Samuel thought it had been God that called to him and not Eli he would not have slept but fallen on his face before the Lord as Abram here who was no novice but knew well that though God loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience yet he takes state upon him in his Ordinances and will be trembled at in his word and judgements Vers 4. As for me Ego ecce An abrupt speech to shew what haste God made to comfort and confirm Abram now fallen at his feet Thou shalt be a father of many nations The Israelites Ismaelites Edomites Keturites c. besides all Beleevers Gal. 3.28 29. Vers 5. Neither shall thy name any more c. This is reckoned for an high favour by those holy Levites Neh. 9.7 The Jews say that for honours sake God inserted one of the letters of his own incommunicable name Jehovah into the name of Abram now Abraham Sure it is that by stiling himselfe the God of Abraham he doth him more honour then if he had ingraven the word Abraham upon the firmament or in the clouds in letters of gold Vers 6. I will make thee exceeding fruitfull Heb. Foecundabo te valdè valdè And as oft as thou thinkest upon thy new name thou shalt remember my promise and rest assured of my performance See how God of his grace condescends unto us and accommodates us Vers 7. For an ever lasting Covenant Circumcision the outward sign of it was temporary and changeable into baptisme but the Covenant of grace thereby then and by baptisme now sealed up unto us is eternall being stablished and ratified by the death of the Testatour by the blood of the Arch-shepherd Heb. 13.20 Here it must be considered that there is a twofold Covenant 1. Single such as God makes with children when baptized viz. If ye will repent believe and walk with me ye shall be saved Now if they break the condition God is freed D. Preston of Gods Attrib he is not bound any further 2. Double such as God â—â—kes with his elect onely and that is to perform both parts sc If you will beleeve repent obey ye shall be saved And further I will give you a new heart so that you shall repent beleeve c. and be saved Thus God undertakes for both parts and so it becomes an everlasting Covenant such as hath the sure or unfailable mercies of David And here those that are thus in Double-Covenant with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fitly compared to them that are gone in at a Church-door some are further in then others but yet all are in So though the weak in faith be not so forward yet they may be in though not so far in And to thy seed after thee See the Note on the next Verse Vers 8. All the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession And yet now for their inexpiable guilt in putting to death the Lord of life they are utterly dispossessed of that pleasant land In Jerusalem it self there are not to be found a hundred housholds of Jews Adriâ—â— the Emperour drove them utterly out of Jewry Breerewood and commanded them by proclamation not so much as to look toward it from any Tower or high-mountain Yea long before this the Lord for their wickedness counted them but usurpers Funceiuâ— and called them sojourners in that land Ezek. 20.38 and 11.15 If men forfeit their priviledges God may at his pleasure take the forfeiture and dis-priviledge them as he did Saul and Judas who by transgression fell from his office that he might go to his own place Act. 1.25 I will be their God This is a singular comfort for all beleeving parents Their greatest care is for their poor little ones what they shall do another day why cast them upon God their God as well as thine for is not he in Covenant with them too It would be a great stay of minde if God should say to us for our children as David said to Mephibosheth or to Barzillai for his son Chimham Chimham shall go with me and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee and whatsoever thou shalt require of me that I will do for thee Behold God saith all this and more to us 2 Sam. 19.38 when he saith I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee I remember a sweet passage of Mr. Saunders the Martyr in a Letter to his wise Act. Mon. 1364. Though we do shortly depart hence and leave our poor Infant to our seeming at all adventures yet shall he have our gracious God to be his God For so hath he said and he cannot lye I will be thy God and of thy seed Yea if you leave him in the Wilderness destiâ—uâ—e of all helps being called of God to do his will either to die for the confession of Christ or any work of obedience that God which heard the cry of the little poor Infant of Hagar and did succor it will do the like to the children of you or any other fearing him and trusting in him Vers 9. Thou shalt keep my Covenant This is the stipulation on Abrahams part by receiving the Sacrament of Circumcision to avouch God to be his God Deut. 26.17 Now to the making the Lord to be our God it is required that with highest estimations most vigorous affections and utmost endeavors we bestow our selves upon him Thus if we chuse God for our God Psal 73.25 We shall be assured that he hath chosen and avouched us for his people 1 John 4.19 Vers 10. Every man-childe amongst you Infants were circumcised to signifie that we had better be flayed and have our skin quite stripped off then to have it as a skin-bottle hanging in the smoke of filthy desires and blown full of unclean motions with the breath of Satan That wretched Renegado that betrayed the Rhodes was well served For his promised wife and portion were presented but the Turk told him that he would not have a Christian to be his son in law Spec. bol sac p. 157. but he must be a Mussle-man that is a beleeving Turk within and without And therefore he caused his baptized skin as he called it to be fleyed off and him to be cast in a bed strawed with Salt that he might get a new skin and so he should be his son-in-law But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and torment Vers 11. It shall be a token of the Covenant It seals up nothing then to those that are not in Covenant Circumcision to such is but as a seal to a blank Unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 Circumcision of it self avails nothing if the heart be uncircumcised The Apostle distinguisheth of Circumcision Colos 2.11 and tells us that the true Circumcision is made without hands and is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom.
Basil thinks otherwise and that till sin came in the rose was without prickles It s likely there were such shrubs at first created non ut laederent hominem non pecâ—antem sed peccaturum saith Pareus Now since the Fall all creatures are armed against man as that sword which Hector gave Ajax which so long as he used against men his enemies served for help and defence But after he began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtless beaâ—â—s it turned into his own bowels yielding fruit after his kind So that men doe not gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Luk. 6.44 Jam. 3.12 Can a fig-tree saith St. James bear olive-berries or a vine figs that were monstrous And should not every man in like manner bear his own fruit proper to his kinde to his calling doe his own work weed his own garden Psal 101.2 walk within his own house with a perfect heart till God come unto him Come he will and look for fruit in its season When he comes he will turn up our leaves and look that like the tree of life Rev. 22.21 we bear fruit every moneth or that we be like the lemmon-tree which ever and anon sendeth forth new lemmons assoon as the former are fallen down with ripeness Or the Egyptian fig-tree Vnde pomum decirpscris alterum sine mora protuberat Sol. in Polyhist cap. 45. Plin. lib. 10. which saith Solinus beareth fruit seven times in a year pull off a fig and another breaks forth in the place shortly after Now if we be found like the barren fig-tree Luk. 13. that had leaves onlâ— or the Cypress-tree which is said to be fair and tall but altogether fruitless Or the Cypar it-tree of which Pliny affirmeth that it is natu morosa fructu supervacanea baccis parva foliis amara odore violenta ac ne umbrâ quidem gratiosa what can we expect but that he should set down his basket and taking up his axe hew us down as fewel for the fire of hell In Hispania nihil Igâ—avum â—ihil sterile Solin Spain is sayd to have nothing barren in it or not some way useful and why should Christs orchard the Church John 15.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he pares and prunes our leaves and luxuriancies Yea cuts and slashes where need requires and all that we may bear more fruit Sincerity alone will not comfort a man unless it grow up to fruitfulness which springing from the exercise of grace Isa 38.3 2 Pet. 1.3 hath a sweet reflection on the soul as in sick Hezekiah and sweetly seals up our calling to glory and vertue as the budding of Aarons rod did his calling to the prâ—esthood whereupon One well observeth that not only all the plants of Gods setting but the very boughs cut off from the body of them will flourish Quest Here some demand were the trees so created at first that if sin had never entered they had ever flourished laden with fruit Answer is made by a worthy Divine Answ Brightm on Rev. that the allusion Rev. 22.2 seems to intimate some such matter And perhaps Christ would else never have cursed the fruitless fig-tree sith the time of figs was not yet come Mark 11.13 Verse 14.15 Let there be light The Sun Moon and Stars are as it were certain vessels whereinto the Lord did gather the light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald. Ministravit Psa 19.5 which before was scattered in the Heavens The Sun that prince of planets but servant to the Saints of the most High as his name imports cometh out of his chamber as a bride-groom and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race This he doth with such a wonderful swiftness as exceedeth the Eagles flight more then it goeth beyond the slow motion of a snail and with such incomparable sweetness Eccles 11.7 that Eudoxus the Philosopher professed Plutarch that he would be willing to be burnt up by the Sun presently Herodot Chrysost Hom. 8 ad pop Antioch so he might be admitted to come so neer it as to learn the nature of it Aeternùm atri et tetri sunto habentor qui non tam cute quà m corde Aethiopici Solem quò magis luceat eò magis execrentur Chrysostome cannot but wonder that whereas all fire tends upwards the Sun should shoot down his rayes to the earth and send his light abroad all beneath him This is the Lords own work and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes Deut. 4.19 It illuminates and beautifies all the orbes and heavenly bodies about it yea it strikes through the firmament in the transparent parts and seeks to bestow its beauty and brightness even beyond the Heavens Bolt walk with God It illightens even the Opposite part of Heaven gliding by the sides of the earth with all those glorious stars we see shining in the night Yea it insinuates into every chink and cranny of the earth and concurres to the makeing of those precious metals which lye in her bowels besides those precious fruits brought forth by the Sun and the precious things thrust forth by the Moon Deut. 33.14 For as the Sun by warmth so the Moon by moisture maketh the earth fruitful whence also she hath her name in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jareach from refreshing the earth with her cool influences She is here called a light and a great light therefore She hath some light of her own as the stars also have besides what she borroweth of the Sun though not strong enough to rule the night without light from the Sun Galileus used perspectives to descry mountaines in the Moone and some will needs place hell in the hollow of it It is easie to discerne that her body is not all alike lightsome some parts being thicker and some thinner then others and that the light of the Sun falling on her is not alike diffused through her It is sufficient that the Church looketh forth at first as the morning or day-dawning she shall be faire as the Moon at least in regard of sanctification and for justification cleare as the Sun Cant. 6.10 and therefore to the devill and his angels terrible as an Army with banners Clouded she may be or eclipsed but not utterly darkned or denyed of light Astronomers tell us that she hath at all times as much light as in the full but often-times a great part of the bright side is turned to heaven and a lesser part to the earth God seems therefore to have set it lowest in the heavens and nearest the earth D. Hackwels Apolog. Preface that it might daily put us in minde of the constancy of the one and inconstancy of the other her selfe in some sort partaking of both though in a different manner of the one in her substance of the other in her visage Verse 16.17 He made also the stars To be receptacles of that first light whence
a childe of wrath and saved by grace onely though just and perfect in his generation The Mercy-seat was no larger then the Arke to shew that the grace of God extends no further then the Covenant As all out of the Arke were drowned so all out of the Covenant are damned Vers 9. Justitia Impuâ—aâ—a Impertita Noah was a just man By a two-fold justice 1. Imputed 2. Imparted By the former he was justified by the latter sanctified and note that he found grace in Gods eyes before he was either of these for Grace is the foundation of all our felicity and comprehends all blessings as Mannah is said to have done all good tastes Ecclesiasticus Perfect in his generation At best in those worst times which is a singular commendation and perfect that is upright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.18 ayming at perfection willing in all things to please God and yet not more desiring to be perfect then hating to seem onely to be so Or Noah was perfect compared to that sinfull generation which yet gloried in the title of the sons of God and children of the Church But was not Judas called Friend and Dives Son Matth. 26. Luk. 16. Hath not many a Ship been known by the name of Safeguard and Good-speed which yet hath dashed upon the rocks or miscarried by Pirates Externall priviledges profit not where the heart is not upright but increase wrath It was an aggravation to Solomons sin That God had appeared unto him twice and that he had been timely forewarned by his mother to beware of wine and women 1. King 11.9 Prov. 31.3.4 Prov. 31. both which he was afterwards neverthelesse most inordinately addicted to Eccles 2. Vers 11. The earth also was corrupt before God Or rotten putrid and stanke againe Sin is an offence to all Gods senses yea to his very soul as he complaines Esa 1.1 to 16. Oh that it were so to ours then would we not hide it under our tongues as a childe doth sugar and harbour it in our hearts yea let it eat of our meat and drink of our cup and lye in our bosomes as the poor mans lamb did in Nathans parable Lust was but a stranger to David 2 Sam. 11.3 as the Prophet there intimates vers 4. At other times and when himself I hate vain thoughts saith he Psal 119 113. yea every false way 104. as the vomit of a dog as the devils excrements as the putrifaction of a dead soul dead in trespasses dead and rotten as here stinking worse before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 11. then Lazarus did or could doe after he had lain four dayes in the grave Vers 12. All flesh had corrupted his way Generall defection precedes generall destruction as here all sorts and sexes were fallen from God All kinde of sins were common amongst them In the family promiscuous lusts unlawfull marriages c. In the State tyranny violence injustice In the Church contempt of Gods word abuse of his patience to presumption of his bounty to security in sin For they eat they dranke they married they planted they builded c. And all this they did constantly and pleasantly passing from eating to drinking from drinking to marrying for Venus in vinis and gluttony is the Gallery that wantonnesse walks through from marrying to planting for the use of posterity as St. Luke â—weetly sets forth by an elegant Asyndâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Luke 17.27 All this they did and God was silent therefore their hearts grew fat as brawn and they knew nothing saith our Saviour nor would know till the very day that the flood came Into such a dead lethargy were they cast by their sins which were therefore grown ripe and ready for the sickle Vers 13. The end of all flesh is come before me I will surely Certissimè citissimeque and swiftly destroy them A like threatning there is used Ezek 7.2 3 6. against Israel when once their sins were full ripe and hang'd but for mowing as we say The end is come is come is come and so some ten or twelve times is come is come q. d. destruction is at next doore by and Noah must know it too Not by his skill in Astrologie as Berosus belyes him but by divine praemonition Gen. 18.17 Psal 25.14 Amos 3.7 For shall I hide from Noah from Abraham that thing which I doe No surely they shall know all they shall be both of Gods Come and Coâ—â—â—ell For the secrâ—â— of the Lord is with them that feare him And the Lord will doe nothing of this nature but he will first reveal it unto his servants the Prophets And even to this day the more faithfull and familiar we are with God so much the sooner and better do we foresee his judgements and can foreshew them to others as those that are well acquainted with men know by their looks and gestures that which strangers understand not but by their actions As finer tumpers are more sensible of the changes of weather c. I will destroy them I will corrupt them so the Hebrew hath it I will punish them in kinde pay them in their own coyn corrupt them from the earth as they have corrupted themselves in the earth which also now is burdened with them and cryes to me for a vomit to spue them out Vers 14. Make thee an Ark Or chest or coffin And indeed by the description here set down the Arke in shape was like to a coffin for a mans body six times so long as it was broad and ten times so long as it was high And so fit to figure out saith an Interpreter Christs death and buriall Mr. Ainsworth and ours with him by mortification of the old man as the Apostle applies this type to baptisme 1 Pet. 3.20 21. whereby we are become dead and buried with Christ Rom. 6.3 4 6. Vers 16. A window shalt thou make The Arke had little outward light so the Church till she become triumphant There could not but be much stench among all those creatures though shut up in severall rooms Heb. 5. ult so here there is much annoyance to those that have their senses exercised to discern good and evill Compare the estate of Prince Charles in his Queen-mothers womb with his condition at full age in all the glory of his fathers Court there is a broad difference And it may fitly resemble saith One the difference of our present and future estate while the Church doth here travell of us we are pent up in darke cloysters and annoyed with much stench of sinne Baines Lett. both in our selves and others but when we come to heaven we shall see and enjoy the light of life our feet shall be as hindes feet upon the everlasting mountaines Vers 17. And behold I even I Verba stomachantis confirmantis veritatem comminationis suae Abused mercy turnes into fury Mimus
c. Note this against Anabaptists who exclude Infants for that they want the use of reason And yet that was but a foolish reason of the Canonist that Infants are therefore to be baptised Sphinx Philos pag. 229. because the Disciples brought to our Saviour not the Asse onely but the Foal also Vers 12. This is the tâ—ken of the Covenant c. See here the antiquity of confirming mens faith by outward signs as by the two trees in Paradise and here the Word and Sacrament go together And as God in Noah made a Covenant with his posterity also and confirmed it with a sign so doth he in Christ with the Church and ratified it with the Sacraments besides witnesses we have three in heaven and three in earth c. Vers 13. I doe set my bow in the cloud c. There it was before but not till now as a token of the Covenant as still it is applyed for a sign of grace from God to his Church Rev. 4.3 and 10.1 Ezek. 1.28 It is planted in the clouds as if man were shooting at God and not God at man This bow with both ends downward and back to heaven must needs be an emblem of mercy for he that shooteth holdeth the back of the bow from him Of Gods bow we read Ambros but not of his arrows saith Ambrose on this text Psal 7.12 13. He hath bent his bow and made it ready saith David but if he ordain his arrows it is not but against the perseâ—â—tours If he shoot at his servants it is as Jonathan shot at his friend David to warn them not to wound them They are arrows of the Lords deliverance 2 King 13.17 19. Psal 32.7 which therefore he multiplyes that they may compass him about with songs of deliverance If he bend his bow like an enemy Lam. â— 4 yet in wrath he remembreth mercy Vers 14. The bow shall be seen in the cloud In this heaven-bow there are many wonders First the beautifull shape and various colours In which respect Plato thinks the Poets feign Iris or the Rainbow to be the daughter of Thanmas or admiration The waterish colours therein signifie say some the former overthrow of the world by water The fiery colours the future judgement of the world by fire The green that present grace of freedome from both by vertue of Gods Covenant whereof this bow is a sign Next the Rainbow hath in it two contrary significations viz. of rain and fair-weather of this in the evening of that in the morning saith Scaliger Adde hereunto that whereas naturally it is a sign of rain and is therefore feigned by the Poets to be the messenger of Junâ— and called imbrifera or showry yet it is turned by God into a sure sign of dry weather and of restraint of waters Let us learn to look upon it not onely in the naturall causes as it is an effect of the Sun in a thick cloud but as a Sacramentall sign of the Covenant of Grace Esa 54.9 10. a monument of Gods both Justice in drowning the world and Mercy in conserving it from the like calamity The Jews have an odd conceit That the name Jehovah is written on the Rainbow And therefore as oft as it appeareth unto them they go forth of doors Maimoâ—y hide their eyes confess their sins that deserved a second deluge and celebrate Gods goodness in sparing the wicked world and remembring his Covenant Set aside their superstition and their practice invites our imitation Bern. Tam Dei meminisse opui est quam respirare Vers 15 16. I will remember That is I will make you to know and remember by this visible Monitor Segniùs irritant animum demissa per aures Quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus The Rainbow is a double Sacrament answering both to Baptism and the Lords Supper and declares by its colours saith One how Christ came by water and blood 1 John 5.6 Vers 17. This is the token of the Covenant This is often repeated that it may be the better observed and we full assured Deut. 6.7 Exacues ea iâ— est accuratè commodissimè inculcabis Buxtorf Lexic as Pharaohs dream was for this cause doubled God goes over the same thing often with us as the knif doth the Whetstone which is the Scripture-allusion He well knows how slow of heart we are and how dull of hearing and therefore whets and beats things of high concernment upon us that we may once apprehend and embrace them Revel 10.1 Revel 10.1 exp Christ is said to have a Rainbow on his head to shew that he is faithful and constant in his promises and that tempests shall blow over Let us see Gods love in his corrections as by a Rainbow we see the beautiful image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud Vers 20. And Noah began to be an husbandman Veteres si quem virum bonum colonum appellassent amplissime laudasse existimabant Cic. Nunquam vilior erat annona Romae referente Pliuio quà m cum terram colerent iidem qui Remp. regerent quasi gauderet terra laureato vomere scilicet Aratore triumphali See 2 Chron. 26.10 And he planted a vineyard Hence Berosus and the Poets call him Janus Oenotrius Janus of the Hebrew iajin vinum and Oenotrius of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence our English word Wine Vers 21. And was drunk For his own shame but our learning Instruunt nos patres tum docentes tum labentes Augustin The best have their blemishes and a black-part as that cloud had that conducted Israel out of Egypt Heb. 12.1 which while the Egyptians followed they fell into the Sea And was uncovered within his tent Operta recludit One hours drunkenness bewrayes that which more then six hundred yeers sobriety had modestly concealed Well might Solomon say Wine is a mocker For it mocked Noah with a witness and exposed him to the mockage of his own bosom-bird Vers 22. And Ham the father of Canaan saw The Hebrews say That Canaan first saw it and then shewed it to Ham his father who looks upon it with delight Vt vultures ad malè olentia feruntur saith Basil As carrion-kites are carried after stinking carcases And told his two brethren without Sic impii hodiè ex Ecclesiae tragoediis comoedias componunt How glad are the wicked if they can but get any hint to lay hold on whereby to blaspheme Jere. 20.10 and blaze abroad the Saints infirmities Report say they and wee 'l report yea rather then want matter against Gods people they 'll suck it out of their own fingers ends But if such a thing as this fall out that Noah be drunk though but once in an age the banks of blasphemy will soon be broken down and the whole race of Religious persons must rue for it among these Canaanites some also will be found to excuse them
her and that of Paul Have not I also a master in Heaven Colos 4.1 But passion is head-long and like heavy bodies down steep hills once in motion rest not till they come to the bottome Look to it therefore in corrections especially Vers 9. Return to thy Mistress When now she had smarted she is in case to be counselled There 's great skill in the choice of a fit time for admonition It is not to give a man a purge in a fever-fit Submit thy self Heb. Afflict thy self or suffer thy self to be afflicted or humbled under her hands Jam. 4.9 The like counsell is given us all by St. James Be afflicted and weep and mourn c. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will lift you up Vers 10. I will multiply thy seed Thus God contemneth not poor servants nay if they be faithfull Coloss 3.24 he will give them the reward of inheritance even a childs part as Hagar and her child had We read not that she cryed to God but her affliction spake for her and he is oft on t of his meer Philanthropie found of them that sought him not He heareth the young Ravens that cry to him onely by way of implication Pâ—al 147.9 The Lord hath heard thy affliction saith the Angel in the next verse Vers 12. And he will be a wild-man Heb. A wild-asse which is fierce untractable and untameable And such by nature is every mothers childe of us Job 11.12 A wild-asse-colt An Asse is none of the wisest creatures much less an Asses-colt least of all Vigimus inque vicem praebemus tela sagitâ—is a wild-asse-colt Lo such is man His hand will be against every man This was first accomplished in his person and thâ—n in his posterity For himself he was ferus pugnax ever quarrelling and contending Now a quarrelsome man is like a Cock of the game that is still blood with the blood of others and of himself As for his posterity the Saracens Mahomet the mischiefe of mankinde had his generation from this wild-asse And Sarai was utterly disappointed for these Agarens were ever enemies and so continue to be to her seed Vers 13. Thou God seest me This shews she had been well trained and tutored in her Master Abrams house Before she told the Angell the plain truth and lyed not vers 8 And here she thankfully acknowledgeth Gods goodness in looking upon her forlorn solitariness setting up a memoriall of that mercy to all posterity The greater was her sin again that being so well principled she should have any thoughts of returning to Egypt there to forsake her faith learn'd in Abrams family Have I also here looked Gen. 32.30 Exod. 24.11 Juâ—g 1â— 23 c. q. d. Have I found God here also in the wilderness as I had done oft before in my Masters house Or am I yet alive though I have seen God CHAP. XVII Vers 1. The Lord appeared to Abram AFter thirteen years absence and silence for ought we read so that Abram began to conclude that Ismael surely was the promised seed all the sons he was likely to have to inherit the land The Church then may erre when she cleaves not close to the word though God at length will direct her into the right way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here he did Abraham I am God All-mighty Or Al. sufficient Self-sufficient so Aquila Independent Absolute the Original Universall good Aben-Ezra interprets Shaddai a Conqueâ—or Others a Destroyer which a Conqueror must needs be Eundem victorem vastatorem esse oportet saith Cameron And to this the Scripture alludes when it saith Shod shall come from Shaddai Destruction from the Almighty Esa 13.6 Some there are that derive Shaddai of Shad a dug because God feeds his children with sufficiency of all good things as the loving mother doth the child with the milk of her breasts Hence the Heathen called Diana and likewise Ceres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mammosam as if she were the Nurse of all living creatures God is the onely satisfactory good proportionable and sitting to our souls as the dug to the childes stomach Walk before me Heb. Indesinentèr ambula Walk constantly step for step and keep pace with me Austin would not for the gain of a million of worlds be an Atheist for half an houre because he â—new not but God might in that time make an end of him Am. 3.3 For can two walk together and they not agreed saith the Prophet Ye cannot serve the Lord saith Joshua to the people that promised fair that is Jâ—sh 24.19 unless ye will serve him entirely walk uprightly as Abram here walk evenly without halting or halving with him Holiness must run thorough the whole life as the warp doth thorough the woof all the parts of our line of life must be streight before God As for such as turne aside to their crooked wayes as the Planets steal back by a secret slow motion of their own contrary to that of the Primum Mobile The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity with openly prophane persons Psal 125.5 when peace shall be upon Israel upon all that are Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile Surely as an unequall pulse shews a distempered body so doth uneven walking an unsound soul such as is not verily perswaded that God is All-sufficient able and ready to reward the upright and punish the hypocrite Vers 2. And I will make my Covenant This is now the fifth confirmation of the Covenant which shews that it is the prora and puppis the first second and third of our salvation and it is fit we should be well studied in it and assured of our interest For as the Mercy-seat was no larger then the Ark so neither is the Grace of God then the Covenant And as the Ark and Mercy-seat were never separated Exod. 25.10 to 17. so neither is his mercy from his people Vers 3. And Abram fell on his face T was sit he should now that God talked with him Such a posture of body befits us at the hearing of the word as may best express our reverence and further our attention Balac is bid to rise up to hear Balaams parable Eglon though a fat unweildy man riseth up from his seat to hear Gods message from Ehud Neh. 8.5 The people in Nehemiah stood to hear the Law read and expounded Constantine the Great Euseb would not be entreated to sit down or be covered at a Sermon No more would our Edward the sixth whose custome was also to take notes of what he heard Act Mâ—n which together with his own applications of the word to himself he wrote in Greek characters that his servants might not read them The Thessalonians are commended for this that they heard Pauls preaching as the word of God and not of man Had
2.29 It is a wonderful work of the Spirit wrought by the Word upon the Saints in their first Conversion whereby corruption of nature is wounded beloved sins cast away with sorrow and the sinner received into an everlasting communion with God and his Saints Labor this or you are not a button the better for your Baptism A man may go to Hell with Font-water on his face if not baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Circumcision seals not up any Covenant of Grace to Turks as it did not of old to Ismaelites Edomites and Midianites who yet would needs be circumcised Vers 12. And he that is eight days old This warrants our baptising of Infants of both Sexes See the Notes on Chap. 9. Vers 10. Vers 13. He that is born in thy house Housholders must see to it that their families fear God They walk not in a perfect way that do otherwise Psal 101.2 that look not Aedibus in propriis quae prava aut recta gerantur My Covenant shall be in your flesh That is the signe of my Covenant by a Metonymy of the Subject seem it never so simple and prove it never so painful and shameful The foolishness of God is wiser then men that cry Credat Judaeus Apella c. Vers 14. That soul shall be cut off From the Common-wealth of Israel So shall those be from benefit by Christ that are uncircumcised in heart As hateful to him as Goliah was to David Pray therefore that God will thrust his holy hand into thy bosome and pull off that abominable fore-skin He had much ado to forbear Moses when he met him in the Inne and we know why Exod. 4.24 Vers 15. Thou shalt not call her name Sarai but Sarah The Chaldee Sarai is made Hebrew Sarah One of the four Letters of Jehovah being also added as before in Abraham that she may be absolutely a Lady or Princess Vers 17. Abraham fell upon his face and laughed Not as doubting much less deriding Rom. 4 19. but as rejoycing and admiring the goodness and power of God The narrow mouthed vessel of his heart not quickly capable of so great comfort for Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides he fell upon his face and laughed Vers 18. Oh that Ishmael might live The life of grace here and of glory hereafter That he be not killed with death when he dies as Jesabels children were Revel 2.23 Vers 19. I will establish my Covenant with him This was a far greater favor thâ—n that bestowed on Ismael in the next verse Twelve Princes shall he beget Nothing so ennobleth as Christ Graces being in the Covenant c. Isai 19.25 Assyria is the work of Gods hands but Israel his inheritance Vers 20. And as for Ismael I have heard thee Faithful prayer may have any thing at Gods hands It is but ask and have with Abraham As Zedekiah said to his courtiers glosingly God saith to his servants seriously The King can deny you nothing Let this encourage to pray for our selves and children for by prayer we may take out of Gods treasury plentiful mercy for our selves and ours Vers 21. But my Covenant This is the thirteenth time that the Covenant is named in this Chapter saith an Interpreter and hereby is meant the promise of Christ and salvation by him A subject so sweet to every sanctified soul that Saint Paul cannot come off it He names the Lord Jesus Christ ten times together in ten verses 1 Cor. 1.1 to 10. It was to him Mel in â—re melos in aure Bernard jubâ—lum in corde Vers 22. And he left off talking with him As a man with his friend Mr. John Holland Bach. of Divin See my True Treas p. 373. Such honor have all his Saints O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my funeral God dealeth familiarly with man said that heavenly Spark how ready to be extinct Saint Paul calls prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an entreparlance with God 1 Tim. 2.1 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the confident intergatory or rejoyndre of a good conscience toward God 1 Pet. 3.21 The Persian Monarks held it a piece of their silly glory to secret themselves from their greatest subjects Esther 4.11 And Jupiters Image at Creet was made without ears Plutarch gives the Reason Non enim convenit audiri ab eo quenquam qui omnium rerum sit Dominus at que princeps A pretty plea for Baal He is too great to talk with men Our God thinks not himself so He sollicites suitors and loves to be interchangeably sollicited by them Vers 23. Abraham took Ismael To make the other more willing Circumcised the flesh Not regarding the affliction danger scandal shame of the action in the eyes of the world Vers 26. In the self same day To shew his prompt and present obedience without shucking and hucking without delays and consults Vers 27. All the men of his house Faciles se praebent in re ardua ridicula An excellent pattern of a well ordered family CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. And the Lord appeared unto him 1. UT praeludium incarnationis 2. Ex Philanthropia his delight is in the habitable part of Gods earth Prov. 8.31 And he sate in the tent-door He dwelt in a tent let us be content though we dwell not to our minds yet kept a good house A very hearty housholder he was In the heat of the day The usuall time of rest and repast when travellers wax faint and hungry Vers 2. And he lift up his eyes and looked As pursuing hospitality that 's the Apostles expression Rom 12.13 and waiting an opportunity of doing good Charity is no churle The liberall man deviseth liberall things Aug. in Psal 103. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Usibus non necessitatibus Nequis existimet prius non succurrendum proxime quam ad necessitatem fit redactus Act Mon. so 1369. Ibid. 1388. Cicero Esa 32.8 he considereth the poor and needy Psal 41.1 Praeoccupat vocem petituri as Augustin expounds it he stayes not till he is asked a good turn he ministreth to the uses not onely to the necessities of the Saints as the Apostles word is Rom. 12.13 And as Bishop Hoopers and Dr. Taylours practise was The one had his boord of beggars sent for and served every day with whole and wholesome meats ere himself sate down to dinner And the other went once a fortnight at the least to the Almeshouse and other poor men that had many children and were sick to see what they lacked and to supply them And bowed himself toward the ground Piety is no enemy to courtesie it doth not remove but rectifie it that it be not onely complementall and ridiculous Potest Augur Augurem videre non ridere So it may it be said of our common cringers Vers 5. For therefore are ye come to your servant He meaneth not that they therefore came to him to taste of his chear but that God by
But this had been to kill a fly as one said upon a mans forehead with a great beetle Some think they attempted the chastity of Pharaoh's daughters Such a thing as this made Augustus so angry against Ovid. But most likely it was for some conspiracy such as was that of Bigthan and Teresh Esth 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. The present government is for most part alwayes grievous to some discontented great Ones especially who know not when they are well but are ready to drive a good Prince out of the world and then would dig him up again if they could as the swain said of Dionisius Dionisium refodio But what said Alphonsus that renowned King to this in a speech to the Popes Embassadour He professed that he did not so much wonder at his Courtiers ingratitude to him who had raised sundry of them from mean to great estates as at his own to God whom by every sin we seek to depose nay to murther for Peccatum est Deicidium Rom. 1.30 with 1 Joh. 3.15 Vers 2. And Pharaoh was wroth c. That had been enough to have broke their hearts as a frown from Augustus did Cornelius Gallus and another from Queen Elizabeth Camd. Elizab. fol. 406. did Lord Chancellour Hatton Vt mala nulla feram nisi nudam Caesaris iram Nuda parùm nobis Caesaris ira mali est saith Ovid. And again Omne trahit secum Caesaris ira malum Vers 3. And he put them in ward c. See the slippery estate of Courtiers to day in favour to morrow in disgrace as Haman Sejanus whom the same Senatours conducted to the prison who had accompanied him to the Senate They which sacrificed unto him as to their god which kneeled down to adore him now scoffed at him seeing him drag'd from the Temple to the goale from supream honour Tacit. to extream ignominy His greatest friends were most passionate against him c. they would not once look at him as men look not after Sun-dials longer then the Sun shines upon them The place where Joseph was bound Here was a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. a sweet providence that these obnoxious Officers should be sent to Joseph's prison Vers 4. And the Captain of the guard c. This was Potiphar probably who by this time saw his own error and Joseph's innocency yet kept him still in prison perhaps to save his wives honesty Truth is the daughter of Time it will not alwayes lye hid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caseus in Ethic. Splendet cum obscuratur vincit cum opprimitur Hinc ut pacis templum in media urbc extruxerunt olim Romani ita Veritatis statuam in suis urbibus olim coluerunt Aegyptii Vers 5. And they dreamed c. Of dreams natural and supernatural see the Notes on Chap. 20. vers 3. Vers 6. And behold they were sad Or angry and yet knew not how to help themselves But carnal men disgest their passions as horses do their choler by chewing on the bit Pope Boniface being clapt up prisoner by Cardinal Columnus tore his own flesh with his own teeth Revius and dyed raving Bajazet the great Turk could not be pacified in three dayes after he was taken by Tamberlane Turk hist fol. 220. but as a desperate man still sought after death and called for it Vivere noluit morinesciit as it is said of that Bishop of Salisbury Roger Bishop of Salisbury prisoner in King Steven's dayes Vers 7. And he asked Pharaoh's officers c. Vincula qui sonsit didicit succurrere vinctis Josephs tender heart soon earned toward them upon the sight of their sadness and unasked he offers himself to them as our Saviour did to the widow of Naim and to those two doubting Disciples Luk. 24.17 S. Cyprians compassion is remarkable Cum singulis pectus meum copulo maeroris funeris pondera luctuosa participo cum plangentibus plango cum deflentibus defleo c. I weep with those that weep and am like-affected as if like-afflicted Vers 8. And there is no Interpreter The superstitious Egyptians did curiously observe their dreams and commonly repaired to the sooth-sayers for an interpretation Gen. 41.8 Joseph calleth these Idolaters from their superstitious vanities to the living God as Esay did those of his time Chap. 8.19 20. and Daniel those of his Chap. 2.28 5.18 He had consulted with God by prayer and with the Scripture which revealed sufficient direction to him Ezek. 31.1 to 12. and so soon dispatched the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dream Dan. 4.10 So Joseph here he suffered troubles as an evil doer even unto bonds 2 Tim. 2.9 but the Word of God is not bound Vers 9. Behold a vine was before me God of his infinite grace and wisdome gives men such signs as excellently answer and agree to the thing thereby signified Those two Sacraments of the New Testament for instance which the Greek Fathers in the Apostles sense Heb. 9.24 call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signs and symbols of better things signified and sealed up thereby to the Believer The Lord saith Venerable Beza knowing well the vanity of our natures prone to idolatry hath appointed us two Sacraments only and those consisting also of most simple signs and rites For signs he gave us water bread and wine The rites are no more then to sprinkle eat drink Nempe nemiscri mortales in istorum mysteriorum usu in rebus terrâ—strthus haereant obstupâ—scant Bez. Confess things of most common use and a very little of these too that men may not too much dote on the elements or external acts in the Sacrament but be wholly raised up to the mystery and by faith mount up to Christ thereby set forth and exhibited and fetching him down as it were that we may feed on him Hence the outward sign is no further used then may serve to mind us of the inward grace The Minister also stirrs up the people to look higher then to what they see with Sursùm corda Sacerdos parat fratrum mentes dicendo Sursum cerda Cyprian Lift up your hearts A thing in use among the Primitive Christians Vers 12. The three branches are three days That is they signifie three days So Chap. 41.26 The seven kine are seven years So this is my body that is this signifyeth my body saith Zuinglius after Augustine and Ambrose Or Hun. de Sacram cap. 14. Hâ—m â—â—ad 3. Victimas quibus soe era sancieba tur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. soe â—era voâ—â—t Vngil sallere dextram dixiâ—â—â— i.e. fidem jusjurandum quod datis dextris concipitur this is the sign and figure of my body saith Calvin after Augustine and Tertullian whatsoever Bellarmine and Hunnius prate to the contrary It is an ordinary Metonimy whereby the name of a thing signified is given to the sign for the analogy that is betwixt
utter his words of grace in the land of Nepthtali Mat. 4.13 And this is the Reason that as of the children by Leahs side Iudah obtained the first place among those that were sealed Revel 7. because Christ sprang of him so of those on Rachels side Nephtali is first named because there he dwelt at Capernaum where he had hired a house and preached ut ubique superemineat Christi praerogativa saith a learned Interpreter Medes in Apocalyps Compare with this text Deut. 3â— 23 and then observe that good words do ingratiate with God and men Vers 22. Joseph is a fruitfull bough Of the vine saith the Chaldee Paraphrast Uno anno septies fructus sufficit Vnde pomum decerpseris alterum fine mora protuberat Solin But it may be Iacob meant it of the Egyptian fig-tree whereof Solinus reporteth that it beareth fruit seven times in the year pull one fig and another presently puts forth saith he Vers 23. The archers have sorely grieved him These were his barbarous brethren that sold him his adulterous mistress that harlot-like hunted for his precious life his injurious Master that without any desert of his imprisoned him the tumulcuating Egyptians that pined with hunger perhaps spake of stoning him as 1 Sam. 30.6 and the envious courtiers and inchanters that spake evill of him before Pharaoh to bring him out of favour as the Ierusalemy Targum addeth All these arrow-masters as the Hebrew here hath it set against Ioseph and shot at him as their but-mark willing to have abused him but that Gods grace providence and unchangeable decree called here Joseph's bow and strength vers 24. would not permit them as those cruel Turks did one Iohn de Chabas a Frenchman at the taking of Tripolis in Barbary Turk hist 756. They brought him into the town and when they had cut of his hands and nose put him quick into the ground up to the wast and there for their pleasure shot at him with their arrows and afterwards cut his throat Vers 24. But his bow abode in strength He gave not place to them by subjection Cal. 2.5 Prov. 24.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phlt. no not for an hour If thou faint in adversity thy strength is small saith Solomon Ioseph did not but as it was said of old Rome Roma cladibus animosior and as of Mithridates he never wanted courage or counsell when he was at the worst so neither did Ioseph Virtus lecythos habet in malis The sound heart stands firme under greatest pressures 2 Cor. 1.9 12. Whereas if a bone be broak or but the skin rub'd up and raw the lightest load will be troublesome hang heavy weights upon rotten boughes they presently break But Iosephs were green and had sap By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob It was said of Achilles that he was Styge armatus but Joseph was Deo forti armatus and thence his safety He used his bow against his adversaries as David did his sling against Goliah He slung saith One Bucholcer perinde ac si fundae suae tunicis non lapillum sed Deum ipsum induisset ac implicuisset as if he had wrapt up God in his sling Vers 25. Who shall help thee God hath God shall is an ordinary way of arguing it is a demonstration of Scripture Logick as Psal 85.1 2 3 4. So 2 Cor. 1.10 Every former favour is a pledg of a future With the blessings of heaven above c. God shall hear the heaven the heaven shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn wine and oyl the genealogy of all which is resolved into God Hos 2.21 22. with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb Yet rather then Ephraim shall bring forth children to the murtherer the Prophet prayes God to give them as a blessing as some think a miscarrying womb Matth. 24.19 and dry breasts Hos 9.13 14. And our Saviour saith Woe be to such as are with child and give suck in those dayes of war and trouble Vers 26. Above the blessings of my progenitors Chiefly because Jacob pointed them out the particular tribe whereof and the very time wherein Shiloh should come This mystery was made known to the Church not all at once but by degrees Adam was told the seed of the woman should break c. but whether Jew or Gentile he heard not a word Abraham the Hebrew long after was certified that In his seed all nations should be blessed but of what tribe Christ should come till now the world never heard After this David was made to know that Christ should be a male but that he should be born of a Virgin was not known till Esay's time Thus God crumbles his mercies to mankind and we have his blessings by retail saith One to maintain trading and communion betwixt him and us So the cloud empties not it self at a sudden burst but dissolves upon the earth drop after drop unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills Spiritual blessings in heavenly things whereof those temporals afore promised Eph. 1.3 were but types and pledges Whence David doubts not to argue from temporals to spirituals Psal 23.5 6. God in the Churches infancy fed them and led them along Sunt qui autumant hanc prophâ—tiam Paulo applicari debore Bez. Annot. ad Act. 83. by earthly to heavenly blessings speaking unto them as they could hear Vers 27. Benjamin shall ravin as a Woolf There are that think that this ought to be applyed to S. ' Paul the Benjamite who while he was Saul not content to consent to S. Stephen's death though it be all one to hold the sack and to fill it to do evil and to consent unto it Act. 8.1 3. he made havock of the Church like a ravening Woolf entring into houses also and haling men and women to prison Yea Act. 9.1 he lyes breathing out threatnings and slaughter panting and windless as a tired Woolf and having recovered himself is marching toward Damascus for more prey But met by the chief shepherd of a Woolf he is made a Lamb Esay 11.6 not once opening his mouth unless it were to crave direction What wilt thou have me to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 3.14 2 Cor. 5.13 with Act. 26.11 Sand's his survey of West Relig. Lord After which time he never persecuted the Saints so fast as now he pursues and presses hard toward the high prize and as mad every whit he is thought to be for Christ as ever he was against him The papists some of them have censured him for a hot-headed person and said that there was no great reckoning to be made of his assertions Is this blasphemy in the first or second table say you Porphyry the Philosopher could say that it was pity such a man as Paul was cast away upon our religion And the Monarch of Morocco told the English Embassadour in King John's time that he had lately read
might nor the mean for their miserie Ver. 4. Ox or his ass going astraie How much more his soul See the Notes on Jam. 5.20 Jude 22 23. Ver. 5. Thou shalt surely help with him So the Spirit help 's with us or list's over against us Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee look's ut acti agamus Ver. 6. The judgment of the poor I have seen saith one the King of Persia manie times to alight from his hors The Preachers Travels by J. Cartwright onely to do justice to a poor bodie Causses are to bee heard and not persons the Athenian Judges passed sentence in the dark Ver. 7. Keep thee from a fals matter Stand aloof of keep at a distance See Isa 33.15 A publike man should bee above all price or sale and everie man should carefully keep himself from the occasions of sin A good man dare not com near the train though hee bee far off the blow Ver. 8. And thou shalt take no gift Rain is good and ground is good yet Ex eorum conjunctione fit lutum saith Stapleton So giving is kinde and taking is courteous yet the mixing of them make's the smooth paths of Justice foul and uneven Ver. 9. Thou shalt not oppress c. See the Note on Exod. 22.21 Ver. 10. Thou shalt sow thy land Here the wise man's counsel would bee remembered Laudato ingentia rura exiguum colito To bee called a good husbandman was of old an high prais Ver. 11. But the seventh year That they might learn to live by faith and bee at good leisure to wait upon God Deut. 31.10 11 12. Let everie of us keep a spiritual Sabbath saith Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. 3. ad Magnes Better apaid of the meditation of the Law then of the relaxation and rest from labor Ver. 12. Six daies See the Note on Chap. 20.8 Ver. 13. Bee circumspect Or warie keep you close to the rule and up to your principles See the Note on Ephes 5.15 Of the names of other Gods sc Without dislike The Primitive Christians would not call their daies of the week Dies Martis Mercurii c. as Mercurius Trismegistus had named them but the first second third c. daie of the week Deastrorum nomina nè nota quidem esse voluerunt inter Christi cultores saith one They desired that Christians should spit out of their mouths those dunghill-deïties with utmost contempt as David did Psalm 16.4 Ver. 15. Thou shalt keep the feast Let us also keep the feast or Holie-daie 1 Cor. 5.8 See the Note there Ver. 16. And the feast of harvest Pentecost when their wheat-harvest came in In the end of the year See the reason of this law Deut. 11.12 It was a land which the Lord cared for the eies of the Lord were alwaies upon it from the begining of the year even unto the end of the year Ver. 17. All thy males The female are not required to appear becaus they were weak and not so fit for travel they were also the hous-keepers and sanctified in their husbands Howbeit manie of them came up to these feasts as Hannah 1 Sam. 2.19 And the virgin Marie Luke 2.41 And this was well accepted as a Free-will-offering Ver. 18. Of my sacrifice Especially of the Passover See Exod. 34.25 Lev. 2.1 2 3. Ver. 19. The first of the first-fruits The best of the best is not to bee held too good for God His soul hath desired the first ripe fruits Jer. 2.2 Thou shalt not seeth a kid Hereby seemeth to bee forbidden either crueltie or curiositie to pleas the palat See my Common-place of Abstinence Ver. 20. Behold I send an Angel i. e. Christ Immediately after God had given the Law by the rule and threats whereof God the Father in his government was to proceed Mr. Th. Goodwin saith a Divine and after they had transgressed it Exod. 33.2 3 4. hee could not go along with them for hee should destroie them but his Angel that is his Son hee would send with them who also would destroie them if they turned not nor repented according to the rules of his Law the Gospel Ver. 21. My name is in him i. e. Hee is of the same nature with my self See Phil. 2.6 Heb. 1.3 with the Notes there Ver. 22. An enemie to thine enemies There is a Covenant offensive and defensive betwixt God and his people Tua caussa erit mea caussa said that Emperor to his wronged friend So saith God to his Ver. 23. For mine Angel Heb. Malachi which is by transposition of letters Michael as som Rabbins have observed Ver. 24. Thou shalt utterly overthrow them As Hen. 8. began here to do in demolishing the Monasteries and saying Corvorum nidos esse penitùs disturbandos nè iterùm ad habitandum convolent This Sanders relateth and exagitateth Schism Angl. lib. 1. Ver. 25. Bless thy bread God's blessing is the staff of bread and strength of water See the Note on Mat. 4.4 Ver. 26. The number of thy daies Thou shalt die as Abraham did with a good hoar head bee satur dierum as Job fall as a full-ripe-apple into the hands of God the gatherer Ver. 27. My fear before thee Strike a panick fear into the hearts of thine enemies so that they shall flee at the nois of a driven leaf they shall bee made à corde suo fugitivi as Tertullian hath it Ver. 28. Hornets before thee Understand it either literally as Josh 24.12 or figuratively of the stinging terrors of their self-condemning consciences Ver. 29. In one year God's time is best and to prescribe to him is to set the sun by our dial His help seem's long becaus wee are short Wait upon him who wait's to shew us mercie Isa 30.18 Ver. 30. By little and little God crumble's his mercies to us wee have his blessing by retail So the cloud emptie's not it self at a sudden burst but dissolv's upon the earth drop after drop Ver. 31. The sea of the Philistims i. e. the Mediterranean Ver. 32. No covenant with them becaus devoted to destruction and they will bee drawing thee to Idolarrie as it also fell out Judg. 1. 2. CHAP. XXIIII Ver. 1. Worship yee afar off THus under the Law but now by grace wee draw nigh with boldness and have access with confidence by the faith of Christ Ephes 3.12 See the Note there Ver. 2. But they shall not com nigh But half-waie onely Vers 19. See the Note on Chap. 19.12 Ver. 3. And told the people So hee became a Mediator Gal. 3.19 Non redemptionis sed relationis Will wee do God's people are willing Psalm 110.3 But weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 See the Note on Heb. 13.18 Ver. 4. An Altar Representing God on the one partie as the twelv pillars did the people on the other partie So here was a formal covenant Ver. 5. Young men The first-born of the families Exod. 19.12 Ver. 6. Half of the blood
Having mingled it first with water Heb. 9.19 See 1 John 5.6 with the Note Ver. 7. Will wee do and bee obedient Christ will enjoie his spouses love by a willing contract not by a ravishment Ver. 8. On the people The representative people the elders or as others will the twelv pillars See Vers 4. Ver. 9. And seventie of the elders See Vers 2. Ver. 10. And they saw God A glimps of his glorie See the Note on 1 Tim. 6.16 Ver. 11. Hee laid not his hand i. e. They came off without hurt which is reckoned as a great mercie sith no man ordinarily can see God and live besides the infinite distance that is betwixt God and the greatest Nobles And did eat and drink i. e. They were much acheared and made merrie in the Lord. Others sens it thus Though they had seen God yet they turned again to temporal pleasures they soon after ate drunk at that idolatrous feast of the golden calf and rose up to plaie It is set as an aggravation of Solomon's sin that hee departed from God that appeared to unto him twice 1 King 11.9 Ver. 12. Tables of stone To shew 1. the stonie-hardness of the people's hearts 2. The lastingness of the Law Ver. 13. And Moses went up Joshua staid the while in som convenient place Ver. 14. And Hur See the Note on Chap. 17.10 Ver. 16. Six daies The people had but three daies of preparation to receiv the Law Moses hath six Singular holiness is required of Ministers the measures of the Sanctuarie were double to the ordinarie as the shekel cubit c. Ministers had need wish as Elisha did a doubled and trebled spirit that they may save themselvs and those that hear them Ver. 17. Was like devouring fire So it is still Heb. 12.29 which so terrisieth the sinners in Sion that they run away with these words in their mouths Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Ver. 18. Fortie daies All which time hee neither ate nor drank Deut. 9.9 and so better merited the sirname of Nesteutes the Faster then that proud Prelate John Bishop of Constantinople CHAP. XXV Ver. 2. That giveth it willingly VIrtus nolentium nulla est God strain 's upon no man If yee consent and obeie c. If there bee a willing minde God accepteth c. 2 Cor. 8.11 12. Si desint vires tamen est laudanda voluntas Ovid. Hác ego contentos auguror esse Deos. Ver. 3. Gold and silver and brass No mention of iron Confer 1 King 6.7 8.51 Ver. 4. And blue and purple and scarlet i. e. Wool died with these colors Heb. 9.19 To teach the Church that both themselvs and their actions should bee washed and died in the bloud of Christ Ver. 5. Shittim wood A kinde of cedar that rotteth not Gal. lib. 1. Antidit Ver. 6. Spices As cinnamom which in Galen's time was verie rare and hard to bee found but in Prince's store-houses Ver. 8. That I may dwell amongst them But will God in verie deed dwell with men upon earth 2 Chron. 6.18 What can hee do more to make them happie As hee in Plutarch said of the Scythians that although they had no musick nor vines amongst them yet as a better thing they had Gods and as the Philosopher having little els in his hous yet could saie of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here bee Gods so may everie good man boast of his hous and of his heart Heb. 3.6.2 Cor. 6.16 Gen. 28.17 This is the habitation of the most High As for the publick assemblie of Saints This is the hous of God this is the gate of Heaven Ver. 10. An Ark Chest or Cabinet wherein to keep the two Tables of the Law signifying thereby that Christ is the end of the Law covering the imperfection of our works Ver. 11. A crown of gold To set forth the Majestie of Christ's kingdom or the eternitie of his Deïtie which as a crown or circle had neither begining nor end Ver. 14. That the Ark may bee born with them The Ark was transportative till settled in Solomon's Temple so till wee com to heaven shall wee bee in a continual motion Ver. 15. The staves shall bee c. That they might not touch it for reverence sake it beeing a visible sign of God himself amongst them Ver. 16. The Testimonie Those tables of the Testimonie Exod. 31.18 That testified what God required of them and would bee a testimonie against them if disobedient Deut. 31.26 Ver. 17. A Mercie-seat Heb. A Covering or coffering up of men's sins the appeasing of an angrie God Confer Gen. 38.20 By Christ who is our propitiation or Mercie-seat Rom 3.25.1 John 2.2 Two cubits and a half c. Just so big everie waie as the Ark. Vers 10. Get into Covenant with God saith one for as the Mercie-seat was no larger then the Ark so neither is the grace of God then the Covenant And as the Ark and Mercie-seat were not asunder so God is near to all that call upon him in truth Ver. 18. And thou shalt make two Cherubims Golden winged images made by God's special appointment and set out of sight Hence then is no warrant for the use of images in Churches These here were to represent the holie Angels attendent upon God looking intently into the mysterie of Christ as the Cherubims did into the Propitiatorie 1 Pet. 1.12 and joined to the societie of Saints Ver. 19. Even of the Mercie-seat Of the matter of it to shew that the verie Angels have their establishment in and by Christ and that if they need mereie how much more do wee Angels also are under Christ as a head of Government of Influence of Confirmation though not of Redemption Ver. 20. Toward the Mercie-seat shall the faces c. Angels in the Syriack are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the face becaus they look ever on the face of God waiting his commands Ver. 21. Above upon the Ark The Ark covering the Law within it the Mercie-seat upon it and over them two Cherubims covering one another did typifie Christ covering the curses of the Law in whom is the ground of all Mercie which things the Angels desire to prie into as into the pattern of God's deep wisdoms Ver. 22. From between the two Cherubims which covered the place from whence the Lord spake to restrain curiositie Ver. 23. Of Shittim wood Which corrupteth not Isa 41.19 Christ's bodie could not putrefie in the grave Ver. 24. Pure gold Pointing to the glorie of Christ's Deïtie and the Majestie of his Kingdom Ver. 25. A golden crown To hide the joints and for ornament Christ also is said to have manie crowns Rev. 19.12 Ver. 30. Shew-bread See the Note on Mat. 12.4 Ver. 31. And thou shalt make a candlestick called the candlestick of light Exod. 35.14 A Type of Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
destruction of Jerusalem at which time wrath came upon them to the utmost 2 Thess 2. Vers 58. This glorious and fearful Name That Nomen majestativum as Bernard calleth it The wiser sort of Heathens acknowledged augustius esse de Deo sentiendum Hinc Pythagericum illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quà m ut nomen imaginem ejus passim ac temerè usurpemus that higher thoughts must be taken of God then lightly and prophanely to make use of his name which no man may presume in a sudden unmannerliness to blurt out When they would swear by their Jupiter they would break off their oath with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas as those that only durst to owe the rest to their thoughts Vers 63. So the Lord will rejoyce over you See here the venemous nature of sin so far forth offensive to Almighty God as to cause him who otherwise afflicts not willingly Lam. 3.33 but delights in mercy Mic. 7.18 to rejoyce in the ruine of his creatures as here to laugh at their destruction and mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1.26 to take as much pleasure therein as a man would do in a cup of generous wine Rev. 16.19 and to be as much eased thereby as one over-gorged would be in ridding his stomach of that that oppressed it Rev. 3.16 Vers 65. A trembling heart Juvenal by a jeer calls them Judaeos trementes trembling Jews Sat. 6. It seems they had Cains curse upon them Vers 66. And thy life shall hang in doubt Semper indesinenter desperabis de vita thou shalt live in continual expectation of death as Tiberius caused such to do as he most hated for a singular punishment Vers 68. And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt This is the last and greatest curse here threatned Oh pray pray said that Dutch Divine upon his death-bed Pontifex enim Romanus concilium Tridentiaum mira moliuntur for the Pope and his Council are seeking to bring us all back into spirituall Egypt Ah ne diem illum posteri Vivant mei quo pristinum Vertantur in lutum aurea Qua nos beârunt soecula What long hath been the opinion and fear of some not unconsiderable Divines Mr. Baylie his Anabaptis unsealed c. pref that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole Protestant Churches I pray God to avert CHAP. XXVI Vers 1. BEside the covenant Which yet was also a covenant of grace and the same with this in substance only that at Horeb was made and delivered in a more legal manner this in a more Evangelical as appears in the following Chapter Vers 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you Nor is he bound to do but on whom he will he sheweth mercy and whom he will he hardeneth i.e. he softneth not Till when a man stands in the midst of means as a stake in the midst of streams unmoveable yea the more God forbids a sin the more he bids for it Rom. 7.8 See the Notes on Matth. 13.11 13 14. Vers 5. Your clothes See the Note on Chap. 8.4 Vers 6. ye have not eaten bread Viz. ordinarily see Deut. 2.6 but Manna beneficium postulat officium Vers 11. From the hewer of thy wood The meanest amongst you such as afterwards were the Gibeonites who also by faith became Covenanters and are called Nethinims in Ezra and Nehemiah They were made drawers of water to the Temple as a kind of punishment God made it a mercy for the nearer they were to the Church the nearer they became to God Vers 16. How we have dwelt And how hard is it to passe thorow Ethiopia how much more to dwell there and not to be discoloured Sin is catching and by the senses those cinque-ports of the soul that old serpent oft winds himself into the heart Ye have seen their abominations oh that you would say Satis est vidisse c. Now therefore lest there should be c. vers 18. Vers 17. A root that beareth gall An evill heart of unbeliefe Heb. 3.12 a deceitfull and deceived heart Ier. 17.9 Isai 44.20 that is ever either weaving spiders webbes i e. loving vanity seeking after leasing Psal 4.2 or hatching cockatrice eggs that is acting mischief Esay 59.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in that first Chaos were the seeds of all creatures so in mans heart here therefore fitly called a root of rottenness of all sins Holy Bradford would never look upon any ones leud life with one eye but presently reflect upon himself with the other and say In this my vile heart remains that sin which without Gods speciall grace I should have committed as well as he Vers 19. When be heareth the words But feareth them no more then Behemoth doth the iron weapons which are esteemed by him as straws The presumptuous sinner saith one makes God a God of cloutes one that howsoever he speaks heavy words will not do as he saith Words are but wind say they in Ieremy Chap. 5.13 God forbid say they in the Gospell Luk. 20.16 These things are but spoken in terrorem thinks the practicall Athiest bug-beare words devised on purpose to affright silly people c. Ahab after he was threatned with utter rooting out begat fifty sons as it were to cross God and to try it out with him So Thrasonicall Lamech brags and goes on to out-dare God himself If Cain be avenged c. Gen. 4.23 The old Italians were wont in time of thunder to shoot off their greatest ordnance and to ring their greatest bells to drown the noise of the heavens like unto these are many frontless and flagitious persons But shall they escape by iniquity in thine anger it is not more a prayer then a prophecy cast down the people O God Psal 56.7 To add drunkenness to thirst To add rebellion to sin Iob 34.37 To drink iniquity like water Vers 7. His sin and his repentance run in a circle as drankenness and thirst do He sins and cryes God mercy and sayes he will sin no more and yet does it again the next day till his heart be so heardened by the deceitfulness of sin that at length he looseth all passive power of recovering himself out of the snare of the devill by whom he is taken alive at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Vers 20. The Lord will not spare him God cannot satisfie himself in threatning this heynous sin as if the very naming of it had inraged his jealousie Yea when he threatneth it he useth here no qualifications as he doth in other cases but is absolute in threatning to shew that he will be resolute in punishing See the like Esay 22.12 13 14. Ezek. 24 1◠It is better therefore to have a sore then a seared conscience as a burning feaver is more hopeful then a lethargy Vers 22. When they see the plagues A presumptuous offender is a traytour to the State and one sinner destroyeth much
Patriarks to those spirits once in pleasure now in prison but prevailed not 1 Pet. 3.18 19. shall not alway strive with perverse men by preaching disputing convincing in the mouths of my servants whom I have sent unto them nor in their own mindes and consciences by inward checks and motions which they have made no good use of Delicata res est spiritus Dei Grieve it once and you may drive it away for ever Ideò detâ—riores sumus quia meliores esse dâ—bâ—mus Saâ—v It bloweth where it listeth and will not be at your whistle For that he also is flesh He is therefore the worse because he ought to be better God expects singular things from his people and takes it ill when they are carnal and walk as men 1 Cor. 3.3 They should be higher then others by head and shoulders as Saul was and all that is in them or comes from them should be as the fruit of the trees in Paradise fair to the eye and sweâ—t to the taste Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty yeers It shall be so long ere I destroy 1 Pet. 3.19 20. 2 Pet 2.5 This long-suffering of God is celebrated by St. Peter and well it may for had he not been God and not man he could never have held his hands so long Neither indeed did he for so extream was the provocation that he cut them off twenty yeers of this promised count That all the earth might know to their wo Numb 14.34 his breach of promise Vers 4. There were Gyants Gigantes quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earth-sprung John 3.31 They were of the earth they spake of the earth and the earth heard them Heard them I say and fell before them as the beasts of the field do before the roaring Lyon Hence they are called in Hebrew Nephilim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as being faln from God fell upon men Job 1.15 and by fear and force made others fall before them Thus they sought to renown and raise themselves by depressing others and doing violence But this was not the way For now they lie shrowded in the sheet of shame To do Worthily in Ephrata is to be famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4.11 To be patiently perseverant in well-doing is to seek for glory and honor yea to attain immortality and eternal life Romans 2.7 Vers 5. The wickedness of man was great in the earth Which was now grown so foul that God saw it but time to wash it with a flood as he shall shortly do again with streams of fire He destroyed the world then with water for the heat of lust he shall destroy it with fire for the coldness of love as saith Ludolfus Devita Christi l. 2. c. 7. And that every imagination of the thoughts Omne figmentum cogitationum The whole fiction or every creature of the heart as the Apostle hath it Hebr. 4.13 speaking there of the thoughts All the thoughts extensively are intensively onely evil and protensively continually and intents of the heart There is a general ataxy the whole frame is out of frame The understanding dark as hell and yet proud as the devil The will cross and overthwart The memory slippery and waterish to receive and retain good impressions but of a marble firmness to hold fast that which is evil The affections crooked and preposterous The very tongue a world of wickedness what then the heart Si trabes in oculo strues in corde The operations thereof are evil onely evil Every day evil saith this Text And assigneth it for the source of the old worlds wickedness David also resolves his adultery and murther into this pravity of his nature as the principle of it Psal 51.5 so doth Job Chap. 40.4 Paul Rom. 7.24 Isaiah Chap. 6.5 The whole Church Isai 64.6 cryes out Vnclean Vnclean and Chap. 53.6 Lev. 13.45 Esa 1.3 All we like sheep have gone astray Now as no creature is more apt to wander so none less able to return then a sheep The Oxe knoweth his owner the Asse his masters crib The very Swine accustomed to the trough if he goe abroad yet at night will finde the way home again Not so the Sheep Loe such is man Quintilian therefore was quite out when he said It is more marvell that one man sinneth then that all men should live honestly sin is so against the nature of man But he erred not knowing the Scripture For doe ye think Jam. 4.5 saith St. James alluding to this text that the Scripture saith in vaine The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy The civill mans namans nature is as bad as the worst not changed but chained up Truely said Tully Cum primùm nascimur in omni continuò pravitate versamur We are no sooner born then buried in a bog of wickedness Vers 6. And it repented the Lord c. and it grieved him These things are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men but must be taken and understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it beseemeth God Perkins When Repentance is attributed to God saith Mr. Perkins it noteth onely the alteration of things and actions done by him and no change of his purpose and secret decree which is immutable M. Gataker Gods repentance saith another learned Divine is not a change of his will but of his work Repentance with man is the changing of his will Repentance with God is the willing of a change Mutatiorei non Dei effectus non affectus facti non consilii Vers 7. I will destroy man See here the venemous and mischievous nature of sin It causeth God to make a World and again to unmake it it sets him against Man his Master-piece and makes him though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely to devise but to delight in the destruction of his owne creature to mock at and make merry in his calamity Prov. 1.26 to deliver the beloved of his soule into the hands of the destroyer Time was when Christ being by at the Creation Jer. 12 7. rejoyced in this habitable part of Gods earth his delights were with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 But since the Fall it is far otherwise Habaâ— 1. for he is of more pure eyes theâ—â— to behold sin with patience He hates it worse then he hates the Devill for he hates the Devill for sins sake and not sin for the Devills sake Now the naturall and next effect of hatred is revenge Hence he resolves I will destroy man Both man and beast the creeping thing c. Why what have those poore sheep done They are all undone by mans sin and are for his punishment to perish with him as they were created for him This is a piece of that bondage they are still subject to and grievously groan under waiting deliverance Rom. 8.21 22. Vers 8. But Noâ—h found grace Because in Covenant with God who of himself was