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
Vers 12. It shall be at the salt-Sea That is the Lake of Sodome called also Asphaltites and the dead Sea Josephus saith that an ox having all his legs bound will not sink into the water of this sea it is so thick Vers 17. Eleazar the Priest Pointing to the high Priest of the new Covenant by whom we have entrance into the promised inheritance whither he is gone before to prepare a place for us and hath told us that in his Fathers house are many mansions room enough CHAP. XXXV Vers 2. SVburbs These were for pasture pleasure and other Country-Commodities not for tillage for the Levites were to have no such employment Num. 18.20 24. Vers 6. That he may flee thither All sins then are not equal as the Stoicks held neither are all to be alike punished as by Draco's laws they were in a manner Those laws were said to be written not with black but with blood because they punished every peccadillo almost with death as idleness stealing of pot-herbs c. Aristotle gives them this small commendation that they are not worth remembrance but only for their great severity Vers 7. Shall be fourty and eight cities Thus the Levites were dispersed throughout the land for instruction of the people so ought Ministers of the Gospel who are fiâ—ly called the salt of the earth that being sprinkled up and down may keep the rest as flesh from rotting and putrisying Vers 8. From them that have many ye shall give By the equity of this proportion the richer are bound to give more to the Ministers maintenance then the poorer Let this be noted by those that refuse to give any thing to their Ministers because they have not those things the tithes whereof the law requires for this purpose See Gal 6.6 with the Note there Vers 15. Shall be a refuge Christ is our Asylum to whom running for refuge when pursued by the guilt of an evill conscience we are safe None can take us out of his hands If we be in Christ the Rock temptations and oppositions as waves dash upon us but break themselves Vers 16. So that he dye Though he had no intent to kill yet because he should have look't better to 't he is a murtherer he smote him purposely and presumptuously and the man dyes of it King James was wont to say that if God did leave him to kill a man though besides his intention he should think God did not love him Vers 18. The murderer shall surely be put to death This is jus gentium The Turks justice in this case will rather cut off two innocent men then let one offender escape Cartwr travels The Persians punish theft and man-slaughter so severely that in an age a man shall hardly hear either of the one or the other A severity fit for Italy where they blaspheme oftner then swear Spec. Europ Purchas and murther more then revile or slander like the dogs of Congo which they say bite but bark not And no less fit for France where Les ombres des defunde fieurs de Villemor within ten years 6000 gentlemen have been slain as it appears by the Kings pardons Byron Lord high-Marshal of France and Governour of Burgundy slew a certain Judge for putting to death a malefactor whom he had commanded to be spared Epitome hist Gall. pag. 275. For this he sued for a pardon and had it but not long after he turned traytor to his Prince that had pardoned him and was justly executed Vers 21. He shall surely be put to death And yet the Papists allow wilful murtherers also to take sanctuary who should as Joab was be taken from the altar to the slaughter Their hatred to Protestants is so deadly that they hold us unworthy to live on Gods ground fit for nothing but fire and fagot yea they send us to hell without bail or main-prize as worse then Turks or Jews They tell the people that Geneva is a professed Sanctuary of all roguery that in England the people are grown barbarous and eat young children that they are as black as Devils c. Vers 23. Or with any stone As at the funeral solemnities of Q. Anne a scholar was slain by the fall of a letter of stone thrust down from the battlements of the Earl of Northamptons house by one that was a spectatour Vers 25. Vnto the death of the high Priest Because he was amongst men the chief god on earth and so the offence did most directly strike against him Or rather because the high Priest was a type of Christ and so this release was a shadow of our freedom and redemption by the death of Christ CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. ANd spake before Moses Who was their common Oracle to enquire of in all doubtful cases Like as at Rome C. Scipio Nasica whom the Senate by way of honor called Optimus had a house in the high-street assigned him at the publike charge quò faciliùs consuli posset that any man might go to him for counsel And surely as the Romane General never miscarried so long as he followed the advice of Polybius his historian so neither did or could this people do amiss if ruled by Moses who was the mouth of God vers 5. Vers 6. To whom they think best See Gen. 24.57 58. with the Note there Vers 7. Shall keep himself to the inheritance This was an excellent law to cut off quarrels strifes and law-suites and to frustrates those qui latrocinia intra moenia exercent as Columella said of the Lawyers of his time Vers 11. For Mahlah Tirzah and Hoglah c. The names of these virgins as one Interpreter elsewhere observeth seem to be not without mystery M. Ainsworth For Zelophehad by interpretation signifieth the shadow of fear or of dread his first daughter Machlah Infirmity the second Noah Wandering the third Hoglah Turning about for joy or Dancing the fourth Milcah a Queen the fifth Tirzah Well pleasing or Acceptable By these names we may observe the degrees of our reviving by grace in Christ for we all are born as of the shadow of fear being brought forth in sin and for fear of death were all our life-time subject to bondage Heb 2.15 This begetteth infirmity or sickness grief of heart for our estate After which Wandering abroad for help and comfort we finde it in Christ by whom our sorrow is turned into joy He communicates to us of his royalty making us Kings and Priests unto God his Father and we shall be presented unto him glorious and without blemish Ephes 5.27 So the Church is beautiful as Tirzâ—h Cant. 6.3 Deo soli Gloria A COMMENTARY or EXPOSITION UPON The Fifth Book of MOSES CALLED DEUTERONOMY CHAP. I. Vers 1. These be the words which Moses spake ANd surely he spake thick if he spake as some cast it up this whole Book in less then ten dayes space Certain it is that he spake here as ever most divinely and like
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
first man that dyed dyed for Religion H. Broughton of the 10 patr exâ— Rab. Bochai In a witty sense saith Hugh Broughton Cain and Abel contain in their names advertisements for matter of true continuance and corruption Cain betokeneth possession in this world And Abel betokeneth one humbled in minde and holding such possession vain Such was his offering sheep-kinde the gentlest of all living beasts and therefore the favour of God followed him And the offering of Cain was of the fruit of the earth as he loved the possession of this world and the service of the body which yet can have no continuance and followed after bodily lusts therefore the blessed God favored him not Thus far he out of the Rabbines Another English Divine hath this note upon these words Yaâ—es his Model of Divin I have gotten a man from the Lord Jehovah Adam and Eve were all about the composition of Cain His soul was inspired pure and holy yet assoon as the vital spirits laid hold of it it was in the compound a son of Adam A skilful Artificer makes a clock of all his essential parts most accurately onely he leaves the putting of all parts together to his unskilful apprentise who so jumbles together the several joynts that all falls to jaring and can keep no time at all every wheel running backward-way So God most artificially still perfects both body and soul but our accursed parents put all out of frame and set every part in a contrary course to Gods will Sin is propagated and proceeds from the union of body and soul into one man That phrase Warmed in sin Psal 51.5 is meant of the preparation of the body as an instrument of evil which is not so actually till the soul come Vers 3. In process of time That distance of time between the Creation and the general Flood Varro the most learned of the Romans calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obscure or unknown because the Heathen had no Records of that which we now clearly understand to have been then done out of the holy Scriptures Cain brought of the fruit Godw. Hebr. Antiq. p. 27. They brought their sacrifices to Adam the high Priest of the family who offered them to God in their name So in the Levitical Law though a mans offering were never so good he might not offer it himself upon pain of death But the Priest must offer it And the Priest was to offer as well the poor mans Turtle as the rich mans Ox To teach that none may present his service to God how good soever he may conceit it but in the hand of the high Priest of the New Testament Jesus Christ Revel 5. the just one who will not onely present but perfume the poorest performances of an upright heart with his odors Vers 4. See Num. 18.12 Fat taken for the best of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 12.41 Mal. 1. Of the firstlings of his flock He brought the best of the best not any thing that came next to hand as Cain seems to have done holding any thing good enough as did those rich wretches that cast brass-money into the treasury But cursed be that couzener that hath a male in his flock and offereth to God a corrupt thing Offer it now to thy Prince will he be content with thy refuse stuff Behold I am a great King saith God he stands upon his seniority and looks to be honored with the best of our subâ—tance Mary that loved much thought nothing too much for her sweet Saviour John 12.9 She brought an Alabaster box of oyntment of great price and poured it upon him and he defends her in it against those that held it waste Among the Papists their Lady of Loretto hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents of the best Sir Edw. Sands Relation of West Relig. sect 〈◊〉 Turk hist. fol. 342. 1 Pet. 3.11 Isai 66.2 as they are fain to hang their Cloysters and Church-yards with them Shall not their supeâ—stition rise up and condemn our irreligion our slubbering services and dough-baked duties The Turks build their private houses low and homely but their Moschces or Temples stately and magnificent Had respect to Abel and his offering The eye of the Lord is still upon the righteous and his ears are in their prayers He looks upon such with singular delight with special intimation of his love he is ravished with one of their eyes lifted up in prayer Cant. 4.9 with one chain of their graces when as he was no whit affected with the offer of all the worlds glory Matth. 4. He saith of such to the wicked as the Prophet said of Jehosaphat to the King of Israel Surely 2 King 3.14 were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat King of Judah I would not look toward thâ—e nor see thee Cain here for instance Vers 5. But to Cain and his offering c. Because he brought non personam sed opus personae as Luther hath it Luth. in Decal who also calls those Cainists that offer to God the work done but do not offer themselves to God Works materially good may never prove so formally and eventually Luke 16. Levit. 11.18 That which is fair to men is abomination to God He rejected the Swan for sacrifice because under a white feather it hath black skin Sordet in conspectu Judicis quod fulget in conspectu operantis saith Gregory A thing may shine in the night from its rottenness Vers 6. Why is thy countenance fâ—â—n Why dost lowre and look so like a dog under a door Vultu saepe laeditur pietas Cicer. orat pro Amerin Ovid. Metaâ— Difficile est animum non prodere vultâ— He was discontented at God and displeased at his brother He looks but sowre and suffen upon him and â—od takes him up for it He so loves his little ones that he cannot abide the cold wind should blow upon them The Sun must not smâ—te them by day nor the Moon by night Psal 121. Cantâ—◠〈◊〉 The North and South must both blow good to them Better a milstone c. then offend one of these little ones be it but by a frown or a frump Better anger all the witches in the world then one of Gods zealous witnesses Revel 11.5 For there goeth a fire out of their mouths to devour their enemies Vers 7. Resipiscenti remissio pertinaci supplicium imminet idque proximum prae entiss Jun. Nemeâ—s dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nemo eam effugere possit Sin lyes at the door Like a great ban-dog ready to pull out the throat of thy soul if thou but look over the hatch Say this dog lie asleep for a while yet the door is for continual pass and repass and so no fit place for any long sleep Your sin will surely finde you out saith Moses as a blood-hound and haunt you
c. The better any one is the more inclined to weeping 1 Sam. 20. as David then Jonathan Nam faciles motus mens generosa capit Paulus non tam atramento quam lachrymis chartas inficiebat saith Lorinus And took from them Simeon and bound him He is thought to have been the chief doer in the sale of Joseph and is therefore singled out for punishment Judas Iscariot is said to come of his tribe Of a turbulent and restless spirit Joseph knew him to be and therefore detained him saith Musculus lest he should have hindered the motion of bringing down Renjamin Vers 25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks This was the revenge he took upon them for their many misusages So Joshua marched all night and fought all day for the Gibeonites that had deceived him So Elisha set bread and water before the Syrians that came to surprize him So S. Paul bids If thine enemy hunger feed him c. Injuries are more bravely overcome with benefits then recompenced with the pertinacy of a mutual hatred Speciâ—sius aliquanto injuriae beneficiis vincuntur quam muâ—ni odii pertinacia pensantur Val. Max. lib. 4. c. 2. said a very Heathen Vers 27. To give his Asse provender in the Inne Their Innes then were not so well furnished as ours are but they were forced to carry their provender which was a trouble Vers 28. My money is restered Joseph had stollen this benefit upon them which they mis-interpret their own misgiving hearts telling them that Gods just hand was in it for their hurt Conscience being now awakened meets them at every turn till they were soundly humbled and had made their peace Better a sore then a seared conscience as better a tormentful strangury then a senseless lethargy Bee-masters tell us that those are the best hives that make the greatest noise Vers 29. And they came to Iacob Who had looked many a long look for them no doubt and was now glad to see their faces and full sacks But this joy lasted but a little while for no sooner had he heard them speak but he was thunderstruck as it were so little stability is there in any worldly felicity The Saints have all here their back-burdens of afflictions yet some have more then some as Iacob who was seldom without God not only gave him a draught of them but made him a dyet-drink Look how your refiners of sugar taking sugar out of the same chest some thereof they melt but once other again and again not that it hath more dross in it but because they would have it more refined So is it here Vers 35. And it came to passe as they emptied Calvin's note on this text is that Ioseph was herein overshot and ill-advised for that intending to succour his father by sending back his money he grieved and frighted him But this might be Iacob's fault more then Iosephs We many times mistake God himself through self-guiltiness as if he meant to kill us with kindness which is a great unthankfulness See my Love-tokens p. 32. Vers 36. Simeon is not That is As good he were not for ye have left him prisoner and unless ye return the sooner with Benjamin which I cannot yeeld to is like to be put to death as a Spie See here the pangs and passions of a parent and how love descends Vers 37. Slay my two sons A simple and sinfull offer Reuben was the eldest but not the wisest Age is no just measure of wisdome Howbeit of him we may learn in our parents fear no be hardy and hearty in our brethrens distress to be eager and earnest Vers 38. Ye shall bring down my gray haires c. To the state of the dead not to hell or Limbus Patrum Many of the Ancients erroneously held that mens souls were not judged till the last day nor rewarded or punished but reserved in some secret Receptacles Bell. de Purg. lib. 1. unto the general Judgment Bellarmine would hence prove Purgatory Luther also seems to approve of that figment of the Fathers For in his notes upon this text he will have Sheol here translated the grave to be an under-ground-receptacle of all souls where they rest and sleep till the coming of Christ But gray haires descend not further then the grave And Luther somewhere intreats his Readers that if they find any thing in his books that smelleth of the old cask they should consider he was not only a man but sometime had been a poor Monk c. CHAP. XLIII Vers 1. And the famine was sore in the Land IN the promised Land Drus in Adag Hold out faith and patience Os quod in sorte tua cecidit rodas Bear thy cross and be content Vers 2. Buy us a little food They had learned to live with a little which is a great skill nature is content with a little grace with less Paratum se esse cum jove de falicitate coutendere fi aquam haberet offam Aâ—lian Epicurus himself was wont to say if he might have but aquam offam a draught of water and a morsell of meate he could live happily Vers 3. Ye shall not see my face c. No acceptation without Benjamin that son of sorrow So neither with God without sound repentance This is the rainbow which if God seeth shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls Vers 6. And Israel said c. Here he begins to outwrestle his fears by resting upon God and is therefore called Israel Vers 7. Could we certainly know c. Inferences many times are made upon what we say or do such as we never thought of Aug. lib. 1. de Trint c. 3. ad sinem Arbitror nonnullos in quibusdam locis librorum meorum opinaturos me sensisse quod non sensi aut non sensisse quod sensi faith Augustine And it fell out accordingly For as Baronius witnesseth after Saint Austins death there arose up divers who out of his writings wrested and inconstructed Quiex ejus scriptis male perceptis complures invexerunt errores Annal. tom 6. ad Ann. 450. brought in many errours which they endeavoured to maintain by the name and authority of Saint Augustine And the like may be said of Luther Vers 8. Send the lad A large lad that was thirty year old and had ten children But he is so called because the yongest son of them and the fathers darling Vers 9. I will be surety for him Herein he was a type of Christ that came of him who is both our surety to God for the discharge of our debt and duty and Gods surety to us for the performance of his promises Heb. 7.22 Vers 10. For except we had lingered c. In the words of God there is not any hyperbole to be found In the words of men related by the Scripture if we meet with such kind of expressions as this and that Joh. 21.25 it nothing derogates from the
by his Lord's command hee shall bee free Sr. H Spelman in Concil Ver. 11. For in six daies God took six daies to make the world in to the end that wee might bee in a muse when wee think of it and think on his works in that order that hee made them And rested the seventh daie Not as tired out for hee made all without either tool or toil his Fiat onely did the deed but to give us example as John 13.15 Wherefore the Lord blessed c. How God esteemeth the strict observation of the Sabbath daie may appear by the exact deliverie of it For hee hath fenced it about like Mount Sinai with marks and bounds that profaneness might not approach it 1. By his watch-word Remember 2. By his bountie Six daies c. 3. By his sovereigntie It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God 4. By the latitude Thou and thy son c. 5. By his own example And rested the seventh daie 6. By his benediction as here Hee blessed it and ordained it to bee a means of much blessing to those that observ it Add hereunto that God hath placed this Command in the midst of the Decalogue betwixt the two tables as much conducing to the keeping of both It stand's like the sensus communis between the inward and outward senses Boâ—in Theat Naturae beeing serviceable to both And hallowed it Diem septimam opifex ut mundi natalem sibi sacravit Ver. 12. Honor thy father c. Philo well observeth that this fifth Commandement which therefore hee maketh a branch of the first Table and so divide's the Tables equally is a mixt Commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and differ's somwhat from the rest of those in the second Table They consider man as our neighbor in nature like us this as God's Deputie by him set over us and in his name and by his autoritie performing offices about us That thy daies may bee long A good childe lengthneth his father's daies therefore God promiseth to lengthen his Ill children as they bring their parents graie hairs with sorrow to the grave so they are manie times cut off in the midst of their daies as Abimelech was God rendring upon him the evil that hee did to his father Judg. 13.5 Besides the pnnishment they have in their posteritie to whom they have been peremptores potiùs quà m parentes Bern. One complained that never father had so undutiful a childe as hee had yes said his son with less grace then truth my grandfather had Ver. 13. Thou shalt not kill A crying sin Gen. 4. For the which God make's inquisition Psalm 9.12 and strangely bring 's it to light It was a saying of King James that if God did leav him to kill a man hee would think God did not love him Ver. 14. Thou shalt not commit adulterie Adulterie onely is named because bestialitie Sodomie and other uncleannesses though more hainous yet they do not directly fight against the puritie of posteritie and humane societie which the Law mainly respect's Ver. 15. Thou shalt not steal i.e. Not rob or wrong another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. either by force or fraud 1 Thes 4.6 See the Note there Basil chargeth the Divel as a thief of the truth in that hee had decked his crows with her feathers And it was of the Divel surely that Shee had learned her answer who beeing charged by her mistress for stealing her linnens Light for smoke p. 85. and other things which shee found in her trunk said that shee stole them not and when shee was asked how came they to bee laid and locked up there Did not you do this No said shee it was not I but sin that dwelleth in mee Ver. 16. Thou shalt not bear Neither bear it nor hear it rais nor receiv wrong reports of another Deut. 19.16 Make a lie nor love it when it is made Rev. 22.15 The truth must bee spoken and that in love Doeg had a fals tongue though hee spoke nothing but truth against David Psal 120.3 Ver. 17. Thou shalt not covet See the Note on Rom. 7.7 and on Heb. 13.5 Thy neighbor's hous House is here first set as that which hold's and harbor's all the rest To these ten words written by God himself in the daie of the Assemblie Divines have reduced those other Laws Moral Judicial and Cerimonial written by Moses 34.27 28. Deut. 10.4 And herein Alstedius that excellent Methodist hath in his Harmonia Musica as in all those brief but pithie Notes upon the Pentateuch don the Church of Christ singular good service whom therefore for a Preface to that which follow 's in the opening of this and the three next Books and for the use of mine English Reader I have abbridged translated and the same here inserted SECT I. Of reducing all the Moral Laws to the Decalogue TO the first Commandement belong laws that concern Faith Hope and Love to God First Faith as that there is but one God and three Persons Jehovah Elohim that hee will send them a Prophet greater then Meses Deut. 18. that hee is to bee honored with our confidence patience and inward worship Next Hope of Favor Grace and Glorie Thirdly Love to God with the whole heart filial fear humble praier holie vows constant care to avoid idolizing the creature seeking to the Divel tempting of God listening to Seducers c. To the second Commandement belong laws made against gross Idolatrie will-worship c. and for right worship To the third pertein laws for Praier Thanksgiving Oaths Lots Blasphemies worthie walking c. To the fourth all laws of sanctifying the Sabbath To the fifth of honoring and reverencing Parents Princes Elders c. and of punishing rebellious children To the sixth may bee reduced all laws concerning Murther Revenge Rancor Smiting Fighting cursing the Deaf laying a block before the blinde c. To the seventh all that is said against Fornication Adulterie Sodomie Incest wearing the Apparel of the other Sex To the eighth Laws against Robberie Rapine Usurie Sacrilege deteining Wages or Pledges removing Land-marks accepting of Persons taking of Gifts fals Weights c. To the ninth belong laws against Back-biting Tale-bearing Fals-witnessing judging not admonishing c. To the tenth no laws are referred becaus it is wholly spiritual and hath no visible violations SECT II. Of reducing Judicial Laws to the Decalogue TO the first Commandement It was death 1. to denie obedience to the Priest who was a type of Christ 2. To perswade Apostacie from the true God 3. To seek to witches and wizzards It was likewise unlawful to make a covenant with the Canaanites whom God had cursed to make mixtures of divers kindes of creatures c. whereby they are taught sinceritie in Religion and conversation To the second Commandement God commanded to abolish Images Pictures Idolatrous temples Altars Groves c. and forbad them upon pain of death to bow to Sun Moon or anie other strange
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
both natural and civil honesty Neither shall a man put on That is say Stage-Players and those that plead for them a man shall not wear womens apparel ordinarily and daily so as women use to do But the word is Put on and so they do The same word is used of Davids putting on Sauls armour which yet he put off again presently So full saith One hereupon are our hearts of distinctions and shifts odia restringere ampliare favores to restrain hatreds as they call them that is the Commandements that make against them Vers 7. And that thou mayst prolong c. They were commanded to spare the damme because she represented the parents in bringing up of her young ones and if their dayes should be for that prolonged much more for this The Hebrews reckon this commandement for the least of all in Moses law and yet such a promise is annexed thereunto Vers 9. And the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled Heb. be sanctified per antiphrasin as Auri sacra fames and Anthony's fire is ignis sacer So a whore is called in Hebrew Kedesha of Kadash i. e. Holiness Deut. 23.17 by a contrary meaning as most unholy and unchaste Vers 10. Thou shalt not plough These laws were made to set forth how God abhorreth all mixtures in religion and how carefully men should keep their minds from being corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 Vers 12. Wherewith thou coverest thy self Ne in motu â—liquid indecerum appareat Lust and malice are sharp-sighted 2 Sam. 11.2 2 Sam. 6.20 Vers 14. I found her not a maid Silvester Petra-sancta Jesuita calumniatur puellas plerunque corruptas nuptui dari in Reformato Evangelio Jesuita Vapulans pag. 146. Quod de Evangelio Romano ait Rivettus noster potiùs dici posset postquà m puellae dementarunt a vobis seducta sub vestibus cordulis nodosis spurcis vestris manibus fuerunt ligatae Papists falsly affirm that few maids amongst us come clear to marriage cujus contrarium verum est Vers 15. Then shall the father of the damosel Whose house hereby was dishonested and by whom his daughters honour was to be defended especially since childrens miscarriages reflect upon the parents and the daughters sin is the fathers shame Vers 16. And he hateth her Which is a monster in nature Ephes 5.28 29 Vers 17. These are the tokens Which in those countries seldome or never failed Vers 19. He hath brought up an evil name Which is a kind of murther Ezek. 22.9 God shall clear the innocency of his slandered servants Psal 37.6 Isai 54.17 As the eclipsed Moon by keeping her motion wades out of the shadow and recovers her splendour so shall it be with such Vers 20. And the tokens Nor any natural impediment can be proved as the Hebrews explain it Vers 22. With a woman married Adultery was punished with death because society and the purity of posterity could not otherwise continue amongst men Vers 24. Humbled his neighbours wife So called because betrothed quià nuptias facit consensus non concubitus as the Lawyers determine it Vers 25. And the man force her and lie with her It was a speech of Charles 5. Emperour If that impure fellow Farnesins who being the Popes General had forced many fair Ladies were here present I would kill him with mine own hand Nec vocem iracundiorem unquam ex Carolo auditam ferunt Parei hist prof medulla Never was he heard to speak so angerly The Lacedaemonian Common wealth was utterly ruined by a rape committed on the two daughters of Scedasus at Leuctra Vers 29. She shall be his wife Howbeit he must be humbled before the Lord for entring into his ordinance thorough the Devils portal CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. OR hath his privy member cut off As it is a barbarous custome at this day among the Turks to deprive divers Christian children of their privities supplying the uses of nature with a silver quill Turk hist This was first brought in amongst them by Selymus the second out of jealousie lest his Eunuches were not so chaste as they should have been in keeping their Ladies beds Such are usually effeminate and unfit to bear office _____ Shall not enter into the Congregation i. e. Shall not go in and out before the people as a publike Officer Sith such should be drained from the dregges and sifted from the brannes of the vulgar they should be eminent and eximious persons higher then the rest as Saul by head and shoulders Vers 2. A bastard shall not enter Utpote qui naâ—i sunt ex prostibulo plaâ—è iucerto patre sed certissima infamia 1 Sam. 20.30 Lest the reproach of his birth render him contemptible or lesse courageous lest some son of Belial set upon him as Saul did upon his son Jonathan and say Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman so of the base and beastly woman doe not I know that thou hast done this to the confusion of thy mothers nakednesse The mutinous Janizaries called their Emperour Bajazet the second drunkard beast rascal bastard Bengi that is Batchelour Turk hist or Scholler and told him moreover that they would teach him to use his great place and calling with more sobriety and discretion The English slighted and scorned their William the Conquerour because a bastard In spite also to whom and disgrace to his mother Arlet they called all whores Harlets The Jews at this day amongst other opprobrious words wherewith they spitefully load us they call all Christians Mamzer Goi that is Heathen bastards Our Saviour upon better grounds called them long since a bastardly brood Matth. 12.39 And their own Prophet Esay did the same thing long before Chap. 57. vers 3 4 and that for their prophane scoffing at the truth and the Professours thereof Yet who so forward as they to say We are not born of fornication no bastards Joh. 8.41 Vers 3. For ever i. e. This law is perpetual and indispensable so highly displeasing are many meer omissions of duty Omission of diet breeds diseases brings death so here Vers 4. Because they met you not As God takes notice of the least courtesie shewed to his people even to a cup of cold water to requite it so he doth of the least discourtesie even to a frown or a frump Gen. 4.6 See the Note there to revenge it _____ And because they bired c. See the Note on Num. 22.3 6. Vers 5. Nevertheless the Lord c. q.d. No thank to the wicked Moabites that Balaam blasted thee not as neither to Balaam whose tongue was meerly over-ruled by the Almighty and made to bless those whom he would gladly have cursed And thus still the Lord orders the worlds disorders turning dross into gold by a stupendious Alchymy and directing mens evill actions to a good end Hence it is that they fulfill though they intend no such thing but the satisfying of their own lusts Esay 10.5