they are called Stars of light Psal 148.3 and to worke upon inferiour bodies which they doe by their motion light and influence efficiendo imbres ventos grandines procellas sudum c. by causing foule or faire weather as God appoints it Stars are the store-houses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to our profit Deut. 38.12 By their influence they make a scatter of riches upon the earth which good men gather and muck-wormes scramble for Every star is like a purse of gold out of which God throwes downe riches and plentiounesse into the earth The heavens also are garnished by them Job 26.13 they are as it were the spangled curtaine of the Bride-groomes chamber the glorious and glittering rough-cast of his heavenly palace the utmost court of it at least from the which they twinckle to us and teach us to remember our and their Creator who in them makes himselfe visible nay palpable Psal 19 1. Habaâ— 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.27 his wisdome power justice and goodnesse are lined out unto us in the browes of the firmament the countenance whereof we are bound to marke and to discerne the face of the heavens which therefore are somewhere compared to a scroll that is written The heavens those Catholicke Preachers declare the glory of God c. Their line saith David their voice saith Paul citing the same text is gone out throughout all the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.16 they are reall postills of his Divinity These nay far meaner creatures teach us as Balaams Asse did that mad Prophet to this Schoole are we now put backe as idle truants to their ABC Onely let us not as children looke most on the babies on the backside of our bookes gaze not as they doe on the guilded leaves and covers never looking to our lessons but as travellers in a forreigne Country observe and make use of every thing not content with the naturall use of the creature as bruite beasts but marke how every creature reads us a Divinity Lecture from the highest Angell to the lowest worme Verse 21. And God created great Whales In creating whereof Plin. l. 9. c. 3. Ad quas nautae appellentes non nunquam magnum incurrunt discrimen Heid Plin. 32. c. 1. Cur piscos vocat reptile Repere communiter dicuntur omnia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel quae habent pedes brevieres ut nâ—ures c. creavit Deus vastitatus stupores For as Pliny writeth of them when they swim and shew themselves above water annare insulas putes they seem to be so many Islands and have been so esteemed by sea-faring men to their great danger and disadvantage Into the Rivers of Arabia saith Pliny there have come Whales 600 foot long and 360 foot broad This is that Leviathan that playes in the sea besides other creeping or mooving things innumerble Psal 104.25 This one word of Gods mouth Fiat hath made such infinite numbers of fishes that their names may fill a Dictionary Philosophers tell us that whatsoever creature is upon the earth there is the like thereof in the sea yea many that are no where else to be found but with this difference that those things that on the earth are hurtfull the like thereunto in the waters are hurtlesse as Eeles those water-snakes are without poyson c. yea they are wholesome and delicious food Pisâ—is comes of Pasco And in Hebrew the same word signifieth a pond or fish-pool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and blessing Many Islands are maintained and people fed by fish besides the wealth of the Sea The ill-favoured Oyster hath sometimes a bright pearle in it In allusion whereunto we have our treasure that pearle of price the Gospell saith S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4.7 in Oyster-shells And albeit now every creature of God is good 1 Tim. 4.3 and to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe yet under the Law those fish onely were reputed cleane Lev. 11.9 Deut. 14.9 Bern. Serm. 1. in die Sancti Andrâ—ae that had fins and scales So saith St. Bernard are those onely cleane in the sight of God qui squammas loricam habent patientiae pinnulas hilaritatis that have the scales of patience and sins of cheerfulnesse And every winged foule Birds were made of all foure clements yet have more of the earth Gen. 2.19 And therefore that they are so light and doe so delight in the ayre it is so much the more marvellous They sing not at all till they have taken up a stand to their minde nor shall we praise God till content with our estate They use not to sing when they are on the ground but when got into the ayre or on the tops of trees Nor can we praise God aright unlesse weanedly affected to the world It was a good speech of Heathen Epictetus Si luscinia essem facerem quod luscinia Cum autem Epist Enchirid. homo rationalis sim quid faciam Laudabo Deum nec cessabo unquam vos vero ut idem faciatis hortor But concerning the creation of birds Macrob. l. 7 c. 16 there is in Macrobius a large dispute and disquisition whether were first the egge or the bird And here Reason cannot resolve it sith neither can the egge be produced without the bird nor yet the bird without the egge But now both Scripture and Nature determine it that all things were at first produced in their essentiall perfection Verse 22. Be fruitfull and multiply By bidding them do so he made them do so for his words are operative Trismegist saith the selfe same things in effect that Moses here doth God saith he Morneuâ— de verit relig cap. 9. cryeth out to his works by his holy word saying Bring yee forth fruit grow and increase c. Note the harmony here and in twenty more passages between Mercury and Moses God hath not left his truth without witness from the mouthes of heathen writers We may profitably read them but not for ostentation That were to make a calfe of the treasure gotten out of Egypt Verse 24.25 Let the earth c. Loe here the earth Act. 16.8 in it selfe a dead element brings forth at Gods command living creatures tame wild and creeping Why then should it be thought a thing incredible that the same earth at Gods command should bring forth againe our dead bodies restored to life at the last day Surely if that speech of Christ Joh. 11.43 Lazarus come forth had been directed to all the dead they had all presently risen If he speake to the rocks they rent if to the mountaines they melt if to the earth it opens if to the sea it yeelds up her dead if to the whole host of heaven they tremble and stand amazed waiting his pleasure And shall he not prevaile by his mighty power the same that he put forth in the
of the Law by being made a curse for them on the Cross God yeelds himself overcome by this reencounter but yet toucheth their thigh takes away their life Howbeit this hindereth not the Sun of life eternal to arise upon them as they pass over Peâ—â—el Vers 32. Therefore the children c. This custom Josephus saith continued till his time A ceremony indifferent in it self and good by institution in remembrance of that famous conquest might become evil by abuse if it turned into superstition CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1. He divided the children CArnal fear oft expectorates a mans wisdom and leaves him shiftless But Jacob after he had prayed and prevailed was not so moped as not to know what to do in that great danger he masters his fears and makes use of two the likeliest means 1. The marshalling of his wives and children in best manner for the saving of the last at least 2. The marching before them himself and doing lowe obeysance So Esther when she had prayed resolved to venture to the King whatever came of it And our Saviour though before fearful yet after he had prayed in the garden goes forth and meets his enemies in the face asking them Whom seek ye Great is the power of prayer to steel the heart against whatsoever amazements Vers 2. He put the handmaids c. Of children and friends some may be better beloved then others And whereas all cannot be saved or succoured the dearest may be chiefly cared for Vers 3. And he passed over before them As a good Captain and Shepherd ready to be sacrificed for the safety of his charge So the Captain of our salvation the Arch-shepherd Christ So should the under-shepherds the captains as Ministers are called Heb. 12.5 fight in the front and bear the brunt of the battel not loving their lives unto the death so they may finish their course with joy de scuto magis quà m de vita solliciti as Epaminondas The diamond in the Priests brest-plate shewed what should be their hardness and hardiness for the peoples welfare Vers 4. And kissed him The word kissed hath a prick over every letter in the Original to note say the Hebrew Doctors that this was a false and hypocritical kiss a Judas-kiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo Amor non semper est in osculo But our Interpreters are agreed that this kiss was a signe Qui probabilâ—us loqâ—untur aiuns co ipsoâ—oâ—ari animi Esauici câ—â—verâ—ionem Am. that his heart was changed from his former hatred and that those extraordinary pricks do denote the wonder of Gods work therein which is further confirmed in that they both wept which could not easily be counterfeit though they were in Ishmael that notable hypocrite Jer. 41.6 and in the Emperour Andronicus who when he had injuriously caused many of the Nobility to be put to death pretended himself sorry for them Turk hist fol. 50. and that with tears plentifully running down his aged cheeks as if he had been the most sorrowful man alive Ibid. fol. 175. So the Egyptian Crocodile having killed some living beast lieth upon the dead body and washeth the head thereof with her warm tears which she afterward devoureth with the dead body We judge more charitably of Esau here And yet we cannot be of their minde that here-hence conclude his true conversion and salvation We must take heed we neither make Censures whip nor Charities cloke too long we may offend in both and incur the curse Isai 5.20 Joh. Manl. loc com 496. as well by calling evil good as good evil Latomus of Lovain wrote that there was no other a faith in Abraham then in Cicero Another wrote a long Defence and Commendation of Cicero and makes him a very good Christian and true penitentiary Ibid. 483. because he saith somewhere Reprehendo peccata mea quòd Pompeio confisus ejusque partes secutus fuerim I believe neither of them Vers 5. The children which God hath graciously given Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For children are Gods gifts as David taught Solomon Psal 127. It is well observed that good Jacob before a bad man speaks religiously God of his grace c. and Esau as bad as he was makes no jest of it There is no surer signe of a profane heart then to jeer at good expressions then which nothing now adays is more familiar Carnal spirits cannot hear savoury words but they turn them off with a scorn as Pilate did our Saviour speaking of the truth with that scornful profane question What 's truth Shall these scoffers be counted Christians Could any that heard Elijah mocking the service and servants of Baal believe that Baal was god in his esteem Shall not Esau rise up in judgement against such profane persons And shall not Jacob disclaim all such profligate professors for having any relation to him that dare not speak religiously for fear of some Esau in company that are ashamed to seem what they are with Zedekiah lest they that are fallen to the Chaldeans should mock them Vers 7. After came Joseph neer c. Jussus accedere Joseph saith Junius for he was but a little one of six yeers old therefore he did nothing but as his mother bade him and because he went before her he is first named Vers 8. What meanest thou by all this drove c. He met it but had not yet accepted of it either that he might take occasion at their meeting more mannerly to refuse the Present or that he might shew his brotherly affection frankly and freely not purchased or procured by any gift or Present Piscator Vtrunque liberale civile est oblata munera modestè recusare praesertim si grandia sint eadem ab instante humaniter acceptare Vers 9. I have enough my brother Here 's no mention of God God is not in all the wicked mans thoughts he contents himself with a natural use of the creature as bruit beasts do the godly taketh all as from God and findeth no such sweetness as in tasting how good the Lord is in the creature Tam Dei meminisse opus est quà m respirare saith One But prophane Esaus will neither have God in their heads Psal 10.4 nor hearts Psal 14.1 nor ways Tit. 1.16 nor words Psal 12.4 They stand in a posture of distance nay of defiance to God Vers 10. As though I had seen the face of God I cannot but see God and his goodness in thy so unexpected kindness The Lord hath done great things for me whereof I am glad and think my Present well bestowed Vers 11. I have enough Heb. I have all Esau had much but Iacob had all because he had the God of all Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia saith Augustine Esau's enough in the Original is not the same with Iacob's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two manner of enoughs Godliness onely hath contentedness 1 Tim. 6.6 Vers 12. Let
conjurgium Shee was not so hot but Moses was as meek Ver. 26. A bloodie husband thou art This peal shee ring 's oft in his ears and so taught him patience Conjugium humanae divina Academia vitae Certain it is that wee are a bloodie spous to Christ the Church is Acheldama a field of blood Ver. 27. And the Lord said unto Aaron To this religious Familie rather then to anie other God appeareth which mercie is remembred 1 Sam. 2.27 Met him in the mount of God His wife either had left him or was sent back by him to her father God suppli'es that comfort by the coming of Aaron Ver. 28. And Moses told Aaron So clouds when full powr down and the spouts run and the eavs shed and the presses overflow Aromatical trees sweat out their precious oils and as Amber-greece is nothing so sweet in it self as when compounded with other things so good men are great gainers by communicating themselvs to each other Ver. 31. They bowed their heads An ordinarie gesture among the Jews then as at this day the reverence they shew is in standing up Spec. Europ and the gesture of adoration in the bowing forward of their bodies for kneeling they use none neither stir they their bonnets in their Synagogues to anie man but remain still covered CHAP. V. Ver. 1. That they may hold a Feast CHap. 4.23 That they may serv mee Let us keep the feast 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5.8 which is the same with Let us serv God acceptably Heb. 12.28 It is a Feast and better for a good soul to convers with God Psal 63.5 Isa 25.6 Ver. 2. Who is the Lord God's attributes either shew what hee is or who hee is To the question of Moses what hee is God gave a short answer I am To this second by Pharaoh Who hee is God made a large replie till Pharaoh was compelled to answer himself The Lord is righteous Ver. 3. Three daies journie viz. to mount Horeb. They made it three months journie e're they came there Exod. 13.17 18. God lead's his people oft not the nearest but the safest waie to their journies end Ver. 4. Let the people from their works Moses talk's of sacrifice Pharaoh of work Anie thing seem's due work to a carnal minde saving God's service nothing superfluous but religious duties Aug. de Civit. Dei Seneca saith the Jewes cast away a seventh part of their time upon a weekly Sabbath To what end is this loss said Judas Ver. 5. The people of the Land are manie nihil agendo malè agere discent Iphicrates never suffered his souldiers to bee out of emploiment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Polym stratag lib. 3. but if out of militarie services hee set them to dig or lop trees or carrie burdens c. to keep them from mutining or wors doing Ver. 6. And Pharaoh commanded Hee raged the more for the message of dismission so wholesom admonitions make ill men wors Corruptions encreas and biggen by the Law Rom. 7. ver 8. Ver. 7. Yee shall no more give the people straw Speculum tyrannidis semper augescentis atque invalescentis The matter mend's with us Acts and Mon. said those Martyrs in prison as sowr Ale doth in Summer Ver. 8. For they bee idle I heard a great man once say saith Luther Necesse est otiosos esse homines qui ista negotia Religionis curant They must needs bee idle fellows that are so much taken up about the business of religion See the Note on vers 4. Vers 9. And not regard vain words Vain lying words So this profane Prince calleth and counteth the word of God What 's Truth saith Pilat scoffingly Vers 10. I will not give you straw Cold comfort things commonly go backward with the Saints before they com forward as the corn groweth downward ere it grow upward Hold out faith and patience deliverance is at next dore by Cùm duplicantur lateres venit Moyses When things are at worst they 'le mend Vers 11. Yet not ought Such hard service put 's Satan his slaves to and yet they rejoice in their bondage Vers 12. So the people were scattered So are most people now-a daies busied about trash and trifles neglecting the one thing necessarie In the inthronization of the Pope before hee put 's on his criple Crown a wad of straw is set on fire before him and one appointed to saie Sic transit gloria mundi the glorie of this world is but a blaze of straw or stubble soon extinct They that highly esâ—eâ—m it rejoice in a thing of nought feed upon ashes c. Amos 7.8 9. with 13. Vers 13. And the task-masters Who were Egyptians as the officers under them were Israëlites and beaten vers 14. Vers 14. Were beaten It is the miserie of those that are trusted with autoritie that their inferiors faults are beaten upon their backs Vers 15. Came and crie'd unto Pharaoh They did not rail upon him to his face as the Janizaries did in an uproar upon Bajazet the second their Prince saying that they would by and by teach him as a drunkard Turk hist fol. 444. a beast and a rascal to use his great place and calling with more sobrietie and discretion Neither did they go behinde his back and call him as Sanders did Q. Elisabeth his natural Sovereign Lupam Anglicanam the English wolfe or as Rhiston calleth her leaenam omnes Athalias Maachas Rivetti Jesuita vapulans page 263. Jezabeles Herodiades c. superantem a lioness wors then anie Athaliah Maacha Jezabel A foul-mouthed Jesuite made this fals Anagram of her Elisabeth Jezabel T is omitted Fuller's holy State fol. 317. the presage of the gallowes whereon this Anagrammatist was afterwards justly executed Aretine by a longer custom of libelous and contumelious speaking against Princes had got such a habit that at last hee came to diminish and disesteem God himself Vers 16. But the fault is in thine own people Fffugiunt corvi vexat censura columbas As a man is friended so is his matter ended And where the hedg is low a man may lightly make large leaps Or as the French man saith Qui son chien vult tuer la rage luy met sus Hee that hath a minde to kill a dog give 's out that hee is mad It was fault enough in God's Israël that they would not bee miserable Vers 17. Yee are idle See the Note on vers 4 and 8. Vers 18. Yet shall yee deliver the tale of bricks Or bee miserably beaten if but one bee missing The Spaniards besides other intolerable burdens and bondages that they laie upon the poor Indians suppose they shew the wretches great favor when they do not Sir Fran. Drake World encompas pag. 53. for their pleasure whip them with cords and daie by daie drop their naked bodies with burning bacon Regiment without Righteousness turn's into tyrannie Vers 19. In an evil case For
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