and therefore little set by 1 Joh. 3.1 2. Vnkent unkist as the Northern Proverb is So was Christ the heir of all But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him that 's enough for us In the mean space the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour let him dwell by whomsoever and shall be more prosperous if it may be for his good Vers 7. Abraham stood up and bowed himself c. It is very comely in Christians to salute willingly and in words and gestures to shew civill respect even to wicked men Abrahams behaviour to these Hittites may shame the most Christians yea the very Hittites themselves D. Hall may teach them good manners Even the savage Cannibals saith a grave Divine may receive an answer of outward courtesie If a very dog fawn upon us we stroke him on the head and clap him on the side Much less is the common band of humanity untied by grace If Elisha bad his man or our Saviour his Disciples salute no man by the way that was for haste sake they should not hinder themselves in their journey by overmuch courtesie Our Saviour was sweet and sociable in his whole conversation and the proud Pharisees upbraided him with it He never refused to go to any mans table when invited yea to Zacheus he invited himself Not for the pleasure of the dishes but for the benefit of so winning a conversation Corn. Nepos in vita Attiâ—i Courtesie allureth mens minds as fair flowers do their eyes Pomponius Atticus so carried himself at Athens Harpocrat in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut communis infimis par principibus videretur Alexander the Great got the hearts of his Foot-souldiers by calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fellow-footmen Aristotle the better to insinuate into his hearers read not to them as other Philosophers used to do from a lofty seat or desk but walking and talking with them familiarly as with his friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diâ—g in Apollo's porch he made them great Philosophers Vespasian was as highly esteemed by the people for his courtesie as Coriolanus contemned and condemned of all for his rusticity With one churlish breath Rehoboam lost ten tribes whom he would and might not recover with his blood But whatsoever David did pleased the people What a deal of courtesie passed betwixt Boaz and his reapers The Lord be with you said he The Lord blesâ— thee said they Ruth 2.4 The Turks salutation at this day is Salaum alâ—ek Peace be to thee the reply is Aleek salâ—um Peace be to thee also Blounts voyage into the Levant The Romans had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to our Good-morrow and Good even That finger next to the thumb they called Salutaris Dio in vita Adriani Becman de Origin in verbo
Spirit of promise whereby we are daily sealed to the day of redemption as the merchants goods are signed with his seal Vers 11. I am God Almighty This is hardly perswaded and yet it is the ground of all true comfort and spiritual security We are apt to measure things according to our own model as to think God so powerful as our understanding can reach c. But for a finite creature to believe the infinite All-sufficiency of God he is not able to do it thorowly without supernatural grace nor can he be soundly comforted till he comes to comprehend it Of his will to do us good we doubt not till in some measure we doubt of his power to help Vers 13. And God went up from him Not by local ascension for he is every-where but in respect of that visible signe of his glory which he now withdrew from over or from upon Iacob For the righteous are as Gods chariot say the Hebrews on this Text. Confer Cant. 6.12 Where he talked with him Prayer is a free and familiar conference or intercourse with God a parling with his Majesty as Saint Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.1 a standing upon interrogatories with him especially when Satan sin and conscience accuse It was a part of the Persian Kings silly glory to keep their greatest subjects from coming neer them without special license Esth 4.11 To God we have free access upon all occasions and are bid to come boldly Heb. 4.16 If Seneca could say Audacter Deum roges nihil illum de alieno rogaturus how much more may the faithful Christian sith All is his God and all 1 Cor. 3.22 Moses and Luther could have what they would of God Fiat voluntas mea saith Luther and then he addes Mea voluntas Domine quia tua Let my will be done but no otherwise mine then as thine Lord. Vers 14. And Iacob set up a pillar Or had set up a pillar had poured a drink offering c. to wit Chap. 28.18 19. And now he either repeats it in the presence and for the edification of his family or else he repairs the pillar now ruinated and new consecrates it by the old name Bethel Vers 16. She had hard labour Woman of all creatures bringeth forth with most pain and peril as the Philosopher observeth Arist de anima l. 7. and experience confirmeth Her onely way is to send for Lady Faith the best Midwife and thereby to repose upon him whose voice causeth the hindes to calve Psal 29.9 which yet of all bruit creatures bring forth with greatest trouble bowing themselves Job 39.4 6. bruising their young and casting out their sorrows Vers 17. Thou shalt have this son also So she had children according to her desire but this last to her cost for a chastisement of her strong affections which drew on strong afflictions as hard knots must have hard wedges They that would needs have a peny for their pains had no joy of their peny Matth. 20.13 when the end of the day came when they were to go into another world they saw that their peny was no such good silver that preferment profit credit were but empty things and could not satisfie It is best to be moderate in our desires after these outward things and not so set upon 't as to indent with God for such and so much this may be dangerous Vers 18. As her soul was in departing Viz. To God that gave it It is a spiritual immortal substance distinct from the body and can subsist of it self Epicharmcum est illud Concretum fuit discretum est rediitque unde venerat terra deorsum spiritus ursum as the Mariner can when the ship is broken For she died In our birth we rent our mothers to death sometimes whom before we had burthened so far Nature witnessing our viperous generation because of sin which we bring into the world But his father called him Benjamin Lest the former name should be a daily revival of his loss Let men make their burdens as light as they can and not increase their worldly sorrow by sight of sad objects It will come as we say of foul weather soon enough we need not send for it What should dropsie-men do eating salt meats Vers 19. Juâ—aei vitrum ex quo spoâ—sus sponsa biberunt confringunt ut memores â—int sponsi fragilitatis humanae And Rachel died We forfeit many favours by over-affecting them Our jealous God will not endure us to idolize any creature Let them that have wives or any other thing they hold most dear to themselves be as if they had none So love as to think of loss Let all outward things hang loose as an upper garment that we can throw off at pleasure Vers 20. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave To testifie his love and continue her remembrance Dead friends may be lawfully thus honoured with Monuments modò vitetur luxus superstitio Vers 21. beyond the tower of Edar Or of the flock This tower was built it seems for the safety and service of shepherds There it was probably that those shepherds Luke 2. watched their flocks There also Helena mother to Constantine the Great did afterwards build a Temple for a memorial of the Angels that there appeared to those shepherds carolling Christ into the world Vers 22. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah A foul fault in so good a family but so it sometimes falls out by the malice of Satan Selcucus Syriae rex tradidit filio Antiocho novercam Stratonicen cujus amore ille decumbebat Appian in Syriacis Dani. Chron. pag. 12. for the discrediting of Religion Such ugly incest was committed at Corinth as was hardly heard of among Heathen that a man should have his fathers wife 2 Cor. 5.1 Some such there were among the Kings of Egypt but not many Ethelbald King of West Saxons with great infamy marrying his fathers widow Judith enjoyed his Kingdom but two yeers and a half But how hateful is that Spanish incest by Papal dispensation King Philip of Spain might call the Arch-duke Albert both Brother Couzen Nephew and Son for all this was he unto him either by blood Sands his Relation of West Religion or affinity being Uncle to himself Couzen-german to his father Husband to his sister and Father to his wife Abhorred filth And Israel heard it And held his peace because he saw God in it chastising him for his Polygamy The punishment is sometimes so like the sin that a man may boldly say Such a sin was the mother of such a misery And here 's a pause in the Hebrew to shew Jacob's great amazement at this sad tidings Dolores ingentes stupent He was even dumb and opened not his mouth because God was in it Psal 39.9 Vers 23. Reuben Jacobs first-born Who though by his sin he fell from his birth-right yet is here reckoned as
Vers 35. And all his sons c. Oh faces hatcht with impudence Oh hearts hewen out of a rock Could they cause his wo and then comfort him Miserable comforters were they all such as the Usurer is to the young Novice or the Crocodile that weeps over the dead body that it is devouring These were the evill beasts that devoured Ioseph * Nullae infestae hominibus bestiae ut sunt sibi fâ—â—ales plerique Christiâ—â—ti Am. Marcell l. 2. c. 2. A sad thing that a Heathen should see cause to say so Heb. 11.34 But he refused to be comforted Wherein he shewed his fatherly love but not his son-like subjection to Gods good providence without the which no evil beast could have set tooth in Joseph whom he was sure also to receive safe and whole again at the Resurrection which was a great comfort to those afflicted Iews Dan. 12.2 and those mangled Martyrs His father also wept for him Iacobs father Isaac saith Iunius which might very well be for he lived twelve years after this and likely loved Ioseph best for his great towardlinesse Vers 36. And the Midianites Little knew Ioseph what God was in doing Have patience till he have brought both ends together CHAP. XXXVIII Vers 1. And it came to passe at that time BEfore the rape of Dinah the sale of Ioseph and soon after their return from Mesopotamia Iudah went down from his brethren A green youth of 13. or 14. years of age left his company where he might have had better counsel There is a special tye to perseverance in the Communion of Saints They that forsake the assembling of themselves together are in a fair way for Apostacy Heb. 10.25 To a certain Adullamite There is a double danger of evil company 1. Infection of sin at least defection from grace 2. Infliction of punishment Rev. 18.4 Vers 2. And Iudah saw there c. He saw took went in all in haste Patre inconsulto forte etiam invito His father neither willing nor witting Hence for a punishment was so little mercy shewed to his sons These hasty headlong matches seldom succeed well It is not amiss to marry but good to be wary Young men are blamed of folly for following the sight of their eyes and lust of their hearts Eccles 11. Sed Leo cassibus irretitus dicet Si praescivissem Vers 3. Bruson lib. 4. cap. 9. And she conceived c. St. Hierome tells us of a certain drunken nurse that was got with child by her nursling a boy of ten years old This he relateth as monstrous and takes God to witness that he knew it to be so Vers 6. And Iudah took a wife for Er When he was but 14. Musculus years of age as appears by the Chronicle seven years after the selling of Ioseph And here it is well observed that though Iudah took a wife without his fathers consent yet he will not have Er to do so Vers 7. Wicked in the sight of the Lord A Sodomite In Heb. vi etâ—y esse aâ—lusio seu inver o neminis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. Er erat vigil perversuâ— say the Hebrews but this is hard to say As an evil doer he was soon cut off Psal 37.9 God would not have such to be his Son Christs progenitor Too wicked he was to live you may know him to be the son of a Canaanitess Partus sequitur ventrem Vers 8. And Iudah said unto Onaâ— At fourteen years of age likewise For from the birth of Iudah to their going down to Egypt were but 43. years And yet before that Perez had Hezron and Hamul being married about the fourteenth year of his age which was doubtless too soon Childhood is counted and called the flower of age 1 Cor. 7.36 And so long the Apostle would have marriage forborn Whilest the flower of the plant sprouteth the seed is green unfit to be sown Either it comes not up or soon withereth Over early marriages is one cause of our over-short lives Venery is deaths best harbinger saith One. Vers 9. When â—e went in unto his brothers wife God for the respect he bears to his own Institution of marriage is pleased to bear with cover and not impute many frailties follies vanities wickednesses that are found betwixt man and wife Howbeit Intemperans in conjugio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suae adulter est Aug. In uxorem alienam â—mnis amâ—â— turpis est in suam vero 〈◊〉 imius Hieron Seneca there is required of such an holy care and conscience to preserve between themselves by a conjugal chastity the marriage bed undefiled taking heed of an intemperate or intempestive use of it which by Divines both Ancient and Modern is deemed no better then plain adultery before God Qui cum uxore sua quasi cum aliena concumbit adulter est saith that Heathen Onans sin here was self polâ—ution aggravated much by his envy that moved him to it expressed in these words lest he should give seed to has decea sed brother And the more sinful was this sin of his Hebraei inquiunt perinde ut homicidam reum esse qui temere semen prosurdit Mercer in loc in spilling his seed because it should have served for the propagation of the Messiah Therefore the Lord slew him As also because he was not warned by his brothers punishment Vers 10. Wherefore he slew him God oft punisheth the abuse of the marriage-bed either with untimely death It was well said of One that Venus provideth not for those that are already born Cuffes Differ of Ages 106. but for those that shall be born or else with no children mis-shapen children ideots or prodigiously-wicked children c. Cavete Let this consideration be as the Angel standing with a drawn sword over Balaam's shoulders Vers 11. Lest peradventure he die also c. Judah lays the fault all on her whereas it was in his sons Sarah on the other side blamed her self onely for barrenness Gen. 16.2 Judge not that ye be not judged but if we judge our selves we shall not be judged In judging of the cause of our crosses we are oft as far out as she was that laid the death of her childe to the presence of the good Prophet Vers 12. The daughter of Shuah c. This was just in God upon Judah for his fraudulent dealing with Tamar whom he neither married to his son Shelah nor suffered to be married to another Sin is oft punished in kinde Vers 13. To shear his sheep And so to put by his sorrow as Jonathan did his anger by going into the field to shoot At sheep-shearings they had feasts 1 Sam. 25.8 11. Vers 14. Covered her with a vail As they that do evil shun the light She was going about a deed of darkness For she saw that She was grown She ran into this foul sin partly for revenge and partly for issue But this excuseth
love of praise or fear of punishment but not without grief for inwardly he is scalded with boyling lust Whereas the chaste man like S. Pauls virgin 1 Cor. 7.34 is holy both in body and in spirit and this with delight out of fear of God and love of vertue Now if upon such a ground we can refuse proferred pleasures and preferments resolving rather to lye in the dust with Ioseph then to rise by wicked principles the triall is as sound as if we had indured the tortures of the rack Heb. 11. As she spake to Ioseph day by day Satan will not be said with a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor sit down by a light repulse A man must give him a peremptory denial again and again as our Saviour did and yet the tempter departed not but for a season He is called Beelzebub that is the Master-flye because he is impudent as a flye and soon returns to the bait from which he was beaten He will be egging us again and again to the same sin and try every way to overturn us Many times he tempts by extreams Mr. Perkins as he did Mr. Iohn Knox on his death bed first to despair by setting before him his sins and when foyled there afterwards to presumption and challenging of heaven as his due for his many good works and zeal in the Scottish Reformation So he dealt here by Ioseph he first set upon him on the left hand when he sold him for a slave And when this prevailed not he sets here a Dalilah to tickle him on the right side and to tye him with the green withes of youthful pleasures Sed pari successu but he lost his labour Ioseph was semper idem famous for all the four cardinal vertues if ever any were See here in this one temptation his fortitude justice temperance prudence in that he shuns the occasion for he would not only not lye with her but not be with her saith the Text And that a man is indeed that he is in a temptation which is but a tap to give vent to corruption Exod. 23.7 Prov. 5.8 1 Cor. 6.18 To lye by her or to be with her Keep thee far from an evil matter saith Moses Come not nigh the door of the harlots house saith Solomon Flee fornication saith Paul And flye youthful lusts Not abstain from them only 2 Tim. 2.22 but flye them as ye would do a flying Serpent These are Gods commandements and they are to be kept as the sight of the eye Prov. 7.2 The Nazarite might not only not drink wine but not taste a rasin or the husk of a grape The Leper was to shave his hair Numb 7. and pare his nailes 1 Thess 5. The good Christian is taught to abstain from all appearance of evil and to hate the very garment that is spotted by the flesh The Devil counts a fit occasion half a Conquest for he knows that corrupt Nature hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seed-plot of all sin which being drawn forth and watered by the breath of ill company or some other occasion is soon set awork to the producing of death Satan cozens us when he perswades us it s no conquest except we beat away the temptation yet keep the occasion by us God will not remove the temptation till we remove the occasion And in such case to pray Lead us not c. but deliver us from evil is to thrust our finger into the fire and then pray it may not be burnt A bird whiles aloft is safe but she comes not near the snare without danger Solomon thought himself wise enough to convert his wives not be corrupted by them 1 King 11.4 But it came to passe when Solomon was old that his wives turned away his heart after other gods c. He that can shun or remove the occasion of his own proper motion as Ioseph did hee 's the Man this is grace here 's a victory Vers 10. To do his businesse To look up his bills of account saith the Chaldee Idleness is the Devils opportunity the hour of temptation But let a man be never so busie about his lawfull employments he is to expect assaults As he is not idle so neither is Satan but walks about and spreads his snares for us in all places and businesses speaking a good word also in temptations that come from the flesh which are therefore called his messengers 2 Cor. 12.7 and by giving place to them we give place to the Devil Ephes 4.26 And there was none of the men of the house within Josephus saith that they were all gone forth to a feast and she only left at home as faining her self sick Sick she was as likewise Amnon with the lust of concupiscence which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a disease 1 Thess 4.5 such as those which the Physitians say are corruptio totius substantiae the body and soul Quod sanitas in corpore sanctitas in corde Bern. are both tainted and rotted by it Other diseases consume only the matter of the body but this the holiness and honour of the body Other sicknesses sanctifie us but this profanes us and lets the divell into our hearts Behemoth lyeth in the fennes Iob 40.21 That is the divill in sensuall hearts Gul. Paris Ezek. 47.11 as Gul. Paris applyeth it And when the waters of the Sanctuary slowed the miry places could not be healed Vers 12. And she caught him by the garment By wanton touches and dalliance mentall adultery is oft committed He that toucheth his neighbours wife Prov. 6.29 shall not be innocent saith Solomon This is the offensive right hand that must be cut off Mat. 5.30 The harlot caught the silly simple and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him Prov. 7.13 till a dart struck through his liver vers 23. cogit amare jecur And he left his garment in her hand This second time is Joseph stript of his garment before in the violence of envy now of lust before of necessity now of choyce before to deceive his father now his master Infamy and other misery he was sure to suffer but that must not drive from duty 2 Cor. 6.8 The Church comes from the wilderness Cant. 8.5 expounded that is through troubles and afflictions leaning on her beloved chusing rather to suffer then to sin The good heart goes in a right line to God and will not fetch a compass but strikes through all troubles and hazards to get to him It will not break the hedg of any commandement to avoid any piece of foul way The primitive Christians chose rather to be thrown to lyons without then left to lusts within Ad leonem magis quam lenonem saith Tertullian I had rather go to hell pure from sin saith Anselme then to Heaven polluted with that filth Mallem purus a peccato innocens gehennam intrare c. Potius in ardentem
the several members of the Church Militant and Triumphant are but one Tabernacle The Covering of the Tabernacle was two-fold Inward and Outward whereby was signified the internal and external estate of the Church The glorious gate signified the hearts of God's people made glorious by faith whereby wee entertein Christ The Tabernacle fitly knit together by it's joints and rightly erected signified the Church of Christ fitly compacted by that which everie joint supplieth and making increas with the increas of God Ephes 4.16 Col. 2.19 The Veil signified the flesh of Christ whereby his Deitie was covered and a waie paved for us to heaven The Veil was filled with Cherubims to shew how serviceable the Angels are to Christ and his people The Holie of Holies shadowed out the third heaven into the which Christ onely entred and wee by him The Ark of the Covenant covered with gold figured Christ in whom the God-head dwelleth bodily and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom c. The Testimonie laid up in the Ark signified Christ the end of the Law which also hath it's testimonie from him The golden Censer signified that all our services must bee perfumed and perfected by Christ before they can bee accepted The golden pot of Manna in the side of the Ark was a sacrament of that eternal life that is laid up for us in Christ Col. 3.3 Aaron's rod blossoming was a sign of God's fatherlie affection whereby it com's to pass that wee bloom and flourish under the cross The Sanctuarie or Tabernacle of the Congregation was the waie into the Holie of Holies and signified the Church-Militant through which wee enter into heaven The brasen Altar for Burnt-offerings shadowed out the humanitie of Christ which is sanctified by his Deâ—tie and supported under all his sufferings for us The Altar of Incens signified that Christ appeareth for us before his Father and maketh all our services accepted by the sacrifice of himself once offered for sin The Table furnished with so manie loavs as there were Tribes in Israël signified that God keep 's a constant table in his Church for all believers The golden Candlestick with his seven lamps figured the glorious light of the Gospel whereby God hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The Laver wherein the Priests washed themselves before they ministred in the Tabernacle signified that wee cannot draw nigh to God in his services without due preparation The outer Court signified the visible Church wherein hypocrites also partake of external privileges Lo these are the things typed out by the Tabernacle and and they cannot bee better understood then by God's own interpretation of them when hee saith Exod. 25. Let them make mee a Sanctuarie that I may dwell in the middest of them For in those words as learned Junius observeth is conteined an explication of all the above-said Cerimonies SECT IIII. Treating of Holie Times COncerning holie Times the Law is either general or special The general Law is partly concerning the most strict rest from all servile works and partly concerning the Sacrifices which were on those holie daies to bee offered The former figured that Rest whereunto God in his due time will bring us The later served not onely to exercise the Jews prone to excess with the hard yoke of great expens but also by the great charge they were at to shadow out the great worth of Christ far beyond all worldly treasures The special Law concerned 1. holie Daies 2. Holie Years Holie-daies were either quotidian or solemn And these later were partly the New-moons partly the Sabbath and partly the Feasts which Feasts were either more solemn as the Passover Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles or less solemn as the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Attonement Holie years were 1. the Sabbatical or seventh year Or 2. the Jubilee or fiftieth year The explication of all these is as followeth 1. The continual Sacrifice was offered twice everie daie that the people might everie morning and evening bee admonished of their sin-guiltiness and withal might bee exercised in the remembrance and belief of the continual sacrifice of Christ for their sin It signified also our daily service or continual sacrifice of Prais and Holiness offered up to God in the name of Christ 2. The New-moon-sacrifice served to set forth that all our time and actions don therein are sanctified unto us by Christ 3. The Sabbath was a memorial of the Creätion it was also a type partly of Christ's resting in the grave and partly of our rest in Christ the begining whereof wee have here the perfection of it in heaven And whereas special order was taken that no fire should bee kindled on that daie it was to signifie that Christ his rest and ours in him was and should bee free from the fire of affliction 4. The holie Feasts were in general appointed for these ends and uses 1. To distinguish the people of God from other nations 2. To keep afoot the remembrance of benefits alreadie received 3. To bee a type and sigure of bâ—nefits yet further to bee conferred upon them by Christ 4. To unite God's people in holie worships 5. To preserv puritie in holie worships prescribed by God 5. The Passover of those that were clean celebrated in the begining of the year figured out the time manner and fruit of Christ's Passion The Passover kept by those that had been unclean signified that Christ profiteth not sinners as long as they persist in their uncleanness and so it figured out the time of repentance 6. At the Feast of Pentecost there was a daie of waving and of offering the First-fruits The former signified that the handful of our fruits that is our faith and good works are not accepted of God unless they bee waved by Christ our High-priest The later that God's blessings are to bee joyfully and thankfully received and remembred 7. The Feast of Tabernacles besides that it brought to minde the Israëlites wandering in the wilderness it did notably set forth the Church's pilgrimage in this present world which yet is so to bee thought on as that with greatest spiritual joie wee remember and celebrate our Redemption by Christ's death 8. The Feast of Trumpets signified that continual caus of cheerfulness and thankfulness that the Saints should have by Christ's death 9. The Feast of Attonement signified that the sins of God's people in their holie-meetings and daily services should bee expiated by Christ Moreover Attonement was also made for the most holie Place and for the Sanctuarie That signified that the visible heaven also was defiled by our sin and need bee purged by Christ's blood This that the Catholick Church is by the same blood of Christ made alone acceptable to God By the application that was made for several persons was set forth the applicatorie force of faith Furthermore that application and expiation was
cruel usage of his suffering Saints Micah 3.3 Heb. 11.35 and the dutie of all that have benefit by him to flea off the old man with his deceitful lusts Ephes 4.22 dealing thereby as the Turk dealt by him that betraied the Rhodes Lâ—unclav Hee presented unto him his promised wife and portion but withal told him that hee would not have a Christian to bee his son-in-law and therefore caussed his Baptized skin as hee called it to bee flaied off and him to bee cast into a bed strawed with salt that hee might get a new skin See Mark 9.49 Ver. 7. Fire upon the Altar That sire from heaven Lev. 9.24 which the Heathens apishly imitated in their Vestal fire Typing either the scorching wrath of God seising upon Christ or the ardent love of Christ to his and their zeal for him Ver. 8. In order upon the wood Shewing that Ministers must rightly divide and dispose the Word of God 2 Tim. 2.15 and evidently set forth Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 Ver. 9. Shall hee wash Shadowing Christ's perfect puritie Heb. 7. and our intire sanctification Ezek. 26.35 Heb. 10.22 Of a sweet savor unto the Lord The burning and broiling of the beasts could yield no sweet savor but thereto was added wine oil and incens by God's appointment and then there was a savor of rest in it Our praiers as from us would never pleas but as indited by the Spirit and presented by Christ they are highly accepted in heaven Ver. 10. A male without blemish But cursed bee that cosener that hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 Ver. 11. On the side of the Altar northward Not Eastward as the Heathen sacrifices or to note the obscuritie of the Legal Cetimonies Ver. 12. In order See the Note on Vers 8. Ver. 13. Hee shall wash See the Note on Vers 9. Ver. 14. Turtle doves or young pigeons Old turtles and young pigeons are the best God must have the verie best of the best as beeing best-worthie Ver. 15. Wring off his head Or pinch it with his nail that the blood might go out without separating it from the rest of the bodie This figured the death of Christ without either breaking a bone or dividing the God-head from the manhood As also the skill that should bee in Ministers to cut or divide aright the word of truth Ver. 16. His crop with his feathers Or the maw with the filth thereof that is the guts which receiv the filth sent unto them from the maw was pluckt out and the blood strained at the side of the Altar this signified those clods of blood wrung from our Saviour before his oblation upon the Cross Ver. 17. Aâ—d hee shall cleav it That the inward part might bee laid on the fire See Psal 51.18 19. Mark 12.33 CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Of fine flour NO quantitie is here prescribed becaus it was a Free-will-offering onely it must bee fine no bran in it to shew the puritie of Christ's sacrifice Heb. 7.26 and of our services through him Mal. 3.11 By means of the oil of his Spirit and incens of his Intercession Ver. 2. Shall burn the memorial of it Whereby God was inminded as it were of the partie offering and acknowledging all his store to bee from God Ver. 3. Shall bee Aaron's and his sons As meat for them hence it was called a Meat-offering and sent them to Christ the meat that endureth unto life everlasting John 6.27 Ver. 4. Vnleavened cake mingled with oil Sinceritie is the mother of serenitie Truth of tranquillitie Ver. 5. Baken in a pan Afterwards parted in pieces and oil powred upon it signified the graces of God's Spirit wherewith Christ was fully annointed within and without Psalm 45.8 and wherewith wee should bee tempered and annointed 1 John 2.27 2 Cor. 1.21 Ver. 6. And pour oil thereon Jacob was the first wee read of that consecrated his offerings with oil Gen. 28.18 Probably hee had it from his predecessors Ver. 7. Baken in the frying-pan So My heart is frying of a good matter saith David Psalm 45.1 Ver. 8. Hee shall bring it unto the Altar God would have all their offerings brought to one Altar both to figure out the one onely all-sufficient-sacrifice of Christ and to teach all the faithful to consent in one and the same truth of the Gospel Ver. 9. Amemorial thereof Signifying the perpetual benefit of Christ's death to all believers Ver. 10. Shall be Aaron's and his son's Ministers maintenence Ver. 11. Nor anie honie Which hath a leavening virtue in it Sweet sins are to bee abandoned there will bee bitterness in the end Prov. 26.26 27. Ver. 12. Yee shall offer them i. e. With the first-fruits yee shall offer both leven Lev. 23.17 and honie 2 Chron. 31.5 Both which are somtimes taken in the better part Mat. 13.33 Cant. 4.11 Ver. 13. Shalt thou season with salt Called here the salt of Gods's covenant as signifying the covenant of God made with us in Christ who seasoneth us and make's all our services savorie See the Note on Mark 9.49 50. Ver. 14. Green ears of corn To signifie that God should bee served with the first-fruits of our age the primrose of our childe-hood CHAP. III. Ver. 1. Whether it bee male or female IN Christ there is neither male nor female but all one Gal. 3 28. Souls have no sexes In Thank-offerings the female also might pass to teach that God look's not so much to the worth of the gift as the honestie of the heart that offer 's it Leavened bread also in this case was accepted Lev. 7.13 Ver. 2. Vpon the Altar round about This signified that plenteous redemption by the blood of sprinkling Ver. 3. The fat that covereth the inwards Heartie thanks must bee given to God such as cometh not from the roof of the mouth but the root of the heart An aërie God bee thanked profiteth not Sing with grace in your hearts is the best tune to anie Psalm The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which com's from the depth of the breast Ver. 4. With the kidnies Those seats of Lusts Earth lie members must bee mortified by the thankful Ver. 5. Vpon the burnt-sacrifice Which was first offered to teach us that sin must bee pardoned ere our Thank-offerings can bee accepted It is therefore ordinarily best to begin our praiers with confession of sin and petitions for pardon through Christ Ver. 8. Laie his hand See the Note on Chap. 1. v. 4. Ver. 9. The whole â—ump Which in those countrie-sheep is verie large yet not so large as those in America The world encompassed mentioned by Sr. Francis Drake as big as kine and supplying the room of horses for burthen or travel Ver. 11. It is the food That whereupon God himself seemeth to feed Psalm 50.13 Ver. 12. That yee neither eat fat nor blood Neither bee carnal nor cruel but let your souls delight in the
fatness and sweetness of God's ordinances CHAP. IIII. Ver. 2. Shall sin through ignorance OR infirmitie beeing suddenly surprised preoccupated Gal. 6.1 See the Note there and on Heb 5.2 Ver. 3. A young bullock The same sacrifice that should bee offered for the sin of the whole people Vers 14. To note the hainousness of the Priest's sin above others The sins of Teachers are the Teachers of sins Ver. 4. Shall laie his hand Confessing his sin Lev. 5.5 and professing his faith in Christ the true sin-offering 2 Cor. 5.21 Ver. 5. Shall take of the bullocks blood See Heb. 5.2 3. and 7.26 27 28. with the Notes there Ver. 6. Seven times before the Lord Becaus in this case there was need of much and great purgation Ver. 7. Vpon the borns of the Altar To signifie saith one that the preaching of the Gospel concerning the blood of Christ should bee published and proclaimed to the four corners of the earth To shew saith another that by faith in the bloud of Christ our praiers are acceptable unto God and our infirmities pardoned and purged Ver. 8. All the fat Becaus among other things it signified hard-heartedness and insensibleness of sin and danger Psal 119.70 Dionysius the Heracleot felt not needles thrust into his fat bellie saith the historie Ver. 9. With the kidnies See Chap 3.4 Ver. 11. And the skin c. See the Note on Chap. 1.9 Ver. 12. Shall hee carrie forth Heb. 13.11 12. See the Notes Ver. 13. And of the whole congregation Particular congregations then may err for a season though not finally fundamentally if they bee the congregation of Saints Psal 89.5 and not of Hypocrites Job 15.34 the Church malignant And they have don somwhat Either by transgression or disobedience Hel. 2.2 on â—â—ion or commission Ver. 14. When the sin is known Sin may sleep a long time like a sleeping dâ—bt not called for of manie years but Nullum tempus occurrit Regi God may send out a summons for sleepers and punish our by-gon or secret sins Ver. 15. And the Elders These as the representative congregation took upon them the guilt of their common errors as those did 2 Chron. 29 23. Ver. 16. And the Priest that is annointed i. e. The High-priest a type of Christ who was annointed not with material oil as they but with the Spirit that oil of gladness both above and for his fellow-brethren Psal 45. Heb. 1. See 1 John 2.27 and 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Howbeit his oil shine's brightest and swim's a-loft above all others Ver. 17. Seven times A number of perfection to note the most absolute sufficiencie of Christ's death to purge and reconcile us to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that hee is able to save such to the uttermost that com unto God by him Heb. 7.25 Ver. 18. Vpon the borns See the Note on Vers 7. At the bottom of the Altar To set forth the plentie and sufficiencie of Grace and Merit in Christ's death for manie more then are actually saved by it Ver. 19. And hee shall take all his fat Christ offered himself and the best parts 〈◊〉 had suffering in soul and bodie Ver. 20. As hee did with the bullock For even ignorance and infirmities are deadlie sins direct fruits of the flesh John 3.6 and such as for which Christ laid down his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even for the not-knowings of the people Heb. 9.7 Ver 21. Without the camp Pointing to Christ who carried our sins out of God's light See Heb. 13.12 with the Note Ver. 22. When a ruler hath sinned Great men's sins do more hurt 1. By imitation for Vita principis censura est imò Cynosura according to these glasses most men dress themselvs 2. imputation for plectuntur Achivi the poor people paie for it as they did for David's whether ignorance or infirmitie in omitting that dutie enjoined Exod. 30.12 13 14 15. thence the plague 2 Sam. 24. Ver. 23. Com to his knowledg As David's did 2 Sam. 24. who saw such volumes of infirmities and so manie Errata's in all that hee did that hee once cried out Who knoweth the errors of his life Oh cleans mee from secret sins Psal 19.12 This hee knew was the import of all these Levitical cleansings Ver. 24. Laie his hand See the Note on Vers 4. Ver. 25. At the bottom See Vers 18. Ver. 26. All his fat See Vers 19. The fat was burnt saith one becaus among other things it signified duricordium hard-heartedness Psal 119.70 Ver. 27. And if a soul sin As there is none that liveth and sinneth not 2 King 8.46 Triste mortalitatis privilegium est licere aliquando peccare Ephor Augusta nimis res est nulli mortalium concessa nuspiam errare Amana Ver. 28. Com to his knowledg By the check of his own conscience awakened by the word or rod of God Ver. 29. And slaie the Sin-offering That is the Priest shall for no man might offer his own sacrifice upon pain of death as is afore noted Ver. 31. For a sweet savor See the Note on Chap. 1. vers 9. The death of Christ is ever in the fight of his heaven he father and hence it was that those typical sacrifices and all our performances are â—â—ill accepted CHAP. V. Ver. 1. Hee shall bear his iniquitie i. e. HEe shall suffer for his sinfull silence becaus hee could but would not help the truth in necessitiâ— but stand as it hee were gag'd by Satan possest with a dumb divel Ver. 2. And if it bee hidden from him Debt is debt whether a man know of it or not Ver. 3 Then hee shall bee guiltie Guiltie hee was before ver 2. but now hee shall see him â—o and bee readie to saie as Prov 5 14. I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and the assemblie By the law is the knowledg of sin Rom 3.20 Ver. 4. And it bee hid fâ—om him As is usual with your common swearers who will swear that they swear not If men had such distemper of bodie as their excrements came from them when they knew not of it it would trouble them but they swear and let go much filth and it is hid from them To do evil As David did to slaie Nabal 1 Sam. 25.22 Or to do good As the same David did to do good to Mephibosheth and yet hee was not â—o good as his oath Ver. 5. Hee shall confess Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit Man confesseth and God pardoneth In the courts of men it is the safest plea to saie Non feci quoth Quintilian I am not guiltie not so here but ego feci miserere I did it have mercie upon mee Per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei Ver. 6. For his sin which hee hath sinned Bending his thoughts upon that particular sin it is charged upon Iâ—raël Ezek. 16.22 that they remembred not that they laie in their blood Ver. 7. Two turtle Doves See the Note on
your selves from them stave them off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word signifies 2 Thess 3.6 and we charge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to do so ut scias quà m aegrè divellimur saith One. Vers 26. Lest ye be consumed See vers 24. and the Note on Revel 18.4 Hamath fares the worse for lying so neer Damascus Zech. 9.2 St. John sprang out of the Bath where he found Cerinthus the heretick Vers 27. Came out and stood As out-facing Moses and scorning the judgment threatned Deus quem destruit dementat Hardened sinners make no more of Gods dreadful threatnings then Behemoth doth of iron weapons which he esteemeth as strawes Vers 28. Hereby ye shall know Thus he engageth the truth and honour of his office upon a miracle But now he that expects a miracle is himself a miracle saith Augustine Let Papists brag of their lying wonders 2 Thess 2.9 We dislike not altogether that observation of Gretser the Jesuite Tam sterilis deserta est Lutherana Calviniana secta ut diabolus ne dignetur quidem per eam aliquid fallacium umbratilium prodigiorum aggredi saltem frequenter palam So dull and dry is the Lutheran and Calvinian Sect that the devil daynes not to work any or not many miracles amongst them as he doth among the Catholikes Vers 29. The common death of all men Ne quisquam sua morâ—e defunctus est said Suetonius of Caesar's murtherers So may we say of our powder-plotters your sin will finde you out Vers 30. Quick unto the pit Not into hell as the Papists conclude from this text for how could their houses and goods go down to hell vers 32 and who would not hope that some of them were innocent some penitent The punishment they suffered in being buried alive was very miserable and so accounted by the Heathens who served their vestall virgins in this sort that had been defloured Vers 31. As he bad made an end of speaking Dictum factum So it is still Joh. 20.23 Vengeance is every whit as ready in Gods hands as in his Ministers mouthes 2 Cor. 10.6 Vers 32. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up So it did a great part of Antioch by a horrible earthquake Anno 527. for their horrible heresies and blasphemies there broached by the Bishops and defended by the people So lately Pleurs in Italy Vers 33. And they perished from among So the powder-plotters here and before them the Northern rebels That rebellion saith One like the bubbles which children blow up into the ayr was no sooner blown up then blown out and fell into the eyes of those which with blasts of ambition and superstition held it up Vers 34. Lest the earth swallow us up also Let the destruction of others be a terrour to us that we may wash our feet in the blood of the wicked Psal 52.6 But he that is swallowed up with earth as Kâ—rah his ears stopped his heart stuffed with earth shall have earth enough when he dyes but of heaven little enough Vers 35. And there came out a fire By fire they sinned and by a fire they suffer Per quod quis peccat per idem punitur ipse Vers 37. For they are hallowed And therefore may not be turned to any other use Vers 38. These sinners against their own souls So are all such as spend the span of this transitory life after the wayes of their own hearts and thereby perish for ever Sin is the souls poyson yet how heartily do men feed upon it as Tartarians do upon dead horses as the maid in Pliny did upon Spiders as the Turkish gally-slaves do upon Opiuns an ounce whereof they will eat at once as if it were bread Vers 40. To be a memorial God cannot abide to be forgotten and they are worthily made examples that will not take them as that second Captain 2 King 1. Vers 41. But on the morrow That after conviction they should so soon again rebell and run away with the bit in their mouthes was prodigious contumacy Vers 42. And behold the cloud Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God as out of an Engine appears for his distressed servants Vers 46. For there is wrath Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at first setting out By how much more faithful and familiar men are with God so much earlier do they discern his wrath Vers 47. The plague Which ran as a fire in a corn-field Vers 48. And he stood between A cleer type of Christ CHAP. XVII Vers 2. TAke of every one of them a râ—d Or staffe the ensign of their honour Num. 21.18 and of their civil authority Psal 110.2 Jer. 48.16 17. a sufficient witnesse against them that the Priesthood belonged not to them Vzziah smarted for invading it George Prince of Anhalt was a singular example Mâ—lâ—h Adam qui primus unus ex omni Principum Germanorum numerâ— subdiâ—â—s suos ipse viva voce scriptis editis de via salutis erudiret who was the first and the only German Prince that both by preaching and writing taught his Subjects Vers 5. And I will make to cease But then he must do more then work miracles For such is the habitual hardness of mens hearts as neither Minister nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can possibly mollifie Nothing can do it but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven Vers 8. And bloomed blossomes 1. For a testimony of Aarons calling from God to the honour of the Priesthood 2. For a type of Christ the branch growing out of the stem of Jesse Esai 11.1 3. For a figure of the Ministery of the Gospel which although to profane persons it seem a dry barren and vanishing voyce yet it bloometh and flourisheth in the hearts of Gods Elect. And surely fruitfulness is the best argument of our election and that we are called of God For not only all the plants of his setting but the very boughes cut off from the body of them will flourish 4. For a lively representation of a glorious resurrection At the French massacre Aug. 25.1572 in the Church-yard of St. Innocent at Paris a certain bush suddenly bloomed about the middle time of that bloody day at an unusual time of the year The Papists boasted Epitome hist Gallicae p. 149. that God by that miracle shewed his good liking of that massacre they had made But the Protestants took it for a confirmation of their religion and a testimony of their innocency CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. SHall bear the iniquity i.e. the punishment of whatsoever iniquity is done in the Sanctuary Sin and punishment come under one name as being tyed together with chains of adamant where the one dines the other will sup where the one is in the saddle the other will be upon the crupper Nemo crimen gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo Sin doth as naturally draw and suck judgments to it
clean heart Without the Camp notes that the Gentiles were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel c. These ashes kept for the Congregation shew the fulness of Christs merits for all his people when he saith it is to make a water of separation it notes that our sins separate betwixt us and our God But now in Christ Jesus we who sometimes were far off are made nigh by his blood Ephes 2.13 Vers 10. Shall wash his clothes To note that even the nearer a Christian comes to the merits of Christ the more he is affected with the sense of his own uncleanness yea he retains it till Bven that is till death Vers 11. He that toucheth To teach them to observe Gods cuâ—se in death and to avoid the society of sinful men Vers 17. And running water Signifying the ashes of Christs merit and the water of his Spirit See 1 Cor. 6.11 Ioh. 7.38 39. Vers 18. Shall take hyssop No benefit by Christ without mortification of sin CHAP. XX. Vers 1. I In the first moneth To wit of their fortieth year after they came out of Egypt For from this Chapter to the end of Deuteronomy are described the passages of the last year only of their journeying in the wilderness little being regarded of the thirty eight years since the Spies report And Miriam dyed there A good woman and of great use to the people in their travells Mic. 6.4 But once she raised a great storme against her brothers wife Chap. 12.1 about precedency probably as did likewise in this kingdome Anne Stanhop Dutchesse of Sommerset against Katherine Parre Life of Edw. 6. pag. 81. Camb. Elis fol. 356. Queen Dowager wife to her husbands brother the Lord Admirall in the dayes of King Edward the sixth This Anne dyed Anno Dom. 1587 being 99 yeares of age Miriam could be no less likely then 130 taking her to be the same that was set to watch what would become of Moses when he was laid out in an Ark of bulrushes Exod. 2.4 Ver 3. And the people chod Wanting both water and patience they broke the peace with their Superiours See the Note on Chap. 15. vers 15. Vers 4. And why have ye brought up See how this new generation doth patrissare this is but the old coccysmus of those ancient Malecontents Exod. 17.2 So much the worse in these because they made no better use of Gods dealing with their fathers Dan. 5.22 Vers 5. Neither is there any water to drink Thirst a most eager appetite eneagreth their affections and makes them thus hot with Moses Vers 8. Take the rod God puts up their rebellion and satisfies their thirst by a miracle Speak unto the rock He is not bidden now to smite it as once Exod. 17.6 which because he did unbidden God was deeply displeased as some are of opinion Vers 9. And Moses took the rod The same rod that once smote the river to destroy the Egyptians The same word is a savour of life to believers 2 Cor. 2.16 and of death to unbelievers Vers 10. Hear now ye rebels They could hardly hear for the belly hath no eares and their tongues scarce knew to utter any language but that of Sampson Give me water or I dye Jud. 15.18 But why did Mosos speak to them when he should have spoken to the rock only vers 8. This was ill but worse to speak so unadvisedly He struck at the rock and as ready almost to split against it he makes two arguments against it 1. Hear now ye rebels q.d. Will the Lord ever give water to such rebels 2. Shall we give you water out of the rock will that ever be done To fetch fire out of a flinty rock is far more likely but to distill water out of it how can that be done Loe Moses is staggered Bucolc and now at a stand Adeâ— nihil est in nobis magnum quod non queat minui the strongest faith much assailed may flag and hang the wing The best carry their treasure but in earthen vessels which dashing against the rock of unbeliefe miseras rimas ducunt c. leake pittifully Vers 11. He smote the rock twice In a great heate and pang of passion Horat. qui non moderabitur irae Infectum velit esse dolor quod suaserit et mens Sometimes both grace and wit are asleep in the holiest and wariest breasts The best may be mis-carried by their passions to their cost And the water came out abundantly This cleaving of the hard rock was a work of Omnipotency Psal 78.15 The works of God are Luther in contrariis mediis This rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 fitly compared to a rock 1. For despicable appearance Isai 53.2 3. 2. Next for exaltation and advancement 3. For firmness and stability Mat. 16.18 4. For scandall and offence to the wicked Rouâ— 9.32 5. For weight and danger Mat. 21.44 And their beasts also The wicked in like sort comming to the Lords Supper do receive there panem Domini not panem Dominum Vers 12. Because ye believed me not Ye could not conceive and were not very willing that I should shew such favour to so undeserving a people so measuring my thoughts by your thoughts and my wayes by your wayes Isai 55.8 casting me into a dishonourable mould as it were and this publikely before all the people Therefore ye shall not bring So God was unto them a God that forgiveth and taketh vengeance of their practices as the Psalmist saith Psal 99.8 Repentance may come too late in regard of temporall chastisement as here it did Deut. 3.24 25. Vers 13. And he was sanctified in them By overcomming their evill with good striking the rock for them when he might justly have stricken them with utter destruction Mans badness interrupteth not the course of Gods goodness his unbelief maketh not the faith of God without effect Rom. 3.3 Vers 14. Thus saith thy brother A brother is born for adversity Prov. 17.17 and good blood will not bely it self But a brother offended is harder to be wonne then a strong city and their contentions are like the barrs of a castle Prov. 18.19 Vers 16. Sent an Angell This was Christ or as some would have it Moses like as Phineas is thought to be that Angell at Bochim â—udg 2.1 Vers 17. We will not pass So should a Christian bespeak the world Let us pass through thy country we will neither touch nor tast of thy cates but go by the Kings high-way that good old way that God hath scored out unto us untill we arrive at the key of Canaan at the Kingdome of Heaven Vers 18. Thou shalt not pass As fearing what so great an army once got in might do they are not usually so easily removed It was therefore great injustice in Pope Iulius to excommunicate and depose John King of Navarre as an heretike and publike enemy to the See Apostolike because being himself a Peere of the Realm of France and having
ea quam habet potestate facilè expiabit Thou shalt take thy full pleasure and then my Cardinal shall give thee full pardon Vers 7. He rose up An heroical act by an extraordinary motion as was also that of Ehud and therefore is not to be made a rule of practice as Burchet conceited when by this example he held himself warranted to kill a great personage in this Kingdom whom he took to be a vitious man and Gods enemy Vers 8. And thrust both of them thorow So they dyed in the flagrancy of their lust as did likewise One of the Popes taken in the act and slain together with his harlot by the husband of the adulteress Mention is likewise made by William Malmsbury of one Walter Bishop of Hereford Anno 1060. his offering to force his Sempster She resisted what she might Godw. Catal. but finding him too strong for her thrust her sheers into his belly and gave him his deaths-wound Vers 9. Twenty and four thousand Twenty and three thousand saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.8 insisting only in the special punishment of the people who were provoked to sin by that other thousand their Princes as ver 4. And all to shew Jun. Parallell quà m frigida jejuna sit eorum defensio c. saith Junius how poorly they plead for themselves that think to excuse their sins by alledging the examples of their superiours Vers 13. Because he was zealous for his God Enraged as a jealous man with a holy hatred of sin and inflamed with love to God quem aliter amare non didicerat as Chrysostome speaks of Basil Non amat qui non Zelat saith Augustine Contra Adamant c. 13. He is no friend to God that is not zealous for him To one that desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was presented in a dream saith the history a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one all on a light fire for God Vers 14. A Prince of a chief house Whom yet Phineas spared not as neither did John Baptist spare Herod nor Nathan David nor Bishop Lambert King Pippin Epitome hist Gall. pag. 30. whom he freely reproved to his face for his adultery Anno 798. though he were afterwards therefore slain by the harlots brother Odo Severus the 22. Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 934. dealt like plainly with King Edwin excommunicated his Concubines and caused one of them on whom the King doted unreasonable Godw. Catal. ◠to be fetcht out of the court by violence burnt her in the forehead with a hot iron and banished her into Ireland Vers 17. Vex the Midianites As more malicious and mischievous then the Moabites as appears 1. By their detaining of ' Balaam when the Moabites dismissed him in great displeasure 2. By the wickedness of their women who by Cozbi may seem to have been meretrices meretricissimae Lib. 2. tum such as afterwards was Julia. Messalina and that Romish Lucretia Concubine to Pope Alexander 6. of whom Pontanus Hoc tumulo dormit Lucretia nomine sedre Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus Vers 18. For they vex you with their wiles Not with their wars they out-wit you over-reach you by counterfeit courtesie cut-throat kindness they have deceived you into those sister-sins fornication and idolatry which God hath so severely punished CHAP. XXVI Vers 2. FRom twenty See the note on Chap. 1.3 Vers 9. Which were famous But for no goodness Tubulus who was the Romane Praetor a little afore Tullies time was homo tam projectè improbus Lips Antiq. lection ut ejus nomen non hominis sed vitii esse videretur so wicked a wretch that he seemed to be wickedness it self Portius Latro calleth Catiline sacrarium libidinum portentum scelerum gurgitem sentinam flagitiorum c. a sink of sinfulness And Josephus saith of Antipater that his life was no better then a mystery of iniquity These men were famous or rather infamous for their slagitious practices notoriously naught signally sinful Vers 10. And they became a sign An example of that Rule that Great sins bring great plagues as Herodotus hath it speaking of the destruction of Troy Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio Enjoy other mens madness Discite justitiam moniti c. Let all that behold me beware this was written upon the statue of Sennacherib as saith Herodotus Vers 11. The children of Korah dyed not As being either innocent or penitent for Aut poenitendum aut pereundum Luk. 13.3 Vers 44. The family of the Jesuites Serrarius will needs derive the name Jesuites from the 24. verse of this chapter it is wonder how he missed of this plainer text Jesuites quasi Jashubites Like as Erasmus found Friers in St. Paul's time inter falsos fratres amongst the false brethren In Salamanca a Frier would prove that the name of the Virgin Mary was spoken of Stella de modo concionandi cap. 6. Gen. 1. God called the gathering together of the waters Maria. Doctor Poynes writes that it was foretold in the Old Testament that the Protestants were a malignant Church alledging 2 Chr. 24.19 Mittebatque prophet as ut reverterentur ad Dominum quos protestantes illi audire nolebant Preface to his Book of the Sacrament We may with far more shew of reason fetch the name of Protestants retained also by their Doway translation from that text then they can from this the name of Jesuites alias Jebusites CHAP. XXVII Vers 3. BVt dyed in his own sin i. e. By a natural and an ordinary death not by a special plague as that Arch-rebel Korah Death is the just hire of the least sin Rom. 6. ult But some evil-doers God doth not only put to death but also hangs them up in gibbets as it were for publike notice and admonition Vers 4. Give unto us therefore a possession This plea for a part in a land not yet conquered is a proof of their faith and could not but encourage others Such a masculine faith was that of Mrs. Anne Askew Martyr who thus subscribed her confession Written by me Anne Askew Act. Mon. fol. 1128. that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound for heaven I will not bid you good night said Hellen Stirk Scotch-woman to her husband at the place where they both suffered Martyrdome for we shall suddenly meet in the heavenly Canaan And was it not by the force of her faith Ib. 1154. that substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 that Crispina gaudebat cum tenebatur cum audiebatur Aug. in Psal 137. cum damnabatur cum ducebatur Vers 7. And thou shalt cause the inheritance Let the French defend their Salique law as they can It was a witty Essay of him who stiled women the second Edition of the Epitome of the whole world witness Artemisia Zenobia Blandina