A Clavis to the Bible OR A NEW COMMENT UPON THE Pentateuch OR Five Books of MOSES Wherein are 1. Difficult Texts explained 2. Controversies discussed 3. Common-places handled 4. Cases of Conscience cleered 5. Many Remarkable matters hinted that had by other Interpreters been omitted 6. Besides divers Texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened 7. And the whole so intermixed with pertinent Histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the Judicious pious Reader By JOHN TRAPP Pastor of Weston upon Avon in Glocestershire LONDON Printed for Timothy Garthwait at the George in Little-Brittain 1650. TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL his highly honoured friend William Comb Esquire of Stratford upon Avon Justice of the Peace for the County 〈◊〉 Warwickt Worthy Sir YOu may well wonder not so much that I now dedicate this peece of my pains unto you as that I did it not till now considering how long I have known you and how very much I am oblieged to You. The truth is this These Notes upon Genesis were the first in this kind that ever I finished and You were deservedly among the first that came into my thoughts for a Patron to them But as Pharez once made a breach upon his brother Zarah Gen. 38.29 and gat into the world before him so did those other Works of mine if at least that name be not too good for them deal by This which now with its red threed a sign of its intended seniority humbly implores Your patronage and if worth while your perusal I know you have somewhat else to do then to read Commentaries and yet I must needs know too that You that are so sedulous a searcher of the Scriptures and so seriously inquisitive after the genuine sense of such and such dark Texts therein as in conference occasionally You have oft proposed unto me cannot but delight to be duely exercised in books of this nature Dr. Cumber That Reverend Doctour of Cambridge that in the behalf of himself and his whole Colledg for a very good turn you did them presented You with the fairest great Bible that ever I beheld saw something surely of your pious inclination to the study of that blessed Book And if to the better understanding thereof this or any thing else that I have yet written may be any way serviceable I have that I sought for Alphonsus King of Arragon is said to have read over the Bible fourteen times Panormitan with Lyra's Notes upon it And those English Exiles for Christ at Geneva knew they could not present any thing more pleasing to that Incomparable Queen Elizabeth then their new Translation of and marginal Notes uppon the holy Bible which Book of books she had received with both her hands Speed from the Londoners soon after her Coronation and kissing it laid it to her breast saying That the same had been her chiefest delight and should be the rule whereby she meant to frame her whole deportment Let it be still Yours Good Sir as hitherto it hath been and let this poor piece of mine if at any time you think good to consult with it tell you in my absence what my sense is of such places as wherein with that noble Eunuch Act. 8.31 You may need an Interpreter No more Jam. 1.17 2 Cor. 4.6 Sir at present then to pray the Father of lights who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse to give You the light of the knowledge of the glory of God Vers 7. in the face of Jesus Christ That though You have this treasure presented to you in an earthen vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a vile oyster-shell as the Greek hath it yet You may partake of the excellency of the power that is of God and not of Me Vers 5. who preach not present not my self but Christ Jesus the Lord and my self Your Servant for Jesus sake JOHN TRAPP 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas Richardson Oxen Pastor Ecclesiae de Newbold pace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tho Dugard Art Mag. Rector Barsordiae LECTORI HAbes hîc Lector pretii quantivis Librum Prioribus * Limatissimis et lectissimis illis Annotationibus in Novum Testamentum unam cum locorum communium decade nec non duobus aliis idiomate etiam vernaculo conscriptis quorum alteri nomen God's Love-tokens c. alteri The true Treasure c. quos trivistilatus parem Notas in Mosis Pentadem unde denuò Sic splendet ille â—t Mâ—nte quum descenderet Magni Tonantis inclytus Tabellio At non at olim Claritate territans Abegit accedentes nunc parili modo Ne contremas tibi prodit formidabilis Accede sis et intuere senties Lucem stupendam sed quae oculos beet tuos Tenebras fugari gestis ecce Phosphorus Aenigmata solvi te penes est nunc Oedipus Gazas recludi clavem cernis auream Tenebricosior est subinde Legifen Et Sphingis instar et gazas premit suas Ast Trappus clarat solvit pandit omnia Trappi nil quicquam est invium solertiae Nec Luce solùm donat ut scientior Et auctior Capite ita corde purior Modò tibi nè desis hinc discedas Vale. Dugardus TO THE BOOK WElcome sweet Babe into the Light A Light thy self to Him whose sight Was at twice sixty undecay'd Deut. 34.7 Whose Infancy ravisht a maid His wind-and-wave-rockt Cradle she That gracious Princess needs would see And seeing fell in love with him Whose first three moneths were taught to swim As he to her so thou to me Art full of Amabilitie Exceeding fair and proper too He was thou art who can but wooe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.23 Who can but fix on thee his eye And much affect thy company So sweet is thy discourse where meet Piety Learning Eloquence wit Profit and Pleasure Muse and Grace Maschil and Michtam here 's the place Where golden apples we may find With silver pictures fitly joyn'd Were it not so I durst profess That thou sweet child
the several members of the Church Militant and Triumphant are but one Tabernacle The Covering of the Tabernacle was two-fold Inward and Outward whereby was signified the internal and external estate of the Church The glorious gate signified the hearts of God's people made glorious by faith whereby wee entertein Christ The Tabernacle fitly knit together by it's joints and rightly erected signified the Church of Christ fitly compacted by that which everie joint supplieth and making increas with the increas of God Ephes 4.16 Col. 2.19 The Veil signified the flesh of Christ whereby his Deitie was covered and a waie paved for us to heaven The Veil was filled with Cherubims to shew how serviceable the Angels are to Christ and his people The Holie of Holies shadowed out the third heaven into the which Christ onely entred and wee by him The Ark of the Covenant covered with gold figured Christ in whom the God-head dwelleth bodily and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom c. The Testimonie laid up in the Ark signified Christ the end of the Law which also hath it's testimonie from him The golden Censer signified that all our services must bee perfumed and perfected by Christ before they can bee accepted The golden pot of Manna in the side of the Ark was a sacrament of that eternal life that is laid up for us in Christ Col. 3.3 Aaron's rod blossoming was a sign of God's fatherlie affection whereby it com's to pass that wee bloom and flourish under the cross The Sanctuarie or Tabernacle of the Congregation was the waie into the Holie of Holies and signified the Church-Militant through which wee enter into heaven The brasen Altar for Burnt-offerings shadowed out the humanitie of Christ which is sanctified by his Deâ—tie and supported under all his sufferings for us The Altar of Incens signified that Christ appeareth for us before his Father and maketh all our services accepted by the sacrifice of himself once offered for sin The Table furnished with so manie loavs as there were Tribes in Israël signified that God keep 's a constant table in his Church for all believers The golden Candlestick with his seven lamps figured the glorious light of the Gospel whereby God hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The Laver wherein the Priests washed themselves before they ministred in the Tabernacle signified that wee cannot draw nigh to God in his services without due preparation The outer Court signified the visible Church wherein hypocrites also partake of external privileges Lo these are the things typed out by the Tabernacle and and they cannot bee better understood then by God's own interpretation of them when hee saith Exod. 25. Let them make mee a Sanctuarie that I may dwell in the middest of them For in those words as learned Junius observeth is conteined an explication of all the above-said Cerimonies SECT IIII. Treating of Holie Times COncerning holie Times the Law is either general or special The general Law is partly concerning the most strict rest from all servile works and partly concerning the Sacrifices which were on those holie daies to bee offered The former figured that Rest whereunto God in his due time will bring us The later served not onely to exercise the Jews prone to excess with the hard yoke of great expens but also by the great charge they were at to shadow out the great worth of Christ far beyond all worldly treasures The special Law concerned 1. holie Daies 2. Holie Years Holie-daies were either quotidian or solemn And these later were partly the New-moons partly the Sabbath and partly the Feasts which Feasts were either more solemn as the Passover Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles or less solemn as the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Attonement Holie years were 1. the Sabbatical or seventh year Or 2. the Jubilee or fiftieth year The explication of all these is as followeth 1. The continual Sacrifice was offered twice everie daie that the people might everie morning and evening bee admonished of their sin-guiltiness and withal might bee exercised in the remembrance and belief of the continual sacrifice of Christ for their sin It signified also our daily service or continual sacrifice of Prais and Holiness offered up to God in the name of Christ 2. The New-moon-sacrifice served to set forth that all our time and actions don therein are sanctified unto us by Christ 3. The Sabbath was a memorial of the Creätion it was also a type partly of Christ's resting in the grave and partly of our rest in Christ the begining whereof wee have here the perfection of it in heaven And whereas special order was taken that no fire should bee kindled on that daie it was to signifie that Christ his rest and ours in him was and should bee free from the fire of affliction 4. The holie Feasts were in general appointed for these ends and uses 1. To distinguish the people of God from other nations 2. To keep afoot the remembrance of benefits alreadie received 3. To bee a type and sigure of bâ—nefits yet further to bee conferred upon them by Christ 4. To unite God's people in holie worships 5. To preserv puritie in holie worships prescribed by God 5. The Passover of those that were clean celebrated in the begining of the year figured out the time manner and fruit of Christ's Passion The Passover kept by those that had been unclean signified that Christ profiteth not sinners as long as they persist in their uncleanness and so it figured out the time of repentance 6. At the Feast of Pentecost there was a daie of waving and of offering the First-fruits The former signified that the handful of our fruits that is our faith and good works are not accepted of God unless they bee waved by Christ our High-priest The later that God's blessings are to bee joyfully and thankfully received and remembred 7. The Feast of Tabernacles besides that it brought to minde the Israëlites wandering in the wilderness it did notably set forth the Church's pilgrimage in this present world which yet is so to bee thought on as that with greatest spiritual joie wee remember and celebrate our Redemption by Christ's death 8. The Feast of Trumpets signified that continual caus of cheerfulness and thankfulness that the Saints should have by Christ's death 9. The Feast of Attonement signified that the sins of God's people in their holie-meetings and daily services should bee expiated by Christ Moreover Attonement was also made for the most holie Place and for the Sanctuarie That signified that the visible heaven also was defiled by our sin and need bee purged by Christ's blood This that the Catholick Church is by the same blood of Christ made alone acceptable to God By the application that was made for several persons was set forth the applicatorie force of faith Furthermore that application and expiation was
it 1 Sam. â— 7 And Promotion cometh neither from the east nor west saith David nor yet from the south where the warm sun-shine is much less from the north for Ab Aquilone nihil boni But God is the Judge he puts down Laban and sets up Jacob he spoiled the Egyptians and enriched the Israelites with their jewels which yet proved a snare to them perhaps Exod. 32.13 in the matter of the golden calf as riches always do when sent in to men by Gods providence onely and not out of his favour as here to Jacob and by vertue of the promise Vers 10 11 12. I saw in a dream c. Of divine dreams such as this was see the Notes above upon Chap 20.3 Vers 12. I have seen all that Laban doth And am resolved to fleece him for thy hire Gain ill got will burn mens fingers and burn thorow their purses Yea the greater wealth the greater spoil awaits such Misers as a tree with thick and large boughs every man desires to lop him Vers 13. I am the God of Bethel c. Here God pulls Jacob by the ear as it were and mindes him of his vow which he had well-nigh forgotten But the Lord looked for a performance and afterward punished him for his slackness Most mens practice proclaims that having escaped the danger they would willingly deceive the Saint Sciapato il morbo fraudato il Sante And of those that vow against sin how many have we who when temptations like strong Philistims are upon them break all bonds of God whereby foul breaches are made into their consciences such as nothing can cure but the Blood of that great Votary that Nazarite Christ Jesus Vows are solemn services and they have much to answer for that care not either to make or keep them that dally and play with them as children do with nuts and gawds When the Cardinals meet to chuse a Pope they make a Vow Whosoever is chosen Sleid. Comm. he shall swear to such Articles as they make And Sleidan saith The Pope is no sooner chosen but he breaks them all and checks their insolencies as if they went about to limit his power to whom all power is given both in heaven and earth Is not this pretty collusion But God is the avenger of all such Vers 15. Are we not counted of him as strangers Isidor Pâ—lus lib. 3. cp 24. 1 Tim. 6.10 Well might that Father say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of money is the root of all evil as the Apostle hath it This Kyte-footed corruption wheresoever it seizeth and domineereth it blasteth and banisheth all nobleness of spirit natural affection humanity reason discretion manliness mutual entertainment intercourse of kindness and love so that for any fair dealing a man had as good converse with a Cannibal as with a â—ruely covetous caitiff Well might the Apostle set covetousness and want of natural affection together as signes of a reprobate sense Rom. 1.29 31. Laban sells his own daughters here and devours also their price Match 15. And the covetous Pharisees taught children to starve their parents to offer to the altar that is to their paunches and purses Vers 16. For all the riches c. Here they speak the truth but offend 1. In that they utter it passionately and with perturbation of spirit 2. In that they seem somewhat to obscure Gods blessing as though it were but their due as daughters In dealing with those that have done us wrong it is hard not to offend either in the matter or manner of our expressions Now then whatsoever God hath said c. Thus they prefer an husband to a father So did Michal though there was no great store of religion in her And so Nature had taught that daughter of women to do Dan. 11.17 Antiochus the Great gave Cleopatra his daughter to Ptolomee Epiphanes thinking to use her as an instrument to destroy him But she contrary to his expectation clave to her husband Vers 19. Rachel had stollen the images She was somewhat tackt with her fathers superstition though somewhat reclaimed Little children keep your selves from idols 1 Joh. 5. Nothing so natural to us as Image-worship Nothing so retained by us when once entertained After all that airing in the wilderness Micah's mother smels of Egypt and hath her molten graven gods Judg. 17.3 Rachel also had her Mawmets long time after this Gen. 35.2 4. The devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Synesius and so he would have us Fence we therefore our selves and ours against this abomination the itch of it once got is hardly ever cured and clawed off Vers 20. And Jacob stole away Gods Saints are put upon the use of such means sometimes for their own safety as render them contemptible to worldly men All whose contumelies they can bravely bear so long as their consciences clear and chear them yea then can rejoyce and say It is a mercy they know no worse by me It is a great work of nature to keep the filth of the body when it is in man from being unsavoury to others But it is a greater work of God to keep the filth of the soul that is so unsavoury to him from the knowledge of those that wait all occasions to blaze and blaspheme us Vers 21. He passed over the river Euphrates and so declined the ordinary way that Laban might not overtake him which yet he did So God would have it that he might have the greater glory of Jacobs deliverance Vers 23. And he took his brethren The wicked may band themselves and bend their strength against the Saints but they are bounded by God He lets them have the ball on their foot many times till they come to the very goal and yet then makes them miss the game He lets out their tedder and then pulls them back again to their task Vers 24. Take heed thou speak not good or bad That is that thou seek not either by flattery or force by allurement or affrightment to bring him back They write of the Asp that he never wanders alone without his companion with him So the flattering promises of the Churches adversaries go ever accompanied with cruel menaces their tising tongues with their terrifying saws Heb. 11.37 None of them shall want their mate as the Scripture speaks of those birds of prey and desolation Isai 34.16 Vers 25. Iacob had pitched his tent Seeing Laban so neer he set himself in as good order as he could fearing the worst saith Musculus But God was better to him then his fears He spake for him and so he can and doth oft for us in the hearts of our enemies See Isai 41.9 Charles the fifth then whom all Christendom had not a more prudent â—rince Act. Mon. fol. 1784. nor the Church of Christ almost a sorer enemy when he had in his hand Luther dead and Melancthon Pomeran and certain other Preachers of the Gospel alive he
inheritance provided and purchased by thee for thy first-born Israël Ver. 18. The Lord shall reign Gaudeo quòd Christus Dominus est alioqui totus desperâssem write's Miconius to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies The Lord Christ reigneth Or els I had been out of all hope of better Ver. 19. For the hors of Pharaob A good soul is altogether unsatisfiable in sanctifying God's name and setting forth his goodness Should I do nothing els all the daies of my life said that Martyr yea as long as the daies of heaven shall last Act. Mon. but kneel on my knees and repete David's Psalms yet should I fall infinitely short of what I ow to God Ver. 20. And Miriam Souls have no sexes And if souls follow the temperament of their bodies as Philosophie saith they do womens bodies consist of rater roomes of a more exact composition then mens do Ver. 21. Sing yee to the Lord This seem's to have been the burden of the song as Psal 136.1 Ver. 22. And found no water Thirst and bitterness was their first handsel in their voiage Ver. 23. They could not drink Water they now had but what the better God can give us blessings but with such a tang that wee shall have no great joie of them Ver. 24. Seneca Murmured against Moses Hee must bear the blame of all Publick persons are sure to have an ill life of it Qui vitaverit culpam non effugit infamiam Ver. 25. Shewed him a tree A type of Christs sweet cross and easie yoke that sweetneth and facilitateth all our light afflictions Ver. 26. And said if thou c. This God premiseth as a preface to the law to bee shortly after given in Sinai I am the Lord that healeth thee Both on the inside by forgiving all thine iniquities and on the outside by healing all thy diseases Psal 103. I am Jehovah the Physician And omnipotenti medico nullus insanabilis occurrit morbus Isidor To an Almightie Physician no diseas is uncurable Ver. 27. And they came to Elim The Heathens slandered the Jews Corn. Tacit. Annal. l. 12. that they found these fountains by the means of certain asses that guided them Whence they are called Asinarij by Molon and Appion of Alexandria who affirmed that for this caus the Jews worshipped the golden head of an ass c. CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. Vnto the wilderness of Sin SO called becaus it bordered upon the citie of Sin whereof see Ezek. 30.15.16 With Ezek. 20.35 36. Or of the manie brambles that grew therein Ver. 2. And the whole Congregation The most part of the people Diaconos paucitas honorabiles fecit saith Hierom sic veros Israëlitas Ver. 3. To kill this whole Assemblie Thus discontent will saie anie thing neither careth it how true the charge bee but how stinging and stabbing Ver. 4. I will rain bread from heaven Not hell from heaven as once hee did upon Sodom If thine enemie hunger feed him as God here doth Ver. 5. On the sixth daie they shall prepare The Jews preparation to the Sabboth began at three a clock in the afternoon Buxtorf Synagog The best and wealthiest of them even those that had manie servants did with their own hands further the preparation So that somtimes the masters themselvs would chop hearbs sweep the hous cleav wood kindle the fire c. Ver. 6. That the Lord And not wee without his autoritie so that in murmuring against us yee have set your mouthes against heaven Caveant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grudg not behold the Judg standeth before the doore Ver. 7. Jam 5.9 Yee shall see the glorie of the Lord Shining in that wonderful work of his the bread from heaven Confer Num. â—4 21 Iâ—b 11.40 Ver. 8. In the evening flesh to eat c Never was Prince so served in his greatest pomp as these rebellious Israëlites How good shall wee finde him then to those that pleat him Ver. 9. For hee hath heard your murmurings Now then what will you do sith God riseth up And sith hee viâ—â—teth what will yee answer Iâ—b 31.14 Ver. 10. Toward the wilderness Where the cloud was in the forefront of their armies Ver. 11. And the Lord spake i. e. Hee â—ad before spoken Ver. 12. And in the morning They have their flesh at Even and bread in thâ— morning God will bee waited on and give the consummation of his blessings at his leisure The cloud emptie's not it self at a suddain burst but dissolve's upon the earth drop after drop Ver. 13. The dew laie round i. e. The Manna that came down in the dew as Christ the bread of life doth in the Ministerie of the word See Deut. 32.2 Ver. 14. The dew that laie And covered the Manna whence that promiâ—e of hidden Manna Revel 2.17 Ver. 15. Lib 26. cap. 14. It is Manna i. e. What shall I call Herba Anonymus non inveniendoâ—nomen invenit saith Plinie so Manna Others interpret Manna a portion an admirable gift or meat prepared Ver. 16. Everie man according to his eating Thus they were inured in diem vivere as Quintilian saith the birds do to de pend upon God for their daily bread Ver. 17. Som more som less ecundùm proportionem arithmeticam sed non secundum proportionem ceomeâ—â—icam as a man had more or less mouthes in his familie to â—eed Ver. 18. Hee that gathered much See the Note on 2 Cor. 8.15 Ver. 19. Let no man leav of it c. It was to bee gathered in the morning and not kept till the morrow I made baste and delaied not saith David Psal 119 60. Ver. 20. Left of it untill c. Eitâ—er through distruâ— or curiositie Vers 21. It melted Or putrefied faded disolved Som Papists derive their Mass from this root and well it may bee nam per eam omnis pietas liquefacta est dissoluta saith Rivet for it is the utter bane of all good as beeing a mass or heap of abhominations Vers 22. And told Moses As fearing that the people had not don so well as indeed they did or as desirous of further direction Vers 23. Laie up for you c. This is no plea for the Popish keeping of their breaden God in a pyx for here was a command so to do lest the Sabbath should bee profaned but for the other there is none Vers 24. Till the morning The Sabbath-morning wherein it putrified not but continued sound and savorie by the special hand of God that they might keep the Sabbath as it appear's here they did before the Law given at Sinai Papists press the sanctification of the Sabbath as a meer humane institution in religious worship Our Anti-sabbatarian Prelates took this text for an Anticipation onely and made little account of the fourth commandment which Spalato had taught them was don awaie c. Ver. 25. Eat that to daie So shall those that labor in the Lord rest and feast in
away well mounted till overtaken by hue and cry he is apprehended sentenced and executed Your sin will find you out as a blood-hound et patientia Dei erga impios quò diuturnior Hioron in Jerem. eò minacior Morae dispendium foenoris duplo pensatur the longer God forbeareth the heavier he punisheth Vers 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence The Hebrew word for vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies comfort also for God will be comforted in the execution of his wrath Ezek. 5.13 See the Note on Chap. 28.63 He shew such severity sometimes as if he had blotted that out of his title Exod. 34.6 and now took up that Emperours Motto Fiat justitia pereat mundus Their foot shall slide in due time They are set in slippery places Psal 73.18 they ever walk as upon a mine of gun powder ready to be blown up Nemo crimen gerit in Pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo Nemesis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods wrath is such as none can avert or avoid Vers 36. And repent himself for his servants Thus God mingleth and allayeth the rigour of his justice with the vigour of his mercy Vers 37. And he shall say i. e. He shall upbraid them with the inability of their idols to do for them Vers 39. I even I am he I is emphatical and exclusive Vers 41. If I whet my glittering sword God first whets before he smites and first takes hold on judgement before his judgments take hold on men Est piger ad poenas ad proemia velox See the like Psal 7.12 God was but six dayes in making the whole world yet was he seven dayes in destroying that one city of Iericho as Chrysostome observeth Fury is not in me Esay 27.4 As a bee stings not till provoked so God punisheth not till there be no other remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Vers 43. Rejoyce O ye Nations Give God the glory of his just severity which is no less commendable in a Judge then seasonable clemency Vers 47. For it is not a vain thing Gods favour is no empty favour it is not like the Winter-Sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little comfort and heat CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1. BEfore his death The words of dying men are living oracles they should therefore be pious and ponderous Vers 2. Went a fiery law for them This fire wherein the law was given and shall be required is still in it and will never out hence are those terrours which it slasheth in every conscience that hath felt remorse of sin Every mans heart is a Sinai and resembles to him both heaven and hell The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law Vers 3. Yea he loved the people With a general love with a common Philanthropie But the love of God in Christ is that we must all labour after such a love as doth better for a man then restore him to sight or raise him when bowed down Psal 146.8 Are in thy hand And so in a safe hand Ioh. 10.29 And they sate down at thy feet As attentive and tractable Disciples See Act. 22.3 Luk. 10.39 2 King 2.5 Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master from thy head A phrase taken from their manner of sitting at the feet of their Teachers Vers 4. Moses commanded us a law These are the words of those Saints above-mentioned expressing their good affection to the law and to Moses by whose mediation they received it Even the inheritance For perpetual use to us and our posterity Indeed the law lyes not upon the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.9 nor urgeth them as it doth upon the wicked To those the law is as chains and shackles to those as girdles and garters which gird up their loyns and expedite their course the better It confines them to live in that element where they would live as if one should be confined to paradise where he would be though there were no such law Vers 5. And he was King in Jesharu◠An herrick King raigning by vertue and justice only not by force and violence One that said not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I can do but This is fit for me to do When the heads of the people and the tribes Here was a government made up of King Lords and Commons The best of governments doubtless so that the boam be kept right betwixt Soveraignty and subjection The contention now again flagrant in England between Prince and people about command and obedience ceased not till the Magna Charta first obtained of King John after of his son Henry 3. though observed truly of neither was in the maturity of a judicial Prince Edward the first freely ratified after fourscore years Vers 6. Let Reuben live and not dye Let him have a nail and a name in Gods house notwithstanding the hainousness of his sin and the severity of Iacobs sentence Gen. 49.4 See the Note there Vers 7. And this is the blessing Simeon is not mentioned but implyed in Iudah's blessing in the midst of whose inheritance lay his portion Josh 19.1 Besides that tribe was exceedingly defiled with fornication spiritual and corporal and by that means much decayed and diminished Numb 26.14 Hear Lord the voyce of Judah Putting thy promises Gen. 8.9 10 11. into suit by his prayers and pressing thee for a performance Vers 8. Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim Sincerity of life and soundness of doctrine See the Note on Exod. 28.30 There is great cause That Ministers of all men should be much pray'd for Vers 9. Who said unto his father In that heroical fact Ezod 32.26 29. Not to be wryed or biassed by respect to carnal friends is a high and hard point of self-denial Mark was Barnabas his sisters son hence he stood so stiffe for him against Paul his faithfull fellow-traveller Act. 15.37 Colos 4.10 Moses to please Zipporah displeased God and it went hard with him Exod. 4.24 Eli was too indulgent to his wicked sons and so perhaps was Samuel too 1 Sam. 8.1 3. Vers 10. They shall teach Jacob Apt and able to teach must all Ministers be as Paul Act. 20. Praedicationis officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit saith Gregory Hee 's no Minister that 's no teacher Aidanus the first Bishop of Durham Anno Dom. 636. neglected no duty of a good Pastour travelling up and down the country even on foot Godw. Catalog to preach the Gospell giving whatsoever he could get unto the poor and by the example of his own vertues instructing as well as by word and doctrine Amongst the Greeks Tragedians and Comedians were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour in teaching the people What should Ministers then do They shall put incense before thee i.e. Pray for the people as well as preach to them So Act