VVHo can better order an Army than the Lord of Hosts and who more fit to lead his people into the Land of Canaan than he that brought them out of the house of bondage and he alone it is that doth here marshal the Camp of Israel order the Militia of his People and make them as an Army terrible with banners Terrible and full of Majesty either to draw Hearts or to daunt them God is both the Van and Rear in the Churches Army The Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your reward So that although Satan muster up all his Forces Tyrants Hereticks and the like that invade the Church and assault her on all sides yet they shall find her invincible Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel say but they have not prevailed against me Psalm 129. the Church is invincible and only the Church Athens took upon her of old to be so and Venice of late boasteth the like but time hath confuted the one and may soon do the other when the Church shall stand firm because founded on a Rock Verse 3. God providing here for the good of his People appointeth Officers and Magistrates over them and leaves them not to themselves which would have been the occasion of much contention Every Tribe had his certain Captain and Leader designed by God who is the God of order and therefore giveth to his People Rulers to fight their Battles and to guide them in order and Godliness Faithful Magistrates are needful for Church and Common-wealth who are not only a portion among Believers but the chief parts and stay of them in well-doing both in Peace and War Verse 10. Reuben was the Eldest Son of Iacob and to him as the First-born the Birth-right did belong and yet we see verse 3. that Iudah was placed before him thus doth God sometimes shew himself a just Judge in punishing sin and yet withall a merciful Father to Reuben in his Posterity for whereas he had deserved to be raced out of the number of Gods people because of his Incest yet God allowed Reuben here the second place among the Tribes So that all-be-it he was punish'd justly he was punish't gently Thus God dealeth evermore he will punish sin but he will do it in mercy not in severity gently not rigorously for Correction and not seeking the ruine of his Children CHAP. III. Verse 1. THere is a Natural Generation and there is a Moral or spiritual Generation my Father begets me the first way and my God or my Teacher the second way Thus here Moses did Regenerate what Aaron had begot he was a Father by his directions and instruction when Aaron was only by Nature The word delivered by Gods Minister for our spiritual Birth and Education is not a dead letter an empty sound as some would have it for together with the Word there goes forth a Regenerating power the exhortations thereof are operative means of Sanctification as when God said Let there be light or Christ said Lazarus come forth The Spirit maketh the seed of the Word profitable and generative And hence Ministers are call'd Fathers as Moses here was Father to Aarons Children who are therefore call'd his Generation Verse 4. When God had formerly sent his fire from above and commanded the continuance of that fire for Nadab and Abihu to fetch prophane Coals to Gods Altar could savour of no less than presumption and Sacriledge when we bring zeal without knowledg mis-conceits of Faith carnal Affections the devices of our will-worship superstitious devotions unto Gods service we bring common fire to his Altar these Flames were neveâ— of his kindling he hates both Altar Fire Priest and Sacrifice And now behold â—he same Fire that consumed the Sacrifices before consumes the Sacrificers It was the sign of Gods acceptation in consuming the Beast but whiles it destroyed Men the fearful sign of his displeasure By the same means God can bewray both love and hatred And here one might have thought that being but young Men and not yet warm in their Function both Age and Inexperience might have excus'd them but no pretences can bear off a sin with God That no man may hope the plea either of Birth or Youth or of the first Commission of Evill may challenge pardon I see here young Men Sons of the Ruler of Israel for the first offence struck dead Verse 13. The First-born are said to be Gods by several Rights First by right of Redemption he that is saved is not his own but his that saved him He hath saved us from our enemies that we might serve him Luke 1. 74. Christ hath therefore broke the Devils yoke from off our Necks that we might take upon us his yoke that is easie and his burthen that is light serve we must still but after another manner as the Israelites did when freed from the Egyptian bondage Yet thou shalt keep this service saith Moses Exod. 12. 25. Secondly the first-born are Gods by right of dilection as usually best beloved that together with our Children he might draw to himself the best of our affections Thirdly by right of Sanctification they were saparated they were sanctified to the Lord to wait on his Altar to shew that singular things are expected of all that draw nigh unto God in any duty but especially in the office of the Ministry Those that stand in the presence of Princes must be exact in their carriage God appointed both the weights and measures of the Sanctuary to be twice as large as those of the Common-Wealth which implies that he expects much more from those that serve him there than he doth from others CHAP. IV. Verse 9. A Type of Christ who is light Essential and giveth light to every man that cometh into the world to every man the light of Reason to his own a supernatural light to know Heavenly things an affecting transforming Light which shall change us into the same Image with himself from glory to glory as the Pearl by the often beating of the Sun-beams upon it becomes Radiant which will make us walk as the children of Light like so many Christal glasses with a light in the midst of each which appeareth throw every part of them and in respect of this light every Created understanding in its highest abilities is at the most but as Aeschilus saith of Fire stoln by Prometheus a beam of that Light Essential Verse 19. Aaron and his Sons must appoint the Cohathites their several Offices and shew them what part every particular person must bear that the wrath of God do not break in among them and this consideration of the wrath of God ready to come upon offenders ought to encrease their care to do the duty that God requires Holy things must be handled Reverently Religiously Whatever matters of God we meddle withall whether it be Hearing of his Word or Receiving of the Sacrament or Calling on his Name we are
Irreligion and Impiety make Men reproachful of what account and estimation soever they be be they never so Rich Noble and Renouned in the World how famous and excellent in the World Countries and Cities be yet this is certain that Sin maketh all Persons and Places infamous and dishonourable let London apply this to her self as it appears afterwards in this Chapter verse 61. We see this further in many Examples Cain is noted and marked of God for his execrable parricide unto all posterity Iudas that betrayed his Master is called the Son of Perdition Iohn 17. and is as it were burnt in the shoulder with the letter R and mark'd out for a Reprobate and left upon Record to be a Devil Iohn 6. 70. that all which hear of it might fear and learn to hate his sins Verse 10. Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fifty Captains brought sticks to it all Israel warm'd themselves by it only the Incendiaries perish God and Moses knew to distinguish betwixt the Head of a Faction and the train though neither be faultless yet two hundred and fifty Ringleaders are plagued the other forgiven Gods vengeance when it is at the hottest makes differences of Men. We may collect from this Verse likewise that all the Elements are at Gods service For we find here two sorts of Traytors the Earth swallowed up the one the Fire the other and as before in this Book Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but unfit fire to God so these Levites bring the right fire but unwarranted persons before him Fire from God consumes both It is a dangerous thing to usurp sacred Functions The Ministery will not grace the Man the Man may disgrace the Ministery and shall be signally punish'd for it as Corah and his fellow-Rebels were here who were made a signe saith the Text. Death is the just Heir of the least sin but some evill Doers God doth not put to Death but also hangs them up in Gibbets as it were for publick notice and admonition Those that are famous in their sin shall be famous in their punishment Verse 14. This Tribe of Simeon is of a smaller number in respect of the other Tribes and the reason is to be taken out of the last History recorded in the former Chapter where we find that one of the Princes of the Tribe of Simeon being accompanied with many others of that Tribe committed a most shameful act among his Brethren and brought in a Midianitish Harlot into the Host in the sight of Moses Whereby it came to pass that the greatest number of that Tribe perished with him in that grievous Plague for it was reason that they which did partake with him in the sin should communicate together in the punishment Which may teach us that it is a very hard thing to avoid and break off our society with Wicked Men and reproveth all such as enter into league with such persons they even offer their hands and feet to be bound as it were with chains and they become afterwards as Prisoners and Vassals to them Verse 33. Zelophahad the Son of Heber had no Sons but all Daughters saith this Text and yet these Daughters had a share with the rest of Gods people in the Land of Promise as we may read in the next Chapter And therefore let the French defend their Salike Law as they can there is very good reason that Women should not lose the right of Inheritance For Women are the second edition of the Epitome of the whole World witness Artemisia Blandina Zenobia in whom besides their Sex there was nothing Woman-like or weak as if what Philosophy speaks the Souls of those Noble Creatures had followed the temperament of their Bodies which consists of rarer rooms of a more exact Composition than Mans doth and if place be any priviledg we find theirs built in Paradice when Mans was made out of it besides in Iesus Christ there is neither Male nor Female but all are one Souls have no Sexes and whosoever are Christs are heirs to the Promise Verse 54. God provideth sufficiently for all his People every Man hath his portion assign'd him of God upon the Earth It is his will and pleasure that all should have their measure of earthly things not some to have all and some nothing at all but all to have some part and that part to be enough God would have no Beggar in his Israel when the Lord sent down Manna and fed his people with Angels food all the Host from the highest to the lowest had enough They that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack Exod. 16. Now if God be thus careful to feed our bodies it is much more reason that we should seek at his hands the nourishment of our Souls This is the voice of Faith the other the voice of Nature Nature will tell us when we want provision for the body but 't is the Office of Faith to tell us when we want food for the Soul Therefore saith Christ First seek the Kingdom Mat. 6. 33. Verse 59. Amram here took to Wife Iochebeb which was his own Aunt as is clear from Exod. 6. 20. the Law against Incest was not then given nor the state of Israel then setled and therefore it was no sin in him for where there is no Law there can be no sin But what shall we say to our modern Sectaries whose practising of Incest is now avowed publickly in print they shame not to affirm that those Marriages are most lawful that are betwixt persons iu blood The prohibition of degrees in Leviticus are to be understood say they of Fornication not of Marriage I see here what noon-day Devils do now in this unhappy Age walk with open face amongst us Verse 61. Because Nadab and Abihu were the Sons of Aaron this made God the more to stomack and the rather to revenge this Impiety God had both pardoned and graced their Father he had honoured them of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his Altar and now as their Fathers set up a false God so they bring false fire unto the true God If the Sons of Infidels live Godlesly they do but their kind their punishment shall be though just yet less but if the Children of Religious Parents after all Christian nurture shall shame their Education God takes it more hainously and revenges it more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect Again if from the Agents we look to the act it self set aside the Original descent and what difference was there betwixt these fires both look'd alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike both were fed with the same material Wood both vanish'd into smoak there was no difference but the Commandement of God If God had enjoyn'd ordinary fire they had sinn'd to look for Celestial now he commanded only the fire which he sent they sinned in sending up Incense in that fire which he commanded not
corruption were but in man and other Creatures were flesh as well as man but man is every creature because as Gregory saith Omnis creaturae differentia in homine all the properties and qualities of all other creatures how remote and distant how contrary soever in themselves yet they all meet in man In man if he be a flatterer you shall find the grovelling and crawling of the Snake and in man if he be ambitious you shall find the high flight and piercing of the Eagle in a voluptuous sensual man you shall find the earthliness of the Hogg and in a licentious man the intemperance and distemper of the Goat ever lustful and ever in a Feaver ever in sickness contracted by that sin and yet ever in a desire to proceed in that sin and thus man is every creature and all flesh Verse 14. That God might approve his mercies to the very wicked he gives them 120 years respite of repenting verse 3. and here in this verse he gives them a faithful Teacher It is an happy thing when he that teacheth others is righteous Noahs hand taught them as much as his tongue his business in building the Ark was a real Sermon to the world wherein at once were taught Mercy and Life to the Believer and to the Rebellious destruction Verse 18. Doubtless more hands went to this work of making the Ark than Noah and his Children and yet none were saved but they many a one wrought upon the Ark which yet was not saved in the Ark our outward works cannot save us without Faith we may help to save others and perish our selves what a wonder of mercy is this that we here see one poor Family call'd out of a world and as it were eight grains of Corn fann'd from a whole Barnful of Chaff one hypocrite was saved with the rest for Noahs sake not one righteous man was swept away for company for these few was the earth preserved still under the waters and all kind of Creatures upon the waters which else had been all destroyed Still the world stands for their sakes for whom it was preserved else fire should consume that which could not be cleansed by water CHAP. VII Verse 2. THe unclean Beasts God would have to live the clean to multiply and therefore he sends to Noah seven of the clean and of the unclean two he knew the one would annoy man with their multitude the other would enrich him those things are worthy of most respect which are of most use But why seven Surely that God that Created seven dayes in the Week and made one for himself did here preserve of seven clean Beasts one for himself for Sacrifice he gives us Six for One in earthly things that in spiritual we should be all for him Verse 9. This difference is strange I see the savagest of all Creatures Lions Tygers Bears by an instinct from God come to seek the Ark as we see Swine fore-seeing a storm run home crying for shelter men I see not Reason once debauch'd is worse than bruitishness God hath use even of these fierce and cruel Beasts and glory by them Even they being Created for man must live by him though to his punishment How gently do they offer and submit themselves to their Preserver renewing that obeysance to this Repairer of the World which they before sin yielded to him that first stored the World And thus these savage Creatures went in saith the rext to Noah not to prey but fawn upon him He that shut them into the Ark when they were entred shut their mouths also while they did enter The Lions fawn upon Noah and Daniel what heart cannot the Maker of them mollifie Verse 10. By this is shewen the Lords patience for Noah is warned seven dayes before of the Flouds coming that by his preparation and entrance others might be warned and whereas God might have destroyed the World at once it was encreasing forty dayes that the World seeing every day some perish might at length have turned to God And the same was Ninevehs case yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Our God is a gracious merciful and long-suffering God and never strikes but he gives warning that sinners may prevent the blow by Repentance and Contrition Before Nineveh shall be destroyed a Prophet must be sent to give notice of that destruction and to teach them a way how to avoid it and in case they should prove dull schollars here is forty dayes given to learn the lesson And as God dealt with this great City and with the whole World before the Deluge to fore-warn them of his judgements and their own ruine so deals he likewise with particular men to some he gives forty dayes to others forty months nay forty years to repent in even a whole life time is to some men but a continued warning of their final destruction and yet they like the old World never beleeve it till they feel it mock and jear at a Deluge until they are over-whelm'd with the Floud and perish in their own presumptuous imaginations So hard a thing it is to perswade sinners to beleeve that God is so just or his Judgements so infallible or their sins so destructive until the Floud come and a second Deluge a Deluge of Fire sweeps them away as that first of Waters did their unbeleeving fore-fathers Verse 11. It agrees with the nature of God who is goodness That as all the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of Heaven were opened and so came the Floud over all so there should be diluvium spiritus a flowing out of the holy Ghost upon all as he promises Effundam I will pour it out upon all and diluvium gentium that all Nations shall flow up unto him For this spirit spirat ubi vnlt breaths where it pleaseth him and though a natural Wind cannot blow East and West North and South together this spirit at once breaths upon the most contrary dispositions upon the presuming and upon the dispairing sinner and in an instant can denizon and naturalize that soul that was an Alien to the Covenant empale and in-lay that soul that was bred upon the Common among the Gentiles transform that soul which was a Goat into a Sheep unite that soul which was a lost Sheep to the Fold again shine upon that soul that sits in darkness and the shadow of death and so melt and pour out that soul that yet understands nothing of the divine nature nor of the Spirit of God that it shall become partaker of the divine nature and be the same Spirit with God Verse 16. Now that Noah and all his Guests are entred the Ark is shut and the windows of Heaven opened God first provides for Noah before the Wicked are destroyed of whom many no doubt when they saw the violence of the waves descending and ascending according to Noah's prediction came wading middle-deep unto the Ark and importunately craved that
David being rail'd upon by Shimei said God had bid him curse and Iob being robbed by the Sabeans said God had taken away thus also concerning the Iseraelites bondage under the Egyptians the Psalmist saith he turned their heart to hate his people and deal subtilly with his servants Let us not therefore with the foolish dog bark at the stone but rather look at the hand acknowledging God in all Verse 8. God so orders and disposeth the actions of men as seems best for his glory as Ioseph spake here to his Brethren when he discovered himself to them in Egypt whether they had betraied and sold him now it was not you that sent me hither but God they sent him thither instrumentally enviously but it was God that sent him thither providentially and graciously it was his power and wisedome which ordered that dispensation sweetly else his Brethren had made foul work of it or they sent him thither to make him a slave that was their designe but God sent him thither to make him a Prince and Ruler to make him a Preserver of Egypt and of his own family too as he speaks at the end of this verse he hath made me a Father to Pharaoh and Lord of all his house and a Ruler throughout all the land of Egypt Verse 11. Although the fift Commandement was not then writ in stone yet it was sufficiently engraved on the Table of Iosephs heart honour thy Father and thy Mother and surely one part of his honour is to provide for them in case of want which was Iosephs particular care in this text to nourish and cherish his father as a man nourisheth his little ones saith the Hebrew lovingly and tenderly This the Apostle commends to us 1 Tim. 5. 4. as a thing not only good before men but acceptable before God Epominondas rejoyc'd in nothing more then that he had lived to cheer up the hearts of his aged Parents by the reports of his victories Aristotle cap. 6. de mundo tells us that when from the hill Etna there run down a current of fire that consumed all the houses thereabouts in the midst of those fearful flames the River of fire parted its self and made a kind of lane for those who ventured to rescue their aged Parents out of the jawes of death Verse 21. Ioseph is here as bountifull as his Brethren were formerly cruel They send him naked to strangers he sends them in new and rich liveries to their father they tooke a small sum of money for him he gives them great treasures they sent his torne coat to his father he sends variety of costly raiment to his father by them they sold him to be the load of Camels he sends them home with Chariots It must be a great favour that can appease the conscience of a great injury Now they return home rich and joyful making themselves happy to think how glad they should make their father with this newes Verse 26. Good old Iacob did never hope that Egypt should have afforded such provision as this Ioseph is yet alive this was not food but life to him The return of Benjamin was comfortable but that his dead son was yet alive after so many yeares lamentation was tydings too happy to be believed and was enough to endanger that life with excesse of joy which the knowledge thereof doubled Over excellent objects are dangerous in their sudden aprehensions One grain of that joy would have safely cheer'd him whereof a full measure overlayes his heart with too much sweetness There is no earthly pleasure where of we may not surfeit of the spirituall we can never have enough Verse 28. Iacobs eyes revive his mind which his eares had thus astonished When he saw the Chariots of his son be beleived Iosephs life and refreshed his own He had too much before so that he could not enjoy it now he saith I have enough Ioseph my son is yet alive they told him of his honour he speaks of his life life is better then honour To have heard that Ioseph lived a servant would have joyed him more then to hear that he died honourably The greater blessing obscures the less He is not worthy of honour that is not thankfull for life Yet Iosephs life did not content Iacob without his presence I will go down and see him ere I die the sight of the eye is better then to walke in desires good things pleasure us not in their being but in our enjoying Thus did Iacob rejoyce when he was to go out of the land of promise to a forraign Nation for Iosephs sake being glad that he should loose his country for his son What shall our joy be who must goe out of this forraign land of our pilgrimage to the home of our glorious inheritance to dwell with none but our own in that better and more lightsome Goshen free from all the incumbrances of this Egypt and full of all the riches and delights of God CHAP. XLVI Verse 2. GOd hath not used one means alone but diverse to speak unto the world either by Angels or by the cloud or between the Cherabims or by Urim or by Dreams or by Visions To this purpose there is a rule set down Num. 12. if there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be known to him by a Vision and will speak to him by a dream and to this rule we might add sundry examples out of Scripture as of Iacob here of Samuel of Daniel of Iohn all declaring that God used to declare many things by Visions to his Servants and to others when it pleased him that so by this means he might have the revelation of his will appear to be onely his and not of themselves For however it pleased the Lord to deal with his servants and what way soever he used to signifie his good pleasure in all these cases he imprinted in the mindes and hearts of them to whom he shewed himself certain notes and evident tokens whereby they might expresly and clearly know that it was his doing that so they should chalenge nothing to themselves but ascribe all unto him Verse 3. Cause of feare Iacob might see sufficient but God would not have him look downward on the rushing and roaring streams of misery that run 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 Eliah would have the Sacrifice covered with water that Gods power might the more appear in the fire from heaven Verse 4. God saies to Iacob here I will go down with thee into Egypt and I wil also surely bring thee up again God goes down with a good man into the grave and will surely bring him up again When the Angel promised to returne to Abram and Sarah for the assurance of the birth of Iaac acording to the time of life that is in such
the Priests from whom others should draw Example should themselves be obedient to Gods Word in all things and first hear then speak Obedience was ever acceptable to God Psal. 40. 6. next the Thumb is touched with Blood to teach that we must not only be Hearers but Doers of the Word joyning Works to Faith and a Holy Life to a sound Belief And the right Thumb not the left to signifie that our Works must be right commanded by God not invented by us To the like end was the right Toe sprinkled with Blood that they might so remember to walk worthy their vocation and usually by the Foot in Scripture is both Action and Affection noted My feet had almost slipt said David meaning both Action and Affection Verse 29. The same garments continued although the Priest by Mortality changed and so was signified that our High Priest not meer Man but God and Man is one and his Righteousness our blessed garment remaineth to Father Son and Sons Son to the Worlds end in them that fear him and by a true Faith believe in him CHAP. XXX Verse 1. THe Altar of Incense was of Wood covered with Gold figuring so Christ in both his Natures the Wood his Humanity the Gold his Divinity the Deity yielding Glory and Majesty to his Manhood as the Gold adorn'd and beautified the Shittim Wood. Verse 2. The square form of this Altar represents the firm stability of Christ who cannot be overthrown The Crown about it the regal Dignity of Christ and of all those that are ingrafted to him For we are Kings and Priesis in him and by him Verse 7. The sweet Incense notes all Duties and services which the People of God do to him by his appointment and that they smell sweet before him as the Incense and are accepted of him But particularly the Prayers of the faithful for so David Psal. 14. 2. expounded it The burning of this Incense upon the Altar which was a figure of Christ shadowed out that in Christ and for Christ only our Prayers are in force with God and therefore by him they ought to be offered unto God Verse 9. Prayers either made to others then to God in the name of Christ or for unlawful things are strange Incense and therefore not to be offered unto God No Saint nor Creature was shadowed by the Altar of Incense but Christ and therefore let them take heed that will pray to others and make others present their desires to God Verse 12. To number People in a Land is lawful and if you think of David why he was plagued for so doing surely it was not for that he numbred the People but because he did it in a pride and confidence in mans strength But here neither Pride nor Wealth nor other such eâ—ds were respected but obedience was aimed at and that they should profess themselves thus Gods People and themselves his Tributaries and so be ever strongly comforted in his protection Verse 15. This was a personal Tribute imposed to testifie obedience to God and therefore equally was paid to signifie that God is no respecter of persons but the poor are as dear to him doing his Will as the rich we are all the Lords the price of our redemption is one the precious bloud of that immaculate Lamb Jesus Christ. Verse 16. In worldly matters the rich may go before us but in matters belonging unto God his Worship and Service we ought to be as forward as the rich For you see here that the maintenance of the Ministery was not posted over to Princes and great men only but even private men also must joyn in this work For if he be born to inherit Heaven he must think himself born to maintain the means that lead us unto Heaven Our Sheep and Cattel we provide for because they labour for us and feed us what hearts then should we have to see them comfortably maintain'd that labour for us in a far higher sort and feed us with a much better food Verse 21. We must not meddle with holy things with unwashen hands that is with prophane Hearts Tongues and minds as they do that read the Scriptures not to guide their lives but to maintain table Discourses drawing the Scriptures to their Judgements and not framing their Judgements according to the Scriptures These washings again in the Law had a further reach being used in Faith even to the inward washing of the Spirit whereof they were true Sacraments to the Believers So David Wash me O Lord and I shall be clean that is inwardly inwardly O Lord by thy blessed Spirit from my sins Verse 23. This holy and most excellent Oil was a figure of the Holy Ghost without whom nothing is pure nothing sweet All things were annointed therewith Preist Ark Table Candlestick to teach that all the exercises of Religion are utterly unprofitable without the inward working of the Holy Ghost in our hearts CHAP. XXXI Verse 3. BY this is manifest that the skill of any Handi-craft is not in the power of men but comes by the Highest And by this we are taught to use all those Gifts well whereby we are enabled to discharge our particular Callings that they may serve for the Glory of God and the good of his Church and those that in their Callings use fraud and deceit or else live inordinately do most unthankfully abuse the Gifts of God and dishonour the Spirit of God the Author of their Gifts Verse 6. God here joyneth Aholiab with Bezaliel in the work of the Tabernacle that by this means it might be the more compleat If there should be any fault in Bezaliels work Aholiab might mend it and if there should chance to be any error in Aholiabs performance Bezaliel might correct it that so by the care and circumspection of these two able Workmen nothing might be omitted And as it was thus under the Law so was it under the Gospel the Work of Christs Church as well as Moses Tabernacle must be performed by pairs Therefore Christ sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel by couples two and two together Two are better than one saith Solomon For first if they fall the one will lift up the other that which is stronger shoreth up the weaker One man may be an Angel to another in regard of comfort and assistance nay a God to another as Moses was to Aaron Secondly if two lie together then they have heat heat of Zeal and good Affection When Silas came Paul burnt in spirit Acts 18. warm he was before but now all of a light fire as it were The Enemy is readiest to assault when none is by to assist and much of our strength is lost in the losse of a faithful Friend CHAP. XXXII Verse 1. O The ingratitude of that giddy multitude a man would have thought they would have wept out theit eyes and sighed their hearts in sunder for such a man as Moses such an Instrument of God and Good to them such
of the Ministery that it should not be defrauded of the least thing allotted to it And therefore harden not your heart against God against Law against Right and Truth accustome not your hearts to cover your Neighbours due your hands to purloin it by fraud or take it by strength it is theft spiritual theft sacriledge your house receiveth stoln Goods and the Wrath of God may happily shake the foundation of it for such a sin and you in yours or you and yours be punished Verse 13. Here Leaven is admitted of which before was forbid Leaven therefore is taken in a good sense as well as in an ill Thus the Apostles are resembled to a little Leaven that leaveneth the whole lump they being sent out of God into the unleavened World by preaching to leaven it clean through And there is a Leaven of the new Nature accepted as there is a Leaven of the old Nature rejected For look how the Leaven maketh the Bread savory and strong and wholsome look also how it makes it rise and heave up which otherwise would be sad and heavy So doth Gods regenerate Spirit change us make us savory and all our Duties pleasing to God and we rise up our Hearts and Souls are heaved up in all love in thankfulness to him that in Mercy hath so look'd upon us Verse 15. A Ceremony us'd to signifie that publick Feasts should not be superfluously continued and kept long under the colour of Religion For God loveth not idle banquetting and prodigal spending although he allow graciously what is fit for the occasion Secondly this was done in wisdome by God least if the flesh should have smelt by longer keeping Religion might so have been vile in the eyes of fickle persons Verse 18. We may learn by this that the taking hold of Christ is not to be deferr'd and put off but speedily and quickly to be done whilst time serves and opportunity is offer'd For behold sayes Christ to day and to morrow I cast out Devils and the third day Luke 13. that is a short time I have yet to go on with my Ministery and then I shall be slain More particularly every Man and Woman may be said to have three dayes The first of Youth till Age come the second of Age till Death come and in these two dayes there is Mercy offered but the third day is after Death and then there is no help as here on the third day no Offering was accepted but the sin remained unpardoned and not forgiven Verse 30. The bringing of the Sacrifice with his own hands and not sending it by others taught Humility and Duty to God taught that every one must live by his own Faith and not by anothers Verse 34. The shaking of it to and fro four wayes East West North and South shadowed the spreading of that lifting up of Christ that is of Christs Death and Passion throughouâ— all the World by the preaching of the Gospel CHAP. VIII Verse 2. THe Lord precisely appointed Priests and would not leave it to every man to perform this Office to signifie that not any man butthe-man Christ Jesus could appease Gods Wrath satisfie his Justice and take away the sins of the World This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the Host of Israel from this Office and chusing but Aaron and his Sons as Types of Christ that so by such an Ordinance the Majesty Authority and Property of Christs Office might be resembled and shadowed Verse 5. Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer unto them For he well knew Gods Will only in his own House must be the Rule Our own heads were never the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to give that swinge unto us Verse 13. Aarons Sons were a figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his Merits as well as the Priests Their Garments figured out the Graces and Gifts wherewith the Believers in Christ are adorned and beautified casting away the Works of Darkness and putting on daily more and more the Deeds of Light Rom. 13. 12. Verse 30. Upon Aarons Sons Moses did but sprinkle the annointing Oil which was said to be poured upon Aaron verse 12. So plainly shewing that in Christ the Spirit should be without measure and upon his Servants in measure we all receiving of his fulness according to his good Pleasure some more some lesse Verse 35. By this is signified that watch which all our life time is noted by the seven dayes we keep in avoiding sin and working righteousness as the Lord shall enable which indeed may be call'd the watch of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seventh day we shall be free fully sanctified and delivered from this vail of misery to keep an eternal Sabbath in Heaven to our endless comfort CHAP. IX Verse 7. IN that Aaron was here commanded to offer as well for himself as the People he was herein a figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his own but that ours were so laid upon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as they had been his own Surely sayes the Prophet Isai. 53. 4. he hath born our infirmities c. that is we judg'd him evil as though he were punish'd for his own sins and not for ours Verse 22. Thus doth God blesse us in Christ in whom all the Nations of the World are blessed First with the Blessing of Reconciliation to himself reputing us now just for his Son Christ. Secondly with the Blessing of his Spirit whereby we walk in his Calling being guided thereby in the same Thirdly with the Blessing of Acceptance of all our Works though full of imperfection and weakness And last of all with this great Blessing that all adversity becometh a help to us to draw us to Heaven and Eternal Rest. Verse 24. That God which shew'd himself to Men in fire when he delivered his Law would have men present their Sacrifices to him in fire and this fire he would have his own that there might be a just circulation in this Creature as the Water sends up those vapours which it receives down again in Rain Hereupon it was that fire came down from God to the Altar that as the charge of the Sacrifice was delivered in fire so God might signifie the acceptation of it in the like fashion wherein it was commanded The Baalites might lay ready their Bullock upon the Wood but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their Bodies and destroy themselves than one flash out of Heaven to consume the Sacrifice CHAP. X. Verse 2. NAdab and Abibu were two of Aarons Eldest Sons which after their Father should have succeeded him in his place yet there is no Mercy with God to stay his Judgement when they will not be Ruled by his Word No Prerogative therefore shall save any Man from Wrath if he offend but
it speak that which it never thought causing it to go two miles where it would go but one knawing and tawing it to their own purposes as the shooe-maker wretches the upper Leather with his teeth Tertullian calls Marcian the Heretick Mus Ponticus from his arroding and knawing the Scripture to make it serviceable to his Errors And too many of these kind of Mice have we at this day in this Nation who wrest Texts of Conscience into Factions Texts of Obedience into Rebellion ravishing Scripture to force out Doctrines for their own ends and then emptying their rancor by turning them to uses Verse 8. By Statutes here we may understand the Moral Law by judgements the Judicial which was fitted to the temper and disposition of the Jews like as Solon being ask'd whether he had given the best Laws to the Athenians answered the best that they could suffer And certain it is that Moses spake here as ever most Divinely and like himself or rather beyond himself the end of a thing being better if better may be than the beginning of it as good Wine is best at last and as the Sun shines most aimiably when it is going down This Book of the Law it was that the King was to write out with his own hand Deut. 17. 18. that it might serve as his Manual This was that happy Book that good Iosiah lighting upon after it had long lain hid in the Temple melted into tears at the menaces thereof and obtain'd of God to dye in peace though he were slain in War This only Book was that pretiously purling Current out of which the Lord Jesus our Champion chose all those three smooth stones wherein he prostrated the Goliah of Hell in that sharp encounter Mat. 4. Verse 11. God would have Israel see that they had not to do with some impotent Commander that is fain to publish his Laws without noise in dead Paper which can more easily enjoyn than punish to descry than execute and therefore before he gives them a Law he shews them that he can command Heaven Earth Fire Aire in revenge of the breach of that Law that they could not but think it deadly to displease such a Law-giver or violate such dreadful Statutes that they might see all the Elements examples of that obedience which they should yeild unto their Maker Now this fire wherein the Law was given is still in it and will never out Hence are those terrors which it flashes in every Conscience that hath felt remorse of sin Every Mans heart is a Sinah and resembles to him both a Heaven and Hell The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of sin is the Law Verse 12. That they might see he could find out their closest sins he delivers his Law in the light of fire that they might see what is due to their sins they see fire above to represent the fire that should be below them that they might know he could waken their security the thunder and lowder voice of God speaks to their hearts That they might see what their Hearts should do the Earth-quakes under them O Royal Law and mighty Law-giver How could they think of having any other God that had such proofs of this How could they think of making any resemblance of Him whom they saw could not be seen and whom they saw in not being seen infinite How could they think of disobeying his Deputies whom they saw so able to revenge How could they think of killing when they were half dead with the fear of him that could kill both Body and Soul How could they think of the flames of Lust that saw such fires of vengeance We Men that so fear the breach of Humane Laws for some small mulcts of Forfeiture how should we fear thee O Lord that canst cast Body and Soul into Hell Verse 24. If the Law as we read before was given in Thunder and Lightning how shall it be requir'd if such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes what shall the Sessions be O God how powerful art thou to inflict vengeance upon sinners who didst thus forbid Sin and if thou wert so terrible a Law-giver what a Judge shalt thou appear what shall become of the breakers of so fiery a Law O where shall those appear that are guilty of the transgressions of that Law whose very delivery was little less than Death If our God should exact his Law but in the same rigour wherein he gave it sin could not quit the cost but now the fire wherein it was delivered was but terrifying the fire wherein it shall be required is consuming Happy are those that are from under the terrors of the Law which was given in Fire and in Fire shall be required Verse 29. It is a kind of denying the Infiniteness of God to serve him by pieces and raggs God is not infinite to me if I think a discontinued service will serve him It is a kind of denying the unity of God to joyn other Gods pleasure or profit with him he is not one God to me if I joyn other Associates and Assistants to him It is a kind of diffidence in Christ as if I were not sure that he would stand in the favour of God stil as though I were afraid that there might rise a new Favorite in Heaven to whom it might concern me to apply my self if I make the ballance so even as to serve God and Mammon if I make a complemental visit of God at his House upon Sunday and then plot with the other Faction the World the Flesh and the Devil all the Week after CHAP. V. Verse 1. IT is not enough for us to Learn the Law but we must keep it and do it we must lay it up in our hearts as well as in our heads and practice it also in our lives and Conversations For not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2. 13. Too too many in this Rotten Age wherein we live are Speakers not Workers as if Ostende re fidem St. Iames his Shew thy Faith by thy Works were Ostendere to stretch the Jaws to shew our Faith by strong Protestations But this must not be a work of the mouth but hand If a Man question thee of Faith spare thy Lips and let thy Life make answer If words might be credited if a bare profession of the Gospel might be believed no Man would want Faith every one would cry with the blind Man in the Gospel Lord I believe what Mouth would not make one Lye for its Master Unless I see said Thomas of Christs rising so unless I see and feel thy Faith I will not believe If we are good Trees by our Fruit men shall know us Mat. 7. By our Fruit not by our blossoms of good purposes or our leaves of good profession but by the Fruit of our actions Verse 9. Parents are hence admonish'd to take heed of sinning against God lest they be found unmerciful unnatural and