The right of living is one thing the possession another Abraham had the right to the land and he had the possession but it was in his seed and posterity 69. Gen. 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth 2 Sam. 24.9 And Joab gave up the summe of the number of the people unto the King The posterity of Abraham which were and are before the numbring David made cannot be numbred nor had David the compleat number of the people from Joab who gave the King a lesse number of the people than they were * 70. Gen. 14.13 And these were confederate with Abraham 2 Chron. 19. Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that help the Lord. The Law of God forbids leagues with Infidels and wicked men but not all leagues those are condemned only which are against true Religion Marriages or joyning in armes except in the case of publick necessity as Asa with Benadab Josaphat with Achab c. but such leagues as are concerning the defending of their Countrey preserving neighbourhood of not making inroads of prâ—serving the publick peace or mutuall commerce where Religion is not hurt are not forbidden but are adjudged lawfull and necessary such a league was this of Abraham with the neighbouring Cananites * 71. Gen. 15.6 Whereby shall I know this Matth. 12.39 An evill and adulterous generation seeks after a sign It is one thing to ask a sing for the confirmation of temporall promises where the thing was obscure and altogether hid another thing to ask a sign to demonstrate a thing which might otherwise be known Abraham seeking a sign was a speciall motion of Gods Spirit which Christ condemns not for it hath been permitted to some by a peculiar favour as to Gideon and Hezekiah which they did not so much out of incredulity as out of a desire to be forfeited against humane infirmity or he asked this Question not so much doubting of the thing promised as desiring to know somewhat more particularly of the manner of performance Abraham might well seek a sign in a thing which he had no promise on before nor no footstep of the manner of the comming of it discovered there being many difficulties to encounter withall before it could be effected The Jews they might have sought the Scriptures and found so clear evidences that Jesus was the Christ that they need not seek any signes concerning him 72. Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and he counted it unto him for righteousnesse James 2.21 Abraham was justified by works Abraham before God was justified by faith and was declared to be just by his works before men offering up his son Isaac upon the Altar 73. Gen. 15.13 Thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them 400 years Exod. 12.40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Aegypt was 430 years In the Scripture the years are not alwayes precisely numbred the lesser number is omitted and here under the greater round number the lesse is comprehended * Gen. 15.13 with Exod. 12.40 In a great summe so small a number comes under no particular account as the 72 Interpreters are called the 70 and this account is not to begin lower than the giving of the promise to Abraham to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Aegypt and the giving of the Law were 430 years Exod. 12.40 Gal. 3.13 of which neither 405 nor 400 nor 430 was spent under the Egyptian persecution for though the account end with their parting thence it did not begin with their coming thither but so much of the time was run before Jacob's coming thither and so much after that peaceably passed on untill the death of Joseph so as some account the time of their rigid servitude to an 140 some to a 121 at the most the summe of 430 equally divided the one half spent before their going into Aegypt the other half in their abiding there 215 before their going into Aegypt reckoned thus from the promise given to Abraham to the birth of Isaac 25 from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob 60 years from thence to their coming into Aegypt 130 in all 215 the other 215 thus 94 before the death of Levi 121 betwixt his death and their deliverance out of Aegypt Chrys hom 36. in Gen. 74. Gen. 15.15 Thou shalt go to thy Fathers in peace Joshua 24.2 Terah and his fathers served other Gods To go to his Fathers that is to die it is an Hebrew phrase Also by the name of Fathers here may be understood Adam Abel Noah c. to whom he went by faith * 75. Gen. 15.16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again 1 Chro. There are reckoned six in the Tribe of Judah from Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Phares Hezron Chaleb so in the Tribe of Levi from Abraham to Moses are reckoned six from Abraham Isaac Jacob Levi Cahath Amram Moses Answ In the fourth generation that is in the 400 year 100 year to a generation or somewhat about this which for evennesse and rotundity is not reckoned Or Secondly By the fourth generation is meant the fourth geniture or birth of the Father and the Son so the fourth generation is to be reckoned from the descent of the sonnes of Jacob into Aegypt to their entrance into Canaan as in the Tribe of Judah from Judah to Phares from Phares to Hesron from Hesron to Caleb so in Levi Levi Cahath Amram Moses Thirdly It is one thing to begin the reckoning of four generations from the day that God made this promise to Abraham at which time Abraham had none at all and another thing to begin their account from the time that their servitude in a strange Nation which God foretold should determine before ever God promised the returning of any fourth generations he told Abraham they must first fojourne in a strange Land then in the fourth generation of them whom God brings out thence they shall return to this Land which account Moses set down Exod. 6.16 reckoning from Levi whose first generation was Coath the second was Amram the third Aaron the fourth Eliazar who divided the Land at the time God had foretold Abraham 76. Gen. 16.9 The Angel of the Lord said unto Hagar Return to thy Mistress Chap. 21.12 God commands Abraham to send Hagar away First Hagar flying of her own accord was commanded to return to her Mistresse Gal. 4.22 Chap. 31. then being thrust out by force she staid in the desert the Apostle expounds that figure and applies it to the Old and New Testament 77. Gen. 17.12 God appointed circumcision 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing Circumcision by divine institution in the Old Testament was a sacrament to the coming of Christ but in the New Testament it is nothing nor is profitable to our salvation we must therefore distinguish the times of the Old and New Testament 78. Gen. 18.25 Thou shalt not kill the righteous with the
written by Samuel It contains the History of three hundred years * 278. JUdg 3.11 The Land had rest forty years Under this number are all the yeares comprehended from the death of Joshua to the death of Othniel as also the eight years of the servitude under the Syrians The lesser number is to be counted under the greater and more complete * 279. Judg. 3.30 The Land had rest eighty years c. Here from the death of Othniel are numbred also the years of Ehud and Samgar for Ehud could not be Judg eighty years for when these years are expired the whole time of man is run out The like we meet with Jud. 5.31 8.28 9.22 10.2 3. 11.26 where in the three hundred yeares are included the forty years of their carrying in the desart 280 Judg. 5.31 Let all the enemies of the Lord perish Prov. 25.21 If thy enemy hunger feed him with bread Mat. 5.44 Luk. 6.35 Rom. 12.20 if he thirst give him water to drink We must do good to our enemies but not to Gods enemies and for private injuries we must not curse them but as they are Gods enemies of whom there is no hope of their conversion out of zeal of a S. Spirit we may pray also for their destruction 281. Judg. 6.17 36. Gideon asketh a signe from God Mat. 12.39 An evill generation seek for a signe Gideon was confirmed in his office by a signe given from God so Moses and Joshua Christ calls the Pharisees an evill generation justly because they out of curiosity sought for a signe Let us be content with the Word of God 282. Judg. 6.21 Gideon sacrified on a rock Lev. 1.5 The sons of Aaron shall offer the sacrifices on the Altar Gideon offered the matter of the sacrifice to the Lord and God himself was the Priest in burning the offering nor was there any Leviticall officer present and the event teacheth us that what Gideon did was from divine instinct * 283. Judg. 9.18 with the whole Chapter and Chap. 8.3 Object It s gathered that there were not seaventy but sixty eight for Abimelech one of the brethren was the slayer and the youngest Jonathus fled Answ The Scripture often puts a round and full number neglecting the lesser or more which either come short or exceed it as Numb 11. There is said to be seaventy Elders when in truth there were seaventy two so here on the contrary seaventy for sixty eight * 284. Judg. 10.1 with Judg. 6.15 Of the Tribe of Issachar of the Tribe of Manasse Answ Gideon and Phua although brothers by the same venter yet of severall Fathers of severall Tribes A woman might marry to a man of another Tribe so as the heritage was not transferred into another Tribe * 285. Judg. 10.4 with Numb 23.41 Object This latter saith they were called Jair from one of an Elder date from Jair the sonne of Manasses Answ The elder Jair gave a name to the Villages The latter to the Walls which encompassed them and so made them Townes or Cities and further he strengthned and confirmed their names * 286. Judg. 11.26 Israel dwelt in Heshbon and Aroer and their Towns three hundred years These years are to be reckoned from the departure of all the Israelites out of Aegypt after this manner the time of their abode in the wildernesse forty yeares the Government of Joshua seaventeen of Othniel forty Iudg. 3.11 of Ehud and Samgar eighty Iudg. 3.30 Barak forty Gideon forty Iudg. 8.28 Abimelech three Iudg. 9.22 Tolah twenty three Iudg. 10.2 Iair twenty two Iudg. 10.3 The whole in all is three hundred and five years Here therefore the five years odde are not named it may be because this even number three hundred is fitter both for the computation and the speech 287. Judg. 11.39 Jephtha did according to his vow Vers 31. Whatsoever cometh forth of the dores of my house to meet me I will offer up for a burnt-offering to the Lord. Deut. 12.31 The Lord hates all the abominations that the Gentiles used to their Gods and those that offered up their sonnes and daughters and burned them in the fire Jephtha vowed disjunctively that whatsoever should first meet him out of his house should be the Lords that it should be either sacrificed or deputed for Gods service for he knew that all living creatures could not be offered in sacrifice to the Lord therefore he he consecrated his daughter for the work of the Sanctuary Verse 38. for she being sanctified to God knew no man and she bewailed her virginity 288. Judg. 13.7 Samson was a Nazarite from his mothers womb unto the day of his death Mat. 2.23 It was fulfilled in Christ he shall be called a Nazarite The Nazarites in the Old Testament were votaries according to Law Numb 6. who gave themselves wholly to meditate upon divine matters and others which were born so as Samson here on whose head never razor came nor was his head ever shorne others were called so both wayes joyntly Christ was prefigured by them who was most free from all uncleanness commonly called a Nazarite because he was brought up in the Town of Nazareth * 289. Judg. 18.1 with Josh 19.47 It s said Dans Lot was the seaventh Lot Answ The Lot assigned them in regard the Amorites possessed a great part thereof was not great enough for them nor was it large enough for them in regard of their numerous Tribe * 290. Judg. 20.46 with 35. There were slain of the Benjamites twenty five thousand Vers 35. twenty five thousand one hundred men Answ An hundred are not counted it may be because this even number of twenty five thousand is fitter for computation and speech * 291. Judg. 21.4 with Exod. 38. There were no more Altars to be built after the erecting of that by Moses Answ Not without the Tabernacle but within the Tabernacle or Temple they might erect as many as was sufficient for the sacrifice as Solomon did 1 Kings 8. But without the Tabernacle none was to be erected without a special dispensation from the Lord. 292. Judg. 16.31 Samson killed himself Exod. 20.14 Thou shalt not kill Samson killed not himself with the Philistins by any rashnesse of his own but he did that by the instinct and power of God and was a figure of Christs overthrowing our enemines RUTH IT is so named from Ruth a woman Samuel describes in this Book Ruths dutifullnesse to her Mother in Law and the integrity of Boas who was Davids Grandfather 293. RUth 3.4 Naomi perswades Ruth to lie down at Boas feet 1 Tim. 2.9 Women adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety That was indeed a dangerous counsell nor must it be drawn in for an example Naomi was brought on to do that by the Law of raising children to the brother that was dead Yet God hindred that no dishonesty happened thereby 294. Ruth 4.13 Boas took Ruth and she was his wife and he went in unto her Deut. 7.3 You shall
for Sepulchres a common thing in Scripture 3. He useth an Elepsis a cutting off a Conjunction And. So that the senâ—e seems to be And Jacob and our Fathers died and were removed to Shichem and were laid in Sepulchres in that which Abraham bought for money and in that was bought from the Sons of Emmor the father of Shichem 1109. Acts 7.38 Moses received in mount Sinai the lively Oracles 2 Cor. 3.7 Paul calls the Law the ministration of death The words of the Law were words of life because the Law hath life in it self and leads us to Christ it is not the Ministration of death in it self but in respect of mens infirmities and our corrupt nature Acts 7.38 with 2 Cor. 3.7 That which Moses received was lively Oracles for they were lively delivered to him and not only written as some part was they were lively because the Moral and Ceremonial Laws together brings a man to life for the Moral Law lets us see our infirmities and necessity of a Saviour to take us from our sins and the Ceremonial shewed Christ the Messiah which would take us from our sins Paul calls the Law the ministration of death not that of it self and qua Lex brings death but that it pronounceth and worketh a sense of death to and in the disobedient and rebellious * 1110. Acts 7.43 Ye took up the Tabernacle of Molech c. Amos. 5.26 The Tabernacle of Molech In Amos it is Succuth Malkekim which is rendred by some Succuth the King or the Tabernacle of the King or the observance of your King Moloch was the Idol of the children of Ammon 1 Kin. 11.17 And singularly prohibited to Israel Lev. 18.20 20.2 This Image was without Jerusalem and set within seven Chappels which seven Chappels help us to understand what is meant by Molechs Tabernacle he is called Succuth or the Covert God because he was retired within so many Cancelli before one could come at him You took up Succuth or the Covert God your King which is the Tabernacle of Molech that Idol you prize as highly as the chiefest King Molech Molech Milcham or Malcham are the same Baal And the Star of your God Rempham Amos saith Chijim your Images the star of your God Chijim is either taken as the proper name of an Idol as Hercules which by the Aegyptians was called Chon Or Saturn which by the Arabians was called Chevan Or else Chijim is an appellative word and so it signifies the whole host of heaven which one Idoll cannot do Malchom Besides Chijim Tsalmecon the latter word in the Plural number and as it seemeth by the very posture of it the latter of two Substantive and not in apposition for if Chijim were but one Idol it is somewhat improper to say Chijim your Images as speaking of more Chijim may be construed for the ordering or disposing of their Images Stephen saith they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or representations of the whole heaven and host of it in one Series or in one body beset with variety of stars and figures representing this or that Planet and this or that Constellation Amos saiâ—h You took up Succuth your King and the frame or disposal of your Images in one compact piece the stars of your God which you have made to your selves Remphan upon this word are several conjectures The seventy have rendred Chijim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mistaking one piece of a Letter reading ד for ב but to omit these it seems 1. That Stephen doth something follow the seventy in this word as well as he doth in the rest of the Text for the New Testament to follow them differently from the Hebrew Text is no wonder 2. That Stephen doth adde a letter to the word or doth a little change it from those very syllables that the Septuâ—gint use that he might give the sense of the Prophet the more clearly and plainly As the Prophet in the word Chijim expressed the Fabrick of the Host of heaven which the Idolatrous people had wrought and represented in one piece so should Stephen speak to the very same sense and therefore forsaketh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he found in the seventy and taketh up or formeth it into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the high face or high representation or that whole peece that represented the whole heaven which he calleth their God because in that they adored all the Stars and Hosts of heaven at once and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but one number put for another one Star for many And I will carry you beyond Babylon in Amos it is beyond Damascus and so in the seventy which Stephen seems purposely to have changed beyond Babylon because that as he had treated in the beginning of the Chapter of Abrahams coming out of those parts into that Land he would now shew e contra how they for their Idolatry should be carried out of that Land into those parts again 1111. Acts 7.51 You do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted his will To resist the Holy Ghost is not to hear him in the Word of God so the Jews rejected grace proffered unto them and despised it revealed in the Word and so were the cause of their own damnation The Apostle speaks of Gods absolute will according to that he doth all things to which we must be subject * 1112. Acts 7.56 Jesus standing at the right hand of God Mar. 16.19 And Jesus sat at the right hand of God Sitting and standing are not words properly used no more than the word at the right hand of God These Metaphorical Phrases must not be strained to signifie several things He saw him standing that is he saw Christ as an Advocate standing to plead his cause with God the Father And Jesus sat that is He was now sitting to judge and order the actions and sins of men 1113. Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my spirit Luk. 16.22 Lazarus was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome All the godly and faithful children of Abraham must commend their spirits into the hands of the Son of God who enlivens us there is that bosome and the soul of Abraham rests there 1114. Acts 8.1 And they were all scattered abroad throughout the Region of Judah and Samaria except the Apostles Mar. 16.15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel The beginning of the Apostles preaching was at Jerusalem where they suffered persecutions building a Church unto Christ before they went to other Nations * Acts 8.1 with Mar. 16.15 The former place shews de facto how they were dispersed The latter shews how de jure they ought to disperse themselves to preach the Gospel The former place shews how Providence offered an opportunity and the latter that they ought to make use of all opportunities in any place to preach the Gospel Though the latter place did tye them to the performing of the duty yet it did
but the wife The woman is under the power of the man in oeconomicall government whilst she obeyeth and is subject as the body is to the head but in conjugall union the man hath not power of his own body 26. Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Matth. 6.11 Give us this day our daily bread Prov. 10.22 In the first place punishment and a laborious life is denounced against man idlenesse is condemned Deut. 8.3 Mat. 4.4 and Gods blessing is promised because a man is born to labour as a bird to flying nor is it repugnant to honest labour to desire those things which are necessary for the sustentation of our life for it is not labour but the blessing of God which maketh rich God can feed us without bread as he fed Moses Elias Christ but bread cannot feed us without God 27. Gen. 3.19 For dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Ecclus. 10.12 A man when he dyeth shall inherit creeping things beasts and worms c. Job A man though he be consumed by Serpents wormes beasts toads yet at last he is brought into the dust of the earth * 28. Gen. 3.22 The man is become like one of us Deut. 6. Hear ô Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord. Psalm 86.10 I am God alone When it s said like one of us in the plurall it intends not a multiplicity of Gods but a distinction of persons in the God-head and when it is said that man is not like this or that person but like us In the generall it implies that the Persons in the Trinity are of the same nature and authority and in saying like us it implies further that man was like God for Qualifications not Essence Man was like God in resembling his power and holinesse not in equalizing either These words Thy God is one Lord was in opposition to the multiplicity of vain Gods which had the repute among Heathens to be Gods but really were not so 29. Gen. 4.1 Eve bare Cain and said Psal 128. I have gotten a man from the Lord. 1 John 3.12 Not as Cain who was of that wicked one Eve in child-bearing acknowledged Gods blessing and by way of thankfullnesse she offered the first fruits of her labours to God John speaks not of the person of Cain which was created by God but of his wickednesse that came from the Devill * 30. Gen. 4.3 4. Abel sacrificed Gen. 4.26 Then begun men to call on the name of the Lord. Doubt Seth lived after Abel and yet Abel sacrificed How did men then begin to call on God when they did it before Answ Questionlesse Adam Abel and Cain did offer sacrifice to God but that was more obscurely and not so solemnely as in Seth's time when it was done publickly and in the Church of God by Seth in whose prosperity the Church remained and probably the corrupt means of Cain might have enervated the sacrificing to God and brought prophanenesse upon the face of the earth which Seth by his publick worship of God did restore so as now men begun openly to pray and sacrifice to God which they had not done formerly Or 2. Men then more purely than formerly began to worship God having separated themselves from the rest of men not concerned in the Covenant lest living in a continuall mixture with the cursed Cainites their promiscuous meetings might poyson the Saints with such vices as this offspring of Cain had learned therefore now they come out from among them and began to call on the name c. 31. Gen. 4.4 And Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock Chap. 4.26 Seth began to call upon the name of the Lord. Adam with his sons before Seth offered sacrifice and called on the name of the Lord in his family but publick invocation began in Seth in whose posterity the Church remained the Canaanites being rejected * 32. Gen. 4.7 If thou do well sin lieth at thy door 1 John 2.1 If any man sin he hath an advocate with the father Jesus c. There are two wayes of interpreting the former way 1. Some as holding such a promise some a threatning the word used for sinne may bear the signification of a sacrifice for sin and so they would make the words to import that if thou sinne then there lies at the door of the Tabernacle or Temple a sacrifice Christ which was promised Eve But this would seem the same much with the former part in having his sacrifice accepted which could not be but by Christ 2. Sinne lyeth at the door that is a threatning to have his secret sinne revealed so that it should not lurk and lye hid in the bosome closet or chamber but be made so manifest as if it were laid at the door though for a time it may sleep as a Mastiff Dog at the door yet it will not rest long Not the Judgement for that sinne will lye long but it will lye in wait for him at the doore when he steppeth either in or out to set upon him If you take it the former way then they signifie the same thing if the latter way then it signifies no more then that sinne will be discovered and haunt us if we repent not but if we repent and call upon Christ then we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ who will stop the mouth of this dog and remove this sinne 33. Gen. 4.7 Vnto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Psalm 37.23 Prov. 16.9 Jer. 10.23 The way of man is not in himself In the first place it is said what a man ought to do Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body In the latter place it is declared that a man of himself can do nothing in divine and saying matters 34. Gen. 4.15 Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seaven fold Chap. 9.6 Whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed God is the wisest and freest law-giver therefore he would not have Cain killed by reason of propagation of mankind after the flood he gave the Law that the Magistrate should punish the murderer with death * Gen. 4.15 with Gen. 9.6 When it is said He that sheds mans bloud c. it s meant either ordinarily or extraordinarily either ordinarily by the hand of the Magistrate to whom is committed the Sword of Justice for that purpose or extraordinarily God in his Justice useth the hand of one murtherer to do execution upon another when humane justice passeth it over with impunity or he some way shortens the life of the bloody man so that he liveth not half his dayes Gods punishing Cain before the flood in such a sad manner shews not that this was against the precept given afterwards or that God upon an extraordinary occasion might not inflict a Judgement upon an offender another way whereby other ends which the Lord proposed might be brought to passe
essentiall or naturall voyce of God is one thing the assumed or angelicall another No man ever heard Gods naturall voice the voice which was now and afterward heard was only angelicall or assured 133. Exod. 20.5 I am the Lord thy God a jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation Deut. 24.16 Ezek. 18.20 The son shall not bear the Fathers iniquity God visits the fathers sinnes upon the children if they walk in the way of their fathers that is on them that hate him but it is otherwise if the children repent Also God punisheth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children with temporall punishments not with eternall unlesse they follow the footsteps of their wicked fathers * Exod. 20.5 Visiting the iniquities of the Fathers c. Exod. 18.20 The sonne shall not beare c. Moses is speaking of idolatry which is such a sinne as cuts in pieces the Covenant of the Lord which so far provokes the Lord as he not onely punisheth the father that committed it but likewise by with drawing his word from them punisheth it to the third and fourth generation Ezekiel speaks in answer to those who would justifie themselves and blame God as bringing judgments on them only for their fathers cause not deserving them * Exod. 20.5 with Ezek. 18.17 Gal. 5 6. The meaning is no sonne shall be damned for the sin of his father nor one man for the sinne of another unlesse by commission or approbation or some other way he may make it his own But for temporal punishments there is none but by occasion of others sins may have their portion in them But this is spoken chiefly of those who continue in the sinne of their parents and though divers dye in their minority God foreseeth how bad they would have been if they had lived and sometimes the Parents derive vengeance on their heads by imprecations upon them as the wicked Jews wished Christs blood might be on themselves and children and sometimes the good children of wicked parents are temporally punished because in them and by such means are their parents punished for that in them they would live and flourish when themselves are dead * Exod. 20.6 And shewing mercy unto thousands Mal. 1.3 Rom. 9.13 Iacob have I loved and Esau have I hated The latter places speak of Gods electing and chusing before time the former place speaks of Gods conditionate shewing mercy for he shews mercy for from Father to Sonne and so to Grandchild if they remain obedient and be like their Fathers but if they swerve from their Fathers steps and turn to their broken cisterns then he will turn away his loving kindness from them * Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the name of c. Matth. 5.34 Sweare not at all The former place speaks of needless swearing without just and weighty occasions or rashly without heed and reverence or falsly without truth it forbids not swearing before a Magistrate the latter place forbids all vain false and prophane swearing but not a solemne calling God to attest the truth This place forbids not all swearing no more than the Commandement all killing but speaks in opposition to that doctrine and practise of the Pharisees who suffered common swearing so it was not swearing falsely or forswearing 134. Exod. 20.8 Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Deut. 5.12 Matth. 12.5 On the Sabbath days the Priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath day and are blameless Legall Ceremonies and their externall observations give place to charity and necessity morall duties are preferred before ceremonials God forbade those works which hinder his worship but Christ defends his Disciples plucking ears of corn on the Sabbath day against the Pharisee by the example of David and of the Priests killing sacrifices on the Sabbath day pulling off their hides and washing of them * Exod. 20.8 It s one thing to break the Sabbath in contempt another thing to break it in necessity or rather to do works of necessity upon it The Priest did kill sacrifice and labour in the offering them up bodily and that in the Court of the Temple Now to labour bodily on the Sabbath day the Jews did account prophaneness and yet these Priests for all their bodily labour were not accounted prophaners of the Sabbath So as it s not the bare action but the end and intent of that action which makes the prophanenesse 135. Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and mother Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple Christ forbids not the honour due to parents but he saith Matth. 19.37 He that loves them more than me is not worthy of me for all things must be forsaken and hated too so far as they hinder our love of God and Christ for all things must give place to the love of God and that takes not away our duty or due honour to our parents * 136. Exod. 20.12 with Luke 14.26 The first place commands honouring of parents but it must not be equally with God Honour parents as parents subordinate to God Honour parents with honour fit for creatures not for the Creator If parents will command things dishonourable to Christ we must be so farre from honouring them as to hate them but if their command be agreeing with Christ Children must obey their parents in the Lord. 137. Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father Mat. 23.9 Call no man Father upon the earth Christs forbids not children to honour their parents 2 Kings 2. 1 Chron. 4. or the hearers to honour the Preachers for Paul calls himself the father of the Corinthians but he forbids us to depend on humane authority in divine matters but we must depend on one God and have a filial confidence in him 138. Exod. 20.13 Thou shalt not kill Matth. 5.21 18.9 If thy eye hand foot offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee Christ would not that we should dismember our selves but that we should mortifie the old Adam and bridle the wicked motions and desires of our minds and take heed of them 139. Exod. 20.18 The people saw thundrings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet Deut. 5.23 You heard the voice out of the midst of the darknesse The frighted people standing afarre off stricken with fear saw the thunder joyned with lightning breaking forth of the dark clouds in the promulgation of the Law 140. Exod. 20.24 Thou shalt make unto me an Altar of earth Chap. 27.1 Of Shittim wood The inward part of the Altar was earth the outside of Shittim wood 141. Exod. 21.24 Lev. 24.40 An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth Matth. 5.38 39. If any one strike thee on the right cheek turn to him the left The first place is concerning the publick judgement of the Magistrate and the judicial Law now
impenitent and such as persevere in wickednesse but he justifies the penitent and such as are justified in Christ * 154. Exod. 34.7 He will by no means justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 He justifieth the ungodly He will not justifie an ungodly man i. e. he will not esteem that man which walks wickedly to be a godly man but yet if a wicked man humble himself and casts himself upon Christ he will justifie him in Christ though not in himself He justifies him who in his own person was and is ungodly though in Christ he be righteous now by believing * 155. Exod. 34.15 16. with Deut. 21.11 The prohibition is to be understood as long as the woman remaines in her infidelity seeing the danger was of turning the husband from his God to strange Gods but if she was converted to the Jewish Religion he might marry her Thus Salomon married Rahab the whore Boaz Ruth the Moabitish c. but Salomon is reprehended for marrying Infieels nor yet can that hinder that Sampson took the unbelieving Philistim to wife c. Esther was married to unbelieving Ahasuerus seeing that was either done by a speciall dispensation else t was the failing of Sampson and the other was under the power of Ahasuerus much good did accrew thereby 156. Exod. 34.15 Thou shalt make no league with the Cananites Gen. 21.27 Abraham made a Covenant with Abimelech Covenants in spiritual matters and such as belong to Religion must not be made with Heathens and Idolators but Abraham made a Covenant with Abimelech in temporall matters such as belonged to commerce and the common peace of the Country 147. Exod. 34.16 Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his sonne 1 Cor. 7.12 If any brother have an unbelieving wife and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away c. God expresly forbad the Israelites to marry with the Cananites lest the Israelites should be seduced to worship other Gods The Apostle speaks of a marriage confirmed already before the conversion of one party to Christ otherwise it is a very unhappy thing to marry those that are of false religions 2 Cor. 6.14 Nor must we draw in the same yoak with them LEVITICUS WAS so called from Levi one of the Tribes It contains the Leviticall sacrifices the sanctifying of the Priests and people the difference of meats vowes conversation and other observations and rites * The whole time of the story of Liviticus is but one moneth namely the first moneth of the second year of their deliverance and not altogether so much neither for the very first beginning of the moneth was taken up in the erecting of the Tabernacle of which the story is Exod. 40. 158. LEv. 1.6 The sons of Aaron shall pull of the skin of the burnt-offering and cut it into pieces 2 Chron. 35.11 The Levites pulled off their skins It was the office of the Priests to pull off the skins of the burnt-offerings but because in the time of Hezekiah and Josias the celebration of the Passeover was solemne and many millions of sacrifices were offered therefore it was extraordinarily granted to the Levites to pull off the skins 159. Lev. 1.13 The Priest shall burn all oblations upon the Altar for a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour unto the Lord. John 4.24 God is a Spirit and smels not In the former words he speaks comparatively that a man delights in sweet odors so God is delighted in their sacrifices not by reason of the fat of bullocks but for the sacrifice of his onely begotten Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3.17 160. Lev. 2.1 The oblation of a sacrifice to the Lord must be fine flowre and he shall pour oyle upon it and put frankincense thereon Chap. 5.11 He shall bring the tenth part of an Ephah of fine flowre he shall put no oyle upon it neither shall he put any frankincense thereon Sacrifices of free-will were made with oyle and frankincense but offerings for sin were made without oyle and frankincense 161. Lev. 2.11 No meat-offering shall be brought unto the Lord made with leaven Chap. 23.17 You shall bring two loaves of two tenth deals they shall be of fine flowre baken with leaven they are the first fruits The oblation which was leavened was eucharisticall or for a thanksgiving but the free-will offering was without leaven 162. Lev. 3.16 All the fat shall be the Lords by a perpetuall statute Chap. 23.17 Two loaves of the first fruits of two tenth deals of fine flowre with leaven God separated the fat for himself not to eate it but to hinder the people that they should not eat it for Idolaters did eat the fat of their sacrifices 163. Lev. 6.18 The Leviticall sacrifices should endure for ever Heb. 10.14 By one offering Christ perfected for ever them that are sanctified The sacrifices of the old Law are said to be for ever by reason of the long continuance of the Jewish polity but they are all abolished by one compleat sacrifice of Christ 164. Lev. 9.24 Fire went out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt-offering c. Amos 5.22 Though you offer me burnt-offerings and gifts I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts Offerings to God of a pious and sincere heart were accepted by him but the offerings of Hypocrites proceeding from a corrupt heart were an abomination to the Lord. 165. Lev. 11.1 Vnclean beasts Gen. 1.31 All things that God made were very good Unclean creatures in the old Testament were so in respect of the Jewish pedagogie of the ceremoniall Law and not by nature but because God was pleased to have it so whereas by goodnesse of the creation all things were good and clean to those that were clean Tit. 2.15 166. Lev. 11.7 The Jews must eat no swines flesh Matth. 5.11 The Gadarens of the tribe of Benjamin fed hogs Hogs flesh was not eaten by the Jews but yet they were not forbid to apply the paunch the skin and the fat to other uses * 167. Lev. 11.8 Of their flesh shall you eat c. They are unclean unto you Rom. 14.14 There is nothing unclean in it self To be unclean by divine institution is one thing to have a naturall uncleannesse is another all things in their first creation were good and clean though not as Moses saith to you who have a restriction by Gods speciall command and that upon the account of teaching them or representing something to their minds by these outward things * Lev. 11.44 You shall therefore sanctifie your selves c. Ezek. 37. ult I the Lord do sanctifie Israel In the former place is meant ceremoniall sanctifying which is nothing else but separating from such and such things which the Leviticall Law prohibited to be touched so as it concerned externall reverend addresses before the Lord. And though it did purport a spirituall and inward sanctification yet it implies no more
than that we seeing the necessity of the duty of sanctifying our selves and not finding power in any other to sanctifie us besides God we should apply our selves to God as the fountain of our sanctification 168. Lev. 13.46 The Leper and unclean lived alone without the Camp Mat. 8.2 In the City a Leper craved of Jesus The divine Law was that the Leper set apart should dwell alone but this Leper comes boldly to Christ not doubting to be free from his leprosie 169. Lev. 16.3 The sacrifices were appointed by Gods commandement Psalm 40.7 Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not The sacrifices were appointed by God under the Old Testament that they might shadow forth the sacrifice of Christ and foreshew his coming but God would none of them as the Jews abused them for ostentation and placed the worship of God in the outward ceremony without the internall devotion 170. Lev. 16.6 Aaron shall offer his bullock and make an attonement for himself Heb. 10.4 It is impossible that the blood of Goats should take away sins The legall sacrifices did not expiate sinnes of themselves but as they were a figure of Chrst his own oblation surpasseth them all and is propitiatory for our sins * 171. Lev. 17.3 with 1 Sam. 7.9 1 Kings 18.33 The cause ceasing the effect ceaseth or the prohibition ceaseth The causes of these prohibitions were two First That no Lay-man should not arrogate the office of sacrificeing Secondly That the Jews should not fall into the Gentiles mode of sacrificing in the high places 172. Lev. 18.6 None of you shall approach to any that is neer of kin to him Verse 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife Deut. 25.5 The brother shall take his brothers wife The law of the nearness of blood and not uncovering the brothers nakednesse is perpetuall and must be holily observed by us but that of raising seed to the brother was partly ceremoniall figuring the primogeniture of Christ partly judiciall lest the inheritance should depart to another family which doth not oblige us but is abrogated The former was a generall rule and was to have no exception but such as God himself who made that rule did give which he did Deut. 25 5. * 173. Lev. 19.18 Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudg c. Numb 31.2 Go and revenge Midian Private revenge of personall injuries is one thing to be the instrument of Gods vengeance is another We must not revenge our selves as private persons But where God is wronged in his peoples wrong there we being lawfully called to it having the Word of God for our rule we may execute his wrath upon these wicked ones 174. Lev. 19.18 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 1 John 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him In the former pâ—ace he understands the love that is due to our neighbour according to Law In the latter concerning unlawfull love of worldly things as those that prefer the things of this world as honours riches and pâ—easuâ—es before God himself * 175. Lev. 19.27 Ye shall not round the corners of your head 1 Cor. 11.14 Doth not nature it self teach you that if a man weare long hair c. The word round signifies such a rounding as may be without cutting The word corners is in the original in the singular number and so may not some singular cutting of one corner of the head round in the manner of a circle as the Aegyptian Priests or else in manner of an half Moon or taking the singular number for the plurall so it may be meant of crisping or curling round the hair in some corners of the head or cutting off the longest of the hair to offer tufts or locks as a devoted oblation to Idols as many Heathens did makeing the bare place round with a superstitious conceit of a round figure as most pleasing to God Or of cutting the hair as the Aegyptian Priests did who worshipped the Idols Anubis and Isis shaving round their heads and their eye-brows or of cutting round the hair in mourning The second place speaks of wearing long hair as Women do or very long hair longer than is modest 176. Lev. 22.25 From a strangers hand you shall not offer the bread of your God 1 Kings 5.10 Hiram gave to Solomon cedar-trees and fir-trees All strangers were not abominable in the sight of God but onely the enemies and persecutors of his Church so Cyrus King of the Persians promoted the building of the second Temple and restored to the Jews the golden and silver vessels 177. Lev. 24.19 As he hath done so it shall be done to him Rom. 12.19 You shall not revenge your selves In the former place private persons are forbidden to avenge themselves but the Magistrate is admonished of his office In the latter onely private revenge is forbidden Exod. 22.29 Deut. 1.18 178. Lev. 27.30 And all the tithe of the Land whether of the seed of the Land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords Numb 18.21 I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance for the service which they serve me The tenths are called Gods because they were commanded by him for a holy use and good of the Church they were given to the sonnes of Levi or to the Ministers of the Church for their service for an inheritance to support them because they being consecrated to Gods service had no inheritance amongst their brethren NUMBERS THIS Book is so called from the numbring of the people of God Wherein Mansions and Offices were ordained for all the Tribes between the Mount of Sinai and the promised Land many transgressions and dangers of the people and punishments and benefits of God are numbred The History contains 28 years 179. NUmb 1.19 Moses numbred the people in the wildernesse of Sinai 2 Sam. 24. David offended God by numbring the people Moses and Aaron did that for good order as God commanded them but David sinned out of arrogancy by numbring the people without command 180. Numb 4.3 The Levites stood from 30 years old to 50 years old to minister in the Tabernacle of the Covenant 1 Chron. 23.3 24. The Levites did the work of the Ministry for the house of the Lord from 20 years old Numb 8.23 from 25 years The younger Levites were newly instructed to 20 years then they were admitted to the office of doing service at 25 years from that time a kind of secondary service was committed to them till they came to be 30 years old from 30 to 50 years they did fully execute the Leviticall office 181. Numb 7.89 Moses entred into the Tabernacle of the Covenant Exod. 40.35 Moses could not enter into the Tabernacle of the Congregation for a cloud abode thereon and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle First when the cloud covered the Tabernacle of the testimony and the glory of God filled that Moses could not
then enter but when the cloud was removed then he went into it 182. Numb 8.7 The Levites shall shave off all the hair of their flesh Lev. 19.27 You shall not round the corners of your heads nor shave your beards In the time of the Leviticall pacification they did shave the hair of their flesh Ezek. 44.22 but otherwise to cut the hair of their heads or shave their beards round was sorbade them by Moses 183. Numb 10.29 Hobab was Moses father in law Exod. 2.18 Raguel Chap. 3.1 4.18 18.5 Jethro Hobab because he was the sonne of Raguel is thought by some to be Moses kinsman in the Scripture oft-times persons have two or three names so the father in law of Moses had many names * 184. Numb 12.1 His wife who was an Aethiopian Exod. 2.10 She was a Midianite of Arabia Answ There was a double Aethiopia one West without Aegypt in Africa which is called Abasa the other East which is called Arabia which comprehends the Midianites and other people living toward the South 185. Numb 12.8 God spake with Moses mouth to mouth Exod. 33.20 Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time 1 Tim. 6.16 The divine essence is invisible and dwels in an unaccessible light that Moses in his morality saw not perfectly yet we piously believe that the Sonne of God taking on him the shape of a man as he was afterwards to be incarnate did speak with Moses familiarly 186. Numb 14.1 All the people with a 〈◊〉 voice murmured against Moses Verse 23. They shall not see the Land of promise except Caleb Joshua 14.1 The children of Israel possessed the land of Canaan which Eleazar the Priest and Joshua the sonne of Nun and the heads of the Fathers distributed to them Chap. 24.7 Whose eyes saw what the Lord had done in Aegypt 1 Cor. 10.5 Eleazar and Caleb and other faithfull people came into the Land of promise but those that murmured were destroyed in the wildernesse for with many of them God was not well pleased 187. Numb 15.38 Speak to the children of Israel that they make themselves fringes in the borders of their garments Mat. 23.5 Christ condemns the Pharisees for enlarging their phylacteries and their borders The abuse of a thing doth not take away the use of it God commanded the Israelites that so often as they should look upon their garments they should remember the Commandements of God and do them But the Pharisees abused this commandement of God boasting hypocritically of their long garments and fringes as though there had been some holinesse in them therefore their hypocrisice is deservedly reprehended * 188. Numb 16.29 If these men die the common death of all men c. Eccles 3.19 As one dyeth so dieth the other for they have all one breath It s one thing to speak of death according to the course of nature another thing to write of strange judgements above the course of nature according to the course of nature as the one dyeth so dyeth the other But this was a particular case of Corah Dathan c. which were to dye in a strange manner that the people might see the Lords sending of Moses 189. Numb 16.32 The earth opening her mouth devoured them all which belonged to Corah with their houses and substance Deut. 11.6 Psalm 106.17 26.32 When Corah perished all his sonnes perished not The sonnes of Corah which escaped alive were in the Tabernacle of the Lord when the sedition began because they consented not to the Levites in the sedition of their Father 190. Numb 18.16 The redemption of the first-born shall be from a moneth old for five shekels after the shekell of the Sanctuary Exod. 22.30 Thou shalt give me thy first-born and with Sheep and Oxen thou shalt do the like seven dayes it shall be with the dam on the eight thou shalt give it me The first-born of man and of clean beasts were consecrated unto God the eighth day but the unclean beasts were redeemed after one moneth A woman after she brought forth a male child must stay apart six weeks after a female twelve weeks in that time they were purged from their issue of blood 191. Numb 18.20 God said unto Aaron Thou shalt have no inheritance in the Land neither shalt thou have any part amongst the Israelites I am thy part Joshua 21.41 The 48 Cities of the Levites were within the possessions of the children of Israel The Levites had their habitation and food in those Cities with their families which Cities were as Schooles wherein they were instructed rightly in the Law and to perform their office in holy things as they should 192. Numb 20.11 At the stroak of Moses on the rock of flint the waters came out abundantly and the congregation drank and their beasts also Psalm 18.1 1 Cor. 10.4 They all drank the same spirituall drink for they drank of that spirituall Rock which followed them and that rock was Christ Moses relates historically the water that came out of the flint for the use of the people and their Cattle The Apostle speaks after a spirituall manner and saith that Christs bâ—nefits to us were prefigured thereby 193. Numb 20.18 21. Edom would not suffer the Israelites to passe through the land Deut. 9.29 Let me pass through thy land as the children of Esau did unto me Jude 11.18 The children of Esau denied to let the children of Israel passe through the publick way through their Cities and Villages the King of Edom suffered them to passe about by his borders and through by-wayes 194. Numb 20.28 Elcazar the high Priest was present at his fathers death Lev. 21.11 The high Priest shall not go in to any dead body nor defile himself for his Father or his Mother Eleazar was not yet the high Priest actually and this was a singular example Augustine That time that the high Priest did his office of high Priest it was forbidden him that he should not come to his Parents being dead * 195. Numb 20.29 In the mount Hor and yet Aaron is said to dye in Mosera and to be buried there Answ Hor and Mosera are the same places the Mountain was called Hor but the place adjoyning in which the Tents were fixed was called Mosera 196. Numb 21.9 Moses made a Serpent of brasse and put it up for a sign and when they that were bitten beheld it they were healed Exod. 20.4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likenesse of any thing in heaven or earth God gave an especiall command of setting up the brasen serpent like to the fiery Serpents whose wounds and bites the Israelites could not endure that so looking on this they might be safe it was a figure of Christ crucified 197. Numb 22.12 God said to Balaam Thou shalt not go with them Verse 20. Rise and go with them Verse 35. Go with the men God would not that Balaam should go to curse the Israelites at last he
suffered him to go though he were displeased at it yet on this condition that he should speak nothing than what God commanded him * 198. Numb 22.22 And the Lord was angry Verse 32. with 20. Answ God gave Balaam leave to go upon this condition that he should do nothing but what the Lord commanded But Balaam being overcome with the desire of money resolved with himself if he could by any means to curse the Hebrews which was altogether against Gods mind * 199. Numb 23.12 Must I not speak that which the Lord hath put into my mouth Josh 13.22 Balaam the son of Peor the Southsayer A wicked man may speak the truth the Lord makes use of such instruments for his own glory Balaam was probably a southsayer yet he might have particular wayes of knowing the mind of God in this case or his reason might dictate that to him However it was that he knew the mind of God he did deliver it 200 Numb 23.10 Balaam prophesied to his own disgrace 1 Cor. 12.7 To every man the manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit withall The gift of Prophesie was not hurtfull to Balaam in respect of God that gave it him had he used it well John 11.51 but Balaam abused it False Prophets also speak truth as Caiphas did though it be against their will 201. Numb 25.3 Israel joyned himself to Baal-peor and God was angry with Israel 1 Cor. 10.8 Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed Lyra. Since Idolatry is spirituall fornication Paul makes mention of it for the daughters of Moah would not admit the Israelites before they had eaten things offered to Idols 202. Numb 25.9 There died of the plague 24000. 1 Cor. 10.8 They fell in one day 23000. Moses collects the number of those which fell by sword and strangling but the Apostle counts onely those that fell by the sword * Numb 25.9 with 1 Cor. 10.8 There was a double execution of Gods anger upon this people the one by the hand of man Verse 4. The heads of the people were to be hanged up The number of which probably was a 1000 and 23000 died by the immediate hand of God in one day and though it be said that 24000 died of the plague by the best interpreters of the Original may be read stroake there died of that stroak of divine justice for all was either of Gods bidding or his doing 24000 the lesser number taken away by mans hand cast into the greater number and so making up the whole of 24000 there is rather a subordination than a contradiction for the lesser number is contained in the greater * Numb 25.12 with 1 Sam. 2. In the one place there is a promise made of the Priesthood being kept in Phinehas line In another Heli hath it who was as Josephus saith lib. 5. Antiq. cap. ult lib. 8. cap. 1. of Ithamars family Answ This promise was conditionate if the posterity of Phinehas continued in faith and the true worship of God So that though that it was taken away from them afterward when they repented in the dayes of David and Solomon the Priesthood was restored again and reserved in that family till the dayes of Herod or well nigh and although there was an interception towards the end of the synagogue-worship yet they held Jus ad rem not in re 203. Numb 27.12 Go up into mount Abarim and see the land Deut. 34.1 Moses went up to mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah c. Abarim was the mountain but Nebo and Pisgah were the tops of that mountain so they differ but as a part from the whole 204. Numb 27.21 The Priest shall ask counsell for him after the judgement of Vrim 1 Sam. 30.8 And Abiathar brought to David the Ephod and he enquired at the Lord. The Ephod was properly belonging to the high Priest common to all sacrificing Priests which David made use of extraordinarily and was inspired by God with a propheticall spirit 205. Numb 31.18 But all maids that have not known a man keep alive for your selves 1 Sam. 15.3 Slay both man woman and infant The sinne of the Midianites was not so horrible as that of the Amalekites and we though we know not the cause of Gods commands yet must we say Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements 206. Numb 32.16 17. Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasse went armed to battle before the children of Israel Joshua 22.8 Divide the spoile of the enemies with your brethren that is to those that staid at home The strong and fighting men went with the Israelites but those that were weak and unfit for warre staid at home who took the charge to look to the Cities and manuring of the fields 207. Numb 32.21 with Josh 4.13 Every Warriour not every man that could fight for likely they were more than 40000 but every Warriour appointed by me or Joshua for there were some that staid behind to keep the Cities on the other side Jordan 208. Numb 33.54 Divide the land amongst you Deut. 18.12 Lots are forbidden Lots were ordained of God which are used according to Gods Commandement Josh 14.2 Act. 1.26 and the Land of Canaan was divided by the lawfull use of them Matthias was chosen to be an Apostle so every man must be contented with his own lot they are unlawfull and prohibited which are used in sports and playes 209. Numb 34.17 Eleazar the Priest and Joshua shall divide the Land unto you Luke 12.13 Christ would not divide the Inheritance An office which is Ecclesiasticall is distinguished from a secular office in the dividing of the land Eleazar the Priest for his authority was joyned to Joshua the Prince that all things might proceed in right order and the Tribe of Levi might be well provided for a place to dwell in from every Tribe DEUTERONOMIE THat is the second Law Moses repeats here the ceremoniall and judiciall Laws spoken before in Exodus and Leviticus Chap. 34. to the end from Verse 5. Joshua fulfilled them after the death of Moses The time of this Booke is but two moneths namely the two last moneths of the 40 year divided into the time of Moses his repeating the Law and dying and Israels mourning 30 dayes for him 210. DEut. 1.16 Judge righteously Matth. 7.1 Judg not at all Judgements appointed by God in the Church or Common-wealth are lawfull but Christ forbids disorderly and rash judgements that man should suddenly or falsly pass sentence on his neighbours words or deeds 211. Deut. 2.5 I will not give you in the land of Esau so much as a foots breadth Psalm 60.8 Over Edom will I cast out my shooe 2 Chron. 10. The Israelites going into the Land of Canaan through the Land of the Edomites were not to offend them because the time to bring them into subjection was not yet full but they were made tributaries under David nor was the land of Idumaea
and there is no God besides me Many in the world are worshipped which are false Gods but there is but one great and true God in essence by whom onely we can be saved 224. Deut. 10.27 God regardeth not persons nor takes rewards Gen. 4.4 God had respect to Abel and to his offering Oblations and gifts are various God accepts those things he commands to be offered to him for Christs sake to whom those that offer must have respect by faith as to the only offering c. 225. Deut. 11.25 No man shall stand against you Jud. 1.34 The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the Mountains That promise held only for that time till the Israelites had gotten the Land of Cannan and continued in piety and the true fear of God * 226. Deut. 12.17 with 15.19 The first-born which were to be eaten before the Lord and not in Cities were not of the male and without blot but either female or spotted * 227. Deut. 12.20 Because thy soul longeth to eate flesh thou maist eat flesh whatsoever thy soul lusteth after Rom. 14.22 It is not good to eate flesh or drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother is offended All things are lawfull in themselves to be eaten but yet relation must be had to the circumstances of time persons and quantity That this and that meat may lawfully be eaten is without dispute and yet this or that may not lawfully be eaten before weak brethren or in an excessive quantity c. 228. Deut. 13.5 A Prophet of false dreams shall be put to death Tit. 3.10 An heretick after the first and second admonition reject In the old Testament God commanded to kill the false Prophets Matth. 13.30 In the New Christ saith Let the tares grow unto the harvest The Apostolicall rejection of an Heretick is part of excommunication and spirituall death which hinders not the Magistrate that he should take cognisance of Hereticks to punish them * Deut. 13.5 That Prophet or dreamer of dreames shall be put to death Titus 3.10 11. Hereticks avoid c. The Old Testament gives the Magistrate power to condemn Idolatrous dreamers and the like and the place in the New Testament bids a Minister to avoid an Heretick which hinders not the Magistrates proceeding against him but rather it forwards it it is one thing what a private man as a private man and that is to avoid another thing what a Magistrate must do 229. Deut. 15 3. Of a forrainer thou maist expect thy money again Psal 37.21 112.5 Prov. 11.14 Luke 6.35 Leud looking for nothing again A modest demand of a debt may be lawfull according to the contracts of buying and selling Christ speaks of the poor and saith that we must deal brotherly with them that if they have not wherewith to pay we should forgive them their debts out of Christian charity * 230. Deut. 15.4 with Vers 11. Matth. 26.11 This is a precept to shew not that there should be no poore but that the poore should be helped He that saith thou shalt not suffer an Whore to be in Israel de jure doth not say but that there would be such de facto Vatables saith There was private beggars amongst the Hebrews though none publickly suffered 231. Deut. 16.8 Six dayes Exod. 13.6 Seaven dayes shalt thou eat leavened bread The seaventh day of the feast was no lesse solemne than the first 232. Deut. 17.17 The King shall not have many wives 1 Kings 11.3 King Solomon had 700 Wives and 300 Concubines God forbad that the King should have many wives lest his heart should forsake the true God and run after strange gods as Solomons did loving many strange women and fell into so great lust by following them that forsaking the true God he set up many Idols of the Gentiles 233. Deut. 17.17 The King shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold 1 Kings 3.13 God gave to Solomon riches and honour Kings must not for their pride heap up great quantity of silver and gold to the oppression of their subjects otherwise they had need of great riches to reserve their Countries and their Kingly Majesty 234. Deut. 18.10 Lev. 19.13 Chap. 20.17 There shall not be found amongst you an observer of time 1 Sam. 28.7 Rom. 14.6 He that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord. Moses condemns superstitious observation of dayes as if one day were more happy than another The Heathens divided dayes into white and black fortunate and unfortunate The Apostle shews the liberty of Christians against those who by an opinion of sanctity would have the legall feast dayes observed 235. Deut. 18.11 You shall not consult with Wisards or seek truth from the dead Matth. 17.3 Moses and Elias spake with Christ in Mount Tabor It is an abomination in the sight of God and a heathen superstition to consult with Wisards c. The appearing of Moses and Elias was of another way and their speaking with Christ was to confirme the Disciples in the doctrine delivered by Moses and the Prophets 236. Deut. 20.17 Thou shalt destroy with the edge of the sword the Hittites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perisites the Hivites and the Jebusites Josh 9.15 Joshua made a league with the Hivites and the Jebusites Solomon spared the Amorites 1 Kings 9.20 The Gibeonites craftily saved their lives laying down their high spirits and Solomon made the Amorites tributaries the other enemies of God and his people who continued stubborn in their wickednesse were destroyed 237. Deut. 20.19 When you besiege a City you shall not destroy the trees 2 Kings 3.19 You shall fell every good tree Those trees that bear fruit the Israelites could feed on were not to be cut down in the promised land but in the Country of the Moabites God would shew a peculiar example of his just anger for their sins 238. Deut. 21.16 The sons of the hated being first born must be acknowledged for the first born Gen. 48.5 Jacob assigned the right of primogeniture to Joseph the son of his beloved Rachel and gave two Tribes to his children Jacob lived before the promulgation of the Law Joseph was his first born of his beloved Rachel to whose children he wisely assigned two Tribes as he made to Judah born from Leah the primogeniture and gave him the dominion over his brethren Gen. 49.8 239. Deut. 21.21 If any man beget a stubborn childe he shall bring him to the Elders of the City to the gate of judgement and he shall be stoned with stones till he dye Prov. 19.18 Instruct thy sonne and despaire not of him Moses speaks of the incorrigible sonne Solomon concerning fatherly correction whilst there is hope of the sonnes amendment and warns him that he shall not set his mind to destroy him 240. Deut. 23.2 2 Kings 14.6 2 Chron. 25.4 A bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. Ezek. 18.20 The sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father
make no marriages with them Moah who was the sonne of Lot of his posterity they were not forbid to marry wives but of the Hittites Gergeshites Amorites Cananites Perisites Hivites Jebusites c. Ruth followed the true Religion and the Nation of the Jewes and not the Moabites The two Books of SAMUEL Heb. Schemuel IN the first Book is described the life and death of Samuel with the Governement of Saul In the second the translation of the Kingdome to David and his administration of it Samuel writ the first Book to the twenty fift Chapter The rest with the second Book were writ by Nathan and Gad both Prophets In these two Bookes is contained the History of an Hundred and Twenty yeares * 295. 1 SAM 1.1 with 1 Cro. 6.33 The one saith Elcanah was of the Tribe of Levi the other saith he was an Ephramite Answ He was truely of the Tribe of Levi but born of the City Ramata a Levites City so that by dwelling he was an Ephramite yet Levitish Parents So some think those Cretes and Arabians in Acts were Jewes by birth the other by dwelling * 296. 1 Sam. 1.12 with Numb 3.45 Object How was Samuel dedicated by his Mother to the Lord since all Levites were so by institution Answ The Levites were so from thirty to fifty by the Lords Institution Numb 4.2 But Hanna devoted her sonne to be a Nazarite in perpetuall obedience * 297. 1 Sam. 3.7 And Samuel yet knew not the Lord with 1 Sam. 2. Samuel grew and pleased the Lord and men Object How could he please the Lord and not know the Lord Answ This Text speaks of a peculiar knowledg and science which the Lord indewed Prophets withall sensibly and by revelation 298. 1 Sam. 3.13 Eli knew his sonnes did wickedly and he restained them not Chap. 2.24 He said to his sons Wherefore do you all these things that I hear of you from all the people do not so my sons it is no good report The correction of Eli in reproving his sonnes was too gentle nor is it accounted for a restraint Chrysostome saith if Eli had been unreproveable himself in his life In Mat. hom 17. he should more sharply have corrected his sonnes treading under foot the Law of God therefore was he justly punished 299. 1 Sam. 7.2 From the day that the Arke of God abode in Kiriath-jearim the time was long for it was twenty yeares and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. 1 Chron. 13.6 David in the fifth yeare brought it from thence The Ark was in Kiriath-jearim unto the dayes of Saul who first brought it into the Army and then sent it back to its place David being made King first translated it to Obed-edoms house and after that unto the Mountain of Sion * 300. 1 Sam. 8.6 with Deut. 17. Object How should it be so displeasing to the Lord to have the Israelietes ask a King of God and yet he sets a King over them or suffer them to have one Ans The people offended not in asking a King that would be guided by Gods Laws but their offence was in asking a King to be governed by strange and barbarous Laws such as the Nations had and upon this account it was that the Kings Laws are held to be unjust * 1 Sam. 8.18 with 1 Sam. 9.16 The Lord refuseth to answer the people when they cry against the oppression of their Kings which they so desired He refused not to hear their prayers in other afflictions * 1 Sam. 11.1 with 1 Sam. 12.12 Naas is said to fight against Jabesh Galead after Sauls election one moneth and yet it s said it was before this Answ Naas undertook this expedition against Israel before Sauls election and Israel hereupon made tearms of agreement but having this new and fresh occasion the Tyrant renews his Wars 301. 1 Sam. 9 16. Thou shalt annoint him to be Captain over my people Israel for I have looked upon my people because their cry is come unto me Hos 13.11 I gave thee a King in mine anger and took him away in my wrath God gave a lawful Magistrate of his mercy for the good of the godly to defend them against the Philistines yet because by diffidence of God they sought for a King after the example of the Nations as if they could not be safe without a King therefore God gave them a King in his anger * 302. 1 Sam. 10.6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie with them and be turned into another man Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God The true and sanctifying graces and gifts of the holy Spirit is one thing the common illuminations of the Spirit are another The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul with gifts fitted for a King to make him exercise that office better than another man but not the sanctifying graces as faith repentance c. for these come onely on the Elect which are the Sonnes of God * 303. 1 Sam. 13.1 And Saul reigned two years over Israel That is he reigned according to Law and Equity or de jure rightly God by reason of the Princes wickednesse leaves out or omits his name or the number of his years * 1 Sam. 13.1 with Acts 13.20 Answ These forty years seem to take in the Regiment of Samuel and Saul Paul joyns them both together Saul begun to reign in the thirty eighth year of Samuel and so onely two is for Saul Or as others Saul reigned more than two years but he reigned onely two years unblameably in which he represented his child-like candor and upon this account Saul begun his reign in the twenty three of Samuel 1 Sam. 13.14 David was a man after Gods own heart Acts 3. 2 Sam. 11.4 An adulterer Verse 5. A Murderer David amended all by repentance and the heart of God is that he desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be converted and live Just Mart quaest 78. David indeed erred in many things yet was he constant in the Covenant with God * 304. 1 Sam. 14.3 with 1 Sam. 22. Abimelech the Sonne of Achitob Answ The Priests had two names as many others in the Scripture 305. 1 Sam. 15.24 Saul said to Samuel I have sinned now therefore I pray thee pardon my sin Esay 43.25 I am he saith the Lord that blot out thy transgressions for my Name sake God by his own authority but men ministerially from God remit sinnes and declare to those that are penitent the pardon of their sins for Christs sake 306. 1 Sam. 15.35 After Agag was slain Samuel saw Saul no more Chap. 19.24 Saul prophesied with the rest before Samuel Samuel saw him no more when he had withdrawn himself from Saul till he had joyned himself to the company of Prophets or he never saw him more in his Kingly ornament or to converse familiarly with
makes up seaven years of famine * 341. 2 Sam. 24.14 with Heb. 10.31 It is better to fall into the Hand of God immediately for when men are employed in these punishments of God they mix their own passions and often exceed the measure of Gods manifest intent though not of his secret Decree It is better to fall into the hands of God which revives penitents which cruell men will not The other place tels us it s a fearfull thing to displease God and purchase to themselves not only a temporall but an eternall displeasure 342. 2 Sam. 24.14 It is better to fall into the hands of the Lord. Heb. 10.31 It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God It is good to be in the hands of God when he is pleased with us because his mercies are great It is fearfull to fall into the hands of God when he is angry for the wicked cannot stand before him in judgment 343. 2 Sam. 24.15 God sent a Pestilence upon Israel from the morning unto the time appointed Vers 13. Shall there be three dayes Pestilence in thy Land The time appointed was from the morning untill noon of one day or of the continuall morning sacrifice that is four hours 344. 2 Sam. 24.24 David bought of Araunah the floor and the Oxen for fifty shekels of silver 1 Chron. 21.25 David gave to Arunah for the threshing floor six hundred shekels of gold of just weight The floor with all the ground about it was bought for six hundred shekels of gold a greater price then what was given for the threshing flour the Oxen and the wood appointed for the sacrifice * 2 Sam. 24.24 with 1 Chron. 21.25 Fifty shekels of silver was only the price of the Oxen and instruments and the price of the threshing floor is not mentioned at all Others reconcile this diversity thus that in both places is to be understood the price of all together both of floor and Oxen c. But that by the fifty shekels of silver are to be understood not shekels of silver in kind but simply so much money as should amount to the Summe of fifty shekels of Gold and that in the Chronicles the six hundred shekels of Gold ought likewise to be understood for shekels of Gold in kind but for common shekels of silver paid in fifty shekels of Gold in specie according to the proportion of the weight one in Gold being in value as much as twelve of silver unlesse the sale of the floor were made at an old quit rent the principle value of which is set down in the Chronicles The two Books of KINGS Heb. Malachim THe first Book contains the History of Solomon The building of the Temple The division of the Kingdome to Judah and Israel The life of five of the Kings of Judah and eight of Israel Of Elias the Prophet With the History of an hundred and sixteen yeares The Second Book contains the Deeds of sixteen Kings of Judah and twelve of Israel Of Elisha and the destruction of the Kingdome and carrying the people of Israel captive to Assyria Of the children of Judah to Babylon With the History of three hundred forty five yeares Jeremias writ both of them * 345. 1 KIngs 1. with 1 Chron. 23.1 29.22 The doubt lieth in this whether he were three times made a King indeed and so all the three Texts that speak of it to be taken severally or whether only twice as 1 Cro. 29.22 seemeth to hold Answ The annointing of Solomon in 1 Kings 1. upon the aspiring of Adonijah was the first time that ever David shewed who should Reign after him See Vers 20 27. and therefore it must needs be held concurrent with the same 1 Chron. 23.1 onely that scruple that lies in the way that being supposed is this That David at this first unction of Solomon should be in his Chamber and upon his bed and exceeding decrepit and yet at his second annointing should be in the midst of his Princes and Commanders and standing upon his feet 1 Chron. 28.2 but this also will be removed if it be but considered that Davids present infirmity was not sicknesse but coldnesse and benummednesse and old age he was heart-whole and head-whole but he was old and Palsiish and therefore though his common and most commodious posture and composure was to be in his Chamber and upon his Couch yet upon such an occasion as to Crowne Solomon before all Israel he came forth and stood upon his feet and made Orations and gave advice for things to come 346. 1 Kings 2.4 If thy children shall keep my wayes and walk in them in truth there shall not fail thee a man to fit on the Throne of Israel Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come In the former place it is spoken conditionally of the Kingdome of Israel If the sons of David should keep the wayes of the Lord but because Solomon failed therefore the Kingdome of Israel departed from his sonne and in the seventh generation the Kingdome of Judah was translated upon Nathan whose posterity ruled over the Jews untill the coming of Christ In the latter place any kind of dominion is foretold to remain in Judahs posterity untill the Messias should come 347. 1 Kings 3.1 Solomon took Pharaoh his daughter and brought her into the City of David Exod. 34.15 Enter not into Covenant with the Inhabitants of that Land nor marry a wife c. Marriages in a different Religion are dangerous 2 Cor. 6.14 nor are they pleasing to God We must not draw in the same yoake with Infidels for there can be no firme charity or unity where the foundation is neglected that is true Godlinesse That Queen forsaking her Religion 1 Kings 11.4 and her fathers house and marrying with Solomon was a type of the marriage of Christ and his Church But because Solomon loved also the women of other Nations and his heart was led away by them to follow other gods he drew the anger of God upon himself and his posterity and caused a defection from them 348. 1 Kings 3.13 I have also given thee riches and honour that none of the Kings shall be like unto thee Matth. 6.29 Solomon in all his glory was not like the Lillies of the field Solomon exceeded all the Kings in wisedom riches and honour Christ compares the Lillies with his vestments in his greatest splendour * 349. 1 Kings 3.13 with Mat. 6.29 The former place compares Solomon with other Kings The latter place compares him with the Lillies of the field He might be the most glorious of Kings and yet lesse glorious than Lillies * 350. 1 Kings 4.26 Solomon had forty thousand stals of Horse 2 Chron. 9.25 Solomon had four thousand stals of Horse and Chariots Some thus he had forty thousand for his Chariots the other four thousand Horse and Chariots The latter puts them together to be numbred according to the
regenerate by the holy Spirit do not give way to sin but carefully resist it being guided by the holy Ghost 360. 1 Kings 8.27 The Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain God Col. 2.9 In Christ dwelleth all fullnesse of the God-head bodily The divine nature cannot be apprehended by us the divinity of Christ is personally united to the flesh and dwels in it as in its proper Temple * 361. 1 Kings 9.11 with Lev. 25. The Land shall not be sold for ever c. Answ Solomon parted not with the dominiost but the use of these Cities to the King of Tyre that he might have the benefit of those Cities so long till he had reparation for his expences 1 Kings 9.23 Princes over-Solomons work five hundred and fifty 2 Chron. 8.10 All the Princes over Solomons work were two hundred and fifty In the former place mention is made of all who took charge of the work in the latter of those that took charge by course * 1 Kings 9.23 with 2 Chron. 8.10 There were five hundred which served by turns two hundred and fifty at a time these two hundred and fifty mentioned in the latter place fifty more are to be added which were over those five hundred Rulers in their course and gave account of the five hundred so that there were in all five hundred and fifty Now these fifty Commissioners were Israelites the other inferior ones which were more in number were strangers and but onely Solicitors or Overseers 1 Kings 5.16 362. 1 Kings 9.28 Hiram sent to Solomon four hundred and twenty talents of Gold 2 Chron. 8.18 They brought from Ophir four hundred and fifty talents of Gold The marriners and Solomons servants spent thirty Talents by the way and they brought to Solomon to Jerusalem foure hundred and twenty 363. 1 Kings 11.35 God said to Jeroboam I will give unto thee ten Tribes Verse 36. To Solomons son one Tribe Chap. 12.21 Rehoboam gathered together all the house of Judah and the Tribe of Benjamin Rehoboam had but one whole Tribe and Jeroboam ten Tribes the Tribe of Benjamin was divided between them both Some others also of other Tribes that were godly men specially the Priests and Levites came to Jerusalem and staid in Judea 2 Sam. 7.16 Psal 142.12 364. 1 Kings 12.24 This thing is from me saith the Lord that is the revolting of the Israelites 2 Chron. 13.5 The Lord God gave the Kingdome of David over Israel to him and his sons by a Covenant of salt The promise made to David doth not much concerne his temporall Kingdom as the eternall and incorruptible Kingdome of Christ and the promise also was under a condition if his children should keep Gods Laws and walk in his wayes 1 Kings 2.4 * 365. 1 King 15.5 Save only in the matter of Vriah Now he sinned frequently he was resolved and had destined Nabals family to death 2. He promiseuously slew the Ammonites 3. He numbred the people c. Answ God speaks here aftâ—r the manner of men as he not sinning in these things which had any hoâ—est or virtuous pretâ—xt The anger conceived against Nabal and the Ammonites was covered with the pretext of a just revenge The numbring the people with the pretence of a religious Tribute for the Temple God therefore was content not to divulge them that they may be known ipsius judicio privato but adultery and murther enormous crimes as all men acknowledge Therefore these were accounted by the people grievous crimes of him in the matter of Vriah 366. 1 Kings 15.14 As a took not away the high places 2 Chron. 14.5 Also he took out of all the Cities of Judah the high places and the Images Those high places where God was worshipped Asa took not away but he destroyed the Idols of the Gentiles and the Images of the Sunne * 367. 1 Kings 15.16 And there was War between Asa and Baasha all their dayes 2 Chron. 15. ult There was none between them untill the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa It s one thing to reckon the Reign of Princes as it respects the people over whom they Reign Another thing to set down the years of their personall Reign respecting themselves The five and thirty years spoken of in the Chronicles in which the War brake forth between Asa and Baasha was so acconuted in regard of the people who had now been so many years under these divided times since the revolting of the Tribes to this day which was not five and thirty yeares of his personall Reign being but the fifteenth of that Reign * 1 Kings 15.25 with 1 Kings 15.28 Nadab the sonne of Jeroboam c. Even in the third yeare of Asa King of Judah did Baasha slay Nadab and reigned in his sted Nadab who began to Reign in the second year of Asa might Reign two years although Bâ—asha succeeded him in the third year of Asa because the last years of the Kings of Israel and Judah are not fully expired but some of them as in this place do scarcely contain moneths in them the rest of the years being put compleatly 368. 1 Kings 16.8 In the twenty six year of Asa King of Judah began Ela the son of Basa to reigne over Israel in Tersa two years Verse 10. And Zimri went and smote Ela in the twenty seaventh year of Asa King of Judah In the twenty six yeare of Asah King of Iudah Ela Reigned over Israel in the twenty seaventh year of Asa Zimri rebelled against Elah and killing him took the Kingdom from him * 369. 1 King 16.8 with Vers 10. Ela is said to Reign two years not that he reigned two compleate years for Zimries conspiracy was when he had not Reigned one or but one year But Ela began to Reign in the six and twentieth of Asa and so in the twenty seaventh was slain by Zimri and so he is said to Reign two yeares not of his own Reign but two yeares of Asa's or part of them which are reckoned for the whole 370. 1 Kings 17.4 God commands the Ravens to feed Elias Lev. 11.15 Every kind of Raven was abominable to God A Raven indeed is an unclean creature not by creation but by divine ordination and the forbidding men to eat his flesh but to touch the Raven alive or to eat the meat he brought was not unclean to Elias nor an abomination before God * 1 Kings 17.4 with Lev. 11.15 Some things were unclean ab intrinseco as by leprosie others ab extrinseco as by eating or touching of these there was a spirituall and corporall uncleannesse the spirituall when any beast though clean was abused to spirituall fornication as to be offered to Idols c. Corporall uncleanness was effective of bad nourishment or subjective as the swine c. such as fed uncleanly or lived in unclean places or both Some creatures though clean for use yet not for sacrifice as the Buck. Some unclean secundum speciem as those in Lev.
with it This the Text directed us to look after when it called his mother the daughter of Omri which was indeed the daughter of Ahab Now these forty two years are easily reckoned by any that will count back in the Chronicle to the second of Omri 382. 2 Kings 9.26 I have seen the bloud of Naboth and the bloud of his sons saith the Lord. 1 King 21.14 Then they sent to Iesabel saying Naboth is dead Naboth and his sons were killed lest they should by lawfull inheritance possesse the Vineyard what therefore the holy Ghost conceals in one place he explains in another * 2 Kings 9.27 with 2 Chron. 22.8 9. The current of the story at large was thus Iehu slayeth Ioram in the field of Iezreel as Ahaziah and Ioram were together Ahaziah seeing this flieth and gets into Samaria and hides himself there Iehu marcheth to Iezreel and maketh Iezabel Dogs-meat from whence he sendeth to Samaria for the heads of Ahabs children and posterity which are brought him by night and shewed by him to the people in the morning Then he marcheth to Samaria and by the way slayeth Ahaziahs kinsmen two and forty men findeth â—ehonadab coming in to Samaria he maketh search for Ahazia they find him hid they bring him to Iehu he commands them to carry him up to Gion by Ibleam and there to slay him It may be his father Ioram had slain his brother there as Ahab had done Naboth in Iezreel they do so smite him there in his Chariot and his Chariot driveth away to Mâ—giddo before he dies The story in the Book of Kings is taken up short and laid with the story of the death of Iehoram that the end of both the Kings may be taken up together but Chronicles shew the order 383. 2 Kings 12.21 Iosachar and Iosabad his servants smote Iâ—as and they buried him with his Fathers in the City of Dauid 2 Chron. 24.26 Zabad and Iosabad conspired against him and killed him in his bed and buried him but not in the sepulchre of the Kings Iosachar otherwise is called Zobad Ioas was unworthy of Kingly buriall because he was perfidious to God and ungratefull to men 384. 2 Kings 13.1 In the three and twentieth year of Ioas the sonne of Ahaziah King of Iudah reigned Iehoahaz the sonne of Iehu over Israel in Samaria seventeen years Vers 10. In the thirty seventh year of Ioas King of Iudah began Iehoash the son of Iehoash to reign over Israel sixteen years in Samaria Ioachas King of Israel reigned seventeen years to the thirtieth year of Ioas King of Iudah the son of Ioachas Ioas was joyned with his father in the Governement in the thirty seventh year of Ioas King of Iudah and so he reigned two years with his father * 385. 2 Kings 13.1 with Verse 10. If this be taken in the first place of the begining of the year and the account made from the two and twentieth year and the seventeen years be accounted current so as he reigned but sixteen years compleat and the thirty seventh year mentioned Verse 10. be taken compleat then the account of this Verse will very well stand with the account of the other * 386. 2 Kings 13.21 with 1 Cor. 15.20 Rising to a temporall life and dye again is one thing rising to an everlasting life never to dye another thing The first sort were all they that ever by divine Miracle rose from death before Christs coming The latter only in Christ and cannot befall the creature untill the last resurrection * 2 Kings 14.21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah which was sixteen years old and made him King instead of his father Amaziah 2 Chron. 26.1 Then all the people of Judah took Vzziah who was sixteen yeares old and made him King Here is the same person designed under two Names Azariah and Vzziah 387. 2 Kings 15.30 Hoshea the sonne of Elah after the death of Pekah reigned in the twentieth year of Jotham the sonne of Vzziah King of Judah about thirty three Jotham reigned sixteen years Hosheah reigned in the twentieth yeare of Jotham not of his reign but from the beginning of his reign who died in the sixteenth year and Ahaz his son succeeded him * 2 Kings 15.30 with 33. Jotham lived twenty years after he came to be King but four years before he died he resigned up the Kingdome to his son Ahaz so he reigned twenty and yet but sixteen or else the twentieth year from the time that Jotham began to reigne for he reigned but sixteen yeares Vers 33. * 2 Kings 15.30 And Hoshea reigned in the twentieth year of Jotham 2 Kings 16.2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen yeares With 2 Kings 17.1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz King of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reigne in Samaria over Israel nine years 2 Kings 18.1 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah King of Israel Hezekiah began to reign Here seems a double difficulty in the twentieth year of Jotham i. e. the fourth of Ahaz How can this agree with that which is said Ahaz onely reigned twelve years 2. When it is said Hoshea onely reigned nine years and began his reign in the fourth of Ahaz How could it come to pass that Ezekias began his reigne in the third of Hoshea i. e. the seventh or eighth of Ahaz How can the third of Hezekiahs be the seventh of Hoshea By collation of places and the diagrams of the Kings of Judah and Israel it appears there was seventeen yeares exclusive from the twentieth yeare from the beginning of Iothams Kingdome or from the fourth of Ahaz to the sixt of Hezekias in which year Samaria the Metropolis of the Kingdome of Israel after three yeare siege Hoshea the last King of Israel with the ten Tribes were led into Assyria by Salmanassar Captive so as by this account Hoshea reigned seventeen years or if the last of Ahaz and the first of Hezekiah were the same year as it sometimes happens in such accounts the sixt of Hezekiahs must be the seventeenth of Hoshea How then did Hoshea reigne only nine Ahaz about the beginniÌ„g of his reign being oppressed by the Syrians and Israelites called into his help Tiglath-Pelezer and conquered them in the fourth of Ahaz and first of Hoshea So as Hoshea was for eight years Tributary to Tiglath-Pelezer and those eight years he is said not to reign But rising up in the twelfth year of Ahaz he reigned nine years till the transportation of the ten Tribes which was in the ninth year from the Rebellion or rising and this was the sixt of Ezekias so as Ezekiah reigned in the third of Hoshea not from the beginning of his reigne but from shaking off the Assyrian bonds in the eighth of his reign It was the third of the Rebellion and the eleventh of his reign Hoshea began the fourth of Ahaz from thence to Hezekiah twelve which was the eleventh of Hoshea
and the first of Hezekiah 388. 2 Kings 16.2 Ahaz was twenty yeares old when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen yeares Chap. 18.2 Ezechias was twenty five years old when he began to reign so should he be born in the eleventh year of Ahaz Physitians do allow this others do attribute to Iotham twenty years and read it thus Ahaz was twenty years old when Iotham began to reign * 2 Kings 16.2 with 2 Kings 18.2 If in the twenty fift year he must be born in the eleventh year of his father Ahaz because he was twenty years old when he began to reigne and reigned sixteen years 2 Kings 16.2 in all thirty six when he died out of which take the aforesaid twenty five and so Hezekiah must be born in the eleventh aforesaid A thing not impossible considering the singular blessing that Nation had for generation So Rehoboam was begotten by Solomon about the same age 1 Kings 14.21 although Physitians are against it for at eleven years old they are not come to puberty 389. 2 Kings 22.3 In the eighteenth year of King Iosiah the King sent Shaphan the sonne of Azaliah 2 Chron. 38.8 In the eighteenth year of his reign he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah Iosias began to reign in the eighth year of his age and in the eighteenth year of his reign he sent Shaphan to Helkiah * 390. 2 Kings 22.20 Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace 2 Chron. 34.28 with 2 Kings 23.29 And he slew him at Megiddo when he had seen him 2 Chron. 25.24 There is peace externall and internall the former place is peace internall or peace with God thou shalt die with peace of conscience or favour with God Secondly Externall peace is either personall or nationall the former place is understood of nationall and in regard it s said thou shalt die in dying the Governour may be said to be put for the people governed Thridly Thou shalt dye thou shalt receive thy mortall wound at Megiddo but die peaceably at Jerusalem the troubles of Israel followed after his death and his sudden and violent death brake not off his peace with God for thereby he was taken from the evills to come * 391. 2 Kings 23.13 Which were on the right hand of the Mount of corruption 2 Sam. 15.30 1 Kings 11.7 Mount Olivet The same Mount as some suppose called by two names the Mount of corruption from the persons meeting there corrupting themselves with Idols The Mount of Olives because plenty grew there or from the nearnesse of the Hebrew Mischah unction Maschith corrupting So Bethel the Lords house Bethaven of iniquity 392. 2 Kings 23.30 The people of the Land took Jehoahaz the sonne of Josiah and annointed hi◠King in his Fathers stead Verse 34. And Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah King in the room of his Father Mat. 1.11 Josias begat Jechonias Jeconias Nephew to Iosias was the sonne of Ioakim set by Pharaoh into the place of Ioacas who was carried into Aegypt Matthew passeth by the Father of Ieconias 393. 2 Kings 23.30 Iosias was buried at Ierusalem before the Babylonish captivity Mat. 1.11 Iosias begat Ieconias and his brethren in the captivity of Babylon Iosias in his posterity begat Iechonias and his Brothers kindred who lived when that miserable carrying captive into Babylon began 394. 2 Kings 25.29 Iechonias or Ioachin died in Babylon Matth. 1.12 After the transmigration unto Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel That was done after the beginning of the captivity but not after the confirmation of it when the time was that Evilmeredach lifted up the head of Ioachim in the seven and thirtieth year of his reign over Babylon when the time of deliverance drew on The two Books of CHRONICLES THey are called Paralipomena from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from being passed by Things that are passed by in the Books of the Kings are contained here In Hebrew they are named Dibre Hajamin that is Words of daies of Chronicall Annals because they contain Annals and Histories The first sets down the Genealogie of Adam of the Patriarchs and Tribes of Israel with the reigns of Saul and David The latter hath the History of Solomon and of all the Kings of Judah and Israel to the Babylonish captivity and their enlargement by Cyrus which is done in the year of the world 3435. They were both writtten by Esdras 395. 1 CHron 2.9 The sonnes of Ezrom Jeramuel and Ram. Matth. 1.3 Ezrom begat Aram Ram and Aram were but one in Hebrew Ram in Syriack Aram signifies Noble or High * 396. 1 Chron. 2.15 David was the seventh With 1 Sam. 16. Where Jesse besides these seven sonnes is said to have another which made eight Besides the seven here mentioned he had an adopted son Jonathan the son of Sammaa that is the Nephew from the third son Some say the Scripture doth not here give us a compleat number seeing it doth not appertaine to the essence of the History * 397. 1 Chronicles 3.5 with Proverbs 4. where Solomon saith He was the only begotten of his mother Answ Solomon was the only begotten of his mother by David for there was three other begotten by Vriah her former husband which David by adoption made his own But this will not hold for Nathan who was one of these is in Luke mentioned as one from whom Christ came and so must be the son of David naturally Besides that son which David begot in adultery hinders Solomon from being the only sonne Therefore I the rather answer these mentioned here were the naturall sonnes of David by her and Solomon was the only sonne of his mother by love and motherly affection and so the seventy unice dilectus 398. 1 Chronicles 3.11 Ioram begat Ochozias of whom came Joas Matthew 1.8 Ioram begat Ozias Ochozias Ioas and Amasias are left out by the Evangelist because they reigned not well and to observe the fourteen generations that is the fourteen persons of Kings in the gealogie of Christ * 399. 1 Chron. 3.11 12. with Mat. 1.8 It is one thing to be a son immediately another thing mediately or remotely Joram was not Ozias son immediately for three Kings came between Ahaziah Ioash and Amaziah Some count it likely the omission of these was with design to keep within the number of three fourteens Some think they are omitted rather than others because Gods curse lay on Ioram for marrying of Ahabs daughter to the fourth generation as his blessing was on Iehu for destroying Ahabs posterity * 400. 1 Chronicles 3.17 The sonnes of Ieconiah Asir Salathiel Jerem. 22. ult Write this man childlesse Salathiel the Hebrew Shealtiel is said to be the sonne of Ieconiah Matth. 1.12 and so here son of Ieconiah Assir that is strictly bound prisoner in Babylon for we read not of any son called Assir that Ieconiah had yet this Salathiel is named the son of Neri Luke 3.27 who came by many
descents of another line that is of Nathan the younger sonne of Solomon from which line came our Saviour and not of Solomons line and though Ieconiah may seem to have seed and sons more out of Ier. 22.28 30. yet he is doomed childlesse because neither Salathiel if he were his son nor any of Ieconiahs race Zedekiah the last King being uncle to Ieconiah did succeed him in the legality to sit on the Throne of David though in a kind of Soveraignty as Zerubbabel the son or grandchild rather of Salathiel by Pedaiah did succeed in regard of which successions both Salathiel and after also Zerubbabel may be called sonnes of Iehojakim the father of Ieconiah It is likewise said he shall have none to sit upon the Throne of David that is for any time worth speaking of for his son Ieconiah reigned but three moneths and ten dayes 401. 1 Chronicles 3.18 The sonne of Salathiel Pedaiah of Pedaiah Zorobabel Ezd. 3.2 Mat. 1.12 Salathiel begat Zorobabel Zorobabel was the nephew to Salathiel which he begat by his sonne Pedaiah * 402. 1 Chron. 3.18 with Matth. 1.12 Sons of Pedaiah Pedaiah might dye while his sons were young and Salathiel their grandfather bring them up and in this respect Zerubbabel is called the sonne of Salathiel or Shealtiel 403. 1 Chron. 10.6 Saul died and his three sonnes and all his house died together 2 Sam. 2.8 Abner made Isbosheth the son of Saul King over Israel Isbosheth after his fathers death though he had for a time the name of a King at last he was miserably slain in his bed and Mephibosheth was by favour in the Court of David without any rule so the family of Saul perished rightly with him nor ever could aspire any more to any eminent dignity 404. 1 Chron. 18.12 Abishai smote of Aedom in the valley of salt eighteen thousand 2 Samuel 8.13 It was David Psalm 60.2 That Victory is imputed to Joab Abishai with Joab having the Army divided conquered the enemy at the first assault he overcame six thousand of the Edomites Joab killed twelve thousand of those that fled away but the Victory is imputed to David as their King * 405. 1 Chron. 21.5 The summe of the number a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand 2 Sam. 21.9 There were eight hundred thousand Upwards to the eight hundred thousand in 2 Sam. 24. seem to be added here those twenty eight hundred thousand of Davids Trained-bands 1 Chron. 27.1 15. already enrolled in publick Records and their Collonels Captains and Commanders and Officers to the number likely of twelve thousand which make up the said eleven hundred thousand to the forty seven hundred thousand of Judah are thirty thousand added more in 2 Sam. 24.9 which addition might either be the number of the Regiments under those thirty worthies of David having one thousand in each or rather an addition of so many out of Jerusalem only or out of Levi and Benjamin also which still joyned themselves to Judah after Joabs first return to Jerusalem and giving up the number to the King which he finished not he being weary of that service which was so abominable to him viz. 2 Sam. 24.9 * 406. 1 Chron. 21.12 with 2 Sam. 24.13 Three years famine or seven years famine Answ Some say there is a failing in transcribing the Text in the Hebrew three and seven being so like and the seventy in the 2d of Samuel read it three year and the Arabick M S. in the hands of the Congregation Orators and reason much asserts that it was three years for other judgments go by three as three dayes three moneths Some say the Prophet at the first spake of seven years but his heart being troubled at Davids horror mitigated it to three 407. 2 Chron. 2.14 Hiram was the sonne of a woman of the daughters of Dan whose Father was of Tyre 1 Kings 7.14 He was the son of a widow of the Tribe of Nephtalim The Father of Hiram was of the Tribe of Nephtalim who lived many years in Tyria and had a wife of the Tribe of Dan. * 408. 2 Chron. 6.1 The Lord hath said that he will dwell in thick darknesse 1 Tim. 6.16 Dwelleth in light which no man can approach He dwels in darknesse not so as to include him nor so in light as to exclude him from dark places He may be said to dwell in thick dark-darknesse in relation to us who are ignorant of him and yet dwell in light in relation to himself The Lord probably was said to dwell in darknesse in Solomons time because the sanctum sanctorum by reason of the burning of Incense was through the great smoake therein as it were filled with a cloud or darknesse and in this place did God manifest himself and dwell therein * 409. 2 Chron. 6.6 I have chosen Jerusalem to put my name there John 4.21 Nor yet at Jerusalem men ought to worship In the time of the Law God did put his name in Jerusalem by setting his Tabernacle there and having his Temple built there and thither the Tribes went to worship In the time of the Gospell God took away the priviledge of that place and now he willeth that men lift up pure hands every where 410. 2 Chron. 8.1 Solomon built those Cities which Hiram restored to him 1 Kings 9.11 Solomon gave to Hiram twenty Cities in the Land of Galile Solomon gave to Hiram those Cities for twenty yeares that he might have a yearly revenue from them untill the charges were paid to him then Hiram restored them to Solomon and he built them and made the children of Israel dwell in them * 411. 2 Chron. 14.2 He overthrew the Altars 1 Kings 15. He took not away the high places There were two sorts of high places among the Jews Altars and Temples in the higher places some whereof were erected to Idols these Asa subverted Others were dedicated to the true God which was likewise unlawfull for the Temple by divine institution was only to be at Jurusalem And so although he purged the prophane Temples yet he overthrew them not which occasioned the restitution of Idolatry afterwards * 412. 2 Chron. 15.19 The War was not till the thirty fift year And Chap. 14. It was said Zura was slain by Asa therefore there is war Answ The computation of years is not taken from the beginning of the Kingdom of Asa but from the Kingdom of Judah i. e. Solomons death when the devision began betwixt Rhehoboam and Jeroboam And thus the Text of the next Chapter is to be understood where it is said Baasha the King of Israel ascended into Judah Anno 36 of the Kingdome of Asa for then it was the sixteenth year of his Kingdome * 2 Chron. 13.5 The Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdome over Israel to David for ever 1 Kings 13 32 35. But I will take the Kingdome out of his sons hand c. The promise was conditionall if his sons would walk in his wayes the
the time of Iacob 435. JOb 1.1 He lived in the Land of Vz his name was Iob he was a perfect and an upright man and one that feared God and eschewed evill Psal 147.20 He hath not done so with any Nation Under the old Testament the publick worship of the true God was amongst the Israelites whither other Nations were admitted to come which God called by divers wayes to come unto him and he had amongst them some that served him sincerely as Iethro Moses father in Law the Gibeonites and Iob here so Rahab and Ruth * Iob 1.1 with Psalm 147.20 In all probability Iob was a sonne of Nahor Abrahams brother descended from him by his sonne Vz Gen. 22.21 and though he were not immediately descended from Isaac yet in regard he was of the same lineage and held the same Religion the latter place seems not to thwart Besides the latter place did not exclude the coming in of particular persons to the knowledge of the Lord for there were many Proselytes among the Iews 436. Job 1.6 Satan came amongst the sonnes of God 2 Peter 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them unto chains of darknesse The coming of Satan amongst the sonnes of God was onely as an executioner of the commands and judgments of God * 437. Job 1.7 The Lord said Satan whence comest thou he answered from going to and from the earth Jude 6. Reserved in chains of darknesse unto the great day Although the world be the prison which God doth allow the Devill to walk up and down in till the day of Judgment yet he is reserved under chains in this world in a dark estate and condition He may walk up and down in this prison and yet be a prisoner * 438. Job 1.19 And behold there came a great wind out of the wildernesse John 3.8 Thou canst not tell whence it cometh When the Text tells you of the wind coming out of the wildernesse it intends not that the wildernesse was the originall place but that was the coast from which it blew at that time The latter place may purport that thou knowest not from what matter it cometh or the precise place of its generation though they might tell the place from whence this or that particular wind did blow in relation to the people of this or that place 439. Job 5.1 Call if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn Isa 63.16 Abraham knew us not Israel was ignorant of us Eliphaz teacheth Iob that there is flying to Saints in misery and that no man is unjustly punished by God but there is alwayes a just cause for it therefore saith he shew any of the Saints who being in such a calamity as thou art that was so without a cause as thou supposest thy self to be Isal 51.7 Rom. 7.20 440. Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of unclean Rom. 11.16 For if the first fruits he holy the lump is also holy All of us by originall sinne are conceived and born in sinne and sin dwels in us yet by Gods grace we are reckoned for holy which account passeth over all within the Covenant as we are 441. Job 14.5 His dayes are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe Pov. 18.21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue Death and life of man are in the power of God who hath put bounds to his dayes Life and death is said after a sort to be in the power of the tongue because a wicked man may by slanders and detraction and contention hurt a man even to death 442. Job 14.6 14. Shall a man if he die live again 1 Cor. 15.22 In Christ shall all be made alive Job denyeth not the resurrection Dan. 12.2 but he saith rather that men shall rise not with bodies subject to death but such as shall live for ever but the wicked to eternall death * 443. Job 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time c. Eccles 7.17 Be not over wicked why shouldst thou dye before thy time The time which we may live by nature or according to the composition of our bodies is one thing the time which God in his secret judgement sets down for us is another God appoints one man to live so long as his naturall composition can last and to this end he shall use these and these wayes and God appoints that this or that man if he take these or the other extravagant courses shall by a fall from his horse or by the hand of the Magistrate or the like come to a sudden and not naturall death 444. Job 19.25 In the last day I shall rise out of the earth Vers 26. And I shall be cloathed again with my skin and in my flesh shall I see God 1 Cor. 15.44 1 Cor. 15.44 It shall rise a spirituall body We shall rise with this nature and body that we now carry about us Matth. 22. and shall enjoy eternall felicity it is called a spirituall body by the Apostle not in respect of the substance but the qualities virtues and proprieties we shall have no need of meat drink or wedlock we shall be like the Angels Or a spirituall body a body free from carnall desires being wholely subject to and ruled by the Spirit 445. Job 19.17 Whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another Rev. 1.7 Every eye shall see him Job speaks confidently that in his flesh he should see God to his salvation 2 Cor. 13. 1 Ioh. 3.2 face to face as he is after this ordinary seeing by faith so shall the godly see God a gracious father the wicked shall see him as a just and a revenging judge * 446. Job 21.27 Behold I know your thoughts Jer. 17.9 10. Who can know it I the Lord know it One man is said to know anothers thoughts three wayes First By revelation from God Secondly By words of the mouth Thirdly By externall symptomes or actions And one man is said to know anothers thoughts these two latter waies probably not infallibly Job knew by the drift of their discourse what they in ended to make him confesse and this probably It s God onely which can infallibly tell what a man thinks without word or symptome 447. Iob 31.30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sinne 1 John 1.10 If we say we have no sin we make God a lyar Job was not without sinne before God but his conscience did not accuse him of manifest sinne and wickednesse towards men 448. Job 42.10 The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before Vers 13. He had seven sons and three daughters His faith of the resurrection is here commended because his children were not doubled 〈◊〉 onely were as many as before Ep. 120. cap. 10. 〈◊〉 Augustine for these did signifie that those
her by beginnings of holinesse in this life and will in the next life set her compleatly holy before his Father without spot or rinckle * Cant. 1.5 with Cant. 4.1 Blacknesse in Scripture is put for tribulation or for sinne or thirdly for sorrow for both the former The first place speak of her blacknesse as she was in her own eyes Secondly As she was in others eyes in all these three relations I am black in yours and mine own apprehensions with tribulation sin and sorrow The second place speaks of beauty or fairenesse in Christs account It is one thing what a woman accounts her self another thing what her husband accounts her she was faire in the latter sense It is one thing to be faire in it self another thing to be faire by reflexion or imputation The spouse was inherently black but by imputation and reflexion as she was to the glasse to the Sun Christ so fair 594. Cant. 5.1 Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly beloved Isaiah 5.11 Woe be to ye that rise early in the morning to drinke strong drink Ephes 5.14 Luke 21.34 Amb. lib. 1. cap. 5. de Cain Abel Drunkennesse with grace not with wine which makes us rejoyce not stumble must be here understood To be drunk here is to be filled with the grace of the holy Ghost and with spirituall joy concerning the Gospell which thing produceth healthfull and pleasant fruit Isaiah cries out woe to drunkards filling themselves with Wine and luxuriating in over much drink 595. Cant. 6.10 The Church is terrible as an Army with banners Chap. 7.6 How fair how pleasant art thou O love for delights She is terrible to the Devill the World to Hell but most dear and and delightfull to her Bridegroome the Lord Jesus Christ ISAIAH HIS PROPHESIE He prophesied ninety years IT was written by Isaiah the sonne of Amos the Brother of Amasiah King of Judah about the year of the World 3190. It contains legall Prophesies from Chap. 1 to the 40th with the History of Ezechias And from Chap. 40 to the end it contains Evangelicall Prophesies 596. ISai. 1.2 I have nourished children and they have rebelled against me Vers 4. Ephes 5.27 The Church is glorious without spot or wrinckle The Church of it self and from it self is full of sinnes and deformities but she is without spot or wrinkle in her Husband and head Christ who loved her and gave himself for her that he might sanctifie her cleansing her with the laver of water in the word of life Ephes 5.26 597. Isa 7.14 And they shall call his name Emanuel Luk. 2.21 His name was called Jesus In the Scriptures sometime the name is given to the person not according to the word but the thing signified Emanuel in effect is the same with Jesus Emanuel is God with us by this word the Prophet would explain the person the office and the benefits of Christ and the mystery of the personall Union and that that Sonne should be God and Man and live amongst men in his humane nature that he should assume that he might redeem them and save them from their sinnes 598. Isai 8.20 To the Law and the Testament 1 Cor. 2.2 â—etermined to know nothing amongst you Matth. 1.21 but Jesus Christ and him crucified Since Christ is the end of the Law and the Prophets it is most profitable for us to believe in him and to seek comfort in his Crosse for without he had been crucified he had not wrought salvation for mankind * 599. Isai 8.20 with 1 Cor. 2.2 He that sends us to the Law and testimonies he sends us to Christ for the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring us to Christ and the Prophets are they which testifie of Christ To be sent to them was in relation to him so that the precept of Isaiah and the practise of Paul were the same 600. Isai 9.3 Thou hast multiplied the Nation and hast not increased their joy Chap. 60.5 Then thou shalt see and shalt flow together and thine heart shall fear and be enlarged because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee The joy of the Nation and the people under the yoak of Rome though it be not increased yet it is enlarged whilst the Heathen people being called into the Church forsaking their heathenish rites do embrace the Christian Religion 601. Isai 9.6 Vnto us a child is born unto us a son is given Luke 2. After seven hundred years Christ was born under Augustus Caesar It is usuall in the Scripture to have the present tence and preter tence put for the future tence and the future tence for the present and preter tence So Psal 22.8 All make a mock of me 602. Isai 9.6 His name shall be called the Prince of peace of his peace there shall be no end Matth. 10.34 Think not that I came to send peace on the earth I came not to send peace but the sword In the former place is understood the true Christian peace of God and Christ which we have with God our Neâ—â—â—bour and our selves In the latter is meant worldly peace that we have with men of this world which is often bad Yet Christ doth not of himself bring the sword but by accident in regard of the malice of the World and the Devill who are the authors of contentions 603. Isai 9.6 He shall be called the everlasting Father 1 Cor. 15.24 He shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father when he shall have put down all principality Since eternall and Kingly power belongeth unto Christ it shall never be taken from him but the manner of his governement shall be changed for he shall no longer governe his Church by the Ministery of his Word and Sacraments but shall represent it to his heavenly Father freed from all evill Nor shall there be any more worldly governements after the blessed resurrection * 604. Isai 9.6 with 6. A son is given The everlasting Father He is the sonne of the everlasting Father by nature He is the everlasting Father in respect of us whom he hath bought by his Blood begotten by his Spirit preserved by his Power and created by his Divinity 605. Isai 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end Luk. 12.49 I came to send fire into the earth and what will I but that it may be kindled It is not meant a fire of discord and malice amongst men but a fire of pure doctrine consuming all filth and temptations betwixt the spirit and the flesh the true and false teachers the godly and the wicked the Devill and men For the Gospell is no cause of troubles but as lime when it is mixt with water groweth hot so the wickednesse of men stirred up by Gods Word rageth against Christ and his Gospell * 606. Isai 26.10 with Isa 40.5 The first place shews what wicked men will do the second what the
Lord will do The first That wicked men will not take notice of the Lords glorious works though the works being considered in themselves are glorious The second place shews what a glorious work that of redemption should be that even all that would see and take notice of it not shutting their eyes and being obstinate as the wicked do might see it * 607. Isai 26.14 They are dead they shall not live Vers 19. Thy dead men shall live The condition of wicked men perishing is one thing the Saints rising is another There is a difference betwixt men that are dead to God and men that are Gods dead men or that die for God or are his The former Texts speaks of oppressors which are but dead though they live they are many times cut off in the midst of their dayes they shall not live but those that are dead or slain upon Gods account shall live again live for ever 608. Isai 26.20 The wicked will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. Chap. 40.5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Prophet speaks concerning the Kingdome of Christ and the state thereof and he teacheth in the former place that the wicked shall be so blinded that they cannot perceive the mighty worke of God wherein he hath shewed his greatnesse his glory his power and his mercy which blindnesse of theirs doth not take away the glory of God and of Christs Kingdome which all men may see in the saving work of mans Redemption 609. Isai 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a stone a sure foundation faith the Lord. 1 Cor. 3 10. I have laid the foundation saith Paul God laid the foundation of our salvation in respect of his decree the sending of his Sonne and the perfection of mans salvation Paul laid the foundation in respect of manifestation and of his office and of the Christian Religion at Corinth * 610. Isai 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun seven-fold Matth. 24.29 The Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light Spirituall shining is one thing naturall is another The light and knowledge of God should so farre exceed that which it had been that as much as the Moon light was inferiour to that of the Sun so much the knowledge of that time should be inferiour to that which was to be in after ages Nor yet doth this hinder but that at the generall desolution of the world the naturall lights of the Sun and Moon should be obscured * 611. Isai 30.20 Thy Teachers shall not be removed into a Corner any more Phil. 5.1 Paul a prisoner c. The former place speaks comparatively thy Teachers shall not as formerly be removed into corners but there shall be more plenty Nor doth this hinder but God may upon speciall occasions remove this and that Teacher and suffer them to be imprisoned as Paul though he never leaveth his Church in generall without Teachers Some distinguish betwixt teaching in Corners and Teachers to be driven to Corners by persecution * 612. Isai 31.7 Idols of Silver and of Gold which your own hands have made 1 Cor. 8.4 We know that an Idol is nothing Idols are something materiall or in relation to the substance that they are framed of they are nothing in relation to their effects and energies an Idol is of no force or value * 613. Isai 33.52 The Lord is our Law-giver Gal. 3.19 The Law was Ordained by Angels The former place speaks of God as the Author the latter place denies not God to be the Author but speaks of Angels as instruments or meanes by which the Lord gave the Law * 614. Isai 35.8 He was taken from prison and from judgement and who shall declare his generation Act. 8.33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away It is one thing to quote the word another thing the sense Luke quoted the sense and substance of what the Prophet had said and not the words He was taken away from the judgement of his adversaries and delivered from prison What else was that but the exalting of his own judgement above them that past upon him The word that is rendred is as well to lift up a thing as to take away 615. Isa 38.1 2 Kings 20.1 2 Chron. 32.24 Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Vers 5. I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen years saith the Lord. Augustine saith that Ezechias was in order to dye according to some causes of future events In Gen. tit lib. 6. cap. 17. yet God added fifteen years to his life doing onely that which he foreknew he would do before the beginning of the world Gods justice brought the command for Ezechias death but his mercy prolonged his life and so Ezechias Piety and Repentance is proved 616. Isai 41.7 Chap. 46.6 They lavish gold out of the bag and weigh silver in the ballance and hire a Goldsmith and he wageth it a God 1 Cor. 8.4 An Idoll is nothing Silver and Gold and such materials as the Idols are made of were created by God but relatively unto God they are said to be nothing because they have nothing of God in them for God will not be worshipped by Idols 617. Isai 42.8 Chap. 48.11 I will not give my glory to another Matth. 11.29 Chap. 28.19 All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth God will not give his praise and glory to an Image Christ to whom all power and glory is given is not only man but the true and eternall God also with the Father and the holy Ghost having co-equall glory with them but by reason of his office of Mediator all things are given him of the Father 618. Isai 42.8 I will not give my glory to another Rom. 8.14 The glory of God shall be revealed in us The first place is concerning those things wherein God will be glorified by us in this life that is by worship adoration invocation The letter concerning the participation and place of glory in the life to come which he will communicate to us 619. Isai 42.10 Sing unto the Lord a new Song that is the Gospell Gen. 3.15 It was Sung in Paradise concerning the blessed seed of woman That Evangelicall Song is called new not for time but because it comprehends new and wonderfull things a new light is kindled by it it makes a new Creature and shews us the new way to heaven 620. Isai 45.6 7. I am the Lord and there is none else I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these things Gen. 1.31 And all that God made was good God makes evill not of sinne but of punishment and calamity by which he justly afflicts sinners Also the Prophet here opposeth the evill of the misery of war to the good
and two of a Tribe being saved this week and as many another in the conclusion the whole summe being cast up will be great if we consider all times The number of the godly is great in it self but its small compared with the multitude of the wicked 643. Jer. 6.10 Chap. 9.26 All the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart Rom. 11.16 If the root be holy so are the branches All is taken here for the greatest part The root of the Jews was holy by reason of the Covenant because they were born from their Father who was in the Covenant and so were they confederate with God and separated from the profane Gentiles * 644. Jer. 9.17 Send for the mourning women Ezek. 24.17 Make no mourning for the dead The former place shews the Judgment of God to fall so heavily upon the people that they should make a solemn mourning for themselves The latter place intimates that the affliction should be so great upon the people that there should be no mourning for them because noe mourning could expresse it pauca cura loquunter ingentes stupent or else this was a peculiar case which breaks not a generall rule 645. Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man to direct his steps Matth. 23.37 I would have gathered thy children together and thou wouldest not In spirituall matters that concern his salvation a man can do nothing that is good In politick and civill affairs he can indeed do something but more inclining to evill than to good * 646. Jer. 15.1 with Matth. 18.19 The former place speaks that God may in some cases be so provoked by sinne as he will not hear even two or three gathered together though the most renowned of Saints The second place speaks that God will grant all things which are asked by faith which must be according to the rule and Cannon of faith by two or three together 647. Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Rom. 10.11 He that believeth in Christ shall not be confounded Isa 28.16 The Prophet speaks of bare mortall deceitfull man in himself The Apostle speaks of man subsisting in the person of the Sonne of God in whom the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily 648. Jer. 15.1 If Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this people Matth. 18.19 If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven In the former place the speech is hypotheticall as if he should say though they were amongst the living and did stand before me and would turn away my wrath from this people yet would I not spare them Christ in the latter promiseth temporall good things upon condition of repentance 649. Jer. 17.10 Chap. 20.12 I the Lord search the heart I try the reins 1 Cor 2.11 Who knows what is in man but the spirit of man which is in him God is not excluded from knowing what is in the heart but Angels and men are be they good or bad 650. Jer. 22.11 Thus saith the Lord touching Sellum the son of Josiah 2 Kings 23.30 2 Chron. 3.6 The people of the Land took the sonne of Josiah Joachaz and annointed him to be King Joachaz is called Sellum ironically because as King Sellum Israel was led captive into Egypt so Joachaz shall not return from the Babylonish captivity 651. Jer. 22.30 Thus saith the Lord Write ye this man childlesse 1 Chron. 3.19 for no man of his seed shall prosper Mat. 1.12 Salathiel his son Jekonias died without children Salathiel the son of Neri was from Nathan the adopted son of Jekonias and by succession not his naturall sonne 652. Jer. 25.1 The fourth year of Jehojakim the son of Josiah King of Judah was the first year of Nabuchadonozer King of Babylon Dan. 1.1 In the third year of Jehojakim King of Judah came Nabuchadonozer King of Babylon to Jerusalem That is in the end of the third year and the beginning of the fourth year of Jehojakims reign * 653. Jer. 25.1 with Dan. 1.1 That of Daniel which saith the third counts from the time he reigned as a vassall to the King of Babylon 2 Kings 24.1 having before reigned seaven years as a Vassall of Aegypt 2 Kings 23.34 36. Now these three years must be understood compleate because that which is there spoken of hapned the fourth of his reign as in Jeremy 654. Jer. 25.11 And this whole Land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times God by a Propheticall spirit revealed this to Jeremiah and so comforted his people but we must not curiously search to know the times contrary to Gods will that is the moment of the day of Judgement the destruction of the world which the Father hath reserved in his own power 655. Jer. 29.11 I think toward you thoughts of peace and not of evill Vers 17. Thus saith the Lord of hosts I will send upon them the Famine God gives peace to penitent sinners but punisheth sinners for their sins 656. Jer. 31.15 A voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and Rachel weeping Matth. 2.16 That was done at length in the killing the children at Bethlehem The Prophets speak often in the present tense or time past of things which are to come for the certainty of the Prophesie So here he foreshews the lamentation of the Mothers for the children that were slain at Bethlehem by Herods command 657. Jer. 31.2 The Lord shall create a new thing on the earth Eccl. 1.10 There is no new thing under the Sun New things are made by creation so God the Father created all things new so we are a new creature in Christ by sanctification when we are regenerated by the holy Ghost by change so when Christ shall come all things shall be made new 658. Jer. 31.31 Behold the days come saith the Lord and I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah Matth. 5.17 I came not to destroy the Law God promised a new Covenant when Christ should come yet such a one that should not differ from the former Covenant in substance but sanctified by the Messias The Doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles was not changed by the coming of Christ but remains an eternall Law of leading our life the ceremonies are abrogated according to their use but their signification was more declared by his coming and illustrated and the Prophesies had their complement in him 659. Jer. 36.30 Thus saith the Lord of Jehojakim King of Judah he shall have none to sit upon the Throne of David 2 Kings 24.6 And his sonne Joakim reigned in his stead Joakim did not sit that is he had no fast seat in the Kingdome for in the third moneth
of his Government Sedechias was put by force not by right into his place by Nebuchadonozer 660. Jer. 37.14 Jeremy said I fall not away to the Chaldeans Chap. 21.9 He that goeth out and fals to the Chaldeans shall live Jeremy taken in the gate defendeth his innocency that he fell not to the Chaldeans nor was a betrayer of his Countrey but he said that he would go into the Land of Benjamin 661. Jer. 52.31 In the thirty seventh year of the captivity of Jehojakim King of Judah in the twelfth moneth in the twenty fifth day of the moneth Evilmerodach lifted up the head of Jehojakim King of Judah 2 Kings 25.27 In the thirty seventh year of the captivity of Jehojakim he was lifted up in the twelfth moneth the seven and twentieth day On the twenty fifth day Evilmerodach took counsell to deliver Joakim out of prison on the twenty seventh day it was concluded and effected all things being disposed well for his enlargement THE THRENES or LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH THe Prophet bewails the destruction of Jerusalem and the Kingdome of Judah and the captivity of the people He comforteth himself and the people in the promise of God and commends the cause to God by his prayers * 662. LAm 3.31 The Lord will not cast of for ever Lam. ult ult Thou hast utterly rejected us The first place tells that God may afflict his for a time yet he will not cast off for ever The latter place are the words of those sadly afflicted which makes them think themselves so miserable as that they were utterly rejected Or else it may be read by way of Interrogation Hast thou utterly rejected us not that it doth say that God would reject them but that they were so long in affliction as they thought God had forgotten them * 663. Lam. 3.33 He afflicts none willingly 1 Pet 4.19 They that suffer according to the will of God It is true they which suffer suffer according to Gods will and yet he afflicts none with delight or so as taking pleasure in it or doing it upon recreation but he is forced thereto by their wickednesse 664. Lam. 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to passe when the Lord commandeth not Verse 38. Out of the month of the most High proceedeth not both evill and good Deut. 32.4 The works of the Lord are perfect The evill of punishment not of sin is meant in the first place which is not ill in it self but in respect of men For all punishment in respect of God that inflicts it hath the nature of good 665. Lam. 5.7 Our fathers have sinned and are not and we have born their iniquities Ezek. 18.20 The Sonnes shall not bear the Fathers iniquities The children succeeding the Parents in their sinnes succeed them also in their punishments Godly and penitent children shall not bear the iniquities of their parents for ever though they be afflicted with temporall punishments 666. Lam. 5.21 Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Psal 119. ult Hosea 14.2 Turn O Israel to the Lord thy God Conversion and repentance is the work of God Act. 11.8 he gives it to the Gentiles and none but those that are enlightned in their hearts can truely turn unto God EZEKIEL HIS PROPHESIE THE Priest the sonne of Buzi who was brought into Babylon under Jekonias and confirmed the Prophesie of Jeremiah and comforted the captives about the year 3350 by the River Chebar he had the visions from God He prophesied twenty years 667. EZek. 8.12 The Lord seeth us not Heb. 4.13 All things are naked and open before the eyes of God The Prophet makes mention of what foolish men say who thought both by their words and deeds that God saw them not whose perverse judgment doth not hinder the truth which maintains that all things be they never so secret yea the thoughts of our hearts are open before God 668. Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sins that shall dye Rom. 5.6 Christ died for us The first sentence is legall and teacheth what must be done by the Law divine or humane legally The last is Evangelicall shewing that God for Christs sake freely gives us his grace and salvation 669. Ezek. 12.13 I will bring Zedekiah into Babylon to the Land of the Chaldees yet shall he not see it though he shall dye there Jer. 34.3 Thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the King of Babylon and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth Zedekias being taken saw the King of Babylon afterwards they put out his eyes that he could not see the Land of the Chaldees nor Babylon in his captivity * 670. Ezek. 16.3 Thy birth and thy nativity is from the Land of Canaan Rom. 11.1 The seed of Abraham It s true the Israelites were of Abrahams race yet so degenerate that they in manners seemed rather to be Ammonites and Hittites two execrable Nations they were Canaanites in imitation Israelites in generation 671. Ezek. 18.19 Walke in my precepts keep my judgments 1 Tim. 19. The Law was not made for the righteous but for the wicked and disobedient The Prophet understands the Law that teacheth and enlightens us The Apostle the Law that condemns us Rom. 8.33 For there is no condemnation to those that are justified in Christ Jesus 672. Ezek. 18.21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sinnes that he hath committed he shall not dye Heb. 6.4 It is impossible for those that were once illuminated if they shall fall away to renew them again by repentance It is hard and impossible in respect of those who barre themselves out from Gods mercy and shut their hearts that they may not be enlightned by the Sun of righteousnesse but it is not so in respect of God who would have all men to repent and be saved yet he justly punisheth with finall impenitency all obstinate and malicious Apostates and such as sin against the holy Ghost 673. Ezek. 18.23 and 33.11 God will not the death He hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth God will not the death of a sinner by his antecedent will but by his consequent will or his justice because he justly punisheth him who rejects the grace of God offered unto him He hardens therefore permissively not affectively 674. Ezek. 18.23 I will not the death of him that dieth Chap. 3. 18. Thou shalt die the death God as our Father will not by the Gospel but as he is our judg and revenger he will by the Law that a sinner shall die 675. Ezek. 18.23 32. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth 1 John 5.16 A sin unto death God will not the death of him that repents for his mercy is over all his works A sinne unto death is a sinne against the holy Ghost and so it is called because it is justly punished with finall impenitency 676. Ezek. 18.26 When
Ephrata out of thee shall he come forth unto me that shall be Ruler in Israel Joh. 7.27 Whence Christ is no man knows The Prophet expresly names the place of Christs nativity the Jewes not knowing Christ to be the true God did mingle his temporall generation with his eternall contending amongst themselves Doth not the Scripture say that being of the seed of David Christ should come from the City of David * Micah 5.2 with Matth. 2.6 Bethlehems both Texts speak of that in Judah The thousands of Judah The latter saith The Princes of Judah The Tribes of Israel being divided into thousands every one had a head or Prince whereupon St Matthew instead of thousands saith Princes Aleph signifies both a thousand and a Commander over a thousand Thou art not the least though thou be little The words in Matthew are either to be taken as spoken by the Jewes or as the Evangelists as spoken by the chief Priest and Scribes to Herod for the place of Christs birth called not the least either reading the words of Micah interrogatively in a negative sense or varying the Text out of ignorance or of set purpose before Herod Or as they are spoken by the Evangelist Bethlehem was little when David was born there not little but famous for and after the true son of David and son of God was born there 724. Micah 7.5 Trust ye not in a friend 1 Cor. 13.7 Charity believeth all things The first place is a rule of Prudence needfull for Charity The Prophet bids us not to suspect ill of all men but he complains of the corrupt manners of his times when men could believe no man therefore he saith we must deal circumspectly which is agreeing to Charity lest we be defrauded by craft or malice Christ himself did not trust himself with the Jewes Joh. 2.25 26. because he knew all men and knew what was in man 725. Micah 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned Vers 9. He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness The people of Israel being miserably afflicted could not boast in the sight of God of their innocence therefore they ought patiently to endure Gods corrections but before their enemies being innocent they did rise up by divine help The Babylonians were formerly to the Israelites as the Turks and Tartars are now adaies to the Christians afflicting us without cause though in the sight of God we are not without fault NAHUM HIS PROPHESIE THE ELKOSHITE HE Prophesieth against the Assyrians He denounceth destruction to the Ninivites an hundred years after Jonas he comforts the Jews preaching unto them the message of peace 725. NAhum 1.2 The Lord avengeth and is furious Psalm 103.8 The Lord is very pittifull long suffering and full of mercy God is jealous a severe Judge and revenger not pardoning the sinnes and wickednesse of impenitent sinners but he is most mercifull as a tender Father to the godly and such as be penitent 726. Nahum 1.9 Affliction shall not rise up the second time Rom. 1.28 The wicked shall be punished in this world when they are delivered up to a reprobate sense to do those things which are not convenient and in the world to come with eternall destruction Justice doth not punish twice sufficiently for the same fault but it is not disagreeing to justice to inflict divers degrees of punishments for the same fault so temporall punishments to the wicked are but the beginning of eternall punishments But the Prophet teacheth here that God will so deal with the Assyrians in the Land of Judha that there shall be no need of a second judgment 727. Nahum 1.15 For the wicked shall no more passe through thee 2 Kings 24.1 Chap. 25.1 Nebuchadnezzar invaded the Land of Judah and spoiled it The Prophet speaks of Senacherib that he should come no more into the Land of Judah for he was killed by his own sonnes Also the words of the Prophet may be understood concerning the perfect blessedness of the next world HABAKKUK HIS PROPHESIE HE foretels to the Jewes when they sinned their destruction by the Chaldeans He comforts the faithfull with the coming of the Messias and the destruction of the Babylonians He prays for the ignorant He prophesied in the year 3290. 728. HAb 1.5 Behold you amongst the heathen and regard for I will work a work in your dayes which you will not believe though it be told you Act. 13.41 Paul refers these words to the resurrection of Christ The Apostle compares the resurrection of Christ with the wonderfull deliverance of the Jews from the bondage of Babylon which though their forefathers would not believe yet they found it to be true so their posterity must needs acknowledge that Christ was raised from the dead 729. Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his faith Matth. 9.2 Jesus seeing their faith Every one shall live by his own faith to eternall life but another mans faith or prayers may obtain from God for us temporall benefits or deliverance In the latter place Christ speaks not onely of their faith who brought the man to him that was sick of the Palsie but of his faith also 730. Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his faith Luk. 10.28 Do this and live We live and are justified by faith not for our saith but because by faith we lay hold on Christ Do this saith Christ to the Lawyer that from the Law he might learn to know his own weakness and not that by observing the Law he might deserve life for by the Law Rom. 3.9 Gal. 3.24 no man is justified in the sight of God * Hab. 2.4 with Luk. 10.28 The former speaks of our living in difficulties by faith alone the latter speaks of Christs answer to one that thought he could live by the Law which was to convince him by the Law that he could not expect life in his deeds but by his faith in Christ Besides no man can do this without faith So as though we live by faith alone yet that faith which makes us live is not alone but makes us do this 731. Hab. 2.4 with 1 Thes 3.8 Now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. We live by our own faith as to justification and salvation we live comfortably when we see the faith of others and so the first place the just man lives to justification c. by his own faith Paul and the rest of the brethren were comforted exceedingly when they knew the Thessalonians stood fast in the Lord. ZEPHANIAH HIS PROPHESIE THe sonne of Cushi he prophesieth to the unbelieving Jewes their destruction by their Neighbour Nations and to those Nations their extermination by other Nations But deliverance to believers He prophesied about the year 3451. 732. ZEph 1.5 He prophesied In the dayes of Josiah of the evils which should come upon Judah 2 King 23.3 Josias and all the people made a covenant with the Lord that they
have kept them Chap. 18.9 10. I have not lâ—st one God the Father speaks of the scattering Christ of the keeping That scattering takes not away Christs keeping because none of the Apostles which his Father gave to him perished but the sonne of perdition MALACHIE HIS PROPHESIE HE complains of the wickednesse of the people of the Jews and the Priests He comforts the godly Threatens the wicked Exhorts all to repentance and faith in Christ He was the last that prophesied before Christs incarnation In the year of the world 3513. 748. MAl 1.2 Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith tht Lord yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau 2 Chron. 19.7 There is no accepting of persons with God God is a most free agent and doth all things that he doth according to his own good pleasure he respects not the externall quality of the person nor his condition nation sex riches poverty hatred c. so he loved Jacob revealed himself unto him gave to his posterity the Land of Cannan He neglected Esau who was Isaacs eldest sonne and most beloved of his Father nor was he bound by any Laws to do otherwise unto him 749. Mal. 1.8 If you offer the blind the lame the sick for sacrifice is it not evill Psal 50.8 I will not reprove thee for thy burnt sacrifices The Prophet speaks of sacrifices the Psalmist of the sacrificers Sacrifices were to be offered unto God without spot or fault not blind or lame but without sâ—â—rs scabs or blisters Lev. 22.22 25. for Christ of whom they were but but Types was an obligation most pure and absolute and free from all spots for our sins 750. Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth Mat. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures of God The first place is concerning the office of the Priests who were bound to keep knowledge that the people might seek for knowledge at their mouth Levit. 10.11 and they were to answer the people that inquired concerning the Law The latter is concerning the ignorance of the Priests who sit upon Moses chair contrary to Gods commandement and their own duty which was the cause that the people together with the Priests and the Scribes ran to errour Hitherto we have described the Reconciliations of appearing contrarieties in the Canon of the Old Testament for the space of four thousand years from the creation of the world from Adam Noah Abraham and Solomon untill the time that Christ came Now follow those of the New Testament from Christs Nativity to the end of the world The End of the Prophets RECONCILING Of Places of the Nevv-Testament THE Scripture of the New-Testament is the Word of God written after Christ was revealed by the Apostles and Evangelists in the Greek Tongue some few things were written in Hebrew namely St. Matthews Gospel and the Epistle to the Hebrews Eusch l. 3 c. 26. l. 6. c. 11. 19. Jeron in Catal. Scriptorum It is divided into Evangelical and Epistolical Books Those are the Evangelical books which contain a part of the glad tidings or the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with the History from his Nativity to his Ascension into Heaven at the thirty fourth year of his Age. The Gospel of St. Matthew IT contains the Genealogy of Jesus Christ his Birth Education his Prophetical Office in Preaching Miracles his Priestly Office in the Oblation of himself for our sins and his Kingly Office in his rising from the dead and the Government of his Church * 749. MAT. 1.1 The book of the Generation c. Isa 53.8 Who shall declare his Generation The former place speaks of his Generation as Man as the Son of Mary and supposed Son of Joseph The latter place not according to his Humanity but Divinity so who shall declare the Excellency and Manner of his Generation or if the Prophet must be interpreted to speak according to his Humanity then we must say there is a very few only can declare his Generation neither is it possible to express his Humane Generation to the full because that is so wonderful 750. Mat. 1.1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ. 1 Tim. 1.4 Tit. 3.9 Avoid foolish and endless genealogies The knowledge of Christs genealogy is more profitable that we may know Jesus to be the true Messias promised of the seed of Abraham and David Paul condemns the madness of those who tell mens fortunes by their Nativities and such as move unprofitable questions concerning genealogies which the Jews addicted themselves much to neglecting the study of godliness those he bids us to avoid as vain and idle and Heathenish fancies 751. Mat. 1.1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham Luk. 3.23 38. Who was the son of Heli Nagge Matthat c. of Adam of God Matthew and Luke differ not Matthew describes the genealogy of Christ by the Line of Solomon to Joseph Luke by Nathan another son of David from Josephs Father in law who was called Eli to David and so far as Adam the father of mankind * Mat. 1.1 with 1 Tim. 1.4 The first speaks of a certain Genealogy and generation the second speaks of an uncertain and vexatious generation There were some who probably being Jews naturally and turned Christians were addicted to these genealogies that they might have a pretence of claiming kindred of Christ they made no end of drawing down their lines of descent from David or else they would make a scrupulous search after genealogies about Christ about which there were great controversies in the Church when as Herod had burnt all publick Records that were of that nature Matthew and Mark had set down what was needful herein * 752. Mat. 1.5 Salomon begat Booz of Rahab Doubt How could Salmon beget children of Rahab the Harlot if he entered not into the land of Canaan for none which came out of Aegypt was to enter in except Joshuah and Caleb Answ Although Salmon came out of Aegypt yet not being twenty years old he was not under the Curse of the Lord Num. 14.29 753. Mat. 1.6 David the King began Solomon Luk. 3.31 Who was the son of Nathan who was the son of David Matthew observes the natural order descending from Fathers to the Sons Luke ascends from the Sons to the Fathers Matthew by Solomon and his posterity reckons the fore-fathers of Christ from David to Salathiel Luke by Nathan and his posterity for Solomons race being extinct Christ was born of the posterity of Nathan according to the flesh * Mat. 1.6 with Luk. 3.31 Matthew observes the order of nature descending from the Fathers to the Sons on the contrary Luke inverts the Order ascending from the Sons to the Fathers 2. Matthew reckons not all he begins from Abraham only Luke accounts all and ascends even to Adam and God himself Matthew begins at Abraham for God chose the seed of Abraham to beget Christ
tell no man that he was the Christ Mat. 28. ult Go teach all Nations Christ would have every thing done in its own order He now sent his Disciples to prepare the people for an expectation of Christs coming Afterwards he sends them to say that Christ was come Christ forbad them because place and persons were not convenient He commanded them to go and invite those that were bidden when all things were ready * 857. Mat. 17.1 The sixth day after Jesus took Peter c. Luk. 9.28 And it came to pass about eight daies after that having taken to him c. Matthew puts exclusively only the daies that were between which were altogether accomplished Luke puts in the reckoning the two outermost daies The day wherein Christ spake is reckoned one and the day of his Transfiguration another but here in the former are numbred the daies only coming between * 858. Mat. 17.11 Elias shall come 17.12 Elias is come Some reconcile these thus The former place is meant of litteral Elias the other of mystical But rather Christ in the former words answers to the Disciples which in regard that Elias went away and continued not with them they wondered how the Prophesie of Malachy and the opinion of the Jews should be true that Elias was to come Christ tels them that it is true which was said he should come yea and to make it appear that it was true he tels them he was already come 859. Mat. 17.15 Lord have mercy on my Son for he is lunatick Mar. 9.17 I have brought unto thee my son who hath a dumb spirit He is lunatick who upon the wane of the Moon is sick of the Falling-sickness or a Vertigo which happens to many by imperfection of nature This man was said to be dumb and deaf not by nature but because Satan possessed his tongue and ears so that he added more diseases to his natural infirmity * 860. Mat. 17.23 The third day he shall rise Mar. 8.31 After three daies he shall rise Several waies of resolving this latter As Synechdochically as when we say He hated me from that day when even that very day he hated me But how can that be after which was within three daies Others say These words after three daies ought not to be referred to the next word suffer but to all that went before in that discourse So Christ rose the third day not from his Death but Passion which began chiefly the day before the preparation for the Passeover which Mark there speaks of which others reject because the Pharisees would have the stone rolled to the Sepulchres mouth but till the third day because he said I will rise after three daies it seems they feared no cheat afterwards Besides Resurrection is opposed to Death therefore the time of the future Resurrection must begin from Death Others say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought not to be interpreted by after because it appoints no certain time and it would have impeded the Pharisees reason for keeping the Sepulchre three daies Some say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not declaring any certain time Others say seeing he rose within three daies his word is much more amply made good For in Promises a prefixed time is set to the end that the thing promised may not be delayed beyond the time but restrains not the performance of it before * 861. Mat. 18.1 At the same time came the Disciples unto Jesus saying who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven Mar. 9.35 And he sat down and called the twelve and saith unto them if any man desire to be first c. We find the agreement thus Christ knew saith Matthew their disputing in their thoughts Mark saith they disputed this by the way Mark saith Christ called the Disciples Matthew saith they came implying when they were called and Matthew saith they asked Christ Who is the greatest Mark saith he told them If any man desire to be first c. 862. Mat. 18.8 If thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee Eph. 5.29 No man hateth his own flesh Christ speaks figuratively that we should crucifie the old man with his evil affections that bear rule in the members of our bodies that we must cast away the most dear and profitable things from us which set our sins on fire and foster them and offend us 863. Mat. 18.15 If thy brother trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone 1 Tim. 5.20 Them that sin rebuke before all Christ speaketh of our private duty toward our brethren that offend us without publike scandals and wils that we shall not be too severe or soft examiners of our brothers faults The Apostle speaks of the publick office of the Presbytery against those who persevere in their sins as Theophylact expounds it 864. Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Joh. 11.15 I was not there Christ in the former place speaks of his personal and gracious presence in the latter of his common natural presence with other men in the earth for when he was in another place he was not truly and locally in Bethany 865. Mat. 19.17 There is no man good save one who is God Luk. 6.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good God is good of his own infinite perfection by his Essence Nature and Beeing to whom evil is contrary Men and Angels are called good not from themselves but by communication by the goodness of God in their creation and restitution Christ attributes goodness to God only that he might draw him that called him good to acknowledge his Doctrine to be divine * Mat. 19.17 God only is good Luk. 6.45 A good man out of the good treasury God only is good 1. Originally 2. Perfectionally And 3. Causally God is only the increated good Other Creatures are good by a created goodness or a created convenience in the Creatures with the mind of the Creator understanding and ordaining all things Christ doth not in this place deny himself to be God but he applies himself to the person to whom he spake he reprehends his hypocrisie though he spake the truth yet he was reproved for not speaking it with a true heart for as some gather by his sudden departure he came to catch rather than to obey and yet some of the ancient Fathers do think Christ reproved him of pride of his own righteousness However this is an Ironical not a negative speech There is a great distance betwixt these Do not call me good and Why callest thou me good The former denies goodness to be in him The latter only seems to expostulate the matter thus Why dost thou call me good seeing thou dost not believe me to be God nor art resolved to follow my Doctrine 866. Mat. 19.27 Behold we
the Father did more fully evidence himself than here Not as if Christ as God were not present on earth as well as in heaven but that he went from them in his Humane Nature into the heavens from whence he shall come to judge the world * 1017. Joh. 8.19 You neither know me Joh. 7.28 And you know me You know me not as to my Divinity you know me as to my Humanity 1018. Joh. 8.23 Ye are of this world Chap. 15.19 Ye are not of this world To be of the world is to be in darkness and to lead a wicked life Not to be of the world is to acknowledge Christ and to live godly The first place therefore respects the unbelieving Jews and carnal men the latter respects all the faithful the children of God and elected to salvation 1019. Joh. 8.26 I have many things to say and to judge of you Chap. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already In the first place the present-tense is put for the future For we must all of us appear before Christs Tribunal Rom. 14.10 that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 * Joh. 8.26 with 3.18 The first place tells us that Christ had many things whereof he might judge them and accuse them but that at present was not his work he came to convince them by his Preaching and Miracles who he was and afterwards to die for them as for judging them it was at present his Fathers work who was true The second place that he that believeth not is in a condemned estate and his conscience upon a serious inquest will condemn him and the Law will judge him as condemned thoâ—gh the sentence of condemnation is not already solemnly pronounced against him as it will be at the last day 1020. Joh. 8.28 I do nothing of my self Chap. 10.18 I have power c. Christ of himself that is without the Father or against his Fathers authority did nothing 1021. Joh. 8.33 We be Abrahams seed Ver. 44. Ye are of your Father the devil There are sons carnal and sons spiritual the carnal Jews were the seed of Abraham in respect of corporal propagation Spiritual are such as are guided by a good or evil spirit sons by a good Spirit are all the faithful who are of the seed of Abraham by faith in Christ who gave to believing Abraham that he should be câ—â—led the Father of believers Christ saith the Jews were from an evil spirit who did not the works of Abraham but of the devil in respect of their malice imitation and he that doth the works of another may be called his son 1022. Joh. 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever 1 Thes 4.17 We shall ever be with the Lord. In the first place is spoken of a servant of sin in the latter of the faithful who shall be delivered from all bondage being made free by the Son Joh. 8.36 * Joh. 8.35 with 1 Thes 4.17 The former place speaketh of the condition of a servant in general whether it be meant of a bodily service or otherwise He remains not alwaies in the Masters house but as soon as the daies of his servitude are past he goeth to live of himself And this place compares a son and a servant the one stayeth a time the other for ever They were not spiritually and really Sons though externally and carnally sons but really and spiritually servants The second place speaks of those who were not servants to sin or the Law but sons I call you no more servants but sons and so they may as the sons of God spiritually in Christ remain in the house for ever 1023. Joh. 8.36 Ye shall be free indeed Rom. 7.23 Paul was a captive under the law of sin The faithful are free from sin in respect of condemnation dominion and perfect liberty which they shall enjoy in the next life they are said to be captive under sin by reason of inherent sin which begets ill desires in them against their wills * 1024. Joh. 8.36 You are free indeed Rom. 7.16 I am sold under sin A Christian is free from the Ceremonies of the Law and from the damning power of the Moral Law as he is in Christ and he is free from the power of sin that is free from sins damnation and free from sins dominion i. e. when he begins to believe the Lord enables him more freely to resist sin than formerly and so dayly enlargeth his heart till in the conclusion this freedom is perfected and yet St. Paul might speak of his being in his own apprehension so troubled with sin as if he were sold under it though he were in part free and was going on to perfect freedom from sin It is one thing what Christ spake as to the right and portion of a Christian another thing what Paul speaks out of his hatred and detestation of the weight and lusting of sin within him A child of God takes the longing of his spirit after sins grievously and complains he is sold under sin when he finds sin strongly tempt him * 1025. Joh. 8.44 He was a murtherer from the beginning Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the word This word beginning hath several considerations It is not to be taken from the first absolute beginning for then Satan had no being not from his own beginning For at his creation he was good as all things else were but so soon as ever Man was he resolved to destroy man and with reference to that intention he was a man-slayer or murderer of Man from the beginning of Man So that this place is meant of Mans beginning and the second place is meant simply the beginning of the world 1026. Joh. 8.46 Which of you convinvinceth me of sin Chap. 9.24 We know that this man is a sinner Christ speaks of firm proof that no man could convince him of sin The Jews for despight and calumny said falsely that he was a sinner * Joh. 8.46 with 9.24 The former place put by way of Question implies a Negative that none could justly convince him The latter place tells us not that they did convince him of sin but they behind his back would scandalize him to be a sinner in the general without implying any particular sin that he was guilty of Only they being ignorant of his birth and thinking him to be begot after the ordinary manner of men and consequently guilty of original sin do call him a sinner but this doth not in the least convince him of this or that sin 1027. Joh. 8.50 I seek not mine own glory Vers 12. I am the light of the world He means glory acquired from his Father not affected glory and he cals himself the Light of the world truly confessing what he is and not by hunting after vain-glory * Joh. 8.50 with 12. A man may speak what he is and what he hath without
by calling the brethren that were present sheweth that there were no women present at the Election of Matthias * Acts 1.15 with 1 Cor. 15.6 There is no difference betwixt these for they are not meant of the same apparition nor of the same time for the first apparition of our Saviour being risen was to Mary Magdalen alone Jo. 20.11.19 The same day he appeared to two men Luk. 24.13 18. That night he appeared to the twelve so called 1 Cor. 15.5 Eight daies after to the Disciples and convinced Thomas Joh. 20.26 At the sea of Tiberias he appeared to seven Disciples Joh. 21.24 On the Mountain in Gal lee to the Eleven Mat. 28.16 And to five hundred brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 Another time to James 1 Cor. 15.7 And lastly to all the Apostles 1 Cor. 15.7 Being gathered to Jerusalem by his appointment Acts 1.4 And led them to Bethany and was taken up Luk. 24.50 1093. Acts. 1.18 Judas purchased a field with the reward of iniquity Mat. 27.3 He repented himself and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief Priests and Elders Judas purchased a field It is Metonymia Adjuncti not actually but by purpose and event for he hoped with those silver pieces to buy a field he acquired the money and the price wherewith the Priests bought the field * Acts 1.18 with Mat. 27.3 The first place denotes not that he himself bought the field the Chief Priests bought it for this damned Bribe Nor was any such thing in his intention when he bargained for his Mony but Peter by a bitter irrision sheweth the fruit and profit of this wretched covetousness and how that he had thought to enlarge his revenues and to settle his habitation by such horrid means Yet on the contrary his revenues was to purchase lands for others his habitation to be desolate and himself to come to so sad an end * 1094. Acts 1.20 For it is written in the Book of the Psalms Let his habitation be desolate c. Psal 69.26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to the grief of their heart Psal 109.8 Let his daies be few and let another take his Office The former place is taken out of two several Psalms and though David seem to apply the place to many yet in regard Christ is the head of the Church what was said of the enemies of the Church may be said of his enemies and in regard Judas was the Antesignanus or the chief enemy it may particularly be attributed to him and though one of the Testimonies may seem rather a Curse than a Prophesie or Prediction yet such Curses have the force of a Prediction as for that difference of words Let another take his Office And his Bishopprick let another take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopatum David writ litterally concerning Doeg the chief of the Kings Shepheards which he calls his Office and the word being thence translated to Ecclesiastical affairs and administrations is called his Bishoprick or superintendency which another should take 1095. Acts 2.23 Jesus being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God by wicked hands you have crucified and slain Joh. 19.11 He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin The death of Christ is ascribed to God and men in divers respects God delivered him by his determinate counsel that he might procure life for us The Jews out of their diabolical hate that they might blot out the memory of him * Acts 2.23 By the determinate counsel c. with Joh. 19.11 Gods foreknowledge was no force why the Jews should crucifie him nor his determinate Council any necessity why they should commit this sin but God did foresee that the Jews by abuse of their will would fall into the greatest of sins when any occasion was offered He did determine that Christ should die and be crucified and that the Jews should do it they falling from him by a frequent sinning he would suffer them to be the Executioners of this decree upon Christ and that as a just punishment for their former transgressions God did determine Christ should be crucified out of love to man and that the Jews should do it out of judgment for their sins As for that Scripture Joh. 19.11 it is not to be understood of Gods delivering up Christ but as the Jews delivering him up as Prosecutors to a Judge not as a Creator delivering one Creature to another 1096. Acts 2.33 Christ is exalted by the right hand of God Joh. 17.5 Christ was glorified with the Father before the world was The state of Christs humiliation and exaltation is in respect of right and profession Christ was as Mediator at the right hand of God also before his corporal Ascension but in respect of use after his Ascension 1097. Acts 2.36 God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Christ Luk. 2.11 He is called Lord at his Nativity by the Angel Christ by right of his personal union was made Lord at his Nativity by possession and use in his Glorification declared to be so by his sitting at the right hand of God according to the rule Then a thing is said to be done when it is manifested to be done * 1098. Acts 2.36 Lord and Christ Joh. 1.1 And the Word was God Christ was Lord and God from the beginning but this place speaks of him as Mediator and so he is Lord and Christ Lord over the Creatures and Christ Gods anointed The words being made is not to the definition of the Deity of the Son of God but to the demonstration of the Rule and Dominion that Person had over all Creatures 1099. Acts 2.38 And be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ Mat. 28.19 Baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost In the first place there is the command and fruit of Baptism but not the form Some by the Name Christ understand the three Persons the Father anointing the Son anointed and the Holy Ghost the Unction Also in the Name of Christ is in the Doctrine Faith Knowledge and Obligation of Christ * Acts 2.38 with Mat. 28.19 Not that their Baptism was not administred in the name of the Father and the Holy Ghost also but that he would especially work them up to the acknowledgment of Christ for the Father and the Holy Ghost they acknowledged without any scrupling but to own Christ for God whom they had crucified and to be initiated into Jesus of Nazareth was the great work that the Apostles went about And therefore especially endeavour to enter them into Jesus and to have them baptized in his name * 1100. Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized Heb. 12.17 Esau found no place of repentance Repentance is either a natural affection or acting of the soul which some call Civil or Politick grief change of mind or else it is a saving grace whereby a sinner turns
not limit them to this or that day they were to begin at the Center Jerusalem and so run to the utmost point of the Circle of the Isles * 1115. Acts 8.33 with Isa 53. 7 8. Who shall declare his Generation Some Christians understand it concerning the ineffability of Christs Eternal Generation others of the ineffability of his Incarnation or the Generation of his Humane Nature united to the Godhead Others concerning the wondrous Generation of the Church But that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of the Age and Generation in which Christ lived rather than that of his own Generation or Descent And the meaning of the Verse is to this purpose He was taken away and hurried from prison and from Judgment to execution and as the seventy had inlarged the sense by change of phrase in his poor and dejected estate his judgment was utterly taken away and no right done him And who can sufficiently speak of the looseness and wickedness of that Generation of Vipers who dealt so unjustly and wretchedly with him as to take and cut him off from the Land of the living 1116. Acts 9.6 Go into the City and there it shall be told thee what thou must do Gal. 1.15 Paul was not called by man neither from men to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ Saul was taught by Ananias concerning the means of his conversion but not concerning the Articles of his faith Ananias was sent to baptize him and heal him but not to call him to be an Apostle * 1117. Acts 9.6 with 26.16 17 18. In the one place more was related to be spoken from heaven than in the other and it is usual with the Holy Ghost to relate part of a story in one place part in another challenging the Readers pains and study to find them out 1118. Acts 9.7 And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless Cha. 26.14 And when we were all fallen to the earth I heard a voice The companions of Saul were first cast down then they stood speechless nor could they go forward untill Saul also rose from the earth * Acts 9.7 with 26.14 Stood speechless The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they stood stands in opposition to their going forward and not to their falling to the earth and meaneth that their amazedness fixed them that they could not flee nor stir Acts 9.7 They heard a voice but they saw no man Chap. 26.14 They that were with me saith Paul heard not the voice Hearing the sound of the voice they understand not the meaning of it so a voice coming to Christ from heaven Joh. 12.29 the company that heard it said it thundred * 1119. Acts 9.7 with 22.9 They heard the voice of Paul speaking to Christ but not Christs voice to him Or if they heard the voice from heaven yet they understood not what it said distinctly 1120. Acts 9.8 They led Saul into Damascus Gal. 1.17 He went into Arabia Paul after his conversion was first at Damascus then he went into Arabia and so returned again to Damascus 1121. Acts 9.15 Paul bare the name of the Lord before the Gentiles the Kings and the Children of Israel Gâ—l 1.16 He was separated to preach to the Gentiles the Gospel of Christ He was the ordinary Apostle to the Gentiles 1 Tim. 2.7 but extraordinarily he might teach the Jews also 1122. Acts 10.30 Four daies after the vision of Cornelius Peter came to Caesarea Ver 19. The morrow after they that were sent from Cornelius came to Peter Cornelius the first day at three of the clock after noon sent his servants to Peter the second day they came to Peter the third day they came with Peter from Joppa and lay by the way that night the fourth day they returned to Cornelius at Caesarea * 1123. Acts 12.17 Tell it to Iames and the Brethren Iames was already dead Ver. 2. Either theâ—e is anticipation of that Vers 2. or else this James was James of Alphaeus James the less Mar. 15.40 The Brother or Kinsman of our Lord yet surviving who was Bishop of Jerusalem as Antiquity affirms * 1124. Acts 13.22 I have found David the son of Jesse a man after my own heart which shall fulfill all my will with Psal 32.5 Psal 51.4 Against thee have I sinned David was after Gods mind in the main of his life though not in every particular action the denomination being from the greater part Besides God looked upon David as a man afâ—er his heart as he was repenting returning and washed from his sin not as he committed his sin He fulfilled all Gods will that is all the Precepts of Gods will though not all the particulars of those general Precepts he fulfilled singula generum though not genera singulorum He fulfilled wiâ—h sincerity though not with perfection of degrees the whole will of God 1125. Acts 14.22 We must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God Heb. 6.12 c. 11.1 The Saints by faith and patience inherit the promises The condition of the faithful is common through many tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of heaven from which some are freed by special priviledge for faith is the means of acquiring life eternal but tribulation is the way thither * Acts 14.22 with Heb. 6.12 We pass thorough many afflictions as they are the paths which God in his providence orders us to walk into heaven but we walk in these paths by faith and patience as they are the feet of the soul or Qualifications of those persons which walk in tribulations heaven-ward * 1126. Acts 15.2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention Rom. 14. Him that is weak in the faith 1 Tim. 3.3 The servants of Christ ought not to be contentious Paul and Barnabas were earnest in the contest because it was in a matter which so nearly concern'd the main of Religion as dispence with that and with all It is one thing not to contend about things indifferent in their own natures another thing to contend about that which is of absolute necessity as this truâ—h which they here so contended about The servants of Christ must not be contentious about trifles but we must conâ—end for the faith once delivered to the Saints 1127. Acts 15.10 The Law is a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear .. 1 Joh. 5.3 His Commandments are not grievous The Law is a yoke in respect of perfect obedience for here that is impossible for us the Commandments are easie in respect of the imputation of Christs righteousness Rom 6.14 who fulfilled the Law for us in whom our sins are forgiven * Acts 15.10 with 1 Joh. 5.3 The former is meant of the Ceremonial Law which both because of the extream painful bondage in the observation thereof as also because that the observance could never be so perfect but that the conscience would be involved in many scruples and anguishes And besides because that under them
then there * Acts 18.2 18. with Rom. 16.3 I and two others may have been at London and they two coming to York I still remaining there or else after we had all come from London I return back thither and they go to York I may write to them from London to York for all the former being together at London The same is here about Paul and their being at Corinth and yet his writing afterward to them shews noâ—hing to the contrary but their being there 1139. Acts 18.18 Paul shaved his head at Cenchrea for he had a vow Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Some refer that vow and shaving to Aquila if Paul did that he did it therefore that he might become all things to all men 1 Cor. 9. Acts. 21.26 that he might win some that he might serve the time and not offend the Jews but promote the cause of the Gospel * Acts 18.18 with Gal. 5.1 While this was done it was but an using the liberty of shaving the head a thing indifferent to the advantage of the Gospel 1140. Acts 19.2 The Disciples said to Paul we have not heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Ver. 4. They were baptized therefore they must know the Holy Ghost In the first place he speaks of the extraordinary miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost otherwise they were taught concerning the person of the Holy Ghost by John and they had received his common gifts conferred in Baptism * Acts 19.2 Whether there be an Holy Ghost Not that they doubted of such a Person in the Trinity but that whereas they had learned in the Schools that the Holy Ghost departed away after the death of Malachy they had never yet heard whether he was restored again in his gifts of Prophesie and miracles till now or no. The Jews had an old Maxime That after the death of Zacharias Malachy and those last Prophets the Spirit of God departed from Israel and went up So that from thence forward Predictions of future things and working Miracles were rarities among them 1141. Acts 19.3 Into Johns Vers 5. They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Baptism in the first place is taken for the whole Ministry of John Ver. 5. there was no reiteration of Baptism but an approbation of Baptism conferred in the name of Jesus by John which is understood to be done by laying on of hands * Acts 19.3 with 5. The word Baptism is used in Scripture for 1. The Baptism of water and outward washing 2. For the Baptism of bloud or Martyrdom 3. Metaphorically for the effusion of gifts of the Holy Ghost 4. Synecdochically not only for external Baptism but also for the whole doctrine so they are said to be baptized unto Johns Baptism Some understand the words V. 5. not of Paul but of John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those which heard John were baptized by John in the name of Jesus so as these words seem not to be spoken by Saint Luke of Paul but Pauls words continued of John as the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessarily answers Others think that though Johns Baptism was for remission of sins in the name and bloud of Christ and so in substance was the same with Christs Baptism yet that Form of words was not then used neither was there any mention made of the Holy Ghost so that it was imperfect and yet such as in the Divine Providence befitted that time wherein the Mysteries of the Gospel were not so plainly revealed but some more direct and particular preparation unto Christ and to his Baptism was made then before by the Prophets and legal Ceremonies 1142. Acts 19.13 Certain of the vagabond Jews exorcists took upon them to call on the Name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost The Lord Jesus is so called either by the mouth only as by the exorcists or from the heart by the Holy Ghost there are external gifts of the Holy Ghost and Confession is reckoned amongst the common gifts so those that were possessed with the devil could say that Jesus was the Son of God but the gifts of regeneration are proper to Believers only 1143. Acts 20.9 Euticus fallen asleep fell from the third loft and was taken up dead Ver. 10. His life is in him Paul speaks confidently whether the soul were in the young man or not so Christ said before he raised the maid she is not dead but sleepeth * Acts 20.9 with 10. The former verse speaks of him as really dead the latter verse speaks of him as one that was as sure to live as if he were now alive * 1144. Acts 20.22 Behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem Acts 21.4 The Disciples told him by the Spirit he should not go The former place tells us Paul knew he must go to Jerusalem and held himself bound in conscience or spirit to go thither The second place tells us that the Disciples which were inspired did represent to Paul the danger of his Journey by the Spirit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to ascend to Jerusalem because of the danger he would be in So that the sum is Paul was bound in his own spirit or resolved to go to Jerusalem and these Disciples from the Spirit of God tell him the danger of that resolution Or else if Paul was thus bound by the Spirit of God or commanded by him to do it The same Spirit of God did afterwards tell him of the dangers he should undergo and they from their Christian affection towards him which is a true fruit of the Spirit wished him not to ascend up * Acts 20.22 with 21.4 The former place saith he should not go not as hereby forbidding him absolutely to go but forbidding him to go unless upon the condition of his suffering soar afflictions Though the condition be not expressed yet it is necessarily implied as in other Scriptures and the Context expresseth 1145. Acts 20.27 I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Rom. 11.34 1 Cor. 2.6 Who hath known the mind of the Lord The counsel of God is either necessary for our salvation which was hid before and now is revealed or not necessary secret ascribing to the revealed will of God * Acts 20.27 with Rom. 11.34 He declared all the Counsel of God which was necessary for them to know at that time The mind of God is either of precept or purpose secret or revealed Who hath known the secret will the will of Gods purpose And as for the revealed will and mind of God it is either in things that more necessarily have relation to our salvation or less concern it He speaks in the former place of those things which were more necessary for their salvation at that time The latter place
love to us but Judas delivered Christ out of covetousness The Father for us and for our salvation Judas for thirty pieces of silver to his own destruction 1183. Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Jam. 2.24 You see that by works a man is justified and nat by faith only Paul doth not separate as to existency works from faith which works by love but the object of Justification before God Gal. 5.6 James rejects faith which wants good works that is a dead faith of the devil v. 17 19. and attributes to works the declaration of Iustification v. 21. yet he confirms a lively faith v. 22. by the example of Abraham Augustine saith that when the Apostle saith a man is justified by faâ—â— he doth it not that works should be despised because they follow the man justified they do not go before Justification * Rom. 3.28 with Jam. 2.24 St. Paul tells us a man is justified by faith in opposition to that justification which the Jews expected by the deeds of the Law St. James tells us a man is justified by works in opposition to a pretence of faith or such a faith as men say they have while they pretend to believe in Christ and yet do nothing that Christ commands St. Paul tells us it is a faith alone that justifies but not such a faith as is alone for that faith which justifies though it justifie as alone yet it alwaies is accompanied with good works St. James saith a man is justified by works or a faith which is working St. Paul speaks of faith as it justifies in foro divino before God St. James of works as they justifie in foro conscientiae vel humano as they justifie us to our selves or to others Faith justifies our Persons Works justifie our Faith 1184. Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Heb. 7.18 There is a disanulling of the Commandment going before through the weakness thereof The first place is of the Moral Law which faith confirmeth because Christ came to fulfil it and not to destroy it and the end of the Law is to bring us to Christ The latter place is concerning the Ceremonial Law which is abrogated because the shadow was to give place to the substance * 1185. Rom. 4.3 Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness Psal 106.31 And Phinehas executed judgment and it was counted unto him for righteousness Abraham was not justified merito fidei by the merit and worthiness of his faith Abraham was justified by faith not materialiter materially as it was an act but relate objective as it hath relation unto the Object the Justice of Christ and Organice instrumentally as it applyeth the righteousness of Christ Abraham believed the Promise of God to be his shield and to give him an heir of his own body and to multiply his numerous Posterity of whom Christ was the chief and by whom all Nations were to be blessed As for Phinehas God accounted his Act as a righteous Act though men might count it an an Act of rash Zeal So that the Act did not Justifie the Person but the Person doing that Act sincerely was justified as to that Action * 1186. Rom. 4.5 God justifieth the ungodly 1 Kin. 8.31 Condemning the wicked to bring his way upon his head and justifying the righteous God justifieth the ungodly not as he is ungodly but as he is penitent and turning from his ungodliness He is said to justifie the ungodly as those who were so in themselves and are cloathed in Christ and so are esteemed godly * 1187. Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but believeth Lu. 10.28 This do and thou shalt live The former place saith He who is not able to fulfil the condition of works not grounding himself thereon taking the way to be saved by believing to him is the reward reckoned The latter place shews us a man who sought Eternal life by the works of the Law which he could not fulfil whom Christ referred to the Law to shew him his sin knowing that would be a means to bring him to Christ or leave him inexcusable and so they intend the same thing 1188. Rom. 4.7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Mat. 5.2 Blessed are the poor in spirit the clean in heart the merciful In the first place is spoken of the cause of blessedness namely remission of sins and imputation of righteosness In the latter place of vertues which are the way to blessedness 1189. Rom. 4.15 Chap. 5.20 Where there is no Law there is no transgression Chap. 2.12 As many as sin in the Law shall be judged by the Law In the former place the Law is taken generally without which there can be no transgression In the latter place he speaks of the natural Law for even the Gentiles shall perish for violating of it * 1190. Rom. 4.17 Even God who quickneth the dead 2 Kings 4.35 Elias raised the dead c. God only and of his own power raised the dead the Prophets and Apostles raised the dead by power of God and not by their own power They as Instruments God as the Cause 1191. Rom. 4.18 Abraham against hope Ver. 18. Believed in hope He believed contrary to humane hope by his hope in God having confidence contrary to the reason of the flesh the force of nature for all these would have weakned hope would make him doubt and despair also yet he overcame all those difficulties by firm hope he hoped in things desperate distrusting himself but trusting in God * 1192. Rom. 4.20 He staggered not at the Promise Gen. 17.17 Abraham fell upon his face and laughed This laughing is of admiration at Gods favour nor at distrust of his power though he had hitherto found an indisposition in his body to beget a Child and having been so long without he could not but entertain the Promise by way of wonder and rejoycing and in this rejoycing his faith might reach as far as the joy of the Messiah Luk. 2.10 Joh. 8.56 1193. Rom. 4.25 God raised Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead Joh. 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up The Resurrection is ascribed to God the Father because the works of the Trinity ad extra are indivisible to the Son because he hath the same power with the Father who willingly underwent death and therefore the Resurrection is to be ascribed to his free will 1194. Rom. 5.2 By faith we stand and rejoyce 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall We stand founded on Gods grace whilst we are kept by the power of God by faith unto salvation by sin we fall when we think we stand 1195. Rom. 5.4 Patience worketh experience Jam. 1.3 Experience worketh patience Probation in the first place is taken