my glorious Presence here and therefore they must not presume to come to up to it However the Lord chargeth him instantly to go down to them and to urge the same again upon them after which He himself should come up again and should bring Aaron (p) Aaron quoque advocari debibat ut sacerdotium ejus quoque divinitâ—s institutum Constaret Jans with him Exod. 19. whole Chapter SECT XIV THe Lord now with an audible Voice and with great Majesty and Terrour Proclaimed and Promulgated his Moral Law (q) Which nevertheless disanull'd not the promise of Grace made to Abraham 430 years before Gal. 3.17 or Ten Commandments containing the prime Dictates of Natural Reason the chief Rules of Piety towards God Equity towards our Neighbour and Sobriety Chastity and Temperance in the government our Selves (r) This Law is expresly call'd a Covenant with that people He declared unto you his Covenant says the Text which he commanded you to perform even Ten Commandments Deut. 4.13 and accordingly was reposed in the Ark hence as it seems named the Ark of the Covenant Deut. 10.2 He wrote upon the Tables the words of the Covenant the Ten Commandments Exod. 34.28 The end and design of these Precepts was to ground them in the true notions of Piety and Religion and to dispose them to the practice of universal Righteousness Our Saviour did not derogate from this Law but declared his intention only to expound it or to ampliate and extend it There is no Commandment herein howsoever accoding to its immediate sense seeming peculiar to that people which according to good analogy or parity of reason doth not concern us also And therefore 't is said Nehem. 9.13 Thou camest down upon Mount Sinai and gavest them right Judgments and true Laws good Statutes and Commandments And the Apostle Rom. 7.12 says The Law is holy the Commandment holy just and good We shall therefore set down these Laws particularly and give a short Paraphrase of them God spake all these words saying that is God Himself declared his own Mind and Will by a loud Voice distinctly audible and intelligible miraculously formed by himself Deut. 5.24 Behold say the people the Lord our God hath shewed us his Glory and his Greatness and we have heard his Voice out of the midst of the Fire we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and yet he liveth I am the Lord or I am Jehovah thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage I am Jehovah who indeed am what this my Name importeth the only true and real God Eternal Independent Indefectible in Essence I am that Jehovah to whose words upon all accounts thou owest Submission Attention and Obedience I am Thy God having chosen thee to be a peculiar people to my Self above all people that are upon the face of the Earth and who in pursuance of my singular Favour towards thee and of my Covenant made with thee have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage I then being Jehovah the only true God and thy God by Covenant and particular Engagement do now propound my Will unto thee and upon all accounts of Reason Justice and Gratitude do require thy regard and observance of the Precepts I now intend to give thee I. Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me THis Precept as most of the rest is Negative and Prohibitive but supposeth and implyeth some thing Affirmative and Positive as the rest may also be conceived to do It implies this Affirmative Precept Thou shalt have me for thy God and shalt Serve Worship and Love Me with all thy Heart Soul Mind and Might and shalt trust in Me as a Being endued with Attributes and Perfections superlatively excellent and thou shalt not own nor acknowledge any other for God besides Me. Take heed therefore of imitating them who acknowledge not nor Worship any God at all and such are Athiests or acknowledge and adore many Gods and such are Polytheists Take heed also of framing in your Minds any untrue Idea of Me disagreeable to my most excellent Being and infinite Perfections Take heed also of inordinately loving or relying upon any Creature and so making that your God II. Commandment Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image c. THe First Commandment determined the right and true Object of our Worship The Second directs and limits the manner of expressing and exercising it and forbids the manner practised by Heathens of Worshipping their false Gods by Images and Corporeal Shapes and Representations (s) To worship an Idol instead of God is Idolatry forbidden in the First Commandment When the true God is worshipped in or by an Image 't is Idolatry forbidden by the Second Inward Idolatry is opposed to the First Commandment and Outward to the Second We ought not to think says the Apostle Acts 17.29 that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Silver or Stone graven by art or man's device Most reasonable therefore is this Prohibition of making any resemblance of what kind soever by Picture Sculpture or Tusion to represent God or for Religious use (t) The civil use of Images is not forbidden but Images made and used for Divine Worship Neither are those Images only forbidden which are the Images of false Gods but of the true also Papists by worshipping Saints and Angels offend against the first Commandment By making Images of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and worshipping these Images or worshipping God by these Images they offend against the Second As for the Cherubim made by Solomon and the brasen Serpent by Moses they were made by God's special Command but not to be worshipped The Cherubim seem intended as an Emblem to represent the natures and services of the holy Angels and not any likeness of God they being full of zeal and always upon the Wing as it were and ready to obey God's Will The brasen Serpent was made not to be worshipped but as a Type of Christ and now Christ is come all Types are to vanish and to bow down or Prostrate our selves before it For there being but one true Object of our Worship the Eternal Invisible God whose glorious Excellencies infinitely transcend our Comprehension and consequently of whom we cannot devise any resemblance not infinitely beneath him unlike to him and unworthy of him It must needs be therefore a great prophaneness to pretend the representing Him by any Image Moses Deut. 4.15 reports to the people of the Jews the ground of this Prohibition Take good heed to your selves says he for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb out of the midst of the Fire lest you corrupt your selves and make you a graven Image No shape representing God did then appear at his uttering of these Laws to prevent their framing any resemblance of Him and practising this sort
Jacob rejoyces at the sight of the Waggons Sect. 43. Jacob goes into Egypt His joy to see his Son Joseph Sect. 44. Joseph brings five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Obtains Goshen for his Brethren Introduces his Father Sect. 45. Joseph's prudent administration in the severe famine He is sent for by his Father Sect. 46. Ephraim and Manasseh blest Jacob's gift to Joseph Sect. 47. Jacob blesses his Sons in order His death Sect. 48. The mourning for and burial of Jacob. Joseph's death Sect. 49. The History of Job Sect. 50. Levi and Amram die Sect. 51. Israel increases Task-masters appointed Sect. 52. Aaron's birth Sect. 53. The Midwives commanded to destroy the Male-children Sect. 54. Moses born He is taken up and educated by Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 55. Moses after forty years leaves the Court and flys into Midian Sect. 56. Moses's marriage His two Sons Sect. 57. Caleb's Birth Sect. 58. The Lord appears to Moses commissions him to deliver Israel enables him to work miracles Sect. 59. Moses confirm'd and encouraged commanded to go to Pharaoh Sect. 60. Moses stopt in his journey His Son circumcised Sect. 61. Aaron meets Moses They declare their commission to the Elders of Israel Sect. 62. They go to Pharaoh The oppression of the Israelites increased Sect. 63. Moses and Aaron go again to Pharaoh The Magicians call'd in Sect. 64. The ten Plagues Chap. IV. From the Israelites departure out of Egypt to the laying the foundation of Solomon's Temple Sect. 1. THe Israelites depart out of Egypt Sect. 2. The Paschal Lamb and Passover appointed Sect. 3. The Lord conducts the Israelites by a Pillar of cloud and fire Joseph's bones carried with them Sect. 4. They encamp at Pihahiroth Pass through the Red-sea The Egyptians drown'd Sect. 5. Moses's Song Miriam a Prophetess Sect. 6. The people marching through Shur murmur for want of water Sect. 7. The twelve Wells and seventy Palm-trees Sect. 8. They turn from Elim to the Red-sea Sect. 9. The people murmur Quails given for one meal Manna falls Sect. 10. Water gushes out of the rock Sect. 11. Moses praying Joshua fights Amalek The Altar call'd Jehova-Nissi Sect. 12. Jethro's story defer'd to Sect. 51. Sect. 13. Moses call'd up to the top of Mount Sinai The terrible sight Sect. 14. The Promulgation of the Law Sect. 15. The people in fear Moses encourages them Sect. 16. Similitudes of God forbidden The Materials for Altars Sect. 17. The Judicial or Political Laws Sect. 18. The Angel of the Covenant promised to guide them The bounds of Canaan Sect. 19. Moses erects an Altar and twelve Pillars Sect. 20. Moses continues in the Mount forty days and forty nights Sect. 21. Directions concerning the Tabernacle and all its utensils and appurtenances Sect. 22. The Golden Calf Sect. 23. Moses comes down breaks the Tables Gods anger Moses intercedes for the people and sees the glory of God Sect. 24. Two new Tables of stone Sect. 25. God renews the Covenant upon Moses's prayer Moses's face shines Sect. 26. The Sabbath anew enjoyned Contribution to the Tabernacle Sect. 27. Bezaleel and Aholihab appointed chief workmen of the Tabernacle Sect. 28. The Tabernacle finished being set up is filled with Gods Glory Sect. 29. Laws given concerning the several sorts of sacrifices Sect. 30. Aaron and his Sons consecrated Sect. 31. Aaron enters upon his office Fire from the Lord. Sect. 32. Nadab and Abihu slain by fire from heaven Sect. 33. Of clean and unclean creatures Sect. 34. Womens separation Sect. 35. Laws concerning Leprosie Sect. 36. Ceremonial uncleanness in men Sect. 37. The Passover celebrated Sect. 38. Several sorts of Laws given Sect. 39. Blasphemy punished in the Son of Shelomith The Law of retaliation Sect. 40. Divers other Laws given Sect. 41. Promises and threatnings More Laws given concerning divers matters Sect. 42. The Book of Numbers Sect. 43. The Encamping of the Tribes Sect. 44. The Levites Charge Sect. 45. The Levites consecrated Sect. 46. The Offerings of the Princes Sect. 47. Laws concerning Jealousie Sect. 48. Concerning Nazarites Sect. 49. The solemn blessing Sect. 50. The Silver Trumpets Sect. 51. Jethro's story and advice Sect. 52. The Camp of Israel marches Jethro leaves them Sect. 53. Upon the moving of the Ark Moses pronounces the blessing Sect. 54. The people murmur at Taberah Sect. 55. Quails given for the space of a month A Plague follows Sect. 56. Miriams Leprosie Sect. 57. Spies search the land Sect. 58. Their different report Sect. 59. The ten Spies smitten Sect. 60. Israel defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites Sect. 61. The ninetieth Psalm composed Sect. 62. Some Laws explained Sect. 63. The Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram Sect. 64. Aaron's Red blossoming Sect. 65. The work and portion of the Priests and Levites Sect. 66. Water of Purification Sect. 67. Miriams death Sect. 68. They murmur at Kadesh for want of water Moses strikes the Rock in anger is doomed not to enter into Canaan Sect. 69. The King of Edom refuseth them passage Sect. 70. Aaron dies and is buried upon Mount Hor. Sect. 71. Arad the Canaanite vanquished Sect. 72. The Brazen Serpent Sect. 73. Several stations of the Israelites Sect. 74. The Miraculous Well Sect. 75. Sihon slain Sect. 76. Og totally subdued Sect. 77. The Encamping at Abel-shittim Sect. 78. Balaam sent for to curse the Israelites His Ass speaks Sect. 79. Balaam attempts to curse Israel Sect. 80. The Idolatry and Whoredom of the Israelites at Mount Peor Sect. 81. Midian Conquered Sect. 82. Moses and Eleazar number the people Sect. 83. Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 84. Joshua appointed Successor Sect. 85. A repetition of the Law of sacrificing Sect. 86. Laws concerning Vows Sect. 87. The Reubenites and Gadites desire a possession on that side Jordan Sect. 88. The Journal of Israels Travels Sect. 89. The Limits of Canaan Sect. 90. The Levites Cities Sect. 91. Orders concerning the Marriage of Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 92. The Book of Deuteronomy containing Moses's dying speech to Israel Sect. 93. Moses's death Israels mourning for him Sect. 94. Joshua begins his Government Sect. 95. They come near unto and pass the river Jordan Sect. 96. Circumcision enjoyned them Sect. 97. The first Passover in Canaan Manna ceases Sect. 98. Jericho taken burnt and cursed Sect. 99. The Israelites defeated at Ai. Sect. 100. Joshua marches against Ai. Sect. 101. A Monument of stone and an Altar erected and Blessings and Cursings pronounced at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Sect. 102. The League with the Gibeonites Sect. 103. Adonizedek and his allies besiege Gibeon Their discomfiture Prodigious Hailstones The Sun and Moon stand still at the prayer of Joshua Sect. 104. Several Kings vanquished and their Cities taken Sect. 105. The rise of the Sabbatical year Sect. 106. Joshua's war with the Northern Kings His victory over them Sect. 107. Joshua's rest from war Sect. 108. Joshua divides the land Sect. 109. Joshua and the Elders proceed to divide the land Ephraim and Manasseh complain Sect. 110.
he might try them again and might make them take a second View of that Sea that so their Deliverance thereat might make the deeper impression on them SECT IX THey came now on the fifteenth day of the second month to the eighth place of their Encamping in the Wilderness of Sin which lieth between Elim and Sinai where for want of Food they murmured against Moses and Aaron and wished in a desperate discontent That they had died by the Hand of the Lord in Egypt where they sat by the Flesh-pots (u) V. 2. Murmurabant piscibus in Aegypto volatilibusque assueti At unde Carnium inopia Multa enim illis erant pecora nisi pâ—percisse dicantur vel quia minus foecunda ab inopiam pascuorum vel quod in sacrificia servarent Sed verisimile est alias eos Carnes desiderasse Quales in Aegypto habere poterant Unde Deus noscens quid desiderarent to genere Carnium eos satiat Aug. quaest Exod. 62. They had Cattel in the Desart but if they should have eaten of them they might soon have killed them all up 'T is probable they longed not for such kind of Flesh as they had at hand but for the Flesh of Fowls such as they used to eat in Egypt and wanted now Willet and did eat bread to the full rather than that they had been brought into that Wilderness to die there by hunger The Lord took notice of these their murmurings and was highly offended at them Therefore he said to Moses I have heard the murmurings of the Children of Israel I will yet prove them whether they will walk in my Law or no and therefore tell them at the Evening I will give them Quails and they shall eat Flesh and in the Morning I will rain Bread from Heaven for them and they shall see that glorious Work of mine which I will work for them See Joh. 11.40 Numb 14.21 22. Moses and Aaron acquaint the people herewith and tell them They shall now see that it was the Lord that brought them out of the Land of Egypt and that He and Aaron were but his Instruments and had not done it of their own heads but did only what He commanded them and therefore their murmurings against them were indeed against the Lord Himself Then the Congregation of the Children of Israel being charged to come near before the Lord and there being at that time before the Tabernacle was built no nother visible sign of his Presence among them but only the Pillar of Cloud which was now in the front of their Army leading them towards the Wilderness they turned their faces towards that and perceived that God did in a more glorious manner than ordinary manifest the brightness of his Presence For from thence the Lord tells Moses That He had heard the murmurings of the people and might justly Chastize them for it however he would give them Quails (x) Here God gave them Quails for that one time only but at Kibroth-Hattavah Numb 11.31 they had them for a whole month together in the Evening and Manna in the Morning And accordingly at Even the Quails came and covered their Camp and in the Morning the dew lay round about their Camp and when the dew was gone there lay a small round thing as small as the Hoar-Frost (y) Unde patet fuisse Manna instar grani grandinis vel sacchari minuti on the ground It was a substance so solid that it would endure grinding in a Mill or pounding in a Mortar yet so friable and brittle that it melted at the rising of the Sun It was little and round like Coliander-seed but of a whitish colour like bdellium * Quod est genus gummi pellucidi Numb 11.7 8. It was ready meat to eat when gathered and so eaten the tast of it was like Wafers made with Honey (z) It was a different thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the honey-dew called Manna at this day by the Apothecaries which is not Food but Physick The Book Of Wisdom saith Ch. 16.20 21. That it was able to content every mans pallat and agreed to every tast and tempered it self to every mans liking But if God had given this miraculous Bread such an extraordinary gift to satisfie every appetite and to relish according to every mans desire and to tast like any meat they longed for why did the Israelites murmur against Moses that they had no Flesh and repine because they had not the Cucumbers and Melons and Leeks and Onions and Garlick of Egypt Numb 11.4 5. vers 31. but if they baked it in Pans the tast of it was like fresh Oil. But to return In the Morning when the Israelites saw it lying on the ground they said one to another Man-hu (a) Man pro Mah dialecto Aegyptiacâ vel Man ipsum hoc est praeparatum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeparare scil cibus praeparatus à Deo vel quod cibus in sâ—ipso praeparatus fuit non indigens alia praeparatione fuit enim in scipso bonus esui aptus Vatablus What is this as if they should have said this is a strange Food prepared and given us from above but we know not particularly what it is or what to name it Moses tells them It is the Bread that God had given them to eat It is Man that is a prepared portion Then Moses gives them some Commands from God concerning it 1. Every man might gather according to his eating that is proportionably as he had more or fewer in his Family The quantity of an Omer the tenth part of an Epha which is thought to be about a pottle of our measure is allowed to every single person as his proportion for a day And the Children of Israel according as their Families were gathered some more some less And when they had brought home what they had gathered the Head of the Family measured it out and gave every one his Omer * An Omer is the tenâ—h part of an Epha or Jewish bushel containing about three of our pecks as his share and proportion and no more So that they that gathered much had but their Omer for their daily allowance and the rest 't is like they gave to them that gathered less that they might have their Omer also (b) Hence it is that the Apostle by this Example of the Israelites helping one another exhorts the Christian Corinthians in like manner to supply the necessities of their Brethren 2 Cor. 8.13.14 15. And though every one had an Omer allowed him which shews how liberal an allowance God did make them for their daily Food yet it cannot be imagined that every one did eat their whole allowance every day but though they did not yet they might not reserve any of it till next day but what they left they were either to burn or cast forth God intending hereby that they should live in daily dependance on his
their Bodies nor their Clothes were burnt to ashes vers 5. Moses justifies God before Aaron in this his severe and tremendous stroke declaring that He will be sanctified by them that come nigh him and before all the people He will be glorified see Exod. 19.22 thereby presenting unto Aaron two arguments against Murmuring 1. Because the punishment was just 2. Because God would be glorified thereby and both the people in general and Aaron's Posterity in particular should thereby receive great good and benefit Hereupon Aaron held his peace and laying his hand upon his mouth gave a notable instance of his Piety and quiet submission to the holy will and pleasure of God Then Moses commanded Mishael and Elzaphan Aaron's Cosin-Germans to carry forth their dead Bodies without the Camp and to bury them there And He charges Aaron and his two surviving Sons Eleazer and Ithamar not to mourn for them nor uncover their Heads by taking off their Miters or Bonnets which they wore in the execution of their Priestly-Office nor rend their Clothes nor go out from the door of the Tabernacle upon this sad occasion lest they die for it and thereby also bring wrath upon the people For this was an extraordinary Judgment of God that had befallen their Brothers and they were to testifie their submission thereunto by not openly lamenting their death And they being newly anointed and now at this time prepared for their first entring upon the execution of their Priestly Office they might not break off their Service to attend the burial of their Brothers Yet the whole House of Israel were commanded to lament and bewail this burning which the Lord in consuming Nadab and Abihu had kindled among them and thereby threatned them all if they sinned presumptuously Moses upon this occasion gives to Aaron and his Sons and their Successors a Command to abstain from Wine and strong Drink when they went to minister before the Lord lest they should thorow any distemper or indisposedness (o) From this Ordinance made on this occasion some conclude that Nadab and Abibu were raised up to this presumption thorow the fume of Wine or strong Drink that might arise therefore be disabled from the execution of their Function in the two main parts of it viz. in discerning betwixt Holy and Vnholy Clean and Vnclean and in teaching the Law to the people And that this severe stroke (p) Non satis probari potest eos aeternum damnatos Peccatum enim ipsum quod attinet ex infirmitate videtur commissum non prae ebrietate ut vult R. Solomoh Quicquid igitur peccati huic inadverientiae inerat id omne temporali poena plectitur ut post nihil poena id propter iis luendum restare videatur Freidlibius upon Nadab and Abihu might not so cast down Aaron and his Sons as to make them neglect their meat or intermit their Service or be less lightsome in it then before Moses encourages them to their duty by inviting them to participate of the Provisions of the Lords Table and to eat of the Meat-Offerings and of the Shoulder and Breast of the peoples Peace-Offerings according to the manner that God had prescribed It so happened at this time that Eleazar and Ithamar upon the suddain and dreadful death of their two Brothers had as it seems being under extremity of grief and sorrow burned the Goat of the Sin-Offering mentioned before Ch. 9. vers 15. without the Camp which should not have been done the blood thereof not being carried into the Tabernacle see Levit. 4.16 17. but it should have been eaten by the Priests see Levit. 6.26 30. Moses not knowing what was become of it diligently sought after it out of a care that Gods Ordinance should be exactly observed and the Priests Rights duly maintained and understanding what Eleazar and Ithamar had done He chides them for their failing therein But Aaron extenuates his own and his Sons fault as occasioned thorow grief and the pressure of those doleful things that had befallen them intimating that if they had then eaten of the Sin-Offering it would not have been acceptable to the Lord For that great heaviness and sorrow they were now under made them unfit to eat those holy things as the Lord required who would have them eaten with joyfulness in his Presence see Deut. 12.7 and Moses allows their excuse and so passes the matter by Levit. Ch. 10. whole Chapter SECT XXXIII HItherto we have seen the Laws that concerned the Sanctification of the Priests and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrifices Now general Laws are given concerning the Sanctification of the people and first for avoiding that uncleanness which they might contract from things without them And in giving these Laws God spake both to Moses and Aaron because it belonged both to the Magistrate and the Priest to see them put in execution the Priest being to teach the difference between things clean and unclean see Ezek. 44.23 and the Magistrate to take care that this difference be observed and hence is that Numb 9.6 And certain men that were defiled by the dead body of a man that they could not keep the Passover on that day came before Moses c. First Then here are Laws given what Creatures were to be accounted clean and unclean and how they must not defile themselves either with eating or touching (q) As a moral admonition that they ought to refrain from all fellowship in evil see Isa 52.11 any unclean thing but must walk as an holy people of the most holy God The Laws concerning Creatures which are to be accounted clean (r) No doubt but this distinction of clean and unclean Beasts was by revelation made known to the Fathers from the first whence that direction is given to Noah immediately before the Flood Gen. 7.2 but this seems only in respect of Sacrifices for as to eating or not eating it seems they had no distinction then of clean and unclean Beasts Gen. 9.3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you even as the green herb have I given you all things But now by this Law the Israelites are forbidden the eating of divers meats both Flesh and Fowl and Fish as unclean and that possibly to inure this stubborn people to an absolute dependance on Gods Word and Will in all things as also to restrain them from that which was usually eaten among the Gentiles and to mind them of the difference God had put between them and all other Nations and the special purity He requir'd of them above all other people see Levit. 20.25 26. And therefore the Apostle reckons this among the the legal shadows Acts 2.16 17. Let no man judge you in meat or drink c. which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ See also Acts 10.15 or unclean as to Food may be reduced to these three heads First Concerning fourfooted-Beasts Those are to be accounted clean
He was to wave them before the Lord and so they became his portion with the wave-breast and heave-shoulder the rest of the flesh and bread was to be eaten by the Owners that presented them These are the Offerings which a Nazarite who is to be discharged of his Vow is to offer besides what of his own free will he shall vow to give out of the estate which he hath gotten and wherewith God hath blessed him The former Offerings were prescribed by God and so necessarily to be offered both by Poor and Rich but if the Nazarite being rich vowed any more Offerings He must perform his vow accordingly These things being performed the Nazarite was discharged of his vow and had liberty to drink Wine again if he thought good Numb 6. from 1. to 2â— SECT XLIX THe Lord now prescribes to Aaron and his Sons how they should solemnly bless the people viz. lifting up their hands (x) See Levit. 9.22 they should say unto them The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you The Lord lift up his Countenance upon you and give you peace Thus they were to put Gods Name upon the people that is to bless them in his Name and the Lord promises thereupon to bless them Numb 6. from 22. to the end SECT L. God now Commands two (y) At first there were but two Trumpets appointed viz. for Aaron's two Sons But the number of Priests increasing in Solomons time there were an 120 Priests sounding with Trumpets 2 Chron. 5.12 These Trumpets were signs of the ministry of the Word and the Office of Teaching discharged by men called and fitted silver Trumpets to be made for Aaron's two Sons Eleazar and Ithamar (z) The Priests are appointed to be Trumpeters that the people might entertain the sound thereof as given by the direction of God and accordingly conform themselves thereunto see Numb 31.6 2 Chron. 13.12 The use of these Trumpets was 1. To assemble the Congregation before the Lord in his Sanctuary 2ly To give warning and direction for their marching towards the Land of Canaan 3ly To encourage the people when they went forth to War 4ly To excite their joy and rejoycing at their solemn Festivals They were to blow with both Trumpets when all the people were to assemble at the door of the Tabernacle and to blow but with one Trumpet when only the Princes and Heads of the people were to come together unto Moses And when the Camps were to remove they were to blow an Alarm or Taratantara (a) V. 7. Clangetis non Tarantarizabitis Hic distinguit inter Clangere Taratantizare Freidlib and so the Camps that lay Eastward or Southward Northward or Westward were to move according to the several soundings of the Trumpet But when the Congregation was to be gathered together they were not to sound in that manner And only the Priests were to blow with Trumpets as long as the Priesthood and this Dispensation was to last And wheh the people were to go out to War the Priests were to sound an Alarm which was to be a sign to them that the Lord remembred their danger and would help them against their Enemies They were also to blow with these Trumpets on their solemn Festivals (b) V. 10. In their solemn days wherein honest chearfulness was not only allowed but injoyned Deut. 16.14 and days of rejoycing and on their new Moons over their Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings and this was to be to them for a Memorial before the Lord that is as a sign and token that if they performed this Service in faith of Gods mercy and with joyful and glad hearts the Lord would remember them and would hear their prayers and accept their Sacrifices Numb 10. from 1. to 11. SECT LI. ABout this time Jethro Prince of Midian a Country lying south from hence towards the Red-Sea father-in-Father-in-law to Moses repaired hither to give his Son-in-law a visit and brought with him Zipporah his Daughter Mose's wife and his two Sons Gershom and Eliezer which were left with him when Moses went into Egypt See Sect. 60. of Chap. 3. Moses hearing of his coming went out to meet him and did Obeysance to him and kissed him and bringing him into his Tent He acquainted him with all the wonderful things the Lord had done for them Jethro blesses God and Congratulates to Moses and the whole people of Israel their Deliverance out of the Egyptian Bondage he openly declares both by word and deed his Faith and Devotion towards the God of Israel Now says he I am assur'd the God of Israel is greater then all Gods for in the thing wherein the Egyptians were proud and haughty he was above them And Jethro after the manner of the Patriarchs (c) Forsan obtulit non immediate sed per sacerdotes Sic David sacrificasse fertur 2 Sam. 24.25 Solomon 1 Reg. 8.63 nempe mediantibus sacerdotibus offered Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices of Thanksgiving * Ex quibus maxima pars cedebat offerentibus unto God and Aaron and the Elders of Israel came to pay their Respects to him and to Feast with him upon those Sacrifices before the Lord (d) See Deut. 12.6 7. 1 Chron. 29.21 that is in the fear of the Lord and having the Lord in their eyes and being sensible of the Majesty of God appearing in the Cloudy Pillar On the morrow after Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by him from Morning to Evening Jethro observing this and how the people came to Moses to inquire of the Lord for them both concerning religious and civil Affairs he fairly Chides him for his wearing out himself with continual imployment and the people with continual attendance and therefore advises him to take a better Course which he doubted not but by the blessing of God would be much for his own and the peoples ease Be thou says he for the people God-ward that is in matters of greater difficulty and importance where there is need of one to inquire of God there do thou still imploy thy self in seeking to the Lord for them and in returning answers from the Lord to them and shew them the way wherein they should walk and the work that they should do But as to other matters of lesser moment and easily to be decided chuse out from among the people able men men fearing God and men of truth and fidelity and hating Covetousness and make some of them Rulers over Thousands others over Hundreds others over Fifties and others over Tens and let them Judge the people at all seasons in matters of less difficulty but matters of greater moment let them bring to thee And so these Rulers will bear some part of the burden with thee and all will not lie on thy shoulders as now it does and the people hereby will have their matters sooner determined and dispatched without so
of the Lord concerning the matter and by Gods own Sentence he was adjudged to be stoned (t) Prudens est Cajetani observatio severius semper Deum animadvertisse in primos legum snarum transgressores by the Congregation without the Camp which was done accordingly from 32. to 37. 7ly A Law is given injoyning them to make Fringes with blue Ribbands or Laces on the borders of their Garments that by looking on them they might remember all the Commandments of the Lord and do them These Fringes were to mind them that they ought to be content with what was commanded injoyned and limited by the Law of God and must not run out into any superstitious Inventions Additions or Devices of their own in his Worship Which Inventions being delightful to their eyes and hearts He knew they were very prone to go a whoring after them and therefore more strictly forbids And another reason why He injoyned these Fringes was that they might be distinguished in their habit from strangers and those that were Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and might remember that they were a people federally holy and peculiarly devoted to God Numb 15. whole Chapter SECT LXIII COrah Dathan and Abiram and On with 250 others of prime note and authority among the Israelites rise up now against Moses and Aaron envying Moses the Government and Aaron the Priesthood Corah it seems was the Ringleader and first Mover of this Sedition which is therefore called the gain-saying of Corah Jude v. 11. 23. He was a Levite and Cosin-German to Moses and Aaron For Amram the Father of Moses and Aaron and Izhar the Father of this Corah were Brothers the Sons of Kohath Exod. 6.18 The Jewish Writers say That this Corah had long since taken offence that Elizaphan was by Moses preferred to be Prince of the Families of the Kohathites see Numb 3.30 whereas Elizaphan was descended of the youngest Brother Vzziel and He was of Izhar who was elder than he which grudge though it lay buried for a time in his breast yet now it brake forth and nothing less than the Priesthood will content him and his Abettors As for Dathan Abiram and On they were all descended from Reuben and therefore possibly under the pretence of Reuben's Birthright they were the more easily drawn to oppose Moses as supposing that the Government belonged to them and not to him These Conspirators now come to Moses and Aaron and in an high and proud manner tell them They took too much upon them seeing all the Congregation were holy and therefore might approach to God and offer their own Sacrifices themselves as well as they and they saw no reason that the Priesthood should be tied to Aron's Posterity only Then the Reubenites under pretense of Reuben's Birthright seeking as 't is probable to wrest the Supream Magistracy from Moses to themselves they also Charge both Moses and Aaron for taking too much upon them and ask them Wherefore they lifted themselves above the Congregation Moses at this carriage of theirs was exceedingly troubled and withdrawing himself as it seems into privacy He fell down on his face before the Lord in prayer seeking direction from Him what he should do on this important occasion and there it was revealed to him what he should say unto Corah and his Accomplices Moses accordingly coming out to them tells them That on the morrow God would decide this Controversie and shew who were His and who were the Men that He had separated to the Priests Office and would allow to come near and to minister unto him He bids them therefore to come to morrow with their Censers and to put fire in them and Incense upon them and come with them before the Lord seeing they thought themselves so fit for the Priesthood and then they should soon see who it was that God had chosen to be a Priest (u) V. 7. Erit sanctus i. e. segregatus ad sacerdotium unto him by accepting his Incense and they should know to their Cost that not He and Aaron but that they the Sons of Levi had taken too much upon them in aspiring to the Priesthood What says he seems it a small thing to you Ye Children of Levi that God hath separated you from the rest of the people of Israel to bring you near to Himself to do the Service of the Tabernacle as Assistants to the Priests to stand before the Congregation to minister for them that is to do in their name and stead what they themselves were otherwise bound to have done in the Service of God What! is all this so small a thing in your eyes that it will not content you but you must have the Priesthood also And what is Aaron I pray you and what hath he done or what hath he assum'd to himself that the Lord hath not freely given him Therefore if you murmur against him you murmur against God himself See Exod. 16.7 8. After this first attempt of theirs was over it seems Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram possibly thinking to deal with them privately and to perswade them to desist from this wicked undertaking But they do not only refuse to come but return him a bitter and scornful answer They scoff at his promise of bringing them into a Land flowing with Milk and Honey and giving them Fields and Vineyards They tell him He had indeed brought them out of such a Land as did really flow with Milk and Honey which was Egypt and had brought them into a dry and barren Wilderness and here He had made himself a Prince and a Ruler over them And did he now think to put out their eyes and the eyes of those that joyned with them in this Complaint that they should not see and perceive the wrongs and injuries he had done them Moses at this was very wroth and prayed unto the Lord saying I pray thee O Lord accept not the Incense which these wicked Conspirators shall offer before thee to morrow but declare by thy refusing of it that thou disallowest this their rebellion As for me thou knowest I have not usurped Authority over them neither have I abused my Authority in the least by doing them any manner of wrong I have not taken the vilest Beast no not so much as an Asse from any of them neither can they justly Charge me with any injury I have done them On the next morning Corah having gathered together not only his 250 Accomplices but the people in general to be Spectators of the business in hand perswading them 't is like that God would own their Cause and give Judgment on their side and these 250 having as it should seem got such Consers as they could provide since the time Moses had appointed this way for the deciding of this Controversie they came with them to the door of the Priests Court whither the people used to bring their Sacrifices 'T is true the appointed place for the Priests to
sin that is he died a natural death when his time was come as being by sin liable to death as all other men are They further urge that except this be granted them the Name of their Father wil be quite extinct Moses inquiring of the Lord concerning this Case it pleased the Lord to grant these Daughters of Zelophehad their desire which was afterwards punctually performed Joshua as we may read Josh 17.4 According to the Command of the Lord he gave them an Inheritance among the Brethren of their Father Yet withall there was afterwards a Caution added to wit that they might not marry out of their own Tribe * Hence some conclude that when a man died without Issue and his Brother married his Widow to raise up Seed unto his Brother whose Estate he inhetlted his first Son in their Genealogies was reckoned to be the Son of him that died without Issue So it was in this case The first Sons of those that married the Daughters of Zelophehad were accounted the Sons of Zelophehad and so under his Name did inherit his Land see Ch. 36.6 And upon this occasion was the Law for succession in Inheritances made and ordained Numb 27. from 1. to 12. SECT LXXXIV GOd now signifies to Moses that he should die and accordingly Commands him to go up to that Tract of the Mountains of Abarim * See Ch. 33.47 Deut. 32.49 34.1 which are in the Land of Moab over against Jerico and on one of the highest of them called Nebo whose top was called Pisgah he should see that good Land into which he might not enter And when he had seen it his Soul should be gathered unto the Souls of his pious Ancestors who died before him For He and Aaron had rebelled against his Commandment see Ch. 20.12 which was that they should by Faith sanctifie * We sanctifie the Lord when we conceive aright of his Nature and Attributes and when we speak so reverently of Him as to cause his Name to be praised and magnified among men him in the eyes of the people at the Wilderness of Zin but they sanctified him not Moses humbly and earnestly begs of the Lord that he might be permitted to go over and see that good Land Deut. 3.23 25. but the Lord was not pleased to grant his Request Humbly therefore submitting to his holy Will he now earnestly prays to God Who is the God of the Spirits of all flesh and not only the Creator but the Searcher and Trier of men spirits and knows what is in man and can frame and fashion mens spirits as he pleases and give them Gifts and Graces requisite for the Places he calls them unto to appoint a Successor to him that might as a good Shepheard go out and in before the Flock God upon his prayer appoints Joshua to succeed him a man in whom was the Spirit that is the Spirit of Wisdom and understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledge and the fear of the Lord. God Commands him therefore to lay his hands * The like Ceremony was afterwards used in the days of the Gospel when men were separated and set apart to Preach the Gospel 1 Tim. 4.14 upon Joshua to intimate to Him by this Ceremony that the hand of God should be upon him to defend and prosper him in all his ways and that he would confer upon him a great measure of the Gifts of his Spirit answerable to the Dignity whereunto he had advanced Him and accordingly 'tis said Deut. 34.9 That Joshua the Son of Nun was full of Wisdom for Moses had laid his hands on him Moses was also to set him before Eleazar and the Congregation and to give him a Charge concerning what he was to do and what to forbear in the administration of his Office And Moses was further commanded to put some of his own honour upon him that is admit him into some Partnership of Authority and Dignity with himself and so cause the people to give him that Honour that was due unto Moses's Successor and the Judge Elect of Israel And Moses tells him further That upon occasion he shall present himself before Eleazar that he may inquire of the Lord for him after the Judgment of Vrim that is putting on the Ephod to which the Pectoral * See Pharaphrase on Exod. 28.30 was fastened wherein was the Vrim and Thummim And at Eleazar's word speaking from the Lord He and the people shall go out to War or return from it and so in all weighty Affairs which were extraordinary by his direction they should govern themselves And Moses did all these things which the Lord commanded him Numb 27. from 12. to the end SECT LXXXV THe Children of Israel having as it seems omitted their Sacrifices and solemn Feasts the most part of the 38 years last past by reason of their travels wherein the Sanctuary the Alar and other holy things were made up fit for removal from place to place And the most part of the Generation from twenty years old and upward that had been mustered in Sinai being now dead see Ch. 26.64 The Lord hereupon causeth the Law of sacrificing to be again here repeated thereby intimating to them that when they came into the Land which he promised them they must not any longer neglect his Ordinances as they had done in the Wilderness see Deut. 12.8 And therefore first in the general he charges them that they be sure to give Him all the Sacrifices and Offerings which he had at several times appointed them to offer And then 2ly He sets down particularly what they were to offer First For their daily Sacrifice from vers 3. to 9. Secondly For their weekly Sacrifice every Sabbath * The Sacrifices appointed for every Sabbath-day are full double to those appointed for every day And yet the daily Sacrifice the continual Burnt-Offering was not then to be omitted day from vers 9. to 10. Thirdly For their monthly Sacrifice every new Moon from 11. to 16. And fourthly For their yearly Sacrifices First At the Passover from vers 16. to 26. 2ly At Pentecost from 26. to the end 3ly He mentions the Offering appointed at the Feast of Trumpets Ch. 29. from 1. to 7. 4ly The Offering on the day of Expiation from 7. to 12. 5ly On the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles from vers 12. to 39. Numb Ch. 28. whole Chapter Numb Ch. 29. from 1. to 39. SECT LXXXVI BEsides those set and solemn Sacrifices which God Himself had injoyned there were other Sacrifices which were to be offered to the Lord namely such as men voluntarily offered or upon a particular Vow Ch. 29. v. 39. And upon this occasion it seems several Precepts concerning Vows were added to shew who were necessarily obliged to perform their Vows and who not And Moses made known these Laws to the Heads of the Tribes because they were the men that according to these Laws were
have in part experienced already in your having conquered Sihon and Og Kings of the Amorites and gained their Countries Which Conquests may be an earnest to you of further Victories over your Enemies Know you therefore this day and consider it well in your hearts that the Lord He is God both in Heaven above and in Earth beneath and there is none besides him Therefore diligently keep his Statutes and Commandments which I command you this day that it may go well with you and your Children after you and that you may live long and happily in the Land which the Lord God giveth you from vers 1. to 41. 9. He comes now to set before them the Law of God viz. the ten Commandments Chap. V and the Testimonies that is the particular Articles or Points of the Covenant which God made with them at Horeb whereby he testified his mind to them and the particulars in which he required Obedience from them He shews how they were terrified at the dreadful manner wherein the Law was delivered and desired Him to mediate between God and them Then calling all the Elders and Chief of the people of Israel together He said Hear O Israel the Statutes and Judgments which I speak in your ears this day that you may learn them and keep and do them The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb. He made not this Covenant with our Fathers in Egypt nor with the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob for though he made the same Covenant with them for substance and they were obliged to believe in the Messias and to keep the Law so far as it was revealed to them yet this Covenant was not revealed to them with all its Circumstances and particular Laws nor in that form and manner wherein it was revealed to us on Mount Horeb with whom God entred into Covenant as with a Body Politick and a People whom he had separated from all other Nations unto his own Worship and Service You (g) Plurimi eorum qui tempore Legislationis in Horeb fuerunt infra 20 annos poterant eorum meminisse quae ibi gesta dicta fuerunt may remember says he how God when he gave you the Ten Commandments talked with you face to face (h) V. 4. Facie ad faciem loquutus est nobis i. e. praesens praesentibus fine ullo internuncio that is immediately by himself and not by an Internuncio or Messenger But after God had spoken to you the Ten Commandments out of the fire I was fain to stand as a Mediator between the Lord and you for you were afraid to hear the Voice of the Lord immediately any more Now the Ten Commandments the Lord spake to you in Horeb you may find recorded in the 20th Chapter of Exodus (i) Some words are here added by Moses in this fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy to those uttered by God on Mount Sinai Exod. 20. as an explanation of them In the fourth Commandment as it was there delivered by the Lord the Worlds Creation and Gods resting on the seventh day was mentioned as a main ground of it Exod. 20.11 But here Moses omits that and presseth their deliverance out of Egypt as a chief reason of Gods injoyning them to sanctifie this day Deut. 5.15 because by their redemption out of Egypt they were bound to Consecrate themselves wholly to Gods Service as his peculiar people whereof the holy employment of the Sabbath might be a notable memorial and sign and secondly because of that particular charge of suffering their Servants to rest on the Sabbath-day their former Bondage in Egypt being a strong inducement to move them to it ut requiescat servus tuus c. Exod. 20.17 God forbids the coveting of our Neighbours house and then next the coveting of his wife Here the coveting of our Neighbours wife is first forbidden and then afterwards the coveting of his house c so that they that would divide this last Commandment into two as the Papists do cannot justly say which is the ninth Commandment and which is the tenth because one branch of it is first in Exodus and another is first in Deuteronomy and we cannot reasonably think that Moses would pervert the order of the ten Commandments Paul makes but one Commandment of both branches Rom. 7.7 These are the Precepts God spake immediately by himself to you and he added no more moral Precepts and He wrote them in two Tables of stone and delivered them unto me And after this dreadful delivery of the Law the Elders of your Tribes came to me and said Behold the Lord our God hath caused us to see his Glory and Greatness and we have heard his Voice out of the fire and we have seen that God doth talk with man and yet he remaineth alive But you intimated that your present safety was a matter of great wonder to you and though you had escaped that danger for the present yet you were not willing to be exposed to the like danger again For the very terrour of it you apprehended would kill you if God should speak to you again immediately by himself and you said What man is there that ever heard God speaking out of the fire as we have done and yet lived Therefore you desired me to receive from the Lord all that He should command you and to deliver it unto you and you would hear it and do it And the Lord approved of your motion and further said O that (k) Humanitas optanda non speranda designat there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Therefore God commanded you to betake your selves unto your Tents again and commanded me to stand before him and to receive from him all the Commandments Statutes and Judgments which I should teach you and which you should observe in the Land which He intended to give you that you may walk in them and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days and that you may increase mightily as the Lord God of your Fathers promised you should do in that good Land that floweth with Milk and Honey Chap. VI 10. Moses now enters upon the explanation of the first Commandment Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord one Eternal Almighty and divine Essence one in substance though three in persons and alone to be adored and worshipped And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul and with all thy might And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and so imprinted in thy mind and memory that upon all occasions thou mayst know what thou art to do And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou fittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest
Nimrod See the Kings thereof pag. 15. of Chap. II. The dispersion of the children of Noah The Original of several Nations 1819 Serug born 1846 Nahor born 1878 Terah born 2008 Abraham born The King of Elam and his Allyes conquer the King of Sodom and his Confederates 2078 The Promise made to Abraham in Vr of the Chaldees The Third Age from the Promise made to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees unto the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt 2094 ABraham's removal to Charran and from thence to Canaan Two Altars there built by him A Promise of that Land made unto his Posterity He goes into Egypt by reason of the Famine in Canaan His Danger there on the account of Sarah his Wife He returns into Canaan vanquishes Chedorlaomer rescues Lot is met by Melchizedec and blessed He takes Hagar Ismael Born 2107 Circumcision Instituted Abraham entertains Three Angels intercedes for Sodom Sodom and Gomorrha Consumed with Fire from Heaven Lots Incest 2108 Isaac Born Hagar and Ismael cast out Abraham's sacrificing Isaac Isaac marries Rebeccah 2168 Esau and Jacob Born Jacob's marriage with Leah and Rachel His hard Servâ—ce under 〈◊〉 2259 Joseph Born Joseph's Dream His Brethren sell him He is sold after to Potiphar His Mistriss 's false Accusation His Imprisonment Pharaoh's Dream Joseph's Interpretation thereof and Advancement The Famine begins Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn. Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren Jacob goes into Egypt He blesses his Sons and dies Joseph dies The History of Job Aaron Born 2418 Moses Born His Education by Pharaoh's Daughter He flies into Midian He is sent by the Lord to deliver Israel He works Miracles before Pharaoh The Ten Plagues 2508 The Israelites departure out of Egypt The Fourth Age from the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt to the laying the Foundation of Solomon's Temple 2548 THe Paschal Lamb. The Fiery Pillar The Israelites pass through the Red Sea Manna Joshua fights with Amaleck The giving of the Law on Mount Sinai Moses 40 days in the Mount Directions concerning framing the Tabernacle The Golden Calf The History of the Israelites during their 40 years continuance in the Wilderness Moses having governed 40 years dies Joshua succeeds Conquers and divides the Land and governs in all 17 years The Judges 2565 Othniel 40 years 2605 Ehud 80 years The History of Ruth 2685 Deborah 40 y. 2725 Gideon 40 y. 2765 Abimelech 3 y. 2768 Tholah 23 y. 2791 Jair 22 y. 2813 Jephtha 6 y. 2819 Ibzan 7 y. 2826 Elon 10 y. 2836 Abdon 8. y. 2844 Samson 20 y. 2864 Eli 40. y. 2904 Samuel and King Saul 40 y. 2944 King David 40 y. 2985 King Solomon 4 y. 2988 The Foundation of the Temple laid in the 4th year of Solomon's Reign The Fifth Age from the laying the Foundation of Solomon 's Temple to the Destruction of it and the Captivity of Judah Solomon reigned over all Israel from the laying the Foundation of the Temple 36 years The Kingdom divided Kings of Judah 302â— REhoboam reigned 17 years 304â— Abijam 3 y. 3044 Asa 41 y. 3085 Jehoshaphat 25 y. 3106 Jehoram 8. y. 3113 Ahaziah 1 y. 3114 Athaliah 7 y. 3120 Jehoash 40 y. 31â—9 Amaziah 29 y. 31â—9 Vzziah 52 y. 32â—0 Jotham 16 y. 32â—6 Ahaz 16 y. 3271 Hezekiah 29 y. 3300 Manasseh 55 y. 3355 Amon 2 y. 335â— Josiah 31 y. 3387 Jehohaaz 3 mon. 3388 Jehoiakim 11 y. 3398 Jehoiakin or Jechoniah 3 mon. 3â—99 Zedekiah 11 y. Kings of Israel 302â— JEroboam reigned 22 years Nadab 2. y. 304â— Baasha 24 y. Elah 2 y. Zimri 7 days 3044 Omri 12 y. Ahab 22 y. 3085 Ahaziah 2 y. Jehoram 12 y. 3106 Jehu 28 y. 3113 Jehoahaz 17 y. Joah 16 y. 3114 Jeroboam 2d 41 y. 3120 An Interregnum of about Eleven years and an half Zachariah 6 months Shallum 1 month 31â—9 Menahem 10 y. 31â—9 Pekahiah 2 y. 32â—0 Pekah 20 y. 32â—6 Hoshea 9 y. 3271 The Israelites carried into Captivity by the Assyrians in the sixth year of Hezekiah The Jews carried into Captivity by the Babylonians in the 11th year of Zedekiah The Sixth Age from the Captivity of Judah to their Return out of Babylon 3408 JErusalem taken Zedekiah brought to Nebuchadnezzar sees his Children slain then hath his Eyes put out and in Chains is carried to Babylon The City and Temple burnt Seraiah the Chief Priest and other Principal men put to death at Riblah Gedaliah set over the Poor people left in the Land Jeremy upon his own choice stays with them Ismael Conspires against Gedaliah Johanan discovers it to him He believes it not and so is treacherously murder'd Johanan recovers from Ismael his Prisoners but himself escapes Johanan and his Captains and many of the people go into Egypt and carry Jeremy and Baruc with them 3409 Ezekiel utters several Prophesies in Babylon Jeremy about this time writes his Lamentations Tyre besieged by Nebuchadnezzar 3413 Nebuzaradan carries away the last Remainder of the Jews to the number of 745. Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt and makes great Havock there Having finished his Conquests he returns unto Babylon and there has the Dream of the great Tree whose Destiny was to be cut down He new builds Babylon 3427 He falls distracted and so continues for 7 years He is recovered to his Understanding blesseth God and dies 3435 Evil Merodach succeeds him Jechoniah advanced Zedekiah dies and is honourably Buried Cyrus being made General of the Armies of the Medes and Persians obtains a great Victory over the Babylonians Belshazzar succeeds Evil Merodach In the first year of his Reign Daniel hath the Vision of the four Beasts 3465 Cyrus gives the Babylonians another great Defeat and with a vast Army besieges Babylon Belshazzar carousing with his Nobles sees the Hand-writing on the Wall Daniel interprets it to him and is thereupon advanc'd Belshazzar slain Darius takes on him the Kingdom Cyrus Marries his only Daughter Darius sets over the Provinces an 120 Governors and makes Daniel chief of them all The Princes out of Envy to him move the King to make an Edict That for 30 days no Petition should be made to any God or Man but himself Daniel thereupon cast into the Lyons Den. The 70 years of the Captivity of the Jews draw to an end Daniel Prays for the promised Deliverance The Angel Gabriel is sent to inform him not only concerning that but also the 70 Weeks Darius dies Cyrus is made thereupon Emperor of the East The Jews shew him the Prophesy of Isaiah That He should be their Deliverer with which he is much pleas'd The Seventh Age from the Return out of Babylon to the Death of Christ Or from the end of the Seventy years Captivity unto the end of the Seventy Weeks in Daniel 3478 THE 70 Weeks in Daniel containing 490 years The Persian or Second Monarchy See the Kings thereof in the Appendix Cyrus makes an Edict for the Return of the Jews and that they should go and build their
set a mark upon him possibly some strange trembling of his head or some frightful ghasty look which would make him a horrible Spectacle of Divine Vengeance to terrifie others from so detestable a Crime And whosoever should slay him thus marked and do unto him as he had done to his Brother more then a single Vengeance should be taken of him Gen. 4.15 (q) Seven-fold that is manifold according to the usual expression of the Scripture See Psal 12.6 79.12 Job 5.19 Prov. 26.25 The Lord having and probably in a visible Apparition thus sentenced Cain as soon as he was got out of the place where God manifested his presence He fled as a banished man from his Native Soil and the Land where his Father dwelt to a Land East of Eden which afterwards from his wandring there was call'd the Land of Nod. Sometime after his Wife bare him a Son whom he named Enoch and in process of time He and his Posterity (r) If Abraham's Posterity in less then 400 years amounted to six hundred thousand persons how many might Cain's Posterity be ere he built this City beginning to build a City in that Country He called it by his Sons Name Unto this Enoch was born Irad unto Irad Mehujael unto Mehujael Methusael and unto Mâ—thusael Lamech This Lamech being a Branch of that wicked root of Cain bringeth into the World the Abomination of Polygamy or having more Wives at once than one For He took to himself Ada and Zillah By the former he had Jabal who first invented at least among Cain's Posterity the use of Tents and taught the right ordering of the Flock and Jubal who invented Musical Instruments such as the Harp and Organ By the latter viz. Zillah He had Tubal-Cain (s) Ex quo Gentibus Dei Vulcani nomen who wrought in Brass and Iron and Naamah who they say (t) Hartman found out the way of ordering Wooll and of Carding and Weaving This Lamech presuming possibly upon the strength of his Family and priding himself in the Arts invented by his Sons especially by Tubal-Cain who was an Artificer in Brass and Iron and possibly made Swords and such Instruments of War He thought himself able to resist and oppose any that should offend Him Therefore in a boasting vanting fashion he speaks thus to his wives who seemed afraid of him lest his fierce and boisterous humour should expose him to danger Fear ye not my Wives concerning me For if any man should attempt to set upon me I would slay that man by my wounding him and though a young man I would dispatch him by my hurting him * Vide Frid. in loc pag. 36. And if Cain a Fratricid shall be avenged seven-fold surely Lamech that kills a man in his own defence shall be avenged seventy times seven-fold Gen. 4. from 1. to 25. SECT V. AFter the death of Abel Adam begat Seth in his own likeness and after his own Image (u) Yet God was still the Father and Creator of the Spirits of all Flesh Heb. 12.9 Numb 16.22 that is such as he himself now was namely sinful and not such as he was created Seth was born in the 130th Year of Adam In the Race of Seth the account of Years is carried on from the Creation to the Flood And among these as it seems principally the true worship of God was maintained which by the Race of Cain was very miserably corrupted To Seth at the age of an 105 Years a Son was born whom he called Enoch that is sorrowful intimating thereby the woful and lamentable condition the World was in at that time by reason of the corruption and wickedness that was found in the Progeny of Cain However Seth and his Off-spring did then more openly and solemnly set up and establish the Worship of God than formerly it had been Whence it came to pass that they that persisted in that way of Worship were known by the Name of the Children of God * Deut. 14.1 and they who forsook God and his sincere Worship were called the Children of Men Gen. 6.2 Gen. 4.25 26. SECT VI. ENoch being ninty years old begat Cainan Cainan when he was 70 begat Mahalaleel Mahalaleel at 65 years old had Jared born to Him Jared at 162 years old had Enoch born to him Enoch at 65 years old had Methusalah born to him Methusalah at 187 had Lamech born to him Now Adam the Father of Mankind died when he had lived nine hundred and thirty years Seth the Son of Adam died when he had lived 912 years Noah the tenth from Adam was born when his Father Lamech had lived 182. And his Father prophesied of him that he would be a man of eminent Piety and such a Son as would much comfort his Parents notwithstanding all the miseries labours troubles and sorrows which Sin had brought upon Mankind and notwithstanding the many Evils they met with in that wicked and uncomfortable time Enos the third from Adam died when he had lived 905 years Mahalaleel the fifth from Adam died when he had lived 895 years Jared the sixth from Adam died when he had lived 962 years As for Enoch the seventh from Adam He was a very holy person one that walked with God and followed not the wickedness of that Age but with great courage set himself against it and being a Prophet as we read Jude v. 14 15. He plainly told them of and set before them the day of Judgment Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him I say this holy Person God was pleased to translate immediately into Heaven (x) Per Enochi migrationem beatam patet nimium eos falli qui in hujus mundi caeno spem universam defigunt ut aeternitatis cognitione ex animis omnino deleta And besides this instance before the Law we have a like example of the translation of Elias after the giving of the Law c. 2 Kings 2.11 not suffering him to die as other men ordinarily do when he had lived as many years as there are days in our Year viz. 365. Thus it pleased God to shew to that Age that there was a future Coelestial State of Bliss and Happiness that good men both in Soul and Body shall enjoy hereafter Gen. 5. whole Chapter SECT VII IN the 480th Year of the life of Noah the Lord seeing that the generality of the World had corrupted their ways and that the Professors of his true Worship namely the Posterity of Seth without any regard to their Profession had scandalously and promiscuously (y) Gods Law afterwards forbad such Marriages with such as were out of the Church Deut. 7.3 4. Exod. 34.16 2 Cor. 6.14 married with the Daughters of the profane Race of Cain who
18. SECT LIX MOses being now confirmed partly by Miracles partly by the promise of Divine assistance and having his Brother Aaron given him for his Partner he undertook the Work Returning therefore to his Father-in-law Jethro and concealing as 't is probable from him the glorious Vision he had seen and the honourable Employment he was called unto lest Jethro should by proposing Difficulties and perils in the undertaking discourage him He in a respectful manner desires him to permit him to go into Egypt to visit his Brethren and see how they did Jethro readily consents to it and bids him go in peace Notwithstanding Moses it seems after he had obtained leave of Jethro made not such hast as he ought to have done Therefore God appears to him a second time in Midian and quickens him to the Journey assuring him that all those in Egypt that sought his life were dead Then Moses took his Wife and his two Sons Gershom and Eliezer Exod. 18.3 4. and setting them upon Asses intended to carry them with him into Egypt and he took his Rod with which God appointed him to work Miracles in his hand and the Lord appointed him when he came into Egypt to do all those Wonders and Miracles before Pharaoh which he should put into his hand that is give him Power to do But the Lord tells him That he will harden Pharaoh's heart that is he will withdraw and withhold his Grace from him as by withholding Light he causeth Darkness and would permit Satan to excite and spur on his corrupt Nature so that notwitstanding the many things that should be offer'd to him for his Conviction he should more and more harden his own heart against God and should refuse to let the People go However he commands him to speak thus unto Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord The People or Posterity of Israel are my First-born being chosen of my free Grace first out of all Nations to be my peculiar People and are as dear to me as the First-born are to their Parents Therefore let them go that they may serve me If thou refuse to let them go behold I will slay thy Son even thy First-born and not thine only but the First-born of all the Egyptians thy Subjects also and so accordingly it afterwards came to pass Ch. 4. from vers 18. to 24. SECT LX. AS Moses was now upon his Journey towards Egypt with his Wife and Children the Lord as it seems visibly appeared to him and either by a Sword drawn in his hand or by inflicting some sudden violent Sickness upon him put him in great danger of his life and revealed to him the Cause thereof to be because he had neglected to Circumcise his youngest Son see Gen. 17.14 there being a great Incongruity in it that He should take on him the Government of God's Circumcised People who had neglected to impose this Badge of the Covenant on his own Son 'T is like the reason why Moses neglected to Circumcise this his younger Son was because his Wife had been so highly displeased at his Circumcising of the elder But however it was Zipporah seeing the danger her Husband was now in by reason of this neglect and that he was at this time through sickness so disabled that he himself could not do it she took a sharp Knife possibly made of Flint and Circumcised him her self and then cast the Foreskin newly cut off at her Husbands feet saying in a discontented humour Surely thou art a bloody Husband to me For for thy sake and for the sake of thy Religion I am forced thus to shed the blood of my Son This being done the Lord let Moses go and released him from his Sickness And 't is like upon this occasion and trouble Zipporah with her Children was sent back from thence to her Fathers house again as appears Exod. 18.2 3. Ch. 4. from vers 24. to 27. SECT LXI MOses being now freed from all Incumbrance went on his Journey towards Mount Horeb where his Brother Aaron being before warned of God to come thither met him and at their meeting kissed and embraced him Then Moses acquainted him with all these wonderful Passages and with all that the Lord had said unto him and what Miracles he had impowered him and commanded him to work and what Service he had employed him about and how Aaron was appointed to joyn with him therein This done they went on and when they came into Egypt they called together the Elders of the Children of Israel and Aaron spake to them what Moses had directed him to say from God and Moses wrought as was appointed him those three Miracles before mentioned Sect. 57. for the confirming their Faith See Ch. 4. from vers 2. to the 10. The people of Israel when they heard and saw these things they greatly rejoyced and believed that God had now in mercy visited them and had looked down with Pitty and compassion on their Afflictions and they bowed their heads and worshipp'd God with great Reverence Humility and Thankfulness Ch. 4. from 27. to the end SECT LXII SHortly after this Moses and Aaron make their first Address to Pharaoh several of the Elders of Israel accompanying them therein See Exod. ch 3.18 They Represent to Him that the God of their Fathers had appeared unto them and commanded them to offer a Sacrifice and to celebrate a Religious Feast (p) Part of the Sacrifices were to serve for a Feast and both for the honour of God This Feast they should have celebrated to the Lord but they performed it to an Idol the work of their own hands Exod. 32.6 19. to him in the Wilderness Therefore they humbly beseech him that they may have liberty to go three days Journey in the Desart namely to the Mount Horeb to perform this which the Lord required of them lest if they should neglect to obey Him therein he should punish them with the Pestilence or Sword or some such dreadful Judgment for their Disobedience Pharaoh like a proud and imperious Prince answers Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Then looking upon Moses and Aaron with Indignation He asks them What they had to do to seduce the People and take them off from their work And then looking upon the People with anger Get you to your Burdens says he and see that you perform your daily Task or I will take a course with you I understand very well that you are a great and numerous People indeed too many and these two men Moses and Aaron design to get ease and rest for you from your Burdens that so you may increase more and possibly may then think of rebelling against me But I shall take Care to prevent that And accordingly that very day he charged the Task-Masters that were Egyptians and the Officers under them which were Israelites appointed to take the Over-sight of their Brethren in
their Labours that they should no more give the people Straw to make Brick withall as heretofore they had done but they should gather and provide Straw for themselves and yet notwithstanding they should exact the same tale and number of Bricks of them which they made before and not abate them any thing of it For says he They are idle and therefore they Cry Let us go Sacrifice to the Lord our God I Command you therefore to impose more work upon them that they may have enough to do and may not be at leisure to regard lying words such as this Moses and Aaron tell them who flamm them with stories of their being sent from God The Task-Masters and Officers acquaint the people with this strict and severe Injunction of the King Whereupon a considerable part of them were forced to scatter themselves through all the Land of Egypt to provide Straw and Straw failing they were fain to gather Stubble instead of it And the Task-Masters pressed them on notwithstanding to finish every day as much work as when they had Straw allowed them And when there happened any failure in the Work the Israelitish Officers or Overseers that were set over their Brethren were beaten for it Whereupon these Officers addressed themselves to Pharaoh and humbly Remonstrated That the Egyptian Task-Masters that used to furnish the Israelites with Straw now did not do it and yet they required of them to make the same number of Bricks daily as before which was in a manner impossible for them to do And when they did it not they their Overseers were beaten for it though the fault was not in them but in the Egyptian Task-Masters Pharaoh answered them roughly and tyrannically You are idle You are idle therefore you say Let us go and do Sacrifice to the Lord. Get you gone and see that you finish the Task that is every day required of you and yet you shall have no Straw furnished to you The Officers of the Children of Israel seeing themselves in this very ill condition and having no hope of remedy they go to Moses and Aaron who possibly came out to meet them to see what answer they had from the King and like ignorant passionate men who mistake Occasions for Causes they charge the Injuries of their Enemies upon their best Friends and in an angry and discontented Mood say to Moses and Aaron The Lord look upon you that is the Lord take notice and consider what you have brought upon us and judge you for it You have made us to stink and to be abhorred of Pharaoh and his Servants and have put a Sword into their hands to slay us You have by this your Address to Pharaoh stirred up Him and His Courtiers to tyrannize more over us than they did before Moses being greatly grieved at this their Complaint betook himself to some retired place where by prayer and deep sighs he might present his own and the peoples distress unto the Lord and he said Ah Lord why hast thou thus dealt with thy people against whom Pharaoh's Rage is not at all mitigated but much increased since I mediated for them Why hast thou sent me on such a Message as this which hath not been a means to deliver thy people but much more to afflict them The Lord answered Thou shalt quickly see what I will do unto Pharaoh My Hand shall be so strong and heavy upon him that he shall not only be content to dismiss you as Exod. 3.20 but shall be ready with all his Power to drive you out rather than hold you any longer See Exod. 12.31.33 And the Lord to encourage Moses the more in his Work repeateth his Name to him and the Covenant which he had made with the Fathers He says to him I am theLord I appeared unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of Elshaddai God Almighty that is such a God as is All-sufficient and able to perform all my Promises Gen. 17.1 but by my Name Jehovah (q) This cannot be meant of the letters and syllables of that name as if the Patriarchs had never heard of that Name For God called himself Jehovah long before and by that Name confirmed his Promises as appears Gen. 2.4 7 8 9. 15.7 28.12 Gen. 22.14 Ch. 26.24 Ch. 27.20 and that which it importeth (r) Jehovah signifies God's eternal Being in himself his giving being to other things and the performance of his Promises and in regard of this he says He was not known to their Fathers by this Name They being sustain'd by Faith in God's Almighty Power rested upon the Promise not enjoying the thing promised But now to their Children the Promise should be performed and so they should have full knowledge and experience of the efficacy of that Name Jehovah But withall we must know that this is only spoken comparatively as the glorious ministration of the Law is said to have had no glory in respect of the excellent glory of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.10 So the Fathers are said not to have known God by his Name Jehovah in comparison of what their Posterity knew have not I been made know to them that is so fully as I intend now to be made known to their Posterity to whom I shall really fulfil and give a Being to my Promises by my wonderful Deliverance of them out of Egypt and bringing them at length into the Land of Promise For I made a firm Covenant with those my Servants Abraham Isaac and Jacob and confirmed it by an Oath to give that Land of Canaan wherein they were but Strangers and Sojourners to them and their Posterity for an Inheritance And I have heard the groaning of the Children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I have remembered my Covenant Therefore go to them and tell them I am the Lord and I will deliver them from that cruel Servitude under which they groan and will with an out-stretched arm and inflicting terrible Judgments on the Egyptians bring them forth And I will take them to my self for my peculiar people and will be to them a God and they shall assuredly know that 't is I the Lord and none else who did all these great things for them Moses as God had commanded him went to the Children of Israel with this Message but thorow the anguish of their Spirits and the extremity of their Sufferings they regarded not what he said nor were disposed to believe any thing that he spake concerning their Deliverance So greatly prejudicial are the immoderate passions of men not only to God's truth but to their own welfare Then God commands Moses to go and speak to Pharaoh again and to require him to let the people go out of his Land Moses answered That the Children of Israel would not hearken to him how then should he think that Pharaoh would hear him or mind or regard his words and especially seeing he was a man of uncircumcised lips (s) Because
Circumcision was with the Jews a Badge of God's people Therefore those that were not Circumcised were counted profane and their Uncircumcision was counted a grievous blemish Hence it was that in a Figurative Speech they counted those things that had any natural or moral blemish uncircumcised as a Heart or Mind or Tongue uncircumcised Hinc homines viles ad aliquam rem inepti incircumcisi ea parte vocantur and had an imperfection in his speech and utterance and was very unfit to be sent to Pharaoh on such a Message as that was However God bids Him and Aaron go again to the Children of Israel and to encourage them with expectation of Deliverance and to go to Pharaoh to require him in his Name to let them go Moses and Aaron being thus to be imployed as Instruments in the Hand of God of this great Deliverance their Stock and Lineage is here set down to shew that they were both descended of Levi and this might possibly be so ordered by the Spirit of God as an Antidote against the fabulous Reports of Heathen Writers such as Justin and Tacitus who tell false Stories of the Original both of Moses and of the people of the Jews Which things though they happened not till many years after yet were now fore-seen by the Spirit of God who assistâ—â— Moses in penning this History And Moses being to set down his own and Aarons Descent from Levi for orders sake he begins with the Stock of Reuben and Simeon Levi's elder Brothers And possibly in this place he mentions only those three and not the Heads of the other Tribes that it might appear that they were not rejected of God notwithstanding Jacob's severe Commination Gen. 49.3 5. As also to shew that though Reuben and Simeon were elder then Levi yet God had freely chosen out of the Tribe of Levi Moses to be the first Captain of his people and his Brother Aaron the first High Priest to whom his Posterity should succeed in that Office And these are that very Moses and Aaron whom the Lord commanded to bring forth the Children of Israel out of Egypt who were increased now to many thousands so that they might be called the Hosts of the Lord Exod. 12.37 41. Ch. 5. whole Chapter Ch. 6. from vers 1. to 28. SECT LXIII MOses being now 80 (t) The reason why Moses's age is here set down seems to be to shew how long God in his wise Providence had suffered the Egyptians to oppress the Israelites with such cruel bondage even before the birth of Moses till he came to be 80 years of age And the reverence and respect due to the venerable age He and Aaron were of rendred them the more fit to undertake such a service and Aaron 83 years of Age they are commanded by the Lord to go again to Pharaoh to require him to dismiss the people Moses would have excused himself again because he was not Eloquent but the Lord tells him Behold I have made thee a God (u) Quia adversus Pharaonem divinam quandam potestatem exercuit dum ab eo timetur dum oratur dum punit dum medetur dum verbo animalia quasi creat destruit coelum denique ac terram commovet ut explicat Hilarius lib. 7. de Trin. to Pharaoh that is one to whom the Word of God shall come and by whom it shall be made known to Aaron and by him to Pharaoh For Aaron shall be thy Interpreter and Spokes-man But I know that Pharaoh will not hearken unto you but will harden his heart against all that you shall say However be not discouraged thereat for I will multiply my Signs and Wonders in the Land of Egypt and will bring forth my Hosts that is my people the Children of Israel by inflicting great Plagues and Judgments on the Egyptians and they shall know that I am the Lord by the Judgments that I will execute upon them and by which I will at last deliver my people Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them and went again unto Pharaoh requiring him in the Name of the Lord to let the Children of Israel go out of his Land Pharaoh asks them How he shall know that they were sent of God What Miracle could they work to induce him to believe it Moses hereupon gave Aaron his Rod and bad him cast it upon the ground and said It should become a Serpent and Aaron did so before Pharaoh and his Servants and accordingly it became a Serpent (x) It seems the change wrought before Pharaoh was not into an ordinary Serpent called Nehash but into some greater Creature here called a Dragon Tavin Then Pharaoh called for his Magicians and Sorcerers wherewith the Land of Egypt abounded and whereof the chief at that time were Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 and they did the like in outward shew and appearance but not in reality the Devil by whose Power they did work casting a mist before the peoples eyes whereby they thought they saw that which indeed was not I say these Magicians cast down their Rods and they seemed to be turned also into Serpents (y) Dici potest veros dracones sive Serpentes aliunde adductos ope Damonis virgarum loco fuisse substitutos ita fallendo oculos ut nemo praestigias istas animadverteret or Dragons Some aerial Representations possibly of them being there made by the art of the Devil or possibly the Devil might bring thither some true Serpents unperceiveably from other places and might remove the Rods from the peoples eyes But the Dragon or Serpent into which Aarons Rod was turned swallowed (z) Notandum praestigias Magorum non obfuisse Mosi sed magis profuisse Semper enim aliquid adsuit quo divina signa praecellerent Nam Serpens Moysis devoravit eorum Serpentes Aquam illi in sanguinem mutare potuerunt non rursum sanguinem in aquam ranas afferre non tollere Nempe ut per eas plagae augeri possent non minui Post devorationem Virga Aaronis in statum pristinum reversa est up theirs God hereby shewing that the Power whereby Moses and Aaron had wrought their Miracle was infinitely above that of Satan whereby the Magicians had endeavoured to equal the Work which Moses had done Yet notwithstanding this Miracle Pharaoh's heart was still hardened so that he would not let the people go as God had foretold Exod. 6. vers 28 29 30. Exod. 7. from 1. to 14. SECT LXIV PHaraoh continuing still obstinate God sends Moses and Aaron again to him and by their Ministry inflicts ten Plagues successively upon the Eyptians from which the Israelites as 't is probable were wholly exempted See Exod. 8.22 9.26 10.23 All which are reckoned Psal 78. 105. which Plagues were all sent within one month in this Order 1. God Commands Moses and Aaron to go and meet Pharaoh the next Morning First Plague Their waters turned into Bloud
for seven days together who would then come to walk by the side of the River Nilus and to tell him That seeing he had refused to obey the Voice of the Lord he would bring a grievous Plague upon Him and his People They had shed the bloud of the Israelites Children and drowned them in that River Therefore God had commanded him to give order to Aaron with his Rod to smite the waters of the River and he accordingly stretched forth his Hand over the Rivers Streams and Ponds probably over some of them in the Name of the rest and striking those Waters they were immediately turned into bloud Yea by the influence of God's Almighty Power upon that percussion all their other Streams and Rivers Ponds and Pools yea Cisterns of water whether of Wood or Stone were turned into bloud for seven days together By which Plague the Fish that were in the River died whereby the Egyptians were deprived of that which was their chief Food (a) The Egyptians abstained from the flesh of many Beasts of Superstition especially such as the Hebrews used in Sacrifice as may be gathered from Numb 11.5 We remember the Fish that we did eat in Egypt freely and Isa 19.8 God threatens this as a great Judgment to Egypt The Fishers shall mourn and all that cast Angles into the Brooks shall lament and they that spread Nets upon the Waters shall languish So that this was a sore Plague on the Egyptians who fed much on Fish and traded much with them and maintained themselves by them And one great evil followed this also for hereupon the River stank so horribly that they could not drink of the waters of it which used to be their ordinary Beverage see Jer. 2.18 but were fain to dig Pits near the River that they might have some water to drink But all this did not work upon Pharaoh's obdurate heart For his Magicians and Sorcerers getting some water either from the Sea or out of the new-digged-Wells or from the houses of the Israelites dwelling here and there intermixed with them did by their Enchantments and the Devil's help get some blood whereby they tinctured the waters or else unperceiveably removed the water and substituted bloud in the place thereof Which when Pharaoh saw done by them he went away to his own house and heeded not nor laid to heart the foregoing Plague inflicted on him by Moses Exod. Ch. 7. from 14. to the end 2. God Commands Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh again Second Plague Frogs and to require him to let his People go and to tell Him That if he refused to do it He would smite all his Borders with Frogs They accordingly resolutely pursue their Commission and evidence their Courage and Fidelity in God's Cause notwithstanding the ill success they had had before But Pharaoh would not give ear to them Hereupon Aaron stretched forth his Rod (b) The Rod is called sometimes the Rod of Moses sometimes of Aaron sometimes of God to shew that it was the Instrument they all used in working these prodigious things over the Rivers (c) Non singulos adiit fluvios sed virga eminus eos intenta designavit extendit eam versus Nilum intentione versus omnes aqas Aegypti over the Streams and over the Ponds and the Frogs came up in great abundance upon the Land namely not only those that were in the Rivers before but an innumerable number of new ones were produced and they crawled into Pharaoh's house and into his Bed-Chamber (d) How easily can God cast contempt upon Princes and how favourable is he to men who by his ordinary Providence makes such Creatures loth to come where man hath to do which are so lothsome to him yea upon his Bed and into the Houses of his Courtiers and the rest of his people yea into their Ovens and Kneading-Troughs so that they were grievously annoyed with them Pharaoh calls for his Magicians to see if they could imitate this Miracle and they by stretching forth their Rods over the River did by the Power of the Devil (e) The Devil it seems much delights in their monstrous shape For we find in the Scripture three unclean Spirits like Frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon bring forth some true Frogs by unperceptible Conveyance to the place where the Contest was which possibly at this present was not covered with Frogs by Moses's Working though it is like they were but very few in comparison of those Moses and Aaron had produced And when they had brought them they could not remove them again Pharaoh and his people being thus grievously distressed with this Plague he began to stoop a little and to acknowledge God whom before he would not know and therefore desires Moses and Aaron to intreat the Lord to remove these Frogs and he would let the people go that they may Sacrifice unto the Lord their God Moses knowing that he was constituted as a God to Pharaoh Ch. 7. vers 1. to bring Judgments upon him and romove them at God's appointment and having in him the Faith of Miracles and being directed by the Spirit of God He told Pharaoh He would do him the honour (f) Honorem tibi sume ut des mihi tempus in quo orem pro te to let him appoint the time when he should pray to the Lord for him and by his power deliver him from this Plague And says he if my prayer take no effect then do thou glory over me and say I am no better than one of thy Magicians but if I do deliver thee then own and obey the great God of Heaven whose Servant I am Pharaoh desires the Frogs may be removed by the next Morning Moses Replies Be it according to thy word that thou mayst know that there is none like unto the Lord our God Moses then cried unto the Lord to remove this Plague from Pharaoh and the Lord heard him and immediately the Frogs died that were in the Houses Villages and Fields only some remained in the River and they gathered the dead Frogs together and cast them upon heaps so that the Land stank by reason of them But when this Plague was removed and Pharaoh saw there was some respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not to Moses and Aaron as the Lord had foretold Exod. Ch. 8. from vers 1. to 16. Third Plague Lice 3. Pharaoh having thus mocked God promising and not performing the Lord to manifest his Indignation against him Commands Moses now to strike him with a new Judgment without giving him any warning as at other times he had done Aaron therefore is commanded forthwith to stretch out his Rod and to strike the dust of the Land that it may become Lice through all the Land of Egypt Which Aaron accordingly doing abundance of Lice came on Men and Beasts the dust in very part of the Land that is a great deal of it turning into that
Boils and Blains breaking out upon them So that they were forced to go away and cease fighting against God But yet Pharaoh's heart was so hardned that he would not let the people go for all this Exod. Ch. 9. from 8. to vers 13. Seventh Plague Hail 7. Some few days after God sends Moses again to Pharaoh to require him to let his people go that they may serve him and to let him know that though his Hand had been already heavy upon him yet there were far sorer Plagues still behind which he had determined to bring upon him and his people if he continued obstinate and which should sting him to the very heart And these he would presently pour forth thick and threefold upon him that he might know there is no God like to the great Jehovah in all the World Moses is further commanded to speak thus to Him from the Lord I have stretched out my Hand and destroyed a great part of thy Cattel by Murrain and Pestilence and I should have destroyed thee and thy people thereby also (p) Sic ergo vertendum v. 16. Modo enim cum extendi manum meam percussissem non tantum pecus sed te etiam populum tuum veruntamen seci ut restares c. J. T. as you well deserved but that I have raised thee up for this very purpose that the World might see my Justice in punishing of thee and my Power in my Conquest over thee And dost thou yet so impudently exalt thy self against Me and my People Behold about this time to morrow I will cause it to rain a very grievous Hail upon Thee such as hath not been in Egypt since it became a Land inhabited by Misraim Son of Cham who gave Name to that People and Country And Moses the more to set forth the terrour of this Plague that was coming upon them advises the Egyptians to send for and get home their Cattel and Servants and all that they had in the Field For all that was found there would be destroyed by the Hail Some of Pharaoh's Servants believed this threatening of the Lord and got their Servants and Cattel into houses and so had them preserved but Others regarded it not On the morrow Moses stretched forth his Rod towards Heaven and the Lord sent Thunder and Hail mixed with Fire that ran upon the ground which destroyed not only a great part of their Corn viz. the Barley (q) V. 32. But the Wheat and the Rie were not smitten for they were not grown up that is so much as the Barley It seems in Egypt they sowed their Barley at the same time with their Wheat which we do not and there the Barley would be by far the forwardest Hordeo laeso incolume mansit triticum quippe cum hordei culmus aliquantum arefactus adeoque induratus non cederet grandini sed obniteretur itaque frangebatur Triticum autem tenerum adhuc in herba velut abditum licet non sub terra lenta flexilique sua mollitia procellae impetum devitavit Drufius that was eared and the Flax that was boll'd and in the Stalk and their Herbs but brake a great part of their Trees and killed both Man and Beast that were in the Storm vers 25. so saith the Psalmist Psal 78.47 48. He destroyed their Vines with Hail and their Sycamore-Trees with Hail-stones He gave up their Cattel also to the Hail and their Flocks to the Thunderbolts And this dreadful Hail fell on all the Land of Egppt only in the Land of Goshen there was none Pharaoh terrified with this dreadful Judgment sent for Moses and Aaron and told them He did now plainly see and accordingly did acknowledge That he (r) The Wicked do sometimes confess their sins to God's Glory but will not truly repent and reform that they may be received to Mercy had sinned against God and confess'd That God was Righteous and he and his people wicked He desires them therefore to pray unto the Lord to remove this Judgment and that there might be no more such dreadful Thunder and Hail and he would let them go they should stay no longer Moses promises as soon as he should be out of the City he would stretch forth his hands in prayer to the Lord. He knew by Inspiration from God that then the Thunder and Hail should immediately cease and Pharaoh might hereby be instructed that the Earth is the Lord's and the whole Creation is at his disposal But as for thee and thy Servants says he I know before-hand that ye will be never a whit the better for the removal of this Judgment And the event proved it to be so For when upon Moses's prayer the Thunder and Hail seased the heart of Pharaoh and his Servants were hardened as before and they would not let the people go Exod. Ch. 9. from 13. to the end Eighth Plague Locusts 8. About the seventh day of this Month God sent Moses to Pharaoh again telling him He had hardened (s) See Sect. 58. his heart and the hearts of his Servants that he might glorifie his Power and Justice in bringing more signal Judgments on him However though Pharaoh be obstinate yet thou Moses says God shalt for a remembrance of my Power and Justice declare to thy Children and Childrens Children the Wonders I have done in Egypt upon Pharaoh and his people that so you in your several Generations may know and be assured that I am the Lord. Then Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh again and expostulating with him asked him How long he would refuse to humble himself before the Lord and keep his people from going to serve him They tell him If he continued still obstinate on the morrow the Lord would send Grashoppers and Locusts into all his Quarters and they should be sent in such vast numbers that they should in a manner cover the face of the Earth from man's sight and should devour the residue of the Grass Herbs and what was green on the Trees and the Wheat and Corn which had escaped the Hail and they should fill his house and the houses of his Servants and of all the Egyptians in such a manner that neither he nor his Ancestors nor any that lived in Egypt before him did ever see such vast numbers of Locusts nor any that did did so much mischief as these should do And Moses and Aaron when they had delivered their Message came away and left him Then Pharaoh's Courtiers and Servants said to him How long shall this man Moses be a Snare to us that is an Instrument and means to bring Ruine and Destruction upon us We beseech thee lâ—t these people go Seest thou not that the Land is already almost ruined by the Plagues and Judgments that have been brought upon us Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron again to him and told them He was content they should go and serve the Lord their God But then recalling himself He
asks Who among them and how many of them did they desire should go Moses tells him They would go up All with their Old and with their Young with their Wives Sons and Daughters with their Flocks and with their Herds For they must make use of some of them for Sacrifice and of part of these Sacrifices they must keep a Riligious Feast unto the Lord. Pharaoh being angry at this motion that they should desire their Children should go also whom he intended to keep as Hostages for their coming back he said in a passion I wish you might find no more savour from God than you are like to find from me in this your Suit to let your Children go also Look to it if you will presume to go in this manner at your own peril be it I shall never consent that you should All go But as for you that are men grown I care not if I permit you to go For that was all as I understood (t) Pharaoh either mislook or perverted the words of Moses and Aaron For they demanded they might all go but they desiring at first that they might go to Sacrifice to the Lord it seems Pharaoh thought that only the men meant to go and not the Women and Children also that at first you desired Moses and Aaron not accepting of this Pharaoh caused them to be driven out of his presence Then Moses stretched forth his Rod over the Land of Egypt and the Lord sent an East-wind which blew very fiercely all day upon that Land and the next morning it brought a vast Army of Caterpillars and Locusts very grievous such as had never been seen there before nor are like ever to be again and they were so many that they in a manner covered the face of the Earth where there was any Herbage and by flying so many together like a Cloud they in a manner darkned the Air and they devoured all the Corn and Grass and Herbs that the Hail had left See Psal 78.46 and Psal 105.34 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in hast and said to them I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you in using you as I have done However pardon the wrong that I have done you and once more intreat the Lord to be favourable to me and remove this deadly Plague from me which consumes and destroys all and is like to bring a grievous and general Famine upon us And Moses went out and intreated the Lord for Pharaoh and the Lord sent a strong West-wind that carried the Grashoppers and Locusts away and cast them into the Red-Sea where they all perished But though this dreadful Judgment was removed yet Pharaoh's hardness was not for he would not yet let the people go Ch. 10. from vers 1. to 21. The Month Abib otherwise called Nisan answering to part of our March and part of our April which before had been the seventh Month as we shewed before was from this time forward made the first Month (u) In rememberance of their miraculous Deliverance out of Egypt they were appointed to begin the Year with this Month. Yet this account was afterwards kept only in Ecclesiastical Affairs For the Jubilees and such other Civil affairs it began as it had done before Lev. 25.8 9 10. of the year and upon the tenth day of this Month or a little before was instituted the Feast of the Passover In Commemoration of God's passing over them and not involving them in the Common Plague that smote the Houses of the Egyptians Touching which Passover several Laws and Directions are given to Moses 1. Concerning the Sacrifice it self or the matter of the Feast viz. a Lamb or Kid of the first year a Male without blemish 2. This must be set apart on the tenth day (x) No mention made of separating the Paschal Lamb from the Flock four days before the Feast in other places where the Passover is commanded of this Month. Thus it was ordered at this time that it might be in readiness and not to seek when they were encumbered with business about their going away 3. If one Houshold was too little for a Lamb they were to joyn the next Houshold to them and they were to make their account proportionably to the Lamb and to the persons that were to eat of it taking care that there might not be too few nor too many for it (y) Which number Josephus reckons to be ten men besides women and children 4. They were to keep the Lamb to the 14th day of the same Month. 5. Every Master of a Family of all the Congregation of Israel whom it especially concerned was appointed to kill it on the 14th day between the two Evenings (z) About that time our blessed Saviour the true Paschal Lamb was put to death Mat. 27.46 that is between our three a Clock in the Afternoon and Sun-set (a) The natural day from Sun to Sun the Jews divided into four parts The first from Sun-rising to nine in the fore-noon called the third hour The second from nine to twelve called the sixth hour The third from twelve to three in the afternoon called the ninth hour The fourth from three in the afternoon to Sun-setting called the twelfth hour 6. They were to strike and sprinkle with a bunch of Hyssop dipped in the bloud (b) To direct the Faith of the Israelites to the bloud of their great Redeemer thereof the two side-posts and upper door-posts of the door of the House where they did eat it (c) This seems peculiar to the Passover in Egypt 7. None of them were to go out of the House where they did eat it till the morning 8. They were not to break a bone of it 9. They were not to eat it raw or sodden but roasted with fire And they were to rost it whole Head and Leggs with the appurtenance that is the inwards being first taken out and washed 10. They were to eat it with unleavened (d) Leaven haing two Properties to sowr and puff up might well signifie malice and pride which must be laid aside Bread and bitter Herbs 11. They were to eat it with their Loins girded their Shooes on their feet and their Staff in their hand like men in hast and ready to be gone and march out of Egypt (e) These Ceremonies were peculiar to that Passover in Egypt 12. They were to let nothing of it remain unto the morning but if any thing were left after they had eaten it was to be burnt with fire These things being observed by them Moses tells them The Lord intended to pass by all the Houses of the Israelites where the Paschal-Lamb was thus eaten and the doors thus sprinkled but He would smite by his holy Angel all the First-born of the Land of Egypt both of Men and Beasts that remained And he would then execute Judgment on all the Gods of Egypt that is either some such notable Judgment or
Goshen near Rameses where they were at first placed by Joseph Gen. 47.11 they being in all six hundred thousand men of the Israelitish Race besides Women and Children and to them a mixed multitude voluntarily joyned themselves viz. Servants and Strangers who were willing to go away with them and doubtless the rather because Egypt must needs be now in a sad condition by reason of the many Plagues God had lately inflicted on them And which speaks the wonderful Providence of God over this people in that vast multitude there was not one sick or feeble person among them as we read Psal 105. vers 37. Exod. 12. from vers 34. to 43. SECT II. FRom Rameses this vast multitude with their Flocks and Herds and much Cattel remove to Succoth which signifies Booths because here they made themselves Booths of the Boughs of Trees in remembrance of which the Feast of Tabernacles was afterwards appointed as we may see Lev. 23.42 43 Here Moses receives some further Commands and Directions concerning the Passover 1. No Stranger or Forreigner was to eat thereof unless he were first Circumcised and so incorporated into the Jewish Church 2ly Servants that were Strangers after they were well instructed and circumcised might eat thereof and that no Forreigner or Hireling might on other terms oat thereof 3ly Every Lamb was to be eaten by one Company in the same house and none of it to be carried out to be eaten abroad 4ly No bone of it was to be broken (c) A Figure of Christ whose bones were not broken as the two Thieves bones were Joh. 19.33 to shew that no man had power to take away his life but that he voluntarily laid it down John 10.18 5ly All the Congregation of Israel were to prepare themselves and to eat the Passover as the Lord had Commanded and he that neglected it was to be cut off Numb 9.13 6ly The circumcised Stranger shall enjoy the same right and benefit with the native Jews one Law shall be to them both God also Commands That all their First-born males of Man and Beast shall be consecrated unto him in a thankful Memorial that he saved their First-born when he destroyed the First-born of the Egyptians and therefore such might not be given as a Vow or Free-will-Offering being before the Lords by a peculiar Right Lev. 27.26 Yet the Firstling of an Ass and so of all other unclean Beasts Numb 18.15 they might redeem with a Lamb * But if they would not redeem it they were to bâ—eak its neck because it was not fit that that which of right belonged unto God should be put to any other ordinary use and the First-born of Man they might redeem with five Shekels of Silver Numb 18.16 He Commands also That the day of their going out of Egypt shall be had in perpetual Remembrance and that the Feast of Vnleavened Bread shall be yearly kept in the Land of Canaan that so that Deliverance may never be forgotten and that they shall acquaint their Children from Generation to Generation with the Story and the wonderful manner thereof and shall instruct them in the meaning and signification of this Paschal-Solemnity which was Instituted upon that occasion telling them That this Passover (d) Which was Oommemorative f their Deliverance and Prefigurative of the Death and Passion of Christ ought to be such a kind of remembrance unto them of Gods extraordinary Mercy in delivering their Fathers out of the Bondage of Egypt as if they wore any Signet or Token upon their Hands or any Frontlet or Jewel upon their Foreheads between their Eyes (e) Vide Deut. 6.8 11.18 Pharisaei qui haec carnaliter crasso modo intelligebant alligabant Brachiis Fronti sua Phylacteria quae carpit Christus Math. 23.5 to put them in mind of some important thing which they ought by no means to forget And so it will come to pass that they will delight to think and speak of the Law and Commandments of God to the Observance of which this admirable Deliverance will be a strong engagement Exod. 12. from vers 43. to the end Exod. 13. from vers 1. to 17. SECT III. FRom Succoth they march on in good array that is as 't is probable in five Bodies (f) Vers 18. Quini ascenderunt i. e. in quincurias dispositi Rivet Quinque turmis ascenderunt Munsterus See also Dutch Annotations in loc or Brigads towards Etham in the edge of the Wilderness where was their next Encamping the Lord conducting (g) Here it 's said v. 21. that the Lord led them by this Pillar Ch. 14. 19. 't is said the Angel of the Lord went before them This therefore was the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 the Eternal Son of God 1 Cor. 10.9 them by a Pillar of a Cloud by day which was also a Pillar of Fire to them by Night and a Sign of his gracious Presence with them This Sign of his Presence was like a Pillar ascending round and straight from the Earth towards Heaven by Night it had the appearance of Fire Numb 9.15 In the day time it seems it dispersed it self abroad when need was like a Cloud and so shaddowed them from the Sun see Psal 105. vers 39. when they were to rest or stay in any place it removed back into the midst of the Camp and after the Tabernacle was made it rested upon that and when it was taken up and moved whether by day or night they were to march see Numb 9.18 21. And out of this Cloudy Pillar the Lord spake to them Psal 99.7 Numb 12.5 10. Deut. 31.15 The Lord therefore as we said before by this Pillar conducted the Israelites to Etham from whence through the Land of the Philistins was the nearest and directest way to Canaan But the Lord was not pleased to lead them that way fore-seeing the Philistins were like to deny them passage thorow their Country so that they must fight their way thorow them who were a Warlike People if they intended to pass And the Lord foresaw that the meeting with so formidable a difficulty at the first might possibly discourage the Children of Israel and make them repent that they left Egypt and might dispose them to return thither again For this and other reasons the Lord was pleased to order the people to march back from Etham to the Wilderness of the Red-Sea And they carried Joseph's bones with them according to the Command given them Gen. 50. And 't is probable they carried the bones of the other Patriarchs the Sons of Jacob along with them also according to what Stephen relates Acts 7.15 16. Exod. 13. from vers 17. to the end SECT IV. FRom Etham the Lord Commands them to turn back again and to Encamp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the Sea over against Baal-Zephon This was a narrow passage between two ledges of Mountains with the Sea before them It seems it was now told Pharaoh that the people
Providence see Mat. 6.11 However some of them were so Disobedient that they reserved some of it till next morning and it bred Worms and stank which Disobedience of theirs much provoked Moses to be angry with them 2. They were to gather it in the morning betimes For when the Sun waxed hot it melted 3. On the sixth day they were to gather twice as much as on other days namely two Omers for one person which order when the people observed the Elders and Rulers came and told Moses thereof doubting whether they did well therein seeing an Omer and no more was their fixed allowance for one day Hereupon Moses tells them That the next day was an holy Sabbath to the Lord and on that day (c) From whence some infer the antiquity and morality of the Sabbath this happening before the giving the Law on Mount Sinai no Mannah should fall and therefore on the sixth day they had a double allowance and on that day they were to bake or seeth of their Mannah what they thought fit to eat thereof that day and to reserve the remainder for the Sabbath-day and though reserved to that day it should not stink or breed Worms as one other days if kept it would do Yet some of the people were so unbelieving and disobedient that they went out on the Sabbath-day to seek Mannah but found none for which God was angry with them and charged them not to go out on the Sabbath-day any more to seek it but to observe that day unto him which the people accordingly did On this kind of bread they lived afterwards by the space of forty years * Comederant Man 40 annis tanquam cibum ordinarium cui non erat vetitum carnes vel cibos alios adjungere si quos vel venatu vel emptione a vicinis gentibus consequebantur ut apparet ex Deut. 2.6 Janson even till they came to the borders of the Land of Canaan And a Pot containing the quantity of an Omer was afterwards by Gods Command fill'd therewith and reserved by the Ark of Testimony (d) Or Ark of the Testimony because in it were the Tables of Gods Law which testified his Will to his people See Heb. 9.4 See Apostolical History pag. 380. viz. which testified Gods Presence among them to be kept as a Memorial of Gods goodness in thus miraculously feeding of them Exod. 16. whole Chapter SECT X. THeir ninth Remove was to Dophka their Tenth to Alush Numb 33.12 13 14. and their Eleventh to Rephidim a place in the Wilderness near Mount Horeb. Here they wanted water again and this want drove a great many of them into an high discontent and murmuring insomuch as they said Is the Lord among us or not vers 7. Thus they tempted the Lord as the Psalmist says Psal 78.41 and limited the holy One of Israel Then they fell a chiding with Moses saying Give us water that we may drink wherefore hast thou brought us out of Egypt to kill us and our Children and our Cattel with thirst Moses asked them Why they chid with him was it in his power to help them why did they tempt the Lord by their distrust and murmuring And from this distrustful murmuring of the People the place was afterwards called Massa and Meriba signifying Temptation and Chiding Then Moses cried unto the Lord saying What shall I do to this people they are almost ready to stone me God Commands him to take some of the Elders of the people with him and to take his Rod in his hand with which he commanded Aaron to strike the River Nile Ch. 7.20 and to go to Mount Horeb where he would appear to him in the Cloudy Pillar and there to smite the Rock with his Rod and it should give forth water Moses and the Elders accordingly going to Horeb He there in their sight struck the Rock and immediately the waters gushed forth * The Apostle says 1 Cor. 10.4 The Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ see Psal 78.15 16 20. And the Streams issuing thence trailed after them thorow the Wilderness see Psal 105.41 Deut. 9.21 The Cloudy Pillar it seems conducting them in such by-ways in such Levels and Vallies in that Mountainous Country that the water might conveniently be derived after them Exod. 17. from 1. to 8. SECT XI THe Amalekites descended from Timnah Concubine to Eliphaz Esau's eldest Son Gen 36.12 whose Country lay hereabout having an inveterate malice against Jacob and his Posterity fell now upon the Rear of the Israelites they being much spent and tired with their long march and slew some of the feeblest (e) That is of such as were feeble thorow travel not sickness see Psal 105.37 and hindermost of them Deut. 25.17 18 19. Moses hereupon sends Joshua with a chosen Party to fight with them in the Valley and betakes himself to the top of Mount Horeb where with the Rod of God in his hand as a Signal to strengthen the faith of the people in God's Power and Help He lifts up his hands towards Heaven earnestly praying unto the Lord and imploring his Aid and Assistance against their Enemies And whilst Moses's hands were help up Israel prevailed but when they flag'd and fell down Amalek prevailed He therefore being weary with standing so long as well as with lifting up his hands they put a stone under him to sit on and Aaron and Hur (f) See James 5.17 Quare precum comites adhibendi qui nos labantes fulciant supported his hands whereby they were steady to the going down of the Sun and so they obtained a great Victory over the Amalekites And God commanded Moses to write (g) See Exod. 34.27 this for a Memorial in a Book that is in the Chronicles and Annals of time that the wickedness of Amalek in assaulting the people of God may be remembred and to Inculcate it in the ears of Joshua who was to succeed him that He and all his Successors who shall be Generals to the Israelites at any time hereafter may put this his Command in Execution when He shall give them occasion to do it For says God I have determined utterly to put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven (h) Deut. 25.19 See this Command executed by Saul 1 Sam. 15.3 c. that is I have determined that their Honour and Greatness shall be so broken and brought down that they shall not be remembred or made mention of as a flourishing State or Kingdom any more And Moses in thankfulness to God for this great Victory built an Altar in that place and call'd it Jehovah-Nissi as a Memorial to Posterity that there Jehovah had as with a Banner displayed gone forth and fought against the Enemies of his people And because Amalek had lifted up his hand against the Throne of the Lord (i) V. 16. Quia manus Amalec fuit contra solium Domini Sic Jun. Tremel Piscator reddunt hunc
of Idolatrous Worship For God foresaw that men would be very prone to be pleased with and to dote upon sensible Representations and averse from raising up their minds to Him as endued with pure intellectual and spiritual Perfections So that He expresly forbids making any Images or Similitudes in order to worship Him thereby * Neque tantum imagines faciebant multorum Deorum Cultores sed magico ritu existimabant spiritum quendam aetherium in eas deduci imagines Tertullianus libro de spectaculis Daemones ait operari in simulacris Minutius Foelix isti impuri spiritus sub statuis imaginibus consecratis delitescunt Et huc pertinet ni failor locus Zach. 10.2 Grotius in explicatione Decalogi And in this Prohibition we may conceive this positive Precept to be also implied and intended viz. that in our Devotions and Religious Services which we perform to God we should raise our minds above gross sense and phantasie and should labour for high and worthy Conceptions of God and should apprehend Him incomparably superiour to all things which we do see and know and we should direct our minds to him as to a Being transcendently perfect in Wisdom Holiness Goodness Justice and Power and should as our Saviour Commands Worship him in spirit and truth Joh. 4.24 and perform such Worship to him as is agreeable to his spiritual Nature and is commanded by Himself And the Lord was pleased to add this reason to this Prohibition For I the Lord thy God am a jealous (u) There is great danger in Idolatrous Worship lest the heart of the Creature be thereby drawn away from God Therefore the breach of this Commandment is called Scortatio Persidia Violatio foederis conjugalis God is angry for the breach of any Commandment but he is jealous lest his Worship be corrupted and his Glory given to Creatures God that is a God very tender of my Honour and of my Right impatient of any Competitor or Sharer with Me in the Duties and Services which properly and incommunicably are due unto Me. I am the Lord saith God by the Prophet Isaiah that is my Name and my Glory I will not give to another nor my Praise to graven Images Isa 42.8 This jealousie doth imply not only a great dislike but a fierce displeasure against the Infringers of this Law Visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate (x) Populus Dei sponsa vocatur foedus conjugium Idololatria scortatio Quemadmodum amoris signum est fidelitas conjugalis sic fidei violatio odii testimonium est Riv. Deum odisse in sacris literis peculiariter imo unicè ait Maimonides illi dicuntur qui falsos deos colunt me God hereby intimates that he shall look upon those that transgress this Law and commit this kind of Idolatry here forbidden as Enemies and haters (x) Populus Dei sponsa vocatur foedus conjugium Idololatria scortatio Quemadmodum amoris signum est fidelitas conjugalis sic fidei violatio odii testimonium est Riv. Deum odisse in sacris literis peculiariter imo unicè ait Maimonides illi dicuntur qui falsos deos colunt of him because their actions signifie a disposition of mind in them repugnant to his Mind and Will When a man loveth God less than his Idol that may well be esteemed hatred of God 2ly He declares That He will not only punish these persons themselves who commit this Idolatry whereby He is so much wronged and dishonoured but to deter men the more from it He declares That it shall go ill with their Posterity for their sakes Their Children to the third and fourth Generation shall be more strictly and severely dealt with and upon this score shall receive less of Favour and Mercy from him than otherwise they might have received Not that God will arbitrarily inflict undeserved Punishments upon the Children of bad men for the Faults of their Ancestors He disclaims such kind of dealing Ezek. 18.20 Deut. 24.16 Jer. 31.30 The Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father the Soul that sinneth it shall die Every one shall die for his own Iniquity Every man that eateth sowre Grapes his own teeth shall be set on edge c. But notwithstanding God may justly for the Sin of the Parents withhold his free Favours from their Children which else according to the general course of his goodness they might have been capable of As particularly He may withhold that measure of Grace from them that might have effectually retained them from Sin and consequently have prevented their Guilt and so their Punishment But if such Children do fall into personal sins God may without Impeachment of his Justice and Goodness severely visit them and sharply punish them for them and that not only upon their own but their Fathers account also And therefore the Lord is pleased to add this Commination the more to deter and restrain men from committing this sin of Idolatry it being like to bring damage to their Children and Posterity (y) Examples of which proceeding do in the Divine History often occur As in Solomon in Rehoboham in Baasha in Ahab in Jehu of whom Parents of all things use to have the tenderest regard and are afraid to be the causes of their Ruine and Calamity Shewing mercy unto Thousands of them love me and keep my Commandments And as God deters from violation of this Precept by threatening a long train of Punishments to the Transgressors of it so he encourageth to yield Obedience to it by a Declaration of his intention not only graciously to Reward the obedient Persons themselves but their Posterity also unto a thousand Descents God will shew mercy and deal more favourably with the Children of good Parents for a long tract of time for their Father's sake And though God will punish the offending Children of good Parents yet their Misdeeds shall not interrupt his kindness towards the rest of their Posterity or quite abolish the remembrance of their Fathers (z) So we may see that God dealt with Abraham and the Patriarchs passing by in memory of their faithful Obedience to him the manifold Provocations of their Cildren goodness And here we may take notice how the expressions of God's Mercy do exceed those of his Justice He will visit the Iniquities of disobedient Fathers unto the third or fourth Generation but He will shew Mercy to a thousand Generations of them that love and obey Him And further we may observe That loving God and keeping his Commandments are conjoyned as terms equivalent They are indeed inseparably connected Love being a certain cause of Obedience and Obedience an infallible sign of Love See Joh. 14.21 III. Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his Name in vain HEre is first a Precept 2. A Reason deterring
from Disobedience thereunto 1. The Precept Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain or as some render it Thou shalt not bring the Name of the Lord thy God to a vanity or to a lye (a) So the word Shaveh frequently signifies see Lev. 19.12 or thou shalt not swear in the Name of God to a falsehood Our Saviour Himself Math. 5.33 seems to point at this Law when He says Ye have heard it was said to the Ancients Thou shalt not forswear thy self So that the prime intent of this Law seems to be to prohibit Perjury that is invoking God or attesting God to a lye and appealing to him as a Witness and Judge that what we assert is true when we know it is not And it seems also to injoyn that in promisory Oaths what we promise or covenant in the Name of God we should sincerely intend to perform and not deal falsly therein as those do who never intend to perform what they promise Swearing * Of Swearing see more in the first Chapter of the second part of the Supplement to Knowledge and Practice is in its own nature imediately an act of Religion and importeth a firm belief and perswasion of God's chief Attributes and Prerogatives viz. of his Omnipresence and Omniscience extending to the knowledge of our most inward thoughts and secret purposes of his Justice in maintaining Truth and Right and avenging Iniquity and Falsehood He therefore that knowingly and willingly is guilty of Perjury seems to despise the Justice of God and to defie his Vengeance This seems to be the first and direct meaning of this Law But it may be extended further so as to prohibite all light and vain swearing in ordinary Communication all irreverent unnecessary using and introducing the great and dreadful Name of God which we should not without great awe of spirit and high veneration ever mention or speak of 'T is an argument therefore of horrible Impiety and Prophaneness without any Reason or Temptation without any Profit or Pleasure arising thence to abuse the glorious Name of God and lightly to toss it in our mouths and so to provoke his dreadful Vengeance who will in no wise hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain IV. Commandment Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy c. GOd ushers in this Precept above all the rest with a Remember intimating how much it importeth man to observe it (b) The Sabbath was a sign of the Covenant that God made with that people Exod. 31.16 17. The Jews so highly valued this Precept that it was a saying among them The Sabbath weigheth against all the Commandments (c) In the Learned Dr. Barrow's Exposition of the Decalogue Because if the Sabbath be duly and carefully observed all the rest of the Commandments will be made known and frequently inculcated upon the people and so the right Observance of this one Precept will tend to procure all the rest to be observed This Commandment as some observe is Morale positivum that is somethings commanded in it are naturally moral and have an innate rectitude in them arising from the nature of the things themselves and some are only positively moral and have their obligation only from the positive sanction of the Lawgiver As particularly To contemplate with a grateful and joful (d) Et haec causa est Cur ab Ecclesia Vetustissima introductus mos fuit ne Sabbato jejunaretur quod laetitiae is esset dies Grotius in Explicatione Decalogi sense God's glorious Work of Creation wherein his Goodness Wisdom and Power are so illustriously displayed wherein so great Accommodations and Benefits are generally dispensed to all the Creatures and to Mankind more especially To remember God's Favours and gracious Providences over our selves our Relations our Country as the Israelites were bound more especially to remember their great and remarkable Deliverance out of Egypt To allot some competent time seriously to attend to the great concernments of our Souls and not to spend our selves and all our time in perpetual carking and labouring about affairs that concern only our Bodies and this present life To set some time apart wherein God our Creator should be solemnly and publickly worshipped by those that own Him for their God and live in a Vicinity and Neighbourhood together To give some time of rest relaxation and refreshment to our Servants and those whom Providence hath disposed into that mean Condition to minister to us that their lives may not by incessant labour be grievous to them but that they may with some comfort serve us and that they may have convenient leisure also to serve God and mind the welfare of their Souls To shew some mercy and pitty even to the poor Beasts that labour for us allowing them some ease and rest from their painful Drudgeries in our Service These are all of them things very reasonable and there seems to be an obligation to them dictated by natural light and grounded in the very nature of the things themselves And Reason must needs approve of them as Duties of Piety Justice and Humanity But now as to the determination of the proportion or quantity of time that should be allotted for these Duties and that the Seventh day or one day in seven should be particularly assigned for these purposes and that a cessation from labour both of Man and Beast should be so strictly injoyned except in cases of necessity or mercy this can be resolved into no other ground than the Will and pleasure of the Lawgiver who saw what was most needful and convenient for man and fit to be injoyn'd him It would not therefore be for the good of the World or the benefit of Mankind to be dispensed with as to the observation of the Sabbath or those fore-mentioned Duties We may also further take notice of the reason which the Lord is pleased to give why He did especially choose this Day * Ut perpetua ejus observatione imprimeretur omnium animis firma notitia mundum non ab aeterno fuisse quae ad impietatem via est sed a Deo conditum Grotius in Explic. Decalog to bless and sanctifie it and appoint it to be set apart for his own Service namely because He himself rested on that day and was refreshed as 't is expressed Exod. 31.17 which is spoken of God after the manner of men that we might be more apprehensive of his Rest for our imitation And that this very time might instruct and excite us gratefully and religiously to meditate on the great and glorious Structure of the World But from our Saviour's Resurrection the day was changed to the first day of the Week in Commemoration that he had finished the great Work of our Redemption on that day And so though not the same day yet the same proportion of time is still to be observed by us Christians (e) See more of this Subject in Knowledge and
Practice page 117. V. Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee CHildren are injoyned by this Precept to honour their Parents in their hearts The subsequent Precepts contain the prime Rules of justice towards Man and of Temperance Sobriety and Chastity in the government of our Selves and highly to love their Persons as the Instruments under God of their being And they are hereby obliged to yield to them Reverence Obedience Thankfulness and Requital as they are able They are bound highly to honour and esteem them and to use due expressions of Respect and Observance towards them in word and deed Parents are presumed to be always full of tender affection and good will towards their Children full of desire and care for their good full of pity and compassion towards them Which dispositions do in reason and equity require answerable Inclinations in Children towards their Parents Children receive from their Parents under God their being and life their maintenance and protection it being a long while ere they are able to provide for or defend themselves The goods acquired by the Parents industry do usually devolve upon their Children And all good and pious Parents think themselves obliged to take care of the Souls and spiritual Welfare of their Children and to instruct them in the fear of God and to set them in the right way to Eternal Happiness And this they do most frankly and freely without regard to any profit that may thereby accrue to themselves It is abundant satisfaction to them to see their Chirldren do well Their chief delight and contentment in this world is usually in their Childrens well-doing Therefore justice and ingenuity do oblige Children to pay to their Parents dutiful Respect and Observanc And they will be no loosers in so doing For to the observance of this Precept is added a very encouraging Promise viz. of length of days The Apostle injoyns Children to be obedient to their Parents in all things that are lawful and pleasing to the Lord Eph. 6.1 And He presses the Observance of this Precept 1. From the equity of it because the Law of God and Nature requires it 2. Because this is the first Commandment of the second Table which hath a particular Promise annexed to it viz. length of days which Promise is either actually fulfilled by God to obedient Children or else by changing of the Benefit He gives them a much better life in his own Kingdom for it And there seems a great congruity in the Reward promised to the Duty to be performed viz. that they who are grateful to those from whom under God they received their life should by God's Dispensation enjoy that life long and with much Comfort and that they who neglect the Authors of their life should soon be deprived of it or of the Comforts and Contentments that others enjoy And we may by analogy and parity of reason reduce unto this Commandment the Obligation we have to honour all those who perform to us beneficial Offices like unto those we receive from our Parents Particularly such Persons from whom we have Protection as Governours and Magistrates Such who watch over us for the good of our Souls as Ministers and Pastors Such who afford us Maintenance and Education as Benefactors School-Masters Tutors c. VI. Commandment Thou shalt not Kill MAn's life being his most precious enjoyment in this World no man may take it away but by Commission or Licence from God God indeed doth allow Magistrates upon reasonable cause for the preservation of the publick Peace Safety and Welfare in a regular Course of Justice to dispose of mens lives who have forfeited them to the Law For the Magistrate beareth not the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 but is the Minister of God an Avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 1 Pet. 2.14 And he that kills a man in a way not irregular namely as a Minister of Justice or in a lawful War authorized by a just Commission or in his own just and necessary defence cannot be said to violate the true intent of this Precept For such a person cannot be justly said to kill but rather God himself the Lord of Life and Death doth then kill Vengeance is his and He in this manner by his Ministers doth repay it But in this Commandment is forbidden all voluntary and irregular taking away our Neighbour's life without just and necessary cause upon what motive principle or pretence soever it be either by direct violence or fraudulent contrivance either by our selves or by others and all advising encouraging or any wise becoming instrumental or accessory thereunto This is the Crime here expresly forbidden But a Positive Duty is also here included and accordingly should be understood viz. That we should endeavour as far as we are able to preserve our own life in the first place and then our Neighbours by relieving him in extream need and by succouring him in extream danger by admonishing him of any destructive mischief He seems unawares running into The contrary is in reasonable esteem and in God's sight a killing of him And to kill a man hath this great guilt in it that He that doth it doth thereby violate and destroy God's Image in his Neighbour He that sheds man's bloud by man shall his bloud be shed for in the Image of God created he him Gen. 9.6 And this further is to be observed That the taking away a man's life doth infinitely surpass all the evil or injury which any man can sustain from another in his estate or fame For these things are capable of some reparation but the other is altogether irreparable and therefore includes in it the greatest injury and iniquity For hereby all temporal good is at once ravished from a man and the Soul also of the person killed may possibly incur a great damage and hazard in respect to its future State by being thus suddenly snatched away So that the Slayer oftentimes not only robbeth his Brother of his temporal life but of his time of Repentance and opportunity of making his peace with God Therefore to hate a man to death must needs be accounted the utmost pitch of hatred Such is the direct intent and importance of this Law But our Saviour in his Comment hereon Math. 5.21 hath explained and extended it further so as to interdict all things that any way approach or tend unto this hateful evil as rash causeless outragious anger contumelious and despiteful Language secret grudges or malice in our hearts against our Neighbour For these as they do commonly produce the act of murder so they argue Inclinations thereunto which if fear and self-respect did not restrain would presently produce it and consequently in moral account which regards not so much the act as the will are of the same quality therewith The Apostle tells us 1 Joh. 3.15 He that hates his brother is a murderer
and no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him So that all malice spight envy hatred rancor immoderate anger and animosity are here also forbidden VII Commandment Thou shalt not commit Adultery THis Commandment injoyns Chastity of Mind Heart and Body and the preservation of it in our selves and others Whosoever shall attempt the Affection or Chastity of another mans wife highly sinneth against God commits a great trespass against his Neighbour and defiles himself with the foulest turpitude He violates an Institution to which God hath affixed especial marks of respect and sanctity He wounds his Neighbour's Honour and ruines Him in that wherein the great content of his mind and comfort of his life is wound up He offendeth against the welfare of Families breeding horrible Confusions and Dissentions in them Adultery therefore is a lothsome Vnrighteousness most odious to God and a fire that consumeth unto destruction Further this Commandment forbids all sorts of unlawful and irregular satisfactions to lustful Appetite and all kinds of Impurity and Lasciviousness not in act only but in thought in desire (f) Our Saviour extends this Commandment to forbid all unlawful lustings or desires or Inclinations of the heart Mat. 5.28 I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her in his heart in speech or in gesture and what ever tends to foment the fleshly Concupiscence which we ought to endeavour by all good means to quench and suppress VIII Commandment Thou shalt not Steal THis Commandment injoyns that every man should quietly enjoy those supports and conveniencies of his life which in any honest way he hath right unto or is possessed of And it prohibits all Invasion or Vsurpation by any means what ever either by open Violence or by clandestine Fraud of our Neighbour's Goods or Rights Many sorts of Vnrighteousness are reducible to this Commandment as fraudulent Dealing false Weights and Measures over-reaching in Contracts unfaithfulness in matters of Trust Exaction Oppression Extortion and not making Restitution of ill-gotten Goods when there is ability The Positive Duties to be understood are Diligence and Industry in our Callings whereby with God's blessing we may support our selves and prevent the importunate Temptations of Want and Need and may be able to relieve others that are in want and may be well content with our own estates trusting in God and relying on his Providence to take care of us IX Commandment Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour BEaring false Testimony against our Neigbour especially in matters Capital and wherein his life is concern'd is here prohibited And not only that but also defaming him or unjustly detracting from him and breeding in the minds of others an ill opinion of him We are therefore here forbidden to wrong our Neighbour in his Credit and good Name as well as in his Estate We are forbidden to hurt him either in word or deed Charity obligeth us to think the best of our Neighbour to be candid in our Opinions and Discourses concerning Him to forbear all rash and harsh Censures of Him and to abhor affixing any faults upon Him of which He is not guilty To walk Vprightly and to work Righteousness and speak the truth from our hearts are the good man's Character Psal 15. v. 2. X. Commandment Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House nor his Wife nor his Man-Servant nor his Maid-Servant nor his Ox nor his Asse nor any thing that is thy Neigbours THis Law is very Comprehensive prescribing universal Justice towards our Neighbour and that not only in outward deeds and dealing but in inward thought and desire prohibiting us unlawfully or irregularly to desire any thing that is his to his detriment We are to be so far from depriving our Neighbour of any good thing belonging to him that we are not so much as irregularly to wish or desire it We are not only to abstain from injurious Actions but to repress in our selves all covetous and injurious Inclinations And the Positive Duty here implied is That we should have a delight and complacency in our Neigbour's good not envying him any of his Enjoyments being in our minds well content with the portion God is pleased to vouchsafe to us and intirely trusting in Him that he will supply us with what is needful and fitting for us without the damage of our Neighbour Thus we see that God's Law is as St. Paul observes Spiritual not only restraining exteriour Acts but regulating our inmost Thoughts quelling all inordinate Appetites and Affections of Heart within us And all these Precepts both of the first and second Table are reduced to these two Heads of loving God with all our Hearts Souls and Spirits and loving our Neighbour as our selves SECT XV. THus was this Law promulgated and proclaimed At the dreadful manner whereof of the people were so greatly terrified that they removed and stood afar off from the Mount Then the Heads of the â—ribes and Elders came to Moses and said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his Glory and his Greatness and we have heard his Voice out of the midst of the Fire and have seen this day that God doth talk with Man and yet he remaineth alive This is matter of great wonder to us But yet we are afraid that if we should hear the Voice of the Lord our God again speaking to us in such a dreadful manner the very terrour of it would kill us We are afraid we should be consumed by that great and dreadful Fire out of which we heard the Lord speaking to us For what man is there that ever heard God speaking out of the midst of the Fire as we have done and yet lived Since therefore the Lord hath hitherto been so gracious and propitious to us we humbly intreat him to regard our Infirmity which makes uncapable of enduring his terrible Presence Go thou therefore near unto him and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou (g) This is still the work of the Law to scare men and drive them to seek for a Mediator between God and them And by this Interposition of Moses was figured the necessity of the great Mediator between God and Man Gal. 3.19 Who was also promised on this occasion Deut. 18.15 16. unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it But let not the Lord speak to us any more immediately by Himself lest the terrour of his Presence kill us Moses encourages them and tells them They should not be so much dismayed and affrighted For God had spoken to them with so much terrour to prove them that is to try whether this terrour would produce in them a holy fear and reverence of his Majesty which is the true spring of Obedience that so they might be afraid to sin against Him Then the people standing aloof off Moses drew near to the thick Darkness on
the top of the Mount where God manifested his glorious Presence and the Lord said unto him I have heard the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee viz. That thou should be a Mediator between Me and them and therein a Type of the promised Messias and they have done well in what they desired And O that there were such an heart (h) Humanitùs optanda non speranda designat in them that they would fear me always and keep my Commandments that it might go well with them and with their Children from Generation to Generation Then commanding that the people should return into their Tents He tells Moses He will speak unto him all the rest of his Commandments Statutes and Judgments and he shall impart them unto the people So that God spake no more than these Ten Commandments immediately by Himself unto the Children of Israel and in an audible Voice Deut. 5.22 the rest He spake unto them by Moses Exod. 20. from vers 18. to 22. Deut. 5. from vers 22. to 32. SECT XVI GOd further Commands Moses to tell the Children of Israel That they had heard Him speak to them out of Heaven that is from on high in the Air but they saw no Image nor Similitude of Him Therefore they should take heed of corrupting themselves in making any Similitude (i) See Deut. 4.15 or Figure of Him or any Image or Idol of Gold or Silver to represent Him or to be worshipped with Him 2ly For such Altars as they should be appointed to make as they were upon the way whereon to Sacrifice their Burnt-Offerings (k) Gen. 8.20 and Peace-Offerings (l) Lev. 3.1 their Oxen and Sheep or upon any extraordinary occasion before they should come to the place which He should chuse to settle his Worship there they must make them either of Earth (m) Such as Samuel and Elias made Afterwards the Altar of the Tabernacle was made of of Shitimwood to be overlaid with Brass Exod. 27.1 and for the Temple of Brass 2 Chron. 4.1 or of rough unpolished Stone for if they lifted a tool upon them to polish them they polluted (n) Curiosity in God's Service against his Command is not an Ornament but a Defilement vers 25. Non ex politis lapidibus cujus nulla ratio dari potest a natura rei desumpta sed tantum ex ordinatione Dei contra quam si quis eat etiam in levissimis per se indifferentibus ea profana fiunt Rivet them by transgressing the Commandment of God and so instead of making them holy they profaned them And the reason of this Injunction seeming to be that the meanness of the matter might shew that God did not intend those Altars should be places of his constant Worship but only for the present time And that the people should not have any superstitious conceit in time to come of the places where these Altars had been raised which might divert their hearts from the only Altar upon which he delighted to be ordinarily served Deut. 12.5 which was a Figure of the Cross of Christ And that they might not think strange at the meanness of these Altars He promises that in all places indifferently where he shall appoint them to build an Altar and where He shall cause his Name to be remembred and called upon He will accept of their Sacrifices and Service and hear them and bless them even in one place as well as in another Lastly He Commands that these Altars should not be so made that the Priests must go up by wide and far distant Stairs (o) V. 26. Ascensus non erit intercisus per gradus longe distantes ut cogeris magnos facere passus ne nudentur verenda tua usus enim foemoralium nondum introductus erat Lyra. and Steps or by Ladders unto them (p) This Institution was in part changed and revoked afterwards For Solomon's Altar was 10 Cubits high 2 Chron. 4.1 and the Priests went up by some steps and stairs to it and accordingly were ordered to wear linnen Breeches Exod. 28 42 43. And the Altar which Moses made for the Tabernacle was three Cubits high Exod. 27.1 But this was for the perpetual use of the Tabernacle and not for a time only and suddenly to be dissolved again as these occasional Altars were lest their nakedness should be discovered thereby which might impair the Honour of those Sacred Rites and would symbolize and agree too much with the lewd and shameful behaviour which the Idolatrous Heathenish Priests used in their Sacrifices Exod. 20. from 22. to the end SECT XVII NOw the Lord gives unto Moses the Judicial or Political Laws the civil Constitutions Ordinances and Statutes contained in the three next Chapters according to which the Magistrates and Judges were to Govern the people The chief Heads of which are as follow 1. Concerning buying Men-Servants A man might not buy an Israelite but either first when he willingly sold himself through extreme Poverty see Deut. 15.12 Exod. Ch. 21. Levit. 25.39 or when he was sold against his Will by the Magistrate for Theft which he was not able to make satisfaction for Or 3ly For Debt which he was not able to pay In such a Case they and their Children might be sold as Servants for satisfaction of the Debt see 2 Kings 4.1 Math. 18.25 Now if it should so happen that an Israelite became a Servant upon any of these accounts here is a Law given concerning the time of his Service namely that he should serve him that had bought him only six years and that in the seventh he should be set free for nothing except the Year of Jubilee fell within the compass of these years and in that Case he should be set free at that time Lev. 25.40.41 Now the reason why the Lord would not have the Israelites serve any longer is expressed Levit. 25.55 namely because they were his Servants and so the Lord would teach the Jews to put a difference between his people and others that were not his people Furthermore the Lord Orders That if the Servant came into Servitude unmarried he shall so go out if he were married his Wife if she were an Israelite shall go out free with him (q) See Deut. 15.12 for only Hâ—athens might be kept in Bondage Lev. 25.44 46. but with an Hebâ—ew-woman they could not do thus as ap-appears v. 7. But if his Master have given him a Wife in the time of his Service viz. an Heathen Bond-woman and she have born him Sons and Daughters in this case the man was to be set free alone and his Wife and Children were to continue Servants to his Master For the Children born of the Bondwoman are Bondmen and Bondwomen also as the example of Ishmael whom Abraham begat of Hagar sheweth Gen. 21.9 10. Yet no man by this Law was forced to leave his Wife for by continuing in his former Service he might
whereby God is called upon as a Witness shall be between the Parties and if the Keeper do swear that he hath not put his Hands to his Neighbour's Goods neither knows what is become of them then the Owner must rest satisfied with that Oath and he to whom the Cattel were intrusted shall not make them good But if they be stolen from him thorow his own negligence he shall make them good to the Owner And if any of them be torn in pieces he may bring some part of them to witness it was so and then he shall not make them good v. 10 11 12 13. 20. If a man borrow ought of his Neighbour and it be hurt or die the Owner thereof being not with it he shall surely make it good And the reason of this Law seems to be to make them the more circumspectly careful of things borrowed But if the Owner thereof be with it as sometimes the Beast and its Owner might be hired together and the Owner being by might see that the Mischief which happened could not be prevented he shall not make it good If it were hired it came for its hire that is if it were not borrowed gratis but hired he that hired it shall be free paying the conditioned hire vers 14 15. 21. If a man entice a Maid who is not betrothed and lie with her he shall surely endow her that is he shall give her such a Dower or sum of Money as is used to be given with Maids of her condition and so shall marry her But if her Father utterly refuse to give her unto him in marriage He shall pay her so much as may serve to marry her to another of a suitable Condition to Her vers 16 17. Further the Lord gives them these subsequent Laws 22. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch or Sorceress (h) The Devil's Craft most prevails with womens weakness in that kind though he prevails with some men also Deut. 18.10 to live The same is decreed concerning men that had familiar Spirits Lev. 20.27 viz. That they should be stoned vers 18. 23. Whosoever lieth with a Beast shall be surely put to death And the Beast also was to be put to death Lev. 20.15 vers 19. 24. He that Sacrificeth to any God save to the Lord the God of Israel the only true God shall be destroyed as a person execrable and accursed vers 20. 25. You shall neither vex a Stranger nor oppress him for you your selves were Strangers in the Land of Egypt Lev. 19.33 vers 21. 26. You shall not afflict any Widow or Fatherless Child If thou afflict them in any wise and they Cry unto Me saith the Lord I will surely hear their Cry and my Wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the Sword and your Wives shall be Widdows and your Children Fatherless vers 22 23 24. 27. If thou lend money to any of my people (i) Unto Strangers they might lend upon Usury Deut. 23.10 that is poor by thee thou shalt not be to him as an Vsurer nor an exacting Creditor neither shalt thou lay upon him Vsury (k) The word is Nesheck which signifies a biting Usury that is a biting consuming Vsury To such as these our Saviour Commands us to lend freely not expecting so much as the Principal if they be not able to pay much less the Vse See Luke 6.34 35. vers 25. 28. If thou take such of thy Neighbours Garments and Coverlids to pledge which he useth to lie in by Night and which he needeth to cover him thou shalt restore them to him before the Sun goeth down For if he Crieth unto Me saith the Lord I am gracious I will hear him So that this Prohibition seems to forbid in effect the taking any such thing to pawn (l) See Deut. 24.12 For it were in vain to take such a thing for a Pawn in the Morning which without paying the money must be restored ere night vers 26 27. 29. Thou shalt not revile the Gods * Psal 28.16 I have said ye are Gods but ye shall die like men See Acts 23.5 that is those that fit in the place of Judgment nor curse the Ruler of thy people vers 28. 30. Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe Fruits and of thy Liquors that is thy Oil and Wine unto the Lord. For it is fit that He that gives All should be acknowledged as Lord of all by having this Tribute paid unto Him and that He should be presented first to procure his blessing upon the rest And the first-born of thy Sons thou shalt give to me saith the Lord or redeem him with five Shekels of Silver which shall be given to the Priests my Servants Numb 18.16 The like shalt thou do with the first-born of thy Bullocks and thy Sheep Seven days shall they be with their damm on the eighth day (m) Lev. 22.27 thou mayst present them unto Me. Thus the Law prescribed yet doubtless when they saw cause they might keep them something longer So that they did not delay to bring them out of an unwillingness to give them to the Lord vers 29 30. 31. Ye shall be a holy people unto Me saith the Lord ye shall not eat any Flesh that is torn of Beasts in the Field but ye shall cast it to Dogs This was injoyned them to teach them not only to abhor to eat the flesh of Beasts thus killed but to abhor all Rapine and Cruelty as sins most odious in the sight of God vers 31. 32. Thou shalt not raise nor readily receive Exod. Ch. 23. nor maliciously spread a false Report against thy Neighbour nor joyn nor combine with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witness and so to carry on their wicked design and enterprize Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil neither shalt thou so speak in a Cause as to decline after the mighty (n) Rabbim signifies the mighty as well as the many to wrest Judgment Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his Cause any further than the merit and desert of it requires For Right is to be regarded in Judgment and not either Poverty or Riches Thou shalt not wrest nor overthrow the Right of the Poor in his Suit Thou shalt not strive against the Evidence of Truth to condemn the Poor in a just Cause or acquit him when his Cause is bad and unjust Keep thy self far from a false matter that is if thou be a Judge be marvellous shy either to admit of a false Testimony from others or to give false Judgment thy self especially against the life of a man The Innocent and the Righteous see thou slay not For God is a just God and will not justifie such wicked Judges And thou shalt take no Gift or Bribe For Gifts blind the eyes of the wise that is of those that seemed to be so making them judge otherwise than they should do being byassed by the
Cases gave a right Judgment (s) Whereas David desiring to consult with the Lord called for the Ephod 1 Sam. 23.9 the reason was because the Breast-plate was fastned to the Ephod So that if he had one he had both Exod. 39.21 1 Sam. 23.6 Abimelech the High Priest being dead Abiathar his Son escaping that danger as he fled took the Ephod out of the Tabernacle at Nob and brought it with him to David wherein Gods Providence appeared that the right Ephod should be preserved and kept with David the true King that he might have means to Consult with God in all his Difficulties See Willet in loc from the Lord when it so pleased him For 1 Sam. 28.6 the Lord would not answer Saul neither by Dreams nor by Vrim nor by Prophets Further the Answers which the High Priests received from the Lord when he consulted the Vrim and Thummim were sometimes made by an audible Voice sometimes secret Inspiration which Answers when He had acquainted the people with the Stones in the Breast-plate as is conceived gave forth an extraordinary lustre and brightness to assure the people that he spake to them the Mind of the Lord like as the extraordinary shining of Moses's face when he came down from the Mount was a Demonstration to the people that He had been with God and what he brought to them came from God (t) Some think that these very words Urim and Thummim were written in some precious matter not made by humane art but by the Almighty Power of God and so were given by God to Moses and by him put into the Pectoral Levit. 8.8 And he put into the Breast-plate the Urim and Thummim and therefore this is not mentioned among those things that were made by the Artificers because this was as the Tables of the Law the Work of God and not of men But this is but a Conjecture Neither can we the Scripture being silent certainly determine what they were When the Jews returned out of Babylon they were lost and therefore some businesses hung in suspence see Ezra 2.63 and could not be determined till there stood up a Priest with Urim and Thummim We do not find in any of the Jewish Rabbins that they themselves did certainly know what they were Quid fuerint Scriptura proculdubio non sine certo consitio reticuit In that place Levit. 8.8 no mention is made of the twelve precious Stones Causa utriusque quod eadem res fuit variis nominibus significata Rivet Minime omisisset Moses Urim Thummim in Exod. 39.10 Si aliud quam 12 Lapides intellexisset cum alia longe minora abjectiora diligentissime recenseat Brentius The Urim and Thummim was lost in the Captivity of Babylon as also the Ark Tables of Stone Aarons Rod and the Pot of Manna After the Captivity they had no Priest with Urim and Thummim Ezra 2.63 The Priest which met Alexander in his glorious Apparel might have precious Stones on his Breast without the Urim and Thummim This Breast-plate of Judgment * V. 30. Judicium i. e. pectorale judicij ut arca dicitur Testimonium i. e. arca Testimonij Metonymice whereby Answers of right Judgment were given to the Israelites Aaron was to wear upon his heart continually when he went to minister in the Tabernacle and he was thereby as it were to present the Children of Israel before the Lord to be graciously remembred by him 7. Aaron was to wear on his Head a Mitre of fine Linnen 8. In the forefront of the Mitre was to be placed a plate of pure Gold two fingers broad which made it shew like a Crown Exod. 29.6 Levit. 8.9 wherein was to be graven Holiness to the Lord as a signification that Aaron as a Type of Christ did bear the Iniquities of the People and did make atonement for them and that as for their other Sins so for the Iniquities committed in their most holy Oblations which they offered and sacrified to the Lord. And this Mitre with this Plate was always to be on his head when he ministred before the Lord as a sign that the people are accepted of God for the Holiness Obedience and Sufferings of the Messias Exod. 28. from 1. to 40. 2. Concerning the Attire and Vestments to be used by the ordinary Priests 1. Coats of fine Linnen for their uppermost Garment called linnen Ephods 1 Sam. 22.18 with Girdles and Bonnets of the same and secondly Linnen Drawers These Garments Aaron and his Sons being first anointed with holy Oil * Of which see the Composition afterwards Exod. 30.23 and consecrated to their Office were to wear when they served in the holy Place and not to neglect them lest they thereupon be forced to bear the punishment of their Iniquity and die for it Exod. 28. from vers 40. to the end 12ly Touching the Sacrifices and Ceremonies to be used in the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons 1. They were to be washed with water out of the brasen Laver before the door of the Tabernacle to signifie the Holiness that God requires in those that were to be Types of Christ 2. Aaron and his Sons were to be clothed with their particular appointed Robes and Ornaments 3. The anointing Oil was to be powred upon the Head of Aaron and his Sons See Exod. 30.30 and Ch. 40. 14 15. And the Priests Office was to be continued in the Line of Aaron and his Sons and of their Successors by a perpetual Statute as long as this Dispensation was to last and till the Messiah should come who was to fulfil what they typified 4. The bloud of the Ram of Consecration of which afterwards was to be put upon the tip of their right ear (u) The ear was to be sanctified for holy hearing and against the hearing of corrupt Communication the hand for Sacrificing the foot for Walking that their Conversation might be holy and their Persons sanctified from head to foot and on the thumb of their right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and they were to sprinkle some of the bloud and the anointing Oil (x) The spots occasioned in the Priests Garments by the sprinkling of bloud and oil 't is like were very small and so magis ad honorem quam horrorem upon them and their Garments to signifie that by the bloud of Christ they were cleansed and by the Oil of his Grace they were sanctified for the Work of their Ministry The Sacrifices to be used at this time were these Moses having first provided a Basket of unleavened Bread and Cakes unleavened tempered with Oil and Wafers unleavened anointed with Oil he was to take a young Bullock which was to be a Sin-Offering and Aaron and his Sons were to put their hands upon the head of it signifying that they deserved to die like that Sacrifice but did thereby disburden themselves of their Sins and laid them upon the head of the Sacrifice typifying Christ
See Isa 53.6 And Moses himself who was a Levite till Aaron and his Sons were fully consecrated for the Service of the Priesthood was by extraordinary Warrant from God to perform the Work of the Priest in offering these Sacrifices See Psal 99.6 And he was to take of the bloud of the Bullock and put it upon the Horns of the Altar of Burnt-Offerings which stood in the Court of the Tabernacle to purifie consecrate and sanctifie the Altar it self and make it holy to the Lord and so to set it apart for holy Uses that whatsoever was offered thereon according to Gods Institution might be sanctified made holy and accepted as holy by the Lord. See Ch. 30.29 and Matth. 23.19 And the flesh of the Bullock and his skin and dung were to be burnt without the Camp to shew how destable the sin was that was laid as it were upon this Bullock and that the true Sacrifice for our Sins should suffer without the Gates of Jerusalem Heb. 13.11 12 13. 2ly The Sacrifice for Sin being thus first offered he was to offer one Ram for a Burnt-Offering (y) By the Burnt-Offering some understand the ardent love of Christ quo totus in cruce conflagravit and as the Burnt-Offering ascended up in fire so Christ ascended into heaven to make Intercession for us as a savour of rest that is that God being thereby appeased might cease from his anger Not as though the Lord was affected with Smells but it is said to be an acceptable Savour to Him in regard of their Obedience and willing mind and God is is said to be delighted with it when they offered it with Faith and true devotion 3ly He was to take another Ram for a Peace-Offering These were to be offered either to obtain some Blessing or to give thanks for some Blessing already received In both these respects this was offered at the Priests Consecration both by way of thankfulness for the honour done them in calling them to this Dignity and Office as also by way of Supplication humbly to intreat the Lord that he would prosper them in the execution of it Thus at the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons divers sorts of Sacrifices were to be offered because they were ordained to offer them all In this Eucharistical Sacrifice that was now to be offered Moses was only to have the Breast Exod. 29.26 but the right Shoulder and the fat and one loaf of Bread and one Cake of oiled Bread and one Wafer out of the Basket vers 3. were to be waved or shaken towards all the four Quarters of the World to signifie that God is the Lord of the whole Earth and then to be burnt by Him upon the Altar of Burnt-Offering for a sweet savour before the Lord. And upon this occasion an Ordinance is inserted that in Eucharistical Sacrifices namely such as these whereby Aaron and his Sons were to be consecrated for the future the Priests were to have the shaken Breast and the right Shoulder (z) Hinc humerus pectusque populo destinent Sacerdotes Anonym that was lifted up * The rest of the Peace-Offering besides what was the Priests belonged to the Offerer namely to God as his Right and assigned by Him as a Portion to the Priests Levit. 7.31 whereby possibly they were taught that with all their Heart and all their Strength they should give themselves to the Service of the Lord. Another Ordinance is also inserted That the holy Garments of Aaron shall be his Sons after him that He may be anointed and consecrated in them Thus though the High Priest died yet his Son was to appear before the Lord in the same Garments And as the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons continued seven days vers 35. during which time they were to abide at the door of the Tabernacle day and night to keep the Watch of the Lord Levit. 8.33 35. and as on each day of the seven the same Sacrifices and Ceremonies were to be observed as had been on the first day So this Order of Consecration was to be practised towards their Successors when they came into the Land of Canaan and had a setled state there Lastly It is appointed that that part of the Ram of Consecration which should be left after part had been burnt and Moses had had his portion should be sodden in the Court of the Sanctuary and should be eaten there by Aaron and his Sons with the bread that was left in the Basket vers 2 3. Levit. 8.31 And no Stranger viz. None but a Priest was to eat of it whereas in other Peace-Offerings the Offerer did partake And if any part of the Bread or Flesh remained until the Morning they were to burn it with fire This was required lest by reserving any part thereof either they might grow into contempt of holy things making no difference between them and their ordinary Food which they might reserve at their pleasure or lest that which remained might be abused to Superstition And whereas in ordinary Peace-Offerings they might eat of them the next day but not upon the third day see Levit. 7.18 no part of this must be eaten the second day This was to shew that this Ram of Consecration was a more holy thing than their ordinary Peace-Offerings Exod. 29. from 1. to 38. 13ly Touching the holy anointing Oil and the Ingredients of which it was to be made viz. of principal Spices Myrrh Cynamon sweet Calamus (a) Those sweet Odours signified the joyful Graces of Gods Spirit and the anointing therewith the powring out of the holy Spirit upon Christ his Church and Ministers and Cassia and of Oil-Olive And the things to be anointed therewith to Consecrate them to Gods Service and to separate them from common uses were the Tabernacle the Ark the Table the Candlestick with all their Vtensils the Altar of Incense the Laver the Altar of Burnt-Offerings so that whatsoever was brought as an Oblation if it touched any of the hallowed things of the Sanctuary it should be holy to the Lord. Aaron also and his Sons and Successors were to be anointed with this holy Oil but upon no mans flesh else was it to be powred It was not to be used for any civil use as for delight or the like even by the Priests themselves nor any of it to be powred upon Strangers nor any to be made like unto it for any such purposes under penalty of being cut off Exod. 30. from vers 22. to 34. 14ly Touching the half Shekel that all the Children of Israel from 20 years old and upwards when they were numbred were to pay for the ransom of their Souls acknowledging thereby that they held their lives of God and that he had redeemed them out of the House of Bondage And this they were to do that so the Lord might not be provoked for their Ingratitude to send a Plague among them This Didrachma or half Shekel * The Standard of all
Weights and Measures being kept in the Sanctuary hence it is call'd the Shekel of the Sanctuary See Exod. 38.26 The common Shekel is but 1 s. 3 d. The Shekel of the Sanctuary 2 s. 6 d. Nehem. 10.32 the rate is but the third part of a Shekel but here the rate is more upon this extraordinary occasion Some think this Contribution was annual Others only occasional as there was cause to call the people to it see Matth. 17.24 amounted to 15 d. of our money and it was to be imployed for the Service of the Tabernacle and the Rich were not to give more nor the Poor less And this equality seems to be enjoyned that the Rich might not despise the Poor and to shew that the life of a poor man is as precious in the sight of God as a rich mans and both are equally bound to praise God for it And this was also to be done that it might be a Memorial before the Lord of their Obedience and so might move the Lord to be propitious unto them Exod. 30. from vers 11. to 17. 15ly These Commands and Injunctions being given to Moses by the Lord 't is like Moses begain to think with himself where he should find Workmen fit to undertake such curious and difficult Works and that would make them exactly according to the Pattern given Wherefore the Lord tells him He had furnished Men with extraordinary gifts of his Spirit (b) So that quick apprehension and skill in honest Handicrafts and Manufactures is to accounted as a Gift of God consisting in Wisdom Knowledge ready conceiving and skill for the performance of all these things and particularly Bezaleel and Aholiab who should be the principal Workmen and Directors of others and He had put into the hearts of all those that were apt for these businesses a greater apprehension (c) Sapienter excogitare excogitata operari to conceive and contrive and a greater dexterity then they had before to work all these things that He had commanded Exod. 31. from 1. to the 12. 16ly Lastly Though the Work of the Tabernacle was with all care and diligence to be followed and speedily to be done yet the Lord would not have any of it to be done upon the Sabbath-day and therefore he renews his Command about the Observation of that Day telling Moses It was a Sign between Him and them that He had taken them for his peculiar people and they Him for their God whom they had bound themselves withall faithfulness to serve And by his enjoyning them diligently to keep his Sabbath they might know that he intended it as a means to promote their Sanctification Then He urges the Observation of the Sabbath upon them by divers reasons 1. Ab utili It is says He holy unto you that is Ordained for your benefit and profit Mark 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath 2. A necessario If they did not keep it He tells them They should surely be put to death See Numb 15.35 (d) Videtur Moses ignorasse speciem mortis aut sceleris gradum sola enim profana contumaxque Sabbathi violatio capitalis est Anonym in loc 'T is observable That death is thrice here threatned to those that defile the Sabbath by doing any profane or unnecessary work thereon 3. From the dedication of this Day unto God It is a Sabbath of Rest consecrated unto God 4. From the Command of God He Commands them to keep the Seventh-day-Sabbath perpetually that is as long as that Dispensation should last the Observation thereof being one Article of the Covenant He had made with them 5. A facili The Lord appointeth but one day in seven for Holy Rest and alloweth Six for labour in our worldly businesses 6. From the Example of God Himself who created the World in six days and rested on the Seventh and was refreshed * This is spoken of God after the manner of men Exod. 31. from 12. to 18. SECT XXII THe people seeing that Moses stayed so long in the Mount and that the Cloud did not move and perhaps conceiving that Moses had forsaken them or despairing of his Return a great number (e) 'T is manifest that all the people did not joyn herein for some of them afterwards at Moses his command were imployed to put the Idolaters to death v. 26. 1 Cor. 10.7 of them as it seems pressed Aaron with great Importunity to make them an Image or visible representation of God (f) V. 1. Gods the plural for the singular by an Hebrew Idiotism Declarant se velle veri unam effigiem Dei divinae symbolum praesentiae sed erat Carnalis Aegyptiorum imitatio qui vitulum colebant Anonym in loc going before them and manifesting his Presence among them and this Image they would have made in the form or shape of a Calf according to the Idolatry they had seen practised in Egypt Aaron to divert them as 't is probable from this wicked Intendment requires the golden Ear-rings from the Ears of their Wives Sons and Daughters to make it with hoping that this demand would make such a mutiny in all their Families that they would have chosen rather to desist from their wicked design than part with those Ornaments wherein they were wont to take so much delight But herein he was much deceived for their Superstition was at this time above their Pride or Covetousness insomuch that they presently broke off their golden Ear-rings and gave them to Aaron who appointed Workmen first to melt the Gold and cast it into the form of a Calf and then to polish and finish it with a graving Tool It seems they desired their Idol should be made in this form in imitation of the Idol Apis the Ox or Calf (g) Thus the Israelites borrowed not all Gold and Silver but some dross from the Egyptians borrowing their Idolatrous Worship from them 1 King 12.28 Ps 106 19 20. Puller the Egyptians used to worship Then encouraging one another and being much pleased with their Idol they said This is thy God O Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Eypt pretending still to worship the true God in and by the Calf Aaron seeing the people thus violently bent on their Idol upon their motion He yields to build an Altar for it and to proclaim an Holy-day and to dedicate a Feast to it To morrow says He is a Feast to the Lord Jehovah pretending all was still intended for the Worship of the true God And accordingly the people rose early the next morning and sacrificed unto their Idol Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings and upon the Altar they feasted together and then rose up to play that is to sing and dance and play about their Idol shouting and making a great Noise vers 17. according to the wild custom and manner of the Heathens in their Idolatrous Feasts Exod. 32. from 1. to 7. SECT XXIII WHen 40 days and 40
nights were now expired and God had made an end of Communing with Moses on the Mount He gave him two Tables of Stone made by his own Hand and wherein He had written with his own Finger the Ten Commandments Commanding him to get him down quickly telling him what the people had done in his absence Thy (h) God seems to disown them now as His people people says He which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves They have turned aside quickly after their entring into Covenant with Me and promising to keep all my Precepts They have quickly turned out of the way which I commanded them and have made them a molten Calf and have worshipped it and sacrificed unto it Thou seest that this is a very wicked and stiff-necked people therefore interpose not for them nor hinder Me by thy Intercession that I may in mine anger Consume them and I will make of Thee a great Nation yea a greater and mightier than they Deut. 9.14 Moses was wonderfully surpriz'd and astonish'd at the hearing of this and humbly adoring the Lord his God he said Lord why doth thy Wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty Hand Wherefore should the Egyptitians say For mischief did He bring them forth to slay them in the Mountains O Lord turn I pray thee from thy fierce Wrath and let not the Evil and Punishment which this people have deserved fall upon them Remember thy Covenant and Promises made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom thou swarest by thine own self to multiply their Seed as the Stars and to give them the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance Thus Moses stood before the Lord in the Breach to turn away his Wrath Psal 106.23 So that the Lord was intreated not to destroy them at this time as he had threatned Then Moses descending out of the Cloud with the Two Tables in his hand and coming to that part of the Mount where Joshua as it seems had waited all this while for him vers 17. Joshua hearing the Noise and Shout of the people and not knowing what it meant He said to Moses Surely there is a noise of War in the Camp But Moses told him It was no such noise but rather of singing and merriment When they came to the Camp and Moses saw the Calf and the people piping and dancing and sporting about it after the manner of the Heathen His anger waxed hot and in an holy Indignation not unadvisedly but by the motion of Gods Spirit see Deut. 9.16 17. He cast the Tables out of his Hands and broke them before their eyes as a sign that the Covenant between God and them was broken by this their hainous Idolatry Then He took the Idol and melted it and made it brittle and fit to be broken or ground to powder and He cast the dust thereof into the water whereof they drank daily and made them drink thereof for the greater detestation that they might understand the variety of such Gods that could be thus swallowed by them as also to intimate to them that they deserved to drink of the Cup of Gods Wrath for so a great Provocation Then He sharply expostulates with Aaron about this horrid Miscarriage What did this people says He do to thee that thou hast brought so great a Sin upon them Aaron humbly deprecates his Anger and excuseth Himself as well as he could upon the mischievous disposition of the people and by a poor slender and imperfect Narration seeks to extenuate his Fact speaking of the Calf as if it had been produced rather by accident than by any design of his I cast the Gold says he into the fire and there came out this Calf Moses seeing that the people had now deprived themselves of Gods protection and were as so many naked and unarmed and dispirited men exposed to be devoured by their Enemies to which Aaron by consenting to their wicked desire had much contributed He stood in the Gate of the Camp and said Who is on the Lords side Let him come unto me summoning thereby all that had not consented to this wicked Fact to take Gods part against the Offendors and to do in this Case what he should require of them Whereupon the Sons of Levi who had kept themselves innocent from this Fact as it seems most of them had though not all as appears from Deut. 33.9 came unto Moses who according to Gods appointment Commands them to take their Swords in their hands and to go throughout the Camp and slay all the Ring-leaders and principal Offenders in this Rebellion and Transgression that they should meet with not sparing for favour or affection either Brother Companion or Neighbour or any other that were nearest or dearest to them And 't is probable God so ordered it by his Providence that none but the guilty came in their way And Moses told them that hereby they should so Consecrate themselves to the Lord and offer a Sacrifice so well pleasing to him that he would immediately set them apart as his peculiar portion to be his Ministers in the sacred Service of the Tabernacle The Children of Levi did as Moses commanded them and there fell that day of the people by their hand about three thousand Moses though he had already so far prevailed with the Lord that he would not presently destroy all the people as He had threatned vers 14. yet considering that the Lords Anger might still be great against them and that he might still proceed further in punishing of them He tells them That on the morrow he resolved to go up again to the Lord and further to intercede for them and to endeavour to atone him that He might not proceed in wrath against them And accordingly going up again into the Mount and humbly prostrating himself before the Lord he acknowledges the greatness and hainousness of their sin and earnestly intreats the Lord freely to forgive them out of his own abundant Mercy which if He would please to do they should always retain a deep sense of that transcendent favour But if he would not forgive them freely Moses out of the exuberance and greatness of his love to that people desires the Lord that he would accept of his life as an atonement for them (i) Dele me de libro vitae v. 32. and blot him out of the Book of the living that is cut him off by his own Hand and so take his life as a Satisfaction for their Sin And in this Moses shewed himself a Figure of our blessed Saviour who laid down his life for his Sheep Joh. 10.15 and redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 But the Lord was not pleased to accept this his Offer but told him That they that had sinned against him should suffer themselves for their sin yet He would spare them at this time but when He began to
punish them for other Provocations He would reckon with them for this Sin also which accordingly He did in after-times see vers 35. But though He spared them for the present yet He declares That He himself will not go with them as before He had promised but bids Moses go before them and lead them and He would send a Created Angel to go before them and to be their Conductor and to lead them to Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Honey but He himself would no longer Conduct them lest speaking of Himself after the manner of men who are most provoked when they are affronted to their face He should consume them for their Rebellions and Disobedience in the way Moses descending from the Mount acquaints the people with these sad tydings further telling them That if they did not repent of their great wickedness God would come among them and Consume them in a moment therefore He commanded them to put off their Ornaments and to mourn before Him and according as their Repentance should be true or false He would either spare or punish them When the people heard these things they mourned exceedingly and stript themselves of their Ornaments and gorgeous Apparrel and put themselves into a habit more suitable to true Penitents Moses now removes his Tent or Tabernacle which He had formerly erected as it seems both for the Worship of God and for matters of Civil Judgment afar off from the Camp signifying thereby Gods departure from them as a polluted people And those that desired Counsel of the Lord by him went forth to this new erected Tent of the Congregation And when Moses went out of the Camp to the Tent the Cloudy Pillar descended from the Mount to the door of the Tent and out of it the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend that is present to present by an articulate and audible Voice so as He never spake to any Prophet Deut. 5.4 34.10 Numb 12.8 All which the people beholding from their Tent-doors bowed themselves and worshipped And when at any time Moses returned into the Camp Joshua stayed behind in the Tabernacle or Tent possibly as his Deputy to judge the People in his absence Moses now humbly bemoans before the Lord that He had imposed that hard Province upon him to lead that people but had not let him know whom He would send with him and yet he had declared he knew him by Name that is had chosen him above many others and out of many for his Service and had taken special notice of him and had a peculiar regard to him He therefore humbly desires of the Lord that if He had found Grace in his sight He himself would please to shew him his way in which He would have him lead the people and that He himself would be their Guide as before he had been and not turn them over to a created Angel that so he may know by experience that He is good to them that seek him and be assured that he had found Grace in his sight and that He did still remember that this Nation was his people The Lord was pleased upon this prayer of Moses and the peoples Repentance to recall his former (k) Paenitentia commutat Comminationes Dei in promissiones Cajetan Sentence passed vers 3. and now promises that his Presence shall go with them and He would bring them into the Land of Promise where they should have rest from their Enemies Moses thankfully embracing Gods Promise shews that nothing else but his gracious Presence could have contented or satisfied him For says He if thy Presence go not along with us I pray thee carry us not up hence As if he should have said We had as good never stir a foot further as to go without thy gracious Presence and favour accompanying of us though we were sure to come to Canaan at the last For how else says he shall it be known that we are thy peculiar people and separated from other Nations but by thy gracious Presence accompanying of us Moses having found the Lord ready to grant his Desires proceeds further to make one Request more to Him namely That He would please to shew him his Glory Possibly this holy man conceiving that God when he spake to him had put on some Corporeal and visible shape full of great Majesty and Glory though overshadowed as it were with a Cloud so that He could not discern it He humbly desired to see the lightsome brightness of His Majesty the Cloud being removed and a glimpse of that blessed Vision of Him which is reserved for another life The Lord answers him That he will reveal his Goodness to him so far as is profitable for him to know and will Proclaim his great Name and glorious Attributes before Him declaring When He passeth by that He is the Lord Jehovah who will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy and is free in communicating his Grace and Mercy where He pleaseth without wrong to any But to see his Face that is his pure Essence and being in his Spiritual Majesty and Glory He tell him cannot be granted him but to his hurt seeing no man in that manner can see the Face of God and live Man's weakness being such that he is not able to behold the brightness of such an Apparition till this Mortal has put on Immortality Therefore the Lord tells him That He will put him in the cleft of the Rock that was near and cover him with his Hand that he may not be swallowed up when he passed by in such Brightness and Glory as was never shown to mortal Creature and He should through this Cleft have a glimpse of His Back Parts that is a transitory Vision and imperfect sight of his Glory such as he was now capable of as we are said to see or know men but imperfectly when we see only their back parts and not their faces For if He should manifest his Glory to him to the full it would be too much for defiled Infirmity and Mortality to subsist under A man that would see God face to face must put off his mortality and die before he can see Him in his Glory Exod. 31. vers 18. Exod. 32. whole Chapter Exod. 33. whole Chapter SECT XXIV THe Lord now Commands Moses to frame and prepare two new Tables of Stone like to the former wherein he would write his Law anew And it seems from Deut. 10.1 that he gave him in charge at the same time to make an Ark or Chest of Shittim-wood to keep these Tables in till that more curious and glorious Ark of the Tabernacle should be made Moses having done as God commanded him went up with the new Tables next morning into the Mount no man going up with him neither was any man to be seen in all the Mount Then the Lord descended in the Cloud and in some sensible signs of his Presence passed before
Moses and proclaimed before him now hid in the hollow Cleft of the Rock The Lord The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin upon mans hearty repentance and that will by no means clear the Guilty visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the Childrens Children unto the third and fourth Generation if they continue in their Fathers transgressions Moses hearing these things instantly bowed his head towards the Earth and worshipped Exod. 34. from 1. to 9. SECT XXV MOses now staying again 40 days and 40 nights in the Mount without Meat or Drink vers 28. He humbly and earnestly besought the Lord with many pressing arguments see Deut. 9.18 19. and from 25. to the end to pardon the people and to own them still for his Inheritance * See Ps 33.12 Zach. 2.12 and to go along with them and to manifest his gracious Presence among them for they were He ackowledges a stiff-necked people and had need both of his Mercy and Conduct The Lord being now appeased renews his Covenant with them upon certain Conditions and promises that his Presence with them should work more powerfully then ever and shew it self in more stupendious Miracles then ever it had done before and that He would do terrible things by them his Almighty Power and Providence accompanying of them and would give them possession of the Land of Canaan and would drive out the Inhabitants thereof before them The Conditions he requires of them to perform were these 1. Not to make a League or Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land * See Chap. 23.32 whom He had determined to destroy for their sins nor to make Marriages with them lest it should ensnare them and draw them to be Partakers in their Idolatries and so in their Punishments but should destroy their Altars Images and Groves and should not eat of their Sacrifices and should especially be careful not to make to themselves any molten Gods such as the golden Calf was For the Lord was a jealous God and would not endure that any false God should share with Him in the Worship that was peculiar to himself 2 That they should observe the Feast of unleavened Bread * See Ch. 23.15 the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost and the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles At which three Feasts All their Males should appear before him with an Offering to be given to the Priest which He would account as given to Himself and He would take care that none should desire their Land in their absence 3 That the first-born Males both of Men and Beasts should be consecrated unto Him see Ch. 22.29 30. but the firstlings of an Ass should be redeemed with a Lamb see Exod. 13.13 4 That they should carefully observe the weekly Sabbath * See Ch. 23.12 and not violate it either in Seed-time or Harvest 5 That they should not offer the blood (l) Certe removebis fermentatum cum immolas Pascha Vatab. of the Paschal Lamb with Leaven and that nothing thereof should be left till the morning 6 That the first of their Frist-fruits should be brought to the House of the Lord. 7. That they should not seeth a Kid in its Mothers milk Which Laws were all enjoyned Ch. 23. and were now repeated These were the Laws that Moses was to write down in a Book and to injoyn the people to observe Then the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on the Tables Moses had brought up and gave them unto him who brought them and the other Laws which himself had written unto the people and having seen Gods Glory in so great a measure and degree there was a dazeling brightness imprinted by God on his face while he talked with him so that the skin of his Face (m) The glory of Moses face signified the glory of the Law which he brought 2 Cor. 3.7 8. His Ministration was Death and Condemnation because the Law giveth the knowledge of Sin but no pardon for it shone which he himself was not sensible of * Sic Humilitas propriam jubet ignorare excellentiam by the reflective rays and beams (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to shine from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Horn is derived which gave occasion to the Papists to paint Mose's face with two Horns like an Ox. The Vulgar Latine says Mose's Face was horned of the divine Splendor which might assure the Israelites he had been with God who taught and instructed him and that thereupon they might the more reverence him might fear breaking this Law again Aaron and the people were not able to bear the splendor of his Face but being afraid fled from him as if he had been some Angel But Moses called them back and put a Vail on his Face (o) Ut ipsum Mosaicae facici splendorem Israelitae non viderunt ob impositum velamen sic Carnales Judaei spiritualem Mosis splendorem hoc est Scriptorum ejus summum finem atque scopum qui est Jesus Christus non intelligebant ob sponte attractam mentis Caecitatem quae instar Velaminis est inter corda eorum verum legis intellectum quasi obducti neque hoc tolli potest nisi per praedicationem Evangelij per veram conversionem ad Dominum c. Vide 2 Cor. 13.14 15 16. whilst he spake with them and then delivered to them all that the Lord had given him in Charge But Moses when he went to the Lord for the people took the Vail off And 't is like that this brightness on his Face continued not all his life after but only during the time of his going to and fro between God and the people Exod. 34. from 9. to the end SECT XXVI MOses now injoyns them again a strict Observation of the weekly Sabbath and that they should not kindle a fire (p) But 't is probable to kindle a fire to warm themselves by in the extream cold of Winter or when any other exigencies of necessity or mercy required it was allowed them thereon to dress meat or to do any work by though for the framing of the Tabernacle threatning death to them that disobey Then He injoyns the people to bring their free-will Offerings towards the framing of the Tabernacle which was now forthwith to be gone in hand with according to the Directions given him by God Ch. 25. The people very readily agree hereunto And to the end that this good Work might the more effectually be promoted all the Males were numbred from twenty years old and upwards who were found to be 603550 who every one according to the Law prescribed Exod. 30.12 13. contributing half a Shekel the total Sum of the Poll-money amounted to an hundred Talents (q) A Talent among the Jews amounted to 3000 Shekels or 50 l. sterling every pound containing 60 Shekels See Bishop Usher's
the Principal according to the estimation of the Priest and given to him to whom it appertained And then the Transgressor shall offer for his atonement a Ram without blemish for his Trespass-Offering So that upon the whole matter where either God in the external Duties belonging to his Worship or their Brethren in civil affairs were any way damaged by the Offendor there a Trespass-Offering (k) See further concerning Trespass-Offerings Levit. 7. from 1. to 9. was to be offered for other Transgressions the Sin-Offering sufficed All the remainder of the Sin and Trespass-Offering besides what was offered to the Lord the Priest was to have Skin and all whereas in the Burnt-Offerings he had only the Skin Levit. 6. from 1. to 8. Hitherto the substance and matter of the several sorts of Sacrifices hath been prescribed now the several Rites belonging to each of them are set down more particularly And 1. concerning the daily Burnt-Offering which was to be offered first every Morning and last every Evening see Exod. 29.38 39. and Numb 28.3 The Priest was to burn it with a slow fire and by so many pieces one after another that it might last all night which required his intentive care and vigilancy upon the Service and the fire of the Altar was to be nourished continually and never suffered to go out The Priest also putting on his linnen Garment was to carry forth the ashes without the Camp unto a clean place 2ly Concerning the Meat-Offering whereof the Priest was to burn an handful upon the Altar and the remainder Aaron and his Sons were to eat unleavened in the Court of the Sanctuary And upon this occasion we have the Offering set down that Aaron was to offer to God in the day of his anointing and which his Sons successively who shall come to be High Priests after him shall offer to the Lord in the day of their Consecration viz. the tenth part of an Epha of fine Flower half in the Morning and half at Night and it was to be wholly burnt on the Altar 3ly Concerning the Sin-Offering of which the Priest that offered it might eat except of such Sin-Offerings whereof the blood was to be carried into the Tabernacle viz. for the Transgression of the High Priest or of the whole Congregation Levit. 4. v. 5.16 or the yearly Sin-Offering on the day of Expiation Levit. 16.17 for these were to be burnt without the Camp but of other Sin-Offerings the Sons of Aaron might eat * Nihil cedebat offerentibus ex hostiis pro peccato delicto if they were free from legal uncleanness And if any of the blood of the Sin-Offering was casually sprinkled on any of the Garments of the Priest they were to be washed clean again in the Court of the Tabernacle where the washing-Laver stood If the flesh of the Sin-Offering was boiled in an Iron or Brass-pot it was to be rinsed or scoured but if in an Earthen pot because the liquor might possibly soak into it it was to be broken all which things seem to be appointed to shadow forth the Contagion of Sin Levit. 6. from 8 to the end 4ly Concerning the Trespass-Offering of which every male among the Priests might eat in the holy Place The Text says As is the Sin-Offering so is the Trespass-Offering there is one Law for them both that is the Priest was to have of this as He had of the other As to the Meat-Offerings they were to accompany those Sin and Trespass-Offerings if they were baked or fried and so to be eaten hot they were the Priests portion that offered them who might eat them presently but if the Meat-Offerings were mingled with Oil or were dry Flower not mingled with Oil such as was the Meat-Offering for Sin Ch. 5.11 these might be reserved to be dressed afterwards at their leisure and were equally to be divided among all the Priests 5ly Concerning the Peace-Offerings of which there were three sorts First Thank-Offerings for particular Mercies received which were to be accompanied with unleavened Cakes mingled with Oil and unleavened Wafers anointed with Oil and Cakes mingled with Oil of fine Flower fried And besides these Cakes the Offerer was to offer with his Sacrifice leaven'd bread For because this Meat-Offering was only for food to be eaten and no part of it to be burnt upon the Altar leaven is here allowed though otherwise forbidden as we may see Levit. 2.11 And it was allowed possibly that it might be a sign and intimation that this Oblation was before thought upon solemnly prepared and not suddenly offered And out of the whole Oblation the Offerer is appointed to offer one leavened Loaf for an Heave-Offering to the Lord and it was to go to the Priests that sprinkled the blood of the Peace-Offerings the rest was for the Offerer and his Family as the remainder of the Flesh after the Priest hath had his share was to be also Deut. 27.7 and Deut. 12.6 7. But the flesh of the Sacrifice of this kind of Peace-Offering was to be eaten the same day whereon it was offered both by Priest and people and not any of it to be kept until the next Morning 2ly Peace-Offerings that were offered by way of Vow that is which men vowed that they would give unto God if He would please to grant them such or such a Mercy and which when God had satisfied their desires they were to pay unto Him accordingly For these they had two days allowed them for the eating of them and what was left to the third day was to be burnt with fire * God possibly might intend hereby to teach them that He would be worshipped as He himself appointed and not as they in their own reason might think fit which if they did not observe their Sacrifice should not be imputed or reckoned to them as an acceptable Sacrifice by the Lord but rather as an abomination and such persons should be punished for their Iniquity 3ly Such Peace-Offerings as were brought as a voluntary offering by way of acknowledgment of the Lords goodness to them in the general Now the flesh of the Peace-Offerings not being to be eaten in the holy place but carried out thence after it had been killed at the Tabernacle and the fat burnt upon the Altar and eaten elsewhere see Levit. 10.14 if it were casually touched by any unclean person or thing order is here given that it should not then be eaten as an holy Sacrifice but burnt with fire because being so defiled it was not fit to represent Christ who was perfectly holy and pure But as to the flesh of the Sacrifice which remained clean and fit to be eaten all both Priests and Owners that were clean themselves might eat of it But if any being unclean either by reason of any natural uncleanness that was then upon them or by touch of any unclean thing did yet wittingly (l) If they did it ignorantly and unwittingly a Sacrifice of
atonement was appointed for them Lev. 5.2 But those that hate to be reformed God will not reckon them among his people In like manner those that partake of the Signs and Seals of Grace unworthily eat and drink judgment to themselves 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29. and presumptuously eat of the Peace-Offerings such persons shall be Excommunicated and cut off from the Communion of Gods people or as some understand it by Divine Vengeance Further God Commands Moses to charge them to forbear eating the fat of any of those Cattel that were appointed for Sacrifice but the fat of such Beasts if they died of themselves or were torn in pieces might be employed to any other use but that kind of fat which we call Suet they might not eat though other fat that was mix'd with the flesh they might eat of And as they were to forbear eating fat so also blood for the Reasons mentioned before Ch. 3. vers 17. see also Gen. 9.4 and Levit. 17.14 Lastly Moses from the Lord gives them this Command that whosoever offered a Peace-Offering should bring it himself in his own person and not another for him and He shall himself with his own hand present that part which is to be an Oblation to the Lord viz. the fat with the Breast and right Shoulder then the Priest shall burn the fat upon the Altar but the Breast being waved before the Lord and the Shoulder elevated or lifted up shall be his Portion See Exod. 29.22 For this He tells them is the portion and reward appointed by God to Aaron and his Sons by virtue of their Vnction to the Priestly-Office and to be paid them by the Children of Israel from the day of their anointing Levit. Ch. 7. whole Chapter SECT XXX MOses now by direction from God gathering the Children of Israel together spends seven days in consecrating Aaron and his four Sons observing the manner and Ceremonies prescribed for their Consecration Exod. Ch. 28. 29. * See Sect. 21. partic 12. viz. 1. He washes them with water 2ly He puts the High Priests Vestments and rich attire upon Aaron 3ly Anointeth the Tabernacle with the Altar and Laver and sprinkles the Altar seven times with the Oil of Consecration because it was consecrated to a more special use than other parts of the Tabernacle 4ly He anointeth Aaron 5ly He puts the holy Garments upon his Sons 6ly He offers for them all a Bullock for a Sin-Offering one Ram for a Burnt-Offering and another Ram for a Sacrifice of Consecration 7ly With the blood of the Ram He sprinkled certain parts of their bodies and their Garments as was prescribed Exod. 29. 8ly He offered a Meat-Offering for them as a Thanksgiving to God for that great favour vouchsafed to them in setting them apart to this holy Function 9ly He charges them to boil and eat their portion of the Sacrifice at the door of the Tabernacle and to continue there seven days and nights to consummate the time of their Consecration All which they perform'd accordingly Levit. Ch. 8. whole Chapter SECT XXXI ON the very next day after the seven days of the Priests Consecration were ended Aaron and his Sons entred upon the Execution of their Office And Aaron first offered for himself a young Calf for a Sin-Offering and a Ram for a Burnt-Offering which intimated that the High Priest was Himself a Sinner and not fit to stand as a Mediator between God and the people 2ly He offered for the people a Kid of the Goats for a Sin-Offering and a Calf and a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering to which was added the Meat-Offering and a Bullock and a Ram for a Peace-Offering Then Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them see Numb 6.23 Moses now goes with Aaron into the Tabernacle that He might instruct him concerning the Service he was there to perform viz. about the Lights the Table of Shew-Bread and the Altar of Incense c. And Moses and Aaron when they came out blessed the people again The Glory of the Lord now appeared to all the people and ratified the Priests Consecration and entrance into their holy Function by sending Fire (m) Moses at the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons sacrific'd with common fire as appears Ch. 8.20 21. But upon Aarons first sacrificing Ch. 9.24 Fire came out from the Sanctuary or from Heaven which was not to be suffered afterwards to go out according to Gods appointment Ch 6.13 And therefore as some conceive this Fire was charily carried in some Vessel for the purpose when they journied in the Wilderness and so it continued until the Temple of Solomon was built and then Fire came down again from Heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 which continued unto the Captivity of Babylon and is said to be miraculously renewed 2 Maccab. 1.18 but whither it was or no is uncertain from his glorious Presence that is either from Heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 or out of the Tabernacle which consumed the Burnt-Offering and the fat on the Altar which the people seeing shouted for joy and fell on their Faces giving thanks to the Lord for this great Sign of his favour and acceptance of their Sacrifices Levit. Ch. 9. whole Chapter SECT XXXII THe day following Nadab and Abihu the two eldest Sons of Aaron who went up with their Father to the Mount and had there seen the Glory of God Exod. 24.1 9 10. having undoubtedly been instructed by Moses that when they went to burn Incense in the Tabernacle they should make use only of fire taken from the Altar of Burnt-Offering which had been kindled by Fire from Heaven (n) The Devil is Gods Ape and accordingly He imitated God in his Prescriptions concerning the continual burning of the Fire upon the Altar and that in divers places among the Heathens as among the Persians who made a God of it and among the Grecians who at Delphi worshipped it in the Temple of Apollo and among the Romans who worshipped it under the Name of Vesta committing the Charge of it to the Vestal Virgins where if it went out it was held fatal to their City Rhodig Antiq. c. 14. they it seems rashly and inconsiderately forgetting or neglecting their duty in this particular took some other fire in their Censers that perhaps with which they dress'd the Flesh of their Sacrifices and putting Incense thereon set it upon the Altar of Incense and so offered strange Fire before the Lord that is Fire which he commanded them not For this their great Transression they were immediately struck dead * Tantae vindictae severitate nova disciplina merito sanciri potuit in exemplum aliorum Sanctificatus autem est Dâ—us hac poena quia tali exemplo commendatus est timor ejus inquit Augustinus Rigor hic sub initia necessarius in terrorem posteris tum carnis Laetitia turgeret Aaron Anonym in loc in the place by Fire from the Lord possibly with Lightning yet so as neither
cleansing of a Leper and the solemn Rites and Ceremonies that are to be used therein 1. The Priest was to take two live Sparrows and with a Scarlet-thread or lace see Heb. 9.19 to bind a sprinkler of Hyssop to a Cedar-stick and to kill one of the Birds over an Earthen-Vessel that had running-water in it and to dip the other living Bird and the sprinkler in it and so to sprinkle him that was to be cleansed seven times and so pronounce him clean and then to let the living Bird fly away and so the cleansed person was to wash himself and his Clothes and to shave off his hair and then to be admitted into the Camp Town or City but to continue apart by himself in some place or house appointed for the purpose seven days and on the seventh day he was to reiterate and repeat these Ceremonies again And on the eighth day if he were a rich man he was to offer two He-Lambs one for a Trespass-Offering vers 12. the other for a Burnt-Offering vers 19 20. and an Ewe-Lamb for a Sin-Offering and three Omers or Pottles of fine Flower as accessory Meat-Offerings to the three Sacrifices afore-mentioned mingled with a Log or half a pint of Oil. And the Priest was to put some of the blood of the Trespass-Offering upon the tip of his right Ear and Thumb of his right Hand and great toe of his right Foot and to do the same with the Oil upon the same parts where the blood was sprinkled and to pour the remainder of the Oil upon his Head after He had sprinkled some of it with his Finger seven times before the Tabernacle and so the Priest shall make atonement for him If he were poor his cleansing for the form and manner of it was to be the same only the matter of his offering was to be less and of less value Levit. 13. from 1. to 33. Lastly Laws are given concerning the Leprosie that might happen to be in an house (y) Aedes non habebant ante ingressum in Canaan Hanc Lepram vestium domorum non naturae sed Dei immissioni tribuunt voluntque eo fine incussam ut ab his veluti admoniti resipiscerent Muis and the signs and marks whereby it might be known to be in the walls thereof viz. hollow strakes greenish or reddish which in sight are lower than the wall and if it spread in the walls of the house then it is a fretting Leprosie For the cleansing of it the House was to be scraped within round about and that which was scraped off was to be carried out of the City into an unclean place and the stones were to be pulled out and new ones put in and the walls to be new plaistered And if the Plague came again and brake out in the House after this then the Priest was to pronounce it to be a fretting Leprosie and the House to be broken down and Stones and Timber and all carried out of the City into an unclean place The manner of cleansing of it if the Plague were healed and stopped was with Birds and running-water and a sprinkler of Hyssop tied with a Scarlet-thread to a Cedar-stick as before Levit. 14. from 33. to the end SECT XXXVI FIfthly Laws concerning the Ceremonial uncleanness in men by reason of their Issues either thorow weakness and disease or in their sleep and how they make other things and persons unclean and concerning the way of their cleansing by washing their Clothes and bathing their Flesh and on the eighth day offering two young Pigeons one for a Sin-Offering and the other for a Burnt-Offering Also concerning the uncleanness of women in their Flowers and how they make other things and persons (z) 'T is not like the Infants that lay in the arms and suckled on the Breasts of their Mothers when they were in this condition or those that performed a necessary and charitable ministration to them when they were in this condition were thereby rendred unclean unclean and the way of their cleansing by the like Sacrifices Levit. 15. whole Chapter SECT XXXVII ON the 14th day of this month at evening the Passover was celebrated according to Gods express Command (a) It seems they would not have kept this Passover without special warrant because by the first Institution they seem bound only to keep it in the Land of Canaan Exod. 12.25 and after this we find not that they kept any till they came into the Land Joshua Ch. 5. And now they kept it according to all the Rites of it excepting those special Rites which belonged only to the first Passover in Egypt as sprinkling of the door-posts and the eating of it standing c. On which day it seems some of the people complained to Moses and Aaron that they could not keep the Feast at that time with the rest of their Brethren because they were become unclean by touching a dead body and by a Law given Levit. 7.20 since the first institution of that Passover if they medled with holy things they were to be cut off Hereupon a Law (b) And by warrant it seems of this Law in Hezekiah's time there was a Passover kept on the 14th day of the second month when there were other occasions than those here mentioned that disabled them from keeping it at the usual time was made That all such persons that were so defiled or were in a journey or possibly under any other unavoidable hindrance should keep their Passover on the 14th day of the second month because they could not keep it on the day appointed Numb 9. from 1. to the 15. SECT XXXVIII AFter the death of Nadab and Abihu Moses seems to have received all those Laws from the Lord which we find recorded in the XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII and to the 10 vers of the XXIV Chapters of Leviticus 1. Laws concerning the High Priests coming into the most holy place once (c) Figuring the Sacrifice of Christ once made in the time of his life and no more Heb. 9.7 8 10 12. He was to enter into the most holy but once a year to minister and by way of Priestly ministration and expiation yet upon other occasions he and his Sons probably might enter at other times as at the taking down and setting up of the Tabernacle in their removals and journeys in the Wilderness and when they took thence the Ark upon several occasions as Josh 6.4 1 Sam. 4.3 a year to make an atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month See Exod. 30.10 Heb. 9.7 At which time Aaron was to be clothed not with the glorious Garments * Some Expositors conceive that those linnen Garments here spoken of vers 4. were those mentioned Exod. 28.39 which the High Priest wore under his other rich attire and that together with these here mentioned all His other rich Garments are to be understood also But others by comparing the 4th
or Tabernacles some upon the roof of their Houses and some in the Streets and Courts of Jerusalem and with boughs of Trees they either made or adorned their Booths and carried boughs and branches in their hands as some think in token of joy and rejoycing There were peculiar Offerings appointed for seven days together On the first day was to be an holy Convocation to the Lord and no servile work to be done thereon and on the eighth day another whereon just as much was to be offered as on the new Moon so that this Feast lasted eight days the last whereof was a very solemn Assembly called Joh. 7.37 the last and great day of the Feast and was rather an Appendix to the Feast then properly any part thereof see Numb 29. from vers 12. to the end This Feast was to be kept first in remembrance of Gods Protection over them for forty years together during their travelling thorow the Wilderness see Sect. 2. of Ch. 4. 2ly To testifie their thankfulness to God for the Fruits of the Earth viz. the latter fruits of Vines and Olives which this month they gathered in Deut. 16.13 14. 3ly As a figure of Christ's Incarnation who about this time of the year as learned men conceive came into the World * Calvisius pag. 193. Lightfoot in his Harm pag. 4. see Sect. 10. of Ch. 1. of my Harmony and dwelt in the Tabernacle of our Flesh Levit. 23. from 33. to the end 7ly To these Feasts here mentioned may be added the Feast of the New-Moons (h) Besides these we do not read of any more anniversary Feasts but only that of Purim Ester 9.17 and the Feast of dedication Joh. 10.22 which was constantly to be observed The Sacrifices appointed for this Feast are set down Numb 28. from 11. to 16. Numb 10.10 These are the Feasts the Lord appointed and if any of these Solemnities did fall on the weekly Sabbath the Oblations belonging to the Sabbath did not excuse the Oblations required for the concurrent Festival but were to be performed as if it had happened on another day no voluntary Oblations whither given by vow or without did discharge the Sacrifices due to the solemnity of any special Festival see Levit. 23.38 12ly Laws concerning the Oil to be prepar'd for the golden Candlestick Ch. 24. from 1. to 5. Lastly Laws concerning the Shew-bread of which there were 12 Cakes to be made each containing two Homers or two tenth deales of fine Flower which were to be set in two rows upon the Table with Incense put upon them and to be changed every Sabbath-day and after they had stood a week before the Lord they were to be eaten by the Priests The Flower was to be provided at the common charge of all the twelve Tribes by a perpetual Statute and brought to the Priests but the Cakes were to be made and baked by the Levites of the Family of Cohath as appears from 1 Chron. 9.32 The Incense (i) Vice panis thus adolebatur tum gratum Domino ac si esset holocaustum So that the Bread may be said to be offered with fire because the Incense laid upon it was so offer'd and reckon'd most holy as if it had been of the offerings made by fire see vers 9. that was put upon the Cakes was to be burned upon the Altar when they took away the Bread as a Memorial that God would thorow Christs Merits and Intercession remember his people with thoughts of favour and gracious acceptance Levit. 24. from vers 5. to the 10. SECT XXXIX AT this time the Son of Shelomith whose Father was an Egyptian though his Mother an Israelite falling into contention with one that was an Israelite by both Parents wickedly blasphemed the Name of God and cursed Possibly the Israelite upbraided him with his Idolatrous Father and denied him to be a true Israelite or a Member of the Church of God whereupon in his rage as it seems he spake scornfully and opprobriously of the God of Israel and slighted the Priviledge of being one of his people Hereupon they brought him to Moses to know how they should punish such an abominable Blasphemer as He was and having secured him for a time God Commands Moses that he should be brought out of the Camp and that the Witnesses should lay their hands upon his head to testifie that they laid this sin of Blasphemy truly to his Charge and that he being really guilty thereof deserved to be punished and as a Sacrifice to be offered up to the Justice of God for his sin that so the whole people might not be punished for it And then it was ordered that the whole Congregation should stone him which was done accordingly Levit. 24. from 10 to 15. and vers 23. After this and on this occasion Moses receives from the Lord particular Laws concerning the punishment of Blaspheming and cursing God viz. that such Offenders should be stoned to death vers 15 16. Also Laws concerning the punishing of Murder with Death and that he that killeth a Beast belonging to another man shall make it good Also the Law of requital or retaliation for blemishes called Jus talionis as if a man cause a blemish in his Neighbour as He hath done so it shall be done unto Him viz. an Eye for an Eye a Tooth for a Tooth which was not to be executed by the particular persons that were hurt or injured but by the Magistrate upon due Process And though in Ceremonials Strangers had neither priviledge by the use except they were Proselytes nor hurt by the omission of them yet in Capital Crimes if they and the Israelites sinned alike they were to be punished alike See Exod. 12.49 Levit. 24. from vers 17. to 23. SECT XL. MOses now receives Laws concerning the Sabbatical Year viz. that when they came into the Land of Canaan every seventh year should be a year of rest to the Land which they should observe in sign of Homage to the Lord whose the Land was and in this year the Land should neither be tilled nor sowed see Exod. 23.11 neither might they prune their Vineyards or gather in the Fruits thereof and whatsoever Fruits the Land brought forth they were not to look upon as any ones peculiar Goods as in other years but were to leave them in common for all only taking of them what might serve for their own use and for food for their Cattel And Moses tells them That if they truly observed this Law God would command such a blessing on the sixth year that it should bring forth Fruit for three years viz. from the sixth to the ninth not for three years compleat but for part of three years for the increase of the sixth year served them first for part of the sixth year to wit from Barley-Harvest that year which was about the Passover till the seventh month when the Sabbatical Year began 2ly For all the Sabbatical Year 3ly For the eighth year till
Vnclean Beasts devoted might be redeemed at such a price as the Priest should value them at the person redeeming them adding a fifth part to the price and estimation the Lord laying this penalty that men might learn to be stable-minded in such voluntary Vows Levit. 27. from vers 9. to 14. 3. Concerning houses * This was done as designing to obtain from God safe healthful and prosperous Habitations in them devoted which might be redeemed paying the value of them set by the Priest and adding a fifth part more to the price set upon them but if they did not redeem them before the year of Jubilee the Priests were to have the perpetual possession of them vers 14 15 21. 4. Concerning Fields (o) This was usually done in expectation of having their Fields yield the greater increase or Lands devoted 1. Such as were part of the Votaries Inheritance the Priest was to set an estimation or price upon according to the quantity of seed that would sow the Land so devoted and that price he that would redeem the Land was to pay to the Priest and a fifth part over and above and he was to pay according to the rate of fifty Shekels for so much Land as required an Omer of Barley to sow it if it was devoted immediately after the year of Jubilee was past that is reckoning from Jubilee to Jubilee a Shekel for a year If it required two Omers to sow it then they were to pay an 100 Shekels and so proportionably according to the quantity of seed that would sow it But if he devoted it sometime after the Jubilee then the Priest shall rate it according to the years that remain unto the Jubilee and if the former Owner would not redeem it when the Priest had set a price upon it so that the Field was by the Priests order sold to another then the Owner afterwards could not redeem it but it was to be for ever alienated from him And though he that bought it of the Priest might enjoy it to the year of Jubilee yet then it was not to return to the first Owner but to the Priests by whose order it was sold yet so as the Priests were at the Jubilee to sell it again to some of the same Tribe and first of all to the nearest Kinsman of him that vowed it if he would buy it because the Land of Canaan was to be divided among the other Tribes and not among the Levites who were to have no part or Inheritance alloted to them therein see Numb 18.20 and the portions of the Tribes were not to be confounded Levit. 27. from vers 16. to 22. 2. Such Lands as were purchased by the Votary might be devoted by Him till the year of Jubilee and no longer for then they were to return to him of whom they were bought And if the Devoter would redeem it for that term the Priest was to set the value according to the remainder of years to the Jubilee (p) Talis ager redimendus erat pro rata annorum restantium usque ad Jubilaeum and in such a case he was not to add a fifth part as in the redemption of his Inheritance Levit. 27. from vers 22. to 26. 5. The First-born of clean Beasts were not to be devoted to God being His before Exod. 13.2 but if any devoted any unclean (q) Though an unclean Beast might not be offered in Sacrifice to the Lord yet the price of it might be of use for the repair of the Sanctuary and maintenance of the Priests Beast it might be redeemed according to the Priests estimation adding a fifth part over and above to the price set If it were not redeemed it was to be sold vers 26 27. 6. Any person or thing absolutely devoted (r) V. 28. Omne quod Domino consecratur i. e. Omnia quae Deo voventur eo genere voti quod Cherem hic appellatur Graecè dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vendi aut redimi non potuerunt Nam haec est peculiaris hujus voti natura ut quod per illud vovetur absolute perfecte irrovocabiliter Deo consecretur Freidlib A Devotement was more than a single Vow whereof there might be redemption but a thing absolutely devoted could not be redeemed Concerning Men some were devoted by God as the Inhabitants of Jerico the Amalekites Deut. 25.19 Some by man in special Vows as the Canaanites Numb 21.2 3. and some were adjudged to death for sin Exod. 22.20 and to the latter the Hebrews do apply this Law Ainsworth to God was neither to be sold nor redeemed Neither any from among men so devoted were to be redeemed that is if any persons abhorred of God as Enemies to Himself and his People were devoted to destruction as the Canaanities Numb 21.2 the Inhabitants of Jerico Joshua 6.17 the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15.3 then they might not be redeemed but were unavoidably to be put to death vers 28 29. 7. The Tythe of the Land both of the Seed and of the Fruit was holy to the Lord and might not be redeemed except a fifth part were added to the value thereof Which was probably so ordered to make sure that the Levites should lose nothing by the cunning of the Owners that desired to buy or redeem their Tythe And as to the tythe of Cattel he that was to pay it was not to give what he would himself but that which in numbring the Cattel as they came forth happened to be the tenth and was marked with the red Rod of the Tything-man that Beast he was not to change whither it were good or bad If he offered to change it both it and the change thereof were to be holy to the Lord and not to be redeemed Which penalty was inflicted as it seems to prevent fraud in the Owners These are the Statutes and Judgments and Laws which the Lord made between Him and the Children of Israel in Mount Sinai vers 30. to the end and gave them unto them by the hand of Moses Levit. 27. from v. 30. to the end SECT XLII WE are now come to the Book of Numbers It contains an History of thirty eight Years and nine Months viz. from the beginning of the second Month of the second Year after Israels coming out of Egypt to the beginning of the 11th Month of the 40th Year after their marching out This may be evinc'd by comparing Numb 1.1 with Deut. 1.3 The Book was so called (s) The Book of Numbers because at the beginning of it the numbring of the Tribes and Families of Israel is injoyned and their several Journies from Egypt to Canaan are numbred It contains a Narration 1. Of Israels preparation for their March from Mount Sinai thorow the Wilderness to the Land of Canaan 2ly Their Journey it self with the several stations of it And in order to prepare them for their Journey on the first day of the second month (t) Answering to part
of our April and part of our May. of the second year after their departure out of Egypt God commanded Moses and Aaron and the Heads of the Tribes which were twelve to take the number of all the males of the Children of Israel that were fit for War except the Levites viz. from 20 years old to 60 mustering them according to their Hosts or Tribes and according to their Kindreds and Families which was accordingly performed and the numbers of each Tribe are expressed in particular and of all in general which amounted to 603550 being just the same number (u) Compare Exod. 30.11.12 and Exod. 38.26 which was taken seven months before when they were sessed for a Contribution to the building of the Tabernacle But the Levites God commanded should not be numbred or reckoned in this account being not appointed for War but for the Service of the Tabernacle (x) 'T is called V. 50. The Tabernacle of the Testimony in regard that therein was kept the Testimony of Gods Will viz. the Law written in two Tables and lying in the Ark of the Covenant Heb. 9.4 and Exod. 25.21 't is cal'd the Testimony viz. some of them to set it up and take it down and others of them to remove and carry it from place to place as occasion required And none that were not of the Tribe of Levi might meddle with it or help to take it down or set it up upon pain of death Numb 1. whole Chapter SECT XLIII GOd now prescribes the Order of the Tribes encampâ—â—g about the Tabernacle with their Standards and how the Levites should Encamp nearest to it and the Order to be observ'd by them all in their Marches and to cut off all matter of contention the Lord Himself appoints to every Tribe their several place The Order prescribed for their Encamping was according to this Scheme The Tabernacle Moses Aaron and the Priests Warriors in all 186400. East-ward Judah 74600. Issachar 54400. Zabulon 57400. Levites of Cohath Warriors in all 151450. South-ward Reuben 46500. Simeon 59300. Gad 45650. Levites of Gershon Warriors in all 108100. West-ward Ephraim 44500. Manasses 32200. Benjamin 35400. Levites of Merari Warriors in all 157600. North-ward Dan 62700. Asher 41500. Naphthali 53400. Thus we see in what excellent Order the twelve Tribes were disposed in their Encamping about the Tabernacle The Priests and Levites were to pitch their Tents round about it But the Tribes at some distance from it possibly at the distance of two thousand Cubits which is an English mile for such a space we find was between the Ark and the people when they passed over Jordan Josh 3.4 The Lord commanded that three Tribes should quarter together under one Standard which the Chief of the Three carried and so the whole Host consisted of four great Brigades or Battations The Tribe of Judah out of which the Messias was to spring has the Preheminence and is to March foremost as Captain of the rest and so Judah hath the dignity of the First-born which was taken from Reuben neither can Reuben withstand it because God hath so ordered it And thus we may conceive what a glorious sight it was to behold the Tribes thus orderly disposed in their several places and therefore it is no wonder that Balaam was stricken with admiration to behold it Numb 24.5 6. and that He cried out How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel c. Numb 2. whole Chapter SECT XLIV IN the next place we have set down the Families and Kindreds of Aaron and Moses Aaron is mentioned in the first place because his Sons as being Priests had the Preheminence of Mose's Posterity who were but ordinarily Levites And though there be no particular mention of Mose's Sons yet they are included among the Cohathites of which Family Moses was vers 27. The Lord orders Moses to give the Levites to Aaron and his Sons to assist them in their Ministration at the Sanctuary and in that Service and Worship which God had given in charge to Aaron and the whole Congregation to perform and they were to have the Sacred things of the Tabernacle under their Custody and Charge which the Children of Israel must have been charged with had not the Levites been separated to take that Charge upon them in their behalf But though the Levites were given to the Priests to be helpful and subservient to them in things that were fit for them to do yet in those things that peculiarly belonged to the Priests Office (y) V. 10. The Levite in respect of the Priests peculiar Office was a stranger they might not intermeddle upon pain of death The Lord further declares That He had taken the Levites to be His in stead of all the first-born Males of the Children of Israel (z) That is in stead of all the first-born Males that were now at present among them For all the first-born Males after this both of Man and Beast were to be redeemed or given to the Priests Numb 18.15 Exod. 13.2 and therefore orders Moses to number all the Male-Levites from one Month old and upwards which was done according to their Families For the Sons of Levi being Gershon Cohath and Merari of them the three Families of the Levites descended The whole number of the Male-Levites thus reckoned was found to be 22300. (a) So much those three sums make mentioned Numb 3. v. 22 28 34. But taking out their first-born namely such first-born as were born to them from the time of their coming out of Egypt when God did first Challenge the First-born to be His in remembrance of his slaying all the First-born among the Egyptians see Exod. 13.2 which were upon that account the Lords as they were the First-born and were not therefore to be reckoned among those that were to be given to Him in stead of the First-born of the other Tribes I say taking out these First-born which were 300 then the number of the Levites given to the Lord amounted only to 22000. * The number of the Male-Levites reckoned from 30 years old to 50 was but 8580. Numb 4.48 All which were assumed to the Service of God in lieu of the First-born of all the rest of the Children of Israel (b) V. 41. 'T is said the Cattel of the Levites shall be taken in stead of all the Firstlings of the Cattel of the Children of Israel that is As the Levites were taken for the first-born of the Israelites so the Levites Cattel were taken in exchange for the first-born of the Israelites Cattel And because the number of the First-born-Males of all the Children of Israel in the twelve Tribes exceeded this number of the Male-Levites 273 see Numb Ch. 3. vers 43. therefore was there laid upon them for every of those supernumerary Heads five Shekels a man by way of Redemption which was the price they afterwards paid for the Redemption of the First-born Numb 18.15 16.
and it was given to Aaron and his Sons And 't is like that it was either decided by lot who among them should pay this Redemption-Money and who not or it was paid in common by them all The Levites being thus numbred and their Places and Order how they should pitch about the Tabernacle being prescribed now the time when they should enter upon their Office is appointed At the age of 25 years they were to enter as Novices and Subservients in some inferiour Offices and Ministrations of the Tabernacle Ch. 8.24 but they were not to enter into a full execution of their Office till the age of 30 and then they were to continue in it till 50 and though after 50 they were to be exempted from the harder and most laborious Services of the Tabernacle such as removing and carrying the holy things thereof yet still they were to be assistant to their Brethren as Overseers to see that the Work was done and besides they were still to be imployed in teaching and instructing the people And in their several Cities as being well experienced in the judicial Laws they Were to judge of matters brought before them See Numb 8. from 23. to the end The time of their entring upon their Office being thus ordered in the next place to prevent confusion and ambition among them each Family of the Levites hath its particular Service (c) V 3. All that enter into the Host i. e. qui ingrediuntur in coetum vel turmam mimistrantium in Tabernaculo nempe ut operentur in eo appointed 1. The Charge of the Sons of Gershon were 1. The ten Curtains of fine twined Linnen blue purple and scarlet 2ly The eleven Curtains of Goats hair that were laid over them 3ly The covering of Ram-skins died red 4ly The covering of Badgers-skins which lay over all and the Hangings for the door of the Tabernacle and for the Courts Ch. 3.25 26. and Ch. 4.25 26. 2. The Charge of the Sons of Kohath was the Ark (d) V. 6. Shall put in the staves thereof viz. into the Cases or Coverings prepared for them that so the Levites might not touch so much as the Staves of the Ark uncovered For the Staves were not to be taken out of the Rings of the Ark Exod. 25 15. and the Table of Shew-bread (e) V. 7. And the continual bread shall be thereon intellige cum ad quietem terrae promissionis pervenerint In deserto enim sicut non fiebant Sacrificia in Festis aut Sabbatis ut clare dicitur Acts 7.42 Amos 5.25 ita nec offerebantur panes quod erat genus quoddam Oblationis aut Sacrificij nec thus aut vinum quod adjungi solebat illa enim omnia deerant in deserto ut conqueruntur Numb 21.5 Nam multis annis manserunt in locis prorsus inhabitatis ab omnibus gentibus seperati Jansen and the golded Candlestick and the Altars and all the most holy things When the Tabernacle was to be taken down and removed the Priests only were to do it and wrap up the most holy things in coverings of blue or scarlet and to put coverings of Badgers-skins over them which are called the Clothes of Service Exod. 31.10 and then to deliver them to the Kohathites to bear them on their Shoulders (f) The Ark indeed was sometimes carried by the Priests see Deut. 31.9 so when they passed over Jordan Josh 3.6 and compassed the Walls of Jerico Josh 6.6 but ordinarily this Service was performed by the Levites see Deut. 31.25 especially till the number of the Priests was more increased who might not otherwise touch them upon pain of death So that though their Office was most honourable because they had the charge of the most holy things yet it was also perillous and burdensome Ch. 3.31 Ch. 4.15 3. The Charge of the Sons of Merari were the boards of the Tabernacle the Bars the Pillars the Scockets Pins Cords and Vessels thereof and the Pillars of the Court c. Ch. 3.36 37. Ch. 4.31 32. Eleazar the eldest Son of Aaron was to be Chief over the chief of the Levites viz. the Kohathites that had the Charge of the most holy things and his Brother Ithamar over the Gershonites and Merarites To the inspection and care also of Eleazar was committed the Oil for the Lights the sweet Incense the daily Meat-offering and the anointing Oil and the over-sight of the Tabernacle and to appoint the Kohathites every one to his several burden And Moses and Aaron are charged that all the holy things of the Sanctuary should be so covered that the Kohathites might neither see nor touch what they should not which if they should do they would be in danger of being cut off and to die for it (g) Uzzah though a Levite for such a transgression was smitten dead 2 Sam. 6.6 7. For the holy fire that was always to be kept alive upon the Altar 't is like when the Tabernacle was removed 't was put into some Pot or Vessel and so preserv'd still with supply of wood Numb Ch. 3. whole Chapter Numb Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT XLV THe Levites thus set apart were with all due Solemnity consecrated to God and his Service But lest they should think themselves equal to the Priests they are neither Consecrated at the same time nor with the same Ceremonies The Consecration of the Priests took up seven days see Exod. 29.35 Levit. 8.33 but this of the Levites was done in one day The manner of it was thus 1. Moses was to take the Levites and to cleanse them which was to be done by sprinkling the water of purifying upon them which was made with the ashes of the red Heifer (h) Therefore directions for making this water were given before this time though not mentioned by Moses till the 19. Ch. of this Book mentioned Ch. 19. and then to shave off all their hair which was another sign of Purification see Levit. 14.8 9. Numb 6.9 and to wash their Clothes By which Rites was signified what great holiness and purity God requires in those that are to be imployed in Sacred Functions 2ly The whole Congregation being there assembled and the Levites being brought before the Lord some of the chief (i) Non omnes sed omnium nomine Principes vel sorte primo-geniti in quorum loco erant Levitae of the Children of Israel in the Name of the rest were to put their hands (k) Which Rite was observ'd in the Ordination of Officers both in the Old T. and the N. Numb 27.23 Act. 6.6 13.3 and in Benedictions Gen. 48.17 upon them thereby testifying that they did now freely offer them to the Lord to be wholly set apart for his Service 3ly Then Aaron was to present them * V. 11. And Aaron shall wave the Levites before the Lord Hac elevatione significabatur eos totius orbis Domino offerri a populo in munus ut scil loco
totius populi Deo ministrarent Vide Jansen Jubentur Levitae se convertere ad omnes mundi plagas ut indicarent se illi Deo servituros qui in omnibus mundi plagis erat Potens Freidlib to the Lord which possibly he did by making them turn themselves towards the four Quarters of Heaven thereby signifying they were offered up to the Service of the great God of the whole World see Exod. 29.24 4ly Aaron and his Sons were to offer two young Bullocks one for a Burnt-Offering the other for a Sin-Offering to make atonement for them The Levites themselves were also to lay their hands on the heads of the Bullocks by that Rite testifying their Faith in the Mâ—ssias prefigured by those Sacrifices by whom they expected forgiveness of sins and Sanctification for the work of their Ministry 5ly Then Moses was to present the Levites unto Aaron giving them unto him and his Sons the Priests for perpetual Assistants and under-Ministers These things being performed the Levites were to go into the Court of the Priests for into the Tabernacle it self they might not enter and to do there the Service (l) V. 19. And do the service of the Children of Israel that is the Service which else they themselves must have performed by their first-born if God had not taken the Levites in their stead belonging to them and to be subservient to the Priests when they offered those Sacrifices whereby atonement was made for the sins of the people that so all things being done according to the appointment of God he might be pleased with the people and send no Plague (m) See an example of such a Plague 2 Chron. 26.16 in Uzziah upon them which otherwise he would do if they themselves intermeddled with these holy Services All these things were done according as here enjoyned And so the Levites entred upon the actual execution of their Office Numb Ch. 8. from vers 5. (n) For the four first Verses of this Chapter See the Paraphrase on Exod. 25. v. 37 c. to 23. SECT XLVI MOses having now fully finished the erection of the Tabernacle and ordered all things thereunto belonging and having since numbred the people and placed the Tribes and the Levites in their several stations about the Tabernacle and having Consecrated the Levites and appointed them to their particular Charges the Princes before mentioned Ch. 1.4 that were set over the numbring of the people brought their Offerings for the carriage of the Tabernacle in their Marches and Removes viz. Every two of these Princes offered one covered Waggon six in all and every Prince an Ox twelve in all Moses hereupon gave two Waggons and four Oxen to the Gershonites for their Service and four Waggons and eight Oxen to the Merarites for theirs because under their Custody and Charge were the boards and heavy things of the Tabernacle see Chap. 3.36 and therefore twice as many Oxen and Waggons were allotted to them To the Cohathites because the Charge of the most holy things belonged unto them which they were to carry upon their Shoulders they had no Waggons assigned them These things being done the twelve Princes the Heads of their Tribes brought their great and splendid Offerings for the more solemn and magnificent dedicating of the Altar Indeed Moses first offered Burnt-Offerings and other Sacrifices thereon seven days together for the Consecrating of the Priests Levit. 8. which was in the first month of the second year and the next day after Aaron and his Sons offered Sacrifices thereon for himself and the people in general see Levit. 9.7 But now in the second month of the second year when the Tribes were all placed about the Tabernacle the Princes brought their Offerings twelve days together And because these were the first Offerings that were offered for any particular Tribes they were said to be offered for the dedicating of the Altar that is for the more solemn dedicating of it to those holy Vses and Services to which it was at first ordain'd and they were said to be offered not on the day it was first but on the day it was most fully and completely anointed and dedicated These Offerings being to be offered not altogether but on twelve days successively upon the first day Nahshon from whom David and according to the Flesh our Lord and Saviour came made his Offering for the Tribe of Judah which was one Silver Charger of an 130 Shekels for the use of the Altar of Burnt-Offering one Silver Bowl of 70 Shekels both full of fine Flower mingled with Oil for a Meat-Offering one Spoon of ten Shekels of Gold full of Incense one young Bullock one Ram one Lamb of the first year for a Burnt-Offering one Kid of the Goats for a Sin-Offering and for a Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings two Oxen (o) Of these the Princes with the Priests did eat and so kept a Feast of joy before the Lord for his great mercy to them five Rams five He-Goats five Lambs of the first year This was the noble Offering of Nahshon and every one of the Princes of the other Tribes each one on his day in his order offered the like Offering both for kind and quantity After all these things were thus done Moses went into the Tabernacle to receive further Directions from the Lord and the Lord spake unto him from the Mercy-Seat according as he had promised (p) See Exod. 25.21 to do Numb Ch. 7. whole Chapter SECT XLVII CErtain Laws are now given them which did concern the whole Congregation First Touching removing those that were defiled by Leprosie or had a running Issue or had touched a dead body out of the Camp till they were cleansed and purified according to the Order prescribed in that case For seeing the divine Presence was among them and they encamped round about the Tabernacle it was fit they should keep themselves from all uncleanness Numb Ch. 5. from 1. to 5. 2ly When any man or woman shall commit any sin whereunto by reason of humane frailty they are subject to fall to wit in regard of any wrong done to their Neighbour which is a sin highly displeasing to God then they shall confess their fault and make satisfaction not only by restoring the whole Principal but by adding a fifth part (q) Exod. 22. The Thief that had stolen was appointed to restore double what he had taken away yea in some cases four-fold and five-fold But those Laws were enacted for such against whom the Crime was proved by witnesses in a legal way But this is for those that did voluntarily confess the wrong they had done in which case the Lord imposeth a lighter penalty thereunto But if the party were dead to whom the wrong was done then the recompence must be made to his Heir or next Kinsman (r) This the Hâ—brews understand of trespasses done to strangers For they say there is no man in Israel without an Heir or Kinsman either
long attendance and so will go to their several Tents and Dwellings in peace having their minds quieted Moses consulting with the people about this Proposal they liked it very well see Deut. 1.13 14. and so he immediately put it in practice substituting such Governors under himself so that every Tribune appointed to Judge over a thousand Families had under him ten Centurions or Judges that were over an hundred Families a piece and every Centurion had under him two Rulers that were over fifty Families a piece and every Ruler over fifty had under him five Rulers which were set over ten (e) Parallel to this was the original Institution of our English Tything-men a word still in use in the West-Country being an Officer to oversee ten men with their Families This Tythingman is the same Officer which in other places is call'd the Petty Constable Families a piece And so it is like the inferour Officers gave account of those under their Care to their immediate Superiors Deut. 1. from 9. to 19. Exod. 18. whole Chapter SECT LII ON the 20th day of the second month of the second year after their coming out of Egypt the Cloudy-Pillar arising from off the Tabernacle and going in the forefront of their Camp the Israelites removed from Sinai where they had staid in that their 12th station a whole year (f) They came into the Wilderness of Sinai in the beginning of the third month of the first year see Deut. 1.6 7 8. and Sect. 13. of Ch. 4th within 13 days see Exod. 19.1 towards the Wilderness of Paran (g) In this Wilderness they journied a long time and in several places of it pitched their Tents They marched in such order and array as God had appointed by the direction of Moses Their Camp was divided into four Squadrons every Squadron consisting of three Tribes In the Van marched the Tribe of Judah with its associate Tribes Issachar and Zebulon under their respective Commanders of Thousands and Hundreds with a Standard having the figure of a Lion Immediately after them marched the Gershonites and Merarites who had the charge of the outward Tabernacle They marched formost of all the Levites that so they might be ready when the Army stayed to set up the Tabernacle against the Ark and the other holy things came that were carried by the Kohathites The Tribe of Reuben led the second Squadron in like manner with its associate Tribes Simeon and Gad with a Standard bearing the figure of a man as the Jewish Writers tell us Next to this Standard and so in the middle of the Camp marched the Kohathites bearing the Ark and the most holy Vtensils of the Tabernacle on their shoulders The Tribe of Ephraim led the third Squadron with their associate Tribes Manasseh and Benjamin with a Standard bearing the figure of an Ox. The Tribe of Dan with their associate Tribes Asher and Naphtali made up the fourth Squadron and brought up the Rear with a Standard bearing the figure of an Eagle The Army being thus set in Order and ready to march Moses desires Jethro * Called also Hobab see Sect. 56. of Ch. 3. his Father-in-law to go along with them telling him They would do him good and no hurt for God had promised to be gracious unto them and to own them for his people But Jethro refused to go telling him He would return to his own Country Moses presses him again to go with them telling him He might be in stead of Eyes to them in that howling Wilderness thorow which they were to march that is his prudent Counsel of which they had newly had experience might very much advantage them especially in things not particularly directed by God And if he would please to go along with them what goodness and bounty the Lord should shew to them he should share in and partake of But it seems he refused to go along with them being desirous to return to his own Countrey see Exod. 18.27 However either He or some of his Family returned afterwards unto the Israelites For his Posterity in after-times dwelt among the Israelites in the Land of Canaan as we may see Judg. 1.16 and Judg. 4.11 17. and 1 Sam. 15.6 Numb Ch. 10. from 11. to 33. SECT LIII MOses and the Children of Israel now depart from the Mount of the Lord viz. from Sinai and Horeb where He had appear'd so Eminently to them and given them his Law and the Ark (h) Profecta est in conspectu eorum i. e. arca in mediis castris a sacerdotibus gestata versabatur in oculis omnium Malvenda Pro uno reputantur arca columna cum arca semper sub Columna procederet Bochart went before them or in their sight and the Cloudy-Pillar over that for three days together when they marched to find out a fit place for them to pitch their Tents in And when the Cloud was lifted up and the four Squadrons with the Ark set forward and marched Moses said Arise O Lord and let thine Enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee And when the Ark rested according to the direction of the Cloud he said Return (i) Revertere respondet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surge Nam qui surgit quasi abiturus surgit Certo Nubes cum se attolleret abire videbatur Dr. O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel that is Return I pray thee and remain among thy people for in thy presence their chief joy and safety consist see Exod. 33.14 15 16. Numb 10. from the 33. to the end SECT LIV. THe people being now wearied with their three days march it seems some that were in the rear of the Camp began to murmur that they were forced to so long and tedious marches whereupon the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and He either poured down fire upon them from Heaven or caused it to break forth upon them from the Earth and it consumed many of them see Psal 78.21 The Israelites not knowing what to do run to Moses having a great opinion of his holiness and especial interest in the favour of God and intreat him to intercede with the Lord for them which he accordingly does and so the fire ceased The place where this Judgment was executed was hereupon called Taberah signifying a burning because the fire of the Lord here brake out upon them and consumed many among them Numb Ch. 11. from 1. to 4. SECT LV. THe people not having now any other Food but Manna to eat the mixt multitude among them of which see Exod. 12.38 not being sufficiently warned by the former Judgment began to loath it and to murmur that they had nothing else to eat And the Israelites it seems soon joyned with them in this their Complaint and murmuring saying in a discontented humor Who shall give us flesh to eat as if they had said we had plenty of Flesh in Egypt and great variety of Fowl We
Chron. 25.1 3. and possibly they foretold things to come and declared to the people the Word of God to their great Edification and Comfort and all in such a manner that they might easily be discerned to speak as men inspired by the Spirit of God Thus these men prophesied and did not cease that is continued all that day prophesying without intermission and this seems to be added because their continuing so long in this supernatural Exercise did much confirm their Call to their Office But two of these Elders that were chosen for this Employment and inrolled by Moses among his seventy Assistants did not come to the door of the Tabernacle as they were appointed to do 'T is probable they did forbear to come not out of contempt of Gods Command for then it is not likely they would have had the same Gift of the Spirit bestowed upon them as the others had but out of modesty * See a Case something like this 1 Sam. 10.22 and distrust of their own sufficiency for so great a Charge However these two whose names were Eldad and Medad received the same Spirit of Prophesie with the rest of the Seventy and accordingly prophesied in the Camp out of Moses's sight and without his knowledge as the others did at the door of the Tabernacle in his presence A report of this being brought to Moses and Joshuah his Servant suspecting it might be prejudicial to the Dignity and authority of his Master seeing these two seemed to do it without any dependency on him which the others had manifested in coming at his appointment to the door of the Tabernacle and there receiving this Gift and Authority from God he desired him to forbid * See a parallel Instance to this in the Disciples Mark 9.38 Luke 9.49 John 3.26 them But Moses meekly replied Envyest thou these men this Gift for my sake I am so far from envying or grudging at them for it that I could even wish if it so pleased the Lord that all his people had the same Gift Moses and the Elders of Israel now returning into the Camp God by his Almighty Power causes a strong Wind to blow from the Sea-ward viz. the Red-Sea which lay Southward of the Israelites Camp at this present and therewith brought a vast number of Quails among them and round about their Camp a days journey in circuit or compass insomuch that in many places they lay in heaps two Cubits high The Psalmist tells us Psal 78.27 He rained Flesh upon them as dust and feathered Fowls as the sand of the Sea The people seeing this in all hast rose up and fell to gather them and the gathering continued all that day and the next night and the day after And that Master of a Family with his Company that gathered least gathered ten Homers or heaps whereby possibly is to be understood a very great many And when they had gathered them they spread them abroad round about their Camp and layed them thin that they might not putrifie But it seems they were as miraculously preserved as they were sent else they would never have lasted good a whole month together About a year ago see Exod. 16.13 God gave them one meal of them at their eighth station in the Wilderness of Sin before they come to Sinai but now they eat of them a whole month together and having satisfied their greedy lust and appetite feeding without fear Jude v. 12. so long together with this kind of food at last the Wrath of the Lord brake out upon them and he smote them with a very great Plague while the flesh was between their teeth The Psalmist says He slew the wealthiest and the fattest of them Psal 78.31 'T is like He permitted them to surfeit by their greedy feeding and so thereby many of them died and therefore the place was called from thence Kibroth-Hattaavah that is the Graves of these men of lust and inordinate appetite See Psal 78. from 26. to 32. and Psal 106. v. 14 15. Numb 11. whole Chapter SECT LVI FRom Kibroth-Hattaavah they removed to Hazeroth At this place some emulation or contention arising as it seems between Miriam Moses's Sister and Zippora his Wife Miriam first and then Aaron stirred up by her spake against Moses because he had married a woman of Ethiopia so they seem to call her in contempt because she was of Midian a part of the Eastern Ethiopia otherwise called Arabia and was not one of Abraham's holy stock But seeing she had submitted her self to the Law of God she was to be held as an Israelitish-woman as Rahab and Ruth were However upon this occasion they quarrel with Moses and would equal themselves unto him What say they hath God only spoken by Moses hath he not spoken also by us Am not I says Miriam a Prophetess see Exod. 15.20 and hath not God promised to be with Aaron's mouth and that he should be a mouth to his Brother Moses Exod. 4.15 16. and hath not he been imployed by God together with Moses in bringing the Israelites out of Egypt What reason then that Moses should be all in all who hath matched himself to one that is a stranger to the holy Seed of Israel Moses being a very meek * It may seem strange that Moses should thus commend himself But let it be considered thâ—t either he did it by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God that his meekness might be a Pattern to the Church in all Ages as he does elsewhere relate his sins and weaknesses for the Instruction of the Church or else it may be conceived without wronging the authority of Moses's Writings that here and there by Joshuah or some other of the sacred Writers after him some passages were inserted which Moses himself wrote not such as that Deut. 34. concerning his death and burial See Mr. Jackson's Notes on the place and humble man was content to put up all this bearing it patiently and making no Complaint but the Lord would not let it so pass Therefore commanding Moses Aaron and Miriam to come all three together to the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Cloud descending to the door thereof the Lord now calls to Aaron and Miriam to stand forth and then declares to them that he did not manifest his Will to Moses in Dreams (p) Visions were Revelations to such as were awake Dreams to those that were asleep Dominus aliquando apparuit Prophetis in Ecstasi aliquando per somnium dormientibus aliquando vigilantibus in aliqua similitudine sed sine locutione ut Jeremiae Ezekieli Somnia plerumque erant aenigmatica ut scala Jacobi c. and Visions as to other Prophets but he spake to him with an audible Voice out of the Cloud and out of the Tabernacle very plainly and clearly as one Friend uses to speak to another and had at times discovered to him more of his Glory than ever he did to any mortal
man see Exod. 33.20 And when he spake to him he did not make known his mind to him in obscure figurativ expressions as he did to some of the Prophets see Ezek. 17.3 but plainly and clearly and seeing he had manifested so great favour to Moses How comes it to pass says the Lord that ye were not afraid to speak against my Servant Moses And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and the Cloud the sign of his presence removed from the door of the Tabernacle and possibly for some time disappeared God intending thereby to testifie his Indignation against them And immediately Miriam became Leprous and white as Snow * See Deut. 24.9 God was pleased to spare Aaron though Partner with his Sister in this Sin lest in his Dishonour the Priesthood should suffer Aaron intreats Moses to Intercede with the Lord for them that the punishment of this sin wherein they had done foolishly may not be laid upon them He begs that Miriam may not by the continuance of this white Leprosie upon her be as a Child dead in the Womb whose flesh when it comes into the World looks white and putrified as if it were sodden and half consumed And though says He she is for the present alive yet as one dead she is to be excluded from the Communion of the Church see Numb 5.2 and this fretting Plague if it continue upon her will in the end utterly consume and kill her Moses was prevailed with to pray for Her and upon his prayer the Lord was pleased to heal her of her Plague yet gives order that she should be carried out of the Camp for the present For says God if her earthly Father had in great displeasure spit in her face surely she would have been ashamed to shew her self for a time and therefore much more fit is it that in such a Case as this she should be secluded from the Congregation to instruct all the people to take heed of being corrupted with Her example The people upon this Sentence mourned for Her and journied not till she was brought into the Camp again which argued the great honour and respect they had for Her being a Prophetess and the Sister of Moses and Aaron After this the people removed from Hazeroth and pitched in another place in the Wilderness of Paran called Rithmath see Ch. 33.18 Numb 12. whole Chapter SECT LVII THe people being now come near to the Mountain of the Amorites upon the Borders of Canaan Moses encourages them to go up and take possession of the Land which God had promised them Deut. 1.20 21. but they fearing the Event desire that they may first send some Spies to search the Land Moses not knowing their distrustful hearts likes well their motion Deut. 1.23 and seeking Counsel of the Lord about it the Lord was pleased to permit it though in displeasure and accordingly Commands that at the time when Grapes first grew ripe they should send twelve Principal men such as were of authority and esteem among them of every Tribe one of which Caleb was for the Tribe of Judah being then forty years old see Joshua 14.7 and Hoshea (q) Hoshea signifies a Saviour but by adding Jah the Contract of Jehovah which is the proper Name of God Psal 68.4 thereby was signified that He should by the help and assistance of God be a Saviour of the people the Son of Nun whom Moses called Jehoshua or Joshua for the Tribe of Ephraim to discover and spy out the Land These men accordingly went entring into Canaan by the Desart of Zin lying on the South and so went quite thorow it to the very North part thereof even to Rehob 'T is probable they divided themselves else 't is like they would have been suspected neither could they otherwise have viewed the whole Country in so short a time Numb 13. from 1. to 23. SECT LVIII THese Spyes after forty days return from searching the Land and come to the Camp at Kadesh bringing with them one branch of a Vine with one Cluster or Bunch of Grapes upon it which was so big that they carried it between two of them upon a staff with some Pomegranates and Figgs of the Land Ten of these twelve Spies that were sent praised indeed the goodness of the Land but magnified also the strength of the Cities thereof and the Giant-like stature of the Inhabitants thereby disheartning the people from marching any further towards it At Hebron a City in the South-parts of it which was one of the ancientest Cities in the World being more ancient then Zoan the chief City of Egypt which vaunted it self to be of very great Antiquity see Isa 19.11 they tell them they met with Giants the Sons of Anak men of mighty stature in comparison of whom they seemed but like Grashoppers They tell them The Cities of the Canaanites were great and walled up to Heaven Deut. 1.28 They further tell them That the Amalekites dwelt in the South Country the Hittites Jebusites and Amorites in the Mountains nigh unto the Wilderness where the Israelites now lay so that there would be no entring the Land on the South because of those mighty Nations that would be there ready to oppose them And in case they should think to fetch a compass about and to enter in on the East-side there they would be kept out by the River Jordan which ran along on that side and the dead-Sea and by the Canaanites who dwelt by the Sea and by the Coast of Jordan and they being a valiant and a strong people would improve those advantages for the best defence of their Country Thus these ten Spies discouraged the people bringing an evil Report upon the Land telling them It was a Land that eateth up the Inhabitants thereof by reason of the Civil Wars and frequent intestine Commotions that arose among them and by reason of the Tyranny of the Gyants who oppressed those that were less powerful than themselves And if several of the Natives of the Land were expos'd to so much danger how much more had they need to fear that were Strangers and were held their Common Enemies and what could they expect but to be eaten up with continual Wars The people at this Relation being greatly terrified Caleb and Joshua rose up and contradicted this false Report and encouraged the people telling them they might easily by Gods assistance Conquer the Land see Ch. 14.6 7. They said all that they could to still and quiet them and to hearten them to go on but all in vain For they now fall into an high rage and discontent and murmur against Moses and Aaron and wish they had died in Egypt or the Wilderness Nay their discontent and impatience grew so high that they said Deut. 1.27 Because the Lord hated us he hath brought us out of the Land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite to destroy us and that our selves our Wives and Children should
to God should bring this punishment of forty years continuance in the Wilderness upon their Children And He says They shall know to their Cost what a dangerous thing it is to withdraw themselves or break off (r) V. 34. Scietis abruptionem meam i. e. abruptionem à me Pisc their Obedience to Him They shall find that it was their own Infidelity and Disobedience to him and not his breach of Promise with them that kept them out of that good Land to the borders of which he had now brought them They ought to have considered that his Promise was Conditional and the performance of it was to be expected only by those that performed the condition of it and towards them it shall never fail Numb 13. from 23. to the end Numb 14. from 1. to 36. Joshua 5.6 Numb 32. from 8. to 14. Deut. 1. from 26. to 40. Deut. 9.23 24. Psal 95. from 8. to the end Psal 106. from 23. to 27. SECT LIX THe ten Spies who had caused this meeting among the people were smitten by God with an extraordinary Plague and died presently see 1 Cor. 10.10 With this Judgment the people were grievously terrified and mourned exceedingly And in remembrance thereof the Jews keep a Feast upon the seventh day of the sixth month call'd Ebul Numb 14. from 36. to 40. SECT LX. THe people being much terrified with this Judgment and more especially with Gods Decree against them which Moses had acquainted them with and being very sensible that they had greatly provoked the Lord they would needs now in all hast gird on their Swords and go forward to take possession of the Land God had promised them resolving to fight all Enemies in the way But Moses charges them from the Lord that they should not stir see Deut. 1.42 He tells them that the Amalekites and Canaanites had pitched in the Valley beyond the Mountain at the foot whereof they were now encamped and lay there with their Forces to hinder their passage He tells them If they went up the Lord would not be with them but they would be smitten before their Enemies However some of them presumptuously would march up to the top of the hill though Moses and the Ark (s) The Ark removed not but at the removal of the Cloud Numb 9.15 which God not taking up now shewed thereby his dislike of their Enterprize staid behind And the Amalekites and Canaanites as had been foretold them came out against them and chased them as Bees which being angred use to come out in great Swarms and to fight with great eagerness and fury see Psal 118.12 and killing many of them pursued the rest even unto Hormah a place so called afterwards upon another occasion see Numb 21.3 And such of them as escaped cried and wept before the Lord but he regarded not their prayers and had as little respect to their tears as they had before to his Preceps And so they abode in the large Wilderness of Kadesh many days as the days they stayed there did sufficiently manifest For they were made to wander about 38 years longer in the Wilderness Numb 14. from 40. to the end Deut. 1. from 40. to the end SECT LXI UPon this Calamity and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness God having sentenced to death all above twenty years old but Joshua and Caleb as is before related Moses composed the 90th Psalm in which he sheweth that the ordinary age of man was reduc'd to 70 or 80 at the utmost Therefore the age of man was now a third time contracted and cut short a third part of what it was before SECT XLII THough the Lord had thus manifested his Wrath and Severity against those disobedient Israelites whom he had sentenced to die in the Wilderness yet that he might shew that He intended to bring their Children into the good Land he had promised he now enlarges and explains those Laws he had formerly given concerning the Sacrifices which he would have them offer to him when they came thither as particularly what Meat-Offerings and Drink-Offerings should be offered together with their Sacrifices whereof part was to be burnt upon the Altar as accessories and appurtenances thereunto And according as the Sacrifice was greater or less so must also the Meat and Drink-Offerings be more or less And He appoints particularly what shall be prepared for a Lamb or a Kid and what for a Ram or a Bullock that there might be a proportion observ'd betwixt them Numb 15. from vers 1. to 13. 2ly He injoyns that the Stranger that is brought to embrace the same Religion with them shall be under the same Laws and Ordinances that they were under One Law and one manner shall be for you and for the stranger that sojourneth with you from vers 13. to 17. 3ly He injoyns them to offer a Cake of the first of their Dough for an Heave-Offering that is about the same quantity that they offered of their first Corn they should offer of their Dough and both to be offered with the same Ceremonies These they were to offer to the Lord that is to the Priests the Lords Receivers for the First-fruits were their portion Ezek. 44.30 The first of all the Fruits of all things and every Oblation of all of every sort of your Oblations shall be the Priests from vers 17. to 22. 4ly Laws are given concerning Sacrifices to be offered when either the whole Congregation or a single person had sinned thorow ignorance Levit. 4.13 There is a Law given concerning Expiation of Sins ignorantly committed but that seems to be made in reference to Errors and Faults committed in common course of life and this to be meant of those only which are committed in things which belong to the external Worship and Service of God from vers 22. to 30. 5ly A Law is given for the cutting off those who sin not of ignorance inadvertency or infirmity but wilfully boldly and presumptuously in contempt of the Laws which God hath enacted concerning his publick Worship From vers 30. to the 31. 6ly To deter presumptuous Sinners a relation is made of a bold and presumptuous Sinner who refused to conform himself to the Law which God had made concerning his outward Worship and Service It seems whilst they were in the Wilderness one of the Congregation went out presumptuously to gather sticks on the Sabbath-day This being a direct violation of the Law given concerning the Sabbath they put the man inward till they had inquired of the Lord what should be done to him * See Levit. 24.12 That a Sabbath breaker was to be put to death they know see Exod. 31.14 35.2 but what kind of death he should die or whither this gathering of sticks made him obnoxious to that Sentence they were not fully resolved though it was evident enough to them he had done it presumptuously Moses not willing to take away his life without certain direction inquires
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
on their faces and interceeded with the Lord for them God by his Spirit informs Moses That he had sent a Plague among them and directs him what course to take for the stopping of it Hereupon he calls to Aaron to take his Censer and to put fire into it from off the Altar and to put Incense thereon and to run quickly and make atonement for the people and to stand between the living and the dead (b) Incense was only to be offered upon the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle but this was done upon an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary warrant of divine Inspiration for he tells him Wrath was gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron did as Moses commanded him yet the Plague ran so swiftly among the people like fire in a field of Corn that before Aaron could interpose himself to make atonement wherein he was a Figure of Christs Intercession there fell fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those rebellious Murmurers see 1 Cor. 10.10 and then the Plague was stayed and Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tabernacle to acquaint him how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands Numb 16. whole Chapter SECT LXIV THat none might for the future presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood or aspire to it besides Aaron and his Sons God was pleased to enjoyn Moses to take of each Prince of the twelve Tribes a Rod or Staff such as they did usually carry in their hands which were it seems according to the Custom of those times made of Almond-Tree and to write every Princes Name on his Rod and to write Aaron's Name upon the Rod of the Tribe of Levi. He tells him That the mans Rod whom he did choose to serve him in the Priesthood should blossom and the rest remain dry And God orders Moses to lay all the Rods up in the Tabernacle in the most holy place before the Ark of the Testimony where the Lord did use by glorious signs to testifie his Presence and make known his Will unto them see Exod. 25.22 For upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place Accordingly next morning Moses went in thither and he found that the Rod of Aaron had shot forth branches and some of them had buds on them and some blossoms and others yielded Almonds but all the rest of the Rods remaining dry as they were before Then Moses brought out all the Rods and shewed them to the Children of Israel and the Princes took every man his Rod and found them dry sticks as before but Aaron's Rod flourished and had brought forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit by which Miracle they were convinced that God had chosen Aaron and his Sons to be the only Priests that should serve Him at the Altar And hereupon God orders Moses to lay up Aaron's Rod again in the most holy place before the Ark to be kept there * See Apostol Hist on Heb. 9.6 as a Testimony against any such Children of Rebellion as should ever after presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood And by this means also he might prevent the murmurings and complainings of the people which if they went on in they would thereby bring certain destruction upon their own heads The people hearing these things and being exceedingly terrified with this threatning and the remembrance of those late dreadful Judgments that had carried away so many among them they cry out unto Moses Alas we die we perish we all perish that is we see we are in continual danger of being swept away with terrible Judgments And as men terrified are wont to conceive their danger to be greater than indeed it is they now apprehend that it would be exceeding dangerous for them to come near the Tabernacle or to be present at any Worship or Service there performed and seem to fear that God would not withdraw his Indignation from them until he had destroyed and consumed them all Ch. 17. whole Chapter SECT LXV THe people being under such a fear and consternation the Lord hereupon takes order for the guard of the Sanctuary and injoyns that every one should remain within the Verge and Limits of his duty and so they should be safe and he tells Aaron That He and the Priests and Levites shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is if any pollution (c) Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the Priests watch a ground of appeasing both the fear and envy of the people came to it by the people they should answer for it and bear the punishment thereof if they did not take care to prevent it and the Priests should bear the punishment of all Iniquity committed about their Priests Office if they did carry themselves amiss in it or suffer a stranger or Levite to meddle therein He tells them he had joined * Here is an allusion to Levies name which signifies joyned the Levites to them to minister to them in the outward Services of killing and slaying the Sacrifices c. but they themselves only should serve at the Altar and within the holy place before the Ark of the Testimony and the Levites shall observe the Precepts and Charge which he hath given them concerning their Ministry and concerning the sacred things of the Tabernacle which are committed to their Care that so every one keeping his station and doing his duty there may be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel only they shall not meddle with the Service of the Sanctuary and Altar lest they die And if the Priests did not endeavour to prevent any such Errour or Miscarriage in their Brethren the Levites they should also incur the like danger Thus he appoints the Levites to minister to the Priests and orders that he that is not of the Tribe of Levi shall not be admitted to serve and minister unto them For God having taken the Levites instead of the first-born of the Children of Israel to himself he had given them unto Aaron and his Sons for his own Service and the Service of the Tabernacle Therefore he and his Sons should exercise their Priests Office in all things that concern the Altar of Burnt-Offerings and in all things which are to be done within the outward Veil whereby the holy place is divided from the Court the High Priest in the most holy place and inferiour Priests within the Sanctuary or holy place And God tells Aaron and his Sons That 't is his free Gift and favour to them that he had made choice of them before others for the Priestly Office and that He had ordained That whoever is not of Aaron's Line and goeth about to meddle with the Priestly Office shall be put to death from vers 1. to 8. The Lord having thus set down the Office and Work of the Priests and Levites he
comes now to set out their portion which they should have as a reward of their Service And first He tells Aaron that for the sake of his Office to which he was anointed and because He and his Sons were separated from worldly Imployments to attend upon holy things therefore they should have a part in every Meat-Offering Sin-Offering Trespass-Offering and in the Court * See Levit. 6.16.26 Lev. 7.6 Ezek. 42 13 14. of the Tabernacle or Tents round about it called here the most holy place comparatively in respect to the Camp of Israel and the great Court for the people which was without the Priests Court they might eat of them 2ly They should have the Heave-Offerings and Wave-Offerings that is the right Shoulder and wave-breast of the Peace-Offerings with all other Gifts that were heaved and waved no part thereof being burnt upon the Altar And of these the Priests Daughters might eat whilst they remained in their Fathers house but being married to strangers they might not eat of the holy things see Levit. 22.12 13. Neither might any unclean person eat thereof 3ly They should have the first-fruits Some of the first-fruits of the Land were brought to the Lord at their three great Feasts as a sheaf of their Barley at the Feast of the Passover Levit. 23.10 And two loaves of their new-Wheat at the Feast of Pentecost vers 17. And the first of their Wine and Oil at the Feast of Tabernacles But these were brought in the name of all the Inhabitants of the Land in general Besides these particular men were of their own Corn and Fruits to bring the first-fruits unto the Lord as is enjoyned Exod. 22.29 23.19 concerning which there is no other direction given but that they should be of the first and of the best the quantity being left to the liberty and discretion of the Owner to bring according as he had found the blessing of God upon his Grounds 4ly They should have all things devoted that is all votive and freewill-Offerings see Levit. 27.28 except such things as were devoted as a Sacrifice unto God 5ly The first-born of men and beasts The first-born * The first-born of men before they were redeemed were to be presented before the Lord in the Temple Exod. 13.12 Levit. 2.22 And that could not be done before the Mother was purified which required forty days time Levit. 12.4 The first-born of the Tribe of Levi were free from this Redemption of men they were to permit to be redeem'd at a month old (d) V. 16. Secundum aestimationem seu ordinationem tuam Refero ad illud post mensem q. d. Constitues diem quando velles eum redimi Hic dies Communi usu erat 40 a partu ut eadem opera mater purificaretur filius redimeretur Bonfrerius for five Shekels see Levit. 27.6 and the firstlings of unclean Beasts they were to permit to be redeemed after eight days at a lower price but the firstlings of Cows Sheep and Goats were not to be redeemed they must be sacrific'd and their blood sprinkled and their fat burnt on the Altar that they may be a sweet savour to the Lord but their flesh should go to the Priests God tells them He had allotted them these things for their Maintenance (e) The Hebrew Doctors write of 24 Gifts which God bestowed on the Priests with the order and use of them See Ainsworth pag. 113. for ever that is whilst this Dispensation lasted by a perpetual and unchangeable Covenant called a Covenant of Salt because firm and incorruptible Salt having a vertue to preserve any thing from corruption God further tells Aaron That when the Land shall be divided by Lot there shall be no lot for the Levites They should have no Inheritance in it He himself would be their part and portion Indeed they had Cities (f) Concerning the 35 Cities and Suburbs of the Levites and 13 Cities and Suburbs of the Priests See Richardson pag. 32. and Suburbs but they were given them by the other Tribes The Lord further tells Aaron That He had given the Levites all the Tenths or Tythes of the Children of Israel (g) V. 24. Which they offered as an Heave-offering that is an Oblation to the Lord and a sign of their homage and subjection and thankfulness to him for his blessings as a reward of their Service Levit. 27.30 And straitly charges that no Israelite that is not of that Tribe presume to come nigh to the Tabernacle to do any part of the Service belonging to the Levites lest they die for it And He tells him That the Levites should bear the punishment of their own Iniquity if they should transgress yea and of the peoples too if by their not watching over the holy things they suffered the people to transgress about them He further injoyns that the Levites shall offer as an Oblation to the Lord and pay a tenth of all the Tythes they receive unto the Priests and this the Lord would accept at their hands no less than if having Lands as others had they should pay Tythe of the increase of them as the rest of the people did to them and hereby they should testifie their homage and thankfulness to God And they were to offer and separate out of the Tythes paid to them for the hallowed part to be paid to the Priests that which was of all the best And the Priests might eat of these Tythes indifferently in any place And He further declares That if the Levites do heave or separate a tenth part of the best of their Tythes for the Priests use they shall not expose themselves to punishment which they would else do if they neglected it In conclusion here is added a general warning that both Priests and Levites should take heed of polluting or profaning the holy things or suffering them to be profaned by others which might be done many ways that so they might prevent wrath from falling on themselves and others Ch. 18. whole Chapter SECT LXVI THe Lord having appointed the Priests and Levites to do the Service of the Tabernacle and to watch over the people that they might not trangress about any of the holy things He here appoints a water of separation to be made that so if any of the people had contracted any legal uncleanness by the sprinkling of this water upon them they might be cleansed and so might come freely again to the Service of God in the Tabernacle without fear of those Plagues which otherwise their pollutions might bring upon them For the making of this water a red Heifer was to be provided and that by the common charge of all the Children of Israel because it was to be for the common good of them all and for the cleansing of any one among them that was by any accident legally unclean It must be an Heifer without spot and upon which never came yoke For they used in those times to
plow and draw their Carts with Heifers and Cows as well as with Oxen see Judg. 14.18 This Heifer was to be given to Eleazar because by doing this Service that was now to be done he was to be unclean and 't was fit that he rather than Aaron should be defiled She must also be carried out of the Camp as an accursed thing figuring Christs being made a Curse and suffering without the City Heb. 13.12 And Eleazar was to sprinkle of her blood seven times turning his face towards the Tabernacle of the Congregation And her skin and her flesh her blood and her dung were all to be burnt in his sight And Eleazar was to take Cedar-wood and Hyssop and Scarlet and to cast them into the midst of the burning of the Heifer to signifie that these things should be used for a sprinkle in sprinkling the unclean with the water of separation see Levit. 14.4 And Eleazar was to wash his Clothes and bath his flesh and to be unclean unto the evening * The like is injoyned to him that burnt this Heifer v. 8. and to him that gathered up the ashes v. 10. and to him that sprinkled an unclean person with the water made of those ashes v. 21. This might intimate to them that it was not so much the water made with the ashes of this Heifer as the thing signified thereby that had vertue in it to purifie those that were spiritually unclean and consequently to shew the imperfection of the legal Priesthood because they that were imployed in preparing this water which was for the cleansing of others were themselves defiled 'T was further injoyned That the ashes of this Heifer should be gathered up by a man that was clean and laid up without the Camp in a clean place (h) As for the place where those ashes were kept when they came into the Land of Canaan it is not expressed Some hold that those ashes were dispers'd into all the Cities that those who were unclean might have wherewith to purifie and cleanse themselves because they were now conseerated to an holy use However the man that gathered them up was thereby made unclean because they were the remainders of an Heifer slain for the sins of the people And the Statute of making and reserving of these ashes for a water of separation was to bind both the Israelite and the Proselyte or Stranger that sojourned with them as long as this Dispensation lasted By this Law it was further injoyned That he that touched the dead body of a man was to be unclean seven days and he was to purifie himself with this water on the third day and on the seventh day vers 19. and then he was to be clean else not And whoever having contracted this kind of uncleanness and doth not make use of this way to purifie himself but cometh in that state into the Court of the Tabernacle he shall be cut off by the Sentence of the Judge if it be proved that he did it presumptuously because he despiseth not only the Ceremonial purifying but the thing signified thereby viz. the spiritual cleansing thorow the blood of the Messias Otherwise if he did it ignorantly he was to bring such a Sacrifice as is injoyn'd Levit. 5.3 6. Further if any man came into the Tent of a dead man it rendred him unclean yea and all that was in the Tent Every open Vessel that takes in the air of the Tent was ceremoniously unclean Or if a man touched a dead body or the bone of a dead man it rendred him unclean And thus hereby was figured the spreading and infectious nature of sin And one of the Priests that was clean was to put running water to the ashes of the burnt-Heifer and with a bunch of Hyssop tied to a Cedar-stick with a Scarlet-thread to sprinkle the person or Tent or Vessels that were unclean and then to be himself unclean until the evening because he had touched the water of separation And whatsoever any unclean person touched was to be held unclean to signifie the contagion of sin spreading from one to another Numb 19. whole Chapter SECT LXVII THe Camp now advanced to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin which was near to the Land of Edom in the first month of the fortieth year after their coming out of Egypt and there Miriam died and was buried four months before her Brother Aaron and eleven months before her Brother Moses She was the eldest of the three she attained to the age of 130 see Exod. 2.4 7. she was a Prophetess and by her also God guided the Israelites in their Travels see Mich. 6.4 she in all likelihood was the Girl that was set to watch what would become of Moses when he was expos'd in an Ark of Bulrushes on the River Nile see Exod. 2.4 c. Numb 20. vers 1. SECT LXVIII AT this Kadesh (i) So that in their Travels from Kadesh-barnea where the Spies came back to Moses to this Kadesh in the Desart of Zin there were about 38 years spent and most of their Fathers that were numbred at their coming out of Egypt were in this time dead the people for want of water murmur again against Moses and Aaron With the same want God had tried their Fathers in the first year after their coming out of Egypt Exod. 17.4 and they murmured then as their Children do now and they had water given them out of a Rock But these their Children were worse than their Fathers because the supply their Fathers had from God in that extremity should have been an argument and encouragement to them to rely on his Providence now and not to have distrustfully murmured or wished so desperately as they did Would God say they we had died with our Brethren whom God suddenly destroyed in the Insurrection of Corah and at other times thereby as it were slighting that fearful Judgment of being cut off in Gods firery Indignation in comparison of being pinch'd with a present want of water They highly expostulate with Moses and Aaron for bringing them into that barren Wilderness which was no place to sow seed in or plant Figg-Trees Vines or Pomegranates but a Land of Desarts a Land of Drought and where there was no water a Land thorow which no man passed and where no man dwelt see Jer. 2.6 Moses and Aaron hereupon betake themselves unto the door of the Tabernacle to intercede with God as formerly for this rebellious people And the Lord immediately signified his approach and the actual manifestation of his glorious Presence by the descending of the Cloud to the door of the Tabernacle see Ch. 14.10 and Ch. 16.19 And here He Commands Moses to take the Rod viz. Aaron's Rod which budded out of the Tabernacle * See Numb 20. v. 9. Ch. 17.10 and with that Rod in his hand to speak to the Rock before the Children of Israel and it should give forth water Moses indeed with his miraculous Rod at
afforded us viz. Meat and Drink for our money as we passed thorow the out-skirts of their Country But Sihon would not let us pass for the Lord hardned * God cannot be the Author of Sin or the rebellion of the heart but he may being debtor to no man withhold his grace He may leave men to themselves He may permit Satan to work effectually in them See Sect. 59. of Ch. 3. on Exod. 4.21 his Spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into our hands as appeareth by the event For Sihon coming out against us with his people to fight us the Lord delivered him into our hands and we smote him and all his Host and we took all his Cities and utterly destroyed Men Women and Children see Deut. 20.14 15 16. as God had commanded us Only we took the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities to our selves for a Prey But the Land which was on the out-side of the River Jabbock which belonged to the Ammonites Josh 12.2 and those Cities of the Ammonites that lay in that mountainous Country beyond Jabbock and what-ever else was in the possession of the Ammonites did we not at all meddle with or with any thing else that God had forbidden us 5. He reminds them how after they had conquered Sihon they conquered Og Chap. III the Giant King of Bashan the other King of the Amorites When we marched up towards Bashan then says he Og the King thereof with his Army came out against us at Edrei And the Lord commanded us not to be afraid of him though he was a Giant of such a formidable stature And accordingly the Lord delivered him and his people and his Land into our hand and we took all his Cities even threescore Cities all the Region of Argob a Province in Bashan we took all those Cities which were fenced with high walls gates and bars and many unwalled Towns also And we destroyed Men Women and Children as we had before done unto King Sihon and his Subjects but the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities we took as a Prey to our selves So we took at this time from those two Kings of the Amorites the Land that was on this side Jordan from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon called by the Sidonians Sirion (c) And Ch. 4.48 Sion and by the Amorites Shenir and all the Cities of the Plain and all Gilead And says He there now remained of that Gigantick Race in the Kingdom of Bashan but this Og only whose Bedstead * The Cubit of a man being usually a foot and an half according to this measure his Bedstead was four yards and an half long and two yards broad was of Iron and nine Cubits according to the Cubit of an ordinary man was the length thereof and four Cubits the breadth thereof and it was now kept in Rabbah (d) Possibly this Bedstead was taken in some War between the Ammonites and this King and so kept in Rabbah as a glorious Trophy of their Victory the chief City of the Ammonites from 1. to 12. 6. He shews how he distributed those Countries taken from the two Kings to Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh see Numb 32.19 enjoyning them nevertheless to go over Jordan before their Brethren armed and to fight for them and help them against the Canaanites till God had given them that Land quietly to possess and then they should return to their own Possessions on this side Jordan again And says He I appointed in this new Conquest three Cities of Refuge viz. Bezer in the lot of the Reubenites and Ramoth-Gilead in the lot of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan in the lot of the Manaesites from 12 to 21. and Ch. 4. from 14. to 44. 7. He further tells them how he encouraged Joshua who was to be his Successor from what he had seen the Lord do to those two Kings of the Amorites and that consequently he should not fear the other Kings he was to fight with for the Lord would fight for Israel Then he tells them how earnestly he besought the Lord to permit him to go into Canaan I prayed says he O Lord God thou hast begun to shew thy Servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand For what God is there in Heaven or Earth that can do according to thy Works and according to thy Might I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan and that goodly Mountain Lebanon But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes Your murmurings made me sometimes too rash in speaking and sometimes too slow in believing in the Lord which provoked Him against me so that He would not grant my Request but said to me Let it suffice thee speak no more to me of this matter Get thee up to the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes West-ward and North-ward East-ward and Southward and behold it with thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan But give Joshua in Charge what I Command thee and encourage and strengthen him For he shall go over before this people and shall cause them to inherit the Land which thou shalt only see with thine eyes Ch. 3. from 21. to the end 8. From all these Experiences of Gods signal Goodness to them He comes now to exhort them to keep and obey the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord and to teach their Children also to observe them and especially to take heed of Idolatry which was a very provoking sin And that he might excite them the more to the observance of these Precepts he bespeaks them in this wise Hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I am now to teach you and be careful to practise them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers hath given you You shall not add * Improbatur hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus proprio arbitrio excogitatus Confer Deut. 12.8 32. Numb 15.39 40. Prov. 30.5 6. Gal. 3.10 to the words which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it but you must keep close to the Commandments of the Lord which I from Him command you Your eyes have seen the Judgments of God executed upon those that committed Idolatry with Baal-Peor unto which many of Israel declined by the counsel of Balaam But you that did cleave unto the Lord and kept your selves from that Transgression were saved from that destruction Behold I set before you the Statutes †Some by Statutes understand Ornances of divine Worship and by Judgments Laws that concern their duty towards men and the punishment of Transgressors and Judgments which God hath commanded Chap. IV me to give you and which you are to observe in the Land which you are going to possess And carefully to observe them will be a great evidence of your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations that shall
hear and rightly consider these Statutes and they will say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people For what other great Nation is there which hath God so nigh unto them and always dwelling among them as these Israelites have as is evident by the miraculous signs of his Presence among them and his readiness always to hear their prayers and to defend and protect them from all evils And indeed what other Nation is there that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous * Ex legibus de populis fit juditium as is this Law which I am to set before you this day You ought therefore to take heed lest you forget the great things God hath done for you and that they may never be forgotten I exhort you to teach them your Sons and your Sons Sons And especially remember the day when you stood †Most of those that stood then at Horeb were dead see Ch. 2.14 15 16. But many that were then young were now alive before the Lord in Horeb when God commanded me to gather the people together to hear his words that they might learn to fear Him all the days of their life and might teach them unto their Children And ye came near and stood under the Mountain and the Mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of Heaven * Per hyperbolen significat quod vehementer altissime flammas evomeret and there were great Tempests and thick darkness And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire Ye heard the voice of his words but saw no Similitude of Him at all And he declared unto you his Covenant viz. the Condition required on your part namely Obedience and Observance of his ten Commandments which He wrote upon two Tables of stone And besides those ten Commandments which the Lord himself gave you He not long after that time gave me other Statutes and Judgments viz. the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws which he commanded me to teach you Take heed therefore unto your selves lest you corrupt your selves by Idolatry or by making any Image of God for remember you saw no manner of similitude of Him at Horeb or any figure of Man Beasts Birds creeping things or Fishes to represent Him Take heed also of worshipping the Host of Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars which are so far from being Gods that God hath created them for the common use of man and the service of all Nations And you Israelites ought above all people to be careful not to dishonour God by such gross Idolatry because He hath brought you forth by an out-stretched Arm out of the Iron-Furnace of Egypt and hath taken you to Himself as his own peculiar people and as his own Possession as you see this day Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes and sware that I should not go over Jordan but should die in this Land However ye shall go over and possess †Moses being sure of Heaven envies not those that should inherit the earthly Canaan it Take heed therefore lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God and especially take heed of Idolatry or making any graven Image to represent God which he hath so severely forbidden For God is a jealous God jealous of having the Worship due only to Himself given to any Creature He is a consuming fire to those that provoke him by their Rebellions Furthermore I advise you that when you are setled in the Land of Canaan and are mightily increased that you be not secure nor think it a small matter to corrupt your selves by Idolatry for if you do I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you this day that I faithfully admonish'd you of your danger and told you that upon such Provocations God would destroy many of you and drive the small remnant that shall be left out of the Land he hath given you to possess and would scatter you among Heathen Nations where you shall serve their Gods * Quod in patria fecistis ultro facietis attoniti pudore atque inviti exules or at lest those that did serve them viz. such Gods as are the work of mens hands and made of Wood or Stone which neither see nor hear eat nor smell But yet even then when you have thus transgressed and are thereupon under great tribulation if ye shall humble your selves before the Lord and shall seek his Face and turn to him with all your Heart †Some think those verses from 27. to 32. to be a Prophesie of the calling of the Jews and all your Soul He is so gracious and merciful that he will have pity upon you and will not forget the Covenant which he made with your Fathers And that you may remember the extraordinary engagements the Lord hath laid upon you look back upon ancient times and consult the Histories of all things that have happened since the Creation in any part of the world from the one side of the Heavens to the other and from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof and inquire whither there was ever such a thing in the world before That a people should hear the Voice of God speaking unto them out of the midst of the fire and yet live and escape as ye did yea further inquire whither ever God assayed at any time in such a manner to take unto Himself a Nation from the midst of another Nation by Temptations (e) God propounding his Will to the Israelites tried their Obedience whither they would trust in Him They were also temptations to Pharaoh to try whither he would be won to yield to God and let the people go Signs Wonders by War (f) Against Pharaoh whom with his Host He destroyed in the Red-Sea and by a mighty Hand and out-stretched Arm and by great Terrours as he hath done you when he brought you out of Egypt Before your eyes were those great things done that you may know that the Lord he is God and there is no other besides him Out of the Air from on high he made you to hear his Voice to instruct you and upon Mount Sinai he made you see his great fire and you heard his words out of the midst of it And because of his own free Grace and Love and not for any desert of theirs he chose and loved your Fathers and chose their Seed after them for his peculiar people therefore he brought you by his Almighty Power out of Egypt in his sight that is the eye of his Providence being still fixed upon you even as a Father causes his Child to go before him that he may preserve him from danger Exod. 14.19 * Ante se in exitu ex Aegypto retro se posuit ut eos intueretur And he brought you out of Egypt that you might drive out other Nations greater and mightier than you and take their Land to your selves for an Inheritance as you
down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine head and they shall be as Frontlets (l) Scopus hujus praecepti est non ad hujusmodi Ceremonias praecisas obstringere sed continuam Legis recordationem inculcare Jans vide Exod. 13.9 The Pharisees followed the literal sense in their Phylacteries which were some written Schedules of Parchment which were fastened to their Foreheads and Arms to keep the Law of God in remembrance see Matth. 23.5 between thine eyes that is thou shalt use all means to keep them in continual remembrance and to set them before the eyes of thy Children that they may live according to them And thou shalt write them on the posts of thy House and on thy Gates see Ch. 11.18 19 20. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into that good Land which He sware unto thy Fathers to give thee and into great and goodly Cities which thou buildest not and into Houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and to Wells digged which thou digedst not and to Vineyards and Olive-Trees which thou plantedst not when thou hast eaten and art full then beware lest thou forget the Lord that brought thee forth out of the Land of Egypt from the house of Bondage Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and sware by his Name that is when thou hast a lawful Call to sware thou shalt perform this religious act by the Name of the only true God and not of any Idol nor by any Creature whatsoever Ye shall not follow after other gods nor worship or serve the gods of other Nations that are round about lest the anger of the Lord who is a jealous God be kindled against thee and He destroy thee from off the face of the Earth Take heed also lest you provoke the Lord by your distrust and murmurings and limiting the holy One of Israel as you formerly did at Massah Exod. 17.2 Psal 78.41 And see that ye diligently observe the Commandments of the Lord that ye may go in and possess the good Land which he promised to your Fathers to give you And when your Children shall ask you in time to come what mean the Testimonies Statutes and Judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded us you shall say We were bondmen in Egypt and the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand and the Lord shewed Signs and Wonders great and sore upon Egypt upon Pharaoh and his Houshold before our eyes and the Lord commanded us to observe all these Statutes and to fear Him for our good always that he might preserve us alive as he hath done to this day And if we carefully observe these Laws as he has commanded us it shall be our Righteosness that is an evidence and manifestation of our Integrity and Vprightness before the Lord and though our Obedience be weak and imperfect yet if it be sincere God in and thorow the Messias will accept of it and will mercifully reward us for it 11. He goes on to give them some further explanation of the first Commandment Chap. VII injoyning them to extirpate the Canaanites and their Idolatry and to have no Communion with them lest they should be seduced by them to the worship of other gods They should remember they were a people holy to God whom he freely chose and will severely punish if they prove unfaithful but if they be faithful he will give them victory over their Enemies He further says to them When the Lord shall have brought you into the good Land he hath given you to cast out the seven Nations of the Canaanites that are greater and mightier than you and hath delivered them into your hands then you shall smite them and utterly destroy them you shall make no Covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them unless they become Proselytes and Converts to the true Religion which I have established among you Neither shall you make Marriages with them your Daughters you shall not give to their Sons nor their Daughters shall you take to your Sons for they will be apt to turn them away from following after the Lord your God and intice them to serve other Gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you that he will destroy you suddainly But you shall destroy their Altars and break down their Images and cut down their Groves which they have planted for Idolatrous uses and burn their graven Images with fire For you are an holy people unto the Lord your God the Lord hath chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself above all people that are upon the face of the Earth And the Lord did not set his love upon you and choose you because ye were more in number than any other people as in worldly Kingdoms Dominion over a great and populous Nation is more desired than over few For the truth is you were very few till God made such a miraculous multiplication of you in Egypt The Lord loved you freely and chose you of his own free Grace not finding any thing in you more than in others to move him so to do And because the Lord loved you and intended to keep the Oath which He had sworn unto your Fathers He hath brought you out of the house of Bond-men out of Egypt with a mighty hand Know therefore that the Lord your God he is the only true God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to thousand Generations and repayeth them that hate him to their face that is will so apparently take Vengeance on them and will not be slack or slow to do it that they shall plainly perceive as men do a thing set before their face that he doth it for their wickedness Wherefore if you shall carefully observe the Commandments Statutes and Judgments which I command you this day from the Lord then will He keep and perform unto you the Covenant and Mercy which he sware unto your Fathers and will love you and bless you and exceedingly increase you Will bless you in the fruit of the Womb and your Corn Wine and Oil and the fruit of your Cattel shall be increased You shall be blessed above all people There shall not except very rarely be any Male or Female barren among you or among your Cattel And the Lord will take away from you all sickness and will not inflict upon you any of those dangerous and noisome Diseases wherewith as it is well known to you he punished the Egyptians for your sakes Exod. 9.10 and wherewith the Inhabitants of that Country were usually troubled Deut. 28.27 but will lay them upon all them that hate thee You shall therefore destroy all the Nations that the Lord your God shall give into your hands you shall have no pity upon them neither shall you serve their Gods for that will be a snare to you and a cause of your
ruine and will bring Judgments upon you from which you will not be able to free your selves But possibly you will say These Nations are more than we how can we then dispossess them I say to you therefore Be not afraid of them but remember what the Lord your God did unto Pharaoh and unto all Egypt Remember the great Miracles Signs and Wonders the Lord did in Egypt and the great Trials and Temptations whereby He exercised and proved Pharaoh and the Egyptians to see whither they would be obedient to Him and how at last by a mighty Hand and an out-stretched Arm he brought you out Be of good courage so shall the Lord do to these Nations of which you seem now to be afraid Moreover the Lord will send the Hornet among them see Exod. 23.28 that is venemous Flies that shall sting them to death so that they that shall hide themselves from you and think thereby to escape shall be destroyed by them Be not therefore afraid of them for the Lord your God is among you a mighty God and terrible He will cast out these Nations before you by little and little He will not employ his Omnipotence to destroy them all at once but according to the quality of humane means He will do it by degrees you shall not destroy them all at once lest the Land become a Wilderness and the wild Beasts of the Field increase upon (m) Another reason is rendred Judg. 3.1 2. you see Exod. 23.29 But the Lord your God will deliver them into your hands and you shall destroy them by degrees and that with a mighty destruction And he shall deliver their Kings into your hands see Josh 10.24 12.7 9 c. (n) Where 31 Kings were reckoned whom Israel conquered and you shall destroy their Names (o) All this is promised upon condition of their obedience to God For when they obeyed not Gods Command we read afterwards of many of those Nations that were too strong for them see Joshua 15.63 17.12 Judg. 1.34 from under Heaven so that their names shall be buried in Oblivion or if they be mentioned it shall be to their Reproach There shall none stand before you if you continue obedient to the Lord your God The carved Images of the Heathen Gods you shall burn with fire You shall not desire the Silver and Gold that is on them and with which they use to adorn them nor take it unto your own use but utterly consume it with the Idols themselves lest you be insnared thereby that is lest by doing otherwise you should provoke God who forbids you this to work in you a greater detestation of Idolatry to send down Judgments upon you And further the Gold and Silver that has been used about Idols and has served for Idolatrous uses being an abomination to the Lord you shall not bring it into your houses lest you be accursed for having appropriated that to your selves which God would have you detest abhor and destroy * See Joshua 7.1 12 21. Chap. VIII 12. He further urges them to Obedience and observance of the Laws of God and cautions them to take heed of forgetting God or turning from him when they came to enjoy the abundance of Canaans blessings Remember says he O Israel what happen'd to thee in the way and how the Lord led thee these forty years in the Wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee whither thou wouldst keep his Commandments or no and by this trying of thee He intended to discover and make known to thy self and others what was in thy heart 2 Chron. 32.31 And he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and then fed thee with Manna which neither thou nor thy Fathers had ever known before and He did this that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God that is by any thing that God shall please by his Command to give the power of nourishing unto He further mentions two other effects of Gods Providential Care over them First That their Garments * Those that out-grew their Garments might be supplied with the Garments of such as died in the Wilderness and then the Garments they left off might serve those that grew to their stature Besides the provision of Apparrel they had of their own they were furnished with many Suits of several sizes for themselves and their Children by borrowing of the Egyptians Exod. 3.22 12.35 Many of different ages and statures dying 't is like their Garments were kept for and used by such as succeeded that were of the same stature waxed not old that is were not worn out nor decayed in forty years wearing neither did their shoes wax old upon their feet Deut. 29.5 2ly Their feet did not swell notwithstanding their continual travels in the Wilderness Nehem. 9.21 Further says he thou shalt consider in thy heart that as a man chasteneth his Son so the Lord thy God chastened thee namely out of love and with a gentle hand and this ought to work in thee a filial fear of offending Him and an earnest desire in all things to obey him and to walk in his ways and keep his Commandments And moreover consider the excellency of the Land into which the Lord thy God bringeth thee viz. a Land of Brooks of Fountains and deep Springs in Vallies and which issue out of Hills A Land of Wheat and Barley of Vines Figg-Trees and Pomegranates a Land abounding with Oil and Honey a Land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness and wherein thou shalt not lack any thing a Land whose Stones are Iron and out of whose Hills thou mayst dig Brass that is a Land wherein there are abundance of Mines and Iron mingled with the Stones or as plentiful as Stones and Brass to be digged almost out of every hill Beware therefore when thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein and when thy Herds and thy Flocks multiply and thy Silver and Gold is multiplied I say beware then lest thy heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God who brought thee out of Egypt and led thee thorow that great and terrible Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought who brought thee out water out of a Rock of Flint and fed thee with Manna in the Wilderness and did exercise thee with many Afflictions that he might humble thee and prove thee and do thee good at the latter end viz. after he had humbled thee When therefore thou art grown rich and things go so well with thee take heed left thou say in thy heart my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me these great riches But thou shalt remember that 't is the Lord thy God that giveth thee power to get Wealth that he may establish and make good his Covenant which he sware unto thy Fathers as
it is this day And it shall be that if thou do forget the Lord thy God and walk after other Gods and serve them and worship them I testifie against you this day that you shall surely perish because ye would not be obedient to the Voice of the Lord your God 13. He admonishes them to walk humbly with God laying aside all conceits of Chap. IX their own worth and righteousness To this end they should remember their many rebellions against God Hear O Israel says He thou art now shortly to pass over this Jordan to go in and possess the Lands of Nations greater and mightier than thy self whose Cities are great and fenced up to Heaven Ch. 1.28 and the people great and tall the Children of the Anakims of whom thou hast heard it spoken by way of Proverb Who can stand before the Children of Anak understand this therefore thou must not expect to Conquer these great and potent Nations by thy own strength or power but the Lord thy God will go over before thee as a consuming fire to destroy them before thy face and thou shalt drive out quickly and destroy those people whom thou shalt fight with immediately upon thy entrance into Canaan though all the Inhabitants of the Land shall not be quickly destroyed but by little and little see Deut. 7.22 And when thou hast by the miraculous power and assistance of God thus cast them out take heed of saying in thy heart for my Righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this good Land For know that not for thy righteousness or the uprightness of thy heart the Lord will do this but to punish the wickedness of the Inhabitants of the Land and that he may perform his Word which he sware unto thy Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Remember thou art a stiff-necked people and didst highly provoke the Lord thy God in the Wilderness yea from the day you came out of Egypt even unto this place ye have in many things been rebellious against the Lord. Remember how in Horeb ye provoked the Lord your God so that he was ready to have destroyed you when I was gone up into the Mount to receive the Tables of Stone even the Tables of the Covenant which the Lord made with you I abode there 40 days and 40 nights and did neither eat bread nor drink water And the Lord delivered to me two Tables of Stone on which were written with his own Finger the ten Commandments word for word as he spake them from the Mount out of the midst of the fire on the day when ye assembled at the foot of the Mount to hear the Law from his mouth At the end of 40 days and 40 nights God gave me these two Tables and said unto me Arise get thee down quickly from hence for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them They have made unto themselves a molten Image Further the Lord said unto me I have seen this people that they are a stiff-necked people Let me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under Heaven Intercede no more for them and I will make of thee a Nation mightier and greater than they Then I prayed unto the Lord for you that ye might not be destroyed Exod. 32.11 14. And I came down from the Mount with two Tables in my hands and the Mount burned with fire the terrour of which sight one would think might have kept you from Idolatry but I beheld and lo you had made you a molten Calf and I took the two Tables and cast them out of my hands and brake them before your eyes And I took your Sin that is the Calf wherein you had so hainously sinned Idolatrously worshipping it instead of the true God and burnt it with fire and stamped it and ground it very small even until it was as small as dust and I cast the dust thereof into the Brook that descended out of the Mount and made the people to drink thereof to make them loath and detest so great an abomination And I went up into the Mountain a second time and fasted 40 days and 40 nights more by reason of this great sin of the people and I fell down before the Lord as at first and interceeded for them being much afraid of the great anger which the Lord had conceived against them And I prayed unto the Lord and said O Lord God destroy not thy people and thine Inheritance which thou hast redeemed by thy great Power and brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand Remember thy Servants Abraham Isaac and Jacob look not unto the stubbornness of this people nor unto their wickedness nor to their sin Lest the Land whence thou broughtest us out say because the Lord was not able to bring them into the Land which he promised them and because he hated them he hath brought them out to slay them in the Wilderness Remember O Lord they are thy people and thine Inheritance which thou broughtest out of Egypt by thy mighty Power and by thy stretched-out Arm. The Lord was pleased to hearken unto me at that time also And the Lord was very angry with Aaron who made the Calf for them and was ready to have destroyed him but I interceded for him also and prevailed But though I insist chiefly on this sin at Horeb because it was a most transcendent and grievous Transgression yet alas many other Rebellions of yours I might reckon up as particularly at Taberah Numb 11.1 3. at Massah Exod. 17.7 at Kibroth-Hattaavah Numb 11.34 likewise at Kadesh-Barnea when the Lord commanded you to go and take possession of the Land that He had given you you would first send Spies to search the Land and ten of them discouraged you from entring into it Whereupon you rebelled against the Lord your God and believed him not nor hearkned to his Voice see Numb Ch. 13. Ch. 14. You have been a rebellious people all along since I had the Charge and Government of you Chap. X 14. Having mentioned their many Rebellions he comes now to shew them Gods great Kindness to them notwithstanding and especially in renewing the two Tables of the Law In leading them on towards Canaan in continuing the Priesthood in separating the Tribe of Levi and in hearkening unto his Prayer not to destroy them He further tells them How upon his earnest intercession for them the Lord was pleased to be reconciled to them and this he proves to them by several instances As 1. That the Lord gave him charge to hew out two new Tables of Stone (p) Herein they differed from the first Tables which were the work of God Exod. 32.16 and to come up with them into the Mount and He would write on them the words of the first Tables which he had broken and He commanded him also to make an Ark or
it and prolong your days in it And further to press them to Obedience He tells them The Land they were going to possess was not like the Land of Egypt whence they came out which having but little rain Zach. 14.18 and being watered with the overflowing of Nilus occasioned the people to put their feet to the Spade to dig Trenches and Channels to derive water to their grounds when they had sown their Seed to which the overflowing of Nilus did not reach so that they took pains to water them as if a man should water a Garden of Herbs But they were going to a Land which was continually watered with rain from Heaven a Land of Hills and Vallies commodious healthful and fruitful and a Land not watered as Egypt by the art and industry of men but by the special Care and Providence of God whose eyes are upon it all the year long to send rain at all times when it needeth it And when they came into that good Land if they would be obedient unto God He * V. 14 15. Moses having hitherto spoken to the people in his own name here he speaks to them as in the person of God would give them rain in due season the (s) Sub quibus extremis omnis pluvia opportuna comprehenditur first rain after the sowing of their Seed to bring it out of the ground and the latter a little before Harvest for the plumping and ripening of the Corn and He will send grass in the Field for the Cattel that so they may have plenty and abundance Take heed therefore says he to your selves that your hearts be not deceived and that ye turn not aside and serve other gods and worship them and so the Lords wrath be kindled against you and he shut up the Heavens that there be no rain and make the Land not to yield her fruit and so you may perish quickly through scarcity from off the good Land which the Lord hath given you Further he exhorts them to lay up these his words in their hearts and to bind them as a sign upon their hands and set them as frontlets between their eyes to write them upon the door-posts of their Houses and upon their Gates (t) See particular 10. and Ch. 6.8 that is to use all due means to keep them in continual remembrance and to teach them diligently to their Children speaking of them when they sit in their house and when they walk by the way when they lie down and when they rise up that so their days and the days of their Children may be multiplied as the days of Heaven upon the Earth that is that they and their Posterity may continue in that good Land as long as the Heavens shall continue in their place over the Earth namely as long as the world shall last (u) Had not the Jews provoked God by their Disobedience to cast them out of that good land this Promise should have been made good to them And from this Promise some conceive and hope that upon the Repentance of the Jews and their embracing of Christ they shall be again re-established in this Land and therein continue with great glory to the end of the world see Psal 89.29 He tells them if they shall diligently keep the Commandments of the Lord and walk in his ways and cleave unto him then will He drive out all these Nations before them and they shall possess the Lands of greater and mightier Nations than themselves Every place within the compass of the promised Land whereon the soles of their feet shall tread shall be theirs from the Wilderness of Paran the Southern border unto Lebanon the Northern from the River Euphrates the Eastern to the outermost Sea or main Ocean the Western bound of the Inheritance promised them (x) See this Promise fulfilled 2 Chron. 9.26 in Solomon's Reign There shall none be able to stand before them for the Lord will put the fear and dread of them upon all the Inhabitants of the Land they shall tread upon as He hath promised Further he tells them He sets before them this day a Blessing and a Curse that is He shews them what are the Promises of God to them on the one hand if they will be Obedient and what are his Threatnings on the other hand in case they be Disobedient and follow after other gods which were Strangers to them and of whose god-head they never had any proof or experience And by shewing them both the one and the other he instructs them in the Choice which they should make Moreover he gives them in Charge that when they came into Canaan they should cause the blessings which the Lord had promised to them that keep his Laws to be pronounced on Mount Gerizim * Two Hills near together in the Tribe of Ephraim and the Curses which He had threatned against the Disobedient to be pronounced on (y) This is afterwards injoyn'd again Deut. 27.12 c. where 't is more fully express'd how it was to be done and Josh 8.33 how it was accordingly done And it seems from this Commandment given to Moses concerning Mount Gerizim the Samaritans many Ages after took occasion to build a Temple there as taking that Hill to be a blessed place compare Joh. 4.3 20. with Judg. 9.7 2 Macc. 6.2 Mount Ebal and so should make these two Mountains to be as it were continual Remembrancers to the people that when they see Mount Gerizim they may think of the Blessings set before them and when they see Mount Ebal may think of the Curses Those two Mountains he tells them are on the other side Jordan West-ward near unto Shechem see Gen. 12.6 7. 17. Having spoken so much by way of explanation of the First Commandment Chap. XII He comes now to expound and dilate upon the Second Second Commandment exhorting them to abolish all false Worship and all Monuments of Idolatry and to apply themselves to worship God only according to his own Will In order hereunto he informs them of some particular Statutes and Judgments which the Lord requir'd them to observe when they came into the Land of Canaan 1. They must utterly destroy all places wherein the Nations whose Lands they should possess served their Idol-gods viz. all places reared up and fitted for Idol-Temples and all places they used for their Idolatrous Worship either upon high Mountains and Hills or under green Trees and this was injoyn'd them to shew how God detested Idolatry and to prevent the Israelites from being tempted to worship Him in those places Further he tells them They must overthrow their Altars and break their Pillars or standing Statues and burn their Groves and hew down their Images and destroy their very Names and memory out of the Land Ye must remember says he that ye must not so serve the Lord your God as the Heathens served their gods who practic'd their Idolatry in all places where they lived
and therefore they should not hold Communion with Idolaters nor conform themselves to them in their Rites and Vsages Ye are the Children of God says he he hath chosen you to Himself for his peculiar people above all the Nations of the Earth therefore you shall not as the Heathens do cut themselves or make any incision in your flesh at the death of any of your dearest Friends Levit. 19.28 nor make any baldness between your eyes nor mourn so inordinately as they do who have no hope of a blessed Resurrection or eternal life These customs God forbids them to take up not only because they were the desperate effects of immoderate mourning but also because they were the customs of Idolaters and He would not have his people to conform themselves to them in these things lest they should from thence grow to a conformity to them in their Idolatrous worshipping of false gods In the next place he shews them That they may not eat any abominable thing namely such as God hath forbidden them And therefore here he sets down what may and what may not be eaten of Beasts of Fowls of Fishes of all which see Sect. 33. and Levit. 11. If any clean Creature died of it self it might be sold to or eaten by a stranger but not by themselves which restraints were to mind them of the difference God put between them and other Nations and the especial purity he required of them above other people Further he tells them They shall not seethe a * Id est cum matre lactante q. d. satis tibi sit comedere haedum abstine a matre Hoc enim prae se fâ—rt crudelitatem quandam Sic praecepit pullas avium comprehendere in nido matre dimissa Deut. 22.6 Kid in its Mothers milk that is they shall not be cruel as to seethe a Kid in that milk of its Dam which was given it for its nourishment see Sect. 17. of Ch. 4. Further he injoyns them to tythe all the increase of their Seed that the Field bringeth forth year by year and that not only the first tythe which they were to pay yearly to the Levites in the several places of their Habitations Numb 18.24 but the second Tythe taken after that which they should spend in holy Feastings before the Lord in the place which he shall chuse together with the firstlings of their Herds and Flocks that is either the Female-firstlings or the first-born after the Male-firstlings were paid to the Priest see Ch. 12.17 And the reason he gives why they should go up to the place the Lord had chosen and there feast together with these their holy things is that they might learn to fear the Lord their God always because the presenting themselves thus yearly before the Lord with their Sacrifices and Offerings must needs be of it self a good means to keep their hearts in a continual awe and reverence of God and at that holy place and in those holy Convocations the Priests were to instruct them in the Law and the Promises concerning the Messiah and in their Sacrifices they might behold a shadow of their Redemption by him all which must needs conduce to teach them the fear of the Lord. But in case they dwelt very far from the House of the Lord and their Tythes and Firstlings were so many that they could not well carry them so far then they might sell those things and carry the money with them and buy †Praetextu Legis hujus irrepsit improba consâ—etudo Joh. 2.14 therewith what they were to use there namely Oxen or Sheep or Wine or strong Drink or what else they desired to make a chearful Feast that they might rejoyce together before the Lord. And says he remember that thou forsake not nor neglect the Levite that is not only pay him the first Tythes but communicate to him also of these second Tythes that he may be sufficiently provided to eat and drink and rejoyce before the Lord as well as thy self seeing he is to have no Land of Inheritance among you to supply this unto him And every third year after the Sabbatical when the Land is to rest and so in the sixth year after that thou shalt bring forth all * Da decimas ut ditescas proverbium Judaeorum the Tythe of thy increase that year that is separate a third Tythe (i) So that every third year they separated three several Tythes The first was the Levites yearly livelihood The second they carried up with them to Jerusalem therewith to feast before the Lord. The third was laid up for the Poor which shall be laid up in some publick place in the Towns and Cities where they dwelt and that not only for the Levite but also for the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow Deut. 26.12 that they may eat and be satisfied And in so doing they might expect the Lord would please to bless them and prosper the works of their hands Chap. XV He amplifies and inlarges upon the Fourth Commandment dilating upon the Rites and Observances requir'd in the seventh or Sabbatical year At the end of every seventh year reckoning inchoative from the Sabbatical year says he thou shalt make a release that is every Creditor that lendeth ought unto his Neighbour shall release it He shall not exact it of his Neighbour or his Brother that is of any Israelite whatsoever because the Lord hath ordained it to be a year of Release But of a Foreigner or Heathen not proselyted thou mayst require what is thine with him And the end why ye shall so release is this that there may not be through your exacting debts of your Brethren any of them brought to extream poverty And if in this and other things they were obedient to Gods Laws He tells them God would so abundantly bless them that they should be well able to forbear the exacting of their debts and it should be no prejudice at all to them He would so bless them that they should have enough to lend (k) See Deut. 28.12 to many Nations and should not need to borrow of them and as otherways so particularly in lending to them says he thou shalt reign over them for the Borrower is Servant to the Lender Prov. 22.7 but they shall not reign over thee If there be a poor man of thy Brethren within any of thy Gates thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thy hand from him but shalt open it wide unto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his need Beware therefore lest there be such a wicked thought in thine heart saying The seventh year the year of Release is at hand and thy eye be evil against thy poor Brother so that thou lookest doggedly upon him and givest him naught and he Cry unto the Lord against thee and it be sin unto thee that is a great sin for which thou shalt be punished No on the contrary thou shalt surely give him * See Esay
58.10 11. and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him and for this thing the Lord shall bless thee in all thy Works and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto For the Poor shall never cease out of the Land (l) Mark 14.7 Matth. 26.11 Joh. 12.8 for God will suffer it so to be to make trial of the Charity and Compassion of the Rich towards them therefore the Lord commands thee to open thy hand wide unto thy poor and needy Brother And if an Hebrew-man or woman be sold unto thee and serve thee six years from the year of Release in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free and thou shalt not let him go away empty but shalt furnish him liberally out of thy Flock and out of thy Floor and out of thy Wine-presses and with such things as the Lord hath blessed thee with And to make thee the more willing hereunto thou shalt remember that thou thy self wast once a Bondman in Egypt and the Lord thy God graciously redeemed thee out of that miserable Servitude and did not send thee away empty and therefore 't is fit thou shouldst imitate the Mercy and Compassion of God which he manifested towards thy self But if this Servant shall say unto thee I am not willing to go away from my Master for I love him and his house and it is well with me see Exod. 21.6 then thou shalt take an awle and thrust it through his Ear and fasten it unto the door and this shall be a signification that he yieldeth himself to be a perpetual Servant in thy house all the days of his life And to thy Maid-Servant * Some think that her Ear was to be bored for a perpetual Servant if she refused to go out at the six years end that is an Israelite and sold unto thee thou shalt do likewise setting her free at the six years end and shalt furnish her liberally at her going from thee And he tells them That this kind usage which they were injoyn'd to use to a Servant that was sold to them and had served them six years ought not to seem a hard Injunction because such an one had been worth to them double (m) Among us the Service of an Apprentice is counted more profitable than that of an hired Servant to what an hired Servant was For hired Servants had great wages besides meat and drink which Servants that were sold to them had not from 1. to 19. Having given them these Laws concerning the poor and the Israelitish Servants he now reinforceth a Law which concerned the relief of the Priests that served the Lord and his people He injoyns them to sanctifie unto the Lord that is to set apart for his use the firstling-Males that came of their Herd and Flocks see Deut. 12.6 The ground of this Law was because God smote all the first-born of Egypt from man to beast but spared the Israelites Thou shalt therefore says he do no work with the firstling of thy Bullock nor shear the firstling of thy Sheep because these Beasts were the Lords they were not to use them as their own for their own profit or service These being the Priests they were to eat them they and their Housholds year by year in the place that God shall chuse to put his Name and place his Sanctuary there But if any of these firstlings be lame or blind or otherwise blemished they were not to sacrifice them to the Lord see Levit. 22.19 but in such a case the Priests * V. 20. Is not spoken to the Owner but to the Priest to whom God gave all the firstlings of Israel Numb 1.15 17 18. may eat them in any of their ordinary Habitations as freely as any ordinary meat the unclean and the clean may eat of them together Only the blood they must not eat but must pour it out as water upon the ground Chap. XVI He comes now to give them several Ordinances concerning the three solemn Feasts and the several Offerings to be then offered And first he charges them to observe the month Abib (n) When the Barley-Harvest began to be ripe and the first Ears were to be offered on the second day of the Feast of unleavened-bread Levit. 23.10 viz. on the 16th day of that month answering to part of our March and part of our April and the Feast * All which Festival time is call'd the Passover and so Joh. 18.28 of the Passover then to be celebrated for in that month God brought them out of Egypt by night (o) Noctu surgebant occisis media nocte primogenitis profectionem anspicabantur licet Egypto non exierint ante diem Vide Exod. 12.29 30 41 42. and after they had eaten the Paschal-Lamb they were to keep a Feast for seven days with other Sacrifices of the Flock and Herd such as are appointed Numb 28.18 c. and this they were to do in the place (p) Id est In loco Tabernaculi aut Templi ubi stabiliter coli invocari voluit which the Lord should choose to place his Name there and no where else And for these seven days they were to eat only unleavened-bread the bread of affliction viz. which should be a Memorial to them of their great affliction in Egypt this being usually the bread of those that lived in affliction and poverty not being toothsome or pleasant to the Palat or tast and of their hasty coming out from thence before their bread had time to be leavened Exod. 12.15 During this Feast they were not to have any leaven in their houses They were to kill the Passover that is the Paschal-Lamb at the even of the fourteenth day of this month at the going down of the Sun at the time they were preparing to come out of Egypt (q) V. 6. Egresti sunt i. e. inchoativè quia vespere egressum praeparabant and that only at the place which the Lord should chuse as he did Jerusalem * There in any private house they might kill and eat the Passover Matth. 26.18 only their Sacrifices that they offered at that Feast might only be offered in the Temple afterwards and they were not to reserve any part of the flesh of it till the morning And the morrow after this Feast which was to continue seven days was ended they might depart to their several dwellings Yet they were to observe that the last day of the seven was to be an holy Convocation to the Lord wherein they were not to do any servile or unnecessary work Ch. 16. from vers 1. to 9. 2ly He comes now to speak of the Feast of Weeks * Call'd the Feast of Weeks because it was seven weeks after the bringing of the sheaf at the Passover and it was on the fiftieth day after and so call'd Pentecost Acts 2.1 The Moral Law was given at this time of the year see Sect. 13. of Ch. 4. Exod. 23.16
or Pentecost see Levit. 23.10 15. which was to be reckoned from the second day of the Feast of unleavened-bread see note a and from thence they were to reckon seven compleat Sabbaths or Weeks which made 49 days then on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath or Week which was the fiftieth day reckoning the day on which they began their account inclusively they were to keep the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost This Feast they were to keep unto the Lord with the Tribute of a free-will-Offering of their Fruits according as the Lord had blessed them over and above the Sacrifices appointed for the day Levit. 23.17 20. and with those they were to rejoyce together before the Lord in chearful feasting they and their Families and the Levite Stranger Widow and Fatherless in the place which the Lord should chuse remembring how their Fathers were Bondmen in Egypt and how wonderfully God had delivered them from thence from vers 9. to 13. Next he comes to the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths made with the boughs of Trees Levit. 23.34 40. which they were to observe seven days after they had gathered in their Corn and the fruit of their Vines and this Feast they were to Celebrate not only with inward joy but with the outward expressions thereof viz. by Sacrifices of Thanksgiving unto the Lord with sober and religious feasting of the Poor and the Levites the Stranger and the Widow rejoycing before the Lord in contemplation that he had so eminently blessed their increase Three times a year viz. at these three solemn Feasts He tells them All the Males shall appear before the Lord in the place which he shall choose and they must not appear before Him empty but every one must come with such a Gift and Oblation as he was able and willing to give from vers 13. to 18. He comes now to shew them That they must appoint Judges to sit in the Gates the usual places of Judicature in all their Towns and Cities who must judge the people with just Judgment and not wrest or pervert Judgment nor partially respect Persons in Judgment nor take Bribes For a Gift blindeth the eyes of the wise that is of those that seemed so to be making them judge otherwise than they ought to do being byassed by the love of lucre and maketh those that should be righteous in Judgment to pass a perverse Sentence But it must not be so with their Judges but they must follow that which is altogether just that they may live and inherit the Land which the Lord shall give them Further he tells them They must not plant Groves * Notwithstanding the Israelites corrupted themselves herein several times as Judg. 3.7 6.25 1 Kings 14.15 23. and there were Prophets of the Groves 1 Kings 18.19 They planted Groves placed Idols in them served them as the Canaanites and other Heathens did Deut. 12.2 Thus it was in the times of the Judges Ch. 3.7 In the times of the Kings of Israel throughout 2 Kings 17.16 This was in them gross Idolatry Yet the Patriarchs did formerly worship God in Groves and that without sin near to the Altar or Temple which might seem in sanctity to vie with them and be an occasion of Idolatry and would be an imitation of the Heathens who us'd to have their Idols in Groves (r) V. 21. Non plantabis lucum Ne in ritibus colendi veri Dei Idolatras imitari videamini Illis enim familiare erat in lâ—cis Sacra sua mixime obscaena peragere Eadem de causa vetat ne constituant sibi statuam qum instar Idoli more gentilitio colant Jans And further that they should not set up any Image or Statue to Worship as the Heathen did which thing the Lord hateth from vers 18. to the end He now comes to shew them that the things sacrificed to the Lord must be without Chap. XVII blemish Thou shalt not says he sacrifice to the Lord thy God any Bullock or Sheep wherein is any blemish or any ill-favouredness for that is an abomination to the Lord see Levit. 22.20 21. Deut. 15.21 He shews that if any among them were found guilty of Idolatry in that they had worshipped the Sun or Moon or any of the Host of Heaven and consequently any other Creature they must be ston'd to death whether it were Man or Woman because they had wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord and transgressed his Covenant whereby they had bound themselves in Obedience unto God and did openly as it were renounce God and the true Religion and chuse unto themselves other gods If he be convicted by the testimony of two or more credible Witnesses one not being sufficient the Witnesses shall throw the first stones at him which was to make them more afraid to bear false witness and to bring the guilt of innocent blood on their own heads and then the rest of the people assembled were to have a hand in the execution of him hereby to inure them to be fervent and zealous in Gods Cause against all those that should despise and disregard his Laws and so they should put away evil from among them He further shews them That when in their Towns or Cities any difficult matter did arise as in the case of bloodshed it being doubtful whether it were to be reckoned Murder or only Chance-medly or concerning any plea about their Estates or any stroke given or any thing of the like nature in that case they were to go to the place which God should chuse which in the after-times was Jerusalem and there resort to the Priests as Expounders of the Law and to the Judge or Judges as the civil Magistrates who were to shew them the Sentence of Judgment that is what is just and right in this matter that so the thing in question might be decided see 2 Chron. 19.8 9 10. and they were to do according to the Sentence which the Priests and Judges should give because in cases of greater difficulty the Priests were to inquire of the Lord that they might not give wrong Judgment And death was to be inflicted on him that would not hearken to the Priest so expounding the Law or the Judge passing Sentence according to it especially if he stubbornly and presumptuosly opposed their Judgment though they proved it never so clearly out of the Law and the Priest had inquired of the Lord about it And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously Further when they were come into Canaan and should desire to have a King over them like other Nations he prescribes certain Laws and Rules to them concerning their electing of him and His duty And first he injoyns that they set only such an one to be King over them who is one of their Brethren and Nation an Israelite not a Stranger lest he change their Religion into Idolatry and so bring them into Sin and Slavery and only such an
one whom the Lord should choose * Which was observ'd accordingly in Saul but fully in David and his Progeny And this was thus appointed because the Kings of Judah were to be Types of Christ 2ly The King thus chosen was not to multiply horses to himself viz. in a greater proportion than the state of a King requires lest he should put confidence in worldly strength whereof horses for War were a principal part and not in God And that he might not hereby be puffed up and exalted in mind to the despising and perhaps oppressing of his Subjects and might not by the excessive Charge thereof be burdensome to his people (s) Herein Solomon did not keep so close to this Rule as he ought to have done in that he had forty thousand stalls of horses for his Chariots and twelve thousand horse-men 1 Kings 4.26 and in that he fetched his horses out of Egypt 2 Chron. 1.16 He shall not cause his Subjects to go down into Egypt to buy horses where there was great plenty of them and they counted the strength of their Country lest they be corrupted with the Idolatry and other sins of the Egyptians * So Jeremy from the Lord disswaded the Jews from going into Egypt Jer. 42.15 c. For God would have them to have such a sense of their former Deliverance out of that Bondage as to abhor the very thought of going thither again For besides all former intimations from the Lord to the same purpose (t) See Exod. 13.17 the Lord had now commanded him to say unto them That they should henceforth return no more that way viz. which leadeth down to Egypt Further he injoyns That their King shall not multiply Wives (u) Si ne Regi quidem permissa sit polygamia quid aliis indultum credimus Confer Lev. 18.18 to himself that his heart turn not away from the Lord to sensual pleasures nor to Idolatry by the allurement of his Wives as Solomons did 1 Kings 11.4 Neither shall he too too excessively desire to multiply to himself Silver and Gold lest by such an extraordinary greediness after riches he oppress the people and heap up Gold and Silver by rapine and unjust exactions and so his mind be pufft up with pride by reason of his wealth Further he was to send for the Original Copy of this Law which was to remain with the Priests and to be kept in the Sanctuary Deut. 31.26 and to write or cause to be written a Copy of it for his own use and he was to read therein all the days of his life that he might learn to fear the Lord and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them That his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandment to the right hand or to the left and that he may prolong his days Chap. XVIII In the next place he shews them that seeing the Priests are to have no part nor Inheritance with the rest of the Tribes they shall eat of the Offerings made by fire on the Altar as the Meat-Offering Sin-Offering and Trespass-Offering Numb 18.9 and of all other things (x) Of these see Numb 18. where as some reckon 24 Gifts were bestowed on the Priests which the Lord challengeth to himself as his Right and Inheritance and hath reserved for his Service and the sustenance of his Servants the Priests for God would not have them cumbred with the affairs of this life lest by them they should be hindred from doing their duties Therefore he declares that He himself will be their Inheritance and will supply all their wants out of his abundance And this shall be the Priests due from them that bring a Sacrifice of a Peace-Offering They shall give to Him the Shoulder the two Cheeks and the Maw The wave-breast mentioned elsewhere is here left out possibly as comprehended under the Shoulder to which it is joyned in the Sheep being both parts of the same quarter But the Maw and two Cheeks added here are no where else mention'd Further he tells them They were to give to the Priest the first fruit of their Corn of their Wine and Oil and the first of the fleece of their Sheep see Exod. 22.29 Numb 18.12 Because the Lord hath call'd them to stand and minister in his Name that is by authority received from him see Deut. 10.8 Further he orders That when ever any of the Tribe of Levi out of his own voluntary devotion had an earnest desire to come and serve in the Tabernacle or Temple they should be admitted to live of the holy things there even as the rest did that in their turns (y) There seems some order observ'd in this at first though by David afterwards this was more exactly contriv'd when they were divided into 24 Courses 1 Chron. 23. did serve in that place For such as out of singular devotion to the Service of the Sanctuary did go up to serve there God would have them to live of the Altar and not be put thereby to spend their own private estate what ever it was or that money which came of the sale of their private Patrimony (z) Forte Levitae morantes in loco Tabernaculi negarent illi partem suam quod secum haberet pecuniam sive pretium rei domus vel agri venditae Statuit ergo Lex sive habeat pretium sive non habiturum tamen portionem suam q. d. Ne exluditor a parte commodi quod habeat unde se alere possit Fruatur ea pecunia propria insuper portione ei ex ministerio debita quia qui Sacris ministrat is debt ex Sacris non ex bonis paternis vivere quia rem venditam redimendi jus perpetuum habet Levit. 25.32 redimere autem non possit si absumeretur pretium rei venditae from 1. to 9. In the next place he exhorts them to take heed of doing after the abominations of the Canaanites Let not there be found among you any one says he who makes his Son or Daughter to pass through the fire to Saturn or Moloch (a) Haec hostia petita est partim ab exemplo Abrahami partim quod audierint non nisi sanguine humano humanum scelus olim expiandum Inde Galli teste Caesare lib. 6. de bello Gallico Diti suo quam maxime innocuos immolabant see Levit. 18.21 2 Kings 16.3 or that practices Divination (b) This sin was common among the Heathen practis'd among the wisest of them Numb 24.1 1 Kings 20.33 see 1 Sam. 6.2 Ezek. 21. 21 22. by making use of familiar Spirits 1 Sam. 6.2 1 Sam. 28.8 or an Observer of Times crying up some days for lucky others unlucky or an Inchanter using Songs or Verses or other words or Ceremonies to produce supernatural Effects or a Witch or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizard or a
suddainly stor'd again Therefore they must take heed that in their rage they did not so wast the Land as to prejudice Posterity But with other Trees that were not Fruit-Trees they might build Bulwarks about a City which they besieged till it was subdued from vers 10. to the end He now gives directions concerning uncertain Murder how it is to be expiated Chap. XXI If one be found slain and lying in a field and it be not known who hath slain him then the Elders and Judges of the Towns and Cities round about shall for the better satisfaction of them all come forth and see the measure taken between the dead body and the Cities round about it if it be doubtful what City is nearest because the next City is to make expiation for the Murder in manner following viz. The Elders of that City shall take an Heifer that hath not been wrought with and which hath not drawn in the Yoke and they shall bring down the Heifer unto a rough and obscure Valley that lies neglected and uncultivated to make the thought of Murder more horrible and dreadful and there they shall strike off the Heifers neck signifying that the Murderer ought so to be used could he be found out and that if they had him in their hands they would so serve him And the Priests the Sons of Levi shall come near whom the Lord hath chosen to minister unto Him and to bless the people in his Name to shew by their presence that this was an extraordinary Sacrifice and that the Elders might before them as in Gods presence protest their Innocence and to see that all things were done according to Law and to satisfie the Elders in any thing that might seem doubtful For by their word and Sentence as Expounders of Gods Law any thing in Controversie or any Stroke must be judged or tried And all the Elders of that City which was nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the Heifer thereby intimating that they were innoceâ—â— of the blood of the slain man see Matth. 27.24 and they shall solemnly declare and protest That their hands have not shed that blood neither have their eyes seen it shed by any other Then the Priest shall say Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto their Charge Impute not that to them which hath not been done by them and lay not the punishment thereof upon them And so they shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among them that is they shall be discharged from the guilt of this murther and shall not be punished for it they performing all these things which are here commanded by God from vers 1. to 10. 2ly He gives direction that when they go out to War with a foreign Nation and among the Captives see a beautiful Woman * It was not lawful for them to contract any alliance by marriage with the Amorites see Exod. 34.16 Deut. 7.3 which one of them hath a desire to make his wife In such case he shall bring her home to his house and she shall shave her Head and pare her Nails and shall put off the Heathenish Garment wherein she was taken and shall bewail her Father and Mother a full month as if they were dead she being to bid farewel for ever to them by all which things was intimated that she must renounce her Heathenism and all the corrupt Customs and Superstitions thereof and forsaking her Fathers house must be ingrafted into the Israel of God and must worship God as they did These things being performed she might become his wife But if after he had consummated the marriage †This liberty for Israelites to marry Heathenish Captive-women is like that of Divorce Deut. 24. which was only suffered for the hardnâ—ss of their hearts and is only to be understood of the Captives of foreign Nations not of the Canaanites who were all to be destroy'd with her he should find no content in her and was desirous to put her away he might do it but must then freely set her at liberty to go whether she would because he had humbled her He must not sell her for money under pretence that she was his Captive and Servant from vers 10. to 15. 3ly If a man have two wives which though contrary to God's first Institution Gen. 2.22 23 24. yet He for a time suffered but approved not as appears Mal. 2.15 Matth. 19.4 5. and one of them was better beloved by him than the other and he have Sons by them both He commands that the Son by the first wife though less beloved shall not lose his right of Primogeniture but he shall injoy the right of the first-born which by the Law of Nature belonged unto him and his Father shall give him a double portion of all that he hath For he is the beginning of his strength from vers 15. to 18. 4ly If any man have a stubborn and rebellious Son which will not obey the voice of his Father or the voice of his Mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them then shall his Father and Mother bring him to the Elders of the City and shall say unto them This our Son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a Glutton and a Drunkard Then the Elders of the City shall examine the matter brought against him and if they find it true the men of the City shall stone him with stones that he die So shall ye put away evil from among you and all Israel shall hear and fear By the severity of this Law Children were taught to be more obedient to their Parents and Parents were taught to be more careful in a right Education of their Children from vers 18. to 22. 5ly If any man have committed some notorious Offence that deserveth the judgment of death and being condemned for it be hanged on a Tree His body shall not remain all night upon the Tree but they must in any wise bury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God that the Land be not defiled This kind of death was usually the punishment only of those who had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his Wrath upon the whole Land and so were hanged up to appease his Wrath as we may see Numb 25.4 2 Sam. 21.6 And it was esteemed the most shameful and accursed * Hence it was that God would have his dear Son our blessed Lord and Saviour suffer this kind of death that even hence it might be more evident that in his death he bare the Curse due to our sins according to that of the Apostle Gal. 3.13 because the very manner of this death did intimate that such men as were thus executed were such execrable and accursed Wretches that they did as it were defile the Earth with treading on it and would
A man must not take his Fathers wife nor discover his Fathers skirt that is which his Father only might uncover and not he see Levit. 18.7 vers 30. Chap. XXIII He now comes to shew who shall not be admitted to bear Office in the State or Commonwealth of Israel who shall not enter into the Congregation * Venire in Congregationem Jehovae est venire in Senatum seu concessum Judicum i. e. per Synecdochen membri gerere officium magistratus Eunuchi à Magistratu exclusi qui alienos eos esse voluit a moribus gentilium apud quos Eunuchi publica officia administrabant Ger. of the Lord that is the assembly of Judgss and Magistrates see Psal 82.1 nor be capable of the Priviledges of other Israelites 1. He that is wounded in his Stones or has his Privy-member cut off 2. A Bastard or one born illegitimate shall be excluded to the tenth Generation The reason of these Injunctions seems to be because such persons are usually of a sluggish cowardly spirit and liable to be scorned and despised by others and therefore not fit to be in any place of Authority and possibly God intended to shew them hereby how free from all stains and blemishes he required his people should be And He laid this mark of Infamy and Dishonour upon a spurious Issue †Judaei spurij non excludebantur a populo Dei ut Pharez agit hic igitur de alienigenis ex scorto natis qui etiam inter suos viles erant to shew unto them how detestable all uncleanness was in his sight so that not till after ten Generations this stain should be blotted out And possibly the Lord also intended hereby that the Commonwealth of the Jews should upon this account be more respected and honoured by foreign Nations 3. Neither the Ammonites nor Moabites that became Proselytes and embraced the Religion of the Jews were to be received into full Communion with the Commonwealth of Israel nor any of their Posterity to the tenth Generation But this is not to be understood of the Israelites Children born of Ammonitish and Moabitish Mothers as the Stories of Orpah and Ruth do evidence but only of the Children of Ammonites and Moabites that became Proselytes who because they were of those Nations might not be incorporated into the Common-wealth of Israel unto the tenth Generation see Nehem. 13.1 And this Law was to be for ever inviolably observed and not to be dispensed with upon any pretense whatsoever and the reason of this severe Injunction was two-fold 1. Because these Ammonites and Moabites being the Posterity of Lot who was so near of kin to Abraham from whom the Israelites descended met not the Israelites when they came out of Egypt with bread and water (l) This must not be understood of all the Moabites for those of Ar did furnish the people with Victuals see Deut. 2.29 but we do not read that the Ammonites did so And 2ly Because the Moabites hired Balaam to Curse them see Numb 22. though the Lord turned his Curse into a Blessing because He loved them Upon these accounts He injoyns them that they shall not seek peace with the Moabites nor endeavour their Prosperity (m) Non hac lege vetantur ea quae salutem animae spectant sed civiles Praerogativae propter decorem honorem populi Judaici Non licuit cum his soedera inire connubia contrahere ad publica officia eos promovere cum illis non ambias foedus quod bono esset illis tibi damno but rather be at perpetual enmity * And herein therefore if David offended in making peace with the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10.1 2. no marvel if the Lord suffered his Messengers to be so basely us'd by them with them because they made Israel to sin see Numb 25. and upon that score they were to abhor them But they were not to abhor the Edomites (n) Except only the Amalekites see Ch. 25. vers 17. for though the Edomites used them as discourteously as they passed along to go into Canaan as the Ammonites or Moabites did for they refused to let them pass through their Land and came out armed against them Numb 20.20 yet God would have them shew the Edomites more favour than they did to other Nations teaching us hereby what love men ought to bear to their Brethren and how we ought to bear the injuries of Brethren because of their near relation to us descended from Esau their Father Jacob's Brother and so the nearest kin to them of all people of the Earth nor an Egyptian because they were once Strangers in that Land and kindly used in Joseph's time God teaching men hereby rather to remember good turns than injuries These in their third Generation after they became Proselytes might be endenized and made free among the Jews as well as if they were native Israelites from 1. to 9. Another direction he gives them is this When the Host goeth forth against their Enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing to shew them that they had need at that time in a more especial manner to be careful to keep themselves to the exact rules of holiness and righteousnesr * Solet licentiae militaris extra fines aequi boni effundi For first They go out then to execute Vengeance upon others for the evils they have done and they are not fit to punish others that are wicked themselves 2ly Because a clear Conscience is one of the best means to make men truly valiant 3ly They have then more especially need of Gods assistance and are most in danger of mischief if the Lord should abandon them Therefore when they went out to War they had need be very careful to keep themselves from all misdemeanors and transgressions either of the Moral or Ceremonial Law that they might not provoke the Lord to forsake them Further He shews That if there were any among them in the Camp that were unclean by reason of nocturnal pollution they should voluntarily go forth from among their Brethren till having washed themselves with water they might at evening return again to their Tents see Levit. 15.4 vers 10 11. He injoyns also That they should have a place without the Camp appointed by publick Order whether they should go for the ease of Nature * Hac externa pedagogia illos de vitae morum immunditie cavenda commonefacit and then with a paddle which they were to carry with their Armour to dig a hole in the earth and cover it and this not only to prevent annoyance but to teach them by reason of Gods presence among them to keep themselves both from all spiritual and outward pollution and uncleanness For the Lord thy God says He walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee and to give up thine Enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and
turn away from thee from vers 12. to 15. Another Law He gives them concerning Servants Thou shalt not deliver to his Master the Servant that is escaped from his Master unto thee This is to be understood of Servants that fled from Heathenish Masters who tyrannized over them and oppressed them and so they fled to the Israelites and were willing to embrace the Jewish Religion For it was more Charity to keep them among the true worshippers of God then to return them to their cruel tyrannical and idolatrous Masters Therefore says He when thou hast upon examining the matter found that the Servant had a sufficient and warrantable ground to leave his Master thou shalt permit him to live in any of thy Cities or dwelling-places where it liketh him best and thou shalt not oppose him vers 15 16. In the next place He prohibits tolerating of Whoredom or Sodomy among them and by consequence permitting such filthiness to be practised by any of other Nations that should live among them vers 17. An Harlot was by no means to offer to God the hire or wages of her Whoredom nor was the price of a Dog which was an unclean Creature to be offered to Him God intending hereby to teach them to reverence his Sanctuary and not to offer to him any thing that had been sinfully gotten or was base and unworthy or that might make his Worship vile and contemptible vers 17 18. In the next place He commands them to lend to their poor Brethren freely * See Exod. 22.25 Levit. 25.36 Psal 15.5 and not to take again any thing more than what was lent Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy Brother neither Money nor Victuals But to Gentiles that were Infidels they might lend upon Vsury And this they were to observe that the Lord might bless them in all that they set their hand unto vers 19 20. Another Law He gives them concerning Vows When thou vowest a Vow to the Lord viz. of a thing possible and lawful thou must not be slack to pay it Far the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and to neglect to pay it would be sin in thee and consequently would be inquir'd into and punished by God But if thou forbear to vow it shall be no sin in thee That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform and pay thy free-will-Offering which thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God vers 21 22 23. Another Law He gives them concerning Trespasses When thou art hired to work in thy Neighbours Vineyard (o) Lex generalis est non ad conductitios restringenda Fertilior ibi agrorum vinearum proventus minori labore partus quam in nostris terris thou mayst eat of the fruit thereof Or when thou occasionally travellest through his Vineyards and Corn-fields thou mayst for the refreshing thy self in time of need gather and eat but thou maist not carry any home for thy self or any other When thou comest into the standing Corn of thy Neighbours thou mayst pluck the ears (p) See Matth. 12.1 The Pharisees charged not our Saviours Disciples for doing what ought not be done viz. for plucking ears of Corn but for doing it on the Sabbath-day with thy hand but thou shalt not move a Sickle into thy Neighbours standing Corn vers 24 25. Chap. XXIV In the next place He gives directions concerning Divorce If a man have married a wife and afterwards finds something in her person or qualities which before was unknown to him upon which he grows into a dislike of her and resolves to put her away in that case he must write her a Bill of Divorce (q) Yet this which was thus tolerated was sinful in the Husband and displeasing unto God see Mal. 2.16 and only permitted by Moses for the hardness of their hearts Matth. 19.8 and for preventing greater inconveniences to the wife And yet even this toleration of causeless Divorces was abrogated by our Saviour Matth. 5.31 32. Dicuntur Hebraei Polygamiam a Majoribus sed repudia ab Aegyptiis didicisse Anonym and give it into her hand and so send her out of his house that she may have this as a Testimony for her that she had not of her own accord forsaken her Husband but was put away by him and so being now free might lawfully marry another And if it should so happen that her second Husband should put her away also or should die her first Husband notwithstanding may not take her to wife again after she hath been another mans wife (r) V. 4. Quia polluta est non absolutè sed quantum ad primum maritum per concubitum cum altero marito for this is an abominable thing in the sight of God and brings guilt upon the Land and so makes it liable to punishment Ch. 24. from 1. to 5. 2ly Concerning a man that had newly married a wife Such an one was not to be sent out to War the first year nor charged with any publick Imployment that would necessarily cause him to be absent from his wife But he was to be free * See Ch. 20.7 Prov. 5.18 19. for one year that He might live at home and chear up his wife who being newly taken from her Fathers House and Family and transplanted into a new stock might be subject on that account to Melancholy and so had need have the Company of her Husband to chear her up And besides by living lovingly together the first year their love to each other would in all likehood be so firmly setled that there would be no great danger but that it would so continue afterwards vers 5. 3ly He injoyns that no man shall take his Neigbours nether or upper Millstone * See Exod. 22.26 to pledge for one of the Millstones being gone the other is unuseful And by consequence the taking of any thing as a Pledge that is of like necessary use for the exercise of a mans Calling or support of his life is here forbidden For he that doth so takes a mans life to Pledge that is that by which he lives and maintains his life vers 6. 4ly If any man be a plagiary that is steal away any of the Children of Israel and sell him that man shall die for it see Exod. 21.16 The reason why this kind of theft was only punishable with death among the Hebrews was this because it was a debasing of man made after the Image of God to be sold like a beast and much more was it a great indignity to sell one of their Brethren that were Gods people and the selling them to Heathens for none of their Brethren in likelihood would buy them was an evident exposing their Souls to extream danger besides the miseries they were like to indure in such cruel bondage vers 7. 5ly In the Plague of Leprosie he shews them they were to observe diligently what the Priests and Levites should teach
the Statutes and Judgments which the Lord had given them and that with all their Hearts and Souls Which if they really consented to do then they should consider that that day they did in effect renew their Covenant with the Lord and avouch Him to be their God promising to hearken unto his Voice and to obey Him And the Lord did avouch them to be his peculiar people separate from all others and devoted to walk in his Statutes thorow his Grace working in their Hearts and would make them high above all Nations in praise in name and in honour and an holy people unto Himself from vers 16. to the end 20. Having now again assembled the Elders and people of Israel together He Chap. XXVII commands them that after their entrance into Canaan at their first opportunity they should build a Monument of great stones plaistring them with mortar on Mount Ebal and to write the Law of God thereon viz. the ten Commandments very plainly that it might be a Monument * Joshua 8.30 We find this Monument was erected after their taking of Ai. to put them in mind of keeping Gods Law Together with this Monument they were to build an Altar (u) To teach them that Righteousness and Salvation is not to be attained by the works of the Law but to be sought by Christ of whom this Altar was a Type of whole stones and not to lift up any iron Tool upon it see Exod. 20.24 25. and thereon to offer Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings and to eat there and to rejoyce before the Lord their God And because they had at this time renewed their Covenant with God Moses together with the Priests and Levites advise them to take heed unto themselves and to obey the Voice of the Lord their God and to observe his Commandments and Statutes from vers 1. to 11. 21. Moses now injoyns the people that when they had set up this Monument of stones on Mount Ebal and written the Law plainly upon it and had built the Altar before mentioned and had offered Sacrifices thereon as God had commanded them they should then afterwards give their consent to the Blessings * See Deut. 11.29 and Curses that should be pronounced by the Priests upon those that should keep and upon those that should break Gods Laws and the manner injoyned for the doing thereof was this viz. six of the Tribes were to stand upon Mount Gerizim to wit Simeon and Levi Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin where by the Tribe of Joseph are meant the two Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh who are here joyn'd together as one because Levi is reckoned as one of the twelve and all these were the Posterity of Leah and Rachel and then the other six Tribes were to stand on Mount Ebal to wit Gad and Asher Dan and Napthali who were the Sons of their Hand-Maids and with them the Tribe of Reuben who for his sin lost his Birth-Right and Zebulun the youngest of Leahs Sons And the Tribes being thus divided the Priests * V. 14. Pronunciabunt Levitae i. e. aliqui sacerdotum qui erant Levitae Caeteri enim erant in monte Gerizim ad benedicendum see Joshua Ch. 8. v. 32 33 34. were to come with them into the little Valley that was between these two Mountains and there first they pronounced the Blessings turning their faces as 't is like towards Mount Gerizim and then all the Tribes that stood on that Mountain answered Amen and then turning their faces towards Mount Ebal they pronounced the twelve Curses here mentioned and then all the Tribes that stood on Mount Ebal answered Amen Moses omits the Blessings possibly because they might be easily enough gathered from the contrary Curses which are here expressed First Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten Image though he keep it never so secret for it is an abomination to the Lord. 2ly Cursed be He that setteth light by his Father or Mother see Exod. 21.17 3ly Cursed be He that removeth his Neighbours Land-mark 4ly Cursed be He that maketh the Blind to wander out of the way and much more those that mislead the people into pernicious Errours or give them knowingly pernicious Counsels 5ly Cursed be He that perverteth the judgment of the Stranger Fatherless and Widow 6ly Cursed be He that lieth with his Fathers wife †V. 20. Quia retexit oram Patris sui i. e. oram vestimenti Patris sui Per vestimentum Patris intelligitur vestimentum quod est in potestate Patris ut possit illud retegere Piscator 7ly Cursed be He that lieth with any manner of Beast 8ly Cursed be He that lieth with his Sister the Daughter of his Father or the Daughter of his Mother that is his half-Sister see Levit 1.8 9. 9ly Cursed be He that lieth with his Mother-in-law that is his Wives Mother 10ly Cursed be He that smiteth his Neighbour secretly either by secret practices procuring his blood to be shed or smiting him secretly with his Tongue 11ly Cursed be He that taketh a Reward to slay an innocent person see Ezek. 22.12 12ly Cursed be He that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them To every one of these the people were to say Amen And so subscribe to the justice of Gods Law as it were wishing that the Curses might fall on them if they should in any of these things transgress Gods Commandment from vers 11. to the end Chap. XXVIII Upon observing Gods Commandments He shews them that many blessings would follow and overtake them from vers 1. to 13. particularly these 1. God would set them on high above all Nations both in respect of temporal and spiritual blessings and they shall be the head and not the tail vers 13. that is shall be highly esteem'd above other Nations and not scorned and despised as a base and contemptible people 2. They shall be blessed in the City and in the Field that is whither they dwell in the City or the Country and manage business belonging either to a Citizen or a Farmer 3. They shall be blessed in the fruit of their Bodies their Children in the fruits of their Grounds and the fruits of their Cattel so that they shall abound in all these vers 11.4 They shall be blessed in their Basket wherein they put the fruits of their ground it shall not be empty and in their store they shall have plenty of Provisions they shall be blessed in their Barns and Store-houses vers 8. and God will command his blessing on all that they set their hands unto 5. They shall be blessed when they come in and when they go out see vers 19. that is at home and abroad and in all their employments and businesses publick and private 6. They shall be blessed with Victory over their Enemies who shall flee before them many ways 7. The Lord will establish them for an holy people unto Himself that is will
his Brother nay the Wife of his bosom and his remaining Children any share of the Child he shall eat having nothing else left to feed upon in that Extremity The tender and delicate woman * Contigerunt iis ad literam in obsidione Samariae 4 Reg. 6. v. 29. in obsidione Jerusalem per Babilonios Threnorum 2. v. 20. in Romanâ apud Josephum Threnorum 2. dicuntur parvuli ad mensuram palmae comesti i. e. etiam imperfecti per aborsum abjecti Et tales videntur vocari hic illo versu 57 illuvies secundarum nempe proles adhuc secundis seu secundinis sordibus involuta ideo immundissima abominanda potius quam ad cibum expetenda Jans among them that would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness she should grudge the Husband of her bosom and her Children grown up any share of her young Children which she should eat in secret in that extream Famine from vers 15. to 58. He further tells them That if they did not set themselves to fear the glorious God V. 58. That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God by the Name of God is to be understood the Lord Himself whose Name is Jehovah He would make their Plagues wonderful and would bring upon them and their Children great Plagues and Sicknesses and of long continuance yea the strange evil Diseases wherewith God plagued the Egyptians of which they were so much afraid should cleave unto them yea more Plagues should fall on them then are written in this Book And whereas they were as the Stars of Heaven for multitude they should be so wasted and destroyed that they should come to be but few in number And as the Lord formerly rojoyced over them to do them good and to multiply them so now He would rejoyce in their destruction and the execution of his Justice upon such Despisers of his Mercy and they should be plucked off from the Land which God gave them for an Inheritance viz. Canaan and so should lose the Pledge of their Adoption which would be a sad sign to them that their heavenly Father had disinherited them and cast them off And they should be dispersed and scattered abroad into many Nations and in their exile they should be inticed or forced to worship Wood and Stone and among those Nations they should find no ease or rest but should be hurried from place to place so that their hearts should tremble †Judaea tremen Juv. Satyr 6. and their eyes fail with extream weeping and their minds be fill'd with sorrow and vexation And they should be in continual doubt and fear both day and night of losing their lives which must needs make their condition exceeding grievous to them In the morning they should wish it were even and at even they should wish it were morning thorow the terrors of their minds and by reason of the dismal things they should see with their eyes And the Lord would cause them to be carried again by Ships into Egypt whither he had said they should return no more * God promised they should not return again thither on condition they were Obedient see Ch. 17.16 The Lord hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way that is into that Country This was verified when the Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem were carried in Ships to Egypt and there fold for Slaves †There were then 97 thousand Captives of the Jews but they were so vile and contemptible that many would not proffer any money for them even to be their Slaves and none would buy them with an intent to set them at liberty from vers 58. to the end Chap. XXX He further declares to them That when in their exile they shall reflect upon the experience they had of Gods blessing them so eminently while they continued Obedient and how severely He punished them when they were Disobedient and shall thereupon truly repent and seriously turn unto the Lord both they and their Children and shall serve the Lord with all their Heart and Soul then the Lord will have compassion on them and will turn their Captivity and gather them from all the Nations under Heaven whither he had scattered them and from thence will fetch them back to their own Country see Neh. 1.9 And He will Circumcise †Promissio haec est spiritualium beneficiorum per Christum Conser Rom. 2.29 Col. 2.11 12. their hearts and the hearts of their Children that is will purge them of their Corruptions by the Grace of his Spirit and renew them and incline them to a ready Obedience to his Will that it may go well with them And his Curses shall fall on their Enemies and on those that persecuted them But they shall be blessed in the fruit of their Bodies of their Cattel and of their Land and these blessings shall be given them in mercy and shall tend to their good and not their hurt And the Lord will rejoce over them to do them good as he rejoyced over their Fathers And lest any of them should object and say they would willingly obey the Commandments of the Lord if they knew them He tells them That the directions he had given them concerning the way and means of Salvation by Faith in the Messias and the moral Law which he had given them as the rule * Loquitur de tota in genere Dei Doctrina quae Evangelium sub se Comprehendit ut clare ostendit Paulus Rom. 10.8 of their Obedience they could not pretend to be ignorant of Neither were those things hidden from them so that the knowledge of them need be fetched down from Heaven or from some remote Country for them for they were sufficiently revealed to them the word was very nigh them in their mouths and in their heart It was plainly reveal'd to them frequently read and expounded to them by the Levites so that they could not but talk of it and remember it And if they were obedient to this Law they should be happy but if they turned from the Lord to worship other gods and serve them they should not prolong their days in the Land which they were now going to possess He calls Heaven and Earth to witness that he had dealt faithfully with them He had on the one side set life before them with all manner of blessings attending it if they would be Obedient and on the other side death and misery if they were Disobedient He exhorts them to choose the one and to avoid the other and to cleave to the Lord with all their hearts for He was their life and the length of their days that is as He is the giver of life so He is the maintainer and prolonger of it And that they might injoy the fore-mentioned Chap. XXIX Blessings and escape the Curses He calls them now to
renew their Covenant which their Fathers made with God at Horeb and to bind themselves more firmly thereby unto the Lord. And possibly the same Ceremonies were observed now in this renewing of the Covenant which were before observed at Horeb see Exod. 24. when their Fathers first entred into it And to prepare them the better for it 1. He repeats the great and manifold Favours God had bestowed on them He tells them That many of them who were then young might remember what God did to Pharaoh and his Servants in Egypt and the great Plagues whereby He tempted and tried whither he would let Israel go or no. But though they had seen all those great Signs and Wonders with their bodily eyes yet by reason of their great perverseness and manifold Provocations it was not given * V. 4. God hath not given you a heart to perceive simul ostendit hic Moses sine adjutorio Dei eos intelligere obedire non posse tamen si illud adjutorium Dei desit non ideo esse excusabile hominis vitium suo enim demerito caret Augustin unto them to understand Gods meaning in them see Matth. 13.11 neither had those great Wonders and Deliverances made such Impressions upon them as they should have done nor inclin'd them to turn to God and yield sincere Obedience unto Him And so God punished the wickedness of their hearts with the blindness of their minds And the Lord by Moses further spake unto them saying I have led you forty years in the Wilderness your Clothes waxed not old upon your Backs nor your shoes upon your Feet see Deut. 8.4 Ye have not eaten common and ordinary bread for I have fed you with Manna †Doubtless ordinarily they had no other bread though at sometimes they might see Deut. 2.6 you have not drunk Wine or strong Drink for your drink has been as miraculous as your bread viz. water fetcht out of the Rock Numb 20.11 Psal 78.15 16. and these things I have done for you that you might know that I am the Lord your God and yet how little have you considered it Moses further tells them That they might remember how since they came hither they had conquered Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan and how He had given their Land to the Reubenites Gadites and half the Tribe of Manasseh Therefore says he considering all these great Mercies God hath bestowed on you you ought to be very careful to observe the 〈◊〉 â—ditions and Articles of the Covenant which you are now to enter into and to confirm with an Oath that so it may go well with you and that you may prosper in all that you do Attend therefore all of you with all seriousness to this solemn business you are now about Behold you all stand this day before the Lord your God the Captains of your Tribes your Elders and Officers you your Wives and little Ones and the Strangers that are in your Camp even from the Hewer of Wood unto the Drawer of Water ye are all met together and stand here before the Lord your God to enter into Covenant with Him and to confirm it with an Oath whereby you bind your selves to perform it that so He may establish you for a people unto Himself and that He may be your God as He promised your Fathers Neither do I bind only you who are here present to the observance of this Covenant but your Posterity also who are not yet born And there is great reason you should now enter into this Covenant because having dwelt in the Land of Egypt at least many of you in your younger years and having gone thorow the Confines of some Idolatrous Nations in your Journey towards Canaan and seen their several Idolatries and Abominations there is some cause to fear lest some of you may be tainted with their evil Manners And therefore to prevent this it is fit that ye should all solemnly enter into Covenant with God lest there be found among you any Man Woman Family or Tribe whose hearts are inclined to serve the gods of these Nations and lest there be found among you any Root that beareth Wormwood that is any root of Idolatry or Rebellion against God which is as displeasing and distastful to Him as Gall and Wormwood is to us and which will prove to the Sinner and who ever is infected therewith bitterness in the latter end see Heb. 12.15 c. And he tells them If there shall be found any such evil-spirited and infectious persons among them who when they shall hear the words of this Curse yet shall bless themselves in their own hearts saying They shall have peace though they walk in the evil imaginations of their own hearts and so add drunkenness to thirst that is being wicked already do yet encourage themselves to be more wicked as Drunkenness increases thirst and so draws on another Drunkenness the Lord will not spare such persons but his anger and jealousie will smoke against them and all the Curses in this Book will light upon them and the Lord will blot out their names from under Heaven and will separate them out of all the Tribes of Israel unto punishment mischief and destruction answerably to the threatnings that are denounced against the Breakers of this Covenant and are written in this Book of the Law So that when your Children that shall be born hereafter and the Strangers that come from a far Country shall see the Plagues and Sicknesses that the Lord will bring upon the Inhabitants of the Land for these Transgressions and how the Land by Gods just Curse is so defaced and altered that it is become in a manner like Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim which Cities the Lord overthrew in his wrath and anger they and other Nations also that shall hear of it shall say Wherefore hath the Lord thus punished this Land what meaneth the heat of his great anger against it Then men shall answer It is because they have forsaken the Covenant of the God of their Fathers which He made with them when he brought them forth out of Egypt For they went and served other gods and worshipped them viz. gods of Gold and Silver Wood and Stone whom they knew to be no gods nor to have given them any thing nor could or would do them any good And they knew also that the Lord had forbidden them to worship Him by such Idols and Images and thereupon his anger was kindled against them and he was provoked to bring upon them all the Curses denounced in his Law against the Violators of his Covenant And hence it was that after those great Judgments He had sent upon them in their own Nation He was provoked to root them out of their own Land in wrath anger and indignation and to scatter them into other Nations as you see it is now come to pass But says he if you shall ask me When will these
things be when will our Posterity by their Rebellions thus provoke God and bring such heavy Judgments on themselves and the Land I answer That is only known to God Himself secret things belong to Him but things revealed belong to us and our Children and therefore we may safely conclude That if they do thus provoke God then all this Misery and Calamity will certainly befal them except by true and timely repentance and turning unto God they prevent this ruine This says He God hath revealed and what he hath revealed it becomes us and our Câ—â—ldren always to consider and lay to heart that we may not provoke Him by transgressing any of his Commandments Ch. XXXI Moses now calling the people together He tells them He was at this time an 120 years old and therefore by the course of Nature it could not be expected that he should be able much longer to go in and out before them and to lead and govern them as before he had done And besides the Lord had told him He should not go over Jordan However he bids them be of good courage for the Lord Himself would go before them and by the Conduct of his Servant Joshua would subdue their Enemies for them as he had already done Sihon and Og Kings of the Amorites and they should destroy them as he had commanded and therefore he bids them not to be afraid of them for the Lord would go along with them and would not fail them nor forsake them Then he addresses his Speech to Joshua and in the sight of them all bids him be strong and of a good courage trusting in Gods Providence and Assistance who would not fail him nor forsake him He tells him He must lead the people over into Canaan and cause them to inherit it Then Moses having put into writing (x) Videtur Scripsisse tuâ—â— Deuteronomium tum Canticum sequens antequam ea populo pronunciaret this Law that is this Book of Deuteronomy he delivered it solemnly unto the Priests who upon some extraordinary occasions did carry the Ark as well as the Levites see Joshua 3.17 Josh 6.12 and unto all the Elders of Israel thereby giving them to understand that they were the men to whom it did especially belong to see that this Original Copy of the Law were safely kept and that the Laws therein commanded were duly observed both by themselves and the people And Moses commanded the Priests to read this Book this Original Copy of the Law every seventh year which was the year of Release among the people at the Feast of Tabernacles 'T is like some part of the Book of the Law was read among them by the Levites every Sabbath-day see Acts 15.21 and 't is like the people had Copies of the Law for their own private use in the reading whereof they did daily exercise themselves (y) If this were required of their Kings Ch. 17 18 19. much more may we think it was required of them But yet once in seven years God would have this Book to be read by the Priests from the beginning to the end among the people both that it might make the deeper impression on them and cause them to fear the Lord their God and to observe and do all the words of this Law and that it might appear to them that those Copies of the Law which they had among them and were read to them every Sabbath-day did agree with this Original Copy which Moses had given them And God appointed this to be done in the year of Release because then they had most liberty to mind and attend that Service the Land lying that year at rest themselves being freed from the danger of having their Debts exacted of them It was also an holy year the Sabbath of years and so the fitter for this extraordinary duty And it was appointed to be done at the Feast of Tabernacles because all Israel used then to appear before the Lord. For though the Males only were bound to appear at the three solemn Feasts Exod. 23.17 yet at this Feast it seems they carried their Wives and Children and the Strangers within their Gates along with them as appears vers 12. Neh. 8.3 And hereby their Children who had not seen the Wonders and Miracles that God had wrought for them as their Fathers had done might by hearing this Original Book of the Law read openly among them learn to fear the Lord their God and to serve him faithfully as long as they lived Then the Lord tells Moses That the day of his death did now approach and therefore he should call Joshua and they two should present themselves before Him in the Tabernacle of the Congregation that there he might give Joshua his Charge They accordingly went to the Tabernacle and the Pillar of Cloud stood over the door of it and the Lord said unto Moses Behold thou shalt lie down to sleep in the dust as did thy Fathers but I know that after thy death this people will go a whoring after the gods of the Canaanites and will forsake me and break my Covenant Then my anger will be kindled against them and I will forsake them and hide my Face from them and withdraw my Favour Blessing and Help and then they shall be devoured by their Enemies as by wild Beasts and many evils and troubles shall befal them so that they will say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us The Lord therefore commands Moses to write this following Song set down in the next Chapter containing a Prophesie of their falling off from God and his just Judgment upon them for it And the Lord was pleased to give it to them in the form of a Song that it might be the better remembred by them and might work more upon their affections and the Israelites were to learn it and sing it that in time to come when they should so provoke God by their sins as is there set forth and God should thereupon punish them with those very evils that are there foretold this Song as out of their own mouths might be a Witness for God against them viz. that He had given them sufficient warning and yet notwithstanding by their willful and hainous Provocations they had brought these Miseries on themselves For says the Lord I know their secret Imaginations and the base apostatizing thoughts and purposes which some of them already have in their hearts even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware unto their Fathers to give them see Amos 5.25 and Acts 7.43 and I do foresee what they will do hereafter Moses accordingly wrote this Song the same day and taught it the Children of Israel God then gives Joshua his Charge saying to him Be strong and of a good courage for thou shalt bring this people into the Land of Canaan V. 23. Hoc loco primum alloquitur Dominus Joshuam ut
before them the Lords great goodness to them and the several gracious manifestations of his favour towards them as he conducted them along from Egypt to Canaan First He came and appeared to them from Sinai where he gave them his Law 2ly He further manifested Himself to them from Mount Seir when He commanded the brasen Serpent to be set up by which those among them were cured that were mortally bitten with fiery Serpents and thereby He gave them a notable Type of the promised Messiah 3ly He shined forth from Mount Paran that is repeated and explained the Law to them by the Ministry of Moses in the Wilderness of Paran who exhorted them to yield Obedience to it And when the Lord gave them his Law at Sinai He tells them He came attended with Royal Majesty with an infinite number of glorious Angels who are here called Saints because of their purity and holiness see Acts 7.53 From his right hand went a fiery Law for them that is He spake it to them out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5.22 And yet that giving them his Law was a singular effect of his special love to them He thereby testified his great kindness to them and so he did also in His protecting of them from their Enemies and therefore we may truly say All Israels Saints are under thy Care and Protection O Lord. They sat at thy feet they attended upon thee at the foot of Mount Sinai as Scholars at the feet of their Master and all that are true Israelites will receive instruction from thy words And such Israelites will readily declare That God gave them his Law by the ministry of Moses even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob that is which is as dear to them as an Inheritance is to any man They will declare That He gave it them as a rare and precious Treasure and not for their use only but for the use and instruction also of their Posterity after them And they do acknowledge that Moses was King in Jeshurun that is chief King and Magistrate in Israel by Gods own appointment when the Heads of the people and the Tribes were gathered together to receive the Law at Mount Sinai And they acknowledging Him to be a person so extraordinarily favoured guided and assisted by God could not but receive what he delivered unto them as spoken by God himself from vers 1. to 6. He comes now to bless the Tribes particularly He begins with Reuben Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few Jacob had prophesied of this Tribe that they should lose the Dignity of the Birth-right and should never come to any eminency among the Tribes either for number of people or any other excellency and that because of Reuben's Incest with his Fathers Concubine see Gen. 49.4 Now therefore for the comfort of this Tribe Moses pronounces this blessing upon them Let Reuben live that is though Reuben by his Incest brough that Curse upon him pronounced by his Father yea though by the sin of the Reubenites in adhering to Corah they deserved that God should utterly destroy them yet says he the Name and Tribe of Reuben shall still continue among the people of God and though for his sin he lost the glory of excelling the other Tribes in number of men which as the first-born he might otherwise have expected however he shall continue a numerous Tribe 2ly He comes next to Judah because the honour of the Birth-right was partly given from Reuben to Judah and in his Tribe the Regal Power was afterwards setled Hear Lord says he the voice of Judah * Audi Domine preces Jehudae scil cum egressus fuerit ad bellum reduc eum scil a bello incolumem ad fratres suos Oleaster that is the Prayers that this Tribe shall make to thee particularly that the promised Messiah may according to thy Promise come of their stock and that they may have Victory over their Enemies and grant them O Lord sufficient strength to stand in the day of battel thou being their Helper and when thou shalt suffer this Tribe with that of Benjamin to be carried by the Babylonians into Captivity bring them back again in thy due time to their people that is to the poor that were left in Judea to husband the Land Jer. 39.10 40.7 52.16 3ly He blesses Levi Let thy Vrim and thy Thummim be with thy holy one that is let the High Priesthood to which appertained the Breast-plate in which was the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28.30 be continued in Aaron's Posterity and let them be furnished with those Gifts and Graces with that Knowledge and Piety which is requisite for their high Calling and signified by Vrim and Thummim Whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah that is whose Faith thou didst try at Meribah-Kadesh see Numb 20. and sharply reprove both Moses and Him for their Infidelity Who said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen him This may have reference either to the Law forbidding the High Priest to defile himself by mourning for the dead see Levit. 21.11 Neither shall he go into any dead body nor defile himself for his Father or Mother Or else to that notable fact of the Levites Exod. 32. who were so impartial in Gods Cause as not to spare any though nearly related to them who they found had worshipped the golden Calf For they observed thy Word and kept the Covenant which they made with thee Exod. 24.8 Let them therefore teach Jacob that is the Posterity of Jacob thy Judgments or Statutes and Israel thy Laws Let them put Incense before and whole Burnt-Offerings upon thy Altar Bless Lord their substance and accept the work of their hands that is bless them in their outward Estate and accept in good part the Work and Service they do for thee and thy people Smite thorow the loins of those that rise up against them and hate them that is break the Power of those that oppose them in the faithful discharge of their Duty and Office see Jer. 15.10 4ly He comes to Benjamin of whom he saith The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him that is as Benjamin was his Fathers darling when Joseph was supposed to be dead so he is much beloved of the Lord and therefore shall dwell safely by him that is near his Temple which was built in his portion and the Lord shall cover him all the day long that is protect and defend him and he shall dwell between his shoulders that is God will chuse for Himself an Habitation in the chief City of this Tribe For though the South part of Jerusalem where was Mount Sion * God is said to dwell in Mount Sion and thence some conceive his Temple was situate upon it but where it is so said the word Sion must not be taken strictly for the hill Sion but
Israelites over against Beth-Peor and there buried it Neither doth any man know the place where he laid it to this day And this the Lord seems to have done that the Israelites might not in a preposterous Zeal give superstitious honour either to his dead body or Sepulchre Indeed 't is said Jude v. 9. That Michael the Arch-Angel contended with the Devil and disputed about the body of Moses whereby it appears that the Devil would have had the place of his burial made known that it might have been the occasion of Idolatry as Chrysostome in his First Homily on Matthew and Theodoret upon Deut. quest 43. with others do conjecture but the Lord prevented the Devils design herein And possibly God foresaw that if the Israelites had known the place where the body of Moses was buried they would in an unwarrantable way have taken it up and carried it with them into the Land of Canaan as they did Joseph's bones whereas God had declared He should not come thither Moses being dead the Israelites mourned for him 30 days * So long they mourned for Aaron Numb 20.28 And there was great reason for it for there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face that is spake to in a wondrous familiar manner with an audible articulate Voice as one friend speaketh to another and discovered to him more of his Glory than ever he did to the eye of mortal man see Exod. 33.20 There was none like unto him if we consider the great Miracles which the Lord inabled him to do in the Land of Egypt before Pharaoh and his Servants and the wonderful Works of mighty Power which he since performed in the Wilderness in the sight of all Israel whereby the Lord magnified his own Majesty and Power and put a great honour on his Servant Moses and his Ministry But though this great Moses was gone yet God left not his people without a Governour for He had before-hand appointed Joshua to succeed him who was a man endued with a great measure of wisdom which the Holy Ghost had given him for the right execution of his Office For Moses had laid his hands on him according to Gods Command Numb 27.18 by that Ceremony consecrating him unto God and engaging him faithfully to administer the Charge and Office He was appointed unto And the Children of Israel hearkned unto him and obeyed him as the Lord commanded Moses to injoyn them SECT XCIV WE are now come to the Book of Joshua The Book of Ioshua which was not probably written by himself (a) If we should suppose this Book for the main to be written by Joshua yet some passages might be inserted afterwards by some other holy Penman So in the Books of Moses we find some passages which could not be written by Moses himself but were afterwards added by some other holy men as Deut. 34.5 Qui hanc historiam ex Sacris Annalibus conscripsit usus est sui seculi nominibus Masius at least not all of it though it contains his Acts and Atchievements Indeed Joshua either wrote himself or ordered some of the Priests to write the words of the Covenant which he caused the people to enter into with all the Circumstances of it Ch. 24.26 in the Book of the Law of God which was written by Moses and put in the side of the Ark that so it might be a Witness against them if they transgressed it But there are some things contained in this Book which are thought to be done after Joshua's death as the conquering of Leshem or Laish by the Danites Ch. 19.47 Judg. 18.7 to 29. and Ch. 24. from 29. to 32. his death and burial are mentioned Some other things seem to argue that it was written by some Prophet * A Propheta aliquo collectus videtur hic liber ex antiquis diariis annalibus Masius long after his death as that phrase (b) See Ch. 4. 6. 6.29 7.26 8.29 9.27 10.27 13.13 14.14 15.63 remains unto this day so frequently used doth intimate And the Book of Jasher (c) See Sect. 102. is here named Ch. 10.13 which seems written at soonest in David's time as recording an Act of his 2 Sam. 1.18 unless we should suppose which is not improbable that this Book of Jasher was begun in Moses's time and continued on and inlarged afterwards by adding several memorable Acts and Passages unto it Joshua was of the Tribe of Ephraim Numb 13.8 He was six full years in Conquering the Land and in the seventh divided it by lot among the nine Tribes and an half And divers years he lived and governed after that time but how many is uncertain yet it is supposed to be about ten years And so this Book contains an History of seventeen years from the beginning of Joshua's Government to his death which happened when he was an hundred and ten years old Ch. 24.29 And so much by way of Preface We now come to the History it self After the death of Moses the Lord spake to Joshua Moses's Minister who had for many years daily and continual conversation with him and so could not but have learned much thereby to fit him for this great Service But whither the Lord spake to him by audible Voice or the secret instinct of his Spirit or in some Dream or by the High Priests inquiring for him by Vrim and Thummim we cannot determine But however it was he spake to him and commanded him to arise and lead His people over into the Land of Canaan which he had before promised them and intended now actually to give them He tells him That every place in the Land which the sole of their foot should tread upon from the Wilderness of Zin which was the South-bound to Lebanon which was the North-bound and the great Sea or Midland-Sea which was the Western-bound and the River Euphrates (d) That the Israelites did never extend their bounds thus far is evident For though in the days of David and Solomon all the Nations as far as Euphrates became Tributary to them 1 Kings 4.21 yet they never destroyed the Inhabitants there and planted themselves in their Country as they did in the Land of Canaan And the reason of this was because the Israelites failed of keeping Covenant with God and it was only upon condition of their Obedience that God promised thus to inlarge their borders which was the Eastern-bound even all the Land of the Hittites which seem here mention'd by a Synecdoche for all the seven Nations should be their Coast The Lord tells him That not a man should be able to stand before him all the days of his life but as He was with Moses so He would be with him and would never leave him nor forsake him He bids him therefore be strong and of a good courage for he should divide the Land of Canaan to the people of
that they should forsake the Lord to follow them though it were left to their own choice He intimates to them that except they chose the Lord for their God and served Him out of judgment and their own choice V. 15. Eligite Tenta vita dictum ut Ruth 1.15 Joh. 6.67 and willingly and freely without any constraint God would not regard their outward compliance Well says he whatever you shall determine for your selves and your own practise I do declare to you That this is my firm Resolution That as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The Elders of the people hearing these things said God forbid that ever we should forsake the Lord that brought us and our Fathers out of Egypt and has done such great things in our sight and has hitherto preserved us and driven out the Amorites and Canaanites for us God forbid that ever we should be so wicked as to forsake Him and serve Idols No the Lord is our God and Him we are resolved to serve Joshua advises them them to consider well what they said He tells them They cannot serve the Lord if they retained Idols in their Houses or in their Hearts and mingled false Worship with the true For God says he is an holy and jealous God and will no more admit of mixture of true and false Worship than a jealous Husband will of a Corrival in his love or that his Wife should divide her self between him and a stranger I tell you plainly God will not forgive your Transgressions nor your Sins if you continue in them and if you turn from Him and serve other gods He will turn from doing you good and will severely punish and chastise you The people answered Nay but we are firmly resolved to serve the Lord and Him only Then Joshua said You are â—itnesses against your selves this day if you do otherwise For ye have freely chosen the Lord to be your God and have faithfully promised to serve Him They said We do acknowledge it and if we do otherwise we are Witnesses against our selves and our own Consciences will convince and condemn us Well says he if ye be willing to renew your Covenant with God this day then let me in the first place strictly charge you if there be any Idols secretly kept and worshipped among you that they be put away presently and let them have no place in yours hearts and affections but incline your hearts faithfully to serve the Lord God of Israel The people answered The Lord God will we serve and his Voice alone will we obey Then Joshua as God's Servant and Minister caused the people to renew their Covenant with God and probably it was done in a very solemn manner being accompanied with Sacrifices and the usual Rites of that sacred Service and He established and confirmed it as a standing and perpetual Law for them and their Posterity that they should constantly continue in the Service of the Lord God alone as became his peculiar people and utterly renounce all Idols and all Idolatry whatsoever And Joshua either wrote himself or caused some of the Priests to write in the Book of the Law which was written by Moses and put on the side of the Ark these Promises of the people and the whole carriage of this business and how solemnly they renewed their Covenant with God that the people knowing there was such a Record kept of this matter and the circumstances thereof in God's Tabernacle might be the more careful to keep their Covenant Then Joshua took a great stone and set it up there under an Oak that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord as a Memorial of this Covenant now thus solemnly renewed between God and this people Some think this was the very Oak under which Jacob had many years since buried all the Idolatrous trash which he found among those of his Family Gen. 35.4 and that Joshua did purposely for that cause set up this Stone under that Oak * Hic Abrahamo Deuâ— apparuisse creditur Gen. 12.6 7. In future times this place where this Stone was set up was from hence called the Oak of the Pillar Judg. 9.6 And Joshua said This stone shall be a witness unto you for it hath heard (t) Hyperbolica Contestatio vide Deut. 4.26 all the words of the Lord that is of the Covenant between the Lord and you and it shall serve as a Witness to convince you of your Sin if you do not keep your Covenant seeing all men in future Ages will take notice that it was purposely erected to be a Monument and Memorial thereof and this stone when you see it shall represent to your Minds and Consciences the Covenant which ye have now made as if it could both hear and speak so that if in after-times you deny your God and fall into Idolatry this very stone will witness against you See a like expression to this Jer. 2.12 These things being done they now solemnly interred the bones of Joseph which they had brought with them out of Egypt (u) See Sect. 48. of Chap. 3. in that parcel of ground here at Shechem that Jacob * Whereas 't is said Acts 7.15 16. that the Fathers were laid in the Sepulchre that Abraham bought c. the meaning is which one of the Posterity of Abraham viz. Jacob bought of the Sons of Hamor See Apost Hist on the place bought of the Sons of Hamor see Gen. 33.19 and which He upon his death-bed gave to Joseph as a special Legacy Gen. 48.22 and was now within the lot of the Sons of Joseph And it seems from Acts 7.15 16. That the bodies of all the rest of the Patriarchs the Sons of Jacob were brought up also out of Egypt and here likewise buried When these things were done Joshua dismist the people to their own Inheritances Shortly after this the great Joshua dies aged an 110 about ten years as is conceived after the Conquest of the Land He had approved himself a faithful Servant of God all his days living in his Fear and dying in his Favour and was buried in his own Inheritance in Timnath-serah (x) Timnath-serah vox imaginem solis denotat quae Joshua Sepulchro erat imposita ob celebris illius solstitii Memoriam Josh 10.13 in Mount Ephraim Some say the Israelites placed upon his Monument the Figure of the Sun as a Memorial of the great Miracles of the Suns standing still at his prayer And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua * Non autem multo diuitius ut patet ex Jud. 2.8 9 10. Hinc patet quantum sit in unius hominis probitate positum qui in republica dominatur Masius and of the Elders that out-lived Joshua who had known all the Works of the Lord which he had done for them Not long after Eleazar the High Priest died also and they buried him in an Hill in Mount Ephraim which by special and extraordinary Gift
due time to perform what God commanded them in driving out the Canaanites out of the Land Now the Canaanites that were left in the Land and not cast out were these viz. five Lords of the Philistines viz. the Lords of Ashdod Gaza Askelon Gath and Ekron and the Canaanites Sidonians and Hivites that dwelt about Libanus and from Mount Baal-hermon on the East of Libanus to the entring in of Hamath a City in the North of Canaan afterwards call'd Antiochia The Children of Israel dwelling thus among the Canaanites grew extreamly corrupt so that they served their gods and the Idols which they set up and worshipped in Groves and made interchangeable Marriages with them Upon which great Provocations the Lord gave them up into the hands of Chushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia 'T is like he first brake in upon the Tribes that lay on the other side of Jordan and then incroached upon those within Jordan by degrees And this was their first Servitude (g) First Servitude under Cushan eight years Othniel first Judge which continued eight years Then returning unto the Lord and crying unto Him for Mercy and Forgiveness He was pleased to raise up for them a Saviour and Deliverer namely Othniel the Son of Kenaz Caleb's Nephew and Son in law see Ch. 1.13 so that to the great Honour of the Children of Judah the first Judge after Joshua was of their Tribe Thus that Prophesie was made good Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art He whom thy Brethren shall praise thy Hand shall be in the Neck of thine Enemies thy Fathers Children shall bow down before thee Othniel being thus raised up by God to this high Office The Spirit of the Lord came upon him that is he was furnished with those Gifts and Graces that were requisite to make him a wise and valiant General in War and a prudent Governour in Peace and the Lord gave Cushan into his hands so that he prevailed against him and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage under Him And so the Land had rest forty years Not as if there were forty years of Peace in the Land uninterrupted from this time but the Land had Rest till forty years were expired from the first Rest wherein it was setled by Joshua before his death And then Othniel died Judg. 2. from 11. to the end Ch. 3. from 1. to 12. SECT CXXXIV AFter the death of Othniel the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord and He stirred up Eglon King of Moab and gave him Courage and Resolution to go against Israel and he joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew them and took Jericho that is possessed himself of the Lands and Territories thereabout where the City of Jericho once stood and possibly built some great Fortress there that he might have the Command of the Fords of Jordan that being the passage over to his own Country Second Oppression under Eglon eighteen years Ehud second Judge And this second Oppression continued eighteen years The Israelites then crying unto the Lord for help he raised up for them Ehud Son of Gera of the Tribe of Benjamin which was but a little before almost wholly destroyed a man left-handed By Him the Children of Israel sent a Present to Eglon which Opportunity he readily embraced having a design to kill Him And being stirred up as 't is probable by the Spirit of God to do it He accordingly provided himself of a Dagger fit for the purpose Then going with the Present to Eglon and humbly presenting it to Him He with those that brought it take their leave and depart When they were come as far back as the Quarries by Gilgal He himself returns again to the King who was in his Summer-Parlour and addressing himself to him tells him He had a secret Message to him The King bids him forbear delivering his Message till his Servants and Attendants were gone out of the Room They being gone Ehud tells him He had a Message from God to him Eglon hearing this rose up as if he would give some respect to such a Messuage Ehud then drawing out his Dagger thrust it into his Belly and gave him such a deadly blow that he left him who had so long oppressed the people of God wallowing in his own blood and dung Then shutting the door after him and locking it having as 't is probable a Spring-lock he quietly and with a composed Countenance passed away The Servants finding the door shut and locked they concluded that the King covered his feet in his Summer-Chamber that is that He had laid himself down to sleep because when they did so they used to cast some covering over their feet as it is said of Ruth when she went to lie down by Boaz as he lay sleeping at the end of his heap of Corn Ruth 3.7 That she uncovered his feet and laid her self down So when Saul went into the Cave where David and his men were 1 Sam. 24.3 't is said Saul went in to cover his feet that is to lie down and sleep there for a while else how could David cut off the Skirt of his Garment and not be perceived if he had not been asleep The Servants having staid a great while and finding the King did not open the door they began to be ashamed they had stayed so long and not looked after their Master sooner fearing that some evil had befallen him Then taking a Key it being usual in Kings Houses for the Servants to have Keys to their Masters doors and opening the door they found their Lord dead Ehud thus escaping He came to Mount Ephraim and there blew a Trumpet and gathering the Children of Israel together He tells them what he had done and that the Lord had delivered the Moabites into their hands Then bidding them follow him he went down with them and took the Fords of Jordan that neither the Moabites now in Canaan might escape to their own Country nor those in the Land of Moab pass over Jordan to aid their Brethren in Canaan Then he fell with his Forces upon the Moabites and the Israelites slew ten thousand of them at that time even lusty and stout men So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel and the Land had rest fourscore years to wit after the former rest and Deliverance procured to them by Othniel In the time of those 80 years the Philistines making some Inroads into the Lands of the Israelites Shamgar the Son of Anath who seems to be some Country-man or Farmer of Note did on a suddain raise the Country thereabouts and they (h) Some think that this Victory of Shamgar's was miraculous and that he himself slew 600 as Sampson slew a 1000 of them with the Jaw-bone of an Asse Ch. 15.15 16. with their Ox-goads set upon the Philistines and slew 600 of them So that He was a Deliverer though not a Judge Judg. Ch. 3. from 12. to the end SECT CXXXV The Book of Ruth
HEre the History * Some think Samuel the Pen-man of this History of Ruth according to the judgment of learned men falls in which serves mainly to declare how Ruth being married to Boaz Son to Salmon a Prince of the Tribe of Judah who married Rahab that entertained the Spies at Jericho bore unto him Obed who was the Grandfather of David of whom according to the Flesh Christ came Matth. 1.5 As also to shew that Christ deriving his Humanity from the Gentiles as well as the Jews Ruth being a Moabitess Salvation by Christ belongs not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles also The History of Ruth is in brief this God at this time it seems for the sins of the people of Israel had sent a Famine among them Upon this Elimelech of Bethlem-Judah or Bethlem-Ephrata so called to distinguish it from another Bethlem in Zebulun Josh 19.15 with his wife Naomi and his two Sons Mahlon and Chilion went over into the Land of Moab to Sojourn there during the Famine Here Elimelech dies and after his decease his two Sons married to two Daughters of Moab (i) If they had embraced the true Religion before they married them doubtless they offended against the law Deut. 7.2 Nehem. 13.23 That Ruth had embraced the true Religion appeareth plain v. 16. Ch. 2.12 of Orpah the case is doubtful Ch. 1.15 whose Names were Orpah and Ruth and having lived there with them about ten years both these young men died without Children Thus Naomi lost both her Husband and her two Sons in this Country She hearing at last that the Lord had visited his people in mercy and sent them plenty again she resolves to return to her own Country It seems both her daughters-in-Daughters-in-law did intend at first to have gone with her into the Land of Judah and did both of them accompany her part of the way thither But she advised them both to return to their own Mothers for 't was pity they should leave them and go with a Mother-in-law into a strange Country Therefore she said to them Return back and the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with your Husbands my Sons that are now dead and as ye have dealt with me My prayer to the Lord is that He would please to provide you good Husbands with whom ye may live comfortably and who may be able to defend you from Injuries and provide things necessary for you that so your Husbands houses may be places of rest and true content unto you Then she kissed them to take her farewel of them but they lifted up their Voice and wept and said They would not leave her but would go along with her to her people Naomi pressed them again to return Alas says she there are no more Sons in my Womb that according to the Law Deut. 25.5 6 might make you Husbands There is no expectation of any such thing from me who am old Besides if it should be supposed that I should be married to an Husband this night and should have Sons by him surely you would not stay for them till they were of age fit to make you Husbands Therefore return to your own Friends For though the Hand of God is gone out against me and is heavy upon me and He hath brought me low yet it grieves me not so much for my self as for you that I am not able to yield you any comfort or support at all Then they lift up their Voice and wept again being much affected with these tender Speeches of Hers to them Quia non Religione sed humanitate mota fuit ad sequendum socrum However Orpah thinking it best for her to return kissed her Mother-in-law and took a final Farewel of her but Ruth clave to her and told Her She would not forsake her Naomi told her She saw her Sister was gone back to her people and the Country where the (k) Possibly Orpah after her Husbands death had fallen back to the Idolatry of the Moabites gods of the Moabites were worshipped Go thou therefore says she after her (l) V. 15. Tentativè dictum non positivé Ruth desir'd her not to press her to leave her For says she whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God Where thou diest I will die and where thou art buried there will I be buried also The Lord do so to me (m) A form of an Oath which not only the Jews but other Nations used by which they prayed God to send some great evil upon them if they did not speak truly see 1 King 19.2 20.10 But they were naturally afraid to mention the evil they wished to themselves or others not daring to use such desperate particular Imprecations as the prodigious Wretches of our Age do and more also if ought but death part thee and me Naomi perceiving her stedfastness left off pressing her further and so they went on till they came to Bethlem When they came thither the Inhabitants of that Town were amaz'd to see her who had lived in so good fashion among them and went out with her Husband and two Sons return now in so poor a Condition with only a young Widow hanging on her And they ask'd with some admiration Is this Naomi She answered Call me not Naomi which signifies Pleasant but Mara which signifies Bitter for the Lord hath brought many bitter Sorrows and Afflictions upon me I went out full but the Lord hath brought me home empty The Lord hath testified his Displeasure against me and convinc'd me of my Sins by laying these sharp Afflictions on me Ruth 1. 'T was about the beginning of Barley-Harvest in the Month Nisan answering to part of our March and part of our April when they came to Bethlem and there lived as it seems in a very poor Condition Ruth told her Mother-in-law She had a mind to go out and Glean if she could find a mans Field who would so much favour her as to give her leave And herein she expressed her humility and modesty that she would not make use of the liberty allowed by the Law Levit. 19.9 without the leave and consent of the Owner Her Mother bids her go She accordingly went and it happen'd that she lighted upon a Field that belonged to Boaz a rich Kinsman of Elimelech's and making suit to the Overseer of the Reapers that she might have leave to glean after them she obtained her desire Boaz coming to see his Reapers said to them The Lord bless and prosper you and your labour They answered The Lord multiply his blessings on thee Boaz ask'd his Bailiff Who that Damsel was who was there gleaning He told him She was the Moabitess that came back with Naomi out of Moab to whom he had given leave to glean and she had followed her gleaning hard from morning to that time only now in the heat of the
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
Magistracy among the Israelites unto the tenth Generation Deut. 23.32 yet their present necessity or possibly some warrant from God * Deus hominibus non sibi legem praescripsit Dispensavit de lege sua made them dispence with the severity and rigor of this Law the end and equity whereof was to shew how much God abhorred all Whoredom and Vncleanness to make the people more careful to avoid it and not to inflict a punishment on the person so begotten if he abhorred his Fathers sin and served God in holiness and righteousness Jephtah seems to wonder they should come to him upon such an account What says he did not you hate me and expel me out of my Fathers House and do you come to me now in your Distress The Elders of Israel replied They did acknowledge that what He had said was true and therefore to make amends for their former unkindness to Him they desired his aid now upon no other Condition but that he should be Head over all the Inhabitants of Gilead Jephtah asks them If they would be as good as their word to make him Governour of the Land of Gilead if the Lord inabled him to vanquish the Ammonites They replied They would and further said Let the Lord be Witness between us and let Him as a just Judge punish us if we do not keep Covenant with thee and make thee our Head Hereupon Jephtah went along with them to the Assembly of the Princes and people met at Mizpeh and there He repeated all that had passed between him and the Messengers that were sent unto him The Assembly of the Princes agreeing thereunto both he and they solemnly bound themselves to perform that which was agreed on and probably they confirmed it mutually by Oath as in the presence of God Jephtah the Eighth Judge And so he was made Head and Captain over them Jephtah being thus instated in the Government he resolved first to try fair ways with the Ammonites before he ingages in a War against them see Deut. 20.10 11. Accordingly he sends Messengers to the King of the Ammonites to know what just Cause he had or could pretend for invading their Country and making War upon them The King of the Ammonites returned this Answer That he did it because a great part of that Land which the Israelites took from Sihon King of the Ammonites and from Og King of Bashan had been before by those Kings taken from the Ammonites and especially from the Moabites Numb 21.26 Josh 13.25 all which the King of the Ammonites now Claims as belonging to Him being also at this time as it seems King of the Moabites * For Chemosh the Idol of the Moabites is called his god Now therefore says he I require that those Lands be forthwith restored to me if you will have Peace with me To this Jephtah made this Return That Israel took not away the Land of Moab or the Land of the Children of Ammon as might plainly appear to him if he would consider that when Israel came out of Egypt and travelled through the Wilderness unto the Red-Sea Numb 33.35 and came to Kadesh bordering upon the Land of Edom they sent Messengers to the King of Edom to desire leave of him to pass through his Land Numb 20.14 In like manner they sent to the King of Moab to desire the same favour of Him but they both denying them passage they put themselves to the trouble of fetching a great compass about the Land of Edom and Moab rather than they would be any way injurious to either of them so that the Israelites were far from offering Violence to any of the Nations that bordered upon Canaan and particularly they came not within the Borders of Moab They sent also to Sihon to desire of him that they might quietly pass through his Land but he gathered all his people together and came out and fought against them And having through the assistance of God conquered Him in a lawful War they by the Law of Arms justly possessed themselves of all those Lands which were His which lie within Arnon on the South Jabbock on the North the Wilderness of Arabia on the East and Jordan on the West And God having thus dispossessed the Amorites and given their Land to the Children of Israel why says he should the King of the Ammonites now Claim them Doth not the King of Ammon think that he may justly possess all that which his Idol Chemosh as He falsly conceives hath given him 'T is true the Lord gave to the Children of Moab the Emims Land for a Possession as He gave the Land of the Zamzumminis to the Children of Ammon see Deut. 2.9 10 19 20. but they ascribed their Victories to their Idols and possessed those Lands as their Gift How much more may we Israelites lawfully possess all that Jehovah the true God hath given unto us Further says he I demand whither the King of Ammon hath more right to this Land than Balak had that was King of Moab yet he would never fight against Israel to recover this Land out of their hands which they had taken from the Amorites Indeed he opposed the Israelites for fear they would have entred his Land but neither He nor any of his Posterity did ever make War with them after they were setled in the Land of the Amorites under pretence that that Land was theirs Lastly Jephtah pleads Prescription He tells him The Israelites had peaceably injoyed these Lands three hundred †Non loquitur praecise sed numero rotundo per annos trecentos i. e. circiter Nam ut doctissimi sentiunt deficiunt aliquot anni magis tamen ad trecentos quam ducentos accedebant years and if they viz. the Ammonites had any Title to them why did they not seek to recover them all this while Therefore says he we have not done thee any wrong but thou dost us great wrong in making War now upon us The great God the Judge of all the World be Judge between you and us in this matter But notwithstanding this rational Plea of Jephtah the King of the Ammonites would not regard any thing he said Jephtah having tried fair means and they not succeeding a mighty Spirit of Wisdom and Fortitude from the Lord came upon him so that gathering his Army together He marched with them through Gilead and Mansseh to fight the Ammonites And before the battel he made a Vow that if the Lord would please to deliver the Ammonites into his hands when he returned from the Victory whatsoever came first out of his doors to meet him should surely be consecrated to the Lord and if it were a thing which was capable (d) The Law forbad that men or any of mankind or any unclean beasts should be sacrificed to God see Levit. 27.11 12 13. v. 31. Summa loci est aut Deo quovis modo sacrabitur aut idoneum si fuerit erit in holocaustum
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
his Mother That is he shall not stay till the usual years of other Levites which was 25 or 30 years of age but shall be brought to the Tabernacle and trained up there even from his Childhood and all that while shall continue under the strict vow of a Nazarite which ordinarily the Levites were not bound unto It seems at this very time when Hannah poured forth her prayer to the Lord and made this Vow that Eli the High-Priest sate upon a seat by a post of the Temple of the Lord that is the Tabernacle which possibly at this time had some house built for it to preserve it from weather for Ch. 3.15 we read that Samuel opened the doors of the house of the Lord whereas the Tabernacle had no Gates but only a Vail that was hung up at the entring of it Exod. 26.36 Eli sitting upon his seat and seeing Hannah stand a great while near him mumbling with her lips after an unusual manner and possibly expressing some incomposedness in her gesture through the vehemency of her affection he thought she had been drunk wherefore he said unto her How long wilt thou continue here in thy drunkenness and profane this holy place thou art come into go home and sleep out thy distemper and then come with a penitent heart and make thy peace with God Hannah replys No my Lord I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit and therefore very unlikely to be guilty of such an excess I have neither drunk wine nor strong drink this day but have been pouring * Psal 62.8 Lam. 2.19 forth my soul before the Lord count me not therefore I pray thee such a daughter of Belial nor imagine me guilty of so great a crime as drunkenness is I have only been opening my griefs and sorrows to the Lord and have been earnestly imploring help from him Eli hearing this said Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition which thou hast asked of him Hannah desires him that he would always retain that good opinion of her and would still pray to the Lord in her behalf so being encouraged by the Spirit of God upon the prayer she had poured forth and the gracious encouragement she had received from the High-Priest she departed with inward joy and did eat bread and her countenance was no more sad The next morning Elkanah and his family before they set forth on their journey homewards presented themselves before God in the Tabernacle to worship him and to pray for a prosperous journey and success in all their other lawful affairs leaving therein to posterity a good precedent for their imitation When they were come home Hannah conceived by Elkanah the Lord remembring her and hearing her prayer and when the time was come about for her delivery she bare a Son and called his name Samuel †We read not that Samuel ever was High-Priest but an extraordinary Prophet and Judg in Israel A Sacrificer though only a Levite a rare and worthy person that is asked of God rejoicing most in this that this Son was given her in answer to her prayer Elkanah with several of his family went up to the Tabernacle to offer unto the Lord the yearly Sacrifice and his vow that is besides the yearly and ordinary Sacrifice some other oblation that he had vowed namely a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for the birth of his Son But Hannah desired of her Husband that she might not go up till the child was weaned (d) V. 22. Educatus i. e. eo usque provectus ut ministrare possit Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non tantum est a mamma disjungere sed educare 1 Reg. 11.20 donec maturescat sive maturus siat puer ministerio Nazaraeatui Donec efformetur puer ie ut satis membris robore efformetur ad ministrandum in Tabernaculo Mas 'T is like she would not wean him and so put him from her till he was of some age to shift for himself among strangers being also before that time unable to do service in the Tabernacle A like example we have in Sarah who would not wean her beloved Isaac till he was of some more than ordinary years for a weanling See Gen. 21.8 9. and educated and fitted in some measure to do some kind of service in the Tabernacle and then she would carry him thither and leave him there that he might continue in the service of the Lord for ever that is all the days of his life But 't is plain that Samuel sometime dwelt in Ramah and there judged Israel which hapned either after the age of fifty which was the time prefixed for the Levites service Numb 8.25 or by Gods especial dispensation who dispensed with his Vow to make him a Magistrate Elkanah consents to what his wife desired viz. that she should stay till the Child was weaned and educated Only says he let the Lord establish his word whereby he seems to mean that especial promise which God had made either to him or his wife before or after the conception and birth of the child though it be not expressed particularly what it was When Hannah had weaned and educated her Son she took him with her to Shiloh there to present him to the Lord according to her Vow and she took with her three Bullocks one Ephah of flour and a bottle of wine One of these Bullocks was offered when they presented the child and delivered him up to the service of the Lord the other 't is like were offered in other Oblations or the one might be offered as a Burnt-offering the other two for a Peace-offering The Ephah of flour contained ten Omers or tenth-deals now the Law prescribing three tenth-deals to be offered with a Bullock Numb 15.9 nine tenth-deals of this Ephah were for the three Bullocks and the other tenth-deal which was overplus might be intended for a voluntary meat-offering The bottle of wine was to be used in their meat and drink and Peace-offerings Then Hannah presenting her Son to Eli she said O my Lord as sure as thou art alive I am the woman that stood by thee here praying for this child and the Lord having granted my petition I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth that is I have dedicated him to his service having asked him of the Lord for that very end that I might return him to him again As he was freely given so he shall be freely devoted to Gods service And Elkanah Worshipped the Lord there and thankfully praised him for giving him this Son and also prayed unto him for his blessing upon him and that he would sanctifie him by his Spirit and inable him in an holy manner to perform that Religious service unto which he and his wife had devoted him 1 Sam. Ch. 1. whole Chapter SECT CLII. THese things being done Hannah now in a solemn manner praises the Lord for giving her a Son and prays * Orandi genâ—â—
mean condition yet when he hath finished the work of mans Redemption he shall then be exalted above all Principalities and Powers and shall sit down at the right hand of his Father all power being given unto him both in heaven and earth he shall gather his people from all Nations and govern them by his Word and Spirit and destroy his and their enemies Hannah having ended her Song Elkanah and she departed to their house at Ramah and left their young Son Samuel to minister unto the Lord before Eli the Priest to wit in such services of the Tabernacle as by degrees he grew able to perform The Levites indeed did not enter on that service till they were twenty-five years old as we shewed before but Samuels case was extraordinary because by the special vow of a Nazarite he was even from his tender years consecrated to the service of the Lord. And though by the Law there were no linnen Ephods appointed for the Levites but for the inferior Priests only Exod. 39.27 either therefore afterwards when the Tabernacle came to be setled in the land of Canaan it was so ordered by the Lord that the Levites should also wear such linnen Ephods when they attended upon the service of the Tabernacle or else Samuel was by special dispensation because of the Nazarites vow or some other reason appointed to wear this holy vestment which yet seems not very probable because the linnen Ephod was so commonly worn by all that were employed in holy services that even David when he danced before the Ark 2 Sam. 6.14 was girded with a linnen Ephod But however it was 't is plain that Samuel in his younger years did attend upon the service of the Tabernacle viz. in such services as he could then perform and that before Eli the Priest that is as he was ordered and directed by him who undertook it training of him up and upon whom he chiefly attended in the service he performed And his mother when she came to Shiloh with her husband to offer the yearly Sacrifice used to bring him a new coat as a pledg of her motherly love to him and there Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife and said unto him The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the Son thou hast lent to the Lord. And the Lord visited * Visitare hic sumitur in bonam partem Hannah in mercy and according to Eli's blessing made her fruitful so that for that one Son she had given to the Lord he gave her three Sons and two Daughters more so powerful are the prayers of such good men as Eli was And the child Samuel as he grew in years so he grew in grace and godliness whereby he became acceptable both to God and man see Luk. 2.52 1 Sam. Ch. 2. from v. 1. to 12. and v. 18 19 20 21. SECT CLIII ELI was at this time as we have shewed Judg of Israel and he was High-Priest also but how he came to be so (a) Quomodo ab Aarone oriundus sit Eli nondum liquet ut ejus ex industria videatur obliterata genealogia Tantilla est solius loci non doctrinae morumque successio Anonym in loc we cannot give any certain account the Scripture being therein silent He had two Sons Hophni and Phineas who as Secondary Priests did the service of the Sanctuary under their Father but these were very wicked men Sons of Belial that had no lively knowledg nor apprehension of God nor did fear and honour him as God For though they did profess to worship God yet in their works they denied him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The sins and provocations of these Sons of Eli are set forth in several particulars they were not content with the breast and shoulder and the checks * See Deut. 18.3 with the tongue which only were the Priests portion of the Peace-offerings Levit. 7.31 32 c. but they used to challenge of that which was seething for the Sacrifices as their just fees all that their flesh-hook could take out having no Law of God for it and this they did not only now and then but constantly practised it unto all the Israelites that came to Shiloh to worship v. 14. And sometimes they would have this their overplus-portion before the flesh was put into the pot or kettle that they might roast it yea before the fat was taken off and burnt and so before the Lord had his due directly against the Law Levit. 7.31 which may be the reason why v. 29. they are said to have made themselves fat with the chiefest of the offerings and if any denied to give them what they required they threatned to take it by force and violence God was very angry at these miscarriages of these young men whereby they caused the people to neglect the Worship and service of God and even to abhor his Sacrifices when they saw them profaned by such abominable courses Eli was very old and heard of these great miscarriages of his Sons and of some other abominations that they were guilty of viz. that they lay with the women that came to the door of the Tabernacle to offer Sacrifices and to perform other duties of worship and service unto God which wickedness was the more abominable because they had wives of their own as we may see Ch. 4.19 Old Eli did indeed reprove his Sons for these their scandalous miscarriages but he did it too mildly and gently saying to them Nay my Sons it is no good report I hear of you ye make the Lords people to transgress by your wicked example and to forbear bringing their Sacrifices to the Lord being so highly scandalized at your ill managing of sacred things But Eli being not only a Father but also a chief Magistrate and Judg should not only have reproved them sharply but should have punished them severely by casting them out of the Priests Office which they had so shamefully profaned yea should have put them to death for their adultery according to the Law Levit. 20.10 but he only mildly reproved them for such great enormities He told them that if one man sin against another the Judg shall judg him that is an umpire may come and take up the controversie and the offending party may be adjudged to make satisfaction and so there will be an end of that quarrel but if a man sin against the Lord who shall entreat for him that is no mediation or satisfaction of man can here make his peace with God no reconciliation can here be hoped for but upon his repentance and turning to God and resting on the alsufficient merits and intercession of the Messias But let Eli say what he would they hearkened not to the voice of their father which plainly shewed that the Lord determined to destroy them for being grievously provoked by their sins he resolved as a righteous Judg to leave them to themselves and to the wickedness of
convinced that the keeping of the Ark among them was the true cause of their present calamities they resolved to send it back and thereupon called for their Priests and Diviners to advise them in what manner they should do it that they might appease the wrath of the God of Israel and that he might heal their land and remove their plagues The Priests advise them that if they did resolve to send it back they should not send it without some gift or present or trespass-offering because they had trespassed against the God of Israel by carrying away his Ark captive and had not given it that honour and respect that was due to it And then say they ye shall be healed if his hand has been upon you by reason of your detaining his Ark but if it were upon you for any other cause it will be upon you still after the Ark is sent home Thus the alwise-Providence of God causeth these Idolatrous Priests who were enemies to him and his true Worship to give such counsel as tended to his honour and the shame of their Idols and false worship The Philistines ask their Priests what Trespass-offering they should send They answer five golden Emerods and five golden Mice according to the number of the Princes of the Philistines and the five principal Cities with their villages that were under their command For one and the same plague was on them all see v. 17 18. even on all the land of the Philistines which extendeth unto the great stone of Abel that is mourning see v. 19. so called from the peoples great lamentation for the slaughter God made among them upon an occasion which we shall speak of afterwards By these presents they acknowledged that the God of Israel brought upon them those plagues of the Emerods and Mice for their detaining his Ark and so by them they gave glory to his great name see Josh 7.19 'T is possible Satan might instigate these Diviners to send such absurd and ridiculous gifts as these with the Ark in contempt of God but if it were so that which Satan intended as a dishonour the Lord by his over-ruling Providence so disposed of as tended to his glory seeing the Philistines themselves were made to send into the land of Israel such things which would there remain as perpetual Monuments and Memorials of those shameful punishments wherewith God had humbled them However this is the course these Priests advise them to take at this time and peradventure say they God will hereupon lighten his hand from off you and from off your Gods so that it seems not only Dagon but several other of their Idol-gods were thrown down and broken to pieces by a secret hand of God in all their Cities whither the Ark was brought as 't is probable the like was formerly done in Egypt see Exod. 12.12 and Numb 33.4 But though many of the Philistines were for sending back the Ark presently yet it seems some of them were of a contrary judgment and stiffly opposed it wherefore the Priests blamed them for thus hardning their hearts against the means which God had afforded them to convince them of their sin why will you say they retain the Ark after you have suffered such great and grievous punishments by it herein resembling Pharaoh and the Egyptians who held the people of Israel in cruel bondage notwithstanding Gods hand was so heavy upon them till at last going on in their sin their whole Army was drown'd in the Sea If you would avoid the like heavy Judgments do not imitate them in their sin Now therefore take our advice make a new Cart which hath never yet been put to any common use and take two young heifers on which there hath come no yoke and fastning the Cart to them shut up their Calves at home from them and take the Ark and put it into the Cart and put those Jewels of Gold viz. those Golden Images of Emerods and Mice which ye return for a Trespass-offering in a little Coffer by the side thereof and send it away that it may go and by this experiment ye shall discern whither the God of Israel hath inflicted these punishments upon us or no. If these young heifers untamed and untrained quietly bear the yoke and carry the Ark directly in the way that leadeth to Bethshemesh a City belonging to the Priests †Josh 21.16 of Judah and if the kine do carry the Ark thitherward not offering to go out of the way or to return to their sucking Calves shut up at home it will then be evident that their natural love and affection to their young ones is restrained by a Supernatural power and that the kine would never have done it if Gods hand had not been in the business and so we may conclude that it was he that smote us whilst we kept the Ark. But if things happen otherwise then we may conclude that it was not his hand that smote us but it was only a chance that happened to us The Philistines agree to do as their Priests directed them and all things being prepar'd the Kine went directly to Bethshemesh as if they had been sent thither by God to deliver the Ark into their hands to whom it belonged to take care of it But yet by a natural instinct they sometimes lowed after their Calves left behind them but notwithstanding went on directly in the way towards Bethshemesh not turning to the right hand or left into any cross or by-ways being moved to go on with the Cart and to carry the Ark thither by the all-powerful Providence of God And the Lords of the Philistines went after them unto the borders of Bethshemesh to observe the issue of this experiment and then returned home v. 16. The men of Bethshemesh were at this time reaping their Wheat-harvest * Wheat-harvest in that Country used to be in our May at the Feast of Pentecost Lev. 23.16 whence we may gather that the Ark was taken about November before seeing it was seven months in the custody of the Philistines but lift up their eyes to their great astonishment and joy they saw the Ark coming towards them and the Cart came into the Field of Joshua a Bethshemite and stood there where there was a great stone and the Priests who were of the Tribe of Levi came and took down the Ark of the Lord and the Coffer that was with it and set them on the great stone and they clave the wood of the Cart and offered the Kine as a Burnt-offering to the Lord. 'T is true the Law did command that only males should be offered in Burnt-offerings Levit. 1.3 but this seems to be an extraordinary act of devotion whereunto the Priests were led by reasons grounded upon this strange and extraordinary work which God had wrought and perhaps by a special instinct of his Spirit and is not therefore to be judged of according to the rules of ordinary Burnt-offerings They considered
possibly that these Kine had been given up by the Philistines to the service of the Lord to bring home the Ark and having been imployed in so sacred a service it was not fit they should be imployed to any other use and therefore they resolved by this way of an extraordinary Burnt-offering to give them up to the Lord. And besides this Burnt-offering of the Kine the men of Bethshemesh brought their own Oblations to the Priests who offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings to the Lord that day for them as an expression of their thankfulness to God for the return of the Ark. But it seems some of the men of Bethshemesh were so presumptuous as to open the Ark and to look into it whereas it was not lawful for any but the Priests no not for the Levites themselves who carried it to look upon it bare and uncovered see Numb 4.20 yet it seems these bold Bethshemites not only took liberty without any fear or reverence to gaze and stare upon it but proceeded further even to look into it possibly to see whether the Philistines had taken any thing out of it or put any thing into it which they should not have done but only the Priests Hereupon God smote seventy (a) v. 19. Textus sic se habet percussit de populo 70 viros 50 millia virorum i. e. percussit de populo in quo erant viri 50 mille viros 70. Syr. Ar. legunt 5 millia 70 viros Sic pro chamishim legunt duntaxat chamish q. d. percussit de populo Bethshemitico in quo erant 5 mille viros 70. ut sensus sit Deum pro indulgentia sua noluisse in omnes reos animadvertere sed in partem tantum eorum Ergo supplenda est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddenda si sequamur Syr. Ar. quinque mille Quis enim credaâ— ex oppido non admodum copioso 50 millia mortuos esse plurimos relictos qui eorum funera lugerent Secundum aliquoâ— sensus loci est illos 70 viros tales fuisse ut a quipararentur 50 millibus de plebeiis vide 2 Sam. 18.3 of them who it seems were most presumptuous though there were many thousands of them that had adventured to look upon it uncovered He smote of the people the Text says that were fifty thousand or as the Syriack and Arabick read it five thousand †These were not all probably the inhabitants of Bethshemesh but many of them such as â—â—ooked from the neighbouring Countries to see the Ark when returned seventy persons And the Bethshemites bewailed this sad slaughter God had made among them in a complaining manner they said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God who manifesteth himself from between the Cherubims and to whom shall the Ark which is the sign and pledg of his Presence go up from us Intimating that people would be afraid to entertain it seeing such direful things following of it So they went to the Inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from them to desire them to fetch the Ark thither pretending possibly it was a place of much more safety for it to be in than their City was The men of Kirjath-jearim were so far from opposing the bringing of the Ark to their City notwithstanding the sad calamity that had befallen so many of the Bethshemites that they themselves fetched it thither and undoubtedly with much joy the Priests of Bethshemesh carrying it as believing that it was not the presence of the Ark among the men of Bethshemesh but their irreverent carriage in gazing upon it or looking into it that was the cause of their misery When they had brought it to their City they placed it in the house of Abinadab a Levite and a man as 't is like of singular holiness whose house was on a hill and possibly fenced in and called Gibeah 2 Sam. 6.3 a place of strength and safety for the Ark to be kept in Having carried it into his house they sanctified Eleazar his Son to keep it that is they chose him to be set apart to this holy imployment to give continual attendance upon the Ark that he might keep others from coming near to pollute or defile it and they caused him to prepare himself for this Sacred charge by washing his garments and other such like Ceremonies of Legal purifying It may seem strange that they did not carry the Ark back to the Tabernacle in Shiloh but it seems the Lord would shew his indignation against the former wickedness of that place by not suffering the Ark to be carried thither again So he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh c. Psal 78.60 And the Ark being thus separated from the Tabernacle they continued divided for ever after for 't is said that David prepared a new Tent for it 1 Chron. 15.1 and it remained at Kirjath-jearim twenty years (d) This cannot be meant of the whole time of the Arks remainning at Kirjath-jearim for tween the death of Eli shortly after which the Ark was brought to this place and the beginning of Davids reign when it was removed thence 2 Sam. 6.2 3. there must needs be forty years allowed for the Government of Saul and Samuel Act. 13.21 all which time the Ark continued in Kirjath-jearim unless when it was for a while carried forth into the Camp in the War against the Philistines Ch. 14.18 before the people could be won to that solemn repentance and conversion recited in the following verses But though the Ark was at Kirjath-jearim yet the Tabernacle and publick worship of God was at Shiloh 1 Sam. Ch. 5. wh Ch. Ch. 6. wh Ch. Ch. 7. ver 1 2. SECT CLVII FOR twenty years together after the Ark was removed to Kirjath-jearim the Isralites were grievously oppressed by the Philistines but at length by the exhortation of Samuel and the troubles they had felt they were brought to repentance and lamented after the Lord that is humbling themselves cried and called unto him for help and deliverance The Elders therefore of Israel resorting to Samuel he exhorted them to put away their strange Gods and Goddesses see Judg. 2.13 14. and to prepare and compose their hearts to serve the Lord intirely in a setled course of new obedience and then he doubted not but he would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines Accordingly they did abandon and cast away their Idols and served the Lord only as his Law required Samuel hereupon summons the whole body of the people to Mizpeh * Situate in the confines of Judah and Benjamin and therefore reckoned among the Cities of both Tribes see Josh 15.38 18.26 that there they might together renew their Covenant with God which they had so shamefully broken and joining together in serious and solemn humiliation they might by fasting and prayer implore mercy and forgiveness from God with a return of his
Stobaeus that is shewed them the duty of a King towards his Subjects and of his Subjects towards him and these fundamental Laws of the Kingdom he wrote in a Book (d) Hic liber periit cum multis aliis and laid it up before the Lord that is before the Ark or in the Tabernacle for the sure preservation of it and to intimate that God would take care of thâ—se Laws to uphold and maintain them and to punish those that should violate or break them These things being done Samuel dismissed this great Assembly and Saul went to Gibeah his own City and there went with him a band of men (e) Quos scil divinus spiritus ad obsequium illud novo Regi exhibendum impulit such whose hearts God had touched and moved to think it fit that they should attend him and as a Royal guard wait upon him and conduct him in his return home But all the people were not so well pleased with this Election though it plainly appeared to be of God there were some rude and wretched fellows Sons of Belial that despised him and look d upon him as a person unfit to be King and unlikely to govern them well and defend them against their enemies as a King should do whereupon they refused to bring him any presents (f) That was the custom of those times as is noted concerning Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.5 see Mat. 2.11 sine muneribus Reges orientis adiâ—i non solebant as it seems the rest of the people did to testifie their subjection and that they did acknowledg him to be their King But Saul held his peace not seeming to take notice (g) Novum imperium inchoantibus utilis clementiae fama ait Tacitus of their unworthy carriage towards him but seeking to win them by lenity and love 1 Sam. Ch. 10. from v. 17. to the end SECT CLXII NAhash King of the Ammonites now came up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead a City without Jordan this attempt had been brewing against the Israelites before they desired a King and was in great part the occasion of it as appears Ch. 12.12 And now possibly it was the more hastened by Nahash because of the report that was brought to him that the Israelites had shaken off the Government of Samuel and had chosen a King to reign over them at which some of them were discontent and would not accept him 'T is like the Ammonites made the ground of their present quarrel the old pretence and claim which they laid to the land of Gilead in which Jabesh stood see Judg. 11.13 which now they hop'd to recover and revenge the shameful overthrow which Jephtah then gave them The men of Jabesh-Gilead being now in extream fear and not trusting in the Providence of God as they ought to have done and contrary to Gods command who had forbidden them to make any Covenant with the accursed Nations they desire Nabash to make a Covenant with them and to take them under his protection as his Confederates and they would pay him Tribute and serve him Nahash proudly and tyrannically answers them that on this condition only he would make a Covenant with them namely if he might have liberty to put out their right eyes Hereby he intended it seems to disable them from War for with their Shields they covered their left eyes and therefore if their right eyes were put out what service of war could they be fit for as also to fix a reproach upon all Israel For the accepting such base conditions would be a perpetual disgrace to all the people of whom it would be said that they were so base a people that they would buy their peace and lives upon any terms yea it would be a reproach to the God of Israel as if he could not help his people in their distresses or would not do it The Elders of Jabesh-Gilead desire seven days respite to send unto their brethren for help in which time if they were not relieved they promise to come out unto him and to yield themselves to be disposed of at his pleasure Nahash being puft up with a vain opinion of his own strength and thinking it impossible that their brethren in that time either could or durst come to relieve them yields to their desire and by this means through his own arrogancy and folly he brought ruin and destruction upon himself and his people And God by his alwise Providence made this a means that Jabesh-Gilead should be delivered by the hands of Saul whose valour and magnanimity being in this atchievement so much displayed the hearts of the people were hereby more inclined to receive him for their King The men of Jabesh-Gilead having therefore liberty granted them to send to their Brethren their Messengers came first to Gibeah where Saul and Samuel now were to acquaint them with the extream streights they were in that so they might speedily send into all the Coasts of Israel for help When the people of Gibeah heard these doleful tidings they lift up their voices and wept Saul though elected King yet being returned to his own house betook himself as it seems to his former private Country-life expecting till God should please to give him an opportunity by some eminent action to shew himself worthy to be their King Coming home therefore out of the fields after his Herd he perceived the people all in an uproar crying out and wringing their hands and tearing their hair and expressing the bitterest lamentation Being extreamly surpriz'd at it he asks what was the matter they tell him the sad tidings that were brought to them concerning Jabesh-Gilead At the hearing of this the Spirit of God came upon him that is the spirit of fortitude and courage and magnanimity and zeal for his Countrys defence and though he was before very patient in his own cause when certain Sons of Belial scorned and despised him and easily passed it over as we have seen Ch. 10.27 yet now his anger was highly kindled and he was impatient of the wrong that was done to the Lord and his people by the Ammonites Taking therefore a yoke of Oxen and hewing them in pieces he sent the pieces to the several Tribes of Israel in imitation of the Levite Judg. 19.29 who did thus cut his Concubine in pieces and sent them to the several Tribes to stir up their indignation And because he was not as yet generally received as King he uses not only his own name but Samuel's also and by his messengers gives the people to understand that whosoever did not come forth and join with them in this expedition against the Ammonites their Oxen should be so served And the fear of the Lord fell upon the people and so moved and inclined their hearts that they readily came forth and joined with Saul and Samuel in this undertaking And when they were come together in the Territories of Bezek Saul numbred them and the Children of Israel were three hundred
more careful to avoid those ways of injustice and oppression which he had told them before the Kings of the earth were prone unto see Ch. 8.11 As also that he might hereby convince them of their sinful folly in rejecting him and with him the upright and impartial Government of Judges and chusing to be under Kings from many of whom they should find but hard and oppressive usage Having thus justified himself he goes on further to argue with them concerning Gods dealing with them and their carriage towards him Now therefore says he stand still that I may reason with you concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord wherein he hath approved himself faithful and hath performed his Covenant which he made with you and your fathers and hath given you help and deliverance out of the hands of your enemies and therefore you are guilty of great ingratitude in not relying upon him but distrusting him and rejecting his Government Recollect I pray you and call to your remembrance Gods former dealings with you when Jacob was come into Egypt and his posterity exceedingly multiplied they being grievously oppressed cried unto the Lord for deliverance he then made Moses the Governour of his people and Aaron the High-Priest and sent them to deliver your Fathers out of that bondage which they accordingly did and then they led them through the Wilderness and brought them into the Land which the Lord had promised to give unto them And Moses put them in possession of that part of the land which was without Jordan and substituted Joshua in his place who gave them possession of the rest But they soon forgot the kindness of the Lord and regarded not his Commandments So he sold them into the hand of Sisera Captain General to Jabin who dwelt at Hazar and into the hands of the Philistines and into the hand of the King of Moab And when they were in these distresses they cried unto him and confessed their sins and how they had wickedly fallen to Idolatry and had worshipped Baalim and Ashtaroth and then humbly besought him to help them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies and promised faithfully to serve him The Lord being moved with compassion towards them he sent them several Saviours and Deliverers particularly Jerubbaal or Gideon and Bedan that is Samson so called because he was of the Tribe of Dan and Jephthah * He mentions not these Judges in the order of time in which they lived and insisteth only on some of them to put them in mind of the rest V. 14. Eritis post Jehovam i. e. Jehovah antecedet vos defendet vos Pisc And to come down to your own times I hope I may without vanity mention my self also as one under whose conduct by the blessing of God you have had great deliverances and have enjoyed great tranquillity and safety But when ye understood that Nahash King of the Ammonites was coming against you nothing then would satisfie you but to have a King set over you whereas the Lord your God was your King and held in his own hands the right of governing you and ruled over you by Judges as his Substitutes and Deputies And with his Government you should have been well contented and satisfied till he was pleased to alter it And now behold seeing nothing else would content you he hath set a King over you But though you have greatly offended him and deserve to be rejected of him and cast off from being his people as you have rejected him from being your King yet if you will fear him and serve him and obey his voice the Lord will not forsake you but will be to you and your King a Leader Guide and Protector and you shall continue to be his people following of him as dutiful children do their father which will be a great honour and advantage to you But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God his hand will be against you as it was against your Fathers whom for their disobedience he caused to fall in the Wilderness But possibly you will think that all that I have said unto you in blaming you for desiring a King are but the words of a weak old man but ye shall know that I speak to you from the Lord who hath sent me unto you as his Prophet and Ambassadour and seeing you are so difficult to believe me in this thing except my words be confirmed by Miracles you shall see a Miracle to confirm you Is not this a fair and bright day as the days use to be in Wheat-harvest * Their Wheat-harvest in those dry Countries of Syria and Canaan was in the heat of Summer which dried up the vapours and exhalations that are the causes of thunder at that time especially when the day on which Samuel spake to them was fair there was no likelihood of such weather Tonitru illud tempore messis praeter naturam fuit idâ—oque mirabile propterea quod vere tanâ—um autumno fiunt tonitrua Cujus rei causa est quod concitantur ex conflictu calidi frigidi qui conflictus neque hyeme superante frigore neque aestate superante aestu fieri potest praesertim in aestuosis terris qualis Syria est Castalio you know we use to have no rain or thunder at this time of the year see Prov. 26. you see now no sign of any approaching tempest yet ye shall see me at this time by my prayer obtain both rain and thunder from God by which you may be convinced that your wickedness is great in desiring a King and thereby rejecting the Lord who is so powerful a Protector and hath thunder and rain heaven and earth at his command and is able to destroy all his and his peoples enemies as you have had lately experience Ch. 7.10 as also in rejecting me his Prophet who by my prayers can procure thunder and rain from heaven Samuel accordingly prayed unto the Lord that day and immediately the Lord sent thunder and rain in a very extraordinary manner insomuch that the people were not only convinced thereby that they had heinously sinned in desiring a King but also were much afraid that by this terrible tempest they should be destroyed They hereupon desired Samuel to pray for them saying they had added to all their former sins this also in asking a King (a) They failed in the manner of asking him 1. Asking him very unseasonably not waiting Gods time 2. They askt him with impetuous impatience brooking no delay 3. Proudly they would be like other Nations 4. Distrustfully resting more on their King than on Gods power and promises 5. Rebelliously shaking off Gods Government as weary of it and desiring to exchange it for that of a King and casting off his holy Prophet Samuel a most innocent and upright Judge Samuel encouraged them and bad them not despair of Gods mercy towards them provided they turned not aside from
him to salute and welcome him Samuel understanding how things had gone angryly said to him What hast thou done Saul tells him that having waited for him till a great part of the seventh day was spent he conceived he would not come within the time appointed and so being constrained by necessity even against his will (c) The true cause why he hastened to Sacrifice seems to be because his Soldiers run away so fast from hâ—m in whom he put more confidence than in God he had offered Sacrifice (d) V. 12. Roboravi itaque me i. e. Obfirmavi animum q. d. etiam reclamante animo obtuli holocaustum prae timore Quare cum inter se confligerent voluntas necessitas tandem vicit necessitas sed nulla erat necessitas offerendi Sacrificia contra voluntatem divinam Tali enim Sacrificio non placatur Deus sed irritatur V. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat durationem longam non tamen aeternam q. d. longo tempore dignitas illa Regia mansisset in tua stirpe In sempiternum i. e. quam diu Saulis posteritas viveret Gr. for how could he stay any longer except he would have had the enemy to come upon him and his weak and unarmed company before he had made supplication to the Lord for them and sued for his help which would have been the way to expose them to ruin and destruction Samuel said Thou hast done foolishly in not waiting full seven days as I appointed thee from the Lord Ch. 10.18 Hadst thou obeyed the Commandment of the Lord herein he would have established thy Kingdom over Israel for ever that is for a long time even as long as any of thy posterity lived But now thy Kingdom shall not continue that is shall not be established upon thee and thy posterity but shall be rent from thee and given to another It may perhaps seem strange that Saul should lose his Kingdom for this which to the eye of reason appears not so great a transgression if we consider what Saul pleaded for himself but we must also consider that there may be much wickedness of heart in doing that which outwardly seems but a small offence and Saul being the first King of Israel God was pleased by this severity against him for his violation of his command to make him an example to all that should afterwards succeed in that Throne that they might fear to transgress the Commandment of the Lord as he had done Thus the Lord did with great severity punish the first sin of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.1 that all the succeeding posterity of Aaron might take warning thereby and beware how they carried themselves in their Priestly Office But to go on Samuel tells Saul that because he had not obeyed the Lord he knew by revelation that the Lord intended to reject him and that he had found out a man after his own heart though he knew not at present who it was whom he had appointed and designed to be King and Captain over his people in his stead Samuel having delivered to him this sad message went up from thence to Gibeah Saul now numbring the Souldiers he had left found them to be but about six hundred the rest of his two thousand being run away with this small party he goes up to Gibeah where Jonathan joins with him the Philistines great Army was now encamped at Michmash from whence they sent out parties to spoil the Country and to fetch in booty to their Camp and therefore they went out three several ways one to Ophrah a City of Benjamin that lay North-â—ast from Michmash the other to Bethoron a City of Ephraim that lay North-west and the third towards the Valley of Zeboim which was South-East Saul had but a very small Army as we have seen before and those only armed with Clubs Bows or Slings not a Sword or Spear found among any of them but only Saul and Jonathan and the reason of it was this The Philistines when they gave the Israelites that great defeat Ch. 4.10 and took the Ark of God they disarmed them taking away their iron armes and weapons and to keep them from getting any more for the future they took away all their Smiths and would not let one of that Trade live among them lest they should make them Swords and Spears (a) The chief victory that the Israelites got over the Philistines after this was miraculous not gotten with Sword or Spear but with thunder from heaven 1 Sam. 7.10 Nebuchadnezzar also carried away the Craftsmen and Smiths out of the land of Israel possibly for the same reason 2 King 24.14 Naâ— the Israelites were in such miserable bondage that they were feign to go to the Smiths that were in the Philistines Garrisons to sharpen their Shares and Coulters their Axes and Mattocks only they allowed them Files at their own houses to sharpen their Tools when they were blunted 1 Sam. Ch. 13. from v. 1 to 23. SECT CLXV THE body of the Philistines Army remaining in the Plains about Michmash it seems a party of them went and took a passage near to them which was the passage from Michmash towards Gibeah and kept it against the Israelites Jonathan the Son of Saul being moved by a special instinct of the Spirit of God and endued not only with Heroick gifts of valour and fortitude but also with an extraordinary strong faith in Gods promises that if his people obeyed him One of them should chase a thousand of their enemies and two of them put ten thousand to flight Deut. 32.30 He had a design in his head to set upon that Court of Guard of the Philistines which kept the Michmash-passage but he acquaints not his Father with it who in likelihood would have disswaded him from undertaking so dangerous and desperate an enterprize Saul was now encamped with his six hundred men in some field or plain near unto Gibeah called Migron where having fortified himself he observ'd the motions of the enemy Abiah (a) God threatned Eli that his children should die in the slower of their age See 1 Sam. 2.21 23. the Son of Ahitub the eldest Son of Phinehas being now High-Priest came thither with the Ephod and Ark for the peoples better encouragement Jonathan now acquaints his Armour-bearer with his design Come says he let thou and I go and surprize that Court of Guard which the uncircumcised * For being aliens and not in Covenant with God they are not under his protection and we being His people and in Covenant with him have his promise that he will give us victory over his and our enemies yea a special promise that Saul shall save us out of the hand of the Philistines Ch. 9.16 Philistines keep near Michmash come let us try it may be the Lord will work for us for there is no restraint to him to save by many or by few His Armour-bearer replied Do all that is in thine heart
servants along with him * See v. 2. and Mat. 12.3 4. and some few others that voluntarily joined themselves to him 1. He first flies to Nob a City in the Tribe of Benjamin near to Anathoth about twelve miles from Gibeah whither it seems the Tabernacle was now removed from Shiloh though the Ark still remained at Kirjath-jearim see Chap. 7.1 and possibly Saul caused it to be removed hither for his own conveniency that he might with more speed and ease upon all occasions resort to it And hence it was that there were so many Priests now dwelling here namely that they might attend upon the service of the Tabernacle David being resolved to fly for his safety out of the land came hither first not only to get some supply of his present want but also to visit the Tabernacle that he might there worship the Lord before his departure and seek unto him for help and comfort in this his day of adversity Leaving therefore his small company in some place nigh he went himself to Ahimelech the High-Priest at Nob It seems Ahiah his brother being dead he was High-Priest in his room who it seems was also call'd Abiather see Mark 2.26 and had a Son also of that name as we may see Ch. 22.20 Ahimelech was much troubled when he saw David come to him alone fearing that he was fled from Saul upon some displeasure and if so it would be dangerous for him to entertain him He asks him therefore how it came to pass that he was alone David replies that the King had sent him about a secret business and enjoined him to let no body know of it and so he had appointed his servants to stay for him in a place nigh at hand This was indeed a direct lye and proved afterwards the occasion of that horrible Massacre which Saul made of Ahimelech and the rest of the Priests of that City even eighty five persons that wore a linnen Ephod yea of the utter destruction of the City and the inhabitants thereof both men and women and children yea even of the very beasts as we read Ch. 22.18 19. Just cause had David to bewail this pernicious lye of his as long as he lived and so no doubt he did for he charges it upon himself when Abiathar the Son of Ahimelech brought him the sad tidings thereof Ch. 22.22 I have occasioned says he the death of all the persons of thy Fathers house And 't is supposed that the remorse for this very sin was fresh in his heart when he wrote that passage in the 119. Psal v. 28 29. My soul melteth away for heaviness strengthen thou me according to thy word Remove from me the way of lying c. David now desires Ahimelech to furnish him with some bread and provisions for himself and his servants that were at hand they being in great want of food Ahimelech tells him he had no bread there at the Tabernacle but the shew-bread * Davids hast was such thorough the apprehension of danger that he must presently be gone therefore he could not stay for other bread which was not to be eaten by any but the Priests see Levit. 24.9 much less by any that were unclean Yet considering that charity is to be preferred before all ceremonies and that in case of necessity the Ceremonial Law was to give way to the Moral he condescends in this exigence to relieve them with the shew-bread and what he did therein is approved by our Saviour Mat. 12.3 4. provided the young men had kept themselves from their wives (a) Hic sacerdos ni nis videtur scrupulosus Quid enim si David fuisset immundus Ideone voluit illum fame mori which it seems the Priests that were to eat the shew-bread thought themselves bound to do by a laudable custom grounded on Exod. 19.15 though not expresly by the Law commanded And it seems the High-Priest thought that if the young men had not thus abstained they would be under a double impediment David tells him 't was three days since they came out and all that time they had been absent from their wives therefore the bodies of the young men were clean and on this account not unfit to eat of this bread Besides says he the shew-bread is in this case of necessity to us but as common bread so as we may lawfully eat of it especially seeing it is this day (b) Hereby it appeareth that it was the Sabbath-day on which David came to Nob whereon new shew-bread was put in the place of the old removed from standing upon the Table before the Lord and there is other bread consecrated according to the Law and set hot in the room of it upon these considerations the High-Priest gave him the shew-bread But it so happened that there was one of the servants of Saul there that day by name Doeg the chiefest of Saul's herdsmen by Nation an Edomite but by profession a Proselyte to the Religion of the Israelites yet a notorious wicked man and a great enemy to David it seems he was detained there before the Lord that is in the Court of the Tabernacle to pay some Vow he had made or to offer some Sacrifice he was engag'd to offer This man diligently observed David and his actions that he might relate them to Saul David askt Ahimelech whether he had not there a Sword or Spear that he could lend him for he told him he had not brought his Sword or his weapons with him because the Kings business required hast Thus one lye making a breach in the Conscience another quickly follows it and finds an easie passage thorough it The High-Priest told him there was no Sword there but Goliaths (c) The rest of Goliath's armour David had dispos'd of elsewhere see Ch. 17.54 but his sword was brought to the Tabernacle there to be reserved as a memorial of that victory to the praise of God which was wrapt in a cloth and kept behind that holy place where the Sacred Vestments and Ornaments were laid up of which the Ephod was the chiefest see Exod. 28.4 6. if he pleased he might have that David answered There is none like to that give it me for as oft as I look upon it it will put me in mind of Gods wonderful assistance vouchsafed to me in conquering Goliath and will strengthen my faith and affiance in him that he will help me in the like difficulties and dangers Ch. 21. from 1 to 10. 2ly Having gotten Goliath's sword he now flies into the Country of Achish King of Gath call'd also Abimeleck which was the common name of the Kings of the Philistines here he hoped to have sojourned at least for a time secretly and undiscovered It seems he had more hope of safety there than in his own Country at present The servants of Achish after some time discover who he was and apprehend him Possibly Goliath's sword might be some means of discovering of him and so
with Cymbals of brass and some with Psalteries on * Alamoth signifies young maidens or Virgins and therefore Expositors hereby understand the Treble because their voice is shril and fittest for that part in Musick See Tit. of 46 Psal Symphonia acuta quam virgines edunt argutissime Alamoth singing the Treble and others on Sheminith or an instrument of eight strings playing the bass to make the Musick more excellent and delightful and some of the Priests did blow with Trumpets And Berechiah and Elkanah were appointed to do the office of Door-keepers to keep the people off from pressing upon the Ark and so were Obed-Edom and Jehiah two of them going before and two behind And when the Levites who carried the Ark perceived after they had gone a little way with it that God was with them and did not strike them with death as he did Vzzah but manifested his favour to them so that they went on without interruption see 2 Sam. 6.13 they made a stand and offered Sacrifices to the Lord by way of thankfulness David ordering it to be done by the Priests who no doubt made an Altar there according to the Law Exod. 20.24 David also clothed himself with a robe of white linnen like to a Priests Ephod and girded it to him with a linnen girdle and so also the Levites and Singers were clothed with robes of white linnen and David transported with an holy joy danced before the Ark of the Lord with all his might It was in those days usual to testifie their thankefulness and joy by dancing * See Psal 149.3 150.4 30.11 Exod. 15.20 and so David did here dancing gravely and decently answerable to the Religious Musick and testifying his zeal for God and his Worship with all his might and his thankefulness that the Lord would please to settle the Ark in his City Thus David and all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with joyful acclamations and singing and the sound of Cornets Trumpets Cymbals Psalteries and Harps And when the Ark came into the City of David in this solemn manner Michal Saul's daughter looking out at a window and seeing David dancing †Pra gaudio immenso David vehementer saltabat ita ut nasutis non judicantibus recte de pio Davidis zelo regiae dignitatis oblitus videretur and playing on his Harp before the Ark she despised him in her heart So they brought the Ark and set it in the place or Tabernacle David had prepared for it and then they offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings before the Lord and then David like a pious Prince blessed the people in the name of the Lord and prayed for their peace and prosperity Then he royally feasted them appointing to each person both man and woman a loaf of bread a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine and so he dismissed them and they departed to their own houses with great content and satisfaction having performed this publick service David then returned to bless his own house viz. to pray with and for his family as he had done for the people But Michal Saul's daughter too much resembling her Father in evil qualities goes out to meet him and being no longer able to suppress her disdainful thoughts she crys out O how glorious was the King of Israel this day who uncovered himself in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as one of the vain fellows shamelesly uncovereth (a) V. 20. discooperiens se nudatus est non omnino sed quod deposuisset extimam vestem regalem ut Ephod indueret himself intimating that by laying aside his Princely attire and mixing himself with the multitude and dancing and leaping in the open streets as vain fellows use to do he had thereby exposed himself to the scorn and contempt of every girl that came to see the pomp of this removing the Ark. He tells her that what he had done he had done as in the sight and presence of God and for his glory and he could never honour him sufficiently who had chosen and appointed him to be King and Ruler over Israel and had rejected her father and his house And says he I am so far from thinking it a disgrace to me to honour and glorifie my God though among the meanest of his people and making my self therein as it were equal with them that if that be to be vile I will yet be more vile and will be ready to humble and abase my self more that I may glorifie him And as to the Maid-servants of whom thou speakest as if they laughed at this my carriage I doubt not but the more I humble my self for God the more I shall be had in honour of all my servants For God hath promised that those that honour him he will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 Whither Michal was any thing moved with what David said is uncertain but certain it is she got nothing but a curse for this her scorning of him for the Lord adjudged her from henceforth to perpetual barrenness (b) Michal never had any child those 5 Sons mentioned 2 Sam. 21.8 were the Sons of Merab her sister whom Michal brought up for Adriel Merabs husband 1 Sam. 18.19 and are called Michals Sons because she did educate if not adopt them which was looked upon as no small curse among the Hebrew women but must needs be accounted a greater curse in a Kings wife and the daughter of a King who being of a more Illustrious family than any other of David's wives if she had brought forth a Son he might in likelihood have been heir to the Crown 2 Sam. Ch. 6. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 13. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 15. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 16. from v. 1 to 7. SECT CLXXXVII DAvid now deputes certain of the Levites (a) See 1 Chro. 6.31 there the chief mentioned were Asaph Heman and Ethan call'd also Jeduthun these were famous men and chief Singers and withal Prophets and Penmen of some Psalmes 2 Chron. 29.30 to attend upon the Ark of the Lord and to declare and publish his great and glorious acts in their Songs and Hymns and to praise him with their voices and Musical instruments namely such as were appointed for his servic (b) 1 Chron. 16. v. 42. call'd Musical Instruments of God and that constantly every day at the hour appointed Then David who in regard of that Divine skill he had in composing Psalmes was stiled the sweet Singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23.1 delivered to Asaph and his Brethren a Psalm to have a Tune put to it and to be sung in the service of God which is here recorded the several parts whereof were afterwards much enlarged by him and reduced into several Psalmes as we may see Psal 105. 96. the former part of it to v. 23. is part of Psal 105. and the sum of it is to praise the Lord for publick benefits afforded to his
and the Lord answered It was for the blood of the Gibeonites shed by Saul and his bloody family For Saul pretending a great zeal for the good of Israel attempted to destroy the Amorites and with them all wizards and witches 1 Sam. 28.3 9. and with them he also fell upon the Gibeonites (b) V. 2. Of the remnant of the Amorites All the inhabitants of Canaan are usually in the Scripture called Amorites See Gen. 15.16 and destroyed many of them (c) Occidit eos ut eorum urbes possessiones Israelitis traderet indignam ratus ut praestans illa terrae portio ab alienigenis occuparetur notwithstanding the Oath which Joshua and the Elders of Israel had sworn to them that they should live peaceably among them Josh 9.15 And it seems the Lord did not only tell David wherefore this famine was sent but injoined him to make satisfaction to the Gibeonites for the wrong they had sustained David accordingly sending for the Gibeonites asked them what satisfaction they would require for the wrong that had been done them that so they might not complain any longer to God of the cruelty the Israelites had exercised upon them nor endeavour to draw down judgments upon them but being satisfied might pray for their peace and the prosperity of the land which God had given them for an inheritance The Gibeonites answered We will have no silver or gold of any of Sauls family neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel save only those of his family who were chief actors in the destruction of our Brethren let those of his posterity who sought utterly to destroy us from among the Israelites be delivered unto us and we will hang them up in Saul's own City who being chosen of Gods meer favour and grace to be King over Israel turned Tyrant and shed innocent blood and this we will do not out of revenge but that by their death an atonement may be made to the Lord and that his wrath may be appeased and the famine removed and that others by this example may learn to keep Covenant and not to oppress the stranger that is taken under Gods protection (a) Voluit Deus se ostendere adjutorem oppressorum delectatum esse istorum Ethnicorum conversione qui typum gerebant Gentium vocandarum see Numb 25.4 David having as it seems warrant from God to give them the satisfaction they required he promises to deliver seven of Saul's posterity into their hands but he would not let Mephibosheth be one of them because of that special Covenant that was between him and Jonathan 1 Sam. 18.3 He had likewise sworn to Saul that he would not cut off his seed after him 1 Sam. 24.21 22. But God now by this his special command dispensed with him as to that Oath So the King took the two Sons of Rizpah Saul's Concubine and the five Sons of Merab Saul's Daughter which she had by Adriel 1 Sam. 18.19 but were brought up and educated by Michal her sister she having no children of her own and delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites who immediately hanged them up on an hill near Gibeah that all might look upon them as a fearful example of Gods high displeasure against Saul and his bloody house for killing and massacring those poor men in that manner he had done And so they were all executed and put to death (b) Whereas 't is said Deut. 24.16 The children shall not be put to death for the Fathers every man shall be put to death for his own sin We must know that punishments are either temporary or eternal in the former children and such as are innocent of those sins for which the punishment is sent may be involv'd because they live in the same community and are as it were members of the same body but as for those punishments that are eternal they are never inflicted upon any but for their own sins and of these chiefly the Prophet is to be understood Ezek. 18.4 20. together in the beginning of Barley harvest Rizpah the mother of two of them knew it seems that the bodies of her Sons and of the rest that were hanged were so to remain till God should testifie that he was appeased towards the land by giving them rain David doubtless had special direction from the Lord in this matter for otherwise 't was against the express letter of the Law that the body should hang all night see Deut. 21.23 but God having as it seems otherwise ordered it at this present Rizpah that she might defend their bodies from birds and beasts resolv'd to watch them and to that end she took sackcloth and spread therewith a Tent for her self on the rock next adjoining to defend her from the heat and weather and there sat possibly with some servants attending her in a mournful posture watching of them till water dropt upon them from heaven and God sent rain upon the land as was desired David hearing what affection Rizpah had shewed to her Sons that were hanged and how careful she had been to keep their dead bodies from being torn and mangled that they might be decently interr'd being mov'd by her example he began to think of shewing some respect to the dead bodies of Saul and Jonathan which had been taken by the men of Jabesh-Gilead from the street of Bethshan where the Philistines had hanged them Accordingly David ordered that the bones of Saul and Jonathan together with the bones of these men lately hanged whose bodies as 't is like being putrified they burned off the flesh from their bones should be buried in the Sepulchre of Kish the Father of Saul And after that God was intreated for the land and testified his favour by sending rain and taking away the Famine 2 Sam. Ch. 21. from 1 to 15. SECT CXCIX TRouble 's again arise to David from the Philistines and four battles are fought with them wherein four Valiants of David slay four of their Giants In the first of these David himself was engaged and being old and faint was in great danger of being kill'd by one of the Sons of the Giant but he was rescued by Abishai who kill'd the Giant David's Souldiers hereupon resolv'd that he should go no more in person with them to battel lest he should be slain and so the light of Israel be quencht that is their glory splendor and joy should perish with him See 1 King 15.4 The next battel with them was at Gob near unto Gezer Here Sibbechai another of David's Worthies slew another Giant The third battel was also at Gob and there Elhanan another of David's Valiant Commanders slew another Giant the brother of Goliath the Gittite the staff of whose Spear was like a weavers beam The fourth was at Gath where a man of great stature came out against them and defied Israel he had on each hand six fingers and on each foot six toes and was another son
Solomons posterity did ever sit in the Throne of David after Zedekiah was carried captive into Babylon nor ever had the supream power of Government after that Now my Son the Lord be with thee and prosper thee that thou maist build the house of the Lord thy God as he hath said thou shalt do And the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding and give thee charge concerning Israel that is give thee Divine direction and counsel to instruct and direct all thy people that thou maist keep the Law of the Lord thy self and teach others to keep it viz. the statutes and judgments which the Lord first revealed to Moses with a charge that he should reveal them to the people Be strong therefore and of good courage dread not nor be dismayed at the difficulties thou maist meet with I have my self met with many troubles and great molestations in my government from enemies abroad and insurrections at home and yet I have so set my heart on building this house for the service of God that I have even in my troubles gathered a great treasure together for this work viz. an hundred thousand talents of Gold and a thousand thousand talents of silver and brass and iron without weight and abundance of timber and stone to all which thou thy self maist add if there be occasion Moreover I have provided for thee all manner of workmen and cunning artificers for every manner of work appertaining thereunto Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee 1 Chron. 22. from v. 6 to 17. SECT CCXI. DAvid then assembles to Jerusalem all the Princes and Rulers of the Tribes all the Captains and Commanders of the Army together with his own Sons and his servants and Officers and in this general Assembly of Princes and people standing upon his feet though possibly supported by some of his servants he made his last and farewell speech and exhortation unto them He begins Give ear unto me my brethren and my people it was very much in my heart to build an house for the Ark the footstool (b) The Lord being represented as sitting between the Cherubims the body of the Ark was as it were his Footstool See Psal 99.5 132.7 of God and I made considerable preparations in order thereunto But God said to me by Nathan the Prophet Thou shalt not build an house for me because thou hast been a man of a war The Lord may chuse and employ whom he pleases in any service he has to do none can justly say to him why dost thou so Among our twelve Tribes he chose the Tribe of Judah who was the fourth Son of Jacob Gen. 29.35 that out of it a King (c) See Gen. 49.8 10. should be taken to rule over his people In the Tribe of Judah he chose the house of Jesse my Father which was none of the greatest families of the Tribe 1 King 12.16 and of that family he chose me the youngest of eight Sons 1 Sam. 16.11 to be King over Israel for ever that is as long as I lived And now of all my Sons he hath chosen Solomon who has six brothers elder than himself see 1 Chron. 3.4 5. * There 19 Sons of David are reckoned up to sit upon the Throne of this Kingdom after me which in a peculiar manner belongs unto him And he hath promised to be a Father to this my Son Solomon and to establish his Kingdom for ever that is for a long time if he be careful to keep his commandments and statutes as he does at this day Now in the presence of this great congregation the representative body of Israel who are the Lords peculiar people and in the audience of God himself who heareth this charge that I give you I solemnly exhort you all to keep the commandments of the Lord your God which are made known to you and if you be ignorant in any thing that belongs to your duty seek to be instructed in it that you may quietly possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you from generation to generation Having ended his Exhortation to the Princes and people he now turns his speech to Solomon saying And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with an upright heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations and workings of the thoughts If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him by a total and final apostasie he will renounce thee and cast thee off for ever Take heed therefore to thy self and to thy ways and seeing the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for his name which is to be to him for a Sanctuary wherein his Ark is to rest be thou strong and couragious and see that thou frame it according to this pattern that here I now give thee Behold this is the pattern of the whole building as it was revealed to me by the Spirit of God this is the model of the Porch and the distinct parts of the Temple and of the place of the Mercy-seat as also of the Chambers Treasuries inward Parlours and Courts and here I give thee also the order and courses of the Priests and Levites and what work and service they are to perform in the house of the Lord. I give thee also a pattern of all the sacred utensils and vessels that are to be made for the service of the Temple As for the vessels that are to be made of Gold I have weighed out so much Gold as will be sufficient to make them and as for the vessels of silver I have also appointed a sufficient quantity of silver I have appointed gold for the Candlesticks (a) There was but one Golden Candlestick in the Tabernacle but there were to be ten in the Temple and Tables of shew-bread and for the bowls cups and basons and for the Altar of Incense and for the chariot (b) That is of the two great Cherubims to be made of Olive-wood and covered over with plates of gold which were to overshadow the Ark. See 1 King 6.23 They are called here the chaâ—iot of the Cherubims because the Angels are called the Lords Chariots Psal 68.17 Insedit Cherubimis Deus 1 Sam 4.4 of the Cherubims that are to spread out their wings and cover the Ark all this the Lord made me to understand through his good hand upon me and gave me this pattern in writing by his Prophet Nathan Therefore be thou strong and of good courage fear not nor be dismayed for the Lord God even my God will be with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee but carry thee on till thou hast finished all things belonging to the Temple and the service thereof And the Priests and Levites in their several courses will assist thee in what belongs to them and thou wilt have many skilful artificers that
manner and in the sight only of a few who did it hastily to prevent Adonijah from making himself King and therefore this second anointing was done more publickly and more solemnly in the sight of the Princes and Rulers and in a great Assembly of the people And they anointed him unto the Lord that is devoted him solemnly unto the Lord and to be the Ruler of his people under him Then they anointed Zadok to be High-Priest instead of Abiathar who had joined with Adonijah and this was the rather done as we may suppose because the High-Priesthood was now translated into another Family For Abiathar was of the race of Eli and descended from Ithamar second Son of Aaron and Zadok was descended from Phineas who was descended from Eleazar his eldest Son and so the High-Priesthood reverted from the family of Ithamar to that of Eleazar as was foretold by God it should come to pass 1 Sam. 2.33 35. After this Solomon sat on the Throne of the Lord viz. on that Throne to which God had by his especial Providence advanced him and the disposal of which the Lord in a more peculiar manner challenged to himself See Deut. 17.15 And Solomon after this was very prosperous and all Israel obeyed him and all the Princes and mighty men and all the rest of David's Sons submitted themselves unto him And the Lord magnified him exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty and greatness as no King of Israel either before him or after him ever had 1 Chron. Ch. 28. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 29. from v. 1 to 26. SECT CCXII. NOW the days of David's departure out of this life drew nigh therefore calling for his Son Solomon he said to him I am going the way that all men living upon the earth must go Be thou therefore couragious and though thou be young in years yet shew thy self a man in understanding and keep the charge of the Lord thy God to wit the commandments which he hath given in charge to be kept and walk in his ways and keep his statutes his judgments and testimonies whereby he testifies what he would have done and observed according as they are written and prescribed in the Laws given by Moses that so thou maist prosper in all that thou dost and in all businesses thou settest thy self unto And so the Lord may be pleased to confirm his word which he spake unto me saying If thy children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth and sincerity with all their heart and all their soul there shall not fail thee a man on the Throne of Israel that is there shall not fail a man of thy posterity to sit upon thy Throne (a) Notandum duo fuisse Davidi promissa Primum absolutè nempe Messiam ex ipso oriturum licet filii ejus mali fuerint Secundum conditionale scil regnum in ejus familia conservandum si posteri se sancte gerant P. Martyr I have now only three things more to give thee in charge before I die The first is concerning Joab thou knowest how insolently he carried himself towards me and how treacherously he slew those two great Capteins Abner and Amasa after I had engaged my faith to them both that they should be safe which wicked practice of his was enough to make the people think that I had secretly an hand in it though I can truly say my soul abhorred it Nay he shed the blood of war in peace that is when there was peace made with these two great men he slew them as if they had been in open hostility against me And he put the blood of war upon his girdle that is He put up his sword all bloody into its scabbard that hung at his girdle and the very shoos on his feet were stained with their blood so impudently he carried out those base murders therefore I charge thee wisely to observe him He is of a turbulent spirit and in all likelihood thou wilt have at one time or other just occasion against him And though he hath been General of my Army almost all my reign yet let not his hoary head go down to the grave in peace but when thou findest just occasion against him cut him off by the sword of justice and so let the blood of Abner and Amasa be revenged upon him 2ly I would have thee to shew kindness to the Sons of Barzillai the Gileadite for they came and brought provisions for me and my followers when I was forced to fly from thy brother Absalom and therefore let them be of the number of those that eat at thy Table 2 Sam. 17.28 29. 3ly Thou hast with thee Shimei the Benjamite who reviled me and cursed me with a bitter curse when I was in great distress flying towards Mahanaim and called me a bloody man and did in effect say I had been the cause of the death of Saul and all his Sons and charged me with crimes I never was guilty of yet afterwards he met me at Jordan and humbled himself and acknowledged his fault and I sware to him by the Lord that I would not put him to death But though I for my time pardoned him yet if he shall attempt any thing against thee after my decease hold him not guiltless Thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him and if he trespass again and thou findest any other just occasion against him bring down his hoary head to the grave with blood and cut him off by the sword of justice * See 2 Sam. 19.23 David having thus instructed his Son in a short time after departed this life and slept with his fathers that is died as his fathers and predecessors had done before him having reigned in Hebron seven years and six months and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years in all and having made his Son Solomon King in his stead about half a year before his death He died in a good old age full of days riches and honour he died in the seventieth year of his age no King in Israel or Judah after him attaining to his age †Only Uzziah and Manasseh came very nigh it He was buried in his own City of Zion viz. in that part of Jerusalem where he had built a Palace for himself 2 Sam. 1.2 and kept his Court and which he had taken out of the hands of the Jebusites and had built and enlarged and from thence was called after his name the city of David His Sepulcher it seems was made of such durable materials and so well kept and repair'd time after time by his posterity that it was strangely preserved notwithstanding Jerusalem was so often sackt and burnt for it continued unto the Apostles times as the Apostle Peter tells us Act. 2.24 Men and Brethren let me freely speak to you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his
receiving it see Mark 7.11 Having spoken of the Ornaments of the Temple it will not be amiss to speak something also of the Temple-Officers The Temple-Officers were Priests Levites Nethinims The Priests were distinguished into Chief Priests Inferiour Priests of the twenty four Courses 1. The chief Priests were two the High Priest and his second The High Priest was by Gods appointment that person who was the right heir in Aaron's line or the Eldest that descended in a direct line from his loyns One great part of his office was upon the day of expiation to perform the solemn rights of that service in entring into the Holy of Holies with blood and to perfume the Oracle Exod. 30.10 Levit. 16.34 Heb. 9.7 2. The second Priest was the most eminent among the rest who in case of the sickness or pollution of the High Priest or any other emergency did supply his place (a) So Annas and Caiphas are called the High Priests Luk. 3.2 not that there were two in that great office at once but the one was a substitute to the other 2 King 25.18 3. The ordinary Priests were such as sprang from the loyns of Aaron and were in a Collateral line of kindred allied to the High Priest they were all Levites as descending from Levi the great Grandfather of Aaron But the Priests were separated from the rest of the Levites for the more immediate service of God and the term Levite is restrained to all others of the posterity of Levi besides the line of Aaron These Priests for the more easie carrying on of Temple-service were divided into twenty four Courses by lot as we have shewed before each Course ministred to the Lord for eight days together viz. from Sabbath to Sabbath The work of the Priests was 1. The Government of the Sanctuary and house of God 1 Chron. 24.5 2. Sacrificing with all its rites on the Altar of Burnt-offering 1 Chron. 6.49 2 Chron. 29.22 3. They set the new prepared shew-bread on the Golden Tables within the Sanctuary every Sabbath and removed the old 4. They ordered the lamps of the Golden Candlesticks 5. They kindled the daily incense to make a sweet perfume in the Temple 6. They were the Judges of Leprosie and jealousie betwixt man and wife Levit. 13.2 3. 7. They blew the Trumpets to the Solemn feasts also before the Ark at its removals and were also to accompany the Captains of the host in war with their silver Trumpets Joel 2.15 2 Chron. 13.12 1 Chron. 15.24 Chap. 16.6 Numb 10.8 Chap. 31.6 8. They were to look to the burning of wood continually upon the brazen Altar that the fire that descended from Heaven might not be extinguished Levit. 6.12 13. 9. They were to make the holy ointment with the appointed spices Exod. 30.22 1 Chron. 9.30 10. They were to instruct the people in the Law of God Mal. 2.7 2. Of the Levites The Levites strictly taken were all such as came from the root of Levi excepting the children of Aaron they were divided into four ranks and accordingly appointed to four sorts of work 1. Some of them were appointed to wait on the Sons of Aaron in the Courts of the Temple and in the Chambers and in the purifying of all the holy things belonging to the service of the house of God 1 Chron. 23. from 28 to the end They were at first to enter upon their office at the age of thirty years but after the days of David at twenty because then they did not carry the Tabernacle nor the vessels thereof 1 Chron. 23. from 24 to 28. Their number in the latter end of David's reign was computed at thirty eight thousand whereof twenty four thousand were appointed for the work and service of the house of God six thousand to be Officers and Judges four thousand to be Porters and four thousand to be Singers and players on Instruments 1 Chron. 23.3 4 5. 2 Chron. 8.14 1 Chron. 16.4 So that out of the Levites were taken their Judges Lawyers Scribes Recorders Genealogists and the greatest dignities and offices excepting only the Royal dignity of the Tribe of Judah were enjoyed by those of this Tribe They were the only persons that preferred learning and knowledg the Schools of the Prophets being under their Institution 3. Of the Nethinims These were the most inferiour sort of persons that were imployed in any Temple-service being the race of the Gibeonites Josh 9.17 and called Nethinims because they were given and delivered over to that service Some think that David a little before his death did dispose them into their set courses as he did other Officers of the Temple see Ezra 8.20 but of this we shall not determine Concerning the Priests garments their solemn times of worship their various Sacrifices and Offerings with their appendant rites and the revenues and profits assigned to the Priests and Levites we have spoken before when we went over Exodus Leviticus and Numbers and shall not need here to repeat them SECT II. IN the 11th year of Solomon 's reign the building of the Temple was finished with all things belonging thereunto having been seven years and an half in finishing 1 King 6.38 2 Chron. 3.2 but the Dedication thereof was put off till the next year because of the Jubilee And in the seventh month (a) The whole Edifice and most material things were now finished but possibly they were perfecting some things till the 8th month 1 King 6.38 of that year call'd Ethanim and the seventh day of that month was the first day whereon Solomon celebrated with great magnificence the Dedication of this glorious Temple so that from the seventh day to the fifteenth the tenth day which was the great fast and day of expiation being excepted * On which the Jubilee was to be proclaim'd with sound of Trumpet Levit. 25.9 was this feast of Dedication celebrated and from the 15th to the 23. was the Feast of Tabernacles and the 23d was the last day of this feast and always very solemnly kept and the day following the people were dismissed Having thus described the parts of the Temple and the Ornaments and Officers thereof we shall now return to speak of the great and magnificent solemnity of this Dedication which was on this wise 1. Solomon assembled the Elders and Heads of all the Tribes and a mighty Congregation of all the Nation to meet at Jerusalem on this solemn occasion 2. By the Ministry of the Priests and by such rites as were appointed by the Law he hallowed the middle of the Priests Court wherein either they did erect other Altars or made use of the pavement for that present occasion because the brazen Altar was too little to receive so many Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings as he intended then to offer 1 King 8.64 2 Chron. 7.7 3. The Princes and Elders of the people being now assembled waited upon the King to Mount Sion where the Ark was and whither as 't
is like they had brought the Tabernacle with all the things appertaining to it from Gibeon The Priests * 2 Chron. 5.4 'T is said the Levites took up the Ark because the Priests were also Levites that is of the Tribe of Levi. took up the Ark on their shoulders the Levites according to their several appointed ranks carried the Tabernacle with the boards and curtains and the holy vessels belonging thereunto The King and the Elders walked after in a solemn procession to Mount Moriah (a) The Temple to speak properly was not built on Mount Sion but on Mount Moriah but because the whole City of Jerusalem is usually called Sion and Mount Sion from that Mount that was a chief part of it thence it is that the Temple Gods dwelling place is usually said to have been in Sion where the Temple was built whither being come the Priests carried the Ark into the Oracle or most holy place and set it under the wings of the Golden Cherubims But they drew out the staves of the Ark something from under the wings of the Cherubims that they might be seen in the holy place which was before the Oracle but they were not seen as taken out of the Ark 2 Chron. 5.9 And possibly these staves were the rather thus disposed to remember the people that if they brake Gods Covenant the staves yet remained within the rings of the Ark ready to bear away the Symbol of Gods gracious presence from them The Levites also disposed those things which they carried belonging to the (b) The Tabernacle was carried about in the Wilderness forty years it remained in Gilgal about fourteen years it remain'd in Shiloh till Samuels time 1 Sam. 4.4 it then remain'd in Nob till Saul destroyed that place 1 Sam. 22.19 it was in Gibeon all Davids time from thence it was brought into Zion and from thence into the Treasuries of the Temple Tabernacle into the Treasuries of the Temple there to remain as Sacred things not again to be removed When the Priests had set the Ark in its place and were come out immediately an hundred and twenty of them with silver Trumpers and the Levite-singers viz. Asaph Heman and Jeduthun with their Sons and Brethren being arrayed in white linnen and having Cymbals Psalteries and Harps in their hands stood at the East-end of the Altar and the Trumpets sounding and they playing on their Instruments and lifting up their voices with one consent and making one melodious harmony sang as it seems the 136 Psalm the burden of which is For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Whilst they were thus employed suddenly the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud which was an extraordinary manifestation of the presence of God 2 Chron. 5.14 't is said the glory of God filled the house which intimated that the brightness of his glory was such that if it were not clouded over no mortal eyes could behold it It seems the cloud was such and so amazing that the Priests could not continue to minister in the Sanctuary where the cloud was and by this visible sign of his presence the Lord did sanctifie to himself this place see Exod. 40.34 and shewed his approbation of all that was done Solomon standing upon a Brazen Scaffold made for him in the outward Court right before the door of the Priests Court through which he might look and apprehending this cloud to be a manifestation of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the house he had built for his service in a rapture of joy he brake out into these words The Lord said he is pleased to dwell in thick darkness Levit. 16.2 and by a cloud he hath usually testified his presence among his people as when he led the Israelites by a cloud Exod. 13.21 In a cloud he appeared at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.16 In a cloud he appeared that covered and filled the Tabernacle as soon as it was reared up by Moses Exod. 40.34 and therefore doubtless in this cloud the Lord doth now appear unto us and testifies his favourable acceptance of our service in building this house for his name Then directing his speech to God he said O Lord I have built a Temple for thee to manifest thy gracious presence in an house not to be removed as the Tabernacle was but a setled place for thee to abide in (c) Officium Templi non est prastare Deo habitationem sed hominibus directionem ad soliâ—m divinum sempiteruâ—â— quod in câ—lo est Cajet to be there ready on all occasions to resolve us in such cases as we shall humbly propound unto thee and to hear such prayers as we shall make unto thee and to grant such blessings as we shall humbly crave of thee and to accept such sacrifices and services as we shall there offer up and present unto thee And O Lord I pray thee accept this house for thine and ever manifest thy gracious presence therein as long as this dispensation we are now under shall last and till the truth of this type shall be exhibited Then the King turned his face to the people standing about him and blessed them and said Blessed and praised be the Lord God of Israel who spake to David my Father that I should build a Temple for his great name and hath by his good hand upon me enabled me to do it The Lord also said since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no City out of all their Tribes in which I appointed an house to be built that my name might be there in a peculiar manner worshipped But having chosen David to be King over my people it was in his heart to build an house for my name And thereupon I said to him whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my name I like it well that it was in thine heart to do it Nevertheless thou shalt not build this house for me but thy Son that shall come out of thy loins he shall build it And the Lord hath now graciously performed the word that he spake and I am risen up in my fathers room to sit on the Throne of Israel and have built an house for the Lord as he promised I should do and an abiding place for the Ark wherein are the two Tables of the Law which the Lord gave as a Covenant to his people requiring obedience on their part and promising many blessings on his part to the obedient Then Solomon turned his face towards the Altar of Burnt-offering and towards the most holy place and having stood a while he then kneeled down and spreading forth his hands towards heaven poured forth this Divine Prayer saying O Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepest Covenant and shewest mercy to thy servants that walk before thee in the integrity of their hearts Thou hast kept thy
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
wives yea furthered it by suffering them to build Temples for their Idols and thus his Idolatrous wives turned his heart from the Commandments of God which enjoin'd him to root out Idolatry but it seems his carnal love to them devouring his zeal for God he was so far from rooting it out that he permitted it and thereupon is said to have followed * Dicitur sequutus Deos alienos quod eorum cultum non repulcrit Debuit quatenus vir ab Idololatria uxores reprimere quatenus vero Rex ditionem suam in vero Dei cultu retinere Horum neutrum praestitit sed uxorum blanditiis dilinitus Templa Fana extruxit impensas ad Sacrificia Sacerdotes suppeditavit after Ashtaroth (e) See Judg. 2.13 the Goddess of the Zidonians and Milcom (f) Levit. 18.21 or Molech the Abomination of the Ammonites namely because he connived at the worship of these Idols And to the great aggravation of his guilt he permitted (g) V. 7. Aedificavit scil permisit ut uxores aedificarent Non increpavit eas a Temple or an Image or both to be built for Chemosh (h) Numb 21.29 the Abomination of Moab and for Molech on Mount Olivet (i) And there it seems they continued till Josiahs days 2 King 23.13 nigh unto Jerusalem even in the very face and as it were to affront the Temple of the living God And though at first possibly he granted this favour but only to two or three of his Idolatrous wives yet the rest by degrees so far wrought upon him that he was fain to gratifie all of them that sought to him for it and undoubtedly many of the people were hereby ensnar'd And thus he shewed that his heart was not so upright with God as his Father Davids was For though David was guilty of many gross sins yet he never yielded to any Idolatry but kept the worship and service of God pure all his days And a great aggravation of Solomon's guilt it was that he turned from observing the Commandments of the Lord who had in so extraordinary a manner twice appeared to him viz. once at Gibeon Ch. 3.5 and a second time at Jerusalem Ch. 9.2 and had commanded him particularly to take heed of this thing namely not to go after other Gods The Lord therefore had just cause to be angry with him for this and accordingly he sent Ahiah the Shilonite or some other Prophet to him to speak to him after this manner Thus saith the Lord Forasmuch as thou hast done this and hast not kept my Covenant (a) A Covenant when applied to God signifies a Law appointed or enjoyned to be kept and that with promise of reward to them that keep it and of penalty to such as transgress it Deut. 29.9 25. and my statutes which I commanded thee I will surely rend the greatest part of thy Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant But I will not do it in thy days because of my promise to David thy Father 2 Sam. 7. from v. 12 to 16. but I will rend it out of the hand of thy Son and so thou shalt be punished (b) Monentur hinc Parentes ut sancte vivant ne filiis poenas intempestive attrahant in him Yet I will not rend away the whole Kingdom from him but will give him one (c) He speaks here of one of the Tribes that belonged to the Kingdom of Israel considered as separate from the Kingdom of Judah which in regard of its eminency was reckoned apart from the rest of the Tribes See 1 Sam. 11.8 So much also of Simeon as lay within Judah was comprised under Judah See Josh 19. from 1 to 9. of the Tribes of Israel viz. Benjamin besides the Tribe of Judah See 2 Chron. 11.12 And this I will do for David my servants sake and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen for the place of my publick worship and the seat of the Kings from whom the Messiah who I have promised is to come 1 King 11. from v. 1 to 14. SECT XVI SOlomon as 't is conceived was so terrified with this threatning that he repented of his sin and as an evidence of his repentance wrote his Book call'd Ecclesiastes in which he publisheth to the world his remorse for his former sins and follies and the vanities to which he had been too intemperately addicted * Ecclesiastes or the Preaching Soul truly penitent gathering it self to the Church and by wholsome admonitions gathering others also that were going astray after vanity In this Book he reflects upon the honours pleasures and wealth he had so abundantly enjoyed the errors and miscarriages he had fallen into the observations he had made of things Natural Moral Domestical Civil Sensual and Divine and the curious enquiry he had made after true happiness And in the first six Chapters he shews wherein it doth not consist and in the six last wherein it doth And first he shews it doth not consist in knowledg either Natural or Moral 2. Not in pleasures or sensual delights 3. Not in honour greatness and power which is so far from making men happy that without the fear of God to correct and temper it it is ordinarily the occasion of much wickedness in them that have it and of much misery to others 4. Not in an outward formal religiousness 5. Not in riches and great possessions which are often snares and occasions of much hurt to the possessours who must leave them and many times they know not to whom Then he shews wherein mans happiness doth consist 1. In contentation of mind and the free and regular and joyful fruition of Gods blessings and the comforts he gives us with humility moderation and thankfulness 2. In a quiet and humble acquiescence in the will of God 3. In sincerity of heart in the worship of God and in a due care that we offend not in vows prayers and addresses unto him 4. In patience of spirit under all oppressions 5. In a composed preparedness of mind to undergo afflictions 6. In a pious and prudent behaviour towards all men that so we may preserve our names from calumny and our persons from danger 7. In meekness charity and patience towards such as offend us considering humane frailty 8. In a due deportment of our selves towards our Superiours that our lives may not be made uncomfortable to us by their dispeasure 9. In a practical prudence or wisdom rightly to judg and discern of times wherein things are to be done 10. In submission to the holy and invincible Providence of God admiring his works and adoring his judgments 11. In a conscionable industriousness in our particular Callings And lastly he concludes that in old age elegantly described by him and at death it will appear that to fear the Lord and keep his commandments is both the duty and the happiness of man and the chief thing wherein it consists And so
be God follow him The people answered nothing being afraid to offend the King Then Elijah said Behold there is not a Prophet of the Lords that doth openly appear for the true God and his worship besides my self But here are four hundred and fifty of Baals Prophets that are for Idolatry let them therefore give us two bullocks and let them choose which they will for themselves and let them cut it in pieces and lay it on wood and put no fire under and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood and put no fire under and let them call on their gods and I will call on the name of the Lord and the God that answereth by fire and consumeth the Sacrifice let him be acknowledged for the true God The people cried out it was well spoken they were willing to put it upon that trial Then Baals Priests took the bullock that was given them and dressed it and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon and said O Baal hear us But there was no voice nor any that answered Then they danced and skipped about the Altar they had made in a frantick manner as was usual in the worship of Baal And at noon when the time limited for their sacrifice was almost ended Elijah mocked them and bad them cry aloud for possibly their god Baal was at this time talking or pursuing his enemies or in a journey or perhaps he was asleep and must be rouzed up with very loud calling Baals Priests it is like were vext at these sharp taunts of the Prophet however they cried aloud and cut themselves with knives and lances till the blood gushed out as the heathens used to do in their great sorrows See Deut. 14.1 the more to move their God to have compassion on them and not to be wanting at this time to his own honour as well as theirs But no answer could they get notwithstanding they went on praying and calling upon Baal and with many strange gestures as men inspired sang the praises of their Idol-god labouring by all means possible to prevail with him to send fire to consume their Sacrifice but all in vain There was none that answered or regarded them Then Elijah called the people to come near and mount Carmel having been one of the high places whereon they us'd to sacrifice in former times unto the Lord there were still the ruins of an old Altar which the Idolatrous Israelites had broken down see Ch. 19.14 and this the Prophet did now repair thereby intimating to them that his design was to restore and set up the worship of the true God in the land Then he took twelve stones according to the number of the twelve Tribes and with them he built an Altar in the name of the Lord to intimate to them that they ought all to be united in the worship of the God of their fathers or else it would be in vain for them to reckon themselves the Israel of God And he made a Trench about the Altar as great as would contain two measures of seed and he put the wood in order ahd cut the bullock in pieces and laid it on the wood and bad them fill four barrels with water out of the Sea that was near and pour it on the Sacrifice and on the wood He bad them do it three times which they accordingly did and the water ran about the Altar and filled the Trench so that it was evident that there was no fraud used to hide any fire secretly under the wood Then at the time of offering the Evening-sacrifice Elijah came and prayed saying Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob * To these three Patriarchs God made and ratified his promises of the good things which he did for Israel and God took this stile to himself Exod. 3.6 to move the Israelites that came from those Patriarchs to take him for their God and oft to call to mind his promises let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant and that I have done all these things at thy word and by thy command and direction Hear me O Lord I pray thee hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast appointed these things to be done to the end that their hearts may be turned from their Idols unto thee Immediately the fire of the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the Burnt-sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the Trench And when the people saw it they fell on their faces and cried out the Lord he is the God the Lord he is the God Elijah seeing them so wonderfully affected with this miracle and so clearly convinced of the juglings and deceits of Baals Priests He bad them presently apprehend those Prophets of Baal and to let none of them escape and to bring them down to the brook Kishon at the foot of Carmel and there to slay them The people being at this present under a great dread of the Majesty of God who by this miracle had testified so loudly against their Idolatry they without any fear of the King were ready to do whatever Elijah advised them unto and accordingly they took those Priests and carried them down to the brook Kishon that the place where Elijah had sacrific'd unto the Lord might not be defiled with their blood and slew them there according to the Law Deut. 13.5 18.20 The King as it seems thought it not adviseable to set himself against the torrent of the people's zeal at this time or possibly he tacitely consented to it upon hope that rain would presently be given thereupon These Prophets of Baal that were slain at this time seem to have been those that were dispersed up and down in the Villages and Towns and not the Prophets of the Groves who attended at Court and performed their Idolatrous service in the Groves planted by Ahab near Baals Temple in Samaria For after this we read Ch. 22.6 of 400 Prophets that were called together by Ahab Ahab having fasted all day to see the event of this business Elijah bids him now go eat and drink and refresh himself for he heard a sound or noise in the heavens that was some intimation to him that much rain was coming Ahab accordingly going to refresh himself the Prophet went up to the top of Carmel and there kneeling upon the ground and bowing his face down to his knees in this humble posture he earnestly prayed unto the Lord for rain For though he knew that the Lord had promised to send rain yet he knew also that it must be obtain'd by prayer Then he sent his servant seven times * He sent him seven several times to teach us that we must not be discouraged though we have not presently that which we pray for but must with patience be content to wait upon the Lord for it
there came a man from Baalshalisha * It was called Shalisha before 1 Sam. 9.4 but since Baal was set up there Baalshalisha a place in Ephraim and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits viz. twenty loaves of barley and full ears of corn in the husk thereof such as were under the Law appointed to be brought to the Priests Deut. 18.4 This was certainly some pious man and one that feared God seeing in obedience to the Law he was willing to dedicate of his first fruits unto the Lord but because he could not carry them to the Lords house as the Law required Exod. 23.19 Numb 18.12 nor to the ordinary Priests they being retired into Judah he brought them to this extraordinary Prophet and to this Colledg of Prophets who instructed the people instead of the Priests and the rather that he might supply their necessities in this present dearth Thus he honoured God with his first fruits Prov. 3.9 Elisha bids his servant to set those loaves this man had brought before the Sons of the Prophets that they might eat His servant answered What shall I set this small quantity of provision before an hundred men The Prophet again bad him do it telling him from the Lord that they should not only have enough for the present but should leave some for another time So he set this provision before them and they did eat and left thereof See Joh. 6.11 And this was Elisha's ninth Miracle 2 King 4. from v. 42 to the end Naaman the King of Syria's General was a person of great honour and power in his own Country 't is probable that the Army that fought against the Kings of Israel and Judah 1 King 22.29 was commanded by him and under his conduct the victory was obtained For though the Syrians were heathens and enemies to the Israelites yet God then gave them victory over his own people and the victory is attributed to the Lord for the Syrians were but his instruments This Naaman was a mighty man of valour but he was a leper so that the greatest of men are not exempted from the worst of diseases The Syrians used often by their Troops to make inrodes into the land of Israel to spoil and pillage and in one of their incursions among other prisoners they carried away one fair and comely young damsel who thereupon was brought as a present to Naaman and by him given to his wife to wait upon her This was ordered by a special providence of God as the sequel of the story will shew This young maiden observing Naaman to be a leper she said one day to her Lady I wish my Lord were with a famous Prophet we have in Israel I doubt not but he would soon cure him of his leprosie * Though she had not heard of any leper cured by Elisha for saith our Saviour Luk. 4.27 Many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeus the Prophet but none of them was cleansed c. but by other miracles he wrought she believed he could cure this disease also Naaman understanding this told the King of Syria thereof The King had so great a kindness for him that he readily yielded he should take any course that might be thought conducing to his good and though the leprosie was generally thought among them to be incurable yet he was willing he should make trial whither he could be cured or no. So he consented he should go and told him he would send a Letter to Jehoram King of Israel in his behalf Naaman accordingly provided himself for his journey and set out with a very great retinue and a noble equipage carrying with him ten Talents * A Talent of silver amounts to 375 l. sterling of silver and six thousand pieces of gold and ten changes of raiment to make presents to the Prophet and possibly to some of Jehoram's Courtiers And he brought also to the King from his Master the King of Syria a Letter which spake to him after this manner When this Letter is come unto thee be pleased to understand that I have with it sent Naaman my servant that thou maist recover him of his Leprosie that is maist take care to have him recovered if thou hast any body in thy land that can do it When the King of Israel read the Letter he rent his clothes testifying thereby the great passion he was in What says he doth the King of Syria think that I am a God or have power like God to kill or make alive whom I please that he sends to me to cure a man of a Leprosie the cure of which is as hard as to raise a man from the dead Then turning to his own Courtiers and Counsellors that were about him You see says he how this man seeketh a quarrel against me and a pretense of a new war in requiring such a thing of me that he knows I cannot do It seems he never thought of Elisha of whose power in working miracles he himself had had so much experience But some about the King that bare a good respect to Elisha quickly informed him of Naaman's coming and of the Letter he had brought and how angry the King was at it and how ill he resented it Elisha hearing this sent to the King that he wondred he should express so much passion at the receiving of this Letter seeing he knew there was a Prophet in his land that had by the power of God done as great a miracle as was the cure of the Leprosie and that before his own eyes See Ch. 3.16 c. Let him come to me says he and he shall know that there is a Prophet of the Lord in Israel Jehoram having received this message from Elisha he sent Naaman to him Accordingly Naaman came in his Chariot and with all his Train and Attendants to the house of Elisha The Israelites had not at least the generality of them taken so much notice of this eminent Prophet that was among them as they should have done and therefore God will now make him more taken notice of by the application of this great man who was a stranger unto him When he came to the Prophets house Elisha went not out to him himself as he expected but only sent a messenger to him for the further trial of his faith and obedience to tell him that he should go and wash in Jordan seven times and so he should be cured Naaman being a person of so great quality look'd upon this carriage of the Prophet as a great neglect of him and resented it accordingly what says he is this all the help I shall have from this famous Prophet I thought he would have come out to me and stood and called on the name of the Lord his God for me and would have stroked his hand over my flesh where it is infected with the leprosie and so have cured me And is this all the direction I shall have from him to go
out of his sight that is out of that land where he manifested the evidences of his gracious presence 'T is further added that when the Lord had rent Israel from the house of David they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin And the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did they departed not from them until the Lord removed them out of his sight as he had threatned by all his servants the Prophets And for these reasons was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria where they remained as exiles when this History was written 2 King 17. from 7 to the 24. 2 King 18.10 11 12. This was the end of the Kingdom of Israel when it had stood severed from the Kingdom of Judah by the space of two hundred fifty four years Their many great and crying sins highly provoked the Lord against them especially their notorious idolatry their contempt of the Lords Prophets and their contumacy and bold persisting in their wicked ways For after the great blow they received by Tiglath-Pilesâ—r 2 King 15.29 they were so far from any amendment that they used in the pride of their hearts that Proverb Isa 9. v. 10. The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewn stones the sycamores are cut down but we will change them into cedars intimating thereby that they would build their towns that were spoiled better than they were before For these sins therefore the Lord was provoked to reject and cast them off and to suffer them to be led away captive Tobit or Tobias the elder saith of himself that he at this time with Anna his wife and his Countrymen the Naphtalites was carried away into the land of Assyria and there made purveyor or provider of corn and other victuals for Salmanasser's houshold and also that he was carried into Media and there placed in a principal City called Ruges c. Tobit Ch. 1. Salmanasser having thus carried away the Israelites captives he planted Colonies there of five Nations of his own people taking them out of Babylon Cutha Ava Emath and Sepharvaim and placed them in the Cities of Samaria in the room of the Israelites And these were they that after this time were called Cuthaeans by a Synecdoche because the major part of them came out of Cutha a Country in Persia many of these at their first coming thither not fearing the Lord nor worshipping the true God of Israel were devoured by Lions therefore a Jewish Priest was at the request of the rest of them sent out of Assyria to teach them the manner how the God of Israel would be worshipped But this being as it seems one of Jeroboam's Priests and making his residence at Bethel he taught them not the pure worship of God nor to serve him as they ought in his Temple at Jerusalem but in their own Country after the way of Jeroboam Neither were these people brought to worship the true God alone but every City had also a several Idol of their own which they worshipped according to the custom of the Nations from which they were descended and from whence they had been transported So though they feared the Lord that is acknowledged the God of Israel to be the true God yet they served their own gods also after the manner of the Nations from whence they came * Ex ritu Gentium illarum unde ipsos deportaverant vel è quibus deportati fuerant Pisc And as for the Israelites that were carried away captive into Assyria they were nothing amended by their captivity but 't is said of them 2 King 17.34 That unto this day they do after their former manners they fear not the Lord neither do they after their statutes or after their ordinances appointed and enjoin'd them by God or after the Law and Commandments which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob whom he named Israel to observe with whom he made a Covenant and charged them saying Ye shall not fear other gods nor bow your selves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them But the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm him shall ye fear and him shall ye worship and to him shall ye do sacrifice And the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandments which he wrote for you ye shall observe to do for evermore * Viz. as long as that dispensation shall last and ye shall not fear other gods And the Covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget neither shall ye fear other gods but the Lord your God shall ye fear and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies Howbeit they did not hearken but they did after their former manner But as for those Nations whom the King of Assyria brought out of other Countries and placed in Samaria they went on in their mungrel way of Religion they and their children from generation to generation After these first Colonies there were other Colonies brought thither by Esarhaddon King of Assyria who was also called Asnapper the Great Ezra 4.2.10 Son of Sennacherib and Grandchild to Salmanasser This seems to be the last of the Assyrian Kings and the person that carried Manasseh prisoner to Babylon which was then under the Assyrian Empire 2 Chron. 33.11 So that the Prophesie of Isaiah seems now to be fulfilled Chap. 7.8 The head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people For though the greatest part of the Israelites were carried away by Salmanasser some years before and their Kingdom utterly abolished yet among them that were left there remained some shew of a Government But now by reason of the great multitude of forreigners which came to dwell there the small remainder of the Ephramites were accounted as nothing yet they were not utterly extinct in their own Country as appears from 2 Chron. 34.6 7. v. 33. Chap. 35.18 2 King 23.19 20. 2 King 17. from 24 to the end These Samaritans before mentioned were succeeded by a second sort of Heretical Samaritans in the time of the Government of Nehemiah in whose time one of the Sons of Ioiada the Son of Eliashib the High Priest married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite and therefore he chased him from him Neh. 13.28 This Priest thus driven away from Ierusalem went with other Iews that had made the like mungrel marriages to the Samaritans their wives kindred who there as the Iewish Writers relate assisted them in building an Anti-Temple on mount Gerizim where a medly Nation devised a Miscellaneous worship of God rejecting all the Scriptures save the five Books of Moses and maintaining many abominable superstitions So that between these Samaritans and the Iews there grew
Son of Nebat for their King But the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin stuck fast to Rehoboam In memorial of this sad rent the Jews afterwards kept a solemn Fast yearly upon the three and twentieth day of the third month called Sivan Rehoboam being come to Jerusalem forthwith raises an Army of an hundred and fourscore thousand valiant men out of Judah and Benjamin to reduce the Ten Tribes back to his subjection but is forbidden to proceed on in that enterprize by the Prophet Shemaiah who told him that the thing was of God who had so ordered it for the punishment of his Fathers defection from him and so the people returned to their own homes But though for the present that design was laid aside yet there followed continual bickerings between the two Kings all their days and the borderers on both sides did continually make inrodes one upon another see Ch. 14.30 Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built and fortified fifteen Cities for the defence of Judah and made great warlike provisions and put Garrisons into the Cities and placed Captains and Commanders over them some whereof it seems were his own Sons for 2 Chron. 11.23 't is said He dealt wisely and dispersed all his children thoroughout all the Countries of Judah and Benjamin into every fenced City And in that it must be acknowledged he dealt prudently for in his own Sons he might most securely confide And he stored those Garrisons with plenty of victuals and with wine and oyl and in every Garrison he put Shields and Spears and other Warlike ammunition and made them exceeding strong And many Priests and Levites that were cast off by Jeroboam and his Sons * They probably were placed as Captains in the Cities of Israel as Rehoboam's Sons were in the Cities of Judah who would not suffer them to execute the Priests office in their Cities and many people out of all the Ten Tribes who set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel resorted unto him whereby his Kingdom was much strengthned For three years he and his people walked in the ways of David and in the ways of Solomon viz. his first ways before his fall but afterwards they forsook the Law of the Lord though some particular persons among them undoubtedly remained faithful to God and made themselves High-places Images †So that none of the twelve Tribes at this time continued faithful to God the Ten revolted with Jeroboam and these two with Rehoboam and Groves doing according to all the abominations of the Heathen And they did evil in the sight of the Lord and provoked him to jealousie with their sins insomuch that in none of their Fathers days there was such a general apostasie And it seems there were among them some that practised that abominable sin of Sodomy so that they did after all the abominations of the Heathen whom God cast out before their Fathers As for the Domestick affairs of Rehoboam we find that he took eighteen Wives and sixty Concubines and begat twenty eight Sons and sixty Daughters and dispersed his Sons through all the Countries of Judah and Benjamin into the several fenced Cities and there gave them liberal and Princely allowances and sought out many Wives for them out of Noble Families to strengthen their interest by their alliances Of all his Wives he loved Maachah best the daughter of Absalom who was a great Idolatress see 1 King 15.13 and he made Abijah her Son to be chief ruler over his brethren intending he should succeed him in the Throne In the fifth year of his reign because he had so heinously transgressed against the Lord Shishak King of Egypt invited possibly thereunto by Jeroboam who had lived there and been kindly entertained by him before he was made King came up against him with twelve hundred chariots and threescore thousand horsemen and people without number Some of them were Lybians a people in Africa bordering upon Egypt some Suckites otherwise call'd Troglodites a people dwelling in Caves of Rocks and some of them Ethiopians With this great Army invading Judea he took the fenced Cities that were in his way to Jerusalem and then came before that City also The people of Judah being now in great distress Shemaiah the Prophet came to Rehoboam and the Princes * Ver. 6. Princes of Israel that is the Princes of Judah who were Israelites that were gathered together in Jerusalem and spake to them after this manner Thus saith the Lord ye have forsaken me and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak Rehoboam and the Princes upon this humbled themselves and confest their sins and said the Lord is righteous in all the judgments he hath brought upon us Hereupon the Lord spake to Shemaiah again saying They have humbled themselves therefore I will not utterly destroy them but grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured forth upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak nevertheless they shall be his servants and shall yield to such terms as he shall put upon them that they may know my service and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries That is that they may know by the hard conditions Shishak will put upon them how much better it had been for them to have served me than by their sins to have brought themselves into bondage to other Nations See Isa 26.13 So Shishak being come before Jerusalem to save the Temple and City from plunder and to regain the Cities he had taken as he came up to them they were forc'd to give him the Treasures †This was the first spoiling of the Temple of the Temple not the holy vessels but such gold and silver and other precious things as were laid up for repairing the Temple and other holy uses as also the Treasures of the Kings house as also the Golden Shields that Solomon had made 1 King 10.16 Instead of these Rehoboam made Shields of Brass and committed them to the hands of the chief of the Guard that kept the door of the Kings house And when the King entred into the house of the Lord the Guard came and fetched them and carried them before him and when he was come back returned them again into his Guard-chamber Thus Rehoboam humbling himself the wrath of God turned from him so as he would not destroy him altogether And after this things began to go well again in Judah for they enjoyed their liberty of serving the true God the benefit of their own Laws and had for the most part peace and prosperity So Rehoboam recovered strength again and repaired and fortified the Cities of his Kingdom yet he did not sincerely set and fix his heart to seek the Lord that is did not endeavour to know him aright to worship him purely to call upon him fervently and to obey him faithfully and in all these to persevere constantly Now the Acts of Rehoboam first and last namely such as were done in his
first three good years in his two next evil years and in his other years following them they are written by Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer in their Book of Genealogies or Pedegrees or Histories of Kings and other great persons who were famous among the Israelites in those times Thus Rehoboam having reigned seventeen years and for the most part wickedly Abijah his Son reigned in his stead 1 King 12. from 1 to 25. 1 King 14. from 21 to the end 2 Chron. 10. whole Chapter 2 Chron. 11. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 12. wh Ch. The second King of Judah Abijah called also Abijam ABijah began to reign in the 18th year of Jeroboam and that was the first year of his reign the 19th of Jeroboam was the second year of his reign and the twentieth was his third and though in that year he died and Asa his Son succeeded him yet having reigned two years compleat and some part of the third year he is said to have reigned three years His mothers name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom * 2 Chron. 13.2 she is called Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah Some think she was the daughter of Tamar the only daughter of Absalom whose husband this Uriel of Gibeah was and so she was the daughter of Uriel and withal the daughter that is the Grandchild of Absalom And this seems the more probable because the mother of Absalom was call'd Maachah 2 Sam. 3.3 and he walked in all the sins of his Father For though Rehoboam and his Princes humbled themselves before the Lord upon the Preaching of Shemaiah when the King of Egypt made such a dangerous incursion into their land 2 Chron. 12.6 yet when that danger was over he soon returned to his former evil ways and this his Son likewise trod in his steps and his heart was not upright with the Lord as was the heart of David Nevertheless the Lord for his promise made to David 2 Sam. 7.16 did give him a lamp in Jerusalem that is continued his posterity to sit one after another upon his Throne and to reign in Kingly splendor and established Jerusalem in its former Political and Ecclesiastical state and preserved therein the true Religion because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not from any thing he commanded him all the days of his life save only in the matter of Vriah that is he did not fall into any heinous and enormous crimes whereby his profession was notoriously blemished all the days of his life save only in the matter of Vriah and the sins appendant thereunto There had been during the life of Rehoboam many bickerings between the two Kingdoms but now in the first year of Abijah's reign Jeroboam raised a vast army intending to fall upon Abijah in the infancy of his reign Abijah accordingly prepares as strong an Army as he could to resist him and defend his Kingdom The two Armies met in the field Abijah's army consisted of four hundred thousand valiant men which was a very great Army but Jeroboam's consisted of as many more viz. eight hundred thousand Both the Armies being drawn forth and set in battel-array the one against the other Abijah by his Herolds or messengers desired a Parley before the fight began or at least liberty to say somewhat to Jeroboam and his chief Commanders which being granted he betook himself to mount Zemaraim which is part of mount Ephraim as the fittest place from whence he might be heard and there spake to Jeroboam and his Commanders after this manner Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel Ought you not to know that the Lord gave the Kingdom over all Israel to David and his Sons for ever by a Covenant of Salt * As that which is salted does not use to perish or corrupt See Numb 18.19 that is by a lasting and never-failing Covenant †Hoc ex parte falsum erat Non enim Deus promisit se totam Israelem conservaturum in familia Davidis si ipsa descisseret Osiand by a perpetual Covenant not to be abrogated or annull'd yet Jeroboam the Son of Nebat the servant of Solomon is risen up and hath rebelled against his Lord and there are gathered to him a company of vain men children of Belial who by mutual agreement combined and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam when he first entred upon the Government being then unexperienced in matters of State (a) Yet Rehoboam was 41 years of age when he began to reign 1 King 14.21 and much more in warlike affairs having been bred up delicately in the peaceful reign of Solomon and being tender-hearted and soon daunted and wanting stoutness of spirit he could not withstand them and so like rebellious subjects they fell off from him And this is now your case But do you think to go on in this course and to withstand the Kingdom of the Lord in the hands of the Sons of David and with all your might and power to oppose it Indeed you are a great multitude and I perceive you have brought into your Camp the Golden Calves which Jeroboam hath made for you for Gods But do you think that these are able to help you you have cast off the Priests of the Lord the Sons of Aaron and the Levites and have made to your selves Priests after the manner of other Nations that have no stock or family among them to which the Priesthood is tyed and you in like manner choose whom you will to be Priests Whosoever cometh to consecrate himself for a Priest and bringeth a young bullock as was enjoined under the Law Exod. 29.1 and seven rams whereas the Law required but two at the most (b) Hypocrites can observe some rites prescribed by God but in external rites they often exceed Gods prescriptions See Numb 23. Exod. 29.15 19. he may be a Priest of your Idols that are no Gods But as for us the Lord is our God (a) This must be understood by their outward profession for Abijah's heart was not upright before the Lord 1 K. 15.3 and we have not forsaken him For the true Religion is openly professed among us and the true worship of the true God is incorruptibly maintained in the Temple And the Priests which minister unto the Lord for us are the Sons of Aaron and the Levites wait upon their business and do the services which in special belong to them And they burn unto the Lord every morning and evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense they also set the shew-bread upon the Golden Table (b) There were in the Temple ten Tables of Shew-bread and ten Golden Candlesticks by a Synecdoche the singular number may be here us'd for the Plural and they cause the lamps in the Golden Candlesticks to burn every evening For we observe those Ordinances the Lord hath given us in charge but you have forsaken him And behold God himself is with us for our Captain
Lord is with you while ye be with him and that while you walk in his ways he will not fail to bless you If ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you You may see a clear instance of this in the Kingdom of Israel who for above thirty years last past namely since their revolt under Jeroboam have lived without the publick pure worship of God not having his Priests to instruct them nor regarding his Law to direct them but if they would repent and return to God undoubtedly he would be ready to receive them into his favour again For in former times viz. the times of the Judges when the Israelites were in great trouble and under sore oppressions so that there was no peace to him that went out or came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of those Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City God vexing them with sore adversity yet even then when they did seek to the Lord and turn'd unto him he had mercy upon them and did afford them help and deliverance And so if the ten Tribes that have thus forsaken the Lord would turn to him he would surely have mercy upon them But whatever they do let me advise thee O King and thy subjects to go on courageously with the work of reformation begun by you and assure your selves that God will still be with you to bless you whilst you are for him When Asa heard these words together with the Prophesie of Oded the Father of this Azariah which it seems he declared unto him at this time and added it to his own exhortation Asa took courage and made a more diligent search throughout all his Kingdom and put away the remaining Idols that were found among them and that not only out of the land of Judah and Benjamin but out of the Cities which either his Father Abijam or he himself had taken about Mount Ephraim See 2 Chron. 13.19 17.2 And he renewed and repaired the Altar of the Lord that Solomon had built in the Priests Court which now by continual use was something decayed and he summoned all Judah and Benjamin and such of the ten Tribes as were within his Dominions for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the Lord so eminently blessed him and on the third month in the fifteenth year of his reign which was the 35th * For Rehoboam reigned 17 years Abijah 3 Asa 15 at this present since the Kingdom of Judah and Israel were divided 2 Chron. 15.19 he and his people offered unto the Lord of the spoils they had gotten seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep and entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and all their soul and that whosoever should worship any false Gods either publickly or privately should be put to death according to the Law Deut. 17.2 c. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and Cornets sounding And all Judah rejoiced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought the Lord with their whole soul and he was found of them and heard their prayers and granted their desires accepted what they did and prospered their endeavours and he gave them rest round about There had been no war betwixt Israel and Judah in Asa's time till the 15th year of his reign * 2 Chron. 15.19 for There was no more war read there had been no war viz. betwixt Israel and Judah till the 15th year of Asa Bellum enim non fuerat usque ad annum trigessimum quintum regni Asae Tremel But now about the sixteenth year of Asa and 36th since the division of the Kingdoms Baasha King of Israel perceiving how potent Asa began to be and how fast the Israelites revolted to him and how they had all entred into a Covenant to serve the Lord he began to arm against them in the fourteenth year of his reign and from this time there was war between Baasha and Asa all their days 1 King 15.16 And Baasha having gotten Ramah which was one of the Cities of Benjamin from the King of Judah fearing the greatness of Asa and the revolt of the Israelites to him he resolved to fortifie it and put a Garrison into it that he might keep his own people from flying to him Asa to divert him from building and fortifying of Ramah takes out the silver and gold that were in the Treasures of the Temple and the Kings house and sent them to Benhadad King of Syria to hire him to break his League with Baasha King of Israel He represents to him that there was a League between Benhadad and him as there had been between their Fathers he desir'd him therefore to break the League he had with the King of Israel and to invade his Country that he might depart from him for he was come down to his very borders Doubtless for Asa to be so much afraid of the Israelites and to rob the Temple and therewith to hire an Infidel to break his Covenant with them and to make war upon them and that soon after God had given him so great a victory over that vast host of the Ethiopians Lubims Arabians and Philistines and had manifested so great a readiness to help him was a great sin Benhadad accordingly having received this present not regarding his faith or league made with the Israelites forthwith invaded and took many of their Cities Baasha upon this left off fortifying Ramah and went against Benhadad to defend his own Country †And afterwards when he had secured his own land he went and dwelt at Tirzah In the mean time Asa by Proclamation gathered together all that were able in Judah to go up to Ramah to demolish it and the men of Judah and Benjamin went up thither and fetched away the timber and stones that Baasha had provided to build and fortifie it with and Asa built therewith Geba and Mizpah * See Jer. 41.9 where we read of a pit that Asa had in Mizpah that continued unto the Captivity two Cities in the Tribe of Benjamin Hanani the Seer father of the Prophet Jehu 1 King 16. came hereupon to Asa and said to him Thou hast done ill to distrust the Lord and to relye on the King of Syria to deliver thee from Baasha For hadst thou suffered Benhadad to continue firm to his league with Baasha they both would have invaded thy land and thou shouldst have overcome them both as thou didst the great Army of the Ethiopians whereas now by making an agreement with Benhadad thou hast cut off that advantage from thy self and so his host is escaped out of thy hands Thou maist remember how God gave thee victory over that vast Army of the Ethiopians because thou didst relye on him For the eyes of the Lord
Idolatrous Ahab and curs'd Jezabel But O how often and how easily does interest of State and worldly policy make Religion truckle under it And the Kingdom felt the sad effects of this match not long after About the 17th year of his reign and the 22th of Ahab making his Son Jehoram Viceroy in his absence with a great train and as it seems accompanied with some troops of Souldiers he went down to Samaria to visit Ahab None of his Predecessors had ever done so before and for Jehoshaphat a worshipper of the true God to go down to such an Idolater as Ahab was may seem very strange But being come to Samaria Ahab entertained him and his followers very magnificently and killed sheep and oxen in abundance to feast them But had not the Lord been more merciful to Jehoshaphat than he was wise for himself he had paid dear for his entertainment for when he was there Ahab perswaded him to go up with him to fight against the Syrians and to take in Ramoth-Gilead where Jehoshaphat was in great danger and Ahab was killed as we may see more particularly in the life of Ahab When Jehoshaphat returned home the Prophet Jehu the Son of Hanani who reproved Asa 1 Chron. 16.7 met him and said to him Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord was it for thee to join thy self in such a strict league of friendship with such an Idolatrous wretch such an enemy to God and all goodness as Ahab was Therefore is wrath * Jehoshaphat soon felt the effects of this denunciation in that invasion of the Moabites and Ammonites which followed after 1 Chro. 20.1 and in the dissention that began at present among his own sons which was the seed of that horrible slaughter which his Eldest Son afterwards made of them 1 Chron. 21.4 coming upon thee from the Lord that is God is highly displeased with thee and hath determined to pour out his displeasure upon thee Nevertheless there are good things found in thee in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land and hast prepared thine heart to seek the Lord therefore the Lord will deal gently with thee and even in judgment remember mercy Jehoshaphat being awakened with this reproof of the Prophet he went out and visited his Kingdom from Beersheba the South border to Mount Ephraim the North border thereof and reduced those who he understood had revolted from the Lord unto Idolatry false worship or wickedness of life and reformed what he found out of order among them He also set up Judges in all the fenced Cities of Judah and said to them Take heed what you do ye judg not for man that is meerly in the name and by the authority of man but for the Lord to whom ye must give account and who is with you in the judgment seeing all ye do and is ready to protect you if you judg uprightly and to punish you if you deal unjustly Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you be afraid to do any thing that may offend him Take heed to your office and execute it justly and as you ought to do For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither will he favour it therefore let there be none in you God is no respecter of persons nor will be swayed with outward considerations nor will be bribed to do any thing that is unjust and therefore see that you imitate him therein Jehoshaphat had also an especial care over his great City Jerusalem to keep it in good order And therefore when he and those that attended him returned thither he there set up the high Court or Council call'd the Sanhedrin consisting of Levites Priests and the Elders of the people to which all appeals were to be made from inferiour Courts and to which all causes of difficulty were to be referred So that they were for the judgment of the Lord that is to judge in matters Ecclesiastical concerning which God had determined in his word what should be done and for controversies that is to judge in matters meerly civil And he charged them saying Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with an upright heart whatever cause shall come before you of your brethren between blood and blood that is between blood shed willingly and unwillingly and casually or between Law and commandment statute and judgment that is when each party shall pretend they have the Law on their side and so one shall alledge one Law and another another ye shall rightly interpret the Law to them and warn them that they trespass not against the Lord by wresting the Law to what it never intended If you do otherwise wrath from the Lord will come upon you and your brethren But if you rightly warn and direct the people ye shall not trespass therein either against God or your brethren And behold Amariah the chief Priest is over you in all matters of the Lord that is in all matters Ecclesiastical that concern Religion and the worship of God and Zebadiah the Son of Ishmael a chief ruler of the house of Judah is over you for all the Kings matters that is for all matters of State or controversies or pleas that concern the Crown and the Levites shall be Officers for you and ready to attend you and to carry your orders and directions unto others and to see them executed Lastly let me exhort you to do courageously and assure your selves the Lord shall be with the good and such as are careful and conscientious in the doing of their duties to assist and protect them and to bless their persons and endeavours About the 18th year of his reign there being no King in Edom 1 King 22.47 but only a Deputy set over them by the King of Judah Jehoshaphat took that advantage to build for himself a Fleet at Ezion-Geber which was in Edoms Territories to go to Tarshish and Ophir to fetch Gold Ahaziah the wicked Son of Ahab desired to go sharer with him in that Fleet and that his servants might go along with Jehoshaphats servants 1 King 22.49 At first Jehoshaphat refused it but afterwards as it seems upon Ahaziahs importunity consented to it See 2 Chron. 20.35 36. Thereupon the Prophet Eleazar came to him and reproved him for it and foretold him that his ships should be broken which accordingly so came to pass in the very Port of Ezion-Geber 2 Chron. 20. from v. 25 to the end Sometime after the Moabites and with them probably some of the Syrians and especially of the Edomites that dwelt on mount Seir. See v. 10. gathered together to invade Judea Possibly Jehoshaphat's late aiding Ahab in his wars against Syria gave occasion to this invasion Immediately Jehoshaphat was inform'd that a very formidable and great multitude was coming against him from the other side of the Dead Sea out of Syria * Syria must be here taken in a general and large
22.6 was the sixth that reigned in Judah he was the youngest Son of Jehoram for all his Elder Brothers were either slain or carried away by the Philistines and Arabians as we shewed before It seems he was made King by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem viz. the Sanhedrin or great Council there the rest giving their consent He reigned only one year and did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly and as some think he married a wife also of the house of Ahab and therefore is said * 2 King 8.27 to be a son-in-Son-in-law of it and the house of Ahab were his counsellors after his Fathers death to his destruction 'T is said 2 Chron. 22.2 that he was forty two years old when he began to reign but 2 King 8.25 't is said he was twenty two years old when he began to reign and 2 King 9.29 't is said he began to reign in the eleventh year of Joram King of Israel But 2 King 8.25 't is said he began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram Here seem to be two contradictions for the reconciling of which we must know that probably the beginning of his reign did fall in with the latter end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth year of Joram King of Israel And whereas 't is said in the Chronicles that he was forty two years old when he began to reign though his Father Jehoram was but forty years old when he died as we may see 2 Chron. 21.5 and in the Kings that he was twenty two years old when he began to reign we must thus understand it that he began to reign in the two and fâ—â—rtieth year of the continuance of the Crown in the house of Omri and his race from which he was descended by his mother Athaliah but in the 22th year of his own age For Omri reigned as sole King six years 1 King 16.23 Ahab twenty two years 1 King 16.29 Ahaziah his Son two years 1 King 22.51 Jehoram twelve years 2 King 3.1 Thus Omri's stock continued forty two years in this sense Ahaziah was a Son of forty two years * Some think here is a Sphaimagraphicum and 42 is put for 22 and so the LXX seem to intimate who there only say that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign if we reckon from the beginning of Omri's reign He went up with his Uncle Jehoram King of Israel to war against Hazael King of Syria for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead which was withheld from the Crown of Israel by the Syrians Ahab had with his own and the joint forces of Jehoshaphat endeavoured to recover it but failed of his purpose and was there slain by Benhadad whose life he had imprudently spared 1 King 20.34 But Jehoram his Son with the joint forces of Judah actually recovered it from Hazael but was there himself wounded Having therefore won the Town 2 King 9.14 and leaving the chief of his Army there with his Commanders of whom Jehu was chief to keep it lest Hazael should come with new forces to recover it he withdrew himself to Jezreel to be cured of his wounds Jehu being left at Ramoth-Gilead was there anointed by the direction and command of Elisha to be King of Israel who thereupon soon slew both Jehoram and Ahaziah For Ahaziah going to Jezreel to visit Jehoram and they understanding that Jehu marched furiously towards them they both went out to meet him but Jehu killing Jehoram Ahaziah fled towards Jezreel yet durst not enter the City but in the suburbs where their Garden-houses were he turned aside into some by-way hoping by that means to escape but Jehu and his Captains at last overtook him and smote him at a place by Ibleam and he flying further after he was wounded to Megiddo a City not far off which belongs to the Kingdom of Samaria Jehu and his men following him close at last by making diligent search in the City there they found him out and brought him to Jehu who presently caused him to be put to death Thus the destruction of Ahaziah was of God and his going to join with Joram King of Israel was the occasion of it Had he stayed at Jerusalem Jehu would not have medled with him When he was dead Jehu and his Commanders permitted his servants to carry him in a Chariot and to bury him at Jerusalem in the Sepulchers of his Fathers For they said he is a Son that is a Grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord with all his heart Thus we see that the piety sincerity and integrity of Jehoshaphat was reverenced and highly esteemed even by those that had not their own hearts possessed therewith God delighting to honour them that honour him Shortly after this Jehu going to Samaria met by the way forty two young Princes of the blood of Ahaziah viz. the Sons of his Brethren * V. 13. The word Brethren must be here taken in a large sense for his Brethren Sons or other kindred They are called Princes of Judah because places of dignity and government were committed unto them who came thither probably to attend and wait upon their King and Vncle being several of them possibly Officers of his Court. It seems they knew nothing of the late revolution in Israel nor of the death of Jehoram Jezebel or Ahaziah or that Jehu reigned Jehu asks them who they were It seems they knew him not but supposing him to be some great Officer of Jehoram's told him they were kinsmen to Ahaziah King of Judah and coming to attend him there they thought themselves obliged being so near the Court to go and pay their respects to King Jehoram's Sons and the Sons of Queen Jezebel and thither they were now going Jehu being at this time in his full career of executing the judgment of God upon the house of Ahab and perceiving these young men to be of that cursed stock being descended from Athaliah Ahab's daughter he looked upon it as within his commission to put them to death and accordingly bidding those about him to lay hold on them he commanded them all with sufficient severity to be immediately slain in the place 2 King 8. from 25 to the end 2 King 9. v. 16. and from 21 to 30. 2 King 10.13 14. 2 Chron. 22. from v. 1 to 10. The 7th that reigned in Judah was ATHALIAH THE house of Ahaziah was so miserably weakned by the late destruction of so many of the branches of it and none of his children being of years sufficient to maintain their right to the Kingdom against such as should go about to usurp it Athaliah mother of Ahaziah who probably was left by him to govern the Kingdom in his absence when he went to help Joram King of Israel in his wars hearing that her Son was dead and that many others of the Royal family were slain by Jehu
in a seeming piety said he would not tempt the Lord by desiring a sign whereas they do not tempt God who ask a sign when he allows them as we see in the instances of Gideon Judg. 6.36 37. and Hezekiah 2 King 20.8 but they that will not believe he will save them according to his promise except he shews them a miracle to confirm his promise as may be gathered from Luk. 11.16 Seeing therefore Ahaz refused to ask a sign when the Lord permitted him to do it Isaiah tells him that the Lord himself would give him a sign without asking and that was this Behold one that is now a (a) Though in the first sense the Virgin here meant was the Virgin which Isaiah afterwards took to wife by whom he had a Son call'd Immanuel whose name was to signifie to the Jews that the Lord would be with them yet in a second and more sublime sense the Virgin Mary is here signified who was a Virgin and a Mother both in sensu composito as the School speaks that is a Virgin even when she was a Mother And the Son who was to be born of her was Immanuel not only in name but in deed For he was true God and being made man dwelt with us and among us men and came into the world to be our Saviour of whom Immanuel the Son of Isaiah was but a Type And he was not only signum portendens but signum operans a sign not only foreshewing but working out our Redemption Virgin shall be married * Some understand this of that Prophetes whom Isaiah possibly being at this time a widower immediately after took to wife See Ch. 8 v. 3. and shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel This Son shall be born before Rezin and Pekah shall lay siege to Jerusalem and the childs name Immanuel shall signifie that God will be with the Jews to help them Further the Prophet tells him that this child shall eat butter and hony therefore there shall be plenty of food in Jerusalem during the siege And before the child shall come to the use of reason and know how to refuse evil and choose good the lands of Syria and Israel which Ahaz so much abhorred and dreaded shall be rid of both their Kings and they shall be taken away by a violent death This was the sign the Lord would give him And accordingly these two Kings came up and besieged Jerusalem but could not prevail against it and were fain to return without taking of it and what became of them afterwards we shall see in the sequel of the story This wicked King Ahaz was no sooner delivered from this great danger but he forsook God his deliverer and forthwith walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and set up the Idolatrous worship of Baal and made molten images for that Idol and offered sacrifice in the valley * This was a valley near Jerusalem See 2 Chr. 33.6 'T was call'd Tophet from Toph a Drum because they used Drums other sounding Instruments to drown the cry of the child that was sacrificed See Jer. 7.31 Thence Gehenna came to signifie Hell and Tophet to be used in the like sense Isa 30.33 of Benhinnom and made one of his Sons to pass through the fire and offered him as a sacrifice to Molech contrary to the express Law of God Lev. 18.21 even after the abomination of the heathen whom God had cast out before the children of Israel and he offered sacrifices in the high places and upon the hills under every green tree †Non tantum in lucis sed etiam sub magnis arboribus sacra saciebant Grot. which in height and shade excelled others and seemed fit for that purpose see Deut. 12.2 When Ahaz had thus forsaken God God also forsook him whereupon Rezin and Pekah dividing their forces came again up against him and overcame him which before when both joined together they could not do For the Lord being provoked by his grievous sins first gave him up into the hands of the Syrians who having worsted him carried away a great multitude of his people captive to Damascus Then Rezin at the same time as it seems subdued Elath which Vzziah had recovered to Judah and built it a new and placed his Syrians to dwell there The Lord also gave him up into the hands of the King of Israel who made a great slaughter of his people God therein using one Idolater to scourge another for Pekah slew in one day an hundred and twenty thousand of them Zickri a man of Ephraim slaying one of the Kings Sons and two other great officers of the Kings which is mentioned for his particular honour and the King of Israel carried away two hundred thousand prisoners of the Jews among whom were many women and children There was at that time a Prophet of the Lord in Samaria whose name was Oded whereby we see that God was not wanting to send the Israelites Prophets to admonish them even then when they were most corrupt This Prophet met the host of Israel coming triumphantly with their spoils and captives towards Samaria to whom he spake after this manner Because the Lord was wroth with Judah he hath delivered them into your hands and ye have slain them with a rage reaching up to heaven And now I perceive ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and to make the captives ye have taken bondmen and bondwomen whereas the Law of God forbids you Levit. 25.39 40 41. to make any of your brethren bondmen But consider I pray you are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God Now therefore hearken unto me I advise you to send back these prisoners and captives of your Brethren which ye have taken or else assure your selves the fierce anger of the Lord will fall upon you It seems some eminent men of great authority in Samaria whose names to their lasting honour are set down 2 Chron. 28.12 met the Army also at the same place with many others of the City and hearing what the Prophet had said they were so mov'd thereby that they stood up against the Army and told them they should not carry their prisoners into the City for say they we have offended against the Lord already and have sins too many upon us to answer for and ye if you go on according to your intentions will add more to our sins For our trespasses are great and there is fierce wrath from the Lord hanging over our heads for the cruelty we have already exercised against our Brethren and therefore you shall carry these prisoners no further The Providence of God so wrought upon the hearts of the Commanders and Souldiers of the Army that they presently submitted and left their prisoners and spoils to those Princes and the people there present to dispose of them as they should think fit Hereupon these Governours took those of the
them that led them away and God will move their hearts to let them return and come again into their own land For the Lord our God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you if you turn unto him by true repentance So the Posts passed from City to City through the Country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun but most of them it seems laughed them to scorn and mocked at them for this their message However divers of Asher Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves under the hand of God for their former sins and came to Jerusalem But in Judah the hand and power of God eminently appeared in making them unanimous and giving them as it were one heart and one mind to do the commandment of the King and of his Princes which was guided by and grounded on the word of the Lord. And there assembled at Jerusalem very many people to keep the Feast of the Passover in the second month and being there met they arose and took away the Altars that were in Jerusalem viz. those that Ahaz had made both the Altars of burnt-offerings and the Altars of incense and cast them into the brook Kidron Then they killed the Passover on the 14th day of the second month and the Priests and the Levites that had been before backward were now asham'd of their backwardness seeing the forwardness of other Levites and of the people themselves and they sanctified themselves and brought in the burnt-offerings into the house of the Lord and did what belonged to their office And they stood and officiated in their proper places wherein each order was appointed to stand as they were accustom'd to do before Ahaz's time who put them all out of order The Porters stood in their places the Singers in theirs and the Levites that assisted the Priests in theirs according to the ordinances delivered by Moses The Priests also sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice upon the Altar having received it from the hands of the Levites And then there being many of the Priests that were not sanctified the Levites that were sanctified had the charge of killing the Paschal lambs and other sacrifices that were to be offered And this was done to keep the sacrifices from being polluted as they would have been if unsanctified persons had offered them And many of the people that were of the Tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves according to those rites that were enjoined to such as were to eat of the Passover and yet through ignorance did adventure to eat of the Passover whereupon God gave some visible evidence of his displeasure against them which Hezekiah observing prayed to the Lord for them saying Good Lord pardon every one that setteth his heart in truth and sincerity to seek the Lord God of his Fathers though he hath failed through ignorance in the use of those external rites of cleansing required of him and is not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary nor hath used such means of purifying himself as are prescrib'd to such as come to Gods holy place And the Lord heard the prayer of Hezekiah and remov'd the judgment he had inflicted on them So they kept the Feast of the Passover seven days with great gladness and the Priests and the Levites praised the Lord day by day singing and praising the Lord on loud instruments of musick And Hezekiah encouraged and spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledg of the Lord and the people did eat joyfully every day of the Feast and offered peace-offerings and made confession of their sins to the Lord. And the King Princes and Priests and all the chief of the assembly advising together resolved to keep other seven days to the Lord which though it was besides the Law yet the case being extraordinary God accepted their holy zeal and they did accordingly keep them with great gladness And the King gave to that great assembly and congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep and the Princes gave them a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep that they might offer part to the Lord and eat the remainder themselves in those days of Feasting and that those of the Ten Tribes that were there present might be the better entertained And a great number of Priests though they were backward before yet now seeing the great need of their pains and beholding the zeal of others they sanctified themselves and put themselves on to forward the service of the Lord. And that vast congregation of all sorts there met together greatly rejoiced and there was such joy in Jerusalum at this time as since the days of Solomon and the division of the Kingdoms there had not been the like And the Priests that descended from Levi blessed the people according to Numb 6.23 c. and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to Gods holy dwelling place even to Heaven and the blessing which the Priests pronounced God was pleased to ratifie 2 Chron. 30. wh Ch. When these things were finished all the Israelites which were there present about the end of the 2d said month being incouraged by the King went forth through all the other Cities of Judah and brake down the Images and cut down the Groves and destroyed the high places and Altars throughout the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and even throughout all the Cities of Ephraim and Manasseh that were under the dominion of the King of Judah until they had finished the work they went about which being done they returned every one to his own home in their several Countries 2 Chron. 31.1 Hezekiah went yet further and brake in pieces the brazen Serpent which Moses had set up Numb 21.9 to cure such as were stung with fiery Serpents which being kepâ— as a monument of Gods grace goodnâ—ss and mercy to them many of the people were so superstitious as to yield to it Divine honour this good King therefore brake it in pieces that God might be no longer dishonoured by it For when things lawful and useful are perverted to Idolatry they may lawfully be destroyed And Hezekiah called it Nehustan that is a little piece of brass intimating to them there was no deity in it and therefore no worship to be done unto it 2 King 18.4 Then King Hezekiah took order that the Priests and Levites should serve every one of them in his office and course and should minister and do the service belonging to their places and praise the Lord in the gates of the tents of the Lord that is within the gates of the Temple which by reason of the several Courts and buildings and Chambers belonging to it were as Tents in a Camp for the several orders of Ministers that belonged to it to lodg in And whereas the morning and evening-sacrifice and the sacri ices appointed for the Sabbaths and New-Mâ—ons and other set and solemn Festivals were ordinarily to
be taken out of the offerings which were laid up in the Treasuries of the Temple and those being much exhausted by Ahaz and the people being much impoverished by inrodes of enemies Hezekiah for the ease of the people appointed a portion for and towards these sacrifices out of his own revenue He commanded also the people that dwelt at Jerusalem to give to the Priests and Levites the portion and maintenance that by the Law belonged to them that so being freed from distracting worldly cares they might the better attend to their work and might search into and study and meditate on the Law of God and faithfully expound it to the people teaching them to perform the duties therein commanded And the children of Israel in and about Jerusalem when this command was first given brought in abundance of the first-fruits of corn wine and oyl and honey and of the things that grew out of the earth and the tythe of all things that were by the Law injoined And those that dwelt in the Cities of Judah brought in the tythe of oxen and sheep and all other things which were ordained to be set apart from the rest of their goods as being consecrated unto God and given to the Priests and Levites And they brought in so abundantly that they laid them by heaps and they began to make those heaps and to bring in their tythes to the house of the Lord in the third month which was the beginning of their harvest and finished them in the seventh month when they gathered all other fruits of the land and which was counted the last of their harvest And therefore the Feast of Tabernacles which was in that month was called the feast of ingathering in the end of the year Exod. 23.16 When Hezekiah and the Princes came and saw those heaps which were many and great ones they blessed the Lord for stirring up the people to bring in their tythes so chearfully and so plentifully and blessed the people for their forwardness therein Then the King asked the Priests and Levites how it came to pass seeing there were many of them that they had spent no more of the provisions brought in for them Azariah the chief Priest of the house of Zadock made this answer Be Be pleas'd to understand O King that since the people began to bring in their first-fruits and tythes into the house of the Lord we have had enough to eat and have left a great deal besides For God hath so abundantly blessed his people that their offerings have not only yeilded us sufficient provision but this overplus which thou seest here is also left Then the King commanded that they should prepare Chambers and storehouses wherein to lay up what remained for the future and ordered that the tythes and offerings and dedicate things should be laid up in them and appointed Cononiah the Levite and Shimei his brother to be Treasurers and to keep an account of what was brought in and what was delivered out according to the order established 1 Chron. 26.20 Then there are ten set down by name who were overseers under them by the command of the King and the high Priest who had the chief rule over those that belonged to the house of the Lord. And Core who was Porter at the East-gate and six under him had charge to distribute the oblations and tythes to the Priests and Levites and that to all sorts of them as they were set in their several courses both great and small viz. to every one what was sufficient for him And they were to distribute them also to the young ones who were in their Genealogies of males from three years old and upward and to those that were registred in the Genealogies of Priests and Levites from twenty years old and upward who came in their particular courses to do service in the house of the Lord. Nay further they were to distribute them to all their little ones that were registred though under three years and to their wives sons and daughters throughout the whole multitude or congregation of Priests and Levites for they having sanctified themselves in their distinct offices for the holy service of the Temple they had not time or leisure to provide temporal things for themselves their wives and children as others had And besides those persons before mentioned that were to distribute the holy things to those that dwelt at Jerusalem or came up thither in their several courses to perform their service at the Temple there were others also of the Priests chosen that dwelt in the other Cities of the Kingdom that were to give portions to the Priests and Levites whose names were registred according to their Families who were then abiding in those places and not attending at the Temple This care did Hezekiah take throughout all Judah and he did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord and he did it in truth and sincerity And in every work that he began relating to the service of the house of the Lord and to the observance of the Moral Law and the ordinances about Divine worship by all which he took care that God might be duly sought unto and honoured and obeyed he did it uprightly and with a fervent zeal and the Lord prospered him therein 2 Chron. 31. from v. 2 to the end About this time as 't is supposed that Copy of Solomon's Proverbs mentioned Prov. 25.1 was found and transcribed by some of Hezekiah's servants out of the old Manuscript which was as 't is like much spotted and soiled with time and neglect Further we are to observe what an excellent character is given of Hezekiah 2 King 18.5 6. viz. that he trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Judah since the rent of the Kingdoms nor before him He excelled those that went before him in removing the high places which neither Jehoshaphat nor any of the good Kings of Judah had hitherto done But as for those that were after him some may object that which is said of Josiah 2 King 23.25 viz. that there was no King before him like unto him But to this we may answer that though Josiah excelled Hezekiah in some things yet in other things Hezekiah excelled him For Hezekiah was the first that removed the high places but when Josiah removed them he had Hezekiah's example to encourage him therein and Hezekiah was more successful in war than Josiah They were indeed both excellent Princes though in some things the one might excell the other 'T is further said of Hezekiah that he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his commandments And the Lord was with him and he prospered him in all his enterprizes As in particular in his wars against the Philistines against whom he mightily prevailed and took all those Cities from them which they had taken from his father Ahaz see 2 Chron. 28.18 But we
power I striking fear into their hearts and were dismayed and confounded nay they were as the grass of the field and as the grass on the house-tops which soon withereth away and as the corn that is blasted before it be grown up And as for thee I know thine abode and where thou dwellest and what thou dost meditate against me at home and abroad when thou goest out and when thou comest in I know all thy counsels and actions both publick and private I know thy rage against me and how thou reproachest my power and threatnest me as if I were an Idol See Isa 36.20 And because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come into my ears that is because I have heard thy outragious and ruffling words I will put my hook into thy nose and my bridle into thy lips and will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest that is thou shalt go as thou camest without effecting what thou designest against Jerusalem Thus the Prophet delivered to Hezekiah the mind of God concerning the King of Assyria Then he tells the King and the people that this shall be a sign to them by which they may assuredly know that they are loved of God with a Fatherly love viz. that though they had been hindred from sowing and planting this year by reason of the Assyrians invading their land and though they could not sow nor plant the next year because it was the Sabbatical year yet they should have plenty of corn notwithstanding that should grow and spring of it self without any tillage from the scattered seeds that fell on the earth the former years And herein says he the Providence of God will eminently appear for you that the ground shall yield of it self sufficient food for three years together for though in the third year ye may sow and reap and plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof yet ye cannot reap what ye shall sow in that year until the end of it therefore it will be no less than miraculous that two years together so much corn shall grow of it self as shall serve you for three years The Prophet further encourages them and bids them not fear because their Nation was reduc'd to a small number nor think that therefore they should not be able long to subsist for he tells them that that small remnant of them which shall escape the sword of the Assyrians shall be like a thriving flourishing tree that shoots its roots downwards and its branches upward on which it bringeth forth much fruit So they shall be well setled in their Nation and shall be fruitful in it He further tells them that that remnant which is now shut up in Jerusalem and mount Zion shall go out of it when the siege is raised into all parts of the land of Judah and shall inhabit it and replenish it shall sow the ground and reap the fruit thereof For the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this that is the zeal he hath for his own glory and the love he bears to his people and the indignâ—tion he hath against â—is enemies will move him to do it And further says he let the King and all his faithful people encourage themselves for thus saith the Lord Sennacherib shall not come into this City nor force the Gates of it nor shoot an arrow at those that stand upon the wall neither shall he assault it with men armed with shields nor cast a bank or trench * This is to be understood of Sennacherib himself and the Army that he personally commanded for though he did not closely besioge Jerusalem himself nor make a Trench about it yet it seems part of his Army did as we may gather from Isaiah 29.3 against it but he shall go back the way that he came for I will defend this City and save it for mine own sake and for my servant Davids sake because of the promise I made to him that I would establish the Throne of his Kingdom †2 Chron 7.18 2 King 19. from 8 to 35. 2 Chron. 32. from 10 to 21. Isa 37. from 8 to 36. Hezekiah about this time viz. in the fourteenth year of his reign when the Assyrian Army lay about Jerusalem fell extreme sick and his sickness seemed such as threatned to put an end to his life The Prophet Isaiah coming to him from the Lord bad him set his house in order for he should die This sentence though very sad in it self yet seemed not absolute but conditional and so Hezekiah understood it and accordingly turning his face to the wall as he lay in his bed he earnestly prayed to the Lord to spare his life saying Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight He mentions not his good deeds as if he thought them meritorious but only that he might incline the Lord the rather to shew him mercy for the Lord is more ready to shew mercy to those that walk according to his laws and commandments than to those that disobey them And Hezekiah wept sore He had many reasons to desire to be spared at this time For first if he should now die he should leave Judah and Jerusalem under the pressure of Sennacherib and should not see the delivery of it 2ly He had no Son as yet to succeed him in the Throne and it could not but be a matter of great sorrow and grief to him to think that the promise made to David and Solomon 1 King 8.25 should not appertain to him He knew also that the Mâ—ssiah was to spring from the seed of David and he being lineally descended from David if he lived to have issue he might hope that the Messiah might spring from him from which hope he should be cut off if he died at this time 3ly He had reason to think that they who were so ready to ascribe the calamities of his time unto him because he had broken down the Idolatrous Altars and Images and made a reformation would be more ready to ascribe them to him if he now died and would say though unjustly that for this cause God had cut him off in displeasure And therefore for this reason he pleads his integrity and that what he had done in the reformation of Religion he had done it with an upright heart knowing it to be well-pleasing unto God And accordingly he found that the Lord was well pleased with it for before the Prophet was gone out of the middle Court of the Kings house he was sent back again to the King with this comfortable message Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father intimating to him thereby that he was mindful of his promise made to David 1 King 2.4 I have seen thy tears and am moved to compassion by them and I will spare thy life and add unto thy days fifteen years and on the third day from hence
seemeth to have been missing ever since the beginning of Manasseh's reign who possibly at first endeavoured to burn all the Books of the Law and so this Book was hid in some secret place of the Temple by some faithful Priest that it might be preserved for future times Hilkiah having found it he sent it by Shaphan the Scribe unto the King who having heard it read all over to him was exceedingly affected therewith and rent his clothes and more especially as 't is likely at those dreadful threatnings against Idolatry which are written in Levit. 26. Deut. 28. Hereupon he immediately sent to (b) Miriam and Deborah and Anna were all Prophetesses Thus the Lord is pleas'd to endue some women with the spirit of Prophesie to shew that he is not tyed to any sex Huldah a famous Prophetess who dwelt in Ierusalem in the suburbs or second part and desired her to ask counsel of the Lord for him Ieremy possibly being not then at Ierusalem but at Anathoth For Iosiah hearing those curses in the Law denounced against Idolatry and knowing how much some of his Predecessors had been guilty thereof he much seared lest the judgments threatned in that Book might fall upon him and his people and desired to know whither there might be any means to pacifie Gods wrath and prevent those judgments Huldah returned this answer Thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the curses written in the Book which the King of Judah hath read because they have forsaken me and burnt incense to other gods and have provoked me to anger with the works of their hands viz. their idols and altars therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched intimating the utter extirpation of the Jews out of that good land but to the King of Judah who sent you say to him Thus saith the Lord as touching the words and threatnings which thou hast heard read out of the Book because thy heart was tender and soon moved at the hearing of my threatnings and thou hast humbled thy self before me when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse that is have the curses written in this Book executed upon it and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me Behold I will gather thee unto thy pious ancestors in heaven before these dreadful calamities shall fall upon this place and people and thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace This answer of Huldahs being brought to the King his heart was so affected with it that to prevent if it were possible this judgment threatned he called together the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem together with the Priests and Prophets viz. Jeremy Baruck Zephany and Vriah and the people both small and great and caused one of the Levites to read in their ears all the words of the Book of the Covenant * The Law is called a Cove an t because obedâ—ence was therein requir'd on the peoples part and a blessing thereupon promised on Gods part so called because it contained the Covenant that God made with the people of Israel See 1 King 8.9 And the King stood by the Pillar on the Brasen Scaffold or on some Throne erected by a pillar in the Temple for him to stand upon at that time and there solemnly made a Covenant before the Lord in his own name and the name of the people to walk after the Lord that is to observe what he prescrib'd unto them and to keep his commandments testimonies and statutes with all their heart and with all their soul and to perform the words of the Covenant written in that Book and he caused all that were present to give their consent to it and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were the most forward to engage themselves to walk according to the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and did accordingly so walk Then the King commanded Hilkiah the High Priest and the Priests that were next unto him and the Levites to bring forth out of the Temple * Josiah did begin to purge Judah and Jerusalem of Idols in the twelfth year of his reign six years before the Book of the Law was found but upon hearing those dreadful threatnings in the Law against Idolatry he now proceeded further and perfected that reformation which was then begun Therefore the Penman of the Sacred History of the Chronicles relating the Reformation that Josiah wrought in the twelfth year of his reign adds also what was done afterwards when the Book of the Law was found and speaking how he suppressed Idolatry upon the hearing of the Law read to him he joins many things of the same nature that were done in the twelfth year of his reign that all his zealous acts in rooting out Idolatry might he related together all the vessels that were made for Baal and used in his worship or in the Idolatrous worship of the Groves or of the Host of Heaven and he burnt them in the field by which the river Kidron did run and carried the ashes of them to Bethel therewith to defile the prime seat of Jeroboams Idolatry These things had been us'd by Manasseh and Amon but were set aside as it seems in some by-place of the Temple in Josiah's time and seeing still they remained there this good King's zeal would not permit them to be there any longer And he put down the Idolatrous Priests or Chemarim whom the Kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in high places in the Cities of Judah and in places round about Jerusalem He put down those also who burnt incense to Baal or to the Sun Moon and the Planets and host of heaven and he brought out the Image whereon a grove was engraven which it seems was hung up in the Temple and stampt it to powder and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of those that had worshipped Idols and sacrificed unto them 2 Chron. 34.4 And he brake down the Tents of the Sodomites that were in the grove by the house of the Lord and where the women wove hangings for those filthy tents so that in that grove they not only worshipped Idols but as it seems defiled themselves also with all manner of abominable uncleanness And he brought all the Priests that were the Sons of Aaron and had served the true God in high places out of the Cities where they had exercised that false worship and would not suffer them to live there and he defiled the high places even from Geba the North border of the Kingdom of Judah to Beersheba the South-border and beat down their Altars and burned dead mens bones on them v. 14. to make them unclean and brake down the high places that were erected at the entring of the Gates by Joshua the Governour of the City whither it seems many of the people used to
Son Shallum having his name changed into Iehoahaz perhaps because of the ill fate of Shallum the Son of Iabesh King of Israel who reigned but one month and was murdered by Menahem 2 King 15.13 was anointed King by the people though he was the youngest of Iosiah's Sons either because he was best affected to the King of Babylon or most warlike and valiant and so most likely to defend them against Necho King of Egypt He was twenty three years old when he began to reign and reigned only three months He quickly fell to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and presently set up the Idolatry that his Father Iosiah had suppressed It seems he also grievously oppressed the people and therefore he is compared to a young lion which devoureth men Ezek. 19.2 3 4. The Prophet Ieremy is sent by the Lord to the new Kings Palace earnestly to exhort him and his Courtiers and all the people to repentance and amendment of their lives foretelling them that Shallum or Iehoahaz should be carried away captive into Egypt and bidding the people not to weep for him that is departed meaning Iosiah but for him that is to depart meaning Iehoahaz because he shall return no more to see his native soil Ier. 22. from 1 to 13. Pharoah Necho returning with victory from Charchemish where he vanquished the Babylonians was desirous to revenge the opposition he had received from Iosiah who sought to stop him in his passage through his Country and therefore making use of the dissention that was between Iehoahaz and Eliakim his Elder Brother and getting Iehoahaz or Shallum into his power he presently deposed him as if the Kingdom of Iudea had been at his diposal and set up his Eldest Brother Eliakim changing his name into Iehoiakim and then imposing upon the land a Tribute of an hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold he put Shallum or Iehoahaz into fetters at Riblah and carried him away with him prisoner into Egypt where he ended his life 2 King 23. from 30 to 36. 2 Chron. 36. from 1 to 5. The 18th that reigned in Judah JEHOIAKIM JEHOIAKIM was twenty five years old when he began to reign and reigned eleven years in Ierusalem He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord being an Idolater and a cruel oppresser of the people and possibly the more out of revenge because they had preferred his younger brother before him his oppressions are notably set forth Ier. 22. from 13 to 20. and Ezek. 19. from 5 to 10. But herein he manifested the greatness of his impiety that when the Prophets denounced the judgments of God against him and his people for their evil ways he would not endure it but persecuted them for it as we shall shew afterwards He pays the King of Egypt the hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold which he had imposed upon him but he taxed the land for it and exacted it of the people 2 King 23.35 36 37. 2 Chron. 36. v. 5. In the beginning of his reign Ieremy was commanded by God to stand in the Court of the Temple and there to exhort the people assembled together out of all the Cities of Iudah to repentance it being then the Feast of Tabernacles Thus saith the Lord stand in the Court of the Lords house and speak unto all the Cities of Iudah which come to worship in the Lords house all the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word If so be they will hearken and turn every man from his evil way that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord if ye will not hearken to me to walk in my Law which I have set before you to hearken to the words of my servants the Prophets whom I sent unto you rising up early and sending them * That is continually and carefully sending them a Metaphor taken from careful housholders who with the soonest seek to redress mischiefs causing their servants for that end to rise betimes then will I make this house like Shiloh and will make this City a curse to all the Nations of the earth So the Priests and the Prophets and all the people heard Ieremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. And it came to pass when Ieremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto the people the Priests and the Prophets and the people took him saying thou shalt surely die Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying This house shall be like Shiloh and this City shall be desolate without an inhabitant And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. When the Princes of Judah heard these things they came up from the Kings house unto the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lords house to understand what the matter was Then spake the Priests and the Prophets unto the Princes and to all the people saying This man is worthy to die for he hath prophesied against this City and ye have heard it with your ears Then spake Jeremiah unto the Princes and to all the people saying The Lord sent me to prophesie against this house and against this City all the words that ye have heard Therefore now amend your ways and your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God and the Lord will repent him of the evil he hath pronounced against you As for me behold I am in your hands do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you But know ye for certain that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your selves and upon this City and upon the inhabitants thereof for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears Then said the Princes and the people unto the Priests and Prophets This man is not worthy to die for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God Then rose up certain of the Elders of the land and spake to all the assembly of the people saying Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah King of Judah and spake to all the people of Judah saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Zion shall be plowed like a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forrest Did Hezekiah King of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death did he not fear the Lord and besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them Therefore if we should proceed with that rigour you would have us against Jeremy we might procure great evil against our own souls Vriah also about the same time Prophesied against
might remain to support the faith and keep up the spirits of the Jews in a long captivity First He promises the reduction of the Jews into their own Country but before that they were to endure many calamities from the Babylonians during that day of Jacobs trouble but they should at last be saved out of it God promises to break the King of Babylons yoke from off Jacobs neck and that these Chaldeans shall no longer serve themselves of him But that his posterity shall serve the Lord their God and such of Davids lineage as he shall from time to time set over them but more especially the Messias who should come of Davids stock He promises to correct them in measure and yet not to leave them altogether unpunished He promises many great blessings that he would bestow on his Church notwithstanding their great miseries troubles breaches wounds but that Gods wrath shall remain on the wicked In the next Chapter is contain'd the restauration of Israel and the publication thereof After Rachels lamentation for her Sons as lost followeth Gods consolation of her puting her in hope of their return Ephraim repenting is to be brought home again Christ is promised The Lord will create a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man And this shall be the Covenant he will make with his people after those days he will write his law in their hearts and will be their God and this Covenant shall be stable and his Church shall be enlarged Jer. 29. from 24 to the end Jer. 30. whole Chapter Jer. 31. whole Chapter God also by his Prophet Jeremy foretels that Babylon and the land of Caldea shall be over-run and wasted by the Medes and Persians and comforts his own people with the sweet promises of their deliverance Jer. 50. whole Chapter Jer. 51. from 1 to 59. Zedekiah in the fourth year of his reign either went himself or which is more probable sent * Jer. 51.59 When he went with Zedekiah or on behalf of Zedekiah Seraiah a person of great quality about him to Babylon to whom Jeremy delivered the foresaid Prophesies of the destruction of Babylon written in a Book to be first read and then to be thrown into the river Euphrates to signifie that Babylon should so sink and not rise again Jer. 51. from 59 to the end In the beginning of the thirtieth year from that solemn renewing of the Covenant and restauration of the worship of God in the eighteenth year of Josiah which falls in with the fifth of Jehoiakins captivity on the fifth day of the fourth Month God vouchsafed the first vision to Ezekiel one of the captives in Babylon by the river Chebar and from thence he was sent to execute the office and function of a Prophet among the Jews of the Captivity He began thirty four years after Jeremy and continued his Prophetick office about two and twenty years namely to the twenty seventh year of Jehoiakins captivity Ezek. 29.17 It seems many at this time both among the Jews at Jerusalem and among the captives in Babylon murmured and complained against Jeremy as a false Prophet that had misled the people and betrayed them and caused them to yield themselves to the King of Babylon seeing now five years were past and yet Jerusalem stood still Jeremy being thus cried down both at home and abroad especially by false Prophets it pleased the Lord to raise up Ezekiel and pouring out his spirit upon him to set him on work to prophesie and foretell the same things in Babylon that Jeremy had done in Judea though in a more vehement manner so that Jeremy's Prophesies were confirm'd and justified by Ezekiel's The Prophet Ezekiel therefore going to execute his function among the Jews dwelling at Telabib near the river Chebar when he was come thither he sat him down as a man disheartned for the space of seven days After which time God again put him in mind of his charge both with gracious promises if he undertook it and severe threatnings if he refused and then confirmed him with a new sign shewed unto him and gave him courage and boldness by his word and ratified his vocation by a new command Ezek. 1. whole Chapter Ezek. 2. whole Chapter Ezek. 3. whole Chapter Ezekiel is now commanded to make a draught of the siege of Jerusalem in a table of Tile or Slate and to lye along upon one side three hundred and ninety days typifying thereby Gods patience in bearing with the sins and provocations of the Kingdom of Israel 390 years before he destroyed that Kingdom which was the full time from the revolt of the Ten Tribes to their Captivity When he had lain 390 days on his left side he was to turn himself on his right side and to lye so forty days more to typisie Gods patience in bearing with the sins and provocations of the Kingdom of Judah from the time that Iosiah and his people renewed solemnly their Covenant with the Lord unto the Captivity of Zedekiah which was just forty years Then he sets out the grievous famine that should be in the City during the siege Chap. 4. In the three following Chapters he pursues the same matter viz. Ierusalems misery In the fifth he is commanded to cut off his hair and to divide it into three parts by which he was to signifie three dreadful judgments that were to be inflicted on Jerusalem by pestilence sword and dispersion In the sixth Chapter first he threatens desolation to the land of Judea viz. to the Idols Altars and people thereof 2ly Promises mercy to a few that should repent of their evil ways and come to a right knowledg of the Lord from v. 8 to 11. 3ly He sets forth the grief and vexation the rest should feel from the sore judgments that should come upon them from 11 to the end In the seventh Chapter he Prophesies again of the destruction of the Jews and their land from v. 1 to 16. And of the pitiful lamentation that they shall make that escape from v. 16 to 20. And of the pollution of the Sanctuary by their enemies from v. 20 to 23. And of their bondage under the worst of heathens which is represented by a chain from v. 23 to the end Ezek. 4. whole Chapter Ezek. 5. whole Chapter Ezek. 6. whole Chapter Ezek. 7. whole Chapter In the sixth year of Jeconiahs Captivity the sixth month the fifth day of the month Ezekiel was carried in a Vision to Jerusalem and shewed the horrible Idolatry there practised and the plagues that were to befall the City for the same The Vision hath four parts 1. The Prophet is shewn the abominable Idolatry of the Jews in these notorious instances 1. Their having the Image of Jealousie or the Image of Baal among them which highly provoked God to jealousie 2. Their Chambers of Imagery having Idols privately in their Chambers 3. Their women weeping for Tammuz * Some understand it Osiris the Egyptian
in execution he tells him there were a certain people scattered * For though some were returned out of captivity into the land of Judah yet many of them especially of the Ten Tribes did remain dispersed here and there not embracing the liberty proffered them up and down his dominions whose laws were diverse from the laws of his Kingdom and who observ'd not his laws 'T is true in matters of divine worship they did not observe them nor could they do it with a good conscience but otherwise they did observe the laws of the land as which concerned the peace and tranquility thereof See Jer. 29.7 Haman further suggests that it was not for the Kings profit to suffer those Jews to live among his own subjects lest they should draw them from their obedience to him Therefore he intreats the King that his subjects among whom the Jews lived might fall upon them and destroy them And whereas it might be objected that the Jews paid a great tribute which the King would lose if they were destroyed therefore in recompence of that loss he proffers to pay ten thousand talents of silver himself into the hands of the Kings receivers Haman had at this time such an ascendent over the King being his chief favourite that he took off his ring from his hand and gave it unto him therewith impowering him to seal what decree he thought fit to make touching this matter and as for the money he proffered the King bad him keep it to himself telling him that that sum was freely given to him and the people of the Jews also to do with them what seemed good unto him 'T is like the King did not yet understand that his Queen was of the Jewish Nation for that Mordecai advised her to conceal So on the 13th day of the first month the Kings Secretaries were called and the decree concerning the destruction of the Jews was written and sealed and Haman took care to have it presently published and sent to all the Lord Lieutenants and Governours of Provinces authorizing them that they should destroy and kill all the Jews both young and old little children and women in one day viz. the 13th of the last or twelfth month and to take the spoil of them to themselves for a prey And 't is like Haman did expedite the sending out of this decree lest the King by the counsel of others or from some relenting in himself or by some means or other should alter his mind The bloody decree being sent forth the King and Haman sit down to drink so far were they from any remorse or touch of conscience for what they had done but the inhabitants of the City of Shushan were greatly perplexed at it Chap. 3. whole Chapter Mordecai understanding what was done rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes on his head and went into the midst of the City and cried with a loud and bitter cry and in this mournful posture came before the Kings Gate for into it clothed with sackcloth he might not enter the Persian Kings not allowing their Court-pleasures to be interrupted with any thing that had an appearance of sorrow or sadness And in every Province where the decree came there was great mourning among the Jews and fasting weeping and wailing and many lay in sackcloth and ashes Queen Esther understanding the great mourning of Mordecai and his being in sackcloth was much surprized at it and sent to know the reason of it and withal sent him new raiment to cloth him but that raiment being unsuitable to his present condition he would not receive it Mordecai coming to her informed her what Haman had done and what a sum of money he had proffered to the King for liberty to destroy the Jews and what a decree he had obtained of him for their destruction And soon after he sent her a copy of that bloody decree and charged her to go to the King to make supplication to him for her people He now thought it necessary she should make known to him of what stock and Nation she was though before he thought it not convenient that she should do it The Queen sends him word that he could not be ignorant that whosoever whither man or woman came unto the King into the inner Court where was his apartment without being called for was to be put to death except the King shall of his Royal favour hold out his golden scepter to them And she had not been called to come unto the King these thirty days last past and therefore she did not know whither the Kings affection towards her might not be somewhat abated and if so her going to him uncalled might be very hazardous to her But Mordecai the people of God being in so great danger would accept of no excuse but sent her word that she her self must not think to escape more than the rest of the Jews the Kings house could be no protection to her against this bloody decree and Hamans malice For the decree being general against all the Jews without any exception it might reach her as well as others He further tells her that if she altogether held her peace at such a time as this and would not venture her self when all her people were in such extream danger he doubted not but deliverance would arise to them from another place and some other way but as for her and such of her kindred as were about her he believed they would be destroyed for their faint heartedness and cowardize and not affording what help they could to the people of God in their great extremity And lastly he tells her that she should consider that possibly she came to the Kingdom for such a time as this and that the preservation of Gods people was the end God aimed at in advancing her to be Queen Mordecai's words wrought so powerfully on Esther that she resolved to do what he required yet like a pious and prudent Lady she resolved first to use due means for the obtaining the blessing of God upon her endeavours and to that purpose she sends to all the Jews in Shushan desiring them to keep a solemn fast three days together and neither to eat (a) That is not to take their ordinary repasts but to eat sparingly and to afflict their souls by true repentance and humiliation nor drink night nor day and earnestly to seek to the Lord for her And says she I and my maids (b) 'T is like her maids were Jews or such as she had instructed in the true Religion will fast also and so I will go unto the King though it be not according to law and if I perish I perish (c) That is I will embrace my death quietly and contentedly seeing I could not avoid it without failing in my duty Mordecai and the Jews at Shushan did as Esther desired Esth Ch. 4. whole Chapter This being done Queen Esther on the third day having put on her
together with all his allies and friends to make war upon the Grecians according to the Prophesie of Daniel Ch. 11.2 And now will I shew thee the truth behold there shall stand up yet three Kings in Persia and the fourth shall be far richer than they all and by his strength through his richer he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia Zerxes Zerxes having reigned twelve years was slain by Artabanus Captain of his Guard and immediately after Darius his eldest Son was dispatched also and so the Kingdom came to Artaxerxes Artaxerxes his second Son called Longimanus In the seventh year of Artaxerxes Ezra the Priest the Grandchild of Seraiah being a Scribe (a) As among the Grecians their wise and learned men were called Philosophers and among the Chald ans Magi so among the Jews their great Doctors were called Scribes that is an acute learned and ready expounder of the Law and one that had prepared his heart to understand it and to yield obedience to it and to instruct the people in the knowledg thereof obtained a large Patent * Ch. 7. v 6. 't is said The King granted him all his request according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him that is according as the Lord favoured and prospered him from the King and his seven Counsellors impowering him to go to Jerusalem and to reform things that were amiss there which Patent ran thus Artaxerxes King of Kings unto Ezra the Priest a Scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven perfect peace I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel whether Priests Levites or others scattered up and down in my dominions if they are willing to it may go up with thee to Jerusalem For thou art sent of the King and his seven Counsellors to make inquiry whither all things be done in Judah and Jerusalem according to the rule and direction of Gods Law wherein thou art very skilful and which thou hast always before thee and to carry the silver and the gold which the King and his Counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel whose habitation is in Jerusalem as also all the silver and gold that thou findest hath been collected or thou thy self canst collect in all the Province of Babylon with all the free-will offerings that either Priests or people of the Jewish Nation shall offer for the service of the house of the Lord. And thou hast liberty with this money to buy bullocks rams or lambs and to offer them with their meat-offerings and drink-offerings upon the altar at Jerusalem And as for the rest of the money thou and thy brethren the Priests may dispose of it as you think most agreeable to the will of your God And the vessels that are given thee and intrusted to thee for the service of the house of thy God those deliver thou faithfully at the Temple where God most eminently manifests his presence And whatever more money shall be needful to be laid out for the service of the house of thy God shall be allowed thee out of my Exchequer (b) What King of Israel could have manifested more respect to the house of God And I command all the Receivers of my Tribute customs and taxes beyond the river that whatever Ezra the Priest shall have need of in order hereunto they speedily furnish him with it even to an hundred Talents of silver (c) That is 37 thousand five hundred pound sterling See 1 Chron. 22.14 and to an hundred measures (d) That is an 100 Cors a Cor was about ten bushels that is a thousand bushels of wheat of wheat and to an hundred baths (e) A Bath contained eight Gallons that is eight hundred Gallons of wine and for salt (f) Because they us'd much salt in their sacrifices to give them whatever they need And whatever is agreeable to the command of the God of Heaven let it be carefully done for his house For if we should do otherwise we may bring the wrath (g) This King stood more in fear of Gods wrath than many Kings do of God upon the realm and upon me and my children Further we declare it to be our will and pleasure that no tribute toll or custom shall be impos'd on any of the Priests Levites Singers Porters Nethinims or other Minesters of the house of God And thou Ezra according to the wisdom which God hath given thee and agreeably to his word which is in thy hand set such Magistrates and Judges over the people as know and understand the Laws of God and take care to have the ignorant instructed in those Laws And whoever will not obey the Law of God and the Law of the King let judgment be executed speedily upon him either by death or banishment or confiscation of his goods or imprisonment according to the merit of his offence This was the purport of the Kings Patent which was in the Chaldee Dialect the History following is in the Hebrew Ezra having received this large Patent or Commission he falls into admiration of Gods gracious providence to him therein and crys out Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers who hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart and the hearts of his Counsellors and great Princes to shew us favour and kindness Hereupon he took courage perceiving how the Lord was with him and gathered together many of the chief men among the Jews to go up with him to Jerusalem Ezra 7. whole Chapter In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes the first day of the first month * See Ezra Ch. 7. v. 7 9. Ezra with a great number of Jews set out from Babylon to go to Jerusalem The numbers mentioned in the eighth Chapter besides such as are expressed by name make one thousand four hundred ninety and six males besides women The place appointed for their general rendezvouz from all parts was by the river Ahava and here they abode in tents three days waiting to see whither any more of their Brethren would come thither to them And when Ezra had viewed the whole number he found no Levites among them which much troubled him for he found he had special need of them for the instructing of the people in the Law of God and the reforming of those things that were amiss at Jerusalem according to the rule and direction of the word of God Hereupon he sent eleven chosen men to a place called Casiphia where he knew there lived many Levites with Iddo their chief Doctor and President He sent therefore these men to desire Iddo that he would send him some Levites to go up with him to Jerusalem that might assist him in that great work he had now undertaken Iddo accordingly sent them 38 Levites and 220 Nethinims for the service of the Levites Joshua did first appoint them to this service but David and the Princes in his time did confirm them
therein and possibly gave some special orders for the manner of their attendance Then Ezra proclaimed a fast that they might humble themselves before the Lord for their sins and might seek of him a right way for themselves and their little ones that is that he would please to conduct them in a right way and preserve them and their children and their substance from being a prey to their enemies For he was asham'd to desire of the King to send a band of souldiers and horsemen with them to guard them in the way which favour yet he might easily have obtained because he had declared unto the King the glorious power and goodness of that God whom they worshipped telling him that his hand was upon all them that seek him for their God but his power and his wrath was against all them that forsake him So they fasted and earnestly sought unto the Lord for this thing and he was pleas'd graciously to answer them Then Ezra chose and separated twelve choice men of the Priests and as many of the Levites whereof Sherebiah and Hashabiah were two see v. 18 19. to take care of the silver and gold and the vessels which were offered for the service of the house of God by the King and his Nobles and the Israelites in those parts and to carry them safe to Jerusalem and there rightly to dispose of them So he weighed unto them and committed to their care six hundred and fifty talents of silver and of silver vessels an hundred talents and of gold an hundred talents also twenty basons of gold with a thousand drams a piece * Viz. Three hundred and twelve pounds ten shillings of the value of drams see 1 Chron. 29.7 and two vessels or some excellent and curious shining brass or copper almost as precious as gold And he said unto them ye are persons consecrated to God as these dedicated things are therefore keep them safe till ye weigh them before the chief of the Priests and Levites and the chief of the Fathers of Israel at Jerusalem And the forementioned Priests and Levites took care of this Sacred Treasure accordingly So upon the twelfth day of the first Month they removed from the river Ahava and through the good hand of God upon them they were delivered from their enemies and such as lay in wait by the way to surprize them and arrived safe at Jerusalem and there rested themselves three days Upon the fourth day of the fifth Month the gold and silver they had brought was weighed out and with the other furniture was laid up in the house of the Lord and the account was taken by number and weight of every one and written down and registred And they which returned out of captivity offered their burnt-offerings to the God of Israel viz. twelve bullocks according to the number of the twelve Tribes and 96 rams and 77 lambs and twelve he-goats for a sin-offering Then they delivered the Kings Commissions unto the Kings Lieutenants and Deputies on that side the river who thereupon shewed all favour to the Jews and were assistant to them in all things according to the Kings command and afforded them such things as were requisite for the service of the house of the Lord. Ezra Ch. 8. whole Chapter It being known that the principal cause of Ezra's coming was to reform such abuses as were crept in among them contrary to Law some of the Princes and chief men who were best affected came presently to him and informed him of this as one of the most heinous evils tolerated among them to wit that not only the people but the Princes also yea the Priests and Levites that could not pretend ignorance of the law had married wives of those Idolatrous Nations their neighbours about them and so the holy seed had mingled themselves with the people of those lands and were tainted by that means in many things with their abominations and the Priests themselves who should have restrained the people from this wickedness had a chief hand in it and been boldest in this transgression Ezra understanding this rent his Mantle and pluckt off the hair of his head and beard and sat down on the ground as one amazed at these high provocations It seems the report was quickly carried about how mightily he was afflicted and displeased when he heard how his brethren had taken wives of Idolatrous Nations and thereupon many of the godly inhabitants that heard of it being themselves afraid of the judgments of God threatned in his word against those transgressions came presently to him to advise with him what was fit to be done in that case but till the evening sacrifice he sat like one overwhelmed with grief and astonishment at that which had been told him At the time of the evening sacrifice he rouzed up himself from his great dejection and then falling on his knees * At the time when Sacrifices or incense were offered up pious people used to pour forth their prayers to God and spreading out his hands unto the Lord he prayed saying O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee For our (a) This good man putteth himself into the number of those transgressoâ—s because he was of the body of that state whereof many of the members had committed that sin so as he might be involved in the judgment that might fall on them see Dan. 9.5 iniquities are increased over our heads that is they are risen so high that like a great flood of waters they are even ready to overwhelm us see Psal 38.4 our trespasses are grown up unto the heavens (b) Beyond Heaven nothing can ascend that is they are so great they can scarce be exceeded and cry to heaven for vengeance against us Since the days of our Fathers and Predecessors before the captivity whose sins caused the captivity we have been great transgressors one generation after another continuing in their sins and for our iniquities have we our Kings and our Priests been delivered into the hands of Heathenish Kings and exposed to the sword to captivity and to spoil and to confusion of face as it is at this day with some of our brethren who are yet in captivity And now it is but a little while since grace and favour hath been shewed unto us from the Lord our God who hath left us a remnant to â—scape and to be brought back again into our own Country and hath given us a nail (c) Significat firmum statum sedes certas fixas stabiles firmam habitationem quae hactenus inconstans erat Pisc in his holy place that is by his providence hath fixed and setled us in Jerusalem his holy City again and hath given us some prop and support of our faith and hath enlightned our eyes and refreshed and cheared our drooping hearts and given us a little reviving in our bondage For we were bondmen yet our God hath not forsaken us in our
bondage but hath extended mercy to us and given us favour in the sight of the Kings of Persia viz. Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes and leave and encouragement from them to set up the house of our God and to repair the desolations thereof that is to renew the joyful assemblies of Gods people and his worship and service in the Temple which before was desolate and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem that is his own defence and protection against our enemies And now O our God what shall we say that after all this thy goodness and mercy shewn us we should again forsake thy commandments as we have done which thou hast not only enjoyned us in thy law to observe but hast often pressed them upon us by thy servants the Prophets and particularly that we should not make marriages with Heathens and Idolaters nor by league or affinity joyn our selves to them and thereby endeavour to promote their prosperity and welfare seeing any such near union with them was like to be dangerous to us Thou didst shew us that if we shunned their society we should be strong and able to defend our selves against our enemies provided we firmly depended on thee our God And that we should eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to our children from generation to generation yet after all the dreadful punishments that have been inflicted on us for our sins and after all the mercy that hath been shewn us by thee in returning us from our captivity and giving us such a deliverance as this and punishing us far less than our sins deserved that we should again break thy commandments and joyn in affinity with people that are guilty of so great abominations we may wonder and admire that thy wrath is not so kindled against us as to consume us utterly that none should remain or escape But O Lord God of Israel thou art gracious and merciful and we that are escaped are as so many monuments of thy great goodness and mercy though we are laden with a great guilt in respect of which if thou shouldst enter into judgment with us we were not able to abide the trial Ezra Ch. 9. whole Chapter Ezra having thus before the Temple that is in the outward Court of it manifested such wonderful affliction of mind and sorrow of heart and that no doubt to discover to the people the heinousness of their sin and the danger they were in because of it the noise hereof was soon carried throughout the City and there came in unto him only some few at first viz. those that were afraid of those judgments see Ch. 9. 4. but now at last a great number being much affected with Ezra's grievous lamentation did also weep with him And possibly the men that had sinned in taking strange wives brought those women and their children with them to expect what directions should be given them in this matter Thereupon Shechaniah a Priest a pious and prudent man looking upon himself as one of that body and people that had committed that sin he cried out We have trespassed highly against God in taking strange wives However there is hope in Israel concerning this thing that is there is hope that God may be reconciled to us if we truly repent and forsake our sins and put away the strange wives that are among us and there is hope the people will be perswaded to do this when they shall consider the danger they are in if they do it not therefore this is the course that I think requisite for us to take for the pacifying of Gods wrath Let us make a Covenant with our God to put away all the strange wives and the children that are born of them viz. all such of them as retain their heathenish principles For of those among them that are converted to our Religion neither mother nor children are to be put away Witness the case of Rahab and her son Boaz also Ruth and her son Obed. And let this be commended to the people by thy advice my Lord Ezra and by the advice of those other godly Israelites that are now assembled unto thee and let this great business be managed according to the warrant and directions of Gods Law Arise therefore for the matter belongeth unto thee in an especial manner we will also be with thee to assist thee Be of good courage and set about it Ezra hereupon caused the chief of the Priests and the Levites and of all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word and they did swear to it acccordingly Ezra 10. from 1 to 6. Ezra now rose up and went into the Chamber of Johanan the Son of Eliaship who was doubtless of chief account among the Priests at this time and 't is like he went into his Chamber that he might there with the Princes consult how to effect that Reformation to which the forementioned assembly had sworn to yield But when he came thither though they offered him bread and water to refresh him yet he refused to eat till some order were taken for redressing that great evil which they had been lamenting and which they that had been carried away captive had been so guilty of Proclamation therefore was now made that all that were returned out of the captivity should appear at Jerusalem within three days and whoever did not come within that time according to the order of the Princes and Elders all his substance should be forfeited and he separated from the Congregation that is excommunicated from the number of Gods people Hereupon all that inhabited in the land of Judah and Benjamin and with them such also of the Ten Tribes as were come from Babylon on the 20th day of the ninth month came to Jerusalem which was about the beginning of our December a time usually of much cold and rain and all the people sat in the streets of the house of God that is in the place of the outer Court which possibly was not yet walled in trembling because of this matter and for the great rain that poured down upon them So Ezra stood up and said unto them Ye have indeed sinned heinously in taking strange wives and thereby have increased the trespass of Israel Now therefore with a penitent heart make confession of your sins to the Lord and do that which is agreeable to his will declared in his word and have no familiar converse with the people of the land and separate your selves from your strange wives And they cried out with a loud voice As thou hast said so must we do even justice and common equity require it of us * And yet within a few years they returned to it again But say they the people are many and it is a time of much rain and we are not able to continue abroad sub dio under the sky in this rainy time neither is this a work to be done in one day or two days let therefore
it And because they could not all conveniently hear Ezra they divided themselves into several companies and in each of them there were Pulpits or Scaffolds erected as may be gathered from Ch. 9.4 from whence they expounded the Law unto them there being several teachers in each place that successively discharged that work And in these holy exercises and duties they continued from morning till noon viz. about five or six hours The people were exceedingly affected at the hearing of the Law expounded to them being thereby convinced of their sins and their liableness to the dreadful judgments of God for them and fell a weeping and wept very sore but Nehemiah the Tirshatha or Governour and Ezra the Priest and those Levites that instructed the people comforted and encouraged them telling them that God was merciful to the penitent and that that was a day holy to the Lord their God and therefore on that day they should rejoyce and not mourn and weep So Nehemiah dismissed them and bad them go their way and eat the fat and drink the sweet that is feast together with their peace-offerings and send portions to them for whom nothing is provided see Deut. 16.14 for this day says he is holy unto the Lord our God neither be ye sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength that is the Lord would have you rejoyce in his goodness and manifold mercies which he has conferred on you and does still continue to you and thereby to comfort your hearts So the people were quieted understanding Gods readiness to forgive them upon their repentance and went and did as Nehemiah directed them Nehem. 8. from 1 to 13. Upon the second day of the same month Ezra was consulted by the Elders of the Families and by the Priests and Levites concerning certain doubts arising upon the reading of the Law the day before and particularly concerning the Feast of Tabernacles whereof as it seems Ezra had purposely spoken to instruct the people about it because that Feast was now at hand Whereupon Ezra shewed them that they were bound to keep that Feast on the 15th day of the seventh month abroad and in booths made of boughs of trees according to the Law Levit. 23.34 v. 40. The people yielded a ready obedience hereunto and accordingly went forth and fetcht in Olive-branches and Pine-branches and Mirtle-branches and Palm-branches and branches of thick trees and made themselves booths upon the roof of their houses and in their Courts and in the Courts of the house of God and in the streets all over the City from one end of it to another and sat under their booths to eat their meat and take their rest and there was great joy and gladness among them so that from the days of Joshua until this time the children of Israel had not kept this Feast * They kept this Feast Ezr. 3.4 1 King 8.65 and at sundry other times with so much devotion and solemnity as now they did for the Law required that only the first and last day of the Feast should be more solemn convocations Levit. 23.35 36. and great holy days whereon they might do no work and their manner it seems had been to assemble the people and on those days only to read the word and though on other days they were to offer sacrifices yet they might therein do the works of their particular callings but such was Ezra's zeal that he did now on every day of the Feast read the Book of the Law and expound it to them and as he was willing to preach so they were willing to hear every day And they kept the eighth day also as a solemn assembly according to the manner which God had enjoyned and his people from time to time had practised On that day they used to beg the pardon of all their sins and failings and to crave a blessing also from the Lord upon themselves and their families for the future Nehem. 8. from 13 to the end The Jews having been so careful according to the Law to keep the Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the month and the Feast of Tabernacles on the 15th 't is likely they omitted not to keep the tenth day which was the day of atonement whereon they were to afflict their souls very solemnly But yet having heard the Law day by day all the Feast of Tabernacles expounded to them Ch. 8.18 and finding thereby how grievously they had sinned and how far short they still were of what God required of them they resolved now to keep a solemn Fast before this great Assembly now gathered together departed to their own houses And accordingly on the 24th of this month they again assembled to keep a solemn fast and to renew their Covenant with God It seems they had not performed what they so solemnly covenanted Ezra 10.3 But by hearing the Law so plainly expounded to them they came to understand how great a sin their taking and living with strange wives was and what great judgments they were liable unto by reason thereof And being deeply priced in their hearts for the same they humbled themselves before the Lord and testified their humiliation by fasting and putting on sackcloth and earth upon their heads thereby acknowledging that they were more worthy to be under the earth than above it And they separated themselves from their strange wives and the children they had by them as also from such strangers as had mixed themselves with them and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers who had given them such an ill example The people stood up in their several places of meeting and being divided as it seems into eight several congregations accordingly eight Levites stood up each of them upon a Scaffold or Pulpit erected for them and the day among the Jews consisting of twelve hours or four Trihoria the first three hours were allotted for the morning sacrifice and the three last for the evening-sacrifice and the other two fourth parts were thus imploy'd one fourth-part the Priests and Levites read in the Law of God and another fourth-part prayed and praised God Thus they continued in these holy exercises from morning to evening The Priests standing upon their several Scaffolds cried unto the Lord with fervency of spirit and extention of voice And they stirred up the people to bless the Lord who liveth for ever and ever going before them in such words as these Blessed be thy glorious name O Lord which is exalted above all blessing and praise and is so high and glorious that we cannot sufficiently praise the same The eight Levites before mentioned had their several companies before whom they prayed and read and expounded the Law But 't is like Ezra did all this before the heads and Governours and other chief men of Judah and that he made the prayer following before them for all that congregation could not hear one man together at one time In this
thee that hath come upon us on our Kings on our Princes and on our Priests and on our Prophets and on our Fathers and on all thy people since the time of the Kings of Assyria unto this day Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right and that which is just but we have done wickedly neither have our Kings our Princes our Priests nor our Fathers kept thy Law nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy tâ—stimonies wherewith thou didst testifie against them and their evil ways For they have not served thee in their Kingdom viz. of Judah which in thy great goodness thou gavest them nor in that large and fat land which was daily in their sight neither turned they from their wicked works Behold we are servants this day in the land that thou gavest unto our Fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are servants in it and it yieldeth much encrease unto the Kings (l) We reap not the benefit of the lands fruitfulness but the Kings that reign over us have a great part of all the fru t s thereof whom thou hast set (m) 'T is God that gives soreign Kings power over his people but it was for their sins over us because of our sins also they have dominion over our bodies and over our cattel at their pleasure and we are in great distress And because of all this we humbly crave mercy at thy hands and do bind our selves to better obedience for the future and do engage our selves by a firm Covenant thereunto which we our Princes Priests and Levites in our own and the names of all the people do now make with thee and intend to write and set our seals unto * 'T is like Ezra had obtain'd their consent to make this Covenant before he began his prayer Nehem. Ch. 9. wh Ch. In the next Chapter we have first the names recorded of those that sealed the Covenant in their names and in the name of all the people from v. 1 to 29. And 2ly the matter of the Covenant For the first the persons that sealed it were Nehemiah the Governour Scraiah who is said to be ruler of the house of God Ch. 11.11 and the Nobles and heads of the people and the heads of the Priests and Levites and all the rest of the people and of the Priests Levites Nethinims Proselytes and their wives and sons and daughters all that had knowledg and understanding clave to their brethren viz. those honourable persons before mentioned who had sealed the Covenant in their names as well as in their own And they entred into a curse and into an oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses And particularly 1. That they would not give their daughters to the people of the land nor take their daughters for their sons 2ly That they would observe the Law about the Sabbath (n) This many of them broke afterwards as appears Ch. 13.15 16. and though it was not in their power to force the neighbouring Nations to observe the Sabbath yet they bound themselves by covenant that they would not buy any thing of them on the Sabbath-day or on any other holy Festival which God had enjoyn'd them to observe 3ly That they would leave the land every seventh year to lye at rest not plowing or sowing their fields or dressing their vineyards and to leave what grew of it self free for others to gather as well as for themselves and further that they would not exact that year their debts of those that were indebted to them all which things were injoyned by the Law Levit. 25.3 4 5. and Deut. 15.1 2. but had not been of late times observed by them 4ly They made an ordinance for maintaining the services of the house of God binding themselves to perform not only what the Law required but to do something more viz. to pay yearly the third part of a shekel which is ten pence of our money This was over and above the half shekel which the Law enjoyn'd to be paid by the poll for every one Exod. 38.26 and it was to be laid up in the Treasury for the daily use of the Temple as need should require viz. for the providing the shew-bread and for the continual meat-offering and continual burnt-offering and for the offerings of the Sabbaths for every Sabbath-day there were offerings enjoyned besides the continual burnt-offering see Numb 28.9 10. and for the special offerings of the New-Moons see Numb 28.11 15. and of the set-feasts and for peace-offerings which were to be offered in the name of the whole Congregation and for other sacred services of the Temple besides offerings and for the occasional sin-offerings to make atonement for Israel and for all the work of the house of God viz. reparations of the house as well as services in it 5ly Because there was much wood to be spent in the service of the Temple and there were not those treasures in the Temple now as had been wherewith it seems the wood had been formerly provided both Priests Levites and people did unanimously at this time agree to take upon them the charge and care of providing and bringing in of wood for the service of the Temple V. 34. 'T is called the Wood-offering because it was freely given and offered to the house of God and because the burnt-offerings were consumed therewith And so having equally divided the charge among them according to their families and assign'd to each family what proportion they should bring in the time for every one to bring in their proportion was determined by lot 6ly To bring in the first fruits of their ground that is of all manner of corn and of all fruit-trees year by year unto the house of the Lord for the use of the Priests and Levites who attended on the service of the Temple Also to bring the price appointed by the Law for the redemption of their first-born Exod. 13.13 Numb 18.15 16. Also the redemption-money of all beasts that were not fit for sacrifice and that they would bring the firstlings of their herds and flocks to the Priests to offer them for them And that they would bring the first-fruits of their dough as was enjoyn'd Numb 15.20 21. and all such other things as upon any occasion were to be offered to the Lord and the fruit of all manner of treees and of wine and oyl unto the Priests and to the Chambers of the house of God which were made for Treasures to lay up first-fruits and tythes and such other things in And that they would bring the tythes of their grounds unto the Levites the tenth part whereof the Priests were to have See Numb 18.26 For as the people gave the tenths of all they had to the Levites so the Levites were to give the tenth part of those tenths to the Priests And as the Priests so such other officers as had their
to his posterity †David in the 68. Psal 32. v. useth the word Hasmonim to express Princes and great men Mattathias was earnestly prest by the Kings Officers to sacrifice on the Heathen Altars but he utterly refused to do it yea he proceeded so far as to kill a certain Jew whom he beheld so sacrificing and after that he slew the Kings Commissioner who forced the people to sacrifice and threw down the Altar Being so far engaged he exhorted all that had any zeal for the Law of God to follow him and so with his five Sons he fled into the Mountains leaving all their goods behind them in the City Many went after him and lived with their wives and children in dens and caves which when it was discovered to Philip Governour for the King at Jerusalem the Garrison-Souldiers were presently drawn out to pursue them who falling on many of them on the Sabbath-day and they not at all resisting in honour to the day they destroyed the number of about a thousand persons of them When Mattathias and his friends were informed of this they much lamented the case of their Brethren and decreed that from thence forward if they should be assaulted by their enemies on the Sabbath-day they would resist them with arms Then the Asidaeans a sort of religious men joyning with him and several others who daily fled out of the Country he made up a little army and therewith prosecuted the wicked ones and marching up and down threw down Altars circumcised all children whom they found uncircumcised in the coasts of Israel and pursued the sons of pride and the work succeeded very prosperously in their hands After Mattathias had been Captain of this wandring company for the space of a year he died having first exhorted his Sons to piety and a valiant defence of the Law of God and having appointed his Son Simon for a Counsellor and his Son Judas Sirnamed Maccabeus for a Captain to them His Sons buried him in the Sepulchers of their Fathers at Modin and the Israelites bewailed him with great lamentation 1 Mac. 2. Judas being assisted by his Brethren and such as followed his Father fell upon the enemy burnt divers of their Towns and seized upon several commodious places coming usually upon them in the night insomuch that he forced many of them to quit the land Apollonius the Governour of Samaria coming against him Judas overthrew and slew him and getting his Sword ever after used it in the wars After this he overthrew Seron the Governour of Caelosyria who marched against him with the forces under his command his whole army was routed by Judas and eight hundred slain on the place the rest fled into the land of the Philistines near the Sea-coast Antiochus hearing of this success of Judas was exceedingly enraged at it and levying all the strength of his Kingdom and giving them a years pay he commanded them to be in readiness he purposed to have marched immediately against Maccabeus but he found his Treasury much exhausted by the pay of his Army and he saw he had lost 300 Talents of yearly tribute by the Jews revolting from him and much also which he was wont to receive from other places who were in combustion because he would force them to quit their ancient rites For his persecution raged even in the Grecian Cities insomuch that he spared not the very Gentiles but endeavoured to make them abjure their ancient superstitions and to come up to a conformity of worship with himself and by these things his revenues were much impaired Fearing therefore he should not have enough to defray his charges and gratuities wherein he took a pride to exceed all his Ancestors he resolved to make a progress first into Persia and the upper Countries to gather the Tributes thereof and fill his coffers But before his departure he made Lysias his kinsman Governour of the Regions betwixt Euphrates and Egypt committing to his care his young Son Eupator and gave him half his forces and this also in charge to blot out the Nation of the Jews utterly and to give their Country to be inhabited by strangers Philip the Governour of Jerusalem observing how that Judas grew stronger and stronger every day wrote unto Ptolemy Son of Dorymenes Governour of Coelosyria and Cilicia to lend his helping hand to the Kings affairs who presently dispatching Nicanor one of his chiefest friends with 20000 men purposed to root out the whole stock of the Jews and to him also he joyned Gorgias a man of great experience in Military affairs Lyfias also dispatched away Ptolomy himself as a reserve to them so that under these three Commanders Ptolomy Nicanor and Gorgias were mustered 40000 foot and 7000 horse who marching with this their great army pitched by Emmaus in the plain Country Antiochus was at this time behind hand with his tribute to the Romans the sum of 2000 Talents and Nicanor making sure of the victory before hand resolved to wipe off that score by the sale of the captive Jews and to that end invited out of the Cities near the Sea-coast a thousand Merchants promising that he would allow ninety slaves for a Talent which was no sooner divulged but the Merchants of the Country with their Attendants repair to the Camp to purchase the Jews for slaves great Companies also flocked out of Syria and other parts to barter for the same commodities The Heathen now holding Jerusalem and the Temple Judas Maccabeus in this great extremity removed with his Army to Mizpeh for there before the building of the Temple was the Israelites place of Worship 1 Sam. 7.5 6. and there he proclaimed a fast and with most servent prayers importuned the Lords help against this formidable host for he had with him but six or seven thousand against the vast power of the enemy After this such as had betrothed wives planted vineyards or were fearful he dismissed according to the Law Deut. 20 6 7 8. and then divided his army into four Squadrons and appointing his Brothers to command them committed to each 1500 Souldiers so the Army removed and pitched on the South-side of Emmaus opposite to the enemy That night Gorgias had a design to surprize them unawares and to that end took along with him 5000 foot and a 1000 choice horse and came towards the Jews Camp having the Garrison-Souldiers of Sion-fort for his convoy Judas having notice hereof wisely turned it to his advantage resolving to march straightways to Emmaus and so to fall upon Nicanor in the absence of the other who was the more experienced Captain Gorgias arriving at the Jews Camp and finding no body there thought they had fled for fear of him into the mountains and so he sought for them there but they being got to Nicanor engaged him in the morning Judas having first encouraged his men and given the word in the help of God through the assistance of the Almighty they routed Nicanor's whole army laying above
habitation there and that being a private place possibly Elisha chose now to go thither that he might be the more retired and might the more give himself to prayer from thence after some time he went to Samaria in which being a populous City he had more work to do and more opportunity to instruct the people and from thence he went along with the Army that shortly after went against the Moabites which undoubtedly he did by the special instinct and direction of the Spirit of God 2 King Ch. 2. whole Chapter Mesha King of Moab upon Ahab's death refused to pay the Tribute which the Moabites formerly paid to the Kings of Israel see v. 5. and Ahaziah being King but a little while and most part of that time possibly bedrid by reason of the hurt received by his fall he could not undertake the reducing of them Jehoram therefore now attempts it as soon as he came to the Crown * The Moabites being formerly Tributary to David and Solomon they had revolted from the King of Judah and given themselves to be vassals to Jeroboam and his Successors and so had continued till this time wherefore going through all the Tribes of Israel he mustered all that were fit for war and sent to Jehoshaphat King of Judah to desire his assistance in this war against the Moabites who were enemies to both Nations and had not long before join'd with Ammon and Edom against him See 2 Chron. 20. Jehoshaphat sent him word he would willingly join with him against them and that himself his people and his horses should be ready to go and do for him according as he should order and as if they were all his own See 1 King 22.4 It may seem strange Jehoshaphat should so readily join with Jehoram having been so sharply reproved before from the Lord for joining with Ahab his Father see 2 Chron. 19.2 and afterwards punished by the Lord for joining with Ahaziah his Son to make ships to go to Tarshish 2 Chron. 20.3 But possibly he thought this Jehoram a better man than either his Father or Brother seeing he had put down the image and worship of Baal and so had given some hopes he would proceed to a further reformation When their Armies were met together Jehoram askt him which way they should go up to fight against Moab Jehoshaphat advised that they should go through the Wilderness of Edom that they might take the King or Viceroy of Edom and his forces along with them who at this time were Tributaries to Judah and so might come upon the Moabites by a way they little expected They agree to take this course and so they fetcht a compass of seven days march about the Wilderness of Edom at last when they came near the Moabites they were sore distressed for water insomuch that all these three Armies and their horses were in great danger of perishing for want of it Jehoram seeing their present distress cried out Alas that the Lord should bring three Kings together to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites we are so infeebled through want of water that we can neither go forward nor can return back and so must needs become a prey to our enemies Thus he impiously reflecteth the blame of their distress upon God and not on their own sins that had brought them into this great strait And God hereby discovered to Jehoshaphat his sin in joining with Jehoram without consulting him first about it but now being by this judgment made wiser he asks Is there not some holy Prophet here who may inquire of the Lord for us and direct us what we should do One of the Kings servants answered Here is Elisha who poured water * Sic solvere corrigium calceamenti idem est quod servire on the hands of Elijah that is ministred unto him and was his servant It was undoubtedly by the special instinct of the Spirit of God that Elisha was come along with the Army into these deserts of Edom and that he was not far from the Camp at this time Jehoshaphat was glad to hear that he was there being the disciple of so great a Prophet and possibly known at this time by his own fame for says he the word of the Lord is with him intimating that he was a Prophet of the true God and consequently able to counsel them from God Upon this all these three Kings went down to him to speak with him 'T is strange they did not send for him to come to them But possibly Jehoshaphat knowing how much the Prophets of the Lord were at that time slighted and despised advised the other Kings rather to go to him that by doing him this great honour they might let the people see how much they esteem'd him When these Kings were come to Elisha he looking upon Jehoram said What have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy Idolatrous Father and Mother whom thou toleratest in Israel and some of which are now in the Camp and see if they can help thee in this thy extremity Jehoram mildly answered nay Elisha do not speak of these things now the Lord hath brought us three Kings together with our Armies and hath brought us into such great straights that we are like to fall into the hands of the Moabites if he do not presently help us Elisha replies As the Lord of hosts liveth before whom I stand were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor regard thee Having said thus and finding his spirit something disturb'd at the thoughts of Jehoram's Idolatry he calls for a Minstril that is one skilful in singing or playing on instruments to compose and calm his affections And when the Minstril played and possibly sang some songs of praise to God the hand of the Lord was upon Elisha viz. the spirit of Prophesie came upon him * Prophetia est donum actuale non habituale whereby he was inabled to give counsel and advice to these Kings and to foretell what should come to pass Which abilities the Prophets had not at all times but only then when it pleased the Lord to give them to them and sometimes they were to prepare themselves for the receiving of them Elisha hereupon being instructed from the Lord bids them make the valley where they were full of ditches and though they should perceive no wind which is the ordinary means of gathering the clouds together and causing them to shower down rain nor see any rain falling from heaven yet the valley should be fill'd with water so that they and their cattel should be abundantly supplied Nay says he besides the mercy which ye so much desire viz. a supply of water the Lord will do a greater thing for you than that viz. He will deliver the Moabites into your hands and ye shall smite every fenced City and every choice City that had the fairest Edifices in it
and shall fell every good tree This by the general rule of the Law Deut. 20.19 they might not do viz. in those Countries they should subdue for their own use and habitation but here the Prophet by special direction from God injoin'd them to do it for the punishing of the Moabites being a people devoted by him to ruin and destruction Further he tells them they shall stop up their wells and mar and spoil the best pieces of their land by casting stones into them Accordingly the next morning about the time of the ordinary morning sacrifice †Virtus sacrificii cooperata est ad hoc miraculum signum est Elisaum tunc preces suas conjunxisse cum precibus populi in Templo orantis Videntur omnes fideles Israelitae ubicunque suissent illis horis Deum pro necessitatibus Ecclesiae atque Reipublicae orasse ut suas preces una cum illis qui praesentes oblationibus aderant copularent Martyr which was offered on on the Altar at the Temple see Exod. 29.39 when the faithful servants of God were at their devotions they saw water running along from the Country of Edom down to this wilderness there being no spring-head or river or such like means from whence it could come and yet the valley was filled with water And this is the fourth miracle wrought by Elisha The Moabites understanding that these three Kings were come to fight against them they gathered together all that were able to put on armour or use weapons both younger and elder and they stood at the border of their land to defend their Country and keep out their enemies And rising early in the morning to see whither the enemy were near them when the Sun arose its beams shining upon the waters made them seem to them at that distance as if it had been blood So that they thought the place where the Israelites were was all bloody * There use to arise some vapours out of the waters which the Sun at its rising not dispelling but shining weakly through them it makes them appear read as blood which they thought had happened by their slaughtering one another And that which induc'd them the rather to think so was because the like had before befallen their people when they went with the Ammonites and Edomites against Jehoshaphat at which time dissention arising amongst them they fell upon and slew one another see 2 Chron. 20.22 23. And they thought the like had now happened among these Kings that had combined against them not imagining there could be any water in those dry and sandy deserts Hereupon they encourag'd one another and gave the word Moab to the spoil So leaving their own borders they came to the Camp of the Israelites whom they found contrary to their expectation ready to receive them and by them they were totally routed and vanquished and pursued into their own Country and then the Israelites performed what the Prophet had before told them they should do concerning beating down their Cities and cutting down their Trees and stopping up their wells and where ever they came in the land of Moab they did what they could to spoil their Country at last they laid siege with all their three Armies to Kirharaseth the chief City of the Moabites see Isa 16.7 whither the King of Moab had fled with a party of his Souldiers and though they could not presently take it nor demolish the Stone-walls thereof yet the Slingers went about it that is the Engineers who with violence shooting stones out of their Engines did much batter it When the King of Moab saw that his enemies were too strong for him and like to take the City he sallied forth with 700 men upon that quarter where the King of Edom lay hoping to break through and so to escape But he found Edom's quarter better man'd and stronger than he imagined so as he was forc'd to retreat back into the City Being now straitly begirt and not knowing what course to take to help himself in this his desperate distress he took his own son * Had it been the King of Edoms Son as some imagin from Amos 2.1 this barbarous fact would have so inraged him and the other two Kings that they would have prest the Siege the more vehemently that they might have been revenged on the King of Moab for it As for that place Amos 2.1 it speaks of burning the King of Edom not the King of Edoms Son and therefore seems to be meant of some other savage act of cruelty in the Moabites against the King of Edom. and heir and according to the blind and abominable superstition of the Gentiles sacrific'd him as a burnt-offering on the wall to his Idol Chemosh see 2 King 23.13 that with so precious a sacrifice he might prevail with him for help After this prodigious act of blind superstition both the King of Moab and the inhabitants of the City were more bitterly enraged against the Israelites than ever and were resolved to fight it out to the last man rather than yield which the Israelites understanding and being perhaps moved with some compassion upon that lamentable spectacle they had seen of the burning the young Prince of Moab upon the wall they raised the siege and went away home And it seems the Kings of Judah and Edom were greatly incens'd against the King of Israel because his wrath against Moab had given occasion to this horrid act 2 King 3. from v. 4 to the end Elisha now returning out of Moab into Israel a certain widdow of one of the Prophets cried unto him saying Thy servant my husband is dead and died in debt being not able to pay what he owed but he would willingly have payed it if he could for thou knowest he was a man that truly feared the Lord. And now behold my husbands creditor not finding goods sufficient with me to discharge the debt is come to take my two Sons for bondmen either that he himself may use them as such or sell them to others to repay himself for that I owe him * Liberi jure Hebraeo res parentum ob parentum debita vendi poterant ut patet ex Isa 50.1 Mat. 18.25 See Levit. 25.39 Elisha answered What shall I do for thee what hast thou in the house which may go towards the payment of thy debt She said I have nothing of any value in the house besides the beds we lye on and some few other necessaries save only one pot of oyl He bad her go and borrow of all her neighbours empty vessels and to borrow a good many he intending she should have enough to discharge the debt to the full And says he when thou art come in thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy two Sons that the work the Lord intends to do for thee may not be interrupted nor any others come in and seek to share with thee in the oyl the Lord intends to