Hand O Lord is become Glorious in Power Thy right Hand hath broken and destroyed the Enemy and by thy glorious and excellent Power thou hast overthrown the Egyptians who in rising up against thy people did rise up against thee Thou didst send forth thy Wrath which consumed them utterly and speedily even as stubble is consumed by the fire With the blast of thy Nostrils the Waters were gathered together that is by a mighty Wind raised by thine Almighty Power accompanied with a great Noise (p) To this the Prophet seems to have reference Hab. 3. 10. the Sea was divided and the Waters were heaped up on either side and stood like congealed or compacted Walls in the heart of the Sea The Enemy said I will pursue overtake and divide the Spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my Sword my Hand shall destroy them But thou O Lord didst soon confound their vain Imaginations For thou didst blow with a mighty Wind and immediately the Waters came together again and the Sea covered them they sank as lead in the deep Waters Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods who among all the false Gods of the Heathen or the mightiest men on the Earth is in any degree worthy to be compared to Thee who art glorious in holiness fearful in praises that is to be praised with a great measure of filial fear and awfulness doing Wonders Thou stretchedst out thy Hand and the Earth swallowed them that is those of them whose bodies were cast up by the Waves upon the shore were thrown into Pits by us and there buried Thou in thy great Mercy hast brought forth thy people whom thou hast redeemed out of the Land of Egypt and hast thus far led them by thine Almighty Power and Strength towards the Land of Canaan where thou hast determined to set up thy holy Temple thy resting Place Psal 132.14 The Place which thou hast chosen where thy holy Worship shall be set up and established and where thou hast promised to dwell that is to afford thy special Presence See 1 Kings 9. vers 3. The Second Part of this Song is Prophetical beginning at v. 14. The people shall hear and be afraid sorrow shall take hold on the Inhabitants of Palestina That is the report of this dreadful overthrow of Pharaoh shall so amaze and astonish the Inhabitants of Palestina the Dukes of Edom and the mighty men of Moab (q) See this Prophesie fulfilled Numb 22.3 Josh 2.9 5.1 and the Inhabitants of Canaan that their very hearts shall faint and melt with fear as wax does before the fire insomuch that they shall be as still as a stone and Israel shall pass over Jordan into Canaan without opposition Thou wilt bring them in and plant them in the Mountain of thine Inheritance that is in Canaan a mountanous Country Deut. 11.11 and particularly thou wilt bring them to Mount Moriah which thou hast chosen as thine Inheritance and where by thy own Hands and Power thou intendest to establish thy Sanctuary and where thou hast promised to dwell and to afford thy gracious Presence The Lord will Reign for ever and ever in spight of all his Enemies Miriam (r) She was the Sister of Moses also but her reference to Aaron was best known by reason of Moses's absence She is said to be the wife of Hur by the Hebrews the Sister of Aaron who had the Spirit of Prophesie Numb 12.2 and was one of the three Principal Guides which God gave his people Mich. 6.4 took a Timbrel in her hand and the Women followed her playing on their Timbrels also according to the Custom in publick Rejoycings Judg. 11.34 and they expressed their exultation and rapture of Mind by lively motions and tripudiations of their Bodies and when the Men had sang a Verse of this Song then She with the Women sung it over again at least they repeated the first Verse of it Sing to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea And possibly they added For his Mercy endureth for ever as 't is Psal 136. 2 Chron. 5.13 With this Song of Moses for Victory over the Egyptian-Pharaoh the Holy Ghost compares the Song of them that shall be Victorious over the Spiritual Pharaoh viz. the Beast and Antichrist Rev. 15. from 1. to 5. Exod. 15. from 1. to 22. SECT VI. THe Israelites being now come on the other side of the Red-Sea they marched three whole days thorow the Wilderness of Shur (s) Called also the Wilderness of Etham Numb 33.8 one might be the general name of the whole Wilderness and the other of some part of it It seems the Wilderness on both sides of the Red-Sea was called the Wilderness of Etham but found no water all the way As for Food 't is probable they were sustained with that unleavened Bread and other provisions they had brought with them out of Egypt At last they came to Marah their fifth Encamping where they found water indeed but it was so bitter they could not drink it hereupon they murmur against Moses asking him in a discontented mood What they should drink Moses upon this Cries unto the Lord who shewed him a Tree which when he had cast into the waters the waters were made sweet But the changing of the nature and tast of the waters was to be attributed to the Power of God and not to any vertue in that Tree After God had thus tried them and proved them not only by their want of water but by his present favourable dealing with them in not punishing them for their murmuring as he might justly have done He then admonishes them by Moses to take heed of this sin of murmuring against Him or distrusting of Him and to carry themselves more obediently towards Him for the future And so he made this a Statute and an Ordinance That if they would do that which was right in his sight and would obey his Commandments and keep all his Statutes he would bring none of those Diseases and Plagues upon them which he had brought on the Egyptians For He was their Healer (t) V. 26. Medicus quia ex omnibus periculis malis tam animarum quam corporum quae morbis morti saepe comparantur homines sibi confisos liberat Psal 103. v. 3. Glasius and could heal not only their Bodies but their Souls also by forgiving their sins and sanctifying their natures Exod. 15. from 22. to 27. SECT VII FRom Marah they removed to Elim their sixth Station famous for twelve Wells of water and 70 Palm-Trees And here it seems they stayed many days because the Place was so pleasant and convenient by reason of the waters and the shade Exod. 15. vers 27. SECT VIII FRom Elim they turned back again to the Red-Sea which was their seventh Station as appears from Numb 33.10 the Lord so ordering it as 't is probable that
they were on this to offer extraordinary Sacrisices over and above as we may see Numb 29. from 1. to 7. Upon the first day First Day therefore of the World God created the highest Heavens and together with them as 't is probable the invisible Host of Angels according to that of the Apostle Col. 1.16 By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible all things were created by him and for him The Psalmist also speaketh to the same purpose Psal 148.2 Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Hosts let them praise the Name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created 'T is true Moses mentions not the creation of Angels and the reason thereof possibly may be that he intended as it seems to relate only the Creation of things corporeal and visible God having therefore finish'd as it were the Roof of this glorious Building he sell in hand with this lowermost Globe consisting of the Deep and of the Earth all the Choire of Angels singing together and magnifying his most glorious Name for this his wonderful Work as we read Job 38.7 Then the Morning-Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy The Earth that is the whole confused Chaos of Earth and Water was now without form and void of all Herbs Flowers and Trees and all living Creatures and was indeed nothing but a great and deep miry Mass cover'd all over with Waters and thick Darkness And the Spirit of God c Spiritus Sanctus vitali infuso Calore prolificam vim aquis largiebatur Menoch the Creator and Vpholder of all Creatures Psal 104.3 by his effectual quickning Power moved upon and gave virtue to that great Mass and Heap whereby it was fitted and prepared for the subsequent Productions On the middle of the first day God created Light d 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness and sever'd it from the Darkness so that whilst there was Light on one side of the Deep there was Darkness on the other And he called the one Day and the other Night And so Darkness being before Light the Darkness or Evening e In that phrase of Moses Gen. 1.5 The Evening and the Morning were the first Day there is a Synechdoche by which the beginning of the Night and of the Day is put for the whole Night and Day is reckoned the beginning or first part of the Natural day of Twenty four Hours Levit. 23.32 From Even unto Even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath c. Gen. 1. from 1. to 6. On the second day Second Day God created the Expansum commonly called the Firmament stretching out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreading them out as a Tent to dwell in Isa 40.22 By the Expanse or Firmament taken in a large sense we are to understand whatever is contain'd in that vast Space from the surface of the Earth to the uppermost Heavens For there are three Heavens First The Heaven of Heavens the highest Heaven called the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 I knew a man caught up into the third Heaven So Isa 66.1 Thus saith the Lord Heaven is my Throne c. Secondly The Sky or Aether where the Stars are placed which is called the second Heaven or Coelum Stellatum Thirdly The Air under it which reacheth from thence to the surface of the Earth and Water whereof there are three Regions First The highest or uppermost which is clear and aethereal The second called the Middle Region where God hath placed the Clouds Job 26.8 He bindeth up the Waters in thick Clouds And the third or lower Region that wherein the Fowls do fly Now part of those Waters of the Deep fore-mentioned being lifted up by the Power of God and spread above and bound up in thick Clouds whilst others were disposed of here below to make up with the Earth one Globe God was pleased to order that that Expanse or lower Region of the Air called Gen. 1.20 The open Firmament of the Heaven should divide and sepâ—rate those Clouds and Waters above from those beneath And accordingly the Psalmist cries out Psal 148.4 Praise him ye Heavens of Heavens and ye Waters that be above the Heavens Thus God made a separation of the Waters above from the Waters beneath which are enclosed in the Earth and with it make one entire Globe But here is not added God saw that it was good which yet is doubled on the third day possibly because the separation of the Waters begun on this day was not perfected till the third day and is only once repeated on each of the other four days with addition of very good in the end of all Gen. 1. from 6. to 9. On the third day Third Day God commanded those Waters that were beneath to run together into one place and the dry Land to appear This confluence of Waters he called a Sea sending out from thence the Rivers which were to run thither again as Solomon speaks Eccles 1.7 All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full unto the place from whence they came thither they return again And he caused the Earth to bring forth all kinds of Herbs and Plants with Seeds and Fruits in perfection which before were not in the Earth nor could have been except he had given power to the Earth to produce them For there had not been as yet any of those ordinary means whereby the Earth is now made fruitful viz. Rain and the labour and help of Man who was not yet made neither had there so much as a Mist f Junius reddit ו non et sed aut Aut vapor ascendens â— terra c. Gen. 2.6 gone up to water the Earth Thus we see that God made them all by his own Almighty Power and that before the Sun was created that we might learn to ascribe the Production of the Fruits of the Earth to God originally and not to the Sun And thus he made ready all kind of Food and Provision for the living Creatures which he intended to create on the sixth day But above all he enriched the Garden of Eden g A Country in Thelassar the upper part of Chaldea as may be seen 2 Kings 19.12 Isaiah 37.12 and is distinguish'd from another Eden by Damascus in Syria Amos 1.5 and is Eastward from the Wilderness where 't is probable Moses wrote his History Eden juxta Haran seu Charras with variety of Plants This Garden is by the Greek Interpreters call'd Paradise and for the pleasantness of it made a Figure of Heaven Luke 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 2 Cor. 12.4 He was caught up into Paradise In this Garden God planted the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil The one as it should seem to be a Sacramental Sign annexed to the Covenant of Works which he intended to
Temple He appoints Zerubbabel Chief Captain over those that returned and gave into his hands the Vessels of the Temple In the 7th Month of the first year of their Return they built the Altar and thereon offered and on the 15th day kept the Feast of Tabernacles In the 2d Month of the 2d year of their Return they laid the Foundation of the Temple the Old men weeping the Young men rejoycing The Samaritans offer to joyn with them but being refused by their Interest in the Court they gave a stop to the Work Cyrus dies Cambyses succeeds The Samaritans now frame an Information against the Jews Cambyses dies Darius Histaspis call'd Ahashuerus succeeds He marrys Atossa or Vashti Cyrus's Daughter In his 2d year Haggai Prophesies and reproves the Jews for their negligence in not going on to build the Temple whereupon Zerubbabel and Joshua took the work in hand afresh In the 8th month of the same year Zachary began to Prophesie In the 9th month of the 2d year of Darius the Temple began to be rear'd by Zerubbabel and Joshua Tatnai and Sether-boznai and other Samaritans seek to hinder them Cyrus's Decree being found Darius forbids the Samaritans from hindring them and that they should furnish them with money out of the Kings Treasury for the work Darius in the 3d. year of his reign makes a Royal Feast for his Princes Vashti refuses to come when he sent for her She is thereupon divorc'd In the 6th year of Darius the Second Temple was finished and dedicated Upon the 14th day of the first month they celebrate the Passover in this new Temple In the 7th year of Darius Esther made Queen The History of Queen Esther Ahasuerus dies Zerxes succeeds him He makes Wars upon the Grecians Artaxerxes succeeds him Ezâ—a obtains a large Patent from him to settle the Jewish Common-wealth Ezra with a great number of Jews return out of Babylon having first kept a Fast to seek a Blessing from God When they came to Jerusalem Ezra Mourns and Fasts because he found that many of the Jews had Married Stranâ—-Wives In the 20th year of Artaxerxes Nehemiah his Cup-bearer comes with a Commission to be Governor of Judea and to build the Walls of Jerusalem He going about it Sanballat and Tobiah at first scoff at it then being angry conspire to come and fight the Jews Nehemiah arms the people that so they might be ready for them Sanballat and Tobia and their Accomplices strive now by false Rumors and false Prophesies to terrifie Nehemiah from the Work And some false Brethren also joyn with them The Wall in 52 days was finished and after solemnly dedicated Nehemiah makes a Collection for the Rebuilding of the City On the Feast of Trumpets the Law of God was read by Ezra and others to the People and Expounded at which they were much affected They keep a solemn Fast and make a Covenant with the Lord. Ezra's Prayer thereupon Nehemiah goes back to his Master Artaxerxes and returns and governs the Jews many years In the 12th year of his Government he reformd'd some things in the State and some things to Religion The End of the Old Testament 3608 The Grecian or Third Monarchy See the Kings thereof in the Appendix The History of the Maccabees 3899 The Roman or Fourth Monarchy Julius Caesar 3903 Octavius Caesar Herod made King of Judea by the Râ—mans 3934 Jesus Christ born 3949 Tiberius Caesar 3964 Jesus Christ Baptized 3968 Jesus Christ Crucified A MAP of CANAAN With the Adjacent COUNTRIES Very Usefull for the Understanding of the Old Testament Sold by Tho. Simmons in Lud-gate Street THE HISTORY OF THE Old Testament METHODIZ'D CHAP. I. The First Age of the World from the Creation to the Flood containing a Space of 1656 Years SECT I. THE Eternal and most Glorious God the Incomprehensible and forever Blessed Jehovah being from all Eternity infinitely happy in the Enjoyment of himself when he was pleased to display his Wisdom and communicate his Goodness he did by his Infinite Power create the World out of Nothing and gave a Being and Existence to Things that had none before So the Apostle assures us Acts 17.24 God who made the world and all things therein is Lord of Heaven and Earth And Heb. 11.3 Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God that is the Inferiour Middle and Superiour as the Jews distinguish them so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear This glorious Work of Creation was begun as many Learned Men conceive at that time of the Year which we call Autumn a Mundum Autumni tempore conditum esse censent Scaliger Nicolaus de Lyra Calvisius Helvicus Usserius aliique And that which seems to give countenance to this Conjecture is because at that time of the Year the several kinds of Fruits in most places are in their maturity and ripeness as in all probability they were at their creation being made in their perfection So that all the Fruits of the Garden being now ripe Adam had liberty to eat of any of them the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil only excepted The World therefore began to be created as we may suppose on the first day of the Month called by the Jews Tizri or Ethanim which began about the middle of the Month called by us September and was at first the beginning of the Year and so it continu'd afterwards for Civil Matters b Duplicis anni mentio apud Hebraeos Politici Ecclesiastici Politici Mensis primus Tizri Ecclesiastici Nisan Drusius Observat l. 10. See ch 8. v. 10. Richardson See Levit. 25.8 9 10. But the beginning of the Year was afterwards changed by God's own appointment as to Ecclesiastical Matters upon occasion of his bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt in the Spring in the Month Abib or Nisan which began about the middle of the Month called by us March and that Month in memorial thereof was made the first Month in the Year Exod. 13.3 Remember this day in which ye came out of Egypt in the Month. Abib Exod. 12.2 This Month shall be the beginning of Months unto you it shall be the first Month of the Year unto you But thougâ— Abib upon this occasion was made the first Month of the Year especially as to Ecâ—lesiastical Matters and the regulating of their Annual Feasts yet naturally the Year did begin from Tizri which is the seventh Month from Abib 1 Kings 8.7 and according to it their Contracts and Bargains about Houses and Lands and such Civil Matters were to be ordered And 't is observable that the Feast of the New Moon in this seventh Month was to be kept with more Solemnity than any other of the New Moons yea even than that of Abib because it was their New-years-day For then besides that they were to blow with Trumpets and offer the special Sacrifices as on other New Moons
make with Man assuring to him the continuance of his Life and Happiness upon condition he performed perfect Obedience to the Will of his Creator as the other Tree namely that of Knowledge of Good and Evil should signifie and assure unto him death and damnation in case of his disobedience Gen. 2.8 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every Tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food The Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Garden being in the lower part of the Country of Eden a River ran down out of it to water it and from thence was parted into four Capital Streams or Rivers The name of the first was Phasis h See D. More 's Triplex Cabala or Phasi-Tygris which compasses the whole Land of the Chaldeans where there is excellent Gold and Bdellium and the Onyx-stone The name of the second is Gihon which encompasses the Arabian Ethiopia The name of the third is Tygris that is it which goeth toward the East of Assyria And the fourth is Euphrates On the fourth day Fourth Day the Sun Moon and Stars were created to make a difference between Day and Night and to garnish the World They were made also for Signs of Weather for the causing variety and different temperature of Seasons for setting Periods to Days Months and Years and also to exert their Influence Vertue and Efficacy on things below Psal 104.19 He appointeth the Moon for Seasons the Sun knoweth his going down that is where and when he is to go down in all the Seasons of the Year The Sun is the greatest of all the heavenly Lights and the Moon is the least except Venus and Mercury of all the Planets and is made lightsom by the Suns shining upon it and so by reflexion shines upon the Earth Moses therefore here speaks of the Sun and Moon as they appear to the Eye of Man to which the Moon seemeth the greatest Light next to the Sun because 't is nearest to the Earth of all the Planets Gen. 1. from 14. to 20. Fifth Day On the fifth day Fish and flying Fowl were created and God blessed them and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply The Fowl were created out of the Waters and out of the Ground also Gen. 2.19 Out of the Ground the Lord God formed every Beast of the Field and every Fowl of the Air. For though the Waters did at first bring them forth yet there was in those Waters of which they were made a mixture of Earth and in that regard it might be said that they were also formed out of the Ground Sixth Day On the sixth day God commanded the Earth to bring forth all sorts of Creeping things and Four-footed Beasts And last of all he made Man the Master-piece and Chief of all his Creatures here below His Body he made of the Dust of the Ground working it to such a Temper that it was fit Matter whereof to make the Body of Man And by his Almighty Power he created and infused into that yet liveless Body a living reasonable Soul which being instantly united to it in a wonderful manner his Body was quickned and enlivened which soon appear'd by the Breath in his Nostrils so Adam became a living Soul that is by a Synechdoche of the Part for the Whole a living Man and his name was called Adam because he was made of red Earth Thus we see his Soul was not as his Body made of the Earth but created by the Insuffiation of God and had its immediate Original from the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 Numb 16.22 Eccl. 12.7 And to this purpose Elihu speaks Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me life I have made the Earth and created Man upon it saith the Lord Isa 45.12 Moreover this is farther to be remembred concerning the Creation of Man That God created him after his own Image which consisted principally in the divine knowledge * Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 Gen. 1.26 of his Mind and in the natural sanctity of his Will and in the Dominion he gave him over the Creatures here below And in making of Mankind he made not only the Males after his own Image but the Females also Adam presently after he was created had all living Creatures by the Power of God brought before him as to a Lord appointed over them and he gave them Names either agreeable to their Natures or such whereby they might be fitly distinguish'd one from the other But though God had placed Adam in so delightful a Paradise yet he saw that his Happiness would be imperfect except he had a fit Companion Therefore to the high commendation of Matrimony the Lord said It is not good for Man to be alone I will make him an help meet for him And accordingly casting him into a deep sleep and taking one of his Ribs out of his Side whilst he slept he fashion'd it into a Woman and gave her to him for a Wife Whereupon Adam said This is Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh Then God establishing a Law of Marriage between Man and Woman Matth. 19.4 5. He that made them at first made them Male and Female therefore shall a Man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they twain shall be one Flesh He blessed them and said unto them Increase and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it Gen. 1.28 that is Keep it in a State of subjection to you For he had given them Dominion over all living Creatures here below and for them he had provided a large proportion of Sustenance and Food i That Food they were to live upon at first But after the Fall Beasts and Birds of Prey and Fishes devoured one another to live upon namely the Fruits of the Earth But to Man and Woman as 't is probable he allowed liberty to eat Flesh For though Gen. 1.29 only Herbs and Fruits are mentioned as given them for Food and Living things are not mentioned as given for Meat as after the Flood they were Gen. 9.3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you even as the green herb have I given you all things yet we may also take notice that neither Corn nor Bread nor other things are named which no doubt were in use before the Flood And Abel being a Keeper of Sheep surely he did not keep them that their Bodies might only rot above or under ground And Mans Body being in a decaying condition since the Fall stood in more need of nourishing Meats than while he abode in Innocency Neither were the Herbs or Fruits of that vertue for his nourishment after the Curse as before Neither is it likely that Man should be barr'd so needful a nourishment as Flesh or Fish for so long a time as till after the Flood because they were
not possibly so necessary for him in the time of Innocency nor expressed by name for his Food at the time of his Creation Besides seeing after the Fall the Creatures were killed that their Skins might be for Cloathing and were offered in Sacrifice to God even by Righteous Abel himself it is not to be imagin'd but that they did eat of the Flesh of them as in Sacrifices was usual And therefore for those uses the distinction of them into clean and unclean was made even before the Flood and seven of the clean reserved for Sacrifice and Food whereas two sufficed of the unclean for preservation of the kind as we see Gen. 7.2 Moreover had they not made use oâ— Cattle for Food in those 1600 Years before the Flood the Earth would have bin overburdened with their vast increase and numbers And the words of our Saviour reflecting upon the Old World for their inordinate eating and drinking before the Flood came on them Mat. 24.38 implies rather an abuse in the excess than an abstinence from the use of Flesh and other delicacies And so much by way of digression concerning that particular But to return Sin being not yet entred into the World God beheld all his Creatures that he had made and approved them all as very good Gen. 1. from 24. to the end Gen. 2. from 18. to the end On the seventh day Seventh day God having finished the Works which he intended to Create the Generations and Originals whereof have bin before described He then rested from all Labour and ceased from further creating any thing and blessing that day and hallowing it that is exalting it above other days and setting it apart to an holy use he appointed and consecrated it for a Sabbath because therein he rested and as it were refreshed himself as we read Exod. 31.16 Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe it thorow out their Generations for a perpetual Covenant It is a sign between me and them for ever For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed This is spoken indeed of God in allusion to the manner of men For the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not neithâ—r is weary Isa 40.28 But yet this being alledged as the reason of the Sabbath Exod. 20.11 shews it to be instituted before the Fall Now if God thought fit to injoin man to set apart one day in seven from the works of his Calling even in the state of Innocency when he had no sin in him that on that day he might converse with his Creator more immediately in holy Duties and Exercises how much more needful is such an Ordinance to us now in this Corrupt Estate who have need of all helps to draw us nearer unto God And accordingly we find a Seven-days-Sabbath kept and observ'd before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai as is plain from Exod. 16. Gen. 2.1 2 3. SECT II. AFter the first Week of the World was ended God brought as it seemeth the New married Couple into the Garden of Eden giving them command to dress and keep it And having made them upright holy and happy and written his Law upon their hearts he was pleased to confer this further favour and honour upon them to enter into the Covenant (k) See more concerning this Covenant in my Supplement to Knowledge and Practice pag. 64.65 66. with them promising thereby to continue them in this happiness which they now injoyed provided they would forbear to eat of that one Tree in the Garden which he called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil Before this Covenant God had not promised to continue Man in this happy Condition wherein he had made him though he should never have sinned And nothing hindred before this Covenant was made but God might have annihilated man though he had not offended But by this Covenant God was pleas'd freely and graciously to bind himself to Continue man in his present happiness provided he continued in his Obedience And thus the Lord was pleased to arm mans mutable Will against falling both by the great reward promised in case of his Obedience and the great evil threatned in case of his disobedience Gen. 2.16 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every tree of the Garden thou mayst freely eat but of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die But the Devil (l) See Joh. 8.44 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude v. 6. 1 Joh. 3.8 having himself apostatiz'd from God and fallen from his own happiness wherein he was created he envied our first Parents theirs and presently contriving and designing to draw them into Transgression against God so to ruine them he thereupon makes choice of the Serpent for his Instrument of which 't is probable there were divers sorts created and some of them of great bigness and specious and beautiful to the eye by a comely mixture of various colours and such as then as it seems did bear their bodis aloft and went upright and were of great subtilty and cunning and possibly of much more at that time than since the Fall This Instrument the Devil makes choice of and as it seems opened his mouth and caused him to speak articulately as an Angel did the mouth of Balaam's Ass Numb 22.28 or else he spake in him to Eve And at the first onset he asked her whither God had forbidden them to eat of any tree in the Garden Eve not knowing now as 't is probable the fall of Angels nor suspecting any evil to be in the World did without any apprehension entertain conference with the Serpent And accordingly she tells him They might eat of the trees of the Garden but one tree God had expresly forbidden them that tree they might not eat of nor touch so she heightens the prohibition to put the greater obligation on her self to forbear it under the severe penalty of Death which would certainly be inflicted on them if they did transgress The Devil tells her no such thing would ensue * And so he was a lyar and the Father of it Joh. 8.4 but contrarily upon the eating of this Fruit their eyes would be opened and they should suddenly attain to a high degree of Divine Knowledge and Wisdom in a manner equal to that of God himself And therefore he insinuates as if God out of envy to them had forbidden them the use of this tree And wresting to a wrong sense the name of the Tree He represents knowing good and evil as a state of Perfection but well knew that upon the eating thereof they should soon have a woful experimental knowledge of good and evil and that they should know good by the loss of it and evil by the sense and feeling of it 'T is possible the Serpent being subtile by Nature and
Thornes and Thistles it should bring forth to him in abundance and he must now eat of such herbs and fruits as the Earth by tillage and husbandry would produce but not any more of the herbs and fruits of Paradise With labour and the sweat of his brows he must eat his bread and get food and nourishment till he die and his body return to dust out of which it was at first form'd Thus we have seen how God was pleased to relax his own Law and to reprieve our first Parents and not to execute the Sentence of Death immediately upon them For our infinitely-wise and gracious God foresaw how he could bring good out of this great evil and make this fall of our first Parents tend to the manifestation of his own justice and mercy whereas had he instantly destroyed them He had put an end to the World as to mankind and must have made a new new stock and race of men if he would be glorified by them God therefore in his infinite Wisdom and Goodness immediately made another Covenant with our first Parents viz. a Covenant of Grace giving them this glorious promise That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head which imported that all repenting Sinners who should unfeignedly believe in this Seed of the Woman should not perish but have eternal life And all that would desperately go on in their sins not regarding this Saviour should be damned and perish everlastingly These Sentences being passed Adam called the name of his Wife Evah because she was then ordained to be the Mother not only of all Men and Women that should live a natural life but of those that should live a spiritual life by faith (n) So Sarah was afterward call'd the Mother of the faithful 1 Pet. 3.6 in her Seed namely the promised Messias Now the day on which our first Parents fell seemeth to have been the 10th day after the Creation of the World which day probably in Remembrance of so remarkable a thing which brought so much misery on Mankind was appointed afterwards by God himself for the most solemn yearly Fast and the day of Atonement wherein all Strangers as well as Home-born people of the Jews were commanded to afflict their Souls under this severe threatning that every man who did not afflict his soul that day should be destroyed from among the people Levit. 16.29 Ch. 23.29 SECT III. SIn being now come into the World God teacheth Adam and Eve the Rite of Sacrificing and how to cloath themselves with the Skins of the sacrificed Beasts so that the first thing that dieth in the World is a Sacrifice or Christ in a Figure (o) Thus He was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 not only in Gods decree but in a Type Then the Lord upbraiding our first Parents for their vain Imagination and thinking by eating of the forbidden fruit to become like unto God in an ironical way He says Behold the Man is become like one of us to know good and evil meaning that by their sin they were become most unlike Him And upbraiding them also in like manner for the certainty of Death they had brought upon themselves and lest they should flatter themselves that they might now take of the tree of Life and eat and live for ever as they had flattered themselves about the other tree He ejects them out of the Garden of Eden and set Cherubims with a fiery flaming Sword to keep the way leading to the Tree of Life to shew them they had now no right to it nor might meddle with that Sacramental Seal of Life having by their Disobedience and Sin made themselves justly liable to Death Gen. 3. from 21. to the end SECT IV. ADam being now expell'd Paradise and appointed to till the ground begat of his Wife Cain and Abel though in what Year of the World is not expressed Cain was the first of all Mortal Men that was born of a Woman And next to him Abel Cain was a tiller of the Ground and Abel a keeper of Sheep In Cain evidently appeared the poyson the Devil had breathed into fallen Man And in Abel the Grace which is given to Gods people in and thorow Jesus Christ In process of time they both Sacrifice Cain of the fruits of the Earth Abel of the firstlings of his Flock and of the fat and best thereof And by Faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice then Cain By which he obtained witness that He was Righteous Heb. 11.4 For God shewed by some outward visible sign that he had respect to Abels Sacrifice either by firing (p) See Levit. 9.24 Judg. 6.21 1 King 18.38 it from Heaven as some conceive or some other way but depised wicked Cains This much incensed Cain Whereupon the Lord tells him that he had no reason to be thus angry For if he did well he should surely be accepted but if he did ill the punishment of his sin would lie watching at his door to seize upon him And further to allay his anger towards his Brother He tells him that Abels desire should still be subject to him as to the first born and He should be content that He should be prefer'd before him See Ch. 2.16 But Cain notwithstanding being implacably angry with his Brother meeting him one day in the Field He slew him Having committed this Execrable Murder God calls to him and asks him Where his Brother was He answers I know not Am I my Brothers keeper Then the Lord tells him that the Voice of his Brothers blood cryed unto Heaven for vengeance against him and that He had drawn down upon himself by his hainous transgression this punishment that the Earth that receiv'd his Brothers blood should plague him by being unfruitful under all his pains of husbandry and that he should be a Fugitive and a Vagabond on the Earth Cain being thus sentenced was presently seiz'd with a great terrour and fear and vented the anguish of his Soul in such expressions as these My punishment is greater then I can bear Behold O Lord thou hast driven me out this day from the face of this Earth and Land where I now dwell with my Parents and Kindred and I shall be hid as it were and shut up and excluded from thy Grace and Favour so that thou will not vouchsafe any gracious glance towards me nor accept of any oblation from me and I shall be in a continual fear that every one that meets me will slay me And indeed Seth being born soon after the murder of Abel and in the 130th Year of Adam in that space of time so many might be born as might justly occasion Cain's guilty Conscience to suspect that every one that met him would kill him But God tells him He might be secure as to that for he would have him preserv'd alive as a miserable Spectacle to terrifie others from that hainous Crime of Murder And accordingly he would
were meer natural unregenerate men and that they had taken to them Wives according to the liking of their Eyes without any regard to Piety or Virtue God being highly provoked with this Generation for this and their other great Enormities He declares that having now a long time strove with them both by outward Preaching and Admonitions of the pious Patriarchs as also by the inward Convictions and blessed motions of his own Holy Spirit He should not now continue to strive with them for he perceived they were fleshly walking after their own lusts Jud. v. 16. and not like to reform and amend However of his Mercy he would try them once more and would allow them the space of an 120 Years to repent in * 1 Pet. 3.19 20. If no amendment appeared in that time He determined by an Vniversal Deluge to destroy from the Earth Men and Beasts and creeping things and the Fowls of the Air. 'T is also recorded that there were in those days Men of huge stature and strength far beyond others such as Og and the Anakims afterwards in Moses's time Numb 13.33 and Goliah and Isbi-benoth in Davids 2 Sam. 21.16 who being admired for their bodily strength presumed to oppress others For the Curse of God following those unequal Matches of the Children of Seth with the Children of Cain many of their seed became such Gyants namely fierce and cruel men and played the Tyrants over those among whom they lived God therefore seeing the wickedness of Man to be so exceeding great on the Earth and that his mind was a Mint of evil Imaginations and his Heart a Sink of evil Affections whereby they evidenced the great depravation of mans Nature by the Fall it repented the Lord that he had made Man that is speaking of himself after the manner of men He declares He intended now to do what men that repent and are grieved for what they have done are wont to do namely to destroy the works of his own hands from off the Earth Therefore he speaks thus of himself to the men of that Generation both that he might stoop to their Capacity as also shew unto them the height and hainousness of their sins which had provoked Him to destroy so great a part of those Creatures which he had made for his own Glory and particularly Man from whom he expected more eminent Honour and Service But though God was so highly offended with the generality for their wickedness yet Noah being a just man and upright in his Generation and one that walked with God found Grace in his sight and being a Preacher of Righteousness * 2 Pet. 2.5 to that wicked Age the Lord was graciously pleased to make choice of him and his Family to be a remnant and a seed out of which Mankind and his Church should be increas'd and propagated Gen. 6. from 1. to 14. SECT VIII NOah first began to set his mind to the propagation of an Off-spring when he was 500 years old Gen. 5.32 To whom was born first of all Japheth Gen. 10.21 His second Son was Sem being two years after the Flood an 100 years old Gen. 11.10 His third Son was Ham. God seeing that all Flesh that is all mankind had corrupted their ways and that the Earth was filled with violence through the wickedness of the Children of men he tells Noah that the end of all Flesh was come before him that is that the time of their destruction was at hand and he would destroy them from off the Earth And accordingly he now commands Noah to build an Ark of Gophir-wood and to make it 300 Cubits (z) Understand Sacred Cubits which were double to the common as appears by comparing the 1 Kings 9.15 with 2 Chron. 3.15 some understand hereby the geometrical Cubit six times as long as the common Cubit And thus we may easily conceive the capacity of the Ark to be fully sufficient to hold whatsoever was to be contained in it And no doubt God instructed Noah as to the quality and quantity of Provisions that he was to provide for all that were to be in the Ark. long 50 broad and 30 in height appointing him to make it three stories high with several Rooms in it pitching it within and without So that the length was to be ten times more then the height and six times more than the breadth resembling something as to the fashion of it a mans Coffin Into this Ark Noah was commanded by God to take his Wife and his three Sons and their wives with some of all living Creatures which should by his instinct and moving come unto him of their own accord without his Care The clean Beasts * Here is a distinction of clean and unclean Beasts and Fowls in Noah's time and was instituted in all likelihood soon after the Fall of Man long before Moses's time The use of the seventh of the clean Beasts and Fowls was for Sacrifice Ch. 8.20 Of the other six either four must be for meat and the other two for preservation of seed Or four of those seven might be for encrease of those Beasts and Fowls which were of most use and comfort to Mankind and the other two for present food and the seventh for Sacrifice and Fowls should come by seven and the unclean by two And with Noah God makes a Covenant to preserve Him in case he trusted in Him typifying thereby the spiritual preservation and salvation of true Believers by Christ from the Deluge of Gods wrath 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Heb. 11.7 But the old World in the mean time void of all fear and sense of danger followed their old Course and went on eating and drinking marrying and giving in Marriage Math. 24.38 Gen. 6. from 14. to the end Gen. 7.1 2 3. SECT IX MEthuselah the eight from Adam died in the 969th Year of his Age and so out-went all men in length of life Gen. 5.27 Lamech the ninth from Adam died when he had lived 777 years Gen. 5.31 On the 10th day of the second month in the Year of the World 1656. and in the six hundredth year of the life of Noah God commanded him that he should provide himself to enter into the Ark and take the living Creatures into it that should be preserved in it Upon the 17th day of the same month Noah (a) Ferunt eum duabus columnis uni lateritiae alteri lapideae coelestium rerum scientiam inscripsisse è quibus lapideam suo tempore superfuisse narrat Josephus in Syria and his Wife and Children and the living Creatures of all sorts being entred into the Ark the Lord shut him in that is either by the ministry of Angels or his own immediate power caused the door on the out-side to be made sure and safe against the rain and violence of the waters and so what could not be done by outward means he himself was pleased to supply And thus all vain Cavils and Imaginations which the
Kings of Pentapolis to wit Sodom Gomorrah Admah Seboim and Bela or Zoar all which served him twelve years Gen. 14. from 1. to 5. SECT IX TErah with Nahor and Abram his two Sons now living at Vr of the Caldees and there according to the custom of that place being Idolaters and serving other Gods Joshuah 24.2 God was pleased of his free Grace and mercy to chuse Abram to be the Father of his peculiar people when there was nothing in him to move the Lord to shew him such special favour And accordingly God was pleased to call * As he raised this righteous man from the East so he called him to his foot to follow him and his direction Esay 41.2 Gen. 15.7 Neh. 9.7 Acts 7.2 3 4. him about the 70th year of his age to leave that Idolatrous place and to go into a Land which he should shew him promising to make of him a great Nation and to bless him and in him (k) That is in his Seed Christ Gen. 18.18 Acts 3.25 26. Gal. 3.18 14. Thus the Gospel was preached to Abram all the Families of the Earth Abram obeying (l) He went out by faith not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 this Call perswaded his Father Terah to go along with him and also his Brother Nahor and so with Lot his Nephew the Son of Haran and Sarai his Wife they came from Vr (m) This Ur which they left was the habitation of the Priests and Mathematicians who from their Art were stiled by the name of Chaldâ—ans By which name even in Chaldaea it self those Genetbliaci or Casters of Nativities were distinguished and known from the rest of the Magi or wise men of that Country Dan. 2. v. 2 10. Ch. 4.7 Ch. 5.11 And from these Terah and his Sons seem to have learned their Idolatry Joshua 24.2 to Charran a City in Mesopotamia (n) Mesopotamia is not to be taken only for that Region which lies between Euphrates and Tygris but in a large sense as comprehending Chaldaea under it Acts 7.2 3 4. and there made their abode by reason of the great infirmity and sickliness of Terah who about five years after when he had fulfilled 205 years there died Gen. 11.31 32. Gen. 12. from 1. to 5. CHAP. III. The third Age of the World from the Promise made to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees unto the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt containing a space of four hundred and thirty years and ending in the 2508th year of the World SECT I. THe Lord having called Abram as we shewed in the foregoing Chapter when he lived at Vr of the Chaldees to leave that Countrey and to go to a place that he should shew him promising to bless him and that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Abram readily obeyed this Call and accordingly removed from thence and went to Charran From which Promise and Abrams departure which immediately followed are to be deduced the 430 years which Abram and his Posterity were to spend in foreign Lands See Exod. 12.40 41. And from this Promise and Covenant to the giving of the Law which was three months after the Israelites departure out of Egypt and which could not disannul this Covenant as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.17 18 were 430 years At Charran Abram stayed about five years till his Father died and then following the Call of God being 75 years of age he took Sarai his Wife and Lot his Nephew with all the substance they had gotten and the Men-servants and Maid-servants they had acquired (o) Animas quas sibi comparaverant vel Emerant quas de idololatria converterant Tenent Hebraei Abram viros Saram mulleres in Dei cultu instituisse atque ita eos Deo procreasse Non enim alios servos habere voluerunt praeter cultores Dei. Hic primum fit servitutis mentio Vatablus in Charran and journied on till at last they came into the Land of Canaan the Canaanites a cursed Idolatrous people being now the Inhabitants thereof thorow which they passed till they came to a place called Sichem and the plain of Moreh where God appearing to Abram promised him that to his Seed he would give that Land (p) Hence called the Land of Promise Heb. 11.9 The Lords Land Hos 9.3 The holy Land Zach. 2.12 The Land of Emmanuel Isa 8.8 And this was a Type of Heaven which Abram looked for Heb. 11.9 10. Whereupon in that place he built an Altar * See Gen. 8.20 to the Lord that He might offer up his Sacrifices Prayers and Thanksgivings and perform the outward Worship God requir'd of Him among his own Company in opposition to the Idolatry of the Canaanites From thence he removed into the Hill-Countrey calld Luz and in after-times known by the name of Bethel Gen. 28.19 where again he built an Altar and called upon the Name of the Lord. And from thence holding on his Journey he came at last into the South part of the Countrey which looks towards Egypt Gen. 12. from 4. to 10. SECT II. IT pleased the Lord now to put Abrams Faith upon a new Trial. For not long after this God visited this Land of Canaan which of it self was very fruitful with a sore Famine being provoked thereunto by the Iniquity of the Inhabitants thereof See Psal 107. v. 33 34. Hereupon to avoid this Calamity Abram was forc'd to go down from thence into Egypt where as Josephus tells us he taught the Egyptians Astrology and Arimethick which before they were ignorant of When he came near unto Egypt he began to be in great apprehensions of the danger his life was in by reason of Sarai if the Egyptians should take her to be his Wife For though she was at this time 65 years old yet she was very fair and beautiful in her self and much more if compared with the swarthy Complexions of the Egyptian-Women Hereupon to prevent danger to himself he desired her to say if she were ask'd That she was his Sister (q) Nepotes Neptesque ab Hebraeis fratres sorores vocantur Gen. 13.8 14.14.16 Now though this was in a sense true as Abraham afterwards told Abimelech upon another occasion Gen. 20.12 because she was his Brothers Daughter and such in those days were usually called Brothers and Sisters yet by her saying She was his Sister Abram intended the Egyptians should understand that she was not his wife but free to be married to another And so thorow his over great fear and sollicitude for himself and too much distrusting Gods Providence and Care over him He exposed her to great and evident danger For Pharaoh King of Egypt being informed of her by his Courtiers He sent for Her to his house (r) In Domum non ad stuprum sed ut esset uxor saltem secundaria Ad se Reges non statim admittebant nisi prius purgatas praeparatas ut patet ex lib.
Vermine (g) V. 17. All the dust of the Land became Lice An hyperbolical Speech The Magicians also try their Skill again and accordingly they smote the dust of the ground with their Rods as Aaron had done and endeavoured to do the like but all in vain (h) Non potuerunt Deo eos impediente ut se ostenderet maximum in minimis For here God confounded their Enchantments in a thing most vile wherein yet he honoured himself For he so restrained the Devil and disabled these Magicians his Servants that they could neither make Lice nor make a shew of them So that they were forced to acknowledge to Pharaoh That this was the Finger of God (i) Fuit haec non productio naturalis sed divina Creatio qualis hominis ex pulvere and that this Miracle was wrought by the Power of the Almighty and not by Art or Sorcery which they should have acknowledged of all the rest of the Miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron but their Master the Devil would not permit them to do it However though the Lice continued both upon Man (k) Such little Creatures armed with Power from God can punish the greatest Tyrant as Herod Acts 12.23 and Beast yet Pharaoh's heart was still hardened so that he would not hearken unto Moses as the Lord had before told him Exod. Ch. 8. from 16. to 20. Fourth Plague Flies Wasps and Hornets 4. It being usual with Pharaoh to walk in the Morning by the River-side Moses is sent again to meet him there and to require him in the Lords Name to let the people go and to acquaint Him That if he refused to do it God would send upon him and his people swarms of Flies Wasps and Hornets and such noysome Insects which should fill their Houses and vex and sting them and they should swarm in all the Land where the Egyptians dwelt but should not come into Goshen where the Israelites dwelt and then they should know to their Cost that the Lord Jehovah was the only Ruler in the whole Earth and that he would put a difference between his own People and the Egyptians and would deliver them from that Judgment which should be the portion of the Egyptians And he tells him This thing should come to pass the next morning Pharaoh not regarding this threatning the very next morning there came a grievous swarm of divers sorts of Flies (l) We read not of any use made of Moses s Rod to bring this Plague and 't is like it was not used that it might appear the power of those Plagues was not in the Rod but in the Hand of God see Psal 78.45 Psal 105.31 into the house of Pharaoh and his Servants and into all the Land of Egypt So that the people of Egypt were wonderfully annoyed with them and as it seems several of them destroyed by them Pharaoh being now terrified with this Plague He yields thus far That the Israelites should have liberty to Sacrifice to the Lord their God provided they went not out of Egypt to do it (m) So that it seems they were not suffered during their bondage in Egypt openly to offer Sacrifice to the Lord. What they did this way was done in a private manner This Moses would not accept of but requires they may have liberty to go three days Journey into the Wilderness to offer this Sacrifice For says he if we should in Egypt offer unto our God Oxen Cows Calves and Bullocks which the Egyptians exhibit Divine Honour unto it would seem an abominable thing unto them and they would be ready to stone us Pharaoh tells them They shall then go into the Wilderness provided they would not go very far and would pray for him that this Plague may be removed Moses promises that they would pray for him but intreats him to be true and faithful to his word and promise and not to deal any more deceitfully with them Moses goes out accordingly and and intreats the Lord to remove this Plague from Pharaoh and his People and the Lord was pleased presently to do it So that the next day this dreadful host of Flies Wasps and Hornets was quite gone But though the Plague was removed yet Pharaoh's obstinacy was not for he would not yet let the People go Exod. Ch. 8. from 20. to the end 5. Fifth Plague Murrain on Beasts Upon the first day of the seventh Month which was shortly after made the first month of the Year God Commands Moses to go to Pharaoh again and to tell him That if he would not let his People go but did obstinately keep them still he would smite all sorts of his Cattel with a grievous Murrain viz. Horses Asses Camels Oxen and Sheep and this Judgment he tells him shall be inflicted the very next day And so accordingly it was by which the generality (n) V. 6. All his Cattel died all is here to be taken Communiter not Universaliter viz. for the greater or most considerable number For some Cattel were assuredly killed by the Hail as we find Exod. 9.25 And in the tenth Plague the First-born of Beasts were destroyed by the Angel of the Cattel of the Egyptians died but of the Cattel of tne Children of Israel died not one And Pharaoh sent into Goshen to see whether the Cattel of the Children of Israel had escaped and he found it was so Yet notwithstanding his heart was hardened and swelled with pride and malice against the Children of Israel so that he would not let them go Exod. Ch. 9. from vers 1. to 8. 6. Sixth Plague Blains and Boils About the third day of this Month God intending to bring a Sixth Plague upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians He Commands Moses and Aaron to go to him and to take handfuls of ashes out of the Furnace and to sprinkle the ashes towards Heaven to intimate to Pharaoh that the Plague came from the God of Heaven and that as he and his people had oppressed the Israelites with Furnace-work in forcing them to burn Brick for them so they now should be punished with burning Sores (o) Ulceribus calore saniâ— turgidis caused by ashes taken out of the Furnace And Moses and Aaron did as God commanded and they sprinkled handfuls of ashes towards Heaven which miraculously by the mighty Power of God became a Cloud of small dust over-spreading the whole Land of Egypt and so fell down both upon Man and Beast And this dust where it fell caused Blains and Boils and as it seems of an extraordinary nature for they are thus described Deut. 28.27 The Boils of Egypt which cannot be cured And the Magicians themselves who it seems continued to harden and embolden Pharaoh not to be moved with the things done by Moses telling him as 't is probable that they were done by Magick and were still at hand to resist Moses and Aaron as far as they could were now smitten with these
Boils and Blains breaking out upon them So that they were forced to go away and cease fighting against God But yet Pharaoh's heart was so hardned that he would not let the people go for all this Exod. Ch. 9. from 8. to vers 13. Seventh Plague Hail 7. Some few days after God sends Moses again to Pharaoh to require him to let his people go that they may serve him and to let him know that though his Hand had been already heavy upon him yet there were far sorer Plagues still behind which he had determined to bring upon him and his people if he continued obstinate and which should sting him to the very heart And these he would presently pour forth thick and threefold upon him that he might know there is no God like to the great Jehovah in all the World Moses is further commanded to speak thus to Him from the Lord I have stretched out my Hand and destroyed a great part of thy Cattel by Murrain and Pestilence and I should have destroyed thee and thy people thereby also (p) Sic ergo vertendum v. 16. Modo enim cum extendi manum meam percussissem non tantum pecus sed te etiam populum tuum veruntamen seci ut restares c. J. T. as you well deserved but that I have raised thee up for this very purpose that the World might see my Justice in punishing of thee and my Power in my Conquest over thee And dost thou yet so impudently exalt thy self against Me and my People Behold about this time to morrow I will cause it to rain a very grievous Hail upon Thee such as hath not been in Egypt since it became a Land inhabited by Misraim Son of Cham who gave Name to that People and Country And Moses the more to set forth the terrour of this Plague that was coming upon them advises the Egyptians to send for and get home their Cattel and Servants and all that they had in the Field For all that was found there would be destroyed by the Hail Some of Pharaoh's Servants believed this threatening of the Lord and got their Servants and Cattel into houses and so had them preserved but Others regarded it not On the morrow Moses stretched forth his Rod towards Heaven and the Lord sent Thunder and Hail mixed with Fire that ran upon the ground which destroyed not only a great part of their Corn viz. the Barley (q) V. 32. But the Wheat and the Rie were not smitten for they were not grown up that is so much as the Barley It seems in Egypt they sowed their Barley at the same time with their Wheat which we do not and there the Barley would be by far the forwardest Hordeo laeso incolume mansit triticum quippe cum hordei culmus aliquantum arefactus adeoque induratus non cederet grandini sed obniteretur itaque frangebatur Triticum autem tenerum adhuc in herba velut abditum licet non sub terra lenta flexilique sua mollitia procellae impetum devitavit Drufius that was eared and the Flax that was boll'd and in the Stalk and their Herbs but brake a great part of their Trees and killed both Man and Beast that were in the Storm vers 25. so saith the Psalmist Psal 78.47 48. He destroyed their Vines with Hail and their Sycamore-Trees with Hail-stones He gave up their Cattel also to the Hail and their Flocks to the Thunderbolts And this dreadful Hail fell on all the Land of Egppt only in the Land of Goshen there was none Pharaoh terrified with this dreadful Judgment sent for Moses and Aaron and told them He did now plainly see and accordingly did acknowledge That he (r) The Wicked do sometimes confess their sins to God's Glory but will not truly repent and reform that they may be received to Mercy had sinned against God and confess'd That God was Righteous and he and his people wicked He desires them therefore to pray unto the Lord to remove this Judgment and that there might be no more such dreadful Thunder and Hail and he would let them go they should stay no longer Moses promises as soon as he should be out of the City he would stretch forth his hands in prayer to the Lord. He knew by Inspiration from God that then the Thunder and Hail should immediately cease and Pharaoh might hereby be instructed that the Earth is the Lord's and the whole Creation is at his disposal But as for thee and thy Servants says he I know before-hand that ye will be never a whit the better for the removal of this Judgment And the event proved it to be so For when upon Moses's prayer the Thunder and Hail seased the heart of Pharaoh and his Servants were hardened as before and they would not let the people go Exod. Ch. 9. from 13. to the end Eighth Plague Locusts 8. About the seventh day of this Month God sent Moses to Pharaoh again telling him He had hardened (s) See Sect. 58. his heart and the hearts of his Servants that he might glorifie his Power and Justice in bringing more signal Judgments on him However though Pharaoh be obstinate yet thou Moses says God shalt for a remembrance of my Power and Justice declare to thy Children and Childrens Children the Wonders I have done in Egypt upon Pharaoh and his people that so you in your several Generations may know and be assured that I am the Lord. Then Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh again and expostulating with him asked him How long he would refuse to humble himself before the Lord and keep his people from going to serve him They tell him If he continued still obstinate on the morrow the Lord would send Grashoppers and Locusts into all his Quarters and they should be sent in such vast numbers that they should in a manner cover the face of the Earth from man's sight and should devour the residue of the Grass Herbs and what was green on the Trees and the Wheat and Corn which had escaped the Hail and they should fill his house and the houses of his Servants and of all the Egyptians in such a manner that neither he nor his Ancestors nor any that lived in Egypt before him did ever see such vast numbers of Locusts nor any that did did so much mischief as these should do And Moses and Aaron when they had delivered their Message came away and left him Then Pharaoh's Courtiers and Servants said to him How long shall this man Moses be a Snare to us that is an Instrument and means to bring Ruine and Destruction upon us We beseech thee lâ—t these people go Seest thou not that the Land is already almost ruined by the Plagues and Judgments that have been brought upon us Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron again to him and told them He was content they should go and serve the Lord their God But then recalling himself He
See Isa 53.6 And Moses himself who was a Levite till Aaron and his Sons were fully consecrated for the Service of the Priesthood was by extraordinary Warrant from God to perform the Work of the Priest in offering these Sacrifices See Psal 99.6 And he was to take of the bloud of the Bullock and put it upon the Horns of the Altar of Burnt-Offerings which stood in the Court of the Tabernacle to purifie consecrate and sanctifie the Altar it self and make it holy to the Lord and so to set it apart for holy Uses that whatsoever was offered thereon according to Gods Institution might be sanctified made holy and accepted as holy by the Lord. See Ch. 30.29 and Matth. 23.19 And the flesh of the Bullock and his skin and dung were to be burnt without the Camp to shew how destable the sin was that was laid as it were upon this Bullock and that the true Sacrifice for our Sins should suffer without the Gates of Jerusalem Heb. 13.11 12 13. 2ly The Sacrifice for Sin being thus first offered he was to offer one Ram for a Burnt-Offering (y) By the Burnt-Offering some understand the ardent love of Christ quo totus in cruce conflagravit and as the Burnt-Offering ascended up in fire so Christ ascended into heaven to make Intercession for us as a savour of rest that is that God being thereby appeased might cease from his anger Not as though the Lord was affected with Smells but it is said to be an acceptable Savour to Him in regard of their Obedience and willing mind and God is is said to be delighted with it when they offered it with Faith and true devotion 3ly He was to take another Ram for a Peace-Offering These were to be offered either to obtain some Blessing or to give thanks for some Blessing already received In both these respects this was offered at the Priests Consecration both by way of thankfulness for the honour done them in calling them to this Dignity and Office as also by way of Supplication humbly to intreat the Lord that he would prosper them in the execution of it Thus at the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons divers sorts of Sacrifices were to be offered because they were ordained to offer them all In this Eucharistical Sacrifice that was now to be offered Moses was only to have the Breast Exod. 29.26 but the right Shoulder and the fat and one loaf of Bread and one Cake of oiled Bread and one Wafer out of the Basket vers 3. were to be waved or shaken towards all the four Quarters of the World to signifie that God is the Lord of the whole Earth and then to be burnt by Him upon the Altar of Burnt-Offering for a sweet savour before the Lord. And upon this occasion an Ordinance is inserted that in Eucharistical Sacrifices namely such as these whereby Aaron and his Sons were to be consecrated for the future the Priests were to have the shaken Breast and the right Shoulder (z) Hinc humerus pectusque populo destinent Sacerdotes Anonym that was lifted up * The rest of the Peace-Offering besides what was the Priests belonged to the Offerer namely to God as his Right and assigned by Him as a Portion to the Priests Levit. 7.31 whereby possibly they were taught that with all their Heart and all their Strength they should give themselves to the Service of the Lord. Another Ordinance is also inserted That the holy Garments of Aaron shall be his Sons after him that He may be anointed and consecrated in them Thus though the High Priest died yet his Son was to appear before the Lord in the same Garments And as the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons continued seven days vers 35. during which time they were to abide at the door of the Tabernacle day and night to keep the Watch of the Lord Levit. 8.33 35. and as on each day of the seven the same Sacrifices and Ceremonies were to be observed as had been on the first day So this Order of Consecration was to be practised towards their Successors when they came into the Land of Canaan and had a setled state there Lastly It is appointed that that part of the Ram of Consecration which should be left after part had been burnt and Moses had had his portion should be sodden in the Court of the Sanctuary and should be eaten there by Aaron and his Sons with the bread that was left in the Basket vers 2 3. Levit. 8.31 And no Stranger viz. None but a Priest was to eat of it whereas in other Peace-Offerings the Offerer did partake And if any part of the Bread or Flesh remained until the Morning they were to burn it with fire This was required lest by reserving any part thereof either they might grow into contempt of holy things making no difference between them and their ordinary Food which they might reserve at their pleasure or lest that which remained might be abused to Superstition And whereas in ordinary Peace-Offerings they might eat of them the next day but not upon the third day see Levit. 7.18 no part of this must be eaten the second day This was to shew that this Ram of Consecration was a more holy thing than their ordinary Peace-Offerings Exod. 29. from 1. to 38. 13ly Touching the holy anointing Oil and the Ingredients of which it was to be made viz. of principal Spices Myrrh Cynamon sweet Calamus (a) Those sweet Odours signified the joyful Graces of Gods Spirit and the anointing therewith the powring out of the holy Spirit upon Christ his Church and Ministers and Cassia and of Oil-Olive And the things to be anointed therewith to Consecrate them to Gods Service and to separate them from common uses were the Tabernacle the Ark the Table the Candlestick with all their Vtensils the Altar of Incense the Laver the Altar of Burnt-Offerings so that whatsoever was brought as an Oblation if it touched any of the hallowed things of the Sanctuary it should be holy to the Lord. Aaron also and his Sons and Successors were to be anointed with this holy Oil but upon no mans flesh else was it to be powred It was not to be used for any civil use as for delight or the like even by the Priests themselves nor any of it to be powred upon Strangers nor any to be made like unto it for any such purposes under penalty of being cut off Exod. 30. from vers 22. to 34. 14ly Touching the half Shekel that all the Children of Israel from 20 years old and upwards when they were numbred were to pay for the ransom of their Souls acknowledging thereby that they held their lives of God and that he had redeemed them out of the House of Bondage And this they were to do that so the Lord might not be provoked for their Ingratitude to send a Plague among them This Didrachma or half Shekel * The Standard of all
long attendance and so will go to their several Tents and Dwellings in peace having their minds quieted Moses consulting with the people about this Proposal they liked it very well see Deut. 1.13 14. and so he immediately put it in practice substituting such Governors under himself so that every Tribune appointed to Judge over a thousand Families had under him ten Centurions or Judges that were over an hundred Families a piece and every Centurion had under him two Rulers that were over fifty Families a piece and every Ruler over fifty had under him five Rulers which were set over ten (e) Parallel to this was the original Institution of our English Tything-men a word still in use in the West-Country being an Officer to oversee ten men with their Families This Tythingman is the same Officer which in other places is call'd the Petty Constable Families a piece And so it is like the inferour Officers gave account of those under their Care to their immediate Superiors Deut. 1. from 9. to 19. Exod. 18. whole Chapter SECT LII ON the 20th day of the second month of the second year after their coming out of Egypt the Cloudy-Pillar arising from off the Tabernacle and going in the forefront of their Camp the Israelites removed from Sinai where they had staid in that their 12th station a whole year (f) They came into the Wilderness of Sinai in the beginning of the third month of the first year see Deut. 1.6 7 8. and Sect. 13. of Ch. 4th within 13 days see Exod. 19.1 towards the Wilderness of Paran (g) In this Wilderness they journied a long time and in several places of it pitched their Tents They marched in such order and array as God had appointed by the direction of Moses Their Camp was divided into four Squadrons every Squadron consisting of three Tribes In the Van marched the Tribe of Judah with its associate Tribes Issachar and Zebulon under their respective Commanders of Thousands and Hundreds with a Standard having the figure of a Lion Immediately after them marched the Gershonites and Merarites who had the charge of the outward Tabernacle They marched formost of all the Levites that so they might be ready when the Army stayed to set up the Tabernacle against the Ark and the other holy things came that were carried by the Kohathites The Tribe of Reuben led the second Squadron in like manner with its associate Tribes Simeon and Gad with a Standard bearing the figure of a man as the Jewish Writers tell us Next to this Standard and so in the middle of the Camp marched the Kohathites bearing the Ark and the most holy Vtensils of the Tabernacle on their shoulders The Tribe of Ephraim led the third Squadron with their associate Tribes Manasseh and Benjamin with a Standard bearing the figure of an Ox. The Tribe of Dan with their associate Tribes Asher and Naphtali made up the fourth Squadron and brought up the Rear with a Standard bearing the figure of an Eagle The Army being thus set in Order and ready to march Moses desires Jethro * Called also Hobab see Sect. 56. of Ch. 3. his Father-in-law to go along with them telling him They would do him good and no hurt for God had promised to be gracious unto them and to own them for his people But Jethro refused to go telling him He would return to his own Country Moses presses him again to go with them telling him He might be in stead of Eyes to them in that howling Wilderness thorow which they were to march that is his prudent Counsel of which they had newly had experience might very much advantage them especially in things not particularly directed by God And if he would please to go along with them what goodness and bounty the Lord should shew to them he should share in and partake of But it seems he refused to go along with them being desirous to return to his own Countrey see Exod. 18.27 However either He or some of his Family returned afterwards unto the Israelites For his Posterity in after-times dwelt among the Israelites in the Land of Canaan as we may see Judg. 1.16 and Judg. 4.11 17. and 1 Sam. 15.6 Numb Ch. 10. from 11. to 33. SECT LIII MOses and the Children of Israel now depart from the Mount of the Lord viz. from Sinai and Horeb where He had appear'd so Eminently to them and given them his Law and the Ark (h) Profecta est in conspectu eorum i. e. arca in mediis castris a sacerdotibus gestata versabatur in oculis omnium Malvenda Pro uno reputantur arca columna cum arca semper sub Columna procederet Bochart went before them or in their sight and the Cloudy-Pillar over that for three days together when they marched to find out a fit place for them to pitch their Tents in And when the Cloud was lifted up and the four Squadrons with the Ark set forward and marched Moses said Arise O Lord and let thine Enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee And when the Ark rested according to the direction of the Cloud he said Return (i) Revertere respondet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surge Nam qui surgit quasi abiturus surgit Certo Nubes cum se attolleret abire videbatur Dr. O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel that is Return I pray thee and remain among thy people for in thy presence their chief joy and safety consist see Exod. 33.14 15 16. Numb 10. from the 33. to the end SECT LIV. THe people being now wearied with their three days march it seems some that were in the rear of the Camp began to murmur that they were forced to so long and tedious marches whereupon the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and He either poured down fire upon them from Heaven or caused it to break forth upon them from the Earth and it consumed many of them see Psal 78.21 The Israelites not knowing what to do run to Moses having a great opinion of his holiness and especial interest in the favour of God and intreat him to intercede with the Lord for them which he accordingly does and so the fire ceased The place where this Judgment was executed was hereupon called Taberah signifying a burning because the fire of the Lord here brake out upon them and consumed many among them Numb Ch. 11. from 1. to 4. SECT LV. THe people not having now any other Food but Manna to eat the mixt multitude among them of which see Exod. 12.38 not being sufficiently warned by the former Judgment began to loath it and to murmur that they had nothing else to eat And the Israelites it seems soon joyned with them in this their Complaint and murmuring saying in a discontented humor Who shall give us flesh to eat as if they had said we had plenty of Flesh in Egypt and great variety of Fowl We
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
afforded us viz. Meat and Drink for our money as we passed thorow the out-skirts of their Country But Sihon would not let us pass for the Lord hardned * God cannot be the Author of Sin or the rebellion of the heart but he may being debtor to no man withhold his grace He may leave men to themselves He may permit Satan to work effectually in them See Sect. 59. of Ch. 3. on Exod. 4.21 his Spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into our hands as appeareth by the event For Sihon coming out against us with his people to fight us the Lord delivered him into our hands and we smote him and all his Host and we took all his Cities and utterly destroyed Men Women and Children see Deut. 20.14 15 16. as God had commanded us Only we took the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities to our selves for a Prey But the Land which was on the out-side of the River Jabbock which belonged to the Ammonites Josh 12.2 and those Cities of the Ammonites that lay in that mountainous Country beyond Jabbock and what-ever else was in the possession of the Ammonites did we not at all meddle with or with any thing else that God had forbidden us 5. He reminds them how after they had conquered Sihon they conquered Og Chap. III the Giant King of Bashan the other King of the Amorites When we marched up towards Bashan then says he Og the King thereof with his Army came out against us at Edrei And the Lord commanded us not to be afraid of him though he was a Giant of such a formidable stature And accordingly the Lord delivered him and his people and his Land into our hand and we took all his Cities even threescore Cities all the Region of Argob a Province in Bashan we took all those Cities which were fenced with high walls gates and bars and many unwalled Towns also And we destroyed Men Women and Children as we had before done unto King Sihon and his Subjects but the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities we took as a Prey to our selves So we took at this time from those two Kings of the Amorites the Land that was on this side Jordan from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon called by the Sidonians Sirion (c) And Ch. 4.48 Sion and by the Amorites Shenir and all the Cities of the Plain and all Gilead And says He there now remained of that Gigantick Race in the Kingdom of Bashan but this Og only whose Bedstead * The Cubit of a man being usually a foot and an half according to this measure his Bedstead was four yards and an half long and two yards broad was of Iron and nine Cubits according to the Cubit of an ordinary man was the length thereof and four Cubits the breadth thereof and it was now kept in Rabbah (d) Possibly this Bedstead was taken in some War between the Ammonites and this King and so kept in Rabbah as a glorious Trophy of their Victory the chief City of the Ammonites from 1. to 12. 6. He shews how he distributed those Countries taken from the two Kings to Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh see Numb 32.19 enjoyning them nevertheless to go over Jordan before their Brethren armed and to fight for them and help them against the Canaanites till God had given them that Land quietly to possess and then they should return to their own Possessions on this side Jordan again And says He I appointed in this new Conquest three Cities of Refuge viz. Bezer in the lot of the Reubenites and Ramoth-Gilead in the lot of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan in the lot of the Manaesites from 12 to 21. and Ch. 4. from 14. to 44. 7. He further tells them how he encouraged Joshua who was to be his Successor from what he had seen the Lord do to those two Kings of the Amorites and that consequently he should not fear the other Kings he was to fight with for the Lord would fight for Israel Then he tells them how earnestly he besought the Lord to permit him to go into Canaan I prayed says he O Lord God thou hast begun to shew thy Servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand For what God is there in Heaven or Earth that can do according to thy Works and according to thy Might I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan and that goodly Mountain Lebanon But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes Your murmurings made me sometimes too rash in speaking and sometimes too slow in believing in the Lord which provoked Him against me so that He would not grant my Request but said to me Let it suffice thee speak no more to me of this matter Get thee up to the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes West-ward and North-ward East-ward and Southward and behold it with thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan But give Joshua in Charge what I Command thee and encourage and strengthen him For he shall go over before this people and shall cause them to inherit the Land which thou shalt only see with thine eyes Ch. 3. from 21. to the end 8. From all these Experiences of Gods signal Goodness to them He comes now to exhort them to keep and obey the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord and to teach their Children also to observe them and especially to take heed of Idolatry which was a very provoking sin And that he might excite them the more to the observance of these Precepts he bespeaks them in this wise Hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I am now to teach you and be careful to practise them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers hath given you You shall not add * Improbatur hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus proprio arbitrio excogitatus Confer Deut. 12.8 32. Numb 15.39 40. Prov. 30.5 6. Gal. 3.10 to the words which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it but you must keep close to the Commandments of the Lord which I from Him command you Your eyes have seen the Judgments of God executed upon those that committed Idolatry with Baal-Peor unto which many of Israel declined by the counsel of Balaam But you that did cleave unto the Lord and kept your selves from that Transgression were saved from that destruction Behold I set before you the Statutes †Some by Statutes understand Ornances of divine Worship and by Judgments Laws that concern their duty towards men and the punishment of Transgressors and Judgments which God hath commanded Chap. IV me to give you and which you are to observe in the Land which you are going to possess And carefully to observe them will be a great evidence of your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations that shall
have in part experienced already in your having conquered Sihon and Og Kings of the Amorites and gained their Countries Which Conquests may be an earnest to you of further Victories over your Enemies Know you therefore this day and consider it well in your hearts that the Lord He is God both in Heaven above and in Earth beneath and there is none besides him Therefore diligently keep his Statutes and Commandments which I command you this day that it may go well with you and your Children after you and that you may live long and happily in the Land which the Lord God giveth you from vers 1. to 41. 9. He comes now to set before them the Law of God viz. the ten Commandments Chap. V and the Testimonies that is the particular Articles or Points of the Covenant which God made with them at Horeb whereby he testified his mind to them and the particulars in which he required Obedience from them He shews how they were terrified at the dreadful manner wherein the Law was delivered and desired Him to mediate between God and them Then calling all the Elders and Chief of the people of Israel together He said Hear O Israel the Statutes and Judgments which I speak in your ears this day that you may learn them and keep and do them The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb. He made not this Covenant with our Fathers in Egypt nor with the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob for though he made the same Covenant with them for substance and they were obliged to believe in the Messias and to keep the Law so far as it was revealed to them yet this Covenant was not revealed to them with all its Circumstances and particular Laws nor in that form and manner wherein it was revealed to us on Mount Horeb with whom God entred into Covenant as with a Body Politick and a People whom he had separated from all other Nations unto his own Worship and Service You (g) Plurimi eorum qui tempore Legislationis in Horeb fuerunt infra 20 annos poterant eorum meminisse quae ibi gesta dicta fuerunt may remember says he how God when he gave you the Ten Commandments talked with you face to face (h) V. 4. Facie ad faciem loquutus est nobis i. e. praesens praesentibus fine ullo internuncio that is immediately by himself and not by an Internuncio or Messenger But after God had spoken to you the Ten Commandments out of the fire I was fain to stand as a Mediator between the Lord and you for you were afraid to hear the Voice of the Lord immediately any more Now the Ten Commandments the Lord spake to you in Horeb you may find recorded in the 20th Chapter of Exodus (i) Some words are here added by Moses in this fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy to those uttered by God on Mount Sinai Exod. 20. as an explanation of them In the fourth Commandment as it was there delivered by the Lord the Worlds Creation and Gods resting on the seventh day was mentioned as a main ground of it Exod. 20.11 But here Moses omits that and presseth their deliverance out of Egypt as a chief reason of Gods injoyning them to sanctifie this day Deut. 5.15 because by their redemption out of Egypt they were bound to Consecrate themselves wholly to Gods Service as his peculiar people whereof the holy employment of the Sabbath might be a notable memorial and sign and secondly because of that particular charge of suffering their Servants to rest on the Sabbath-day their former Bondage in Egypt being a strong inducement to move them to it ut requiescat servus tuus c. Exod. 20.17 God forbids the coveting of our Neighbours house and then next the coveting of his wife Here the coveting of our Neighbours wife is first forbidden and then afterwards the coveting of his house c so that they that would divide this last Commandment into two as the Papists do cannot justly say which is the ninth Commandment and which is the tenth because one branch of it is first in Exodus and another is first in Deuteronomy and we cannot reasonably think that Moses would pervert the order of the ten Commandments Paul makes but one Commandment of both branches Rom. 7.7 These are the Precepts God spake immediately by himself to you and he added no more moral Precepts and He wrote them in two Tables of stone and delivered them unto me And after this dreadful delivery of the Law the Elders of your Tribes came to me and said Behold the Lord our God hath caused us to see his Glory and Greatness and we have heard his Voice out of the fire and we have seen that God doth talk with man and yet he remaineth alive But you intimated that your present safety was a matter of great wonder to you and though you had escaped that danger for the present yet you were not willing to be exposed to the like danger again For the very terrour of it you apprehended would kill you if God should speak to you again immediately by himself and you said What man is there that ever heard God speaking out of the fire as we have done and yet lived Therefore you desired me to receive from the Lord all that He should command you and to deliver it unto you and you would hear it and do it And the Lord approved of your motion and further said O that (k) Humanitas optanda non speranda designat there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Therefore God commanded you to betake your selves unto your Tents again and commanded me to stand before him and to receive from him all the Commandments Statutes and Judgments which I should teach you and which you should observe in the Land which He intended to give you that you may walk in them and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days and that you may increase mightily as the Lord God of your Fathers promised you should do in that good Land that floweth with Milk and Honey Chap. VI 10. Moses now enters upon the explanation of the first Commandment Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord one Eternal Almighty and divine Essence one in substance though three in persons and alone to be adored and worshipped And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul and with all thy might And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and so imprinted in thy mind and memory that upon all occasions thou mayst know what thou art to do And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou fittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest
down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine head and they shall be as Frontlets (l) Scopus hujus praecepti est non ad hujusmodi Ceremonias praecisas obstringere sed continuam Legis recordationem inculcare Jans vide Exod. 13.9 The Pharisees followed the literal sense in their Phylacteries which were some written Schedules of Parchment which were fastened to their Foreheads and Arms to keep the Law of God in remembrance see Matth. 23.5 between thine eyes that is thou shalt use all means to keep them in continual remembrance and to set them before the eyes of thy Children that they may live according to them And thou shalt write them on the posts of thy House and on thy Gates see Ch. 11.18 19 20. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into that good Land which He sware unto thy Fathers to give thee and into great and goodly Cities which thou buildest not and into Houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and to Wells digged which thou digedst not and to Vineyards and Olive-Trees which thou plantedst not when thou hast eaten and art full then beware lest thou forget the Lord that brought thee forth out of the Land of Egypt from the house of Bondage Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and sware by his Name that is when thou hast a lawful Call to sware thou shalt perform this religious act by the Name of the only true God and not of any Idol nor by any Creature whatsoever Ye shall not follow after other gods nor worship or serve the gods of other Nations that are round about lest the anger of the Lord who is a jealous God be kindled against thee and He destroy thee from off the face of the Earth Take heed also lest you provoke the Lord by your distrust and murmurings and limiting the holy One of Israel as you formerly did at Massah Exod. 17.2 Psal 78.41 And see that ye diligently observe the Commandments of the Lord that ye may go in and possess the good Land which he promised to your Fathers to give you And when your Children shall ask you in time to come what mean the Testimonies Statutes and Judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded us you shall say We were bondmen in Egypt and the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand and the Lord shewed Signs and Wonders great and sore upon Egypt upon Pharaoh and his Houshold before our eyes and the Lord commanded us to observe all these Statutes and to fear Him for our good always that he might preserve us alive as he hath done to this day And if we carefully observe these Laws as he has commanded us it shall be our Righteosness that is an evidence and manifestation of our Integrity and Vprightness before the Lord and though our Obedience be weak and imperfect yet if it be sincere God in and thorow the Messias will accept of it and will mercifully reward us for it 11. He goes on to give them some further explanation of the first Commandment Chap. VII injoyning them to extirpate the Canaanites and their Idolatry and to have no Communion with them lest they should be seduced by them to the worship of other gods They should remember they were a people holy to God whom he freely chose and will severely punish if they prove unfaithful but if they be faithful he will give them victory over their Enemies He further says to them When the Lord shall have brought you into the good Land he hath given you to cast out the seven Nations of the Canaanites that are greater and mightier than you and hath delivered them into your hands then you shall smite them and utterly destroy them you shall make no Covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them unless they become Proselytes and Converts to the true Religion which I have established among you Neither shall you make Marriages with them your Daughters you shall not give to their Sons nor their Daughters shall you take to your Sons for they will be apt to turn them away from following after the Lord your God and intice them to serve other Gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you that he will destroy you suddainly But you shall destroy their Altars and break down their Images and cut down their Groves which they have planted for Idolatrous uses and burn their graven Images with fire For you are an holy people unto the Lord your God the Lord hath chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself above all people that are upon the face of the Earth And the Lord did not set his love upon you and choose you because ye were more in number than any other people as in worldly Kingdoms Dominion over a great and populous Nation is more desired than over few For the truth is you were very few till God made such a miraculous multiplication of you in Egypt The Lord loved you freely and chose you of his own free Grace not finding any thing in you more than in others to move him so to do And because the Lord loved you and intended to keep the Oath which He had sworn unto your Fathers He hath brought you out of the house of Bond-men out of Egypt with a mighty hand Know therefore that the Lord your God he is the only true God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to thousand Generations and repayeth them that hate him to their face that is will so apparently take Vengeance on them and will not be slack or slow to do it that they shall plainly perceive as men do a thing set before their face that he doth it for their wickedness Wherefore if you shall carefully observe the Commandments Statutes and Judgments which I command you this day from the Lord then will He keep and perform unto you the Covenant and Mercy which he sware unto your Fathers and will love you and bless you and exceedingly increase you Will bless you in the fruit of the Womb and your Corn Wine and Oil and the fruit of your Cattel shall be increased You shall be blessed above all people There shall not except very rarely be any Male or Female barren among you or among your Cattel And the Lord will take away from you all sickness and will not inflict upon you any of those dangerous and noisome Diseases wherewith as it is well known to you he punished the Egyptians for your sakes Exod. 9.10 and wherewith the Inhabitants of that Country were usually troubled Deut. 28.27 but will lay them upon all them that hate thee You shall therefore destroy all the Nations that the Lord your God shall give into your hands you shall have no pity upon them neither shall you serve their Gods for that will be a snare to you and a cause of your
Chest of Shittim-wood to keep those Tables in viz. the Ark of the Testimony which he took care to have made by Bezaleel and there he placed them and there he tells them they were at that day Further he shews them That the Children of Israel having gone many Journeys forward and backward in the Wilderness as the Lord commanded them at last they went from Beeroth (q) Contentus hoc loco Moses recitatione historiarum seu rerum neque superstitiosè circumstantias locorum tractavit Non fuit illi propositum mansiones recensere sed beneficia Dei in certis mansionibus praestita celebrare Gerar. of the Children of Jaakan to Mosera (r) Abulensis duo distincta loca conjectat Mosera Moseroth Illum locum quendam in monte Hor hunc mansionem Israelitarum vide Numb 33.30 quae solutio videtur probabilis which was a part of the same Mountain with Hor though it had different names and there Aaron died and was buried and this might humble them for the sin of the golden Calf whereby God was so displeas'd with Aaron that he would not permit him to go into Canaan Yet that God permitted Eleazar his Son to succeed him in the Office of the High Priest was a proof of his being reconciled to them upon Moses's prayer Moreover he shews how they removed from Gudgodah and God brought them to Jotbath a Land of waters which was a great mercy to them in their travels through the Wilderness and another proof of his grace and favour to them and that he had regard to their Infirmity that they might not have occasion to murmur against Him for want of water as formerly they had done Then returning to the history of things done at Mount Sinai He instances in the separating the Tribe of Levi wherein not only the Levites but the Priests also are comprehended to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister unto him in divine Offices and to bless the people in his Name as a special sign of Gods having received them into Favour again upon his prayer and intercession And because the Tribe of Levi are thus to be imployed He shews they are to have no part of the Spoils taken in War no Inheritance in the Land of Canaan which was to be divided among the other Tribes see Numb 18.20 26.53 57. 35.2 Deut. 18.1 but the Lord himself would be their Inheritance maintaining them by the First-fruits Tythes Vows and Oblations made unto Himself These Gifts the Lord hath given him they are his Inheritance see Numb 18.8 9 c. Deut. 12.19 And Moses further shews them That God did manifest he had received them into Favour again in that He said unto him Arise take thy journey before the people that they may go in and possess the Land which I sware unto their Fathers to give them whereby the Lord intimated that he was willing they should presently have entred into the Land had not they by their murmuring excluded themselves for many years after Ch. 10. from 1. to vers 12. 15. He now presses them with many pathetical Arguments sincerely to love and obey the Lord. And now O Israel says he what does the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways to love him and serve him with all thine heart and with all thy Soul to keep his Commandments and Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good Behold the visible Heaven and the Empiraean or third Heaven the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords thy God and the Earth with all that therein is He is Lord of all and he needeth not any of his Creatures And he set his love on thy Fathers and chose their Seed after them out of his free Grace above all other Nations to be his peculiar people Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your hearts that is put away from your heart all that opposeth his holy Will and be no more stiff-necked and disobedient to his Will For the Lord your God is Lord of Lords a great and mighty and terrible God who regardeth not persons meerly for their outward Condition nor taketh Reward that is will not pervert Judgment by condemning the Innocent or acquitting the Wicked for Gifts or Rewards as unrighteous Judges use to do He doth execute righteous Judgment to all that are oppressed Psal 103.6 particularly to the Fatherless and Widow and loveth the Stranger and giveth him Food and Baiment Ye shall therefore in imitation of Him love Strangers for ye your selves were sometime Strangers in the Land of Egypt Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and cleave to him and swear by his Name Ch. 16.13 He is thy praise that is He it is whom thou oughtest to praise continually and in whom thou art to glory And this shall be thy chief glory and praise among other Nations that this great and mighty Jehovah is thy God and that thou art his people He is the God that hath done for thee these great and wonderful things so terrible to thine Enemies which thine eyes have seen Remember thy Fathers that went down into Egypt were but threescore and ten * See Notes on Gen. 46.27 persons and now the Lord hath made thee as the Stars of Heaven for multitude 16. He addresses his Speech to the ancienter sort who being under twenty years Chap. XI old when they came out of Egypt and of capacity then to observe had seen how miraculously God delivered them out of that house of Bondage and whose Eyes had seen all the great things the Lord had done for them in the Wilderness And to you says He of the ancienter sort I now direct my Speech To you I speak and not to your Children who have not known nor seen all that the Lord did for his people nor the Miracles and wonderful things which He did in Egypt by his mighty Hand and out-stretched Arm and how he destroyed Pharaoh and his Host in the Red-Sea so that you injoy the benefit of that destruction that fell upon the Egyptians even to this day their Power being thereby so sweakened that they have not been able since to attempt any thing against you You also have seen what He hath done for you in the Wilderness till you came even to this place You have seen also what he did to Dathan and Abiram the Sons of Eliab the Son of Reuben how the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their Housholds and their Tents and all the substance that was in their possession in the midst of Israel These glorious Acts that God did in the Wilderness you have seen and therefore have great reason to be obedient to his Commandments that ye may be strengthened both in body and spirit to go into the good Land that floweth with Milk and Honey and may fight against your Enemies and subdue them and may possess
but you shall come to the place (z) Now these places were first Shilo Josh 18.8 where the Ark continued to the days of Samuel viz. 243 years Then Nob 1 Sam. 21.6 lastly Jerusalem which the Lord your God shall chuse out of all your Tribes namely the place where the Ark of the Covenant by his appointment shall rest where he will manifest the signs of his powerful Presence and will make known his Name that is his Glory to you which place shall be called by his Name viz. the House of God and shall be consecrated to his Worship and Service And ye shall come to this His Habitation or Dwelling-place (a) The reasons why the Lord appointed his people to offer Sacrifices in one place only were 1. Because he would teach them that there was but one only way to obtain pardon for their Sins and acceptance of any Service they performed unto God and that was by Christ their promised Messias of whom the Tabernacle and Temple was a Type 2. Because hereby they might be kept to an uniform way of Worshipping God that corruptions in his Worship might be prevented whereinto they might easily fall had they been allowed to offer their Sacrifices some in one place and some in another For this cause it was that the Kings of Judah were so often blamed because they did not remove the high-places but suffered the people to Sacrifice there to serve Him and ask Counsel of Him And hither ye shall bring your Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices as Sin-Offerings Trespass-Offerings c. and your Tythes viz. your second Tythes the Tythe (b) For â—hat or the money for which they sold it they were to carry up yearly to Jerusalem and therewith to keep a holy Feast before the Lord see Ch. 14. vers 22 27. of that which remained after the first Tythe was paid to the Levites see Deut. 14.23 see also vers 17. of this Chapter and the Heave-Offerings of your hands that is the several first-fruits which you are to bring in your hands and heave them before the Lord and then leave them to the Priests for their portion and your Vows or Free-will-Offerings that is all such Sacrifices and Offerings as you shall extraordinarily bring either upon some Vow you have made or freely and on your own accord and the firstlings of your Herds and Flocks see Numb 18.17 18. And when you have carried your Sacrifices and Offerings to the place the Lord shall chuse there shall you and your Housholds (c) Though the Males only were bound thrice a year to appear before the Lord Exod. 23.17 yet at these times the Masters of Families were wont of their own accord to carry their Wives Daughters and Maid-Servants with them as Elkanah did 1 Sam. 1.4 Feast with your holy things and rejoyce before the Lord praising of him and ye shall rejoyce in all the good things which you have gotten through the Lords blessing upon your labours Furthermore you must know That God will be served after a more exact manner when you come into Canaan than you serve him now For now many Sacrifices Rites and Feasts cannot be observed by reason of your unsetled state so that every man does in a manner what seems right in his own eyes but when you come to be setled in the Land of Canaan you must not think to do thus For ye are not yet come to the place of Rest and the Inheritance which the Lord your God intendeth to give you But when the Lord hath brought you thither and hath given you rest from all your Enemies round about then there shall be a Place which the Lord will chuse and shall be call'd his House or Dwelling-Place the place where he will manifest his Name * Nomen quod implorant illic orantes Tum si qui sint alibi praecati mentem tamen huc atque oculos oportebat inflectere 1 Reg. 8.29 44. and Glory and thither shall ye bring all your Sacrifices and Oblations and your choice things that you freely vowed to offer unto the Lord. And ye shall rejoyce before the Lord your God ye and your Sons and Daughters your Men-Servants and Maid-Servants and ye shall make the Levite that dwells within your Cities or Habitations to rejoyce also in the participation of the Offerings forasmuch as he hath no part nor Inheritance with you in the Land but must live upon what is offered to the Lord as he hath appointed see Ch. 10.9 Take heed therefore of offering your Burnt-Offerings Sacrifices and Oblations in any other place than that which God shall chuse But in your own private dwellings you may kill and eat of those kinds of Beasts which are appointed for Sacrifice as freely as of the Roe-buck and Hart which are not to be sacrificed yet allowed to your Table Neither shall there be any difference of persons observed in those private meals in respect of legal cleanness or pollution but all may partake of any of them according as through the Lords blessing they can provide for themselves Only ye shall not eat the blood †This restraint possibly was laid upon them to make them the more fearful of shedding mans blood ye shall pour it upon the Earth as water and cover it with dust Levit. 17.13 Further he shews them That they may not eat within their Gates the Tythe (d) Non sunt hic intelligendae decimae Levitis Sacerdotibus debitae sed aliae quas post solutas decimas ordinarias solvâ—bant Deut. 14.22 23. Ex illis instituebant â—pulas Fridlib of their Corn or Wine or Oil that is the second Tythe of those things the first being paid to the Levites nor the firstlings (e) Quae deo osterre debueris vel volueris ad locum constitutum deferas vel ea vel pecuniam qua ea commutaveris of their Herds and Flocks by which he means not those firstlings spoken of Numb 18.17 18. which as holy things consecrated to God were allotted for the Priests portion but either the Female firstlings the Male-firstlings being only challenged by the Lord as his own Exod. 13.12 or the First-born after those first which were given to the Lord which indeed were the first that were the owners own or the chief and best of their Lambs Kids and Calves call'd here the Firstlings by way of excellency Nor any of their vowed or free-will-Offerings or Heave-Offerings but must eat them before the Lord in the place which he shall chuse they and their Housholds and the Levite together and there they should rejoyce in all that the Lord allows them to put their hand to and to eat and partake of Further he cautions them to take heed of forsaking the Levite by withholding their Offerings and Oblations (f) Decimarum varia erant gen ra 1. Decima Levitica quae tota Levitis cedebat 2. Decima secundaria quae post primam separabatur absumenda in his
establish them for a people that may be His in a peculiar manner and may appertain to Him as his peculiar Treasure to serve him faithfully and to enjoy the blessings of his Covenant see Ch. 7.6 And all Nations shall see by the singular blessings that shall be heaped upon this people that God did indeed own them for his peculiar people and that they were called by his Name and so owned as his Children and thereupon called the Children of God upon which account other Nations should be afraid of them 8. They shall be blessed with rain The Lord will open to them his good Treasures the Heavens shall give them rain in due season The Heavens are called the Lords Treasure because He keepeth therein those things wherewith He causeth the Earth to be fruitful as rain to water the ground and snow to make it fertil and the heat of the Sun and influences of the Moon and Stars to make all things therein to grow and prosper 9. They shall so increase in riches that they shall lend unto many Nations and shall not borrow of them Ch. 15.6 These blessings he shews would follow and overtake them if they walked faithfully in Gods Statutes and did not turn aside from them either to the right hand or to the left nor did decline to other gods from vers 1. to 15. But if they were Disobedient then he tells them Such Judgments and Curses should pursue them and overtake them as were directly contrary to these Blessings First God would send upon them cursing vexation and rebuke in all that they set their hands unto He would send the Pestilence into their Cities and Towns and would command it to cleave to them and to continue long among them 2ly He would smite them with the Consumption Feaver Inflammation and extream burning and with Drought Blasting and Mildew 3ly The Heaven should be as Brass and the Earth as Iron and the Lord would make the rain of their Land powder and dust that is instead of rain the dust being driven by the wind in time of drought should fall upon their Grounds Trees and Plants c. 4ly They shall flee before their Enemies and shall be scattered into the several Nations of the Earth and those of them that should be slain by the Enemy their Carcasses should lie unburied and should be meat for the Fowls of the Air and Beasts of the Field none fraying them away 5ly God would smite them with the botch of Egypt that is with Boils breaking forth with Blains see Exod. 9.9 and with the Emrods or Piles with the Scab and with an incurable Itch. 6ly With madness blindness and astonishment of heart that is God would deprive them of the use of their understandings that they should stand like blind men or men amazed and astonished not knowing which way to turn themselves and should do such things which if they were not blind or mad they would never do And as an effect of this bruitish stupidity they should grope at noon-day that is should not apprehend their danger nor discern the right ways of helping themselves they should be oppressed and spoiled and none should succour them 7ly He threatens to deprive them of things very dear to them even then when they were in expectation to injoy them They should betroth wives and others should enjoy them they should build Houses but not dwell in them plant Vineyards but not gather the Grapes of them their Oxen Asses and Sheep should be violently taken away from them 8ly Their Sons and Daughters should be led into Captivity and their eyes should look earnestly and even fail with longing for their return and there should be no might or power in their hands to rescue or recover them again out of the hands of their Enemies They should be oppressed and crushed by a Nation they knew not who should eat the fruit of their Land and of their labour so that they should be even mad and distracted by reason of the dreadful Calamities which they should be constrained to behold with their eyes 9ly The Lord would smite them with a sore and incurable Botch from the crown of the Head to the sole of the Foot 10ly They and their King as it happened to Manassah Jehoiachim and Zedekiah and their Sons and their Daughters should be carried into Captivity and there they should be either inticed or forced to serve other gods viz. Wood and Stone and their Calamities should be so great that their very Enemies should be astonished at them and they should be flouted and scorned and made a laughing-stock in those places where they should be Captive 1 Kings 9.7 11ly Hurtful Vermine such as Locusts and Worms should devour the fruits of their Fields and Vineyards and their choice Trees should cast their fruit 12ly The Strangers that were left among them should prevail against them and be Lords over them and should be in a far better state than themselves And all these Curses which should overtake them should be upon them and their Seed as a sign of Gods great Indignation against them and for a wonder that a people who were once so high in his Favour should be so unwise and wicked as to provoke Him to bring such a Change upon them And because they served not the Lord with joyfulness and gladness of heart with delight and thankfulness for the abundance of all good things he gave them that therefore they should be forced to serve their Enemies in hunger and thirst nakedness and want of all things and that their Enemies should put a yoke of Iron upon their Necks and keep them in bondage till they were destroyed see Neh. 9.25 26 27. Jer. 28.13 14. 13ly God would suffer them to be invaded by a powerful foreign Enemy who should come as swift as an Eagle that is suddainly unexpectedly and with irresistible Violence viz. the Babilonians * Described Dan. 7.4 to be a Lion with Eagles wings see Ezek. 17.3 12. Forsan ad Romanos allusit aquilis suis notissimos a quibus haec passi sunt Tremel whose Language they understood not and so would be extreamly troubled how to speak to them or beg any favour of them A Nation of a fierce Countenance which should not regard the person of the Old nor shew favour to the Young who should wast their Country and eat up the fruits of their Cattel and of their Land and should besiege them in all their Cities * V. 52. In omnibus portis tuis i. e. civitatibus Synecdoche membri and batter down their high and fenced Walls wherein they trusted and then all the Evils and Calamities incident to places straitly besieged should fall upon them Parents should eat the fruits of their own Bodies the flesh of their Sons and Daughters The man that was tender among them and very delicate dainty and voluptuous should grudge †V. 54. Malignas erit oculus ejus i. e. invidebit fratri c.
his Brother nay the Wife of his bosom and his remaining Children any share of the Child he shall eat having nothing else left to feed upon in that Extremity The tender and delicate woman * Contigerunt iis ad literam in obsidione Samariae 4 Reg. 6. v. 29. in obsidione Jerusalem per Babilonios Threnorum 2. v. 20. in Romanâ apud Josephum Threnorum 2. dicuntur parvuli ad mensuram palmae comesti i. e. etiam imperfecti per aborsum abjecti Et tales videntur vocari hic illo versu 57 illuvies secundarum nempe proles adhuc secundis seu secundinis sordibus involuta ideo immundissima abominanda potius quam ad cibum expetenda Jans among them that would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness she should grudge the Husband of her bosom and her Children grown up any share of her young Children which she should eat in secret in that extream Famine from vers 15. to 58. He further tells them That if they did not set themselves to fear the glorious God V. 58. That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God by the Name of God is to be understood the Lord Himself whose Name is Jehovah He would make their Plagues wonderful and would bring upon them and their Children great Plagues and Sicknesses and of long continuance yea the strange evil Diseases wherewith God plagued the Egyptians of which they were so much afraid should cleave unto them yea more Plagues should fall on them then are written in this Book And whereas they were as the Stars of Heaven for multitude they should be so wasted and destroyed that they should come to be but few in number And as the Lord formerly rojoyced over them to do them good and to multiply them so now He would rejoyce in their destruction and the execution of his Justice upon such Despisers of his Mercy and they should be plucked off from the Land which God gave them for an Inheritance viz. Canaan and so should lose the Pledge of their Adoption which would be a sad sign to them that their heavenly Father had disinherited them and cast them off And they should be dispersed and scattered abroad into many Nations and in their exile they should be inticed or forced to worship Wood and Stone and among those Nations they should find no ease or rest but should be hurried from place to place so that their hearts should tremble †Judaea tremen Juv. Satyr 6. and their eyes fail with extream weeping and their minds be fill'd with sorrow and vexation And they should be in continual doubt and fear both day and night of losing their lives which must needs make their condition exceeding grievous to them In the morning they should wish it were even and at even they should wish it were morning thorow the terrors of their minds and by reason of the dismal things they should see with their eyes And the Lord would cause them to be carried again by Ships into Egypt whither he had said they should return no more * God promised they should not return again thither on condition they were Obedient see Ch. 17.16 The Lord hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way that is into that Country This was verified when the Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem were carried in Ships to Egypt and there fold for Slaves †There were then 97 thousand Captives of the Jews but they were so vile and contemptible that many would not proffer any money for them even to be their Slaves and none would buy them with an intent to set them at liberty from vers 58. to the end Chap. XXX He further declares to them That when in their exile they shall reflect upon the experience they had of Gods blessing them so eminently while they continued Obedient and how severely He punished them when they were Disobedient and shall thereupon truly repent and seriously turn unto the Lord both they and their Children and shall serve the Lord with all their Heart and Soul then the Lord will have compassion on them and will turn their Captivity and gather them from all the Nations under Heaven whither he had scattered them and from thence will fetch them back to their own Country see Neh. 1.9 And He will Circumcise †Promissio haec est spiritualium beneficiorum per Christum Conser Rom. 2.29 Col. 2.11 12. their hearts and the hearts of their Children that is will purge them of their Corruptions by the Grace of his Spirit and renew them and incline them to a ready Obedience to his Will that it may go well with them And his Curses shall fall on their Enemies and on those that persecuted them But they shall be blessed in the fruit of their Bodies of their Cattel and of their Land and these blessings shall be given them in mercy and shall tend to their good and not their hurt And the Lord will rejoce over them to do them good as he rejoyced over their Fathers And lest any of them should object and say they would willingly obey the Commandments of the Lord if they knew them He tells them That the directions he had given them concerning the way and means of Salvation by Faith in the Messias and the moral Law which he had given them as the rule * Loquitur de tota in genere Dei Doctrina quae Evangelium sub se Comprehendit ut clare ostendit Paulus Rom. 10.8 of their Obedience they could not pretend to be ignorant of Neither were those things hidden from them so that the knowledge of them need be fetched down from Heaven or from some remote Country for them for they were sufficiently revealed to them the word was very nigh them in their mouths and in their heart It was plainly reveal'd to them frequently read and expounded to them by the Levites so that they could not but talk of it and remember it And if they were obedient to this Law they should be happy but if they turned from the Lord to worship other gods and serve them they should not prolong their days in the Land which they were now going to possess He calls Heaven and Earth to witness that he had dealt faithfully with them He had on the one side set life before them with all manner of blessings attending it if they would be Obedient and on the other side death and misery if they were Disobedient He exhorts them to choose the one and to avoid the other and to cleave to the Lord with all their hearts for He was their life and the length of their days that is as He is the giver of life so He is the maintainer and prolonger of it And that they might injoy the fore-mentioned Chap. XXIX Blessings and escape the Curses He calls them now to
ei authoritatem coram populo Conciliet and I will be with thee Moses now commands the Priests the Sons of Levi to put this Book of the Law which he had written in some safe Repository or Chest on the outside of the Ark where was the Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod see Heb. 9.4 Indeed in the Ark it self were only the two Tables 1 Kings 8.9 but on the outside of it and by it was this Volume of the Law to be kept This Book was many years after found in the Treasury of the Temple in Josiah's Reign 2 Kings 22.8 2 Chron. 34.14 and therefore it seems it had been removed from the Ark and kept elsewhere wherein seeing they transgressed the directions that God here gave to the Priests no marvel if this precious Treasure was for some years lost and not looked after Moses having commanded them to place this Book on the outside of the Ark He said to them O Israel if thou art disobedient this Book shall be a witness against thee wherein thou art sufficiently warned to the contrary and shewed the Judgments that will thereupon insue But alas I know thy rebellious Disposition and thy stiff Neck Ye have been rebellious against the Lord while I was with you how much more will ye be so when I am dead Gather therefore unto me all the Elders of your Tribes and your Officers that I may speak unto them and call Heaven and Earth to witness against them For I know that after my death you will corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you and evil will befal you in the latter days because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and thereby provoke Him to anger The Elders and Officers of the people being met Moses spake in the ears of all the Congregation of Israel the words of this following Song Ch. XXXII Give Ear O ye Heavens * See Isa 1.2 and I will speak and hear O Earth the words of my mouth He beginneth this Prophetical Song with a Rhetorical Scheme calling the Heavens and Earth and all the Creatures in them to be witnesses of his word the more to affect the hearts of the people to reprove their hardness and to excite their attention I wish says He my Doctrine which I have received from God might so fall upon your hearts as the sweet and gentle Showers and fruitful Dew falleth upon the Herbs and Flowers and Grass of the Earth and causeth them to spring forth and flourish Isa 55.10 Hear therefore for I will now publish unto you the Name of the Lord that is his glorious Excellencies viz. his infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness and therefore see that ye ascribe Greatness and Majesty to Him and that ye magnifie Him as ye ought to do saying Thine O Jehovah is the Greatness and the Power and the Glory 1 Chron. 29.11 and that ye attend to what is spoken with all humility and lay it to heart and yield Obedience thereunto Know ye therefore that God is the Rock * In times of danger men use to fly to Rocks to shelter themselves 1 Sam. 13.6 He is an All-sufficient stable and sure Refuge for all those that fly to Him neither is there any sure Shelter any where else but in Him His Work is perfect for all his ways are Judgment All his Works are perfect (z) Even in those works of God that seem to have some imperfection in them as Children that are born blind or lame c. yet as they are acts of Providence there is a perfection of Wisdom Holiness and Justice in them and there is nothing at all in them for which God can justly be blamed and without any blemish there is no defect or fault to be found in any of them All his ways are Judgment his dealings with his people have been always right and just He is a God of truth and without Iniquity just and right is He. But as for this people they have corrupted themselves by their Idolatry their spot is not the spot of his Children for it proceedeth not of weakness and infirmity to which all are subject but of wilfulness and perverseness and an impenitent heart They are a perverse and crooked Generation for both their hearts and ways are evil and turned aside from the right Rule of Gods Law Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not God thy Father that made thee Is not He thy Father that hath bought thee that is ransomed and brought thee forth out of Egypt with a mighty Hand and the power of Miracles Hath not He made thee his people and established thee by Covenant to continue so if thou art not wanting to thy self and thy duty Remember the days of old and consider the years of many Generations ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee how God when by his Providence He disposed the several Nations that came out of the Loins of Adam into several parts of the Earth allotting to one Nation one Country and another to another did then set the bounds of the people according to the number of the Children of Israel that is did then chuse the Children of Israel to be his peculiar people and Inheritance and where they were there it might be said was his people and where their bounds ended there was the end and utmost bound of his people and the bounds of the Heathen then began and according to his secret purpose he gave and allotted to the Canaanites such bounds and limits as he knew would serve for the number of the Israelites For the Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his Inheritance that is the Israelites are that portion of Mankind whom he was pleased to make his peculiar people they are his Inheritance and therefore dear to Him as Inheritances use to be to men which are divided to them by lot and they were to acknowledge no other Lord over them but Himself and they and their Children after them were to be His successively He found them in a desart Land in a wast howling Wilderness inhabited only by wild howling Beasts of Prey He found them there in desperate danger but came in seasonably to their succour when they were ready to perish He led them about he instructed them both by his Word and Works by his Spirit and the several Dispensations of his Providence He kept them as the apple of his eye with tender care and love As an Eagle stirreth up her nest that is awaketh her brood or young ones in her nest rousing them up with the Cry that she maketh to signifie to them that she intends to teach them to fly and spreading abroad her wings taketh them up and beareth them thereon so did the Lord carry Israel towards Canaan leading them Himself thither and there was no strange god with him that is no strange God had any hand in
Israel for an Inheritance Only that he should be careful to observe the Law that Moses gave him and not turn from it to the right hand or to the left He commands him to read over diligently the Copy * The original wrote by Moses was laid up by the side of the Ark Deut. 31.25 26. of this Law and to meditate thereon day and night that his heart being filled with the knowledge thereof in all his Judgments he might be able readily to judge and pronounce as it is in that Law determined and in all things might order himself according to the directions there given and this would be the way to prosper and have good success in all that he went about Joshua having received these Commands from God He sent out two Spies from Shittim where the Camp now lay to view the City of Jericho and the Country about it to see how the City was fortified and in what posture the people thereabout were The Spies passing over the Fords of Jordan and coming thither betook themselves to the house of Rahab an Hostess or Victualler (e) See Apostol History pag. 392. on Heb. 11.13 The news of this being brought to the King of Jericho he presently sent Messengers to Rahab charging her to bring forth the men that were come into her house But she having some intimation possibly by the muttering of her Neighbours that her house would be searched she presently took the two men and carried them to the roof of her house that was flat and there hid them under stalks of Flax. It seems she had heard of the great things the Lord had done for the Israelites and by a special and extraordinary perswasion of Gods Spirit she did verily believe that God had determined that this people should destroy the Inhabitants of Canaan and dwell in their room and therefore resolved to do what she could for the preserving of these Spies with whom 't is like she had had some Conference before and had been instructed about these matters though it were with the hazard of her self When the Kings Messengers came to her the told them There had been indeed two men in her house but whence they came she knew not They went away from her house a little before the shutting of the Gates when it was dark They were but newly gone and if they immediately pursued after them Her seeking to hide the Spies was an act of faith very pleasing to God but the manner of doing it with a Lye cannot be defended she supposed they would quickly overtake them The Messengers accordingly went presently in pursuit of them towards the Fords of Jordan Rahab before the Spies had been long laid down among the Flax came up to them and told them what had passed Then she said (f) As for their talking thus together being of two several Nations we need not wonder at it for the Language of the Canaanites and other Neighbouring-Nations was not in those times much different from that of the Hebrew as by many Names both of Men and Cities among the Canaanites is very evident unto them I am perswaded that the Lord hath given you this Land your Terrour is fallen upon us and the hearts of this people faint before you We have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red-Sea for you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og. The Report of these things hath made our hearts melt within us For the Lord your God He is God in heaven above and in the earth beneath and there is none like him Now therefore I pray you swear unto me by the Lord that since I have shewed you kindness you will shew kindness to my Fathers house and that ye will save alive my Father and Mother my Brethren and Sisters and all that they have and deliver our lives from death And give me a sign or token whereby we may make our selves known to you when you shall take this City and upon sight whereof you will be true and faithful to us and will save us from the general destruction The men answered Our life for yours This they spake as it seems by way of Oath or Execration as Rahab had desired of them vers 12. As if they should have said May destruction light upon us if we take not such order that you and yours shall be preserved provided none of you reveal this our business that is this our agreement and compact with you to spare your lives Rahab having obtained these terms of them she let them down by a Cord or Line made of Scarlet-thread thorow the Window her house being upon the City-Wall and bad them to get them to the Mountain lest the Pursuers should meet them and to hide themselves there three days These Spies thus let down giving Rahab as 't is like many thanks for her kindness to them told her That they would faithfully observe this Oath she had made them swear to her when they came to besiege the City provided she performed these three Conditions 1. The Line of Scarlet-thread whereby she had let them down should be tyed to the Window of her house as a Token by which the house should be known from others 2. Her Father and Mother and Kindred should come to her house and abide there and not stir out of doors 3. She should not discover this Agreement or Compact to any others whatsoever lest the Israelites should be deluded by others hanging out Scarlet-lines at their Windows as well as they She agrees to all and says According to your words so let it be Thus these two Spies escaped and came to Joshua and told him all that had happened to them and farther said Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the Land of Canaan for the hearts of the people faint for fear of us Joshua hearing these things He commands the Officers to go thorow the Camp and to tell the people That within three days they should pass over Jordan and therefore they should prepare themselves Victuals viz. all provisions fit for such a Journey excepting bread for Manna was yet continued to them and ceased not till after they came into Canaan He puts the Reubenites Gadites and the half-Tribe of Manasseh in mind of their promise made to Moses That they would assist their Brethren in the Conquering of the Land They promise a ready compliance with his Commands telling him That as they had hearkned unto Moses so they would hearken unto him and prayed unto the Lord to prosper him in all his proceedings as he prospered Moses And they tell him That if any man refuse to obey his Commands he shall be put to death therefore they intreat him to be of good courage Joshua Ch. 1. whole Chapter Joshua Ch. 2. whole Chapter SECT XCV THe next morning after this preparation they removed from Shittim and marched near to the River
Jordan and there Encamped that night Joshua commands them to sanctifie and prepare themselves by bringing their hearts into an holy frame that with reverence they might observe the great things God would do for them the next day He also gave Orders to the people that when they saw the Ark of the Covenant born by the Priests to remove they should then prepare to follow it but yet so as there should be a space of about 2000 Cubits interpos'd between it and them to teach them to fear the Lord their God of whose presence among them the Ark was a sign and that the Lord by the Ark that went before them might shew them a safe way for them to go in before they set one foot in the Channel and intimates to them they needed this Guidance having never passed this way before Now the Lord tells Joshua That He would that day magnifie him in the sight of all Israel that they might know that He was with him as He was with Moses Joshua then commanded the Priests to take up the Ark and when they came to the brink of the waters of Jordan they should make a little stand upon their first setting their feet into the waters which then overflowed * By reason probably of the melting of the Snow from the neighbouring Mountains the Banks vers 15. it being the time of Barley-Harvest (g) 'T is very observable that the Lord brought his people into Canaan in Harvest-time when the Land was ready furnished with the Fruits of the Earth that were to be for their provision and store the following year which in that Country was in the month Abib namely till of the Lord had miraculously divided the waters and opened a passage for them and the people to go thorow Then Joshua call'd the people together and said to them Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Nations that now possess this Land of Canaan behold the Ark of the Covenant even the Ark of the Lord of all the Earth passeth over before you into Jordan And take ye twelve men out of the Tribes of Israel out of every Tribe a man that they may go along with the Priests and may be present and Eye-witnesses of this miraculous Work of Gods dividing the River of Jordan For as soon as the soles of the Priests feet that bear the Ark shall rest in the waters of Jordan the waters that are above shall stand upon an heap firm as a wall swelling continually and rising higher and higher even as far backward (h) Psal 114.5 What aileth thee O Jordan that thou art driven back as from the City Adam that is besides Zaretan unto the place where you are to pass over And by reason of the successive coming down of the waters from above and their stay in that place you will discern that they were bounded and barred up by the Almighty Power of God And as for the waters below according to their ordinary course they shall pass away and run towards the Dead-Sea and so shall fail being cut off as it were from and not supplied by the waters from above And accordingly it came to pass as Joshua foretold them And on the tenth day of the first month the Israelites by the leading of Joshua a Type of Jesus Christ went up out of the River of Jordan into the promised Land of Canaan a Type of Heaven In this passage the people hasted and passed over immediately to the other side right against Jericho But the Priests that bare the Ark stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan till all the people were passed over which commends the strength of their Faith Patience and Obedience in that they stirred not till Joshua call'd them to come up out of the River notwithstanding the dreadful sight of those hideous Mountains of water which were every minute ready to overwhelm them unless they had been miraculously stayed by the Hand of God When the people were all passed over Joshua by Gods direction appoints the twelve men before mentioned vers 12. to take out of the River of Jordan where the Priests feet stood twelve great stones and carrying them upon their Shoulders to Gilgal where they were to Incamp that night there to set them up in that place He also ordered twelve great stones to be set up in the midst of Jordan where the Priests stood which possibly at a low Ebb might be seen afterwards on the Shore Both these were to be a Monument to the Children of Israel that when their Children in after-times should ask their Fathers the meaning of them they should tell them These were a Memorial of this great Miracle which the Lord was pleased to work when he divided Jordan before the Ark that the twelve Tribes might pass over And they should say to them The Lord dried up the waters of Jordan before you vers 23. until ye were passed over as the Lord did formerly at the Red-Sea that is in as much as he did it for your Ancestors he did it for you who were then in their Loins And He did it that all the Earth might know his Almighty Power and that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever Thus as Moses had commanded Joshua to see that all things should be done according to the direction of the Lord so Joshua in this their passage over Jordan did all things as the Lord commanded The Children of Reuben and Gad and the half-Tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the Children of Israel as they had promised Moses they would do Numb 32.27 About forty thousand of them ready armed for battel passed over which were but few more than one third part of their military men see Numb 26.7 18 34. The rest stayed behind to defend their Wives and Children and to look to their Cattel In that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel and they feared and reverenc'd him as they did Moses all the days of his life All these things being done Joshua commanded the Priests that bare the Ark to come up out of Jordan which as soon as they had done the waters that were before restrain'd and kept back by the power of God flowed down according to their ordinary course and at last flowed over all the Banks as they did before When the Kings of the Amorites and Canaanites heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan for the Children of Israel to pass over their hearts fainted neither was there any more spirit or courage in them Joshua Ch. 3. whole Chapter Joshua Ch. 4. whole Chapter and Ch. 5. v. 1. SECT XCVI THe next day Joshua is commanded by God to renew the use of Circumcision which had been forborn and intermitted these forty years last past and to Circumcise (i) Sensus est revoca consuetudinem circumcidendi longo tempore in
deserto intermissum Non jubetur idem homo iterum circumcidi sed idem populus those that were born in their Travels thorow the Wilderness who had not been hitherto circumcised And the Reasons why it was now injoyned as we may suppose were these 1. That this might signifie to them that it was by vertue of that Covenant which God had made with their Fathers whereof Circumcision was an outward Seal that they were now put into the possession of the Land of Canaan 2ly That they might more couragiously Encounter the Canaanites having upon them this Badge of their Adoption 3ly Because on the fourteenth day of this month at even they were to eat the Passover of which none might eat that were not circumcised Exod. 12.48 4ly When they came into the Land of Canaan they were to observe all the Precepts of the Ceremonial Law Deut. 12.8 9 10. and therefore this of Circumcision among the rest 5ly Circumcision was now injoyn'd them that hereby God might make trial of their Faith and Obedience And indeed a very hard trial it was if we consider that those that were the very flower and strength of their Armies were now to be circumcised viz. all that were under forty years of age and when they lay sore how easie had it been for their Enemies to have overcome them as may appear from the slaughter Simeon and Levi made upon the Sechemites when they lay in the same condition Gen. 34.25 26. So that nothing could be more dangerous in the eye of reason than that which God now injoyn'd them But thus God was pleased to try their Faith viz. whither in confidence of his Protection they would do what he injoyn'd them though it seem'd in it self so exceeding perillous Joshua therefore in Obedience to Gods Command and for these Reasons before-mentioned renewed now this Sacrament of Circumcision and 't is probable that all that were before circumcised were imployed in this Service that it might be the sooner dispatched and so the place where this was done was upon this occasion call'd the Hill of Fore-skins because there they did cast away or bury the Fore-skins of those that were that day circumcised The Israelites thus circumcised abode in their places in the Camp till they were whole no Enemy attempting any thing against them or once offering to molest them no not so much as to scare them or put them in any fright This being done the Lord said to Joshua This day have I rolled away from you the Reproach of Egypt as if he should have said Had these Israelites continued in their Vncircumcision they would rather have seemed to be uncircumcised Egyptians than the Israel of God but now being circumcised this Reproach of Egypt is rolled away from them see 1 Sam. 17.26 Gen. 34.14 Josh Ch. 5. from 1. to 10. SECT XCVII UPon the fourteenth day of this first month in the evening the Israelites celebrated their first Passover * Which was likewise intermitted in the Wilderness saving only the second year see Numb 9.1 2. in the Land of Canaan and on the morrow after did eat both unleavened Cakes of the old Corn and parched Corn of the new even the very same day whereon the Sheaf of the first-fruits of their Harvest was offered to the Lord after the offering whereof they might lawfully eat of the new Corn and not till then And Manna ceased the very day after they began to eat of the Fruits of the Land so that after that they saw it no more By which it was evident to them that Manna came not all that time they had injoyed it from any natural Cause in the Clouds but was provided for them in an extraordinary way by the Almighty Power of God Josh Ch. 5. vers 10 11 12. SECT XCVIII JOshua now approaching nearer to Jericho possibly to observe the Country about it and to contrive how he might best assail it and perhaps retiring a little alone to pray unto the Lord for direction in this matter on a sudden he beheld a man standing over against him with his Sword drawn in his hand Joshua went to him and said Art thou for us or for our Adversaries The man said Nay but as a Captain of the Host of the Lord am I come unto thee Then Joshua fell on his face to the Earth and worshipping him said What saith my Lord to his Servant And he said Loose thy shooe from off thy foot for the place whereon thou standest his holy and Joshua did so This Captain of the Lords Host was not Gabriel or any other created Angel but Michael the Arch-Angel Jude v. 9. the great Prince of Gods people Dan. 10.21 12.1 the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Christ the eternal Son of God who appeared here and sundry other times in the shape of a man as a foregoing Presage and pre-signification of his future Incarnation and this appeareth by Joshua's adoring him as the Lord Jehovah Ch. 6.2 and his acceptance of it which a created Angel would have refused Rev. 19.10 and by his commanding Joshua to put off his shoes because the place was holy like to that Exod. 3.5 not that the place was capable of any inherent holiness in it self but hallowed by Gods holy presence in it and in relation to that only to be so esteemed and which ceased to be so when his appearance was withdrawn from it This Captain instructs Joshua about the manner of besieging and conquering Jericho He commands him for six * Thus God loves to try the saith and patience of his people to see whither they will wait for the accomplishment of his Promises when they are not presently fulfilled days together to march his Army round about the City that the Priests should carry the Ark about it and seven Priests with Trumpets of Rams-horns should blow before it and on the seventh day to do it seven several times At the last of which when the Priests blew with a long blast all the people should give a great shout at which the Walls of Jericho should fall down and so the Israelites should enter into it and destroy it Joshua having received these Directions from the Lord acquaints the people with them who believed the Lord would work this Miracle for them as he had newly divided the waters of Jordan and therefore the Apostle says Heb. 11.30 By Faith the walls of Jericho fell down Joshua tells them That the Lord would give the City into their hands but it should be accursed or devoted †See Levit. 27.28 even it and all that was therein to the Lord except Rahab and her Family who hid the Spies that is shall be offered to divine Justice as a kind of First-fruits thereby intimating that the whole Land was his but that he was pleased to give it them He tells them All the Silver and Gold and Vessels of Brass and Iron were to be consecrated to the Lord and brought into his Treasury
Therefore says he keep your selves all of you from the accursed thing Take none of the accursed banned things to your own use lest you bring a Curse upon your selves and upon the Camp of Israel thereby Joshua having given the people these Instructions he gave order to the Army to march round about the City seven days in the manner that was prescribed the Sabbath-day being one of them and that by Command of him who is Lord of the Sabbath The armed-men marched before the Ark and the remainder of the people that were in the Rear not armed followed after and thus they did six days on the seventh day they rose early and compassed the City after the same manner seven times and at the seventh time when the Priests that blew with the Trumpets made a long blast Joshua bad them shout for the Lord had given them the City The people hereupon gave a great shout and the wall of the City fell down flat viz. all that part of it over against which the Israelites in a long train marched and so all the armed men went up every man right from the place where they were and entred in at the breach into the City And they utterly destroyed all that was in the City Men Women young and old and the Oxen and Asses and Sheep and what ever they met with excepting Rahab and her Family whom Joshua sent the two Spies unto whom she had preserved to bring them forth and to leave them without the Camp till they were cleansed from their former pollutions according to the Law Numb 31.19 and were instructed in the Israelites Religion and admitted into the Congregation and so they and their Posterity continued among the Israelites and Rahab was afterwards married to Salmon a Prince of the Tribe of Judah one of Christs Progenitors Matth. 1.5 Luke 3.32 Then they burnt the City with fire and all that was therein excepting only the Silver and Gold and Iron and Brass which were reserved to be put into the Treasury of the House of the Lord none of them offering to meddle with one jot of the Spoil save only Achan of whom more presently In the judgment of reason one would have thought it must needs be grievous to the Israelites to destroy so brave a City and so goodly Houses wherein they might so conveniently have setled themselves and the Prey and Spoil of so fair and rich a City whereby they might have so greatly inriched themselves The more remarkable therefore and commendable was their ready Obedience herein to Gods Commands And Joshua by a special Inspiration of the Holy Ghost adjured them not to go about to build that City again and pronounced a Curse upon that man that by rebuilding it should as it were endeavour to blot out the memorial of this miraculous Work of God in giving this Idolatrous City after so strange a manner into their hands Whosoever shall go about to do it says He he shall lay the Foundation thereof in his First-born and in his youngest Son shall he set up the Gates thereof that is it shall cost him the loss of his Children of the first when he begins it of the other as he goeth forward with the work and of the youngest when he finisheth it and hangeth up the Gates thereof This Curse afterwards fell upon Hiel the Bethelite who in Ahab's Reign built this City again 1 Kings 16.34 This man was very ignorant if he knew not of this Curse but if he did know of it he was very audacious and impudently profane in not regarding it But though he was in his own particular severely punish'd for thus transgressing Gods Command and neglecting this Curse yet the City being rebuilt it was afterward allowed for a fit Habitation even for good men to lodge in as Elijah and Elisha 2 Kings 2.4 18. yea our Saviour himself did honour this City with his presence and Miracles Luke 19.1 5. Josh Ch. 5. from 13. to the end Josh Ch. 6. whole Chapter SECT XCIX JOshua now sent Spies to Ai not to go into it as those sent to Jericho did but to bring him Intelligence in what posture the City and Country thereabout was The Spies return and make a Report as if the place were of no great strength and might easily be taken by a few of the Israelites and therefore there was no need to carry up the whole Host of Israel against it Let only about two or three thousand say they go up and finite it Joshua accordingly sent up about three thousand against it But the men of Ai couragiously sallying out upon them the Israelites fled presently before them which plainly shewed that God being offended with them for something amiss among them did in an extraordinary manner strike them with fear and astonishment The men of Ai chased them from their City Gates to Shebarim and killed 36 of them in the going down of the Hill so that it seems the Israelies fled at the first On-set and were slain only in flying The whole people of Israel were extreamly terrified and dismaid at this For God seemed to have withdrawn his supporting Hand from them and in such a case the most stout and valiant will soon shrink and be afraid Joshua and the Elders of Israel hereupon rent their Clothes * A Ceremony used in great Mournings see 2 Sam. 1.11 Job 2.12 Ezek. 27.30 put dust upon their Heads and fell to the earth on their faces before the Ark. Neither was it their loss so much as the apprehension of Gods displeasure that so much afflicted them God had promised that no man should stand before them Ch. 1.5 and that they should drive out the Inhabitants out of the Land Their flying therefore now before the Enemy especially in such an inglorious manner was a plain Demonstration that God was offended with them and had withdrawn his gracious presence from them And the smallest Affliction if it be looked upon as an effect of Gods anger is very dreadful Joshua lying thus prostrate before the Lord said Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us I wish we had been content to have staid and dwelt on the other side Jordan * Joshua seems here a little too much transported thorow humane frailty O Lord what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their Enemies For the Canaanites the Inhabitants of this Land will hear of it and will inviron us round and cut off our Name and Memorial from off the Earth and what wilt thou then do to thy great Name How wilt thou preserve thy Glory when the Canaanites shall say Thou hadst not power to subdue them nor defend us against them and thou wast not able to give us this Land which thou hadst promised us See Deut. 33.27 Then the Lord spake to Joshua saying Get thee up why liest thou prostrate on thy face
Thou maist be sure that something is amiss among you that hath provok'd Me to forsake you Know therefore that one of the Children of Israel hath committed a high Trespass against Me He hath reserved a part of the Spoils of Jericho which as accursed things should have been burnt He hath taken of that which I reserved to my Self viz. Gold and Silver and hath done this closely and cunningly carrying the matter so as if he had done no such thing or had not considered or regarded my Omniscience and he hath put what he stole among his own stuff the more to conceal it And this is the cause why the Children * The people being considered here Conjunctim as one intire body that which was done by one of the members is here ascrib'd to the whole body of Israel see Josh 22.20 of Israel could not stand before their Enemies because one of them hath transgressed in the accursed thing And you must know that I have alwayes just cause to punish any of my people for Sin in themselves though I take occasion to strike them sometimes for the sins of those among whom they live Therefore I tell you there is an accursed thing in the midst of you and you cannot stand before your Enemies till it be taken away I will not be with you any more except you destroy from among you the person that is found guilty of stealing the accursed thing and who is thereby become accursed himself He commands Joshua therefore to go and call upon the people to sanctifie themselves by legal Purifications washing their Clothes Abstinence Prayers Devotions and much more by purity of Heart and Affections see Exod. 19.10 that they being thus prepared to appear in Gods presence the Offender might be discovered and punished and the people freed from the Curse which he had brought upon them The Lord further directs Joshua how to find out the Offendor viz. by casting lots first to find out his Tribe then to cast lots upon the several Families in that Tribe to find the guilty Family then to cast lots to find the particular Houshold in that Family and lastly to find out the particular person in that Houshold that had offended whom he orders when discovered to be burnt with fire as the things anathematiz'd and accursed were to be after he hath been stoned as a presumptuous Transgressor of Gods Commandment see Numb 15.30 35. and that he and all that he hath shall be so served because he hath trangressed the Covenant of the Lord viz. the Commandment that he gave them Ch. 6.18 and which they accepted of with a voluntary submission to the punishment therein threatned in case of Transgression and because he had wrought folly and wickedness in Israel And possibly the Lord was pleased to appoint this long way of trial to try whither Achan would come in voluntarily and confess his sin and therefore by his holding out so long even till the lot fell upon his own person there was a notable discovery made how hardly men are brought to confess their secret sins and how prone they are to flatter themselves that their secret sins shall not be discovered Hereby also the Lord made known how the most casual things even casting of lots are governed by his Providence see Prov. 16.33 a truth the fitter to be cleared to this people because the Land was shortly to be divided to them by lot Joshua the next morning calling the Tribes together and proceeding in the way and method before prescribed Achan (a) He is called Achan 1 Chron. 2.7 which signifies a Troubler and the place of his Execution is called the Valley of Achor v. 26. that is the Valley of Trouble He was the Grandchild of Zabdi otherwise call'd Zimri 1 Chron. 2.6 the Son of Carmi the Son of Zabdi the Son of Zerah of the Tribe of Judah was taken Achan being thus taken Joshua said unto him My Son give I pray thee Glory to the Lord God of Israel in acknowledging his Omniscience and make an humble and penitent confession to him of thy sin and tell me truly what thou hast done hide it not from me Achan said I have sinned against the Lord when I saw among the Spoils of Jericho a goodly Babylonish-Garment and two hundred Shekels of Silver and a Wedge of Gold of fifty Shekels then I coveted them and took them and behold they are hid in the earth and the Silver under the Garment Joshua sent Messengers to the Tent and they found the things which Achan had confessed and brought them to Joshua and the Elders of Israel and exposed them to the view of all before the Tabernacle of the Congregation where the Ark was the Emblem of Gods presence among them Then Joshua and the Israelites took Achan with the things he had stolen together with his Children and his Oxen * From hence we may see that he had before a good Estate and did not steal for want but out of covetousness Asses and Sheep his Tent and all that he had and carried them down to the Valley called afterwards upon this occasion the Valley of Achor And Joshua then said to him Why hast thou troubled us the Lord shall trouble thee this day Then they stoned him and his Children who 't is probable (b) Gods judgments are many times unsearchable but always just see Deut. 24.16 see Josh 22.20 Verisimile est Domesticos ejus fuisse Criminis Conscios Estius in loc Besides his Children had sin enough in them otherwise for Gods justice to work upon though they had no hand in this sacrilegious act either assisted him in what He did or living in the same Tent with him knew what he had stolen and hidden and concealed it and so tacitly consented to it and afterwards burnt him and his Children and his Cattel and all that he had stolen and all that he had and they raised over him a great heap of stones as a Monument to warn Posterity not to provoke God by transgressing his Commandments as Achan had done which Monument remained when this History was written And thus the Anger of the Lord was turned away from Israel Ch. 7. whole Chapter SECT C. THe Lord now encourages Joshua and commands him to take the whole Army with him for the better heartning of the people and to go against Ai for he would give the City and the Land belonging to it into his hands And he should utterly destroy it and the King and the Inhabitants thereof as they did to Jericho only the Spoil thereof and the Cattel thereof they should take to themselves And possibly the whole Army was commanded to go up because they were all to participate in the Spoil of the City But God would not have them as yet possess any fortified Towns or Cities lest they should put confidence in the strength of those places and not wholly rest and rely on his Providence Joshua hereupon marched with all
Courage and Strength and will so dispirit and weaken your Enemies with fear that one of you shall chase a thousand of them that is a few of you shall vanquish great numbers of them see Deut. 32.30 Levit. 26.8 Judges 15.15 2 Sam. 23.8 But know ye for certain That if ye Revolt from the good way of your Obedience to God wherein you have formerly walked and cleave to the remnant of these Nations and joyn your selves with them in Leagues or Marriages then the Lord will not drive them out before you but they shall be Snares and Traps unto you and Scourges in your Sides and Thorns in your Eyes that is they will be continually by their allurements drawing you into Idolatry and other Sins and so will catch you with their Wiles and by their Baits draw you to commit spiritual and corporal Whoredom with them and then by their Injuries will vex and disquiet you until you be cast out for your sins from this good Land which the Lord has given you And now behold I am going the way of all the Earth I must die as all other men that live upon the Earth must do And seeing my death approacheth I thought good to tell you before-hand what will become of you if ye transgress the Covenant of the Lord your God You know there hath not any of the good things failed of coming to pass which the Lord promised you see Ch. 21.45 And as the Lord hath hitherto been very good to you in performing all that He had promised you so if ye transgress his Covenant He will bring upon you all the Evils which He hath threatned against the Transgressors of it and even at last will cause you to be carried Captive out of this good Land Josh Ch. 23. whole Chapter SECT CXXI JOshua now calls an Assembly of the Representatives of the Nation to Sechem in-intending as it seems there solemnly to inter Joseph's bones see vers 32. of this Chapter And upon this occasion he removes the Tabernacle and Altar thither as upon extraordinary Occasions they sometimes did see 1 Sam. 4.4 And there the Elders and Heads of the Tribes their Judges and Officers presented themselves before the Lord that is before the Tabernacle where God was pleased to manifest his gracious Presence among them Joshua now speaks unto them and gives them his solemn farewel Exhortations pressing them to continue constant in their Obedience unto God after his death He sets before them God's free Goodness in rescuing their Father Abraham out of that way of Idolatry wherein he had been bred in his Father Terah's House when they lived beyond Euphrates and chusing him of his free Grace to be the Father of his peculiar people when there was nothing in him to move the Lord to shew him such special favour He tells them how God led Abraham through the several quarters of Canaan and preserved him in a strange Land among so many barbarous people and blessed and prospered him and caused him to be highly esteemed among them And multiplied his Seed giving him Ishmael and six Sons by Keturah but He especially blessed him in giving Him Isaac whom He made the Heir of Promise And though Isaac had two Sons Esau and Jacob yet he passed by Esau though He made his Posterity great and gave them Mount Seir to inhabit and established his Covenant with their Father Jacob his younger Brother And Jacob and his Children went down into Egypt and in process of time being grievously there oppressed He delivered them miraculously by the Hand of Moses and Aaron Then He led them through the Red-Sea putting Darkness between them and the Egyptians that pursued after them with Chariots and Horse-men and drowned the Egyptians who ventured to follow them bringing the Sea upon them He tells them That many of them that were under twenty years old when they came out of Egypt might remember the Wonders He did for them in Egypt and the Plagues He brought upon the Egptians till they did let them go They might also remember how He sed them and preserved them during their long Travels through the Wildness They might remember how He at last brought them to the Borders of Canaan and destroyed Sihon and Og the Kings of the Amorites on the other side Jordan and gave them their Lands for an Inheritance When they were come thither they might remember how Balak King of Moab prepared to make War against them intending to have set upon them if he could have got Balaam to curse them but the Lord would not permit him to do it but forced him contrarily to bless them and so they were delivered out of his hands They might remember how from hence they passed over Jordan and laid siege to Jericho and how the men of Jericho prepared to resist them shutting up their Gates against them though afterwards they had not as it seems an heart to lift up a Weapon in their own Defence when they saw their Walls so miraculously to fall down They might remember how in the succeeding War the Lord delivered the Amorites Perizzites Canaanites Hittites Girgashites Hivites and Jebusites into their Hands And they prevailed not against them by their own Sword or Bow but by the Power of God who sent the Hornets * See Exod. 23.28 Deut. 7.20 Wisd 12.8 among them great Venemous Flies that stung many of them to death as He had by them before annoyed the Subjects of Sihon and Og upon which Judgment many of them 't is like fled out of the Country He tells them The Lord had given them a fruitful Land whose fruitfulness they had not procured by their own labour He had given them Cities †They destroyed only Jericho At and Hazor see Josh 11.14 and reserved the rest for themselves to dwell in to dwell in which they built not He had given them Vineyards and Oliveyards which they planted not By all which great and signal Mercies they were strongly engaged to fear the Lord and to serve Him in sincerity and truth all their days He advises them to forsake and abominate all the Idols which Terah Nahor and even Abraham himself before his Calling and Conversion worshipped whilst they lived beyond Euphrates in Vr of the Chaldees as also the Idols which some of their Father◠had worshipped in Egypt (s) Hinc liquet quod alibi nuspiam proditum etiam Israelitas non paucos in Aegypto Idola coluisse Indicat tamen hoc ipsum non obscure Ezek. 23.3 8 19 21 27. Amos 5.25 Actor 7.42 'T is like he feared there were still some such secret Worshippers of Idols among them as it is manifest in the Wilderness there were see Amos 5.25 26. Acts 7.42 43. He shews them there was so vast a difference between the true God that brought them out of Egypt and had done so many and great Wonders for them and Idols that were meer vanity and nothing that one would scarce think it possible
Eucharisticum ut Luc. 1.46.68 unto him to continue his life and to bless him she begins her Song (a) There is in many passages a great harmony between this Song and that of the Blessed Virgin Luk. 1.46 thus My heart rejoiceth in the Lord mine born is exalted in the Lord whereby she intimates that through the Lords goodness to her in giving her a Son she was become stronger and more renowned than before for children are the strength and glory of their Parents and that she had cause now to triumph over her enemies who had before upbraided her for her barrenness My heart is enlarged over mine enemies whereby she intimates that she had enough now to say wherewith to stop the mouth of her insulting adversaries There is none holy as the Lord for there is none besides thee that is there is none essentially and perfectly holy besides the Lord who is the fountain of all the holiness that is in others For there is no God besides thee neither is there any rock like our God He is our only refuge in all our troubles and he only can deliver us out of them all He is the rock says she on which I rested and relyed when I was ready to sink in the time of my trouble Let not my adversaries therefore Peninnah or any others talk any more so exceeding proudly against me let not arrogancy come out of their lips for the Lord is a God of Knowledg that is He knows all that in your pride and arrogancy you think or speak or attempt against his poor servants And by him actions are weighed that is He exactly ponders all the actions of men and will therefore as a just Judg recompence them as he finds them good or evil yea according to the degree of goodness or badness that he finds in them Then she goes on to shew what strange and unexpected alterations God maketh among men By him says she the bows of the mighty are broken that is God doth many times break the strength of the mighty and blast their attempts and makes them successless just as when the bow of a mighty man breaks all his endeavours to shoot come to nothing And on the other hand they that stumbled are girt with strength that is He many times so strengthens the feeble that of themselves were ready to stumble or at least so prosper their weak endeavours that unexpectly they bring mighty things to pass and so those that were weak and feeble in themselves being strengthened by the power of God overcome great difficulties even such as by the power of nature they were not able to overcome as I my self can abundantly testifie They that were full have hired out themselves for bread that is they that were rich he sometimes brings to poverty so that they are fain to work like hired servants to relieve their wants and they that were hungry ceased to be so and were plentifully provided for She that was barren has born many Seven in Scripture is usually put for many as Deut. 28.7 children and they that have had many children are either grown weak and so through feebleness have left off bearing or else have buried the children they have had and so have lost their strength as children are esteemed to be to their Parents Possibly Hannah had assurance by the Spirit of Prophesie that God would give her many children more as indeed we find v. 21. of this Chapter that she had after this three Sons and two Daughters The Lord killeth and maketh alive He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up that is the Lord bringeth some into desperate dangers into grievous and heavy afflictions and yet delivereth them out of them See Ch. 20.3 Hos 6.2 Isa 26.17 and Gods power is most manifested when men are recovered from such desperate distresses God doth sometimes seem to kill men and then revives them again He maketh poor and maketh rich He bringeth low and raiseth up He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the beggar from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory that is He raiseth some from beggery to Soveraignty and from the dunghill to the throne For the pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them that is Though the earth hangs in the midst of the air having nothing to support it but the Almighty power of God yet it stands firm (c) Habet terra suos polos quibus aut sustinet se in quiete aut ut alii volunt in motu se librat Gr. and fast upon its center as if it were supported with pillars and therefore 't is no wonder God should sometimes turn things upside down in the government of the world since he that made the world at first must needs be of power sufficient to do what he will for with his own why should he not do what himself pleaseth He will keep the feet of his Saints that is He will guide and protect his people and keep them from falling And the wicked shall be silent in darkness that is overwhelmed with confusion and astonishment in the great calamities that shall befall them Eccles 5.17 Zeph. 1.15 Jer. 8.14 or cut off from the land of the living for such are said to dwell in silence Psal 94.17 For by strength shall no man prevail that is by his own strength For if the Lord did not preserve his Saints by their own strength they could not keep themselves neither can the wicked by their own strength secure themselves against Gods hand And if any man prevail in any of his enterprises let him not assume the glory of it to himself but ascribe it intirely unto God The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them This clause seems to be a Prophesie and may have reference to that particular judgment upon the enemies of Gods people in the time of Samuels Government 1 Sam. 7.10 when the Lord thundered with a great thunder on the Philistines and discomfited them and they were smitten before Israel yet it may be meant generally of the Lords pouring down vengeance on his adversaries See 2 Sam. 22.14 15. And because God destroyed his enemies often by thunder it grew it seems into a Proverb that the Lord would thunder upon them when he meant terribly to destroy them The Lord shall judg the ends of the earth and he shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horn of his Anointed This seems to be a Prophesie concerning the Exaltation and Kingdom of the Messiah and 't is the first place in the Old Testament where he is mentioned under that name The Lord will rule the world and judg all the inhabitants of the world and particularly those that are in the uttermost parts of the earth by the Messiah his Anointed King who though he shall at first live in a low and
more careful to avoid those ways of injustice and oppression which he had told them before the Kings of the earth were prone unto see Ch. 8.11 As also that he might hereby convince them of their sinful folly in rejecting him and with him the upright and impartial Government of Judges and chusing to be under Kings from many of whom they should find but hard and oppressive usage Having thus justified himself he goes on further to argue with them concerning Gods dealing with them and their carriage towards him Now therefore says he stand still that I may reason with you concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord wherein he hath approved himself faithful and hath performed his Covenant which he made with you and your fathers and hath given you help and deliverance out of the hands of your enemies and therefore you are guilty of great ingratitude in not relying upon him but distrusting him and rejecting his Government Recollect I pray you and call to your remembrance Gods former dealings with you when Jacob was come into Egypt and his posterity exceedingly multiplied they being grievously oppressed cried unto the Lord for deliverance he then made Moses the Governour of his people and Aaron the High-Priest and sent them to deliver your Fathers out of that bondage which they accordingly did and then they led them through the Wilderness and brought them into the Land which the Lord had promised to give unto them And Moses put them in possession of that part of the land which was without Jordan and substituted Joshua in his place who gave them possession of the rest But they soon forgot the kindness of the Lord and regarded not his Commandments So he sold them into the hand of Sisera Captain General to Jabin who dwelt at Hazar and into the hands of the Philistines and into the hand of the King of Moab And when they were in these distresses they cried unto him and confessed their sins and how they had wickedly fallen to Idolatry and had worshipped Baalim and Ashtaroth and then humbly besought him to help them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies and promised faithfully to serve him The Lord being moved with compassion towards them he sent them several Saviours and Deliverers particularly Jerubbaal or Gideon and Bedan that is Samson so called because he was of the Tribe of Dan and Jephthah * He mentions not these Judges in the order of time in which they lived and insisteth only on some of them to put them in mind of the rest V. 14. Eritis post Jehovam i. e. Jehovah antecedet vos defendet vos Pisc And to come down to your own times I hope I may without vanity mention my self also as one under whose conduct by the blessing of God you have had great deliverances and have enjoyed great tranquillity and safety But when ye understood that Nahash King of the Ammonites was coming against you nothing then would satisfie you but to have a King set over you whereas the Lord your God was your King and held in his own hands the right of governing you and ruled over you by Judges as his Substitutes and Deputies And with his Government you should have been well contented and satisfied till he was pleased to alter it And now behold seeing nothing else would content you he hath set a King over you But though you have greatly offended him and deserve to be rejected of him and cast off from being his people as you have rejected him from being your King yet if you will fear him and serve him and obey his voice the Lord will not forsake you but will be to you and your King a Leader Guide and Protector and you shall continue to be his people following of him as dutiful children do their father which will be a great honour and advantage to you But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God his hand will be against you as it was against your Fathers whom for their disobedience he caused to fall in the Wilderness But possibly you will think that all that I have said unto you in blaming you for desiring a King are but the words of a weak old man but ye shall know that I speak to you from the Lord who hath sent me unto you as his Prophet and Ambassadour and seeing you are so difficult to believe me in this thing except my words be confirmed by Miracles you shall see a Miracle to confirm you Is not this a fair and bright day as the days use to be in Wheat-harvest * Their Wheat-harvest in those dry Countries of Syria and Canaan was in the heat of Summer which dried up the vapours and exhalations that are the causes of thunder at that time especially when the day on which Samuel spake to them was fair there was no likelihood of such weather Tonitru illud tempore messis praeter naturam fuit idâ—oque mirabile propterea quod vere tanâ—um autumno fiunt tonitrua Cujus rei causa est quod concitantur ex conflictu calidi frigidi qui conflictus neque hyeme superante frigore neque aestate superante aestu fieri potest praesertim in aestuosis terris qualis Syria est Castalio you know we use to have no rain or thunder at this time of the year see Prov. 26. you see now no sign of any approaching tempest yet ye shall see me at this time by my prayer obtain both rain and thunder from God by which you may be convinced that your wickedness is great in desiring a King and thereby rejecting the Lord who is so powerful a Protector and hath thunder and rain heaven and earth at his command and is able to destroy all his and his peoples enemies as you have had lately experience Ch. 7.10 as also in rejecting me his Prophet who by my prayers can procure thunder and rain from heaven Samuel accordingly prayed unto the Lord that day and immediately the Lord sent thunder and rain in a very extraordinary manner insomuch that the people were not only convinced thereby that they had heinously sinned in desiring a King but also were much afraid that by this terrible tempest they should be destroyed They hereupon desired Samuel to pray for them saying they had added to all their former sins this also in asking a King (a) They failed in the manner of asking him 1. Asking him very unseasonably not waiting Gods time 2. They askt him with impetuous impatience brooking no delay 3. Proudly they would be like other Nations 4. Distrustfully resting more on their King than on Gods power and promises 5. Rebelliously shaking off Gods Government as weary of it and desiring to exchange it for that of a King and casting off his holy Prophet Samuel a most innocent and upright Judge Samuel encouraged them and bad them not despair of Gods mercy towards them provided they turned not aside from
shews that the hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord Prov. 21.1 He comes at last to Naioth where he Samuel and David being all met together he prophesied for a while before them praising God with Psalms and Hymns and then throwing aside his Princely robe or military habit and falling down on the ground he lay in a trance or extasie all that day and the night following see Numb 24.4 And thus was Saul in the midst of all his fury cast down * See a like case in one of his name and Tribe Act. 9. and as it were bound by the Almighty power of God and expos'd to shame and contempt among all that saw him thus disrobed thus manacled and restrain'd insomuch that some of them said What is Saul that hath shewed himself so great an enemy to David now among the Prophets and come hither to act as one of them This was mercifully ordered for David who hereby had liberty to escape for his life 1 Sam. Ch. 19. whole Chapter SECT CLXXI. DAvid taking the opportunity of Saul's extasie wherein he continued a day and a night he fled from Naioth to Gibeah where Jonathan was and heavily complaining to him that his father should still persecute him he said What have I done what is mine iniquity what is my sin against thy father that he so earnestly seeketh my life Jonathan replies Chap. 19.6 God forbid it should be so my father hath sworn to me that thou shalt not die and moreover he doth not use to do any thing of moment without acquainting me with it and I know nothing of any such purpose he hath and therefore I believe thou art more afraid than thou needest to be It seems Jonathan had not heard of Saul's sending his messengers to take David at his own house nor of his pursuing him to Naioth David seeing him so difficult to believe that he was in such danger he solemnly protested and swore to him as true as the Lord liveth it was so and as sure as he himself was alive there was but a step between him and death And as for his Father 's not acquainting him with it that was no argument against it for 't is like he would not let him know of it that it might not grieve him and that he might not use means to prevent it Jonathan then said seeing the case is so I will do any thing for thee thou canst reasonably desire of me David therefore propounds a way to him how he might discover his fathers affection towards him It seems the Feast of the New-Moon was to be celebrated on the morrow in which they offered Peace-offerings and Gratulatory Sacrifices sounding Trumpets over their Offerings see Numb 10.10 28.11 Psal 81.3 and on the remainder of these Oblations they feasted together And though the Feast lasted only one day viz. the first day of the month yet there being provisions in an ample and plentiful manner provided they were allowed to eat what remained the next day if the Sacrifice which was offered was a vow or voluntary offering see Levit. 7.16 This Feast was to be kept at Saul's Court the next day the chief men of his Court being to sit with him at Table and every one having his known seat which was so peculiar to him that if it were empty no other sat in it Now David being a great Commander in the Army and the Kings Son-in-law had among others his seat and did use at this Festival to sit with the King at Table David therefore tells Jonathan that he intended to absent himself from this feast and not to be at it either the first or second day but on the third day he would come and hide himself in the fields that he might be inform'd how things went He desires Jonathan diligently to observe how the King took his absence If he missed him and took notice of his absence he desires Jonathan to tell him that he asked leave of him that he might go and keep this New-Moon-Feast with his kindred at Bethlem for their family for some signal mercy received from God did annually set apart that day to commemorate it And says he if thy father accept my excuse and be not displeased at my absence then we may conclude all is well but if he be angry at it then it it a manifest sign that he hath determined evil agaiâ—â—t me and is vex'd at my absence because it did cross his purpose of doing me a mischief I pray thee therefore deal kindly with thy servant for thou hast brought me into a Covenant of friendship with thee which we made in the presence of the Lord and with invocation of him to be a witness and judge between us to reward the faithful and to punish the transgressour And as for me if thou hast hitherto found any iniquity in me slay me thy self for why shouldest thou expose me to thy fathers fury Jonathan replied Far be it from thee that thou shouldest die either by my hand or my fathers If I knew of any evil determin'd against thee by my father assure thy self I would not conceal it from thee Then David said seeing thou canst hardly come to me thy self without suspition nor canst safely intrust any servant with such a secret how shall I know whither thy Father were enraged at my absence or no Jonathan desires him to go out with him into the field that they might discourse of these things more privately there he tells him that when he had sounded his Father and discovered his mind and purpose concerning him he would faithfully reveal it to him whether it were good or bad if I do not says he then let the Lord God of Israel inflict deserved punishments on me as a false and faithless friend And as for my part being well assured that the Lord hath made choice of thee to succeed my Father I do heartily pray that the Lord would advance thee to the Kingdom as he did my Father and would make thee victorious over thine enemies as my Father hath been And when God shall have made thee King after my Father thou shalt not cut me off as a jealous King would do being the next heir but shalt manifest that great kindness towards me which by Covenant made in the Lords presence thou hast bound thy self to shew me And because this Covenant made between us extendeth not only to our own persons but to our posterity also thou shalt not take off thy loving-kindness from my house for ever see 2 Sam. 21.7 no not then when the Lord hath cut off all the enemies of David from the face of the earth So Jonathan renewed and ratified the Covenant that was before made between them and he said let the Lord require it at the hands of Davids enemies and consequently of me if I keep not Covenant with David but prove his enemy And as Jonathan renewed and confirmed his Covenant by a solemn oath with David
forces to resist the common enemy Hereupon David called the place Sela-Hammahlekoth that is the Rock of Divisions 1 Sam. Ch. 23. from 14 to 29. 9ly Hence David flies to the strong holds in the Wilderness * Here 't is thought he penned the 57 Psalm adjoyning to Engedi (b) A place exceeding fruitful with Vines and other fruit-trees Cant. 1.14 a City of Judah Saul returning with his forces from pursuing the Philistines it was told him whither David was fled and he took 3000 chosen men out of Israel and went to pursue David and his men upon those high steep and cragy rocks upon which wild beasts used to live and he came to the sheep-coats where was a Cave and Saul (c) Nisi somnum Saul captasset motus in spelunca sensisset militares Some Caves in that and other Countries are of that vast wideness that they are sufficient to contain great numbers of men being weary went into the entrance of it which was narrow to cover his feet that is to sleep See note in Judg. 3.24 But though the entrance of the Cave was narrow yet it seems it was roomâ—by within for David and several of his men had hid themselves in the sides and innermost parts of it David's men perceiving that Saul was come into the entrance or mouth of the Cave and that there he had laid himself down to sleep they tell him that God had now put such an opportunity into his hands of cutting off his enemy that thirsted after his blood as if he had from heaven called unto him and commanded (d) V. 4. dicit h.e. dicere videtur quia praebet ansam him to do it But David arising went softly to Saul and only cut off the skirt of his Robe that he might thereby make it evident to him that he could as well have killed him if he had had a mind to it and yet David's heart smote him for this little that he had done because it had an appearance of an injury offered to the King But it seems his men were almost ready to mutiny that he would not kill Saul at this time and so put an end to his and their tedious troubles Whereupon David mildly spake unto them saying God forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against my Master the Lords Anointed I cannot I dare not do it And with these words he stayed his Souldiers from offering violence unto Saul Saul awaking rose up and went on his way David immediately gets out of the Cave and following him cried after him My Lord the King When Saul looked back David bowed himself to the earth before him and then humbly addressing himself to him said Wherefore hearknest thou to mens words that tell thee that David seeketh thy hurt Thou seest that this day the Lord delivered thee into my hands when thou wast in the Cave some bad me kill thee but mine eye spared thee and I told them I would not put forth my hand against my Lord seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. Moreover my father see yea see the the skirt of thy robe in my hand for in that I cut off only the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not when I might so easily have done it thou maist assure thy self that there is no evil intention in my heart against thee neither have I transgressed against thee as those base Sycophants that are about thee do suggest And yet thou huntest my life to take it The Lord judge between me and thee and in this my innocent cause wherein I so unjustly suffer do me right against thee But however though it should not please him to do it yet I am resolved not to avenge my self on thee neither shall my hand be upon thee The Proverb of the Ancients tells us That wickedness proceedeth from the wicked that is wicked men will not stick to do any wicked thing But thou needest not fear any such thing from me seeing thou hast found the contrary by thine own experience I am resolved to refer my cause to God and not to avenge my self in my own quarrel Besides consider I pray thee who it is that thou pursuest with so much eagerness and violence even a weak and contemptible man and in comparison of thee no more to be esteemed than a flea (e) Valde Pathetica oratio Index summa Davidis modestiae vid. Psal 131. or a dead dog (f) Canâ—m mortuum pulicem persequi dicitur de iis qui tenuissimos homines magno conatu insectantur Having therefore neither power nor will to do thee hurt the Lord judge between me and thee and plead my cause and deliver me out of thy hands David having ended Saul was so affected with what he had said that he lift up his voice and wept and said Is this thy voice my Son David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast done me good and I have rewarded thee with evil I am convinced that thou hast dealt exceeding kindly with me For when the Lord had delivered me into thy hands thou didst not take away my life If a man find his enemy and have him at an advantage will he let him go away without doing him any hurt This is not the common course of the world The Lord therefore reward thee for the great kindness thou hast shewed me this day And now I know assuredly that thou shalt be King see Ch. 15.28 23.17 seeing God hath endued thee with such heroick and Kingly virtues and does so eminently prosper thee in all thy undertakings I know that the Kingdom of Israel shall remain firm and established to thee and thy posterity after thee Swear now therefore to me that thou wilt not cut off my seed after I am gone as other jealous Princes use to do nor blot out my name by destroying my posterity And David sware unto him accordingly having in effect bound himself by Covenant and Oath before unto Jonathan to do the same that Saul here required But how can David be said to have observed this Oath when as afterwards he delivered the five Sons of Merab Saul's daughter and the two Sons of Rizpah his Concubine to the Gibeonites to be hanged see 2 Sam. 21. I answer David had a full intention to observe this Oath as far as lay in him as appears by his putting to death those that murdered Ishbosheth though he had risen against him 2 Sam. 4. and by his preserving and cherishing Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. But in the case before mentioned he was not left to his own choice but necessitated by a special command from God to deliver them into the hands of the Gibeonites for their satisfaction that Gods wrath being appeased the heavy judgment of famine under which they lay might be removed from the land see 2 Sam. 21.6 9. and therefore in this he brake not his Oath * Omnia pacta promissa vota jurejuranda ad hoc caput referenda
Church and people in regard whereof in times of great joy they used it seems to sing this Psalm as may be gathered from Isa 12.4 it begins Give thanks unto the Lord call upon his name make known his deeds among the people set forth his glorious Attributes seek to know the Lord and his strength and resort to the Ark from whence he uses to give forth his Oracles Exod. 25.22 and is the Symbol of his Almighty presence among us and therefore call'd the Ark of his strength Psal 132.8 yea seek his favour continually day after day as occasion requires Remember the judgments of his mouth which he first threatned and then executed O ye seed of Jacob who are his adopted and peculiar people freely chosen by him He is our God he executeth his judgments on his enemies throughout the whole world O let us be mindful always of his Covenant wherein he hath declared what duties he expects from us and what rewards we may expect from him upon our obedience Gen. 17.7 9. which Covenant he hath commanded to be observed by us and the generations following us even the Covenant which he made with Abraham Gen. 17.7 15.18 and his Oath unto Isaac Gen. 26.3 4. renewing the same Covenant to him which by Oath he had confirmed unto Abraham Gen 22.16 17. and which he gave to Jacob for a Law or Statute and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant Gen. 28.13 saying unto thee and thy seed will I give the land of Canaan for an inheritance And this promise he made to them when they were but few in number and strangers in the land and when they travelled from Nation to Nation and from one Kingdom to another his Providence was visibly and remarkably over them He suffered not the Inhabitants of the places where they sojourned to do them wrong but reproved Kings for their sakes as particularly Pharaoh Gen. 12.17 and Abimelech Gen. 20.3 saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm that is wrong not those whom I have consecrated to my self by the anointing of my holy Spirit and to whom I do familiarly reveal my will in dreams visions and by the ministry of my holy Angels that they may teach and instruct others and God did thus defend them because by special Covenant he had taken them under his protection That which follows from hence to the 34 ver the Psalmist it seems afterwards made a new Psalm of viz. the 96 the drift of which is to stir up all Nations to praise the Lord and consequently includes a Prophesie of Christ and the gathering all Nations into the Church by the Preaching of the Gospel It begins Sing unto the Lord all ye Nations of the earth shew forth from day to day and time to time as occasion is offered his salvation viz. the redemption and salvation purchased by the Messias Great is the Lord and greatly to be feared above all Gods For the Gods of the heathen are Idols but our God made the Heavens God is a King of infinite Majesty Glory and honour most strong and mighty the fountain of all strength and gladness to his people such his people find him in his Sanctuary where he reveals himself unto them and such with glad hearts they acknowledg him to be See Psal 96.6 O ye kindreds and families of the earth ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength give unto him the glory due unto his name that is which is due unto him in respect of his Glorious Attributes bring an offering and come into his Court the place appointed for his solemn Worship and worship him in his glorious holy Sanctuary (c) 1 Chron. 16. v. 29. Worship him in the beauty of holiness Sanctitas pro Sanctuario per metonymiam adjuncti vel in ornatu sanctitatis i. e. pura mente Fear before him all ye inhabitants of the earth by him the world was made at first and by his supporting Providence it is established and firmly setled and therefore we need not fear but he will also support his Church and people Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice and let men say one to another the Lord reigneth Let the Sea roar (a) Humane affections are here ascribed to insensible creatures thereby to set out mans duty with the fulness thereof that is with all that therein is thereby as it were expressing its joy Let the fields also rejoice and the trees of the wood sing out before the Lord when he cometh to judg the world that is to rule and govern it which he will do with righteousness and faithfulness O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good his mercy endureth for ever Save us O God of our Salvation and gather us together and firmly unite us who have been before too much rent and divided and deliver us from the Heathen that we may glory in thy praise-worthy works and count it our happiness and glory that we may serve and praise thee Blessed be God for ever and ever and let all the people say Amen 1 Chron. Ch. 16. from v. 4 to the end SECT CLXXXVIII DAvid at this present enjoying peace and quietness being not disturb'd with the invasion of neighbouring Nations he began to take into his pious thoughts the building of a Temple for God and his Ark. In order hereunto he sent for Nathan the Prophet to advise with him about it He tells him he was come to dwell in a stately house which he had built for himself Hiram King of Tyre having furnished him with Cedar-trees and Carpenters and Masons for that purpose but he thought it unfit that he should dwell in so stately a Palace and the Ark of God should be lodged in the mean time only in a Tabernacle covered with Skins and Curtains Indeed while the Israelites were in the Wilderness in a flitting condition the publick place of Gods Worship was only a Tent or Tabernacle which might easily be removed with them but now they were setled in Canaan he thought it more suitable to their present state that the house allotted to Gods service should be no longer a Moveable Tabernacle but a standing Temple especially considering that he had said that when they were come into the land of their inheritance he would chuse out a place for them to cause his name to dwell there Deut. 12.10 11 14. And therefore upon these considerations and in zeal to the honour of God he had thoughts of building a Temple for his publick Worship Nathan was much pleased with the design and greatly encouraged him in it saying to him Go on (b) Hence it appears that the Prophets had not always the spirit of Prophesie upon them but spake sometimes as private men as Samuel did 1 Sam. 26.6 build an house for the Lord as thou hast designed he seems to have moved thee to it and undoubtedly will answer thee in it This approbation of Nathan so far encouraged David that as some think he
His heart was so overwhelmed with grief and sorrow that he could not speak much now but afterwards he confessed his sin more fully to the whole Church in the 51 Psalm wherein he acknowledges the greatness of his transgression and professes his unfeigned repentance for it And this Psalm he committed to the chief Musician to be sung publickly in the Congregation as one of the Penitential Psalms Nathan perceiving him truly penitent tells him the Lord had put away his sin out of his sight it should not be imputed to him to hinder his eternal blessedness neither should he die by the sudden stroke of some temporal judgment as his sin deserved even according to his own sentence Howbeit says the Lord because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to my enemies to blaspheme and to speak evil of what I have done in raising thee up and favouring thee so highly seeing thou hast committed such heinous sins and they will thereupon blaspheme the Religion I have appointed and the professors of it as though it either taught or favoured such wickedness or at least that the professors of it were all hypocrites making only a shew of godliness and honesty but not practising it see Rom. 2.24 therefore by many severe corrections inflicted on thee I will vindicate my justice and the truth of my Religion against all the reproaches and calumnies of wicked men And pursuant hereunto I will first smite the child begotten by thee in adultery with death Nathan having faithfully delivered his message departed and immediately the child fell sick And though Nathan had told David the child should die yet he apprehending as it seems the threatning to be only conditional and that upon his tears and repentance the sentence might be revers'd (d) As was that of Hezekiahs death and the destruction of Nineveh and though the child if he lived was like continually to grieve them by daily representing to them their sin and shame yet he prayed and fasted and humbled himself greatly both with inward contrition and outward afflicting of his body begging the life of the child (e) Fuisse Davidem liberorum amantissimum non ex hac tantum historia sed ex indulgentia circa Absolomum Adonijam apparet because the innocent babe was threatned with death as a punishment for their sin However as God had threated on the seventh day after he was born or after he fell sick the child died Davids servants at first feared to tell him of it lest they should too much grieve him but upon his strict inquiry they told him he was dead When the will of the Lord was plainly manifested he patiently submitted to it and arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and went into the house of the Lord the Tent which he had erected for the Ark to worship that he might further bewail and acknowledg his sin before God and beg his pardon and intreat him that he would please to lighten and lessen those punishments he had threatned against his family or at least sanctifie them to him and give him strength and patience to bear them And though he had fasted seven days while the child lay sick taking only some small repast in the evening yet now so earnest he was to ratifie his peace with God that he would not taste any food before he had been at Gods house and then he commanded them to set bread before him and he did eat His servants wondring at this carriage of his as something strange he tells them that whilst the child was alive he fasted and wept hoping that God would reverse the sentence of death passed upon him but now he was dead wherefore says he should I fast I cannot bring him back again I shall go to him viz. into the state of the dead but he shall not return to me into the state of the living Bathsheba being much dejected under a sense of her sin and the displeasure of God threatned against them and begun to be executed in taking away their child David like an indulgent husband laboured to comfort her and went in again unto her and she conceived and bare him a Son whom he by Gods direction called Solomon that is peaceable because the Lord intended when he came to the Crown to give him rest from all his enemies round about and to give peace and quietness to Israel in his days see 1 Chron. 22.9 And the Lord sent Nathan to David to tell him that this his Son should not only be called Solomon but Jedijah that is beloved of the Lord. Thus the Lord manifested his love to Solomon before he had done either good or evil 2 Sam. Ch. 12. from v. 1 to the 26. SECT CXCV. GOD now inflicts upon David many sore and grievous chastisements to punish him for his heinous sins of adultery and murder First Amnon his Eldest Son ravishes his Sister Tamar David had two Children by Maacha the daughter of Talmai King of Geshur viz. Absalom and Tamar and he was sorely punished in them both as we shall see in the sequel of the story Tamar was a very beautiful young woman and Amnon David's Eldest Son by Ahinoam the Jezrelites was smitten with an unlawful love to her but she being a Virgin and carefully kept being David's only Daughter for ought appears among so many Sons he despaired of having an opportunity to satisfie his lust with her whereupon he droop'd (a) Medici morbis aâ—censent eum qâ—i ex amore contrahitur Pallidus in Lyâ—lcen silvis errabat Orion and pin'd away with vexation Amnon had a friend who was his Cousin-german with whom he was very intimate Jonadab by name who though a very subtil man and wise to do evil was no true friend to him for a true friend advises to nothing but that which is good Jonadab perceiving by his carriage that he was rather sick in mind than body said to him Why art thou being the Kings Son lean from day to day surely thou that art the Kings Son yea his Eldest Son and heir to the Crown maist have what thou wilt therefore what is it that thou art troubled about Amnon told him he was in love with Tamar but knew not how to accomplish his desire upon her Jonadab advises him to counterfeit himself sick and when his Father came to see him as undoubtedly he would he should desire him to permit his sister Tamar to come and dress him some meat which he should like better from her hand than any bodies else Amnon accordingly feigns himself sick Indeed it had been better for David and himself too that he had been really sick for a naughty child is better sick than well however it being given out that he was sick his Father came to see him of whom he earnestly desired that his sister Tamar might come to him and make a couple of Cakes for him pretending they would do him more good if they
were his own Son that by such an exemplary punishment others might be deterred from offending in the like kind But though he did not punish him yet his Son Absalom did as we come now to shew After two years were past Absalom had a sheep-shearing feast as the manner was in that Country to entertain his friends and encourage his servants To this feast Absalom invites David and all his Sons with their retinue to avoid all suspition of any ill intention against Amnon David tells him if they should all come they should be too chargeable to him and therefore he himself would not come however he blessed him and wished him much joy in his Feast Then Absalom ernestly intreated him that his brother Amnon being his Eldest Son might come and so representing his person might grace and honour his Feast This might considering former carriages have given both David and Amnon some suspition and jealousie that he intended some mischief but God intending to punish them both for their former sins hid this from their eyes Therefore upon his great importunity David consented that Amnon and all his Sons should go with him They being come Absalom gave command to some of his servants as evil masters are usually attended with such servants as will comply with them in any wickedness that when they saw Amnon merry with wine they should fall upon him and kill him he bids them be courageous and to do their work thoroughly seeing he had commanded them and would bear them out in it And though the revenging of his sister Tamars rape might be the chief thing he aimed at yet possibly an ambitious desire of the Crown might further this his resolution of cutting off his Elder Brother The servants did as Absalom commanded them and accordingly dispatched Amnon Upon this murder all the rest of Davids Sons got every one upon his Mule (a) Though the Israelites were forbidden to suffer Cattel of divers kinds to engender together Lev. 19.19 yet they might use the Cattel so engendred and such Mules were see Gen. 36.24 and fled not knowing how far Absalom's bloody treachery might extend This gave such a warm alarm to the Country round about that presently tidings came to David that Absalom had slain all his Sons The King upon this surprizing news tore his garments and fell upon the earth and his servants stood about him with their clothes rent Jonadab standing by desired the King not to believe that all his Sons were slain but only Amnon and he did suppose that he indeed was slain because Absalom had threatned to be reveng'd on him ever since he forced his sister Tamar Presently the Kings Sons that fled came to him and with many tears told him what Absalom had done to their brother Amnon and the King and all his servants wept very sore And David mourned for the death of his Son Amnon so treacherously slain very many days Then Absalom that he might escape the hand of justice fled to Talmai King of Geshur his Grandfather by the mothers side and there he remained three years 2 Sam. Ch. 13. from v. 1. to 39. SECT CXCV. It seems Chileab Davids second Son see Ch. 3.3 was now dead IN length of time Davids grief for Amnon by degrees wore off so that he began now to wish that he had his Son Absalom at home with him again and had it not been for shame he could have found in his heart to have gone himself and fetcht him Joab perceiving that the Kings heart was much towards Absalom and that he earnestly desired to have him brought back again if it could be done handsomely and without scandal he therefore that he might gratifie the King and ingratiate himself with Absalom now heir apparent (b) The City where the Prophet Amos lived Amos 1.1 to the Crown sets himself to contrive a way how it might be done Accordingly he sent to Tekoah c a City in Judah and fetched thence a woman that was famous for her wisdom and acquainting her with his design he put words into her mouth and directed her what she should say to the King in order to the bringing about his end she undertakes the business and being well instructed beforehand in a mourning habit and seeming very disconsolate she comes to David and falling down on her face before him cries out Help O King and succour thine afflicted handmaid The King asks her what ailed her she answers I am a widow and thy handmaid had two Sons who going into the field together and falling out they fought and none being by to part them the one of them happened to kill the other and now all my family and kindred are risen up to prosecute my remaining Son that he may be put to death and so the inheritance may come to them for so they give out that they will destroy the heir also and if they should be suffered to kill this surviving Son who is the only comfort that is left me in this world they will wholly extinguish my husbands name which by this Son as by one poor coal that lyeth hid under an heap of ashes can only be blown up again kept alive and preserved The King tells her that he would give order that her case should be heard and examined She desires him not to put her off or scruple to grant her request for if there were any iniquity or sin in sparing her Son she would take the guilt of it * See Gen. 27.13 Mat. 27.25 wholly upon her self the King and his Throne should be guiltless But therein she engag'd for more than she could make good for if it were unjust God would punish her for desiring and endeavouring it and David also for granting it see Numb 35.17 18 21 31 33. However the King seeing her so importunate he bad her go home and if any persons further troubled her she should bring them to him for as the Lord liveth saith he not one hair of thy Son shall fall to the earth Then the woman said let the King remember the word that he hath promised unto his handmaid in the presence of the Lord that he will not suffer the avengers of blood to destroy my Son And now having obtained my request let thy handmaid speak one word more to my Lord the King How comes it to pass that thou hast passed so favourable a sentence in reference to my Son and yet entertainest thoughts in thy mind against thy own Son which are far different and very prejudicial to the good and welfare of thy people Give me leave to say that the King doth speak this thing as one that is faulty he hath given a just sentence in the case of my Son but fails in giving the same sentence when it comes to the case of his own Son the King would have no rigor us'd against my Son for killing his brother because it would tend to my great grief and damage and yet can be content
that rigor shall be us'd towards his own Son Absalom and will not fetch him home again from his banishment though it redound exceedingly to the detriment and grief of the whole Commonwealth Thou knowest O King that we must all die at one time or other and when we are dead there is no recalling us to life again no more than water that is spilt on the ground can be again gathered up And thou maist die as well as any of us and if thou shouldst die while we are in this unsetled state we shall be miserable And as for Absalom seeing God hath not taken away his life in all these three years of his banishment he seems by his Providence to have provided a way that he may be restored to thee again namely by my mediation for him at this time The King may something wonder that I presume to speak thus boldly to him but the truth is the people are so full of jealousies and discontent fearing lest Absalom living so long among Idolaters should be corrupted in his Religion and so may corrupt the people if he come to reign over them that I was really afraid and durst hold my tongue no longer and knowing the King to be so just that he will always hear the cause of the oppressed and right their wrongs I thought it best in a Parabolical way to propound this matter to thee that thou mightest the better judg of it And I doubted not but that I should receive a gracious answer from thee for I know that the King for wisdom to judg and discern between right and wrong is as an Angel †T was a Proverbial speech us'd to express a mans excellency in any thing see 1 Sam. 29.9 2 Sam. 19.27 of heaven and therefore I doubt not but the Lord thy God will bless and prosper thee in thy Government Then the King said to the woman tell me true Is not the hand of Joab in all this She answered as thy soul liveth O King none can evade what thou hast said by turning to the right hand or to the left for thou hast hit the very right and the truth for thy servant Joab set me on work and put words into my mouth to speak unto thee And however I have delivered my self I know my Lord the King is wise even as an Angel of God to know all things that are to be done by him upon the earth in the administration of his Government Then the King called for Joab and told him he had granted his request made to him by the woman for the return of Absalom Therefore go says he and fetch him home Joab fell to the ground on his face before the King and professed that he accepted it with much thankfulness and as a testimony of the Kings great favour to him that he was pleased to grant his request Then Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem When he was returned the King gave order he should go to his own house but said he should not see his face which David did as 't is probable to avoid the scandal of being too easily reconciled to him who had committed so foul a fault But in all Israel there was no man so eminent for beauty and comeliness of person as Absalom was for from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him this was one thing possibly that made him so proud and insolent and made him so popular and attracted the peoples affections so much to him He used to poll his head and cut off his hair it growing else too heavy for him once a year and when cut off it weighed two hundred shekels after the Kings weight viz. after the common shekel which weighed a quarter of an ounce and so weighed about four pound weight at sixteen ounces the pound And Absalom had three Sons * Ch. 18.18 'T is said he had no Son it seems by that time they were all dead and one fair Daughter named Tamar So Absalom dwelt two years after this in Jerusalem and was not all that time admitted into the Kings presence At last being impatient of this restraint and growing discontented and ill-affected towards his Father and entertaining thoughts of rebellion against him and not seeing any means of compassing his design whilst he was kept from the Court where he might make friends by his popular carriage he contrives how he might come thither and in order thereunto he sends to Joab to come to him that by his mediation he might be recovered into the Kings favour But Joab like an old Polititian fearing to displease the King would not come at him He sent to him a second time but he would not come He then bad his servants to go and set Joab's Barley field which was near to his on fire designing by that means to bring him to him as God brings people home to himself by afflictions Joab then comes and asks him why he had fired his Corn He tells him because he had sent for him once and again and he would not come at him he tells him he sent for him to represent his condition to the King and to know of him why he was pleased to send for him from Geshur and yet still all this while withdrew his face and favour from him He tells him it had been better for him to have stayed there still than to be thus used Help me says he to see the Kings face once again and if he think me not worthy to live let him put me upon a legal trial and take away my life I had rather die than live in this manner that I now do Joab hereupon comes to the King and tells him how heavily Absalom took it that he was debar'd from his presence David hearing this sent for him who coming bowed himself to the ground before the King and as 't is like humbly beg'd his pardon whereupon the King kissed him in token that he was fully reconciled to him 2 Sam. Ch. 14. whole Chapter SECT CXCVI. ABsalom being now admitted to come to Court contrives to get his Fathers Kingdom from him And thus God executes upon David the heavy doom which he had threatned viz. That he would raise up evil against him out of his own house Ch. 12.11 Absalom remembring the displeasure his Father had shewed against him for murthering his Brother Amnon and fearing lest for that he judged him unfit to succeed him in the Government and having possibly some intimation that Solomon was designed for the Crown being so much beloved of his Father he resolved if he could to get into present possession of the Throne during his Fathers life And to accomplish this ambitious design he puts divers policies in practice First he gets a Princely retinue and provides himself Chariots and Horses which yet the Law did not allow and a guard of fifty men to go before him that taking upon him
of the Giant Rapha Jonathan the son of Shimea called Shammah 1 Sam. 16.9 slew this vast Giant These four fell by the hands of David and his servants For though David did not kill any of them himself yet their death is ascrib'd to him as well as to his Captains because they fought in his quarrel and under his command 2 Sam. Ch. 21. from v. 15 to the end 1 Chron. Ch. 20. from v. 4 to the end SECT CC. DAvid being now delivered from all his enemies on every side both within and without his Kingdom and calling to mind Gods wonderful mercies to him he in a grateful remembrance of them composed a Triumphant Song or Psalm of Thanksgiving that God might have the glory of all that he had done for him This Song is the same for substance with the 18th Psalm only there are some clauses here that are exprest there in other words and in some places a clause is now and then added in one of them which is not in the other So that possibly this Psalm was penned by him many years before when he was delivered from his mighty potent enemy Saul and is here with some little alteration repeated again In this Song first he declares his firm confidence in God and that he might shew what an alsufficient defence he esteemed the Lord to be unto him he useth variety of expressions to set it forth as not being able by one or two to express it He calls the Lord his rock his fortress his deliverer his shield the horn (a) Horn signifies power and glory Christ is call'd the horn of salvation Luk. 1.69 of his salvation by whose assistance he had been enabled both to defend himself and push down his enemies his tower his refuge and his saviour whence he infers that he will still trust in him and call upon him who was worthy to be praised Secondly he sets forth the woful straits and dangers he had been in his enemies came upon him like violent floods of water and like waves rouling one upon the neck of another threatning present death to him he acknowledges their roaring rage made him afraid but that fear drave him to God He says that death-threatning sorrows and dangers so encompassed him that there seemed no more likelihood for him to escape than there is of a sick man that hath the pangs of death upon him he intimates that Saul and his other enemies had so subtilly contriv'd his death and laid their snares so cunningly for him that all means of escaping seem'd to be prevented In these my great distresses says he I cry'd unto the Lord and he heard me and appear'd for me out of his Temple * Heaven is call'd the Temple of God 1st as being the place of his special presence 2. In regard of the the exceeding glory of Heaven which to shadow forth the Temple was built so exceeding glorious 3. In regard of the transient holiness of heaven that is out of Heaven and from thence manifested his power for my deliverance Then the earth shook and trembled and the foundations of heaven mov'd and shook because he was wroth that is the Lord in his hot displeasure fought against my enemies and poured forth his vengeance upon them This vengeance he sets forth under the similitude of a prodigious storm or tempest when the earth quakes and the air is covered with thick black and dark mists and when the Heavens send forth wind rain thunder and lightning (b) David here in sublime expressions sets forth not what historically happened but an a Poetical manner Gods mighty assistance and concurrence with him in his victories over his enemies by all which he intimates that the wrath of the Lord was evidently seen and manifested in the destruction of his enemies as if he had sent such an horribla storm and tempest upon them and so visibly destroyed them The foundations of the heavens shook and were moved In the 18 Psalm v. 7. he says the foundations of the hills moved that is the hills were shaken from their very foundations or bottoms These hills are here call'd the foundations of heaven (a) Job 26.11 calls that the pillars of Heaven because the tops of high mountains seem to touch the clouds and the heavens seem to lean upon them There went up a smoke out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it that is he gave forth such testimonies of his anger and indignation against mine enemies so vehement was his wrath that even smoke seem'd to speak after the manner of men to come out of his nostrils and so hot a fire out of his mouth that even coals were kindled by it He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet that is the lower part of the heavens was so affected as if God to manifest his power had come down into it and if we may describe him according to our weak apprehensions under his feet in the lower region of the air there were dark mists and clouds He rode upon a cherub and did fly yea he did fly upon the wings of the wind * See Psal 18.10 that is he used the ministry of his holy Angels and by them he raised violent and strong winds He made darkness pavillions round about him dark waters and thick clouds of the skies that is as men are wont by Tents and Pavillions to shelter themselves and to hide themselves from the view of others so did the Lord cast darkness and thick clouds about the place of his appearance Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled that is the Lord sent out his flashes of lightning with the flames whereof much combustible matter was kindled The Lord thundered from heaven and the most high uttered his voice he sent out his arrows and scattered them that is his thunderbolts out of the clouds as arrows from his bow He sent out his lightning and discomfited them The channels of the Sea appeared the foundations of the world were discovered at the rebuke of the Lord at the blast of the breath of his nostrils that is by this raging tempest the waters and waves were raised up so high that the very channels and bottom of the Sea was discovered and laid bare By these Hyperbolical expressions he signifies and sets forth the fierce anger of God against his enemies then he comes to set forth the wonderfulness of his deliverance being like a man ready to be drowned and perish in deep waters had not God as it were with his arm stretched out from heaven pull'd him out of them God delivered me says he from many enemies yea from my strong enemies such as Goliath Doeg Saul and Achitophel who would have been too strong for me if he had not of his great mercy helped me In the day of calamity and distress they thought by their subtilty to prevent me from saving my self and to
the Kings Sons and Joab and Abiathar and many Captains of the host and behold they eat and drink before him and say God save King Adonijah Surely this is not done with thy allowance for matters of so great moment thou didst not use to transact without consulting me first about them Then the King called for Bathsheba and said to her As the Lord liveth who hath redeemed me out of all former distresses as I sware to thee that Solomon should sit on my Throne after me so it shall be Then Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth and said Let my Lord King David live for ever As if she should have said Long may the King live and I wish if it were the will of God we might never lose him Then the King call'd for Zadok Nathan and Benaiah and commanded them to take with them his Life-guard viz. the Cherethites and Pelethites and to set Solomon on his own Mule and to carry him to Gihon (a) A Mount with a rivulet close by it on the West-side of Jerusalem and that Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet should there anoint him King over all Israel and when that was done they should blow with the Trumpet and say God save King Solomon and then says he ye shall attend him back in state to Jerusalem that he may come and sit on my Throne and be thereby declared King in my stead For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah * It seems there was emulation between Judah and the other Tribes before the division of the Kingdom See 2 Sam. 19.41 Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada hearing the King speak thus answered in his own and the name of the rest Amen The Lord God confirm what the King hath said As the Lord hath been with my Lord the King so may he be with Solomon also and make his Throne greater than the Throne of his Father Then Zadok Nathan Benaiah and the Kings Life-guard carried Solomon to Gihon and there Zadok the Priest anointed him with oyl taken out of the Tabernacle viz. the Tabernacle which David had set up for the Ark 2 Sam. 6.17 for oyl being kept there for several holy uses Zadok took an horn full of it and therewith anointed the King Which done they blew the Trumpet and all the people there present shouted God save King Solomon Then they carried him in state towards Jerusalem and the people followed after piping with Pipes and rejoicing with great joy and they shouted so loud that the earth even rent (a) An Hyperbolical expression setâ—ing forth the greatness of their acclamations with the sound of their acclamations Adonijah and the company that were with him just as they were concluding their great Feast heard this extraordinary noise and acclamation and Joab heard the sound of the Trumpet and wondred what the matter was and thought there might be some uproar in the City but immediately Jonathan the Son of Abiathar came to them Adonijah seeing him O come in says he for thou art a good (b) Hebr. a man of vertue man and bringest good tidings The tidings says Jonathan that I bring are that David hath made Solomon King and Zadok Nathan and Benaiah have anointed him in Gihon and they came up with him from thence rejoicing and shouting so loud that the City rang again and this is the noise ye heard and Solomon sits now on the Throne and is in actual possession of the Kingdom and the Kings servants came and blest our Lord King David and rendred him humble thanks for setting Solomon on the Throne and pray'd that the Lord would make the name of Solomon more famous than he had made Davids and his Kingdom greater and the King bowed himself upon his bed and worshipped and praised God saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath setled my Son Solomon this day on my Throne my own eyes seeing it The Guests that were with Adonijah hearing this had enough of their Feast and began to be sore afraid and got themselves away as fast as they could to their own houses leaving Adonijah to shift for himself Adonijah then not well knowing what to do and being sorely afraid that Solomon would take away his life he fled to Gibeon where the Tabernacle of Moses now was 1 Chron. 21.29 and there took hold on the horns of the Altar For though we read of no express Law that God ever gave to his people that those that fled to the Altar should be there secured yet that it was a custom for malefactors to fly to the Altar as to an Asylum or place of refuge may be gathered from Exod. 21.14 and the Altar being the place where God did shew forth the riches of his grace in accepting a sacrifice for sin this hanging upon the horns of it was a kind of pleading that mercy should be shewed them for Gods sake And accordingly Adonijah fled to the Altar and being there he desireth that King Solomon so he acknowledgeth him would swear to him that he would not put him to death Solomon sent him word that if he would shew himself a worthy man and a loyal subject for the future not an hair of his head should fall to the ground but if he appeared to be wicked and disloyal after this he should surely die Upon this promise they brought Adonijah from the Altar to Solomon to whom he bowed himself and Solomon bad him go to his own house and there live peaceably and quietly 1 King Ch. 1. from v. 5 to the end SECT CCX DAvid having now caused Solomon to be anointed King he giveth him in charge the building of the Temple speaking to him after this manner My Son it was in my heart to build an house for the Lord but the Lord would not permit me to do it because I had been engaged in many wars and had shed much blood (c) God does not upbraid David for shedding blood in his own cause Saul and Ahab for sparing blood lost their Kingdoms 1 Sam. 15.23 1 King 20.22 42. The Levites for their fact in shedding blood Exod. 32. and Phineas for his Numb 25. have the Priesthood setled on them and so was not so fit to build a Temple to him which was to be a figure of the Messias the Prince of Peace But he said to me a Son shall be born to thee who shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about his name shall be call'd Solomon that is peaceable for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days he shall build an house for my name he shall be my Son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever that is for a long time and as long as the Kingdom of Judah shall continue one of Solomon's posterity shall sit in the Throne of David (a) Possibly none of
will readily assist thee about things of Gold Silver Brass Wood or any other materials And I doubt not but the Princes and all the people will be wholly at thy command Then David turned his speech again to the whole Assembly and said to them Solomon my Son whom God alone hath chosen to succeed me is yet young and tender the work that he is to do is great For this Palace or Royal Temple that he is to build is not to be built for man but for the Lord God and therefore must be most magnificent As for my self I have provided with all my might and to the uttermost of my power for the building of it and the finishing of all things appertaining to it And I declare before you all not out of pride or ostentation but to stir you up to follow my example that I have provided gold and silver and brass and iron and timber and marble stones in abundance for this great work yea I have provided all manner of precious stones as Onix-stones and glittering stones of divers colours Yea I have so set my heart on the building of this house for God that I have of my own proper goods which I had gathered for my self * David got very rich spoils in the many wars he was engaged in and the wealthy enemies he conquered after I had consecrated to God his part which was the greatest given three thousand talents of Gold viz. of the Gold of Ophir seven thousand talents of refined silver The gold is for to overlay in thin plates the walls of the Temple and the silver to overlay the walls of some particular rooms in the houses and buildings adjoining And now let me exhort you all to follow my example and to assist my Son with heart and hand with your counsel and with your purses in this great work And truly you have great reason to do it Is not the Lord your God among you to bless you Hath he not given you rest on every side Hath he not given the people the inhabitants of the land into my hand so that they peaceably submit to my government Is not the land subdued before the Lord and before his people so that being freed from their enemies they may quietly enjoy their possessions Therefore set your hearts to seek the Lord your God and faithfully to serve him Arise and build the Sanctuary of the Lord your God and bring the Ark and the holy vessels of God into it And now let me see who among you is willing to fill his hand with gifts this day and freely to offer them to the Lord for the building of this house Upon this motion of the Kings the Princes Rulers and Captains and all sorts offered very willingly and liberally for the service of the house and 't is like subscribed what they intended to give and that which they gave amounted to five thousand talents of Gold and ten thousand drams and ten thousand talents of silver and eighteen thousand talents of brass and one hundred thousand talents of iron And they that had precious stones gave them to the Treasure of the house of the Lord for this sacred use And there was great joy among all the people because of the great willingness and forwardness that was in all sorts to contribut to this work And David also rejoiced exceedingly at it and was much pleased with their large free and willing contribution Whereupon he brake out into an holy and zealous praising of the Lord for it and said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our Father for ever and ever To thee O Lord belongs greatness power glory majesty and victory For all that is in heaven or in the earth is thine Thine is the Kingdom O Lord and we do willingly exalt thee and acknowledg thee to be head above all and higher than all Both riches and honour come from thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might In thine hand it is to make great and to give strength to all to whom thou pleasest Now therefore O Lord we exalt and praise thy name for thy glorious excellencies and thy benefits conferred on us But who am I and what is my people that we should have hearts and abilities to offer so freely and so largely as we have done And yet we have no manner of cause to boast or glory For all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee We do acknowledg that we are not proprietors of the goods that we possess but only thy stewards The land we dwell in is thine we are but strangers before thee and sojourners as all our fathers were And our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is no abiding for us here and therefore seeing we are to continue but a short time in this life and have but a short enjoyment of the things of this world how can we better dispose of them than for thy service who art able to give us in exchange for them an eternal inheritance in thy Kingdom O Lord we do willingly acknowledg that all this great store we have provided for the building of an house for thy holy name was given us by thy free bounty and is all thine own and therefore we present unto thee only what thou thy self didst first give us I know O Lord thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness As for my self in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things and now to my great joy and comfort I have also seen this people here present to offer willingly unto thee O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob our Fathers I pray thee keep and preserve this holy zeal in the minds and hearts of this people and establish their hearts and make them ever firm to thy self And give unto Solomon my Son an upright heart to keep thy commandments testimonies and statutes and to do all things required of him and enable him to build and finish this stately Palace for thy name for which I have made so great provision David having ended his prayer he call'd to the whole Congregation to bless the Lord which accordingly they did with loud acclamations and bowed down their heads and worshipped the Lord with divine honour and adoration which being done they bowed themselves to the King and paid him civil honour and respect and so departed The next day they sacrificed Sacrifices and offered Burnt-offerings unto the Lord namely a thousand bullocks a thousand rams and a thousand lambs with the drink-offerings appertaining to them which they offered in the name of all the people and in such abundance that all the Israelites there present might eat of the Peace-offerings that were then offered And they did eat and drink before the Lord that day with great gladness of heart and anointed Solomon a second time King his first anointing having been done on the sudden and almost in a tumultuary
she to avoid that came secretly as I have reason to believe in the dead of the night and took my Son from my bosom whilst I was fast asleep and laid her dead child in my bosom in the room of it for she had rather I suppose have a living child though anothers than her own dead and had rather nurse up my child instead of her own than have it said that by her own carelesness and negligence she had been the cause of the death of her own Son And when I arose in the morning to give my child suck behold I found it dead but when I had better considered of the matter and laid circumstances together I found it was not my Son that I did bear and I hope I shall find so much justice from the King as to return my own child to me again Then the other woman spake for her self and said Nay but my Lord O King let this woman say what she will I do peremptorily affirm that the living child is my Son and the dead is hers Thus they contested before the King both the one and the other challenging the living child for hers the case was very difficult for first both the children were almost of an age 2ly Their features in their infancy might be something alike 3ly No body was by when this fact was done that might give evidence on either side 4ly The mother that challenged the living child confessed she was asleep and so did not see when her child was stollen away 5ly The parties contending for the child were of a like reputation the one deserving no more credit than the other All these things considered the case seem'd so difficult that one would have thought the wit of man could not determine it Solomon having heard what they said on both sides according to the wisdom that God had given him presently call'd for a sword and bad one of his servants take the living child and divide him in twain and give half to the one and half to the other But the woman whose the living child really was found her bowels so yerning upon this that she cried out O my Lord give her I pray thee the child let her take him whole in no case divide him I had rather she should have him whole than that he should be slain But the other woman being of an envious disposition and not willing that her neighbour should enjoy what she wanted she cried out For my part seeing the King hath so determined the matter let the Kings sentence stand let it be neither mine nor hers but let it be divided The King by the different affection that he discerned in these two women quickly perceived which was the true mother and accordingly gave the living child unto her And all Israel heard of the judgment the King had given in this case and all sorts of persons highly honoured him for it for they saw that an extraordinary measure of the wisdom of God was in him that enabled him to give righteous judgment 1 King Ch. 3. from v. 16 to the end SECT CCXIX. HIram King of Tyre as also of Zidon for the Sidonians likewise were his subjects v. 9. had been always a great lover of David and hearing that Solomon his Son was advanc'd to the Throne of Israel he sent his Ambassadours to congratulate him Solomon receiv'd them very kindly and having entertained them for some time by them he sent a message to their Master to this effect He acquaints him that his Father David by reason of the many wars wherein he was almost continually engaged could not build an house for the Lord as he really intended and he supposed his Father had acquainted him with that his intention there being so great a friendship between them but the Lord having now advanc'd him to the Throne in his Fathers room and having given him rest on every side so that he had neither adversary nor evil occurrent to hinder him he resolv'd to fall upon the work and to build an house for the glory of the Lord his God as the Lord had promised unto his Father he should do he therefore requested this favour of him that as he had helped his Father to Timber (a) It seems most of Lebanon was in the land of Tyre though it were the Northern bound of the land of Canaan and though David in his life-time had provided many materials as Cedar-trees and many workmen yet it seems more were wanting which Solomon now takes care to provide wherewith to build his own Palace so he would please to help him also to Timber to build the house that he intended to build for the honour of God For the house says he that I intend to build must be great and magnificent the God for whose Worship I intend it being great above all Gods And indeed who is able to build an house for him seeing the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him It were a vain thing for me to think of building an house for him who is infinite except only to worship him in and that is the end I aim at Send me therefore I pray thee a man skilful to work in Gold and Silver in Brass and Iron in Purple Crimson and Blew and one that can grave that he may join with the cunning men that are here with me in Judah and Jerusalem whom my Father did provide for this purpose See 1 Chron. 22.15 And I pray thee grant me Cedar-trees Firr-trees and Algum-trees for this work and command thy servants to cut them down and hew them for me and I will send my servants to help and assist them therein and I will give thy servants twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat * That is of wheat beaten out of the ear and severed from the chaff we call it clean wheat and as many of barley and twenty thousand baths of wine and as many of oyl for their wages and provision or if this do not like thee I will give whatsoever thy self shall appoint Hiram sent an answer to Solomon and writ to him after this manner It is a great sign and evidence to me that God loves that people because he hath made thee King over them And blessed be the Lord God of Israel who made Heaven and Earth for giving to David such a wise Son and for enduing him with so great a measure of prudence and understanding that he might build an house for the honour of God and for the honour of his Kingdom As for thy request to me concerning Cedar-trees Firr-trees and Timber for that great work behold all thy desires are granted My servants shall cut down and hew out sufficient Timber for thee and I will convey it to thee by Sea in flotes to Joppa or any other place thou shalt appoint I have also sent thee a very skilful and expert artificer whose name is Hiram whose Father was of the Tribe †He is called a Tyrian because he lived there
is like they had brought the Tabernacle with all the things appertaining to it from Gibeon The Priests * 2 Chron. 5.4 'T is said the Levites took up the Ark because the Priests were also Levites that is of the Tribe of Levi. took up the Ark on their shoulders the Levites according to their several appointed ranks carried the Tabernacle with the boards and curtains and the holy vessels belonging thereunto The King and the Elders walked after in a solemn procession to Mount Moriah (a) The Temple to speak properly was not built on Mount Sion but on Mount Moriah but because the whole City of Jerusalem is usually called Sion and Mount Sion from that Mount that was a chief part of it thence it is that the Temple Gods dwelling place is usually said to have been in Sion where the Temple was built whither being come the Priests carried the Ark into the Oracle or most holy place and set it under the wings of the Golden Cherubims But they drew out the staves of the Ark something from under the wings of the Cherubims that they might be seen in the holy place which was before the Oracle but they were not seen as taken out of the Ark 2 Chron. 5.9 And possibly these staves were the rather thus disposed to remember the people that if they brake Gods Covenant the staves yet remained within the rings of the Ark ready to bear away the Symbol of Gods gracious presence from them The Levites also disposed those things which they carried belonging to the (b) The Tabernacle was carried about in the Wilderness forty years it remained in Gilgal about fourteen years it remain'd in Shiloh till Samuels time 1 Sam. 4.4 it then remain'd in Nob till Saul destroyed that place 1 Sam. 22.19 it was in Gibeon all Davids time from thence it was brought into Zion and from thence into the Treasuries of the Temple Tabernacle into the Treasuries of the Temple there to remain as Sacred things not again to be removed When the Priests had set the Ark in its place and were come out immediately an hundred and twenty of them with silver Trumpers and the Levite-singers viz. Asaph Heman and Jeduthun with their Sons and Brethren being arrayed in white linnen and having Cymbals Psalteries and Harps in their hands stood at the East-end of the Altar and the Trumpets sounding and they playing on their Instruments and lifting up their voices with one consent and making one melodious harmony sang as it seems the 136 Psalm the burden of which is For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Whilst they were thus employed suddenly the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud which was an extraordinary manifestation of the presence of God 2 Chron. 5.14 't is said the glory of God filled the house which intimated that the brightness of his glory was such that if it were not clouded over no mortal eyes could behold it It seems the cloud was such and so amazing that the Priests could not continue to minister in the Sanctuary where the cloud was and by this visible sign of his presence the Lord did sanctifie to himself this place see Exod. 40.34 and shewed his approbation of all that was done Solomon standing upon a Brazen Scaffold made for him in the outward Court right before the door of the Priests Court through which he might look and apprehending this cloud to be a manifestation of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the house he had built for his service in a rapture of joy he brake out into these words The Lord said he is pleased to dwell in thick darkness Levit. 16.2 and by a cloud he hath usually testified his presence among his people as when he led the Israelites by a cloud Exod. 13.21 In a cloud he appeared at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.16 In a cloud he appeared that covered and filled the Tabernacle as soon as it was reared up by Moses Exod. 40.34 and therefore doubtless in this cloud the Lord doth now appear unto us and testifies his favourable acceptance of our service in building this house for his name Then directing his speech to God he said O Lord I have built a Temple for thee to manifest thy gracious presence in an house not to be removed as the Tabernacle was but a setled place for thee to abide in (c) Officium Templi non est prastare Deo habitationem sed hominibus directionem ad soliâ—m divinum sempiteruâ—â— quod in câ—lo est Cajet to be there ready on all occasions to resolve us in such cases as we shall humbly propound unto thee and to hear such prayers as we shall make unto thee and to grant such blessings as we shall humbly crave of thee and to accept such sacrifices and services as we shall there offer up and present unto thee And O Lord I pray thee accept this house for thine and ever manifest thy gracious presence therein as long as this dispensation we are now under shall last and till the truth of this type shall be exhibited Then the King turned his face to the people standing about him and blessed them and said Blessed and praised be the Lord God of Israel who spake to David my Father that I should build a Temple for his great name and hath by his good hand upon me enabled me to do it The Lord also said since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no City out of all their Tribes in which I appointed an house to be built that my name might be there in a peculiar manner worshipped But having chosen David to be King over my people it was in his heart to build an house for my name And thereupon I said to him whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my name I like it well that it was in thine heart to do it Nevertheless thou shalt not build this house for me but thy Son that shall come out of thy loins he shall build it And the Lord hath now graciously performed the word that he spake and I am risen up in my fathers room to sit on the Throne of Israel and have built an house for the Lord as he promised I should do and an abiding place for the Ark wherein are the two Tables of the Law which the Lord gave as a Covenant to his people requiring obedience on their part and promising many blessings on his part to the obedient Then Solomon turned his face towards the Altar of Burnt-offering and towards the most holy place and having stood a while he then kneeled down and spreading forth his hands towards heaven poured forth this Divine Prayer saying O Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepest Covenant and shewest mercy to thy servants that walk before thee in the integrity of their hearts Thou hast kept thy
and upon this thy people and let thine ears be attentive unto the supplications we shall make unto thee and hearken to us in all that we shall pray unto thee for according to thy will For thou didst separate us unto thy self from among all the Nations of the earth to be thy peculiar people and inheritance as thou spakest by thy servant Moses Solomon having ended this his devout prayer rose up from his knees and standing with his face toward the Temple he repeated part of the 132 Psalm saying Arise O Lord and take possession of this house which I have built for thee as a resting place and fixt habitation and not an ambulatory and moving one as the Tabernacle was And let thy Ark whereon thou dost manifest thy glory (e) Psal 78.61 He delivereth his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands strength and power for the good of thy people be here setled and constantly abide Let thy Priests O Lord God be clothed and adorned with such graces as may bring salvation to themselves (f) Psal 132.9 This clause is thus expressed Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness and may enable them to be instrumental in the saving of others and let thy Saints rejoice in thy goodness and favour manifested unto them O Lord God hear me I pray thee and turn not away the face of thine anointed with shame and confusion by denying me my request but remember the promises thy mercy moved thee to make to David my Father and to his posterity Solomon having ended his prayers the Sacrifices were brought in and laid upon the Altar and immediately fire came down from Heaven and consumed them and the glory of the Lord probably covered with a cloud filled the house and such an orient splendour shone through it that the Priests could by no means enter into the Temple The people seeing the fire came down from Heaven and the glory of the Lord upon the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground and worshipped and praised God and sang as 't is probable the 136 Psalm as the Singers had done before the burthen or foot whereof was For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Then Solomon turned his face and blessed all the Congregation of Israel again as he had done at the beginning and said Blessed be the Lord God who hath given rest to his people Israel as he promised of old And indeed he hath not failed of performing any of his gracious promises which he made to his people by the ministry of his servant Moses Now therefore the Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers and let him not leave us nor forsake us but let him incline our hearts to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments * Viz. The Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Laws statutes and judgments which he commanded our Fathers And let my words wherewith I have made supplication to the Lord this day be in his mind and memory continually that he may maintain the cause of me his servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require and as it shall appear just and equal to him that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord he is the only true God from whom all blessings come and that there is no other God besides him Let your heart therefore be upright and sincere before the Lord and walk in his statutes and keep his commandments as now you do Then the King the Princes and people offered abundance of Peace-offerings (a) They were call'd Peace-offerings because God having bestowed some benefit upon them seemed to be appeased towards them and they were offered as a kind of retribution and to return thanks to God for it And in offering the same they also testified their hope that God was reconciled towards them to the Lord and kept this feast of Dedication seven days During which time they offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep By a multitude of Sacrifices the pious Jews were wont to testifie their zealous and grateful affection towards God and we never read of any Sacrifice like this And thus Solomon the Princes and people by their joint prayers praises and sacrifices dedicated the house of God and set it apart for his worship and service And they rejoiced before the Lord seven days and seven that is they kept the first seven days as the Feast of Dedication and the next seven as the Feast of Tabernacles And the day after Solomon dismissed the people to their own homes and they blessed the King and prayed unto the Lord for him and went home with joyful and glad hearts rejoicing in the goodness which the Lord had manifested to the house of David and to Solomon and to all the people of Israel 1 King Ch. 8. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 5. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 6. whole Chapter 2 Chron. Ch. 7. from v. 1 to 11. SECT III. SHortly after * Some read 1 King 9.1 And it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord and afterwards finished the Kings house and all his desire which he was pleased to do that the Lord appeared to him the second time c. Solomon had made that devout prayer before mentioned the Lord as it seems appeared to him in a dream (b) Ch. 6.11 We read that the word of the Lord came to Solomon but that was by some messenger or Prophet sent unto him but this was the second time that the Lord appeared to him in a Vision as he had done before at Gibeon 1 King 3.4 5. and the Lord said I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication which thou hast made before me and I have hallowed this house and set it apart to those holy uses which thou didst intend it for and it shall be called by my name as long as it shall last and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually I will always be ready to take notice of the prayers there made and the services there performed and will graciously accept them And if I shall shut up heaven at any time so that there be no rain or send the locusts or pestilence among my people that are called by my name if they shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear in heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land And if thou wilt walk before me in integrity and uprightness as thy Father David did and keep my statutes and judgments then I will establish the Throne of thy Kingdom for ever that is thou and thy posterity shall continue time after time to be Kings over Israel so as no other stock but thine shall sit on that Throne so long as the Kingdom of Judah shall remain as I
marrying a wife from thence did soon set up his wifes Idolatry in the land and the worship of the true God was in a manner neglected and disregarded and the Prophets and servants of God that would not bow to Baal were persecuted see Ch. 19.10 yet there were never more Prophets sent to them than at this time we see Ch. 18.13 that Obadiah had hid an hundred of them in caves nor never more eminent ones than now And of all the Prophets that God raised up in the Kingdom of Israel we find not any of whom so strange things are recorded both for courage and miracles as there are of Elijah And therefore at the Transfiguration of Christ Mat. 17. Elijah as chief of the Prophets appeared together with Moses talking with Christ to signifie that both Moses and the Prophets had in their several seasons given testimony of him This Prophet Elijah was at this time sent to the Israelites a man of transcendent courage and zeal as being fitted for those corrupt times whence 't is said of the Baptist who in his Ministry was very zealous and fervent Luk. 1.17 that he should go before our Saviour in the spirit and power of Elias Ahab and Jezebel were very zealous to promote Idolatry and now God raises up a Prophet as zealous to oppose it and to defend Gods own worship Elijah seeing how things went in the Kingdom of Israel and being exceedingly moved with the horrible wickedness of Ahab and Jezabel and particularly perhaps with the contempt and scorn they cast upon Gods Prophets did it seems by the instinct of Gods Spirit pray that the Lord would shut up the heavens for some years and not suffer it to rain till he sought unto him for it that so the wrath of God against the iniquity of that time might be discovered and the precious account he makes of his Prophets might be manifested And being by the same Spirit of God assured that his prayer was heard he came to Ahab and threatned him beforehand that he might see it was of God with an approaching drought for three years and an half and a great famine that should ensue thereupon As the Lord God of Israel liveth saith he whom I continually serve and in whose presence I now stand and who is a witness of the truth of what I say there shall not be dew or rain these ensuing years but according to my words and as I have declared to thee from God And according as he threatned so it came to pass For during the space of three years and six months it rained not See Jam. 5.17 * See Luk. 4.25 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months The drought now beginning and Ahab seeing there was no rain for some time together as Elijah had threatned he was greatly enraged against him and being also stirred up as 't is probable by Jezabel his wife he sent presently out to take him that he might be revenged on him See Ch. 18.10 but the Lord foreseeing what would happen gave his Prophet warning of it and appointed him to withdraw and hide himself by the brook Cherith in Manasseh beyond Jordan that is in some solitary place or cave near the brook where he should be fed by Ravens with bread and flesh morning and evening and should drink of the brook Elijah did as the Lord commanded him and was accordingly fed by Ravens who being a very greedy and ravenous kind of bird so that they often neglect the feeding of their young ones to feed themselves it was the more miraculous that God should make them Caterers for Elijah and in such an orderly manner to bring him his provision morning and evening he directing them where they should have it possibly out of some rich mans pantry or storehouse Thus we see by what unlikely means God can provide for his servants when they are in their straits After some time possibly about six Months the brook quite dried up thus the Lord was pleased again to try the faith of his servant Elijah Then the Lord commands him to go to a widow of Sarepta in the Country of Sidon telling him that he would command her that is dispose her heart to entertain him Accordingly he went thither and when he came to the Gate of the City he found a widow-woman gathering sticks he desired her to fetch him a little water She going for it he desired her to bring him also a morsel of bread She knowing him by his habit to be a Prophet of the Lord she said to him As the Lord thy God liveth I have not a cake to give thee I have but an handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyl in a cruse and behold I am gathering two or three sticks that I may go and dress it for my self and my son that we may eat it and so die Hereby its manifest that the drought * There is not the least intimation of any want of rain that was in the land of Judah at this time and yet Elijah is sent to a stranger rather than to the widows of Israel or Judah such an one being very unlikely to relieve him especially the famine being there as well as in Israel but herein was shaddowed forth Gods further mercy intended to the Gentiles when the Jews should be rejected whence that of our Saviour Luk. 4.25 26. and famine was in the Country of Tyre and Sidon as well as among the Israelites and indeed it being sent among the Israelites for the Idolatry of Baal which Jezabel the daughter of the King of the Sidonians had brought in among them no marvel if the Sidonians were involv'd in the same judgment Elijah bids the woman not to fear but to do as she intended but only to make for him a little cake first for saith he thus saith the Lord God of Israel The barrel of meal which thou hast shall not wast nor the cruse of oyl fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain on the earth The woman did as Elijah enjoined her and she and her house did eat thereof many days viz. for about three years neither the meal nor oyl failing but being miraculously supplied and renewed This recompence had this poor widow for entertaining the Lords Prophet she for giving unto him one meal hath many meals from him and by his procurement But great blessings are oftentimes mixed with some imbittering afflictions For some time after the Prophet had been with her the womans Son fell sick and died Upon this she comes to the Prophet and crys out What have I done to thee thou man of God wherein have I offended thee art thou come to bring my sins to remembrance †When God punisheth any for their sins whom for a while he did forbear he is said in the Scripture to remember
and wash in Jordan Are not Abana and Pharpar our rivers of Damascus as good nay better and of more sweetness and virtue than any rivers or waters they have and besides can washing the body in a river be a likely means to take away so dreadful and deep rooted a disease as the leprosie is I have taken this long journey to good purpose come let us be gone Thus apt are men in their distresses to prescribe means unto God and to tye him to their own ways and methods of help But though this great man was so highly dissatisfied and displeased yet it seems he had some wise and discreet servants about him who came to him and humbly spake to him saying My Father * A Title usually given to superiours and men of age and dignity if the Prophet had enjoin'd thee some hard and difficult thing which would have required much cost and pains wouldest not thou have done it to be cured Seeing then he injoins thee only such an easie thing as to go and bath thy self in Jordan why shouldest not thou do it without questioning whither it be a likely means of cure or no Naaman being wrought upon by what his servants said consented to go and accordingly went and dipped himself seven times over head and ears in Jordan as the Prophet had prescribed and immediately his leprosie was removed and his flâ—sh that had been much eaten away with it came again like the flesh of a little child full clear and fresh not leaving any scar or mark upon him of his disease and so he was perfectly cured Thus the Lord intending to shew mercy to him and that the word of his Prophet might not fail passed over his former incredulity and distemper and had regard to that weak and small measure of faith he had And this was Elisha's tenth Miracle Naaman having thus to his great joy and comfort found the benefit and efficacy of the Prophets direction he now returns with all his retinue to render him his most hearty thanks * Thus did the tenth Leper to our Savior Luk. 17.15 When he came to the Prophets house he now came out to him though he did not before to whom Naaman addressing himself said Behold now I know that the God of Israel is the only true God (a) Miraculum hoc proprium finem consequutum est nempe confirmationem verae sanaequâ— Doctrinae and that there is none in the world besides him and by his power alone I willingly acknowledg my self cured (b) By this declaration he shewed he was cured in soul as well as in body But I must thankfully acknowledg thee as an instrument under him of my cure and I ought to testifie my deep and grateful sense of thy kindness and therefore I pray thee accept of a small gift (c) Hebraei munus vocant benedictionem quia quicquid boni possidemus habemus ex benedictione Dei Benefacere est benedicere from thy servant which I here present thee with as a testimony of my gratitude Thus the Prophet was more honoured by this Gentile than he had been by the generality of his own people Elisha replied As the Lord lives before whom I stand and whose Minister I am I will receive no gift or reward from thee He designed to shew him that he aimed not at his own profit in what he did It was enough for him that the God of Israel was acknowledged by this Syrian to be the true God He knew that the miracles he wrought were not done by his own power but by the immediate power of God and therefore God alone ought to have the glory of them (d) Elisha had freely received this gift and therefore would freely exercise it Mat. 10.8 Simon Magus was sharply reproved for a conceit contrary thereunto Acts 8.19 20. and if the true Religion and the worship of the true God were by his miracles confirmed he desired no more Naaman urged him again with great importunity to take it but he again refused it For having on so good grounds refused it before he would not be beaten from his principles Naaman when he saw he could not prevail with the Prophet to accept his present he told him he had another request to make to him which was this Let me I pray thee says he with thy approbation have two mules laden of the earth of your land wherewith to build an Altar when I come home to sacrifice thereon to the Lord God of Israel for from henceforth I am resolv'd to sacrifice to no other This shews him to be a true convert and herein he was a type of the calling of the Gentiles He would testifie that he worshipped the God of Israel by erecting an Altar of the earth of Israel to worship him thereon Here was a good zeal exprest in this new convert though he mistook in thinking the God of Israel would be the better pleased with his sacrifices if they were offered on an Altar made of Canaan's mold He further tells Elisha that he had as he must needs confess been an Idolater and had bowed himself to the Idol Rimmon the Idol of the Syrians when the King his Master leaning on his hand went into that Idols Temple to worship but he desired the Lord to forgive him for it he intended to do so no more For thus I suppose 2 King 5.18 ought to be read In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant that when my Master went into the house of Rimmon to workship there and leaned on my hand and I bowed my self in the house of Rimmon that I bowed my self in the house of Rimmon * Non peccati futuri indulgentiam sed elapsi veniam rogare videtur Anonym in loc the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing So Elisha dismissed him with a friendly valediction saying to him Go in peace When he was departed and was going on in his journey Gehazi the Prophets servant began to think with himself that his Master had been too kind and had spared this Syrian too much in not taking of him what he might have done for so great a cure and which he himself was very willing to have given him but as the Lord lives saith he I will not let him go so I will run after him and take something of him So he ran after Naaman who understanding by some of his servants that he was coming in hast after him he lighted out of his Chariot to meet him and askt him if all was well Gehazi replied all is well only my Master hath sent me to thee to acquaint thee that since thy departure there came to him two young men sons of the Prophets and he desires thee to give them a Talent of silver and two changes of garments And thus by his lying and unworthy practice he did that which tended to eclipse the glory of his Master 's free kindness Naaman seem'd very glad of an opportunity to gratifie Elisha and
did but in the good only Howbeit the people did yet very corruptly and by their Priests who too much complied with them therein offered sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places which had Jotham removed he might have prevented the people's corrupting themselves in that thing and therefore his not doing it is noted as a blemish of his government About this time namely in the year wherein Vzziah died the Prophet Isaiah saw that glorious vision of the Lord sitting on his throne and compassed about with his holy Angels singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath And he foresaw the people of the Jews from this time forward growing more and more obdurate and blind every day than other resisting the counsel of the Prophets and so obstructing the means God afforded them for their conversion and healing Isa 6. Jotham was a great builder he built or renewed and repaired the high-gate of the house of the Lord which was as it seems the Gate whereby they went into the Kings Palace 2 Chron. 23.20 And on the wall of Ophel * Ophel was a Tower on the outside of the City and was the place where in those times the Nethinims dwelt Nehem. 3.26 he built much He built also divers Cities in the hills of Judah and in the Forrests he built Castles and Towers to prevent incursions of enemies He subdued the Ammonites and forced them to pay him tribute by the space of three years viz. an hundred talents of silver and of wheat and barley ten thousand measures of each So he became mighty because he ordered his counsels and actions as in the sight of the Lord and so as he might please him The Prophet MICAH In his days the Prophet Micah began to Prophesie and under him and his two next successors he executed his Prophetick function together with Isaiah and Hosea He prophesied a great while as appears Jer. 26.18 He is very like the Prophet Isaiah both in matter and loftiness of stile He prophesied both against Judah and Israel He declareth Gods wrath against them he laments their condition and foretells their destruction and captivities by the Assyrians and Babylonians for the manifold sins that all sorts had committed viz. Princes Prophets and people Ch. 1.2 3. Then he comforteth those that repent with promises of temporal blessings and deliverances from their enemies but chiefly with promises and predictions of Christ foretelling the place of his nativity and the manifold blessings of his Kingdom Ch. 4. 5. In the next place he expostulates with all sorts for their so ill requiting Gods great kindness and mercy to them and provoking him so highly by their manifold sins Ch. 6. Then he complains of the paucity and scarceness of good men and he endeth his Prophesie with consolations to the Church exhorting her to expect Gods time to plead her cause to the shame of her insulting enemies and her own marvellous comfort Ch. 7. Towards the latter end of Jotham's reign Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel began to conspire against Judah but they did not invade the land till his Sons days the Lord therein shewing mercy to him in taking him away before those heavy calamities fell upon Judah He was buried in the City of David and Ahaz his Son reigned in his stead 2 King 15. from 32 to the end 2 Chron. 27. whole Chapter The 12th that reigned in Judah AHAZ AHAZ succeeded his father Jotham in the very end of the seventeenth year of Pekah He was twenty * Object If he was only 20 years old when he began to reign and reigned only 16 years then how could his Son Hezekiah be 25 when he began to reign 2 King 18.2 for then he must be born when Ahaz was but 11 years old Ans Ahaz was 20 years old when he was first designed King in his Fathers life time it being the manner of Kings in those troublesome times to set up their Sons in the Throne with themselves in their life time that they might hold it the more sure after their death But when he began to reign by himself alone after his fathers death from which the 16 years of his reign must be reckoned he might be 24 or 25 and so his Son Hezekiah might well be 25 at his death years old when he began to reign and reigned sixteen years He did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God like David his Father The Lord was his God as to outward profession and David was his Father by lineal descent but he would neither faithfully serve God nor imitate David Soon after his Father was dead Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel confederated together and conspired against him intending with their joint forces to go up and besiege Jerusalem and to depose him and to make the Son of Tabeal probably some eminent Syrian King in his stead The King and people of Judah were exceedingly startled at these tidings as apprehending a sudden and final destruction of their Kingdom God hereupon sends the Prophet Isaiah to Ahaz to comfort him and bids him take his Son Shear-jashub along with him whose name intimated that though the Jews should be brought low yet a remnant of them at least should return to their former condition again and should encrease and enjoy the happiness of being a people and a Commonwealth of themselves It seems the names of Isaiahs Sons (a) The Sons of Isaiah were for signs and for wonders C. 8. 18. by reason of the signification of their names which presignified the goodness of God to the Jews were imposed upon them by a spirit of Prophesie and so they were for signs and significations of the goodness of God which he intended to the Jews see Isa 8.18 And thus Isaiah brought his Son Shear-jashub to Ahaz to confirm him and his people with this sign that they should not utterly be destroyed by these two confederate Kings Therefore he advises him to take heed of distrusting God and to be quiet and not to be afraid of those two Tails or ends of smoking fire-brands viz. Rezin and Pekah whom he so calls because they should soon be extinct and their attempts vanish into smoke though they thought to have burnt up all before them For within the compass of 65 years reckoning from the Earthquake in the 22 year of Vzziah's reign * See more hereof in the life of Uzziah the Kingdom of Syria shall be swallowed up by the Assyrian and Ephraim shall be broken †This was brought to pass by Salmanassar 2 King 17.6 that it be not a people But Ahaz seems still incredulous and believed not the Prophets words Isaiah therefore tells him if he doubted of the truth of what he had said to him in Gods name he might freely ask a sign of the Lord to be shewn him either in the heaven or in the earth for the confirmation of his faith But he
for us Isaiah bids them return this answer to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard wherewith the servants of the King of Assyria have blasphemed behold I will send a blast upon him which shall blow him out of this land as the dust or chaff is blown before the wind and he shall hear a rumour of the destruction of a vast number of his Souldiers and Commanders in one night and shall return to Nineveh his chief City and there I will cause him to fall by the sword 2 King 18. from v. 13. to the end 2 King 19. from v. 1 to 8. Isai 36. whole Chapter Isai 37. from v. 1 to 8. Rabshakeh finding that he could neither threaten nor flatter the inhabitants of Jerusalem into a surrender leaving his Army before the City he went presently to Sennacherib whom he found risen from before Lachish and besieging Libna to inform him of the state of things at Jerusalem as also perhaps to confer with him about opposing Tirhakah King of Ethiopia who as he understood was now coming with his Army against them Sennacherib therefore that he might use all possible means to terrifie Hezekiah into a speedy surrender that so he might the better attend the motion of Tirhakah's Army he sends other messengers to him who brought a threatning message by word of mouth and spake to him after the same rate that Rabshakeh had done before they did not indeed mention the persidiousness of Egypt nor the weakness of Hezekiab's Army as Rabshakeh had done but understanding that Hezekiah relyed wholly on God therefore they endeavour to affright him from that confidence by telling him with what ill success other Nations had relyed on their gods instancing in Gozan and Haran Rezeph and the people of Eden all as 't is like regions of Mesopotamia and several other people and therefore they would have perswaded him that he had little reason to trust and relye on his God They also brought with them a blasphemous and threatning Letter from the King of Assyria which Hezekiah having received and read he went up to the Temple and there spread it before the Lord and poured forth unto him a most fervent prayer with many tears humbly and earnestly begging his help in this his great extremity He humbly intreats the Lord to take notice of and to revenge the horrible blasphemies of that daring wretch the King of Assyria against his great and glorious Majesty His prayer was after this manner O Lord of hosts God of Israel who dwellest between the Cherubims on the Mercy-seat and thence art wont to manifest thy gracious presence and thy power to thy poor people Thou art God even thou alone and all the Kingdoms of the earth are thine Thou hast made heaven and earth and all things therein are subject unto thee Incline thine ear O Lord and hear the blasphemous words of Sennacherib's Letter which I here present before thee and open thine eyes and see the blasphemies he hath written therein Hear I pray thee and take notice of all these blasphemous railings wherewith he hath blasphemed and reproached thee the living God Of a truth O Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid wast the Nations they warred against and have cast their gods into the fire for they were no gods but the works of mens hands wood and stone and therefore 't is no wonder they destroyed them But thou art the ever living and true God a God of infinite power and might Therefore we pray thee save us save us out of the hands of the King of Assyria that all the Kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art God and thou only Hezekiah having ended his prayer Isaiah sent unto him this message Thus saith the Lord God of Israel whereas thou hast prayed unto me against Sennacherib King of Assyria this is the word which I have spoken concerning him The virgin-daughter of Sion * The inhabitants of any City or Country are call'd the virgin-daughter of it because delicately and tenderly brought up by their mother as a virgin-daughter and because Jerusalem was fair beautiful and comely as a virgin useâ—h to be in regard of the Temple and other excellencies thereof shall (a) Isaiah Ch. 37.22 Hath despised thee Enallage temporis a praeterperfect Tense for a future despise and laugh thee to scorn O King of Assyria and shake her head at thee to wit when she shall see thine Army destroyed And consider O thou blasphemous wretch who it is whom thou hast reproached and blasphemed and against whom thou hast lifted up thine eyes so high and carried thy self so proudly is it not against the holy one of Israel By Rabshakeh and his companions thy servants thou hast reproached the Lord and hast said By the multitude of my Chariots am I come up to the heigth of the mountains as if thou shouldest have said the strongest places of the Kingdom have I subdued and passed through as a conquerour even those that seemed most inaccessible and am come to the sides of * From the famous Forrest of Lebanon Jerusalem is here call'd Lebanon by a Metaphor Lebanon that is to their chief City and strength the City of Jerusalem where the King his Nobles and Princes dwell are like tall cedars and firr-trees in Lebanon and will cut down the tall-cedars and the choice firr-trees thereof that is I will destroy the Nobles and Princes of Jerusalem and will enter into the lodgings of his border that is will possess my self of his frontier-Towns and will enter into the forrest of his Carmel or by an hypallage into the Carmel of his forrest that is his most excellent and pleasant hill viz. mount Sion on which the most pleasant objects in Jerusalem were seated Thou further sayest I have digged and drunk strange waters and with the soles of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places that is when I have come to places destitute of water even there have I digged up new fountains where none were before and where Cities have been invironed with great and deep waters no sooner have I set my foot there to besiege them but with the multitude of my Souldiers I have dried them up †Hereby an intimation is given that he laughed to scorn Hezekiah's policy in cutting off the waters about Jerusalem and in Thrasonical manner seems to boast that there was nothing he could not do by his own strength nor any places he could not subdue by his own power But though thou boastest so much of thy power in subduing Cities and Countries hast thou not heard that I the Lord of Heaven and Earth long ago contriv'd and determin'd what thou shouldst do viz. that thou shouldst lay wast defenced Cities and turn them into ruinous heaps see Isa 10.5 c. And accordingly I have now brought it to pass And thence it was that the inhabitants of those places were of so small
thou shalt be so perfectly recovered that thou shalt go up to the Temple to render praises and thanksgivings unto me for thy sudden and wonderful recovery and moreover I will deliver thee and this City out of the hands of the King of Assyria and I will defend it for my own glories sake and for the sake of David my servant The Prophet having delivered this comfortable message to the King he then directed him to lay a mass made of dry figs as a plaister upon his boil or plague-sore for so it is conceived to be and though the medicine prescribed was proper for the cure in a natural way yet if we consider the speediness of the cure we may well conclude there was a supernatural and miraculous virtue added by God to hasten the operation of it Hezekiah though he made use of the means prescribed by the Prophet yet for the strengthning of his faith he humbly desired a sign from the Lord that he should recover because this new promise was so contrary to the former threatning Isaiah tells him he shall have this sign from the Lord the shadow on the Sun-dial of Ahaz should suddenly either go backward or forward ten degrees or ten half-hour lines which he should choose The going backward or forward of the shadow which always follows the motion of the Sun ten degrees on a sudden would have been a wonderful miracle yet because it is natural for the Sun and consequently the shadow to go forward and not backward and though it had moved faster away forward now then at other times it had not been so great a miracle as to remove backward which was a course directly against nature therefore Hezekiah chose the going backward of the shadow to be his sign Isaiah thereupon prayed unto the Lord and the Sun went back ten degrees see Isa 38.8 and so caused the shadow on Ahaz's Dial to go back ten degrees also and 't is like the shadow went back in the same manner in all their Dials as we may gather from 2 Chron. 32.31 though here in the Dial of Ahaz it was most observed And thus was Hezekiah's faith confirmed and accordingly he was healed on the third day as was promised 2 King 20. from v. 1 to 12. 2 Chron. 32.24 Isa 38. fr. 1 to 9. v. 21 22. Hezekiah sometime after his recovery composed and set forth an excellent song of praise and thanksgiving wherein he magnifies the mercies and loving kindnesses of the Lord towards him in preserving him from that dangerous sickness which Song he begins thus I said in my extream sickness when the Lord was about to cut off my days and to take away my life I shall go down to the gates of the grave and shall be laid in my sepulchre I said my life is cut short I am deprived of the residue of my years which in the ordinary course of nature I might have hoped to live I said I shall not visit the Temple of the Lord any more among those that will there worship I shall no longer converse with men on the earth I said mine age that is the residue of my years which I might have hoped to live is departed from me and is removed out of my sight as a shepherds tent which we see pitched here to day is to morrow remov'd we know not whither I said I have caused * Est Metonym effecti the Lord by my sin to cut off my life as if a weaver should cut off his web from the thrumb before it be finished I said the Lord will cut me off with a grievous sickness which makes my flesh to consume and pine away I said every day and all the day long that the Lord would make an end of me before the night came and when the night came I thought every hour that as a lion he would break my bones and destroy me before morning and so again after the morning came I thought every hour I should die by reason of the extremity of my pain Like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter that is I made a doleful noise through the greatness of my pain and anguish I did mourn as a dove and so long did I lift up mine eyes towards heaven in prayer that they were weary and dim with looking up I said often O I am oppressed by my disease Lord undertake for me and rescue me from this oppressing pain When he had thus set forth his sad and deplorable condition he then declares Gods unexpected mercy and goodness to him in revoking his former sentence against him stirs up himself to all possible thankfulness What shall I say says he in what words shall I express the loving kindness of the Lord who hath not only graciously removed my disease but hath promised to add to my life fifteen years The Lord hath promised it unto me by his Prophet and I doubt not but he will * Isa 38.15 Himself hath done it a preterperfect tense is put for a future perform it I shall go softly all my years that is I shall pass the rest of my life chearfully and quietly after (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic valet post i. e. postquanâ—â— expertus sum hanc amaritudinem morbi Pisc this bitterness of my soul after this sharp brunt is past and gone O Lord by these things men live that is by thy promises and performances is the life of man prolonged and mine among the rest whom thou hast graciously restored to health again And thus thou hast * Enallage temporis recovered me and made me to live Behold for health I had bitter sickness but thou hast in great love to me (b) To my soul that is to me a part being put for the whole man by Synecdoche delivered me from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back and freely forgiven them and thereupon hast taken away the punishment which they had brought upon me And thou hast done all this for me that I might praise thee in the land of the living For the dead (c) He puts death for the dead per metonymiam adjuncti that lye in the grave cannot praise thee nor celebrate thy name The dead that go down into the pit cannot hope nor expect thy truth and faithfulness in performing thy gracious promises as the living may The living the living he will praise thee for thy mercy shewed unto him as I do this day The living Fathers will declare to their children thy goodness and mercy which thou hast shewed unto them and I hope I shall transmit to my posterity how ready thou wert to save me when I was brought so very low And accordingly I and my people will sing this and other songs of praise to thee in the Temple with stringed instruments all the days of my life Isa Ch. 38. from v. 9 to 21. Sennacherib hearing of Tirraka King of Ethiopia's coming against him went
Judah and Jerusalem agreeably to what Jeremy had done for which the King sought to put him to death but he flying thereupon into Egypt the King by his messengers fetcht him back again and slew him with the sword and cast his dead body among the vilest sepulchres of the common people but Ahikam who had been of great authority with King Josiah 2 King 22.12 stickled so for Jeremy that he was not delivered over to the people to be put to death Jer. 26. whole Chapter In the beginning also of this Kings reign the word of the Lord came to Jeremy and gave him a Prophesie which was afterwards to be executed in the days of Zedekiah whereby he intimated to him that Zedekiah should be King of Judah and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and that he should subdue the neighbouring Nations and bring them under his power In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the Son of Josiah King of Judah says he came this word unto me from the Lord Make thee bonds and yokes and put them upon thy neck and send them to the King of Edom and to the King of Moab and to the King of the Ammonites and to the King of Tyrus and to the King of Zidon by the hand of the messengers which came to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah King of Judah and command them to say unto their Masters thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel I have made the earth the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my great power and by my out-stretched arm and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me and now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon my servant (a) That is whom I am resolv'd to make use of for the executing my judgments upon many Nations and the beasts of the field (b) That is I have given him power over these Nations and all that they have have I given him also to serve him And all Nations shall serve him and his son and his sons son until the very time of his land come (c) The time appointed by God for his visitation and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him (d) Such as serv'd that State before shall then subdue it And it shall come to pass that the Nation and Kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar and will not put their neck under his yoke that Nation will I punish saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence until I have consumed them Therefore hearken not to your Prophets nor to your diviners nor to your dreamers nor to your enchanters no to your sorcerers which speak unto you saying Ye shall not serve the King of Babylon for they prophesie a lye unto you to remove you far from your land (e) Not that they properly intended it but that would undoubtedly be the issue of what they animated them unto and that I should drive you out and ye should perish But the Nations that bring their neck under his yoke and serve him those will I let remain still in their own land saith the Lord and they shall till it and dwell therein Jer. 27. from v. 1 to 12. Jehoiakim in the second year of his reign according to the accustomed policy of his forefathers the better to prevent all changes and settle the Kingdom in his line made his Son Jehoiakin or Jeconiah King with him being then but eight years old 2 Chron. 36.9 In the latter end of the third and beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim Nebuchadnezzar being joined with his father in the administration of the Kingdom of Babylon the things that he was to act are presently revealed to the Prophet Jeremy namely that he should overthrow the Egyptians first at the river Euphrates which immediately after followed he cutting off the forces that Pharoah Necoh left at Carchemish that very year and then that he should conquer the Egyptians in their own Country which came not to pass till after the taking of Tyre in the 27th year of the captivity of Jeconiah as we find Ezek. 29. from 17 to 21. Jer. 46. from 1 to 27. In the self-same fourth year of Jehoiakim which was the first of Nebuchadnezzar * It seems the first year of Nebuchadnezzar concurred with the end of the third and beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim see Dan. 1.1 King of Babylon the Prophet Ieremy reproving the Iews for not hearkning to the word of the Lord which from time to time he had spoken to them even from the thirteenth year of King Iosiah to that present fourth year of Iehoiakim which was three and twenty years and for that they had shewed themselves stubborn and refractory to his admonitions as also to the warnings of all the other Prophets the Lord had sent unto them he then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnezzar upon them and that they should be carried away captive to Babylon and that captivity should last seventy years which term Judah first and then the other Nations there mentioned every one in their order were to serve the King of Babylon and at last the Kingdom of Babylon it self should be destroyed An intimation of which seventy years captivity was long before made by the Prophet Isa 23.15 And it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years according to the days of one King (a) That is so long as one King and his â—ace shall reign viz. Nebuchadnezzar and his seed And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years that the Lord will visit Tyre and she shall turn to her hire and shall commit fornication (b) That is shall trade and traffick and merchandize with all the Kingdoms of the world with all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth Jer. 25. wh Ch. In the same year also Baruch wrote in a roll or scrole of parchment from the mouth of the Prophet Jeremy all the words of the Lord which he had spoken to him concerning Israel and Iudah from the time of Iosiah to that day and he read them in the Court of the house of the Lord in the audience of all the people which were there assembled out of all their Cities on the day of their solemn fast which they yearly kept upon the tenth day of the seventh month As for Baruch himself who was extreamly afflicted in his soul with the apprehension of those direful judgments he had written the Prophet Ieremy comforted him and assured him of his own life amidst all these calamities Ier. 36. from 1 to 9. Ier. 45. wh Ch. Nebuchadnezzar having vanquished the Egyptians about the banks of Euphrates Ier. 46.1 2. and approaching now with his forces towards Iudea to besiege Ierusalem the Recabites of the posterity of Ionadab the Son of Recab 2 King 10.15 leaving their Tents wherein by the rule
an Army against Jerusalem to whom himself in person came a while after and being come again before the City Jehoiakin and his mother and his servants and courtiers went out to him as the Prophet Jeremy advised and yielded themselves to him 2 King 24.10 11 12. Nebuchadnezzar therefore in the eighth year of his reign taking Jehoiakin with his mother and his wives and his courtiers carried them away captive to Babylon also out of Jerusalem he took the Magistrates and every man of strength to the number of ten thousand men and all the Carpenters and Smiths leaving none behind but the poorer sort of people And out of other parts of the land he carried away seven thousand men of able bodies and of Smiths and Carpenters one thousand all strong men and fit for the wars Among which captives Kish Grandfather to Mordecai of the Tribe of Benjamin was one Esth 2.5 6. and Ezekiel the Priest another who therefore in his Prophesie reckons the time all along from this captivity Ezek. 1.2 3. and calls it his deportation Ezek. 33.21 and Ch. 40.1 with these captives Nebuchadnezzar now carried away the treasures of the Lords house †2 King 24.13 't is said He carried away all the treasures of the Lords house viz. all that he pleased For this all must be understood with some limitation for he carried not away all now as may appear from Ier. 27.18 and the treasures of the Kings house and brake in pieces many of the Golden vessels and furniture which Solomon had made for the Temple of the Lord as Isaiah had Prophesied Chap. 39.6 Behold the days come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord. 2 King 24. from 13 to 17. 2 Chron. 36.10 Ier. 29.1 2. The King of Babylon having thus carried away Jehoiakin he set up his Uncle Zedekiah in his place and Iehoiakin after thirty seven years of captivity was highly honoured and raised up by Evil-merodach as we shall see hereafter 1 King 24.17 2 Chron. 36.10 The beginning of the Babylonish Captivity of 70 years according to Helvicus From this carrying away of Jeconiah Helvicus begins the Babylonian captivity that was to last seventy years grounding his opinion on these Scriptures Ezek. 1.2 In the fifth day of the month which was the fifth year of King Jehoiakins captivity Jer. 29.1 now these are the words of the Letter that Jeremiah the Prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the Elders which were carried away captives and to the Priests and Prophets and to all the People whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon after that Jeconiah the King and the Queen and the Eunuchs the Princes of Judah and the Carpenters and Smiths were departed from Jerusalem by the hand of Elasah the Son of Shaphan and Gemariah the Son of Hilkiah whom Zedekiah King of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon saying For thus saith the Lord after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good words towards you in causing you to return to this place And Jer. 24.5 Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel like these good figs so will I acknowledg them that are carried away captive of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good But to go on whilst Nebuchadnezzar thus prevailed against the Jews God prepared a worm which should eat into this spreading tree Psal 137.8 O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us For in this year was Cyrus the Perso-median born whose Father was a Persian and his mother a Mede and he was by the Prophet Isaiah called by his proper name of Cyrus and stiled the deliverer of the Jews so many years before as we may see Isa 44.28 Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer that saith of Cyrus he is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid And Chap. 45.1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed (a) That is whom he intended to make a great King to Cyrus whose right hand I have (b) That is whose right hand I will hold Enallage Temporis that is strengthen to subdue Nations holden to subdue Nations before him and I will loose the loyns (c) i. e. For whose sake I will strike fear and terrror into Kings that they may open to him the Gates of their Cities they shall not be shut against him of Kings to open before him the two leaved gates and the gates shall not be shut And God himself gives the reason of this so unusual a revelation at the fourth verse For Jacob my servants sake and Israel mine Elect I have even called thee by thy name I have sirnamed thee though thou hast not known me (d) Cyrus at first was ignorant of the Lord but afterwards he came to know so much by the Iews that he acknowledged the Lord for the true God Creator of Heaven and earth Ezra 1.2 The 20th and last that reigned in Iudah was ZEDEKIAH NEbuchadnezzar as was shewed before when he carried away Iehoiakin prisoner made Mattaniah Son of Iosiah and Uncle to Iehoiakin King in his stead He is called Brother to Iehoiakin 2 Chron. 36.10 because he was his Fathers Brother and so near of kin to him and he is call'd his Son 1 Chron. 3.16 because he succeeded him in the Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar changed his name into Zedekiah which signifies the justice of Lord for having made a Covenant with him and taken an oath of fidelity from him by the imposition of this name he purposed to mind him that the just judgment of God would fall upon him in case he did violate his oath 2 King 24.17 Jer. 37.1 Ezek. 17.11 12 13 14. Zedekiah was twenty one years old when he began to reign and reigned eleven years and did evil in the sight of the Lord and humbled not himself before Ieremiah speaking to him from the mouth of the Lord. 2 Chron. 36.11 12. 2 King 24. 18 19. About the beginning of his reign the people it seems began to insult over Ieremy and to reproach him because Iehoiakin with many of his subjects were carried away captive and had yielded themselves to Nebuchadnezzar upon his perswasion Whereupon the Prophet under the type of good and bad figs foretelleth it should be better with those that were gone into captivity than with those that were left behind that the former were as good figs * Comparative hic loquitur Propheta cum alios bonos alios malos vocat nec tam de culpa loquitur quam de poena hoc Deus ostendit Prophetae tum quia captivos desperatio obruere poterat tum quia
might remain to support the faith and keep up the spirits of the Jews in a long captivity First He promises the reduction of the Jews into their own Country but before that they were to endure many calamities from the Babylonians during that day of Jacobs trouble but they should at last be saved out of it God promises to break the King of Babylons yoke from off Jacobs neck and that these Chaldeans shall no longer serve themselves of him But that his posterity shall serve the Lord their God and such of Davids lineage as he shall from time to time set over them but more especially the Messias who should come of Davids stock He promises to correct them in measure and yet not to leave them altogether unpunished He promises many great blessings that he would bestow on his Church notwithstanding their great miseries troubles breaches wounds but that Gods wrath shall remain on the wicked In the next Chapter is contain'd the restauration of Israel and the publication thereof After Rachels lamentation for her Sons as lost followeth Gods consolation of her puting her in hope of their return Ephraim repenting is to be brought home again Christ is promised The Lord will create a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man And this shall be the Covenant he will make with his people after those days he will write his law in their hearts and will be their God and this Covenant shall be stable and his Church shall be enlarged Jer. 29. from 24 to the end Jer. 30. whole Chapter Jer. 31. whole Chapter God also by his Prophet Jeremy foretels that Babylon and the land of Caldea shall be over-run and wasted by the Medes and Persians and comforts his own people with the sweet promises of their deliverance Jer. 50. whole Chapter Jer. 51. from 1 to 59. Zedekiah in the fourth year of his reign either went himself or which is more probable sent * Jer. 51.59 When he went with Zedekiah or on behalf of Zedekiah Seraiah a person of great quality about him to Babylon to whom Jeremy delivered the foresaid Prophesies of the destruction of Babylon written in a Book to be first read and then to be thrown into the river Euphrates to signifie that Babylon should so sink and not rise again Jer. 51. from 59 to the end In the beginning of the thirtieth year from that solemn renewing of the Covenant and restauration of the worship of God in the eighteenth year of Josiah which falls in with the fifth of Jehoiakins captivity on the fifth day of the fourth Month God vouchsafed the first vision to Ezekiel one of the captives in Babylon by the river Chebar and from thence he was sent to execute the office and function of a Prophet among the Jews of the Captivity He began thirty four years after Jeremy and continued his Prophetick office about two and twenty years namely to the twenty seventh year of Jehoiakins captivity Ezek. 29.17 It seems many at this time both among the Jews at Jerusalem and among the captives in Babylon murmured and complained against Jeremy as a false Prophet that had misled the people and betrayed them and caused them to yield themselves to the King of Babylon seeing now five years were past and yet Jerusalem stood still Jeremy being thus cried down both at home and abroad especially by false Prophets it pleased the Lord to raise up Ezekiel and pouring out his spirit upon him to set him on work to prophesie and foretell the same things in Babylon that Jeremy had done in Judea though in a more vehement manner so that Jeremy's Prophesies were confirm'd and justified by Ezekiel's The Prophet Ezekiel therefore going to execute his function among the Jews dwelling at Telabib near the river Chebar when he was come thither he sat him down as a man disheartned for the space of seven days After which time God again put him in mind of his charge both with gracious promises if he undertook it and severe threatnings if he refused and then confirmed him with a new sign shewed unto him and gave him courage and boldness by his word and ratified his vocation by a new command Ezek. 1. whole Chapter Ezek. 2. whole Chapter Ezek. 3. whole Chapter Ezekiel is now commanded to make a draught of the siege of Jerusalem in a table of Tile or Slate and to lye along upon one side three hundred and ninety days typifying thereby Gods patience in bearing with the sins and provocations of the Kingdom of Israel 390 years before he destroyed that Kingdom which was the full time from the revolt of the Ten Tribes to their Captivity When he had lain 390 days on his left side he was to turn himself on his right side and to lye so forty days more to typisie Gods patience in bearing with the sins and provocations of the Kingdom of Judah from the time that Iosiah and his people renewed solemnly their Covenant with the Lord unto the Captivity of Zedekiah which was just forty years Then he sets out the grievous famine that should be in the City during the siege Chap. 4. In the three following Chapters he pursues the same matter viz. Ierusalems misery In the fifth he is commanded to cut off his hair and to divide it into three parts by which he was to signifie three dreadful judgments that were to be inflicted on Jerusalem by pestilence sword and dispersion In the sixth Chapter first he threatens desolation to the land of Judea viz. to the Idols Altars and people thereof 2ly Promises mercy to a few that should repent of their evil ways and come to a right knowledg of the Lord from v. 8 to 11. 3ly He sets forth the grief and vexation the rest should feel from the sore judgments that should come upon them from 11 to the end In the seventh Chapter he Prophesies again of the destruction of the Jews and their land from v. 1 to 16. And of the pitiful lamentation that they shall make that escape from v. 16 to 20. And of the pollution of the Sanctuary by their enemies from v. 20 to 23. And of their bondage under the worst of heathens which is represented by a chain from v. 23 to the end Ezek. 4. whole Chapter Ezek. 5. whole Chapter Ezek. 6. whole Chapter Ezek. 7. whole Chapter In the sixth year of Jeconiahs Captivity the sixth month the fifth day of the month Ezekiel was carried in a Vision to Jerusalem and shewed the horrible Idolatry there practised and the plagues that were to befall the City for the same The Vision hath four parts 1. The Prophet is shewn the abominable Idolatry of the Jews in these notorious instances 1. Their having the Image of Jealousie or the Image of Baal among them which highly provoked God to jealousie 2. Their Chambers of Imagery having Idols privately in their Chambers 3. Their women weeping for Tammuz * Some understand it Osiris the Egyptian
down over the face of the whole earth and returning answer to the Angel that sat upon the red horse to wit the Son of God appearing in humane shape that all other Nations and people about Judea were at rest and ease in peace and prosperity only Gods own people the Jews could not recover themselves from their late calamities but were still under great molestations Christ upon this intercedes for the Church whereupon in the hearing of the Prophet God the Father gave a gracious answer speaking many comfortable words to the Angel who intreated him to cease his anger and fury which had been so hot against the Jews and Jerusalem and the Cities of Judah now these seventy years Ch. 1. from v. 7 to 18. 2ly He had a vision of the four Horns and four Carpenters signifying how God would break the power of his Churches enemies Ch. 1. from v. 18 to the end 3ly The vision of the man with the measuring line in his hand to measure Jerusalem intimating the reedifying the City and Temple and safety of both and that God would be their protection and a wall of fire about them and their glory To which is annexed an exhortation to the Jews yet remaining in Babylon to repair to Jerusalem Ho he come forth and flee from the land of the North saith the Lord c. Ch. 2. 4ly A vision of the continuance of the Priesthood among them in which he sees Joshua resisted by Satan whom the Lord rebukes and honours Joshua by taking away his filthy garments and setting a fair miter on his head and establishing him in the Priesthood The thing typified hereby was the Eternal Priesthood of Christ who is described by his names viz. The branch rising out of the stock of David and the stone full of eyes that is of wisdom and providential care for his Church and graven that is beautified with the Graces of the Spirit who giveth remission of sin and peace of Conscience Ch. 3. 5ly The vision of a Golden candlestick and two Olive-trees intimating that as the Candlestick was supplied with oyl naturally dropping from the two Olive-trees standing by it so God without the help of man nay notwithstanding mans opposition would raise and maintain both his material Temple and his Church Chap. 4. Zach. Ch. 1. Ch. 2. Ch. 3 Ch. 4. The Prophet hath now a sixth and seventh vision viz. that of the large flying Roll and that of the Ephab intimating that sin continued in would first bring on private calamities and having filled up its measure would also draw down publick judgments upon the whole Nation By the first vision viz. that of a large flying Roll was typified Gods judgment swiftly coming and ready to be executed upon such as were guilty of theft or perjury and that it should consume their houses and families In the second vision under the type of an Ephah or measure A Talent weighed 3000 Shekels Exod. 38.25 26. or an 125 pound and of a woman sitting in the midst of it and a talent of lead laid upon her to press her down is represented the sinful Nation of the Jews whose wickedness grew to a full measure for which Gods heavy judgments were ready to fall upon them and by the two women carrying away the Ephah with the woman in it into the land of Shinar was signified the Jews dispersion into the Eastern parts of the world viz. into Chaldea Babylon and Mesopotamia where chiefly they reside at this day though generally dispersed all over the world Zach. 5. whole Chapter Zachary hath now an eighth vision of four Chariots coming out from betweeen two mountains of brass drawn by four sorts of horses intimating Gods provident decrees and counsels immoveable as mountains of brass and his directing the Angels of Heaven those ministring spirits in the executing his will upon the enemies of his Church and so as may tend to his Church's good The Prophet is shewn also the effect of their imployment viz. the quieting of Gods Spirit in the North Country that is by their executing his wrath upon them they pacified his anger Ch. 6. from v. 1 to 8. 2ly Vnder the type of two Crowns made of silver and gold offered by strangers and set upon the head of Joshua is typified that the office of King and Priest should be united and continued in Christ who is described first by his name importing his humane nature viz. the Branch 2ly By his works building the Temple of the Lord raising the glory of the Kingly and Priestly office which till his time should be but mean uniting the Kingly and Priestly office in himself and uniting the Gentiles to the Church from v. 8 to 15. In the close of the Chapter the Prophet tells them that they should know by experience that the Lord had sent him unto them and that obedience was the only way wherein they might expect the comfortable fruits of these promises v. 15. Zach. 6. whole Chapter But to return to our History the means that the Adversaries of the Jews used for the hindring the building of the Temple proved effectual through the gracious providence of God for the finishing thereof for search being made for Cyrus's decree it was found at Acmetha in the Province of the Medes which decree was to this purpose that Cyrus in the first year of his reign had decreed that the house of God should be built at Jerusalem in the same place where the former Temple had stood and the foundations thereof strongly laid The Cubits here meant 't is like were the common cubits whereas in the 1 King 6.2 2 Chron. 3.4 the Sacred or Geometrical cubits were meant that the height thereof should be sixty cubits and the breadth sixty cubits with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber which seems to be meant of the buildings about the Priests Court and that they should be made as formerly with three galleries of stonâ— and one of timber and that the expences thereof should be allowed out of the treasure which appertained to the King in those parts And that the Golden and silver vessels of the Temple which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away should be restored This was the decree of Cyrus Darius understanding this gave command to Tatnai and Shetharboznai that they should no way hinder the building of the Temple And further the King not only ratified Cyrus's decree but made a new decree of his own whereby he enlargeth that of Cyrus with more grants and priviledges and chargâ—d Tatnai and his Companions that they should furnish the Jews with moneys out of his tribute to carry on the work as also to buy bullocks rams and lambs for burnt-offerings to be offered to the God of heaven and to buy wheat salt wine and oyl for the sacrifices that they might offer sacrifices of a sweet savour unto the Lord of heaven and earth and pray for the life of the King and of his Sons Also
it And because they could not all conveniently hear Ezra they divided themselves into several companies and in each of them there were Pulpits or Scaffolds erected as may be gathered from Ch. 9.4 from whence they expounded the Law unto them there being several teachers in each place that successively discharged that work And in these holy exercises and duties they continued from morning till noon viz. about five or six hours The people were exceedingly affected at the hearing of the Law expounded to them being thereby convinced of their sins and their liableness to the dreadful judgments of God for them and fell a weeping and wept very sore but Nehemiah the Tirshatha or Governour and Ezra the Priest and those Levites that instructed the people comforted and encouraged them telling them that God was merciful to the penitent and that that was a day holy to the Lord their God and therefore on that day they should rejoyce and not mourn and weep So Nehemiah dismissed them and bad them go their way and eat the fat and drink the sweet that is feast together with their peace-offerings and send portions to them for whom nothing is provided see Deut. 16.14 for this day says he is holy unto the Lord our God neither be ye sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength that is the Lord would have you rejoyce in his goodness and manifold mercies which he has conferred on you and does still continue to you and thereby to comfort your hearts So the people were quieted understanding Gods readiness to forgive them upon their repentance and went and did as Nehemiah directed them Nehem. 8. from 1 to 13. Upon the second day of the same month Ezra was consulted by the Elders of the Families and by the Priests and Levites concerning certain doubts arising upon the reading of the Law the day before and particularly concerning the Feast of Tabernacles whereof as it seems Ezra had purposely spoken to instruct the people about it because that Feast was now at hand Whereupon Ezra shewed them that they were bound to keep that Feast on the 15th day of the seventh month abroad and in booths made of boughs of trees according to the Law Levit. 23.34 v. 40. The people yielded a ready obedience hereunto and accordingly went forth and fetcht in Olive-branches and Pine-branches and Mirtle-branches and Palm-branches and branches of thick trees and made themselves booths upon the roof of their houses and in their Courts and in the Courts of the house of God and in the streets all over the City from one end of it to another and sat under their booths to eat their meat and take their rest and there was great joy and gladness among them so that from the days of Joshua until this time the children of Israel had not kept this Feast * They kept this Feast Ezr. 3.4 1 King 8.65 and at sundry other times with so much devotion and solemnity as now they did for the Law required that only the first and last day of the Feast should be more solemn convocations Levit. 23.35 36. and great holy days whereon they might do no work and their manner it seems had been to assemble the people and on those days only to read the word and though on other days they were to offer sacrifices yet they might therein do the works of their particular callings but such was Ezra's zeal that he did now on every day of the Feast read the Book of the Law and expound it to them and as he was willing to preach so they were willing to hear every day And they kept the eighth day also as a solemn assembly according to the manner which God had enjoyned and his people from time to time had practised On that day they used to beg the pardon of all their sins and failings and to crave a blessing also from the Lord upon themselves and their families for the future Nehem. 8. from 13 to the end The Jews having been so careful according to the Law to keep the Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the month and the Feast of Tabernacles on the 15th 't is likely they omitted not to keep the tenth day which was the day of atonement whereon they were to afflict their souls very solemnly But yet having heard the Law day by day all the Feast of Tabernacles expounded to them Ch. 8.18 and finding thereby how grievously they had sinned and how far short they still were of what God required of them they resolved now to keep a solemn Fast before this great Assembly now gathered together departed to their own houses And accordingly on the 24th of this month they again assembled to keep a solemn fast and to renew their Covenant with God It seems they had not performed what they so solemnly covenanted Ezra 10.3 But by hearing the Law so plainly expounded to them they came to understand how great a sin their taking and living with strange wives was and what great judgments they were liable unto by reason thereof And being deeply priced in their hearts for the same they humbled themselves before the Lord and testified their humiliation by fasting and putting on sackcloth and earth upon their heads thereby acknowledging that they were more worthy to be under the earth than above it And they separated themselves from their strange wives and the children they had by them as also from such strangers as had mixed themselves with them and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers who had given them such an ill example The people stood up in their several places of meeting and being divided as it seems into eight several congregations accordingly eight Levites stood up each of them upon a Scaffold or Pulpit erected for them and the day among the Jews consisting of twelve hours or four Trihoria the first three hours were allotted for the morning sacrifice and the three last for the evening-sacrifice and the other two fourth parts were thus imploy'd one fourth-part the Priests and Levites read in the Law of God and another fourth-part prayed and praised God Thus they continued in these holy exercises from morning to evening The Priests standing upon their several Scaffolds cried unto the Lord with fervency of spirit and extention of voice And they stirred up the people to bless the Lord who liveth for ever and ever going before them in such words as these Blessed be thy glorious name O Lord which is exalted above all blessing and praise and is so high and glorious that we cannot sufficiently praise the same The eight Levites before mentioned had their several companies before whom they prayed and read and expounded the Law But 't is like Ezra did all this before the heads and Governours and other chief men of Judah and that he made the prayer following before them for all that congregation could not hear one man together at one time In this
excellent prayer are these six things to be observed 1. A description of God v. 6. 2. An enumeration of his mercies from v. 7 to 16. 3ly A confession of sins from 16 to 27. 4ly A declaration of Gods just judgments for them from v. 27 to 32. 5ly A supplication for mercy from 32 to 38. 6ly A solemn binding themselves to God by Covenant that they would carefully observe all his commandments v. 38. He begins his prayer thus Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made heaven the heaven of heavens with all their host the earth and all things that are therein the sea and all that is therein and thou preservest them all and the host of heaven worshippeth thee Thou art the Lord God who didst choose Abraham and broughtest him forth out of Vr of the Chaldees and gavest him the name of Abraham And foundest his heart faithful before thee and madest a Covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites to his seed and hast performed thy words for thou art righteous And didst see the affliction of our Fathers in Egypt and heardst their cry by the Red-sea and shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharoah and on all his servants and on all the people of his land For thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them so didst thou get thee a great name and glory which we celebrate to this day And thou didst divide the sea before them so that they went through the midst thereof on the dry land and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps as a stone into the mighty waters Moreover thou leadest them in the day by a cloudy pillar and in the night by a pillar of fire to give them light in the way wherein they should go Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai and spakest with them from heaven and gavest them right judgments and true laws good statutes and commandments And madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath (a) The Sabbath was instituted at the beginning of the world but being much neglected God renewed the command for the observance of it and commandest them excellent precepts statutes and laws by the hand of Moses thy servant And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them But they (b) That is the Israelites that came out of Egypt and our Ancestors since and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments and refused to obey neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them but hardened their necks and in their rebellion appointed a Captain to return to their bondage but thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and forsookest them not Yea when they had made them a molten calf and said This is thy god that brought thee up out of Egypt and had wrought great provocations yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookst them not in the wilderness the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go Thou gavest also thy good Spirit (c) viz. To their Governours to Moses and the 70 Elders Numb 11.17 by whom they were accordingly instructed and directed in the right way to instruct them and with-heldest not thy manna from their mouth and gavest them water for their thirst Yea forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing their clothes waxed not old and their feet swelled not Moreover thou gavest them Kingdoms and Nations and didst divide them into corners (d) That is didst plant them in the several parts and corners of the land of Canaan some within Iordan and some without so they possessed the land of Sihon and the land of the King of Heshbon (e) Which was then in the possesssion of Sihon who had formerly taken it from the Moabites Numb 21.26 and the land of Og King of Bashan Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers that they should go in to possess it So their children wene in and possessed it and thou subduest before them the inhabitants of the land viz. the Canaanites and gavest them into their hands with their Kings and the people of the land that they might do with them as they would And they took strong Cities and a fat land and possessed houses full of all goods wells digged vineyards and oliveyards and fruit trees in abundance so they did eat and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in thy great goodness and the plenty thou hadst given them Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy law behind their backs and slew thy Prophets see 1 King 49.10 which testified (f) And protested that God would not suffer their sins to go unpunished against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them Saviours (g) Temporal deliverers such as the Judges were Judg. 3.9 2 King 13.5 who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries But after they had rest they did evil again before thee therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies so that they had the dominion over them yet when they returned and cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies And thou testifiedst against them by thy Prophets that thou mightest bring them again unto thy Law yet they dealt proudly and hearkened not unto thy commandments but sinned against thy judgments (h) That is thy righteous ordinances and commandments which if a man do he shall live in them (i) See pag. 158. on Levit. 18.5 and withdrew the shoulder (k) That is were stubborn and refused to submit to Gods Government a Metaphor taken from Cattel that struggle and will not take the yoke upon them See Zach. 7.11 and hardened their neck and would not hear Yet many years didst thou forbear them and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands where the Heathen reigned Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious and merciful God Now therâ—fore O our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy let not all the trouble seem little before
it He made him ride on the high places of the Earth that is he inabled them to subdue and conquer the mountainous places and the high-walled Cities of their Enemies and to possess a Land far excelling others in all Commodities whatsoever He made him to eat of the increase of the Earth to suck Honey out of the Rock that is of Bees nestling in the holes of Rocks and Oil of Olive-Trees that grow in stony places He made him to eat of Butter of Kine and Milk of Sheep with the fat of Lambs and Rams of the choice breed of Bashan and Bread made of the finest plumpest and largest kernels of Wheat resembling Kidneys in shape and to drink the pure blood of the Grape that is the choicest red Wine But Jeshurun * Jeshurun derived from Josher signifying Righteousness intimates that by their calling they ought to be a righteous people and to walk uprightly in Gods ways but Moses here by giving them this Title seems to upbraid them that they were so unlike the people they should have been being waxed fat kicked that is hath behaved himself wantonly forsaking God that made him contemptuously and lightly esteeming the Rock of his Salvation in whom alone was his help They provoked Him to jealousie and made him exceeding angry by their spiritual Fornication and worshipping strange gods They sacrificed unto Devils that is unto Idols wherein the Devil was served and not God Levit. 17.7 1 Cor. 10.20 They sacrificed to gods whom they knew not nor had any knowledge or experience of any good from them to new gods newly come up for though they had continued many hundred years in the World yet if compared to the Eternal ever-living God they might be said to be newly come up and to be meer up-starts and such as their Fathers slighted as Vanities Of the Rock that is of the strong God that created them and begat them they were unmindful and forgot Him that formed them and made them his people Isa 43.21 When the Lord saw this he abhorred them because of the provoking of his Sons and Daughters that is of those that professed themselves to be his people And he said I will hide my face from them I will see what their end will be that is I will let them see what a miserable end they will come to when I forsake them For they are a very froward Generation Children in whom there is no faithfulness or fidelity or stedfastness to keep their Covenant with me They have moved me to jealousie with that which is not god that is provoked me to Displeasure by giving that worship which is only due to me to Idols which are no gods and so preferring mear Vanities viz. Stocks and Stones before their Creator Therefore he says he would move them to jealousie that is vex and disquiet them with those that are not a people †The Jews understand this of the Chaldeans who carried them Captive and so grieved them But the Apostle understands it of the Jews rejection for refusing Christ and of the calling of the Gentiles at which the Jews were very angry see Rom. 11.14 Completum hoc cum ab Ethnicis infesterentur Judaei deinde in Gentium vocatione Confer Hos 1.10 Rom. 10.19 Anonym even with a foolish Nation that is by calling the Gentiles who were not now his people and were despised by the Jews for their blindness and folly Rom. 10.19 For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest Hell and shall consume the Earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the Mountains that is the Judgments which God in his anger would bring upon them should be most vehement and dreadful and should utterly destroy the Land and therefore this desolation and destruction is set forth in expressions resembling the Conflagration of the World at the last day He further adds I will heap mischiefs upon them I will spend mine arrows upon them that is I will strike them with many Plagues and they shall be wounded with them as with Arrows suddainly and unexpectedly They shall be burnt with hunger that is consumed with Famine see Lam. 4.8 and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction that is with burning Carbuncles and fiery Vlcers on their Bodies I will send the teeth of Beasts upon them with the poyson of Serpents of the dust viz. that hide themselves in the dust and feed on the dust and assault suddainly They that are abroad shall be slain by the Sword and they that are within shall die with terrour and fear and this misery and calamity shall fall on all sorts old and young I said I would scatter them into Corners and make the remembrance of them cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy lest the Adversaries of my people should behave themseves strangely and lest they should say Our hand is high and the Lord hath not done this God here speaks of Himself after the manner of men who oftentimes desist from doing what otherwise they intended to do for fear of encouraging the pride and insolency of wicked men And therefore God would not bring his people so near to utter destruction as their sins deserved lest their Enemies should thereupon exalt themselves as if by their own power alone or the help of their Idols they had vanquished Israel and done all that they had done see Psal 140.8 And the reason why God was so far provoked as to be ready almost utterly to destroy the Israelites had not respect to his own glory restrained him was because they were a Nation void of Counsel neither was there any understanding in them that is they went on blindly and desperately in wickedness without considering what would be the issue of it O that they were wise says God that they would consider what will befal them in the latter end if they go on in their Rebellions against me that so by true Repentance they may prevent these miseries For if they had not by their frequent and high Transgressions extreamly provoked me their Enemies should never have had that power over them that they have had seeing I had promised them in case they were obedient that an hundred of them should put ten thousand of their Enemies to flight Josh 23.10 Levit. 26.8 and this they have found true in many strange Victories which they have gotten wherein a few of them have defeated whole Armies of their Adversaries And how could it come to pass quite contrary that one of their Enemies should chase a thousand of them and that two of their Enemies should put ten thousand of them to flight except their Rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up that is except the Lord who is their Rock and their only Stay and Strength had delivered them up into the hands and power of their Enemies to be captivated and imprisoned by them at their will and to
Lord is with you while ye be with him and that while you walk in his ways he will not fail to bless you If ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you You may see a clear instance of this in the Kingdom of Israel who for above thirty years last past namely since their revolt under Jeroboam have lived without the publick pure worship of God not having his Priests to instruct them nor regarding his Law to direct them but if they would repent and return to God undoubtedly he would be ready to receive them into his favour again For in former times viz. the times of the Judges when the Israelites were in great trouble and under sore oppressions so that there was no peace to him that went out or came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of those Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City God vexing them with sore adversity yet even then when they did seek to the Lord and turn'd unto him he had mercy upon them and did afford them help and deliverance And so if the ten Tribes that have thus forsaken the Lord would turn to him he would surely have mercy upon them But whatever they do let me advise thee O King and thy subjects to go on courageously with the work of reformation begun by you and assure your selves that God will still be with you to bless you whilst you are for him When Asa heard these words together with the Prophesie of Oded the Father of this Azariah which it seems he declared unto him at this time and added it to his own exhortation Asa took courage and made a more diligent search throughout all his Kingdom and put away the remaining Idols that were found among them and that not only out of the land of Judah and Benjamin but out of the Cities which either his Father Abijam or he himself had taken about Mount Ephraim See 2 Chron. 13.19 17.2 And he renewed and repaired the Altar of the Lord that Solomon had built in the Priests Court which now by continual use was something decayed and he summoned all Judah and Benjamin and such of the ten Tribes as were within his Dominions for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the Lord so eminently blessed him and on the third month in the fifteenth year of his reign which was the 35th * For Rehoboam reigned 17 years Abijah 3 Asa 15 at this present since the Kingdom of Judah and Israel were divided 2 Chron. 15.19 he and his people offered unto the Lord of the spoils they had gotten seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep and entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and all their soul and that whosoever should worship any false Gods either publickly or privately should be put to death according to the Law Deut. 17.2 c. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and Cornets sounding And all Judah rejoiced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought the Lord with their whole soul and he was found of them and heard their prayers and granted their desires accepted what they did and prospered their endeavours and he gave them rest round about There had been no war betwixt Israel and Judah in Asa's time till the 15th year of his reign * 2 Chron. 15.19 for There was no more war read there had been no war viz. betwixt Israel and Judah till the 15th year of Asa Bellum enim non fuerat usque ad annum trigessimum quintum regni Asae Tremel But now about the sixteenth year of Asa and 36th since the division of the Kingdoms Baasha King of Israel perceiving how potent Asa began to be and how fast the Israelites revolted to him and how they had all entred into a Covenant to serve the Lord he began to arm against them in the fourteenth year of his reign and from this time there was war between Baasha and Asa all their days 1 King 15.16 And Baasha having gotten Ramah which was one of the Cities of Benjamin from the King of Judah fearing the greatness of Asa and the revolt of the Israelites to him he resolved to fortifie it and put a Garrison into it that he might keep his own people from flying to him Asa to divert him from building and fortifying of Ramah takes out the silver and gold that were in the Treasures of the Temple and the Kings house and sent them to Benhadad King of Syria to hire him to break his League with Baasha King of Israel He represents to him that there was a League between Benhadad and him as there had been between their Fathers he desir'd him therefore to break the League he had with the King of Israel and to invade his Country that he might depart from him for he was come down to his very borders Doubtless for Asa to be so much afraid of the Israelites and to rob the Temple and therewith to hire an Infidel to break his Covenant with them and to make war upon them and that soon after God had given him so great a victory over that vast host of the Ethiopians Lubims Arabians and Philistines and had manifested so great a readiness to help him was a great sin Benhadad accordingly having received this present not regarding his faith or league made with the Israelites forthwith invaded and took many of their Cities Baasha upon this left off fortifying Ramah and went against Benhadad to defend his own Country †And afterwards when he had secured his own land he went and dwelt at Tirzah In the mean time Asa by Proclamation gathered together all that were able in Judah to go up to Ramah to demolish it and the men of Judah and Benjamin went up thither and fetched away the timber and stones that Baasha had provided to build and fortifie it with and Asa built therewith Geba and Mizpah * See Jer. 41.9 where we read of a pit that Asa had in Mizpah that continued unto the Captivity two Cities in the Tribe of Benjamin Hanani the Seer father of the Prophet Jehu 1 King 16. came hereupon to Asa and said to him Thou hast done ill to distrust the Lord and to relye on the King of Syria to deliver thee from Baasha For hadst thou suffered Benhadad to continue firm to his league with Baasha they both would have invaded thy land and thou shouldst have overcome them both as thou didst the great Army of the Ethiopians whereas now by making an agreement with Benhadad thou hast cut off that advantage from thy self and so his host is escaped out of thy hands Thou maist remember how God gave thee victory over that vast Army of the Ethiopians because thou didst relye on him For the eyes of the Lord
run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him Herein therefore thou hast done foolishly and from henceforth thou shalt have wars with Baasha 1 King 15.16 Asa was very wroth with the Seer for this his plain and faithful dealing with him and put him into prison and dealt very harshly also with some of his subjects at the same time who possibly shewed their dislike of these his proceedings In the 39th year of his reign he was diseased in his feet probably with the Gout and his disease proving exceeding painful he sought not so much to the Lord for help as to the Physicians He died in the forty first year of his reign having reigned in the time of seven Kings of Israel viz. in some part of Jeroboam's and all the time of Nadab Baasha Elah Zimri Omri and in some part of Ahab's and they buried him in a Sepulcher which he had made for himself in the City of David and they laid him in the Bed or Coffin which was filled with all kinds of odours and sweet spices prepared by the Art of the Apothecaries and they made a great burning for him that is they burnt sweet perfumes at his burial in very great abundance and Jehoshaphat his Son reigned in his stead 1 King 15. from v. 9 to 25. 2 Chron. 14. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 15. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 16. whole Chapter The 4th King that reigned in Judah was JEHOSHAPHAT JEhoshaphat began his reign in the fourth year of the reign of Ahab he was thirty five years old when he began to reign and reigned twenty five years in Jerusalem He walked in the ways of Asa his Father doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord was with him because he walked in the first ways of David his Father which were purer and more free from sin than were his latter days He sought not to Baal as did Ahab but sought to the Lord and walked in his ways and commandments and not after the doings of Israel And the Lord established the Kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought him presents and he had riches and honour in abundance and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord that is he was very zealous and couragious in the cause of God and went on with an high and magnanimous spirit without any fear or discouragement At his first coming to the Crown he placed forces in all the fenced Cities of Judah and Garrison'd the Cities of Ephraim which his Father Asa had taken See 2 Chron. 15.8 And strengthened himself against Israel The remnant of the Sodomites which remain'd in the days of his Father he took out of the land He took away also such high-places as were dedicated to the worship of strange gods but those wherein the people served the true God of Israel he took not away but the people offered and burnt incense still in them See 1 King 22.43 'T is true his Father had twice removed them 2 Chron. 14.5 15.8 16. yet it seems some escaped or else the people in his Fathers declining time when he was diseased in his feet renewed them But those high-places wherein they served the true God of Israel he took not quite away but the people offered and burnt incense still in them for they had not at least not a great many of them disposed their hearts to follow the Lord intirely and his commandments and injunctions See 2 Chron. 20.33 Some reformation indeed they had yielded unto but yet their hearts hankered still after their old superstition See 2 Chron. 15.17 And though Jehoshaphat did endeavour to reform what was amiss among them yet from the high-places * Docemur hinc Deo displicere Electitios cultus a Deo non prascriptos Osiander the people would not be reclaimed In the third year of his reign finding as we said before that the people were in many places much addicted to Idolatry and had set up the high-places which his Father Asa had pulled down he sent some choice Priests and Levites as Visitors into several parts of his Kingdom to see whither they were rightly taught and instructed and by their own personal teaching to confirm those that were well instructed and to convince those that were corrupted or misled and to shew them how expresly the Law did forbid and threaten all Idolatry whatsoever and with them he sent some Princes and men of note to countenance and encourage them and possibly to punish those who should oppose them or be obstinate in their errors Jehoshaphat thus setting himself to the work of Reformation a great terror from the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms round about him so that they made no war nor gave any disturbance to him Also some Philistines that were deadly enemies to the Jews brought presents to him and tribute-silver Asa having subdued a considerable part of them as we may see 2 Chron. 14.14 And the Arabians brought him flocks their chief calling being to breed and feed cattel and so brought such presents as they had viz. seven thousand and seven hundred rams and as many he-goats These were all clean cattel and so fit both for meat and sacrifice Jehoshaphat now waxed great exceedingly great in riches great in power and great in honour and esteem and he built Castles in Judah and Cities of store viz. to lay up his ammunition and provisions in And he had much business in the Cities of Judah that is he took great care himself and employ'd others under him about such things as were of publick concernment for the good of those Cities in particular and the whole Kingdom in general but his chief Commanders and Captains with some choice Companies of Souldiers he kept about his own person in Jerusalem Moreover he had a great Militia ready to attend him upon any emergent occasion and these were under the command of five able leaders successively The Trained bands of Judah being first under the command of Adnah and when Adnah was dead under the command of Jehohanan and when he was dead under Amaziah the Son of Zichri who willingly offered himself to the Lord viz. to fight the Lords battels against the enemies of the land So likewise the Trained bands of Benjamin were first under Eliada and next after him under Jehozabad and their numbers were in the several times of these Generals sometimes more and sometimes less This was his Militia besides the Souldiers he had in Garrisons and these in their courses some at one time and some at another came up to Jerusalem to wait upon the King About the eighth year of his reign he join'd in affinity with Ahab and married his eldest Son Jehoram to Athaliah Ahab's daughter It may seem strange that so pious a King as Jehoshaphat was should ever be induc'd to marry his Son and heir of his Crown to the daughter of wicked and