Cavete ab hoc quem natura notavit is but a gold ring in a Swines snout as Solomon hath it or ornamentum in luto as another so it was in Alcibiades for a man and in Aurelia Orestilla for a woman yet surely where they meet they make a happy conjunction and draw all hearts to them as in Germanicus for a man in whom beauty and vertue strove for precedency and Artaxerxes Longimanus the son of Esther who is said to have been of all men the most beautifull and most bountifull So in Esther for a woman who obtained favour in the sight of all that looked upon her Esth 2.15 And Aspasia Milesia the wife of Cyrus who deserved to be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fair and Wise as Aelian relateth As on the other side in Vatinius deformity of body strove with dishonesty of minde adeo ut animus ejus dignissimo domicilio inclusus videretur saith Paterculus Vers 12. Therefore it shall come to passe c. Note here saith Pererius the raging affection of the Egyptians that made no conscience of murther to enjoy their lust 2. Their blindness that made less account of murther then adultery Note again saith Piscator that beauty exposeth a body to the danger of dishonesty and that as the Poet hath it Lis est cum formâ magna pudicitiae Let those therefore that have beauty look to their chastity and possesse their vessels in holiness and honour Thesaurum cum virgo tuum vas fictile servet Vt caveas quae sunt noxia tuta time Filthiness in a woman is most abominable therefore is a Whore called a strange woman Vers 13. Say I pray thee thou art my sister The truth was here not onely concealed but dissembled As the Moon hath her specks so the best have their blemishes A Sheep may slip into a slough as soon as a Swine and an Apple-tree may have a fit of barrenness as well as a Crab-tree Vers 14. The Egyptians beheld the woman Pleasure is blamed in Xenophon for this that she ever and anon looketh back upon her own shadow Decet haberâ— oculos continenter maâ—â—â— linguam and giveth her eyes leave to rove and range without restraint An honest man saith Plautus should have continent eyes hands and tongue Nihil enim interest quibus membris cinoedi sitis posterioribus an prioribus said Archelaus the Philosopher to a wanton yonker The eye that light of all the members is an ornament to the whole body And yet that lightsome part of the body draweth too too oft the whole soul into darkness Job 31.1 This Job knew and therefore made a Covenant to look to his looks â—â—th of looking came luâ—â—ing Charles the fifth when the City of Antwerp thought to gratifie him in a Mask Job Mauliâ— loc Com. p. 34â— Saepe claufit senestram nâ— inspicâ—râ—t formosiores â—â—â—miâ—â—â— c. De Carolo 5. Pâ—reuâ— hist pres medul pag. â—08 Matth. 5.28 29 with the sight of certain fair Maids brought in before him almost naked he would not once look at them The young Lord Harrington when he should meet with fair women in the streets or elsewhere would usually pull his hat over his eyes as knowing that of our Saviour He that looks upon a woman to lust after her c. whereupon immediately follows If thine eye offend thee c. Eckius was sharply rebuked at a feast by a modest matrone for his uncivill glances and carriages in these words as Melancthon relateth Es tu doctor Joh. Manlii loc com p. 32â— Non existimo te in honesta familia sed in lupanari educatum Thou a Doctour I do not believe thou wast bred any where else but in a brothel-house See the Notes on Chap. 6. Vers 2. Vers 15. The Princes also of Pharaoh c. Flattering Courtiers please Princes humours and serve their delights though to the procuring of their plagues as here and in young King Joash If a ruler hearken to lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod l. 3. saith Solomon all his servants are wicked Prov. 29.12 Aulicisunt instar spâ—â—uli saith One. And Mirifica est sympâ—thia saith another inter magnates parasitâ—s Herâ—dorus writeth that when Cambyses demanded of his Courtiers and Counsellours whether it were not lawfull for him to marry his own sister whom he greatly desired they answered That they found no law to license such a match but another law they found that the King of Persia might do what he would And the woman was taken into Pharaohs house Not for any worse purpose then to get her good will to become his wife Vers 16. And he entreated Aâ—ram well for her sake To the end that he might sollicite his sister to yeeld consent or might not be a back-friend at least out of displeasure because they had taken away his sister from him to the Court. So K. Hen. 8. advanced all Anne Bullens kindred c. Vers 17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh Plagued him with plagues saith the Hebrew tormented him with torments or set him on the rack saith the Greek And for this he might thank his Court-parasites who put him upon this rape Chrysostome thinketh that Sarah was abed with the King and that in the bed God by his plague so restrained him that she remained untoucht But we cannot gather by the text that he intended to commit adultery sed quòd levitate vaga libidine peccavit but offended onely in going after the sight of his eyes a and lust of his heart as Solomon hath it Vers 18. What is this that thou hast done unto me God had reproved Pharaoh according to that Psal 105.14 He suffered no man to doe them wrong but reproved Kings for them and now Pharaoh reproves Abraham It is a sad thing that Saints should do that for which they should justly fall under the reproofe of the wicked 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 then I my son David Whose oxe have I taken saith Samuel And which of you can condemne me of sin saith Christ Now the life of a Christian should be a Commentary upon Christs life 1 Pet. 2. Ye are a holy nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a peculiar people that ye should preach forth his vertues and not hang his picture his image and graces in a dark hole but in a conspicuous place Bucer so lived that neither could his friends sufficiently praise him nor his foes justly blame him for any miscarriage Act Mon. And Bradford was had in so great reverence and admiration for his holiness that a multitude which never knew him but by fame Ibid. 1458. greatly lamented his death yea and a number also of Papists themselves wished heartily his life But to have Egyptians jear us and that for sin is threatned as a
binding of a bush or briar And to this both David seems to allude Psal 94.19 and the son of David in that famous Lammah Sabachtani of his Bastards Serm. on Gen. 22.1 Mark 15.24 And Abraham went and took the Ram c. How likely is it saith One that we will offer to God Isaac our joy which will not sacrifice the Ram that is mortifie our sinfull lusts and the desires of our flesh God tempteth us now saith Mr. Philpot Martyr as he did our Father Abraham commanding him to slay his son Isaac which by interpretation signifieth mirth and joy who by his obedience preserved Isaac unto life and offered a Ram in his stead Semblably we are to sacrifice to God our Isaac that is our joy and consolation which if we be ready to do our joy shall not perish but live and be increased although our Ram be sacrificed that is the pride and concupiscence of our flesh intangled through sin with the cares of this stinging world for the preservation and perfect augmentation of our mirth and joy Act. Mon. 1667. sealed up for us in Christ Thus he And as God provided another sacrifice saith a Third for Abraham that so he might save his Son which was a Ram tyed and intangled in thornes Itinerar Scripturae fol. 99. so God provided a sacrifice for the salvation of the world Christ that immaculate Lamb whose head being crowned with thorns and hanging on the Cross by his death opened unto us the door of life and made us capable of eternall happiness It is probable saith Bucholcerus that Abraham when he slew and sacrificed the Ram looked up to heaven with new eyes full of divine light and that being filled with the Spirit of God and carried beyond himself he thought of more things he felt more he seemed to see and hear more then was possible to be uttered Ipse Deus quodammodo expositurus declaraturus Abrahae actionis praesentis augustam significationem Bucholc in Chronâ— p. 187. manu eum ducturus ad introspicienda hujus sacrificii sui adyta promissionem de Christo repetit jurejurando confirmat Vers 14. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen God will be found of his in fit time and place To him belong the issues of death Psal 68.20 None can take us out of his hands He knows how to deliver his and when as Peter spake feelingly 2 Pet. 2.9 with Act. 12.11 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh To perpetuate the memory of Gods mercy not of his own obedience which yet was notable and not to be matched again If we honour God we shall have honour that 's a bargain of Gods own making 1 Sam. 2.31 Vers 16. By my self have I sworn God swears for the further confirmation of our faith For here he swore not more for Abrahams sake then ours as the Apostle shews Heb. 6.13 14 17 18. As when he spake with Jacob at Penuel there he spake with us Hos 12.4 and what he said to Joshua he said to all I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 And hast not with-held thy son thine onely son And yet what was this to that sic without a sicut that hyperbole that excess of love in God that moved him to send his Son to dye for our sins He loved Christ far better then Abraham could love Isaac and yet he gave him up freely which Abraham would never have done without a command and to dye as a malefactor and by the hands of barbarous and bloody enemies whereas Isaac was to dye as a holy sacrifice and by the hand of a tender father How much more cause have we to say Now I know the Lord loves me Psal 119.106 and to swear as David did to keep his righteous judgements Vers 18. Because thou hast obeyed This because is not so much causall as rationall Significat non causam meritoriam sed subalternam sine qua non Vers 19. Went together to Beersheba The Hebrews conceive because here 's no mention of Isaac's return that he was sent by his father to Shem or that he remained for certain years in Mount Moriah But this is uncertain Vers 20. It was told Abraham Good news out of a far Countrey God usually chears up his children after sharpest trialls brings them as once from Mâ—rah to Elim c. Vers 23. And Bethuel begat Rebeccah Rebeccah is born Sarah dyes Thus one generation passeth and another commeth Our children are the Danes that drive us out of the Countrey CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. And Sarah was an hundred c. IT is observed by Divines that God thought not fit to tell us of the length of the life of any woman in Scriptâ—â—e but Sarah to humble that sex that because they were first in bringing in death deserved not to have the continuance of their lives recorded by Gods Pen. Vers 2. And Sarah died The Jews would perswade us that the Devill represented to her the offering of Isaac whereat she took a conceit and dyed This is but a meer conceit of theirs for Abraham then dwelt at Bâ—orshebâ— now at Hebron And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah So she was the first that we read of mourned for at death and it is mentioned as an honour to her Solons Mors mâ—a ne careaâ— luchrymis is to be preferred before Hin◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justa defunctorum Testamentum Augusti praeleg it tanto simulato gemitu uâ— non medò â—â—x sed spiritâ— deficere◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio Eumse lâ—gere simulabanâ— quem necâ—veraâ—t Dio in Claud. Gen. 37.35 Jer. 31.15 Ennius his Nemo me decoret lachrymis It is one of the dues of the dead to be lamented at their funeralls and the want of it is threatned as a curse in many Scriptures It is a practise warranted by the best in all ages and mourn we may in death of friends so we mourn 1. In truth and not fainedly 2. In measure and not as men without hope For the first how grossely did Tiberius dissemble at the death of Augustus and at the funerall of Drusus Whereupon Tacitus makes this note Vana irrisâ— vero honesto fidem adimunt So when Julius Caesar wept over Pompey's head presented to him in Egypt they that saw it laughed in their sleeves and held them no better then Crocodiles tears So the mourning that Nero and his mother made over the Emperor Claudius whose death they had conspired and effected was deep dissimulation This is no less hatefull then to mourn heartily but yet immoderately is unlawfull Here Jacob forgat himself when so overgrown with grief for his Joseph and Rachel for the rest of their children that they would not be comforted So David for his Absolom Alexander the Great for his friend Hephestiâ—n when he not onely clipped his horse and mules hair Plutar. in vita â—â—lop but plucked down also
Pontif. p. 198 Unde et Gavis cognomentum apud suos Ib. could not be absolved till such time as their Ambassadour Dandalus had not onely fallen at the Popes feet but lain also under his table as a dog with an iron chain about his neck feeding on such scraps as were cast unto him Had this dog dealt by the Pope as the Earl of Wiltshire's Spaniel did he had served him but right This Earl with Doctor Cranmer and others being sent Ambassadour to Rome about King Henry's divorce when he should have kissed the Popes foot Act. Mon. fol. 1690. his Spaniel as though he had been of purpose appointed thereunto went and caught the Pope by the great toe which the Spaniel haply mistook for some kinde of repast But this by the way onely What hard servitude Kings and Emperours were forced to undergo in former times and how basely to avile themselves to the Beast of Rome is better known then that it need to be here related Henry the second of England Henry the fourth of France and Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany for instance This last came in the midst of a sore winter upon his bare feet to the gates of the Castle of Canusium and stood there fasting from morning to night for three days together waiting for the Popes judicial sentence and craving his pardon which yet he could not obtain by his own or others tears or by the intercession of any Saint Brightm upon the Revel fol. 449. save onely of a certain harlot with whom the Pope was then taking his carnal pleasure The good Emperour mistook who thought that the Pope could be pacified by fasting and prayer This god required another kinde of sacrifice then these And here that of Solomon was fulfilled Eccles 10.7 Vers 5. And I have oxen and asses c. This Jacob mentioneth in his message that Esau might not think that he sought to him for any need but onely for his favour And this was something to a man of Esau's making for such like not to hear of or be haunted with their poor kinred Luke 15.30 This thy son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et cum fortuna statque caditque fides saith he that felt no want He saith not This my brother he would not own him because in poverty Vers 6. And four hundred men with him Four hundred cut-throats as appears vers 8. And here good Jacob is brought again into the briars When he was well rid of his father-in-law he thought all safe and his joy was compleated by the sight of that army of angels Presently upon this Ex coelo repentè quasi in insernum detruditur he is so damped and terrified with this sad message of Esau's approach and hostile intentions that he knew not what course to take to Out of heaven he is thrust suddenly as it were into hell saith Pareus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the godly mans case while here Fluctus fluctum trudit one trouble follows in the neck of another Ripen we apace and so get to heaven if we would be out of the gun-shot The Ark was transportative till setled in Solomon's temple so till we come to heaven shall we be tossed up down and turmoiled within will be fears 2 Cor. 7. without fightings whiles we are in hoc exilio in hoc ergastulo in hac peregrinatione in hac valle lachrymarum as Bernard hath it in this pilgrimage in this purgatory in this vale of tears Vers 7. Then Iacob was greatly afraid This was his weakness and may be ours in like case as looking to the present peril and forgeting the consolation as the Apostle speaketh that he might have drawn from the promise of God Heb. 12.5 and presence of angels Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fears but Satan in a distress hides from us that which should support us and greatens that that may appale us But what saith the Spanish proverb The Lion is not so fierce as he is painted nor danger usually so great as it is represented Some hold that Esau was here wronged by being presumed an enemy when he was a friend Pessimus in dubiis augur Timor Vers 8. If Esau come c. It is a point of prudence if we cannot keep all to save what we can Vers 9. The Lord which saidst unto me Promises must be prayed over God loves to be burdened with and to be importuned in his own words to be sued upon his own bond Prayer is a putting the promises into suit And it is no arrogancy nor presumption Act. Mon. fol. 1553. to burden God as it were with his promise and of duty to claim and challenge his aid help and assistance in all perils said Robert Glover Martyr in a Letter to his wife Such prayers will be nigh the Lord day and night 1 Kings 8.59 he can as little deny them as deny himself Vers 10. I am not worthy of the least c. In prayer we must avile our selves before God to the utmost confessing our extreme both indigency and indignity of better I am dust and ashes saith Abraham I am a worm and no man saith David I am more bruitish then any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 5.8 saith Agur. I am a man a sinner saith Peter I am not worthy to be called thy son saith the Prodigal Pharisaeus non vulnera sed munera ostendit The proud Pharisee sets forth not his wants but his worth God I thank thee c. But if David were so humbled before Saul 1 Sam. 26. 20. that he called himself a flea what should we do to God Unworthy we should acknowledge our selves of the least mercies we enjoy with Iacob and yet not rest satisfied with the greatest things in the world for our portion as Luther Melch. Adam in vita Luth. Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari he deeply protested that God should not put him off with these poor things below For with my staff I passed over this Iordan Paupertatem baculinam commemorat Iacob though now grown great forgets not his former meanness but cries out with that noble Captain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From how small to how great an estate Iphierates am I raised I So did Agathocles who of a Potters son became King of Sicily yet would ever be served in earthen vessels And in the yeer of Christ 1011 one Willigis Bishop of Ments being son to a Wheel-wright caused wheels and such like things Siffridus Bucholc to be hanged on the walls up and down his Palace with these words written over them in capital letters Willigis Willigis recole unde veneris Excellent was that counsel that Placilla the Empress gave her husband Theodosius Remember O husband what lately you were Hist Trip. and what now you are so shall you govern well the Empire and give God his due praise for so great an
raising of his Son Christ Eph. 1.19 to raise us from the death of sin and of carnall Esa 51.16 to make us a people created againe Psal 102.18 Doth he not plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth that he may say to Zion thou art my people Empty man would be wise saith Zophar Job 11.12 though man be born like a wild asse colt Mans heart is a meer emptiness a very Tohu vabohu as void of matter to maâ—e him a new creature of as the hollow of a tree is of heart of oake God therefore creates in his people cleane hearts Psal 50.10 and as in the first creation so in the new creature the first day as it were God works light of knowledge the second day the firmament of faith the third day seas and trees that is repentant tears and worthy fruits the fourth day Lightf Miscel the Sun joyning light and heat together heat of zeale with light of knowledge the fifth day fishes to play and foules to flye so to live and rejoyce in a sea of troubles and flye heaven-ward by prayer and contemplation The sixt day God makes beasts and man yea of a wild asse-colt a man in Christ with whom old things are past all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 4. And to whom besides that they are all taught of God the very beasts Esa 1.2 and birds Jer. 8.7 doe read a Divinity Lecture Aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the foules of the ayre they shall tell thee Anton. Eremita ap Aug. lib. 1. de doctr Christ Niceph. l. 8. c. 40 Clem. Alex. Job 12.8 The whole world is nothing else saith One but God expressed so that we cannot plead ignorance for all are or may be book learned in the creature This is the Shepherds Callender the Plowmans Alphabet we may run and read in this great book which hath three leaves Heaven Earth Sea A bruitish man knows not neither doth a foole understand this Psal 9 29. They stand gazing and gaping on the outside of things onely but asknot Who is their Father their Creator Like little children which when they finde a Picture in their booke they gaze and make sport with it but never consider it Either their mindes are like a clocke that is over wound above the ordinary pitch and so stands still their thoughts are amazed for a time they are like a blocke thinking nothing at all Esa 40.28 or else they think Atheistically that all comes by nature but hast thou not known saith the Prophet hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator c. or at best as the common passenger looks onely at the hand of the Diall to see what of the clock it is but takes no notice of the clock-work within the wheels and poises and various turnings and windings in the work so it is here with the man that is no more then a meer naturall 1 Cor. 2.15 But he that is spirituall discerneth all things he entreth into the clock-house as it were and views every motion beginning at the great wheel and ending in the least and last that is moved He studies the glory of God revealed in this great book of Nature and prayseth his power wisdome goodness c. And for that in these things He cannot order his speech because of darkness Job 37.38 39. he begs of God a larger heart and better language and cryes out continually with David Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things And blessed be his glorious name for ever and eâ—er and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Plal. 72.18 19. Verse 26. And God said Let us make man Man is the master-peece of Gods handy-work Sun Moon and Stars are but the workâ— of his fingers Psal 8.3 but man the work of his hands Psal 1â— 9.14 He is cura divini ingenii made by counsell at first Let us make c. and his body which is but the souls sheath Dan. 7.15 Animae vagina is still curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in the womb Psal 139.15 with Eph. 4.9 as curious workmen when they have some choice peece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at Thine bands have mude me or took speciall pains about me and fashioned me saith Job Thou hast formed me by the book saith David Psal 139.16 Job 10.8 yea emâ—roidered me with nerves veyns and variety of limbs miracles enough saith One betwixt head and foot to fill a Volume Man saith a Heathen is the bold attempt of daring nature the faire workmanship of a wise Artificer saith another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trismegist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xâ—noph Miraculorum omnium maximum Stoici Gal. lib. 3. de usu partium Lib. 11. 1â— The greatest of all miracles saith a third And surely should a man be born into the world but once in a hundred years all the world would run to see the wonder Sed miracula assiduitate vilescunt Galen that prophane man was forced upon the description of man and the parts of his body only to sing a hymn to the Creator whom yet he knew not I make here saith he a true hymn in the honour of our Maker whose service I beleeve verily consisteth not in the sacrificing of Hecatombs or in burning great heaps of Frankinsence before him but in acknowledging the greatness of his wisdome power and goodness and in making the same known to others c. And in another place Now is he saith Gallen which looking but only upon the skin of a thing wondreth not of the cunning at the Creator Yet notwithstanding he dissembleth not that he had tryed by all means to find some reason of the composing of living creatures and that he would rather have fathered the doing thereof upon Nature then upon the very Authour of Nature Lib. 15. And in the end concludeth thus I confesse that I know not what the soule is though I have sought very narrowly for it Favorinus the Philosopher Nibil in terra magnum prater bominâ—m nibil in homine praeter mentem Fav ap Gel. was wont to say The greatest thing in this world is Man and the greatest thing in man is his soule It is an abridgement of the invisible world as the Body is of the visible Hence man is called by the Hebrewes Gnolam haktaton and by the Greeks Microcosmus A little world And it was a witty essay of him who stiled woman the second Edition of the Epitome of the whole world The soule is set in the body of them both as a little god in this little world as Jehovah is a great God in the great world Whence Proclus the Philosopher could say that the
fear me said Joseph to his brethren for I fear God and so dare do you no hurt Ought ye not to have feared God said Nehemiah to those usurious Jews Neh. 5.9 Vers 12. And yet indeed See the Notes on Chapt. 11.29 Vers 13. When God caused me to wander Cum facerent Dii when they even God caused me The mystery of the Trinity though Calvin interpret it of the Angels Mysterium Triados Jun. as Cartwright likewise doth that of Solomon which Junius conceiveth to be spoken of the blessed Trinity There bee higher then they Eccles 5.8 sc That Three in One and One in Three Vers 14. And Abimelech took oxen Great men should be bountiful to good men Aeneas Sylvius was wont to say of learning how much more may it be said of grace Popular men should esteem it as silver Noblemen as gold Princes prize it as pearls Arcadius the Emperor gave his Schoolmaster Arsenes a holy man the revenues of all Egypt desiring him to pray for him Pecuniâ— nonegere quòd mundo jampridèm mortuus esset Parâ—i hist prosau medul pag. 495. Rom. 12.17 Arsenes promised him his prayers but refused his rich offer saying that he wanted no mony as being long since dead to the world Vers 16. I have given thy brother Not thee to avoyd suspition Provide we must things honest in the sight of all men and not onely keep a good conscience but a good name as much as may be learning this of the unjust Steward by lawful though he did it by unlawful means For our Saviour noted this defect when he said The children of this world c. Luke 16.8 It was good counsel that Livia gave her husband Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio in vita It behoveth thee not onely not to do wrong but not to seem to do so c. We must shun and be shy of the very shew and shadow of sin if either we tender our credit abroad or comfort at home The Church took it ill that her veil was pulled off and that she was judged to be a dishonest woman Cant. 5.7 As in the first Chapter She prayes her Spouse to tell her where she may come to him for why should she be as one that turneth aside or as one that was veiled or covered a signe of lightness and dishonesty Gen. 38.14 15. She was willing to eschew all appearance of evil Some sense the Text thus I have given thy husband mony to buy thee a veil to cover thy face that all may know thee to be a married woman Vers 17. So Abraham prayed and God healed Abimelech Here was that of Saint James verefied Jam. 5.15 The prayer of faith shall save the sick and if he have committed sins they shall be forgotten him So he is healed on both sides Melch. Adam in vita Luther The story of Luther is well known how by his prayers he recovered Theodorus Vitus of a Consumption after the Physicians had given him up for dead The Saints are Gods favorites they may have any thing of him Sejanus found Tiberius so facile that he needed onely to ask Life of Sejanus by P. M p. 5. and give thanks He never denyed him any thing and oft-times prevented his request What shall we think of Gods good-will to his faithful servants and suppliants Vers 18. For the Lord had fast closed up all c. In quibus peccamus in iisdem plectimur God oft takes notice of the offending member Dives was tormented most in his tongue Quià linguâ plus peccaverat Evâ—g lib. 1. saith Cyprian Nestorii lingua vermibus exesa Archbishop Arundel was so smitten in his tongue that he could neither swallow nor speak for divers days before his death Atque id multi tum fieri putabant Tho. Gascon in Diction Theolog. Acts Mon. 1622. Zonaras quòd verbum Dei alligasset ne suo tempore praedicaretur saith the Historian The like is reported of Steven Gardiner Fertur Heraclius Imp. inguine sursùm converso faciem suam perminxisse nisi urina tabellâ imo ventri appositâ averteretur Idei accidisse creditum ob incestum cum fratris filia coitum CHAP. XXI Verse 1. And the Lord visited Sarah GOd payes not his people with words onely Plutarch as Sertorius did his Souldiers He fools them not off with fair promises as Ptolomee sirnamed therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did his favorites Pollicitis dives quilibet esse potest But is real yea royal in his promises and perfomances Of many promisers it may be said as Tertullian of the Peacock All in changeable colours as oft changed as moved Italians all as Aeneas Sylvius said of Italy Novitate quadam nihil habet stabile Not so their Ancestors the Romans They had a great care always to perform their word Insomuch that the first Temple built in Rome was dedicated to the godess Fidelity Great mens words saith One are like dead mens shooes he may go barefoot that waits for them Not so good men they will stand to their oath though it tend to their loss Psal 15.4 They are children that will not lye Isai 63.8 Tit. 1.2 Isai 65.16 Their Father is a God that cannot lye He is the God of Amen as Isaiah calleth him and all his promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus the faithful and true witness 2 Cor. 1.20 Revel 3.14 Judah would not break promise with the Harlot lest he should be shamed Gen. 38.23 One of the laws of the Knights of the band in Spain was That if any of them broke his promise he went alone by himself and no body spake to him nor he to any When God serves any so let him be so served But the promises are ancient Tit. 1.2 And not any tittle of them as yet ever fell to the ground Wherefore gird up the loyns of your mindes and trust perfectly on the Grace that is brought unto you 1 Peter 1.13 Faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. vers 24. Vers 2. For Sarah conceived By the force of her Faith though at first she faltered Heb. 11.11 And bare Abraham a son in his old age Beatae senectutis emeritae fidei filium Buc hole as One well calleth Isaac St. Paul for this saith he was born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Vers 3. And Abraham called the name c. A ridiculous name but such as God had imposed All Gods wayes are foolishness to the World Christ and all But as old men use to say to young They think us fools we know them to be so It will not be long ere they shall wail and howl out Nos insensati Wisd 5. we fools held their life madness c. Say therefore with David If this be to be vile wee 'l be more vile God hath a barren womb for mocking Michal He is a fool we say that would be laughed out of
his coat but he is a double fool that would be laughed out of his skin that would hazard his soul because loath to be laughed at Caligula socerum Scyllanum molestum ei propter virtutem affinitatem ad mortem sibi consciscendam ludibriis adegit More fool him Vers 4. And Abraham circumcised his Son At Circumcision so as now at Baptisme names were given Let them be such as are significant and may immind us of some good either person or thing all will be found little enough Optima nomina Columel â—e re rust l. 1. c. 7. Hoâ—at Epod. 2. non appellando mala fieri Alphius foenerator dixisse verissimè fertur We read of a good woman that had named her three daughters Faith Hope and Charity And when she was to be condemned by Bonner My Lord said she If you burn me I hope you will keep Faith Hope and Charity no by my troth will I not quoth the Bishop Act Mon. 1798. keep them who will I le take no charge of them We read also of another that courting an harlot asked her name she answered Mary whereupon remembring Mary Magdalen that penitent harlot he repented him of his evill purpose and advising the curtisan to repent by her example departed and lived honestly Stâ—aâ—ge Viney in Palest We cannot have too many monitors to mind us of our duty Vers 5. And Abraham was an hundred yeers old After twenty yeers praying and waiting the fulfilling of the promise besides thirteen of those yeers silence for ought we read after the promise of a childe This was a sore tryal but God knew him to be armor of proof and therefore tryed him thus with Musket-shot Heb. 10.36 Well might the Apostle say Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God and suffered it too ye might receive the promise The spoyling of their goods required patience but this waiting much more Good men finde it casier to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed This waiting is nothing Importuno tempore poma decerâ—unt Cyprian but hope and trust lengthened Which they that cannot do like children they pull Apples afore they are ripe and have Worms bred of them as those hasty Ephraimites that set upon the Philistims and were slain in Gath. They had indeed a promise of the Land but the time was not yet come See my Love-tokens pag. 94. They were weary of the Egyptian bondage and would have thus got out but they were too hasty Fugientes ergâ— fumum incidebant in ignem 1 Chronicles 7.21 2â— Psalm 78. v. 9. Vers 6. Prov. 10.1 God hath made me to laugh A wise son maketh a glad father Monstri autèm simile est quandò pro risu sunt fletus sunt flagellum And yet this is many a good mans case How many parents are put to wish Moses his wish Num. 11.11 Lord If I have found favor in thy sight kill me that I behold not my misery Had he lived to have seen what ways his grand-childe Jonathan took what a grief would it have been unto him Judg. 18.30 Ac proinde studio inseruisse literam Nun suspensam tamen in fignum â—am adesse vel abesse posse ut fit filius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 istius prosapiâ hujus imitatione Buxtorf Tiber. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Jonathan the son of Gershom the son of Manasseh c. In the best Hebrew Copies Nun is suspended in that name whereupon the Hebrews descant that this Gershom was the son of Moses but because he and his posterity walked not in the wayes of Moses but rather of Manasses 2 King 21. and did his works therefore the Penman of this Book would not so far disgrace Moses as to make him his son as indeed he was Exod. 2.1 Chron. 23.14 but rather of Manasses whom he imitated and resembled How much better and happier had it been for them both if they had expressed their fathers maners as Constantines sons did of whom it is said That they had put on whole Constantine and in all good things did exactly resemble him Vers 7. That Sarah should have given children suck So she had a double blessing of the belly and of the brests Milk she had at those yeers and great store of it too whence she is said to give children suck not a childe onely She could have nursed another for a need besides her own Note that though she were a great Lady yet she was a nurse Let it not be niceness but necessity that hinders any mother from so doing lest she be found more monstrous then the sea-monsters that draw out their brest and give suck to their young Lam. 4.3 If the childe must be set out let a fit nurse be looked after Quidam scrofae lacte nutritus cum esset Sphinx Philosoph p. 235. in coeno sese identidem volutabar Vers 8. And Abraham made a great feast A laudable custome saith Cajetan That the beginning of the eating of the first-born should be celebrated with a feast St. Augustine observeth here That this solemnity at the weaning of Isaac was a type of our spiritual regeneration at and after which the faithful keep a continual feast Let us keep the festivity or holy-day saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. ap Plutarch that feast of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Isai 25.6 proceeding from milk to stronger meat Heb. 5.12 and being to the world as a weaned childe His mouth doth not water after homely provisions that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance Vers 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar mocking At that mystical name Isaac as a gaud or laughing-stock At the feast also made upon such a frivolous occasion As who should say What care I though this ado be made now about Isaacs weaning I am the first-born and beloved of my Father who will not deny me the inheritance This Sarah had soon spyed or over-heard Liberorum curiosi sunt parentes The mother especially observeth the wrong done to the childe And besides Dislike soon spies a fault Textor epist A fault it was no doubt and a great one too Otherwise the Apostle would not have called it persecution Gal. 3. nor God have punished it with ejection Machiavel that scoffing Atheist rotted in the prison at Florence Jearing Julian had his payment from Heaven Sir Thomas Moor qui scopticè scabiose de Luthero Religione Reformata loquebatur lost his head Another lost his wits for mocking at James Abbes Martyr as a mad man for that Act. Mon. fol. 1904. having no mony he gave his apparel to the poor some to one some to another as he went to the stake What 's truth Joh. 18.38 said Pilate to our Saviour in a scornful prophane maner Not long after
ipsius naturae ut parentes matrimonia liberis procurent Children are a chief part of their parents goods therefore to be disposed of by them in marriage When Satan had commission to afflict Job in his goods he fell upon his children Yet in the Church of Rome Parents consent is not much regarded Vers 22. God is with thee in all that thou doest Natural conscience cannot chuse but stoop to the Image of God stamped upon the Natures and Works of the godly When they see in them that which is above ordinary they are afraid of the name of God called upon by them Deut. 28.9 10. Their hearts even ake and quake within them Vers 23. Swear unto me here by God c. This visit we see was more of fear then of love there can be no hearty love indeed but between true Christians Kings then have their cares Crowns their crosses Thistles in their arms and Thorns in their sides This made one cry out of his Diadem O vilis pannus c And Canutus set his Crown upon the Crucifix Frederick the Elector of Saxony is said to have been born with the signe of a Cross upon his back Sâ—â—â—et Aunal and the next night after that Rodulphus Rufus was crowned Emperor of Germany An. Dom. 1273. over the Temple where the Crown was set upon his head a golden Cross was seen to shine like a Star to the admiration of all that beheld it These were the same Emperors Verses concerning his Crown Imperiaâ— Nobilâ—s es fatcor rutilisque onera a lapillis Don. Paâ—e hist proâ—an medulla 7 23. 728. Innunieris curis sed comitata venis Quod benè si nossent omnes expendere nemo Nemo foret qui te tollere vellet humo Vers 24. I will swear Abraham quickly consents to so reasonable a request from so honorable a person The wisdom from above is easie to be intreated The churl Nabal holds it a goodly thing Jam. 3.17 Matth. 6. to hold off It is but maners to reciprocate very Publicans can finde in their hearts to do good to those that have been good to them Vers 25. And Abraham reproved Abimelech Inferiors may reprove their superiors so they do it wisely and modestly Vers 26. I wot not who hath done this thing A fault it might be in Abraham not to complain to the King For many a good Prince is even bought and sold by his Officers and Councellors as it was said of Aurelian the Emperor who might know nothing but as they informed him As of another German Prince it was said Esset alius si esset apud alios Bucholc V. 27. Abraham took sheep and oxen In token of true and hearty reconciliation Reconciliatioâ—es saith Menander Menander sunt lupina amicitiae Let it be so among heathens But we have not so learned Christ Vers 31. They sware both of them Or they were sworn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew is passive To shew that an oath is not rashly to be undertaken but by a kinde of necessity imposed It comes of a root that signifies to satisfie because he to whom we swear must therewith be contented An oath is an end of strife Heb. 7. saith the Apostle The Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hedg which a man may not break Vers 32. A Covenant Foedâ—s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic fidus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 33. Abraham planted a grove That he might have a private place for prayer and meditation And thus he improved and employed that late place he had made with Abimeleâ—h Oh that God would once more try us and trust us with the blessing of peace How should we now prize it and praise him for it Bona à tergo formosissima Vers 34. Many days Twenty five yeers at least for so old was Isaac when he went to be sacrificed Some Halcyons God vouchsafes to his afflicted and tossed with tempest Isai 54 1â— Some rest and repose to his poor Pilgrims Laus Deo CHAP. XXII Vers 1. God did tempt Abraham TEmptation is twofold 1. Probationis 2. Perditionis The former is of God the latter of the devill God is said to tempt when he puts us upon the triall of our faith and obedience that he may do us good in the latter end Deut. 8.26 Satan ever seeks to do us hurt He when he comes to tempt comes with his sieve as to Peter Christ with his fan Matth. 3.12 Now a Fan casteth out the worst and keepeth in the best a Sieve keepeth in the worst D. Playfere and casteth out the best Right so Christ and histrials purgeth out corruption and increaseth grace contrarily the Devill if there be any ill thing in us confirmeth it if faith or any good thing in us he weakneth it Now the temptations of Satan are either 1. Of seducement Jam. 1.15 â—r 2. of buffetting and grievance 2 Cor. 12.7 In seducement we are pressed with some lesser or darling corruption whereto our appetites by nature are most propense And here Satan hath his machinations 2 Cor. 2.11 methods Eph. 6.11 depths Rev. 2.24 darts Eph. 6.16 fiery darts pointed and poysoned with the venome of Serpents which set the heart on fire from one lust to another In buffettings we are dogg'd with foulest lusts of Atheisme self-murther c. such as Nature startleth at and abhorreth and these if we resist and be meerly passive are onely our crosses Satans sins For before a temptation can be a sin it must have somewhat of coveting in it And trialls are onely taps to give vent to corruption Vers 2. Take now thy son thine onely son Isaac c. This was the last of Abrahams ten trialls and the forest All our troubles to this are but as the slivers and chips of that cross upon which this good Patriarch was crucified Origen hence perswades parents to bear patiently the loss of their children Laetus offer filium Deo esto sacerdos animae filii tui c. Abraham was not onely to kill his onely son which yet was more then to have tome out his own heart with his own hands but to cut him in peeces to lay him orderly on the Altar after the manner of a sacrifice and to burn him to ashes himself making and tending the fire and putting him in piece after piece when any was out A hard and heavy task especially since it directly crossed the promise that in Isaac all nations of the earth should be blessed and seemed to involve the utter ruine of all mankinde Here Reason was at a stand It was faith onely that could extricate the perplexed Patriarch by giving him to know that God was able to raise him up even from the dead Heb. 11.19 Hoc Abrahamum fecit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was it that kept him from tripping Get thee into the Land of Moriah Both Abrahams great temptations began with one
acquainted with Gods counsell saith Luther wherein he rested Yet he was bound 1. For that the rite of sacrifices so required â—ee 2 King 10.12 2. Lest any involuntary motion by pangs of death should be procured Whence divers of the Martyrs as Ridley Rawlins c. desired to be bound fast to the stake lest the flesh should play its part Râ—â—â—ins when the Smith cast a chain about him at the stake I pray you good friend said he Knock in the chain fast for it may be Act. Mon. â—ol 1415. that the flesh would strive mightily But God of thy great mercy give me strength and patience to abide the extremity Nâ—ture at death will have a bout with the best whether he dye as Elisâ—a slowly or as Eliah suddenly Vers 10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand c. What Painter in the world can possibly express the affection of Abraham when thus he bound his son and bent his sword Surely that Painter that set forth the sacrificing of Iphigenia Aspiâ—â— vulius ecce meos utiâ—amque â—culos in pectora po es Inserâ—re Sol Phetonti apud Ovid 1 Cor. 3. would here also have drawn Abraham as he did Agamemnon with his face veyled as not able to delineate his unconceivable grief But a man in Christ is more then a man and can do that that other men cannot reach unto It was a matter of blame to the carnall Corinthians that they walked as men And our Saviour looks for some singular thing to be done by those that pretend to him Matth. 6.47 Abraham had denyed himself in his beloved Isaac and therefore went an end with his work hard though it were Another that hath not done so shall finde a heavy business of it an unsupportable burden Sozomen tells of a certain Merchant whose two sons being taken captives Sozom l. c. 14. and adjudged to dye he offered himself to dye for them and withall promised to give the Souldiers all the gold he had They pitying the poor mans calamity admitted of his request for one of his sons which he would but let them both scape they could not because such a number must be put to death The miserable man therefore looking at and lamenting both his sons could not finde in his heart to make choice of either as overcome with an equall love to them both but stood doubting and deliberating till they were both slain At the siege of Buda in Hungary there was among the German Captains a Noble-man called Erkius Raschachius whose son a valiant young Gentleman being got out of the Army without his fathers knowledge bore himself so gallantly in fight against the enemy in the sight of his father and the Army that he was highly commended of all men and especially of his father that knew him not at all Yet before he could clear himself he was compassed in with the Enemy and valiantly fighting slain Raschachius exceedingly moved with the death of so brave a man ignorant how near he touched himself turning about to the other Captains said This noble Gentleman whatsoever he be is worthy of eternall commendation and to be most honourably buried by the whole Army As the rest of the Captains were with like compassion approving his speech the dead body of the unfortunate son rescued was presented to the most miserable father which caused all them that were there present Tuâ—kish hist to shed tears But such a sudden and inward grief surprized the aged father and struck so to his heart that after he had stood a while speechless with his eyes set in his head he suddenly fell down dead Anno Dom. 1541. Heb. 11. And took the knife to slay his son The Apostle saith He did offer him up a slain sacrifice God took it in as good part as if indeed he had done it because he would have done it Every man is so good before God are he truely desires to be Bernard In vitae libro scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt etsi quod debent non possunt saith one Father And another Augustin Basil Tota vita boni Christiani sanctum desiderium est Ambulas siamas Non enim passibus and Deum sed affectibus currimus Tantùm velis Deus tibi praeoccurret saith a Third Vers 11. And said Abraham Abraham Twice for hastesake yet not at all till the very instant When the knife was up the Lord came God delights to bring his people to the Mount yea to the very brow of the hill till their feet slip and then delivers them He reserves his holy hand for a dead lift Onely be sure you look to your calling for it was otherwise with Jepthta Judg. 11. whom St. Augustin calls facinorosum improbum a lewd and naughty man in his questions upon the Old Testament What then would he have said to Thomas the Anabaptist Stumpf. l. 5. who beheaded his brother Leonard in the sight of his parents at Sangall in France Anno 1526. pretending the example of Abraham As did likewise those odious Idolaters of old that offered their children in sacrifice to Moloch in the valley of Hinnom which was so called because the poor child put into the arms of the red-hot image was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nohem that is roaring or because the Priests comforting the parents said Condimeâ—tum crit tibi Jalkut â—n Jerem. Jeheunâ—h Lach. It shall be profitable or pleasant to thee as Kimchi hath it So because Abraham planted a grove to serve God in Gen. 21.33 the Devil Gods Ape set the blind Heathens a work to plant a thicket near the altar of their god ' Priapus whereinto his worshippers stepped when the sacrifice was ended and there like bruit beasts promiscuously satisfied their lusts thereby as they conceived best pleasing their God which was the true cause as it seems that the true God commanded that no Groves should be planted near the place of his worship and if any were they should be cut down Vers 12. Lay not thine hand upon the Lad As he was about to do having armed his pious hand not onely with the knife but with faith that works by love as had likewise David when going against the Giant he slyes upon him Bucholcer perinde ac si fundae suae tunicis non lapillum sed Deum ipsum induisset aâ— implicuisset Now I know that thou fearest me With a fear of love Hos 3.5 Fulgentius And here that of Fulgentius is true and taketh place Deum siquis parùm metuit valdè contemnit hujus qui non memorat beneficentiam auget injuriam God knew Abrahams fear before but now he made experience of it Nunc expertus sum saith Junius Nune omnibus declarasti saith Chrysost Vers 13. Behold behind him a Ram Belike the Angell called behinde him which when he turned to listen to he spied the Ram caught in a thicket Heb. Sabâ—ech which signifies the perplexity winding or
dead forty years before is now by Gods blessing made lively and lusty Vers 5. Abraham gave all c. So Esa 19.25 Assyria is the work of Gods hand and Israel his inheritance Vers 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sopb Gasp Eâ—s Panis mica quam dives pater-familias projicit canibuâ— Abraham gave gifts So doth God to reprobates but they are giftless gifts better be without them Saepe Deus dat iratus quod â—egat propitius God gives wealth to the wicked non aliter ac siquis crumenam auro plenam latrinae injiciat The Turkish Empire saith Luther as great as it is is but a crust cast to the dogs by the rich House-holder or as Josephs cup c. East-ward to the East-countrey To both the Arabia's which were Countries rough but rich looked rudely but searched regularly afforded great store of fine gold pretious stones and pleasant odours Vers 8. Gave up the Ghost Defecit lenitèr expiravit Describit Moses placidam optatam quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Abraham Gods friend is no wonder But how could that Apostate Julian say trow Vitam reposcenti naturae tanquam debitor bonae fidei rediturus exulto Sure it was but a copy of his countenance but not of his dying countenance for no wicked man alive can look death in the face with blood in his cheeks Dyed in a good old age Or with a hoar head after a hundred years troublesomepilgrimage in the promised land We if for one year we suffer hardship think it a great business Non quia dura sed quia molles patimur saith Seneca An old man and full of years The godly have oft a satiety of life as willing they are to leave the world as men are wont to be to rise from the board when they have eaten their fill Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis Said the Heathen Poet and they feign that when Tithonus might have been made immortal he would not because of the miseries of life This made Plotinus the Platonist account mortality a mercy Aug. de Civ Dei l. 4. c. 10. Siquis Deus mihi largiatur ut ex hac aetate repurascam in cunis vagiam valdèrecusem Cato ap Cic. de senect Camd. Elisabeth fol. 325. and Cato protest that if any God would grant him of old to be made young again he would seriously refuse it As for me said Queen Elisabeth in a certain speech I see no such great cause why I should be fond to live or afraid to dye And again whiles I call to minde things past behold things present and expect things to come I hold him happiest that goeth hence soonest Vers 9. And his sons Isaac and Ismael c. It is like that Abraham a little afore his death sent for his two sons and reconciled them This joyning with Isaac in the burying of Abraham some take for an argument of his repenance whereunto also they adde that his whole life time is recorded in holy Scripture which cannot be shewed of any reprobate and that he is said when he dyed to be gathered to his fathers Which is besides Mamre Where seventy six years before he had entertained the Lord Christ and heard from his mouth the promise of the Messiah Wherefore in remembrance of that most amiable apparition and for love and honour of the divine promise there uttered he would there be buried in full hope of a glorious Resurrection and that his posterity might take notice that he even dyed upon the promise As that brave Roman Captain told his Souldiers Xiphilinus that if they could not conquer Britain yet they would get possession of it by laying their bones in it Vers 13. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael When Isaac was twenty yeers married and had no childe and afterwards nothing so many as Ishmael nor so great in the world This is Gods usual way of dealing forth his favours Saints suffer wieked prosper This made Pompey deny Divine Providence Brutus cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio Cassius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd Psal 73.10 expounded Exoriuntur sed exuruntur Hos 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserable Vertue slave of Fortune c. The Athenians in Thucydides when they had lost Nicias their good General who together with his whole Army perished in Sicily were at a great stand and much offended seeing so pious a person fare nothing better then those that were far worse And what wonder when Jeremiah and David stumbled at the same stone ran upon the same rock and were well-high shipwrackt Jer. 12.1 Psal 73.3 4. Neither they onely but many other of Gods dear servants as it is in the same I salm vers 10. Therefore his people return hither that is are every whit as wise or rather as foolish as I have been to mis-censure and misconstrue Gods dealings on this manner to repent me of my repentance and to condemn the generation of the just because waters of a full cup are wrung out to the wicked When David went into Gods Sanctuary and there consulted his Word he was better resolved Then he saw that the sunshine of Prosperity doth but ripen the sin of the wicked and so fits them for destruction as fatted ware are but fitted for the slaughter What good is there in having a fine suit with the plague in it Poison in wine works more furiously then in water Had Haman known the danger of Esthers banquet he would not have been so brag of it The prosperity of the wicked hath ever plus deceptionis quam delectionis saith One more deceit then delight able to entice and ready to kill the entangled As cunning to do that as the spirit that seduced Ahab and as willing to do the other as the Ghost that met Brutus at the battel of Philippi In which respect David Psal 17. having spoken of these men of Gods hand that have their portion in this life c. wishes them make them merry with it and subjoyns As for me I will behold thy face in righteousâ—ess I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness As who should say I neither envie nor covet their happiness but long after a glorious resurrection and have in the mean while that which is sufficient to sustain me I shall behold thy face in righteousâ—ess Menach on Levit. 10. that is Beshechinah in Christ as Rabbi Menachem expounds it And one good look of God is worth all the world It is better to feel his favour one hour then to sit whole ages as these Ishmaelites did under the worlds warmest sun-shine Vers 14. And Mishma and Dumah and Massah Out of these three names which signifie Hearing Silence and Suffering the Masorites gather the three principal duties of man in common conversation viz. to hear keep silence and bear these say they make a quiet and good life Sustine Abstine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictâ—t Camd. Elisab
he lighted upon a certain place Little thinking to have found heaven there Let this comfort travellers and friends that part with them Jacob never lay better Malâ— cubans suaviter dormâ—â— sâ—licitèr somâ—â—â—t then when he lay without doors nor yet slept sweeter then when he laid his head upon a stone He was a rich mans son and yet inured to take hard on Vers 12. Behold a ladder Scala est piorum in hoc mundo peregrinatio saith Pareus after Iunius But besides this interpretation our Saviour offereth us another Ioh 1.51 applying it to himself the true ladder of life per quem solùm in coelum ascendere possimus He that will go up any other way must as the Emperour once said erect a ladder and go up alone He touched heaven in respect of his Deity earth in respect of his humanity and joyned earth to heaven by reconciling Man to God Gregory speaks elegantly of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he joyned heaven and earth together as with a bridge being the onely true Pontifex or bridge-maker Heaven is now open and obvious to them that acknowledge him their sole Mediator and lay hold by the hand of faith on his merits as the rounds of this heavenly ladder These onely ascend that is their consciences are drawn out of the depths of despair and put into heaven as it were by pardon and peace with God rest sweetly in his bosom calling him Abba Father and have the holy angels ascending to report their necessities and descending as messengers of mercies We must also ascend saith S. Bernard by those two feet as it were Meditation and Prayer yea there must be continual ascensions in our hearts as that Martyr said M. Philpot. And as Iacob saw the Angels ascending and descending and none standing still so must we be active and abundant in Gods work as knowing that our labour is not in vain in the Lord Bern. and that non proficere est deficere not to go forward is to go backward Vers 13. I am the Lord God of Abraham c. What an honour is this to Abraham that God was not ashamed to be called His and his sons God! Eusebâ—â—s the Historian was called Eusebius Pamphili for the love that was betwixt him and the Martyr Pamphilus as S. Hierome testifieth Friend to Sir Philip Sidney is ingraven upon a Noble-mans Tomb in this Kingdom The old Lord Brook as one of his Titles Behold the goodness of God stooping so lowe as to stile himself The God of Abraham and Abraham again The friend of God Vers 14 15. And thy seed shall be as the dust Against his fourfold cross here 's a fourfold comfort as Pererius well observeth a plaister as broad as the sore and soveraign for it Against the loss of his friends I will be with thee 2. of his country I will give thee this lond 3. against his poverty Thou shalt spread abroad to the east west c. 4. his solâ—tariness and aloneness Angels shall attend thee and Thy seed shall be as the dust Num. 23.10 c. And who can count the dust of Iacob saith Balaam that Spelman of the devil as One calls him Whereunto we may adde that which surpasseth and comprehendeth all the rest In thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed Now whatsoever God spake here with Iacob he spake with us as well as with him saith Hosea Chap. 12.4 Vers 16. And I knew it not Viz. that God is graciously present in one place as well as in another Our ignorance and unbelief is freely to be confessed and acknowledged Thus David Psal 73.22 Agur Prov. 30.2 Pray for me In his Letter to Ridley Act. Mon. 1565. Seâ—m in 3 Sund. in Advent saith Father Latimer to his friend pray for me I say for I am sometimes so fearful that I would creep into a mouse-hole And in a certain Sermon I my self saith he have used in mine earnest matters to say Yea by S. Mary which indeed is naught Vers 17. How dreadful is this place The place of Gods publike Worship is a place of Angels and Archangels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom it is the Kingdom of God it is very heaven What wonder then though Iacob be afraid albeit he saw nothing but visions of love and mercy Psal 5.7 In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple saith David The very Turk when he comes into his Temple lays by all his State and hath none to attend him all the while Omninò oportet nos orationis tempore curiam intrare coelestem saith S. Bernard in qua Rex regum stellato sedet solio Bern. de divers 25. c. Quanta ergo cum reverentia quanto timore quantâ illuc humilitate accedere debet e palude suâ procedens repens vilis ranuncula Our addresses must be made unto God with the greatest reverence that is possible Vers 18. And set it up for a pillar The better to perpetuate the memory of that mercy he had there received and that it might be a witness against him if hereafter he failed of fulfilling his vow It is not amiss in making holy vows to take some friend to witness that in case we be not careful so to fulfil them may minde us and admonish us of our duty in that behalf Iacob that was here so free when the matter was fresh to promise God a Chappel at Bethel was afterwards backward enough and stood in need that God should pull him by the ear once and again with a Go up to Bethel and punish him for his delays in the rape of his daughter cruelty of his sons c. Gen. 35. Vers 20. And Iacob vowed a vow The first holy votary that ever we read of whence Iacob also is called The father of vows which out of this Text may be thus described A Vow is nothing else but a religious promise made to God in prayer and grounded upon the promise of God whereby we tie our selves by way of thankfulness to do something that is lawful and within our power with condition of obtaining some further favour at the hands of God Thus Iacob vows to God onely he is the sole object of Fear therefore also of Vows See them set together Psal 76.11 Next he prays when he vows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vow and a prayer are of neer and necessary affinity See Psal 61.6 Iudg 11.30 31. That was a blasphemous vow of Pope Iulius that said Act. Mon. he would have his will al despito di Dio. And not unlike of Solyman the Great Turk in a Speech to his Souldiers So help me great Mahomet Turk hist I vow in despite of Christ and Iohn in short time to set up mine Ensignes with the Moon in the middle of the Market-place in Rhodes Iacob as he vowed onely by the Fear of his father Isaac so he presented
business Such S. Paul would have all Christians to be Tit. 3.8 14. Let them that have believed in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer saith He be careful to maintain good works or profess honest trades for necessary uses and that therein they be their crafts-masters and excell others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was Cicero's posie from his youth as himself witnesseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. And Plutarch tells us that all his strife and drift was all his life long to leave others behind him and to be the best at any thing he ever undertook This should be every mans endeavour in his place and station as that which is good before God and profitable unto men as the Apostle there subjoyneth Solomon also assures us that such shall stand before Kings and not live long in a low place Prov. 22.29 Vers 7. Jacob blessed Pharaoh That is he prayed God to bless him both at meeting and parting To salute is comely but see that ye be hearty not frothy prayerful not complementall We are heirs of blessing and must therefore be free of it 1 Pet. 3.9 Vers 8. And Pharaoh said unto Iacob This King took not pleasure as those Persian Kings did in a wild retiredness or stern austerity but in a mild affableness and heart-attracting courtesie He shews not himself strange or Stoicall but sweet and sociable So Atticus seemed in his carriage communis infimis Cor. Nepos Spartan Dio. par principibus Adrian the Emperour would most courteously confer with the meanest Vespasian was wont not only to salute the chief Senatours but even private persons inviting them many times to his table himself again going to their houses especially if he found them learned and vertuous Pharaoh might find Iacob both these and so make very good use of him as his faithful Counsellour Princes had learned men ever with them called Monitours or Remembrancers as Dio had his Plato Scipio his Polybius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarchae praeâ—ipue professionis medicae studiâ—si fuerunt ut Abraham Isaac Jacob unde regibus grati quos postea in doctrina Christiana simul institucruâ—t Meclancth c. Abimelech made much of Abraham and afterwards of Isaac some think it was for their skill in Physick and Astronomy Why might not Pharaoh find and favour the same worth in Iacob and learn the same wisdom from him that his Senatours by his appointment did of his son Ioseph Vers 9. The dayes of the years of my pilgrimage All Saints here are Sojourners all good people pilgrims and strangers 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 11.13 14. Far they are from home meet with hard measure as Israel did in Egypt as those three worthies in Babylon Dan. 3. Their manners are of another manner hence the world owns them not Ioh. 15.19 But God both owns Isa 63.13 Psal 32.8 Isa 40.11 and honours them he knows â—heir whole way Psal 1.6 Leades them in his hand guides them with his eye bears them in his bosome when wayes are rough and rugged provides mansions for them Joh. 14.3 where they shall rest in their beds Isa 57.2 Matth. 8.11 Gen. 25.8 Jer. 50.4 5. Psal 84.7 Ruth 2.10 Gal. 4. Psal 119.63 Neh. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.11 Philip. 3.21 feast with Abraham Isaac and Iacob walk arme in arme with Angels Zach. 3.7 Be gathered to their people Heb. 12.23 to their God to their Christ c. Provided that in the mean while they set their faces towards Sion enquiring the way that they walk therein from strength to strength that they take in good part any kindness as Ruth did that they put up any unkindness as Paul did that they make much of any company send home by any hand abstain from fleshly lusts and have their conversation in Heaven eating drinking and sleeping eternall life so wishing to be at home yet waiting the Fathers call sighing out when moved to be merry as the French King did when prisoner here in England in the days of King Edward the third how can we sing songs in a strange land Vers 11. In the land of Rameses That is in the whole territory where Ramases was afterwards built Exod. 1.11 Vers 12. And Joseph nourished his Father For which end he was sent before by God and for whose sake so many thousands were preserved that else would have perished What fools then are they that hunt out the Saints their only safeguard and hate them to whom they owe all the good they have This is with the foolish deere to eate up the leaves that hid them from the hunter Vers 13. The famine was very sore Of this famine mention is made by Justin lib. 1. and Orosius lib. 1. cap. 8. So that the land of Egypt fainted Furebat See Prov. 26.18 saith Junius The Egyptians in the fifth year of the famine began to rage if they could have told at what and were well-nigh mad So Mark 3.21 Our Saviours friends went out to lay hold of him for they said he is besides himself Or as some render it he will faint for vers 20. The multitude came so together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Gen. 45.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. that they could not so much as eate bread These Egyptians whether they fainted or fretted it was for want of bread Joseph had foretold them of this seven years famine but saturity and security had so besotted them that they feared nothing till they felt it Fulness bred forgetfulness and now they are ready to let fly at others because pinched with that penury Prov. 19.3 that they might have prevented The Wickedness of a man perverts his way and his heart fret a against the Lord. See it in that furious King 2 King 6.33 Vers 14. And Ioseph gathered up all the money There is something then besides grace that is better then money though Misers will as easily part with their blood as with their good Chaldaei nummum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Sanguinem appellant Constantinople was lost through the Citizens covetousness the like is reported of Heydelberg Worthy they were in this name to have been served as the great Chaliph of Babylon was by the great Cham of Tartary He was set in the middest of those infinite treasures which he and his predecessours had most covetously amassed and bidden to eate of that gold silver Turk hist fol. 113. and precious stones what he pleased and make no spare In which order the covetous Caytiffe kept for certain dayes miserably dyed for hunger Money is a baser thing then food and raiment 1 Tim. 6.8 these if we have let us be content Vers 15. Why should we dye in thy presence When it is in thy power to save us alive in this our extreame indigency Qui non cum potest juvat occidit saith the Proverb And is it lawfull on the Sabbath to do good or to do evill to save or to destroy a life
mercy unto them Their iniquity was now full Gen. 15.16 they filled the land with filthiness from corner to corner Ezra 9.11 they were ripe for the sickle ready for the vintage of Gods wrath which now came upon them to the utmost Vers 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them As neither with any other that were idolaters Ezra 9.1 2. Vers 4. For they will turn away thy son As the outlandish women did Solomon 1 King 11.2 4. What 's the reason the Pope will not dispence in Spain or Italy if a Papist marry a Protestant yet here they will but in hope to draw more to them The Tyrant Mezentius tyed the living bodies of his captives to the dead but the dead did not revive by the living Corpora corporibus jungebat mortua vivis Virgil. the living rather putrified by the dead Vers 5. And break down their images Cromwel did notable service here in Henry 8. time by discovering the knavery of Popish Priests and pulling down those mawmets and monuments of idolatry the Rood of grace the blood of Hales c. And in Edw. 6. his dayes the same day the Popish pictures were publikely burnt at Paul's Cross Act. Mon. the great victory was gotten by the English at Muscle-borough field in Scotland Vers 6. For thou art an holy people Viz. with a federal holiness which yet without an inherent holiness in the heart and life will profit a man no more then it did Dives in the flames that Abraham called him Son or Judas that Christ called him Friend An empty title yeelds but an empty comfort at last Vers 8. But because he loved you Loe he loved you because he loved you This may seem idem per idem a womans reason But it excellently shews the ground of Gods love to be wholly in himself Vers 9. The faithful God The God of Amen Psal 31.6 Amen the faithful and true Witnesse Rev. 3.14 that will not suffer his faithfulness to fail nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.33 all his precepts predictions promises menaces being the issue of a most faithful and righteous Will void of the least insincerity or falshood Thou spakest also with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thy hand as it is this day saith Solomon in his prayer 1 King 8.24 Neither could ever any day or age produce one instance to the contrary The promises are ancient Tit. 1.1 2. and yet they never failed nor the menaces Zeph. 3.5 Vers 10. He will not be slack slow he may be but sure he will be Val. Man supplicii tarditatem gravitate compensat The higher he holds his hand the heavier he will strike Aries quo altius erigitur hoc figit fortius Arcus quò retrahitur longius hoc jaculatur ulterius Aqua quae aegre calefit agrè denuò frigescit c. Vers 13. And he will love thee So he did before vers 8. but so he will continue to doe See a like expression 1. Joh. 5.13 These things write I unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Vers 14. Thou shalt be blessed There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Godliness 1 Tim. 6.6 See the Note there Vers Martial 15. And the Lord Health is a sweet mercy Non est vivere sed valere vita A sickly life is a lifeless life A healthy body is the reward of piety Prov. 3.8 Vers 20. Send the hornet See the Note on Exod. 23.28 Vers 21. For the Lord thy God is amongst you And how many do you reckon him for as Antigonus said once to his souldiers when they feared their enemies as more in number Vers Aurum Tolosanum 25. Left thou be snared Lest it prove as the gold of Tholouse baneful to all that fingered it or the sepulchre of Semiramis which they that rifled expecting to finde treasure met with a deadly poison CHAP. VIII Vers 1. ALL the Commandements All is but a little word but of large extent There are magnalia legis minutula legis Look to both the greater and the lesser things of the law Matth. 23.23 Vers 2. To know what was i.e. To discover and make known to thy self and others When fire is put to green wood Tentatut sciat i. c. ut scire nos faciat Aug. there comes out abundance of watery stuffe that afore appeared not When the pond is empty the mud filth and toades come to light The snow-drift covers many a muckhill so doth prosperity many a rotten heart It is easie to wade in a warm bath and every bird can sing in a Sun-shine-day c. Hard weather tryes what health afflictions try what sap we have what solidity Withered leaves soon fall off in windy weather Rotten boughes quickly break with heavy weights c. Vers 3. And he humbled thee Humbled they were many of them but not humble low but not lowly Perdiderunt fructum afflictionum c. Aug. That he might make thee know We never know so well how good sweet and seasonable the Lord is as when under the cross Vexatio dat intellectum That man doth not live See the Note on Matth. 4.4 Vers 4. Thy rayment waxed not old It was not the worse for wearing but grew as their bodies did as some are of opinion They needed not to trouble themselves with those anxious thoughts of Heathens what they should eat drink or put on Never was Prince served and supplyed in such state as these Israelites were Vers 5. That as a man chasteneth his son This is reckoned here as an high favour So Job accounts it Chap. 7.17 18. and Paul describes it Heb. 12.7 8. and Jeremy prayes for it Jer. 10.24 Vers 6. Therefore thou shalt keep As good children are the better for beating and do gather under the wing of a frowning father Vers 7. That spring out of vallies Quantum miraculi sit in admiranda illa fontium perennitate nemo credo Philosophorum satis explicare hactenus potuit The perennity of springs is a just wonder and not far from a miracle Vers 8. A land of wheat and barley Sumen totius orbis Strabo basely slandereth this fat and fertile country as dry and barren but Rabshakeh 1 King 18.32 and Tacitus tell us otherwise The testimony here given of it is above all exception Vers 9. Thou shalt not lack any thing in it Of the Island Cyprus it is said that it sendeth forth great abundance of commodities to other Countries of whom it craveth ho help again It was anciently called Macaria Turk hist the Blessed Marcellinus to shew the fertilty of it saith that Cyprus aboundeth with such plenty of all things that without the help of any other forreign Countrey it is of it self able to build a tall ship from the keel to the top sail and so put it to Sea furnished of all things needful Of