sowes to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Onely it is required that he be not weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not We must not look to sowe and reap all in a day as he saith of the Hyperborean-people far north Heresbach de re rustica that they sowe shortly after the sun-rising and reap before the sun-set because the whole half yeer is one continual day with them We must wait with the husbandman for the precious fruit of the earth and have long patience for it until we receive the former and later rain James 5.7 And be diligent in the mean while that when Christ comes we may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3.14 Heaven will pay for all our pains and patience He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully even blessing upon blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9.6 Psal 126.6 as the word there signifies be shall doubtless come again with joy bringing his sheaves with him Vers 13. And the man waxed great Because the Lord blessed him vers 12. for it is his blessing that maketh rich He sowed and feared God and the Lord blessed him Godliness hath the promises of both lives 1 Tim. 4.8 Now the promises are the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.6 9. who is the heir of all Heb 1.2 and hath made godly men his co-heirs Rom. 8.17 entailing upon them riches and honour delight and pleasure Prov. 3.16 17. 8.18 Deut. 28. Psal 112.2 3. life and length of days the blessings of both hands Godly men in Scripture are read to have been richer then any as Abraham Isaac David c. so they might be now likely if they would be as godly Bonus Deus Constantinum Magnum Aug. de civ Dei l. 5. c. 25. tantis terrenis implevit muneribus quanta opt are nullus auderet saith Augustine If God deny gain to godliness it is that it may be admired for it self as having an autarky a self-sufficiency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6.6 he makes up in the true treasure and a grain of grace is worth all the gold of Ophi◠a remnant of faith better then all gay clothing Achans wedge of gold served for no better purpose then to cleave asunder his soul from his body and the Babylonish garment but for a shrowd Prov. 31.12 But contented godliness like Solomons good wife doth a man good and not evil all his days for it brings his minde and his means together and makes him rest well assured of a sufficiency though he miss of a superfluity Vers 14. And the Philistims envied him Envie is the constant companion of prosperity as David felt and complained Succoth and Penuel contemn Gideon out of envie of his victory Josephs brethren cannot abide him because more favoured of his father Corah maligneth Moses Saul David the Pharisees our Saviour Dio in vita Caligulae their malice wilfully crossing their consciences Caligula sacrificed to Neptune and Envie ne sibi ut ipse dicebat invideretur He thought other men sick belike of his disease as the devil accused God of envie to our first parents for certainly there was not a more envious person living Sueton. cap. 3 4. Lucano quòd arte poetica clarus erat vetitum suit ne carmen saceret Dio in Nerone Seneca Dio in vita Tiberii Sueton. c. 53. Am. Marcell lib. 30. cap. 29. then he witness his throwing down the statues of all famous men and defacing their titles forbidding any new to be set up without his leave and liking So that Tyger Tiberius laid hold with his spiteful teeth on all the excellent spirits of his time He put a Poet to death for making an excellent Tragedy and banished a certain Architect for building a curious Porch at Rome which he could not chuse but admire and reward with money Nero envied all men that were any whit gracious with the people Valentinian hated all that were well apparelled or well learned or wealthy or noble Fortibus etiam detrahere solebat ut solus videretur bonis artibus eminere saith Ammianus Germanicus had not any more deadly enemies then his own ornaments Tacitus and his adversaries as here Isaac's had nothing to complain of him more then his greatness So true is that of Salust Salust in Catil Difficillimum inter mortales est gloriâ invidiam vincere Hercules had not more ado with Hydra then a good man shall have with this beast Envied he shall be of his neighbour for his labour and right work Eccles 4.4 This is also vanity and vexation of spirit Vers 15. The Philistims had stopped them They deprived themselves of the benefit of those Wells so that Isaac might not water at them Aug. in Psal 139. Envie doth nothing with reason It is vitium diabolicum saith Augustine The devil of pure spite hinders men from heaven he rageth and rangeth roaring up and down seeking whom to devour and not caring to be double-damn'd himself so that others may not be saved We should be so far from envying at the happiness of others that we should rejoyce in it This were to be as the Angels of God and the contrary is to be like the devils of hell as Saul was who because he could not see Davids heart fed upon his own Envie devours it self as the worm doth the nut out of which it grows Vers 16. Go from us for thou art c. Isaaco ob benedictionem Dei Ostracismus indicitur It was well they had nothing worse against him Of Isaac it may be more truely said then of Mithridates Virtute eximius aliquando fortunâ Paterculus semper animo maximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio lib. 41. as Dio saith of Pompey Vers 17. And Isaac departed thence was compelled to do so though not long before the king of the country had charged all his people on pain of death not to disquiet him Antipho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So neer neighbours are Prosperity and Adversity Friends are very changeable creatures saith Plato Friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trussels contin of Dan. Chronicle there 's no friend saith Socrates no fast friend Faithful friends quoth the Duke of Buckingham to Bishop Morton in Richard the third's time are in this age all for the most part gone in pilgrimage and their return is uncertain Sejanus his friends shewed themselves as did likewise Hamans most passionate against him saying that if Cesar had clemency he ought to reserve it for men not use it toward monsters Carnal friends were never true to any that trusted to them whereas trust in God at length will triumph as we see in this Patriarch Vers 18. Isaac digged again the wells c. Both for more certainty to finde water a scarce commodity in those hot
us this City comes to be trodden under foot this sixth of May 1527. That City till it became idolatrous was ever victorious But since it hath been the nest of Antichrist it was never besieged but it was taken and sacked The God of Heaven purge out of our Church daily more and more that Land-desolating sin of Idolatry Zach. 14.11 and masse good his promise That there shall be no more the Canâ—â—â—ite in the house of the Lord of hâ—stes no evil spirit left in the Land Fiat Fiat For of England we may now well say Tacit. bist lib. 1. cap. 1. as he once did of Rome Nunquam magis justis judiciis approbatum est non esse curae Deâ— securitatem nostram esse vindictâ—â— Vers 8 And there went out the King of Sodom c. These five neighboring Kings were combined against the four Kings that invaded them It was not then a civile Dissension that worst of Wars such as was that of France and is now alass Hist of Counâ— of Treâ—t 647. of England wherein the sons fought against their Fathers and Brothers against Brothers and even women took Arms on both sides for defence of their Religion That was not more monstrous Heyl. Geog. pag. 289. That the Sneviâ—â—â— women threw their young children at the Romans their enemies instead of darts then that other was pitioâ—s between the Romans themselves those that were for Vitellius and the other for Vespasian That when the women brought the Vitellians victuals by night into the Camp they not onely refreshed themselves but their adversaries also with meat and drink Each man called to his adversary by name Dio in vitâ— visellii and said Accipe micommillto ede Non enim tibi gladium praebeo sed panem Accipe rursâ—m bibe Non euim tibi scutum sed poculum trado ut sive tu me interficias sive ego tâ— moriamur facilius atque ut ne me enervatâ atque imbecillâ manu occidas aut ego te Hae nostrae sunt exequiâ— nohis adhuc viventibus Thus they greeted over night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. and the next day dispatcht one another they gave wounds and took wounds they slew and were slain as the same Author hath it Which as oft as I think on I cannot but highly commend that Speech of Othâ— the Emperor to his Souldiers a little afore he took his end I hate civil wars though I were sure to overcome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. In vita Othonis Daniels Chrâ—n continued by Yrussel fol. 249. Omâ—e bellum sumitur facilè caeterum aegerrimè desinit Non enim in ejusdem potestate est initium belli ejusque finis Salust â—n Juguâ— I know not why any Englishman should love it that shall call to minde that in the civil Dissentions between the Houses of York and Lancaster there were slain â—re the quarrel ended fourscore Princes of the Blood Royal and twice as many Natives of England as were lost in the two Conquests of France War is easily taken up saith the Wise Historian but not so easily laid down again Neither is the beginning and the end of a War in any one mans power If the Scots should come in on the one side and the French or Irish on the other What an Acheldamâ— should we soon become what an Ire-land a seat of Wrath because a seat of War It is never to be forgotten by us That the Dissension between England and Scotland consumed more Christian blood wrought more spoil and destruction and continued longer then ever quarrel we read of did between any two people of the World Our Edward the first adjured his Son and Nobles That if he dyed in his journey into Scotland they should carry his Corps about Scotland and not suffer it to be interred till they had absolutely subdued the Countrey A desire more Martial then Christian a designe of revenge beyond his life Such spirits are raised in men that delight in war Psalm 68.30 O pray for the peace of Jerusalem So saith David Psalm 122.6 And so doth David in the next verse Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy pallaces The Athenians when they had gotten the better at Sea of the Lacedemonians were so overjoyed Tum primùm arae Paci publicae sunt factae eique Deae pulvinaâ— instâ—tutum Cornel. Nepos Psal 85.9 10. Luke 1.74 That they then first sâ—t up Altars to the Publike Peace and appointed a Cushion to be laid thereon for that godess to rest upon Oh would the Lord but once more grant us that Righteousness and Peace might kiss each other and Mercy and Truth meet in our Land How happy should we hold our selves how infinitely oblieged to sing Servati sumus ut serviamus How should we prize our restored Peace and improve it as Abraham did here to the paying of Tithes in token of thankfulness yea to the seting up of Altars not to Publike Peace as those Heathens but to the God of peace as Abraham after this did when he had concluded a peace with King Abimelech and his General Phicol Gen. 21.32 33. Vers 10. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits Chosen therefore on purpose by the five Kings who fled and fell there or as some understand the Text made haste to fall down there Celeritèr se dejecerunt Piscat Eo coâ—silio ut hostes ignari locorum c. Idem sculking and scouting till their enemies should pursue them and so perish in those Pits But their cunning failed them For as they had travelled with iniquity and conceived-mischief so they brought forth a lye They made a Pit and digged it but fell into the ditch that themselves had made Psal 7.15 16. The way of this world saith One is like the vale of Siddim slimy and slippery full of Lime-pits and Pit-falls Springs and Stumbling-blocks laid by Satan to maim or mischieve us to procure our ruine or ruth To defeat him therefore as these four Kings did the five Let us tread gingerly stâ—p warily lift not up one foot till we finde sure footing for the other Let us look ere we leâ—p Alioqui saliens antequam videat Bern. de bon deser casurus est antequam debeat as Saint Bernard hath it Vers 11. And all their victuals Ezek. 16.49 Amos 4. Fulness of bread was a part of their sin and now cleanness of teeth is made a piece of their punishment in Gods just judgment Per quod quis peccat per idem punitur ipse Vers 12. And they took Lot God passeth not by the sins of his dearest Saints without a sensible check Lot for his affecting the first choyce had soon enough of it Strong affections bring strong afflictions as hard knots require hard wedges Earthly things court us that they may cut our throats These Hoasts welcom us into our Inne with smiling countenance that they may dispatch us in our Beds Beware
strain vade tibi Get thee gone Gen. 12.1 Gen. 22.2 Here God led Abraham into temptation but delivered him from evill Have you not been tempted saith a Holy man in this or that kinde It is because God in mercy would not lead you into temptation Baines Letters Yea this is in some sort more to be acknowledged then victory when you are tempted For not to be tempted is more immediately from God and less in mans power then to prevail against temptation Sith nothing doth overcome us against our will but without our will God doth lead us into triall for he knoweth we would taste little of these if we might be our own carvers Vers 3. And Abraham rose up early c. To shew his prompt and present obedience He neither consulted with his wife nor with his own reason Exod. 4. She might have haply hung upon him and hindered him as Zipporah did Moses to the hazarding of his life He captivates all the powers of the soul to his Creator goes after him without sciscitation and so shews himself to be renewed in the spirit of his minde that is in his naturall reason for that like an old Beldam is the mother and nurse of all our distempers and outstrayes Cassianus tells us of a young man that had given himself up to a Christian life And his parents Cassianus misliking that way wrote letters to disswade him from it which when he knew he would not once open them but threw them in the fire Let us do so by the suggestions of flesh and blood and the counsell of carnall friends or we shall never rest and feast in Abrahams bosome I know not by what reason said Borthwick the Scotch Martyr they so called them my friends Act Mon. fol. 1157. which so greatly laboured to convert me as they called it neither will I more esteem them then the Madianites which in time past called the children of Israel to do sacrifice to their Idols Vers 4. Then on the third day A great while for him to be plodding ere he came to the place But we must conceive that his brains were better busied then many of ours would have been therewhile We must not weigh the cross for then it will prove heavy we must not chew the pill but swallow it whole else it will prove bitter We must not plod too much but ply the Throne of Grace for a good use and a good issue of all our trialls and tribulations Vers 5. Abide you here with the Asse This the Hebrews use for a proverb against such as are dull and uncapable Zophar saith That man is born as a wild-asses-colt As an Asses foal for rudeness and a wild-asses for unruliness Job 11.11 It imports that he is untamed and untractable till a new heart be put into him Agur had not the understanding of a man till he spake to Ithiel and Vcall for it Prov. 30.1 2. He wants the totum hominis that doth not fear God and keep his Commandements Eccles 12.13 Tu Asinus unum estote Alex. Cook his Abatement of Popish brags Epist will not do it which was the counsell given to a young Novice entring a Monastery And come again to you Nesciens formam rei futurae prophetavit sciens de eventu prophetavit quod ignoravit saith Amb. Vers 6. And laid it upon Isaac his son Who was herein a lively type of Christ bearing the cross whereon he was offered up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch speaking of the Roman fashion of crucifying malefactors And surely it was by a wonderfull providence of God that the Jews brought our Saviour to Pilate to be put to death sith they hated nothing more then to confirm or countenance the Roman tyranny among them by any means Hence Gamaliel gave counsell to dismiss the Apostles Act. 5.38 And hence the chiefe Priests and Rulers took it so exceeding haynously that Paul was taken out of their hands by the chiefe Captain Act. 23. But God had a hand in it that this and other types and Scriptures might be fulfilled that foretold the very manner of his death on a tree Let the Jews stumble now at the cross and fall backward Let the Gentiles jear us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borreo dicere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita peregr Omnis homâ— aut est cum Christo regnaturus aut cum Diabolo cruciandus Aug. Justin l. 18. as Luciâ—n doth for that we deny the multitude of their gods and yet believe in a crucified God Let us desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and if ever we desire to be Kings in heaven and every man must be aut Caesar aut nullus a King or a caytiffe Let us seek by the eye of faith to see the Sun of righteousness in the West as Stratoes servant taught him Let us look upon Christ hanging on the cross dying on that Altar and we shall live for ever Vers 7. Where is the Lamb for a burnt offering Isaac was not to be told now what belonged to a sacrifice He had been long since taught by his father what was to be done in the service of God When I was young my father taught me saith Solomon Prov. 4.4 so did his mother also Primas in Philip Greg. Moral l. 27. c. 14. Prov. 31. in her Lemuels lesson Plantas tenellas frequentius adaquare proderit saith Primasius Vers 8. God will provide himself a Lamb A pious and precious Proverb much to be mused on and made use of Qui finxit alas papilioni is curabit omma when we are in an exigent and see not whither to turn us Then say Deus viderit God will with the temptation also give an issue 1 Cor. 10.13 Necesse est adesse divinum ubi humanum cessat auxilium saith Philo. Sciat etiam Celsitudo vestra saith Luther in a letter to the Prince Elector of Saxony Sâ—uâ—tet Ann. I would your Highness should well know that businesses are far otherwise carried and concluded in heaven then at the Diet at Norinberg c. And to Phillip Melancthon he writes thus Si nos ruemus ruet Christus unà ille regnator mundi esto ruat c. Sed scribo haec frustrà quia tu Scuâ—tet Annal secundùm philosophiam vestram has res ratione regere hoc est ut ait ille cum ratione insanire pergis occidis teipsum nec vides prorsus extra manum tuam consilium positam esse causam etiam extra curam tuam velle agi Vers 9. And they came to the place Mount Moriah where the Temple was afterwards built This was a little from Salem 2 Chron. 3.1 as Mount Calvary also was a little from Jerusalem And bound Isaac his son Who strugled not neither resisted though able for his age being twenty five year old as Josephus makes him others thirty three to have overmastered his old father He was
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
countries and because the labour was the easier and his right the better sith they had once been his fathers Vers 19. A well of springing water Heb. living so called for their continual motion Life consisteth in action and the godly esteem of life by that stirring they finde in their souls O Lord saith Hezekiah by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit And thus many a man lives more in a shorter then others in a longer time S. Jerome tells of One Hieron Epist ad Fri. qui in brevi vitae spacio tempora virtuâ—im multa replevit As Seneca of another qui non diu vixit sed diù fuit Non multum navigavit sed multum jactatus est Oh live live live saith a Reverend man quickly much long else you are but histed and kickt off this stage of the world as Phocas was by Heraclius Nay Abners fun by M. Harris many as Job 27.23 and v. 15. who were buried before half dead Vers 20. And the herd-men of Gerar Not content to have cast him out they pursued him with cruel hatred and by denying him water went about to destroy both him and his herds Crosses seldom come single Eccles 12.2 but in a croud James 1.2 The clouds return after the rain and cluster against a new storm See therefore that ye keep your cloke close about you Vers 21. And he called the name of it Sitnah Of Satan to hate deadly as the devil doth So the Preacher in his travels tells us of a place called The mouth of hell And we read of a Country called Terra del fuego Preach trav pag. 106. Heyl. Geog. 130. Savoy for the strait passages infested with thieves was once called Malvoy till a worthy adventurer cleared the coasts and then 't was called Salvoy or Savoy quasi salva via Ibid. 474. So King Alfred as he divided the kingdom into shires so the subjects in the several shires into Tens or Tythings every of which should give bond for the good abearing of each other The ancientest of the ten was called the Tything-man And the Kingdom was called Regnum Dei Polyd. Virg. and Albion quasi Olbion happie as Angli quasi Angeli for that then a poor girl might safely travel with a bag of gold in her hand and none durst meddle with her Vers 22. And he removed from thence c. See here a pattern of a patient and peaceable disposition not broken by the continual injuries and affronts of the Philistims that maligned and molested him Psal 120.7 I am peace saith David and I saith Isaac and I saith every son of peace every childe of wisdom How well might good Isaac take up that of David Psal 26.12 Psal 4.2 and say My feet stand in an even place now that he was at Rehoboth especially and God had made room for him The scales of his minde neither rose up toward the beam Barthol Westmer in Psal 26. through their own lightness nor were too much depressed with any load of sorrow but hanging equally and unmoved between both gave him liberty in all occurrences to enjoy himself Our mindes saith a Divine should be like to the Adamant Ambros Hexam 4. that no knife can cut the Salamander that no fire can burn the Rock which no waves can shake the Cypress-tree which no weather can alter the hill Olympus higher then storm or tempest winde or weather can reach unto or rather like mount Sion Psal 1â—5 1 Philip. 4.11 Act. Mon. that cannot be removed but standeth fast for ever Thus Paul had learned how to abound and to be abased Bradford if the Queen would give him life he would thank her if banish him he would thank her if burn him he will thank her if condemn him to perpetual imprisonment he will thank her as he told one Creswel that offered to intercede for him Praeclara est aequabilitas in omni vita idem semper vulius eademque frons Aelian lib. 9. Solin cap. 8. ut de Socrate idemque de C. Laelio accepimus saith Tully in his books of Offices which book the old Lord Burleigh Peachams comp Gent. pag. 45. Lord high Treasurer to Queen Elisabeth would always carry about him to his dying day either in his bosom or pocket And what use he made of it take M. Camdens testimony Camd. Elis fol. 495. Burleigh Lord Treasurer was wont to say that he overcame envie more by patience then pertinacy His private estate he managed with that integrity that he never sued any man no man ever sued him He was in the number of those few that both lived and died with glory Vers 23. And he went up to the place of Gods worship Strabo writeth that the Metapontines Dedicasse in Delphis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they were enriched by a good yeer of corn dedicated to Apollo a golden harvest Vers 24. Fear not for the continued opposition of the Philistims or what-ever other discouragement The best mindes when troubled for any long time yeeld inconsiderate motions and suffer some perturbation as water that is violenly stirred sends up bubbles They cannot be so much master over their passions as not otherwhiles to be disquieted for not the evenest weights but at their first putting into the balance somewhat sway both parts thereof not without some shew of inequality which after some little motion settle themselves in a meet poize Potissimùm verò fidei murus Bucholcer Chronol 320. tentationum ariete durius aliquantò pulsatus concussus facilè nutare ac ruinam minari incipit nisi divinitus sustentetur Vers 25. And called upon the Name of the Lord that had made room for him and now by his presence and promise comforted him Let the streams of Gods bounty lead us as the water-course doth either to the spring upward or downward to the main Ocean to the source and fountain whence they flow Let God taste of the fruit of his own planting Otherwise it is no better then the refreshing of him that standeth by a good fire and crieth Ah ah I am warm Isai 44.16 We are no better then bruit beasts if contenting our selves with a natural use of the creatures we rise not up to the Author if in stead of being temples of his praise we become graves of his benefits Isaac first built an altar and then digg'd a Well Vers 26. And Abimelech went to him Not of any great love but as 1. prickt in conscience 2. to provide for posterity It was a mercy to him howsoever that strangers and Heathens should do him this honour as it was to Luther that when the Pope had excommunicated him the Emperour proscribed him two Kings written against him c. the Elector of Saxony should nevertheless stick to him Manh. loc com and that the Great Turk should send him word not to be discouraged for he would
Lysimachusses came of this tribe that as Sampson and David first fought with lions and then with their enemies all which were types of that lion of the tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5 The divell is a roaring lion Leo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyes in wait for the Church but Christ her invincible Champion is ever at hand for her help who is also Leo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul hath it the Lion of the tribe of Iâ—dah 2 Thess 1. ult that delivereth us from the wrath to come And when this Lyon roareth all creatures tremble Amos 3.8 Saint Ambrose tells us that when the Lyon puts forth his voyce many creatures that could out-run him are so astonied at the terrour of his roar that they are not able to stir from the place And Isidore writeth that the Lions whelp for the first three dayes after it comes into the world lyeth as it were asleep and is afterwards rouzed and raised by the old Lions roaring which makes the very den to shake Christ at the last day shall come with the voyce of the Archangell and trump of God c. And then shall they that sleep in the dust of death awake some to everlasting life and some to everlasting horrour and amazement Dan 12.2 Vers 10. Till Shiloh come Shiloh is by some expounded Vsque dum venturae erunt secundinae ejus id est Judae ut masculin genua in Heb. ostendit Athemate Shalab unde Shaluab Tranquillitas Unde Lat. Salvere Salvus salvare Amama Sub Augustâ— cuncta atque continua totius generis humani aus pax fuit aut pactio Flor. hist l. 4. the son of his secundines The Hebrew word implyes His son and Her son that is the son of the Virgin that came of the line of Iudah Secundines are proper to women He therefore whom Secundines alone brought forth without help of man is Christ alone the promised seed Others render Shiloh Tranquillator Salvator The Safe-maker The Peace-maker The Prosperer This Prince of Peace was born in a time of peace not long after that Pompey had subdued Iudaea to the Romane Government and reduced it into a Province Then was the Scepter newly departed from Iudah and Herod an Edomite made King of the Country And unto him shall the gathering of the people be As unto the standard-bearer Cant. 5.10 the carkase Matth. 24.28 the desire of all nations Hag. 2.7 with Heb. 12.25 Totus ipse desideria saith the Church Cant. 5.16 and When I am lifted up saith He I will draw all men after me Joh. 12.32 they follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth as the hop and heliotrope do the sun Vers 11. Binding his foal unto the vine Vines shall be so plentiful that as Country-men tye their asses to briars and shrubs so shall Judah to the vines that shall grow thick every where Where Christ is set up in the power and purity of his ordinance there is usually a confluence of all inward and outward comforts and contentments He is the Cornu-copia of both to his Church and chosen Vers 12. His eyes shall be red c. Wine and milk are used to signisie plenty of spiritual blessings in heavenly things Esay 55.1 25.6 Vers 13. Act. 17. Zebulun shall dwell c. It is God that appoints us the bounds of our habitations Be content therefore and although we have not all things to our minds yet having God for our portion let us cry out with David The lines are fallen unto me in a fair place c. Zebulon is placed by the sea-side Now shore men are said to be borridi immanes latrociniâ—â— dediti omnium denique pessimi Hence the Proverb Maritimi mores And hâ—â—ce haply that rash and harsh character that Scalâ—ger gives of us Scal. de re Poet. cap. 16. Heyl. Geog. p. 468. Angli pâ—rfidi inflati feri contemptores stolidi amentes inertes inhâ—â—pitales immanes His bolt you see saith One is soon shâ—t and so you may haply guess at the quality of the Archer Be it that our Ancestors were such yet the Gospel hath civilized us at least whatever the more be Christ left Nazareth and came and dwelt at Capernaum which is upon the sea-coast in the borders of Zabulon and Napbtali Ever since which The people which sate in darkness have seen a great light c. Matth. 4.13 16. And when Gilead abode beyond Jordan and came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty Reuben was busic about his sheep Dan about his ships Asher about his breaches c. Zabulon and Naphtali are much commended Judg. 5.16 17 18. for a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field that studied and promoted the publike more then their own pirticular interests Oh it is a brave thing to be of a pablike spirit and to study Gods ends more then our own Surely if â—od saw us to be such we might have what we would and God even think himself beholden to us Shall a Heathen say Cicero Loel Non nobis solùm nati sumus c. And again Mihi non minoris curae est qualis resp post meam moâ—tem futura sit quam qualis hodiè sit And shall Christians be all for themselves looking only to their own things and not to the things of one another the common good of all â—specially S. Chrysostome upon those words 1 Cor. 10.33 Not seeking mine own profit c. saith that to seek the publike good of the Charch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to prefer the salvation of others before his own safety and commodity is the most perfect Canon of Christianity the â—â—â—ghest pitch of perfection the very toâ—-gallant of Religion And I could not but love the man saith Theodosius the Emperour concerning Ambrose who when he dyed Magis de Ecclesiarum statu quam de suis periculis angebatur was more troubled for the Churches troubles then for his own dangers This made the same good Emperour say that he knew none that deserved to be called a Bishop but Ambrose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul n. Nolan in vita Amb. He was called the walls of Italy whiles he lived As when he dyed Stilico the Earl said that his death did threaten the destruction of that whole country Vers 14. Issachar is a streng asse c. He so commends his strength that withal he condemns his dulness This Christ can so little abide that he said even to Judas That thou doest do quickly God utterly refused an asse in sacrifice The firstling of an asse must either be redeemed or have his neâ—â— broke Bellarmine gives the reason and it is a very good one quia tardum pigrum animal because it is a slow sluggish creature segnis quasi seignis without fire heavy to action which God who is himself a pure act cannot abide Vers 15. And he saw that rest was good He submitted to any burdens
and hard conditions for quiet life This was a low poor spirit and his posterity were for the general very unworthy and vile For Issachars lot fell in Galilee Josh 19.18 c. Now doth any good come out of Galilee The best that we read of them was that they had understanding of the times 1 Chro. 12.32 to know what Israel ought to do and were therefore in great account with David But for action it seems they were heavy-spirited dullmettal'd men much like those potters mentioned 1 Chron. 4.23 that dwelt among plants and hedges the base brood of their degenerated fore-fathers in Babylon Ho ho come forth and stee from the land of the North said the Lord unto them Zach. 2.6 Cyrus also had proclaimed liberty to all that would to return to Jerusalem But these dull droans because they got a poor living by making of pots for the King of Babylon they thought themselves well as they were and chose rather to stay under the hedges of Babylon These are res obsoletae so Junius renders the text there things worn out and forgotten and indeed they deserve to be forgotten Vers 16. Dan shall judge Here is an allusion to his name in the Original q. d. the Judger shall judge This is an high honour to sit in the seat of judicature and no less a burden Fructuâ— honos oneris fructus honoris onus They that are called to this office must neither spare the Great for might nor the mean for misery as they must have nothing to lose so nothing to gâ—t neither they must be above all price or sale and straining out all self-affections Deut. 16.20 see to it that Justice justice as Moses speaks that is pure justice without mud run down as a mighty torrent Vers 17. Dan shall be an adder by the way He shall subtily set upon his enemies and suddenly surprize them as they did the men of Laish and as Sampson of this tribe did the Philistims Moses saith Leonina pelli vulpinam assuere Dan is a Lions whelp Deut. 33.22 But when his Lions hide would not serve turn he could piece it out with his fox-skin or serpents slough he could if not outfight his enemics outwit them And dolus Virg. and virtus quis in hoste requirat Of Decebalus King of Dacians it is reported to his singular commendation that he could optimè insidias facere praelium committere optimè uti victoriâ et acceptam cladem ferre moderatè All which were the parts and points 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio in vita Domit. of an excellent warriour Vers 18. I have waited for thy salvation A sudden and sweet ejaculation either as feeling himself faint and spent with speaking he desires to be dissolved and so to be freed from all infirmities Or else fore-seeing the defection of this tribe to idolatry and their many miseries thereupon he darts up this holy desire to God for them and himself in them Good Nehemiah is much in these heavenly ejaculations And the ancient Christians of Egypt were wont to use very short and frequent prayers saith Augustine lest in longer their fervour of affection should suffer diminution Nâ— per moras evanesceret et bebetaretur oratio Aug. Exod. 14.15 Ioh. 16.33 Why cryest thou unto me saith God to Moses This was but a sudden desire darted up Vers 19. Gad a troope shall overcome him but This is every good Christians case in the Spirituall warfare he conquers but comes to it through many conflicts and counterbuffâ—s Apoc. 13.7 He made war upon the Saints and overcame them for a season it may be according to humane conceit howsoever But Chap. 12.11 They conquered and overcame him according to the truth of the thing by the blood of the lamb in whom they do overcome and are more then conquerours Rom. 8. This was fulfilled in the tribe of Gad 1 Chron. 5.18 19 20. Vers 20. Out of Asher his bread shall be fat The kidneys of wheate as the Psalmist hath it Psal 81.16 Or choicest bread-corn Moses expoundeth this Asher shall dip his foot in oyle Deut. 33.24 That is he shall dwell in the horn of the son of oyle as the expression is Isai 5.1 Or in a very fruitfull corn-countrey which was a singular blessing according to his name which signifieth bliss and happiness He shall yeelâ— dainties for a King Kings use to feed of the finest Yet of Augustus we reade that he was never curious in his diet but content with ordinary and common viands He never drank but thrice at one meale and lived neer fourscore years Queen Elizabeth of England New-landors cure by Sr. Edw. Vaughan Camd. Elisab Sabellic AEnead 2. Plures pereunt gulâ quam gladio lancibus quam lanceis crapulâ quam capulâ— c. Heidfeld did seldome eate but one sort of meate rose ever with an appetite and lived about seventy years King Edward the sixth called her by no other name then his sweet sister temperance Contrarily Sylla the Roman Dictator by surfeiting and banquetting at last gat a most miserable disease and dyed full of lice Surfeters either dig their graves with their own teeth The Grecians called the intemperate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wanting health Or else they come to some untimely end by the just judgment of God as those monstrous Epicures Caligula Heliogabalus Geta the Emperour who was served in with dainties by the Alphabet One while he would have anserem anatem aprum Another time he would have phasianum farra ficus Sometime again pullum pavonem Bruson lib. 3. cap. 1. perdicem porcellum piscem pernam c. This was one of those Caesars who gat nothing by their honour but ut citius interficerentur Vers 21. Naphtali is a hinde let loose Swift of foot and which when it slieth looketh behind it saith the Chaldee Paraphrast on Cant. 8.14 This was fulfilled in Barac of this tribe Iudg. 4.6 10 15 16. Veget. lib. 1. cap. 24. which who went up on his feet against Sisera's iron chariots were first a terrour and afterwards a scorn as Vegetius saith of chariots armed with sithes and hookes Origen observes that in all the victories God gave his people in Canaan he never used the help of horses The adversaries both Egyptians and Canaanites had chariots and horses not so Isracl A horse is a warlike creature full of terrour Iob 41.20 Prov. 21.31 So swift that the Persians as Pausanias hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paus Prov. 21.31 dedicates him to their God the Sun as the swiftest creature to the swiftest God But what saith David An horse is a vain thing for safety Psal 33.18 And to the same purpose Solomon A horse â—s prepared for the day of battell but when al 's done salvation is of the Lord. This Barac with his friend Deborah found and celebrated in that famous song Iudg. 5. He giveth goodly words In the aforesaid Song Christ also began to
cruel usage of his suffering Saints Micah 3.3 Heb. 11.35 and the dutie of all that have benefit by him to flea off the old man with his deceitful lusts Ephes 4.22 dealing thereby as the Turk dealt by him that betraied the Rhodes Lâ—unclav Hee presented unto him his promised wife and portion but withal told him that hee would not have a Christian to bee his son-in-law and therefore caussed his Baptized skin as hee called it to bee flaied off and him to bee cast into a bed strawed with salt that hee might get a new skin See Mark 9.49 Ver. 7. Fire upon the Altar That sire from heaven Lev. 9.24 which the Heathens apishly imitated in their Vestal fire Typing either the scorching wrath of God seising upon Christ or the ardent love of Christ to his and their zeal for him Ver. 8. In order upon the wood Shewing that Ministers must rightly divide and dispose the Word of God 2 Tim. 2.15 and evidently set forth Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 Ver. 9. Shall hee wash Shadowing Christ's perfect puritie Heb. 7. and our intire sanctification Ezek. 26.35 Heb. 10.22 Of a sweet savor unto the Lord The burning and broiling of the beasts could yield no sweet savor but thereto was added wine oil and incens by God's appointment and then there was a savor of rest in it Our praiers as from us would never pleas but as indited by the Spirit and presented by Christ they are highly accepted in heaven Ver. 10. A male without blemish But cursed bee that cosener that hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 Ver. 11. On the side of the Altar northward Not Eastward as the Heathen sacrifices or to note the obscuritie of the Legal Cetimonies Ver. 12. In order See the Note on Vers 8. Ver. 13. Hee shall wash See the Note on Vers 9. Ver. 14. Turtle doves or young pigeons Old turtles and young pigeons are the best God must have the verie best of the best as beeing best-worthie Ver. 15. Wring off his head Or pinch it with his nail that the blood might go out without separating it from the rest of the bodie This figured the death of Christ without either breaking a bone or dividing the God-head from the manhood As also the skill that should bee in Ministers to cut or divide aright the word of truth Ver. 16. His crop with his feathers Or the maw with the filth thereof that is the guts which receiv the filth sent unto them from the maw was pluckt out and the blood strained at the side of the Altar this signified those clods of blood wrung from our Saviour before his oblation upon the Cross Ver. 17. Aâ—d hee shall cleav it That the inward part might bee laid on the fire See Psal 51.18 19. Mark 12.33 CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Of fine flour NO quantitie is here prescribed becaus it was a Free-will-offering onely it must bee fine no bran in it to shew the puritie of Christ's sacrifice Heb. 7.26 and of our services through him Mal. 3.11 By means of the oil of his Spirit and incens of his Intercession Ver. 2. Shall burn the memorial of it Whereby God was inminded as it were of the partie offering and acknowledging all his store to bee from God Ver. 3. Shall bee Aaron's and his sons As meat for them hence it was called a Meat-offering and sent them to Christ the meat that endureth unto life everlasting John 6.27 Ver. 4. Vnleavened cake mingled with oil Sinceritie is the mother of serenitie Truth of tranquillitie Ver. 5. Baken in a pan Afterwards parted in pieces and oil powred upon it signified the graces of God's Spirit wherewith Christ was fully annointed within and without Psalm 45.8 and wherewith wee should bee tempered and annointed 1 John 2.27 2 Cor. 1.21 Ver. 6. And pour oil thereon Jacob was the first wee read of that consecrated his offerings with oil Gen. 28.18 Probably hee had it from his predecessors Ver. 7. Baken in the frying-pan So My heart is frying of a good matter saith David Psalm 45.1 Ver. 8. Hee shall bring it unto the Altar God would have all their offerings brought to one Altar both to figure out the one onely all-sufficient-sacrifice of Christ and to teach all the faithful to consent in one and the same truth of the Gospel Ver. 9. Amemorial thereof Signifying the perpetual benefit of Christ's death to all believers Ver. 10. Shall be Aaron's and his son's Ministers maintenence Ver. 11. Nor anie honie Which hath a leavening virtue in it Sweet sins are to bee abandoned there will bee bitterness in the end Prov. 26.26 27. Ver. 12. Yee shall offer them i. e. With the first-fruits yee shall offer both leven Lev. 23.17 and honie 2 Chron. 31.5 Both which are somtimes taken in the better part Mat. 13.33 Cant. 4.11 Ver. 13. Shalt thou season with salt Called here the salt of Gods's covenant as signifying the covenant of God made with us in Christ who seasoneth us and make's all our services savorie See the Note on Mark 9.49 50. Ver. 14. Green ears of corn To signifie that God should bee served with the first-fruits of our age the primrose of our childe-hood CHAP. III. Ver. 1. Whether it bee male or female IN Christ there is neither male nor female but all one Gal. 3 28. Souls have no sexes In Thank-offerings the female also might pass to teach that God look's not so much to the worth of the gift as the honestie of the heart that offer 's it Leavened bread also in this case was accepted Lev. 7.13 Ver. 2. Vpon the Altar round about This signified that plenteous redemption by the blood of sprinkling Ver. 3. The fat that covereth the inwards Heartie thanks must bee given to God such as cometh not from the roof of the mouth but the root of the heart An aërie God bee thanked profiteth not Sing with grace in your hearts is the best tune to anie Psalm The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which com's from the depth of the breast Ver. 4. With the kidnies Those seats of Lusts Earth lie members must bee mortified by the thankful Ver. 5. Vpon the burnt-sacrifice Which was first offered to teach us that sin must bee pardoned ere our Thank-offerings can bee accepted It is therefore ordinarily best to begin our praiers with confession of sin and petitions for pardon through Christ Ver. 8. Laie his hand See the Note on Chap. 1. v. 4. Ver. 9. The whole â—ump Which in those countrie-sheep is verie large yet not so large as those in America The world encompassed mentioned by Sr. Francis Drake as big as kine and supplying the room of horses for burthen or travel Ver. 11. It is the food That whereupon God himself seemeth to feed Psalm 50.13 Ver. 12. That yee neither eat fat nor blood Neither bee carnal nor cruel but let your souls delight in the
are manifest Gal. 5. Neither need wee half so much caution or curiositie to bee persuaded of our spiritual leprosie which is too too apparent onely those manie cerimonies as one well noteth may put us in minde how much more exquisite our diligence ought to bee in finding and ferreting out our special sins Ver. 10. And there bee quick raw flesh It is one of the most remarkable things in all this law saith a learned Divine that quick or sound flesh in the sore should bee judged leprosie and the man unclean whereas if the leprosie covered all his flesh hee was pronounced clean vers 13. Hereby 1. May bee meant such as justifie themselvs and their wickedness as Jonas did his anger whereas hee was judged himself is like him who had the leprosie all over and might bee declared clean Or 2. Such who sin against the light of knowledg and the quickning yea rawness of a galled conscience Ver. 12. And if a leprosie So called becaus so counted at first but it prove's no more then a kinde of scurf or scab Ver. 13. Hee shall pronounce him clean i. e. not infectiously or incurably unclean Ver. 14. But when raw flesh Becaus it shew'd that there were still corrupt and poisoned humors in the bodie not easie to bee expelled till death Ver. 15. It is a leprosie Properly so called a fretting soreness or scabbedness The Greeks call it Elephas or Elephantiasis when the skin grow's hard as the Elephant's skin This the Israëlites brought likely out of Aegypt for it was bred onely about Nilus and is therefore called the botch of Aegypt Deut. 28.27 Ver. 16. Turn again Viz. to bee white like the rest of the bodie so if a sinner stop or step back c. Ver. 18. Was a bile and is healed Seemed to bee healed as apostates to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 and to have known the waie of righteousness vers 21. and yet the later end is wors with them then the begining They becom altogether filthie Psalm 53.3 Forsakers of the Covenant yea wicked doers against the Covenant Dan. 11.30 32. These sin not common sins as Core and his companie died not common deaths Ver. 22. And if it spread much abroad So if sin reign there is no pardon rebel it may reign it must not Ver. 23. But if the bright spot staie Sin if it reign not is not imputed for wee are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6.12 14. Ver. 25. A leprosie broken out of the burning Seldom do passions burn but there is a leprosie breaking out of that burning such as causseth the climate where such lepers live to be like the torrid Zone too hot for anie to live neer them Ver. 30. A yellow thin hair Which is a true sign of a skall Ver. 34. Hee shall wash his clothes See the Note on ver 6. Ver. 35. After his cleansing See the Note on ver 18. Ver. 37. Black hair A sign of soundness Quod sanitas in corpore id sanctitas in corde saith Bernard Ver 39. A freckled spot Or white-morphew This made not a man unclean no more do meer infirmities make God abhor us Ver. 44. His plague is in his head Such a leper is everie ignorant man how much more the man that is an heretick whom therefore after the first and second admonition wee must reject Titus 3.10 yea from such stand off 1 Tim. 6.5 Keep aloof as from lepers Purchas Pilgr their verie breath is infectious and like the dogs of Congo they bite though they bark not Ver. 45. His clothes shall bee rent To shew his sorrow for sin the caus of his calamitie And his head bare That men might not mistake him and further to shew his humilitie whereof this also was a cerimonie A covering upon his upper lip His Moucbaches that by his breath hee might not insect others and to shew that God will not hear a good motion from an ill mouth Vnclean unclean Saie wee the same in our humblest acknowledgments but withall add that of the leper in the Gospel Yet Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee clean Ver. 46. Without the Camp And that utterly if incurable as Vzzias A livelie type of Excommunication which the Apostle describeth 2 Cor. 5.11 12. and our Saviour Mat. 18.17 Ver. 47. The garment also A plague not anie where els read or heard of beeing nothing like clothes now-adaies infected with the plague but far more strange and dangerous whether it did spread or fret inward the garment was to bee burnt with fire This signified that all instruments of idolatrie or of anie other sin are to bee destroied and made awaie As the Law commandeth The graven images of their gods shall yee burn with fire Deut. 7.25 26. And Jude alludeth to it when hee biddeth us save som with fear pulling them out of the fire bating even the garment spotted by the flesh Jude 23. See Isa 30.22 Acts 19.19 Justiciaries also shall one daie finde that though to the worldward they wash themselvs with snow-water and make their hands never so clean yet God will plunge them in the ditch and their own clothes shall make them to bee abhorred Job 9.30 31. CHAP. XIIII Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses ANd to Aaron also though not here mentioned as hee is vers 33. Ver. 2. Hee shall bee brought unto the Priest To teach us to go to Jesus Christ the high-Priest of our profession who healeth all our diseases Psalm 103.3 He cured the leprosie to others altogether incurable by a touch of his hand onely Mark 1.41 Yea hee sent his word and healed them Psalm 107.20 and so hee doth the souls of sinners that com unto him Ver. 3. If the plague of leprosie bee healed As it was in Simon the leper that entertained Christ Jealousie Phrensie and Heresie are counted incurable diseases not so leprosie though the most carried it to their death as Gehazi Azariah c. Ver. 4. Command to take That the leper might shew his thankfulness to Jehovah his Physician as hee is called Exod. 15.26 See Mat. 8.4 Men praie and paie Physicians of their bodies who yet do but officiosè occidere manie times And shall God have nothing Must hee ask as once Where are the other nine Shall wee not turn again with Naaman now cleansed and offer our service renounce our idols dedicate all wee are and have to the God of Israël Two birds Or sparrows whereof two were sold for a farthing to shew how lightly set by Christ is in the world whose blood nevertheless is more worth then a thousand worlds Ver. 5. Over running water Heb. Living water Life consist's in motion in action hence waters that spring and run are for their continual motion called living waters O Lord saith Hezekiah By these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit Isa 38.16 Ver. 6. That was killed over
without doubting Ver. 5. Synesius saith the divel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Idol-lover Vnto the Priest No man might offer his own sacrifice though never so good but must bring it to the Priest and the Priest was to offer as well the poor man's lamb as the rich man's ox Ver 7. Vnto divels As they had don in Aegypt Ezek. 23.8 Deut 32.17 And as both Pagans and Papagans do 1 Cor. 10.20 Revel 9.20 The word here rendred divels signifieth rough ones Satyrs Isa 34.14 Satan is a rough rugged harsh spirit and such also are his imps as Esau Ismaël c. Ver. 9. Shall bee cut off i.e. Destroied not excommunicated onely as som do sens it Ver. 10. That eateth anie manner of blood See the Note on Gen. 9.4 Ver. 11. And I have given it you I have set it apart for a sacred use therefore you may not make food of that which is a figure of Christ Ver. 13. Which hunteth Though hee bee as hungrie as a hunter See 1 Sam. 14.32 33 34. CHAP. XVIII Ver. 1. And the Lord spake SEE the Note on Levit. 7.22 Ver. 2. I am the Lord your God Your Maker and Master Ver. 3. After the doings of the Land of Aegypt Where and in Canaan these hainous sins are counted peccadillo's as at this daie also they are in Spain Italie Turkie where their Catamites are their serious loves Sodomie is hardly held a vice bestialitie was boasted of by Mahomet their prophet In their ordinances The Aegyptians made it lawfull so did the Persians for brother and sister to couple together in marriage Of this and the like ordinances it might bee rightly said as once it was of the cerimonial Law that they were statutes that were not good and judgments whereby they should not live Ezek. 20.25 Ver. 4. To walk therein Not to halt therein nor to take a turn or two or for awhile as Samson went with his parents till hee met with an honie-comb but indesinenter ambulabo Psal 1 16.9 1 Cor. 9.24 as David saith Walk and not bee wearie Run and not faint as those Isa 40. ult So run that yee may obtein saith the Apostle Ver. 5. Hee shall live in them As the flame live's in the oil as the creature by his food so the spiritual life is mainteined by an evangelical keeping of God's commandments As on the contrarie everie motion of the soul out of this waie tend's to death beeing as the motion of the fish out of his element Ver. 6. None of you shall approach viz. To couple carnally with them Ezek. 18.6 Isa 8.3 Yea though it bee under a pretext of marriage for by marriage they seem to justifie their incest which make's it the wors saith Tostatus whose reason here I better like then that of Cardinal Campeius though it sound somwhat like If comparison should bee made said this carnal Cardinal much greater offens it is a Priest to have a wife then to have and keep at home manie harlots For they that keep harlots said hee as it is nought that they do Act. and Mon. fol. 790. so do they acknowledg their sin the other persuade themselvs to do well and so persist without repentance or conscience of their fact Ver. 7. Shee is thy mother And so it is against nature to lie carnally with her Aristotle tel's of a Camel that killed his keeper for caussing him to cover his dam and of an hors that cast himself down head-long after hee had don the like Hist animal l. 9 cap 47. Ver. 8. It is thy father's nakedness For the wife hath not power over her own bodie but the husband and when her chastitie is assaulted shee should saie saith Chrysostom Non est corpus meum sed mariti My bodie is not mine but my husband's Ver. 9. Or born abroad i.e. base-born which our English laws call natural children The Hebrews call them brambles and Mamzerim spots abroad and Shatukim such as must saie nothing when others are praising their parents The Greeks call bastards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becaus they are their father's reproach and are subject to contempt and contumelies of others Ver. 10. For their's is thine own nakedness Children are but the father multiplied the father of another edition Ver. 14. Of thy father's brother The nakedness of whose wife is called his nakedness becaus man and wife are one flesh Mat. 19.6 See the Note there Ver. 17. It is wiokedness Wickedness with a witness and yet avowed for lawfull by som odious upstart Sectaries Hist Davidis Georg p. 28 29. Little non-such p. 5 6 7. who teach that those marriages are most laudable that are betwixt persons nearest in blood brother and sister father and daughter mother and son c. This they shame not to set forth in print Ver. 18. A wife to her sister i. e. Anie two women togethen Compare Ezekiel 1.9 Here Polygamie is flatly forbidden In which sin manie of the Patriarchs lived and died not through anie impietie the Lord testifying that their hearts were upright but meerly through the mistaking of this text as it may seem taking the word sister for one so by blood which was spoken of a sister by nation as those clauses to vex her and during her life do evince Ver. 19. Vnto a woman See the Note on Chap. 15.24 Ver. 20. To defile thy self As David how did hee moil himself with Bathsheba and chased away that pure spirit Psal 51.10 11 12. Casta Deus mens est Ver. 21. Pass thorough the fire Either to bee burned to death in honor of that abominable idol or to bee consecrated thereto by passing between two fires which scorched them See the Note on Mat. 5.22 Neither shalt thou prophane the name i. e. Caus it to bee prophaned and blasphemed by others as Pro. 30. 9. 1 Tim. 1.20 with the Note there Ver. 22. Thou shalt not lie with mankinde The Sodomites sin Gen. 19.5 See the Note there This saie the Hebrews was Ismaël's sporting with Isaac and this saie others was the sin of Joseph's brethren the evil report whereof hee brought to his father A sad report it was surely to our king Henrie the first that was brought him concerning his eldest son William who crossing the seas from France to England was with manie other Gallants cast away by shipwrack being Sodomiticâ labe infecti ferè omnes saith Guliel Parisiensis almost all of them infected with this abomination of going after strange flesh Jude 7 8. Ver. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. mag mor. cap. 5. Neither shalt thou lie with anie beast See what a foul sink of sin man's nature is who would think that anie such surpassing wickedness so Aristotle cal's bestialitie should ever enter into man's heart but there as in the sea is that Leviathan the divel and there are creeping things abominable and uglie lusts innumerable Ver. 24. The nations are defiled And yet are not the Scriptures defiled by
say It was a merry world before there was so much preaching and teaching In terris manducant quod apud inferos digerant Aug. And ye shall eat Flesh with a vengeance which ye shall eat on earth but disgest in hell Vers 20. But even a whole moneth Deus saepè dat iratus quod negat propitius Patientia Dei quo diuturnior eò minacior Poena venit gravior quò magis sera venit Gods forbearance is no quittance fatted beasts are but fitted for the slaughter wicked men are killed with kindnesses Ease slayeth the foolish Prov. 1.32 Vers 21. Six hundred thousand foot-men In the conquest of Canaan there is no mention of horsemen The adversaries both Egyptians and Canaanites had horses and chariots not so this people of Israel See Psal 33.17 Vers 22. Or shall all the fish of the Sea Moses forgat belike the fowls of the ayr but God sent them such a drift of quailes as Moses dream't not of he fed them with meat of Kings bread of Angels Vers 23. And the Lord said unto Moses God bears with Moses here which afterwards he did not Num. 20.12 because then he shewed his distrust before the people God will not pass by the scandalous practices of his own people without a sensible check Vers 24. And set them round about the Tabernacle That the fear of the Lord might be upon them c. 2 Chron. 19.6 7. and that they might carry themselves worthy of God who had set them in place of Judicature To the company of the Areopagites Judges in Athens none were admitted but wise wealthy and noble men famous for good life and innocency Nay men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose behaviour was intolerable after they were chosen into the Colledg of the Areopagites abhorring and blushing at their former disposition changed their natures and embraced vertue Vers 25. Took of the spirit See the Note on vers 17. They prophesied Nec praedicendo nec praedicando but by uttering grave and wise sentences Apophthegmes or counsels as Moses did concerning the publike affairs of Israel by politicall and prudential speaking of things appertaining to government Vers 26. But there remained two of the men Being stayed by some lawful occasion as 1 Sam. 20.26 Jer. 36.5 or haply out of sense of their own insufficiency as 1 Sam. 10.22 Howsoever hereby it appeared to all the people that these seventy Seniours were set apart by God for the service Vers 27. And there ran a young man Three manner of persons said Mr. Latimer can make no credible information 1. Adversaries and enemies 2. Ignorant persons and without judgment 3. Whisperers and blowers in mens ears that will utter in hugger-mugger more then they dare avow openly Vers 18. My Lord Moses forbid Thus the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 Nero omnium erat aemulus qui quoquo modo animum vulgi moverint Nero envyed every man that excelled Vers 29. That all the Lords people This is not meant of a salvificall teaching others but a political discoursing unto others See the Note on ver 25. Vers 32. And they spread them They fed without fear Jude 12. though foretold they should pay dear for these murthering morsels ver 20. that which they eat being saweed and that which they drank being spiced with the bitter wrath of God Job 20.23 Vers 34. They buried the people Who by a hasty testament bequeathed this new name to the place they lay buried in CHAP. XII Vers 1. ANd Miriam and Aaron spake She is set first because chief in the transgression Her discontent might arise from this that being a Prophetess she was not one of those seventy that were chosen to be helps in government Chap. 11. According to her name Miriam would be exalted Ambition rides without reins Because of the Ethiopian woman Zipporah the Midianitesse see Habac. 3.7 to whom he had been married many years before but they were resolved to pick a hole in Moses's coat An ungodly man diggeth up evil Prov. 16.27 but for Moses to be thus used by his own brother and sister was some triall of his patience To be derided by Egyptians is threatned as a misery Hos 7.16 but to be reproached by professors is very grievous Zedekiah feared more to be mocked by the Jews then by the Chaldees Jer. 38.19 For he had married an Ethiopian That was an old fault if any and should have been buried in oblivion Luther married a wife unseasonably when all Germany was now embroyled and embrewed in the blood of the Bores and when all Saxony was in heaviness for the death of their good Prince Elector Frederick This his best friends disliked and bewailed Mel. Epist ad Camerar As for Melancthon Quoniam vero inquit ipsum Lutherum quâ—dammodò tristiorem esse cerno perturbatum ob vitae mutationem omni studio benevolentia consolari eum conor Because I see him somewhat cast down saith He at the late change of his condition I strive all I can to comfort him Vers 2. Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses Every man would be something at home and many care not to raise themselves upon other mens ruines Self-love teacheth such to turn the glass to see themselves bigger others lesser then they are That man hath true light that can be content to be a candle before the Sun of others And the Lord heard it Without any delation of Moses But while Moses is dumb God speaks while he is deaf God hears and stirres The more silent the patient is the more shrill his wrong will be Vers 3. Now the man Moses was very meek So free from passions if Josephus may be believed that he knew no such thing in his own soul he only knew the names of such things and saw them in others rather then in himself Of Beza it is said quòd sine felle vixerit that he was without gall or guile and he lived to a great age as Moses did and as Mr. Dod did their meekness preserved them Above all the men And yet Moses could be angry enough when there was cause Exod. 11.8 16.20 Levit. 1â— 16 Numb 16.15 c. Yea how blessedly blown up was he with a zeal for God Exod. 32.19 and what a stomack shews he in that case Nazianzen saith of Athanasius that he was Magnes Adamas a Load-stone in his sweet gentle drawing nature and yet an Adamant in his resolute stout carriage against those that were evil Vers 4. And the Lord spake suddenly God takes his part ever that fights not for himself Christ that said I seek not mine own glory adds But there is one that seeks is and judgeth Here he appears as a swift witness Mal. 3.5 c. a sharp revenger of his servants injuries The rule is Injuria illata legato redundat in legantem Wrong done to a messenger reflects on him that sent him Vers 7. My servant Moses is not so God had never so
And this is that great offence Psal 19.11 The same reproacheth the Lord As if he wanted either wisdome to observe or power to punish such as take themselves to be out of the reach of his rod See Ezek. 20.27 Vers 31. That gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day This he did with an high hand as vers 30 in contempt of God and his Law Mr. Abbots his sermons The baser sort of people in Swethland do alwaies break the sabbath saying that 't is only for gentlemen to keep that day How much better that poor Indian in new-England who comming by and seeing one of the English profaning of the Lords day by felling of a tree said unto him New-Engl first-fruites pag. 4. do you not know that this is the Lords day Much machet man i.e. Very wicked man what break you Gods day The best and wealthieft of the Iewes to prevent servile work on the Sabbath day with their own hands chop the hearbs sweep the house Buxtorf Synagog cleave wood kindle fire c. on the day before Vers 38. That they may make them fringes See the Note on Mat. 23.5 Aribband of blue This sky-colourd ribband band taught them that though their commoration was on earth their conversation should be in Heaven Philip. 3.20 CHAP. XVI Vers 1. THe son of Izhar And so couzen german to Moses and Aaron for Izhar was brother to Amram their father Exod. 6.18 Sons of Reuben Who being next neighbours to Korah in the Camp were the sooner corrupted by him Vvaque corrupta livorem ducit ab â—â—a Juven Vers 2. Princes of the Assembly A very dangerous conspiracy For as in a beast the body followes the head so in that bellua multorum capitum the multitude Great men are the looking-glasses of the Country according to which most men dress themselves their sins do as seldom go unattended as their persons Height of place ever adds two wings to sin Example and Scandal whereby it soares higher and flyes much further Vers 3. Against Moses and against Aaron They were against both Magistracy and Ministery as our late Levellers and would have brought in Anarchy that every man might offer his own sacrificâ—â— and do that which is good in his own eyes Regnum Cyclopicum Vers 4. He fell upon his face As a suppliant to them not to proceed in their rebellion or rather to God not to proceed against them for their sin Vers 5. And he spake unto Korah By the instinct of the Spirit who had given into his heart a present answer to his prayer and furnished him with this answer Vers 7. Ye take too much upon you He retorts that upon them that they had falsly charged upon him and Aaâ—on So doth Elias upon Ahab 1 King 18.17.18 So do we worthily upon Popery the charge of novelty When a Papist tauntingly demanded of a Protestant Where was your Religion before Luther he was answered In the Bible where yours never was Vers 8. ye sons of Levi He took these to task apart as hoping haply to withdraw them from their purpose and to hide pride from them Job 33.17 but they proved uncounsellable incorrigible Vers 9. Seemeth it but a small thing Whiles these ambitious Levites would be looking up to the Priests Moses sends down their eyes to the people The way not to repine at those above us is to look at those below us Vers 10. And seek ye the Priesthood also Ambition is restless and unsatisfiable for like the Crocodile it grows as long as it lives Vers 11. And what is Aaron q. d. Is it not God whom ye wound through Aaron's sides Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9. Vers 12. We will not come up Sturdy rebels ripe for destruction See Prov. 29.1 with the Note there One perhaps had knockt off and is therefore no more mentioned Satius est recurrere quam male currere as that Emperour said Better stop or step back then run on to utter ruine Vers 13. That floweth with milk and honey So they falsly and maliciously speak of the land of Egypt in derision of the land of Canaan whereunto that praise properly belonged Those that were born in hell know no other heaven Altogether a Prince over us So their quarrel was against Moses his principality though they pretended the Priesthood only at first If the Ministery once be taken away let the Magistâ—ate see to himself hee 's next Vers 14. We will not come up Sc. to the place of judgment so they add rebellion to sin and justifie their treasonful practices as did Ravilliac Faux Saunders others Vers 15. And Moses was very wroth Or very sore grieved He might have said as One once did Felix essem si non imperitassem Happy had I been if I had never been in place of authority Egypt is said by Seneca to have been loquax ingeniosa in contumeliam praefectorum provincia in qua qui vitaverit culpam non effugit infamiam a Province apt to find fault with and to speak hardly of their Rulers though never so innocent These rebels had haply learned those Egyptian manners by living so long amongst them I have not taken one asse from them Moses was not of them that follow the administration of justice as a trade only with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain This is but robbery with authority and justifies the common resemblance of the Courts of justice to the Bush whereto while the sheep flyes for defence in weather he is sure to lose part of his fleece Vers 16. Thy company Or thy congregation thy faction or Church-Malignant as Psal 26.5 Act. 19.32 40. Vers 17. And take every man his censer Which they had ready provided when first they combined to thrust themselves into the Priests office Vers 18. And stood in the door Such an impudency had sin oaded in their faces that they stood stouting it out before the Lord and made open profession of their wickedness there was no need to dig to find it out Jer. 2.34 for they set it as it were upon the cliff of the rock Ezek. 24.7 Vers 19. All the Congregation Not his own company onely for the whole multitude was too ready to favour his attempt as he perswaded them God also would his design being to introduce an equal popularity an ochlocratie that Rule of rascality as One calleth it Vers 21. Separate your selves Good men are taken away from the evill to come When God pulls away the pillars what will become of the building Lot was no sooner taken out of Sodome but Sodome was taken out of the world Vers 22. The God of the Spirits The Former and Father of Spirits Zech. 12.1 Heb. 12.9 that giveth to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and breath Act. 17.25 in whose hand is the soul of all living and the spirit of all flesh Job 12.10 Vers 24. Get you up from about Save your selves from this untoward generation Act. 2.40 force