outstrip them are too forward they that fall short of them are deeply censured Vers 7. Now therefore restore Let knowledge reforme what ignorance offended in The times of ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 As a Master when he sets up his servant a double light expects more work and better We have a priviledg not onely above the blinde Ethnicks but above the Church of the Old Testament The sea about the Altar was brazen 1 King 7.23 And what eyes could pierce thorough it Now our sea about the Throne is glassie Rom. 4.6 like to Chrystall clearly conveying the light and sight of God to our eyes God hath destroyed the face of the covering cast over all people Esa 25.7 And we all with opeâ— face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord must see to it that we be changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 If those good souls passed from strength to strength Psal 84.7 travelling many a weary step to see the face of God in Sion in the obscure glass of the Ceremonies vae torpori nostro wo to us if now that such a light is sprung up we walk not as children of that light To know heavenly things is to ascend into heaven Prov. 30.3 4. And to know our masters will is a great talent of all other there is a much in that Luke 12.48 But then not to do his will so known is to be beaten with many stripes None so deep in hell as your knowing men because they imprisoned the truth which is as a Prophet from God in unrighteousness Rom 1.18 they kept it in their heads as rain in the middle region Sapientes sapien ter descendunt in infernum Bern. not suffering it to warm their hearts or work upon their affections therefore came wrath upon them to the utmost None are oftner drowned then they that are most skilfull in swimming So none sooner miscarry then men of greatest parts For he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee The proper work of a Prophet Jer. 27.18 If they be Prophets let them intreat the Lord they shall be heard when others shall not as the fathers blessing is most effectuall as the child could not be raised till Elisha came himself nor the sick be healed till the Elders of the Church be called for Jam. 5.14 The Apostles divided their time betwixt praying and preaching Act. 6.4 So did the Priests of the Old Testament Deut. 33.10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgements they shall put incense before thee As with every sacrifice there was incense so should every Ministeriall duty be performed with prayer St. Paul begins his Epistles with prayer and proceeds and ends in like manner What is it that he would have every of his Epistles stamped with by his own hand but prayer for all his people 2 Thess 3.17 18. Thou shalt surely dye So dear to God are his Saints that he grievously punisheth even Kings for their sakes as Jehoram in his bowels with an incurable disease 2 Chron. 21.18 Non desunt qui ad phthiriasin referunt quo avâ—s quoque ipsius Herod mag periit Beza Annot in Act. 12. Oroâ—ius He protested siquam sui corporis partem Lutherianismo sciret insectam revulsurum illicè ne longiùs serperet Sleid. Comment l. 9. Act Mon. 1914. the two Herods by the lousie malady Maximinus the Emperor a cruell persecutor cast upon his bed of sickness by God was glad to crave the prayers of the Church as Eusebius relates it Valens being to subscribe an Order for the banishment of Basil was smitten with a sudden trembling of his hand that he could not Afterward he was burned to death by the Gothes whom he had corrupted by sending them Arrian teachers The putting out of that French Kings eyes which promised before with his eyes to see Anne du Bourg one of Gods true servants burned who seeth not to be the stroke of Gods own hand Then his son Francis not regarding his fathers stripe would needs yet proceed in the burning the same man And did not the same God give him such a blow on the ear as cost him his life As for Charles the ninth author of the French massacre though he were wittily warned by Beza to beware upon occasion of that new Star appearing in Cassiopeia Novem 1572. which he applied to that Star at Christs birth and to the infanticide then with Tu verò Camdens Elis sol 165. Herodes sanguinolente time yet because he repented not God gave him blood to drink as he was worthy for the fifth moneth after the vanishing of this Star Constans fama est illum Act. Mon. fol. 1949. dum è variis corporis partibus sanguis emanaret in lecto saepe volutatum inter terribilium blasphemiarum diras tantam sanguinis vim projecisse ut paucas post horas mortuus fuerit This Charles the ninth in the massacre of Paris beholding the bloody bodies of the butchered Protestants Spec. bel sac p. 248. and feeding his eye upon that wofull spectacle is said to have breathed out this bloody speech Quam bonus est odor hostis mortui Another great Queen seeing the ground covered with the naked carcasses of her Protestant Subjects said M. Newcomâ—n Fast Serm. 27. Like Hannibals O formosum spectaculum De Alexandra Josephus Act Mon. fol. 1 901. that it was the bravest peece of Tapestry that ever she beheld but it was not long that she beheld it Our Queen Mary though non naturâ sed Pontiâ—iciorum arte ferox Ipsa solùm nomen regium ferebat caterùm â—mnem regâ—i potestatem Pharisaei possidebant dyed of a Tympany or as some by her much sighing before her death supposed she dyed of thought and sorrow either for the loss of Callice or for the departure of King Phillip This King going from the Low-countries into Spain by Sea with resolution never to remove thence fell into a storm in which almost all the Fleet was wracked his houshold-stuffe of very great value lost and himself hardly escaped Hist of Coun. of Trent 417. He said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranisme which he presently began to do protesting that he had rather have no Subjects then Lutheran Subjects Whether it was this Phillip or his successor I cannot certainly tell But Carolus Sexibaâ—â—â— tells a lamentable story of one of those two Phillips Hear him else Vlcerum magnitudinem multitudinem acorbitatem fatorem lecto tanquam durae crucâ— â—â—â—o integra affixionem ut in nullam prope commoveri partem possit acres continuosque annâ—r um sex podagrae dolores febrim 〈◊〉 cum dupâ—ici per anâ—os 〈…〉 intima Carot Sâ—ribâ—n Instit princip c. 20. adeoque ossiâ—â—â— medullas depascentem gravissimam 22. dierum dysenteriam quâ— nâ—c moram darâ—t nec detersionâ—m admitteret perpetua
But this had been to kill a fly as one said upon a mans forehead with a great beetle Some think they attempted the chastity of Pharaoh's daughters Such a thing as this made Augustus so angry against Ovid. But most likely it was for some conspiracy such as was that of Bigthan and Teresh Esth 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. The present government is for most part alwayes grievous to some discontented great Ones especially who know not when they are well but are ready to drive a good Prince out of the world and then would dig him up again if they could as the swain said of Dionisius Dionisium refodio But what said Alphonsus that renowned King to this in a speech to the Popes Embassadour He professed that he did not so much wonder at his Courtiers ingratitude to him who had raised sundry of them from mean to great estates as at his own to God whom by every sin we seek to depose nay to murther for Peccatum est Deicidium Rom. 1.30 with 1 Joh. 3.15 Vers 2. And Pharaoh was wroth c. That had been enough to have broke their hearts as a frown from Augustus did Cornelius Gallus and another from Queen Elizabeth Camd. Elizab. fol. 406. did Lord Chancellour Hatton Vt mala nulla feram nisi nudam Caesaris iram Nuda parùm nobis Caesaris ira mali est saith Ovid. And again Omne trahit secum Caesaris ira malum Vers 3. And he put them in ward c. See the slippery estate of Courtiers to day in favour to morrow in disgrace as Haman Sejanus whom the same Senatours conducted to the prison who had accompanied him to the Senate They which sacrificed unto him as to their god which kneeled down to adore him now scoffed at him seeing him drag'd from the Temple to the goale from supream honour Tacit. to extream ignominy His greatest friends were most passionate against him c. they would not once look at him as men look not after Sun-dials longer then the Sun shines upon them The place where Joseph was bound Here was a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. a sweet providence that these obnoxious Officers should be sent to Joseph's prison Vers 4. And the Captain of the guard c. This was Potiphar probably who by this time saw his own error and Joseph's innocency yet kept him still in prison perhaps to save his wives honesty Truth is the daughter of Time it will not alwayes lye hid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caseus in Ethic. Splendet cum obscuratur vincit cum opprimitur Hinc ut pacis templum in media urbc extruxerunt olim Romani ita Veritatis statuam in suis urbibus olim coluerunt Aegyptii Vers 5. And they dreamed c. Of dreams natural and supernatural see the Notes on Chap. 20. vers 3. Vers 6. And behold they were sad Or angry and yet knew not how to help themselves But carnal men disgest their passions as horses do their choler by chewing on the bit Pope Boniface being clapt up prisoner by Cardinal Columnus tore his own flesh with his own teeth Revius and dyed raving Bajazet the great Turk could not be pacified in three dayes after he was taken by Tamberlane Turk hist fol. 220. but as a desperate man still sought after death and called for it Vivere noluit morinesciit as it is said of that Bishop of Salisbury Roger Bishop of Salisbury prisoner in King Steven's dayes Vers 7. And he asked Pharaoh's officers c. Vincula qui sonsit didicit succurrere vinctis Josephs tender heart soon earned toward them upon the sight of their sadness and unasked he offers himself to them as our Saviour did to the widow of Naim and to those two doubting Disciples Luk. 24.17 S. Cyprians compassion is remarkable Cum singulis pectus meum copulo maeroris funeris pondera luctuosa participo cum plangentibus plango cum deflentibus defleo c. I weep with those that weep and am like-affected as if like-afflicted Vers 8. And there is no Interpreter The superstitious Egyptians did curiously observe their dreams and commonly repaired to the sooth-sayers for an interpretation Gen. 41.8 Joseph calleth these Idolaters from their superstitious vanities to the living God as Esay did those of his time Chap. 8.19 20. and Daniel those of his Chap. 2.28 5.18 He had consulted with God by prayer and with the Scripture which revealed sufficient direction to him Ezek. 31.1 to 12. and so soon dispatched the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dream Dan. 4.10 So Joseph here he suffered troubles as an evil doer even unto bonds 2 Tim. 2.9 but the Word of God is not bound Vers 9. Behold a vine was before me God of his infinite grace and wisdome gives men such signs as excellently answer and agree to the thing thereby signified Those two Sacraments of the New Testament for instance which the Greek Fathers in the Apostles sense Heb. 9.24 call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signs and symbols of better things signified and sealed up thereby to the Believer The Lord saith Venerable Beza knowing well the vanity of our natures prone to idolatry hath appointed us two Sacraments only and those consisting also of most simple signs and rites For signs he gave us water bread and wine The rites are no more then to sprinkle eat drink Nempe nemiscri mortales in istorum mysteriorum usu in rebus terrâ—strthus haereant obstupâ—scant Bez. Confess things of most common use and a very little of these too that men may not too much dote on the elements or external acts in the Sacrament but be wholly raised up to the mystery and by faith mount up to Christ thereby set forth and exhibited and fetching him down as it were that we may feed on him Hence the outward sign is no further used then may serve to mind us of the inward grace The Minister also stirrs up the people to look higher then to what they see with Sursùm corda Sacerdos parat fratrum mentes dicendo Sursum cerda Cyprian Lift up your hearts A thing in use among the Primitive Christians Vers 12. The three branches are three days That is they signifie three days So Chap. 41.26 The seven kine are seven years So this is my body that is this signifyeth my body saith Zuinglius after Augustine and Ambrose Or Hun. de Sacram cap. 14. Hâ—m â—â—ad 3. Victimas quibus soe era sancieba tur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. soe â—era voâ—â—t Vngil sallere dextram dixiâ—â—â— i.e. fidem jusjurandum quod datis dextris concipitur this is the sign and figure of my body saith Calvin after Augustine and Tertullian whatsoever Bellarmine and Hunnius prate to the contrary It is an ordinary Metonimy whereby the name of a thing signified is given to the sign for the analogy that is betwixt
lack of Ministers For as Alvarez hath recorded at his being in the King of Habassia's Court there were Embassadours out of Nubia Alvar. hist Aâ—thiopic cap. 137. to intreat him for a supply of Ministers to instruct their Nation and repair Christianity gone to ruine among them but were rejected O fearful Vers 4. But Benjamin Jacob sent not Because best beloved as last born and likeliest to live longest and the least and least able to shift for himself and all that was left of his dearest Rachel his only darling that had been alwayes at hand and in the fathers eye Vers 5. And the sons of Israel came God could have fed them by a miracle as he did Eliah by the ravens Dedit cis pluviam escatilem petram aquatilem Tertull. and Israel in the wilderness where he rained them down Manna and set the flint abroach and Merlin hid in a haymow in the Massacre of Paris by a hen that came thither and laid an egg by him every morning But he worketh ordinarily by means and will have them used Dikes Mich. the drag but not trusted to Vers 6. And Joseph was the Governour Of the Hebrew word here used is made in Arabick the title Sultan given at this day to the great Turk by his Subjects among whom the Arabick is now the learned language Their Alchoran is written in it and prohibited to be translated which both preserves the tongue they say and conceals Religion And Josephs brethren came and bowed This those mockers little thought ever to have done to that Dreamer But the will of the Lord that shall stand Vers 7. Spake roughly to them To bring them the sooner to a sight of their sin God also for like purpose writes bitter things against his people stands afar off hides his love as Ioseph out of increasement of love fights against them with his own hand as he threw his brethren into prison Nihil est tentatio vel universi mundi totius enferni in unum conflata ad eam qua Dem contrariuâ— bomini poniâ—â—â— Luther c. then the which there is no greater affliction saith Luther and all to shew them their sin and to bring them home to himself by repentance Vers 8. But they knew not him As being now altered in stature voyce visage his present pomp and haply also by his former imprisonment and affliction We read of a young man that being condemned to dye was turn'd gray-headed in one night through fore-thought and fear of death and was thereupon spared Vers 9. Then Ioseph remembred the dreams Event is the best interpreter of Divine Oracles The Disciples understood not many things at first that our Saviour said to them as that Ioh. 2.22 Ioh. 12.16 So Iohn Baptists preaching wrought not for some years after it was delivered and then it did Ioh. 18.41 42. The Spouse either heard not or heeded not that speech of her Beloved Open unto me my sister my spouse till some while after he was gone Cant. 5 2-6 Ye are spies This Ioseph speaks not assertivè but tentativè not seriously but by a covert counsel not as himself thought Exploratores deputo bimini meritomendacii vestri Aug. but as the Egyptians suspected or not absolutely but conditionally ye are spies unless you prove what ye have spoken Vers 10. Nay my Lord The world is well changed since they said one to another behold his dreamer cometh Then they could not finde in their hearts to câ—ll him brother now they call him Lord. God when he pleaseth can change the note of our worst enemies to us There is a promise that they shall bow down to us with their faces toward the earth and liâ—k up the dust of our feet Esay 49.23 Vers 11. We are all mans sons Therefore no Spies for what one man would hazard all his sons at once upon so dangerous a design we are true men Heb. Recti The Popish Doctors reject those ancient Authors De Christo lib. 1 cap. 4. that are alledged against them with Non sunt Recti in Curia Bellarmine saith To Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius and Luther I answer Omnes manifesti haeretici sunt when any thing in the decrees likes not the Pope he sets Palea upon it c. Vers 12. Nay but to see the nakedness That is the weakness and where we may be best invaded as Num. 13.19 By this wile he gets out of them that which he much longed to hear of his father and brother Benjamines health and welfare See vers 9. Vers 13. And one is not They tell Joseph that Ioseph is not When God holds mens eyes they see not the truth that lyes before them who is blind as my servant Isai 42.19 Vers 14. This is it that I spake unto you He lays it hard to them still As who should say the longer I hear you the worse I like you ere while ye said ye were ten brethren of you Now you acknowledg two more lyars had need to have good memories c. Be we as jealous of Satan Meâ—dacem opertet esse memoâ—â—m and as watchfull against his wiles when he comes to set out the nakedness of our souls that where the hedge is lowest this beast may leap over watch him I say and learn out his haunts for we have heard and felt that he is very subtle as Saul said of David 1 Sam. 23.22 V. 15. By the life of Pharaoh Ioseph that he might seem enough an Egyptian sweares heathennishly Egyptians partly of flattery and partly of superstition used to sweare by the life or as the greek here hath it by the health of their King The Spaniards in the pride of their Monarchy are grown also now to sweare by the life of their King The Hebrews write to this day Sands his relation of West Relig. that he which falsely sweares by the Kings head in a money-matter shall be put to death as Pererius upon this text tells us This grew doubtless of that cursed custome of deifying their Kings as Antiochus sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Caligula would be stiled Dominus Deus as at this day the Popes Parasites call him Dominum Deum nostrum papam To be sworn by is an honour peculiar to God Isai 65.16 Ier. 12.6 That of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15.31 Is not an oath but an obtestation or a taking of his afflictions for Christ to witness That of the Spouse Cant. 3.5 is not an oath but an adjuration for he chargeth his Churches enemies not to trouble her and if they do Roes and Hindes shall testifie against them which would not do so had they but Reason This of Ioseph likewise Non est forma juramenti led asseverationit seria oâ—tesâ—â—tionis dome 〈◊〉 is by some said to be not an oath but an earnest asseveration as who should say as true as Pharaoh liveth or so Pharaoh live Be it what it will Ioseph cannot altogether be
Paul's Epistles which he liked so well that were he now to chuse his Religion Heyl. Geog. pag. 714. he would before any other embrace Christianity But every one ought said He to dye in his own religion And the leaving of the faith wherein he was born was the only thing that he disliked in that Apostle Vers 28. Blessed them every one according c. These hard blessings to some of them especially hindered not the covenant Still they were Patriarchs and heirs of the Promises Afflictions how sharp soever shew us not to be cast-awayes If a man should be baited and used as a dog or a bear yet so long as he hath humane shape and a reasonable soul he will not believe he is either dog or bear Let not crosses cause us to take up hard thoughts of God or heavy thoughts of our selves as if out of his favour but account it a mercy rather that we may scape so and be judged here of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world Jacob is here said to have blessed all his sons He rather seemed to curse some of them And for his welbeloved Benjamin Parum auspicata honorifera videtur haec prophetia saith Pareus But because they were not rejected from being among Gods people as Ishmael and Esau were for less faults perhaps though they were to undergo great and sore afflictions they are said to be blessed yea and they shall be blessed as Isaac said to his whining son Esau Vers 29. I am to be gathered c. That is I am now going to heaven whereof being so well assured what wonder though he were so willing to dye I know that my Redeemer liveth saith Job I know whom I have trusted saith Paul Ipse viderit ubi anima mca man sura fit qui proea sic sollicitus suit ut vitam pro ea posuerit Luther Occidere potest ladere non potest And what shall become of my soul when I dye let him see to it who laid down his life for it said Luther Death may kill me but cannot hurt me said Another This assurance of heaven is as Mr. Larymer calls it the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience There are other dainty dishes in this feast but this is the banquet Vers 33. He gathered up his feet He quietly composed himself as it were to sleep in Jesus He had stretcht out himself before saith Musculus as well as he could for reverence to the Word of God which he delivered c. And was gathered to his people To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven Heb. 12.23 In Jerusalem records were kept of the names of all the citizens Psal 48.3 So is it in Heaven where Jacob is now a denizon CHAP. L. Vers 1. And Joseph fell upon his fathers face AS willing to have wept him alive again if possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famulor curo .i. remedia morbo adhibco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adrian Imp. Tritum est nullum medicum esse peritum nisi 30 homines Orco demiscrit Farewell Physick was Chaucers Motto Olim exponebatur aeger obvio cuilibet sanandus yet more moderate then his father had been in the supposed death of him by an evil beast devouring him But of mourning for the dead see Notes on Chap. 23.2 Vers 2. And Ioseph commanded his servants the Physitians Physitians it seems were formerly of no great esteem perhaps it was because through ignorance they many times officiously killed their patients We know who it was that cryed out upon his death-bed Many Physitians have killed the Emperour And it is grown to a Proverb No Physitian can be his crafts-master till he have been the death of thirty men The Egyptians to prevent this mischief appointed for every ordinary disease a several Physitian enjoyning them to study the cure of that only And till then the fashion was to lay the sick man at his door where every passenger was bound to enquire the nature of his disease that if either himself or any within his knowledg had recovered of the like Plutarch Herodot lib. 1. he might tell by what means or stay to make tryal of that skill he had upon the Patient Physick is without question the ordinance of God Exod. 15.26 Exod. 31.19 He stiles himself Jehovah Rophe the Lord the Physitian And a Physitian is more worth then many others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. saith the Heathen Poet. Use them we must when there is need Mar. 2.17 1 Tim. 4.4 but not idolize them as 2 Chron. 16.12 And the Physitians embalmed Israel According to the custome of that country Herodot Euterpe Plin. lib. 11. cap. 27.2 Chron. 16.14 21.16 concerning which he that will see more may read in Heredotus and Pliny This custome continued also in after-ages as well among Jews as Gentiles But the Devil turned it in time into most vain superstition both among the Greeks whom Lucian frequently jeers for it and among the Latines witness that of Ennius Tarquinii corpus bona foemina lavit unxit Ioseph embalmed his fathers corpse partly to honour him with this solemnity and partly to preserve him for so long a journey but principally to testifie his faith of the Resurrection and that incorruption he hoped for at the last day Some think the Apostle hath relation to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voce mediâ— in that 1 Cor. 15.29 and they read it thus Why do they then wash over the dead Confer Act 9 37. Vers 3. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy dayes Longer then Ioseph mourned they did it through ignorance and as men without hope for both which see 1 Thess 4.13 Ioseph could look thorow hâ—s own loss and see his fathers gain beyond it Besides Hieron ad Julian he could say as Hierome in like case Tulisti Domine patrem quem ipse de leras Non contristor quòd recepisti ago gratias quò dedisti Cic. de â—inib lib. 2. And if Epicures could comfort themselves in their greatest dejections ex praeteritarum voluptatum recordatione How much more could Ioseph now not only by calling to mind this last seventeen years enjoyment of his dear father beyond all hope and expectation but chiefly that happy change his father had made from darkness to light from death to life from sorrow to solace from a factious world to a heavenly habitation where he drinks of that torrent of pleasure without let or loathing Vers 4. Speak I pray you in the cars of Pharaoh He spake not to the King himself but set others a work Not because he was fallen out of favour Parcus for he had the happiness to be favourite to five Kings Orus Amasis Chebron Amenophes and Mephiris in the eleventh year of whose reign he dyed but because he was now a mourner and such were not wont to come before Kings Esth 4.2
though none but such as mourn are suffered to come before God Matth. 5.4 Vers 5. In my grave which I have digged for me An usual thing of old 2 Chron. 16.14 Matth. 27.60 See the Notes on Chap. 23. vers 9. Quintillus Plautianus an ancient Senatour of Rome in the dayes of Severus the Emperour Postulavit ut ea quae ad sepulturam suam comparaverat c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. being wrongfully accused and condemned to dye desired afore his death to see those things that he had long since laid by for his burial Which when he saw to be little worth with long lying Quid hoc rei est inquit itane cunctati sumus What a thing is this said He Have we made no more haste to dye then so Ver 6. As he made thee swear Oathes must be religiously kept even those that are private betwixt friend and friend For although whatsoever is more then Yea and Nay in our ordinary communication is evil Matth. 5.37 yet a private oath as betwixt Boaz and Ruth so it be sparingly and warily used is not unlawful For in serious and weighty affairs if it be lawful in private to admit God as a Judge why may he not as well be called to witness and to avenge But this only in case of necessity when Yea and Nay will not be taken Vers 7. And with him went up all the servants That is most of them as Matth. 3.5 In doing the Patriarch this honour they stand renowned for thankful men and such saith One are worth their weight in gold Blessed be he of the Lord who leaveth not off his kindnesse to the living and to the dead Ruth 2.20 But how base was Bonner that railed so bitterly against his Patrone Cromwell Act. Mon. 1089. whose creature he had been after his death calling him the rankest heretick that ever lived and that it had been good he had been dispatcht long ago And Cardinal Pool plaid the unworthy man in having an intent to take up King Henry the eighth's body at Windsor and to have burned it Ibid. 1905. This the Papists did to Paulus Phagius a learned German that dyed at Cambridge being sent for over by King Edward the sixth And although they never heard him speak Ibid. 1789. for he dyed soon after his coming into the Realm having not time either to dispute or preach here yet they unburied him and burnt his bones Of all fowl we most hate and detest crowes and of all beasts those called Jackals a kinde of foxes in Barbary because the one diggs up the graves and devoures the flesh the other picks out the eyes of the dead D. Featly his Transubstant exploded 219. Vers 10. And he made a mourning for his father Not seventy dayes as those Infidels did vers 3. But why mourned he at all Ob. Sol. sith God had signified his will So far forth as something concurs with Gods Will that is grievous to us we may mourn moderately without offence Vers 11. Abel-Mizraim which is beyond Iordan A gracious providence of God as Piscator well observeth that for the confirmation of the Israelites faith when they were to pass over Jordan and afterwards there should be a standing monument there of the transportation of Iacobs body out of Egypt into Canaan Rom. 8.28 for burial-sake Thus all things work together for good to Gods beloved Vers 15. Ioseph will peradventure hate us An ill conscience we are sure still haunts them as a hell-hag and fills them with unquestionable conviction and horrour Bâ—tter be langold to a lion then to an unquiet conscience See Notes on Chap. 4. ver 14. and Notes on Chap. 42. ver 21. Such take no more rest then one upon a rack or bed of thorns There were not many to kill Cain besides his father and his mother and yet he cryes Every one that finds me c. Vers 16. Thy father did command c It is a just question whether there were ever a true word of all this For Iacob probably never knew how ill they had used Ioseph as is above-said But if this had been his command howsoever as they pretend would not Iacob have spoken himself for them to Ioseph afore he dyed Prov. 29.25 Fear of man causeth lying Zeph. 3.13 and so brings a snare to the soul Vers 17. Forgive I pray thee now In this case a man is bound not only to let fall all wrath and desire of revenge but to make a solemn profession of hearty forgiveness Luk. 17.4 If the wrong-doer say I repent you must say I forgive as ever you hope to be forgiven of God Our Saviour Luk. 11.14 seems to make our forgiving our trespassers the intervenient cause that which they call Sine qua non of Gods forgiving us Mark this lest we be constrained to do as Latimer reports of some in his dayes that being not willing to forgive their enemies would not say their Pater-noster lest they should therein curse themselves but instead thereof took their Lady-Psalter in hand because they were perswaded that by that they might obtain forgiveness of favour without putting of so hard a condition as forgiveness of their enemies For they did unto thee evil Joseph had long agone seen their sorrow never till now heard their confession and is abundantly satisfied Think the same of God Do but confess and he must forgive upon his Faithfulness 1 Iob. 4.9 In the Courts of men it is the safest plea saith Quintilian to cry Non feci not so here Take away the iniquity of thy servant saith David and to prove himself so he adds For I have done foolishly 2 Sam. 24.10 Acknowledg the debt and God will forthwith cross the book Forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God c. Nothing should more perswade to unity then religion Eph. 4.3 4 5. Others may cleave together as the clay in Nebuchadnezzars image but the Saints only incorporate into each other Vers 18. Behold we be thy servants Oh that God might hear such words fall from us prostrate at his feet How soon would he take us up and embrace us Deus redire nos sibi non perire desiderat saith Chrysologus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil suffundere sanguinem quam effundere saith Tertullian I agnized my sin and the amends was soon made saith David Psal 32. Vers 19. Am I in the place of God q.d. Can I hurt you when God intends good to you Is it for me to cross his decree Vers 21. I will nourish you To requite your kindness that consulted to starve me in the waterless pit This was a noble way of revenging this was heroicall and fit for christian imitation If thy enemy hunger feed him Vers 22. And Ioseph lived an hundered and ten years Fourscore of these he lived in great wealth and all of them perhaps in very good health as Pliny reports of one Xenophilus Plin. lib. 7. cap.
body should have been in health 3 Joâ— 2. as his soule prospered The tree of knowledge of good and evill So called not because it selfe either knew or could cause man to know but from the event God Forewarning our first parents that they should know by wofull experience unlesse they abstained what was the worth of good by the want of it and what the presence of evill by the sence of it In like sort the waters of Meribah and Kibroth Hattaavah or the graves of lust received their names from that which fell out in those places Verse 10. And a river went out Pliny writeth Plin. l. 2. c. 106. that in the Province of Babylon there is burning and smothering a certaine lake or bog about the bignesse of an acre And who knowes whether that be not a peece of Paradise now drowned and destroyed V. 11. Where there is gold Which though never so much admired studiously acquired is but the guts garbage of the earth Gold is that which the basest element yeelds the most savage Indians get servile Apprentices work Midianitish Camels carry miserable muck-worms adore unthrifty Ruffians spend It is to be wondred thatt reading upon the Minerals we canot contemn them They lye furthest from heaven and the best of them in Havilah furthest of all from the Church Adam had them in the first paradise In the second we shall not need them Money is the Monarch of this world and answers all things but in the matters of God money bears no mastery will fetch in no commodity Iob 28.15 Wisemen esteemed it as the stones of the street 2 Chron. 1.15 children of wisdome might not possesse it in their girdles Matth. 10.9 Medes cared not for it Esa 13.17 and divels were set to keep rich and pleasant Palaces verse 22. So subject these mettals are to ensnare and defile us that God made a law to have them purified ere he would have them used Num. 31.22 23. and appointed the snuffers and snuffe-dishes of the Sanctuary to be made of pure gold Exod. 25.28 to teach us to make no account of that that he put to so base offices and is frequently given to so bad men The Spaniard found in the mines of America more gold then earth D. Heyl. Geogr. p 774. Hasten we to that Country where God shall be our gold and we shall have plenty of silver Iob 22.25 Verse 15. To dresse it and to keepe it This he did as without necessity so without paines without wearinesse It was rather his recreation then his occupation He laboured now by an Ordinance it was after his fall laid upon him as a punishment Gen. 3.19 to eat his bread in the sweat of his nose God never made any as he made Leviathan to sport himselfe only or to do as it is said of the people of Tombutum in Affrick that they spend their whole time in piping and dancing â—ph 4.28 but to work either with his hands or his head in the sweat of his brow or of his braine the thing that is good and with how much the more cheerfulnesse any one goeth about his businesse by so much the nearer he commeth to his Paradise Verse 16. Commanded the man saying God hath given man dominion over all the sublunary creatures and lest he should forget that he had a Lord whom to serve and obey he gave him this command to keep Of every tree of the Garden thou maist freely eat The lesse need he had to have been so licorish after forbidden fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic adhibet quod miserecordiae est But stoln waters are sweet Nitimur in vetitum c. Verse 17. But of the tree c. An exploratory prohibition God knew well where we are weakest and worst able to withstand viz. about moderating the pleasures of our touch and taste because these befall us not as men Arist Ethic. l. 1. c. 3. but as living creatures Here therefore he layes a law upon Adam for the triall of his love which left to his owne free-will he soon transgressed Thou shalt surely dye Certissimè citissiméque morieris saith Zuinglius thou shalt surely and shortly or suddenly dye And without doubt every man should dye the same day he is born the wages of death should be paid him presently But Christ begs their lives for a season For which cause he is said to be the Saviour of all men not of eternall preservation but of temporall reservation 1 Tim. 4.10 In which respect also God is said so to have loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. It was a mercy to all mankind Iob. 3.16 that the Messiah was promised and provided sealed and sent into the world that some might be saved and the rest sustained in life for their sakes Symmachus renders it Thou shalt be mortall Verse 18. And the Lord God said Had said to wit on the sixth day when he made Man and there was not a meet help found for him Then God said It is not good c. and so created the woman by deliberate councell as before he had done the man Only there it was in the plural Let us make here I will make to shew the unity of the Essence in the Trinity of persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenis in nuptiis dici solitum Zenod. Proverb It is not good for man to be alone It is neither for his profit nor his comfort Optimum solatium sodalatium I will make him a helpe meet for him or such another as himselfe of the same form for perfection of nature and for gifts inward and outward one in whom he may see himself and that may be to him as an Alter-ego a second-self Eph. 5.28 Such an one as may be a help to him both so this life 1. By continuall society and cohabitation 2. For procreation and education of children And for the life to come 1. As a remedy against sin 1 Cor. 7.2 Secondly As a companion in Gods service 1 Pet. 3.7 Nazianzen saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. in pat â—pitaph that his mother was not only a meet help to his father in matters of piety but also a doctresse and a governesse and yet he was no baby but an able Minister of the Gospel Budaeus that learned French-man had a great help of his wife in points of learning she would be as busie in his study Non tractat negligentius libros â—eos quà m liberos Daniels Chron. fol. 262. as about her huswifery Placilla the Empresse was a singular help to her husband Theodosius in things both temporall and spirituall And so was our King Edward the thirds Queen a Lady of excellent vertue the same that built Queens Colledge in Oxford She drew evenly saith the Historian with the King her husband in all the courses of honour that appertained to her side and seems a piece so just cut for him as answered him
blow He dare not venture on the occasion lest his tinder should take fire Circa serpent is antrum poâ—ituâ— non eris diâ— illasus Isidor It is ill playing upon the hole of the Aspe or coming too near Hell-mouth For by so doing you may beseem to drop in Watch therefore and pray too that ye enter not into temptation saith our blessed Saviour and mark his reason The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak q. d. Though the Spirit purpose otherwise the flesh will faulter and be foyled Witness the woman here with her left ye die She held the precept in the utmost extent of it But that which she failed in was That she minced the matter and opposed not the commination to the temptation And see how the Devil works upon her weakness as he watcheth for our haltings and where to have us on the lip Vers 4. Ye shall not surely die He saith not Dying ye shall not dye or Surely ye shall not die This had been too plain a contradiction to that word of God that had threatned assured death But Ye shall not die in dying That is It is not certain ye shall die And this latter is more nice and ambiguous She seems to doubt of the certainty of what God had said He plainly and yet clearly impugnes it Whereas had Gods Word abidden in her she had overcome that wicked one 1 John 2.14 The word is compared to mustard seed which being mixt with vinegar is they say a soveraign medicine against Serpents Vers 5. For God doth know c. Picherellus in Cosmopaea Id quod cuns Deum non lateat sibi cavet It is remarkable that the devil here chargeth God with envy which is his own proper disease For ever since he himself fell from Heaven he cannot abide that any should come there but of pure spight hindereth them all that may be Here he envyed that God should be served by man and that man should be gifted and graced by God So that he paints out and points out himself in saying That God envyed man the gift of Wisdom There is nothing more usual with the wicked then to muse as they use and to suppose that evil to be in others that they â—inde to be in themselves Die in Calig Act. Mon. fol. 1441. Caligula that impure beast would not beleeve there was any chast person upon earth And I dare say said Bonner to Hawks the Martyr that Cranmer would recant if he might have his living So judging others by himself For Papists apply themselves said our Protomartyr Mr. Rogers to the present state yea if the state should change ten times in the yeer they would ever be ready at hand to change with it and so follow the cry and rather utterly forsake God and be of no Religion then that they would forgo lust or Living for God or Religion Then your eyes shall be opened There is an opening of the eyes of the minde to contemplation and joy There is also an opening of the eyes of the body to confusion and shame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1 King 22.15 Cioesus Halyn pâ—â—â—â—â—s maâ—nam diâ—pâ—â—dâ—s â—pum vim Herod He promiseth them the former but intends the latter and so cheats them as he doth thousands now adays by the cogging of a Dye as Saint Paul hath it giving them an apple in exchange for paradise Thus of old he couzened Aâ—ab and Croesus with promises of victory which when it fell out otherwise he had a hole to creep out and save his credit by an equivocation Thus of latter time be gulled Pope Silvester the second assuring him that he shouâ—d never dye till he came to say Mass in Jerusalem He resolving never to come there made no reckoninâ— but to live a long time But it fâ—ll out somewhat otherwise For as he was saying Mass in a certain Church in Rome called Jerusalem fearing nothing â—uncâ—ius in Câ—ronol Intelligit â—e a diabolo amphibolâ— vocis circumventum auimadvertit sibi moriendum esse pensumque Sataâ—ae reddendum c. the Devill claymed his due and had it For he was there and then taken with a strong feaver and lying on his death bed he sent for all his Cardinais and declaring before them what a wretched bargain he had made with the devill selling his soul for the Popedome and deceivedâ—by him with promise of long â—â—lfe he bitterly bewayled his own folly and advised them to beware by his example And was not Leoline the second Prince of North-Wales as finely cheated For consulting with a Witch he was told that it was his destiny to ride through London with a crown on his head Hereupon he growing burdensome to the English borders was in a battle overthrown His head fixt upon a stake and adorned with a paper-crown was by a horseman triumphantly carried through London Heylins Geog. p. 493. and so the prophesie was fulfilled Anno Dom. 1282. And ye shall be as Gods The Serpents Grammar first taught saith Damianus Deum pluralitèr declinare eritis sicut Dii This the woman understood of the Trinity as appears vers 22. but the Devill might mean it of the Angels so our Chaldee Paraphrast translates it which had sinned and now had wofull experience of the good which they had lost and the evill wherein they lay Verse 6. And when the woman saw At this Cinque-port the devill entred How many thousand souls have dyed of the wound of the eye Ovid. and cryed out as Eve might here ut vidi ut perii If we do not let in sin at the window of the eye or the door of the ear it cannot enter into our hearts Vitiis nobis in animum per oculos est via saith Quintilian Wherefore if thine eye offend thee pull it out In Barbary 't is death for any man to see one of the Xoriffes concubines and for them too if when they see a man though but through a casement they doe not suddenly screek out Quintil. declam She took of the fruit thereof Whatever it were whether an apple as Bernard Heyl. Geog. p. 196. Pâ—rrexit Pomum surripuit paradisum Bern. and others gather out of Cant. 2.3 or a fig as Theodorot or a pomegranate as Mahomet in his Alchoran or a peach malum persicum or Pomum Paradisi as the Syrians call a kinde of fruit common amongst them God created us of nothing and we offended him for a matter of nothing All the legions of the reprobate devills saith one entred into one beast and Yates his Medell by the Pitho and Suada of that viperous tongue crept into the bosome of â—â—ve as it were by all the Topick places in Logick figures in Rhetorick and other engines of guile and deceit till they had brought her into a fools paradise with the loss of the earthly and hazard of the heavenly And gave it also to her husband It is probable saith the same
got a manchilde of the Lord she called him Cain a possession as David did Absolom his Fathers peace But Fallitur augurio spes bona sape suo Excellently Saint Gregory Ante partum liberi sunt onerosi in partu dolorosi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post partum laboriosi And he shall rule over thee Yet not with rigor She must though to her grief and regret be subject to all her husbands lawful both commands and restraints But he must carry himself as a man of knowledg towards her and make her yoke as easie as may be It is remarkable Colos 3.19 That when the Apostle had bid Wives submit to your own husbands c. He doth not say Husbands rule over your wives for that they will do fast enough without biding but husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them Vers 17. Because thou hast hearkned to the voyce of thy wife Our English Historian relating the deadly difference that fell out betwixt those two noble Seymours the Lord Protector Sir Johu Heywood in the life of K. Edw. 6. p. 84. and the Admiral his Brother in Edward the sixt time thorough the instigation of their ambitious wives passionately cryes out O wives The most sweet poyson the most desired evil in the world c. Woman was first given to man for a Comforter saith he not for a Counsellor much less a controller and director And therefore in the first sentence against man this cause is expressed Because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wife c. Cursed is the ground for thy sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arvuum ab Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Greeks and Latines borrow their words for ground of the Hebrew word that signifieth cursed The curse of emptiness and unsatisfyingness lyes upon it that no man hath enough though never so much of it The curse also of barrenness or unprofitable fruits whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 The whole earth and the works therein 2 Pet. 3.10 shall be burnt up It was never beautiful nor chearful since Adams fall At this day it lyes bed-rid waiting for the coming of the Son of God that it may be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8.20 Vers 18. Thorns also and thisties Vbi veritas dixit quod terra homini spinas tribulos germinaret subintelligendum fuit ait Petrareha rusticos tribulis omnibus asperiores Petrarch de remed ver fort Dial. 59. Judg. 8 7-16 The Clowns of Midian drove Jethroes daughters from the water they had drawn Rudeness hath no respect either to sex or condition Those Churls of Succoth were worthily threshed with thorns of the Wilderness and with bryars and thereby taught better manners Thou shalt eat the herb of the field And no longer feed on these pleasant fruits of Paradise which by thy sin thou hast forfeited Thus man is driven from his dainty and delicate dyet to eat husks with hogs as the Prodigal or at least grass with the Ox as Nebuchadnezzar and be glad of it too as our Ancestours who though they fed not at first on acorns as the Poets fable Hiâ—c holus quisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if they could get a dish of good green herbs they held themselves as well provided for as if they had all Verse 19. Picherellus in Cosmâ—p In the sweat of thy face Or of thy nose as One rendreth it that sweat that beginning in thy brow runs down by thy nose through thy hard labour This is a law laid upon all sorts to sweat out a poor living to humble themselves by just labour to sweat either their brows or their brains for this latter also is a sore occupation Eccles 1.13 and the Ministers toyl is compared to that of those that cleave wood or work hard in harvest 1 Thess 3.5 Math. 10.1 â— 1 Cor. 9.14 See my true â—â—ealure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shalt thou eat bread Not herbs onely as vers 18. And here take notice of an elegant gradation together with a mercifull mitigation of mans misery Thou shalt eat earth ver 17. herbs vers 18. and now here Thou shalt eat bread that stay and staffe of mans life under his hard labour Panem dictum volunt à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor 1.20 Vntill thou returne unto the ground O earth earth earth bearâ— the word of the Lord i.e. Earth by creation Earth by corruption Earth by resolution This is the end of all men and the living should lay it to heart Jâ—â— 22.29 In this third of Genesis we find Mans Exodus This is the first text of mortality and all comments yea all dead corpses concur to the exposition of it Etiam mutâ— clâ—mant cadavâ—â—a Basil For dust thou art Think on this and be proud if thou canst We were created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now we live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Agapetus Had we so sweet a generation as that little creature Scaliger speaks of Exercit ad ad Cardan that is bred in sugar we might have had some ground of boasting but now we may sprinkle the dust of humility on our heads as the Ancients used to do in token that they had deserved to be as far under as now they were above ground And to dust thou shalt return By this limitation God restrains mans death here threatned to that earthy part of him his body The forest death is when a man dyes in his sins as those Jewes did Joh. 8.21 better dye in a ditch a fair deal when he is killed with death as Jesabels children Rev. 2.23 this is the second death The condemned person comes out of a dark prison and goes to the place of execution so do many from the womb to the tomb nay to that tormenting Tophet to the which death is but a trap-door to give them entrance Verse 20. And Adam caâ—â—ed his wives name Eve That is Life or Living Not per antiphraesim as some would have it much less out of pride and stomack in contempt of the divine sentence denounced against them both that they should surely dye as Rupertus would have it but because she was to be mother of all living whether a naturall or a spirituall life and likewise for a testimony of his faith in and thankfulness for that lively and life-giving oracle vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mother of all living Have we not all as one father Mal. 3.10 so one mother did we not all tumble in a belly why do we then deale treacherously every man against his brother ib. This one consideration should charm down our rising and boyling spirits one against another as it did Abrahams Gen. 13 8. Verse 21. Coats of skins and clothed them God put them in leather when yet there was better means of cloathing to humble them doubtless and draw them to
this man to be thy slave and bedfellow If he be not loving obedient and dutifull to thee Heyl. Geog. p. 583. I give thee here this cunâ—hare or dagger to out off his head Yet can she not forbid him to marry more wives to vex her Levit. 18.18 and to fret her as Peninnah did Hannah yea to make her to thunder as the word there signifies For Turks may take as many wives 1 Sam. 1.6 as they are able to maintain Hence it is that in jealousie they â—â—cend Italians making their women go moâ—â—ed all but the eyes 〈◊〉 106. and not suffeâ—ing them to go to Church or so much as looke out at their own windows Vers 20. Adah bâ—â— a Jabaâ— Jabal a good husband Iâ—â—al a merry Greek whence the word Iubilo in Latine and our English Joâ—iall Jaball that dwelt in tents and tended the herds had Juball to his brother the father of haâ—dâ—nd wind musick Jaball and Juball frugality and mirth good hâ—sbandry and sweet content dwel together Virgil makes mention of a happy husbandman in his time who Regum aequabat opes animis seraque reversus Virg. Georg. Nocte domum dâ—pibus mensas onerabat inemptis Vers 22. And Zillah bare Tubalcam Perhaps the same that the Poets call Vulcan He was a cunning Artificer in brasse and iron To oles they had before and instruments of iron how else could they have plowed the accursed earth Vide Natal Com. Mythol l. 2. c. 5. But this man artem jam inventam excoluit ornavitque saith Iunius and is therefore called A whetter or polisher of every Artificer in brasse and iron They had the art of it before but he added to their skill by his invention he sharply and wittily taught Smiths-craft and is therefore by the heathens fained to be the god of Smiths saith another Interpreter Vers 23. And Lamech said unto his wives Who it seems were troublesome to him with their domesticall discords and led him a discontented life He therefore gives them to understand in this set speech what a man he is if molested by them or any other and what slaughters he can make if provoked by an adversary I would slay a man if but wounded c. This revenge he counts man-hood Plutar. in Pelopidâ— which indeed is dog-hood rather So Alexander Phereus consecrated his javelin wherewith he slew his uncle Polyphron as a monument of his man-hood and called it his god Tychon Ne memoria tam prâ—â—larae rei dilueresur So Sylla caused it to be registred in the publicke Records that he had prescribed and put to death foure thousand and seven hundred Romanes So Stokesly Bishop of London comforted himself upon his death bed with this Act. Mon. that in his time he had burned fifty Heretickes as he called them Phil. 3. Is not this to glory in their shame and to have damnation for their end Is it not the Devill that sets men a worke to do thus as he did Saul to seek Davids life and Lamech to domineer in this sort over his wives New-Engl first fruits p. 4. seeking so to represse their strife A certaine Indian comming into a house of the New-English where a man and his wife were brawling and they bidding him sit downe he was welcome he answered he would not stay there Hobomack that is the Devill was there and so departed Vers 24. If Cain shall â—e avenged sevenfold c. Thrasonicall Lamech brags and goes on to out-dare God himself For it is as if he should say If God will take vengeance on them that contemne him why may not I on those that contemne me wives or other Nay though God will forgive evills against him yet will not I evills against me I le have the oddes of him seventy to seven so Iunius interprets it A desperate expression and somewhat like that of Pope Iulius the third above-mentioned in the last note upon the former Chapter whereunto may here be added that the same Pope being forbidden by his Phâ—sitian to eat Swine flesh as being noysome and nought for his gout he called to hâ—s Steward in a great rage and said Act. Mon. fol. 1417. Bring me my pork-flesh al despito di dio In despite of God O wretch Vers 25. She bare a son and called c. Virgil. The Duke of Florence gave for his Ensign a great treâ— with many spreading boughes one of them being cut off with this Posie Vno avulso c. Sic uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus Dead bones may revive and out of the ashes of a Phoenix another Phoenix spring Jana jacet Phoenix nato Phoenice c. The two witnesses that were killed received the spirit of life from God againe Rev. 11.11 Iobn Baptist revivetâ— in our Saviour qui huic succentuâ—iatus est and Steven in Paul John Hus in Luther the Goose in the Swan and the suppressed Waldenses in the Protestants The Papists gave out that when Luther dyed all his sect would dye with him and when Queene Elisabeths head was laid we should have strange worke in England A false Jesuit in a scandalous libell published it that she wished that she might after her death hang a while in the ayre to see what striving would be for her Kingdome But she both lived and dyed with glory Camdens Elisab her rightfull successour came in peaceably not a dog moving his tongue at him The true Reformed Religion was established and is hitherto maintained amongst us maugre the malice of Rome and Hell It was the Legacy left us by our Ancestours the blood of those blessed Martyrs was the seed of our Church of which I may say as he of his City Victa tamen vinces eversaque Troja resurges Obruit hostiles illa ruina domos When the Devill and his Imps had got Abel into his grave and saw Adam without another in his room for an hundred and thirty years space or near upon what a deal of joy was there think we amongst them and sending of gifts But God in due time sets up a Seth instead of Abel and so cuts the devils comb confutes his confidence He will have a Church when all 's done The Pope could tell the Turk so much in a message Niteris incassùm Christi submergere navem Pius 2. ad Imperat Turc Fluctuat at nunquà m mergitur illa ratis Vers 26. Then began men to call upon c. Publikely and in solemn assemblies to serve the Lord and to make a bold and wise profession of his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. shining as Lamps amidst that perverse generation of irreligious Caâ—nites who said unto God Depart from us c. Job 22.17 This Job speaks there of these wicked which were cut down out of time their foundation was overflown with the flood Vers 16. CHAP. V. Verse 1. This is the Book of the generations SEpher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 a ciphering up of their names acts and accidents that we might know first who were Christs Progenitors secondly by whom the Church was continued thirdly how long the old World lasted viz. one thousand six hundred fifty and six yeers Whence some have grounded a conjecture that the yeer of Christ one thousand six hundred fifty and six will bring forth some strange alteration in the world Alsted Chron. p. 494. Others think the world will be then at an end and they ground upon this Chronâ—gramme MVnDI Conf Lagrat Io. In the likeness of God made he him This is much inculcated that it may be much observed and we much humbled that have parted with so fair a patrimony striving as much as may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.3 to recover it in Christ who being the express Image of his Fathers Person is both apt and able to renew that lost Image of God in us by his Merit and Spirit by his Value and Vertue Vers 2. Blunts Voyage p. 122. Male and female created he them The Jews at this day have base conceits of women as that they have not so divine a soul as men that they are of a lower creation made onely for the propagation and pleasure of man c. And therefore they suffer them not to enter the Synagogue but appoint them a gallery without Matth 22. Thus they err not knowing the Scriptures See the Notes on Chap. 2. v. 22. Vers 3. Adam lived one hundred and thirty yeers and begat This was a great tryal to his faith to wait so long for a better issue when the Cainites spred amain erected cities and perhaps meditated Monarchies After his own image Corruptus corruptum For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 John 3. saith Job That which is of the flesh is flesh saith our Saviour and we can say no better of it This is hard to perswade men to for each one is apt to think his own peny good silver And a dead woman will have four to carry her forth as the Proverb hath it The Pharisee bad enough though he be yet is very brag of his good estate to God-ward And Novatus cryes out Non habeo Domine quod mihi ignoscas How much better Saint Augustine Ego admisi Domine unde tu damnare potes me sed non amisisti unde tuâ—salvâ—re potes me One hath destroyed me but of thee is my help my safety here and salvation hereafter Lord I am Hell but thou art Heaven as that Martyr once said c. B. Hooper Psal 42. One depth calleth upon another the depth of my misery the depth of thy mercy Heaven denyes me earth grones under me Hell gapes for me Help Lord or thy servant perisheth Psal 51 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and purge me from my sin whether that imputed to me inherent in me or issuing from me V. 4. He begat sons and daughters Philo and Epiphanius give him twelve sons Beda thirty sons and as many daughters Vers 5. Nine hundred and thirty yeers Till the fifty sixt yeer of the Patriark Lamech In all which time he doubtless instructed his good nephews in all those great things which himself had learned from Gods mouth and proved in his own experience what that good and holy and acceptable Will of God was Moreover out of his mouth as out of a Fountain Rom. 12. â— flowed whatsoever profitable Doctrine Discipline Skill and Wisdom is in the world And he dyed This is not in vain so often iterated in this Chapter for there is in us by nature a secret conceit of immortality and we can hardly be beaten out of it That all must dye every man will yield but that he may live yet a day longer at least there is none but hopeth We can see death in other mens brows but not in our own bosomes It must make forcible entry and break in violently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 24.51 2 Cor. â— 4 God must cut men in twain and tear their souls from their bodies ere they will yield to die The best are too backward and would not be unclothed but clothed upon if they might have their will Moses himself prayes Psal 9â— 12 Lord teach us so to number our days that we may apply or as the Hebrew hath it that we may cause our hearts to come to wisdom Cause them to come whâ—ther they will or no for naturally they hang off and would not come to any such bargain How needful is it therefore to be told us that Adam died that Seth Enos and Câ—inan died c. That this may be as a hand-writing on the Wall to tell us That we must also dye and come to judgment Vers 9. Enos begat Cainan Enosh that is Sorry man begat Cainan i. e. A man of sorrows Thus the Fathers though long-lived were not unmindful of their mortality and misery Vers 20. Nine hundred sixty and two yeers Rabbi Levi citante Genebrardo Genebr Chron. long aevitatem patriarcharum opus providentiae non naturae appellat Their children also that they waited so long for were not more the issue of their bodies then of their faith Vers 23. All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five yeers So many yeers onely lived Henoch as there be days in the yeer But what he wanted in the shortning of his time was made up in his son Methuselah the longest liver Besides that God took him to a better place transplanted him as it were out of the Kitchin-garden into his heavenly Paradise Cant 6.2 To gather Lillies i. e. To transplant his people into Heaven which was not more to his own benefit then to the comfort of the other Patriarks that survived him against the fear of death and the crosses of life Sith in Henoch what discouragement soever they had in Abels death they had an ocular demonstration that there is a reward for the righteous and that it is not altogether in vain to walk with God Vers 24. And Enoch walked with God And so condemned the World First Heb. 11. by his life secondly at his death By his life in that he kept a constant counter-motion to the corrupt courses of the times not onely not swimming down the stream with the wicked but denouncing Gods severe judgment against them even to the extream curse of Anathema Maranatha Jude 14. as Saint Jude tells us Secondly By his death he condemned them In that so strange a Testimony of Gods grace and glory in his wonderful translation did not affect and move them to amend their evil manners The Heathens had heard somewhat afar off concerning this Candidate of Immortality Alsted Chron. p. 85. as the Ancients call him and thence grounded their Apotheôses Eupolemon saith That their Atlas was Henoch as their Janus was Nâ—ah Gentes sunt Antâ—â—brislus â—um suis asseclis Paâ—aeus Jac. Revâ—i
hist Pontif. Rom. p 309. And how fitly are the Papists called Heathens by Saint John Revel 11.2 Sith besides their Atlas of Rome on whose shoulders the whole Church that new heaven must rest there was at Ruremund in Gilderland a play acted by the Jesuites Anno 1622 under the title of the Apotheosis of Saint Ignatius Vers 27. And all the days of Methuselah He lived longest of any yet wanted thirty one yeers of a thousand Nemo patriarcharum mille annos complevit quâ—a numerus iste typum babeat perfectionis â—ic nulla perfectio pietatis Occolampad Oecolampadius thinks there was a mystery in this that they all dyed short of a thousand which is a type of perfection To teach us saith he that live we never so long here and grow we never so fast in Grace we cannot possibly be perfect till we get to Heaven Henoch lived long in a little time and foreseeing the flood named his son Methuselah that is to say He dyeth and the dart or flood cometh And so it fell out for no sooner was his head laid but in came the flood Isai 57.1 The righteous are taken away from the evil to come And their death is a sad presage of an imminent calamity Hippo could not be taken whiles Augustine lived nor Heidelberg while Paraeus Semen sanctum statumen terrae Isai 6.13 Junius The holy Seed upholdeth the State Tertul. Absque stationibus non staret mundus The innocent shall deliver the Iland and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands alone Job 22.30 When one sinner destroyeth much good Eccles 9.18 Paulin. Nolan in vita Ambros De Fabio Cunctatore Silius Ambrose is said to have been the Walls of Italy Stilico the Earl said That his death did threaten destruction to that Countrey Hic patria est murique urbis stant pectore in uno Vers 29. This same shall comfort us Herein a figure of Christ And Peter Martyr thinks that Lamech was in hope that this son of his would have been the Christ A pardonable error proceeding from an earnest desire of seeing his day whom their souls loved and longed for Saluting the promise afar off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. Heb. 11. and waiting for the consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 Vers 32. And Nâ—ah begat Sem Ham and Japheth Twenty yeers he had heard from God That the world should be destroyed before he had any childe Revel 14. Here was the Faith and patience of this Saint At length he hath Japheth first though Shem be first named because he was in dignity preferred before his brother to be grandfather to the Messiah Now any relation to Christ ennobleth either place or person If it were an honor to Mark to have been Barnabas his sisters son what is it then to be allyed to the son of God Mic. 5.2 Matth. 2.6 Bethlehem where he was born though it were least saith Micah yet it was not the least saith Matthew among all the cities of Judah because out of it should come Christ the Governor CHAP. VI. Verse 1. When men began to multiply NOt good men onely but bad men too who therefore took them more wives then one that they might multiply amain A numerous off-spring is no sure signe of Gods special favor It is well observed That when God promised children as a blessing he said Psal 118.3 Psal 104.15 Judg. 9.13 The wife should be as the vine and the children as olive plants Two of the best fruits the one for chearing the heart the other for clearing the face the one for sweetness the other for fatness Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of such as are as the arrows of a strong man Whence it follows That they must have more in them thâ—n nature for arrows are not arrows by growth but by art So they must be such children the knottiness of whose nature is refined and reformed and made smooth by Grace This workmanship of God in the hearts and lives of children is like the graving of a Kings Pallace or the pollished corners of the temple Psal 144.12 This preserves Jacob from confusion and his face from waxing pale This makes religious parents to sanctifie Gods name even to sanctifie the holy One and with singular encouragement from the God of Israel Isai 29.22 23. It never goes well with the Church but when the Son marries the Mother Isai 62.5 Vers 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters Sons of God such as had called themselves by his name Chap. 4.26 his peculiar professant people called Sons of Jehovah Deut. 14.1 yea his first-born and so higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Dan. 7.17 18. Hence Dan. 7. after mention made of the four Monarchies a greater then them all succeedeth and that is the Kingdom of the Saints of the most high Saints at large he meaneth all that have made a covenant with him by sacrifice Psal 50.5 Now we read of sacrificing Sodomites Isai 1 10. sinners in Sion Isai 33.14 profligate professors Matth. 7.23 That though called Israel yet are to God as Ethiopians Amos 9.7 Such were these Sons of God Saw the daughters of men that they were fair Beauty is a dangerous bait and lust is sharp-sighted It is not safe gazing on a fair woman How many have died of the wound in the eye No one means hath so enriched hell as beautiful faces Take heed our eyes be not windows of wickedness and loop-holes of lust Make a covenant with them as Joh Job 31.1 Pray against the abuse of them with David Psal 119.37 and curb them from forbidden objects as Nazianzen who had learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to nurture his eyes as himself tells us See the Note on Chap. 3.6 They took them wives Of their own heads without Gods license or parents consent as Esau did And of all which they chose that is That they liked and loved Thus Amor sormae rationis est oblivio insaniae proximus turbat cousilia altos gencrosos spiritus frangit Jerom. Eccles 11. as some marry by their ears upon meer hear-say others by their fingers ends for money so these gallants married by their eyes they were led by the lust of their hearts and sight of their eyes as Solomons yonker not considering that favor is deceitful beauty vanity c. And that many a woman is like Helen without but Hecuba within or an Earthen potsherd covered with silver-dross Prov. 26.23 Vers 3. My spirit shall not alway strive That is I 'll consult no longer but resolve to ruine them as some gloss it Or I 'll pull the sword out of the sheath the soul out of the body as others gather out of the Hebrew word here used Sunt qui deductum volunt à Nadan Vagina But they do best in my minde that sense it thus My Spirit whâ—reby I hitherto went and Preached by Noe and other
and make it more fruitful But when all the passages were opened Una est ex tetrapoli Attica Steph. 1 Tim. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itâ— immergunt ut in aquae summitate cursuâ—â—on â—bulliant and the receptacles prepared the water came in so plentifully that it over-flowed all and at the first tide drowned the Iland and all the people They that will be rich saith the Apostle that are resolved to rise in the world by what means it matters not these fall into temptation and a snare as Lot that 's the least evil can come of it and into many foolish and noysom lusts as his neighbors the Sodomites did which desperately drown men in double destruction Like the land of Egypt Which was called of old publicum orbis horreum The worlds great granary A Country so fair and fertile that the Egyptians were wont to boast they could feed all men and feast all the gods without any sensible diminution of their provision Vers 13. But the men of Sodom were wicked c. See their chief sins set down Ezek. 16.49 50. The Chaldee Paraphrast here translateth they were first unrighteous with their Mammon and secondly sinners with their bodies before the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That unnameable sin had its name from them who against nature were scalded in their lust one toward another Rom. 1.27 The Apostle there gives it in of the Heathen Philosophers many of whom were patrones of this abhorred filth Senâ—ca delectabatur exolâ—â—is c. Dio in Nerone Jam. 1.17 as Cicero complains of Plato and Socrates was shrewdly suspected to be no honester then he should be with Alcibiades nor Seneca with Nero. The wisdom from above is pure saith Saint James and in this wisdom is truth and purity saith Solomon Prov. 8.7 whereas all worldly wisdom is stained with error or leudness God punisheth the pride of all flesh with some foul sin and so sets a Noverint universi as it were upon the worlds wisards That all men may know them to be but arrant fools And sinners before the Lord exceedingly They were grown so debauched and impudent in evil That neither fear of God nor shame of men could restrain them Though God looked on they were no whit abashed or abased before him God found not out their sins by secret search Jere. 2.34 he needed not to search them with lights Zeph. 1.12 For the shew of their countenance did witness against them they could blush no more then a sackbut shamelesness sat in their foreheads they declared their sins even to a proverb Isai 3.9 They seâ— them in open view upon the cliff of the rock Ezek. 24.7 They faced the Heavens and held their heads aloft as if they deserved commendation rather then else This is a high degree of sin and an immediate forerunner of destruction Vers 14. After that Lot was separated from him Till Lot was departed and the strife ceased God appeared not He is the God of peace and hates contention which as it indisposeth us to holy duties 1 Pet. 3.7 so it keepeth God from us by his comforts and influences They say of Bees that stir and strife amongst them is a signe their King is about to remove to leave the hive and to be gone some where else God refuseth to be served till the matter be agreed Matth 5.24 Lift up now thine eyes Gods comforts are therefore most sweet because most seasonable Abram had now parted with Lot to his great grief God makes up that loss to him in his own gracious presence and promise which he here repeateth to teach us moreover that the countinual weakness of man needeth continual comfort from God Vers 15. For all the land which thou seest is thine God gave him no inheritance in it Acts 7.5 no not so much as a foot bredth yet he promised that he would give it to him And that Abram took for good free-hold Men use to reckon their wealth not by what ready money they have onely but by the good Bonds and Leases they can produce A great part of a Christians estate lyes in Bonds and Bills of Gods hand Vers 16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth Afterwards Gen. 15.5 God promiseth that his seed shall be as the stars of heaven Moses his choice by Mr. Burr Abrahams seed saith One are of two sorts Some are visible members of a Church yet have earthly hearts Others are as the stars of Heaven for spiritual Light motion and influence Vers 17. Arise walk through the Land Thus God rewards contented Abram with the whole Countrey He never suffers any man to lose by an humble remission of his right in a desire of peace Matth. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth and have Heaven to boot which was the cheif thing here promised to Abraham in this survey Heb. 11.10 16. CHAP. XIV Verse 2. That these made War VVAr is the slaughter-house of mankinde and the hell of this present world It hews it self a way through a wood of men and layes heaps upon heaps as Sampson did Judg. 15.16 not with a jaw-bone of an Ass and one after another but in a minute of time and by the mouth of a murdering peece Alphonsus D. of Ferrara Peachams Vally of varieties had two of these Cannons of a wonderful bigness the one whereof he called Archidiabalo the other the Earthquake Revel 9 17. Fire smoke and brimstone seem to note out the Turks Guns and Ordnance For the drawing of that Gun that Mahomet used in besiâ—ging Constantinople seventy yokes of Oxen and two thousand men were employed Deut. 2 20. The Turks battered the Walls of the Rhodes with twelve Basilisks so aptly named of the Serpent Basiliscus who as Pliny writeth killeth man or beast with his very sight But before these bloody instruments of death were heard of in the world men could finde means to slaughter one another in war witness these five Kings that came with Chedarlaomer and smote the Rephaims or Gyants the Zuzims or Zamzummims and the Emims or terrible ones as their name importeth These they slew by the way besides what they did in the vale of Siddim where they joyned battle with the five Kings and cut off many If we may judg of one battle by another hear what was done in a bloody fight between Amurath the third King of Turks and Lazarus Despot of Servia Many thousands fell on both sides the brightness of the Armor and Weapons was as it had been the Lightning the multitude of Launces and other Horsemens Staves shadow the light of the Sun Arrows and Darts fell so fast that a man would have thought Turk bist fol. 200. they had poured down from Heaven The noyse of the instruments of War with the neighing of horses and out cryes of men was so terrible and great That the wilde Beasts in the Mountains stood astonied therewith and the Turkish Histories
acquainted with Gods counsell saith Luther wherein he rested Yet he was bound 1. For that the rite of sacrifices so required â—ee 2 King 10.12 2. Lest any involuntary motion by pangs of death should be procured Whence divers of the Martyrs as Ridley Rawlins c. desired to be bound fast to the stake lest the flesh should play its part Râ—â—â—ins when the Smith cast a chain about him at the stake I pray you good friend said he Knock in the chain fast for it may be Act. Mon. â—ol 1415. that the flesh would strive mightily But God of thy great mercy give me strength and patience to abide the extremity Nâ—ture at death will have a bout with the best whether he dye as Elisâ—a slowly or as Eliah suddenly Vers 10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand c. What Painter in the world can possibly express the affection of Abraham when thus he bound his son and bent his sword Surely that Painter that set forth the sacrificing of Iphigenia Aspiâ—â— vulius ecce meos utiâ—amque â—culos in pectora po es Inserâ—re Sol Phetonti apud Ovid 1 Cor. 3. would here also have drawn Abraham as he did Agamemnon with his face veyled as not able to delineate his unconceivable grief But a man in Christ is more then a man and can do that that other men cannot reach unto It was a matter of blame to the carnall Corinthians that they walked as men And our Saviour looks for some singular thing to be done by those that pretend to him Matth. 6.47 Abraham had denyed himself in his beloved Isaac and therefore went an end with his work hard though it were Another that hath not done so shall finde a heavy business of it an unsupportable burden Sozomen tells of a certain Merchant whose two sons being taken captives Sozom l. c. 14. and adjudged to dye he offered himself to dye for them and withall promised to give the Souldiers all the gold he had They pitying the poor mans calamity admitted of his request for one of his sons which he would but let them both scape they could not because such a number must be put to death The miserable man therefore looking at and lamenting both his sons could not finde in his heart to make choice of either as overcome with an equall love to them both but stood doubting and deliberating till they were both slain At the siege of Buda in Hungary there was among the German Captains a Noble-man called Erkius Raschachius whose son a valiant young Gentleman being got out of the Army without his fathers knowledge bore himself so gallantly in fight against the enemy in the sight of his father and the Army that he was highly commended of all men and especially of his father that knew him not at all Yet before he could clear himself he was compassed in with the Enemy and valiantly fighting slain Raschachius exceedingly moved with the death of so brave a man ignorant how near he touched himself turning about to the other Captains said This noble Gentleman whatsoever he be is worthy of eternall commendation and to be most honourably buried by the whole Army As the rest of the Captains were with like compassion approving his speech the dead body of the unfortunate son rescued was presented to the most miserable father which caused all them that were there present Tuâ—kish hist to shed tears But such a sudden and inward grief surprized the aged father and struck so to his heart that after he had stood a while speechless with his eyes set in his head he suddenly fell down dead Anno Dom. 1541. Heb. 11. And took the knife to slay his son The Apostle saith He did offer him up a slain sacrifice God took it in as good part as if indeed he had done it because he would have done it Every man is so good before God are he truely desires to be Bernard In vitae libro scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt etsi quod debent non possunt saith one Father And another Augustin Basil Tota vita boni Christiani sanctum desiderium est Ambulas siamas Non enim passibus and Deum sed affectibus currimus Tantùm velis Deus tibi praeoccurret saith a Third Vers 11. And said Abraham Abraham Twice for hastesake yet not at all till the very instant When the knife was up the Lord came God delights to bring his people to the Mount yea to the very brow of the hill till their feet slip and then delivers them He reserves his holy hand for a dead lift Onely be sure you look to your calling for it was otherwise with Jepthta Judg. 11. whom St. Augustin calls facinorosum improbum a lewd and naughty man in his questions upon the Old Testament What then would he have said to Thomas the Anabaptist Stumpf. l. 5. who beheaded his brother Leonard in the sight of his parents at Sangall in France Anno 1526. pretending the example of Abraham As did likewise those odious Idolaters of old that offered their children in sacrifice to Moloch in the valley of Hinnom which was so called because the poor child put into the arms of the red-hot image was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nohem that is roaring or because the Priests comforting the parents said Condimeâ—tum crit tibi Jalkut â—n Jerem. Jeheunâ—h Lach. It shall be profitable or pleasant to thee as Kimchi hath it So because Abraham planted a grove to serve God in Gen. 21.33 the Devil Gods Ape set the blind Heathens a work to plant a thicket near the altar of their god ' Priapus whereinto his worshippers stepped when the sacrifice was ended and there like bruit beasts promiscuously satisfied their lusts thereby as they conceived best pleasing their God which was the true cause as it seems that the true God commanded that no Groves should be planted near the place of his worship and if any were they should be cut down Vers 12. Lay not thine hand upon the Lad As he was about to do having armed his pious hand not onely with the knife but with faith that works by love as had likewise David when going against the Giant he slyes upon him Bucholcer perinde ac si fundae suae tunicis non lapillum sed Deum ipsum induisset aâ— implicuisset Now I know that thou fearest me With a fear of love Hos 3.5 Fulgentius And here that of Fulgentius is true and taketh place Deum siquis parùm metuit valdè contemnit hujus qui non memorat beneficentiam auget injuriam God knew Abrahams fear before but now he made experience of it Nunc expertus sum saith Junius Nune omnibus declarasti saith Chrysost Vers 13. Behold behind him a Ram Belike the Angell called behinde him which when he turned to listen to he spied the Ram caught in a thicket Heb. Sabâ—ech which signifies the perplexity winding or
dead forty years before is now by Gods blessing made lively and lusty Vers 5. Abraham gave all c. So Esa 19.25 Assyria is the work of Gods hand and Israel his inheritance Vers 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sopb Gasp Eâ—s Panis mica quam dives pater-familias projicit canibuâ— Abraham gave gifts So doth God to reprobates but they are giftless gifts better be without them Saepe Deus dat iratus quod â—egat propitius God gives wealth to the wicked non aliter ac siquis crumenam auro plenam latrinae injiciat The Turkish Empire saith Luther as great as it is is but a crust cast to the dogs by the rich House-holder or as Josephs cup c. East-ward to the East-countrey To both the Arabia's which were Countries rough but rich looked rudely but searched regularly afforded great store of fine gold pretious stones and pleasant odours Vers 8. Gave up the Ghost Defecit lenitèr expiravit Describit Moses placidam optatam quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Abraham Gods friend is no wonder But how could that Apostate Julian say trow Vitam reposcenti naturae tanquam debitor bonae fidei rediturus exulto Sure it was but a copy of his countenance but not of his dying countenance for no wicked man alive can look death in the face with blood in his cheeks Dyed in a good old age Or with a hoar head after a hundred years troublesomepilgrimage in the promised land We if for one year we suffer hardship think it a great business Non quia dura sed quia molles patimur saith Seneca An old man and full of years The godly have oft a satiety of life as willing they are to leave the world as men are wont to be to rise from the board when they have eaten their fill Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis Said the Heathen Poet and they feign that when Tithonus might have been made immortal he would not because of the miseries of life This made Plotinus the Platonist account mortality a mercy Aug. de Civ Dei l. 4. c. 10. Siquis Deus mihi largiatur ut ex hac aetate repurascam in cunis vagiam valdèrecusem Cato ap Cic. de senect Camd. Elisabeth fol. 325. and Cato protest that if any God would grant him of old to be made young again he would seriously refuse it As for me said Queen Elisabeth in a certain speech I see no such great cause why I should be fond to live or afraid to dye And again whiles I call to minde things past behold things present and expect things to come I hold him happiest that goeth hence soonest Vers 9. And his sons Isaac and Ismael c. It is like that Abraham a little afore his death sent for his two sons and reconciled them This joyning with Isaac in the burying of Abraham some take for an argument of his repenance whereunto also they adde that his whole life time is recorded in holy Scripture which cannot be shewed of any reprobate and that he is said when he dyed to be gathered to his fathers Which is besides Mamre Where seventy six years before he had entertained the Lord Christ and heard from his mouth the promise of the Messiah Wherefore in remembrance of that most amiable apparition and for love and honour of the divine promise there uttered he would there be buried in full hope of a glorious Resurrection and that his posterity might take notice that he even dyed upon the promise As that brave Roman Captain told his Souldiers Xiphilinus that if they could not conquer Britain yet they would get possession of it by laying their bones in it Vers 13. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael When Isaac was twenty yeers married and had no childe and afterwards nothing so many as Ishmael nor so great in the world This is Gods usual way of dealing forth his favours Saints suffer wieked prosper This made Pompey deny Divine Providence Brutus cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio Cassius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd Psal 73.10 expounded Exoriuntur sed exuruntur Hos 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserable Vertue slave of Fortune c. The Athenians in Thucydides when they had lost Nicias their good General who together with his whole Army perished in Sicily were at a great stand and much offended seeing so pious a person fare nothing better then those that were far worse And what wonder when Jeremiah and David stumbled at the same stone ran upon the same rock and were well-high shipwrackt Jer. 12.1 Psal 73.3 4. Neither they onely but many other of Gods dear servants as it is in the same I salm vers 10. Therefore his people return hither that is are every whit as wise or rather as foolish as I have been to mis-censure and misconstrue Gods dealings on this manner to repent me of my repentance and to condemn the generation of the just because waters of a full cup are wrung out to the wicked When David went into Gods Sanctuary and there consulted his Word he was better resolved Then he saw that the sunshine of Prosperity doth but ripen the sin of the wicked and so fits them for destruction as fatted ware are but fitted for the slaughter What good is there in having a fine suit with the plague in it Poison in wine works more furiously then in water Had Haman known the danger of Esthers banquet he would not have been so brag of it The prosperity of the wicked hath ever plus deceptionis quam delectionis saith One more deceit then delight able to entice and ready to kill the entangled As cunning to do that as the spirit that seduced Ahab and as willing to do the other as the Ghost that met Brutus at the battel of Philippi In which respect David Psal 17. having spoken of these men of Gods hand that have their portion in this life c. wishes them make them merry with it and subjoyns As for me I will behold thy face in righteousâ—ess I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness As who should say I neither envie nor covet their happiness but long after a glorious resurrection and have in the mean while that which is sufficient to sustain me I shall behold thy face in righteousâ—ess Menach on Levit. 10. that is Beshechinah in Christ as Rabbi Menachem expounds it And one good look of God is worth all the world It is better to feel his favour one hour then to sit whole ages as these Ishmaelites did under the worlds warmest sun-shine Vers 14. And Mishma and Dumah and Massah Out of these three names which signifie Hearing Silence and Suffering the Masorites gather the three principal duties of man in common conversation viz. to hear keep silence and bear these say they make a quiet and good life Sustine Abstine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictâ—t Camd. Elisab
become his gracious Lord c. through From such a Lord said Luther good Lord deliver me Vers 27. Wherefore come ye to me Here was his magnanimity and his modesty both in expostulating the wrongs they had done unto him He could not but be sensible of their discourtesies though he dissembled them A sheep feels the bite of a dog as well as a swine though she make no such noise Isaac having now a fit opportunity Job 6. gives them the telling of it and how forcible are right words There is a real confutation of injuries and we should consult whether in such a case it be best to deal with the wrong-doers at all by words Gods way is by works and he must get an Isaac-like temperance and prudence that thinks himself able to convince them by reason and to set them down Vers 28. Let there be now an oath See here saith Chrysostom how great the power of vertue is Quanta virtutis potentia quantum mansuetudinis robur c. Chrysost Hom. quinta Prov. 16.7 and the might of meekness For they that lately drove him out from amongst them now come to him in courtesie though a forlorn forraigner and not onely give him satisfaction but seek his friendship Thus When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him Vers 29. Thou art now the blessed of the Lord This they had observed and therefore did him this honour So the King of Babylon sent Ambassadours and a Present to Hezekiah because he had heard of the miracle of the Suns going back for him Now because the Sun which was their god had honoured him so much the King of Babylon would honour him too Abulens in 2 Reg. 20. as Abulensis hath well observed Vers 30. And he made them a feast Not to mischief them thereat as Absalom did Amnon as Alexander did Philotas as the Great Turk doth the Bashaws whom he intends to strangle Turk hist but to shew there was no rancour or purpose of revenge Vers 31. And they rose up betime c. The proverb is De sero convivium de mane consilium It was the Persians barbarous manner in the midst of their cups to advise of their weightiest affairs as Pererius here noteth Ardua negotia praesertim in quibus juramentum intervenit jejuno stomacho suscipi peragique debent saith Piscator Weighty businesses are best dispatched fasting Vers 32. We have found water As crosses so mercies seldom come single but by troops as she said when her son Gad was born A company cometh Vers 33. Je Beershebah to this day So it was before Gen. 21.31 but the name was almost worn out the Well being stopped up Isaac therefore new names it and so preserves it for a monument of Gods mercy to his father and to himself Vers 34. And Esau was fourty yeers old In an apish imitation of his father who married not till that age keeping under his body and bringing it into subjection as Paul being inured by good education to hard labour prayer and pious meditation 1 Cor. 9. But Esau did not so a pleasure-monger he was a profane person and as the Hebrews say a filthy whore-master So much also the Apostle seems to intimate when he sets them together and saith Let there be no fornicator or profane person as Esau Heb. 12.16 He took to wife Not consulting his parents or craving their consent This was abdicationis praeludium Deus quem destruit dementat Vers 35. Which were a grief because idolatresses Rev. 2.2 and untractable because given up by God Hos 4.17 Rom. 1.28 XXVII Vers 1. Isaac was old and his eyes diâ— OLd-age is of it self a disease and the sink of all diseases This Solomon sweetly sets forth Eccles 12. by a continued allegory Vbi quot lumina imò flumina orationis exserit saith One. In general he calls it The evil day Eccles 12.2 3. c. expounded the yeers that have no pleasure in them In particular the Senses all fail the hands tremble the legs buckle the teeth cannot do their office as being either lost or loosened the silver cord that is the marrow of their backs is consumed the golden ewre that is the brain-pan broke the pitcher at the well that is the veins at the liver the wheel at the cistern that is the head which draws the power of life from the heart all these worn weak and wanting to their office So that sleep faileth desire faileth * Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quum â—ppetitum Veuerem irritat neither spring nor summer signified by the almond-tree and grashopper shall affect with pleasure the daughters of musick shall be brought lowe as they were in old Barzillai the sun moon and stars are darkened for any delight they take in their sweet shine yea the clouds return after rain a continual succession of miseries like April-weather as one shower is unburthened another is brewed and the skie is still over-cast with clouds Lo such is old age and is this a fit Present for God wilt thou give him the dregs the bottom the very last sands thy dotage Mal. 1.8 which thy self and friends are weary of Offer it now to thy prince will he be pleased with thee The Circassians a kinde of mongrel-Christians as they baptize not their children till the eighth yeer so they enter not into the Church the Gentlemen especially till the sixtieth yeer Brerewoods Enquires 135. but hear Divine Service standing without the Temple that is to say till through age they grow unable to continue their rapines and robberies to which sin that Nation is exceedingly addicted so dividing their time betwixt sin and devotion dedicating their youth to rapine and their old-age to repentance But God will not be so put off He is a great King and stands upon his seniority Mal. 1.14 In the Levitical Law there were three sorts of first-fruits 1. Of the ears of corn offered about the Passeover 2. Of the loaves offered about Pentecost 3. About the end of the yeer in Autumn Now of the two first God had a part but not of the last to teach us that he will accept of the services of our youth or middle-age but for old-age vix aut ne vix quidem Besides Abraham in the Old Testament and Nicodemus in the New I know not whether we read of any old man ever brought home to God Vers 2. I am old I know not the day of my death No more doth any though never so young There be as many young sculls as old in Golgotha But young men we say may die old men must die To the old Death is projanuis to the young in insidiis Senex quasi seminex Old men have pedcm in cymba Charontis one foot in the grave already Our decrepit age both expects death and sollicites it it goes groveling as groaning for the grave Ter. in Adelph Vel quod
mouth of the King Sorex suo perit indicio Hunc tibi pugionem mittit Senatus dixit ille detexit facinus fatuus non imple vit So here See the like 1 Sam. 19.2 Acts 9.24 23.16 And she sent and called Jacob Why did she not call both her sons together and make them friends by causing the younger to resigne up his blessing to the elder Because she preferred heaven before earth and eternity before any the worlds amity or felicity whatsoever The devil would fain compound with us when he cannot conquer us as Pharaoh would let some go not all or if all yet not far Religiosum oport et esse sed non religentem He cannot abide this strictne's c. But we must be resolute for God and heaven It 's better flee with Jacob yea die a thousand deaths then with the loss of Gods blessing to accord with Esau Vers 43. Flee thou to Laban Flee then we may when in danger of life so it be with the wings of a dove not with the pinnions of a dragon God must be trusted not tempted Means must be neither trusted nor neglected Vers 44. Tarry with him a few days Heb. unos dies Sed facti sunt viginti anni She reckoned upon a few days but it proved to be twenty whole yeers and she never saw Jacob again as the Hebrew Doctors gather Thus Man purposeth God disposeth Some think she sent Deborah her nurse to fetch him home who died in the return Gen. 35.8 Vers 45. And he forget c. Whiles wrongs are remembred they are not remitted He forgives not that forgets not When an inconsiderate fellow had stricken Cato in the Bath Sen. de ira lib. 1. and afterwards cried him mercy he replied I remember not that thou didst strike me Our Henry the sixth is said to have been of that happie memory that he never forgat any thing but injuries Esau was none such He was of that sort whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soon angry but not soon pleased His anger was like coles of juniper Psal 120.4 which burn extremely last long a whole twelve-moneth about as some write and though they seem extinct revive again Flamma redardescit quae modò nulla fuit Ovid. Vers 46. I am weary of my life c. A wise woman saith an Interpreter not willing to grieve her husband she conceals from him Esau's malicious hatred of Jacob and pretends another cause of sending him away to take him a fit wife Let women learn not to exasperate their husbands with quick words or froward deeds but study their quiet Livia wife to Augustus being asked how she could so absolutely rule her husband Dâ—o in Aug. answered By not prying into his actions and dissembling his affections c. XXVIII Vers 1. Isaac called Jacob and blessed him HE doth not rate him or rail at him Anger must have an end The Prodigals father met him and kist him when one would have thought he should rather have kickt him kill'd him Pro peccato magno Terent. paululum supplicii satis est patri Vers 2. Arise go to Padan-aram Jacob was no sooner blest but banisht so our Saviour was no sooner out of the water of Baptism and had heard This is my beloved Son c. but he was presently in the fire of temptation and heard If thou be the Son c. When Hezekiah had set all in good order 2 Chron. 31. then up came Sennacherib with an army Chap. 32.1 God will put his people to it and often after sweetest feelings Vers 3. And God Almighty bless thee Here Isaac stablisheth the blessing to Jacob lest haply he should think that the blessing so got would be of no force to him God passeth by the evil of our actions and blesseth the good Vers 4. And give thee the blessing of Abraham Here he is made heir of the blessing as are also all true Christians 1 Pet. 3.9 Caesar when he was sad said to himself Cogita te esse Caesarem so think thou art an heir of heaven and be sad if thou canst Vers 5. Isaac sent away Jacob with his staff onely Gen. 32.10 and to serve for a wife Hos 12.12 It was otherwise when a wife was provided for Isaac But Jacob went as privately as he could probably that his brother Esau might not know of his journey and wait him a shrewd turn by the way Hos 12.12 he sled into Syria Theodoret saith it was that the divine providence might be the better declared toward him no better attended or accommodated Vers 6. When Esau saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But he was ever too late and therefore that he did was to little purpose An over-late sight is good neither in piety nor policy They will finde it so that are semper victuri and never can finde time to begin Seneca till they are shut out of heaven for their trifling How many have we known taken away in their offers and essays before they had prepared their hearts to cleave to God! Vers 7. And was gone to Padan-aram Which was distant from Beer-sheba almost five hundred miles This was the father of the brood of travellers and his affliction is our instruction Rom. 14.4 1 Cor. 10.11 Vers 8. pleased not his father Whether himself or they pleased God or not was no part of his care God is not in all the wicked mans thoughts That he strives for is to be well esteemed of by others to have the good will and good word of his neighbours and friends such especially as he hopes for benefit by Thus Julian counterfeited zeal till he had got the Empire afterwards of Julian he became Idolian as Nazianzen saith he was commonly called because he set open again the Idols temples which had been shut up by Constantine and restored them to the Heathens Vers 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael Stulta haec fuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hypocrisis saith Pareus rightly Apes will be imitating men Spiders have their webs and Wasps their honey-combs Hypocrites will needs do something that they may seem to be some-body but for want of an inward principle they do nothing well they amend one errour with another as Esau here and as Herod prevents perjury by murther Thus while they shun the sands they rush upon the rocks Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdim and while they keep off the shallows they fall into the whirl-pool Sed nemo it a perplexus tenetur inter du vitia quin exitus pateat absque tertio saith an Ancient Vers 10. And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba A long journey but nothing so long as Christ took from heaven to earth to serve for a wife his Church who yet is more coy then Rachel and can hardly be spoken withal though he stand clapping and calling Open to me my sister my spouse Stupenda dignatio saith One a wonderful condescending Vers 11. And
advancement Vers 11. And the mother with the children It seems to be a metaphor taken from birds when fowlers take away the young and the dams together which God forbad Deut. 22.6 See the like also of the ewe and the lamb not to be slain in one day Lev. 22.28 But Homo homini Iupus nay daemon The Indians would say that it had been better for them that their country had been given to the devils of hell then to the Spaniards such hath been their cruelty towards those poor creatures and that if Spaniards went to heaven they would never come there Three poor women were burnt at the Isle of Garnesey for Religion Act. Mon. fol. 1392. together with the infant-childe falling out of the mothers womb and cruelly cast back into the flames Another sweet childe of eight or nine yeers old coming to Bonners house to see if he might speak with his father a prisoner in the Lollards Tower was Ibid. 1864. for some bold answer that he gave the Bishops Chaplain so cruelly whipt that he died within four days after At Merindol in France besides other execrable outrages and butcheries there done by Minerius one of the Popes Captains the paps of many women were cut off which gave suck to their children Ibid. 868. which looking for suck at their mothers brests being dead before died also for hunger Was not this to kill the mother with the children And was not that a barbarous act of Pope Honorius the third in the yeer of grace 1224 to cause four hundred Scots to be hanged up and their children gelt and all for the death of Adam Bishop of Cathnes who was burnt in his own kitchin by his own Citizens Jacob. Rev. de vitis Pontif. pag. 163. for that he had excommunicated some of them for non-payment of Tythes Vers 12. And thou saidst I will surely do thee good So Jacob interprets that promise I will be with thee which indeed hath in it whatsoever heart can wish or need require This promise was so sweet to the Patriarch that he repeats and ruminates it rolling it Psal 62.11 as sugar in his mouth land hiding it under his tongue God spake it once he heard it twice as David in another case He sucks and is satisfied with these brests of consolation he presseth and oppresseth them such a metaphor there is in that text Isai 66.11 as a rich man doth the poor man till he hath gotten out of him all that he hath A flye can make little of a flower but a bee will not off till he hath the sweet thyme out of it The promises are precious spices which being beaten to the smell by the preaching of the Word yeeld an heavenly and supernatural scent in the souls of Gods people Oh it is a sweet time with them when Christ brings them into his banqueting house of the holy Scriptures and there stays them with flagons of divine consolations and bolsters them up with apples of heavenly doctrines These when by the Spirit they are applied to the love-sick soul then is Christs left hand under their head and his right hand which teacheth him terrible things Psal 45.5 doth embrace them All in Christ is for their support and succour his love also is displayed over them as a banner And this doth so fully satisfie their souls and transport them with joy that now they are content to wait Gods leasure for deliverance and would not have their Beloved wakened until he please See all this Cant. 2.4 5 6 7. Vers 13. And took of that which came to his hand c. Or that was in his power Such as he had he sent Silver and gold he had none cattel he had and of these he made no spare for he knew that A gift such a rich gift especially maketh room for a man and bringeth him before great ones Prov. 18.16 And here Jacob for our instruction takes a right course observes a right method Reusner which is to pray and use means to use means and pray Ora labora was the Emperours Symbol and Admotâ manu invocanda est Minerva the Heathens proverb Why criest thou unto me Exod. 14.15 saith God to Moses speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward There was a fault Moses craved help but was not forward in the course whereby to make way for Gods help Josh 7.10 11. So Get thee up saith God to praying Joshun wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath finned and thou must go search c. So he that would have knowledge must not onely beg for it but dig for it saith Solomon out of his own experience Prov. 2.3 4 5. Vers 14. Two hundred she-goats c. A very great present for a private person to send Five hundred and fifty beasts of sundry sorts for store He spares for no cost that he may buy his peace and enjoy his birth-right Heaven he knew whereof Canaan was a type and pledge would pay for all Get but a Patriarchs eye to see heaven afar off and we shall be soon ready to buy it at any rate The pearl of price cannot be a dear bargain though we part with all to purchase it Moses was fourty yeers old and therefore no babie when he preferred the reproach of Christ Heb. 11.24 the worst thing about him before the treasures of Egypt Egypt was a country rich fruitful and learned 2 Chron. 9. Thence Solomon had his chief horses thence the harlot had her fine linens Prov. 7.16 Moses might in likelihood have been king of Egypt yea and of Ethiopia too as some think but he had a better prize in his hand and therefore slights all the worlds flitting and flattering felicities When Basil was tempted with money and preferment he answered Pecuniam da quae permaneat ac continuò duret gloriam quae semper floreat This the world cannot do nay it cannot keep off diseases death c. Non domus fundus c. When Miachael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople Nunquid calamitates morbos aut mortem depellere possent Pachymer hist lib. 5. sent to Nugas the Scythian Prince for a present certain royal robes and rich ornaments he set light by them asking Whether they could drive away calamities sickness death No no this nothing can do but the favour of God and interest in Christ Wherefore should I die being so rich was the foolish question of that rich and wretched Cardinal Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester Act. Mon. fol. 925. and Chancellour of England in the raign of Henry the sixth Fie quoth he will not death be hired will money do nothing No Prov. 10.2 saith Solomon Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteousness delivereth from death Many are loath to die because they have treasures in the world as those ten men had in the field Jer. 41.8 The Irish ask What such men mean to die But
Spirit of promise whereby we are daily sealed to the day of redemption as the merchants goods are signed with his seal Vers 11. I am God Almighty This is hardly perswaded and yet it is the ground of all true comfort and spiritual security We are apt to measure things according to our own model as to think God so powerful as our understanding can reach c. But for a finite creature to believe the infinite All-sufficiency of God he is not able to do it thorowly without supernatural grace nor can he be soundly comforted till he comes to comprehend it Of his will to do us good we doubt not till in some measure we doubt of his power to help Vers 13. And God went up from him Not by local ascension for he is every-where but in respect of that visible signe of his glory which he now withdrew from over or from upon Iacob For the righteous are as Gods chariot say the Hebrews on this Text. Confer Cant. 6.12 Where he talked with him Prayer is a free and familiar conference or intercourse with God a parling with his Majesty as Saint Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.1 a standing upon interrogatories with him especially when Satan sin and conscience accuse It was a part of the Persian Kings silly glory to keep their greatest subjects from coming neer them without special license Esth 4.11 To God we have free access upon all occasions and are bid to come boldly Heb. 4.16 If Seneca could say Audacter Deum roges nihil illum de alieno rogaturus how much more may the faithful Christian sith All is his God and all 1 Cor. 3.22 Moses and Luther could have what they would of God Fiat voluntas mea saith Luther and then he addes Mea voluntas Domine quia tua Let my will be done but no otherwise mine then as thine Lord. Vers 14. And Iacob set up a pillar Or had set up a pillar had poured a drink offering c. to wit Chap. 28.18 19. And now he either repeats it in the presence and for the edification of his family or else he repairs the pillar now ruinated and new consecrates it by the old name Bethel Vers 16. She had hard labour Woman of all creatures bringeth forth with most pain and peril as the Philosopher observeth Arist de anima l. 7. and experience confirmeth Her onely way is to send for Lady Faith the best Midwife and thereby to repose upon him whose voice causeth the hindes to calve Psal 29.9 which yet of all bruit creatures bring forth with greatest trouble bowing themselves Job 39.4 6. bruising their young and casting out their sorrows Vers 17. Thou shalt have this son also So she had children according to her desire but this last to her cost for a chastisement of her strong affections which drew on strong afflictions as hard knots must have hard wedges They that would needs have a peny for their pains had no joy of their peny Matth. 20.13 when the end of the day came when they were to go into another world they saw that their peny was no such good silver that preferment profit credit were but empty things and could not satisfie It is best to be moderate in our desires after these outward things and not so set upon 't as to indent with God for such and so much this may be dangerous Vers 18. As her soul was in departing Viz. To God that gave it It is a spiritual immortal substance distinct from the body and can subsist of it self Epicharmcum est illud Concretum fuit discretum est rediitque unde venerat terra deorsum spiritus ursum as the Mariner can when the ship is broken For she died In our birth we rent our mothers to death sometimes whom before we had burthened so far Nature witnessing our viperous generation because of sin which we bring into the world But his father called him Benjamin Lest the former name should be a daily revival of his loss Let men make their burdens as light as they can and not increase their worldly sorrow by sight of sad objects It will come as we say of foul weather soon enough we need not send for it What should dropsie-men do eating salt meats Vers 19. Juâ—aei vitrum ex quo spoâ—sus sponsa biberunt confringunt ut memores â—int sponsi fragilitatis humanae And Rachel died We forfeit many favours by over-affecting them Our jealous God will not endure us to idolize any creature Let them that have wives or any other thing they hold most dear to themselves be as if they had none So love as to think of loss Let all outward things hang loose as an upper garment that we can throw off at pleasure Vers 20. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave To testifie his love and continue her remembrance Dead friends may be lawfully thus honoured with Monuments modò vitetur luxus superstitio Vers 21. beyond the tower of Edar Or of the flock This tower was built it seems for the safety and service of shepherds There it was probably that those shepherds Luke 2. watched their flocks There also Helena mother to Constantine the Great did afterwards build a Temple for a memorial of the Angels that there appeared to those shepherds carolling Christ into the world Vers 22. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah A foul fault in so good a family but so it sometimes falls out by the malice of Satan Selcucus Syriae rex tradidit filio Antiocho novercam Stratonicen cujus amore ille decumbebat Appian in Syriacis Dani. Chron. pag. 12. for the discrediting of Religion Such ugly incest was committed at Corinth as was hardly heard of among Heathen that a man should have his fathers wife 2 Cor. 5.1 Some such there were among the Kings of Egypt but not many Ethelbald King of West Saxons with great infamy marrying his fathers widow Judith enjoyed his Kingdom but two yeers and a half But how hateful is that Spanish incest by Papal dispensation King Philip of Spain might call the Arch-duke Albert both Brother Couzen Nephew and Son for all this was he unto him either by blood Sands his Relation of West Religion or affinity being Uncle to himself Couzen-german to his father Husband to his sister and Father to his wife Abhorred filth And Israel heard it And held his peace because he saw God in it chastising him for his Polygamy The punishment is sometimes so like the sin that a man may boldly say Such a sin was the mother of such a misery And here 's a pause in the Hebrew to shew Jacob's great amazement at this sad tidings Dolores ingentes stupent He was even dumb and opened not his mouth because God was in it Psal 39.9 Vers 23. Reuben Jacobs first-born Who though by his sin he fell from his birth-right yet is here reckoned as
a Patriarch and afterwards upon his repentance not a little honoured Exod 28.21 29. Rev. 21.12 God is not off and on with his elect their frowardness interrupts not the course of his goodness Vers 24. And Isaac gave up the ghost Twelve yeers after Joseph was sold and fourty yeers after he first became blinde Three special friends Jacob buries in this Chapter Crosses come thick be patient CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. This is Edom. THe name and note of his profaneness A stigmatical Belialist It were a happiness to the wicked if they might be forgotten Eccles 8.10 Vers 4. Eliphaz Job's friend say some a good man but much mistaken in Job whom he so sharply censures Vers 6. From the face of his brother Jacob Or before the coming of his brother Jacob by a special providence of God to make room for the right heir It is he that determineth the bounds of our habitations Acts 17.26 It was he that espied out this land for his peculiar people and that kept the room empty all the time of the Babylonish Captivity till the return of the Natives though it were a pleasant country left destitute of inhabitants and surrounded with many warlike Nations Piscator renders this text propter Jacobum and expounds it Because he knew that the land of Canaan should be Jacob's according to Gods promise made to him in his fathers blessing of him But I doubt whether Esau would yeeld to him for any such reason Vers 7. For their riches were more c. And besides mount Seir was fitter for a hunter A good ease it was to Iacob who had little joy in his neighbourhood God will not take the ungodly by the hand Job 8.20 no more will his people When they are forced to be in ill company they cry Oh that I had the wings of a dove that I might flee away Or if that Oh will not set them at liberty they take up that Wo to express their misery Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshec c. It was once the prayer of a good Gentlewoman when she came to die being in much trouble of conscience Moses his choice by M. Bur. pag. 330. O Lord let me not go to hell where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I never loved their company here Vers 11. And the sons of Eliphaz See here the fulfilling of Gods predictions and promises even to an Esan will he be wanting to his obedient people Vers 20. These are the sons of Seir Esau was by marriage allied to this Seir for he married his neece Aholibamah vers 2. yet the children of Esau chased away the Horims of Seir and dwelt in their stead in mount Seir Deut. 2.12 Wicked men are void of natural affection in their pursuit of profit or preferment Abimelech Absalom Athaliah for instance and that Amida Turk hist fol. 745 747.642 son of Muleasses King of Tunes who rose up against his father and possessing himself of his Kingdom slew his Captains polluted his wives took the Castle of Tunes and after all put out his fathers and brethrens eyes like as Muleasses himself before had dealt with his own brethren Vers 24. That found the mules By coupling divers kindes together contrary to Levit. 19.19 Neither did the world till then want any perfect kinde of creature for the mule and the ass differ not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 B. Babington Fuit olim psittacus Romae aureis centum comparatus c. C. Rhodig l 2. c. 32. Maiolus in Canic colloq 23. Sphinx Philos pag. 785. Plin. lib. 7. cap. 12. but onely in degree The Greeks call mules half-asses See here saith one the busie curiosity of some mens natures given to news and strange inventions So he that taught a Parrot in Rome to repeat the Creed every Article in order and by it self distinctly Another that painted the whole story of our Saviour's passion both for persons and things upon the nails of his own fingers Had not he little to do that learned to write a fair hand with his feet Heidfeld saith he saw it with wonderment And he as little that enclosed Homer's Iliads written in a nut which Cicero tell us he saw with his eyes These were toilsome toys quae nec ignoranti nocent nec scientent juvant as Seneca saith of Sophistry Hard they are to come by but of no use or worth like an olive or date-stone hard to crack the one or cleave the other but nothing or nothing worth ought when crackt or cloven within either This same foolish wittiness Alexander wittily scoffed when he gave a fellow onely a bushel of pease for his pains of throwing every time a pease upon a needles point standing a pretty way off Vers 31. Before there raigned any king c. Sicut herba tectorum praecocem habet vigorem sed citius arescit Exoriuntur impii sed exuruntur They are set up on high but on slippery places Psal 73.18 advanced as Haman but to be brought down again with a vengeance This observation the Hebrews make upon this text Whiles Edom raigneth and flourisheth Israel groaneth under the servitude of Egypt â—omp and prosperity then is no sure note of the true Church Vers 40. Duke Timnah duke Alvah We had a Duke d'Alva lately in the Netherlands Governour there for the Spaniard Grimston hist of Netherlands infamous for his inhumanity For he rosted some to death starved others and that even after quarter saying though he promised to give them their lives he did not promise to finde them meat This was a right Romish Edomite The Hebrews think the Romanes came of the Idumeans Sure I am if they be not of the natural descent they are of the spiritual or unnatural and so like as by the one we may see the face favour and affection of the other Vers 43. These be the dukes of Edom As the Principality of Edom began with Dukes and rose to Kings so it returneth to Dukes again after the death of Hadad in Moses his time 1 Chro. 1.51 It is likely saith an Interpreter that upon the unkinde dealing of that Hadad in denying to let Israel pass thorow his land the Lord removed the dignity of Kings from that Common-wealth and let it be ruled by Dukes again whereof eleven are here by name rehearsed So sensible is God and so severe in punishing the least unkindness done to his people Julius Pflugius complaining to the Emperour by whom he had been employed of great wrong done him by the Duke of Saxony received this answer Have a little patience Tua causâ— erit mea causa So saith God to his abused He reproveth yea deposeth even Kings for their sakes and accounts that the whole world is not worthy of them nay not worth one of them how mean soever in regard of outwards as Chrysostome expounds that Heb. 11.38 CHAP. XXXVII Vers 1. In the land of his fathers sojournings THe Dukes of Edom had habitations in the land of
authority of the Scripture as Pareus here noteth Vers 11. If it must be so now c. Perplexity is blind and untractable Let the mind but settle and it will soon yeeld to a reasonable motion if seasonable especially as this of Iudah was for besides the weightiness of his words necessity now spake for him that most powerfull Oratour Ex carmine vel melodia vel modulatione vel dentque Psalme Esay 65.8 _____ Take of the best fruits De laudatissimis rebus saith Junius Of the verse or melody saith the Original that is of the most praise-worthy fruits such as deserve to be commended in verse and sung of to the praise of God the Giver A little balme and a little honey Great men regard not the worth of the gift but the will of the giver If I had had more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelian I would have given more said that Greek to Augustus and it was accepted The poor Persian that met Artaxerxes with a handfull of water out of the river Cyrus went away well rewarded So did the gardener that presented the Duke of Burgundy with a rape-root which when the master of his house observed he presented his Lord with a brave palfrey looking for like liberality but was disappointed Vers 12. And take double-money Invaluerat enim fames vers 1. ideoque annonae pretium auctum erat saith Junius It went hard with the inhabitants of Samaria when an asses head was worth four pounds Peradventure it was an over-sight Which called for restitution we must buy and sell by that standard Mat. 7.12 Whatever ye would that men should do unto you do you the same to them Now no man would be cozened Woe be to him that cryes Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere caveat emptor He that cannot lye cannot live c. 1 Thess 4.8 God is the avenger of all such Vers 14. And God Almighty give you mercy Heb. give you bowells the seat of mercy Here God not only grants Jacob's prayer but fulfills his counsel gives him the very particular he prayes for ver 30. Joseph's bowels yerned upon Benjamin If I be bereaved I am bereaved This is like that of Esther committing her self and her attempt to God Esth 4.16 If I perish I perish and like that of those Saints in the Acts The Will of the Lord be done which is saith One Vox verè Christianorum Iacob prayes for Benjamins safety but will be content his own will be crossed so that Gods Will may be accomplished This is the right way of praying this is to draw near with à true heart Heb. 10.22 Hypocrites seek God only out of self-love which is as little pleasing to him as if a woman should strive to content to her husband not out of love to him but to another Vers 16. Slay and make ready Heb. slay a slaughter of beasts as at feasts is usual Sen. Quaere nunc cur subitò moriamur saith Seneca quia mortibus vivimus What wonder we dye suddenly that live by the death of others Shall dine with me at noon After serlous business dispatcht in the morning Aristotle disposed of the morning in studying Philosophy Of the afternoon in Eloquence or whatever else he made his recreation Vers 18. And the men were afraid Where no fear was but that an ill conscience haunted them Levit. 26.36 and so the sound of a shaken leaf put them into a fright As every body hath its shadow so hath every sin its fear and fear torment 1 Ioh. 4.18 Vers 20. O sir we came indeed c. We must not lye wretchlesly under suspition of dishonesty but carefully clear our selves as there is opportunity Vers 23. Peace be to you fear not The feeble-minded must be comforted 1 Thess 5.14 not crushed or cashiered as the wounded Deer is by the whole heard David in the spirit of Prophecy pronounceth a bitter curse upon those that persecuted him whom God hath smitten Psal 69 26. and talked to the grief of those whom he had wounded Ioseph's Steward had learned better things of his master Vers 25. And they made ready the Present For a mans gist makes roomth for him and bringeth him before great men Prov. 18.16 So it doth also before God who looks for a Prsent Psal 72.10 and loves to hear from us Praise waiteth for thee Psal 65.1 O God in Sion and unto thee shall the vow be performed Vers 29. God be gracious unto thee my son Governours should temper clemency with severity so as to be at once loved feared Mercy is the brightest star in the sphere of Majesty Q. Elizabeth next to the bible took special delight in Seneca's tract de Clementia Vers 30. And Joseph made haste c. He hid his affection as a wise and valiant man till he had once more beaten vehemently upon their guilty consciences and so brought them to a more sound and serious sight of their sin that they might repent and make sure work for their souls Vers 31. Set on bread Which the Latines call Panis of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either because all covet it or because whatever else the chear be Isidor l. 20. men alwayes set on bread Vers 32. Because the Egyptians might not eat c. Such was their pride and superstition Such was the hatred between the Jews and Samaritans as is little at this day between Papists and Protestants If a Protestant give thanks at his meat though this chaseth not a Catholick from his dinner which were to his loss yet he must forbear to say Amen to it As on the other side some Romane Catholicks will not say grace though it be at their own table when a Protestant is present Sand's his Relation of West Relig. Sect. 32. thinking it better to leave God unserved then that a Protestant joyn in serving him They hold us no better then dogs worse then Turks or Jews damned Hereticks cursed caytiffes unworthy to live on Gods ground fit for nothing but fire and fagot Certain it is that whosoever in this new faith and service hath ended this life is in hell most certainly saith Bristow in his 36. Motive It cannot be that a Lutheran so dying can escape the damnation of hell saith Coster the Jesuite If I lye let me be damned with Lucifer Coster resp ad Enchirid. Osiand propos 8. Are not Gods Hebrews an utter abomination now to these Romish Egyptians Vers 33. And they sate before him c. He marshalled them in their right rank and degree and this amazed them He made them an absolute feast such as Varro describes with these conditions Si belli conveniant homines si temporis sit habita ratio In veter fragm so locus sit non ingratus si non negligens apparatus This feast is of that sort in use among the Romanes that were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 1. to which
were invited none but kinsfolks to continue love and seek reconciliation where had been any breach Vers 34. And he took and sent messes So did Cyrus in Xenophon to such as he favoured But Benjamins messe c. Love will creep where it cannot go and good blood will never belie it self Ambrose makes it a type and token of S. Pauls excellent parts and gifts above the rest of the Apostles c. CHAP. XLIV Vers 1. And he commanded the Steward PEccata extrinsecus radere non intrinsecus eradicare fictio est saith Bernard Humiliation for sin must be sound and soaking or else it is to no purpose Hypocrites hang down their heads as a bulrush Esay 58.5 whiles some storm of trouble is upon them but in a fair sun-shine-day they lift up their heads as upright as ever Something they do about sin but nothing against it As artificial juglers seem to wound but do not or as Players seem to thrust themselves through their bodies but the sword passeth only through their clot hes This Joseph well knew and therefore that his brethren might make sure-work and have their hearts leavened and sowred as Davids was Psal 73.21 with the greatness of godly sorrowâ—â— that they might mourn as men do in the death of their dearest friends Zach. 10.12 that their sorrow might be according to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7.10 deep and daily like that sorrow 2 Sam. 13.36 that waters of Marah might slow from their eyes and their hearts fall asunder in their bosomes like drops of water he puts them to one more grievous fright and agony before he makes himself known unto them And this was an high point of heavenly wisdom in him For had he presently entertained and embraced them as his brethren they would sooner have gloried of their wickedness then repented of it Neither would a little repentance serve for a sin so ingrained and such a long time layn in Their hearts were wofully hardened by the deceitfulness of sin their consciences festered and had it been fit for him to scarfe their bones before they were set and lap up their sores before they were searcht Repent ye saith S. Peter to those that had crucified Christ and were now pricked in their hearts Act. 2.37 38. He saith not Be of good cheer your sins are forgiven now that you feel some remorse for them but stay a while upon the work of repentance and be thorough in it leave not circumcising your hearts till you finde them as sore as the Shechemites felt their bodies the third day And this the Apostle said to such as already felt the nailes wherewith they had crucified Christ sticking fast in their own hearts and piercing them with horrour Take we heed of laying cordials upon full and foul stomacks the feeble minded only are to be comforted such as are in danger to be swallowed up with grief But some mens staines are so inveterate that they will hardly be got out till the cloth be almost rub'd to pieces Vers 2. He did according to the word Servus est nomen officii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A servant is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that moveth absolutely of himself saith Aristotle but the masters instrument and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly his Such was this servant of Ioseph and such should we all be to God Vers 4. Wherefore have ye rewarded evill for good This blind Nature saw to be the summe of all sins Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris Some vices are such as Nature smiles upon though frown'd at by divine justice not so this Hercules is much condemned by the heathens for killing his schoolmaster Linus Alexander for doing the like by his friend Clitus Nero by his tutour Seneca Muleasses King of Tunes is cryed out on Turk hist fol. 642. for torturing to death the Manifet and Mesnar by whose meanes especially he had aspired to the kingdome Philip King of Macedony caused a souldier of his that had offered unkindness to one that had kindly entertained him to be branded in the forehead with these two words Hospes ingratus Manl. loc com Unthankfulness is a monster in nature a solecisme in manners a paradox in Divinity a parching winde to dry up the fountain of further favour Benjamines five-fold-mess was no small aggravation to the theft here laid to his charge Vers 5. And whereby indeed he divineth Iunius reads it thus Et nonne ipse experimento certò didicenit per illum quales sitis q. d. Hath he not by this fact of yours found out your fraud and false dealing whereby ye have hitherto sought to delude him Is it not plain ye are spyes and naughty-packs The Ierusalemy Targum seemeth to tax Iesoph here fona sooth-sayer or at least a seeker to such which God forbad Deut. 18.10 Calvin also thinks he did grievously offend in pretending to be such an one and did impiously profane the gift of the Spirit in professing himself a Magician But pace tanti viri this is too heavy a censure and a forcing of the text faith Iunius All that Ioseph did was to sift his brethren and to try their affection to Benjamin And if he took upon him to be a Diviner he did it not seriously but made use of that conceit the vulgar had of him like as Saint Paul made use of that superstitious custome among the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.29 Sealig Not. of baptizing over the dead to prove the resurrection Vers 7. God forbid that thy servants should do Rapine and robbery was ever condemned amongst very heathens and severely punished Tamerlane in his expedition against Bajazet took such order with his souldiers that none were injured insomuch that if a souldier had but taken an apple or other thing of like value from any man he dyed for it One of his souldiers having taken a little milk Turk hist fol. 313. from a country-woman and she thereof complaining he ript up his stâ—mâ—ck where when he found the milk he contented the woman and sent her away who had otherwise dyed for her false accusation Vers 9. With whomsoever it be found c. Innocency is bold but withalli had need to be wise for fear of further inconvenience See notes on Chap. 31.32 Vers 12. And he searched and began at the eldest The better to avoid suspition for he knew well enough where to find the cup. So Ionadab Amnons carnall friend but spirituall enemy could tell David that not all the Kings sons as the report ran but Amnon only was slain by Absolon The devill also when he hath conveyed his cups into our sack his goods into our houses as the Russians use to deal by their enemies Heyl. Geog. pag. 243. and then accuse them of theft his in jections into our hearts if we fancy them never so little will accuse us to God and claim both them and us too for his own And the cup was found in Benjamins
nothing out of his way to go thither and seek God A whet is no let a bait by the way no hinderance the oyling of the wheel furthers the journey As it is Tithe and be rich so Pray and be prosperous But say it should be some prejudice Is it not wisdom 2 Chron. 25.9 to make Gods service costly to us Cannot he make us amends give us much more then the hundred talents Is any thing lost by his service Prayer furthers thrift The night of Popery will shame many of us who in their superstitious zeal had this proverb Masse and meat hindereth no mans thrift The very Heathen offered sacrifices when they took journeys as Festus witnesseth Fest lib. 14. Vers 2. Here am I. Josephus tells us he said who is there He seems never seriously to have read the Bible Lib. 1. Antiq. but only in transcursu quasi aliud agens Quod vere ad bistoâ—iam Vet. Test cam suse et magis ex vulgi intellectu in Josepho inveniunt Barcl paraen Is not that then a proper excuse for the Church of Rome her sacriledg in robbing the vulgar of the holy Scriptures that she allows them to read Josephus where they may find the history of the old Testament more plainly and plentifully set forth then in the Bible But Barclay that made this apology was of the minde belike of Walter Mapes sometimes Arch-Deacon of Oxford who relating the gross simony of the Pope for confirming the election of Reginald bastard son to Iocelin Bishop of Sarum into the Sea of Bathe concludes his narration thus D. Sanderson Sit tamen domina materque nostra Roma baculus in aqua fractus et absit credere quae vidimus Howbeit far be it from us to believe our own eyes Vers 3. Fear not to go down to Egypt Cause of fear he might see sufficient But God would have him not to look downward on the rushing and roaring streams of miseries that ran so swiftly under him and his posterity but stedfastly fasten on his power and providence who was his God and the God of his father He loves to perfect his strength in our weakness as Eliab would have the sacrifice covered with water that Gods power might the more appear in the fire from heaven Vers 4. I will go down with thee That was as good security as could be Pâ—rge contra tempestatem forti animo Caesarem fers fortunam Caesaris For if Caesar could say to the fearful Ferry-man in a terrible storm Be of good chear thou carriest Caesar and therefore canst not miscarry how much more may he presume to be safe that hath God in his company A child in the dark fears nothing whiles he hath his father by the hand And I will also surely bring thee up again So saith God to his dying people when they are to enter into the grave He will surely bring them back from the jawes of death to the joyes of eternal life Yea by rotting he will refine their frail bodies as the Goldsmith melts a picture of gold or bruised peece of plate that 's out of fashion to make it up better And Ioseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes An ancient and an honourable custome in use among the Romanes also as Pliny tells us The eyes are commonly open lift up to heaven when men are adying unless they be such as that Pope was who breathing out his last Joh. 24. Sic Benedic 9. Alexander 6. Leo 10. Bell. de arte moriendi lib. 2. cap. 10. said Now I shall know whether the soul be immortal or not Or that desperate Advocate in the Court of Rome mentioned by Bellarmine who dying used these words Ego propero ad inferos neque est ut aliquid pro me agat Deus But Iacob had hope in his death and Ioseph had the honour of closing up those eyes that shall shortly see God again in the flesh Iob 19.26 Vers 5. And Iacob rose up from Beersheba The word rose up is Emphatical and imports that his heart was lightened and his joynts oyled and nimbled as it were with the heavenly vision As when he had seen God at Bethel he lift up his feet and went on his way lustily Gen. 28.1 so here as fast as his old legs would carry him Act. Mon. as Father Latimer said to Ridley when they were going to the stake And as it is recorded of good old Rawlins White Martyr that whereas before he was wont to go stooping or rather crooked through infirmity of age having a sad countenance Act. Mon. fol. 1415. and very feeble complexion and withal very soft in speech and gesture now he went and stretched up himself not only bolt upright as he went to the stake but also bare withall a most pleasant and comfortable countenance not without great courage and audacity both in speech and behaviour In like sort Iacob here having sought God and received a gracious promise of his presence and protection rose up merrily from Beersheba and doubts not to follow God whithersoever he shall leade him Vers 6. And they took their cattle and their goods Though Pharaoh sent to them they should not yet not willing to be much chargeable they brought that they had It is a happiness so to live with others as not to be much beholden but rather helpfull then burthensome He that receives a courtesie we say sells his liberty And the borrower is servant to the lender Saint Paul glories in this to the liberall Corinthians that when he was present with them he was chargeable to no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dunnied no man I was no mans trencher-fly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 torpedâ— piscis cujus ea est natura ut prepius accedentes seque tangentes obstupefaciat Hine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obstupeâ— cum alicujus incommode Pasâ—r Heil Geogâ— pag. 291. Turk hist fol. 477.950 He was not of those that served not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies Rom. 16. The Duke of Bavaria's house is so pestered with Friers and Iesuites that notwithstanding the greatness of his revenue he is very poor as spending all his estate upon these Popish Parasites Such among the Turks are the Dervislars and Imailers that under pretence of religion live like body-licâ— upon other mens sweat and labours Vers 7. His daughters and his sons daughters That is by a Synechdoche integri his neece Serah and his daughter Dinah who came down with the rest into Egypt and therefore was not Iobs wife as the Iewes would perswade us Vers 12. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron Hezron and Hamul not yet born are reckoned in stead of Er and Onaâ— who were dead before the descent into Egypt See Funccius his Chronolog Comment A. M. 2273. Vers 26. Which came out of his loynes Heb. è femore ejus A modest description of generation by the instrumentall and materiall cause thereof
long as Christ is a live Can our hearts dye within us whiles our head is the Lord of life yea our life as Saint Paul calls him Vers 32. The men are shepherds The truly vertuous or valorous are no whit ashamed of their mean parentage but rather glory in themselves that their merit hath advanced them above so many thousands far better descended Doctor Cox Almoner and Sir John Cheek Sir Jo. Heyw. in his Edw. 6. Tutor to King Edward the sixth were men of mean birth but so well esteemed saith the Historian for vertue and learning that they might well be said to be born of themselves So were Iphicrates that brave Athenian the son of a cobler Eumenes one of Alexanders best Captains the son of a Carter Agathocles King of Sicily of a potter c. And these would many times freely discourse of their beginning and plainly relate their bringing up and what their parents were And they have brought their flocks As chusing rather a poor shepherds life in Gods service then to ruffle it as Courtiers out of the Church So did Moses afterwards and David Isal 84 10. and the poor Prophet that dyed so deep in debt and Micaiah and those that wandered about in sheep-skins Heb. 11.37 and goat-skins who haply might have rustled in silks and velvets if they would have strained their consciences Origen was contented to be a poor Catechist at Alexandria every day in fear of death when he might have been with his fellow-pupill Plotinus in great authorâ—â—y and favour if not a Christian Luther was offered a Cardinalship to have held his tongue Galeacius Caraâ—ciplus a great sum of gold to have returned to his Marquesdom in Italy c. God takes it kindly when men will go after him in the wilderness in a land not sown Ier. 2.2 that is chuse him and his wayes in affliction and with self-deâ—iall Vers 33. When Pharaoh shall call you At Athens every man gave an yearly account to the Magistrate by what trade Lex illa Solonis inprimis commendatur ut quisque quot annis c. Textor Epist Peacham or course of life he maintain'd himself which if he could not do he was banished By the law Mahomet the great Turk himself is bound to exercise some manual trade or occupation for none must be idle as Solyman the Magnificent his trade was making of arrow-heads Achmat the last horn-rings for Archers c. Vers 34. Thy servants trade hath been c. They were not ashamed of their trade though mean and despicable Tertull. de fug Persee Malo miserandum quam erubescendum saith Tertullian No lawful calling but hath an honour put upon it by God unlawful only are shameful Ask a poor scavenger what his occupation is hee 'l answer I am a Scavenger Tankerd-bearer c. Ask an Usurer Gamester c. that question and he will not say I am an Usurer c. That ye may dwell in the land of Goshen Which as it was next to the land of Canaan so it was most fat fertile and fit for their cattle Sumen totius regionis the like to Egypt that Campauia was to Italy of which Florus thus writeth L. Flor. lib. 1. cap. 16. Nihil mollius coelo nihil uberius solo nihil hospitalius mari c. Liberi Cererisque certamen dicitur For every shepherd is an abomination c. An Israelite is still an abomination to an Egyptian the righteous to the wicked Prov. 29.27 and will be to the worlds end And there is no love lost betwixt them The shepherds of Israel especially are by profane great ones thought scarce worthy to wait upon their trenchers the baser sort make songs of them and the abjects vilifie them Papists make more of hedge-Priests then most amongst us do of powerful preachers A sad fore-runner of the departure of the gospel If dishonour kept Christ from Nazareth Joh. 4.44 much more will it drive him thence when he is come CHAP. XLVII Vers 1. Then Ioseph came and told Pharaoh Scipioni obtrectabat Carbo Alcibiadi Hyperbolus Homero Zoilus Ciceroni Clodius Habuerunt suos cuculos omnes docti heroici THis was great wisdom in him to do nothing for his friends though he were so great a favourite without the Kings privity and approbation There wanted not those that waited for his halting envy attends upon honour and alwayes aymeth at the highest as the tallest trees are weakest at the tops Melancthon tells us he once saw a certain ancient piece of coyn having on the one side Manl. loc com p. 414. Corn. Nepos in vita Batamis Hannib Sal. in Catilin Zopyrus on the other Zoilus It was an emblem of Kings courts saith He where calumnies accompany the well-deserving as they did Daniel Datames Hannibal c. Difficilimum inter mortales est gloriâ invidiam vincere saith Salust How potent that quick-sighted and sharp-fanged malignity is we may guess by that question Prov. 27.4 Vers 3. Psal 104.26 What is your occupation That they had an occupation Pharaoh took for granted God made Leviathan to play in the sea but none to do so upon earth Turks and Pagans will rise up in judgment against the idle See Notes on Chap. 46.33 Periander made a law at Corinth that whosoever could not prove that he lived by his honest labour he should suffer as a thief The Apostle bids him that stole Eph. 4.28 steal no more but labour with his hands the thing that is good c. Not to labour then with hand or head or both is to steal Every one must bring some honey into the common hive Igâ—avum sucâ—s pecus c. Matth. 25. unless he will be cast out as a drone Thou idle and evil servant saith our Saviour To be idle then is to be evil and he shall not but do naughtily that does nothing God wills that men should earn their bread afore they eat it 2 Thess 3.12 neither may they make religion a mask for idleness ver 11. Vers 4. For to sojourn in the land are we come And had they returned home again after the death of Ioseph they had taken a right course for themselves But as God had otherwise decreed it so they thought it best being there and therefore not without their own fault they fell into servitude Vers 5. And Pharaoh spake unto Ioseph Kind he was and constant Herodot lib. 4. Cromerus to so good a servant as Darius likewise was to his Zopyrus whom he preferred before the taking of twenty Babylons the King of Poland to his noble servant Zelislaus to whom he sent a golden hand instead of that hand he lost in his wars Vers 6. If thou knowest any man of activity Or ability of body and mind 1 King 11.28 such as Jeroboam a mighty man of valour and fit for the work prudent and diligent ingenious and industrious that hath a dexterity and handiness to the
tot priorum hominum donariis intervertendis Sculter Annal. pag. 332. saith the Annalist and came all to fearful ends Two of them fell out and challenging the field One killed the other and was hang'd for it A third drowned himself in a Well The fourth from great riches fell to extreme beggery and was hunger-starved The last one Doctor Alan being Archbishop of Dublin was there cruelly murthered by his enemies Now if Divine Justice so severely and exemplarily pursued and punished these that converted those abused goods of the Church to better uses without question though they looked not at that but at the satisfying of their own greedy lusts What will be the end of such Sacrilegious persons as enrich themselves with that which should be their Ministers maintenance Sacrum sacrove commendatum qui clepserit rapseritque Ex duod tab Neand. Chron. parricida esto said the Romane law It is not only sacriledg but parricide to rob the Church Vers 25. Let us find grace That is do us the favour to intercede for us to Pharaoh that we may be his perpetual farmers and hold of him It seems that Pharaoh was no proper name but common to the Kings of Egypt as Caesar to the Emperours of Rome a title of honour as His Majesty amongst us Otherwise these poor people had been over-bold with his name Vers 27. Grew and multiplyed exceedingly Here that promise Chap. 46.3 began to be accomplished God dyes not in any mans debt Vers 28. Iacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years So long he had nourished Ioseph and so long Ioseph nourished him paying his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the utmost penny These were the sweetest dayes that ever Iacob saw God reserved his best to the last Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for be his beginning and his middle never so troublesome the end of that man is peace Psal 37.47 A Goshen he shall have either here or in heaven Vers 29. Bury me not I pray thee in Egypt This he requested partly to testifie his faith concerning the promised land heaven and the resurrection partly to confirm his family in the same faith and that they might not be glewed to the pleasures of Egypt but wait for their return to Canaan And partly also to declare his love to his ancestours together with the felicity he took in the communion of Saints Vers 30. Bury me in their burying-place That he might keep possession at least by his dead body of the promised land There they would be buried not pompously but reverently that they might rise again with Christ Some of the Fathers think that these Patriarches were those that rose corporally with him Matth. 27.57 Vers 31. And Israel bowed himself In way of thankfulness to God framing himself to the lowliest gesture he was able rearing himself up upon his pillow leaning also upon his third leg his staffe Heb. 11.21 In effoeta senecta fides non effoeta CHAP. XLVIII Vers 1. Behold thy father is sick ANd yet 't was Iacob have I loved So Behold he whom thou lovest is sick Joh. 11.3 Si amatur quomodò infirmatur saith a Father Very well may we say The best before they come to the very gates of death pass oft thorough a very strait long heavy lane of sickness and this in mercy that they may learn more of God and depart with more ease out of the world Such as must have a member cut off willingly yeeld to have it bound though it be painful because when it is mortified and deaded with strait binding they shall the better endure the cutting of it off So here when the body is weakned and wasted with much sickness that it cannot so bustle we dye more easily Happy is he saith a Reverend Writer that after due preparation D. Hall Contemp is passed thorow the gates of death ere he be aware happy is he that by the holy use of long sickness is taught to see the gates of death afar off and addresseth for a resolute passage The one dyes like Henoch and Eliah the other like Iacob and Elisha both blessedly Vers 2. And Israel strengthened himself Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat saith Seneca sure it is that the sight of a dear friend reviveth the sick One man for comfort and counsel may be an Angel to another nay as God himself Such was Nathan to David B. Ridley to King Edward the sixth and that poor Priest to Edward the third who when all the Kings friends and favourites forsook him in his last agony leaving his chamber quite empty called upon him to remember his Saviour Dan. hist of Engl. 255. and to ask mercy for his sins This none before him would do every one putting him still in hope of life though they knew death was upon him But now stirred up by the voyce of this Priest he shew'd all signs of contrition and at his last breath expresses the name of Jesu Vers 3. God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz The truly thankful keep calenders and catalogues of Gods gracious dealings with them and delight to their last to recount and reckon them up not in the lump only and by whole-sale as it were but by particular enumeration upon every good occasion setting them forth one by one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here and Ciphering them up as Davids word is Psal 9.1 we should be like civet-boxes which still retain the scent when the civit is taken out of them See Psal 145 1 2. Exod. 18.8 Vers 5. As Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine God hath in like part 2 Cor. 6.18 adopted us for his dear children saying I will be a father unto them and they shall be my sons and my daughters saith the Lord Almighty This S. Iohn calls a royalty or prerogative Joh. 1.12 such as he elsewhere stands amazed at 1 Ioh. 3.1 And well he may for all Gods children are first-born and so higher then all the Kings of the Earth Psal 89.27 They in the fulnesse of their sufficiency are in straits Job 20.22 Whereas the Saints in the fulness of their straits are in an All-sufficiency Vers 6. After the name of their brethren That is of Ephraim and Manasseh as if they were not their brethren but their sons Thus Iacob transfers the birth-right from Reuben to Ioseph 1 Chro. 5.1 2. Vers 7. And I buried her there He could not carry her to the cave of Machpelah and he would not bury her at Bethlehem among Infidels This he tells Ioseph to teach him and the rest not to set up their rest any where but in the land of Canaan Vers 8. Who are these Here Jacob seeing Ioseph's two sons and now first understanding who they were breaks off his speech to Ioseph till the two last verses of the chapter and falls a blessing his sons Titus 3.1 teaching us to be ready to every good word and work laying hold of every hint
time about cap and surpliss They could never agree till they met in prison and then misery bred unity then they could heartily bewaile their former dissentions about matters of no more moment Epist 36. ad Reg. Elizabeth Peter Martyr commends it to the care of Queen Elizabeth that Church-governours indeavour not to carry the Gospell into England upon the cart of needless ceremonies By his advice among others in King Edward the sixths dayâ—s some people contending for one image some for another the King took down all those Balâ—ams-blocks And the very self-same day and hour wherein the reformation enjoyned by Parliment was pat in execution at London by burning of idolatrous images the English put to slight their enemies Act. Mon. 〈◊〉 in Muscleborough field is Mr. Fox hath well observed We had Images and other like popâ—sh paltrement pressing in upon us again and amain not long since till God stirred up the spirit of our religious Nehemi ths to step between and stop the torrent whom therefore God I doubt not will crown with conquest over all their and his Churches enemies Vers 20. And he set Ephraim before God many times sets the yonger before the elder makes the last to be first and the first last to shew the freedom of his grace and that he seeth not as man seeth 1 Sam. 16 7. The maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahashuerosh chose one But Christ first loves and then parifies his Church Eph. 5.25 26. and loves because he loves Deut. 7.7 8. And hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9.18 Vers 21. Behold I dye This was a speech of faith uttered without the least fear consternation or dismayment As it was no more betwixt God and Moses but goe up and dye so betwixt God and Iacob but behold I dye Death he knew to him should neither be totall but of the body only nor perpetuall of the body but for a season only See both these set forth by the Apostle Rom. 8.10 11. Vers 22. I have given thee one portion Ioseph had the double portion as Iudah the dignity from Reuben who had forfeited both by his incest And here it appeareth that the right of the first-born to a double portion was in force and in use before that law Deut. 21.17 as was also the Sabbath circumcision and the raising up seed to a deceased brother With my sword and with my bow That is with the warlike weapons of my sons Simeon and Levi whose victory he ascribeth to himself not as it was wickedly got by his sons for so he disavows and detests it Chap. 49. but as by a miracle from heaven the Canaanites were held in from revenging that slaughter and made to fear his force and valour The Chaldee Paraphrast expounds it metaphorically I took it with my sword and my bow hoc est oratione deprecatione mea saith He by my prayer and supplication Prayers indeed are bombardae instrumenta bellic a Christianorum saith Luther a Christians best Arms and Ammunition The Jesuites pretend and protest that they have no other weapons or wayes to work but preces lachrymas Whereas it is too well known that they are the greatest Incendiaries and boutefeau's of Christendome and their faction a most agile sharp sword whose blade is sheathed at pleasure in the bowels of every Common-wealth but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spain CHAP. XLIX Vers 1. Gather your selves together THis is Jacobs swan-like song his last bequeath Sic ubi fata vâ—cant uâ—is abjectus in herbis Ad vada Maeandri conciuit albus olor Ovid. Epist his farewell to the world and it is a most heavenly one The wine of Gods Spirit is usually strongest and best at last in the hearts of his people his Motions quickest when natural motions are slowest most sensible when the body begins to be senseless most lively when holy men are adying Look how the Sun shines most amiably toward the descent and Rivers the nearer they draw to the sea the sooner they are met by the tide so is it with the Saints when nigh to death when grace is changing into glory they deliver themselves usually to the standers by most sweetly So besides Jacob did Moses Joshuah Paul and He in whose one example is a globe of precepts Our Lord Jesus Christ in that last heavenly Sermon and Prayer of his Ioh. 14.15.16.17 Whereunto let me add that faithful Martyr John Diazius who was cruelly butchered by his own brother Alphonsus Diazius and that meerly for his religion See the Notes on Chap. 4. ver 8. I remember saith Senarclaeus his friend and bed-fellow who wrote the history of his death when he and I were at Newburg the very night before he was murthered he prayed before he went to bed more ardently then ordinary and for a longer time together After which he spent a good part of the night in discoursing of the great works of God and exhorting me to the practice of true piety Ego verò illius oratione sic incoudebar ut cum eum â—issâ—â— entem audirem â—piritus ancti verba me audire exâ—stimarem Ibid. Quest Answ And truly I felt my self so inflamed and quickned by his words that when I heard him discoursing methoughts I heard the Spirit of God speaking unto me This and much more Senarclaeus writes to Bucer who at that time had employed Diazâ—us to over-look the right printing of a book of his that was then in the Press That I may tell you that which shall befall you But how knew Moses this last speech of Jacob being born so long after Partly by Revelation and partly also by Tradition For the words of dying men are living Oracles and their last speeches are long remembred And the accomplishment of all these Prophecies in their due time as the following Scriptures shew adds much to the authority of Moses's writings and confirms them to be faithful and true as He saith Joh. 21.24 Vers 2. Hear ye sons of Jcaob and hearken Draw up the ears of your souls to the ears of your bodies that one sound may pierce both at once Let him â—hat hath an ear to hear hear not only with that outward gristle that grows upon his head but with his utmost intention of mind attention of body and retention of memory and of pracâ—câ— also He that hears the Word of God must hear as if he did for so he doth hear for life and death he must as Jacob bids his sons hear and hearken Vers 3. Virgil. My might and beginning of my strength Nate meae vires The word here used signifieth the straining of the body forcibly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to effect a thing much desired such as was that of S. Paul Phil. 3.13 and that of Eliah 1 King 18.42 when he prayed and prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.17 as St. Iames hath it that is with utmost intention of affection
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power That is saith the Chaâ—â—ee Paraphralt Excellens principatu sacerdotio Both these he forfeited and fell from so cannot Chrâ—stians Rev. 1.6 Vers 4. Vastable as waters Easily drawn to sin and suddenly down from his dignity Reuben for a short sinful pleasure lost great priviledges and blessings So do all Epicures that lose heaven for a base lust their sonls for their sin As Ambrose reports of one Theotinus that having a diseased body and told by the Physitian that unless he lived temperately he would lose his eyes Vale lumen amicum said he if my eyes will not away with my lusts they are no eyes for me So here Men will have their swing in sin whatever come of it They may so and for a time hear no more of it as Reuben did not for almost fourty years after his incest was committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But quod defertur non statim ausertur The Heathen Historian could see and say That sooner or later great sins will have great punishments from Cod. Deus horrenda peccata horrendis poenis immutabiliter vindicat saith Paveus on this Text. He went up to my couch The fact was so odious to Iacob that abhorring the very thought of it he turneth his speech from Reuben to the rest Rom. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 5.3 Hate as hell that which is evil saith Paul And as for fornication and all uncleannesse let it not be once named amongst you Spit it out of your mouthes as the Devils drivel Vers 5. Simeon and Levi are brethren Nobile par fratrum Horat. Metaphora et la. tens Antanaclasis Piscat not more in nature then in iniquity Here Moses blancheth not over the blemishes of his progenitours but wrote as he was inspired by the inpartiall Spirit of truth If it could be said of Suetonius that in writing the lives of the twelve Caesaâ—s Eal bertate soriâ—sit Imperatorum vitas qua iâ—â—i vixâ—runt he took the same liberty to set down their faults that they took to commit them how much more truly may this be said of the holy pâ—nmen they spared not themselves much less their friends See my true treasure pag. 21. Mekerah alii relaumper Graecam â—â—con Machaerae â—â—ram Nonincommâ—â—e Pareus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ—o The world enâ—â—mp by Sr. Fr. Drake pag. 53. Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations Or are their swords Barbarous and brutish persons they were skilfull to destroy Ezek. 21.31 Such a one was Drusus the son of Tiberius the Emperonr so set upon bloodshed that the sharpest swords were from him called in Rome ' Drusians The Spainards are said to try the goodness of their swords upon the bodies of the poor Indians and they suppose saith Sir Francis Drake that they shew the wretches great favour when they do not for their pleasure whip them with cords and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon which is oâ—e of their least cruelties Vers 7. O my soul come not thou c. Iacob here meaneth that neither should any neither would he approve of their perfidie saith an Interpreter And yet Thâ—a us writes Thuah that the Pope caused the Massacre of Paris to be painted in his Pallace Another of them highly extolled in his Consistory the noble act of Clement the Monk that killed the King of France Iâ—cob Revins de viâ—is Pont. f. pag. 291. comparing it with the work of creation incarnation c. â—rier Garnet our chiefe powder plotter had his picture set among the rest of their Saints in the Iesuâ—â—es Church at Rome And Cornel. a Lapide upon Apocalyps 7.3 crowns this traytour with fresh Encomiasticks In their anger they slew a man Yea â—â—r r. Apol. contra lesuit many innocents and then cryed out O remregiam as Valesius did when he had slain three-hundred O pulchrum speaculum as Hannibal when he saw a pit full of mans blood Quam bonus est odor hostis mortui as Charles the ninth in the Massacre of Paris where they poisoned the Queen of Navarr pistold the Prince of Condee murdered the most part of the peereess Peeres of France their wives and children Answ to Cathol Supplic by Gab. Powell with a great sort of the common people in divers parts of the Realm 30000 in one moneth 300000 in the space of a year Mahomet the first Emperour of Turks was thought in his time to have been the death of 800000 men Selymus the second in revenge of the loss he had received at the battell of Lepanto would have put to death all the Christians in his dominion in number infinite Mithridates King of Pontus Ibid. 885. Val. Max. lib. 9. with one letter slew fourscore thousand Citizens of Rome in Asia that were scattered up and down the country for traffique-sake It was the cruel manner of Vladus Prince of Valachia Turle hist fol. 363. together with the offendours to execute the whole familie yea sometimes the whole kindred Did not these two brethren in sin do so and worse Vers 7. Cursed be their anger Of the mischiefe of rash anger and means to repress it See the notes on Chap. 34. vers 7. See my Common-place of anger I will divide them in Iacob A punishment suitable to their sin they conspired to do mischief and are therefore divided in Iacob Of Simeon Judas Iscariot is said to have come who tumbled as a stone till he came to his place Levi had his habitation among the other tribes and this curse was afterwards turned to a blessing when they were consecrated as Priests to preserve and present knowledg to their brethren Deut. 33.9 10. to teach Iacob Gods judgments and Israel his laws Vers 8. Judah thou art he whom thy brethren All this is chiefly verified in Christ and of him to be understood In him is beauty bounty goodness greatness and whatsoever else is praise-worthy Rev. 6.2 He goeth forth riding on his white horse conquering and to conquer Saint Paul his chief Herald proclaimes his victory with a world of solemnity and triumph 1 Cor. 15.56 and calls upon all his brethren to bow down before him Philip. 2.10 as they do Rev. 12.10 casting down their crowns at his feet Rev. 4. Apud Rom. siqui servati essent solebant Servato rem suum coronare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyb. lib. 6 In inâ—â—diis In subsidiis ult and setting the crown upon his head as the manner was among the Romans that the saved should crown their Saviours and honour them as their fathers all their lives long being wholly at their service It was not without mystery that David did reverence to his son Solomon when he was newly crowned what would he have done think we to his Lord as he calls Christ Psal 110.1 had he been there in his Royalty Vers 9. Judah is a Lions whelp Many Lion-like
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
5. that he lived 105 years without sickness which yet was a rare thing and few mens happiness Vers 23. Brought up on Josephs knees Who with great joy danced and dandled them So God is said to do his people Deut. Pedibus suis inservit Metaph. a parentibus qui filioles suos quos chares habent sic tracttant Cartw. hist Christi Sic Shindler Buxtorf Qui priù digito coelum attingere videbantur nunc bumi derepente serpere siderates esse diceres Bud. 1 Chron. 7.22 Psal 78.9 33.3 As some understand it Vers 24. And Ioseph said unto his brethren I dye A sad saying to them poor souls For now began their misery and slavery in Egypt When Epaminondas dyed his whole country dyed with him the Thebanes were never after known by their victories but by their overthrowes When Augustus dyed the Sun seemed to the Romanes to fall from heaven such an alteration presently followed in that State When Lewis the twelfth departed this world saith Budaeus he that erewhile seemed to touch heaven with his finger lay groveling as if he had been thunderstruck All Israels prosperity dyed with Josiah and so did their liberty and worldly felicity with Ioseph His Nephews the Ephramites attempted before the time their own deliverance not long after Iosephs death even whiles their father Ephraim was yet alive but with ill success to his great grief and regret Hasty work seldom ends well how this of mine will do I know not made up as it might be in little more then four-moneths space amidst manifold feares and distractions at spare-hours and bearing date from mine enlargement Anno Dom. 1643. Iuly the 11. that happy day that saw me both a prisoner and a free-man by the good hand of my God upon me to whom be glory and praise for ever As for this my book made purposely to testifie my thankfulness to God mine Almighty Deliverer See mine Epist Dedicat. set before my Com. on the four Evangel and to those whom he was pleased to use as instruments of my much-indeared liberty such as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said of his Rhetoricks and if I shall cast in my verdict Cum relego Ovid. de Pont. Eleg 1.6 scripsisse pudet quia plurima cerne Me quoque qui scripsi judice digna lini Deo Soli Gloria FINIS A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION UPON THE Second BOOK of Moses called EXODVS CHAP. I. Vers 1. Now these are Heb. And these are c. FOR this Book is a continuation of the former historie and this vers a repetition of what was before recorded 〈…〉 Gen. 46.8 The whole law saie the Schoolmen is but one copulative The whole Scripture but Cor anima Dei saith a Father the Heart and Soul of God Luke 1. 〈◊〉 uttered by the mouth of the holie Prophets which have been since the world began Vers 5. And all the souls That is persons for souls are not begotten but infused beeing divine particulae aurae Eccles 12.7 Aristotle himself saw and acknowledged as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. cap. 9. de gene ar Were seventie souls More worth then the seventie nations of the whole world saie the Jews God reckon's of men by their righteousness Vers 6. And all that generation Eâ enim lege nati sumus ut moriamur God also maketh haste to have the number of his Elect fulfilled and therefore dispatcheth away the generations Vers 7. Increased abundantly Heb. spawned and bred swiftly as fishes Trogus author affirmat in Aegypto septenos vno utero simul gigni Aegypt is a fruitful Countrie it is ordinarie there saith Trogus to have seven children at a birth Solinus give 's the reason quòd faetifero potu Nilus non tantùm terrarum sed etiam hominum faecundat arva The River Nilus whereof they drink make 's men as well as fields fruitful But this increas of the Israëlites was also by the extraordinarie blessing of God that they might becom a mightie and populous Nation Deut. 26.5 Vers 8. A new King Called Busiris a most savage Tyrant as Heathen histories report him Who knew not Nothing sooner perisheth then the remembrance of a good turn The Aegyptians are renowned in histories for a thankful people Diod. Sicul. Lib. 2. But it ill appeared in their dealing here with Joseph who had hee now been alive might well have said to them as Themistocles once did to his Athenians Are yee wearie of receiving so manie benefits by one man But herein was fulfilled that of the Wise man Eccles 9.15 Vers 9 More and mightier Hee speak's as if hee had looked through a multiplying glass See the Note on Gen. 31.1 Vers 10. Com let us deal wisely So as the world's wisards use to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But God taketh these foxes in their own craft 1 Cor. 3.19 Your laboring men have the most and lustiest children Everie Oppressoris a fool Pro. 28.16 Lest when there fall out anie war It may seem by 1 Chron. 3.21.22 compared with Psal 78.9 That the Ephraïmites wearie of the Aegyptian bondage and over-hastie to enjoie the promised land invaded the Philistines and plundered them But were pursued and slain by the men of Gath to the great grief of their father Ephraïm and to the further exasperating of the Aegyptians against all the children of Israël which might occasion also this cruel edict and proceeding against them It is a singular skill to bear bondage or anie other burden wisely and moderately They that break priâ—on before God's gaol-deliverie get nothing but more irons laid upon them Vers 11. To afflict them Becaus they would not serv God with gladness of heart Deut. 28.47 48. For now they began to go a whoring after the Idols of Egypt Ezek. 23.8 and 20.5 7 8. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities They built also those famous Pyramides as som think of which it is reported that for the great hight of them Bucholcer a man cannot shoot an arrow so high as the mid'st of the lower tower whereon the spire standeth Turk hist sol 544. Vers 12. The more they multiplied As the ground is most fruitful that is most harrowed and as the wal-nut tree bear's best when most beaten Fish thrive better in cold and salt-waters then in warm and fresh And they were grieved Or irked as Moab likewise was becaus of Israel they did fret and vex at them Num. 22.3 4. Yet they were allied and passed by them in peace No other reason but the old enmitie Gen. 3. and that utter antipathie Pro. 29.27 Vers 13. To serv with rigor Heb. With fierceness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quidam cum ferocia voce latinâ â—onserunt Mercer so thinking to cow out their spirits and to exanimate them So deal's the Turk with the Christians Vers 14. Bitter with hard bondage Did wee but live a while saith One in Turkie Persia yea or but in France a
at first doubted till overcom by Hierom's arguments Augustin Ver. 24. Eie for eie How the Pharisees had wrested that Text See the Note on Mat. 5.39 This kinde of law in use among Heathens also Aristotle call's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was given against private revenge Ver. 28. Then the ox shall bee surely stoned God requiring man's blood even of beasts Gen. 9.5 See the Note there Ver. 29. Hee hath killed a man c. Since the fall all creatures are armed against us as that sword which Hector gave Ajax which so long as hee used against men his enemies served for help and defence but after hee began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtless beasts it turned into his own bowels Ver. 32. Thirtie shekels This same was that goodly price that our Lord Christ was valued at by the vile Jews Zach. 11.12 13. Mat. 26.15 Ver. 33. And an ox or an ass Wee can hardly open the deep pit of God's bottomless boundless mercie but som sillie beast will bee falling thereinto stumbling at the Word beeing disobedient whereunto also they were appointed 1 Pet. 2.8 Ver. 36. Ox for ox These where those right judgments true laws good statutes c. Neh. 9.13 CHAP. XXII Ver. 1. When a man shall steal c. THe Persians at this daie punish theft and man-slaughter so severely The Preachers Travels by Cartwright that in an age a man shall hardly hear either of the one or the other The Turk's justice will rather cut off two innocent men then let on thief escape Ver. 2. If a thief bee found So if an adulteress bee taken as shee was John 8.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the verie theft Ver. 3. If the sun bee risen Chaldee hath it If the eie of witnesses if hee can rais the town and call in aid Ver. 4. Hee shall restore double In Solomon's time it was seven-fold Prov. 6.31 Ver. 5. To bee eaten By unadvised turning in of his cattle through mistake or neglect Ver. 6. Or the field The stubble Ver. 7. Or stuff Heb. Vessels instruments ornaments apparel furniture weapons c. Ver. 8. To see whether sc by putting him to his oath Ver. 11. Som think that a private oath may bee in such a case as this lawfully taken for the satisfaction of another if hee will not otherwise bee satisfied Ver. 9. Before the Judges Heb. the Gods So Judges are called if good especially Psal 82.6 And the seat of Judicature is called the holie place Eccles 8.10 Ver. 10. Or anie beast to keep As Jacob kept Laban's cattle Gen. 31.39 Ver. 11. An oath of the Lord Who is called in as a witness and as an avenger how hateful then is that Popish proverb and practise Mercatorum est non regum stare juramentis Ver. 13. Let him bring it A leg or a limb of it as Amos 3.12 Ver. 14. And if a man borrow God hath so ordered humane condition that one man must bee beholden to another Ver. 15. It came for his hire q. d. Hee shall paie the hire onely and no more though the owner bee not by when it miscarrieth Ver. 16. Entice a maid Heb. Over-perswade with her by fair words which make fools fain Ver. 17. Hee shall paie No mulct is laid upon her becaus shee had nothing of her own and shee had lost her honor in losing her virginitie 1 Thes 4.4 See the Note there Ver. 18. A witch An enchantress sorceress whose help was somtimes sought in inticing young maids to follie The man-witch also is here meant Vatab. but the woman-witch mentioned both becaus women are more inclinable to that sin and also becaus the weaker sex is not to bee spared for this fault Junius Ver. 19. Bee put to death Heb. Put him to die Gr. kill him with death as God threatneth to do Jezabel's children Rev. 2.23 Ver. 20. Hee shall bee utterly destroied As an execrable and accursed creature Ver. 21. Thou shalt not vex a stranger The right of strangers is so holie saith one that there was never nation so barbarous that would violate the same When Stephen Gardner had in his power the renowned Divine Peter Martyr Acts and Mon fol. 1783. then teaching at Oxford hee would not keep him to punish him but when hee should go his waie gave him wherewith to bear his charges Ver. 22. Or fatherless childe With God the fatherless findeth mercie Hos 14.3 Widdows and orphans are God's clients taken into his protection Ver. 23. And they crie at all unto mee A vine whose root is uncovered thrive's not so a widdow whose covering of eies is taken away Mercer in Proverb joie's not In Hebrew shee is called Almanach of Alam to bee dumb becaus shee hath none to speak for her But if shee call and crie to God hee will speak for her in the hearts of her oppressors Ver. 24. Your wives shall bee widdows God delight 's to punish crueltie in kinde as hee did in Agag 1 Sam. 15.33 Ver. 25. Thou shalt not bee to him as an usurer Heb. as an exacting creditor Qui nullum diem gratìs occidere creditori permittit The usurer's monie is to necessitie like cold water to a hot ague that for a time refresheth but prolongeth the diseas Laie upon him usurie Heb. Biting usurie Usurers are men-eaters Psalm 14.4 Like pickrels in a pond or sharks in the sea that devour the lesser fishes These ostriches can digest anie metal especially monie Arist Ethic. lib. 4. cap. 1. Aristotle in one page condemneth the usurer and the dicer and yet som Christians blush at neither Ver. 28. Thou shalt not revile the Gods Blaspheme dignities This is blasphemie in the second Table Jude 8. Ver. 29. Thou shalt not delaie True obedience is prompt and present readie and speedie without demur and consults Zech. 5.9 wings and winde in their wings On the eighth daie When a Sabbath had once gon over it saie the Hebrews Ver. 30. Holie men Heb. Men of holiness which should run through our whole lives as the woof doth through the web CHAP. XXIII Ver. 1. Thou shalt not rais NEither rais nor receiv it neither bee the tale-bearer nor tale-hearer the one carrie's the divel in his tongue the other in his ear Not onely those that make a lie but those that love it when it is made to their hands are shut out of heaven Rev. 22.15 Solomon make's it an ill sign of a graceless man to bee apt to beleev scandalous reports of godlie persons Prov. 17.4 Ver. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude The waie to hell is broad and well-beaten Per viam publicam nè ingredere was one of Pythagoras his precepts Do not as the most do lest thou bee undon for ever Argumentum turpissimum est turba saith Seneca To live according to the cours of the world is to bee acted by the divel Ephes 2.2 Ver. 3. Neither shalt thou countenance Spare not the great for their
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
die in a ditch CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. After the death THat others might bee warned Lege historiam ne fias historia saith one When they offered before the Lord A little strange sire might seem a small matter in the eies of indifferencie and yet it was such a sin as made all Israël guiltie as appear's by the sacrifices offered for that sin set down in this Chapter Ver. 2. That hee com not at all times Whensoever hee pleaseth but when I appoint him i.e. once a year onely Exodus 30.10 and then also with reverence and godlie fear God as hee lov's to bee acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience so hee tak's â—â—ate upon him in his ordinances and will bee trembled at in his judgments Ver. 3. For a sin-offering viz. For himself and his familie ver 6. and 11. See the Note on Chap. 14.3 Ver. 4. Therefore shall hee wash As wee must bee alwaies holie so then most when wee present our selvs to the holie eies of our Creätor We wash our hands everie daie but when wee are to sit with som great person wee scour them with bals See vers 24. Ver. 5. Two kids of the goats Both of them types of Christ who though hee died not for wicked goats yet hee seemed rejected of God and was reckoned among malefactors Isa 53. Ver. 6 And for his hous Whereof a Minister must bee mainly carefull 1 Tim. 3.4 lest as Augustus doing justice on others hee bee hit in the teeth with his own disordered familie Aaron had lately smarted in his two eldest Ver. 8. Shall cast lots To shew that nothing was don for us by Christ but what God's hand and his counsel had determined Acts 4.28 1 Pet. 1.20 See the Note For the scape goat Which beeing a piacular or purging oblation carried the peoples curs with it as did likewise those Obominales among the Grecians who from this custom of the Hebrews borrowed their yearlie expiation of their cities the manner whereof somwhat like unto this See in the Note on 1 Cor. 4.13 Ver. 9. The goat A type of Christ's mortal humanitie saie som as the scape-goat of his immortal deïtie Or the one of his death the other of his resurrection Others are of opinion that hereby was signified that the Deïtie of Christ dwelling in light inaccessible gave to his humanitie sufficient strength for the induring of those things which no other creature could have com near for the full expiating of our sins So hee telleth the Jews first and after his disciples Where I shall bee you cannot com Ver. 22. Ver. 11. An attonement for himself That having first made his own peace hee may be in case to attone for the people This was David's method Psal 25. 51. Ver. 12. And bring it within the veil So to prepare the waie into the holie place This incens smal-beaten might figure Christ in his Agonie praying more earnestly before hee entred with his own blood into the most holie place of heaven Ver. 13. May cover the mercie-seat And so bee as a skreen betwixt the Priest and those everlasting burnings or as a cloud to darken the glorie of their shining for the high-priest's safetie Ver. 14. Vpon the mercie-seat eastward This and the following verses signifie saith one that even heaven it self is defiled unto us by our sins until it bee made clean by the blood and obedience of Christ who is entred thither not by the blood of goats and calvs but by his own blood and thereby hath purified the heavenlie things themselvs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.12 23. Ver. 16. In the midst of their uncleanness Which did cleav to the Tabernacle as the sins of spiritual Babylon are said to bee glewed to heaven Revel 18.5 Ver. 17. And there shall bee no man Christ will have no partner and hee need 's no co-adjutor Heb. 7.25 Isa 63.3 Ver. 18. And hee shall go unto the Altar This signified saith one that everie Church-assemblie is acceptable to God onely through the blood of Christ by the remission of all their sins Ver. 21. All their transgressions in all their sins i.e. In their several circumstances and aggravations laying open how manie transgressions were wrapped up in their several sins This was to bring out their sins as they took the vessels of the temple Ezra 8.34 by number and by weight Ver. 22. Shall let go the goat The Hebrews saie that hee was to throw it down the rock and so it died The Grecians had a like custom in their solemn expiations of their cities They tumbled the persons devoted from som rock into the sea Suidas Aemulus Dei diabolus sacrificing them to Neptune saying Bee thou a propitiation for us Ver. 24. Hee shall wash his flesh See what this taught them and us Heb. 10.22 That Epistle to the Hebrews is an excellent Commentarie upon this book of Leviticus Ver. 26. Shall wash his clothes To shew 1. That it was for our sins that Christ suffered 2. That all that partake of his benefits must wash their hearts from wickedness Jer. 4.14 2 Cor. 5.15 and 7.1 Ver. 29. Yee shall afflict your souls With voluntarie sorrows for your sins as David did Psal 35.13 and Daniel Cha. 10.3 12. and so dispose your selvs to obtein pardon and reconciliation The Lord's Supper is with us a daie of attonement at which time both the Scape-goat was let go and affliction of soul was called for This Passover must bee eaten with sour herbs Ver. 31. It shall bee a Sabbath of rest An exact and caresull rest such as is described Isa 58.13 which place of the Prophet som understand of this daie of attonement and yearlie fast spoken of in the begining of that Chapter Ver. 33. For the holie Sanctuarie For all the sins of your holie services it beeing the manner that either make's or mar's an action Ver 34. For all their sins once a year For whereas in their private sacrifices they durst not confess their capital sins for fear of death due to them by the Law God gratiously provided and instituted this yearlie Sacrifice of attonement for the sins of the whole people without particular acknowledgment of anie CHAP. XVII Ver. 2. This is the thing which the Lord WHo must bee readily obeied without tergiversation or sciscitation Ver. 3. What man soever Whether Israëlite or proselyte Vers 8. unless by special dispensation from the Law-giver as 1 Sam. 7.9 and 11.15 2 Sam. 24.18 1 Kings 18.22 and then they were to offer upon altars of earth or rough stone that might bee soon and easily thrown down Exodus 20.24 25. Ver. 4. And bringeth it not unto the door To teach that in the Church alone and by Christ alone that is by faith in him acceptable service can bee performed to God Christ is the door of the sheep Iohn 10.7 9. by whom wee com to the Father Iob. 14.6 and may everie where list up pure hands without wrath
cannot put words and how oft doth he chuse the weak to confound the wise _____ And she said unto Balaam The Angel some think did speak in the Asse as the Devil had done to Eve in the garden Vers 29. I would there were a sword Pity but a mad-man should have a sword how much fitter for him were that rod that Solomon speaks of Prov. 26.3 Vrs 32. Because thy way is perverse Thou art resolved to curse howsoever and not to lose so fair a preferment which he must needs buy at a dear rate that payes his honesty for it Better a great deal lye in the dust then rise by such ill principles I shall shut up with that excellent prayer of Zuinglius Deum Opt. Max. precor ut vias nostras dirigat ac sicubi simus Bileami in morem veritati pertinaciter oblucâ—atâ—ri aâ—gelum suum opponat Zuing. epist lib. tertio qui machae 〈◊〉 suoe minis 〈◊〉 asinum insciâ—amâ—t audaciam dico nostram sic ad maâ—criam assligat ut fraclum pedem hoc est impurum illicitumque carnis sensum auferamus ne ultra blasphememus nomen Domini Dei nostri CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. BVild me here seven altars Here in Baals high-places Chap. 22.41 A sinfull mixture such as was that of those Mongrels 2 King 17.28 29. and their naturall Nephews the Samaritans Ioh. 4. Ambodexters in their religion which being grosser at first was afterward refined by Manasseh a Iew-Priest such another as Balaam that in Alexanders time made a defection to them and brought many Iewes with him Of Constantinus Copronymus it is said how truly I know not that he was neither Iew Heathen nor Christian sed colluviem quandam impietatis but a hodg-podg of wickedness And of Redwald King of the East-Saxons the first that was baptized Camden reports that he had in the same Church one Altar for Christian Religion and another for sacrificing to devills And a loafe of the same leaven was that resolute Rufus that painted God on the one side of his shield and the devill on the other with this desperate inscription In â—trumque paratus Ready for either catch as catch may Vers 2. And Balak did Ready to conform to any religion so he might obtain his purposes So did Henry the fourth of France but it was his ruine whiles he sought the love of all parties aequè malo ac bono reconciliabilis as one saith of him he lost all Whiles he stood to the true religion he was Bonus Orbi as one wittily anagrammatized his name Borbonius but when he fell from it Orbus boni And surely he was not like to stand long to the truth who at his best had told Beza Pelagose non ita commissurus esset quin quando liberct pedem referre posset that he would launch no further into the sea then he might be sure to return safe to the haven some countenance he would shew to religion but yet so as he would be sure to save himself God abhors these luke-warme Neuter-passives that are inter coelum terramque penduli that halt between two that commit Idolatry between the porch and the altar with those five and twenty miscreants Ezek. 8.16 Vers 4. I have prepared seven Altars He boasts of his devotions and so thinks to demerit Gods favour So those hypocrites in Esay Chap. 58.3 Non sic deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceret we have not so served the gods as that the enemy should have the better of us said the Emperour Antoninus the Philosopher Vers 5. And the Lord put a word in Balaams mouth The words thus put into his mouth do but pass from him they are not polluted by him because they are not his as the Trunk through which a man speaks is not more eloquent for the speech uttered through it Balaam did not eate Gods word as Ieremy did Chap. 15.16 nor believe what he had spoken as David and after him Saint Paul did Psal 116.10 2 Cor. 4.13 No more did Plato Seneca and other Heathens in their divine sentences Vers 7. And he took up his parable Or pithy and powerfull speech uttered in numerous and sententious tearms and taken among the Heathen for prophecyes or oracles poëmata pro vaticiniis c. Poets were taken for Prophets Tit. 1.2 and Poems for prophecyes Hence their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein opening a book of Homer Hesiod c. they took upon them by the first verse they lighted upon to divine Tragedians also for their pâ—rables or Master-sentences were highly esteemed of old insomuch as after the discomfit of the Athenians in Sicily they were releeved who could repeat somewhat of Euripides Out of Aram Aram Naharim or Mesopotamia so called because it is scituate betwixt those two rivers of paradise Tigris and Euphrates This was Abrahams country where whiles he was it it he served strange gods Iosh 24.2 Vers 8. How shall I curse He had a good minde to it but did not because he durst not God stood over him with a whip as it were the Angell with a sword in his hand could not be forgotten by him Virtus nolentium nulla est Vers 9. From the top of the rocks I see him And have no power to hurt him She heard me without daunting I departed not without terrour Camb. Elis when I opened the conspiracy against her life howbeit cloathed with the best art I could said Parry the traytour concerning Queen Elizabeth Achilles was said to be Styge armatus but Israel was deo armatus and therefore extra jaâ—tum Lo the people shall dwell alone That they might have no medling with the heathen God would not have them lye neer the sea-coasts for the Philistims lay between them and the sea leâ—t they should by commerce wax prouder as Tyrus did Ezek 27.28 and learn forrein fashions See Esther 3.8 Hence Iudaeâ— though part of the continent is called an Island Isai 20.6 Vers 10. Let me dye the death But he was so far from living the life of the righteous that he gave pestilent counsell against the lives of Gods Israel and though here in a fit of companction Chap. 31.8 he seem a friend yet he was afterward slain by the sword of Israel whose happiness he admireth and desires to share in Bern. Carnales non curant quaerere quem tamen desiderant invenire cupieuses consequi sed non et sequi Carnall men care not to seek that which they would gladly finde c. some faint desires and short-winded wishes may be sometimes found in them but the mischief is they would break Gods chain sunder happiness from holiness salvation from sanctisication the end from the meanes they would dance with the devill all day and then sup with Christ at night live all their lives-long in Dalilah's lap and then go to Abrahams bosome when they dye The Papists have a saying that a man would desire to live in Italy a place of great pleasure but to
ea quam habet potestate facilè expiabit Thou shalt take thy full pleasure and then my Cardinal shall give thee full pardon Vers 7. He rose up An heroical act by an extraordinary motion as was also that of Ehud and therefore is not to be made a rule of practice as Burchet conceited when by this example he held himself warranted to kill a great personage in this Kingdom whom he took to be a vitious man and Gods enemy Vers 8. And thrust both of them thorow So they dyed in the flagrancy of their lust as did likewise One of the Popes taken in the act and slain together with his harlot by the husband of the adulteress Mention is likewise made by William Malmsbury of one Walter Bishop of Hereford Anno 1060. his offering to force his Sempster She resisted what she might Godw. Catal. but finding him too strong for her thrust her sheers into his belly and gave him his deaths-wound Vers 9. Twenty and four thousand Twenty and three thousand saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.8 insisting only in the special punishment of the people who were provoked to sin by that other thousand their Princes as ver 4. And all to shew Jun. Parallell quà m frigida jejuna sit eorum defensio c. saith Junius how poorly they plead for themselves that think to excuse their sins by alledging the examples of their superiours Vers 13. Because he was zealous for his God Enraged as a jealous man with a holy hatred of sin and inflamed with love to God quem aliter amare non didicerat as Chrysostome speaks of Basil Non amat qui non Zelat saith Augustine Contra Adamant c. 13. He is no friend to God that is not zealous for him To one that desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was presented in a dream saith the history a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one all on a light fire for God Vers 14. A Prince of a chief house Whom yet Phineas spared not as neither did John Baptist spare Herod nor Nathan David nor Bishop Lambert King Pippin Epitome hist Gall. pag. 30. whom he freely reproved to his face for his adultery Anno 798. though he were afterwards therefore slain by the harlots brother Odo Severus the 22. Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 934. dealt like plainly with King Edwin excommunicated his Concubines and caused one of them on whom the King doted unreasonable Godw. Catal. ◠to be fetcht out of the court by violence burnt her in the forehead with a hot iron and banished her into Ireland Vers 17. Vex the Midianites As more malicious and mischievous then the Moabites as appears 1. By their detaining of ' Balaam when the Moabites dismissed him in great displeasure 2. By the wickedness of their women who by Cozbi may seem to have been meretrices meretricissimae Lib. 2. tum such as afterwards was Julia. Messalina and that Romish Lucretia Concubine to Pope Alexander 6. of whom Pontanus Hoc tumulo dormit Lucretia nomine sedre Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus Vers 18. For they vex you with their wiles Not with their wars they out-wit you over-reach you by counterfeit courtesie cut-throat kindness they have deceived you into those sister-sins fornication and idolatry which God hath so severely punished CHAP. XXVI Vers 2. FRom twenty See the note on Chap. 1.3 Vers 9. Which were famous But for no goodness Tubulus who was the Romane Praetor a little afore Tullies time was homo tam projectè improbus Lips Antiq. lection ut ejus nomen non hominis sed vitii esse videretur so wicked a wretch that he seemed to be wickedness it self Portius Latro calleth Catiline sacrarium libidinum portentum scelerum gurgitem sentinam flagitiorum c. a sink of sinfulness And Josephus saith of Antipater that his life was no better then a mystery of iniquity These men were famous or rather infamous for their slagitious practices notoriously naught signally sinful Vers 10. And they became a sign An example of that Rule that Great sins bring great plagues as Herodotus hath it speaking of the destruction of Troy Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio Enjoy other mens madness Discite justitiam moniti c. Let all that behold me beware this was written upon the statue of Sennacherib as saith Herodotus Vers 11. The children of Korah dyed not As being either innocent or penitent for Aut poenitendum aut pereundum Luk. 13.3 Vers 44. The family of the Jesuites Serrarius will needs derive the name Jesuites from the 24. verse of this chapter it is wonder how he missed of this plainer text Jesuites quasi Jashubites Like as Erasmus found Friers in St. Paul's time inter falsos fratres amongst the false brethren In Salamanca a Frier would prove that the name of the Virgin Mary was spoken of Stella de modo concionandi cap. 6. Gen. 1. God called the gathering together of the waters Maria. Doctor Poynes writes that it was foretold in the Old Testament that the Protestants were a malignant Church alledging 2 Chr. 24.19 Mittebatque prophet as ut reverterentur ad Dominum quos protestantes illi audire nolebant Preface to his Book of the Sacrament We may with far more shew of reason fetch the name of Protestants retained also by their Doway translation from that text then they can from this the name of Jesuites alias Jebusites CHAP. XXVII Vers 3. BVt dyed in his own sin i. e. By a natural and an ordinary death not by a special plague as that Arch-rebel Korah Death is the just hire of the least sin Rom. 6. ult But some evil-doers God doth not only put to death but also hangs them up in gibbets as it were for publike notice and admonition Vers 4. Give unto us therefore a possession This plea for a part in a land not yet conquered is a proof of their faith and could not but encourage others Such a masculine faith was that of Mrs. Anne Askew Martyr who thus subscribed her confession Written by me Anne Askew Act. Mon. fol. 1128. that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound for heaven I will not bid you good night said Hellen Stirk Scotch-woman to her husband at the place where they both suffered Martyrdome for we shall suddenly meet in the heavenly Canaan And was it not by the force of her faith Ib. 1154. that substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 that Crispina gaudebat cum tenebatur cum audiebatur Aug. in Psal 137. cum damnabatur cum ducebatur Vers 7. And thou shalt cause the inheritance Let the French defend their Salique law as they can It was a witty Essay of him who stiled women the second Edition of the Epitome of the whole world witness Artemisia Zenobia Blandina
to another and proceeded as far as excommunication postea comperti idem sentire so did Cyrill and Theodoret. Vers 23. Be sure your sin will find you out The guilt will haunt you at heels as a bloodhound and the punishment will overtake you as it did that Popish Priest in Lancashire who being followed by one that found his glove with a desire to restore it him but pursued inwardly with a guilty conscience leaps over a hedge plunges into a Marle-pit behind it unseen and unthought of wherein he was drowned Or as it did that other Priest who having escaped the fall of Black-Friers Anno 1623. where two of his fellow-shavelings with about a hundred more Jac. Rev. de vit Pontific 312. perished and taking water with purpose to sail into Flanders was east away with some others under London-Bridg the boat being over-turned Vers 38. Their names being changed Out of detestation of those idols Baal Nebo c. See Exod. 23.13 Psal 16.4 Isai 46.1 Absit ut de ore Christiano sonet Jupiter omnipotens Mehercule Mecastor coetera magis portenta quam numina saith Hierom. Heathenish gods should not be so far honoured as to be heard of out of Christian mouthes nor Popish Idols neither I my self saith Latimer Serm. in 3. Sund. in Advent have used in mine earnest matters to say yea by the Rood by the Masse by St. Mary which indeed is naught Some simple folk say they may swear by the masse because there is now no such thing and by our Lady because she is gone out of the Country CHAP. XXXIII Vers 2. ANd Moses wrote Moses was primus in historia as Martial saith of Salust Vers 4. For the Egyptians buried As iron is very soft and malleable whiles in the fire but soon after returns to its former hardness so was it with these Egyptians Affliction meekneth men hence affliction and meeknesse grow upon the same Hebrew root Vers 29. From Mithcah Which signifies sweetnesse And pitched in Chasmonah Which signifies swiftnesse We must also when we have tasted of Gods sweetness use all possible swiftness in the wayes of holiness as Jacob when he had seen visions of God at Bethel he lift up his feet Gen. 29.1 and went on his way lustily like a generous horse after a bait or a giant after his wine the joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. Vers 38. And dyed there in the fourtieth year Nec te tua plurima Pentheâ— Labentem texît pietas The righteous dye as well as the wicked yea the righteous oft before the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God sends his servants to bed when they have done their work as here he did Aaron and as within these few dayes he hath done to mine unspeakable loss and grief my dearest brother and most faithful friend Mr. Thomas Jackson that able and active instrument of Gods glory while he lived in the work of the Ministery at Glocester the sad report of whose death received whilest I was writing these things made the pen almost fall out of my singers not for my own sake so much as for my Countrey whereof he was I may truly say Paulin. Nolan in vita Ambros the Bul-wark and the Beauty as Ambrose is said to have been the walls of Italy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Theodosius Ambrose whiles alive was the only Minister to speak of that I knew in the whole Countrey And dilexi virum qui cum corpore solveretur magis de Ecclesiarum statu juam de suis periculis angebatur said the same Emperour of the same Ambrose I could not but love the man for that when he dyed his care was more for the Churches welfare then for his own I can safely say the same of the man in speech without offence to any be it spoken and I greatly fear lest as the death of Ambrose fore-ran the ruine of Italy so that it bodes no good to us that God pulls such props and pillars out of our building But this by way of digression to satisfie my great grief for so dear a friend deceased as David did his for his brother Jonathan and made him an Epitaph 2 Sam. 1.17 Vers 52. Destroy all the pictures Those Balaam's blocks those excellent instruments of idolatry such as was the rood of Hailes and Cockraâ— rood which if it would not serve to make a god yet with a pair of horns clapt on his head might make an excellent Devil Act. and Mon. 1340. as the Mayor of Doncaster perswaded the men of Cockram who came to him to complain of the Joyner that made it and refused to pay him his money for the making of it Vers 55. Shall be pricks in your eyes The eye is the tenderest part and soon vexed with the least mote that falls into it These Jebusites preserved should be notorious mischiâ—fs to them as the Jesuites at this day are to those Christian States that haâ—bour them Shall we suffer those vipers to lodg in our bosomes till they eat out our hearts Sic notus Vlysses Jesuites like bells will never be well tuned till well hanged Among much change of houses in forraign parts they have two famous for the accordance of their names the one called the Bow at Nola the other the Arrow la Flescâ—e given them by Henry 4 whom afterwards they villanously stabbed to death in France Their Apostate Ferrier plaid upon them in this distich Arcum Nola dedit dedit illis alma sagittam Gallia quis funem quem meruere dabit Nola the bow and France the shaft did bring But who shall help them to a hempen-string CHAP. XXXIV Vers 2. THis is the land that shall fall It is God that assigns us our quarters and cuts us out our several conditions appointing the bounds of our habitation Act. 17. This should make us rest contented with our lot and having God our portion say howsoever as David did The lines are fallen to me in a fair place Psal 16.6 It is that our Father sees fit for us Vers 3. Then your South-quarter shall be Judaea was not above 200 miles long and 50 miles broad not neer the half of England by much but far more fertile called therefore Sumen totius orbis and yet England is for good cause counted the Western granary the garden of God whose valleys are like Eden whose hills are as Lebanon whose springs are as Pisgah Speeds hist whose rivers are as Iordan whose walls is the Ocean whose defence is the Lord Jehovah Vers 6. The great Sea Commonly called the Mediterranean Sea betwixt which and the Jews lay the Philistims as now betwixt the Church and the Turk lies the Pope and his followers Italy being the mark that the Turk shoots at Loe a sweet providence of God Vers 8. Vnto the entrance of Hamath Called Hamath the Great Amos 6.8 affecting haply to be held the greatest Village as the Hague in Holland doth and remains therefore unwalled
Vers 12. It shall be at the salt-Sea That is the Lake of Sodome called also Asphaltites and the dead Sea Josephus saith that an ox having all his legs bound will not sink into the water of this sea it is so thick Vers 17. Eleazar the Priest Pointing to the high Priest of the new Covenant by whom we have entrance into the promised inheritance whither he is gone before to prepare a place for us and hath told us that in his Fathers house are many mansions room enough CHAP. XXXV Vers 2. SVburbs These were for pasture pleasure and other Country-Commodities not for tillage for the Levites were to have no such employment Num. 18.20 24. Vers 6. That he may flee thither All sins then are not equal as the Stoicks held neither are all to be alike punished as by Draco's laws they were in a manner Those laws were said to be written not with black but with blood because they punished every peccadillo almost with death as idleness stealing of pot-herbs c. Aristotle gives them this small commendation that they are not worth remembrance but only for their great severity Vers 7. Shall be fourty and eight cities Thus the Levites were dispersed throughout the land for instruction of the people so ought Ministers of the Gospel who are fiâ—ly called the salt of the earth that being sprinkled up and down may keep the rest as flesh from rotting and putrisying Vers 8. From them that have many ye shall give By the equity of this proportion the richer are bound to give more to the Ministers maintenance then the poorer Let this be noted by those that refuse to give any thing to their Ministers because they have not those things the tithes whereof the law requires for this purpose See Gal 6.6 with the Note there Vers 15. Shall be a refuge Christ is our Asylum to whom running for refuge when pursued by the guilt of an evill conscience we are safe None can take us out of his hands If we be in Christ the Rock temptations and oppositions as waves dash upon us but break themselves Vers 16. So that he dye Though he had no intent to kill yet because he should have look't better to 't he is a murtherer he smote him purposely and presumptuously and the man dyes of it King James was wont to say that if God did leave him to kill a man though besides his intention he should think God did not love him Vers 18. The murderer shall surely be put to death This is jus gentium The Turks justice in this case will rather cut off two innocent men then let one offender escape Cartwr travels The Persians punish theft and man-slaughter so severely that in an age a man shall hardly hear either of the one or the other A severity fit for Italy where they blaspheme oftner then swear Spec. Europ Purchas and murther more then revile or slander like the dogs of Congo which they say bite but bark not And no less fit for France where Les ombres des defunde fieurs de Villemor within ten years 6000 gentlemen have been slain as it appears by the Kings pardons Byron Lord high-Marshal of France and Governour of Burgundy slew a certain Judge for putting to death a malefactor whom he had commanded to be spared Epitome hist Gall. pag. 275. For this he sued for a pardon and had it but not long after he turned traytor to his Prince that had pardoned him and was justly executed Vers 21. He shall surely be put to death And yet the Papists allow wilful murtherers also to take sanctuary who should as Joab was be taken from the altar to the slaughter Their hatred to Protestants is so deadly that they hold us unworthy to live on Gods ground fit for nothing but fire and fagot yea they send us to hell without bail or main-prize as worse then Turks or Jews They tell the people that Geneva is a professed Sanctuary of all roguery that in England the people are grown barbarous and eat young children that they are as black as Devils c. Vers 23. Or with any stone As at the funeral solemnities of Q. Anne a scholar was slain by the fall of a letter of stone thrust down from the battlements of the Earl of Northamptons house by one that was a spectatour Vers 25. Vnto the death of the high Priest Because he was amongst men the chief god on earth and so the offence did most directly strike against him Or rather because the high Priest was a type of Christ and so this release was a shadow of our freedom and redemption by the death of Christ CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. ANd spake before Moses Who was their common Oracle to enquire of in all doubtful cases Like as at Rome C. Scipio Nasica whom the Senate by way of honor called Optimus had a house in the high-street assigned him at the publike charge quò faciliùs consuli posset that any man might go to him for counsel And surely as the Romane General never miscarried so long as he followed the advice of Polybius his historian so neither did or could this people do amiss if ruled by Moses who was the mouth of God vers 5. Vers 6. To whom they think best See Gen. 24.57 58. with the Note there Vers 7. Shall keep himself to the inheritance This was an excellent law to cut off quarrels strifes and law-suites and to frustrates those qui latrocinia intra moenia exercent as Columella said of the Lawyers of his time Vers 11. For Mahlah Tirzah and Hoglah c. The names of these virgins as one Interpreter elsewhere observeth seem to be not without mystery M. Ainsworth For Zelophehad by interpretation signifieth the shadow of fear or of dread his first daughter Machlah Infirmity the second Noah Wandering the third Hoglah Turning about for joy or Dancing the fourth Milcah a Queen the fifth Tirzah Well pleasing or Acceptable By these names we may observe the degrees of our reviving by grace in Christ for we all are born as of the shadow of fear being brought forth in sin and for fear of death were all our life-time subject to bondage Heb 2.15 This begetteth infirmity or sickness grief of heart for our estate After which Wandering abroad for help and comfort we finde it in Christ by whom our sorrow is turned into joy He communicates to us of his royalty making us Kings and Priests unto God his Father and we shall be presented unto him glorious and without blemish Ephes 5.27 So the Church is beautiful as Tirzâ—h Cant. 6.3 Deo soli Gloria A COMMENTARY or EXPOSITION UPON The Fifth Book of MOSES CALLED DEUTERONOMY CHAP. I. Vers 1. These be the words which Moses spake ANd surely he spake thick if he spake as some cast it up this whole Book in less then ten dayes space Certain it is that he spake here as ever most divinely and like
underneath are the everlasting armes A Saint cannot fall so far as to fall beneath the supporting armes of God Cant. 2.6 his hand is reserved for a dead lift Vers 28. Israel then shall dwell c. See the Note on Num. 23.9 The fountain of Jacob Or as some read it The eye of Jacob. The same word signifies both an eye and a fountain He that with Mary Magdalen can make his eye a fountain to wash Christs feet in shall be sure to have that fountain of Christs blood opened to wash his soul in Zech. 13.1 Vers 29. Happy art thou O Israel Or Oh the happinesses of thee O Israel the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heaped up happiness Who is like unto thee The Saints are the worlds Paragons yea such as the world is not worthy of Heb. 11. that is saith Chrysostome Take all the men of the world they are not worth one of the people of God though never so mean in regard of outwards Shall be found liers Shall feign to be friends for fear and shall yeeld a forced obedience See Psal 18.45 CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1. ANd Moses went up With as good a will to die as ever he did to dine for it was but as that Martyr said winking a little he was in heaven immediately Vers 2. Vnto the utmost sea The Mediterranean Vers 3. The City of palm-trees So called even by Heathen-Authours also Vers 4. I have caused thee to see it By an extraordinary power for in an ordinary way Moses could never have taken so large a prospect at once Faith puts a mans head into heaven and gives him a view of far better things neither vision only but fruition also which Moses had not Vers 5. So Moses the servant of the Lord dyed It was no more betwixt God and Moses but Go up and dye he changed indeed his place but not his company death was to him but the day-break of eternal brightnesse Vers 6. And he â—uried him Either the Lord or Michael Jude 9. There lyes the body of Moses as in a chamber of rest or bed of down Isa 57.2 His very duâ— being precious for Christ is not perfect without it Ephes 1 2â— But no man knoweth of his sepulchre Though the Devil made much adoe about it Iude. 9. as desirous thereby to set up himself in the hearts of the living Vers 7. Nor his natural force abated Hierome reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gena maxilla Nor his teeth loosed And the use of Manna might be some reason it being an exquisitely pure kind of food of an aereal and not very corruptible substance Vers 8. And the children of Israel wept And were ready to wish likely as the Romanes did of Augustus that either he had never been born or never dyed Vers 9. And Ioshua the son of Nun Sic uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus The Duke of Florence gave for his Ensign Pintus in Dan. 4. a great Tree with many spreading boughes one of them being cut off with this above-said Poesie As one is broke off another riseth up in the room Vers 10. And there arose not This testimony and indeed this whole Chapter is thought to have been added by Joshua or Eleazar being Divinely inspired for the compleating of the history famous throughout the world approved and expounded by all the holy Prophets and Apostles who out of this fountain or rather Occan of Divinity as Theodoret calleth Moses Theodoretus Mosem appellat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have watered their several gardens yea in pressing moral duties what do they else but explain the Pentetench What do they but unfold and draw out that Arras which was folded together before Soli Deo Gloria FINIS
sack Sacco soluto appâ—râ—it argentum saith Ambrose When God comes to turn the bottome of the bag upward all will out Sin not therefore in hope of secrecy on the fair day at the last day all packs shall be opened Vers 13. Then they rent their clothes In token of the renting of their hearts for their sins which now had found them out and they their sins for misery is the best art of memory being like to that helve Elisha cast into the waters which fetcht up the iron in the bottome Conscience is like a looking-glass which while it lyeth all covered with dust sheweth not a man his naturall visage but when it is wiped then it makes the least blemish appear Never till now could we hear these men confess Now what shall we say unto my Lord what shall we speak saith Iudah the Confessour so his name signifieth Or how shall we cleer our selves God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants Not this that they were now charged with for why should they be false to their own innocency but their cruelty to Ioseph and other like foul offences for the which God in his just judgment had now brought them to condigne punishment How could Ioseph hold when he heard all this and not cry out as Paul did in a like case to his disconsolate Corinthians Though I made you sorry with a letter with a cup I do not repent though I did repent for I perceive that this same epistle cup hath made you sorry though it were but for a season Now I rejoyce not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance For ye were made sorry after a godly manner that ye might receive dammage by us in nothing For behold this self-same thing that ye forrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it hath wrought in you yea what apology yea what indignation yea what fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satisfaction saith the old Interpreter It may be he meant a new life to make amends thereby to the Congregation offended saith Bradford Serm. of Repent 14. Dan. hist fol. 51. yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge in all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Vers 14. They fell before him on the ground Humble submission they knew if any thing would make their peace and procure their pardon Sic ventos vincit dùm se submittit arundo It is no hoysing up sail in a storm no standing before a Lion c. William the Conquerour often pardoned rebels and received them into favour as he held submission satisfactory for the greatest offences and sought not to defeat them but their enterprizes Vers 15. What deed is this that ye have done As Joseph here so Christ sometimes personates an adversary when he intends most love _____ Wot ye not that such a man as I c. If that be true that some conceive of Joseph that he here and ver 5. made himself a sooth-sayer he was certainly too blame The lip of excellenoy becometh not a fool saith Solomon but much less doth lying beseem a worthy man That is It is naught when wicked men will be using gracious words to seem religious But it is far worse when good men will use the fashion of the wicked that they may seem impious Vers 16. What shall we say c. An ingenuous and penitent confession joyned with self-loathing and self-judging teaching us how to confess to God Sit simplex humilis confessio pura fidelis Atque frequens nuda discreta et lubens verecunda Integra secreta lachrymabilis accelerata Fortis accusans se punire parata These sixteen conditions were composed in these verses by the Schoolmen And such a Confession is the spunge that wipes away all the blots and blurs of our lives 1 Ioh. 1.7 Never any confessed his sin in this sort to God but went away with his pardon Wot ye what quoth King Henry the eighth to the Duke of Suffolk concerning Stephen Gardiner when he had confessed his Popery for which he should have been the morrow after sent to the Tower he hath confessed himself as guilty in this matter as his man and hath with much sorrow and pensiveness Act. Mon. fol. 1175. sued for my pardon And you know what my nature and custome hath been in such matters evermore to pardon them that will not dissemble but confess their fault How much more will God Vers 17. But the man in whose hand c. This was the white that Joseph shot at in all this interdealing with them to try the truth of their love to Benjamin and whether they would stick to him in his utmost perill God hath like ends in afflicting his children Ezek. 21.21 The King of Babylon stood at the parting way at the head of the two wayes to use divination So doth God he knows that the best divining of men is at the parting-way there every dog will shew to what master he belongs God shoots at his servants for triall as men shoot bullets against armour of proof not to hurt it but to praise it Vers 18. For ihou art even as Pharaoh This he saith the better to insinuate for great men love to hear of their honour and are tickled with their great titles P. Jovius Paulus Jovius writing of Pompey Colomia Bishop of Reatino saith that when the said Bishop by the means of many great personages was reconciled again and brought into favour with the Pope whom he had formerly offended and that when they signified so much unto him in a short letter in whose superscription Bishop of Reatino by chance was left out he receiving the letter threw it away and bad the messenger go seek some other Pompeio to whom the letter was directed Vers 30. Seeing that his life is bound up God loved his Son Jesus infinitely more then Iacob did Benjamin he exalts his love far above that of any earthly parent which is but a spark of his slame a drop of his Ocean And yet he freely parted with him to certain and shameful death for our sakes God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. This is a Sic without a Sicut there is nothing in nature whereby to resemble it Vers 32. For thy servant became surety So did Christ for us and therefore he must acquit us of all our sins ere he could go to his father Loe herein lyes the strength of that reason Joh. 16.10 He shall convince the world of righteousnesse because I go to the Father Vers 34. For how shall I go up c. Here love ascends as fit it should Iudah a man wise and well-spoken prefers his fathers life before his own liberty He could not live to see the death of his aged father B. Fulgos lib. 5. A certain Citizen of Toledo being condemned to dye his son ceased not with prayers and tears to intreat that
he might be put to death instead of his father This he obtained after much suite and most gladly dyed for him At Gaunt in Flanders when a father and his son were condemned to dye together the Earl desirous to make trial whether of the two were more loving granted that he should live that would cut off the others head And after much adoe between them the father Philip. Cameâ—ar Cent. 1. cap. 92. by many arguments perswaded his son to be his executioner CHAP. XLV Vers 1. Then Joseph could not refrain NO more can Jesus in the extream afflictions of his brethren Esay 42.14 he must cry like a travelling woman which though she bite in her pain for a while cannot long contain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot As Croesus his dumb son burst forth into Kill not King Croesus so when the Church is over-laid by Satan or his instruments his bowels work he can hold no longer but cryes Save my child Do the young man Absolom no hurt I was but a little displeased and they have helped forward the affliction Zach. 1.15 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies or bowels Their groans and moans as every word of Judah's pathetical speech to Joseph are as so many darts and daggers at his heart he must take course for their relief and rescue For he is a very tender-hearted Ioseph said that Martyr and though he speak roughly to his brethren and handle them hardly M. Sanders Act. and Mon. 1â—64 yea and threaten grievous bondage to his best beloved Benjamin yet can he not contain himself from weeping with us and upon us with falling on our necks and sweetly kissing us c. as he sweetly goes on in a letter to his wife pray pray for us every body we be shortly to be dispatched hence to our good Christ Amen Amen Cause every man to go out from me That he might weep his fill and not discover his brethrens faults to strangers It is wisdome in plaistering the wounds of others to clap our hand on the place that the world may be never the wiser Mercer thinks that Ioseph concealed from his very father the hard dealings of his brethren with him for if he had known he would likely have set some note upon them for their cruelty as he did upon Simeon and Levi for their bloody butchering of the Shechemites Vers 3. I am Joseph What a word was that At the hearing thereof what a strange conflict of contrary passions fell out in the hearts of the Patriarchs Wonder doubt reverence fear hope guiltiness joy grief struck them at once Shall it not be so with the Jews at their glorious conversion when they shall hear I am Jesus of Nazareth Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 whom ye have persecuted and pierced See the Notes on Chap. 38. ver 27. Vers 4. I am Ioseph your brother Therefore you are to expect no hard sentence from a brothers mouth Christ is not ashamed nor will be at last day to call us brethren Pattern of Piety He that was willingly judg'd for me said that good woman will surely give no hard sentence against me We may say boldly to him as Ruth did to Boaz Spread thy skirt over me for thou art a neer kinsman Ruth 3.9 Vers 5. Now therefore be not grieved c. See here a lively image of Christs love toward his enemies for whom he prayed and dyed to give them repentance and remission Act. 5.31 This Angel of the Covenant first troubles the waters and then cures those cripples that step in This Sun of righteousness first draws up vapours of godly grief and then dispells them A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking wick shall he not quench Mat. 12.20 till he bring forth judgment to victory that is weak grace to perfection To preserve life Animant is cujusque vita in fugaest saith the Philosopher and must be maintained by means Isai 57.10 Hence it is called the life of our hands because upheld by the labour of our hands Vers 7. God sent me before you He it is that by a powerfull providence orders all the disorders of the world by a certain counsell to his own ends and at length to his own glory The hands that nailed Christ to the cross were wicked hands Act. 2. 23. And Iudas was sent to his place for being guide to them that took Iesus And yet they did no more Act. 1.16 then what Gods hand and counsell determined before to be done Act. 4.28 for his glory and the salvation of his elect This Pliny derides as a strange doctrine but Plato hammers at it when he saith Irridendum verâ— curam agere rerum humanarum illuâ— quicquid est summum Plin. lib. 2. cap. 7. that God doth always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed he doth all in number weight and measure as the wise-man saith He alters the property of his peoples afflictions and by an Almighty Alchymy turns dross to gold c. As a skilfull Apothecary he makes of a poisonfull viper a wholesome triacle Vers 8. It was not you that sent me Ioseph makes the best of an ill matter that they may not be over-whelmed with grief Ier. 31.19 Postquam osten sum fuerit mihi Tremell and so made a prey to the divell 2 Cor. 2.11 After I was made known to my self saith Ephrahim I repented Get thee saith Mr. Bradford Gods Law as a glass to look in so shalt thou see thy face foul-arraieâ— and so shamefull saucy mangy pocky and scabbed that thou canst not but be sorry at the contemplation thereof c. Especially if thou look to the tag M. Bradf Serm. of Repent pag. 26.27 tied to Gods Law the malediction which is such as cannot but make us to cast our currish tailes betwixt our legs if we believe it But here to cleer our eye-sight and keep us upright we must annoynt our eyes with Christs eye-salve Rev. 3.17 We read of a sensible eye-salve made of Christs spittle and clay Ioh. 9.6 As it were Bright in loc of the knowledg of Christ by his word which proceedeth out of his mouth as also of the knowledg of our selves who being made of earth do savour nothing else but earth Both of these two knowledges are to be joyned and beaten together in a lumpe else they help not For our misery acknowledged without Christ breedeth desperation and Christ without sence of our vileness presumption Vers 9. Come down unto me tarry not Christ seems to send from Heaven and say unto us in like sort God hath made me Lord of all come up unto me tarry not Should the King call us to court upon no other condition then to have and enjoy the pleasures and treasures there to be had old Iacob never went so willingly into Egypt as we should gladly accept and imbrace such a motion Vers 10. Thou shalt be neer unto me So sweet
the running water Pointing at Christ who came not by water onely but by water and blood 1 John 5.6 See the Note there and on 1 Cor. 6.11 Ver. 7. And hee shall sprinkle This led them to that blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.23 applied unto them by that hysop-bunch of faith whereby the heart is purified And shall let the living bird loos This figured sale som that neither Christ's deïtie without the shedding of his blood nor Christ's blood but for the quickning life of the God-head personally dwelling in him could have been available for the purging of sin Both which himself declareth John 6.53 with 63. And hither belongeth 2 Cor. 5.19 Acts 20.28 Moreover it figured that Christ by his death conquered him that had the power of death Heb. 2.15 whilest hee fled as a bird to the everlasting mountains from the jaws of death to the joies of heaven Heb. 7.26 Ver. 8. Shall wash his clothes and shave This the leper was to do the first daie of his cleansing 1 Tim. 6.18 to teach men to bee thorough in the practice of mortification at the first conversion laying a good foundation for the time to com that they may laie hold on eternal life And shall tarrie abroad Men must not bee too hastie at first to catch at comfort but let humiliation have her perfect work and our sorrows bee sutable to our sins Ver. 9. Ezra 10.13 Even all his hair hee shall shave off To shew that repentance and mortification is not the work of a daie as hee said in another case but of a man's whole life There must bee a dailie shaving and paring of lusts and superfluities which are to the soul as excrements are to the bodie Yea the more a sinner is exercised in mortification the more hee searcheth out his corruptions Now hee shaveth off the hair not of his head onely but of his beard and eie-brows Ver. 10. Hee shall take two hee-lambs That by these sacrifices hee might bee taught to seek for the cleansing of his soul together with the healing of his bodie that there might bee mens sana in corpore sano a cure don on both inside and outside too Ver. 11. At the door of the tabernacle There God is to bee found viz. in the publick assemblies and that wee are indeed saith one when wee are at the door of the Tabernacle Ver. 12. And wave them This may note 1. Christ's extreme sufferings 2. The waving of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel 3. The motion of the sinner's lips in confession and supplication Ver. 13. It is most holie The waie of holiness in and by Christ is an absolute waie as ever was devised Ver. 14. Vpon the tip of the right ear To signifie that all Christ's sanctified ones have a hearing ear an active hand a nimble foot to walk in the waie that is called holie Ver. 15. Som of the log Christ's comforts must bee warily propounded to men and with good discretion Ver. 16. Seven times This might note the perfection of the joies God hath for his and our imperfection in believing it in that it was so manie times sprinkled Ver. 17. Vpon the tip of the right ear To assure him of comfort in hearing doing persevering Ver. 18. Vpon the head Everlasting joie shall bee upon the heads of Christ's ransomed ones Isa 35. ult Ver. 19. And afterwards the burnt-offering Wee must bee reconciled by Christ our sin-offering before the sacrificing of our selvs which is our reasonable service can bee accepted Ver. 20. And the meat-offering The meat-offering annexed to the burnt-offering shew's saith one either that Christians grow marvellously in this life Bifield on 1 Pet. 1.22 after they have full assurance of pardon of sin or els that Christ will bee their eternal food in heaven Ver. 21. And if hee bee poor Here 's a proviso for poor people God make's no difference but accept's of a little where much is not to bee had Ver. 32. Whose hand is not able to get This is often urged to shew that the best can bee got must not bee thought too good for God and that if through carelesness or niggardice men do not their utmost that 's a just exception Ver. 34. Plague of leprosie in a hous Such is the contagion of sin that it will infect the verie hous wee dwell in the garments wee wear even all the creatures wee use so as all things are to us impure Titus 1.13 even the hous of God also Levit. 16.16 and his holie ordinances The Canaanites had defiled the land from one end to another with their uncleannesses Ezra 9.11 and so infected the air This Law taught men 1. Upon all occasions to shew their utter detestation of sin but especially of idolatrie 2. To take heed of despising admonition lest they bee utterly ruined and that without remedie Prov. 29.1 CHAP. XXV Ver. 2. Arunning issue AN involuntarie flux of seed such as David imprecateth upon Joab 2 Sam. 3.29 Ver. 3. It is his uncleanness Hereby they were taught the turpitude of sin of original sin especially that peccatum peccans as the Scholes call it that sinfull sin as S. Paul Rom. 7.13 for so filthie it is that hee can call it no wors then by it's own name as wanting a fitter Epithite Ver. 4. Everie bed Sin is more catching then anie plague and more defiling then anie jakes Mark 7.23 Paul found it as noisom to his soul as a dead bodie to his sens Rom. 7.24 or as the sanies of a plague-sore to a rich robe Job abhor's himself for it in dust and ashes Chap. 40.4 And Isaiah look's upon himself as an undon man by reason of it Chap. 6.5 Ver. 8. Spit upon him Noting the pollution that com's to men's souls by those that spit heresies and belch out blasphemies Ver. 13. Bathe his flesh This taught them to run to that open fountain that Kings-bath Zech. 13.1 with Ezekiel 36.29 Ver. 15. And the Priest shall offer them This Priest and these sacrifices led them to Christ who bore our sicknesses and expiated our sins Seest thou then the bloodie issue of thy corruptions alwaie running and gushing out at thine eies ears month flesh the issue of blood and water opened in Christ's side run's alwaie for washing it awaie Ver. 16. Seminifluus Go out from him By nocturnal pollutions filthie dreams c. Ver. 18. With seed of copulation Though lawfull in it self as beeing the ordinance of God Gen. 2.24 Sin is like copres which will turn wine or milk into ink or leaven which turn's a verie pasâ—eover into pollution Ver. 24. And if anie man lie with her Unawares or scecretly For to do it presumptuously and upon publick notice it was death Levit. 20.18 Ezek. 22.10 And God often punisheth such unclean copulations now-a-daies with monstrous deformed or diseased births Ver. 25. Have an issue As shee had Mark 5.25 Ver. 31. That they die not Which is wors then to