Gen. 20. 16. V. 16. currant or passing to and so allowed of Merchants as the Greek turneth it which the Chaldee amplifieth thus that was taken for merchandise in every Countrey Vers. 17. was made sure the Hebrew is stood up that is was made stable sure and confirmed as the Greek translateth it in the last verse of this chapter And this purchase thus assured to Abraham was a propheticall signe that his posterity should have the inheritance of that land even as Ieremies buying of his uncles field before witnesses was a signe of the Iewes returne into the possession of this land Ier. 32. 7. 9. 10. 15. 43. 44. Vers. 19. in the cave or deâ— thus carefully bought and described where it lay for a monument to posterity In this cave also Abraham himselfe was buried with his wife at his death Gen. 25. 9. Likewise Isaak his sonne with Rebekah his wife and Iaakob with Leah his wife Gen. 49. 31. and 50. 13. The Patriarchs hereby testifying their faith in the promises of God for the inheritance of this land and of life eternall figured hereby as before is observed on v. 4. Herewith may bee compared the purchase of the potters field bought with the price of Christs blood to bury strangers in Mat. 27. CHAP. XXIV 1 Abraham sweareth his servant to take a wife for Isaak not of the Canaanites but of his own kinred 8 The conditions of the oath 10 The servants journey 12 his prayer 14 his signe 15 Rebekah meeteth him 18 fulfilleth his signe 22 receiveth jewels 23 sheweth her kinred 25 and inviteth him home 26 The servant blesseth God 28 Laban entertaineth him 34 The servant sheweth his message and what had befalne him by the way 50 Laban and Bethuel acknowledge Gods worke and grant Rebekah for a wife unto Isaak 58 Rebekah also consenteth to goe 62 Isaak walking out to meditate in the field meeteth her 67 She is brought into Sarahs tent and becommeth Isaaks beloved wife ANd Abraham was old was come into dayes and Iehovah had blessed Abraham in all things And Abraham said unto his servant the eldest of his house that ruled over all that he had put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh And I will make thee swear by Iehovah God of the heavens and God of the earth that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanite among whom I dwell But thou shalt goe unto my land and unto my kinred and shalt take a wife unto my son Isaak And the servant said unto him If so be the woman will not be willing to goe after me unto this land shal I returning return thy son unto the land from whence thou camest-out And Abraham said unto him Beware thou least thou returne my son thither Iehovah God of the heavens which tooke mee from my fathers house and from the land of my kinred and which spake unto me and which sware unto mee saying unto thy seed will I give this land he will send his Angell before thee and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence And if the woman will not be willing to go after thee then shalt thou be cleare from this my oath only thou shalt not returne my son thither And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord and sware to him concerning this matter And the servant tooke ten camels of the camels of his lord went and all the goods of his lord in his hand and he arose went to Mesopotamia unto the city of Nachor And hee made the camels to kneele downe without the Citie by a well of water at the time of the evening at the time that women which draw water goe forth And he said Iehovah God of my lord Abraham I pray thee bring it-to-passe before mee this day and doe mercy unto my lord Abraham Behold I stand by the well of water and the daughters of the men of the citie come-out to draw water And let it be that the damsel to whom I shall say bow downe I pray thee thy pitcher and let me drinke and shee shall say drinke thou and I will give thy camels drinke also be the same thou hast evidently-appointed for thy servant Isaak and therby shall I know that thou hast done mercy unto my lord And it was before he had made an end of speaking that behold Rebekah came-out who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah the wife of Nachor Abrahams brother and her pitcher upon her shoulder And the damsell was of a very good countenance a virgin neither had any-man knowne her and shee went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came-up And the seruant ran to meet her and he said let me drinke I pray thee a little water out of thy pitcher And she said drinke my lord and she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drinke And she made-an-end of giving him drinke and said I will draw for thy camels also untill they have made-an-end of drinking And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran againe unto the well to draw and drew for all his camels And the man wondring at her held his peace to know whether Iehovah had prospered his way or not And it was when the camels had made-an-end of drinking that the man tooke an earering of gold half a shekel was the weight therof two bracelets for her hands ten shekels of gold was the weight of them And he said whose daughter art thou tel me I pray thee is there in thy fathers house place for us to lodge And she said unto him I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah whom she bare unto Nachor And she said unto him with us is both straw and provender enough place also to lodge And the man bended-down-the-head and bowed-himselfe unto Iehovah And hee said Blessed be Iehovah God of my lord Abraham who hath not left off his mercy and his truth from with my lord I being in the way Iehovah led me to the house of the brethren of my lord And the damsell ran and told her mothers house according to these words And Rebekah had a brother and his name was Laban and Laban ranne unto the man without unto the well And it was when he saw the earering and the bracelets upon his sisters hands and when hee heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying thus spake the man unto mee that hee came unto the man and behold hee was standing by the camels at the well And hee sayd Come in thou the blessed of Iehovah wherefore standest thou without and I have prepared the house and place for the camels And the man came into the house and hee ungirded the camels and he gave straw and provender for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men that were with him And there was set meat before him to eat and he said I
The Proselyte bringeth and professeth as it is said to Abraham A father of a multitude of nations have I given thee to be Gen. 17. 5. Behold he is the father of all the whole world which are gathered under the wings of the divine Majestie And to Abraham was the oath at first that his sonnes should inherit the land Likewise the Priests and Levites doe bring first-fruits and professe because they have cities and suburbs He that separateth his first-fruits and selleth his field bringeth them but professeth not for he cannot say WHICH THE LORD HATH GIVEN ME because the land is not his And he that bought it is not bound to separate other first-fruits of that sort because he that sold it hath separated them already and if he doe separate any he may bring them but not make profession but of another sort he may separate bring and professe He that separateth first-fruits and they are lost before they come at the mount of Gods house he separate other for thē he bringeth the second but professeth not because he cannot say THE FIRST OF THE FRVIT OF THE LAND Deut. 26. 10. for they are not the first c. Hee that bringeth first-fruits of one kinde and maketh profession and commeth againe bringeth first-fruits of another kinde hee maketh no profession over them for it is said I PROFESSE THIS DAY one time in the yeere doth hee make profession and not twise He that bringeth first-fruits after the feast untill the dedication although he separated them before the feast bringeth them but maketh no profession because it is said in vers 11. AND THOV SHALT REIOYCE IN ALL THE GOOD so there is no professing but at the time of rejoycing from the beginning of the feast of Weekes untill the end of the feast Maimony in Biccurim ch 3. sect 12. c. and ch 4. sect 1. c. In that which is said of the Proselyte or Stranger Maimony differeth from his fellowes for in Thalmud Bad. in Biccurim ch 1. sect 4. it is said The Proselyte bringeth but professeth not because he cannot say which thou hast sworne to our fathers to give unto us but if his mother were an Israelitesse hee bringeth and professeth But the former well agreeth with the mystery of the Gospell for as it is prophesied in Ezek. 47. 22. Yee shall divide the Land by lot for an inheritance to you and to the strangers that sojourne among you which shall be get children among you and they shall bee unto you as borne in the countrey c. So when Christ came Zacheus the chiefe Publican became the sonne of Abraham Luk. 19. 9. and in Christ there is neither Iew nor Greeke but all are one in him and Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise Gal. 3. 28 29. And in him is this service in the mystery of it fulfilled when wee at our Pentecost that is when wee receive the first-fruits of Gods Spirit Act. 2. Rom. 8. 23. doe honour him with our persons our substance and with the first-fruits of all our increase Prov. 3. 9. offering the sacrifice of praise unto God continually the fruit of our lips confessing to his name Heb. 13. 15. For as the first of all fruits were holy so the Church is holy unto the Lord of all peoples in the earth Rev. 14. 4. Iam. 1. 18. as it is written Israel is holinesse unto Iehovah the first-fruits of his revenue Ier. 2. 3. And as these first-fruits were brought into the Sanctuary in a basket so the good Israelites whom God would accept for his are likened to a basket of good figs set before the Temple of the Lord even like the sigs that are first ripe and them God promiseth to acknowledge and to set his eies upon them for good and that they shall bee his people and he will be their God c. Ier. 24. 1 2 5 6 7. A Syrian ready to perish Hebr. An Aramite perishing or of perdition that is ready to perish through poverty affliction and misery As in Prov. 31. 6 7. Give strong drinke unto him that is ready to perish c. Let him drinke and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more An Aramite is after the Greeke called a Syrian as is noted on Gen. 10. 22. this Syrian here spoken of was Iacob who dwelt in Syria with Laban the Syrian twenty yeeres in hard service Gen. 28. 5. and 31. 38 40 41 42. Hos. 12. 12. and therefore though hee was naturally an Hebrew yet for his misery is called a Syrian as contrariwise Iether who by nature was an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 2 17. is for his faith and state of grace called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17. 25. And thus God said to the Iewes that dwelt in Canaan thy nativity is of the land o◠Canaan thy father was an Amorite and thy mother a Chethite Ezek. 16. 3. Others understand it here of Laban translating A Syrian was destroying my father or working his perdition and to this the Chaldee agreeth saying Laban the Syrian sought to destroy or undoe my father and the vulgar Latine A Syrian persecuted my father The Greeke differeth from both translating My father left Syria By this speech they were taught to acknowledge their first estate and originall to have beene most miserable and so we ought all to confesse Ephes 2. 2 3. a few men in Chaldee a small people they went downe but with seventy soules Gen. 46. 27. Vers. 6. evill intreated did evill or vexed and this is a commemoration of their second maine affliction whereof see Exod. 1. c. and it was afigure of our bondage under sinne and Satan which wee being delivered from are to mention with thankfulnesse Rom. 6. 17 18. Tit. 3. 3. hard servitude in Greeke hardworkes they made them serve with rigour that their lives were bitter unto them Exod. 1. 14. God would not have us forget our former miseries though wee bee come out of them hee sundry times commandeth this Thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in Egypt Deut. 16. 12. Remember that yee having beene in times passed heathens c. were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel c. Ephes. 2. 11 12. Vers. 7. wee cried out in Chaldee wee praied see Exod. 2. 23 24 25. heard our voice in Chaldee accepted our praier saw in Chaldee it was revealed or manifest before him see Exod. 3. 7. our labour or our molestation Vers. 8. out stretched in Greeke and Chaldee an high arme see Exod. 7. c. terriblenesse or terrour this the Greeke and Chaldee translate visions and so in Deut. 4. 34. Vers. 9. milke and honey under which two all other earthly blessings and heavenly also in figure are implied and hereby they acknowledge the truth of Gods promises made unto their fathers whereof see the notes on Exod. 3. 8. So after in vers 15. Vers. 10. the first-fruit in Greeke the first-fruits of the fruits As wee our selves are
partly for religion partly for munition in time of war saying Let us build us a City and Tower c. and let us make for us within it a house of worship or Temple lest we c. a feare arising from their owne guilty consciences as is often in the wicked Iob 15. 20. 21. Lev. 26. 36. Prov. 28. 1. Vers. 5. came down that is shewed by his works that he tooke knowledge of this evill to punish it This is spoken of God after the manner of men so Gen. 18. 21. Psal. 144. 5. See the notes on Gen. 6. 6 The Chaldee explaineth it thus And the Lord appeared to take vengeance upon the workes of the Citie and Tower Vers. 6. there will not be cut off from them that is they will not be restrained so noting their wilfull persisting in the evill begun Or question-wise thus should they not be cut off or restrained meaning it was very meet they should Vers. 7. Let us goe downe The holy Trinity here determineth as when in Gen. 1. 26. he said Let us make man against the former determination of vaine men vers 4. So he dissipateth the counsell of the nations Psal. 33. 10. not heare that is not understand so in 1 Cor. 14. 2. hee speaketh not unto men for no man heareth that is understandoth and in Esay 36. 11. Speake Syriacke for we heare that is understand it so a hearing heart for an understanding 1 King 3. 9. Ioseph heard that is understood Gen. 42. 23. and sundry the like Albeit God might at first smite them all with deafnesse that they could not at all heare and then change their tongues A like judgement David wisheth against his enemies Psal. 51. 10. Vers. 8. scattered and so dissolved their communion and brought on them the evill which they sought to prevent vers 4. for that which the wicked feareth shall come upon him Prov. 10. 24. The Hebrew Doctors from hence doe conclude The generation of the division of tongues have no part in the world to come that is in the kingdome of heaven as it is written And the Lord scattered them from thence c. The Lord scattered them in this world and from thence the Lord scattered them in the world to come Thalmud Bab. in Sanhedr ch 10. left off to build the contrary miracle God wrought by the gift of tongues to build up Ierusalem Act. 2. 4. 6. 11. c. Vers. 9. Babel or Babylon in the Greeke translated Confusion because there the Lord Balal that is Confounded their language And Babel is the same that Balbel but for ease of speech the first l is left out and it accordeth with the Chaldee or Baby lonian tongue which soundeth the Hebrew Balal Balbel as the Chaldee paraphrast here hath it lip of all the earth that is language of all people on the earth see verse 1. And here tongues first were for a signe to unbeleevers as 1 Cor. 14. 22. that by this judgement they might be converted unto the Lord though they made no such use thereof as neither did those that mocked at the gift of tongues whereby the heavenly City was builded Acts 2. 4. 13. The Hebrew Doctors say that at this dispersion there were seventy nations with seventy sundry languages R. Menachem on Gen. 11. Vers. 10. old Hebr. sox and so in the rest that follow See the notes on Gen. 5. 32. and compare this genealogy with that there Ten Patriarchs are there reckned from Adam to Noe and ten here from Sem to Abraham both of them proceeding with the linage of our Lord Christ who came of all these fathers according to the flesh Luke 3. There each fathers generation is set down in three verses here but in two and their death is not spoken of Howbeit the lives of men are now shortned to the halfe Vers. 11. 500 yeere By this we may gather that Sem lived till Isaak sonne of Abram was fifty yeres old and saw ten generations after him before hee dyed A singular blessing both to him and them Vers. 12. begat Salah or Shelach and as the holy Ghost counted the time of Arphaxads birth two yeeres after the flood vers 10. so may wee gather it for all the rest as Sala was borne 37 yeeres after the flood and after the creation of the world 1693 The Greek translation inserteth here a man which never was by the Hebrew verity saying that Arphaxad begat Kainan and that Kainan lived 130 yeeres and begat Sala Also the time of each fathers procreation is for the most part changed in the Greeke This seemeth to be done purposely that the true genealogy might not bee knowne to the heathen for whom the Greeke Bible was first translated And because in all Greeke Bibles Kainan was set downe the Evangelist also to beare with the worlds weaknesse or for other causes seeming good to the Spirit of God reckneth Kainan betweene Arphaxad and Sala in Luke 3. 36. But neither here nor in 1 Chron. 1. nor in any Hebrew text in his name recorded See a like thing in Gen. 46. 20. Vers. 14. begat Heber after the flood 67 yeeres in the yeere of the world 1723. Vers. 16. begat Phaleg or Peleg after the flood 101 y. and of the world 1757. Vers. 17. 430 yeere So Heber lived till Abraham was dead Gen. 25. 7. and was the longest liver of all that were borne after the flood and they that came after him lived not past halfe his dayes Vers. 18. begat Ragau or Rehu after the flood 131 y. and of the world 1787. Vers. 20. begat Saruch or Serug after the flood 163 y. and of the world 1819. Vers. 22. thirty yeere at the same age Phaleg and Salah are before noted to have begotten their sonnes begat Nachor after the flood 193. and of the world 1849. Vers. 24. begat Tharah or Terach after the flood 222 y. and of the world 1878. Vers. 26. begat Abram Nachor and Haran that is began to beget and so begat one of these three to weet Haran not all in the same yeere The like was before in Noes begetting Sem Cham and Iapheth Gen. 5. 32. where Sem for dignity was named first as Abram is here and Iapheth the eldest last as Haran is here For Tharah the father dyed 205 yeares old vers 32. then Abram departed from Charran 75 yeere old Gen. 12. 4. wherfore Abram was borne not when Tharah was 70 but when he was 130 yeere old which was after the flood 352 yeere and of the world 2008. Vers. 28. land of his nativity that is his native country or as the Greeke saith wherein hee was borne Vr of the Chaldees that is Vr in the land of the Chaldeans which land Stephen calleth also Mesopotamia Act. 7. 2. 4. for it lay betweene two rivers And Chaldea is by humane writers also called Mesopotamia Plin. hist. b. 6. c. 27. Vr signifieth Light and Fire here the Chaldee paraphrast taketh it to be the name of a
payed to Kings for their attendance to the affaires of the common-wealth Rom. 13. 6. 7. so tithes in the law are called body and an heave-offering to the Lord Levit. 27. 30. Numb 18. 24. and before the law Iaakob payed them to the Lord Gen. 28. 22. and hee appointed his tithes to the Priests Num. 28. 8. 21. And Abram the tenth generation from Sem here payeth to the Priest Melchisedek who is generally thought to be Sem the tenth of all The Priests also and Levites of the Law who now were in Abrams Ioines did in him pay tithes to Melchisedek wherefore his Priesthood was greater then theirs Heb. 7. 9. 10. 11. This service was also kept among the heathens Pisistratus tyrant of Athens writeth to Solon thus All the Athenians doe separate the tithe of their fruits not to be spent unto our use but for publicke sacrifices and common profits c. D. Laert. in vita Solonis So among the Latines they were wont to pay tithes to their god Hercules Pomp. Lâ—tus de Sacerdot Macrob. Saturn l. 3. c. 12. of all the Apostle saith the tithe of the spoyles and so it was a speciall thankfulnesse for the victory God had given him So of the spoyles which Israel got from Madian a tribute was levied unto the Lord and given to the Priest Num. 31. 28. 29. 41. A like custome continued among the Gentiles for King Cyrus his souldiers by the advice of Crasas were stayed from spoyling the Lydians City that the tithes might first be payed to Iupiter Herodot inClio And here endeth the History of Melchisedek who is spoken of and left as the Apostle observeth without father without mother without rehearsall of genealogie having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but made like unto the sonne of God abideth a Priest perpetually Heb 7. 3. Vers. 21. the soules Hebr. soule one put for many and soules for persons the men and women of Sodom whom Abram had brought backe from the enemy See Gen. 12. 5. and 3. 2. So the Greek translateth the men Vers. 22. lift up my hand So they were wont when they did sweare Dan. 12. 7. Rev. 10. 5. 6. The Chaldee expoundeth it of lifting up in prayer it seemeth to be a vow that Abram made when he went to the warre wherein hee both prayed for victorie and sware this oath for these are joyned together Psal. 132. 2. Iudg. 11. 30. c. Vers. 23. If from a threed An unperfect speech used in othes for If I take from a threed that is I will not take so much as a threed or a shoe-latchet So God sware if they shall enter into my rest Psal. 95. 11. which is expounded by the Apostle that they should not enter Heb. 3 11. 18. and Christ saith if a signe be given to this generation Mark 8. 12. which another Evangelist explaineth thus a signe shall not be given Mat. 16. 4. See after in Gen. 21. 23. and thou shalt not or as the Greek translateth that thou maist not say Vers. 24. Save or Except So the Greeke and Chaldee also translateth Some expound it It shall not be with me or Far be it from me young men those trained souldiers vers 14. This word is not alwayes meant of age but often of service and ministery though they be men of ripe yeares as Est. 2. 2. Exod. 24. 5. and 33. 11. So such as one Evangelist calleth young men and young maids Luke 12. 45. another calleth fellow-servants Mat. 24. 49. CHAP. XV. 1 God incourageth Abram 2 Abram complaineth for want of an heyre 4 God promiseth him a sonne and seed as the starres of heaven 6 Abram beleeveth God and is justified 7 Canaan is promised againe to be his inheritance and confirmed by a signe 12 and by a vision 13 The pilgrimage and affliction of Abrams seed foretold and limited 18 Together with the covenant the largenesse of the heritage is described AFter these things was the word of Iehovah unto Abram in a vision saying Feare not Abram I am a shield to thee thy reward shall be exceeding great And Abram said Lord Iehovih what wilt thou give me and I goe childless and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damaskus And Abram said Behold to me thou hast not given seed and Ioe the sonne of my house is mine heyre And behold the word of Iehovah came unto him saying This shall not be thine heyre but he that shall come out of thy bowels hee shall be thy heyre And he brought him forth abroad and sayd Looke now towards heavens and number the starres and if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be And he beleeved in Iehovah and he imputed it to him for justice And he said unto him I am Iehovah that brought thee out from Vr of the Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it And he said Lord Iehovih whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it And he said unto him take unto me a three-yeerling heiffer and a three-yeerling she-goat and a three-yeerling ram and a turtle dove and a yong pigeon And he tooke unto him all these and parted them in the midst and gave every ones part against his fellow and the birds he parted not And the sowles came downe upon the carkeises and Abram huffed them away And the Sunne was going downe and a deepe-sleepe fell upon Abram and loe a terrour a great darknesse fell upon him And he said to Abram knowing know thou that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeeres And also the nation whom they shall serve I will judge and afterward they shall come out with great substance And thou shalt come unto thy fathers in peace thou shalt be buried in a good hoary-age And the fourth generation they shall returne hither for the iniquity of the Amorite is not perfectly-full as yet And the Sunne was going-downe and there was a darknesse and behold a smoking oven and a lampe of fire which passed betweene these peeces In that day Iehovah stroke a covenant with Abram saying to thy seed give I this land from the river of Aegypt unto the great River the river Euphrates The Kenite and the Kenizite and the Kadmonite And the Chethite and the Pherezite and the Rephaims And the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgasite and the Iebusite Annotations THese things Hebr. these words that is these things spoken of for a word is generally used for any thing mentioned in speech or writing or whereof speech may be the like is in Gen. 19. 22. and 24. 40. So an uncleane word that is thing Levit 5. 2. an evill word for an evill thing Deut. 17. 5. and many the like in a vision or a sight the Chaldee saith in prophesie the Greeke in a vision of the night which the 5. verse confirmeth Prophets of old were called Seers
explaineth it I have accepted thy prayer twelve Princes So of Iakob Isaaks sonne came twelve Patriarchs Act. 7. 8. These Princes are after named in Gen. 25. 12. 16. Vers. 21. covenant This is the thirteenth time that the covenant is named in this Chapter and hereby is meant the promise of Christ and salvation in him as the Apostle sheweth in Rom. 9. 5. 7. 8. and by this it appeareth that Gods covenant with Abraham was of spirituall and heavenly things in Christ as is also confirmed by Luke 1. 55. 72. 73. 74. Gal. 3. 29. wherein Isaak was preferred before Ismael Vers. 22. God went up to weet into heaven and appeared no longer so in other like visions of Angels they are said to goe into heaven Luke 2. 25. For God the Chaldee saith the glory of the Lord meaning the vision which had now appeared which phrase the holy text sometime useth as in Ezekiel 1. 29. and 3. 23. and 8. 4. So after in Gen. 35. 13. Vers. 23. Abraham tooke herein hee shewed a rare example of obedience to Gods word not regarding the affliction danger shame scandall and foolishnesse which this action in the eyes of the world seemed to bring with it though to him-selfe and all the faithfull in his house it was the seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. 11. Here the Iewes have their uncertaine conjectures or traditions as that Abraham sent and called for Sem the sonne of Noe he was Melchisedek about this businesse that it was done on Atonement day spoken of in Levit. 16. and in the place where afterward the Altar stood in the Court of the Temple and the like Pirke R. Eliezer ch 29. circumcised or cut off to weet all the skin that covered the top of the flesh that the top of the flesh remained bare for so the Hebrew shew the manner of Circumcision to have beene And this being a holy signe and seale Abraham doubtlesse sanctified the work by praier which custome all the Iewes keepe to this day For hee that circumciseth doth first blesse him that sanctified them with his commandements and commanded them to circumcise and to gather themselves into the covenant of Abraham their father that sanctified his beloved from the womb and sealed their off-spring with the signe of the holy covenant that commanded them to circumcise strangers and servants and to draw out of them the blood of the covenant Which blessings Maimony recordeth in his foresaid treatise of Circumcision ch 3. S. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. where he also noteth that who so circumciseth a man growne must cover his nakednesse whiles he blesseth and after he uncovereth and circumciseth him selfe-same day Hebr. the body or strength of this day at Gen. 7. 13. the Greeke interpreteth it in the time of that day From hence and the commandement in Lev. 12. 3. the Iewes have taught that none might ever circumcise but in the day time after the Sun was up Maimony treat of circum ch 1. S. 8. Vers. 27. circumcised with him Not onely Abraham himselfe but his houshold with him kept the way of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. and by faith they all obeyed this hard precept whereby they were wounded pained and sore in their flesh all at once as Gen. 34. 25. and spiritually did put off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. CHAP. XVIII 1 Abraham entertaineth three Angels 9 who promiseth Sarah a sonne 12 where at she laugheth and is reproved 17 The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham 23 and hee maketh intercession for the men thereof 32 The whole Citie should bee spared if but ten just persons were found therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ANd Iehovah appeared unto him in the Okes of Mamree and he was sitting at the tent doore in the heat of the day And he lifted up his eyes and saw and loe three men standing before him and he saw and ranne to meet them from the tent doore and bowed-downe himselfe to the ground And hee said Lord if now I haue found grace in thine eyes passe not away I pray thee from thy servant Let a little water I pray you be taken and wash ye your feet and leane-ye-downe under the tree And I will take a morsell of bread and sustaine ye your heart after that ye shall passon for therfore have you passed unto your servant And they sayd So doe as thou hast spoken And Abraham hastned into the tent to Sarah and hee said Hasten three peckes of flowry meale knead and make cakes And Abraham ranne unto the herd and he tooke a Calfe of the herd tender and good and gave it to a yongman and hee hastned to make it ready And hee tooke butter and milke and the calfe of the herd which he had made ready and set it before them and he was standing by them under the tree and they did eat And they said unto him where is Sarah thy wife And hee said behold in the tent And hee said Returning I will returne unto thee when this time reviveth and loe Sarah thy wife shall have a sonne And Sarah heard in the tent doore and it was behind him And Abraham and Sarah were old comming into daies it ceased â—o be with Sarah after the way of women And Sarah laughed within her selfe saying after I am wexed-old shall I have pleasure also my Lord is old And Iehovah said unto Abraham wherefore laugheth Sarah saying Shall I verily bear a-child and I am old Shall any-thing be unpossible for Iehovah At the appointed-time will I returne unto thee when this time reviveth and Sarah shall have a sonne And Sarah falsly-denyed saying I laugbed not for she was afraid and he said nay but thou didst laugh And the men rose-up from thence and looked towards Sodom and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way And Iehovah sayd shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing And Abraham being shall bee a great and mighty nation and blessed shall be in him all nations of the earth For I know him how that hee will command his sonnes and his house after him and they shall keepe the way of Iehovah to doe justice and judgement that Iehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken unto him And Iehovah said The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha because it is much and their sinne because it is very heavy I will goe-downe now and see whether according to the cry therof that is come unto me they have done altogether and if not that I may know And the men turnedthe face from thence and went to Sodom and Abraham he yet stood before Iehovah And Abraham drew-neere and said wilt thou also consume the just with the wicked If so be there bee fifty just men within the City wilt thou also consume and not spare the place for the fifty just which are within it Far-be-it from thee to doe according to this word to slay the
just with the wicked and that the just should bee as the wicked far-be-it from thee shall the Iudge of all the earth not doe judgement And Iehovah said If I shall find in Sodom fifty just men within the city then will I spare all the place for their sake And Abraham answered and said Behold now I have taken upon me to speake unto the Lord and I am dust and ashes If-so-be there lacke of fifty just men five wilt thou destroy for five all the city And he said I will not destroy if I shall find there fourty and five And he added again to speake unto him and said If-so-be fourty be found there and hee said I will not doe it for fourties sake And he said O let not now the Lord be wroth and I will speake If-so-be thirty be found there and hee said I will not doe it if I shall find thirty there And he said Behold now I have taken-upon me to speake unto the Lord If so be twenty shall be found there And he sayd I will not destroy for twenties sake And hee sayd O let not now the Lord bee wroth and I will speake but this once If-so-be ten shall bee found there And he said I will not destroy for tennes sake And Iehovah went-away when as he had made-an-end of speaking unto Abraham and Abraham returned to his place Annotations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here beginneth the fourth section of the Law called of the first word Vajera that is And the Lord appeared See Gen. 6. 9. Vers. 1. appeared or was seene of him meaning Abraham This vision was to renew the promise of Isaaks birth and to acquaint Abraham with Gods purpose of destroying Sodom And for us to see how Abrahams faith wrought with his workes and by workes faith was made perfect as Iam. 2. 22. the akes that is the oke-grove or the plaine see Gen. 13. 18. in the heat that is at â—oone as the Greeke translateth it At such time travellers wexe saint and hungry heat also figureth afflictions Mat. 13. 6. 21. Rev. 7. 16. the due time to shew forth works of grace Mat. 25. 35. Vers. 2. three men so they seemed at first to Abraham but he entertained Angels unawares Heb. 13. 2. for one of these is called Iehovah vers 13. 14. 17. 20. 22. and Abraham after so acknowledged him as the Lord and Iudge of all the earth ver 25. 27. And this was Christ Rom. 10 9. Iohn 5. 22. The other two were created Angels Gen. 19. 1. The Hebrew Doctors here say And behold three Angels were sent to Abraham our father and they three were sent for three things because it cannot be that moe things then one should be sent by the hand of one of the high Angels The first Angell was sent to shew glad-tidings unto Abraham our father that Sarah should beare Isaak The second Angell was sent to deliver Let from the overthrow of Sodom The third Angell was sent to overthrow Sodom and Gomorrha Admah and Seboim Thargum Ierusalemy on Gen. 18. before him or against him thus occasioning Abraham to come unto them who presently ran and so pursued hospitality as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 12. 13. Vers. 3. Lord the Hebrew Adonai is written with long A in the end which is the usuall title of God as is observed on Gen. 15. 2. The Greeke also translateth it absolutely Lord and the Chaldee expresseth it by the letters of Iehovah otherwise then in Gen. 19. 2. And Abraham in vers 27. under this title acknowledgeth him for God opposing himselfe as dust and ashes Vers. 4. leane ye downe that is rest ye or as the Greeke translateth refresh your selves Vers. 5. sustaine ye or uphold that is comfort or strengthen your heart the Greeke translateth it eat Bread is compared to a staffe or stay Esay 3. 1. for that it is the chiefe sustenance that upholds the life of man So in Iudg. 19. 5. Psal. 104. 15. Vers. 6. three peckes or measures each of them was at least a pottle bigger then our English pecke for three of them made an Ephah or Bushel wherof see Exodus 16. 36. The Hebrewes write that this their pecke which they call Seah the Greeke Saton contained as much as 144 common hens egges For their least measure is the quantity of an egge sixe whereof doe make a measure called Log or Pinte whereof see Lev. 14. 10. and foure of them Logs make a Kab wherof see 2 Kin. 6. 25. and sixe Kabs make this Seah or Pecke three whereof Abraham prepareth here for three mens dinner which with other things doe manifest his liberality contrary to Nabals 1 Sam. 25. 11. Our Saviour also hath a Parable of three peckes of meale which a woman leavened Mat. 13. 33. That which in Ruth 2. 17. is an Ephah or Bushell of barly the Chaldee Paraphrase there calleth three Seahs or peckes So also in Exod. 16. 36. flowery meale that is fine meale Hebr. meale of flower This and the tender and good calfe vers 7. sheweth that Abrahams benevolence was of the best things that hee had See the annotations on Gen. 4. 4. Vers. 7. the herd or the beeves as the Greeke and Chaldee turne it a calfe Hebr. son of the herd or beefe so sonnes of the flocke for Lambes Psal. 114. 4. sonne of the asse for a foale Gen. 49. 11. 〈…〉 es of the Vâ—icorne Psal. 29. 6. and sundry the like to make it to weet ready that is to dresse it An usuall phrase for preparing dressing or trimming any thing so to make the Passover Exod. 12. 48. Mat. 26. 18. and other sacrifices Exod. 10. 25. Psal. 66. 15. Vers. 8. set Hebr. gave standing the Chaldee translateth he ministred to them And so the Hebrew word oft signifieth as the Levites that stood Neh. 12. 44. that is served or wayted so hee which stood before the King Ier. 52. 12. is said to bee the servant of the King 2 King 25. 8. And this setteth forth Abrahams humility Vers. 9. in the tent It is a vertue for women to be keepers at home Tit. 2. 5. but the lewd womens feet abide not in her house Prov. 7. 11. Vers. 10. Returning I will returne that is I will certainly returne see Gen. 2. 17. This was a word of promise whereby the children of God and true seed of Abraham were discerned from the other Rom. 9. 8. 9. Neither doe wee find that this returne was by the Angels apparition againe but by the complement of the thing promised when this time reviveth or liveth that is the next yeere at this time as appeareth by the accomplishment Gen. 21. 2. 5. for then Abraham was an hundred yeere old and now he was ninety nine Gen. 17. 24. In the revolution of the yeere things returne to the same life and estate which they had before And in spirituall things when promises are fulfilled it is called the acceptable yeere of the Lord Luke 4. 19. So a City is said
to be revived when it is built and repaired 1 Chron. 11. 8. and stones revive when they are restored to their former state Nehem. 4. 2. And the Apostle confirmeth this interpretation citing the place thus At this time will I come Rom. 9. 9. It may also be translated According to the time of life or rather at this time of life the word this being usually understood as in Exod. 9. 18. 1 Sam. 9. 16. and 20. 12. and sometime expressed as in Ios. 9. 6. The Chaldee referreth it to Abraham and his wife According to this time when ye shall be alive A like promise is made in 2 King 4. 16. 17. where the Greeke version hath as the time or when the houre liveth Vers. 11. into dayes that is into yeeres as Gen. 4. 3. A like phrase the Evangelist useth of some gone forward in dayes for very aged Luke 1. 7. 18. So Gen. 24. 1. the way that is the custome or manner of women for the ordinary and naturall course of the body or fluors mentioned Levit. 15. 19. 25. meaning that she was past naturall strength to conceive and beare children as is explained in Rom. 4. 19. Heb. 11. 11. So the promise of redemption was fulfilled for us by Christ when wee were without strength Rom. 5. 6. even dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes. 2. 1. Vers. 12. laughed as thinking it could not bee which her weake faith is after reproved and shee strengthned vers 13. 14. But Abrahams laughing was for joy in beleefe and admiration Gen. 7. 17. and so was Satahs afterward Gen. 21. 6. wherefore her faith also is commended unto us Heb. 11. 11. my Lord that is my husband whom Sarah reverenceth by this name wherefore her obedience is set forth for an example to all women in 1 Peter 3. 6. Vers. 14. any thing or word that is whatsoever can be spoken of unpossible or marvellous that is hard to be done or unpossible as the holy Ghost translateth this according to the Greeke version Luke 1. 37. So in Zach. 8. 6. It implyed also a thing hidden and unknowne Here God graciously pardoneth Sarahs infirmity after he hath reproved her and repeateth his promise to strengthen her faith that shee might bee blessed in beleeving that there should be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord as Luke 1. 45. For Zachary was stricken dumbe for a time because hee beleeved not a like promise made unto him Luke 1. 13. 18. 20. Vers. 16. to bring them on the way or to send them away to weet with honour and after a godly sort as the Apostle speaketh 3 Ioh. 6. for this is a dutifull kindnesse much spoken of as in Act. 20. 38. and 21. 5. Rom 15. 24. 1 Cor. 16. 11. Tit. 3. 13. Vers. 17. shall I hide that is I will not hide As shalt thou build me an house 2 Sam. 7. 5. is the same that thou shalt not build 1 Chron. 17. 4. And doe men gather grapes of thornes Mat. 7. 16. which another Evangelist recording saith men doe not gather Luke 6. 44. The Lord will doe nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets Amos. 37. Vers. 18. being shall be that is shall surely bee or become in him that is in his seed Christ see Gen. 12. 3. Vers. 19. how that hee will or to the end that hee may command but the Greeke keepeth the former sense his house the men of his house as the Chaldee explaineth it According to this is the law Deut. 6. 7. and 11. 19. and they shall keepe or that they may keepe these two phrases are implyed in the Hebrew and the Scripture useth them indifferently as judge not and ye shall not bee judged Luke 6. 37. or that ye be not judged as Mat. 7. 1. the way that is the true religion faith and obedience prescribed for men to walke it Act. 18. 25. 26. Deut. 8. 6. and 10. 12. The Chaldee saith the wates that are right before the Lord. unto him or of him The Greeke translateth all things that he hath spoken unto him Vers. 20. heavy or grievous of their sinnes see the notes on Gen. 73. 13. The Greeke here translateth their sinnes are very great Vers. 21. I will goe downe see this phrase in Gen. 11. 5. The Chaldee saith I will appeare and judge done altogether or made a full end that is have wholly finished their sinne which bringeth forth death Iam. 1. 15. This word full-end or consummation is used also for the full punishment and consuming of the sinners Ier. 46. 28. that I may know so the Greeke translateth it may also be Englished I will know that is make triall God speaketh of himselfe after the manner of men So in Gen. 22. 12. Exod. 33. 5. The Chaldee paraphraseth I will consume them if they repent not but if they doe repent I will not take vengeance Vers. 22. the men two of the three which appeared to Abraham vers 2. which were two Angels Gen. 19. 1. the third stayed with Abraham and he is called Iehovah the Lord Christ. stood or was standing as the Greeke translateth the Chaldee addeth stood in prayer before the Lord so Gen. 19. 27. And elsewhere by standing before God prayer is meant as Ier. 15. 1. And Christ saith when ye stand praying Mark 11. 25. Vers. 23. drew-neere to make his requests to the Lord a signe and fruit of faith Heb. 7. 19. and 10. 22. consume or make-an-end of Vers. 24. If so be or It may be peradventure it is a word that intimateth difficulty and yet with some hope of possibility as in Exod. 32. 30. Ios. 14. 12. Zoph 2. 3. 1 Sam. 14. 6. 2 King 19. 4. spare or forbeare forgive the place under one City Sodom implying all the rest Vers. 25. Far be it from thee The Hebrew Chalilah signifieth a profanation or profane thing and so forbidden to be done And sometime the name of God and Lord is added as in 1 Chron. 11. 19. 2 Sam. 23. 17. and it is in our phrase God forbid or Gods forbod The Apostles following the Greeke version expresse it sometime by Me genoito bee it not or sarre be it Rom. 3. 4. 6. sometime by hileos that is propitious or favourable as praying God in mercy to keepe it away as Matth. 16. 22. Farre be it from thee or God forbid Lord. to doe or from doing this word or this thing judgement that is right judgement or equity So the word judgement is often used as Psal. 9. 5. 17. and 119. 121. Mat. 23. 23. Vers. 26. all the place and so the people of the place In Ier. 5. 1. God offreth the like for Ierusalem if there could a man be found that executed judgement and sought the truth hee would spare it Vers. 27. have taken upon me or have willingly begun for so the originall word sometime signifieth willingnesse and content Ios. 17. 12. Iudg. 17. 11. sometime a voluntary beginning or
him and let us keepe-alive seed of our father And they made their father drinke wine in that night also and the younger arose and lay with him and he knew not when shee lay downe or when shee arose And the two daughters of Lot were with child by their father And the firstborne bare a sonne and she called his name Moab he is the father of Moab unto this day And the yonger she also bare a sonne and called his name Ben-ammi he is the father of the sonnes of Ammon unto this day Annotations THere came two or the two Angels came called before men Gen. 18. 22. and so they seemed unto Lot who also entertained Angels unawares Heb. 13. 2. Compare this action of Lot with Abrahams Gen. 18. Vers. 2. my Lords so both Greeke and Chaldee also translate it the Hebrew Adonai being written otherwise then when it signifieth the Lord God see Gen. 18. 3. Nay The Angels as men humanely refused being sent also to view the manners of the people Gen. 18. 21. they would have abode in the streets indeed had not Lots importunacy made them doe otherwise So Christ made as if he would have gone further but constrained by the disciples hee stayed with them Luke 24. 28. 29. Vers. 3. pressed upon or was instant constrained so Luke 24. 29. a banquet or a drinking as both the Hebrew and Greeke words signifie for large drinking is used in banquets hereupon it is called the banquet of wine Est. 5. 6. and 7. 7. and the King and Hamon came to drinke with Queene Ester that is to banquet Est. 7. 1. So Est. 3. 15. unleavened-cakes for hast because time suffered them not to be leavened See Exod. 12. 39. where the word cakes is expressed which here wanteth as on the contrary cakes were expressed in Gen. 18. 6. where unleavened is to be understood Vers. 4. from the utmost meaning from every quarter for the Hebrew often omitteth the repeating of the same word at the end for brevities sakes as 1 Chron. 17. 5. from tent to tent and from tabernacle where is againe to be understood unto tabernacle So here from utmost part to utmost part that is from all parts Sometime it is fully expressed as in Matth. 24. 31. from the end of heaven to the end thereof The Greeke here translateth all the people together Vers. 5. called unto Lot They were not ashamed to proclaime their owne filthinesse so God reproveth the Iewes they declare their sinnes as Sodom they hide them not Esay 3. 9. may know them that is may lye with them as Gen. 4. 2. which sense the Greeke version also giveth here Hereupon that horrible and unnaturall sin which the Scripture calleth lying with the male Lev. 18. 22. and 20. 13. is called Sodomy as being first practised in Sodom and the cities about it which God would therfore severely plague in this world and for ever as the Apostle writeth of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves to fornication and going after other flesh they are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Iude vers 7. The Canaanites having fallen from God to idolatry Deut. 11. 2. 3. 30. 31. God therefore gave them up to uncleannesse to dishonour their owne bodies betweene themselves and leaving the natural use of the womā to burn in lust one toward another men w t men doing that which is unseemly as Paul observeth in Rom. 1. 23. 24. 27. An example of like filthinesse fell out after this in Israel Iudg. 19. 22. c. Vers. 6. the doore two words are here used for a doore the first Pethach which is the open-place wherat he went out this latter deleth which is the doore that shutteth up the passage Vers. 7. my brethren thus he lovingly intreateth those wicked men respecting the common brotherhood of nature Act. 17. 26. Esay 58. 7. so David called the evill and wicked his brethren 1 Sam. 30. 23. Vers. 8. not knowne to weet by lying with the male as the phrase is explained in Num. 31. 17. and so by the Ierusalemy Thargum here By this prostituting of his daughters Lot thought to avoid a greater evill but it is not lawfull to doe evill that good may come Rom. 3. 8. of my rafter or beame that is of my roofe or house made with rafters a part being put for the whole so the Greek hath under the roofe of my rafters but the Chaldee saith of my habitation Vers. 9. stand further or get thee a side as if they would consult of the matter But by a much like speech used in Esay 65. 5. it seemeth to bee spoken in disdaine and will hee judging judge or hee will judging judge but the Greeke resolveth it into a question came he also to judge judgement This phrase doubling the word whereof see Gen. 2. 17. may also imply Lots often rebuking of them at other times for he was vexed with the lascivious conversation of those wicked men and dwelling among them in seeing and hearing tormented his just soule day after day with their unlawfull deeds 2 Pet. 7. 8. Vers. 11. with blindnesses or dazeled-blindnesse both of body and mind when the sight beames are confused and nothing can be seene as it is The word is not used but in this place and at another like accident in 2 King 6. 18. the plurall number noteth the greatnesse of the plague as extreameblindnesse Vers. 12. or thy sonnes in the Hebrew and is here for or as the Greeke also translateth it see Gen. 13. 8. Vers. 13. will destroy or are destroying Hebr. corrupting see Gen. 6. 13. that is we are about to destroy so v. 14. Vers. 14. were taking that is being betrothed were ready to take in mariage or had taken as the Greeke explaineth it If wee thus understand it then Lot had some daughters which perished with the Sodomites for onely two which were virgins escaped with him vers 8. 30. This also seemeth closely to be implyed in vers 15. goe-out The Hebrew word hath in it a pricke extraordinary noted also in the Hebrew margine which increaseth the signification as urging an hasty going-out The like is in Exod. 12. 31. Vers. 15. are found that is present The Chaldee addeth which are found faithfull with thee the Greek saith which thou havest But found is often used for present 1 Chron 29. 17. 2 Chron. 5. 11. and 30. 21. and 31. 1. and 34. 32. the iniquity that is the punishment for iniquity Hereupon is that usuall phrase of bearing iniquity for suffering punishment Lev. 20. 17. 19. 20. Num. 14. 34. Even the righteous are in danger to partake of the wickeds punishment if when God calleth they depart not from among them Compare Rev. 18. 4. Vers. 16. lingred or delayed distracted himselfe with much trouble and businesse the Greek translateth they were troubled David contrary wise delayed not to keepe Gods commands Psal. 119. 60. 〈◊〉 in the
Vers. 28 toward Hebr. on the face of Sodom so after the smoke a visible signe of the fire and judgement consuming them and a fearfull change of this pleasant land which was before like the garden of the Lord like Eden Gen. 13. 10. So in the City of Antichrist spiritually called Sodom Rev. 11. 8 where first the smoke of heresies had arisen like the smoke of a fornance which darkned Sunne and ayre Rev. 9. 3. after there did arise the smoke of her burning which went up for evermore Rev. 18. 9. 18. and 19. 3. The Greeke here translateth a flame went up out of the land as the vapour of a fornace Vers. 29. destroyed Hebr. corrupted see Gen. 6. 13. Abraham for whose sake Lot his nephew fared the better as before Gen. 14. 14. 16. according to the promise Gen. 12. 3. and the intercession of Abraham Gen. 18. 23. c. in the which that is in one of the which in Sodom Things spoken as of many are often meant but of one see Gen. 46. 23. in the notes Vers. 30. in the mountaine where God appointed him at first vers 17. but then he pretended danger and prayed against it vers 19. now hee feareth to dwell in Zoar which he had chosen and God had granted him and of himselfe goeth to the mount shewing much weaknesse Vers. 31. in the land of Canaan or in the earth She seemes to intend no godly man with whom they might marry otherwise shee might know there was people in Zoar and other places to come in that is to company with us see Gen. 6. 4. Vers. 32. and keepe-alive or that wee may keepe alive seed that is children as the Chaldee paraphrast hath it Vers. 37. Moab by interpretation Of the father so the Greeke addeth Moab saying of my father of Moab that is of the Moabites as the Greek and Chaldee doe expresse The Hebrew useth to call all posterity by the fathers name as Iaakob and Israel for the Iaakobites and Israelites Gen. 34. 7. and 49. 7. Ismael for the Ismaelites Gen. 28. 9. Edom for the Edomites Gen. 36. 9. Aaron for the Aaronites 1 Chron. 12. 27. and 27. 17. and many the like The Hebrew text often explaineth this by adding the word sonnes or house or the like as 1 King 12. 18. all Israel stoned him for which in 2 Chron. 10. 18. is written the sonnes of Israel And 2 Chron. 11. 1. to fight against Israel for which in 1 King 12. 21. is written against the house of Israel Againe all Israel came 2 Chron. 10. 3. that is all the congregation of Israel 1 King 12. 3. These Moabites soone fell from the faith of God and became idolaters the people of Chomsh and Baal peor Num. 21. 29. and 25. 1. 2. 3. and dwelling neere the land of Canaan were enemies to Abrahams children as the Scriptures often mention Num. 22. Iudge 3. 14. c. Vers. 38. Ben ammi by interpretation Son of my people in Greeke Amman sonne of my kinred in both names there was a memoriall of their incestuous procreation which the daughters it seemeth boasted of as having children of their owne godly kinne not of the faithlesse and cursed nations the sons of Ammon that is according to the Greek the Ammonites as those whom the Prophets usually call sonnes of Israel the Apostles sometime call Israelites Rom. 9. 4. and 11. 1. These Ammonites dwelt also by Moab neere Canaan and became partners with Moabs idolatry and enemies to Israel Iudg. 11. 4. 24. Deut. 23. 3. 4. Of these two Nations many things are spoken in the Scripture whose originall Moses therefore describeth here CHAP. XX. 1 Abraham sojourneth in Gerar 2 saith againe that his wife is his sister 3 Abimelech for taking her is in a dreame threatned of God 4 Abimelech excuseth himselfe unto the Lord 9 rebuketh Abraham 14 restoreth Sarah 16 and reproveth her 17 He and his are healed by Abrahams prayer ANd Abraham journeyed from thence to the South country and dwelled betweene Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife she is my sister and Abimelech King of Gerar sent and tooke Sarah And God came unto Abimelech in a dreame by night and he said to him Behold thou art a dead man for the woman which thou hast taken for she is maried to an husband And Abimelech had not come-neere unto her and he said Lord wilt thou slay also a just nation Said not hee unto me she is my sister and shee even shee also said he is my brother in the perfection of my heart and in innocency of my hands have I done this And God said unto him in a dreame I also doe know that in the perfection of thy hart thou hast done this and I also withheld thee from sinning against mee therefore I gave thee not to touch her And now restore thou the wife of the man for he is a Prophet and hee shall pray for thee and live thou and if thou restore her not know thou that dying thou shalt dye thou and all that are thine And Abimelech rose-early in the morning and called all his servants spake all these words in their eares and the men were sore afraid And Abimelech called Abraham said to him what hast thou done unto us and what have I sinned against thee that thou hast brought on mee and on my kingdome a great sinne Thou hast done unto mee deeds that should not bee done And Abimelech said unto Abraham what sawest thou that thou hast done this thing And Abraham sayd because I sayd Surely there is no foare of God in this place and they will kill me for my wives sake And yet truly shee is my sister the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother and she became my wife And it was when they even God caused me to wander from my fathers house then I said unto her this is thy kindnesse which thou shalt doe unto me at every place whither wee shall come say thou of mee hee is my brother And Abimelech tooke sheepe and oxen and men servants and women servants and gave unto Abraham and restored to him Sarah his wife And Abimelech said Behold my land is before thee dwell thou in that which is good in thine eyes And unto Sarah hee said Behold I have given a thousand shekels of silver to thy brother behold he is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all which are with thee and all that thou maist be rebuked And Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his women-servants and they bare children For Iehovah had closing closed-up every wombs in the house of Abimelech because of Sarah Abrahams wife Annotations I Ourneyed or removed to weet from the okes of Mamre Gen. 18. 1. country or land of the south that is the south part of the land of Canaan see Gen. 12. 9. Kadesh see Gen. 16. 14. 7. Gerar a country of
the child and she sate over-against him and lifted up her voice and wept And God heard the voice of the lad and an Angell of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her what aileth thee Agar feare not for God hath heard the voice of the lad there where he is Arise lift up the lad and hold him in thy hand for I will make of him a great nation And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water and she went and filled the bottell with water and gave the lad drinke And God was with the lad and he grew and dwelt in the wildernesse and was a shooter with bow And he dwelt in the wildernesse of Pharan and his mother tooke him a wife out of the land of Egypt And it was in that time that Abimelech and Phicol prince of his host said unto Abraham saying God is with thee in all that thou dost And now sweare unto me here by God If thou shalt lye unto me or to my son or to my newphew according to the kindnes that I have done vnto thee thou shalt do unto me and unto the land in the which thou hast sojourned And Abraham said I will sweare And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelechs servants had violently-taken away And Abimelech said I know not who hath done this thing and also thou didst not tell mee and I also did not heare it but to day And Abraham tooke sheepe and oxen and gave to Abimelech and both of them stroke a covenant And Abraham set seven ewe-lambes of the flocke by themselves And Abimelech said unto Abraham what meane here these seven ewe-lambes which thou hast set by themselves And hee said for the seven ewe-lambes thou shalt take of my hand that they may be to me for a Testimonie that I have digged this Well Therefore he called that place Beer-sheba because there they sware both of them And they stroke a covenant in Beer-sheba and Abimelech rose-up and Phicol the Prince of his host and they returned into the land of the Philistines And hee planted a tree in Beer-sheba and he called there on the name of Iehovah the eternall God And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many daies Annotations Visited This word signifieth a remembrance providence care and performance of that which was spoken be it good or evill For good as here and Gen. 50. 24. Exod. 4. 31. Luk. 1. 68. and often For evill and so it meaneth punishment Exod. 20. 5. Psal. 89. 33. Num. 16. 29. The Chaldee here translateth remembred and the Hebrew implyeth that as 1. Sam. 15. 2. Vers. 2. conceived hereupon her faith is commended Heb. 11. 11. By saith Sarah her selfe received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when when she was past age because shee judged him faithfull who had promised in his or to his oldage so vers 7. the set time promised the yeere before Gen. 18. 10. Hereupon Isaak is sayd to be borne of a freewoman by promise and after the spirit Gal. 4. 22 23 29. and this birth is set forth as an example of Gods mercy to and increase of his Church by the covenant of grace in Christ under the new Testament whereof Sarah was a figure Esay 51. 2 3. Gal. 4. 24. 28. Vers. 3. Isaak which signifieth Laughter or Ioy this name was foreappointed him of God Gen. 17. 19. Vers. 4. son of 8 daies or 8 daies old but understanding in the 8 day as the Greeke translateth it see the Law Gen. 17. 12. Isaak is the first that wee read of circumcised at this age Vers. 6. made me or made laughter to me that is joy as the Chaldee translateth it as if shee had said hath made me to laugh or rejoyce The word is sometime used for laughing to scorne or mocking as v. 9. Ezek. 23. 32. and so some understand it here laughter at me that is hath made me to be laughed at meaning of the profane which would laugh mocke as did Ismael verse 9. Though both may bee implyed in the word yet the first seemeth most proper and according to the prophesies Rejoyce thou barren which didst not beare Esay 54. 1. which hath reference to this birth Gal. 4. 22. 27. 28. Esay 51. 2. 3. with me or at me but the Greeke translateth it rejoyce with me the Chaldee also turneth it into joy And so the Prophet Rejoyce yee with Ierusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her Esay 66. 10. which Ierusalem was figured out by this Sarah Gal. 4. 22 26. Vers. 7. should have given sons Hebrew hath given sons so noting the certainty speaking as of a thing done By sonnes is meant any sonne or child as the Greeke explaineth it see Gen. 46. 23. The like admiration is spoken by the Church Esay 49. 21. who hath begotten me these The Chaldee paraphrast referreth this to God saying faithfull is he that said to Abraham and hath fulfilled it that Sarah should give sucke Vers. 8. weaned The Hebrew word signifieth an exchange of one thing for another and so in weaning from milke to stronger meat which as it signified in Isaak a growth in strength of nature so is it in the faithfull a signe of growth in grace and understanding 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. Heb. 5. 12 13 14. and of abstaining from worldly childish pleasures Psal. 131. 2. and Isaak being a figure of all the children of promise Gal. 4. 28. we may hereupon gather the reason why Abraham made so great a banquet at Isaaks weaning So at Samuels weaning hee was presented to the Lord with a spirituall feast or sacrifice 1 Sam. 1. 22 24. Vers. 9. laughing that is deriding or mocking for so laughing often signifieth as Gen. 19. 14. Ezek. 23. 32. Lam. 1. 7. it meaneth also abusing otherwise whereupon laughter and scorne followeth as Gen. 39. 14. 17. also idolatrous laughing or play as Exod. 32. 6. Hereupon the Ierusalemy paraphrast referreth it to this latter of laughing in Gods worship the Greeke translateth it playing with Isaak her sonne which word playing is sometime used for fighting 2 Sam. 2. 14 16. and by laughing or mocking the Scripture often noteth a contemptuous and malignant carriage Iob 30. 1. and 12. 4. Lam. 3. 14. Mat. 27. 29. But the Apostle plainly calleth it persecuting and saith as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit even so it is now Gal. 4. 29. And here beginneth by an Egyptians son that 400 yeeres affliction spoken of in Gen. 15. 13. Vers. 10. this bondwoman shee figured the old Testament and her sonne such as are under the works of the law Gal. 4. 24. and the mother being to be cast out it is likely shee was the cause or an abettor of her sons evill not be heire or not inherit under which inheritance is figured heavenly blessings in Christ and life everlasting Gal. 3.
that in Isaak shall seed be called to thee Heb. 11. 17. 18. Abraham our father was hee not justified by works having offred Isaak his sonne upon thee altar Seest thou how faith wrought with his workes and by workes was faith perfected And the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed unto him for justice and hee was called the friend of God Iam. 2. 21. 22. 33. Vers. 11. the Angell who speaketh as God ver 12. sweareth by himselfe and is called Iehovah verse 16. wherefore this was Christ himselfe see before on Gen. 16. 7. and 18. 2. V. 12. put not forth or send not forth that is lay no violent hands upon him Thus God spared Isaak from death and Abraham who beleeved that God was able to raise him up even from the dead did from thence also receive him in a parable Heb. 11. 19. I know that is I have experience God speaketh after the manner of men as in Gen. 18. 21. and often and thou hast or for that thou hast see Gen. 12. 19. Vers. 13. the ram Thus Abrahams word 〈…〉 s fulfilled that God would provide himselfe a lambe verse 8. and hereby the redemption of the Church by Christ the lambe without blemish 1 Pet. 1. 19. was signified according to that in Iob 33. 24. Deliver him from going-downe to the pit I have found a ransome Vers. 14. Iehovah Iireth that is Iehovah will see or provide as verse 8. the Greeke interpreteth it The Lord hath seene for hee answering to Abrahams prophesie verse 8. the perpetuall memory of his mercy was kept in the name of the place Mori-Iah the usuall name of the mountaine is of like interpretation Iehovah being shortned into Iah whereof see Exod. 15. 2. The Chaldee paraphraseth thus And Abraham prayed and served God there in that place and said before the Lord here shall the generations to come serve God Therefore was it sayd in this day In this mount Abram served before the Lord. Hee hath reference to the Temple built after in this mount wherein God was served 2 Chron. 3. 1. Abraham calling this place Iehovah Iireh speaketh figuratively as the Scripture useth in all Sacramentall things because it was a signe of Gods providence So Moses called his altar Iehovah Nish Exod. 17. 15. Ierusalem is called Iehovah Shammah Ezek. 48. 35. it shall be seene or it shall be provided of God So this speciall providence of God towards Abraham is become a generall proverbe for the comfort of his children in all their distresses The Greeke translateth it In the mountaine the Lord was seene Vers. 16. By my selfe the Chaldee turneth it By my word Elsewhere the scripture saith God sweareth by his soule Ier. 51. 14. by his holinesse Amos 4. 2. by his name Ier. 44. 26. Of this the Apostle saith when God made promise to Abraham because he could sweare by no greater he sware by himselfe saying surely c. And God willing more-abundantly to shew unto the heyres of promise the immutability of his counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye wee might have a strong consolation Heb. 6. 13. 14. 17. 18. where also the Apostle teacheth that this is written for our comfort as al other scriptures Rom. 15. 4. And by this it is plaine that the Angell who spake to Abraham was God himselfe and this oath had the accomplishment in Christ Luk. 1. 73. c. assuredly-saith or the faithfull-saying The originall word Neum is peculiar to Gods oracles which all are faithfull sayings as Paul speaketh 1 Tim. 1. 15. and 3. 1. and 4. 9. Of the same Hebrew letters transplaced commeth also Amen Vers. 17. Surely so the Apostle following the common Greeke version translateth the Hebrew Ki which also signifieth Because or That Heb. 6. 14. And here under the name blessing is meant the promise of eternall salvation as the Apostle there sheweth thy seed for which the Apostle saith thee Heb. 6. 14. Againe where Moses saith thee in Gen. 12. 3. the Apostle saith thy seed Act. 3. 25. By such interpretations the holy Ghost teacheth us how to understand the Scriptures and by Abrahams seed Christ the principall and author of salvation is implyed and all the faithfull by him saved Gal. 3. 16. 29. shore Hebrew lip Here they are compared to the sand of the sea which before in Gen. 13. 16. were to be like the dust of the earth see also Gen. 15. 5. This promise through the faith of Abraham and Sarah beleeving it was fulfilled as the Apostle observeth Heb. 11. 11. 12. thy seed Isaaks posterity Gen. 21. 12. the gate for gates as tree for trees see Gen. 3. 2. and by gates he meaneth cities and all strong defensed places as the doore or entring of the gate 2 Sam. 10. 8. is explained to be the doore of the citie 1 Chron. 19. 9. And at the gates of cities were publike places of judgement Deut. 22. 15. Iob 31. 21. So the strength and dominion of the enemies is meant here by the gate dominion over them by inheritance Levit. 25. 45. Psal. 82. 8. The Greeke also translateth it cities and so in Gen. 24. 60. his or their enemies meaning enemies of the seed which word being put for children at the Chaldee translateth it may have with it a word singular or plurall and so the Scripture speaketh indifferently as saying of the people it went 2 Chr. 10. 5. or they went 1 King 12. 5. it rejoyced 2 King 11. 20. which another Prophet writing saith they rejoyced 2 Chron. 23. 21. So 2 King 21. 24. with 2 Chron. 33. 25. and 2 King 23. 30. with 2 Chr. 36. 1. The reason hereof is because a multitude is many and yet as one therefore that which in Mat. 20. 31. is ochlos a multitude in Mar. 10. 48. is polloi many Vers. 18. in thy seed here the word seed is in speciall meant of one that is Christ Gal. 3. 16. 18. who was both of the seed of David and sonne of Abraham according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. and also God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. in whom the nations doe blesse themselves and glory Ier. 4. 2. Ps. 72. 17. blesse themselves that is apply thy faith the blessing of Christ to themselves and so profess it or shall be blessed as the Greeke translateth it and as the promise was before made in that forme in the Hebrew Gen. 12. 3. and after in Genesis 28. 14. Vers. 19. Beersheba which the Greeke interpreteth the well of the oath See before in Gen. 21. 31. Vers. 20. Milcah called in Greeke Melcha shee was Abrahams brothers wife Gen. 11. 29. Of whose off-spring Abraham now heareth glad tidings unto whom he after sendeth for a wife for his sonne Isaak Gen. 24. Vers. 21. Uz or Urs in Greeke Oox. In this land Iob the patient dwelled Iob. 1. 1. There was also another Vz of Aram
Gen. 10. 23. and againe Vz of Seir in Edoms country Gen. 36. 28. Buz in Greeke Baux of him came that learned yong man Elihu Iob 32. 2. Buz dwelt by his elder brother Vz in Arabia Ier. 25. 20. 23. 24. Kimuel in Greeke Kamouel of Aram the Greeke saith of the Syrians There was an Aram before of Sem Gen. 10. 22. Aram throughout the Bible is turned in Greeke Syria and Syrians as Mizraim is Aegypt and Cush Ethiopia Vers. 22. Kesed or Cesed in Greeke Chazad Chazo in Greeke Nazais Pildash in Greek Phaldese Iidlaph in Greeke Iledaph Vers. 23. Bethuel in Greeke Bathouel of whom see after Gen. 24. 15. Rebekah or Rebekka in Hebrew Ribkah she became wife to Isaak Abrahams sonne Gen. 24. 15. 67. And for that cause chiefly is this genealogy here set downe Vers. 24. his concubine to weet Nachors concubine The Hebrew Pilegesh whereof the Greeke Pallakis and Latine Pellex is borrowed which we call a Concubine signifieth an halfe wife or a divided and secondary wife which was a wife for the bed and thereby differing from an whore but not for honour and government of the family as King Solomons wives were Princesses but his concubines not so 1 King 11. 3. neither had their children ordinarily any right of inheritance but had gifts of their father as Gen. 25. 5. 6. Such a concubine was Hagar to Abraham yea and Keturah his second wife is called a concubine Gen. 25. 1. 6. 1 Chr. 1. 32. And Bilha and Zilpha were concubines to Iaakob Gen. 35. 22. And many other men of note had also concubines as Caleb 1 Chron. 2. 46. 48. Manasses 1 Chron. 7. 14. Gedeon Iudg. 8. 31. David 2 Sam. 5. 13. Solomon 1 King 11. 3. Roboam 2 Chron. 11. 21. and among the heathens as Est. 2. 14. Dan. 5. 3. The Hebrew Doctors say wives were taken in Israel by bils of Dowry and solemne espousals but concubines without either of both Maimony treat of Kings ch 4. S. 4. So among the Gentiles as appeareth by that saying in the Poet lest this report goe of mee that I have given thee mine owne sister rather for a concubine then in way of matrimony if I should give her without a dowrie Plautus in Trinumm Likewise among the Greekes the Oratour saith wee have concubines for daily concubineship or use of the bed and wives for to bring us forth children legitimate and faithfully to keepe the things in the family Demosthenes in Orat. against Neaera Tebach in Greeke Tabec of him and his brethren wee find no mention in other Scripture Tachash in Greeke Tochos Maacah in Greeke Mocha CHAP. XXIII 1 The age and death of Sarah for whom Abraham mourneth 3 and purchaseth of the sonnes of Cheth a place for her buriall 10 which Ephron would have given him 13 but Abraham would not receive without giving the full price 17 So the field and cave in Macpelah becommeth Abrahams possession and there he burieth Sarah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ANd the life of Sarah was a hundred yeeres and twenty yeeres and seven yeeres these were the yeeres of the life of Sarah And Sarah dyed in Kirjath-Arba the same is Chebron in the land of Canaan and Abraham came to mourne for Sarah and to weepe for her And Abraham stood-up from before his dead and spake unto the sonnes of Cheth saying I am a stranger and a sojourner with you give mee a possession of a burying-place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight And the sonnes of Cheth answered Abraham saying to him heare us my Lord thou art a Prince of God amongst us in the choise of our buriall-places bury thou thy dead a man of us shall not with-hold from thee his burying place from burying thy dead And Abraham stood-up and bowed-downe himselfe to the people of the land to the sonnes of Cheth And he spake with them saying if it be your mind to bury my dead out of my sight heare me and intreat for me to Ephron the sonne of Zohar And let him give mee the cave of Macpelah which he hath which is in the end of his field for full money let him give it me amongst you for a possession of a burying-place And Ephron was sitting amongst the sonnes of Cheth and Ephron the Chethite answered Abraham in the eares of the sonnes of Cheth of all that went in at the gates of his citie saying Nay my Lord heare me the field I give thee and the cave that is therein I give it thee in the eies of the sonnes of my people give I it thee bury thy dead And Abraham bowed-down himselfe before the people of the land And he spake unto Ephron in the eares of the people of the land saying But if thou wilt give it I pray thee heare mee I will give the money of the field take it of me and I will bury my dead there And Ephron answered Abraham saying unto him my Lord heare me the land is worth foure hundred shekels of silver betweene mee and thee what is that and bury thy dead And Abraham hearkned unto Ephron and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had spoken of in the eares of the sons of Cheth foure hundred shekels of silver currant with the merchant And the field of Ephron which was in Macpelah which was before Mamree was made-sure the field and the cave which was therein and everie tree which was in the field which was in all the border thereof round about Vnto Abraham for a purchase in the eies of the sons of Cheth with all that went-in at the gates of his citie And afterward Abraham buried Sarahs his wife in the cave of the field of Macpelah before Mamree the same is Chebron in the land of Canaan And the field and the caue which was therein was made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Cheth Annotations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here beginneth the 5 section of the Law called Chajjee Sarah that is The life of Sarah See Gen. 6. 9. Vers. 1. the life in Hebrew lives see Gen. 2. 7. This speciall honor hath Sarah our mother above all women in the Scripture that the number of her yeeres is recorded of God Eve was the mother of all living Gen. 3. 20. and Sarah is mother of al the faithfull 1 Pet. 3. 6. She lived a pilgrim with Abraham her husband 62 yeeres and before her departure from Charran 65. in all 127 yeeres Vers. 2. Kirjath Arba that is the citie of Arba. as the Greeke translateth it called also Chebron see Gen. 13. 18. came or went-in namely into Sarahs tent wherein she dwelt and dyed for Abraham had many tents as had Lot Gen. 13. 5. and one speciall for Sarah Gen. 24. 67. and 18. 6. to weepe Sarah also is the first for whose death mourning and weeping is mentioned another note of honour as appeareth by Gen 50. 9. 10. 11. Ier. 22. 18. 2 Sam. 1.
will not eate untill I have spoken my word and hee said speake And hee said I am Abrahams servant And Iehovah hath blessed my Lord greatly and he is become great he hath given him flocks and heards and silver and gold and men seruants and women-servants and camels and asses And Sarah my lords wife bare a son to my lord after her old-age and he hath given unto him all that hee hath And my lord made me swear saying Thou shalt not take a wife unto my sonne of the daughters of the Canaanite in whose land I dwell If thou shalt not goe unto my fathers house and unto my family and take a wife unto my son And I said unto my lord if so be the woman will not goe after me And he said unto me Iehovah he before whom I have walked will send his Angell with thee and will prosper thy way and thou shalt take a wife unto my sonne out of my family and out of my fathers house Then shalt thou be cleare from my exsecration when thou shalt come unto my family and if they will not give thee one then shalt thou be cleare from my exsecration And I came this day unto the well and I said Iehovah God of my lord Abraham if thou bee now prospering my way the which I go Behold I stand by the waters and let the maid that commeth forth to draw and I say to her let me drinke I pray thee a little water out of thy pitcher And shee say to mee Both drinke thou and I will draw for thy camels also let the same bee the woman whom Iehovah hath evidently appointed for my lords son And before I had made-an-end of speaking in my heart behold Rebekah came forth and her pitcher on her shoulder and shee went downe unto the well and drew and I said unto her let mee drinke I pray thee And she hasted and let-downe her pitcher from upon her and said drinke thou and I will give thy camels drink also and I drank and she gave the camels drink also And I asked her and said whose daughter art thou and she said the daughter of Bethuel son of Nachor whom Milcah bare unto him and I put the earering upon her face and the bracelets upon her hands And I bended downe-the-head and bowed my selfe unto Iehovah and I blessed Iehovah God of my lord Abraham who led mee in the way of truth to take the daughter of my lords brother unto his son And now if you will doe mercy truth unto my lord tell me and if not tell me that I may turn unto the right-hand or unto the left And Laban Bethuel answered said The thing proceedeth frō Iehovah we cannot speak unto thee evill or good Behold Rebekah is before thee take her and goe and let her be the wife to thy lords son as Iehovah hath spoken And it was whē Abrahams servant heard their word that he bowed himselfe downe to the earth unto Iehovah And the servant brought-forth vessels of silver vessels of gold and garments and gave to Rebekah and hee gave to her brother and to her mother precious things And they did eate and drinke hee and the men that were with him taried-all-night they rose-up in the morning and hee sayd send me away unto my lord And her brother her mother said let the damsell abide with us daies at least ten afterward she shal goe And he said unto them Hinder me not seeing Iehovah hath prospered my way send me away that I may goe unto thy lord And they said we will call the damsell and will aske of her mouth And they called Rebekah and said unto her Wilt thou goe with this man And she said I will goe And they sent away Rebekah their sister her nurse and Abrahams servant and his men And they blessed Rebekah said unto her Our sister bee thou unto thousands of ten-thousands let thy seed possesse the gate of those that hate them And Rebekah arose and her damsels and they rode upon the camels went after the man and the servant tooke Rebekah and went away And Isaak came from the way to Beer-lachai-roi and he dwelt in the south country And Isaak went-out to meditate in the field at the looking-forth of the evening and he lifted up his eyes saw and behold the camels were comming And Rebekah lifted-up her eyes and saw Isaak she lighted off the camel For she had said unto the seruant what man is this that walketh in the field to meet us And the servant had said he is my lord and she tooke a veile and covered herselfe And the servant told Isaak all things that he had done And Isaak brought her unto the tent of Sarah his mother and he tooke Rebekah and shee was to him a wife and he loved her and Isaak was comforted after his mother was dead Annotations INto dayes that is yeeres see Gen. 18. 11. Hee was now 140 yeeres old for Isaak his son was fourty Gen. 25. 20. and he was borne when Abraham was 100. Gen. 21. 5. Vers. 2. the eldest or the Elder so the Greeke translateth it elder or ancient whereby may bee meant Governour as the words following doe explaine for Elder is an usuall name for Governour Gen. 50. 7. Num. 11. 16. Ruth 4. 2. 1 Tim. 5. 17. This in likelihood was his Steward Eliezer Gen. 15. 2. under my thigh a signe which Iaakob also required of his sonne Ioseph Gen. 47. 29. eyther to signifie subjection or for a further mystery of the covenant of circumcision or rather of Christ the promised seed who was to come out of Abrahams loynes or thigh as the like phrase sheweth in Gen. 46. 26. of the soules that came out of Iaakobs thigh wherefore Abraham and Iaakob make their thighes as holy signes in respect of Gods promise For otherwise in swearing they used to lift up the hand towards heaven see Gen. 14. 22. Hereupon the Greekes have of the Hebrew word Ierek that is a Thigh framed their Horkos that is an oath even as of the Hebrew Iamin which is the right hand used when oaths were taken Esay 61. 8. they have formed the Greeke word Omnuo to sweare Vers. 3. by Iehovah by whom alone we are commanded to sweare Deut. 6. 13. The Chaldee saith by the word of the Lord that is Christ Ioh. 1. 1. the Canaanite or Canaanites as the Greeke translateth see Gen. 10. 16. This care Abraham had for his sonnes wife lest by marying with unbeleevers he or his posterity should be drawne from God as the Law saith Thou shalt make no mariages with them they daughter thou shalt not give unto his sonne neither take his daughter unto thy sonne for they will turne away thy sonne from following me c. Deut. 7. 3. 4. See also Gen. 27. 46. Plato a heathen Philosopher divinely sheweth in his 6 booke of lawes the end of mariage to be the continuall propagation of
And it figured Christ his guidance and protection of his Church travelling through this world unto his heavenly rest as it is said The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoake by day and the shinning of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a covering c. Esay 4. 5. 6. of fire the same dark cloud which shadowed them by day was also fire and gave them light by night Exodus 14. 19. 20. 24. So Christ baptised the Israelites in the cloud with the Holy Ghost and with fire 1 Cor. 10. 2. Matt. 3. 11. Esay 4. 2. 4. 5. Therefore Israel in faith did betake themselves under the shadow of Gods Majestie in this cloud and Moses sanctified the action by prayer Numb 9. 17. 18. 19. 23. and 10. 34. 36. 1 Cor. 10. 1. CHAP. XIIII 1 God instructeth the Israelites in their journey 5 Pharaoh pursueth after them 10 The Israelites are sore afraid and murmur 13 Moses comforteth them 15 God instructeth Moses to leade the people forward and with his hand and rod to divide the Sea for Israel to goe thorow 19 Gods Angell and cloud remove behinde the campe 21 The Israelites passe thorow the red Sea 23 The Egyptians follow them into the Sea 24. The Lord out of the cloud troubleth the Egyptians 26. Hee biddeth Moses stretch his hand over the Sea 27. It returneth to his strength and drowneth the Egyptians AND Iehovah spake unto Moses saying Speake unto the sonnes of Israel that they turne and encampe before Pi-hahiroth betweene Migdol and the Sea before Baal-zephon over-against it shall yee encampe by the Sea And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel They are intangled in the land the Wildernesse hath shut them in And I will make strong the heart of Pharaoh and hee shall follow after them and I will bee honoured upon Pharaoh and upon all his Host and the Egyptians shall know that I am Iehovah And they did so And it was told the King of Egypt that the people fled and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people and they sayd Why have we done this that wee have sent away Israel from serving us And hee bound his Charet and tooke his people with him And he tooke sixe hundred chosen Charets and all the Charets of Egypt and Captaines over every one of them And Iehovah made strong the heart of Pharaoh King of Egypt and hee followed after the sonnes of Israel and the sonnes of Israel went out with a high hand And the Egyptians followed after them and overtoke them encamping by the Sea all the horses the Charets of Pharaoh and his horse-men and his Army beside Pi-hahiroth before Baal-zephon And Pharaoh drew nigh and the sonnes of Israel lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptian marched after them and they were-sore afraid and the sonnes of Israel cryed out unto Iehovah And they said unto Moses Because there were no graves at all in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the wildernesse wherefore hast thou done this unto us to bring us forth out of Egypt Is not this the word which wee spake unto thee in Egypt saying Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians For it had beene better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wildernesse And Moses said unto the people Feare yee not stand still and see the salvation of Iehovah which he will doe for you to day for the Egyptians whom ye have seene to day yee shall not againe see them any more for ever Iehovah will fight for you and you shall hold your peace And Iehovah said unto Moses Wherefore criest thou out unto me Speake unto the sonnes of Israel that they goe forward And thou lift up thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the Sea and cleave it and the sonnes of Israel shall goe in to the midst of the Sea on dry ground And I behold I will make strong the heart of the Egyptians and they shall goe in after them and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh and upon all his army upon his charets and upon his horsemen And the Egyptians shall know that I am Iehovah when I am honoured upon Pharaoh upon his charets and upon his horse-men And the Angell of God which went before the campe of Israel removed and went behind them and the pillar of the cloud removed from before them and stood behind them And it came betweene the Campe of the Egyptians and the Campe of Israel it was a cloud and darknesse and it made light the night and the one came not neere the other all the night And Moses stretched out his hand over the Sea and Iehovah caused the Sea to goe backe by a strong East winde all the night and made the sea dry land and the waters were cloven And the sonnes of Israel went in to the midst of the sea upon the drie ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left And the Egyptians followed and went in after them all Pharaohs horses his charets and his horse-men into the midst of the 〈◊〉 And it was in the morning watch that 〈◊〉 looked unto the campe of the Egyptians in the pillar of fire and of the cloud and troubled the campe of the Egyptian And tooke off their charet wheeles and led them heavily and the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for Iehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians And Iehovah said unto Moses Stretch out thy hand over the sea and the waters shall returne upon the Egyptian upon his charets and upon his horse-men And Moses stretched out his hand over the Sea and the sea returned to his strength at the looking forth of the morning and the Egyptians fled against it and Iehovah shooke off the Egyptians into the midst of the sea And the waters returned and covered the charets and the horse-men with all the armie of Pharaoh that came after them into the Sea there remained not so much as one of them But the sonnes of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left And Iehovah saved Israel in that day out of the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead vpon the sea shore And Israel saw the great hand which Iehovah did upon the Egyptians and the people feared Iehovah and they beleeved in Iehovah and in Moses his servant Annotations PI-hahiroth or the mouth of Hiroth that is the straight or passage betweene the mountaines of Hiroth for in Numb 33. 8. the word Pi that is Mouth is left out of the name Into these streights did God lead Israel both to free them from war with the Philistians Exod. 13. 17. 18. and to give the Egyptians occasion hereby to pursue them as the verses
thousands that is the thousand generation of them that hate me or to my haters whereunto the Chald. addeth where the sons goe on to sin after their fathers For hereby they turne to be Gods enemies Mic. 2. 8. as they do love him that keepe his commandements v. 6. Verse 6. love me c. Love is first named as that from which the keeping of the commandements proceedeth Iohn 14. 15 for the end of the Commandement is Love out of a pure heart c. 1 Tim. 1. 5. and towards such as love him and keepe his commandements God keepeth covenant and mercy Daniel 9. 4. The Hebrew Doctors write Let not a man say loe I doe the Law and exercise my selfe in the wisedome thereof to the and that I may receive all the blessings that are written therein or that I may be worthy of life in the world that is to come and I will keepe mee from the transgressions which the Law warneth me of that I may bee delivered from the curses written in the Law or that I bee not cut off from the life of the world to come It is not meet to serve God after this manner For hee that serveth thus serveth of feare c. but hee that serveth of love exerciseth himselfe in the Law and walketh in the waies of wisedome not because of any thing in the world nor for feare of evill or that he may inherite good things but doth the truth because it is the truth c. And this is a very great dignitie which no wise man is worthy of and it was the dignity of Abraham our father whom the holy blessed God calleth his Lover or Friend Esay 41. 8. because he served him not but of Love And this is the dignitie which God commandeth us by the hand of Moses saying And thou shalt love the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 5. And at what time a man loveth the Lord with love convenient immediately hee will doe all the commandements out of love c. Maimony treat of Repentance c. 10. S. 1. 2. Verse 7. not take up to wit upon thy lippes or mouth as this phrase is opened in Psalme 16. 4. and 50. 16. that is not speake use or mention So to take up a proverbe Esay 14. 4. to take up a lamentation Ezek 26. 17. is to speake or utter the same The Chaldee restraineth it to one particular thou shalt not swears by the name c. and the Thargum called Ionathans thus My people the house of Israel Let not any of you sweare by the name of the Word of the LORD your God in vaine But though swearing be a principall thing here intended Esay 48. 1. yet the precept is more large forbidding all unreverent unholy use of Gods name in heart mouth oraction and commanding the fanctifying thereof as it is Holy and Reverend Matth. 6. 9. Psalme 111. 9. and to sweare by the same Deut. 6. 13. Name that whereby God hath made himselfe knowne as his titles and attributes Exod. 54. 56. 7. his Word Law Gospell Deut. 32. 3. Act. 9. 15. as the Law of Christ Esay 42. 4. inexpoundeth he his Name Matt. 12. 21. also prayer Gen. 4. 26. and Gods whole worship and all ordinances pertaining thereto Deut. c. 12. 5. Mal. 1. 〈◊〉 12. Mic. 4. 5. his sacraments Matth. â—8 â—8 19. censures 1. Cor. 5. 4. 5. Matt. 18. 20. and whatsoever belongeth to Christian religion is comprised in this Name of God That as the second commandement teacheth us wherewith to serve the Lord so this third directeth us unto the holy use of all religion in heart profession action in vaine or to vanitie which word implyeth also falsitie as after in v. 16. and so it is used to denote false religion or idolatry Ier. 18. 15. Ion. 2. 9. false doctrine error and heresie Lam. 2. 14. Ezek. 13. 6. 7. but commonly vaine and fruitles speaking or doing whereof no good commeth Ps. 127. 1. 2. Esay 1. 13. Ier. 4. 30. and 6. 29. So two things chiefly are here forbidden the mentioning or using of Gods name in word or deed when it should not be used for that there is no just cause so to doe secondly the using of it amisse wheÌ„ duty bindeth us to use it with feare and holinesse As swearing when there is no cause of an oath Matt. 6. 34. and swearing falsly Levit. 19. 12. swearing and not performing 2 Chron. 36. 13. vowing and not paying Deuternomie 23. 21. vaine praying in respect of matter or manner Iob 35. 13 Matt. 6. 7. corruption in teaching or hearing the Word of God Ezek 21. 29. 2 Cor. 2. 7. Matt. 13. 19. Ezek. 33. 31. abusing the Word to unlawfull arts superstition jesting profanenesse Deut. 18. 11. Esay 66. 5. abuse of the sacraments and holy mysteries Mal. 1. 11. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 27. 29. Ier. 7. 4. 10. abuse of ecclesiasticall censures Esay 66. 5. abuse of Lots Esth. 3. 7. Prov. 16. 33. hypocrisie in any religious worke Mat. 15. 7. 8. 9. and all unbeliefe Rom. 14. 23 Iam. 1. 6. a sinfull conversation whereby the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2. 24. with whatsoever else is contrary to the sanctifying of Gods name which on the other part is here commanded Lev. 22. 31. 32. The Hebr. Doctors say Whosoever transgresseth wittingly and without constraint any one of all the commandements spoken of in the Law with a contemptuous soule to provoke Gods anger loe this man polluteth the Name of God and if he transgresse in the presence of the men of Israel he polluteth the Name publikely Also whosoever separateth himselfe from transgression or doth that w ch is commanded not for any thing in the world nor for feere or dread nor for to seeke honor but for our blessed Creators sake as Ioseph the just refrained himselfe from his masters wife Gen. 39. 9. loe this man sanctifieth the Name of the Lord Maimonian Iesudei hatorah c. 5. S. 10. guiltlesse or cleare innocent that is he will not leave him unpunished so the phrase signifieth as is opened in 1 King 2. 9. but he shall be plagued in this world or in that which is to come as Tharg Ionathan paraphraseth the Lord will not hold him just or innocent in the great day of judgmeÌ„t V. 8. Remember Heb. To remember of w ch phrase see Exo. 13. 3. God speaketh thus of this commandement to note the importance of it for hereckoneth the breach of this precept as one of the greatest sins in Israel Ezek. 20. 12. 22. 8. 23. 38 c Likewise to signifie the antiquitie of it as being from the creation of the world Gen. 2. 2. 3. and for that it was to bee kept but one day in seven that when the time come it be not forgotten or neglected In repeating this law Moses saith Observe or keep the sabbath Deut. 5. 12. In Esa. 58. â—3 the Lord add 〈◊〉 two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call the Sabbath a Delight the
the veil c. that he died not because God would appeare in the cloud upon the Mercie-seat Lev. 16. 2. Vers. 36. journeyed in all their journeyes and in the place where the cloud abode there the sons of Israel pitched their tents Al the daies that the cloud dwelled upon the Tabernacle whether it were a day or daies or a Moneth or a yeere they rested in the tents and journeyed not when the cloud was taken up whether it were by day or by night then they journeyed At the mouth of the Lord they pitched their tents and at the mouth of the Lord they journeyed they kept the charge or watch of the Lord Num. 9. 17. 23. This token of Gods guidance and protection of his people continued with Israel whiles they travelled in the wildernesse which grace the generations following remembred to the praise of God Neh. 9. 19. Ps. 78. 14. and 105. 39. V. 38. the cloud of Iehovah which in Thargum Ierusalemy is called the cloud of the glorie of Shecinah the Divine presence of the Lord. and fire At evening there was upon the Tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire untill the morning so it was alway the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night Numb 9. 15. 16. Hereby was figured the guidance and protection of the Church by Christ under the Gospel whereof it is written The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glorie shall be a defence Esay 4. 5. The number of the Sections or Lectures in Exodus are eleven the verses 1209. The middest is at Exodus 22. 28. Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Iudgements Malach. 4. 4. By the Law is the knowledge of Sinne Rom. 3. 20. The Law worketh wrath for where no Law is there is no transgression Rom. 4. 15. By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2. 16. The Law was our Schoolemaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10. 4. ANNOTATIONS VPON THE THIRD BOOKE OF MOSES CALLED LEVITICVS VVHEREIN BY CONFERRING THE HOly Scriptures by comparing the Greeke and Chaldee versions and mouments of the Hebrewes the Sacrifices and other legall Ordinances heretofore commanded of God to the Church of Israel are explained BY HENRY AINSWORTH HEB. 7. 19. The Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope by the which wee draw nigh unto God HEB. 10. 14. By one offring Christ hath perfected for ever the m that are sanctified HEB. 13. 15. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips confessing to his name LONDON ¶ Printed by Miles Flesher for John Bellamie and are to be sold at his shop neere the ROYALL EXCHANGE 1626. The Summe of LEVITICVS THis third Booke of Moses containeth the Law of Sacrifices and rites concerning them of Sacrificers and their holy ministration in the Sanctuary of the peoples sanctification from all outward and inward pollutions of religious actions to be done by the body of the Church and all the members thereof publikely and privately of the place where and times when Gods worship was chiefly to be performed with a confirmation of the whole Law by promises and threatnings All which God speaking out of the Tabernacle in the wildernesse declared unto Israel by the hand of Moses in the first moneth of the second yeere after their deliverance out of the land of Egypt which was in the yeere from the creation of the World 2514 More particularly GOD teacheth Israel how to sacrifice their Burnt offrings Chap. 1 The Meat-offring of flowre cakes wafers and first fruits 2 The Sacrifice of Peace-offrings of the herd or flocke 3 Sin-offrings for the Priest Congregation Ruler and private man 4 Trespass-offrings of sundry sorts for sundrie sinnes 5 Lawes more particularly touching the former sacrifices 6 Lawes touching the Trespass-offring and Peace-offrings Fat and Blood 7 The consecration of Aaron and his sons to the Priesthood 8 Aarons first offrings for himselfe and the people consumed by fire 9 Aarons sonnes transgress and are slaine of God Lawes for the Priests 10 The Law for cleane and uncleane beasts fowles fishes c. 11 Of a womans purification after child-birth 12 Of discerning Leprosie and judging it in men and in garments 13 Of clensing Lepers that are healed Of Leprosie in houses 14 Of the uncleane by runningyssues and their purification 15 Of the high Priests service on Atonement day to cleanse the Sanctuarie and reconcile the Church unto God once in the yeere 16 The place of sacrificing Against eating blood torne things c. 17 Against unlawfull copulations idolatrie and heathenish customes 18 Sundry lawes for holiness and righteousnes and against sins 19 Punishments for idolaters fornicators and other the like 20 Special holiness and perfection required in the Priests 21 Vncleane priests may not minister Sacrifices must be unblemished 22 The solemne feasts at certaine times of the yeere 23 Provision for Lamp oile and Shew-bread A blasphemer is stoned 24 Of the seventh or Sabbath yeere and Iubile with their rites 25 Promises and threatnings to confirme the Law of God 26 A law concerning Vowes devoted things and tithes 27 Ye shall be holy for I Iehovah your God am holy Lev. 19. 1. THE THIRD BOOKE OF MOSES CALLED LEVITICVS CHAPTER I. 1 God giveth by Moses a Law unto Israel touching the Burnt-offerings 3 of the herd 10 of the flock 13 of the fowles AND hee called unto Moses and Iehovah spake unto him out of the Tent of the Congregation saying Speake unto the sons of Israel say unto thē when any man of you shal offer an oblation to Iehovah of the cattell of the herd of the flock ye shall offer your oblation If his oblation be a Burnt-offring of the herd let him offer it a male perfect at the doore of the Tent of the congregation shall he offer it for his favourable acceptation before Iehovah And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the Burnt-offring and it shall be favourably accepted for him to make-atonement for him And hee shall kill the yongling of the herd before Iehovah and the sons of Aaron the Priests shall bring neere the blood and shall sprinkle the blood upon the Altar round about which is by the doore of the Tent of the congregation And he shall flay the Burnt-offring and shall cut it into the peices therof And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the Altar and shall lay the wood in-order upon the fire And the sonnes of Aaron the priests shall lay in order the pieces the head the fat upon the wood w ch is on the
from the holy things as all other uncleane persons but separated also from her husband Lev. 18. 19. and if they companied together during that time presumptuously they were to be cut off Levit. 20. 18. This uncleannesse was as the rest a figure of sinne proceeding from the fleshly and corrupt heart of man as God himselfe reacheth saying When the house of Israel dwelt in their owne land they defiled it by their owne way and by their doings their way was before me as the uncleannesse of 〈◊〉 removed or menstruous woman Ezek. 36. 17. And this was the sinne of idolatry Ier. 2. 23. 24. seven dayes this was the limitâ—d time for the separation or menstrues during which space shee was uncleane as a separated woman though there had but one drop of blood appeared Maimony in Issurei biah ch 6. sect 2. if any appeared after this time it was not called her separation but her issue whereof he speaketh after in v. 25. that toucheth her the pollution of the menstruous extendeth as far as of the man that had an issue spoken of before vers 2. c. and as of the woman that hath an issue spoken of after vers 25. c. even the spittle and the urine of every one of them is uncleane as is before noted on v. 8. Maimony in Metamei mishcab ch 1. sect 15. And these things figured the pollution of sin Ezek. 36. 17. and taught to avoyd all communion therewith 2 Corinth 6. 17. And unto a menstruous woman Ierusalem was likened when for her sins shee was wasted and her people captived by the Babylonians Lam. 1. 17. Her uncleannesse was upon her skirts and she had sinned a sin therefore she was removed Lam. 1. 8. 9. V. 24. lying shall lye that is shall at all or by any occasionlye with her to weet ignorantly for if he did it presumptuously not only pollution but cutting off was his punishment Lev. 20. 18. Therfore the Prophets complaine of this sin Ezek. 22. 10. her fluors or as before her separation which the Greek here translateth her uncleannes Vers. 25. many dayes Here he passeth from the menstrues which were naturall purgations and healthfull for the body though legally unclean unto the issues which were diseases that decayed naturall strâ—ngth if they continued long as the woman which had it twelve yeeres and suffered many things of many Physicians but all in vaine till she came to Christ Mark 5. 25. 26. These many dayes must also beâ— out of the time of her separation or menstrues that is out of the seven dayes fore-mentioned and by many the Hebrew doctors understand from three upward They say when shee seeth blood first in the due time of her customes then is she in her separation all the seven daies If she see it in the eight day then this is the blood of issue because it is out of the time of her separation And so all the blood that is seene in the dayes that are betweene the times of her customes is the blood of issue And the space between they say was eleven dayes onely When a woman seeth blood in the dayes of her issue but one day onely or two dayes one after another shee is said to have the lesser issue if she see it three dayes one after another she is said to have the greater issue or issue absolutely as it is written when the issue of her blood shall run many dayes Levit. 15. 25. a few are two dayes many are three There is no difference betweene her that hath the greater issue and her that hath the lesse but the numbring of seven dayes and the bringing of a sacrifice Lev. 15 28. 29. For she that hath the greater issue is bound to number seven cleane daies but she that hath the lesser numbreth but one onely And she which hath the greater bringeth a sacrifice when shee is cleansed Otherwise as touching uncleannesse and restraint from companying with her husband they are both alike Maimony in Issurei biah ch 6. sect 2. c. over to weer over the time or after her separation as the Greeke translateth which the Hebrewes explaine thus that if she see it three daies next after her separation or menstrues then it is an issue As if shee see it in the eight day of her separation and in the ninth in the tenth for they are the first second and third of the eleven daies which are the daies of the issue Maimony in Issurei biah chap 6. sect 17. Thâ—se things taught the care and diligence that all should have in looking to their life and conversation both for the judging of th 〈…〉 and purging by repentance 1 Cor. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coâ— 7. 11. Vers. 26. e 〈…〉 â—ny thing for the use and service of man 〈◊〉 called a vessell or instrument The particulars o◠〈◊〉 pollutions are noted before Observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas the woman thus diseased made 〈…〉 g uncleane that she touched onâ—ly Christ wâ—â—n he was touched by such a one was 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 defiled but shâ— by him and the vertue 〈◊〉 〈…〉 eded from him was cleansed For hee was undefiled and separated from sinners Heb. 7. 26. and th 〈…〉 he bare our infirmities Esay 53. 4. yet continued he the Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. Vers. 27. in water ordinary cleane water not being restrained to living water onely which was peculiarly appointed for the man that had an issue vers 13. and for the Leper Levit. 14. 5. and for the water of sprinkling Num. 19. 17. Ver. 28. seven daies as the man also did see before on ver 13. she shall be cleane having performed the rites fore-mentioned of washing and bathing in water And this time and the manner of cleansing figured the time of grace in Christ and our cleansing from sinne by his blood and spirit whereof it is prophasied In that day there shaâ—â— be a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for separation for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. Vers. 30. make atonement for her sin-offring was 〈◊〉 figure of Christ to bee offred for the forgivenesse of sins Matt. 26. 28. 2 Cor. 5. 21. and her burnt-offring figured the same Christ offred to make us acceptable unto God by whom also wee present our bodies and soules as holy and acceptable sacrifices Heb. 9. 9. 12. 14. Rom. 12. 1. He is the Lord that hath washed away the filth or excrements of the daughters of Sion and purged the bloods of Ierusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning Esay 4. 4. V. 31. shall separate or shall religiously-separate and holyly exempt and sever them by teaching them to understand carefully to keepe these ordinances Le. 11. 47. The G. translateth ye shal ma 〈…〉 theÌ„ wary or religiously carefull the original word is of Nazar whereupon the Nazirites had their name who were separated and sanctified unto the Lord Numbers 6.
off in his body from this life yet he goeth not downe to Gehenna or Hell but hath his portion in the garden of Eden or kingdome of Heaven but there is some man guilty of cutting off whose iniquities are so many that he is cut off from the lite of the garden of Eden of whom it is written that soule shall he cut off from my presence Levit. 22. 3. and I will even destroy that soule Levit. 23 30 and these wicked ones are not cut off in their body but wax old in this world as it is said There is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickednesse Eccles 7. 15. from his peoples in Greeke from his people by peoples meaning the tribes of Israel called the peoples of Israel in Act. 4. 27. So Moses elsewhere explaineth it saying hee shall be cut off from Israel Exod. 12. 15. Num. 19. 13. and from the congregatiâ—n Num. 19. 20. and from the congregation of Israel Exod. 12. 19. and from among his people Lev. 17. 4. 10. and 20. 3. 6. and 23. 30. beare his sinne that is the punishment due for his sin so in Lev. 22. 9. Num. 18. 32. Verse 14. sojourne with you this the Greeke explaineth if a proselyte come unto yâ—u in your laâ—d Of strangers to be admitted to the Passeover see in the annotations on Exod. 12. 48 49. Vers. 15. was reared up or that he Moses reared up the Tabernacle which was the first day of the first moneth in the second yeere after they were come out of Egypt Exod. 40. 1. 17. the cloud a signe of Gods favour and presence possessing and protecting the Tabernacle and dwelling amongst hâ—s people in Christ see Exod. 33. 10 11. and 40. 34. and the annotations there Also Num. 14. 14. Ezâ—k 10. 3 4. even the Tent of the Testimonie or 〈◊〉 the Tent which the Greeke translateth and the house of the Testimonie meaning the most holy place in which was the Arke with the Tables of the Testimonie or Law in it over which place the cloud speciaily was to cover the same The Hebrew word which usually signifieth to or fâ—r is by the Greeke translated and as here so in Lev. 16. 21. and Exo. 17. 10. sometime it serveth but to signifie the thing covered as in Esai 11. 9. and so in this place Sol. Iarchi expoundeth it thus the Tabernacle which was made to be a Tent for the Tables of the Testimonie as the appearance or the very appearance of fire in Exod. 40. 38. it is said and fire was on it by night The same cloud was darknesse by day and fire by night as in Exod. 14. 20. 24. both signified Gods presence and defence of his Tabernacle as it is said The LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Esai 4. 5. And in Psal. 105. 39. He spred a cloud for a covering and fire to give light in thâ— night So Christ by the Scriptures of the holy Prophets and Apostles which are a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12. 1. and by his Spirit is a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge Esai 4. 6. as it is written Thou Lord hast beene a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat Esai 5. 4. and the Propheticall word is a light that shineth in a darke place 2 Pet. 1. 19. See the annotations on Exod. 13. 21. Vers. 16. cloud covered it to wit by day as is expressed in Exod. 40. â—8 and to be understood here therefore the Greeke version also addeth by day and so doth the Chaldee called Ionathans The continuance of this signe notwithstanding the peoples unworthinesse is remembred by Nehemiah thus Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookâ—st them not in the wildernesse the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should 〈◊〉 Nâ—hem 9. 19. Vers. 17. was taken up from off the Teâ—t or from upon or over the Tent which the Greeke translateth went up from the Tent. journeyed or removed set forward encamped or pitched rested Thus God in Christ was the cause and beginning of all rest and motion and the director of his Church in the way that they should goe Therefore Moses sanctified both their journeyings and their restings by prayer unto God Num. 10. 35 36. According to this ancient signe Christ is said to come with clouds Dan. 7. 13. Rev. 1. 7. and appeareth cloathed with a cloud and his feet as pillars of fire Rev. 10. 1. for the salvation of his people and destruction of their enemies The same grace is set forth by the similitude of a sheepâ—erd leading his flocke in and out whom they follow Psâ—l 8â— 1. 2. Ioh. 10 9. Vnder whose conduct they feed in the 〈◊〉 and their pastures are in all high 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 not nor 〈◊〉 neither doth the he 〈…〉 〈◊〉 s 〈…〉 them for he that hath mercy on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them c. Esai 40. 9 10. Rev. 7. 16. Wherefore the Church desireth to be told where he sâ—â—dâ—th his flocke and where he maketh them to rest at noone Song 1. 7. And that which the Church saith of Christ His lâ—ft hand 〈◊〉 under minâ— head and his right hand doth embracâ— me â—ong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chaldee paraphrast on that place applieth to this cloud and the effects thereof Verse 18. At the mouth that is as the Greeke translateth it By the commandement or as the Chaldee saith At the word of the Lord for this signe from heaven the removing and resting of the cloud was to them as the mouth or word of God For God speaketh by his signes which are therefore called the words of his signes Psal. 105. 27. And it signified that whatsoever we doe in word or deed we should doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus Coloss. 3. 17. Vers. 19. taried long or prolonged the time here the spaces of time shorter or longer betweene the journyings of the people are also shewed to be by the Lords cloud that so not onely the works but the times and seasons might appeare to be in Gods hand power Act. 1. 7. kept the charge or the watch Hebr. observed the observation of which phrase see Levit. 8. 35. The Chaldee here translateth the charge or observation of the word of the LORD They kept watch and ward night and day to see when the cloud should arise or they kept the charge in the meane while of serving the Lord whiles the Sanctuarie was erected So after in v. 23. Vers. 20. a few daies Hebr. daies of number that is daies easily numbred meaning a few see this phrase in Gen. 34. 30. Vers. 22. a yeere of daies that is a whole yeere see the notes on Lev. 25. 29.
Esai 58. 1. and 27. 13. Ezek. 33. 3. Rev. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 8. So the Hebrewes say the trumpets were to be made of silver if of any other kinde of metall they were unlawfull Maim in Cle hammikdash ch 3. sect 5. The tongue of the just is as choise silver Prov. 10. 20. and the words of the LORD are pure words as silver tried c. Psalm 12. 7. beaten worke wrought with the hammer beaten into a plate of one whole peece so the golden Candlesticke was Exod. 25. 31. It signified the labour of the ministers of God giving themselves continually to praier and to the ministerie of the word Act. 6. 4. that the trumpets may give a cleare and certaine sound for and unto the people for the calling for to call together the congregation This was the first of the foure speciall uses of these trumpets when the people rested to assemble them unto the Lord in his Sanctuarie for to heare his word to pray and to doehim worship As Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assembly Gather the people sanctifie the congregation c. Ioel 2. 15 16. and Blow the trumpet in the new moone c. Psalm 81. 4. It signified that all the meetings of the Church should be sanctified by the word of God and prayer for the journeying to cause the camps that is the people in their camps or tents to take their journeyes This was the second use of the trumpets to sanctifie by their sound the journeyes and travels of Gods people that as their rest so all their motions might be in God by the conduct of his word and spirit Thus were there three things to be observed at their removings the Lords taking up of the cloud Num. 9. 18. 22. the sound of the trumpets Num. 10. 2. 5. 6. and the prayer of Moses Num. 10. 35. Verse 3. And they that is the Priests shall blow as is expressed in vers 8. The Greeke translateth thou shalt blow meaning Moses by the Priests whom he appointed thereto with them with both of them for when but one was blowne the Princes onely assembled vers 4. Verse 4. with one the Latine translateth it once but the Greeke better with one trumpetâ— heads that is captaines governours of thousands in Greeke Chiliarchs see Exod. 18. 21. Thus was there one trumpet for the rulers and one for the people that all their assemblies might be in the name and by the signe of the Lord and the Governours might have their meeting apart but not the people without the Governours presence for whaâ—soever concerned the people it belonged also to the Princes with them in resting or journeying peace or warre And all assembled unto Moses the chiefe and figure of Christ Heb. 3. 1 2. Verse 5. And if ye blow or And ye shall blow an alarme and the camps c. So after and thus the Greeke translateth it an alarme or a broken sound in Hebrew Trugnah which is generally any loud broken ringing noise either with trumpets as here or with mens voices and shoutings as in 1 Sam. 4. 5. and this either a ioyfull shout and triumphant noise as Num. 23. 21. Psal. 47. 6. Ezr. 3. 11 12. or a mournfull cry as Ier. 20. 16. See the notes on Levit. 23. 24. This broken sound or alarme was fittest to stir vp and incourage the mindes of the people to rise and march forward to battell against the Canaanites as the former continued equall sound was for their quiet assembling vnto the seruice of God and hearing of his Law And unto this difference the Apostle hath respect when he saith If the trumpet give an uncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell 1 Cor. 14. 8. And therfore also the Greeke here and often otherwhere translateth it signe or signification because by it the people distinctly perceived what they were to doe Andir signified how God by his trumpeters the Prophets and Apostles hath distinctly signified his will unto his Church for all things needfull to furnish them unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. and such should be the teaching of all his Ministers The Hebrew Doctors have understood the former blowing with an equall continued sound to be a signe of mercy to Israel and this alarme or broken sound to be a signe of judgment against their enemies R. Menachem on Num. 10. saith The blowing of trumpets signified mercies therefore in the time of assembling the people he saith And they shall blow with them and all the assembly shall assemble themselves unto thee Num. 10. 3. for the gathering of them is in mercy as it is written Returne ô LORD unto the ten thousand thousands of Israel Numb 10. 36. Likewise And he was King in Iesurun when the beads of the people the tribes of Israel were gathered together Deut. 33. 5. But their journeying was with an alarme Num. 10. 5. because the divine Majestie went before them and it is written Rise up LORD and let thine enemies be scattred Num. 10. 35. So the walls of Iericho fell with an alarme or shout Iof. 6. 20. because Gods Majestie went before them to consume their enemies c. on the East side which were Iudah Issachar and Zabulon Num. 2. 3-7 Verse 6. on the South side Reuben Simeon and Gad Num. 2. 10. c. for their journeyes or according to their journeyings that is not for these two quarters onely but for the other also as Chazkuni observeth for all the foure camps Here therefore the Greeke version addeth by way of explanation And ye shall sound the third alarme and the camps that encampe towards the West shall 〈◊〉 their journey and ye shall sound the fourth alarmâ— and the camps that encampe towards the North 〈◊〉 take their journey The like is signified also by Fâ— Iosephus in Antiq. Iudaic. lib. 3. c. 11. Where the Latine version misseth interpreting Noton the backe part of the Tabernacle which was westward when it meaneth the South and the third 〈◊〉 Liba westward he turneth Southward when Li 〈…〉 is one of the westerne winds as sheweth Aul. Gellius in Noct. Attic. l. 2. c. 22. Vers. 8. a statute for ever an everlasting ordinance the outward rite continuing till Christs comming the spirituall use abiding still for ever that by the preaching of the word and prayer the Ministers of God should guide his people in all their affaires Vers. 9 yee goe to warre Hebr. yee come to warre which the Greeke translateth come forth But comming is often used for going as in Ion. 1. 3. comming that is going to Tharshish the distre 〈…〉 in Greeke the adversaries that resist you This was the third use of the trumpets to be sounded in time of warre and tribulation whereof there be examples in Israels warre against the Midianites Num. 31. 6. in the Iewes war against the Apostaâ—e Israelites when they said Behold God is with us for a captaine and his Priests with sounding trumpets to
cry alarme against you 2 Chron. 13. 12. and sundry the like This one distresse of war is of some thought to be named for all other calâ—mities as the Hebrew canons declare saying It is commanded by the Law to cry out and to sound an alarme with trumpets for every distresse that shall come upoâ— the congregation as it is written Against the distresser that distresseth you Num. 10. 9. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should say every thing that shall distresse you 〈◊〉 〈…〉 mine and pestilence and locusts and the like ye 〈◊〉 cry out for them and sound an alarme And 〈◊〉 thing belongeth unto repentance for when distr 〈…〉 commeth and they cry out because of it and make an alarme all doe know that for their evill deeds they are afflicted as it is written Your iniquities have turned away these things and your sinnes have with-bolden good things from you Ier. 5. 25. c. And by the exposition of our Scribes we are to humble our selves for every distresse that 〈◊〉 come upon the Congregation till mercy be shewed from heaven Maimony in Misn. tom 1. in Taanioth or treat of Fasts or Humiliation chap. 1. sect 1. c. with the trumpets with which sound they were also to lift up their voice in supplication to the Lord to fast and pray as in Ioel 2. 15. 17. 〈◊〉 the trumpet or Cornet in Zion sanctifie a 〈◊〉 call a solemne assembly c. Let the Priests the ministers of the LORD weepe betweene the Pâ—â—â—â— and the Altar and let them say Spare thy people ô LORD c. So in the warre of Abijah 〈◊〉 cried unto the LORD and the Priests sounded with the trumpets and the men of Iudah gave a shout c. 2 Chron. 13. 14 15. And Iehosaphat in his warre proclaimed a fast and prayed 2 Chron. 20. 3. 6. c. The order and manner of such fasts the Hebrewes describe thus In these daies of Humiliation men are to cry out with prayers and supplications and to sound an alarme with trumpets onely But if they be in the Sanctuarie they sound an alarme with trumpets and with cornet and not with both of them together save in the Sanctuarie as it is written With trumpets and voice of the cornet sound an alarme before the King the LORD Psal. 98. 6. These Fasts or Humiliations which they have decreed for the Congregation because of distresses are not day after day for the multitude of the congregation cannot continue in so doing Neither doe they decree the fast to begin save on the second day of the weeke and then on the fift day after that and in the second day of the weeke after that againe and so after this order on the second day and the fift and the second till mercy be shewed them They decree no fasts for the congregation on the Sabbaths or Feast-daies neither blow they in them with cornet or trumpets nor cry out and make supplications in them unlesse it be in a Citie that is besieged by heathens or invaded by a slood or in a ship ready to be cast away in the sea c. Neither decree they that a fast shall begin at the new Moones or at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple or feast of Purim or in the working day of any solemne feast But if they have begun the Fast though but one day and any of these daies fall out they fast and accomplish the day in humiliation These Fasts which are for distresse women with child and that give sucke and little children fast not And it is lawfull to eat in the night when the fast is on the morrow As the congregation is to fast for their distresse so is a private man to doe for his as if he be sicke or wander in the wildernesse or be imprisoned he is to humble himselfe and seeke mercy by prayer to God Every fasting day decreed for the congregation the Iudges and Elders sit in the Synagogue and make inquirie of the deeds of the men of that Citie from after morning prayer till mid-day and remove the stumbling blocks of transgressions and doe admonish and inquire and search concerning injurious persons and transgressors and separate them and concerning violent persons and humble them c. These are the distresses for which the congregation are to fast and 〈◊〉 an alarme For the enemies of Israel that come against Israel and for the sword that passeth by the land as of heathens warring with heathens and for the pestilence and for evill beasts and for Locusts and for Caterpillers and for blasting of fruits and for meldew and for ruine or downfall of buildings by earthquake winds or the like and for sicknesses that spread among the people and for meanes of livelihood failing to the decay of trading and for raine if it be too excessive or too scarse Every Citie that is distressed with any of these is to fast and sound an alarme untill the distresse be taken away and all that are round about that Citie are to fast but not to sound an alarme but to request mercy for them Maimony in Taanioth ch 1. 2. That humiliations in times of distâ—esse were appointed of God the Prophet Ioel sheweth us in whose time Palmer-worms Locusts Canker-worms Caterpillars wasted the fruits of the earth and drought as fire and flame burnt up the pastures and trees of the field for which the people were exhorted to fast and pray which was performed with blowing of trumpets and sounding alarme c. Ioel. 1. 4 5. 13. 14. 19. 20. and 2. 1. 12. 13. 15. 16. c. yee shall â—e remembred the Chaldee explaineth it the remembrance of you shall come up for good before the Lord. This is a promise of grace annexed to the signes the trumpets for remembrance is sometime for evill to punish iniquitie Nehem. 6. 14. Ier. 14. 10. sometime for good as Neh. 5. 19. and 13. 22. See the notes on Gen. 8. 1. Thus the silver trumpets signified the Ministers dutie by preaching of the Law to call men unto repentance for then sinnes Esa. 58. 1. Ezek. 33. 3. 7. 8. Hâ—s 8. 1. â—el 2. 1. 15 16. and to stirre them up to fight the Lords battels against Satan sinne Antichrist c 2 Chron. 13. 12. 15. Ier. 51. 27. Ios. 6. 8. Rev. 8. 6 7 c. In which battels the Lord himselfe will be with his people and blow the trumpet before them Zach. 9. 14. Verse 10. day of your gladnesse in Greeke daies one named for all This is the fourth use of the trumpets for joy and triumph before the Lord. And by the day of gladnesse distinguished from the solemne feasts Baal 〈◊〉 understandeth the Sabbath day or it may be meant of any extraordinary day of rejoycing for any speciall mercy received or deliverance from evill As a◠〈◊〉 first dedication of Solomons Temple 2 Chrâ—â— 5. 12 13. also at the returne out of 〈◊〉 pâ—iviâ—ie and at the foundation of the second Temple they set thâ—
of life Iohn 6. 48 51. Heb. 2. 9 10. 1 â—et 3. 18. But though the Manna was thus hard as wheat to be ground yet it used to melt as it lay on the earth with the heat of the Sunne that they gathered it onely in the morning Exod. 16. 21. baked or boyled coqued the word is sometime used for baking as in 2 Sam. 13. 8. though usually it signifieth to 〈◊〉 the best moisture oyle fresh oyle w ch hath no ranke favour The Hebrew Leshad is the best oâ—ly moisture in mans body Psal. 32. 4. so here it is the best sweet moisture of oyle which is the uppermost part It had also the taste of wafers with honey Ex. 16. 31. And here the Greeke translateth it wafers of oyle and the Chaldee paste or cakes with oyle So it was both pleasnt and wholsome food and the taste of oyle and honey figured the sweetnesse of grace which we by faith perceive in Christ the true Manna Psal. 119. 103. Song 5. 16. 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 3. Verse 9. â—ell downe upon it and upon the Manna fell dew againe which when it was drawne up by the Sunne then the Manna appeared Exod. 16. 13 14. so the Manna lay as it were hidden between two dewes But after was manifested and given them of God freely every day a wheat which they sowed not nor laboured for but had for the taking up a meat which they knew not neither had their fathers knowne it whereby they were taught that man liveth not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord Deut. 8. 3. Verse 10. throughout or by their families so the sinne was generally spred among the people in the doore that is openly and sinned not in secret onely but as it were proclaimed their iniquitie and stirred up themselves and one another to follow their lusts Verse 11. done evill to thy servant that is afflicted me for evill when it commeth from God meaneth trouble and affliction wherewith he chastiseth his servants and exerciseth their faith and patience as Ier. 18. 8. Esai 45. 7. Amos 3. 6. that thou layest Heb. for to lay or to put so it hath reference to the former part of the speech See the notes on Gen. 6. 19. the burden the weighty care and charge so in Deut. 1. 12. The Greeke here translateth it anger but after in vers 17 violence or assault This sheweth the great charge that lieth upon governours so Paul mentioneth the caere of all the Churches which came upon him daily 2 Cor. 11. 28. Verse 12. Have I conceived so also the Greeke translateth it but the Chaldee saith Am I the father of all this people are they my sonnes begotten them Hebr. begotten it or brought forth it speaking of the people as of one man begotten as by a father or brought forth as by a mother So the Apostle applieth both similies to himselfe saying to the Corinthians Ye have not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4. 15. and to the Galathians My children of whom I travell in birth againe untill Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. In this complaint of Moses the weaknesse of the Law is signified w ch begetteth no children to God Rom. 7. 4. 5 c. and 8. 3. but by the word of Truth the Gospell and by beleefe in Christ we are borne of God I am 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. in thy bosome that is lovingly tenderly carefully which Moses the Lawgiver could not doe as is done by Christ of whom it is said He shall feed his flocke like a shepheard he shall gather his lambes with his arme and be are them in his bosome he shall gently lead those that are with young Esai 40. 11. a nursing father This sheweth the love mildnesse gentlenesse w ch should be in governours and so it is said unto the Church Kings shall be thy nursing fathers c. Esai 49. 23. And the Apostle saith Wee were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth her children we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children 1 Thes. 2. 7. 11. Accordingly the Hebrewes have this rule for all governours of the Church It is unlawfull for a man to governe with statelinesse over the congregation and with haughtinesse of spirit but with meeknesse and feare And every pastour that bringeth more terrour upon the congregation than is for the name of God he shall be punished and shall not see himselfe to have a learned wise son as it is said in Iob 37. 24. Men do therfore feare him he respecteth not any that are wise of heart And so it is not lawfull for him to governe them with contemptuous carriage although they be the common people of the land neither may he tread upon the heads of the holy people although they be unlearned base they are the sons of Abraham Isaacke and Iacob and the armies of the Lord that brought them out of the land of Egypt by great might and by strong hand but he must be are the toyle of the Congregation and their burden as Moses our Master of whom it is said AS A NVRSING FATHER BE ARETH THE SVCKING CHILD c. Maimony in Misn. tom 4. in Sanhedrin ch 25. sect 1 2. That w ch Moses speaketh of a Nursing father the Chaldee that goeth in the name of Ionathan and Targum Ierusalemy calleth Pedagoga which word Paul useth when he saith the Law was our Pâ—dagogue or Schoolemaster unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. whose graces were figured by that land whither Moses now was to lead them as is shewed in the annotations on Gen. 12. 5. Verse 13. flesh to give By these complaints Moses sheweth his insufficiencie to governe this people and to supply their wants neither indeed could he bring them into the promised land but died ere they came thither Deut. 34. whereby the impossibility of the Law was signified that it could not bring men unto God or satisfie or restraine the lusts that reigne in our members though the Law it selfe is holy Rom. 7. 5 12. But what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God hath done sending his owne Sonne Rom. 8. 3. who giveth us not flesh to satisfie our carnall lusts but his owne flesh to be the food of our soules which he hath given for the life of the world and which who so eateth hath eternall life Ioh. 6. 51. 54. Verse 15. if thou doe thus to leave the whole burden upon me still Here the word thou spoken to God is of the foeminine gender contrary to common rule of speech At for Attah which some thinke doth intimate Moses trouble of mind as if he could not perfectly utter his wordâ— and the like is in Deut. 5. 27. where the people terrified with the Majestie of God when he gave his Law said unto Moses Speake thou At unto
fought cursed David by his gods 1 Sam. 17. 43. Vers. 7. divinations that is the wages or reward of divinations was in their hand the wages of unrighteousnesse as the Apostle calleth it 2 Pet. 2. 15. being for a wicked art and to an â—nrighteous end so Targum Ionathan expoundeth it The fruits of divinations sealed in theiâ— hand And thus Besorah i. Good tidings is used for the reward of good tidings in 2 Sam. 4. 10. In Israel when the heads judged for reward the Priests taught for hire and the Prophets divined for money the Lord threatneth that for their sake Zion should be plowed as a field and Ierusalem become â—â—aps Mâ—◠〈◊〉 11 12. Balaamites see their reward in this world in the hands of men and that they follow but the people of God walke by faith not by sight and their rewards is in heaven hid with God not in the hands of man 2 Cor. 5. 7. Mat. 5. 11 12. Vers. 8. I will bring you word againe or I will returne you word which the Greeke explaineth I will answer you the things which the Lord shall speake unto me He would have them lodge there that night because he would aske counsell of God who used to speake to the Prophets by dreames and visions of the night Num. 12. 6. Ioâ— 4. 13. and 33. 14 15. Ier. 23. 25 28. He conâ—ulteth with Iehovah the true God whose Propher he would seeme to be and calleth him his God vers 18. and because the businesse concerned the people of Iehovah of him he was to enquire But his promise to bring them word what Iehovah said he performed not faithfully as appeareth by comparing vers 13. with vers 12. the Princes of M 〈…〉 and also of Midian which are here to be understood from vers 7. where they were called 〈◊〉 Vers. 9. God came to wit by night as in v. 20. which the Chaldee expoundeth word came from before the LORD So God came to Abimelâ—â—â— in a dreame by night Gen. 20. 3. and God came to Lâ—bâ—n the Syrian in a dreame by night Gen. 31. 24. Sometimes for his peoples sake and sometimes for their owne God revealed his counsels of old unto men that were wicked Gen. 41. 25. Dan. 2. 45. and 4 21 22. So still he giveth gifts of knowledge and understanding in his word to men that are none of his Mat. 7. 22 23. and 24. 24. 2 Tim. 3. 8. the eye the face as vers 5. curse me them the word curse here is another word in the originall than that before used in vers 6. but of the same signification as appeareth also after in NuÌ„ 23. 7. 8. It meaneth a piercing or striking thorow with evill speeches and so is used for cuising or blaspheming see the notes on Lev. 24. 11. be able to sight or prevaile in fighting or warring against them as the word is used for prevailing in Esai 7. 1â— see before on vers 6. Here Balaam having to deale with God that knoweth all things would not corrupt their speech but fully related the message sent unto him but in his answer to the Princes he dealeth otherwise vers 13. Vers. 12. not curse As the message had two branches to goe and to curse so God answereth unto and forbiddeth both adding a reason because they were blessed And as he forbide him to go to any other place so he forbade him to curse them in any place or where now he was So that Balaam here might know the whole will of God about this businesse and needed not to enquire what the Lord would speake unto him more as he did in vers 19. And though Israel had often provoked the Lord by their sinnes in the wildernesse yet would he not suffer the wicked to curse them but made them heires of that blessednesse which belongeth to those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Rom. 4. 6 7. are blessed and therefore may not be cursed of any for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. And when Iakob the father of this people had got the blessing of Isaak unawares Esau could not get him to reverse it but Isaak said I have blessed him yea and he shall be blessed Gen. 27. 33. neither could Balaam with all his altars and sacrifices procure God to change but was him-selfe forced also to blesse them three times Num. 24. 10. Wherefore they are after put in minde of this mercie the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee because the LORD thy God loved thee Deut. 23. 5. Vers. 13. Iehovah refuseth to give me the Chaldee explaineth it it pleaseth not the LORD to suffer me and in Greeke God permitteth me not Here Balaam telleth them but the first part of Gods speech concealing the other and the reason which God gave wherein the weight of the answer lay If he had faithfully shewed them the whole counsell of God it might have stayed this evill enter prise cut off all occasion of further sending But as a man loth to displease and loving the proffered gaine he useth a faint and favourable speech as if he should have said I could be content and glad to gratifie the King herein but God will not suffer me at this time to goe the fault is not mine therefore I pray you have me excused The contrary dutie is shewed in Ier. 23. 28. The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell the dreame and hee that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully c. and in the Apostles practise who saith I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God Act. 20. 27. Vers. 14. Balaam refuseth to come in Greeke Balaam will not come Observe Satans practise against Gods word seeking to lessen the same and that by degrees from hand to hand till either he bring it to nothing or at least pervert it to a wrong purpose Balaam told the Princes lesse than God spake to him and they relate to Balak lesse than Balaam told them that when the answer came to the King it was not now the word of God but of man it was onely Balaam refuseth to come as if God had not forbidden or hindered this action but onely there wanted a will in the Prophet there being no word brought either of the Lords will touching his people or of their blessed estate as was signified in vers 12. Hereupon grew occasion for this mischiefe to be further followed and Balaam was the second time sollicited with stronger tentations than before vers 15 16. c. Vers. 15. moe and more honourable or greater and more honourable Of the Hebrewes Sol. Iarchi gathereth from Balaams words to goe with you v. 13. that he being haughty and of a proud spirit insinuated therby as if with them he might not go but with other greater than they he might but this is uncertaine The holy Ghost sheweth rather how
hurt the very swine without leave from the Lord Mat. 8. 31 32. Vers. 21. in the morning as Abraham being spoken to of God to sacrifice his sonne rase early in the morning and sadled his Asse and tooke two of his young men with him c. Gen. 22. 3. shewing his readinesse to obey the will of the Lord though with the losse of his onely sonne whom he loved so Balaam here riseth in the morning sadleth his Asse and taketh two of his young men with him vers 22. shewing his greedinesse to get preferment and the wages of iniquitie which he loved though with the losse of the favour of God and in the end of his owne life Gods children runne not so fast in the way of his commandements when hee enlargeth their heart Psalm 119. 32. but the children of Satan runne as fast to evill and make haste to shed innocent bloud Esay 59. 7. They runne and prepare themselves without iniquitie in Gods people Psal. 59. 4 5. So are the wayes of every one that is greedy of gaine which taketh away the life of the owners thereof Prov. 1. 16 19. Vers. 22. Gods anger was kindled in Greeke God was angry in wrath The judgements of God are a great depth Psalm 36. 7. hee is often offended and that justly when men doe that which he saith Doe because they doe it not with that minde and to that end which hee requireth Esay 10. 6 7. and his word or leave is in displeasure against sinners that have no love to the truth The young Prophets of Iericho would have leave to send fiftie men to seeke Elijahs bodie but Elisha forbade them after by their importunacie hee said Send They sent and sought but found him not then Elisha gave them this reproofe Did not I say unto you Goe not 2. King 2. 16 17 18. As they ought to have rested in the Prophets first word so should Balaam have done fiere in the first answer of God and for not doing it wrath from the Lord was upon him the Angell of Iebovah this Angell speaketh as the Lord him-selfe onely the word that I shall speake unto thee that shalt thou speake v. 35. Wherfore this seemeth to be Christ the Angell which redeemed Iakob from all evill Gen. 48. 16. and now commeth to redeeme Iakobs children from the curse intended against them the Angell that was sent before Israel to keepe them in their way in whom Iehovahs name was Exo. 23. 20 21. even Michael the great prince which standeth for his people Dan. 10. 21. and 12. 1. an adversary in Hebr. Satan which name when it is used for an adversary to Gods people usually meaneth the Deuill Iob 1. 6. Mat. 4. 10. Rev. 12 9. and 20. 2. but here being spoken of an adversarie to the wicked defender of the church is applied to an holy Angell or to the Prince of Angels and men And here the love of God unto Israel appeareth that when he giveth a wicked man leave to goe out against them forthwith hee sendeth his Angell to resist him and to stand for the helpe of his chosen as all the Angels are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. two of his young men that is of his servants see the notes on Exo. 33. 11. So Abraham went with two of his young men Gen. 22. 3. Vers. 23. the Asse saw the Angell It pleaseth God to confound the wisedome of the wise and arrogant by base and contemptible meanes for the foolishnes of God is wiser than the wisdome of men 1 Cor. 1. 25. Balaam was a great Prophet accustomed to visions and revelations yet saw not with his eies neither knew with all his skill v. 34. that the Angell stood against him whom his Asse a rude and silly beast did see and avoid to the safety of his master and he that could advertise others of things that should befall them Num. 24. 14. could not advertise himselfe of the danger of death w ch was before him So God destroyeth the wisedome of the wise and bringeth to nought the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. When visions appeared the Prophets were wont to see them and others in their company saw them not as in Dan. 10. 7. Act. 9. 7. here the Prophet seeth nothing but the beast under him hath the eyes opened to see the apparition his sword drawne a signe of wrath and vengeance so David saw the Angell that plagued Israel with a drawne sword in his hand 1 Chron. 21. 16. and Iosua the like in that Angels hand who as captaine of the Lords host was to destroy the Canaanites Ios. 5. 13. 14. Balaam went with a purpose to curse Israel and after to have them killed with the sword his curses would have been like the piercings of a sword Prov. 12. 18. he had whetted his tongue as a sword and bent his arrow even a bitter word Ps. 64. 4. the Lord to reward him according to his works sendeth out a sword against him the Asse turned aside The beasts and fowles and other brutish creatures are often taken to teach convince men Iob 12. 7 8. Esay 1. 3. Ier. 8. 7. Balaams folly was reproved here by the action of this dumbe beast as after it was by words Nū 22. 28 30. 2 Pet. 2. 16. Balaams way was perverse before the Lord v. 32. he had forsaken the right way went astray 2 Pet. 2. 15. the asse turning aside out of the way might have taught him to have desisted from his evill course The Asse avoideth the danger evill before his eyes the master being blinded with ambition and covetousnes seeth it not but would goe on to destruction v. 33. smote the asse the Greek here addeth with his rod or staffe which is taken from v. 27. As he that judgeth another condemneth himselfe doing the same things Rom. 2. 1. so the Prophet in smiting his beast sheweth himselfe to bee worthy of moe stripes doing much worse than it A whip for the horse a bridle for the asse and a rod for the fooles backe Prov. 26. 3. V. 24. and a wall in Chaldee and another wall The Angell needed not have chosen such places but these things hapned unto Balaam for ensamples and are written for our admonition for when men goe on in a way not good if they escape one perill they fall into another greater and at last into inevitable danger as the Prophet signifieth by feare and pit and snare Hee that fleeth from the feare shall fall into the pit and hee that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare Ier. 48. 43 44. Vers. 25. and thrust Balaams foot or pressed crushed his foot This word is used in 2 Kings 6. 32. where the Kings messenger who was sent to take away Elishaes head was pressed or crusht in the doore God by this second signe came neerer unto Balaam who went on in
Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine and that we receive a kingdome which cannot be moved Hebr. 12. 27 28. And as here Moses reckoneth fortie two journies from Egypt to the river Iordan over which Iosua led them into Canaan so the Apostle in Matth. 1. reckoneth 42 generations from Abraham unto Christ by whom we have entrance into the kingdome of God with their armies or by their armies being about six hundred thousand men beside little ones and much mixed people with them Exod 12. 37 38. They are called also the Lords armies Exod. 7. 4. and 12. 41. by the hand under the guidance or conduct This Asaph mentioneth to the praise of God Thou didst lead thy people like a flocke by the hand of Moses and Aa 〈…〉 Psal. 77. 21. Vers. 2. according to their journies or 〈◊〉 their journies or removings as the Greeke translateth and their journies or stations the moâ—th that is the word or commandement of Ieho 〈◊〉 This may be understood either of his commandement to write these journies here or of their journyings as it is said At the mouth of Iehovah the sonnes of Israel journied and at the mouth of Iehovah they encamped Num. 9. 18. 20. Vers. 3. from Rameses a citie in the land of Egypt Gen. 47. 11. See also Exod. 12. 37. the first moneth called Abib and Nisan Exod. 13. 4. Nehem 2. 1. answering to that which we call March Why it was the first moneth is shewed on Exod. 12. 2. the Passe-over whereof see Exod. 12. with an high hand in Chaldee with an uncovered head meaning openly boldly powerfully see Exod. 14. 8. Vers. 4. had smitten that is as the Chaldee expoundeth it had killed and the Greeke all the dead which the Lord had smitten see Exod. 12. 29. their gods in Chaldee their idols Some understand it of the beasts which the Egyptians worshipped judgements in Greeke did or executed vengeance see Exod. 12. 12. and 18. 11. Vers. 5. Succoth by interpretation Boothes see Exod. 12. 37. Vers. 6. Etham which is in the edge in Greeke Bouthan which is a part of the wildernesse see Exod. 13. 20. Vers. 7. Pi-hahiroth or as the Greeke and Chaldee translate the mouth of Hiroth for in the next verse the place is called onely Hiroth which seeme to be mountaines betweene which was a narrow passage called figuratively a mouth It was by the red sea and there the Egyptians overtooke the Israelites Exod. 14. 2. 9. Vers. 8. the sea the red sea the waters whereof God divided led his people thorow it but the Egyptians following them were drowned Exod. 14. 21 22 23 c. three dayes journie Hebr. three dayes way Etham called the wildernesse of Shâ—r Exod. 15. 22. Marah that is bitternesse as the Greeke here interpreteth it so called of the bitter waters which the people could not drinke therefore they murmured but God sweetned the waters with a tree Exod. 15. 23 c. Vers. 9. plame trees or Date trees see Exod. 15. 〈◊〉 there there by the waters Exod. 15. 27. So God refreshed his peâ—ple with water in the dry and barren wildernesse Vers. 10. by the red sea of this resting place there hath beene no mention before Vers. 11. of Sin a wildernesse which adjoyned unto Sin a citie of Egypt so called Ezek. 30. 15 16. Hither they came a just moneth after their departure from Rameses vers 3. namely in the fifteenth day of the second moneth in this wildernesse they murmured for want of food and God gave them Quailes and rained Manna from heaven Exod. 16. 1 2 c. Vers. 12. Dephkah in Greeke Raphakah putting R for D through likenesse of the letters in Hebrew see the notes on Gen. 4. 18. Of this place there is no mention in Exodus Vers. 13. Alush in Greeke Ailous Neither is this station named before but Moses intimated them when he said the Israelites journied from the wildernesse of Sin after their journies Exod. 17. 1. Vers. 14. Rephidim in Greeke Rephidein no water therefore the people contended with Moses and almost stoned him God gave them water out of the Rocke in Horeb and the place was called Massah and Meribah that is Tentation and contention Here also at Rephidim the Amalekites fought against Israel and were overcome Ex. 17. V. 15. wildernesse of Sinai the wildernesse of mount Sinai Act. 7. 30. Thither they came in the beginning of the third moneth Exod. 19. 1. There God gave them his Lawes Statutes and Iudgements Exod. 20. and 21 c. There they sinned and made the golden Calfe Exod. 32. Afterward they made the Tabernacle Exod. 36 c. Out of it God speaking taught them how they should serve him with sacrifices c. Lev. 1 c. He numbred and ordered the twelve tribes both for their encamping about the Tabernacle and for their journyings with it towards Canaan Num. 1 c. And in this place they abode till the twentieth day of the second moneth of the second yeare after their comming out of Egypt Num. 10. 11 12. Vers. 16. Kibroth hattaavah that is the graves of lust where the people lusted for flesh died whiles the flesh was betweene their teeth and were buried there Num. 11. 14 34. Vers. 17. Hazeroth In this place Marie with Aaron murmured against Moses and she was smitten with leprosie Num. 12. Vers. 18. Rithmah a place in the wildernesse of Pharan Num. 13. 1. It hath the name of Iuniper which either grew there or as some of the Hebrewes thinke because the evill tongues of the Spies which were sent from thence to view the land Num. 13. 3. and brought up an cvill report thereof were like the coales of Iuniper as in Psal. 120. 3 4. and kindled a rebellion among the people Num. 14. Vers. 19. Rimmon Parez in Greeke Rhembon Phares by interpretation the Pomegranate or the lifting up of the breach This place is not named before Chazkuni thinketh they came hither after God had bidden theÌ„ turne backe into the wildernesse by the way of the red sea Num. 14. 25. So it might have the name of the breach or slaughter which the Amalekites and Canaanites made among the Israelites for their presumption Num. 14. 44 45. as Perez Vzza in 1 Chron. 13. 11. and Baal Perazim in 1 Chron. 14. 11. were places so named of the death of Vzza and slaughter of the Philistines Vers. 20. Libnah in Greeke Lembona some thinke it to be that which is called Laban in Deut. 1. 1. Vers. 21. Rissah in Greeke Ressan it is not elsewhere mentioned Vers. 22. Kehelathah in Greeke Makelath it signifieth Assembling Vers. 23. mount Shapher in Hebrew Har Shapher by interpretation Faire mount in Greeke Arsaphath Vers. 24. Haradah or Charadah in Greeke Charadath it signifieth Trembling Vers. 25. Makheloth in Greeke Makedoth it is interpreted Assemblies or Congregations and is
or inherit the land a figure of the kingdome of Gods grace and glory which the righteous shall possesse by inheritance Esay 60. 21. and 65. 9. Vers. 9. and honey which signified the great fertility of that land and figured out spirituall graces and comforts as is noted on Exod. 3. 8. Vers. 10. thou sowedst and so all the inhabitants as the Greeke translateth they sâ—w In Egypt from whence Israel came they had no raine but by the over-flowing of the river Nilus the land was watered and by the labour of the husbandman beckes were derived to moysten the ground And that there they had no raine is testified both by the Prophets Zach. 14. 18. and by humane histories Pomp. Mela li. 1. Herodotus in Euterpe Nec pluvio supplicat herba Iovi Tibul. lib. 1. Eleg. 8. with thy foot that is with thy diligent labour signified sometime by the hand Psal. 128. 2. sometime by the foot as Gen. 30. 30. This condition of the land of Egypt the house of bondage figured the estate of men naturally corrupted which they labour to releeve by their own works and with the muddy waters which are from beneath proceeding from earthly wisedome and carnall understanding 1 Cor. 1. 20 31. and 2. 4. 5. Ezek. 34. 19. Ier. 2. 13. Verse 11. mountaines c. hereby is meant the commodious healthfull and pleasant situation of the land farre exceeding Egypt Wherefore sometime the whole land is signified under the name of a mountaine Exod. 15. 17. And because it was hills and vallies it could not be watered with the over-flowing of any river as Egypt which was a plaine but must otherwise bee moystened with the raine of heaven or else remaine barren and fruitlesse the raine this as it is most kinde causeth the earth to be fruitfull in nature so it figured heavenly graces the doctrine of Gods word spirit wherewith the soules of men are made fruitfull in good works Esay 45. 8. Mica 5. 7. See the notes on Gen. 27. 28. Deut. 32. 2. The want of raine is on the contrary a signe of curse Zach. 14. 17 18. Rev. 11. 6. Vers. 12. careth for Hebr. seeketh that is carefully seeth unto it and as the Greeke translateth visiteth According to this phrase Sion is called a citie sought that is cared for or regarded and not forsaken Esay 62. 12. And of Gods gracious providence towards the land of Israel David singeth how the Lord visited the land and plenteously moystened it very much enriched it softned it with showers blessed the bud of it crowned the yeere of his goodnesse and his pathes the clouds dropped fatnesse Psal. 65. 10 11 12. the eyes this also signifieth Gods care and providence for good as in the like speeches Ier. 40. 4. Ezra 5. 5. Psal. 34. 16. Though Gods providence be towards all peoples and hee giveth to all life and breath and all things Acts 17. 25. doing good giving us raine from heaven and fruitfull seasons Acts 14. 17. causing it to raine on the earth where no man is on the wildernesse wherein there is no man Iob 38. 26. yet other peoples have not the word and promise of God whereon to depend as Israel had whereby they might live not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord Deut. 8. 3. Vers. 13. if hearkening yee shall hearken that is if yee shall diligently hearken and obey This passage of Scripture following the Iewes read daily in their families as is noted on Deut. 6. 4. Vers. 14. the first raine c. or the early raine Twise in a yeere there fell store of raine in Israel in the beginning of the yeere about September or October and halfe a yeere after which was in Abib or March which ecclesiastically began the yeere unto Israel as is noted on Exod 12. 2. whereupon it is called the latter raine in the first moneth Ioâ—l 2. 23. The first raine fell after the â—owing of their corne that it might take rooting in the earth the latter raine was a little before harvest that the eare might be full Of these the Scriptures sundry times speake but so as that they depended upon God to whom Israel should obey and of whom they should aske raine in the time of the latter raine Zach. 10. 1. and then hee would come unto them with his blessings as the raine as the latter and former raine unto the earth Hosea 6. 3. So for the fruits the husbandman waited and had long patience untill hee received the early raine and the latter raine I am 5. 7. Which raine as it figured heavenly blessings in Christ Deut. 32. 2. Psal. 72. 6. so they led Israel to the feare of God but when they revolted from him they said not in their heart Let us now feare the Lord our God that giveth raine both the former and the latter raine in his season Ier. 5. 24. If these raines were seasonable and moderate the land was fruitfull as Moses in the next words sheweth if they failed then the drought as â—ire devoured the pastures if they fell immoderately the graines rotted under their clods Ioel 1. 19 17. new oyle These three were for the use of man and the grasse after mentioned for beasts as David also sheweth in Psal. 104. 13 14 15. By these earthly promises God drew his people to obedience but David had more gladnesse in his heart in the light of the Lords countenance than when corne and wine increased Psal. 4. 6 7. Vers. 16. deceived or inticed and drawen away by riches pleasures or false perswasions of which Iob saith If my heart hath beene secretly inticed or deceived Iob 31. 27. other gods that is Idols falsly reputed Gods so the Chaldee translateth Idols or Errours of the peoples Vers. 17. shut-up the heavens this phrase is used both for restraining the naturall raine for mens sins 1 Kings 8. 35. and the spirituall raine of Gods word and blessings Revel 11. 6. perish quickly or speedily suddenly The wicked heathens God suffered with much patience and would not have them destroyed suddenly Deut. 7. 22. but his owne people are threatned for their sinnes to perish suddenly for judgement must beginne at the house of God 1 Pet. 4. 17. he warneth his Church to repent c. or else he will come unto her quickly Revel 2. 5. Vers. 18. phylacteries or frontlets written in parchments and tyed to the forehead as the former were to the hand or arme of these see the annotations on Exod. 13. 9. 16. and Deut. 6. 4 8. Vers. 19. teach them your children cause your children Hebr. your sonnes to Iearne them this explaineth the former precept Thou shalt whet them on thy children Deut. 6. 7. Abraham the father of the faithfull is commended for this that he would command his children and his honshold after him to keepe the way of the LORD Gen. 18. 19. and Solomons parents taught him the Law Prov. 4. 3 4. and 31.
1 2 c. when thou walkest c. answerable to these are those sayings of Solomon When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keepe thee and when thou awakest it shall talke with thee for the Commandement is a Lampe and the Law is a light Prov. 6. 22 23. Vers. 20. doore-posts of this rite see the notes on Deut. 6. 9. Vers. 21. dayes may be multiplied Long life is a blessing often promised to them that keepe Gods Law Heare O my sonne and receceive my sayings and the yeeres of thy life shall be many Prov. 4. 10. dayes of the heavens that is whiles the world endureth for so long by the decree of God in Gen. 8. 22. shall the dayes of heaven be and so long shall the heavens be over the earth And under this eternall life was also figured A like promise was for the kingdome of David or of Christ that his throne should be as the dayes of the heavens Psal. 89. 30. Vers. 22. this commandement the Greek explaineth it these commandements see the notes on Deut. 5. 31. to cleave that is to continue fast united unto him and his Law as is noted on Deut. 10. 20. Vers. 23. drive out according to his former promise in Exod. 23. 23. 27. 31. But because Israel kept not Gods commandement this promise was not fully performed Iudg. 2. 1 2 3. Vers. 24. shall tread The like promise is made after Moses death to Israel under Iesus their Captaine Ios. 1. 3. who was a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom this promise was fulfilled the wildernesse of Paran which was the southerne border of the land of Canaan and Lebanon a mountaine which was the northerne bound By and Lebanon we may understand and unto Lebanon as the next words manifest Euphrates in Hebrew Pherath this is called the river for excellency sake meaning the great river as Deut. 1. 7. Gen. 15. 18. and so the Greeke translateth it here It was the easterne border of their territories hindmost sea or after sea which the Greeke and Chaldee calleth the Westerne sea meaning the maine or great sea toward the going downe of the Sunne as is explained in Ios. 1. 4. which sea is said to be after or behinde them because it was to the West and so their westerne bound For the East is counted the fore-part of the world the West behinde the South on the right hand Psal. 89. 13. and the North on the left all which foure parts are called by these names in Iob 23. 8 9. See this promise fulfilled in 2 Chron. 9. 26. Vers. 25. stand or set himselfe that is resist or withstand you as the Greeke translateth So in Ios. 1. 5. feare in Greeke trembling this was fulfilled before Deut. 2. 25. Psal. 105. 38. and after Ios. 2. 11. and 10. 10. Here beginneth the 47. section 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lecture of the Law see Genes 6. 9. Vers. 26. I set Hebr. I give this was that they might take their choise of either of these for so the phrase elsewhere meaneth Deut. 30. 19. and so to manifest that if the curse or evill came upon them they caused it themselves Vers. 27. if yee shall hearken or that yee may hearken but the Hebrew Asher That is sometimes used for If as the Greeke here translateth it and in Levit. 4. 22. So Asher in 1. King 8. 31. is Im that is If in 2 Chron. 6. 22. Vers. 28. after other gods in Greeke to serve other gods following other religions or divine services which the Chaldee calleth the idols of the peoples Sol. Iarchi observeth from this place that whosoever committeth idolatry he turneth aside from all the way which was commanded to Israel here upon they say He that professeth idolatry is as if he denied the whole Law Vers. 29. put the blessing Heb. give the blessing that is cause it to be pronounced upon mount Gerizim The manner is shewed in Deut. 27. where this Law is repeated and enlarged A thing is said to be given sometime when it is spoken or pronounced with the mouth as in Iob 36. 3. Deut. 13. 1 2. upon mount Gerizim or towards mount Gerizim which the Greeke calleth Garizim so after towards mount Ebal called in Greeke Gaibal For the people stood halfe of them over against mount Gerizim and halfe of them over against mount Ebal as is recorded in Ios. 8. 33. And the Hebrew gnal sometimes signifieth towards a place as in Exod. 9. 22. towards heaven Vers. 30. Are they not that is Loe they are speaking as of a thing well knowne See the notes on Gen. 4. 7. by the way or after behinde the way of the going downe of the Sunne that is the way towards the West or Sunne-setting Gilgal the place where Israel was circumcised afterward in Iosuahs time Ios. 5. 9. Okes of Moreh or plaines of Moreh as the Chaldee expoundeth it which was a place by Sechem where God first appeared to Abraham after he came into the land of Canaan and there Abraham built an Altar to the Lord Gen. 12. 6 7. And that mount Gerizim was by Sechem in that part of the country which after was called Samaria appeareth in Iudg. 9. 6 7. And the Hebrewes say in Thalmud Bab. in Sotah chap. 7. that Gerizim and Ebal were in Samaria There on mount Gerizim was the Samaritans Temple 2 Maccab. 6. 2. where they worshipped they knew not what Ioh. 4. 20. 22. See also Iosephus Antiq. l. 11. c. 8. It seemeth they tooke occasion of that superstition from this Law thinking Gerizim to be a holy place because the blessings were pronounced on it and they called themselves those that belong to the blessed mount And there have been of them in that place of late yeeres as Benjamin in his Itinerario relateth how he saw the citie in a valley betweene the mountaines Garizim and Ebal wherein the Samaritans dwelled and did sacrifice there on mount Garizim alleaging that which is written in the Law And thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim CHAP. XII 1 Places and monuments of idolatrie are to be destroyed 4 they may not doe so unto the Lord but must seeke and keepe the place of his service which be himselfe should chuse 5 11 14 Thither all their sacrifices holy things must be brought 12 18 There they and their families and the Levite must eat and reioyce 15 21 For civill use they might kill and eat within their gates 16. 23 Bloud is forbidden to be eaten 29 The manner of service which the Canaanites used may not be inquired after nor the like things done unto the Lord but his commandements only THese are the statutes and the judgements which ye shall observe to doe in the land which Iehovah the God of thy fathers giveth unto thee to possesse it all the dayes that ye live upon the earth Destroying ye shall destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possesse served
follow them See Exod. 23. 33. As the nations were to be destroyed so their idolatrous service was to be abolished that none of their customes should be retained in Israel How did Heb. How will that is how use they to serve Hereupon the Hebrewes say Thou maist not inquire or aske concerning the way of the service of an idoll how it is although thou serve it not for this thing 〈…〉 to turne after it and to doe as they doe Maimony treat of Idolatry ch 2. sect 2. will I doe not unto idols but to the Lord as the next verse manifesteth So not onely the worship of false gods but false or idolatrous worship of the true God is here forbidden and all imitation of Idolaters is condemned So in Levit. 18. 3. Vers. 31. every abomination the Chaldee expoundeth every thing that is abominable before the Lord in Greeke the abominations which the Lord hateth to their gods the Chaldee expounds it to their idols This one particular of burning their children is named all other being implyed because herein they shewed most zeale and love as Abraham for sacrificing his sonne at Gods command is highly commended Gen. 22. 12. and Israel when they would shew themselves most studious to please the Lord inquired about giving the fruit of their body for the sinne of their soule Mich. 6. 7. and sometime practised this abomination Psal. 106. 37 38. Ezek. 23. 37 39. But God here condemneth the most fervent devotion of Idolaters Vers. 32. Every word or thing in Chaldee every commandement Hereby God appointeth his owne word and law to bee the onely rule of his service without imitating the customes of others or devising any thing of their owne So in Levit. 18. 4. Deut. 4. 1 2. CHAP. XIII 1 The Prophet that inticeth to idolatry though he give signes which come to passe must not bee hearkened unto but put to death 6. The brother childe wife or friend that inticeth to idolatry must not bee bearkened unto spared or concealed but stoned to death 12 The citie that revolteth to serve other gods after due inquiry must bee smitten with the sword men and beasts utterly destroyed the spoiles burned the citie ruined for ever and none of that execrable thing reserved IF there arise in the middest of thee a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and hee give unto thee a signe or a wonder And the signe commeth or the wonder which hee spake unto thee saying Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known serve them Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet or unto that dreamer of a dreame for Iehovah your God tempteth you to know whether you be the lovers of Iehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soule After Iehovah your God shall yee walke and him yee shall feare and his commandements shall ye keepe and his voice yee shall obey and him you shall serve and unto him shall ye cleave And that Prophet or that dreamer of a dreame shall be put to death because hee hath spoken revolt against Iehovah your God which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants to thrust thee out of the way which Iehovah thy God commanded thee to walke therein and thou shalt put away the evill from the middest of thee If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is in thine owne soule entise thee in secret saying Let us goe and serve other gods which thou hast not knowne thou nor thy fathers Of the gods of the peoples which are round about you nigh unto thee or farre off from thee from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye spare him neither shalt thou pitty neither shalt thou conceale him But killing thou shalt kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of all the people And thou shalt stone him with stones and he shall die because hee hath sought to thrust thee away from Iehovah thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt out of the house of servants And all Israel shall heare and feare and shall doe no more as this evill thing in the middest of thee If thou shalt heare say in one of thy cities which Iehovah thy God giveth to thee to dwell there saying Certaine men the sons of Belial are gone out from the middest of thee and have thrust away the inhabitants of their citie saying Let us goe and serve other gods which yee have not knowne Then shalt thou enquire and shalt search and shalt aske diligently and behold if it be truth the word certaine this abomination is done in the middest of thee Smiting thou shalt smite the inhabitants of that citie with the edge of the sword utterly destroying it and all that is therein and the cattell thereof with the edge of the sword And all the spoile of it thou shalt gather into the middest of the street thereof and shalt burne with fire the citie and all the spoile thereof everie whit to Iehovah thy God and it shall be an heape for ever it shall not bee built againe And there shall not cleave to thy hand ought of the cursed thing that Iehovah may turne from the burning of his anger and may give unto thee tender mercies and may have tender mercie on thee and multiplie thee as hee hath sworne unto thy fathers When thou shalt obey the voice of Iehovah thy God to keepe all his commandements which I command thee this day to doe that which is right in the eies of Iehovah thy God Annotations IF there arise or when there shall stand up by which word is signified the open and bold cariage of deceivers Moses having from the first commandement taught the doctrine of one only God whom wee should in faith love and obedience have to bee ours and give our selves to him and from the second commandement taught the right way of serving this God according to his owne word doth now from the third commandement teach to beware of the abuse of Gods name and word unto vanity heresie or idolatry and so generally warneth Israel to take heed lest they transgressed the first and second commandements by the breach of the third in the middest of thee speaking to Israel amongst whom many false prophets did arise 2 Pet. 2. 1. Vnto which danger all Churches are subject as it is said Moreover of your owne selves shall men arise speaking perverse things Act. 20. 30. a Prophet a publike seducer touching whom hee giveth warning first as afterwards of the private in v. 6. c. What a Prophet signifieth is noted on Gen. 20. 7. and Exod. 7. 1. dreames this was one of the waies by which prophesie came of old
divide into three because the land was much more long than broad therefore the cities of refuge were in three places equally distant and so commodious for men to flee unto Vers. 4. the case Heb◠the word in Greeke the ordinance of the man-slayer or murderer and live or that he may live From these words the Hebrew Doctors teach that a Scholer exiled to the cities of refuge his Master also goeth with him as it is written AND LIVE But the life of them that love and seeke after wisdome is without the doctrine of the Law counted as death And so the Master that is exiled his schoole goeth with him c. Maim treat of Murder chap. 7. sect 1. smiteth meaning to death as the Chaldee translateth killeth So he smote 2 King 14. 5. is expounded he killed in 2 Chron. 25. 3. unwittingly or ignorantly unawares Heb. without knowledge the Greke saith unwillingly hated him not for hee that was his enemie though hee killed him unawares might not have the benefit of the citie of refuge as is noted on Numb 35. 20. And who is he that hateth He that for enmitie sake speaketh not unto him for three dayes Maim treat of Murder chap. 6. sect 10. in time past Hebr. and Greeke from yesterday and the third day so in vers 6. Vers. 5. As when he commeth or And he that shall come and thus the Greeke translateth it a wood or forrest This is a similitude for all like places and cases but hence the Hebrewes gather Who so commeth into a mans yard without his leavs of the man of that house kill him by errour he is free from being exiled into the cities of refuge for it is said INTO A WOOD. What is that wood A place which the slaine person hath libertie to come into And so all other the like Maim treat of Murder chap. 6. sect 11. the wood that is the helve of the 〈◊〉 findeth that is hitteth or lighteth upon and live within his citie of refuge where hee must abide untill the death of the high Priest Num. 35. 25. See the annotations there Vers. 6. avenger or neare kinsman who is by dutie to avenge see the notes on Num. 35 12. 〈◊〉 heart is hot inflamed with anger griefe and desire of revenge in such heat of minde the affections of men are overcaried to speake or doe that which is not meet So in Psal. 39. 4. Mine heart was 〈◊〉 within me because or as the Greeke translateth if the way belong Hebr. much in soule or in life that is mortally deadly which the Greeke translateth smite his soule and for smite the Chaldee saith kill So in vers 11. judgement that is guilt as the Chaldee explaines it that is hee was not worthy of death O◠judgement that is sentence of death by the Magistrate Vers. 8. all the land from the river of Egypt unto the great river the river Euphrates Gen. 15. 18. Verse 9. this commandement in Greeke these commandements This condition being legall and unpossible for man to fulfill had not therefore the accomplishment outwardly for the inlarging of their coast or for adding of three cities moe for ought that is knowne either by the Scriptures or Iewish records and is therefore to be referred unto Christ spiritually The Iewes themselves referre it unto Christs dayes but carnally as after followeth in his wayes the Greeke addeth in all his wayes the Chaldee in the wayes that are right before him adde three cities of this the Hebrewes say In the dayes of the King Christ they shall adde three other cities unto these sin Deut. 19. 9. And whence shall they adde them Of the cities of the Kenizites and the Kenites and the Kadmonites concerning whom a covenant was made with Abraham our father Gen. 15. 18 19. and hitherto they have not beene subdued and of them it is said in the Law If the Lord thy God inlarge thy coast Maim treat of Murder chap. 8. sect 4. And in another place the same man saith in treat of Kings chap. 11. sect 2. Of the cities of refuge he saith If the Lord thy God shall inlarge thy coast then thou shalt adde three cities moe c. But this thing hath never beene done and the holy blessed God hath not commanded it in vaine But the Law is not in vaine though it bee not literally fulfilled in all the precepts For what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God hath done sending his owne Son c. Rom. 8. 3. by him wee have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 18. Vers. 10. That innocent bloud be not or as the Greeke translateth And innocent bloud shall not be shed meaning the bloud of the unwilling man-slayer who is not worthy of death v. 6. and blouds be that is the guilt of bloudshed as the Chaldee expoundeth it the guilt of the judgement of murder The Greeke translateth and there shall not bee in thee a man guiltie of bloud Vers. 11. smite him in soule Greeke smite his soule that is as the Chaldee saith kill him as vers 6. Vers. 12. the Elders in Greeke the Senate thence from the citie of refuge yea or from the Altar of the Lord Exod. 21. 14. for a man that doth violence to the bloud of any person shall flee to the pi◠let no man stay him Prov. 28. 17. See more in the annotations on Num. 35. Vers. 13. put away innocent bloud that is as the Chaldee explaineth it him that shed innocent bloud and it shall goe well or that it may bee well with thee or and good shall be unto thee Vers. 14. limit or bound border land-marke whereby every mans inheritance in the land was limited A sinne great in all places Iob 24. 2. but greatest in the land of Israel Gods holy limit or border Psal. 78. 54. which was parted by lot of the Lord Num. 26. 53. 56. and figured the spirituall inheritance which the Saints have in the Church all the limits whereof are of pleasant stones Esay 54. 12. and whereof Canaan was a type as is noted on Gen. 12. 5. Therefore among the curses pronounced against the breakers of the Law this is the third Cursed bee he that removeth his neighbours land-marke or limit and all the people shall say Amen Deut. 27. 17. the first fathers Eleazar the Priest Iosua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sonnes of Israel Ios. 14. 1. The word fathers I supply from Prov. 22. 28. where it is said Remove not the ancient limit which thy fathers have set and so the Greeke translateth here the limits which thy fathers have set in Chaldee the ancients in the land of Israel the holy land Zach. 2. 12. the Lords land Hos. 9. 3. where this sinne was sacrilegious The Hebrewes say Hee that removeth his neighbours land-marke and taketh of his neighbours limit into his owne
hast not knowne thou or thy fathers wood and stone And in those nations thou shalt not finde ease neither shall there bee rest for the sole of thy foot and Iehovah will give unto thee there a trembling heart and failing of eies and pining of soule And thy life shall bee hanging in doubt before thee and thou shalt dread night and day and shalt not have assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say Who will give the evening and in the euening thou shalt say Who will give the morning for the dread of thine heart wherewith thou shalt dread and for the sight of thine eies which thou shalt see And Iehovah will returne thee to Egypt with ships by the way whereof I said unto thee Thou shalt not see it againe any more and there yee shall bee sold to your enemies for bondmen and for bond-women and none shall buy you Annotations HEarkening thou shalt hearken that is shalt continually and diligently hearken to or obey the voiâ—e which the Chaldee translateth shalt receive the word of the LORD As in the former Chapter the Law was confirmed by blessings and curses proâ—ounced by the people so here it is confirmed in like sort but more largely by God himselfe that Israel might be kept in due obedience and finding in themselves the impossibility of doing the Law they might have recourse unto Christ by faith to observe to doe in Greeke to observe or keepe and to doe give thee to be high that is set and stablish thee high as giving 1 Chron. 17. 22. is expounded stablishing 2 Sam. 7. 24. And highnesse meaneth heavenly dignity given of God by the high or heavenly calling whereby they were made partakers Phil. 3. 14. Heb. 3. 1. whereby they were to seeke and minde the things that are above Col. 3. 1 2. and have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3. 20. For the way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Prov. 15. 24. See also Deut. 26. 19. Vers. 2. overtake thee or take hâ—ld on thee The Greeke translateth finde thee It meaneth obtaining of all blessings and effectuall applying of them for their good and comfort The like is said of the curses in v. 15. 45. and generally of Gods words and statutes of which the Prophet telleth the Iewes that they overtooke or tooke hold of their fathers when they were punished for transgressing them Zach. 1. 6. Vers. 3. Blessed thou The first blessing is upon the person who must be acceptable to God before any of his workes are accepted Gen. 4. 4. and the person being blessed all things prosper about him What blessing is see the Annotations on Gen. 1. 22. and 2. 3. and 12. 2. citie by this and the field all places and all estates of life are meant Vers. 4. fruit of thy wombe or of thy belly the Chaldee saith the child of thy bowels The second blessing is upon a mans possessions of all sorts for increase which was at the first by God blessing the creatures Gen. 1. 22. 28. and so continueth as it is written And he blesseth them and they are multiplied greatly Psal. 107. 39. So Psal. 128. 1 3. thy ground or land the fruits whereof were also figures of heavenly blessing see Levit. 26. 4. increase or young in Greeke herds see Deut. 7. 13. Vers. 5. basket whereinto fruits are put when they are gathered Deut. 26. 2. dough-trough or dough or store see Exod. 8. 3. and 12. 34. These two are named in stead of all places and vessels wherein the fruits and commodities which God sendeth are kept for use and store Therefore the Greeke for basket translateth barnes as Luk. 12. 18. and for the dough-trough remainders or store that is left So in v. 17. And this is the third degree of blessing upon the commodities which men reape of their possâ—ssions Vers. 6. comest in by comming in and going out the Scripture meaneth all imployment and administration in any businesse or office as in government of a kingdome 2 Chron. 1. 10. of the Church Act. 1. 21. of a family Gen. 39. 11. Psal. 104. 23. and generally of all other affaires as 2 Sam. 3. 25. Act. 9. 28. So this fourth blessing concerneth the whole administration and conversation of the Saints Vers. 7. smitten that is as the Greeke and Chaldee expound it crushed and broken see an example of this in Davids enemies 2 Sam. 22. 38 43. And this fift blessing concerneth the safety of Gods people and their victories over their enemies of whom the chiefe is Saâ—an himselfe and him will the God of peace crush under the â—â—et of his people Rom. 16. 20. â—lee a signe of discomfiture and destruction therefore when one Prophet saith Wilt thou she before thine enemies 2 Sam. 24. 13. another explaineth it to be destroyed before thine enemies 1 Chron. 21. 12. seven waies that is many waies so signifying a ful conquest over them for seven is a compleat number often used for many as is noted on Gen. 2. 2. and 33. 3. Lev. 4. 6. It signifieth also their dispersion every man his way whereas they came out joyntly together all one way Vers. 8. will command that is will powerfully send and effectually procure the blessing Of this phrase see Levit. 25. 21. The contrary hereunto is hee will send upon thee v. 20. the blessing whereunto is opposed the curse vexation and rebuke vers 20. storehouses or barnes in Chaldee treasures so in Prov. 3. 10. that thou settest thy hand unto Hebr. the setting to of thy hand whereof see Deut. 12. 7. Thus this sixt promise implieth a generall blessing upon all that the godly hath or doth Vers. 9. stablish thee set thee up firme and sure This seventh blessing properly concerneth spirituall things and heavenly for the sanctification of the Church and establishment thereof in that grace by reason of the covenant and oath of God whereof he never repenteth Psal. 110. 4. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. Vers. 10. is called upon thee that is thou art called by his name as before Moses said Yee are the sonnes of Iehovah your God Deut. 14. 1. Of this phrase see the Annotations on Gen. 48. 16. Here God enlargeth his former blessings in causing them to be knowne and acknowledged of all other peoples afraid of thee as was fore-promised Deut. 11. 25. and had come to passe unto Israel Deut. 2. 25. and unto Abraham Esay 41. 5. and other particular persons as Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him 1 Sam. 18. 12. 15 29. Vers. 11. make thee plenteous or make thee to excell in Greeke multiply thee in good or for good things An enlargement of the blessing promised in v. 4. which all should see by the abundance of good things from beneath Vers. 12. treasure or treasury store-house which he expoundeth after to be raine from heaven for so the Scripture elsewhere mentioneth
their foolish despising of the Lord forementioned v. 15. The Iewes understand these things of the Chaldeans which caried them captive and so grieved them because it is written Behold the land of the Chaldeans this was not a people c. Esay 23. 13. But the Apostles exposition is heavenly shewing therejection of the Iewes for refusing Christ and calling of the Gentiles esteemed of them fooles for which the Iewes were angry as appeareth by Rom. 11. 14. 1 Thess. 2. 15 16. which Gentiles are called foolish because they were carried away after dumbe idols 1 Cor. 12. 2. Whereupon it is said They are altogether brutish and foolish the stocke is a doctrine of vanities Ier. 10. 8. They became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise they became fooles Rom. 1. 21 22. Vers. 22. kindled in mine anger or burneth from mine anger or through my nostrill that is by the breath thereof By fire is meant Gods fiery judgments which by the enemy drought blasting and otherwaies he would bring upon their land Amos 2. 2 5. So in Ezek. 30. 8. God saith hee will set a fire in Egypt which the Chaldee there expoundeth peoples strong as fire but here the Chaldee translateth For an East winde strong as fire commeth forth from before me in anger As before God withdrew his good things from them so now hee threatneth to inflict evils upon their land and upon their persons the lowest hell or the hell of lownesse that is the lowest part of the earth for so Sheol or Hell here and often meaneth as Num. 16. 30 32 33. See the Annotations on Gen. 37. 35. This meaneth a most vehement fire which should burne downeward even to the middest of the earth the earth or the land wherein Israel dwelt which should be wasted with war drought c. that no man should dwel no fruits should grow thereon for God turneth springs of waters into dry ground a fruitfull land into saltnesse or barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal. 107. 33 34. So upon the famine in Israel the Prophet complaineth The fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse and the flame hath burnt all the trees of the field Ioel 1. 4 19. foundations of the mounts that is the strongest places of the land Ierusalem it selfe founded on the holy mountaines was destroyed by the fire of Gods wrath Amos 2. 5. Lament 2. 1 2 3. So it is said The Lord hath kindled a fire in Sion and it hath devoured the foundations thereof Lam. 4. 11. Vers. 23. I will heap or will adde I will consume will spend evils on them the Greeke saith I will gather together evils against them These plagues concerne the people as the former did their land arrowes that is plagues that shall come suddenly and swiftly Zach. 9. 14. Arrowes meane plagues of all sorts as the Scriptures mention the evill arrowes of famine Ezek. 5. 16. of pestilence Psal. 91. 5. and other sicknesses Psal. 38. 2 3. Iob 6. 4. of warres Ier. 50. 14. of thunder lightning c. 2 Sam. 22. 14 15. And among the Gentiles this phrase was used as the pestilence is called an evill arrow by Homer in Iliad 1. Vers. 24. burnt in Greeke consumed Moses useth a word not elsewhere found in Hebrew but in the Chaldee it signifieth to heat or burne and so it may intimate their destruction by the Chaldeans at what time they were so burnt with famine that their visages were blacke as a cole their skin clave to their bones Lament 4. 8. Others translate it filled or mested so it answereth to their sinne who had filled themselves and kicked vers 15. and now for a punishment should bee filled with hunger This the Chaldee favoureth translating it blowne up or swollen with famine And this is the first evill arrow of famine as Ezek. 5. 16. the burning cole hereby the lightning or hot thunderbolt seemeth to be meant as in Psal. 78. 48. or the burning carbuncle a fiery ulcer on the body as in Habak 3. 5. this word is joyned with the pestilence Properly the word signifieth fiery coles Song 8. 6. figuratively it is applied to arrowes that flie Psal. 76. 4. The Greeke and Chaldee here expound it devoured with fowles bitter in Greeke incurable stinging plague in Hebrew Keteb which is the name of a deadly stinging disease joyned with the pestilence in Psal. 91. 6. which the Apostle translateth a sting in 1 Cor. 15. 55. from Hos. 13. 14. and so the Greeke there expoūdeth it But here the Greek calleth it the disease Opisthotonos which is a strange vehement disease in the necke when by the stiffenesse of the nerves or sinewes the necke is strained backward to the shoulders and killeth a man within foure daies as Cornel. Celsus sheweth in l. 4. c. 3. But it seemeth here to be more generall for the pest and other terrible sicknesses wherby God soone cutteth off the life of man with bitternesse The Chaldee expoundeth it evill spirits the teeth Hebr. the tooth of beasts wild beasts to devoure men and cattell see Levit. 26. 22. Ezek. 5. 17. and 14. 21. serpents or creeping things wormes the Chaldee translateth it dragons that creepe in the dust The wild beasts kill by force wormes and serpents by secret subtilty Vers. 25. Without abroad out of the cities the sword of the enemy by warres bereave or rob to wit all sorts and sexes as after followeth Thus God threatneth his foure sore judgments mentioned in Ezek. 14. 21. Revel 6. 8. the sword and the famine and the evill beasts and the pestilence to cut off from them man and beast terrour inward terrours of conscience whereof see Iob 15. 20 24. terrours of death as Psal. 55. 5. and so the Chaldee translateth it dread of death meaning that they should even die through feare both the young man to wit shall be bereaved so all sorts shall be cut off with these judgements Vers. 26. scatter them into corners or drive them from corner to corner in Greeke disperse them in Chaldee destroy them Here God sheweth the measure of their punishments which though they deserved to have in all extremity yet hee would moderate in mercy Vers. 27. Were it not or but that I feare the wrath or provocation of the enemie God speaketh these things after the manner of men and in regard of his glory that the enemy should not blaspheme he would spare Israel from utter destruction So God pleadeth also with them in Ezek. 20. 13 14 21 22 44. behave themselves strangely or make strange of the matter deny and dissemble the truth of the thing which the Chaldee expoundeth magnifie themselves Compare Psal. 140. 8. Or it may meane the strange and inhumane dealing of the enemies against Israel Vers. 28. For they that is the Israelites as the next verse sheweth and it is a reason of the destruction which God thought to have brought upon
many moe than of Ephraim Num. 26. 34. 37. See the notes on Gen. 48. 19. The ten thousands of Ephraim are referred to Iosua and his men that conquered Canaan the thousands of Manasses to Gedeon and his men Iudg. 7. by Sol. Iarchi on Deut. 33. Vers. 18. of Zabulon or to Zabulon and with him he joyneth Issachar his brother both sonnes of Lea as partner of his blessing So these two joyned in one and the foure next the sonnes of the handmaids are set and blessed together next after Ioseph And it is a tradition of the Hebrewes that these five Zabulon Gad Dan Naphtali and Aser were those five mentioned in Gen. 47. 2. when Ioseph tooke of his brethren five men and presented them before Pharaoh Sol. Iarchi on Deut. 33. and Thargum Ionathan on Gen. 47. 2. Rejoyce Zabulon that is God so blesse thee as thou maist have cause to rejoyce in thy prosperitie thy going out to trade in merchandise by shipping for Zabulon by Iakobs blessing was to dwell at the haven of the Seas c. Gen. 49. 13. so here Moses blesseth him with good successe in his traffique or going out to warres as Gen. 14. 8. 2 Sam. 11. 1. and so the Chaldee here expoundeth it in thy going out to warre against thine enemies And in Iudg. 5. 18. Zabulon is commended for jeoparding their lives unto the death in the high places of the field and Issachar to wit rejoyce thou also Issachar was elder brother to Zabulon Gen. 30. 18. 20. yet Iakob blessed Zabulon first Gen. 49. 13 14. and so doth Moses here and God in parting their inheritance preferreth Zabulon giving him the third lot and Issachar the fourth Ios. 19. 10. 17. in thy tents that is in thy dwelling at rest or tarrying at home for so the remaining in tents is opposed unto going forth to warres or traffique or hunting abroad Ios. 22. 4. Iudg. 7. 8. and 5. 24. Gen. 25. 27. And tent is often used for ones home house or citie as the tents of Iakob Mal. 2. 12. where the Chaldee translateth the cities of Iakob so these tents of Issachar meane his quiet life at home differing from Zabulons going abroad to trade Chazkuni on this place noteth that Issachars land was good to sow and hee sate in tents to keepe his fields and Moses prayeth that hee might prosper and rejoyce in his fields And so Iakob said unto him in Gen. 49. 14. couching betweene two bounds betweene the limits to keepe his fields The Chaldee translateth and Issachar in thy going to appoint the times of the solemne feasts in Israel having reference to that which is written in 1 Chron. 12. 32. of the sonnes of Issachar that had understanding for the times to know what Israel ought to doe c. which some of the Hebrewes understand of the times and seasons of the yeare new moones and feasts So Sol. Iarchi here expoundeth it and Issachar prosper in thy sitting in tents for the Law sitting and making intercalation of the years appointing the new moones as it is said in 1 Chron. 12. 32. And of the sonnes of Issachar that knew understanding for the times c. the heads of them were 200. they were heads of the Counsell imployed hereabouts c. Vers. 19. They shall call or let them call and so shew their thankfulnesse to God by inviting others to Gods house and shewing them a good example by their owne frequenting the Lords mountaine the mountaine mount Sion where Moses by the Spirit foresaw Gods Temple should be builded The Chaldee paraphraseth They shall gather the tribes of Israel to the mountaine of the house of the Sanctuarie Though by peoples the Gentiles also may be implied whom they having occasion to trade with should provoke to true religion as in Esai 2. 2 3. All nations shal flow unto it and many people shall goe and say Come yee and let us goe up to the mountaine of the house of the Lord c. of justice that is just righteous and acceptable sacrifices offered in faith according to Gods Law as the way of justice is a just and righteous way Matt. 21. 32. So David exhorteth Sacrifice yee the sacrifices of justice and trust unto Iehovah Psal. 4. 6. the abundance in Greeke the riches of the Sea which the Chaldee expoundeth they shall â—at the riches of the peoples taking seas figuratively for peoples as is often in the Prophets So in Esay 60. 5. 16. The abundance of the sea shall bee converted unto thee c. thou shalt also sucke the milke of the Gentiles treasures hid in the sand or hidden treasures of the sand The Greeke translateth the merchandise of the nations that dwell by the sea coast Vers. 20. inlargeth Gad this may be understood of Gads inheritance which the blessed God would inlarge as he promised Israel I will inlarge thy border Exod 34. 24. Or understood of his person and then his inlarging is his deliverance out of distresse as in Psal. 4. 2. thou hast inlarged mee when I was in distresse So it hath reference to Gads troubles prophesied in Gen. 49. 19. see the Annotations there and the historie of Gads inlargement by Iephthah in Iudg. 11. a couragious Lion see this word in Gen. 49. 9. There were of the Gadites in Davids time mighty warriers whose faces were like the faces of Lions and were as swift as the Roes upon the mountaines 1 Chron. 12. 8. the arme this noteth strength as the crowne of the head principalitie meaning that none should be so strong or excellent but Gad should overcome them The Greeke translateth hee shall breake the arme and the Ruler the Chaldee he shall kill rulers with kings This may have reference both to his warres in subduing the Canaanites going armed before his brethren Ios. 1. 12 13 14. and to that famous victorie which he got over the Hagarims 1 Chron. 5. 18 19 21 22. as also to the couragious acts of Iehu 1 King 9. and 10. chapters Vers. 21. he provided the first part for him or as the Greeke translateth he saw his first-fruits or he provided in the beginning at the first for himselfe Gad with Reuben saw the Land of Iazer and Gilead that it was a place for cattell and the sonnes of Gad and of Reuben asked of Moses and of the Princes that the land might be given them for a possession Num. 32. 1 5. It may also bee understood of the Lord that he provided this first portion for Gad or that Gad himselfe saw that is enjoyed as the Chaldee expoundeth it received his first part Sol. Iarchi openeth it thus Hee saw or provided to receive his portion in the land of Sihon and Ogh which was the first-fruits or beginning of subduing the land in a portion of the Law-giver the portion which God by Moses the Law-giver gave unto Gad Num. 32. 33. pretected or hidden covered sieled there in the fenced Cities they left their wives and children under Gods
their rejection Mat. 25. 12. and 7. 23. shall perish or be done away decay be lost To this way of the wicked which perisheth is opposed the good way which is everlasting wherein David desired God to lead him Psal. 139. 24. PSALME II. 1 David prophesieth of the rage of Iewes and Gentiles against Christ. 4 Gods wrath against them for it 6 Christ is established King 7 declared to be the Sonne of God 8 heire and ruler of the world 10 Kings are exhorted to submit unto him WHy doe the heathens tumultuously rage and the peoples meditate vanitie The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Princes doe plot together against Iehovah and against his Christ. Let us breake their bands and cast their cords from us Hee that sitteth in the heavens laugheth the Lord mocketh at them Then will he speake unto them in his anger and in his wrath hee will suddenly trouble them And I have anointed my King upon Sion the mountaine of my holinesse I will tell the decree Iehovah said unto me thou art my sonne I this day begat thee Aske of me and I will give the Heathens for thine inheritance the ends of the earth for thy firme possession Thou shalt roughly rule them with a rod of iron as the vessell of a pottter thou shalt scatter them in peeces And now O ye Kings be prudent be nurtured ye Iudges of the earth Serve yee Iehovah with feare and be glad with trembling Kisse ye the sonne lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his anger shall burne suddenly O blessed are all that hope for safetie in him Annotations WHY or For what David was the writer of this Psalme as the Greeke prefixeth this title A Psalme of David and he beginneth with marvelling at the rage and folly of the Iewes and Gentiles in persecuting Christ and his Church Acts 4. 25 c. And as David himselfe was a figure of Christ in his kingdome and a father of him according to the flesh so suffered hee the like opposition at the hands of his owne people and of the nations round about him 2 Sam. 2. 10. and 3. 1. and 5. 17. and 10. 6 7 c. Tumultuously rage or burtle together convenâ— with rage and uprore mutinously This word is also used in Daniels case Dan. 6. 6. 11. and after in Psal. 64. 3. The Greeke ephâ—â—axan whereby the holy Ghost tranflateth it Act. 4 25. denoteth rage pride and fiercenesse as of horses that neigh and rush into the battell peoples or nations under these names are comprehended the Iewes with the Gentiles Act. 4. 27 28. meditate vanitie mutter a vaine or emptie thing which shall have no effect And here the Hebrew changeth the time as it doth very often otherwhere will meditate noting by such phrase a continuance of the action as they that did still or usually meditate vaine things But the holy Ghost in Act. 4. 25. keepeth like time here as before whose example I follow according to the proprietie of our tongue So after in this Psalme and many other The Hebrew text it selfe sometime doth the like as Isai. 37. 3â— compared with 2 Kings 19. 33. See the notes on Psal. 18. 7. Vers. 2. Set themselves or present themselves will stand up noting a setled purpose in the heart with a standing up in person to act the same 1 Chr. 1â— 14. princes rulers or priâ—â—e counsellors subtile prudent and imployed in making decrees Prov. 8. 15. next therefore in place to Kings and joyned with them as here so in Iudg. 5. 〈◊〉 Hab. 1. 10. Prov. 31. 4. plot conspire or are founded that is have their foundation plot or ground-worke laid as Exod. 9. 1â— Isâ— 44. 28. and this by assembling and consulting and is therefore interpreted gathered together Act. 4. 26. So the Chaldee translateth it consociate or joyned together to rebell before the Lord to fight against his anointed Christ or Anointed in Hebrew Mashiach or Messias which word though it be generall for the ancient Kings and Priests and Prophets that were anointed with oile Psal. 89. 31. and 105. 15. Isa. 45. 1. Num. 3. 3. 1 King 19. 16. yet is it principally the name of the Sonne of God our Saviour Dan. 9. 25 26. who was knowne in Israel by the name Messias Ioh. 1. 41. and 4. 25. and among Greekes by the name Christ of whom wee that beleeve in his name are also called Christians Act. 11. 26. because wee have an Anointing from him that is holy 1 Ioh. 2. 20. 27. himselfe being first anointed with the Spirit and with the oile of gladnesse above his fellowes Luke 4. 18. Psal. 45. 8. Of him is this Psalme interpreted by his Apostles saying Of a truth Lord against thy holy Child Iesus whom thou anointedst gathered were both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the nations and peoples of Israel to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell had fore-determined to be done Act. 4. 27 28. Vers. 3. their bands These were signes of subjection Ier. 27. 2 3. 6 7. And thus the Kings and nations speake refusing to serve Christ though his yoke be easie Matth. 11. 29 30. Ier. 5. 5. The Hebrew phrase mo importeth their bands and his speaking of the Father and the Sonne jointly and of the Sonne in speciall but he that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father which sent him Ioh. 5. 23. So in the verse following the Lord mocketh at them and at him meaning them all jointly and each severally The like manner of speech see in Esay 53. 8. and 44. 15. Lam. 4. 10. Psal. 5. 12. and 11. 7. and 49. 14. and 59. 9. Iob 22. 19. Exod. 15. 15. Deut. 32. 23. 32. 35. 37. cords or ropes thicke twisted bands signes also of subjection and restraint Iob 39. 13. Ezek. 4. 8. and sometime of love Hos. 11. 4. Vers. 4. The Lord in Hebrew Adonai which in this forme is the peculiar title of God having the forme plurall and vowels of Iehovah mystically signifying my staies or my sustainers my pillars And where in one place Adonai is used another speaking of the same thing hath sometime Iehovah See Psal. 57. 10. with Psal. 108. 4. It commeth of Aeden a hase or pillar which sustaineth any thing The Chaldee translateth it the Word of the Lord that is the title of Christ Ioh. 1. 1. Rev. 19. 13. Our English word Lord hath much like force being contracted of the old Saxon Laford or Hlafford which commeth of Laef to sustaine refresh cherish mocketh will mock deride This implieth both their folly their punishment for it and how God will leave them helplesse in their miserie Psal. 59. 9. Prov. 1. 26. 28. It is spoken of God after the manner of men that hee laugheth mocketh is angry and the like not that he hath such passions as men but because he doth such things as men use to doe when they are moved with such passions and as the Hebrew Doctors say The law
hath use and so in Psal. 86. 4. Vers. 2. In thee the Chaldee expoundeth it In thy Word so in vers 3. not be abashed that is not disappointed of my hope nor vanquished by my foes See Psal. 6. 11. shew gladnesse insult or triumph for ioy as having got the victory 2 Chron. 20. 27. Vers. 3. yea all or Yea any for whosoever beleeveth in God shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 10. earnestly expect or patiently hope they shall be or prayer-wise let them be Unfaithfully transgresse that deale disloyally contrary to dutie promise and trust reposed in them So elsewhere he prayeth that no grace be shewed to such Psa. 59. 6. in vaine or without cause and without fruit Psal. 7. 5. Vers. 4. Thy wayes that is thy true faith and religion as Act. 18. 25 26. and thy guidance of mee therein So Moses prayed Exod. 33. 13. learne me thy paths inure me with thy paths or journeyes Learning implieth are and exercise and informing by customable practise Vers. 5. Make me to tread or to goe guide my way in thy truth that is in thy word for that is the truth Ioh. 17. 17. 3 Joh. 3. So after vers 9. Vers. 6. tender mercies or bowels of compassion See Psal. 18. 2. This word noteth the inward affections as the next kinde mercies imply the actions or effects of love from eternitie or from ever This in humane affaires sometime meaneth but of old or a long while Gen. 6. 4. Esay 42. 14. But here and else-where it noteth the eternitie of Gods love which was firme unto his before the world was 2 Tim. 1. 9. Eph. 1. 4. so shewed throughout all generations and is in like sort for ever or to eternity Psal. 100. 5. because our firme happinesse shall have no end Dan. 12. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 4. And these both are conjoyned Psal. 103. 17. Vers. 7. Sinnes of my youth The imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth Gen. 8. 21. and of all mans life youth commonly is most vaine Eccles. 11. 9 10. for which God often punisheth men in their age so making them as Iob saith to inherit the iniquities of their youth Iob 13. 26. Ier. 3. 25. Vers. 8. will he teach or informe with the law for of this word the Law is derived Psal. 19. 8. sinners in the way that is such as sinne and misse the right way God will teach and reduce them thus the Greeke interpreteth it Or those that are sinners he will teach and informe in the way that is right or in his way as vers 9. Vers. 9. to tread in judgement to walke judiciously and as is right and fit Vers. 10. his covenant his testament all bond or league called in Hebrew Brith w ch hath the signification of brotherly or friendly parting of explaining the conditions of agreement For at the making of solemne covenants beasts were killed and parted asunder and the covenant-makers went betweene the parts Gen. 15. 9 10. 17. Ier. 34. 18. Hereupon is the phrase of cutting or striking a covenant Psal. 50. 5. and 83. 6. and 89. 4. The Apostles in Greeke call it diathekee a testament a testamentall covenant or disposing of things Heb. 8. 8. from Ier. 31. 31. And there be two principall covenants or testaments the first that which God made with our fathers when he brought them out of Aegypt the summe whereof was contained in the ten commandements written by the finger of God Deut. 4. 13. Exod. 24. 28. 1 King 8. 21. the other laws written by Moses in a booke called the booke of the covenant 2 King 23. 2. Exod. 24. 4. 7. The second covenant is that new testament all bond which God hath made with us in Christ established upon better promises and confirmed by the bloud and death of Christ the testator as the first was by the bloud and death of beasts Luke 22. 20. Heb. 8. 6. 8. and 9. 16 17 18 c. Vers. 11. even mercisully pardon or therefore thou wilt mercifully forgive This David taketh from Moses who first used this word in a case of great offence Exod. 34. 9. and it betokeneth to spare or pardon upon pacification of grace and mercie and is interpreted by the Apostle in Greeke to be mercicifull propitious or appeased Heb. 8. 12. from Ier. 31. 34. Often used in the Law for forgivenesse upon oblation or intercession made by the Priest Lev. 4. 20. 26. 31. 35. and 5. 10. 13. 16. 18. c. Vers. 12. Who is the man or What manner of man shall he be The Hebrew phrase is Who this the man which also may be resolved Whosoever is the man he shall chuse that is which he shall love and like or which he loveth So chosen Isa. 42. 1. is translated in Greke beloved Matt. 12. 18. Or which he shall require and command for so chusing sometime signifieth 2 Sam. 19. 38. and 15. 15. Vers. 13. lodge in good that is continue in good estate case and prosperitie So lodging is for continuance Iob 17. 2. Prov. 19. 23. and for good the Chaldee saith the blessednesse of the world to come the Greeke translateth in good things the land meaning Canaan the land promised for a possession to Abraham and his seed Gen. 15. 7. and 12. 7. called therfore the land of promise Heb. 11. 9. elsewhere the holy land Zach. 2. 12. the Lords land Ps. 10. 16. the land of Immanuel that is of Christ Isa. 8. 8. a land flowing with milke honey and the pleasantast of all lands Ezek. 20. 6. the seat of Gods ancient Church and figure of his Kingdome Vers. 14. The secret or The mysterie of the Lord meaning that his secret favour is towards them and his secret counsell and mysterie of the faith is revealed unto them for so this word noteth as when Iob saith Gods secret was upon his tabernacle meaning his favour and providence Iob 29. 4. and Gods secret is his counsell Iob 15. 8. Ier. 23. 18. 22. and the hid thing of Christ are often called a mysterie Rom. 16. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 7. and 4. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 9. 16. Eph. 3. 3. 4. 9. Col. 1. 26 27. So Prov. 3. 32. Vers. 16. turne the face or Have respect unto me This was a blessing promised in the law Levit. 26. 9. I will turne the face unto you and make you increase Contrary to this is the hiding of Gods face Psal. 69. 17 18. solitary alone or desolate see Psal. 22. 21. Vers. 17. are inlarged or doe inlarge themselves doe make wide roomth He sheweth his heart to bee penned in with straights and distressing sorrowes which largely spread themselves overall vexations or anguishes tribulations which presse and wring Vers. 18. See my affliction This phrase is taken from Deut. 26. 7. he saw our affliction And it here meaneth a seeing and regarding with compassion and so a redresse and helpe Gen. 29. 22. Exod. 3 7 8. Psal. 31. 8. and 119. 153. and 106. 44. Sometime
silver wings is meant prosperity Or we may understand it of the two bounds and limits of the enemies where they are continually assayled and indangered And this the Greeke seemeth to favour turning it ana meson â—oeâ— cleroon amids or betweene the inheritances even as they also translate the two burthens or limits betweene which Isacâ—â—r couched Ger. 49. 14. which tribe had the Philistians at one end and Ammonites on the other that vexed them The Chaldee giveth this paraphrase The God of Israel said Though ye kings lye or sleepe betweene the curtaines behold the Church of Israel which is like unto a dove covered with clouds of glory divideth the spoile of the Egyptians with yellow gold understand againe decked with yellow or greenish gold that is of a golden colouâ— and greene as the originall word importeth Levit. 13. 49. and 14. 57. Vers. 15. the Almighty or Al-sufficient that is God named in Hebrew Shaddai of his power and sufficiencie to goe thorow with all things and for wasting and destroying his enemies as at the drowning of the world To this the Prophets have reference saying that shod destruction shall come from Shaddai the Almighty Isa. 13. 6. Ioel 1. 15. scattereth or spreadeth abroad having discomfited the kings his enemies in that his inheritance verse 10. 11. So spreading is used for scattering Zach. 2. 6. it shall be snow-white or thou shalt be snowy speaking to the Church or of it Whitenesse denoteth victorie joy glory Rev. 2. 17. and 3. 5. Luk. 9 29. and whitenesse as snow is a resemblance of purifying from sinne Psal. 51. 9. Isa. 1. 18. Tsalmon in Greeke Selmon a mount of Samaria in the Tribe of Ephraim neere the City Sichem as appeareth Iudg. 9. 47 48. situate in the heart of the Country Tsalmon signifieth shady or darke and so it seemeth this mount was with caves glinns and trees that grew thereon but with snow upon it was made lightsome So to bee snow white in Tsalmâ—n is to have light in darknesse joy in tribulation Vers. 16. A mount of God that is high large and full of divine blessings for Basan was a fat and fruitfull mountaine See Psal. 22. 13. and 36. 7. an hilly mount or a mount of hillâ—ks or knobs having many tops This seemeth to be a comparison Basan is a goodly large mountaine but this Sion doth excell it for here God dwelleth with his Angels c. Vers. 17. leape ye insult ye proudly or lay ye wait for The originall Ratsad is no where found in Hebrew but here onely In Arabik it signifieth to espie and lye in wait for the hurt of others which agreeth well with the argument here for his seat to dwell in it The Lord chose Sion and desired it for his seat this shall be my rest for ever Psal. 132. 13 14. So the Lambe Christ is on mount Sioâ— Rev. 14. 1. But the Chaldee referreth this also to mount Sinai upon which the Word of God desired to place his divine presence Vers. 18. Gods chariot which he useth for his owne service for defence of his Church and destruction of his foes see Psal. 18. 11. Chariot is put for Chariots as ship 1 King 10. 22. for ships 2 Chron. 9. 21. or to note out the joint service of all the Angels as of one twise ten thousand or double myriads that is innumerable in the Greek ten thousand fâ—ld meaning innumerable Angels the Hebrew Shinan translated Angels is not elsewhere found in Scripture It seemeth to come of Shanah to second as being second or next to God the chiefe Princes Daâ— 10. 13. as those in place next Kings are called the second unto them 2 Chron. 28. 7. Esth. 10. 3. If wee referre it to the number we may turne it redoubled or manifold If to the Chariots and derive it of Shanan to sharpen it may note a kinde of Chariots with sharpe hooks used in warres as many humane writers record 2 Meccaâ— 13. 2. Statius lib. 10. Thebaid Macroâ—ius c. How ever the word bee doubtfull the meaning seemeth to be of Angels as the Chaldee plainly expresseth which the Greekes here translate chearfull ones as of the Hebrew Shaan to bee in tranquillitie and joy and the Apostle seemeth to have reference to this place where he mentioneth mount Siâ—n the celestiall Ierusalem and the company of ten thousands of Angels which now we are come unto in Christ Heb. 12. 22. And Angels have appeared like fierie Chariots 2 King 6. 17. with them or in them as in Sinai as God was in Sinai with ten thousands of holy ones when hee gave the fierie Law Deut. 33. 2. so is he in Sion with ten thousands of Angels Heb. 12. 22. Here the words as in seeme necessarily to be supplied or the word Lord as the Lord of Sinai with like meaning as before Vers. 19. Thou art ascended c. Thou Lord Iesus art gone up to the highest Heaven having first descended to the lowest earth So the Apostle teacheth us to understand this place Eph. 4 8 9. to on high or to the high place see Psal. 7. 8. The Chaldee translateth it to the firmament led captive or captived a captivitie that is a company of captives a prey of people taken in warre See the like phrase 2 Chron. 28. 5. 11. Iudg. 5. 12. Numb 21. 1. Deut. 21. 10. So poverty is used for a company of poore people 2 King 24. 14. Christs enemies Satan sinne death hell c. were by him subdued Colos. 2. 15. his Elect captived by Satan were by him redeemed of whom also this may bee meant as Psal. 126. 1 4. hast taken gifts unto that is hast given and distributed gifts among men An Hebrew phrase often used as Take me a sword 1 King 3. 24. that is give or bring it me Take her me to wife Iudg. 14. 2. Take me an offering Exod. 25. 2. Take me a little water 1 King 17. 10. that is Give Giving also is sometime used for taking as Gen. 42. 30. he gave that is tooke us for spies Rightly therefore doth the Apostle turne this in Greeke given Ephes. 4. 8. and the next words â—â—Adam is unto men as Paul explaineth it or among men as Ieremy 49. 15. And the gifts are the Ministers of the Gospell given for the good of the Church Ephes. 4. 11 12. So the Chaldee here addeth thou hast taught the words of the Law hast given gifts to the sonnes of men and also the rebellious or disobedient to wit thou hast led captive They that continue rebellious are subdued to destruction Psal. 2. 9. Isa. 11. 4. others by conversion as Saul breathing out threatnings and slaughter was by Christ subdued Act. 9. And after spake of himselfe and others we ourselves were in times past unwise disobedient c. but when the bountifulnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared he saved us c. Tit. 3. 3 4 5. to dwell understand in Gods mount as vers 17. or with
and tell their sonnes And they might put their constant hope in God and not forget the acts of God and might keepe his commandements And not be as their fathers a generation perverse and rebellious a generation that prepared not aright their heart and whose spirit was not faithfull with God The sonnes of Aephrajim armed shooting with bow turned backe in the day of battell They kept not the covenant of God and in his Law they refused to walke And forgate his actions and his marvellous workes which he had shewed them Before their fathers he had done a miracle in the land of Aegypt the field of Tsoan He cleft the sea and made them passe thorow and made the waters to stand as an heape And led them with a cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire He clave the Rocks in the wildernesse and gave drinke as out of the great deepes And brought forth streames out of the rock made waters descend like rivers And they added yet to sin against him to provoke bitterly the most high in the dry desart And tempted God in their hart asking meat for their soule And they spake against God they said Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse Loe hee smote the Rocke and waters gushed out and streames over-flowed can he also give bread or can he prepare flesh for his people Therefore Iehovah heard and was exceeding angry and fire was kindled against Iakob and also anger came up against Israel Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his salvation Though he had commanded the skies from above and opened the doores of heavens And rained upon them Manna to eat and the wheat of heavens hee gave to them Man did eat the bread of the mighties hee sent them meat to satietie Hee made an East wind to passe forth in the heavens and brought on a South wind by his strength And rained flesh upon them as dust and fethered fowle as the sand of the seas And made it fall in the midst of his campe round about his dwelling places And they did eat and were filled vehemently and their desire he brought unto them They were not estranged from their desire their meat was yet in their mouth When the anger of God came up against them and slew of the fat of them and smote downe the choise young men of Israel For all this they sinned yet and beleeved not for his marvellous workes And hee consumed their daies in vanitie and their yeares in hastie terrour When he slew them then they sought him and returned and sought God early And remembred that God was their Rocke and the most high God their redeemer But they flatteringly allured him with their mouth and with their tongue they lyed to him For their heart was not firmely prepared with him neither were they faithfull in his covenant And he being compassionate mercifully covered iniquitie and corrupted not but multiplied to turne away his anger and did not stirre up all his wrathfull heat For he remembred that they were flesh a wind that goeth and shall not returne How oft did they bitterly provoke him in the wildernesse grieve him in the desart For they returned and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel They remembred not his hand nor the day in which hee had redeemed them from the distresser When hee put his signes in Aegypt and his wonders in the field of Tsoan And turned their rivers into bloud and their streames that they could not drinke He sent among them a mixed swarme which did eat them and the frog which corrupted them And he gave their fruit to the caterpiller and their labour to the locust Hee killed their vine with haile and their wild fig-trees with the blasting hailestone And he shut up their cattell to the haile and their flocks of cattell to the lightnings Hee sent among them the burning of his anger exceeding wrath and indignation and distresse by the sending of the messengers of evills Hee weighed out a path to his anger he withheld not their soule from death and their wilde beast hee shut up to the pestilence And smote all the first-borne in Aegypt the beginning of strengths in the tents of Cham. And hee made his people passe forth as sheepe and led them on as a flocke in the wildernesse And led them in confident safety and they dreaded not and the sea covered their enemies And he brought them to the border of his holinesse this mountaine which his right hand purchased And he cast out the heathens from their faces and made them fall in the line of possession made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents And they tempted bitterly provoked the most high God and kept not his testimonies But turned backe and unfaithfully transgressed like their fathers they were turned like a warping bow And provoked him to anger by their high places and by their graven idols they stirred him to jealousie God heard was exceeding wroth vehemently abhorred Israel And hee forsooke the dwelling place of Shilo the tent he had placed for a dwelling among earthly men And gave his strength into captivity his beauteous glory into the hand of the distresser And shut up his people to the sword was exceeding wroth with his inheritance The fire did eat their choice yong men their virgins were not praised Their Priests fell by the sword and their widowes wept not And the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe as a mighty one shouting after wine And smote his distressers behinde he gave them eternal reproach And he refused the tent of Ioseph chose not the tribe of Aephrajim But he chose the tribe of Iudah the mount Sion which he loved And builded his sanctuary like high places like the earth which hee founded for ever And he chose David his servant and tooke him from the folds of sheepe From after the ewes with young brought he him to feed Iakob his people and Israel his possession And he fed them according to the perfection of his heart and by the discretions of his hands led he them Annotations MY Law or doctrine for of it the Law hath the name in Hebrew see Psal. 19. 8. Christ speaketh in this Psalme to his people as the next verse sheweth So Isa. â—1 4. Vers. 2. in a parable that is in or with parables as the holy Ghost expoundeth it Mat. 13. 34 35. All these things spake Jesus to the multitude in parables c. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables c. Here the narration and applying of ancient histories are called Parables because all these things came unto our fathers as types and were written to admonish us 1 Cor. 10. 11. What a Parable meaneth see Psal. 49. 5. will utter or well out as from a spring or fountaine hid things so the holy Ghost expoundeth it in Greeke Mat.
good Korah and his company were for a signe to the Israelites Num. 16. 38. 26. 10. Ionas a signe to the Ninevites and Christ to the Iewes Luke 11. 30. PSAL. LXXXVII The nature and glory of the Church 4 The increase honour and comfort of the members thereof To the sonnes of Korah a Psalme a Song HIs foundation among the mountaines of holinesse Iehovah loveth the gates of Sion above all the dwelling places of Iakob Glorious things spoken is of thee O Citie of God Selah I will make mention of Rahab and Babel to them that know me loe Palestina and Tyrus with Cush this man was borne there And of Sion it shall be said man and man was borne in her and he the most High shall establish her Iehovah will recount when he writeth the peoples this man was borne there Selah And singers as players on flutes all my well-springs in thee Annotations HIs foundation or The foundation thereof Gods ground-worke of the Temple which was built upon the mountaines Morijah and Sion 2 Chron. 3. 1. Ps. 2. 6. Some referre it to the Psalme the foundation or argument whereof is of the Church of Christ. The Chaldee saith By the hands of the sonnes of Korah the Psalme was said and the Song founded in the mouth of the ancient fathers Vers. 2. gates of Sion the publike assemblies of the people see the Notes on Psal. 9. 15. The Law was to come out of Sion Mich. 4. 2. and the Scepter of Christs Kingdome Psal. 110. 2. dwelling places these the Chaldee expoundeth Synagogues of the house of Iakob which were in all the Cities of Israel Vers. 3. spoken is that is are particularly spoken all and every of them of thee Citie of God that is Ierusalem so called also Psal. 46. 5. and 48. 2. a figure of the Church What honourable things are spoken of this Citie see Isa. 54. and 60. and 62. and 65. Rev. 21. and 22 chapters The Hebrew phrase in thee is rightly turned according to the Greeke of thee or concerning thee which many times hath such signification as Psal. 63. 7. and 71. 6. and 119. 46. 1 Sam. 19. 4. so also in the Greeke as Rom. 11. 2. Vers. 4. Rahab that is as the Chaldee Paraphrast saith the Aegyptians So Aegypt is called Rahab in Psal. 89. 11. Isa. 51. 9. either for the strength and pride of Egypt which the word Rahab signifieth or of some chiefe citie so named as elsewhere Tsoan Psal. 78. 12. The calling of Egypt to the fellowship of the Church is also prophesied Isa. 19. 19 21 25. And for I will mention the Chaldee translateth the Egyptians and Babylonians they shall mention thy praises Babel the Babylonians see Psal. 137. 1. their chiefe citie was Babel Of a Christian Church there mention is made 1 Pet. 5. 13. to them or among them that know me to wit my familiars Palestina the Philistims see Psal. 60. 10. Tyrus the Tyrians see Psal. 45. 13. Of them were Christian disciples Acts 21. 3 4. Cush the Aethiopians as the Greeke translateth see Psal. 68. 32. this man that is as the Greeke saith these men meaning all before mentioned So the Hebrew often speaketh of a whole nation as of one man See Psal. 25. 22. and 130. 8. But the Chaldee expoundeth it where this kingdome is borne was borne there in the citie of God aforesaid There of immortall seed by the word and Spirit of God are men borne anew 1 Pet. 1. 23. Iam. 1. 18. A thing to come is here set downe as already done so in Isa. 9. 6. Vers. 5. man and man so the Greeke also expresseth the Hebraisme Hereby seemeth to bee meant every man successiively as Hest. 1. 8. For Ierusalem is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. So day and day is every day Hest. 3. 4. Psal. 61. 9. Or man and man is many men of this and that Nation of each estate and degree stablish her that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against her Mat. 16. 18. Therefore this citie lieth fouresquare setled in all changes Revel 21. 16. Ezek. 48. 16 20. It may also be read and he will stablish her on high and so the Chaldee expoundeth it and Ierusalem is said to be above Gal. 4. 26. Vers. 6. writing the peoples in the writing of the house of Israel that is the Church Ezek. 13. 9. Isa. 4. 3. V. 7. And singers or And singing are c. This may have reference to the solemne worship of God used in the Church of Israel where singers players on instruments had in charge continually to laud the Lord c. 1 Chron. 9. 33. and 25. 1 2 c. and dances were used at their holy feasts to honor him with Iudg. 21. 19 21. So Christ the Lambe hath harpers with him on mount Sion that sing as it were a new song before the throne Rev. 14. 1 2 3. Or it may respect that which followeth all my springs in thee or of thee are singing that is do sing as also dance or as they that dance that is shew joyfulnesse players on flutes or dancers for so this word may also be taken for dancing to wit at the sound of the flute or pipe as Iudg. 21. 21. Compare herewith Isa. 30. 29. The Greeke here turneth it rejoyeers and it may foretell the joy that should be in the world for the conversion of the Gentiles my well-springs or fountaines streames of water as Psal. 104. 10 that is all gifts and graces which the Scripture noteth by lively fountaines of waters wherewith they are refreshed that serve God in his Temple day and night Rev. 7. 15 17. and welsprings of salvation Isa 12. 3. And as Christ is called a fountaine so is his Church Song 4. 15 12. in thee for now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places is knowne by the Church the manifold wisedome of God Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet 1. 12. Or we may read it as before in the third verse of thee all my springs doe sing c. PSAL. LXXX VIII A prayer containing a grievous complaint of manifold miseries A Song a Psalme to the sonnes of Korach to the master of the musicke on Machalath leannoth an instructing Psalme of Heman the â—zrachite OIehovah God of my salvation by day I cry out in the night before thee Let my prayer come before thee bow thine eare to my shrill cry For my soule is filled with evils and my life draweth neere to hell I am counted with them that goe downe the pit I am as a man that hath no strength Among the dead free like the slaine that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut away from thine hand Thou hast put me in the pit of the lowest places in darknesses in the deepe places Thy wrathfull heat stayeth upon me and with all thy billowes thou afflictest me Selab My knowne acquaintance thou hast put farre away from me hast see me for abominations to
tremble ye at his feet all the earth Say ye among the nations Iehovah reigneth the world also shall be stablished it shall not be moved hee will judge the peoples with righteousnesse Let the heavens rejoyce and the earth be glad roare let the sea and the plenty thereof Let the field shew gladnesse and all that therein is then let all the trees of the wood shout joyfully Before Iehovah for he commeth for hee commeth to judge the earth he will judge the world with justice the peoples with his faithfulnesse Annotations A New song c. see Psal. 33. 3. This Psalme is a part of that song wherewith God was celebrated when the Arke of his covenant was brought with joy into Davids citie from Obed-edoms house 1 Chron. 16. 23 c. And it containeth a prophesie of Christs kingdome and of the calling of the Gentiles from Idols to serve praise the living God Vers. 2. preach the good tidings or Evangelize see Psal. 40. 10. Vers. 4. praised and praise-worthy see Ps. 18. 4. Vers. 5. Vaine idols or things of nought as the Apostle openeth this word saying we know that an idoll is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. Elim and Elohim in Hebrew are Gods of Strength Elilim idols as being Al-Elim not Gods without strength So elsewhere they are plainly called lo Elohim no Gods 2 Chron. 13. 9. unable to doe good or evill and unprofitable Ier. 10. 5. Esa. 44. 9. 10. And as the name of God is joyned with things to shew their excellencie Psal. 36. 7. so is this contrariwise to shew their vanity as of Physitians Iob 13. 4. of shepherds Zach. 11. 17. of false doctrine Ier. 14. 14. The Greeke here turneth it daimonia devils by which name idols are called 1 Cor. 10. 19 20. Rev. 9. 30. 2 Chron. 11. 15. Vers. 6. beateous glorie for this in 1 Chron. 16. 27. is written joyfulnesse Vers. 7. Give c. Compare Psal. 29. 1 2. The Chaldee expoundeth it Bring a new song to God Vers. 8. to his courts to his face or presence as 1 Chron. 16. 29. Vers. 9. of the sanctuary or of sanctity see Psal. 29. 2. tremble or be pained as in travell of child-birth Vers. 10. with righteousnesses that is most righteously Vers. 11. Let rejoyce or shall rejoyce and so the rest So Psa. 98. 7 8 9. The Chaldee paraphraseth Let the hosts of heaven rejoyce and the just of the earth be glad Vers. 13. with justice or in justice that is justly so Rev. 19. 11. Act. 17. 31. Psal. 9. 9. PSAL. XCVII The majestie of Gods kingdome 7 The Church rejoyceth at Gods judgements upon idolaters 10 An exhortation to godlinesse and gladnesse IEhovah reigneth let the earth be glad let the many iles rejoyce Cloud and gloomy darknesse are round about him justice and judgement are the stable-place of his throne Fire goeth before him and flameth round about his distressers His lightnings illuminate the world the earth seeth and trembleth The mountaines like waxe melt at the presence of Iehovah at the presence of the Lord of all the earth The heavens declare his justice and all peoples see his glory Abashed be all they that serve a graven thing that gloriously boast themselves in vaine idols bow downe your selves to him all ye Gods Sion heareth and rejoyceth and glad are the daughters of Iudah because of thy judgements Iehovah For thou Iehovah art high above all the earth vehemently art thou exalted above all Gods Ye lovers of Iehovah hate evill he keepeth the soules of his gracious Saints hee will deliver them from the hand of the wicked Light is sowne for the just and joy for the right of heart Rejoyce ye just in Iehovah and confesse to the remembrance of his holinesse Annotations IEhovah that is Christ called Iehovah our justice Ier. 23. 5. 6. of him and his reigne is this Psalme as the 7. verse manifesteth the many iles that is nations or gentiles dwelling in the iles as the iles shall wait for his Law Esa. 42. 4. which is expounded thus the Gentiles shall trust in his name Matth. 12. 21. So Esa. 60. 9. Vers. 2. gloomy darknesse see Psa. 18. 10. this noteth the terrour of his doctrine and administration Mal. 3. 2. Matth. 3. 12. as at the law giving Deut. 4. 11. The Chaldee saith A cloud of glory and gloomy darknesse stable-place establishment or base see Psal. 89. 15. Vers. 3. Fire severe judgements for Christs enemies as Esa. 42. 25. and 66. 15 16. Ps. 50. 3. Vers. 4. illuminate or have illumined as at the giving of the law there were thunders lightnings voices earthquakes c. Exod. 19. so the like proceed from the throne of Christ Rev. 4. 5. trembleth or is pained see Psal. 77. 17. Vers. 5. at the presence or from the face Vers. 6. The heavens heavenly creatures as thunder lightning tempest c. or the Angels as the Chaldee interpreteth See Psal. 50. 6. Vers. 7. vaine idols see Ps. 96. 5. allye Gods that is as the Greeke saith all ye his Angels see Psal. 8. 6. Vnto this the Apostle seemeth to have reference saying when he bringeth in his first begotten sonne into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. Although the very words of the Apostle are found in the Greeke version of Deut. 32. 43. but the Hebrew there hath none such See the fulfilling of this Luk. 2. 13 14. Mark 1. 13. Rev. 5. 11 12. Vers. 8. daughters that is cities of Iudah the Christian Churches see Psal. 48. 12. Vers. 11. Light is sowen that is comfort and joy is reserved after trouble as Esth. 8. 16. but hidden for the present as seed in the ground for we are dead our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. 4. it doth not yet appeare what we shall be 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Vers. 12. confesse to that is celebrate it See Psal. 30. 5. PSAL. XCVIII The Psalmist exhorteth the Iewes 4 the Gentiles 7 and all creatures to praise God for his salvation by Christ. A Psalme SIng ye to Iehovah a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand hath saved him and the arme of his holinesse Iehovah hath made knowen his salvation to the eies of the nations he hath revealed his justice He hath remēbred his mercy and his faithfulnesse to the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seene the salvation of our God Shout triumphantly to Iehovah all the earth shout cheerefully shout joyfully sing Psalmes Sing Psalmes to Iehovah with harpe with harpe and voice of a Psalme With trumpets and voice of the cornet shout triumphantly before the King Iehovah Let the sea roare and the plenty thereof the world and they that sit therein Let the rivers clap the hands together let the mountaines shout joyfully Before Iehovah for hee is come to judge the earth he will judge the world in justice and the
the generation next after let his name be wiped out Let the iniquitie of his fathers bee remembred of Iehovah and the sinne of his mother bee not wiped out Let them bee before Iehovah continually and hee cut off the memory of them from the earth Because that hee remembred not to doe mercy but persecuted the poore afflicted and needy man and the smitten in heart to slay him And hee loved cursing and let it come unto him and he delighted not in blessing and let it bee farre from him And he cloathed himselfe with cursing as his raiment and let it enter as waters into his inward part and as oile into his bones Let it bee to him as a garment wherewith hee may cover himselfe and for a girdle wherewith hee may gird himselfe continually This be the worke of mine adversaries from Iehovah and of them that speake evill against my soule And thou Iehovih Lord doe with mee for thy Name sake for good is thy mercy deliver thou me For I am poore afflicted and needy and mine heart is wounded within me As a shadow when it declineth I am gone away I am tossed as the Grashopper My knees are feeble through fasting and my flesh is leane for fatnesse And I was a reproach to them they saw mee they shaked their head Helpe thou me Iehovah my God save me according to thy mercy And let them know that this is thine hand thou Iehovah hast done it Let them curse and doe thou blesse rise they up and be abashed and let thy servant rejoyce Let mine adversaries be cloathed with ignominie and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a cloke I will confesse Iehovah vehemently with my mouth and in the midst of many will I praise him For he will stand at the right hand of the needy to save him from them that judge his soule Annotations OF my praise that is which art praised of me as Psal. 22. 4. or which praisest and justifiest mee against the calumnies of mine enemies 2 Cor. 10. 18. Rom. 2. 29. Numb 12. 7 8. cease not or bee not silent see Psalme 28. 1. of diceit that is the deceitfull men as the Greeke explaineth it so pride for proud person Psalme 36. 12. are or have opened to wit themselves Vers. 4. and I prayer to wit I made or give my selfe to prayer as the Greeke and Chaldee saith I prayed or I am a man of prayer So I peace Psal. 120. 7. See also 1 Cor. 14. 33. Vers. 6. Set in office or Make visiter or over-seer see verse 8. the wicked one the devill as 1 Ioh. 2. 13 14. and 3. 12. and 5. 18. or generally wicked rulers the adversary in Hebrew Satan in Greeke the Devill who is an adversary to mankind 1 Pet. 5. 8. Rev. 12. 9. at his right hand to resist and overcome him Zach. 3. 1. and this is spoken of all his foes as of one man or of some one speciall as Doeg enemy to David 1 Sam. 22. 9 c. Iudas to Christ Ioh. 13. 2. But God is at the right hand of the poore vers 31. Psal. 16. 8. Vers. 7. wicked that is as the Greeke saith condemned See the Notes on Psal. 1. 1. to sinne that is turned to sinne and so abominable Prov. 28. 9. and 15. 8. Vers. 8. his office or charge visitation bishoprick Episcopée and this is applied to Iudas whose office was derived to Matthias Act. 1. 16 20 26. A Bishop and bishops charge so called of visitation is a common name to all overseers and offices Numb 4. 16. and 31. 14. Ezek. 44. 11. 2 King 11. 15. 2 Chron. 34. 12 17. Nehem. 11. 9. Vers. 9. fatherlesse or orphans and this is a curse of the law Exod. 22. 24. Ier. 18. 21. Vers. 10. wander rogue about as vagabonds Gen. 4. 12. Vers. 11. the Creditor he to whom he is indebted or the extortioner let him seise on all his goods his labour goods gotten by his labour Vers. 13. posteritie or his last end see Psal. 37. 37. to cutting off or appointed to be cut off to perdition or to destruction as the Greeke explaineth The verbe active is of passive signification as Psal. 32. 9. and 36. 3. Vers. 15. memory or memoriall Psal. 34. 17. Iob 18. 17. Vers. 16. smitten with griefe that is sorrowfull or as the Greeke saith pricked in heart So verse 22. See Psal. 102. 5. and 34. 19. Vers. 17. let it come or it shall come and so after Vers. 18. his raiment or a mantell let it enter or it entred It may be understood of his delight in cursing which pleased him as water and oile or of the efficacy of the curse that should pierce his owne bowels and bones as Num. 5. 22. Vers. 20. the worke that is the wage or reward due for his worke so Lev. 19. 13. Isa. 49. 4. Iob 7. 2. Ezek. 29. 20. Vers. 21. Iehovih the Name of God see Psal. 68. 21. doe to wit mercy as the next words shew and is expressed Psal. 18. 51. See also Psal. 103. 9. where the word anger is omitted Vers. 23. I am gone or am made to goe or depart namely towards my grave as Psal. 58. 9. See also Psal. 102. 12. 1 Chron. 17. 11. tossed as the grashopper or shaken off as the Locust which hath no nest or biding place but is driven to and fro being a fearefull creature Nahum 3. 17. Iob 39. 23. or which is carried away with the wind Exodus 10. 1◠Vers. 24. feeble or loosened so that I am ready to stumble and fall So Paul calleth them loose or feeble knees Heb. 12. 12. from Isa. 35. 3. for fatnesse or for oile that is for want of fat or oile as for the fruits is for want of the fruits Lam. 4. 9. for five is for want of five Gen. 18. 28. for fornication 1 Cor. 7. 2. is for to avoid fornication Or we may turne it without fat for the Hebrew min sometime signifieth without Iob 21. 9. Vers. 25. shaked or wagged a signe of scorne Psal. 22. 8. Vers. 27. thine hand that is thy handy worke Vers. 28. rise they up to wit against me as the Greeke explaineth it and be they abashed as disappointed of their purpose Vers. 30. of many or of the mighties of great men as the Chaldee saith of wise men but the Greeke translateth of many Vers. 31. at the right hand to assist contrary to Satan verse 6. that judge that is condemne and persecute him to death PSAL. CX David prophesieth of Christs Kingdome 4 his eternall Priesthood 5 his Conquest 7 and his Passion A Psalme of David IEhovah assuredly said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand untill I put thine enemies the footstoole of thy feet Iehovah will send out of Sion the rod of thy strength rule thou in the middes of thine enemies Thy people shall be voluntaries in the day of thy power in the beauties of holinesse of the wombe of the early morning
here commendeth the graces of Christ which he had being full of the Holy Ghost for his God had anointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Heb. 1. 9. and of him it is said The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee because hee hath anointed mee to preach the Gospell c. Luke 4. 18. Esay 61. 1. And the odour of these graces is smelt when the Gospell preached is by sense or judgement perceived Phil. 1. 9. Luke 9. 45. Heb. 5. 14. thy name is an ointment powred-forth As Messias and Christ is by interpretation Anointed and he is called the Oile or Ointment in Esay 10. 27. so by his Name is meant his Law the doctrine of grace or Law of faith Rom. 3. 27. as it is written The Iles shall wait for his Law Esay 42. 4. which is expounded The Gentiles shall trust in his name Matth. 12. 21. and the preaching of that grace is called the bearing of Christs Name before the Gentilis Acts 9. 15. and as a good Name is better then a good ointment Eccles. 7. 1. so the name and doctrine of Christ excelleth all other that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow Phil. 2. 10. This name is as a precious ointment powred forth by the preaching of the Gospell and by the miracles confirming the same accomplished not onely by Christ himselfe a man approved of God among the Israelites by miracles wonders and signes which God did by him Act. 2. 22. so that there went out a fame of him through all the region round about and he taught in their synagogues being glorified of all Luke 4. 14. 15. but also by his Apostles who were to preach on the house tops that which they heard in the eare Matth. 10. 27. which also they performed Rom. 15. 19. and 16. 25. 26. and therein rejoyced and said Now thankes be unto God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place For we are unto God a sweet-savour in Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 2. 14. 15. 16. And as the boxe of ointment when it was broken and powred forth on Christs head the house was filled with the savour of it Marke 14. 3. Iohn 12. 3. so when his Name and Gospell is preached abroad it giveth the odour thereof into all Christian hearts so that by the preaching of faith they also receive the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. 5. and are anointed of God 2 Cor. 1. 21. and have an unction from the Holy-one and know all things 1 Iohn 2. 20. that whereas before they mourned for their sinnes and miseries they now are comforced and have the oile of joy given unto them Esay 61. 3. the Uirgins love thee These are the fellow friends of the Spouse Ps. 45. 15. By Uirgins are meant all such as are chosen and called of God and faithfull whether whole Churches as 2 Cor. 11. 2. or particular persons who with chaste and pure minds serve the Lord onely and worship him in spirit and truth and stand with Christ on the mount Sion having his Fathers name written in their foreheads of whom it is said These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth these were bought from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lambe and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God Rev. 14. 1 4. 5. And these love the Lord for the odour of his good ointments which they perceive by his word and Spirit though they see him not 1 Pet. 1. 8. they love him because he first loved them 1 Iohn 4. 19. and hath shed abroad his love in their hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto them Rom. 5. 5. and this is love that they walke after his commandements and keepe them 2 Ioh. v. 6. Iohn 14. 15. Vers. 4. Draw me A second request of the Spouse unto Christ that he would not onely call her outwardly by the voice of his Gospell but forasmuch as the word preached profiteth not if it bee not mixed with faith in them that heare it Heb. 4. 2. and faith is not of our selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. who worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. that he would also open her heart Acts 16. 14. effectually worke in her by his Spirit and continue and increase his grace towards her For drawing implyeth power in him that draweth as Hee draweth the mighty with his power Iob 24. 22. and when it is unto good it argueth grace and good will as I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love Hos. 11. 4. and continuance of grace as O draw that is continue thy loving kindnesse to them that know thee Psal. 26. 10. and in them that are drawne it is a signe of infirmity as No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Iohn 6. 44. And this is a fruit and effect of Christs death as himselfe saith And I if I bee lifted up or taken away from the earth will draw all men unto mee Iohn 12. 32. This drawing is by being effectually taught of God as againe he saith It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth to me Iohn 6. 45. and is a signe of Gods everlasting love towards such as it was said unto Israel Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Ier. 31. 3. we will runne I and the Virgins fore-mentioned will runne after thee for they follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14. 4. Christ is our Fore runner gone before us into heaven Heb. 6. 20. Our Christian conversation is called a running Gal. 2. 2. and 5. 7. and our life is likened to a course or race which is runne as Iohn fulfilled his course or race Acts 13. 25. and Paul saith I have finished my course 2 Tim. 4. 7. Running signifieth readinesse of affection and speedy performance in action Hag. 1. 9. 1 King 19. 19. 20. Psal. 147. 15. it argueth also strength in the runner Dan. 8. 6. all which are here implyed as an effect of Christs grace drawing her according to the Prophesie Behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knewest not and nations that knew not thee shall runne unto thee c. Esay 55. 5. And againe They that wait on the Lord shall renew strength c. they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint Esay 40. 31. Now the way which we are to runne is his commandements of which David saith I
thus wast thou decked with gold and silver Ezek. 16. 11. 12. 13. The spirituall signification according to either similitude is one and the same as after shall bee shewed rowes in Hebr. Torim which being of the singular Tor signifieth a disposition row or orderly course of things and hath affinity with Torah which hath the name of the Law in Hebrew and the one is put as an examplanation of the other as David said Is this the Law of man ô Lord God 2 Samuel 7. 19. which another Prophet relateth thus thou hast regarded me according to the order disposition or estate of a man of high degree ô Lord God 1 Chron. 17. 17. And indeed the Law of God is his ordinance or orderly disposition of his precepts the rules and canons of our life The same word Tor is also used for a Turtle-dove and Torim are Turtles as in the law of sacrifices Lev. 12. which some therefore take here to be jewels or ornaments that had the figures of Turtle doves And so the Greeke version here translateth How beautifull are thy cheekes as of a turtle dove But in the verse following where the same word is againe used the Greeke translateth We will make for thee similitudes of gold chaine 's in Heb. Charuzim a word not found but in this one place translated in Gr. collars or chaines and is interpreted by the Hebrew Doctors chaines or jewels hanged on a string like chaines to put about the necke These rowes and chaines signifie the Lawes and ordinances of God wherewith he adorneth the face and necke of his Church that in her profession practice and obedience she may bee comely and gracious in the sight of God and his people and being guided by them may vanquish her enemies Thus Solomon elsewhere saith there is gold and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel Proverb 20. 15. And againe My sonne heare the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thine head and chains about thy necke Proverb 1. 8. 9. They meane also the gracious effects which the Law and doctrine of God worketh in his people of humility reverence and other vertues as on the contrary pride and other like vices are said to compasse evill men about as a chaine and violence to cover them as a garment Psalme 73. 6. Likewise holy persons that teach instruct reprove and such as receive doctrine and reproofe Proverb 25. 12. and reproofes themselves are pearles Matth. 7. Thus also the Hebrewes understood this Scripture as the Chaldee paraphrase here saith When the Israelites went forth into the Wildernesse the Lord said unto Moses How fayre is this people that the words of the Law should bee given unto them that they may be as bridles in their jawes that they depart not out of the good way as an horse goeth not aside that hath a bridle in his jawes and how faire is their necke to beare the yoake of my precepts that they may bee upon them as a yoake on thenecke of a bullocke that ploweth in the field and feedeth both it selfe and the master thereof Vers. 11. We will make for thee A promise of encrease of graces to the Church by We is understood the mystery of the Trinity as in Genesis 1. 26. Let us make man So in Rev. 1. 4. 5. Grace and peace is wished from the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and in 1 Corinth 12. 4. 5. 6. the diversities of gifts are noted to be of the Spirit the diversities of ministeries whereby those gifts are administred to be of the Lord Christ and the diversities of operations effected by the gifts and ministeries to bee of God the Father The Hebrewes also as Sol. larchi here interpret it I and my judgement hall by which phrase the Trinity of old was implyed though now the faithlesse deny the same for a judgement hall in Israel consisted of three at the least which in their close manner of speech they applyed unto GOD but their posterity understood it not Christ here teacheth his Church that every grace and good gift is from GOD as also the increase thereof Iames 1. 17. Ephes. 3. 16. that the spirituall ornaments are of his making who worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Also that to him that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundance Matth. 13. 12. As in our bodies wee come naked into this world without clothes or ornaments so is the estate of our soules by nature naked and bare Ezek. 16. 4. 7. till Christ of his grace by his Spirit clotheth and adorneth us Revelation 3. 18. rowes of gold he spake before of rowes simply now he addeth of gold either to signifie more excellent ordinances and graces under the Gospell then under the Law as hee promiseth For brasse I will bring gold and for â—ron I will bring silver c. Esay 60. 17. that should proceed from faith and love and not from feare as when shee was under the bridle of the Law for wee should not bee like horse and mule whose jaw must bee bound with bit and bridle Psalme 32. 9. and yeeld obedience by constraint or it meaneth a new supply of graces so that we are changed into the image of God from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Corinth 3. 18. These promises may respect both the rules ordinances gifts and graces bestowed on his people Proverbes 20. 15. and the persons themselves that are furnished with those graces as the precious sonnes of Zion are said to bee comparable to fine gold Lament 4. 1. speckes of silver in Greeke markes of silver which word markes Stigmata Paul useth in Galatians 6. 17. speaking of the markes of the Lord Iesus by suffering for his Gospell Here it meaneth variety of graces in the communion of the Saints for their mutuall helpe comfort and delight as is opened in Proverb 25. 11. 12. A word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold with pictures of silver As an eare-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient eare Where we are taught that both instructions and reproofes are the ornaments of the Saints when they are prudently uttered and obediently received Neither of which can bee without the speciall grace of God who both maketh these ornaments for us and maketh us fit to receive and put them on for The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them Proverbs 20. 12. The Chaldee paraphrast expoundeth this verse of the Law which God gave unto Israel on the two tables by the hand of Moses But though the ordinances of the Law were likened to gold and silver wherewith the Church then was decked as God telleth them in Ezekiel 16. 13. and the law of his mouth was better to his people then thousands of gold and
the Ministers who by the doctrine of the Gospell susteyned the Church as Iames Cephas and Iohn seemed to be pillars Gal. 2. 9. If unto other things it may bee understood of the words of God likened unto fined silver in Psal. 12. with whose oracles as with pillars the charret of the Church is sustained So Prov. 9. Wisedome builded her house and hewed out her seven pillars A pillar signifieth constancy and stability Rev. 3. 12. the bottome or the seat on which Solomon sitteth resteth or lyeth in his charret so the Greeke translateth it Anacliton that which one sitteth or lyeth downe upon This bottome or seat of gold seemeth to have reference to the golden Mercie-seat over the Arke in the Temple on which God is said to sit Ps. 80. 2. And it signifieth the covenant of grace apprehended by faith which is much more precious theÌ„ gold that pensheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. and the doctrines of the Law by faith which are better then thousands of gold and silver Psal. â—19 72. the covering the top and hangings which have the name here of riding because it seemed as it were to ride upon the charter so the Greek calleth it Epibasis of ascending It seemeth to signifie the outward conversation and cloathing of the Church which being purple is not onely a Princely colour denoting heavenly life but hath speciall reference to the blood and death of Christ wherof the Church is made partaker both for justification and sanctification Rev. 1. 5. 6. and 7. 14. Rom. 6. 3. 4. And so the hope of heavenly glory is here also applyed and protection from Christ till wee come unto his glory the midst or the inmost thereof being paved with love or he made a pavement of love This in respect of Christ signifieth his inmost and servent love towards us even giving his life for us and having us as it were written in his heart in respect of his people it signifieth the sense and feeling of Christs love towards them as also their love unto Christ and one to another So the seat the covering and the pavement are answerable to those three graces faith hope and love spoken of in 1 Cor. 13. of the daughters of Ierusalem these are the elect of God the children of Ierusalem the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. which being loved of Christ are graven on the palmes on his hands Esay 49. 16. yea caried upon his heart as the high Priest bare the names of the children of Israel in the brest plate of judgment upon his hart Ex. 2â— 29. And so of his Ministers as it is said Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts 1 Cor. 3. 2. you are in our hearts to dye and live with you 〈◊〉 Cor. 7. 3. Such therefore as the love of Christ are the pavement of his Coach Ver. 11. daughters of Zion Zion was a mount in Ierusalem and as that was called the holy Citie Esay 52. 1. so Zion is called the Lords holy mountaine Ioel 3. 17. because of his Temple there The daughters of Zion were the women dwelling therein or belonging thereto Esay 3. 16. 17. and 4. 4. But under the name daughters all the inhabitants men and women are comprised and all Townes and Cities of Israel which were daughters in Scripture phrase to the mother Zion and so the Chaldee here expoundeth it Inhabitants of the Provinces of the land of Israel This mount Sion figured the Christian Church Heb. 12. 22. the daughters figured Christians either persons or Churches Esay 49. 14. 22. which are therefore said to be Virgins and to follow the Lamb Christ who standeth upon mount Sion Rev. 14. 1. 4. These are called forth by the preaching of the Gospel to behold Christ the true Solomon with his crown So in Psal. 149. 2. Let the sons of Sion be gladin their King and in Mat. 21. 5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion behold thy King commeth c. see K. Solomon the faitfull are called out of their former state to a further degree of knowledge to see Christ whom Solomon figured in his kingdome crowned with glory and honor in his Church So unto Iohn it was said Come and see Rev. 6. 1. 3. 5. 7. his mother crowned him by the mother seemeth to bee meant the congregation of the faithfull as also the Chaldee here expoundeth it the people of the house of Israel called his mother because by the doctrine of faith they spiritually doe conceive and bring forth Christ Gal. 4. 19. and doing the will of his Father they are esteemed and loved of him as his sister and mother Mat. 12. 50. The crowne is a signe of Kingdome Dominion and Victorie Psal. 21. and Christ warring against his enemies and overcomming hath on his head many crownes or â—â—ademes Rev. 19. 11. 12. c. and 6. 2. And the Kingdomes of this world after the tyranny of Antichrist do become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11. 15. When Christ therefore ruleth in his Church by the sâ—epter of his Word and his people submit unto his Law and Governement then let they the Crowne upon his head acknowledging his soveraignty day of his espousalls when he was esponsed unto his Bride the Church this is the day of the Covenant made betweene Christ and his people Ezek. 16. 8. c. as he saith to Ierusalem I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals wheÌ„ thou we 〈…〉 st after me in the wildernesse c. Ier. 2. 2. For when a people are by the Gospell won unto the faith and setled in the order of Christ they are espoused unto him as to a husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. And this is after called the day of the gladnesse of his heart because as the Bridegroome 〈…〉 th ever the Bride so God rejoyceth over his people Esay 62. 5. CHAPTER IIII. BEhold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire thine eyes are as doves within thy lockes thy haire is as a flocke of goats that appeare from mount Gilead Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheepe even shorne which come-up from the washing which all of them beare-twinnes and none among them is bereaved-of-the-yong Thy lips are like a threed of scarlet and thy speech is comely thy temples are like a peece of a pomegranate within thy locks Thy necke is like the tower of David builded for an armorie a thousand bucklers hang thereon all shields of mighty men Thy two breasts are like two fawnes twinnes of the Roe which feed among the Lillies Vntill the day dawne and the shadowes flee-away I will get me to the mountaine of myrrh and to the hill of Frankincense Thou art all faire my love and there is no blemish in thee Come with mee from Lebanon my Spouse with mee from Lebanon looke from the top of Amanah from the top of Shenir and Hermon from the Dennes of the Lions from the mountaines of the Leopards Thou hast ravished-my-heart my
for an offring to the Lord Esay 66. 20. so the Ministers of the new Testament did so minister the Gospell of God that the offring up of the Gentiles might be acceptable Romanes 15. 16. in which sense Christ here is by his servants as charrets for his voluntary free people to be brought as an oblation to the Lord. The Chaldee paraph 〈…〉 eth on these words thus I consulted with my soule to doe them good and to put them high in the charrets of Kings c. Verse 13. O Shulammitesse As Solomon named in Hebrew Shelomoh had his name of peace 1 Chron. 22. 9. and Ierusalem was also called Shalem or Salem Psalme 76. 3. which signifieth Peace Hebrewes 7. 2. so here the Church or people called upon to returne is named Shulammitess in Hebrew Shulamith of her peace and perfection with God in Christ and so in one Greeke version it is interpreted Eirenevousa as being at peace It may also have reference to Ierusalem as being a daughter to that mother of us all And this name hath occasioned some probably to apply this unto the recalling of the Iewes as was fore-told Romanes 11. 25. c. which is yet to be fulfilled returne returne this doubling of the word and that twise sheweth the earnest desire of her conversion with the certainty thereof that we may looke upon thee or and let us see or view thee and properly it meaneth a looking upon with delight This seemeth to bee spoken by her friends desirous to see the graces in this Shulammitesse returned For even the Angels desire to looke into the things that are imparted to the Church by the Gospell 1 Peter 1. 12. and it was Davids one request that hee might view the pleasantnesse of the Lord in his House or Temple Psal. 27. 4. And the Prophet foretold how the watch-men should sing with a high voice for that they should see eye to eye when the Lord returned Sion Esa. 52. 8. The Chald. paraphrast explaineth the words thus Returne unto mâ—e O congregation of Israel returne unto Ierusalem returne unto the house of the doctrine of my law returne to receive Prophesie from my Prophets which prophesie in the name of the Word of the Lord. What shall ye see in the Sulammitesse or Why looke ye or would ye looke upon the Sulammitesse The question which seemeth to be demanded by Christ is to stir up attention and affection in the hearers as the company or as the dance that is a company of dauncers that rejoyce together as they were wont after victories Exod. 15. 20. And prophesiyng of the spirituall joy at the restoring of his people God saith O Virgin of Israel c. thâ—â— shalt goe forth in the dances of them that make merry and Then shall the Virgin rejoyce in the dance Ierem. 31. 4. 13. And at the returne of the prodigall son there were musicke and daunces in his fathers house Luk. 15. 25. This answer seemeth to bee made by Christ himselfe that asked them or it may be the question continued thus what looke ye upon the Shulammitesse which is like the company or daunce of two armies of two armies or of two camps two hosts in Hebrew Machanaim by which name the place was called where an host or troop of Angels met Iakob with his troope at his returne out of servitude Gen. 32. 1. 2. Hereby is signified both the deliverance of this Shulammitesse out of her miseries and the joy of men and Angels for her victorie For there is joy also in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15. 10. and they pitch their campes about them that feare the Lord for to deliver them Psal. 34. 8. CHAPTER VII HOw beautifull are thy feet with shoes ô bounteous-princes daughter the joynts of thy thighes are like jewels the worke of the hands of an Artificer Thy navell is like a round goblet let there not want mixture thy belly is like an heape of wheat set about with Lilies Thy two breasts are like two fawnes twinnes of the Roe Thy necke is like a tower of yvorie thine eyes like the pooles in Heshbon by the gate of Bath rabbim thy nose is like the Towre of Lebanon looking toward Damascus Thine head upon thee is like Carmel and the hayre of thine head like purple the King is bound in the galleries How fayre art thou and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights This thy stature is like to a palme-tree and thy breasts to clusters I sayd I will goe up to the Palme-tree I will take-hold of the boughes thereof and now let thy breasts bee as clusters of the vine and the smell of thy nose like apples And thy palate like the good wine that goeth to my beloved to righteousnesse causing-to-speake the lips of those that are asleepe I am my beloveds and his desire is towards mee Come my Beloved let us goe-forth into the field let us lodge in the villages Let us get-up earely to the Vineyards let us see whether the vine flourish the tender-grape open it selfe whether the Pomegranates blossome there will I give my loves to thee The Mandrakes giue a smell and at our doores are all precious-things new and old O my Beloved I have layd them up for thee CHAPTER VII THy feet with shoes how are they beautifull O thou the daughter of Prince bountifull Ioynts of thy thy thighes like unto jewes are Worke of the hands of an artificer Thy navel is like to a goblet round Of mixed colour let no want-be-found Thy belly is like to an heape of wheat That is with Lilies round about-beset Thy two breasts like two fawnes twins of the Roe Thy necke an yv'rie towre is like unto Thine eyes are like the pooles in Hesebon By gate that haunted is of many a one Thy nose is like the towre of Libanus That looketh to the face of Damascus Like unto Carmel is thine head on thee The hayres eke of thine head like purple be The King he bound is in the galleries How faire art thou how pleasant art likewise Thou ô deare Love for all delightfulnesse Like to a palm-tree this thy stature is Like unto clusters are thy breasts also I sayd I will up to the palme-tree goe Will of the boughes thereof fast-hold get me And now thy breasts like the Vine clusters be And of thy nose like apples be the smell Thy palate eke like wine that doth excell That goes to my Belov'd to righteousnesse Causing the sleepers lips speech-to expresse I my Beloveds am and his desire Is towards me Come let us forth retire Into the field ô my Belov'd and let Vs in the villages a lodging-get Vnto the vineyards let us rise-earely Whether the vine doe flourish let us set The tender-grape if opening it appeare If the Pomegranate-trees doe blossomes beare There will I give my dearest loves to thee The Mandrakes give a smell at our doores be All precius things eke new and old
that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. and is by him made perfect stablished strengthened setled as 1 Pet. 5. 10. This grace is foretold by the Prophet according to Gods first dealing with Israel when he put his holy Spirit within his people and led them through the deepe as an horse in the wildernesse they stumbled not As a beast goeth downe into the valley the Spirit of the Lord quietly led him so didst thou leade thy people to make thy selfe a glorious name Esa. 63. 11. 13. 14. I stirred thee up or I raised thee up They by the words of the Spouse speaking againe to her Beloved whom she stirred or raised up as out of sleepe by her earnest prayers as in Psal. 44. 24. Stirre up why sleepest thou Lord And they that give themselves to prayer are said also to stirre up themselves Esa. 64. 7. This raising up was under the Apple tree the tree of life and grace whose shadow and fruit had been delightfull and sweet unto her and to which tree Christ himselfe was likened Song 2. 3. So shee by faith taking hold on the covenant of grace promises of life in Christ called on his name in her for owes and stirred him up for her helpe comfort there under the Apple tree the faith and hope of salvation and life thy mother the faithfull company or the primitive Church who brought forth Christ into the world by preaching professing practising and suffering for his Gospell painefully brought thee forth travelled of thee with sorrow The bringing forth of Christ into the world by the preaching and witnessing of the Gospell that the childe might be borne unto us Esa. 9. 6. is set forth by the similitude of a woman in her painefull-travell Rev. 12. 1. 2. Gal. 4. 19. For as child-birth is accompanied with many pangs and sorrowes like bands that constraine forceably so is the bringing forth of Christ into the hearts and mindes of men that they may beleeve in him performed with much labour sorrow and difficulty In much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in tossings to and fro in labours in watchings in fastings c. 2 Cor. 6. 4. 5. and 4. 8. 11. Wherefore the Church signifying her sorrowes for the deliverance and salvation of her children saith Like as a woman with childe that draweth neere the time of her delivery is in paine cryeth out in her pangs so have we beene in thy sight O Lord. Wee have beene with childe wee have beene in paine wee have as it were brought forth winde we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth c. Esa. 26. 17. 18. Vers. 6. Set me or Put mee as a seale upon thine heart The Spouse desireth of Christ assurance and confirmation of his love towards her that she may be graven as the ingraving of a scale or signet upon his heart This hath reference to the high Priest of old who having the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel graven upon twelve precious stones like the ingravings of a signet or seale is said to beare the names of the sonnes of Israel in the Breast-plate of judgement upon his heart for a memoriall before the Lord continually Exod. 28. 21. 29. So shee desireth Christ to be her mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 2. 17. that he would have a continuall care of her salvation mindfull of her himselfe and making a memoriall of her before God his Father and that this affection of love might not vanish away but be as a deepe impression in his heart for ever For a seale is used for a ratifying and confirming that which is spoken that it may not be disanulled Neh. 9. 38. Rom. 4. 11. And this God signified to Zerubbabel saying I will set thee as a seale for I have chosen thee Hag. 2. 23. and againe it is said The foundation of God standeth sure having this seale the Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. a seale upon thine arme The high Priest bare the names of the Tribes not onely upon his heart but the same names he also bare ingraven like a seale upon his shoulders before the Lord for a memoriall Exod. 28. 11. 12. And the Lord promising the daughter of Sion that hee would not forget her to have compassion on her saith Behold I have graven thee upon the plames of my hands thy walles are continually before me Esa. 49. 15. 16. But as the heart signifieth inward love so the arme of Christ signifieth his outward manifestation of love by helping bearing and supporting her in all her infirmities through his power wherfore it is said Thou redeemest thy people with the arme Psal. 77. 16. and thou hast scattered thine enemies with the arme of thy strength Psal. 89. 11. and unto Ierusalem he saith Behold the Lord will come with strong hand and his arme shall rule for him Hee will feed his flocke like a sheepheard hee will gather the Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome Esa. 40. 10. 11. love is strong as death as death is strong and overcommeth the strongest man Psal. 89. 48. so the love which I beare towards thee desiring to be united unto thee is a strong affection which cannot be subdued in me by any trouble or tentation zeale or gealousie zeale is love inflamed and â—ervent and is used sometime in good part as Ioh. 2. 17. sometime in the evill called bitter zeale or envying Iam. 3. 14. so is gealousie 2 Cor. 11. 2. Here it seemeth to bee meant of godly zeale or gealousie wherewith her heart was also affected towards Christ. hard as hell cruell fierce and inexorable as is hell it selfe that is the grave or state of death whereof see the notes on Gen. 37. 35. that as death and the grave devoureth all so love and gealous-zeale consumeth and eateth up not sparing for the love of Christ constraineth 2 Cor. 5. 14. and the zeale for his glory eateth up the godly Psal. 69. 9. the coales the fierie coales arrowes or fierie darts properly the word signifieth that which flieth and burneth is applyed sometimes to plagues judgements Deut. 32. 24. sometimes to arrowes Psal. 76. 3. here to burning coales or darts of love that pierce and inflame the heart and cannot be quenched flame of Iah the consuming flame of God Shalhebeth-jah noteth a vehement or consuming flame of Iah the Lord as the piercing and devouring lightning but meaneth the fire of his Spirit which is compared unto fire Matth. 3. 11. for the power and efficacie thereof in the hearts of the children of God Vers. 7. many waters By waters and floods are often meant afflictions troubles warres persecutions tentations wherewith the faith love patience of Christs people are exercised tried Psal. 69. 2. Esa. 8. 7. 8. and 59. 19. Dan. 9. 26. and 11. 12. So here is signified that the love of Christ wherewith the