upon every occasion 6. This darknesse did shew the spirituall darknesse of their soules and was a forerunner of the everlasting darknesse of hell which waited for them Ferus For the mysticall application of this Egyptian darknesse 1. Origen doth expound it of the unsearchable and impenetrable depth of the divine providence Augustine doth accommodate and applie it to the tenth Commandement Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife for such he saith are palpably blinded even as the Egyptians were 2. But more fitly doth the same Origen applie it to signifie the blindnesse of the Egyptians and the darknesse of their superstitious minde that were ignorant of the true knowledge and worship of God giving themselves to most filthie Idolatrie and it betokeneth also the grosse darknesse wherein the Gentiles were buried before they were called to the knowledge of the Messiah all the world was then in darknesse onely in Israel was light and the knowledge of God But contrariwise in the passion of Christ it was darke among the Jewes and light elsewhere which signified that light was sprung up to the Gentiles and blindnesse fallen upon the Jewes 4. Places of doctrine 1. Doct. The law is to be preached to the obstinate Vers. 4. IF thou refuse to let them goe behold to morrow I will bring Locusts Moses to Pharaoh being an obstinate and impenitent man preacheth nothing but the law and judgement the Gospell is not to bee preached to such but onely to the broken hearted as Christ saith That the spirit of God was upon him to preach the Gospell to the poore Luk. 4.18 This was a signe betweene the true Prophets and false that these alwayes cried to the people peace peace but the other told the people of their sinnes Ferus 2. Doct. The difference betweene the children of God and the children of the world Vers. 23. ALl the children of Israel had light where they dwelt In this difference betweene the children of Israel and the Egyptians is shadowed forth the divers estate betweene the children of God and the children of this world the one are lightned with the knowledge of grace the other sit downe in the region of darknesse and shadow of death as the Apostle saith Yee are all the children of the light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darknesse 1 Thess. 5.5 Borrh. 5. Places of confutation 1. Conf. That children are the members of the Church against the Anabaptists Vers. 9. WE will goe with our young and with our old with our sonnes and with our daughters Both young and old belonged unto Israel and to the Church of God which maketh against the Anabaptists that count infants no members of the Church and therefore denie them to be baptised But the Psalmist exhorteth not onely the ancient to praise God but the young also Young men and maidens old men and children Psalm 48.12 Ferus 2. Conf. Ignorance and darknesse not to be found in the Church of Christ but among the Egyptians Vers. 23. BVt all the children of Israel had light where they dwelt This externall light betokeneth the spirituall light of knowledge that the true Israel hath the light and knowledge of God It hath beene held as a principle among the Romanists and their practice sheweth them to bee of the same mind still that ignorance is the mother of devotion And great hath beene the ignorance and darknesse which reigned many yeeres under the Kingdome of Antichrist Borrh. And out of the darke smoke of the bottomlesse pit this mistie darknesse have come forth all those swarmes of Locusts Monkes Friers Masse Priests Seminaries whose endevour is to sow â—rror among the people and to settle them in ignorance of the truth to which purpose they forbid the Scriptures to be read or prayers to be said but in the Latin tongue they permit them not to read any books which may instruct them in the truth to sing Psalmes to conferre or reason of their faith All this sheweth that they would still keepe theirs in the Egyptian darknesse But thanks be unto God that hath caused the light of the Gospell of his Sonne to shine upon his Israel in this land that now that prophesie may be verified againe of this land which is also by the way of the Sea The people that sate in darknesse have seene great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is raised up Matth. 4.15 16. 6. Places of morall use 1. Mor. Of the necessity of good education Vers. 3. THat thou mayst declare in the eares of thy sonne Hence appeareth the necessitie of the good education of children that they should be instructed in the feare of the Lord in their youth and so will they not forget it when they are old Ferus This is the Apostles counsell that the fathers should bring up their children in the instruction and information of the Lord Ephes. 6.3 The want of good instruction in the youth is the cause of the licentiousnesse and unthriftinesse of the young men of this age 2. Mor. The departure of the Ministers of God dangerous Vers. 6. SO he turned him and went out from Pharaoh This sudden departure of Moses from Pharaoh and with indignation did foreshew the fearefull condition of Pharaoh whom the Ministers and Prophets of God forsake It was an evident argument of destruction at hand So their case is hard that are left destitute of the Ministers of Gods word Worldly men consider not this nay they many times wish in their hearts that there were not a Minister to speake unto them But like as the Jewes state was desperate when the Apostles left them and shooke off the dust of their feet against them Act. 13.51 so it fareth with those that are deprived of the presence of Gods Ministers Ferus 3. Mor. The office and part of good counsellers Vers. 7. THen Pharaohs servants said unto him It is the part of good counsellers to perswade Kings and Princes to deale well with the servants of God and to move them to the good of the Church and common-wealth Piscator Not to flatter the Prince to make themselves great or to deale unfaithfully and onely to seeke themselves as Shebna did Isai. 22. but to be like the faithfull Eliakâ—â— and as Ebedmelech that obtained favour for Ieremie 4. Mor. Not one jot of Gods word to be omitted Vers. 26. THere shall not be an hoofe left In those things which God hath prescribed and commanded noâ— the least thing is to be omitted Moses was charged to make all things belonging to the Tabernacle even to the snuffers and ashpans according to the paterne which the Lord shewed him in the mount Exod. 25.9 Simler So not one jot of the word of God must be left undone but it must be kepâ— exactly to an haires breadth as wee say CHAP. XI 1. The method and Argument IN this Chapter there is a continuation of the narration of Moses
occurrere quia non satis est recte facere nisi etiam maturei quod facias But he spieth a great way off neither was hee content to espy but went to meet them hee made haste to meet them because it is not enough to doe well unlesse thou speedily dispatch that thou doest Abraham therefore is commended for his hospitality and thus is he rewarded whereas hee thought he entertained men he received Angels as the Apostle noteth Heb. 13.1 and Ambrose saith qui scis an Deum suscipias cum hospitem putas how knowest thou whether thou receive God whom thou takest to bee a stranger But now adayes men are so farre off from hasting to meet strangers to invite them home that many of the poore members of Christ with begging and intreating can hardly find entertainment 2. Moral Against curious building and carelesse hospitality Vers. 6. ABraham made hast into the tent to Sarah c. Abraham is not curious in his dwelling but courteous in entertaining of strangers much unlike is the practice of these daies great men delight to build great houses but keepe no hospitalitie Abraham contrariwise contenteth himselfe to dwell in a tent yet his dores are open to strangers This example of Abraham shall condemne the curiosity of this age in trimming their houses and their carelessenesse in entertaining strangers 3. Moral Women must learne to keepe their owne houses BEside in that Sara kept in her tent the property of a modest matron is expressed which keepeth her selfe at home and loveth her owne house by which example such gossips and busie bodies are reproved that use to goe from house to house giving themselves to idlenesse and pratling as the Apostle describeth them 1 Tim. 5.13 4. Moral Against curiosity in diet Vers. 7. TOoke a tender and good calfe here is a patterne of frugality Abraham prepareth for his guests no wine curious fare or dainty dishes but wholesome countrey fare as cakes butter milke veale and such like curiosity then and nicenesse superfluity and excesse in feasts and bankets is not commendable Perer. as the Apostle saith Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5.15 5. Moral Against curiosity of the eare Vers. 10. SAarah heard in the tent doore Sara being otherwise a most modest matron yet sheweth her infirmity and curiosity in listening behind the doore what the Angels said to Abraham which is a fault very much incident to that sexe to be harkening and giving eare to heare things to which they are not called unto The Preacher giveth a caveat against such curiosity of the eare Eccl. 7.23 Give not thine heart to all the words that men spake c. Muscul. 6. Moral Against mariage for lust in old persons Vers. 12. AFter I am old shall I have lust Sarah thought it a shame for her in her old age to give her selfe to the sport and pleasure of youth hereby the dotage of aged persons is reproved which doe provoke their decaied and dead bodies to lust againe and doe revive their abated heat by unequall and unseemely marriages Perer. Hereunto agreeth the counsell of the Apostle that wisheth younger widowes to marry but such to bee chosen as were not under sixty yeare old 1 Tim. 5.10 supposing such to have not such need of marriage 7. Moral The duty of wives to their husbands Vers. 12. ANd my Lord also Saint Peter from hence exhorteth wives to be obedient and dutiful to their husbands as Sarah was to Abraham calling him Lord or master 1 Pet. 3.6 8. Moral Sinne must not be excused but acknowledged Vers. 15. SArah denied c. Though Sarah shewed her infirmity in her deniall yet being convinced she by silence yeeldeth she in obstinacy replyeth not to justifie her sinne so likewise Peter after he had denied Christ did not double his sinne by defending it but diminish it by lamenting for it Musculus 9. Moral Gods love appeareth in revealing his will to his servants Vers. 17. SHall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe c. Like as a true friend will impart and reveale his secrets to his friend so the Lord herein sheweth his love to Abraham in vouchsafing to reveale unto him his counsell So our Saviour saith to his Disciples Henceforth call I you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my father have I made knowne to you Iohn 15.15 Even so also are the faithfull bound to propagate the knowledge of the truth as Abraham is commended because hee would teach his sonnes and his houshold after him to walke in the feare of the Lord Calvin 10. Moral Examination must goe before judgement Vers. 21. I Will goe downe and see c. The Lord which knoweth all things needed not to have searched or examined the truth before hee proceedeth to punishment But this is for our example as Gregory noteth ne mala hominum ante presumamus credere quam probare that wee presume not to give credit to the report of mens sins before we have proved Thus the Lord did in punishing the old world and in confounding the languages Gen. 11. first take triall and knowledge of the transgression before he inflicted punishment which is a patterne for Judges to proceed maturely and gravely to sentence after due examination and searching out of the cause as Iob saith when I knew not the cause I did search it out Iob 29.16 11. Moral The efficacy of the prayers of the Saints Vers. 29. ANd he yet spake to him againe 1. Here appeareth the great liberty of speech and boldnesse of the Saints in their prayers Abraham renueth his requests 9. times 2. We see also the goodnesse of God that cannot withstand the requests of his servants nor be offended with their importunity Muscul. So Moses when God had purposed to destroy Israel did strive in his prayers and obtained favour by his importunity 3. If God so patiently heard Abraham praying for wicked Sodome much more graciously will he receive the supplications of the faithfull for his Church Calvin CHAP. XIX 1. The Method THis Chapter intreateth of such things as happened to Sodome and of such matters as concerne Lot Three things are declared touching Lot his hospitality in receiving the Angels vers 1 2 3. his deliverance out of Sodome which containeth 1. the warning which Lot gave to his kindred and their refusall vers 12 13 14. 2. The mercy of God in hastening and pulling Lot out of the City 15 16 17. 3. The request of Lot concerning Zoar vers 19. to vers 23. 4. The judgement upon Lots wife vers 26. Thirdly concerning Lot is expressed the incestuous practice of his daughters and the fruit and issue thereof 31. to the end Concerning Sodome first their sinne and iniquity is set forth where 1. we have their ungodly attempt against the young men in Lots house vers 4 5. 2. Lots pacification with their outrage
and the Angels upon this day Christ rose the holy Ghost was given and Manna descended from heaven first on this day serm detempor 251. Wherefore I cannot wholly condescend to Mercerus judgement who saith politiae causa retinuerunt Apostols diem dominicum Sabbato subrogatum that the Apostles for policy sake have retained the Lords day in stead of the Sabbath in 2 Gen. vers 3. A policy I grant in the use of the Lords day but that is neither the only nor chiefe reason of the institution thereof There are three causes of the observation of the Lords day a religious and holy use for the Lord to this end did consecrate this day by his owne example and commandement to bee spent in holy exercises the Civill or politicall use of the Lords day is for the rest of our selves our servants and catteâ—ls the ceremoniall or symbolicall end was to shadow forth our spirituall rest in Christ in this last respect I confesse the ceremony of the Sabbath in part to be abolished for it is a symbole still of our everlasting rest in heaven Heb. 4.9 But in the other two respects the law of the Lords day is perpetuall for that as Philo saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festum populare a popular or generall festivall to be observed of all people for ever I doe wonder then this doctrine of the Sabbath and day of rest now called the Lords day having such evident demonstration out of the scriptures and being confirmed by the constant and continuall practice of the Church in all ages that any professing the Gospell specially being exercised in the study of the scriptures should gainsay and impugne these positions following as erronious 1. That the commandement of sanctifying the Sabbath is naturall morall and perpetuall for if it be not so then all the commandements contained in the decalogue are not morall so should we have nine only and not ten commandements and then Christ should come to destroy the Law not to fulfill it contrary to our Saviours owne words Matth. 5.17 2. That all other things in the law were so changed that they were cleane taken away as the priesthood the sacrifices and the sacraments this day namely the Sabbath was so changed that it yet remaineth for it is evident by the Apostles practice Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Apocal. 1.10 that the day of rest called the Sabbath was changed from the seventh day to the first day of the weeke and so was observed and kept holy under the name of the Lords day 3. That it is not lawfull for us to use the seventh day to any other end but to the holy and sanctified end for which God in the beginning created it for this were presumption to alter Gods appointment and the will and ordinance of the Creator must stand in the use of the creature otherwise the Apostle had not reasoned well for the use of meats from the end of the creation which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving 4. As the Sabbath came in with the first man so must it not goe out but with the last for if the keeping of a day of rest holy unto the Lord bee a part of the morall law as it cannot bee denyed then must it continue as long as the Lord hath his Church on earth and the morall Sabbath must stand till the everlasting Sabbath succeed in place thereof 5. That we are restrained upon the Sabbath from work both hand and foot as the Jewes were though not in such strict particular manner as they were for whom it was not lawful to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath Exod. 35.2 yet in generall wee are forbidden all kind of worke upon the Lords day as they were which may hinder the service of God saving such workes as either charity commandeth or necessity compelleth for it is a part of the morall precept in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke 6. That the Lord would have every Sabbath to be sanctâ—fied by the Minister and the people and that in the Church he ought to preach the word and they to heare it every Sabbath day but not each of these under paine of condemnation as the place is misconstrued is confirmed by the practice of our blessed Saviour Luke 4.16 and of S. Paul Act. 13.14 and 20.7 And hereunto are the Canons of our Church agreeable which require that every Minister preach every Lords day and likewise catechise the youth 7. That the Lord hath commanded so precise a rest unto all sorts of men that it may not by any fraud deceit or circumvention whatsoever be broken under the paine of his everlasting displeasure who doubteth of this but that every breach of any part of the morall law especially by deceit and circumvention deserveth in it selfe Gods curse and everlasting dâ—spleasure as the Apostle saith the wages of sinne is death and the Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them as the Apostle citeth this text This doctrine of the Sabbath first grounded upon the authority of scripture hath accordingly beene ratified by the constant and perpetuall practice of the Church Origen saith In nostro Dominico die semper pluit Dominus Manna de coelo in our Lords day the Lord alwayes raineth Manna from heaven Hierome Dominicus dâ—es orationi tantum lectionibus vacat upon the Lords dayes they onely give themselves to prayer and reading Ambrose tota diâ— sit vobis oratio vellectio c. nulle actus seculi actus divinitatis impedâ—ant c. Let us all the day be conversant in prayer or reading let no secular acts hinder divine acts let no table play carry away the mind Augustine quomâ—do Maria mater Domini c. As Mary the mother of our Lord is the chiefe among women so among other 〈◊〉 this is the mother of the rest the whole grace of the Sabbath and the ancient festiâ—ity of the people of the Iewes is changed into the solemnity of this day Concil Tullen cap. 19. Oportet eos qui praesunt Ecclesiis c it behoveth those which are set over the Churches upon all dayes but especially upon the Lords dayes to teach the people c. Matisconens 2. cap. 1. Exhibeamus Deo liberam servitutem c. Let us exhibite unto God our free service not because the Lord requireth this of us to celebrate the Lords day by corporall abstinence but he looketh for obedience whereby we treading downe all terrene rites might be raised up to heaven But these allegations are here superfluous seeing there is a learned Treatise of the Sabbath already published of this argument which containeth a most sound doctrine of the Sabbath as is laid downe in the former positions which shall be able to abide the triall of the word of God and stand warranted thereby when other humane fantasies shall
note is too violent that Noah doth not here as God bid him but abstained still from the company of his wife because hee feared lest men might kill one another as Cain did Abel or because he expected another floud the simplicity of the text warranteth no such thing 3. Musculus noteth the obedience in Noahs family that they enter in and goe forth according to Noahs direction 4. Luther observeth also the singular order in the creatures that goe not forth confusedly together but according to their kindes or as the Hebrew word is families every one sorting to his like QVEST. XVI Noah buildeth an Altar not without Gods direction Vers. 20. NOah built an Altar c. 1. Though Noah had no expresse commandement now to offer sacrifice for as Ambrose saith non debuit Deus quasi avarus mercedem gratia postulare it was not fit that God as one covetous should require the reward of thankes yet hee was not without direction in this case Calvins reason is because it is evident that he in this story did nothing without a warrant from God he would not come forth of the Arke though the earth were dry till God bid him Oecolampadiâ—â— proveth it by these words that God smelled a savour of rest but every thing stinketh before God that is not according to his word Wherefore Noah knew by the example and practice of the Patriarkes that God was pleased with this kinde of worship by sacrifices as also he was directed thereunto because to this end there were seven of the cleane creatures taken into the Arke by Gods owne appointment and for the fashion of the Altar which was made either of earth or of unhewen stones whereof first mention is made in this place he had either the patterne from the practice of the elder Patriarks or by instinct from God QVEST. XVII To what end sacrifices were used ANd so offered burnt offerings three reasons are yeelded why the Lord pleased to be served with sacrifices two are alleaged by Chrysostome The morall end was that the piety and devotion of the people might be stirred up by his externall note a politicke end that as circumcision was given as a marke of difference betweene them and other people so the solemne use of sacrifices might containe them in the service of God that they should not be enticed to the Idolatry of the Gentiles by their pompous and magnificent sacrifices A third end was mysticall well touched by Calvin Semper illis ante oculos symbola proponi oportuit c. These sacrifices were as symboles and signes to preach and prefigure unto them their Mediatour and atonement maker Jesus Christ without whom nothing is acceptable to God And further although Noah gave thanks also to God for the preservation of the uncleane creatures as for the cleane yet he offereth onely of the cleane because he had so learned from the Patriarks that God was pleased with such sacrifices before whom otherwise nothing is uncleane but in respect of man and whereas he offered of all cleane both beasts and fowles it is like he tooke of more kindes than those five used in the Law that is Oxen Sheepe with Goats Doves and Turtles Further he offered burnt sacrifices rather than oblations Eucharisticall not as the Hebrewes imagine for his owne sinne but because such sacrifices were most used before the Law and were best accepted when as the whole sacrifice was consumed upon the Altar Mercer QVEST. XVIII How God smelled a savour of rest Vers. 21. GOd smelled a savour of rest 1. As men are delighted with pleasant savours so this service and sacrifice of Noah was pleasing unto God as the Chalde Paraphrast readeth 2. Not that the externall act of sacrificing in it selfe pleased God but the thankfull minde of the sacrificer Calvin 3. All our acts have a double smell one outward before man another inward before God Cain and Abels sacrifice had one outward smell but Abels had a sweet savour beside within Muscul. 4. And this savour herein differeth from all sensible savours for there may be saciety in the most pleasant odours but with this sweet savour the Lord is never filled or wearied but alwayes delighted with the prayers of the Saints Cajetane QVEST. XIX How the Lord will no more curse the earth Vers. 21. I Will not henceforth curse the ground any more for mans sake c. 1. The Lord speaketh not generally of all kinde of cursing the earth for those curses which are upon the earth for mans sinne Gen. 3.17.4.12 are not taken away but he meaneth this particular curse by waters that all flesh shall no more perish by them as is shewed cap. 9.21 for the world notwithstanding shall bee destroyed by fire 2. Where it is added as a reason for the imagination of mans heart is evill c. it is not to be taken as Rupertus collecteth that God will spare the earth and beasts because man is subject to sinne but the promise is made specially for man That seeing hee is by nature subdued to sinne hee is to bee pitied and not for every offence according to his deserts to be judged for then the Lord should continually overflow the world Calvin 3. And whereas this reason is given why the Lord would destroy the world Gen. 6.6 because the imaginations of his heart were evill it may seeme strange that the same cause is alleaged here why from henceforth the Lord would spare the world therefore this is here added to shew the originall beginning of this mercy not to proceed from man who is altogether corrupt by nature but from Gods owne gracious favour Mercer 4. Further whereas it is said God said in his heart this was not only secretly purposed by the Lord not uttered but either revealed to Noah as a Prophet or to Moses the Writer as some Hebrewes but it is cleare that the Lord thus spake to Noah who is said thus to speake in his heart as taking counsell and deliberation with himselfe Mercer 5. From his youth not only from his youthfull estate which age is more prone unto sin committing the same with rage and violence as Tostatus or when man beginneth to have use of reason and free-will as Rupertus But mans thoughts are evill even as soone as he is able to conceive or thinke any thing yea our nature is evill from the cradle Calvin Though as Ambrose well saith crescit cum aetatibus culpa as age groweth so sinne increaseth QVEST. XX. How the seasons of the yeare are promised alwayes to continue Vers. 22. SOwing time and harvest c. 1. The Lord doth not promise that for ever these seasons of the yeare shall continue for after the end of the world they shall cease But all the dayes of the earth that is so long as the earth continueth in this state Muscul. 2. Neither is this to bee understood of every particular Countrey for sometime and in some place it falleth out through
men departed to bee worshipped both Noah and Sem being yet living to direct the righteous seed 2. Neither is it to be thought that Terah was so grosse an Idolater that he made images of clay to be worshipped as Epiphanius 3. Neither is it probable that Terah was altogether free from the Idolatry of the Chaldeans and that he was cast out thence and constrained to flee into Mesopotamia as it is in the story of Iudith chap. 5. vers 7 8. for the contrary is affirmed Iosu. 24.2 that Terah served other Gods 4. Neither is it to be supposed that Terah and his family as Augustine thinketh were persecuted of the Chaldeans for the true worship of God for herein Abrahams faith had not beene so commendable in obeying the calling of God as the Apostle noteth Heb. 11.8 if he were driven out before and forced to flee his Countrey 5. And to thinke that Terah was first a worshipper of God and afterward fell to Idolatry in Charran it is not like seeing Abraham left not his father till he died as Tostatus and Pererius imagine But it is more like that Terah was at the first an Idolater when he dwelt beyond the River in Chaldea as is expressed by Iosua 24.2 who afterward obeying Gods calling left his Countrey with the Idolatry and superstition thereof and came out with his sonne to Haran thinking to goe to Canaan but being stricken in yeares he there stayed and after some few yeares died Mercer QVEST. XXV Whether Abraham at any time inclined to superstition AS touching Abraham also whether he were at any time infected with the superstition of the Chaldees there are divers opinions as they are cited by Pererius 1. Suidas thinketh that Abraham at fourteene yeares reproved his father for his Idolatry But it is not like that Abraham being brought up under superstitious parents not yet acquainted with Gods voice and wanting other meanes was so soone called 2. Neither doe I thinke with Philo that Abraham knew not God but postquam solâ—m vertit after he had changed his Countrey when he was welnie 70. yeares old that Abraham was so long nusled up in superstition 3. Neither doe I consent to Iosephus that Abraham ex siderum observatione c. that Abraham by the observation of the starres the earth and Sea beganne first to acknowledge the true God But Abrahams first calling was from God the Lord saith I tooke your father Abraham from beyond the floud Iosua 24.2 God called him both from that Countrey and the Idolatry thereof 4. The opinion of some Hebrewes is more probable that Abraham at forty eight yeares beganne to acknowledge the true God ex Perer. But at what time of his life Abraham was called it is uncertaine yet as certaine it is that he at the first before God called him was tainted with superstition 1. That place in Iosua seemeth directly to prove it Your father 's dwelt beyond the floud in old time Terah the father of Abraham and father of Nachor and served strange Gods Iosua 24.2 All those that dwelt beyond the River were at the first Idolaters even the whole family of Terah sic Lutherus 2. Gods mercie more notably appeareth in that hee called Abraham first before he knew God that not Abrahams sincerity but Gods love was the beginning of his calling as Moses saith because God loved your fathers he chose their seed Deut. 37. 3. It is not like but that Abraham being brought up in a superstitious family did also at the first savour of their superstition and therefore is bid to come out of his fathers house Gen. 12.1 And seeing Terah Abrahams father as is shewed before and as Chrysostome thinketh hom 13. in Genes was addicted to Idolatry till he obeyed the calling of God to goe out of that countrey it is more like that Abraham also did sleep in the same sinne till God roused him and called him away then that he was never inclined to Idolatry as Pererius thinketh 4. Places of doctrine 1. Doct. Of Gods providence Vers. BVt the Lord came downe c. Here wee learne that God sitting in heaven beholdeth all things that are done in the earth not as the wicked say in their heart God hath forgotten and hideth away his face and will never see Psalm 10.11 But as the Psalmist saith in another place Hee that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Psal. 2.4 2. Doct. Of the Trinity Vers. 7. LEt us goe downe and confound c. This is the speech of the whole Trinity whereby may bee prooved the distinction of persons and whereas vers 9. it is said in the singular number the Lord confounded c. thence is gathered the unity of substance sic Calvin Rupert lib. 4. comment in Gen. c. 42. 3. Doct. Conditionall prescience in God Vers. 6. THey cannot now be stopped from whatsoever they have imagined c. God did foresee that they would by no meanes give over their enterprise if they were not letted of their purpose so that by this it is evident that God foreseeth not only what shall be certainly done in the world but what might be conditionally done if there were no let as the Lord telleth David that the men of Keilah would deliver him if he staied there 1 Sam. 23.12 So our Saviour saith that if the great workes which were done in Corazin and Bethsaida had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented Matth. 11 â—2 foretelling what was likely to have beene done that condition presupposed Where we see a manifest difference betweene Gods power his prescience and decree or predestination God in respect of his omnipotent power can absolutely doe more than he doth or will doe in respect of his all-seeing prescience he doth foresee not only simply what shall be done but conditionally what is likely to bee done if other conditions and circumstances concurred But God decreeth no more but what shall come to passe his counsell must stand his decree is alwayes absolute not conditionall as the Lord saith by his Prophet As I have purposed it shall come to passe as I have consulted it shall stand Isay 14 24. 5. Places of Confutation 1. Confut. Against Iulian that there is but one God Vers. 7. COme let us goe downe Wicked Iulian urged this place to prove his impious polythian a multiplicity of Gods for here not one saith hee but many of like authority come downe to confound their languages ex Muscul. But if this wicked Apostata had looked a little further into the ninth verse there he might have found that the Lord Iehovah not many but one did confound their languages they were then divers not Gods but persons yet one Godhead and divine power 2. Confut. Against Origen that the Lord not the Angels confounded tongues SEcondly Origen thought that the Angels confounded those languages And according to the number of those nations so were there severall Angels presidents over
the patterne of these worthy examples we doubt not but that our Christian Soveraigne is resolved to take away all mixture of religion not to admit any toleration of contrary worship but with Iosias to expell all Idolatrous Chemarims and Masse-Priests with Asa to put all such from places of government and with Zerubbabel to reject their service and imployment either in Church or common wealth And we assuredly trust that the presence of Gods Arke among us shall cause that Dagon of Rome to lose both his hands and head for ever in this our famous and thrice renowned Countrey of Britaine CHAP. XVIII 1. The Method THis Chapter hath two parts 〈◊〉 The entertainment of the Angells in Abrahams tent and such things as there were done to vers 17. ◠The purpose of God concerning the destruction of Sodome with Abrahams deprecation for the same to the end of the Chapter In the first part 1. There is the apparition of the Angels both in what place and at what time vers 1. and in what manner vers 2. 2. Their entertainment offered by Abraham vers 3 4. accepted by the Angels vers 5. performed by Abraham ver 6 7 8. 3. The promise is renewed concerning Abraham and Saraes sonne vers 10. and Sara for her infirmity reproved both for her laughter 12 13 14. and for her deniall vers 15. In the second part 1. The Lord sheweth a reason why he will impart his counsell to Abraham concerning the overthrow of Sodome vers 18 19. 2. The Lord propoundeth his resolution with the cause thereof vers 20 21. 3. Abraham intreateth where first is set downe the ground of his prayers the justice of God 23 25. then his particular request six times repeated from fifty persons to bee found in Sodome to ten The divers readings v. 1. At the Oake of Mamre S. Plaine or valley of Mamre caet colon signifieth both a Plaine and an Oake it is most like it was a Plaine set with Oakes v. 2. He worshipped in or upon the ground S.C.H. bowed himselfe toward the ground T.P.B.G. shachah to bow so is it taken Isa. 15.23 bow downe that we may goe over v. 4. Let your feet be washed H. let them wash your feet S. wash your feet caet sic etiam hebr v. 5. You shall cat S. comfort or strengthen your heart caet v. 8. He ministred unto them C. stood by them caet v. 10. I will come to thee according to this time at the very houre S. in this time vita comite life being present H. or wherein ye shall be alive C. according to the time of life B.G.P. heb when this time shall flourish or revive againe T. v. 12. It was not so with me till now S. shall I have youth C. shall I have lust caet heb gnadan to take pleasure v. 15. Sarah deniall caet she lying denied T. cacash signifieth both v. 21. I will appeare and judge C. I will goe downe and see I will make an end of them if they repent not if they repent I will not revenge them Ch. the others have not these words v. 22. Abraham stood in prayer before God Ch. stood yet before God caet v. 28. Wilt thou destroy for forty five the whole City S. caet for five The Explanation of doubts QVEST. I. Of the vision and apparition made to Abraham in Mamre Vers. 1. AGaine the Lord appeared c. 1. This was the sixth apparition of God to Abraham taking those two in the fifteenth Chapter for one which herein is preferred before the rest because this apparition is made in an humane shape which is not expressed in the rest and this is the third vision of this kinde as Cajetane noteth when the Lord shewed himselfe in some visible forme 1. to Adam in Paradise 2. to Agar in the wildernesse Gen. 16.13 3. to Abraham in this place 2. This apparition was not long after the other in the former Chapter for in both after a yeare a sonne is promised to Abraham Rupertus and the promise is renewed for Sarahs cause Calvin 3. It was now in the heat of the day that is noone-tide Septuag the usuall time of rest and repast Iun. when Abraham sate at his doore to take shade and to espie what travellers passed by to give them entertainment Muscul. QVEST. II. Who the three Angels were that appeared to Abraham Vers. 2. THree men stood by him 1. They were not three men but so appeared Iun. They stood not hard by him for he needed not then have gone to meet them but they stood before him or over against him for so the word gnal signifieth Muscul. 2. Abraham at the first did not know them to be Angels for he received them unawares Heb. 13.1 yet there appeared some extraordinary excellencie in them in that Abraham useth them so reverently for otherwise to every common passenger hee would not have given such reverence Calvin 3. Neither can it bee certainly affirmed that these three men were the three Angels Michael Gabriel Raphael as some of the Hebrewes the first the messenger to Abraham the other appointed for the destruction of Sodome and Raphael for Lots deliverance for both the Angels that went toward Sodome were in equall commission to destroy the City chap. 19.13 The Lord hath sent us to destroy it and to deliver Lot vers 16. they caught Lot and his wife by the hand c. Abraham doth reverence to one above the rest calling him Lord v. 3. who also is called Jehovah v. 17. their opinion may safely bee received that thinke this eminent person with whom Abraham talked to be Christ. But it is a collection without ground by the apparition of these three Angels to conclude the Trinitie as Pererius seemeth to insinuate Calvin QVEST. 3. Why Abraham speaketh to one of the 3. Angels in chiefe Vers. 3. LOrd if I have found favour c. Abraham seeth three men but speaketh as to one 1. whereby neither a three fold knowledge of God is shadowed forth of his nature by his benefits by his judgements as Philo 2. nor yet hereby is signified the mysterie of the Trinitie that one God in three persons is to be worshipped as Rupertus 3. Neither did Abraham speake unto every one of them particularly as Ramban 4. But Abraham saluteth the third person as more excellent either for the dignity of his person or for some respect which the other two had unto him Chrysost. but for such services as equally belonged to them all hee speaketh to them all in generall as the washing of their feet 5. as they were three persons so he offreth unto them three services to wash their feet to rest them under the tree to comfort their hearts with bread Perer. QVEST. IV. Of the Hebrew measure called a Seime Vers. 6. THree measures of fine meale c. The word is Seime which is the same in English a seime 1. which neither containeth so much as Epiphanius
in vertue But that is not the meaning here it is given as a reason why Sarah doubted of a son because she was old and her Lord also 2. Neither is Pererius collection sound that because Sarah saith shall I have lust that Abraham and Sarah after the birth of Ismael had consented to abstinence from matrimoniall acts for Abraham long after this had children by Keturah which sheweth that there was in Abraham moderate lust and desire and Sarah though her desire that way had beene extinguished yet she was to be obedient Sarah then only speaketh comparatively that the heat and lust of youth was now abated in her QVEST. VIII Whether Abraham was simply unapt for generation FUrther 1. Some thinke that Abraham by reason of his great age was simply unapt for generation in himselfe but yet received a generative faculty from God to beget Isaak sic Thomas Aquin. Contr. Abraham 37. yeares after by Keturah had six sonnes Genes 25. 2. therefore it is like then hee was not simply unapt for generation nor yet enabled by an extraordinary faculty seeing also that many yeares after some at 80. yeeres of age and more had children as Cato and Massinissa Plin. lib. 7. cap. 14. 2. Wherefore Augustines opinion is more probable that Abraham was not simply unapt for generation but not by Sara for afterward by another wife he received children 3. Whereas the Apostle saith that Abrahams body was now dead being almost an hundred yeare old Rom. 4.19 this is spoken in respect of Abrahams owne opinion who was out of hope to have children hee considered not his owne body saith S. Paul Perer. And comparatively because his body was now dead being almost 100. yeare old and much more unable than before and if in his younger yeares he received no children by Sarah much lesse hope was there now Calvin QVEST. IX The reason of Sarahs barrennesse TWo reasons are also given of Sarahs barrennesse because she was old and the monethly custome of women had left her Sarah was now thirty yeares old which may seeme in those dayes when they lived long as Sarah attained to an 120. yeares Gen. 23.1 to be no sufficient reason of her not bearing for than one of ninety yeares might be esteemed as one of 50. now beyond which time women commonly beare not though some have children after those yeares as Cornelia bare Volusius Saturninus at 60. yeares Plin. lib. 7. c. 14. 2. Neither the staying of the monethly course may be thought of it selfe a sufficient cause of Sarahs barrennesse because as Aristotle writeth some may conceive without them though it be rare lib. 7. de histor animal c. 2. 3. But yet considering that Sarah both in her young time and while the custome of women continued with her was barren she being now both old and that use discontinued must needs be much more And therefore those both concurring in aged and barren Sarah doe make the worke more miraculous in that she now conceived QVEST. X. Sarahs laughter whether it argued her incredulity Vers. 12. SArah laughed 1. This laughter of Sarah can neither be altogether excused as Ambrose maketh it a signe of a mystery rather than an argument of incredulity 2. Neither yet did Sarah directly detract from the credit of Gods promise for she did not yet know that they were Angels 3. But of a womanly modesty shee shewed her selfe at the first incredulous and being guilty of her infirmity through feare denied it but yet when shee was rebuked shee stood not in defence thereof neither replied and was confirmed in her faith and beleeved August 4. And herein Gods mercy appeareth that is contented to chastise Sarahs incredulity with a simple reprehension whereas Zacharie for the like offence was stricken dumb Calvin 8. 87. Shall I hide from Abraham 1. Whereas the Septuag read from Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puero my childe Ambrose sheweth that Abraham though old in yeares is called a childe or youth ob pueritia obsequium because of cheerefull obedience and prompt and ready services but wee need not stand upon this note seeing the word is not in the originall and yet it is usuall in Scripture by that word to understand servant QVEST. XI How a thing is said to bee impossible 2. LIkewise where the latine readeth can I hide from Abraham which in the originall standeth thus shall I hide Pererius observation how divers wayes a thing is said to be impossible or that cannot bee is impertinent yet because there may be use elsewhere of this annotation I will not omit it 1. A thing is said to bee impossible when meanes and strength is denied 1 Cor. 3.2 I gave you milke to drinke for yee could not c. 2. That which is seldome done though it may bee done Matth. 5. A City set upon an hill cannot be hid 3. That which is not fitting nor convenient Matth. 9. The children of the bridegrome cannot mourne so long as the bridegrome is with them 4. When a thing may bee done but against the will Gen. 37. 4. The brethren of Ioseph could not speake peaceably to him 5. That which cannot bee done of man or by any naturall cause though unto God not impossible as to cause a Camell to goe thorow the eye of a needle Matth. 19.6 That which is simply impossible both in nature and to God as including a contradiction as it is impossible God should lye Heb. 6.7 That which is forbidden by a superiour power as the Angell saith to Lot Gen. 19.22 I can doe nothing till thou be come thither 8. That which is evill and unseemely as Ioseph saith to his mistresse How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Gen. 39.9 QVEST. XII Wherefore the Lord imparted his counsell to Abraham concerning the destruction of Sodome Vers. 18. SEing that Abraham shall be indeed a great nation c. Two reasons are given why the Lord will not conceale from Abraham his counsell concerning the destruction of Sodome first in regard of the dignity and privilege which the Lord had indued Abraham with both carnall in that hee should be a father of a mighty people and spirituall because of him should come the Messiah in whom all the nations of the earth should bee blessed 2. In respect of Abrahams diligence and duty in teaching and instructing his posterity after him For this should seeme to have beene the godly practice of the fathers to catechise their families and instruct them concerning the creation of the world transgression of man destruction of the old world Gods providence the Messiah to be revealed everlasting life to come and such like Perer. 3. The Hebrewes thinke that because the Pentapolis or valley of five Cities belonged unto Canaan which was promised to Abraham the Lord imparteth this matter QVEST. XIII Of the greatnesse of the sins of Sodome Vers. 20. THe cry of Sodome is great c. 1. Foure sinnes are noted in Scripture to be
his seed and beleeved they should possesse it in time 2. Abraham had great store of cattell treasure and houshold and of other goods which he gave unto Isaack Gen. 25.5 bestowing onely gifts upon his other sonnes 3. She desired that Isaack might be heire of Abrahams name and bloud as the Lord faith afterward that his seed should be called in Isaack QUEST VII Whether Hagar carried Ismael upon her shoulder Vers. 14. PVtting it upon her shoulder and the childe also 1. It is not like that Ismael being now a youth of twenty yeares old was laid upon his mothers shoulders to beare as the Septuagint read or that Abraham was constrained to binde Ismael with cords and lay him upon his mother for v. 18. she is bid to take him by the hand not to lay him upon her shoulder and whereas shee is said to cast him from her this was done not out of her armes but animo in her mind and affection Augustine Iunius Or taking him into her lap being sicke she after despairing of his health put him from her Mercer whereas also hee is called jeled a childe this word is used not onely of infants but of young men Genes 4.23 and Hierome well noteth that all children are so called in respect of their parents 2. Neither is it here a metaphoricall speech as Cajetane saith that to lay Ismael upon his mothers shoulders was to commit him to her care 3. But the sentence is thus distinguished as the Latine readeth well that whereas there are two words he gave and imposed or layed on this is to be referred to the bottle of water and bread the other to the child 4. As for that conceit of the Hebrewes that Ismael was sicke and through griefe fell into a dropsie or some inflammation which was the cause the bottle of water was so soone spent it hath small ground QUEST VIII What the reason is that Abraham gave Agar and Ismael no better provision HE tooke bread and a bottle of water c. How commeth it to passe that Abraham being so rich a man and loving Ismael so well should send him out with no better provision seeing that they were not to send away their servants empty but to give them a liberall reward of sheepe come and wine Deut. 15.13 1. Cajetane thinketh that by bread and water all other victuals are expressed and that Abraham gave them both servants and cattell being both his father and very rich and so both willing and able neither would he deale worse with Ismael his first borne than with the rest of his sonnes to whom he gave gifâ—s Genes 25.5 sic Cajetan But the Scripture it selfe gain-sayeth Cajetan herein which omitteth not to make mention of the very bottle which Abraham gave to carry the water in then by all likelihood the other gifts or greater value should have beene spoken of 2. Neither need we with Rupertus to seeke out an allegory that by Hagars carrying of water and not wine is shadowed forth the old Synagogue labouring under the literall sense of Scripture 3. Wherefore Tostatus thinketh better that Abraham gave Hagar no more than these necessary helpes in her journey 1. Either because Sarah the dame of the house would have it so whom God commanded Abraham to heare in this case 2. Or for that the Lord had promised to provide and take care for Ismael 3. Or Abraham might afterward remember Ismael with a portion among the rest of his brethren sic Tostatus 4. Or Abraham did thinke to send them a supply afterwards they sojourning not faire off 5. Or Abraham being in griefe and heavinesse for their departure might forget to doe that which otherwise he would have done for it seemeth he did it in haste Calvin Among which reasons I take the first and the last to be most probable QUEST IX How Hagars eyes were opened Vers. 19. GOd opened her eyes c. 1. Not that her eyes were shut before 2. Neither as though this fountaine which the Angel shewed did suddenly breake out of the ground as some think ex Vatablâ— 3. But caused her to see the well which either by reason of her griefe she before regarded not Calvin or she saw it not by reason of the farre distance or for that it was in some hidden place Perer. Thus the two Disciples are said not to have knowne and discerned Christ till their eyes were opened Luke 24. 4. Rupâ—rtus gathereth from hence a further mystery that as Hagar wandring in the wildernesse was brought to see a fountaine of water so the Jewes in the end of the world shall be called and brought to the knowledge of the truth QUEST X. Abimelech rather of feare than love maketh a league with Abraham Vers. 22. ABimelech spake unto Abraham c. 1. Some thinke that Abimelech not of any suspition or jealousie toward Abraham but for love of his vertue and seeing him to be a man prosperous and beloved of God both by reason of the victory given him against foure Kings when he recovered Lot and the honourable congratulation of Melchisedech that met him and now the rate birth of his sonne Isaack for these causes he desired his friendship Pererius 2. But it is more like that Abimelech feared Abrahams greatnesse and therefore of feare rather than love desired to make a league with him Muscul. Calvin for it is no other like but that Abimelech was affected to Abraham as afterward to his sonne that sojourned in the same place and how Abimelechs affection stood toward Isaack the Scripture sheweth Wherefore came yee to me seeing you hate me c. Gen. 26.27 yet Abimelech desireth also to make a covenant of friendship with Isaack QVEST. XI Of the gifts given to Abimelech and the seven lambs Vers. 27. ABraham tooke sheepe and beeves c. Pererius thinketh that no other ceremony was used in making this covenant but only an oath betweene them but this giving of sheep to Abimelech sheweth that some other rite and solemnity was performed Muscul. 2. And hereby Abraham doth acknowledge his homage to the King of the place for though all this land was promised to Abraham yet the time of his actuall possessing it was not yet come 3. The seven lambs were not money stamped with that marke but so many in the kind which Abraham giveth as a price or redemption of his well that he might enjoy it quietly afterward Calvin 4. And these seven lambs did not belong unto the covenant as a rite and ceremony thereof for then Abimelech would not have asked what they did meane v. 29. But they were as an earnest given for the redeeming of the well Perer. 5. Augustine thinketh that Abraham bought with them that parcell of ground where he planted a groave and it is not unlike for before this time Abraham is not sound to have planted any QVEST. XII Of the name and City of Beersheba Vers. 31. WHerefore the place is called Beersheba 1. The word
as Origen hom 8. Genes The Apostle only saith that he considered that God was able to raise him up even from the dead but that God would doe it so presently he knew not neither had it beene such a triall of his faith to sacrifice his sonne if hee had beene sure that his sonne should in that instant have beene restored againe to life 6. I thinke rather that Abraham being generally by faith assured of Gods power yet was ignorant in this particular what would fall out and therefore spake as a man amazed and astonished and yet ignorantly prophesied Prophetavit quod ignoravit Ambr. Iun. QVEST. XI Of Abrahams constancy and Isaacks obedience Vers. 7. MY Father c. 1. Abrahams setled constancy appeareth that notwithstanding these amiable words of his sonne yet cannot be turned from his purpose nomina vâ—tae solent operarigratiam non ministerium necis words of life as to call father sonne doe insinnuate grace and savour they minister occasion of death 2. Isaacks obedience is commended who willingly submitteth himselfe 1. beeing now 25 yeares old and so strong enough to resist his old and weake father yet he yeeldeth himselfe Calvin 2. He was bound not that his resistance should be feared but least any involuntarie motion by the pangs of death might have beene procured Perer. 3. his willingnesse further appeareth in that Isaack maketh no request for his life nemo rogat nemo se excusat neither he entreateth nor his father excuseth this fact Poets doe fable how Iphigenia Agamemnons daughter was sacrificed to the gods for the safety of the whole armie but here we have a true stistory 4. It is most like that Abraham had before declared Gods commandement unto Isaack to the which hee was obedient Iosephus proceedeth further to shew what the communication was betweene them but whence knoweth he that it is out of doubt that Isaack was made acquainted with Gods counsell wherewith hee rested contented Luther QVEST. XII Why the Lord would not have Isaack offered up in sacrifice though he so commanded for the triall of Abrahams faith Vers. 11. THe Angell of the Lord called to him 1. I will omit here to make any long mention of the fables of the Hebrewes how that Sathan appeared in the shape of an old man to Abraham and againe to Sarah and in the likenesse of a young man to Isaack to draw them from obedience to Gods commandement but he prevailed not Muscul. 2. The heathen also by their poeticall fictions 〈◊〉 obscured the credit and truth of this history for as the Angell of God appeared in this last and extreme point to Abraham so they have also counterfeited the apparition of their gods in extreme perils Calvin 3. Thus it pleased God that although Abrahams faith was tried with this hard Commandement that it should not be performed 1. for his owne glory sake lest that Abrahams God might have beene traduced among the heathen as a lover of humane bloud 2. for Abrahams sakes that the Lord might more amply reward him for his faithfull obedience 3. for our sakes that we might have the example of faithfull Abraham to follow 4. and for the generall instruction of Christians that this might bee a lively figure unto them of the sacrifice of Christ both of Gods love in giving him to dye for the world and his obedience in humbling himselfe to the altar of the crosse And therefore Ambrose fitly applyeth those words of Abraham v. 8. God will provide him a lamb for a burnt offering to the sacrifice of Christ which was that alia hostia quam Deus pararet that other offering which God would provide lib. 1 de Abrah c. 8. QVEST. XIII How the Lord saith I know now that thou fearest c. Vers. 12. NOw I know c. 1. Not that God is ignorant of any thing or can have any experimentall knowledge of any thing which hee knew not before for all things are naked in his sight 2. Neither as Augustine expoundeth is God said to know quia fecit ut sibi Abraham innotesceret because he made Abraham to be knowne to himselfe qu. Genes 58. for then he should have rather said Now thou thy selfe knowest c. 3. Some doe take it for the knowledge of approbation I have knowne thee that is approved this fact of thine as it is said Psal. 1. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Hillary 4. Some referre it to Gods eternall knowledge I have knowne from the beginning that thou shouldest doe this thing but I appointed it to be done only now but this had beene no commendation to Abraham for thus God may be said to know every thing whether commendable or otherwise T. hom Angel 5. Wherefore the Lord speaketh here humanitus after the phrase of man and by a metaphor Iun. and in effect it is nothing else but that Abraham had now declared and testified his faith by his fruitfull obedience Calvin as Chrysostome saith Nunc omnibus declarasti quomodo Deâ—m syncere colas thou hast made manifest to all that thou sincerely worshippest God hom 47. in Gen. QVEST. XIV Why this fact of Abraham is rather ascribed to feare than love Vers. 12. THat thou fearest God It is so said rather than that thou lovest God 1. because the love of God must be joyned with a reverent feare of God serve the Lord with feare Psal. 4. and the love of God bringeth forth a filiall and dutifull feare as the child that loveth his father will also feare him 2. the feare of God is generally taken not for the particular act of feare but for the whole worship of God as Psal. 25.14 The secrets of the Lord is revealed to those that feare him and so feare in this sense comprehendeth also love 3. because Abraham had now forgotten his naturall love and affection toward his sonne because he feared God this act is more properly ascribed to his religious feare Per. QVEST. XV. This fact of Abraham wherein it excelleth the like among the heathen NOw concerning the excellency of Abrahams fact whereas the heathen objected the like examples among them to obscure this resolution of Abraham as how Codrus of Athens offered himselfe for his people and one Idomeneus King of Creet as he came from the battell of Troy being in a great tempest upon the sea did vow unto Neptune the first thing which came forth to meet him which was his sonne and so he did Marius is mentioned by Cyril against Iulian that sacrificed his sonne so the Scripture recordeth that inhumane facti of the King of Moab that did offer up his sonne in sacrifice 2 King 4. It shall now appeare what great difference there is between these examples and the fact of Abraham both in the difficulty of the object the readinesse of his affection the end also and purpose of the action 1. Abraham offred up his only sonne whom hee dearely loved being the sonne of his old age a vertuous and obedient
the Assignes of THOMAS MAN PAVL MAN and IONAH MAN 1632. TO THE MOST HONOVRABLE LORD THE L. DVKE OF LENOX AND TO THE RIGHT Honourable the Earle of Marre Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell Grace mercie and Peace from the Lord JESUS RIght Honourable as the highest Majestie in his wise providence hath united and conjoyned your Honours not onely in one consent and judgement of religion but also in the joynt administration and regiment of this Nation and Kingdome under his excellent Majestie so I thought good to make your Honours with other of your Honourable place united Patrons of these my labours and as he saith non debet charta dividere quos amor mutuus copulavit It was not fit that I should sever you in this my duty who are combined in your mutuall amity Men of noble birth delight much in antiquities and it is their glory to derive their bloud by many descents from their thrice renowned ancestors here I present to your Honourable view that noble and most ancient family of Abraham Isaack and Iacob who were in favour with God and in honour and great reputation with men whose children they are which imitate their piety and obedience that famous Matron Paula whom Hierome so much commendeth was by her father descended of Aeneas and the noble house of the Gracchi by her mother of Agamemnon of whom Hierome made this Epitaph thought her Christian profession more honourable than her noble birth and condition and so I doubt not but that it is also your honourable resolution to say with the Apostle who having rehearsed his great privileges after the flesh his birth parentage and profession thus concludeth I count all these things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus for whom I have counted all things as losse and doe judge them as dung that I might winne Christ as Hierome also saith well Summa apud Deum nobilitas clarum esse virtutibus I it is the greatest nobility with God to shine with vertue Here your Honours have the worthy example of the Patriarks to follow the Heathen presidents are but counterfeit and deceitfull they had the shadowes of vertues rather than the substance as Ambrose saith well of Polemo who of a drunken and riotous companion by hearing of Xenocrates became a Philosopher Siresipâ—ir a vino fuit semper tamen temulentus sacrilegio If hee were sober from wine yet hee was drunke with superstition But these holy examples are seasoned with grace and savour of true religion Abraham was famous in Pharaohs Court so was Isaack in Abimelecks and Iacob in another Pharaohs also for their piety and vertue So they which walke in their steps shall be great both with God and man Abraham told Abimelech plainly of the wrongs which his servants had done him Gen. 21.15 so is it the part of good Courtiers to shew unto the King the wrongs and oppressions that are done in the lanâ— to succour the poore to releeve the oppressed to countenance the truth to maintaine justice and equity Iacob being in Bethel saw a ladder which reached to heaven and the Angels ascending and descending upon it whereupon one thus noteth In the house of Bethel there is alwayes both going up and comming downe this I say not that the goers down should dismay you but the climers up incourage you So in the Princes Bethel and Court there be examples of both sorts of some that are declining and sliding backe onely seeking to make themselves great and to bee enriched by the Kings favour some there are though the smallest number which doe ascend upon this ladder not aspiring to their owne honour but using their favour to the glory of God and benefit of his Church Thus I trust your Lordships have learned to scale this ladder of honour to the which you are called to raise up those which are in the dust to set forward the truth to nourish and encourage the Preachers thereof to speake for the innocent to hold out your helpfull hand to the needy so shall your Honours ascend from step to step till you come to the top of the ladder where Christ sitteth who shall cast and tumble downe from thence all unfaithfull Stewards and cut them off to have their portion with hypocrites Matth. 24.51 but shall say unto you and all other that shall serve him faithfully herein in earth It is well done good servant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler over much enter into thy masters joy Amen Your Honours ready to be commanded in the Lord ANDREW WILLET THE FIRST BOOKE OF THIS SECOND PART OF GENESIS Containing the Historie concerning the Patriarks ISAACK IACOB Hitherto hath beene continued the holy story of those three great Patriarks Adam before the floud Noah in the floud Abraham after the floud the rest of this Booke of Genesis followeth which setteth forth the life acts and death of the three other fathers Isaack Iacob Ioseph CHAP. XXV 1. The Contents of the Chapter IN this Chapter 1. Concerning Abraham his second mariage is declared with the issue thereof his children and their gifts vers 1. to 6. Then Abrahams yeares death and buriall vers 7. to 11. 2. Concerning Ismael his generations or off-spring are expressed his yeares of life his place of dwelling vers 12. to 20. 3. Of Isaack there is set downe his time of marriage the barrennesse of his wife the remedie by prayer vers 20.21 4. Concerning Esau and Iacob these things are rehearsed 1. Their manner of conception vers 22 23. 2. Of their birth 24. to 27. 3. Their divers education vers 27 28. 4. Esau his prophanenesse in selling his birth-right for a messe of pottage vers 29. to the end 2. The divers readings v. 1. Abraham had taken him another wife H.G. proceeding or adding tooke another wife caeter v. 2. Zambran Ioctan Madal Sebe S. Zimran Iocksan Madan Shuah caeter v. 3. The sonnes of Dedan were in holds tents and Islands â— the sons of Dedan Asshurim Letushim Leumim v. 4. Gephar Apher Raga S. Epha Epher Eldaha caeter v. 6. Sonnes of the Concubine C. of the Concubines caet v. 8. And fainting or wearing away H.S.C.B. he yeelded up the spirit or died T.G.P. jagaug signifieth to faint gavagh expirare to yeeld the spirit which word is here used v. 11. Isaack dwelt by the Well of the living and seeing H.B. the Well of vision S. Where the Angell of life appeared C. Beâ—r-lahairâ— G.P. the fountaine Lahoiro T. v. 12. Which Hagar the Egyptian Sarahs maid bare H. bare to Abraham caet v. 13. These the names of his sonnes H. of the sonnes of Ismael cat v. 13. Nadbehel Massa. S. Adbehel Mibsa cat v. 18. from Havilah to Agara C. from Havila to Sur. cat v. 18. he died in the presence of all his brethren H.B.P. he dwelt S.C. his lot fell T. G. naphal signifieth 〈◊〉 fall
to any of the altars which the Patriarkes had made to aske counsell of God seeing God was every where present to the prayers of the faithfull 7. Neither are we to imagine that she used any such superstitious way as to lay aguâ—â— castus lawrell or any such thing under her head to have a dreame or a vision as she had seene her friends to doe in her owne countrey sic author histor scolastic in Gen. c. 66. for she was farre from such superstitious toies ex Perer. 8. Nor yet did she consult with God by Abraham then living as Aben Ezra Iun. for this oracle was given her by Gods owne mouth rather than mans Calvin 9. But she went to some secret place to pray and received some revelation from God Muscul Calvin Mercer Perer. QUEST XXXII How many waies they used to consult with God in Israel FOure waies they used to aske counsell of God in Israel 1. Beside the casting of lots which was but seldome used as by Iosua in Achans cause Iosua 7. and by Samuel at the election of Saul 1 Sam. 10. and by Saul to finde out the transgression of his vow by Ionathan 1 Sam. 14. there were three waies beside to aske counsell of God which are mentioned together 1. Sam. 28.6 by dreames urim and prophets 2. The second way was by dreames and visions as the Lord spake to the elder Patriarkes but this way God seldome revealed his will by after he sent them prophets and for these visions they used to prepare themselves by fasting and prayer Dan. 10.3 3. They used in hard and difficult matters to seeke unto the prophets as Saul went to Samuel 1. King 9. Ieroboam sent his wife to Ahiah the Prophet 1 King 14. These Prophets had such matters revealed unto them three waies 1. The Lord instructed them aforehand as he did Samuel before Saul came at him 2. Sometime at the same instant when they were consulted with as the Angel of God spake to Eliah 2. King 1.15 3. Sometime the Prophet presently gave no answer but waited upon God by prayer as Dan. 9. or stirred himselfe up extraordinarily that the spirit might come upon them as Elisha did 2. King 3.15 4. They also consulted with God by the priest who asked counsell of God for them by his Vrim as Abiathar applyed the Ephod for David 1. Sam. 23.9 30.7 Now the Priest received answer by the Ephod not as the Hebrewes fable by finding written in the foulds and pleats of the Vrim the sentence or answer of God nor as Iosephus supposeth by the extraordinary shining of the stones in the Vrim which miraculous kind of answering he confesseth to have ceased two hundred yeares before his time 3. antiquit Iudaic. for how could the shining of the stones be a signe in such variety of matters which were demanded of the priests and more than two hundred yeares before Iosephs time who lived vnder Domitian were such gifts of prophecying ceased as under Iudas Maccabeus 1 Maccab. 4.46 yea long before that the Church complained We see not our signes there is not one prophet more Psal. 74.9 And further the Scripture would not have beene silent in setting downe such a miraculous gift Therefore God did otherwise reveale unto the priest and inspire him with the knowledge of his will by the illumination of his minde for so Vrim signifieth illumination Perer. QUEST XXXIII How the elder is said to serve the younger Vers. 23. TWo manner of people shall be divided out of thy bowels c. the greater shall serve the lesse 1. The Hebrewes apply this text against the Empire of the Romans whose Emperors they say came of the Idumeans as Iulius Caesar the rest that succeeded him who though they held the Iewes in subjection in the end should be destroyed sic David Kimhi Rabbi Salomon ex citat Perer. 2. But the right literall meaning is of the Idumeans and Israelites the posterity of Esau and Iacob for so we read that the Idumeans were subdued unto Israel by King David 2. Sam. 8.14 and so continued to the reigne of Iotham Mercer 3. Neither were the Israelites onely superiour in temporall dominion but also in spiritual blessings for they were the visible Church of God Edom was cut off Calvin 4. Spiritually these two people doe signifie the carnall Iewes subdued unto the Christians being yet themselves the elder people August lib. 16. de civitat c. 25. Againe by the striving of Esau and Iacob in their mothers wombe is signified the continuall fight in the wombe of the Church betweene the true and carnall professors which are said to be the greater because they are more in number but as the greater here did serve the lesse so the wicked while they persecute the righteous quibus nocere volunt prâ—sunt plurimum stirâ—â—â—tem ipsi maxime nocent they profit those whom they goe about to hurt hurting themselves most Augustin serm de tempor 78. Beside Origen draweth from hence this mysticall sense understanding these two people to be within vs and this strife and combat to be betweene the flesh and the spirit vertue and vice hom 12. in Genes QUEST XXXIV How Iacob was sanctified in his mothers wombe FUrther whereas Iacob strove with Esau in his mothers wombe which was an extraordinary motion and worke of Gods spirit here ariseth a question whether Iacob were sanctified in his mothers wombe which doubt not resolved but onely expounded by Pererius may thus briefly receive satisfaction 1. that first if santification be taken for an actuall and inherent holinesse so neither Iacob nor any other were sanctified but onely Christ in which sense the Angel saith to Marie That holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God Luke 1.35 2. There is also a certaine holinesse ascribed to all the children of the faithfull because they are within the covenant 1. Cor. 7. vers 4. whereby they are distinguishâ—d from the seed of unbeleevers Iacob was sanctified otherwise than thus 3. There is a particular sanctification that is a setting apart or preparing of a thing to some speciall use as Paul was separated from his mothers wombe in the purpose of God to preach the Gospell Galath 1.15 Thus also was Iacob sanctified and separated to be the father of the people of God 4. A thing also is said to be sanctified when any extraordinary worke or motion is wrought upon it by the spirit of God as Iohn Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe when as at the voice of Maries Salutation the Babe sprung in his mothers belly Luk. 1.44 and thus Iacob also was sanctified and stirred by the spirit to wrestle with his brother not that he had any sense or understanding in fighting against the carnall generation but he was used as an instrument by the spirit to prefigure that state and condition of the people of God which should be resisted and wrestled against by the world QUEST XXXV Esau
hardly be excused from untruth howsoever he thinketh the first may in Gen. 27. Numb 57. Wherefore the best solution of this question is that Iacob told an officious lye to his father 1. As is evident by his three speeches I am Esau thy first borne and I have done as thou badest mee and eat of my venison for none of all these are true 2. Yet was not this dissimulation of Iacob either injurious to Isaack for he in this his errour perceived the purpose of God and was content the blessing should stand noâ— yet prejudiciall to Esau who in effect lost nothing due unto him but only the right by this meanes was restored to Iacob 3. God useth Iacobs infirmity and maketh it to serve his owne purpose this lye then of Iacobs though in respect of these circumstances it be extenuated yet is not justified nor yet to bee drawne into example of this opinion are our best writers Calvin Muscul Mercer Luther and of the other side Lyranus Tostatus Cajetan Lippoman QUEST IX Of the midwives excuse made to Pharaoh HEre because the example of the midwives which made that excuse to Pharao in preserving the childrens lives is some what like to this of Iacob I will briefly shew what is to be thought thereof 1. Gregory thinketh they lied saying to Pharaoh The Hebrew women are lively and are delivered before the midwife come at them Exod. 2.19 and therefore they only received a temporall reward it is said the Lord made them houses ulterius quod expectarent mercedis suae pramium non haberent and therefore should looke for no further reward lib. 18. moral Contra. But it is further added The midwives feared God and the Scripture pronounceth them blessed that feare the Lord Psal. 112.1 And none are blessed without the assurance of everlasting life 2. Thomas Aquinas saith that in respect of their feare and reverence of God they were everlastingly rewarded but for that externall act of lying they received onely a temporall reward In 2.2 qu. 100. arâ— ultim Contra. But the act of lying is simply evill and therefore is worthy of no reward God prospered the midwives not for their dissembling but because they feared God and refused to destroy the infants 3. Some commend the midwives for their disobeying of Pharaohs cruell edict but blame them for their dissembling Genevens annot at 4. But seeing the Scripture commendeth this fact of the midwives I thinke rather that they spake the truth and that the Lord gave extraordinary strength to the Hebrew women in this extremity to be delivered with speed because of the danger As for that reward in building of them houses it is to be referred rather to the increasing and propagation of the Israelites than to the midwives as the 20. verse sheweth God prospered the midwives and the people were multiplied Iun. QUEST X. How divers examples in Scripture may be defended from lying NOw that we may know how to discerne of such examples in Scripture which are produced by those which defend lying whether they are to be thought to have lyed these rules must be observed 1. It is one thing to conceale the truth another to lie as Abraham did hide the truth when he said Sarah was his sister 2. It is one thing to lie another to speake figuratively as it is said the seed of Abraham should be multiplied as the sand of the sea Gen. 21. 3. A sentence may be uttered in a mysticall or allegoricall sense without any lye or untruth as our Saviour saith I will dissolve this temple and build it in three dayes Ioh. 2. hee spake of the temple of his body 4. Though divers holy men and women be commended in Scripture we must not thinke that straightway all they did or said is commendable but as their doings were imperfect so in their sayings also they might erre Perer. QUEST XI How Isaack was deceived in all his senses Vers. 20. HOw hast thou found it so quickly c. 1. Two things gave occasion of suspition to Isaack to enquire whether it were Esau his sonne the voyce of Iacob and his so soone returne 2. And Isaack was thus inquisitive because he intended to blesse Esau whom he affected because he was serviceable and obsequious and provided his fathers diet and therefore intended to bestow his best blessing upon him Perer. 3. He mistrusteth his sight because it was dimme and his eares being heavy and thinketh to try out the matter by his feeling as Thomas would not beleeve till he had first felt Christs side The Hebrewes say Isaack used beside the sense of tasting in his meat and of smelling the odour of the garments and so used all his senses Mercer 4. Yet God did astonish and dull all his senses to shew that mans purpose cannot stand against the counsell of God and partly that Isaack thereby might bee rebuked for his preposterous love to Esau Calvin QUEST XII Why the Lord suffered Isaack to be deceived Vers. 23. FOr hee knew him not 1. Isaack though hee suspected somewhat was put out of doubt by his feeling and smelling by that opinion he had of Iacobs simplicity and for that hee thought he had spoken in secret to Esau without any others privitie 2. It pleased God that Isaack should be thus deceived beside the reasons before alleaged that we might know Nullum hominem plenam habuisse scientiam c. That no man ever had a fulnesse of knowledge but Christ Hierom. epist. 125. And Gregory hereby thinketh the calling of the Gentiles to be prefigured as it is in the Psalme A people which I have not knowne shall serve me Psal. 18. hom 6. in Ezech. 3. It seemed good also unto God that the blessing should be conveyed to Iacob by this meanes 1. That the manifold wisdome of God may appeare in bringing his purpose to passe by divers meanes and wayes 2. That his provident care toward Iacob might hereby bee made manifest 3. And the Lord would worke it this sodaine way rather than by revelation to Isaack leâ—t Esau a furious man if his father had willingly given away the blessing should have been incensed against his parents Pererius QUEST XIII Why Isaack compareth his sonne to the smell of a field Vers. 27. THe smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field c. 1. Isaack by the present smell of Esaus garments which savoured of the field taketh occasion as by an externall signe to utter a spirituall blessing Mercer And as every man borroweth similitudes from his trade as the mariner the souldier and such like so here Isaack blesseth by the similitude of the field wherein Esau was exercised as Hierome noteth of Amos who beginneth his prophecie thus The Lord shall roare from Sion Amos 1.2 because he being a field-man kept the woods where the Lions roared 2. The field is commended for three things pleasure in the variety of flowers to the eye sweetnesse of the fragrant odours to the smell abundance
the age of Ioseph for divers reasons 1. By this it may be gathered how long Ioseph was a servant in Egypt from 17. to 30. yeares the space of 13. yeares whereof 3. he spent in prison the rest in service Mercer 2. But Ioseph for his thirteene yeares service was recompenced with 80. yeares of libertie prosperitie and honour for he lived till he was 110. yeares old which may also be a figure of the everlasting reward of the Saints which they shal receive for their short and momentarie afflictions here Perer. 3. This observing of Iosephs age helpeth towards the Chronologie of Iacob and Iosephs age for hence it is gathered that Ioseph nine yeares after when the seven plentifull yeares were past and two of famine was thirty nine yeares old and Iacob at that time an hundred and thirty yeares old then it will follow that Ioseph was begotten in the 91. yeare of Iacobs age foureteene yeares after his comming into Mesopotamia for Ioseph was borne in the end of the second seventh yeare of Iacobs service so that Iacob was 77. yeares old when hee went first into Mesopotamia Perer. 4. Iosephs age is expressed that it might appeare what wonderfull graces hee had received of God at those yeares of chastitie of patience of pietie of wisdome of knowledge of secrets of policie and government It is said that Iulius Caesar beholding the picture of Alexander in Hercules temple at Gades lamented that hee had done no worthy exploit at those yeares wherein Alexander had conquered the whole world But Ioseph here at the same age of thirty had shewed more true wisdome and vertue than either of them both Perer. 5. Likewise by this president of Ioseph made a governour at thirty wee see that at this age a man is fit for publike imployment David at that age began to reigne Ezechiel then prophesied Ezech. 1.1 Christ began to preach and Iohn Baptist Mercer 6. Lastly Iosephs age is expressed to shew how mightily the Lord wrought with him that the grave counsellers and Elders of Egypt were content to give place to his youth and be advised and ruled by him Calvin QUEST XIIII What food Ioseph laid up where and how Vers. 48. LAid up food in the Cities 1. It is not like that Ioseph gathered of all other fruits and provision as Ramban thinketh but onely of corne for other food could not have beene so well kept and the next verse sheweth that food ochell was gathered namely bar wheat Mercer 2. Iosephs wisdome appeareth that provideth barnes for every Citie that they should not need to travaile farre for food but have it provided at home 3. Where it is said till he left numbring it is like that Ioseph observed order in laying up of the corne and kept a talie of it he numbred it not of curiositie as David numbred the multitudes of his people but in a provident forecast to see what quantitie would suffice for every place Muscul. QUEST XV. Whether indeed Ioseph had forgotten his fathers houses as it seemeth by the name of Manasses formed of the word Nashah to forget Vers. 51. GOd hath made me forget all my labour and my fathers house 1. I doe not thinke with Calvin that this is to be imputed to Ioseph as a fault that would commit to oblivion his fathers house being entangled with this great honour and prosperitie for how could hee forget his father or fathers house unlesse he should together abandon his faith and religion and forget Gods covenant made to his father and his seed 2. Neither doth it helpe the matter to say with some that he did not forget his father but his brethren who are understood by his fathers house 3. Nor yet is this spoken by way of comparison that in respect of this great honour his fathers house his kindred and education was nothing as Mercer 4. But the words doe expound themselves he speaketh of the labour and affliction and great indignitie which he received at his brethrens hand in his fathers house the remembrance and griefe whereof his great preferment and honour in Egypt allayed and mitigated Iun. 5 But whereas it will be demanded if Ioseph had not forgotten his father how came it to passe that he remembred him not all this while nor sent unto him seeing Memphis the kings Citie was not above 40. mile distant from Hebron where Iacob dwelt It may be answered that whether by reason of Iosephs long affliction before in which time he might thinke his father to be dead or in respect of his most busie and troublesome imployment in the 7. yeares of plentie or because he would yet conceale his kinred he might forbeare to enquire after them it was the speciall worke of Gods providence so disposing that his brethren should first seeke unto him and bow before him that his dreames might take effect Mercer Augustine further thinketh that God so disposed that Ioseph all this while sent not to Iacob being not above 300. mile from him that Iacob by this meanes might be exercised with sorrow Voluit Deus isto mode parva peccata Iacob in hoc seculo igne tribulationis consumere God would by this meanes with the fire of tribulation purge Iacobs sinnes in this world ser. 82. de tempor But Augustine is deceived in the distance of Mephis from Hebron which was rather 50. than 300. miles for the Patriarkes could not carrie their corne so farre upon their beasts Thom. Anglicus and Pererius thinke that Ioseph had a revelation how his brethren should come downe to Egypt to buy corn But if this were so it is not like that Moses would have omitted it Theodoret thinketh that God so disposed that Iacob knew not of Iosephs being in Egypt lest he might have redeemed him from thence and so the occasion of the Israelites going downe into Egypt should have beene prevented this opinion and the first I preferre before the rest QUEST XVI When Egypt began to be affamished and what other countries beside Vers. 55. AT the length all the land of Egypt was affamished c. 1. For the first two yeares of famine the dearth was not felt in Egypt because private men might have laied up in store at home for themselves therefore the Latine text is here very corrupt that in the former verse where the true reading is in all the land of Egypt was bread readeth in all the land of Egypt was famine 2. Where the famine is said to be in all lands we must not understand all the countries in the world but these countries next adjoyning which came thither for corne vers 57. and so the Hebrewes especially apply it to be spoken of the countries Phenice Palestina Arabia which doe border upon Egypt 3. Some Hebrewes affirme that Ioseph before he would sell the Egyptians corne moved to have them circumcised and that there was much altercation about it It is like that he circumcised his owne two sonnes and instructed the
Genes â—5 Now Abraham and Ismael had not the same people to goe unto the faithfull cannot be said to be Ismaels people nor the prophane sort to be Abrahams But if the meaning of the phrase were no more than that they were gathered and joyned to the state of the dead the faithfull and prophane sort should all goe to one people wherefore this phrase betokeneth a speciall disposition of the soules of the faithfull after this life in being associated to the company of the just and a laying up of their bodies in assured hope of the resurrection Calvin Muscul. Luther The Apostle also sheweth what it is for the righteous to be gathered to their people Wee are come to the celestiall Ierusalem to the innumerable company of Angels to the congregation of the first borne c. to the spirits of just and perfect men Hebr. 12.22.13 To all these are we joyned by faith while we live and really when we are dead now quoad spem in hope then quoad rem in deed 6. Places of morall use 1. Mor. Fathers must rebuke and chastise their children Vers. 4. THou shalt not be excellent Fathers may learne by Iacobs example to chastise their children for their sinnes as here Ruben is censured for defiling his fathers bed for this cause Heli and his posterity were punished because hee did not reprove his sonnes according to the quality of their offence Perer. 2. Mor. Gods vengeance though it be deferred will certainly come FUrther in that Rubens punishment had beene a long time suspended and deferred almost 40. yeeres after he had committed this uncleane sinne yet at the last it commeth let no sinner flatter himselfe in his impunity for if the long suffering of God draw him not to repentance it shall but increase his punishment as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 2.4 5. 3. Mor. The short pleasures of sinne deprive men of many blessings AGaine as Ruben for a little short pleasure lost his birthright and dignity so many for the vaine and momentany pleasures of this life are deprived of many and great blessings like to Esau that for a messe of pottage did part with his birthright 4. Mor. Contumely against parents never goeth unpunished WE see also what an high offence before God it is to offer any wrong or contumely to our parents such was Cham toward Noah Absalon toward David and here Ruben that polluted his father Iacobs bed 5. Mor. Against unjust and immoderate revenge Vers. 7. CVrsed be their wrath The Lord condemneth all kinde of revenge that proceedeth of wrath especially such as here was committed by Simeon and Levi. 1. It was done by craft and subtility under pretence of friendship 2. Against men unawares suspecting nothing 3. When they were in griefe of body 4. With a pretext and shew of religion 5. The revenge farre exceeded in greatnesse the quality of the offence Such a kinde of revenge is unjust and cruell Wherefore in this case wee should follow the Wise-mans counsell Say not I will recompence evill but wait upon the Lord and he shall save thee Prov. 20.22 Perer. 6. Mor. Every mans portion in the earth assigned of God Vers. 13. AS Zabulun shall dwell by the sea side Hence we learne that the lot of men for their habitation and dwelling in the earth falleth not out unto them by chance but by Gods providence and appointment for as it is in the Psalme The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal. 24.1 therefore every one should be contented with his lot and portion as assigned unto him of God Perer. 7. Mor. The Church shall overcome at last Vers. 19. ANd an host of men shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last c. So the Church of God though it shall indure much trouble and sorrow in the world yet it shall triumph and have the victory in the end as our Saviour saith to his Apostles In the world yee shall have trouble but be of good comfort I have overcome the world Iohn 16.33 8. Mor. The quiet and peaceable end of the righteous Vers. 33. HE plucked up his feet into the bed Before Iacob had raised up himselfe as well as he could not having his legs hanging out of the bed as Perer. that had beene no fit lying for a man ready to dye but he had stretched out himselfe before as well as he could for reverence unto the word of God which he delivered but now feeling the houre of his death to be instant hee doth gather up his legs after a seemely and quiet manner not strugling or striving against death as many doe but as though death â—ere in his power he doth meekely and gently yeeld himselfe unto it such a peaceable and quiet kinde of departure God often granteth to his children Muscul. Howbeit this is not alwayes so for sometime a wicked man may dye like a lambe still and quiet as the Psalme saith There are no bands in his death Psal. 73.4 and a righteous man may have a strong death by reason of the extremity of his sicknesse and the manner of the disease but yet inwardly he hath a peaceable and quiet soule and therefore Balaam had good reason to pray as he did Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 CHAP. L. 1. The Method and Argument IN this Chapter is set forth 1. Iosephs piety toward his father Iacob in causing him to be embawmed vers 2 3. in his buriall 1. He procured leave of Pharaoh vers 4 5 6. 2. He did honourably accompany him vers 7 8 9. 3. They mourned for him by the way vers 10 11. 4. Then they buried him as he had commanded 2. His humanity toward his brethren with their message in their fathers name vers 14 15 16. their humility vers 18. Iosephs friendly answer vers 19 20 â—â— 3. Iosephs prosperity in seeing his childrens children v. 23. 4. His faithfull departure buriall and age v. 24 25. 2. The divers readings v. 2. he commanded those which had charge of funerals S. commanded the Physitians câ—t v. 4. spake to potentates of Pharaoh S. spake to Pharaohs house caet v. 8. only their kinred they left their sheepe and oxen c. S. their children or little ones caet v. 10. they came to Goren Atad G. to the corne-floore or field beset with thistles T. to the corne-floore of Athad cat of Achad H. athad signifieth a thistle v. 11. Abel Mizraim G. the mourning of the Egyptians cat v. 13. beside Mamre G. before Mamre B. over against Mamre caet against or before the face of Mamre cat v. 19. feare not can we resist Gods will H. for I am Gods S. for I feare God C. am not I under God G. am I God B. am I in the stead of God T.P. 3. The explanation of doubtfull questions and places QUEST I. Of the divers fashions of buriall Vers. 2. ANd Moses commanded his
herein as God is to have the chiefe glorie being the author of this counsell and the onely revealer of secrets so your Highnesse is to be honoured as the instrument whose cogitation the Lord directed as a light to search out the mysterie of darknesse and as a cunning Pilot to guide the ship beside the rocks and sands Now is fulfilled that saying of the Wise-man A King that sitteth in the throne of judgement chaseth away all evill with his eyes It was David not the sons of Zerviah Ioab and Abishai his Counsellors that found out by consulting with God the treacherie of the men of Keilah intended against him And Pharaoh himselfe had the instinct by dreame to foresee the calamitie of Egypt by the future famine And the King of Nineveh gave the advice how to prevent the destruction of the Citie by repentance Like as Ambrose doth celebrate the memorie of the Emperour Valentinian who sitting in his Consistorie assisted with his Nobles when they all gave counsell to restore unto the Romans their Idoll Temples Solus velut Daniel excitato in se Dei spiritu Gentilibus obviabat He onely as another Daniel the spirit of God moving him resisted the Gentiles request The Seraphims in Isaiah which Hierome was taught by an Hebrew Rabbine to understand of the Kings and state of Iudea had six wings with two they covered their face with two their feet and with two they did flie so while the face of the men of State was as it were blinded and the feet and inferiour parts had their counsell darkned thanks bee to God that your Majesties wings of judgement were not pinioned but did flie aloft with the Eagle to espie what was working below And so as he well saith Necesse erat ut qui potentior cunctis fuerat prudentior fieret universis It was fit that hee which was beyond all in power should exceed the rest in prudence But now may it please your Majestie to the glorie of God and for eternall memorie to bee transmitted to posteritie to give mee leave in few words to describe this worke of darknesse and to bring it to the light whereby this Cockatrice brood consulting with infernall spirits in the earth thought at once to have undermined and subverted both the Civill and Ecclesiasticall State of this land Wicked Abimelech slew upon one stone seventie of Gedeons sonnes yet Iotham escaped but here none within danger could have beene delivered Adonibezeks crueltie is noted that cut off the thumbs of hand and feet of seventie Kings but in this mischievous plot both the heads and hands of many honourable persons should have beene miserably rent from their bodies Cruell Saul in one day commanded fourescore and five Priests to bee murthered yet Abiathar the sonne of the high Priest was delivered but in this bloudie exploit all our Reverend Fathers were appointed to the slaughter Ambitious Athaliah destroyed all the Kings seed yet Ioash the Kings sonne was preserved but here no not the heire of the Crowne should have beene spared Savage Caligula was not more barbarous who wished that all the Senatours of Rome had but one necke that hee might smite it off at a blow Nor yet Hannibal who when he saw a pit filled with humane bloud cried out O formosum spectaculum O goodly sight Or Valesus Proconsul of Asia under Augustus Caesar who having put to death three hundred men walked and vaunted himselfe among the dead bodies saying O rem regiam O Kingly act Sylâ—a was not so bloudie who commanded seven thousand Citizens to be killed whose crie was heard to the Senate house where Sylla with the Senatours was assembled for hee did forbeare the Senate house nor that King of Persia which commanded the people of Syria to have their â—oses cut off or irefull Cambyâ—es who in his expedition against the Aethiopians caused every tenth man to be tithed out for food his armie being almost famished But here scarce one man of ten that feared God and loved the truth should have beene left alive yea the very infants could not have beene exempted from this generall massacre but as Hierom speaketh of the crueltie of the Hunnes Cogerentur mori qui nondum vivere coeperant nescientes malum suum inter hostium manus â—ela riderent They should have beene forced to die that yet begun not to live and not knowing their doome should have smiled under the bloudie hand of the enemie Blessed be God therefore who hath in his great mercie and love to his Church disappointed their wicked imaginations in this snare which they laid for others is their owne foot taken and they are sunke into the pit that they made for others the stone which they would have rolled upon us is fallen upon their owne head And as Ambrose writeth of the Bees Apes quae non obtempera verint legibus regis immoriuntur aculei sui vulneri That they which disobey the order of their King amongst them die upon their owne stings So that engine wherewith the Romanists thought to have gored others hath wounded themselves As they with Abimelech sought to have fired the tower of Sichem so their owne parts have justly felt the fire and as with Sathan that used the winds to overwhelme the house upon Iobs sonnes they attempted with a sulphureous spirit to have blowne up that honourable house so now most worthily their owne members are exposed to the winde and aire and their wicked acts leave a sulphureous smell behind them This I write not God is my record as rejoycing in their confusion but grieving rather at the cause thereof pitying their persons but hating their actions ut probem me as he saith non homines odisse sed erroâ—es To shew that I hate not the men but their manners They with Dathan and Abiram are gone downe into the pit whose mouth they opened to swallow others as they laboured in the earth to worke iniquitie so their names are written in the earth to blot out their memorie they which wickedly imagined to deprive others of buriall with Iehoiakim are themselves buried as an asse is buried and cast forth without the gates of Ierusalem Now nothing remaineth most Christian King but that we give due thanks unto our gracious God who hath wrought this glorious deliverance In which action of thanksgiving the Church of God hath used to performe three duties To give solemne praise unto God to send presents one to another in signe of joy and to give gifts to the poore In the first your Majestie hath given us example who in the same place where the danger was devised and deliverance received publiquely with godly Iehoshaphat blessed God and this honourable Parliament concurring with your Christian Majestie hath well seconded your princely example in decreeing an annuall commemoration to bee kept of that day no lesse worthie to bee remembred than the Iewes feast
of Purim when vile Haman had cast lots over them for their destruction or the feast of the dedication of the Temple after Antiochus had prophaned it for how can our mercifull God be sufficiently praised who discovered the secret counsels of the wicked undermined the underminers and he that is a wall of fire about Ierusalem hath quenched their fire There is a path as Iob saith which no fowle hath knowne neither hath the kites eye seene it yet the Lord hath declared their works as Elihu answereth and he hath turned the night there is no darknesse nor shadow of death that the workers of iniquitie might be hid therein The Lord hath so brought to passe that neither sagitta volitans per diem the arrow of treacherie flying by day nor negotium ambulans in tenebris conspiracie walking in the darke hath come neere us therefore alwaies praised bee his name Concerning sending of presents a testimonie of our joy that honourable assemblie hath with loving hearts presented to your Majestie a subsidiarie benevolence as a token of their dutie and thankfulnesse And may it please your Majestie also to accept the widowes mite this poore present which I in all humblenesse and loyaltie doe offer to your Princely view thinking it not the least part of my terrene happinesse that as my Synopsis was readie to meet your Majestie at your joyfull entrance so this Hexapla commeth forth by Gods goodnesse to congratulate for your prosperous deliverance The gifts to the poore are your Princely clemencie and bountie to your Majesties loving subjects that as the first is extended according to the honourable custome of this nation in the determining of the Parliament to some kinde of offenders so the other is desired and expected in seeing provision and maintenance to be procured for the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell which in many places is very small and so the number of them to be not empaired but increased that religion and learning may flourish the two principall props of this Kingdome as your Majestie well knoweth whatsoever some have impiously thought and profanely written to the contrarie God strengthen your Majestie with all the honourable State that as our adversaries have digged pits which hold no water so our Lawgiver with the Princes of Israel may dig wells of springing water with their staves as it is said of Moses that is enact such lawes whereby the spring of the Gospell may be kept open and run along to our posteritie but the heads of the bitter Romish waters may be for ever stopped that all the people of God may use the same joyfull acclamations to such godly lawes as the Israelites did to the well Rise up well sing yee unto it As for the rest I end with the conclusion of Baraks song So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but they which love him shall be as the Sun that riseth in his might Your Majesties most humble Subject Andrew Willet TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD RICHARD BY THE DIVINE PROVIdence Archbishop of Canterburie Primate and Metropolitane of all England and of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell AS concerning lawes so of books Righr Reverend Father there are two opinions some mislike there should be many as Arcesilaus in Laertius whose saying was Quemadmodum ubi multi medici ibi multi morbi ita ubi permultae leges ibi plus vitiorum Like as where are many Physitians there are many diseases so where there are many lawes there are many faults Some thinke it not necessarie there should be any as Demonax used to say Leges prorsus esse inutiles ut quibus boni non egerent mali nihilo fierent meliores That lawes were altogether unprofitable because neither the good stood in need of them neither were the evill bettered by them But Chrysostome with a better spirit approved all good lawes and would have none omitted In cythera non satis esse in uno tantùm nervo concentum efficere universos oportet percuti numerosè decenter Like as to make musick on an harpe to strike upon one string was not sufficient unlesse all were played upon in due measure The like judgement is to bee given of books that as superfluous scribling might be well spared so necessarie and profitable writing is not to be lightly esteemed There are then three sorts of men whom I first desire briefely to satisfie and then I will in few words declare the contents order and end of this worke First some there are that hold these labours superfluous and thinke that this age is given too much to scribling and that the world is pestred with too many books But this is their error that because some books are vainely written doe so judge of all and finding some treatises unnecessarie they imagine the rest to be so Indeed it cannot be denied but that there are some writings which as Aristen compared Logike are like spiders webs very curious but nothing profitable yet hee which should contemne all because he justly condemneth some were like to an unwise patient who because of some unlearned Empirikes should reject the skilfull Physitian as even the Heathen Poets could say that he which neglected learning left the Physitian of his soule In mens divers writings the diversitie of Gods gifts diversly appeareth There is no eye so quicke but may oversee somewhat which another may espie no wit so sharpe but may be more whetted nor yet any gift so meane but there may be some use thereof nor no labourer so simple but may bring somewhat to further Gods building as the Apostle saith Ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learne and all may have comfort Even the greatest Prophet and best interpreter may receive some benefit by the meanest Preacher and expounder True it is that in these dayes bookes are counted the vilest merchandise and the last thing for the most part which a man buyeth is a booke and any thing is thought more necessarie than that which is for the soule This also is the cause why rich men are more sued unto than wise men and Merchants and Vsurers dâ—ores are more frequented than Preachers houses because as one being demanded the reason why wise men went unto rich men and not the rich to the wise answered Wise men know what is necessarie for themselves so doe not the other Therefore the one seeketh things temporall as requisite for the bodie the other neglecteth wisdome being necessarie for the soule Now concerning such neglecters of divine studies and contemners of spirituall labours I say as Hierome answered Ruffinus Mihi meis juxta Ismenium canens si aures surdae sunt caeterorum I will sing unto me and mine as Antigenidas the Musician said to his scholar Ismenius if other mens eares be deafe Another sort there is that are given to carpe at other mens writings who if they be such as are enemies to the
chap. 3.18 3. Wherefore it is like that the Elders also went in but Moses and Aaron onely are named as the principall as vers 4. Pharaoh in saying get ye to your burthens speaketh not to Moses and Aaron onely but to the other Israelites with them Iunius Simlerus QUEST III. Whether Pharaoh were altogether ignorant of God Vers. 2. I Know not Iehovah 1. Paulus Burgens thinketh that Pharaoh so spake because the name Iehovah was not knowne to him But it is not like that Moses would use a strange name of God which Pharaoh understood not 2. Thostatus thinketh that hee simplie denied not God but that he was Iehovah that is the ruler and governour of the world that seeth and beholdeth all things But this is too curious and it seemeth that Pharaoh had no good opinion of the Godhead and divine power 3. Therefore whereas there is a twofold knowledge of God the one naturall by the creatures the other spirituall by the word of God the first onely sheweth that there is a God the other teacheth who that God is and how to be served it is like that Pharaoh was not altogether void of the first which he abused detracting from the true God and giving the divine honour unto filthie Idols but the true God he was utterly ignorant of Borrh. 4. So that beside his grosse ignorance hee in pride of heart contemneth and despiseth the true God Simler Hee acknowledgeth the God of the Hebrewes to bee no God and inferiour to the Idols of Egypt Perer. and of no such power to command him being King of Egypt Pellican and afterwards by plagues and judgements hee is taught to confesse and acknowledge God Ferus 5. And there are foure causes that for the most part doe bring men to denie God either feare as Peter denied Christ or grosse ignorance as the wicked thinketh there is no God Psal. 10.4 or corruption and wickednesse of life as the foole saith in his heart there is no God Psal. 14.1 or abundance of prosperitie which maketh a carnall man thinke that hee is sufficient of himselfe without God and therefore the Prophet prayeth that God would not give him too much Lest I be full and denie thee Prov. 30. 6. These three last did concurre in Pharaoh his ignorance wicked life and abundance of prosperitie Perer. QUEST IV. Why mention is onely made of going three dayes journey Vers. 3. LEt us goe three dayes journie into the desert c. 1. Some doe mystically apply these three dayes journie as Augustine to the Trinitie Ferus understandeth it of the purging of our thoughts words and works Perer. Of the way of Christians by faith hope and charitie Borrhaim observeth the like number of three dayes as chap. 19. when they are bid to sanctifie themselves against the third day Ionas was three dayes in the belly of the whale Christ rose the third day But such mysticall applications are but mens wittie devices 2. Neither is the conjecture of the Hebrewes sound that whereas it was not three dayes onely but three moneths journey unto mount Horeb where they sacrificed as appeareth chap. 19. they say a day is taken here for a moneth for thus Moses request should have beene captious and full of deceit 3. Therefore Moses maketh mention onely of three dayes journey as the Lord commanded him who knew that Pharaoh would not grant so small and reasonable a request that his inhumanitie might bee made manifest and so Gods judgements to be just Thostat Lyran. 4. And though God purposed that Israel should never returne into Egypt againe yet it was not necessarie nor convenient that all the Lords counsell should bee revealed to such a cruell Tyrant and herein Moses told no untruth but onely prudently concealed some part as the Lord directed him Simler QUEST V. What other things were said and done by Moses before Pharaoh COncerning other things said and done by Moses 1. Neither is it likely that Moses rehearsed unto Pharaoh the benefits which the Egyptians had received of him as Iosephus but rather he might make mention of Iosephs worthie acts done in Egypt 2. Neither is any credit to be given to Artapanus report alleaged by Eusebius how Moses caused fire to come out of the earth that being committed to prison his keepers were suddenly slaine and the gates opened of themselves and he came into Pharaohs chamber without any let and how certaine Priests for deriding the name Iehovah which Moses had written in a table were sudenly striken dead it is like if such memorable things had beene done Moses would not have omitted them Perer. Therefore to know the summe of Moses acts it sufficeth us to have recourse to the storie here pâ—nned by himselfe QUEST VI. In what sense Pharaoh saith they were much people Vers. 5. BEhold now much people is in the land and would ye make them leave their burthens 1. Some referre it to that which was said before vers 13. Moses gave this reason of his request that the people might be dismissed to sacrifice to God lest he come upon them with the pestilence and so Pharaoh should answer that although the pestilence came upon them he could spare many of them because they were a great multitude 2. Some thinke that Pharaoh objecteth to them rebellion that they being confident upon the strength and multitude of the people did gather them together and caused them to remit their works intending some mutinie Vatab. 3. Other doe make this to be the sense if the people having beene kept under by sore labour doe so increase how much more if they had their case sic Pellican Osiander Latin interpret 4. But it is best read with an interrogation Seeing they are much people would you hinder them and so their works should be intermitted that were so profitable and of such advantage to Pharaoh Iun. Simler This sense is most fitting and agreeable to the text as may appeare by the scope thereof QUEST VII Why they used straw in making bricke Vers. 7. YE shall give the people no more straw 1. They used straw to make bricke both to temper the clay therewith that it might be firmer Lyran. as also to cover it and keepe it from parching and chapping by the sunne as also to burne the bricke with Simler 2. There was great use of bricke in Egypt not onely because they wanted stone but for that the buildings made of bricke were durable and continued long as the wall that compassed Athens was made of bricke and Iupiters temple Plinl ib. 35. cap. 14. The same author also reporteth from Epigenes that there was bricke worke in Babylon of seven hundred yeeres continuance wherein the observation of the starres were graven Perer. 3. As for the allegories which are here devised as by the strawe to understand evill thoughts by the clay corrupt doctrine by Pharaoh the devill I omit them as humane devices QUEST VIII Whether Moses sinned in expostulating thus with God Vers. 22. MOses
persons of hâ—s owne house Gen. 14. Simler 2. It is probable this mixed company consisted partly of Egyptians and other nations sojourning in Egypt that were converted to their religion partly of their servants Calvin 3. This mingling of divers other nations with the Lords people was a lively type and evident demonstration of the calling of the Gentiles Borrh. Osiander And beside whereas this confused company seemed to consent with the Israelites in their religion and come out of Egypt with them yet were they not truly called for they afterward fell a lusting and murmuring Numb 11. 4. This sheweth that many are called to the outward society of the Church but few are chosen Ferus QUEST LIII What moved those divers sorts of people to goe out of Egypt with Israel THis confused company came forth with the Israelites 1. not so much because of the tyranny and oppression of the land which being chiefly intended against the Israelites might be grievous also unto others Simlerus nor yet being weary of Egypt which now in a manner of a fertile and pleasant countrie became barren and desolate with the late plagues laid upon it Calvin as for that they being moved and prepared with those mighty wonders and miracles which they saw in Egypt were thereupon resolved to joyne themselves to the people of God Iun. 2. And it need not seeme strange that the Egyptians suffered so many to goe out with Israel for either they through feare and griefe minded it not or else these having a long time dwelled among the Israelites and so skilfull in their language could hardly bee discerned from the Hebrewes Perer. QUEST LIV. Whether the Israelites went out of Egypt in the evening in the night or in the morning Vers. 42. THis is a night to bee diligently kept unto Iehovah c. 1. Sometime the Scripture seemeth to say that the Israelites went out of Egypt in the night as in this place and Deut. 16.1 In the moneth of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of Egypt by night yet did they not goe out in the very night for they were charged that none should goe forth of their doores till the morning vers 22. Cajetane thinketh that Moses gave this charge not then knowing what time would be spent in the slaughter of the first borne nor at what houre the Israelites should be bid to goe out but afterward when the first borne were slaine and Pharaoh called to Moses in the night to be gone and the Egyptians hastned them forward then Moses gave the people liberty not onely to goe out of their houses but to addresse themselves to depart out of Egypt Conâ—r 1. It is not like that Moses when he gave that charge was ignorant of the counsell of God for the time was assigned when the Lord would smite the first borne about midnight which worke the Lord would not be long about neither is it to be thought that Moses would reverse the first charge neither is it safe so to imagine the Scripture affirming no such thing 2. Therefore Rupertus solution is rather to be received that because the night was now spent and it was toward day when the Israelites set forward out of Egypt therefore they were bid not to goe forth of their houses untill the morning 2. Sometime the Scripture seemeth to affirme that the Israelites went out of Egypt in the evening about the Sunne set when they killed the Passeover as Deut. 16.6 There shalt thou offer the Passeover aâ— even about the going downe of the Sunne in the season that thou camest out of Egypt But this could not be that they departed in the evening both because they were charged not to goe out of their houses till the morning and afterward about midnight the first borne were slaine till which time the Israelites were not dismissed by Pharaoh And therefore the word mogned which signifieth an appointed time or season is not to be restrained to that very instant of the killing of the Passeover but generally it betokeneth the time of their going out and so comprehendeth the whole night in the beginning whereof they eat the Passeover and in the end thereof they departed Perer. 3. Therefore the truth is that it was toward day the night being well nye spent when the Israelites departed as it is evident Numb 33 3. where it is said that they departed the morrow after the Passeover and in the sight of the Egyptians and while they were burying of their dead which it is like they did not before the day appeared Beside the order of the history sheweth as much for it was midnight before the first borne were slaine then there was a crie in Egypt and as Iosephus writeth they ranne unto the Kings palace unto Pharaoh and he called to Mosâ—s and Aaron and the Egyptians then hastned them and gave them their precious jewels and they trussed them up and laid them upon their sonnes and daughters while all this was in doing a great part of the night must needs be spent Further that the type and shadow may be answerable to the body as our blessed Saviour arose for our redemption out of the grave betimes in the morning when it was yet darke Ioh. 20.1 before the Sunne was risen Mark 16.2 so the Israelites did about the same time rise as it were out of the grave and prison of their servitude and were redeemed about the same time Pellican Ferus 4. Now how the Israeliâ—es could bee ready themselves with their cattell and substance upon so short warning Iosâ—phus well sheweth that Moses had before willed them to be in a readinesse for their journey and thereupon they were gathered as neere as they could into one place Perer. Of the time of the dwelling of the Israelites in the land of Egypt QUEST LV. Whether the Israelites dwelt in Egypt more than 430. yeeres Vers. 40. SO the dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelt in Egypt was foure hundred and thirty yeeres First it will bee questioned whether the Israelites dwelled no longer in Egypt than foure hundred and thirty yeeres seeing the Lord said unto Abraham Thy seede shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serve them Gen. 15.13 For if the Israelites were in servitude foure hundred yeeres which time of their servitude began not untill after Iosephs death who lived after the comming of Israel into Egypt 71. yeeres being then 39. yeeres old and he lived in all an hundred and ten yeeres then the whole summe will make 471. But this doubt is easily removed for that prophesie delivered unto Abraham concerning the hard usage of his seed consisting of three branches shall bee a stranger in a land and shall serve there and be evill entreated must be understood conjunctè not disjunctè joyntly together and not sunderly that they should not all that time be in servitude but partly all that while sojourne and partly be in servitude Pererius
the people doth here diversely appeare 1. In forgetting at once all those wondrous works which the Lord had done for them in Egypt 2. In their great unthankfulnesse for so great a benefit of their deliverance which they had received in preferring the miserable servitude of Egypt before it Fâ—rus 3. In their murmuring against God and contempt of his ministers Calvin 4. In their prophane scoffing saying Because there were no graves 〈◊〉 Egypt 5. In their impatience not waiting the Lords leisure Genâ—vens 6. In their prophane impietie in justifying their former incredulitie and ungratious words in Egypt Simler QUEST VIII Whether Moses did suffer the people at this time to passe without reproofe Vers. 13. THen Moses said to the people feare ye not 1. Some thinke that Moses did not suffer the people to goe without sharpe reprehension here Calvin But it is more like that Moses did forbeare them at this time the present necessitie so requiring Simler wherein he both sheweth his mildnesse in not answering the people roughly againe and his loving care in that he notwithstanding this their perversenesse laboureth to comfort them in this perplexed hate Ferus 2. He doth encourage them by promising them certaine deliverance from God Iosephus more at large here doth amplifie Moses exhortation which consisted upon two principall perswasions the experience which they had already of Gods goodnesse toward them that had omitted nothing needfull for them that like as a wise man which hath hitherto well compassed all his businesse should not be mistrusted for the rest so they should not doubt of Gods mercie toward them who never yet failed them the other was in communicating unto them Gods counsell that the Lord had therefore brought them into this streit to get himselfe greater honour by their deliverance to this purpose Ioseph lib. 2. cap. 6. He saith they shall never see the Egyptians againe that is in that manner as they saw them that day insulting against them and pursuing after them as the Septuagint doe well interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after what sort ye have seene them for they saw them afterward but drowned and lying dead upon the shore QUEST IX When the Lord spake these words to Moses Vers. 15. ANd the Lord said 〈◊〉 1. Some doe read had said thinking that the Lord had thus spoken unto Moses as it is set downe in the 5. verses following before he had thus encouraged the people Neque enim testis praâ—â— salutis esse poterat non accepta promissione for he could not be a proclaimâ—â— of their safetie having not first received a promise Calvin 2. But it is more like that the Lord spake unto Moses after he had exhorted the people both because Moses cried unto God which crie of his was occasioned by the same imminent danger which moved also the people to crie as also he might pray unto God to forgive this sinne of the people which hee might justly feare would provoke the Lord to wrath and so hinder his intended worke Ferus And though as yet Moses had received no particular promise how the Israelites should be delivered yet hee resteth upon Gods generall promise before that he would get him honour upon Pharaoh and his host Simler QUEST X. When Moses cried unto God and how and for what VVHy criest thou unto me 1. This is neither referred unto the crie of the people before spoken of whose person Moses did represent and therefore he is said to crie because the people cried for the crie of the people was disordered and tumultuous and not much accepted 2. Neither is this understood of Moses privat prayers which at that time he made unto God when as all the people cried beside as Calvin for though it be like that Moses omitted not then to pray also yet this prayer was after his exhortation to the people which came betweene â—lamâ—rem hunc ingratissimus populus extorsit for not onely the enemie in sight but the unthankfull and grudging people did draw the crie from Moses 3. The Lord doth not find fault with Moses because he prayed but for that he went not forward with the people as he was commanded vers 2. therefore that charge is here againe renewed and though Moses voyce was not heard nor no words uttered yet hee is said to crie because hee prayed unto God in his heart Iâ—n 4. But Iosephus is here deceived who thinketh that Moses in his prayer preventeth Gods speech unto him and first desired of God that the waters upon the striking them with his rod might be divided and that upon his prayer without any other direction or commandement from God the waters parted But this report of his as we see is oppositely contrarie to the Scripture QUEST XI How the Angell is said to remove Vers. 19. ANd the Angell of God which went before the host of Israel removed 1. This Angell is called before Jehovah Vrique natura Iehova Dei filius officio Angelus By nature Iehovah the Sonne of God and Angell in office Simler Calvin Osiander 2. Not that God removeth from place to place Sed signa prasentia in alium locum transierunt but the signes of his presence went to another place and therefore the Angell is said to remove Simler 3. This cloud both cast darknesse upon the Egyptians that they were not able to pursue the Israelites and it gave light to the Israelites that they went on still forward 4. Here the Lord useth these three the water fire and the cloud as instruments of his judgements upon the Egyptians So the old world was destroyed by water Sodome by fire and the Sonne of man shall come in the clouds to judge the world Borrh. Of the most miraculous worke of God in dividing the waters of the red Sea for the passing of his people QUEST XII What winde it was which did blow upon the red Sea Vers. 21. THe Lord caused the Sea to runne backe by a strong East wind 1. What manner of wind this was seeing it is here expressed there is no place for their opinion that thinke it was either a Northwind or a Southwind as the Septuag read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a strong Southwind whom Philo followeth who thinketh that the waters were parted asunder by a strong Southwind and brought together by the Northwind But there is no mention made of any wind which the Lord used in causing the waters to returne and as for the wind which was sent at the dividing of the waters the text saith it was an East wind and so the Chalde translateth and this was the fittest wind to part the waters on each side rather than a side wind North or South which would have driven the waters all one way 2. Neither is it to be thought that the winde could thus divide the waters for though the wind may sever the waters yet not so to emptie the very chanell it bloweth upon the upper part of the waters onely Againe if it
prayer therefore we should alwayes fast so from abstinence from the marriage bed to conclude perpetuall forbearance is absurd Ferus one of their owne writers is more equall who writeth thus Non est malum matrimonium sed tamen accessuri ad Deum etiam à licitis temperare debent Matrimonie is not evill yet they which come unto God ought to abstaine even from things lawfull Which kind of abstinence is by the Apostle required not onely of Ministers but of all in generall in the foresaid place 1 Cor. 7.5 5. Cont. Against the distinction of counsels and precepts RVpertus further hath this note upon this text Ad sanctificationem non satis est fecisse praceptum nisi adjicias facere consilium To sanctification it is not enough to fulfill the precept unlesse you adde to performe the counsels also And in that place he sheweth what a precept is to abstaine from things unlawfull and what a counsell is abstinere à licitis to abstaine from things lawfull Lib. 3. in Exod. cap. 26. Contra. 1. Though the use of the wife were in it selfe lawfull yet upon this prohibition it was unlawfull therefore it was no counsell now but a precept 2. That distinction of precepts and counsels is not sound nor consonant with the Scriptures as they call those precepts which are commanded of God and which to leave undone is sinne The counsels are not enjoyned and to leave them undone is no sinne but in keeping of them there is greater reward For whatsoever we doe or can doe it is but our dutie to doe Luk. 17.10 and if we come short in doing those things which are commanded it is not possible for any to doe more than is required And seeing our Saviour biddeth us to be perfect as his heavenly father is perfect and we are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart and all our soule then the counsels which they call of perfection if they proceed from the love of God are commanded also 6. Morall observations 1. Observ. We must be as ready to performe as promise obedience Vers. 8. ALl that the Lord hath commanded will wee doe The people are ready to promise obedience and that without any limitation to all that God commanded but they soone forgat their promise and they were afterward as slow to performe as here they are ready to vow obedience whereby we learne Nullius momenti esse subitum affectum nisi accedat perseverandi constantia That a sudden affection is of no moment unlesse constancie in persevering be added Calvin to the same purpose Oleaster As in the parable the sonne that said to his father when he was bid to worke in his vineyard and made answer hee would not yet after repented and went is commended before him that gave faire words and said he would but went not Matth. 21.29 2. Observ. Due preparation must goe before the hearing of the word Vers. 10. LEt them wash their cloaths Hereupon Origene thus noteth Nemo potest audire verbum nisi sanctificatus id est sanctus corpore mente None can heare the word of God unlesse they bee sanctified that is holy in minde and bodie If any come with unwashen garments that is unprepared it will be said unto him as in the parable to him that had not his wedding garment Friend how camest thou in hither The word of God is not to be handled with uncleane hands neither will enter into uncleane hearts B. Babingt 3. Observ. Our sanctification is not perfected all at once Vers. 10. SAnctifie them to day and to morrow Non enim una die perficitur sanctificatio c. For our sanctification cannot be perfited in one day We must labour and study for it all the dayes of our life Ferus As the Apostle compareth Christians to men set in a race So run that ye may obtaine 2 Cor. 9.24 It is in vaine for a man to set forward in the beginning of his race if hee hold not out to the end so our regeneration is not perfited all at once in the beginning we must goe on still untill the Lord have perfited his worke in us 4. Observ. Against curiositie in divine things Vers. 12. THou shalt set marks unto the people Docet hic locus ne in rebus divinis simus curiosi This place sheweth that we ought not to be curious in the searching out of divine things Ferus and to shew what an odious thing curiositie is in matters forbidden and that we should be content with that which it pleaseth God to vouchsafe to reveale unto us B. Babington As the holy Apostle saith that no man presume to understand above that which is meet to understand but that he understand according to sobrietie as God hath deal◠to every one the measure of faith Rom. 12.3 5. Observ. The word of God had need often to be inculcate Vers. 21. GOe downe charge the people Such is our dulnesse that we had need to have the word of God often inculcate and beaten upon us Men are marvellous apt to transgresse and therefore againe and againe they must bee admonished by Moses B. Babingt Therefore the Apostle saith It grieveth me not to write the same things unto you and for you it is a sure thing Philip. 3.1 As here Moses is commanded to iterate and renew the same charge that the people breake not their bounds CHAP. XX. 1. The method and Argument THis Chapter setteth forth the promulgation of the morall law with certaine effects that followed 1. In the promulgation first there is the preface shewing who was the author and proclaimer of the law God the Lord what hee spake all these words vers 1. and what the Lord had done for his people wherefore they should be willing to heare and receive his law he had brought them out of Egypt vers 2. Secondly the Commandements follow which concerne the worship of God in the first table containing foure Commandements and our dutie toward our neighbours in the six last to vers 18. which make the second table The first table prescribeth both the internall worship of God who is to be worshipped in the first commandement vers 3. and in what manner spiritually in the heart minde not by any Idolatrie or Imagerie where the matter of such images and Idols is rehearsed vers 4. the abuse forbidden vers 5. the reason added partly from a punishment threatned vers 5. partly from mercie promised vers 6. The externall worship of God is prescribed in the reverent profession of his name which is not to bee taken in vaine where there is to be considered first the prohibition then the penaltie in the third commandement vers 7. And in the keeping of the Sabbath in the fourth commandement which consisteth of the constitution thereof by an Antithesis or opposite comparison of the six dayes of labour vers 8 9. then of the prescription both in what manner and by what persons the Sabbath must be
the Lords day next after the Nativitie in the towne of little Ashen or Eason in Essex in the house of a worshipfull Knight there dwelling The manner of it was this One Thomas Rugesby a servant of the house with another that was a Retainer and a youth about the age of thirteene yeeres did in the afternoone withdraw themselves into a private chamber taking with them strong Beere Aqua vita Rosa solis Tobacco and shut the doore close that they might be privat and take their fill of drinke without controlement who so excessively and immoderatly distempered themselves with drinke that they in most beastly manner vomited it up againe two of them the servant of the house and the youth were in vomiting strangled and were found dead in the morning the first sitting in his chaire the other lying upon the bed that which they cast up being by the cold of the night frozen to their mouths the third the Retainer was taken up in the morning wallowing up and downe in his vomit and in a manner halfe dead whom they had much adoe to recover This example would not bee forgotten but carefully bee laid up in remembrance that other excessive takers of drinke and wanton abusers of plentie which sinnes doe now every where overflow might receive warning thereby and judge themselves by repentance and leaving their sinne in time lest they be suddenly overtaken by Gods judgements in like manner 8. For stealing Achan may bee an example who for his theft and sacrilege was with throwing of stones put to death and that by the Lords extraordinarie direction in causing him to bee found by lot Ioshâ— 7. 2. For lying the fearefull examples of Ananias and Sapphira would be thought upon who were for that sinne striken with sudden death Act. 5. 10. For coveting of Sara Abrahams wife both Pharaoh King of Egypt and Abimelech King of Gerar were punished of God Gen. 12. and 20. though they were prevented of God and kept from committing adulterie Thus it pleaseth God to exemplifie some that others might take heed But here concerning the temporall judgements in this life these three observations are necessarie 1. That they which are temporally punished are not alwayes to be deemed the worst of all others though it please the Lord to make them examples to others as our blessed Saviour saith of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate mingled with their sacrifice and of those eighteene persons upon whom the tower of Siloam fell in Jerusalem that they were not greater sinners than the rest but except yee repent saith he yee shall all likewise perish 2. God neither punisheth all such offenders in this life for then men would expect no judgement to come neither doth he suffer all to go unpunished lest worldly men might be altogether secure and denie in their hearts the divine providence as the Prophet David saith Psal. 10.13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemne God he saith in his heart thou wilt not regard 3. That they which goe on still in their sinne without punishment should not flatter themselves for there remaineth a greater judgement behind and there is more hope of them which are chastised in this world So the Apostle saith Thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the just judgement of God Rom. 2.5 The other kinde of judgement is in the next world as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeves nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and such were some of you but yee are washed but ye are sanctified c. Adde hereunto the like sentence and declaration of Gods judgement upon the wicked Revelat. 21.8 But the fearefull and unbeleeving the abominable and murtherers whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death This so heavie a sentence there is no way to escape but in being washed from these sinnes by repentance sanctified by newnesse of life and justified by faith in Christ. And thus much of this treatise of the law which by Gods grace I have thus happily finished 3. Questions and doubts discussed out of the rest of this 20. Chapter QUEST I. In what sense the people are said to have seene the voyces which are properly heard and not seene Vers. 18. ANd all the people saw the thunders c. 1. Some thinke that by sight here is understood the hearing because it is usuall with the Hebrewes to take one sense for another Vatabl. But the sight is no more taken for hearing than to heare for the seeing 2. Ambrose referreth it to the understanding Interioris mentis videtur obtâ—tu It was seene by the inward sight of the minde like as our Saviour saith Hee that hath seene me hath seene my Father Iob. 14.9 Ambros. proâ—â—m in Luc. So also Hierome will have it like unto that saying of S. Iohn 1. epist. chap. 1.1 That which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes c. of the word of life Hierom. in Abdiam But seeing Moses speaketh of outward objects of the externall sense as of thunder lightning he meaneth also the sense unto the which such things are objected 3. Ferus thinketh that herein ostenditur oscitantia populi the carelesnesse of the people is shewed who more regarded that which they saw than the voyce which they heard and therefore they are said rather to see than heare But it seemeth that the people well regarded the voyce of God because presently after they desire that Moses might speake unto them and not the Lord any more 4. Procopius thinketh that it is said they saw because of the evidence thereof as if they had seene it with their eyes as it is said Amos 1.1 The words of Amos c. which hee saw c. Deus Prophetarum oculis res subjicit tanta evidentia ac si oculis cernerent c. God doth so evidently set things before the eyes of the Prophets that is their inward sight as though they saw them with their eyes But this was not done in vision as the Lord spake to his Prophets here was a sensible demonstration 5. Augustine therefore thinketh Videre hic poni pro generali sensu tam animi quam corporis That to see is here put for the generall sense both of the minde and bodie because Moses would speake compendiously so we use to say vide quid sonet see what soundeth so also is it taken for other senses as Christ saith to Thomas Because thou hast seene me thou beleevest whereas Thomas touched him Tract 121. super Ioann The reason hereof is Quia visus primatum obtinet in sensibus intermiscetur omnibus Because the sight is the chiefe among the senses it is as intermingled among them all Interlinear And Sensus
from all society and colloquy of men till he had his judgement Galas And by the Law Cornelia among the Romans he which had killed another with sword or poison or by false testimony lost his head if he were of the better sort if of meaner condition he was hanged on the crosse or cast unto wild beasts Simler 5. And the reason of this severity was because murtherers deface the image of God in man and they lay violent hands to take away his temporall life for whom Christ died to give him eternall Marbach 6. But it must be understood that the murtherer was to dye by the hand of the Magistrate it was not lawfull for every one to kill him Iun. For the murther was first to be tried out by witnesses which could not be done but before the Judge Simler QUEST XXXVII In what sense the Lord is said to offer a man into ones hand Vers. 13. IF a man hath not laid wait but God hath offred c. Neither can a man take away the life of another though he doe willingly attempt it unlesse God deliver him into his hands yet this is the difference that where a man intendeth not to kill and yet killeth illic tantùm Deus fecit there God only did it Hîc autem Deus homo propter voluntatem facientis sed non fecit Deus ut homo Here man and God doe it because of the will of him that did it though God otherwise doth it than man So Augustine quaest 79. in Exod. 2. So God is said to offer or as the Hebrew phrase is to cause him to run upon his hand when it is done nolente imprudente homine man not willing nor minding it Iun. And so this act seemeth to be casuall or accidentall unto man which are so called non quia nullam causauâ— habent not because they have no cause for that is impossible that any thing should be done without a cause but because causarum confluentium ordâ— nobis est incognitus the order of causes concurring is unknowne unto us Tostat. 3. Although the cause appeare not to us why the Lord suffred him that is so offred to ones hand to be slaine yet we are not to doubt but that it is most just Ex causa occulta permisit interfici c. God suffred him to be slaine upon some hid cause Lyran. occulta aequitate by an hid equity justo judicio paravit illum occidendum he ordained him to be slaine in his just judgement Cajetan Vel pro sceleribus vel ad emendationem purgationem malorum quae egerat Either for his wickednesse or for the amendment or purging of the evils which he had done Tostat. quaest 15. 4. Rupertus here giveth instance how after this manner Saul was twice delivered into Davids hand in the cave and when he tooke the speare and water pot from him and further saith that permissu legis poterat illum occidere by the suffrance of the Law he might have killed him and gone afterward to some of the Cities of refuge But there is great difference betweene this offring of a man into ones hand here spoken of and that oblation of Davids enemy unto his hand for Moses speaketh here of such an unlooked for event whereby one is slaine that opportunity offred to David was to trie his patience not to give him any warrant to kill and if David had taken that opportunity to slay Saul and had therein followed the carnall counsell of his servants he had sinned in laying his hands upon the Lords anointed for if Davids heart smote him for taking away a peece of Sauls garment how would it have tormented him if he had taken away his life Neither were the Cities of refuge appointed for wilfull murthers such as this should have beene seeing that there was enmity before betweene Saul and David QUEST XXXVIII What places of refuge were appointed I Will appoint him a place to flie unto c. 1. This place during the sojourning of the Israelites in the desert was the Tabernacle as appeareth in the next verse where mention is made of the Altar but after they came into the land of Canaan there were six Cities of refuge appointed three beyond Jordan and three of this side Iun. 2. But yet it seemeth that the Tabernacle afterward and the Temple was still a place of refuge as appeareth by Ioab who fled into the Temple and tooke hold of the hornes of the Altar which notwithstanding could not privilege him QUEST XXXIX Why the Lord appointed places for such to flie unto NOw the reasons why the Lord appointed Cities of refuge were these 1. Lest that the innocent party might be slaine by the friends of him whom he had killed before his cause was heard therefore he was appointed to flie to one of the Cities that the manner of the slaughter might be there considered of by the Judges Simler 2. And to this end it was so appointed that he might stay there to the death of the high Priest Iun. who was a type of our blessed Saviour by whose precious death we are all set free 3. And this was done ut mentem corum hac ratione medeatur c. to heale and allay the minde and fury of those which otherwise would delight in murther Theodoret. For by his absence and in continuance of time the rage of those that sought his life would be qualified and therefore God provideth that they should not be still provoked by the continuall fight of him 4. And further by this that hee which killeth one unwittingly is appointed to flie it is shewed quòd reus poenae efficitur that yet he is guilty of some punishment Theodoret. So that involuntary killing was punished with a kinde of banishment among the Israelites Simler So likewise among the Athenians such kinde of manslaughter was censured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one yeeres exile Galas And so among the Israelites he that escaped unto one of the Cities of refuge was not to goe out of the limits and bounds of the City if he did it was lawfull for the kinsmen of the man that was slaine to kill him Simler QUEST XL. What is to be counted wilfull murther Vers. 14. BVt if a man come praesumptuously c. 1. The word 〈◊〉 signifieth to deale arrogantly insolently to be lift up with swelling pride as Psal. 124.5 it is applied unto the swelling waves of the sea Oleaster and two things must concurre in wilfull murther it must be done wittingly and willingly Hic non solum inâ—â—ntio occidendi sed mentis utraque pars intellectus voluntas describitur Here not only the intention of killing but either part of the minde is understood the understanding in doing it with guile and the will in presuming Cajetane 2. Cajetane thinketh further that this is a divers law from the first generall prohibition of killing vers 12. for here the law speaketh of killing a neighbour or companion there of
because by that Ratio reddebatur de his qua â—nquirebamure A reason was given of those things which were inquired So also Ribera because it was fat idicum it prophesied of things to come Procopius because rationalis animi pars c. the reasonable part of the minde is placed in the heart which the breast-plate covered Vatablâ—s giveth this reason Quia exactaratione consideranda erant c. Because the things therein as the Vrim and Thuâ—miâ—â— were exactly and with deepe reason to be considered of the high Priest But this descanting upon the word is here superfluous seeing the Hebrew word coshen signifieth a pectorall or breast-plate and not as the Septuag and Latine translate 2. It is then called the breast-plate of judgement not as the Hebrewes because the high Priest found therein what the judgement of God was in that matter which was inquired upon for it shall afterward be shewed that the Vrim and Thummius were not given to that end nor yet because the high Priest in all weighty matters of judgement did put on the Ephod with the breast-plate Marbach for by that reason it might as well be called the Ephod of judgement neither because Aaron should in judgement have the people in remembrance when he went into the holy place Oleaster But it was therefore so called for that the high Priest did put it on when he consulted with the Lord about the causes of the people to give right judgement as Numb 27.21 He shall aske counsell for him by the judgement of Vrim before the Lord Iun. QUEST XX. Of the fashion of the breast-plate Vers. 16. FOure-square shall it be The breast-plate is thus described 1. For the manner of workmanship it must be of broidered worke like the Ephod 2. For the matter five things are required to the making thereof as before in the Ephod gold blew silke purple skarlet fine twined linen 3. For the forme and fashion it must be foure square every side of even length as appeareth by the foure orders of the stones and double it must be that it might be of more strength to hold and receive the stones ut firmius substaret auro that it might be the stiffer for the gold and precious stones Pellican 4. For the quantity it was an handbreadth which was halfe a cubit that is twelve fingers for if it had beene but the small handbreadth that is foure fingers it had not beene sufficient to cover the breast before Montan. Ribera Pelargus 5. The ornaments also of the pectorall are set forth which were twelve precious stones set in foure rankes or rowes QUEST XXI Of the twelve precious stones their names colours qualities and congruitie with the twelve Tribes Vers. 27. A Rubie Topaze and a Carbuncle in the first row In the severall application of these stones these foure things shall be observed 1. The name 2. The colour 3. The vertues and qualities 4. The congruity with the tribes of Israel A Rubie The first stone is called odeus of adam which signifieth to wax red Iosephus calleth it the Sardonix the Septuagint the Sardie it is most like to be the Rubie Montan. Genevens 2. The colour of it was red Oleaster as the signification of the word is rather than yellow of the colour of fire as Iunius taketh it for Pyrâ—pus the Carbuncle a precious stone like fire 3. They say it repelleth feare and cheareth and maketh bold Tostat. sharpeneth the wit and stancheth bloud at the nose Magirus 4. This stone they say stood for Ruben Montanus maketh an allusion betweene Ruben and the Rubie but Ribera giveth this reason that as the Sardie is red and somewhat of a fiery colour so he went into his fathers concubine igne libidinis incensus fuit and so was set on fire with concupiscence A Topaze 1. The Hebrew word is pitdah in which there are three radicall or principall letters p t d which being transposed t. p d make topad or topaz not much differing in sound Montan. It is so called of the place where it was found Topasos in Aethiopia Marbach Or the Isle Topazon gave the name to it as Plinie lib. 37. cap. 8. so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seeke because it was much sought for Gloss. interlin would have it called Topazium as if we should say topadium that is of all colour but there is no reason of that etymology 2. Some take it to be of greene colour Montan. And so some of the Hebrewes thinke it to be the Smaragd Ribera out of Plinie lib. 37. cap. 8. alleageth that in greenenesse of colour it exceedeth all other precious stones But it is rather of yellowish colour mixt betweene gold and skie colour Isider Etymol 16. Tostat. Gloss. interlin There are two sorts of it one of the colour of gold which is more precious the other like unto saffron which is of the second sort Marbach And it seemeth to be of yellow colour because Iob 28.19 the Topaze of Aethiopia and the fine gold are named together 3. It is availeable against phrensie and lunacie and melancholy as Diascorides 4. Simeon is resembled to this stone not so much ob animum prasentem for his present and resolute minde which Ribera would have signified by the greene colour as because he was inflamed with ire and rage when he slue the Sichemites A Carbuncle 1. Iosephus with the Septuagint call it the Smaragd so also Iunius Vatabius the Chalde also and Latine Interpreter but that stone is of greene colour it seemeth rather to be the Chrysolitâ— Montan. or the Carbuncle Genevens The word is bareketh derived of barak which signifieth to lighten 2. It was then a precious stone that sparkled and glistred as the lightening which could not be of greene colour though the Smaragd be commended for the exceeding glistering brightnesse in so much that a Romane Emperour is said to have seene in his Smaragd the sword players as they did fight But because barak signifieth lightening as Ezech. 1.13 Out of the fire went barak lightning this stone being named thereof may better be taken for the Carbuncle or Chrysolite 3. The Carbuncle is of such exceeding brightnesse that it giveth light and shineth in the darke 4. Hereunto some resemble Levi Montan Tostat. But it is more like that Levi was omitted because the high Priest of Levi who was to weare this glorious breast-plate might stand for the whole Tribe then Iudah was rather named in the third place Ribera Pelarg. whose royall power streaming glory and princely dignity is more lively set forth in the shining Carbuncle or glistering Chrysolite Pelarg. than in the greene smaragd as Marbach And whereas the Carbuncle is so called of the similitude of fire licèt ignes non sentiant although these stones feele no fire themselves Plin. 37.7 by this property Messiah the Prince of Juda is shadowed forth who in that respect may be called apyrotus not to be vanquished or overcome with
sint lapides vel capienda sit quaedam duorum nominum quasi intabella inscriptio It is uncertaine whether other stones are here to be understood or wee may take it for a certaine inscription of these two names in a table c. These two latter opinions I put together that it is like these Vrim and Thummim were written in some precious matter not made by art but prepared of God and given to Moses who put them within the breast-plate So Gallasius resolveth Diversum aliquid fuisse à lapidibus catonis minimè dubium est It is without doubt that they were a divers thing from the stones and chaines and what if wee say that these names Vrim and Thummim inscripta fuisse intra pectorale were written within the pectorall QUEST XXVIII How judgement was given by the Vrim and Thummim NOw it will be further inquired how the Lord made answer and the Priest consulted with God by Vrim and Thummim 1. Iosephus thinketh that when the Lord promised good successe to his people the stones shined extraordinarily but he saith Desiit tam essen quam Sardonix fulgorem emittere c. As well the Pectorall which he calleth the essen or rather choshen which is the Hebrew name for the Pectorall and the Sardonix stone upon the right shoulder which used to shine extraordinarily as often as the high Priest sacrificed did cease to send forth such brightnesse and that two hundred yeeres before his time which Tostatus thinketh was in the time of the Macchabees as he doth gather out of that place 1 Macchab. 4.46 where it is said that they laid up the stones of the Altar upon the mountaine of the Temple till there should come a Prophet to shew what should bee done with them It is like then they wanted that direction to know the Lords will by the shining of the stones Tostat. qu. 15. But I thinke it more probable with Montanus that the Vrim and Thummim was lost in the captivity as also the Arke tables of stone Aarons Rod and the pot of Manna as also thinketh Burgens addit 2. And as may appeare Ezra 2.63 that after the captivity they had no Priest with the Vrim and Thummim The Priest which met Alexander in his glorious apparell might have precious stones in his breast without the Vrim and Thummim 2. Ab. Ezra thinketh that they used to write the thing inquired upon in a peece of paper and so put it within the breast-plate upon the Vrim and Thummim and there they should finde written an answer of their question and demand But it is evident that the Lord when he was consulted with answered by voice 1 Sam. 23.11 3. Suidas thinketh that when the Lord granted their petition the Adamant shined extraordinarily if not nihil accedebat ad solitum lapidis fulgâ—rem nothing was added to the usuall brightnesse of the stone and when the Lord threatned warre pestilence or famine the stone had the colour of bloud But it is shewed before that the Vrim and Thummim was no such stone 4. Hugo de S. Victor thinketh there were certaine characters of letters quibus projectis ex literarum junctura desâ—per apparenâ—ium c. by the casting whereof and the joyning together of certaine letters it appeared what was to be done But the Vrim and Thummim was no such uncertaine conjunction of letters but some certaine glorious thing put into the Pectorall as is before shewed 5. Montanus thinketh that the Vrim and Thummim inde proferebantur were taken out of the Pectorall when any answer was to be given and that the Priest by the inspection thereof had his direction But it is not like after Moses there put them that they were taken out as Tostatus well thinketh Oportebateas educere è plicatura rationalis quòd non conveniebat c. That it was not convenient to draw them out from the folding of the Pectorall 6. Nehemonides is of opinion that the answer given by Vrim and Thummim was madregeh a certaine degree and instinct of the Spirit inferiour to prophecie yet of an higher nature than nathkol the voice which came from heaven Ex Pelarg. Ribera also thinketh beside the brightnesse of the stones that the Priest ad prasentiam rationalis spiritum prophetiae accipiebat at the presence of the Pectorall received the spirit of prophecie But for the Lord to answer by Vrim and by Prophets were two distinct things 1 Sam. 28.6 the Lord would not answer Saul neither by dreames by Vrim nor by Prophets 7. Wherefore it is most like though this be not certainly determined in Scripture that the Lord when the Priest asked counsell of God by Vrim made answer by voice As when David asked of God by the Priest that had the Ephod whether Saul would come downe and whether the Lords of Keilah would deliver him into his hands the Lord answered to both his questions that Saul would come downe and that the other would deliver him So 1 Sam. 30.8 David asked counsell of the Lord saying Shall I follow after this companie shall I overtake them and the Lord answered Follow for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover all Hence Tostatus well inferreth Non fiebat inquisitio in aliqua lamina sed à Deo inquirebatur veritas There was no inquisition made in any such place but the truth was inquired of God quaest 12. Ribera also useth this reason that seeing God answered to every point it was necessary there should be some voice heard Nam fulgor gemmarum tot tantaque minuta declarare non potuit c. For the brightnesse of the precious stones could not declare such and so many small particulars God used then to answer the high Priest by voice as Numb 7.89 When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the congregation to speake with God hee heard the voice of one speaking unto him from the mercie seat But it will then be asked if the Priest discerned not the Lords will by the Vrim why is it called the Vrim of judgement and what use was there of it I answer that it was so called not of the effect as though by the inspection of the Vrim hee gave judgement but ex consequenti by a consequent because the Lord onely vouchsafed to give judgement in the cause enquired of by the Priest when he applied the Pectorall with the Vrim and Thummim which was ordained to be a type of Christ the true and perfect light to signifie that in him all wisdome dwelleth and that by him only the will of God is revealed to us Calvin And this further may serve as a proofe thereof that it is like if there had beene any reall demonstration in the stones of Gods will that meanes had beene certaine and perpetuall and never failed But it was otherwise for God answered not Saul by Vrim and in Iosias time who was a vertuous King the high Priest Hilkiah enquired Gods will of the Prophetesse Huldah which he needed
not to have done if he might have knowne Gods will by looking into Vrim The Lord therefore onely when it pleased him made answer by Vrim which sheweth that it was by voice rather than by any usuall signification appearing in the precious stones or Vrim QUEST XXIX Whether the high Priest used to aske counsell of God by the Vrim or Ephod and what Ephod it was BUt it is said that the Priest applied the Ephod not Vrim when he asked counsell of the Lord for David 1. The reason thereof is because the Ephod wherein the Vrim and Thummim were was tied fast unto the Pectorall and the Pectorall unto the Ephod so that the one was not loosed from the other as it is said here vers 28. So then by applying the Ephod the Pectorall Vrim and all were applied together 2. Neither is this to bee understood of the ordinary and common Ephod such as the inferiour Priests did weare as Saul put to the sword in one day 85. persons that did weare a linen Ephod but it was the glorious Ephod which was set with the foure rowes of the precious stones peculiar onely to the high Priest for Abimelech the high Priest being dead the right of the Priesthood descended by succession unto Abiathar his sonne who escaping from that danger as hee fled tooke the Ephod out of the Tabernacle at Nob and brought it with him to David 1 Sam. 26.6 where it is not called a linen Ephod as before where the Priests are said to have worne lined Ephods but simply the Ephod Tostat. quaest 15. wherein Gods providence appeared that the right Ephod should be preserved and kept with David the true King Genevens and that he might have meanes to consult with God in all his dangers QUEST XXX Of the mysticall application of the priestly pectorall with the Vrim and Thummim NOw the mysticall signification of the Pectorall with the Vrim and Thummim followeth First I will omit the curious significations which are brought by some as being impertinent and superfluous 1. As Iosephus and Philo by the breast-plate understand the Zodiake by the twelve precious stones the twelve signes in the Zodiake and the twelve moneths of the yeere which application Hierome himselfe seemeth not much to mislike 2. Hierome by the foure rowes of precious stones would have signified the foure morall vertues Prudence Fortitude Iustice Temperance Epist. ad Fabiâ—l 3. Beda thus applieth them that as there were foure order of stones and in every of them three so In quatuor virtutibus sancta Trinitatis fidem teneamus That wee should professe and hold the faith of the Trinity joyned with the foure morall vertues 4. Gregorie by the twelve stones containing the names of the twelve Patriarkes insinuateth thus Ascriptos patres semper in pectore ferre est antiquorum vitam sinâ— intermissione cogitare To beare the fathers written in the breast is alwayes to thinke of the life of those which are gone before Secondly there are fitter applications than these To omit the rest 1. Hierome by the twelve precious stones understandeth the twelve Apostles by whom the Church was inlightened and upon whose doctrine the Church of God was founded as the twelve Apostles are set forth by these twelve precious stones Apocal. 21. So also Gregorie Sancti Apostoli lapides sant ornamenti in pectore The holy Apostles are the stones of ornament in the breast 2. As the Vrim and Thummim was put unto the precious stones it signifieth Christum esse conversari cum sanctis that Christ is conversant with his Saints Procopius 3. Rupertus understandeth it thus that as the Priest did beare two stones on his shoulders and twelve in the breast-plate of judgement so Christ cunctorum super humeros peccata portavit carried the sinnes of all upon his shoulders and in judgement shall give unto every one according to his workes by the twelve stones signifying the divers mansion places in the kingdome of heaven 4. The Vrim that is interpreted light shewed that in Christo sunt reconditi omnes thesauri scientia sapientiae in Christ are laid up all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and Thummim which betokeneth perfection symbolum fuit perfectae puritatis c. was as signe or symboll of perfect purity which is to be sought only in Christ Calvin So also Marbach 5. So both those doe signifie that extra Christum nihil aliud nisi tenebrae peccatum without Christ there is nothing but darknesse and sinne he is our illumination and perfection Gallas 6. As the two stones each of them having six names were upon the Priests shoulders and the twelve stones with their particular names in his breast so Christ non gestat solum electos in humeris per potentiam sed in pectore per dilectionem doth not only beare his elect in his shoulders by his power but by love and dilection in his breast neither this in generall but every of their names are there written so singuli fideles c. the faithfull in particular are for ever written in Christs breast Ferus 7. As there are two offices of the Mediatour one to reconcile us unto God the other to communicate the mercies of God unto us so both these functions of the Mediatour are here shadowed forth As the Priest did beare the names of the tribes in his breast so Christ doth present the Church in the sight of his Father and as there was Vrim and Thummim beside so Christ from God communicateth unto us all illumination and perfection hee is both our wisdome and righteousnesse Iun. in Analys Piscator 8. And that Christ was prefigured by the Vrim and Thummim this may be a reason because in the second Temple they were wanting as likewise the Arke with other things Id agente Deo c. God so providing ut sanctiorum rerum desiderio afficerentur c. that they might long for more holy things which should be offered in the new Testament Montan. QUEST XXXI Of the robe of the Ephod the fashion and matter thereof Vers. 31. THou shalt make the robe of the Ephod 1. The word is meghil which Montanus saith was of two sorts there was one common as well to the Priests as others a civill kinde of garment answering unto the Greekish gowne or Romane cloake which was a loose and open garment there was another called the robe of the Ephod peculiar onely to the high Priest which was whole round about saving only a place for the head and armes so also Ribera thinketh that meghil was as the cloake and outward garment and that chetonez the coat differed from meghil as with the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Romanes tunica and pallium the coat and cloake as our Saviour saith Hee that will take away thy coat let him have thy cloake also But Oleaster thinketh rather that this was a strait coat for loose garments were not so fit
they saw a few for examples sake to be punished among such a great multitude 3. They which were penitent it is like kept them within sorrowing for their sinne the busie-bodies and carelesse people went up and downe in the streets whom the Levites as they met killed QUEST LXXI Why nonâ— came unto Moses but only of the tribe of Levi. Vers. 28. SO the children of Levi did c. 1. Some thinke that others which feared God in the campe might joyne themselves also unto the Levites who might be spared Gallasius But the text saith vers 26. that they were all Levites that came unto Moses there were none then but of Levi to whom Moses gave this thing in charge 2. Calvin saith Credibile est Levitas nominatim fuisse vocatos It is credible that the Levites were called by name which is the cause that none of any other tribe came But Moses proclamation was generall Who so pertaineth to the Lord let him come unto mee 3. Therefore this rather may be the cause why none of any other Tribe came though it is not to bee doubted that some among them feared God and were not polluted with this sinne of idolatry yet because they were not many of a Tribe it is like being ashamed of their paucity and small number they did forbeare to shew themselves likewise this was done singulari Dei consilio tractu by the singular counsell and instinct of God who drew the Levites unto him and put it in their minde to come that because the Lord had already appointed them for the Priesthood voluit Deus aliquo singulari facto eos reddere sacerdotio dignos God would by some singular fact make them worthy of the Priesthood and that by their zeale Aarons fall might be somewhat covered Simler And by this meanes eluitur infamia ipsi Levi posteris inusta c. that blot and infamy is done away which did cleave unto Levi and his posterity for the slaughter of the Sichemites for the which he received a curse of Iacob in stead of a blessing which curse is now taken away and they are rewarded and honoured of God for this their zeale for the which Moses pronounceth a blessing upon them Deut. 33.8 Gallas QUEST LXXII Of the number of them which were slaine whether they were three thousand or twenty three thousand as the vulgar Latine readeth Vers. 28. ABout three thousand men 1. The vulgar Latine text readeth after some copies which Lyranus and Tostatus follow 23. thousand after other triginta tria millia 33. thousand as Vatablus and Osiander set downe the Latine text which oversight of the Latine Translater is diversly defended 1. Some thinke that the Hebrew text making mention but of three thousand meaneth the principall only which were slaine the Latine in the number of 23. thousand comprehendeth the number of the whole 2. Rab. Salomon thinketh that there were divers slaughters of the people some died of drinking the bitter water others were slaine by the Levites and some were smitten and plagued of God and that all these are summed together in the number of 23. thousand those which the Levites only killed were three thousand So also Ferus But if all this should be granted yet cannot the Latine Translater be excused in setting downe 23. thousand whereas three thousand only are named in the originall 3. Tostatus alleageth that whereas the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cishlosheth as three thousand the first letter caph which is used for a note of similitude may here stand for number of twenty But he himselfe misliketh this answer because neither is it the use of the Hebrewes to set downe their numbers by letters the Greekes and Latines doe and beside the Latine text doth expresse here a note of similitude quasi as it were or about 23. thousand 4. Wherefore Tostatus resolute answer is that in this place the Hebrew text is corrupt and that the Latine is the truer as the Talmudists themselves confesse that in fifteene places the Hebrew text is corrupt per errorem scriptorum by the errour of the Writers But this is a very absurd shift rather than they will acknowledge any errour oâ— oversight in the Latine to lay the fault upon the originall 1. Both the Septuagint and Chalde doe reade in this place three thousand which translations are more ancient than the Latine therefore in the originall the errour is not 2. There may be some scapes in the originall by the ignorance or negligence of the Writers as in the mistaking of a letter or such like but to put in one word for another both of unlike signification and sound cannot be the Writers errour as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shelosheth signifieth three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 geserim twenty there is no affinity betweene these words 3. The Latine translation hath many such like scapes as Gen. 8.4 whereas the Hebrew hath the seventeenth day of the moneth the Latine readeth the seven and twentieth and many such places may be noted in the Latine which cannot be justified as is elsewhere shewed at large As therefore it erreth in one place so it may be subject to errour in another 4. And how should the Latine text come to be privileged from errour the writings of the Prophets only which were directed by the Spirit of God have that privilege but the Latine Translater had not a Propheticall spirit 5. The Hebrew is more ancient than the Latine and the Latine is translated out of the Hebrew fountaine and the Jewes have beene most carefull to preserve the originall copies pure therefore in all likelihood the Latine is more subject to corruption than the Hebrew 2. Wherefore the ingennous modesty rather of those Popish Writers is here to be commended which confesse the Latine text here to be corrupted as Montanus who hath herein amended the Latine and Cajetanus Vatablus Lippom. Whereof this is an evident argument because the Latine copies disagree some have triginta tria millia 33. thousand some viginti tria â—3 thousand as is before shewed some tria millia three thousand as that which Montanus followeth in the great Philips Bible QUEST LXXIII How the Levites are said to consecrate their hands Vers. 29. COnsecrate your hands unto the Lord c. 1. The Latine Translater readeth Consecrastis manus Ye have consecrated but it being put in the imperative moode consecrate yee sheweth that these words were spoken not after the slaughter was made but either before to incourage the Levites Vatablus Calvine Cajetane or while they were in the act doing Moses by these words animated them Iunius 2. By consecrating their hands 1. Tostatus understandeth that as in their consecration their right thumbes and toes were anointed with bloud so now by shedding of bloud they should be consecrate and as it were initiate in the Priesthood 2. But the meaning is nothing but this that this their service should be instar sacrificii acceptable to God
untill the time of Israels departure out of Egypt are just 430. yeeres as is shewed before quest 56. 6. Wherefore the best computation of all is to begin the 430. yeere from the 75. yeere of Abrahams age when hee came into the land of Canaan both because while hee remained with his father and kindred in Haran he could not be said to sojourne or be a stranger and for that if we begin the account before the 75. yeere of Abrahams age there will arise more than 430. yeeres Thus Iosephus reckoneth these 430. yeeres Postquam Abraham in Canaan venit After Abraham came into the land of Canaan so also Eusebius A septuagesimo quinto anno Abrahae usque ad egressum Hebraeorum ex Aegyptâ— supputanâ—ur anni quadringenti triginta From the seventy five yeere of Abraham unto the going of the Hebrewes out of Egypt are counted foure hundred thirty yeeres and this computation Augustine followeth quaest 47. in Exod. QUEST LXII When the terme of 430 yeeres ended AS we have seene where this terme of 430. yeeres must take beginning so it is to be considered when they were to determine and end 1. Epiphanius hath here a singular conceit by himselfe who extendeth these 430. yeeres unto the time of the Israelites entring into the land of Canaan as Pererius thus collecteth Epiphanius terminat in eo tempore quo terram promissionis intrarant Epiphanius doth determine them at that time when they entred into the land of promise But this cannot be for the Israelites continued 40. yeeres in the desert before they were admitted to the possession of Canaan Epiphanius saith they were in the desert 50. yeeres but he is therin also deceived if this terme of 40. yeeres be comprehended in the 430. yeeres it will follow that from Iacobs comming downe into Egypt untill the Israelites returne from thence are not above 175. yeeres which were indeed 215. yeeres as is shewed before quest 56. 2. Therefore these 430. yeeres doe determine and expire at the very time of the Israelites departure out of Egypt as Moses here saith When the 430. yeeres were expired even the selfe same day departed all the hostes of the Lord out of the land of Egypt And S. Paul also extendeth these yeeres but unto the giving of the Law in mount Sinai Gal. 3.17 Thus Eusebius and Augustine following him quaest 47. in Exod. define these yeeres so also Iun. Simler Osiander Pererius Ferus with others QUEST LXIII How the terme of 400. yeeres foretold to Abraham and Moses summe of 430. yeeres doe agree together NOw whereas the Lord telleth Abraham that his seed should be a stranger in a land not theirs and be evill entreated 400. yeeres Gen. 15.13 and the same is repeated by S. Stephen Acts 7.6 that summe of yeeres very well agreeth with this number of 430. for this summe beginneth at Abrahams first comming into Canaan when he was 75. yeeres old 25. yeeres before the birth of Isaack for there the Lord speaketh of the sojourning and hard usage of his seede and even then the first manifest affliction of Abrahams seede in Isaack began by Ismael of Agar the Egyptian 2. But from Isaacks birth unto the going downe of Iacob into Egypt are in precise account 220. yeeres and so the whole time is 405. yeeres from Isaacks birth unto the going out of Israel from Egypt for if from Abrahams 75. yeere there are 430. yeeres from Abrahams 100. yeere when Isaack was borne are 405. yeeres to make the summe even the od 5. yeeres are omitted which thing is not unusuall in Scripture as in one place David is said to have reigned in Hebron 7. yeeres and 6. moneths 2. Sam 5.5 in another place the yeeres of his reigne in Hebron are counted 7. yeere even and in Jerusalem 33. yeeres 40. yeere in all 1. King 2.11 the odde moneths are omitted Augustine also hereof thus writeth Non mirum si quaâ—ringentos quinque annos sumae solidae quadringenâ—es voluit appellare scriptura c. No marvell if the Scripture call 405. yeeres in one round summe 400. yeere which useth so to set downe the times that what is over or under the perfâ—ct number is not counted quaest 47. in Exod. Hence then both Lyranus and Cajetane are found to bee in an error who therein following some Hebrewes doe account but 210. yeeres for the time of the Israelites abode in Egypt reckoning but 400. yeeres strictly from Isaacks birth unto the departure of Israel out of Egypt 3. But Procopius would thus reconcile these two summes he would have both the 400. yeeres and the 430. begin together and that the Lord saith not that after 400. yeeres expired the Israelites should returne but simply after 400. yeeres so that the other 30. yeeres also may bee included M. Calvin also somewhat to the same effect saith Restabant plures anni quà m quadringenti nempe viginti vel circiter There remained more yeeres than foure hundred as twenty or thereabout but because the Lord purposed onely to prepare them unto patience he defineth not a certaine number of yeeres But herein is their error they would extend these 400. yeeres beyond the time of their deliverance out of Egypt whereas the Lord setting the end of this time saith The nation whom they shall serve will I judge and afterward shall they come 〈◊〉 with great substance Gen. 15.14 then immediately after the expiration of these 400. yeeres the Israelites must come forth of the land of their bondage with great substance QUEST LXIV When the 400. yeeres prefixed to Abraham must take their beginning NOw concerning the beginning of these 430. yeeres here commeth to be examined and discussed a singular and private opinion of Zeiglerus who beginneth the account of these 430. yeeres from the 10. yeere of Abrahams sojourning in Canaan 15. yeeres before the birth of Isaac and he endeth them in the tenth yeere of Moses exile in the land of Midian where he continued 40. yeeres when hee saith the captivity of Israel should have ceased but because Moses would have prevented the time and delivered Israel ten yeeres before when he slew the Egyptian the Lord did punish his presumption with 40. yeeres exile and deferred the deliverance of Israel 30. yeeres longer both to fulfill the 40. yeeres of his penance and because the Lord purposed to appoint no other Captaine of his people but Moses Thus we reade that the Lord hath observed this proportion and number of forty at other times also for the time of penance as the Israelites wandred 40. yeeres in the wildernesse it rained 40. dayes upon the old world 40. dayes are set for the repentance of Niniveh sic Zeigler Contra. 1. This terme of 400. yeeres limited for the sojourning and servitude of Abrahams seede cannot begin before Abraham had seede and therefore not 15. yeeres before the birth of Isaac 2. Gods purpose and determination altereth not mans infirmity cannot make the counsell of God of none effect therefore
seeing the Lord who foreseeth all things did set unto Abraham this terme of 400. yeeres â—ee no doubt most faithfully kept his promise and as he had decreed so after 400. yeeres expired he delivered his seede from their oppressors 3. Moses act in killing the Egyptian was an act of faith not of presumption as both S. Stephen witnesseth Acts 7.25 Hee supposed 〈◊〉 brethren would have understood that God by his hand should give them deliverance as also the Apostle to the Heb. 11.25 By faith Moses when hee was come to age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God and againe vers 27. By faith he forsooke Egypt c. If Moses then of faith shewed himselfe to be the deliverer of his people as when he killed the Egyptian and cares not for the favour and honour of Pharaohs court then was it not a presumptuous act for the which he should be punished 4. And how standeth it with Gods justice to punish all the people of Israel with the captivity of 30. yeeres longer for the sinne and presumption of one man if Moses had offended and trespassed therein 5. Neither is that observation of forty perpetuall neither David for his sinne nor Peter for his deniall of Christ nor the incestuous young man among the Corinthians were injoyned any such time of penance and Nebuchadnezzars time of repentance farre exceeded this proportion which continued seven yeeres Dan. 4.20 for true repentance is not measured by the number of dayes but by the weight of the contrition and sorrow of heart neither is it found in Scripture that any one man had 40. dayes penance imposed upon him There was another reason of the 40. yeeres wandring of Israel in the desert for according to the time wherein the spies searched the land which was 40. dayes they have a yeere set for a day for the punishment of the sinne of the spies in raising a slander upon that good land all but Caleb and Iosuah and of the people in giving no credit unto them see Numb 14.34 QUEST LXV The time of the Hebrewes departure out of Egypt compared with the Chronology of the Heathen NOw in the last place it shall bee declared how this time of the departing of Israel agreeth with the â—orren computations according to the Chronology of the Heathen 1. They therefore observe five notable periods of times from whence they use to make supputation of their yeeres from the monarchy of Ninus and Semiramis in Abrahams time from the floud of Ogyges and from Inachus and Phâ—râ—neus about the time of the Patriarke Iacob from the battell of Troy which fell out in Sampsons dayes or under Helâ— the high Priest from the beginning of the Olympiades which began in the 8. yeere of the reigne of Ahaz from the building of Rome in the 1. yeere of the seventh Olympiade which concurreth with the 16. yeere of the reigne of Hesekiah 2. According then to these divers kindes of computations there are also divers opinions concerning the time of Israels departure out of Egypt Apion the Gramarian a professed adversary to the Jewes against whom Iosephus wrote two bookes will have Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt in the time of the seventh Olympiade when the City Carthage was built by the Tyrians in Africa thus Iosephus reporteth the opinion of Apion in his 2. booke But this to bee apparantly false Iosephus sheweth proving that the Temple of Salomon was built 143. yeeres before Carthage and the Israelites came out of Egypt 480. yeeres before that 1. King 6.1 so that their leaving of Egypt was above 600. yeeres before the building of Carthage 3. As Apion commeth farre short in his computation so Porphyrius goeth as much beyond who in the fourth booke of those which hee wrote against the Christians will have Moses to be before the times of Semiramis which is a grosse error for it is without all question that Abraham was borne under the monarchy of Ninus and from Abrahams birth untill the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt are 505. yeeres whereof an 100. are counted from Abrahams birth to Isaacs and 405. from thence unto Israels redemption as hath beene shewed 4. Lactantius lib. 4. cap. 5. thinketh that Moses was 900. yeeres before the battell of Troy whereas it will be found that he was only 356. yeeres or thereabout elder than those times 5. Manethon an ancient Writer of the Egyptian affaires maketh Moses more ancient by 393. yeeres than when Danaus went to Argos that is about a thousand yeeres before the battell of Troy But that cannot bee seeing the Trojan warre is held to have beene in the time of Sampson or Helâ— not above 356. yeeres after the returne of the Hebrewes out of Egypt 6. Some Christian Writers thinke that the Hebrewes were delivered out of the Egyptian Captivity in the time of Ogyges floud as Iustinus Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus 1. lib. Stromatum Iulian Africanus But that is not like for the same Iulian African by the testimony of divers Heathen Writers sheweth that Ogyges floud was 1020. yeeres before the beginning of the Olympiades But from the departure of Israel out of Egypt untill the Olympiades began which was in the 8. yeere of the reigne of Ahaz are counted but 760. yeere or thereabout so that Moses should bee above two hundred and fifty yeeres after Ogyges floud 7. This is then the right computation compared with the Chronology of the Heathen that the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was 356. yeere before the Trojan battell and 764. yeeres before the Olympiades 788. yeeres before the building of Rome 910. yeeres before the Captivity of Babylon 980. yeeres before the reigne of Cyrus 1200. yeeres before Alexander the Great 1496. yeeres before Herod under whose reigne Christ was borne And according to the sacred Chronologie this redemption of Israel from the Egyptian bondage was 2453. yeeres after the creation of the world 797. yeeres after Noahs floud 505. yeeres after the death of the Patriarke Ioseph 480. yeeres before the building of Salomons Temple and 1536. yeeres before the birth of our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus Ex Perer. 4. Places of doctrine 1. Doct. How the Lords holy dayes should be kept Vers. 16. IN the first day shall be an holy convocation The word is mikra which also signifieth reading which sheweth how holy and festivall dayes ought to be spent in assembling the people together and in reading and preaching unto them the mercies and benefits of God Pellican And this was the use among the people of God as S. Peter saith Moses hath of old time them that preach him in every City seeing he is read in the Synagogues every Sabbath 2. Doct. A particular application of our redemption by Christs death needfull Vers. 21. CHuse out of every of your households a lambe God would as it were by a speciall application have every private house and family