Ishmael may live before thee Gen. 17.18 and let Reuben live and not Die Deut. 33.6 be good patterns for us 4. A wishing our Childrens weal Customarily without a Praying for them believingly is neither enough for Parents nor is it all or at all that is warranted by Isaac's Blessing Jacob here There is much difference 'twixt a Formal wish and a Faithful Prayer for their good there is a groundless Custom among Ignorant persons of Children asking their Parents Blessing The Prophet Jeremiah saith in general that the Customs of the People are Vain Jer. 10.3 And no better is this Custom which cannot be grounded on this Patriarchal practice for these following Reasons 1. Reason We find not that Jacob and Esau did ask their Father and Mothers Blessing daily but they only sought the Patriarchal Blessing before Isaac's Death The 2. Reason Nor do we Read that either of those Sons did fall upon their Knees down to the Ground to ask it for that is a posture of Worship proper and peculiar to God alone outward Adoration as well as inward Devotion is due to God only who alone hath Omnisciency Omnipresency and Omnipotency and not to be done to Angels Rev. 19.10 and 22.9 Much less to Men Act. 10.25 We must fall down and Worship God only Psal 95.6 Matth. 4.9 10 Luk. 4.7 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before me so that to Worship before an Idol is to Worship the Idol whatever the Romanists plead and pretend to the contrary 3. As their asking their Fathers Blessing here was not ordinary but extraordinary so this Blessing which they asked was extraordinary also not the common Paternal but the Patriarchal Prophetical Blessing which they here prayed for and therefore not to be drawn into practice as a pattern for our imitation such vain Customs must be reckoned among Popish Dreggs Yet thus far this high example may be for our Holy instruction That 1. Children must mind and remind their praying Parents of them and in an humble manner dutifully desire their Prayers and Blessing And 2. That Parents should be oft upon their Knees in Prayer to God for the good of their Children The Fifth Inference is Gods electing Love flows not from Man's works but from his own Free Grace It Esau and Jacob's works be here compared together we shall find the worse Son the better Man as to works Esau's works in themselves are all praise-worthy for he 1. Obeyed his Fathers command 2. Took pains in Hunting for right Venison 3. Carefully prepareth it to be Savory for his Fathers Pallate while on the other hand Jacob took no such pains of an Hunter taking a Kid of the Fold and dissembling himself to be Esau deceiveth his Father both with his Person and with his Provision as before yet is he Elected before Esau Hereupon both the Prophet Mal. 1.2 3. and the Apostle Rom. 9. 13 14. take their examples of the Freeness of Gods Election from these two rather than from Cain and Abel in the beginning of the Old World or from Shem and Ham in the beginning of the New upon a Three-fold account 1. Jacob and Esau are expresly said to be Born at one Birth 't is plainly known so of them not of the other Therefore Gods free Acting and Disposing of them in a contrary disposal is far more conspicuous and manifest in these than in the other 2. In Jacob there began to be a distinguish'd People from the People of the World and the Foundation of a distinct Visible Church was laid in him more than in Abel or Shem. 3. Jacob and Esau were both Born of Parents under the Promise that the Spiritual and Temporal Vertue of the Promise might be more clearly differenced 'T is therefore called the Election of Grace Rom. 11.5 He Loves because He Loves Deut. 7.7 8. 'T is wholly and solely from himself Idea Dei non advenit â—i aliunde it comes not from without or from us moving him to Love There be three sorts of Love in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. As to his Creatures 2. As to Men the best of Creatures And 3. As to Good Men the best of Mankind Thus the Waters of Damascus according to Naamans true Assertion might be as good Waters and as lovely in themselves as the Waters of Canaan yet God freely prefers the Waters of Jordan and Siloam before them Thus God hated Esau that is loved him with a less Love than he Loved Jacob I have passed him by and left him as a sinner and corrupted under Wrath and Judgment and this preterition or passing by is properly oppos'd to Election The 6th Inference no meer Man no not the best of Men knoweth all things but sometimes be exposed to mistakes as Isaac here though both a Patriarch and a Prophet yet blessed Jacob for Esau not knowing whether was to have the Blessing 't is only Christ that knoweth all things Joh. 21.17 But God suffered Isaac to be Ignorant here for Three Reasons 1. To teach him Dependency upon God for knowledg 't was the common condition of all the Prophets not to know or understand all ways and all things but what and when God was pleased to reveal to them Thus Nathan knew not at first but that David might Build the Temple for God Thus the Prophets begg'd of the Angel to interpret the Visions shewn them c. Thus also Isaac knew not the right Heir of the Blessing before The 2. Reason is Probably God suffered Isaac's Ignorance herein for his own safety for had he wittingly and willingly given away the Blessing to Jacob then Esau who was a Savage and Bloody Man would have faln upon his Father to Kill him as he resolved to Kill Jacob for it which hereby God wisely prevents The 3. Reason that the Wisdom and goodness of God towards Jacob might be the more manifest God will perform his pleasure There is no Counsel can stand against God he will have Jacob blest though Isaac and Esau do both Combine against it Prov. 21.30 The 7th Inference is The Efficacy of an Ordinance dependeth not upon the Instrument but upon the Word and Will of God Popish Doctrine teaches That the Efficacy of a Sacrament depends on the Intention of the Administrator so that it shall be fruitless to the Receiver for want of a good Intention in the Giver this here is quite contrary to that Romish Conceit and Lying Deceit for Isaac's intention was to have Blessed Esau yet the efficacy of his Benediction God confirms upon Jacob though Isaac had by a mistake pronounced the Blessing upon him it remained notwithstanding in full force and vertue Gen. 27.33 I have blessed him and he shall be blessed Thus though a Gospel-Minister be an Earthen Vessel or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but an Oister-shell 2 Cor. 4.7 subject to like passions with other Men Acts 14.15 and Jam. 5.17 yet when they Bless their people and pronounce pardon of sin to the truely penitent in the
part and main cause of his Purchase Hence Observ 1. A Godly Wife is a good Purchase Boaz could not think he paid too dear for this Purchase seeing she was one that feared God and the price of such an one is far above Rubies Prov. 31.10 A good Wife was one of the first real and Royal Gifts bestowed upon Adam Though Ruth was a Moabitess of that cursed Stock that were excluded from the Church to the Tenth Generation Deut. 23.3 hence some do censure Boaz for Marrying Ruth but uniustly for she was a Proselyte and a Vertuous Woman and came to trust under the Wings of the God of Israel She was not as Solomon's Mistresses of Moab that stole away his heart from God Neh. 13.26 V. 11. The Lord make the Woman c. This is their Prayer for a Blessing on his Marriage Hence Observ 1. Though Marriage be not a Sacrament as the Romanists reckon it yet ought it to be Solemnized and Sanctified by Prayer as it is both an Holy Ordinance of God Prov. 2.17 and an Honourable Estate to Man Hebr. 13.4 That is come into thy House To possess it as a good not an evil Spirit Hence Observ 2. Marriage is either a Marr-Age or a Merry-Age The Heathen could say every Man at Marriage brings into his House a good or an evil Spirit so makes it an Heaven or an Hell thereby Like Rachel and Leah Beautiful as Rachel Fruitful as Leah Hence Observ 3. Beautifulness and Fruitfulness are two Marriage-Blessings which God gives to them that Marry in the Lord. Both those are the Gifts of God and ought to be pray'd for by Man and both these are Blessed Cements betwixt Married Couples Gen. 24.16.67 Rebeccah was very fair and Isaac loved her and Gen. 30.20 and Job 19.17 Children are strong Cements both with Jacob and with Job c. Query 1. Why is it not said like Sarah or Rebeccah Answer 1. Because those two Rachel and Leah left their Countries as Ruth did 2. They desired Off-spring as she did 3. From them sprang the Twelve Tribes only but the Edomites were from Sarah and Rebeccah 4. The Bethlemites were from Leah and Rachel Rachel's Sepulchre was in the Suburbs of the City Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 Query 2. Why is Rachel set first Answer Because dearer to Jacob and his first Thoughts Do worthily in Ephratah c. All this was become a Jewish Form of Prayer Observ 4. Every Man ought to do worthily in his place and station All Men should be serviceable to God and profitable to Man not Inutile pondus terrae as if Born only Fruges Consumere to no purpose or to bad purpose they are to bad purpose by whom no body is better but some body worse See Ezek. 18.18 V. 12. Like the House of Pharez Who was the Bethlemites Progenitor Gen. 38.29 of a Numerous and Honourable Family see v. 18. and the Blessing of this Peoples Prayers came upon the Head of Boaz and Ruth Hence Observe 'T is good to have a share in the Prayers of others God graciously heard the Prayers of this People for this Couple for they had Children Wealth and Honour of them descended many and Mighty Princes especially Messiah the Prince The two grand priviledges of a Child of God Are First To be born upon the Wings of Prayer while he lives And Secondly Upon the Wings of Angels when he Dies V. 13. Boaz took Ruth This was done before solemn Witnesses Hence Observ 1. Clandestine Marriages are not warranted by the Word some Daughters are stolen away without Parents Consent Boaz took her to be his Wife not his Whore He went in unto her A modest Expression of the Marriage Duty Hence Observ 2. No corrupt Communication should proceed out of our Mouths Eph. 4.29 No Borborology no Obscene or filthy Speeches The Hebrew Tongue is called Holy some say because there is not one proper Name in it that signifies the Privities of either Sex or the Act of Copulation but it uses a modest Phrase or Periphrasis The Lord gave her Conception Hence Observ 3. The Key of the Womb as of Heaven of Hell and of the Heart hangs at God's Girdle She had been Married to a Young Man yet had no Child now she is Married to an Old Man yet hath a Child this was by the singular Blessing of God yea and a Son too which was more than a Daughter to uphold the Name and Family even to the Birth of Christ V. 14. And the Women said to Naomi Hence Observe Women's Meetings ought not to be spent in vain and frivolous Chat and idle Prattle much less in Ribaldry and Scurrility Here was an Holy way of Gossiping so Luke 1.58 the time was not wasted but spent in Praying and praising of God That his Name may be famous The Men had pray'd thus before now the Women pray for the same Hence Observ 2. 'T is an happy time when Men and Women do even apart pray for the same Blessing Esther 4.16 Zech. 12.12 Mercy would then come to God's Family and to our own V. 15. A Restorer of thy Life c. Hence Observe Children ought to be Restorers of Life to their Aged Parents and nourishers of their Old Age. Oh what a shame it is that so many Children bring down the Gray-hairs of Parents with Sorrow to the Grave Gen. 42.38 Many break the Hearts of their Parents few are Restorers and Comforters or Nourishers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stork-like so famous for Gratuity to their Dam c. V. 16. Naomi took the Child and laid it in her Bosome To wit next her Heart Hence Observe Love hath a descending Nature as the Beams of the Sun it descends better than ascends Naomi was but Mother-in-Law to its Mother yet behold her Affection to it 'T is oft found that Grand-mothers love their Grand-Children better than their own from the descending Nature of Love Hereupon she became Dry-Nurse to it Oh the Ocean of Love that descends from Parents to Children V. 17. The Women gave it a Name To wit those good Women v. 14. perswaded the Parents so to Name it either at the Birth or at the Circumcision as usual They call'd him Obed A Serviter so he was to Naomi whom he served with Comfort and Restoration and so he was to God a Serving Son Obed i. e. Obedient The Name Obed put him in Mind of his Obedience and Service to God and his Parents Mal. 3.17 as the Prince of Wales's Motto Ich Dien I serve to suppress his Pride c. V. 18. Though he was Mahlon's Legal Son yet was he Boaz's Natural Son the Catalogue of whose Generation is set down to shew that Shiloh came of Judah according to the Promise which Matthew transcribes Matth. 1.3 5. Pharez a Breaker a Type of Christ who broke the power of Death and Hell and the Partition-Wall then Zarah the Jew comes forth again Gen. 38.29 30. Boaz begot of Rahab Matt. 1.5 as Obed of Ruth c. The
seeing she murmured not at her Discouragements saying Is this the hearer of Prayer and he that will not break the bruised Reed c But believes he heard her when he did not answer her as Jer. 31.18 and when he fled from her it was as one desirous to be purely pursued by her that He changes his former Reproaching and Repulsing into a present gracing and gratifying her granting all her desire and more be it unto thee even as thou wilt wherein Christ seems to say to her Here is the Key of my Treasury take it open the Door go in and take what Mercy thou likest most The Devil shall be cast both out the Mothers Soul and out of the Daughters Body and both were done accordingly as the Prayer of the Parents Faith was profitable to the Child here so it may be to ours c. This Mother went home found her Daughter lying down quietly upon her Bed as one composing her self to rest being wearied with the daily disquiet the Devil had exceedingly vexed her with Mat. 15.22 Mark 7.30 Thus this Woman though weak as to her Sex yet strong as to her Faith compels as it were her seeming unwilling Saviour to do for her what she desired N. B. Note Well There be three Women famous for their Faith upon Record the Hemorroisse or Woman with the bloody Issue Mat. 9. Mary Magdalen Luke 7. and this Here c. Next follow two other Miracles to wit Christ's healing many miserable that came to him and his feeding four thousand c. Mat. 15.30 32. Mark 7.32 8.2 c. both these were to demonstrate further the Omnipotency of Christ A few Remarks upon both these may serve and satisfie here because the like to these Miracles have been largely insisted on before As to the first of healing many miserable Remark 1st How Christ went about still doing good Acts 10.38 He comes out of the Coasts of Tyre nigh to the Sea of Galisee where the sound brought the Sick to our Saviour and the Lame Blind Dumb and Maimed laying them down at his feet to be healed Thus when Christ had done his work in one place He follow'd his work to another He staid not in Phaenicia among the Gentiles after that one only Miracle of Mercy upon the Mother and Daughter aforesaid but immediately returns into the middle Territory betwixt the Upper and Nether Galilee which Mark calls Decapolis's Coast Mark 7.31 that is a Country consisting of ten Cities whereof Nazareth the place of Christ's Education was one where He spent the greatest part of his Ministry so gratifying his own Country most more than in Judea where were mostly his Implacable Enemies the Scribes and Pharisees to whom he exposes not himself before his time c. The 2d Remark is Many may come to Christ at once without hindring one another's 'T is not so with Man where one must wait till another be dispatched Matthew mentions a multitude of miserable ones brought up the Mount to Christ's feet not without much pains which argued much Faith in both but Mark mentions only one that was Deaf and had an Impediment in his speech Mark 7.32 whose Cure Mark singles out from all the other mention'd by Matthew and describes it in all its Circumstances because it was done in the way at distance before the multitude came therefore Mark mentions not this Mount at all for the fame of this Deaf Man's cure brought multitudes of Diseased out of all Adjacent places to Christ when after this he went up to the Mount c. N. B. Note well Thus we ought to carry all our friends diseased in Soul or Body though never so many of them one cannot hinder the healing of another lay them at Christ's feet that he may pity and heal them The 3d Remark is The Cures Christ wrought here upon the Body healing the Deaf Dumb Blind Lame and Maimed c. are still wrought by him upon the Soul of Mankind Though Christ bought not brought not applied not any Drugs in order to the Healing of any those Diseased yet used He some outwards signs such as putting his Finger into the Deaf man's Ear. and moistning his Tongue with his Spittle Mark 7 33. whereby He exhibited as Visible the Invisible efficacy of his Divine Power Thus also he did Mark 8.23 John 9.6 still no other External Means are used but what was properly Christ's as his Spittle and his Finger here that He might have all the Honour c. now as the sight of those Bodily Diseases put Christ to the Sigh Mark 7.34 not of any difficulty he had to heal them but from his commiserating fallen mankind which through Sin is become an Oecumenical Hospital attended with so many sad accidents of Misery and Mischief that which befalls any Man might befall every Man N. B. Note Well Yet the fruits of the fall are far fiercer and more universal upon the Soul than on the Body for whereas there may be here one and there one that is Deaf or Dumb c. bodily yet thousands are found so spiritually Christ sighs at this much more and oh that we could sigh too and seek to him that he may thrust his Fingers into our Ears and cry Ephphatha c. of Pathac Hebr. to open that he may open the ears of our hearts as Acts 16.14 heal us as Dumb Blind c. The 4th Remark is As Christ heal'd many at once here so he heal'd them without a pause how desperate soever their Disease was He held them not off as he did the Woman of Canaan till her third Petition but yields to these at the first word not because they were better but weaker than she was N. B. Note well Stroâ—g Graces shall have strong Exercises The skilful Armourer trys not an ordinary Breast-piece with Musket-shot nor doth the wise Lapidary bring his foster stones to the stithy Christ suits the burden to the back and the stroke upon her to the strength of her Faith which he well knew c. As to the second Miracle of feeding four thousand c. The Remark 1st is Our Wants and Weaknesses lye nearer Christ's Heart than they can do to any Mortal Man He takes notice of the Peoples necessities first before his Disciples Mat. 15.32 Mark 8.1 2. The 2d Remark is As Christ had compassion then so now upon his poor pennileâ—â— and necessitous People in Heaven he is free from personal passion yet not from Tender Compassion Heb. 2.17 4.15 Acts 9.5 The 3d Remark is Christ takes punctual and particular cognisance of all the circumstances of our sorrows and sufferings as here how far they came how long they had been there how little able they were to hold out fasting c. He not only relieves them for the present but for future too to help them home The 4th Remark is An Evil Heart of Unbelief doth pertinaciously cleave to the best Heart as the fretting Leprosie would not be scraped out
and Votaries hereby hindring them of that mutual Help that God ordained them and of that Remedy against Sin If God thought it not good for Adam in his Pure state to be alone how much more for his Posterity in the Corrupt state who have more need of that Remedy This forbidding to marry to their Clergie at all times and to their Laity at some times of the year is one of Romes Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 3. and they are Devils rather than Divines that speak disgracefully of Marriage and call it a Defilement Though Paul saith it is not good to marry 1 Cor. 7.26 28. yet doth he neither contradict Moses here nor himself elsewhere Heb. 13.4 for the Apostle speaks not there of Moral good which onely is opposite to sin but of Expedient good or Secundum quid in respect of present Persecutions under the ten Heathen Emperours Therefore it was not expedient Had he spoke of Good simply he could not have said If he marry he sinneth not The 2 Note this holy Ordinance of God Marriage Prov. 2.17 how holy should it be contracted and accomplished Adam did not steal the Woman when formed but receives her from God when he brought her to him Alas how many entreth into God's holy Ordinance at the Devils Portal either by Theft or Fornication This is the way to bring a Curse upon them and not a Blessing As Adam did not snatch Eve by force so neither did Eve come running to Adam but is brought to him by God They be holy and happy Couples whom hearty Prayers and holy Means bring together The last Blessing partly external and partly internal was that of the Sabbath instituted in Paradise both before the Fall of Man and before the Promise of Christ as Mr. Perkins saith in his Cases of Conscience about the Sabbath even in the state of Innocency Therefore the History of the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned immediately after the finishing of the Creation as is expressed both in Gen. 2.1 3. and Exod. 20.11 before the History of Adams Fall 'T is true our first Parents did not stand in that state of Innocency to keep the first Sabbath therein but did fall upon the sixth day the very day of their creation yet God makes mention of his Sabbath Gen. 2.3 before he made mention of their Sin Gen. 3.1 c. to shew that they should have kept the Sabbath though they had never finned If Man had continued in the pure state seeing he was appointed to dress the Garden and not to live idly even in Paradise it self 't is enough probable that even then and there he should have kept the Sabbath as a Rest and Intermission from even such a labour as became that place and state and as a Symbol or Sign unto him of a more compleat Perfection to be attained unto in Heaven far beyond that Perfection and Happiness he had on Earth The first point to be Discussed is that the Sabbath was Instituted from the Creation as the Prophet Malachi gathers an everlasting Rule and Law from a Foundation grounded on the first Creation saying Did be not make one And wherefore one that be might seek a Seed for God Mal. 2.15 so may we argue accordingly Did not the Lord rest upon the Seventh day and why upon the Seventh day that he might sanctifie the Seventh day to himself and his Worship Indeed Tostatus and Pererius two Popish Writers do assert that the Sabbath was not Instituted till the time of Moses at Sinai and that the Sanctifying of the Sabbath spoken of in Gen. 2.2 is mentioned by Moses there by way of Anticipation onely But this must needs be a gross mistake in both those Popelings For 1 no such Anticipation can be exemplified in either Testament for so great a distance of time as was betwixt the Creation of the World and the giving of the Law by Moses See Phil. â— 5 2 Suarez another Popish Author doth grant that some observation of the Seventh day began from the beginning of the Creation Suarez De Diebus Festis and all the best Interpreters do unanimously affirm that the Seventh day was Sanctified from the beginning of the World 3 The ancient Jews never dreamed of any such Anticipation for it was their received opinion that the Feast of the Sabbath was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all Nations from the beginning of the World Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. 4 It is also evident that the holy Patriarchs did keep the Sabbath by a godly Tradition before the Moral Law was given for 't is said Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. This was before the promulgation of the Law Exod. 20. and though here is the Sabbath first mentioned yet here it was not first instituted they had much neglected the Sabbath in Egypt and here a new Rule is given for its renewing and constant observation 5 The Creation of the World in six days and Gods resting on the Seventh was the cause of its Institution for a Sabbath as its effect Now to put off the Institution and Observation of the Sabbath until the promulgation of the Law at Sinai is to cast the Effect behind the Cause above 2544 years and to begin the Memorial that the World was made which certainly most concerned those of the first Age thereof to regard and remember not until above 888 years after the World was marr'd by Noahs Deluge which must needs be altogether improbable 6 The very words and Phrases the Holy Ghost uses Gen. 2.2 3. doth convince the contrary for there the compleating of the Creation is twice conjoyned with the Sanctification of the Seventh day and that in the same manner and phrase as the creation of Man and all other Creatures is conjoyned with their Benediction Gen. 1.21 22 27 28. 7 When the Law came to be given by Moses the fourth Commandment doth plainly intimate that the Sabbath was instituted when the Creation was finished for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and resâ—ed the seventh day c. Exod. 20.11 where God proposes his own Example for mans imitation That which the Lord himself had done in person the same must man do at Gods Command Thus the Apostle to the Hebrews seemeth to argue 1. From the Sabbath or Rest upon the Seventh day whereof the godly are partakers in this life which he intimates was a Rest appointed from the Creation of the World 2. There is another Rest mentioned in the Old Testament to wit the Rest in Canaan unto which Joshua brought the people of God 3. There is yet a Sabbatism or Rest remaining for them This is 1 Spiritual here as God rests in his love to us Zeph. 3.17 so we rest in our enjoyment of him Psal 116.7 2. Eternal in Heaven where the Sabbath is everlasting Heb. 4.3 4 5 7 8 9. Thus also the Ancient and Orthodox Fathers do universally ground the Institution of the
all humane diligence though that was much in both Mother and Son here as in the fourth Remark could not have compassed the Blessing without the concurrence of Divine Providence this Solomon sheweth Prov. 10.4 The diligent hand maketh Rich then as correcting his former Sentence he saith ver 22. The blessing of the Lord maketh Rich Mans diligence though as Active and Agile as the word signifies as Boaz who follow'd his Business himself had his Eyes in every corner on Servants Reapers yea and Gleaners he would lose nothing for looking after will not all do without the Blessing of Gods Providence therefore all our pains and policies without Prayer are but Arena sine Calce Sand without Lime they will not hold together The Patriarchs did all acknowledge that their Endeavours were blest of God only and thereby made so successful This was the acknowledgment of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Here all Esau's diligence in Hunting for some sweet Venison to please his Fathers Palate and so procure his Fathers Blessing was over-ruled by Gods Providence this is confirmed by sundry signal Circumstances As 1. That Isaac over-loving his evil Son Esau must be prepar'd with Blindness to correct his Errour 2. That whereas Isaac might have Blessed Esau immediately before his going out from him at that time when he call'd him to him yet must he long for some Venison of his Sons Hunting before he bestow'd his Benediction 3. This was also a marvellous over-ruling step of Providence that heâ— who was so accustom'd to feed upon Esau's Venison should not be able to distinguish betwixt wild Flesh and tame the Dish of Kid-flesh brought to him by Jacob. 4. That Isaac should be able to discern it for Jacob's Voice and yet bless him for Esau's Person while Jacob nam'd himself Esau with Jacob's Voice 5. That Esau should be so long detained abroad till the whole Business of Blessing Jacob was transacted and peracted at Home Rabbies say That Esau was detained by the Devil who not seldom makes Fools of Hunters leading them about c. How much of the Devil was herein I know not but there was certainly a sweet Providence of God in it that Esau should come in as soon as Isaac had done and Jacob was gone out and not sooner 6. That lastly when Isaac did both know and acknowledg his mistake yet doth he not complain of the Cheat though he to please Esau barely mentions it nor is so Angry at Jacob as to revoke and reverse what he had done but ratifies the blessing upon him These and other circumstances do plainly demonstrate that the most wise God who doth all things in Number Weight and Measure did by a singular providence so over-rule Isaac that he must bless that Son which first brought him Savory Meat to the exhilarating of his mind that Rebekah must procure this first opportunity for Jacob that Jacob making the first offer must have both acceptance and the blessing Although therefore it be not expresly said that Rebekah did all she did by Divine Direction yet from thâ—se circumstances aforesaid 't is safely and solidly so determined as neither is it expresly said that Isaac by Divine Direction Blessed Jacob which undoubtedly was done so seeing the Apostle expresly saith that by Faith Isaac blessed Jacob c. Heb. 11.20 Though done by falshood and mistake for though his intention was at the first to bless Esau yet the strangeness of the Act and Event contrary to his intention so strangely disappointed put him for a time into a trembling astonishment and soon convinced him of his Erroneous intent whereupon ver 33. He confirms the blessing upon Jacob and then doth that by Faith which before he had done by Fancy misguided as to Man but well guided as to God who would not suffer Isaac's carnal affection to cross his prediction Gen. 25.22 23. The fear of God did so over-awe Isaac now that though he might have a mind to recall his blessing from Jacob yet he dare not do it but establishes it more upon him in Gen. 27.33 And more advisedly in the next Chapter Gen. 28.1 All this shews the marvelous workings of Gods Providence that while Esau was lingring about his Hunting in the Field not readily procuring his Prey in the mean time the Lord helps Jacob both to the Venison and to the Benediction Thus the Cripple complained at the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5.7 While I am coming another steppeth in before me c. So was it with Esau here for he had not Hope unfailable Rom. 5.5 which is always bottomed upon Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 He had much presumption and so was answered with a Who art thou Gen. 27.33 but he a prophane Man had no true Faith which Jacob had so hath his Fathers blessing by Gods Oracle setled upon him beyond Isaac's intent who expected Venison from Esau but not from Jacob. Why Isaac desired Venison before he Blest his Son there be several accounts As. 1. Some think it was the Custom of those times that the Son must perform some Service for the Father before he received his Fathers Blessing but no such manner is manifest any where in Scripture 2. Others say that Esau might Earn his Fathers Blessing but Temporal Service cannot merit Spiritual Blessings such as Isaac bestowed on Jacob Indeed Gregory compareth the Jews fitly to Esau for seeking Gods Blessing by their own Works and the Gentiles to Jacob who sought the Blessing by a shorter way not by Works but by Faith Esau Hebr. signifies Doing when he thought verily with himself that with his prepared Venison he had merited his Fathers Blessing so comes proudly to Challenge it of him who gave him no other answer but Who art thou We may with Esau Hunt long enough in our own Doings or Deeds of the Law yet shall we not meet with but miss the Blessing which is only to be obtained by Faith 3. Others say that Isaac desired Venison for cheering himself up with good Cheer and VVine for exhilarating his Heart that he might be the fitter instrument of Gods Spirit to convey the Blessing so much the better to his Son in the Vigour and Vivacity of his own Spirit aâ— the Prophet Elisha call'd for a Minstrel to compose his Spirit for his Prophecying Work 2 King 3.15 Sorrow and other inordinate Passions do discompose the mind of Man The Prophet was both sadden'd for the loss of good Elijah and grieved at the presence of bad Jehoram so must have Musick to compose his mind before he Prophesied and accordingly we call for a Psalm before we Preach for rousing up our Spirits and that we may be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 19. and Col. 3.16 And David ascribes this vertue to VVine as well as to Musick saying VVine maketh glad the Heart of Man Psal 104.15 that he may more cheerfully serve his Maker that the Heart may be lifted up as Jehosophats was 2 Chron. 17.6 in the ways of Obedience
in those Families wherein the Church consisted until the coming of Christ Thus Noah convey'd the principal Blessing to Shem Gen. 9.26 Abraham to Isaac in whom the Seed should be called excluding Ishmael So Isaac here made Jacob the Heir of the Blessing Esau being excluded yet Jacob gave a Blessing to all his Twelve Sons as all belonging to the Church but the more principal Blessing was promis'd to Judah of whom the Messiah should descend therefore though the Apostle say Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau Heb. 11.20 he cannot mean with an equal Blessing For 1. Isaac could not give that to Esau which he had given before to Jacob. 2. Or if he could what was it that made Esau so mad against Jacob as to resolve his Murther had the same Blessing been made over to them both No Man can be justly offended that another partakes of the same Sun-shine with himself when he finds that he hath fulness thereof and no less thereby Hereupon the next necessary Enquiry must be what Differences may be assigned betwixt the Blessings of Jacob and Esau Answer The Differences are various As 1. The Blessing Isaac gave Jacob was given with a Kiss Come near now and Kiss me my Son and he came near and kissed him Gen. 27.26 27. This was a Kiss of Love and a blessed preface to his pronouncing the Blessing as he Kiss'd and Blest Jacob when he smelt him as the smell of a Field which the Lord had Blessed so our Everlasting Father Isa 9.6 Christ will Kiss and Bless us Cant. 1.2 when he finds the fragrancy of a fruitful Field on us if our tender Grapes give a good smell Cant. 2.13 then will he give us his Loves Cant. 7.11 12 13. even a Kiss of Love We do not Read a word of Isaac's Kissing prophane Esau 2. Though Isaac indeed gave a Blessing unto Esau as the shaking off Israel's Yoke ver 40. which was undoubtedly a Blessing and did fall out 2 Kings 8.20 c. yet his Blessing of him did not come off with a God give thee as Jacob's did ver 28. which is both a Prayer and a Prophecy but there is no mention of God in Esau's Blessing Wicked Men may have Worldly Blessings but not with a God give thee more from Gods Hand than from his Heart more out of the Court of general Providence than out of the Cabinet of some special Promise Esau depended on his Sword for his Livelihood By thy Sword thou shalt live Gen. 27.40 but Jacob depended on Gods care and kindness for him and his Deut 11.11 12. 'T is remarkable whereas Isaac both Kist and Blest Jacob with a God give thee c. He only without any mention of God answered and said to Esau ver 39. Importing Quòd dixit ceu praedixit potiùs quà m benedixit c. that it was rather a Prediction of his future condition than a solemn Benediction 3. Neither did Isaac give the like Temporal Blessing to Esau that he gave to Jacob according to some reading for whereas we read ver 39. Behold thy dwelling shall be the Fatness of the Earth and of the Dew of Heaven Castalio renders it à terrae pinguedine aberis thou shalt dwell far from the Fatness of the Earthy to wit in Mount-Seir which was a Barren Countrey a part of Arabia Petrosa Rocky and Mountainous naturally abounding with Serpents and Dragons it being in the Wilderness of this Countrey of Edom where the Israelites were stung with fiery Serpents Numb 21.6 Reasons for this reading are 1. This portion of Earth so Barren was given to Esau Gen. 36.6 8. and Josh 24.4 because God hated him Mal. 1.3 2. The word Mishmannc here is read by us from fatness Psal 109.24 My Flesh fails from fatness that is for want of Fatness or without it for the Particle Min sometimes signifies without 3. Isaac had given the Fatness of the Earth to Jacob before and this he could not give over again to Esau 4. Had Isaac given Esau the fatness of the Earth c. as to Jacob then Esau would not have so grieved at the loss of the Blessing if he had the same 4. Suppose it so according to our reading yet stands it differing from that of Jacob's For 1. In Isaac's words to Esau the fatness of he Earth is placed before the Dew of Heaven whereas the order is inverted in those to Jacob as they ought to be for Heaven should be placed before the Earth as in time Gen. 1.2 so in place and worth to godly Jacob Heaven was his Throne and Earth his Footstool but to prophane Esau Earth was his Throne and Heaven but his Footstool 2. Esau's Blessing was with some restraint for store of Wheat and Wine are omitted therein being given before to Jacob. 3. Nor is the restraint in that only but in other things for four great Priviledges are promis'd to Jacob in his Blessing 1. Plenty of all good things 2. Victory over Enemies 3. Domestick Preheminency And 4. Peace and Prosperity The contrary to which at least to most of them are entail'd upon Esau as the Sword he must live by instead of Peace Subjection instead of Dominion c. Thus neither in the same order nor with the same latitude But above all there is Fifthly A Spiritual Blessing convey'd to Jacob by Isaac which was not at all given to Esau for besides that all are Cursed that Curse Jacob and all are Blessed that Bless him v. 29. which both are the works of the great God who taketh the Kindnesses or Injuries done to his Church as done to himself Mat. 25.40 and Act. 9.4 and accordingly doth recompence with Curses or Blessings Woe to those whom God Curseth his Curse shall take hold of them and shake them out of their Castles Zech. 5.1 2 3 4. Psal 149.9 Deut. 28.61 Job 18.15 They shall neither avoid nor abide it but Wither away as the Fruitless and Ground-cumbring Fig-Tree did which Christ Cursed Mat. 21.19 and so on the contrary c. besides this I say those four forementioned Temporal Priviledges did include in them Spiritual Blessings they were speculum pignus Coelestium the looking Glass and Pledge of Heavenly things there were better things Promised with them being all pronounced in an higher style than ordinary and near to Poetical to shew that better even Heavenly Blessings were provided for Jacob whereof these Temporal things were but shadows as oft in Scripture they are used Isa 25.6 Psal 65.10 13. Zech. 9.17 c. though Isaac make no mention of them That this Blessing of Jacob must be a Spiritual Blessing also and more especially there be these Arguments to enforce it 1. Should it be taken Literally for Temporal Blessings only this agrees neither with his Person nor with his Posterity for a long time after seeing Jacobs Person was in servitude to Laban full twenty years and at his return made Obeisance to Esau as to his Lord after his Father had Bless'd
his Fathers House and constrained to commit himself to an hard-hearted Master for Twenty long years while Esau in the mean time had the rule of his Fathers House at his departure and after prospered to become a mighty Man notwithstanding all this neither Rebekah nor Jacob did despair of Gods Promise or doubted of the Blessing in due time to be made good and until then they made a Life out of the Promise of it which sheweth that great is the Consolaâ—ion of Gods Servants in the midst of all their Sorrows and Sufferings They carry along with them the Promise and Blessing as the Pawn and Pledge of the Heavenly Inheritance whereby in the greatest want of all things they still greatly abound and whatever of the worser part be taken from them yet this better part can never be so Luke 10.42 What though the wicked prosper and flourish within Doors as Esau did while the godly are suffering hard things abroad with their Father Jacob yet the latter do well know that the former have their portion in this Life Psal 17.14 and 't is but a Barren Mount Seir at the best that is assign'd them they are still strangers to the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 The Inheritance it self is reserved for them it may be on Earth however in Heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Hence do they learn patience and constancy in the good ways of God who many times leads them about as he did Israel in the Wilderness suffering hard things for many years yea and confidence that God in his good time will make his Promise good to his people The fourth Remarkable Note or Observation is that rather than Gods Servant Jacob should be discourag'd by the hard things interveening betwixt the Promise and the Performance God himself will come to comfort and encourage him This brings us to the Vision of the Ladder wherein God came to comfort him and to confirm his Fathers Blessing upon him for a firmer fixing of his Faith upon it Notwithstanding this Blessing Prayer and Promise of Isaac to Jacob yet there were hard Providences quite contrary to the Promises which were hard to be reconciled together attending both Jacob's Person and his Posterity for a long time after before any performances of the Promise appeared As to Jacob's Posterity Moses gives us an Account that Esau's Posterity was sooner advanced to Royal Dignity than that of Jacob which in the Egyptian Bondage were ruled under a Rod of Iron while Esau's Off-spring were Rulers swaying a Golden Scepter Gen. 36.31 before there Reigned any King of the Sons of Israel whereupon the Hebrews observe that Israel was groaning in the Iron Furnace of Affliction while Edom plumed himself with the glittering Glories of a Royal Diadem From whence is an undeniable consequence That Pomp and Prosperity is no Infallible Evidence of the true Church As the Romanists say Luther proves Rome to be a false Church quia sine cruce Regnat because she fetcheth her best marks from the goodness of her Markets If so This will prove Edom a truer Church than that of Israel and though Edom reigned sooner than Israel yet they sooner perished Citiùs exoriuntur impii citiùs exuruntur like the Grass that grows upon the House top may grow up sooner than that of the Field yet it withereth sooner the Mower fills not his Hâ—nds with it Psal 129.6 7. as holding it not worth gathering wicked Men are useless Creatures set up on high for a time but on slippery places Ps 7.3.18 advanced as Haman but to be brought down with a Vengeance and that suddenly whereas the Inheritance of the Children of God Continueth for ever Psal 102.28 by vertue of the Covenant And as to Jacobs person which is the matter in hand and therefore here mentioned after his Posterity Moses gives an Account also that Esau's person was Solacing himself at home in his Fathers House while Jacob was driven from it to Travel into a strange and far Countrey about 500 Miles distance where when Seventy Seven years Old he must be bound Apprentice for a Wife to a churlish Master for Seven years more Whereas long before this Esau had taken to himself two Wives not consulting his Parents nor craving their consent yea contrary to their practice who contented themselves with one to one according to the first Institution Gen. 2.24 and these two which should have been but one were two Hittites the worst sort of the Cursed Canaanites Ezek. 16.3 and therefore Esau's Marriage was a great grief to both his Parents minds Gen. 26.34 35. and 27.46 not only because he had shewed less respect to them in point of Marriage than scoffing Ishmael had done who Married according to his Mothers mind Gen. 21.21 though she was but a Woman and a Bond-woman too yet submits to her disposal therein but also because Esau had Married against both his Noble Parents Wills two untractable Idolatresses of a Rebellious Race and Spirit Rabbys say resisting the godly Council of Isaac and Rebekah whereas Ishmael as we read took but one only And as if this had been too little provocation to Pious Parents by a prophane person when he saw that Jacob was sent to Padan-Aram for a Wise and that his own two Canaanitish Wives were an offence to his Parents he to please them will take another Wife of the stock of Abraham a Daughter of Ishmael his Fathers Brother Gen. 28.6 7 8 9. This he did to please his Father not minding at all whether he or his Wives pleased God God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10.4 By this Marriage he thought to make amends for his faults in his two first and to please his Father better than before but this third Marriage makes him a worse Husband in the multiplication of Wives The former for any thing appearing to the contrary being both alive nor did this make him the better Son for he being the Son of a Free man should not have married the Offspring of the Bond-woman and one that belong'd not to the Covenant of Grace In this prophane person Esau we have a Specimen or Pourtraicture of the best Practices of prophane People who are 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After-witted as Esau was of whom 't is said twice when Esau saw Gen. 28.6 and when Esau saw v. 8. but both times he saw too late and therefore what he did was to little purpose This non putâram or Fools Had I wist in an After-wit or over-late sight is never good neither in Piety nor in Policy Such as Future their Repentance being as Seneca saith semper victuri always about to amend their Manners yet never meet with a time to begin it will find this true when in the midst of their trifling about Offers and Essays of Reformation they are snatch'd away by Death and shut out of Heaven The Patriarchal Blessing was now bestowed upon Jacob though banished and though Esau lived as Lord at Home and now labour'd to please
privately lest he should lye in Ambush for him It was now become unsafe for Jacob to stay any longer at home because of the murthering menaces of his bloody Brother besides it was high time for him now if ever to look abroad for a Wife beginning then in respect of our Age to be an old Man being upon his 77th year and as Abraham forbad Isaac a Canaanitish Wife Gen. 24.3 so undoubtedly he was commanded by his Father to forbid the same to his Sons as Moses Law after made it more manifest for 't was irrational they should mingle with that Cursed Crew destin'd to Destruction The Second Enquiry seems more knotty which is seeing Abraham forbad Isaac to go into Syria or Mesopotamia Labans Countrey Gen. 24.6 for fear of his being Seduced to their Idolatry yet Isaac commands Jacob to go thither so exposes him to the danger of being Seduced Answ 1. Jacob was not in any such danger of that Countrys Idolatry both because he was better Established in the true Religion at Seventy Seven years Old than Isaac was at Forty And Abraham's prohibition was that his Son should not Return thither to stay there ver 8. in case his Wife would not be willing to come thence to Canaan loth he was to lose his part in the Land of Promise Oh that we could fear it also Heb. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fall short or come behind but Jacob was only bid to tarry there for a few days Gen 27.44 though it proved Twenty years and as soon as Married to return for Isaac promised him the possession of Canaan and there was less doubt of Jacob's return than of Isaac's had he gone thither seeing some of Rachels Jacob's designed Wifes Relations were already seated in Canaan which were not when Rebekah was Married and if Isaac's Wife was so willing to go to Canaan Gen. 24.57 58. how much more Jacob's Wife upon fairer invitations of her near Kindred Yet Jacob's Faith in this his Pilgrimage is more throughly tryed than all his Fathers that being left destitute of all Humane helps as one forlorn and bereaved of all Creature comforts and company in his long and solitary Journey he must now learn to make a Life by his Faith Hab. 2.4 out of that Blessing alone which he had newly obtained Notwithstanding all his Discouragements he wanted not his due Encouragements for besides that upon his going off from his Fathers House he hath the preheminency given him over his Brother Esau whom he leaves behind for Rebekah is call'd Gen. 28.5 the Mother of Jacob and Esau wherein Jacob is preferred before Esau whereby it appeareth saith Doctor Willet that Isaac's Judgment was altered from his first Intentions for now he gives the preheminence to Jacob when he dismissed him to Aram or Syria the latter being the Greek Name Luk. 4.27 and the former the Hebrew Name of that Countrey of Laban Gen. 10.22 Thus Mal. 1.2 3. and Heb. 11.20 Jacob is likewise preferred before Esau in both Testaments which reckons them not as they were in the Order of Nature but as God disposed them in the Order of Dignity and where the Younger is advanced before the Elder it lays the greater Debt and Duty to God on them And no doubt but this was a great encouragement and comfort to Jacob against all his discouragements to find his Earthly Fathers Judgment who would have bless'd Esau not him before so rectified now as to prefer him before his Elder Brother and to send him away with his Spiritual Hereditary and Patriarchal Blessing which Esau too late and too lazily desired to inherit but was rejected though he sought it with Tears Heb. 12.17 Though Jacob was sent away with his Staff only Gen 32.10 a poor forlorn Fugitive glad to run for his Life and that probably as privately as he could that his Threat-breathing Brother might have no Notice of his Journey so watch and way-lay him with mischief and Murder in the way though he was forced to fly into Syria to save himself and there to labour hard for his livelihood and to serve an hard Apprentiship for a Wife Gen. 28. and chap. 29. Hos 12.12 He had nothing to endow a Wife withal he therefore must Earn her with his hard Labour though it was otherwise when a Wife was provided for his Father Isaac and who now did counter-comfort him against all those Evils with his paternal Benediction whereby his Faith and confidence in Gods providence was the better supported From hence these Corollaries may be deducted ☞ 1. To Look unto the Rock from whence we are hewn it should serve to humble us Isa 51.1 Our Fathers were Amorites and our Mothers Hittites Ezek. 16.3 The Posterity of Jacob were bound by the Law to make an humble confession of their poor Original Deut. 26.5 A Syrian ready to perish was my Father c. when they offer'd their Baskets of first Fruits that considering the meanness of the Pit out of which they were digged they might not boast of their Genealogies as they were apt to do but magnifie Gods Free Grace in their present injoyments and say with Iphicrates that noble Athenian General in the midst of all his Trophees and Triumphs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great baseness and misery to what great Blessedness and Glory are we exalted and as Willigis Bishop of Ments a Wheel-wrights Son hang'd his Fathers Tools about his Bed-Chamber under-writing in Capital Letters Willigis Willigis recole unde veneris remember thy Rise This will hide Pride from us Job 33.17 2. Jacob here is the pattern of a pious Son yielding due Duty and filial Obedience to paternal commands Children ought to Honour and Obey their Parents in licitis honestis commanding them honest and lawful yea wholsom matters though they seem very difficult as Jacob obey'd Isaac here in bidding him flee c. 3. Jacob is also a pattern of Piety here to all pious Christians teaching us hereby to bear patiently the Banishments of the World and not to envy the delights wicked Men enjoy at home while we are Banished abroad as Jacob did wherein he shewed singular humility meekness and patience waiting upon the providence of God having obtained the Blessing of his Earthly Father to live upon with comfort and encouragement Theodoret saith well that Jacob sled into Syria no better attended and accommodated on purpose that the power and providence of God might be more clearly manifested towards him and not out of any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or want of natural affection in his Father Isaac towards his Son for if so he had not sent him away with his Blessing and Prayers after so solemn a manner But the best and most blessed comfort and encouragement Jacob had for the support of his Faith was from his Heavenly far beyond that of his Earthly Father and that when he was gone from home in obedience to Isaac's command and was going many a weary Footstep to serve
Stratagems Gen. 14.15 1. In Dividing his Company a small Squadron of 318 Men to make shew of a great Army dispersed divers ways and to prevent the escape of the Enemy 2. In taking the benefit of the night that he might surprize them before he could be seen by them 3. In falling upon them as Josephus saith when they were secure sleepy and drunken as David did upon the Amalekites 1 Sam. 30.16 and Ahab upon the Syrians 1 King 20.16 These two with Abraham had Divine Direction for what they attempted and Divine Protection for what they effected Religion is no Impediment either to Prudence or to Prowess in military matters Thus Jacob useth Policy Gen. 30.38 to 42. for enriching himself out of Laban's Flock by a Divine Warrant as above and here for securing himself against Esau's force Gen. 32.7 8. 16.17 18. with Gen. 33.1 c. yet he doth not he dare not depend upon his own Policy but betakes himself to his Piety and to his God in fervent Prayer ☞ Object But some say Surely Jacob was here so disturbed with his passion of fear now predominant that he was transported into a transgression by his digression from due order for he ought to have sought God in the first place then seek to means The first Answer There is no doubt but that God should be implored before all things Yet this is no praeposterous acting first to order some such matters as lay at hand when the danger is sudden and surprizing for the best advantage and then to intreat the Lord for his blessing upon those endeavours Sometimes a disposing of things will not admit of delay in such a case as the breaking out of Fire or the breaking in of Water then to run into the Closet first and there to spend time in prayer to God is not Piety but Folly for means may then be used with Ejaculations and solemn Invocations when there is neither Time nor Place for Set and Appointed Prayer The second Answer In sudden dangers such as the fore-mentioned imminent over us there is a duty of doing what we can for provision of good and prevention of evil incumbent upon us In such cases it is not enough for us to cry out Lord save us we perish Matth. 8.25 but we must Row hard plying our Oars John 6.19 do our utmost endeavours to quench the Fire to stop the Water c. Use means as well as pour out prayers The good Emperors Motto was Ora labora take pains as well as say prayers And it was a smart check which the Heathen Philosopher gave the Car-man who when his Cart was over-turned gaz'd upon it with his hands in his pockets and cryed O Minerva help me saying Admotâ manu invocanda est Minerva Man work with thy hands as well as call upon thy Goddess Thus also God himself said to Moses Why cryest thou to me Speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward Exod. 14.15 Mark where the fault and the stop lay Moses craved Gods help but he did not forward the course that made way for Gods help there is something more to be done by us than only to cry to God therefore The third Answer is Jacob for our Instruction takes the right method he uses means and prays he prays and uses means He knowing his present peril and fearing a sudden surprize secures his Family in as good order as he could otherwise he had tempted God who when he affords Means will not work Miracles when this was done which the matter did require to shew he did not depend upon his own devices and prudential Designs he immediately applies himself to his God imploring his Benediction according to his Promise upon his poor endeavours well knowing that without the Divine Blessing no Humane Helps and Means can be available All which do plainly shew that Jacob placed his Confidence in God while he used such Politick Projects for his own and Families preservation Besides 't is very remárkable how these three Remedies aforesaid are placed in the History The first Of sending Embassadors to Esau was before Jacob was so greatly afraid Gen. 32.3 7. The second Remedy of ranking his Flocks and Family was immediately after his surprizing Astonishment v. 7 8 11. putting them into such a posture upon present peril as if Esau did fall foully upon the first company the second might the better seek to escape by flight No more he doth But his third Remedy of sending a Noble Present to his Brother was after he had been with God in prayer v. 9. to v. 13.80 that his Policy did not justle out his Piety nor took the right hand of precedency from it save only in that indispensible duty of setting his company in two Ranks to save some where he could not hope to save all The rest and most of his Prudentials or Politicks followed after his Piety and Prayer v. 13. to 22. and Gen. 33.1 2. wherein observe how 1. He divides his Vast Present into three Bands and sent them away before him setting a great space between them v. 16. that thereby they coming up one after another to be presented to Esau orderly and in due interspace Esau's Anger might be abated by degrees and so Jacob by this Proxy and Present might gradually gain ground upon his Brothers Favour and Acceptance He did not expose himself in the head of this Present to that eminent danger but put the Cattel into the hands of his Servants whereof there was far less fear and therewith a Complement into their mouths how they should court the Lord Esau And 't is very observable all these three Bands of Presents spake one and the same thing by them who were the Mouth as well as Leaders of them I would to God it were so among the Leaders of the Church that they would walk by the same Rule and mind the same thing Phil. 3.16 no other Rule or Thing than the Word of God such an heavenly Harmony would mostly advance the Churches Edification and overcome prophane Esaus to be reconciled to godly Jacobs Thus Jacobs Humane Prudence in all parts and points was successfully subservient to Gods Divine Providence he sending his Presents thus ranked at a due distance each from other made them more conspicuous and gave Esau a fairer opportunity for a better and more grateful viewing of the greatness thereof besides Esau's questioning their several Leaders and their unanimous rendring the concurring Answer thereunto together with Jacob's humble submission to him All this was done prudently and politickly that thereby Esau might be mollified and melted by degrees and his Anger abated Munera crede mihi placant hominesque Deosque Placatur Donis Jupiter ipse datis Jacob's Presents thus marshall'd and manag'd was a most probable project with Gods blessing to pacifie an enraged Enemy and to procure peace with him as indeed it did Gen. 33.8 9. 1. Having discours'd upon Jacobs first Remedy against his grievous
measure by his heavenly visions in his matchless Rapture into the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.1 2 7. Had he not been buffeted he had been puffed up and had been carried up higher in his own Humane conceit than ever he was in the Divine Extasy Rupertus applies this story to the Jews Genealogy which as he saith was put out of joint by the coming of Christ thereupon the Apostle forbids them its use 1 Tim. 1.4 as a laborious loss of time whereof there could be then neither proof nor profit for after Christs coming no more such fruit was found upon that Tree none like a Messiah no other could be expected seeing Shilo was come already Gen. 49.10 Augustin understands this History to hold out the two seeds of Jacob the sound Legg to represent those that believed on Christ the lame Legg those that halted through unbelief Serm. 80. de Tempore but Gregory comes nearer the mark saying The halting Foot resembles the frailty of the flesh but the upright one the vigour of the Spirit in every true Child of Jacob for so saith our Saviour to his Disciples The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 But the most genuine Interpretation hereof is that as it was to humble Jacob who must not have the Victory without a wound his Harm received makes him go off the won field only an halting Conqueror So we are taught here when we are most prevalent with God in prayer yet go we for humbling us but halting away as Jacob did here Those halting Israelites 1 Kings 18.21 did arise out of their Father Jacob's halting Thigh they indeed halted on both Leggs being his carnal seed as above yet even his spiritual seed halts of one Legg to wit the unrenewed part in them The best of men are but men at the best there is a But at the door of the best not only great men have their But as Naaman the Syrian General But he was a Leper 2 King 5.1 but also good men even the best of the kind as David a man after Gods own heart But in the matter of Uriah 1 King 15.5 The holiest have their haltings which they carry as Jacob did his along with them to their dying day The best have a wound in the Thigh as Jacob had which makes them halt in their walking that Thorn in femore or in the fresh causeth uneven paths and unequal paces The holiest have their exercises something to humble them God hath his Tedder at every mans foot and his Bridle upon all mens spirits to Rein them in from Self-exaltation that they may not mount too high by having the Victory Oh that our former haltings may be sanctified to us so as to work savingly in us some future humblings At Death saith Piscator God wrestles with his Servants laying hold on their Consciences by the Menaces of the Law They again resist this Assault by laying hold upon God with the Faith of the Gospel being well assured that Christ hath freed them from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse for them upon the Cross God yields himself overcome by this Rancounter yet toucheth the hollow of their Thigh or rather wounds them in that fatal place of the Thigh commonly call'd the Pope's Eye where a wound is accounted mortal by taking away their lives Howbeit this hindereth not the Sun of Life eternal from arising and srising upon them in their passage to another World as the Sun of the Firmament did upon Jacob as he passed over Penuel Gen. 32.31 which the Septuagint translateth The Sun arose upon him when the face shape or appearance of God passed away from him And thus it befalleth the Saints in their other Conflicts with the Devil as well as in that last with Death wherein the best do bewray some haltings some frailties in their Trials and Temptations as David did saying I am ready to halt Psal 38.17 that is to misbehave my self and so to mar a good Cause by my ill management And thus Paul had got a Thorn in his foot or flesh which caused some haltings call'd his Infirmities 2 Cor. 12.5 7. and some cryings out I am weak v. 10. yet this doth not obstruct the Sun of Righteousness from arising upon them with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 The Lord Jesus is their Jehovah Rophekah a Giant-like or Almighty Healer Exod. 15.26 Omnipotenti medico nullus insanabilis occurrit morbus To this Almighty Healer there is no disease can be found incurable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nazianzen Contraria contrariis curantur saith Galen Christ cureth contrary Distempers by contrary Applications he hath a way by himself that he may be the more admired Thus the case was with that great Apostle when he in himself was weak then Christ which is a seeming contradiction made him strong Thus Jacob's halting neither hindered the Sun from shining upon him nor himself from coming home to Canaan Whereas the wicked who halt on both Leggs as the godly halt upon one only have a contrary Threatning that their Sun shall go down at noon Jer. 15.9 and Amos 8.9 A sudden change shall come upon them as it did upon Sodom the Sun was fair risen upon it that same day wherein it was destroyed Gen. 19.23 24. Their Sun went down while it was day and yet the Sun shone upon Lot while it rained down Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah So when wicked men are mounted up to their Zenith or vertical point when go to their Tropicks their turning point of time in their highest Elevations a dismal change comes upon them They shall be as Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar and Herod c. were destroyed in the very height of their Pride and highest Ruff of their Jollity Pharaoh had all fair way and weather made before him until the very instant wherein he was drowned The third Respect which is the sixth point in this famous Story to be wondered at is Jacob's constancy and continuance in wrestling notwithstanding his lame Legg he must gain God's blessing and he will not give over wrestling until he get it He was so constant and so instant in prayer and so fervent in spirit Rom. 12.11 12. that this Earth-born man brought his Heaven-sprung Antagonist to a fair parley Gen. 32.26 Thus Prayer is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. v. 1 2. that is a parlying with God wherein there is 1. The Angels Request to Jacob and 2. Jacob's Reply to his Request In the Angels Request in general there is a clear Concession that he was conquered by Jacob. Pugna suum finem cùm Jacet Rogat hostis habet There the Combat or Conflict endeth when either Party lyes along upon the Ground or desires leave to depart the Field Though the former of these did not befal Jacob's Adversary to fall before Jacob yet he even when lamed and hardly laid at will bring him to the latter he begging his leave to be gone wherein
payment to all prophane Persecutors who dare be so fool-hardy as to Fight against God Acts 5.39 Gamaliel's caution is as a loud out-cry Oh come not near such an evil Act or dare not to be found in the remotest tendency towards it If you harden your Hearts against God then God will harden his Hand against you and hasten your destruction Prov. 29.1 and that without Remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Oh that wicked Men would consider whether their ten thousand even all their Forces they have on Earth be able to grapple with Gods twenty thousand even those Myriads of Armies or Angels which the Lord of Hosts hath ready in Heaven Can a Man of no strength match that God who is of Infinite strength Oh the madness of Men thus to hazard their Weals in both Worlds upon such great disadvantages Luke 14.31 as these But here is a contention of a contrary Nature 't is betwixt an Holy Man and the most Holy God this was an Holy Contention upon a Threefold Account 1. As this Contender with God was not a wicked but an Holy Man that Testimony of Moses God beheld no Iniquity in Jacob Numb 23.21 holds true both as to his Person and as to his Posterity yea such an Holy Man was Jacob that the Scripture Psal 24.6 calls God himself who is all Holiness by the Name of Jacob after the same manner is the Church it self call'd Christ himself 1 Cor. 12.12 All these four be Holy God Jacob Christ and Church The 2d Account is This Holy Contention as it was 'twixt two Holy Persons so it was for Holy things even for sure Mercies which the Septuagint calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy things of David Isa 55.3 and Act. 13.34 Jacob did not contend with God as wicked men do how he might be wicked at his own will without being controul'd by a superior will but it was that he might have God's Blessing which is a Blessing indeed 1 Chron. 4.10 the Blessing of that Covenant made with his Father and Grandfather and that Blessing must needs be an Holy thing that is contain'd in the Holy Covenant The 3d Account is This Holy Contention was manag'd by Jacob with Holy Weapons too Such as Prayers and Tears are which Luther calls Instrumenta Bellicosissima Ecclesiae miserae The most Military and effectual Ordinānce and Engines of the Afflicted and Militant Church 'T is true we read not of Jacob's weeping recorded by Moses yet Hosea assures us hereof Hos 12.4 He wept and made Supplication he both pray'd and wept for the Blessing it was not the Angel that pray'd and wept for his dismission to Jacob To suppose this done by God to Man is to take away that due Decorum we should have of the tremendous Deity and a thinking over-low Thoughts and too vile Imaginations of the most High and most Holy God Yet we read often how Ardent Prayer is a pouring out the Soul to God not without a Shower of Tears or at least a Storm of Sighs As the best Musick is upon the Waters is heard farther and much more Harmonious than upon the Land So the best Prayers are attended with Tears are most pleasing to God and most prevalent with him Thus Holy Jacob in this Holy contention with this Holy Angel by those Holy Weapons obtains those Holy Things 1. Holy Honour And 2. The Holy Blessing First The Honour that is of Knighthood Christ when he found him how he wrestled by weeping and how he prevailed by Praying Ask'd him Gen. 32.27 Saying What is thy Name As if he should say Thou art such a Fellow as I never met withal Hast thou trip'd up Esau's Heels and prevail'd over him for the Birthright Gen. 25.33 and for the Blessing Gen. 27.36 41. and now would thou trip up my heels also Surely thou art a None-such Man and one without a Parallel And for this Heroick and more than Angelical Exploit thou shalt have from me the Honour of Knighthood Hereupon Christ said to him as it were Kneel down Jacob Rise up Israel and thus after a sort he Knighted him this was according to the Custom of the World whose Conquerours have usually high Titles of Honour conferr'd upon them for their famous Conquests As the one Roman Scipio was honoured with the Title of Africanus for his Conquering Africa and the other was stiled Asiaticus for his Conquering Asia Thus this Patriarch had both his Names from both his Conquests for his first Name was given him for his Conquest over his Brother Gen. 27.36 Is he not rightly call'd Jacob and now he is as rightly call'd Israel for his Conquest over God himself for so saith Christ Gen. 32.28 Thy Name shall not any more be call'd Jacob but Israel that is not only or not so much Jacob as Israel for he was oft call'd Jacob after this not only himself but his Posterity also yet both of them much more often Israel Which Name as the Angel expoundeth it importeth a Princely Power with God for Sara the Hebrew word signifies to play the Prince the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast had strength to prevail and El God Christ here asketh Jacob's Name not because he knew it not but that by Jacob's Answer he might take an occasion for the change of his Name which spake out a greater excellency was to be put upon him as Gen. 17.5 Isa 62.2 c. And we find in Scripture That though both these two Names of this Patriarch be put upon the Church of God yet with this Difference when speech is made of the Church's weakness then hath she the Patriarch's first Name and is call'd Jacob yea and sometimes hath words of weakness joined with it as Isa 41.14 Fear not thou worm Jacob c. but when mention is made of the Church's Valour Victory and Glory then is she call'd Israel as Amos 7.2 5 8. Gal. 6.16 and quite throughout the Scripture the same may be observed Moreover Though the Church be call'd sometimes Jacob yet is she never call'd Abraham and she is also oft call'd Israelites but never Abrahamites or Isaacites none of the Holy Patriarchs were dignified with so great an Honour And 't is Remarkable also that lest the Church should so much as seem to be dishonoured with this Patriarch's weaker Name she is never call'd Jacobites but his stronger Name Israelites is given her for her prevailing with God and Men. The Eighth and last Part or Point in this excellent History is The Blessing that Jacob at last obtained by his valorous and victorious wrestling from his opposing and yet Blessing as well as Blessed God This also is entred into the Book of Divine Record and is expresly Registred Gen. 32.29 as an Happy Issue of an Holy Combat the Combat of Faith which is a pattern left us for our practice in the sacred Memoires of this Patriarch's Life Thus long after Jacob blessed Paul learnt from this Patriarchal pattern to fight the good
indeed like checker'd work He had there long Mercy but at last some Misery God hath set Adversity over against Prosperity Eccles 7.14 There will be interchanges of fair Days and foul 1. 'T was fair weather with Jacob when he met his Jewel Joseph when he had the Honour to be admitted into Pharaoh's Presence to kiss as we say the King's Hand and to hold a familiar Conference with him about Matters of Man's Mortality and when a free and open Entertainment by the King's Liberality and through Joseph's Intercession was granted him in Goshen but above all when God graciously gave him to live there full Seventeen years in Health Peace and Plenty nothing all that time was he deprived of to render his life comfortable He and all his had abundance of all things by his Son Joseph's means while the Egyptians themselves were so pinched with penury that they sold all they had and at last themselves for Peasants and Vassals to Pharaoh to purchase Bread for sustaining their own single lives Thus it fared better with him and his though mere Strangers than with the proper Inhabitants and Natives of the Land And thus Jacob's last Days were his Best Days He never had so large and so long Prosperity neither in Syria nor in Canaan before as he had now in Egypt though some part of this Prosperity was in the sad time of a sore Famine This in the general but more particularly Joseph is God's Instrument of Jacob's and his whole Families welfare in that sore Famine feeding them all with Bread Hebr. according to the mouths of the little ones Gen. 47.12 that is according to the Number of their Families as well small as great He did provide for them all giving every one their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full portion and proportion as Luk. 12.42 which seemeth to have Reference to this place express'd by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave them their due measure of Meat or the Hebrew may be read to the mouth of a little one as the Nurse puts meat into the Mouth of her Suckling meaning tenderly and carefully yea and with as little care and pains to Jacob and his Houshold as Children use in providing for themselves yet 't is improbable those Shepherds used always to pains-taking would be idle all that time as if they had been but so many helpless Infants However 't is a figurative Speech signifying Joseph's great Care he had to provide Necessaries for them all from the eldest to the youngest and their strong Confidence for Provisions in their proper Season and Proportion from him 'T is said Joseph nourish'd his Father and his Family for which end he was sent before by God Gen. 45.7 8. and 50.20 and Psal 105.17 and which he himself had promis'd to do Gen. 45.11 and 50.21 whereupon he is called The Feeder or Shepherd and Stone of Israel Gen. 49.24 by whose means and for whose sake so many Thousands were preserved who otherwise would all have perished All which teacheth us these many Remarks As 1. That 't is a blessed thing to begin a Journey with seeking Gods Blessing at the beginning thereof so did Abraham's Steward Gen. 24.12 so did Jacob when come from Beershebah to Bethel Gen. 28.20 He prayed as well as Vowed and so he did at his coming out from Beershebah towards Egypt Gen. 46.1 there he offer'd Sacrifice and as God gave a successful Journey to Eleazar Gen. 24. so he did to Jacob in that long Journey to Laban in Syria and in this perillous one to Joseph in Egypt where he met with both welcome and welfare As 't is said Tithe and be Rich so Pray and be Prosperous the Popish Proverb Mass and Meat hinders no mans Thrift may serve to reprove Neglecters of Prayer As Prayer must be the Alpha of all our Enterprises so Praise must be the Omega thereof Hoc primum Repetas opus hoc postremus omittas Neither the one nor the other ought to be neglected God may indeed give Success without Prayer but certainly it will be nothing so sweet to the Soul that success is sweetest which is won by Prayer and worn by Thanksgiving 2. This teaches us also That it is not only the Duty of Pious Sons to nourish their Aged Parents when they are disenabled to provide for themselves as before but also 't is the Duty of Pious Souls to do good to their worst Emmies as Joseph did not only to his old Father who had been always kind to him but also to his bruitish Brethren who had been some times cruel to him Recompence to no man evil for evil Rom. 12.17 Revenge to carnal Reason seems Justice Aristotle commends it the World calls it Manhood but indeed 't is Belluinum Beastly and Doghood rather the more manly any Man is the milder and more Merciful he is as was Julius Caesar who wept over his Foe 's Pompey's Head presented to him saying Non mihi placet vindicta sed Victoria I seek not Revenge but Victory as was valorous David 2 Sam. 1.11 12. Though he was well pleased with Nabal's Death the case being differing yet he mourned for Saul's and as was vertuous Joseph who while he fed his Brethren heap'd coals of fire upon their Heads Prov. 25.21 22. to melt those hard Metals into a kindly Repentance knowing assuredly that the less he reveng'd himself the more his God would as indeed he had done reward him 3. It teaches what a marvellous Providence of God attends the Church in sending Joseph beforehand into Egypt Psal 105.17 there to lay up great Provisions for sustaining his Church in the Time of Famine while many of the World were famish'd by it 4. It teacheth likewise That seeing All Joseph's Store was laid up for Jacob and his Families the Church's sake whereby Egypt and other Lands were preserved Oh then what Fools are the Men of the World who persecute the Saints that are their Saviours and Safeguard who hate and hunt them to whom they owe all the good things they have what is this but doing as the silly Deer do in eating up those very Leaves which would hide them from the Eyes of the Hunter 5. It teaches That a poor life in the Church of God is to be preferr'd before the Pleasures of the World Joseph taught his Brethren to say Thy Servants are Shepherds Gen. 47.3 that they might not be employed in Pharaoh's Court or in the great Affairs of the Kingdom as himself having special Grace was but chuse rather to live as poor Shepherds in the Church and Service of God than to be proud Courtiers in the Royal Palace estranged from the Houshold of Faith Joseph but especially God had a respect to preserve the Purity and Visibility of the Church separate from the World which could not have been nor her Doctrine kept uncorrupted had they been mingled with that superstitious people therefore were they placed by themselves at the first though afterward multiplying
Numb 31.6 as here in the siege of Jericho but its Absence had been fatal to them Numb 14.44 45. Tho' its Presence was successful to such as stood on good Terms with God yet was it not so to those Carnal Confidents 1 Sam. 4.3.4 5 6. who made an Idol of its Wood and an Antidote for their own wickedness the Ark was present at which they Triumph'd before and without a Victory as the Philistines trembled without any cause but God was not Present not as a Friend saith Josephus but as an Enemy they trusted more in the bare sign of Gods Presence than in the sure Promises of God to be apprehended Alas What was the Ark without the God of the Ark And What are Ordinances of God without the God of those Ordinances Those profligate Priests and People cried the Ark shall save us But David did better tho' he sent the Ark into Joab's Camp before Rabbah 2 Sam. 11.11 yet sent he it back to Jerusalem when he fled with a slender Army from Rebellious Absolom and when he never more needed the comfort of its presence 2 Sam. 15.25 26. well knowing that God could save without it as well as with it relying more upon Gods powerful Presence which was the substance and would be a Sanctuary to him in his banishment Ezek. 11.16 than upon the Ark which was but a sign and shaddow of it The Eighth Remark concerneth 2. The inward Means which is Faith affirmed Hebr. 11.30 both in Joshua the General and in the Priests and People tho' many other Graces were here Acted as Vnanimity Patience Constancy c. yet no Grace is named by the Apostle there save only the Grace of Faith because that is the Mother-Grace which quickens all the other her Daughters nor was this an Historical or a Miraculous Faith like that Mat. 21.21 22. of removing Mountains tho' a Miracle was wrought by it but it was a saving Faith for that is the Faith which our Apostle discourseth upon there Or did this Faith effect so great a work as it was a justifying Faith only but as it laid hold 1. on Gods precept Josh 6.1 and then on Gods promise vers 5. So that in this Act of Faith there was not only Obedience to Gods precept but also a firm Dependance upon Gods Promise first made to Abraham of giving Canaan to his Seed and now renewed to them Tho' the outward means as the blowing of Rams Horns seemed never so childish and contemptible to Carnal Reason yet when Faith as the inward means doth make use even of scorned ways because they are Divinely prescribed then doth the Soul mind its Duty and soon finds Gods Mercy as here when second causes are weakest then should our Faith be strongest if a Divine Warrant be but our prop and bottom Thus Sarah's Womb being dead required a more lively Faith Rom. 4.16 17 18 19 20 c. are the means we make use of either in sacred or secular affairs the very appointments of God then ought we to wait in them by Faith tho' they be never so mean expecting a Blessing of success from him that appointed them Faith in Gods promise is the foundation of Prayer and Prayer is the fervency of Faith when we can turn Gods precepts and promises into prayers Casting our burden upon the Lord by Faith then God will turn them into performances that we may be sustained Psal 55.22 Moreover Faith is such a God-pleasing Grace Hebr. 11.6 That God oft Honoureth it with doing those things which his own power and not our Faith performeth as here it was Gods Power and not Israels that overthrew Jericho's Walls appropriating Faith makes that which is Gods to become ours c. The Ninth Remark respecteth the Manner namely compassing about it seven Days c. This is not the manner of Conquerers to walk round a besieged City only but to assault and storm it This manner may be considered 1. As to its posture and 2. As to its extent First The Posture was a walking posture as it had no direct or probable Tendency for subduing the City so it likewise seemed Ridiculous to the Rude Citizens who might well scoffingly say What are these foolish People doing Have they not had a walk long enough for forty Years in the Wilderness that now they have a new walk round about our Walls and that once every Day for six days together They desire indeed to possess our City but they may compass it long enough before that posture can conquer it c. besides this posture seem'd Perilous as well as Ridiculous for though at that time they had no Guns as now yet had they Engines to throw great Stones at a great distance wherewith Archimedes frighted the Romans when they besieged Syracuse c. Notwithstanding their danger to have some at least knock'd on the Head by those Engines in their walking so oft about c. Yet God will make Jericho as well as his Israel know that he can give Victory to their Feet as well as to their Hands God oftentimes delighteth to go some way of his own which is not Man's way and worketh his own Will by such means and in such a manner as the World judges both Perilous and Ridiculous As the greater was God's Glory in effecting this great work wherein Israel contributed nothing to it so the stronger was Israel's Faith in believing it should be effected notwithstanding both the Difficulty Danger and Improbability of Means and Manner c. The Tenth Remark introduceth the second branch of the manner to wit the extent As 1. Israel's posture was a walking not a warring or fighting posture not one Sword of an Israelite drawn not one stroke by any struck not any Engine used to make one breach in any part of the Besieged City So 2. The extent of this walking posture to be considered in two Respects or Terms 1. The Term of place How far Israel walkked And 2. The Term of Time how oft they walked that term of place First The Term of place or space of ground they walked was 1. Negatively not an Acre or Furlong or any such measures of Miles nor was it an half-turn c. but 2. Positively It must be a whole turn a Circumambulation a compassing the City round about as Vaiaseb and Holekim Halok Hebr. signifie Ver. 3.11 13. and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.30 imports their drawing a Circle round about the City Had they not gone round about all had not been their own They had Conquer'd no more than they had compass'd so had done their work but to half part Yet at the best if we judge of this Action in it self as Treading a Circle Ludionum ludibria potiùs Censeri debetur quà m Bellatorum Stratagemata It looks more like Childrens Play in treading a Maze than any Stratagem of Warriours All this was to teach Israel not to expect success from their own Prowess or Policy but meerly from the
manner of madness always said Basil once V. 17. Vntil evening Ruth laid about her and lasted in her labour Vntil the Evening Psal 104.23 Hence Observ 1. Gleaners in Gospel-fields should continue in their Gleaning-work from Morning to Evening How many are but Half-Sabbath-folk that can spare to spend a morning in Sabbath-service but are for their Pastimes or Recreations after that or for laziness all the Morning and spare the Afternoon a little time for Gods service Ruth was none of those lazy Gleaners but begins in the Morning and holds out untill the Evening He that regardeth a Day should regard it to the Lord Rom. 14.6 Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the Evening He should labour either manually or mentally and Eat his Bread either in the sweat of his Brows or Brain until the time appointed for Rest and Refreshment come upon him Psal 104.23 And this Woman Ruth doth as the good Houswise Prov. 31.17 She girdeth her Loins with strength So holds out to the end They are but loose Professors not having the loins of their mind girt up Luke 12.35 that spend not the Sabbath From Even to Even c. Lev. 23.32 there be few such Sabbatarians that keeps the Sabbath from Morning to Evenning much less from Sun setting to Sun-setting About an Ephah of Barley About one of our Bushels a good days work for a Gleaner and a great burden for her to carry Home upon her Shoulder Hence Observ 2. Though God be very bountiful to us yet will he have us to use all the means in a way of subserviency to his bounty As Boaz dealt with Ruth here he could have given her an Ephah of Corn ready made up to her hand without any more adoe and 't would have been no more charge to him but he will have Ruth to gather glean all the Day and Thresh out at night all she had got together and all this labour of hers must be all the price she should pay for it N. B. Thus God deals with us in the way of his bounty he will have us to be busie in a careful and conscientious use of the means 't is easie with the Lord to give us a whole Ephah or Bushel full of Grace at once without any further trouble to us save only to carry it away but he will have the care of the Means to belong to us as he is content that the care of the End should belong to him God will give us at the second hand what he would not give us at the first hand He will give us Grace and Knowledge by the use of the means which he gives not immediately from himself Dii laboribus omnia Vendunt God sells all for labour saith Hesiod V. 18. Relates only Ruths kindness to Naomi whereof I have spoken before v. 14. She carried something Home in her Scrip or Bag of her own earnings Hence Observ No man ought to be for himself only but also for the good of others Charitas est a se ipso Charity may indeed begin at home but it must not end there it must walk abroad V. 19. That did take knowledge of thee That is spoke to in ver 14. to wit Boaz's kindness to Ruth Where hast thou been to Day From whence Observ The Saints are so dear to God that both their persons and performances are precious in his sight Isa 43.4 God is pleased to record in sacred writ all their sayings and doings as 't were when the mighty Monarchs with all their great Atchievements are passed over with silence in Scripture History God hath a great complacency and is much taken with all that the Saints say and do in this World if not sinful V. 20. Blessed be he of the Lord Thus Naomi prays for Boaz. Hence Observ 1. Prayer is the poors requital as Health is their patrimony so Prayer is their recompence The blessing of the poor came upon Job Job 29.13 they gave him many good words and wishes as the poor when relieved use to do and God hears the Prayers of the poor and extraordinarily blessed Job according to the poors Prayers To the Living and to the Dead Hence Observ 2. Dead Relations are Honoured and as it were Gratified in kindnesses shown to the Living Thus Boaz was blessed for doing good to Naomi and Ruth for the sake of Elimelech and Mahlon How much more ought God to be blessed for taking care of the Fatherless and Widow Jer. 49.11 for the sake of the Dead The man is near of kin to us our Goel Hebr. The Right of Redemption is his Lev. 25.25 26 47 48. and Deut. 25.5 6 7 Mark 12.19 Hence Observ 3. Christ is our Goel our Redeemer to Redeem our persons sold under sin and to Redeem Morgaged Heaven for us Christ is our Brother Flesh of our Flesh c. V. 21.22 23. Are but a recital of what passed before From all which jointly First observe Over and and above what hath been observed already Modest Naomi hitherto had not bragg'd of her Rich Kindred Secondly Modest Ruth relates Boaz 's Courtesie to her but not a word of his Commendation of her Thirdly The elder Women should counsel the younger Naomi's Mouth was Ruth's Oracle in all cases c. CHAP. III. Verse 1. SHALL I not seek Rest for thee Hence Observ 1. A Married Estate is a State of rest unto Young and Vnmarried People There is a Natural Propension in most to the Nuptial Conjunction If God may be Judge in the case 'T is not good for Man to be alone Gen. 2.18 This is against a Monastick Life And 't is not good also for the Woman to be alone there is no rest for their roving Affections until they come to the Centre of Marriage The Man is restless while he misseth his Rib and the Woman is as restless until she come to settle and center in her old place again to wit under the Mans Arm or Wing and become a Side-fellow to an Husband Hence Plutarch calls Marriage portus Juventutis The Haven or resting place of young People who are usually tossed with roving and rambling Affections as a Ship is at Sea with Waves but lies still and rests in the Harbour That it may be well with thee Hence Observ 2. That Parents and Guardians who are in Parents stead ought to seek Rest and Weal for such as are committed to them They should certainly do their best endeavours to provide suitable and comfortable Matches for their Children Not thrust them into Nunneries To give them in Marriage so as that It may be well with them which is indeed as it proves For Marriage is as Merry-Age to some and as Mar-Age to others It was said of the Roman Sylla that he had been happy if he had never been Married and the same no doubt may be said of many others Yet this comes not from Marriage it self for it is Gods Ordinance and Institution and a Divine Medicine which if Rightly
will not appear before the Lord empty Deut. 16.16 Exod. 23.15 and 34.20 but brings her Son three Bullocks a Bottle of Wine and about a Bushel of fine Flour unto Eli in Shiloh as special Presents to make Merry with v. 24 25. and there Hannah told Eli that as sure as he lived she was the very Woman whom he had misjudged and and yet upon better Information had so heartily prayed for her v. 13 18. and then shews him her Son Samuel that was an Answer of his Prayers strengthening her own And N. B. She had both a full Heart and a fluent Tongue while she is mentioning this Mercy of God to her before him v. 26 27. There is much Elegancy in her Oration to Eli which she concludeth most pathetically v. 28. First Arguing from the Topick ab honesto 't is but Honest that he should be Educated in that House wherein he was obtained by Prayer from the Lord I received him from God and now I will return him to God The Lord hath lent him to me hitherto and now will I lend him to the Lord all his Life Then Secondly She Argues à Justo 't is but a Just and Righteous thing that I should pay my Vows and that my Shaul-Me-el Hebr. alluding to her Son's Name Shemuel should now become Shaul-Leel Hebr. that is by Interpretation 't is meet that as God hath freely given him to me so I should as freely give him back to God and Devote him to his Solemn Service which accordingly was done as the last clause of v. 28. that He is emphatical and signifies Samuel who now staid with Eli and did what service he was capable to do in the Sanctuary 1 Samuel CHAP. II. CHapter the second of the First Book of Samuel relateth Samuel's Education at God's Sanctuary in Shiloh The First Remark herein is Holy Hannah's Song of Thanksgiving for her double Blessing God had bestowed upon her First In removing from her the Reproach of Barrenness for which peevish Peninnah had so vexatiously Reproached her And Secondly In making her a Joyful Mother of such an Hopeful Son Yet her praising of God for this double Blessing is call'd her praying to God v. 1. for Thanksgiving is a part of Prayer Col 4.2 and 1 Tim. 2.1 and praising is an Artificial way of praying Gratiarum Actio est ad plus dandum Invitatio saith the Father Thankfulness for old Mercies is the best way to procure new ones God saith of such They are a Thankful People they shall have more of my Mercy and Hannah's praising God for former Benefits was her cunning way of begging God's Blessing upon the Education and Matriculation of her Son under Eli's Conduct The Second Remark is This Heavenly Song of Holy Hannah for her Son Samuel carries a congruous Correspondency with that Coelestial Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary for her Son Jesus who was both hers and our Saviour Luke 1.46 47 c. N. B. In both these Blessed Women there was First A Congruity of Causes the removal of the Reproach of Barrenness and rewarding them with Soveraign Sons Secondly Both of them did leap Levalto's and did Dance a Galliard as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.47 signifies in their Religions Rejoycings And Thirdly Both their Songs are filled with the like Metaphors Asyndeta's and Apostrophe's Yea and Fourthly Hannah Prophesieth of Blessed Mary's Son whom she expresly calls the Messiah or Anointed one v. 10. which is the first Scripture that gives this Name to the Lord Jesus of whom the Rabbins Interpret this place and Zecharias himself accommodates it to Christ Luke 1.69 who was to Judge all the ends of the Earth especially at the Day of Judgment And she foretelleth He shall give strength to his King that after the Judges God would raise up a King to save them wholy which should not be Saul for he was a King of the Peoples chusing but it must be David whom God did chuse and whom her Son Samuel did anoint and who was also a Type of Christ this Anointed one here c. The Third Remark is The Commendation of Samuel for his Sedulity in the Service of the Sanctuary though so young v. 11. and though he had the daily wicked Examples of Eli's Dissolute Sons before his Eyes yet was not this young Child debauched by them N. B. Some Parents to my knowledge have trembled to leave their young Sons as Pupils to a Tutor who had any Debauchee-Students attending him Yet Gracious Hannah here adventureth to leave her only Son when but Young yet Hopeful with Eli as his Tutor who had Tutor'd his own Sons no better and by whom the tender Buds of Samuel's hopefulness might soon have been blasted seeing Sin is as catching as the Plague to our corrupt Natures and especially the sinful Practices of the Elder prove too often woful Patterns and Presidents to the Younger as was the case of Samuel here 'T is a wonder that Samuel's Soul which the Philosopher calls Rasa Tabula a piece of White Paper whereon bad may be written as well as good was not tainted with the lewdness of Eli's Sons who were much elder than he and no doubt were oft tempting him to partake with them in their Villanies N. B. Mendoza indeed affirmeth That Samuel must be about Nine or Ten Years old when it is said of him That he ministred unto the Lord before Eli v. 11. because the Nature of his Mothers Vow chap. 1.28 did design some Service whereof Samuel was capable to perform nor is it probable she would present him to the Tabernacle of God before he was well weaned from the common Food of Children for had he not been so when he came thither he had surely been an Encumbrance and no Advantage to Eli and the Service of the Sanctuary had he been left there a very young Child after his first Weaning from his Mother's Breasts Suppose all this true yet in those Years was he the more exposed to Temptation by Eli's Lewd Sons and therefore it seems a bold Venture in Hannah to leave her Hopeful Son among Eli's Hopeless and Graceless Sons who at their grown years would be apt enough to Insult over such a Stripling N. B. But undoubtedly she had a particular Faith for her Son and could say with David In this will I be confident Psal 27.3 Then the Lord took him up Psal 27.10 whereby she left him with the Lord more than with Eli. And Mendoza's Opinion of Samuel being about Ten Years old is the more probable because though as a Levite he could not enter into the Service of the Sanctuary before he was Twenty five Years old Numb 8.24 yet as a Nazarite devoted to God from his Conception c. he had some special Dispensation and only lighted the Lamps sang Spiritual Songs and play'd on Instruments of Musick and such like Offices of the Tabernacle as he at that Age was able to perform 1 Chron. 6.31 32. and
if they deplore their sin and implore thy mercy then pardon them and turn again their captivity which could be no comfort to them without pardoning mercy v. 33 34. Thirdly in case of Dearth when the God of Rain stops up the Bottles of Heaven if Israel hear the voice of this Rod Mic. 6.9 learning thy Law by it Psal 94.12 If they repent then do thou forgive c. v. 35 36. This order Solomon observes all along in his Prayer Repentance is the Remedy to every Malady Fourthly In case of Blasting Mildew c. which Pagans owned as Plagues from Heaven and therefore had their Holy Feasts to prevent them or of Sieges or any other outward plague coming if sanctified to them so far as to make them sensible of their inward plague of the heart then c. v. 37 38 39 40. Fifthly In case of Proselytes as the Eunuch Acts 8.27 Cornelius Acts 10.1 when they come to Worship here Hear thou their Prayers that all Flesh may come with comfort to thee v. 41 42 43. Where Peter Martyr observes his Prayer is more large for Gentiles in this than for Jews as pointing forth their conversion Sixthly In case of War give Israel Victory in a just call a just cause and a just conscience every good Souldier should be furnished with all these three they should fight and pray and pray and fight v. 44 45. Seventhly In case of Captivity for sin v. 46 47 48 49 to 53. saying Souldiers will sin for none there be that sins not and thou canst not behold it but punish it Hab. 1.13 yet if they come to themselves Luke 15.17 and avouch thee for their God then avouch them for thy People Deut. 26 17 18. God heard it in their return from Babylon The Third part is the Consequents First the greatest Sacrifice we read of at the Temple's Dedication v. 62 63 64. Secondly The Celebration of the Feast v. 65. the first Seven Days were for the Feast of Dedication and the next Seven were for the Feast of Tabernacles and Thirdly The dismission of the Assembly the King blessing them and they the King congratulating this happy day which ended the three thousand years from the Creation of the World to the Finishing of Solomon's Temple Dedicated by Prayer and Sacrifice c. 1 Kings CHAP. IX THIS Chapter gives an Account of Solomon's Building Cities and Navies after he had compleated the Temple c. N. B. 1. Having now through the good hand of my God upon me as Nehemia's and Ezra's Phrase is travel'd through the most Remarkable Scripture Histories from the Creation of Adam unto the finishing of God's Temple by Solomon wherein are compleated by our most Authentick and best Chronologers Bishop Vsher Dr. Lightfoot c. the first three thousand years of the World I now address my self with Divine Assistance to run over the following most Remarkable Histories until the accomplishment of the next Thousand years even unto the end thereof which ushereth in the Birth of our Blessed Saviour who was typified by this Temple of Solomon John 2.19 and who was Born as some suppose at the same time of the year when Solomon Dedicated his Temple to the Lord which was in the Month Tisri or Ethanim the Seventh Month answering to part of our September sub judice lis est Secondly From the Birth of Christ the Old Rabbins reckon the World shall continue two thousand years longer after Christ to make the whole continuation of the World the term or time of Six Thousand Years after the expiration whereof succeedeth the Sabbatical or seventh thousand year which according to this Old Tradition will be a Blessed Jubilee and Sabbath of sweet rest and peace c. This odd notion they ground not only upon the six days of God's creating the World and then succeeded the Sabbath but also upon the six days of the Ark's compassing the City Jericho and then followed the downfal of its walls upon the Seventh Day According to this Rabbinical Opinion the World can continue but three hundred and ten years longer which being added to our present one thousand six hundred and ninetieth year after Christ make up compleatly the last two thousand years of the World's continuance after Christ before the Seventh Millenary do enter mentioned in Revel 20. but our Lord himself telleth us This Day is only known to the Lord Zech. 14.7 and that day and hour knoweth no Man Mat. 24.36 That the Lord will come there is nothing more certain but what time this will be there is nothing more uncertain Sundry ghâ—sses have been given to it both by Antient and Modern Authors most of which that are now past time hath already confuted The dates to come are 1. Nich. Cusanus his 1700 y. 2. Cardanus's 1800 y. 3. Picus Mirandulas's 1905 y. c. But what is all this conjecture save wanton wit upon serious work Ideò latet unus dies ut observentur omnes God hath hid it that we may not grow secure Mat. 24.38 48. Luke 17.24 27. Knowing the time of her Lord's return made the Harlot sin Prov. 7.19 20. The Building of those Cities and Navies mentioned in this Chapter fall under a twofold Consideration First What helps Solomon had to build them and Secondly What they were he built and for what use c. First of his Helps which were double first Divine secondly Humane First Remarks upon Solomon's Divine Help 1. God's appearance again to Solomon to confirm him v. 1.2 and 11. The manner of it was the same with that at Gibeon before Chap. 3.5 which was a Vision by Night after a well spent day in religious duties when he was just entring upon his Kingdom But this is call'd the second time here after he had accomplished his foregoing Fabricks and had attained to the very Apex and heighth of Royal Dignity v. 1 2 and 10. where 't is intimated that this confirming Vision came in the 24th year of his Reign seeing he had Reigned four years before he began to build N. B. Tho' Solomon seem to have two other Divine Confirmations betwixt those two as that mentioned Ch. 6.11 and that likewise Chap. 8.10 11. yet neither of those two were like the first and the last for that word which came to Solomon Chap. 6.11 was most probably by some Prophet whom God sent to him and that in Chap 8.10 11. there was indeed a glorious Cloud but there was no Audible Voice we read of came out of that Cloud it was only a visible approbation The Second Remark here is The matter of this Audible Apparition which is manifold as First God declares here that he had graciously heard Solomon's prayer at the Dedication of the Temple v. 3. N. B. A great encouragement from this prayer-hearing God Psal 65.2 who sometimes hears prayer before his people ask Isa 65.24 Psal 32.5 and sometimes as they are asking Dan. 9.20.23 and 10.12 but always after they have prayed either
and Truth Mark 3. Some Rabbins over rashly reprove Hezekiah for speaking here ver 19. 2 Kings 20. as one careless and unconcern'd both for his Church and for his own Children after his Day But Wolphius who succeeded Peter Martyr in carrying on his Commentary Answers excellently that as such a careless frame could not consist with the common Affections of Nature in all Men so much less with that singular Piety and Charity so eminently manifest in so good a King who had been so solicitous for the good both of God's Church and of his own Children and Subjects all his Life He only blesses God that this Suffering did not immediately follow his Sinning which was the Cause of Divine Displeasure but that it was suspended for a longer time The last Part is his Death and Successor ver 21. and 2 Chron. 32.33 having a most honourable Burial being laid in the chiefest Sepulchre because saith Osiander he was the chiefest in Piety of David's House for which he was highly honoured both in Life and Death But this Pious Father was succeeded by an Impious Son to wit Manasseh c. 2 Kings CHAP. XXI and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXXIII IN both these Chapters of Kings and Chronicles the History of two Kings is set forth First Of Manasseh And Secondly Of Amon In 2 Kings 21. we have an account only of Manasseh's unparallel'd Impiety but in 2 Chron. 33. is a Narrative of his Repentance also Remarks first upon Manasseh the first Part of both Chapters As First He is described when he began to Reign and how long ver 1. He was but twelve Years old at his Father's Death so was born three Years after his Father's Recovery Chap. 20.6 and about twenty four Years after the Ruine of Israel's Kingdom Chap. 18.2 10. and was the thirteenth King of Judah from the Division of the Tribes and he Reigned fifty five Years which was the longest Reign of any of the Judges or Kings of either Judah or Israel As his great Grandfather Vzziah indeed Reigned fifty two Years but in many of those Years he lived as a Leper shut up in an Apartment 2 Chron. 26.3 21. so of those fifty five Years Manasseh spent many of them in his most sinful Youth others in great Misery and Captivity for within that space saith Junius was comprehended his Captivity in Babylon 2 Chron. 33.11 and other Years in a time of Repentance All these Years being subtracted from the five and fifty there will not remain so many for Manasseh's Wickedness as some imagine yet were they so many as to teach us that a wicked Man with a Crown upon his Head may live long but 't is no Evidence of God's Favour Remark the Second 'T is said He did wickedly ver 2. described in General 1. In the sight of the Lord. 2. Contrary to the manner of the Jews 3. But after the manner of the Gentiles Yea and 4. Point-blank opposite to his Pieus Father and to his Mother likewise who is named Hephzibah the very Title whereby God testifies his Delight in his Church as the Name signifies Isa 62.4 from this Name of Manasseb's Mother some do gather that her Parents who gave it and she her self were all Pious Persons whereby the Impiety of her Son Manasseh is much aggravated because he degenerated so much and so far as he did both from such a Father and such a Mother as he had The Rabbins tell us she was the Daughter of Isaiah the Prophet but that is as uncertain as their saying that Railing Rabshakeb was his degenerate Son as before 't is not at all improbable that she was a good Woman because so good a King made her his Queen Remark the Third Manasseh's wickedness is described in particular 2 Kings 21.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 16. and 2 Chron. 33.3 4 5 to ver 10 the wickedness he wrought is reducible to these three Heads 1. Idolatry ver 3 4 5. 2. Sorcery ver 6. And 3. Cruelty to his own and others ver 6 16. In a Word this none such Sinner Manasseh was a Monster in Sin of the first magnitude For 1. He was a Defier of God 2. He was a Murderer of Men. And 3. He was a Worshipper of Devils N.B. Never did the cursed Leprosie of Sin spread farther in any mortal Man that yet was a Vessel of Mercy Remark the Fourth Is Manasseh's Repentance this is wholly omitted in his History Recorded 2 Kings 21. but largely insisted upon 2 Chron. 33. from ver 11 to 14 c. 't is a vulgar saying they run far that never return and Ambrose said to Monica the Mother of Angustin while her Son was a wretched Manichee that a Child of so many fervent Prayers could not finally miscarry So Manasseh was a Son of pious and praying Parents and one chosen of God to be one of our Saviour's Progenitors Matth. 1.10 therefore though he ran far and wide in the ways of wickedness yet must he not totally and finally fall Manasseh Hebr. signifies For getful who according to the Signification of his Name forgot all the Godly Instructions of his pious Parents to him and all their fervent Prayers they put up to God for him and more particularly be forgot what the Host of Heaven which he worshipped 2 Kings 21.3 5. and 2 Chron. 33.3 5. had done when the Sun and all that Host went ten Degrees backward for his Father's sake Likewise be forgot all the pious Patterns of Reformation in Hezekiah but built again all the Deformations which his Father had demolish'd Moreover Manasseh that Tiger laid hold with his Teeth on all the excellent Spirits of his Time and worried them until he had filled Jerusalem with Innocent Blood from one end to another Besides all the other Prodigtes of Sins aforementioned hardly to be matched in any mortal Man unless in that bloody Monster Nero who was an incarnate Devil Little did good Hezekiah when he was so loth to Dye because he had no Son to succeed him imagine what manner of Son he should leave behind him Notwithstanding all this Monstrous Sinner Manasseh must be a Convert N.B. 1. The Rabbins relate that Isaiah coming on a time to visit Hezekiah told him by his Prophetick Spirit that his Son Manasseh there present would prove a great Persecutor of God's Prophets and of himself in particular whereupon Hezekiah attempted to slay Manasseh but that the Prophet hinder'd him N.B. 2. Josephus saith this Manasseh murdered some or other of God's Prophets and martyred such every Day Josephus Lib. 10 Chap. 3. with him Epiphanius concurreth adding that Isaiah was sawn asunder by his Order and as some say with a wooden Saw the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 11.37 may seem to relate unto Isaiah's manner of Martyrdom saith Dr. Lightfoot N.B. 3. The Rabbins render these Reasons why Manasseh martyr'd Isaiah 1. Because he said that he had seen the Lord upon his Throne c. Isa 6.1 but more especially 2. Because he
of death till they see Christ come in this Kingdom Matthew 16.28 The seventh Comfort is Tho' the ordinary time proposed in the precious promise of Christ's coming to save Zion in the common way of Divine Providence be usually when his whole work is done upon Mount Zion namely 1. His Humbling-work for Sin 2. His Purging and Purifying work from Sin And 3. His Preparing work for her Reception of his saving mercy Isa 10.12 Then will her King come to disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon who have so long disquiet the Inhabitants of Zion Ier. 50.34 Yet by his extraordinary prerogative of free grace sometimes when Zion's King beholds unsufferable insolency in her Enemies This will bring him sooner before he can find any innocency in her self and before that Three-fold work afore said be wrought upon her Observe how the Lord argues I would scatter them c. were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy least their adversaries should behave them insolently and say me non voluisse aut non valuisse that I would not or could not save them c. Deu. 32.26 27. Therefore saith the Lord The feet of my Peoples Foes shall slide in due time c. verse 35. but my People themselves shall be exalted in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 If they be not weary of well doing they shall reap in due Season Gal. 6.9 God will not grant the desires of the wicked as David prays least they should exalt themselves Psalms 140 8. His Mercy Triumphs over his Justice James 2.13 and saves them with a Non-obstante with a Nevertheless and with a Notwithstanding their Sins c. Psa 106.8 and 78.38 but 't is more distinctly demonstrated in Ezek the 20. wherein we have the whole sum of the Law and of the Gospel and where mercy many times catcheth hold of the hands of Justice and keeps them from striking his Servants as appeareth from verse 4. to 44. all along God oft wrought for his own name's sake that it should not be polluted c. verse 14 21 and 43 44. when they had more highly provoked him so that he could not save them for their sake yet brought he them into the bonds of the Covenant verse 37. yea and his most gracious repentings were after all this so kindled together as to cry out how shall I give the up Ephraim I cannot find in my heart to be so unkind to thee for I am God and not man and I have holy ones in the midst of thee c. Hos 11.8 9. I will not destroy the Vine for the sake of the few Clusters that have blessings in them Isa 65.8 God would not destroy Sodom and her four Cities had there been found but ten Righteous Persons in those five Cities Gen. 18.32 We therefore do well to argue in prayer to God as Moses did What will the Egyptians say c. Exodus 32.12 and Numb 14 13 14. and as Joshua What wilt thou do to thy great Name Joshua 7.7 8 9. both those Arguments then did prevail with God and why not now c The eighth Cordial is Tho' God will and out of his very faithfulness Psal 119.75 Chastize his Childern for whom he loves he chastens yet he doth not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 7 8. Rev. 3.19 Lam. 3.33 He hath tears in his eyes when a Rod is in his hand c. Therefore he assureth us he will not chide for ever least their Spirits should fail and the souls that he hath made c. Isa 57.15 16 17 18 19. He always corrects in measure Jer. 30.11 and measures it only out by Peck and by Peck and not by whole Bushels at once as the Hebrew runs staying his rough wind in the day of his East wind Isa 27.7 8. The Lord saith I will hear your cryes for I am gracious Exo. 22.27 And even as a Father pitties his Child so the Lord pitties us Psalm 103.13 'T is well known that a little correction satisfies a kind Father for a great fault in his dear Child when the Child swoons under its scourging then the Father lets the Rod fall down on the ground takes up his Child into his Bosom and falls on kissing it to fetch life into it again thus God did to Ephraim Jer. 31.18 20. He stirs not up all his wrath Ps 78.38 but in midst of wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3 2◠〈◊〉 rule is as we are able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 And his anger is but for a very little while and then it ends in burning the Rod. Isa 10 5 25. So that we have need but of a little more patience Heb. 10.36 James 1.4 Rev. 13.10 And God will give an expected end Jeremiah 29.11 The ninth Cordial is Zion's King is not so Titulo tenus in an empty Title and no more but will come and set up his fifth Kingdom after all the four Grand Kingdoms the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman be destroyed The Humane Philosophers do question whether there be a Quinta Essentia a Fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements Earth Water Air and Fire Yet Divine Daniel doth demonstrate that there shall be a Fifth Kingdom tho' Daniel doth obscurely compare the four aforesaid Kingdoms unto four Boysterous and Blustering Winds Dan. 7.2 the fourth whereof namely that of the Roman Caesars was more violent and more permanent than any of the other Three for first The Foundation of that Kingdom was laid in violence and blood at the beginning of it as Julius Caesar who was the first of the Caesars was violently as it were digged out of his Mothers belly when he came into the World and accordingly was his Soul as violently digged out of his Body with stabbing Bodkins when he went out of the World And secondly This last of the four blustering Winds hath lasted longest in blood and violence for near to Two thousand years But we are told of a small still Wind or Voice 1 Kings 19.11 12. which had the Lord in it whereas neither the strong Wind nor the Earthquake nor the Fire all foregoing had none of them the Lord in them This small still breathing Wind or Voice may have a relation to the Kingdom of Christ who is call'd a Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 and Peace upon Earth good will to men Luke 2.14 and whose Kingdom consists of Peace and Joy Rom. 14.17 This is the small still Voice that will at last most effectually becalm all the four violent Winds c. But Daniel doth more plainly declare the four aforesaid Kingdoms all which he expresly compared to four foul Beasts Dan. 7.3 4 5 6 7. then after the final fall of all those four Beastly Kingdoms he addeth a fifth Kingdom which he calleth the Kingdom of a Man verse 13 14. to wit of God-man the Lord Jesus whose Kingdom shall never be destroyed N.B. Christ's Kingdom hath not a finis consumptionis but only a finis consummationis Tho' it shall be
him with Dominion and Lordship and Jacobs Posterity was in Slavery to Egypt some Hundreds of years after as the days of his Person were few and evil in trouble Gen. 47.9 So the days of his Posterity were many and evil in Bondage therefore there must be a deeper Mystical and Spiritual sense of the Blessing made good in Heavenly Blessings both to him and to his Posterity by the Messiah 2. The Blessing Isaac pronounc'd upon Jacob must be the same Blessing which God Promis'd to Abraham the Grand-Father and to Isaac the Father so to be transmitted in this Patriarchal manner to the Son now none doubt that the Blessing of Abraham c. which was to come upon the Gentiles in the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.8 14. was a Spiritual Blessing 3. God himself as well as Isaac explains it to be a Spiritual Blessing and further confirms it when Jacob after it flyes to Padan-Aram Gen 28. First Isaac puts this sense upon it v. 3 4. God Almighty Bless thee and give thee the Blessing of Abraham c. what he had done before by a misguided Fancy he now more advisedly doth upon a well grounded Faith according to Heb. 11.20 this the Hebrew Doctors say had an Eternal Foundation which shall have no end either in this World or in that to come Isaac adds to his own Blessing that also of Abraham who had the Original Grant of special Grace Gen. 12.3 17.1 c. which chiefly consisted in forgiveness of Sin Redemption from the Curse and receiving the Promise of the Spirit through Faith in Christ Gal. 3 9 13 29. Rom. 4.7 8 13 c. Secondly God explains it to be a Spiritual Blessing Gen. 28.25 In thee and in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be Blessed which must be meant the Blessing of Eternal Life by Christ who was of his Seed the same Promise was made to Abraham Gen. 12.3 18.18 and performed by Christ Act. 3.25 16. Gal. 3.8 Thus Jacob was made the Heir of the Spiritual Blessing So are all true Christians 1 Pet. 3.9 to whom God spake there as well as to Jacob Hos 12.4 God spake with us there as well as with him Sixthly and Lastly Though Isaac in his Patriarchal Benediction mentions only Temporal Blessings yet there is nothing more frequent and familiar with the Holy Prophets than under such Symbols to signifie Spiritual and Coelestial Blessing not that the Faithful of their times should sit down satisfied with Earthly things and neglect the Heavenly but because the rudeness of the Infant state of the then Church did so repuire it for Christ was not at that time revealed for whom alone the revealing of all Mysteries was reserved and who indeed was himself this Dew of Heaven and this Fatness of the Earth Promised as he is the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven that Coelestial Manna that Meat indeed and Drink indeed without which the Souls of the Faithful would certainly Languish and Die though their Bodies be never so well filled with the most delightful dainties of the Earth wherewith had Isaac put off Jacob as his only portion neither could he have been so well satisfied nor Esau so much grieved at the Bargain who according to our Translation had the same Temporal Blessings and by the Lordship and Dominion Promis'd here to Jacob must not only be understood an External Kingdom but also the Internal and Eternal one of the Messiah descending from Jacob anointed of God above his Fellows and advanced above every Name by whom alone the true and salvifick Blessing is conveyed to all the Faithful of what Family Nation or Country soever This History hath many Remarkable Inferences naturally flowing from it As 1. Besides those that have Offer'd themselves all along That Parents ought to bless their Children too many God knows do Curse and not Bless them but cursing Parents are cursed Parents and 't is well for some good Children whose bad Parents curse them for their goodness that causless Curses shall not come Prov. 26.2 which like a wandring Bird flies about where it will yet no Body cares or is the worse and when her Wings are wearied with wandring after she hath beat the Air to no purpose she returâ—s to her Rest or Nest Thus the causless Curse flies at Random and in vain but returns at last into the Authors Bosom from whence it came Little do such cursing Parents consider they are call'd contrariwise not to Curse but to Bless their Children that they may inherit the Blessing 1 Pet. 2.9 2. Children ought to fear the causeful Curses though not the causless of their Parents As Isaac here Blessed Jacob and Esau but Cursed neither of them no not his prophane Son whom rather he would fain have Blessed So the better Son feared his Fathers Curse Gen. 27.12 So shall I bring a Curse upon me and not a Blessing Jacob justly feared to use deceit to his Blind Father lest not only his Fathers but also Gods Curse Deut. 27.18 should come upon him Oh how many unnatural and cursed Cham's there be in the World that cause their Parents to Curse them for their unnaturalness as Noah did his Son Gen. 9. 22 25. 'T is sad when God saith Amen thereto God himself curseth such Caitiffs Prov. 30.17 That 's a Curse with a witness the Curse of God and the Curse of a Parent when 't is just falls heavy and lamentable Effects have followed even the complaint of a Parent makes a loud cry in Gods Ear Judg. 9.5 6. 'T is said That God by cutting off Abimelech rendred the wickedness he had done to his Father Let all Children think of this and fear undutifulness 3. Parents ought to gather together a Stock of Divine Promises that they may bless their Children more out of Faith than out of Form praying for them out of a Promise as Isaac did here for his Son Jacob praying that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon him Gen. 28.4 And out of that constellation of Promises the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed This should be improved with utmost importunity and without any exception not baiting God one of our Children but pleading the Covenant for all them where God makes no exception we need not make any our Prayers for them must be grounded upon some word of Promise for Promises are the Ground as precepts are the Rule of Prayer and our Prayers for them require Faith it must be the Prayer of Faith founded upon a Promise the proper Work of Faith is to turn Promises into Prayers And Oh! that we had a particular Faith for them all saying with David in this will I be confident Psal 27.3 This should be our Confidence that whatever we ask according to his will as this is according to his Covenant without any express exception he heareth us 1 Joh. 5.14 We may lose some Children for want of our earnest asking Oh that
Malady to wit his Policy and Prudence now come we to his Piety and Prayer The first was in relation to Man The second Remedy was in relation to God Wherein we have an account of Jacob's double wrestling with God as he had a double wrestling with Man 1. With Laban 2. With Esau as before and Jacob wrestled with God 1. In a Spiritual 2. In a Corporal manner And both those two wrestlings with God interposed and were accomplished before Jacob had his happy Issue of his second wrestling with Man to wit with his Brother Esau and after he had out-wrestled his Uncle Laban The first wrestling Jacob made with God was Spiritual and is conspicuously expressed in his most pathetical Prayer recorded in Gen. 32.9 10 11 12. which is eminently marshall'd and manag'd in an excellent order for his effectual prevailing with God Some say that there be three Ingredients required for a right composition and making up of a pious Prayer The first is a Divine Promise as the ground-work and foundation of a right Humane Prayer When and where-ever Faith finds a Promise 't is its very instinct and nature to turn that Promise into a Prayer and then God will turn it into a Performance The second Ingredient is Deep Humiliation before the Lord that we may not seem to found our Faith and Confidence upon our own Merits but upon Gods meer Mercy The third Ingredient is Hearty Intercession and an earnest Expostulation with God which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Interparling with the Lord 1 Tim. 2.1 where all these three parts be put together 1. 'T is partly Gratulatory giving God thanks for his gracious Promises and past Performances 2. Partly Supplicatory making lowly Addresses to God And 3. Partly Precatory particularizing some special Request or Petition before him All these three parts of Prayer Jacob here most exactly observeth But others affirm there be more than these three parts requisite to a right Prayer which I shall not here discuss and not so much the Order as the Affection of Praying Jacob here ought to be observed because this is the Prayer of a perplexed Mind wherein Jacob's Faith wrestled with his fears of a sudden surprizing External Evil. However 't is very manifest and plainly Remarkable that his Prayer is made up here of three parts 1. His Exordium or Introduction 2. His particular Petition 3. His Arguments wherewith he backs his Petition First His Introductory Exordium or Entrance into his Prayer is very observable Gen. 32. ver 9. O God of my Grand father Abraham O God of my Father Isaac and O Jehovah that saidst c. wherein observe how this Holy Patriarch 1. Negatively Doth not apply himself either 1. To those Teraphims or Idol-Images that his Uncle Laban had Idolatrously Worshipped and that his Beloved Rachel had stoln from her Father and now had them hid in her Tent Gen. 31.34 So Jacob had he been Idolatrous-minded might have by his Wives Information and Instigation a fair opportunity to consult with them as Calvin supposeth Rachel did having a tack and tincture of her Fathers Superstition and Jacob from a Blind Love to her connived at in her These were Idols by which the Devil gave delusive answers to Idolaters asking advice in difficulties and dangers Zech. 10.2 Ezek. 21.21 Hosea 3.4 Habb 2.18 Isa 41.29 Jer. 10.8 15. The Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Idols as Synesius calls him and he would have Men to be so too who have naturally an Itch towards it nothing is more Natural and Con-natural to us than Popery in Image-Worship Nothing is more retained in us when once Entertained by us this Diabolical Itch once got is hardly ever clawed off and cured Rachel had these Mawmets a long time after this Gen. 35.2 4. And Micah's Mother after all that Airing of Israel Forty years in the Wilderness still smells strong of Egypt in having her Molten and Graven Gods Judg. 17.3 5 and 18.14 17 18 20. call'd Teraphim which is in the Hebrew plural for those Idolaters loved them so well as to have more than one of that sort in their Houses from which they expected Help and Health whence Avenarius deriveth the Greek word Therapeuo which signifies Healing as well as Worshipping Therefore John shuts up his first Epistle with this Epiphonema a most necessary caution Little Children keep your selves from Idols 1 John 5.21 at least Negatively with the seven thousand in Israel that bowed not the Knee to Baal If you dare not positively profess a publick Dislike and Detestation thereof holding them in Derision not in Devotion as Daniel and his Associates did Nor 2. Did Jacob betake himself to Angel worship no more than he did to Image worship having as fair an opportunity for this latter as well as for the former for here if ever Jacob had a fit season and occasion to apply himself unto the mediation of Angels seeing they had lately presented themselves to him as military troops in a visible Apparition Gen. 32.1 they met him sensibly and visibly not in his Dream as before on the Ladder but when awake as Servants do meet their Masters and as the Life-guard their Prince and he acknowledgeth Gods kindness therein v. 2. that so much favour and honour was done him as not to charge one particular Angel but a whole Host of Angels with the protection of him who was but one man which made a Lane for him at Mahanaim signifying a double Camp to his great comfort it was now if ever seasonable for Jacob to implore the Angels presence and assistance for his over-matching Esau with his four hundred Cut-Throats but he had learnt better things than these two popish points either Image worship or Angel adoration he knew them unlawful practices And Therefore in the Second place Positively He makes his immediate application to the great Jehovah the only true God as he was made known in the Church to wit in his Fathers and Grand-fathers Families to be above all other Idols never making the least mention of any mediatory Angels at all but giving the whole glory of all to the Lord alone who is only able and willing to hear and Help his Servants that call upon him in their necessities The Second part of Jacob's Spiritual Wrestling with God is That particular Petition which he promotes with much ardency of Affection Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother c. for I fear him c. v. 11. This Petition he placeth in the midst of his prayer so that it standeth strongly guarded both before and behind with several cogent and inforcing arguments both in its Front and in its Rear for the shoring up his Faith in his praying or wrestling work as may more appear in the third part Deliver me saith Jacob he was one that was fled and delivered from a Lion even from Laban and a furious Bear met him Amos 5.19 so by running from his
back the Lord hath caused thy sin to pass over from thee to Christ the Lord lays our iniquities upon him Isa 53.6 and will not impute thy sin to thee but to him thy surety Rom. 4.8 Heb. 7.22 upon whose back all our sins do meet c. Mark Thirdly When David was deceived with Nathan's Aenigmatical Discourse in the Parable of the Cade Lamb c. and denounced unwittingly this severe Sentence against himself The Man that hath done it shall surely die v. 5. this was the Voice of the Law awarding Death to Sin Rom. 6.23 Gal. 3.10 c. Thus this Wage was awarded as Saul's doom for his service who as he ran out his Life in Hypocrisie so Dyed he like a Fool at last But this word here to David Thou shalt not dye is the Voice of the Gospel awarding Life to Repentance for sin and believing in Christ Acts 2.38 39 40. 16.31 20 21 c. This was David's doom for his comfort thy surety dieth for thee thou shalt not dye Mark Fourthly The Parity and Disparity of Saul's and David's Doom as is wittily yet wisely observed by Bernard As to the Parity or Congruity they were both Kings and sinned both were warned by Prophets both Repented both Confessed and both were Answered The words of both their Confessions were alike to the Prophet I have sinned and both their Answers were alike in part from the Prophet Dominus transtulit the Lord hath taken away was the Answer to them both but now behold the Disparity and the vast difference betwixt those two Answers both in words and matter for First David tho' he had but a single Transtulit yet it was Dominus Transtulit Peccatum the Lord hath taken away thy sin but Secondly Saul tho' he had a double Transtulit or Translation yet were they both sad ones and a Curse with both of them as 1. The Lord hath taken away thy Kingdom from thee 1 Sam. 15.26 And 2. The Lord hath taken away his Spirit from thee 1 Sam. 16.14 and this latter Translation was worse than the former c. The Fourth Remark is Notwithstanding this remission of David's sin yet this excused him not from temporal punishment v. 14. tho' the Lord was a God that forgave David yet would he take vengeance of his scandalous practices Psal 99.8 God forgave him the guilt of his sin and the Eternal Punishment due to it yea and that temporal death which David had denounced against himself v. 5. and which he now feared tho' as King he was above the lash of the Law and next to him was his Queen Bathsheba also yet he well knew that an offended God could punish them both whom the Magistrates could not come at so God had threatned Levit. 26.14 15 c. And tho' God doth Pardon Eternally yet may he punish Temporally both for the vindication of his own Justice from partiality in pardoning a more heinous Act in David than was found in Saul's life yet rejected Yea and for the vindication of Religion too as if it were nothing but a form of profession without the power of Piety Mark First The Commination of this Temporal Punishment The Child begot in Adultery shall dye because thou hast caused the Enemies of God to blaspheme That is rendred as the reason Not only the Ammonites and Pagans but also the Prophane among God's People will lay reproach upon Religion and rail against the Lord as if he were the Author or at least the Abettor of such impious acts for his pardoning or at least conniving at greater Crimes in David whom he had preferred to be King yet punishing lesser sins in Saul whom he had rejected from his Kingdom N. B. This implies that tho' David took so much care to colour and cover his sin yet all would not do it got wind among others both at home and abroad either from his over-hasty-Marriage with Bathsheba or from the sudden swelling of her Womb or from the blabbing of Servants or from the slaughter of Vriah such surmises at least arose as did occasion some Blasphenies which were not bearable Rom. 2.24 't is call'd Chillul Hashem Isa 52.5 Ezek. 36.20.23 a great evil Mark Secondly The Execution of this punishment upon his Child The Lord strake it c. v. 15. 't was so sick that David despair'd of its recovery by any natural means therefore makes he use of Spiritual Remedies as Fasting and Prayer with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humicubatio laying all night upon the Earth v. 16. in which time some say he penn'd that Penetential Psalm the fifty first which he after published However this is certain that he had now got good assurance of the pardon of his own sin insomuch as he taketh that holy boldness to sue and supplicate unto the Lord for his sick Child which duty he knew was the best lever at a dead lift winging his devotion with due humiliation c. Mark Thirdly His faithful Servants the Courtiers came to comfort him in his Mourning but he refused to be comforted v. 17. N. B. Tho' all this time he was doing contrary to the revealed Will of God The Child shall surely dye v. 14. yet did David well as Judas served the secret will of God yet did ill David knew not that it was God's absolute will it might be conditional only like that to Abraham Slay thy Son c. Mark Fourthly The Child dyed upon the seventh day after its birth v. 18. so dyed without Circumcision yet was saved v. 23. Gratia non est alligata Symbolis Grace is not tyed to outward Signs 't is not the want but the contempt of them saith St. Ambrose that is dangerous when they may be had yet carelesly neglected for which Moses narrowly escaped Exod. 4.24 Mark Fifthly When David understood by his Servants whispering that God's will was declared in the Child's death he gives over praying knowing better than the Romish Church which prays for Souls departed that it was both ineffectual and sinful this also makes against their limbus infantum whereof Pelagius saith Peter Martyr was the first Inventor Then David arose v. 19. he washed himself from his legal Pollutions Numb 19.14 then went into God's Tabernacle v. 20. and there thanked a taking as well as a giving God Job 1.21 2.10 Saying the Will of the Lord be done Acts 21.14 preferring God's Worship before his necessary food Job 23.12 Mark Sixthly David's turning so suddenly his sorrow into satisfaction was a Riddle to his Courtiers which he resolveth to them v. 21 22 23. saying while I prayed I knew not but God might be gracious to me in the Child's life c. N. B. Whereas no doubt but God was more gracious to David in the death of the Child which had it lived he could never have looked upon without grief and shame So that God crossed him with a Blessing as oft he doth us Deus dat Iratus quod negat propitius God grants when angry
what he denies when pleased N. B. It seems the Lord in answer to David's prayers dropped down some assureance that his Child was saved and therefore he saith I must go to him not only with my Body into the Grave but also with my Soul into Heaven c. Mark Seventhly The mitigation of David's punishment v. 24 25. wherein First He comforted Bathsheba with the comforts wherewith God had comforted him 2 Cor. 1.4 to wit by telling her that the Child was saved Secondly Moreover God comforted David by making up his loss of a dead Child with the birth of a Wise Solomon born of Bathsheba of whom David had all his Best Sons because they were the fruit of their Parents solemn humiliation Thirdly Nathan who was sent to humble David is now sent to comfort him and to become Tutor to Solomon who must live tho' that in Adultery did dye now David signifying only beloved he hath a Son Jedediah signifying the beloved of the Lord. The last Remark upon this twelfth Chapter is the taking of Rabbah the Metropolis of the Ammonites from v. 26. to the end First in part then the whole c. Mark First Here Joab had laid close Siege to this strong City about Twelve months and now had taken that part of the City where the Royal Palace stood the place of the King's residence which was surrounded with water both for defence and for delight the whole City probably was supplied by Conduit-pipes from hence which therefore Joab the General took care to cut off v. 26 27. Mark Secondly When General Joab saw the City could not long hold out now for want of water he sends for David in all haste that he might have the glory of the Victory v. 28 29. This was a most generous act of General Joab In other of his Conquests he Conquered others only but in this act he Conquered himself to let the honour of all redound to David who had by his sin retarded his success for so many Months N. B. Learn we from Joab these two good Lessons the first is when in our Spiritual Warfare we would Conquer any Corruption we must cut off those Conduit-pipes of water that keep them alive c. The second is when through Grace we have Conquered any Corruption and mortified it by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 let Christ our Spiritual David have the whole glory of the Conquest as the Disciples did Acts 3.12 16. Mark Thirdly David hastens with an Additional Army having now as some suppose made his peace with God whereas while he lay in his sin he durst not look an Enemy in the face takes the City and the King's Crown from off his head which weighed a Talent of Gold c. and setteth it upon his own head v. 30. N. B. Yet the Crown of Glory laid up for David now reconciled to God is far more weighty 2 Cor. 4.17 and enambled with more precious Pearls Mark Fourthly He put the People to most barbarous torments for abusing his Embassadors v. 31. whom he tore in pieces with Saws and Harrows or burnt them in the Furnace of Moloch where they had burnt their own Children This Cruelty makes that Opinion more probable that David had not yet recover'd his mild temper and former tenderness toward Saul and others his heart was yet hardened with impenitency and he had not yet recovered the Spirit of Grace which would have taught him more Mercy and Moderation so there is a transposition of the Story c. N. B. If the Ammonites were so severely punished for abusing David's Embassadors Oh what severity may they expect that abuse the Embassadors of Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 God will strike through their loynes Deut. 33.11 never any such prospered Job 9.4 c. 2 Sam. CHAP. XIII THIS Chapter gives a Narrative how God's Justice which seemed to sleep a while after the death of the Child begotten in Adultery now awakeneth and shews it self in the Temporal punishments of David's foul offences of his Adultery and Murther retaliated upon him by the Adultery and Murther of his Eldest Son Amnon First in General Remarks are First The Lex talionis Divine Justice observed here in Writing David's Sin upon his Punishment As David had committed Adultery made Vriah drunk and then murthered him so his Eldest Son Amnon committed Incest is made drunk by Absolon and then is murthered Remark the Second From the general prospect of this Chapter Lavater noteth excellently from those three Names here mentioned Amnon signifies Stable and Faithful Tamar the Palm-Tree and Absolon his Father's peace but not one of them answered their own Names nisi per Antiphrasin unless by contraries Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepe suo Names and Natures do not always agree Now to the particular parts of this Chapter and first the Adultery or Incest of Amnon the Remarks are First The Agent was Amnon David's first born Chap. 3.2 who lusted after his Sister a Virgin so violently that he fell sick upon it because he could not accomplish his lustful desires v. 1 2. N. B. The reason of his sickness is rendred by some to be this The Affections are placed in the grossest part of Man's mind which hath the greatest affinity with the Body and thence it is that the vehemency of the Affections both those call'd Irascible and those call'd Concupiscible in Philosophy do so powerfully produce strange Distempers in the Body The Second Remark is The Patient Tamar a fair Woman whose Beauty was the bait of Amnon's Lust yet his Sister by the Father's side tho' Absolom's Sister both by Father and Mother Chap. 3.3 This Daughter of David and for any thing we find to the contrary the King 's only Daughter and being a Beautiful Virgin was strictly kept in from gadding abroad lest Dinah's danger Gen. 34. should thereby entangle her No doubt but this precious Jewel this sparkling Diamond David's dearest Darling went always well attended when her occasions call'd her from home This daily diligence of guarding her made Amnon despair of satisfying his lustful desires and therefore lay he down broyling upon the Gridiron of his own unbridled Concupiscence The Third Remark is The Instrument used for Amnon's ease v. 3 4 5. Satan soon found him out a Broker to bring him out of his Mulligrubs namely his Cousin Jonadab of a Serpentine subtilty so a fitter tool for that old Serpent the Devil to work with He being Ingeniose Nequam Wittily Wicked pumps out of Amnon the cause of his paleness and drooping so unlike a King's Son who well cannot have discontent saying Wil t thou not tell me thy Friend who can both keep Counsel and give Counsel Amnon answers I love Tamar my Brother Absolon's Sister he saith not my Sister for shame as he did after to David for obtaining his ends without suspicion v. 6. but here minces the matter of love to an half Sister now Jonadab gives his pestilent Advice A Friend and no Friend had he