atonement was appointed for them Lev. 5.2 But those that hate to be reformed God will not reckon them among his people In like manner those that partake of the Signs and Seals of Grace unworthily eat and drink judgment to themselves 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29. and presumptuously eat of the Peace-Offerings such persons shall be Excommunicated and cut off from the Communion of Gods people or as some understand it by Divine Vengeance Further God Commands Moses to charge them to forbear eating the fat of any of those Cattel that were appointed for Sacrifice but the fat of such Beasts if they died of themselves or were torn in pieces might be employed to any other use but that kind of fat which we call Suet they might not eat though other fat that was mix'd with the flesh they might eat of And as they were to forbear eating fat so also blood for the Reasons mentioned before Ch. 3. vers 17. see also Gen. 9.4 and Levit. 17.14 Lastly Moses from the Lord gives them this Command that whosoever offered a Peace-Offering should bring it himself in his own person and not another for him and He shall himself with his own hand present that part which is to be an Oblation to the Lord viz. the fat with the Breast and right Shoulder then the Priest shall burn the fat upon the Altar but the Breast being waved before the Lord and the Shoulder elevated or lifted up shall be his Portion See Exod. 29.22 For this He tells them is the portion and reward appointed by God to Aaron and his Sons by virtue of their Vnction to the Priestly-Office and to be paid them by the Children of Israel from the day of their anointing Levit. Ch. 7. whole Chapter SECT XXX MOses now by direction from God gathering the Children of Israel together spends seven days in consecrating Aaron and his four Sons observing the manner and Ceremonies prescribed for their Consecration Exod. Ch. 28. 29. * See Sect. 21. partic 12. viz. 1. He washes them with water 2ly He puts the High Priests Vestments and rich attire upon Aaron 3ly Anointeth the Tabernacle with the Altar and Laver and sprinkles the Altar seven times with the Oil of Consecration because it was consecrated to a more special use than other parts of the Tabernacle 4ly He anointeth Aaron 5ly He puts the holy Garments upon his Sons 6ly He offers for them all a Bullock for a Sin-Offering one Ram for a Burnt-Offering and another Ram for a Sacrifice of Consecration 7ly With the blood of the Ram He sprinkled certain parts of their bodies and their Garments as was prescribed Exod. 29. 8ly He offered a Meat-Offering for them as a Thanksgiving to God for that great favour vouchsafed to them in setting them apart to this holy Function 9ly He charges them to boil and eat their portion of the Sacrifice at the door of the Tabernacle and to continue there seven days and nights to consummate the time of their Consecration All which they perform'd accordingly Levit. Ch. 8. whole Chapter SECT XXXI ON the very next day after the seven days of the Priests Consecration were ended Aaron and his Sons entred upon the Execution of their Office And Aaron first offered for himself a young Calf for a Sin-Offering and a Ram for a Burnt-Offering which intimated that the High Priest was Himself a Sinner and not fit to stand as a Mediator between God and the people 2ly He offered for the people a Kid of the Goats for a Sin-Offering and a Calf and a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering to which was added the Meat-Offering and a Bullock and a Ram for a Peace-Offering Then Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them see Numb 6.23 Moses now goes with Aaron into the Tabernacle that He might instruct him concerning the Service he was there to perform viz. about the Lights the Table of Shew-Bread and the Altar of Incense c. And Moses and Aaron when they came out blessed the people again The Glory of the Lord now appeared to all the people and ratified the Priests Consecration and entrance into their holy Function by sending Fire (m) Moses at the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons sacrific'd with common fire as appears Ch. 8.20 21. But upon Aarons first sacrificing Ch. 9.24 Fire came out from the Sanctuary or from Heaven which was not to be suffered afterwards to go out according to Gods appointment Ch 6.13 And therefore as some conceive this Fire was charily carried in some Vessel for the purpose when they journied in the Wilderness and so it continued until the Temple of Solomon was built and then Fire came down again from Heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 which continued unto the Captivity of Babylon and is said to be miraculously renewed 2 Maccab. 1.18 but whither it was or no is uncertain from his glorious Presence that is either from Heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 or out of the Tabernacle which consumed the Burnt-Offering and the fat on the Altar which the people seeing shouted for joy and fell on their Faces giving thanks to the Lord for this great Sign of his favour and acceptance of their Sacrifices Levit. Ch. 9. whole Chapter SECT XXXII THe day following Nadab and Abihu the two eldest Sons of Aaron who went up with their Father to the Mount and had there seen the Glory of God Exod. 24.1 9 10. having undoubtedly been instructed by Moses that when they went to burn Incense in the Tabernacle they should make use only of fire taken from the Altar of Burnt-Offering which had been kindled by Fire from Heaven (n) The Devil is Gods Ape and accordingly He imitated God in his Prescriptions concerning the continual burning of the Fire upon the Altar and that in divers places among the Heathens as among the Persians who made a God of it and among the Grecians who at Delphi worshipped it in the Temple of Apollo and among the Romans who worshipped it under the Name of Vesta committing the Charge of it to the Vestal Virgins where if it went out it was held fatal to their City Rhodig Antiq. c. 14. they it seems rashly and inconsiderately forgetting or neglecting their duty in this particular took some other fire in their Censers that perhaps with which they dress'd the Flesh of their Sacrifices and putting Incense thereon set it upon the Altar of Incense and so offered strange Fire before the Lord that is Fire which he commanded them not For this their great Transression they were immediately struck dead * Tantae vindictae severitate nova disciplina merito sanciri potuit in exemplum aliorum Sanctificatus autem est Dâ—us hac poena quia tali exemplo commendatus est timor ejus inquit Augustinus Rigor hic sub initia necessarius in terrorem posteris tum carnis Laetitia turgeret Aaron Anonym in loc in the place by Fire from the Lord possibly with Lightning yet so as neither
Jacob rejoyces at the sight of the Waggons Sect. 43. Jacob goes into Egypt His joy to see his Son Joseph Sect. 44. Joseph brings five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Obtains Goshen for his Brethren Introduces his Father Sect. 45. Joseph's prudent administration in the severe famine He is sent for by his Father Sect. 46. Ephraim and Manasseh blest Jacob's gift to Joseph Sect. 47. Jacob blesses his Sons in order His death Sect. 48. The mourning for and burial of Jacob. Joseph's death Sect. 49. The History of Job Sect. 50. Levi and Amram die Sect. 51. Israel increases Task-masters appointed Sect. 52. Aaron's birth Sect. 53. The Midwives commanded to destroy the Male-children Sect. 54. Moses born He is taken up and educated by Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 55. Moses after forty years leaves the Court and flys into Midian Sect. 56. Moses's marriage His two Sons Sect. 57. Caleb's Birth Sect. 58. The Lord appears to Moses commissions him to deliver Israel enables him to work miracles Sect. 59. Moses confirm'd and encouraged commanded to go to Pharaoh Sect. 60. Moses stopt in his journey His Son circumcised Sect. 61. Aaron meets Moses They declare their commission to the Elders of Israel Sect. 62. They go to Pharaoh The oppression of the Israelites increased Sect. 63. Moses and Aaron go again to Pharaoh The Magicians call'd in Sect. 64. The ten Plagues Chap. IV. From the Israelites departure out of Egypt to the laying the foundation of Solomon's Temple Sect. 1. THe Israelites depart out of Egypt Sect. 2. The Paschal Lamb and Passover appointed Sect. 3. The Lord conducts the Israelites by a Pillar of cloud and fire Joseph's bones carried with them Sect. 4. They encamp at Pihahiroth Pass through the Red-sea The Egyptians drown'd Sect. 5. Moses's Song Miriam a Prophetess Sect. 6. The people marching through Shur murmur for want of water Sect. 7. The twelve Wells and seventy Palm-trees Sect. 8. They turn from Elim to the Red-sea Sect. 9. The people murmur Quails given for one meal Manna falls Sect. 10. Water gushes out of the rock Sect. 11. Moses praying Joshua fights Amalek The Altar call'd Jehova-Nissi Sect. 12. Jethro's story defer'd to Sect. 51. Sect. 13. Moses call'd up to the top of Mount Sinai The terrible sight Sect. 14. The Promulgation of the Law Sect. 15. The people in fear Moses encourages them Sect. 16. Similitudes of God forbidden The Materials for Altars Sect. 17. The Judicial or Political Laws Sect. 18. The Angel of the Covenant promised to guide them The bounds of Canaan Sect. 19. Moses erects an Altar and twelve Pillars Sect. 20. Moses continues in the Mount forty days and forty nights Sect. 21. Directions concerning the Tabernacle and all its utensils and appurtenances Sect. 22. The Golden Calf Sect. 23. Moses comes down breaks the Tables Gods anger Moses intercedes for the people and sees the glory of God Sect. 24. Two new Tables of stone Sect. 25. God renews the Covenant upon Moses's prayer Moses's face shines Sect. 26. The Sabbath anew enjoyned Contribution to the Tabernacle Sect. 27. Bezaleel and Aholihab appointed chief workmen of the Tabernacle Sect. 28. The Tabernacle finished being set up is filled with Gods Glory Sect. 29. Laws given concerning the several sorts of sacrifices Sect. 30. Aaron and his Sons consecrated Sect. 31. Aaron enters upon his office Fire from the Lord. Sect. 32. Nadab and Abihu slain by fire from heaven Sect. 33. Of clean and unclean creatures Sect. 34. Womens separation Sect. 35. Laws concerning Leprosie Sect. 36. Ceremonial uncleanness in men Sect. 37. The Passover celebrated Sect. 38. Several sorts of Laws given Sect. 39. Blasphemy punished in the Son of Shelomith The Law of retaliation Sect. 40. Divers other Laws given Sect. 41. Promises and threatnings More Laws given concerning divers matters Sect. 42. The Book of Numbers Sect. 43. The Encamping of the Tribes Sect. 44. The Levites Charge Sect. 45. The Levites consecrated Sect. 46. The Offerings of the Princes Sect. 47. Laws concerning Jealousie Sect. 48. Concerning Nazarites Sect. 49. The solemn blessing Sect. 50. The Silver Trumpets Sect. 51. Jethro's story and advice Sect. 52. The Camp of Israel marches Jethro leaves them Sect. 53. Upon the moving of the Ark Moses pronounces the blessing Sect. 54. The people murmur at Taberah Sect. 55. Quails given for the space of a month A Plague follows Sect. 56. Miriams Leprosie Sect. 57. Spies search the land Sect. 58. Their different report Sect. 59. The ten Spies smitten Sect. 60. Israel defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites Sect. 61. The ninetieth Psalm composed Sect. 62. Some Laws explained Sect. 63. The Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram Sect. 64. Aaron's Red blossoming Sect. 65. The work and portion of the Priests and Levites Sect. 66. Water of Purification Sect. 67. Miriams death Sect. 68. They murmur at Kadesh for want of water Moses strikes the Rock in anger is doomed not to enter into Canaan Sect. 69. The King of Edom refuseth them passage Sect. 70. Aaron dies and is buried upon Mount Hor. Sect. 71. Arad the Canaanite vanquished Sect. 72. The Brazen Serpent Sect. 73. Several stations of the Israelites Sect. 74. The Miraculous Well Sect. 75. Sihon slain Sect. 76. Og totally subdued Sect. 77. The Encamping at Abel-shittim Sect. 78. Balaam sent for to curse the Israelites His Ass speaks Sect. 79. Balaam attempts to curse Israel Sect. 80. The Idolatry and Whoredom of the Israelites at Mount Peor Sect. 81. Midian Conquered Sect. 82. Moses and Eleazar number the people Sect. 83. Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 84. Joshua appointed Successor Sect. 85. A repetition of the Law of sacrificing Sect. 86. Laws concerning Vows Sect. 87. The Reubenites and Gadites desire a possession on that side Jordan Sect. 88. The Journal of Israels Travels Sect. 89. The Limits of Canaan Sect. 90. The Levites Cities Sect. 91. Orders concerning the Marriage of Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 92. The Book of Deuteronomy containing Moses's dying speech to Israel Sect. 93. Moses's death Israels mourning for him Sect. 94. Joshua begins his Government Sect. 95. They come near unto and pass the river Jordan Sect. 96. Circumcision enjoyned them Sect. 97. The first Passover in Canaan Manna ceases Sect. 98. Jericho taken burnt and cursed Sect. 99. The Israelites defeated at Ai. Sect. 100. Joshua marches against Ai. Sect. 101. A Monument of stone and an Altar erected and Blessings and Cursings pronounced at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Sect. 102. The League with the Gibeonites Sect. 103. Adonizedek and his allies besiege Gibeon Their discomfiture Prodigious Hailstones The Sun and Moon stand still at the prayer of Joshua Sect. 104. Several Kings vanquished and their Cities taken Sect. 105. The rise of the Sabbatical year Sect. 106. Joshua's war with the Northern Kings His victory over them Sect. 107. Joshua's rest from war Sect. 108. Joshua divides the land Sect. 109. Joshua and the Elders proceed to divide the land Ephraim and Manasseh complain Sect. 110.
Nimrod See the Kings thereof pag. 15. of Chap. II. The dispersion of the children of Noah The Original of several Nations 1819 Serug born 1846 Nahor born 1878 Terah born 2008 Abraham born The King of Elam and his Allyes conquer the King of Sodom and his Confederates 2078 The Promise made to Abraham in Vr of the Chaldees The Third Age from the Promise made to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees unto the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt 2094 ABraham's removal to Charran and from thence to Canaan Two Altars there built by him A Promise of that Land made unto his Posterity He goes into Egypt by reason of the Famine in Canaan His Danger there on the account of Sarah his Wife He returns into Canaan vanquishes Chedorlaomer rescues Lot is met by Melchizedec and blessed He takes Hagar Ismael Born 2107 Circumcision Instituted Abraham entertains Three Angels intercedes for Sodom Sodom and Gomorrha Consumed with Fire from Heaven Lots Incest 2108 Isaac Born Hagar and Ismael cast out Abraham's sacrificing Isaac Isaac marries Rebeccah 2168 Esau and Jacob Born Jacob's marriage with Leah and Rachel His hard Servâ—ce under 〈◊〉 2259 Joseph Born Joseph's Dream His Brethren sell him He is sold after to Potiphar His Mistriss 's false Accusation His Imprisonment Pharaoh's Dream Joseph's Interpretation thereof and Advancement The Famine begins Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn. Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren Jacob goes into Egypt He blesses his Sons and dies Joseph dies The History of Job Aaron Born 2418 Moses Born His Education by Pharaoh's Daughter He flies into Midian He is sent by the Lord to deliver Israel He works Miracles before Pharaoh The Ten Plagues 2508 The Israelites departure out of Egypt The Fourth Age from the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt to the laying the Foundation of Solomon's Temple 2548 THe Paschal Lamb. The Fiery Pillar The Israelites pass through the Red Sea Manna Joshua fights with Amaleck The giving of the Law on Mount Sinai Moses 40 days in the Mount Directions concerning framing the Tabernacle The Golden Calf The History of the Israelites during their 40 years continuance in the Wilderness Moses having governed 40 years dies Joshua succeeds Conquers and divides the Land and governs in all 17 years The Judges 2565 Othniel 40 years 2605 Ehud 80 years The History of Ruth 2685 Deborah 40 y. 2725 Gideon 40 y. 2765 Abimelech 3 y. 2768 Tholah 23 y. 2791 Jair 22 y. 2813 Jephtha 6 y. 2819 Ibzan 7 y. 2826 Elon 10 y. 2836 Abdon 8. y. 2844 Samson 20 y. 2864 Eli 40. y. 2904 Samuel and King Saul 40 y. 2944 King David 40 y. 2985 King Solomon 4 y. 2988 The Foundation of the Temple laid in the 4th year of Solomon's Reign The Fifth Age from the laying the Foundation of Solomon 's Temple to the Destruction of it and the Captivity of Judah Solomon reigned over all Israel from the laying the Foundation of the Temple 36 years The Kingdom divided Kings of Judah 302â— REhoboam reigned 17 years 304â— Abijam 3 y. 3044 Asa 41 y. 3085 Jehoshaphat 25 y. 3106 Jehoram 8. y. 3113 Ahaziah 1 y. 3114 Athaliah 7 y. 3120 Jehoash 40 y. 31â—9 Amaziah 29 y. 31â—9 Vzziah 52 y. 32â—0 Jotham 16 y. 32â—6 Ahaz 16 y. 3271 Hezekiah 29 y. 3300 Manasseh 55 y. 3355 Amon 2 y. 335â— Josiah 31 y. 3387 Jehohaaz 3 mon. 3388 Jehoiakim 11 y. 3398 Jehoiakin or Jechoniah 3 mon. 3â—99 Zedekiah 11 y. Kings of Israel 302â— JEroboam reigned 22 years Nadab 2. y. 304â— Baasha 24 y. Elah 2 y. Zimri 7 days 3044 Omri 12 y. Ahab 22 y. 3085 Ahaziah 2 y. Jehoram 12 y. 3106 Jehu 28 y. 3113 Jehoahaz 17 y. Joah 16 y. 3114 Jeroboam 2d 41 y. 3120 An Interregnum of about Eleven years and an half Zachariah 6 months Shallum 1 month 31â—9 Menahem 10 y. 31â—9 Pekahiah 2 y. 32â—0 Pekah 20 y. 32â—6 Hoshea 9 y. 3271 The Israelites carried into Captivity by the Assyrians in the sixth year of Hezekiah The Jews carried into Captivity by the Babylonians in the 11th year of Zedekiah The Sixth Age from the Captivity of Judah to their Return out of Babylon 3408 JErusalem taken Zedekiah brought to Nebuchadnezzar sees his Children slain then hath his Eyes put out and in Chains is carried to Babylon The City and Temple burnt Seraiah the Chief Priest and other Principal men put to death at Riblah Gedaliah set over the Poor people left in the Land Jeremy upon his own choice stays with them Ismael Conspires against Gedaliah Johanan discovers it to him He believes it not and so is treacherously murder'd Johanan recovers from Ismael his Prisoners but himself escapes Johanan and his Captains and many of the people go into Egypt and carry Jeremy and Baruc with them 3409 Ezekiel utters several Prophesies in Babylon Jeremy about this time writes his Lamentations Tyre besieged by Nebuchadnezzar 3413 Nebuzaradan carries away the last Remainder of the Jews to the number of 745. Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt and makes great Havock there Having finished his Conquests he returns unto Babylon and there has the Dream of the great Tree whose Destiny was to be cut down He new builds Babylon 3427 He falls distracted and so continues for 7 years He is recovered to his Understanding blesseth God and dies 3435 Evil Merodach succeeds him Jechoniah advanced Zedekiah dies and is honourably Buried Cyrus being made General of the Armies of the Medes and Persians obtains a great Victory over the Babylonians Belshazzar succeeds Evil Merodach In the first year of his Reign Daniel hath the Vision of the four Beasts 3465 Cyrus gives the Babylonians another great Defeat and with a vast Army besieges Babylon Belshazzar carousing with his Nobles sees the Hand-writing on the Wall Daniel interprets it to him and is thereupon advanc'd Belshazzar slain Darius takes on him the Kingdom Cyrus Marries his only Daughter Darius sets over the Provinces an 120 Governors and makes Daniel chief of them all The Princes out of Envy to him move the King to make an Edict That for 30 days no Petition should be made to any God or Man but himself Daniel thereupon cast into the Lyons Den. The 70 years of the Captivity of the Jews draw to an end Daniel Prays for the promised Deliverance The Angel Gabriel is sent to inform him not only concerning that but also the 70 Weeks Darius dies Cyrus is made thereupon Emperor of the East The Jews shew him the Prophesy of Isaiah That He should be their Deliverer with which he is much pleas'd The Seventh Age from the Return out of Babylon to the Death of Christ Or from the end of the Seventy years Captivity unto the end of the Seventy Weeks in Daniel 3478 THE 70 Weeks in Daniel containing 490 years The Persian or Second Monarchy See the Kings thereof in the Appendix Cyrus makes an Edict for the Return of the Jews and that they should go and build their
mental reservation at first to accept his kindness and profered to lodge in the Streets all night which possibly they intended to have done to observe the manners and behaviour of that people had he not been so importunate with them to turn in to him Therefore upon his importunity they accepted his courteous offer (b) Thus both Abraham and Lot intertained Angels unawares Heb. 13.2 and did go with him to his house and there he made them the best Intertainment he could and for hast baked unleavened-Bread for them and they did eat See Ch. 18.6 But the appearance of these two Angels now intertained by Lot being as 't is like of young men of rare and extraordinary beauty notice hereof was taken by some of the wicked Inhabitants of that City and the Report thereof soon spread abroad and so they presently flocked together from all quarters of the City to Loâ—s house requiring to have these Guests brought out to them intending abominably to abuse them Lot goes out to them to intreat them and to disswade them from so detestable an attempt but they seeming bent upon it to take them off from so horrid a villany in that great and sudden disturbance of his mind he profers very unwarrantably and sinfully to yield up his two Virgin Daughters (c) Thus Lot to prevent one sin gives way to another Magis filiarum pudicitiae debuit consulere quam indemnitati peregrinorum to their Lusts rather then his Guests should be violated who had taken shelter under his Roof and according to the Laws of Hospitality ought to be kept safe and free from all harm and violence But these wicked Sodomites were so far from being perswaded by what Lot said unto them that instead of desisting they fall upbraiding and twitting him that he that was but a Stranger in their City should take upon him to be a Judge and Censurer of them and their actions And therefore it seems he had not only inwardly grieved and vexed his righteous Soul with their unclean Conversation but as occasion was offered had often reproved them for their wickedness and had done what lay in him to disswade them from their abominable courses But they nothing mov'd either by what He had before or at this present said unto them began to press hard upon Him intending to break open his door Hereupon the Angels pulled Lot into the house to them and shut the door and presently smote that wicked Crue with such a blindness that they could not see the door Then the Angels commanded Lot that whomsoever he had there nearly related to him whether Sons in law or Daughters he should bring them out of that place for God had sent them to destroy it and the other Neighbouring Cities to it for their great and crying abominations Lot accordingly went out to his Sons in law the Husbands as it seems of his other Daughters that were married into the City to perswade them to come away with him but he seemed to them as one that jested or talked idly so supine and secure usually are carnal men when Gods Judgments are ready to fall upon them When the Morning approached the Angels urged Lot and his Wife and two Daughters that were in the house with him to get them going lest they should be involv'd in the common Calamity But yet Lot it seems lingred as loth to leave his other Children behind him to be destroyed Thereupon the Angels laid hands on him and his Company and hurried them out of the City the Lord therein shewing himself very merciful unto them Then the Angels charged them to make hast and escape for their lives and not so much as to look behind them nor to stay in all the Plain but to fly to the Mountain nor so much as to mind or regard House Cattel or Riches or what ever they had left behind them Lot tells the Angels that the Mountain was so far off that he feared lest the destruction would overtake them before they could get thither and therefore he earnestly desires that Zoar formerly called Bela might be the place they might be permitted to fly unto which was near at hand and that God would please to spare that place for his sake The Angel undoubtedly by Gods direction grants his request but bids him hast away for he could not do any thing against Sodom till he was got thither for God had decreed in mercy to save him It was break of day when the Angel hasted Lot and his Company away and by that time the Sun was well risen the Lord (d) V. 24. Jehovah from Jehovah that is the Son from the Father who worketh by the Son Joh. 5.17 rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Admath and Zeboim Deut. 29.23 Hosea 11.8 fire and brimstone from Heaven (e) This is a Type and forerunner of the everlasting punishment of the wicked in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Rev. 21.8 And so the Apostle says Jud. v. 7. That Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the Vengeance of eternal fire viz. that temporal destruction was as a forerunner of those eternal torments in Hell which they now suffer and so may well be a terrifying Example and warning to all that fall into the like sins See Apostol Histor pag. 422. But it seems while Lot and his Company were hastning towards Zoar his Wife either doubting whether any such Judgment would fall upon Sodom as was threatned or lingring in her desires after those Friends and the Wealth and Estate they had left behind them looked back against the express Command of the Angel before given whereupon she was immediately turned into a Pillar or Statue of a rocky mineral Salt which will indure all weathers as a standing Monument of her Infidelity and Disobedience and to season others with more wisdom Abraham getting up early that Morning and looking towards Sodom and the Cities of the Plain whose destruction the Lord had acquainted him with before he saw the smoak from that Country go up as the smoak of a Furnace and God remembred the Intercession of Abraham for Lot neither did he forget the Piety and Righteousness of Lot himself which we find mentioned 2 Pet. 2.7 8. Lot quickly finds that it had been better for him to have followed the advice of the Angel at the first and gone immediately to the Mountain for now he was afraid to stay any longer in Zoar. Possibly the wickedness he saw among them might make him afraid that a like Judgment to that of Sodom would fall upon them or it may be he feared lest the people of that place would fall upon him as the Cause of the overthrow of those Neighbouring Cities seeing he and his Family only had escaped So he and his two Daughters left that Town and betook themselves to the Mountain and dwelt there in a Cave where being in a manner immured up his Daughters began to think that by that solitary life they were
Goshen near Rameses where they were at first placed by Joseph Gen. 47.11 they being in all six hundred thousand men of the Israelitish Race besides Women and Children and to them a mixed multitude voluntarily joyned themselves viz. Servants and Strangers who were willing to go away with them and doubtless the rather because Egypt must needs be now in a sad condition by reason of the many Plagues God had lately inflicted on them And which speaks the wonderful Providence of God over this people in that vast multitude there was not one sick or feeble person among them as we read Psal 105. vers 37. Exod. 12. from vers 34. to 43. SECT II. FRom Rameses this vast multitude with their Flocks and Herds and much Cattel remove to Succoth which signifies Booths because here they made themselves Booths of the Boughs of Trees in remembrance of which the Feast of Tabernacles was afterwards appointed as we may see Lev. 23.42 43 Here Moses receives some further Commands and Directions concerning the Passover 1. No Stranger or Forreigner was to eat thereof unless he were first Circumcised and so incorporated into the Jewish Church 2ly Servants that were Strangers after they were well instructed and circumcised might eat thereof and that no Forreigner or Hireling might on other terms oat thereof 3ly Every Lamb was to be eaten by one Company in the same house and none of it to be carried out to be eaten abroad 4ly No bone of it was to be broken (c) A Figure of Christ whose bones were not broken as the two Thieves bones were Joh. 19.33 to shew that no man had power to take away his life but that he voluntarily laid it down John 10.18 5ly All the Congregation of Israel were to prepare themselves and to eat the Passover as the Lord had Commanded and he that neglected it was to be cut off Numb 9.13 6ly The circumcised Stranger shall enjoy the same right and benefit with the native Jews one Law shall be to them both God also Commands That all their First-born males of Man and Beast shall be consecrated unto him in a thankful Memorial that he saved their First-born when he destroyed the First-born of the Egyptians and therefore such might not be given as a Vow or Free-will-Offering being before the Lords by a peculiar Right Lev. 27.26 Yet the Firstling of an Ass and so of all other unclean Beasts Numb 18.15 they might redeem with a Lamb * But if they would not redeem it they were to bâ—eak its neck because it was not fit that that which of right belonged unto God should be put to any other ordinary use and the First-born of Man they might redeem with five Shekels of Silver Numb 18.16 He Commands also That the day of their going out of Egypt shall be had in perpetual Remembrance and that the Feast of Vnleavened Bread shall be yearly kept in the Land of Canaan that so that Deliverance may never be forgotten and that they shall acquaint their Children from Generation to Generation with the Story and the wonderful manner thereof and shall instruct them in the meaning and signification of this Paschal-Solemnity which was Instituted upon that occasion telling them That this Passover (d) Which was Oommemorative f their Deliverance and Prefigurative of the Death and Passion of Christ ought to be such a kind of remembrance unto them of Gods extraordinary Mercy in delivering their Fathers out of the Bondage of Egypt as if they wore any Signet or Token upon their Hands or any Frontlet or Jewel upon their Foreheads between their Eyes (e) Vide Deut. 6.8 11.18 Pharisaei qui haec carnaliter crasso modo intelligebant alligabant Brachiis Fronti sua Phylacteria quae carpit Christus Math. 23.5 to put them in mind of some important thing which they ought by no means to forget And so it will come to pass that they will delight to think and speak of the Law and Commandments of God to the Observance of which this admirable Deliverance will be a strong engagement Exod. 12. from vers 43. to the end Exod. 13. from vers 1. to 17. SECT III. FRom Succoth they march on in good array that is as 't is probable in five Bodies (f) Vers 18. Quini ascenderunt i. e. in quincurias dispositi Rivet Quinque turmis ascenderunt Munsterus See also Dutch Annotations in loc or Brigads towards Etham in the edge of the Wilderness where was their next Encamping the Lord conducting (g) Here it 's said v. 21. that the Lord led them by this Pillar Ch. 14. 19. 't is said the Angel of the Lord went before them This therefore was the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 the Eternal Son of God 1 Cor. 10.9 them by a Pillar of a Cloud by day which was also a Pillar of Fire to them by Night and a Sign of his gracious Presence with them This Sign of his Presence was like a Pillar ascending round and straight from the Earth towards Heaven by Night it had the appearance of Fire Numb 9.15 In the day time it seems it dispersed it self abroad when need was like a Cloud and so shaddowed them from the Sun see Psal 105. vers 39. when they were to rest or stay in any place it removed back into the midst of the Camp and after the Tabernacle was made it rested upon that and when it was taken up and moved whether by day or night they were to march see Numb 9.18 21. And out of this Cloudy Pillar the Lord spake to them Psal 99.7 Numb 12.5 10. Deut. 31.15 The Lord therefore as we said before by this Pillar conducted the Israelites to Etham from whence through the Land of the Philistins was the nearest and directest way to Canaan But the Lord was not pleased to lead them that way fore-seeing the Philistins were like to deny them passage thorow their Country so that they must fight their way thorow them who were a Warlike People if they intended to pass And the Lord foresaw that the meeting with so formidable a difficulty at the first might possibly discourage the Children of Israel and make them repent that they left Egypt and might dispose them to return thither again For this and other reasons the Lord was pleased to order the people to march back from Etham to the Wilderness of the Red-Sea And they carried Joseph's bones with them according to the Command given them Gen. 50. And 't is probable they carried the bones of the other Patriarchs the Sons of Jacob along with them also according to what Stephen relates Acts 7.15 16. Exod. 13. from vers 17. to the end SECT IV. FRom Etham the Lord Commands them to turn back again and to Encamp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the Sea over against Baal-Zephon This was a narrow passage between two ledges of Mountains with the Sea before them It seems it was now told Pharaoh that the people
See Isa 53.6 And Moses himself who was a Levite till Aaron and his Sons were fully consecrated for the Service of the Priesthood was by extraordinary Warrant from God to perform the Work of the Priest in offering these Sacrifices See Psal 99.6 And he was to take of the bloud of the Bullock and put it upon the Horns of the Altar of Burnt-Offerings which stood in the Court of the Tabernacle to purifie consecrate and sanctifie the Altar it self and make it holy to the Lord and so to set it apart for holy Uses that whatsoever was offered thereon according to Gods Institution might be sanctified made holy and accepted as holy by the Lord. See Ch. 30.29 and Matth. 23.19 And the flesh of the Bullock and his skin and dung were to be burnt without the Camp to shew how destable the sin was that was laid as it were upon this Bullock and that the true Sacrifice for our Sins should suffer without the Gates of Jerusalem Heb. 13.11 12 13. 2ly The Sacrifice for Sin being thus first offered he was to offer one Ram for a Burnt-Offering (y) By the Burnt-Offering some understand the ardent love of Christ quo totus in cruce conflagravit and as the Burnt-Offering ascended up in fire so Christ ascended into heaven to make Intercession for us as a savour of rest that is that God being thereby appeased might cease from his anger Not as though the Lord was affected with Smells but it is said to be an acceptable Savour to Him in regard of their Obedience and willing mind and God is is said to be delighted with it when they offered it with Faith and true devotion 3ly He was to take another Ram for a Peace-Offering These were to be offered either to obtain some Blessing or to give thanks for some Blessing already received In both these respects this was offered at the Priests Consecration both by way of thankfulness for the honour done them in calling them to this Dignity and Office as also by way of Supplication humbly to intreat the Lord that he would prosper them in the execution of it Thus at the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons divers sorts of Sacrifices were to be offered because they were ordained to offer them all In this Eucharistical Sacrifice that was now to be offered Moses was only to have the Breast Exod. 29.26 but the right Shoulder and the fat and one loaf of Bread and one Cake of oiled Bread and one Wafer out of the Basket vers 3. were to be waved or shaken towards all the four Quarters of the World to signifie that God is the Lord of the whole Earth and then to be burnt by Him upon the Altar of Burnt-Offering for a sweet savour before the Lord. And upon this occasion an Ordinance is inserted that in Eucharistical Sacrifices namely such as these whereby Aaron and his Sons were to be consecrated for the future the Priests were to have the shaken Breast and the right Shoulder (z) Hinc humerus pectusque populo destinent Sacerdotes Anonym that was lifted up * The rest of the Peace-Offering besides what was the Priests belonged to the Offerer namely to God as his Right and assigned by Him as a Portion to the Priests Levit. 7.31 whereby possibly they were taught that with all their Heart and all their Strength they should give themselves to the Service of the Lord. Another Ordinance is also inserted That the holy Garments of Aaron shall be his Sons after him that He may be anointed and consecrated in them Thus though the High Priest died yet his Son was to appear before the Lord in the same Garments And as the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons continued seven days vers 35. during which time they were to abide at the door of the Tabernacle day and night to keep the Watch of the Lord Levit. 8.33 35. and as on each day of the seven the same Sacrifices and Ceremonies were to be observed as had been on the first day So this Order of Consecration was to be practised towards their Successors when they came into the Land of Canaan and had a setled state there Lastly It is appointed that that part of the Ram of Consecration which should be left after part had been burnt and Moses had had his portion should be sodden in the Court of the Sanctuary and should be eaten there by Aaron and his Sons with the bread that was left in the Basket vers 2 3. Levit. 8.31 And no Stranger viz. None but a Priest was to eat of it whereas in other Peace-Offerings the Offerer did partake And if any part of the Bread or Flesh remained until the Morning they were to burn it with fire This was required lest by reserving any part thereof either they might grow into contempt of holy things making no difference between them and their ordinary Food which they might reserve at their pleasure or lest that which remained might be abused to Superstition And whereas in ordinary Peace-Offerings they might eat of them the next day but not upon the third day see Levit. 7.18 no part of this must be eaten the second day This was to shew that this Ram of Consecration was a more holy thing than their ordinary Peace-Offerings Exod. 29. from 1. to 38. 13ly Touching the holy anointing Oil and the Ingredients of which it was to be made viz. of principal Spices Myrrh Cynamon sweet Calamus (a) Those sweet Odours signified the joyful Graces of Gods Spirit and the anointing therewith the powring out of the holy Spirit upon Christ his Church and Ministers and Cassia and of Oil-Olive And the things to be anointed therewith to Consecrate them to Gods Service and to separate them from common uses were the Tabernacle the Ark the Table the Candlestick with all their Vtensils the Altar of Incense the Laver the Altar of Burnt-Offerings so that whatsoever was brought as an Oblation if it touched any of the hallowed things of the Sanctuary it should be holy to the Lord. Aaron also and his Sons and Successors were to be anointed with this holy Oil but upon no mans flesh else was it to be powred It was not to be used for any civil use as for delight or the like even by the Priests themselves nor any of it to be powred upon Strangers nor any to be made like unto it for any such purposes under penalty of being cut off Exod. 30. from vers 22. to 34. 14ly Touching the half Shekel that all the Children of Israel from 20 years old and upwards when they were numbred were to pay for the ransom of their Souls acknowledging thereby that they held their lives of God and that he had redeemed them out of the House of Bondage And this they were to do that so the Lord might not be provoked for their Ingratitude to send a Plague among them This Didrachma or half Shekel * The Standard of all
long attendance and so will go to their several Tents and Dwellings in peace having their minds quieted Moses consulting with the people about this Proposal they liked it very well see Deut. 1.13 14. and so he immediately put it in practice substituting such Governors under himself so that every Tribune appointed to Judge over a thousand Families had under him ten Centurions or Judges that were over an hundred Families a piece and every Centurion had under him two Rulers that were over fifty Families a piece and every Ruler over fifty had under him five Rulers which were set over ten (e) Parallel to this was the original Institution of our English Tything-men a word still in use in the West-Country being an Officer to oversee ten men with their Families This Tythingman is the same Officer which in other places is call'd the Petty Constable Families a piece And so it is like the inferour Officers gave account of those under their Care to their immediate Superiors Deut. 1. from 9. to 19. Exod. 18. whole Chapter SECT LII ON the 20th day of the second month of the second year after their coming out of Egypt the Cloudy-Pillar arising from off the Tabernacle and going in the forefront of their Camp the Israelites removed from Sinai where they had staid in that their 12th station a whole year (f) They came into the Wilderness of Sinai in the beginning of the third month of the first year see Deut. 1.6 7 8. and Sect. 13. of Ch. 4th within 13 days see Exod. 19.1 towards the Wilderness of Paran (g) In this Wilderness they journied a long time and in several places of it pitched their Tents They marched in such order and array as God had appointed by the direction of Moses Their Camp was divided into four Squadrons every Squadron consisting of three Tribes In the Van marched the Tribe of Judah with its associate Tribes Issachar and Zebulon under their respective Commanders of Thousands and Hundreds with a Standard having the figure of a Lion Immediately after them marched the Gershonites and Merarites who had the charge of the outward Tabernacle They marched formost of all the Levites that so they might be ready when the Army stayed to set up the Tabernacle against the Ark and the other holy things came that were carried by the Kohathites The Tribe of Reuben led the second Squadron in like manner with its associate Tribes Simeon and Gad with a Standard bearing the figure of a man as the Jewish Writers tell us Next to this Standard and so in the middle of the Camp marched the Kohathites bearing the Ark and the most holy Vtensils of the Tabernacle on their shoulders The Tribe of Ephraim led the third Squadron with their associate Tribes Manasseh and Benjamin with a Standard bearing the figure of an Ox. The Tribe of Dan with their associate Tribes Asher and Naphtali made up the fourth Squadron and brought up the Rear with a Standard bearing the figure of an Eagle The Army being thus set in Order and ready to march Moses desires Jethro * Called also Hobab see Sect. 56. of Ch. 3. his Father-in-law to go along with them telling him They would do him good and no hurt for God had promised to be gracious unto them and to own them for his people But Jethro refused to go telling him He would return to his own Country Moses presses him again to go with them telling him He might be in stead of Eyes to them in that howling Wilderness thorow which they were to march that is his prudent Counsel of which they had newly had experience might very much advantage them especially in things not particularly directed by God And if he would please to go along with them what goodness and bounty the Lord should shew to them he should share in and partake of But it seems he refused to go along with them being desirous to return to his own Countrey see Exod. 18.27 However either He or some of his Family returned afterwards unto the Israelites For his Posterity in after-times dwelt among the Israelites in the Land of Canaan as we may see Judg. 1.16 and Judg. 4.11 17. and 1 Sam. 15.6 Numb Ch. 10. from 11. to 33. SECT LIII MOses and the Children of Israel now depart from the Mount of the Lord viz. from Sinai and Horeb where He had appear'd so Eminently to them and given them his Law and the Ark (h) Profecta est in conspectu eorum i. e. arca in mediis castris a sacerdotibus gestata versabatur in oculis omnium Malvenda Pro uno reputantur arca columna cum arca semper sub Columna procederet Bochart went before them or in their sight and the Cloudy-Pillar over that for three days together when they marched to find out a fit place for them to pitch their Tents in And when the Cloud was lifted up and the four Squadrons with the Ark set forward and marched Moses said Arise O Lord and let thine Enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee And when the Ark rested according to the direction of the Cloud he said Return (i) Revertere respondet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surge Nam qui surgit quasi abiturus surgit Certo Nubes cum se attolleret abire videbatur Dr. O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel that is Return I pray thee and remain among thy people for in thy presence their chief joy and safety consist see Exod. 33.14 15 16. Numb 10. from the 33. to the end SECT LIV. THe people being now wearied with their three days march it seems some that were in the rear of the Camp began to murmur that they were forced to so long and tedious marches whereupon the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and He either poured down fire upon them from Heaven or caused it to break forth upon them from the Earth and it consumed many of them see Psal 78.21 The Israelites not knowing what to do run to Moses having a great opinion of his holiness and especial interest in the favour of God and intreat him to intercede with the Lord for them which he accordingly does and so the fire ceased The place where this Judgment was executed was hereupon called Taberah signifying a burning because the fire of the Lord here brake out upon them and consumed many among them Numb Ch. 11. from 1. to 4. SECT LV. THe people not having now any other Food but Manna to eat the mixt multitude among them of which see Exod. 12.38 not being sufficiently warned by the former Judgment began to loath it and to murmur that they had nothing else to eat And the Israelites it seems soon joyned with them in this their Complaint and murmuring saying in a discontented humor Who shall give us flesh to eat as if they had said we had plenty of Flesh in Egypt and great variety of Fowl We
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
on their faces and interceeded with the Lord for them God by his Spirit informs Moses That he had sent a Plague among them and directs him what course to take for the stopping of it Hereupon he calls to Aaron to take his Censer and to put fire into it from off the Altar and to put Incense thereon and to run quickly and make atonement for the people and to stand between the living and the dead (b) Incense was only to be offered upon the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle but this was done upon an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary warrant of divine Inspiration for he tells him Wrath was gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron did as Moses commanded him yet the Plague ran so swiftly among the people like fire in a field of Corn that before Aaron could interpose himself to make atonement wherein he was a Figure of Christs Intercession there fell fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those rebellious Murmurers see 1 Cor. 10.10 and then the Plague was stayed and Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tabernacle to acquaint him how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands Numb 16. whole Chapter SECT LXIV THat none might for the future presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood or aspire to it besides Aaron and his Sons God was pleased to enjoyn Moses to take of each Prince of the twelve Tribes a Rod or Staff such as they did usually carry in their hands which were it seems according to the Custom of those times made of Almond-Tree and to write every Princes Name on his Rod and to write Aaron's Name upon the Rod of the Tribe of Levi. He tells him That the mans Rod whom he did choose to serve him in the Priesthood should blossom and the rest remain dry And God orders Moses to lay all the Rods up in the Tabernacle in the most holy place before the Ark of the Testimony where the Lord did use by glorious signs to testifie his Presence and make known his Will unto them see Exod. 25.22 For upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place Accordingly next morning Moses went in thither and he found that the Rod of Aaron had shot forth branches and some of them had buds on them and some blossoms and others yielded Almonds but all the rest of the Rods remaining dry as they were before Then Moses brought out all the Rods and shewed them to the Children of Israel and the Princes took every man his Rod and found them dry sticks as before but Aaron's Rod flourished and had brought forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit by which Miracle they were convinced that God had chosen Aaron and his Sons to be the only Priests that should serve Him at the Altar And hereupon God orders Moses to lay up Aaron's Rod again in the most holy place before the Ark to be kept there * See Apostol Hist on Heb. 9.6 as a Testimony against any such Children of Rebellion as should ever after presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood And by this means also he might prevent the murmurings and complainings of the people which if they went on in they would thereby bring certain destruction upon their own heads The people hearing these things and being exceedingly terrified with this threatning and the remembrance of those late dreadful Judgments that had carried away so many among them they cry out unto Moses Alas we die we perish we all perish that is we see we are in continual danger of being swept away with terrible Judgments And as men terrified are wont to conceive their danger to be greater than indeed it is they now apprehend that it would be exceeding dangerous for them to come near the Tabernacle or to be present at any Worship or Service there performed and seem to fear that God would not withdraw his Indignation from them until he had destroyed and consumed them all Ch. 17. whole Chapter SECT LXV THe people being under such a fear and consternation the Lord hereupon takes order for the guard of the Sanctuary and injoyns that every one should remain within the Verge and Limits of his duty and so they should be safe and he tells Aaron That He and the Priests and Levites shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is if any pollution (c) Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the Priests watch a ground of appeasing both the fear and envy of the people came to it by the people they should answer for it and bear the punishment thereof if they did not take care to prevent it and the Priests should bear the punishment of all Iniquity committed about their Priests Office if they did carry themselves amiss in it or suffer a stranger or Levite to meddle therein He tells them he had joined * Here is an allusion to Levies name which signifies joyned the Levites to them to minister to them in the outward Services of killing and slaying the Sacrifices c. but they themselves only should serve at the Altar and within the holy place before the Ark of the Testimony and the Levites shall observe the Precepts and Charge which he hath given them concerning their Ministry and concerning the sacred things of the Tabernacle which are committed to their Care that so every one keeping his station and doing his duty there may be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel only they shall not meddle with the Service of the Sanctuary and Altar lest they die And if the Priests did not endeavour to prevent any such Errour or Miscarriage in their Brethren the Levites they should also incur the like danger Thus he appoints the Levites to minister to the Priests and orders that he that is not of the Tribe of Levi shall not be admitted to serve and minister unto them For God having taken the Levites instead of the first-born of the Children of Israel to himself he had given them unto Aaron and his Sons for his own Service and the Service of the Tabernacle Therefore he and his Sons should exercise their Priests Office in all things that concern the Altar of Burnt-Offerings and in all things which are to be done within the outward Veil whereby the holy place is divided from the Court the High Priest in the most holy place and inferiour Priests within the Sanctuary or holy place And God tells Aaron and his Sons That 't is his free Gift and favour to them that he had made choice of them before others for the Priestly Office and that He had ordained That whoever is not of Aaron's Line and goeth about to meddle with the Priestly Office shall be put to death from vers 1. to 8. The Lord having thus set down the Office and Work of the Priests and Levites he
hear and rightly consider these Statutes and they will say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people For what other great Nation is there which hath God so nigh unto them and always dwelling among them as these Israelites have as is evident by the miraculous signs of his Presence among them and his readiness always to hear their prayers and to defend and protect them from all evils And indeed what other Nation is there that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous * Ex legibus de populis fit juditium as is this Law which I am to set before you this day You ought therefore to take heed lest you forget the great things God hath done for you and that they may never be forgotten I exhort you to teach them your Sons and your Sons Sons And especially remember the day when you stood †Most of those that stood then at Horeb were dead see Ch. 2.14 15 16. But many that were then young were now alive before the Lord in Horeb when God commanded me to gather the people together to hear his words that they might learn to fear Him all the days of their life and might teach them unto their Children And ye came near and stood under the Mountain and the Mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of Heaven * Per hyperbolen significat quod vehementer altissime flammas evomeret and there were great Tempests and thick darkness And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire Ye heard the voice of his words but saw no Similitude of Him at all And he declared unto you his Covenant viz. the Condition required on your part namely Obedience and Observance of his ten Commandments which He wrote upon two Tables of stone And besides those ten Commandments which the Lord himself gave you He not long after that time gave me other Statutes and Judgments viz. the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws which he commanded me to teach you Take heed therefore unto your selves lest you corrupt your selves by Idolatry or by making any Image of God for remember you saw no manner of similitude of Him at Horeb or any figure of Man Beasts Birds creeping things or Fishes to represent Him Take heed also of worshipping the Host of Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars which are so far from being Gods that God hath created them for the common use of man and the service of all Nations And you Israelites ought above all people to be careful not to dishonour God by such gross Idolatry because He hath brought you forth by an out-stretched Arm out of the Iron-Furnace of Egypt and hath taken you to Himself as his own peculiar people and as his own Possession as you see this day Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes and sware that I should not go over Jordan but should die in this Land However ye shall go over and possess †Moses being sure of Heaven envies not those that should inherit the earthly Canaan it Take heed therefore lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God and especially take heed of Idolatry or making any graven Image to represent God which he hath so severely forbidden For God is a jealous God jealous of having the Worship due only to Himself given to any Creature He is a consuming fire to those that provoke him by their Rebellions Furthermore I advise you that when you are setled in the Land of Canaan and are mightily increased that you be not secure nor think it a small matter to corrupt your selves by Idolatry for if you do I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you this day that I faithfully admonish'd you of your danger and told you that upon such Provocations God would destroy many of you and drive the small remnant that shall be left out of the Land he hath given you to possess and would scatter you among Heathen Nations where you shall serve their Gods * Quod in patria fecistis ultro facietis attoniti pudore atque inviti exules or at lest those that did serve them viz. such Gods as are the work of mens hands and made of Wood or Stone which neither see nor hear eat nor smell But yet even then when you have thus transgressed and are thereupon under great tribulation if ye shall humble your selves before the Lord and shall seek his Face and turn to him with all your Heart †Some think those verses from 27. to 32. to be a Prophesie of the calling of the Jews and all your Soul He is so gracious and merciful that he will have pity upon you and will not forget the Covenant which he made with your Fathers And that you may remember the extraordinary engagements the Lord hath laid upon you look back upon ancient times and consult the Histories of all things that have happened since the Creation in any part of the world from the one side of the Heavens to the other and from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof and inquire whither there was ever such a thing in the world before That a people should hear the Voice of God speaking unto them out of the midst of the fire and yet live and escape as ye did yea further inquire whither ever God assayed at any time in such a manner to take unto Himself a Nation from the midst of another Nation by Temptations (e) God propounding his Will to the Israelites tried their Obedience whither they would trust in Him They were also temptations to Pharaoh to try whither he would be won to yield to God and let the people go Signs Wonders by War (f) Against Pharaoh whom with his Host He destroyed in the Red-Sea and by a mighty Hand and out-stretched Arm and by great Terrours as he hath done you when he brought you out of Egypt Before your eyes were those great things done that you may know that the Lord he is God and there is no other besides him Out of the Air from on high he made you to hear his Voice to instruct you and upon Mount Sinai he made you see his great fire and you heard his words out of the midst of it And because of his own free Grace and Love and not for any desert of theirs he chose and loved your Fathers and chose their Seed after them for his peculiar people therefore he brought you by his Almighty Power out of Egypt in his sight that is the eye of his Providence being still fixed upon you even as a Father causes his Child to go before him that he may preserve him from danger Exod. 14.19 * Ante se in exitu ex Aegypto retro se posuit ut eos intueretur And he brought you out of Egypt that you might drive out other Nations greater and mightier than you and take their Land to your selves for an Inheritance as you
of the Giant Rapha Jonathan the son of Shimea called Shammah 1 Sam. 16.9 slew this vast Giant These four fell by the hands of David and his servants For though David did not kill any of them himself yet their death is ascrib'd to him as well as to his Captains because they fought in his quarrel and under his command 2 Sam. Ch. 21. from v. 15 to the end 1 Chron. Ch. 20. from v. 4 to the end SECT CC. DAvid being now delivered from all his enemies on every side both within and without his Kingdom and calling to mind Gods wonderful mercies to him he in a grateful remembrance of them composed a Triumphant Song or Psalm of Thanksgiving that God might have the glory of all that he had done for him This Song is the same for substance with the 18th Psalm only there are some clauses here that are exprest there in other words and in some places a clause is now and then added in one of them which is not in the other So that possibly this Psalm was penned by him many years before when he was delivered from his mighty potent enemy Saul and is here with some little alteration repeated again In this Song first he declares his firm confidence in God and that he might shew what an alsufficient defence he esteemed the Lord to be unto him he useth variety of expressions to set it forth as not being able by one or two to express it He calls the Lord his rock his fortress his deliverer his shield the horn (a) Horn signifies power and glory Christ is call'd the horn of salvation Luk. 1.69 of his salvation by whose assistance he had been enabled both to defend himself and push down his enemies his tower his refuge and his saviour whence he infers that he will still trust in him and call upon him who was worthy to be praised Secondly he sets forth the woful straits and dangers he had been in his enemies came upon him like violent floods of water and like waves rouling one upon the neck of another threatning present death to him he acknowledges their roaring rage made him afraid but that fear drave him to God He says that death-threatning sorrows and dangers so encompassed him that there seemed no more likelihood for him to escape than there is of a sick man that hath the pangs of death upon him he intimates that Saul and his other enemies had so subtilly contriv'd his death and laid their snares so cunningly for him that all means of escaping seem'd to be prevented In these my great distresses says he I cry'd unto the Lord and he heard me and appear'd for me out of his Temple * Heaven is call'd the Temple of God 1st as being the place of his special presence 2. In regard of the the exceeding glory of Heaven which to shadow forth the Temple was built so exceeding glorious 3. In regard of the transient holiness of heaven that is out of Heaven and from thence manifested his power for my deliverance Then the earth shook and trembled and the foundations of heaven mov'd and shook because he was wroth that is the Lord in his hot displeasure fought against my enemies and poured forth his vengeance upon them This vengeance he sets forth under the similitude of a prodigious storm or tempest when the earth quakes and the air is covered with thick black and dark mists and when the Heavens send forth wind rain thunder and lightning (b) David here in sublime expressions sets forth not what historically happened but an a Poetical manner Gods mighty assistance and concurrence with him in his victories over his enemies by all which he intimates that the wrath of the Lord was evidently seen and manifested in the destruction of his enemies as if he had sent such an horribla storm and tempest upon them and so visibly destroyed them The foundations of the heavens shook and were moved In the 18 Psalm v. 7. he says the foundations of the hills moved that is the hills were shaken from their very foundations or bottoms These hills are here call'd the foundations of heaven (a) Job 26.11 calls that the pillars of Heaven because the tops of high mountains seem to touch the clouds and the heavens seem to lean upon them There went up a smoke out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it that is he gave forth such testimonies of his anger and indignation against mine enemies so vehement was his wrath that even smoke seem'd to speak after the manner of men to come out of his nostrils and so hot a fire out of his mouth that even coals were kindled by it He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet that is the lower part of the heavens was so affected as if God to manifest his power had come down into it and if we may describe him according to our weak apprehensions under his feet in the lower region of the air there were dark mists and clouds He rode upon a cherub and did fly yea he did fly upon the wings of the wind * See Psal 18.10 that is he used the ministry of his holy Angels and by them he raised violent and strong winds He made darkness pavillions round about him dark waters and thick clouds of the skies that is as men are wont by Tents and Pavillions to shelter themselves and to hide themselves from the view of others so did the Lord cast darkness and thick clouds about the place of his appearance Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled that is the Lord sent out his flashes of lightning with the flames whereof much combustible matter was kindled The Lord thundered from heaven and the most high uttered his voice he sent out his arrows and scattered them that is his thunderbolts out of the clouds as arrows from his bow He sent out his lightning and discomfited them The channels of the Sea appeared the foundations of the world were discovered at the rebuke of the Lord at the blast of the breath of his nostrils that is by this raging tempest the waters and waves were raised up so high that the very channels and bottom of the Sea was discovered and laid bare By these Hyperbolical expressions he signifies and sets forth the fierce anger of God against his enemies then he comes to set forth the wonderfulness of his deliverance being like a man ready to be drowned and perish in deep waters had not God as it were with his arm stretched out from heaven pull'd him out of them God delivered me says he from many enemies yea from my strong enemies such as Goliath Doeg Saul and Achitophel who would have been too strong for me if he had not of his great mercy helped me In the day of calamity and distress they thought by their subtilty to prevent me from saving my self and to
was going to destroy that City David and the Elders thereof being clothed in sackcloth lift up their eyes and saw the Angel standing between Heaven and Earth near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem whereupon they fell on their faces and Araunah and his four Sons saw the Angel also and his Sons hid themselves through fear Then Then David spake to the Lord saying It is I O Lord it is I that commanded the people to be numbred It is I that have sinned but as for these sheep what have they done Let thy hand I pray thee be on me and my Fathers house but not on thy people that they should be plagued Then the Angel commanded Gad to speak to David that he should presently set up an Altar in the threshing floor of Araunah and thereon offer sacrifices intimating to him that there was no other way for them to obtain the pardon of their sins and the removal of the present judgment but by faith in that propitiatory sacrifice which their promised Messias was to offer up for them The Tabernacle and the Altar of Burnt-offerings was at this present at Gibeon but David could not now go thither for fear of the slaughter and dreadful execution that might be made by the Angel in the mean time therefore no place at present was fitter to rear an Altar in than that where the Angel appeared with a drawn sword and the Lord it seems would have that place as it were consecrated and endeared to the people by a sacrifice that should procure a very great blessing for them namely the staying of this raging plague because he determined in that very place to have his Temple built See 2 Chron. 3.1 David accordingly went forthwith to Araunah (a) This Araunah or Ornan seems to be descended of the Royal blood of the Jebusites and now was the chief of the Jebusites that enjoy'd Estates in and about Jerusalem under a Tribute who seeing the King come to him attended with his servants went out towards him and bowed himself to the ground and said Wherefore is my Lord the King come unto me The King said I am come to buy of thee thy threshing floor there to build an Altar to the Lord that the plague may be stayed Araunah answered Let the King freely take it and offer up there what sacrifices he pleases Behold here be also my oxen which thou maist take for burnt offerings and take also the wooden instruments which are used in this work which being dry will soon take fire and expedite the business and take wheat also for a Meat-offering I freely give thee all All these did Araunah as free as a Prince profer unto David adding the Lord graciously accept thee and the sacrifices thou art about to offer But the King said Nay but surely I will buy it of thee at a price neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord of that which cost me nothing So David bought of him the threshing floor and the oxen and materials for sacrifice for fifty shekels of silver and David built an Altar there to the Lord and called upon the Lord and offered burnt-offerings which were miraculously consumed by fire from heaven whereby God testified his acceptance of the sacrifice and granted his desire for the staying of the Plague and the Lord repented (a) That is did as men do when they repent viz. cease to proceed on so the Lord ceased from punishing the people neither was there any change in Gods Decree for he decreed to cease punishing when he had brought David and the people to unfeigned repentance him of the evil and punishment he had brought upon them and said to the Angel It is enough stay now thine hand and put up thy sword into the sheath So the Lord was intreated for the land and the plague was stayed Then David offered Peace-offerings on the same Altar by way of Thanksgiving for so great a mercy And possibly God made known to David by Gad at this time that in that very place (b) This was upon mount Moriah where Abraham intended to have offered up Isaac who was a Type of Christ he would have the Temple built and thereupon David purchased of Ornan the whole place or plot of ground with all the buildings gardens and all things belonging to it containing a large compass and a sufficient circuit of ground for the building of the Temple upon it with all the Courts thereof and for this he gave him six hundred shekels of Gold whereas the meer Threshing-floor with the oxen and materials of Sacrifice cost him but fifty shekels of Silver as we said before And possibly David might give more for it than the real worth out of his Royal bounty 2 Sam. Ch. 24. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 21. whole Chapter SECT CCV DAvid now knowing that this Threshing-floor of Araunah which he had purchased was the place where the Temple was to be built he said of it This is the house of the Lord and this is the Altar of the Burnt-offering for Israel that is this is the place of which God long since spake by his servant Moses that he would have an house there built which should be the setled place of his Worship and where there should be an Altar not this I have now set up but another whereon only they should offer Sacrifices unto him see Deut. 12.11 Not long after it seems he received from the Lord by the illumination of his Spirit * Except we may suppose that this pattern set down in writing was brought him by some Prophet See 2 Chr. 29.25 the pattern or model whereby the Temple was to be built and this he set down in a draught or plat-form and afterwards delivered it to his Son Solomon as we shall see 1 Chron. 28.11 12 13. In order therefore to the carrying on of this great work David prepared materials in great abundance and called the strangers that were in the land and employ'd them in hewing of stone and timber and such like works He also prepared iron in abundance and brass without weight that is it was so much they would not trouble themselves to weigh it Also abundance of Cedar-trees which he had from the Tyrians and Zidonians And he said Solomon my Son is yet young and tender and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceeding magnificent and must excell all others †Thus it was in the service it self and in the ornaments appertaining thereunto It was one of the worlds wonders It was far more excellent than the Tabernacle and in its dimensions far exceeding it There were some greater Buildings in the world yet there was never any that had such costly materials such curious workmanship such divine services such representations of Gods Majesty and mercy and which prefigured such Mystical Spiritual and Caelestial things as this Temple had that
receiving it see Mark 7.11 Having spoken of the Ornaments of the Temple it will not be amiss to speak something also of the Temple-Officers The Temple-Officers were Priests Levites Nethinims The Priests were distinguished into Chief Priests Inferiour Priests of the twenty four Courses 1. The chief Priests were two the High Priest and his second The High Priest was by Gods appointment that person who was the right heir in Aaron's line or the Eldest that descended in a direct line from his loyns One great part of his office was upon the day of expiation to perform the solemn rights of that service in entring into the Holy of Holies with blood and to perfume the Oracle Exod. 30.10 Levit. 16.34 Heb. 9.7 2. The second Priest was the most eminent among the rest who in case of the sickness or pollution of the High Priest or any other emergency did supply his place (a) So Annas and Caiphas are called the High Priests Luk. 3.2 not that there were two in that great office at once but the one was a substitute to the other 2 King 25.18 3. The ordinary Priests were such as sprang from the loyns of Aaron and were in a Collateral line of kindred allied to the High Priest they were all Levites as descending from Levi the great Grandfather of Aaron But the Priests were separated from the rest of the Levites for the more immediate service of God and the term Levite is restrained to all others of the posterity of Levi besides the line of Aaron These Priests for the more easie carrying on of Temple-service were divided into twenty four Courses by lot as we have shewed before each Course ministred to the Lord for eight days together viz. from Sabbath to Sabbath The work of the Priests was 1. The Government of the Sanctuary and house of God 1 Chron. 24.5 2. Sacrificing with all its rites on the Altar of Burnt-offering 1 Chron. 6.49 2 Chron. 29.22 3. They set the new prepared shew-bread on the Golden Tables within the Sanctuary every Sabbath and removed the old 4. They ordered the lamps of the Golden Candlesticks 5. They kindled the daily incense to make a sweet perfume in the Temple 6. They were the Judges of Leprosie and jealousie betwixt man and wife Levit. 13.2 3. 7. They blew the Trumpets to the Solemn feasts also before the Ark at its removals and were also to accompany the Captains of the host in war with their silver Trumpets Joel 2.15 2 Chron. 13.12 1 Chron. 15.24 Chap. 16.6 Numb 10.8 Chap. 31.6 8. They were to look to the burning of wood continually upon the brazen Altar that the fire that descended from Heaven might not be extinguished Levit. 6.12 13. 9. They were to make the holy ointment with the appointed spices Exod. 30.22 1 Chron. 9.30 10. They were to instruct the people in the Law of God Mal. 2.7 2. Of the Levites The Levites strictly taken were all such as came from the root of Levi excepting the children of Aaron they were divided into four ranks and accordingly appointed to four sorts of work 1. Some of them were appointed to wait on the Sons of Aaron in the Courts of the Temple and in the Chambers and in the purifying of all the holy things belonging to the service of the house of God 1 Chron. 23. from 28 to the end They were at first to enter upon their office at the age of thirty years but after the days of David at twenty because then they did not carry the Tabernacle nor the vessels thereof 1 Chron. 23. from 24 to 28. Their number in the latter end of David's reign was computed at thirty eight thousand whereof twenty four thousand were appointed for the work and service of the house of God six thousand to be Officers and Judges four thousand to be Porters and four thousand to be Singers and players on Instruments 1 Chron. 23.3 4 5. 2 Chron. 8.14 1 Chron. 16.4 So that out of the Levites were taken their Judges Lawyers Scribes Recorders Genealogists and the greatest dignities and offices excepting only the Royal dignity of the Tribe of Judah were enjoyed by those of this Tribe They were the only persons that preferred learning and knowledg the Schools of the Prophets being under their Institution 3. Of the Nethinims These were the most inferiour sort of persons that were imployed in any Temple-service being the race of the Gibeonites Josh 9.17 and called Nethinims because they were given and delivered over to that service Some think that David a little before his death did dispose them into their set courses as he did other Officers of the Temple see Ezra 8.20 but of this we shall not determine Concerning the Priests garments their solemn times of worship their various Sacrifices and Offerings with their appendant rites and the revenues and profits assigned to the Priests and Levites we have spoken before when we went over Exodus Leviticus and Numbers and shall not need here to repeat them SECT II. IN the 11th year of Solomon 's reign the building of the Temple was finished with all things belonging thereunto having been seven years and an half in finishing 1 King 6.38 2 Chron. 3.2 but the Dedication thereof was put off till the next year because of the Jubilee And in the seventh month (a) The whole Edifice and most material things were now finished but possibly they were perfecting some things till the 8th month 1 King 6.38 of that year call'd Ethanim and the seventh day of that month was the first day whereon Solomon celebrated with great magnificence the Dedication of this glorious Temple so that from the seventh day to the fifteenth the tenth day which was the great fast and day of expiation being excepted * On which the Jubilee was to be proclaim'd with sound of Trumpet Levit. 25.9 was this feast of Dedication celebrated and from the 15th to the 23. was the Feast of Tabernacles and the 23d was the last day of this feast and always very solemnly kept and the day following the people were dismissed Having thus described the parts of the Temple and the Ornaments and Officers thereof we shall now return to speak of the great and magnificent solemnity of this Dedication which was on this wise 1. Solomon assembled the Elders and Heads of all the Tribes and a mighty Congregation of all the Nation to meet at Jerusalem on this solemn occasion 2. By the Ministry of the Priests and by such rites as were appointed by the Law he hallowed the middle of the Priests Court wherein either they did erect other Altars or made use of the pavement for that present occasion because the brazen Altar was too little to receive so many Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings as he intended then to offer 1 King 8.64 2 Chron. 7.7 3. The Princes and Elders of the people being now assembled waited upon the King to Mount Sion where the Ark was and whither as 't
and upon this thy people and let thine ears be attentive unto the supplications we shall make unto thee and hearken to us in all that we shall pray unto thee for according to thy will For thou didst separate us unto thy self from among all the Nations of the earth to be thy peculiar people and inheritance as thou spakest by thy servant Moses Solomon having ended this his devout prayer rose up from his knees and standing with his face toward the Temple he repeated part of the 132 Psalm saying Arise O Lord and take possession of this house which I have built for thee as a resting place and fixt habitation and not an ambulatory and moving one as the Tabernacle was And let thy Ark whereon thou dost manifest thy glory (e) Psal 78.61 He delivereth his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands strength and power for the good of thy people be here setled and constantly abide Let thy Priests O Lord God be clothed and adorned with such graces as may bring salvation to themselves (f) Psal 132.9 This clause is thus expressed Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness and may enable them to be instrumental in the saving of others and let thy Saints rejoice in thy goodness and favour manifested unto them O Lord God hear me I pray thee and turn not away the face of thine anointed with shame and confusion by denying me my request but remember the promises thy mercy moved thee to make to David my Father and to his posterity Solomon having ended his prayers the Sacrifices were brought in and laid upon the Altar and immediately fire came down from Heaven and consumed them and the glory of the Lord probably covered with a cloud filled the house and such an orient splendour shone through it that the Priests could by no means enter into the Temple The people seeing the fire came down from Heaven and the glory of the Lord upon the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground and worshipped and praised God and sang as 't is probable the 136 Psalm as the Singers had done before the burthen or foot whereof was For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Then Solomon turned his face and blessed all the Congregation of Israel again as he had done at the beginning and said Blessed be the Lord God who hath given rest to his people Israel as he promised of old And indeed he hath not failed of performing any of his gracious promises which he made to his people by the ministry of his servant Moses Now therefore the Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers and let him not leave us nor forsake us but let him incline our hearts to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments * Viz. The Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Laws statutes and judgments which he commanded our Fathers And let my words wherewith I have made supplication to the Lord this day be in his mind and memory continually that he may maintain the cause of me his servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require and as it shall appear just and equal to him that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord he is the only true God from whom all blessings come and that there is no other God besides him Let your heart therefore be upright and sincere before the Lord and walk in his statutes and keep his commandments as now you do Then the King the Princes and people offered abundance of Peace-offerings (a) They were call'd Peace-offerings because God having bestowed some benefit upon them seemed to be appeased towards them and they were offered as a kind of retribution and to return thanks to God for it And in offering the same they also testified their hope that God was reconciled towards them to the Lord and kept this feast of Dedication seven days During which time they offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep By a multitude of Sacrifices the pious Jews were wont to testifie their zealous and grateful affection towards God and we never read of any Sacrifice like this And thus Solomon the Princes and people by their joint prayers praises and sacrifices dedicated the house of God and set it apart for his worship and service And they rejoiced before the Lord seven days and seven that is they kept the first seven days as the Feast of Dedication and the next seven as the Feast of Tabernacles And the day after Solomon dismissed the people to their own homes and they blessed the King and prayed unto the Lord for him and went home with joyful and glad hearts rejoicing in the goodness which the Lord had manifested to the house of David and to Solomon and to all the people of Israel 1 King Ch. 8. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 5. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 6. whole Chapter 2 Chron. Ch. 7. from v. 1 to 11. SECT III. SHortly after * Some read 1 King 9.1 And it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord and afterwards finished the Kings house and all his desire which he was pleased to do that the Lord appeared to him the second time c. Solomon had made that devout prayer before mentioned the Lord as it seems appeared to him in a dream (b) Ch. 6.11 We read that the word of the Lord came to Solomon but that was by some messenger or Prophet sent unto him but this was the second time that the Lord appeared to him in a Vision as he had done before at Gibeon 1 King 3.4 5. and the Lord said I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication which thou hast made before me and I have hallowed this house and set it apart to those holy uses which thou didst intend it for and it shall be called by my name as long as it shall last and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually I will always be ready to take notice of the prayers there made and the services there performed and will graciously accept them And if I shall shut up heaven at any time so that there be no rain or send the locusts or pestilence among my people that are called by my name if they shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear in heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land And if thou wilt walk before me in integrity and uprightness as thy Father David did and keep my statutes and judgments then I will establish the Throne of thy Kingdom for ever that is thou and thy posterity shall continue time after time to be Kings over Israel so as no other stock but thine shall sit on that Throne so long as the Kingdom of Judah shall remain as I
their sins 1 Sam. 15.2 before the Lord and to punish me for them by taking away my Son Possibly she thought that Elijah had besought God thus to punish her as by his prayer he had brought the drought and famine upon the land or that he was sent as the minister of Gods wrath to take away her Son from her Elijah said to her Give me thy Son and he took him out of her bosom and carried him to an upper loft and laid him on his own bed and cried unto the Lord and said O Lord my God let me humbly plead with thee why hast thou brought so great an evil upon this widow with whom I sojourn as to take away her Son I am afraid thy name will hence come to be blasphemed and thy Prophets despised and it will be said it had been well for this woman if this Prophet had never come into her house Having thus said he stretched himself upon the child three times putting his mouth upon the childs mouth and his eyes upon the childs eyes and his hands upon the childs hands and he cried unto the Lord and said O Lord I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again And the Lord graciously heard his prayer and the soul of the child came immediately into him again and he revived So the Prophet took the child and deliverd him to his mother alive * See the like miracle wrought by Elisha 2 King 4.34 and by Paul Act. 20.10 See also Heb. 11.35 Cum graves imminerent vexationes religionem magis indies piis Deus aperire aliquid voluit de immortalitate animarum Grot. Then said the woman By this I know that thou art a true Prophet and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth namely the things that were foretold by thee concerning the continuance of the drought and the increase of my meal and oyl And this child is the first that we read of in the Scriptures that being dead was restored to life again The drought having now continued well nigh three years and six months Elijah goes to present himself unto Ahab and to give notice to him that they should have rain that so what he had said to him before might be made good to wit that there should be no rain but according to his word The Governour of Ahabs house at this time was Obadiah an excellent person and one who feared the Lord greatly and worshipped him in spirit and truth and kept himself from the Idolatry of the times though he went not up to Jerusalem to peform the Ceremonial worship there required 'T is a wonder there should be such a pious person in so corrupt a Court but God ordered it so by his alwise Providence for the good of his Prophets For when Jezabel slew and cut off the Prophets †They that gave themselves to be throughly instructed in the will of God and were ready on all occasions to declare the same to others were stiled Prophets of the Lord he took a hundred of them and hid them by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water 'T is like some other pious men also in Israel besides Obadiah hid and preserved several Prophets of the Lord from her fury But the drought now being very sore Ahab ordered Obadiah to go one way as he himself would another that so traversing all the land of Israel they might find herbage and water for their horses and mules which were ready to perish for want of it Elijah meets Obadiah who knowing him fell on his face before him and said to him Art not thou my Lord Elijah He answered I am and I desire thee to go and tell thy Lord and Master that Elijah is here Obadiah answered Wherein have I so offended thee that thou shouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me I protest unto thee that my Lord the King hath sought thee not only in the land of Israel but also in all the neighbouring Countries and among all the Nations that are in league with him and he hath pressed them so far that they were fain upon their oaths to avow that they knew nothing of thee (a) How Elijah was concealed in Sarepta we need not inquire seeing he being inform'd of his danger the widow might use means to hide him and now why enjoynest thou me to go and tell Ahab that thou art here Possibly as soon as I am gone from thee the Spirit of the Lord (b) What was done by any supernatural working of God they used to say was done by the Spirit of God that is some wind from the Lord or some Angel will take thee up (c) It seems in those times Elijah was usually thus miraculously caught up and so perhaps other Prophets too and carried from one place to another whence it was that when Elijah was at last taken up into heaven the young Prophets would needs send out to seek him 2 King 2.16 The like we read of Philip Act. 8.19 and carry thee to some other place and then the King will slay me either because I did not apprehend thee when I saw thee or because I shall seem to have deluded him by telling him that which he will not find upon search to be true I thy servant have desired to fear the Lord from my youth and to cleave unto him and have been kind to his servants the Prophets in hiding many of them from the fury of Jezebel as I suppose thou hast heard and I may be further useful to them and therefore I hope thou wilt not lay upon me so perilous a command Elijah assures him he was resolved to shew himself unto Ahab Hereupon Obadiah went and acquainted the King therewith who presently came out to him and in a very angry manner said What! art thou he that troubles Israel No says Elijah thou and thy Fathers house have troubled Israel in forsaking God and following Baal After some vehement contest between them about the Baal-worship the Prophet having doubtless received it in charge from God before as may appear from ver 36. propounds to the King a way of trial to be peformed on mount Carmel which stood near the Sea whither God were God or Baal were God The God answering by fire says he and consuming the sacrifice from heaven let him be acknowledged for the true God The King being confident that the way of his worship was right agrees thereto and possibly the natural desire that is in all men to see things strange and unusual as this trial was might the more incline him to it Accordingly he assembles the Prophets of Baal viz. those that lived dispers'd up and down in the Country and the heads of the people to see the issue of this strange trial Elijah when the people were met together spake to them saying How long will ye halt between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal
be God follow him The people answered nothing being afraid to offend the King Then Elijah said Behold there is not a Prophet of the Lords that doth openly appear for the true God and his worship besides my self But here are four hundred and fifty of Baals Prophets that are for Idolatry let them therefore give us two bullocks and let them choose which they will for themselves and let them cut it in pieces and lay it on wood and put no fire under and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood and put no fire under and let them call on their gods and I will call on the name of the Lord and the God that answereth by fire and consumeth the Sacrifice let him be acknowledged for the true God The people cried out it was well spoken they were willing to put it upon that trial Then Baals Priests took the bullock that was given them and dressed it and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon and said O Baal hear us But there was no voice nor any that answered Then they danced and skipped about the Altar they had made in a frantick manner as was usual in the worship of Baal And at noon when the time limited for their sacrifice was almost ended Elijah mocked them and bad them cry aloud for possibly their god Baal was at this time talking or pursuing his enemies or in a journey or perhaps he was asleep and must be rouzed up with very loud calling Baals Priests it is like were vext at these sharp taunts of the Prophet however they cried aloud and cut themselves with knives and lances till the blood gushed out as the heathens used to do in their great sorrows See Deut. 14.1 the more to move their God to have compassion on them and not to be wanting at this time to his own honour as well as theirs But no answer could they get notwithstanding they went on praying and calling upon Baal and with many strange gestures as men inspired sang the praises of their Idol-god labouring by all means possible to prevail with him to send fire to consume their Sacrifice but all in vain There was none that answered or regarded them Then Elijah called the people to come near and mount Carmel having been one of the high places whereon they us'd to sacrifice in former times unto the Lord there were still the ruins of an old Altar which the Idolatrous Israelites had broken down see Ch. 19.14 and this the Prophet did now repair thereby intimating to them that his design was to restore and set up the worship of the true God in the land Then he took twelve stones according to the number of the twelve Tribes and with them he built an Altar in the name of the Lord to intimate to them that they ought all to be united in the worship of the God of their fathers or else it would be in vain for them to reckon themselves the Israel of God And he made a Trench about the Altar as great as would contain two measures of seed and he put the wood in order ahd cut the bullock in pieces and laid it on the wood and bad them fill four barrels with water out of the Sea that was near and pour it on the Sacrifice and on the wood He bad them do it three times which they accordingly did and the water ran about the Altar and filled the Trench so that it was evident that there was no fraud used to hide any fire secretly under the wood Then at the time of offering the Evening-sacrifice Elijah came and prayed saying Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob * To these three Patriarchs God made and ratified his promises of the good things which he did for Israel and God took this stile to himself Exod. 3.6 to move the Israelites that came from those Patriarchs to take him for their God and oft to call to mind his promises let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant and that I have done all these things at thy word and by thy command and direction Hear me O Lord I pray thee hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast appointed these things to be done to the end that their hearts may be turned from their Idols unto thee Immediately the fire of the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the Burnt-sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the Trench And when the people saw it they fell on their faces and cried out the Lord he is the God the Lord he is the God Elijah seeing them so wonderfully affected with this miracle and so clearly convinced of the juglings and deceits of Baals Priests He bad them presently apprehend those Prophets of Baal and to let none of them escape and to bring them down to the brook Kishon at the foot of Carmel and there to slay them The people being at this present under a great dread of the Majesty of God who by this miracle had testified so loudly against their Idolatry they without any fear of the King were ready to do whatever Elijah advised them unto and accordingly they took those Priests and carried them down to the brook Kishon that the place where Elijah had sacrific'd unto the Lord might not be defiled with their blood and slew them there according to the Law Deut. 13.5 18.20 The King as it seems thought it not adviseable to set himself against the torrent of the people's zeal at this time or possibly he tacitely consented to it upon hope that rain would presently be given thereupon These Prophets of Baal that were slain at this time seem to have been those that were dispersed up and down in the Villages and Towns and not the Prophets of the Groves who attended at Court and performed their Idolatrous service in the Groves planted by Ahab near Baals Temple in Samaria For after this we read Ch. 22.6 of 400 Prophets that were called together by Ahab Ahab having fasted all day to see the event of this business Elijah bids him now go eat and drink and refresh himself for he heard a sound or noise in the heavens that was some intimation to him that much rain was coming Ahab accordingly going to refresh himself the Prophet went up to the top of Carmel and there kneeling upon the ground and bowing his face down to his knees in this humble posture he earnestly prayed unto the Lord for rain For though he knew that the Lord had promised to send rain yet he knew also that it must be obtain'd by prayer Then he sent his servant seven times * He sent him seven several times to teach us that we must not be discouraged though we have not presently that which we pray for but must with patience be content to wait upon the Lord for it
that 20 in all with Athaliah reigned in Judah and 19 in Israel 2 year Jehoram or Joram 12. Jehu 28. Jehoahaz 17. Joash 16. Jeroboam 41. Zachariah 6 Month. Shallum 1 Month. Menahem 10. Pekahiah 2. Pekah 20. Hoshea 9. AHAZIAH began to reign over Israel in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah The 8th King that reigned in Israel was AHAZIAH and reigned two years He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his Father and of his Mother and in the way of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin and he served Baal and worshipped him and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger according to all that his Father had done 1 King 22. from 51 to the end As he was walking in his Palace at Samaria some grate in the floor of the Chamber where he was whereby perhaps light was conveyed to the lower room did suddenly break and so he fell through and was dangerously bruised with the fall In this extremity he sends messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whither he should recover or no This Idol was so famous that the Jews used to call the Prince of Devils Baalzebub Mat. 12.24 An Angel of the Lord sends Elijah to meet these Messengers and to say unto them Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Therefore go back again to the King that sent you and tell him what I say unto you and further acquaint him that he shall not come down from that bed on which he is gone up to lye but shall surely die The Messengers perceiving Elijah to understand the secret message they were sent about and hearing him also so peremptorily to foretell the Kings death they knew he must be some Prophet though it seems they knew not his person And accordingly they went back to the King and told him faithfully what he had said The King askt them what manner of man he was they told him an hairy man and girt with a leathern girdle * John Baptist was thus attired to shew that he was that other Elijah that was to come compare Mat. 3.4 with Mal. 4.5 about his loins Then the King knew it was Elijah the Tishbite and being enraged at this hard message he resolved to have the life of him that sent it and possibly he was something also excited thereunto by his mother Jezebel who was as much incensed against Elijah as Herodias was against John Baptist Mat. 14.8 Whereupon he sent a Captain of fifty with his fifty men to apprehend him who he understood as it seems was at Mount Carmel The Captain coming to the place where he was call'd to him and as 't is like in a scornful deriding manner said Thou that art esteem'd a man of God and takest liberty to send what bold messages thou pleasest to the King know thou that by me the King commands thee to come down and to render thy self to me If thou wilt not I have here those with me that will fetch thee down with a vengeance Elijah answered If I be indeed a man of God as thou scornfully calledst me let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty And immediately fire came from heaven and consumed them This judgment Elijah denounced out of an extraordinary zeal for the glory of God and by a special instinct of his Spirit And therefore when the Disciples of Christ out of a carnal desire of revenge would have imitated this act of Elijah they were reproved by our Saviour for it who told them they knew not what manner of spirit they were of that is they did not well consider from what frame of spirit that uncharitable motion came For those who are called to preach the Gospel are to shew all meekness and gentleness to men and to desire and endeavour to save them and not to destroy them Luk. 9.54 55. Ahaziah was nothing moved with this dreadful judgment that had befallen his Captain and his men but like a man that neither feared God nor regarded the lives of his subjects he sends another Captain of fifty and his men to take the Prophet This second Captain shews himself as impudent as the former and coming to Elijah said to him O man of God thus saith the King Come down quickly He not only commands him to come down but to do it speedily implying that he would not be delayed but would drag him down by force if he would not yield instantly Elijah gave him the same answer he had done the former Captain saying to him If I be a man of God let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty which was done immediately And thus we see that like sins usually pull down like judgments One would have thought that Ahaziah should have been greatly terrified with two such dreadful judgments as these were but increase of judgments increases some mens hardness and obdurateness Therefore like a desperate man and as it were in defyance of God himself he sends a third Captain with his men to take Elijah but he being sensible of his extream danger and terrified with what had befallen the two Captains and their men that went before him He when he came to Elijah in a most humble posture fell on his knees before him and besought him saying O man of God I pray thee let my life and the lives of these fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight and do not suffer them as vile things to be cast away nor deal with us as thou didst with the former Captains and their men but be intreated to go along with us to the King An Angel from the Lord immediately spake to Elijah to go along with him and bids him not be afraid but to tell the King expresly what the Lord had said Elijah being assured of Gods protection readily goes and tells the King plainly from the Lord that he should die of that sickness It may seem strange that the King who was so enraged against the Prophet before that he sent no less than three Captains of fifty one after another to take him intending no doubt to kill him for delivering so sad a message to his servants concerning his death yet now when he has the Prophet in his hands and hears him utter the same terrible things against him to his face he should neither speak not do any thing against him So true is that of Solomon that the hearts of Kings are in the hands of God Prov. 16.1 And as Elijah prophesied so it came to pass for Ahaziah soon after died having reigned two years and Jehoram his Brother reigned in his stead 2 King 1. from v. 2. to the end JEHORAM or Joram 2 King The 9th King of Israel JEHORAM 8.16 second Son of Ahab succeeded his Brother Ahaziah in the latter end of the 18th year of Jehoshaphat and reigned twelve years He
did evil in the sight of the Lord but not like his Father or his Mother He put away the Image of Baal which his Father had made but cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam and upheld still the Idolatry of the Golden Calves 2 King 3. from 1. to 4. God now revealed to Elijah that he should shortly be taken up to heaven as appears Ch. 2.9 but first he commanded him to visit the Schools of the Prophets which were at Bethel and Jericho that he might both by his counsel and prayers leave a blessing among them and perhaps that he might put into their hands the Prophesie against Jehoram Son of Jehoshaphat King of Judah which some time after was to be delivered unto him whereof mention is made 2 Chron. 21.12 Elijah therefore addressing himself to this journey immediately after which he knew he was to be taken up into heaven and not knowing as it seems whither the Lord would allow any witnesses to be present to see his Ascension or desiring to be alone that he might the better prepare himself for this his strange passage to the other world or desiring to try the constancy of Elisha's love to him and to discover whither God had revealed any thing to him concerning this his assumption or whatever else the reason was when he was going from Gilgal he advised Elisha to stay there But Elisha told him As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee shewing therein his grateful faithfulness to his Master So they came down together to Bethel * In his locis erant Prophetarum conventus quos Reges Israel quamvis Idololatrae passi sunt Quod singulari Dei Providantia factum est ne populus ipsius praesidio verbi sui penitus denudaretur P. Martyr which City was indeed since the division of the Kingdom won by Abijam 2 Chron. 13.19 but it seems it was afterwards recovered and was at this present in the hands of the Kings of Israel The Sons of the Prophets that dwelt there came to Elisha Elijah probably not being by and said to him knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy Master from thy head this day †Id est brevi non enim uno die consecerunt hoc iter A capite tuo a praesentia tua vel a capite tuo i. e. sursum rapitur nempe in caelum Some think here is an allusion to the Elder Prophets sitting in high places in their Schools above the heads of the younger and the younger sitting in lower places as it were at their feet Act. 22.3 that is take him up and carry him over thy head to heaven It seems the Lord had revealed Elijah's assumption unto some of them (c) Deus eos qui cum Prophetis vivebant paulatim assuefaciebat Prophetiae nunc hoc nunc illud de consiliis suis ipsis aperiens Grot. thereby inuring them by degrees to receive Prophetical revelations They therefore ask Elisha whither he were not acquainted that Elijah should be taken up from him into heaven very shortly He tells them He knew it very well they needed not enter into any discourse with him about it Elijah would have had Elisha stay here telling him that he himself must go up to Jericho where was another School of the Prophets which he also must visit Elisha answers him as he did before viz. that he would not leave him So they came together to Jericho The Sons of the Prophets there also having Elijah's assumption revealed to them they askt Elisha the same question that those of Bethel had done and he gave them the same short answer Elijah would have had Elisha to have stayed here telling him that as for himself the Lord had ordered him to go to Jordan And hereby he tried his constancy and faithfulness to him a third time as our Saviour tried Peter's love Joh. 21.15 16 17. Elisha tells him again as he did before He would not leave him So they two went on Fifty Sons of the Prophets of Jericho knowing what was to be done went and stood though at some distance in the sight of the place where Elijah was to be taken up to heaven This was so ordered by Divine Providence that there might be many witnesses of Elijah's assumption * Thus was our Saviour taken up while many beheld it Act. 1.9 Elijah and Elisha coming to the River Jordan Elijah took his mantle and wraping it together he smote the waters and they were divided hither and thither and so they two went over on dry ground See Josh 3.17 When they were come to the other side of Jordan Elijah said to Elisha Ask what I shall do for thee as Gods instrument or what I shall crave of God for thee Elisha said I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be conferred upon me that is a great and eminent measure of the gifts of the Spirit wherewith thou art endued even double to what other Prophets usually receive seeing I am to succeed in thy room 1 King 19.16 and to be a Father to the Schools of the Prophets and to be chiefly imployed in opposing the daring corruptions of the times Elijah said to him Thou hast asked an hard thing that is a thing not easie to be obtained and which God doth rarely bestow on his servants the Prophets nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken from thee it shall be done And this condition possibly was added to make Elisha the more heedful in observing the manner of Elijah's departure that he might be an eye witness thereof as the men of Galilee were of our Saviours Ascension Act. 1.10 11. As these two great Prophets were talking together Elijah having informed Elisha as 't is probable of such matters as should fall out in Israel after his departure behold there appeared a fiery splendid apparition not in a terrifying but in a glorious manner of a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire The holy Angels appearing in this form and shape to conveigh Elijah to heaven See Psal 104.4 And hereby the Lord did highly honour his faithful servant Elijah whose soul was inflam'd with such an heroick and servent zeal for the glory of his Creator This fiery apparition coming between these two Prophets and parting them asunder as the nearest and dearest friends must at last part Elijah went up into this glorious chariot and a whirlwind carried it up to heaven to which glorious place he was carried up in soul and body like Enoch so that he died not but was changed in a moment his corruptible body putting on incorruption and his mortal body immortality And thus he was a type of Christs Ascension and hereby God was pleased to give a clear and evident proof that he had prepared the Heaven of Heavens for the perpetual abode of his Saints and that though our bodies be laid for a while in the grave yet they shall at last be taken up into Heaven being
destroyed the worship of Baal out of all the Ten Tribes but though he overthrow this Idolatry yet he departed not from the Idolatry of Jeroboam viz. that of the Golden Calves of Dan and Bethel He also rooted out the house of Ahab yet it seems he had a greater zeal for the establishing the Kingdom to himself than purely to execute the command of God therefore Hos 1.4 God threatens to revenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu However for these acts God sends a Prophet to him to tell them that because he had done well as to the matter of what he had done though not as to the manner his seed to the fourth generation should sit on that Throne which accordingly they did as we shall see afterwards But Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel sincerely and with all his heart but followed the Idolatry of Ieroboam by which God was so provoked that even in his days he did begin to cut Israel short that is to abate their power by Hazael King of Syria especially in the two Tribes and an half beyond Iordan For Hazael made sore havock among the people there and 't is like he did then or afterwards in the days of Iehoahaz exercise those inhumane cruelties upon the Israelites which Elisha had foretold 2 King 8.12 Jehu reigned twenty and eight years which was the longest time that any of the Kings of Israel had hitherto reigned whereof six years Contemporary with Athaliah and the remaining twenty two with Ioash Son of Ahaziah and they buried him in Samaria and Iehoahaz his Son reigned in his stead 2 King 10. from 11 to the end IEHOAHAZ Son of Iehu The 11th King of Israel JEHOAHAZ and first of his race reigned seventeen years All which time Ioash the Son of Ahaziah reigned in Iudah He did evil in the sight of the Lord and he and his people followed the Idolatry of Ieroboam and continued the Grove in Samaria which Ahab had planted 1 King 16.33 and did not destroy it as he should have done Hereupon the Lords anger was kindled against Israel and he delivered them into the hands of Hazael King of Syria and into the hands of Benhadad his Son all the days that Iehoahaz reigned alone for two years before his death he took his son Ioash into copartnership with him in the Government Hazael had invaded and destroyed Israel beyond Iordan before and threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron see Amos 1.3 And now he cometh on this side Iordan and oppresseth the Israelites so sore there that he left them but fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen and broke them to pieces and scattered them as corn is scattered with overmuch threshing insomuch that they had scarce any where an army together and they were brought to be a people of no power or esteem And though Iehoahaz resisted them with all the valour and might he could yet still they prevail'd against him Which is the rather noted to make it appear that the calamities that befell the Israelites in his time were rather from Gods hand and just judgment because of their sins than from any want of courage or conduct in their King Jehoahaz in these distresses seeks to the Lord for help and God afterwards gave Israel a Saviour to wit Joash his Son who in his time mightily prevailed against the Syrians And after him he raised up Jeroboam his Son Chap. 14.27 who was also very successful against them So that afterwards the children of Israel dwelt in their houses quietly and peaceably as in former times Jehoahaz dies and is buried in Samaria and Ioash his Son succeeds him 2 King 13. from v. 1 to 10. JOASH the second of the race of Iehu reigned sixteen years The 12th King of Israel JOASH He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of Ieroboam who made Israel to sin Elisha being now sick of his last sickness Ioash came to visit him and wept over him saying O my Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Elisha bids him take bow and arrows he did so and Elisha puts his hands on the Kings hands to signifie perhaps that God would fight with him and that no action of ours without Gods assistance and blessing can prosper and bidding him to open the window Eastward towards Syria and to shoot he said This is the arrow of the Lords deliverance from Syria that is by this arrow is signified that the Lord by thee will certainly deliver his people from the Syrians for thou shalt smite them as they were smitten in Aphek 1 King 29.26 or mightily * Fortiter vehementer sic aliqui reddunt till thou hast consumed those particular Armies which they shall have at that time Then he bids the King take arrows and smite on the ground which he supposed he might easily understand to be a sign that he should smite the Syrians and thereupon would have been eager to give many strokes on the ground as a sign that he should often conquer them but he smote only thrice whereupon the man of God was wroth with him and told him he should have smitten five or six times and then he should have smitten Syria till he had consumed them and utterly ruined the whole power of their Kingdom whereas now he should smite them but thrice only Elisha now dies and is laid in his sepulchre he had been a famous Prophet about sixty years God had manifested that the spirit of Elijah did rest upon him by enabling him to do the same kind of miracles that Elijah had done Elijah divided Jordan with his mantle 2 King 2.8 so did Elisha v. 14. Elijah multiplied the widow of Sarepta's oyl 1 King 17.14 and Elisha did as much for a poor Prophets widow 2 King 4.2 Elijah brought rain from Heaven after a time of great drought 1 King 18.41 and Elisha supplied three Kings and their armies with water when they were ready to perish for want of it 2 King 3.16 Elijah cursed the Captains and their fifties that came to apprehend him and they were presently destroyed with fire from Heaven 2 King 1.10 and Elisha cursed the children that reproached and mocked him and they were presently torn in pieces by two she-bears 2 King 2.24 Elijah raised the Sareptans son to life 1 King 17.22 and Elisha the Shunamites 2 King 4.35 Nay as Elisha desired that a double portion of the spirit of Elijah might be given him so some observe that Elisha wrought as many more miracles as Elijah did Sometime after Elisha's funeral some Israelites that were going to bury a dead man espied a band of Moabites near them that were broken into their land to rob and spoil and so through fear not daring to carry him to the place prepared for his burial they removed the stone that covered Elisha's sepulchre and in hast cast him in
some of the Rulers of the people some pious and prudent men be appointed to sit daily here in Jerusalem for the hearing of this business and to take cognizance who they are that have married strange wives viz. such as have not imbraced the faith of Israel or that since their marriage have relapsed to Idolatry and let those that are found guilty herein in every City be brought hither in their turns to appear before these Elders and let the chief men in every City testifie against them if they have found them guilty and so let the business be dispatched first with one City and then with another until at length all the strange wives be put away that so the fierce wrath of our God may be turned from us Hereupon four men being chosen viz. two Priests and two Levites to set forward this business the children of the captivity agreed that the forementioned course should be taken And Ezra with certain chief of the Fathers were chosen and set apart to that great work and began it on the first day of the tenth month and made an end of it on the first day of the first month and so were three whole months about it And upon examination even among the Sons of the Priests who should have known and practised better things there were found some who had taken strange wives yea some of the Sons of Joshua the good high Priest who assisted Zerubbabel were guilty in this matter and divers of their brethren in that function also They being found guilty offered a ram of the flock for their transgression and gave their hands that they would put away their Idolatrous wives And 't is like many others whose names are there recorded did the same though it be not here expressed And some of the Levites who ministred to the Priests and some of the Singers and Porters were also guilty herein and put away their Idolatrous wives yea though they had children by them Ezra Ch. 10. from 6 to the end We are now come to the Book of Nehemiah As in the Book of Ezra we had a relation of the building of the Temple by Zerubbabel and of reforming Religion by Ezra so in this we have a relation of the building of the City and the walls thereof and setling the Commonwealth and redressing many disorders by Nehemiah who came to Jerusalem thirteen years after Ezra's first coming thither In the 20th year of Artaxerxes in the ninth month answering to part of our November and part of our December Hanani and some other Jews came to Nehemiah who was one of the Kings Cup-bearers being then at Shushan the Winter-mansion of the Persian Monarchs and acquainted him that those that were left of the Captivity in the Province of Judah were under great affliction and reproach and that their neighbours round about them did exceedingly despise and wrong them and that which encouraged them the more in those insolences was because the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire by Nebuchadnezzar and so they continued still So that the Jews were disabled to defend themselves against their enemies Nehemiah was so affected herewith that he sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed prostrating himself before the God of heaven with his face towards the Temple the place of Gods presence see 1 King 8.44 and he said O Lord God of Heaven the great and terrible God that keepeth Covenant and mercy for them that love thee and keep thy Commandments let thine ears be attentive to the prayer of thy servant which I make before thee day and night for the children of Israel and wherein I confess and humbly bewail our sins which we have committed against thee Both I and my Fathers have sin'd against thee and dealt very corruptly and have not kept either the moral ceremonial or judicial laws which thou gavest us Yet remember I pray thee the word thou spakest by thy servant Moses Deut. 4.25 saying if you transgress I will scatter you abroad among the Nations but if ye turn unto me and keep my Commandments and do them though you were scattered to the remotest parts of the earth yet thence will I gather you and bring you to the place that I have chosen to put my name there Now O Lord we are thy people whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand Therefore I beseech thee let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of me thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants that desire to fear thy name and prosper me and grant me favour and mercy in the sight of the King to whom I intend to address my self that he may grant the request that I shall make to him Nehem. Chap. 1. About four months after when the time came that Nehemiah in his course was to attend upon the King and to minister to him as his Cup-bearer both King and Queen took notice of his sorrowful and dejected looks The King asked him the reason of it Nehemiah replied Let the King live for ever * That is very long an usual salutation given to Kings See 1 King 1.1.31 Dan. 6.21 There is reason my countenance should be sad when the City the place of my fathers sepulchres where my ancestors lived and died lyeth waste and the gates thereof being formerly consumed with fire are not repaired The King asked him what he desired of him Nehemiah lifting up his heart to God in a fervent Ejaculation (b) The Ejaculation of the heart may be as fervent and as prevalent as a solemn prayer uttered with the mouth witness that of Moses Exod. 14.15 to which God made this answer Why criest thou unto me yet no words of prayer were then uttered by Moses This frequently and heartily used argueth an heavenly mind and 't is one way whereby we may pray always or con inually that is at all times and in all places and on all occasions that he would please to direct him rightly to order his petition to the King and incline the Kings heart to grant it said If it please the King and thy servant hath found favour in thy sight I pray thee that thou wouldst send me to Jerusalem the City of my Fathers sepulchers that I may build it The King said how long wilt thou be absent and when wilt thou return Nehemiah set him a time which it's like was not long and at that time did accordingly return but from this time forward it seems he continued Governour of Judea under the King for the space of twelve years or more during which time 't is probable he often went into Persia to wait upon the King The King graciously granting his request he then humbly besought him that he might have letters to the Governours beyond the river to conduct him (c) This Ezra would not desire when he went to Jerusalem because he had occasionally spoken to the King of
excellent prayer are these six things to be observed 1. A description of God v. 6. 2. An enumeration of his mercies from v. 7 to 16. 3ly A confession of sins from 16 to 27. 4ly A declaration of Gods just judgments for them from v. 27 to 32. 5ly A supplication for mercy from 32 to 38. 6ly A solemn binding themselves to God by Covenant that they would carefully observe all his commandments v. 38. He begins his prayer thus Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made heaven the heaven of heavens with all their host the earth and all things that are therein the sea and all that is therein and thou preservest them all and the host of heaven worshippeth thee Thou art the Lord God who didst choose Abraham and broughtest him forth out of Vr of the Chaldees and gavest him the name of Abraham And foundest his heart faithful before thee and madest a Covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites to his seed and hast performed thy words for thou art righteous And didst see the affliction of our Fathers in Egypt and heardst their cry by the Red-sea and shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharoah and on all his servants and on all the people of his land For thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them so didst thou get thee a great name and glory which we celebrate to this day And thou didst divide the sea before them so that they went through the midst thereof on the dry land and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps as a stone into the mighty waters Moreover thou leadest them in the day by a cloudy pillar and in the night by a pillar of fire to give them light in the way wherein they should go Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai and spakest with them from heaven and gavest them right judgments and true laws good statutes and commandments And madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath (a) The Sabbath was instituted at the beginning of the world but being much neglected God renewed the command for the observance of it and commandest them excellent precepts statutes and laws by the hand of Moses thy servant And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them But they (b) That is the Israelites that came out of Egypt and our Ancestors since and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments and refused to obey neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them but hardened their necks and in their rebellion appointed a Captain to return to their bondage but thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and forsookest them not Yea when they had made them a molten calf and said This is thy god that brought thee up out of Egypt and had wrought great provocations yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookst them not in the wilderness the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go Thou gavest also thy good Spirit (c) viz. To their Governours to Moses and the 70 Elders Numb 11.17 by whom they were accordingly instructed and directed in the right way to instruct them and with-heldest not thy manna from their mouth and gavest them water for their thirst Yea forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing their clothes waxed not old and their feet swelled not Moreover thou gavest them Kingdoms and Nations and didst divide them into corners (d) That is didst plant them in the several parts and corners of the land of Canaan some within Iordan and some without so they possessed the land of Sihon and the land of the King of Heshbon (e) Which was then in the possesssion of Sihon who had formerly taken it from the Moabites Numb 21.26 and the land of Og King of Bashan Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers that they should go in to possess it So their children wene in and possessed it and thou subduest before them the inhabitants of the land viz. the Canaanites and gavest them into their hands with their Kings and the people of the land that they might do with them as they would And they took strong Cities and a fat land and possessed houses full of all goods wells digged vineyards and oliveyards and fruit trees in abundance so they did eat and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in thy great goodness and the plenty thou hadst given them Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy law behind their backs and slew thy Prophets see 1 King 49.10 which testified (f) And protested that God would not suffer their sins to go unpunished against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them Saviours (g) Temporal deliverers such as the Judges were Judg. 3.9 2 King 13.5 who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries But after they had rest they did evil again before thee therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies so that they had the dominion over them yet when they returned and cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies And thou testifiedst against them by thy Prophets that thou mightest bring them again unto thy Law yet they dealt proudly and hearkened not unto thy commandments but sinned against thy judgments (h) That is thy righteous ordinances and commandments which if a man do he shall live in them (i) See pag. 158. on Levit. 18.5 and withdrew the shoulder (k) That is were stubborn and refused to submit to Gods Government a Metaphor taken from Cattel that struggle and will not take the yoke upon them See Zach. 7.11 and hardened their neck and would not hear Yet many years didst thou forbear them and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands where the Heathen reigned Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious and merciful God Now therâ—fore O our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy let not all the trouble seem little before