respect of the Priest's Office and this Covering of the Altar with those Censers of polished splendid Brass was as a Looking-glass for all to behold that none might after as Korah presume to the Priesthood The second Consequent is The new notorious Rebellion of the whole People surviving those sad Judgments raised the very morning after which was pacified by a Plague begun but stopp'd by Moses sending Aaron in haste to stand betwixt the living and the dead with Incense a clear Type of Christ ver 41 to 50. Those Rebels after such a severe double Conviction so soon to murmure against Moses who had saved them by his prayer for them ver 22. for his killing the Lord's People seem to be acted and driven by the Devil into this prodigious contumacy Tho' the miraculous strangeness of both the Judgments did declare them to come from God yet Moses must be blamed for killing both ways even while the carkases of the late Rebels lay before their Eyes As the Devil had set the Sorcerers of Egypt against Moses Exod. 8. so he sets this People against him here to make their Rebellion as marvelous as were God's Judgments upon the Rebellious Some say such a furious Devil agitated the People that they offered to assault Moses and Aaron with violent hands whereupon they fled for their own safety as Vaiphenu in ver 43. is translated to the door of the Tabernacle Then Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God as out of an Engine appeareth to Relieve his Distressed Servants and threatned to consume the new and more formidable Rebels because more universal with a third deadly Plague which was in part executed ver 45.46 Moses was quick-sighted by his familiarity with God and early discerns Divine Wrath at its first setting forth He spies the Plague running on like fire in a Corn field he bids Aaron run to stop it by making an Atonement Aaron interposeth and therein exposeth himself to the Wrath of God for saving the People yet living God favourably accepts his Atonement Deut. 33.10 11. wherein he figured Christ who poured out his Soul an Offering for Sin and made Intercession for Transgressors Isa 53.12 Luke 22.34 The Hebrew Rabbins observe well how that Aaron made no Atonement for the dead for they cannot hope for any Portion Eccles 9.4 5 6 10 Psal 115.17 Isa 38.18 for after death cometh Judgment Heb. 9.27 therefore there was no estimation nor price of the dead who could not personally appear before the Priest for any Vow in Israel Levit. 27.8 as Maimonides in Erachin cap. 1 well observeth Aaron could not be so quick for staying the Plague but God was as quick in slaying the People fourteen thousand and seven hundred more died of this speedy Pestilence and tho' Incense was to be offered now only upon the Altar of Incense within the Tabernacle yet Aaron offers it betwixt the dead and the living without the Tabernacle in the open Wilderness and God accepts if as done upon an extraordinary occasion so by a Divine extraordinary Dispensation the Plague was stayed here by ver 47 48 49. All which not only sheweth how prevalent with God are the Prayers of his faithful and fervent Servants Jam. 5.16 1 John 5.14 c. but also fore-shewed the efficacy of Christ's Mediation whom the Father heareth always John 11.42 who is our Atonement 1 Joh. 2.2 our Paschal Lamb that stops the destroying Angel from touching us Exod. 12.23 Heb. 11.28 as also 2 Sam. 24.16 Thus the Smoke of Aaron's Incense figuring Christ's Intercession for us Psal 141.2 Rev. 8.4 stayed the Plague from the surviving Israelites for which Moses praised God at the Tent door ver 50. Lastly To prevent all such like Murmurings for the future Numb 17.5 10. God superadds a miraculous Approbation of Aaron's Priesthood by causing his Rod laid up in the Tent of the Testimony with the Rods of all the other Tribes to bud blossom and bear ripe Almonds all in one night's time ver 6 7 8 9. and Numb 20.9 Heb. 9.4 Here are three Miracles in one 1. That a dry Rod made of the Almond Tree should bring forth buds in a moment 2. That those buds should presently become blossoms and flowers 3. That these should immediately become ripe fruit and that all at once or at least in a little space Natura non facit saltum Nature makes no such leaps All this was supernatural to these ends 1. For a Testimony of God's calling Aaron to the Priesthood 2. For a Type of Christ the branch Isa 11.1 3. For a figure of the fruitfulness of a Gospel-Ministry And 4. For a lively representation of a glorious Resurrection N.B. This Kadesh Barnea where this Miracle was wrought was the more famous a Mansion of Isral there because they not only had their Station at this place many days Deut. 1.46 even a whole year as at Sinai as above for tho' they were commanded to remove their Tents the very next day of their murmuring upon the Return of the Spies and the ten reporting falsly of Canaan Numb 14 25. yet they obeyed not that Command but affaulted the Canaanites in the Mountains and were discomfited by them whereupon they returned to their Tents where they mourned as they had good cause many days and there were permitted to linger and loiter a long time wherein those occurrences afore-mentioned fell out For at their first Station here they received those Laws which are Recorded Numb 15. as also that they stoned him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day ibidem Here it was likewise that Korah and his Complices for aspiring to the Priesthood of Aaron being of Levis Tribe and Dathan and Abiram c. for aspiring to the Principality of Moses being of Reuben the first-born all perished and that 14700 died of the Plague Numb 16. and that Aaron's Rod budded c. Numb 17. that divers Services for the Priests are appointed to save the People from perishing as they complained ver 12 13. Numb 18 and 19. After which Moses mentioneth no more occurrences from this beginning of their third year or the last six months of the second year after their Redemption from Egypt until the first day of their fortieth year Numb 20. where Israel is come after thirty seven or thirty eight years wandring in the Wilderness to this unhappy place Kadesh-Barnea again where they had received their doom of the Divine Decree that their Carcases should fall in the Wilderness and not enter into the Land of Promise accordingly that sad Decree was executed during their many Marches and Stations from this Kadesh towards the Red Sea Deut. 1.40 and back again to this Kadesh some seven or eight and thirty years after All those Wandrings during this tedious Time are barely mentioned by Moses Numb 33. from ver 18 to 36. having no remarkable occurrencies The first Remark concerning those intercurrent years 37 or 38. is That when Moses saw the old Generation fall so fast in this
Though many books as all those forenamed be lost yet no Canonical Scripture the preservation whereof entire hath been a standing divine miracle of mercy to the Church in all ages 2. The Apostle Jude doth indeed say that Enoch Prophesied but he doth not say that he wrote what he prophesied he saith not It is written as if he were quoting some passage out of the sacred Scriptures 3. Though there might be in this Apostle Jude's time a book of some Apocryphal author containing in it the true Prophecy of Enoch but mixing with it many forged Fables yet Jude had a peculiar particular Revelation that this special Prophecy cited by that Author did verily come from the Prophet Enoch as he speaks of the Contention betwixt Michael and the Devil about the body of Moses no where mentioned but in his verse 9. in sacred Scripture This he might have by Divine Revelation 4. That Enoch was a Prophet strictly taken as the word in its proper notion doth signify to foretell things to come This he certainly did in naming his Son Methuselah which signifies he dieth and the Dart cometh which is a clear indication of his Prophetick Spirit whereby he foresaw and accordingly did foreshew thereby that the lease of that wicked old World was only the Term or Time of his Sons life for no sooner was his Sons head laid but in the floud came like a dart cast by a divine hano 5. That Jude had Enochs Prophecy concerning the destruction of the World most probably by Tradition from his Fore-fathers which is the 2d of the two aforesaid opinions how the Apostle came by it and not out of any book It being delivered from hand to hand from Father to Son down to that time and so applies he that Prophecy to the Gnosticks or loose-coats of his day intimating that the like sins would certainly bring the like Judgments Thus he argued with the Jews then Sensualists having not the Spirit v. 19. from things taken for granted and from their own Testimonies 6. Suppose Jude did cite this Prophecy out of some Apocryphal Author or which is more likely took it up upon the generally received Tradition of that time yet doth not this render this Catholick Epistle of Jude as some would hence have it no better than Apocryphal for then the Apostle Pauls Epistles and several other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacred Scriptures must be Apocryphal also seeing many such Quotations are made in them 'T is frequent with the holy Penmen of sacred writ to interlace some such circumstances as are not mentioned in their proper places or Histories As 1. In Exodus we read of the opposition which the Magicians made against Moses but no mention is there of their names yet Paul undertakes to name them James and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 Which he took up from Tradition of the Jewish Talmud yea Apuleius and other Histories describe the contest speaking of those two famous Magicians and the same Apostle quoteth three sentences out of profane Poets yet this is so far from making his Epistles Apocryphal that indeed it maketh those sayings of Heathen men to become Canonical Scripture 2. David in his Psal 105.18 telleth us how Josephs feet were hurt in the Fetters and he was laid in Iron Whereof Moses in his History of Josephs imprisonment Gen. 39.20 mentioneth not a word yet this makes not the book of Psalms Apocryphal The same 3. May be said touching Moses quaking Heb. 12.21 4. Touching the Water of the Rock following Israel through the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.4 5. And touching Jacobs worshiping upon the Top of his Staff Heb. 11.21 Yet are all Canonical 7. Although Jude receiv'd this Prophecy of Enoch by Antient Tradition yet not by Tradition only for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inspired of God 2 Pet. 1.21 therefore it makes nothing for the Foolish Traditions of the Romanists who argue from hence that seeing the Apostle did deliver this Prophecy to the Church which he receiv'd by Tradition therefore say they the written Word of God containeth not all things in it that are to be known by the Church necessarily concerning Faith and Manners there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions as well as Scriptures without which they are not sufficient To this Popish Objection 't is Answered 1. Besides what hath been said before though some Books be lost yet no Sacred Scripture the most Holy and most Wise God hath so order'd the matter by his good Providence that no Book no Scripture no Saying or Sentence is lost that was necessary to Salvation 2. The same Spirit whereby Enoch Prophesied as all the other Prophets did Luke 1.70 did inspire Jude also with an extraordinary Spirit of discerning whereby he certainly knew it to be no other than Enoch's Prophecy This the Romanists may nor pretend to The third Answer is Though this Prophecy of Enoch was to that time but a Tradition yet then it seemed good to the Holy Ghost by the Apostle Jude to make it a part of Canonical Scripture 't is there made Authentick and put into the Canon The fourth Answer is Though hitherto it had been deliver'd only by Tradition yet was it always Consonant to the Truth of other Sacred Scriptures so this cannot palliate those Romish Traditions which are directly repugnant to the Word of God All the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles set forth that great Truth of Christs coming to Judgment whereof Enoch Prophesied so it was agreeable not contrary to the Word of God Oh the bold presumption of the Church of Rome to equal Friars Dreams with Holy Scripture though quite contrary to Scripture But 2. If Enoch were not a Prophet in the strict sense as Moses Samuel c. yet was he a Prophet in the large sense as he was a publick Preacher as he had his Word of Exhortation to that wicked World in which sense the word Prophecy is taken 1 Cor. 14.3 and 1 Thes 5.20 Thus Enoch was undoubtedly a Preacher of Righteousness as well as Noah 2 Pet. 2.5 Thundering out direful Threatnings to the old Impenitent Wicked World the sum whereof was those two verses v. 14 and 15. in Judes Epistle for that Apostle considering the Circumstances and corrupt Manners of that profane people to whom Enoch Preached gathered thence the substance of his Sermons as Behold the Lord cometh c. as at the Deluge of Noah and as at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai c. both which were dreadful Comings of the Lord. This Doctrine of the General Day of Judgment unquestionably Enoch Preached Though he did not write it and Jude one of Gods Pen-men sanctifies his Sermon and puts the stamp of Divine Authority upon it applying it to his own Licentious Times for deterring them from sin Hence note 1. That the Doctrine of the Resurrection and of Coming to Judgment was known to the Fathers before the Flood 2. The like Threatnings are
upon God himself at the top This makes Jacobs Ladder or Christ to be what the Spouse calls him Cant. 5.10 He is Hebr. vexillatus prae decem millibus the most matchless and incomparable Ladder in the World The chiefest among ten thousand over-topping all others as Saul did the people Antesignanus or Standard-bearer conspicuous above all The way of life is above to the wise Prov. 15.24 and that way of wisdom upon this Ladder in a pleasant way Prov. 3.17 It doth many a Soul good to be running up this Ladder I have sometimes wondred at Horace's expression Coelum ipsum petimus nostrâ stultitiâ we attempt Heaven it self in our folly but sure I am it holds more truly Gratiâ prudentiâ by Gods Grace and by Divine Wisdom not by Humane Folly we should all attempt to climb up to Heaven upon this Ladder The Posture and End of its Erection is for saving from Hell and sending to Heaven The fifth Excellent Property is 'T is a large Ladder there is room enough both for Saints and Angels upon this Ladder 'T is so large that it enlargeth and stretcheth out it self into all Lands as do the great Luminaries of Heaven This Ladder is 1. Extensive as 't is found every where where either Jacob or any of the seed of Jacob may be found whether it be in Europe Asia Africa or America whether it be in the City or in the Country whether it be in publick or in private whether in Family-worship or Closet-retirements in all those places Believers do find this large Ladder of Love let down to them and there doth Christ give them his Loves Cant. 7.11 12. Upon which account the Apostle saith I will that men pray every where c. 1 Tim. 2.8 whether in the Fields or in the Villages or in the Vineyards or under the secret places of the stairs Cant. 2.14 any place yea a Chimney-corner may make a good Oratory upon this Ladder whereon Christ accounteth our voices sweet and our countenances comely And this Ladder Christ himself asserteth this great Truth Joh. 4.21 This Ladder as 't is Extensive in the first-place to all places as above So 2. 'T is comprehensive to all persons there is room enough upon this Ladder for all the Saints in all the Nations of the World for those in Rags as well as for those in Robes they need not justle one another in their climbings up to Heaven for want of room Though the way to Heaven be call'd a strait and narrow way Matth. 7.13 14. 't is not call'd so as if there were no room for more than for those few that find it for there is room enough therein for many millions more had they but hearts to seek and find it but because it allows men no Elbow-room for Vanity and Villany This Ladder is that way and may have the same name given it which Isaac's Third Well had calling it Reboboth Gen. 26 22. because then God had made Rooms or Room enough for him So here God hath made Room enough for all Believers upon this Ladder and if they do justle one another as God knows they do too much it is not for want of Room in it but for want of Love and Brotherly Affection in themselves and 't is well if this doth not discover the carnal seed of the Bond-woman from the spiritual seed of the Free The former being the justlers of the latter Gal. 4.29 As it was in Abraham's and Paul's day so it is now in our day Now seeing Christ this Ladder hath room enough for us both in his Kingdom of Grace and in his Kingdom of Glory John 14.2 he hath many Mansions and many Rooms in those Mansions enough of both in his Fathers house for us Oh what a shame is it that we should not have Room enough for Christ but our straitned hearts are too much like the place of Christs Birth which thrust that sweet Babe of Bethlehem into a stinking Stable for there was no room for him in the Inn Luke 2.7 Have we room enough for beastly lusts to which our hearts can be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an open Inn that entertains all comers and have we or can we make no Room for the holy Child Jesus to whom we should say as Laban said to Eleazar Come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without Gen. 24.31 As Aaron had room enough to bear all the Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel in the Breast-plate of Judgment upon his heart before the Lord Exod. 28.29 So Christ our High-Priest hath Room enough for all Believers Names both in his Book call'd the Lambs Book of Life Rev. 13.8 and in his heart both while on Earth Joh. 14.2 If it were not so I would have told you he could not find in his heart to hide any thing from them that might help and heal their troubled hearts v. 1. and when in Heaven he is much concern'd with all our sorrows and sufferings Isa 63.9 Acts 9.4 and this Ladder hath Room enough for our descending down into our hearts to view the greater abominations there Ezek. 8.7 8 13. and for our ascending up to view the Excellencies of Christ Alas that we have no more Room for him the chiefest of ten thousand and who deserves ten thousand times more of our loves The sixth Excellent Property 'T is a long and lofty Ladder so long as to reach from Earth to Heaven The distance must needs be vast and prodigious betwixt as the Scripture stiles the Heaven and Earth Gods Throne and his Footstool yet this Ladder is so long that it rests with its Top upon the former and stands with its Bottom upon the latter If Learned Authors do but reckon right they do demonstrate by as they call them undeniable Rules that the distance betwixt Earth and Heaven can be no less than an hundred and sixty millions of miles at the least in its due Longitude And some Astronomers do critically and curiously calculate that long distance to be five hundred years Journey from the superficies or surface of the Earth to the Starry Heaven which is yet but the under-ceiling the glorious glittering Rough cast or the most splendid and bright Brick-wall that encompasseth the Royal Palace the Heaven of Heavens the Throne of the great God and the Habitation of the Blessed Eliphaz in Job 22. v. 12. saith Behold the height of the Stars how high they are so high that our Eyes can hardly reach them 'T is a wonder saith Dr. Hall upon the Creation that we can look up to so great an height and so admirable a distance and that our very Eyes are not wearied and tired out in that long way before they come to that long Journeys end Yet hereby that vast distance is undeniably discovered seeing that some fixed Stars as well as the Sun are bigger than the whole Globe of the Earth notwithstanding they seem to the beholders Eyes but as so
lest Parents partiality presume to put a Difference where neither God nor Nature hath put any Fond Affection express'd by Parents to some one Fantling above all the rest is the ready way to exasperate the slighted against the cockered Against this Evil the Apostle warneth Eph. 6.4 Parents provoke not your Children to wrath well knowing that Parents partiality may breed Heart-burning among Children Therefore 't is a part of Prudence in all Parents so to govern their inward Affections or at least so to order and restrain the Demonstrations of their love in outward signs that they give no cause of either Grudge or Grief among their Children 'T is no marvel saith Ambrose if Brethren fall out about Houses and Land when Joseph's Brethren could so hate him and all comparatively about a Coat finer than theirs Secondly Note hence that over-strong Affections mostly end in over-strong Afflictions they that Love over-much shall be sure to Grieve over-much The excess of one Passion the case coming into the contrary point hath a natural tendency to turn into the excess of another How did David dote upon his Son Absolom who kissed him 2 Sam. 14.33 when he should rather have kicked him if not have killed him by the hand of Justice for his former Villany than thus to have harden'd him for future further and far worse wickedness but he severely smarted for his excessive love and unbounded affection towards his over-loved Absolom for whom he afterward as much over-grieved 2 Sam. 18.33 wishing he had died for him Thus also David doted upon his other Son Adonijah 1 King 1.6 cockering him when he should have been correcting him The fond Father pleased his Son in his Childhood and the foolish Son displeased his Father in his old Age not caring if he crush'd his very Heart when now Bedrid a poor Clynick by his Disloyalty and Usurpation This also was an Evil in old Eli 1 Sam. 2.22 to 29. who likely had marr'd his Sons all along with too much fond Indulgence and now in his old Age had quite lost his Authority over them This gentleness of Eli to his villanous Sons God reproved him smartly for because he would not rebuke them sharply or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly and to the quick Tit. 1.13 for their notorious Villanies saying because thou wilt rather gratifie-them than glorifie me thou shalt have thy belly full of them and in the end they help'd to break both his Neck and his Heart Ch. 4.17 18. Thus also Jacob here very probably was too fond a Father to his Son Joseph who yet was more worthy of his Fathers love than any of the aforesaid yea than any of his own Brethren notwithstanding immoderate Love or over fond Affections even to one well deserving them displeaseth the Lord and therefore he permits Jacob to smart for it so severely as to refuse all Comforts as if there were not a good Providence of God without leave whereof no Beast could bite Joseph to be submitted unto and as if there were no Resurrection to restore Dan. 12.2 Hebr. 11.34 All Parents must therefore watch in both the best may offend that Passions grow not too wild whether love or grief and such as will not be governed either by Refined Reason or by Divinely inspired Grace This may cost them dear as to Jacob here The Third moving Cause in those Sellers to Sell Joseph was as 2. for his Gawdy Coat his Earthly Father gave him out of his probably too fond Affection as before to him So 3. For his Divine Dreams he received from his Heavenly Father once and again and revealed them to his Brethren and Jacob. These Remarks are observable 1. Joseph's Dreams were Divine for it must be the finger of God or a Divine Hand which made Joseph a Child to become a Prophet as the Child Samuel was after 1 Sam. 3.1 4 8 10 and 11 c. and which out of the Mouth of a Babe ordaineth Strength Psal 8.2 to foretel future things Though for the present Joseph being but a Child had as little understanding of his Dreams as the Child Samuel had of his Visions 1 Sam. 3.7 neither of them yet being acquainted with them 2. Those Dreams were doubled as Pharaoh's were Gen. 41.32 not only to make a deepe◠Impression upon the Mind but also to import both Assurance and Expedition of the matter and though his Dreams were double in Vision yet were they but single in Sense and Signification as Pharaoh's were Gen. 41.25 both the Dreams had one and the same Interpretation 3. Those two Dreams were of two differing Kinds The first was of Terrestrial Things that his Brethrens sheaves in their personal Joint-Harvest work did obeisance to his sheaf The second was of Caelestial Things that the Sun Moon and Eleven Stars bowed themselves to him Gen. 37 7 9 that is Father Mother Brethren 4. The former of those Dreams Joseph relates to his Brethren only who could give a right and better Interpretation of it than the Child Joseph as it seems could do and though Joseph told them this Dream not out of any Ambition but out of Simplicity yet in stead of hearkening to this Oracle of God they stubbornly resist Gods revealed Will and hate Joseph yea rebuke him for revealing it 5. The latter of them he declares not only to his Brethren but also to his Father conceiving him concern'd in it as well as them and though Jacob at first gave Joseph a light Rebuke for it either not yet understanding the Mystery of it or prudently pretending a dislike for preventing the further Envy of his Sons against Joseph This latter the judicious Judge to be Jacob's drift and design in rebuking the Dreamer Gen. 37.10 and therefore he draws his Argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the impossibility and absurdity of it Shall thy dead Mother Rachel rise again and reverence thee this the Prudent old Patriarch might say to mollifie the Malice of Joseph's Brethren who notwithstanding did bear him more Malice for it v. 11. however as light as Jacob seem'd to make of it he laid it to heart as Mary the Mother of Christ did who made her Memory like the Golden Pot that kept the Mannah so he minded those remarkable Matters judging them not to be Vain but to have something more than ordinary in them Mark here the Mistake of Josephus who saith that Joseph's Brethren found no fault with him at the telling of his first Dream whereas the Text saith expresly they said Shalt thou indeed Reign over us v. 8. and that they said nothing at the rehearsing of the second referring it to the Judgment of their Father to whom it was told again by Joseph whom therefore his Father rebuked in the presence of his Brethren and therefore they spared their Reproof but all this Moses might think meet to omit as Mercer thinketh 6. The Sixth Remark is Joseph in Dreaming and declaring his Dreams thus did not deserve 1. Any real
and a childish Dream But seeing Jacob himself look'd upon it as serious the word Mother must have another meaning and not Rachel to rise out of her Grave to do it Indeed the Rabbies to solve this do say this was fulfill'd in Joshua who came of Joseph and whom the Sun obeyed in standing still and the Moon in staying her Course Josh 10.13 but though this be a fair exemplification 't is not the proper Interpretation of the Dream for Jacob understandeth it not Literally of the Sun in the Firmament but Mystically applying the Sun to himself And Josesph likewise applyeth the Dream figuratively to himself Gen. 42.9 when Humane Event had now given the most Genuine Sense of that Divine Dream or Oracle Some say this Mother was Bilhah Rachel's Maid yet call'd Joseph's Mother because she was his Nurse So Plautus saith Mater est quae mammam dedit she is the Mother that gives the Child Suck Thus think some Hebrews in Munster and Lyra but Castalion says It was Leah Joseph's half Mother Yet the aforesaid Lyra saith Rachel cum adoravit in prole i. e. Benjamin lioèt non in personâ propriâ that Rachel though now dead so could not do Homage to Joseph in her own proper Person yet did it in her Son Benjamin who bowed himself to Joseph with the rest of his Brethren Gen. 43.26 28 29. where all the Eleven Sons the Stars in the Name and with the Name of their Father the Sun saying He is your Servant Sir as we are all so Thus by a marvellous Providence to make good his Divine Dream they become all humble Supplicants to him for necessary Bread however Mercer's judgment seems most solid saying This Mother in Joseph's Dream might be either Leah according to Castalion the time of her death being not mention'd by Moses as is Sarah's who is the only Woman in Scripture whose Age at death is Recorded nor are the Women who went down with Jacob to Egypt named or numbred at all by him save only that they were seventy Souls Gen. 46.26 27. Exod. 1.5 Deut. 10.22 which is purposely Registred at their going into Egypt that we may admire the Power and Providence of God over his Church that even in the House of Bondage in two hundred and fifteen years those seventy Souls were multiplyed into six hundred thousand Men beside Women and Children at their going out of Egypt Numb 1.46 even as many as Stars in Heaven and the Sands upon the Seashore Gods Promise was made good by a Miracle never then think the Church too low for God But the Enquiry is Whether Leah was one of that Seventy which went down with Jacob into Egypt Answer 1. Some suppose so with Josephus who seems to say lib. 2. of Jew Antiq. chap. 4. that Leah led Dinah her Daughter down thither and if so then she was the Mother that did Homage to Joseph according to his Dream So those two the Mother and the Daughter may make up the three and thirty mentioned Gen. 46.15 instead of Er and Onan who died in Canaan for their Sin Gen. 38.7 10. so did not go down to Egypt and therefore ought not to be numbred Leah and Dinah filling up their place Answer the second But 't is the received Opinion of the most Judicious Authors that Leah was dead at Jacob's going down to Egypt so that seeing it was not Leah it was some other of his two Secondary Wives who then was the Mother of the Family who went down with Jacob and who with him did Obeisance to Joseph and no doubt had Leah been alive then and there yea or Rachel her self and had seen Joseph's Honour and Grandeur if unknown who he was due Respects would have been paid by them both unto his Dignity and Deputy-ship Thus having gloss'd upon both Joseph's Dreams wherein God had reveal'd to him his Dominion over his Brethren c. His declaring those Dreams to them was the grand Ground of their Envy and Hatred against him hereupon at the very first view of him when sent of Jacob to give them a Friendly and Brotherly Visit their Hearts rise in Indignation and belch out that black Blasphemy Behold the Dreamer cometh Gen. 37.19 Hebr. Baal Hachalomoth a Lord or Master of Dreams This was a most scurrilous scoff and withal 〈◊〉 most cruel calumny For here 1. They call their Brother Baal which Name is used fifty seven times in Scripture for a dirty Dunghil Deity a false God or Idol Such a lump of filthy Impurity that Baal is used in contradistinct terms to the most pure and holy God 1 King 18.21 God and Baal Yet this is the best Name his Brethren bestow upon their best Brother Their Hearts were so big swoln with Spite and Spleen that they could not call him by his Name his own proper Name Joseph but Nick-name him with that odious and beastly Name Baal But 2. Take the name Baal in its general Genuine and Grammatical sense so it signifies a Lord or Master and therein they seem to honour him but by putting Hachalomoth to Baal therein calling him the Lord and Master of Dreams or one that is Married to them as Baal signifies so they notoriously dishonour him reckoning this Innocent and Early Religious Youth among the abominable Baalim's of the Heathen World whereas they themselves were more truely Baali-aphim Masters of Anger as Angry Men are stiled by Solomon the Wise Prov. 22.24 Baal-aph is a Man of anger and Baal-chemah is a furious Man Prov. 29.12 so they were rather Baali-chemoth married to their furious Passions and Malice more than he was Baal-Hacholomoth a Master of or Married to any fond Dreams which indeed were Divine and sent of God to him wherein he was Passive and but Gods Instrument both in receiving and in relating them And therefore Moses more truely mentioneth how their Father Jacob by an Infallible Spirit names those very Nick-Names of Joseph Baali-Chitsim Arch Archers or Masters of Arrows Gen. 49.23 Those cunning and skilful Archers shot sore at Joseph as at their Mark with their Invenom'd Arrows of Rancour and Rage in their Loud Lies Cruel Calumnies and Cut-throat Contrivances against him So that this Sarcaltick Nick-Name not only this Dreamer as our Translation over narrowly reads it but this Master of Dreams as the Hebrew plainly signifies and so Mr. Ainsworth rightly reads it was no better than their base traducing their Brother as if he had been some insolent Impostor and had made those Dreams merely out of his own mad mind as Master and Framer of them which was a Cursed Calumny seeing they were sent of God to signifie that his advancement to he Lord of the Land of Egypt came not by chance but by a Divine Decree and Gods powerful Providence However their scurrilous stile of Dreamer they give him doth plainly demonstrate that his Dreams were the cause of their hating him and of their conspiring to kill him as judging him the only Authour of them
before and after him he was the Law-giver he was a Mediator though not of Redemption yet of Relation as he fetched Divine Laws from God to Israel and as he carried Devout Prayers from Israel to God Moreover this is very Remarkable and quite cross and contrary to that Popish Doctrine of their Monastick perfection The Romanists affirm that the Married Estate is far less Honourable than the Unmarried because say they the Apostle Paul who was an Unmarried Man had the Honour of going up to God in his Rapture into Paradise but passing by his own saying That he had power to lead about a Sister a Wife c. we Answer that this Moses who was a Married Man had a greater Honour confer'd upon him insomuch as God vouchsafed to come down to him 'T is much more condescention in a Mortal Prince to rise up from his Throne and come down Stairs to his poor Subject than if only he were call'd up to him And as to the latter respect God wrought many Miracles of Mercy upon Israel and of Plagues and Judgments upon Egypt by Moses's Hands whereby the Church of God was delivered out of the House of Bondage and carried through the Wilderness to the very Borders of Canaan No further doth Moses or the Law go 't is Joshua our Jesus leads us into the Land c. The Life of Moses consisted of an hundred and twenty years so that it may most aptly be divided into three distinct Forties In his first forty years he had his Deliverance from Pharaoh's Infanticide as above and lived all those years after as the Adopted Son of Pharaoh's Daughter who gave him that Advantage by the help of his Tutors as to a Princess's Sun to become so mighty in words and deeds as Stephen speaketh Acts 7.22 which Character he giveth Moses not from any express Scripture but by necessary consequence for it could no otherwise be conceived concerning the Adopted Son of a King and of a King of Egypt a Land abundantly addicted to Learning and Study Until he was Forty years old he lived in Pharaoh's Court as the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter and as some say was designed â—o succeed Pharaoh in the Throne He being now grown up to full Maturity of Stature Authority and all Accomplishments both as a great Orator and as a great Warriour was minded to visit his afflicted Brethren Exod. 2.11 This he did partly by Natural Inclination having a Sympathizing Spirit towards their Relief And partly by Divine Instigation intimating to them that he was raised and sent of God to deliver them Acts 7.23 25. The signal whereof was his slaying the Egyptian as a Judge appointed of God his Call thereto being manifested to his own Conscience Exod 2.12 13 14. Moses had Suck'd in such a Savour of Godliness with the Milk of his Mother who with his Father had instructed him that he was of the Seed of Abraham the Heir of the World c. that all the Court-pleasures and Treasures could not wear off Heb. 11.25 26. He refuseth his Courtiers Life offers to be his Brethrens Reconciler and Deliverer they not yet enough humbled refuse their own Deliverance and puts it back forty years longer Pharaoh heard what he had done and to secure himself from so dangerous a Person whom he suppos'd to be the Man foretold by his Priests that would be the Scourge of Egypt and the Deliverer of Israel sought to slay him Exod. 2.15 upon this Moses flies into Midian which brings us to the second forty years which time he tarried there when of an High Courtier he became a poor Shepherd and of a Student in Philosophy was turn'd a Student in Divinity yea and studied even God himself and while he was so doing hath that famous Vision of Christ in a Bush burning but not consumed Exod. 3.2 by the good will in it Deut. 33.16 In this Vision the Place Time and End are very Remarkable 1. The Place 't was not in Pharaoh's Court where he never had such a Vision as this for full forty years he lived therein but it was in the Wilderness When Man is satiating himself with the Honours and Pleasures of a Worldly Court there is no leisure to have or hold Commerce with the Court of Heaven Felix was for his more convenient Season Acts 24.25 Worldly Pomp and Vanity make such a noise in a Courtiers Ears that God may speak once and twice and he perceive it not Job 33.14 Hence Israel was allured into the Wilderness and there God spake kindly to her Heart Hos 2.14 there the Pillar of Glory came to them and walk'd with them from Stage to Stage in a Familiar manner Exod. 13.20 21. When they were in Aâ—tham Hebr. hard Ground God comes when distant from Egypt or the World When the Soul is drawn at distance from the Distractions of the World then is it in the fittest frame for the Visions of God Prov. 18.1 2. The time when relating 1. To Moses and 2 To Israel 1. As to Moses This Vision of the Bush was at the end of his second forty years Acts 7.30 so long had he lived a private Life as a poor Shepherd 'T is a wonder his former forty years Life of an Honourable Courtier had not put his Mouth out of taste for so long a Dishonourable Countrey Life But a good Heart is taught to condescend to all conditions and can be abased as well as Exalted as Paul Phil. 4.11 12. and David was call'd to be a Courtier yet content after to become a Shepherd till his Conquering of Goliath 2. As to Israel both Moses and Israel must wait long for this comforting Vision Moses finds Israel as the Messias did after in the sharpest part of their misery Duplicantur lateres venit Moses Though the Tyrant was dead Exod. 2.23 yet Tyranny was not one Pharaoh succeeds another as afterwards the Bloody Herods did and all of the same Brutish Bran Though Israel's Chief Oppressor was suppressed yet were they Oppressed still for another Pharaoh succeeded as great in Power and as grievous in Persecution They changed only their Master but not at all their Miseries which indeed grew greater and greater this made them sigh and groan and as it was with Job their stroke was heavier than their groaning Job 23.2 3. The final Cause wherefore This is double also not only for comforting Israel in their Bondage but also Moses in his Banishment who spent not his second forty years private Life in Idleness but in Divine Contemplations as above and in Writing the Book of Genesis and as some say the Book of Job for comforting his Countrey-men in Misery teaching them thereby to lean upon the Lord and to learn to live by Faith on the Promises made to their Forefathers the Holy Patriarchs Mens very Miseries cry to God as Hagar's did Gen. 16.11 when her self cried not The Lord knew their Soulâ—â—n Adversity Psal 31.7 Gods Eye saw what the wicked did to Moses and
passeth through them Isa 27.4 and which seemingly might Promise Fruit but were really dry to shew that there is no hope of Relief by any legal Performances N.B. The Apostle calls the Law given upon Mount Sinai a Covenant of Works Gal. 4.24 which was a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 and hath still something of the Fire in it but no Relief or Comfort as the Tenure of it is do and live so 't is full of Terrour and Malediction to those that continue not in all things Gal. 3 10. It made not only the People but even Moses himself their Mediator Tremble Heb. 12.21 But we have a better Mediator in the Gospel-state not God coming down in a thick Cloud as here but God manifested in the Flesh c. 1 Tim. 3.16 'T is the Gospel-state that 1. Gives us Relief from the Curse of the Law 2. Procures Acceptance both of our Persons and of our Actions of Obedience And 3. Obtains Pledges of Divine Favour both for here and hereafter The Voice of Words was the Decalogue or Moral Law which was first writ in the Heart but now by the overspreading Corruption of all Flesh was much worn out Therefore God gives it here such a glorious Renovation and not only Audibly spake those Ten Words in the Audience of all this prodigious Auditory but also wrote them with his own Finger in Tables of Stone to shew both the Law 's Duration and our Obduration The Seventh Remark is the Perturbation of the People at this horrible Promulgation and Delivery of the Decalogue Wherein the Objects the Effects and the Remedy of their Horrour and Trembling are expresly observable in this Place First The Object Exod. 20.18 They saw the Thunders c. which strictly taken are rather heard than seen but seeing is largely taken for perceiving by any Sense or by the Understanding Thus Jacob saw there was Corn in Egypt Gen. 42.1 is explained by the Holy Ghost by Jacob heard Act. 7.12 Seeing is the surest Sense for believing one Eye-witness is of more Credit than many Ear-witnesses therefore 't is oft used for Knowledge that comes by Hearing or by the other Senses as Exod. 5.21 Yea by the Light of Reason or by the Evidence of Faith whereby many Truths are apprehended so assuredly as if they were seen with our Bodily Eyes Omnes Sensus conjuncti sunt in communi sensu all the five outward Senses are conjoined in the inward common Sense Nor doth Moses relate all the People saw for there was Fire mixed with Smoak and Darkness c. which burned up to the midst of Heaven This was the Object that affrighted them Secondly The Effects were twofold First Their Supplication that God would no more speak by himself but by Moses to them Exod. 20. ver 19. 'T was here Man 's own choice and we should therefore look on it as a great Mercy that God's Mind is made known to us by the Ministry of Men like to our selves as Elihu said to Job Behold I am according to thy wish cut out of the Clay My Terrour shall not make thee afraid Job 33.6 7. N.B. God speaking â—he Law was so terrible to the People that they had need of a Mediator wherein Moses â—ypified Christ Gal. 3.19 1 Tim. 2.3 to mediate betwixt God and Israel Secondly Their Tergiversation or flight from the Mountain as frighted ones retreating to their Tents ver 21. For which doing God commiserating their Infirmities gave them his Commission Deut. 5.30 As he had before given them his Commendation in requesting a Mediator Deut. 5.28 29. The People being terrified seek for a Mediator ver 27. which was the end of the Law as a Schoolmaster to drive us unto Christ Cal. 3.24 This humble motion pleased God and for the present he gave them Moses to mediate for them but farther promiseth them a Prophet like to Moses who was Christ our Blessed Mediator Deut. 18.15 18. Act. 3.22 26. Whose Office is to go near unto God and declare his Mind to us which was fulfill'd in Christ Joh. 1.18 and 3.13 and 8.28 c. The Law was given in this terrible Manner for many Reasons 1. To shew forth the dreadful Majesty of God 2. To awaken the Consciences of Sinners 3. To declare the controversie betwixt an Holy God and sinful Men without Christ by whom Grace cometh and the Gospel of Grace invites those whom the Law excludes 4. The Law given out of the Cloud intimated it's obscurity without the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.13 c. God is not clearly seen in the Law for God is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 5. All this Dread and Terrour was to shew the Nature of the Law how it is a killing Letter like Draco's Law written not in black but in Blood holding forth Justice only and not Mercy manifesting God's Will and Mens Sins and to warn them of the Wrath deserved summoning them to appear before the Judge And 6. To assure that as the Law was given at first with all this Horrour and affrightment so with much more unspeakable Consternation of all Flesh God will require it at the Day of Judgment when all the World that have been are or shall be must appear before the Judge The Third Branch is the Remedy of the Peoples Perplexity Moses saith to them Fear not there 's a Prohibition Yet fear that 's a Precept Exod. 20.20 Servile or Slavish fear which startleth and stareth perplexed ones at the Approach and Apprehension of Danger he forbids here yet promotes he a filial and awful fear which is compounded of Reverence and Love this must be a Bridle from Sin and a Spur to Holiness as well as Beneficence is a Bait to Obedience Isa 1.19 20. Or the sense of the Words runs thus Fear not this glorious Appearance so much as to cry out Let not God talk with us lest we Dye ver 19. for they now had heard God yet they did not then die and this they acknowledge Deut. 5.24 but such was the guilt of their Sin that they feared should God continue to speak to them any more they could not escape death Moses wisheth them here to raise up their Meditations from this terrour in giving the Law to that future fearful appearance of the Law-giver at the last day when he cometh to take vengeance upon all breakers of this Law not only Jews but all Genâ—iles c. For which day we must much more sanctifie our selves to day and to morrow as they did for receiving the Law when God comes to require it our Sanctification is not perfected in one day nor may we only promise obedience as they did but be as ready to perform it They promised universal obedience without any limitation Exod. 19.8 yet soon forgot their promise when they made a Golden-Calf c. Our Lord tells us in the parable The Son that said to his Father he would not go to work in his Vineyard yet after repented is commended before him who said I go Sir
And as for the latter he prays that God would not shew any sign of accepting the Offering of those presumptuous Levites the two hundred and fifty that intruded into the Priest's Office which God did by sending fire from Heaven to consume the Oblation Then Moses committed the deciding of the Controversie to God himself So 2. The Divine Correction follows the Humane of Moses from ver 16 to 35. No sooner had those Intruders taken their Censers which they had ready provided upon their first Combination to thrust themselves into the Priest's Office and prepared to offer but presently the Glory of the Lord shining in the Cloud over the Sanctuary appeared unto Moses and Aaron standing on one side and these two hundred and fifty on the other side who most impudently stood stouting it out in defiance of God and making an open profession of their gross profaneness in the sight of the Sun ver 17 18 19. They declared their sin as Sodom Isa 3.9 there was no need of digging to find it out as a thing hid Jer. 2.34 for they set it as it were upon the cliff of the Rock Ezek. 24.7 The Rock of Ages now resolves to ruine them commands the credulous of the Congregation whom Korah had wheadled in to countenance his Conspiracy to withdraw from all familiarity with the Rebels ver 20 21 24 26. Moses denounces their Doom to be extraordinary ingageth the honour of his Office upon a Miracle to be wrought by God ver 29 30 c. for the utter Ruine of those presumptuous Rebels and that presently to be done as he had declared ver 5. in the very view of many hundred thousands of People who were all generally over-ready to comply with Korah's Conspiracy and to favour his Attempt he persuading them that God would favour it also His design being to introduce an equal popularity could not want many favourers among the common People yet those that would depart from the society of those sinners ver 24 26 27. were spared at Moses's Mediation for them praying The God of the spirits of all flesh as Zech. 12.1 Heb. 12.9 Job 12.10 Act. 17.25 El Elohei Haruchoth c. All this People have not sinned like Korah the principal Incendiary who hath inflamed so many into this hot Rebellion Thou Lord knows hearts Numb 27.16 that the People have not sinned out of malice but are only coaxed in by Korah 't is convenient for thy Glory to distinguish betwixt the greater and the lesser Sinners c. Thus Moses intercedes ver 22. and the Lord accepts of his Intercession for all those that would save themselves from that untoward Generation Act. 2.40 Rev. 18.4 In the next place follows the Execution of this Divine Correction The Conspirators all perish they and theirs Dathan Abiram and their Accomplices by the opening of the Earth under them ver 31 32 33. and Korah with his Company by fire from Heaven ver 35. This must needs be an undoubted evidence of God's concurrence with the Ministry of Moses and that he had not out of any private affection to his Brother Aaron preferr'd him to the Priesthood and therewithal it was an undoubted Assurance of the Divine Truth of Moses's Writings in the Pentateuch N.B. Moses here had no sooner spoke the word but God made it good by his deed dictum factum at once avouching Moses and Aaron's Authority and Integrity and avenging his own and their Cause in the just and miraculous punishment of the Rebels notorious Impiety Dathan Abiram c. stood impudently in their Tent-doors out-facing Moses and scorning the Judgment threatned ver 27. then they and their whole housholds went down into Sheol a great Grave of God's own making not into Hell as the Papists say for how could their Tents and Goods go down thither Yea their little Infants were not excepted who tho' not guilty of their Parents sin had sin enough in their Nature to deserve the shortning of their Lives and while God in Justice kill'd their Bodies he might in mercy save their Souls Yet their Parents were punished in their deaths in whose well led lives their memory might have flourished but Korah and his two hundred and fifty were kill'd by fire out of the shining Cloud as they sinn'd by fire as Levit. 10.1 2. Psal 106.18 but Kōrah's Children were not kill'd Numb 26.10 11. for either they consented not to their Father's Rebellion or they repented at the warning given by Moses Numb 16.5 their Genealogy is reckoned 1 Chron. 6.22 38. They were singers in the House of God ver 32. and of them came Samuel ver 33. Thus Children by Repentance cut off the Intail of a Curse from sinful Parents c. Lastly The Consequents of this Conspiracy and of God's Correction of the Conspirators which are twofold First A monument and lasting memorial of God's Judgments upon those presumptuous Sinners against their own Souls and of his Vindication of the Innocency of his most faithful Servants is appointed by the Lord that Israel might be warned there by and that none hereafter should dare to sin so presumptuously ver 37 38 39 40 Wherein 1. Eleazar is bid to take up the Censers of those sinners now slain and to scatter the fire out into an unclean place to shew that the Lord rejected their service as profane Aaron must not do this because he was one of the right Offerers ver 17. and must not be polluted by stepping among the dead but Eleazar as a confirmation of his succeeding him in the Priesthood must do it 2. Those Censers must not be converted to common use because they were consecrated not only as they had been offered up to the Lord as Vessels of the holy Ministry but more especially as now God sanctified them to be beaten out into broad Plates to make a covering for the Brazen Altar and so to be a lasting holy sign of this Rebellious sin c. 3. Hereby Israel must be minded that sin is the Soul's Poison as it was in those Sinners against their own Souls and such are all such as spend the span of this transitory Life after the ways of their own hearts and thereby perish for ever Alas how heartily do sinners feed upon this Poison as the Maid in Pliny did upon Spiders and the Turkish Gally-slaves upon Opium as Bread 4. This Monument and Memorial was to make Israel remember the Transgression of those Sinners God cannot abide to be forgotten and they are worthily made Examples that will not be warned to take them Alterius perditio tua fit cautio And Foelix quem facium aliena pericula cautum N.B. The second Captain deservedly perish'd by fire who took no warning by the so perishing of the first 2 King 1.10 11. as being more impudent and obstinate than the former the third was wiser ver 13. 5. Not only the Israelites in general but also all the Levites in particular save Aaron's Sons only are counted strangers in
Beasts to satisfie their Lusts c. Thus here 't is said Israel bowed down to their Gods ver 2. call'd shame Hos 9.10 These two Sins met together in one Act as oft do Vice and Impudence The Seventh Remark is Men may go far towards Heaven and have many deliverances in their way yet fall foully into heinous Sins to provoke God so as to make them fall short of Heaven Oh stand and wonder that Israel should be thus left of God to themselves in sinning those two heinous Sins when upon the very borders of Canaan their Preservation for forty Years was but a Reservation for this present and worst Judgment Thus those double Sinners of Israel Idolaters and Adulterers whom God had guided through the Wilderness for forty Years who had seen God's wonderful Works all along and felt his Punishments both for their own and their Fathers Sins and who were delivered from many Enemies round about and now ready to enter the Promised Land a Type of the heavenly Canaan yet now abiding in Abel-Shittim their last Station they provoked the Lord to anger ver 3. and the Plague broke in upon them Psal 106.29 which cut them off and so prevented them of entring Canaan Heb. 3.16 17 18 19. The Eighth Remark is Man 's sinful self is his worst Enemy Though the Devil be the greatest yet our own wicked Hearts are the worst Adversary Neither Balaam nor his Master Beelzebub could by any means bring Israel under the Wrath and Curse of God hitherto by any Inchantments or otherwise yet when the Temptation of Satan met with and drew out the Corruption of those wicked Israelites through the Pestilent Counsel of Balaam then did they take Fire and fell into those aforesaid soul Sins which by their own default brought them both under the Wrath and Curse of God by their own Corruption The second Part now follows namely the Removing of this Impediment or stumbling block which was twofold 1. Either mediately by Man is Justice excecuted And 2. Immediately by God himself in the Plague 1. The principal Men that were Ring-leaders in the Transgression were in the General sentenced to be hanged by the Judges of Israel who had not defiled themselves 2. Zimri a Captain in particular was slain by Phinehas The First Remark from hence is Though Moab and Midian with their Daughters were the main beginners of this abominable Mischief yet God first beginneth to punish and purge his Church for God begins at his Sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 and his Judgments must begin at the House of God 1 Pet. 4.17 notwithstanding they do not end there The Midianites must not expect to pass unpunished for God gives Order to destroy them ver 17. and Chap. 31.2 the Reasons why they and not the Moabites do follow upon ver 17. for they were chief in the Mischief The Second Remark is The greatest Grandees of the World ought not to be exempted from the stroke of Justice for 't is said here to the Judges of Israel Hang up those Heads or Princes of the People ver 5. their greatness and Grandeur shall not bear them out or protect them Potentes potenter torquebuntur Chief Men shall have chief Torments They shall die the accursed Death as Hanging was Deut. 21.23 those dissolute Chieftains brought this curse upon themselves and as they had sinned publickly so they suffered publickly before the Lord in the Face of the Sun so for ever to be remembred Mic. 6.5 The Third Remark is When Impartial Justice is executed upon Sinners gentle or simple to the Extirpation of Sin out of Church and State then the fierce anger of the Lord is turned away from that People God is a God of such pure Eyes as he cannot look upon Sin but he must loath it He cannot behold it but he must punish it Hab. 1.13 and to do Justice and Judgment without partiality is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice Prov. 21.3 Especially upon Delinquent Princes who Sin with a thousand Hands as they are publick looking-glasses for People to dress themselves by Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis The Fourth Remark from ver 6. Prince Zimri had surely hatch'd his Heart over with the highest Impudence of Hell who was so brazen-Browed as not to be Content with the common People to commit Fornication without the Camp or Tents of Israel but he Bo va Jakâ—èb el Achau eth hammidianith Hebr. brought his Whore Chozbi into the Camp among his Brethren not only to incite them to the like lustful Lasciviousness but also daringly to outface God himself who walk'd in the midst of the Camp Deut. 23.14 with his notorious Fornication void of all shame to be seen in the Act both by God and Men. The Fifth Remark is Zimri's wicked Act is aggravated also with other notorious Circumstances that he a Prince who should have shewn a better Pattern to the People dared to commit this lewd filthiness among his People while they were bewailing the sad Judgment of the Pestilence now raging among them ver 6. so that his sinning with such an high Hand shewed his Contempt not only of Moses and the Congregation but of God himself and his Judgments and so of all Religion yea and with a profligate purpose as some say to stir up the People to an open Rebellion The Sixth Remark is The extraordinary Motion that came upon Phinehas to perform that Heroick Act of executing Justice upon those filthy Sinners in the sight of Moses and of the Congregation weeping for the Sin and Punishment in the matter of Baal peor ver 3. they were taken as the Adulteress Joh. 8.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ipso furandi Actu in the very Act of Theft This Fact of Phinehas ver 1. who was but a Priest's Son and no ordinary Magistrate and not proceeding judicially with those Malefactors but thrusting a Prince of Israel and a Princess of Midian through their Bodies with his Javelin so suddenly giving them no Time for Repentance may seem blame-worthy in the Eyes of Men but this was done by no private Authority of Phinehas but either by the appointment of Moses ver 5. in whose sight the Sin was committed ver 6. or by an extraordinary Motion of the Holy Spirit as Ehud's Case was in the slaying of Eglon and therefore not to be made any Rule of Practice c. The Seventh Remark is That this famous Fact of Phinehas his Justice in slaying those two infamous Sinners even in the midst of the flagrancy of both their Lusts might not be misjudged by any Man afterwards therefore God himself both justifieth and rewardeth it here ver 11 12 13. as an Holy Work done by the Motion of his Holy Spirit and for a farther Divine Testimony of the Vindication of Phinehas's Fact God withdrew his destroying Plague upon it from the People ver 8. The Eighth Remark is Twenty and four thousand died notwithstanding before the Plague was stayed namely all the
Unanimity all the Confederate King 's of Canaan could Combine under the great King Jabin against Israel whereas many of Israel stood Neuters and could not Combine against the Common Enemy and their Multitude is there likewise intimated which gives a lustre to their Vnanimity though many for they were so vastly numerous as to fill all the Champion Countrey betwixt the Waters of Megiddo and the River Kishon yea and lastly they could all be Voluntiers while many Israelites were cursed Neuters and for their Magnanimity too they could serve Sisera freely without pay they took no gain of Money such love they had to their Cause or rather such Malice against Israel whose Spoil they hoped for their Pay 2. Of Israel's Auxiliaries both the Stars above ver 20. having the upper ground of the Enemy and Kishon below ver 21. swept them away as a Besome doth Dust and Dirt out of a Room Seventhly The Epiphonema Conclusion or Epilogue is partly pleasant in a Poetical Sarcasm or Scoff at Sisera's Mother who was sure of her Son's Success c. ver 28 29 30. Such was her Pride and Carnal Confidence upon sensual grounds having no respect to the Power and Providence of God and 't is partly serious in praying that God would Dung his Vineyard with the dead Carcasses of his Enemies ver 31. Psal 83.10 and that Israel might be as the Rising Sun So the Land had rest Forty Years under Deborah from Ehud's Death Judges CHAP. VI. THE History of Gideon is held forth in the Sixth Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Judges The Sixth Chapter is a Narrative of Gideon's Eminent Call to undertake the Expedition against the Midianites into whose hands the Lord had now sold Israel The Remarks hereupon are First Israel's new Apostacy brings new Plagues and Punishments upon them This was the bad Fruit of their Forty Years Peace procured by Deborah a Sedentary Life is most subject to contract many Distempers and standing Waters soon putrifie by a constant Stagnation Solomon saith Ease slayeth the Foolish Prov. 1.32 N. B. 'T is an old Adage Anglica gâ—ns est optinra slens pessima Ridens The English are best in Adversity and worst in Prosperity as it was with Israel often 'T is hard yet happy not to grow worse by times of Liberty Omnes licentra deteriores If the Sea were not tossed with Tides and Tempests whereby it is made to Vomit up much Mire and Dirt Isa 57.20 it would soon become a stinking Pool and poison the very Air we breathe in Israel doth evit again in the time of their Ease ver 1. and this Apostacy of theirs was Idolatry for which they are reproved ver 10. Therefore God pours them from Vessel to Vessel from the oppression of the Canaanites to this of the Midianites to purge them from their Lees that they might not as Moab have a filthy taste in them Jerem 48.11 The Second Remark is The Midianites must be now the next Rod of God's Anger wherewith to chastize Israel for their present Apostacy The Church is God's Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 and he employs his Plowers to Plow upon her Back and here to make Furrows of Seven Years length Psal 129.3 that he might meet with a better Crop than the Weeds of Idolatry The Midianites are those Plowers who Plowed until God by Gideon cut their Plow-Traces or Cords and then they could Plow no more Psal 129.4 but this was not done before Israel had been greatly plowed and plundered and thereby brought to Repentance ver 2 3 4 5 6 7. N. B. 'T is a wonder that those Midianites who had been so universally cut off by Moses for vexing Israel c Numb 25.17 and 31. ver 8. should now in about two hundred Years time become so prodigiously numerous as to come up like Grashoppers for Multitude to devour the whole Corn of Canaan the Judgment threatned in Joel 2.3 that as they had in Moses's time over-witted Israel with their Wiles so now they will over power them with their numberless Army harassing and laying waste all that stood in their way insomuch that the poor Israelites were driven by them into sundry lurking Holes The Third Remark iâ— Israel was Reproved by a Prophet ver 8. as well as corrected by the Midianites Nocumenta Documenta We may well wonder that those Children of the Free Woman should be made to serve a most woful Apprentiship of Seven Years under Midean as if they had been the Children of the Bond Woman only Gal. 4.30 31. yet because they sinned still more they shall suffer still more the Lord sold them into the Hands of those Malicious Midianites in whose Breasts old Rancour and Revenge had laid long boiling who dealt more morosely and cruelly with them than any Tyrants they had felt before All this was to reduce them to Repentance The merciless Midianites make them to cry with their Addresses to God now are they become Docible God sends a bitter Message by a Prophet to them to tell them they were justly plagued for God had threatned They should Sow but another would Reap Deut. 28.51 as John 4.37 but they had nor fear'd it till now they felt it He upbraids them with breach of Covenant Psal 78.34 to 37. aggravating it with their forgetting all the former Favours of God and of their Sordid Ingratitude and Disobedience to him ver 7 8 9 10. Enquiry Who was this Prophet that the Lord sent here Answer 1. Not an Angel as Lyra delitiously fancieth for then he would not be called a Man-Prophet Ish Nabi as the Hebrew hath it nor are Angels in Scripture call'd Prophets though Prophets sometimes be call'd Angels Mal. 3.1 c. Answer 2. Some say it was Phinehas because he is mentioned after in Judg. 20.28 but how that was before this hath been demonstrated above but this cannot be for then he must be about two hundred Years old c. Answer 3. That he was a Man-Prophet is enough for us to know seeing the Holy Spirit thought it not necessary to reveal his Name as is not unusual in other Histories of Scripture 't is said only A Man of God came to Eli 1 Sam. 2.27 so to Jeroboam 1 Kings 13.1 and a Prophet to Ahab 1 Kings 20.13 and again ver 22.28 not named who they were to teach us where the Sacred Scripture hath not an Holy Mouth to speak we may not have an Vnholy Tongue to ask c. The Fourth Remark is The Blessed Messiah appeareth unto Gideon threshing Wheat to hide it from the Midianites ver 11 12. When Israel was kindly humbled by the Prophet's Reproof and cryed mightily to God for Mercy and Deliverance then comes the Messiah in the form of a Man and like a Travelling Man with his Staff in his hand ver 21. and as weary with his Travel upon some long Journey therefore he reposeth himself here under the Oak of Ophrah to rest him ver 11. N. B. That this was no created
is call'd Mishneh-Torah the Second Law so 't is supposed she dwelt in the Second Part of the King's Palace and the King and his Courtiers having longer experience of the eminency of her Prophetick Gifts they minded more the Message God sent than the Messenger by whom God sent it to them Mark 7. The Answer this Prophetess sent from God to the King was that 1. which related to the People which the King must know v. 15 16 17 and 2 Chron. 34.23 24 25. wherin she 1. styles the King Man to mind him of his Mortality not out of contempt whereof Kings have need to be minded N. B. King Philip ordered his Page to cry every Morning to him Remember thou art but a Man Huldah here speaks from God with whom there is no respect of Persons so might say tell the Man yet owns his Royalty in adding that Phrase that sent you unto me She 2. denounces all those Judgements declared in Deut. 28. which Munsterus saith was the part read to Josiah were just ready as a Fire to fall upon the Heads of the Jews for their notorious Idolatry Impiety and Impenitency which should not be quenched till it burnt them as we say out of all House and Harbour c. But 2ly that of the Divine Oracle which relateth to Josiah himself 1. She giveth the King his just Title but to the King of Judah ver 18. whereas before she had call'd him only Man ver 15. N. B. Piety is no Enemy to Mannerly Civility 2. She declares her Message not as any private Motion of her own heart but as from the Lord again and again ver 18 19. She saith 3. because thine heart was tender easily touched with the least Sin and easily dissolved into Tears and Tenderness because thou hast been Humbled therefore shalt thou die in peace and not see this Curse executed ver 20. Mark 8. And last How happy it is in an impetuous Storm to be a gentle Reed which stoops and stands whereas the sturdy and obstinate Oak that will not bend is blown up by the Roots by its standing so stisly against the strongest Gusts of God's Judgments N.B. Huldah was not a lying Prophetess for tho' Josiah died in War Chap. 23.29 yet died he in peace say Enpennius and Sanctius for when he died his Kingdom had a publick Peace and tho' he was slain yet not by an Enemy that had any Quarrel against him or his Kingdom Beside he died in peace with God and with his own Conscience and was not only taken from the evils to come Isa 57 1 2. but also was by Death translated unto everlasting peace c. 2 Kings CHAP. XXIII THE First Part of this Chapter is Josiah's calling a General Council to Renew their Covenant with God ver 1 2 3. and 2 Chron. 34. ver 29 to the end Remark the First The Prophets that were present at this Council saith Menochius were undoubtedly Jeremy with Baruch Zephany Vrijah of whom we read Jer. 26.20 c. and Huldah the Prophetess to which Vatablus adds that tho' these same were at first absent yet through the care of this Godly King they were all call'd to Assist in the Assembly yea and the Children of the Prophetess also and the People of all sorts because all had Sinned and so all are call'd to repent of their Sins Remark the Second Josiah call'd this Convocation that he might ensure the Promise to himself the better and if possible to avert the Judgments of God threatned against the People by Huldah the Prophetess He caused one of the Priests to read the Covenant contained in that Book of Moses's Manuscript and he constrained by his Royal Authority all that were present to take the Covenant 2 Chron. 34.33 saith Junius to which Lavater adds N. B. Good God what need have we of another Josiah at this time when so many Abuses abound among us Remark the Third The People pretended and professed that they would stand to the Covenant in forsaking Idolatry and in following the Commands of the True Jehovah giving their Personal consent each for himself and binding themselves by Oath to perform it but the most of them Dissembled as is apparent 1. from the Prophet's complaint concerning them in the time of Josiah's Life Jerem. 3.6 10 11. They turned not to God with all their heart but dealt deceitfully and therefore he exhorts them to Plow up their Fallow Ground c. Jerem. 4.3 and wash thy self from wickedness c. ver 14. And 2. 't is apparent by the Peoples Revolting and running so openly and impudently into Idoaltry after Josiah's death Yet this good King hoping the best of them brought them to be bound to their good Behaviour by the Sacred Bonds of this Solemn Covenant who himself stood to it sincerely and with his whole heart tho' they stood to it feignedly and with their mouth only The Second Part of this Chapter 2 Kings 23. is a larger Amplification of this good King's Reformation from ver 4 to ver 27. which he began in the Twelfth Year of his Reign 2 Chron. 34.3 the farther carrying on of which is described there ver 4 5 6 7. Jeremy began to Prophesy in the 13th Year of Josiah Jer. 1.2 to help forward his begun Reformation which yet went on very slowly not through any Negligence in Upright Josiah but by backwardness of both Princes and People in whom Idolatry was so fast Rooted that Josiah spent his 13 14 15 16 and 17 Years in its extirpation and 't was not till his 18th Year 2 Chron. 34.8 that the Copy of the Law written with Moses's own hand was found in the Temple c. as is spoken of before Tho' some do suppose that this Reformation here related was wrought before upon the Grounds afore mentioned yet let us take a fresh Review of it as it lies Recorded in order of Place in this Chapter omitting the order of Time and then may we admire with Dr. Lightfoot the Remissness of both Princes and People in Retarding this Reformation which Zealous Josiah began in his Twelfth Year yet 't is almost incredible how much Filth remained to be removed in his Eighteenth Year as 2 Kings 23. relates Remark the First Upon his Reforming the Temple and Places adjacent Mark 1. He Removed all those Vessels and Vtensils that had been made for the Worship of Baal ver 4. and tho' some of them doubtless were of precious Matter and curious Workmanship yet this pious King would not permit them to continue but either burnt them or pounded them into Dust near to the Brook Kidron and such was good Josiah's Abhorrency of them that he did not cast the Ashes of those Abominable things into that Town-Ditch c. they shall not have any place in his Kingdom that Holy Land of Judah saith Cajetan but carrys them to Bethel belonging to the Ten Tribes to pollute that place which had been the chief Throne of Idolatry say Junius Vatablus
shall call on the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3.9 and while the Devil's Dogs without either Gag or Muzzle do bark at the Miracle of Mercy with the pestilent Pharisees ascribing the glory thereof to the Prince of Devils they with the multitude marvel glorifying the God of Israel The 5th Remark is Where-ever Christ the Lord of Light Life and Love met Satar that Prince of Darkness he put him to the foil and served a Writ of Ejectment upon him as Luke 11.21 22. Their first meeting was in Heaven and thence did he cast him out as Ezek. 28.16 I have cast thee out of my holy Mountain c. and when he found him in the Firmament as Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 from thence he made him fall like Lightning Luke 10.18 Rev. 12.8 12. And where-ever Christ found him in any Daemoniacks as there were many while Christ was below in the days of his flesh even there he cast him out which was a torment to him Mat. 8.29 though he found a whole Legion of Devils with him to assist him a great Army of them and here he did so out of thin Dumb Man And still N. B. Note well In our Times Christ meets with the Devil in possession of men's hearts which he accounts his Heaven but is cast out by the mighty power of the Gospel though full sore against his will but the Devil hath not so much Power as Malice otherwise neither the Church nor the Children of God would have any Rest but he is Routed and Outed every where After this Christ came into his own Countrey Nazareth Mark 6.1 2 3 c. where he was bred though not born and where he had preached astonishingly yet in danger of his Life Luke 4.29 Hither Christ is now come again to try whether they would give him any better Reception but he found them no changelings his Entertainment now was much answerable to the former only not so full of danger There he could not because he would not do any mighty works for Unbelief had as it were weaken'd the hands of Omnipotency it self c. and put him to the marvel that they believe no more CHAP. XXI NOW when Christ's Miracles of Mercy to many had made Him famous to all He went round about the Cities and Villages teaching his Oracles Mark 6.6 and Matth. 9.35 and finding multitudes swift to hear this drew forth his bowels to send forth more Labourers into the Harvest which now looked white and even hanging down for the hand of the Mower Mat. 9.36 37 38. John 4.35 Hereupon he sent out his Twelve Disciples who had been a long time as Probationers with him c. to become Preaching Apostles with power for healing Diseases and for casting out Devils lest the People should be under that Judgment which Moses of old had deprecated Numb 27.17 〈◊〉 Sheep without a Shepherd therefore as Moses had sent out Twelve Men to spy out the Land and likely by Two's and Two's so the Messias sent out his Twelve Apostles by couples and possibly just as they are ranked together Mat. 10.2 3 4. that in the mouth of two Witnesses the Truth might be confirmed Upon this Mission and Commission Apostolical take these short Remarks 1. Fallen Mankind are not said to be like Dogs or Swine which tho' lost or lugg'd can find their way home again but like lost Sheep Isa 53.6 so silly a creature as none more apt to wander and none less able to return 2. Christ's deep Commiseration of those lost and scattered Sheep that lay panting for life and now nigh gasping their last because of such Wolves as Saul Act. 9.1 moved him to send Shepherds 3. Christ goes the Circuit himself then sent his Apostles thither Happy we when Christ goes before us c. 4. Men ought to be Disciples before they be made Ministers 5. Christ's Ministers meet with hard fare in an evil World Persecution Imprisonment c. 6. Yet Christ takes care for their satisfaction and settlement 7. He qualifies with Gifts whom he sends upon his Service giving them both protection and provision necessary 8. 'T is a great honour to be one of Christ's Retainers the names of those Disciples are all Registred in holy Writ when the Grandees of the World and Men of Renown either lye wrap'd up in the sheet of shame or at least rot away in the grave of oblivion 9. The Workman is worthy of wages as well as meat of double honour countenance and maintenance 10. The consideration of Souls perishing-danger must stir up Ministers to faithfulness in their work 11. Preaching is God's means appointed for Recovery of lost Sheep 12. No less than a Kingdom and that of Heaven can buy men out of their sweet sins Too many say as in Jotham's Parable Shall I leave my fat and sweet to Reign with God in Heaven The most chuse rather for a little sweet of sin with the wicked on Earth and in the Issue to roar with the Devil in Hell 13. Saints though poor are God's Worthies when Sinner's though rich be of little worth Prov. 10.20 14. The Place of Minister's Rendezvonze must not be in the houses of prophane persons who are great without God but with those small Fishers who bite better than great ones at the bait of the Gospel 15. Christ will have his Ministers maintained in an honourable way and not like Beggars from house to house 16. Christ hath a day wherein to judge and condemn Despisers such have the two sure signs of all Reprobate Goats to wit not Receiving his Ministers to house and harbour nor hearing their words N.B. Note well As Christ's Apostles were Preaching up and down according to their Masters Mission Herod beheaded John Baptist as before mentioned at large chap. the 10th a little before Christ's Third Passover came which then drew nigh when Christ Retired upon his hearing of the Baptist's Murder by Herod John 6.4 Mat. 14.13 Mark 6.30 and Luke 9.10 Herod hearing of the fame of Christ in his Miracles thought him to be John whom he had beheaded by his Dancing Daughter Herodias had buried the Baptists's head in her own Palace-garden to secure it from a Reunion with his Body which John's Disciples had buried in Sebaste nigh to Samaria between Elisha and Obadiah the Prophets that the fulfilling of her lusts with Herod might have no new interruption or disturbance thereby John's Disciples come and declare their Master's Death to Jesus which also affrighted all the Apostles home to their Master with whom they retired into a desert place till the Passover came and then they attended their Master thither In the mean time Herod is now perplexed though he now with the Sadducees for the Leaven of Herod Mark 8.15 is all one with the Leaven of the Sadducees Mat. 16.6 hath made himself believe that there was no Resurrection Judgment-Day or World to come the better to still and stifle the noise of his bawling and brawling Conscience Yet all
the power of impiety may consist together in the same person N.B. When this holy Apostle Judas not Iscariot the Apostate who cryed how is it Lord that thou manifests thy self to us and not to others in the world chap. 14.22 had stirred up these Christians of his day to contend earnestly for the faith c. ver 3. which was then opposed by seducers crept in among them ver 4. such as the Gnosticks who gave themselves up to all manner of prodigious pollutions c. At that time in whose stead the Ranters c. Are started up in our day who are likewise filthy dreamers defilers of the flesh c. ver 8. this Scripture-expression is sadly fulfilled before our eyes the Apostle proceds to declare the certainty of those seducers destruction not only from former examples as before but from the likeness of their sins with those which God had punished in sinners of old verse 8 9 10. Then he amplifies his conclusion saying woe to them they shall all likewise perish ver 11. as Cain Balaam and Korah c. did and then he illustrates the sin of those seducers by five elegant comparisons comparing them 1st to spots 2dly to clouds without water c. 3dly To decayed Trees ver 12. 4thly To raging waves of the sea c. and 5thly To wandering stars c. ver 13. After all this the Apostle urgeth another argument to certifie the destrctuion of those seducers adding a third branch to his two former both of examples and of comparisons namely the prophecy of Enoch ver 14 15. which was likewise of the most ancient date as all his examples were because ancient things have the most of Veneration in them 1 Chron. 4.22 In this ancient and infallible prophecy of Enoch Jude declareth the lost estate of those Apostates at Christ's coming to judge sinners ver 14 15. and then he applyeth it to to them ver 16. shewing that these seducers were the same ungodly persons which Enoch had described and therefore such as are liable to the Judgment threatned Lastly this Apostle having dispatched the doom upon those Hereticks he returns to exhort those Christian Jews whom he had spoke unto in the preface ver 1 2 3. 1st That they beware of such seducers alledging the warning words of those Apostles who wrote before him to wit Paul in 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4. and Peter 2 Peter 3.2 3. who both of them foretold the carriages and condemnation of those pestilent persons verse 17 18 19. 2dly He exhorts them to an edification on their most holy faith verse 20. 3dly To a Supplication in the holy Ghost Ibid. 4thly To a Conservation of themselves in the love of God verse 21. And 5thly to an expectation of the coming of Christ Ibid. In all which Jude directs them to the right means of perseverance both as to those two blessed duties to wit conference and prayer and as to those two blessed graces namely Love and Hope intimating that it is not enough to get grace but we must be careful to keep it that we leave not our first Faith 1 Tim. 5.12 nor lose our first love Rev. 2.4 but do our first works of obedience verse 5. having our last works to be our best verse 19. and not decline as David did in his old age 2 Chr. 17.3 who then fell into foul sins of adultery and murder Now the Apostle having done his directions in those duties that concern themselves he directs them in their carriage towards others even to the very Seducers verse 22.23 to be gentle to the simply Seduced 2 Sam. 15.11 Gal. 6.1 but rough to Rebellious Ring-Leaders Tit. 1.11 and 13. Lastly he ends in a Doxology verse 24 25. Praying that God may keep them c. Note well Some do Question the Pen-man of this Epistle Objecting First Because he gives not himself the Title of an Apostle Answer Nor doth James call himself so James 1.1 Nor doth Paul style himself an Apostle in four of his Epistles to wit to the Philippians to the 1st and 2d of Thessalonians nor to Philemon Objection the 2d This Pen-man Ranks himself after the Apostles verse 17. Answer Tho' his writing this Epistle was indeed after the writing of the other Apostles in point of time as above yet this degrades him not in his Office and Authority Objection the 3d. He speakes both of a Contention about Moses's Body and of Enoch's Prophecy neither of which are found in Scripture-Record Answer 1st As to that about Moses the Substance of it is Recorded Deut. 34.5 6. and tho' the other Circumstances were but Jewish Traditions therefore doubtful before yet now the holy Spirit in Jude makes them undoubtedly true as is done to the names of these Magitians that opposed Moses whom Paul calls Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 So Moses's quaking at Sinai Heb. 12.21 And Jacob's worshiping on the top of his Staff Heb. 11.21 And Joseph's being laid in Irons c. Psal 105.18 none of these Circumstances doth the Scripture mention in their proper places yet now are they all Sanctified as well as certified by the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost and have put upon them the stamp of Divine Authority Answer the 2d As to Enoch's prophecying c. tho' that was but a Tradition yet the same may be said of this as of the former moreover that Enoch preached to the old world of the final day of Judgment is here made Authentick and now is put into Sacred Canon Some say that Enoch wrote it and his Book saith Tertullian was kept by Noah in his Ark tho now lost but 't is more probable he only preached it and not wrote it for undoubtedly Moses was the first writer seeing Christ began at Moses c. Luke 24.27 had Enoch wrote a Book before Moses surely our Saviour would have begun there Learned Rivet affirmeth that Jude had a Special Revelation to assure him that this Prophecy quoted by an Apocryphal Author did verily come from Enoch Objection the 4th This Epistle seems to be only a Transcript from 2 Pet. Chap. 2. Answer 1st Tho' that 2d Chapter of the second of Peter carry a great congruity with this Epistle of Jude in respect of its substance as it is a disswasive from Apostacy yet there is so much disparity and difference in circumstances as do plainly discover this is no Transcript from that c. Answer the 2d Why may not the holy Spirit dictate the same truths to several Pen-men at several times to be declared to several persons c. Ans the 3d. Upon this account of likeness as before the prophecy of Obadiah may be rejected because the same matter is mostly found in the prophecy of Jeremiah So Ps 60. is Mostly the same with Psal 108. and so is Psal 14. the same with Psal 53. and so it may be said of many other Scriptures Paul wrote the same relative duties both to the Ephesians and to the Colosians Answer
Deputy from the Faith N.B. Oh unhappy Princes in having such Parasitical claw-backs so familiarly in their presence This Magician is said to be with the Deputy had too much of the Proconsul's Ear formerly and now would have turned him away from his eternal happiness The greatest Opposers of the Sacred Truth have been the greatest Courtiers The Unclean Spirits those Internal Frogs thrust themselves into Kings Palaces Rev. 16.14 As the Plague of Frogs did into King Pharaoh's Palace and Bed-chamber Exod. 8.3 This is a pestilent place for Impostors to be present in and so become a Plague to too many over-credulous Potentates too easily imposed upon The Arrians crept into Kings Courts in their time and the Jesuits learnt of them to do the same And the like do the Arminians learn of them as Utenbogardus in the Low Countreys whatever all these or any of these have done or do now in our own Countrey The Pope hath his Nuncio's his Legates 〈◊〉 latere to resist Reformation and to support his tottering Kingdom but all in vain as here c. The fourth Remarks is This Diabolical Sorcerer of whose Corporation were those Vagabond Exorcists Acts 19.13 c. N.B. Gave the first occasion of changing the name of Saul into Paul for as Luke the Author of this Book never before call'd this great Apostle Paul so he never after this calleth him Saul There be various conjectures among the Learned Antient and Modern about these two names given to this one single Apostle Acts 13.9 1. The most current Opinion among the Antients is that he had this name of Paul given him at his Conversion and Baptism For Ambrose writeth wittily upon this thus Before this Apostle was washed with Spiritual Precepts he was a Blasphemer and a Saul but when the Rain of heavenly Washing had flowed down upon him then the Blasphemer the Persecutor and the Saul was slain but the Apostle the righteous and the Paul was revived And to the like purpose saith Augustin After that this man was brought to the Master to learn of him how to be meek and gentle c. Then Saul laid aside his old Coat of Sin and of being bloody with Slaughters and took upon him the Coat of Gentleness and Humility so of a Saul was made a Paul The second Opinion is that of Origen that he had two names after the manner of other Hebrews and to him agreeth Anselm but Oecumenius steps farther saying that seeing some other Apostles had two names given them by Christ this same Apostle must not have less honour in this respect than the other Apostles therefore Christ changeth his name that what chief thing the Prince of the Apostles had namely Peter Bar-Jona this man might have also and so receive an Argument of greater conjunction They all think this was done at his Conversion but if so then Luke would have changed Saul into Paul ever after that or at the least would have used indifferently sometimes the one name and sometimes the other especially when he came among the Jews again The third Conjecture is various about the Etymology of these two names in Hebrew Greek and Latine 1. The Hebrew name Saul was the name of a proud and bloody King signifying Thirsty or desirous of Blood therefore no desirable name but now when this Wolf had left worrying Christ's Lambs and became one of those Lambs himself that name must be changed into Paul which is derived either from Palah to segregate as he was now chosen and segregated from the World or from Pagnal to work for Christ's heart-changing and life-changing work appeared now in him passively and he was now called unto the great Apostolical work of Christ from his former Damnable work of the Devil N.B. 2. The Greek as Hierom and Ephrem c. say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name taken from Turbulency but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rest and Quiet or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cessando because Christ had quenched the Fire of Hell in him and made him to cease from his fiery Persecution Or lastly of Pi the Hebrew word for a mouth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word for a Trumpet because this man must now become as mad for Christ as ever he had been against him 2 Cor. 5.13 and must now become as mad for Christ as ever he had been against him 2 Cor. 5.13 and must open his mouth to sound out like a Trumpet the Grace of the Gospel of Christ N.B. 3. The Latine Paulus Augustin deriveth quasi paululus or parvulus because of a proud Pharisee he became an humble Disciple of Christ But to leave these curious Criticisms N.B. The â—ourth and best Opinion is That his Hebrew name Saul was changed into the Roman name Paul when he began his Ministry among the Gentiles For hitherto he had conversed among the Jews and Syrians unto whom the name Saul was most acceptable N.B. Therefore Luke calls him only by that name while his Ministry continued among them but now beginning to speak here of his Ministry among the Gentiles he advisedly recordeth him by this new name of Paul ever after for having begun his Apostleship of the uncircumcision it was never to cease till Paul himself ceased to live And as he had hitherto been called Saul as he was a Jew-born and Hebrew of the Hebrews Phil. 3.5 so now is he called Paul as he was a Roman a free Denison of Rome Acts 22.25 26 27 28. N.B. And they of the houshold of Sergius Paulus began first to call him by this name upon the conversion of this great Proconsul whose name Paulus being put upon this Apostle it would not a little avail in moving others to Reverence him especially the Greeks and Romans among whom he here began his Apostleship seeing that name was of good account in several of the chief Roman Families He did not ambitiously arrogate this high name to himself but it was put upon him by others and principally by the Deputy for the glory of God So that this change of name like that of Roman Conquerours was probable to be a Memorandum of the first Spoils Paul brought from the Gentiles into the Church of Christ yet was it not the Head but the Heart of this Sergius Paulus which Paul conquered here c. The fifth Remark is The first Miracle that was wrought among the Gentiles must be the striking of a perverse and perverting Jew with bodily Blindness which matter may very well become an Allegory N.B. Prefiguring that most Tremendous Judgment of God upon the Jews falling at that time under a Judicial blindness of mind and hardness of heart by the just Judgment of God which is oft mentioned in Scripture Isa 6 9 10. Matth. 13.13 14 15. Mark 4.12 Luke 8.10 John 12.40 Acts 28.26 Rom. 11.8 N.B. Matthew seemeth to speak of the more proximate cause namely of their sinful Act preceding this Divine Judgment but
Isaiah John Luke and Paul of the Judicial Act of God which is the higher but remoter cause importing thus much that God first sent them Moses and the Prophets by whom they might have seen and known his Will yet still they would not see nor hear nor understand nor convert nor be healed therefore did God at the last leave them to the Reprobation of their own minds even in the Prophet Isaiah's day Now saith our Saviour what was applicable to the Jews in the Prophet's time is much more applicable to you of whom Isaiah prophesied in my time The generality of the Jews have so despised the Grace of God that their Day of Grace is now over God is resolved he will not convert nor heal them They have had light they have seen me and my works they have heard both mine and the Baptist's Sermons but in seeing they would not see and in hearing they would not hear nor understand therefore are they fallen under a Judicial Hardness and Blindness N.B. This is a Judgment in some respect worse than Hell it self for beside that God inflicts it as a punishment for former Obstinacy this Hardness of Heart is one of the greatest sins and so a far greater evil than any of the greatest punishments Hence a Reverend Man of God had this saying I had rather be in Hell with a sensible spirit than live upon Earth with an hard heart and a reprobate mind Sin being a moral evil and punishment only a natural evil therefore there is worse evil in sin than in punishment for sin N.B. Thus the Allegory runs parallel in all parts As this obstinate Jew Elimas was struck blind at the Conversion of the Gentiles so the Generation of the Jews in general were smitten at that time with Judiciary Blindness And as Paul did not doom this perverse Jew to a perpetual Blindnese but only for a season he should not see the Sun Acts 13.11 So God hath doomed the Jews in general to a blindness in part only Rom. 11.25 'T is neither total nor perpetual as this Sorcerer saw after and perhaps a Convert c. So when God shall unite those two Sticks Ezek. 37.19 c. and makes way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 then shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel Oh what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 at the Jews Conversion The sixth Remark is The bundle of Marvels in this first Miracle of blinding Elimas N.B. As 1. That it might not be objected against Paul what he spake and did was a pang and transport of unruly passion this is prudently preoccupated by that clause Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost verse 9. to signifie that what Paul said and did to this Sorcerer was not any products of that Ranting Devil Anger which makes many men mad both in their sayings and doings But all was managed under the conduct of the Holy Spirit of God N.B. 2. Paul set his Eyes upon this Sorcerer as if he would have looked through him verse 9 no doubt but with angry and burning Eyes sparkling out fiery Beams Godly Men especially Ministers have a daunting presence Acts 3.12 and 6.15 Here was just ground for Paul's holy Indignation when he saw on the one hand this Proconsul Sergius Paulus have some panting desires after the good ways of God and like a docible Disciple of Christ had already got both a listening Ear and a longing Heart after saving knowledge And on the other hand this pievish Conjurer indeavouring to blast those blessed and hopeful buddings which God hath promised to bless Isa 44.3 in the old Translation he could not but be more than a little concerned well knowing that the Conversion of a Great Man is of great consequence having many shadows to follow such a Body especially this first-fruits of the Gospel in order to the Gentiles Conversion therefore is it no wonder if Paul was so loth to lose this Governour of Cyprus who might have great Influence upon the Governed his Subjects N.B. 3. After this dazling Lightning which Paul's Incensed Eyes had darted out upon Elimas followed that terrible Thunder-crack mentioned verse 10. Oh full of all subtilty and of all mischief This was the first frightful crack Importing that this subtle Sorcerer by long dealing and trading in Sorcery had got a Dexterity in doing evil as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a facility and readiness to run the Devil's Errands The second Crack was Thou Child of the Devil John 8.44 Matth. 13.38 1 John 3.8 that not only will but must do what the Devil bids who is call'd the Destroyer and whose work it was to hinder the Salvation of this Deputy and his Family The third Crack was Thou Enemy of all Righteousness This is more than is found in any single Sinner The Adulterer is an Enemy to Chastity the Drunkard to Sobriety c. but he that hindereth others from Heaven is an Enemy to all Righteousness The fourth Crack was Wil t thou not cease to pervert the good ways of God The Greek word for pervert signifies a digging up or ditching over God's good ways so as to render them unpassable to represent them crooked which are straight in themselves this was devilish This Sorcerer lay what Rubbs he could in the way of this great Man to keep him from coming into and from continuing in the good ways of God N.B. But the fifth and last which was the loudest and most confounding Thunder-crack was in these words And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind and not see the Sun for a season and immediately there fell upon him a Mist and a Darkness and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand v. 11. Here the spire of Lightning fell effectually upon this Perverter and strikes him blind No sooner was the Doom denounced but it was immediately executed Verbum Déi est Factivum The hand of the Lord which is his Almighty Power either for Mercy or Judgment did presently accomplish what he had denounced against this Sorcerer by the mouth of his Servant N.B. Oh sad and doleful Doom If it be a pleasant thing to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 then must it be very uncomfortable to be blind Life without light is called a lifeless life N.B. This was done at Paphos where Venus had her Temple and where their old blind Superstition doted upon their blind God Cupid Now this blind Magician was made to grope for his Fellow that same blind Cupid yet little Relief would he find therein could he have found him for if the blind lead the blind both fall into the Ditch and the Leader falls lowest and undermost so have the worst of it even the hottest place in Hell Matth. 1◠14 N.B. Thus the Lord smote those sinful Sodomites with Blindness so that they wearied themselves to find Lot's Door and found it not for their mischievous Intentions Gen. 19.11 And thus the Cavalry of the