and being to swear to a Syrian swears here by the Fear of his father Isaac Where note that he riseth up no higher then his father whereas Laban the Idolater pretends Antiquity appeals to the Gods of Abraham of Nahor and of their father Terah who served strange gods Josh 24.2 Papists boast much of Antiquity as once the Gileonites did of old shooes and mouldy bread A Gentleman being importuned by a Popish Questionist to tell where our Religion was before Luther answered That our Religion was always in the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. where your Religion never was Mine Antiquity is Jesus Christ saith Ignatius and we with him Vers 54. Called his brethren to eat bread And so overcame evil with good which is the noblest of all victories God cannot but love in us this imitation of his mercy and that love is never fruitless Vers 55. Laban rose up Laban leaves him Esau meets him and both with a kiss When a mans ways please the Lord c. CHAP. XXXII Vers 1. Angels of God met him SEnsibly and visibly as servants meet their masters as the guard their Prince Oh the dignity and safety of the Saints who are in five respects say some above the Angels 1. Our nature is more highly advanced in Christ 2. The righteousness whereby we come to glory is more excellent then theirs which though perfect in its kinde is but the righteousness of meer creatures such as God may finde fault with Job 4.18 such as may need mercy therefore the Cherubims are said to stand upon the Mercy-seat and to be made of the matter thereof 3. The sonship of the Saints is founded in a higher right then theirs viz. in the Sonship of the second Person in Trinity 4. They are members of Christ and so in neerer union then any creature 5. They are the Spouse the Bride Angels onely servants of the Bridegroom and ministring spirits sent out as here to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation They meet us still as they did Jacob they minister many blessings to us yet will not be seen to receive any thank of us they stand at our right hands Luke 1.11 as ready to relieve us as the devils to mischief us Zech. 3.1 If Satan for terrour shew himself like the great Leviathan or for fraud like a crooked and piercing serpent or for violence and fury like the dragon in the seas yet the Lord will smite him by his Angels as with his great and sore and strong sword Isai 27.1 Angels are in heaven as in their watch-tower whence they are called watch-men Dan. 4.10 to keep the world the Saints especially their chief charge in whose behalf they stand ever before the face of God waiting and wishing to be sent upon any designe or expedition Matth. 18.10 for the service and safety of the Saints They are like Master◠or Tutors to whom the great King of heaven commits his children these they bear in their bosoms as the nurse doth her babe or as the servants of the house do their young Master glad to do them any good office ready to secure them from that roaring Lion that rangeth up and down seeking to devour them The Philosopher told his friends when they came into his little and lowe cottage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gods are here with me The true Christian may say though he dwell never so meanly God and his holy Angels are ever with him c. Vers 2. This is Gods host So called for their number order obedience strength c. God hath a compleat hest of horse and foot Angels and heavenly bodies are his horse as it were horses and chariots of fire 2 Kings 6.17 yea both horse and foot for there are whole legions of them Matth. 26.53 Now a Legion is judged to be six thousand foot and seven hundred horse Daniel tells us there be millions of Angels Dan. 7.10 yea an innumerable company saith the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 12.22 The Greek Poet could say There were thirty thousands of them here upon earth keepers of mortal men and observers of their works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod Some think they are meant in the Parable by the ninety and nine sheep as if they were ninety and nine times as many as mankind in number All these how many soever pitch camp round about the godly Psal 38.8 make a lane for them as they did here for Jacob at Mahanajim which signifies a double camp fight in battel-ray against their enemies Dan. 10.20 and convey them at death as they did Lazarus thorow their enemies country the air Luke 16. into Abrahams bosom So that all Gods children may call death as Jacob did this place Mahanaim because there th◠Angels meet them And as the palsie-man in the Gospel was let down with his bed thorow the tyling before Jesus Luke 5.18 so is every good soul taken up in a heavenly couch or coach rather thorow the roof of his house and carried into Christs presence by the blessed Angels Vers 3. And Jacob sent messengers Means he knew was to be used by him though well assured of safeguard God must be trusted not tempted means must be used but not trusted Jacob was as one that fled from a Lion Amos 5.19 and a Bear met him Laban as a Lion had some shamefac'dness saith a Rabbi Esau as a Bear had none Pirkei R. Eliez c. 37◠Jacob therefore prays and sends and submits and presents him and all to pacifie him He that meets with a Bear will not strive with him for the wall but be glad to scape by him Vers 4. to my lord Esau Thy servant Jacob c. This was not baseness of spirit much less a renouncing of his birth-right and blessing but a necessary submission for a time such as was that of David to Saul till the prophecie of his superiority should be fulfilled 1 Sam. 24.7 9. That was baseness in the Samaritanes that in writing to Antiochus Epiphanes that great king of Syria because he tormented the Jews to excuse themselves that they were no Jews they stiled him Josephus Antiochus the mighty God the Scripture stiles him a vile person Dan. 11.21 So was that also in Teridates king of the Parthians who with bended knee and hands held up worshipped Nero and thus bespake that monster of mankinde To thee I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio in vita Neronis as to my god and thee I adore as I do the sun what thou decreest of me I will be and do for thou art to me both Fate and Fortune c. And what shall we think of those superstitious Silicians who when they were excommunicated by Pope Martin the fourth laid themselves prostrate at his feet and cried O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant us thy peace The Venetians also being excommunicated by Pope Clemens the fifth Jac. Rev. de vitis
2.20 21 22. Verse 29. Behold I have given you By this Behold God stirs up them and us to confidence thankfulness and obedience to so liberall a Lord so bountifull a Benefactor And surely as iron put into the fire seems to be nothing but fire so Adam thus beloved of God Psal 16.12 was turned into a lump of love and bethinks himselfe what to do by way of retribution All other creatures also willingly submitted to Gods ordinance and mans service well apaid of Gods provision that great house-keeper of the world that hath continually so many millions at bed and board This is intimated in that last clause And it was so An undoubted argument surely of Gods infinite goodness thus to have provided for so divers natures and appetites divers food remedies and armour Psal 104. for men especially filling their hearts with food and gladnesse Act. 14.17 Verse 31. Behold it was very good Or extream good pleasant and profitable a curious and glorious frame full of admirable variety and skill such as caused delight and complacency in God and commands contemplation and admiration from us like as a great garden stored with fruits and flowers calls our eyes on every side Wherefore else hath God given us a reasonable soule and a Sabbath day a countenance bent upward and as they say peculiar nerves in the eyes to pull them up toward the seat of their rest besides a nature carried with delight after playes pageants masks Bodin Theas Naturâ— strange shews and rare sights which oft are sinfull or vain or at best imperfect and unsatisfactory Surely those that regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands God shall destroy and not build them up Psal 28.4 which to prevent good is the counsel of the Prophet Amos that upon this very ground Prepare to meet thy God O Israel For loe he that formeth the mountains and createth the wind c. Amos 4.12 13. when he had made man he made an end of making any thing more because he meant to rest in man to delight in him to communicate himselfe unto him and to be enjoyed by him throughout all eternity And notwithstanding the fall he hath found a ransome Job 33.24 and creating us in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 he rejoyceth over his new workmanship with joy yea he rests in his love Roderit sanctii Hist Hisp p. 4. c. 5. â—xantiq Annalib and will seek no further Zeph. 3.17 But what a mouth of madness did Alfonso the Wise open when he said openly that if he had been of Gods counsell at the Creation some things should have been better made and marshalled Prodigious blasphemy CHAP. II. Verse 1. All the host of them HIs upper and nether forces his horse and foot as it were all creatures in heaven earth or under earth called Gods Host for their 1. number 2. order 3. obedience Kimchi These the Rabbines call magnleh cheloth and matteh cheloth the upper and lower troopes ready prest Verse 2. He rested That is He ceased to create which work he had done without either labour or lassitude Esa 4.28 He made all nutu non motu Verse 3. God blessed the seventh day i. e. made it an effectuall meanes of blessing to him that sanctifieth it as a rest from bodily labour and spirituall idleness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist 3. ad Magnesiâ—s Spec Europâ— as Ignatius exhorteth And sanctified it i e. Consecrated and set it apart for holy use as they sanctified that is appointed Kedesh for a City of refuge Josh 20.7 Verse 4. Jehovah God Moses first calls God Jehovah here when the universall creation had its absolute being This is the proper name of God The Jewes pronounce it not we profane it which is to them a great stumbling block The first among the Christians that pronounced Jehovah was Petrus Galatinus But if ye would pronounce it according to the own letters it should be Jahuo of Jarmuth Jagnakâ—b Verse 5. The Lord God had not caused it to rain And none but he can give raine Jer. 14.22 the meanes of fruitfulnesse which yet he is not tyed to as here The Egyptians used in mockery to tell the Grecians that if God should forget to raine they might chance to starve for it Verse 6. But there went up a mist The mater of raine And hereby God tempered the morter whereof he would make man as he did the clay with spittle wherewith he cured the blinde Ioh. 9. Verse 7. Zuinglius Formed man of the dust not of the rocks of the earth but dust that is soon disperst to note our frailty vility and impurity Lutum enim conspurcat omnia sic caro But why should so glorious a soul called here Neshamah of affinity to Shamajim Heaven whence it came dwell in this corruptible and contemptible body Lomb lib. 2. dist 1. For answer besides Gods will and for order of the universe Lombard saith that by the conjunction of the soul with the body so far its inferiour man might learn and beleeve a possibility of the union of man with God in glory notwithstanding the vast distance of nature and excellence the infinitness of both in God the finiteness of both in man And breathed into his nostrils Quidam volunt metaphoram sumptam à vitrorum formatione The greatest man is but a little ayre and dust tempered together Nazian What is man saith One but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul and soyle Breath and Body a pile of dust the one a puffe of wind the other no solidity in either And man became a living soul Dicaearchus doubted of the soul â—usc quaest whether there were such a thing in rerum natura He could not have doubted of it without it as man cannot prove logicke to be unnecessary but by logick Verse 8. And the Lord God planted Had planted to wit on the third day when he made trees for mans pleasure a garden or paradise in Eden whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the upper part of Chaldea whereabout Babel was founded It was destroyed by the Deluge the place indeed remained but not the pleasantness of the place cecidiâ— rosa mansit spina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod l. 1. Plin. l. 6. c 16 Donec à spâ— ad speciem transtret And yet that Country is still very fruitfull returning if Herodotus and Pliny may be believed the seed beyond credulity He put the man whom he had formed And formed him not far from the garden say the Hebrewes to minde him that he was not here to set up his rest but to wait till his change should come Verse 9. Every tree c. The Hebrewes think that the world was created in September because the fruits were then ripe and ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The tree of life also A symbolicall tree by the eating of the fruit whereof Adam should have had Gaius his prosperity his
face of the waters till at last the highest hills were covered with waters the Ark floting upon the surface of them and not swallowed up by them In reference whereunto David prayes Psal 69.15 Let not the water-flood overflow me neither let the deep swallow me up The true Christian may be tossed on the waters of affliction yea dowced over head and ears and as a drowning man sink twice to the bottom yet shall up again if out of the deep he call upon God as Jonah did Then I said I am cast out of thy sight Jonas 2.4 there you may take him up for dead yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple there he revives and recovers comfort yea though Hell had swallowed up a servant of God into her bowels yet it must in despight of it render him up as the Whale did Jonas which if he had light upon the Mariners would have devoured and disgested twenty of them in less space Vers 19. And all the high hills So high some of them that their tops are above the clouds and winds And yet as high as they were they could not save those from the flood that fled to them Surely might they say in vain is salvation hoped for from the mountains Isaiah 3.23 Well for them if taught by their present distress and danger they could go on with the Church there and say Surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Happy storm that beats us into the Harbor Vers 21. And every man died Now these mockers behold that Ark with envy that er'st they beheld with scorn they wish themselves in the darkest corner of it that lately laughed at it and perhaps did what they could Verisâ—mile est non abstinuisse manus ab opere turbando Piscat to hinder the finishing of it Yea some likely to save them from drowning caught at and clang as fast to the outside of the Ark as Joab for the same cause did to the horns of the Altar But all in vain For Vers 22. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life died of all that was in the dry land This last clause exempteth fishes though the Jews would needs perswade us that these also died for that the waters of the flood were boyling hot But rain-water useth not to be hot we know and therefore we reject this conceit as a Jewish fable CHAP. VIII Vers 1. And God remembred Noah HE might begin to think that God had forgotten him having not heard from God for five months together Fuit in arca per annum integrum decem dies Piscator and not yet seeing how he could possibly escape He had been a whole year in the Arke and now was ready to groan out that dolefull Vsquequò Domine Hast thou forgotten to be mercifull c But forgetfulness befalls not the Almighty The Butler may forget Joseph and Joseph his fathers house Ahashuerosh may forget Mordecai and the delivered City Eccles 9.15 the poor man that by his wisdome preserved it The Sichemites may forget Gideon But God is not unfaithfull to forget your worke and labour of love saith the Apostle Heb. 6.10 And there is a book of remembrance written before him Mal. 3.16 saith the Prophet for them that feare the Lord. A metaphor from Kings that commonly keep a Callendar or Chronicle of such as have done them good service as Ahashuerosh and Tamerlain Esth 6.1 who had a catalogue of their names and good deserts which he daily perused oftentimes saying that day to be lost Turk hist p. 227. wherein he had not given them something God also is said to have such a book of remembrance Not that he hath so or needeth to have for all things both past and future are present with him he hath the Idaea of them within himself and every thought is before his eyes Psal 139.16 so that he cannot be forgetfull But he is said to remember his people so he is pleased to speak to our capacity when he sheweth his care of us and makes good his promise to us We also are said to be his remembrancers when we plead his promise Esa 62.6 and presse him to performance Not that we perswade him thereby to do us good but we perswade our own hearts to more faith love obedience c. whereby we become more capable of that good God made a wind So he worketh usually by means though he needeth them not But many times his works are as Luther speaketh in contrariis mediis As here he asswageth the waters by a wind which naturally lifteth up the waves thereof and inrageth them Psal 107.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jon. 1.4 God worketh by contraries saith Nazianzen that he may be the more admired Vers 2. And the raine from heaven was restrained These four keyes say the Rabbines God keeps under his own girdle 1. Of the Womb 2. Of the Grave 3. Of the Rain 4. Of the heart Revel 3. He openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth Vers 3. And the waters returned continually Or hastily Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In going and returning or heaving and shooving with all possible speed to return to their place at â—ods appointment See a like cheerfulness in Gods servants Zach 8.21 Isai 60.8 Psal 110.3 Vers 4. Mountains of Ararat On the tops of the Gordaean Mountains where Noahs Ark rested we finde many ruines The Preâ—â—bers travels by Job Cartwright p. 32. Joseph Antiq lib. 1. cap. 5. and huge foundations saith the Preacher in his travels of which no reason can be rendered but that which Josephus gives That they that escaped the flood were so astonished and amazed that they durst not descend into the Plains and Low Countries but kept on the tops of those Mountains and there builded Vers 5. The waters decreased Not all on the sudden but by little and little Isaâ— 28.16 for exercise of Noahs faith He that beleeveth maketh not haste God limiteth our sufferings for time maner and measure Joseph was a prisoner till the time came Smyrâ—â— was in tribulation for ten days Physick must have a time to work and Gold must lye some-while in the fire In the opportunity of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.6 saith Peter God will exalt you Prescribe not to him with those Bethulians in Judith but wait his leasure and let him do what is good in his own eyes He waits a fit season to shew us mercy Isai 30.18 and thinks as long of the time as we do Vers 7. And he sent forth a Raven Which when it is made tame though it delights in dead carcases whereof Noah knew the earth was now full yet doth not easily forget its station but returns thereto when nature is satisfied Which went forth to and fro Fluttered about the Ark but kept out of it Manet foris cum voce corvina qui non habet
suo palpet quisque sibi Satan est saith a Father _____ which the Lord thy God hath divided And shall we fight against God as Jehn did against Jehoram with his own servants nay with those things which he hath given us for common servants to us all Vers 20. But the Lord Deliverance commands obedience Servati sumus ut serviamus Vers 21. And sware that I should not So that you have a priviledg above me only beware how you provoke him as I did thorow unbelief Vers 22. But I must dye This was a sore affliction to this good man and is therefore so often mentioned Plut. Cato Major also dyed three years before the destruction of Carthage which he had so vehemently urged and would so gladly have out-lived Vers 24. For the Lord thy God And should therefore be served truly that there be no halting and totally that there be no halving Heb. 12.28 29. Vers 25. And shalt have remained long So that thou thinkest there is no removing thee thou art so rooted and rivetted Nicephorus Phocas having built a mighty wall heard from heaven Though thou build as high as heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin is within all will be lost Vers 28. And there ye shall serve gods As ye have made a match with mischief so ye shall have enough of it Ephraim is joyned to Idols c. See Act. 7.42 Vers 29. But if from thence Sweet and soure make the best sauce Promises and menaces mixt soonest operate upon the heart The Sun of righteousness loves not to set in a cloud nor the God of consolation to leave his children comfortlesse Vers 30. Even in the latter dayes This is by some understood of the Messias his dayes which are the latter times of the world as Hos 3.5 1 Cor. 10.11 and they believe that here is pointed at the great and last conversion of the Jews Vers 32. For ask now of the dayes Historiae sunt fidae monitrices great good use is to be made of history this holy history especially whereof every word is pure pretious and profitable Vers 37. Therefore he chose He chose for his love and then loved for his choyce After Gods example deligas quem diligas Vers 39. Empedocles That the Lord he is God in heaven A Philosopher could say that God is a Circle whose Center is every where whose circumference is no where ubi est Deus quid dixi miser sed ubi non est Where is God or rather where is not God He is higher then heaven lower then hell broader then the sea longer then the earth Nusquam est ubique est quia nec abest ulli Bernard nec ullo capitur loco He is no where and yet every where far from no place and yet no contained in any place Vers 40. That thou mayst prolong thy dayes Hence some Lutherans have gathered that God hath not determined the set period of mans dayes Heming alii but that it is in mens power to lengthen or shorten them But this is against Job 7.1 14.14 Eccles 2.3 Isa 38.5 15. Stat sua cuique dies Our haires are numbred much more our dayes Vers 42. That the slayer See the Note on Numb 35.9 10 c. Vers 44. And this is the law That is this that followeth in the next chapter whereunto these verses serve for a preface CHAP. V. Vers 1. ANd keep and do them The difference between Divinity and other Sciences is that it is not enough to learn but we must keep and do it as lessons of Musick must be practised and a copy not read only but acted Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour untill the evening Psal 104.23 He must arise from the bed of sin and go forth out of himself as out of his house to his work and to his labour working out his salvation with fear and trembling until the evening till the Sun of his life be set Vers 2. God made a Covenant with us We also have the Covenant the seals Ministers c. But alass are not these blessings amongst us as the Ark was among the Philistims rather as prisoners then as priviledges rather in testimonium ruinam quà m salutem Vers 3. With our fathers i. e. With our fathers only Or if it be understood of all the foregoing Patriarches then it is to be expounded by Gal. 3.17 Vers 4. Face to face i. e. Openly and immediately by himself and not by a messenger or mediatour Prosper's conceit was that the Israelites were called Judaei because they received jus Dei Vers 5. I stood between the Lord Sc. after the decalogue delivered by God himself out of the fire For of that he might say as once Joseph did to his brethren Behold your eyes see that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you Gen. 45.12 And as Paul did to Philemon vers 19. I Paul c. so I the Lord have written it with mine hand I will require it Vers 6. I am the Lord c. See the Notes on Exod. 20. It is well observed by a Reverend Writer Mr. Ley his Pattern of Piety that the two tables of the Law are in their object answerable to the two natures of Christ For God is the object of the one man of the other And as they meet together in the person of Christ so must they be united in the affections of a Christian Vers 12. Keep the Sabbath-day In this repetition of the law some things are transposed and some words changed Happly to confute that superstitious opinion of the Iewes who were ready to dreame of miraculous mysteries in every letter Vers 15. And remember that thou It being a figure of our redemption by Christ and so a fit subject for Sabbath-meditations Vers 18. Neither shalt thou commit Or And thou shalt not commit c. and so in the following laws to teach us that the law is but one copulative as the Schooles speak Lex tota est un◠copulatioa For the sanction indeed it is disjunctive but for the injunction it is copulative The sanction is either do this or dye but the injunction is not either do this or that but do this and that too See Mat. 23.2.3 Ezek. 18.10 11 13. Iam. 2.10 Do every thing as well as any thing to leave one sin and not another is with Benhadad to recover of one disease and to dye of another Vers 22. These words the Lord spake If humane laws are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the invention of the gods as Demosthenes calls them how much rather this perfect law of God that needs no alteration or addition Vers 23. Even all the heads of your tribes These are called all Israel vers 1. as being their representatives Vers 25. Why should we dye But why should they fear to dye sith they had seen that day that God doth talk with man and he liveth It is answered that they looked upon their present
rightly in every joynt Verse 19. To see what he would call them If he had been permitted to name himself it should have been probably Luke 3. ult the Sonne of God as he is called by St. Luke in regard of his creation But God to humble him calls him first Adam and after the fall Enosh that is frail sorry man a map of mortality a masse of misery Verse 20. Adam gave names A sign of his Soveraignty Num. 32.38 41. an argument also of his wisdome in giving them names according to their natures as Hebricians well know But for Adam there was not found c. God set all the creatures before him ere he gave him a wife 1. That seeing the sexes he might desire to have a help in his kinde and nature also Men should not marry till they finde in themselves the need of a wife Vt ei commendatius esset Dei donum Pet. Martyr 2. That seeing no other fit help he might the more prize her Verse 21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep It may be thought that Adam observing that among all the creatures there was no meet match found for him prayed in this deep sleep or extasie Gen. 24.63 that such a help might be given unto him This is Peter Martyrs note upon the text Isaac went forth to pray when he had sent forth for a wife Prov. 19.14 A bad wise is but the image of a wife or as Lamâ—chs wives name was a shadow of a wife tsilla umbra ipsius Mr. Gatak and it was but reason For a prudent wife is from the Lord. And he that findeth a wife findeth a good thing saith the Wise-man A wife that is a good wife for every married woman is not a wife unlesse she be a help to her husband in the best things especially The Heathen well saith that every man when he marrieth brings either a good or an evill spirit into his house and so makes it either a heaven or a hell And it is a device of the Rabbines but the morall is good that in the names of Ish and Ishah is included Jah the name of God and that if you take out Jod and He whereof that name consists there remains nothing Esch Esch fire fire the fire of dissention and brawl which burneth and consumeth to the fire of hell It is not evill therefore to marry but it is good to be wary to marry in the Lord as the Apostle hath it He that marrieth in the Lord marrieth also with the Lord and he cannot be absent from his own marriage A good wife was one of the first reall and royall gifts bestowed upon Adam and God consults not with him to make him happy As he was ignorant while himself was made so shall he not know while a second-selfe is made out of him both that the comfort might be greater then was expected as also that he might nor upbraid his wife with any great dependence or obligation See Yates his Modell he neither willing the work nor suffering any pain to have it done The rib can challenge no more of her then the earth can of him And he tooke one of his ribs The woman was made of a bone saith a Reverend Writer and but one bone Ne esset ossea B. Kings Vitis Palatina lest she should be stiffe and stubborne The species of the bone is exprest to be a rib a bone that might be best spared because there are many of them a bone of the side not of the head the wife must not usurp authority over her husband nor yet of the foot she is not a slave but a fellow-helper A bone not of any anterior part she is not praelata preferred before the man neither yet of any hinder part she is not post-posita set behind the man A yokefellow standing on even ground with thee though drawing on the lest side Gatak but a bone of the side of the middle and indifferent part to shew that she is a companion and the wife of thy covenant Mal. 2.14 A bone she is from under the arm to put man in mind of protection and defence to the woman A bone not far from his heart to put him in mind of dilection and love to the woman A bone from the left side as many think likely where the heart is to teach that hearty love ought to be betwixt married couples Vxorem vir amato marito pareat uxor Conjugis illa suae cor caput ille sua Vers 22. And the rib which the Lord God had taken Matter in the beginning of time was taken from man to make a woman And matter in the fulness of time was taken from a woman to make a man even the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 And as out of the side of sleeping Adam Eve was formed so from the blood issuing out of the side and flesh of dying Christ came his Spouse the Church Ephes 5.26 Diabolus per costam tanquam per scalam ad cor Adami ascendit Mor. l. 3. c 5. Sic Phoroneus apud Bruson l. 7. c. 22. Requirit vir costam suam requirit soemina sedem suam Hinc Ruth 3.1.9 Annonâ— quaererem tibi requiem Aben-â—zra His chief care therein was to sanctifie and cleanse his Church and therefore he came by water and blood So should it be every husbands then would not the devil so oft break his head with his own rib or as Saint Gregory hath it Climbe so oft by hâ—s rib to his heart as by a ladder A good wife doth him good and not evil all her days But this is not every mans happiness Sylla faelix si non habuisset uxorem So Job and Moses quorum conjugium conjurgium There is in most a propension to the nuptial conjunction The man misseth his rib say the Rabbines the woman would be in her old place again under the mans arm or wing Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her My daughter shall I not seek rest for thee that it may be well with thee Ruth 3.1 Made he a woman Heb. builded That is created with special care art and fit proportion in the manner of a house A body hath God given the woman more capacious and roomthy both for the conceiving and containing of her young babe which dwells in her womb as in its house and hath all its houshold-stuffe as it were about it till time produce it into the light of life Adam was formed Eve builded her frame consists of rarer rooms of a more exact composition then his doth And if place be any priviledge we finde saith one hers built in Paradise when his was made out of it And brought her unto the man Marriage then is of divine institution The Saturnilian hereticks sinfully said that it was of the devill And the blemish will never be wiped off from some of the Ancients who to establish their own doll of I know not what Virginity have
which he became his own deaths-man Appian scoffed at Circumcision Josephâ—â— and had an Ulcer at the same time and in the same place Surely God is the avenger of all such he calls it blasphemy in the second Table and shews his wrath from Heaven against it as that which proceeds from the very superfluity of malice as here in Ismael and tends to murther The Hebrew word here used signifies that he not onely mocked Isaac but also made others to mock him Vers 10. Cast out this bond-woman Who had been likely either an Author or Abbettor of her sons sin in ambitiously seeking the inheritance Out they must therefore together as all Hypocrites one day must be cast out of Gods Kingdom Heaven is an undefiled inheritance no dirty dog ever trampled on that Golden pavement There is no passing è coeno in coelum Heaven would be no Heaven to the unregenerate Beetles love dunghils better then oyntments and Swine love mud better then a garden Paris ut vivat Horat epist 2. regnetque beatus Cogi posse negat Vers 11. And the thing was very grievous c. See there 's grief sometimes betwixt the best couples as abovesaid Chap. 16.5 But why was it so grievous to cast out Ismael when in the next Chapter it seems no such grief to him to slay Isaac Surely for that here he hears onely his wives voyce there he well understood it to be the will of God Baldassar in epist ad Oecolamp Veniat veniat verbum Domini submittemâ—â— illi sexcenta si nobis essent colla said that Reverend Dutchman When Abraham came to know is was Gods will as well as Sarahs he soon yielded Vers 12. In all that Sarah hath said unto thee c. The wife then is to be harkned to when she speaks reason Sampsons mother had more faith then her husband And Priscilla is sometimes set before Aquila Pauls hearers at Philippi were onely women at first Acts 16.13 And Saint Peter tells Christian wives that they may win their husbands to Christ 1 Pet. 3.1 by their chaste conversation coupled with fear The Scripture is said to say what Sarah here saith Gal. 4.30 Vers 13. Because he is thy seed So bountiful a master is God so liberal a Lord that he blesseth his servants in their seed too We count it a great favor if an earthly lord give an old servant a countrey cottage with some small annuity for life but Gods love extends beyond life as Davids love to Jonathan preserves Mephibâ—sheth from the Gallows yea promoteth him to a princely allowance Act Mâ—â— â—ol 1481. and respect at court Your children shall finde and feel it double and treble said that Martyr whatsoever you do or suffer for the Lords sake V. 14. And Abraham rose up early He was not disobedient to the heavenly vision but set upon the execution of Gods will with expedition Voluntas Dei necessitas rei A godly man sayes Amen to Gods Amen go it never so much against the hair with him He puts his Fiat his Placet to Gods and saith as Acts 21.14 The will of the Lord be done which was Vox verè Christianorum as One saith Vers 15. And the water was spent in the bottle All creature-comforts will fade and fail us as the brook Cherith dryed up whiles the Prophet was drinking of it as those pools about Jerusalem that might be dryed up with the tramplings of horse and horsemen 2 King 19.24 But they that drink of Christs water shall never thirst For it shall be in them as the widows oyl or Aarons oyntment a well springing up to eternal life Joh. 4.14 She cast the childe c. Whom till then she had led in her hand faint and ready to dye for thirst who erst lived at the full in his fathers house but could not be contented God loves to let us see the worth of his favors by the want of them Carendo pâ—tiùs quà m fruendâ— To chasten mens insolency with indigency as he did the prodigal in the Gospel Vers 16. Let me not see the death of the childe This Babington saith an Interpreter was but poor love Give me a friend that will not leave in the instant of death Gen. 46.4 She lift up her voyce and wept As Hinds by calving so we by weeping cast out our sorrows Job 39.3 Expletur lathrymis egeriturque dolor Vers 17. And God heard the voyce of the lad Weeping hath a voyce Psal 6.8 And as Musick upon the Waters sounds farther and more harmoniously then upon the Land so Prayers joyn'd with Tears These if they proceed from Faith are showres quenching the devils cannon-shot a second Baptism of the soul wherein it is rinsed anew nay perfectly cured As the tears of Vines cure the Leprosie as the lame were healed in the troubled waters Whether Hagars and Ismaels tears were for sin Lachrymas angustiae exprimit crux Lachrymas poenitentiae peccatum or for the present pressure onely I have not to say But God is so pitiful that he hears and helps our affliction as he had done Hagars once afore Gen. 16.11 And as our Saviour raised the young man of Nains though none sought to him meerly because he was the onely son of his mother a widow the stay of her life and staff of her old age See a sweet place 2 King 14.26 27. Vers 18. For I will make him a great nation A Nation by himself as he had promised to Abraham This had not come to pass had not she missed of her way to Egypt and wandred in this wilderness God by his providence ordereth our disorders to his own glory Gregor Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur Humana sapienâ—ia dum reluctatur comprehenditur Vers 19. God opened her eyes c. The well was there before but she saw it not till her eye were opened So till God irradiate both the Organ and the Object we neither see nor suck those brests of consolation Isai 66.11 We turn the back and not the palm of the hand to the staffe of the promises Vers 20 And God was with the lad c. The fountain of Hagar saith a Divine lying between Bared and Kadesh-barnea was afterward called the well of the living God and seemeth myâ—â—ically to represent Baptism the laver of regeneration For the Church like Hagar with her son Ismael travelling through the wilderness of this world is pressed with a multitude of sins and miseries c. Wherefore they joyning together in Prayer crave to be refreshed with the water of life For Hagar signifieth a Pilgrim Itinerar script fol. 95. Ishmael a man whom the Lord heareth who travelling together with her Mother the Church in this World fighteth against the enemies thereof and shooteth the Arrows of Faith against all infernal and cruel beasts and lusts Thus he Vers 21. And his mother took him a wife Adeò est juris non gentium sed
he had before forgot his break-fust he turned not into a victualing-house but went to the Temple and taught the people and confuted the Elders all that day long till the evening Matth. 21.18 c. with Mark 11.13 c. Job 23.12 Job esteemed Gods word more then his necessary food not onely more then his dainties or supersâ—uities Vers 35. And the Lord hath blessed my master Ministers Christs Paranymphs must likewise wo for Christ by setting forth his great wealth and not speak one word for Christ and two for themselves as those did Phil. 1.15 John Baptist was no such spokesman Joh. 3.29 It is the speciall office of the Ministery to lay Christ open to hold up the Tapistry and let men see him as he is set forth Heb. 1.2 3. that they may be sick of love for otherwise Christ is like to have but a cold suit of it Vers 39. Peradventure the woman will not Here he leaveth out in his discretion Abrahams charge vers 6. For that would but have offended and irritated Part of the truth may be concealed sometimes as Jer. 38.27 Quid quod ubi per quos quoties cur quomodo quando Quilibet haec animo reputet medicamina dando Vers 44. The woman whom the Lord hath appointed God is the Match-maker and Marriages are made in Heaven as very Heathens have yeelded The Governour of Eski-chisar hearing Othomans relation of a fair Lady with whom he was in love seemed greatly to like of his choice Turk Hist fol. 136. saying that she was by the Divine Providence for so the Turks religiously use to speak appointed onely for him to have Vers 47. And I put the ear ring upon her face So did Christ put upon his Spouse his own comeliness which was as a jewell on her forehead an ear-ring in her ear and a beautifull Crown upon her head Ezek. 16.12 14. whence she is called Callah of the perfection of her beauty and bravery Vxor splender radiis mariti A maxime in the Civill Law Jer. 2.32 And Hephzibah Isa 62.4 of his delight in her since he hath purified her as Esther sanctified her Ephes 5.26 and so beautified her that now he rejoyceth over her as a bridegroom doth over his bride Esa 62.5 Yea he resteth in his love and will seek no further he joyeth over her with singing as wel-apaid of his choyce Zeph. 3.17 Vers 53. And gave them to Rebeccah he gave also Note that the custome was then Heyl. Geog. to give gifts to the bride and her friends Now it is otherwise Yet in Hungary their women have no portion they say but a new coat at their wedding Mor is est apud Thraces saith Solinus ut nupturae non parentum arbitratu transeant ad maritos sed quae prae caeteris specie valent subhastari volunt Solin cap. 14. licâ—ntiâ taxationis admissâ non moribus nubunt sed praemiis Vers 54. And they did eat and drink It is lawfull to be honestly merry after business dispatcht Vers 55. Let the Damosell abide with us Men promise in haste perform by leisure Vers 56. Hinder me not Say we so to Satan solliciting us to stay a while in our old courses and companies Vers 57. And enquire at her mouth Eve was not dragg'd but brought by God to her husband There must be a mutual consent or it is not of God Vers 59. And her nurse Deborah who was a great stay to Jacobs family and her loss much lamented Gen. 35.8 Vers 60. Be thou the mother of thousands Votum nuptiale Hebraeis solenne We wish them joy we assure them sorrow and that in the flesh where they look for most felicity Vers 61. They rode upon the Camels A tiresome and tedious journey it was but for a good husband Suffer we with and for Christ that we may be glorified together when the marriage shall be consummated Heaven will pay for all What though thou ride on a trotting Camell it is to be married He that rides to becrowned will not think much of a rainy day Vers 63. To meditate in the field Or to pray there he had his Oratory there he used to pray secretly but now more earnestly upon so important an occasion with deep meditation or soliloquy Domitiau about the beginning of his Empire Sueton. usually sequestred himself from company an hour every day but did nothing the while but catch flyes and kill them with a pen-knife Gods people can better employ their solitariness and do never want company as having God and themselves to talk with And these secret meals are those that make the soul fat It was a witty and divine speech of Bernard that Christ the souls Spouse is bashfull neither willingly commeth to his Bride in the presence of a multitude Vers 65. She lighted off the Camell To meet him with the more reverence and submission for which cause also she veyled her self Here that of the Poet hold not Fastus inest pulchris sequiturque superbia formam Ovid. Vers 66. And the servant told Isaac Ministers also must give account of their Stewardship Happy he that can present his people as a chaste Virgin to Christ with Paul 2 Cor. 11.2 that can say with the Prophet Here am I and the children that thou hast given me And with that Arch-Prophet I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 Reverend Mr. Stork was wont to protest Abrab deceas by M. Gatâ—k that it was more comfort to him to win one of his own charge then twenty others Vers 67. Isaac brought her into his mothers tent There to rest till the marriage-rites were performed till he had got her good-will till their affections were knit and in some sort settled till they had plighted their mutuall troth sought God for a blessing and performed such solemnities as the time required Youth rides in post to be married but in the end findes the Inne of repentance to be lodged in And took Rebeccah Not as Shechem took Dinah or Amnon Tamar to desloure her but as Boaz took Ruth and David Abigail to make her his wife by lawfull wedlock And he loved her Not onely as his Country-woman or his kinswoman or a good woman c. but as his woman with a conjugall love And he had reason For 1. She was his wife the proper object of his love 2. A wife of Gods providing a mate meet for him none in all the world so meet 3. She was love-worthy because fair courteous vertuous And as meat pleaseth us better in a clean dish so doth vertue in comely persons saith Hugo 4. She forgat her fathers house and forsook all her friends for him c. And Isaac was comforted If God takes away one comfort he will give another Chear up therefore CHAP. XXV Vers 1. Then again Abraham c. AFfter Sarahs death though Calvin thinks otherwise His body dry and
he lighted upon a certain place Little thinking to have found heaven there Let this comfort travellers and friends that part with them Jacob never lay better Malâ— cubans suaviter dormâ—â— sâ—licitèr somâ—â—â—t then when he lay without doors nor yet slept sweeter then when he laid his head upon a stone He was a rich mans son and yet inured to take hard on Vers 12. Behold a ladder Scala est piorum in hoc mundo peregrinatio saith Pareus after Iunius But besides this interpretation our Saviour offereth us another Ioh 1.51 applying it to himself the true ladder of life per quem solùm in coelum ascendere possimus He that will go up any other way must as the Emperour once said erect a ladder and go up alone He touched heaven in respect of his Deity earth in respect of his humanity and joyned earth to heaven by reconciling Man to God Gregory speaks elegantly of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he joyned heaven and earth together as with a bridge being the onely true Pontifex or bridge-maker Heaven is now open and obvious to them that acknowledge him their sole Mediator and lay hold by the hand of faith on his merits as the rounds of this heavenly ladder These onely ascend that is their consciences are drawn out of the depths of despair and put into heaven as it were by pardon and peace with God rest sweetly in his bosom calling him Abba Father and have the holy angels ascending to report their necessities and descending as messengers of mercies We must also ascend saith S. Bernard by those two feet as it were Meditation and Prayer yea there must be continual ascensions in our hearts as that Martyr said M. Philpot. And as Iacob saw the Angels ascending and descending and none standing still so must we be active and abundant in Gods work as knowing that our labour is not in vain in the Lord Bern. and that non proficere est deficere not to go forward is to go backward Vers 13. I am the Lord God of Abraham c. What an honour is this to Abraham that God was not ashamed to be called His and his sons God! Eusebâ—â—s the Historian was called Eusebius Pamphili for the love that was betwixt him and the Martyr Pamphilus as S. Hierome testifieth Friend to Sir Philip Sidney is ingraven upon a Noble-mans Tomb in this Kingdom The old Lord Brook as one of his Titles Behold the goodness of God stooping so lowe as to stile himself The God of Abraham and Abraham again The friend of God Vers 14 15. And thy seed shall be as the dust Against his fourfold cross here 's a fourfold comfort as Pererius well observeth a plaister as broad as the sore and soveraign for it Against the loss of his friends I will be with thee 2. of his country I will give thee this lond 3. against his poverty Thou shalt spread abroad to the east west c. 4. his solâ—tariness and aloneness Angels shall attend thee and Thy seed shall be as the dust Num. 23.10 c. And who can count the dust of Iacob saith Balaam that Spelman of the devil as One calls him Whereunto we may adde that which surpasseth and comprehendeth all the rest In thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed Now whatsoever God spake here with Iacob he spake with us as well as with him saith Hosea Chap. 12.4 Vers 16. And I knew it not Viz. that God is graciously present in one place as well as in another Our ignorance and unbelief is freely to be confessed and acknowledged Thus David Psal 73.22 Agur Prov. 30.2 Pray for me In his Letter to Ridley Act. Mon. 1565. Seâ—m in 3 Sund. in Advent saith Father Latimer to his friend pray for me I say for I am sometimes so fearful that I would creep into a mouse-hole And in a certain Sermon I my self saith he have used in mine earnest matters to say Yea by S. Mary which indeed is naught Vers 17. How dreadful is this place The place of Gods publike Worship is a place of Angels and Archangels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom it is the Kingdom of God it is very heaven What wonder then though Iacob be afraid albeit he saw nothing but visions of love and mercy Psal 5.7 In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple saith David The very Turk when he comes into his Temple lays by all his State and hath none to attend him all the while Omninò oportet nos orationis tempore curiam intrare coelestem saith S. Bernard in qua Rex regum stellato sedet solio Bern. de divers 25. c. Quanta ergo cum reverentia quanto timore quantâ illuc humilitate accedere debet e palude suâ procedens repens vilis ranuncula Our addresses must be made unto God with the greatest reverence that is possible Vers 18. And set it up for a pillar The better to perpetuate the memory of that mercy he had there received and that it might be a witness against him if hereafter he failed of fulfilling his vow It is not amiss in making holy vows to take some friend to witness that in case we be not careful so to fulfil them may minde us and admonish us of our duty in that behalf Iacob that was here so free when the matter was fresh to promise God a Chappel at Bethel was afterwards backward enough and stood in need that God should pull him by the ear once and again with a Go up to Bethel and punish him for his delays in the rape of his daughter cruelty of his sons c. Gen. 35. Vers 20. And Iacob vowed a vow The first holy votary that ever we read of whence Iacob also is called The father of vows which out of this Text may be thus described A Vow is nothing else but a religious promise made to God in prayer and grounded upon the promise of God whereby we tie our selves by way of thankfulness to do something that is lawful and within our power with condition of obtaining some further favour at the hands of God Thus Iacob vows to God onely he is the sole object of Fear therefore also of Vows See them set together Psal 76.11 Next he prays when he vows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vow and a prayer are of neer and necessary affinity See Psal 61.6 Iudg 11.30 31. That was a blasphemous vow of Pope Iulius that said Act. Mon. he would have his will al despito di Dio. And not unlike of Solyman the Great Turk in a Speech to his Souldiers So help me great Mahomet Turk hist I vow in despite of Christ and Iohn in short time to set up mine Ensignes with the Moon in the middle of the Market-place in Rhodes Iacob as he vowed onely by the Fear of his father Isaac so he presented
the Popes Express for in Popish Councels the Bishops and others have no more to do but simply inclinaâ—o capite to say Placet to that which in the Popes name is propounded to them As nothing was resolved by the Trent-Fathers but all in Rome whence grew that blasphemous Proverb Hist of Counc of Trent 497. Rev. 16.3 Brightman which habhor to relate This Councel was that sea upon which the second Angel poured out his vial and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soul died in that sea Cavete Vers 4. And Jacob said These petty passages are recorded when the acts of mighty Monarchs are unmentioned to shew Gods dear respect to his poor servants The Lion and Eagle were not offered in sacrifice as the Lamb and Dove were Master Fox being asked whether he knew such an honest poor man answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such So doth God Vers 6. And behold Rachel his daughter Note that our least and ordinary actions are ordered and directed by God as Nathaneel's being under the fig-tree c. Joh. 1.48 Birds flying seem to flie at liberty yet are guided by an over-ruling hand of Heaven so are our thoughts affections actions Sic curat Deus universos quasi singulos sic singulos quasi solos saith Augustine Rachel by a divine providence meets Jacob at the Well so doth the Church that shepherdess Cant. 1.7.8 meet Christ in his Ordinances Psal 23.2 3. Vers 7. Neither is it time c. Time is a precious commodity and must be thriftily husbanded The common complaint is We want time But the truth is we do not so much want Non parùm habemus temperis sed multum perdimus Sen. as waste it as the Heathen observed which they that do are wastfullest prodigals for of all other possessions two may be had together but two moments of time cannot be possest together This made the Philosopher so parsimonious of time Senec. Epist Nullus mihi per otium exit dies I cannot afford to cast away a day partem noctium studiis vendico part of the night I take for my studies So did Charles the Great and after him Charles the fifth He had for that purpose as his Instructor Turrianus of Cremona ever with him who when at any time in the field against the enemy spent what hours he could spare in the studie of the Mathematicks As if he had been of Cato's minde That great men must be able to give good account non minus otii quà m negotii no less of their leasure then of their labour His constant custom was saith Cicero Cato in Orig. Cic. desenect to call to minde at evening what thing soever he had seen read or done that day King Alfred that reigned here Anno Dom. 872 is said to have cast the natural day into three parts Eight hours he spent in praying studie and writing eight in the service of his body eight in the affairs of State Which spaces having then no other engine for it he measured by a great wax light Dan. Chron. fol. 13. divided into so many parts receiving notice by the keeper thereof as the several hours passed in the burning Qui nescit quo vita modo volat audiat horas Quà m sit vita brevis nos docet ille sonus Vers 8. We cannot until all the flocks As we are not by the example of these shepherds to enterprise things above our strength Psal 131.1 so neither to be discouraged by every dissiculty but to lend and borrow help one of another each man pleasing his neighbour for his good Rom. 14.2 and serving him in love to edification Divisae his operae sed mens suit unica pavit Ore Lutherus oves flore Melancthon apes Vers 9. For she kept them Leah might be left at home for the tenderness of her eyes A man is to see that all under his roof have a fit employment as the Master gave each servant his task Matth. 25.15 his talent according to his several ability secundum peritiam potentiam And every one hath some excellency or other in him can we but finde and improve it God hath dispensed his gifts diversly for the common benefit And as in the same pasture the ox can finde fodder the hound a hare the stork a lizard the fair maid flowers so there is none so worthless but something may be made of him some good extracted out of the unlikeliest Yea wisdom is such an Elixar as by contaction if there any disposition of goodness in the same metal it will render it of the property Vers 10. Went neer and rolled the stone c. If he did this alone as the Text seemeth to say it was very strange He might put forth his strength to gratifie Rachel and to insinuate himself into her love Vers 11. Lifted up his voice and wept For joy that he had so happily light upon his kinswoman It argued also his great affection and passion of minde for her sake Love is exstatical nec juris se sinit esse sui Animus est ubi amat non ubi animat He kisseth Rachel as if he would have transfused his soul into her Ovid. Amor. lib. 2. Magin in Geogr. and wept aloud not as those vain lovers who ut flerent oculos erudiêre suos Nor as the Brasileans whose faculty is such that tears are for a present salutation and as soon gone as if they had said How do you But as Joseph wept over Benjamin the Prodigals father over him c. Vers 12. That he was her fathers brother And therefore made so bold with her upon no further acquaintance His kisses were not unchaste but modest such as were common among kinred And yet here care must betaken that Satan corrupt not our courtesie or more intimate acquaintance with never so near an alliance Flyes may settle upon the sweetest perfumes and putrifie them S. Paul saw cause to exhort Timothy 2 Tim. 5.2 that mortified young man to exhort the younger women as sisters With all purity because through the subtilty of Satan and the deceit of his own heart even whiles he was exhorting them to chastity some unchaste motions might steal upon him A great deal of caution doth no hurt Abundaus cautela non nocet Vers 13. He ran to meet him and embraced him All in hypocrisie as the Hebrews hold There be many Labans hot at first cold at last friendly in the beginning froward in the end A free friend at first a kinde friend to the last is Rara avis in terris Mic. 7.5 Trust not in a friend put not confidence in a brother c. Look rather unto the Lord as the Church doth there he is the onely Suresby as they say and will never fail us when the World as Laban will shew it self at parting if not before He told Laban
before the Lord. The old world may be a warning to us they fed without fear and therefore perished Jude 12. without favour Let such look to it as live in pleasure James 5. and are wanton that cat to excess and drink to drunkenness accounting nothing mirth but madness no bread sweet but stollen no such pleasure as to have the devil their play-fellow so nourishing their hearts as in a day of slaughter Multi apud homines manducant quod apud iâ—feros digerunt Aug. or belly chear James 5.5 and swallowing down those murthering morsels now that they must digest in hell Vers 23. He took Leah his daughter The elder for the younger by a like fraud as Rebeccah his mother had not long before in a cunning disguise substituted him 〈◊〉 younger son for the elder God pays us often in our own coyn and measures to us again the self-same measure that we have meted to others Plerunque Deus servat legem talionis Herod mocked the Wise-men and is mocked of them And how oft do we see those that would beguile others punished with illusion God usually retaliates and proportions jealousie to jealousie provocation to provocation Deut. 32.21 number to number Isai 65.11 12. choice to choice Isai 66.3 4. device to device Mic. 2.1 3. frowardness to frowardness Psal 18.26 contrariety to contrariety Levit. 26.21 Even the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth Prov. 11.13 as was Jacob. Vers 25. In the morning behold it was Leah A foul disappointment but so the world ever serves us The Hebrews have taken up this passage for a proverb when a mans hopes are deceived in a wife or any thing else wherein he lookt for content and comfort Vers 26. It must not be so done in our country A sorry excuse but better he thought then none at all A subtil fox he was and far too hard for honest Jacob who was simple to evil but of a large reach for heaven The children of this world are wise in their generationâ— and so is the Fox in his but God will take them in their own craft 1 Cor. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manu capere et firmiter tenere Cic. ad Attic. 1 Cor. 2.12 as wilde beasts in a snare made and taken to be destrayed Let us take heed how we deal with them and make our bargains as wise as we can Crebrâ— nobis sicut Ciceroni vafer illè Siculus insusurret Epicharmi cantilenam illam suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have not received the spirit of this world we cannot skill of the devils depths but we have received a better thing the Spirit which searcheth all yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2 10. Vers 27. We will give thee this also See here the guise of wicked and deceitful men when one setch hath fadg'd to their mindes they devise another and make no end of over-reaching there never wanting as the Proverb hath it a new knack in a knaves cap. They will search the devils scull but they will finde out one slippery trick or another to cheat and go beyond those they deal with But let them look to it God is the avenger of all such 1 Thess 4. whose not not heads onely but bellies prepare deceit Job 15.35 Vers 28. And Jacob did so A mirrour of patience which in Jacob here had line and rope her perfect work shewing him James 1.3 to be perfect and entire wanting nothing Godly people can bear wrongs best of any comâ—â—â— them to go a mile they 'll be content if it may do good to go twain yea as far as the shooes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace will carry them Vers 30. And he went in also unto Rachel Which incestuous fact cannot ordinarily be justified nor may at all be imitated Wicked Julia sollâ—â—iting Caracalla to incestuous marriage with her when he answered Vollem si liceret replied impudently and is therefore by very Heathens condemned extremely Si libet licet an nescis te Imperatorem esse leges dare non accipere c. Herod for marrying his brothers wife was reproved and punished Vers 31. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated That is less loved and respected So God hated Esau and accounts the neglects of wife or husband no better then hatred Eph. 5.25 But Rachel was barren God commonly crosseth mens preposterous affections that he may draw all love to himself Jonah loseth his gourd and we our dearest delights by over-loving them Vers 32. They tâ—â—ke my husband will love me This was her greatest care and is every good wives to please her husband and to win his love Vers 33. And she conceived again God usually heapeth his favours upon those whom others slight and look aloof on Vers 34. And she conceived again So what she wanted in beauty she had in foecundity or fruitfulness and this redounded to Gods greater glory by Leah's thankfulness who might say Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit Sappho apâ—â— Ovid. Laude Dei formae damna rependo meae Vers 35. Now will I praise the Lord So she had done before at the birth of her other children But now she would do it anew upon the receit of a new mercy according to that Sing unto the Lord a new song Isai 42.10 A good woman she seems to have been and the better because not so well beloved of her husband which she could not but see to be just upon her for her consenting to the sin with her father of deceiving Jacob. CHAP. XXX Verse 1. Give me children or else I die SHe was sick of the fret and could not live unless Jacob could cure her Prov. 14.30 Envie is the rottenness of the bones and ever devours it self first as the worm doth the nut out of which it groweth Vers 2. And Jacobs anger was kindled He that will be angry and not sin must not be angry but for sin Reprove thy wife thou maist chide her thou maist not unless the offence be against God as here and Job 2.10 And here a man may carry a severe rebuke in his countenance as God doth Psal 80.16 though he say nothing he may chide with his looks onely Am I in Gods stead who carrieth this key under his own girdle as is afore-noted Lo children are an heritage that cometh of the Lord as David once sang for Solomon who had the experience of it for of so many wives he had but one son that we read of and he was none of the wisest Eccles 2.19 This Solomon foresaw and bewailed as one unhappie bird in his nest of Vanities Vers 3. Behold my maid Bilhah Given her by her father on purpose it may seem that in case she proved barren she might be built up by her So Stratonice the wife of King Deiâ—tarus being barren gave secretly her maid Electra unto her husband by whom she had an heir to the Crown as Plutarch
their possessions Chap. 36.43 But Jacob with his father Isaac were pilgrims in the land of Canaan content to dwell in tents here that they might dwell with God for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epist ad Diognetum Justin Martyr saith of the Christians of his time they dwell in their own countries but as strangers have right to all as Citizens but suffer hardship as forraigners c. Vers 2. These are the generations That is events begotten of time after he came to live with his father Isaac who also wept for Ioseph vers 35 as Iunius With the sons of Bilhah c. It is thought that these sons of the handmaids for the baseness of their birth were more modest then the rest and that Ioseph therefore out of his humility sorted himself with them Probable it is they were more unruly then the rest and ill conditioned as such are commonly whereof Ioseph made complaint and was therefore hated Veritas odium parit Truth is a good mistress but he that follows her too close at heels may hap have his teeth struck out An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur said he Those that are wakened out of sleep are usually unquiet ready to brawl with their best friends So here Vers 3. Because he was the son of his old-age The Chaldee Paraphrast renders it morally Because he was a wise son in quo ante canos sapientia such a one as Macarius was of whom Nicephorus saith that for his prudence and gravity whiles he was yet but a youth he was sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The old stripling Iosephus saith He was very like his mother Rachel and therefore his father so loved him But Chrysostome saith better that it was for his vertuous life and godly disposition Goodness is lovely in any much more in an own childe Iohn was the best beloved disciple because best conditioned But otherwise Cavete saith Ambrose ne quos natura conjunxit paterna gratia dividat Parents partiality may breed heart-burnings Eph. 6.4 Vers 4. They hated him There is a passion of hatred This is a kinde of aversness and rising of the heart against a man when one seeth him so that he cannot away with him nor speak to him nor look courteously or peaceably upon him but ones countenance falls when he sees him and he even turns away and by his good will would have nothing to do with him 2. There is a habit of hatred when the soul is so sowred with this leven so setled in this alienation and estrangement that it grows to wish and desire and seek his hurt And this is one difference betwixt Hatred and Envie whom men hate they will harm but sometimes mens gifts are envied against whom no hurt is intended Vers 5. And Ioseph dreamed Of divine dreams to be regarded as Oracles see the Notes on Chap. 20. vers 3. They hated him yet the more So the Jews did Jesus for his parables especially when he spake of his exaltation Vers 7. We were binding sheaves This was fulfilled when they came to him for corn into Egypt Here Ioseph dreams of his advancement but not of his imprisonment So do many professors which therefore prove apostates Vers 8. Shalt thou indeed raign over us They rightly interpreted the dream yet stubbornly resist the revealed will of God This leaves sin without a cloke Ioh. 15.22 as it did in the Pharisees They rightly interpreted that place in Micah Matth. 2 c. and yet when Christ to whom all their own signes did so well agree came amongst them they would by no means receive him nay they sent a message after him saying We will not have this man to raign over us Vers 9. Beheld the sun and the moon The father of the family should be as the sun full of heavenly light and illightning all about him The mother as the moon shining out in her husbands absence and veiling to him when he is in place The children as stars of light or rather as a heaven full of stars as one saith well of Ioseph Fuit Iosephi vita coelum quoddam lucidissimis virtutum stellis exornatum The people of God are called the host of heaven Dan. 8.10 and are bid to shine as lamps or rather as those great lights of heaven Phil. 2.15 Vers 10. And his father rebuked him Either as not yet understanding the mystery or dissembling it It is wisdom at some time and in some place to pretend a dislike of another mans fact so far as we may with truth for the preventing of envie This some think was Iacobs drift here And therefore he draws an argument ab impossibili absurdo Shall thy dead mother rise and reverence thee A likely matter and yet as light as Iacob made of it to deonerate Ioseph of the envie he laid it to heart vers 11. Vers 11. And his brethren envied him Envie is a filthy fruit of the flesh Gal. 5.25 and the devil who is called the envious man Matth. 13.20 and such wisdom is said to be devillish Jam. 3.15 The Pharisees envying our Saviour did the devils Work Joh. 8. So did Cain the devils Patriarch when he laid his cruel club on the innocent head of his brother Abel And Saul when seized upon by the evil spirit more then a melancholy humour he envied David and sought his death For this vice as it makes the heart to boil with hellish venom so it blisters out at the tongue as here They could not speak peaceably to Ioseph but scoff and consult his ruine It sits also looking out at the windows of the eyes Nescio quis teneros c. fascino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as a Basilisk blasteth the object Hence invidere to see with an evil eye and naughty minde And our English saith to over-look a thing that is to bewitch it This very looking upon others precellencies whereby we are over-shined so as to lust to have that light put out that our candle might shine above it this is every mans sin though it act nothing yet it is abominable Iam. 4.5 As on the other side to rejoyce in the good parts of others though it eclipseth our light and this from the heart this is indeed more then to excel others in any excellency if this be wanting For this it is good to get the heart fraught with mercy meekness of wisdom fear of God whose providence cuts us out our several conditions and proportions zeal for his glory as Moses humility charity Love envieth not 1 Cor. 13.4 And to take heed of strife Rom. 13.13 Envie and strife go coupled they are brought in there by the brace and as it were twisted together Likewise of pride and vainglory Phil. 2.3 covetousness Prov. 28.22 logomachies 1 Tim. 6.4 self-love ignorance c. all which make the soul sick of the fret and to pierce it self thorow with many sorrows Psal 37. Psal 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
vengeance Well might K. James say that if God did leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him David Gods darling falling into that crimson sin carried the bruise of that fall with him to his grave Woe to those Italians Sands his Relation of West Relig. Sect. 13. that blaspheme oftner then swear and murther more then revile or slander Vers 23. They stript Joseph out of his coat For 1. It was an eye-sore to them 2. Therewith they would colour their cruelty And this whiles they were doing Ioseph used many intreaties for himself but they would not hear him Gen. 42.21 Reuben also pleaded hard for the child but all to no purpose Gen. 42.22 their tender mercies were cruelties Vers 24. They cast him into a pit Where they meant he should pine and perish with hunger which is a more cruel death Druso adcò alimenta subducta ut tomentum a culcitra tentaverit mandere Tacit. then to dye by the sword Lam. 4.5 Thus dyed Drusus by the command of Tiberius meat being denyed him he had eaten the stuffings of his bed I have heard of a certain Bishop saith Melancthon who having cast ten men into a dungeon for their religion sake kept them there so long without all manner of meat that they devoured one another Joh. Manl. loc com 124. Vers 25. And they sate down to eat To weep for their wickedness they should have sate down rather But the Devill had drawn a hard hoof over their hearts that either they felt no remorse of what they had done for present or else they sought to ease themselves of it by eating and merry-making They drank wine in bowles but no man was sorry for the affliction of Joseph Nay perhaps Amos 6.8 they had so tyred themselves with making away their brother that they were even spent again and stood in need of some refreshing The good providence of God was in it howsoever that they should there sit down till the Merchants came by from Gilead which was a Mart for Merchants Ier. 8.22 22.6 All things co-operate for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 Vers 26. What profit is it c. Cui bono said that old Judge in Rome Cic. orat pro C. Rabir. This is a song that most men will listen to As the Jassians in Strabo delighted with the musick of an excellent Harper ran all away when once they heard the Market-bell ring save a deaf old man that could take little delight in the Harpers ditties But it were to be wisht that whenever we are tempted to sin we would ask our selves this question What profit is it c. Vers 27. For he is our brother and our flesh This consideration should be as the Angels call to Abraham to stay our hand from striking another 1. That he is our brother in respect of God for have we not all one father hath not one God created us Mal. 3.10 Next that he is our flesh in regard of our first parents Act. 17.26 Esay 58.7 Vers 28. For twenty peeces of silver A goodly price not all out the price of a slave Exod. 21.32 Here they sold the just one for silver Pirke R. Eliez ch 38. and the poor for a pair of shooes Amos 2.6 The Hebrews tell us that of these twenty shekels every of the ten brethren had two to buy shooes for their feet And they brought Ioseph into Egypt Little knowing what a price they had in their hand even the Jewel of the world and him that should one day be Lord of Egypt The Saints for their worth are called Princes in all lands Many righteous are many Kings Compare Matth. 13.17 with Luk. 10.24 Psal 45. Kings in righteousness though somewhat obscure ones as Melchizedek Heb. 7. They are called the world Joh. 3.16 every creature Mark 16.16 all things Col. 1.20 Gods portion Deut. 32.9 the dearly beloved of his soul Jer. 12.7 a royal Diadem in the hand of Iehovah Esay 62.3 This the cock on the dunghill the Midianitish muck-worms take no notice of They could see no comliness in Christ though the fairest of ten thousand nothing more then a despicable man Joh. 6. How can this man give us his flesh to eat God had hid him in whom all the treasures of worth and wisdom were hid under the Carpenters son Colos 2. This pearl was covered with a shell-fish so are all Gods precious people for most part abjects in the worlds eye their glory is within their life is hid they are great heirs but as yet in their non-age Kings but in a strange country heads destinated to the diadem but this the world knows not 1 Ioh. 3.1 Let it suffice us that God and all that can spiritually discern know it and so shall others as Ioseph's brethren did him in his bravery For when Christ our life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory Vers 30. The child is not and I c In an old Manuscript I met with these words thus pathetically rendred Heu quid agam periit puer ille puer puer ille Reuben was the eldest and therefore thought he should be most blamed Besides he had not forgot how highly his father had been lately offended with him for his detestable incest Vers 32. Know now whether it be thy sons coat One Philip Bishop of Beau-vieu in France in the time of our Richard the first being a martial man and much annoying our borders was by King Richard in a skirmish happily taken and put in prison The Bishop hereupon complained to the Pope who wrote in the behalf of his son as an Ecclesiasticall person c. The King sent to the Pope the armour he was taken in with these words engraven thereon Know whether this be thy sons coat or not Heyl. Geog. pag. 108. Which the Pope viewing sware it was rather the coat of a son of Mars then a son of the Church and so bad the King use his pleasure Vers 33. It is my sons coat c. The Lord may well say as much of hypocrites Their outward from of godliness is the garb of my sons and daughters but some evil spirit hath devoured them who use it only in hypocrisie They are fair professors but foul sinners And when the filthy sinner goes damâ—ed to hell what shall become of the zealous professor As the Churl said to the Bishop of Cullen praying in the Church like a Bishop but as he was a Duke going guarded like a tyrant Whither thinkest thou the Bishop shall go when the Duke shall be damned Vers 34. Mourned for his son many dayes Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus Few live to be old for one evil beast or another that devours them As for one apple that hangs till it falls many are endgel'd down or gathered off the tree We should learn to bury children and friends whiles yet alive by acting their death to our selves aforehand
them and for the certainty of signification Homer and Virgil have the like As for those Christians that eate their God let my soul be with the Philosophers rather then with them saith Aveâ—roes the learned Arabian When it was objected to Niâ—â—las Shetterden Martyr by Archdeacon Harps-feild that the words of Christ when he said hoc est corpus meum did change the substance without any other interpretation or Spirituall meaning he answered Then belike when Christ said this cup is my blood the substance of the cup was changed into his blood without any other meaning Act. Mon. fol. 1515. and so the cup was changed and not the wine Harpsfield hereupon was forced to confess that Christs Testament was broken and his institution changed from that he left it but he said they had power so to do Vers 13. Yet within three dayes Joseph foresaw the time of the Butlers deliverance he knew not the time of his own In good hope he was that now he should have been delivered upon the restauration of the Butler and his intercession for him but he was fain to stay two years longer till the time that Gods Word came Psal 105.19 the Word of the Lord tryed him by trying as in a fire his faith and patience in afflictions Vers 14. But think on me c. Liberty is sweet and should be sought by all lawful means 1 Cor. 7.21 The Jews censure Joseph for requesting this favour of the Butler and say he was therefore two years longer imprisoned But this is a hard saying Possible it is that Joseph might trust too much to this man and be over-hasty to set God this time and no other and so might be justly crossed of his expectation It is hard and happy so to use the means as not to trust to them and so to wait Gods good leisure as not to limit the holy One of Israel We trust a skillfull workman to go his own way to work and to take his own time Shall we not do as much for God He oft goes a way by himself and gives a blessing to those times and means whereof we despair Vers 15. For indeed I was stollen away Joseph inveighs not against his brethren that he may clear himself but hideth their infamy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophoel with the mantle of charity which is large enough to cover a multitude of sins It is a fault to speak of other mens faults unless it be in an ordinance Infamy soon spreads Out of the land of the Hebrews So he by faith calls the land of Canaan which yet was detained from them till the sins of the Amorites were become full But Gods promises are good free-hold Jacob disposeth of this land on his death-bed though least master of it And here also I have done nothing c. We may not betray our innocency by a base silence Dan. â— 22 Act. 24.12 13. but make seasonable apology as did Daniel Paul Justin Martyr Tertullian and other the primitive Apologists Francis King of France to excuse his cruelty exercised upon his Protestant Subjects to the German Princes whose friendship he sought after set forth a declaration to this purpose That he punished only Anabaptists that preferred their private revelations before the Word of God Scultet Aâ—nâ—l P. 454. and set at nought all civil government Which brand set upon the true Religion and all the Professors thereof Calvin not enduring though he were then a young Divine of five and twenty years of age yot he compiled and set forth that admirable work of his called The Institution of Christian Religion In commendation whereof One writes boldly Praeter Apostolieas post Christi tempora chartas Paul Melissâ—â— Huic peperere libro saecula nulla parem Vers 16. When the chief Baker saw So when hypocrites hear good to be spoken in the Word to Gods children they also listen and fasten upon the comforts as pertaining to them Matth. 13. they receive the word with joy they laugh as men use to do in some merry dream they catch at the sweet-meats as children and conclude with Haman that they are the men whom the King means to honour But when they must practise duty or bear the cross they depart sad and Christ may keep his heaven to himself if it be to be had on no other conditions Vers 17. And the birds did eat them He seeth not that he did any thing but suffereth only He heareth therefore an unpleasing interpretation saith Pareus Vers 18. And Joseph answered c. It is probable he used some preface to this sad destiny he reads him Vtinamtale somnium non vidisses Dan. 4.19 as Philo brings him in saying I would thou hadst not dreamt such a dream or as Daniel prefaced to Nebuchadnezzar My Lord the dream be to them that hate thee and the interpretation to thine enemies If Ministers Gods Interpreters must be mannerly in the form yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute Not only toothless but bitter truths must be told however they be taken If I yet please men c. Gal. 1.10 Vers 19. And shall hang thee on a tree c. This was cold comfort to the Baker so shall the last judgment be to the ungodly when the Saints as the Butler shall lift up their heads with joy But what a sweet providence of God was this that the Butler should first relate his dream and receive his interpretation as good as he could wish Had the Baker begun the Butler would have been disheartned and hindered perhaps from declaring his dream And then where had Joseph's hopes been of deliverance by the Butler How could he have had that opportunity of setting forth his innocency Piscator and requesting the Butlers favour and good word to Pharaoh for his freedom See how all things work together for good to them that love God The birds shall eat thy flesh Those that were hanged among the Jews were taken down Deut. 21.23 Not so among the Gentiles Effossos oculos vâ—ret atrâ— gutture corvus Catull. Lib. 1. de cruce c. 6. Deut. 21.22 A sore judgment of God threatned in a special manner against those that despise parents Prov. 30.17 and fulfilled in Absolom Abslon Marte furens pensilis arbore obit Greâ—ser the Jesuite to shew his wit calls that tree a cross and makes it a manifest figure of the cross of Christ Sed ô mirum delirum figurativae crucis fabrum Our Lord indeed dyed upon the cross and that with a curse But that Absolom should in that behalf be a type of him is a new Jesuitical invention Some say that in honour of Christ crucified Constantine the Great abolished that kind of death throughout the Empire Vers 20. Which was Pharaohs birth-day An ancient and commendable custome to keep banquets on birth-dayes in honour of God our Sospitator for his mercy in our creation education preservation c.
c. The better any one is the more inclined to weeping 1 Sam. 20. as David then Jonathan Nam faciles motus mens generosa capit Paulus non tam atramento quam lachrymis chartas inficiebat saith Lorinus And took from them Simeon and bound him He is thought to have been the chief doer in the sale of Joseph and is therefore singled out for punishment Judas Iscariot is said to come of his tribe Of a turbulent and restless spirit Joseph knew him to be and therefore detained him saith Musculus lest he should have hindered the motion of bringing down Renjamin Vers 25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks This was the revenge he took upon them for their many misusages So Joshua marched all night and fought all day for the Gibeonites that had deceived him So Elisha set bread and water before the Syrians that came to surprize him So S. Paul bids If thine enemy hunger feed him c. Injuries are more bravely overcome with benefits then recompenced with the pertinacy of a mutual hatred Speciâ—sius aliquanto injuriae beneficiis vincuntur quam muâ—ni odii pertinacia pensantur Val. Max. lib. 4. c. 2. said a very Heathen Vers 27. To give his Asse provender in the Inne Their Innes then were not so well furnished as ours are but they were forced to carry their provender which was a trouble Vers 28. My money is restered Joseph had stollen this benefit upon them which they mis-interpret their own misgiving hearts telling them that Gods just hand was in it for their hurt Conscience being now awakened meets them at every turn till they were soundly humbled and had made their peace Better a sore then a seared conscience as better a tormentful strangury then a senseless lethargy Bee-masters tell us that those are the best hives that make the greatest noise Vers 29. And they came to Iacob Who had looked many a long look for them no doubt and was now glad to see their faces and full sacks But this joy lasted but a little while for no sooner had he heard them speak but he was thunderstruck as it were so little stability is there in any worldly felicity The Saints have all here their back-burdens of afflictions yet some have more then some as Iacob who was seldom without God not only gave him a draught of them but made him a dyet-drink Look how your refiners of sugar taking sugar out of the same chest some thereof they melt but once other again and again not that it hath more dross in it but because they would have it more refined So is it here Vers 35. And it came to passe as they emptied Calvin's note on this text is that Ioseph was herein overshot and ill-advised for that intending to succour his father by sending back his money he grieved and frighted him But this might be Iacob's fault more then Iosephs We many times mistake God himself through self-guiltiness as if he meant to kill us with kindness which is a great unthankfulness See my Love-tokens p. 32. Vers 36. Simeon is not That is As good he were not for ye have left him prisoner and unless ye return the sooner with Benjamin which I cannot yeeld to is like to be put to death as a Spie See here the pangs and passions of a parent and how love descends Vers 37. Slay my two sons A simple and sinfull offer Reuben was the eldest but not the wisest Age is no just measure of wisdome Howbeit of him we may learn in our parents fear no be hardy and hearty in our brethrens distress to be eager and earnest Vers 38. Ye shall bring down my gray haires c. To the state of the dead not to hell or Limbus Patrum Many of the Ancients erroneously held that mens souls were not judged till the last day nor rewarded or punished but reserved in some secret Receptacles Bell. de Purg. lib. 1. unto the general Judgment Bellarmine would hence prove Purgatory Luther also seems to approve of that figment of the Fathers For in his notes upon this text he will have Sheol here translated the grave to be an under-ground-receptacle of all souls where they rest and sleep till the coming of Christ But gray haires descend not further then the grave And Luther somewhere intreats his Readers that if they find any thing in his books that smelleth of the old cask they should consider he was not only a man but sometime had been a poor Monk c. CHAP. XLIII Vers 1. And the famine was sore in the Land IN the promised Land Drus in Adag Hold out faith and patience Os quod in sorte tua cecidit rodas Bear thy cross and be content Vers 2. Buy us a little food They had learned to live with a little which is a great skill nature is content with a little grace with less Paratum se esse cum jove de falicitate coutendere fi aquam haberet offam Aâ—lian Epicurus himself was wont to say if he might have but aquam offam a draught of water and a morsell of meate he could live happily Vers 3. Ye shall not see my face c. No acceptation without Benjamin that son of sorrow So neither with God without sound repentance This is the rainbow which if God seeth shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls Vers 6. And Israel said c. Here he begins to outwrestle his fears by resting upon God and is therefore called Israel Vers 7. Could we certainly know c. Inferences many times are made upon what we say or do such as we never thought of Aug. lib. 1. de Trint c. 3. ad sinem Arbitror nonnullos in quibusdam locis librorum meorum opinaturos me sensisse quod non sensi aut non sensisse quod sensi faith Augustine And it fell out accordingly For as Baronius witnesseth after Saint Austins death there arose up divers who out of his writings wrested and inconstructed Quiex ejus scriptis male perceptis complures invexerunt errores Annal. tom 6. ad Ann. 450. brought in many errours which they endeavoured to maintain by the name and authority of Saint Augustine And the like may be said of Luther Vers 8. Send the lad A large lad that was thirty year old and had ten children But he is so called because the yongest son of them and the fathers darling Vers 9. I will be surety for him Herein he was a type of Christ that came of him who is both our surety to God for the discharge of our debt and duty and Gods surety to us for the performance of his promises Heb. 7.22 Vers 10. For except we had lingered c. In the words of God there is not any hyperbole to be found In the words of men related by the Scripture if we meet with such kind of expressions as this and that Joh. 21.25 it nothing derogates from the
cruel witness the Popish Inquisition to Lithgow who in ten houres received 70. several torments And the Massacre of Paris wherein they poisoned the Queen of Navarre murdered the most part of the pearless Nobilitie in France their wives and children with a great sort of the common people an hundred thousand in one year in divers parts of the Realm som saie three hundred thousand So in Ireland what havock have those breathing-Divels made of the innocent English c And what threatnings and slaughter do our desperate Malignants now breathe out against us Vers 27. As hee shall command us Manner as well as matter circumstance as well as substance is to bee heeded in God's service els there may bee malum opus in bona materia as one saith an evil work in a good matter Vers 28. Onely yee shall not go verie far So loath was hee to loos his hold â—useb so is the Divel The Pope made large offers to Queen Elisabeth as also to our King when in Spain Intreat for mee So Simon Magus in a fright begg's Peter's praiers so Maximinus the persecuting Emperor sent to the Church for Praiers when God had laid upon him a grievous diseas So Ezra 6.10 praie for the King's life and for his Sons Vers 29. Deal deceitfully anie more Som are so slipperie there 's no believing of them Egesippus saith of Pilate that hee was vir nequam parvi faciens mendacium a naughtie man and one that made no conscience of a lie No more did Pharaoh Vers 30. Intreated the Lord See the Note on Vers 12. Vers 31. There remained not one Praier make's clean work it can do wonders in heaven and earth Saie thou with David Cleans thou mee from secret faults Psal 19.12 those that are of dailie and hourlie incursion Praier will scour the coast clear the conscience of dead works Acts 8.22 Vers 32. And Pharaoh hardened All blows and pressures were so far from mollifying him that hee hardened and emmarbled more and more CHAP. IX Ver. 1. Let my People go THe verie same message to a word as before often Austin perswade's God's Messengers so long to insist upon the same point De Dâ—ctrina Christianâ— beating and repeating of it in the same words till they perceiv by the gesture and countenance of the hearers that they understand and embrace it Chrysostom at Antioch preached manie Sermons against swearing and told the people that seemed to bee wearie of that subject that till they left their swearing hee would never leav preaching against that sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Socrates Vers 3. Is upon thy Cattle Both those ad esum and those ad usum Men sin these suffer and therefore groan Rom. 8. Ver. 4. And there shall nothing die It is fair weather oft with the Saints when it is foulest with the wicked God hideth his in the hollow of his hand Psal 91. till the indignation bee overpast Isa 26.20 Hee giv's the like charge of them as David did of Absolom 2 Sam. 18.5 Ver. 6. And all the cattel That is a great sort of them Non universâ—liter sod commaniter not all chap. 9.19.25 And this was the fifth of those ten plagues a number of perfection to note that God therein did most perfectly administer and execute his judgments Ver. 7. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened like a Smith's anvil hee grew harder for hammerine There was little need to saie to Pharaoh as the Smith did to the Lantgrave of Thuring Pet. Nicol. Gelstronp Durescite durescite O infeâ—â—x Lantgravi Hee hardned fast enough Ver. 8. Sprinkle's it toward the heaven in token that this plague should in a special manner bee inflicted from heaven The Philistims by their golden emrods acknowledged that the emrods in their flesh were from God Hippocrates called the pestilence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine diseas as wee call the spots thereof God's marks The Falling sickness was antiently called morbus sacer as an immediate hand of God Life of K Edward 6. by Sir John Heywood pag. 127. And what can wee conceiv less of the Sweating sickness with which no stranger in England was touched and yet the English were chased therewith not onely in England but in other countries abroad which made them like tyrants both feared and avoided wherever they came Ver. 9. A boil breaking forth this Moses threatneth to all disobedient persons Deut. 28.27 Job's boils were rather probational then penal So were Munster's ulcers medicinal they were howsoever which hee shewed to his friend and said He sunt gemmae pretiosa ornamenta Dei quibus Deus amicos suos ornat ut eos ad se attrahat These bee those gems and jewels wherewith God adorneth his best friends that hee may bring them nearer to himself Ver. 11. For the boil was upon the Magicians who were convicted but not converted Exod 8.9 They stood still to withstand Moses as Balaam against the light of his own conscience was resolved to curs howsoever and therefore went not aside as at other times to speak with God but set his face toward the wilderness Like a head-strong hors that get's the Bit in his teeth and run's away with his Rider Ver. 12. And the Lord hardned See ver 7. and chap. 4.21 c. Ver. 13. Let my people go See ver 1. Ver. 14. All my plagues upon thine hart Hart-plagues are the worst plagues of all A hard Hart is in som respects wors then Hel sith one of the greatest sins is greater in evil then anie of the greatest punishments Ver. 15. For now I will stretch out His former preservation was but a reservation and hee hath hitherto escaped with his life not for anie love that God bare to him but to shew his power on him Wicked men may have common mercies and deliverances but the Lord loveth the righteous Psal 146.8 Ver. 16. Have I raised thee up Heb. I have constituted and set thee up as a But-mark that I may let flie at thee and follow thee close with plague upon plague till I have beaten the verie breath out of thy bodie See Prov. 16.4 Rom. 9.17 Ver. 17. As yet exaltest thou thy self q. d. No amendment yet A sore sign of a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction It is ill with the bodie when physick will either not enter or not staie with us Ver. 18. Such as hath not been in Egypt Dio maketh mention of a shower of blood and of water Dio in Aug. that fell in Egypt a little before it was subjected by Augustus in quae loca ne stilla quidem aquae antè ceciderat saith hee where never anie drop of water much less of blood ever fell before Ver. 19. Jam. 2.13 Send therefore now Here mercie rejoiceth against judgment Solinus if by anie means hee might bee wrought upon Sed Rhinoceros interimi potest capi non potest It was past time of daie to
the Covenant the Seals Ministers c. But alas are not these blessings amongst us as the Ark was amongst the Philistims rather as prisoners then as privileges rather in testimonium ruinam quà m in salutem Rather for our ruine then reformation Ver. 28. Fortie daies and fortie nights Moses Elias and Christ those three great Fathers met glorious in Mount Tahor Abstinence merit 's not but prepare's the best for good duties Hee wrote That is Weems Exer. God wrote as som will have it Ver. 29. The skin of his face shone God hereby assuring the people that hee had inwardly inlightned him for their better instruction Ver. 30. And they were afraid This was another manner of Brightness and Majestie then that which sate in the eies of Augustus and of Tamerlan whose eies so shone as that a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his own and manie in talking with them and often beholding of them became dumb which caussed them oft-times with a comlie modestie to abstein from looking too earnestly upon such as spake unto them Turk histâ— fol. 236. or discoursed with them Ver. 33. Hee put a veil on his face And had more glorie by his veil then by his face How far are those spirits from this Christian modestie which care onely to bee seen and wish onely to dazle others eies with admiration not caring for unknown riches This veil signified the Laws obscuritie and our infidelitie Ver. 34. But when Moses went in Hypocrites on the contrarie shew their best to men their worst to God God see 's both their veil and their face and I know not whether hee hate's more their veil of dissimulation or face of wickedness CHAP. XXXV Ver. 1. And said unto them These c. HEE often go's over the same things as the knife doth the whetstone Good things must bee repeted sicut in acuendo 'T is Moses his own metaphor Deut. 6.7 Ver. Six daies shall work bee don This dutie is so oft inculcated to shew the necessitie excellencie difficultie of well doing it Ver. Yee shall kindle no fire sc For the furtherance of the work of the Tabernacle or at least that is not of absolute necessitie It might also signifie that in the kingdom of heaven wee shall bee set free from all the fire and scorching heat of affliction Ver. 22. And brought bracelets Glad they had anie thing of price to dedicate to God and to seal up their thankfulness for this re-admittance into his love and favor See the Note on Matth. 9.10 Nazianzen put this price upon his Athenian learning wherein hee was verie famous that hee had somthing of value to part with for Christ Ver. 32. And to devise curious works This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts Lib. 23. who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28.29 Plinie make's mention of som famous Painters whose rare pieces were Oppidorum opibus venditae Sold for so manie Towns-wealth A certain artificer set a watch-clock upon a ring that Charls the Fifth wore upon his finger Sphinx philos pag. 90. King Ferdinand sent to Solyman the Turk for a present a wonderful globe of silver of most rare and curious device daily expressing the hourly passing of the Time the motions of the Planets Turk Hist fol. 713. the change and full of the Moon lively exepressing the wonderful conversions of the Celestial frame To which I may well add that admirable invention of Printing a special blessing of God to mankinde CHAP. XXXVI XXXVII c. Ver. 2. And Moses called Bezaleel GOd qualified them Mâ—ses called them Ministers also must have an outward calling too See Acts 13.1 2 3. Heb. 5.4 and bee sent ere they preach Rom. 10.15 And whereas 1 Cor. 14.31 It is said Yee may all prophecie the meaning is All yee that are Prophets may But are all Prophets 1 Cor. 12.29 Ver. 7. And too much Thus in outward ordinances of service and for the making of a worldlie sanctuarie Heb. 9.1 they could do and over-do So John 6.28 They said unto him What shall wee do that wee may work the works of God Men would fain have heaven as a purchase I would swim through a sea of brimstone said one that I might com to heaven at last But what said our Saviour to those questionists John 6 This is the work of God that yee believ on him whom hee hath sent And what said Luther Walk in the Heaven of the Promiss but in the Earth of the Law that in respect of Believing this of Working Manie poor souls can think of nothing but working themselvs to life Do wee must all righteousness but rest in none but Christ's Ver. 8. And everie wise-hearted man Let no man look upon this and the following Chapter as an idle repetition nor saie as one said once Did wee not know that all Scripture was divinely inspired wee should bee readie to saâ—e Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus But know that here is see forth a Table Index or Inventorie of what Moses and the workmen did in obedience to God's command for everie particular about the Sanctuarie This Inventorie was taken by Ithamar at the commandement of Moses Et sic in archivum Ecclesiae relatum and so laid up in the charter-hous of the Church for the use of posteritie See the Notes on Exod. 26. and consider that saying of an antient Prosper Epist ad Augustin Necessarium utile est etiam quae scripta sunt scribere nè leve existimetur quod non frequenter arguitur CHAP. XL. Ver. 36. The Children of Israël went THe Jews conceiv that this Cloud that led Israël through the wilderness levelled mountains raised vallies and laid all aflat that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks and made all plain c. See Luke 3.5 Isa 4.5 A COMMENTARIE OR EXPOSITION UPON THE Third BOOK of Moses called LEVITICVS CHAP. I. Vers 1 And the Lord called A Continuation of the former Historie from the rearing of the Tabernacle to the numbering of the people beeing the historie of one moneth onely Ver. 2. Bring an offering Whereby they were led to Christ as the Apostle sheweth in that excellent Epistle to the Hebrews which is a just Commentarie upon this Book Ver 3. Burnt sacrifice A whole-burnt-offâ—ring Heb 10.6 purporting whole Chriâ—â— uffering for us Isa 53 12 and our sacrificing our whole selvs to him â—s a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 Ver. 4. And hee shall put his hand As acknowledging his own guilt and transferring the same upon Christ resting upon him with full assurance of faith handfasting us unto him Ver. 5. And bee shall kill the bullock The Priest shall kill it for it was death for anie man to offer his own sacrifice so it is still for anie to com to God otherwise then in and by Christ Ver. 6. And hee shall flaie the burnt-offering To shew the grievousness of our Saviour's sufferings the
say It was a merry world before there was so much preaching and teaching In terris manducant quod apud inferos digerant Aug. And ye shall eat Flesh with a vengeance which ye shall eat on earth but disgest in hell Vers 20. But even a whole moneth Deus saepè dat iratus quod negat propitius Patientia Dei quo diuturnior eò minacior Poena venit gravior quò magis sera venit Gods forbearance is no quittance fatted beasts are but fitted for the slaughter wicked men are killed with kindnesses Ease slayeth the foolish Prov. 1.32 Vers 21. Six hundred thousand foot-men In the conquest of Canaan there is no mention of horsemen The adversaries both Egyptians and Canaanites had horses and chariots not so this people of Israel See Psal 33.17 Vers 22. Or shall all the fish of the Sea Moses forgat belike the fowls of the ayr but God sent them such a drift of quailes as Moses dream't not of he fed them with meat of Kings bread of Angels Vers 23. And the Lord said unto Moses God bears with Moses here which afterwards he did not Num. 20.12 because then he shewed his distrust before the people God will not pass by the scandalous practices of his own people without a sensible check Vers 24. And set them round about the Tabernacle That the fear of the Lord might be upon them c. 2 Chron. 19.6 7. and that they might carry themselves worthy of God who had set them in place of Judicature To the company of the Areopagites Judges in Athens none were admitted but wise wealthy and noble men famous for good life and innocency Nay men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose behaviour was intolerable after they were chosen into the Colledg of the Areopagites abhorring and blushing at their former disposition changed their natures and embraced vertue Vers 25. Took of the spirit See the Note on vers 17. They prophesied Nec praedicendo nec praedicando but by uttering grave and wise sentences Apophthegmes or counsels as Moses did concerning the publike affairs of Israel by politicall and prudential speaking of things appertaining to government Vers 26. But there remained two of the men Being stayed by some lawful occasion as 1 Sam. 20.26 Jer. 36.5 or haply out of sense of their own insufficiency as 1 Sam. 10.22 Howsoever hereby it appeared to all the people that these seventy Seniours were set apart by God for the service Vers 27. And there ran a young man Three manner of persons said Mr. Latimer can make no credible information 1. Adversaries and enemies 2. Ignorant persons and without judgment 3. Whisperers and blowers in mens ears that will utter in hugger-mugger more then they dare avow openly Vers 18. My Lord Moses forbid Thus the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 Nero omnium erat aemulus qui quoquo modo animum vulgi moverint Nero envyed every man that excelled Vers 29. That all the Lords people This is not meant of a salvificall teaching others but a political discoursing unto others See the Note on ver 25. Vers 32. And they spread them They fed without fear Jude 12. though foretold they should pay dear for these murthering morsels ver 20. that which they eat being saweed and that which they drank being spiced with the bitter wrath of God Job 20.23 Vers 34. They buried the people Who by a hasty testament bequeathed this new name to the place they lay buried in CHAP. XII Vers 1. ANd Miriam and Aaron spake She is set first because chief in the transgression Her discontent might arise from this that being a Prophetess she was not one of those seventy that were chosen to be helps in government Chap. 11. According to her name Miriam would be exalted Ambition rides without reins Because of the Ethiopian woman Zipporah the Midianitesse see Habac. 3.7 to whom he had been married many years before but they were resolved to pick a hole in Moses's coat An ungodly man diggeth up evil Prov. 16.27 but for Moses to be thus used by his own brother and sister was some triall of his patience To be derided by Egyptians is threatned as a misery Hos 7.16 but to be reproached by professors is very grievous Zedekiah feared more to be mocked by the Jews then by the Chaldees Jer. 38.19 For he had married an Ethiopian That was an old fault if any and should have been buried in oblivion Luther married a wife unseasonably when all Germany was now embroyled and embrewed in the blood of the Bores and when all Saxony was in heaviness for the death of their good Prince Elector Frederick This his best friends disliked and bewailed Mel. Epist ad Camerar As for Melancthon Quoniam vero inquit ipsum Lutherum quâ—dammodò tristiorem esse cerno perturbatum ob vitae mutationem omni studio benevolentia consolari eum conor Because I see him somewhat cast down saith He at the late change of his condition I strive all I can to comfort him Vers 2. Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses Every man would be something at home and many care not to raise themselves upon other mens ruines self-Self-love teacheth such to turn the glass to see themselves bigger others lesser then they are That man hath true light that can be content to be a candle before the Sun of others And the Lord heard it Without any delation of Moses But while Moses is dumb God speaks while he is deaf God hears and stirres The more silent the patient is the more shrill his wrong will be Vers 3. Now the man Moses was very meek So free from passions if Josephus may be believed that he knew no such thing in his own soul he only knew the names of such things and saw them in others rather then in himself Of Beza it is said quòd sine felle vixerit that he was without gall or guile and he lived to a great age as Moses did and as Mr. Dod did their meekness preserved them Above all the men And yet Moses could be angry enough when there was cause Exod. 11.8 16.20 Levit. 1â— 16 Numb 16.15 c. Yea how blessedly blown up was he with a zeal for God Exod. 32.19 and what a stomack shews he in that case Nazianzen saith of Athanasius that he was Magnes Adamas a Load-stone in his sweet gentle drawing nature and yet an Adamant in his resolute stout carriage against those that were evil Vers 4. And the Lord spake suddenly God takes his part ever that fights not for himself Christ that said I seek not mine own glory adds But there is one that seeks is and judgeth Here he appears as a swift witness Mal. 3.5 c. a sharp revenger of his servants injuries The rule is Injuria illata legato redundat in legantem Wrong done to a messenger reflects on him that sent him Vers 7. My servant Moses is not so God had never so
the Lord See the Note on vers 8. Vers 22. We will send men before us Thus empty man will be wiser then God Iob 11.12 though Man be born like a wild asse-colt It was unbelief that prompted them to this practice for they could not enter because of unbelief Carnall policy serves the worldling as the Ostrich wings to make him outrun others upon earth but helps him never a whit towards Heaven Vers 23. Pleased we well Seeing you were set upon it and it would be no better Vers 25. And brought us word again Ioshua and Caleb did for the rest are not here reckoned of God counts of men by the goodness that is in them Vers 27. Because the Lord hated us A gross mistake Why should it then so greatly grieve us that our good intentions are so much misconstrued That is here complain'd of as an argument of Gods hatred that he intended for an instance of his love Deut. 4.37 7.8 In quo dilexistinos Mal. 1.2 wherein hast thou loved us said those Male-contents in Malachy that cast the helve after the hatchet as the proverb is and like children because they might not have what they would grew sullen and would have nothing Vers 31. As a man doth bear his son Charily and tenderly as his own bowels not hating them as they desperately belyed the Lord vers 27. For if a man finde his enemy will he let him go well away 1 Sam. 24.19 Will he accommodate him as God did these murmurers Never was any Prince served in such state as they were Vers 32. Ye did not believe Sic surdo plerunque fabulam there was none within to make answer Who hath believed our report c We cannot get men to credit us Vers 37. The Lord was angry with me The Saints afflictions proceed oft from love displeased from love offended Fury is not in God Isai 27. Vers 41. We have sinned we will go up Temporaries are set upon sin in the very confession therof Unless to the confession of sin we add confusion of sin we do nothing Prov. 28.13 Yet honour me before the people said Saul Give me a bribe said trembling Felix CHAP. II. Vers 1. THen we turned viz. When we had bought our wit and had paid for our learning by our late discomfiture Vers 3. Turn you North-ward Thus God word was their directour unto all places and in all actions In which respect these historics of holy Scripture excell all humane histories in the world as is well observed That which they tell us of their Dea vibilia guiding passengers c. is a meer fiction Vers 4. Which dwell in Seir To distinguish them from the Amalekites Esaus seed too but devoted to destruction And they shall be afraid of you Though worse afraid then hurt Hic rogo non furor est ne moriare mori We read of some Iewes that at the sack of Ierusalem killed themselves lest they should be taken by the enemy Vers 5. Because I have given mount Seir Thus the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance Deut. 32.8 And a man must needs have some right to his inheritance to his portion Psal 17.14 What Ananias had Act. 5. was his own whilest he had it as Peter tells him yet Satan had filled his heart It is therefore a rigour to say the wicked are usurpers of what they have and shall be called to account for it When the King gives a traitour his life he gives him meat and drink that may maintain his life That Duke D' Alva is worthily taxed for a tyrant that starved his prisoners even after quarter saying though he promised to give them their lives he did not promise to finde them meat Grimston hist of Netherlands Wicked men have both a civile title to that they have and a title before God who will call them to account indeed at last day not for possessing what they had but for abusing that possession Vers 6. Buy meat of them for money Money answereth all things saith Solomon Eccles 10.19 Money is the monarch of the world saith another and heares most mastery But that covetous Chaliph of Babylon taken by Haalon brother to Mango the great Cham of Tartary Turk hist fol. 113. and commanded to eat his fill of that great wealth that he had heaped up together found ere he dyed that one mouthfull of meat was more worth then a whole housefull of money Vers 7. For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee viz. With money to fetch thee in other commodities It is the blessing of God when all 's done that maketh rich without this men do but labour in the fire labour all night and take nothing trouble themselves to no purpose all their endeavours are but Arena sine calce sand without lime they will not hold together but like untempered morter fall asunder there being a curse upon unlawfull practices though men be never so industrious as you may see in Iehoâ—achiâ— Ier. 22. Vers 9. Because I have given Ar The royall city set upon an hill Num. 21.15 28. God as liberall Lord gives not some small cottage or annuity for life to his elder servants great men use to do but bountifully provides for them and theirs to many generations Who would not serve thee then O King of nations Vers 10. Many and tall are the Anakims And if God cast out those Emims or terrible-ones before the Moabites will he not much more cast out these Anakims before the Israelites Nihil unquam ei negasse credendum est Hieronym quem ad vituli hortatur esum Vers 12. As Israel did unto the land This and some other parcels scattered here and there seem to have been added to Moses his words whether by Ioshua or Ezra or some other Prophet it much matters not after the conquest of the land of Canaan Vers 19. Because I have given it See the Note on vers 5. Vers 20. Zamzummims 1. Big and boisterous bearing down all before them presumptuous wicked ones they were and yet they called themselves Rephaims that is Phisitians or preservers such indeed rulers ought to be Isai 3.7 The Greeks therefore call a King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 medela Cornel. a Lapid in Isai 3.7 because he is to be ligator vulnerum chirurgus Reip. medicus the common-wealths Surgeon and Physitian But such were not these Zamzummims more then in name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As he said of his bow thy name is life but thy use is present death Vers 23. And the Avims which dwelt in Hazeroth These are ancient things as it is said in another case 1 Chron. 4.22 such as whereof there is no record but this extant in the world Well might that Egyptian Priest say to Solon that wise man of Greece You Greeks are very babyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diod. Sic. neither is there an ancient writer amongst you Vers 26. With words
their corrupt doings Ezek. 20.43 44 and 36.31 32. Vers 8. The Lord was angry God is said to be angry when he doth as an angry man useth to do viz. 1. Chide 2. Smite revenge being the next effect of anger Vers 9. When I was gone up into the Mount Sins are much aggravated by the circumstances and every sin should swell as a toad in our eyes we should bring them out as they took the vessels of the Temple Ezra 8.34 by number and by weight See Lev. 16.21 all their transgressions in all their sins Vers 10. See the Note on Exod. 31.18 Vers 12. Arise From off thy knees the petitioners posture Saint Iames they say had knees as hard as cammels knees with continuall kneeling Euseb Hieron Act. Mon. fol. 1579. and Hilarion was found dead in his Oratory with knees bent eyes and hands lift up Father Latimer during his imprisonment was so constant and instant in prayer that oft-times he was not able to arise without help Vers 14. Let me alone See the Note on Exod. 32.10 Vers 15. So I returned Yet not till he had first prayed and prevailed Exod. 32.1 14. Vers 16. Ye had turned aside quickly Levitate prorsus desultoria Apostates have religionem ephemeram being constant in nothing but in their inconstancy Vers 17. And cast them See the Note on Exod. 32.19 Vers 19. For I was afraid Moses was more troubled for the people then the people were for themselves so was Dauiel for Nebuchadnezzar Chap. 4.19 and Nahum for the Caldeans Chap. 3.16 Vers 22. And at Taberah Catalogues should be kept of our sins and oft perused yea though they be pardoned that we may renew our repentance and keep our souls humble supple and soluble Vers 24. You have been rebellious Here he repeats the former charge vers 7. which now he had sufficiently proved against them We must object no more against any man then we are able to make good If Erasmus had lived to these dayes Erasmus epist ad Bilibâ—ld very shame would have cram'd those words of his down his throat Vbicunqu eregnat Lutherus ibi literarum est interitus duo tantum quaerunt censum vxorem Wheresoever Luthers doctrine takes place learning is little set by all the care is for a wife and for wealth Os durum Vers 25. Thus I fell down The three former verses come in by a parenthesis Here he returns again to the history of his interceding for them the second time Vers 26. I prayed And he had a hard tug of it but prayer is the best lever at a dead lift CHAP. X. Vers 1. LIke unto the first Which Moses had broken to shew how we in our nature had broken the law and could not be saved by the keeping of it This Christ our true Moses repaires again writing the law not in tables of stone but in the heart of unbelievers and enabling them in some good measure to keep it Iob. 1.17 walking as Luther phraseth it in the heaven of the promise but in the earth of the law that in respect of believing this of obeying Vers 2. Which thou breakest See the Note on Exod. 34.1 Vers 3. And I made an Ark In its use far beyond that Persian casket imbroydered with gold and pearle which Alexander reserved for Homers Iâ—â—ads Vers 4. Out of the midst of the fire The law was given in fire it is a law of fire Deut. 33.2 given by God who is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and hath a tribunall of fire Ezek. 1.27 and shall plead with transgressours in flames of fire Isai 66.15 16. the triall of our works shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3 13. Let us therefore have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear It is the Apostles use Heb. 12.28 Vers 5. And put the tables in the Ark Which was thenceforth called the Ark of the Testimony Vers 6. And the children of Israel Here are some seeming contradictions betwixt this place and that Num. 33.31 32. But though they seem to be as the accusers of Christ never a one speaking like the other yet if we well observe the text and consult with interpreters we shall finde them like Nathan and Bathsheba both speaking the same things Vers 7. A land of rivers of water A rare thing in a dry desart Lysimachus sold his crown for a less matter Vers 8. At that time viz. Whiles they were yet at mount Sinai for the two former verses are inserted by a parenthesis The Lord seperated the tribe of Levi This setting up of the Ministery amongst them is reckoned as a sign of Gods singular love to them And so it is to us no doubt albeit a late pamphleter makes that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery The Compas Samaritan to be as meer an imposture as very a mystery of iniquity as arrant a juggle as the papacy it self Now the Lord rebuke thee Satan To stand before the Lord As also the Angels do Luk. 1.19 Vers 12. What doth the Lord thy God require of thee Beneficium postulat officium Mercy calls for duty But to fear the Lord This is the totum hominis Eccles 12.13 the bonum hominis Mic. 6.8 the unum necessarium Luk. 10.42 the primum quarendum Mat. 6.33 Vers 14. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens Not the ayre and sky only the visible heaven but the third heaven whereof no naturall knowledg can be had nor any help by humane arts Geometry Opticks c. For it is neither aspectable nor moveable The earth also So that there was no necessity of pitching upon thee for his peculiar fith he had choyce enough before him Vers 15. To love them Because he loved them as Chap. 7.7 8. See the Note there Vers 16. Circumcise therefore Deus jubendo juvat Set about this work in Gods strength and pray that the heaven may answer the earth Hos 2.21 For it is a work that must be done without hands Col. 2.11 Beg of God to thrust his holy hand into our bosome Aug. in Exod. quaest 55. and to pull off that filthy foreskin urge him with his promise Deut. 30.6 doubt not of his power lex jubet gratia juvat c. Vers 17. Is God of Gods And will be served like himself Vers 19. Love ye therefore the stranger And so shew your selves the friends of God Cicero For idem velle idem nolle ea demum vera amicitia est Friends are like-minded Vers 21. He is thy praise Thy praised one Psal 18.3 or thy praise-worthy one He is also thy chief glory and praise amongst all nations who shall admire thy happiness in such a God! CHAP. XI Vers 1. THerefore thou shalt love the Lord Cos amoris amor Ama amorem illius saith Bernard Not to love them that so loved us is to be worse then a Publicane more hard-hearted then a Jew Matth. 5.46 That the three children burnt not in
good Eccles 9.18 Vers 23. And beareth not any grasse As they say no ground doth where the great Turk hath once set his foot such waste he makes and such desolation he leaves behinde him Like the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah See the Notes on Gen. 19.24 25. _____ Admah and Zeboim Which two Cities bordering on Sodome and Gomorrah were the worse and fared the worse for their neighbourhood as Hamath did for Damascus Zech. 9.2 God overthrew them and repented not Ier. 20.16 Vers 26. And whom he had not given unto them Or who had not given to them any portion For Can the vanities of the Gentiles give rain or can the heavens give showers Jer. 14.22 As Saul said 1 Sam. 22.7 Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards and olive-yards c so may God say to Apostates Can the world do for you as I can Vers 28. And cast them into another land Cast them with a violence with a vengeance in the Hebrew the word cast hath an extraordinary great letter sling them out 1 Sam. 25.29 as out of a sling Vers 29. The secret things belong This is one of those sixteen places which in the Hebrew are marked with a special note of regard Eorum quaescire nec datur nec fas est docta est ignorantia scientiae appetentia insaniae species saith Calvin out of Austine CHAP. XXX Vers 1. THe blessing and the curse When thou hast made trial of both and hast bought thy wit as feeling by woful experience what an evil and a bitter thing sin iâ— and how easily thou mightest have redeemed thine own sorrowes by better obedience Vers 2. And shalt return to the Lord By sin we run away from God by repentance we return to him Vers 3. That then the Lord thy God Conversie Judaeorum magnisicè hic promittitur saith One Here 's a stately promise of the conversion of the Jews concerning which see the Notes on Rom. 11.25 c. Vers 4. If any of thine be driven The Jews have been for this 1600 years and upward a disjected and despised people hated and cast out by a common consent of all nations for their unexpiable guilt in murthering the Messiah which they now begin to be somewhat sensible of and will be so more and more See the Note on Chap. 28.28 Vers 6. And the Lord thy God See Chap. 10.16 Vers 7. Will put all these curses upon thine enemies God will recompence tribulation to them that have troubled you 2 Thess 1.6 he will spoyl the spoylers Esay 33.1 deliver the just out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead Prov. 11.8 Isa 65.13 14. It seemeth to the Churches enemies an incredible paradox and a news by far more admirable then acceptable that there should be such a transmutation of conditions on both sides to contraries but so it will be as sure as the coat is on their backs or the heart in their bodies See Lam. 4.21 Vers 9. And in the fruit of thy land for good God will provide that thou shalt not be the worse for thine outward abundance that fulness shall not breed forgetfulness It is as hard to bear prosperity as to drink much wine and not be giddy or as to drink strong waters and not weaken the brain thereby The parable of the Sun and Wind is well known Some of those in Queen Maries dayes who kept their garments close about them wore them afterwards more loosely when they came to prosperity and preferment It is a marvellous great mercy to have outward comforts and contentments for good Bonus Deus Constantinum Magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus De civ dei lib. 5. cap. 25. quanta optare nullus auderet saith Augustine God of his goodness heaped all good things upon Constantine Vers 11. For this commandement This word of faith Rom. 10.8 that teacheth the righteousness of faith vers 6. and speaketh on this wise the doctrine of salvation by faith that works by love this is cleerly enough revealed in both testaments so that none can reasonably plead ignorance and think to be excused by it Vers 12. Who shall go up for us to heaven And yet to know heavenly things is to ascend into heaven Prov. 30.4 Vers 13. Neither is it beyond the sea Beyong the sea it was to us till blessed Luthers books were brought hither together with Tindals translation and other good mens writings Some Papists jeare us and say that Turkies hops and heresy came into this kingdom in one bottom Howbeit long before this the Lady Anne wife to King Richard the second siller to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia by living here was made acquainted with the Gospell whence also many Bohemians comming hither convey'd Wickliffes books into Bohemia whereby a good foundation was laid for the ensuing reformation Anno 1417 by the help of another good Queen there called Sophia The writings also of Iohn Husse brought thence wrought much good in this kingdome a hundred years before Luthers time Vers 19. Therefore chuse life Which yet man of himself can as little do as a dead carcase can fly aloft It was therefore an unsound and unsavory speech of him that said quod vivamus dei munus est quod benè vivamus nostrum That we live it is of God but that we live well it is of our selves See the contrary Isai 26.12 Hos 14.8 Ioh. 15.5 CHAP. XXXI Vers 2. I am an hundred and twenty c. And so might well bespeak them as Augustus once did his army and pacified them thereby when they were in a mutiny Sueton. Audite senem juvenes quem jâ—venem senes and erunt Vers 6. He will not fail thee Five times in holy Scriptures is this precious promise repeated and Heb. 13.5 made common to all believers with a very deep asseveration Vers 9. Vnto the Priests Gods library-keepers his depositaries _____ Vnto all the elders of Israel As to the Keepers of both Tables Vers 11. Thou shalt read this law Which was nevertheless read in their synagogues every Sabbath-day Act. 15. And by this reading at the feast of Tabernacles every seventh year the originall copy written by Moses Mr. Burton against Couzens they might perceive that those copyes that they had amongst them were right and authentick It was ill ordered in our english bibles of the new translation that between the Printers haste and Correctours over-sight such foul escapes have been lately committed as Iudas printed for Iesus in the great Bible Lightf Miscel The Turkish Alcoran is written and to be read in Arabick under pain of death not to mistake a letter which is as easily done in this tongue as in any Vers 17. And many evils and troubles As it befell Sampson and Saul when God was gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all miseries came trooping and treading one in the heeles of another So Ezek. 9.10 11. God makes many removes and as he goes out some judgment comes