could go abrest on it Nehemiah divided the people into two great companies consisting of Priests Levites Princes and people they entred upon the wall about the middle of the west-wall near the dung-gate and there the two Companies parted and each went as in procession in this order The one company had Ezra the Priest before them and other Priests followed after him sounding with their Trumpets after them came the Levites playing on sacred Musical instruments and the Singers all sounding forth Gods praises and their own joy and thankfulness After them came the Princes and Rulers and after them the people and this company went on the right hand Southward by the fountain-gate and about the City of David and all along the South-wall even unto the water-gate on the East The other company went in like manner and Nehemiah himself the last of them And they made their procession on the left hand Northwards from beyond the Tower of the Furnaces even unto the broad wall These two Companies somewhat beyond the Prison-gate met together and in order descended from the East-wall to go into the house of God and that day they offered great sacrifices and greatly rejoiced with feasting and singing for God by his gracious Providence over them gave unto them their wives and children great occasion of rejoicing so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard a great way off and the report of it went into other Nations After they had thus manifested their zeal in dedicating the wall they manifest their piety in providing for the Priests and Levites who had had so great an hand in it and accordingly some faithful Levites were appointed to take care of all such things as by the people should be brought for the Ministers of the house of God and places were appointed to lay up all offerings first fruits and tythes which were brought out of the fields viz. the portions appointed by the Law for the Priests and Levites And the people chearfully brought in the forementioned portions rejoycing that there was care taken to settle the Priests and Levites in their accustomed courses and so to provide for them that they should not be forced to go into the Country to seek maintenance but might now stay their full time and course at the house of God to perform their particular services there And both Singers and Porters kept the watch of their God that is which by Gods command they were appointed unto taking care that the worship of God should be duly performed and they kept the watch of purification taking care that themselves and the people should be kept from legal uncleanness according to the commandment of David and Solomon his Son who walked in the statutes of David his Father 1 King 3.3 For in the days of David and Asaph Jedathun and Heman with whom David consulted there were some chief Singers appointed who had a charge over the rest to see all things belonging unto the Singers duly and orderly performed and there were Songs of praise and thanksgiving composed and set unto tunes by those Singers And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave to the Singers and Porters such portions as were appointed for their daily maintenance And the people set apart holy things for the Levites and the Levites set apart a tenth part of them for the Priests Neh. 12. wh Ch. After these things Nehemiah appointed Hanani who first brought him word of the sad estate of Jerusalem and Hananiah the Ruler of the Palace * i e. Palatii R gii in monte Sion who was a faithful man and one that feared God above many to be Governours over the City and to order the guards and matches thereof and to take care that the Gates were carefully shut and opened in due time Then perceiving that the City was large and great yet but thinly inhabited and that though some fair houses were built before the Temple was finished Hag. 1.4 yet abundance of other houses were not built thereupon God putting it into his heart †Good motions useful and profitable for the Church arise from Gods Spirit he calls together the Nobles and Rulers and people and numbred them that had returned out of the Captivity according to their Genealogies that so it might be known what families formerly appertained to the City that out of them a number might be selected and appointed to settle themselves there again And secondly that as need required others also might be called to dwell there though their Progenitors had not been formerly inhabitants thereof And 3ly that as men were found able they might lend aid towards the rebuilding of those houses in Jerusalem that now lay in rubbish And for their better proceeding in this matter a precedent was sought of their former numbring in the days of Zerubbabel and a Register was found of it which is here set down which in many things differs from that Ezr. 2. therefore 't is thought that that in Ezra was taken and written when they were preparing to come out of Babylon and this when they were come into Judea And there is added to that Register what was given at their first return out of Babylon towards the building of the Temple c. viz. all that was given by the encouragement of Cyrus viz. both by Jews and Persians but here is only set down what was collected after the people were numbred by Nehemiah And as then there was a collection of money and other things made when they were numbred according to their Genealogies in Zerubbabels time Ezra 2.68 so was it now also only that collection was meerly for the building of the Temple and this was partly for the service of the Temple for why else were so many Priests garments given and in part also for the rebuilding of the City See v. 4. Nehem. 7. from 1 to 8. v. 70 71 72. On the first day of the seventh month which was the Feast of Trumpets Levit. 23.24 the Jews were gathered together as one man to Jerusalem and they met both men and women before the water-gate the Court of the Temple not being able to contain so great a multitude and desired Ezra to bring the Book of the Law and to read it and expound it to them See Deut. 31.11 Ezra accordingly brought it and standing upon a pulpit of wood he read therein distinctly before the people and expounded it and gave them the sense of it Ezra also blessed the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen and Amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground And several other persons viz. Priests and Levites stood on his right hand and on his left to be witnesses of the truth of what he delivered and to move the people the better to entertain it And not only Ezra but others of the Priests and Levites also expounded the Law and caused the people to understand
of Israel were fled from Etham and it was so represented to Him as if they had run away from thence being terrified whereas they marched back with an high Hand and with displayed Banners Pharaoh hearing this and that they were pitched at so inconvenient a place as Pihahiroth He and his Courtiers said among themselves They are entangled in the Land and the Wilderness hath shut them in Let us therefore pursue after them Pharaoh accordingly with his Horses and Chariots (h) Of old they used Chariots with Sithes at their sides to mow down men in their way They had other Chariots out of which they fought as men do now out of Ships But where had Pharooh horses seeing 't is said Ch. 9.6 All the Cattel of Egypt died Answ All here is taken for many See the Notes on that place of War to the Number of 600 all that could be got together on the suddain with his Horse-men and Army pursues after them and found them Encamped in those Streights near the Sea When Pharaoh with his Army drew nigh the Children of Israel were dreadfully affrighted Fly they could not having the Sea before them the Egyptians behind them and steep and unpassable Hills on either side of them Yet God so order'd it that the Egyptians overtook them not their Camps being parted by the Pillar of Cloud which from going before the Camp of Israel now removed and went behind them and it cast a great darkness on the Egyptians but gave light to the Israelites However the people being in great Consternation they Cry unto the Lord for help and cry out in a high discontent against Moses What say they were there no Graves in Egypt that thou hast brought us forth to die in the Wilderness Did we not desire thee to let us alone with our Bondage in Egypt rather then expose us to such dangers as these Moses desir'd them to be quiet fear not says he but stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day For the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them no more for ever The Lord will fight for you you need only to be quiet and hold your peace and to keep your selves from doubting or murmuring and humbly to trust in God whose help is readiest when the danger of his people is greatest However Moses though he firmly relied on God yet sent up many strong Cries and Ejaculations to the Lord mixed with some perturbation of Mind upon the peoples Clamour against him The Lord hereupon calls to him not to employ himself further in praying to him at that time but to march on directly with the people to the Red-Sea which he doth accordingly and coming thither the Lord bids him Stretch forth his Rod over the Sea and upon that action of his the Sea should divide it self Moses does as he was commanded and a strong East-wind blew and the Sea miraculously divided it self standing on heaps on each side Then the Israelites by God's Command Moses leading the way passed thorow it safe as upon dry ground and the Waters were a Wall unto them on the right hand and on the left (i) The Apostle says Heb. 11.29 That by Faith they passed thorow the Sea and 1 Cor. 10.2 That they were all baptized to Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea See Apostol History pag. 169. the explication hereof Pharaoh and his Host coming to the Sea and seeing it thus divided they thought they might pass thorow it as well as the Israelites and accordingly entred the passage (k) Quos excidio destinat occaecat Deus to follow them but they were much hindred in their march after them by the falling off of their Chariot wheels For the Lord in the Morning-Watch (l) Anciently the nights in stead of hours were divided into many Watches 1 Sam. 11.11 the number of which is not certainly known and the day into Morning Mid-day and Even looking out of the Pillar of Fire and Cloud upon the Egyptians testified his Displeasure against them by Lightnings and Thunder and Rain with which he much distressed and disorder'd them as David more largely relates Psal 77.18 19. Insomuch that many of the Egyptians themselves were now sensible that God appear'd against them and for the Israelites and therefore desired to retreat and not to pursue after them any further The Israelites at last got all safe to the other side of the shore viz. to the Desert of Etham and then God commanded Moses to stretch forth his Hand again over the Sea which being done the Waters came together again and so overwhelmed (m) This was a just Judgment of God upon the Egyptians who had cast the poor Infants of the Israelites into the water and had drowned them without remorse the whole Host of the Egyptians not one of them escaped The Israelites saw some of their Carcasses floating upon the Sea and cast upon the shore Thus God with an out-stretched Arm saved the Israelites that day out of the hands of the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and believed in him and believed the word which Moses spake unto them in the Name of the Lord. Gen. 14. whole Chapter SECT V. THe Israelites being thus Miraculously delivered from the Egyptians Moses (n) See Rev. 15.3 compos'd a Song of Praise and Thanksgiving to God for this wonderful and transcendent Mercy and He and the Children of Israel sang it before the Lord. This Song is the first of that kind * Canticum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we find any where in the Scripture 'T is partly Historical setting forth a triumphant Narration of Gods admirable Mercy in destroying his and their Enemies partly Prophetical containing Prophesies of future Bessings assured to Israel set down not only in the Future but often in the Preter-tense for the greater Certainty First 'T is Historical It begins I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horses of the Egyptians and their Riders hath he thrown into the Sea The Lord is my strength and my Song that is we being weak in our selves He fought for us and subdued our Enemies 'T is the Lord therefore of whom we will sing and whose Praise we will set forth in our Song 'T is by him that we are saved and delivered out of the hands of our Enemies He is our God and we being his people He hath by the Spirit of Prophesie fore-shewed us that we shall build a Tabernacle for his Worship and Service He is our God and the God of our Fathers therefore we will lift up his high Praises and exalt him He is a mighty and all-powerful Warrior indeed Jehovah (o) See Annotations on Ch. 3.14 15. is his Name Pharaoh's Chariots and his Host hath he cast into the Sea his chosen Captains also are drowned in the Red-Sea The Depths have covered them they sank into the bottom as a stone Thy right
Curiosity of men may suggest about this whole matter may easily be answered by a serious consideration and belief of the infinite power and wisdom of God Noah being thus shut up in the Ark the Flood began with the bursting of the Fountains of the great Abyss from benath and a continual showring of rain from above 40 days and 40 nights together The waters encreased and prevailed on the Earth 150 days and rose to such a height that they covered the Mountains and all things that had life on the Earth perished Gen. 7. whole Chap. SECT X. UPon the 17th day of the seventh month the Waters abated and the Ark rested on one of the Mountains of Ararat in Armenia the greater not far from the Caspian-Sea and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the Mountains were seen And 40 days after namely upon the eleventh day of the eleventh month Noah opening the Window of the Ark sent forth a Raven who flew hither and thither fluttering about the Ark and resting on the top of it the waters being not yet dried up For the Raven being accustomed to live at large was weary of the straightness of his Cage and finding as 't is like dead bodies on the Mountains he was ravenous after such prey and would be no more confined to the Ark. Seven days after Noah sends out a Dove to try if the waters were abated but the Dove finding no rest for the sole of her foot the Mountain-tops though bare being yet very muddy returned to him again After seven days more he sent her forth again and in the evening she brought in her mouth an Olive-leaf which was a sign the waters were low and thereby God comforted Noah assuring him that his deliverance out of the Ark was near at hand And herein also the especial providence of God is to be observed in preserving the Olive together with the seminal virtue of other Trees Plants and Herbs though soak'd so long under waters for the replenishing the World with these kinds of Vegetables again there not being any seed of them preserved in the Ark that we read of Noah then staying yet seven days more he sent forth the same Dove (b) Of the sending forth of the Dove and her returning to Noah called by the Heathens Deucalion there is express mention in humane Writers particularly in Plutarch's Dialog de Solertia animalium again a third time which returned not to him any more having found food as it seems now for her self upon the Earth and taking content in the free Air and liberty This Dove no doubt soon after by the providence of God found her own Mate Gen. 8. from 1. to the 13. CHAP. II. The second Age of the World from the Flood to the promise made to Abraham inVr of the Chaldees containing the space of 422 years and ending in the 2078th year of the World SECT I. ON the first day of the first month of the six hundredth and first year of Noahs life he opened the Window that was in the covering of the Ark and looked about him and found that the waters were dried from off the face of the Earth yet so as it still remained moist and dirty having been so long a time soaked with such a quantity of moisture Therefore he stayed yet 55 days more namely to the 27th day of the second month and then he and all that were with him by the Commandment of God went forth out of the Ark having continued therein 375 days or a full (c) The solar year exceeds the lunar 11 days and consists of 365 days commonly though every fourth or leap-year consists of 366 days solar year and ten days more Gen. 8. from 13. to 20. SECT II. NOah when they were come out of the Ark built an Altar * Here is the first mention of an Altar and Burnt-Offerings long before Moses or the Levitical Law See Levit. 6.9 probably of Earth or Turf and offered Sacrifices and whole Burnt-Offerings thereon to the Lord of clean Beasts and Fowls according to that form of Worship which the Lord had before prescribed in a grateful acknowledgment of Gods great Goodness and Mercy to them in their preservation from the Flood And God smelled a sweet savour therefrom that is did graciously accept this Service Noah had performed and was highly pleased and delighted with his Faith and thankfulness And the Lord said He would not again Curse the Ground for man's sake nor destroy every living Creature thereon by a general deluge For he saw That the imagination of mans heart was evil from his youth and though that among other things justly provoked him before to destroy the World yet he saw that the Children of men being so corrupt by Nature if he should proceed against them according to their deserts and not according to the riches of his own Mercy he must be continually punishing and destroying of them therefore though he would deal as he thought fit with particular sinners yet he would not at one stroak destroy all Mankind any more And to confirm this his gracious Decree He promises that while the Earth remains Seed-time and Harvest Cold and Heat Summer and Winter Day and Night should not fail or cease that is generally it should be so but yet this did not hinder but that he might execute particular Judgments upon particular Places or Persons to the contrary Further God now declares That he was resolved to restore and repair the natures of things corrupted by the Flood And then blessing Noah and his Sons he bad them be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth And he tells them That the fear and dread of them shall be upon all bruit Creatures even to the taming and over-awing the fiercest and strongest of them either by force or cunning Whence it is that the most savage of them do fear the face of man though sometimes by the just judgment of God they do as it were rebel and rise up against him and hurt him God also now permitteth to Noah and his Posterity to eat Flesh as freely for their food as Herbs which grew out of the ground So that now the Lord restores to Noah and his Children the lawful use of those things which were in a manner taken from them by the Flood yet there was this exception made to his general Grant that though they might freely eat of any of the Creatures that were fit for meat yet they might not eat Flesh with the blood or in the blood but the Beast must first be killed and cleansed of tâ— blood Which restraint was in all probability made to deter them from cruelty and shedding one anothers blood And to inforce the observance of this Command the more upon them he tells them that as to their own life-blood if it were at any time shed by a Beast of a Beast it should be required that is the Beast should be put to death for it See Exod.
in erudienda Familia fuerit Abrahamus qui eodem die quo institutus est adeo tristem ritum admiserit Monym in loc Gen. 17. whole Chapter SECT VIII THe Son of God and two holy Angels (t) Thus he intertained Angels unawares Heb. 13.2 accompanying him appear now unto Abraham in the shape of three men in the plain of Mamre as he sat in the door of his Tent at Noon tide He apprehending them to be Strangers travelling that way who possibly might be weary and faint and they seeming to him to be persons worthy of respect he addresses himself to them with great Reverence and one of them appearing with greater signs of excellency and dignity than the rest He directs his Speech to him My Lord says He if I have found favour in your sight stay with me and rest your selves under that Tree for a while and let a little water be brought to wash your Feet According to the Custom of those Eastern Countries and accept of a little refreshment from me to strengthen you in your Journey seeing Providence hath led you this way They intimate their willingness to accept his kind offer Hereupon he hastens to Sarah and orders her forthwith to make ready some Cakes to be baked on the Hearth and he orders one of his Servants presently to kill a Calf and dress it and that it should be made ready These things being done He then set these Provisions before them with Butter and Milk and he himself stood by to wait upon them and serve them And they did eat see Ch. 19.3 having true Bodies for that time and for the present dispensation of that Service For though a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones Luke 24.39 yet Spirits may and by Gods appointment sometimes do assume humane Bodies which are erewhile to be dissolved again by the power of God when the work and service is done for which they were assumed V. 9. They said i. e. one of them said When therefore they had eaten then One of them viz. the Lord asked him where Sarah his Wife was By naming her he shewed he was more than a Man Abraham said she was at hand in the Tent. The Lord said I will certainly return unto thee not by a New Apparition but by accomplishing the thing promised viz. that thou shalt have a Son by thy Wife Sarah and it shall be accomplished so many months hence as is usual according to the course of Nature for a Woman to go from her Conception to the bringing a Child into the World Sarah hearing this in her Tent-door laughed within her self not out of Faith and Joy as Abraham had done before Ch. 17.17 but thinking it a thing very unlikely by reason of her great age if not impossible But though she laughed only within her self and did not break out into a loud and open laughter yet the Lord discerned it and took notice of it and ask'd her Why she laughed Did she look more upon her own and her Husbands decayed Natures and age than upon the power of God Sarah being thus reprov'd she out of shame and weakness in that sudden disturbance of her mind denies that she laughed But though she did not openly yet she did within her self and she began now to be ashamed because she perceived the person that spake to Her was more than a man because he could discern her inward affections But she did presently as it seems recollect her self when she understood who it was that spake and made this Promise and accordingly believed it and therefore her Faith is commended Heb. 11.11 Through Faith Sarah her self received strength to conceive Seed And afterwards she laughed for joy as we find Ch. 21.6 These things being done These three Persons that were in the shape of Men arose and Abraham in civility accompanying them some part of the way The two holy Angels went on directly towards Sodom but the Lord staid communing with Abraham and tells him he would not hide (u) Amos 3.7 from him what Judgments he now intended to execute upon Sodom and those Neighbouring wicked Cities For he had appointed him to be the stock of a great and mighty Nation his peculiar people yea the stock out of whom the blessed seed should spring in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed And he knew that he would instruct and command his Children (x) Deut. 6.7 Deut. 32.46 and his Houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do justice and judgment Then the Lord speaking to him after the manner of men as one that had no mind to punish without first inquiring into the matter of Fact He tells him He will go down and see whether their wicked deeds were answerable to the Cry that was come up into his Ears concerning them Then Abraham drew near unto the Lord and began to plead for these Cities especially for Sodom as being in likelihood touched with a greater concern for his Nephew Lot who dwelt therein intreating the Lord that the Righteous should not be dealt with as the Wicked that is taken away in wrath and Vengeance (y) The Righteous are sometimes taken away by the same publick Calamity that the wicked are but the one is taken away in mercy the other in judgment but that the City might be spared for the sake of the Righteous therein And to urge his plea further He humbly represents to Him that possibly there might be to the number of fifty Righteous persons found therein God tells him he would certainly spare them if such a number could there be found Then Abraham said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but dust and ashes peradventure there may be 45 found there The Lord answered He would not destroy it if 45 were there found Then Abraham descends to 40 to 30 to 20 and at last to 10 and if there had been but so many to be found there God would have spared them (z) Sometimes God forbids his Prophets to pray for such Jer. 15.1 Ezek. 14.14 but seeing there were not so many He intimates to Abraham that they must not expect to be spared Then God departed from Abraham and he returned to his own Place Gen. 18. whole Chapter SECT IX THe two Angels before mentioned in humane shape that went towards Sodom came thither in the Evening and Lot sitting in the Gate of the City and seeing of them and supposing them by their outward appearance to be Strangers of quality he went towards them and giving them civil honour and respect by bowing to them with his face towards the ground after the manner of those Eastern Countries he courteously invited them to his house and to Lodge with him that night They seemed unwilling (a) A slight invitation may be seriously refused and yet that which is pressing be afterwards accepted see Luke 21.28 29. and this without Popish Equivocation or
seem strange the City Memphis where he abode sometime not being as is computed above fifty miles from Hebron where his Father and his Family dwelt but we may probably conceive that Joseph having that extraordinary Gift of interpreting Dreams might so far understand the meaning of his own Dreams that his Brethren should at one time or other bow themselves before him and that he was to wait for the accomplishment of what God had foretold The seven years of plenty being ended the seven years of Famine began And this Famine reached to the Neighbouring Countries viz. Canaan Arabia c. But in all the Land of Egypt by reason of particular persons storing up great quantities of Corn there was bread sufficient for a good while but yet at last when the particular Provisions of the Inhabitants were spent the people cried to Pharoah for Bread 2 Kings 6.26 and he sent them to Joseph And the Famine growing sore all over that Land Joseph opened the Kings Store-houses and sold to the Egyptians And the Neighbouring Countries also being sore prest with the Famine came down into Egypt to Joseph to buy Corn not knowing where else to be supply'd Gen. 41. whole Chapter SECT XXXIX IN the second year of the Famine Jacob and his Family in Canaan (d) There was a Famine in Canaan in Abraham's time Ch. 12.10 In Isaac's time Ch. 26.1 and now in Jacob's time Gods Servants are subject to common Calamities yet God provides for them being sore prest with it and seeing some of the Canaanites had gone into Egypt and bought and brought Corn from thence he ask'd his Sons Why they stood like men amazed and helpless looking one upon another and did not go down into Egypt to buy Corn to keep them alive Hereupon ten of his Son resolve to go thither Jacob keeping Benjamin with himself lest some mischief should befal him as had formerly befallen his Brother Joseph They being come into Egypt applied themselves to the Governour of the Land viz. Joseph who it is like sold to the Natives by his Officers but to Foreigners himself because he would more particularly observe what Strangers came into the Land and whether there was any likelihood of danger from them Being come before him they made a lowly Obeysance to Him bowing themselves with their faces to the ground and so unwittingly fulfilled his prophetick Dream Ch. 37.7 8 9. of their Sheaves bowing down to His which he could not but now call to mind Joseph seeing them presently knew them though they knew not him his Countenance 't is like in so long a time being much altered and he appearing now in the habit and attire of a Nobleman and splendidly attended which they could not possibly imagine of him whom they had some years before sold for a Slave and thought was dead long ago But though He knew them yet he made himself strange to them and examined them strictly whence they came and spake roughly (e) This he did partly to understand the truth the better how it far'd with his Father and Brother Benjamin and partly to rouze them up to a sense of their sin they had committed against him and to make the kindness which he intended to shew them after seem the greater and harshly to them and charged them to be Spies that were come to see the nakedness of the Land and to mark what parts of it were least defended But they humbly answered Nay my Lord we are true men we are no Spies neither ought we being so many of a Company to give thee any jealousie for we are Brethren We were once twelve Brethren the Sons of one man in the Land of Canaan The youngest is this day with our Father and one is dead and the rest of us are come hither on no other design but only to buy Food If our Father had intended to have sent Spies hither He would not have adventured so many of his Sons together on such a Design Joseph said unto them By this I shall prove whither ye be true men and not Spies You say you have another Brother at Home If you have one of you shall go and fetch him hither that I may see him and I will keep the rest of you in Prison till he comes and thereby I shall know that ye are true men and do not lye unto me But if ye have not and so have deceived me as sure as Pharaoh lives (f) A vehement Asseveration no sufficient ground to charge on Joseph a sinful Oath viz. By the life of Pharaoh Deut. 6.13 compar'd with Math. 4.10 Jer. 5.2 ye are Spies and shall be dealt with accordingly (g) Exploratores deputabimini merito mendacii vestri Hereupon He put them all in Ward for three days * Nam suspicabatur Joseph ut nota Chrysost ne quod ipse expertus erat simile quid in Benjaminum fratrem suum uterinum ex eodem livore commisissent When they were thus shut up they began to speak one to another O we may now remember our cruel dealing with our Brother Joseph we are verily guilty of his blood We saw the anguish of his Soul when we were about to sell him and how earnestly he beseeched us and begg'd of us that we would not do it but we would not hear him nor listen to him therefore hath God brought this Distress now upon us Ah woe and alas We sold our Brother into Bondage and now we our selves are brought into Captivity We would not hear him and now the Governour of the Land will not hear us We deluded our Father with a lye and now we cannot be believed though we speak the truth Thus their guilty Consciences though they had lien still a long while about twenty years yet now like sleeping Mastiffs awake and fly upon them so that they could not but attribute their present trouble to their former Sin And to aggravate this their Crime Reuben (h) Nec ipse Reuben erat omnino innocens quia tanquam primo-genitus sortius resistere potuisset minando delationem ad Patrem told them They might remember how earnestly he spake to them and besought them that they would not sin against the life of their Brother but they would not hearken to him and so now says he his blood is justly required by God at our hands (i) Hic est effectus afflictionis ut in se redeat peccator causam quaerat ita ad paenitentiam perducatur Oculos quos culpa claudit poena aperit Joseph by some means overhearing this their Discourse among themselves though they little thought that He had been so near them or if they had they could not have imagined that He understood their Language because he used to speak to them by an Interpreter and being inwardly moved with this their sad acknowledgment of their Fault and especially with Reuben's sharp upbraiding them for it his natural affection so overpowred him that he
day she had rested her self in the House or Hovel where the Reapers did eat their meat Boaz hereupon spake kindly to her and bad her not go to any other Field but His to glean in and to abide fast by his Maidens that follow'd the Reapers and gathered up the Corn. He tells her He had charged his men that they should not hinder her nor do her any wrong And says he when thou art athirst go and drink of the Vessels of water that my Servants have brought for themselves Ruth hereupon bowed her self and fell on her face to the ground before him and said What an extraordinary thing is this that I being a Stranger should find so much favour from thee Boaz told her He understood how faithful and affectionate she had been to her Mother-in-law and how piously she had demeaned her self towards her in her old age and how she had left her Father and Mother and the Land of her Nativity to come to a people whom she knew not Now therefore says he the Lord Recompence thy work and labour of Love and let the God of Israel bountifully Reward thee of his free Grace under whose Wings thou art come to trust and to commit thy self to his Providence and Care having left thy own Country and joyned thy self to the Church and people of God She Replies Though I be unworthy of the kindness thou hast already shewed me yet seeing thou art pleased of thy meer goodness to vouchsafe it to me I pray thee continue thy favour still to me though I be meaner than one of thy Hand-Maids Boaz bids her at meal-times to come to that Tent or Hovel where his Reapers did eat and to partake of their Food and Provisions and to dip her Morsel in the sauce made with Vinegar wherewith in those hot Countries they were much refreshed Or possibly he intends she should freely eat of the morsels of meat that were provided and dip them in Vinegar as others did She accordingly came and sate by the Reapers but did not boldly thrust her self in among them but sate down somewhere besides them to receive what they would give her Boaz perceiving her modesty reached her parched Corn that is new Corn dried over the fire an usual Food in those Countries see 1 Sam. 17.17 1 Sam. 25.18 2 Sam. 17.28 and she did eat and satisfied her hunger and what she left she carried to her poor Mother vers 18. Boaz then commanded his Servants that they should permit her to glean even among the Sheaves and not rebuke her for it yea to let fall some handfuls on purpose for her So she gleaned unto the Evening and then beat out her Gleanings which came to about an Ephah or three pecks of our Measure see Exod. 16.36 which with her reserved Provisions before-mentioned she brought to her Mother and told her in whose Field she had gleaned and what great kindness she had met with from Boaz and how he bad her follow his Reapers and his Maidens that gathered up the Corn and to glean no where else but in his Fields Naomi hearing this said Blessed be Boaz of the Lord who hath not left off his kindness to the living nor to the dead see 2 Sam. 9.7 He seems to remember my Husband and thine to whom he was near of Kin * The next Kinsman had Right by the Law to redeem any House or Land which should be sold by those of his Kindred if they were not able to redeem it themselves see Levit. 25.25 And so also to marry the Widow of him that should die without Cildren that so he might raise up Seed to his Brother Deut. 25.5 And thus she gives Ruth an hint of what she afterwards more fully imparted to her viz. how Boaz was by the Law of God to marry her that he might raise up Seed to her deceased Husband and for their sakes to do us good And seeing he has courteously invited thee to glean in his Fields and to go no where else I advise thee that thou go out with his Maidens and only follow them lest if they should see or meet thee in another mans Field and tell it to their Master He should take it ill from thee and look upon it as a slighting of his kindness So Ruth continued gleaning in Boaz's Fields to the end of Harvest Ruth Ch. 2. whole Chapter Naomi now tells Ruth that seeing Boaz was so near of Kin to her Husband He was bound by the Law of God to marry her and no doubt would do so if the business were wisely managed And says he shall not I do what I can to effect it that so thou maist have rest and live in plenty whereas now thou art exposed to many Hardships Therefore take this course that I advise thee to Behold this night Boaz keepeth his Winnowing-Feast and useth to be merry at it and to lodge in his Threshing-floor (n) Their Threshing-floors in those times wherein they winnowed their Corn and where probably they kept this their Feast which as it seems was at the end of their winnowing were usually in the open Fields and the chief time of winnowing in those hot Countries was towards the Evening when the Wind begins to arise and it seems Boaz did use at that time to lodge in the Threshing-floor Moris tum fuit ut Patres-familias etiam divites urgentibus negotiis rusticanis in areis etiam ipsis quietem caperent Ut usurpari poterit illud Ovid. Fast 1. Non pudor in stipula placidam cepisse quietem Nec foenum capiti supposuisse suo possibly in some straw there so that thou maist have the more easie and private access to him Dress thy self therefore handsomely in thy best Attire and perfume thy self that thou maist be the more pleasing in his eyes Go down to the Floor but do not appear in his sight till after he is gone to take his rest And then go and lie down at his Feet (o) The way she took in regard of some circumstances seems unwarrantable and savoured much of womanish weakness 1. It had an appearance of scandal and therefore Boaz was loth to have it known vers 14. 2. It might have been an occasion of sin It seems an immodest thing in Ruth to cast her self down at a mans feet in the night and to uncover his feet 3. It might have been a means of allenating Boaz's affection from her and might have given him suspition that she was not so modest and chast as she seemed to be had not God by his secret Providence turned it all to good and lift up the Clothes that lie on his Feet to cover them that so he awaking may look about and take notice who uncovered them I confess this Counsel I give thee if I were not well assured of the Piety Gravity and Wisdom of Boaz as also of thy modesty and inviolable Chastity would not seem convenient nor decent nor free from scandal But being
assured of both these I am not discouraged from giving thee this advice to draw on Boaz to marry thee who by the Law ought to do it Ruth follows the advice of her Mother-in-law and when Boaz was gone to take his rest at the end of the heap of Corn she came softly and uncovered his Feet and laid her down by him At midnight Boaz awakes and being much surpriz'd to find that a Woman lay at his Feet He asks Who she was She answers I am Ruth thy Hand-Maid Spread I pray thee thy Skirt (p) A proverbial Speech signifying the taking of One into Protection over me that is accept me for thy Wife and perform to me what so near a Kinsman as thou art ought to do viz. to marry me and so to raise up Seed to my deceased Husband Boaz said Blessed be thou of the Lord my Daughter for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than in the beginning as if he should have said Thou shewedst much kindness to thy Husband whilst he lived and since his death in leaving thy Country and coming along with his Mother hither yet thy present Act of chast love exceedeth all the rest and in thy preferring me an old man before young men who are more suitable to thy age and that out of love to thy deceased Husband to revive his Name among the people of God Therefore fear not I will do what lies in me to satisfie thy desire according to God's Law in procuring for thee such an Husband as it requireth For this whole Town speaks thee to be a vertuous Woman And I must tell thee though I be near of Kin to thee yet there is one nearer than my self who ought to be preferred before me and to marry thee and to redeem the Land thy Mother will sell Therefore in the morning I will inquire whether he will perform that part of a Kinsman to thee and if not then will I do it my self Lie down therefore and take thy rest until the morning and then thou shalt know further concerning this matter But let it not be known that thou camest hither and layest at my Feet For next to the keeping of a good Conscience we must be careful to keep and preserve a good Name Ruth accordingly reposes her self there till towards the morning and then rising to go away Boaz bids her stay a little and bring her Apron and according to the honest plain bounty of those Times he gave her six Measures of Barley as a Token of his love and for a present supply of Hers and her Mothers wants Ruth coming to her Mother-in-law so very early in the morning she hardly knew her at first and therefore asked who she was Ruth relates to her all that had happened Then Naomi bad her rest satisfied with what was already done and quietly expect what issue God would give unto it and to stay within that she might be in a readiness if Boaz should send for her For she believed He would not be quiet till he had brought this business to some issue Ruth Ch. 3. whole Chapter Boaz the next morning went to the Gate of the City and there sitting down he waited for his Kinsmans passing by who was nearest of Kin to Ruths Husband and was like to go forth that way into the Field about his occasions as also that he might meet with such Elders of the City as did usually sit in that place of Judicature and were fit to be called together for the hearing and determining that great and weighty business which he had in hand of which number He called together ten And immediately as he expected this Kinsman came by to whom he applied himself and told him That the Widow Naomi who was lately returned out of Moab had a piece of Land made over to her for a Joynture or Dowry by her Husband Elimelech which she was to enjoy for term of life and then it was to descend to Mahlon her eldest Son but he was now dead He tells him This Joynture Naomi being poor intended now to sell to maintain her self and her Daughter-in-law He acquaints him that the right of Redeeming it belonged to him as next Kinsman to Elimelech but if he refused to redeem it then it belonged to himself as next of Kin after him to Elimelech The Kinsman hearing this said He would buy it of Naomi Boaz told him If he would buy it of Naomi he must buy it of Ruth the Widow of Mahlon the Son of Elimelech who had also a Right in it and so coming in as next Kinsman to buy her Husbands Land he was bound as next Kinsman also to marry her that he might raise up Seed to her deceased Husband and so continue his Name to his Inheritance For as Naomi had enjoyed this parcel of Land as Elimelech's Widow so it seems it was ordered that Ruth should enjoy it after her as Mahlon's Widow and he that would Challenge from Ruth the Priviledge of next Kinsman in the purchase of her Land was also to perform the duty of the next Kinsman to her in marrying of Her The Kinsman hearing this and perceiving whither it tended told Boaz He could not buy this Land clogged with such a Condition If he should he might thereby mar his own Inheritance For his marrying with Ruth a poor Widow would be a great hindrance to his Estate which might be much advanced by a rich Wife and besides if he should marry her and have but one Son by her that Son of his would be called by the Name of Mahlon Ruths former Husband and he should want an Heir begotten by himself to bear his own Name which was Onans fear Gen. 38.9 Therefore he freely renounced his Right which he had as next Kinsman unto Boaz and in token thereof as the manner was in all other Alienations he plucked off his own shoe (q) When the Widow complained to the Elders and the next Kinsman notwithstanding refused to marry her in that case the Woman was to pull off his shoe and spit in his face Deut. 25.9 But here there was no such thing done but the man pulled off his own shoe and gave it to Boaz The ground of which Custom was this the shoe signified the Right that a man had to go and walk at pleasure upon any parcel of Land as his proper Demeans for possessio is quasi pedum positio And the pulling off his shoe and giving it to his Neighbour intimated that he did forgo his own Right and resigned it to his Neighbour and gave him power to go upon the ground as his own see Psal 60.8 and gave it to Boaz thereby signifying that he willingly resigned his Right unto him Boaz as it seems hereupon bought of Naomi the Land before-mentioned and called the Elders there present to be Witnesses thereof and as a Consequent thereof he tells them He had purchased Ruth to himself for a Wife the Widow of Mahlon to
encouraged the Philistines to invade their Land soon after Jephtah's death At this time there was a certain man of Zorah of the Family of the Danites whose Name was Manoah and his Wife was barren (f) Sarah Rebecca Rachel the Wife of Manoah Hanna the Shunamite Elizabeth long barren Women had at last notable Children To her the Son of God (g) He is called by Manoah Elohim vers 22. by his Wife Jehovah vers 23. Himself saith his Name is Secret or Wonderful which is one of the Names given to Christ Isa 9.6 the great Angel of the Covenant appeared who in those times often appeared in humane shape and told her She should conceive and bare a Son but she must not drink Wine or strong Drink * Non tam ad robur haec spectant quam ad Sanctimoniam nor eat any unclean thing such as were forbidden to the Nazarites either while she was with Child of him or while she gave him Suck because all that time he was to have his nourishment from her and God appointed he should be from his Conception a Nazarite unto him and no Razour should come upon his head and he should begin h to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of their Oppressors The woman came and told her Husband That a Man of God had appeared to her whose Countenance was very Venerable and full of Majesty like that of an Angel and wrought in her a kind of astonishment and fear But he neither told her Whence he came nor what was his Name Manoah hearing this earnestly prayed unto the Lord that this Man of God might come to them again (k) The work of shaking off the Yoke of the Philistines was begun by Sampson and was carried on afterwards in the days of Eli Samuel Saul till at length they were perfectly subdued by David and might teach them what they should do unto the child that should be born to them Shortly after the Angel appeared again unto the Woman as she sate in the field She ran and call'd her Husband who coming to him askt him if he was the man of God that had before appeared unto his Wife and had told her those things concerning the child that should be born to them He said he was Manoah upon this crys out let thy words come to pass and if it will be so I pray thee shew us how we should order the child when he is born The Angel answers let thy wife abstain from all those things which I forbad her while she is with child and while she giveth suck viz. wine strong drink and eating any unclean thing and afterwards let her take care that her son refrain from them also seeing God hath extraordinarily called him and appointed him to be a Nazarite to himself to whom by the Law all these things are forbidden Therefore what hath forbidden to thy Wife thy Son must also abstain from seeing they are forbidden to her only for his sake Manoah not knowing he was an Angel desires him that he would please to stay a little while till they could make ready a Kid to entertain him and express their respects to him See Gen. 18.8 19.3 The Angel tells him he should not eat with him If he would needs be at that cost to provide a Kid he should bestow it in such a way as would be more acceptable to God and profitable to himself namely by offering it as a Sacrifice unto God to express his thankfulness for so great a benefit as God had now promised unto him Then Manoah humbly desires to know his name that when that which he had told them should come to pass they might do him honour and might make report to others concerning his skill in foretelling future things that so he might be highly honoured as a Prophet of the most High The Angel replies Why askest thou after my name seeing it is secret that is not to be search'd into or Wonderful and Incomprehensible Isa 9.6 My name says he is not to be too curiously inquir'd into but I shall make known my self presently to thee by my wonderful actions So Manoah took a Kid and a Meat-offering and offered it upon a Rock that was hard by to the Lord. 'T is true neither the person sacrificing nor the place where this Sacrifice was offered were warrantable by the Law but the Angels command was sufficient warrant for both And it came to pass when the flame ascended from off the Altar the Angel ascended up to Heaven in the flame which wonderful sight discovered to Manoah and his Wife that he was the Angel of the Covenant the Son of God who does present our prayers and services before the Lord and procures them to be graciously accepted by him Manoah and his Wife seeing this fell on their faces to the ground and he said to his Wife we shall surely die because we have seen God He fears according to an ancient opinion that ran among them see Judg. 6.22 Exod. 33.20 that they must die because they had seen such a vision of which they were most unworthy His Wife comforts him saying If the Lord intended to kill us surely he would not have received a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering at our hands And he hath testified his acceptance of it by ascending in the flame of it to carry it up as it were to Heaven with him and to present it unto God for us Further she argues if God had intended to kill them he would not have promised them a Son who should begin to save Israel nor would he have given her directions how she should order her self and the child when he was born These arguments 't is like satisfied Manoah So shortly after the Woman conceived and bare a Son and called his name Sampson and the child grew and the Lord blessed him and indued him with admirable strength of body courage of mind and all other gifts requisite for those high services he intended him for And when he was very young in the Camp of the Danites which they had formed to withstand the incursions of the Philistines the Spirit of God began at times to move and excite him to strange and admirable exploits even beyond the ordinary courage and strength of man Ch. 12. from 8 to 11. Ch. 13. whole Chapter SECT CXLVII AFter Ibzan Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel ten years Elon 10th Judg. After him Abdon of Pyrathon * Benaiah Davids Worthy was born here 2 Sam. 23.30 Abdon 11 Judg. that lay Westward of Samaria and Sechem on a high Mountain formerly inhabited by the Amalekites and called by their name judged Israel eight years He had forty Sons and thirty Grandsons that rode upon Ass-colts which shewed them to be persons of Dignity and Estate Ch. 12. from 11 to the end SECT CXLVIII SAmson being now about twenty years of age Samson 12th Judg. goes down to Timnah a City in the Tribe of Dan but at
old heavy and corpulent and falling down backward he broke his neck and died having judged Israel forty years Samuel the 14th Judg. His daughter-in-law Phinehas's wife was with child and ready to be delivered who when she heard those dismal tidings of the taking of the Ark the death of her father-in-law and husband she bowed her self and the pains of travel came upon her and being delivered yet so as she was ready to expire the women about her sought to comfort her telling her that she had borne a Son but she regarded it not only named the child Iehabod that is where is the glory (c) v. 22. Quod capta esset Arca Dei illud imprimis eam cruciabat nam domesticam calamitatem publicae postponebat Eliciamus hinc documentum lamentandi potius spiritualia dona quam temporalia Mendoz. intimating that the Ark being taken b which was the sign of Gods presence the glory was departed from Israel and so she gave up the Ghost 1 Sam. Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT CLVI THE Philistines having taken the Ark they carried (a) Illa lex de non tangenda Area ad solos Israelitas spectavit unde Philistini Arcam tangentes non dederunt poenas quia culpam non contraxerunt Mendoz. it undoubtedly with great Triumph to Ashdod since call'd Azotus Act. 8.40 and placed it in the Temple of Dagon their God presenting it as a captive before their Idol by whose help possibly they perswaded themselves they had overcome the Hebrews and their God yet possibly they had some kind of reverence for it and therefore feared to offer any violence to it or to open it or take forth the Tables of the Law that were in it but however that was they placed it near unto Dagon The Priests of Dagon rising early the next morning and coming to see how the Ark and their Idol had agreed together they found that Dagon was fallen on his face to the earth before the Ark whereby the Lord did discover to them what a vain Idol their Dagon was and that the God of Israel was the only true Almighty God and that he had cast down their Idol-god in his own Temple The Priests took their Idol and set it up again and no doubt used all their skill to fasten it and make it sure from falling any more But coming again the next morning they found their Dagon fallen again upon his face to the ground before the Ark and his head and both the palmes of his hands (e) Gravius secunda vice mutilatur Dagon ut sic intelligerent Azotii veri Numinis potentiam Idoli sui vanitatem Fag cut off and cast at the threshold of the House only the stump and lower part of him was left intire Their Dagon being thus broken to pieces the Priests could not set him up again nor conceal his ruin from the people as possibly before they had done they might see now that it was not by any Casualty but by the will and power of God that he was thus thrown down But though God had cast the head and hands of Dagon to the threshold that so they might as it were be despised and trodden upon by those that came into that house yet the Priests and the people of Ashdod were so superstitious (d) Nulla Miracula satis magna sunt ad animum impium emendandum citra Dei spiritum P. Martyr even to the time when this History was written that they would not so much as tread on the threshold of that Temple accounting it sanctified by the touch of the head and hands of their Idol And thus by the over-ruling Providence of God even their superstition became a means to perpetuate the memory of this wonderful work of God in confounding their Idol which otherwise might in some short time have been forgotten The Lord having thus clearly discovered to the men of Ashdod that their Dagon was a vain Idol and that the God of Israel whose Ark they had boldly surprized was the only true God which he had sufficiently demonstrated first by casting down their Idol before his Ark and at last by breaking it in pieces yet notwithstanding they continued as superstitiously devoted to their Idol as they were before and were not afraid still to detain the Ark of God in captivity Therefore the Lord resolved to punish them severely for it and accordingly his hand was heavy upon the City of Ashdod and upon the Coasts thereof and he destroyed and wasted their land by sending multitudes of Mice among them Ch. 6.5 and smote them with the Emerods a disease not only painful but as the Psalmist intimates Psal 78.66 disgraceful also and to many of them mortal as appears from v. 10. The men of Ashdod seeing in what a sad condition they were they openly said the Ark of the God of Israel should not abide among them for they plainly saw that his hand was heavy upon themselves by inflicting this strange disease upon them and that it had been heavy also upon Dagon their God wherefore they convened the Lords of the Philistines to consult together what course was fit to be taken in this case These Lords agreed that the Ark should be carried from thence to Gath another of their five principal Cities situate upon an hill near unto the Sea see Amos 6.2 resolving thereby to try whither it was the presence of the Ark that had caused those plagues or whither they came by any other accident The Ark being brought to Gath God smote the inhabitants thereof both small and great with Emerods in their secret parts hereupon they sent away the Ark to Ekron another of the principal Cities of the Philistines when it was come thither the Ekronites cry'd out they have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to bring upon us the same plagues that they have been plagued with because of it And it fell out accordingly for immediately there was a deadly destruction throughout the City possibly some mortal contagion reigned among them and the men that died not of that plague were yet smitten with the Emerods so that the cry of the city went up to heaven hereupon they also convened the Lords of the Philistines and desired them to send away the Ark to its own place viz. to the land of the Israelites that they might not be destroyed by reason of it But these Lords being very loth to part with so glorious a Trophie of their victory desired yet to try a little further and therefore sent it after this to Gaza and Askelon as appears Ch. 6.4 17. which Cities felt the same plagues by reason of the Ark which the other had done Thus the Ark of the Lord was in the Country of the Philistines seven months (a) Miruâ— hic stupor quod tam diu in suo consilio pertinaces haereant tot hominum funere suam insaniam tueri vellent Sanctius but they being at last
and his house so he required David to do the like with him and his posterity being very desirous to make a sure and firm league with him whom he so dearly loved and at his motion David willingly did it as appeareth ver 42. Jonathan further said to David to morrow I suppose thou wilt be missed at the New-Moon-Feast because thy seat will be empty when therefore thou hast stayed three days at Bethlem or at some other private place come down quickly to the place where thou didst formerly hide thy self when I first gave thee notice of my Fathers resolution to kill thee Ch. 19.2 and remain by the stone Ezel viz. the stone that directs Travellers in the way they should go and this shall be a token between me and thee whereby I will shew thee what thou shouldst do If I cannot come with conveniency to speak with thee my self I will shoot three Arrows on the side of that stone as though I shot at a mark and I will send a lad to find out the Arrows and if I call to him and say the Arrows are on this side of thee take them up then come thou away for there is peace to thee and no hurt But if I say to the lad Behold the Arrows are beyond thee then go thy way for the Lord by this sign given thee by me commands thee to be gone and to shift for thy self And as touching the Covenant which we have mutually made and confirmed by Oath the Lord be a witness between us and a just avenger of either if either of us transgress that so it may stand firm and inviolable for ever The New-Moon being now come the King sat down to eat in his Chair of State by the wall and Jonathan sat down by him and Abner coming after to sit down Jonathan arose to give him honour and respect being the Kings Cousin and General of the Army and David's place was empty but Saul said nothing of it that day but supposed he absented himself by reason of some legal pollution that had befallen him which rendred him unfit to come and forbad him coming under the penalty of being quite cut off from the people Levit. 7.20 21. On the next day Saul seeing David's place empty again he asked Jonathan why the Son of Jesse by which diminishing title he intimated his displeasure and indignation against him was absent both those days Jonathan answer'd he earnestly desired leave of him to go to Bethlem telling him that their family had a Sacrifice to offer in that city and his brother having commission from his Father so to do had commanded him to be there that he might on that occasion meet his Brethren and on that account he was absent Saul hearing this his anger was kindled against Jonathan and he told him he was right his mothers * Whether Jonathans mother had deserved this censure we need not enquire for this is the property of wrathful persons to speak any evil whether right or wrong of the person against whom their spirit is stirred son for she had been perverse and rebellious against him and so was he He tells him he had chosen the Son of Jesse to be his friend and favourite to his own ruin and confusion and to the confusion of his mothers off-spring that sprang from her womb For says he thou maist assure thy self that as long as the Son of Jesse liveth thou shalt never attain the Crown and Kingdom which by right of inheritance belongs to thee Therefore I charge thee to send for him for he shall surely die Jonathan humbly replied O my Father what hath he done what is his crime that he must die Saul hearing him speak thus in a rage cast a Javelin at him to kill him but he nimbly escaped the stroke and so plainly saw what was his fathers desperate resolution against David And thus Saul by his own rage and fury frustrated his own design had he dissembled his anger he might easily have got David into his hands but by thus openly discovering it he taught him to shift for himself Jonathan seeing how things went rose from the Table in a great discontent and would not eat any thing on the second day of the Feast for he was heartily grieved for David because his fathers anger was so implacable against him and because he had in that furious manner disgraced him in that publick assembly as though he had been a Traytor and Rebel On the third day in the morning which was the day before appointed between David and him Jonathan went out into the field and a little lad with him he bad the lad run before and find out the Arrows he should shoot as the lad ran he shot an Arrow beyond him and when he was come to the place Jonathan cried out to him that the Arrow was beyond him and bad him make hast and bring him that and the other Arrows that he had since shot Jonathan and David agreed upon this secret way of giving intelligence concerning Saul's mind because they thought that some body possibly might be present in the field where David was to hide himself and they could hardly hope for an opportunity to meet and consult together without being observed But Jonathan as it seems now perceiving the coast to be clear he immediately sent away the lad with the quiver bow and arrows and then David rose out of the place where he had hid himself and bowed himself three times with his face to the ground before Jonathan and they kissed each other and wept over one another until David exceeded whose condition at this time in the eye of reason was most deplorable for now he saw he was to be separated not only from his dear friend Jonathan but from his wife and family and from prosecuting the wars against the enemies of God in which he had so often been successful and which was worst of all he saw he was now like to be banished from the House of God and all his publick Ordinances in which his soul so much delighted and this also aggravated his misery he knew not well whither to flee and betake himself Into these great straights God was pleased to bring him for the exercise of his faith and patience and to teach him to flee unto him by fervent prayer as his only rook and refuge Jonathan and he having discours'd some time together at length Jonathan embracing him wished him all happiness and desired him to be mindful of the Covenant they had both of them sworn in the name of the Lord calling upon him to be a witness and a judge between them and their seed after them and to punish those of them that did not inviolably keep that Covenant So they parted 1 Sam. Ch. 20. whole Chapter SECT CLXXII DAvid now perceiving how implacable Saul's anger was against him he concludes he must shift for himself and stand upon his Guard and accordingly taking some few faithful
and valour 4. Four thousand to be Singers and Players on Instruments therewith to praise the Lord whereof two hundred eighty eight were eminent men for skill and possibly Teachers of the rest These also were divided into twenty four courses and so served about eightscore in every course and the twenty four Sons of Asaph Jeduthun and Heman three great Masters of Musick were to be the chief Heads of their Courses or Companies and to Prophesie with Cymbals See 1 Sam. 10.5 So for every Course of the Priests there was also appointed a Course of Levite-Singers and these were assign'd to their several Courses by lot also And as David appointed their Courses so he gave them also Psalmes penned by himself to sing assigning some for the Sons of Asaph others for the Sons of Jeduthun and Heman as by the Titles of many Psalmes does appear (a) 1 Chron. 25.5 All these were the words of Heman the Kings Seer in the words of the Lord to lift up the Horn. He was call'd the Kings Seer in the words of God because employed in that Prophetical work of setting forth the praises of God and singing Psalmes composed by men inspir'd by God and therefore call'd thence the words of God And to lift up the Horn whereby some Musical Instrument seems to be meant as the Cornet c. These Singers are said to Prophesie because in their Musick they were acted with an holy zeal such as Prophets in their Prophesies us'd to be acted with 1 Chron. Ch. 23. from v. 2 to the end 1 Chron. Ch. 24. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 25. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 26. whole Chapter SECT CCVII. SOlomon being now about twenty years of age Rehoboam is born to him of Naamah an Ammonitish woman as appears by Rehoboam's age at the beginning of his reign 1 King 14.21 where 't is said He was forty one when be began to reign We are now come to the first Book of Kings The united State of the Kingdom of Israel as it began under King Saul and increased under King David hath been described in the two Books of Samuel and how it came to its height under King Solomon is described in the Eleven first Chapters of the first Book of Kings and how it came to be divided and upon that division decreased and came to ruin at last we shall find described in the remaining Chapters of these two Books The first Book of the Kings contains an History of 126 years viz. forty years of Solomon's reign over all Israel after him the Kingdom being divided we have from Chap. 12. to the end the Lives and Acts of four Kings of Judah and eight Kings of Israel according to this following Scheme Solomon reigned forty years over all Israel Kings of Judah Kings of Israel  Years  Years Rehoboam 17 Jeroboam 22. Abijam 3. Nadab 2. Asa 41. Baasha 24. Jehoshaphat 25. Elah 2.   Zimri seven days    Omri 12.   Ahab 22.   Ahaziah 2. SECT CCVIII DAvid being now seventy years of age and broken with continual cares wars and troubles was grown so weak and feeble that applying warm clothes would hardly keep any heat in him whereupon by the advice of his Physicians a well-complexioned-young-Virgin was sought out for him who being taken by him as a wife or concubine might lye in his bosom and cherish him And such an one was found out viz. Abishag the Shunamite who did accordingly lye in his bosom and cherish him and ministred unto him but he knew her not 2 King Ch. 1. from v. 1. to 5. SECT CCIX. A Donijah David's Eldest Son now living seeing his Father decline so fast began to have aspiring thoughts after the Crown and understanding that Solomon was designed to succeed his Father he resolved to prevent it if he could by making himself King before his Fathers death In order hereunto he provides himself chariots and horses and fifty men for a guard as his brother Absalom had done before him And 't is like his Fathers former over great indulgence to him did the more embolden him though it also aggravated his fault that he durst do a thing so contrary to his Fathers mind who had been so kind to him He was also a goodly man of person and as that might be one cause that made David so much to dote on him and Absalom so it made him the more acceptable to the people In order therefore to the carrying on of his design he consulted with Joab the General of the Army and with Abiathar the High-Priest about it who it seems encouraged him in it and promised him their best assistance But Zadok and Nathan and Benaiah Captain of the Kings guard with the mighty men that were under his command joined not with him Adonijah having the General of the Army and the High-Priest on his side he now thus contrives his matters He makes a great Feast near Enrogel on the East-side of Jerusalem to which he invites all his Brothers the Kings Sons except Solomon and all the Officers and people of the Court that he thought would join with him intending there to be Installed King Nathan hearing of this went immediately to Bathsheba and asked her if she did not hear that Adonijah reigned and took upon him to be King She was strangely surpriz'd at this having heard nothing of it He advises her if she intended to save her own and her Sons life to go presently to the King and to ask him whither he did not swear solemnly to her that Solomon should reign after him And if he did how was it that Adonijah took upon him to be King surely it is without the Kings privity and consent And says Nathan while thou art speaking to him I will come in and confirm thy words and further add what I conceive requisite to be added Bathsheba accordingly went to the King and making a very low reverence to him she told him that he had solemnly sworn to her that Solomon her Son should reign after him but behold says she Adonijah has at this very time made a great Feast to which he has invited the Kings Sons and Joab and Abiathar in order to be by them Installed King And my Lord O King the eyes of all Israel are upon thee to observe whom thou wilt declare for thy Successor in the Kingdom and the people are generally inclined to yield to that which thou shalt determine therein and if thou dost not confirm what thou didst formerly swear concerning Solomon when thou diest I and my Son shall be counted Traytors and accus'd for endeavouring to get the Kingdom from Adonijah While she was speaking Nathan came in who bowing himself before the King with his face to the ground in a respectful manner askt the King whither he had appointed that Adonijah should succeed him in the Throne I do assure thee says he he hath made a great Feast this day and to it hath invited
and upon this thy people and let thine ears be attentive unto the supplications we shall make unto thee and hearken to us in all that we shall pray unto thee for according to thy will For thou didst separate us unto thy self from among all the Nations of the earth to be thy peculiar people and inheritance as thou spakest by thy servant Moses Solomon having ended this his devout prayer rose up from his knees and standing with his face toward the Temple he repeated part of the 132 Psalm saying Arise O Lord and take possession of this house which I have built for thee as a resting place and fixt habitation and not an ambulatory and moving one as the Tabernacle was And let thy Ark whereon thou dost manifest thy glory (e) Psal 78.61 He delivereth his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands strength and power for the good of thy people be here setled and constantly abide Let thy Priests O Lord God be clothed and adorned with such graces as may bring salvation to themselves (f) Psal 132.9 This clause is thus expressed Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness and may enable them to be instrumental in the saving of others and let thy Saints rejoice in thy goodness and favour manifested unto them O Lord God hear me I pray thee and turn not away the face of thine anointed with shame and confusion by denying me my request but remember the promises thy mercy moved thee to make to David my Father and to his posterity Solomon having ended his prayers the Sacrifices were brought in and laid upon the Altar and immediately fire came down from Heaven and consumed them and the glory of the Lord probably covered with a cloud filled the house and such an orient splendour shone through it that the Priests could by no means enter into the Temple The people seeing the fire came down from Heaven and the glory of the Lord upon the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground and worshipped and praised God and sang as 't is probable the 136 Psalm as the Singers had done before the burthen or foot whereof was For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Then Solomon turned his face and blessed all the Congregation of Israel again as he had done at the beginning and said Blessed be the Lord God who hath given rest to his people Israel as he promised of old And indeed he hath not failed of performing any of his gracious promises which he made to his people by the ministry of his servant Moses Now therefore the Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers and let him not leave us nor forsake us but let him incline our hearts to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments * Viz. The Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Laws statutes and judgments which he commanded our Fathers And let my words wherewith I have made supplication to the Lord this day be in his mind and memory continually that he may maintain the cause of me his servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require and as it shall appear just and equal to him that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord he is the only true God from whom all blessings come and that there is no other God besides him Let your heart therefore be upright and sincere before the Lord and walk in his statutes and keep his commandments as now you do Then the King the Princes and people offered abundance of Peace-offerings (a) They were call'd Peace-offerings because God having bestowed some benefit upon them seemed to be appeased towards them and they were offered as a kind of retribution and to return thanks to God for it And in offering the same they also testified their hope that God was reconciled towards them to the Lord and kept this feast of Dedication seven days During which time they offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep By a multitude of Sacrifices the pious Jews were wont to testifie their zealous and grateful affection towards God and we never read of any Sacrifice like this And thus Solomon the Princes and people by their joint prayers praises and sacrifices dedicated the house of God and set it apart for his worship and service And they rejoiced before the Lord seven days and seven that is they kept the first seven days as the Feast of Dedication and the next seven as the Feast of Tabernacles And the day after Solomon dismissed the people to their own homes and they blessed the King and prayed unto the Lord for him and went home with joyful and glad hearts rejoicing in the goodness which the Lord had manifested to the house of David and to Solomon and to all the people of Israel 1 King Ch. 8. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 5. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 6. whole Chapter 2 Chron. Ch. 7. from v. 1 to 11. SECT III. SHortly after * Some read 1 King 9.1 And it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord and afterwards finished the Kings house and all his desire which he was pleased to do that the Lord appeared to him the second time c. Solomon had made that devout prayer before mentioned the Lord as it seems appeared to him in a dream (b) Ch. 6.11 We read that the word of the Lord came to Solomon but that was by some messenger or Prophet sent unto him but this was the second time that the Lord appeared to him in a Vision as he had done before at Gibeon 1 King 3.4 5. and the Lord said I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication which thou hast made before me and I have hallowed this house and set it apart to those holy uses which thou didst intend it for and it shall be called by my name as long as it shall last and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually I will always be ready to take notice of the prayers there made and the services there performed and will graciously accept them And if I shall shut up heaven at any time so that there be no rain or send the locusts or pestilence among my people that are called by my name if they shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear in heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land And if thou wilt walk before me in integrity and uprightness as thy Father David did and keep my statutes and judgments then I will establish the Throne of thy Kingdom for ever that is thou and thy posterity shall continue time after time to be Kings over Israel so as no other stock but thine shall sit on that Throne so long as the Kingdom of Judah shall remain as I
acception for those Countries that lay beyond Jordan but Westward something Southward and that some of them were already come to Engedi a City on the West-side of that Sea Jehoshaphat was hereat much startled and being greatly afraid he set himself to seek help from the Lord and proclaimed a †See Judg. 20.26 1 Sam. 7.6 Ezra 8.21 23. Neh. 1.4.9.11 Esth 4.9 Fast throughout all Judah that they might all joyn in humbling thomselves before the Lord and earnest supplication to him for mercy and so their prayers might be the more prevalent and effectual And Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the Cities and Towns that belong'd to Jehoshaphat's jurisdiction and came to Jerusalem to the Temple to seek the Lord and to beg help of him And Jehoshaphat stood before this great Assembly probably upon the Brazen Scaffold in the great Court (a) We read Chap. 15.8 that Asa renewed the Altar of the Lord which stood in this Court He might also repair the whole Court Or perhaps Jehoshaphat himself had done it Others understand it of the Court of the people which had been lately repaired and perhaps divided into two Courts the one being appointed for the men and the other for the women For though when Solomon built it it was but one Court yet afterwards they say it was divided into two where the people used to meet which was before the Priests Court newly repaired and beautified and prayed unto the Lord saying O Lord God of our Fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest thou not over all the Kingdoms of the heathen and in thy hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend * This Title is three times given to Abraham here and Isa 41.8 and Jam. 2.3 Thus our Saviour stiled Lazarus Friends Joh. 11.11 and his Disciples Friends Joh. 15.15 for ever †That is to the coming of the Messiah And they dwell therein and have built a Temple therein for the honour of thy name and they humbly desired of thee when they consecrated it 1 King 8.30 that if any evil came upon them at any time as the sword pestilence or famine or any other dreadful judgment and they stood before this house in which thy name is call'd upon and cried unto thee in their affliction that then thou wouldst please to hear and help them And now behold O Lord the children of Moab and Ammon and Mount Seir whom thou wouldst not permit Israel to invade when they came out of the land of Egypt but didst command them to turn from them and not to destroy them behold how they now reward us who are coming in this hostile manner to cast us out of the possession which thou hast given us O our God wilt not thou judge them and punish them for this As for our selves we must needs acknowledg that we have no might or power comparatively to resist this vast body of people that cometh against us we know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee on thee only we rest and depend and from thee alone we humbly expect help Thus all Judah for some from every place were there present stood before the Lord with their wives and little ones For in times of publick humiliations they us'd to bring their little ones to the publick assemblies see Joel 2.16 that their own bowels might be the more moved at the sight of their children now in danger to be cruelly butchered by the enemy and so their hearts might be stirred up to be more serious and earnest in their supplications to God for help Immediately the spirit of Prophesie fell upon Jehaziel a Levite of the Sons of Asaph as he stood in midst of the Congregation and he spake to the King and all the Congregation Thus saith the Lord Be not afraid nor dismaid by reason of this great multitude for the battel is not yours but Gods God himself will fight for you he will not so much as use you for instruments to vanquish this great host To morrow go ye down against them behold they come by the cliff of Ziz and ye shall find them at the end of the valley before the wilderness of Israel Ye shall not need to fight in this battel Compose your selves quietly to expect the deliverance that God will give you Stand ye still fly upon your enemies you shall see the salvation of the Lord will be with you and he will deliver you therefore fear not nor be dismaid Jehoshaphat hearing this joyful news bowed his head with his face to the ground and all the people also fell down before the Lord and worshipped him and the Levite-singers stood up to praise the Lord with an high and loud voice accounting the victory already gotten because promised by one of the Lords Prophets And so they departed with great comfort for that time The next morning they rose very early and marched forth into the Wilderness of Tekoa betwixt which and Israel was the Cliff of Ziz and as they marched forth Jehoshaphat said to them Believe and trust in the Lord your God so shall ye be established and your minds setled believe his Prophets particularly what Jahaziel yesterday prophesied unto you and so shall ye prosper And when he had consulted with the Commanders of the Army what was fit for them to do he as being by faith assured of the victory appointed some of the Levite-singers to go before the Army and to sing the high praises of God and to praise the Lord in whom is the beauty and perfection of holiness * V. 21. Some by the beauty of holiness understand Gods most holy Majesty who dwelleth in Heaven where is the beauty of Holiness and to do it according to that beautiful and holy order that was prescribed in the Temple and especially to sing praise ye the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever which was the foot of several Psalmes of Thanksgiving composed by David and particularly of the 136 Psalm It might seem a strange thing for an Army to march against a potent enemy in such a manner as this but Jehoshaphat firmly relying on what God had promised he found the success answering his faith for when the Levites began to sing praises unto the Lord and as it were to triumph before hand for the victory promised the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir that is sent a spirit of discord and dissention among them so that the Ammonites and Moabites suspecting those of Mount Seir * The Edomites that join'd now with the Moabites and Ammonites against Jehoshaphat might be only some voluntarie mercenaries not sent out by the State of Edom that was in subjection to the Kingdom of Judah and it seems they
in Alexander the Great Secondly This third Monarchy was Typically prefigured in a threefold Vision recorded by the Prophet Daniel The first Vision hereof we have Dan. 2. v. 32 39. where 't is represented by the belly and thighs of brass as the belly and thighs are under the brest and arms by which the Persian Monarchy was typified so this was to succeed that It was fitly compared to brass because of Alexander's warlike prowess and hardiness for in twelve years space he subdued all Asia and great part of Europe and Africa beginning to reign when he was but twenty and dying at thirty two He overthrew Darius in three Battels the first at the river Granicus the second at Issus of Cilicia the third at Arbela or Gaugamela and so got the Asian Empire which he held six years from the death of Darius and then died The second Vision hereof we have Dan. 7.6 After this I beheld and lo another beast like a leopard which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl the beast also had four heads and dominion was given unto it 1. Alexander was compar'd to a Leopard for his cunning swiftness and cruelty 2. To a Leopard with four wings on his back intimating his swiftness in conquering 3. With four heads because his Empire was divided into four Principalities after his death as we shall afterwards shew 4. Dominion was given to him by God See Dan. 2.21 Prov. 8.15 The third Vision hereof Dan. 8. from v. 5 to 13. which we have explained v. 21. In which Vision 1. The He-goat represents the Grecian King 2. The notable horn between his eyes signifies Alexander and his power and prudence 3. He came from the west that is from Macedonia that lyes west from Asia 4. His going on the face of the whole earth signifies his marching from thence into Asia and into other parts of the world 5. His not touching the ground signifies his celerity in motion 6. He ran upon the ram that is upon Darius Codomannus v. 20. 7. He brake his two horns namely conquered him who was King of Medes and Persians and so grew great 8. When he was strong the great horn was broken signifying how Alexander should be cut off in the flower of his age as he accordingly was in the thirty second year of his age by a Fever contracted as is supposed by drinking over much wine in Babylon 9. And lastly instead of the great horn four notable horns arose that is four great men who divided his dominions among them so that the Monarchy of the Greeks after Alexander's death was divided into four Kingdoms namely the Kingdom 1. of Macedonia 2. Syria 3. Asia minor 4. Egypt But Daniel in his 11th Chapter Prophesies chiefly of the Kings of Syria and Egypt viz. the Kings of the North and of the South because Judea lay between them both and was miserably ground and harassed by them both The particular KINGS that Reigned successively in those Four Kingdoms were these KINGS of MACEDONIA 1. A Rideus Brother of Alexander he reigned under Tutors or Protectors Perdiccas and Antipater 2. Cassander Son of Antipater 3. Philip Son of of Cassander 4. Antipater and Alexander both Sons of Cassander they struggle for the Kingdom and so destroy one another 5. Demetrius Peliorcetes Son of Antigonus King of Asia who reduced it under his power 6. Pyrrhus King of Epirus who conquered Demetrius and also Lysimachus Lord of Thracia but he held it but seven months 7. Lysimachus Lord of Thracia 8. Ptolemeus Ceraunus Son of Ptolemaeus Lagi first King of Egypt and Brother of Philadelphus Lysimachus being kill'd by Seleucus King of Asia he slew Seleucus and invaded Macedonia and held it 9 months 9. Meleager 10. Antipater 11. Sosthenes 12. Antigonus Gonatas Son of Demetrius Poliorcetes last King of Asia so that tho' the Seleucidae got Asia yet the posterity of Antigonus got Macedonia held it several years 13. Demetrius Secundus Son of Antigonus 14. Antigonus Tertius called Doson Tutor of Philip. 15. Philippus Son of Demetrius Secundus He was vanquished by the Romans 16. Perseus the last King of Macedonia who was conquered by Paulus Aemilius the Roman Consul and condemned to perpetual imâ—risonment His Son was made one of the Scribes â—o the Roman Senate So â—he Kingdom of Macedon came into the Roman Power A.M. 3803. who made it a Province KINGS of Syria or KINGS of the North. See Dan. 11. v. 15. 1. SEleucus Nicanor 2. Antiochus Soter Son of Seleucus 3. Antiochus Theos Dan. 11.6 4. Seleucus Callinicus Son of Theos Dan. 11. v. 7 8 9. 5. Seleucus Ceraunus Son of Callinicus Dan. 11.10 6. Antiochus Magnus second Son to Callinicus Dan. 11.10 11 12 13 14 15. to the 20. He was a Friend to the Jews 7. Seleuchus Philopator eldest Son of Antiochus Magnus called also Soter He is called also a Raiser of Taxes Dan. 11.20 He sent Heliodorus to rob the Treasury of the Temple at Jerusalem He was taken away by Poison given him by Heliodorus 8. Antiochus Epiphanes 2d Son to Antiochus Magnus succeeded his Brother Seleuchus Philopator called a Vile Person Dan. 11.21 He was kill'd also by the little Horn Dan. 8.9 He got the Kingdom from his Brothers Son Demetrius by craft So that between the Posterity of this Antiochus Epiphanes and of Demetrius there were Wars for almost 200 years sometimes one getting it and sometimes another See more of him in Dan. 11. from v. 20. to the 30. he prophaned the Temple and brought in great misery upon the Jews 9. Antiochus Eupater he makes Wars upon the Jews 10. Demetrius Soter Son of Seleucus Philopator 7th King of Syria Nephew to Antiochus Epiphanes He makes Alcimus that fled to him High Priest He wars against the Jews 1. By Bacchides 2. By Nicanor 3. By Bacchides and Alcimus 11. Alexander Bala son of Antiochus Epiphanes a Friend to the Jews 12. Demetrius Nicanor son of Demetrius Soter He cast out Alexander Bala A great Friend to the Jews at first but afterwards false to them 13. Antiochus Entheus son of Alexander Bala A Friend to the Jews He was helped into the Throne by Tryphon General to Alexander Bala 14. Tryphon a foreigner but Capt. General to Alexander Bala A most treacherous person to the Jews 15. Antiochus Sidetes son of Demetrius 1 mus Soter and Brother to Demetrius 2 dus Nicanor who was held captive by the Parthians called Pius by the Jews because on the Feast of Tabernacles he sent them a great Bull to be offered to God He was first kind to the Jews afterwards very injurious 16. Demetrius Secundus son of Demetrius 1 mas and elder Brother of Antiochus Sidetes He was before the 12th King of Syria but driven out of his Kingdom and now restored 17. Alexander Zebenna an Egyptian 18. Antiochus Griphus son of Demetrius Secundus 19. Antiochus Cizicenus son of Antiochus Sidetes the 15th King of Syria Brother of Antiochus Gryphus At this