written most wickedly and basely against marriage Three things we have here out of Moses to say for it against whatsoever opposite viz. Gods 1. Dixit 2. Duxit 3. Benedixit Gen. 1.28 God the Father ordained it God the Son honoured it with his first miracle God the Holy Ghost did the like by overshadowing the betrothed Virgin Papists and others that disgrace it appear herein more like Devils then Divines if S. Paul may be judge 1 Tim. 4.2 or Ignatius who saith Habet inbabitatorem Draconem Apostaâ—aâ— Ignat. Epist ad Philad If any call marriage a defilement he hath the Devil dwelling in him and speaking by him Verse 23. This is now bone of my bone c. This sentence saith Tertullian and after him Beda is the first Prophesie that was ever uttered in the world And it is uttered in a way of admiration which they that are taken with do commonly use a concise kinde of speech especially if overjoyed as Adam here was upon the first sight of the woman whom he no sooner saw but knew and thereupon cryed out as wondring at Gods goodness to himself This now is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh Luther the night before he dyed was reasonably well and sate with his friends at table The matter of their discourse was whether they should know one another in heaven or no Luther held it affirmatively and this was one reason he gave Melch. Adam Adam as soon as he saw Eve knew what she was not by discourse but by divine revelation so shall we in the life to come All the Saints shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob having communion with them not only as godly men but as Abraham Isaac Jacob. And if with them why not with others S. Chrysostome saith we shal point them out and say Lo yonder is Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 's Paul there are the Prophets Apostles c. She shall be called Woman Or Manness of Man as Ishah of Ish He gave her her name from his own by taking away one numerall letter that stands for ten and adding another that stands for five to note her infirmity and duty of submitting to her husband whose very naming of her notes her subjection Vers 24. Therefore shall a man leave c. Whether these are the words of God Adam or Moses it is uncertain and not much material The husband is bound more to love his wife then his parents in regard of domestical communion Paraus ad locum adhâ—â—sion and cohabitation not in regard of honor obedience and recompence And they two shall be one flesh Two in one flesh not three or four as the Patriarks of old through ignorance or inobservance of that plain prohibition Levit. 18.18 It is possible they might mistake the word sister for one so by blood which was spoken of a sister by nation as those clauses to vex her and during her life do evince Vers 25. They were both naked and not ashamed Neither needed they Sin and shame as Papists say hops and heresie came in together Cloaths are the ensignes of our sin and covers of our shame To be proud of them is as great folly as for a begar to be proud of his rags or a thief of his halter As the prisoner looking on his irons thinketh on his theft so we looking on our garments should think on our sins CHAP. III. Verse 1. Now the Serpent was more subtil c. ANd so a more fit instrument of that old Serpent the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodotion Cui Paulus â— Cor. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppoâ—it quam mundus vocat Sillmess sheepishness Revel 12.9 Authoramentuâ— majoris infidelitatis Terâ—ul Isai 55.3 Plin. l. 8. c. 25. that deceiveth all the world Good natural parts abused prove rather as press-money to impiety as he phraseth it and their wisdom Culpae suasoria as Ambrose speaketh Wit unsanctified is a fit tool for the devil to work withal Neither is there a likelier Anvil in all the shop of Hell whereon to forge mischief then one that is learned and leud ingeniosê nequam Wittily wicked And he said That is the Devil in the Serpent as the Angel in Balaams Ass Satan istius primae fabulae Poetafuit serpens histrio By the ear he brought death into the world And God to cross him brings life in by the same door For it is Hear and your souls shall live The Dragon bites the Elephants ear and thence sucks his blood Because he knows that to be the onely place which he cannot reach with his trunk to defend So here that great red Dragon delt with miserable mankinde setting first upon the woman as the weaker vessel where the hedg is lowest there the beast leaps over and so climbing by Adams rib to his heart as by a ladder as I said before out of Saint Gregory Yea hath God said In the Chaldee Is it true that God hath said Vide simile Ruth 2.21 in Hebraeo 1 Sam. 14.30 A concise expression implying That this was not the first of their discourse Something had been said before It is not safe parling with the Devil Satan etsi semel videatur verax millies est mendax semper fallax Halter him up therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stop his mouth soon as our Saviour did Or do as the French say in their Proverb When the Spaniard comes to parley of peace then double bolt the door The Hollanders are said to make no conditions with the Spaniard but such as are made at Sea and sealed with great Ordnance Spec. bel sacr Greenbam c. He shoots with Satan in his own bowe that thinks by parling with him to put him off Hath God said Ye shall not eat Here he began his assault upon our first-parents here upon Christ Matth. 4.3 with 3.17 and here he doth still upon us Endeavoring to elevate the truth and certainty of Gods Word and to weaken our Faith in his precepts promises and menaces And here if he take us out of our trenches if he can but wring this sword of the Spirit out of our hands he may do what he will with us Get but the Heretickes said that subtil Sophiâ—ter out of the paper-walls of the Scriptures Bristow his Motives into the open field of Fathers and Councils and ye shall soon do well enough with them Vers 3. Neither shall ye touch it This is of the womans own addition and of a good intention doubtlesse For afterwards when she had drunk in more of the Serpents deadly poyson Hausis virus peritura periturâ—s paritura Bern. from gazing upon the fruit she fell to gaping after it from touching to tasting He that would not feed on sins meat must beware of the broth keep thee far from an evill matter saith Moses Exod. 23.7 A good man dare not come near the train though he be far off the
Pontif. p. 198 Unde et Gavis cognomentum apud suos Ib. could not be absolved till such time as their Ambassadour Dandalus had not onely fallen at the Popes feet but lain also under his table as a dog with an iron chain about his neck feeding on such scraps as were cast unto him Had this dog dealt by the Pope as the Earl of Wiltshire's Spaniel did he had served him but right This Earl with Doctor Cranmer and others being sent Ambassadour to Rome about King Henry's divorce when he should have kissed the Popes foot Act. Mon. fol. 1690. his Spaniel as though he had been of purpose appointed thereunto went and caught the Pope by the great toe which the Spaniel haply mistook for some kinde of repast But this by the way onely What hard servitude Kings and Emperours were forced to undergo in former times and how basely to avile themselves to the Beast of Rome is better known then that it need to be here related Henry the second of England Henry the fourth of France and Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany for instance This last came in the midst of a sore winter upon his bare feet to the gates of the Castle of Canusium and stood there fasting from morning to night for three days together waiting for the Popes judicial sentence and craving his pardon which yet he could not obtain by his own or others tears or by the intercession of any Saint Brightm upon the Revel fol. 449. save onely of a certain harlot with whom the Pope was then taking his carnal pleasure The good Emperour mistook who thought that the Pope could be pacified by fasting and prayer This god required another kinde of sacrifice then these And here that of Solomon was fulfilled Eccles 10.7 Vers 5. And I have oxen and asses c. This Jacob mentioneth in his message that Esau might not think that he sought to him for any need but onely for his favour And this was something to a man of Esau's making for such like not to hear of or be haunted with their poor kinred Luke 15.30 This thy son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et cum fortuna statque caditque fides saith he that felt no want He saith not This my brother he would not own him because in poverty Vers 6. And four hundred men with him Four hundred cut-throats as appears vers 8. And here good Jacob is brought again into the briars When he was well rid of his father-in-law he thought all safe and his joy was compleated by the sight of that army of angels Presently upon this Ex coelo repentè quasi in insernum detruditur he is so damped and terrified with this sad message of Esau's approach and hostile intentions that he knew not what course to take to Out of heaven he is thrust suddenly as it were into hell saith Pareus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the godly mans case while here Fluctus fluctum trudit one trouble follows in the neck of another Ripen we apace and so get to heaven if we would be out of the gun-shot The Ark was transportative till setled in Solomon's temple so till we come to heaven shall we be tossed up down and turmoiled within will be fears 2 Cor. 7. without fightings whiles we are in hoc exilio in hoc ergastulo in hac peregrinatione in hac valle lachrymarum as Bernard hath it in this pilgrimage in this purgatory in this vale of tears Vers 7. Then Iacob was greatly afraid This was his weakness and may be ours in like case as looking to the present peril and forgeting the consolation as the Apostle speaketh that he might have drawn from the promise of God Heb. 12.5 and presence of angels Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fears but Satan in a distress hides from us that which should support us and greatens that that may appale us But what saith the Spanish proverb The Lion is not so fierce as he is painted nor danger usually so great as it is represented Some hold that Esau was here wronged by being presumed an enemy when he was a friend Pessimus in dubiis augur Timor Vers 8. If Esau come c. It is a point of prudence if we cannot keep all to save what we can Vers 9. The Lord which saidst unto me Promises must be prayed over God loves to be burdened with and to be importuned in his own words to be sued upon his own bond Prayer is a putting the promises into suit And it is no arrogancy nor presumption Act. Mon. fol. 1553. to burden God as it were with his promise and of duty to claim and challenge his aid help and assistance in all perils said Robert Glover Martyr in a Letter to his wife Such prayers will be nigh the Lord day and night 1 Kings 8.59 he can as little deny them as deny himself Vers 10. I am not worthy of the least c. In prayer we must avile our selves before God to the utmost confessing our extreme both indigency and indignity of better I am dust and ashes saith Abraham I am a worm and no man saith David I am more bruitish then any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 5.8 saith Agur. I am a man a sinner saith Peter I am not worthy to be called thy son saith the Prodigal Pharisaeus non vulnera sed munera ostendit The proud Pharisee sets forth not his wants but his worth God I thank thee c. But if David were so humbled before Saul 1 Sam. 26. 20. that he called himself a flea what should we do to God Unworthy we should acknowledge our selves of the least mercies we enjoy with Iacob and yet not rest satisfied with the greatest things in the world for our portion as Luther Melch. Adam in vita Luth. Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari he deeply protested that God should not put him off with these poor things below For with my staff I passed over this Iordan Paupertatem baculinam commemorat Iacob though now grown great forgets not his former meanness but cries out with that noble Captain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From how small to how great an estate Iphierates am I raised I So did Agathocles who of a Potters son became King of Sicily yet would ever be served in earthen vessels And in the yeer of Christ 1011 one Willigis Bishop of Ments being son to a Wheel-wright caused wheels and such like things Siffridus Bucholc to be hanged on the walls up and down his Palace with these words written over them in capital letters Willigis Willigis recole unde veneris Excellent was that counsel that Placilla the Empress gave her husband Theodosius Remember O husband what lately you were Hist Trip. and what now you are so shall you govern well the Empire and give God his due praise for so great an
cruel usage of his suffering Saints Micah 3.3 Heb. 11.35 and the dutie of all that have benefit by him to flea off the old man with his deceitful lusts Ephes 4.22 dealing thereby as the Turk dealt by him that betraied the Rhodes Lâ—unclav Hee presented unto him his promised wife and portion but withal told him that hee would not have a Christian to bee his son-in-law and therefore caussed his Baptized skin as hee called it to bee flaied off and him to bee cast into a bed strawed with salt that hee might get a new skin See Mark 9.49 Ver. 7. Fire upon the Altar That sire from heaven Lev. 9.24 which the Heathens apishly imitated in their Vestal fire Typing either the scorching wrath of God seising upon Christ or the ardent love of Christ to his and their zeal for him Ver. 8. In order upon the wood Shewing that Ministers must rightly divide and dispose the Word of God 2 Tim. 2.15 and evidently set forth Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 Ver. 9. Shall hee wash Shadowing Christ's perfect puritie Heb. 7. and our intire sanctification Ezek. 26.35 Heb. 10.22 Of a sweet savor unto the Lord The burning and broiling of the beasts could yield no sweet savor but thereto was added wine oil and incens by God's appointment and then there was a savor of rest in it Our praiers as from us would never pleas but as indited by the Spirit and presented by Christ they are highly accepted in heaven Ver. 10. A male without blemish But cursed bee that cosener that hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 Ver. 11. On the side of the Altar northward Not Eastward as the Heathen sacrifices or to note the obscuritie of the Legal Cetimonies Ver. 12. In order See the Note on Vers 8. Ver. 13. Hee shall wash See the Note on Vers 9. Ver. 14. Turtle doves or young pigeons Old turtles and young pigeons are the best God must have the verie best of the best as beeing best-worthie Ver. 15. Wring off his head Or pinch it with his nail that the blood might go out without separating it from the rest of the bodie This figured the death of Christ without either breaking a bone or dividing the God-head from the manhood As also the skill that should bee in Ministers to cut or divide aright the word of truth Ver. 16. His crop with his feathers Or the maw with the filth thereof that is the guts which receiv the filth sent unto them from the maw was pluckt out and the blood strained at the side of the Altar this signified those clods of blood wrung from our Saviour before his oblation upon the Cross Ver. 17. Aâ—d hee shall cleav it That the inward part might bee laid on the fire See Psal 51.18 19. Mark 12.33 CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Of fine flour NO quantitie is here prescribed becaus it was a Free-will-offering onely it must bee fine no bran in it to shew the puritie of Christ's sacrifice Heb. 7.26 and of our services through him Mal. 3.11 By means of the oil of his Spirit and incens of his Intercession Ver. 2. Shall burn the memorial of it Whereby God was inminded as it were of the partie offering and acknowledging all his store to bee from God Ver. 3. Shall bee Aaron's and his sons As meat for them hence it was called a Meat-offering and sent them to Christ the meat that endureth unto life everlasting John 6.27 Ver. 4. Vnleavened cake mingled with oil Sinceritie is the mother of serenitie Truth of tranquillitie Ver. 5. Baken in a pan Afterwards parted in pieces and oil powred upon it signified the graces of God's Spirit wherewith Christ was fully annointed within and without Psalm 45.8 and wherewith wee should bee tempered and annointed 1 John 2.27 2 Cor. 1.21 Ver. 6. And pour oil thereon Jacob was the first wee read of that consecrated his offerings with oil Gen. 28.18 Probably hee had it from his predecessors Ver. 7. Baken in the frying-pan So My heart is frying of a good matter saith David Psalm 45.1 Ver. 8. Hee shall bring it unto the Altar God would have all their offerings brought to one Altar both to figure out the one onely all-sufficient-sacrifice of Christ and to teach all the faithful to consent in one and the same truth of the Gospel Ver. 9. Amemorial thereof Signifying the perpetual benefit of Christ's death to all believers Ver. 10. Shall be Aaron's and his son's Ministers maintenence Ver. 11. Nor anie honie Which hath a leavening virtue in it Sweet sins are to bee abandoned there will bee bitterness in the end Prov. 26.26 27. Ver. 12. Yee shall offer them i. e. With the first-fruits yee shall offer both leven Lev. 23.17 and honie 2 Chron. 31.5 Both which are somtimes taken in the better part Mat. 13.33 Cant. 4.11 Ver. 13. Shalt thou season with salt Called here the salt of Gods's covenant as signifying the covenant of God made with us in Christ who seasoneth us and make's all our services savorie See the Note on Mark 9.49 50. Ver. 14. Green ears of corn To signifie that God should bee served with the first-fruits of our age the primrose of our childe-hood CHAP. III. Ver. 1. Whether it bee male or female IN Christ there is neither male nor female but all one Gal. 3 28. Souls have no sexes In Thank-offerings the female also might pass to teach that God look's not so much to the worth of the gift as the honestie of the heart that offer 's it Leavened bread also in this case was accepted Lev. 7.13 Ver. 2. Vpon the Altar round about This signified that plenteous redemption by the blood of sprinkling Ver. 3. The fat that covereth the inwards Heartie thanks must bee given to God such as cometh not from the roof of the mouth but the root of the heart An aërie God bee thanked profiteth not Sing with grace in your hearts is the best tune to anie Psalm The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which com's from the depth of the breast Ver. 4. With the kidnies Those seats of Lusts Earth lie members must bee mortified by the thankful Ver. 5. Vpon the burnt-sacrifice Which was first offered to teach us that sin must bee pardoned ere our Thank-offerings can bee accepted It is therefore ordinarily best to begin our praiers with confession of sin and petitions for pardon through Christ Ver. 8. Laie his hand See the Note on Chap. 1. v. 4. Ver. 9. The whole â—ump Which in those countrie-sheep is verie large yet not so large as those in America The world encompassed mentioned by Sr. Francis Drake as big as kine and supplying the room of horses for burthen or travel Ver. 11. It is the food That whereupon God himself seemeth to feed Psalm 50.13 Ver. 12. That yee neither eat fat nor blood Neither bee carnal nor cruel but let your souls delight in the