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
cum alienis loqui et quidem solam cum solo saith Munster and yet are not jealous But the Italians are so jealous that how many husbands so many jaylours And the Turks as far exceed the Italians herein Blunts voyage into Levant as the Italians do us Therefore their women go muffled all but the eyes nor are they suffered to go to Church or so much as look out at their own windows In Barbary 't is death for any â—an to see one of the Xeriffes concubines and for them too if when they see a man though but through a casement they do not suddenly screek out Vers 15. Barly-meal Barly not wheat She hath done the act of a beast and her oblation is the meat of a beast as Sal. Jarchi here noteth Vers 16. Set her before the Lord Whose the judgment was that if guilty she might be scared from submitting her self to this triall sith God knows all our thefts Vers 17. Holy-water i.e. Water taken out of the holy laver Annal. ad annum 44. no warrant for popish lustrall water and sprinkling of Sepulchres for the ground whereof Cardinall Baronius fairly referrs us to Iuvenals sixth Satyre Vers 18. Vncover the Womans head Because she stood now upon her justification and thereupon laid aside for present this sign of subjection to the man 1 Cor. 11.7 _____ The offering of memoriall Brought by her husband vers 15. who was now sick of one of those three diseases that they say are hardly cured jealousy frenzy and heresie Vers 21. Thy thigh to rot and belly to swell God takes notice of the offending member as he did in those blasphemers who gnawed their tongues Revâ—l 9. Absoloms hair Jeroboams hand the adulterers loyns Prov. 5.11 Zimri and Cozli thrust through the belly Num. 25.8 Charles the 2. King of Navarr Ioane Queen of Naples c. Suffered as they sinned Vers 22. Amen Amen Twice to shew the fervency of her zeal the innocency of her cause the uprightness of her conscience and the pâ—rity of her heart Vers 23. Shall write these curses in a book To shew that the word written should cause the water thus to work according to the cleanness or uncleanness of the party See 2 Cor. 2.16 with the note there CHAP. VI. Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake Est Venus in vinis therefore after the law for the privy harlot here is a law given for abstinence from wine and strong drink which some have called lac Veneris Rev. 17.4 The whore commâ—th forth with a cup as with a fit instrument Vers 2. To vow a vow A voluntary vow a religious promise made in prayer hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer To separate themselves unto the Lord As mirrours of singular sobriety and sanctimony Lam. 4.7 especially required in such as are separated unto the Gospell of God Rom. 1.1 and as types of Christ that great Votary true Nazarite holy harmless undefiled and seperate from sins Heb. 7.26 that holy thing Mat. 1.20 that holy of holies or most holy Dan. 9.24 Vers 3. He shall separate himself from wine Lest he should drink and forget the law Prov 31.5 which he was to study diligently but loaden bellies make leaden wits intemperance takes away the heart Hos 4.11 overchargeth it Luk. 21.34 Moist grapes or dryed Dryed as raisins currants or grapes of Corinth whence they come and are called Vers 4. From the kernels even to the husk Nothing that that might occasion or tempt him to break his vow All shadows and shewes of evill must be shunned quicquid fuerit male coloratum as Bernard hath it whatsoever looks but ill-favoured 1 Thess 5.22 Iude 23. He that would not eate the meat must not meddle with the broth He that would not toll the bell must not tuggle with the rope He that would shun the blow must keep aloof from the train Vers 5. There shall no rasor In opposition to Heathens Votaries who nourished their hayr to offer to their gods The popish Priests also cut and shave their hayr that they may still look neate and effeminate which God allowed not in his Nazarites Amos 2.11 Vers 6. At no dead body Christ was never defiled by any person dead in sin nor by any dead work no more must we Vers 7. He shall not make himself unclean In all changes he must be unchangeable so was Christ so must we Vers 9. And if any man dye A figure of the involuntary and unavoidable infirmity of the Saints which must be bewailed as direct fruits of the flesh and for which there is through Christ a pardon of course Vers 12. And he shall consecrate He shall begin the world a new so must we after some foul fall especially repent and do thy first works Revel 2.5 as the Shulamite did Cant. 5.2 c. Vers 14. And he shall offer his offering Though he had fulfilled his vow in the best manner yet he must come with his sin-offering c. leading him to Christ for pardon of failings in the manner and with his thank-offering for what he had been enabled to do before he could be released of his Nazarite-ship Vers 18. And put it in the fire To teach us that the Lord so loveth his children that he esteemeth the least hair of their head as a precious gift Vers 19. The sodden shoulder i.e. The left shoulder for the right was due unto him raw Lev. 7.32 This taught the Nazarite speciall thankfulness dignity requires duty Vers 20. The Nazarite may drink wine The Popish Votaries will needs fetch colour and approbation for their superstitious vowes from this order of Nazarites But the abolishing of this ordinance is declared Act. 21.25 and they are so far from the abstinence of Nazarites that they eate of the best and drink of the sweetest the most generous wine in Lovain and Paris is known by the name of vinum theologicum the Divines those Sâ—rbonists do so whiffe it off Vers 21. Besides that that his hand i.e. Beside his voluntary devotion according to his ability This he may do but that he must do be he poor or rich Vers 23. Ye shall bless the children of Israel Praying for them with hands first stretched out to Heaven Levit. 9.22 and then laid upon the people so putting the blessing of God upon them So Christ did upon his Apostles which was his last action upon earth Luk. 24.50 And so must all Pastours do that would do good on it pray down a blessing on their people Vers 24. The Lord bless thee Here some observe the mystery of the holy Trinity See it explained 2 Cor. 13.14 CHAP. VII Veas 2. The Princes of Israel offered So they did at the making of the Tabernacle and at the building of the Temple Exod. 35.27 1 Chron. 29.6 7 8. which was but to give God of his own as David acknowledgeth with all thankfulness Vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of thine own we offer unto thee said
them and for the certainty of signification Homer and Virgil have the like As for those Christians that eate their God let my soul be with the Philosophers rather then with them saith Aveâ—roes the learned Arabian When it was objected to Niâ—â—las Shetterden Martyr by Archdeacon Harps-feild that the words of Christ when he said hoc est corpus meum did change the substance without any other interpretation or Spirituall meaning he answered Then belike when Christ said this cup is my blood the substance of the cup was changed into his blood without any other meaning Act. Mon. fol. 1515. and so the cup was changed and not the wine Harpsfield hereupon was forced to confess that Christs Testament was broken and his institution changed from that he left it but he said they had power so to do Vers 13. Yet within three dayes Joseph foresaw the time of the Butlers deliverance he knew not the time of his own In good hope he was that now he should have been delivered upon the restauration of the Butler and his intercession for him but he was fain to stay two years longer till the time that Gods Word came Psal 105.19 the Word of the Lord tryed him by trying as in a fire his faith and patience in afflictions Vers 14. But think on me c. Liberty is sweet and should be sought by all lawful means 1 Cor. 7.21 The Jews censure Joseph for requesting this favour of the Butler and say he was therefore two years longer imprisoned But this is a hard saying Possible it is that Joseph might trust too much to this man and be over-hasty to set God this time and no other and so might be justly crossed of his expectation It is hard and happy so to use the means as not to trust to them and so to wait Gods good leisure as not to limit the holy One of Israel We trust a skillfull workman to go his own way to work and to take his own time Shall we not do as much for God He oft goes a way by himself and gives a blessing to those times and means whereof we despair Vers 15. For indeed I was stollen away Joseph inveighs not against his brethren that he may clear himself but hideth their infamy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophoel with the mantle of charity which is large enough to cover a multitude of sins It is a fault to speak of other mens faults unless it be in an ordinance Infamy soon spreads Out of the land of the Hebrews So he by faith calls the land of Canaan which yet was detained from them till the sins of the Amorites were become full But Gods promises are good free-hold Jacob disposeth of this land on his death-bed though least master of it And here also I have done nothing c. We may not betray our innocency by a base silence Dan. â— 22 Act. 24.12 13. but make seasonable apology as did Daniel Paul Justin Martyr Tertullian and other the primitive Apologists Francis King of France to excuse his cruelty exercised upon his Protestant Subjects to the German Princes whose friendship he sought after set forth a declaration to this purpose That he punished only Anabaptists that preferred their private revelations before the Word of God Scultet Aâ—nâ—l P. 454. and set at nought all civil government Which brand set upon the true Religion and all the Professors thereof Calvin not enduring though he were then a young Divine of five and twenty years of age yot he compiled and set forth that admirable work of his called The Institution of Christian Religion In commendation whereof One writes boldly Praeter Apostolieas post Christi tempora chartas Paul Melissâ—â— Huic peperere libro saecula nulla parem Vers 16. When the chief Baker saw So when hypocrites hear good to be spoken in the Word to Gods children they also listen and fasten upon the comforts as pertaining to them Matth. 13. they receive the word with joy they laugh as men use to do in some merry dream they catch at the sweet-meats as children and conclude with Haman that they are the men whom the King means to honour But when they must practise duty or bear the cross they depart sad and Christ may keep his heaven to himself if it be to be had on no other conditions Vers 17. And the birds did eat them He seeth not that he did any thing but suffereth only He heareth therefore an unpleasing interpretation saith Pareus Vers 18. And Joseph answered c. It is probable he used some preface to this sad destiny he reads him Vtinamtale somnium non vidisses Dan. 4.19 as Philo brings him in saying I would thou hadst not dreamt such a dream or as Daniel prefaced to Nebuchadnezzar My Lord the dream be to them that hate thee and the interpretation to thine enemies If Ministers Gods Interpreters must be mannerly in the form yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute Not only toothless but bitter truths must be told however they be taken If I yet please men c. Gal. 1.10 Vers 19. And shall hang thee on a tree c. This was cold comfort to the Baker so shall the last judgment be to the ungodly when the Saints as the Butler shall lift up their heads with joy But what a sweet providence of God was this that the Butler should first relate his dream and receive his interpretation as good as he could wish Had the Baker begun the Butler would have been disheartned and hindered perhaps from declaring his dream And then where had Joseph's hopes been of deliverance by the Butler How could he have had that opportunity of setting forth his innocency Piscator and requesting the Butlers favour and good word to Pharaoh for his freedom See how all things work together for good to them that love God The birds shall eat thy flesh Those that were hanged among the Jews were taken down Deut. 21.23 Not so among the Gentiles Effossos oculos vâ—ret atrâ— gutture corvus Catull. Lib. 1. de cruce c. 6. Deut. 21.22 A sore judgment of God threatned in a special manner against those that despise parents Prov. 30.17 and fulfilled in Absolom Abslon Marte furens pensilis arbore obit Greâ—ser the Jesuite to shew his wit calls that tree a cross and makes it a manifest figure of the cross of Christ Sed ô mirum delirum figurativae crucis fabrum Our Lord indeed dyed upon the cross and that with a curse But that Absolom should in that behalf be a type of him is a new Jesuitical invention Some say that in honour of Christ crucified Constantine the Great abolished that kind of death throughout the Empire Vers 20. Which was Pharaohs birth-day An ancient and commendable custome to keep banquets on birth-dayes in honour of God our Sospitator for his mercy in our creation education preservation c.
c. The better any one is the more inclined to weeping 1 Sam. 20. as David then Jonathan Nam faciles motus mens generosa capit Paulus non tam atramento quam lachrymis chartas inficiebat saith Lorinus And took from them Simeon and bound him He is thought to have been the chief doer in the sale of Joseph and is therefore singled out for punishment Judas Iscariot is said to come of his tribe Of a turbulent and restless spirit Joseph knew him to be and therefore detained him saith Musculus lest he should have hindered the motion of bringing down Renjamin Vers 25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks This was the revenge he took upon them for their many misusages So Joshua marched all night and fought all day for the Gibeonites that had deceived him So Elisha set bread and water before the Syrians that came to surprize him So S. Paul bids If thine enemy hunger feed him c. Injuries are more bravely overcome with benefits then recompenced with the pertinacy of a mutual hatred Speciâ—sius aliquanto injuriae beneficiis vincuntur quam muâ—ni odii pertinacia pensantur Val. Max. lib. 4. c. 2. said a very Heathen Vers 27. To give his Asse provender in the Inne Their Innes then were not so well furnished as ours are but they were forced to carry their provender which was a trouble Vers 28. My money is restered Joseph had stollen this benefit upon them which they mis-interpret their own misgiving hearts telling them that Gods just hand was in it for their hurt Conscience being now awakened meets them at every turn till they were soundly humbled and had made their peace Better a sore then a seared conscience as better a tormentful strangury then a senseless lethargy Bee-masters tell us that those are the best hives that make the greatest noise Vers 29. And they came to Iacob Who had looked many a long look for them no doubt and was now glad to see their faces and full sacks But this joy lasted but a little while for no sooner had he heard them speak but he was thunderstruck as it were so little stability is there in any worldly felicity The Saints have all here their back-burdens of afflictions yet some have more then some as Iacob who was seldom without God not only gave him a draught of them but made him a dyet-drink Look how your refiners of sugar taking sugar out of the same chest some thereof they melt but once other again and again not that it hath more dross in it but because they would have it more refined So is it here Vers 35. And it came to passe as they emptied Calvin's note on this text is that Ioseph was herein overshot and ill-advised for that intending to succour his father by sending back his money he grieved and frighted him But this might be Iacob's fault more then Iosephs We many times mistake God himself through self-guiltiness as if he meant to kill us with kindness which is a great unthankfulness See my Love-tokens p. 32. Vers 36. Simeon is not That is As good he were not for ye have left him prisoner and unless ye return the sooner with Benjamin which I cannot yeeld to is like to be put to death as a Spie See here the pangs and passions of a parent and how love descends Vers 37. Slay my two sons A simple and sinfull offer Reuben was the eldest but not the wisest Age is no just measure of wisdome Howbeit of him we may learn in our parents fear no be hardy and hearty in our brethrens distress to be eager and earnest Vers 38. Ye shall bring down my gray haires c. To the state of the dead not to hell or Limbus Patrum Many of the Ancients erroneously held that mens souls were not judged till the last day nor rewarded or punished but reserved in some secret Receptacles Bell. de Purg. lib. 1. unto the general Judgment Bellarmine would hence prove Purgatory Luther also seems to approve of that figment of the Fathers For in his notes upon this text he will have Sheol here translated the grave to be an under-ground-receptacle of all souls where they rest and sleep till the coming of Christ But gray haires descend not further then the grave And Luther somewhere intreats his Readers that if they find any thing in his books that smelleth of the old cask they should consider he was not only a man but sometime had been a poor Monk c. CHAP. XLIII Vers 1. And the famine was sore in the Land IN the promised Land Drus in Adag Hold out faith and patience Os quod in sorte tua cecidit rodas Bear thy cross and be content Vers 2. Buy us a little food They had learned to live with a little which is a great skill nature is content with a little grace with less Paratum se esse cum jove de falicitate coutendere fi aquam haberet offam Aâ—lian Epicurus himself was wont to say if he might have but aquam offam a draught of water and a morsell of meate he could live happily Vers 3. Ye shall not see my face c. No acceptation without Benjamin that son of sorrow So neither with God without sound repentance This is the rainbow which if God seeth shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls Vers 6. And Israel said c. Here he begins to outwrestle his fears by resting upon God and is therefore called Israel Vers 7. Could we certainly know c. Inferences many times are made upon what we say or do such as we never thought of Aug. lib. 1. de Trint c. 3. ad sinem Arbitror nonnullos in quibusdam locis librorum meorum opinaturos me sensisse quod non sensi aut non sensisse quod sensi faith Augustine And it fell out accordingly For as Baronius witnesseth after Saint Austins death there arose up divers who out of his writings wrested and inconstructed Quiex ejus scriptis male perceptis complures invexerunt errores Annal. tom 6. ad Ann. 450. brought in many errours which they endeavoured to maintain by the name and authority of Saint Augustine And the like may be said of Luther Vers 8. Send the lad A large lad that was thirty year old and had ten children But he is so called because the yongest son of them and the fathers darling Vers 9. I will be surety for him Herein he was a type of Christ that came of him who is both our surety to God for the discharge of our debt and duty and Gods surety to us for the performance of his promises Heb. 7.22 Vers 10. For except we had lingered c. In the words of God there is not any hyperbole to be found In the words of men related by the Scripture if we meet with such kind of expressions as this and that Joh. 21.25 it nothing derogates from the
abominated Hos 9.4 yea accursed Deut. 28.47 None might come to the court of Persia in mourning weeds Esth 4.2 For any unclean use Or common profane use Common and unclean is one and the same in sundry languages to teach us that it is hard to deal in common businesses and not defile our selves and that those that come to holy things with common affections and carriages profane them Nor given ought thereof for the dead To bury them or buy provision for the funerall feast Ier. 16.7 Ezek. 24.7 Hos 9.4 Ye have done according c. It is a witty expression of Luther By mens boasting of what they have done sayes he Haec ego feci haec ego feci they become nothing else but Faeces dregs But so did not these See the note on vers 13. Vers 17. Thou hast avouched This we do when with highest estimation most vigorous affections and utmost indeavours we bestow our selves upon God giving up our names and hearts to the profession of truth And this our chusing God for our God Psal 73 25. is a sign he first chose us 1 Ioh. 4.19 Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ said Mary to her It is he that brings us into the bonds of the Covenant Ezek. 20.37 He first cryes out who is on my side Who and then gives us to answer as Esay 44.6 One sayes I am the Lords another calls himself by the name of Jacob another subscribes c. Vers 19. And to make thee high Assyria is the work of Gods hand but Israel is his inheritance Isa 19.25 43.3 CHAP. XXVII Vers 2. ANd plaister them with plaister That they might have it in white and black Vers 4. In mount Ebal Where the curse was denounced vers 13. to signifie that those that sought salvation in the law must needs be left under the curse The law is a yoke of bondage as Hierom calls it and they who look for righteousness from thence are like oxen who toyle and draw and when they have done their labour are fatted for slaughter Vers 5. Thou shalt build an altar For burnt offerings c. Vers 6.7 God teacheth them thereby that righteousness impossible to the law was to be sought in Christ figured by that altar and those sacrifices Thus the morall law drove the Iewes to the ceremoniall which was their Gospell as it doth now drive us to Christ who is indeed the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Vers 8. All the words of this law very plainly Therefore it could not be all Deuteronomy much less all Moses books as some have thought for what stones could suffiee for such a work Unless they could write as close but how then could it be very plainly as he did who set forth the whole history of our Saviours passion very lively In canicular colloq both things and acts and persons on the nailes of his own hands as Maiolus reporteth Vers 15. Cursed be he c. The blessings are not mentioned by Moses that we might learn to look for them by the Messiah only Act. 3.26 Vers 16. That setteth light That vilipendeth undervalueth not only that curseth as Exod. 21.17 Vers 24. That smiteth Either with violent hand or virulent tongue Ier. 28.18 Vers 26. Cursed Aut faciendum an t patiendum Men must either have the direction of the law or the correction CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1. IF thou shalt hearken diligently Heb. If hearkening thou shalt hearken If when Gods speaks once thou shalt hear it twice as David did Psal 62.11 by a blessed rebound of meditation and practice Will set thee on high Thou shalt ride upon the high places of the earth Isai 58.14 There thou shalt have thy commoration but in heaven thy conversation Philip. 3.20 being an high and holy people Deut. 26.19 high in worth and humble in heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian as one saith of Athanasius Vers 2. And overtake thee Unexpectedly befall thee Surely goodness and mercy shall follow thee Psal 23.6 as the evening Sun-beames follow the passenger as the rock-water followed the Israelites in the wilderness and overtook them at their stations 1 Cor. 10.4 O continue or draw out to the length thy loving kindness unto them that know thee Psal 36.11 There will be a continued Series a connexion between them to all such Vers 3. Blessed shalt thou be What blessedness is See the Note on Mat. 5.3 Vers 4. The fruit of thy body Which is thy chief possession Dulcis acerbitas amarissima voluptas Tertull. but without my blessing will be bitter sweets Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of such as are as the arrowes of a strong man Psal 128 4. the knottiness of whose nature is refined and reformed and made smooth by grace Arrowes be not arrowes by growth but by art what can better preserve Iacob from confusion or his face from waxing pale then when he shall see his children the work of Gods hands framed and fitted by the word in regeneration and the duties of new obedience This will make him to sanctifie God even to sanctifie the Holy One and with singular incouragement from the God of Israel Isai 29.22 23. Vers 7. The Lord shall cause thine enemies Mr. Fox observes that in King Edward the sixth's time the English put to flight their enemies in Muscleborough field the self-same day and hour wherein the reformation enjoyned by Parliament Act. Mon◠was put in execution at London by burning of Idolatrous images Such a dependance hath our success upon our obedience And flee before thee seven wayes In the fore-mentioned fight many so strained themselves in their race that they fell down breathless and dead whereby they seemed in running from their deaths to run through it 2000 lying all day as dead got away in the night The Irish were so galled or scared with the English ordnance Life of Edw. 6 by Sr. Io. H. that they had neither good hearts to go forward nor good liking to stand still nor good assurance to run away saith the Historian Vers 8. The Lord shall command the blessing Now if he send his Mandamus who shall withstand it Vers 10. And they shall be afraid of thee Naturall conscience cannot but do homage to the image of God stamped upon the natures and works of the godly When they see in them that which is above the ordinary nature of men or their expectation they are afraid of the Name of God whereby they are called their very hearts ake and quake within them as is to be seen in Nebuchadnezzar Darius Herod Dioclesian who was so amazed at the singular piety and invincible patience of the primitive Christians that he laid down the Empire in a humour Bucholcer quod christi nomen se deleturum uti cupiverat desperasset because that when he sought to root out religion he saw he could do no good on 't Vers 12. And