JOELS Prophesie the son of Pethuel HE Prophesied in the year 3239. That the Israelites should be carried captives into Assyria he exhorts them to repentance and promiseth mercy to them that are penitent 480. Joel 1. 13. Chap. 2. 12. Turn you unto me with fasting with weeping and with mourning Mat. 6. 17. When thou fastest anoint thy head and wash thy face that thou seem not to fast before men Christ discommends not private or publick fastings but he taxeth the hypocrisie of the Pharisees in their fasts for godly people must not sound a trumpet but be content to have God the witnesse of their works 481. Joel 2. 14. Who knoweth whether God will return and repent and pardon us Jam. 1. 6. He that doubts is like a wave of the sea Who knoweth belongs not to remission of sins but removing of punishment for that is to be prayed for upon condition of the will of God and our good 482. Joel 2. 28. Isai 44. 3. And it shall come to passe after this that I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh 2 Sam. 23. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost Joel speaks of the state of the Church after the coming of Messias and of the comparing of the spirituall gifts of the Jewish and Christian members of the Church And he teacheth that after the Messias shall be come the spirituall gifts of God shall be greater amongst all men but not that all under the new Testament should have the gift of Prophesie The latter places are of publick and ordinary prophesie 483. Joel 2. 32. Whosoever cals upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered Heb. 6. 4. Chap. 10. 26. They that are once enlightned if they fall they cannot be restored The first place speaks of the faithfull who call on the Lords name in faith The latter concerning Apostates that sin against the holy Ghost who have neither faith nor true prayer though they pray with their lips for they do it not sincerely and therefore their prayers are an abomination to God 484. Joel 3. 20. But Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from generation to generation Amos 9. 11. The Tabernacle of David is fallen down Mat. 24. 1. Act. 15. 16. The promises of the perpetuity of the Temple and Kingdome of Judah belong not to the building and wals of the City or the civill kingdome but to the perpetuity of the Kingdome of Christ and his Church against which the gates of hell shall never be able to prevail and they are conditionall upon their faith obedience and purity of Divine worship AMOS his Prophesie WHo was of the common people amongst the heardsmen of Tekoa He prophesieth of the wrath of God to the Kings and Kingdomes of Judah and Israel and he threatens Famine Sword Pestilence devastation and ruine to the neighbours who were enemies to Gods people He prophesied in the year 3153 in the dayes of Josiah King of Judah 485. Amos 1. 3. 6. 9. 11. 13. Chap. 2. 1. 4. 6. For three transgressions and for four I will not spare And at length he reckons but one It is a periphrasis of the seventh number which three and four do make which is called a perfect number in the Scriptures and a certain number is put for an uncertain as if he would have said For many iniquities I will not spare those Nations 486. Amos 5. 21. I hate I despise your feast dayes Exod. 20. 8. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day God hated the feasts and solemnities of the Israelites because they were defiled with humane traditions and a Pharisaicall opinion of merit But he doth not despise the Sabbaths appointed by himself and feasts which are kept at his command 487. Amos 5. 18. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord that day of the Lord is darknesse Mat. 6. 10. Thy Kingdome come Chap. 24. 30. Let it come with glory The Prophet speaks of the day of Judgement of this world which hypocrites desire who look to be justified in their works and not of the last judgement which godly men ought to pray for and to cry without ceasing Come Rev. 22. Lord Jesus 488. Amos 5. 26. But ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch and the images of your Idols the star of your God Rempham the statutes of your Gods which you made for your selves I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus Act. 7. 43. You took up the Tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your God Rempham figures which you made to worship them and I will carry you beyond Babylon Stephen cites this Prophesie though in divers Rom. 16. 19 1 Eâ—d 8. 17. words yet in the same sense so Christ and his Apostles cite other places of the old Testament Moloch and Rempham were the Idols of the Ammonites The Israelites of Damascus by Cyromedia were carryed further into Persia and the Countrey of the Caspians beyond Babylon 489. Amos 8. 14. They shall fall and never rise up again 1 Cor. 11. 22. We shall all rise The first place speaks of a resurrection from sin to grace or from death to life which is denyed to impenitent sinners But the latter speaks of the generall resurrection of our bodies at the last day OBADIAHS Prophesie HE Prophesieth against the Idumeans He comforteth the Jewes and promiseth grace and help to the people of God He prophesied in the year 3337. 490. Obad. v. 15. As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee Revel 18. 6. Double unto her double In both places is manifested the just revenge of God he is commanded to mix double for Babylon according to her works thereby to shew that the kingdome of Antichrist shall be most miserably destroyed and trod down 491. Obad. v. 21. And Saviours shall come upon mount Sion Mat. 1. 21. Jesus shall save his people from their sins The Prophet means ministeriall Saviours that is the Apostles and other Ministers of the Jer. 3. 18. 1 Tim. 4. 16. Jam. 5. 20. Isa 53. 11. Joh. 1. 29. Ephes 1. 7. Church who do serve for the salvation of those that believe in Christ by the ministery of the word and not by the merit of their works and these turning sinners from their evill wayes do save their souls from death Christ Jesus is the only Saviour who takes away the sins of the world in whom we have redemption by his bloud and remission of our sins according to the riches of his grace nor is there salvation in any other Act. 4. 12. JONAS Prophesie THe son of Amittai of the tribe of Zebulon He was sent to Nineve the Metropolis of Assyria to preach First when he refused he was cast into the sea swallowed by a fish and the third day he was cast on the shoar then being sent again to Nineve he was angry because God spared them upon their repentance therefore he was reprehended by God He
5. Deuteronomie GENESIS THe Generation of the World is so called because of the Creation before the flood and the restoring of it after the flood and the administration of it by the Patriarchs unto the birth of Moses it containes the history of 2310. years The Places that are seemingly contradictory 1. Gen. 1. 22. And on the seventh day God ended his work Chap. 2. 4. All things were created in the day that the Lord God made the heavens and the earth Reconciling God created the world and all things therein contained in six days and not in one day altogether The first place therefore is meant of certain naturall and artificiall dayes The latter containes indefinitely the time of the Psal 95. 7. Heb. 3. 13. creation of things So this day is put for the time of grace 2. Gen. 1. 2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Joh. 7. 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given In the first place the treaty is concerning the person and existence of the holy Ghost in the latter concerning the gifts of the holy Ghost and the miraculous powring forth thereof in the day of Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ 3. Gen. 1. 5. God called the light day before the Sun was Ecclus. 43. 2. The Sun when it appeareth declareth the day The light which first made the day was not an other light from the light of the Sun but that light which God had dispersed through the hemisphere which he collected afterwards into the body of the Sun 4. Gen 1. 27. 9. 6. God created man after his own image Chap. 5. 3. And Adam begat a son in his own likenesse after his image The Image of God after which God created man at the beginning was depraved by the fall of Adam and so he begat such a son as himself a corrupt sinner and blind in spirituall things 5. Gen. 1. 27. God created man c. in the image of God male and female created he them 1 Cor. 11. 7. The man is the image and glory of God but the woman is the glory of the man The woman was created in the beginning 1 Pet. 3. 6. Gen. 24. 9. after the image of God so well as the man Paul considering the distinction of sex saith that the man came nearer to the image of God in respect of his dominion and the end because the woman wes made out of the man and for the man 6. Gen. 1. 2. 9. 1. Be fruitfull and multiplie and replenish the earth Luk. 23. 29. Blessed are the barren and the wombes that never bare Children before and since the fall are a blessing from God absolutely Barrennesse is commended by Christ not simply but by reason of a judgement was to fall upon the Jews and of that heavy calamity to ensue wherein the flight would be easier for one alone then for a mother and her little ones so Woe be to them that are with childe and to them which give Mat. 24. 19. suck in those days 7. Gen. 1. 28. Multiply and replenish the earth 1 Cor. 7. 7. For I would that all men were even as I my self Whether Paul were then a Batchelor or a maried man is uncertain that he was maried his words imply where he saith Have not we power to lead about a Sister or a woman a wife as well as the other Apostles otherwise he had not been sure of a wife If he were a Batchelor he speaks conditionally unlesse the propagation of mankind and of the Church should be hindred 8. Gen. 1. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Eccles 1. 2. Vanity of vanities all is vanity All the Creatures are good in respect of the creation and their nature but Ecclesiastes condemns their vain and evill inclination which is not naturall to them but came upon them by the fall of man 9. Gen. 1. 31. All that God made was very good Rom. 8. 20. For the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope Before the fall every creature was in a better condition then after the fall for contrary to nature they are become subject to the lust of wicked men and so to many afflictions by reason of him who hath subjected the creature that is God under this hope that it shall be at last delivered from the tyranny of the wicked 10. Gen. 1. 31. God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Mal. 1. 3. I hated Esau Every creature of God is good and so is Quaest ex Epist ad Rom. Man as he is a creature but not as a sinner saith August God therefore hated Esau for his sin and set him after his brother Jacob. 11. Gen. 2. 2. God rested from all his works Exod. 20. 11. Deut. 14. that he had made Joh. 5. 17. 14. 10. My Father worketh hitherto God rested from all the works of creation and of things that should be in nature but not from his works of Providence care and sustentation for without that all would return to Psal 104. Act. 17. nothing and perish 12. Gen. 2. 15. God put man into the garden of Eden to dresse it Chap. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread If Adam had continued in innocency labour should have been pleasant unto him but because he sinned therefore must we labour with much sorrow and trouble 13. Gen. 2. 18. It is not good that the man should be alone Mat. 19. 10. It is not good to marry 1 Cor. 7. To touch a woman In the first place God speaks of the good and profit of the whole Species and the Church which cannot be propagated by one person alone In the latter the Apostle speaks of the personall good and the more commodious kind of life in the time of persecution 14. Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his Father and Mother Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother To leave Father and Mother here is not to denie them the honour love and help that is due to them but to leave the house of his parents and to live with his wife and to set up a new family with her 15. Gen. 2. 24. A man shall cleave to his wife Exod. 21. 4. The servant going forth shall leave his wife to his master c. The generall Law pertains to all that is the first but the speciall law was granted to the Jews for the hardnesse of their hearts and so we understand the latter place 16. Gen. 2. 24. Mat. 19. 5. And they shall be one flesh 1 Cor. 6. 16. He that is joyned to a harlot is one body Married people are one body really and indeed by divine institution but carnall copulation with a whore without marriage though it be actually one body yet it is impure because it is not of divine
dead excepting Jacob his whole family make 75 souls in number 80. Exod. 1. 19. The Midwives lyed to Pharaoh and God blessed them Chap. 3. 18. 5. 3. Moses said We will goe three dayes journey into the wildernesse and sacrifice unto the Lord our God Zach. 8. 16. Speak every one truth to his neighbour It is not certain whether the Midwives did 1 Pet. 21. lie or not it might be the Hebrew women were delivered before they came at them and God blessed the Midwives not for lying but because they feared him Moses spake the words of God unto Pharaoh and God is the God of truth 81. Exod. 2. 3. Moses was laid by the river in an arke of bulrushes Heb. 11. 23. Moses parents feared not the Kings commandement It is certain that the Hebrew parents feared God more then Pharaoh nor did they doubt in exposing of Moses but that God would deliver him 82. Exod. 2. 15. Moses feared and fled from the face of Pharaoh Heb. 11. 27. He feared not the wrath of the King Moses feared for killing the Egyptian whilst Pharaoh sought to slay him therefore he fled into the Land of Madian But upon his return when God sent him to Pharaoh he despised his threatnings being secure from all danger 83. Exod. 4. 21. 7. 3. 10. 27. 11. 10. But I will harden Pharaohs heart Chap. 8. 15. 8. 32. Pharaoh hardned his heart and was hardned c. God hardens permissively not effectively Ezeck 18. 23. 33. 11. Cont. Faust by no antecedent will for he will not the death of a sinner but by a consequent will when he punisheth by just judgment and useth evill to a good end Satan saith Augustine hardens by perswading Man by consenting God by forsaking 84. Exod. 4. 24. Moses had his wife with him in his journey Chap. 8. 5. And Jethro Moses Father in law came with his wife and his sons unto Moses Moses sent his wife Zipporah back to her father and then afterwards received her with her children brought unto him by his father in law 85. Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go I know not the Lord c. Rom. 1. 21. The Nations knew God and his power so that they are inexcusable Pharaoh was ignorant who Jehovah the God of Israel was nor had he a true knowledge of the true God that he might serve him onely 86. Exod. 7. 20 21. All the waters in Egypt were turned into bloud Vers 22. And the Magicians of Egypt did so with their inchantments when they came to the water That which the Magicians did with water digged out of the earth seemed to be the like for they are no true miracles of God which are done by the help of the Devill 87. Exod. 9. 16. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth Rom. 3. 8. We must not do evill that good may come of it The hardning of Pharaoh was a punishment of his former sins and of his tyranny shewed over the Israelites and this God directed for a good end that in Pharaoh his power glory and justice might appear 88. Exod. 9. 29. Moses prayed for Pharaoh that the plagues may cease 1 Joh. 3. 4. 5. 16. We must not pray for any that sinne unto death Moses prayed not for Pharaoh but for the taking away of the plagues farther to declare the power of God and to overcome the wickednesse and obstinacy of Pharaohs tyrannicall heart 89. Exod. 11. 5. And all the first born in the Land of Egypt shall die Chap. 12. 30. There was not a house where there was not one dead We must understand here not only the first-born by birth but such as were so by authority for it was so ordered by divine providence that there was a first born found in every house 90. Exod. 12. 36. The Israelires spoyled the Egyptians by borrowing of them Psal 37. 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again The Israelites had Gods speciall command for it to spoile the ingratefull Egyptians whom they had served for many years for no Gen. 15. 14. wages God foretold this to Abraham that his posterity should come out of slavery with great wealth 91. Exod. 14. 15. And the Egyptians which you have seen to day you shall see them again no more forever Vers 30. And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shoar In the former place he means the Egyptians alive following the Israelites which afterwards the Israelites saw choked in the waters and cast dead upon the seashoar 92. Exod. 20. 5. I am the Lord thy God a jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation Deut. 24. 16. Ezek. 18. 20. The son shall not bear the Fathers iniquity God visits the fathers sins upon the children if they walk in the way of their fathers that is on them that hate him but it is otherwise if the children repent Also God punisheth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children with temporall punishments not with eternall unlesse they follow the footsteps of their wicked fathers 93. Exod. 20. 8. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Deut. 5. 12. Mat. 12. 5. On the Sabbath days the Priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath day and are blamelesse Legall ceremonies and their externall observations give place to charity and necessity morall duties are preferred before ceremonials God forbad those works which hinder his worship but Christ defends his Disciples plucking ears of corn on the Sabbath day against the Pharisee by the example of David and of the Priests killing sacrifices on the Sabbath day pulling off their hides and washing of them 94. Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and mother Luk. 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be may disciple Christ forbids not the honour due to parents Mat. 10. 37 but he saith He that loves them more then me is not worthy of me for all things must be forsaken and hated too so far as they hinder our love of God and Christ for all things must give place to the love of God and that takes not away our duty or due honour to our parents 95. Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father Matth. 23. 9. Call no man Father upon the earth Christ forbids not children to honour their 2 King 2. 1 Chron. 4. parents or the hearers to honour the Preachers for Paul cals himself the father of the Corinthians but he forbids us to depend on humane authority in divine matters but we must depend on one God and have a filial confidence in him 96. Exod. 20. 13. Thou shalt not kill Mat. 5. 21. 18. 9. If thy eye hand foot
The sin of the Midianites was not so horrible as that of the Amalekites and we though we know not the cause of Gods commands yet must we say Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgments 147. Num. 32. 16 17. Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasse went armed to battel before the children of Israel Josh 22. 8. Divide the spoile of the enemies with your brethren that is to those that staid at home The strong and fighting men went with the Israelites but those that were weak and unfit for war staid at home who took the charge to look to the Cities and manuring of the fields 148. Num. 33. 54. Divide the Land by lot amongst you Deut. 18. 12. Lots are forbidden Lots were ordained of God which are used according to Gods commandment and the land of Canaan was divided by the lawfull use of them Matthias was chosen to be Josh 14. 2. Act. 1. 26. an Apostle so every man must be contented with his own lot they are unlawfull and prohibited which are used in sports and playes 149. Num. 34. 17. Eleazar the Priest and Joshua shall divide the Land unto you Luk. 12. 13. Christ would not divide the Inheritance An office which is Ecclesiasticall is distinguished from a secular office in the dividing of the land Eleazar the Priest for his authority was joyned to Joshua the Prince that all things might proceed in right order and the tribe of Levi might be well provided for a place to dwell in from every tribe DEUTERONOMIE THat is the second Law Moses repeats here the ceremoniall and judiciall Lawes spoken before in Exodus and Leviticus ch 34. to the end from vers 5. Joshua fulfilled them after the death of Moses 150. Deut. 1. 16. Judge righteously Mat. 7. 1. Judge not at all Judgements appointed by God in the Church or Common-wealth are lawfull but Christ forbides disorderly and rash judgements that no man should suddenly or falsly passe sentence on his neighbours words or deeds 151. Deut. 2. 5. I will not give you in the land of Esau so much as a foots breadth Psal 60. 8. Over Edom will I cast out my shooe The Israelites going into the Land of 2 Chron. 10. Canaan through the Land of the Edomites were not to offend them because the time to bring them into subjection was not yet full but they were made tributaries under David nor was the land of Idumea given to the Israelites as the land of Canaan was 152. Deut. 2. 19. I will not give to thee of the land of the children of Ammon Josh 13. 24. Moses gave to the tribe of Gad the one halfe of the land of Ammon The Ammonites held the land which they possessed in the dayes of Moses the other part of the Country formerly possessed by Sihon was distributed to the Israelites 153. Deut. 4. 10 11. The Israelites stood before the Lord God in Horeb. Exod. 29. 11. The Table of the Law were given in Mount Sinai Mount Horeb was called otherwise Mount Sinai or the toppe of the pinacle of the Mount 154. Deut. 6. 3. 10. 20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Col. 3. 23. Exod. 6. 5. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh with fear God must be feared above all things and he must be first served masters according to the flesh must be obeyed for his sake and in respect to his commandement 155. Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt swear by the name of the Lord. Mat. 5 34. Swear not at all That oath is lawfull when we give testimony Aug. Epist 154. to the truth in the name of God the Magistrate and necessity requiring that of us such an oath Christ condemns not but vain and unnecessary oathes and such as are made by the creatures and he saith so not because it is sin to swear the truth but perjury is a horrid sin 156. Deut. 6. 16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Jam. 1. 13. God cannot be tempted with evill Divine temptations are for tryal but men do tempt God when they aske such things of him that are not according to his will Exod. 17. 8. Psal 9. 2. Mat. 12. 39. Diabolicall temptations are to seduce us he tempts good men to turn them from what is good wicked men to keep them still in their wickednesse 157. Deut. 10. 17. The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Eords Chap. 32. 39. I am God alone and there is no God besides me Many in the world are worshipped which are false Gods but there is but one great and true God in essence by whom only we can be saved 158. Deut. 10. 27. God regardeth not persons nor takes rewards Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to Abel and to his offering Oblations and gifts are various God accepts those things he commands to be offered to him for Christs sake to whom those that offer must have respect by faith as to the only offering c. 159. Deut. 11. 25. No man shall stand against you Jud. 1. 34. The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the Mountains That promise held only for that time till the Israelites had gotten the Land of Canaan and continued in piety and the true fear of God 160. Deut. 13. 5. A prophet of false dreams shall be put to death Tit. 3. 10. An heretick after the first and second admonition reject In the old Testament God commanded to Mat. 13. 30. kill the false Prophets In the new Christ saith Let the tares grow unto the harvest The Apostolicall rejection of an Heretick is part of excommunication and spirituall death which hinders not the Magistrate that he should take cognisance of Hereticks to punish them 161. Deut. 15. 3. Of a forainer thou mayest expect thy money again Psal 37. 21. 112. 5. Prov. 11. 24. Luk. 6. 35. Lend looking for nothing again A modest demand of a debt may be lawfull according to the contracts of buying and selling Christ speaks of the poor and saith that we must deal brotherly with them that if they have not wherewith to pay we should forgive them their debts out of Christian charity 162. Deut. 16. 8. Six dayes Exod. 13. 6. Seaven dayes shalt thou eat leavened bread The seventh day of the feast was no lesse solemn then the first 163. Deut. 17. 17. The King shall not have many wives 1 King 11. 3. King Solomon had 700 Wives and 300. Concubines God forbad that the King should have many wives lest his heart should forsake the true God and run after strange gods as Solomons did loving many strange women and fell into so great lust by following them that forsaking the true God he set up many Idols of the Gentiles 164. Deut. 17. 17. The King shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold 1 King 3. 13. God gave to Solomon riches and honour Kings must not for their pride heap up
great quantity of silver and gold to the oppression of their subjects otherwise they had need of great riches to preserve their Countries and their Kingly Majesty 165. Deut. 18. 10. There shall not be found amongst you an observer of time 1 Sam. 28. 7 Lev. 19. 13. Ch. 20. 17. Rom. 14. 6. He that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord. Moses condemns superstitious observation of dayes as if one day were more happy then an other The Heathens divided dayes into white and black fortunate and unfortunate The Apostle shews the liberty of Christians against those who by an opinion of sanctity would have the legall feast dayes observed 166. Deut. 18 11. You shall not consult with Wisards or seek truth from the dead Mat. 17. 3. Moses and Elias spake with Christ in Mount Tabor It is an abomination in the sight of God and a heathen superstition to consult with Wisards c. The appearing of Moses and Elias was of another way and their speaking with Christ was to confirm the Disciples in the doctrine delivered by Moses and the Prophets 167. Deut. 20 17. Thoushalt destroy with the edge of the sword the Hittites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perisites the Hivites and the Jebusites Josh 9. 15. Joshua made a league with the Hivites and the Jebusites Solomon spared the Amorites 1 King 9. 20. The Gibeonites craftily saved their lives laying down their high spirits and Solomon made the Amorites tributaries the other enemies of God and his people who continued stubborn in their wickednesse were destroyed 168. Deut. 20. 19. When you besiege a City you shall not destroy the trees 2 King 3. 19. You shall fell euery good tree Those trees that bear fruit the Israelites could feed on were not to be cut down in the promised land but in the Country of the Moabites God would shew a peculiar example of his just anger for their sins 169. Deut. 21. 16. The sons of the hated being first born must be acknowledged for the first born Gen. 48. 5. Jacob assigned the right of primogeniture to Joseph the son of his beloved Rachel and gave two tribes to his children Jacob lived before the promulgation of the Law Joseph was his first born of his beloved Rachel to whose children he wisely assigned two Tribes as he made to Judah born from Leah the primogeniture and gave him the dominion over his brethren Gen. 49. 8. 170. Deut. 21. 21. If any man beget a stubborn child he shall bring him to the Elders of the City to the gate of judgement and he shall be stoned with stones till he die Prov. 19. 18. Instruct thy son and despaire not of him Moses speaks of the incorrigible son Solomon concerning fatherly correction whilst there is hope of the sons amendment and warns him that he shall not set his mind to destroy him 171. Deut. 23. 2. A bastard shall not enter 2 King 14. 6. 2 Chron. 26. 4. into the Congregation of the Lord. Ezek. 18. 20. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father God would not suffer bastards to be admitted to publick offices for the disgrace of their births and the honour of Matrimony lest the Common-wealth should grow contemptible by such but that exclusion is not to be taken for a punishment but an affliction which God in the next life will reward with more glory if they be pious and penitent 172. Deut. 23. 6. Thou shalt make no peace with the Ammonites and Moabites Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible as much as lyeth in you live peaceably with all men Those Nations did not only lay snares for the Israelites temporall life but also for their eternall life we so farre as we are able and where piety is not indangered must hold and embrace peace with all men 173. Deut. 23. 15. Thou shalt not deliver to his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee Philemon vers 13. Paul sent Onesimus who was fled from his Master to his Master again The fugitive servant was not to be sent back to his angry master who was ready to kill him There was a difference amongst the servants of the Jews for he that was to serve seaven years if he ran away after he had served six years he was not to be sent back to his Master but the Gentiles were bond-servants all their lives 174. Deut. 24. 1 If a man have taken a wife and married hor and she find no favour in his eyes because he hath found some uncleannesse in her let him write her a Bill of divorcement and give it 1 Cor. 7. 15. in her hand and send her out of his house Mat. 5. 32. Chap. 19. 7. Whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery The law of divorcement of wives was nothing but a concession of Moses for the hardnesse of the hearts of the Jewes and the danger of the lives of the women Christ abrogated that custome by the divine Law and a precept from the beginning and corrected the false glosses upon the Divine Mal. 2. 6. Law 175. Deut. 24 2. She that was sent away from her husband might marry an other husband Rom. 7. 3. Whilst her husband liveth she shall be called an adulteress if she be married to an other man Divorce by a bill of divorcement doth not dissolve matrimony therefore they that are unlawfully parted must not attempt second marriages because they that are once marryed are made one body 176. Deut. 24. 16. The children shall not be Gen. 5. 1. 1 Cor. 15. 35. put to death for the parents Rom. 5. 12. By one men sin entred into the world The innocent children are not punished for the sins of their fathers but in Adam we all sinned and we are dayly polluted with many actuall transgressions 177. Deut. 25. 3. Forty stripes he may have given him and not exceed 2 Cor. 11. 24. I received of the Jews five times forty stripes save one The Jews to seem more mercifull subducted one stripe 178. Deut. 25. 4. Thou shalt not musle the Ox Jos Ant. â—â— 4. c. 8. which treadeth out the corn 1 Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care for Oxen The former place doth not properly appertain to Oxen but it is a figurative speech In the latter the Apostle speaks tropologically of the Ministers of the Church as if he would say if God take care for Oxen then much more doth he care for men and the Ministers of his Church 179. Deut. 27. 15. Cursed be the man that maketh a mâ—lten Image Rom. 12. 14. Blesse and curse not The former place must be understood to proceed from duty and zeal to the glory of God not out of desire to revenge So Moses and Paul did curse Let us follow the example 1 Cor. 4. 12. of Christ who being reviled reviled not again when he suffered
second who succeeded him fell by the sword 198. Josh 11. 19. There was not a City which yeelded not it self up to the children of Israel Yet in the time of the Judges and the Kings many Cities were not in their possession Joshua took all the Cities he came at by force and those that were to be taken and they were to be delivered to Israel for a possession 199. Josh 15. 8. Jerusalem was in the tribe of Judah Chap. 18. 28. Benjamin is numbred In the borders of Judah and Benjamin at first they were two small Cities at last they were joyned into one and fortified with a wall round about 200. Josh 15. 63. The children of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites unto this day 2 Sam. 24. 18. The Jebusites were in their own possessions in the time of David who bought the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite Because the Israelites spared the Jebusites and the Benjamites took them into their protection so that the remainders of them were tolerated unto Davids time that succeeded ill to the people of Israel who by their society were Exod. 1. 21. drawn to Idolatry JVDGES THis Book is so called from the Judges of the people of the Jews It contains the condition of the children of Israel after the death of Joshua under 16 Judges The Idolatry of Micha The wickednesse of the Gibeathites The slaughter of the Benjamites It was written by Samuel It contains the History of 300. years 201. Judg. 5. 31. Let all the enemies of the Lord perish Prov. 25. 21. If thy enemy hunger Mat. 5. 44. Luk. 6. 35. Rom. 12. 20. feed him with bread if he thirst give him water to drink We must do good to our enemies but not to Gods enemies and for private injuries we must not curse them but as they are Gods enemies of whom there is no hope of their conversion out of zeal of a S. Spirit we may pray also for their destruction 202. Judg. 6. 17 36. Gedeon asketh a signe from God Mat. 12. 39. An evill generation seek for a signe Gedeon was confirmed in his office by a signe given from God so Moses and Joshua Christ cals the Pharisees an evill generation justly because they out of curiosity sought for a signe Let us be content with the word of God 203. Judg. 6. 21. Gedeon sacrificed on a rock Lev. 1. 5. The sons of Aaron shall offer the sacrifices on the Altar Gedeon offered the matter of the sacrifice to the Lord and God himself was the Priest in burning the offering nor was there any Leviticall officer present and the event teacheth us that what Gedeon did was from divine instinct 204. Jugd 11. 39. Jephtha did according to his vow Vers 31. Whatsoever cometh forth of the dores of my house to meet me I will offer up for a burnt-offering to the Lord. Deut. 12. 31. The Lord hates all the abominations that the Gentiles used to their Gods and those that offered us their sons and daughters and burned them in the fire Jephtha vowed disjunctively that whatsoever should first meet him out of his house should be the Lords that it should be either sacrificed or deputed for Gods service for he knew that all living creatures could not be offered in sacrifice to the Lord therefore he consecrated his daughter for the work of the Sanctuary Ve. 38. for she being sanctified to God knew no man and she bewailed her virginity 205. Jud. 13. 7. Samson was a Nazarite from his mothers womb unto the day of his death Mat. 2. 23. It was fulfilled in Christ he shall be called a Nazarite The Nazarites in the old Testament were votaries according to Law Num. 6. who gave themselves wholly to meditate upon divine matters and others which were born so as Samson here on whose head never rasor came nor was his head ever shorne others were called so both wayes joyntly Christ was prefigured by them who was most free from all uncleannesse commonly called a Nazarite because he was brought up in the Town of Nazareth 206. Judg. 16. 31. Samson killed himself Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not kill Samson killed not himself with the Philistins by any rashnesse of his own but he did that by the instinct and power of God and was a figure of Christs overthrowing our enemies RUTH IT is so named from Ruth a woman Samuel describes in this Book Ruths dutifulnesse to her Mother in Law and the integrity of Boas who was Davids Grandfather 207. Ruth 3. 4. Naomi perswades Ruth to lie down at Boas feet 1 Tim. 2. 9. Women adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety That was indeed a dangerous counsell nor must it be drawn in for an example Naomi was brought on to do that by the Law of raising children to the brother that was dead Yet God hindred that no dishonesty happened thereby 208. Ruth 4. 13. Boas took Ruth and she was his wife and he went in unto her Deut. 7. 3. You shall make no marriages with them Moah who was the son of Lot of his posterity they were not forbid to marry wives but of the Hittites Gergeshites Ammorhites Cananites Perisites Hivites Jebusites c. Ruth followed the true Religion and the Nation of the Jews and not the Moabites The two Books of SAMVEL Heb. Schemuel IN the first Book is described the life and death of Samuel with the Government of Saul In the second the translation of the Kingdome to David and his administration of it Samuel writ the first book to the 25. Chapter The rest with the second Book were writ by Nathan and Gad both Prophets In these two Books is contained the History of 120. yeares 209. 1 Sam. 3. 13. Eli knew his sons did wickedly and he restrained them not Chap. 2. 24. He said to his sons Wherefore do you all these things that I hear of you from all the people do not so my sons it is no good report The correction of Eli in reproving his sons was too gentle nor is it accounted for a restraint Chrysostome saith if Eli had been unreproveable in Mat. hom 17. himself in his life he should more sharply have corrected his sons treading under foot the Law of God therefore was he justly punished 210. 1 Sam. 7. 2. From the day that the Arke of God abode in Kirjath-jearim the time was long for it was twenty years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. 1 Chron. 13. 6. David in the fifth year brought it from thence The Ark was in Kirjath-jearim unto the days of Saul who first brought it into the Army and then sent it back to its place David being made King first translated it to Obed-edoms house and after that unto the mountain of Sion 211. 1 Sam. 9. 16. Thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my people Israel for I have looked upon my people because their cry is come unto me Hos 13. 11. I gave thee a King in mine
because the beginnings of this did not seem to answer the Majesty of the former Temple 283. 1 Ezd. 7. 7. And there went up some of the children of Israel of the Priests and the Levites unto Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Ch. Jer. 25. 12. 34. 10. 2 Chron. 3. 22. 1. 1. In the first year of Cyrus King of Persia the Jews had power given them to go up to Jerusalem After that Cyrus had given licence to them to return from Babylon to Jerusalem many with Ezdras and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem under the reign of Artaxerxes 284. 2 Ezd. 3. 8. The Jews built the wals of Jerusalem after their return Zach. 3. 4. Jerusalem shall be inhabited without wals Under the name of Jerusalem Zacharias prophesieth Zach. 2. 5. of the Church of Christ and the heavenly Jerusalem the majesty of it is larger then can be comprehended in one City of which God is the wall a fire round about and glory in the midst of her 285. 2 Ezd. 5. 9. 10. 12. Nehemias reprehends the richer Jews because they thought to live by usury Gen. 47. 23. Joseph bought the land of Egypt and the people thereof he made subject to Pharaoh for corne The Egyptians were punished by God for their iniquities the Jews after their return into their Country were so proved the richer Jews oppressing their poor brethren with biting usury did burden them which Joseph did not 286. 2 Ezd. 10. 32. The houses were not builded Vers 3. Let not your doores be open Their houses were not fully built the Cities had gates 287. 2 Ezd. 8. 18. Ezdras read in the book day by day 1 Ezd. 3. 4. They kept also the feast of Tabernacles as it is written This was a singular example of piety for they were not bound to do so by the Law yet they came willingly day by day to hear the book of the Law 288. 2 Ezd. 10. 32. Also we made ordinances amongst our selves yearly to charge ourselves with a third part of a shekell for the work of the Lord. Exod. 30. 13. They shall give every one that passeth amongst them that be numbred halfe a shekell Moses once by Gods command laid on them that tribute and Joas at the renewing of the Temple ordered that every one should give what he pleased so Nehemias ordained the third part of 2 shekell by the year to restore the Temple not from the Law but from necessity 289. 2 Ezd. 11. 6. Of the children of Phares that dwelt at Jerusalem were 468. Benjamin 928. 2 Chron. 9. 6. Jehuel 690. Benjamin 956. First the chief are set down to whom a dwelling fell by lot then other voluntary inhabitants who chose a habitation willingly ESTHER THe book of Esther is so called from Esther who was Ahasuerus wife here is shewed how Ahasuerus divorcing Vashti chose Esther to be Queen Haman the enemy of the Jews and of Mordecai is hanged Mordecai is made Provost of the Kingdome It contains the History of 20 years Ezdras was the writer of it or else the men of the great Synagogue 290. Esth 1. 12. Ahasuerus divorced Vashti because she refused to come at his commandement Mat. 19. 9. Whosoever shall put away his wife except for fornication and shall marry an other committeth adultery The pride of Vashti hurt not the King alone but all the people and Princes of the Kingdom by shewing a kind of dominion over the King before other women Now adayes men do not divorce their wives but for the cause of Adultery only and they are bound by the Laws of God and man to obey their husbands 291. Esth 9. 21. Mordecai sent to the Jews in all the provinces that the 14 and 15 dayes of the moneth Adar should be held for festivals Deut. 4. 2. Chap. 12. 32. What I command you this day you shall not add to it The ordinance of Mordecai was not against the Law nor was it a feast of Gods worship but only commemorative for the divine wonderfull deliverance of the people of the Jews JOB THis Book is so called from Job who was also called Jobab King of Edom. Moses Gen. 36. is thought to have written that book for an example of patience there is contained the affliction of Job and contention with his friends and disputing with them God ends this controversie at last and restores Job to his former posterity The History appertains to the time of Jacob. 292. Job 1. 1. He lived in the land of Vz his name was Job he was a perfect and an upright man and one that feared God and eschewed evill Psal 147. 20. He hath not done so with any Nation Under the old Testament the publick worship of the true God was amongst the Israelites whither other Nations were admitted to come which God called by divers wayes to come unto him and he had amongst them some that served him sincerely as Jethro Moses father in Law the Gibeonites and Job here so Rahab and Ruth 293. Job 1. 6. Satan came amongst the sons of God 2 Pet. 2. 4. God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them unto chains of darknesse The coming of Satan amongst the sons of God was onely as an executioner of the commands and judgments of God 294. Job 5. 1. Call if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn Isa 63. 16. Abraham knew us not Israel was ignorant of us Eliphaz teacheth Job that there is no flying to Saints in misery and that no man is unjustly punished by God but there is alwayes a just cause for it therefore saith he shew any of the Saints who being in such a calamity as thou art that was so without a cause as thou supposest thy self to be 295. Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing Psal 51. 7. Rom. 7. 20. out of unclean Rom. 11. 16. For if the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy All of us by originall sin are conceived and born in sin and sin dwels in us yet by Gods grace we are reckoned for holy which account passeth over all within the Covenant as we are 296. Job 14. 5. His dayes are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe Prov. 18. 21. Life and death are in the power of the tongue Death and life of man are in the power of God who hath put bounds to his dayes Life and death is said after a sort to be in the power of the tongue because a wicked man may by slanders and detraction and contention hurt a man even to death 297. Job 14. 6 14. Shall a man if he die live again 1 Cor. 15. 22. In Christ shall all be made alive Job denyeth not the resurrection but he saith Dan. 12. 2. rather that men shall rise not with bodies subject to death but such as shall live for ever
shall be called the Prince of peace of his peace there shall be no end Matth. 10. 34. Think not that I came to send peace on the earth I came not to send peace but the sword In the former place is understood the true Christian peace of God and Christ which we have with God our Neighbour and our selves In the latter is meant worldly peace that we have with men of this world which is often bad Yet Christ doth not of himselfe bring the sword but by accident in regard of the malice of the World and the Devill who are the authours of contentions 409. Isai 9. 6. He shall be called the everlasting Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. He shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father when he shall have put down all principality Since Eternall and Kingly power belongeth unto Christ it shall never be taken from him but the manner of his government shall be changed for he shall no longer govern his Church by the Ministery of his Word and Sacraments but shall represent it to his heavenly Father freed from all evill Nor shall there be any more worldly governments after the blessed resurrection 410. Isa 9. 7. Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end Luke 12. 49. I came to send fire into the earth and what will I but that it may be kindled It is not meant a fire of discord and malice amongst men but a fire of pure doctrine consuming all filth and temptations betwixt the spirit and the flesh the true and false teachers the godly and the wicked the Devill and men For the Gospell is no cause of troubles but as lime when it is mixt with water groweth hot so the wickednesse of men stirred up by Gods Word rageth against Christ and his Gospell 411. Isai 26. 20. The wicked will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. Chap. 40. 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Prophet speaks concerning the Kingdome of Christ and the state thereof and and he teacheth in the former place that the wicked shall be so blinded that they cannot perceive the mighty work of God wherein he hath shewed his greatnesse his glory his power and his mercy which blindnesse of theirs doth not take away the glory of God and of Christs Kingdome which all men may see in the saving worke of mans Redemption 412. Isai 28. 16. Behold I lay in Sion a stone a sure foundation saith the Lord. 1 Cor. 3. 10. I have laid the foundation saith Paul God laid the foundation of our salvation in respect of his decree the sending of his Son and the perfection of mans salvation Paul laid the foundation in respect of manifestation and of his office and of the Christian Religion at Corinth 413. Isai 38. 1. Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not live Vers 5. I 2 King 20. 1. 2 Chron. 32. 24. will adde unto thy dayes fifteen yeares saith the Lord. Augustine saith that Ezechias was in order to die according to some causes of future events In Gen. tit l. 6. c. 17. yet God added fifteen years to his life doing only that which be foreknew he would do before the beginning of the world Gods Justice brought the command for Ezechias death but his Mercy prolonged his life and so Ezechias Piety and Repentance is proved 414. Isai 41. 7. Chap. 46. 6. They lavish gold out of the bag and weigh silver in the ballance and hire a Goldsmith and he maketh it a God 1 Cor. 8. 4. An Idoll is nothing Silver and Gold and such materials as the Idols are made of were created by God but relatively unto God they are said to be nothing because they have nothing of God in them for God will not be worshipped by Idols 415. Isai 42. 8. Chap. 48. 11. I will not give my glory to another Mat. 11. 29. Chap. 28. 19. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth God will not give his praise and glory to an Image Christ to whom all power and glory is given is not only man but the true and eternall God also with the Father and the holy Ghost having co-equall glory with them but by reason of his office of Mediator all things are given him of the Father 416. Isai 42. 8. I will not give my glory to an other Rom. 8. 14. The glory of God shall be revealed in us The first place is concerning those things wherein God will be glorified by us in this life that is by worship adoration invocation The latter concerning the participation and place of glory in the life to come which he will communicate to us 417. Isai 42. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new Song that is the Gospell Gen. 3. 15. It was sung in Paradise concerning the blessed seed of the woman That Evangelicall song is called new not from time but because it comprehends new and wonderfull things a new light is kindled by it it makes a new Creature and shews us the new way to heaven 418. Isai 45. 6 7. I am the Lord and there is none else I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these things Gen. 1. 31. And all that God made was good God makes evill not of sin but of punishment and calamity by which he justly afflicts sinners Also the Prophet here opposeth the evill of the misery of war to the good of peace Mad men here wrest the name of evill as though God were the author of evill that is sin but it may easily appear how absurdly they do it abusing the testimony of the Prophet The Antithesis sheweth this sufficiently the members whereof must be compared together for he opposeth peace to evill that is to adversity 419. Isai 49. 6. I wil also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth Mat. 10. 5. Christ sent the twelve saying unto them Go not into the way of the Gentiles but to the lost sheep of the house ef Israel The first is concerning the generall gracious Ministery of Christ to both Jewes and Gentiles The latter concerning the especiall sending forth of the Apostles to the Jews alone to whom the Gospell was first published untill such time as the partition wall betwixt the Jews and Gentiles was broken Mat. 28. 19 Mark 16. 15 Luk. 2. down which was done in the resurrection of Christ Afterwards he sent the Apostles to all Nations for he was the light of the Gentiles 420. Isai 52. 10. The Lord hath made have his holy arme in the eys of all the Nations Mat. 15. 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Christ was sent for the salvation and redemption of all Nation His office of teaching and confirming his Doctrine by
greatest part The root of the Jews was holy by reason of the Covenant because they were born from their Father who was in the Covenant and so were they confederate with God and separated from the prosane Gentiles 434. Jer. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man to direct his steps Mat. 23. 37. I would have gathered thy children together and thou wouldest not In spirituall matters that concern his salvation a man can do nothing that is good In politick and civill affaires he can indeed doe something but more inclining to evill then to good 435. Jer. 17. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Rom. 10. 11. He that believeth in Christ shall not be confounded Isai 28. 16. The Prophet speaks of bare mortall deceitfull man in himself The Apostle speaks of man subsisting in the person of the Son of God in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily 436. Jer. 15. 1. If Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be toward this people Mat. 18. 19. If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven In the former place the speach is hypotheticall as if he should say though they were amongst the living and did stand before me and would turne away my wrath from this people yet would I not spare them Christ in the latter promiseth temporall good things upon condition of repentance 437. Jer. 17. 10. Chap. 20. 12. I the Lord search the heart I try the reins 1 Cor. 2. 11. Who knowes what is in man but the spirit of man which is in him God is not excluded from knowing what is in the heart but Angels and men are be they good or bad 438. Jer. 22. 11. Thus saith the Lord touching Sellum the son of Josiah 2 King 23. 30. 2 Chron. 3. 6. The people of the land took the son of Josia Joachaz and anointed him to be King Joachaz is called Sellum ironically because as King Sellum Israel was led captive into Egypt so Joachaz shall not return from the Babylonish captivity 439. Jer. 22. 30. Thus saith the Lord Write ye this man childlesse for no man of his seed shall prosper 1 Chron. 3. 19. Mat. 1. 12. Salathiel his son Jekonias died without children Salathiel the son of Neri was from Nathan the adopted son of Jekonias and by succession not his naturall son 440. Jer. 25. 1. The fourth year of Jehojakim the son of Josiah King of Judah was the first year of Nabuchadonoztr King of Babylon Dan. 1. 1. In the third year of Jehojakim King of Judals came Nabuchodonozor King of Babylon to Jerusalem That is in the end of the third year and the beginning of the fourth year of Jehojakims reign 441. Jer. 25. 11. And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon 70 years Act. 1. 7. It is not for you to know the times God by a Propheticall spirit revealed this to Jeremiah and so comforted his people but we must not curiously search to know the times contrary to Gods will that is the moment of the day of Judgement the destruction of the world which the Father hath reserved in his own power 442. Jer. 29. 11. I think toward you thoughts of peace and not of evill Vers 17. Thus saith the Lord of hosts I will send upon them the Famin. God gives peace to penitent sinners but punisheth sinners for their sins 443. Jer. 31. 15. A voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and Rachel weeping Mat. 2. 16. That was done at length in the killing of the children at Bethlehem The Prophets speak often in the present tense or time past of things which are to come for the certainty of the Prophesie So here he foreshews the lamentation of the Mothers for the children thae were slain at Bethlehem by Herods command 444. Jer. 31. 2. The Lord shall create a new thing on the earth Eccl. 1. 10. There is no new thing under the sun New things are made by creation so God the Father created all things new so we are a new creature in Christ by sanctification when we are regenerated by the holy Ghost by change so when Christ shall come all things shall be made new 445. Jer. 31. 31. Beheld the days come saith the Lord and I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah Mat. 5. 17. I came not to destroy the Law God promised a new Covenant when Christ should come yet such a one that should not differ from the former Covenant in substance but sanctified by the Messias The Doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles was not changed by the coming of Christ but remains an eternall Law of leading our life the ceremonies are abrogated according to their use but their signification was more declared by his coming and illustrated and the Prophesies had their complement in him 446. Jer. 36. 30. Thus saith the Lord of Jehojakim King of Judah he shall have none to sit upon the throne of David 2 King 24. 6. And his son Joakim reigned in his stead Joakim did not sit that is he had no fast seat in the Kingdome for in the third month of his government Sedechias was put by force not by right into his place by Nebuchodonozor 447. Jer. 37. 14. Jeremie said I fall not away to the Chaldeans Chap. 21. 9. He that goeth out and fals to the Chaldeans shall live Jeremie taken in the gate defendeth his innocency that he fell not to the Caldeans nor was a betrayer of his Country but he said that he would go into the land of Benjamin 448. Jer. 52. 31. In the 37 year of the captivity of Jehojakim King of Judah in the 12 month in the 25 day of the month Evilmerodach lifted up the head of Jehojakim King of Judah 2 King 25. 27. In the 37 year of the captivity of Jehojakim he he was lifted up in the 12 month the 27 day On the 25 day Evilmerodach took counsell to deliver Joakim out of prison on the 27 day it was concluded and effected all things being disposed well for his enlargement The THRENES or LAMENTATIONS of Jeremiah THe Prophet bewails the destruction of Jerusalem and the Kingdome of Judah and the captivity of the people He comforteth himself and the people in the promises of God and commends the cause to God by his prayers 449. Lam. 3. 37. Who is he that saith and it cometh to passe when the Lord commandeth not Vers 38. Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not both evill and good Deut. 32. 4. The works of the Lord are perfect The evill of punishment not of sin is meant in the first place which is not ill in it self but in respect of men For all punishment in respect of God that
prophesied in the year 3110. 492. Jon. 1. 3. Jonas rose up to flee unto Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. Vers 9. I fear the Lord the God of heaven who hath made the sea and the dry land Jonas would not flee from God so much as to escape his office by flying Vers 9. In the midst of the tempest he gives the Mariners an account of his Religion and of his flight confessing that for his disobedience that great tempest was sent 493. Jon. 1. 10. Jonas fleeth to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence Jonas was not ignorant that no man could so flee from the face of the Lord but he thought that if he forsook the holy land then all divine apparitions to him would cease and that God would then call some other man to the office he had laid upon him 494. Jon. 2. 6. The earth with her bars was about me for ever Vers 10. The fish cast Jonas on the dry land Jonas thought in the belly of the Whale that he should remain there but God brought him forth and shewed thereby that he had power over life and death 495. Jon. 3. 4. Yet 40. dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown Vers 10. God spared them The divine commination was conditionall if they repented not but because they did embrace the word of God and detesting their wickednesse they did turn to the Lord with all their hearts God spared them Of such 〈◊〉 10. 7 〈◊〉 10. God means speaking thus If I speak against a Kingdom or a Nation that I will root it out and that Nation repents of their evill ways I will repent that I thought to doe so to them 496. Jon. 3. 4. Jonas foretold the overthrow of Nineveh and it was not performed Duet 28. 22. If a Prophet speak in the name of the Lord and that thing cometh not to passe the Lord hath not spoken it but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously That Sermon of Jonas was not so much a prophesie as a commination Moses speaks not of comminations and Prophesies which have a condition included but of such Prophesies as are absolute as Samuel foresaid to Saul that two men should meet him 497. Jon. 3. 9. Who knows whether God will return and repent Mal. 3 6. I the Lord change not Num. 23. 19. Jon. 1. 7. Repentance and passions of men are attributed to God not properly but figuratively and by way of comparison and by Anthropopathy whilst God shews himself as a man repenting otherwise with God there Jam. 1. 17. is no change 498. Jon. 4. 11. In Nineveh were more then 120000 persons which partly by want of age and partly by simplicity did not know their right hand from their left Gen. 8. 21. The imagination of mans heart is prone to evill from his youth Between the right and the left hand they did not know the difference who were yet so young as to be free from actuall sinnes and others in years that were simple and sincere MICHAS Prophesie THe Morasihite against the Kings the Judges the Priests and false prophets in Judah and Israel He threatens perdition to impenitent sinners and promiseth salvation to the Saints which remained He prophesied in the year 3197. 499. Mich. 1. 2. And thou Bethlehem Ephrata though thou be little amongst the thousands of Judah out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Mat. 2. 6. And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least amongst the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel The Prophet cals it Bethlehem Ephrata and Matthew Bethlehem Judah for a difference from an other city so called in the Tribe of Zabulon It was indeed a little Towne before Christs coming before Christ was born but afterwards it became a most noble City because the Messias was born there Matthew cites the place of the Prophet faithfully which the Pharisees had corrupted and sets down the words which the Pharisees speak unto Herod 500. Mich. 5. 2. And thou Bethlehem Ephrata out of thee shall he come forth unto me that shall be Ruler in Israel Joh. 7. 27. Whence Christ is no man knows The Prophet expresly names the place of Christs nativity the Jewes not knowing Christ to be the true God did mingle his temporall generation with his eternall contending amongst themselves Doth not the Scripture say that being of the seed of David Christ should come from the City of David 501. Mich. 7. 5. Trust ye not in a friend 1 Cor. 13. 7. Charity believeth all things The first place is a rule of Prudence needfull for Charity The Prophet bids us not to suspect ill of all men but he complains of the corrupt manners of his times when men could believe no man therefore he saith we must deal circumspectly which is agreeing to Charity lest we be defrauded by craft or malice Christ himself did not trust himself with Joh. 2. 25 26. the Jews because he knew all men and knew what was in man 502. Mich. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned Vers 9. He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse The people of Israel being miserably afflicted could not boast in the sight of God of their innocence therefore they ought patiently to endure Gods corrections but before their enemies being innocent they did rise up by divine help The Babylonians were formerly to the Israelites as the Turks and Tartars are now adayes to the Christians afflicting us without cause though in the sight of God we are not without fault NAHUMS Prophesie the Elkoshite HE Prophesieth against the Assyrians He denounceth destruction to the Ninivites 100 years after Jonas he comforts the Jews preaching unto them the message of peace 503. Nah. 1. 2. The Lord avengeth and is furious Psal 103. 8. The Lord is very pitifull long suffering and full of mercy God is jealous a severe Judge and revenger not pardoning the sins and wickednesse of impenitent sinners but he is most mercifull as a tender Father to the godly and such as be penitent 504 Nah. 1. 9. Affliction shall not rise up the second time Rom. 1. 28. The wicked shall be punished in this world when they are delivered up to a a reprobate sense to do those things which are not convenient and in the world to come with eternall destruction Justice doth not punish twice sufficiently for the same fault but it is not disagreeing to justice to inflict divers degrees of punishments for the same sault so temporall punishments to the wicked are but the beginning of eternall punishments But the Prophet teacheth here that God will so deal with the Assyrians in the Land of Judah that there shall be no need of a second judgement 505. Nah. 1. 15. For the wicked
shall no more passe through thee 2 King 24. 1. Chap. 25. 1. Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land of Judah and spoyled it The Prophet speaks of Senacherib that he should come no more into the land of Judah for he was killed by his own sons Also the words of the Prophet may be understood concerning the perfect blessednesse of the next world HABAKKUKS Prophesie HE foretels to the Jews when they sinned their destruction by the Caldeans He comforts the faithfull with the coming of the Messias and the destruction of the Babylonians He prays for the ignorant He prophesied in the year 3290. 506. Heb. 1. 5. Behold you amongst the heathen and regard for I will work a worke in your dayes which you will not believe though it be told you Act. 13. 41. Paul refers these words to the resurrection of Christ. The Apostle compares the resurrection of Christ with the wonderfull deliverance of the Jews from the bondage of Babylon which though their forefathers would not believe yet they found it to be true so their posterity must needs acknowledge that Christ was raised from the dead 507. Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his faith Mat. 9. 2. Jesus seeing their faith Every one shall live by his own faith to eternall life but an other mans faith or prayers may obtain from God for us temporall benefits or deliverance In the latter place Christ speaks not only of their faith who brought the man to him that was sick of the Palsie but of his faith also 508. Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his faith Luk. 10. 28. Do this and live We live and are justified by faith not for our faith but because by faith we lay hold on Christ Do this saith Christ to the Lawyer that from the Law he might learn to know his own weaknesse and not that by observing the Law he might deserve life for by the law no man is justified in the sight of Rom. 3. 9. Gal. 3. 24. God ZEPHANIAHS Prophesie THe son of Chushi he prophesieth to the unbelieving Jews their destruction by their neighbour Nations and to those Nations their extermination by other Nations But deliverance to believers He prophesied about the year 3451. 509. Zeph. 1. 5. He prophesied in the days of Josiah of the evills which should come upon Judah 2 King 23. 3. Josias and all the people made a covenant with the Lord that they should walk after God with all their heart The Prophesie by a legall commination moved both King and people to manifest their zeal But he frighted the wicked Hypocrites and such as were averse from God by threatning them that so they might forsake their sinnes 510. Zeph. 1. 7. The day of the Lord is at hand 2 Thess 2. 3. Be not terrified as though the day of the Lord were at hand In the former place by the day of the Lord is understood the neernesse of the Babylonish captivity In the latter the coming of the Lord to Judgement the time whereof is not for us to know 511. Zeph. 3. 7. I said surely thou wilt fear me Vers 7. But they corrupted their own doing I said the Lord useth that word after the manner of men not as though he had failed of his hope for all things are known to him before they be but as if he should say Who would thing you should be so hardned that my very threatnings should not move you HAGGIES Prophesie HE upbraids the Jews for that they did not rebuild the Temple and exhorts them to build it and he describes the magnificence of the second Temple He prophesied after the captivity of Babylon under Darius Hystaspes in the year 3444. 512. Hagg. 1. 8. Bring wood and build the house Isai 66. 1. Thus saith the Lord Heaven is my seat and the earth is my footstoole what house is that you will build unto me The rebuilding of the Temple was accepted with God for the holy convocation and the worship in it to Gods glory that was with the Priesthood and Leviticall rites a type of Christ unto whose coming onely it was to endure 513. Hagg. 2. 3. You that saw this house in its firstglory and how do you see it now Is it not in comparison of it as nothing Vers 9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater then that of the former house saith the Lord of hosts The structure indeed of this house did not answer the Majesty of the first house built by Solomon Yet the spiritual glory of this latter house shall be greater then the former house because the Lord himself came into it and preached in it disputed and wrought great miracles there 514. Hagg. 2. 4. Do so for I am with you saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 1. 12. O Lord of hosts how long will it be ere thou have pity on Jerusalem In the first place the Prophet comforts the people by the hope of promises in Christ promising that God would be present there with his people after the captivity of Babylon In the latter Christ intercedes for his Church which hath sinned against God and was punished by a just judgement of God with a Babylonian captivity for 70. years 515. Hag. 2. 6. Yet a little while and I will shake the heaven and the earth and the desire of all Nations shall come This Prophesie was fulfilled after 500 years under Augustus Caesar Luk. 2. 11. With God 1000 years are but as one day or one watch in the night ZECHARIAS Prophesie THe son of Barachiah He warns the Jews to repent to build the Temple he makes mention of his visions and explains them by the effusion of the Spirit of grace and prayers He prophesied after the return from Babylon in the year of the world 3456. 516. Zech. 1. 3. Turn unto me and I will turn unto you Joh. 6. 44. No man comes unto me unlesse my Father draw him The first place is legall requiring of us what we ought and not what we can do The latter is evangelicall for no man comes unto God unlesse God draw him by his Spirit Therefore we must pray diligently Convert me O Lord that I may be converted because Jer. 31. 18. thou O Lord art my God 517. Zech. 1. 17. Chap. 2. 10. The Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem Eph. 1. 4. God the Father chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world The election of a certain people to be a visible Church in the first place is taken metonymically for by that deed God sheweth that he hath confirmed the election of Jerusalem In the latter God speaks of our election unto eternall life 518. Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Isai 3. 1. Behold the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem the whole stay of bread In the first place is contained the promise of God to the faithfull that keep his Covenant In the latter is the pronouncing
the faith hope patience obedience constancy of his children or evill to an evill end and we pray in the Lords prayer that God will not let us be tempted with evill nor give us over into the hand of Satan to tempt us 557. Mat. 6. 13. For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory Luk. 11. 4. That conclusion is not found in the Lords Prayer One Evangelist omitting what the other hath set down doth no wayes derogate from the truth of Gods Word David used the same 1 Chron. 29. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 18. thanksgiving Thine is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the Victory and the Majesty And Paul useth the same words And the Lord shall deliver me from every evill work to whom be glory for ever Amen From whence is taken that of the Church Glory be c. 558. Mat. 6. 19. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth 1 Tim. 5. 8. But if any provide not for his own especially for those of his own house he hath denyed the faith Christ forbids no man to possesse wealth that comes as a blessing from God but to lay up treasures to the wrong of other men and to put our trust in them as the Gentiles doe nor Lev. 36. 14. Psal 112. 3. doth he condemn the care for a mans own family 559. Mat. 6. 31. Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink 1 Tim. 5. 8. If any man provide not for his own he hath denyed the faith Christ condemns here carnal care joyned with Heathenish distrust but not a Christian care to provide for our family with confidence in God 560. Mat. 7. 1. Judge not Joh. 7. 24. Judge righteous judgement Christ forbids rash judgement and defamation Mat. 18. 15. Jude v. 8 but not Politique or Ecclesiastical Judicature appointed by God under the Old-Testament nor yet domestick because all men are bound to judge of doctrine and manners and to call those to the right way that are wandring from it 561. Mat. 7. 8. Whosoever asketh receiveth Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not He that asketh as he ought to doe in faith receiveth what is convenient for him they that ask not as they should that is in faith nor for a good end receive not because they ask amiss 562. Mat. 7. 12. All things that you would that men should doe unto you doe you even so to them for this is the law and the Prophets c. 22. 4. On these two Commandements the love of God and our Neighbour hang all the Law and the Prophets The first place excludes not the love of God for he that loves his neighbour loves God the latter comprehends a moral rule of all things which are contained in the Books of Moses the Law and the Prophets 563. Mat. 7. 22. Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils Then will I professe unto you I never knew you depart from me c. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I confesse before my Father which is in heaven Christ in the former place speaks of hypocrites who prophesied in his Name and teaching so did confesse him with their tongue In the latter place he speaks of those who professe his Name by faith openly and sincerely without hypocrisie they have both a promise and a large reward 564. Mat. 8. 4. Tell no man V. 4. Go thy way shew thy self to the Priest Christ forbad the Leper for a time but not for ever that he should tell no man that he was healed but that first he should make his comparition before the Priest 565. Mat. 8. 5. A centurion came to Jesus beseeching him and saying Luk. 7. 3. The Elders of the Jews were sent unto him beseeching him to come Theophylact reconciles these places thus first the Centurion sent Messengers to Christ then he came himself and met the Lord and beseeched him with his own mouth relating the businesse 566. Mat. 8. 19. A certain scribe came unto him and said Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus said unto him The Foxes have holes Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me will I in no wise cast out That Scribe would follow Christ out of vain boasting and promised to himself great wealth and dignities Christ did not reject this man but only admonished him of the poverty and misery of those that follow him in this life which is rewarded with salvation and eternal life 567. Mat. 8. 26. The Disciples were fearful and of little faith Jam. 1. 6. Ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed The infirmity of the Disciples is to be distinguished from Heathenish distrust they that doubt receive nothing but believers receive what they ask in faith 568. Mat. 8. 28. Jesus came to the other side into the Countrey of the Gargasens Mark 5. 1. They came over to the other side of the Sea into the Countrey of the Gadarenes The City Gadara and Gergaza were neighbour places in the Tribe of Manasses having their several circuit in the borders whereof the possessed met our Saviour 569. Mat. 8. 28. There met him two possessed with Devils Mar. 5. 2. There met him out of the Tombes a man with an unclean spirit They were two in number Mark mentions one because the other was notably known August 570. Mat. 8. 29. The Devils cryed out saying What have we to doe with thee Jesus thou Son of God Joh. 8. 44. The Devil is a lyar and the Father thereof The Devils did not that for the glory of God and Christ but to cause distrust in mens hearts for the Devil though he doe speak truth yet he doth it not without fraud and a false end that he may draw men into errour 571. Mat. 9. 6. The Son of man hath power to forgive sins 23. 34. Father forgive them they know not what they doe The Father gives the Son hath merited and the holy Ghost confirms salvation and remission of sins 572. Mat. 9. 1. Jesus sat at meat in Matthews house Luk. 5. 28. Matthew left all rose up and followed Christ Matthew left all things which might hinder him from following Christ as the receipt of custome and his Office of a Publican but he left not his house nor did he wholly cast away his houshold affairs 573. Mat. 9. 18. My daughter saith Jairus to Christ is even now dead Luk. 8. 42. The daughter of Jairus lay a dying being about twelve years old She lay a dying when her Father went forth of his house she was dead before Christ came to her 574. Mat. 10. 2. The first Simon Peter Andrew James John Mar. 3. 17. Peter James John Andrew Gal. 2. James Cephas The Apostles were equal in dignity and office but unequal in order The Evangelists in naming the
goe and tell him his fault between thee and him alone 1 Tim. 5. 20. Them that sin rebuke before all Christ speaketh of our private duty toward our brethren that offend us without publick scandalt and wils that we shal not be too severe or soft examiners of our brothers faults The Apostle speaks of the publick office of the Presbytery against those who persevere in their sins as Theophylact expounds it 605. Mat. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Joh. 11. 15. I was not there Christ in the former place speaks of his personal and gracious presence in the latter of his common natural presence with other men in the earth for when he was in another place he was not truly and locally in Bethany 606. Mat. 19 17. There is no man good save one who is God Luk. 6. 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good God is good of his own infinite perfection by his Essence Nature and Beeing to whom evill is contrary Men and Angels are called good not from themselves but by communication by the goodnesse of God in their creation and restitution Christ attributes goodnesse to God only that he might draw him that called him good to acknowledge his doctrine to be divine 607. Mat. 19. 27. Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee What shall we have therefore Luk. 17. 10. When you have done all those things that were commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done onely that was our duty to doe Peter glories in the name of the Apostles that they had forsaken all for Christ though it was not much that they had so men are wont to reckon largely of their services toward God Christ opposeth against this ambition our duty we owe unto God all that we can and all we possesse is from God we are his servants and they that serve him not for himself deserve nothing in the sight of God doing our duty we doe not repay the thousandth part of what we owe unto him 608. Mat. 20. 16. Many are called and few chosen Rom. 8. 38. Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified Vocation is either external by preaching of Gods Word so God cals all men indifferently to partake of his grace or by the internal vocation joyned with the outward whereby God by his holy Spirit manifesteth to us our Rom. 8. election and declares us to be his children 609. Mat. 20. 20. The Mother of Zebedees children came to him and desired Mar. 10. 35. James and John the sons of Zebedee came to him The Mother spoken to by her children asked in their name for they supposed they should the more easily obtain it by mediaation of their Mother because she was Christs Cousin 610. Mat. 20. 23. To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne In the first place Christ maintains that at his first coming God the Father had given him no command to assign to any men any degrees of honour but that he should instruct the faithful concerning the Crosse and should promise unto them eternal life which is given to them who shall overcome by faith which is our victory 611. Mat. 20. 29. And as they departed from Jericho behold two blind men sitting by the way side Mar. 10. 46. As he went out of Jericho blind Bartimeus sat by the high way side Matthew was an eye witnesse that they were two but Mark mentions the most noted of them 612. Mat. 20. 29. As they departed from Jericho Behold two blind men Luk. 18. 35. As he came nigh to Iericho a certain blind man sat by the way side When Christ entred the City the blind man first cryed out and when he was not heard for the noyse he sat in the way where Christ went out and never left crying till Christ called and healed him Christ did defer his cure but did not wholly refuse it so he made proof of his faith and of many others 613. Mat. 21. 19. The fig tree was forthwith dryed Mar. 11. 20. In the morning as they passed by they saw the fig-tree dryed up from the root The fig-tree indeed withered forthwith but on the morning the day following the witherednesse was made manifest 614. Mat. 22. 32. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Rom. 14. 8. Whether we live or dye we are the Lords Christ denyeth not simply but comparatively and relatively from the hypothesis of the Sadduces that God was the God of the dead for they supposed the dead should never rise again Paul from another hypothesis affirms the same which depends on Christs resurrection on this wise God is the God of the dead because the dead bodies shall rise again 615. Mat. 23. 9. Call no man your Father upon the earth 1 Cor. 4. 15. If you had ten thousand instructors in Christ yet have you not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you Christ will have us place our filial confidence in God only not in men though they love us with fatherly affection and teach us the true Religion and so are called Fathers not by nature but by participation that they are so So Paul cals himself the Father of the Corinthians and of Timothy by reason of the Gospel not primarily but secondarily because he was an Instrument which God used to call and regenerate them by the Gospel that he preached to them 616. Mat. 23. 10. Be not called Masters 1 Cor. 4. 15. You have many Masters Christ is our only spiritual Rabbi Master and Joh. 1. Doctor others that have these titles are but servants to this great Master because they must teach no other but the Doctrine of Christ For of his fulnesse we have all received he is the way the truth and the life and it is enough to us that he said it 617. Mat. 23. 17. Yee Fools and blind c. 5. 22. Whosoever shall say Thou Fool shall be in danger of hell fire Christ by his Office and his charity was angry with the Pharisees and to make them repent he called them fools and blind but he forbids that out of a carnal reproachful desire and greedinesse of revenge or pride or mad anger any man should detract from his neighbour 618. Mat. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them c. 27. Jerusalem is called the holy City Jerusalem the City of Martyrs is there called the City of many Saints It is called the holy City for the most holy God by whom it was made choise of or for the Messias who taught them the sanctity of faith and life and offered himself for us for a price of redemption or for the Saints that were in it 619. Mat.
were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth Luk. 23. 39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged rayled on him Matthew ascribes to both that which was proper to one as the murmuring before amongst the Apostles or if both at first did rayl on him one of them at last confessed his sin and acknowledged Jesus to be the Messias 635. Mat. 28. 8. The Maries departed from the Sepulchre with fear and great joy Mar. 16. 8. They fled from the Sepulchre for they trembled and were amazed That fear and amazement was joyn'd with joy as it fals out in sudden accidents 636. Mat. 28. 9. The women came and held him by the feet Joh. 20. 17. He saith to Mary Magdalen Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father Christ suffered the women to touch him to confirm the certainty of his Resurrection that they might be more sure witnesses to his Disciples and others he forbad Mary Magdalen to touch him because she rejoyced too much with carnal affection and therefore he would have her rather touch him by faith that is believe in him to be the Son of God the Lord of glory salvation life and death 637. Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth Mar. 13. 32. But of that day knoweth no man no not the Son but the Father onely All power is given unto Christ the Mediator because he is made Lord in the glory of God the Father In the day of his humiliation he knew not as man the day of Judgement or not for himself that he knew not but for us saith Augustine because it behoved not us to know 638. Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Rom. 9. 5. Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Power is given to Christ as man for nothing can be given to him as God for as God he had al things before in his power but the humanity of Christ hath not that power of it self but from the Divine Nature with which the humane nature is personally united 939. Mat. 28. 19. Teach all Nations Mar. 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every creature Mat. 7. 6. Psal 19. 5. Rom. 10. 5. Give not that which is holy to the Dogs nor Pearls to Swine In the first place by the Nations and the Creatures are understood the Jews and Gentiles for the sweet voyce of the Gospel was to sound to all through the whole earth and the seed of the Word to be sowen that Infidels might be left unexcuseable In the latter holy and Pearls signifie the same It must not be given to Dogs and Swine that is to persecutors scoffers despisers profane For he that reproveth a scorner Prov. 9. 7. getteth himself shame and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blet St. MARKS Gospel IT containeth briefly the sayings and deeds of Christ in Galilee Judea and Jerusalem which Matthew wrote more at large some will Nicephor l. 2. c. 48. Eus l. 2. c. 15. have it dictated and approved by Peter whose Scholar Mark was Irenaeus saith it was written after the death of Peter and Paul 640. Mar. 1. 1. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ v. 3. The voyce of one crying in the Wildernesse Mat. 1. 1. Luk 1. 2. In the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ his Conception and Nativity are described Mark understands the beginning of the Gospel to be the time of the promulgation Matthew begins the Evangelical History thirty years before the Preaching of John Baptist but Mark begins from his preaching because the Law and the Prophets prophesied until John Matth. 11. 15. 641. Mar. 1. 2. As it is written in the Prophets Luk. 3. 4. In the Book of the words of Isaiah the Prophet Mark understands Malachi and Isaiah the Prophets Isa 40. 3. Mat. 3. 1. Isa 43 4. Luke means Isaiah only 642. Mar. 2. 7. Who can forgive sins but God only Joh. 20. 23. Whose sins you remit they are remitted unto them God above remits sins by his own authority The Apostles and Pastors of the Churches only testifie in the Name of Christ that upon condition of faith they are remitted But God speaks to us by his Ministers that we should be sure of his grace and should have the Sacred Function in honour since it is confirmed in Heaven what the Ministers declare on Earth 643. Mar. 5. 20. The man that was possessed with the Devil published in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him Luk. 3. 39. He went through the City publishing He published it first in the City of the Gadarens and afterwards in other parts of Decapolis 644. Mar. 5. 30. Vertue went forth of Christ to cure the woman v. 34. He said unto her Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole By vertue from Christ was the woman restored to her health which she applyed to her self by faith and so her issue of bloud staid 645. Mar. 6. 5. Christ could doe no mighty works in his own countrey Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Christ was not destitute of vertue but for their incredulity for faith is the hand that receives Christs benefits and to those that believe all things are possible that he could not is meant here he would not for that is Gods will to be able saith Tertullian 646. Mar. 9. 2. After six dayes Jesus taketh with him Peter James and John Luk. 9 28. And it came to passe about eight dayes The first place must be understood exclusively in respect of the day in which Christ speaks and was transformed The latter includes both those dayes and he numbereth not precisely but about eight there were not so many whole dayes 647. Mar. 9. 35. And he sate down and called the twelve Mat. 18. 1. The Disciples came unto him saying The Disciples on the way disputed who should be the greatest of them Christ therefore at home called the twelve and they being called came unto him 648. Mar. 10. 19. Christ answereth him that asked of him about eternal life Thou knowest the Commandements Doe not commit adultery doe not kill doe not steal Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God Gal. 2. 16 c. 3. 10. To him that asked What shall I doe Christ answering his question that he might make him know his weaknesse he sends him back to the rule of works or the law of God and so would have him to seek salvation in Christ and not in his own works 649. Mar. 11. 7. They brought the Colt to Jesus Mat. 21. 7. They brought the Asse and the Colt Matthew is an eye witnesse that the Asse and Zach. 9. 9. the Colt were both brought according to the prophesie Fear not O Daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh sitting upon an Asse and the foal of an Asse Some make this an embleme of the
but not to doubtfull disputations Gal. 2. 11. Paul withstood Peter to the face saying if thou being a Jew livest after the manner of the Gentiles They are weak who know not the true use of indifferent things Peter being taught by the heavenly vision that distinction of meats was taken away deserved to be reprehended because what he learned of God and taught in the publike counsell he yet observed not but was scandalous both to Jews and Gentiles 886. Rom. 14. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not Col. 2. 21. Touch not tast not handle not In the former place abstinence and observation of meats proceeding from faith without scandall is left free for the ceremoniall Law ended at Christs coming in the later he reproves the superstition of the Colossians who being taught the use of things indifferent yet brought them in as a part of Gods worship necessary to salvation 887. Rom. 14. 6. He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it Gal. 4. 10. He reprehends them for observing daies and moneths and times and years The first place leaves it free to the weak who had tender consciences either to observe or not observe the legall festivall daies so they did it without opinion of merit or necessity or offending their neighbour the later reprehends the Galathians who with a kinde of tye of conscience did observe the Sabbaths and Festivall times of the Jews according to the Law as if they had not been set free by Christ 888. Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died Joh. 10 28. My sheep shall no man pluck out of my hand The Elect may be destroyed by themselves as weak men and by reason of Satans malice that puts so many offences in their way but not in respect of God for no man can snatch them finally out of his hands 889. Rom. 15. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour Gal. 1. 10. Should I yet please men I should not be the servant of Christ We must please men for their edification both by words and examples but not to seek for glory at the mouth of the people for so the Apostle would not please men 890. Rom. 15. 14. And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that you also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge Chap. 14. 1. There were many amongst them weak in faith The Apostle before by Synechdoche attributes to the whole Church that which belongs but to one part for there were many godly learned and weak also in that Church 891. Rom. 15. 20. I would not build on another mans foundation Joh. 4. 38. I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labour Paul compares his Ministry with the other Apostles and he denieth that he builded on another mans foundation or to have preached where other Apostles had planted a Church but rather to have taught there where the name of Christ was not so much as once heard of The Prophets were the seeds men in Gods field the Apostles they reaped the harvest because they saw the fulfilling of the Prophesies and they built on the foundation of the Prophets 892. Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Col. 2. 15. Christ hath spoyled principalities and powers Christ was already become Conquerour bruising the head of the infernall serpent and he daily conquers Satan in us and he gives us force to overcome that wicked spirit by the vertue of the holy Ghost and so to triumph over him Two Epistles of St PAUL to the CORINTHIANS THe first is Legall reprehending them who were obnoxious to so many vices it is direct against Sectaries Incestuous Whoremongers Adulterers Contentious despisers of the weak brethren Proud Arrogant Covetous such as denied the resurrection Written from Philippi in the Year of Christ 55. The other Evangelicall to comfort the afflicted commands them to receive him that was excommunicated commends the Ministry of the Gospel exhorts to give Alms and do good works reproves slanderers and glories against them in the Lord. It was written from Philippi in the Year of Christ 55 893. 1 Cor. 1. 7. You come behinde in no gift ver 11. It hath been declared to me that there are contentions amongst you ch 3. 3. ch 11. 15. The first place is concerning those that were approved and commended amongst the Corinthians the later is concerning those who did contentiously preferre themselves before other Ministers of the Church 894. 1 Cor. 1. 7. You come behinde in no gift 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know in part In the first place is meant necessary graces to salvation the abundance whereof was joyned with imperfection of degrees which shall be fulfilled in the revelation of Christ 895. 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel Matth. 28. 19. Go and teach all Nations baptizing them In the Apostolicall Ministration the lesse principall was to baptize the principall was the preaching of the Gospel and that was ordinary or extraordinary 896. 1 Cor. 1. 21. The wisdom of God ver 21. It is called the foolishnesse of preaching The Gospel of it self is the wisdom of God which in the opinion of carnall and unbeleeving men is called by accident foolishnesse 897. 1 Cor. 1. 21. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve Matth. 9. 21. If I may but touch his garment I shall be whole The first place is of the salvation of the soul which is done by the Gospel the later is of the cure of the body which is wrought by divers means ordinarily by the Word and Sacraments extraordinarily by other means 898. 1 Cor. 2. 6. We speak wisdom amongst them that are perfect chap. 13. 12. We know in part Perfection in the former place is not meant simply but comparatively the Apostle cals them perfect here not those who wanted no perfection but such as are so in respect of novices in the Church Absolute perfection is proper to the next life and of that we know here but in part 899. 1 Cor. 2. 15. He that is spirituall judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man ch 4. 4 He that judgeth me is the Lord. ch 14. 32. And the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets In the first place God Ecclesiasticall and Politicall Judges are not excluded being they are ordained by God but those that are carnall and sensuall the Prophets are subject to the Prophets in the judgement of faith concerning things that are to be beleeved for God giveth us his holy Spirit by measure neither do we all understand all things but comparing our opinions we must judge with Learned men 900. 1 Cor. 3. 1 3. And I brethren could not speak to you as unto spirituall but as unto carnall ch 1. 2. Sanctified in Christ Jesus called to
the Father in respect of order he is said to have received this Revelation from the Father because the Father by him doth reveal his secrets unto us as man by his personall union he hath a perfect knowledge of all things communicated to him 1032. Rev. 1. 1. The things which must shortly come to passe they are not yet fulfilled Shortly signifies the certainty of the things foretold in respect of God though not in our opinion he shuts out long delaies for the whole time of this prophesie unto the last day is in the sight of God but as one day or one Psa 90. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 8. hour which is a comfort to the godly that they may not despair and it exhorts the wicked to repentance by reason of the sudden destruction shall fall upon them 1033. Rev. 1. 13. I saw one like to the Sonne of man Matth. 9. 6. Christ is the Sonne of man really The first place is an Hebraism by which is intimated the certainty of Christs humanity also he may be said to be like man because he appeared in a singular form 1034. Rev. 2. 11. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto men once to die The bodily death is one because the soul is but once separated from the body The second death is taken Metaphorically for the misery and torment of the soul after the death of the body 1035. Rev. 3. 7. Christ openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth ver 20. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him The Sonne of God is he that opens the internall door of the heart we open only the externall for no man comes to the Father but by him 1036. Rev. 3. 10. I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world ver 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten God kept the Angell of Philadelphia from evil temptation because he was a pious assertor of the truth but the Angell of Laodicea who was lukewarm he would mend by his reprehension 1037. Rev. 4. 8. They rest not night nor day ch 14 13. They that dye in the Lord rest from their labours The souls in the beavenly rest of the blessed are not idle they have their labours that weary them not but most sweetly refresh them in the later place is understood the end of the troubles of this world 1038. Rev. 5. 1. I saw a book written ver 4. No man was worthy to look thereon John saw the book in a bare Vision but no man could see the mysteries contained in it 1039. Rev. 6. 9. Vnder the Altar I saw the souls of them that were slain ver 11. White robes were given to every one of them Souls are invisible spirits which cannot be seen or clothed it is therefore the sight of the minde and not of the body which is here understood for these things were seen in the Spirit 1040. Rev. 6. 10. The souls of those that were slain cry out for revenge against those that slew them Matth. 5. 44. Love your enemies and pray for them The cry of the souls proceeds not from a wicked desire of revenge but an earnest desire for Gods glory because they would have no ungodlinesse or wickednesse remain unpunished c. in the day of revenge and judgement we suffering here according to Christs command pray for our enemies 1041. Rev. 7. 9. I saw a great multitude which no man could number Luk. 12. 32. The flock of Christ is called a little flock The Church compared with the numerous multitude of the wicked is a little flock but considered in it self it comprehends an innumerable multitude of all Ages Sexes Places Tribes and people 1042. Rev. 11. 19. The Temple of God was opened in heaven ch 21. v. 22. And I saw no Temple therein In the former place the Temple is taken figuratively this the holy Ghost intimates that God is worshipped most holily with Hymns and Psalms in the later place we must not think there shall be any materiall Temple in the life to come as we have here on earth 1043. Rev. 13. 8. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world not properly but figuratively and in Gods Decree by Types Predictions and efficacy by acceptation not by execution 1044. Rev. 16. 1. Go and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth ver 4. to the 13. They poured out their vials of wrath upon the sea the rivers the fountains the sunne the seat of the beast and Euphrates In the first place the earth is taken in a generall signification because the effects of all the Vials redounds to the earth in a manner and to earthly men the followers of Antichrist for whatsoever the wrath of God was which was cast on the Seas Rivers or the Ayr or Sunne was not for themselves but to afflict the earth and those that dwell thereon 1045. Rev. 18. 6. Double unto her double according to her work Matth. 7. 2. And what measure you make shall be measured to you again The first place is a speciall command of God concerning retaliation In the later Christ forbids rash judgement concerning others adding the Law of retaliation the more to convince the Jews 1046. Rev. 20. 4. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years 1 Thess 4. 17. So shall we alwaies be with the Lord. In the first place a certain number is put for an uncertain and he speaks of the state of the Church which during the reign of Antichrist seemed to be dead but afterwards at the preaching of the Gospel she rose again which is the first resurrection 1047. Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still Matth 22. 39. Thou shalt love thy neighbour The Morall Law forbids private men to do hurt with an evil affection but to hurt another man at Gods command is not against the Law because God will have it so and he commands us to punish malefactors good men are proved by injustice and so are crowned with Martyrdom by it in the former place is spoken of punishment justly inflicted on the wicked which is not against charity since God doth most justly make use of all the creatures to punish ungodly men 1048. Rev. 22. 11. He that is righteous let him be righteous still Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Our righteousnesse is more and more to be declared and proved before men and before God by effects of our faith for we do not finde it perfect in us but in part only as our faith increaseth by degrees 1049. Rev. 22. 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this