then their working of wonders Vers 7. Fourscore years old And so might saie to his countrie-men and others as old Augustus did to his mutinous souldiers Audite senem inuenes quem invenem senes audierunt Vers 9. Shew a miracle for you A perswading wonder an admirable work above the power of nature as beeing a kinde of creation and such as requireth omnipotencie But Pharaoh's heart was such a nether milstone as neither miracle nor ministrie nor miserie nor mercie could possibly mollifie At the burning of Bainham the Martyr when his arms and legs were half consumed hee cried out to the standers by and said O yee Papists behold you look for miracles here now you may see a miracle Act. and Mon. â—â—l 9 40. for in this sire I feel no more pain then if I were in a bed of doun or of roses Thus hee sed surdis fabulam Vers 10. And it became a serpent Or a dragon in token of desolation if they disobeied and that their countrie should becom a dâ—n of dragons Isai 13.22 Vers 11. The wise men and the sorcerers Magick is either pure and natural or impure and diabolical which implyeth a compact with the devil either overt or covert The chief of these juglers here were Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 Whose names are also mentioned in the Talmud Vers 12. And they became serpents Not really such but in appearance onely The devils miracles are mere impostures phantasms delusions And this was the first plague that God inflicted upon Pharaoh Swallowed up their rods That is their dragons so hath Christ who is life essential swallowed up death in victorie 1 Cor. 15.55 Vers 13. And hee hardened Pharaoh's heart Not by bare prescience or permission onely but by withdrawing his grace directing the Tyrant's actions to his own glorie irritating his corruptions by oracles and miracles and delivering him up to Satan to bee â—urther hardened Vers 14. Pharaoh's heart is hardened Heb. heavie clogg'd with corruption and held down by the devil as on the contrarie Jehosaphat's heart was light and lift up in the waies of the Lord. 2 Chron. 17.6 So were Doctor Taylor 's and George Roper's the Martyrs Act and Mon. 1386. and 1629. the former fetch 't a frisk the later a great leap when they came to the stake Vers 15. In the morning It was in the night then that God appeared to Moses But afterwards mouth to mouth apparently by special privilege Num. 12.6 8. Exod 33.11 As a man speaketh with his friend Vers 16. Hitherto thou would'st not hear Indeed hee could not hear as little as those Jews could believ Christ's miracles Joh. 12.37 Therefore they could not believ saith the Text becaus that Isaiah had said hee hath blinded their eies and hardened their hearts c. Vers 17. In this thou shalt know q. d. I shall really answer thee to that stomachfull question of thine cap. 5.2 See the Note there Vers 18. Shall loath to drink of the river Nilus God will confute them in their confidences Ezek. 29.3 9 Isa 19.5 6. The Egyptians use to brag of their river and in mockerie to tell the Grecians that if God should forget to rain they might chance to perish for it The rain they thought was of God but not the River Hee therefore threateneth to drie it up and here to bereav them of all comfortable use of it Vers 19. Vpon their ponds Fish-ponds are in Hebrew called Berechoth Blâ—ssings But how soon can God cursour blessings Mal. 2.2 And destroie us after that hee hath don us good Josh 24.20 Vers 20. Were turned into blood To shew them as in a mirror their blood-guiltiness These bloodie and deceitful men had blood to drink for they were worthie Revel 16.6 See the Note there Vers 21. And the Fish That was their common food Num. 11.5 The flesh of manie beasts they through superstition would not eat of as One well noteth from Exod. 8.26 Vers 22. Did so with their inchantments With their secret slights and juglings they seemed to do so See vers 12. for Pharaoh's further hardening Ver. 23. Neither did hee set his heart But to his iron sinews hee added browes of brass Isai 48.4 To his natural and hereditarie hardness adventitious and habitual Vers 24. Digged round about If by drawing the waters they might purifie them but they looked not to the maker thereof they returned not to him that smote them Isa 22.11 and 9.13 Ver. 25. And seven daies were fulfilled So long the plague continued that they might bee sensible of it and not do as the dog who getting out of the water shakes his ears and there 's an end Surely if these Egyptians had believed the prediction of this plague they would have don as Plinie saith Camels do Plin. lib. 8. cap. 18. Implentur cameli cùm bibendi est occasio in praeteritum in fuâ—urum they would have drunk for hereafter also CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. That they may serv mee EVentus plagarum est alius per accidens Alsted ut Simulata emendatio Pharaonis alius per se ut Dimissio populi Ver. 8. Behold I will smite God usually not alwaies warn's before hee wound 's ideóque minatur ut non puniat and therefore threateneth that hee may not punish his creature Ver. 3. And the river shall bring forth frogs In stead of fishes Thus the first and this second plague are about the water the third and fourth about the earth the five next about the air and the last about man Ver. 4. And the frogs shall com up Neither wals nor weapons could keep of the frogs from Pharaoh and his people A muribus in Rheno confectus periâ—t Anno. 923. As neither could Hatto Arch-Bishop of Ments bee possibly rid of that armie of mice that God sent out against him for his crueltie to som of his poor subjects till they had devoured him Aristoph in Ranis Ver. 6. And the frogs came up with their hateful hearing of Breker ex coax coax Ver. 7. And the Magicians did so See the note on chap. 11.22 Ver. 8. Intreat the Lord In extremitie an hypocrite will crie for help as a pig under the knife as a prisoner at the bar as a drowning man will catch at that twig which erst standing on the bank hee despised Joab in distress run's to the horns of the altar Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred forth a charm when thy chastening was upon them saith the Prophet of those hypocrits that yet brought forth no better then winde Isai 26.16 18. But will the hypocrite praie alwaies as c Job 27.10 Did they at all fast unto mee even to mee Zech. 7.5 I will let the people For the present it may be he purposed so to do Good thoughts make but a thorough-fare of carnal hearts they cannot settle there Thy goodness is as the morning dew c. Ver. 9. Glorie over mee Or jear mee
do Pharaoh good Ver. 20. Hee that feared the Lord As few will do till they feel his hand Bradford But they that tremble not in hearing shal bee crush't to pieces in feeling said that Martyr Ver. 21. And hee that regardeth not This was doubtless the greater number Qualis Rex talis grex This was a just presage and desert of ruin not to bee warned Ver. 22. Stretch forth thy hand i. e. Thy rod in thine hand ver 23. Ver. 23. And the fire ran along upon the ground such hail-stones and coals of fire wee also read of Psal 18.13 14 15. Isa 30.30 31. and in the Roman historie when Marcus Antonius the Philosopher fought with the Quades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the praiers of the thundering legion as they were afterwards called of the Christians rain was obtained to the refreshing of the Roman armie ingens grando compluraque fulminâ— in hostes ceciderunt Itaque Dio in vita M. Ant. Phil. licebat videre in eodem loco aquam ignemque simul de coelo cadere atque obcam causam Romanos valere ac bibere Quados exuri penitùs interire i. e. A huge hail and manie light-bolts fell upon the enemie Fire and water fell at once from heaven the Romans drank of the water and were relieved the Quades were burn't by the fire and perished Ver. 25. And break everie tree of the field Here was strages clades horrenda yet Pharaoh's heart is not broken Aug. but remain's obdurate Perdidistis fructum afflictionis was an heavie charge Ducklings stoop and dive at anie little stone thrown by a man at them yet shrink not at the heavens great thunder Ver. 26. Onely in the land of Goshen See the note on chap. 8. ver 23. Dio reports further of the fire forementioned ver 23. That that fire from heaven either fell not at all upon the Romans or if it did it was presently quenched neither did the waters help the Quades Dio ubi suprà but inflamed them as if it had been oil so that they called for water to cool them when the rain fell upon them and wounded their own bodies to quench the fire with their blood Ver. 27. The Lord is righteous See the note on chap. 5. ver 2. Ver. 28. I will let you go But though hee spake thus fair Prov. 26.25 believ him not for there are seven abominations in his heart No sooner was Pharaoh off the rack but hee bite's in his confession and retract's his promise Ver. 29. I will spread abroad mine hands viz In praier holding up and out the palmes of the hanâ— as those do that exspect to receiv an almes in a having manner So did Solomon 2 Chron. 6.13 See Psalm 143.6 Ezr. 9.9 That the earth is the Lords See the note on ver 14. Ver. 30. That yee will not yet fear Howbâ—it I will praie for you and you shall feel the fruit of it Thus God is good to the just and unjust Matt. 5. Ver. 34. But sinned yet more As iron is verie soft and malleable while in the fire but soon after return's to its former hardness So here CHAP. X. Ver. 1. For I have hardened his Heart AS hee that bring 's in a light blinde's an Owl or as hee that powr's on water kindle's the Lime whereupon it is powred so the Lord by publishing his commands and by doing his miracles hardened the heart of Pharaoh who for his wilful rebellion was justly forsaken of God and delivered up to his own heart which is somwhat wors them to bee delivered up to the divel Ver. 2. And that thou maiest tell The memorie of God's magnalia great works must bee transmitted to posteritie Vt nati natorum qui nascentur ab illis that after-Ages may hear and fear this great God See 1 Sam. 4. ver 8. Ver. 3. How long wilt thou refuse God think 's long of the time that men misspend and waste in wicked courses Jer. 4.14 and 13.27 It is a savorie saying of Bernard Totum vitae meae tempus perdidi quia perditè vixi the time of my loosness I have utterly lost Ver. 4. Els if thou refuse Men should look up with David and see the punishing Angel over their heads with a drawn sword and submit As if not Balaam's Aâ—s shal condemn them for their desperate Lewdness for hee fell down before the Angel Si quâ—ties peccent homiues c. I will bring the locusts God hath treasuries of plagues for the obstinate neither câ—n hee bee as the Poet feared of his Jupiter possibly exhausted Ver. 5. And they shall cover For they go forth by heaps Pro. 30.27 and huge multiudes Jud 6.5 And shall eat everie tree See Joel 1.7 Plin. lib. 11. cap. 29. Ver. 6. And hee turned himself No man may turn himself to go out of the great Turk's presence Turk Hist but must go backward till hee bee out of the room Dissention talling out between Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex about a fit man for Government of Ireland hee uncivilly turned his back as it were in contempt with a scornful look Camden's Elis fol. 494. Shee waxing impatient gave him a cuff on the ear bidding him com again when shee sent for him c. But Moses may not bee imagined to have so turned himself Ver. 7. And Pharaob's servants said unto him They were convinced and mollified though hee was not Whom Hee will God hardeneth Rom 9.18 How long shall this man bee a snare unto us Hee was not the snare but their own sin Pre. 29.6 Howbeit hee must bear the blame As if som sond people should accuse the Herald or the Trumpet as the caus of their war oras if som ignorant peasant when hee see 's his fowls bathing in his Pond should crie out of them as the causses of foul weather Ver. 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought c. Somthing the tyrant would seem to yield to his Counsellors and not to deal by them as the Persian Monarchs who were wont to advise with their Peers but if anie of them delivered that which was contrarie to the King's minde flagris caedebantur Keckerman they were whipped which is a punishment also usually inflicted at this daie by the great Turk even upon the greatest Bassa's of the Court Tuâ—k Hist upon the least displeasure Ver. 9. For wee must hold a Feast See the Note on Exodus 5. ver 1. Ver. 10. Let the Lord bee so with you In cursing them hee unwittingly blessed them Exod. 12.30 31. and 13.21 22. See Psal 109.28 Cursing men are Cursed men But God's people fare the better for beeing cursed Let them curs but do thou bless is not more a Praier then a Prophecie Ver. 12. Even all that the hail hath left How easily can God straiten yea starv us all if hee but send forth his forraging Armies Joel 1.6 Ver. 13. An East-winde The proper and
administration of the Lords Supper Doth hee not seal again and again c Was leprous as snow Let us but laie our hand upon our hearts thrust them into our bosoms to rifle there and wee shall bee sure to take them out leprous all of a tetter Vers 7. As his other flesh To shew him that God by small means could bring about great matters and that in a moment See Isai 66.7 8. Which yet was ill applied by Card. Pool to this revolting nation in Q. Maries daies Vers 8. The voice of the first sign God's signes have a voice and words Psal 105.27 They speak not onely to our eies but ears as those manie prodigies did before the last desolation of Jerusalem as that terrible tempest at Rome Anno. 1516. The same year that Luther began to stir that so struck the Church where Pope Leo was creäting his Cardinals Balcus Centur 8. that it removed the Childe Jesus out of the lap of his Mother and the Keies out of St. Peter's hand So the two Suns seen in London at the comming in of King Phillip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feb. 15.1553 The new star in Cassiopeia Anno 1572. The prodigious Comet Anno. 1618 c. Vers 9. Shall becom blood In the year 874 at Brixia in Italie Funce Chronol it rained blood for three daies and three nights Anno. 1505. There appeared in Germanie upon the garments of men and women Act. and Mon. fol. 769. divers prints and tokens of the nails of the spunge of the spear of the Lords coat and of bloodie crosses Maximilian the Emperor had and shewed the same to Francis Mirandula who thereupon wrote his Staurestichon and therein thus Non ignota cano Caesar monstravit ipsi Vidimus innumeros prompsit Germania testes Ibid. 1853. In the third yeer of Q. Marie William Pikes beeing at libertie after imprisonment and going into his garden took with him a Bible where sitting and reading there soddainly fell down upon his Book four drops of fresh blood and hee knew not from whence it came Whereat hee beeing sore astonished and wiping out one of the drops with his finger called his wife and said in the virtue of God wife what meaneth this Will the Lord have four sacrifices I see well enough the Lord will have blood his will bee don and give mee grace to abide the trial c. Vers 10. I am not eloquent Heb. A man of words a master of speech as Paul was Act. 14.12 Hee had not that first second and third of an Orator Elocution or Pronunciation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet God made chois of him rather then of eloquent Aaron to praie Exod. 17. Not gifts but graces prevail in praier Slow of speech Of a letsom deliverie word-bound Vers 11. Who hath made man's mouth There is no mouth into which God cannot put fit words Balaam's Ass was enabled by God to convince his Master Whereas by a man never so full and fluent hee cannot bring forth his conceptions without the obstetrication of God's assistance Prov. 16.1 Vers 12. I will bee with thy mouth See the Note on Matth. 10.19 Vers 13. By the hand of him whom thou wilt Or shouldest send By that excellent Speaker the Messiah cujus dicere est facere Thus when God had answered all Mose's objections hee forwardly denie's to go notwithstanding and bid's him send by his son as one that was better fitted for the service That which made Moses so unwilling was whatever hee pretended the fear of his life which rub when God had once removed hee went on end vers 19 20. Vers 14. And the anger of the Lord And no wonder Patientia laesa fit furor Where God commandeth there to ask a reason is presumption but to oppose reason is a kind of Rebellion I know that hee can speak well The gift of utterance is an high favor a piece of a Christian's riches 1 Cor. 1.5 See the Note there Aaron as Tully saith of Aristotle had aureum flumen orationis a golden gift of speech Ver. 15. Will teach you See the note on ver 11.12 Ver. 16. And hee shal bee thy spokesman God hath made mee ill-favored in this world and without grace in the sight of men said Tindal to Frith speechless and rude Act. and Moâ—um p. 988. dull and slow-witted your part shal be to supplie that which lacketh in mee remembring that as lowliness of heart shall make you high with God even so meekness of words shall make you sink into the hearts of men In stead of God To dictate unto him my minde and counsel Such a God to every Christian is his sanctified Conscience Ver. 17. Wherewith thou shalt do signs God of his free-will joining his operation thereunto as likewise hee doth to the outward signs in the two Sacraments and hence their energie which els would bee none Ver. 18. Whether they bee yet alive which if they bee though in a low condition both they and I shall see caus to bee thankful Lam. 3.39 Eccles 9.4 Ver. 19. For all the men are dead Here the Lord laie's his finger upon the sore This was that pad in the straw the thing that made Moses hang off as hee did however hee pretended the people's incredulitie his own inabilitie and this and that neither did hee altogether dissemble but self-love need 's not bee taught to tell her tale Ver. 20. Vpon an Ass This may argue his povertie as Zach. 9. ver 9. Especially if hee had but one Ass for the whole Familie Ver. 21. But I will harden his heart with a judiciarie penal hardness And thus God is in this book eight times said to have hardned Pharaoh's heart thrice it is said that hee hardened his own heart and five times his heart is said to have been hardned viz. by the devil through the just judgment of God Ver. 22. Even my first-born And so higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Ver. 23. Let my Songo God commanding Pharaoh to let go his people and yet hardning his heart that hee would not let them go is not contrarie to himself For by so commanding him hee requireth his obedience and by so hardning him hee punisheth his disobedience Ver. 24. And sought to kill him to do justice upon him according to Gen. 17.14 and as upon one that was an unmeet man to take care of the Church having no better ordered his own hous 1 Tim. 3.5 God passeth not by the sins of his best children without a sensible check if scandalous especially and committed against conscience Hee hath much ado to forbear killing us in such cases Hee is even readie to have a blow at us and crie's like a travelling woman who bite's in her pain while shee can to bee delivered of his judgments Isa 42.14 Ver. 25. Surely a bloodie husband A peevish wife whose frowardness is either tollenda or toleranda cured or carried patiently nè conjugium fiat
the Devils excrement as the Tartarians eat the carrion carkases of horses camels asses cats dogs yea when they stink and are full of magots and hold them as dainty as we do venison Vers 5. The Hart and the roe-buck These were dainties fit for a King 1 King 4.23 Rice and mutton is the cheer wherewith the great Turk entertaineth forraign Ambassadours and that so plainly and sparingly dressed as if they would give check to our gourmandize and excess Vers 6. That parteth the hoof See the Note on Levit. 11.3 Vers 21. Thou shalt not seethe See the Note on Exod. 23.19 Vers 22. Thou shalt truly tithe He seems to mean that second tithe wherewith they were to feast before the Lord and not the tithe given to the Levites Num. 18.24 Vers 23. That thou mayst learn A man cannot converse with God but he shall learn something Semper a te doctior redeo said He to his friend Moses came from the Mount with his face shining Confer Eccles 81. Vers 29. That the Lord thy God c. Not getting but giving is the way to thrive in the world CHAP. XXV Vers 1. AT the end of every This Sabbatical year signified the year of grace the Kingdom of Christ wherein all Israelites indeed are discharged of their debts Matth. 6.12 See the Note there Vers 2. He shall not exact it For that seventh year at least because there was neither sowing nor reaping that year how then could the poor pay their debts We must all put on bowels of mercy forbearing one another and forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. Vers 3. Of a forraigner To shew that none that are alienated from the life of God or a godly life have remission of sin by Christ He sanctifies all whom he justifies Compare Rom. 11.26 with Isai 59.20 Vers 4. Save when there shall be no poor Here as in sundry other places of the new Translation the margin is better then the text as giving a good reason of the former law To the end that there be no poor amongst you that is extream poor by your exactions Of a cruel creditour it is said Psal 10.9 that he lyeth in wait to catch the poor he doth catch the poor when he draws him into his net that is into bonds debts morgages as Chrysostome expounds it Vers 7. Thou shalt not harden thy heart But draw out thy soul to the hungry Esay 58. Many have iron-bowels and withered hands See my common-place of Almes Vers 8. Thou shalt surely lend him See the Note on Matth. 5.42 Vers 9. And he cry unto the Lord Who is the poor mans King as James the fifth of Scotland was tearmed for his charity Vers 10. Thine heart shall not be grieved See the Note on 2 Cor. 9.7 The Lord thy God shall blesse thee See Prov. 19.17 and Almes ubi supra Vers 11. For the poor See the Note on Matth. 26.11 Aged and impotent poor whose misery moves compassion without an Oratour called here our poor as well as our brethren Vers 12. In the seventh year Viz. Since he was sold unto thee Vers 16. Then thou shalt take an awle Vt si non horreret servitudinem horreret saltem ignominiam publicam If we can bear reproach for Christ it s an argument we mean to stick to him as this bored servant to his master CHAP. XVI Vers 1. ANd keep the Passeover Every man that seeth another striken and himself spared is still to keep a Passeover for himself Vers 3. Even the bread of affliction Or of poverty as who should say poor folks bread ill-leavened ill-prepared Vers 4. And theâ—e shall be See the Notes on Exod. 12. Vers 10. With a tribute of a free-will offering Over and besides the sacrifice appointed for the feast-day Numb 18.27 31. and the two loaves with their sacrifices commanded Levit. 23.17 20. so good-cheap is Gods service to us over what it was to them Vers 12. And thou shalt remember It is very good to look back and recognize our former worse condition Agathocles King of Sicily being a potters son would be served only in earthen vessels Willigis Archbishop of Ments a Wheel-wrights son hang'd wheels and the tools wherewith they were made round about his bed-chamber and had these words written upon the walls in very fair Characters Willigis Willigis recole unde veneris Remember whence thou camest Vers 13. Thou shalt observe See the Notes on Exod. 23.16 Vers 15. Thou shalt surely rejoyce See the Notes on Chap. 12.12 Vers 18. With just judgment Heb. with judgment of justice Vt fiat justitia ruat coelum Let heaven and earth be blended together rather then Magistrates be drawn to deal basely It is reported by a late traveller that in Zant over the place of judgment these two Latine verses are written on the wall in letters of gold Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bonos Vers 19. Neither take a gift Rain is good and ground is good yet ex eorum conjunctione fit lutum by the mixture of those two is made dirt so giving is kind and taking is courteous yet the mixing of them makes the smooth pathes of justice foul and uneven Vers 20. That which is altogether just Heb. justice justice that is let pure justice without mud run down let all self-ish affections be strain'd out CHAP. XVII Vers 1. THou shalt not sacrifice See the Note on Levit. 22.20 Vers 2. That hath wrought wickednesse Idolatry is wickedness with a witness Such was the venome of the Israelitish Idolatry that the brazen Serpent stung worse then the fiery Oh that the Lord as he hath revealed that Wirked one so that he would at length consume him with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thess 2.8 and dung his Vineyard with the dead carcase of that wild boar of the forrest He can as easily blast an oak as trample a mushrome Fiat fiat Vers 4. And it be told thee See the Note on Chap 13.12 And enquired diligently Men must be swift to hear slow to speak that is to censure or pass sentence Amongst the Athenians an inditement of any crime was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evidence and conviction made it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasius passâ—th for a sacrilegious person a prophane wretch a bloody persecutour a blasphemer of God c. and was so condemned before he was heard by fourscore Bishops in that Pseudosynodus Saâ—dicensis Sunt quidem in Ecclesia Catholica plurimi mali sed ex haereâ—icis nullus est bonus saith Bellarmine There be many bad men Papists but not one good to be found among Protestants Reas 8. pag. 41. The Catholikes follow the Bible saith Hill in his quartern of Reasons but the Protestants force the bible to follow them yea their condemnation is so expresly set down in their own Bibles saith another Popeling and is so cleer to
Cavete ab hoc quem natura notavit is but a gold ring in a Swines snout as Solomon hath it or ornamentum in luto as another so it was in Alcibiades for a man and in Aurelia Orestilla for a woman yet surely where they meet they make a happy conjunction and draw all hearts to them as in Germanicus for a man in whom beauty and vertue strove for precedency and Artaxerxes Longimanus the son of Esther who is said to have been of all men the most beautifull and most bountifull So in Esther for a woman who obtained favour in the sight of all that looked upon her Esth 2.15 And Aspasia Milesia the wife of Cyrus who deserved to be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fair and Wise as Aelian relateth As on the other side in Vatinius deformity of body strove with dishonesty of minde adeo ut animus ejus dignissimo domicilio inclusus videretur saith Paterculus Vers 12. Therefore it shall come to passe c. Note here saith Pererius the raging affection of the Egyptians that made no conscience of murther to enjoy their lust 2. Their blindness that made less account of murther then adultery Note again saith Piscator that beauty exposeth a body to the danger of dishonesty and that as the Poet hath it Lis est cum formâ magna pudicitiae Let those therefore that have beauty look to their chastity and possesse their vessels in holiness and honour Thesaurum cum virgo tuum vas fictile servet Vt caveas quae sunt noxia tuta time Filthiness in a woman is most abominable therefore is a Whore called a strange woman Vers 13. Say I pray thee thou art my sister The truth was here not onely concealed but dissembled As the Moon hath her specks so the best have their blemishes A Sheep may slip into a slough as soon as a Swine and an Apple-tree may have a fit of barrenness as well as a Crab-tree Vers 14. The Egyptians beheld the woman Pleasure is blamed in Xenophon for this that she ever and anon looketh back upon her own shadow Decet haberâ— oculos continenter maâ—â—â— linguam and giveth her eyes leave to rove and range without restraint An honest man saith Plautus should have continent eyes hands and tongue Nihil enim interest quibus membris cinoedi sitis posterioribus an prioribus said Archelaus the Philosopher to a wanton yonker The eye that light of all the members is an ornament to the whole body And yet that lightsome part of the body draweth too too oft the whole soul into darkness Job 31.1 This Job knew and therefore made a Covenant to look to his looks â—â—th of looking came luâ—â—ing Charles the fifth when the City of Antwerp thought to gratifie him in a Mask Job Mauliâ— loc Com. p. 34â— Saepe claufit senestram nâ— inspicâ—râ—t formosiores â—â—â—miâ—â—â— c. De Carolo 5. Pâ—reuâ— hist pres medul pag. â—08 Matth. 5.28 29 with the sight of certain fair Maids brought in before him almost naked he would not once look at them The young Lord Harrington when he should meet with fair women in the streets or elsewhere would usually pull his hat over his eyes as knowing that of our Saviour He that looks upon a woman to lust after her c. whereupon immediately follows If thine eye offend thee c. Eckius was sharply rebuked at a feast by a modest matrone for his uncivill glances and carriages in these words as Melancthon relateth Es tu doctor Joh. Manlii loc com p. 32â— Non existimo te in honesta familia sed in lupanari educatum Thou a Doctour I do not believe thou wast bred any where else but in a brothel-house See the Notes on Chap. 6. Vers 2. Vers 15. The Princes also of Pharaoh c. Flattering Courtiers please Princes humours and serve their delights though to the procuring of their plagues as here and in young King Joash If a ruler hearken to lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod l. 3. saith Solomon all his servants are wicked Prov. 29.12 Aulicisunt instar spâ—â—uli saith One. And Mirifica est sympâ—thia saith another inter magnates parasitâ—s Herâ—dorus writeth that when Cambyses demanded of his Courtiers and Counsellours whether it were not lawfull for him to marry his own sister whom he greatly desired they answered That they found no law to license such a match but another law they found that the King of Persia might do what he would And the woman was taken into Pharaohs house Not for any worse purpose then to get her good will to become his wife Vers 16. And he entreated Aâ—ram well for her sake To the end that he might sollicite his sister to yeeld consent or might not be a back-friend at least out of displeasure because they had taken away his sister from him to the Court. So K. Hen. 8. advanced all Anne Bullens kindred c. Vers 17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh Plagued him with plagues saith the Hebrew tormented him with torments or set him on the rack saith the Greek And for this he might thank his Court-parasites who put him upon this rape Chrysostome thinketh that Sarah was abed with the King and that in the bed God by his plague so restrained him that she remained untoucht But we cannot gather by the text that he intended to commit adultery sed quòd levitate vaga libidine peccavit but offended onely in going after the sight of his eyes a and lust of his heart as Solomon hath it Vers 18. What is this that thou hast done unto me God had reproved Pharaoh according to that Psal 105.14 He suffered no man to doe them wrong but reproved Kings for them and now Pharaoh reproves Abraham It is a sad thing that Saints should do that for which they should justly fall under the reproofe of the wicked we should rather dazle their eyes and draw from their consciences at least a testimony of our innocency as David did from Sauls when he said Thou art more righteous then I my son David Whose oxe have I taken saith Samuel And which of you can condemne me of sin saith Christ Now the life of a Christian should be a Commentary upon Christs life 1 Pet. 2. Ye are a holy nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a peculiar people that ye should preach forth his vertues and not hang his picture his image and graces in a dark hole but in a conspicuous place Bucer so lived that neither could his friends sufficiently praise him nor his foes justly blame him for any miscarriage Act Mon. And Bradford was had in so great reverence and admiration for his holiness that a multitude which never knew him but by fame Ibid. 1458. greatly lamented his death yea and a number also of Papists themselves wished heartily his life But to have Egyptians jear us and that for sin is threatned as a
grievous misery Hos 7.16 Vers 19. Why saidst thou she is my sister He might have answered because I was afraid His fear it was that put him upon this exploit So it did David when he changed his behaviour and Peter when he denied his Master c. Men should rather dye then lye Firmus Episc Togastensis Nec prodam nec mentiar said that good Bishop in St. Augustine And that was a brave woman in St. Hierome that being on the rack resolved and answered the tormentour Non ideo negare volo ne peream sed ideo mentiri nolo ne peccem The Chamaeleon saith Pliny is the most fearfull of all creatures and doth therefore turn into all colours to save it self So will timorous persons See Zeph. 3.13 Let us fortifie our hearts against this cowardly passion Vers 20. And Pharaoh commanded Thus God comes as it were out of an Engine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and helps his people at a pinch Abraham had brought himself into the briars and could finde no way out Many a heavy heart he had no doubt for his dear wife who suffered by his default and she again for him God upon their repentance provides graciously for them both She is kept undefiled he greatly enriched for her sake and now they are both secured and dismissed with the Kings safe conduct Oh who would not serve such a God as turns our errours and evill counsells to our great good as the Athenians dreamt their goddesse Minerva did for them CHAP. XIII Vers 1. And Abram went up out of Egypt THere must be likewise daily ascensions in our hearts out of the Egypt of this world to the heavenly Canaan where Christ our altar is The Church is compared to pillars of smoke ascending Cant. 3.6 Black she is as smoke in regard of infirmities yet hath a principle to carry her upwards Who is this that ascends out of this Egypt below with pillars of smoke elationibus fumi that is with her affections thoughts desires upward heavenward Our Edward the first had a mighty desire to go to the holy land Act. Mon. and because he was hindred he gave his son a charge upon his death-bed to carry his heart thither and prepared 32000. pound to that purpose The children of faithfull Abram though their bodies be on earth yet they take much pains and are at great charge to get up their hearts to heaven Matth. 14.28 Cant 7 4. Hence they are called Eagles for their high-soaring and are said to have noses like the tower of Lebanon for their singular sagacity in resenting and smelling after Christ the true all quickning carcasse Vers 2. And Abraham was very rich All rich men therefore are not rejected of God though it be hard for such to hit on heaven Poor Lazarus â—lyes in the bosome of rich Abraham there Riches neither further nor hinder in themselves but as they are used As a cypher by it self is nothing but a figure being set before it it encreaseth the summe Wealth if well used is an ornament an incouragement to duty and an instrument of much good All the danger lyes in loving these things Have them we may and use them too as a traveller doth his staffe to help him the sooner to his journeys end but when we passe away our hearts to them they become a mischief and as the word here rendred rich signifies in the originall a burden Let not therefore the bramble be King let not earthly things bear rule over thy affections fire will rise out of them that will consume thy Cedars Judg 9.15 emasculate all the powers of thy soul as they did Solomons whose wealth did him more hurt then his wisdome good How many have we now adayes that when poor could pray read c who grown rich resemble the Moon which grown full gets furthest oft from the Sun never suffers eclipse but then and that by earths interposition Socrates divitiâ—s comparabat tunicis talaribus Quis generum meum ad gladium alligavit Cic. Dio in Augusto Herodot Let rich men therefore take heed how they handle their thorns let them gird up the loyns of their mindes lest their long garments hinder them in the way to heaven Let them see to it that they be not tyed to their abundance as little Lentulus was said to have been to his long sword that they be not held prisoners in those golden fetters as the Kings of Armenia was by Anthony and so sent by him for a present to Cleopatra lest at length they send their Mammon of unrighteousness as Craesus did his fetters for a present to the Devill who had deluded him with false hopes of victory Vers 3. And he went on his journeys Many a weary step and rested not till he came to his old altar at Bethel Lo here a patern of great piety and singular zeal in Father Abram Egypt with all her plenty and pleasure had not stoln away his heart so as not to hold his own in the promised Land Neither had he so laden himself with thick clay but that he went from strength to strength as those good souls did Psal 84.7 he took long strides perexit per profectiones suas as it is here He went journey after journey till he appeared before God at his altar there to sanctifie that good he had got in Egypt and to give God thanks for it yea to consecrate all to him the bestower of it Oh let us shew our selves children of Abraham indeed by walking in these steps of our father Abraham Rom. 4.12 Otherwise our outward profession and priviledges will profit us no more then it did Dives in hell Luk. 16. that he could call Abraham Father Vers 4. Vnto the place of the altar c. There he had found God to his comfort and there he looks now to finde him so again It will be some help to us for the strengthning of our faith in prayer to holâ— our selves to the same place to have a set Orâ—â—ory Vers 5. And Lot also which went with Abram So he lost not all by leaving friends and means to go with Abram They that fide with the Saints shall thrive with the Saints God had promised to bless Abram and he did it for it is the blessing of God that maketh rich God had promised again to bless them that blessed Abram or wished well to him and did him any favour or furtherance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes posteà synecdochicoÌ„s opes significant Let Lot speak now whether this were not made good to him in those flocks and herds of his that is in all kinde of riches and tents that is servants dwelling in tents Jer. 49.29 1 Chron. 4.41 Vers 6. And the land was not able to bear them This was sowre sawce to their sweet meat lest they should surfet of their abundance All earthly comfortâ— are dissweetned with crosses and there are pins in all the worlds
were invited none but kinsfolks to continue love and seek reconciliation where had been any breach Vers 34. And he took and sent messes So did Cyrus in Xenophon to such as he favoured But Benjamins messe c. Love will creep where it cannot go and good blood will never belie it self Ambrose makes it a type and token of S. Pauls excellent parts and gifts above the rest of the Apostles c. CHAP. XLIV Vers 1. And he commanded the Steward PEccata extrinsecus radere non intrinsecus eradicare fictio est saith Bernard Humiliation for sin must be sound and soaking or else it is to no purpose Hypocrites hang down their heads as a bulrush Esay 58.5 whiles some storm of trouble is upon them but in a fair sun-shine-day they lift up their heads as upright as ever Something they do about sin but nothing against it As artificial juglers seem to wound but do not or as Players seem to thrust themselves through their bodies but the sword passeth only through their clot hes This Joseph well knew and therefore that his brethren might make sure-work and have their hearts leavened and sowred as Davids was Psal 73.21 with the greatness of godly sorrowâ—â— that they might mourn as men do in the death of their dearest friends Zach. 10.12 that their sorrow might be according to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7.10 deep and daily like that sorrow 2 Sam. 13.36 that waters of Marah might slow from their eyes and their hearts fall asunder in their bosomes like drops of water he puts them to one more grievous fright and agony before he makes himself known unto them And this was an high point of heavenly wisdom in him For had he presently entertained and embraced them as his brethren they would sooner have gloried of their wickedness then repented of it Neither would a little repentance serve for a sin so ingrained and such a long time layn in Their hearts were wofully hardened by the deceitfulness of sin their consciences festered and had it been fit for him to scarfe their bones before they were set and lap up their sores before they were searcht Repent ye saith S. Peter to those that had crucified Christ and were now pricked in their hearts Act. 2.37 38. He saith not Be of good cheer your sins are forgiven now that you feel some remorse for them but stay a while upon the work of repentance and be thorough in it leave not circumcising your hearts till you finde them as sore as the Shechemites felt their bodies the third day And this the Apostle said to such as already felt the nailes wherewith they had crucified Christ sticking fast in their own hearts and piercing them with horrour Take we heed of laying cordials upon full and foul stomacks the feeble minded only are to be comforted such as are in danger to be swallowed up with grief But some mens staines are so inveterate that they will hardly be got out till the cloth be almost rub'd to pieces Vers 2. He did according to the word Servus est nomen officii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A servant is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that moveth absolutely of himself saith Aristotle but the masters instrument and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly his Such was this servant of Ioseph and such should we all be to God Vers 4. Wherefore have ye rewarded evill for good This blind Nature saw to be the summe of all sins Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris Some vices are such as Nature smiles upon though frown'd at by divine justice not so this Hercules is much condemned by the heathens for killing his schoolmaster Linus Alexander for doing the like by his friend Clitus Nero by his tutour Seneca Muleasses King of Tunes is cryed out on Turk hist fol. 642. for torturing to death the Manifet and Mesnar by whose meanes especially he had aspired to the kingdome Philip King of Macedony caused a souldier of his that had offered unkindness to one that had kindly entertained him to be branded in the forehead with these two words Hospes ingratus Manl. loc com Unthankfulness is a monster in nature a solecisme in manners a paradox in Divinity a parching winde to dry up the fountain of further favour Benjamines five-fold-mess was no small aggravation to the theft here laid to his charge Vers 5. And whereby indeed he divineth Iunius reads it thus Et nonne ipse experimento certò didicenit per illum quales sitis q. d. Hath he not by this fact of yours found out your fraud and false dealing whereby ye have hitherto sought to delude him Is it not plain ye are spyes and naughty-packs The Ierusalemy Targum seemeth to tax Iesoph here fona sooth-sayer or at least a seeker to such which God forbad Deut. 18.10 Calvin also thinks he did grievously offend in pretending to be such an one and did impiously profane the gift of the Spirit in professing himself a Magician But pace tanti viri this is too heavy a censure and a forcing of the text faith Iunius All that Ioseph did was to sift his brethren and to try their affection to Benjamin And if he took upon him to be a Diviner he did it not seriously but made use of that conceit the vulgar had of him like as Saint Paul made use of that superstitious custome among the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.29 Sealig Not. of baptizing over the dead to prove the resurrection Vers 7. God forbid that thy servants should do Rapine and robbery was ever condemned amongst very heathens and severely punished Tamerlane in his expedition against Bajazet took such order with his souldiers that none were injured insomuch that if a souldier had but taken an apple or other thing of like value from any man he dyed for it One of his souldiers having taken a little milk Turk hist fol. 313. from a country-woman and she thereof complaining he ript up his stâ—mâ—ck where when he found the milk he contented the woman and sent her away who had otherwise dyed for her false accusation Vers 9. With whomsoever it be found c. Innocency is bold but withalli had need to be wise for fear of further inconvenience See notes on Chap. 31.32 Vers 12. And he searched and began at the eldest The better to avoid suspition for he knew well enough where to find the cup. So Ionadab Amnons carnall friend but spirituall enemy could tell David that not all the Kings sons as the report ran but Amnon only was slain by Absolon The devill also when he hath conveyed his cups into our sack his goods into our houses as the Russians use to deal by their enemies Heyl. Geog. pag. 243. and then accuse them of theft his in jections into our hearts if we fancy them never so little will accuse us to God and claim both them and us too for his own And the cup was found in Benjamins
5. that he lived 105 years without sickness which yet was a rare thing and few mens happiness Vers 23. Brought up on Josephs knees Who with great joy danced and dandled them So God is said to do his people Deut. Pedibus suis inservit Metaph. a parentibus qui filioles suos quos chares habent sic tracttant Cartw. hist Christi Sic Shindler Buxtorf Qui priù digito coelum attingere videbantur nunc bumi derepente serpere siderates esse diceres Bud. 1 Chron. 7.22 Psal 78.9 33.3 As some understand it Vers 24. And Ioseph said unto his brethren I dye A sad saying to them poor souls For now began their misery and slavery in Egypt When Epaminondas dyed his whole country dyed with him the Thebanes were never after known by their victories but by their overthrowes When Augustus dyed the Sun seemed to the Romanes to fall from heaven such an alteration presently followed in that State When Lewis the twelfth departed this world saith Budaeus he that erewhile seemed to touch heaven with his finger lay groveling as if he had been thunderstruck All Israels prosperity dyed with Josiah and so did their liberty and worldly felicity with Ioseph His Nephews the Ephramites attempted before the time their own deliverance not long after Iosephs death even whiles their father Ephraim was yet alive but with ill success to his great grief and regret Hasty work seldom ends well how this of mine will do I know not made up as it might be in little more then four-moneths space amidst manifold feares and distractions at spare-hours and bearing date from mine enlargement Anno Dom. 1643. Iuly the 11. that happy day that saw me both a prisoner and a free-man by the good hand of my God upon me to whom be glory and praise for ever As for this my book made purposely to testifie my thankfulness to God mine Almighty Deliverer See mine Epist Dedicat. set before my Com. on the four Evangel and to those whom he was pleased to use as instruments of my much-indeared liberty such as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said of his Rhetoricks and if I shall cast in my verdict Cum relego Ovid. de Pont. Eleg 1.6 scripsisse pudet quia plurima cerne Me quoque qui scripsi judice digna lini Deo Soli Gloria FINIS A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION UPON THE Second BOOK of Moses called EXODVS CHAP. I. Vers 1. Now these are Heb. And these are c. FOR this Book is a continuation of the former historie and this vers a repetition of what was before recorded 〈…〉 Gen. 46.8 The whole law saie the Schoolmen is but one copulative The whole Scripture but Cor anima Dei saith a Father the Heart and Soul of God Luke 1. 〈◊〉 uttered by the mouth of the holie Prophets which have been since the world began Vers 5. And all the souls That is persons for souls are not begotten but infused beeing divine particulae aurae Eccles 12.7 Aristotle himself saw and acknowledged as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. cap. 9. de gene ar Were seventie souls More worth then the seventie nations of the whole world saie the Jews God reckon's of men by their righteousness Vers 6. And all that generation Eâ enim lege nati sumus ut moriamur God also maketh haste to have the number of his Elect fulfilled and therefore dispatcheth away the generations Vers 7. Increased abundantly Heb. spawned and bred swiftly as fishes Trogus author affirmat in Aegypto septenos vno utero simul gigni Aegypt is a fruitful Countrie it is ordinarie there saith Trogus to have seven children at a birth Solinus give 's the reason quòd faetifero potu Nilus non tantùm terrarum sed etiam hominum faecundat arva The River Nilus whereof they drink make 's men as well as fields fruitful But this increas of the Israëlites was also by the extraordinarie blessing of God that they might becom a mightie and populous Nation Deut. 26.5 Vers 8. A new King Called Busiris a most savage Tyrant as Heathen histories report him Who knew not Nothing sooner perisheth then the remembrance of a good turn The Aegyptians are renowned in histories for a thankful people Diod. Sicul. Lib. 2. But it ill appeared in their dealing here with Joseph who had hee now been alive might well have said to them as Themistocles once did to his Athenians Are yee wearie of receiving so manie benefits by one man But herein was fulfilled that of the Wise man Eccles 9.15 Vers 9 More and mightier Hee speak's as if hee had looked through a multiplying glass See the Note on Gen. 31.1 Vers 10. Com let us deal wisely So as the world's wisards use to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But God taketh these foxes in their own craft 1 Cor. 3.19 Your laboring men have the most and lustiest children Everie Oppressoris a fool Pro. 28.16 Lest when there fall out anie war It may seem by 1 Chron. 3.21.22 compared with Psal 78.9 That the Ephraïmites wearie of the Aegyptian bondage and over-hastie to enjoie the promised land invaded the Philistines and plundered them But were pursued and slain by the men of Gath to the great grief of their father Ephraïm and to the further exasperating of the Aegyptians against all the children of Israël which might occasion also this cruel edict and proceeding against them It is a singular skill to bear bondage or anie other burden wisely and moderately They that break priâ—on before God's gaol-deliverie get nothing but more irons laid upon them Vers 11. To afflict them Becaus they would not serv God with gladness of heart Deut. 28.47 48. For now they began to go a whoring after the Idols of Egypt Ezek. 23.8 and 20.5 7 8. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities They built also those famous Pyramides as som think of which it is reported that for the great hight of them Bucholcer a man cannot shoot an arrow so high as the mid'st of the lower tower whereon the spire standeth Turk hist sol 544. Vers 12. The more they multiplied As the ground is most fruitful that is most harrowed and as the wal-nut tree bear's best when most beaten Fish thrive better in cold and salt-waters then in warm and fresh And they were grieved Or irked as Moab likewise was becaus of Israel they did fret and vex at them Num. 22.3 4. Yet they were allied and passed by them in peace No other reason but the old enmitie Gen. 3. and that utter antipathie Pro. 29.27 Vers 13. To serv with rigor Heb. With fierceness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quidam cum ferocia voce latinâ â—onserunt Mercer so thinking to cow out their spirits and to exanimate them So deal's the Turk with the Christians Vers 14. Bitter with hard bondage Did wee but live a while saith One in Turkie Persia yea or but in France a
cruel witness the Popish Inquisition to Lithgow who in ten houres received 70. several torments And the Massacre of Paris wherein they poisoned the Queen of Navarre murdered the most part of the pearless Nobilitie in France their wives and children with a great sort of the common people an hundred thousand in one year in divers parts of the Realm som saie three hundred thousand So in Ireland what havock have those breathing-Divels made of the innocent English c And what threatnings and slaughter do our desperate Malignants now breathe out against us Vers 27. As hee shall command us Manner as well as matter circumstance as well as substance is to bee heeded in God's service els there may bee malum opus in bona materia as one saith an evil work in a good matter Vers 28. Onely yee shall not go verie far So loath was hee to loos his hold â—useb so is the Divel The Pope made large offers to Queen Elisabeth as also to our King when in Spain Intreat for mee So Simon Magus in a fright begg's Peter's praiers so Maximinus the persecuting Emperor sent to the Church for Praiers when God had laid upon him a grievous diseas So Ezra 6.10 praie for the King's life and for his Sons Vers 29. Deal deceitfully anie more Som are so slipperie there 's no believing of them Egesippus saith of Pilate that hee was vir nequam parvi faciens mendacium a naughtie man and one that made no conscience of a lie No more did Pharaoh Vers 30. Intreated the Lord See the Note on Vers 12. Vers 31. There remained not one Praier make's clean work it can do wonders in heaven and earth Saie thou with David Cleans thou mee from secret faults Psal 19.12 those that are of dailie and hourlie incursion Praier will scour the coast clear the conscience of dead works Acts 8.22 Vers 32. And Pharaoh hardened All blows and pressures were so far from mollifying him that hee hardened and emmarbled more and more CHAP. IX Ver. 1. Let my People go THe verie same message to a word as before often Austin perswade's God's Messengers so long to insist upon the same point De Dâ—ctrina Christianâ— beating and repeating of it in the same words till they perceiv by the gesture and countenance of the hearers that they understand and embrace it Chrysostom at Antioch preached manie Sermons against swearing and told the people that seemed to bee wearie of that subject that till they left their swearing hee would never leav preaching against that sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Socrates Vers 3. Is upon thy Cattle Both those ad esum and those ad usum Men sin these suffer and therefore groan Rom. 8. Ver. 4. And there shall nothing die It is fair weather oft with the Saints when it is foulest with the wicked God hideth his in the hollow of his hand Psal 91. till the indignation bee overpast Isa 26.20 Hee giv's the like charge of them as David did of Absolom 2 Sam. 18.5 Ver. 6. And all the cattel That is a great sort of them Non universâ—liter sod commaniter not all chap. 9.19.25 And this was the fifth of those ten plagues a number of perfection to note that God therein did most perfectly administer and execute his judgments Ver. 7. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened like a Smith's anvil hee grew harder for hammerine There was little need to saie to Pharaoh as the Smith did to the Lantgrave of Thuring Pet. Nicol. Gelstronp Durescite durescite O infeâ—â—x Lantgravi Hee hardned fast enough Ver. 8. Sprinkle's it toward the heaven in token that this plague should in a special manner bee inflicted from heaven The Philistims by their golden emrods acknowledged that the emrods in their flesh were from God Hippocrates called the pestilence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine diseas as wee call the spots thereof God's marks The Falling sickness was antiently called morbus sacer as an immediate hand of God Life of K Edward 6. by Sir John Heywood pag. 127. And what can wee conceiv less of the Sweating sickness with which no stranger in England was touched and yet the English were chased therewith not onely in England but in other countries abroad which made them like tyrants both feared and avoided wherever they came Ver. 9. A boil breaking forth this Moses threatneth to all disobedient persons Deut. 28.27 Job's boils were rather probational then penal So were Munster's ulcers medicinal they were howsoever which hee shewed to his friend and said He sunt gemmae pretiosa ornamenta Dei quibus Deus amicos suos ornat ut eos ad se attrahat These bee those gems and jewels wherewith God adorneth his best friends that hee may bring them nearer to himself Ver. 11. For the boil was upon the Magicians who were convicted but not converted Exod 8.9 They stood still to withstand Moses as Balaam against the light of his own conscience was resolved to curs howsoever and therefore went not aside as at other times to speak with God but set his face toward the wilderness Like a head-strong hors that get's the Bit in his teeth and run's away with his Rider Ver. 12. And the Lord hardned See ver 7. and chap. 4.21 c. Ver. 13. Let my people go See ver 1. Ver. 14. All my plagues upon thine hart Hart-plagues are the worst plagues of all A hard Hart is in som respects wors then Hel sith one of the greatest sins is greater in evil then anie of the greatest punishments Ver. 15. For now I will stretch out His former preservation was but a reservation and hee hath hitherto escaped with his life not for anie love that God bare to him but to shew his power on him Wicked men may have common mercies and deliverances but the Lord loveth the righteous Psal 146.8 Ver. 16. Have I raised thee up Heb. I have constituted and set thee up as a But-mark that I may let flie at thee and follow thee close with plague upon plague till I have beaten the verie breath out of thy bodie See Prov. 16.4 Rom. 9.17 Ver. 17. As yet exaltest thou thy self q. d. No amendment yet A sore sign of a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction It is ill with the bodie when physick will either not enter or not staie with us Ver. 18. Such as hath not been in Egypt Dio maketh mention of a shower of blood and of water Dio in Aug. that fell in Egypt a little before it was subjected by Augustus in quae loca ne stilla quidem aquae antè ceciderat saith hee where never anie drop of water much less of blood ever fell before Ver. 19. Jam. 2.13 Send therefore now Here mercie rejoiceth against judgment Solinus if by anie means hee might bee wrought upon Sed Rhinoceros interimi potest capi non potest It was past time of daie to
a great part of his patrimony in that country he would not suffer the Spaniard the Popes Champion to leade an army through his country Guicciard lib. 2. against the French his Leige-Lord and deliver to him three of the strongest castles he had in his kingdome CHAP. XXI Vers 1. ANd took some of them prisoners 〈◊〉 sore affliction worse then any of those outward crosses that Iob suffered whose captivity therefore as that which comprehended all the rest God is said to have turned Chap. 42.10 Barbarossa the Turkish Generall returned from Tunes Turk hist fol. 750. towards Constantinople with such a multitude of poor Christian captives shut up so close under hatches among the excrements of nature that all the way as he went almost every hour some of them were cast dead over-board The late Duke D'Alva Grimst hist of Netherl Governour of Flanders roasted some of his prisoners to death starved others and that even after quarter saying though he promised to give them their lives he did not promise to finde them meat In our late troubles it was a like difficult thing to finde among our enemies a wicked man in their prisons or a godly man out of them where some were little better used then those that are taken by the American Canibals and are eaten up alive and by degrees to the unutterable aggravation of their horrour and torment Vers 2. And Israel vowed a vow This is the way to prevail with God as Iacob found it Gen. 28.36 Who is therefore called the father of vowes Concerning vowes See the Note on that text Gen. 28.20 Vers 3. Delivered up the Canaanites This King Arab heartened with his former success might as Guicciardine saith of Charles the eight of France Guicciard in his expedition against Naples come into the field like thunder and lightning but go out like a snuffe more then a man at first less then a woman at last Vers 4. Discouraged because of the way So are many in their voyage towards Heaven which is an afflicted way Mat. 7.14 strawed with crosses Act. 14.22 Indeed if men could go to heaven in a fether-bed or pass è coeno in coelum à deliciis ad delicias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed on manchet tread on roses fly to heaven with pleasant wings none should be so forward as they But to goe through fire and through water Psal 66.12 to run with pâ—tience the race that is set before them Heb. 12.1 and through many tribulations to enter into Heaven this they like not Theotimus in Ambrose would rather lose his sight then his sin Vale lumen amicum said he when forbidden wine as naught for his eyes Beetles love dunghills better then oyntments and swine love mud better then a garden so do swinish Epicures prefer earth to heaven c. Vers 5. This light bread See the Note on Chap. 11.6 Vers 6. Fiery Serpents Heb. Seraphin from their burning heat whereby these ingratefull Israelites that causelesly cryed out of thirst had somewhat given them to cry for Their tongues so full of deadly poison and set on fire from hell are now parched and scorched with venemous heate and torments the likest hell of any other These serpents are here called Seraphims that old serpent the divell can transforme himself into an Angell of light Vers 7. Pray unto the Lord Prayer is the best lever at a dead lift Vers 8. Make thee a fiery serpent i.e. The similitude of such a one an unlikely meanes to effect such a cure Yea some write that it is deadly for those that are stung with a serpent to look upon brass Certain it is that this cure was not wrought by any thing in the nature of the brazen serpent but by the institution and ordination of God to be also a type of Christ a noble and notable figure of Christ lifted up on the cross Ioh. 3.16 or rather in his ordinances Gal. 3.1 They that looked upon their sores and not upon the sign dyed for it As those that looked on the sign though but with one eye though but with a squint eye or but with halfe an eye they were healed presently So they that fix their eyes upon their sins only and not upon their Saviour despaire and dye but those that look to Christ being faithfull in weakness though weak in faith are sure to be saved It is but look up and live Only look up as they did that were wounded weepingly wishly pittifully cravingly See and sigh look upon him whom you have pierced let your sins be as so many Hazaels to you and your hearts as so many Hadadrimmons Zech. 12.10 11. Vers 14. In the book of the warrs of the Lord This book here cited by Moses is now either lost or at least latent It was not any part of the Canon for God hath provided that not one hair of that sacred head is diminished but as the Chronicles of England or some famous Poem Vers 16 And I will give them water Now that they murmured not they might have any thing Psal 34.10 Onely we must be content to wait Gods time Is it fit to send for the Prince by a post or to want that particular mercy if God see it meet being content that God be glorified though we be not gratified Surely if God saw us thus studying his share more then our own we might have what we would and God even think himself beholding to us as one phraseth it Vers 17. Then Israel sang this song A sign of that Christian joy Isai 12.3 4. Vers 18. The Prince digged the well Called there-hence Beer-elim Plin. i.e. the Well of the mighty ones Isai 15.8 Nunquam vilior erat annona Romae quam cum terram colerent iidem qui remp regerent quasi ganderet terra laureato vomere scilicet et aratore triumphali With their staves Those Ensignes of their honour they made to be instruments of the common good See the Epist dedicat set before my Notes upon Iohn Vers 22. Let me pass See the Note on Chap. 20.17 Vers 23. And Sihon would not He durst not trust them Deut. 2.30 Men muse as they use God had also hardened his heart that he might come forth to fetch his own destruction Iudgment need not go to find wicked men out they run to meet their bane Vers 27. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs Or by-words by way of derision as Deut. 28.17 Habac. 2.6 ballad-makers Poetasters that penned popular songs such as this was Vers 30. We have shot at them Great swelling words of vanity uttered by the conquering Amorites How much better our Henry the fift who after his victory at Agincourt gave straight order Dan. hist pag. 101. that no ballad or song should be made or sung more then of thanksgiving to God for his happy victory and that nothing that might tend to ostentation or boasting of the valiant or cowardly act of any should be set