and from henceforth nothing can stand before it and to rebel against it is to rebel against Christ Psal. 2. 6 7. c. Now the Kings command was to be kept because of the Oath of God made to him Eccles. 8. 2. David subdueth Gath and her Towns called Metheg Ammah or the bridle of Ammah because there was a continual Garrison of the Philistims in the Hill Ammah 2 Sam. 2. 25. which the David 13 Philistims of Gath used as a bridle to curb those parts He killeth Moab to a David 14 third part laying them on the ground and measuring them with a cord who David 15 David 16 should be slain and who should live This he calleth The measuring of the Valley David 17 of Succoth Psal. 60. 10. He subdueth Hadadezer and taketh from him 20000 David 18 men and 1000 Chariots and 7000 Horsemen that attended them seven men David 19 to a Chariot He spoils them all but 100 Chariots and reserves 700 Horsemen David 20 for them Of Syria Damascus he destroies 22000 men PSAL. LX. AFTER the 12 verse of 2 Sam. 8. the sixtieth Psalm is to be taken in whose Title telleth that it was made by David when he strove with Aram Naharaim and with Aram Zobah that is with Hadadezer King of Zobah when he went to fortifie himself with Aram Naharaim as 2 Sam. 8. 3. when Joab returned and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand Now this was a different victory from that which is mentioned in the very next verse of Abishai slaying of Edom in the valley of salt eighteen thousand For there is not only a visible difference between the persons Joab and Abishai and between the numbers 12000 and 18000. But the Text relateth expresly that before that victory of Abishai over Edom David had taken spoil from Edom and from Amalck which were of Edom. PSAL. CVIII AFTER the thirteenth verse of 1 Sam. 8. is Psal. 108. to be taken in being the very same in substance with the sixtieth And as that doth tell in the Title that it was made upon Joabs Victory of 12000 Edomites so may it be well conceived that this was made upon Abishai's victory of 18000. I KING XI ver 15. to ver 21. HERE cometh in this Story of Hadad c. the reading of vers 15. it helpeth to illustrate the matters mentioned next before CHAP. IX David 21 IT was about this time that David requites Jonathans kindness to his Son David 22 Mephibosheth Mephibosheth was five years old when his father died 2 Sam. David 23 4. 4. and so he was 25 years old in the twentieth of Davids reign he hath a David 24 son when David begins to own him which is committed to Ziba to be looked to and attended CHAP. X. I CHRON. XIX David 25 HANUN basely abuseth Davids Messengers They came to mourn with him and comfort him and he instead of rent Garments which was the garb of mourners cuts off their Garments to their buttocks and cutteth off half their beards whereas it was abomination to them to have any cutting of their hair for the dead at all Levit. 19. 27. Deut. 14. 1. Hanun hireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Chron. 19. 7. Thirty two thousand men with Chariots for so should it be rendred since it is apparent by 2 Sam. 10. 6. that 20000 of this number were Footmen After the foiling of this Army David again foileth Hadadezer and slayeth of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Chron. 19. 18. Seven thousand men with Chariots that is 700 Chariots 2 Sam. 10. 18. with ten men attending every Chariot He slayeth also 40000 Horse-men 2 Sam. 10. 18. which in the Book of Chronicles is expressed 40000 footmen that is so many men Horse and Foot which fought not in Chariots or with them but without CHAP. XI all I CHRON. XX. ver 1. to this Clause And Ioab smote Rabbah c. David 26 DAVID adulterateth Uriahs wife maketh him drunk and slayeth him Uriah was a proselited Canaanite some remnant of the sons of Heth about Hebron see Gen. 23. 2 3. Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam 2 Sam. 11. 7. or Ammiel 1 Chron. 3. 5. of Lodebar beyond Jordan 2 Sam. 9. 5. 17 27. CHAP. XII To Vers. 15. and the first Clause of that verse And Nathan went to his own house NATHAN the Prophet that had been sent to tell David of good things to his house is now sent to tell him some bad By an exquisite parable he bringeth him to condemn himself and by a terrible threatning to confess his sin c. PSAL. LI. DEsire of pardon of sin is the fruit of pardon of sin David had been just now told that his sin was forgiven and now he doth earnestly apply himself to beg the forgiveness of it The Title of the Psalm doth plainly speak for the time and place of it David nameth one of his sons by Bathsheba Nathan after the name of the Prophet 1 Chron. 3. 5. Zach. 12. 12. And this was that son of whom Christ descended Luke 3. 31. and thus David both shewed his belief of the promise that Nathan had told him of when he brought him good tidings and his repentance for that sin that Nathan checkt him for when he brought him bad CHAP. XII From vers 15. And the Lord strake the child c. to vers 24. David 27 THE child begotten in adultery dieth uncircumcised David had been certainly told by Nathan that he should die Yet he beggeth for his life CHAP. XII from vers 28. to the end I CHRON. XX. vers 1. And Ioab smote Rabbah and destroyed it and vers 2 3. JOAB taketh part of Rabbah namely that part where the Court lay and David comes and takes the rest and puts the Ammonites to exquisite tortures CHAP. XIII all David 28 AMNON defloureth Tamar his own sister Compare this incest of Davids eldest son with that of Reuben Jacobs eldest son Gen. 35. 22. And this rape of Tamar with the rape of Dinah Gen. 34. And this Tamar incestuated by her own brother with Tamar incestuated by her own father in Law Gen. 38. David 29 Absalom calleth Amnon Aminon scornfully ver 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath Aminon thy brother been with thee Absalom murdereth Amnon Here observe the hand and proceeding of justice As David had committed adultery made Uriah drunk and then murdered him so Amnon committeth incest is made drunk and then murdered And as Amnon had committed his villany at his meat so at his meat he is met with punishment Absalom upon the fact fled to Geshur to Talmai who was his Grandfather See 2 Sam. 3. 3. CHAP. XII vers 24 25. David 30 SALOMON born and called Jedidiah the Lords beloved The Story of his birth is joyned to the Story of the child that died that Gods reconciliation to David might be shewed instantly after the relation of his anger against him His anger was shewed in taking away that child that was
II. And thus much of the instrumental cause of this poor Prophets death A Lion The efficient cause was his transgressing a command of God Upon which if any heart be moved any whit to murmur or dispute against the severity of God in this case let me calm it much after the manner that Joabs messenger must calm David If the Kings anger arise and he seem vexed and displeased saith Joab to the messenger then say thou to him Thy servant Uriah is dead also If thy heart sinner arise against Gods dealing here and thou think it very severe that this poor man must die thus let me say this to calm thee But thou art not dead who art as great a transgressor as he Why he died a reason may be given but canst thou or all the World give a reason why thou art a live This then let it be the first application of this story Every one to consider with themselves That they after all their sinning are yet alive when this poor man but for one sin came to so fatal a death Let me use our Saviours stile and question a little Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all others or that those eighteen on whom the Tower of Siloam fell were sinners above all others Thinkest thou this man was a greater sinner than thou art that he came so to his end and to so fatal an end Nay speak heart from the very bottom and in sincerity Thinkest thou not that this man was an hundred fold a thousand fold less sinner than thou art And yet he was thus taken away and thou yet alive He a good man a holy man a holy Prophet and yet he so fearfully cut off for violating but one command and deceived into that miscariage too And how many commands hast thou broke knowingly wittingly wilfully and how far how many degrees art thou short of the holiness of this man and yet alive Hast thou any heart to complain of Gods severity against this poor man look home and see what cause thou hast to stand amazed at his patience toward thee He for breaking one command How many ones hast thou broken Nay if God had reckoned to cut thee off at the hundredth the thousandth breach of his commands had not the account been up an hundred a thousand times over And yet thou art here David questions Lord what is man Take the Philosophers answer Homo mirum Man is a wonder And so he is a wonder in his creation and so David himself owns Psal. CXXXIX I am fearfully and wonderfully made A wonder in his preservation when there are so many concurrents that might dash him all to pieces and yet he lives I will draw nigh saith Moses and see this great sight that is before me The bush burning and yet is not consumed And a great sight indeed that fire that devours all things that it lays hold on should burn so vehemently in the bush and yet the bush nothing at all impaired Draw nigh and turn thine eyes to such a kind of sight in thine own preservation So many things concurring that might cause thy consuming dust and ashes frailty mortality sinfulness provoking of God and yet not consumed What account can we give of our preservation First Let us look upon this man and then let us look upon our selves As the man that fell among thieves travailing from Jerusalem to Jericho lay by the way side half dead So this poor man is fallen into the paâ—s of the Lion and lieth by the way side wholly dead And is this nothing to us that we should like the Priest and Levite thus slightly pass by him The man was a good and holy man and I make no question but he was saved though he came to such a fatal end Saved Will you say when he came to such an end for transgressing Gods command He died in his sin certainly and can we think that he was saved 1. Consider what follows immediately in his story 28. ver The Lion had not eaten the carcass nor torn the Asse God that so severely punished him to the death yet shewed a miracle for him when he was dead Which sheweth that God had not cast away all care of him though he had so sorely punished him And it was a very fair sign that God had not suffered the great roaring Lion to devour his soul in that he suffered not this Lion to devour his carcass It s Davids saying Doest thou shew wonders for the dead Yes in one sense he did here And can we think that God would shew such a miracle for a castaway and for one whose soul was now in Hell would he shew such a wonder for his body 2. It s true indeed that he died for transgressing of Gods command but had he not repented of that transgression It s observable what is said of the Prophet that had brought him back again vers 21. That he cried to the man of God that he had brought back When God had revealed to him what wrong he had done in lying to the poor Prophet and making him transgress Gods command and what a sad fate should befal him for his transgression he cried out with sadness and affection and told him how it should be with him And can we think that the good man having his sin so laid before him and his dreadful punishment was not deeply touched with the sense of his sin and with all earnestness sought to God for pardon We may not judge of him by our selves we little take to heart what we have misdone and what is denounced by God against our sinning A holy Prophet was of better temper and of a tenderer heart and deeply sorrowed for his transgression when he was convinced of it and sought for pardon and obtained it So that though he died for his sin yet he died not in it The case of David may give some illustration to this case When Nathan told him home of his sin about Uriah and his wife he instantly repents is pardoned that he falls not under condemnation for it but he is not quit from temporal judgment and punishment for it The sword shall never depart from thine house And the child shall die So this man is told of his fault by the other Prophet he repents is pardoned that he falls not under condemnation but he is not acquitted from a temporal punishment and that a severe one that cost him his life We may here take notice of divers things First Of the wild opinions of Antinomians that say a Believer is not punished for his sins whatsoever befals him But the reason they give spoils what it would prove For Christ say they hath born his punishment which if it be true yet it is punishment as to satisfaction not to castigation For who among us ever said that a Believer was punished for the satisfaction of his sin God punisheth him upon other accounts Davids sin was pardoned and satisfied for by Christ when Nathan tells him the Lord hath done away thy sin but
son Amnon perished by the sword his son Adonijah by the sword and his son Absalom in as violent a manner Did not God remember Davids sin and his own threatning in this And yet did not all these perish for their own sins God visited their sin and withal remembred their fathers sin against them also God damned none of them for Davids sin Nor did God repute them sinful for Davids sin but if they were damned they were damned for their own sin and were reputed sinners in the sight of God for their own sin Yet in the external punishment that fell upon them there was a remembrance of their Fathers sin also Hophni and Phinehas perished together in battel their fathers sin was visited upon them which he is charged with 1 Sam. II. 29. That he honoured his sons more than God And yet they perished for their own sin If they were damned they were damned for their own sin and not their fathers and were reputed wicked in the sight of God for their own sin and not their fathers And yet in the external punishment that fell upon them their fathers sin was called to remembrance Objection But many a child is punished for his fathers sin that it may be is a good child or at least is free and innocent from the sin of his father Jeroboams son was taken away in his prime 1 King XIV was not that for Jeroboams sin that God cut off his child and he a good son and that had not consented to his fathers sin vers 13. In him there is sound some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel Here was justice indeed against the father but where was it to the son to cut him off so soon So Davids child begot in adultery must dye for Davids sin and what had the poor child offended Many first born in Egypt it is like were not guilty of their fathers cruelty towards Israel and yet they must all go to it they must dye It may be many a covetous unconscionable wretch hath a son that is more honest and yet the ill gotten estate moulders away and comes to nothing with an invisible canker Is here justice to the children to smart thus for their fathers fault To this I answer First We are to consider children as part of their Parents bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh And is it not justice in God to punish wicked Parents in what part of themselves he pleaseth It seems as lawful as for a King to punish a Traitor in what part of his body head or hand or foot it seems best to him If Jeroboams hand wither for the sin of his whole Person is it not just with God And is it not a penalty upon the whole person And upon this account it was not unjust with God when David had sinned in numbring the people to smite seventy thousand of the people if you consider David as a general father to all the people they part of him as he was King as being part of his Kingdom And such an answer if I had not other to give should I give to an Anabaptist that asks me why I baptize my child I should answer he is part of my self and so it is fit he be baptized because I am otherwise all of my self is not baptized And this gives some reason of what the Apostle saith That the child of a believing Father or Mother is holy that is is a Christian for the believing Parents sake because he is part of that Parent Secondly There are some punishments that descend as I may say naturally from Parents to Children nay I may say some sins that descend so naturally that God should invert the very course of nature if they stuck not to the children Original sin and guilt we derive not from our immediate Parents but from our first Parent Adam but some actual sins many children derive from their Parents When Parents from their childrens infancy let them run into lewd courses and either give them example of such courses or at least reprove and restrain them not the children grow lewd and wicked Whose sin is that lewdness It is the childs but it is the Parents also And many a Parent sees the just punishment of his own fault upon himself in the miscarriage of his child his coming to fearful wickedness and very oft to a fearful end Elias lenity to his wretched sons in not restraining them and so Davids to Adonijah did traduce and derive that sinful miscarriage into them And God even visited that sin of the Parents upon the children in suffering them to grow so abominably sinful Many a Parent is guilty of this and yet little considers it When their children prove debauched wild riotous they it may be will fret to see their expensive and destructive courses But let them reflect upon themselves and consider whether their children derive not that wickedness either from their Example or want of care for their Christian education Is it any injustice in God when Parents will have their children so brought up in wickedness to let them be wicked any injustice either to Parents or children that it is so when children will be so wicked and Parents will let them be so So some punishments descend naturally from the sin of the Parent as when children are made beggers by the riot prodigal lewd courses of the Parents when a whoring lewd Parent gets the foul disease and so traduceth it to his children when an unconscionable getter of an Estate leaves it to his children that like a Leprosie a Canker and a Curse sticks to it and it cannot but rot and come to nothing What should the justice of God do in this case Bless a cursed Estate preserve Children that the Parents will infect and keep them from beggery whom Parents will make beggers Shall God work miracles for these that only work rebellion and change the very course of the nature of things for them that will not change one lust Thirdly We are to distinguish between punishments and trials A good son of a bad father may come into affliction because of his fathers sin and yet that laid upon him not directly as a punishment but trial A good child of a prodigal riotous or unconscionable father may come to poverty when God aims it not as a judgment on him for his fathers sin but for trial and admonition to him against such sins The father indeed is so punished when his child comes to misery but the affliction in the mean time is to the child for his good The cutting off of Jeroboams son was a sad judgment to Jeroboam because the only hopeful child he had was so taken away but it was not intended as a punishment to his child but in mercy to take him away from wrath to come As in Esa. LVII 1. The righteous are taken away from the evil to come Fourthly and lastly The proper meaning is God visits upon evil children the
is darted through David mourneth sadly for him because of the desperate condition in which he died Shimei is pardoned He came down first of all the house of Joseph to meet the King chap. 19. vers 20. Here the house of Joseph is used for all Israel except Judah and set in opposition to Judah Joseph had been the prime family while the Ark was in Shiloh and all Israel were named after it as Psal. 80. 1. but then God refused Joseph and chose Judah for the chief Psal. 78. 68 69. And there began and continued the difference and distinction betwixt Israel and Judah Joseph and Judah Ephraim and Judah for by all these names are the rest of the Tribes stiled in opposition to the Tribe of Judah CHAP. XX. SHEBA the Son of Bichri rebelleth a man of Benjamin by descent ver 1. but of the hill country of Ephraim by residence ver 21. PSAL. XXX WITH the third Verse of this Chapter read the 30 Psalm which seemeth to be made by David when upon his return to Jerusalem after his flight he purgeth and halloweth his own house which had been made a Stews by Absalom PSAL. IV. VVITH this Chapter also read the fourth Psalm made as the stile of it argueth upon this rebellion of Sheba as the third Psalm was made upon the rebellion of Absalom He checketh the people for despising his Kingdom and hearkning after a Kingdom that was but vanity as first Absaloms and now Shebas ver 2. He adviseth Israel and Judah not to sin in their anger 2 Sam. 19. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be angry but sin not ver 4. He professeth in ver 7. that since the time that corn and wine and other provision increased to him from Barzillai Shobi and Nahash 2 Sam. 17. 27. c. that his heart had received comfortable confidence and assurance of his restoring again and therefore he would still trust and depend upon that goodness and providence that had delivered him out of the other trouble and wrought those good beginnings towards him CHAP. XXI to Vers. 15. David 36 THree years famine lye upon the Land for the offence of Saul He in a David 37 zeal to Israel and Judah would expel the Amorites and destroy them and David 38 with them all Wizards and Witches and with them he also falls upon the Gibeonites and destroyeth them though Joshua had made a Covenant with them That these three years famine began the next year after the year of Absaloms rebellion the Text seemeth to hint in the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vers 1. The year after that year for in all the Scripture wherein mention of famine is made it only saith There were seven years famine or ten years famine c. and that is enough and is used constantly to denote that there was famine so many years together and it never telleth that there was famine so many years year after year And therefore this expression here seemeth rather to joyn the three years of famine to the story before then to one another However we shall find a passage in the story of Davids numbring the people that directs us very well about the time of these years CHAP. XXI Vers. 15. to end I CHRON. XX. Vers. 4. to end THose Battels are of an uncertain date and therefore since there is no direction where to place them it is the safest way to take them in the order where they lye especially since both the Books of Samuel and the Chronicles have laid them in this place The Book of Samuel reckons four Battels and the Chronicles but three for that wherein David was in danger and could not come off with honour and safety is omitted The Book of Chronicles concealeth sometimes the dishonour of the Saints of God as it mentioneth not the fact of David with Uriah and his wife nor the Idolatry of Salomon c. The Book of Samuel calleth Elhanan the Son of Jaare Oregim a Bethlehemite and the Book of Chronicles calleth him the Son of Jair Now there is mention of Elhanan a Bethlehemite the Son of Dodo 1 Chron. 12. 26. and whether these were two men or only one and the same may well be questioned He is said to have slain Goliah 2 Sam. 21. 19. that is Lahmi Goliaths brother as the Book of Chronicles expounds it as by Michal is meant Michals Sister in the same Chapter of Samuel ver 8. CHAP. XXII PSAL. XVIII THere are two things that may seem to argue this not to be the proper place of this Psalm and Chapter 1. Because it was most especially composed upon Davids delivery from the hand of Saul as the title sheweth In the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul that is especially out of the hand of Saul as Josh. 2. 1. Go view the land and Jericho that is Jericho chiefly 2. Because the next Chapter in Samuel beginning thus And these are the latter words of David shewing that these of Chap. 22. were uttered a good while before them But howsoever this Song of deliverance might be penned by David many years a go upon his clear deliverance from all trouble by Saul and his Family yet is it most properly laid here and repeated by David at this time when now all his enemies had spit their venom and he was delivered from them all and now we hear of no more enemies of his stirring but himself an enemy to himself in numbring the people If any one will be so curious he may read Psal. 18. at the end of 2 Sam. 4. when David is quit from the trouble of Sauls house and he may read this 2 Sam. 22. which is the same thing again here CHAP. XXIII HEre are some words of David of a latter date 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred Verba posteriora as well as Postrema The reason of the recital of his Worthies in this place was observed before CHAP. XXIV I CHRON. XXI David 39 DAVID numbreth the people by the provoking of Satan 1 Chron. 21. 1. and by the provoking of God 1 Sam. 24. 1. the former tending to a sin in David the latter tending to a punishment of Israel the Lord was displeased at them for so little regarding Davids Kingdom as he had been at David for the matter of Uriah and as he had been at Sauls house for the slaughter of the Gibeonites and therefore he giveth up David to a covetous thought to number the people that he might lay a tax upon every Poll. Joab hath here more piety at the least more policy then David and declines the business till master'd by Davids importunity He is nine moneths and twenty days upon his counting much near the counting-time of a woman with child and at last he bringeth in the number but here the account in the Book of Samuel doth differ exceedingly from the account in the Book of the Chronicles
Greek word to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Family of Ram. Job 32. 2. See a third sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Jam. 1. 23. 3. 6. of the generation of Iesus Christ the son of David the Son of Abraham 2. Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Iacob and Iacob begat c c c c c c Judas for Jeâ—udah in Hebrew For the Greek cannot utter h before a vowel in the middle of a word nor after one in the end therefore in the middle it leaveth out as in Josaphat Joram and this word Juda and in the end it changeth it in s as in this and may other words in this Chapter Iudas and his brethren 3. And Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Tamar and Phares begat Esrom and Esrom begat Aram. 4. And d d d d d d Or Ram. 1 Chron. 2. 8. Ruth 4. 19. Aram begat Aminadab and Aminadab begat Naasson and Naasson begat e e e e e e Called Salma Ruth 4. 20. Salmon 5. And Salmon begat f f f f f f He is held by the Jews to be Ipsan Judg. 12. 8. Boos of Racab and Boos begat Obed of Ruth and Obed begat Iesse 6. And Iesse begat g g g g g g David in the Arabick signifieth a worm to which he may seem to allude Psal. 22. 6. David the King and David the King begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias 7. And Solomon begat Roboam and Roboam begat h h h h h h Rehoboam in naming this his Son Abi-jah which signifieth God is my father seemeth to have had his eye upon the promise to David I will be his Father 2 Sam. 7. 14. which because he imbraced not by a lively Faith but challenged only by a presumptuous usurpation for he walked not in the ways of David therefore doth the text elsewhere conceal the name of God in the name of his Son and calleth him Abijam My father is a Sea For so unconstant in good was Rehoboam as Jam. 1. 6. being a child at forty years old 2 Chron. 13. 17. Abia and Abia begat i i i i i i The Arabick readeth it Asaph Asa. 8. And Asa begat Iosaphat and Iosaphat begat Ioram and Ioram begat Ozias 9. And Ozias begat Ioatham and Ioatham begat Achas and Achas begat Ezechias 10. And Ezechias begat Manasses and Manasses begat Amon and Amon begat Iosias 11. And Iosias begat k k k k k k Called Conias Jer. 22. 24. For God by taking away the first syllable of his name sheweth that he will not establish the throne or race of Solomon any more upon it as his Father Jehojaâ—im bel ke in so naming him had presumed The Jews delighted to joyn the name Jehovah to their own names but somewhat shortned For in the beginning of the name it was but Jeho as Jeho-shaphat Jehoram c. And in the end it was Jahu as Mica-jahu Eli-jahu And sometime in the very same name it was set before or after indifferently as Jebo-achaz 2 Chron. 21. 17. is Ahaz-jahu 2 Chron. 22. 1. So Jehojachin 2 King 24. 8. is Jechou-jahu 1 Chron. 3. 16. Iechonias and his brethren about the time they were carried away into Babylon 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel and Salathiel begat Zorobabel 13. And Zorobabel begat Abiud and Abiud begat Eliakim and Eliakim begat Azor. 14. And Azor begat Sadoc and Sadoc begat Achim and Achim begat Eliud 15. And Eliud begat Eleazar and Eleazar begat Matthan and Matthan began Iacob 16. And Iacob begat Ioseph the Husband of Mary of whom was born Iesus who is called Christ. 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David until the l l l l l l The Captivity of the Jews into Babel was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flitting of their Families As Aristeas saith of Ptol. Lagus his captiving them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they returned ere long to their own home again But the ten Tribes captivated by Sbalmanezar are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXX 2 Kings 18. 11. in a perpetual departure from their own houses And they and all the rest of the Nation are at this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a dispersion without any home of their own at all John 7. 35. Jam. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 1. carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations 18. Now the birth of Iesus Christ was on this wise when as his Mother Mary was espoused to Ioseph before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost 19. Then Ioseph her Husband being a just man and not willing m m m m m m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath been thought saith Gellius that there ought to be three causes in punishing of offences The first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when punishmenâ— is used for castigation or amendment of him that hath offended The second called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when punishment is used that the dignity and honour of him that hath been wronged may be maintained The third which is called II 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when punishment is inflicted for examples sake that others by the fear of the known punishment may be deterred from the like offences Noct. Att. lib. 6. cap. 14. to make her a publike example was minded to put her away privily 20. But while he thought on these things the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Ioseph thou Son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost 21. And she shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying 23. Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and shall call his Name Emanuel which being interpreted is God with us 24. Then Ioseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife 25. And knew her not until she had brought forth her first born Son and he called his name Jesus Reason of the Order AFter Mary hath been three months absent from Joseph as in the last verse of the Section preceding upon her return he perceiveth her to be with child for which he intendeth secretly to put her away as Tamar after three months is descried to be in the same case and Judah resolveth publikely to put her to death Gen. 38. 24. This being considered it is plain to see how properly the eighteenth verse of this chapter followeth in order of time after the last verse
had no other surety for the Truth of the Old Testament Text these mens pains me thinks should be enough to stop the mouth of a daring Papist CHAP. XIV Of the marginal Readings THAT the margin should so often help the Text as I may so say as in 848 places may seem to tax the Text of so many errors But the Learned can find a reason why it is so I hope I may satisfie my self without any hurt with this reason till my Learning will afford me a better Namely that when they took in hand to review the Bible after the Captivity as all hold Ezra did that they did it by more copies than one which when they thus varied they would not forsake either because they were loath to add or diminish therefore they took even their varying one in the Text and the other in the Margin Yet do I not think it was done only thus without some more special matter in some places for the writing of Nagnarah so often Nagnar does make me think if I had nothing else to perswade me that these Marginals are not only humane corrections CHAP. XV. Ex Kimchio in Ionah 1. KImchi questioning why the Book of Jonah should be Canonical c. gives one most comfortable reason which upon reading I could not but muse on His words are observable and they are these It is questionable why this Prophecy is written among the Holy Scriptures since it is all against Niniveh which was Heathenish and in it there is no remembrance or mention of Israel and among all the Prophets besides this there is not the like But we may expound it that it is written to be a * * * Heb. Musar Instruction check to Israel for lo a strange People which were not of Israel was ready to repent and even the first time that a Prophet reproved them they turned wholly from their evil But Israel whom the Prophets reproved early and late yet they returned not from their evil Again this Book was written to shew the great miracle that the blessed God did with the Prophets who was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish and yet lived and the fish cast him up again Again to teach us that the blessed God sheweth mercy to the repentant of what Nation soever and pardons them though they be many Haec Kimchi Upon whose last words I cannot but enter into these thoughts Could we look for a Truth from a Jew or Comfort from a Spaniard And yet here the Spanish Jew affords us both comfortable Truth and true Comfort God will pardon the Repentant there is a comfortable Truth and he will pardon them of what Nation soever if they repent there is most true Comfort When a Jew thus Preaches repentance I cannot but hearken and help him a little out with his Sermon That as God is ready to forgive the Repentant of what Nation soever so for what Sins soever if they be truly Repented Here I except the impardonable Sin the sin against the Holy Ghost which what it is the Scripture conceals in close words partly because we should not despair if we fall our selves and partly because we should not censure damnably of our Brethren if they fall into a sin that is nigh this so that not into it To maintain the Jews words and mine own for pardon of Nations and of sins I have as large a field as all the Countries and all the Sins of the World to look over I will only for Countries confine my self to Niniveh and for Sins to Mary Magdalen Niniveh a Heathen Town built by a Wicked Brood inhabited by a Wicked Crew yet Repenting Niniveh is Pardoned Mary Magdalen a manifold Sinner a customary Sinner a most deadly Sinner yet Repenting Mary Magdalen is Forgiven The Jew brings me into two Christian Meditations about Niniveh or into two wholsom Passions Fear and Hope God sees the Sins of Niniveh then I know mine are not hid this breeds in me Fear of punishment But God forgives the sins of Niniveh then I Hope mine are not unpardonable this breeds hope of forgiveness Col debhaurau she amar â—ehareang libhne Adam saith the Rabbin bithnai im lo jâ—shubhu All the evils that God threatens to men are threatned with this condition if they do not Repent As before the Jew spake Comfort and Truth so here he links Comfort and Terror God threatens Evil there is Terror but it is with Condition there is Comfort Niniveh finds both in the story Forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed there is a threatned Terror But the Lord repented of the Evil that he spake to do unto them and did it not there is a Comforting Condition So that as David does so will I hopefully and yet fearfully sing of Mercy and Judgment First Mercy then Judgment Mercy upon my Repentance lest I be cast down and Judgment upon my Sins lest I be lifted up Mercy in Judgment and Judgment in Mercy Is there any one that desperately rejects Ninivehs exhibited Mercy Let him fear Ninivehs threatned Judgment or is there any that trembles at Ninivehs threatned Judgment Let him comfort himself by Ninivehs obtaining Mercy But in the mouth of two witnesses let the Mercy be confirmed Let me take Mary Magdalen with Niniveh and as I see in it the forgiveness of a multitude of Sinners so I may see in her of a multitude of Sins Those many Sinners pardoned as one Man those many Sins made as none at all Saint Bernard speaking of her washing of Christs feer says she came thither a Sinner but she went thence a Saint She came thither an Aethiope and a Leopard but she went thence with changed Skin and cancelled Spots But how was this done She fell at the feet of Christ and with sighs from her heart she vomited the Sins from her soul. Prosternere tu anima mea as saith the same Bernard And cast thou thy self down oh my soul before the feet of Christ wipe them with thine hairs wash them with thy tears which tears washing his feet may also purge thy soul. Wash his feet and wash thy self with Mary Magdalen till he say to thee as he did to Mary Magdalen thy sins are forgiven CHAP. XVI Of Sacrifice SAcrifice is within a little as old as sin and sin not much younger than the world Adam on the day of his creation as is most probable sinneth and sacrificeth and on the next day after meditates on that whereunto his sacrifice aimeth even Christ. Cain and Abel imitate the matter of their fathers piety Sacrifice but Cain comes far short in the manner Abel hath fire from Heaven to answer him and Cain is as hot as fire because he hath not Noah takes an odd clean beast of every kind into his Ark for this purpose to sacrifice him after his Delivery And so he does but for the Chaldee Paraphrasts fancy that he sacrificed on the very same Altar whereon Adam and Cain and Abel had
Sabbath Eve sounded with a trumpet six times upon the roof of an exceeding high house that thence all might have notice of the coming in of the Sabbath The first sound was that they should cease from their works in the fields The second that they should cease from theirs in the City The third that they should light the Sabbath Candle c. VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Think not that I am come to send peace c. ALthough these words may be understood truly of the differences between believers and unbelievers by reason of the Gospel which all Interpreters observe yet they do properly and primarily point out as it were with the singer those horrid slaughters and civil wars of the Jews among themselves which no Age ever saw nor Story heard p p p p p p Bab. Sanhedr fol. 99. 1. R. Eliâ—zâ—r saith The days of the Messias are forty years as it is said Forty years was I provoked by this generation And again q q q q q q fol. 97. 1. R. Judah saith In that generation when the Son of David shall come the Schools shall be Harlots Galilee shall be laid wast Gablan shall be destroyed and the Inhabitants of the Earth the Gloss is the Sanhedrin shall wander from City to City and shall not obtain pity the wisdom of the Scribes shall stink and they that fear to sin shall be despised and the faces of that generation shall be like the faces of Dogs and Truth shall fail c. Run over the History of these forty years from the death of Christ to the destruction of Jerusalem as they are vulgarly computed and you will wonder to observe the Nation conspiring to its own destruction and rejoycing in the slaughters and spoils of one another beyond all Example and even to a Miracle This Phrâ—nsie certainly was sent upon them from Heaven And first They are deservedly become mad who trode the Wisdom of God as much as they could under their feet And secondly The blood of the Prophets and of Christ bringing the good tidings of Peace could not be Expiated by a less Vengeance Tell me O Jew whence is that Rage of your Nation towards the destruction oâ— one another and those Monsters of Madness beyond all Examples Does the Nation rave for nothing unto their own Ruine Acknowledge the Divine Vengeance in thy Madness more than that which befel thee from Men. He that reckons up the differences contentions and broyls of the Nation after the dissention betwixt the Pharisees and the Sadducees will meet with no less between the Scholars of Shammai and Hillel which encreased to that degree that at last it came to slaughter and blood r r r r r r Hieros in Schabb. fol. 3. 3. The Scholars of Shammai and Hillel came to the chamber of Chananiah ben Ezekiah ben Garon to visit him That was a woful day like the day wherein the golden Calf was made The Scholars of Shammai stood below and slew some of the Scholars of Hillel The tradition is that six of them went up and the rest stood there present with swords and spears It passed into a common Proverb That Elias the Tishbite himself could not decide the Controversies between the Scholars of Hillel and the Scholars of Shammai They dream they were determined by a voice from Heaven but certainly the quarels and bitternesses were not at all decided s s s s s s Hieros Beracoth fol. 3. 2. Before the Bath Kol in Jabneh weâ—t forth it was lawful equally to embrace either the Decrees of the School of Hillel or those of the School of Shammai At last the Bath Kol came forth and spake thus The words both of the one party and the other are the words of the living God but the certain decision of the matter is according to the Decrees of the School of Hillel And from thenceforth whosoever shall transgress the Decrees of the School of Hillel is guilty of death And thus the Controversie was decided but the hatreds and spites were not so ended t t t t t t See Trumoth fol. 43. 3. Succaâ— 53. 1. Jom Tobh fol. 60. 3. c. I observe in the Jerusalem Gemarists the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamothi used for a Scholar of Shammai which I almost suspect from the affinity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shammatha which signifies Anathema to be a word framed by the Scholars of Hillel in hate ignominy and reproach of those of Shammai And when I read more than once of R. Tarphons being in danger by robbers because in some things he followed the Custom and Manner of the School of Shammai I cannot but suspect snares were dayly laid by one another and hostile Treacheries continually watching to do each other mischief u u u u u u Bab. Beracoth cap. 1. hal 3. R. Tarphon saith As I was travelling on the way I went aside to recite the Phylacteries according to the Rite of the School of Shammai I was in danger of thieves They say to him and deservedly too because thou hast transgressed the words of the School of Hillel This is wanting in the Jerusalem Mishnah x x x x x x Hieros Shevith fol. 35. 2. R. Tarphon went down to eat figs of his own according to the School of Shammai The enemies saw him and kick'd against him When he saw himself in danger By your life saith he carry word unto the house of Tarphon that Grave cloaths be made ready for him Thus as if they were struck with a Phrensie from Heaven the Doctors of the Nation rage one against another and from their very Schools and Chairs flow not so much Doctrines as Animosities â—arrings Slaughters and Butcheries To these may be added those fearful Outrages Spoils Murders Devastations of Robbers Cut-throats Zealots and amazing Cruelties beyond all Example And if these things do not savour of the Divine wrath and vengeance what ever did CHAP. XI VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou He that should come or do we look for another THE Reason of the Message of John to Christ is something obscure First That it was not because he knew not Christ is without all Controversie when he had been fully instructed from Heaven concerning his person when he was baptized and when he had been again and again most evidently attested before him in those words This is the Lamb of God c. Secondly Nor was that Message certainly that the Disciples of John might receive satisfaction about the person of Christ for indeed the Disciples were most unworthy of such a Master if they should not believe him without further Argument when he taught them concerning him Thirdly John therefore seems in this Matter to respect his own imprisonment and that his Question Art thou he which should come c. tends to that He had heard that Miracles of all sorts were done by
him from death and was heard in that he feared It lies upon glorified Saints in one part of it viz. Thanksgiving It is so a Duty for the unholiest that though they sin in their prayers yet they sin worse if they pray not Your prayers are not sin as to the Act but because of other things External adoration is absolutely required to be given to God by all his creatures and if that be not yielded they doubtless sin This the wicked man when he prays gives to God They mistake foul that say Pray not till the Spirit move you Truth saith Pray because Duty requires you and in doing your duty wait for the Spirit 3. It is a Duty that makes out and sanctifies all our duties As 1 Tim. IV. 5. Every creature of God is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer So is every religious duty that we perform What is our hearing reading meditation if we pray not that God would sanctifie it and make it beneficial to holy ends and purposes to us 4. We had need to pray in reference to our Duty lest God turn us out of all and own us not for Tenants because we pay not our Rent You read in XXX Exod. 12. c. That every Israelite was to give half a shekel for the Redemption of his Soul the rich was not to give more nor the poor less This Christ himself paid Matth. XVII 24. c. Prayer is that half shekel to us The rich can give no more and the poor hath this to give viz. To make our humble acknowledgments to God for our lives and our comforts This is the greatest owning of our homage and none is so poor as to be without it The words that signifie Prayer speak this viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging our selves and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depending upon grace We hold all upon grace The acknowledgment of this is the payment of our Homage to our Creator Would you comfortably enjoy your Houses Lands Studies Comforts pay your Rent Pray Pray Pray See what becomes of them that pay not this Homage Jerem. X. 25. Pour out thy sury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name Secondly We had need pray because of our wants This is the only way for our supply II. This is the bucket to draw our Water Ask and you shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee Yea though God know our wants we must pray for the supply of them That is a strange motive to prayer in Matth. VI. 8. Your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask them What need then is there to tell them If he will give he will give whether we ask or ask not Yes pray for what ye stand in need of though ye are sure of the grant of those things Daniel prayed for the restoration of the Captivity which he knew certain David for the pardon of his sin which he knew God would pardon And that for these reasons First God will have his Homage T is reason Elias should have his cake first that provides meal for the maintenance of the whole family 1 Kings XVII 13. Secondly We pray not to shew God our wants as if he were ignorant of them but to shew that we are sensible of them and to signifie that we know he only is able to supply them Saints are called poor because they know their wants and know they live on Gods Alms. See Rev. III. 17 18. Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsil thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich c. God would that this Church of Laodicca should know her wants and buy by prayer the supply of them Thirdly I may add We had need to pray because of our advantage and benefit yea though we receive not particularly what we pray for Though as Psal. XXII 2. We cry in the day time and God heareth not and in the night season we take no rest Though God seem as in Psal. LXXXVIII 14. to cast off our Soul and hide his face from us yet we had need to pray still because we still want and if we never receive particularly what we pray for yet these benefits we shall reap by our prayers 1. We keep up and refresh our communion with God Constant prayer hath this advantage that it suffereth not God to forget us Lord why hast thou forgotten me saith David Prayer permits not God to forget no more than a Mother can forget a crying child He that prays is Gods Remembrancer and gives him no rest 2. The more we pray the better God will know our faces at the day of judgment I know you not shall Christ say to some why They never looked towards him Psal. XIV 2 3. The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside c. And I. Esay 4. There t is said of wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are estranged backward or turned backward To these methinks the great Judge will say another day Ye were always strangers to me such as turned their backs upon me I could never see your face and therefore verily I know you not But on the contrary he that now confesses Christ and makes himself known to him by prayers and humble addresses he will know and confess him at the day of Judgment 3. The more we pray the more the heart is in Heaven and with God So that Prayer it self is a blessed benefit Phil. III. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven This of all other Conversations is the heavenly Conversation As Christ when he prayed was transfigured Luke IX 29. So in prayer the Christians heart is changed the soul is winged and mounts up till it gets hold of God as Jacob had him in his arms when he prayed 4. Time will come that all our prayers and tears shall meet us God puts our tears in his Bottle God reserves our prayers not one of them is left and we shall in time receive the fruit of them In 1 Kings VIII 59. There Solomon prays Let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night that he maintain the cause of his Servant c. Prayers are nigh unto God And thus I have finished the first Observation viz. That we had need to pray I come to the second II. That we had need to be taught to pray There is no doing spiritual work but according to the Patern in the Mount God prescribed Forms As at the offering of the first-fruits of the Land of Canaan XXVI Deut. 3 4. c. Thou shalt go unto the Priest that shall be in those days and
proper inference viz. Let us take care not to hinder it So that indeed a notable and renowned miracle of grace and pardon is shewed here is manifest to all the world and all generations what then is the conclusion that such men make upon it Therefore we hope we shall get pardon and salvation with a little ado and if we put off the seeking of it till our death-Bed we hope we may find it then as this man did Whereas the proper conclusion should be to no other tenor viz. Why should I sin against such a God that is so good and merciful Let us consider of two or three things First Monuments of mercy were never set up in Scripture to be encouragements of presumption and examples of pardon never recorded to state the rate and price of pardon David's conclusion is There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Psal. CXXX But God never shewed mercy that he might be made the more bold withal and the less feared And the inference he makes upon the pardon of his sin is this Psal. XXXII 5 6. I acknowledged my sin and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin What use is here for others to make of that example For this shall every man that is godly make his prayer in a time when thou mayst be found and not put it off to what time he himself shall find he knows not when Whosoever is emboldned by this rare example before us to think he shall so easily obtain his pardon though he put off the earnest business of it to a sick bed Let him but hit on such a nick of time as this man did and he may possibly speed But it was such a nick of time as the world never saw nor ever must see the like the very instant of time when Pardon and Salvation were purchasing And whereas he looks upon the Thief 's sin so easily pardoned and thinks his own may be so too Let him bring the same Faith and Repentance that he did and he may be likely pardoned as readily as he For herein are men deceived about the facility of pardon that because God can easily forgive sin therefore it is easie to get sin forgiven and because he hath so readily forgiven others therefore he will as readily forgive me As if no difficulty else lay in the way Whereas Secondly The great difficulty is to get the party fit and capable of pardon and Salvation For that is an oyntment not to be poured into every Vessel There is no sin but it may be pardoned if it can be repented of but all the business is to get repentance The Scripture tells you of two sins impardonable the sin against the Holy Ghost Mark III. and the sin unto death or final Apostacy 1 Joh. V. Now the reason of the unpardonableness of these sins lay in the men themselves that were guilty of them viz. because they were past repentance and so the sins could not be pardoned because they could not be repented of There are thousands in Hell whose sins in themselves were pardonable and had been pardoned had not they themselves been the cause why they were not pardoned because they did not repent of them If I were to Answer this Question What hope the greatest sinner may have of the pardon of their greatest sinning I might reckon up how great sins and sinners have been pardoned from Adam upward But this doth not reach the question For the question is not whether such sins be pardonable nor whether God be able to forgive them but what hope may the party have of pardon being such a sinner For in this case something more is to be looked at than either Gods power or his mercy and than either the quality of sin or the quantity And this something more is a man coming into the way and capacity of pardon When our Saviour prays for the forgiveness of those that Crucified him he never meant they should be forgiven while they continued in their cruelty wickedness and unbelief but that they might be brought into a composure and capacity fit for forgiveness Thirdly The Providence of God was never the rule for men to go by but his word It were not good sense to say that Gods extraordinary actings should be mens ordinary rule He that would not plow nor sow but expect bread to be rained for him from Heaven because God once rained Manna upon Israel may fit and starve and he that will look for Ravens to bring him bread and flesh morning and evening because they did once so to Elias may walk with a hungry belly but he will never be fed Gods extraordinary actings are peculiarly for the magnifying of his own glory but never were intended for mans rule to go by They shew what God can do but little intend that man should either expect the like or do the like Here was a most singular acting of God to pardon and save such a wretch as this who had put off his repentance to the very last because there was an extraordinary occasion in hand and because God would signally glorifie the death of Christ. He that puts off his repentance and seeking for pardon to the very last in relyance upon this example does but tempt God and turns that to his own poyson which God intended for a better end And he forsakes the bridge that would carry him safe over Jordan and ventures to go through the River to his own drowning expecting a miracle for the drying of it up because it was once dryed up before the Children of Israel God hath appointed the wages and means to come to repentance and those we are to wait upon and if he brought this man to repentance by a way extrarodinary we have to admire the peculiar dispensation of his grace but still to have an eye to our own rule The mercies of God are never recorded in Scripture for mans presumption and the failings of men never for imitation Here is the memoral of a singular mercy of God in saving this sinner and a failing of this man that he never sought salvation till this very instant Now he makes but an evil application that resolves to imitate his failing and yet hopes to speed as he did who had an unparalleled mercy and whom God would set up for a monument to all generations Not for mens presuming upon mercy because of this mercy nor to imitate the delay of repentance in this man but rather from Gods mercy he should be stirred up the more unto it For the stating of the sure grounds whereupon a man may comfortably hope and expect pardon and salvation at the hands of God it were a mad doing to lay for the two corner stones in such a building Presumption upon Mercy and delaying of Repentance This is worse than building upon the sand for this is building upon Impiety Now the word of God which is to be our rule tells us these two things 1. That Repentance is