be loved Abimelech and Phicol desire to live peaceably and quietly with Isaac that there may be an Oath and a Covenant between them but yet these being Heathens could not love Isaac as a godly man should be loved they departed from him in peace saith this verse peace is one thing and love is another CHAP. XXVII Verse 2. AS Isaac said here that he knew not the day of his death so may we say both of the time and also of the place and manner of our death For death surprizeth some as Abel when he was walking in the field others as Uz when he was sitting at his door some with Iobs children at a Feast others with the Philistines sporting in a Theater Thus likewise may we say of the manner of our death there is a natural death when a man dies as a Lamp goes out because there is no more Oyl to feed it and there is a violent death when the soul is thrust out of doors and the Lamp of Life not burnt but blown out Iosia dies by the hurt of an Arrow a Prophet of God by the teeth of a Lyon Abimelech by the fall of a stone Boast not thy self therefore of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth if not an end of thy sins it may be an end of thy life if it bring not forth conversion it may bring forth confusion Verse 4. What hath careless Esau lost if having sold his Birth-right he may obtain the blessing Or what hath Iacob gain'd if his Brothers Venison may countervail his pottage Yet thus hath old Isaac decreed who was not now more blind in his eyes than in his affections God had forewarn'd him that the Elder should serve the Younger yet Isaac goeth about to bless Esau. The dearest of Gods Saints have been sometimes transported with natural Affections he saw himself prefer'd to Ismael though the Elder he saw his Father wilfully forgetting Nature at Gods command in binding him for Sacrifice he saw Esau leudly matcht with Heathens and yet he will remember nothing but Esau is my first-born but how gratious is God that when we would will not let us sin and so orders our actions that we do not what we would but what we ought Verse 8. That God which had ordain'd the Lordship for the younger will also contrive for him the blessing what he will have effected shall not want means the mother shall rather defeat the Son and beguile her Husband than the Father shall beguile the chosen Son of his Blessing What was Iacob to Rebecca more than Esau or what Mother doth not more affect the Elder But now God inclines the love of the Mother to the Younger against the custom of Nature because the Father loves the Elder against the promise The Affections of Parents are divided that the Promise might be fulfil'd Rebecca's craft shall answer Isaac's partiality Isaac would unjustly turn Esau into Iacob Rebecca doth as cunningly turn Iacob into Esau her desire was good her means was unlawful God doth oft-times effect his just will by our wickednesses yet neither thereby justifying our infirmities nor blemishing his own actions Verse 19. Here is nothing but counterfeiting a fained person fained name fained Venison a fained answer and yet behold a true blessing but to the man not to the means those were so unsound that Iacob himself doth more fear their curse than hope for their success but Rebecca presuming upon the Oracle of God and her Husbands simplicity dare be his surety for the danger his Counsellor for the carriage of the business his Cook for the Diet yea dresses both the meat and the man And now she wishes she could borrow Esau's tongue as well as his garments that she might securely deceive all the senses of him who had suffered himself to be more dangerously deceived by his affection But this is past her Remedy her Son must name himself Esau with the voice of Iacob It is hard if our tongue do not bewray what we are in spite of our habit This was enough to work Isaac to a suspition to an enquiry not to an incredulity he that is good of himself will hardly believe evill of another and will rather distrust his own senses than the fidelity of those he trusted all the senses are set to examine none sticketh at the Judgement but the ear to deceive that Iacob must second his dissimulation with three lies in one breath I am Esau As thou badst me My Venison Onesin entertain'd fetcheth in another and if it be forced to lodg alone either departeth or dieth I love Iacobs blessing but I hate his lie I would not do that wilfully which Iacob did weakly on condition of a blessing he that pardoned his infirmity would curse my obstinateness Verse 23. Good Isaac had first set his hands to try whether his ears inform'd him aright and then feeling the hands of him whose voice he suspected that honest heart could not think that the skin might more easily be counterfeited than the Lungs a smal satisfaction contents those whom guiltiness hath not made scrupulous Isaac believes and blesseth the Younger Son in the Garments of the Elder If our Heavenly Father smell upon our backs the savour of our Elder Brothers Robes we cannot depart from him unblessed Verse 27. As Isaac said of his Son here The smell of my Son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed So the Lord of Heaven as he smelt a savour of rest from the Sacrifice of Noah should smell from us if we intend to be his Sons and Heirs of the Promise as Iacob was the savour of Medicinal Herbs of remorse and repentance and contrition and detestation of former sins and the savour of odoriferous and fragrant and Aromatical Herbs Works worthy of Repentance amendment of Life Edification of others and zeal to his Glory Verse 32. No sooner is Iacob gone away full of the joy of his blessing then Esau comes in full of the hope of the blessing and now blowing and sweating for his reward he finds nothing but a Repulse Lewd men when they think they have earned of God and come proudly to challenge favour receive no answer but Who art thou the hopes of the wicked fail them when they are at the highest whereas Gods children find these comforts in extremity which they durst not expect Verse 33. Both the Father and the Son wonder at each other the one with fear the other with grief Isaac trembled and Esau wept the one upon Conscience the other upon Envy Isaac's heart now told him that he should not have purposed the blessing where he did and that it was due unto him unto whom it was given and not purposed hence he durst not reverse that which he had done with Gods will besides his own for now he saw that he had done unwilling Justice God will find both time and means to reclaim his own to prevent their sins to manifest
The wicked heart never fears God but thundring or raining fire from Heaven but the good can dread him in his very sun-shine his loving Deliverances and Blessings affect them with awfulness Moses was the true Son of Iacob who when he saw nothing but visions of Love and Mercy could say How dreadful is this place Verse 7. If we would have our greif seen and helped we must endeavour to become Gods People For then sighing and groaning in our several afflictions as these did we may be sure in due time to find our comfort as they found We may hence also learn that affliction doth not shew that the party is disliked of God as the Devil often suggests to men and women in trouble for God calleth these Israelites his People which yet were plunged in the depth of misery and affliction Verse 11. This should teach every one of us humility and to say with Moses Who am I Lord that thou should'st thus and thus think of me chuse me and take me to that place that I have no strength to manage and which thousands of my Brethren are fitter for than I am This also may put us in mind of the weighty calling of Ministers For is it such a matter to strive with Pharaoh for Bodies and temporal servitude and is it nothing to fight with the Devil for Souls and freedome from eternal slavery Verse 14. See a sweet comfort in all our fears even his Name I AM. Noting that as he hath been to penitent sinners so ever he will be without any change If I call upon him and depend upon him I AM is his Name and I may not doubt of him he is no Changeling but the same for ever Verse 16. When any new thing is to be published that concerneth any change in Church or Common-wealth we must acquaint the Magistrates Rulers and Governours with it to approve our Commission and matter unto them with all Modesty Humility Fear and Care of Order and Unity and then with their consents and assistance unto the People and Multitude This is a right course and this shall have a Blessing from the Author of it as here it had Then shall they obey thy voice verse 18. Verse 18. See again and still most carefully note it how God regardeth Government For now Pharaoh must be used as was fit for his place he being the King of that Land in which they were wicked Pharaoh I say must not be disorderly dealt with by such as live under his Government although Strangers and not his natural Subjects how much then by natural Subjects But he must be gone unto with all duty and acquainted with their desire with all reverence that neither themselves may be judged factious neither others by their examples moved to any disorder And therefore they must acquaint him with the Author of their desires not their own heads lusting after liberty or novelty but the Lord God Verse 21. All hearts are in the hands of God even as the Rivers of Water and that he turneth them hither and thither at his pleasure He can make them love hate they never so much Yea he can make them so love that fruits from thence shall flow to his People of their love Be they Jewels of Silver or Rayment they shall grant it and send it give it or lend it with so willing a mind as the party taking needeth to wish CHAP. IV. Verse 3. THe heart of man is like the Rod of Moses as long as he held it in his hand it remained a Rod but when he threw it to the ground it turn'd instantly into a Serpent nay a Dragon the Prince of Serpents as Philo the Iew saith so the heart of man as long as there is fast hold of it as long as Man is the Possessor God the Guardian it continues still an heart but if our boistrous unruly sins once throw it to the earth it changeth instantly to be a Serpent From whence all carnal and earthly-minded men may learn whose Consciences at the reading hereof tell them that their hearts are turn'd into Serpents and Vipers by their sins and are now crawling on the earth in their lustful designes to stretch forth a hand of sorrow a hand of true repentance to take them up again in what shape soever they appear For he that was exalted on the Crosse as the Serpent in the Wildernesse shall turn those Serpents into Hearts again their Gall and Poison into Innocence their Sting of Death into Issues of Immortal Life Verse 4. Sin is a Serpent and hath a deadly sting in the tayl of it even the sting of Death For the sting of death is sin saith St. Paul Now as a man would fly from a Serpent so let him fly from sin But if thou hast taken this Serpent into thy hand rest not till like Moses Serpent it be turned into a Rod again to scourge thy Soul till a true sense of thy sins and of Gods Wrath due unto thee for the same bring thee to a serious repentance and contrition to a spiritual loathing and abhorrency of those sins that so thou maist never cast thine eye back upon them but with a new and a particular detestation thou maist never enter into meditation of those sinful passages of thy former life but with shame and horror of soul and that every solemn review of those dayes of darkness and unregeneration may make the wounds of our remorse to bleed afresh Verse 7. When Moses pluck'd his hand out of his bosome it was leprous and again when he pluck'd it out it was white to shew that the actions of our hands receive their denomination from the bosome the heart according to that saying of the Father Tantum habent virtutis aut vitii actiones quantum habent voluntatis Verse 12. He that is singled out to any service of his God for the advantage of his Israel must not give back or waver but go boldly on If a willing obedience second his Command God promiseth to assist I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say was Gods Promise here to Moses and it was his Sons to the Apostles Mat. 10. 19. Take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak As if he had said be not anxious about matter or manner of your Apology for your selves ye shall be supplied from on High both with Invention and Elocution you shall have your help from Heaven For it is not you that speak saith our Saviour in the next verse but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you who borroweth your mouth for the present to speak by It is he that forms your speeches for you dictates them to you filleth you with matter and furnisheth you with words Fear not therefore your rudeness to reply there is no mouth into which God cannot put words And how oft doth he chuse the Weak and Unlearned to confound
breach of Piety punishable with Death Let them also think of those Infernal Ravens and Vultures that shall torment them in Hell and continually feed upon their Souls Verse 10. Because Marriage was appointed a remedy against Fornication therefore the Law of God inflicted a sorer punishment upon him which did commit uncleanness after Marriage than upon him which was not Married because he sinned although he had the remedy of sin like a rich Thief which stealeth and hath no need So Deut. 22. 22. Verse 25. Ye shall make this difference between the clean and unclean Beast saith God First because ye may be at my appointment for your very meat as who am chief Lord of all Secondly that there may be a difference between you and all other People Thirdly that ye may be taught to study purity and know that the very Creatures are defiled by mans sin It is hard to deal in the World and not be defiled with the corruption that is in the World And therefore we are taught by this Law to abstain from the communion of unclean and wicked men in whom are found the malignities and evil properties of all other Creatures CHAP. XXI Verse 17. THis was done to preserve the Dignity of the Priests Calling in that infancy of the Church which otherwise might have come into contempt together with the holy things for the contemptible shew of the Priest Yet thus much we may learn by it further that if these infirmities of body which they could not help made them unfit then to be Priests may not now wilful impiety being a blot in Soul and Mind disable a man from being a Minister to God in his own Conscience although he have the outward calling of men Verse 18. Blind is he who wanting light from above is wholly drowned and overwhelmed with the darkness of this World Lame is he who seeing whither he should go yet is not able through weakness of understanding to get thither but fainteth and faileth stumbleth and trippeth in his going and cometh short of his right end By a flat nose may be noted a weakness in Judgement and Discretion because the nose discerneth good savours from ill as the mind should also do things fit and unfit In the Canticles 7. 4. among the praises of the Spouse it is said her nose is like a tower in Lebanon because by Judgement she discerneth afar off temptation and evils coming as out of a Tower Verse 20. The scab is a foulness arising of an itch and spreading broader and broader if it be not look'd into and thereby is set down the vice of Covetousness which first beginneth with an itching desire and afterward for want of looking to spreadeth to a great foul Vice deforming any man but most unseemly in a Priest who ought to be clean Lâ—â—â—ly by him that hath his stones broken are noted such as though they do not act yet have ever in their minds lewd and unclean thoughts whereby they are so desperately carried away as pure and clean and holy meditations can take no place Verse 22. Albeit blemished persons might not stand at the Altar yet were they allowed to eat the Sacrifices and to be in the Congregation shadowing unt ous that the Church although blemished nevertheless is admitted to the communion and participation of those things which Christ by his eternal Sacrifice hath obtain'd for us And although some one or other infirmity may justly disable thee for such a place either in Church or Common-wealth yet from a place with the Elect either here or for ever it shall not hinder thee No nor ten thousand blemishes if thou art grieved for them and fighting against them dost take hold of thy spotless Saviour as thy help and safety against them all CHAP. XXII Verse 6. NOne but those that were clean might eat of the holy Things nay those that did but enter into the Tabernacle being unclean were threatned with death by God Now what should this solemn preparation under the Type put us in mind of but the true and inward preparation required still of us in the Anti-type that is to teach us that we ought carefully to sanctifie prepare and purifie not our clothes and external parts but our hearts from all sin and impurity before we presume to approach into the presence of God either to eat of Christ our spiritual Passover or to hear and receive his most holy Word And certainly the neglect hereof is the very cause why that Sacrament which is to some the Bread of Life is to others the Bread of Condemnation and that Word of God which is to some the Saviour of Life unto Life is to others the Saviour of Death unto Death Verse 19. A good Work without the heart is but a glorious sin for not so much the things themselves as the affections of men are considered of God One may have a free mind in poverty and a sparing mind in riches so it is not the Work but the Mind Thus the Lord regards not so much the thing done as the heart and mind of him that did it If we build only on the Work we have no better evidence to shew for our salvation then the Devils and Reprobates Not the Work then but the Heart is that that will stand and go for currant to shew this the Lord would have a free-will Offering among all the rest of his Sacrifices hereby shewing that the heart must be joyn'd with obedience nay so much did the Lord regard the Heart that he would not admit of any Gift for the building of the Temple but what came from a free will CHAP. XXIII Verse 2. IN that they were called the Feasts of the Lord men are taught in them to seek and attend such things as belonged to God and not their own business pleasures and sports And in the fourth verse they are called holy Convocations think therefore in your Conscience whether gadding and rioting be holy exercises and meet for an holy Convocation To this end they are still call'd in the Christian Church Holy dayes to put us in mind of the right use of them Verse 3. It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings Wherefore saith St. Augustine learn that no place priviledgeth thee to break Gods Law but as being a sinner whithersoever thou goest thou carriest the yoak of sin so being the servant of God in all places obey his Will Verse 5. O marvellous accordance betwixt the two Testaments in the very time of their delivery there is the same agreement which is in their substance The ancient Iews kept our Feasts and we still keep theirs The Feast of the Passover is the time of Christs Resurrection then did he passe from under the bondage of Death Christ is our Passover the spotless Lamb whereof not a bone must be broken And so likewise the very day wherein God came down in Fire and Thunder to deliver the Law even the same day came also the Holy Ghost
escapeth their Judgement from whose sins he escaped Even the good Angels are here made the Executioners of Gods Judgements There cannot be a better or more noble act than to do Justice upon obstinate Malefactors Verse 16. The Messengers do not only hasten Lot but pull him by a gracious violence out of that impure City they thirsted at once after the vengeance upon Sodom and Lots safety they knew God could not strike Sodom till Lot were gone out and that Lot could not be safe within those Walls We are all naturally in Sodom if God did not hale us out whiles we linger we should be condemned with the World If God meet with a very good field he pulls up the Weeds and lets the Corn grow if indifferent he lets the Corn and Weeds grow together if very ill he gathers the few ears of Corn and burns the weeds Verse 20. So say most men of their bosome sins Lord this sin is neer to flye unto it is but in my bosome and it is but a little one Lord perchance but a trip of the tongue or a wanton glance of the eye or a lustful thought of the heart O let me escape and abide in that sin in that Zoar and my soul shall live and he saies most truly that his Soul shall live For it is as impossible that such a one should live without his beloved sin as it is that he should live without his Soul Verse 21. O the large bounty of God which reacheth not to us only but to ours God saves Lot for Abrahams sake and Zoar for Lots sake if Sodom had not been too wicked it had escaped Were it not for Gods dear Children that are intermix'd with the World the world could not stand the wicked owe their lives unto those few good which they hate and persecute Verse 26. Lot at the 17 verse may not so much as look at the flame whether for the stay of his passage or the horror of the sight or tryal of his Faith or fear of commiseration Small Precepts from God are of importance obedience is as well tryed and disobedience as well punished in little as in much And therefore when Lots Wife did but turn back her head in this verse whether in curiosity or unbelief or love and compassion of the place she is turned into a Monument of disobedience ut praestarit fidelibus condimentum saith Saint Augustine that it might be a seasoning to faithful men and teach us not to look back not to fall off from that calling in which we are once entered And now what did it avail Lots Wife not to be turned into ashes in Sodom when she is turned into a Pillar of Salt in the plain He that saved a whole City cannot save his own Wife God cannot abide small sins in those whom he hath obliged If we displease him God can as well meet with us out of Sodom as in it Verse 35. Though Lot fled from company he could not flye from sin he who was not tainted with Uncleanness in Sodom is overtaken with Drunkenness and Incest in a Cave Rather than Satan shall want baits Lots own Daughters will prove Sodomites those which should have comforted betrayed him How little are some hearts moved with judgements The ashes of Sodom and the pillar of Salt were not yet out of their eye when they dare think of lying with their own Father They knew whilst Lot was sober he could not be unchaste Drunkenness is the way to all bestial affections and acts Wine knows no difference either of persons or sins By this we see likewise what a dangerous thing it is to give way to temptation Lot being once drunk is the more apt to fall into it again Verse 37. No doubt Lot was afterwards ashamed of his Incestuous seed and now wished he had come alone out of Sodom yet even this unnatural Bed was blessed with encrease and one of our Saviours worthy Ancestors sprung after from this line Gods Election is not tyed to our means neither are blessings or Curses ever traduced The chaste Bed of holy Parents hath often bred a Monstruous Generation and contrarily God hath sometimes raised an holy Seed from the Drunken Bed of Incest or Fornication Thus will God magnifie the freedom of his own choice and let us know that we are not born but made good CHAP. XX. Verse 3. THe truth was here not only concealed but dissembled as the Moon hath her specks so the best have their blemishes we are born men not Angels and as our composition is flesh and bloud so are we subject to the temptations that are apt to arise from those principles of our Nature A Sheep may slip into a ditch as well as a Swine only here 's the difference the one delights in the mud the other would fain get out of it the righteous may fall seven times a day as well as the wicked but then the righteous riseth as oft and repenteth of his sin whereas the wicked lies down and continues in it This was the second time Abraham had committed this sin and yet still continued the Father of the faithful Verse 5. God had reproved Abimelech on Abrahams behalf and now Abimelech reproves Abraham on Gods God told Abimelech that he had taken another mans Wife and Abimelech replyed That other man had told him a Lye It is a sad thing that Saints and Beleevers should do that for which they should justly fall under the reproof of Infidels we should rather dazle their eyes and draw from their Consciences at least a testimony of our innocency as David did from Sauls when he said Thou art more righteous than I my son David The life of a Christian should be a Commentary on Christs life Which of you can condemne me of evil said Christ to the Jewes and we that bear his Name should follow his steps and so carry our selves that we may not be condemned by the world For our profession as it is most eminent so most eyed and worst censured none therefore to keep within so strict lines as the Christian being one ever under monitors for behold saith the Apostle We are made a gazing stock to the world to Angels to men Verse 7. The reward of sin is death saith the Apostle but what kind of death a double death saith this text Morte morierie thou shalt die the death a death complicated in its self death wrap'd in death and what is so intricate so intangling as death Who ever got out of a winding-sheet It is death aggravated by its self death weighed down by death and what is so heavy as death Who ever threw off his Grave-stone It is multiplied by its self and what is so infinite as death Who ever told over the dayes of death Let several sinners then pass this consideration through their several sins that as Abimelech here so they must without Gods mercy upon every sin die the death and that a double death eternal and
temporary temporal and spiritual death Verse 9. Adultery is called here a great sin not only for the uncleanness and filthiness of it but because of the punishment that follows and sometimes overtakes whole Cities and Kingdoms for that sin in their Governors as it would have done here had not God with-held Abimelech from that sin verse 6. Now God keeps his Children from sinning either by instinct of his Spirit or the instruction of his Word or by the guiding and guard of Angels or by diseases as here Verse 11. Wheresoever is wickedness there can be no fear of God these two cannot lodge under one roof for the fear of God drives out evil Ecclus. 1. 26. As therefore Abraham here argues well from the Cause to the Effect because the fear of God is not in this place therefore they will kill me So David argues back from the Effect to the Cause they imagine wickedness on their Bed therefore the fear of God is not before them I would to God neither of these Arguments were demonstrative but our lives shew they are For if we feared the Lord durst we dally with his Name durst we tear it in pieces Surely we contemne his person whose Name we contemne The Iewes have a conceit that the sin of that Israelite which was stoned for Blasphemy was only this that he named that ineffable Name Iehovah Shall their fear keep them from once mentioning the dreadful Name of God and shall not our fear keep us from abusing it Durst we so boldly sin against God in the face if we feared him Durst we mock God with a formal flourish of that which our heart tells us we are not if we feared him Verse 14. Thus God comes as it were out of an Engine and helps his people at a pinch Abraham had brought himself into the bryars and could find no way out Many a heavie heart he had no doubt for his dear Wife who suffered by his default and she again for him God upon their Repentance provides graciously for them both She is kept undefiled he greatly enriched and now they are both secured and dismissed with rewards and priviledges Oh who would not serve such a God as turns our errors and evil counsels to our great good as the Athenians believed their Goddess Minerva did for them Verse 16. Abraham is said to be a veil of Sarahs eyes First That no man knowing her to be Abrahams Wife should look upon her to desire her Secondly It putteth Sarah in mind of her subjection to Abraham whereof the veil is a sign 1 Cor. 11. 10. Thirdly Abraham was her veil that is her just excuse that she did this for his cause being by him perswaded but the former Exposition is the better For the following words the meaning is that all this was that she might he reproved or in all this she reproved her self so that they seem to be the words rather of the Writer concerning Sarah than of Abimelech to Sarah Verse 18. Barrenness is a just punishment for an Incontinent life This may be seen in Solomon who of 300 Concubines and 700 Wives left but one Son Rehoboam and he not very wise to succeed him CHAP. XXI Verse 6. VVE must rejoyce in the least Mercy how greatly then in the greatest our joyes take their measure by our mercies When Sarah had a Son she said God hath made me to laugh so that all that hear me shall laugh with me Her mercy in receiving a Son was so great that it would serve a whole world to make merry with The man that had found his lost Sheep laid it on his shoulders rejoycing it was a pleasant burthen to him and when he came home he called together his Friends and Neighbors saying Rejoyce with me As some afflictions are so big that all our own sorrows are not large enough to weep and mourn over them so some blessings are so big that they call out more than our own affections to rejoyce over them Verse 9. It is not alwayes a disparagement to be laugh'd at the best may be laugh'd at the just upright man is so holiness is under disgrace among unholy men Saint Paul telling this story reports it as a great example of unholy scorn he that was born after the Flesh did persecute him that was born after the Spirit Ishmael persecuted Isaac Moses here tells us the manner how and the weapon wherewith Ishmael did not lift up his hand against Isaac as Cain did against Abel but his tongue he mocked him Those greatest differences in divine Heraldry of being born after the flesh and after the Spirit shew where the quarrel lay it was the spiritualness of Isaac which rendered him so obnoxious to his Carnal Brother Ishmael Isaac was born after the Spirit and doubtless he shewed some fruits of the Spirit which Ishmael did not relish and therefore mocked him And the Apostle gives the reason The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Verse 10. Sarah speaks angerly concerning Ishmael This son of the Bond-woman shall not be Heir with my son and might not God have said as roundly concerning us these bond-slaves of sin and Satan shall not be Heirs with my Son But such is the goodness of our gracious God he deals with us like the Father of the Prodigal Child the Son feared a sharp rebuke and the Father provided a dainty feast And thus God not only pardons our indignities but crowns us with mercies and loving kindness So that we may confess ingeniously with the Prodigal Child We are not worthy to be called thy Sons make us as one of thy hired servants vouchsafe us even the least measure of thy favour and it is more than we can deserve or expect Verse 12. Let us never be ashamed to follow the counsel of such as are discreet and godly Neither is it greatly material who they be that give us good counsel whether our superiors equals or inferiors For we must not weigh so much who is the counsellor as what is the counsel The child is somtimes made able to advise the Father the Servant may somtimes see more than his Master the Wife may sometimes give good counsel to her Husband and it is no dispraise or disparagement for them to hearken to their inferiors but they ought to receive it as a Message brought unto them from God yea if an enemy should perswade us to that which is good we ought to make this benefit and advantage of him as to hearken to our own profit Abraham accounted it no reproach or reproof unto him to obey the Counsel of his Wife when she perswaded him to cast out the Bond-woman and her Son and Abraham is commanded to listen unto it for God said unto him In all that Sarah shall say unto thee hear her voice Away then with the pride and pevishness of all those that take it as a discredit unto
time as by nature a Woman may have a child God will return to us in the grave acording to the time of life that is in such time as he by his gracious decree hath fixed for the Resurrection And in the mean time no more than the God-head departed from the dead body of our Saviour in the grave doth his power and his presence depart from our dead bodies in that darkness Verse 6. Iacob being not willing to be a burthen unto Pharaoh more then needs must brings down all his Estate into Egypt Though the Famine forced the Patriarch to be beholding to Pharaoh for bread yet he would not be Engaged to him for meat And therefore tooke his Cattle along with him and although he could not bring down his house into Goshen yet he carried his goods It is an happiness so to live with others as not to be beholding but rather helpful than burthensome When the Prophet desired a cake of the widdow in the dayes of famine he rewarded her with a barrel of meal which outlasted that famine and rather then he will be a burthen to the poor Woman a miracle shall releive her Verse 27. Well may the Rabbins say that these seventy souls were as much as the seventy Nations of the world when Moses tels us Deut. 10. 22. that whereas their fathers went down into Egypt with seventy souls now Iehovah had made them as the Stars of heaven for multitude and this too by miraculous wayes and means As for instance when this Israel of God was shackel'd perchance for their forefathers selling Ioseph to be a slave with the Irons of Egypt where their burthens were turned into bondage and their bondage into bloud their souls also being ever on the rack of continuall fear and suspence lest their bodies might be thrown into the same brickhils they had built and become the fire to harden their own handiwork Yet here how did God tie up Pharaohs hands with plagues turning their poisons into cordials and their enemies malice to their greatest improvement in that he made them grow under their burthen and propagate through that inhumane distruction of the Male fruit of their body So able is God to raise his Church from a small number to an infinite from seventy persons to the Stars of heaven or the sand on the Sea-shore for multitude Verse 29. The height of all earthly contentment appear'd in the meeting of these two whom their mutual losse had more endear'd to each other The intermission of comforts hath this advantage that it sweetens our delight more in the return then was abated in the forbearance God doth oft-times hide away our Ioseph for a time that we may be more joyous and thankfull in his recovery This was the sincerest pleasure that ever Iacob had which therefore God reserved for his age And if the meeting of earthly friends be so unspekably comfortable how happy shall we be in sight of the glorious face of God our heavenly Father of that our blessed Redeemer whom we sold to death by our sins and which now after that noble triumph hath all power given him in Heaven and Earth CHAP. XLVII Verse 3. IT is fit that every one that lives in a Common-wealth should labour in that Common-wealth and bring some benefit some honey to the common hive unlesse he will be cast out as a drone Pharaoh would hardly have suffered even Iosephs own Brethren to have lived idly under his jurisdiction and therefore his first question here was What is your Occupation At Athens every man gave an yearly account to the Magistrate by what Trade or course of life he maintained himself which if he could not doe he was banished Take ye the evil and unprofitable servant said our Saviour and cast him into utter darkness away with such a fellow from off the earth which he hath burthened for he is no more missed when gone then the parings of ones nailes Those therefore that have a talent a trade to live on must improve that talent must follow that trade whereby the world may be the better and not think to come hither meerly as Rats and Mice only to devour victuals and to run squeaking up and down These are Ciphers or rather Excrements in humane Society In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread was the old Sanction Even Paradise that was Mans Store-house was also his working house They bury themselves alive that as body-lice live on other mens sweat and labours and it is a sin to relieve them Verse 4. These plain dealing men did not desire to live at Court though their Brother was the chief Favourite but in Goshen which as it was next to the Land of Canaan so was it most fit for their Cattle These honest religious Patriarks chose rather a poor Shepheards life in Gods service then to ruffle it as Courtiers out of the Church So did Moses afterwards and David Psal. 84. 10. and the poor Prophet that died so deep in debt and good Micaiah and those that wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins Heb. 11. who happily might have ruffled in silks and velvets if they would have strain'd their Consciences Origen was contented to be a poor Catechist at Alexandria every day in fear of death when he might have been with his fellow Pupil Photinus in great authority and favour if not a Christian. God takes it kindly when men will goe after him in the Wildernefs in a Land not sown Ier. 2. 2. that is chuse him and his wayes in affliction and with self-denial Verse 6. Those that are ingenious and industrious in their calling shall be preferred and had in esteem by great men How much more then doth it concern Christians to improve their Talent that they may be accepted and preferr'd by God That Servant in Saint Luke that had improved his pound to ten pounds was made Lord over ten Cities and he that had encreased it but to five pounds had authority but over five Cities As every one had traded so he was rewarded and had a different degree both of Grace and Glory Let all men therefore according to their several abilities improve what they have to Gods Glory and the good of others and then they may be sure they shall improve it for themselves and their own both good and glory Verse 9. Mans life is but a sojourning it is but a Pilgrimage said Iacob here and but the dayes of his pilgrimage neither every one of them quickly at an end and all of them quickly reckoned Thus also did the rest of the Patriarchs count themselves but as Strangers and Pilgrims in the earth and thereby declared that they sought a Country Heb. 12. 14. Here we have no continuing City first no City no such large Being and then no continuing at all it is but a sojourning Here we are but viatores Passengers Wayfaring men this life is but the high-way and thou canst not build thy hopes here nay to be
of the Ministery that it should not be defrauded of the least thing allotted to it And therefore harden not your heart against God against Law against Right and Truth accustome not your hearts to cover your Neighbours due your hands to purloin it by fraud or take it by strength it is theft spiritual theft sacriledge your house receiveth stoln Goods and the Wrath of God may happily shake the foundation of it for such a sin and you in yours or you and yours be punished Verse 13. Here Leaven is admitted of which before was forbid Leaven therefore is taken in a good sense as well as in an ill Thus the Apostles are resembled to a little Leaven that leaveneth the whole lump they being sent out of God into the unleavened World by preaching to leaven it clean through And there is a Leaven of the new Nature accepted as there is a Leaven of the old Nature rejected For look how the Leaven maketh the Bread savory and strong and wholsome look also how it makes it rise and heave up which otherwise would be sad and heavy So doth Gods regenerate Spirit change us make us savory and all our Duties pleasing to God and we rise up our Hearts and Souls are heaved up in all love in thankfulness to him that in Mercy hath so look'd upon us Verse 15. A Ceremony us'd to signifie that publick Feasts should not be superfluously continued and kept long under the colour of Religion For God loveth not idle banquetting and prodigal spending although he allow graciously what is fit for the occasion Secondly this was done in wisdome by God least if the flesh should have smelt by longer keeping Religion might so have been vile in the eyes of fickle persons Verse 18. We may learn by this that the taking hold of Christ is not to be deferr'd and put off but speedily and quickly to be done whilst time serves and opportunity is offer'd For behold sayes Christ to day and to morrow I cast out Devils and the third day Luke 13. that is a short time I have yet to go on with my Ministery and then I shall be slain More particularly every Man and Woman may be said to have three dayes The first of Youth till Age come the second of Age till Death come and in these two dayes there is Mercy offered but the third day is after Death and then there is no help as here on the third day no Offering was accepted but the sin remained unpardoned and not forgiven Verse 30. The bringing of the Sacrifice with his own hands and not sending it by others taught Humility and Duty to God taught that every one must live by his own Faith and not by anothers Verse 34. The shaking of it to and fro four wayes East West North and South shadowed the spreading of that lifting up of Christ that is of Christs Death and Passion throughouâ— all the World by the preaching of the Gospel CHAP. VIII Verse 2. THe Lord precisely appointed Priests and would not leave it to every man to perform this Office to signifie that not any man butthe-man Christ Jesus could appease Gods Wrath satisfie his Justice and take away the sins of the World This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the Host of Israel from this Office and chusing but Aaron and his Sons as Types of Christ that so by such an Ordinance the Majesty Authority and Property of Christs Office might be resembled and shadowed Verse 5. Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer unto them For he well knew Gods Will only in his own House must be the Rule Our own heads were never the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to give that swinge unto us Verse 13. Aarons Sons were a figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his Merits as well as the Priests Their Garments figured out the Graces and Gifts wherewith the Believers in Christ are adorned and beautified casting away the Works of Darkness and putting on daily more and more the Deeds of Light Rom. 13. 12. Verse 30. Upon Aarons Sons Moses did but sprinkle the annointing Oil which was said to be poured upon Aaron verse 12. So plainly shewing that in Christ the Spirit should be without measure and upon his Servants in measure we all receiving of his fulness according to his good Pleasure some more some lesse Verse 35. By this is signified that watch which all our life time is noted by the seven dayes we keep in avoiding sin and working righteousness as the Lord shall enable which indeed may be call'd the watch of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seventh day we shall be free fully sanctified and delivered from this vail of misery to keep an eternal Sabbath in Heaven to our endless comfort CHAP. IX Verse 7. IN that Aaron was here commanded to offer as well for himself as the People he was herein a figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his own but that ours were so laid upon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as they had been his own Surely sayes the Prophet Isai. 53. 4. he hath born our infirmities c. that is we judg'd him evil as though he were punish'd for his own sins and not for ours Verse 22. Thus doth God blesse us in Christ in whom all the Nations of the World are blessed First with the Blessing of Reconciliation to himself reputing us now just for his Son Christ. Secondly with the Blessing of his Spirit whereby we walk in his Calling being guided thereby in the same Thirdly with the Blessing of Acceptance of all our Works though full of imperfection and weakness And last of all with this great Blessing that all adversity becometh a help to us to draw us to Heaven and Eternal Rest. Verse 24. That God which shew'd himself to Men in fire when he delivered his Law would have men present their Sacrifices to him in fire and this fire he would have his own that there might be a just circulation in this Creature as the Water sends up those vapours which it receives down again in Rain Hereupon it was that fire came down from God to the Altar that as the charge of the Sacrifice was delivered in fire so God might signifie the acceptation of it in the like fashion wherein it was commanded The Baalites might lay ready their Bullock upon the Wood but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their Bodies and destroy themselves than one flash out of Heaven to consume the Sacrifice CHAP. X. Verse 2. NAdab and Abibu were two of Aarons Eldest Sons which after their Father should have succeeded him in his place yet there is no Mercy with God to stay his Judgement when they will not be Ruled by his Word No Prerogative therefore shall save any Man from Wrath if he offend but
the Exchange God in Christ may be had in every lawful Calling And then the Pigeon was an Emblem of fecundity in Marriage and the Turtle may be an Emblem of chast Widdow-hood for I think we find no bigamy in the Turtle but in these Sacrifices we find no Emblem of an unnatural or of a vow'd barrenness nothing that countenances a vowed Virginity to the dishonour or undervaluing of Marriage CHAP. XIII Verse 2. THis prefigured the holy Priesthood of our blessed Saviour who doth see and handle and touch regard and heal all our Spiritual spots as these Priests dealt here with this bodily Infection so that if we be unclean we cannot deceive him Away therefore with our Figg-leaves for they cannot cover us if I be a Swearer an unclean Liver a Drunkard an envious person or the like I am a Leper a spiritual Leper and Christ is Judge whom I cannot mock he will never say I am clean till indeed I be so and so without amendment of Life I must out of the Host out of the Church and number of his Chosen to dye for ever in my Impurity Verse 45. So careful was God to have unclean persons known and discern'd from others in those dayes And we may take occasion also to wish that with us also in these dayes all bold and presumptuous mis-livers being most unclean before God and all good Men were distinguished from them that hate their wickedness by some such open marks as these were to the end that others might avoid them and they themselves be stricken with some shame to amendment of Life and saving of their Souls Allegorically these things in the Leper shadowed the state and condition of all wicked men in this World As the rent Cloaths that they are vile and odious before God his bare head that in Christ their head they have no Portion but are deprived of him his Lips or Mouth covered that such graceless persons cannot open their Mouth before God in any Prayer to be heard his shutting out of the Camp that such are to be Excommunicate from the number of the Faithful and are deprived of the Heavenly Inheritance Verse 50. Before thou condemn thy Brother put thy hand into thine own bosom as Moses did and tell me if it be not leaprous with that sin which thou condemnest in thy Brother and therefore Cause the Priest should not give rash Judgement the Leaprous was shut up seven dayes We must not be hasty to condemn others nay youmay reason further with your self thus that if in a matter thus subject to the Eye as these Sores were yet God would have no haste but a stay for seven dayes before Judgement should be given that the Party was unclean O how more doth he abhor hast in pronouncing of the Hearts and Thoughts of our Friends and Neighbours which are not seen nor subject to an easie Censure A wise gatherer of Grapes gatheeth only the ripe and good Grapes and medleth not with the four and ill Grapes so a good Christian noteth mens Vertues and speaketh of them when a Fool will be medling with their imperfections CHAP. XIV Verse 2. THe Law of the Leper here was that he should be brought unto the Priest men come not willingly to this manifestation of themselves nor yet are they to be brought in chains by a necessity of an exact enumeration of all their sins but to be led with that sweetness with which the Church proceeds in appointing sick persons if they feel their Consciences troubled with any weighty matter to make a special confession and to receive absolution at the hands of the Priest and then to be remembred that every coming to the Communion is as serious a thing as our transmigration out of this World and that we should do as much here for the settling of our Conscience as upon our Death-bed Verse 3. That it is still the duty of all Faithful Ministers to go to the sick to see them and consider their estate towards God ministring comfort to them in due season whilst their hearing is good their understanding good and their memory good And I would God that they that are sick had more care to send for their Ministers in due time and the Ministers when they know it to go and with all care and diligence to labour with them while time serves Verse 6. By the two Sparrows sayes Theodoret the cleansed person was put in mind to offer unto God both Soul and Body a living Sacrifice The Sparrow slain might teach him the necessity of Mortification in the Body which indeed is an earthen vessel the killing of it over pure Water that nothing more worketh this Mortification than the pure Water of Gods Word contained in the Scriptures and that by the bloud of Christ we are truly cleansed and set at liberty as here the live Sparrow dipped in the bloud of the slain Sparrow is set free Verse 7. This sevenfold sprinkling might happily shadow an earnest and tontinued meditation of Gods Goodness to him that thus was comforted and not for a day or two and then no more Surely our thoughts of Mercy vouchsafed to us are ever too short and transitory and therefore seven sprinklings are little enough to teach us our duty herein God of his Mercy so sprinkle us over and over that we may ever remember his kind Goodness towards us a thousand wayes CHAP. XV. Verse 3. OUr Nature whether running or stopp'd is unclean We have uncleanness corruption in us though it doth not shew it self and this is Original Sin call'd here our uncleanness and by Saint Paul Rom. 7. Sinful sin so evil in its self that it could not have a worse Epithete given it than its own name call'd also by the same Apostle in the same Chapter The body of death a dead body or carcass to which we are tied as noisome every whit to our soul as a dead body to our senses and as burthensome as a withered arme or mortified limb which hangs on a man as a lump of lead Now some remnants of sin God hath left in us to clear to us his justifying Grace by Christs Righteousness And this also will make the Saints seem nothing in their own eyes even when they are fill'd brim full with Grace and Glory in another World Verse 12. So contagious a thing is sin that it defileth the very visible Heaven and Earth which therefore must be purged at the last day with a Deluge of Fire because they were not made clean by a Deluge of Water as here the earthen Pot which was but touch'd by an unclean person was broken and the wooden Vessel scour'd and rinsed in water How therefore ought we to fly from sin when even the touch of an unclean person defileth a man And if the Garment spotted with the flesh be so contagious how mortal must the life and conversation of such a man needs be to the Soul Verse 13. When you read thus often of Water
Irreligion and Impiety make Men reproachful of what account and estimation soever they be be they never so Rich Noble and Renouned in the World how famous and excellent in the World Countries and Cities be yet this is certain that Sin maketh all Persons and Places infamous and dishonourable let London apply this to her self as it appears afterwards in this Chapter verse 61. We see this further in many Examples Cain is noted and marked of God for his execrable parricide unto all posterity Iudas that betrayed his Master is called the Son of Perdition Iohn 17. and is as it were burnt in the shoulder with the letter R and mark'd out for a Reprobate and left upon Record to be a Devil Iohn 6. 70. that all which hear of it might fear and learn to hate his sins Verse 10. Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fifty Captains brought sticks to it all Israel warm'd themselves by it only the Incendiaries perish God and Moses knew to distinguish betwixt the Head of a Faction and the train though neither be faultless yet two hundred and fifty Ringleaders are plagued the other forgiven Gods vengeance when it is at the hottest makes differences of Men. We may collect from this Verse likewise that all the Elements are at Gods service For we find here two sorts of Traytors the Earth swallowed up the one the Fire the other and as before in this Book Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but unfit fire to God so these Levites bring the right fire but unwarranted persons before him Fire from God consumes both It is a dangerous thing to usurp sacred Functions The Ministery will not grace the Man the Man may disgrace the Ministery and shall be signally punish'd for it as Corah and his fellow-Rebels were here who were made a signe saith the Text. Death is the just Heir of the least sin but some evill Doers God doth not put to Death but also hangs them up in Gibbets as it were for publick notice and admonition Those that are famous in their sin shall be famous in their punishment Verse 14. This Tribe of Simeon is of a smaller number in respect of the other Tribes and the reason is to be taken out of the last History recorded in the former Chapter where we find that one of the Princes of the Tribe of Simeon being accompanied with many others of that Tribe committed a most shameful act among his Brethren and brought in a Midianitish Harlot into the Host in the sight of Moses Whereby it came to pass that the greatest number of that Tribe perished with him in that grievous Plague for it was reason that they which did partake with him in the sin should communicate together in the punishment Which may teach us that it is a very hard thing to avoid and break off our society with Wicked Men and reproveth all such as enter into league with such persons they even offer their hands and feet to be bound as it were with chains and they become afterwards as Prisoners and Vassals to them Verse 33. Zelophahad the Son of Heber had no Sons but all Daughters saith this Text and yet these Daughters had a share with the rest of Gods people in the Land of Promise as we may read in the next Chapter And therefore let the French defend their Salike Law as they can there is very good reason that Women should not lose the right of Inheritance For Women are the second edition of the Epitome of the whole World witness Artemisia Blandina Zenobia in whom besides their Sex there was nothing Woman-like or weak as if what Philosophy speaks the Souls of those Noble Creatures had followed the temperament of their Bodies which consists of rarer rooms of a more exact Composition than Mans doth and if place be any priviledg we find theirs built in Paradice when Mans was made out of it besides in Iesus Christ there is neither Male nor Female but all are one Souls have no Sexes and whosoever are Christs are heirs to the Promise Verse 54. God provideth sufficiently for all his People every Man hath his portion assign'd him of God upon the Earth It is his will and pleasure that all should have their measure of earthly things not some to have all and some nothing at all but all to have some part and that part to be enough God would have no Beggar in his Israel when the Lord sent down Manna and fed his people with Angels food all the Host from the highest to the lowest had enough They that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack Exod. 16. Now if God be thus careful to feed our bodies it is much more reason that we should seek at his hands the nourishment of our Souls This is the voice of Faith the other the voice of Nature Nature will tell us when we want provision for the body but 't is the Office of Faith to tell us when we want food for the Soul Therefore saith Christ First seek the Kingdom Mat. 6. 33. Verse 59. Amram here took to Wife Iochebeb which was his own Aunt as is clear from Exod. 6. 20. the Law against Incest was not then given nor the state of Israel then setled and therefore it was no sin in him for where there is no Law there can be no sin But what shall we say to our modern Sectaries whose practising of Incest is now avowed publickly in print they shame not to affirm that those Marriages are most lawful that are betwixt persons iu blood The prohibition of degrees in Leviticus are to be understood say they of Fornication not of Marriage I see here what noon-day Devils do now in this unhappy Age walk with open face amongst us Verse 61. Because Nadab and Abihu were the Sons of Aaron this made God the more to stomack and the rather to revenge this Impiety God had both pardoned and graced their Father he had honoured them of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his Altar and now as their Fathers set up a false God so they bring false fire unto the true God If the Sons of Infidels live Godlesly they do but their kind their punishment shall be though just yet less but if the Children of Religious Parents after all Christian nurture shall shame their Education God takes it more hainously and revenges it more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect Again if from the Agents we look to the act it self set aside the Original descent and what difference was there betwixt these fires both look'd alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike both were fed with the same material Wood both vanish'd into smoak there was no difference but the Commandement of God If God had enjoyn'd ordinary fire they had sinn'd to look for Celestial now he commanded only the fire which he sent they sinned in sending up Incense in that fire which he commanded not
It is a dangerous thing in the service of God to decline from his own institutions we have to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own Worship just to require what he hath prescribed powerful to revenge that which he hath not required CHAP. XXVII Verse 13. AFter many painful and perilous enterprizes now is Moses drawing to his rest he hath brought his Israelites from Egypt through the Sea and Wilderness within the sight of their Promised Land and now himself must take possession of that Land whereof Canaan was but a Type When we have done that we come for it is time for us to be gone This Earth is made only for Action not for Fruition the services of Gods Children should be ill rewarded if they must stay here alwayes Let no man think much that those are fetch'd away that are faithful to God they should not change if it were not to their preferment It is our folly that we would have good men live for ever and account it a hard measure that they were He that lends them to the World owes them a better turn than this Earth can pay them It were injurious to wish that goodness should hinder any man from Glory Verse 14. But what is this I hear displeasure mix'd with love and that to so faithful a servant as Moses he must but see the Land of Promise he shall not tread upon it because he once long ago sinn'd in distrnsting Death though it were to him an entrance into glory yet shall be also a chastisement of his Infidelity How many gracious services had Moses done to his Master yet for one act of Distrust he must be gathered to his Fathers All our obediences cannot bear out one sin against God how vainly shall we hope to make amends to God for our former Trespasses by our better behaviour when Moses hath this sin laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelity when we have forgotten our sins yet God remembers them and although not in anger yet calls for our Arrerages Alass what shall become of them with which God hath ten thousand greater quarrels that amongst many millions of sins have scattered some few acts of formal services If Moses must dye the first death for one fault how shall they escape the second for sinning alwayes Even where God loves he will not wink at sin and if he do not punish yet he will chastise how much less can it stand with that eternal Justice to let wilful sinners escape Judgement Verse 16. Moses that was so tender over the welfare of Israel in his life would not slacken his care in Death He takes no thought for himself for he knew how gainful an exchange he must make all his care was for his charge Some envious natures desire to be missed when they must go and wish that the weakness or want of a Successor may be the foil of their memory and honour Moses is in a contrary disposition it sufficeth him not to find contentment in his own happiness unless he may have an assurance that Israel shall prosper after him Carnal minds are all for themselves and make use of Government only for their own advantage but good hearts look ever to the future good of the Church above their own against their own Verse 18. Moses did well to shew his good Affection to his people but in his silence God would have provided for his own he that call'd him from the sheep of Iethro will not want a Governor for his chosen to succeed him God hath fitted him whom he will chose Who can be more meet than he whose Name whose Experience whose Graces might supply yea revive Moses to the people He that searched the Land before was fittest to guide Israel into it he that was indued with the Spirit of God was the fittest Deputy for God but O the unsearcheable Counsel of the Almighty aged Caleb and all the Princes of Israel are pass'd over and Ioshua the servant of Moses is chosen to succeed his Master The eye of God is not blinded either with Gifts or with Blood or with Beauty or with strength but as in his Eternal Election so in his temporary he will have mercy on whom he will And well doth Ioshua succeed Moses the very acts of God of old were allegories where the Law ends there the Saviour begins we may see the Land of Promise in the Law only Jesus the Mediator of the New-Testament can bring us into it So was he a Servant of the Law that he supplies all the defects of Law to us he hath taken possession of the Promised Land for us he shall carry us from this Wilderness to our rest Verse 22. I do not hear Moses repine at Gods choice and grudg that this Scepter of his is not hereditary but he willingly laies hands upon his Servant to consecrate hm for his Successor Ioshua was a good man yet he had some sparks of Envy for when Eldad and Medad Prophesied he stomack'd it he that would not abide two of the Elders of Israel to Prophesie how would he have allowed his Servant to sit in his Throne What an example of meekness besides all the rest doth he here see in this last act of his Master who without all murmuring assigns his Chair of State to his Page It is all one to a gracious heart whom God will please to advance Emulation and Discontentment are the affections of Carnal minds Humility goes ever with Regeneration which teaches a man to think what ever honour be put upon others I have more than I am worthy of CHAP. XXVIII Verse 3. ALl Sacrifices under the Law did as it were lead us by the hand to Christ and point him out with the finger who is the end of the Law Rom. 10. he is both the Altar and the Sacrifice he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world as therefore these Lambs were offered in the morning and evening so was Christ from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof he is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13. and as this daily Offering was twice perform'd so we have daily need of Reconciliation that his Blood should be continually applied unto us by Faith and as we daily sin against him so we must have daily recourse unto him for remission of sins Again this daily Sacrifice imports the daily Sacrifice of Prayer which we ought to offer to God as our daily service due unto him and this for many Reasons First we have many sins We provoke God every day and therefore are taught in the Lords Prayer daily to pray for Forgiveness Secondly We have daily wants and therefore it is our duty daily to bewail them and daily to crave the supply of them both temporal and spiritual blessings for Body and Soul Thirdly We have daily dangers Every Creature if God give us over is able to work our
destruction therefore our only safety standeth in Prayer and begging Gods assistance Fourthly We have daily Temptations Bodily and Ghostly arising from the World the Flesh and the Devil and therefore saith our Saviour Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat. 26. So then this Morning and Evening Sacrifice should direct us how and when to Worship God we must remember him in the Morning and Evening he must be the first and last in our thoughts we must begin the day and end it with him Verse 9. Every day in the Week ought to be the Christians Sabbath wherein he is to perform some duties or other of Religion but every Seventh Day should be a double Sabbath wholly taken up in the Service and Worship of God When our whole work must be to beravish'd in Spirit doing no Work but such as whereby we either bless God or look to receive a Blessing from him none but such as wherein we would the Lord should find us at his coming which Lactantius saith Will be on the Sabbath day And therefore the Jews call'd the Sabbath the Queen of dayes blessing the Lord at its coming in and going out that God might have both the first and the last Fruits of the day Verse 26. Here is handled the Feast of Pentecost or of Weeks to give God thanks after the gathering of the Harvest For in as much as God hath not only set us in this World but supplies and feeds us in it so that we live by his bounty and liberality it was his will that the Jews should keep a yearly Feast to him to give him thanks that hereby they might acknowledg all the year after that they were sustain'd by his hand Secondly These first Fruits figured out Gods Church which is a people separated unto him from the rest of the World For as the first Fruits were separated from the rest of the heap unto God so is the state of the Church call'd and cull'd out of the World unto his service CHAP. XXIX Verse 1. THis Feast of Trumpets was to be a Feast of remembrance of Gods manifold mercies received in the Wilderness that thereby they might stir up themselves to be united to God and may serve to stir us up to return unto God Praise and Thanksgiving with joyfulness of heart for all his benefits according to that of Psalm 81. 1 2. Make a joyful noise unto the God of Iacob Take a Psalm and bring hither the timbrel blow up the Trumpet in the New-Moon so David having experience of Gods goodness towards him in many preservations composed the eighteenth Psalm as a testimony of his thankfulness for his deliverance from his Enemies And although this Feast is pass'd away and abolish'd by the coming of Christ yet this remaineth that we our selves should serve for Trumpets For as the Temple being destroyed we must be spiritual Temples unto God so the Trumpets being taken away every one of us must be spiritual Trumpets i. e. we should rouze up our selves from the World and the vanities thereof Our Ears are so possess'd with the sound of earthly things and our Eyes so dazled with the pleasures of the flesh that we are as deaf and blind men that can neither hear nor see what God saith unto us wherefore we must not look till there be a solemn holy-day to call us unto the Church there to keep a Feast of Trumpets but it must serve us all the dayes of our life as a spur to cause us to return to God Verse 7. The Jews were here to afflict their Souls with voluntary sorrow for their sins for the whole year and so dispose themselves to obtain pardon and reconciliation For whereas in their private Sacrifices they durst not confess their capital sins for fear of Death due to them by the Law God graciously provided and instituted this yearly Sacrifice of Atonement and afflicting their Souls for the sins of the whole people without particular acknowledgment of any After the same manner the Lords Supper is with us a day of Atonement or afflicting of our Souls for the Passover must be eaten with four hearbs And further we may observe from hence that this day of afflicting their Souls was to be immediately before the Feast of Tabernacles verse 12. they were to be kept in sorrow five dayes before they might keep their Feast of joy which Feast signified the spiritual joy and gladness of the Saints that are redeemed by Christ all their life long We must first look upon him whom we have pierc'd and weep for him before we can receive any comfort by him We must afflict our Souls for his Passion before we shall partake of the joy of his Resurrection Verse 12. This Feast was call'd the Feast of Tabernacles because during the dayes of this Feast they were to live in Tents and Tabernacles it being a memorial of Gods preserving them in the Wilderness where was no house for them to rest in and from hence we may learn that it is a duty belonging to all to remember the dayes of their troubles and afflictions from which God in great mercy hath delivered us We are ready to forget our former condition when God hath given us rest and therefore God would have his own people year by year to depart out of their Houses and dwell in Tents that thereby they should call to mind both where they were and where they had been that although they now were at rest and ease in the Land of Canaan yet they had not alwayes been so for God had carried them upon Eagles wings and preserved them after a miraculous manner in the Wilderness CHAP. XXX Verse 2. VVHen a man vows he vows unto the Lord and therefore if he breaks it he sins against the Lord. Who expects he should have kept touch with him and accordingly will punish such a vow-breaker for he hath not lyed unto men but unto God Acts 5. As God is true saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 1. 18. our word towards you was not yea and nay but yea and Amen For the Son of God c. Why what 's all this to the purpose may some say yes very much For it implies that what a Christian doth promise to men much more to God he is bound by the earnest penny of Gods Spirit to perform he dares no more alter and falsifie his word than the Spirit of God can lye And as he looks that Gods promises should be made good to him so he is careful to pay what he hath vowed to God seeing Gods Covenant is of mercy ours of obedience and if we expect that God should be all sufficient to us we must be altogether faithful to him Verse 8. The power and authority of the Husband over the Wife is very great for all be it the Wife be at liberty to vow in the Lord when her Husband is dead yet while he lives he hath power to disanul her vows The Husband is the head of the
Verse 53. They were to be driven out because their Iniquity was now full they were as an Harvest ready for the sickle or as a Vine for the Wine-press so were they ready for the Vintage of Gods wrath which now came upon them to the utmost the sin of these Canaanites fill'd the Land with filthiness from corner to corner it overspread it as a deluge turn'd it into the same nature with its self as Coporas which will turn Milk into Ink or Leaven which turneth a very Passover into pollution And therefore God rooted them out and caused their Land when it could bear them no longer to spew them forth Sin is filthiness in the abstract St. Iames calls it Iames 1. 21. The stinking filth of a pestilent Ulcer the superfluity and garbage of naughtiness and therefore must be thrown upon the Dunghil It is no better than the Devils excrement fit for nothing but the draught It sets his limbs in us and draws his Picture upon us For Malice is the Devils eye Oppression is his hand Hypocrisy his cloven foot Great â—â—â—s do greatly pollute and therefore God doth greatly punish them CHAP. XXXIV Verse 3. THe Land of Promise was call'd Canaan of Canaan the Son of Cham who with his posterity dwelt therein and this is now bounded that they might inherit all that God had given them and divide no more than was given them This teacheth us that God sets bounds unto all mens possessions they must take no more nor usurp and presume any further than he hath given Which condemns all encroaching and usurpation one upon another in Kingdoms and Lordships as well as private possessions when men cannot be content with their own but will stretch their power and jurisdiction further God hath made them great but they seek to make themselves greater he hath set them bounds but they will know no bounds So that from hence we may gather that the Wars which are taken in hand upon ambition and enlarging of the bounds of their Empire only are a despising of God a shedding of innocent blood and a perverting of that order which he hath set in Nature and Nations Verse 13. The consideration of the nearness of Gods mercies should encourage and imbolden every one to be constant and couragious that we faint not in the last act this made Moses say here This is the land which ye shall inherit he doth as it were point it out with the finger and biddeth them lift up their Eyes and behold the goodness which God had promised to their Fathers For as the consideration of Judgement at hand and lying at the doors ought to move terror and astonishment so when we behold the mercies of God before our eyes which are not prolong'd for many years it ought to enflame us with an holy zeal and desire to see the accomplishment of the same Verse 15. Consider here the state of the Church of Israel as it now stood and in this the state of Christs Church to the end of the World Some were at rest others were to pass further some had their Inheritance and some had none some had Towns and Cities to dwell in and some were yet left to the wide World and were to wander further Some had much and others little or nothing at all and the reason of this is because God will never have those that have plenty and abundance to be without objects upon which to shew mercy That his gifts may be tryed that he hath given them as also to teach us that we should not settle our selves here nor make the Earth our Heaven but that we should seek for another life where shall be no want no misery no necessity but God shall be all in all CHAP. XXXV Verse 3. LEt us provide for Gods Ministers if not richly and plentifully at least commodiously and competently and not inconveniently and needily that so they may wholly attend their Ministry and not for necessity sake intangle themselves in secular affairs And that God expects these things of us his own dealing Dictates who when he did demand an allowance for himself to maintain his Priests and Levites withall albeit they were one of the least Tribes yet it was so much as in all probabilities did far exceed all other Tribes Revenues and the same in such sort both for their own habitation and for their Houshold provision and keeping of their Cattle for use and service about them was as commodious and fit as to any of the rest And that in very deed these things are not too much the very Estate of the Ministers duly considered from reason will soon yield and confirm Verse 8. The Levites were to have their Glebe-land out of the Israelites possession according to the several abilities of each Tribe They that had many Gities were to give many and those that had few accordingly All were to contribute and this not as an Alms but as a right And this upon very good ground and reason For if Alexander could say That he owed more to Aristotle that taught him than to Philip that begot him if another could say that he never could discharge his Debt to God to his Parents to his School-master how deeply then do men stand obliged to their spiritual Fathers and Teachers in Christ. And I would to God that this Age would but think upon this truth and not think that all is well saved that is with-held from the Minister Too many think it neither sin nor pitty to beguile the Priest But God is not mock'd neither will he be robb'd by any but they shall hear Ye are curs'd with a Curse Mal. 3. 8. Even with Shallum's Curse Ier. 22. 13 14. that used his Neighbours service without Wages and would sacrilegiously take in a peice of Gods window into his own Verse 30. Yet if this one be a faithful witness saith Aristotle one faithful witness in some cases may suffice in private offences howsoever And that our Saviour speaketh of such Mat. 18. 16. St. Basil and others are of opinion If thy Brother a Iew shall trespass against thee being a Iew right thy self by degrees First deal with him Fraternally tell him his fault betwixt thee and him alone Verse 12. Secondly deal with him legally take with thee one or two Witnesses more Verse 16. Thirdly deal with him Jewishly tell the Church complain to the Sanhedrim Verse 17. Fourthly if he shall neglect to hear them deal with him Heathenishly i. e. let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican make benefit of the Roman power let Caesars Justice end the difference between you CHAP. XXXVI Verse 2. THe Fathers of the Children of Gilead came not to Moses in contempt or with a commotion as if they meant to gain that by force which they could not obtain by favour but they bear themselves lowly and dutifully as became them to the Magistrate when they say The Lord commanded my Lord and again my Lord was commanded
it speak that which it never thought causing it to go two miles where it would go but one knawing and tawing it to their own purposes as the shooe-maker wretches the upper Leather with his teeth Tertullian calls Marcian the Heretick Mus Ponticus from his arroding and knawing the Scripture to make it serviceable to his Errors And too many of these kind of Mice have we at this day in this Nation who wrest Texts of Conscience into Factions Texts of Obedience into Rebellion ravishing Scripture to force out Doctrines for their own ends and then emptying their rancor by turning them to uses Verse 8. By Statutes here we may understand the Moral Law by judgements the Judicial which was fitted to the temper and disposition of the Jews like as Solon being ask'd whether he had given the best Laws to the Athenians answered the best that they could suffer And certain it is that Moses spake here as ever most Divinely and like himself or rather beyond himself the end of a thing being better if better may be than the beginning of it as good Wine is best at last and as the Sun shines most aimiably when it is going down This Book of the Law it was that the King was to write out with his own hand Deut. 17. 18. that it might serve as his Manual This was that happy Book that good Iosiah lighting upon after it had long lain hid in the Temple melted into tears at the menaces thereof and obtain'd of God to dye in peace though he were slain in War This only Book was that pretiously purling Current out of which the Lord Jesus our Champion chose all those three smooth stones wherein he prostrated the Goliah of Hell in that sharp encounter Mat. 4. Verse 11. God would have Israel see that they had not to do with some impotent Commander that is fain to publish his Laws without noise in dead Paper which can more easily enjoyn than punish to descry than execute and therefore before he gives them a Law he shews them that he can command Heaven Earth Fire Aire in revenge of the breach of that Law that they could not but think it deadly to displease such a Law-giver or violate such dreadful Statutes that they might see all the Elements examples of that obedience which they should yeild unto their Maker Now this fire wherein the Law was given is still in it and will never out Hence are those terrors which it flashes in every Conscience that hath felt remorse of sin Every Mans heart is a Sinah and resembles to him both a Heaven and Hell The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of sin is the Law Verse 12. That they might see he could find out their closest sins he delivers his Law in the light of fire that they might see what is due to their sins they see fire above to represent the fire that should be below them that they might know he could waken their security the thunder and lowder voice of God speaks to their hearts That they might see what their Hearts should do the Earth-quakes under them O Royal Law and mighty Law-giver How could they think of having any other God that had such proofs of this How could they think of making any resemblance of Him whom they saw could not be seen and whom they saw in not being seen infinite How could they think of disobeying his Deputies whom they saw so able to revenge How could they think of killing when they were half dead with the fear of him that could kill both Body and Soul How could they think of the flames of Lust that saw such fires of vengeance We Men that so fear the breach of Humane Laws for some small mulcts of Forfeiture how should we fear thee O Lord that canst cast Body and Soul into Hell Verse 24. If the Law as we read before was given in Thunder and Lightning how shall it be requir'd if such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes what shall the Sessions be O God how powerful art thou to inflict vengeance upon sinners who didst thus forbid Sin and if thou wert so terrible a Law-giver what a Judge shalt thou appear what shall become of the breakers of so fiery a Law O where shall those appear that are guilty of the transgressions of that Law whose very delivery was little less than Death If our God should exact his Law but in the same rigour wherein he gave it sin could not quit the cost but now the fire wherein it was delivered was but terrifying the fire wherein it shall be required is consuming Happy are those that are from under the terrors of the Law which was given in Fire and in Fire shall be required Verse 29. It is a kind of denying the Infiniteness of God to serve him by pieces and raggs God is not infinite to me if I think a discontinued service will serve him It is a kind of denying the unity of God to joyn other Gods pleasure or profit with him he is not one God to me if I joyn other Associates and Assistants to him It is a kind of diffidence in Christ as if I were not sure that he would stand in the favour of God stil as though I were afraid that there might rise a new Favorite in Heaven to whom it might concern me to apply my self if I make the ballance so even as to serve God and Mammon if I make a complemental visit of God at his House upon Sunday and then plot with the other Faction the World the Flesh and the Devil all the Week after CHAP. V. Verse 1. IT is not enough for us to Learn the Law but we must keep it and do it we must lay it up in our hearts as well as in our heads and practice it also in our lives and Conversations For not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2. 13. Too too many in this Rotten Age wherein we live are Speakers not Workers as if Ostende re fidem St. Iames his Shew thy Faith by thy Works were Ostendere to stretch the Jaws to shew our Faith by strong Protestations But this must not be a work of the mouth but hand If a Man question thee of Faith spare thy Lips and let thy Life make answer If words might be credited if a bare profession of the Gospel might be believed no Man would want Faith every one would cry with the blind Man in the Gospel Lord I believe what Mouth would not make one Lye for its Master Unless I see said Thomas of Christs rising so unless I see and feel thy Faith I will not believe If we are good Trees by our Fruit men shall know us Mat. 7. By our Fruit not by our blossoms of good purposes or our leaves of good profession but by the Fruit of our actions Verse 9. Parents are hence admonish'd to take heed of sinning against God lest they be found unmerciful unnatural and
whom thereby she draweth about her not so among Men. God and the Saints loath what the Wicked love and delight in as the Panther doth in mans excrements CHAP. XXIV Verse 9. THat is commanded her to be shut up seven dayes and it was fit for all parts Miriam should continue some while Leaprous There is no policy in a sudden removal of just punishment If the judgement had been at once inflicted and removed there had been no example of terror to others unless the Rain so fall that it lie and soak into the Earth it profits nothing If the judgements of God should be only as Passengers and not So journers at least they would be no whit regarded Verse 15. The hireling hath earnest thoughts upon his Reward his Reward is in his Eye which is the reason here given why his Wages should not be with-held poor Man he hath been working all day and he hath had his heart upon his Wages the hopes of that gave him some relief and ease in going through his hard task and service therefore thou shalt not keep it from him But is not this a Sin in the Servant to set his heart upon his Wages is not the charge given Psalm 62. If riches encrease set not thine heart upon them there is a great difference between these two Texts For this word here notes the lifting up of the Soul so we read in the Margin of our Bibles but in the Psalm where he speaks of the Covetous rich Man the word imports the setting down or setling of his heart upon it A poor Man hath but a little and his Wages it may be is above him his Wages possibly is more than he is worth therefore he lifteth up his mind to it as a thing he reacheth upward for but a Rich man who hath abundance let 's his heart down he croucheth and broodeth upon the Creature A godly poor man looks up to his Reward and fetches his Bread from Heaven a covetous Rich man looks down to his Reward and takes his Bread from the Earth A godly man is above all earthly things and yet he lifts up his mind to receive them a meer natural Man is below earthly things and yet he descends that he may receive them The things which both receive are the same but the conveyance and the derivation differ alwayes as much as Heaven and Earth sometimes as much as Heaven and Hell Verse 16. If it be here demanded how it may stand with Gods justice and this Text to punish the Son for the Father I answer That outward temporal evils are in the nature sometimes of a Curse sometimes of a Cure and accordingly God deals For sometimes he punisheth a bad Father in a bad Son and then it is not a cross only but a Curse to both so God punish'd Pharaoh in his first-born Sometimes he punisheth a good Father in a good Son and then it is though a cross yet a cure to both so punish'd he David in his young Child Sometimes he punisheth a good Father in a bad Son as he did David in Absolom and then 't is a cure to the Father but a curse to the Son sometimes he punisheth a bad Father in a good Son thus he punish'd Ieroboam in his Son and then it is a curse to the Father but a cure to the Son CHAP. XXV Verse 17. IN the Israelites passage out of Egypt God would not lead them the nearest way by the Philistines Land lest they should repent at the sight of War now they both see and feel it God knows how to make the fittest choice of the times of evill and with-holds that one while which he sends another not without a just reason why he sends and with-holds it And though to us they come ever as we think unseasonably and at some times more unfitly than others yet he that sends them knows their opportunities Who would not have thought a worse time could not have been pick'd for Israels War than now in the feebleness of their Troops when they were weary thirsty unweaponed yet now must the Amalekites do that which before the Philistines might not do we are not worthy not able to choose for our selves Verse 18. How cowardly and how craftily was the skirmish of Amalek they do not bid them battle in terms of War but without noise or warning come stealing upon the hindmost and fall upon the weak and scattered Remnants of Israel There is no looking for favour at the hands of malice the worst that either force or frand can do must be expected of an Adversary but much more of our spiritual Enemy by how much his hatred is deeper Behold this Amalek lies in ambush to hinder our passage into our Land of Promise and subtilly takes all advantages of our weaknesses We cannot be wise or safe if we stay behind our Colours and strengthen not those parts where is most opposition Verse 19. God holds it no derogation from his Mercy to bear a Quarrel long where he hates he whose anger to the vessels of Wrath is everlasting even in temporal judgement revengeth late the sins of his own Children are no sooner done and repented of then forgotten but the malicious sins of his Enemies stick fast in an infinite displeasure it is not in the power of Time to raze out any of the Arrerages of God we may lay up wrath for our Posterity happy is that Child therefore whose Progenitors are in Heaven he is left an inheritor of Blessing together with Estate whereas wicked Ancestors loose the thank of a rich Patrimony by the Curse that attends it He that thinks because punishment is deferr'd that God hath forgiven or forgot his offence is unacquainted with Justice and knows not that Times makes no difference in Eternity CHAP. XXVI Verse 13. VVHat was given here to the Poor the Fatherless and Widdow was given according to Gods command because he had enjoyn'd it should be so which instructs us that the work of Alms-deeds is not a Free-will Offering left to our selves to be done or undone as we think fit but it is our duty and we are bound to do it if able And this is further proved from 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge the rich that they be rich in good Works It is the Rich mans charge precept and duty It is not left to their free choice to do good if they please but it is laid upon them as their charge and duty they must do good Works and woe be to them if they do not And the reason of this is because God hath not made them Owners but Servants and Servants not of their own Goods but the Givers not Treâ—surers but Stewards and Almoners Which should exhort men to go on and glory in this Office of Stewardship especially when they shall consider that the praise of a Steward is more to lay out well than to have received much knowing that well done faithful servant Mat. 25. is a thousand times