Heaven and the Angels were of necessity say some to be created the first instant that they might have their perfection of matter and form together otherwise they should be corruptible For whatsoever is of a praeexistent matter is resolvable and subject to corruption But that which is immediately of nothing is perfectly composed hath no other change but by the same hand to return to nothing again But if this were the Heaven Quest what was the Earth here mentioned Not that we now tread upon for that was not made till the third day But the Matter of all Answ that was afterwards to be created being all things in power nothing in act Vers 2. And the earth was without form and voyd That is as yet it had neither essential nor accidental perfection The Lord afterward did form it into Light the Firmament the Water and the Earth So beginning above and building downwards in the new Creature he doth otherwise and in three days laying the parts of the World and in other three days adorning them The Rabbins tell us Alsted Lexic Theol. p. 111. that Tohu and Bohu do properly import Materia prima and privatio and others of Tohu derive Chaos whence the ancient Latines called the World Chohus and borrowed their word Inchoâ— c. And darkness was upon the face of the deep That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of Hell as Origen expounds it but of the deep waters see the like Luke 8.31 Which as a garment covered the earth and stood above the mountains Psal 104.6 This darkness God created not for it was but the want of Light And to say That God dwelt in darkness till he had created Light was a devilish sarcasm of the Manichees as if God were not Light it self and the Father of lights 1 John 1.5 James 1. Or as if God had not ever been a Heaven to himself Ere ever he had formed the earth and the heavens Psal 92.2 What he did or how he imployed himself before the Creation is a Sea over which no ship hath sailed a Mine into which no spade hath delved an Abyss into which no bucket hath dived D. Preston of Gods Attributes p. 34. Our sight is too tender to behold this Sun A thousand yeers saith a great Divine are to God but as one day c. And who knoweth what the Lord hath done Indeed he made but one World to our knowledg but who knoweth what he did before and what he will do after Thus he As for Saint Augustine Prasul ad haec Lybicus Sabin Poâ—â— fabricabat Tartara dixit His quos scrutari â—â—lia mente juvat Excellently another Cuff his Differ of Ages p. 22. who wanted no wit As in the eliament of fire saith he there is a faculty of heating and inlightning whence proceedeth heat and light unto the external neer bodies And besides this faculty there is also in it a natural power to go upward which when it cometh into act is received into no other subject but the fire it self So that if fire could by abstractive imagination be conceived of as wanting those two transient operations yet could we not justly say it had no action forasmuch as it might move upward which is an immanent and inward action So and much more so though we grant that there was no external work of the Godhead until the making of the World yet can there be no necessary illation of idleness Seeing it might have as indeed it had actions immanent included in the circle of the Trinity This is an answer to such as ask what God did before he made the World Plotin Eunâ—â—d 3. lib. 2. c. 2. God saith Plotinus the Platonist not working at all but resting in himself doth and performeth very great things And the Spirit of God moved c. Or hovered over and hatched out the creature Ferebatur super aquas non pervagatione sed potestate non per spatium locorum ut Sol super terram sed per potentiam sublimitatis suae Eucberius Psal 145 9. as the Hen doth her chickens or as the Eagle fluttereth over her young to provoke them to flight Deut. 32.11 Or as by a like operation this same holy Spirit formed the childe Jesus in the Virgins womb in that wonderful over shadowing Luke 1.35 The Chaldee here hath it The Spirit breathed and David saith the same Psal 33.6 He became to that rude dead mass a quickning comforting Spirit He kept it together which else would have shattered And so he doth still or else all would soon fall asunder Heb. 1.3 Psal 104.29 were not his conserving Mercy still over or upon all his Works Verse 3. And God said Let there c. He commanded the light to shine out of darkness He spake the word and it was done 2 Cor. 4.6 Psal 33.9 148.5 Creation is no motion but a simple and bare emanation which is when without any repugnancy of the Patient or labor of the Agent the work or effect Dei Dicere eft Efficere doth voluntarily and freely arise from the action of the working cause as the shadow from the body So Gods irresistible power made this admirable Work of the world by his bare word as the shadow and obscure representation of his unsearchable wisdom and omnipotency And there was light This first light was not the Angels as Augustine would have it nor the Element of fire as Damascen nor the Sun which was not yet created nor a lightsome cloud or any such thing but the first day which God could make without means as Galvin well observeth This light was the first ornament of the visible World and so is still of the hidden man of the heart the new Creature Acts 26.18 The first thing in Saint Pauls commission there was to open mens eyes to turn them from darkness to light c. To dart such a saving light into the soul as might illighten both Organ and Object In which great work also Christs words are operative together with his commands in the mouths of his Ministers Know the Lord understand O ye bruitish among the people c. There goes forth a Power to heal as it did Luke 5 1â— Or as when he bade Lazarus ariâ—e he made him to arise So here the Word and the Spirit go together and then what wonder that the spirit of darkness falls from the heaven of mens hearts Ephes 5 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet 2 9. as lightning Luke 10.18 So as that they that eâ—st were darkness are now light in the Lord and do preach forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Verse 4. And God saw the light that it was good Praeviderat autèm â—â—sberellus so one rendereth it he saw this long before but he would have us to see it he commends the goodness of this work of his to us Good it is surely
killing him nor as the Angel did Balaam with a drawn sword in his hand to destroy him Neither did he rush upon him as David ran upon Goliah and cut off his head But with a soft and slow pace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gressu grallatorio Isai 28.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad vesperam dici as if he had no minde to it he comes walking toward them to do this his work his strange work of sentencing sinners and that in the cool of the day too or towards the evening as Saint Ambrose hath it after the Septuagint Whereas to shew mercy behold he comes leaping upon the Mountains skipping upon the Hills Lo this is the voyce and the pace of my beloved Cant. 2.8 God was but six days in making the whole world yet seven days in destroying one city Jericho as Chrysostom long since observed He scourgeth not his people Isai 42.14 till there be no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 He forbears us though he cry like a travelling woman to be delivered of his judgments And Adam and his wife hid themselves Their covering of figleaves then was too short for here they run with their aprons into the thicket to hide from God A poor shift God wot but such as is still too much in use If I have covered my transgressions as Adam Job 31.33 or after the maner of men saith Job then let this and this evil befal me The bad heart runs from God and would run from its own terrors as the wounded Deer from the deadly Arrow that sticks in his side Facti sunt à corde suo fugitivi Tertul. but refusing ordinary tryal it is in danger to be prest to death inevitably We have no better refuge then to run from God to God Blood-letting is a cure of bleeding a Burn of a burn To close and get in avoyds the blow c. Vers 9. Where art thou Not as if God knew not for he searcheth Jerusalem with lights Jam. 1.17 yea himself is the father of lights the great eye of the world to whom the Sun it self is but a snuff Zach. 3.9 2 Chron. 16 9. Heb. 4.13 exp He hath seven eyes upon one stone yea his eyes run to and fro through the earth and all things are naked and open Naked for the outside and open for the inside before the eyes of him with whom we have to deal Simple men hide God from themselves and then think they have hid themselves from God like the Struthiocamelus they thrust their heads into a hole Plin. when hunted and then think none seeth them But he searcheth so one may do yet not finde and knoweth Psal 139.1 He seeth so one may do yet not observe and pondereth Prov. 5.21 Though men hide their sins as close as Rachel did her idols or Rahab the spyes Though they dig deep to hide their counsels God can and will detect them Prov. 15.11 with a wo to boot Isai 29.15 For hell and destruction are before him how then can Saul think to be hid behinde the stuff or Adam behinde the bush At the voyce of the Lord he must appear will he nill he to give account of his fear of his flight This he doth but untowardly in the words following Vers 10. I heard thy voyce So he had done before his fall and feared not Are not my words good to the upright Micah 2.7 Excellently Saint Austin Adversarius est nobis quamdiú sumus ipsi nobis Quamdiú tu tibi inimicus es inimitum habebis Sermonem Dei Yea but I was naked and therefore hid my self This also was non-causa pro causa There was another pad in the straw which he studiously conceals viz. The conscience of his sin Hic verò non factum suum Excusando seipsum accusat Gregor Prov. 19.3 sed Dei factum in semetipso reprehendit saith Rupertus He blames not himself but God for making him naked and so verifies that of Solomon The foolishness of man perverteth his way and then to mend the matter his heart fretteth against the Lord. O silly simple Vers 11. Who told thee His own conscience awakened and cited by Gods voyce Joh. 4. told him as the woman of Samaria said of our Saviour all that ever he did Before and in the acting of sin we will hear nothing but afterwards Conscience will send forth a shrill and sharp voyce that shall be heard all the soul over such as was that of Reuben to his brethren Did not I warn you saying Sin not against the childe c. The Books of our Consciences are now sealed up and the woful contents are not read by the Law They remain as Letters written with the juyce of Oringes or Onions which are onely to be made legible by the fire of Gods wrath Then shall the wicked run away but all in vain with those words in their mouthes Isai 33.14 Who amongst us shall dwell with this devouring fire Who shall abide by these everlasting burnings Then shall they tire the Mountains with their hideous out-cryes Fall upon us hide us crush us in pieces grinde us to powder But how can that be when the Mountains melt and the Rocks rent asunder at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob Vers 12. The woman whom thou gavest Here he rejects the fault upon the woman and thorow her upon God who gave her to be with him or before him or such another as himself with reference to that Lenegdo Chap. 2.20 or a help meet for him This she might have been to him had he been that he ought to her a manly guide in the way to Heaven He should have rebuked her as Job did his wicked wife for transgressing Gods Law and tempting him to the like Then had her sin been personal rested upon her self and gone no further had not he hearkned to her voyce But he not onely not did thus but insteed of agnizing his fault seeks to transfer it upon God That sith he could not be like unto God in the divinity which he aymed at he might make God like unto himself in iniquity which was to fill up the measure of his sin that wrath might have come upon him to the utmost but that Gods mercy was then and is still over all his own good and our bad works Vers 13. And the woman said The Serpent Thus the Flesh never wants excuses Nature need not be taught to tell her own tale Sin and shifting came into the world together never yet any came to Hell but had some pretence for coming thither It is a very course Wool that will take no Dye Sin and Satan are alike in this they cannot abide to appear in their own colour Men wrap themselves in excuses as they do their hands to defend them from pricks This is still the vile poyson of our hearts that they will needs be naught and yet will not yield but that
so often to put the thorn to his breast Psal 103.1 2 3. And why would God have the plates of the censers of those sinners against their own souls to be a covering to the Altar but to be a memoriall to the children of Israel that no stranger come near to offer incense that he be not as Corah and his company c Numb 16.38 40. Vers 26. Jokâ—an begat Almodad c. This man with his sons may seem to have seated in the East-Indies But fallen from Hebers faith to Hethenisme they are written in the dust there 's little mention of them in the Scriptures They have lost their Genealogie as those degenerate Priests who in the time of the captivity took scorn to be in the register and were therefore worthily afterwards rejected by the Tirshata â—â—ra 2.61 CHAP. XI Vers 1. And the Whole earth was of one language UNity without verity is no better then conspiracy A legion of Devills could accord to get into one man and though many yet they speak and act as one in that possession That infernall Kingdome is not divided against it self A shame for Gods Saints to be at difference What should sheep do snarling like dogs one at another The children of this world are wiser a fair deal in their generation they can combine and comply as here though their society be as unsavoury as the slime and filth that is congealed when many Toads and other Vermine meet together Vers 2. In the land of Shinar Which was a part of the garden of Eden as most Geographers think fat and fruitfull still above beliefe Herodot l. 1. c. 193. Plin. l. 6.26 Vers 3. And they said one to another One broached this counsell and the rest soon consented Heb. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 18.5 Intùs apud se aestuabat prae â—elâ— ardore Let us consider one another to whet on to love and good works One live-coal may set a whole stack on fire When Silas came Paul burned in spirit and preached lustily Let us make brick c. Thus wanting stones they devised matter for their cursed building Good cause hath the Church to be as ingenious and sedulous in building Stair-cases for heaven as the Devill and his Imps in digging descents to hell Apud Babylonem Trajanuâ— Imp. vidit lacum bitumiâ—is ex quo moenia Babylonis aedificata suerant Cujus tanta vis est ut permixtum cum lateribus quovis saxs sit aut ferro potentius Dio in vita Trajan Jam cum Jove de divitiis licet certetis Cassiod l. 7. Var. â—pist 15. Habac. 2. Matth 11.12 Diriâ—iunt metapb à castris aut arcâ— quapiam quae irrumpeutib hostâ—buâ— diripitur Hâ—lar And they had brick for stone and slime for morter And yet though the walls were high and huge this City was taken first by Cyrus afterwards by Alexander and plundered at severall times by many other enemies Shusa in Persia was first built by Tithonus and his son Memnon who was so exceeding prodigall that as Cassidorus writeth he joyned the stones together with gold so rich it was that Aristagoras thus cheared up his souldiers that besieged it This City if you can take you may vye with Jove himself for wealth and riches Here Alexander found 50000. talents of gold besides silver But what is all this to the heavenly Jerusalem whose pavement is pure gold and her walls garnished with all pretious stones 〈◊〉 Rev. 21.19 Why do we then labour in the fire to load our selves with thick clay Why doth not this Kingdome of heaven suffer violence by us sith the violent take it by force or make a prey a prize of it so Hilary rendreth it as souldiers do of a City they have taken Oh that we could say of heaven as Sixtus Ruffus doth of Cyprus Cyprus famosa divitiis paupertatem populi Rom. ut occuparetur sollicitavit This Island was anciently called Macaria Heaven more truly Vers 4. Let us build us a City and a Tower This Tower raised a head of Majesty 5164. paces from the ground having its basis and circumference equall to the height The passage to goe up went winding about the outside and was of an exceeding great breadth there being not onely room for horses carts c. Hey Geog. to meet and turn but lodgings also for man and beast and as Verstegan reporteth grasse and corn fields for their nourishment Let us make us a name This is a disease that cleaves to us all to receive honour one of another and not seek the honour that cammeth from God onely Joh. 5.44 A rare man he is surely that hath not some Babel of his own Dr. Prid. contra Eudamon Joh. whereon he bestows pains and cost onely to be talked of Hoc ego primus vidi was Zabarelles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicurus would have us believe that he was the first that ever found out the truth of things Secum literas esse natas moriâ—uras Sucton Aug. de Civit. Dâ—â— l. 16. Pâ—lamon gave out that all learning was born and would dye with him Aratus the Astrologer that he had numbred the Starâ— and written of them all Archimedes the Mathematician that if he had but where to set his foot he could move the earth out of its place Herestratus burnt Diana's Temple for a name And Plato writes of Protagoras that he vaunted Platâ— in Meâ—â—â— Tusc 3. Pro Archiâ— Pocta that whereas he had lived sixty years forty of them he had spent in corrupting of youth Tully tells us that Gracchus did all for popular applause and observes that those Philosophers that have written of the contempt of glory have yet set their names to their own writings which shews an itch after that glory they perswaded others to despise These two things saith Tully somewhere of himself I have to boast of Epist famil l. 7. Optimarum artium scientiam maximarum rerum gloriam my learned works and noble acts Julius Caesar had his picture set upon the globe of the world with a sword in his right hand a book in his left Gabriel Simâ—on in Symboâ—is Dion Cass in Tyberto with this Motto Ex utroque Caesar Vibius Rufus used the chair wherein Caesar was wont to sit and was slain he married also Tullies widow and boasted of them both as if either for that seat he had been Caesar or for that wife an Oratour When Maximus dyed in the last day of his Consulship Caninius Rebilus petitioned Caesar O vigilantem Consulem qui tuto consulatâ—â— sui tempore somnum non vidit for that part of the day that he might be said to have been Consul So many of the Popish Clergy have with great care and cost procured a Cardinals hat when they have lain a-dying that they might be entituled Cardinals in their Epitaph as Erasmus writeth But for mens enobling themselves by building those seven wonders of the world were made
them when he came to execution he confessed that he would many times have repented of that foul sin but could not Joh. Manlii lec com p. 322. so fast was he held in the devills bonds and that now he was willing to dye and accept of the chastisement of his iniquity Howbeit Ibid. 487. it is an opinion held and maintained by the Anabaptists that Adultery is not to be punished by men because the Scripture saith Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Others would prove the same from those words of our Saviour Joh. 8.11 to the woman taken in adultery Neither do I condemne thee But they may as well say That inheritances are not to be divided betwixt brethren because Christ would not divide them when required thereto Luke 12.14 Vers 4. But Abimelech had not come near her Being hindred by sickness vers 17. Well might St. Ambrose call siekness Morbos virtutum officinas vocat Ambros Nuper me amici cujusdam languor admonuit opimos esse not dum inâ—irmi sumâ—â— Plin. Epist 26. l. 7. Manl. loc com p. 667. The shop of vertues When men are fastened to their beds and their bones made to rattle in their skin lust will be laid asleep and little leisure left for luxury This made King Alured pray God to send him alwayes some sickness whereby his body might be tamed and he the better disposed affectioned to God-ward If it be painfull to the vine to bleed 't is worse to wither Better be pruned to grow then cut up to burn Otho tertius Imperator dictus miraculum mundi amoribus periit How much happier he that sang Periissem nisi Periissem Lord wilt thou slay also a righteous Nation For he knew that whole Nations had smarted for the sins of their Rulers this sin of Adultery especially as we read of Shechem Troy c. How wore the Greeks plagued for the rape of Chrysis and the Lacedemonian Common wealth utterly overturned by Epaminendas in the battle of Leuctra for a rape committed upon the two daughters of Scedasus by a couple of Spartan Gentlemen traveling to Delphos This might make Abimelech afraid lest for his fault wrath should fall upon his people also Vers 5. Said he not unto me She is my sister c. Here Abraham and Sarah Rom. 4. 1 Pet. 3. though both famous he for his faith and she for not being afraid with any amazement 1 Pet. 3.6 yet here they shew some trepidation Sense saith One fights sore against faith when it is upon its own dunghill I mean in a sensible danger Natures retraction of it self from a visible fear M. Vines his Fast-Sermon Elias fulminator ad Jezabalis minas trepidat may cause the pulse of a Christian that beats truly and strongly in the main point the state of the soul to intermit and faulter at such a time In the integrity of my heart Great is the boldness of a clear conscience be it but in some one particular as here in Abimelech a man that was magis extra vitia quà m cum virtutibus as Tacitus saith of Galba rather not evill then good one whose nature was not changed Tac. l. 1. c. 12. but chained up onely Civill men are but Wolves chained up tame Devils Swine in a fair meadow and yet these are the worlds honest men and as high a price set upon them as was once upon a cab of Doves-dung in the famine of Samaria But these Abimelechs these Catoes these civill Justiciaries they want sincerity in the first Table and integrity in the Second for they stand not upon the inward corruptions nor lesser breaches of the Law Abimelech for all his confidence here was to blame for his wandring rash lust And Cato that mirror of morality was a griping Usurer prostituted his wife and slew himself Hist lib. 2 And yet Paterculus will tell you that he was Homo virtuti simillimus per omnia virtute Diis quà m hominibus propior c. Vers 6. Yea I know that thou didst this c. God takes his excuse and yet chastiseth him to teach us saith Calvin Non prorsus vacare culpâ qui humane modo puri sunt He can finde flawes in that for which we may look for thanks This makes Nehemiah crave pardon of his zealous reformations and David cryâ—s out Enter not into judgement c. Sordet in conspectâ— judicis quod fulget in conspectu operantis saith Gregory Ye are they that justifie your selves before men saith Christ to the Pharisees but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 A thing which I see in the night may shine and that shining proceed from nothing but rottenness But be not deceived or if ye be yet God is not mocked Sacco soluto apparuit argentum Ambroâ— When he comes to turn the bottome of the bag upwards as the Steward did Benjamins all our secret thefts will out all our collusions come to light His Law is a Law of fire Deut. 33.2 His tribunall of fire Ezek. 1.27 His pleading with sinners in flames of fire Esa 60.15 16. The triall of our works shall be by fire and God before whom is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Happy are they that are here purged by that Spirit of judgement and burning Esa 4.4 These shall stand in judgement yea dwell with everlasting burnings Esa 33.14 For I also with held thee Either by sickness as aforesaid or by a spirit of restraint a gift that God gives to men yea to the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Psal 68.18 in his Religion and worshippers which else the wicked would never suffer Thus God chained up Laban and made Saul to melt over David c. Now many take this poor counter that is I am not as some others are so bad as the worst and set it down for a thousand pound Our Saviour indeed is said to have looked upon the young Pharisee and to have loved him Mark 10.21 because he saw him to be a tame man free from foule crimes and fit to live in a Commonwealth But no otherwise then as we love pictures which are pretty things to look on and that 's all they are good for A better nature if rested in is but a beautifull abomination a smooth way to hell And yet say what we can this kinde of men grow crooked and aged with good opinions of themselves and can seldome or never be set straight again They will trust in Moses Job 5.45 and when they have sick fits and qualms of conscience lick themselves whole by their repentance and so rest in it Which made Austin say that Repentance damneth more then sin They seek not to be saved by the righteousness of faith neither see they any necessity of growing from faith to faith No they are set they are as good as ever they mean to be they that
For which caus also it was a received tradition among the the Jewes that during those four daies the Lamb was tied to their bed posts Ver. 4. Shall make your count seil of Communicants that the whole may bee eaten up and everie one have enough Spiritual blessings may bee divided in solidum one may have as much as another and all alike The Gentiles also are called to fruition and feeding on the Lamb. Ver. 5. Without blemish Christ that immaculate Lamb of God was hereby typified 1 Pet. 1.19 See the Note there From the sheep or from the goats A lamb to shew Christ's innocencie meekness patience profitableness Or a kid to shew that hee was a sinner 1. By Imputation for God made our sins to meet upon him Isa 53.6 2. By Reputation for hee made his grave with the wicked ver 9. Ver. 6. Vntil the fourteenth daie See the note on ver 3. In the evening Christ came in the evening of the world Heb. 1.2 in the last hour 1 Job 5. when all laie buried in darkness in the even-tide of our sin and death Ver. 7. And strike it on the two side-posts Not on the threshold Wee may not tread under foot the Son of God or count the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 but get our hearts sprinkled therewith by the hysop-bunch of Faith from an evil conscience that wee may serv the living God Heb. 9.14 Ver. 8. In that night By candle-light so must wee feed upon Christ lumine supernaturali Isa 53. by his knowledg doth God's righteous servant justifie manie Rost with fire Not raw wee may not grosly conceiv of Christ nor rashly receiv him Not boiled bur rost to shew that Christ was rosted in the fire of his father's wrath sicut tostis cibariis non adhibentur alia ut in â—lixis fieri consuevit it à solum Christum debemus apprehendere fide Alsted saith an Interpreter And unleavened bread See the Note on 1. Cor. 5.7 8. And with bitter herbs To teach that looking upon Christ whom they have pierced men must bee in bitterness Zach. 12.10 and feel what an evil and bitter thing sin is Jer. 2.19 beeing readie to suffer hardship with Christ though hee should feed us to the full with bitter herbs and make us drunk with wormwood Lam. 3.15 Ver. 9. His head with his legs To let us see our need of whole Christ and our most perfect comunion with Him Ver. 10. And yee shall let nothing of it remain Wee may not presume to sin in hope of pardon Christ will not stand us for a sinning-stock Ver. 11. With your loins girt As prest and intent to the service so wee should bee at all times but especially when to depart out of the Fâ—ypt of this life and to take heaven by force Then if ever wee should hoc agere gird up the loins of our minds c. 1 Pet. 1. And yee shâ—ll â—at it in hast As not doubting of deliverance and waiting a call out of life It is the Lord's passover A sacramental expression like that of our Savior This is my bodie Mat. 26.26 see the Note there The sacraments of the old Testament were both saeraments and types but those of the New are sacraments onely Ver. 12. And will smite all the first-born This crosseth not that in Ezek. 18. The son shall not bear the iniquitie of his father for God never punisheth the innocent becaus all are guiltie before Him These Egyptians had slain Israël God's first-born And it is the observation of Theodoret that when God smote Pharaoh's first-born hee drew blood of the arm for the cure of the head which becaus it mended not thereupon came also to confusion and upon all the Gods of Egypt As hee did here upon the Popish Idols in the begining of the Reformation by detecting their vanitie and laying their honor in the dust Ver. 13. I will pass over you Or over-skip you So hee dealeth oft by his who should therefore keep a passover for our safetie Ver. 14. By an Ordinance for ever Till Christ our passover should bee sacrificed for us and then the Christian passover was to succed Ver. 15. Yee shall put away leaven All unsoundness in point of Faith and insinceritie in point of Practice See the Note on 1 Cor. 5.7 Ver. 16. An boliâ— convocation This same word in the Hebrew signifieth the holie Scriptures Nehem. 8 9. to teach us saith one that the Scriptures ought to be read in the Congregation and holie Assemblies Ver. 17. In this self-same daie Heb. In the bodie or strength of this daie so the mid-daie is called Art thou delivered helped write up the time and place Ver. 18. Vntil the ane and twentieth daiâ— As Austin said of the feast of Pentecost might these of the Passover may wee of the Powder plot Gaudet produci haec solemnitas It were well iâ— this holie-daie were a double-daie Ver. 19. No leaven found See the Note on ver 15. Shal bee cut off For a smal fault as it may seem to som but the less the matter the greater is the contempt in denying to do it Keep therefore God's commandement as the sight of thine eie Look to those minntula Legiâ— that yee may live Ver. 20. Yee shal eat nothing leavened Watch carefully against corruption in life and doctrine bee punctual in your preparation to and participation of the Christian passover Ver. 21. All the elders of Israël The masters of Families who in this Familie-service were to kill and eat and set before the rest of the houshold as priests at home and to shew them the meaning of that mysterie Ver. 22. A bunch of hysop An herb of a purging propertie See 1 Cor. 6.11 The blood that is in the bason The remembrance of Christ's bloodie passion must bee kept fresh in our hearts Strike the lintel Profess Christ crucified Tâ—m recent milâ—i nunc Christus ac si hac borâ â—â—dissâ—t sanguinem Luth. honor him by a holie conversation minde him in your out-goings and in comings None of you shal go out Bee not of those that withdraw to perdition but of them that believ to the salvation of the soul Heb. 10.39 Mingle no more with the Egyptians Ver. 23. Will not suffer the destroier Angels delight to bee executioners of God's judgments and Saviors of his people Ver. 24. For ever See the Note on ver 15. Ver. 25. Yee shal keep this service yet with som variation of circumstance Ver. 26. When your children Children are to bee carefully catechised and informed Eph. 6.4 See the note there Luther scorned not to profess himself discipulum Catechismi a Catechism Scholar Ver. 27. Bowed the head In token of submission to the command and thank fulness for such a salvation Ver. 28. Went away and did c. They that will not timously obeie God's sweet precepts shal one daie have no other command to obeie but that bitter Ite maledicti Go
made by a live and a slain goat Upon the live goat called the scape-goat were put the offenses of the Children of Israël and the goat thus Cerimonially laden was let go into the wilderness the other goat was set apart for a whole-burnt-offering The former Cerimonie signified that the Son of God came down from heaven into the wilderness of this world that hee might take away the sins of the world The later shadowed out the blood of Christ which alone cleanseth us from all sin 10. The seventh-year-Sabbath had both an Ecclesiastical and a Civil use For 1. it did set forth and commend to the people the spiritual Sabbath which begineth in the expiation wrought by Christ 2. It distinguished this Nation from others 3. It exercised the people in confidence of God's Providence 4. It much conduced to the fruitfulness of the fields which if exhausted with continual tillage would have grown barren and so an evil report would have passed of the holie Land 11. The years of Jubilee had their Ecclesiastical Political and Chronological use For 1. they signified the Jubilee of Grace and Glorie both which Christ doth both proclaim and confer upon his people 2. They were a great help to the poor 3. They preserved the distinction of Tribes 4. They served to distinguish the times thence forth from the division of the Land in the year of the World 2050 to the destruction of Jerusalem 5. They figured the Rest that the Land should have by the just judgments of God for the sins of the people SECT V. Treating of Holie Things HOlie Things were either Common as Oil or Proper and these again were either Principal or less Principal The Principal things were Sacrifices the requisites whereof were three viz. fire salt and fat the kindes of Sacrifices were six viz. 1. A whole-burnt-offering 2. An Oblation or Meat-offering 3. A Peace-offering 4. A Sacrifice for sin of Ignorance or Error 5. A Sacrifice for wilful wickedness 6. A Sacrifice of Consecration The less principal things perteined either to all in general as First-fruits tenths vows c Or to the Priest peculiarly as Incens Holie-water Trumpets The application of these is thus 1. Oil is said to bee a most holie thing becaus use was made of it in the consecration of the Tabernacles Priests and People It sigured out the oil of Gladness that is the gifts of the Holie Ghost which Christ received without measure and after that by him all the parts of the Church both Pastors and all Christians for all and onely such are annointed with the Oil of Gladness Now this Oil was so made up of most pretious things and the confection thereof by none to bee imitated as might best set forth that reprobates are not consecrated with the annointing of God's children 2. The sire that came down from heaven and was to bee continually kept alive signified four things 1. The fire of God's wrath kindled and kept in by our sins 2. The fire of God's favor whereby our sins are consumed in Christ 3. The fire of the Holie Spirit 's operation upon all believers but especially upon the Apostles and their successors 4. Lastly the fire of tribulation which causseth us to asspire towards heaven 3. The Salt of the Covenant was a symbol of incorruption that is of perpetual continuance in the Covenant of God And so it signified that everie faithful Christian is so confirmed in the Covenant of God by Faith that by the salt of affliction hee is preserved against temptations and assaults of all sorts 4. The Fat of the Sacrifices was holie to God alone and hereby was signified that wee ought to consecrate our choicest things to God that so wee may obtein the fatness and sweetness both of Grace and Glorie laid up for us in Christ 5. A Rite common to all Sacrifices offered up of living creatures was the sprinkling of the blood by the Priest upon the Altar Hereby was signified the blood of Christ who is both our Priest Altar and Sacrifice Those great drops of his blood I saie are hereby signified wherewith believer's hearts which also are so manie altars are sprinkled 6. The whole-burnt-Sacrifice was an Offering whereby the Sacrificer testified that hee gave himself up wholly to Christ and that hee believed that Christ was his with all his benefits as also that hee was all of a light flame with the fire of Charitie 7. In the Meat-offering it was not lawful to offer leaven or anie thing that leaveneth as honie whereby was signified that corruption both in Doctrine Life and Discipline is to hee put far away if wee would offer up our selves to God 8. In Peace-offerings leavened bread also was made use of that together with our chearful praising of God wee may remember our afflictions the propertie whereof is to leaven the heart Psalm 73.21 9. The Waving of som part of the Sacrifice in Meat-offerings and Peace-offerings signified the continual motion of our lips in Praiers and Praises 10. The Sacrifice for Errors and infirmities signified that all our sins are mortal and cannot bee pardoned but through Christ alone 11. The Sacrifice of Consecration shewed the difference between the Levitical Priests and Christ viz. that they had need to offer for their own sins but hee for the sins of his people onely And these are the Cerimonial Sacrifices all which signified the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifices of Christians such as are all their Moral works proceeding from Faith viz. a contrite Spirit Alms Praier c. And lastly that offering up of the Gentiles mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 15.16 Furthermore in all Sacrifices clean things onely were to bee offered whereby was signified the puritie of Christ and of all his members Like as the offering of Doves signified that dove-like simplicitie of Christ and his people which simplicitie proceedeth from the Holie Ghost who is also represented by the Dove 12. First-fruits were holie to God and thereby all a man's substance also was made holie This signified 1. that the holiness of Christ was the holiness of the whole Chruch 2. That the children of believing parents are holie 13. Tithes by Divine Cerimonial right belonged to the Priests for their maintenance but by Moral right they were holie to God who by this means required to bee acknowledged the owner and giver of all good things In the New Testament Tithes though they bee not of necessitie yet are they of perpetual equitie as to the maintenance of the Ministerie 14. The tenth of the Tithes which the Levites out of their Tithes offered to the High-priest signified the Prerogative of Christ in whom wee are all tithed 15. The Cerimonial Vow and the Redemption thereof was part of the Worship of God yet without opinion of Satisfaction and Merit this then make's nothing at all for those that now adaies impose upon the people laws of Vows and Redemption of Vows with an opinion of Necessitie Satisfaction and Merit Vows are a
service pleasing to God so they bee made and used freely as exercises of Pietie and as helps thereunto The same may bee said of things devoted 16. Novals were the fruits of trees which for the three first years beeing accounted as uncircumcised were in the fourth year offered up to the Lord to teach us that all our food is uncircumcised unto us by reason of sin but is circumcised by Faith in Christ beeing received with Praying and Thanksgiving 17. The holie Perfume figured the grace of the Holy Ghost wherewith the services of the Saints are sanctified 17. The holie water of Attonement was a figure of that blessed fountain of Christâ—s blood ever running for the washing away of the filth of sin 19. The burning of the Sacrifices signified Christ burnt in the fire of his Father's wrath for our sins but the burning of the garbage and excrements shadowed out the crucifying of the old man Lastly those things that were not to bee burnt noted the victorie of Christ and of our faith 20. The two Trumpets of silver were used by the Priest for causses Ecclesiastical and Civil As to the former they blew to call an Assemblie and to rejoice spiritually and this they did without an alarm As to the later they sounded to go forward or to go forth to battle and this was don with an alarm By all which was signified the glorious instancie and efficacie of God's faithful Ministers in reproving of sin in preaching the glad tiding of salvation and in stirring men up to the spiritual warfare SECT VI. Of Holie Persons HOlie Persons are considered either in general or more particular That which is to bee taken notice of in the general is that God would not approve of anie work but what was don by a sacred person To teach us that good works pleas not God unless the man that doth them bee first justified More particularly Holie Persons were either those that served at the Altar or other holie Ones Those that served at the Altar were the High-priest the rest of the Priests and the Levites Those other holie Ones were the Nazarites and clean persons â—et us view them severally 1. The office of the Priest was to offer Sacrifice and to praie for the people hereby was signified the Merit and Intercession of Jesus Christ 2. The Consecration of the Priests and their freedom from all bodily blemish signified the holiness of Christ both habitual and actual 3. The holie Garments and their stately braverie signified the beautie and braverie of Christ and his Church Psalm 45. 4. The Annointing of the High-priest signified the annointing and appointing of Christ to his office of Mediator 5. The holie Abstinence of the Priests signified the actual holiness of Christ 6. The High-priest was a lively type of Jesus Christ as the Apostle excellently set's forth in his Epistle to the Hebrews The other Priests represented our dignitie in Christ and our dutie toward him 1 Pet. 2. Apoc. 1.5 6. The High-priest shadowed out both the Person and the Office of Christ His Person as hee was a man like unto other men and yet superior to them in Office and Ornaments which Ornaments did thus represent the three-fold Office of Christ The bells and pomegranates hanging at the hem of his garment signified the Prophetical Office of Christ The Plate of Gold whereupon was engraven HOLINES TO THE LORD signified his Priestlie Office The Bonnet Mytre upon the High-priest's head typified his Kinglie Office Other ornaments common to the High-priest with the rest of the Priests signified partly the gifts of Grace and partly the Christian Armor which the Apostle describeth Ephes 6. as consisting in the girdle of truth the brest-plate of righteousness c. 7. Those twelv pretious stones in the Breast-plate were a type of the old and new Church that consisting of twelv Tribes and this collected by twelv Apostles Those two pretious stones in the shoulder-piece figured likewise those two Churches as they have the two Testaments Those two pretious stones in the Breast-plate of Judgment the Vrim and Thummim were a type of Christ who is our onely Light and Perfection 8. There was but One High-priest there is but One Mediator betwixt God and man the Man Christ Jesus 9. The Priests onely did partake of the Sacrifices so Christians onely have communion with Christ 10. Aaron bore the Names of the Children of Israel before the Lord So doth Christ his Church and all the members thereof for whom hee continually appear's in heaven 11. The binding of woven work strengthened the robe that it might not rent This signified the righteousness and strength of Christ for the salvation of his people and subversion of his enemies 12. When Aaron entered into the holie Places his bells gave a sound Hereby was signified Christ's Intercession for us the Spirits making request in us and the dutie and propertie of all faithful Pastors 13. The High-priest might not marrie anie but a virgin from among his own people This figured that the Church was to bee presented unto Christ as a pure virgin 14. The High-priest was forbidden to lament or to rent his garments So Christ after his Resurrection obteined Glorie and Joie without anie mixture of grief or ignominie 15. The Priests and Levites that served at the Tabernacle figured the Ecclesiastical Hierarchie as it admit's of divers Orders and Degrees 16. The Nazarite's Vow was to separate himself unto the Lord by a special holiness Hereby was signified the puritie of Christ and withal his countrie of Nazareth by an allusion of name 17. Those that were Legally unclean either by meats or carcasses of men or leprosie were first separated and then cleansed In like sort all our sins of what size soever do separate us from God and som of them from his Church also beeing all expiated in and by Christ alone 17. The uncleanness of childe-bearing-women set forth the filth of natural corruption 19. The casting of Lepers out of the Camp was a figure of Excommunication 20. The hous and all the goods of Lepers were unclean and therefore either burned or destroied To teach us to abolish all instruments of Idolatrie 21. Lepers after they were cleansed shewed themselvs to the Priest who was to pronounce them clean This was a type of Church-Absolution 22. The Leper beeing cleansed was to offer two little Birds whereof the one was killed the other was let go free Hereby was figured the death of Christ and the power of his Godhead in his Resurrection and Asscension 23. Unclean meats were a part of the Jewish Pedagogie and signified that there is a mixture of clean and unclean persons in the Church It further figured that distinction of Jews from Gentiles which distinction is now taken away by Christ Acts 10. And hitherto Alstedius Now let us proceed and go on where wee left in explaining the Text. Ver. 18. They removed c. viz. From the hill-foot where they stood and trembled Deut. 4.11
light essential and giveth light to everie man that cometh into the world John 1.9 See the Note there Ver. 37. Seven lamps Signifying the manifold graces and diversitie of gifts in the Church Zech. 4.2 Ver. 38. And the tongs All of gold betokening the puritie of Doctrine and Discipline in the Church CHAP. XXVI Ver. 1. Thou shalt make the Tabernacle AType of Christ who dwelt among us full of Graces and Truth John 1.14.2 Of the Church built by Christ 1 Cor. 3.9.3 Of everie true Christian Ephes 2.10 Ver. ◠Shall bee coupled together These curtains were coupled with loops so should Christians by love My dove is but one the daughters saw her and blessed her Cant. 6.9 See Ephes 2.21 22. 4.16 Ver. 6. With the taches So is the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 Shall bee one Tabernacle See those manie Ones Ephes 4.3 4 5. with the Notes there Ver. 7. Of goat's-half The Tabernacle was goat's hair without and gold within God hid his Son under the Carpenter's son The King's daughter is all glorious within Psalm 45.13 And all her sons are Princes in all lands Vers 16. Howbeit they must bee content to pass to heaven as Christ their Head did as concealed men Therefore the world know's us not becaus it knew not him John 3.1 Our life is hid with Christ Col. 3.4 as the life of flowers in winter is hid in the root Ver. 14. A covering for the tent Shadowing out God's protecting his people Isa 4.6 and 25.4 Psalm 27.5 as these ram's-skins covered the Ark from the violence of winde and weather Ver. 31. With Cherubims To note the special presence and attendence of the holie Angels in the assemblies of the Saints Luke 1.11 John 1.51 Ver. 36. An hanging for the door This shadowed him that said of himself I am the door The Cerimonial Law was the Jews Gospel for it was Christ in figure and to him it led them CHAP. XXVII Ver. 1. Five cubits long SOlomon's Altar was four times as big as this to teach that as our peace and prosperitie is more then others so should our service in a due proportion Ver. 2. Horns of it To binde the beasts unto that were to bee slain in sacrifice Psalm 118.27 And to signifie the power of Christ's Priest-hood Hab. 3.4 Thou shalt over-laie it with brass The brass kept the wood so did the Deïtie of Christ keep his humanitie from beeing consumed by the fire of God's wrath wherein it was rosted Ver. 3. His shovels and his basins These several instruments figured the Ministerie of the word saie som the sundrie callings that Christ hath in his Church saie others for her edification Ver. 4. A. grate which served for an hearth and represented Christ bearing the fire of his Father's displeasure Ver. 7. And the staves shall bee As ever readie to remove Here wee have no assured settlement Ver. 9. The court of the Tabernacle This outer court signified the visible Church where hypocrites also com to the external worships Doeg may set his foot as far as David Ver. 10. And the twentie pillars In allusion whereunto the Church is called the pillar and staie of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 Ver. 20. Pure oil olive Signifying the pretious gifts and graces of the Spirit in godlie Ministers whose lips must both preserv knowledg and present it to the people CHAP. XXVIII Ver. 1. Take thou unto thee CHrist also was taken from amongst men Heb. 5.1 to mediate and negotiate man's caus with God And this honor hee assumed not up to himself but it was given him from above Vers 5. Ver. 2. For glorie and for beautie Prodit Aäron à capite ad calcem os humerósque Deo similis The High-priest was gloriously apparelled to strike a religious reverence into the eies and hearts of the beholders and to set forth the beautie and braverie of Christ and his Church Ver. 3. That they may make c. Vides in Sacerdotibus nîl plebeium reperiri nîl populare saith Ambrose Nothing in the Priests but what was above the ordinarie The verie work-men are to bee filled with the Spirit of Wisdom to make their attire Ver. 5. And they shall take gold and blue c. That cloke of Alcisthenes the Sybarite sold for 1 20. talents that Parliament-robe of Demetrius King of Macedonie Athenaeus which no Prince after him would put on propter invidiosam impendii magnificentiam sot it 's stately costliness were but rags to Aaron's raiment Ver. 6. The ephod of gold This the High-priest onely might wear neither might anie imitate it for that was the fall of Gideon's hous Judg. 8.26 27. Ver. 12. And Aaron shall bear their names To set forth Christ's uncessant intercession for all God's Israël even when his back seem's turned upon them Ver. 14. Fasten the wreathen chains These chains wherewith the breast-plate and humeral were tied Moses unvail signified saith one the perfect contexture of all heavenlie virtues adorning Christ's humanitie as also that true saith whereby wee are girt unto him Ver. 15. The breast plate of judgment So called becaus the Priest was to put it on when hee was to enquire and give sentence as from God Num. 27.21 Ver. 17. Four rows of stones According to the number and order of the twelv Tribes encamping about God's Tabernacle In all which rows Dr. Tailor a verie Reverend Writer hath well observed eight things 1. The shining of the stones pointing to the puritie of Christ and his Church 2. Their price of great value and worth signifying what a price Christ valued his Church at 3. Their place or situation they are set in the pectoral and Aaron must carrie them on his heart signifying that Christ hath as much care of his Church as if it were inclosed in his heart let 's out his blood to make room in his heart for them 4. Their number twelv noting that with Christ is plentiful redemption 5. Their order they stood in a comlie quadrangle Christ hath stablished a comlie order in his Church and wee must keep our ranks 6. The figure the four-square signifying the stabilitie and firmness of the Church Satan and all deceivers shall not pick one stone out of Christ's pectoral Their use that Aaron must bear them on his heart signifying Christ's ardent affection to his and constant intercession for them 8. The quantitie As all the names of Israël were gathered into a narrow compass so Christ shall gather together into one all the dispersed sons of God and present them before God as the most beautiful and pretious parts of the world John 11.52 Ver. 30. The Vrim and the Thummim A distinct thing from the stones and chains made it was not by the Artificers but given by God to Moses as were the two Tables and by him put into the breast-plate The verie names of Vrim and Thummim i. e. Lights and perfections lead us to Christ in whom is all fulness
the Covenant the Seals Ministers c. But alas are not these blessings amongst us as the Ark was amongst the Philistims rather as prisoners then as privileges rather in testimonium ruinam quà m in salutem Rather for our ruine then reformation Ver. 28. Fortie daies and fortie nights Moses Elias and Christ those three great Fathers met glorious in Mount Tahor Abstinence merit 's not but prepare's the best for good duties Hee wrote That is Weems Exer. God wrote as som will have it Ver. 29. The skin of his face shone God hereby assuring the people that hee had inwardly inlightned him for their better instruction Ver. 30. And they were afraid This was another manner of Brightness and Majestie then that which sate in the eies of Augustus and of Tamerlan whose eies so shone as that a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his own and manie in talking with them and often beholding of them became dumb which caussed them oft-times with a comlie modestie to abstein from looking too earnestly upon such as spake unto them Turk histâ— fol. 236. or discoursed with them Ver. 33. Hee put a veil on his face And had more glorie by his veil then by his face How far are those spirits from this Christian modestie which care onely to bee seen and wish onely to dazle others eies with admiration not caring for unknown riches This veil signified the Laws obscuritie and our infidelitie Ver. 34. But when Moses went in Hypocrites on the contrarie shew their best to men their worst to God God see 's both their veil and their face and I know not whether hee hate's more their veil of dissimulation or face of wickedness CHAP. XXXV Ver. 1. And said unto them These c. HEE often go's over the same things as the knife doth the whetstone Good things must bee repeted sicut in acuendo 'T is Moses his own metaphor Deut. 6.7 Ver. Six daies shall work bee don This dutie is so oft inculcated to shew the necessitie excellencie difficultie of well doing it Ver. Yee shall kindle no fire sc For the furtherance of the work of the Tabernacle or at least that is not of absolute necessitie It might also signifie that in the kingdom of heaven wee shall bee set free from all the fire and scorching heat of affliction Ver. 22. And brought bracelets Glad they had anie thing of price to dedicate to God and to seal up their thankfulness for this re-admittance into his love and favor See the Note on Matth. 9.10 Nazianzen put this price upon his Athenian learning wherein hee was verie famous that hee had somthing of value to part with for Christ Ver. 32. And to devise curious works This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts Lib. 23. who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28.29 Plinie make's mention of som famous Painters whose rare pieces were Oppidorum opibus venditae Sold for so manie Towns-wealth A certain artificer set a watch-clock upon a ring that Charls the Fifth wore upon his finger Sphinx philos pag. 90. King Ferdinand sent to Solyman the Turk for a present a wonderful globe of silver of most rare and curious device daily expressing the hourly passing of the Time the motions of the Planets Turk Hist fol. 713. the change and full of the Moon lively exepressing the wonderful conversions of the Celestial frame To which I may well add that admirable invention of Printing a special blessing of God to mankinde CHAP. XXXVI XXXVII c. Ver. 2. And Moses called Bezaleel GOd qualified them Mâ—ses called them Ministers also must have an outward calling too See Acts 13.1 2 3. Heb. 5.4 and bee sent ere they preach Rom. 10.15 And whereas 1 Cor. 14.31 It is said Yee may all prophecie the meaning is All yee that are Prophets may But are all Prophets 1 Cor. 12.29 Ver. 7. And too much Thus in outward ordinances of service and for the making of a worldlie sanctuarie Heb. 9.1 they could do and over-do So John 6.28 They said unto him What shall wee do that wee may work the works of God Men would fain have heaven as a purchase I would swim through a sea of brimstone said one that I might com to heaven at last But what said our Saviour to those questionists John 6 This is the work of God that yee believ on him whom hee hath sent And what said Luther Walk in the Heaven of the Promiss but in the Earth of the Law that in respect of Believing this of Working Manie poor souls can think of nothing but working themselvs to life Do wee must all righteousness but rest in none but Christ's Ver. 8. And everie wise-hearted man Let no man look upon this and the following Chapter as an idle repetition nor saie as one said once Did wee not know that all Scripture was divinely inspired wee should bee readie to saâ—e Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus But know that here is see forth a Table Index or Inventorie of what Moses and the workmen did in obedience to God's command for everie particular about the Sanctuarie This Inventorie was taken by Ithamar at the commandement of Moses Et sic in archivum Ecclesiae relatum and so laid up in the charter-hous of the Church for the use of posteritie See the Notes on Exod. 26. and consider that saying of an antient Prosper Epist ad Augustin Necessarium utile est etiam quae scripta sunt scribere nè leve existimetur quod non frequenter arguitur CHAP. XL. Ver. 36. The Children of Israël went THe Jews conceiv that this Cloud that led Israël through the wilderness levelled mountains raised vallies and laid all aflat that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks and made all plain c. See Luke 3.5 Isa 4.5 A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION UPON THE Third BOOK of Moses called LEVITICVS CHAP. I. Vers 1 And the Lord called A Continuation of the former Historie from the rearing of the Tabernacle to the numbering of the people beeing the historie of one moneth onely Ver. 2. Bring an offering Whereby they were led to Christ as the Apostle sheweth in that excellent Epistle to the Hebrews which is a just Commentarie upon this Book Ver 3. Burnt sacrifice A whole-burnt-offâ—ring Heb 10.6 purporting whole Chriâ—â— uffering for us Isa 53 12 and our sacrificing our whole selvs to him â—s a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 Ver. 4. And hee shall put his hand As acknowledging his own guilt and transferring the same upon Christ resting upon him with full assurance of faith handfasting us unto him Ver. 5. And bee shall kill the bullock The Priest shall kill it for it was death for anie man to offer his own sacrifice so it is still for anie to com to God otherwise then in and by Christ Ver. 6. And hee shall flaie the burnt-offering To shew the grievousness of our Saviour's sufferings the
cruel usage of his suffering Saints Micah 3.3 Heb. 11.35 and the dutie of all that have benefit by him to flea off the old man with his deceitful lusts Ephes 4.22 dealing thereby as the Turk dealt by him that betraied the Rhodes Lâ—unclav Hee presented unto him his promised wife and portion but withal told him that hee would not have a Christian to bee his son-in-law and therefore caussed his Baptized skin as hee called it to bee flaied off and him to bee cast into a bed strawed with salt that hee might get a new skin See Mark 9.49 Ver. 7. Fire upon the Altar That sire from heaven Lev. 9.24 which the Heathens apishly imitated in their Vestal fire Typing either the scorching wrath of God seising upon Christ or the ardent love of Christ to his and their zeal for him Ver. 8. In order upon the wood Shewing that Ministers must rightly divide and dispose the Word of God 2 Tim. 2.15 and evidently set forth Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 Ver. 9. Shall hee wash Shadowing Christ's perfect puritie Heb. 7. and our intire sanctification Ezek. 26.35 Heb. 10.22 Of a sweet savor unto the Lord The burning and broiling of the beasts could yield no sweet savor but thereto was added wine oil and incens by God's appointment and then there was a savor of rest in it Our praiers as from us would never pleas but as indited by the Spirit and presented by Christ they are highly accepted in heaven Ver. 10. A male without blemish But cursed bee that cosener that hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 Ver. 11. On the side of the Altar northward Not Eastward as the Heathen sacrifices or to note the obscuritie of the Legal Cetimonies Ver. 12. In order See the Note on Vers 8. Ver. 13. Hee shall wash See the Note on Vers 9. Ver. 14. Turtle doves or young pigeons Old turtles and young pigeons are the best God must have the verie best of the best as beeing best-worthie Ver. 15. Wring off his head Or pinch it with his nail that the blood might go out without separating it from the rest of the bodie This figured the death of Christ without either breaking a bone or dividing the God-head from the manhood As also the skill that should bee in Ministers to cut or divide aright the word of truth Ver. 16. His crop with his feathers Or the maw with the filth thereof that is the guts which receiv the filth sent unto them from the maw was pluckt out and the blood strained at the side of the Altar this signified those clods of blood wrung from our Saviour before his oblation upon the Cross Ver. 17. Aâ—d hee shall cleav it That the inward part might bee laid on the fire See Psal 51.18 19. Mark 12.33 CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Of fine flour NO quantitie is here prescribed becaus it was a Free-will-offering onely it must bee fine no bran in it to shew the puritie of Christ's sacrifice Heb. 7.26 and of our services through him Mal. 3.11 By means of the oil of his Spirit and incens of his Intercession Ver. 2. Shall burn the memorial of it Whereby God was inminded as it were of the partie offering and acknowledging all his store to bee from God Ver. 3. Shall bee Aaron's and his sons As meat for them hence it was called a Meat-offering and sent them to Christ the meat that endureth unto life everlasting John 6.27 Ver. 4. Vnleavened cake mingled with oil Sinceritie is the mother of serenitie Truth of tranquillitie Ver. 5. Baken in a pan Afterwards parted in pieces and oil powred upon it signified the graces of God's Spirit wherewith Christ was fully annointed within and without Psalm 45.8 and wherewith wee should bee tempered and annointed 1 John 2.27 2 Cor. 1.21 Ver. 6. And pour oil thereon Jacob was the first wee read of that consecrated his offerings with oil Gen. 28.18 Probably hee had it from his predecessors Ver. 7. Baken in the frying-pan So My heart is frying of a good matter saith David Psalm 45.1 Ver. 8. Hee shall bring it unto the Altar God would have all their offerings brought to one Altar both to figure out the one onely all-sufficient-sacrifice of Christ and to teach all the faithful to consent in one and the same truth of the Gospel Ver. 9. Amemorial thereof Signifying the perpetual benefit of Christ's death to all believers Ver. 10. Shall be Aaron's and his son's Ministers maintenence Ver. 11. Nor anie honie Which hath a leavening virtue in it Sweet sins are to bee abandoned there will bee bitterness in the end Prov. 26.26 27. Ver. 12. Yee shall offer them i. e. With the first-fruits yee shall offer both leven Lev. 23.17 and honie 2 Chron. 31.5 Both which are somtimes taken in the better part Mat. 13.33 Cant. 4.11 Ver. 13. Shalt thou season with salt Called here the salt of Gods's covenant as signifying the covenant of God made with us in Christ who seasoneth us and make's all our services savorie See the Note on Mark 9.49 50. Ver. 14. Green ears of corn To signifie that God should bee served with the first-fruits of our age the primrose of our childe-hood CHAP. III. Ver. 1. Whether it bee male or female IN Christ there is neither male nor female but all one Gal. 3 28. Souls have no sexes In Thank-offerings the female also might pass to teach that God look's not so much to the worth of the gift as the honestie of the heart that offer 's it Leavened bread also in this case was accepted Lev. 7.13 Ver. 2. Vpon the Altar round about This signified that plenteous redemption by the blood of sprinkling Ver. 3. The fat that covereth the inwards Heartie thanks must bee given to God such as cometh not from the roof of the mouth but the root of the heart An aërie God bee thanked profiteth not Sing with grace in your hearts is the best tune to anie Psalm The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which com's from the depth of the breast Ver. 4. With the kidnies Those seats of Lusts Earth lie members must bee mortified by the thankful Ver. 5. Vpon the burnt-sacrifice Which was first offered to teach us that sin must bee pardoned ere our Thank-offerings can bee accepted It is therefore ordinarily best to begin our praiers with confession of sin and petitions for pardon through Christ Ver. 8. Laie his hand See the Note on Chap. 1. v. 4. Ver. 9. The whole â—ump Which in those countrie-sheep is verie large yet not so large as those in America The world encompassed mentioned by Sr. Francis Drake as big as kine and supplying the room of horses for burthen or travel Ver. 11. It is the food That whereupon God himself seemeth to feed Psalm 50.13 Ver. 12. That yee neither eat fat nor blood Neither bee carnal nor cruel but let your souls delight in the
resting this made them murmure Chap. 11.1 non quia dura sed quia molles patimur Sen. Went before them And as the Iewes conceive for the facilitating of their march the cloud levelled mountains raised vallies and laid all of a flat that is burnt up bushes smoothed rocks and made all plain c. Vers 35. Rise up Lord Commanders must pray as well as lead on their forces as did Charles the great and that late brave King of Sweden more addict to prayer then to fight CHAP. XI Vers 1. ANd when the people complained Or were as it were complainers they did inwardly and secretly repine and mutter at their three dayes march without intermission like those horses that disgest their choller by biting the bridle Consumed them that were in the uttermost parts There it seems the sin began amongst those that were faint and weary with travell as Deut. 25.18 Vers 2. And the people cryed to Moses That Lord Chancellour of Heaven as one calleth him that could rule with God and over-rule Of Moses it might be said as once of Luther Iste vir potuit apud deum quod voluit he might have whatsoever he would of God Vers 3. The name of the place Taberah So to perpetuate the memory of the peoples sin and Gods judgment Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Vers 4. And the mixâ— multitude See the Note on Exod. 12.38 Observe the danger of ill company Fish retains their sweetness in the salt sea The river d ee in Merioneth-shire running through Pimble-meere remaines entire and mingles not her streames with the waters of the lake The rivers of Peru after they have run some miles into the sea retain their sweetness as writers report But to converse with the ungodly and not to learn their manners is marvellous rare and difficult A man may pass through Ethiopia unchanged but he cannot dwell there and not be discoloured Vers 5. We remember the fish They forgat their servitude Discontent is ever harping upon wants and enjoyes nothing no more then Haman did his honour or Alâ—ab his kingdome when he longed for a sallet out of Naboths garden Vers 6. There is nothing at all besides The wheat of heaven was held a light meat because lightly come by Citò parta vilescunt How are many queasie stomacks even nauseated with the bread of life it makes not to their dainty palates 3 plain preaching is dis-rellished Vers 7. And the Manna See the Note on Exod. 16.14 31. There was therefore no such cause they should so loath it Was as Coriander seed Small but full of sweetness and nourishment Deut. 34.7 This might be some cause of Moses his undecayedness As the colour of Bdellium A kinde of transparent and precious gumme Vers 8. And the people went about Or went to and fro as men ought still to encrease knowledg Dan. 12.4 labouring for the meat that endureth to eternall life Joh. 6.27 God might have saved them this labour by rayning Manna into their mouthes but he would not for the tryall of their diligence and that they might not think that worth nothing that cost them nothing And ground it in mills So was Jesus Christ ground and pounded with passion baked and dryed up in the oven of his fathers displeasure before he became fit food and a Saviour to his Church As the taste of fresh oyle Or wafers baked with honey Exod. 16.31 The sweet promises of grace are sweeter then honey Psal 19.10 No fresh and sweet oyle can so cherish the face as they do the heart of a believer Vers 9. And when the dew fell As Manna fell in the dew so doth the Spirit descend in and by the word preached Gal. 3.2 In the night Figuring that hidden Manna laid up and prepared for the Saints Revel 2.17 Vers 10. Weep throughout their families Generally and openly they mutinied and murmured though so lately they had smarted at Taberah And this they did not once or twise but ten times over whereby it appeares that God chose this unthankfull people not for their merits sedex mera et mira misericordia he chose them for his love and loved them for his choyse Vers 11. Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant Antoninus the Emperour said often Imperium Oceanum esse malorum that to be a governour of others is to be plunged into an Ocean of miseries Pope Adrian caused to be engraven upon his own tomb Foelix si non imperitasset Melancthon said the three sorest labours of all were Docentis imperantis parturientis the labours of Ministers Magistrates and of travelling women Vers 12. As a nursing father beareth c. Lovingly mildly gently A Magistrate should carry himself as a Pater patriae Cambdens Elisab Queen Elizabeth would many times say That she could believe nothing of her people that parents would not believe of their children Vers 13. Whence should I have flesh Lust is unsatisfiable to go about it is to go about an endless piece of work it is to cast oyl into the fire to quench it Vers 14. It is too heavy for me Crowns have their cares seats are uneasie many a cumber attends honour Beatus ille qui procul negotiis Horat. Vers 15. And if thou deal thus with me Here the word Thou spoken to God is of the feminine gender At for Atta ex magna perturbatione saith a Rabbine Moses was so exceedingly moved with anger and grief these passions did so overcarry him that he could not complere vocem utter his whole speech as he that groaneth or gapeth in the beginning of his sentence cannot make up his breath to speak what he intended Vers 16. Gather unto me seventy men Here say some began the Sanhedrim that is the great Counsel of the Jews consisting of seventy Seniours and one President It continued till the time of Herod the Great who took it away and changed the form of it Vers 17. And I will take of the spirit i. e. I will bestow the same Spirit upon them as upon thee and this shall be nothing at all to thy loss or disadvantage Habet Hispania montem ex sale magnum de quo quantum demas tantum accrescit shall bear the burden of the people Who are in nothing more a burden then in this that with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. Praesens imperium semper grave they are ever grumbling at the present government though never so gentle Alleva jugum Ease the yoke that thy father put upon us 1 King 12.4 said they to Rehoboam forgetting the golden age they had lived in under his father Solomon Vers 18. Sanctifie your selves Ironicè dictum or sanctifie that is prepare your selves for the day of slaughter as Jer. 12.3 For you have wept in the ears Tears of what sort soever have a voyce in them Psal 39.12 as blood hath Gen. 4. For it was well with us in Egypt Such is the murmuring of those malecontents that
And this is that great offence Psal 19.11 The same reproacheth the Lord As if he wanted either wisdome to observe or power to punish such as take themselves to be out of the reach of his rod See Ezek. 20.27 Vers 31. That gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day This he did with an high hand as vers 30 in contempt of God and his Law Mr. Abbots his sermons The baser sort of people in Swethland do alwaies break the sabbath saying that 't is only for gentlemen to keep that day How much better that poor Indian in new-England who comming by and seeing one of the English profaning of the Lords day by felling of a tree said unto him New-Engl first-fruites pag. 4. do you not know that this is the Lords day Much machet man i.e. Very wicked man what break you Gods day The best and wealthieft of the Iewes to prevent servile work on the Sabbath day with their own hands chop the hearbs sweep the house Buxtorf Synagog cleave wood kindle fire c. on the day before Vers 38. That they may make them fringes See the Note on Mat. 23.5 Aribband of blue This sky-colourd ribband band taught them that though their commoration was on earth their conversation should be in Heaven Philip. 3.20 CHAP. XVI Vers 1. THe son of Izhar And so couzen german to Moses and Aaron for Izhar was brother to Amram their father Exod. 6.18 Sons of Reuben Who being next neighbours to Korah in the Camp were the sooner corrupted by him Vvaque corrupta livorem ducit ab â—â—a Juven Vers 2. Princes of the Assembly A very dangerous conspiracy For as in a beast the body followes the head so in that bellua multorum capitum the multitude Great men are the looking-glasses of the Country according to which most men dress themselves their sins do as seldom go unattended as their persons Height of place ever adds two wings to sin Example and Scandal whereby it soares higher and flyes much further Vers 3. Against Moses and against Aaron They were against both Magistracy and Ministery as our late Levellers and would have brought in Anarchy that every man might offer his own sacrificâ—â— and do that which is good in his own eyes Regnum Cyclopicum Vers 4. He fell upon his face As a suppliant to them not to proceed in their rebellion or rather to God not to proceed against them for their sin Vers 5. And he spake unto Korah By the instinct of the Spirit who had given into his heart a present answer to his prayer and furnished him with this answer Vers 7. Ye take too much upon you He retorts that upon them that they had falsly charged upon him and Aaâ—on So doth Elias upon Ahab 1 King 18.17.18 So do we worthily upon Popery the charge of novelty When a Papist tauntingly demanded of a Protestant Where was your Religion before Luther he was answered In the Bible where yours never was Vers 8. ye sons of Levi He took these to task apart as hoping haply to withdraw them from their purpose and to hide pride from them Job 33.17 but they proved uncounsellable incorrigible Vers 9. Seemeth it but a small thing Whiles these ambitious Levites would be looking up to the Priests Moses sends down their eyes to the people The way not to repine at those above us is to look at those below us Vers 10. And seek ye the Priesthood also Ambition is restless and unsatisfiable for like the Crocodile it grows as long as it lives Vers 11. And what is Aaron q. d. Is it not God whom ye wound through Aaron's sides Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9. Vers 12. We will not come up Sturdy rebels ripe for destruction See Prov. 29.1 with the Note there One perhaps had knockt off and is therefore no more mentioned Satius est recurrere quam male currere as that Emperour said Better stop or step back then run on to utter ruine Vers 13. That floweth with milk and honey So they falsly and maliciously speak of the land of Egypt in derision of the land of Canaan whereunto that praise properly belonged Those that were born in hell know no other heaven Altogether a Prince over us So their quarrel was against Moses his principality though they pretended the Priesthood only at first If the Ministery once be taken away let the Magistâ—ate see to himself hee 's next Vers 14. We will not come up Sc. to the place of judgment so they add rebellion to sin and justifie their treasonful practices as did Ravilliac Faux Saunders others Vers 15. And Moses was very wroth Or very sore grieved He might have said as One once did Felix essem si non imperitassem Happy had I been if I had never been in place of authority Egypt is said by Seneca to have been loquax ingeniosa in contumeliam praefectorum provincia in qua qui vitaverit culpam non effugit infamiam a Province apt to find fault with and to speak hardly of their Rulers though never so innocent These rebels had haply learned those Egyptian manners by living so long amongst them I have not taken one asse from them Moses was not of them that follow the administration of justice as a trade only with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain This is but robbery with authority and justifies the common resemblance of the Courts of justice to the Bush whereto while the sheep flyes for defence in weather he is sure to lose part of his fleece Vers 16. Thy company Or thy congregation thy faction or Church-Malignant as Psal 26.5 Act. 19.32 40. Vers 17. And take every man his censer Which they had ready provided when first they combined to thrust themselves into the Priests office Vers 18. And stood in the door Such an impudency had sin oaded in their faces that they stood stouting it out before the Lord and made open profession of their wickedness there was no need to dig to find it out Jer. 2.34 for they set it as it were upon the cliff of the rock Ezek. 24.7 Vers 19. All the Congregation Not his own company onely for the whole multitude was too ready to favour his attempt as he perswaded them God also would his design being to introduce an equal popularity an ochlocratie that Rule of rascality as One calleth it Vers 21. Separate your selves Good men are taken away from the evill to come When God pulls away the pillars what will become of the building Lot was no sooner taken out of Sodome but Sodome was taken out of the world Vers 22. The God of the Spirits The Former and Father of Spirits Zech. 12.1 Heb. 12.9 that giveth to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and breath Act. 17.25 in whose hand is the soul of all living and the spirit of all flesh Job 12.10 Vers 24. Get you up from about Save your selves from this untoward generation Act. 2.40 force
as the loadstone doth iron or Turpentine fire The iniquity of your Priesthood Priests then are not Angels free from sin as that Popish Postiller dream't and drew from Exod. 30.31 32. Cajetan confesseth of the Popish Prelates that whereas by their places they should have been the salt of the earth Comment in Matth. they had lost their favour and were good for little else but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church John Hus complains of the Priests of his age Bellum Hussiticum pag. 9. that Multa quae iâ—i ordinem dicunt omntum rerum in Christianismo confusionem pariunt Many things that they call order bring all into confuâ—on Non arbitror inter Sacerdotes multos esse qui salvi fiant Hom. 3. in Act. I believe few of our Priests will be saved saith Chrysostome of those of his time And from the Prophets of Jerusalem is prophaneness gone forth into all the land saith Jeremy Chap 23.15 Vers 3. And you also dye For your other-mens sins which you have not prevented or prohibited Qui non cum potest prohibet jubet Vers 7. As a service of gift So our Saviour counts and calls his work a gift Ioh. 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Any employment for and about God is a special favour a high honour Vers 9. Which they shall render unto me As a recompence for some trespass against me Numb 5.8 Levit. 6.6 Vers 10. In the most holy place i.e. In the Priests Court Vers 12. All the best of the oyl Heb. the fat God can afford the Ministers the best of the best though the most nowadayes think the worst too good for them Which they shall offer Not appointing them how much but leaving that to the peoples liberality And what that was let Philo the Jew speak who well knew the customes of his own nation and tells us that all things due to the Priests were paid very freely Philo lib. de sacerdot honor and most cheerfully At haec gens debitam pecuniam lubens gaudensque depromit saith He This people willingly and with rejoycing draw out their money for the Priests not as if they gave but received rather adding happy ominations and gratulations Vers 13. And whatsoever is first ripe See what an honourable maintenance and liberal entertainment God himself assigneth to the Levitical Priesthood and shall the Ministers of the Gospel be held to hard allowance Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.7 9. Ad tenuitatem beneficiorum necessario sequitur ignorantia Sacerdotum Panormit Vers 14. Every thing devoted Unless devoted to some particular use Levit. 27.28 29. Vers 18. And the flesh of them shall be thine And besides these here touched they had other revenues of no small value as their cities Suburbs glebe Num. 35. c. that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord 2 Chr. 31.9 Vers 19. It is a covenant of salt So 2 Chron. 13.5 that is inviolable iâ— corruptible non computrescens vetustate saith Flacius Pierius also tells us that amity and friendship was symbolized by salt corpora enim solidiora facit diutissime conservat for it 's consolidating and conserving property Vers 21. For their service which they serve No man did so much as shut the doors of Gods Sanctuary or kindle a fire on his altar for nought Mal. 1.10 Vers 22. Neither must the children But only Gods Kinsmen the I riests and Levites as they are called Levit. 10.3 according to some translations or his nigh-Ones Vers 31. For it is your reward Or wages which you dearly carn and may justly call for So Luk. 10.7 CHAP. XIX Vers 2. THis is the ordinance of the law which An ordinance a law a commanded law All this to shew the peremptoriness of the Lord in this point that unless we lay hold upon the blood of Christ prefigured by this red heifer we cannot escape the damnation of hell That they bring thee At a common charge because for a common good All the Congregation must get them a bloody Saviour A red heifer Typing out Christum cruentatum Christ covered with his own blood See Esay 63.1 2. white and ruddy Cant. 5. as the Church sayes of him Tam recens mihi Christus crucifixus ac si jam fudisset sanguinem Luther The pressure of his sufferings made him sweat great drops or rather clods of blood in a cold night besides what afterwards issued from his many wounds in his head and body Never came yoke Christ never bore the yoke either of sin or servitude He laid down his life of himself Joh. 10.17 18. See Heb. 9.13 14. he was not subject to any command of man Luk. 2.44 Ioh. 2.4 Vers 3. To Eleazar the Priest To assure him of the succession of the Priesthood Besides it was fitter he should be defiled then his Father vers 7. Hereby also might haply be foretold that the Priests should kill Christ but they were but our workmen we should look upon him whom we have pierced and mourn over him Zech 12.10 that the fountain opened for sin and for separation from uncleanness see ver 9. of this chapter may be free to us the Kings-Bath of Christs blood Zech. 13.1 without the Camp Signifying that Christ should be taken from all earthly comforts and crucified without the gate Heb. 13.12 Before his face So was Christ before Gods face yea his Father laid upon him with his own hand and let loose all the powers of darkness at him Vers 4. Shall take of the blood with his finger Not with his whole hand Christ's blood must be touched or applyed with great discretion and reverence our practice also must be dyed in Christs blood Vers 5. Shall he burn To set forth Christs ardent love and bitter sufferings Love it self is a passion and delights to express it self by suffering for the party beloved Vers 6. Cedar-wood and hyssop and scarlet Hereby was signified that Christ howsoever in respect of our sins he was burnt up with the fire of his Fathers wrath yet by the everlasting Spirit whereby he offered up himself without spot to God and by the gift and graces of it he was a full sacrifice of a sweet-smelling favour to God to purge offences Heb. 9.14 Psal 51.9 Vers 7. The Priest shall wash his clothes To shew the contagion and pollution of sin 2 Cor. 7.1 and imperfection of the legal Priesthood unclean untill the Evening So vers 8. and 10. We had need take time till the Evening to humble our souls and bewail our unworthiness of the blood of Christ Vers 9. And a man that is clean Hereby is meant the Gentile purified by faith as One well observeth the gathering of the ashes is the applying of the merits of Christ and laying hold of the mysterìes of his Kingdom The laying up of the ashes imports that the Christian accounts Christ's merits his chief treasure The clean place is the
their corrupt doings Ezek. 20.43 44 and 36.31 32. Vers 8. The Lord was angry God is said to be angry when he doth as an angry man useth to do viz. 1. Chide 2. Smite revenge being the next effect of anger Vers 9. When I was gone up into the Mount Sins are much aggravated by the circumstances and every sin should swell as a toad in our eyes we should bring them out as they took the vessels of the Temple Ezra 8.34 by number and by weight See Lev. 16.21 all their transgressions in all their sins Vers 10. See the Note on Exod. 31.18 Vers 12. Arise From off thy knees the petitioners posture Saint Iames they say had knees as hard as cammels knees with continuall kneeling Euseb Hieron Act. Mon. fol. 1579. and Hilarion was found dead in his Oratory with knees bent eyes and hands lift up Father Latimer during his imprisonment was so constant and instant in prayer that oft-times he was not able to arise without help Vers 14. Let me alone See the Note on Exod. 32.10 Vers 15. So I returned Yet not till he had first prayed and prevailed Exod. 32.1 14. Vers 16. Ye had turned aside quickly Levitate prorsus desultoria Apostates have religionem ephemeram being constant in nothing but in their inconstancy Vers 17. And cast them See the Note on Exod. 32.19 Vers 19. For I was afraid Moses was more troubled for the people then the people were for themselves so was Dauiel for Nebuchadnezzar Chap. 4.19 and Nahum for the Caldeans Chap. 3.16 Vers 22. And at Taberah Catalogues should be kept of our sins and oft perused yea though they be pardoned that we may renew our repentance and keep our souls humble supple and soluble Vers 24. You have been rebellious Here he repeats the former charge vers 7. which now he had sufficiently proved against them We must object no more against any man then we are able to make good If Erasmus had lived to these dayes Erasmus epist ad Bilibâ—ld very shame would have cram'd those words of his down his throat Vbicunqu eregnat Lutherus ibi literarum est interitus duo tantum quaerunt censum vxorem Wheresoever Luthers doctrine takes place learning is little set by all the care is for a wife and for wealth Os durum Vers 25. Thus I fell down The three former verses come in by a parenthesis Here he returns again to the history of his interceding for them the second time Vers 26. I prayed And he had a hard tug of it but prayer is the best lever at a dead lift CHAP. X. Vers 1. LIke unto the first Which Moses had broken to shew how we in our nature had broken the law and could not be saved by the keeping of it This Christ our true Moses repaires again writing the law not in tables of stone but in the heart of unbelievers and enabling them in some good measure to keep it Iob. 1.17 walking as Luther phraseth it in the heaven of the promise but in the earth of the law that in respect of believing this of obeying Vers 2. Which thou breakest See the Note on Exod. 34.1 Vers 3. And I made an Ark In its use far beyond that Persian casket imbroydered with gold and pearle which Alexander reserved for Homers Iâ—â—ads Vers 4. Out of the midst of the fire The law was given in fire it is a law of fire Deut. 33.2 given by God who is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and hath a tribunall of fire Ezek. 1.27 and shall plead with transgressours in flames of fire Isai 66.15 16. the triall of our works shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3 13. Let us therefore have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear It is the Apostles use Heb. 12.28 Vers 5. And put the tables in the Ark Which was thenceforth called the Ark of the Testimony Vers 6. And the children of Israel Here are some seeming contradictions betwixt this place and that Num. 33.31 32. But though they seem to be as the accusers of Christ never a one speaking like the other yet if we well observe the text and consult with interpreters we shall finde them like Nathan and Bathsheba both speaking the same things Vers 7. A land of rivers of water A rare thing in a dry desart Lysimachus sold his crown for a less matter Vers 8. At that time viz. Whiles they were yet at mount Sinai for the two former verses are inserted by a parenthesis The Lord seperated the tribe of Levi This setting up of the Ministery amongst them is reckoned as a sign of Gods singular love to them And so it is to us no doubt albeit a late pamphleter makes that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery The Compas Samaritan to be as meer an imposture as very a mystery of iniquity as arrant a juggle as the papacy it self Now the Lord rebuke thee Satan To stand before the Lord As also the Angels do Luk. 1.19 Vers 12. What doth the Lord thy God require of thee Beneficium postulat officium Mercy calls for duty But to fear the Lord This is the totum hominis Eccles 12.13 the bonum hominis Mic. 6.8 the unum necessarium Luk. 10.42 the primum quarendum Mat. 6.33 Vers 14. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens Not the ayre and sky only the visible heaven but the third heaven whereof no naturall knowledg can be had nor any help by humane arts Geometry Opticks c. For it is neither aspectable nor moveable The earth also So that there was no necessity of pitching upon thee for his peculiar fith he had choyce enough before him Vers 15. To love them Because he loved them as Chap. 7.7 8. See the Note there Vers 16. Circumcise therefore Deus jubendo juvat Set about this work in Gods strength and pray that the heaven may answer the earth Hos 2.21 For it is a work that must be done without hands Col. 2.11 Beg of God to thrust his holy hand into our bosome Aug. in Exod. quaest 55. and to pull off that filthy foreskin urge him with his promise Deut. 30.6 doubt not of his power lex jubet gratia juvat c. Vers 17. Is God of Gods And will be served like himself Vers 19. Love ye therefore the stranger And so shew your selves the friends of God Cicero For idem velle idem nolle ea demum vera amicitia est Friends are like-minded Vers 21. He is thy praise Thy praised one Psal 18.3 or thy praise-worthy one He is also thy chief glory and praise amongst all nations who shall admire thy happiness in such a God! CHAP. XI Vers 1. THerefore thou shalt love the Lord Cos amoris amor Ama amorem illius saith Bernard Not to love them that so loved us is to be worse then a Publicane more hard-hearted then a Jew Matth. 5.46 That the three children burnt not in