then of his Generation or that come out of his Loins were Sixty-nine in number and himself maketh the Seventieth He is presented before Pharaoh who never saw so old a Man in all his Life As he had nourished Joseph Seventeen Years before he was sold GEN. XLVII so Joseph nourisheth him in Egypt Seventeen Years before he dieth XLVIII Before his Death he swears Joseph to interr him in Canaan XLIX blesseth his two Sons particularly and himself with the rest of his Brethren He dieth an Hundred Forty-seven Years old Joseph Fifty-three Years after dieth himself L. and is cossined up in Egypt to be carried to the Land of Promise when Israel shall be delivered Before Joseph's Death Israel grows numerous in Egypt if not before Jacob's Gen. xlvii 27 And God chuseth them for his visible Church Ezek. xx 5 And to his new chosen Church he appointed Levi to be Priest to teach Israel the Ways of God when their great Instructor Jacob is dead 1 Sam. ii 27 His Repentance upon his Father's Curse Gen. xlix 6 7. obtaineth Pardon and his Dividing in Jacob and Scattering in Israel becomes a Blessing But after Joseph Levi and that Generation be dead they forget God as Judg. ii 7 They follow the Idols of Egypt Ezek. xx 8 Jos. xxiv 14 They reject the Covenant of God and Circumcision the Sign of it they utterly neglect so that they are uncircumcised like the Egyptians Jos. v. 9 Exod. iv 24 25. They make mixt Marriages with the Egyptians among whom they live as Lev. xxiv 10 And following the Customs of Egypt they make prohibited Matches among themselves as Exod. ii 1 Lev. xviii 3 and 12. Thus when his Church grows thus degenerate in Egypt God hath ready a Church to shew among the Heathen IOB After Genesis in order of time lies the Story and Book of Job Which to read here before you begin with Exodus will breed Interruption of a continued Story But when you do read Job remember his time and withal examine and mark how he and his Friends speak closely of foregoing Stories As of the Creation Chap. xxxviii xxxix c. The Fall of Angels and Men Chap. iv latter end Chap. v. 2 Cain's Case who was hid from God's Favour yet hedged in that he could not die Chap. iii. 21 The Flâ—â—d and old World Chap. xxii 6 Babel's Builders Chap. iii. 13 c. V. 13. These and other such things you may find closely couched in their Speeches which they came to know partly by Tradition partly by living so near Israel partly by Revelation as Chap. iv 12 and Chap. xxxviii 1 thereby to provoke Israel to Jealousie even in the House of Job in Arabia Whose like Israel had not Job i. 8 after the Death of Levi and the Birth of Moses God also chastiseth them by hard Affliction an Hundred and Twenty Years together according to the time of the old World Gen. vi SECT IV. EXODUS THE Book of Exodus by the ancient Jews was called The Book of Redemption Abarb. in Preface to Exodus So the Work of Redemption is called Exodus Luk. ix 31 Israel's Sin causes hard Affliction From which no Tribe is exempted even the Royal one of Judah groans heavily under this Burden EXOD. CHAP. I. To this first of Exodus treating of the sore Affliction of Israel in Egypt read Pâ— lxxxviii and lxxxix which were made by two Men Heman and Ethan who then lived and felt that Affliction These were Ezrahites or immediate Sons of Zerah 1 Chron. ii 6 And Zerah was one of those Seventy that went down to Egypt Gen. xlvi 12 So that those two Psalms are the oldest piece of Writing the World hath to shew with the rest of his Brethren In these hard times is Moses born a goodly Child tho' his Mother were by Nature past the Course of Child bearing EXOD. II. He is hid at his Birth lest he should be slain as he was also after his Death lest he should be worshipped His Mother is paid for nursing her own Child EXOD. III. He lives Forty Years a Courtier other Forty a Shepherd spending his time in Divine Contemplation In one of which Thoughts of God God appears to him indeed gives him Charge of the Delivery of his People and withal gives him the Power of Miracles His Shepherd's Staff is turned into a Serpent for the Terror of Egypt and Israel if they rebel EXOD. IV. but into a Rod again for Israel's Conduct if they obey His Hand is Leprous to teach both them and himself that not that impure Hand but a greater did those Miracles Armed with these Powers he goes for Egypt The first Night he had like to have lost his Son for want of Circumcision Which when he had received he is unfit for a Journey and so he and his Mother and Brother are left behind Pharaoh upon Moses Message adds Affliction But God will approve himself Jehovah EXOD. V VI. faithful in Promise The Genealogy of Israel undertaken to be reckoned but stops at Levi Which Tribe was shortly to be taken for all Israel Pharaoh plagued five times and hardens his Heart when he is punisht for Sin EXOD. VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII Therefore God hardens his Heart five times more So that he sins for a Punishment At last Israel is delivered by the Blood of a Lamb. All Egyptian First-born slain For which Israel's First-born is due to God Egyptian Gods are overthrown and their Dogs struck dumb From their coming out of Egypt to the end of Exodus the Text hath so pointed out the Months and Days that being laid Kalendar-wise to view they yield more Facility and Delight Year of the World MMDXIII Days of the M. Nisan or Abib the First Month.  1 Some of the Plagues were at the beginning of this Month at the least the Hail was And Flax and Barley are now ripe So is Rahab's Flax ripe in the same Month Forty Years after and laid upon her flat-roofed House to wither Jos. ii 6  2  3  4  5  6 Rome is Egypt in Rev. xvi and is plagued with Hail for overthrowing Fundamental Points of Religion Every Stone a Talent weight ver 21. answerable to the several Silver Bases for the Foundation of the Tabernacle  7  8  9  10 The Paschal Lamb is taken up  11  EXOD. X. 12 Darkness Three Days  13 Darkness Darkness over Egypt while Israel gathers to Raamses Remember the Three Hours Darkness upon the Jews at Christ's Death EXOD XI.XII. 14 Darkness over Egypt all Day The Passeover kept at Night  15 Israel comes out of Egypt A Day of Unleavened Bread EXOD. XIII 16 They come to Etham EXOD. XIV 17 They come to Pihahiroth  18 Pharaoh arms after them  19 Pursues them  20 Overtakes them EXOD. XV. 21 This Morning they sing Deliverance  22 From hence after three
these two Marks ¶ and †at pag. 7. the former referrs to p. 47. the latter to p 87. THE CONTENTS OF THE Rules for a Student of the Holy Scriptures SECTION I. THE Language of Scripture one help for the explaining of it pag. 3 To lay the Books and Chapters in their due Order another 4 The Way to come to this Skill is to cast the Bible into a continued Chronicle Ib. The Benefit of it Ib. Eight Literal Observations for this Purpose 5 SECT II. The Number of the Canonical Books 11 The Apocrypha the Work of some Jews Ib. Some Observations thereon 12 SECT III. The Old Testament The Method of reading the whole Book of GENESIS with Explanations and Cursory Observations upon each Chapter beginning at p. 12 The Order of reading JOB 28 SECT IV. The Method of reading the Book of EXODUS with Explanations and Cursory Observations throughout the whole Book beginning at p. 29 The Departure of Israel out of Egypt laid Kalendar-wise 31 c. The Tabernacle and Types of it 37 c. The giving of the Law 40 SECT V. The Method of reading the Book of LEVITICUS with some useful Instructions concerning the Ceremonies enjoyned therein The Laws of Leprosie what they imported 48 49 SECT VI. Notes and Explanations upon each Chapter of the Book of NUMBERS 49 A Summary of the Book of DEUTERONOMY 52 SECT VIII A Declaration of the Matters contained in the Book of JOSHUA Chapter by Chapter 53 54 The Story of Caleb's taking of KiriÌ„ath Sepher Chap. xv why rehearsed in Judg. i. 54 SECT IX The true Order for reading of the Book of JUDGES with Explanations 55 c. The Book of RUTH to be read near the beginning of this Book 58 SECT X. Directions for the Methodical reading of the Books of SAMUEL KINGS and CHRONICLES with Cursory Obâ—â—â—vations Instructions where the PSALMS PROVERBS CANTICLES ECCLESIASTES and JONAH fall in to be read Some special Notes concerning the Book of PSALMS 59 c. SECT XI The Prophetical Books A Rule where and how to lay them as to Order of Time And as to the Precedency of the Prophets living under the same Reign How to read the Prophets unto the Captivity The Captivity-Books to be cast into a Chronicle Scripture Chronology will direct to find what is not possible to express And particularly the beginning of the Seventy Years Captivity 65 66 SECT XII The New Testament The Spirit and Glory of the Old Testament light upon the New 66 Two things of singular Vse in reading of the New Testament 1. In the Evangelists to search out the true and exact Order 2. In reading the New Testament never to take the Eye off the Old 67 SECT XIII Evangelium Mosaico-Propheticum The Gospel and History of Christ to be traced in Moses and the Prophets 68 SECT XIV The Order of the Evangelists The Four Evangelists laid in an intire continued Story till within a Twelvemonth of Christ's Death A Note concerning the Supper in the Nineteenth Chapter of S. John 72 73 The rest of the Tract in Forty-four Sections shew orderly and distinctly how each Evangelist is to be read according to the Order of Time together with Notes and Observations to prove the Order RULES FOR A STUDENT OF THE Holy Scriptures With Directions how to read the History of the Bible Methodically according to the true Order of Time and consequently for the better Understanding and more Profit RULES FOR A STUDENT OF THE Holy Scriptures SECT I. THAT the Scripture is the best Expositor of its self none ever deny'd but they that would not have the Scriptures expounded The helps that it affords for explaining of its self are various The first to be lookt after is the Language The Spirit of God upon the same Occasions using the same Words in the Original This observed which in Translations cannot be so well expressed giveth Light to Things which otherwise were obscure The Groundwork of the Two Testaments is Hebrew and Greek but upon Occasion flourisht with Chaldee Arabic Syrian Latine c. The Holy Spirit seldom or never using these but intimating something of Note if our Eyes be but serious So in Hos. V. 5. speaking of Israel's seeking God in Affliction he useth the Chaldee Form to teach where that Affliction and Seeking must be So Psal. cxvi 12 the Benefits of God there spoken of are in Chaldee Form for the same reason To spare more the very Language wherein the Doom of Babel is written on the Wall Mene Tekel Upharsin the fullest Piece that ever the World saw in so few Words imports a great deal of Divine Wisdom But every one that desires to read the Bible with Profit cannot see this The first thing then for them that only read Translations to be looked after in reading the Scriptures is to lay the Books and Chapters in their true Order The Holy Spirit hath in divers Places purposely and divinely laid Stories and Passages out of their proper Places for special Ends The Evangelists especially witness this Here the Skill of the Reader is first to reduce each thing to his own Place And secondly to seek the Divine Reason why it is misplaced The only way to come to this Skill is by casting the Story of the Bible into a continued Chronicle Which as the Spirit hath given undoubted Helps to draw so being drawn it is the most Satisfactory Delightsome and Confirmative of the Understanding Mind and Memory that may be This settles Histories in your Mind This brings the things as iâ— done before your Eyes This makes you mark what else you would not and this suffers you not to slip over the least Tittle of a Word And sometimes in things of Doubt and Scruple this Strikes all out of Question The great Doubts in the Primitive Church about Methuselah's living in the Year of the Flood and of Sem's being Melchisedek as they grew from this Course so from this Course had it been truly followed they had been soon resolved I will not anticipate your Study else could I shew in Hab. iii. 2 Joh. xiii and other Places Doubts to be raised not to be answered but bâ— Skill in Scripture Chronicle and being so answered of great Weight and Sweetness Two or Three Hours Oral Instructions from one that hath gone this way would give more Readiness in Scripture-text than whole Days before For the present take these literal Observations with you which may something ease and further you in your Entry upon this Course I. Observe That the Scripture of the Old Testament hath in gross Sums chained the Times together from the beginning of the World to the Death of Christ. These are easie to find and upon the finding it is no hard Task to find out the several or special manner of reckoning of every Link As between the Creation and Flood the Years are reckoned compleat In the paralleling of Judah's and Israel's Kingdom most commonly current but sometimes otherwise II. The Jewish
And in one and the same Year both Father and Son dye Divers such Passages as these you will find in this Story of the Kings if you will but cast it into Annals after this manner as be these Ahaziah Two Years older than his Father 2 Chron. xxii 2 Baasha fighting Nineteen Years after he is dead 2 Chron. xvi 1 Jotham reigning Four Years after he is buried 2 King xv 30 Joram crowned King in the Seventeenth Year of Jehoshaphat 2 King i. 17 compared with 1 King xxii 51 And in the Two and Twentieth Year of Jehoshaphat 2 King viii 16 And after Jehoshaphat's Death 2 Chron. xxi 1 Variety of such strange things are to be found by taking this course which otherwise you can never see nor doubt of For Resolution of such Ambiguities when you have found them the Text will do it if it be well searched Conference with some Man or other learned and practiced in this way will soon resolve and remove all Scruples One Month or two spent thus with a living Guide will profit more than Seven Years Study spent according to the common way of reading the Bible This way attained to will guide you it self in what else is agreeable to profitable reading As in marking those things that seem to be Contradictions in the Text or Slips of the Holy Ghost in which always is admirable Wisdom Parallels of Times Places and Persons c. Which if you once fix sadly to make a Scripture-Chronicle you cannot slip unmarked and it will be enough to me to see you Doubt I know your Doubting will not rest till resolved I have here briefly run before you the Order of Scripture as I conceive the Continuance of the History requires it to lye If you will but settle to make a Scripture Chronicle this is needless for that will search out the Order for you So that you may spare your Labour of reading this that I have written and then I need not to excuse my Confusedness in it for haste Yet if you do read it it may shew you the Necessity of that that I so instantly urge viz. Skill in the Chronicle For if there be whole Chapters and Books laid out of their Places and the reason thereof commonly most sweet what may we expect in smaller Bulk of things as Genealogies Names Speeches Years Quotations c. but strange Variations yet always Divine Admirable it is to see how the Holy Spirit of God in Discords hath shewed the sweetest Music. But few Men mark this because few â—ake a right course in reading of Scripture Hence when Men are brought to see flat Contradictions as unreconciled there be many in it they are at amaze and ready to deny their Bible A little Pains right spent will soon amend this wavering and settle Men upon the Rock whereon to be built is to be sure SECT II. THE Canonical Books of the Bible are Seventy if the Psalms be parted into Five like the Seventy Souls that built up the House of Israel The Apocrypha speaks for it self that it is not the Finger of God but the Work of some Jews Which got it so much Authority among Christians because it came from them from whom the lively Oracles of God indeed came also But the Talmud may be read to as good Advantage and as much Profit and far more Leviathan reserved to be eaten 2 Esdra vi 52 is Judaism in Targ. Jonath in Gen. R. Sol. Elias 〈…〉 of all tastes in Wisd. xvi 20 21. is Jewish R. Sol. in Num. xi Paradise created before the World is Judaism in Targ. Jonath in Gen. ii Pirke R. Eliezer R. Nephtali Bel and the Dragon is a Jewish Parable from Jer. li. 44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon and I will bring forth out of his Mouth that which he hath swallowed up c. 〈◊〉 blessing Simeon for the Slaughter of 〈◊〉 is worse than Jewish Jud. ix 2 c. flat against Jacob who curseth the Fact and against Moses who for it leaves him out of his Blessings Deut. xxxiii Tobit's Chronology is worse than Heathenish Tob. xiv 4 and 15. making the Ruin of Nineveh by Nebuchadnezzar to depend upon Jonah's Prophecy Whereas since Jonah's Prophesie that City had been deâ—â—royed by Arbaces and Belosus and built again and stood the Succession of Seven or Eight Kings and near about Two Hundred Years before it was taken by Nebuchadnezzar So might one censure the rest but Verbum Sapienti Believe not every Spirit SECT III. GENESIS CHAP. I. THE Law begins with the Creation because by the Creature is our first Step to the Knowledge of God Rom. i. 20 Ps. xix It teacheth the end from the beginning the Resurrection from the Creation For if God made Man of Dâ—st he can raise him our Spiritual Union with God in Glory even in our Body by the Union of our Spirit and Body in Creation God not named Jehovah till the Creation be perfect for special Reason The second Days Work not approved but the third twice Heaven and Earth created in one and the same instant as Center and Circumference The First Day The Heavens are made perfect and move as soon as ever they are made and with them are created the Angels But the Earth is unformed and vast all covered over with Water And the Spirit of God by the Motion of the Heavens cherisheth the inferior Creature of Earth and Waters Twelve Hours did the Heavens move in Darkness and then by God's Appointment Light appeared in that Hemisphere in which God had decreed that the Light of Religion should first shine And there it gave Lustre for Twelve Hours more declining by degrees with the Motion of the Heavens to the other Hemisphere where it also shone Twelve Hours So that the first Day to that part of the World was †So long was Joshuah's Day when the Sun stood still and so long was Christ under Death Six and Thirty Hours long The Second Day As soon as ever the Light was gone off from this upper Horizon God commanded that instead of that Vacuity which was between the Waters that covered the Earth and the Clouds which were created full of Water in the same instant with the Heavens the Air should be spread abroad throughout the Universe And in Four and Twenty Hours the Command is accomplished The Third Day The Waters that cover the Earth at God's Command recoil Westward into those Channels which God had appointed them And still as they go away and dry Land appears Herbs Plants and Trees with their ripe Seed and Fruit upon them grow instantly out of the Earth This Day God plants the pleasant Garden of †The Story of Eden Gen. 11. ver 9 10 11 12 13 14. in proper Order should lye between ver 12 and 13. of this Chapter But Moses hath reserved the History of that to be handled at Adam's being placed in it Because he would dispatch his Treatise of Generals before he come
to Particulars Eden The Fourth Day The Sun Moon and Stars created The inferiour Hemisphere first sees the Sun Or else the Moon was made before the Sun The Fifth Day Fowl and Fish made The Whale particularly named to shew that even the greatest Creature could not make it self The Sixth Day Beasts and Cattel created and Man Lord of the Creatures on Earth Who come to acknowledge their Homage to Man when they come for their Names Which Adam giveth them GEN. II. Begin to read this Chapter at ver 4. This Chapter is a particularizing upon some Generals of the Chapter preceding at their first Sight according to their Natures He seeth not amongst them all a Mate for himself God provides one for him of his own Flesh marries them together puts them into the Garden gives them the Moral Law in few Words and to shew to them their intire Dominion as well over themselves as over the Creature he leaves them to their own free Will with Power either to stand or fall He gives his Angels charge over them to be ministring Spirits for their Good Some Angels despise this Office and for that Pride are cast from their first Estate of Happiness and are reserved in the Chains of God's Providence under the Darkness of his Displeasure unto the Judgment of the great Day No Comfort they have left them but to have Company of the same Misery and to bring Man into the same Perdition GEN. III. This they soon enterprize and having first obtained Leave of God they assail the Woman by three Temptations to the Lust of the Flesh Lust of the Eye and Pride of Life as 1 Joh. ii 16 she being overcome bringeth the Man into the same Transgression About Three Hours after their Fall God cometh to censure them but first he promiseth Christ a Redeemer Which Promise Adam layeth hold on and for that calleth his Wife's Name Eve or Life God seeth his Faith and teacheth him to Sacrifice clean Beasts as a Seal of his Faith in him who should be sacrificed for him With the Skins of which Beasts he cloatheth Adam and his Wife and driveth them out of Eden even on the Day of their Creation The Seventh Day After the end of Gen. iii. take in the three first Verses of Chap. ii That Adam fell on the day of his Creation were there no other Evidence Gen. v. 2. were sufficient The next Day God by his own Example ordaineth as a Day of Rest for Adam and his Posterity to meditate upon these things Evil Concupiscence generated in Adam by his Fall doth readily forward Adam upon the present Necessity of Generation of Children GEN. IV. He hath two born at a Birth First that which was Natural and after him that which was Spiritual Their Mother upon the Birth of the first of them shews her Apprehension of the Promise and calls his Name Cain a Possession or Purchase †The Original Words may well if not best bear this Sense For saith â—he I have obtained the Lord to become Man But the Purchase or Possession of the Propagation of Original Sin did most shew it self in the Nature of Cain Because his Brother's bloody Sacrifice which properly signified that of Chrisâ— was visibly fired from Heaven and his dry Sheaves of Corn the likelier Materials to burn are not he falls into a desperate Discontent which tho' God himself from Heaven would remove with †The common Gloss upon ver 7. Sin lies at the Door That is the Punishment for Sin is ready to seize on thee is that contrary to the Sense of the Verse going before and the latter end of that Verse God comes not there to deject but comfort him The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Sin signifies the Sacrifice for Sin all along Leviticus which was brought to the Tabernacle Door comfortable Words yet sticketh it fast even to the Death of his Brother For which he is made a Runnagate and hedged in that he cannot die as Job iii. 21 tho' he begged of the Lord Let any one that findeth me kill me God gives him a Token that no one should kill him Upon which he grows resolutely wicked as appears in the Discipline of his Children One of which Lamech the seventh from Adam in this Line is notoriously wicked and bringeth in height of Wickedness by his double Marriage This Chapter undertaking to set down the Wickedness of Cain's Brood runs on with the holy Line till it stop at Enosh In whose time that Wickedness began to be notorious See 2 Pet. ii 5 Which Enoch the seventh from Adam in the other Line prophesieth against Jud. ver 12. Yet Lamech boasteth in his Villany and even undervalues his great Grandâ—ire Cain His Children give their Minds to Trades that may further Luxury and Vanity as fatting Cattel Imagery and Music. Thus is Cain's Generation scattered and shall be utterly rooted out by the Flood But these are the Generations of Adam that should hold out and not fail GEN. V. This Chapter is a a Chronicle of 1656 Years from the Creation to Methuselah's Death This time is called Early in the Mâ—â—ning or the dawning of the Day Mat. xx 1 This Chapter cast into a Chronological Table giveth much Light to what went before to what follows and to it self In the Day that God made Adam he created him in his own Image even both the Male and Female he made in this Image and blessed them with Power of begetting Children in the same Image also but they fell on the Day of their Creation so that God names them Earthly Adam the Day that they were created And when Adam was an Hundred and Thirty Years old compleat he begat a Son in his own Image sinful like himself and called his Name Seth. And all the Days of Adam were Nine Hundred and Thirty Years a Thousand within Seventy But now Seventy Years are a Man 's whole Age Psal. xc 10 In this long time Adam saw his Children's Children to the Ninth Generation Enoch the Seventh from Adam is dedicated to God as the Seventh Day and God took him away that he should not see Death when he had lived as many Years as be Days in a Year Enoch before he was translated prophesied against the Wickedness of the World and foretold of the Flood Which those that feared God believed and therefore kept themselves long unmarried because they would not beget many Children for the Waters For Methuselah lived an Hundred Eighty-seven Years and begat Lamech and Lamech lived an Hundred Eighty-two and begat a Son and foresaw that to him should be given Liberty for all the World to eat Flesh whereby they should be much eased of the Toyl which they endured in Tillage of the Ground when hitherto they ate nothing but the Fruits thereof and he called his Name Noah And when Noah was Five Hundred Years old That Sem was Noah's second Son collect from Gen. v.
sheweth Affliction by Egypt before his Seed shall enjoy the Land GEN. XVI Which soon beginneth by Egyptian Hagar that gendreth to Bondage GEN. XVII But the Son of the Freewoman must inherit the Promise Which thing Abram believeth and Circumcision is given him a Seal of his Righteousness by Faith And for the more Assurance †From this that Abram hath a new Name given him when the Command of Circumcision is given him after-times used to give Names to their Children at their Circumcision Luk. i. 59 and ii 21 as Christians do now at Baptism his and Sarai's Names are changed The Trinity in visible Form appears to Abraham GEN. XVIII and determines the time of the Birth of the promised Seed Cham's Derision of his Father's Nakedness shews it self in the filthy Nakedness of his Sons of Sodom GEN. XIX whose Flames of Lust are punisht with Flames of Fire and even their Hell comes down from Heaven Lot is delivered from the Ruin but not from the Corruption of the City God that can bring Good out of Evil brings a Mother of Christ according to the Flesh out of the Incest of Lot viz. Ruth the Moabitess Isaac in his Mother's Womb taken by Abimelech as Christ in Mary's Womb taxed by Cesar. GEN. XX. To this Story of Sarah's being taken and kept and released by the Plagues of a Philistin compare the Case of the Ark in the Land of the Philistins 1 Sam. v. 6 Isaac born In his being born above the Course of Nature Abraham seeth the Day of Christ and rejoyceth GEN. XXI and in token calleth his Son's Name Isaac Laughter At Isaac's Fifth Year Ishmael mocketh Then begin the Four Hundred Years Affliction exactly Isaac and the Ram a true Type of Christ's two Natures the one only Suffering and the other not GEN. XXII yet that that suffer'd not giving Validity and Value to that that suffer'd Sarah dieth the only Woman whose Age is recorded in Scripture Abraham hath not a Foot of Land of his own in Canaan but only a Burial Place GEN. XXIII In the last Chapter you have Tidings of Rebecca before the Death of Sarah that one Sun may be ready to rise before another set Isaac having grieved Three Years for the Loss of his Mother is comforted at last with Rebecca his Wife GEN. XXIV Who of Necessity must be barren that the Seed may be of Promise and not of Nature GEN. XXV This Barrenness of Sarah and Rebecca and others and yet having Children at last was as an Harbinger to provide room for the Belief of Christ's Supernatural Birth See Luke i. 36 Jacob and Esau quarrel before they be born Esau loseth his Interest in God in the sale of his Birthright The Genealogy of Abraham and Ishmael their Age and Death are set down here because there is no more to be said of them Howbeit Abraham lived till Jacob was Fifteen Years old and Ishmael till he was Sixty three At Abraham's Death when Isaac is now just Seventy-five Years old the same Blessing is given to him GEN. XXVI that was given to Abraham when he was Seventy-five At the same Age probably Jacob also getteth it from his Father by taking on him to be Esau GEN. XXVII when he was Jacob. And by this means obtains the Blessing of his Father Which Blessing God seconds giving him the same Promise as he goeth to Haran GEN. XXVIII that he gave Abraham to bring him thence But his unlawful Means of compassing his Father's Blessing God punisheth in the same kind GEN. XXIX So that after Seven Years Service he embraceth Leah instead of Rachel as he had pretended Esau instead of Jacob. He serveth for this a Week in earnest that he will serve Seven Years more for Rachel and at the Weeks end he obtains her In Seven Years hard Affliction he begetteth many Children God taketh Care of Payment of his Wages GEN. XXX Types of what should happen to his Posterity His Riches endanger him both to Laban XXXI who seeth with him the Fruit of his Flock and to Esau XXXII who now seeth the Effect of the Blessing gotten from him XXXIII and the Benefit of the Birthright which he had sold. But Jacob is Israel A Prevailer with God before he meets with Esau and he cannot chuse then but prevail with him Jacob's Remisness in the Discipline of his Family causeth the Rape of Dinah Here Leah's tender Eyes have Cause to weep for her Daughter GEN. XXXIV Till now Jacob had hardly held touch with God in the Performance of his Vow The Lord shall be my God And no wonder if his Children miscarry But at Bethel where his Vow was made GEN. XXXV he purgeth his House from Idols and there he again receives a Blessing and is called an Israelite indeed now without Guile Hos. xii 4 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us That is at this time at Bethel he calls him Israel in Behalf of his Posterity Who while they should be as his Family is here purged from Iniquity they should be Israel powerful with God Upon the naming of him Israel which should concern all his Tribes his Tribes are reckoned upon the Birth of Benjamin when they be now full Now the Story is to fall only upon Jacob and his Children Esau's Genealogy is reckoned GEN. XXXVI for no more is now to be said of him Eight Kings of Edom before Israel had any answerably Eight Kings of Israel kept the Kingdom of Edom. Joseph sold by Judah to Midianites Medanites and Ishmaelites For which Fact Judah is justly punished in the Death of his Children GEN. XXXVII XXXVIII and his own Shame Seek earnestly in this Story and you shall find Judah to have Children at the most at Twelve Years old if not before Joseph sold into Egypt is near ravishing by his black Mistress His Coat is again shewed to colour the Wickedness of this Woman GEN. XXXIX as his bloody Coat was to colour that of his Brethren As for telling of Dreams he is sold so by interpreting of Dreams he riseth to honour when he seeth and telleth GEN. XL. how Plenty and Famine over Egypt should be caused by Nilus XLI And the Famine he knew came as a just Judgment upon Egypt for keeping his Innocence so long in Prison XLII The same Justice is shewed upon Canaan from whence he was sold. Which makes his Brethren to bow to him for Corn as their Corn-Sheaves did to his in his Dream XLIII His Brother Benjamin who had no Hand in his Sale yet is brought also to crouch to him XLIV to fulfil his Dream of his Mother bowing to him for Benjamin cost her her Life XLV When all things according to the fore signification are fulfilled XLVI Joseph reveals himself to his Brethren and sends for his Father who cometh for Egypt And
things than the Land of Canaan out of which even the Holiest among them they see excluded Sihon and Og overcome It is Six and Twenty Generations since the Creation Answerably Psal. cxxxvi doth Six and Twenty times extol the Mercy of God His Mercy endureth for ever NUM XXI Beginning the Psalm from the Creation and ending it in the Overthrow of Sihon and Og. By which Israel first took Possession of the Land promised Balaam is hired to curse Israel but cannot He curseth Rome for Crucifying Christ. NUM XXII XXIII XXIV Chap. xxiv 24 This is the Groundwork of the Revelation Balaam when he cannot curse lays a Stumbling-block in Israel's way by bringing Midianitish Women among them NUM XXV By whom they fall to Lewdness which procures a Plague among them that sweeps away those that were yet left of the Account at Sinai When the old Stock is gone they that must enter Canaan are numbred NUM XXVI Thus as they were delivered Moses by number From hence to the end of the Book all things are facil and in order by number he delivers them up SECT VII DEUTERONOMY MOses in the Eleventh Month of the last Year of their wandring rehearseth and explaineth precedent Laws and Stories He blesseth all the Tribes but only Simeon giveth Judah Priority of Levi dieth and is buried by Christ who was to bury his Ceremonies The Cloud of Glory departeth upon Moses's Death SECT VIII IOSHUA JOshua of Joseph succeedeth him to bring them into Canaan as Joseph had brought them into Egypt This Book contains a Story of Seventeen Years beginning from Nisan the Sixth Anno Mâ—ndi MMDLIII The first Seven Years are spent in Wars and then have they Peace and set up the Tabernacle in Ephraim and call the Town Shiloh i. e. Peaceable God gives Joshua Authority and even puts the Law into his Hands as that was the manner of crowning their Kings IOS I. 2 Chron. xxiii 11 This was the Sixth of Nisan that Day he makes Proclamation of Removal after three Days compleat and withal that Day sends two Men to spy Jericho IOS II. who take up their Lodging in a Victualler's House called Rahab an honest Woman tho' of a scandalous Profession But they come out again that Night The Seventh Day they lye in the Mountains the Eighth Day they return The Ninth Day the People march along upon Jordan's Banks down till they come over against Jericho IOS III. The Ark leadeth the Van. They pass Jordan on the Tenth the Waters being divided four Thousand Cubits besides where the Body of the Army marched in two Parts IOS IV The Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Days they are busie about Circumcision On the Fourteenth they keep the Passover IOS V VI. and so are sensible of both their Sacraments at once Till the Twenty-first at Even is their Passover Week From thence they strangely besiege Jericho compassing it Seven Days according to the Seven Generations since the Land was promised The Spoil of this Town must deservedly be as the first Fruits of Canaan due to the Lord. Which Achan meddling with makes Israel abominable In the Valley of Achor which is here the beginning of their Trouble IOS VII must be the beginning of their Hope Hos. ii 15 Joh. iv Ai taken and the Spoil given to the Soldiers And here they begin to take Possession of Canaan IOS VIII Then Joshua builds an Altar just where Abraham had done when he took Possession of the Land by Faith Gen. xii IOS IX The Gibeonites deceive by colour of Antiquity A miraculous Day of Thirty-six Hours long A humane History Sepher Jasher cited X c. as Paul cites Heathen Poets and Talmudic Doctors From hence to the end of the Book is a Survey of the Land and some few Histories interlaced of no Scruple for Order Only the Story of Caleb's taking of Kiriah Sepher Chap. xv 14 is rehearsed Judg. i. 12 as if it were after Joshua's Death but in this Book it is in the proper Place It is rehearsed in Judges because there speaking how Judah was appointed Captain by God it relates this Story to shew why Othniel was looked after rather than any other of Judah because of his Valour tried before in this Action SECT IX IUDGES GOD to make easier way for Israel's Possession of the Land of the Amorites useth the Amorites for their Furtherance So Sihon and Vahob King of Moab CHAP. I. fall to Wars and Sihon taketh Land from Moab that Israel might take it from him that was an Amorite for with a Moabite they might not meddle So Adonibezek and his Neighbour Kings fall to civil Wars and he conquers Seventy of them ready to Israel's Hand So that when they have conquered him they have conquered so many They cut off his Thumbs and great Toes and bring him to the great Town of the Kingdom Jerusalem and there for Terror to others do publickly kill him The things next related after the Overthrow of Adonibezek as the taking of Hierusalem Hebron and Kiriath Sepher were done in Joshua's time But they are rehearsed for this reason that we might see that Judah was chosen General after Joshua's Death by God That Israel might war under one to whom they were used and acquainted For Judah was made General by Joshua even in his Life-time And this Matter of Othniel named here to shew why he is made Judge afterward In the rest of the Chapter the Order is proper only whereas some things are mentioned here which are mentioned in Joshua's Book as ver 27 29. about Israel's not expelling the Canaanites it is to shew that as it was not done before Joshua's Death so neither was it done after For which they have heavy tidings from God Joshua's Age and Death mentioned again IVDG II. to v. 11. then read CHAPP XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI of this Book to shew that in his time all was well with them After the Tenth Verse of this Chapter take in the XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI Chapters of this Book for hereabout is their Order For howsoever these these Stories be laid in the end of the Book yet were the things there mentioned done before any Judge arose in Israel For the evidencing of which consider First the Connexion of the Passages there mentioned one to another I. Micah of Ephraim set up an Idol as Jeroboam of the same Tribe did afterward The Danites take it away IUDG XVII XVIII even in Micah's Life time and set it up publickly in Dan as Jeroboam also did afterwards And Jonathan a Grandchild of Moses is the first publick Idolatrous Priest This Moses had for marrying in an Idolatrous Line Dan for Idolatry first set up in his Tribe is not sealed Rev. vii among Israel Upon Toleration of Idolatry all Iniquity follows IUDG XIX XX. so that a City of Israel becomes Sodom Against this City all Israel goes by God's Permission to War
and yet Forty Thousand are slain by a most wicked Tribe Thus did God avenge his own cause when none of Israel would be zealous for him against the Idolatry newly set up and yet all of them could be so sensible and vindicative of Injury done to a Whore When God hath used Benjamin to execute his Wrath against Israel for not punishing Dan's and Micha's Idolatry IUDG XXI he useth Israel to punish Benjamin for not delivering up Gibeah to Justice for her Villany Thus is the Story knit to it self Secondly Consider that the beginning of this Book is the proper place for these Histories tho' they be laid in the latter end For II. 1. The Israelites follow Idols after the Death of the Elders Judges iii. Micah is the first that sets it up 2. There is no King in Israel then that is before any Judge rose 3. The Danites are not yet settled that could not be long after Joshua's Death 4. Phinehas is yet alive Chap. xx 28 So that we must needs cast things into the Thirty-second Year ascribed to Othniel's Judgeship before Cushan afflict them Thirdly Consider the Reason why the Stories are so mislay'd It is III. that the Eleven Hundred Pieces of Silver that made Dan's public Idol Chap. xvii 2 and the Eleven Hundred Pieces of Silver from every Philistin Prince Chap. xvi 5 that brought Sampson of Dan to his End untimely might be laid together for secret Instruction to the Reader Then return to Chap. ii ver 11. and from thence to the end of the Sixteenth Chapter IVDG II. ver 11. to the end of Chap. xvi and to the end of the Book But the Book of Ruth to be taken in near the beginning there is no Scruple for Order Only the Book of Ruth is to come in about the beginning of this Book but the exact place where is not easie to find RUTH Thus near you may go Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab Mat. i. 5 and Boaz married Ruth Ruth Ch. ult Salmon came with Joshua into Canaan and Boaz was in the next Generation Allow Rahab to live two Years in Israel before she had a Child by Salmon and withal allow Boaz to be Seventy or Eighty Years old before he marry Ruth yet is Ruth's Story then about Thirty Years before Ehud's Death Their going to sojourn in Moab Ruth i. is likely to be many Years before Moab be Israel's open Enemy â—â—dges iii. 12 In casting the Years of the Judges observe that the times of the Afflicters are to be included in the times of the Judges As Chap. iii. Cusham Rishathaim oppressed Seven Years and Othniel judged Forty These Seven Years must be included in the Forty and not be counted as Forty-seven St. Paul reckoneth them at extent Acts xiii 20 He gave them Judges about the space of Four Hundred and Fifty Years SECT X. I. SAMUEL c. THE Seventeen first Chapters of 1 Sam. lye without scruple of Interposition or Transposition CHAP. I. From the beginning of the Book to Chap. xvii From the Seventeenth Chapter forward the Psalms Proverbs c. fall in in their time and order As for the PSALMS it is above the Reach of Man to bring all those to the Time and Occasion Touching the Book of PSALMS wherein and whereupon they were made Sometime the Title resolves us sometime the Phrase gives strong Presumption in some we have no Light at all for these things Those that are titled to Resolution you may easily lay in their Places For the other and for the whole Book of Psalms take these Observations 1. The Psalms are divided into Five Books according to the Five Books of Moses Where a Psalm ends with Amen is the end of a Book Compare them with Moses his Five Books and you will see how sweetly they agree 2. The Jews have this Rule for the Authors of such or such Psalms Those Psalms which have not a Title to express who made them are to be referred to the next Author that is named before So Psalms xci xcii xciii xciv xcv xcvi xcvii xcviii xcix c. by their Rule were made by Moses the Author next named before in Psal. xc in tit The Subject indeed may inforce no less the Psalms treating concerning things done in Moses's time as the Tabernacle the Sabbath the Temptation in the Wilderness c. But Samuel is named in Psal. xcix 6. but it is as David is in Psal. lxxxix 3. There be Psalms which have no Title yet the Subject and Phrase in divers of them give strong Presumption upon the Occasion As Psal. i. upon the Fall of Man by the Counsel of the Ungodly c. And this shews his Reparation by the contrary So when Israel and Judah are parted because of Rehoboam's heavy Yoke 1 Chron. xii Christ that must joyn them again Hos. i. works it by the contrary Take on you my Yoke which is easie and Burden light Psal. ii upon the Fall of Israel from David's House whom God had appointed King in Sion And thus the Fall of Adam and Israel are handled together Psal. cxxxii upon the bringing of the Ark to Jerusalem Which when it was captived from Ephrata or Shiloh in Ephraim and stayed afterward 20 Years in Kiriathjearim the City of the Wood David provides it an Habitation in Jerusalem c. So in divers others the occasion of it self shews it self But I will not forestall your own finding of them 4. Divers Psalms in the Original are Alphabetical but few of them have the Alphabet true for some reason or other admirably Divine So one Letter in Jeremy's Alphabetic Lamentations is altered constantly for secret and sweet Reason 5. For the Order of the Psalms why they be so laid in many of them the Reason shews it self at the first sight in others it requires a narrower Scrutiny The first and second Psalms made upon Occasions so far distant in time yet laid together for special reason as was touched before The Fiftieth Psalm in ver 8 and 14 15. refuseth all Sacrifice but Prayer That the Fifty-first Psalm offers ver 16 17. and easily shews why these two be laid together Psalm cxxxvi the Mercy of God brings them to Possession of the Land of Promise Psalm cxxxvii brings them into Captivity and shews that their living in the Land of Canaan was so sinful that it was not to be mentioned These and other Observations may be gathered out of this exquisite Book of the Psalms conducing to further the Understanding in reading it But your Eyes be their own Observers and Judges 1 SAM xvii Here take in Psalm ix made upon Goliah's Death 1 SAM xviii xix at ver 12. take in Psalm lix 1 SAM xx xxi at ver 12. take in Psalm lvi and at the end of the Chapter Psalm xxxiv 1 SAM xxii here take Psalm lii 1 SAM xxiii about ver 24. comes in Psalm liv 1 SAM xxiv at ver 4. read Psalm lvii 1 SAM xxv xxvi at
xvi 31 from Esay viii 19 20. Upon [i] Luke ix Mount Tabor a place once of Offence Hos. v. 1 the Cloud of Glory that departed at Moses Death is restored and out of that Cloud a Voice proclaimeth him that great Prophet to whom all must hearken Deut. xviii When he had lived Thirty-two Years and an half the time that David reigned in Jerusalem 2 Sam. v. 5 and had preached and opened the Kingdom of Heaven Three Years and Six Months the time that Elias shut Heaven by Prayer Luke iv 25 he is sold by his Disciple Judas as Joseph was by his Brother Judah Gen. xxxvii for Thirty Pieces of Silver the Price of a Servant Exod. xxi 32 Is apprehended among †Gethsemani in Hebrew signifies A Press for Olives to press out the Oil. the Oil-presses under Mount Olivet And from thence begins to tread the Wine-press alone Esa. lxiii 3 He is condemned by the Policy of Rome Num. xxiv 24 Rev. xi 8 Is delivered up to be crucified at the time of Adam's Creation and setting in Eden Is nailed to his Cross at the time of Adam's Fall Dieth at the time of Adam's Censure Is Six and Thirty Hours under Death the length of the first Day of the World to one part of it His Grave is as the Ark with an Angel at either end He riseth the third Day after the Passover and is as the first Fruits of the Dead Liveth Forty Days after on Earth and breatheth on his Disciples the Holy Spirit as he had done upon Adam the Spirit of Life Is taken up visibly as Elias and now offers up our Prayers to God as the Priest did incense after Sacrifice c. These things raptim But a deliberate sad Eye with Leisure might bring all the New Testament or the most both for Words and Sense from the Old And this I ever held the surest way to expound both SECT XIV The Order of the Evangelists THE proper Order of the Evangelists as they should be laid to make an entire continued Story I have laid before you till you come within a Twelvemonth of Christ's Death That last Years Story you will find to be like Moses his last Months Work a Deuteronomy or a Rehearsal of divers things that went before Ingenuity needeth not always to be led by the Hand For the search of the last Year of Christ's Life I have left to your self By this you will conclude what it cost to lay the rest But when you have done the Work it self will pay you for your Pains Among other things as you go have a special Eye to the Thirteenth of John about the Supper there mentioned Which not well marked hath lost Men themselves while they have gone about to find what is not there to be found Great Doctors having ex professo undertaken to write of that Chapter have missed the first Verse and so spoiled all Concluding the Supper there spoken of to be the Passover Supper when the first Verse plainly tells it was before the Passover and two Days as St. Matthew explains The Popish Tenet of Judas his real receiving of Christ had been choaked here had Men but had Eyes and Minds to see and embrace Truth SECTION I. Luke CHAP. I. from the beginning of the Chapter to ver 5. Section 1. Seeing that none of the Evangelists use a Preface but St. Luke his may fitly be a general Preface to them all SECT II. John CHAP. i. from the beginning to ver 15. Sect. 2. The Preface being made the Story is to begin And most properly Christ's Divine Nature is first to be handled SECT III. Luke CHAP. i. from ver 5 to ver 57. Sect. 3. The Order here shews it self SECT IV. Matth. CHAP. i. all the Chapter Sect. 4. The reason of the Order is to be seen by the Texture of the Story Mary upon the Words of the Angel presently conceives with Child She goes to her Cosin Elizabeth to see the Truth of the Angel's Words Thy Cousin Elizabeth hath conceived She stays with her Three Months Luke i. 56 Then returning to Joseph from whom she had been so long absent he perceiveth her great Belly as Gen. xxxviii 24 So that it is plain to see how properly the 18th Versâ— of Mat. i. follows in order of time the 56th Verse of Luke i. The â—vangelist lays the Genealogy before that every Reader might be his own Expositor upon those Words of the Angel ver 20. Joseph thou Son of David The last Verse He knew her not c. is all that this Evangelist speaks about the Birth of Christ. This may be as a brief Relation upon which suppose the two next Sections to be as Expositions SECT V. Luke CHAP. i. from ver 57 to the end of the Chapter Sect. 5. When Mary departs to her own House her Cosin Elizabeth hath but one Month to go with Child This makes this Dependance necessary SECT VI. Luke CHAP. ii from the beginning to ver 40. Sect. 6. The Coherence here is apparent of it self SECT VII Mat. CHAP. ii all the Chapter Sect. 7. Observe that Christ was Two Years old when the wise Men come to him ver 16. and your own Eye will shew and justifie the Order What St. Luke saith Ch. ii 39 They returned to Nazareth mean the same time that that of Matthew doth Ch. ii 23 But Luke speaks briefly because he hath no more to say of Christ till at Twelve Years old he bring him from Nazareth to dispute in the Temple SECT VIII Luke CHAP. ii from ver 40 to the end of the Chapter Sect. 8. From Christ's Return from Egypt to Nazareth till he was Twelve Years old the Gospel mentioneth nothing of him This makes the Dependance plain SECT IX Mat. iii. all Mark i. from the beginning to ver 12. Luke iii. from the beginning to ver 23. Only the 18 19 and 20. Verses about John's Imprisonment are to be reserved to another place Sect. 9. Compare the three Evangelists together One will help to explain another You see the Gospel it self doth inforce this Order by relating nothing since Christ's Twelfth Year old till his Baptism when he was Nine and Twenty complete or Thirty current All the time of his Youth till now Christ was a Carpenter But did now and then some Miracles privately in the House for enlarging their Commons when they were short He is now Baptized in Tisri SECT X. Luke iii. from v. 23 to the end of the Chapter Sect. 10. How divinely S. Luke placeth this Genealogy at Christ's Baptism is to be seen by looking on the Promise Gen. iii. 15 Upon which this and that which follows in the next Chapter is a Glorious Exposition The Seed of the Woman shall break the Head of the Serpent by the Power of the Gospel Which Gospel when Christ beginneth to preach as from his Baptism he doth the Evangelist shews thro' Seventy-five Descents even from Adam that he was that Seed promised to
Dead shall hear c. and he speaks distinctly of the General Resurrection at ver 28. But the raising of the Dead that he means here is the raising of the Heathen from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness The Heathen that had lyen 2200 Years in Darkness and the Shadow of Death that had been dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. ii 1 Buried in all Idolatry Ignorance Darkness Wickedness and Abhomination from the Confusion at Babel When Christ came and sent his Voice among them by the Gospel these dead Souls lived as it were come out of Death and the Graves to the Life of Grace Holiness and the Obedience of the Gospel And this is that first Resurrection mentioned Rev. xx 5 when the old Serpent the Devil was bound up by the Chain of the Gospel So that he could no more deceive the Nations as ver 3. That he should no more delude the poor Heathen with Idols and Oracles and Miracles and such Delusions as he had done This is the first Resurrection Here is a Resurrection the great Work of Christ and a great End of his Coming But it is a Resurrection of Souls vile Souls to make them Glorious like his Soul Souls changed with a great and blessed Change from Death to Life This is the mighty Work of a Resurrection Observe how the Apostle sets it out Eph. i. 19 What is the exceeding Greatness of his Power to usward that believe according to the working of his mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead God's bringing Men to believe his changing them from the State of Nature and Unbelief into the State of Grace and Faith is the great exceeding great Work of God's Power Such a mighty Working as that was when God raised Christ from the Dead A first Resurrection And take that withal Rev. xx 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection On such the Second Death hath no Power Either we must have a Part in the First Resurrection the raising of the Soul from the Death of Sin and Unbelief or never Blessed never Holy never escape the Power of the Second Death VII An Examination into the Reason of that Eruption of the Apostle O! the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! Rom. xi 33 THE Cause of which Admiration lyes in the Verse before For God hath concluded them all in Unbelief that he might have Mercy upon all A strange Conclusion Doth it not almost speak to this Sense they all became Unbelievers that they might become Believers He hath concluded all under Darkness that he might bring them to Light Like Elias pouring Water where he meant to fetch out Fire The 25th Verse of that Chapter will help to clear this Matter very pregnantly Brethren I would not that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery that Blindness in part is happened unto Israel until the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in Blindness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Parts is happened unto Israel for that is his meaning And for the Observation of it take notice of these two Things I. That the Apostle throughout the whole Chapter never names the Jews but Israel Because he is treating of the whole Seed of Israel Not the Jews only of the two Tribes but the Israelites of the ten Tribes also II. The Seed of Israel then considered in general had Blindness happened to them In Parts First The ten Tribes were blinded by Jeroboam's Idolatry and that was their Ruin and Casting off Then the two Tribes were blinded by their Traditions And that was their Ruin also and Casting off Now this is the Mystery which he would not have them ignorant of that whereas the Gentiles were blinded also as well as Israel and before and longer than Israel and that there were many Prophesies and Predictions that they should be at last unblinded and come to the Light it pleased God to conclude Israel under Blindness too first the ten Tribes and then the two till the Gentiles should be unblinded by the coming in of the Light of the Gospel and then Israel is unblinded also Viz. That Remnant of them that belonged to the Election of Grace as he speaks ver 5. Thus God concluded all under Blindness all under Unbelief that he might have Mercy upon all the Gentiles under Unbelief the ten Tribes under Unbelief and the two Tribes under Unbelief that at length he might as he did at the bringing in of the Gospel shew Mercy unto all in bringing Jew Gentile and Israelite to believe And observe what he saith in the next Verses before As ye O Romans who are Gentiles in time past have not believed yet now have obtained Mercy through their Unbelief So these Israelites also now have not believed that through your Mercy they might obtain Mercy Their Unbelief hath caused God to hearken unto you O Gentiles for his Church and to bring you to believe hereby was great Mercy to you And through this Mercy to you the Gospel rising and shining to you thus bringing you to believe Mercy also ariseth to them in the same shining of the Gospel that they also may believe Here is Mercy to Gentile Mercy to Jew Mercy to Israelite God hath concluded all under Unbelief that he might have Mercy upon all And therefore O! the Depth of the Riches of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God VIII Asa's perfect Heart how reconcileable with his Sufferance of the High Places IT is said concerning Asa King of Judah Nevertheless Asa his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his Days 1 Kin. xv 14 A Humane Chronicler is not able to say Such an one's HEART was perfect 〈…〉 because he is not able to discern what the Heart 〈◊〉 He writes the Story of a Man's Actions he cannot write the Story of his Heart because he cannot know it But he that held the Pen and wrote these sacred Chronicles the Holy Ghost saw the Carriage of all Actions saw the secret Frame and Temper of all Hearts and he was able to give Judgment of them whether they were good or evil and he could not but give right Judgment How happy then is this good Man of whom he gives this true and most noble Testimony Asa his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his Days A more renowned Memorial than what all your Chroniclers can say concerning Alexander the Great Julius Cesar Tamerlane or the great Conquerors of the World Their Story is like that Appearance of Elias at Mount Horeb a dreadful Earthquake a tearing Wind a devouring Fire In their Story nothing but blustering in the World and blundering of Nations Sword and Blood and Fire and Plunder This is all the Noise and Sound of their Fame But happy is he that comes off with such a soft sweet still Voice as this Nevertheless Asa 's Heart c. The first Word Nevertheless doth bring in an Excuse or Pleading for Asa in